Another Giveaway!

You should all check out Jessi Kirby's blog! She's the author of Moonglass, which is due to be released next week and sounds spectacular. I can't wait to read it! There's one last contest for a free copy of the book and a sea glass necklace, and you can find all the details at jessikirby.blogspot.com. Happy contesting! :D

J

Quick Burst of Excitement!

I don't have time for a full-length post at the moment, as we're getting ready to dye Easter eggs as a family. However, I would like to take a moment to jump up and down and squeal with delight because... I have a follower who is not related to me! Hopefully this is the first of many. A giant welcome to thebloodfiend, and thanks for your support! :D

J

Procrastination Station

I think it goes without saying that this hasn't been the most productive week for me. I really need to get back in the habit of carving out time each day for writing. Otherwise, it ends up getting shoved to the bottom of my list of priorities and it just doesn't happen.

The good news is that I did make a little bit of progress today. The problem I'm having is that I haven't really let the story take over. I'm still too hung up on making it sound perfect on the first draft, and that just isn't going to happen. Ever. So, my new task is to let go of this idea of perfection and just let my characters be in charge. I've got a whole page now instead of just two paragraphs, which is something I suppose, but I'm going to make sure that I'm far more productive this week.

Keep moving forward!

J

Yay for Contests!

I'll post a more detailed update a little later today, but I wanted to take this time to tell you about a little contest that's running this week. A friend of mine directed me to the Alliterati Archives, which is a blog run by three writers. They discuss everything from writing tips to blogging tips to awesome YA literature, and I'm loving what I've read so far.

They're running a giveaway at the moment, and the prize is one (or more) ARC of new dystopian fiction. I'm super excited for it, since I rarely win contests (the only thing I've ever won was a baseball jersey when I was 9, and I don't even like baseball), and am helping spread the word by giving them a blog mention.

Part of my entry was to stand on a street corner with a sign that says "Read alliteratiarchives.blogspot.com" and take photos for proof. Here are my photos:

We only stood outside for a little while, since we're in Arizona and it's sweltering, but I did it! :) Good luck to any of you who choose to enter! Even if you don't enter, you should still check them out at alliteratiarchives.blogspot.com. You may find something to your liking. :)

J

And We're Off!

I hate beginnings. I always stress over them, mostly because I feel like they're the most important part of any good story. It may be the only thing a person reads of your book, and it would be a shame if it was bogged down with too much backstory, or dove into the action but left the reader confused. I agonize over beginnings, which is the main reason I only got two paragraphs down today. I think I rewrote those two paragraphs six times, but I got them down, and I have the story molded the way I want it. I like the direction it's going right now, too. :)

I'm hoping to be far more productive tomorrow (I ran into some issues with the internet tonight, and then found I needed a basic outline of where I wanted my first chapter to go before I could begin, but we're on our way!). I'm not making any guarantees though, since I have a job interview tomorrow night and I have no idea how long it'll take. I may just take my laptop to work with me and try getting something accomplished during the day...

We'll see! I'm definitely looking forward to getting this ball rolling though. :D

J

A Beginning

I'm starting tomorrow! My shiny new project is ready and waiting, and I'm starting tomorrow. I've got everything I need, and I'm ready to start writing. Break for some squees and a happy dance!

Ok, now that we've gotten that out of the way, feel free to check back here regularly for updates on my progress. I can't guarantee that I'll post every day, but I'm hopeful I will. Also, don't be surprised if random stories from my everyday life end up in here. It's bound to happen at some point.

I'm so so excited to be starting on my journey to published author. I hope you enjoy the ride too!

J

PS For those of you wondering about the title, I wrote a poem in college about myself. In it, I referred to my journals as "tiny sentries guarding concrete pieces of my soul." That's how I view my writing; each piece is a tangible representation of my soul, laid out for all the world to see. It's a frightening concept, but exhilerating at the same time. I'm just hoping that other people like what they see when they examine these pieces.