When I started writing Ascension almost nine years ago, I literally wrote whenever I had a free moment. Sometimes even when I didn't have a free moment. I wrote after homework, in boring classes, occasionally during church (sorry, pastors, you and Jesus were just inspiring). I wrote in the car, on planes, literally all the time. Sometimes, I'd go awhile without writing because I was editing or giving myself Christmas break.
College life has kind of changed me just a tad. It seems like there is always something to do, even if that is giving myself a mental break (because, y'all, college kids need mental breaks). This has become extremely obvious to me this past semester. At the beginning of the semester, as I was trying to settle into my routine while trying to find time to write, it was basically impossible.
So I've been making myself wake up an hour earlier than I would normally wake up for class. I make coffee (essential) and breakfast then sit down to write. It's not nearly enough time. I hate getting up and going to class when I'm smack-dab in the middle of a good scene. But I have to do it. Now, as a young adult, I need this set time to sit down, close my door, listen to music, and write.
That's not to say I don't write any other time of day. Last week, I was super pumped up about getting to the end of Ascension 2.0 (though I didn't), so I wrote for maybe 3 hours one evening because I had an odd lack of homework.
I'm also not saying that you have to write every single day. Sometimes that's not possible. If Tuesday and Thursdays are the best days for you, make those your writing days. Or just write a heck of a lot during the weekend.
For all of you young writers and older writers and middle writers, just carve out a little bit of time, consider it like going to the gym for your mind. You need to exercise your skill, practice, hone it. This is just one of many ways to do that.
Conveniently, a good way to do that started today! NaNoWriMo is an annual event that challenges writers to get the skeleton of a novel onto the page. In 30 days time, you will have written a 50,000 word novel. If you're interested, click here. I wish you all the best of luck in your NaNoWriMo goals!
Get Writing,
HER
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Writer's GuideBook to Chattanooga
Welcome to Chattanooga, aka Gig City, aka The Scenic City. This cute, upcoming city at the bottom of Tennessee has really developed in terms of art and tourism over the past ten years thanks to the Aquarium. But Chattanooga is a wonderful city for writers. I mean, I can write anywhere. I write on planes, in class, in doctor waiting rooms, occasionally in church (what can I say, God inspires me?). But sometimes, you just need to be somewhere inspiring and calming and conducive to creative thought. Chattanooga has some wonderful locals for this need:
1. Rembrandts Coffee House: This is a charming coffee house/cafe in the Art District of Chattanooga. It's surrounded by the art museum, a bed and breakfast, and a great Italian Restaurant. It's just a short walk to the glass bridge and the walking bridge, so consequently the river. But they have wonderful coffee (the vanilla is my favorite) as well as tasty lunch and a variety of pastries. Their patio (in the right weather) is so peaceful and calming, so I really prefer writing outside there. But inside, during calm hours, can be another great place to just sit. If you think about it, you could be there for hours--get lunch, then a dessert, then coffee. You're good for most of the day.
2. Starline Books: Need a book inspiration or writing break? Stop into Starline Books in the Southside on Market street where you will be greeted by the warm, energetic owner. On the top level, You'll find adult fiction, signed copies, and some nonfiction. Head downstairs, and you'll find children's, young adult, and even more variety. For a small store, they have an excellent selection of books. And the rustic atmosphere is my fave.
3. The Camp House: placed right on MLK Boulevard, come visit The Camp House for an easy atmosphere, comfortable couches, yummy pastries, and counterculture coffee. They also have a patio for nice weather day. I can sit there for hours and write, eat a snack, even have brunch/lunch, and just enjoy the day.
4. Coolidge Park: If you're an outdoor writer, Coolidge Park is the place for you. You have a nice view of the Walking Bridge, which could be good inspiration if you're a people watcher (which, let's be honest, all writers watch people). Again, if you need sustenance, there's a plethora of restaurants and coffee shops in walking distance.
