#PimpMyBio

I am participating in Pitch Wars, a writing contest hosted by the wonderful, Brenda Drake. It was awesome to read the mentor bios (though I'll be honest my TBR list didn't need so many new additions, but, I've come to accept my book buying addiction and admit resistance is futile). Christopher Keelty started the #PimpMyBio blog hop and I decided to hop on the bandwagon!

I'm a twenty something Canadian who married an American and thinks teaching her cat to walk on a leash and perform tricks is a good idea. She gives the best high fives (in case you were wondering). 

I believe every book changes those who read it, in some way. We can't help but internalize the hero/heroine's journey and by the time we reach The End, we are no longer quite the same. To me, people who read are the most empathic, insightful, and interesting people you can meet. 

Sneak peek at some of my beloved shelves:

The way music inspires stories, creates visuals, changes our perceptions, helps us recall memories, influences our emotions, and truly cuts into our souls amazes me. Needless to say, I'm obsessed and make way too many playlists. 

It's a really good thing my friends and family love my baking so much. If they didn't, I'd be in a world of trouble -- who could I share my creations with? It would be absolutely cruel to leave them there to mould. If other people didn't eat them I'd probably consistently make myself sick (that cursed sweet tooth though). My love started really young:

When I'm not writing, I exercise my creative energies by painting things for other people (much to the chagrin of my husband). I'm terrible at drawing without a reference though, so I catch my inspirations and idea templates from artists far more skilled then I. Some of my more recent projects:

And now for a laundry list of random facts: 

I studied abroad (in France).

I got a bartending license on a whim.

I'm a huge history and mythology nerd. 

I competed provincially in slalom racing.

I cried when my Hogwarts letter didn't come. 

I used to figure skate (one year I played the leader of the munchkins).

I spent eleven summers training in archery, rifflery, rock climbing, and rappelling. 

I used to vault (gymnastics on horseback. I also did normal gymnastics) and did some barrel racing.

To round this post off:

My, hopefully, future mentor should choose me because they loved something in my YA Fantasy, PYRE, and want to help me realize the story's full potential. I'd like any of you considering me to know that I embrace critique and strive to consistently better myself and my work. I'm a passionate leo willing to work my butt off and I've got a sarcastic, quirky sense of humour. 

If you're interested about what inspired me to write my current novel, check out this post. 

Thank you, to anyone who took the time to get to know me a little better. Mia, my baby girl, thinks you're awesome too! Take a high five before you leave. Don't worry, the first one's free. 

Pitch Wars: Why I Wrote This Book

Greetings, Pitch Wars hopefuls and mentors who decided to grace me with your presence! Generally, I leave the vulnerability to my characters but when it was suggested I write about why I wrote my Pitch Wars (future) submission, I knew I had to challenge myself. The origin story of my book is rather dark but I tried not to get bogged down in the gritty details.

The tragedies in my life are inconsequential even if they define everything I am. You see, as a child, my developing psyche was too impressionable, too scarred from the horrors.

I couldn’t cope with reality.  

So, I built a new one.

I traded my life for Wonderland, to slay the dragon and ride a unicorn. I destroyed the Ring, danced with the Fair Folk, and attended Hogwarts. Vanquishing all sorts of evils, both internal and external, I got to play hero.

Fiction, in all its world-shaping glory, became a solid foundation I desperately needed. Fairy tales painted a vividly coloured world, one full of tragedy transformed to wonder and possibility. Shrouded in fantasy, I learned to accept the inexplicable and believe in dreams.

After living a thousand lives, it’s impossible to remain unchanged.

I started seeing stories everywhere, mind whirring with the limitless potential. My kingdom of books raised me to such a vantage that, even the most mundane aspects of life (whether act, object, or place), had a sense of magic. Every little thing felt like it had something to say. A voice, just begging to be heard if only we’d ask the right questions, if only we really looked.

And so, a story teller was born.

In my darkest hour and deepest depression, a small spark appeared. Tiny and hardly noticeable until it became a raging inferno of voices and plot.

It was impossible not to listen.

Pyre, my YA Fantasy, became the funeral rite my lost soul needed to move on.

It yanked me, word by word, from the blackest abyss.

Why this manuscript?  

Because the voices in my head wouldn’t shut up.

Because writing is my way of exorcising demons. 

Because the splendiferous terror and magic I’ve always seen in nature demanded expression.

Sharing any more would become very spoiler-heavy and reading a book is about the journey, finding your own truth in someone else’s world and making it your own.

