The Vow

I just finished a disappointing read from one of my favorite authors. In her defense, the book is advertised as a novella, but is meant to be a prequel to an upcoming release and not a stand-alone tale. I'm not a fan of prequels, and this one didn't improve my opinion. I'd probably give it three out of five stars.

While I enjoyed the authors description of setting and wanted to love the heroine, I was a bit confused about the possible love interest. I usually fall for him right along with the heroine, but this time I kept wondering if he was meant to be a bad guy, or even an important one at all.

This publication marks the beginning of Hedlund's foray into YA. While I didn't care for this short story, it wasn't enough to turn me away from reading her future works. I'm still anticipating her upcoming release of An Uncertain Choice in March. It will be a continuation about four years after "The Vow" takes place.

I'm curious to see how the character will have matured, and am hopeful that I'll lose myself in that book as I have in all of this author's previous publications.

Synopsis: In this ebook historical romance novella by Jody Hedlund, young Rosemarie finds herself drawn to Thomas, the son of the nearby baron. But just as her feelings begin to grow, a man carrying the Plague interrupts their hunting party. While in forced isolation, Rosemarie begins to contemplate her future—could it include Thomas? Could he be the perfect man to one day rule beside her and oversee her parents’ lands? Then Rosemarie is summoned back to her castle in haste. The disease has spread, and her family is threatened. And the secret she discovers when she returns could change her future forever. – Goodreads  

 

How do you feel about prequels?

Creativity, Inc.

I recently finished reading Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull. I highly recommend this book to anyone in the creative or business industry. I also encourage ANYONE in a leadership position of any kind to read this.

The philosophy and ideas presented by Catmull give you a glimpse into the success of Pixar. He also shares stories of the involvement and leadership styles of both Steve Jobs and John Lassiter. Equal parts of memoir, management theory, and creative encouragement, this book offers something for almost everyone.

It's my favorite read so far this year!

Marvel Comics: Buy One, Get One Free!

For a limited time, Marvel is offering a "Buy one, get one free promotion. For more details, visit here.

Who is your favorite MARVEL hero? Favorite villain?

The Great and Powerful "A to Z" Theme Reveal Blogfest!

Sign-ups for the 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge are already under way (see previous post or click the link below for more information). If you have done it before, you know how much fun it can be, and if you have not, this is your chance to give it a try! You can sign up to participate here.

One of the most burning questions participants ask themselves every year is: "Should I have a theme?" Themes are not mandatory, but definitely fun. They let your visitors know what to expect, and help you create posts that line neatly up from A to Z. They also have an added bonus: They let you participate in a whole separate blogfest! Two years ago A to Z participant Mina Lobo started the "Theme Reveal," and sponsors thought it was such a great idea that they made it tradition. This year's theme reveal day will be on March 23, 2015.

To join the more than 200 people already signed up for this event, or to learn more, visit here.

WILL YOU BE PARTICIPATING?

2015 A to Z Challenge

The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at http://tossingitout.blogspot.com, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April - except Sundays. And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A,” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on.

You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

The A to Z Challenge is a great way to get into the blogging habit and make new friends. For more details and its history, go HERE

There are already more than 600 participants signed up. Have you ever participated in this challenge before? Will you be participating this year?

Are you ready for the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2015 edition?

Don't Stop!

Several of my friends have found themselves weighed down by rejections, and wonder if they should give up. DON"T!

We've all heard stories of now famous authors receiving dozens, if not hundreds, of rejections. Some of them took YEARS to see their work on shelves. Not familiar with them? Try these statistics on  Best-Sellers Initially Rejected.

You're not alone. Don't Stop. Don't give up!

This week I'm working on book edits for two other authors, as well as editing a short story I wrote a couple of weeks ago. Oh, yeah, and I have TWO magazine articles that I need to finish.

Keep busy. Keep going. Keep improving and submitting!  Still feeling stuck? Try one of my posts to Get Creative Juices Flowing, Prevent Writers Block or to Deal With Rejection:

Four Lessons From NaNoWriMo
5 Writer Faults
Starter Kit for Writers
To Write or Not to Write
7 Common Fears and Advice for Writers
Curing Blogging Blahs
20 Quotes of Inspiration
More Quotes
7 Tips for Overcoming Writers Block
Never Give Up
10 Tips for a Better Writing Environment
5 Keys to Unleashing Your Imagination
Writing Through Adversity
Title Tricks
The Art of Chaos
Zen Writing
The Empty Pages
Creativity Chips and Four Other Exercises
Inspiring Authors
Interview Exercise
Jung, Carl
Loglines
Universal Themes and Concepts
Rejection Infection
Inspiring Daily Rituals
Status Seekers vs Storytellers
Fresh or Frazzled
To Whom Shall I Tell My Grief
Holiday Writer

HAPPY WRITING!

What are you working on? What helps you get past the rejection phase?

February IWSG

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. My household has been enjoying bouts of strep throat, ear infections, croup, and so forth. In light of that, I'm having trouble concentrating or getting much writing done lately. So instead, I've been reviewing some of my favorite "go to" books for writers:

On Writing by Stephen King
The AP Styleboook (for reference)
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within     By Natalie Goldberg
The Hero With A Thousand Faces                                By Joseph Campbell
The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers       By Christopher Vogler

I was just given a copy of The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard, but I haven't started reading it yet.

What are some of your favorite books on the craft?