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Subplots and Storylines – June 2018

Tracey Dyck 26 Comments

Hello, hello, everyone! I’m back! Thanks for all the great vlog questions you left me. I hope to film a coherent video answering them all very soon. In the meantime, how was your month? Sit down and grab a cup of lemonade (because coffee is much too hot for this weather) and let’s chat!

My June was about as full as all my months seem to be, and yet it was a lot more relaxing because . . . I took a holiday! More on that in a minute. This could become a long post, so I’ll try to keep each section of the recap brief and under control. (Yeah, right.)

A few notable life happenings:

  • I took my sisters to a Maze Runner-themed escape room! Kind of a homemade one put on by their youth group, but it was super well done. (And I got to sneak in and go through it too, even though I’m too old. Ha.)
  • A couple more friend get-togethers
  • My sister, Chloe @ Faeries and Folklore, graduated high school and we threw a party!
  • One of my best friends had a baby shower
  • Aaaaand holidays!

It was wonderful to spend a week at a cabin with my family, doing absolutely nothing. I devoured five books, watched a bunch of movies, ate delicious food, swam in the river, and played an ongoing game of Phase 10.

We also went to see the ruins of the old Pinawa Dam. I’m a sucker for ruins of any kind, but to find some in my home province of Manitoba was super cool! Can’t you just see this old wall being used as the setting for a dystopian story? Or even a fantasy?

Screen Subplots

Once Upon a Time season 6
I only watched two more episodes this month, but the season is still making a slow upward climb, so that’s good.

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Just one episode this month. Still a fun show!

Spider-Man 3
At last my siblings and I are finished the Tobey Maguire trilogy! I’m sorry to insult a classic, but these movies just didn’t hold up like I’d hoped. (I did love them years ago.) At least Harry Osborne was better in this one.

The Greatest Showman
This has got to be the most hyped-up movie I’ve seen in a long time. I was rather worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, and while pretty much the whole plot came as no surprise at this point, I LOVED IT. I loved the music, the visuals, the characters, the charm of it all. I loved the emphasis on family. It was beautiful. Truly. And if you’ll pardon me a moment, I’m going to go buy the soundtrack!

Captain America: The First Avenger
My siblings and have started rewatching the Marvel movies (it’s our youngest sister’s first time!), and we skipped the Iron Man movies to watch this one. It gets me every time. I love Cap. And Bucky. And everything.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Another rewatch. So heartrending, I cried again.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Look at that, I’m really jumping on the HP bandwagon now! But this movie was so enjoyable. Faithful to the book, with an adorable young cast, it brought Hogwarts to life in such a charming way.

Coco
This one was better than I expected! If you don’t mind the Day of the Dead stuff, it’s a cute little film about family and remembering those who have passed away. The visuals are brilliant, and I didn’t see one of the twists coming.

Page Storylines

Guys. I read nine books this month. NINE. I can’t remember the last time that happened! (Thank you, vacation, for all the reading time.)

Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff // Chip Gaines

I’ve never watched Fixer Upper or read Chip and Joanna’s previous book, but I still enjoyed getting to know them through this quick nonfiction read. They seem down-to-earth and have an approach to business I could get behind. Lots of anecdotes here, with some good advice for living fearlessly, taking risks, and prioritizing family. The book did feel a bit scattered, but that could be my own expectations interfering. 4 stars.

Steal Like an Artist // Austin Kleon


This little book is a pithy pep talk. Inspiring, quotable, whittled down to a few quick scrawls and snippets to catapult your own thoughts. It’s a starting point, and I like where it leads. The biggest thing I took away is that our work is a sum of our influences–and that’s okay. For any creative worried about originality or feeling short on ideas, this is a great pick-me-up. 5 stars!

Enoch’s Ghost // Bryan Davis

(Continuing my reread of Dragons in Our Midst / Oracles of Fire / Children of the Bard series) Oh goodness, I’d forgotten how much I love this one. Themes of sacrifice run like a scarlet thread through the narrative, characters grow and develop through excruciating circumstances, and the threat facing our heroes is cataclysmic.

Ashley, struggling to relinquish control, has never been more relatable to me than right now. And I love her relationship with Walter! I’m also a huge fan of Second Eden, the infinite staircase, Dikaios, Elam, and Timothy. (That Timothy . . . he breaks my heart.) Everything wrapped up so incredibly well, with just enough hope amidst the disaster to last me until the next book! 5 stars!

