Writing Prompt

Hey, guys!

For this writing prompt, I thought I would ask you all to look back on the holidays, whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or any other holiday during any other time of the year.

Think back on whichever holiday you want and write about your family's traditions. For example, every Christmas Eve, I have dinner with my family at my great aunt's house so I can see all of my mom's cousins and we all eat amazing food, open some presents, that kind of thing. On Christmas day, we open presents in the morning and then have dinner in the early evening with my aunt, uncle, and little cousins. On New Year's Day, my mom, my brother, and I usually go bowling with my great aunt and my mom's cousins.

These are the kinds of traditions I'm talking about. The traditions could be something like this (just getting together with family to eat and talk), or it could be something completely different. Maybe you go to Time Square every New Year's Eve. Maybe you and your spouse go out on a special date on Valentine's Day. Maybe you only ever drink on St. Patrick's Day.

Any of these could be the perfect setting for a short story, or even the beginning of a novel. You don't necessarily have to write it from your own perspective; it could be from the perspective of a friend or family member, or maybe a character of your own creation.

This tradition does not even have to happen the way it always does. Maybe something totally bizarre happens that could be the major plot. It's entirely up to you how you want to write it.

Check back tomorrow for a new book review.

Happy writing!!

New Plan . . .

Hey, guys!

Sorry, but with the holidays and my father's birthday I haven't been able to post much last week.

However, I have a new plan for my blog. I will post three times a week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. A book review will be posted every Wednesday, and writing exercises, writing prompts, and reviews for video games, movies, etc. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This way, I have more time to read books that I can review in the future. This method will also make it a lot easier for me to post on my blog during the next semester.

Thanks for the readership and thanks for humoring me on this. Check back on Tuesday and I promise I will have something posted by then.

Happy reading!

Northern Ireland

Hey, guys!

Pinterest has been a total distraction, but gosh-darnit I am going to write this review if it's the last thing I do!

The semester is over, but I still have a couple of books to review from my English class. The second to last book I read for that course was This Human Season by Louise Dean, which takes place in Northern Ireland.

For those of you who have never been to Ireland (like me), you've probably heard that it's a beautiful country. And from the pictures I've seen, it definitely is. Northern Ireland, however, was ravaged by a brutal civil war in the seventies between the British loyalists and the Irish Republican Army.

Louise Dean, a British author, explores the perspectives of both sides of this war in Belfast during the seventies. One character, Kathleen, is the mother of a young IRA member who has been arrested by the British in a prison known as the Maze. The other character, John Dunn, is a prison officer at the Maze.

With these two characters, Dean weaves an intricate war story in which both perspectives are available to the reader. In this way, the reader can sympathize with the IRA prisoners who endure hunger strikes and who receive abuse at the hands of British officers and the reader can sympathize with a prison officer who disagrees with the harsh treatment of prisoners.

This book may be a bit confusing to those who do not have any background information on the civil war in Northern Ireland from the seventies. Basically, the IRA fought for equal political rights for Irish citizens. When IRA members were arrested, they demanded their rightful status as prisoners of war rather than as common criminals. They were refused this right.

In turn, the prisoners refused to wear prison uniforms, instead wearing blankets around themselves. They also refused to groom themselves, growing out their hair and beards. They even wrote on the walls with their own feces to make a point.

When that didn't work, they went on hunger strikes. The first of these men was actually elected into office to represent Irish citizens - unfortunately, he was also the first to die. Enough of these men died that their mothers took the rest off of the hunger strike. Soon afterwards, though, they were given the prisoner of war status that they deserved.

The events of Dean's novel occur before the hunger strikes, but the descriptions of the poor treatment of prisoners were visual enough.

For those of you interested in the history of Northern Ireland or in prisoners of war stories, I recommend this book. It was a little confusing for me when I first read it, but once I had some background on the actual events that this novel is based on, it was much easier to understand and an interesting read.

Sorry it took so long, guys, but I finally wrote this review. Leave comments below if you have any feedback or any ideas for other books I should read and review. Hope you enjoyed!

Happy reading!

Update

Hey, guys!

Sorry, it's been so long, but finals are finally over and I now have a few books that I've just read that I can review soon. Thank you, all of you, for being so patient.

It's going to take me a bit of discipline to get back into the swing of things, as far as blogging goes, but I'm going to do it. There may also be weeks when I won't be able to write reviews because I'm in the process of reading a book and won't be able to write about another one because it's been so long since I've been able to read for fun.

That being said, I'll probably have a lot of writing exercises posted those weeks. But fear not! I already have a few books ready to be reviewed. This Human Season by Louise Dean and A Fort of Nine Towers by Qais Akbar Omar are the last two books I read for school.

Some of you may remember that I wrote a review for Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick over the summer. I just finished the second book in the trilogy, Shadows, and will also post that review at some point. I am also currently reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, which is part of a fresh batch of books I picked up at the library. So, don't worry, there will be plenty of reviews coming soon.

Again, thank you all for your patience. You guys are the best! Check back tomorrow for a new review.

Happy reading!

Update

Hey, guys!

Sorry that I haven't posted anything in a while. Unfortunately, I have to send my laptop back to the manufacturer for repairs. This in addition to approaching final exams means that I won't be able to post anything more until after finals.

Like I said, sorry about this, but a lot of stuff gets in the way sometimes and I'm sure you guys understand. I'll let you know on Facebook and Twitter when I've started posting again.

Until next time.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Another great movie

Hey, guys!

So, a few months back, I went with my best friend to see How to Train Your Dragon 2. I've never seen the first movie, but it didn't affect my viewing experience at all and I don't think you have to see the first one to enjoy the sequel.

What you need to know about the first movie, though, is that the Vikings of Berk hunt dragons. Hiccup, motherless son of the chief, believes that peace is possible between humans and dragons when he shoots down a dragon and discovers that the dragon he later names Toothless is a kind, intelligent, and gentle creature.

Bottom-line: he convinces everyone in Berk that there is no reason to fear dragons. By the beginning of the next movie, everybody has their own dragon and the shops that used to sell dragon hunting equipment now sell saddles.

With Toothless for help, Hiccup has been discovering new worlds, which brings him in contact with dragon hunters that are building a dragon army. For what, they don't know, but Hiccup is determined to find out.

Also (I should say spoiler alert, but this was in all the movie trailers), in his quest to stop Drago Bloodfist - the man behind the scheme to build a dragon army - Hiccup finds his long-lost mother, who is a dragon rider like him.

This movie is adorable and it made me want to cry a couple of times. Toothless reminds me of a puppy. This is just an overall feel-good movie. Great for kids, though I know that I am not the only young adult who enjoys a good Disney/Pixar or Dreamworks film. Just know that this movie comes highly recommended.

That's all for today. Until next time.

Happy viewing!!

Writing Prompt: Free-Write

Hey, guys!

Sorry, this post is late, but it's been a rough weekend. Better late than never, though.

Anyway, for this writing prompt, I thought that another free-write would be in order. That being said, open up your journal or a Word Document or flip a legal pad to a fresh page.

For this free-write, imagine that you were born as the opposite gender. What would you want to do as the opposite gender that you wouldn't be able to do now? As a personal example, I'm curious about how difficult it could possibly be to pee standing up.

How do you think your personality would have changed, if at all. Would you have been raised differently? Would you have different friends? Would you be treated differently by peers? How so?

This would be interesting as well: what would you look like as the opposite gender? Examples: hair length, physique, etc. For example, my hair is pretty short for a female because I prefer low-maintenance hair, so I don't think that would really change if I were a dude (fun fact: I'm mistaken for a man all the time!).

I thought this would be interesting, so have fun with it. Until next time.

Happy writing!!

Dragons: the Third

Hey, guys!

I know you've been waiting for this, so here's the review for the third installment of The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini: Brisingr.

Also, for those who have not yet read Eragon or Eldest: spoiler alert.

As a farmer turned Dragon Rider, Eragon is a pretty popular guy right now . . . he's also pretty infamous. To the Varden that is desperately trying to rebel against the tyrannical King Galbatorix, Eragon is their only hope of victory.

Galbatorix sees Eragon is a threat that must be disposed of. Although Galbatorix is also a dragon rider, he has exploited this sacred bond for his own gain and plot of revenge against those who killed his original dragon.

To Galbatorix's knowledge, Eragon and Saphira are the only Dragon and Rider not under his control. But despite the existence of a much older and wiser Dragon and Rider pair, Eragon and Saphira are the only ones who stand a chance against the evil king.

According to Roran, his cousin Eragon is the only one who can help save his bride-to-be, Katrina, from the horrible Ra'zac and the rest of their village from Empire soldiers.

Arya the elf princess, however, sees Eragon as a young, inexperienced underdog in puppy love with her. As an elf who has lived several years and seen so much more of the world, how could she take his affection seriously?

In fact, how can anybody take Eragon seriously? Because, in truth, Eragon is a young and inexperienced underdog who still has much to learn before he has any hope of standing a chance against Galbatorix.

