Better late than...

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What was your best book for Feb?


This was an easy one... because I only finished it a few hours ago. I'm a bit late on this cos I've heard raves about the book but with a huge TBR pile I kinda hadn't really listened.

I'm glad I did.

I adored Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

It was fresh and captivating and I haven't sat and finished a book in one sitting for ages. I didn't LET life get in the way.

I loved Cinder. Like, a lot. She was relatable and different and everything I'd want. The world was interesting and Kai was a great hero. I wasn't blindsided by some of the twists but still enjoyed them. Would certainly recommend this book.

What about you? Read anything good in Feb??

The very definition of insanity

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
Syncing up with our Bookmobile Book of the Month, NOBODY BUT US by our own Kristin Halbrook, we're asking: Will and Zoe hit the road to be together. What's the craziest thing you've done for love, or what's your favorite book/movie moment of someone doing crazy things for love?

Oooh, I love this topic. i kinda think love is the definition of crazy - putting yourself out there on a hope and not much else and giving someone so much power to wound and hurt. It's insane in a way.

And brilliant.

The craziest ting I've done for love... I guess it was the chance I took on first seeing hubby. 4 am, I'm 17, my friend drunk next to me in the car spotted two guys. I thought they were definitely axe murderers and she thought 'hot'. So we stopped and we talked (she did have to threaten to be ill in my car) and i tried to keep the slasher imaginings to a minimum. then a day later - under my friend's badgering - we went past their place to say hi.

I would never let/want a daughter do it.

But maybe somehow I knew. or I was the worlds biggest idiot and extremely lucky. Either way.
=)
What about you - done anything crazy for love?

Ahhhh...... love....

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
 It's Valentine's Day! Let's jumpstart the lovefest by blogging about what you love most about writing (and/or reading)!

So, it's Valentine's Day here already in Australia. Started the day with a 5km run to make up for the bubbly or chocs am hoping for later *grin*.

Writing is a bit like running in that I adore 'having written'. Yesterday I wrote 'The End' on the work in progress and it felt brilliant. Love was most definitely in the air. Won't count the draft as done until I've done a read through but it was pretty good.

I love when characters speak to me. Hubby laughs when I'm at the computer grinning away because a character just said something I completely didn't expect.

It's a certain kind of magic.


What do you love about writing or reading??

Music on a Monday

I like music, lots I'd say, but I'm not a huge fan like hubby and Princess 7 - who is sure she's going to be a rockstar.

And I tend not to be able to listen while I write because I mentally sing along (badly) with the words. But i do find some songs will bring a WIP right into focus. Anything Taylor Swift (Princess 7 is playing this a lot) makes me think about my nearly-done story WIS.

In a complete departure, some old Cure comes to mind for another idea I'm playing with.

What about you? Can you write to music? Do you listen/read at the same time?

Take a second... or a few

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:

For many, December is a post-NaNoWriMo revision haze! How do you approach editing/revising? Any tips or tricks or resources you can share?

My biggest tip is TIME. Away from the story. Due to life stuff I had to step away from my story for a bit and it's not even quite done but my brain has been ticking over all the gaps that when i stepped away I would have said weren't there (it's genius... of course.... perfect draft... not....).

When life settles I'll be able to go ahead with fresh purpose but even more, I'll get stuck into the beginning and make it the story I first saw in my head.

CPs are the other greatest tool. Those fresh eyes who don't (most of the time) read it straight from your head but deal with mere words on the page. They're just like readers... only they love you and aren't afraid to tell you it sucks and offer ways to fix it.

Or at least commiserations as you try to fix it.

What about you? Any tips?

It's all about the boys

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.





This Week's Topic:
What was your best book for October?


Reading this one came about with a google search of 'best YA boy POV books'. I found 'Try Not to Breathe' by Jennifer Hubbard on a few lists and it was there on my kindle app a few minutes later.

I read the opening and was hooked. Here's the blurb:

 

Try Not to Breathe

Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feeli...more

Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feelings. Then he befriends Nicki, who is using psychics to seek contact with her dead father. This unlikely friendship thaws Ryan to the point where he can face the worst in himself. He and Nicki confide in one another the things they never thought they’d tell anyone—but their confessions are trickier than they seem, and the fallout tests the bounds of friendship and forgiveness.

 

It was painful and messy and made me think - probably what I liked best about it in the end. Instead of making me think about the boy POV I was working on it raised questions for my girl MC. And she has nothing like this going on. But the brain works in mysterious ways.

=)

What bout you? Read anything excellent in October?

Lights, camera... read!

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
We'd like to know, in your opinion, what is it that makes some books seem ideal for a film translation?

This is interesting. When I write I generally 'see' the scenes playing out as a movie in my mind, but my WIP had a beta reader commenting 'I could see this being one of those movies where everything happens on one amazing weekend'. When interrogated... i mean, questioned, he didn't know whether it was different writing or what.

For me, it's a combination. i would consider something that paints a vivid picture in my mind. it needs a good pace and a great hook to make a good movie poster.

A cute hero and kissing is nice too!!
=)
What do you think?