Thank you for sparing a moment of your day to read. 

I encourage you to check out Jennie's inspiration for her YA Fantasy, Protectors, here. 

You'll pay for that

To save money, Mom let Grandma cut her hair.A mistake was made on the bangs, and in the attempts to fix it, the problem only got worse. 

Her bangs are now so short and shaggy that it looks like she has a severe mullet. I really can't express how awful it is. I love Mom way to much to take a picture. Seriously, it's so bad, Mom was considering calling in sick to work. (And she is not a vain person.) Grandma even told Mom she didn't want to see her for two weeks. 

Lately, I've been struggling with too little time and too much to do. I was thinking of only half-heartedly editing my novel. What happened to Mom reminded me why that's a bad idea. 

Taking shortcuts shows. If you try to save yourself money, time, or whatever else, you can end up costing yourself more.  You could accidentally make your novel so bad, it can't be seen by the public. Even your family might back away. 

So here's my advice. When you're trying to make your novel better, go to the right people. Don't let someone make changes if you feel they're unqualified. And, for heaven's sake, don't try to take the easy way. In the end, you'll only be adding more grief and stress. 

(I missed Thursdays post last week because Blogger exploded. I took it as a sign from the Universe (that is why I didn't try to make up for it on Friday). So for all of you who suffered from the craziness, it was my fault. The Universe thought I needed to de-stress so it annihilated one of my obligations. Forgive me?)

Have you ever had a horrible haircut? Ever done something to save yourself money or time then later paid for it?

No sides for me thanks!

I'm going to make an outrageous statement (you've been warned).

There should be no side characters in your novels. 

In real life, there's no such thing as a side character. Everyone is the main character of their own story. Everyone is interesting in their own way. Everyone has something to share, learn and grow from. Everyone has battles. No ones sole purpose is to help someone else's storyline. 

It should be the same in books. 

Characters should never do something based on plot reasons alone. They need their own motivations and reasons for doing everything. It doesn't matter that the reader knows it, it only matters if you do. They should have backstories and an arc, basically, they should be eligible for their very own companion novel.

Because people will notice if your characters are only tools, if they're only there for the MC. And it will make all your characterization seem flat.

Are your side characters fleshed out? Can you think of any examples where every character had their own story? 

Double-Sided

Double-sided tape is the best invention ever. Seriously.

And I think you should aspire to the awesomeness of double-sided tape. Here's how:

1. You're story should be smooth with no creases and wrinkles. It should look and seem flawless. (Even if every writer out there knows it took a crapload of effort. It shouldn't look or feel that way.)

2. You want your story to stick with people. You want them to feel it long after they've put it down.

3. You shouldn't waste any words, sentences or scenes. Everything should be multi functional and serving double duty to create layers and impressions and inspire feelings.

How do you achieve all these? With some natural talent, a desire to improve your craft, critique partners who will point out the flaws and a whole lot of revision.

But, if you work hard enough, you can be as awesome as double sided tape!

Good luck.

I apologize for the lameness of this post. School is currently frying my brains. I don't have enough cells left to create something brilliant.


What do you want to be like? How was your weekend?

Zombies should be dead

I understand the interest and psychological associations with vampires (death and lust), werewolves (beast within), goblins (greed), etc, etc. The roots of most mythological creatures have some form in logic. And I appreciate that.

There's one that doesn't. Zombies. What the hell is the point?

They are mindless, rotting corpses, have no character and are obsessed with eating brains. Maybe they are rooted in our gluttony? Maybe people write zombie apocalypses as a way to illustrate how the destruction of mankind will be from us mindlessly turning on each other? Maybe people just want violence?

I don't know.

But with zombie's, we're being cheated of the best part - a villain. 

When a protagonist struggles against the threat, I'm sorry, but they look like morons. If you can't protect yourself against something that can't think...I don't know how you make it through the day. (I do understand it's about the numbers but that just isn't enough to satisfy me.)

Zombies are all the same. The associated plots aren't any better: Impossible odds (numbers and hard to kill), some weird sickness (that is never explained) started it all, it's the apocalypse, blah, blah, blah. They are interchangeable in the worst way.

They're supposed to be scary. But, they aren't. Empty bodies walking around, groaning and moaning doesn't inspire any sort of fear. What scares me the most? The fact that so many people like them. 

Are you pro or anti zombie? 

If you're into zombies please explain why, argue your point! I really do want to know why people like them.

If you hate them, tell me why (so I don't feel like the only person on the planet who does!)!

