Vampified

THE FICTION FERVOR PART 3: Cinder

2012-02-13T04:35:00.000-06:00

Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Series #1)

Author: by Marissa Meyer

Website: http://marissameyer.livejournal.com/

Where you can read a long excerpt: http://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage_New.aspx?isbn=9781466805880

Why it's cool: It's Cinderella meets Cyborg (like a Terminator). And that's something different these days! (I'm reading it now.)

My favorite Nook “free preview” quote: “THE SCREW THROUGH CINDER’S ANKLE HAD RUSTED, THE engraved cross marks worn to a mangled circle. Her knuckles ached from forcing the screwdriver into the joint as she struggled to loosen the screw one gritting twist after another. By the time it was extracted far enough for her to wrench free.”

Synopsis (from Barnes & Noble): "Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future."

Dear Diary: I'll Take Both Brothers

2012-02-11T00:00:00.001-06:00

I have a confession to make. When I read LJ Smith's Vampire Diares books, I was bored to death.

I felt like it had way too much dull filler, sort of like all those months Bella spent whining over Edward being gone. I'd skim while my mind went, "Blah blah blah blah".

After watching it on Netflix, I finally found the one time I don't feel as if the book is better than the show or film.

And once I finished the two Netflix seasons, I've been parked on the couch every Thursday to see when Damon would finally bust a move.

The Vampire Diaries is much more than its paper counterpart -- and moves much quicker. For those who haven't watched recently, things between Elena and the brothers are heating up and turning into a real love triangle.

For those who haven't ever watched, know this show doesn't have just vampires -- but werewolves, werewolf-vampire hybrids and witches. (That may make or break the appeal for you, as some of the vampire fans I've spoken to lately said they crave just a vampire story with no extraneous creatures).

And after a long week at work, and it snowing on the way home, I squealed in delight at the three star (above) on the EW cover ( 3 of 3) -- and I don't think I need to explain why.

Or maybe I do.

My new theory about bestselling novels and CW-type shows boils down to one simple element. More so than vampires or magic, it's about millennials' and teenagers' fantasies about men.

Instead of pining away for one prince charming that will come sweep you off your feet, we know dream of two men, equally hot, vying for you.

One is the kind of man you marry. Sweet, devoted, good-natured, loyal to a fault. He makes your heart swell slowly and almost overflow with a deep, steady love. He has high walls to climb, but if he falls, it's deep.

The other is dark and dangerous. A look or touch makes your cheeks burn. Your heart clogs your throat, then is pitched into your stomach or slams against your ribs. You know he's kissed a lot of girls before, and you have to work to stand out.

Sure, Jacob and Edward . . . but it's even hotter when the men are brothers -- like Stefan and Damon or Sam and Dean Winchester (CW's Supernatural).

And as stated by Kevin Williamson and the cast of Vampire Diaries, love triangles like these only drive the fans wild. According to the article, the kiss between Damon and his brother's (former) girl (and supposedly Iam Somerhalder's real-life, but unconfirmed girl) was the #1 worldwide Twitter trend within 10 minutes of the Jan. 5th kiss. EW also revealed some other interesting tidbits:

Now that Stefan and Damon have switched roles as bad guy, all Face-Off style, some Team Damon ladies are jumping ship and loving the new Big Bad.
The show's writers have been written and tweeted death threats because fans didn't like the plot turns.
Dr. Meredith Fell, played by Torrey DeVitto, is Paul Wesley's (Stefan) real-life wife.
"Shippers" is slang. They are fans who hope/root for two fictional characters to get together (novels, movies, TV, etc.). Sometimes they also want this turn into the real thing.

What are you shipping for? And how do you feel about the "pining for two" trend?

The Fiction Fervor Part 2: The Girl in the Steel Corset

2012-02-10T12:25:00.000-06:00

Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles Series)

Author: by Kady Cross

Website: http://www.kadycross.com/

Synopsis: (from Barnes & Noble) In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her. When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help—and finally be a part of something, finally fit in. But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on—even if it seems no one believes her.

