Archive for October, 2011

October 31st, 2011

Happy Halloween!

by Holly Dodson

The day Super Spawn has been anxiously awaiting for about two months now is FINALLY here!  lol  My cute little kiddo is dressing up as Jack Sparrow tonight (complete with authentic dreads and pirate medallion lol).  He has been planning this costume since the beginning of September…seriously.

Oh, and this post is a 100% rambly about me kind of post, so fair warning.  :)

We spent the day yesterday baking (I had to make 2 dozen cupcakes AND 2 dozen sugar cookies for school!  Not to mention all the cupcakes and brownies for us to decorate. Gah! lol) and making fun concoctions for our annual Halloween get together.

Pinterest totally gets the credit for these. :)

Tonight we’ll be having chili and hotdogs and trick-or-treating with some great friends.  I can’t wait.

Do you guys have any Halloween traditions?  What will you be doing tonight?

Categoryholiday, life, Super Spawn | CommentNo Comments »

October 28th, 2011

Friday Fives — A World Away

by Holly Dodson

1.  Of course this would have to be Harry Potter, because — it’s Harry Potter.  I mean, you guys know me well enough to know OF COURSE I want to live in the magical world.  :D

2.  Perhaps the world of Once Upon A Marigold would be fun — I mean, as long as I wasn’t the one on the evil witch’s bad side.  


3.  For the most part, I would not want to live in the worlds Juliette Marillier creates (even though they rank among my all-time favorites).  Let’s face it, they’re kinda evil.  Except maybe Wildwood Dancing…which that’s really all about the choices you make.  Sorta.  No?  Well…still…I can’t have a list without one of her books at least.  


4.  I’m realizing most of the books I read are either set in the real world or in REALLY SCARY other worlds.  Hmm…


5.  Dr. Seuss.  Maybe I could live in Oh the Places You’ll Go…




Can you guys name five book worlds you’d like to live in?

Categorybooks, friday five, Paper Hangover | CommentNo Comments »

October 27th, 2011

WIP Reveal

by Holly Dodson

I know I’ve been kinda secretive about my WIP, and…well…I’m not sure why.  Maybe because I love it so much.  :)   One of those times where you’re scared to show someone a photo of your baby because OMG what if they think it’s ugly?!  (Plus, secrets are kinda fun.)

But, I’m bucking up.  Mostly because it’s getting too hard to be secretive with another project in the works that I’m bursting with excitement about.  Ha.

Therefore, I’d like you to meet TATE’S HELL, my YA thriller.

What’s it about?  Well…

A legendary waterfall in the swamps of Florida isn’t supposed to exist, but Delia Ray and her friends find it.  People aren’t supposed to become possessed, but Delia watches in horror as her friends lose control of their own minds and bodies.  Riddles that mean the difference between life and death aren’t meant to be solved, but that’s the challenge Delia faces if she wants to escape.

This isn’t a query or anything, just a little blurb I came up with that I think is a fun way to describe the story.  What do you think?

I lovelovelove this story, and I’m excited to share it with you.  Remember that post about the Legendary Forest?  Yeah.  This is my own personal twisty tale woven around that legend.  :)   Maybe one day I’ll get to share it with you.

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October 26th, 2011

Building a World

by Holly Dodson

So, something that has happened in my new project is leading me down a path of a whole bunch of world building.  Now, I’ve written my share of fantasy, but usually my stories have a firm basis in the real world even if there are crazy fantastical things happening to them.

With this new story, which I’m calling OLEA (Oh-lee), the world building is going a little further.  It’s set in a sort-of alternative future, where an event in our history going very differently changed the shape of the world they live in.  (And not in a little way, like in HUGE ways.)

Since I was home with a sick kiddo yesterday, and got zero time to write, I pulled out my box of drawing supplies and decided to try my hand at creating the images in my head on paper.

Well, I kinda suck at drawing.  I mean, I took some classes back in the day, but…yeah.  An artist I am not.  (No matter how much I’d like to be. lol)  Proof:

The dress is *supposed* to look like a flower — the top being the stem.  See?  Yeah, not very good, but now I have at least got a good visual for writing.  :)   I’ve also started drawing out the layout of their city, and as plants play a really big roll in this story, I’ve started sketching some of those too.
Now, I think you all know by now I’m a big fan of pinterest and photo inspiration, but this is the first time I’ve set out to create my own images of what my world is like.  Have any of you done this before?  Do you find it helpful?  I’d love to hear what you think.
By the way, this is the NaNo project, not the WIP I keep mentioning.  :)   In case you’re curious.

CategoryNaNoWriMo, world building, Writing | CommentNo Comments »

October 25th, 2011

On Paper Hangover Today…

by Holly Dodson

Sometimes I Fail, so You get a Recommendation!

So, obviously I fail today.  Because it’s 1pm and I’m just now realizing I was in charge of the Teen Scene post today.  Sorry, guys!  I’ll blame it on the sick kid I’m home with.  ;)

In spite of my obvious lack of teen topic, I thought I’d share a book I read with you guys.  It’s an ARC from Simon Pulse, the novel will be released January 3, 2012.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SURVIVE THE APOCALYPSE
By Lucas Klauss
 
Continue Reading…

Categorybooks, Paper Hangover | CommentNo Comments »

October 24th, 2011

A Successful Weekend

by Holly Dodson

So…I finished another round of revisions Saturday on my WIP.  What did I learn?  That with five hours of uninterrupted time a day I could rule the world.  For real.

