December Wrap-Up/End of the Year Wrap-Up

December Wrap-Up

Books I Read

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

5/5


Recommended to lovers of sci-fi and those who are just beginning to explore the genre. It is guaranteed to keep you up at night. Fans of time travel and “Doctor Who” will especially enjoy it.


Starters by Lissa Price

2.5/5

This book was very "meh" to me. I was expecting to like it more, because the premise sounded a lot like The Host, but it wasn't that great. If you're looking for another dystopian or something to get you over a book hangover, this one's a decent choice.

Movies I Watched

"Charlie Brown Christmas"

3/5

Recommended to Peanuts lovers, a short movie, and a good Christmas special for the whole family.

"A Christmas Story"

4/5

Recommended to anyone looking for a good Christmas movie for the whole family, a movie that'll make you laugh, and a simple story.

"The Muppets Christmas Carol"

3.5/5

Recommended to people who like the Muppets, anyone looking for a good Christmas movie for the whole family, and a good adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

"The Theory of Everything" 

5/5

Recommended to anyone who likes Stephen Hawking, Indie films, beautiful cinematography similar to that of "Sherlock's," and fans of "The King's Speech" and "Saving Mr. Banks."

"The Happy Elf"

5/5

Recommended to anyone looking for a short, cute Christmas movie that'll make you laugh.

"You've Got Mail" (a re-watch)

5/5

Recommended to anyone with an Indie bookstore in their town, book lovers, simple stories, and great characters.

Quotes I Wrote

          I do what I do every day: I watch. I listen. I observe.

          I pass the time the way I do every day: I help when I can help. I accept when I can't. I do what I am told to do.

          Every day, all day, no questions asked.

          That's the way it is.

          That's the way it's always been.

          That's the way it always will be.

          That is what you do when you're me.

          That is what you do when you're dead.
--Ghost Story (a working title)

          Patricia, Hadley, Carl, Violet, Xavier, Tyler, Dana, Rex, Lucy, Zoe. Names upon names upon names. Souls, human souls, all for the Fates' taking. Their futures rest in our hands. The ones they will love, the ones they will marry, the ones that will cause them pain, it is all decided by the Fates. By us.

          We will guide them.

          And we will kill them.

--Ghost Story (a working title)

          "You're actually--a ghost?" Evan hasn't blinked once since we started talking.

          I nod.

          He continues to stare at me, eyebrows raised.

          "So--should I be burning your bones or something?"

          "You've been watching too much TV."

 --Ghost Story (a working title)

Obsessions I Acquired

Fan-fiction. I never realized how much fun writing it could be! :) It's a great warm up, and pretty easy to get into since all the characters have been created for you. I've been working on a SuperWhoLock short story, messing around with different pairings. So far the interactions between Sherlock and Dean have been the funniest, and Rose and Sam have good chemistry when working on a case.

Picture of the Month

Charlie is, hands down, one of the best characters in "Supernatural." She quirky, spunky, geeky, and a perfect fit in the Winchester family. I love every episode she's in. She should be a regular. :)

How was your December?

End of the Year Wrap-Up

It's time to say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015! But before we do, I'd like to take a look at the past year.

Top 14 books

(In no particular order):

1. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
2. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
4. Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo
5. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
6. Scarlet and Cress by Marissa Meyer
7. The Program by Suzanne Young
8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
9. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
10. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill
11. Panic by Lauren Oliver
12. Basically all the Mortal Instruments books by Cassandra Clare
13. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
14. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

New blogging friends (limit to five)

I love meeting every single one of you, but I have to give myself a limit, otherwise this post would be really long. ;) These blogs are in no particular order.

1. Nicole from "A Soul Spun From Ink"

Nicole reached out to me via e-mail, and we really hit it off. We both love reading, writing, Pinterest, and "Supernatural." She posts regularly on her blog with tips on how to write, websites to use for inspiration, and snippets from her novel. She's also starting a regular short story contest, which I'm super excited about!

2. Skylar from "Life of a Random"



Skylar's blog is like a great big bubble of happiness. Her posts are always so much fun to read and often make me laugh. And Skylar's sending me book reviews, which I'm really happy about. :) If you're looking for someone to fangirl with, check out her blog.

3. Taylor Lynn from "Paper Daydreams"



(Not to be confused with "Paper Fury," as it often is.)

I met Taylor through blogging and Twitter a couple weeks ago, and I already know I'm going to love reading her blog. We share tons of similar reading interests, such as The Fault In Our Stars, Harry Potter, Rainbow Rowell books, Flora & Ulysses, We Were Liars, and lots of others. She's also a homeschooled writer, and I always love meeting others like me!

4. Shelumiel from "Whims and Ramblings"



It's kind of scary how similarly we read. If he likes a book, I like it, too, and vice versa. And neither of us like Catcher In the Rye. Shelumiel is also constantly sending me tweets with movies/books he thinks I'd like. He's usually right!

5. Abby from "The Ups and Downs of My Not-So-Average Life"

Abby and I met through the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program. I went to the forums and said I was looking for a co-author to write a book with, and she responded right away. We e-mailed back and forth for a while and are now in the middle of writing a book about a young girl with aspergers dealing with her schizophrenic mom's death. I'm having so much fun with it. I also love that Abby posts regularly about the offline world, too, something we don't always see a lot of.

New obsessions

"Doctor Who"
"Sherlock"
"Supernatural"
Pinterest (Such a great place for writing inspiration. I use it all the time now!)