Warning: A prequel is out called “The Strange Case of Finley Jane” about this main character. You may want to read that first.

Why it seems cool: She’s a badass and she’s got something evil or powerful inside her. So far, it’s like what would happen if you made Buffy into the maid/Cinderella.

My favorite Nook “free preview” quote: “The warm rush of familiar power brought a slight smile to her battered lips. She gave up all attempts to keep it reined in. It was the only way she’d survive this night with her virtue and bones intact. It was as though she was watching herself from a perch on the ceiling—all she could do was observe as her other self took over.”

Reviews: Try Goodreads. There are some bad reviews, but I think the people who disliked it don’t get steampunk and wanted a glittery boy to love her forever and ever and have everything work out O.K.

Buy: Nook, Kindle or online in print.

The Fiction Fervor Part I: Delirium

2012-02-07T13:29:00.001-06:00

Title: Delirium

Author: Lauren Oliver

Website: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/delirium.php

Synopsis: (from www.laurenoliverbooks.com) Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen.

Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Why it seems cool: It’s Brave New World, Gattaca & Children of Men rolled into one.

My favorite Nook “free preview” quote: The character imagines her future husband’s “hands are cool and dry, and my heart is beating steadily in my chest—and in my dream I know it will always beat out that same rhythm, not skip or jump or swirl or go faster, just womp, womp, womp, until I’m dead. Safe, and free from pain.”

Reviews: Try Goodreads

Buy: The Special Edition, Regular Edition, Nook, Kindle

Breaking Dawn Seizes Audiences, So Seize the Styles

2011-12-12T00:29:00.002-06:00

I can't tell you how many people have asked me, "Did you hear that Breaking Dawn's giving people seizures?"

While this truly isn't funny, you have to admit there's a stand-up comedy routine in there somewhere about how the movie "seized" audiences.

I think it's the best in the Saga by far, just in cinematography alone, but I'm not sure how the 2nd part of BD is going to go or what content it will have.

A lot of the good stuff was in the first half, including little bits of subtle humor, the wedding, the honeymoon, the "death" of Bella during the birth of her baby, and Jacob's imprinting (which was done very well, considering it could've been very pedohilia-like).

My 5 favorite things about Breaking Dawn:

5. The wedding version of Iron & Wine's "Flightless Bird (American Mouth).

4. That it ended well and was pushing PG13 as much as possible without being obvious about it.

3. Bella's vampire look/make-up. The eye make-up was killer (no pun intended).

2. That the first scene was Jacob taking his shirt off. It was pandering, but I loved it.

1. Bella's life flashing before her eyes / Saga montage and inside her body as it dies and awakens.

Speaking of arising from the dead (because you know Summit was potentially f---ing things up by switching directors every 10 seconds), I think that there might be a reawakening of Twilight-themed gifts, parties, fashion, etc.

In fact, though it was sold out for awhile, Target has Bella's purple comforter set back in (and on sale in time for Christmas), and Hostess with the Mostess, who I've blogged about before, has Breaking Dawn quotes (above) made up to go along with the other Twilight printables, parties and wedding ideas (above) from past postings and the other three movies.

People who bought original items, like Bella's birthday dress, etc. are being scheming jerks and doubling the price before they re-sell it. My advice? Get a knock-off.

Example: rather than paying $20 - $40 for the cheapest version of Bella's engagement ring by the company (see below) that does the expensive one, or waiting for the sold out (and $28) Hot Topic version, (see below) go shop online at places like Forever 21. They have rhinestone rings for under $5 (and recently just had an extra 30% sale). It's close enough. And in 10 years, will it matter if you got te real deal or a $4 knock-off?

Here are some F21 examples:

Stretchy Filigree Rhinestones Ring, $2.66

Rhinestone Knuckle Ring, $4.06

Estate Diamond Ring, $4.06

P.S. This is the $40 version (there are $2k and $3k ones, too), and the Hot Topic one. If you're looking for something fancier, there are a lot of "Bella-inspired" rings in the $70 range at Amazon and Overstock. Happy hunting, Twihards, if there are many of you left out there!