Is their any other mythological creature you hate/don't understand?

Don't settle, you deserve more

People, I'm telling you, you need a critique group (or at least a critique partner). Seriously, if you don't have one, you need to go out and get one. Now.

That being said, the first group you join may not be the right one for you. And if that's the case you need to consider cutting them lose. 

Here's some things to keep in mind when deciding if a group is working for you:

1. Are they investing as much energy into your work as you're investing into theirs? 

2. Do you share different writing strengths so that you can truly compliment and help each other?

3. Are your writing levels moderately the same?

4. Are you interested in their stories? (If you aren't, you are setting yourself up for a whole world of pain and agony.)

5. Is the group operating in a way that works for you? (However formal or informal you want that to be.)

6. Do you get along with the other members?

7. Are you happy? (This is, by far, the most important and all the other factors will play into this one.)

Having people you trust who can look at your work objectively is very important. But, don't settle for just anyone. Look for the group that is going to fit you and your story the best.

Do you have a critique group? How did you know it was the right one? 
Have you had any bad experiences with Critique groups? 

Act first, think later.

Mia (my cat), my dog, Mom and I were all enjoying a nice walk. Another, off leash dog, came towards us. I put Mia on my shoulder. Unfortunately, her tail was hanging down and the, nameless, black dog sniffed it. 

Mia freaked. Hissing, spitting, and twice her normal size from her fur standing on end, she leaped from my shoulder and hit the floor. 

I tugged so hard on her leash she was airborne, flying back towards me. I grabbed her round the middle and she scrambled onto the back of my neck, all puffy and perturbed. 

I laughed my (according to Mom) nervous If-This-Situation-Actually-Scared-Me-I-May-Burst-Into-Tears-Any-Second laugh. 

Later, Mom described it as just seeing a giant Mia soaring through the air, hitting the ground and then flying again. The entire thing took seconds. Mom couldn't even sort out what was happening while it did. 

But to me, the situation was very clear. Mia, my four pound ball of fluff, being on the ground with two 60+ pound dogs who want to play with her, while she's terrified, was an awful situation. 

I didn't think. I just reacted. Thoughts and all that other stuff came later. 

And that is something every writer should keep in mind when writing an action scene. Your characters aren't going to be thinking about what to do or how to do it. They are going to react. Immediately. They can think later when they, and everyone they care about, is safe. 

Just something to keep in mind while you are writing or editing this week. 

Do you react before you think? Are action scenes easy or hard for you? 

Demotivational posters are the new motivation!

Sometimes, it's better not to look in the rear view mirror. 

You may not like what you see. 

However, this weekend, you should look at some of your old writing. Feel free to cringe and groan and laugh at what you thought was a brilliant metaphor. 

And then, see how far you've come. 

Then, recognize this: you are only going to get better. 

It isn't even close to Game Over for you yet. 

Sometimes, you just want to go out and have fun. 

Allowing yourself to relax is important, but make sure you're getting everything you need to get done first. 

Otherwise, you'll regret those hours of nothingness when you have to get back to work. 

Besides, you'll enjoy the free time more if you've earned it. 

Give yourself a couple of goals this weekend, complete them, and then, celebrate!

How far have you come in your writing? What are your goals this weekend? 

The results are in!!!

Remember two weeks ago when I was freaking out about an interview and wouldn't tell you what it was about?

It had something to do with:




The type of streets you just can't find in Canada.

A place called Amiens.......

Which just so happens, has the largest Notre Dame cathedral.....

....Amiens is also only an hour from the  Eiffel Tower. 

It's always been a dream of mine to go to Europe.

And I'll be living and studying there, for a month this summer. 

I'll get to visit both Paris and London and do awesome things like climb the Eiffel Tower, go to the Tower of London (torture devices rock!), and stroll along Kensington gardens. 

Yeah, life is good. 

Again, thank you for all your support with the interview, it helped me get through it and now....one of my dreams is coming true!

Do you have any good news to share? Have you ever studied abroad? Been to Europe? Where are some places I should look at going (in France or England)? 

Kill doubt in five simple steps

I'm a doubter. 

I have a giant Doubt Monster lurking behind me when it comes to the quality of my writing. (I would really appreciate it if two extremely hot brothers who deal with the Supernatural regularly would get on with killing it. I mean, it might as well be a demon.)

When it  comes to other books, the Doubt Monster and I curl up on the couch together. I can only suspend my disbelief so far. 