It was lovely, Super Spawn went to the movies with grandpa and the house was so deliciously quiet.  I sat at the dining room table and worked and worked and worked.  It was the most focused I’ve been in a long time, and it was so nice.

In fact, as backward as it seems, it’s exactly what I needed to recharge my writing batteries.

Now I’m kinda in this weird limbo place where the WIP is waiting for more feedback and I really, really want to write something.  But I was going to do NaNo so I should wait.  But I really, really want to write.  ;)

So maybe I’ll just write and not count the words toward my NaNo goal.  lol  I mean, if the muse is there, why tell her to hold on, right?  Write!

I’d love to hear how all of your projects are coming.  Who all is doing NaNo this year?  I personally feel a little insane for attempting it since I just did this a month ago, but hey, whatever.  Nobody ever accused me of being normal.  ;)

CategoryNaNoWriMo, revisions, Writing | CommentNo Comments »

October 20th, 2011

A Little Inspiration

by Holly Dodson

I’m not quite sure why this week has seemed particularly dreary (maybe it’s the gray skies that won’t let go around here), but I’m feeling the need for a pick-me-up.  So I give you, quotes of inspiration thanks to Pinterest.  I hope you find them as uplifting and encouraging as I do.

 

 

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October 19th, 2011

Road Trip Wednesday — Why do You do it?

by Holly Dodson

This week’s topic over at the YAHighway is:

What’s your numero-uno reason for writing?

Honestly?  I write because I have to.  

I’m sitting here trying to pinpoint just when in my life I haven’t been writing *something* (even if not a novel), and I guess the only time I wasn’t was…when I couldn’t write.

I’ve always had these words swirling around in my head.  Before I wrote novels, I wrote a lot of really bad poetry, and I journaled like it was nobody’s business.  Nothing felt better than ending the day by spilling all of my thoughts and emotions out on the page, and I guess that’s just it.

I write because I need to, because I want to, and because I love it.

If I didn’t write, I’d be missing a piece of my heart…

CategoryRTW, why I write, Writing, YAHighway | CommentNo Comments »

October 18th, 2011

Confession Time

by Holly Dodson

I have a confession to make:  I’m scared.

Yep.  Scared.  I said it.

I’m scared that my WIP isn’t good enough.  I’m scared that no book I write will ever be good enough. (For me, that is. I am my own toughest critic.)  I’m scared that even if it is, I’ll screw it up somehow.  I’m scared that I won’t ever reach my dreams.  I’m scared that I’ll get discouraged.  Scared I’ll give up.  And scared that if I do, Super Spawn will never reach for his dreams.

But you know what else?  I’m not going to let fear stop me or define me.

I’ve been struggling with my WIP because of the fear, but I also realized something yesterday.  Maybe it’s okay to be scared, as long as you don’t let it take over, don’t let it dampen your love for the craft.  The fear is only as strong as I allow it to be.  All it takes to put it back in its little box is me deciding to shove it away and not allowing it to sink its claws in.

Easier said than done, I know.  I just feel like I need to be honest with you guys.  I always try to put on a positive face and think positive thoughts and SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS FOR EVERYONE!!!

But the truth is, we all struggle with fear, and so I wanted to let any of you out there feeling the same way know I’m right there with you.  I know talking to my writer friends and hearing them express the same feelings always puts things in perspective.

This whole blogging thing is about sharing a journey I’m on, and I feel sure plenty of you experience the same things, the same fears I do.  Blogs are a great source of inspiration for me, and when I get stuck in a rut, you all are the first ones I turn to for those inspiring words you post every day.  That’s all I want to be for you all, and I hope you know that.

Do any of you deal with this kind of fear?  What do you do when it tries to get the best of you?

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October 17th, 2011

Links Galore

by Holly Dodson
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TQYL0zw6NSk/ToX1_aW2BJI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/htL7b6H7lQE/s1600/7x7%2Baward.png

So today I’m going to join in on the fun of the 7×7 award that is circling which is supposed to highlight some of my past blog posts. I hope you’ll enjoy the links I’ve included! :)

 
Most Beautiful: I think I have to choose Behind the Mask

Most Helpful: I’d say my Using Analytics – An Overview was a pretty helpful post.  Lots of diagrams and general awesomesauce.

Most Popular: Well, the post with the most pageviews (according to my Google Stats) is Frazzled Mom Brain.  That kinda makes me giggle.  The next most popular, aside from contest posts, is from the Query Letter Blogfest that Alicia, Erinn, Pam, Quita, and I hosted together.  You can read the query I used for Happily Never After there.  :)

Most Controversial: Have I ever written a controversial post?  Maybe Adverbs count.

Most Successful: Define successful.  lol  This is HARD!  Maybe my Outlining Your Novel Part 1 and Part 2 series of posts.

Most Underrated: Blerg, I don’t know.  I really like this post, Sometimes it Doesn’t, which was very sincere and has an important message.

Most Prideworthy:  I’m really proud of my post, This is for YOU.  It stands true to this day, and I hope you all know that writing this blog is about so much more than splattering my randomness on the internet.

Whew!  That was tough, but that’s a pretty cool compilation of blog posts (many of which I had forgotten about).  Thank you, Miss Cole for sharing the meme with me!

Now I expect you all to go complete this meme as well, because I want to know what kind of awesome posts I’ve missed on your blogs!  ;)

Categoryblog award, blogging, links | CommentNo Comments »

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