'Tis the Season for Vamps

2011-11-25T17:36:00.004-06:00

It seems that winter 'tis the season for our favorite vampires to emerge. These might be in a returning series, revamped roles -- or roles we're not used to seeing them in at all.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 released last week (though, in my opinion, Summit f---ed up by screwing around and changing directors every movie).

However, there's much, much more to satiate your hunger for vamps and former vampire show/movie stars between now and January.

In EW this week, I saw that Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire) was given props for being in a great movie that was released on iTunes and Amazon this week -- the same time it was hitting theaters. The premise surounds Dunst's wedding day, which also happens to be the day the earth will collide with a rogue planet. The person who didn't get props was Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood), who plays Dunst's groom.

Also, on the TV front, American Dad! featured an episode called Virtual In-Stanity, and it's suggested that Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan are competing for Steve's V-card. EW published a still that suggested the former Buffy stars were playing their old characters . . . Well, their characters before Hannigan became a lesbian.

The two things I'm most excited about, however, are Vampire Diaries and the new Underworld. As much as I love vampires, and books, I hated reading the Vampire Diaries. It was juvenile and torturous and boring. But the sexual tension / will-they-or-won't-they? between real-life couple Nina Dobrev (Elena) and Ian Somerhalder (Damon) is getting pretty damn hot. If this continues to be a 22-episode season, the other 13 episodes should start on Thursday, January 5, 2012 on the CW at 8pm EST. (What's with the split seasons on these shows?)

Number one on my list is to see the new Underworld film, Underworld: Awakening. The premise seems to be that Selene was held captive by humans for 12 years -- humans also hunting vampires, lycans and hybrids (which suggests more were made after Michael). Sadly, there's no Scott Speedman, but according to an interview with Collider.com, "While Scott Speedman isn’t back for this film, his character plays a role in Awakening, and the idea is that Speedman would return for Underworld 5."

Here's the official preview:

Celestial Mechanics, A Sonnet By Melissa Tyndall

2011-10-07T08:32:00.000-05:00

Note: This was a poem that began after my husband and I watched two movies.

One about the apocalypse (sort of) and one manga movie about zombies. Both

just happened to quote TS Eliot's The Hollow Men. From there, I took on a prompt

to reverse the meaning of an already established poem. That exercise produced this.

Celestial Mechanics

Don’t write us as a comet,

its coma laden with dust

and ice. Don’t write a sonnet

about its white tail-end thrust

against the skyline. We’re not

a stellar comma, or rest,

but a full stop. Not the dot,

dot, dot of heartbeat in chest,

ellipses on Orion’s

belt, or an orbiting rock’s

return. We’re static ions,

colon on our bedside clock,

nebular burnout – so don’t.

I won’t write it if you won’t.

Shining, Happy Vampires

2011-10-04T13:59:00.001-05:00

Recently I wrote about Stephen King's book on writing and that I was in the midst of reading Salem's Lot.

I only have about 100 pages to go in the lot, but I am really enjoying the more traditional vampire story (versus the "OMG, I-love-him-so-much" story).

It's really based more on the Dracula myth that other stories. However, for those who aren't big into 481-pagers like Salem's Lot (that's even on my Nook), there are graphic novels that focus on the mean, ugly vampires.

One that King assisted with is American Vampire.

The vamps in this one have long, claw-like fingers/fingernails and almost unhinged jaws with elongated fangs -- more like a snake than the vampires we're used to these days (and more like the previews for Fright Night than an Edward or Bill Compton).

Stephen King has also announced that he's almost finished writing a sequel to The Shining, called Dr. Sleep. According to EW.com, King "read an excerpt at George Mason University last weekend. It appears the sequel follows a grownup Danny Torrance, a hospice worker who helps patients die painlessly. He comes into contact with a clan of roving, psychic vampires called The Tribe".

If you want to see the excerpt, look no further!

The Definition Poem / Ode to a Common Thing

2011-10-03T13:30:00.000-05:00

As some of you know, I've been going to Nashville Poetry Workshop (that Zach began) for a few months now. This week, we're doing a definition/ode to a common thing assignment. Feel free to do one as well!

