Cool Random Things

Currently Listening to: Ravenheart by Xandria

Alright guys, looks like my mom beat me to showing you a few pictures of our cruise. I hate to be repetitive, but for those of you that don't follow her, I hope you enjoy :)

(I spy a teenie tiny cruise ship in the distance...)

Okay, so I think that was when we were docked at St. Martin. We went on a tour there. It's really cool because half of the island is Dutch and the other half if French.

(There's me riding a horse for the first time!)

Not only did we get to ride horses across the beach, they actually took us into the ocean!!

Yes, that's a sea lion, and yes he kissed me! Lol, that was really fun.

(This guy lost his tail...)

(I spy an iguana!)

(Me and Alyss braving cool water)

So yeah, those are the highlights of the vacation!

I'm also really proud of myself because I got a ton of reading done. I'm a slow reader anyway, and with the distraction of writing, I don't get much chance to do it. But I'm really excited because I finished two really awesome books and started another one! All of them were awesome :)

So I read:

By the lovely Talli Roland

By the awesome Beth Revis

And I started:

By the one and only Jessica Therrien

All of these books were/are totally awesome and I suggest you check them out if you haven't already!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

--Jess

Yes, I'm Back!

Hey guys, I'd just like to say... I'm back from the Caribbean!

The trip was really awesome, but gosh, I've got a ton of stuff to catch up on! So, I'm going to keep this post short.

Anyway, I know that vacations are for relaxing. And that on a cruise ship, you shouldn't have to do any work. But my writing and I have an interesting relationship. Some days, it's more like work. But others, it's just fun.

There were a few times when we were out at sea and my mom and I sat at the top of the ship, watching the waves and typing away. There's something about the deep, sapphire blue of the ocean that's so inspiring. It would take an effort to keep the inspiration from flowing.

It was awesome. I'll tell you guys more about it later, maybe even show some pics! Oh, and I got a ton of reading done. I'll tell you what two books I finished on Wednesday (there... I'll leave you with a cliffhanger, hehe).

I've got a lot of work to get done right now so I've got to go. 'See' you Wednesday!!

--Jess

Insecure Writer's Support Group

Today is the first Wednesday of the month, meaning it's Insecure Writer's Support Group day!

Now, I'm getting sort of insecure about my book. For a long time I've thought about going the traditional publishing route. Sending off queries and searching for publishers... it always sounded kind of fun. Well, maybe not, but still. It was just something I expected myself to do.

But now, with some convincing from my dad and a little thought on my own, I've decided that I might want to try to self publish.

And I'm insecure about self publishing because I don't have a clue about marketing. (That's where my dad comes in, but still.) I mean, if it's something I'm going to do, I should probably know something about it. My dad says it's a good way to learn... from experience. But that doesn't mean it's not scary.

Okay, I guess 'scary' isn't quite the word for it. Still, I think you guys get the picture.

So yeah. I'm insecure about my knowledge of marketing.

What about you guys? What are you insecure about?

--Jess

Awakening (updated version)

Hey guys! Today is the Second Campaigner Challenge! I used three of the prompts and used inspiration from all the pictures. All of my entries are under 200 words (I made three of them). One is a flash fiction, the second is describing the water pear, and the third is a poem with a twist. All three are connected in a way. Hope you guys enjoy!

***

Awakening

I look up at the rusty bridge support and lean back against the concrete wall. If only we could make it out of here.

The gash on my leg burns and I moan in agony. But it's not the gash that's killing me. It's the infection. I grit my teeth, wanting to ignore it.

Ravir is at my side. His dark hair is wet from the rain that passed overhead only minutes ago. He pours cool water over my lips and obediently, I swallow.

"Mara," he says, running his fingers through my hair.

"I'm not-" I catch my breath as he pain flairs again. "I'm not goong to make it much longer."

His jaw tightens and his eyes fill with anger. "Don't talk like that. Don't-"

"Tell me a story."

"Mara, please."

"Tell me," I whimper.

His breath is unsteady but he begins. "The ocean stretched out before us. Kids played soccer in a field not far away and we could hear them from the beach..."

"Sounds a lot better than this dump we're at," I remark.

He smiles but I can tell he's hurting for me. "We got up and I helped you to a cave...

***

"It was dark. Everything about the cave was dark. We could only hear he trickle of distant water in a far off.

A hand gripped your shoulder and you knew it wasn't me. The hand was cold but soothing at the same time. An old man walked out of the darkness. He saw that you were injured. That you were dying.

He held a wooden object, beautifully carved from bamboo. The handle was smooth. It had been passed down throughout he centuries because it was magic. He held it out into a fall of crystal blue water. And instead of softly falling to the floor, the water grew.

