Ink & Prose

Working with Kids

2013-10-01T18:43:00.001-07:00

You get snot wiped on you

You are constantly asked how old you are and what you're favorite color is

"Do you have any...?" is the first thing they say to you when they enter the library

They will try their hardest to never leave the computer station

You have to constantly tell them to turn the sound off

"Can you help me?" means "Can you do it for me?"

They don't understand the concept of "just one"

They steal all your pencils

And when they say, "Read it again!" or "You have the best books" you forgive all their pestering, but you could really do without the snot

The Librarian Life

2013-09-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

When I first started working at a school, I was really anxious about how I would handle having to juggle so many tasks. I am the only person that works in the library. There is something daunting about being the only librarian and something wonderful about having control over your own space. But it is indeed very overwhelming. There is always something to do.

But I love Mondays. They are my favorite because only a few classes come in so I have the most free hours of the week to get things done. The other days, classes come back to back and I am not doing much more than reading to students, helping them find books, and checking them out.

I thought I'd share this rather productive day because I know when I was starting out as a librarian I went searching for posts about library routines. This is what my Monday was like today:

8:30-Turn on the library computers and set up tables and their displays. I open up my email and correspond with other staff about current issues. I also help out two parents looking for books for their kids.

9-A kindergarten class comes in. I do story time and then let them browse through the books on the tables.

9:30-Answer more emails (they never seem to end). I also make copies and then make deliveries for teachers and staff requesting things from the library.

10:20-I shelve books and pull some nonfiction ones from the shelves, knowing that my next class has a need for nonfiction books.

10:40-More time with my emails!

11-A 4th grade class comes in and I help them out with checking out books and AR issues.

11:50-Lunch!

12:20-I get through some more emails and then work on delivering student workbooks to classrooms.

1-I start pulling books for Hispanic Heritage Month. I also have students come in on their lunch and I help them find books and chat with them about random things. If you work with children life tends to be like one of those at&t commercials.

2:30-A 6th grade classroom comes in and they are brilliant. They were rascals last week but have turned it around and work quietly.

3-I start cleaning up, organizing for tomorrow. I make a list of things I need to do, which includes finishing the Hispanic Heritage book display I'm going to present next week. I also have new books that have just come in that need to be labeled.

3:15-But everything can wait because I get to go home and work on my home-to-do list.

And that's my library day.

In Which I Collapse

2013-09-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

I started a new job in the beginning of August as an elementary librarian. I began just a few days before school started and was so overwhelmed. Keeping up with books for over 700 students is kind of hard! Thinks of all those textbooks! Thinks of my poor arms!

Anyway, I survived. I have collapsed into a heap of exhaustion and am so thankful for this long weekend, but I'm also really excited to get back to work. There's really nothing better than seeing a kid excited over reading.

I read We Are in a Book by Mo Willems this past week and had a blast, although I'm sure half the students were laughing at me. A thing I realized about reading out loud is that you can't be afraid to look ridiculous. However, no matter how good I read it, I don't think it beats the video below. I'll leave you with this wonderful adaptation:

Whoa Summer!

2013-08-01T13:57:00.002-07:00

This summer has been crazy! There was comic con; reorganizing 50,000 books in the library (still doing that); birthdays (I come from a family full of summer birthdays that it feels like there is a party every week); and a dash of writing thrown into the mix.

August has officially arrived and there are still things I'm looking forward to doing this summer, which include: making homemade pasta, going to the zoo, visiting a museum, and having a picnic in the park. And of course, there is that one minor thing of finishing that darn novel!

Hope the rest of you are having a lovely summer. Stay cool!

That novel I've been trying to write...

2013-06-28T13:28:00.002-07:00

...it's at 57,334 words. I've rewritten this novel several times over the past five years but I finally like these words enough that I think I'm going to keep them. I'm really hoping it doesn't take another five years to finish.

Also, I really want dippin' dots.

That's all.

What are men compared to rocks and mountains?

2013-06-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a wonderful time that was! It was only a few days ago. But now...now I can't breathe through my nose. My head feels like it's in a fishbowl. And my stomach's so sore from coughing all night.

I guess I have these pictures to remind me that there is life outside my dark, kleenex-infested room. How do you spend your sick days? I'm marathoning Firefly on netflix and I'm also reading The False Prince. At least this day is turning out to be a little entertaining. Hopefully tomorrow I wake up feeling better than today!

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

2013-05-30T09:02:00.001-07:00

I've been working on a WIP on and off for years. There is a certain part of the novel where I always quit and move on to something else. It's the part where all the doubt and insecurities start flooding in but for the first time I've pushed past that and have continued writing.