Most played songs


All of the music from "Doctor Who," "Sherlock," "Parenthood," and "Gilmore Girls"

"Carry On My Wayward Son" -- Kansas (Although it's hard to listen to it without bursting into tears--curse you, "Supernatural!")
"Stay or Leave" -- Dave Matthews
"Sing," "Photograph," "Tenerife Sea," and "Thinking Out Loud" -- Ed Sheeran
All of the music from "The Fault In Our Stars"
"Somewhere Only We Know" -- Keane
"Beneath Your Beautiful" -- Labrinth feat. Emeli Sandé
"Buzzcut Season," "Team," "Glory and Gore," and "Yellow Flicker Beat" -- Lorde
"When We Were Young" -- Lucy Schwartz
"The Hanging Tree" -- Jennifer Lawrence
"Dollhouse" -- Melanie Martinez
"Starlight" -- Muse
"Counting Stars," "What You Wanted," "Au Revoir," and "Burning Bridges" -- OneRepublic
"Coming Home" -- Skylar Grey
All of the music from "Divergent"
All of the songs from "1989" -- Taylor Swift


Strangest Google search used to find my blog

"i'd rather be at hogwarts" *high fives whoever made that search*

Five most popular blog posts

1. "Local Authors Night at Aaron's Books"
2. "Top Ten Books I Read In 2014"
3. "The Heroine Tag"
4. "Ten Bookish Goals For 2015"
5. "November Wrap-Up"

Three big things that happened in 2014

I was one of the authors at Aaron's Books Local Authors Signing.
I got my first job, a Food & Beverage position at the Renaissance Faire.
Our family moved to a new house.

Image from this year

My three major obsessions from this past year. I really want this to be an actual show. Although I'm pretty sure the internet would explode if that were to happen. Tumblr would, at the very least.

I know I already used this for November's wrap-up post, but I still love it. *feels*

Favorite quote from a book


But for now, as we wait for the engines to kick in, all of that is far away. For a moment the image before us is frozen: our world, our lives, reduced to a handful of broken stars half lost in uncharted space. Then it's gone, the view swallowed by the hyperspace winds streaming past, blue-green auroras wiping the afterimages away.
Until all that's left is us.
--These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

"Do You believe in love at first sight?"
"I don't know," he said. "Do you believe in love before that?"
--Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

"And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."
--The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"Nothing would be easier without you, because you are everything, all of it--sprinkles, quarks, giant
donuts, eggs sunny-side up--you are the ever-expanding universe to me."
--Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

"Don't we all live in our heads? Where else could we possibly exist? Our brains are the universe."
--Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo


"I promise, I will not let you die without being kissed."
--Cress by Marissa Meyer

"Captain," she murmured. "I think I’m in love with you."
An eyebrow shot up. She counted six beats of his heart before, suddenly, he laughed.
"Don’t tell me it took you two whole days to realize that. I must be losing my touch."
--Cress by Marissa Meyer




Mirren. She is sugar she is curiosity and rain.
Johnny. He is bounce. He is effort and snark.
Gat. He is contemplation and enthusiasm. He is ambition and strong coffee.
Welcome home, they are saying. Welcome home.
--We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

For a moment, the two of us were alone on the planet, with all the vastness of the sky and the future and the past spreading out around us.
--We Were Liars by E. Lockhart


"We're lucky some people are so full of goodness."
--Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea


 "Well, that was easy," I whisper.
"No, that was very dangerous and daring, and it was only through my extreme charm that we pulled it off."
Even at this moment, he can make me smile. "My mistake."
 --All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill


"There are risks," James concedes, "but progress is always dangerous, isn't it? Most of the time, walls don't get dismantled brick by brick. Someone has to crash through them."
--All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

"We shouldn’t," protested Isabelle. "The Clave has a plan."
"The Clave has the collective intelligence of a pineapple," said Jace.
Alec blinked up at them. “Jace is right.”
Isabelle turned on her brother. "What do you know? You weren’t even paying attention."
"I was," Alec said, injured. "I said Jace was right."
"Yeah, but there’s like a 90% chance of me being right most of the time, so that’s not proof you were listening," said Jace. "That’s just a good guess."
--City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

"No killing," Jordan said. "We’re trying to make you feel peaceful, so you don’t go up in flames. Blood, killing, war, those are all non-peaceful things. Isn’t there anything else you like? Rainforests? Chirping birds?"
"Weapons," said Jace. "I like weapons."
"I’m starting to think we have a problematic issue of personal philosophy here."
--City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

"I do have a point to all this," she continues. "There are like twenty people in that waiting room right now. Some of them are related to you. Some of them are not. But we're all your family."
She stops now. Leans over me so that the wisps of her hair tickle my face. She kisses me on the forehead. "You still have a family," she whispers.
--If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Favorite quote

So true.

This year in one word

Eventful.

Goals for 2015



Writing:

1. Get an agent.
2. Finish editing Beneath the Moon and Stars.
3. Finish writing Cosmo and August Knight and the Sword of Gold.
4. Send Flightless Birds to my CPs/Beta readers.
5. Try screenwriting.

Reading:


Read my post HERE.


General:

1. Exercise more. Now that I'm not doing Tae Kwon Do anymore, I want to make more of an effort to stay active. It's easy to get sucked into a day of sitting at my computer or with a book. ;)

2. Eat less sugar and meat, eat more fish.

3. Procrastinate even less. (I think I'm getting a lot better with this one, though.)

4. Read the news. This is something I've been sort of doing off and on the past year, but I want to be more regular with it in 2015.

Goals for 2014 that I've accomplished

I finished writing Flightless Birds.
I am a lot better about not procrastinating.
I don't use a ton of emoticons. Only when necessary. ;)

Goals for 2014 that I didn't accomplish

Because it's good to recognize your failures, too.

I didn't get an agent, though I queried lots and received many rejections.
I didn't finish edits on The Sorceress.
I didn't finish writing Cosmo, but I did work on it.

Bye, 2014! Now for the next adventure.

What are your goals for 2015? Anything big happen in 2014? Leave a comment! :D

Ten Bookish Goals For 2015

I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday with "The Broke and the Bookish"! :) This week's prompt is: What are your bookish goals for 2015?




