Novel Update

I am so psyched right now. I've gotten to some interesting points in my novel where 1) it's less making up what happens and more following through events in a logical course based on what's already been established, and 2) tons of stuff keeps clicking together in new mind boggling ways. Things have started making more sense because of these two things which makes me very very happy, despite how much rewriting it's caused.
So just an update. I'm thinking about posting my "character ringtones" soon, if I can finish going through all my music looking for the songs. Hannah has most of hers done while I don't even think Adelene or Tyler have any. Oh, well.
-Heather

Refusing to be an Extra

Hello, once again Internet people,
So, I was writing along, working on a scene that had a few extras who were just there for not much more of a purpose than to prove that one of my main characters had friends, and one of them decided that she had a back story and was influential to the plot. It's one of those fun and frustrating things as a writer because you have to rework plot areas to fit this new puzzle piece, but it's so great to have someone new to work with.
-Heather

Max: A Review

Two in one day, I know, I'm proud of myself too.

Title: Max
Author: James Patterson
Rating: 9 out of 10
Where I Found It: Gift
Summary: When millions of fish start dying off the coast of Hawaii and something is destroying hundreds of ships, the government enlists the flock - a band of genetically modified children who can fly - to help get to the bottom of the mystery before it is too late.
General Impression: Although not my favorite in the series (which is probably the first one, The Angel Experiment) it was excellent and improved over the last novel. The characters are still awsome and growing, the action is still fast paced, the narraration style is still hilarious. I love a male author who can write so authentically from a female perspective. James Patterson still has to work on some naming issues but seems to have improved in this novel and besides that, the markdown is for one missing word. I suggest this book to all people who like their books action packed.
-Heather

Forget it! No one's getting married! Not in New Hampshire or
anywhere else! Not in a box, not with a fox! Now go to sleep, before I kill
you!-Max

The Blue Girl: A Review

Title: The Blue Girl
Author: Charles de Lint
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Where I Found It: Gift
Summary: New at her high school, Imogene enlists the help of her introverted friend Maxine and the ghost of a boy who haunts the school after receiving warnings through her dreams that soul-eaters are threatening her life.
General Impression: Fabulous, the mark down in score was simply due to a few random things that should have either been embellished a little bit more or deleted. Fantastic from beginning to end, not so intense that you can't stop reading it (helpful since this was a busy week for me) but not so boring that it wasn't worth picking it up again. Amazingly developed characters who start out seeming like they might be stereotypes but turn out to be amazingly deeper and more complex. The plot is unpredictable and keeps you going and nothing about the writing style pulled me out of the story. Excellent dialogue and a emotional ending. Truly an amazing work of fiction. I suggest for anyone who is in love with, or even remotely likes modern fantasy. In fact even if you don't like modern fantasy, I suggest this as a way to get you to like it.
-Heather

Oh, very funny. And
look at him now. Hilarious. And dead. -Tommery

The Door Within: A Review

Title: The Door Within

Author: Wayne Thomas Batson

Rating: 4 out of 10

Where I Found It: Lent By Friend

Summary: Three ancient scrolls beckon high school student Aidan Thomas to enter a realm of knights, kings,, and unusual creatures, but he must rely on instinct and his latent athletic ability to deal with the terror, tempest, and treason offered by this new world.

General Impression: This book is a classic example of a good plot occurring to someone with limited writing skills. My annoyance at the overuse of exclamation points and lack of contractions kept distracting me from the story. Throw in some adjectives and adverbs that don't entirely make sense in the context and we have a rather irritated reader on our hands. The story was actually okay (three point five on a scale of five) with it's interesting religious parallels and a few good plot twists (amongst a multitude of predictable ones). The ending was satisfying (not in the because it was over sense, I'm serious). The characters, where to begin? Rather stereotypical, we have the pudgy loser kid who turns into a knight, the girl who claims to be as tough as the guys but ends up being the damsel in distress on multiple occasions anyway, the tough but loving commander, you get the point, your typical fantasy cast. I did somehow manage to connect with them, though it took most of the book. So do I suggest this book? Yes and no. If you read for the story and that alone, go for it. If writing quality is a big thing for you, then don't. You'll probably end up hitting your head with the book going "Why? Why?"

-Heather