5. Mean Mug: Another great coffee shop, this one just around the corner from Starline, is tiny but quaint. So if you write during odd hours of the day, this is the place to go. They have yummy coffee, a nice selection of food and pastries, and play awesome, quiet, inspiring music. They also have a patio, because it seems that patios are essential for Chatt coffee shops.
So if you're a writer in Chatt or traveling to Chatt, be sure to check these places out, along with the cool outdoor adventures and mouthwatering restaurants that are around every corner!
From the Scenic City,
HER
1. Rembrandts Coffee House: This is a charming coffee house/cafe in the Art District of Chattanooga. It's surrounded by the art museum, a bed and breakfast, and a great Italian Restaurant. It's just a short walk to the glass bridge and the walking bridge, so consequently the river. But they have wonderful coffee (the vanilla is my favorite) as well as tasty lunch and a variety of pastries. Their patio (in the right weather) is so peaceful and calming, so I really prefer writing outside there. But inside, during calm hours, can be another great place to just sit. If you think about it, you could be there for hours--get lunch, then a dessert, then coffee. You're good for most of the day.
2. Starline Books: Need a book inspiration or writing break? Stop into Starline Books in the Southside on Market street where you will be greeted by the warm, energetic owner. On the top level, You'll find adult fiction, signed copies, and some nonfiction. Head downstairs, and you'll find children's, young adult, and even more variety. For a small store, they have an excellent selection of books. And the rustic atmosphere is my fave.
3. The Camp House: placed right on MLK Boulevard, come visit The Camp House for an easy atmosphere, comfortable couches, yummy pastries, and counterculture coffee. They also have a patio for nice weather day. I can sit there for hours and write, eat a snack, even have brunch/lunch, and just enjoy the day.
4. Coolidge Park: If you're an outdoor writer, Coolidge Park is the place for you. You have a nice view of the Walking Bridge, which could be good inspiration if you're a people watcher (which, let's be honest, all writers watch people). Again, if you need sustenance, there's a plethora of restaurants and coffee shops in walking distance.
5. Mean Mug: Another great coffee shop, this one just around the corner from Starline, is tiny but quaint. So if you write during odd hours of the day, this is the place to go. They have yummy coffee, a nice selection of food and pastries, and play awesome, quiet, inspiring music. They also have a patio, because it seems that patios are essential for Chatt coffee shops.
So if you're a writer in Chatt or traveling to Chatt, be sure to check these places out, along with the cool outdoor adventures and mouthwatering restaurants that are around every corner!
From the Scenic City,
HER
Monday, October 17, 2016
Southern Festival of Books 2016
Happy book festival season! I started off mine in the good ole city of Nashville with the Southern Festival of Books. SFOB was the first book festival I ever went to four years ago, and I swear, it was like God had sent me a weekend made just for me. It was filled with a HUGE book tent and authors, my role models, galore! Normally, I try to pack in a full schedule, but this year, I was a little bit more relaxed.
Saturday, we heard Ann Patchett, author and owner of Parnassus books, interview the successful novelist Beverly Lowry about her new book exploring the Yogurt Shop Murders in Austin, Texas. I haven't read this book, but if Ann Patchett is singing its praises, I feel like its worth a read.
Jolina Petersheim, author of The Outcast, and Libby Ware, author of Lum, served on a panel together talking about Mennonite and Melungeons in literature. All of Jolina's books take place in the Mennonite community, and Lum intersects with the Melungeon community. Jolene's newest book The Alliance questions what will happen to the Mennonite community people when modern society collapses and they go back to old ways. Will they survive because of their simple way of life or will they die because of their passivity?
