Come Meet LOU!

You guys! My friend and CP Louise has a BOOK coming out!!

This is Lou! She's lovely! And pretty! There is a picture but I can't figure out how to get it here so you should probably just follow her on Twitter (@rock_andor_roll) and then you can know everything! You can also find her blog at this address: www.bookishblurb.wordpress.com  
and on Facebook at THIS address:

www.facebook.com/pages/Louise-D-Gornall/111420465709804

 

FIND HER!!! She's great. She talks me off of ledges and without her I'd be a weeping mess of a girl lying on the floor, probably in the psych ward. So, everyone needs one of her is what I'm saying.

Louise is a graduate of Garstang Community Academy, currently studying for a BA (Hons) in English language and literature with special emphasis on creative writing. YA aficionado. Brit bird. Film nerd. Identical twin. Junk food enthusiast. Rumoured pink Power Ranger. Zombie apocalypse 2012 survivor. Avid collector of book boyfriends.

This is the amazing and beautiful cover of the book being release JULY 29!:

And here is a little bit about the book:

Beau Bailey is suffering from a post break-up meltdown when she happens across a knife in her local park and takes it home. Less than a week later the new boy in school has her trapped in an alley; he’s sprouted horns and is going to kill Beau unless she hands over the knife.

Until Eighteenth century gargoyle, Jack, shows up and saves her.

Jack has woken from a century long slumber to tell Beau that she’s accidentally been drafted into a power struggle between two immortal races; Demons and Gargoyles. The knife she picked up is the only one in existence capable of killing immortals and they’ll tear the world apart to get it back. To draw the warring immortals away from her home, Beau decides to go with Jack to Bulgaria in search of the mind-bending realm known as the Underworld, a place where they’ll hopefully be able to destroy the knife and prevent all hell from breaking loose. That is providing they can outrun the demons that are chasing them.

I have read part of this book. (I know, I know! But she was done before we "met") And I LOVE it. Gargoyles! Mystery! Hidden alleys!! My favorite things! I can't wait until it comes out and I can read the end! So to help her get the word out, I'm hosting this-here giveaway, open internationally!

To celebrate her upcoming release, Louise is giving away an ecopy of IN STONE and a Kindle Fire to one lucky reader! One runner-up will also win an ecopy of IN STONE. UK and US residents are eligible to win the Kindle Fire. If you live outside the UK or US and your name is drawn, you will receive an Amazon gift card valued at £160 (GBP) instead. The winners will be announced July 29. Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So just enter the required information and maybe win a prize! And if you don't win, remember to BUY the book when it comes out! :)

 

So excited for my friend!

 

 

 

 

(Sorry about weird formatting/colors. I'm not so good at this blog thingy.)

MORsini

You know, if you guys gave me things to blog about that didn't involve talking about myself, I'd totally do that as well. Until then, here's more random questions! You are going to know all of my deepest, darkest secrets. But if you would like to read blogs where people say intelligent things and offer practical advice, please let me know and I can lead you in the right direction. This is not the right direction.

1. What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten in public?
Remember, in elementary school, when we realized how thin the wrapper was on Cinnaburst gum and decided that it was because we were supposed to eat it with the gum and let it dissolve? Please tell me you remember that...

2. If you had to go on an adventure, with elves, dwarves, or hobbits, who would you take and why?
Dwarves. Specifically the seven tiny ones who were friends with Snow White. Because I don't actually know anything about elves or hobbits, though I'd like to hang out with Martin Freeman. 

3. You are at a rural retreat lodge somewhere deep in Wisconsin or Canada. You are approached by a taxidermist who hands you a stuffed badger and asks you to put it in your lap. What do you do next?
Kiss it and pose for pictures. Obvs.

4. If you were given biscotti, would you prefer it with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
Coffee. Always coffee.

5. In your opinion, who is the funniest man or woman alive today (comedian)
Tina Fey. I mean, does anyone NOT think she's the funniest woman alive?

6. If you were given thirty seconds on television to say something, what would it be?
"Not so shy NOW, bitches!" Shout out to my high school peeps. Also I'd be drunk because otherwise I would not be in front of a camera.

7. What is your idea of the most romantic date setting ever?
Any place where I can see the stars. 

8. If you could go on one date with a movie or television star, who would it be and why?
Skylar Astin. We'd stare into each other's eyes and he'd be so enamored with me that he'd repeatedly burst into song. I'd swoon. Then we'd make babies. FOOD babies. I'm not that kind of girl.

9. What is the worst song you have ever heard?
That Gwen Stefani song. Great Escape? She sings, "woohoo" a lot and it makes me stabby. I hate it so much.

