NaNoWriMo Update

 Status: FAIL.

 My family has been in town the last few days so my word count has dropped off into the crapper. BUT I was able to get some great feedback from my brother whose going to be a film director that's really going to help tighten and strengthen my story.

In other, more exciting news for you,Beth Revis is hosting this mega huge book giveaway:

Add caption

 Check it. SIGNED YA books. I love! If you happen to like ANY of these books (this would seriously double my YA library) run over to her blog. There's like a ton of ways to enter her giveaway. If entries reach 10,000 she'll throw in a bonus item.

 I adore YA literature and young adults themselves because that time of life is so transitional, anything could happen. There is so much passion when you're that young and your emotions and hormones are high and your trying to figure yourself out and there is so much hurt and triumph and sorrow and heartaches and joy. Being young is full of so much possibility. You can stretch, set your heights too far up, reach for the stars, fail, succeed beyond your wildest dreams, fall in love, make dumb mistakes, crawl, sweat and fight for your personal independence..and as a reader I can remember what feeling all of that was like (for better or worse) through those books.

Today's goal is to write 2,000 towards NaNoWriMo. I've also been reading Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series. They are soo good! Why haven't I read them before? If I was younger, they'd be one of my fav series.

Happy Monday!

NaNoWriMo Start!

 Official NNWM crest from their website.

     Yeeehhhaaaaw. NaNoWriMo has officially started and I'm pumped about it. I know that, technically, working on a project that I've already started might not fully qualify me as a "real" NaNoWriMo-er but I have to see this book through before I begin another. And I'm hoping the push to get 40,000 -50,000 words done this month will be the push I need to cross the finish line and finally be able to type "The End". Ahhh what a glorious moment that will be.

 I'd like to post a few scenes here on this blog from my book so you can see what I'm working on. I'm a bit cautious about this because as it stands there are things that can and will change before the final draft is complete. And I tend to write some in my notebook, the other bits I type up and right now I have a sold beginning, a hesitant ending and a random sprinkling of scenes in between trying to really carve out a solid story. I will take a moment to boast a bit that I do know my writing is quite good. The storytelling however... well, maybe you can be the judge of that. (My husband and sisters think it's good! Does that count?! hehe).

 Anyway, I'm super stoked about this month. Are you taking on the Nano-challenge? Nathan Bransford posted a bunch of awesome links for all your NNWM needs HERE Hmmm NNWM..someone needs to make a bracelet or tee-shirt with that on it. Then start a tumblr or flickr pool where everyone can post pictures of themselves wearing said accessories in various states of writing-induced mania or deprivation. By the end, those pictures would start to look a little hairy. Maybe I will take pictures of myself along the way. I just have to dig out my photo converter to do so. Will  start tomorrow.

Alright..if you're joining up for NNWM sign up HERE and keep me updated! What are you working on? How are you feeling about it?

NaNoWriMo: Day 1: 2,000 words. COMPLETE!

Sweet Book Child of Mine

          

 Hello, new world. Pic from Wikicommons.

                A quick post tonight..it's been so busy here with Halloween, a friend's baby shower and still trying to settle into our new house. Yet so much of the time my brain is in another world trying to figure out what happens to my characters next. I'm in the dense, unknown part of my story where the conflict needs to take a leading role and all the stakes need to be raised. It's taking a lot of brain power. I'm not a great storyteller but I'm a good writer so I'm hoping I can camouflage my weakness with great writing and an interesting premise with likable characters. After all, isn't fiction about twisting the truth!?

            You know that part where you're the new person so everyone comes and introduces themselves to you, invites you over for lunches etc and you pretty much get to sit back and just try to remember everyone's names? Well, I feel like that phase is waning and I need to get on the bandwagon and become more social. But my big problem is that with such little free-time the more I spend away from my notebook/computer the longer it will take to get published. Is that a selfish thought? Is that all work and no play? Or is that what it takes to get the job done? I was at a friend's house and realized that if I want to have friends here, if I want to be included in things and be a member of society, I might need to shortchange this dream I've been working so hard to achieve. And yet, if I do, it feels like someone's asking me to spend less time with my child. These past few years my work has become like one of my children..it takes up so much of my time, it really doesn't give a lot back, as soon as I fix certain issues, new problems arise...and yet I'm devoted to it, love it and can see the potential simmering just under the surface; of what it can become with some tlc. (Or rather, grinding my nose to powder with all the nose to the grindstone that really goes into writing a book).

         I guess tonight I feel a little overwhelmed with life and with trying to become a best-selling author. And with the news that Penguin and Random house merged, it reminds me that the publishing business is an industry I'm trying to hold onto with my fingertips because it's barreling through change faster than I think any of us can keep up with.