1. Keep clearing out my TBR shelves. 

For almost six months, I've managed to keep my TBR shelves contained to just the first two on my bookshelf. But now books are slowly being added to the collection and there's hardly any room left. I've had to stack books on top of each other to make them all fit. (At least I haven't had to put any on the floor yet, though if I don't get on it that's the next step.) I'm going to read as many of the books on there as I can over the next year. I feel like 2014 was the year of writing and editing. To balance it out, 2015 will be the year of reading!


2. Review more books. 

Lately I've just been reviewing ARCs, but I really should be reviewing other books, too. I have so much fun doing it! I'm not sure why I haven't been, but I'm going to change that.

3. Read the books I've been saying I'll read for the past six months.

Throne of Glass, Anna and the French Kiss, The Raven Boys, Code Name Verity, Looking For Alaska, Landline, and Paper Towns are all books I've said I'll get to "ASAP." I read Paper Towns, but the rest are still on my shelf, giving me dirty looks.

4. Read the books from my Goodreads TBR list.

This is similar to #1, though not nearly as bad. I only have 31 books in my TBR list on Goodreads, and some of them haven't even been published yet! (I'm starting to wonder if the sequels to The Host will ever come out.) But I do want to read them, and soon.

5. Resist the urge to add dozens of books to my already crammed TBR shelves.

I don't have high hopes for this one, but I'm going to try!

6. Stop getting distracted (or at least get less distracted).

It sometimes takes me a month to finish a book. It's not because I'm a slow reader (I'm actually a really fast reader), but I get distracted a lot. A shiny new book presents itself to me at the library and I just have to take it home with me and read it right away. Or I need to stop reading the book so I can finish one for my book club. This goal is one of the more manageable ones from my list.

7. Return to my favorites.

This year I branched out a lot, in books and TV. I read classics, I read sci-fi, I read mysteries, I read books that none of my blogger friends had read or reviewed (sometimes going into a book completely blind is fun), I read non-fiction, I read books I didn't think I'd like and ended up loving, and I fell completely in love with many new TV series that I never in a million years would have watched if they hadn't been recommended to me. So this year, I want to go back to some of my favorite genres. I'm a little sick of dystopian at the moment, but I will be returning to my all-time favorite genre, fantasy, starting with Throne of Glass (for real this time).

8. Finish my Harry Potter trivia game.

I've looked everywhere for a Harry Potter trivia board game and found one, but it was only questions from the Sorcerer's Stone. So I'm making one of my own that includes questions from all seven books. It's taking me a while, but I plan to finish it sometime next year..

9. Read/review a book from a debut author.

It's got to be hard for a debut author to break into the reading world when absolutely nobody has heard of her. I want to make an effort to find at least one new author and read/review her book. I know I'd appreciate it.

10. Read more middle-grade.

I don't read enough middle-grade, and I really like it. This year I found some real gems: Flora & Ulysses, Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Because of Mr. Terupt, El Deafo, Out of My Mind, The Fourteenth Goldfish. Yeah, there were some duds, but for the most part they were all really good, sometimes even better than the YA stuff I was reading. I'd love to read more middle-grade in 2015.

What are your bookish goals for the new year?

The Heroine Tag

(Unrelated note: Today is Fauxpocalypse's first book birthday!!! :) *throws confetti and chocolate for anyone reading this* At about 12:30 today, all of the authors got an e-mail confirming that it was published. So yeah, I'm pretty excited.)

Onto the actual post, I'm shamelessly stealing this from Cait at "Paper Fury," though she did tell me to go ahead and steal it, so I'm not sure it counts as stealing anymore. But it looked like so much fun, I couldn't resist!
 
1. Which heroine would you trade places with?

Unfortunately, a lot of heroines in the books I read end up in sucky situations, sometimes even dying at the end of the series. But I would happily switch with Hermione Granger for the chance to go to Hogwarts for a few years. (Yeah, I know she's technically not the main character of the series, but she may as well be, so hush.)
 
2. Which heroine would you push off a cliff and hope that there are some jagged rocks at the bottom?

Yikes, I don't know if I'd wish that on anybody! (Okay, Voldemort kind of had it coming, and I'm not too happy with Lucifer from "Supernatural" at the moment, but other than those two, no jagged rocks.)


3. Heroine you couldn't care less about? They're so bland that they don't even trigger the hate in you?


Bland characters are the worst. I'd rather hate a character than feel nothing about them, because I'd actually be feeling some kind of strong emotion. Heroines that come to mind when someone says "boring" is Clary from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, Heather from Panic by Lauren Oliver (she was so boring, I had to look up the book on Goodreads so I could remember what her name was), and Callie from Starters by Lissa Price.

4. Heroine you thought you wouldn't like and ended up liking and vice versa?

I thought I would like Clary more than I did, and it's not that I didn't like her, she was just . . . blah. I didn't expect to like Lilac from These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, because she seemed like a stuffy, wimpy, spoiled brat at first, but I ended up loving her.

5. Side heroine who is much more interesting than main heroine?

I'm going to go ahead and steal Cait's answer for this one and say Isabelle from the Mortal Instruments series. She's super kick-butt, sarcastic, and a fierce protector of her family. She and Simon are also my OTP from the Mortal Instruments, Magnus and Alec aside.

6. Which heroine would you want as your friend?

Hermione, Hazel from The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, Eleanor from Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, Ellie from the Ellie Sweet series by Stephanie Morrill, Cress from Cress by Marissa Meyer, Ramona from the Ramona and Beezus series by Beverly Cleary, and Flora from Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, to name a few.