This article was suggested to me as a good precursor to this assignment:

The definition poem, when looked up online, has a pretty elementary format that's pretty lame in some cases (like this one: http://www.k12handhelds.com/data/samples/poetry/poetry_book.html), but I think one of the best ones I've seen (a former prof of mine's work) is called A Definition of Terms (below).

Also, what came up in a discussion with a poet friend about Pablo Neruda's poems (specifically the Odes to Common Things and Odes to Opposites) is that he's really got an attitude about these poems -- which are more like anti-definition poems. He might "say" in the title that these things are plain and ordinary (Common Things), but in his ode to the cat, the cat is majestic.

I've brought the Ode to Sadness to the group before, which is a great example. As my colleague who suggested this assignment stated, Neruda's "writing against his subject matter, which is the point. But calling it an "ode" does something to our lens. We see how necessary sadness is to him, even as he seems to be reviling against it. So, pick some large emotion or state of being and write an ode to it in which you get nasty mean, but not to the point of temper-tantrum. Stick to catalogs of images, etc." In Sadness, he's basically cursing sadness out.

Just food for thought. Here are the poems that I will bring to group on Sunday:
_________________________________________________

A Definition of Terms
By Blas Falconer
1. Cruise, as in, I didn’t plan to cruise anyone, a verb, slang, to seek a trick, usually at night; no connection to Tom Cruise, beloved actor and movie star. 2. Trick: a noun, slang, a.k.a. "good-love,"
"one-night stand"; a verb, to have sex

with someone of the same or opposite sex,
the number of which often accrues
with increased loneliness and lack of love.
That’s what we became, two potential tricks
that morning at the airport, costars
in some fantasy, the story of two

strangers, their flights delayed, waiting to
board their planes. You watched me. You: a sexy
Spaniard dressed in black, save the All-star
tennis shoes (nice touch). Bored, I watched planes cruise
the runway, drew the same geometric
shape in my book: circle, circle....but I love

the fear that comes with desire, and I love
to be desired, so though I thought, No, it’s too
early, not a chance, I’m too tired to trick,
and, Where the hell would we have sex
anyway, before long I was the one cruising
you, the idea of us, a fleck of light, a star

growing brighter. I walked past you, star-
ing at you with a smile, as if to say, I’d love
to get it on, passengers and flight crews
too busy fighting or sleeping or gabbing to
see what we were up to, see us talking sex
without talking. You followed me. We tricked

them all. An hour later, I’m alone. My plane tricks
the pull of gravity, taking me home, star-
ward, as the ground grows and grows. The sex
was great: a bathroom stall, a soft love-
grip, buckles, buttons, goodbye kiss, all too
fast to forget, tender to confuse. 1. To Cruise,

to seek comfort in a body. 2. Trick: the cruised,
the lonely, the starved; sex between strangers
who give and take this temporary love.

_________________________________________________

Ode to Sadness
By Pablo Neruda

Sadness, scarab
with seven crippled feet,
spiderweb egg,
scramble-brained rat,
bitch's skeleton:
No entry here.
Don't come in.
Go away.
Go back
south with your umbrella,
go back
north with your serpent's teeth.
A poet lives here.
No sadness may
cross this threshold.
Through these windows
comes the breath of the world,
fresh red roses,
flags embroidered with
the victories of the people.
No.
No entry.
Flap
your bat's wings,
I will trample the feathers
that fall from your mantle,
I will sweep the bits and pieces
of your carcass to
the four corners of the wind,
I will wring your neck,
I will stitch your eyelids shut,
I will sew your shroud,
sadness, and bury your rodent bones
beneath the springtime of an apple tree.

Hail to the King

2011-10-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

I was never really a Stephen King fan until recently.

After reading his book/memoir on writing, I assume that's mostly because the only two books I read of his (when I was younger) were the very ones he indicated he was too blitzed out of his mind to even remember writing them.

That, and I can admit I used to be a bit of an English snob. King wasn't literature.

However, parts of that book on writing really resonated with me.