We finished Saturday in a Fantasy panel with Victoria (V.E.) Schwa, Maria Dahvana Headley, and Martina Boone, who are, respectively, the authors of This Savage Song among more, Magonia among more, and The Heirs of Watson Island series. Apparently, they didn't have a plan going into the panel, but they ended up with one of the best discussions I've ever had the pleasure of sitting in on. They discussed the very idea of fantasy, female heroines in YA fantasy and their tendency to be very Joan of Arkish, which, let's be honest, how many 16 year olds are self sacrificing? It was a fabulous discussion that broke down walls and barriers and stereotypes, and I felt like I was in a room of genius. A great way to end the day! Also, Maria Dahvana Headley had the best book-dress I've ever seen.
Sunday, I'm not embarrassed to say, was all about Maggie Stiefvater. We got to the library early to get good seats for her talk, and let me tell you, she's one of the best speakers I've ever heard, not just in the author world. She uses the stage, is dramatic yet real, and truly pulls you into her world. It was absolutely fantastic and hilarious and perfect. I had my complete stack of the Raven Cycle for her to sign, and I told her about how I threw the last book of Shiver across the room because I was so pissed about the ending. She was not sorry, but I loved her reaction. I wouldn't be sorry either. That's how I felt when a reader told me that about Ascension.
We finished the day in the best way possible--vandalizing her car Theif. Now don't worry, she was present for this vandalization. She even provided the spray paint and told us that we were doing this for the sake of individuality. And...she's gonna drive her kids to school in this car through the Election. Mwahaha.
If you haven't yet traveled to a book festival in your life, I HIGHLY encourage you to go. I can't recommend it enough. I'm serious. Just go.
Here's some great quotes and advice I picked up in the panels this weekend from our fabulous authors:
"Everyone should have a journal--just write your life story." - Jolina Petersheim
"I write about the lines between things." - V.E. Schwab
"Within the impossible parts of life, there is glitter." - Maria Dahvana Headley
"Science is magic we've learned how to explain." - Martina Boone
"Fantasy is an armor we can wear while facing difficult topics." - V.E. Schwab
"Moral gray is such a pretty color." - Maria Dahvana Headley
"I use language as spice not as substance. Language makes the world." - V.E. Schwab
"I think show-don't-tell is the most incorrect rule ever." - Martina Boone
"I have a serious objection to write-what-you-know." - Maria Dahvana Headley
"Write what you want to read. You will always be your greatest champion." - V.E. Schwab
"I'm a writing thief. I steal people and places." - Maggie Stiefvater
Saturday, we heard Ann Patchett, author and owner of Parnassus books, interview the successful novelist Beverly Lowry about her new book exploring the Yogurt Shop Murders in Austin, Texas. I haven't read this book, but if Ann Patchett is singing its praises, I feel like its worth a read.
Jolina Petersheim, author of The Outcast, and Libby Ware, author of Lum, served on a panel together talking about Mennonite and Melungeons in literature. All of Jolina's books take place in the Mennonite community, and Lum intersects with the Melungeon community. Jolene's newest book The Alliance questions what will happen to the Mennonite community people when modern society collapses and they go back to old ways. Will they survive because of their simple way of life or will they die because of their passivity?
We finished Saturday in a Fantasy panel with Victoria (V.E.) Schwa, Maria Dahvana Headley, and Martina Boone, who are, respectively, the authors of This Savage Song among more, Magonia among more, and The Heirs of Watson Island series. Apparently, they didn't have a plan going into the panel, but they ended up with one of the best discussions I've ever had the pleasure of sitting in on. They discussed the very idea of fantasy, female heroines in YA fantasy and their tendency to be very Joan of Arkish, which, let's be honest, how many 16 year olds are self sacrificing? It was a fabulous discussion that broke down walls and barriers and stereotypes, and I felt like I was in a room of genius. A great way to end the day! Also, Maria Dahvana Headley had the best book-dress I've ever seen.
Sunday, I'm not embarrassed to say, was all about Maggie Stiefvater. We got to the library early to get good seats for her talk, and let me tell you, she's one of the best speakers I've ever heard, not just in the author world. She uses the stage, is dramatic yet real, and truly pulls you into her world. It was absolutely fantastic and hilarious and perfect. I had my complete stack of the Raven Cycle for her to sign, and I told her about how I threw the last book of Shiver across the room because I was so pissed about the ending. She was not sorry, but I loved her reaction. I wouldn't be sorry either. That's how I felt when a reader told me that about Ascension.