7. Which heroine do you wish would just CHOOSE (between the guys in her little love triangle)?

Love triangles drive me crazy, because there's almost always the one obvious choice and the guy I can't stand. Rarely am I as torn as the heroine. But the Katniss/Peeta/Gale triangle was the worst one for me, because there was absolutely no chemistry between Katniss and Gale.



8. "Bad girl" heroine?

I can't think of any "bad girl" heroines at the moment. Not in the way they're implying it.

9. "Good girl" heroine?

Ellie Sweet from the Ellie Sweet series by Stephanie Morrill. Helps out around the house, gets along with her family, all A's in school, etc.

10. Your favorite heroine of them all? (If you can't choose, pick your top 3.)

Hermione Granger!

I tag anyone who wants to participate! :)

Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday with "The Broke and the Bookish"! :) This week's prompt is: What were the ten best books you read in 2014?



(These books are in no particular order, as it's almost impossible to rank them from best to "worst." They're all so good!)

1. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner



This was one of the first books I read in 2014, and it was a fantastic one. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did, not being into sci-fi at the time. ("Doctor Who" has changed that.) Also, I LOVE the cover. Great covers tend to bump up the rating. ;) And for those who hate insta-love as much as I do, this book is definitely the romance for you. Lilac and Tarver are ready to practically kill each other for the first hundred pages or so.

2. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell



I definitely prefer Eleanor & Park and Fangirl to this one, but it's still a four star read! It's super cute, clever, and "fluffy." And it's told through dual perspectives! That's always a big plus for me. It's good for getting over a book hangover.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky



Perks hooked me right away. For a day and a half, I couldn't stop reading. I picked it up every time I got a few minutes. I didn't really know where the book was going until, about ten pages from the end, plot twist! Fantastic from start to finish.

4. Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo



I love everything Kate DiCamillo writes, and Flora & Ulysses is no exception. It's so adorable! Whether you're eight or eighty, the humor and simple story will not be lost on you. It makes for a great read-aloud book for the whole family. You can read my review HERE.

5. Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper



One of the best books I read in 2013 was Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and I saw this book recommended along with it in nearly every review. It's a simple, sweet, middle-grade novel. Very character-driven, and guaranteed to make you cry.

6. Cress by Marissa Meyer



The first two Lunar Chronicles books were really good, but Cress was amazing! We got to see a lot more of Thorne (one of my favorite characters from the series) and Cress was a great addition to the gang. Even though throwing it would have the same effect as throwing a brick, it reads very quickly. I highly recommend the Lunar Chronicles to anyone and everyone.

7. The Program by Suzanne Young



One of the better dystopian novels I've read in a while. I'd put it up there with Divergent, as it's a little more sci-fi than The Hunger Games is. It's extremely hard to put down.

8. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart



Recommended to anyone who likes fluffy reads, terrible writing but a fun story, a cast of characters that you'll instantly love, a typical romance, and happy and predictable endings. I lied.

9. Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea



At first, reading a book told through the perspectives of seven kids was a little confusing. But as thte story went on, it was absolutely necessary that they all played a part. The simplicity of the story, the sweet relationships the characters had with one another, it all made for another great middle-grade novel. Also recommended to fans of Wonder and Out of My Mind. You can read my review HERE.


10. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill



This book was really good. If you like time travel and/or "Doctor Who," I highly recommend it. Action-packed from page 1, I couldn't put it down. There were lots of plot twists and a few tears at the end. And it seems like it's going to be a series, so I'm very happy about that!

What were your favorite books from 2014? Leave a comment! :)

'Bout This Blogger Tag

So Cait at the "Notebook Sisters" recently changed her blog to a Wordpress platform and is now the proud blogger of "Paper Fury." HUZZAH! :) To celebrate, she's hosting a giveaway and a blog tag. And because I can't resist blog tags, I'm participating.



1. Why did you start blogging?



My mom got me into it when I was eight. It started out as more of a homeschooling opportunity, so there were lots of journal entries and book reports and short stories. I had an official schedule and everything. But now I create my own "schedule" and post about whatever I want. I've met dozens upon dozens of other bloggers, writers, and fangirls like me. Some of my closest friends I've met through blogging, and I never would've been introduced to some of my favorite books and TV shows if it weren't for them! I celebrated my sixth blogging anniversary in July, and there will definitely be many more.

2. What’s the story behind your blog’s name?



I asked a bunch of different people for advice on my blog's name, because I knew once I chose one I would want to stick to it, so it had to be good. Eventually my friend Ronald suggested "The Magic Violinist," because I loved fantasy stories and I'd recently picked up the violin (which I still play!). I fell in love with it right away.

3. How many designs have you been through since you started blogging? (Pictures! We demand pictures!)

Ha ha, no pictures to share. :) It's been the same for over six years.
 
4. Have you ever switched blog platforms? What made you move? If you haven’t ever changed…why?



Nope. I'm a blogger girl. I very rarely have technical difficulties with it, so I haven't ever had a reason to change.

5. How long does it take you to write a post? What’s your postly process like?



It really depends on the post. On average, your typical, medium-length post takes maybe fifteen to twenty minutes, before proofreading. Blog memes and posts such as "Top Ten Tuesday" are much quicker.

6. Have you ever been super nervous about a post? Why?! What was it?


In general, I kind of hate having to post ARC reviews when I personally know the author. I hope like crazy that I can honestly give it at least four stars, because I don't want to lie to myself or anyone else, but I don't want the author to feel bad. I've been okay so far (thankfully), but whenever I have something critical to say about the book, it takes me forever to phrase it in a way that's honest, but gentle.

7. Do you have a blogging schedule?



HA HA HA. No.

8. Do you tell people In-Real-Life about your blog? Their reactions?



Yup! :) Most everybody I've told about it checks it out and thinks it's pretty cool. Sometimes they even comment. But really, besides my immediate family, my most faithful readers/commenters are people from the online world.

