2015 What I'm Reading #8

Time for Round 2

This round, my goal is to start a daily writing practice.  I am starting by completing Blogging University's Writing 101 through The Daily Post.  I will be posting on my blog daily using the prompt and twist provided.  I will also be continuing to work on my reading goal of 30 books this year.

Number of Books Read: 13

January

1. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
2. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
3. The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Schaffer
5. Blue Bloods: The Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz
6. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

February

1. Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz
2. Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

March
1. The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill

April

1. The Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby
2. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
3. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Well, I have finally escaped from Wicked and added two more books to my list.  Reviews and journal pages are coming soon.  I am now starting Forever Odd.  I really liked the first book in this series, so I hoping this one will be just as entertaining.  If I can continue this reading rate, I should make my goal by the end of the year :)

What have you been reading lately?  Any suggestions to add to my TBR list?

Death to Adverbs: Writing 101, Day 8

Today’s Prompt: Go to a local café, park, or public place and write a piece inspired by something you see.
Today’s twist: write an adverb-free post.

The man walks down the street, his legs crossing and bending at strange angles like a scarecrow brought to life.  His medium build wears an aged leather vest, black like his greasy hair.  His weathered face matches the texture of his vest.  The man scrunches his face and sticks out his tongue as he ambles down the street.

A short while later, the man stumbles past my house.  A tall can of PBR peeks out from the crook of his elbow as he crunches on chips that he pulls in fistfuls from a colorful bag.  He walks on the grass, and the uneven ground tosses his body around, his rubbery legs faltering beneath his torso at times.

He veers across the grass tot he sidewalk and back to the grass again.  At one point he almost falls but momentum keeps him upright.  He wanders out of my line of sight, munching his chips and cradling the PBR with his arm.

Day 8 Reflection:  It took me a long time to write this post.  I am a homebody.  But today was a beautiful day, and I got to sit on my front porch and observe the world passing me by.  This was a fun post to write once I had my topic.  I hope that I convey the man's drunkenness successfully.  Let me know what you think.

Writing Update 4/26/15

Time for Round 2

This round, my goal is to start a daily writing practice.  I am starting by completing Blogging University's Writing 101 through The Daily Post.  I will be posting on my blog daily using the prompt and twist provided.  I will also be continuing to work on my reading goal of 30 books this year.

This week I have had some successes and some disappointments.  I have not been keeping up with the Writing 101 posts.  The last few prompts have really stumped me and I still feel stuck on prompt 8.   I may have to skip prompt 8 and come back to it later.

I have been writing almost every day but I did not write Thursday or Friday.  However, Saturday I completed my first draft of ZF.  The surprising part is how close I was and how much I procrastinated finishing.  I still can't believe it took me so long to write the last few pages.  Now it's time to start completing some more projects :)

I Completed a First Draft?

Yes, it's true!  Just moments ago, I completed my first draft of ZF!

I am still in a state of disbelief.  I have a hard time completing projects of any type and somehow, I just completed my first draft of what I hope will be a novel someday.  

image source:http://careergirlnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Celebrate.jpg

I'm not delusional.  I know that this is just the first step of many in taking this to novel status.  I know I have a lot of revising to do (believe me, this first draft is rough) but I am still celebrating this victory.  Yippee!!

2015 What I'm Reading #7

Time for Round 2

This round, my goal is to start a daily writing practice.  I am starting by completing Blogging University's Writing 101 through The Daily Post.  I will be posting on my blog daily using the prompt and twist provided.  I will also be continuing to work on my reading goal of 30 books this year.

Number of Books Read: 11

January

1. The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
2. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
3. The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Schaffer
5. Blue Bloods: The Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz
6. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

February

7.  Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz

8.  Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

March 

9. The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill

April

10.  The Wonder Show by Hannah Barnaby

11.  Wicked by Gregory Maguire

I finally updated my list of books I have read this year.  Eleven is not a bad number.  You can tell that I started out the year strong and then had a slight problem.  I lost all interest in reading for a while.  I'm not sure why.  Sometimes it happens.  But I always come back to my books.

I finally made it through Wicked.  I don't know if I feel enough about it to even write a review.  I will try.  Surprisingly, the Kindle version of the book came with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, so now I am reading that book.  I will get to the rest of my electronic bookshelf soon.

What are you reading this week?

Top Ten All Time Favorite Authors

I am linking up with The Broke and the Bookish for Top 10 Tuesday.

1.  Roald Dahl
When I was growing up, I devoured Roald Dahl's books.  One of my favorites was his books of fractured fairy tales.  As I got older I loved his short stories.  I once heard that he had a hip replacement and kept his old hip bone in a jar in his writing space.  That made me love him even more and made me regret the fact that I had not asked for my hip after my replacement surgery :)

2.  Enid Blython
Another author I loved when growing up.  Between the stories of the Faraway Tree and the Enchanted Wood and the mystery-solving Famous Five, I was hooked.  

3.  Stephen King
I find his writing compelling.  No matter what book of his I pick up, I enjoy reading it.  Novels, short stories, all of it.  I have not yet read On Writing, though it is now on my TBR list.

4. Isabel Allende
The first full-length book I read in Spanish was Isabel Allende's La casa de los espíritus.  Ever since I have been hooked.  I love magic realism.

5.  Gabriel García Márquez
Another magic realism author.  I've been hooked since the first time I read Cien años de soledad.  

6.  Anne Rice
What can I say?  I believe that I have read every single vampire novel that Anne Rice wrote.  I love them!  I was a little obsessed for a while.  I don't usually buy a lot of books(I'm more of a library girl; I love a deadline), but I own a lot of Anne Rice books.

7.  Barbara Kingsolver
Wow!  I love Barbara Kingsolver's writing.  I feel like I am transported to a different world every time I read her books.  I cannot choose a favorite.

8.  Irish Poets
Irish poets.  At one point in my life, I strove to be one.  Two of my favorite poems are The Wayfarer by Padraig Pearse and Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney.

9.  Oscar Wilde
The Portrait of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest are two books I read in high school that I still feel impacted by today.  In fact I feel a sudden urge to read both again right now.

10.  Agatha Christie
The first mystery books I read were Agatha Christie.  I fell in love with Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.  I'm still in love with both of them and occasionally return to her books.  They always make me feel welcome, like a long-lost friend.

Who are your favorite authors?

Writing Update 4/20/15 (One Day Late)

Time for Round 2

This round, my goal is to start a daily writing practice.  I am starting by completing Blogging University's Writing 101 through The Daily Post.  I will be posting on my blog daily using the prompt and twist provided.  I will also be continuing to work on my reading goal of 30 books this year.

I had some family visiting this weekend, so I fell a little behind in all my projects, including my writing.  I took a few days off but I am back and ready to start again.  

Sometimes it is necessary to take a break, even when beginning a new habit.  I enjoyed my time with my family and got to build some new memories that might help with my writing someday.  Who knows?

Well, I'm keeping this short and sweet, so I can head back to my notebook and start writing again :)