10. If you could live anywhere else, where would it be?
Oz. I'd be friends with the Wicked Witch and I'd help her see the error of her ways and then she'd start being nicer to people and instead of being wicked she'd simply be the scary woman in the house on the hill that everyone is too afraid to visit on Halloween. Also, I look AMAZING with green skin. Like, so good. It brings out the green in my hazel eyes. So.

11. Who- in your opinion- was the greatest person to ever live?
I think my answers to questions like this are often weird. For instance, I wrote a college essay comparing John Lennon to the Apostle Paul and thought it made total and complete sense. I was applying to a Christian school. I did not get in. They did not see things the same way that I did. So anyway. If I could think of someone at this moment, it'd probably be completely bizarre and unexpected because I think it's those people who make the biggest impact.

Let's Talk About Me

So, both Casey and Carey nominated me for the Liebster Award! Whoo! Since everybody and their mother has done this, I'm not going to nominate anyone. But I am going to answer the questions because you know what I love more than talking about myself? NOT MUCH.

First up, eleven facts about myself:

• This one time, during college, I broke my foot walking to Walmart at 4am. 
• I hate the act of eating and wish I could take a pill instead. 
• Another time, during college, a 'possum fell through my ceiling.
• Don't touch me with your nasty feet. I will punch you.
• And yet another time in college I was walking home from class and was hit by a runaway tire and had the tire tracks on my jeans to prove it.
• I love sleep more than almost anything else on Earth.
• My first crush, when I was 4, was Davey Jones of the Monkees.
• As a small child I lived next door to a boy who put ants down his pants.
• I had detention approximately five times and four of those were in first grade.
• I'm 29 and still have a blankie (A King-sized, crushed-velvet comfortor that I received for my 16th birthday).
• I'm not NEARLY as conceited as I pretend to be on-line.

And, Casey's Questions!

1. Why do you blog? Well, I often don't...
2. What would be your dream job, regardless of how much money you made? Something involving non-stop travel.
3. Why do people say LOL'd when obviously that's just weird? YEAH! Totally weird! Who says that..... Only weirdos! So weird...
4. Coffee, tea, or water? And why? Coffee. Because coffee? I like tea, but only when I'm in the UK.
5. What's your theme song? If you don't have one, then why not?! Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
6. Are you a writer, reader, strictly blogger, or a mesh of all three? Writer! Often a reader! And rarely a blogger!
7. What was your favorite book growing up and why? I have no idea WHY, but Judy Blume's Just as Long as We're Together was read many, many, many times.
8. If Hulk picks up Thor, and Thor is holding his hammer - has Hulk picked up the hammer? Nobody can hold Thor's hammer except Thor.
9. Is there something you do every day out of habit, but is unnecessary? (e.g. check twitter as soon as you wake up) Check Twitter as soon as I wake up. Also check email and Pinterest to see if my friends pinned anything specifically for me.
10. Do you wear socks to bed? When it's cold. I don't like to be cold.
11. Favorite movie starring Bruce Willis...GO! Literally the only one I can think of is Armageddon. So. There's that...

And now Carey's questions!

1. What is your favorite book ever? Way to start small, Carey. Um...The Book Thief.
2. 2. If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be? (mine is totally Ray Bradbury) F.Scott. Fitzgerald. I bet he was awesome.
3. If you could have a writing retreat, a place to go where you could just write in solitude, where would it be? (anywhere in the world) VENIIIICCCEEEE. Venice. Nothing about Venice is not perfect.
4. If/When you are best seller, what would be the first thing you'd do the day you found out you were number one? Probably cry. Then maybe figure out how much money I had and pay off my school loans so that I could know how much money I'd have left to move to Venice.
5. What is your quote or mantra in life? "What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver
6. Who is your hero? COME ON, CAREY. Um....hmmm....
7. What book that hasn’t been written would you love to write? All of them? I don't know...maybe something epic and literary and full of dreamy exposition that nobody understands and which gets forgotten in the discount piles but then becomes a huge cult classic after I'm dead.
8. What is your biggest inspiration? Words. All the pretty words.
9. What is your biggest fear? Appendicitis.
10. What is your biggest hope? I just want to write.
11. If your life was a book, what would the title be? Woke to a Loud Crash.

Pitch WARS

On this day before PitchWars entries go live, it is finally time for me to write my Ode to Andrea. I'll wait while you click that link and read all of the brilliant things she has to say about art and writing and the business of writing and passion.

Waiting....

Waiting....

I know, right? She says great things. I'll be waiting forever. So come back to me and then go back and hang out there all day, okay?