9. Top ten blogs you read/comment on the most! Go! Go!






(In no particular order . . .)

"Sushi and Pizza"
"I Don't Eat My Drumsticks"
"Musings From Neville's Navel"
"Notebook Sisters" (er, I mean, "Paper Fury")
"The Book Chewers"
"The Write Practice"
"Positive Writer"
"Here's Me Using the Word Blog In a Sentence"
"Query Shark"
"As a Teen Writer"
Bonus (a recent and addicting find): "Sherlock Headcanon"

Of course I follow many other blogs, so it can be hard to keep up. I try to be good about regularly commenting on those who regularly comment on my blog, because I feel it's only fair to take the time to read their posts after they took the time to read mine. But I do want to be better about commenting on blogs I "secretly" follow. I know how good it feels to get a comment from someone you didn't even know read your blog. :)

10. If you could change/improve things about your blog, what would they be?

If I had all the time in the world, I would post more often. Right now I post probably once or twice a week, which is a good amount for me, but I'd like to bump up the numbers a little bit. But as long as I post somewhat regularly, I'm happy.

Check out "Paper Fury," if you haven't already! :)

Local Authors Night at Aaron's Books

For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed me tweeting back in October about the Local Authors Night in Lititz at Aaron's Books. I was so excited I could barely sit still! And since NaNoWriMo set me back as far as blogging goes, I thought I'd spread out the fun and post about it now. Stay tuned for lots of pictures!

My tablemate, Brenda Lee Sieglitz, and me.

Brenda was awesome. We had tons of fun talking books and writing together.

With my mom.

With my dad.

The whole family.

Max was very patient as he hung out for the full two hours.

Friends from our homeschool group dropped by.

Signing a copy for friends.

Friends Sherri, Ron, and Jack are all super supportive of me.

I got a big surprise about halfway through the night when someone came through the door. We met her a year ago, for her release party at Aaron's Books. You may have heard of her. Her name's A.S. King.

This is my I'm-trying-not-to-freak-out-as-I-take-a-picture-with-A.S. King-who-came-by-to-get-a-signed-copy-of-my-book face.

With Sam and Todd, the owners of Aaron's Books. I'm so glad they invited me to come.

With fellow local author Lynne Dempsey and her dog Coconut.

My friends Mary and Kirsten hung out with me.

Out for ice cream at Isabella's.

It's still a little surreal to me that I was actually at a book signing. That's the sort of thing I dreamed about not even a year ago. I had tons of fun and made great new friends.

November Wrap-Up

Books I Read

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

3/5


Recommended to anyone who likes long books, dual perspectives, and historical fiction.


Every Day by David Levithan

4/5

Recommended to anyone who likes romance and main characters with interesting obstacles (A is forced to leave his current body for another one every night, never staying longer than a day). It's paranormal for people who don't like paranormal.

Doctor Who: The Krillitane Storm by Christopher Cooper

3/5

Recommended to anyone who likes "Doctor Who" (especially Ten), a quick and easy read, and plenty of action.

A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron

4/5

(Yes, this is the second book in a series, but it reads as a standalone! I know a lot of my friends who read this for our teen book club were confused by this.) Recommended to anyone who likes dogs, sweet stories that'll make you cry, and a quick read.

Compulsion by Martina Boone

3.5/5

(Thank you for the ARC, Martina!) Compulsion is beautifully written gothic romance. I found myself reading with a pencil clutched in my hand because I underlined so much. There were characters I loved, characters I loved to hate, and characters I loved to feel conflicted about. The ending was especially gripping, with a plot twist I definitely didn't see coming. Barrie, Mark, and Pru ended up being my favorite characters all the way through, no question, but my favorite parts of the book were the ones where Cassie appears. I enjoyed trying to figure out if she was someone to trust or someone to stay away from. I highly recommend this book to fans of the Beautiful Creatures series.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (a reread)

5/5

(I've reread this book several times now, and each time I do I love it a little bit more. I think I was too harsh on it at first because I'd been used to the obvious, non-stop action in the first two books.) Recommended to fans of The Hunger Games series (obviously), dystopian novels, and a kick-butt heroine. I know some people who stopped reading after the first book. Don't! It only gets better!

A Study In Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

3/5

I know a lot of my friends watch "Sherlock," and, as a Sherlockian myself, I really enjoyed going back and seeing where the first episode came from. I was really surprised at how much detail Moffat and Gatiss put in to the show. I would definitely recommend those who haven't read any original Sherlock Holmes stories themselves read it for that purpose alone. Also recommended to anyone who likes short stories, mysteries, and a series to get invested in. (For those of you who have read the Sherlock Holmes stories, which are your favorites? The Hounds of the Baskervilles seems to be a popular one.)

Movies I Watched

"The Breakfast Club"

4/5

Recommended to anyone who likes 80's movies, simple stories, laugh-out-loud humor, and character-driven stories.

"Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"

4/5

Recommended to anyone who likes simple stories, character-driven stories, and a cute family-friendly movie to watch any time of year.

"Mockingjay: Part 1"

5/5

Recommended to fans of The Hunger Games series, dystopian novels, and a kick-butt heroine.

Quotes I Wrote

“Do you think we should’ve listened to [Hugh]?” I asked Maya and Jack a few minutes later, suddenly shrouded in guilt. “I mean, Ross did say he’s the most powerful wizard in Librum. Maybe he really did mean all that stuff [being in "grave danger"].”

“Powerful wizard my foot,” Maya grumbled. “I don’t care how good that man’s heart is, the guy is a nutjob. He called you Alan, Alex, Audrey, Augustus, and Augustine in the space of about ten minutes!”
--August Knight and the Sword of Gold

“What’s the worst that could—”

“Have you learned nothing?” Jack said incredulously. “That’s exactly what you said right before we left to explore Librum, got your ankle twisted, and almost killed by a demon-assassin in disguise.”--August Knight and the Sword of Gold

“Sun’s setting,” I said later that day.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Maya said sarcastically. “Because the rest of us are blind and couldn’t see that for ourselves.”--August Knight and the Sword of Gold

“It’s like the freaking Elder Wand,” Jack said.