Siren’s Song // Mary Weber

Whew, this was quite the trilogy! There were a few things overall that I wasn’t too keen on, but my love for Nym’s journey and the powerful themes eclipse those minor annoyances. In this book, it’s evident that Nym has come so far since the beginning. There were many characters to love, and even the dastardly Myles garnered my approval. (It helped that he reminded me of Loki.) The pace left my heart pounding, and the ending was thematically magnificent. 5 stars!

Unblemished // Sara Ella

I was a bit worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype, but it was surprisingly good! It had some Once Upon a Time vibes, which made me happy. At first, the mysteries were easy to see through, and the beginnings of a love triangle seemed predictable. But then the plot twists started happening, and I actually grew to like the love triangle. (Gasp!) Life-or-death stakes have a way of breathing fresh life on that old trope. And in case you’re wondering, I’m Team Ky. 4.5 stars.

The Minish Cap // Akira Himekawa

I don’t read many graphic novels, just as I don’t play many Legend of Zelda games, but this was a fun, quick read with an adorable drawing style. Link, Zelda, and the Picori were super cute. It was rather fast-paced–just the nature of graphic novels, I guess–but the ending was satisfying. 4 stars.

Paper and Fire // Rachel Caine

I read the first book on vacation last year, so it seemed fitting to continue while on another holiday! This one consisted of an intense rescue plot, an alternate-universe Rome, creepy automatons, much sneaking around, brilliant details, forbidden books, and serious squad goals. These crusty munchkins are becoming a family and I love it. The only things I didn’t love? The continuation of a romance that goes against my beliefs, a small smattering of language, and the fact the main love interest seemed to be the only person lacking personality. But overall, I adore this series and can’t wait to get my hands on the third book! 4.5 stars.

All the Crooked Saints // Maggie Stiefvater

With the lyricism of The Raven Cycle and none of its objectionable content, THIS was the kind of Stiefvater book I’ve been looking for! It was lovely, atmospheric, and somehow managed to be a feel-good story without the inherent cheesiness. The omniscient point-of-view worked beautifully, the very setting seemed alive, and the lovable cast was quirky as all get-out. What really got me is the message of hope: healing is found through opening yourself up to help others, and this eclectic crew of pilgrims on a Colorado ranch in the 1960s proved that better than anyone. 5 stars!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets // J.K. Rowling

More rollicking adventures in Hogwarts! The plot felt at times like a replica of the first book (until the plot twist happened), but I was having too much fun to care. A few things you must know: a) I am going to visit the Weasely’s Burrow if it’s the last thing I do, b) Mandrakes are hilarious, c) the duel scene was the best, d) Lockhart is annoying 95% of the time, e) Draco–just Draco, and f) somebody get me book 3 pronto. 5 stars!

Subplots of My Own Making

Not a ton to report on the writing front this month, unfortunately. Going away for a week may have had something to do with that. But! I did accomplish a few things.

I listened to episode 13 of The Creative Way, a writing course by Ted Dekker that has been taking me forever to finish. (But it’s still excellent.)

I did a short critique for a critique partner. Her story is awesome.

I wrote a 300 word flash fiction and submitted it to Splickety.

I rewrote chapters one and two of The Brightest Thread AGAIN and finally moved into chapter 3. I hope I’ve stopped spinning my wheels on this opening, because I’d really like to make some progress before Realm Makers (which is two and a half weeks away!!!). It may be too soon to say, but I think, perhaps, maybe, this new opening is “The One.” It stays true to the original version more than my other rewriting attempts, but I think it’s mechanically stronger.

Whew! If you made it this far, here’s a refill on that lemonade. What were your June highlights? Have you read/watched anything mentioned here? What’s your ideal holiday? I hope you have a fantastic July! And to my Canadian friends–happy Canada Day!

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The Voices of YA Tag

Tracey Dyck 22 Comments

I have been tagged by Lisa @ Inkwell for the Voices of YA tag! (Everyone go say hi to her. She’s awesome.) Truth be told, she tagged me a whole Y E A R ago, and here I am, finally getting around to it.

 

The Rules:

  • Thank the person who tagged you (thanks again, Lisa, and sorry for my tardiness!)
  • Link to the original creator (you can find it from Caitlin Lambert @ Quills and Coffee HERE)
  • Answer the ten questions
  • Tag at LEAST two other YA writers/bloggers
  • Share with the hashtag #VoicesofYA




[graphic from Caitlin Lambert]

1. What draws you to YA?

 

The emotions! Everyone knows teenhood is fraught with them, and so is young adult fiction. Now, I’m not a big fan of melodramatic angst–that can get ridiculous fast–but I am in love with the full range of excitement, confusion, doubt, passion, and fear that can be found in teenaged protagonists.