  I hope I'm not complaining because no one likes to read about that. I guess my question is...how do you balance the home/work life? Esp as a writer when you constantly feel that pull towards that made-up world where you  live half the time anyway. Or when your characters rove around your brain demanding to be heard but you don't have the time to write down everything they say?

         I don't want to be anti-social or give up on making new friends. But the fact is, this book-child of mine won't let me be until its story has been told. And we've got a ways to go yet. ::shivers with excitement::

What's New in Books Week: Oct 26th

Flying out the door, quick list:

 Author Kiersten White reveals the Secret to Getting Published!

Watch Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snicket and others read chapters of Coraline.

Nathan Bransford asks, Can good writing really be taught?

Two of the biggest publishing houses to merge? What does it mean for publishing HERE

The 13 Worst Classic Book Reviews HERE


Happy Friday!

Wishlist Wednesday #2

 Another week, another wishlist. What I wish for this Wednesday:

1. Tom Hardy would know of my existence.

2. That I could go back and erase that time in 8th grade when our class read the Diary of Anne Frank from our textbooks and I thought it would be cool to use different voices and inflection when I read aloud. This will not get you friends.

3. That next time that I buy a box of hair dye I don't decide to just "wing it".

But onto what you're really here to read about.. BOOKS!



Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we  post about a book that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our bookshelves. Virtual or otherwise. It's hosted by the fabulous PentoPaperblog HERE


My book for the week?  Ta daaaaaa!

 It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to finishing school.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother's existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea--and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right--but it's a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine's certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

First in a four book YA series set 25 years before the Parasol Protectorate but in the same universe. Out Feb 2013.



I really liked the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series (confession, I need to read the rest so pretend I have all those books listed here as well). Alexia was such a funny and likeable character for me that I'm hoping Gail does it again and Sophronia -(sweet name, right)-is equally as appealing. Plus, call me a sucker for a school that teaches you cool things..I know it's been done a lot since we all graduated Hogwarts but I think I'll always give a book with that premise a go. 

What are your thoughts about the book? Anyone read it yet?

How to Be Creative

       I can't believe it but I'm officially on Twitter. Me, the girl who hates tv and facebook (did that confession just lose me all my readers?)  I'd LOVE to meet some more twitter friends so if you're on Twitter, find me so I can follow you! Plus I'd love for someone to explain to me how it all works..wait, let me try. #howtheheckdoItweetlikejustinbieber. Hmm maybe I'm learning already.

     Long story short, Tweet me and I will follow you. If you want to follow Foolscap Fool, you can also follow me on Twitter where I will update posts, retweet pub news and try to find funny things to keep you entertained. Or at least RT other people's funnies. I think I'm going to be a great re-tweeter.

    That said, today's post is a MUST WATCH for anyone trying to be creative. If you listen to This American Life you'll love it. I do love me some Ira Glass. He says he wishes someone would have told him this in the beginning. I was lucky enough to find it in time so I'd like to share it here with you:




What do you think? Do you agree with what he says? Do you have an experience about what he's talking about?

What's Happening in Books: Week Oct 19th!

 

WikiCommons

Listening to: Dog Days are Over Florence + the Machines

Happy Friday Hallelujah it's the end of the week! And we finally ordered a couch and bought a kitchen table so we're not living off the floor! Yay! Because I love link roundups, here are a few articles I've noticed myself around the websphere lately..


YALSA Teens Top Ten Winners have been announced! I'm sure you can guess half of the list but if you're looking for a new read, try a Top Ten!

Author Natalie Whipple talks about other people having your story ideas (that idea terrifies me!) Read HERE.

 Nathan Bransford follows up with his post "Ideas Aren't Sacred" (but it sure feels like it when you're drafting, doesn't it!?) Read HERE

Should teen novels have ratings? Imho we should rate author photos bc this one seems a bit come hither-like..The Telegraph HERE

NYTimes interview with the author everyone's been crapping on lately, J.K Rowling on favorite books and authors(my thoughts on that next week..) HERE

Bookshelves Anonymous Talks about the best places to visit in books HERE.  Oh that they were real places....

The Most Dysfunctional Families in Literature but Publishers Weekly. The Godfather..got it.. Pand P, the Bennets?

Q and A with Lemony Snicket (best name EVER.) HERE

Johnny Depp's production company Infinitum Nihil, starting Publishing Imprint. (Johnny + books= major swoon-age!)

This poster to carry you into the weekend:

 

 Or creep you out forever if you saw the last movie..Gaah!

(Thanks Wandering Librarians for movie poster! HERE)

  Happy Friday!