But time is running out. The Varden and the Empire cannot remain at war forever and Galbatorix, though immortal, cannot hunt Eragon for the rest of time. Something has to give and something needs to happen soon. But with all these promises he's making, Eragon practically has his hands tied no matter what he tries to do.

How can Eragon maintain all these loyalties while continuing his training to defeat Galbatorix? He's just recently grown into manhood and still has much to see of the kingdom and much to learn. Will this underdog win the war?

Find out for yourself.

I said it before, but I was not really into the first book of the series (possibly because of my age). The more I read of this series, however, the more interested I become. Let me say right now that Brisingr is a long book . . . really long. But the action paced throughout the book kept those pages turning.

I would recommend this for high school or college level readers, especially fantasy fanatics. Dragons, old-time kingdoms, evil kings, sword fighting, a magical ancient language, dwarves, elves . . . this book has something for every nerd, if you ask me.

Definitely give this book (and the rest of the series) a try if it interests you. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Free-write

Hey, guys!

Sorry, I don't really have anything planned for a post for today, but I won't leave you with nothing.

Instead of following an exercise or prompt for writing, this time just start writing. What are you thinking right now? What ideas are keeping you awake at night? What's your favorite song right now and why? What's your mental state? What stories/poems/scenes do you want to write? Try writing them.

Basically, write about whatever you want. I find that a free-write is a great way to get you thinking creatively about just about anything. Even if you're writing nonsense words or writing that you don't know what to write about, it'll still get you thinking.

Give it a try.

Happy writing!!

Love this movie!

Hey, guys!

I went to the movie theater last Thursday night with my friends for a late night showing of the new Disney movie Big Hero 6. As a total Disney nerd, let me just say how much I loved this movie.

On that note, for those of you who haven't seen it yet, let me tell you a bit of what it's about. Hiro is a super-smart kid living in San Fransokyo. He graduated high school when he was thirteen and now spends his time fighting and betting on robot battles. His older brother Tadashi, however, has bigger dreams for Hiro.

Tadashi and Hiro lost their parents when Hiro was only three. Now, Tadashi attends a renowned tech institute where the students work on inventing cutting-edge technology. Tadashi, for example, invented a health-care robot named Baymax.

After a suspicious accident involving an invention that Hiro created to get into the same institute as Tadashi, Hiro and Baymax must find who is responsible for such a horrible crime if Hiro is ever to have any peace again.

With some new upgrades for Baymax and his and Tadashi's friends from the institute, Hiro is ready to confront the villain so that he can understand why bad things happen to good people.

I will say right now that the movie gets a little sad and heart-breaking in some places (one of my friends cried when we saw it), but it is still such a cute movie.

Baymax actually reminds me of Wall-E's character. I mean, who doesn't love robot characters who portray human emotions. Baymax's human emotions are actually very subtle, which I applaud because it makes him so realistic. Besides, who would argue that Wall-E and the huggable marshmallow Baymax are not totally adorable. I ask you.

Any kid (or adult) who loves robots and technology or who loves cute and lovable characters, I would highly recommend this movie. I don't know how long I can wait to watch this movie again with my family.

Hope you'll see Big Hero 6 and that you'll love it as much as I do. Until next time.

Happy reading (or movie-going)!!

Writing Prompt:

Hey, guys!

Sorry this post is late, but I completely forgot that I needed to make a writing exercise for today. Oops.

So, keeping with the theme of forgetting, that's what this writing prompt will be about.

You can either create a character specifically for this exercise or use one that you've already made and really like (or really hate). Now, give that character something important for him/her to remember.

Now, create an obstacle for your character that will make him/her forget that important thing he/she had to remember. What are the consequences of this carelessness? How would this affect the plot of a story?

If you need an example, think of The Shining by Stephen King. Warning: possible spoiler alert. In the novel, Jack Torrence was the caretaker of the Overlook Hotel and the one thing he had to remember above all else was to knock down the pressure on the boiler every now and again so that it doesn't blow up.

However, Jack was distracted by everything going on with his wife and child and his need for alcohol. So, he forgot to knock down the boiler and this drastically affected the outcome of the entire novel. It actually aided the resolution for some of the characters.

Try to apply this idea to your own character. Don't forget to be creative and to have fun with this!

Happy writing!!

"The Bad Beginning"

Hey, guys!

I know that this post is late, but it's still Friday, so let's do this.

On another note, I know that yesterday I said that today I would post a review for Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, but I have finally had just enough time to start reading for fun again. Granted, they're children's books, but this series was my favorite as a kid, and a trip down memory lane is better than not reading for fun at all.

The book series I am speaking of is A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. I was first introduced to this series when I was ten years old and in fourth grade. The teacher used to read to us every day. For the most part, she would read Lemony Snicket.

For those of you who have not read this book, here's what it is about. The story is told from the perspectives of Violet (a fourteen-year-old inventor), Klaus ( a twelve-year-old bookworm), and Sunny (a baby who likes to bite), otherwise known as the Baudelaire children.

One day the Baudelaire children take a leisurely walk along the beach when they are approached by a city banker, Mr. Poe, who brings terrible news: Mr. and Mrs. Baudelaire have died in a terrible fire that also destroyed the Baudelaire mansion and everything inside of it. The Baudelaire children are now the Baudelaire orphans.

As the man in charge of the Baudelaire fortune, which is not to be used until Violet is of age, Mr. Poe brings the children to their new legal guardian: Count Olaf.

Count Olaf is an actor who lives in a dilapidated, disgusting house and is a despicable human being. Soon after being placed in his care, the children have been subjected to horrible chores and living conditions, as well as Olaf's quick temper. Everywhere they turn, the children feel watched by the ghastly eye tattooed on Olaf's ankle.

But there's more: Count Olaf has his eye on the Baudelaire fortune, and will concoct any dastardly plan to get his hands on it, with the help of his nefarious acting troupe.

With only their wits to keep them alive and uncover Count Olaf's horrible plots, the unlucky Baudelaire children's lives have changed forever with The Bad Beginning.

Reading this book again as an adult completely changed the way I viewed it. As a ten-year-old, Violet and Klaus seemed so grown up and smart, but reading it now, they seem so much younger. I can also see the dark humor throughout the book, though it's not too bad.

As Lemony Snicket warns in the very beginning of the book, and throughout the entire series, none of these books have happy endings. But I still enjoyed it as a fourth-grader and as an adult, so parents and kids could both enjoy this book (and teachers and students).

Next week, I will post the review for Brisingr and a review for a novel set in Northern Ireland, This Human Season by Louise Dean the following week. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Dragons: the Sequel

Hey, guys!

As promised, here is a review for the sequel to Eragon by Christopher Paolini: Eldest. I'm not entirely sure, but it may either be because I was older when I read the sequel or that it just had more action, but I liked the second book in The Inheritance Cycle a lot better than the first, and the third even better.

Warning: this review may contain spoilers for Eragon. If you have not yet read the first book and plan to, I would avoid reading this review if I were you. All others may proceed.

So, this book begins after a long and hard battle in the Dwarf kingdom's capitol: Farthen Dur. Eragon and Saphira, with the help of the elf Arya, had turned the tides in the battle by slaying a Shade, leaving Eragon badly scarred and incapacitated.

After the battle, Murtagh (a friend of Eragon's) disappears along with shady twins. I did not mention this in the review for the first book, but trust me, it's important at the end of this book and in the third.

But now it's time for Eragon to move on and learn new things so that he stands a better chance of defeating the evil king, Galbatorix, and save his oppressed kingdom.

So where to now? I'm glad you asked. Eragon and Saphira must now journey to Ellesmera in Du Weldenvarden, the realm of the elves.

There awaits the Cripple Who Is Whole, the only other dragon rider in existence. His name is Oromis, and his dragon is Glaedr. Once there, Eragon and Saphira will continue their training. (For Eragon, sword-fighting and the ancient language for spell-casting; for Saphira, flying and fighting.)

Meanwhile, Eragon finds himself drawn to Arya. Is she the one he is to fall in love with? The one that the herbalist, Angela, predicted? I have to admit that I'm all for Team Aryagon (I wonder if that will catch on?). I'm such a sucker for romance.

While all of this is going on, Eragon's cousin, Roran, is back in the village trying to pick up the mess that was left behind by the Ra'zac, terrible monsters that destroyed half the village in the hunt for Eragon in book one.

But the Ra'zac haven't ceased their mayhem yet. Now that Eragon is on the run, Galbatorix wants to use anything he can to use as a weapon against Eragon. This puts a huge target on Roran and his fiance, Katrina.

It becomes clear that the villagers are in serious danger so long as the Ra'zac are around. Will Roran step up as a leader or will he just sit around and hope that everything goes back to normal?

And as for Eragon, how far will he come in his training? Will he be ready to defeat the evil king? Will Saphira? And what ever happened to Murtagh?

As I said, I liked this book a lot better than the first. I would recommend this for all you hardcore fantasy lovers out there. If you're into dragons, this book (nay, this series) should be at the top of your list.

Check back tomorrow for a review on the third book, Brisingr.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: First Sentences

Hey, guys!