Here's the thing. I am not confident in my story-telling ability. Writing? Yeah. I can rock a few sentences. But when it comes to put a story together and the pacing and all that stuff that is actually important? I'm a complete failure. So I was ready for someone to tear it apart and help me fix it and then came the PitchWars contest. I already had a tiny Twitter crush on Andrea, so when I found out she was a mentor I proceeded to stalk her with every fiber of my being and when I found out that The Book Thief is one of her favorite books I was determined to woo her so hard that she would have no choice but to choose me. Maybe I didn't play fair. I like to think it's my insane talent that drew her, but I also think it was my daily confessions of love.

But you guys. Those confessions weren't in vain. Andrea read my story and she liked it. And she gave me tips on how to make it better and she's been in my corner the entire time. As other things happen behind the scenes I'm super excited to share them with her, and just as excited about what's going on with her because she. is. AWESOME. I'm reading her book. You guys. She's SO GOOD. I feel so lucky to have such talent cheering me on.

So now I will continue to confess my love until it gets awkward. Not as awkward as the time I sent secret admirer notes to my junior high crush and which had to do with whipped cream and ice and licking, but ALMOST.

If nothing else, Andrea gave me confidence. I was shy about my writing and scared to get it out there, but she and this contest encouraged me that maybe I'm not the worst writer in the world. It's kind of the biggest gift anyone could ever give you, actually. To cheer you on and believe in you. I'm totally ready for the next steps, whether good or bad.

Obviously I can't compare her to the other mentors since I haven't worked with them. I mean, I'm sure they're FINE, whatever. But it will be sad for them when Andrea and I win and prove that we are better than them. That she is better than the others because I wouldn't be at this point without her encouragement.

So, THANK YOU, Andrea. If I weren't doing this at the day job I'd insert pictures and big, pink, puffy hearts. I promise to not mention anything about whipped cream. My love is pure. You're a beautiful butterfly.

To MFA or Not to MFA

That is the question.

I hear a lot of debate on the subject, even among those who have or are working on their degrees, and have wanted to address it for a while.  Here's the thing:

I have an MFA (almost. Still have to defend my thesis, but already walked in the ceremony). I didn't enter the program anticipating that I would walk out with an agent, a book deal, or a spot on the bestsellers list. I mean, sure, those things would be nice, but I knew having an MFA wasn't going to make anything easier.  I think that's where the misconception comes in.

I didn't go to Iowa or Vermont or any of the most popular ones and that was fine with me. I did low-residency because going full-time seemed impractical for a degree that wouldn't guarantee a job. And I honestly don't think it matters where you go. Whatever you get out of the program will be equal to what you put into the program. I joke that it was basically an expensive pat-on-the-back, but for the time I went and the place I was in when I started, I will never regret the program and consider it money well-spent.

Before I applied I had never sent work anywhere. I had no CPs, I had no writing community. I just sort of wasted time writing these random scenes that never amounted to anything so I took a chance and applied with these terrible short stories I wrote. And then I got in and everything changed. I found community, I found courage, I found confidence in my writing. I went in thinking that in order to be a "real" writer I couldn't write YA, but the I met Pam and Quita and they basically changed my life. I found my voice and what I wanted to say.

It hasn't made things easier. There are those who graduated way before I did who are still struggling to get their work out. There are people who have graduated from IOWA still struggling to get their work out. I had amazing mentors and teachers, but there are no short-cuts. If I've made it this far it's because I've worked at it. It's too easy to get frustrated and I think that's even more true for people who have MFAs in creative writing. The idea is that if you have the degree, you are better than those who don't and that is the furthest thing from the truth. I'm no better than anyone. I'm insecure and crazy and full of doubt and positive that I will never amount to anything and weep over the school loans I now have to pay back.

But in the end, I don't regret a single thing about it. It was the best decision I've ever made.

So if you're thinking about getting an MFA, I encourage you to do it. But just make sure you're entering with the right mindset. Don't expect it to change your world overnight. Don't expect to get something for nothing. Do it for the community and the encouragement. Do it because it makes you work harder and want to be better. Yes, maybe it's an expensive pat-on-the-back and maybe you found all those things I was missing on your own. Which is awesome! I wish I had. But don't go into an MFA program thinking it will teach you how to write. They can't teach you what you don't know, they can only make you better.

The Beginning

So last week I was working on some revisions at the day job, like I do, and a co-worker stopped at my desk and asked, "So, how do you start writing a book?"

My very eloquent response was something like, "I...uhh.....mmm....well....hmm."

She said, "So you don't start knowing everything?"

Me: "Well....I don't....uhhh....*squint* *grimace*"

That right there describes why I am a writer.