“That’s not good!” Maya sounded truly panicked. “The owners of the Elder Wand usually ended up dead!”

“Relax,” I said. “It’s not the Elder Wand. If you haven’t noticed, Harry Potter was made up.”

“You never know,” Maya said in a singsong voice. “A few days ago, I would’ve agreed with you, but now . . .”

“You know, most of today’s Earthen fantasy authors were born in Librum,” Ross piped up. “They travel via necklace, pretend they’ve lived there all along, and write stories based on their experiences here.”

“Does that mean—” Jack started, wide-eyed.

“No.” Ross sighed. “J.K. Rowling was, unfortunately, actually born in England. That’s one genius you guys can claim.”

--August Knight and the Sword of Gold 

Obsessions I Acquired

"1989." I'm really glad Taylor Swift decided to try something different, and it paid off! Every single song on this album is 80's-inspired pop. My favorites are, "Welcome to New York," "Out of the Woods," "Wildest Dreams," "You Are In Love," and "Wonderland."

"Supernatural." (Thank you SO MUCH, Cait, for getting me into this show!) In two weeks, I've watched three and a half seasons, and every minute spent watching it is a minute well spent. Every time I finish a season I immediately look up the YouTube video for that season's bloopers/gag reels, because they're hilarious. It's almost impossible to choose a favorite between the two boys, because the reason why they're each so awesome is because they're awesome together. My favorite episodes so far are, "Hell House," "In My Time of Dying," "Simon Said," "The Usual Suspects," "Nightshifter," "Tall Tales," "Hollywood Babylon," "Folsom Prison Blues," "What Is and What Should Never Be," "The Kids Are Alright," "Bad Day at Black Rock" (possibly my all-time favorite), "Mystery Spot," "Ghostfacers," "No Rest For the Wicked," "In the Beginning," "Yellow Fever," "Wishful Thinking," and "After School Special" (which is the last episode I've watched so far, so no spoilers, please!).

(Wow, I just realized how many favorite episodes I have. It's like an entire season's worth!)

"The Hanging Tree." I don't care what Jennifer Lawrence says about her singing voice. She sounds awesome in this song. And the scene in the movie is even better.

Picture of the Month

How was your November?

Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait to Read

I'm participating in Top Ten Tuesday with "The Broke and the Bookish"! :) This week's prompt is: Which ten sequels are you excited to read?



1. The Seeker and The Soul by Stephenie Meyer

I loved The Host SO much, and I didn't know it was going to be a sequel until a few months after I finished reading it. Of course I started freaking out with my BFF about the possibilities in store for the next books. Sadly, there isn't a release date for either of these books, so I'll just have to keep obsessively checking the Goodreads page for an update patiently waiting for some news.

2. Winter by Marissa Meyer

Cress left us hanging on so many levels. And I have to wait until November of NEXT YEAR for Winter. About the same amount of time I have to wait for Season 4 of "Sherlock." Ah, the life of a fangirl. *sighs*

3. This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner




Finally, a book that has a cover to include in the post! And this book is actually published! It's just a matter of time before I can get my hands on it and love it as much as I loved the first one.

4. The Treatment by Suzanne Young




I read The Program a few months ago for my book club and loved it. Once my friend is done reading it, I'm going to borrow it. I have a feeling the last book in this series is going to make me cry.

5. The Order of the Stick: War and XPs by Rich Burlew





My brother got me into this series, and it's hysterical. I highly recommend it to anyone who plays Dungeons & Dragons. I've laughed out loud many times (sometimes late at night when everyone's asleep) while reading this series.

(I'm going to cheat a little with these next ones, because, sadly, I've finished most of the series with sequels I was excited to read. So the following five are all series I'm excited to start.)

6. All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

 

I won this book in a giveaway and hadn't seen a single review for it, good or bad, so I went into it totally blind. I'm thirty pages in and already can't wait to recommend it to everyone I know! I was hooked from page one. So far it's like a mix of Divergent, "Doctor Who," and my 2013 NaNoWriMo book, so I'm pretty excited. :)

7. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas




Every single review I've seen for this book (and its sequels!) have been raving. It's been a while since I've read a book worth raving about (We Were Liars by E. Lockhart being the last one).

8. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor




Just like with Throne of Glass, DOSAB has gotten a ton of great reviews. At first it didn't seem like the kind of book I'd like, but trusted blogger friends have said otherwise. It's on my TBR shelf right now!

9. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins





And just like with DOSAB, this didn't seem like my kind of book. I thought it was another fluffy romance, like all the other fluffy romances. But Rainbow Rowell apparently loves it and Stephanie Perkins is the one who organized the My True Love Gave to Me holiday anthology, which I'm so excited to read!

10. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi




So technically I've already started this one, but I'm only sixty pages in, so I think I can still include it on this list. ;) So far, there's nothing I dislike about it (other than having to look up how to spell the author's name every. single. time I type it). I was hooked from page one!

Beautiful Books Linkup--November

The "Notebook Sisters" are co-hosting a linkup called "Beautiful Books." It's a lot like their "Beautiful People" linkup, except focused more on the actual book than the characters. Click HERE to read about it.

Today I'll be talking about my NaNoWriMo book, August Knight and the Sword of Gold, an MG fantasy novel about a twelve-year-old boy's quest to kill an evil dragon and return magic to a land called Librum.





1. Be honest: how is your writing going?




It's a little slow at the moment. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be too disappointed with my level of excitement for the story, but after last year's book (Flightless Birds), this one pales in comparison.