Of course these things are also present in adult fiction, and even to a certain extent in middle grade fiction . . . but YA is where it really shines. It’s the bridge between the carefree days of childhood and the responsibility of adulthood. It’s when a person starts to define who he or she is. It’s one big cocoon of transformation, and that’s what I love about it.

 

I may be older than most YA characters by now, but that doesn’t make their struggles any less relevant. If anything, I think teens are just more honest about the hard things, and it’s the adults who try to hide behind masks. I hope I always stay young at heart.

 

2. Describe your writing process. Do you like outlines and structures, or seeing where the story takes you?

 

Both! When I started out, I wrote by the seat of my pants, content to see where the story wandered. (Outlining? Pfft, that was for school.) That worked until I started writing actual novels and got very stuck. Then I switched to outlining–the full Roman numeral chapter-by-chapter method–and that worked until the plot and characters took on lives of their own and refused to listen to my plan. I tried bending them to my will, but they clammed up and became wooden and boring.

 

So now I’m a hybrid, neither a pantser nor a plotter. I like a good roadmap with all the important signposts in place, but I want the freedom to figure out the road in between as I go. Whenever the space between signposts (a.k.a. bullet points in a Word doc) is too big and I get lost, I step back and re-evaluate, usually filling in a few more plot points before I keep writing.

 

That’s what works for me now, but who knows? That could change one day. Every book is a new adventure, and my process keeps evolving.

3. How long have you been writing? Where are you in your journey?

 

I have been writing in some form or another since I was six or seven, when a love of books and the encouragement of my first grade teacher overflowed into the act of writing my own tales.

 

I have been writing novels since I was twelve, when I started The Prophet’s Quest, which, at the time, was a thinly veiled Chronicles of Narnia / Dragons in Our Midst crossover.

 

Since then, I wrote the sequel (The Prophet’s Key) and started the third book in the series (untitled). I edited TPQ, the first book, numerous times–first on my own and then with the help of amazing mentors (you know who you are!)–when I was sixteen. That’s what really jumpstarted my writing craft. I also started rewriting TPK, the second book.

I wrote four novella-sized retellings of fairy tales in between those edits/rewrites: The Glass Girl (Cinderella), Blood Rose (Beauty and the Beast), The Brightest Thread (Sleeping Beauty), and most recently, Mirrors Never Lie (Snow White). All of these were for contests hosted by Rooglewood Press, and I’m still delighted whenever I think about TBT and MNL placing as finalists.

 

Because I fell irreversibly in love with The Brightest Thread, and because it had so much room for more story, I expanded it into a full novel last summer. After taking a break for college, I’m now editing this special story.

 

But I guess that’s my writing history, and the question asked about the journey. So where am I right now? I’m honing my craft, working to sharpen my plotlines and smooth my characters’ rough edges. I’m devouring all the education on writing I can, from blogs to books to conferences to conversations with real-life authors. I’m researching the publishing industry. I’ve been putting my work out there in little ways. And right now, I’m slowly but surely researching literary agents and preparing myself to query in earnest.

 

This author thing is a long road, and I refuse to put timelines on it anymore, but I honestly do feel like I’m a lot closer to publishing than I’ve ever been.

 

(None of this is supposed to be an “oh, look at me!” statement. Just sharing my journey: where I’ve been, where I am, and where I dream of going.)

 

4. What do you need to write? Coffee? Music?

 

Neither is a necessity. I like coffee, but most days tea is more appreciated. I love music, but it’s been a long time since I wrote to it consistently. All I need is a spot on the couch in the living room, my laptop, maybe a notebook, and relative quiet. (People can be talking, but I can’t have a movie playing in the background.)

 

In high school, I would hole up in my room for hours at a time with Narnia soundtracks on loop, and that’s how I wrote. But since the adult life takes me away from home a lot more often than the homeschooled-teen life did, these days I like to camp out someplace in the house that’s closer to my family. I guess I’ve gotten used to having distractions people around?

 

5. If you could offer one piece of advice to another writer (other than “don’t give up”), what would it be?

 

If you want to publish, you’re going to need to be in this for the long haul. Even if you don’t want to publish, and your dream is to share your stories with friends and family, you still need to see the long game. Because writing a book is not a fast process. Publishing it is an even longer process.