How about another writing exercise? If you can't figure out what the first sentence of your story or scene should be, maybe I can help you get started.

Hope these help! They can also be reworded to accommodate works in the third person.

1) In a fair and just world, the love of my life wouldn't have perished mere hours after I met her/him for the first time.

2) Anyone can learn how to tie a proper knot, and I wish I had.

3) It was on a sailboat that I learned everything I needed to know about life.

4) I am a firm believer that elephants are the wisest beings on Earth.

5) Ice cream doesn't heal all wounds, but it hastens the process.

6) One can create a weapon out of any mundane object.

7) Tears are the best medicine.

8) The most ideal way to end a relationship is while strolling through a park.

9) Dear Reader, I hope you can forgive me when no one else has.

10) Monkeys are at once the loveliest and the ugliest creatures ever.

Happy writing!!

List: Favorite Movies

Hey, guys!

I know Halloween's over, but I'm a fan of Tim Burton all year round. That's why I thought I would make a list of all my favorite Tim Burton movies of all time.

After reading this blog post, feel free to name your favorite Tim Burton movie in the comments below.

Here's the list!

1) Coraline

This is probably my favorite Tim Burton movie. Kid-friendly for the most part, if not a little bit disturbing. Basically, a girl moves into a new flat with her parents and finds a portal to a fantastical dimension in which everything was created for her enjoyment and her other parents pay attention to her . . . and everyone has buttons for eyes.

Coraline's other mother wants her to stay forever in that world, but there's a catch: Coraline would have to sew buttons in place of her eyes. The other mother won't let Coraline go until she does so, now Coraline must find a way to escape.

2) Corpse Bride

My favorite Tim Burton movie until I saw Coraline. The main character, Victor, is betrothed to Victoria, a virtual stranger chosen by his parents. Despite not having known each other, Victor and Victoria seem to have a connection. Unfortunately, when a nervous Victor botches his vows at the rehearsal, he takes a walk to try to collect himself.

Victor wanders into the wood where he recites his vows to perfection and places the band on an old branch that is actually a corpse's hand. This corpse was once a beautiful bride murdered by her fiance for her riches. Now Victor is transported to the land of the dead where he is expected to live the rest of his days with his new bride. There's some dark humor, but overall a good movie in my opinion.

3) Alice in Wonderland

A classic tale by Lewis Caroll retold by Tim Burton. An older Alice falls back down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland. Believing it's all a dream, Alice joins the Mad Hatter and the White Queen to overthrow the Red Queen's tyranny. To do this, Alice must slay the Jabberwocky.

4) Edward Scissorhands

I didn't see this movie until recently. For some reason, the concept of a man with scissors for hands didn't sit right with me when I was a kid. But after seeing it, I fell in love with Johnny Depp's character, Edward. Edward was created by a man who gave him scissors for temporary hands but died before his real hands could be added.

Edward is found by a lady from a local suburbia and taken in. Edward is such a kind and innocent spirit that it is at once heart-warming and heart-breaking to watch him struggle to fit in in this new modern world and even more heart-breaking to watch almost everyone shun him because of his lethal hands. So many feels.

Don't forget to comment about your favorite Tim Burton movie(s)!

Happy reading!

Writing Prompt: Preventing Disaster

Hey, guys!

The semester will soon be over, meaning that once winter break rolls around, I may have more time to read for fun and to post to my blog. Hopefully there will be no more of this cancelling posts nonsense.

But for now, time for a writing prompt. Ready?

Imagine that you know ahead of time that a disaster is going to happen. This can be any disaster: a car accident, plane crash, hurricane, flood, the beginning of a war, anything. This can also take place anywhere: at a school, the office, a small town or big city, an imaginary world, etc.

Knowing who, what, where, when, and how something bad is going to happen, what are you going to do with that knowledge? Do you stop it? Do you get there to help however you can? Do you make sure someone is there so that they will not live to tell the tale? Your choice.

The means by which you make this choice are endless as well. For example, say you were going to try to stop a car accident from happening because you know that someone you love will die. You could use superpowers (i.e. super strength, telepathy, or mind control) to prevent the accident from happening.

Oh yeah, be sure to include how you know that this event will occur. Can you read minds? Are you psychic? Did someone visit you from the future?

Plot twist: someone is suspicious that you knew something would happen and wants to know why . . . how do you deal with this?

Have fun!

Happy writing!!

Hallow's Eve

Hey, guys!

Today is Halloween and, although I cannot give you a book review today, I thought I would at least tell you about my costume.

This year I am dressing as Red Riding Hood.

I'm sure you're all familiar with the story: little girl in a red hood goes to her sickly grandmother's house to bring her goodies in a basket.

A wolf stops the little girl along the way and leads her to the scenic route to granny's. Meanwhile, the wolf finds granny, eats her up, and dresses like her to fool Red. Little girl finds granny in bed with unusually large ears, eyes, and teeth and is also eaten up. Out of the blue, a woodcutter finds the wolf, chops him open, and saves Little Red Riding Hood and her granny.

Everyone lives happily ever after, except for the wolf.

Since I am taking a children's literature course next semester, I'll be the first to say that this is a rather gruesome story that gave me the creeps as a little kid (that and "The Boy Who Cried Wolf").

So I figure what better costume for Halloween than a character from a terrifying kid's story?

My costume is mostly my normal clothes: leggings, boots, shorts, and tank top. New additions include fishnet fingerless gloves, mascara, a wolf necklace, and a red hooded cape.

Pretty cool, huh? If you like, all you trick-or-treaters can post in the comment section about what your Halloween costume is and why you chose it. Next week, you guys shall get two book reviews as promised. Until next time.

Happy Halloween!

Update

Hey, guys!

Sorry, but no review today. I should be prepared, but I'm not. You guys are all probably sick of this, but as I always say, school comes first.

But to make it up to you guys, I will have a review up next Thursday AND next Friday. Not to mention the writing exercises during the rest of the week.

Thanks for understanding. You guys rock!

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Words

Hey, guys!

For this exercise, I'm going to list a bunch of words. Pick one from the list below and incorporate all of the words into a story/scene/dialogue/monologue or else they'll be lonely.

Also, have fun.

1) Shoe, work, sidewalk, light

2) Desk, window, cold, breath

3) Book, shelf, carpet, shiver

4) Soil, shoot, ache, sun

5) Dark, dust, swirl, musty

6) Floorboard, silence, goosebumps, creak

7) Scream, blue, veins, duck

8) Trousers, hat, hair, undercover

9) Disguise, newspaper, pipe, suspicious

10) Incandescent, cloud, message, world

Happy writing!!

Advice for Writers: Editing

Hey, guys!

I'm sure that all you writers out there know that editing is an important part of being a writer, whether it be creative or academic writing. I just figured that I would list a few tips about effective editing for writers of all kinds.

1) Get it all down first.

First of all, you need to write what you need to write. It does not have to be perfect. It's a rough draft; it can be as horrible as you want it to be. Editing and revising is when you go back and fix what you wrote to make it all nice and pretty.

2) Give it some time.

After you write, take a break from it. And I don't mean take five. I mean take at least a few days to a week and probably even longer before you so much as look at it again. This is necessary for you to be able to read your work with new eyes. After spending some time away from it, you'll see it for what it really is, and if it is a rough draft, then most of the time it's a piece of crap. Now you're ready to start editing!

3) Mark it up.

When you go back and read your work, do it with a red or blue (or purple or orange or green) pen in hand so that you can note some problem areas and fix grammatical/spelling errors. Maybe you decide that one paragraph in particular would flow better in a different place - draw an arrow. Maybe you decide that this character isn't really important - goodbye!

4) Make the changes.

After you mark up the hard copy of your rough draft, get back on the computer (or use a fresh piece of paper) to fix what you  want to fix (or rewrite it).

5) Lather, rinse, repeat.

Repeat steps 2-4 several times as needed. You're not going to fix every little detail the first time around and your work is not going to be perfect after only one revision. Remember: writing is fun, but it's also a lot of hard work, so keep it up!

Hope this was helpful, guys. Until next time.

Happy writing!!

Writing Exercise: First Sentences

Hey, guys!

You know the drill.

1) The leaves that had already fallen crunched underfoot on a day that I really wanted to be quiet.

2) I told myself that I would raise my standards this year, but not much has changed so far.

3) The dog didn't look rabid.

4) A group of geese is a flock; a group of crows is a murder.

5) I haven't eaten vanilla ice cream since I was two.

6) I'm not the same person I was a year ago.

7) I remember the last time I saw a mirror.

8) The pen shook in my hand, making ink blots on the page before me.

9) Mom always said that pepper spray is a girl's best friend.

10) I never before comprehended the complexity of the life of a pet fish.

Enjoy!

Happy writing!!

Politics

Hey, guys!

The book I just finished for school is actually very political, and a lot of the political nuances went right over my head. Unfortunately, I don't really keep track of current events or politics. A lack of interest is part of the problem, but the other issue is a lack of free time.

