I originally was not planning on a post filled with random ramblings and such, but it somehow happened to be that way, so I hope you'll bear with me.
My blog tends to have a lot of writing related posts with tips from experiences I've been through, but truthfully, I'm a random person. (My mother can totally attest to this. Just ask her.) We'll be working through a school lesson and I'll blurt out something that happened three weeks prior and totally off subject.
Oh the advantages of homeschooling and patient, loving mothers. They're quite like superheroes, don't you think?
Anyways...
To you writers out there:
CAMP NANOWRIMO IS IN TWO WEEKS!
Are you ready? I'm not. Currently I've been editing my novel frantically whilst writing another novel for school, writing Flash Fiction, and racking my brain for any other inspiration that might be leftover for Camp.
I've named my novel for camp The Music Master. I'm very musical, so I'm excited to write a story that has music play a part in it. :D
And here's my rough synopsis:
 |
| And here's a very simple cover for it. |
Gita hears music differently from the people around her. She doesn't just hear it in instruments and voices. She hears music everywhere. She hears it pulse in the air and sing through the earth. Music surrounds her. But once the Mistress she's bound to serve under learns of her musical abilities, she won't allow it. Music is shut from Gita’s mind, and she lives under a world of silence.
Until a messenger boy comes along. He’s like her. He hears music.
Bound by her loyalty to her Mistress, and curiosity fueling the relationship with the new messenger boy, Gita has to choose which path will lead her life.
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I'm also working on my Tales of Goldstone Woods Fanart entry. I'm pretty confident that I'll make it before the deadline, which makes me extremely happy. And so far it's turning out to my liking, which is a good thing.
I'm super excited to share it with you once it's done. :D
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I Don't Know What to Read
I know. *cue the gasping* It seems like everyone in the blogging community has these GIANT to-read stacks, and I'm sitting here with, well, nothing. :p
So, fellow bookworms and writers, I need some recommendations. Fantasy and Sci-Fi are my absolute favorite genres, but it would do me some good to branch out a bit.
I have one request: Please recommend clean books. Not all the books I read are 100% free of language, but I would rather do without it. I'm fine with romance as a side plot, just not anything over the top and inappropriate. I am a Christian and I want to keep the things I read wholesome.
Thank you! :D
_____________
There you have it. A completely random post.
Oh, and my birthday is in two days, on the nineteenth. I'm going to be fifteen. It's weird to think about, so I shall stop thinking about it.
Byeeeee!
- Katie Grace
(And Happy St. Patrick's Day!)
Are you going to Camp NaNoWriMo? What are you writing for Camp? Comment a link to your camper profile so I can check it out!
And give me lists of allll the book recommendations because I can never have enough books to read.
Happy early birthday! It sounds like Camp Nano is going to be fun for you—your story actually reminds me a little bit of something another book I've read by a friend. Not the same by the end, but similar concept. I hope you get to write it all! Also, I have no idea what to recommend. That is all. XD
ReplyDeleteThank you, Heather!
DeleteI am so excited about Camp. And my novel. It should be great.
Alright. xD
Good luck! I've never done Nanowrimo(is camp different from what they hold in November?) but maybe I will someday. I really like your idea.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you're doing Tales of Goldstone Wood fanart! Sounds like that'll be really cool.
Okay. I seriously love it when people ask for recommendations. Are you ready for this? :) I'm a fantasy fan, also. I really enjoyed Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern series. It starts with the Goose Girl and there's four books total. Also, The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy by Clare B. Dunkle and Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith(has a historical feel to it, but I don't think it's set in our world). These are all clean.
I recently read Seraphina by Rachel Hartman. It was AMAZING but it had some minor language.
Anyway. Hope that was somewhat useful, and that all goes well for you!
Oh, and happy birthday! That's pretty neat, because my birthday's on the twentieth. So close! :D
DeleteThanks, Ally! Yup, Camp is run by NaNoWriMo, but it's a bit different. You are able to choose your own word goal and be in 'cabins' with other writers. I like it a lot more, though it's less popular.
DeleteI can't believe it either. xD I'm soooo excited.