 

See question #3? I’ve been writing seriously for ten years, and only now do I have a novel I think might be publishing-worthy. (And it’s not even done. Revisions take time.) As a young writer, I dreamt of being a breakout bestseller at age sixteen. All those other authors with stories about hundreds of rejections and years of waiting? Ha, that wouldn’t happen to ME. Fast forward to today, and I’m honest-to-goodness glad it’s a longer journey than I once thought. Sixteen-year-old me was not ready. That book I was writing at the time wasn’t ready. Great gobs of gravy, I’m not sure if I’m 100% ready now, but I’m a lot closer than before. Your journey will look different, but be willing to see the big picture and Take. Your. Time.

 

The thing is, if you’re serious about this, you’re going to need patience by the truckload. Determination, humility, a willingness to learn, and courage help a lot too. Writing is easy. Writing well takes a lot of practice and a lot of guts. And publishing? Well, I’ll let you know how that goes! See the big picture. It will keep you from getting discouraged when you feel stuck.

 

6. What book still has you reeling from its plot twist?

 
It’s so hard to pick just one! But since we’re talking about YA, I’ll point to one of my favorite YA fantasy books, The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen. A number of my Goodreads friends say that they saw the twist coming, but for some reason I did not. Maybe knowing there is a twist makes it easier to see coming?

Anyway, it surprised me! Suddenly the plot clicked in a way it hadn’t before, and niggling little things that had bothered me started to make sense. It was epic. Go read it. The rest of the Ascendance Trilogy is a lot of fun too.

 

7. What books are you most anticipating for this year?

 

FAAAAAAAWWWWKKKEESSSSSS.

Ahem. I’ve only read one book by Nadine Brandes so far, but I am ridiculously excited about her historical fantasy coming out next month! Because hey, it’s historical fantasy, and I do not have enough of that wonderfulness in my life. Also it involves the Gunpowder Plot (y’know, Guy Fawkes and blowing up the king and all that jazz?). And it involves masks. And magic. And the cover is gorgeous. And Nadine Brandes wrote it. So I am all the excited.

 
I’m also looking forward to reading A Thousand Perfect Notes, C.G. Drews’ recent debut! It’s Cait from Paper Fury, people! Our very own queen of the universe! So I’m very happy for her and can’t wait to have my heart broken by her book.
 

Some other books that have been out for a while, but are among the “highly anticipated” books on my TBR this year . . .

 

The Scorpio Races and All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater. The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron. Wanted: a Superhero to Save the World by Bryan Davis. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer. By Darkness Hid by Jill Williamson. The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber. (I’d better stop.)

 

8. In your opinion, which YA book/series has the most unique premise?

 

Excuse me? How am I supposed to answer that?

 

Pardon me while I go stare at my Goodreads shelves.

 

. . .

 

Okay. I’m back. The problem is that all my favorites have something unique about them, whether it’s fairytales in space (The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer), the non-burning of the Library of Alexandria (The Great Library series by Rachel Caine), or a spiritual journey in the midst of a creepy small town (Solitary Tales by Travis Thrasher).

 

But I honestly can’t think of anything quite like the mashup of awesomeness found in the triplet series Dragons in Our Midst / Oracles of Fire / Children of the Bard by Bryan Davis. Where else can you read about dragons, Arthurian legend, Biblical history, and sci-fi technology in one storyworld? These books span Earth across literal millennia, plumb the depths of Hades, ascend to Heaven, and venture into realms straight out of the author’s imagination. Rereading them this year has been awesome.

 

9. What is your all-time favorite quote from YA?

 

I’m no good at these “all-time favorite” questions, so I’ll cop out and offer you two quotes I like–one amusing and the other deep.

 

First, from Winter by Marissa Meyer:

 
“Did you see any rice in there? Maybe we could fill Cinder’s head with it.”

 
Everyone stared at him.

 
“You know, to . . . absorb the moisture, or something. Isn’t that a thing?”

 
“We’re not putting rice in my head.”

 

Second, from my current read, Enoch’s Ghost by Bryan Davis:

Sapphira held the brick with the red diode close to the photometer. “You can’t do this alone, Ashley.”

 
She released her hair, leaving a bloody smear. “I couldn’t reach Larry. I already tried.”

 
“I don’t mean Larry.” Sapphira’s eyes once again blazed. “I think you know exactly what I mean.”

 
Ashley looked up at her and stared. “If you mean have faith, that’s what I’m trying to do.”