I've realized this is kind of the best feeling in the world--moving on when you think you can't.

Things I'm Thinking

2013-05-22T14:52:00.001-07:00

I'm not afraid of going after my dreams. My ambitions are high but I usually think that if I work hard enough I can achieve them. But sometimes dreams require a bit of luck or the right timing. Sometimes no matter how hard you work on a dream it won't come true, at least not yet...the circumstance aren't quiet right. And then of course you get depressed and listen to this over and over:

But here's the thing: not all dreams will come true but you should try to follow them anyway because you don't go after a dream that's only worth it because of the end. You go after a dream where the trying makes you happy.

Plus, you never know. Sometimes dreams fail...and sometimes dreams fail just for now.

Spring Days!

2013-05-15T12:54:00.001-07:00

These past weeks have been all about warm weather, good food, farmers' markets, walks with the dog, and enjoying it all with family and friends. How is your spring going?

Time

2013-05-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

I've been silent on the blog lately. It wasn't intentional. This past month has been crazy and confusing. I'm in a strange period of transition where I'm a recent grad who is trying to figure out their next move and finding myself floundering. This past month I've been in a rush to figure everything out...to feel settled.

And I've realized that I have time.

That I'm the one creating all these deadlines for myself and I don't need to be doing that. I don't have to have everything figured out. It's a little scary to not know where I'm going to be a month from now but I'm trying to get more comfortable with the idea of letting my life happen at the pace it needs to and stop rushing things.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like this, especially as the end of the school year approaches. I think a lot of people will feel pressured to make decisions about where to go next, what jobs to apply for, or which one to take. And heck, you might be like me where there are very few job opportunities in your field of study and you feel lost about where even your next step should be.

For me, like I said, I'm giving myself time...time to explore. Often, if you give yourself time to look, you'll find you have more options than you thought...more choices than you could have imagined and that you are capable of more than you expected.

How to Rewrite a Novel: Day 49

2013-03-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger. Reason for this is because I've been a good writer.

I'm sure some people can handle balancing the Internet and writing but I'm not one of those people, so I cut out the Internet more to focus on getting words down on paper. I also find it hard to blog about my writing. Basically my writing goes like this:

Sit in a chair

Stare at the computer screen

Think

Think some more

Finally write a few words

Stop to think some more

Write again

And so on...

This part of writing isn't glamorous. It's more a test of endurance.

My goal for this upcoming week is to get to the half way point in the novel. We'll see how that goes, but for today I'm using the Easter holiday for a break to rejuvenate my writing mojo by stuffing myself with ham.

Hope you all have a Happy Sunday!

How to Rewrite a Novel: Day 20

2013-03-02T20:03:00.001-08:00

I've written 9,860 words.

Something I'm noticing about my writing is that I tend to do it in layers.

First layer write out the scene in its essential bones.

Second layer add descriptions.

Third layer pay attention to character dynamics.

Even after I've gone through a scene three times I still feel unsatisfied, knowing there is still more work to be done. But I'm not restless anymore so I can move on to the next scene. Plus, I tell myself, when I finally get back to that scene when I've finished the novel I can look on it with fresher eyes.

I should get back to writing and try to break 10K but I'm currently going through writer's block.

This where I'm stuck: “Rose,” Adelio breathed. She narrowed her eyes. He added, “

I have no idea what he says next. So, I'm just going to go chill in front of the TV and hope my brain will work something out eventually.

How to Rewrite a Novel: Day 10

2013-02-20T11:37:00.003-08:00

Step 4: Write a new draft

I'm finally doing the rewriting. I have also always been curious when people say they did a rewrite what that means in terms of how the novel changed. So, I thought I'd show you the first 200 words of the old edition and the current edition in case you've ever had the same curiosity.

Old:

I should start out saying there once was a ten page prologue. But in the words of a reader (my grandpa and I'm not sure how he ever got a hold of this novel) when he read the prologue: "Who cares?"

Yeah, so that got cut. It wasn't necessary. Well the information was very important but I could be more creative and imaginative in delivering that information than just putting it in a boring prologue. Instead of showing you the old prologue I'm going to show you the real first chapter.

Time moved, and to Alexander, time moved steadily and without climax. The only major eventful day in his life had happened thirteen years ago when he spent his first night in the decrepit cottage. Before then, his memory was hazy at best, and after that, the only thing that made his days worth remembering with any fondness was his sister, Sofia. She knew how to make things interesting, he’d give her that. As he was going on with his routinely day of fixing something else that had gone wrong or broken down in the cottage, he knew that little imp was up to something.