I've read the Books of Bayern, but I haven't heard of any of the others. Thank you so much for the recommendations. :D
It was very helpful! I have a bunch of books to put on hold at the library, now. :)
AND HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, TOO.
0.0 But... It's on the twentieth!? I already know five people with birthdays on the twentieth, and now with you, six. It's weird.
First off, happy birthday! Welcome to the Fifteen Club!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I know you mainly like fantasy and sci-fi reads, but I recently read a clean contemporary read by Kasie West that I enjoyed. It's called ON THE FENCE :-) It's definitely a chick flick and there isn't any language or anything graphic in it, just a really clean romance and a short, cute storyline :-D Who knows, maybe you'll like it?
Thanks, Rcubed. :D
DeleteMaybe I will! I'll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation. :)
Happy Birthday!!
ReplyDeleteCamp NaNoWriMo is a happening thing! I'm excited xD I seem to be out of books to read as well :/
Thank you!
DeleteIt is going to be so awesome. :D
*sighs* It's hard when that happens. We'll go through it together.
Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteI thought Camp NaNoWriMo was in November... Is this a different one? Could you give me a link? **sheepish smile**
Thanks, Petra!
DeleteIt looks like you've figured it out below, but here's the link anyway: campnanowrimo.org
I love your story idea, it sounds so interesting and something I would love to read. :) I love music!
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to my profile on Camp NaNoWriMo: http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/marybweird
I can't wait for it to start!!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! :D
I love music, too! I'm so excited to write it. :D
Delete*runs to check out your profile* Ooh... Your novel idea sound super interesting as well. I hope it's easy to write and writer's block stays away. :)
THANK YOU! :D
I have my camp profile created :) here's the link: http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/patricia-gratia-rane
ReplyDeleteYay, I found you. Good luck with Camp!
DeleteOoh, I may be unofficially joining Camp Nanowrimo this year. As for book recommendations, I'd recommend my own book. :D It's clean, although it's fairly short. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Paralyzed-Dreams-C-B-Cook-ebook/dp/B00TWVOYNC/
ReplyDeleteAwesome. :D
DeleteI have the book on my to-read list! I'll definitely make sure to write a review once I read it. :D
Good luck with Camp NaNo! Unfortunately I won't be doing it April, but I am thinking of doing it in July.
ReplyDeleteAs for book recommendations, hmm . . . *thinks* Welp, it seems my mind is as dry as a desert now. xD I might get back to you on that.
Thanks, Victoria! Ooh... Maybe we could be in the same cabin when you do it in July? Something to keep in mind when the time comes. :)
DeleteHaha, okay. xD
Yes, we should try to do that in July. =D It'll be fun.
DeleteLet's see, I got some recommendations:
Either The Bronze Bow or The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. I would also recommend The Good Master by Kate Seredy. The latter might be more for younger children, but I enjoy it immensely. I would also recommend The Giver and its sequel Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. I don't know if you enjoy mystery and what your family's standards are, but I would recommend Dorothy Sayer's mystery novels for more classic reads. However there are cuss words, and the situations in them are more grisly. For another classic read I would recommend the autobiographies of either Solomon Northup (Twelve Years a Slave) or Frederick Douglass, both slaves before the War Between the States. However they can get a little graphic and grisly at times. As for fantasy, check out The Ranger's Apprentice series. The writing style isn't anything grand, but the stories and the characters are amazing. A couple times the d word is used, but that's the only swearing there is.
Happy birthday, by the way! Oh, and fifteen isn't that scary. ;)
It would be awesome. :D
DeleteOokay. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment all those down! I was aware that The Giver had a sequel, but never actually looked into it. Have you read the other two in the series?
Thanks! Yeah. It's just a number, but it's weird getting older. I'm not sure if I like it or not. xD
Oh no, it's my pleasure. I love suggesting books to people (when my mind isn't dry, that is xP). No, I've just read The Giver and Gathering Blue, but I am planning to read Messenger and Son sometime this year. Gathering Blue is beautiful, though.
DeleteIt's one year closer to being fully responsible yourself, I suppose, and it's a scary thought. xD But then, God's in control of everything. It's so easy to forget that and worry.