It grew into a sphere that rested on the wooden tool, as if there were some invisible, tear-shaped container to hold its frame. It was beautiful. And you gasped as the man held it out to you.

'Take it,' he said.

But you only stared in wonder.

I urged you to take it, and finally you reached out. Your hand rested on the cool, liquid and it rippled with your touch.

'Try it,' said he man.

You brought it to your lips and you drank. And all your pain was gone."

***

Ravir finished his story,
The sorrow in his eyes burned,
The rain started to pour again,
And pain in my body returned.

"Mara," he said gently,
"I promise you'll be alright."
But I shook my head with tears in my eyes,
Knowing I'd already lost my fight.

"Mar," he continued,
"I know you haven't failed."

Yet I knew the truth, so I replied,
"I don't believe in fairytales."

The darkness closed in, I closed my eyes,
Gold light streamed through my mind,
Pictures faded and a whisper said,
"Mara, you were blind."

There was a stream of water,
There was a wooden spoon,
A pear of liquid rose,
For a promise made too soon.

A taste of food unearthly,
Brought on an energy of healing,
A breath of life flew through me,
And returned to me my feeling.

And I felt Ravir touch me,
Felt his hand squeeze mine,
My will to live returned again,
And finally, I opened my eyes.

***

Thanks so much for reading! Hope you enjoy! And if you really like it, go vote for me at Rachael Harrie's site. I'm entry # 63!!

--Jess

P.S.
Sorry about the formatting of this post! Luckily, I was able to fix and update it!! We're on a cruise right now, so that's why I couldn't post it right the first time. Have a great day!

The Warrior Heir Book Review

Time for another book review!! Here we go:

Title: The Warrior Heir
Author: Cinda William Chima
Genre: YA Fantasy, Action-Adventure

Summary: Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers.

Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: He is Weirlind; part of an underground society of magical people who live among us. At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game. A magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death. The winning house ruling the Weir.

As if his bizarre magical heritage isn't enough, Jack finds out that he s not just another member of Weirlind, he's one of the last of the warriors at a time when both houses are scouting for a player. Jack's performance on the soccer field has alerted the entire magical community to the fact that he's in Trinity. And until one of the houses is declared Jack's official sponsor, they'll stop at nothing to get Jack to fight for them.

Review: This was a very good book! The action in this novel was perfectly paced. It didn't give anything away too fast but it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the story. I loved how deep the supporting characters were! Jack's teacher, Mr. Hastings was definitely a favorite of mine. He had his own secrets and kept the mystery up throughout the book.

Jack's two best friends, Will and Fitch were the two exceptions I think. I kind of kept confusing them because they were a lot alike.

The romantic tension was really nicely written and overall, this is absolutely a story worth reading. I loved it! Definitely going to read the next books in this series!

My Rating: Four stars!

Go check it out! Happy reading :)

--Jess

P.S.

I'm on a cruise ship right now!! It's awesome!

Interview with T.Z. Wallace

Hey guys, I just wanted to start with a little heads up. I'm not sure how I forget to mention it before, but we're going on a cruise tomorrow! Actually, we're going to Florida tomorrow and getting on the ship on Sunday. But still!

So, if I can't post all next week, don't be alarmed. I probably wont be able to do any blog hopping, either since I hear the internet is quite expensive.

Now to business. Today I'm interviewing one of the winners of the bloghop Knights of Micro-Fiction that takes place on the last Monday of every month, co-hosted by Kathy and me. Aldrea Alien, over at Thandrandian Thoughts will be interviewed on Kathy's blog.

Now, let's congratulate T.Z. Wallace at One Year Until Book Launch for winning an interview on my blog. Great job!

So let's get started.

***

Lights, camera... ACTION.

Hello T.Z.! We are so happy to have you here today! Look at all those nice, smiley faces in the crowd. You ready? Okay, good! So, my first question is: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I've always loved writing and always longed to 'be a writer,' but I felt uncomfortable calling myself a 'real writer'. I think I envisioned that a writer was someone who was able to make a living with their words. Then I realized that writers are really people who write... Not people who just talk about writing, or wishing they had more time to write, but real people with real lives and demands who still make time to write- because they love it... because they have to.

I'm a bit of a slow learner when it comes to shifting my mental perspective, so I didn't actually realize this until January 29, 2012. (That's the day I started my Book Launch Blog and the day that I announced to the world that 'I'm a writer' and 'I'm writing'.) That's when I gave myself permission to say "I'm a writer" without feeling like a fraud. That's when I allowed myself to believe it could be more than just scribbled notebooks tucked into a bottom drawer.

You know, it took me a while to actually let myself say 'I'm a writer,' too. I could only do it after I'd finished the first draft of my first novel which took about a year to write! Speaking of novels, I hear you're working your way through one. What's it called?