Parts where he was too burned out from teaching to write or how he struggled with being a writer -- aka looked at this life and knew there was supposed to be more.

That's how I feel all the time.

Right now, I am about 100 pages from finishing Salem's Lot, which is nearly a 500-pager.

I love that it's an old-school vampire story, but also that the third-person, limited POV really allows him to write about a lot that he couldn't have written about from a first-person POV.

I am really considering going with a similar format to Salem's Lot and The Things They Carried with the set-up of Demon in Me, the book I'm working on. Both books seem to read like a book of short stories with a third-person limited narrator/POV.

I'll post some teasers as the book is written and polished!

The Trouble with Poetry

2011-09-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

Recently, I went to see Billy Collins at Vanderbilt. I paid for two Saturday sessions that I really felt I got a lot out of and inspired me to write some new poems.

Until then, here are a few gems we talked about:

The Trouble with Poetry by Billy Collins
8 Count by Charles Bukowski

From the Persona of Eve

2011-08-06T13:02:00.006-05:00

This week's assignment was to write a persona poem (try here and here to get schooled on the terminology). My favorite example is probably this one by Thomas James called Mummy of a Lady Named Jemutesonnekh XXI Dynasty.

I love this assignment and I've written a few.

One about/from the POV of James Dean called Matador Red that I wrote after reading a bio on Dean and published in The Red Mud Review.

One about a character from 100 Years of Solitude called Upon Facing the Firing Squad that was published in Number One.

I'm still working on the one about Robert Ford (In Response to Being Called Coward), and this one, but here's my working copy of one about Eve based on the theory I stumbled upon writing Demon in Me that Cain might actually be the serpent's son -- hence his evil actions.

It's called A Letter to Adam (On the Origins of Cain) and is in a form called a pantoum (Examples by my former professor here and Donald Justice here).

Enjoy!

A Letter to Adam

(On the Origins of Cain)

Forgive me. This is what I was made for:

A bite taken, the sweet juices bursting

from a low-hanging pome untried before.

A stolen kiss in the garden at first

a bite taken, the sweet juices bursting

between parted lips. I take it in.

A stolen kiss in the garden at first,

my hands rooted to the unscarred skin.

Between parted lips I take it in

From a low-hanging pome untried before,

my hands rooted to the unscarred skin.

Forgive me. This is what I was made for.

By Melissa Tyndall

Tools for Self-Publication

2011-07-28T11:59:00.004-05:00

People have asked me a lot of questions since I published Bleed You Dry.

You've written your book, but how do you take it from a Word document to a document that's fit for publishing to PubIt! or Kindle? You can't just copy and paste it in or PDF it because ereaders have a different format -- a different size screen than your normal, 8x10-ish sized computer document.

I learned the hard way when I pulled my book up on my Nook and the page breaks were all wonky. I needed a format -- a format on a HTML coding level.

Personally, I find it irritating to type in all the code required to format it, so I waited for Pages, a Mac application, to go on sale (it's $19.99, but Apple frequently has half-off sale). The site has a mini-tutorial on e-pub, or e-publishing and a basic template for e-books that you can type into -- or you can import your already-typed text into it.

For more templates, you can buy the app "Inspiration Set" -- which is also $19.99 unless you hit a sale. It has about five more templates.

Happy publishing, folks!

August Meads A lot

2011-07-26T00:24:00.004-05:00

My favorite vampire author right now, Richelle Mead's got a lot going on if you want to check it out:

1. A new Succubus/Georgina Kincaid (excerpt) book out on Aug. 30. It's the 6th in the series.

2. You can win a copy of Bloodlines, a spin-off of the VA series or get it on Aug. 23. Read an excerpt here.

3. VA graphic novel information is out here.

Two books out in a week of each other? Pretty damn good for a pregnant author, huh?

Self-Publish -- A Dirty Word

2011-07-25T03:17:00.003-05:00

It's almost as bad as the words on George Carlin's list : self-publish(ed).