I agree with Victoria, you HAVE to read The Bronze Bow. I have read it multiple times..it is just so amazing! It's one of those books that you so wish had more, but is so fulfilling at the end! It was not at all boring, I loved it! :)
DeleteI'll be doing Camp NaNo for the first time ever! Whoo! I'm excited, I'm already working on a story (10,000 words so far) and I'll probably aim for 20,000 words more. I might keep going....we'll see how it turns out. :D Here is my profile: http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/sarahmargaret-172118
Don't worry about the random posts, there awesome. =D I'm so looking forward to Camp NaNo, I've already got a project picked out, I'm going to write a Comedy thats the third in a series I'm writing. =D Whats your profile link? Maybe we can connect on there. =D Oh, I know some really great ones, I'll recommend them to you on Goodreads for ya. =D Heres my Camp Profile http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/mikayla-h
ReplyDeleteRandom posts are quite great. I always love reading them on other blogs.
DeleteA comedy? Wow. That's awesome. I don't think I would be able to write a comedy. Good for you. :D
Yay! I look forward to the recommendations.
Comedys are actually a lot easier to write then I thought they'd be. =D I hope some of them helped!
DeleteGood luck for camp, Katie! I wish I could do it next month, but I am just too busy. But I will be doing it in July!
ReplyDeleteAs for good books to read, here are my suggestions:
Fantasy:
- Till We Have Face by C. S. Lewis (This is a retelling of the Cupid Psyche myth, and it is absolutely magnificent! The two main characters are both strong females-- and not just the stereotypical strong female character, though one does sword fight and lead a nation. And Lewis works in some beautiful Christian themes, even though it is a Greek myth.)
- Dragons in Our Midst by Bryan Davis (The first book, Raising Dragons, is fantastic and the author has a beautiful writing style and a really strong Christian message. But after the second book, the author takes the series in a strange direction, so you may not like the later books.)
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Now don't think this is anything like the common perception today-- because this book is definitely not a horror story. In fact, it is actually really beautiful and filled with hope. It also has some beautiful writing and wonderful characters.)
Science Fiction:
- The Clone Commando books by Karen Travis (Don't laugh at this one either. Technically, these are Star Wars spin off novels, but honestly, they are some of the best modern books I have ever read. The author created her own culture (Mandalorian) inside of the Star Wars universe, and she created one of the best casts of characters, I have ever written. The fourth book is especially good. The author isn't even afraid to address topics such a euthanasia, abortion, or the value of life in general. My only warning is that there is cussing in a fictional language, and one character gets pregnant out of wedlock.)
- The Left Behind books (adult and kids versions.) (These are just great and of course, strongly Christian. Now the adult books have one character who has an affair and there is lot of violence, but overall, they are pretty good.)
If I remember any others, I'll let you know, but these are some of my favorite books. I hope you will enjoy them!
I prefer doing Camp in July, just since I'm not busy with school then, but I'm still excited about making some progress in April.
DeleteOh my goodness! Thank you! I've read Dragons in Our Midst but haven't heard of most of the others. You're awesome. :D
First off: happy early birthday!!! I'm turning 15 in exactly two months, so I'm not too far behind you. ;)
ReplyDeleteAll of your books sound so good! I'm doing NaNoWriMo for the first time this year, and I'm really excited. :D
Here's my profile: http://campnanowrimo.org/campers/gorbatuluk
:)
Thanks, Elisabeth! Happy early birthday to you, too!
DeleteWhoah. You're going for 50,000 words in April? Good luck to you! :D
The Music Master sounds intriguing! Have you ever read The Auralia Thread series by Jeffrey Overstreet? It's a wonderful Christian fantasy series with a hint of allegory (I've read the first three, and the second book is my favorite, so if you don't like book one, keep going :) ). I also highly recommend anything by Donita K. Paul, and The Place of Voices by Lauren Lynch is pretty good. Oh, and I think you would enjoy Beggar Magic by H.L. Burke, based on your musical-ness.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes on your Camp NaNoWriMo writing!
