2012! And a little late.

Okay, so this is my first post of the new year. I know its not something to be very proud of when its already the beginning of April. But its a slow start. But what I really wanted to write about was what I was planning on writing this year. I'm going to start finishing the first draft of "Setting Up Sunday" and I was going to change the title, since I feel it doesn't really match with the story anymore. I mostly just chose it because it sounded cool and was one of my favorite Meg & Dia songs. Also I will try to do the same thing with "An Easton Year" and "Falling for London Hyde" which are both very dear to my heart and I would continually hate myself if I don't finish it. And the anonymous short story which is not really anonymous "Twenty Before Jack" which I want to start writing past the first two paragraphs ha.

This seems like a lot of writing I know, but I think I can accomplish a lot with motivation and a nice summer break. So here's to the new year, (and possibly updating this blog more often) and to more writing!

Christine

A Hunger

Okay, so as of this moment, I have a lot on my mind right now. I feel as if I'm expecting something amazing to happen or something explosive to go off in my mind that allows me to have a much clearer picture of what just happened.

I put off reading The Hunger Games series for a little over a year now, mostly because I was so warped with Harry Potter ending and all, but eventually too nervous to pick up another series so quickly. Was I betraying Harry? Or I could never get drawn into a series like that again. Not even Twilight could sustain my interest for long before I came to realize the lameness of that. (Sorry if you're a fan of that series.)

But The Hunger Games was different. After reading the first book in the trilogy I was hooked. I was so hooked that I ran to my computer and quickly ordered the last two books from Amazon because I knew now I would be reading the entire series consecutively, with the cliffhanger ending Suzanne Collins has provided in the first book. So I tore open the Amazon packaging and dove right in to Catching Fire. Which had me yelling and laughing out loud, pausing ever so often to think things over and to guess what may happen next. It was another excellent read from the series and it set such high hopes for the final book to the trilogy.

But maybe my expectations were way too high because I didn't feel any satisfaction from Mockingjay. There were definitely some highlights that made it worth reading, and I still really liked it because them. But it was almost a chore to read. I had to push myself to read on, maybe it will get better. But after about 100 pages in, I was hoping it would just hurry up. The book did pick right off where it left off and catch my attention  in some parts very well like the propos and Peeta,) but otherwise it seemed to drag in some areas, or parts I wanted explained more were skipped and just mentioned briefly by secondary characters. And I just was waiting for it to get to the ending, because I'm sure it should be epic somehow. But the ending for me is way too...depressing. Yes, there is a sense of a wrap-up, but its a wrap-up to me that is too abrupt, ends too lamely tied together, and not enough explanation to satisfy my curiosity. And my favorite character, Katniss whom I loved from the first book is written into a state that isn't even recognizable as the girl on fire. It was more like the girl who lost everything (well almost everything) and now just bears to live through it. I'm guessing if this book was to show how war and terror could tear a strong-willed character to mere depression, then its perfect. But I guess I just expected too much. It is suppose to be depressing and cruel and full of war, I just thought maybe there would be this whole big battle in the end. A series that can have such two strong books, the finale should be epic right? But right now all I feel is like I'm hanging, like the victim in The Hanging Tree song. Just waiting for something come.

So sorry if this post is a bit depressing. Still love the series and the way Suzanne Collins can command her words in a way that is so mesmerizing and addicting to read, and her first two books definitely have us wrapped around her finger, even the third book has its high points, its just the ending...I think overall, the only reason why I only rate this book as 4/5 stars, I so terribly want to give it five, its just I wanted more for Katniss to go on than what she got. And I think that's what's making me have all these mixed feelings as that part is still fresh in my mind. Oh well I guess, and this is where you may here a big sigh. Maybe there's a fourth book I don't know about yet ha.