Here's some general rules to slay my Doubt Monster when I read your book. (This message is to unpublished and published writers alike. Also, while I say my, I'm positive this can be generalized to encompass most readers.)

1. If two characters are going to be madly in love, I need a bigger reason then she/he's hot. That isn't love, it's lust. And, I'm sorry, but lust isn't worth much more than a quick wham, bam, thank you ma'am!

2. If your character is going to go into a dangerous situation, they need a really good reason. Humans have something called a sense of self-preservation and if they're going to ignore their instincts, I want a why.

3. If there are paranormal or fantasy elements or you're creating a new world (dystopian, fantasy, sci-fi, even a tiny town) then you need a solid and logical foundation. Without a basic set of rules and standards, you have nothing to offer me but chaos and a world that makes no sense. 

4. Never use characters for plot purposes alone. I don't care if you need Minor Character X in a bar to let slip Important Fact Y to your MC. If Minor Character X is only there to tell MC something, I will notice. And I will not be happy. Just like Main Characters, Minor Characters need to have their own purposes, motivations and goals - it doesn't matter if the reader knows them but it sure as heck matters if you do. 

5. A plot twist is only a plot twist if it happens right in front of me. Meaning, that, once the twist is revealed, I should be able to look back at your story and see there was hints the whole time, they were just so subtle and well done that I didn't pick up on it. Blatant lying to create a plot twist isn't a good illusion, it's a cheap parlor trick and breaks the author/reader trust. 

How do you feel when you encounter things on this list? Do you have anything to add? 

If pictures say a thousand words....

It's final project time now. My next month or so is going to be a study in sleep deprivation and working myself into a coma. But then I'm off. I can't decide whether I want time to speed up (so it can be over already) or slow down (so I can finish everything without killing myself - accidentally, of course). (Also, I probably won't be as good at getting to your blogs so I'm sorry and I still think your awesome but something has to give!)

So today, all I've got for you is this: 

A collage of ******** 

(AKA pictures that remind me of My-Top-Secret-Fantasy-World)

Do you make collages or draw pictures? 

Also, please let me live vicariously through you, What are your plans this weekend?

It's the little things

When your having one of those days, the kind where you just don't know how you're going to make it through.

Opening your messages to something like this, hits you just the right way. You can feel your stress evaporating because no matter how bad your day was going, someone gives a crap. They're there, even  when they didn't know you needed them. And that's special.

I've had enough superficial and fair-weather friends to know that finding true, real friends is rare. Take in the odds of how big the world is and you could never find anyone whose going to stick with you no matter what. Who understands you and your dreams, who you can both laugh and be vulnerable with, who is unfailingly encouraging and supportive.

I owe blogger a lot because it made the world a small enough place for me to find a person like that.

This post is dedicated to Erica Mitchell-Spickard for being the kind of friend I've always needed. And the twin I always wanted. Applebee's won't know what hit em! I hope this post makes your day as much as you made mine on Monday.

And seriously you guys, you need to check out Erica's blog. She's doing this awesome series on her writing journey and the things she's learned along the way. You'll find yourself relating, laughing and cringing, all at the same time. Plus, it's illustrated so there's fun pictures like this:

What has blogger done for you? 

If there's someone in your life whose awesome, and makes this journey easier and better, tell them. You never know, you could be turning a bad day into a good one. 

It's all about the framework

When I was younger, Mom bought a Tiger T-shirt. She loved the imagery on it so much, she framed it. 

That sounds kind of silly, doesn't it? Framing a shirt. 

But, people comment on how gorgeous the Tiger picture is. They choose it over the other pictures and paintings in our living room. I always laugh because I know it's a shirt. When I tell them, they never believe me. 

If Mom had just worn the shirt, people would've probably thought it was nice, but they wouldn't be stunned by it. And, from this scenario, I've learned a valuable lesson. 

Presentation matters.

What you show and don't show counts. Where you draw the readers attention counts. 

Framing your story incorrectly can make an excellent idea boring just as framing a mediocre idea well can make it a huge success. 

Do you struggle with framing your story?

Imagination will be the death of me

I just want to thank everyone for all your encouragement on my last post. I was totally freaking out and yet again, you guys amaze me with how supportive and understanding you are. It wasn't as bad as I feared - my interviewers were very kind and the interview was much more like a conversation than an interview. And conversations...I'm good at those. I'll know the results by March 15th, and I'll obviously let you know (and reveal what this whole thing was about!). 