I just put a bunch of Donita K. Paul's novels on hold at the library. :D
DeleteThank you for the other recommendations! The others weren't at the library, but I shall keep them in mind when I have more book money. :)
Yay for Camp NaNoWriMo! I have the bestest cabin of ever this year! *winks* As you know already, I'm rewriting my book COMPLETELY, and I have been plotting a lot. I'm still getting worried, though, because plotting is taking so much longer than I thought it would. As soon as I think I have all the details in place, there's more I have to figure out. Gah.
ReplyDeleteAs for book recommendations, I have a few. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom and Chasing Jupiter and Interrupted by Rachel Coker. They are all great books for Christians, and most of them are clean. The only one that isn't as clean is Unbroken. It has some language and war violence, but it's a great narrative-style biography about how Louis Zamperini became a Christian and spread Christianity to others. I know there's also a version of it for younger readers, but I haven't actually read that version.
And Happy Early Birthday!
Ooh, yes. We have the BEST cabin ever. xD
DeleteI know. We set up some Planning Wars in the cabin where we all plan for a set amount of time. I really need to just sit down and think about where' I'm going with my novel, but that hasn't happened so far.
Thank you for the recommendations! :D
Might be a bit behind, butt I thought there was one in November and that was it? Could you please fill me in? :D
ReplyDelete*but
DeleteHi, Autumn! The event in November is the main one, but there are also two spin-off events that happen in April and July. The one in November is NaNoWriMo and the two in April and July are called Camp NaNoWriMo. Camp NaNoWriMo is just like NaNoWriMo but with more flexibility. You can set your own word count goal, and you have the option to work on other things like screenplays or revising instead of first drafting a novel. There are also cabins, which are like private spaces for a group of writers to encourage each other during camp. I hope that helped!
DeleteLooks like Ana has got you covered, Autumn. :)
DeleteI really love Camp, just since it allows you the flexibility of choosing your own word count goal and changing it if needed. It's a lot easier to deal with when unexpected things show up, but you still want that motivation.
I've never participated in Camp NaNoWriMo, I'm usually just too busy. Maybe I'll join it this time around though Who knows? :p Hope your writing goes well!
ReplyDeleteI really love your blog by the way. Great design and great posts. Definately give you a virtual high five for sure! *high five*
Maybe you could check out my blog? It's relatively new, so I dont know if it will be exactly A+ standard. Maybe you could check it out? Maybe leave a little comment? Thanks!
www.blindeyesoftheworld.blogspot.com
There's the link ^
You should join this year. *nods* If you don't get a chance to in April, it happens in July also when there isn't school, so that's nice.
DeleteThank you so much! *high fives you back*
Happy late birthday! And -yes, this is weird- mine was also the 19th. Only I turned 17. :)
ReplyDeleteHave you read Krista McGee's normally trilogy? It's Christian sci-fi and was pretty good. Her other 3 books are good too. Stephanie Morrill has a cool series too, though I've only read the first two books. Its called The Reinvention of Skylar Hoyt. Anyway, hope that helps.
Blessings!
http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru
That's awesome. :D Happy belated birthday to you!!
DeleteI've tried reading them, but... I'm not entirely sure what it really was. I just couldn't get into them. And I've heard of Stephanie Morrill's books, but haven't been able to get my hands on them since they aren't at my library. :( Hopefully they'll come in someday, though.
Thanks for reading!
Yep, not getting into books definitely happens. :/
DeleteSkylar Hoyt is great so I hope you get to read it soon!
Blessings!
http://teensliveforjesus.blogspot.ru
I was gooooing to do NaNo, but then I got writers block and BLAH. It's like less than a week till it starts and I totally don't have a book. So yeah. I'm thinking I'll wait and try to join in for the July one. XD Good luck though! Your music book sounds epic! (I love music.)
ReplyDeleteHave you tried Wayne Thomas Batson's Christian fantasy series called The Door Within?? They've got magic and dragons, but he's a Christian author and it's like an allegory at times too. xD I really enjoyed them!
Thanks for stopping by @ Paper Fury!
Writer's block is the definition of "blah." I'm certain. And I love music, too, which is mostly the reason why I got the idea for this novel. xD
DeleteI have! Thanks for the recommendation anyways. :D