We finished the day in the best way possible--vandalizing her car Theif. Now don't worry, she was present for this vandalization. She even provided the spray paint and told us that we were doing this for the sake of individuality. And...she's gonna drive her kids to school in this car through the Election. Mwahaha.
If you haven't yet traveled to a book festival in your life, I HIGHLY encourage you to go. I can't recommend it enough. I'm serious. Just go.
Here's some great quotes and advice I picked up in the panels this weekend from our fabulous authors:
"Everyone should have a journal--just write your life story." - Jolina Petersheim
"I write about the lines between things." - V.E. Schwab
"Within the impossible parts of life, there is glitter." - Maria Dahvana Headley
"Science is magic we've learned how to explain." - Martina Boone
"Fantasy is an armor we can wear while facing difficult topics." - V.E. Schwab
"Moral gray is such a pretty color." - Maria Dahvana Headley
"I use language as spice not as substance. Language makes the world." - V.E. Schwab
"I think show-don't-tell is the most incorrect rule ever." - Martina Boone
"I have a serious objection to write-what-you-know." - Maria Dahvana Headley
"Write what you want to read. You will always be your greatest champion." - V.E. Schwab
"I'm a writing thief. I steal people and places." - Maggie Stiefvater
Monday, October 3, 2016
YA Scavenger Hunt Is ON! (Plus a fun Giveaway of Ascension and some New Orleans-themed SWAG!)
Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt 2016!
This
bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck so that readers
could have a chance to gain exclusive bonus material from their favorite
authors as well as a chance to win fun prizes! During this hunt, you not only
get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the
hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize—a book from each author
on the hunt in my team! But move quickly: this contest and all the bonus
material will only be online for 72 hours.
Go to YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt.
There are eight contest going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all!
I am a part of the PURPLE
TEAM—but there is also a red, orange, gold, green, teal, blue, and pink
team for a chance to win a whole different set of books.
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to
all the authors participating and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go
to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.
LET’S PUZZLE!
DIRECTIONS: Below,
you’ll notice that I’ve hidden a special number. Collect the favorite numbers
of all the authors on the purple team, and then add them up (it’s okay, you can use a calculator).
ENTRY FORM: Once you’ve added up all the number, go fill out the
form linked below to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct
number will qualify.
RULES: Open internationally, anyone below the
age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be
eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 7, at
noon Pacific Time. Entries
sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be
considered.
THE HUNT IS ON!
Today, I am
hosting Amy Plum on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt. Amy Plum is the author of Die for Me, an international best-selling YA series set in Paris, which has been translated into thirteen languages. Amy's newest series is a duology, After the End and Until the Beginning. The first book of her YA horror duology Dreamfall will be released by HarperTeen in 2017. Amy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama before venturing further afield to Chicago, Paris, London, and New York. An Art Historian by training, she can be found on most days either daydreaming or writing (or both) in a Parisian café.
And if you like her content, you can purchase An Alphabet of Paris Zombies if you click here
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
From the internationally best-selling author Amy Plum comes this illustrated series of rhyming couplets memorializing the mysterious deaths of twenty-six residents of the City of Light. For every letter, there's another gruesome end linked to a famous spot, leading the reader on a deliciously ghoulish tour through Paris. The photos were taken by the author as she scurried around the city preparing the ghastly alphabet for her contribution as a Featured Author of the 2014 Twitter Fiction Festival.
Today, Amy will be sharing a video with you hunters about her book. So be sure to click the link to get some exclusive content!
And don’t
forget to entire the contest for a chance to win a ton of books by me,
Amy Plum, and more! To enter, you need to know that Amy Plum caught the
writing bug when she was very young; I started Ascension in middle school, and I
finally published it now that I’m 20.