2. What’s your first sentence/paragraph?



My little brother woke me up by jumping on my legs. He had this uncanny ability of doing this seconds before my alarm clock went off. Somehow, waking up to bruised knees and hot, stinky, morning breath on my face isn't nearly as annoying as it is to be jerked from a pleasant dream by an incessant beep, beep, beep.

3. Do you have a book cover, and/or pictures that reflect your book?



No cover yet, and the only picture on my Pinterest board is one I happened to glance up and see on my Feedly when starring a post from Post Secret. It fits perfectly with August's character, and he would probably end up sending in a secret just like it.

4. Do you have pictures of each of your characters? If not, describe them for us!



No pictures, but here are the descriptions:

August: 5'0", blue eyes, messy brown hair, big feet. Wears simple, comfortable clothing, usually jeans and a T-shirt with his red Converse.

Maya: 4'10", brown eyes, thick black hair (almost reaches her waist), long legs, skin the color of dark chocolate. Often wears athletic shorts, running shoes, and rainbow loom bracelets.

Jack: 5'1", green eyes, pale skin, curly golden hair, ears that stick out a little. Wears button-down shirts, jeans, black-framed glasses, sneakers, and the watch his father used to own.

5. What scene are you most excited to write?


Well the scene I was most excited to write has already been written. :) It involved a spastic, narcoleptic wizard named Hugh Nicholson and his deranged rabbit, Fluffernutter.

6. Share a snippet or a scene that you really enjoyed writing.


The door opened and there stood an extremely old man. He had a long, pure white beard; squinted eyes; and frizzy hair that made it look like he’d stuck his finger in an electrical socket.
“Girl Scouts already?” He said in his squeaky voice. He dug in the pocket of his robes—which were navy blue and had golden moons and stars printed on it—and pulled out three fat, gold coins. “All right. Do you have any Thin Mints?”
“Uh, we’re not Girl Scouts,” I said. “Actually, we’re not even girls. Well, Maya is, but the rest of us aren’t.”
“Maya?” He said, squinting even more so his eyes were practically shut. “Maya Angelou? But she’s dead!”
“Not Maya Angelou,” Maya said. “Maya Rose. It’s—er—nice to meet you, sir.”
“Hugh,” Ross said from my shoulder. [Ross is a bookworm--literally. So he often has to rely on larger creatures to carry him around.] “It’s me, Ross.”
Hugh leaned forward, so close, I could feel his breath on my face. It smelled like pickles. When he saw Ross, he grinned wide enough for me to see all of his teeth. Well, what teeth he had left.
“So it is!” He said. “Ross, old buddy, how are ya’?”
“Good,” Ross said. “Can we come in? I need to ask you a favor.”
“Of course, of course,” Hugh mumbled. He stood back and gestured for us to go inside. “Come in, come in.”
“Does he have a beard?” I heard Jack whisper as Maya helped him step through the doorway. “The crazy ones always have beards.”
“Yeah,” Maya whispered back. “He has a beard.”

7. Now that you're writing, have any of the plot details, or the process itself, turned out different from what you planned or imagined?

When I started out, I expected the plot to be nice and simple (though I always expect the plots of my books to be nice and simple--it never turns out that way). But now that I've written about 20,000 words at this point, I figured out that there is a much fouler villain at play than a simple dragon. Snow White and the seven dwarves made an appearance, too, which I hadn't expected.

8. Is there a character or aspect of your plot that's difficult to write?

When I started out, I didn't really like August. This is my first time writing a book where the protagonist is a boy other than The Adventure That Started With Nuts, but Nutty was a squirrel, so it was a bit different. I had a hard time getting into his head. But I'm starting to have more fun with him now, and Jack, who wouldn't open up until recently. So right now I guess the most difficult character to write is Maya, who is, at the moment, nothing but a bossy, angry, control-freak with a grudge against August. Once I learn what that grudge is, I'm sure I'll understand her more.

9. What’s your favorite aspect of this novel so far? Favorite character?

I love the quirky side characters. :) They're what makes Librum come to life, for me. Even though Hugh probably won't show up again (although there's always that possibility), he and Ross are some of my favorite characters to write.

10. Have you drawn off of any life experiences or people you know to create your novel and your characters?


Yes, but I won't say who. ;)

11. Do you have a playlist or certain song for your novel and/or characters?


I usually do at this point, but right now the only song I have on the playlist is "Wonderland" by Taylor Swift. I've been listening to her "1989" album nonstop, and that song is one of my favorites from the CD.

12. Let’s have some fun for a moment: imagine you are somehow transported into your book’s world. Which character are you most likely to be found hanging out with?

Hugh and Ross for sure, and I'd probably stop by and visit with Snow White and the other princesses, who are way more kick-butt in my book. Snow actually gets her hands dirty and helps the dwarves in the mine, Aurora is a witch who often has to fight off evil magical creatures, and Ariel is a Tae Kwon Do master.

13. How do you keep yourself motivated to finish your daily word count? (Pinterest? Internet breaks? Chocolate?)


One of the best parts about NaNoWriMo being in November is that it's right after Halloween, which means I have plenty of chocolate to reward myself with. :) I also use various Netflix shows (right now I'm watching "Once Upon a Time") as motivation.

14. What is your favourite writing quote or piece of writing advice?


Probably the one by Joss Whedon: "I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I'm afraid of."

15. How does this book make you feel so far? Are you laughing? Crying? Frustrated?

It just feels like I'm fighting to get the words out more this year than usual. I'm not frustrated, more disappointed. But my moods usually change quickly. Ask me again tomorrow and I might say it's all rainbows and butterflies. :P

How's your NaNoWriMo so far?

