The Scorpio Races

Don't forget! You have until 11:59 PST on Friday, January 13 to enter my creature contest! Check it out! :)

I wasn't really feeling well this weekend. Much as I wanted to be doing other things, the majority of the weekend was spent either on the couch or in bed. There was a lot of napping involved. But in between the naps, I did manage to finish The Scorpio Races (by Maggie Stiefvater). Holy. Wow.

Not only is the cover beautiful (kinda wish I had the physical book of this one instead of the e-book version...may have to invest in it anyway), but the story inside was beautiful too. It's a story about horses that are more than horses, an island that seems real in some ways but mythical in others, young love, loyalty, and heartache. It's a story that made me giggle, sigh wistfully, and tear up, all within the span of a few pages. While there wasn't as much character development as I would have liked (some aspects of the characters, such as nicknames, were never explained, and some characters just weren't fleshed out enough), it was forgivable because the rest of the book was so amazing.

I haven't read Shiver, Linger, or Forever yet. I have them sitting on my shelves...I just haven't found the time. But after reading The Scorpio Races, I'm excited to dive into another one of Maggie's worlds. The best part about this book? It's a stand-alone! While it can be nice to have a series so that you can prolong the goodbyes to favorite characters, there is something to be said for one book that ties everything up in a neat little package. No waiting for a year (or more) for the next installment, no annoying cliffhanger endings, no disappointment when you get to the end because it wasn't as satisfying as you wanted it to be. This book just is, and it finishes on the most beautiful and tear-inducing scene (I may have been a little emotional while I was reading it). 

You should definitely check it out if you haven't, or at least add it to your TBR pile. You won't regret it if you do. :D

Read any good books lately?

J

A Contest!

It's Friday, which means it's contest time! To celebrate ending last year with my 100th post, I'm hosting another contest. This one won't involve the random number gods at all...it will involve your ability to impress an impartial judge. :P

This contest is all about creatures. I (as well as my husband) am a big fan of creatures in books. Whether they're mythical creatures I'm familiar with (unicorns, phoenixes, selkies) or new creatures that are unique to a particular story, I enjoy reading the history behind them. But the best part is the descriptions. It's fun to imagine wild and crazy beasts in your mind's eye, especially when all you have to go on is a paragraph or two of description.

The rules for this contest are simple: make up a creature. I don't want descriptions of familiar beasties, because chances are, they've all been done before in some form or other. It can be a creature that lives in your WIP, or one that you make up entirely for this contest, but make one up. Then leave a comment with a few sentences describing your creature. It can be physical characteristics, behavioral attributes, diet, etc...or a combination of all of those. Also, be sure to give it a name!

The prizes: one winner will receive a first chapter critique from me and an interview right here at Concrete Pieces of Soul. There *may* be a sketch involved, depending on how well my eyelash-batting works on my husband. :P

This contest is open until 11:59 PM PST on Friday, January 13. While you don't get bonus points for tweeting or blogging or Facebooking about the contest, any promotion is appreciated. :)

Good luck! I look forward to seeing what you all come up with! :D

J

A Playlist for Thursday (8)

I'm only giving you two songs this week, and one of them is a repeat of last week (not that many of you will care, since everyone was on vacation last week). These two songs have been on constant repeat in my head all week, and have provided a lot of inspiration for my WIP.

Home: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Dead Hearts: Stars

Happy listening!

J

RTW: Taking My Hermit Status to New Levels

And now, it's Road Trip time! This blog carnival is hosted by the lovely folks over at YA Highway, and if you haven't participated yet, you really should. All you have to do is pop over to their website, answer the prompt on your blog, and leave a link in the comments section of today's post. Easy peasy, right?

Today's question: Describe your dream writing retreat. Where would you go? Who and what would you bring?

To answer this question, I need to let you in on reality first. I write anywhere and everywhere. I don't really have a spot that's always used for writing, or a routine I perform before settling in to write (which amuses me, because I am the queen of routine [heh, rhyming...]). Maybe that's my problem, the reason why I have such a hard time writing these days. Maybe I need a space, or routine, or soundtrack, or something to get me in the mood to write. 

