Anyways, I have a lot of dreams for the future and I want to make them a reality. So, I guess that means I should probably take the time and follow some of the advice that professionals give: building a platform for my writing career, looking up editors, seeking after agents, and fighting against the stress :) Which means more work, but who said life was easy? :)
So, while I have been working on my novel this summer, I've been doing some research in the book 2012 Writer's Market. It's been giving me some great tips about pretty much everything to do with writing. Which is great because I have no idea what I'm doing! But that's okay, I'm still learning. And I'm going to keep on learning until I can at least get some things right :) I've been typing up a bunch of stuff about publishers and going to different sites to see the requirements about query letters and so forth. I'm definitely not going to send in my manuscript yet! It needs a lot of whacking and slicing before it can ever see the light of day. But the information will be useful. I can start preparing for the day that I send my little child out into the big ugly world. I'm not really looking forward to it, but I want to succeed. And with success comes a lot of setbacks and rejections. I just figure after one hundred "No's" I'll finally get my "Yes" and it will all be worth it!
Oh, and in case you want any good books to read over the summer these are some of the ones that I've looked at from the Mesa Library that I enjoyed. I'm going to be doing a lot of reading this summer so if you want any recommendations on Fiction, Young Adult, or Fantasy just ask away :)
The Slayers by C.J. Hill. An interesting Young Adult novel set in contemporary Washington. A teenage girl goes to a dragon camp for the summer and ends up finding out some startling secrets about herself and a small group of special individuals. She must learn how to control her new powers before her world is destroyed by a powerful force of creatures thought to have never existed. A really good read, it kept me up all night :P
A Glory of Unicorns Compiled and Edited by Bruce Coville. I haven't gotten to read this one quite yet, but it looks like it's going to be a good one. It's a collection of short fantasy stories all about unicorns :) It includes works from Gregory Maguire, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Sean Stewart, and Bruce Coville. I'll let you know how it is in my next post!
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I really enjoyed this Young Adult Novel. It's the story of a teenage girl who suffers from the debilitating effects of choosing not to speak rather than reveal the truth about her painful past. It touched me very personally and I think others might enjoy it as well :)
Entwined by Heather Dixon. Another of my favorite story tale upgrades. This is the story of the twelve princesses who leave the castle in order to dance at night while their father wonders where they have gone. It's definitely a good read and a cute romance. I recommend it!
Also, any book by Sara M. Eden, I highly recommend. Look at Seeking Persephone first and then go from there. Her romances are set in the Pride and Prejudice England era and are a real treat. They're clean, wholesome, and I always have to stay up late at night to read them. She has a witty sense of humor that makes me literally laugh aloud while I'm reading and whenever I get started on her books, I cannot put them down!! Her books are definitely a good summer investment.
I wish all of you the best! Have a great summer and remember, "If you really want to do something, no one can stop you; but if you really don't want to do something, no one can help you" James A. Owen in his digital book Drawing out the Dragons. Take care!
Image courtesy of dan from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
