Friday, November 12, 2010

Writing Update

I've finished my revisions on Star Swans for now, and I'm about to dive into the story I mentioned in this post. I'm writing a rough draft on my old computer that doesn't have internet for a number of reasons, but here are the main three:

1. No internet connection means I have to switch computers to socialize *waves* over the internet.
2. No one in my house will need or even want the computer I'll be using.
3. I wrote the only novel I've ever completed on it and every poem I've ever sold; it's my "working" computer.

I'm really looking forward to focusing on a rough draft again, but I'm also dreading it. I haven't tried to follow any kind of writing routine since school started, and I know I'll get a lot more done once I start setting goals and making progress. I've been in love with this story and its characters for a few years now, so it's ready to come out. I just need to do the work. Why is it so hard to reestablish good habits? It's like exercise (another habit I need to reestablish). Is this paragraph degenerating into whiny and pathetic, or is it just me?

Also, it feels like I'm cheating on Star Swans. Is that silly, or is it normal? It's not like I've given up on my first novel--I haven't even tried to query it--but I think this new project will help me SEE my old project better when I pick it up again in a few months.

So, if you don't see me around as much the next couple of months, it just means I'm reestablishing good habits ;)

What are you working on?  

Monday, November 1, 2010

Marvelous MG Monday: The Lost Hero

Honestly, I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone blogging about this book. It's fantastic.
The Heroes of Olympus, Book One: The Lost Hero

It's the first book in Rick Riordan's newest series, the sequel series to his Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, and I thought it was even better than The Lightning Thief. The story is told from the points of view of three new characters, but it picks up only a few months after where The Last Olympian ended. So, you're going to recognize a lot of characters. I loved the twists the story took, and I can't believe how long it took me to figure out where "the lost hero" was. Though I'm sure that was Mr. Riordan's intent; my attention was thoroughly diverted elsewhere.

If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson books, you'll love this one. Besides the new characters, he's added layers that I'm not going to spoil for you. The way Rick Riordan uses mythology without ever letting information bog down the story, without ever confusing his readers, amazes me. Easy reading is hard to write, and this book kept me up late (because I had to know how it would end). Ben shook his head over when I went to bed, but he's probably reading The Lost Hero tomorrow, and then we'll see ;)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-3) 

If you haven't read the previous series, you could still pick this up and love it, but the first series is very much worth reading. You can read my recommendation here.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is Shannon Whitney Messenger's brainchild, and today, she's not only telling you why you should read The Mysterious Benedict Society, she's giving away a copy.

Have a great week!