Anyway, normally I use my laptop (handwriting works in a pinch, but it makes my hand tired after a while, and I scratch a lot of stuff out when I write). I'm usually curled up in bed or a corner of the couch, with either C's music or chattering children in the background. I prefer to not be bothered, since interrupted trains of thought usually never return to me, but that doesn't always happen. My ideal writing retreat? 

Here.

All photos courtesy of Sunsurfer (which no longer exists :( )

 

These three pictures are all from different parts of the world, but that doesn't stop me from wishing there were a forest that combined all three. They come from Ireland, Ireland, and the Pacific Northwest, respectively. There's just something magical about Ireland for me, and the woods, and I think having a treehouse nestled deep in the heart of the forest would spark the ultimate creative thoughts. It's like something out of a fairy tale, isn't it? :)

Ideally, I would be there by myself (it's how I would be most productive), but realistically, I would probably bring C and the pooch along, because what fun is it being in such a magical place if you have no one to share it with? Someday, when I'm rich and famous, I'll be able to build a treehouse in the woods. And then I will post pictures, so you can share in the magic. :D

Where is your ideal writing retreat?

J 

Word of the Year: 2012

I'm kind of addicted to Twitter. For those who don't know this, I check Twitter frequently throughout the day (thank you, Android phone :P), although I will admit I'm more of a lurker than a Tweeter. Anyway, today, while browsing my feed, I came across this little gem.

Jessica Corra has been giving herself a word of the year (rather than resolutions) since 2009. You can read the post for her explanation, but basically, she's not a fan of the tired concept of New Year, New You, so she decided to have a word to be mindful of for the whole entire year.

I'm a HUGE fan of this idea. I have a tattoo of the word "believe" on my wrist for a similar reason. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the things that are worth holding onto. I have a problem with doubt, both of myself and of things around me, so "believe" is a powerful word that keeps me in check every. single. day. It would make sense that I would flourish with a word of the year, rather than those pesky New Years' resolutions that are just made to be broken. And so, here it is, my word of the year...

CREATE

Not that I ever have a problem with creating things (take my wedding for example), but it's a word that represents exactly what I want to do this year. I want to finish my draft, take more pictures, sew pillows for our couch and stockings for Christmas, maybe even create life with my husband... "Create" is a word I can get behind, and I feel like I'll have a lot to show for myself if I can just remember to do it.

Today, when I get home from work, I'm going to plaster this word around the apartment. I'm going to put reminders in my phone for random days in the future. I'm going to write it on my hand, spell it out with magnets, do whatever it takes to keep it in my head. It will become my mantra for 2012, and at the end of the year, we'll see where it's taken me. 

This whole word-a-year thing is definitely something I can get behind. :)

If you decide to choose a word for the year, leave it in the comments section! Or, better yet, write your own post on the subject and leave me a link. :D

J

Another Resolutions Post? I Think Not!

Apparently today is the day for resolutions in the blogosphere. :) It's understandable...it is only the second day of the year, and there's something about publicly announcing your goals/resolutions that keeps you accountable all year. The majority of my resolutions are a little too personal to share with you, though. Instead, I'll share this:

I'm going to read 100 books this year.

Crazy? Most certainly, considering that's two books a week and I've barely been able to manage one a week for the last three months. I also want to finish the current draft of my WIP by June, and have wifely duties around home and nanny duties at work, so I *may* have been a bit rash with this decision. But I'm confident in my ability to successfully succeed. :P 

Why? Largely because I used to do this all the time. Not to brag or anything, but I've read so many books over the course of my life that I can finish 300-400 pages in a day, given the time to do so. I believe you can do anything you set your mind to, so...I've got this challenge.

What are your goals for this year?

J

PS There will be a contest coming Friday, in honor of reaching 100 posts. :D