 
“I know you’re trying.” Sapphira laid a hand on Ashley’s cheek. A ripple of fire rode along Sapphira’s forearm and crept into her hand. “You have been trying all your life.”

 
Ashley closed her eyes. Heavenly warmth radiated into her cheek and flowed throughout her body, loosening her muscles and draining her tension.

 
“Relax, Ashley, and let Jehovah work through you. Faith asks that you let his power flow, not your anxiety, not your fears, and not your sweat. His power.”

 

10. What books do you most hope will have a movie adaptation?

 
Ooooh, that’s a good question. My one caveat with this list is that these movies have to be made really well or not at all. Ha.
 
  • The Lunar Chronicles // Marissa Meyer
    • If they get the casting right and use top-notch special effects, this could be epic!
  • Solitary Tales // Travis Thrasher
    • These would be so. stinking. creepy. Especially with a good composer for the soundtrack!
  • Rangers Apprentice // John Flanagan
    • Again, good casting, please! But how fun would it be to see these adventures on the big screen? I think a TV show would work a lot better than a movie series in this case.
  • Illusionarium // Heather Dixon
    • Because I just want a steampunk movie.
  • The Montmorency books // Eleanor Updale
    • Set in Victorian London, with the main character living the dual life of a gentleman and a criminal, this could be a fun set of movies. It’s been forever since I read them, but now I want to reread . . .
  • My own books!
    • Come on, every writer dreams of this, right?
 

Thanks for the tag, Lisa! It rescued me on a day my brain didn’t want to cooperate with blogging, and it was fun to boot.

 

I hereby tag:

 

Chloe @ Faeries and Folklore*
Kaitlyn @ Animal Jam Jumble*
Hanna @ Taking My Time
Josiah @ The Steadfast Pen
Savannah @ Inspiring Writes
Victoria Grace Howell @ Wanderer’s Pen
You, if you want to steal it!

*You both are YA readers, not necessarily YA writers, but go ahead and tweak the first five questions to suit yourselves. 🙂

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Subplots and Storylines – May 2018

Tracey Dyck 30 Comments

Happy Saturday, everyone! By the time this post goes up, it’ll be almost Sunday. Oops. It actually feels like I just wrote my last S&S post a week ago, but May is over already. Who on earth gave it permission to go so fast? It’s been a really good month. For one thing, it was unseasonably warm, and the days were full of gardening, ice cream, and peppermint tans.*

*This is when a bookworm sits out in the sun to read and ends up with limbs that are pink on top and still winter-white on the bottom.

For another, May was also full of friend-stuff. Confession: although I love all my friends dearly, I am also an introvert who guards her alone time and likes her social life to have . . . gaps in between. But this month I decided that my introversion, while valid, does not have to mean I’m stingy with my time! So I ended up face-timing a writer friend, shopping with a college friend, inviting another friend over for dinner, and then taking a six-hour road trip to another pal’s place for a weekend. (All of you extroverts may take this moment to laugh at me making a big deal over only four social events.)

Anyway, ’twas all very fun! I’d never road-tripped anywhere by myself before, so it was like a mini-vacation. The friend I visited (whom I haven’t seen in a year) lives on a farm with horses and bees and the most affectionate, slobbery, big dogs I’ve ever met.

And now on to the story-related happenings of May: the ones I watched, read, and wrote.

Screen Subplots

Justice League

Recommendation: do not watch this half a week after seeing Infinity War, because it will pale in comparison. It seems like Justice League was trying to be a DC version of Avengers and it just . . . didn’t work for me at all. The plot wasn’t cohesive, none of the major characters had any personal stakes in their cause, the villain was a negative number on the Scariness Scale, and Clark Kent’s face was botched by poor CGI. The best part of the movie was the presence of Wonder Woman and the introduction of the Flash. (Except Grant Gustin brought the character to life so, so much better in the TV show than Ezra Miller does in this flick.)

My brother reviewed the movie over on The Steadfast Pen a while back, and he went into more detail about some of the things that didn’t quite work.

Spider-Man 2

Watched this with my siblings and ahhh, the cringe! The nostalgia! Sadly, it was far less cool this time around than it was the first time I saw it. But it’s one of those movies that’s still fun to see, if only for the fact that my siblings and I had way too much fun joking about it.

The Death Cure

Still every bit as good as when I saw it in theaters! I might even go so far as to say it was the strongest movie in the trilogy. More thoughts were shared in February’s Subplots and Storylines post!