I honestly think I'd be bored all the time without my imagination. But sometimes, I wish it wasn't so hyperactive. Especially on nights like last night.

Picture it:

You're home alone, trying to write an essay. You're dog starts barking and growling like he's been possessed. It startles you so badly you knock your laptop to the floor. You tell your dog to cut it out but he's staring out the slightly open window, hackles raised.

There's something out there. It's just a cat or a squirrel, you tell yourself. But your heart still beats too fast. Then there's a flash of light followed by the rolling boom of thunder. The lights in your living room flicker, briefly plunging you into darkness.

You know what this all means. You've seen enough TV, read enough books. It means there's a demonic spirit or ghost and you're going to die......

Every creak and shadow in my house had me gritting my teeth and picturing my own murder. Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep.

I wouldn't trade my imagination for anything but boy, sometimes I wish I could turn it off.

Does your imagination ever get away from you? 

Fake it until you make it

I have a really important interview today. If all goes well, one of my dreams will come true.

Talk about pressure.

I'm pretty sure three people are interviewing me at the same time. Those odds are imposing. I'm already shrinking. My insides are ripping themselves into bloody tatters (yes, it feels as gross as it sounds).

I've never liked interviews. (Who does?)My aversion is kind of weird though: I'm extroverted and social, I love being the center of attention and, at the risk of sounding narcissistic, I can talk about myself for hours. I think it may have something to do with the formality of it all. I'm not good in formal situations, they never fail to make me fidget.

There's only one way I'm going to get through tomorrow. I'm going to have to fake it - plaster on my charming smile, laugh instead of puking, and project confidence. I have to make them want me as much as I want this.

But, I figure, if I fake it with enough conviction maybe I won't be faking it at all.

How do you get through uncomfortable situations? Have you ever done something you hated to make a dream of yours become a reality?

Book Wars 7

Before I dive into this weeks installment of Book Wars, I have a link you should check out. My awesome friend Jennie Bailey interviewed me for her Paws and Learn blog about my cat. If you want to know why I walk my cat, you should check it out!

On to this week's installment of Book Wars - the entirely positive battle between books I read this week.

(Click on the book titles to be redirected to their Goodreads page) 

Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright

So this book is based on the screenplay for the movie coming out on March 11th.  That being said, this book has no ending so it's hard to give you my overall opinion on it. (I did not know there was no ending when I bought it.) Apparently the final chapter of the book (the one that ties everything together) isn't going to be released until March 14th (so people have time to see the movie). I guess they want the ending to be a surprise. But, without an ending, I feel I have nothing more to say about the book than: it provides some interesting background information on the village the characters live in that I'm sure the movie won't.

VS.

Bloodthirsty by Flynn Meaney

My favorite  thing about this book is the humor. The MC Finbar is an awkward, pale kid with a 'perfect' twin brother who wants nothing more than to get a girl but has had nothing but awful luck so far. He keeps up to date with pop culture and realizes he can use the vampire trend to his advantage. If you don't think a high school boy pretending to be a vampire is funny on it's own...well, there's lots of other humor in here too. 

This Week's Winner:

Bloodthirsty wins, hands down - and not just because it has an ending! This book is a believable portrayal of high school. It's relateable because pretty much everyone has done something crazy to get the attention of the opposite sex. At one point in our lives, we've all wanted to be someone else. This book is so funny because of its honesty. If you've ever been on the Vampire Book Bandwagon (and seriously, who hasn't been at one point or another?) I definitely recommend this book. 

What's your stance?

I'd like to preface this post by asking your forgiveness. Please forgive me for the lack of creativity that is about to follow. I'm sick and actually curious to know how you'd answer.

What's your opinion on chapter introductions? 

Do you like numbers? (For example, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, etc)

Do you like chapter titles that tell you the main subject of the following text? (For example, Cassandra Clare's City Of Bones: 1 Pandemonium, 2 Secrets and Lies, 3 Shadowhunter, etc)

Do you like chapter titles that subtlety give you information but use humor to do so (and take out numbers all together)? (For example, Kiersten White's Paranormalcy: Oh, bite me; A population of nightmares; Not - Me And I)

Do you like chapter headings that reveal more about a character's interests? (For example, Carrie Jones'

Need (her MC is obsessed with phobias): Phobophobia: fear of phobias; Mnemophobia: fear of memories; Didaskaleinophobia: fear of going to school, etc)

Do you notice chapter titles at all or do you just read the story? 

Have you noticed another way to introduce a chapter I haven't mentioned? 

So, tell me, What's your opinion?