Ask any English snob across the globe. The connotation of it is that you're some uneducated hack who goes around calling yourself "a writer", but your material wasn't up to snuff (enough for it to be published on its own merits). Poets assumed that your work was riddled with abstractions. Short story writers thought your punctuation horrible. Novelists placed bets that you changed from past to present tense every 22 pages.

Hell, even when I was a journalist, an editor once told me, "We don't interview people who are self-published. Anyone can do that." The higher-ups would've rather read a review about the sequel to Everyone Poops.

But like any bad word, the rules are starting to change. People are getting the attention of more followers, avoiding paying a publishing house and an editor, or are even forcing companies to get into bidding wars over them.

And I like the idea of a writer having publishers/agents/suitors, as my experience thus far has been that agents are lazy and they don't give a hoot about you or the time you took to send them your material.

Example: When reading one of the 672 a query/find an agent/get published books I have, it suggested to make a SASE-style postcard for the agent, so he or she could check a box (such as "Send first chapter" or "Not interested at this time" or "Send entire manuscript") and mail it. That way, you'd be more likely to get a response, and a fast one, from an agent. I put the boxes, their address, my address, and the stamp on it. Three out of three agents were too damn lazy to even write their names on the returned postcard!

When you get service like that, who can blame writers like Barry Eisler for turning down a $500k book advance to just self-publish?

Others are doing it, too (read this article), which might be a good idea. I mean, if the agent can't even take the time to sign his or her name, they're going to do a piss-poor job marketing your book and finding a publisher, right?

The market is changing. The language is changing. And people are asking about how I went about selling my book online, so I am thinking of giving a lesson on self-publishing.

Besides, dirty words have never bothered me.

Dear Sad Writer (Who Ain't Got No Job)

2011-07-22T22:30:00.006-05:00

The other day, my friend and former student, shared an article with me about self-publishing. The article was a piece from The New York Times about 25-year-old Amanda Hocking, who's earned about $2 million self-publishing and landed a contract for about the same amount with St. Martin's Press.

As EW posed in a backhanded way this week, why do so many copies sell of (self-published) books when readers complain about the writing or mistakes?

I'm not saying a writer has to pen the great American novel. If you want to write for a living, you have to give up all that English-snob b.s. about "staying true to the art". That means we all might know who you are when you're dead, but until then, you're going to be really freaking poor.

I want to sell books, but I honestly don't want to know these writers' "secrets" most of the time. A lot of these stories make me sick. Disgusted. So much so that my insular cortex hurts.

I am tired of success stories about people who had time to write because they went through a shitty break-up or didn't have a job. (How you can't have a job, I don't know. Maybe they're like Pip and have a damn Great Expectations-level benefactor.)

What's even more tiring and hackneyed is the brooding, self-loathing, ear-mangling artist.

When you're not two seconds from gift-wrapping your earlobe to a hooker, people say stupid things such as, "Oh. So you're a functioning writer."

The proof''s in The New York Times pudding, as Strawberry Saroyan wrote,". . . Hocking described what was, for someone who becomes a writer, a not-unfamiliar childhood. 'I was seriously depressed for most of my life,' she said. She channeled her feelings into fan fiction."

I know this song: Play that same, tiny violin. Then, use it to beat the dead horse. Repeat.

Am I a little jealous? Sure, I'll cop to that. It's the fairy tale situation for a self-published author, who then gets the best gig ever (and finally gets the attention of an agent and publisher).

But my point remains valid. Tell me about a real struggle you overcame -- like writing with no fingers. And for God's sake, can't one famous author do an interview and say his/her life has actually been pretty good?

I want to be inspired, and I am inspired, by stories like Dennis Lehane's. He's famous because his writing is phenomenal, but he was originally was turned down by all these publishers who said people wouldn't like his first novel -- Mystic River. Now tons of his books have been made into movies with big name actors and directors. When you read his words, they hurt sometimes because the prose is so beautiful.

Thesis? Write a lot. Be yourself. Read inspiring tales from writers who made it rather than obsess over the "overnight" successes that seem so prevalent in the news. Hell, you can even be peachy if you want to. Nobody ever said writers had to be miserable, wear all black, have addictive personalities or advised you to hire a secretary to hide all the razor blades.