Encyclopedia of Me - N

nevillegirl:

Nevillegirl is one of the first bloggers I ever met and talked to regularly. We met a couple years ago on the "Young Writers Program" (NaNoWriMo for kids under eighteen) and bonded over our love for Harry Potter. I commented on nearly every single one of her posts and try my best to keep up today. It's been awesome to connect and introduce our favorite fandoms to each other. If it weren't for her, I might never have watched "Doctor Who!" You can check out her blog at "Musings From Neville's Navel."

New York City:

Even though I wouldn't want to live there, New York City is such a fun place to visit. Our family even went to the top of the Empire State Building! My brother and I even made up a song about New York when we were little. Several of my books take place in New York, as well, including Cosmo.

NaNoWriMo:

It had to be in here somewhere. ;) NaNoWriMo is on par with Christmas for me. I love it. This will be my sixth year participating, and it definitely won't be my last! I've spent months planning my book for this year (a middle-grade fantasy novel featuring a legendary golden sword, a dragon named Button, a narcoleptic wizard, and an eighty-year-old cat lady/retired assassin) and am very excited about it.

Neville Longbottom:

Ah, Neville. A klutz and a proud member of Dumbledore's Army, you can't help but love him. I definitely wasn't the only one who cheered in the movie theater a couple years ago when he sliced Nagini's head off. I love seeing his character develop as I reread the series.

October Wrap-Up

Books I Read

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

3.5/5


Recommended to anyone who likes dark reads, mystery, and romance.


Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

5/5

Recommended to anyone who is looking for a character-driven, family read, especially for those who love the books Wonder by R.J. Palacio and Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. You can read my review HERE.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

4/5

Recommended to anyone who likes quick reads, graphic novels, and cute, middle-grade stories.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L Holm

4/5

Recommended to anyone looking for a super cute, character-driven, quick read for the whole family.

Movies I Watched

"Say Anything"

3/5

Recommended to anyone who likes simple, character-driven stories, and romance.

"Fed Up"

4/5 

Recommended to anyone who likes documentaries about food, especially those along the lines of "Food Inc." and "Super Size Me."

"Gone With the Wind"

3.5/5 

Recommended to anyone who likes romance, character-driven stories, and is learning about the civil war. You can read my review HERE.

Quotes I Wrote

I did a few dialogue exercises from my NaNoWriMo high-school folder. The book I'm writing this year is a middle-grade fantasy called August Knight and the Sword of Gold.

        “We can’t just go charging off to the cave!” Maya practically screeched. “We need to make a plan first.”

         I [August] waved her comment away with a flick of my wrist. “Nah. We can make a plan as we go. It’ll save time. Kill two birds with one stone. It’s called multitasking.”

         “Studies have proven that multitasking negatively affects the performance of each job you do,” Jack piped up. “Also, saying that something will save time, followed by the idiom ‘kill two birds with one stone’ is redundant.”

         Maya nodded her head toward Jack. “Thank you. At least somebody around here’s got my back.”

         “I don’t have your back,” Jack said, deadpanning. “I don’t in any way own or control your back. You do.”

         I crossed my arms and glared at Maya. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. What’s this ‘great plan’ of yours?”

         Maya grinned, eyes sparkling. “I’ve got a few ideas.”

Obsessions I Acquired

"Once Upon a Time." Thanks, Kirsten, for getting me into this show! :) It's awesome! I finished season 2 a couple days ago, and have discovered that my favorite episodes are those that focus on Rumplestiltskin and Belle.

"Veronica Mars." Yes, another TV show, and a good one! It reminds me of a better version of Nancy Drew. I'm watching it with my mom and dad, and even though we're only a few episodes in, we're hooked!

Picture of the Month

Do you know who they're talking about?

How was your October?

Delicious Reads

nevillegirl tagged me for a Halloween-themed blog meme, all about BOOKS! :) I jumped at the chance to participate, of course, and I'm just going to go ahead and say now that I tag all of you. (Yes, you, reading this post.)

1. Apples
Ah, healthy food. It is deep, meaningful, and probably won a lot of awards but, um, it really isn’t your thing.

What Is the What by Dave Eggers. Interesting read, for the most part, but it was a little long and the writing style didn't click with me. It wasn't a bad book, just not my cup of tea.

2. Milk chocolate
This is the book that you’d recommend to absolutely EVERYONE.

Ooh, SO MANY. Harry Potter, Eleanor & Park, The Fault In Our Stars, etc. Basically just go to the five-star list on my Goodreads and you'll see all of my choices.

3.Black jellybeans
WHY DO THESE EXIST?!

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander, Girl In the Arena by Lise Haines, Trash Can Days by Teddy Steinkellner, to name a few.

4. Chocolate kisses
Aww…this novel had the best romance.

Other than the obvious ones (Eleanor & Park and The Fault In Our Stars), Cress was adorable. I won't give any spoilers, but two characters in particular stole my heart. I ate it up in just a few days.

5. Gummy spiders 

Eek! You made sure to check under your bed every night for a week after reading this scary one.

TV shows scare me more than books do ("Torchwood" being one, though even that didn't give me nightmares or anything). The scariest book I've read would have to be Asylum by Madeline Roux. I was reading one of the creepiest parts at two in the morning, by the light of a dying flashlight, when everyone else was asleep. Em Garner's Contaminated series, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, and No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale were a few others.

6. Jumbo lollipop
This took you forever to get through, but hey! You did it!

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. That book is a freaking BRICK. It didn't help that the beginning was slow, either, but the ending made up for it. :)

7. Cotton candy
Admit it, you loved this when you were younger. (You probably still do.) Think: children’s or MG fiction.

Oh gosh, there were tons. But two series that really stand out to me (other than Harry Potter) are the Ramona series and the Thoroughbred series. I reread Ramona like there was no tomorrow and read close to 40 of the 70+ Thoroughbred books.

Feel free to answer the questions in the comments, or write a post of your own! :)