But as this week I have decided it's time to start on a new project while The Great Hamlet Retelling is out with Betas, I started to wonder about how I do actually start a story.  I know it's different for everyone. Some people need the whole thing, others start with just one little thing. For me? Atmosphere.  All of my stories start with setting.

For the book I did for school I started with an isolated island. I knew there'd be a storm and devastation. For another shelved project I wanted dreamlike and otherwordly. For SPARROW, I knew it would be a freak show where creepiness abounded. And for this next untitled project? Masquerade. I can see it already. The bright colors and costumes. The narrow alleyways and foggy streets and snow drifts and rain and dancing in the shadows and marble hallways. But what is the book actually about? I have no idea. And that's where the problems start. It's why I have such a difficult time pacing. Let me worry about how the story "feels" and THEN, MAYBE I will figure out what it's about. But possibly not. And that's why so many stories get shelved.

Obviously mine is not a perfect system. In fact, it's a terrible, awful, non-productive system. I would like to come up with a better system. One where I actually know what I'm doing before I begin. One where I don't write my CPs and say "here are my thoughts. Tell me what story I'm actually trying to say."  How do I organize my brain? I need help. This is a cry for help.

Please tell me: How do you write a book??

The Next Big Thing!

Oh, hey guys! Guess what! I'M STILL ALIVE.  In case you were wondering.  You probably were. 

Anyway, so next month I plan on participating in this thing called PitchWars and I want people to love me and stalk me in advance, so I'm going to fill out this little questionnaire here that (one of) my new BFF(s) Dahlia was kind enough to tag me on (after I asked).


What is the working title of your book?
FALL OF A SPARROW

Where did the idea come from for the book?
Well, it's a HAMLET retelling, so probably from that.  And the last book I wrote (and shelved) had a similar theme and I was like, oh, hey, THIS WOULD WORK SO MUCH BETTER IN A TRAVELING FREAK SHOW.  And thus, this work was born.

What genre does your book fall under?
Psychological thriller?  Except it's not really a thriller.  There are descents into madness, one real and one fake, and delusions and hallucinations, but it's quiet.  So, psychological contemporary?  Is that a thing?  I say yes.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Okay. So this was hard.  On my Scrivener board I have random pictures from Google, so this time I looked for legit actors and here is what I came up with.  I have no idea if their ages work or whatever, but since this is all imaginary it can be whatever I freaking want.

This is Liam (played by Jeremy Sumpter best known for his role as Peter Pan).  He is the main character/Horatio-type who quite possibly goes mad for real.  Also, he is a freak, in the definition that goes along with "freak show," but I will save his "deformity" for the book. 

Over here we have Ben (played by Andrew Garfield best known for being hot). He will happily dye his hair black and also he will introduce me to Emma Stone who will become my new BFF.  WIN/WIN. Ben is the Hamlet character, the prince of the carnival.  His father is murdered and probably doesn't really go mad but he does get quite angry.

And down here is Lucy (played by Adrian Grande, whom I've actually never heard of).  She has dyed red hair and lobster claws for hands and is in love with Liam but they're both afraid to admit it and also she's sexy and a tease but probably the most sane of them all. 

And finally, last but not least, here we have Oliva (played by Elle Fanning). Olivia is the Ophelia character, the wholesome girl-next-door but also the one who can go completely off the deep end and take a flying leap from the roof of a funnel cake stand while holding a bouquet of wildflowers. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

THE FALL OF A SPARROW is based on the story of HAMLET, told from the point of view of the Horatio character as he observes his best friend's possibly false descent into madness amidst the backdrop of a traveling freak show, where the line between reality and insanity is constantly blurred and nothing is quite what it seems.

(By sentence you mean "run-on," correct? Cool.)

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I would like to have an agent in order to have a long-sustainable career.  *nudge, nudge*

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I believe the first-first draft was completed within two months?  Made some changes over the next month and am now rewriting to make it perfect so...so far...four months.  

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
How about movies and/or television shows?  Because I don't even know what genre this is...  So in my head it looks like the color and "bigness" of Big Fish mixed with the insanity of Moulin Rouge and also written like a literary version of the quiet-awkwardness of Carnivale.  At least that's what I'm going for in my rewrites.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Everyone I've told about it says, "That's AWESOME!"  So all of those people have inspired me.  I only hope that the big picture will eventually come across as cool as the pitch.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
I think there's a bit of a bromance.  Liam runs away with the circus and moves in with Ben's family so they're best friends/brothers.  And I like to explore the way people who aren't your family can move in to fill that void and in a place where most people ARE running away, how necessary those relationships become.  Also there's murder and revenge and ghosts and madness and freaks. 

Please love me.  Thanks.  Kisses!