Anyway, I needed something to review, and even though this book was a little too much for me to grasp, I still found it funny.

I won't hold you in suspense any longer.

Mohammed Hanif's novel, A Case of Exploding Mangoes, is told from multiple perspectives. Half of the book is told from the perspective of a pilot and commander from the Pakistani Air Force Academy. This pilot, Ali, is the son of the late Colonel Shigri, who was found hanging from the ceiling fan by a bed sheet. Although Ali's father's death was written off as suicide, Ali has his own suspicions.

The rest of the book is told in third person perspective from very political characters, primarily President Zia ul-Haq, Major Kiyani, General Akhtar, the First Lady, the U.S. Ambassador Arnold Raphel, Blind Zainab and so on.

Now, the first thing the reader finds out is that there was a plane crash, which actually happened in real life. Hanif based his novel on this historical event. The novel is a fictional account of how and why the plane crash occurred.

President Zia (Pakistan's dictator), General Akhtar (the second most powerful man in Pakistan), and Arnold Raphel all died on that plane. Foul play is suspected, but who set this plan into motion and why would they want any one of these men dead?

That's what the novel sets out to uncover.

Before the crash occurs, however, Ali is approached about one of his cadets, Obaid (a.k.a. "Baby O") going missing after having used Ali's call sign to hijack a large aircraft.

Ali knew nothing of this plan nor why Obaid would want to do something like that, but investigators bring in Ali for questioning anyway.

What happened to Baby O? Why is Ali implicated as an accessory? And what is the story behind that plane crash?

As I said, this book is very political and I was unable to grasp a lot of its content. If any of you guys are knowledgeable in this particular conflict and keep up with current events, or if you really like army stories, I would definitely recommend it for you. Otherwise, this novel might be a little too much to handle, kind of like it was for me.

Otherwise, the book is humorous, due to Hanif's craft and the way he portrays his characters.

Hope you guys will enjoy. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Romance Continued

Hey, guys!

I'm on a roll here, so I thought I'd continue the romance theme this week (which will be disrupted by tomorrow's book review).

If you remember Monday's post, I recommended writing about how a couple would meet at a given setting.

But not everybody lives happily ever after with a white picket fence, 2.5 kids, and a dog. So what could have happened to prevent your particular couple's happy ending? I have listed below multiple ways in which a relationship could end. Pick one and write about how your happy couple ended up with a not-so-happy ending.

1) Accidental death

2) Infidelity

3) Murder

4) Job-related

5) Lack of communication

6) Conflict of interests

7) Love triangle

8) Unwanted changes in character

9) Inability to change

10) Fear of commitment

How did each of your characters deal with the ending to his/her relationship? Will they ever move on? You decide!

Writers love conflict, so have fun!

Happy writing!!

List: Favorite Shows

Hey, guys!

Like many book nerds, I also have my obsessions with TV shows. Especially now that I've discovered the wonders of Netflix.

So, I thought I'd make a list of my favorite TV shows that I am currently obsessing over. Plus a little blurb about what the show is about.

1) "Dexter"

A serial killer who kills murderers. An interesting concept. Dexter has this darkness inside him that demands to be satisfied, so rather than kill innocent people, he follows a code set forth by his adopted father to only kill those who deserve it.

It's addictive, but take it from someone who watches this show with her mom and brother, think long and hard before introducing this to a member of your family because if you start watching it together, it could get awkward.

2) "Ed, Edd, n' Eddy"

Ah, this show was my childhood. And thanks to Netflix, I can watch two seasons of this show whenever I want. It's basically about three boys, Ed (the muscle), Edd "Double D" (the brains), and Eddy (the driving force) who live in a cul-de-sac and spend their days trying to scam the rest of the kids of their hard-earned money so that the three Eds can buy the coveted jaw-breakers from the candy store.

Although these three boys balance each other out, they also cause tons of trouble. It's a pretty amusing show, if you ask me.

3) "The Big Bang Theory"

Two physicists, an astrophysicist, and an engineer, along with all their wives/girlfriends and their friends. These guys get up to all sorts of hi-jinx. If you are a nerd and proud of it, this is the show for you.

Fun fact: I'm writing about "TBBT" while wearing my "Bazinga!" sweatshirt.

Hope you guys enjoyed this list.

Happy reading/Netflixing!!

Writing Exercise: Romance

Hey, guys!

I usually try to avoid novels that are all about romance and about the attraction between the perfect hero and the clumsy, clueless female counterpart, but it does make one heck of a subplot when the characters are flawed and believable.

So for this writing exercise I'm going to list a bunch of settings where couples could meet. I want you guys to keep certain things in mind. For example, what kind of people would normally hang out in these places and why? What common goals or interests would they share? Who approached whom? What did they do to cement their romantic intentions?

Based off of these meeting places, write about how the couple met. And keep in mind that these could be couples of any age, so a party could mean a kid's birthday party, a high school party, or a party among coworkers.. Just saying.

1) Beach

2) Cafe

3) Fair/Carnival

4) School

5) Job (open-ended)

6) Library

7) Aquarium

8) Campground

9) Party

10) Park

Go get 'em!

Happy writing!!

Dragons

Hey, guys!

It's going to be a long day tomorrow, but I promised you guys a book review. It might not be as long as usual since I haven't read the book in a while, but I hope you still like it.

The first hard-core fantasy book I've ever read would probably be Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I'm pretty sure I was either in eighth grade or my freshman year of high school when I read it.

Eragon is a young man from the village of Carvahall in the Empire's kingdom lead by King Galbatorix. Galbatorix's kingdom is separate from the kingdoms of dwarves and elves in far-off lands that Eragon has only heard about in stories told by the local bard, Brom. His only family are his uncle Garrow and his cousin, Roran.

One day while hunting in the Spine, Galbatorix comes across a strange stone in the meadow. Having been unable to hunt any substantial game, Eragon takes the stone in hopes that its precious appearance could be worth something.

After a few days of sitting in his room, the stone - or should I say egg - hatches and a small blue dragon is born.

Eragon raises his dragon, Seraphina, in secret until she's too big to hide. That's when Galbatorix's men come for Eragon, murdering his uncle in the process.

With Brom as an ally, Eragon manages to escape the village (which is left in turmoil).

The truth comes out that the stories that Brom had been telling all those years turned out to be more than just stories; they're really legends.

There was a time hundreds of years ago when dragons and elves were at war with each other. Dragons were seen as barbaric animals and elves as cruel abusers. That is until a bond was formed between an elf and a dragon. The dragons were recognized as intelligent creatures and elves as capable of kindness.

The war was over, a treaty created, and dragons and their Riders enjoyed a time of peace. That is until Galbatorix, at the time a Dragon Rider, lost his dragon in battle and stole a new dragon. He was punished, but that didn't stop him from starting a campaign to extinguish the race of dragons.

He almost succeeded, but aside from the dragons of Galbatorix's men, only three dragon eggs remained in existence. Two of them were with the elves for safe-keeping. One went missing.

The one that went missing was Seraphina's egg, and she found her rider.

Now Eragon must travel to the city of Farthen Dur, where a resistance is laying in wait to overthrow Galbatorix. But with a bounty on his head and a dragon still too young to ride, will Eragon, a mere farmer from a small village, be able to meet these expectations?

I'll have to be honest with you, guys: when I first read this, I wasn't very into it. Maybe I just wasn't mature enough for such heavy reading, but I was bored. I will say, however, that I have since read the second and third installments of the series, and I was enthralled.

I have yet to read the final book, so no spoilers! I do plan on reading Inheritance eventually when I have time to do so. Don't blame me, it's a really big book. Have you seen the size of that thing?

If you would like to read reviews for the second and third installments of The Inheritance Cycle, I will post those in the following weeks. For those of you who don't know, the second book is Eldest, the third book is Brisingr.

Hope you enjoyed the review and that you'll check back for Monday's writing exercise.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: First Sentences

Hey, guys!

Time for a new writing exercise. I haven't done any new first sentences in a while, so that's what this one's going to be.

The following list is of sentences that could potentially be the first sentence in a scene, story, or dialogue. Pick one, and write that scene, story, or dialogue.

1) There is nothing more unbearable than poor circulation.

2) "Speak only when spoken to."

3) The snow that fell muffled every sound and blanketed the world in a clean white marred only by a crimson stain.

4) "You ever have one of those days when you just can't keep your eyes open?"

5) The best way to make a scene is to let the world know how you really feel and break some glass.

6) "Do tigers eat people?"

7) There are certain things you should never, under any circumstances, say to your wife out loud.

8) "You don't deserve cupcakes."

9) Nobody ever told me that the first rule to getting your dream job was to get a good night's sleep

10) "You have pumpkin breath."

As always, think outside the box and have fun.

Happy writing!!

List: Classics

Hey, guys!

As you all know, I'm a nerd. A nerd who loves to read. So I try to make my reading list as diverse as I can, which is why I have so many classics sitting on my bookshelf and downloaded on my Kindle just waiting for me to pick them up and start reading.