ONWARD WITH THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for all the free books, you need
to check out the next author! C.M. McCoy
Please leave me some comments, tell me how you’re doing in
the hunt, or anything you want to talk about! I love hearing from you all!
On top of the winner receiving a free copy of Ascension, as well as many others, click our Rafflecopter link below for a chance to win this box of awesome Ascension Swag!** a Rafflecopter giveaway
Friday, September 30, 2016
Made it down to Chatt
Ascension officially made it down to Chattanooga this afternoon at Star Line Books!!Every experience with this book brings something new to my life, and it's just so amazing and humbling. During the Maryville Launch, so many people came that night to support me. I honestly could not believe my eyes, and I was so incredibly humbled. I will never be able to forget that night, even though it was such a blur.
All of the kind reviews I'm getting on Amazon and Goodreads touch my heart. I know the bad reviews are going to come. Even the most spectacularly flawless authors like Maggie Stiefvater, Leigh Bardugo, and J.K. Rowling have their critics. But for now, I'll take all of your reviews to heart, treasuring each one, and be so so thankful. |
| Ni touched my heart with her kindness |
Tonight, apart from the new faces and old friends that came out to support me, I met my first, real, non-friend or family related fan. Ni was waiting for me when I got to Starline this afternoon. An English professor at my university mentors her and bought Ascension for her when it launched a month ago. This afternoon, she presented me a rolled, crumpled, folded, bent, well-read, extremely loved copy of Ascension. "How could you do that?" She said to me. My natural reaction, knowing the twists and turns of my book, was to ask her to clarify. "The ending! I threw it across the room several times!!" she said. Guys, I can't tell you exactly how much this means to me. I've been there. I've thrown a Maggie Stiefvater book across the room. And MY book made someone do that...Ni named her favorite character, her favorite part, and told me that she's shared her copy around her classroom. But the best part? She wrote fan fiction about Rove and Jillian!!! Fan fiction...about MY BOOK! I have to be honest, I kind of fell when she told me that. I was so stunned and touched and humbled and...only big time authors get fan fiction right? This can't possibly be real life, right? Ni just made my entire month.
My friends, my creative writing group, english professors, some city goers, some classmates, and of course my mom, publisher, and book seller made this afternoon absolutely amazing. Tonight is going to be so memorable to me, will always stand out in my mind. Thanks to everybody who was able to come out tonight. You all mean the world to me! |
| The Best Book Seller on the Block |
Monday, September 26, 2016
Banned Books Week!
There are a variety of reasons for why books are banned--racial issues, damaging lifestyles, sacrilegious dialogue, sexual situations, violence, witchcraft, etc. You get the point.
Literature is art. Art is freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of life, freedom of religion. As artists, authors cannot please everybody. Someone will almost always be offended by something written, so we should not attempt to please everyone. It's a ridiculous goal. If something offends you as a reader, you can put the book down and walk away. You don't have to challenge it and ruin reading society for everyone. So just...be considerate. Come on!
Interested in reading a Banned Book (as you rightly should be? Bannedbooksweek.org has this cool list of the most challenged books of 2015:
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about
What about classics that have been banned?
1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses, by James Joyce
7. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
9. 1984, by George Orwell
11. Lolita, by Vladmir Nabokov
12. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
15. Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway
Challenge yourself this week and read a banned book. Practice your freedom to read 'em. Sorry, that was a bad joke. :D Let me know what banned books you're reading this week!
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Expanding Your Reading
For a long, long time, I read children's books, then middle grade books, and then YA books in segments. I have blocks of my life where I only read that specific genre. In high school (until senior year), I thought it was ridiculous for me to read a middle grade book while I was 16. I was obviously much too mature to read something for a ten year old, and I didn't think I was mature enough to read to Adult books (apart from the classics that were assigned to me in school).