This morning he was fixing the old window in the kitchen that had been broken, and he wanted to fix the window and its broken shutter before the, hopefully, coming spring rains set in. He had been concentrating on the job but also paid attention to Sofia by listening to her playing with the cat in the yard just outside the kitchen window. But now he realized it had been sometime since he heard her coo to the cat or make some sequel of delight as she usually did when she was playing with it. He stopped focusing on fixing the window and looked outside to the yard and confirmed his suspicion—she was gone.

Current:

As Adelio tightened the screw in the hinge, he added another day to what felt like a sentence in prison.

4,488.

Or just over twelve years.

“Well, it could be worse,” he muttered to the empty stone kitchen. “It could be thirteen years.” The moment he finished saying those words, his body went limp. His heart stopped, making him suck in a breath. The screwdriver hung at the tips of his fingers, and he felt it slipping, making him move again as he hardened his grip on the handle.

He closed his eyes and sent a quick prayer that it wouldn’t get that far.

Couldn’t get that far.

A breeze shifted through the window, carrying the scent of Fis—cayenne and cinnamon. It burned Adelio’s tongue, letting him know today was market day. The thought relaxed him, and he released a breath and opened his eyes. He wiped the sweat off his brow and brought the screwdriver back up to the window.

This was how he spent most of his days—repairing the old home. Yesterday it was the broken tiles in the entrance hall. Today it was the window in the kitchen with broken shutters. And tomorrow, he was sure, there would be something new to fix.

The names, setting, and voice are different. The mood and atmosphere have changed but the essential plot has stayed. A boy in a place he doesn't want to be.

All right, back to the rewrite.

Happy writing!

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

2013-02-19T18:21:00.000-08:00

Some books you love for the plot. Others for the characters. But this one, I loved for the world.

This little summary holds everything I love: "In a world where dragons and humans coexist in an uneasy truce and dragons can assume human form, Seraphina, whose mother died giving birth to her, grapples with her own identity amid magical secrets and royal scandals, while she struggles to accept and develop her musical talents."

1. Unconventional relationships
Humans and dragons getting along...oh that sounds delicious and it is. All that yummy tension and conflict!

2. A girl with a dead mother
You know there are family problems and who doesn't like dramatic families?!

3. Magical secrets and royal scandals
The setting of a magical world where we get up close with royalty drew me in and I loved that we got to see it through Seraphina's eyes who was exceedingly likeable.

This is one of those stories that you sink into. The atmosphere of the world surrounds you and you feel like you are right there with Seraphina discovering her world along with her.

How to Rewrite a Novel: Day 5

2013-02-15T11:47:00.002-08:00

Step 3: Create a map

This is a very bad map. And it's supposed to be. It's a quick sketch with the minimum info because a big part of the story is how the land is formed...hence the name The Geography of Rebellion. Geography matters to this story and I'm not sure of exactly how my characters will be interacting with the world around them until I actually write the story so I made a map I can fill in as I go.

So far I have my research, my outlines, and my map.

I feel prepared to dive into this story.

Right now I'm excited. But that always goes away after awhile as I have to battle for every word and the end seems so very far.

Let's see how long that hopelessness feeling takes to come.

How to Rewrite a Novel: Day 3

2013-02-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

Step 2: Make an outline for both story and world

Outlining is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. It's a period where I get to do a lot of brainstorming. For this story I outlined by order of major scenes and by making folders for them in scrivener.

I also have a small one sentence synopsis attached to each scene. This is a skeletal outline and most times that I do story outlines I don't need more than this to help guide me through the story. This is because I think about a story for at least year before I ever write and within that time I get to know my characters and plot really well that I don't need an outline to tell me what happens. I just need it to keep me organized and provide structure.

The other outline I do is the world building outline. I get guidance from these world building questions: http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/. I don't answer every single one because some are repetitive and others are not applicable but it's a great way to get me brainstorming. For instance there is a question about how people greet each other and a scene popped into my head in which a gesture could cause some conflict. Answering the questions is also a great way to help me get a sense of place so I know how to ground my characters.

I don't like to know every single thing about my world, just enough for me to feel like it's real and then I can make up the rest as I write. And also to make a map. Yes, in fantasy writing that is a step in the process. And I will go through that process next time.

How to Rewrite a Novel: Day 1

2013-02-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

I finished a novel.