Unfortunately, being the busy bee that I am, I often don't have time to read for fun except for when I'm on break. Therefore, there are plenty of classic novels on my reading list.

Here is a sneak peak at my to read list, just so you know what may be up and coming during winter break.

1) I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

2) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

3) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

4) Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

4) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

5) Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

6) Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

7) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

8) Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews

9) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

10) Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

11) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

12) 1984 by George Orwell

13) Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

14) Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee

15) Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Hopefully, I'll get to all of these (and stick with them!) at some point.

Happy reading!

Writing Prompt: Animals

Hey, guys!

Time for a new writing prompt.

Imagine you have the power to talk to animals. I know that this has been done before, but create an original character. How do they use this power? For good or evil?

What kinds of animals does your character interact with the most? The least? What do they tell your character?

In what kinds of situations would this be helpful? How could this ability be a hindrance?

Do the animals like having a human with whom to communicate? Do they shun your character for being a human because the animals may have preconceived notions about humans (neglectful, careless, abusive)?

If you're looking for an even more specific writing prompt, write a scene in which a human and an animal both demand the attention of your character and are trying to speak with him or her. How does your character handle this situation?

Finally, give your character a pet. What is this pet's name? What kind of an animal is it? Create a character profile for the pet and the human that can communicate with animals. How do the characters interact?

Have fun and be original.

Happy writing!!

Satire and Tigers

Hey, guys!

It's about time I wrote a new book review. Sorry for the wait. I actually just finished this book in my World Literature class and it's called The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.

First a little background: this is a contemporary novel that takes place in India. And I mean modern India, with all the polluted streets, poverty, call centers, you name it. This is a satire, meaning that the author uses humor to make fun of the subject, which is modern Indian culture.

It's also an epistolary novel, which means that it's written in the form of a letter or a series of letters. The main character, Balram, is writing to the Premier of China, who will soon visit India following elections.

Within these letters, is advice about how to be an entrepreneur and how to see the country of India for what it really is now.

The letters also serve as a confession for murder.

Balram was taken out of school as a child and put to work. Despite the fact that his parents hadn't noted the date of his birth nor given him a proper name ("Balram" means "boy"), his father still wanted him to get an education so that he could grow up to be a man.

Both of Balram's parents had died before Balram reached adulthood. The last image he has of his mother is her corpse burning on a funeral pyre. His father, a rickshaw-puller, died of tuberculosis in a hospital with no doctors on duty.

The rest of Balram's large family now must rely on him for money, which is why his Granny bullies him out of his paycheck like she did his father and the rest of the men in his family.

But Balram has a different idea for his life. Having grown up looking up to a local bus driver (who did pretty well for himself, in comparison to the rest of the village). That's when Balram, wanting to be an entrepreneur, decides to learn how to be a driver.

Despite Granny's protestations, she allows him so long as she still gets his paycheck. After learning how to drive, Balram goes door-to-door asking for a job from a rich man. He gets lucky when he stumbles on a man who is from his village. Balram now has his master.

Balram's master, Ashok, is an Americanized Indian who is in the family business. But compared to his brother and father, Ashok is a total pushover. But when you're the one running around bribing politicians and thinking of sixty different ways to kiss up to said politicians, there isn't much room for self-respect.

The relationship between master and slave is portrayed as very fake: Balram is treated like a slave, but is told that he is like family.

The hypocrisy is only one reason why Balram murders Ashok. That's right, Balram kills his own boss. Can anybody relate?

It's because Balram is so easy to relate to - not to mention the humor and irony that is so cleverly used throughout the novel - that this novel became a bestseller. But give it a try for yourself and see what you think.

I know I enjoyed it. It's an entertaining read and makes for interesting academic discussion. If you are  a high school or college student, I would definitely consider putting this on your reading list.

That's it for this review. Check back in next week for more writing exercises and a brand-spanking-new book review. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Six Word Story

Hey, guys!

Time for a new writing exercise. Recently, I learned of a super super short story known as a six word story. This is basically just a sentence or two composed only of six words that still conveys a story.

A famous six word story is by Ernest Hemingway: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever read? Well, fortunately they aren't all sad. We recently started a creative writing club on campus and wrote six word stories as a writing exercise. Basically, we would pick a word and see what we come up with.

As an example, one of my words was "haunted."

My story: Exhalation on back of the neck.

Creepy, right? So, I'm just going to list a bunch of words for you guys to pick from. See if you can make a six word story using the word or just basing the story off of the word. And it doesn't have to be sad or creepy.

1) Fall

2) Pie

3) Salt

4) Wave

5) Plant

If you already have one in mind that doesn't relate to anything I just listed, don't let me tell you what to do. This is just to give you guys some ideas.

And since this is such a short exercise, why not post some of your six word stories in the comments? I'd love to see them and I'm sure everybody else would.

Happy writing!!

List: If I didn't have to sleep

Hey, guys!

So sorry this post is late. I wish I weren't so in love with sleep. I'd get so much more done. But I'd also feel horrible. Which is why I go to bed relatively early (well, I go to bed early in comparison to my brother's bedtime).

This is part of the reason why I've had to make another tough decision about my blog. From now on, there's only going to be one book review a week on Thursdays. Tuesdays I will have a new list posted.

If I had time to read for fun, things would be different, but as of right now, I have no free time. Five classes and two jobs doesn't leave much time to read for fun when I also have to read novels for a literature class.

Really sorry about this, guys. Hopefully you'll find the lists entertaining if nothing else. When I'm on break, I'll get cracking on reading some of those books I mentioned in last week's list.

In the meantime, here's this week's list. The theme is Things I Would Do If I Didn't Have to Sleep. Has a nice ring to it, huh?

1) Read for fun (so that I can review more books).

2) Write a novel (or at least finish writing a few short stories I've been working on).

3) Blog (so I wouldn't have any more late posts).

4) Last minute homework assignments (I don't think I need to explain this one).

5) Netflix (my family just got this and it is a beautiful thing).

If I could do all of these things during the time I would normally spend sleeping, I'd get a lot more done and could spend more time with family and friends during the day.

Alas, I must sleep because I love sleep. It's more of a love-hate relationship though. So much time spent sleeping. Oh, well.

Sorry again about the late post and the change in plans but I hope you guys understand and that I'm still your favorite :)

Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Super Heroes

Hey, guys!

It's about time I did this kind of writing exercise. Below are listed a bunch of super powers.

1) Invisibility

2) Strength

3) Flight

4) Telekinesis

5) Breathe underwater

6) Speed

7) Flexibility

8) Hypnosis

9) Talk to animals

10) Shape-shift

Pick two (one for a hero and one for a villain). Create your characters and a plot based on your characters' super powers.

Also, keep in mind that your super heroes (or super villains) need not be costume-clad crime-fighters. They could be just average people with average lives who just happen to have extraordinary abilities. Or you could deck them out in tights. It's up to you.

If there are some powers not listed that you really want to use, be my guest. If you want to share a little bit about your hero and villain, feel free to post it in the comments. If you have suggestions for another writing exercise, also feel free to post it in the comments. Until next time.

Happy writing!!

List

Hey, guys!

Sorry, but I don't have anything to review today. I will on Tuesday, though, I promise!

I can't leave you with nothing though, so here's a list of books I would read and review if I had time.

Enjoy! And I hope I eventually have time to read these.


1) Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

2) The Rule of Thoughts by James Dashner

3) A Series of Unfortunate Events Lemony Snicket (reread)

4) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (reread)

5) Fire by Kristin Cashore (reread)

6) The Host by Stephenie Meyer (reread)

7) Graceling by Kristin Cashore

8) Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

9) Specials by Scott Westerfield (reread)

10) Extras by Scott Westerfield (reread)

Let's see if I eventually get to them.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Names and Magic Objects

Hey, guys!

Here's another writing exercise. More names. But this time, I'm giving you a list of names and a separate list of ordinary objects that have magic abilities in the context of a story. Pick a name and pick an object, then decide what the magical ability is that those objects possess.

In your narrative/story/dialogue, you must include whether your character is good or evil and how they use the magical object. Include a scene in which your character fights one of their foes.

Also take into consideration the setting of your story. What time (past, present, future)? Where (city, country, rural, secluded)? What context (historical, contemporary, fantastical)?

Oh, and one more thing: consider making two characters with two magical objects. Are they partners? Or enemies?

Here you go.


Names:

1) Lark

2) Cady

3) Samuel

4) Avariella

5) Jacob

6) Caroline

7) Richard

8) Arabella

9) Mark

10) Dove


Objects:

1) Book

2) Pocket watch

3) Glasses

4) Cup

5) Fur hat

6) Pen

Enjoy!

Happy writing!!

Throwback

Hey, guys!

I haven't read this book in a while, but for right now it's all I have up my sleeve. I don't think I've read it since high school . . . maybe not even since middle school.

Anyway, I'm talking about The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. Like I said, it's been a while, so if I apologize if I'm a little vague on the details. I'm almost done with another book for my World Literature class, so that review will probably be available next week.

