Inspired

I have a new friend. I've texted her just about every day this past month (I swear, I wasn't stalking her). Her name is Andra Watkins and on Wednesday, April 3rd she finished walking the 444-mile of the Natchez Trace. It took her 34 days. 15 miles a day. Day after day.

Why would anyone put herself through this, you ask? She was promoting her just released and self-published book To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis—which is beautiful and gripping and a must-read.

Andra is funny, warmhearted and fiercely determined (obviously!). She chronicled her journey with daily posts and videos in which she answered readers' questions. It wasn't easy. She cried, and she threatened to quit, and she cried some more, and when she thought she could no longer put one foot in front of the other, she stumbled across a field of daffodils and lay in it until she found renewed courage to get up and walk. 444 miles! My knees feel weak at the thought, but Andra pushed on, and she finished victorious on April 3rd under the cheers and thunderous applause of faithful supporters who had gathered to welcome her.

She made me cry and she made me laugh, but mostly she reminded me that dreams won't come true unless you give them enough wind to fly.

Thank you, Andra, for the inspiration, for letting me virtually (though I wished many times I had been there in the flesh) accompany you on your journey. You may have done a number on your feet, but you launched your book into the world and you filled our hearts with awe and smiles. 

If you haven't picked up your copy of To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewis, you can purchase it through these outlets. Read it! You won't regret it.

R.R. Martin vs J.K. Rowling

I saw this hilarious post today, courtesy of Quora Daily Digest and had to share it with you (well, it might not make you laugh unless you are a fan of R.R. Martin or of J.K. Rowling or of both.)

How different would the Harry Potter series be, if it was written by George R.R. Martin instead of J.K. Rowling?

• Draco Malfoy would be sitting on the Magic Throne, with Lucius Malfoy fighting all his wars for him.
• There would be four Houses to compete for the Throne: House Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin.
• Ron and Ginny would be lovers.
• Harry would first have to be thrown out of a window before he can learn to use his magic powers.
• Neville Longbottom would be sent to the Wall to be made fun of.
• Quidditch would be played with lances and swords, rather than balls.
• Mail would be delivered by ravens rather than owls.
• Hagrid would only say the word "Hagrid" all the time.
• That goblin who works in the Gringotts Wizarding Bank would be the real hero and plotter.
• Voldemort would be called "The Great Other," rather than "He who must not be named."

Day 5: Having a Blast

I have been writing like a maniac for the last 5 days and this new experiment of mine, i.e. writing without looking back—is totally working for me. How perfectly liberating to not have to agonize about a sentence—a word even—for hours on end. My inner editor would be aghast, and it is a good thing she hasn't shown her face around here once in 5 days; I suspect she's having a pretty good time on her own.
The story is flowing out of me, and while it will by no means be a complete or polished manuscript by the end of the month, it will be a solid first draft ready to be cut, spliced, and shaped into something presentable. I went to a write-in on Saturday at the Hamilton-Wenham Library. If you ever wondered about the power of collective focus, let me tell you: it works. I wrote over 2,300 words in 2 hours, which for me is unprecedented. We did those 20 minute-sprints during which all we heard was manic pounding on keyboards. In the 2 hours I was there, we did about 4 sprints. I have been keeping up with those at home, and I find that I am so focused then that my word count is skyrocketing and I am well on my way to reach the goal of 50,000 words, maybe even exceed it! Ha!

What about you? How are faring with NaNo?

NaNoWriMo or How To Shaking Things Up

I am a reluctant blogger (can you tell?) and I am one of those writers who edit as she goes. Always. But in celebration of National Novel Writing Month, a.k.a NaNoWriMo I am going to shake things up a bit.
First, I will chronicle my progress through frequent posts (Ha! you say? Just wait); I am not committing to daily posts but to as many as I can fit in a week. How's that? Second, I have sent my inner editor away for the entire month, hoping that she will enjoy her much needed break after all the work she did on MIST. I am starting a new book project and hope to write with reckless abandon, racking up those 50,000 words without her sneaking over my shoulder, telling me this won't do.
I am such a rebel! Shivers are running up and down my arms in wild anticipation.

Here is to living the literary life on the edge!

 

Happy Halloween!

When Books Don't Translate Into Movies

I am a HUGE fan of Cassandra Clare; she is brilliant. I read all her books and loved every one of them. And so I was eagerly awaiting the release of The Mortal Instruments, which I saw on release day. Here are my thoughts....

First, the sets: they were gorgeous! From the institute (it reminded me of Hogwarts) to the City of Bones, there were magnificent and very much aligned with what I had imagined them to be.

Onto the acting.... Loved Clary (Lilly Collins), loved Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower), loved Simon (Robert Sheehan), Luke (Aidan Turner), Clary's mom (Lena Headey), but I felt that Isabelle (Jemima West) wasn't sassy enough and Alek (Kevin Zegers)... well he didn't seem like Alek to me. My biggest disappointment was Magnus Bane, however. Magnus is possibly my favorite character of the series. He is a 500-year-old warlock, cocky, irreverent, funny and has had more lovers than he's lived years. I had hoped that there was an actor out there able to encapsulate all that Magnus Bane is, but sadly Godfrey Gao didn't manage that. Sigh. 

The whole movie felt rushed. The 485-page book is non-stop action and two hours are not nearly long enough to get everything in with enough depth to weave a coherent storyline. I can imagine that people who saw the movie without reading the book might have been thoroughly confused. 

So the verdict: it was entertaining but left me wanting/hoping for more. 

However the soundtrack is completely delicious and have been listening to it non stop...

Will I go see City of Ashes if they make the second installment? Absolutely. I still love the world they created.

What about you? Have you seen it? What did you think?

                                                         

The Magic Of The Sea

  a play of shadows

Halibut Point is a state park in Rockport, MA. Giant slabs of granite jut into the ocean, surrounded by thick and thorny bayberry, greenbriar, and shadbush. No need to emphasize the major inspiration factor this represents for me. Its beauty is breathtaking, and it is there that I often go to refill. The other night, my friends (Magali and Thibaud—here for the summer from France) and I went for a picnic to catch the spectacular sunset. 

It was a mini celebration of sort: I finished the revisions on MIST (YAY!), and my manuscript has left the confines of my laptop and started venturing into the world and into the hands of unknown readers (GAH!).

What better place than Halibut Point to scatter my wishes into the waiting arms of the ocean?  "Let go, let go," the waves said as they crashed against the rocks as thoughts of my book flooded my mind.
"Let go, let go," bristled the heath kissed by the incandescent light of the vanishing sun.

And so I did, and reveled in the company of my friends and the magic of the sea.

What about you? Do you have a special place where you love to go?

Taking A Breather

Hi there! Remember me? I'm the girl who started this blog...Ahem. I know, I know...I've been neglecting it on a grand scale. But I have a very good excuse: I am knee deep in revisions and have had no time for anything else (beside work that is). Another 2-3 weeks, I estimate, at which time I will post more consistently. I promise. Until then, I leave you with these 2 guys whom I recently discovered and who are absolutely fantastic... Enjoy!