Free Books and Bloodlines

2011-07-21T23:00:00.002-05:00

As a Vampire Academy fan (Richelle Mead is my fantasy hero-writer), I'm signed up for the updates.

The important info for you book lovers and fantasy writers?

The VA spin-off hits the shelves on August 23, but you can read an excerpt here.

'Til then, our fave soon-to-be-mamma has free books to give away (from other authors, as she's very supportive of her peers) here.

You can sign in with Facebook rather than creating an account.

I Kill Vampires

2011-07-19T23:17:00.001-05:00

I saw this graffiti on a wall in Chinatown in NYC a few weeks ago.

I loved it and had to stop to take a photograph of it.

As a person who loves vampire books, and writing about vampires, this could easily be fodder for a short story exercise.

Example: Who painted this? Why? Are they really a vampire hunter? A prankster?

A crazy person? Or maybe it's a code for something totally different?

Vampire Academy Gets Graphic

2011-04-20T08:13:00.000-05:00

Been waiting for more details on the Vampire Academy graphic novel mentioned on Richelle Mead's blog?

Wait no further! An exclusive posting of a few of the VA pages was posted this week on Scribd.

Based on these few pages, I'm not sure what I think yet. I am not hugely impressed by how the characters look, as I expect Lissa, Rose and (especially) Dimitri to live up to the descriptions in Mead's novels.

However, I could be spoiled by the graphic novels that Hubby has turned me onto or the ones I've chosen on my own like the True Blood Volume 1: All Together Now or American Vampire Vol. 1.

I liked the True Blood comic because it was true to the characters, but it was an all-new storyline that wasn't in the books or the show. Both graphic novels have good, sexy art when it comes to character dress and interaction. Plus, parts of these are scary and well-drawn!

The Vampire Academy: A Graphic Novel hits stores on Aug. 23, but you can pre-order it for around $8 at Amazon. Tell me what you think about it.

O Captain! My Captain America!

2011-04-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

July 22 will be one of many trips Hubby and I make to the movies. He's a huge comic book fan, and I really love all the Marvel movies like X-Men.

According to the previews and IMDB, Captain America is Steve Rogers, a small man that is "deemed unfit for military service, but volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, a superhero dedicated to defending America's ideals".

From what I know about the comic books surrounding the Avengers, CA seemed to be the fantasy poster-boy for WWII propaganda, as he was "an intentionally patriotic creation who was often depicted fighting the Axis powers of World War II, Captain America was Timely Comics' most popular character during the wartime period" ("Captain America").

There could be plenty of movies in this series to come, including the 2012 Avengers movie being made by Joss Whedon (who you probably know as the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) that will connect the Thor, Ironman, Hulk and more.

According to IMDB,Chris Evans will play Steve Rogers/Captain America and Hugo Weaving of LOTR and Matrix will be Johann Schmidt/The Red Skull. Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci will also haves roles.

I like Chris Evans and all, but does anyone but me see the flaw in making the same actors play in movies related to each other or in the same/similar universe? (Example: Michael Sheen in a lead werewolf in Underworld and a lead vamp in Twilight.)

According to Wikipedia, the Human Torch and Captain America have direct links such as:

Marvel's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics, attempted to revive its superhero titles when it reintroduced Captain America, along with the original Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner, in Young Men #24 (Dec. 1953).

The Torch, the Sub-Mariner, Captain America, and Bucky banded together with the Whizzer, and Miss America in post-war America in a subsequent super-team, the All-Winners Squad (the original Captain America and Bucky's membership were later retconned as having been the second Captain America and Bucky).^[8]

The Torch was a member of the NYPD in the 1940s, and has police academy training. He has received some training in unarmed combat by Captain America, and is an expert in the combat use of his superhuman powers. The Torch is also an accomplished street fighter.

In the Human Torch story titled "Captain America" in Marvel Comics' Strange Tales #114 (Nov. 1963),^[12] depicted the brash young Fantastic Four member Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, in an exhibition performance with Captain America, described as a legendary World War II and 1950s superhero who has returned after many years of apparent retirement.