I hate that the reviews I've been posting lately aren't really up to par with what I usually write, but school comes first, so I can't really read for fun. I try my best though, and I appreciate the fact that you guys bear with me on this.

So anyway, a review of The City of Ember. This is a post-apocalyptic novel. After some kind of disaster (I'm not telling), a city was designed for humans to survive for about two hundred years.

The mayors of the city have been passing a box down the line, contents unknown. One mayor tries to break it open, believing it contains a cure to an illness that infects the citizens. After failing to open the box, the mayor dies without telling anyone else about the box or its importance.

Two hundred years after the city was built, the box opens. And nobody's around to know about it.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, huh? Well it is. Because in the year 241, supplies are running low and the generator that powers the whole city (including all the light bulbs that keep the city out of darkness) is about ready to shut off for good.

Now, when kids graduate from school, they are assigned jobs. Lina, a fast girl who loves to run, is assigned to work in the bowels of the city fixing pipes. Doon, a total tinkerer, is assigned to be messenger for the city.

The two of them switch jobs so that they're both happy.

Lina lives at home with her grandmother and baby sister, whom she finds chewing on bits of paper she found in a box. Can you guess which box?

So now Lina and Doon try their best to decipher the letter that came from the box, discovering clues that may help save the city.

Will the city's power finally die out before Lina and Doon figure out what the letter is all about? Will anybody fight them in their quest for the unknown? What is written in the letter? How can it save them?

I only remember a little bit, so I won't tell you and confuse you by getting it completely wrong. Read it for yourself. Maybe I'll read it again one day to remember what happens . . .

Anyway, I reserve judgement on this book, since I don't remember a whole lot of it. I do remember liking it though. The movie was good too, but I don't remember it being better than the book.

Like I said, if I got any details wrong or if I left any major plot points out, I apologize. Give the book a chance. I hope you enjoyed this review. Check back in tomorrow for another writing exercise.

Happy reading!!

Writing Prompt: Key

Hey, guys!

So, in order to have a blog post ready for you guys on time at 6:00 AM (my time) every Monday, I decided that from now on, the writing exercises for the week will be on Mondays and Wednesdays, while the book reviews will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This way every Sunday night, I will only have to write a writing exercise for the next morning, which is a lot less daunting than a whole book review.

Anyway, here's today's writing exercise.

You're ten years old and you're digging through the attic, looking for buried treasure in a way. During your search, you find a rusty old key slipped between the pages of an old photograph with a note that reads, "Darkness must be caged."

What do you do with the key? What kinds of pictures were in the photograph? What do you make of the note? What is your overall reaction to your discovery? And (arguably most importantly) what is your next move?

Have fun with this one guys. Be creative.

Happy writing!!

Sleeping Beauty

Hey, guys!

You guys have all read that book with a bratty girl who thinks she's a princess, right? Have you read the one where she actually is a princess? Well, that book would be A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn.

This book is by the author of Beastly, and those of you who are regular visitors of my blog will remember my recent review of that book. In case you haven't already guessed from the title of this post, this book is a take on the classic tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Princess Talia was cursed as an infant to touch a spindle and die, but a good fairy changed the spell so that she would only fall asleep.

So, a normal teenage girl with a shopping addiction? Try a medieval princess who has her dresses made specifically for her and finds a way to complain about it. I would be a little frustrated if I were her seamstress, wouldn't you? Spending a ton of money on a dress would be frustrating enough, but having made a ton of dresses by hand to find out that she doesn't like any of them?

You know how the story goes from there: Princess Talia touches a spindle, falls asleep for hundreds of years along with her entire kingdom, which is wiped off the map until her true love kisses her awake.

Hundreds of years later, Jack is on a school trip in Europe. He's actually been forced on this trip by his parents in the hopes that he'll have some ambition as a student upon his return. But it's not that simple.

Bored and annoyed, he has wandered away from his tour group with his friend. The two of them stumble upon the sleeping kingdom and make their way towards the palace and find the princess (no dragons).

Face to face with the pretty sleeping princess, Jack has the incredible urge to kiss her. So he does and . . . ta da! Talia is  awake.

Understandably, she freaks out when she finds out that she's been asleep for three hundred years. But now she wants to marry Jack, her one and true love. Unfortunately, modern American teenage boys aren't too fond of the idea of marrying a girl they just met before graduating high school.

Also, he is sent to the dungeon for kissing the princess, which three hundred years ago was not okay.

So, Talia breaks him out and with a bunch of jewels stowed away in their pockets, Talia and Jack escape the kingdom and return to the modern world. Jack just wants to go home, deciding to take Talia with him because, even though she's a pain, he feels bad for her (her father blames her for putting them to sleep for hundreds of years and ruining the kingdom).

Talia goes with him to try to get Jack to fall in love with her.

Talia learns the wonders of the modern world and learns how to play nice with others (I guess true love really does change you). Jack learns that there's more to Princess Talia than meets the eye.

It's been a while since I've read this book, but I remember enjoying it. It's a cute story about first impressions not always being true. Plus, you guys know how much I love new takes on classic fairy tales.

I wold recommend this book for middle school and high school students, and anybody older who is a hopeless romantic at heart who is in touch with their inner child.

Again, sorry that there was no review on Wednesday, but hopefully this makes up for it. Hope you enjoyed this review and that you'll keep visiting this blog. Tell your friends!

Happy reading!!

Writing Prompt: Mirror

Hey, guys!

Time to write yet again. It's another writing prompt, so get ready.

Are you ready yet?

Well, ready or not, here it is.

Imagine that you went to put your hand flat against a mirror and found that your hand went right through the glass. Although you are frightened at first, curiosity wins over and you step through the mirror into a different world.

Where do you find yourself? Is it pleasant? Terrifying? Beautiful? A combination of the three? What are your reactions? Describe the world: sights, scents, tastes, sounds. What are the inhabitants, if any? Are they friendly? Worshiping? Evil?

Do you want to stay here forever or is some gut feeling telling you that you're better off on the right side of the mirror? How does this experience change you?

Be original, be amused.

Happy writing!!

Oops

Hey, guys!

Sorry that there was no review today. It was my brother's birthday today and I didn't plan ahead like I should have . . . oops.

Do not fret, I will write a review for Friday to make up for it, and there will be a writing exercise posted first thing tomorrow morning.

Happy reading!!

Writing Prompt: Held Captive

Hey, guys!

I was thinking that I would keep it up with the horror theme that I started with my review of Dean Koontz from yesterday. So, how about a creepy writing prompt?

As always with a writing prompt, try to think outside the box. Try not to go for the obvious, but if you do, try to put your own spin on it . . . know what I mean?

Okay, here we go.

You wake up and find yourself tied by the hands with a bright light shining in your face. Although you can't see anyone, you hear voices all around you. A hand reaches out and rips the duct tape from your lips.

Finally, someone talks directly to you. But it's not what you want to hear.

"You know what we want. Don't make us hurt you."

Where are you? Who is talking to you? What do they want? In what way could they hurt you? How did you get in this mess? How will you find your way out?

Have fun!

Happy writing!!

A Horror Story

Hey, guys!

It's been a while since I've written a review for a horror story, and although it's been a while since I've read this book, I think it's about time I wrote a review for What the Night Knows by Dean Koontz.

Many of you may have already heard of Koontz for his series Odd Thomas. I myself have never read that series, so if you like it and want me to read and review it, let me know in the comments!

Now, this novel is about a serial killer known as Alton Turner Blackwood . . . years after being killed.

John Calvino is a police detective with the kind of family life that people can only dream about: a beautiful wife, and two imaginative daughters, and a son who thinks you're a hero. They are financially stable and basically want for nothing.

But John has a dark past. As a kid, he had loving parents and two younger sisters he adored. But after sneaking out one night, he returns to find that his whole family has been murdered as the last targets of a serial killer.

John was able to kill the murderer, but not before Alton Turner Blackwood delivers a disturbing prophecy: that years from now, his wife and kids will become his targets. The guilt and the prophecy from that night has haunted John for the rest of his adolescent and adult life. That is, until he met his wife.

Nicolette is an artist - and a good one too. She and John have a happy marriage with three children: Zach (the oldest), Naomi, and Minnie (the youngest).

Zach is an aspiring military man, a skilled artist, and extremely protective of his sisters. Naomi is a fashionista who constantly dreams of being whisked away to a new world where she is a lost princess. Despite these fantasies, she loves her family more than anything.

Minnie is eight years old. She had been ill as a young child but recovered, and as a result seems more spiritual and sensitive to her environment. She's unique and unusually rational for her age, so she's naturally my favorite character.

But this happy life is in danger of coming to a violent end when John is called upon to investigate murders committed by a juvenile offender.

Now, this happy little fourteen-year-old brutally murdered his entire family completely out of the blue. No history of mental illness, no previous infractions, nothing at all from this kid aside from good grades.

But when John visits him in the mental hospital to ask questions, the fourteen-year-old resembles nothing of the happy-go-lucky kid he used to be. Talking to himself, referring to himself in the third person, and basically talking to John with all the good manners and condescension of Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs.