Fantastic, right? But now it'll go off to readers and then it will go through queryland and rejectionville. I'm going to need another story to preoccupy the mind and I thought I'd do a series of posts showing my whole process of rewriting that one novel I can't just seem to let go off.

I wrote this novel over three years ago. It was bad...really bad. And since then I keep trying to rewrite it but I can never finish it.

This time I'm starting clean. I'm going back to scratch. Doing an outline. Creating a world. Starting at 0 word count.

No more excuses.

I love this story more than I can say and it needs to be written down. I need to write it down...or else I'll be thinking about it for another three years and back here complaining about how I want to rewrite it.

So here it is:

Step 1

Collect all ideas for this novel and put it in one document and then organize these thoughts.

This is not an outline. That comes next. An outline is about the sequence of story but this collection of ideas can be about anything that has to deal with the story, such as a collection of pictures for inspiration, scenes I know I want in the story, information about the world from food to clothing, and so on.

I opened scrivener and put all this information under the research tab. And now I've got something to work with and I can begin outlining.

Info--Basic things about my main characters, the setting, and the plot

Clothing--A collection of pictures I'm using for inspiration in creating the fashion for my characters

The Geography of Rebellion--The 09 edition of this novel also known simply as TGOR. I'm keeping the basic plot in the rewrite so I'll be using it as a reference to help guide me. There are also scenes in this edition that I really want to keep

Future--This is the information about my characters' future lives after the planned ending of this novel

Revisions--My ideas for improving on that 09 edition

Spanish influence--Information about Spain and Spanish influenced countries that I will use when creating the fantasy world of this novel

Food--The yummy food my characters will eat

Sentences--A list of sentences my characters will say; I just don't know when they will say it

Other POVs--Possible other point of views I can write from

Blurb--A quick summary of the novel

World building--This is where I will outline the world in which my characters inhabit

And that's it for step 1. I think I deserve a reward for organizing all that. Reading time!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

2013-02-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

Is there a reason you haven't read this series by Beth Revis?

Get yourself to a bookstore or library and pick up the first book, Across the Universe. Take yourself on a wonderful sci-fi adventure.

Actually, it's not all that wonderful.

There's a lot death and destruction in these books. But in the best way possible.

All right. The characters suck. Amy and Elder are annoying. You want to slap them half the time. But it says something that I love this series despite not liking the protagonists. And that might even be part of the appeal--how many flaws they have.

This last book in the series was great in terms of plot and the world building. I loved that I got to see a whole new world...a new world I would never have visited if it weren't for Beth. So thanks for that.

This story was also great in making me afraid for the characters. I got so nervous every time I turned a page, not sure what Beth was going to do to them. This nervousness even invaded my sleep. This book woke me up at 3AM as my mind couldn't stop dreaming about it and I stayed up reading for the rest of the night/morning/whatever.

So thanks, Beth for the lack of sleep that night.

Anyway, it was worth it. This series was one of the best and I'm looking forward to whatever more books Beth conjures up.

Anticipating this Month

2013-02-06T20:54:00.000-08:00

1. My sister's visit next week

2. Reading Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (I've been hearing really yummy things about it)

3. Making a crepe cake

4. Watching North and South miniseries to celebrate the day of love

5. Finishing my WIP

6. Starting a new WIP

7. Sunny and warm weather

8. The See's Candies I receive every year around this time

9. Organizing my closet (organizing things make me very happy)

10. Learning something new (it might be about viking swords)

What are you anticipating?

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

2013-01-31T15:39:00.000-08:00

"Sixteen-year-old Ruby breaks out of a government run 'rehabilitation camp' for teens who acquired dangerous powers after surviving a virus that wiped out most of America's children."

This book was so good and I so very badly want the sequel. Some of my favorite things about this novel were:

-The Road Trips
They reminded of my days in Virginia, exploring the state with my family when we lived there for two years, and how now we explore California in my mom's minivan.

-Subtle and Slow Romance
I like it when relationships take time to develop. I appreciate all the complicated things that go into strangers going to friends and friends going to something more.

-Rich Character Development
I felt like I really knew Ruby and her friends. They were quirky and complex individuals. These characters weren't replaceable and if you took anyone of them out, then this story would have all turned out differently.

-Action and Grit
The pacing was spot on. There was always a new challenge a character had to face or a truth that had to be revealed. It kept me tearing through the pages and when I got to the ending I felt out of breath.

If those are some of your favorite things too, then I suggest you give it a read.