Emma (BBC 2009 version)

I LOVED IT SO MUCH. This is only the second Jane Austen movie I’ve seen–the first being Pride and Prejudice, the one with Kiera Knightley–and I thoroughly enjoyed all four hours of it. So much that I want to go buy it right now.

Emma is the sort of person who believes she is always right, and it was rewarding to see the crumbling of her matchmaking plans force her to grow in humility. And Mr. Knightley . . . I didn’t think anyone could top Mr. Darcy, but Knightley might have just done it for me. He and Emma have the sort of bantering/bickering sort of friendship that grows between two stubborn people who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. His loyalty and honesty was fantastic.

There was a plethora of other vibrant characters gracing the screen too: the worrisome Mr. Woodhouse (“They might do something reprehensible–like open the windows!”), kind governess Anne Taylor, empty-headed Harriet Smith, snobbish Mr. Elton, charismatic Frank Churchill, incessantly talkative Mrs. Bates, and reserved Jane Fairfax. Speaking of Mrs. Bates, I found the picnic scene surprisingly convicting–if you’ve watched it, you might know why.

But seriously. Mr. Knightley. Excellent character right there. I must read the book.
Period Drama Confessions! gif

Page Storylines

Eye of the Oracle // Bryan Davis

Well, I’ve finished rereading the Dragons in Our Midst series this year, so it was time to kick off the Oracles of Fire series! Returning to this huge story was really enjoyable. I’m in awe of Bryan Davis’s ability to weave a single story through millennia–literally, because the book starts just before the Great Flood and ends in the modern day.

Sapphira and Elam remain some of my favorite characters; so do Makaidos* and Thigocia! It was neat to refresh my memory on all the connections between the dragons and other important characters–both heroes and villains–throughout history. But lest you think this tome is boring, oh no! Battles with demonic Watchers, the toils of underground slaves, portal jumping, the growth of a Nephilim army, and so much more jumps off the page.

*Makaidos is probably one of my favorite dragons ever.

Plus the foreshadowing is spectacular. New readers could pick this up without much trouble, but readers of Dragons in Our Midst will catch dozens of hints.

5 stars!

The Sea of Monsters // Rick Riordan

I read primarily YA, so whenever I dip my toes in MG (middle grade), I’m fascinated and amused by the different approach. But before I go all writer nerd on you, here’s what I noticed as a reader.

I loved the humor, the taxi of death, Tyson, Percy’s water navigation skills, the sirens, the man-eating sheep, and the shouted conversation about Nobody.* The villain’s plan, although revealed a little late, was great too. On the negative side, the plot matched that of the first book almost beat for beat, and there could have been some more introspection at certain moments that needed a reaction.

*”I REMEMBER YOU!”

Thankfully, Percy didn’t suffer the fate of the unchanged-protagonist-who-learned-nothing-in-the-previous-book. He was stronger, braver, and more at ease with his gifts, even if he was simultaneously more upset with his father. I’m looking forward to finally continuing the Percy Jackson series.

4.5 stars!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone // J.K. Rowling

Hello, my name is Tracey Dyck, I’m 22 years old, and this was my first foray into the world of Harry Potter.

Yes. You may all gasp.

But guess what? I’m utterly enchanted! This made me laugh out loud multiple times, and made me want to visit Hogwarts for myself. Harry is a wonderful hero–sympathetic, clever, relatable, and unexpectedly brave. Ron and Hermione make for brilliant friends. The whole cast of characters, in fact, was distinct and charming.

I did have some quibbles. There were times when the lying and sneaking around actually weren’t necessary–and it did seem that Harry and his pals could have faced more consequences for their frequent breaches. Hagrid, though I love him, was revealed to be a bit less worthy of respect than I thought, which was too bad. And I still can’t figure out how Harry and Ron chucked pipes and bathroom taps at the troll–did they rip them right out of the wall or what? (Seriously, someone please enlighten me.)

But the deft writing style, magical wonder, and pop-off-the-page characters make this a book I’ll probably buy. It may have taken me two decades to get to Hogwarts, but I’ll be visiting again real soon.

4.5 stars!

Gravestone (audiobook) // Travis Thrasher

What better way to make a road trip pass by quickly than to listen to an audiobook? Although I did briefly question the wisdom of listening to a creepy story whilst driving through remote countryside. Heh.

This sequel to Solitary is a dark and winding road, much like the mountain path leading up to the Crag’s Inn where Chris works. It’s gloomy. It’s sad at times, intense in others, but just like the inn, there are rays of light beginning to penetrate Chris’s messed-up world.