So what happened? There's some missing link here that John is determined to find, especially once other murders start occurring.

The creepy part? These series of murders closely resemble the those of the victims of Alton Turner Blackwood from years ago.

But he's dead. So what's going on here? Find out by reading the book for yourself.

As I said, it's been a while since I've read the book (I don't think I've touched it since high school). Therefore, I don't know how my attitudes about the book could have changed in that time. But I will say that I did enjoy the book at the time, if nothing else.

It's a little slow-going at first, but the tension quickly escalates the more often these murders occur and the more background you get on the characters, particularly Alton Turner Blackwood. If you love murder mystery thrillers or ghost stories (or both), you'll love this book too. I would recommend this for high school readers and up, though, due to the gory/gruesome content.

That's all I've got for this review. Hope you enjoyed and that you'll give a book a try. Come back tomorrow for a writing exercise!

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise

Hey, guys!

Time for another writing exercise.

So, this one is going to be just like the one from before where I give you a series of words and you have to write a narrative or a dialogue including all of those words. Remember, at least one of those words must be crucial to the scene.

Pick one of the following:


1) Sword, Ship, Tome, Explore, Tower

2) Compass, Rats, River, Lock, Drown

3) Dungeon, Attack, Garbage, Shame, Time

4) Escape, Sunset, Gate, Hide, Resolute

5) Parapet, Tooth, Dawn, Tomb, Crawl


Ready, set, write! Oh yeah, and have fun.

Happy writing!!

Transcendence

Hey, guys!

Sorry that this post is really late for today, but I didn't have as much time as I would've liked to work on this week's posts on Monday. But better late than never, right?

Don't worry, I'll have a writing exercise up first thing in the morning. But for now, how about a belated book review?

So, for my World Literature class, we have to write a paper on one of the three books/plays that we've read so far. I was originally going to write about Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee, which I've already reviewed.

To be honest, when the professor said that we may write our papers on the latest book if it really "speaks" to us, I scoffed. I couldn't really get into it at first, but when I got halfway through, I recognized a common thread about which it would be easy to write a paper.

I won't hold you in suspense any longer. The novel is An Imaginary Life by David Malouf and is about the exile of the Roman poet, Ovid.

Basically, Ovid has been exiled from Rome for his poems and sent to live in a "barbaric" village that does not speak Latin. So there is Ovid, alone and unable to communicate with anyone and completely depressed about not hearing his beloved Latin tongue from another's lips.

It also doesn't help that Ovid's language doesn't really have the right words to describe the landscape in which he now resides. So at first, he blames the landscape for being so desolate and colorless. But once he decides to learn the local language, Ovid comes to the conclusion that it is Latin that is inadequate.

Once Ovid learns the new language, he is accepted as one of the villagers. But one day, he catches sight of a wild boy known as the Child. The Child was presumably raised by wolves, speaks to animals rather than of any human language, and is not bothered by the harsh environment.

At Ovid's suggestion, the villagers capture the Child and bring him back to the village. There, Ovid tries to civilize the Child and to teach him the local language.

However, as everybody knows, a good teacher always learns from his student. What Ovid learns is of the existence of a silent language that transcends communication and allows one to be one with nature and everything, much like the Child already is, due to his lack of communication and interaction with other humans.

Now, Ovid is on a journey to discover the one true language with the universality to disconnect one from oneself and to thereby connect one with all the earth.

Sounds like a lot of mumbo-jumbo, huh? Well, trust me, the book does a better job of conveying this one true language, so long as you keep an open mind.

I would definitely recommend this novel for upper-high school readers and beyond, because it prompts the reader to think about how humans think and communicate. It's a very thought-provoking novel. Like I said, though, I did have trouble getting into the book at first. You have been forewarned.

That's all for this review. Again, sorry for the tardiness. Hope you enjoyed and that you'll come back tomorrow for the exciting new writing exercise. It's gonna be epic.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise: Names

Hey, guys!

Time for a new writing exercise. Remember the one with the names derived from plant names? Let's do that one again, except with the names of geographical/landscape features. You know, like mountain and hill? But don't worry, I won't list those as options.

Same rules as last time: you have to create a character profile based off of the name of the character and what that name implies. Like strong Oak and healing Willow from last time. Got it? Go!


1) Brook

2) Cloud

3) Forest

4) Sky

5) River

6) Sea

7) Cove

8) Oasis

9) Estuary

10) Marsh


Remember, take the physical appearance of the landscape feature and try to imagine what kind of person would be like that. Deserts, for example, are vast expanses of seemingly lifeless land, when in reality, there's life hidden in the nooks and crannies. Maybe a character named desert seems coarse and cruel at first but he chooses to hide how much he actually cares.

That is all. Fly, my pretties, fly!

Happy writing!!

Another "Tale as Old as Time"

Hey, guys!

This post is a little late by my standards, but at least I have a post for today. My excuse: homework is a pain in the caboose. And time-consuming.

But this is a blog where I talk about books and writing, not complain about school. So are you guys ready for another variation on Beauty and the Beast? You should have known that it was only a matter of time.

The YA novel I speak of is Beastly by Alex Flinn. Many of you may have already seen the movie with Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens, and Neil Patrick Harris. It's a pretty good movie, and I love how rather than going for the typical "beast" with fur and claws and fangs, they stepped outside of the box by making the beast someone who doesn't conform to today's beauty standards. I applaud that.

That being said, I liked the book a lot better. Maybe it's the romantic image of a beast who is searching for love, maybe it's the sacrifice that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but there's something about the book that makes me feel like a little girl dreaming of my Prince Charming (furry slobbery though he may be) all over again.

So, in this book, you have the popular-nerd dichotomy trope. We've all read at least one book where of the two love interests, one is gorgeous popular jerk whom everybody wants to be and one is a nerdy bookworm who is not as privileged and has to claw their way to whatever social standing they now occupy.

Kyle is the hot jerk attending a preparatory academy who barely notices the scholarship student, Lindy. Did I mention that Kyle is a jerk? Because that gets him into trouble.

In the beginning of the book, Kyle ticks off a fellow student who isn't exactly attractive. Guess who she turns out to be? Yeah, she's a witch. You know how it goes.

Bippitty-boppitty-boo, Kyle is a beast (the fangs, fur, and claws kind). He is dumped by his girlfriend and is basically shunned by his father, a renown news anchor who is as shallow as a puddle. Kyle now lives in his own apartment with a house-keeper and (blind) private tutor for company and a magic mirror to the outside world.

Kyle (now known as Adrian) has two years to fall in love with a girl, who must declare her love for him and kiss him in order to break the spell. I bet you can guess who this girl is.

Well, after months of isolation in his apartment, Adrian builds a greenhouse (at his tutor's encouragement) to tend to roses. It becomes his obsession, these roses. So much so that when an intruder breaks in, Adrian threatens death.

The cowardly intruder, however, will do anything to save his own life, even offer his own daughter, Lindy, as compensation for his crime. And that's where Adrian sees his first and only chance to break the spell.

Ecstatic, Adrian prepares Lindy's room (and own personal library) to ensure that she will want for nothing. Not that she wants anything to do with him at first. But despite the fact that her old life is to study hard in school so she can get into college while taking care of her drug addict father, who could really blame her? Some freedom is better than none.

But when Lindy and Adrian end up alone together (by accident) to watch a movie together, it's the first contact they've had since she was brought to his apartment. And the more time they spend together, the fonder they grow of each other.

Will they fall in love? Will Kyle/Adrian run out of time? Will he remain a beast forever? Read the book and see what happens.

You guys know that I'm going to recommend this book for all those hopeless romantics of any age who adore Beauty and the Beast stories. I read this book for the first time in high school. I stayed home from school because I was sick. I picked it up (because who wants to do homework when they're sick?) and read the whole book in that one day. You decide for yourselves how much you love it.

Hope you enjoyed this review and that you'll give this book a shot. Leave comments if you're willing to provide me with some feedback. Come back tomorrow for a brand new writing exercise.

Happy reading!!

Update

Hey, guys!

I know that I said that I would get caught up on Mondays, but I got completely slammed with homework this weekend: a 3-page paper to write, sources to find for a 5-page paper that I have to outline, plus a ton of readings.

So, because of my recent pile-ups on weekends, unfortunately I may have to stop posting on Fridays for the rest of the semester.

If you guys are disappointed, then just know that I am extremely disappointed too. I really enjoy blogging, but school must come first. For now on, I will only be able to blog four days a week instead of five.

Really sorry about this, guys, I really appreciate all my diligent readers and I think it's awesome that my blog is being read. I had almost 200 page views last month, which is insane! Thank you for the readership, guys. You rock.

Okay, back to my paper. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

More Random Words

Hey, guys!

I really liked that writing exercise I made up on Tuesday, so I thought I would make another one like that for today. I also haven't thought of any new styles of writing exercises, so coming up with random words appeals to me right now.

Also, good news! I figured out how to add images, so that'll be fun. I understand if you make fun of me for taking this long to attempt to figure it out.

You guys know the rules, so here we go.