Over the past three years, my view on this has changed. My senior year of high school when I interned for Audrey Press/ Jump Into a Book, my job was to read children's books and Middle grade fiction. I had to read these books with a critical eye, looking at the different aspects of the books and coming up with crafts. And I love them. Children's books are absolutely beautiful. I don't know when the last time was that you read a picture book, but man! Some of those pictures are just fabulous, and the stories are heart warming.
Some of my favorite books are Middle Grade books: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, Holes by Louis Sachar, The Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, and the list goes on. Yes, the language is younger, but the themes and issues discussed in Middle grade fiction are universal, something we've all been through or can relate to. And the language can also be very beautiful.
I've heard recently, since publishing a YA book, that adults think they shouldn't read YA books, that the topics are young, the writing's young, the ideas are below their mental level. But this isn't true: there are some absolutely amazing writers in YA world right now. Adults were once young adults; they can relate to the issues being discussed and maybe can find a character and say "man, I wish I'd been like this as a kid." Even though we mature, every aspect of our lives carry with us to define who we are. We just don't let go of our adolescent mindset. It's still there, just not at the forefront.
In the past year, I've ventured into the adult genre. My first novel was Life after Life by Kate Atkinson, which I listened to driving back and forth between Maryville and Chattanooga. And it was fabulous. The narrative style is so interesting, and the characters are incredibly compelling. This summer, I experienced Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel. I don't normally go for the post-apocolyptic novels, but Station 11 was spectacular. There are so many strings that all connect at the end, and it's just mind-blowing. When I got the end, I just sat there thinking "Woah!"
So I guess the point of this book ramble is to not lock yourself into a reading box. It's very easy for me to just stay in my little YA world, especially because there are so many amazing YA books coming out right now to try and fail to keep up with. But try and make an effort to expand your reading circle. If you need any recommendations, I'm HAPPY to give some out. Just let me know.
And if you want to start in YA, Ascension is a great jumping in book :D
Happy Reading,
HER
Over the past three years, my view on this has changed. My senior year of high school when I interned for Audrey Press/ Jump Into a Book, my job was to read children's books and Middle grade fiction. I had to read these books with a critical eye, looking at the different aspects of the books and coming up with crafts. And I love them. Children's books are absolutely beautiful. I don't know when the last time was that you read a picture book, but man! Some of those pictures are just fabulous, and the stories are heart warming.
Some of my favorite books are Middle Grade books: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan, Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan, Holes by Louis Sachar, The Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson, Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, and the list goes on. Yes, the language is younger, but the themes and issues discussed in Middle grade fiction are universal, something we've all been through or can relate to. And the language can also be very beautiful.
I've heard recently, since publishing a YA book, that adults think they shouldn't read YA books, that the topics are young, the writing's young, the ideas are below their mental level. But this isn't true: there are some absolutely amazing writers in YA world right now. Adults were once young adults; they can relate to the issues being discussed and maybe can find a character and say "man, I wish I'd been like this as a kid." Even though we mature, every aspect of our lives carry with us to define who we are. We just don't let go of our adolescent mindset. It's still there, just not at the forefront.
In the past year, I've ventured into the adult genre. My first novel was Life after Life by Kate Atkinson, which I listened to driving back and forth between Maryville and Chattanooga. And it was fabulous. The narrative style is so interesting, and the characters are incredibly compelling. This summer, I experienced Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel. I don't normally go for the post-apocolyptic novels, but Station 11 was spectacular. There are so many strings that all connect at the end, and it's just mind-blowing. When I got the end, I just sat there thinking "Woah!"
So I guess the point of this book ramble is to not lock yourself into a reading box. It's very easy for me to just stay in my little YA world, especially because there are so many amazing YA books coming out right now to try and fail to keep up with. But try and make an effort to expand your reading circle. If you need any recommendations, I'm HAPPY to give some out. Just let me know.
And if you want to start in YA, Ascension is a great jumping in book :D
Happy Reading,
HER
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