HAPPY NANOWRIMO!!

NaNoWriMo is approaching quickly!! 
What's NaNoWriMo you ask?
Every November, for the entire month, is the NaNoWriMo (nan-o-rhyme-o) or National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org). 
What it means is that you take an idea, pluck it out of your brain and put it to paper; well put it to computer first. The rules aren't too complicated. You register through the website and then you begin November 1st. If you have written at least 50, 000 words and it is a never before written book, you can submit your work for verification, a badge, and an award.
Why participate in the NaNoWriMo?
Why not? As writers we should always be looking for ways to get our creative juices flowing; and I'm not talking about turkey gravy! I know that I need to write something every day. Whether it's just a few ideas or a few chapters! Writing keeps my brain active, alert, and sane!
Now, I'll be honest, it's a bit scary to think that in thirty days (yes, I said 30 days) I will have a 50, 000 + words novel written! Frankly it scares me that I will fail miserably! But isn't it written somewhere that's it better to try and fail than to never try at all (well, something like that)? Last year, I did fail, badly! I don't think I even did 20,000 words. Ouch!
However, that was a huge eye opening experience! I learned that it is a huge commitment to write an entire novel in a month! It means that I will spend many hours sitting in front of a computer staring at a screen, developing callouses on the tips of my fingers from typing! It means that my children may refer to me as Zombie Mom or wonder if I have gone away on vacation because I will be spending a lot of time in the office. But it's only for a month!! I just keep thinking of the huge grin on my face on November 30th at 11:59 when I have typed my last word and press ENTER to submit my written work into the system for verification! I will probably jump up from the computer- or slowly crawl out of the chair due to atrophy in my limbs from hours & hours on being in the same position- and yell at the top of my lungs, "I did it!" Waking the entire house and scaring my husband to death! 
I realize that in a month there is no way that I will have a publish-ready novel! After I am done with the first draft, I then enter the dark world of EDITING!! As my friend (and amazing author) once said to me, "There's plenty in the publishing process to hate, the writing part should be the most fun!" So I am taking Jennifer's advice! I am just going to enjoy it! I will try to sneak any moment I can to write and throw myself into the lives of my character's and enjoy it! I can hate the editing and re-writing part of it later! 
So I am celebrating the month that I'll accomplish something huge! I want to be able to report my experiences and share my story here! I will be posting a synopsis in a few days and hope that I will be all ready for November 1st to come along so that I can enjoy this journey!

Happy NaNoWriMo!! 

"Breaking Beautiful" by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

A good friend of mine and fellow ANWA Member, Jennifer Shaw Wolf is getting ready for her first book release April 24th. Her book, titled "Breaking Beautiful" is a young adult fiction. Although I have not read the complete book yet, I was able to get a sneak peak!
It is a thriller about a young girl who can't remember the horrible night that her boyfriend is killed in an accident. I am including the book trailer and encourage you to read more at http://www.jennifershawwolf.com/.
Once I get the book in my hands, I will have a review written in no time! Everyone that I have spoken to that has read it has really enjoyed the book, so I look forward to reading more! Enjoy the trailer!

 

Book Review "Divergent"

I like to read. Now, I say "like," not love because if I loved to read, I would spend all of my time reading and I wouldn't get anything done, so I try ti say "like" so I feel a little more normal. I hope to start writing book reviews each month to let you know what is out there and what's hot and not.
I just read one of the most compelling books for me since "The Hunger Games" (By Suzanne Collins). The book is called DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth. It's a well written story about making choices. One choice changes Tris' life forever. She is thrust into an unknown world and has to quickly acclimate to the new surroundings and people. She has to dig deep to get up the strength to jump off buildings, have knives thrown at her head, and fight off attackers in the middle of the night.
What I loved about this story is that Tris is a very relatable character. She is flawed and knows it. She knows that she doesn't fit in, even though she tries. The Faction she grew up in is quiet, plain and above all selfless. However, Tris knows that she does not think the same way. She is not a selfless person. She tries to be what her parents want her to be but can't. Now that she is sixteen, she will have to choose for herself where she belongs. She has five options.
Once Tris chooses her Faction, she must face the initiation process which proves to be more than she can bear. She tries to be strong and show her faction that she is brave, but so many obstacles get in her way, including a new love.
This book kept me guessing (which is very hard to do) and I wanted more. I stayed up until after 2am to finish reading it and when it was over, I wanted to start over again.
As a mother, I also liked that the book was not vulgar in any way. There is no swearing and "sex" is only a mention and is not part of the story. I have a teenage son that I would gladly let read this book. I think it is a great, clean book for teens!

If you liked the adventure, mystery, and romance of "The Hunger Games," you won't be disappointed with "Divergent!" The sequel; "Insurgent" will be released May 1, 2012- I look forward to that book review as well!