1) Lush

2) Painting

3) Thunder

4) Wind

5) Brush

Go for it, guys.

A Return to James Dashner

Hey, guys!

I haven't talked much about James Dashner since I started this blog and since the movie is coming out soon (so excited!) I thought I would devote a blog to The Maze Runner.

This was actually the first book I read by Dashner and I absolutely fell in love with his style. He is now one of my favorite authors and I am currently anxiously awaiting the upcoming film for The Maze Runner and the sequel to Eye of Minds, which, if you guys remember, is the first book I ever reviewed on this blog. Where did the time go?

So, imagine this. You wake up in this very loud and very small elevator that is rapidly ascending you towards your destination. It's dark but for the bright light above you.

As if that wasn't weird enough, there's even more of a twist: you can't remember anything about yourself. You remember details about how the world works, social gatherings, and family life, but you don't remember anything personal.

You completely forget who your parents and friends are, where you went to school, and what your life has been like up to this point. In fact, the only thing you do remember is your first name.

That's what it's like for Thomas, who wakes up in The Box. Then the elevator stops and he finds a rag-tag bunch of teen boys, also known as Gladers, staring down at him. They don't seem at all perplexed and they welcome him more or less with open arms.

When Thomas crawls out of the Box, he finds himself in the Glade, a large square space with walls on all sides and a massive opening on each side. The Glade is dedicated to the boys' living space: gardens, pens, slaughterhouses, homestead, kitchen, and (eerily enough) graveyard.

Every week, the Gladers receive supplies from whomever controls their world in the Box. Every month, a new Glader arrives in the Box, like Thomas.

Thomas gets the grand tour from Newt (the oldest boy and the leader) and Chuck (the newest boy before Thomas arrived and the youngest Glader). But Thomas has more questions. Why are they there? What lies beyond the Glade?

Well, there's really no answer to the former. However, each boy is assigned a job in the Glade, and one of these jobs is dedicated to answering the latter question.

Beyond the Glade is the maze, which changes every night after the gates close. The maze runners perform their duty by running through the maze and seeing if there is any way to solve it. That's what Thomas wants to do: solve the maze and get out. The maze runners run as far as they can in one day and come back before the gates close.

And you don't want to be out in the maze after dark with no way out. That's when the Grievers, horrifying creatures, come out to play.

Thomas is starting to adjust to life in the Glade when something even stranger happens. The day after Thomas arrives, the Box makes an unscheduled visit. A new Glader has arrived. But this time, it's a girl.

She arrives, recognizes Thomas, and immediately slips into a coma. In her hand is a note from the creators of the maze. No more Gladers and no more supplies will be arriving. They must solve the maze.

As you can imagine, there's a lot of suspicion geared towards Thomas because of this. But now Thomas is as frantic as ever to try to solve the maze. But is time against him? Will the Gladers survive? Read the book before you see the movie and find out for yourself.

I highly recommend this book for high school students and beyond. Anybody will get a kick out of this series. True to Dashner style, this book is fast-paced, action-packed, and absolutely brimming with cliff-hangers and tension. If you love action, puzzles, and post-apocalyptic worlds, this book is for you. Fans of The Hunger Games will also enjoy this.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love this series and how badly I want to see the movie. I'll let you guys know what I think when I do see it.

Hope you enjoyed this review and that you'll come running back for more. Until next time.

Happy reading!!

Writing Exercise

Hey, guys!

As promised, I have a new writing exercise for you! I've been seeing examples of this type of an exercise all over the place online, so I thought I should create a few of my own. I hope you guys enjoy it. Be sure to give me some feedback in the comments if you love/hate these writing exercises.

Okay, so for this exercise, you have to write a scene or a dialogue for a short story. To make it a little easier for you, I'm going to give you five words that you have to include in your piece.

You could incorporate the words into a dialogue, you could write a description, or you could use one of the words as a metaphor or simile. As always, the possibilities are absolutely boundless.

But the catch is that at least one of the words (the object, idea, or action) should be the focal point of the scene you are writing. However, if one of the words is "apple" for example, you don't have to make the main character an apple. Maybe you're writing a narrative about the fateful day that Sir Isaac Newton came up with gravity. The apple that fell on his head could count as the focal point of the scene.

You also don't have to use each word in your scene in the order that I give them to you. If I have "pear" as the first word and "orange" as the second word, you can feel free to be a rebel and have an orange appear in your story first. Just make sure you don't forget the pear.

Get it? Got it. Good.

One more thing: some words could count as a verb and a noun. This sounds kind of obvious, but I wanted to make sure that just because I tell you guys to use the word "thunder" you know that it's up to you whether you want it to be the thing that goes with lightning or a synonym for "yell" or "roar."

Now, for the words.


1) Fire

2) Dance

3) Raindrop

4) Phone

5) Watch


Are your creative juices flowing yet? Well, start writing! Fly, my pretties! Fly!

Happy writing!!

Colonialism

Hey, guys!

I just finished reading a book for my World Literature class called Waiting for the Barbarians by J. M. Coetzee, for which I now have to write a paper. Wish me luck!

In the meantime, as I rally my brain cells and jot down all the possible topics I could write for my paper, I think I owe you guys a review. I apologize for the lack of a post on Friday, but I have a lot of work to catch up with and I promise I will catch up with blogging every Monday. Cross my heart.

Now, the novel takes place in South Africa, in a frontier town that is a part of a vast Empire and also rather close to some indigenous nomadic groups and fishermen, which the townspeople refer to as the barbarians.

The magistrate of the town is a middle-aged man who just wants everyone to be peaceful towards one another . . . so that he can retire in comfort without any trouble.

Well, why should he get what he wants all the time?

Colonel Joll shows up from the Empire to try and see if he can sniff out some threats against his beloved Empire. Understandable. But arresting a boy and an old man who are just trying to find some medical assistance?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, tiger. But he doesn't stop there. He also takes a ton of "barbarians" prisoner and resorts to torture in order to justify his position.

So what does the magistrate think of all this? Well, he wants to just pretend that it isn't happening. I mean, he's got that retirement to think about. But he finds that he can't really turn away.

He also takes in a "barbarian" girl who was left behind when her people eventually left the frontier, crippled by the torture she endured, and then became a beggar.

But this is so not what it sounds like, guys. He's no hero by any means. He has too much of that Empire mentality. He can't get past seeing this girl as anything other than a barbarian, he's unbelievably selfish, and he's a total man-whore.

But I will say this: he does make an effort to change. I'm not entirely sure that he succeeds and it isn't always for the right reasons, but it's more than can be said about anybody else who came from the Empire.

Now, if you guys are college level readers, or even high school level readers, I would recommend this book to you. It is an allegory, so although it takes place in South Africa, it doesn't necessarily say so. This book could technically take place anywhere, so it's good for learning about the effect of colonialism on indigenous populations.

Not to mention, Coetzee is a pretty good writer. My professor constantly raves during class about what a poet he is. After reading the book, I have to agree. Coetzee's craft and attention to detail is really admirable, especially his symbolism. If you're a budding writer, I would definitely look into this book for some guidance in developing your craft.

I've been playing around with some paper topics today, and I already have three possible starters for my thesis, so it looks like I'll be in pretty good shape once I pick one. Wish me luck!

Also, like I said, I'll definitely try to keep a repeat of last Friday from ever happening. So definitely check back in tomorrow for a brand new writing exercise.

I hope you enjoyed today's review and that you'll keep coming back for more. Until next time.

Happy reading!

Setting Exercise

Hey, guys!

Sorry that this post is late. I tried to write something last night but I didn't have internet. I'm still getting used to my schedule and trying to keep up with my work load for this semester.

However, I will do my best to write blog posts for the week every Monday. The reason I had so much trouble this week was because I had Monday off from school for Labor Day. Thus, rather than having nothing better to do for six hours than blog, I went to the zoo. I regret nothing.

Again, I apologize, but I will try my best. For now, though, how about a quick little writing exercise?


Pick a public place where a lot of people go: the zoo (like me), the aquarium, the carnival, the fair, the beach, whatever floats your boat. Next, write down all the ways that these places stimulate your senses. By this, I mean sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.

For example, say I picked the beach. For this exercise I would describe the sound of the waves crashing, the smell of the salt air, the feel of the sand in between your toes and in your shorts, and the way you have to squint when you look at the sun reflecting off of the water.

Try to use as many of the senses as you can and as many sensations for each. As in, not just the sound of the waves, but the cries of the gulls and the sound the wind makes when it gusts around you. Throw in some metaphors and similes in there if you can, too.

Also, try to convey what the sensations cause you to feel. Maybe you love feeling the sun warm your body or maybe you hide under an umbrella because you burn no matter how much sun block you use. Maybe you love going for a swim and being lulled by the gentle rocking motion of the waves or maybe you hate getting seaweed in your bathing suit (this totally happened to me, FYI, it was everywhere).

It's all up to you. One more tip (which is the same every time): try to step outside of the box / outside of your comfort zone. Oh yeah, and have fun.

Happy writing!!