You know, I really don’t have any complaints about this book.  It’s well-written, cohesive and the characters are relatable.  I had a little trouble in the beginning trying to get used to the flipping of time periods but it’s something you get used to over the course of the book.

In terms of style, that was my biggest gripe.  It’s a little much in the beginning of the book to be tossed about like that, mixed in with info-dumping in order to get the backstory of the witches and warlocks in.  Considering that information was trickled throughout the book, I don’t think it was necessary to have it dumped on the reader all at once in the beginning.

And like I said, there were a lot of flashbacks.  The only indication you’d get one is a triple space in the paragraphs.  Jarring at first, maybe the first chapter or so but by the end of the second and into the third, I’d pretty much settled into the constant shifting and even came to like it.  In all honestly, I was much more interested in the historical plot line than the current one.

What I like about it is it’s a dark book that isn’t filled with floofy teen stuff.  Nicole is probably the closest the book comes to that but even she levels out.  It’s gritter in my eyes (granted these eyes are still trying to read up on the young adult market so my opinion is more than likely stunted).  Holly (the protagonist) loses her parents and best friend in a freak white water rafting accident.  She was originally supposed to live with her dead friend’s mother but then she gets sick, hospitalized, and Holly has to stay with family in Seattle.  Little does she know that her bloodline and that of her aunt’s lover have had a tendency to clash over the centuries and each want the other dead.  Unfortunately only the lover, who’s an evil warlock, knows this.  Until Holly and Amanda, and eventually Nicole, figure it out.

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NaNo Update–Because I didn’t include one in my last post.  Well, I’m broaching the halfway point of week three and I now wholly believe that week two is the hardest and the worst for trudging through.  For me it was all about trial and error.  I wanted to write a chapter a day because I believed my chapters would run shorter for this story.  Ooo was I wrong.  So two weeks of figuring out if this is going to work or not and me questioning my sanity.  It was a not and I reformed.  Now it seems to be going much easier.  I’m back to just writing until I feel like stopping (or, more like until the scene ends) and instead of my normal Monday through Thursday, it’s every day for the rest of the month.

I feel less stressed and I think I’m still keeping up on my word count.  I’ll have to remember to do it like this next year should I have another lapse in judgment. But don’t misunderstand me.  I’m still questioning my sanity.

As you probably’ve already gathered, I don’t like to make social commentary in my blog.  I think I can count on one hand with fingers to spare how many times I’ve voiced my opinion about something political or controversial.  I think this’ll be a post that can be added to that tally.

If you live in the United States, then I’m sure you know about the passing of Proposition 8 in California, legislation banning gay marriage.  Well, as they’re wont to be, books have been brought into the foray, namely King and King, a children’s book about homosexual relationships.  Now, there are a slew of children’s books out there that address homosexual and lesbian relationships but this one in particular seemed to be loved a little more by those that promote ‘love thy neighbor’ with an asterisk.

Now, I don’t know about you but I find it a little . . . I don’t know if the word I’m looking for is hypocritical or ironic.  Or both.  Either way, the supporters of Prop 8 used this book in defense of their argument, claiming this is the kind of immoral behavior that’ll be taught to our children in schools if Prop 8 is passed.  I just want to laugh because they’ll use the book to their advantage, give it free promotion, will have other people wanting to get their hands on it to read it to see what all the fuss is about, and then attempt to ban it because people shouldn’t be reading it.

Has your head stopped spinning yet?

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NaNo Update–Word-wise I’m more than on track for writing through the 14th.  Yay!  My brain’s coming down from the chapter a day experiment although it’s going to be a little more difficult to find where I left off since the chapter numbers don’t correspond to the days anymore.  But I’m doing it!

It was just today that I realized that I don’t have a category on here for Earth Shatterer, the NaNo novel that I’m writing.  Actually, in all fairness, I was planning ES long before I decided to pump it out for NaNo so, in this case, the egg came before the chicken.  Anyway, I realized it was because I was doing the WIP updates in the NaNo update portion of my posts since I started writing it.  That and, unlike DC where I wrote it pretty much at my leisure, I’ve been so wrapped up in maintaining word count with this one since November first that my brain really hasn’t had a chance to stop and think.  So consider this a two week round up of how the writing for ES is going outside of it’s NaNoness.

As the title of the blog suggests, this one’s coming out so much easier than DC (uh . . .).  So much easier.  I don’t have to worry about finding my place in writing, finding the voice, experimenting with the world, finding my footing in it all.  I spent from December of last year to roughly June trying to manage DC and get it going.  I didn’t really start writing it with any degree of flow until around then.  With ES, it’s flowing right from the beginning because I know I’ve found my voice.  Did that with the first one and this one wouldn’t be running like it is if I hadn’t.