Many of Things

So I consider Camp Nanowrimo a bust this summer, which is sad. I really hoped it wouldn't be as difficult as November, you know, with all the free time, but alas, it was. I really like my idea which is much different from what I started with. Its much deeper than I'd imagine it could go, but in a good way. I like how my characters were slowly changing and telling me what to do. Imagine my main girl Emily shouting at me from the computer screen, "I wouldn't say that Christine!" or "Why are you pairing me with Tristan, when obviously I belong with Oliver." I liked the changes I made haha. But the only problem I really faced was, I just sort of ran out of fuel? Yep. I was going strong, and then suddenly I was jerked to a halt. I don't think it was because of the story line, plot or characters. I just didn't feel like writing it anymore, or at least, at this time. So after quietly debating in my head whether I should take another whack at it this month, I've decided not to. "Now is not the time." I said in that slow manner in which I hope was a way evoke a sense of wisdom. I'll tackle it another time, just not now.

So this leaves me to other projects! One of my friends told me to write short stories for a while if I can't crank out whole novels. So that's what I'm currently doing. I'm just brain storming a few ideas, but I hope very soon to put the thoughts to paper. But I'm happy to say the title of this post is dedicated to that short story that's in the works, and that's the title of it right now. I'll just say contemporary humor :)

Other notes of importance which I'd like to address. I've finally picked up making graphics again (the fun kind!) after a long hiatus of more than six months. It feels good to be back. I forgot the joys of making forum icons, signatures, blends and mock book covers. It has really made the gloomy July brighter.  And it makes my days of missing Harry Potter slightly more bearable since I can still stare at all the amazingness that it is.

And I'd like also to address that I will abandon the dictionary challenge since I only got to about six words. I think I may have been to ambitious in that one. But I'm glad to say that I'm still doing the "Six Word Story" challenge. I'm currently on day 43 and its very fun.

I think tackling less may result in more things getting done. So cheers to that and I'm off to designing and writing. I like my creative muse at the moment ;)

Falling for London Hyde

So I am very happy to present my book cover for my upcoming Camp NaNoWriMo, Falling for London Hyde. But I'm even more excited that I have access to a computer! Yes! But of course there are downsides. No Photoshop, so I downloaded GIMP instead which to me is a lamer version of Photoshop, but I was satisfied when I was able to create something decent. It took me hours to figure out the program.


And the website for Camp NaNoWriMo is really cool, I'm still trying to get used to it, I'm also wondering if our writing buddies from the regular site are available on there, I couldn't seem to find it. Oh well. I'm psyched and already counting down. Good luck to all you other NaNoWriMo Campers! Let the chaos begin! :)

Too Many Projects! But It's All Under Control!

Whew, I just needed to take a breather first before I can really delve into what my summer has turned into ha.

I have been tackling several different projects or hobbies or creative endeavors this past month, some more interesting than others, but the key here is "several."

Here is a lovely list to start off with what I've been doing or plan to be doing.

the dictionary challenge
six-word-stories
a mini art book
re-writing "an easton year"
and possibly doing camp nanowrimo.

1st: The dictionary challenge is coming along. although without a computers, there is nothing much to show for it, only my solid, honest to good word. Sorry. July is approaching fast and I will try to post up cool images! I have so far completed five words. Woo!

2nd: Six-Word-Stories, now this is a fun project I magically came across through tumblr and I am very glad to have come across. It is a project where I will try to come up with a six-word story everyday. Just one a day. I think it will be an interesting form of writing for me, a bit more challenging as it is limited to only six words. But as Ernest Hemingway said, he wrote his best stories in six words. And the progress from this is I am on Day 4.

3rd: I started a small mini art book where its just a lot of "experimenting" and "playing around" with paint basically. Its a small book, and I've filled out quite a few pages and when I get access to that real computer I keep talking about, I can have the pictures to prove it xD

4th: Re-writing "An Easton Year" has been a strange and slow process. Its very, very slow. I've mostly been re-working the plot and focusing on Danielle as a main character. The way I left her in November during NaNoWriMo was a bit of a cliched perfectionist with a bit of a cold shoulder, but I've been focusing on making her more likable. And of course the notable Easton family who may have been too mysterious. So those are in the works.