Pretty

2013-01-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging much due to many things happening personally in my life and also because I've just printed out my manuscript and I'm slashing at it with a red pen. I'm going to try to make an effort to blog more, especially my writing process and reviewing books. We'll see how I do. But for now, I thought I'd just give you something pretty to watch:

The Many Faces Of Reading My Work

2013-01-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

I'm currently reading over a completed manuscript and polishing it up and taking notes for possible future revisions. Reading over my work has caused a lot of emotions to churn inside me. Sometimes I'm delighted by what I write. Other times I'm confused or scared by my writing. Here are the many faces that one might expect to have when reading one of my drafts (critique partners, be prepared!):

All right, I've got my sights set on you, novel!

Oh, crap, this isn't starting off the way I want it to!

How can it get worse?!

Whoa! Did I write that?!

Haha! I'm kind of genius!

It's all coming together. I can finally see it!

What? Was I drinking when I wrote that?!

No! Word vomit everywhere!

Ah, what a cute moment I wrote!

Kiss my lovelies. Kiss!

Why haven't you kissed yet?

Oh, I see what I'm doing here! Great tension, Nicole!

Not a bad draft. Not bad at all!

No Kiss Blogfest

2013-01-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

It's the No Kiss Blogfest!

I'm going to post an almost kiss from one of my stories and I've also added a really short clip of an almost kiss scene from one of my favorite stories, Northanger Abbey. I'm looking forward to see what everyone else posts!

“What are you doing?” she asks as I continue to get closer, my fingers tracing the dots of her freckles together, making odd shapes.

“Touching you,” I breathe out as a wind sweeps through, tossing her hair. I catch a strand between my fingers and wrap it around in a curl, feeling the softness of it like silk. In a delicate gesture, I place the lone strand behind her ear and take another step closer to her. Happy that this time she doesn’t take a step back.

When we are sharing the same air, our breath mixing together, and my lips are an inch from finding hers, a pain stirs in my palm.

It’s a sting with a growing life of its own. It pulsates and spreads up my arm like an excruciating disease. As my lips start to descend upon hers, the pain radiates throughout my body and Isabel gives a gasp of anguish like she too shares my agony.

She puts her hands on my chest, not to embrace me but to push me away. She’s too weak with her own pain to have enough force to drive me away and instead ends up falling on her knees. I’m too disoriented and weak to catch her.

I stumble back, trying to keep my balance. My breath is ragged and I try to steady it, along with the pumping of my heart. A layer of sweat covers my body and I endeavor not to faint at the pain. I stumble another step back from Isabel and my pain lifts just a little. With each retreating step the pain lessens until we are feet apart and I can finally breathe through the pain. I grasp my stomach and fall to my knees in exhaustion.

“What was that?” I gasp out as I continue to take deep breaths.

2013

2013-01-01T12:08:00.001-08:00

I made some resolutions.

I fully intend to keep them. I swear.

The first is to write Monday through Friday. I'm trying to get my weekdays into a routine this year so I can get in the habit of writing more often. I let myself get distracted too much so I set up a schedule hoping it will motivate me to get my butt in the chair. I also don't want to write on the weekends since I want to preserve that time for family and friends and do things that will inspire me to keep writing.

I've already started writing today. I got my playlist on and I'm revising a chapter:

I just got The Last of the Mohicans soundtrack from the library so I can now stop listening to The Kiss on YouTube. That song has been putting me in the mood for this novel. When I play it, this montage of the characters go through my head.

Another goal is to read 50 books and I'm going to try to review a lot more on this blog. I didn't read enough last year and I blame that on going full-time with my graduate program. Everything I was reading was research based so I'm looking forward to reading more novels this year.

What are your goals for the year?

Side note: The No Kiss Blogfest is tomorrow. I'll be participating and you should too. It'll be a day of almost kisses which are always some of my favorite moments in stories.

2012

2012-12-31T21:49:00.000-08:00

Dear 2012,

You were kind of a B.

I mean surgery, medical bills, school stress, moving across country, a funeral, and writing struggles.

I ain't gonna miss you all that much.

All right. You had your good moments, such as moving back to my hometown, going to comic-con, reading great books, and getting up to antics with the family.

There were high and lows but I'm hoping 2013 is nicer to me. For starters, I'd like to not end up in a hospital. I'd also like to write more and produce something I can really be proud of.

But we'll see how things go. I'm sure next year will have its own ups and downs.

That is life.

It's messy and brutal and occasionally kind. I'm hoping I can focus more on the kindness than I did in 2012. I can already breathe easier knowing this year is over, that there is a new beginning and anything could happen.

2012, like I said, you were a B, but you made me stronger and I feel more prepared than ever. Peace out.

Your no longer slave,

Nicole