That’s not to say the editing’s going to be any easier with this one.  Just the writing’s going good right from the get-go.  With this one, I’ve been noticing that I’ve been starting way too many sentences with pronouns which is never a good thing.  Very amateurish.  ‘He’’s are running the gamut in my writing, along with its female equivalent.  I don’t know why.  Maybe it’s the crazy rushing I’ve been doing trying to get the words out but that’s the major flaw than I’m going to have to take a rat tail comb to when it’s ready to edit.

I had a very solid idea of what I wanted Earth Shatterer to be and so far, it seems to be working out pretty well aside from seemingly minor characters are taking much more vital roles in the story.  And the story itself is twisting.  It’s twisting to such an extent that I didn’t see it coming and I only hope to be able to write it so that the reader doesn’t see it coming either.

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NaNo Update–Definitely questioning my sanity.  Also discovering that maybe assigning a chapter a day was a little much for my writing style.  It worked out in the beginning because the chapters were shorter but now they’re getting wordier and starting to get to lengths comparable to a chapter and a half or two chapters from the first few.  My wrist is starting to hurt and my middle finger isn’t looking too good.  I had the hangnail from Hell earlier in the week and it’s just now getting better.  Not to mention the scar I still have from the pumpkin carving.  An electric turkey carver might work better next time.

So I’m seriously considering tossing the chapter a day thing because I’m finding I just can’t write that much in one day.  I write best in short bursts, as I’m learning.  I’m getting the same amount of word count in but at this point, I’m thinking a chapter a day is just too much.  It’s getting my OCD to come down from the chapter a day goal that’ll be the hardest part.

As for the word count, I’m pretty sure I’m good on that considering how much I’ve been writing.  If it isn’t I’ll probably cry.  I’ll find out tomorrow.

Yeah, in your dreams.  Not that you can’t make money off of writing, and even make enough money to live off of, but becoming rolling in dough wealthy is a pretty far stretch for 99% of the writers out there.  That’s not to say someone like me doesn’t dream of being in J.K. Rowling’s shoes but, until it actually happens, that’s all that it is: a dream.  Sad but true.  It’s like being asked to be the presidential nominee’s running mate.  When targets are asked the what if question, they always say they’re content where they are but if actually asked, of course they wouldn’t deny it.  Same goes for millionaire authors.  I’d be very content making a reasonable salary off of my writing but if the opportunity came to make millions, I’d kick my own ass if I didn’t take it.  After the screaming stopped, of course.

As Forbes is wont to do, they’ve released a list of the world’s best paid authors and is it really a surprise at who tops that list?  I think what’s much more shocking is just how much more she got than number two, James Patterson.  Rowling’s $300 million dollars in the single fiscal year from 2007 to 2008 got her number one on the list (no, I didn’t type that wrong, it really is $300 million) and Patterson’s $50 million got him the second slot.

Are you seeing that astounding gap too?  The rest of the authors on the list (including Stephen King, Tom Clancy and Danielle Steele) aside from Rowling are within striking distance of each other.  A $250 million gap is more like a precipice.  A mini Grand Canyon even.  Any of those figures on that list are astounding for any author to make, let alone to be at the top by a $250 million lead.

Yes, something like that can happen but the chances of it happening to you, me or anyone else you know are pretty slim.  Might as well go play the lottery in a lightening storm and see what comes up.

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NaNo Update–Why am I doing this to myself?  I really don’t think my brain was built for this kind of immersion in writing.  It needs breaks.  Breathers.  I feel like I’m too close to my own work but I still plow on.  Thankfully, I’m on track with everything albeit just a little closer to insanity.

First and foremost, I had no idea I was picking up a paranormal romance novel when I snagged this from the bargain shelf at Barnes and Noble.  I had heard of the author in passing but not enough to associate her to any one genre or anything like that.  I just thought the book sounded interesting and it was five bucks, hardcover, so I said what the hell.

Lo and behold, all I need is the first description of a man the MC finds attractive to tell me there’s going to be some central-plot loving going on later.  And the thing is, I don’t read romances.  I’m sure there are some good ones out there but aside from the fact that they normally don’t interest me, this book just solidified the notion in me that I can’t stand romances.

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NaNo Update–This just couldn’t wait for my next normal blog post.  I believe I have created the best ever name for a character in the existence of writing.  He is henceforth my antagonist and will now always have a place in my heart.  His first name came first (obviously but in a sense of creating his name it popped in my head before his surname) but I needed a surname for his family.  Either I’m a genius or the NaNo insanity has hit me early.  From here on out the antagonist of my novel, Earth Shatterer, shall forever be named–

Revel Yehl

If you fail to grasp the pure awesomeness of that name, I would highly recommend listening to better music.  And just so you know, I don’t normally pat myself on the back like this.  In all honesty, my self-esteem is pretty low, contrary to what many people think.  But this . . . oh god I’ve just gone and topped myself.  I need to make a name plate and frame this.

I warn you now: steal this name and I will hunt you down like the dog you are and make you revel yehl.  Remember, I’ve inherited my dad’s sharpshooter eye.  Just keep that in mind . . .

In the midnight hour, she cried more, more more . . .