5th: Camp NaNoWriMo! Oh how I've been waiting for this. I wasn't sure about joining it, but I feel I can give it a try because I came up with this new idea, and you'll never believe how, in a dream, yeah. I know. A dream. Its kind of a stupid way, but this stupid and cliched way has led me to an interesting development and I want to use it for Camp NaNo.

I was trying to stay away from writing another romance novel, but this one was just too good, and Camp NaNo is new, so I decided to do it anyways lol.

So the idea is a girl whom I've dubbed Emily, finds herself, involuntarily, going back to London, a city where she hasn't been in and refused going to for many years because she left the city in love and vowed to keep that lovely memory alive. But when she returns, she is confronted with her past. So I have this past/present idea that will happen, where it will showcase Emily as she is now, and how she was when she first came to London and the love she found there. And eventually she will have to confront both of them head on as they will overlap each other in this basic reality punch in the face. Its still a little rough, and my explaining on here is a bit choppy, but I think once July hits, I can get the ball rolling and see where Emily and her nameless companions for now can go. Can't wait!

-Tina

Do I Detect Writing?

Okay! So after a reading spree the past few days and nervously approaching my 2010 Nanowrimo Novel after many, many, months of letting it sit on my iPad writing nook, I have finally reread through it!

I am quite relieved to find that I don't entirely hate it as much as I said I hated it ha. It's still cringe worthy in many places, but I think I can now tackle trying to rewrite it. Although it's not finished, I think rewriting it as if a second draft will do the story a much needed makeover. Picking up where I left off feels weird, so back to page one! Or shall I say word one :)

So here are a couple of my to-do-lists this week
(because there is always good when it comes to lists)

An Easton Year, Re-write list
-rework characters (Danielle and the Easton Family)
-change opening
-Sadly kick off Freddy the butler to my character file(he didn't quite fit here)
-tweak plot, needs more "substance"
-study Cambridge, Massachusetts

Book Reading List
-Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen (On Page 38!)

Technical Difficulties? And a New Challenge

So I have lots of things I did that I considered "creative" in the last week, but my mom had recently gone out of the country and took the laptop that I was using with her. I used to have this lovely Toshiba Laptop named Charlie which lasted five years, but he had passed away in December. And I've been borrowing my mom's vaio for the past five months. But now I'm computer-less! All I have is my handy iPad, but I'm afraid it's limited to the types of posts I can load. Like no images of the creative strives and progresses I have made :(

So until about July, boring old text posts from me, talking about my creative adventures. But it's something right?

But one of the projects I started last week was a long-term project called "The Dictionary Challenge" which is basically me taking one of my old webster's dictionaries and making, writing, or doing something creative with every word from A to Z. Its a project i randomly came upon one day looking up a word in my dictionary, and I noticed how uniform ig all looked and wanted to try and spice it up a bit ha. The first letter I'm working on right now is aardvark which I'm trying to learn how to draw a nice looking one. But if sometime in the next month I can find a real comp I can upload a pic of it.

Another little side project I have going on is bookbinding, which I'm slowly trying different techniques. And it's an exciting process and I'm very excited to be trying to learn to bind my own books. There is something very personal about them, and the fact that I can gave free range on how it looks and the types if pages I choose to go inside is very fun.

But all in all. A productive week which I can't show quite yet, but a satisfying one. I hope I can have some visuals soon! Because I have a few photos from my San Diego adventure this memorial dY weekend which I'd like to post up.

The lack of a real computer can start to creep up on you, and sometimes I don't realize the effect technology has on me, only when it leaves haha. Hopefully not permanently though. I should get a Mac computer in august, so yes!

-Tina

Edit: Here is a link to a site for the dictionary challenge I started.
---cleeeek here---