The plot kept me on my toes as I tried to figure out who to trust. Even though I’ve read this book before, that was five years ago, and I forgot some of the twists. There were genuinely creepy moments standing in stark contrast to several sweet interactions and thought-provoking conversations. Chris’s emotions are very real–the grief, the anger, the confusion, the weariness, the fear.

Looking forward to revisiting the rest of the series. 5 stars!

Written Subplots

Despite the fact that I am so behind on my writing goals, this was actually a pretty productive month. (More on those goals in an upcoming post, I think.)

During the first half of May, I finished compiling beta reader feedback on The Brightest Thread. This covered chapters 20 through 31. I also reviewed the feedback forms I had sent them, which resulted in a document almost fifty pages long.

Because my head was swirling with all the helpful reactions and advice from about a dozen different people, I cracked open a fresh, new notebook to scribble in while I edit. This will be the place I nail down the biggest issues to fix in each chapter and brainstorm how to patch them up.

And then . . . in the second half of May, I dove into ACTUAL EDITING. I love this stage of the writing process! But it’s also challenging right now. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve rewritten my opening several times (bringing me up to about six different versions of chapter one, including one that was split into two chapters because it got so long). Just when I thought I might be on the right track, some sage feedback from a mentor opened my eyes to several blunders I’d made while trying to correct the original chapter’s mistakes. Sometimes you have to make a mess in order to clean up, you know?

So as June unfolds, I’ll keep hammering away at chapter one. It’s a tricky beast, for some reason, but I just know there’s a smashing good opening to be found somewhere!

By the by, once editing is really in full swing this summer, I plan to put together a walk-through post of my editing process, since some of you writerly types have shown interest.

On another writing note, Realm Makers is less than 50 days away now! Say what?! This month I scheduled my mentor appointment and two agent appointments, which makes the conference feel incredibly real and incredibly close. I also submitted the first ten pages of The Brightest Thread for a paid critique appointment . . . which now feels a bit silly, since I’m reworking those pages entirely anyway. But perhaps I’ll still glean something valuable from the feedback?

Yet another writing thingamajig that went down this May was a brainstorming/planning session for a Very Secret Project. I shall not breathe a word of it yet, but it’s coming along. Simmering busily in the back of my mind while I go about my work and editing and other such things. I have tentatively planned to reveal this project sometime this summer, so keep your eyes peeled!*

*Is this not just the weirdest phrase? The thought of putting a potato peeler anywhere near my eyeballs is horrendous.

So yes! That was May!

I hung out with actual people, went on a road trip, got a peppermint tan, hopped back on the Percy Jackson train, and at very long last caught the Harry Potter train too. (Speaking of trains, I’m so happy to finally understand what platform nine and three-quarters means.) I’ve not had this much writing news to share in a long time, and it feels good. Also I seem to be footnote-happy today. So there you have it. My summer break is off to a lovely start.

Now tell me, how are you? Do you like road trips? Harry Potter: yay or nay? Any guesses as to the nature of the Very Secret Project? What are your summer plans, folks?

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The Rebellion Blog Tour – Interview with Livy Jarmusch

Tracey Dyck 10 Comments

Hey, remember last November when I talked about five regal books on my shelf as part of the Regal Reads Blog Tour? Livy Jarmusch had just released a book then, and guess what–she’s come out with another this month! The Rebellion, book 2 in the Tales of Tarsurella series, released on May 8.

So to celebrate, I’m interviewing Livy about reading, writing, and indie publishing. But first, here’s a little bit about the book:

Something is brewing. Like the far off rumble of a train in the distance, a rebellion is stirring. A cry for change arises in the midst of a traditional monarchy, where King Addison has inherited the throne. Who are the underground troublemakers? What is stirring their defiant banner and demand for change? Find out in The Rebellion! (The Tales of Tarsurella #2)

Vanessa Bennett lands her dream job working at the Palace in Tarsurella. She struggles to balance everything on her plate: life in a new country, stressful deadlines, crabby co-workers, college classes at the local University, and blossoming feelings of romantic adoration toward her boss–King Addison. Keeping up with her To-Do list, while trying to earn respect in Addison’s male-dominated administration, presents its challenges. Nevertheless, she can’t help but fight a reoccurring thought and the excitement rising with it: is Addison interested in her?

