Just read the coolest first chapter from Across the Universe by Beth Revis!

You have to check it out here .  And, while you are at it..tell about your most awesome adventure.  You could win an ARC!!

Since I've only read one chapter, I can't say for sure if there are sparkly vampires, but I do know that it's YA and SCI FI, so I'm guessing aliens only.  Anyway, I was a Star Trek junkie before the Next Generation and am stoked to find a stellar book that combines my love of science fiction and YA-- which has ruled my world for a few years now. 

On a more personal note, this book gives me hope that there will be a market for my genre jumping work when the time comes. 

I just can't wait to read the rest.

I managed to make it to the writers group this week for the latest news, but I didn't stay to read.  Mostly, because I didn't write.  It's been painful the last couple weeks to get anything on paper and I need to bust out of this sludge pit.  I'm thinking about just skipping around and writing whatever chapter is playing in my head at the moment.  I really haven't found that magic formula yet.  Everyone has to discover their own way to get from the point where characters keep talking in their head to where they live and breathe on the page...ugh.

My second hand quote for the week (Kiersten quoted it at her signing) from Aprilynne Pike 'Give yourself permission to write crap.  Then, make it better.'

I like that.

I can write crap.  THAT, at least, I'm sure of!!!

~Cinnamon

On finding my voice...

I'm back at the drawing board, or keyboard, as it were, and I am rethinking my tone and the voice of my main character.  I had intended a sort of serious romantic YA story and was forging ahead in that direction when I realized how hard it is to sensor that snarky part of myself that wants to spill over into the things I write. 

Then, I read a posted excerpt from Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.  It just came out this week and I was so excited about it that I accidentally ended up with two copies--which should may Kiersten very happy indeed.  I had a preorder, but then Books a Million released in 3 days early and I COULDN'T wait!

I just fell in love with her character Evie, who is light, sarcastic and fun--even though she has a deep and serious side.  Don't most of us? 

Kiersten wrote a blog entry herself about finding her voice.  What actually inspired me most was that she was able to write the first draft of this fantastic book in three weeks because she found the voice/character that  was right for her.  If you read the blog you will hear bits of Kiesten in Evie. 

All this helped me realize my character was too one dimensional and serious.  She wasn't living yet.

Thank you, thank you, Thank you Kiersten for blogging and for posting an excerpt that reminded me how things should be when you've got it right.

~Cinnamon

Help! I'm bleeding....

I've been  stabbed in the hubris!

Ok, maybe it's not that bad, but it does smart a bit. I just read at the critique group for the first time and I've got to say, it was hard.  I already knew most of the things they mentioned:  Don't use an -ly words just choose better verbs, stay away from 'was', create more tension, and get to the main action quickly (yeah, I know I just used an  -ly word- $@#$ ). 

Before I began reading, I thought I'd receive at least a few more 'I liked xxx part' or the humor kept me reading.  Of course, I hated the whole thing myself by the end.  Nervousness made my voice pitchy, I fumbled words and ruined the tone/pace by speeding through it.  I stopped reading before the timer to save us all from the agony.

Whew.  It's done though.  It'll never be my first public reading again.  I'm a bit daunted, but ready to work on making my story something people would want to keep listening to or reading.

Now the hard part...more writing!

~Cinnamon

Hello, my name is Cinnamon and I'm an...

author.  Or, someday I will be. 

In an effort to make someday sooner rather than later, I attended my first writers group meeting on Wednesday.

I'd avoided joining one because, well, I'm not a joiner.  And, I thought I needed to be a better, stronger, faster, (starting to sound a bit like the bionic woman about now, right?), and all around cooler writer before I went. But, time is not my friend, so I need to commit despite all my shortcomings. 

So, you know those 'group meeting' movie scenes where the heroine shows up at the basement of an old church to drink bad coffee out of styrofoam cups and sit on old metal chairs?  At some point, she stands in front of a large group of strangers and says 'Hello, my name is Heroine and I'm a (fill in the blank with suitable personal failing)'.

 I was really afraid it would be like that....and, of course, it was. Exactly like that. Except that there are no basements in Texas, the cups were paper, the chairs were plastic and the coffee wasn't bad (actually all coffee that's not Starbucks is pretty bad, but I'm trying to be kind). 

Anyway, the craziest part was that even though I was purposely sitting in the back row trying to hide, the moderator took about two seconds to hone in on fact that I was visiting and single me out.  ACK!  I was so ready to sprint for the exit after having to stand up and admit my love for science fiction and paranormal YA books.  Lemme tell you, if I hadn't thrown a fit at home about taking time to do something for myself for once (three kids, three dogs, one husband, ya know how it is), I would have done it too.

But, for the record, I am so, so glad I didn't run. 

What I learned:  These people can write. They take it seriously.  They also like to laugh.  I want to fit here. So, I joined.
~Cinnamon