So, comic book dorks like my husband, how's Marvel going to handle that?

			Note: Before 7/22/11, you can download the digital comic here, get the Marvel iPhone app here oreven get wallpapers and see trailers at the main website for the movie at http://captainamerica.marvel.com/.

Bella Goes Bridal, but it's Graphic

2011-04-07T11:55:00.000-05:00

Entertainment Weekly released a Twilight update about Bella's bridal gown today, but they're just teasing you. It's her dress in the graphic novel. Go to http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/04/07/twilight-bella-wedding-dress-illustration-exclusive/ for more details.

Breaking Dawn Definitely PG-13

2011-03-27T17:36:00.000-05:00

Despite what Robert Pattinson said to Entertainment Weekly about doubting that the two-part finale could be PG-13 versus R, Fandango talked to Summit Entertainment and they've said the flick will be PG-13 . . . no matter what.

Read about it here.

I think if they wait any longer, people will be over the saga and on to the next thing.

Water for Elephants, RPattz

2011-03-25T17:20:00.000-05:00

If you're a twihard in need of a fix, check out Entertainment Weekly this week.

In the April edition, Robert Pattinson talks about Water for Elephants, which will be released on April 22 and is based on the book Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

According to an Publisher's Weekly review on Amazon, the story line follows Jacob Jankowski as he "recounts the wild and wonderful period he spent with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth, a traveling circus he joined during the Great Depression" after the 23-year-old's parents are killed in a car crash and he's left with nothing.

According to this interview, it seems that the actor will avoid roles that are so obsessed over in the future (aka no more Cullen-type characters).

This edition also has some information about what Kristin Stewart and Snow White have in common (no that's not the beginning of a joke). For more information, go to EW.com

Tarantino Sues Alan Ball for Macaw Tweets?

2011-03-19T12:31:00.000-05:00

From Slashfilms

There's irony afoot.

As I sit here writing, Kill Bill plays in the background and I'm reviewing Case No. BC 457043 -- a lawsuit Quentin Tarantino has filed against True Blood creator, Alan Ball.

Why? Because he claims that the "blood curdling" and "pterodactyl-like" screams of Ball's macaws are preventing him from writing or finding peace in his own home.

The LA courts make you sign up and put a credit card number in to see the lawsuit, so instead, go here to see the 6-page lawsuit. It's pretty weird. The first paragraph is practically Tarantino's resume and has a quote from poet who died in the 1800s (Goethe).

The Australian has a funny take here, including the relevant comment (since I'm watching Uma Thurman/The Bride kick ass right now): "Uma Thurman's The Bride from Kill Bill might make macaw sushi out of Ball's birds with her trusty blades."

Sounds like a bullshit excuse to me, seeing as many of the news articles online suggest that Tarantino is working on a western and I bet he's behind schedule on it. I've heard a lot of student excuses, but this takes the cake.

He's rich, probably has a huge house, but he's blaming writer's block on some birdies? Poor, Quentin. Maybe you should tweet about it.

Truebies, Meet Nice Eric. Yowza!

2011-03-17T17:14:00.000-05:00

Can I get some kudos for calling this? I was about to quit with True Blood if they continued to toss Charlaine Harris' books on the grill, coat it in lighter fluid and burn in like Godric on a hot, daytime roof. If you think that dream sequence where Sookie was kissing away our viking's bloody tears when his maker ~~bit~~ turned into dust, y'all ain't seen nothing yet.

In Dead to the World, the fourth novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series, Sookie comes upon a men, wearing only jeans, running for his life down the road. It's Eric . . . only he doesn't recognize her. SPOILER ALERT: He's lost his memory. Witches are involved. And that blonde Southern girl he loves so much? He doesn't recognize her! However, this Eric is nothing like the cruel, cold, but hot asshole we're all used to. He's sweet, romantic and a snuggler.

And if you're dying to know more about what's coming up, the Season 3 DVD will be released May 31 and Season 4 begins June 12. There's also great updates, predictions and spoilers here.