I don't have a working title. Unless you count 'My Book' as a working title. I'm horrible at creating titles and put it off until the very last minute in the hopes that inspiration will strike and save me.

Since this is part of a trilogy, I want to have a title that reflects that and serve to unify the books... but no pressure. (Maybe I should have my blog followers decide on a title for me so I can quit stressing over it. Is that permissible?)

I know exactly what you mean! I still haven't really thought of a good name for my overall trilogy... Sorry I interrupted. Please continue. Tell us about your novel. Can you give us a short summary?

As to what the book is about: I've always been enamored with dystopian concepts and am also intrigued by the workings and possibilities of time and space. Somehow, between those two fascinations, this story was born. It is the first in a trilogy that centers around a sixteen-year-old girl, Emma Cale, who must cope with the murder of her father.

During this time, every sixteen-year-old is required by law to submit themselves to the government for service to the war-ravaged society. People are starving and the use of many modern conveniences are severely restricted. Since Emma's mother is adamant that Emma will not offer herself for service, they seek refuge with Emma's aunt in an ancient house tucked in a tiny valley away from the political chaos. But (of course) they can't get away that easily... the government officials seek out Emma due her late father's role in the rebellion efforts.

Meanwhile, Emma's mother seems to have the life literally draining out of her, leaving Emma and her... um, "just a friend"... Saul to unravel the years of built up secrets that seem to have settled in the valley. Emma and Saul have to try to protect each other-- and the whole community-- from the unnatural powers that linger there, as well as from a government that's desperate to harness that power...

Wow. You've got me on the edge of my seat! It definitely sounds like a book I'd read! Dystopian books are awesome :)

Anyway, What are you goals for this year?

My goal is to finish this novel and have it available for purchase (via Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords) this summer. I also have a few short stories (or at least, what I'm anticipating will be short stories) rattling around in my head that I hope to write and make available for free via Amazon later this year as a way to give back to those who are being so encouraging and supportive of my work. And I really want to continue to meet and get to know more writers... to encourage them and support them in their craft.

Awesome goals! I'd kind of like to know why you so readily chose self publishing. I don't know much about it, myself. But more of that another time!

How long have you been blogging and how has it improved your writing?

I started my first blog (a personal blog) back in the summer of 2009. I think blogging gives me a sense of community and accountability. Writing is really solitary work, so it's nice to find people that you can interact with, root for, and learn from.

I have also realized that I tend to write more when I have the delusion that people are waiting expectantly and, since I suffer from an over-developed sense of guilt, I feel like I 'owe' it to my readers (current and future) to get off my back side and get some words on paper and then to polish it like crazy in the hopes that it will resemble something worth reading. My followers, their encouragement, and their comments are really what keep me moving forward during those times when I still feel like a fraud.

I couldn't agree more! And everyone is so supportive and nice! It's great having people who can cheer you on as you write. Now, what do you like to do when you're not writing?


I love to read. I really like finding out more about science, astronomy, physics and nature. I like to spend time outside and get back in touch with myself. Since I spend so much time in front of a computer, I have to reconnect with nature or I get cranky.


I also like to explore. When I go for a drive and pass by a dilapidated shack, I'm always compelled to pull over and peek in the windows, slide through the hole where the tree crashed in and scour the wreckage for signs of its past.


I have a well-charred antique door knob on my book case that I found when I examined what was left from a house fire at a long-abandoned home in a tiny town where I spent my summers as a child. I stood in the ashes with the wind whipping around me. I could have sworn I heard voices trickle through time... When I look at it now, I think about how many hands turned that knob... and it makes me want to tell those stories.


Ooh I know what you mean about finding about science, astronomy and physics! I love reading about things like that.


Now for our final question: is there anything else we should know about you?


Um... I have a staggering number of food allergies.


I also have a crazy number of phobias (I recently made a list of them... not that I'm likely to forget).


Also, it's been mentioned to me that my family history tends to read like some Southern Gothic novel (a novel my mother keeps urging me to write, but I've found that when you live Southern Gothic it's not nearly as entertaining as when you read it.) Honestly, you don't really notice that you're family is... rather, er, colorful... until you're retelling all those family stories and realize the room has grown quiet and everyone's staring at you.


I'm also superstitious*... wildly so.


And I hope that I can continue to find and connect with writers and readers who are passionate about books and stories and characters. (*knock on wood)


I don't think you'll have too much trouble with finding connections with other writers. *turns to audience* Right guys?


Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today. We're so glad you could stop by today, T.Z.! Good luck with you're novel :)


So go over to T.Z. Wallace's blog and follow along!! Let's have a big round of applause for T.Z. Wallace!


Aaaaaand cut.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

--Jess