Addison is adjusting to his new role as King. Rumors of a rebellious uprising among the youth in Tarsurella intensifies, as acts of violence and protest break out across the city. Addison is determined to uncover the hidden instigator who fearlessly blogs democracy-driven ideals with a secretive pen name. Will Addison discover and expose the fiery rebellion leader? Or will his efforts fail to stop the rebellious thoughts spreading like wildfire, causing a heartbreaking rift in his divided nation?


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What does your typical day of writing look like?

Livy: Well, my writing schedule looks different depending on what season of life I’m in. If I have a certain project I’m zeroed in on, and can write the entire day, for several weeks, that’s always a huge blessing. But if I’m in the middle of a book launch or have other projects going on, then I just write a little bit here and there. Typically, my goal is to write 5 pages a day, that way I make sure I’m at least getting words out on a consistent, daily basis.

What’s something about indie publishing that surprised you?

Livy: Hmm…I think I was a little surprised by the stigma that indie publishing is somehow less professional than traditional. I mean, I can understand how that bias got started, and where people are coming from when they state such things. I’m sure we’ve all read indie books that probably wouldn’t have ever made it onto the bookshelves of Barnes and Noble. But at the same time, traditionally has a pretty narrow, cookie-cutter approach to what they publish and don’t publish, so just because an author doesn’t fit within that format, doesn’t make them any less professional or talented. I have some AMAZING indie-author friends who are doing spectacular things in the industry, and are working really hard to show readers and aspiring authors alike, that the indie-route is just as professional, excellent, impact, and rewarding, as printing with traditional.

Which of your characters is most like you and why?

Livy: In The Rebellion, readers will get to meet a new character, Jane Akerly. She’s kinda a cameo, and doesn’t have a massive role in the story, but she is still very dear to my heart. She’s a young, aspiring author, who has a problem with getting lost in her daydreams. I relate to her so much, so I think she’s my favorite! We have a lot in common.

What’s the best book you’ve read in 2018 so far?

Livy: To be completely honest, I don’t read a lot of fiction. In fact…I don’t think I’ve even bought a new book yet this year! I spend too much time writing, haha!

Which do you prefer: rereading old favorites or discovering new books?

Livy: I do enjoy going back to some old favorites. Pride and Prejudice is always fun to return to. 😉

Libraries or bookstores?

Livy: Both!

If you were plopped into The Rebellion as one of the characters, how would you react? What would you do first? Who would you go to?

Livy: Oh wow. Well, first of all, I’d be super excited! Spending a day in Tarsurella would be such a blast! My experience would definitely differ depending on which character I was. As much as I love Jane, I can’t say I would want to be her…she’s in somewhat of a stressful situation. I think I would enjoy being Vanessa Bennett. She’s the American visiting this classy, sophisticated, European nation, so it’s fun to see the story through her eyes, since she’s not a member of the Royal Family. I would definitely hang out in The Queen’s Library for several hours, and then go eat a gourmet meal fixed by Clark, one of Tarsurella’s finest chefs. So yeah, I think I would pretty much eat and read all day! 😀 

What do you do to refill your creative tank?

Livy: My number one way to get refilled and refreshed is to spend time with my Creator! All of my inspiration and creativity comes from Him. If I’m ever feeling drained, I know He is a well of endless inspiration.

Best writing advice you’ve been given?

Livy: The rough draft is as bad as your book is ever going to be. If you can keep that in mind, you’ll have the freedom to produce a rough draft that is indeed rough, and then not beat yourself up over it. You can keep editing and improving, and know that you’re only getting better and better with each re-write. 🙂

What are you working on next?

Livy: The next book to be released will be Regal Hearts Season 2! Regal Hearts is a series I’m working on, that is written in an eposodical TV show style, format. The first season had ten “episodes”, which was initially released just digitally, and readers asked for it to be in paperback. So now we’re doing the same for Season 2! If you’re interested in reading the first episode for free, I give it away to all my email subscribers! 🙂 You can check it out here: http://livylynnblog.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=52a89184eecb2e965d9ddfa27&id=4e615b60ba
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Thanks for stopping, by Livy! It was great to have you here on Adventure Awaits. Everyone, you can check her blog tour schedule RIGHT HERE to see everyone else’s posts, enter a giveaway, and find out more about The Rebellion!

Livy Jarmusch is a twenty-something author, singer, and songwriter. She enjoys crafting YA fiction that is pure, lovely, inspirational, and of course, entertaining! When she’s not writing, you can usually find her playing guitar, blogging, drinking peppermint tea, connecting with new friends, planning her next trip to Disney, or pinning images of Europe and Golden Retriever Puppies.

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