Long Time No See

Hey, Guys!

Aren't you looking rather darling this beautiful Friday in May... I'm sorry I've been away so long. I haven't been busy--- I've been at my sister's house. And it's not that I can't use her wireless to talk to you all, it's just that my laptop still looks like THIS:

And therefore, I cannot use it unless it's plugged up to a monitor or something. It's true, though, that my screen is messed up and that I do have to use a monitor. But don't think my laptop came down with a case of ugly face--- it's just sad. That is all.

I've been hard at work with a wonderful group of people who are all working hard to get YouTube Rules! out for you guys by this summer. Thanks to all of you who expressed interest, the YTR scripts are becoming more and more fun for me to write, and I honestly think you guys are going to like what we came up with EVEN though I kind of suck at this thing called ACTING and this other thing called PROJECTING... Gosh. I really need to step it up! I know everyone else has. I wasn't expecting such an outpouring of love and committment from a group of people I hardly know, and yet, here everyone is doing their part in helping to make my dream come true. I love you all, even those of you who are just supporting what we do! I'm so thankful for your love, you don't even know... Well, I guess technically you do because I say this a lot, but still. I really, really, really love you guys.

That being said here are some treaties for you. If you're between the ages of 14 and 19 you are eligible to submit a short story to One Teen Story by MAY 31ST in order to be eligible for a $500 prize AND the chance to see your work PUBLISHED. Keep checking into my second (third? fourth?) blog Sommertales in order to get sneak-peek footage and firsthand news about YouTube Rules! Have you seen "The Great Gatsby" trailer yet? Have you read the book? Tell me... what do you think about it? And lastly, check out the "Treaties for You" page to read the story that I submitted for the One Teen Story contest and tell me what you think (because I may or may not be attempting to write that novel now. Maybe...).

Love ya'll,
Deserae
P.S. Like the song? Click here to tell the artist!

Commenting on Comments

Aria- I already replied to you but just wanted to say your first reel was great. Keep up the great work! Also, let me say again I loved your post on Writing Advice. It was fab. Faboo.

Prerna- It was a fun day and thank you for your warm wishes! I have been neglecting your blog for far too long. I must check it out soon to see how things are going with you as well because baby's here already, right? I can't even believe that!

Nicole- Yes! You can totally be the moral support! You're my anchor, my rock--- where would I be without you, I'd like to know?! I hope the Celebration was EXTREMELY fun and I've been checking out your blog but I can't remember: What was your verdict on Avengers? Was it awesome or was it awesome?

Talia- It's not weird that you like hearing about other people at all! I think it's such a wonderful thing that you can invest in other lives like that. You'll make a FANTASTIC author someday. And yes! I'd love for you to help with the YouTube thing! That is if you have time and if you're not too weirded out by what I told you in my last letter. Sometimes, I speak just to get things off my chest. And I thank you for listening to me especially during a time when I didn't really have anyone to talk to about it. So yes. YouTube thing. Do it if you can! Email me--- I'd love to have you on at LEAST for an episode. It'd be perfect!

Alice- Yay! And thank you for keeping me on track. I owe you so much for the progression of episodes 3 and 4. You rock for keeping me focused!

Maya- My dear, you may comment on my brilliance whenever you'd like! As long as I'm allowed to comment on your kindness and your thoughtfulness and your all around awesomeness. Sound like a fair trade? Then deal. :) All of the men starring in the Avengers stole my heart in some way or another. Iron Man was just... oh gosh... And then Captain America was all... yeah... and so Thor was like... Saints par-sarve us! And Hawkeye? HOT! Hulk? HILARIOUS! I loved them all. Do not miss out on this one, Dearie, it's brill! Thanks for being my #1 fan! I've never had one of those before! You're kinda awesome! By the end of this, though, you're probably going to love Karly and Joel the most, watch. THEY do so much for this thing. I don't know if I could've done it without them! 

We So Excited

It's been a busy week, but today was one of the best Fridays I've had in a long while. I ate a really good Caesar Salad, I invited some peeps to a wedding, I took the wrong bus and ended up having to walk by the beach to downtown, I SAW THE AVENGERS WITH SOME FRIENDS! (you MUST see it, I swear!).

Then the bus driver who dumped us in the middle of nowhere earlier that day took us home. But first, he made the whole bus break out in "Bohemian Rhapsody." Then he made us make sad faces at the people who couldn't fit on the bus.

So basically, it was just an all-around good day because I've got Aria and Karly on board for the webseries! You know what I'm talking about... The one I said all of us could make together? Because, you know, I've got a script. And you've got a camera. And Karly's brother has an editing software. And we all really like each other, maybe.

I know it's weird to think that a rag-tag group of people can actually come together to make something sort of resembling awesome, but when you think about it, what's stopping us? We've got the technology and the means of communicating with one another. Why SHOULDN'T we do something fun and creative and (dare I say it?) COOL?

All you need to join this project is the following:
-Commitment and determination to see it through.
-A camera and (at least one) someone willing to act in front of it.
-The ability to email me at myticketsomewhere@gmail.com expressing your interest.

Seriously. That's it. Not everyone is going to be in every episode, but if you're really extremely down to help, let me know and I'll try to work you in as often as possible. And you know what? Because you're so nice, I'm even going to tell you, the folks at home, what it's about. Here's a brief synopsis of what our collab (you like what I did there?) is going to attempt to get at:

YouTube Rules!

Bree Jackson is going to be a star. Or at least that's what she tells her best friend Ariel one night over their weekly video chat. Ever since the Pearce family moved to the East Coast and took Ariel with them, Bree's thought up all sorts of ways to keep their friendship alive. First she ran up her parent's phone bill, then there was Skype, but now she's convinced that YouTube is the place where the two of them are going to find fame and undo the damage a couple of hundred miles has brought upon their relationship. 


Although Ariel is skeptical about their supposed rise to fame and beyond reluctant to get in front of a camera after "the incident," she decides to humor Bree by hooking her up with a few friends from her side of the country. Together, the group shares a few laughs, frustrations, and breakdowns as they start to figure out who they are on the road to internet stardom.


Based on the tips and tricks of the trade posted in videos by Charlie McDonnell, Adorian Deck, Luke Sims, Claudia (BeyondBeautyStar), and more, YouTube Rules! is fundamentally an experiment to see if a remote collab could be successful and if the "rules" could work for anyone.

Sound familiar? Well it should! Because it's a highly dramatized version of our story, you guys! For me, this isn't about fame or fortune. It's about telling a story I want to share with the world. Yeah. That's why I write. But I realize it might be a long while before I actually get published. This? I can do this RIGHT NOW. With your help, I can share something I think could be really great with the world.

I've only written the pilot episode at this point so if you want like a "permanent" in, you should email me expressing interest soon! I've already got an idea who Ariel's going to be (ahem! Aria), and I already have an idea of who I'd love to be the friends she recommends (ahem! Karly and bro). Bree is going to be someone on my end because I also have plans of showing her in different locations other than in front of her computer screen. But as of right now, YOU could be in it, too. I swear! Let me know soon. Like I'm going to have to give you a deadline, aren't I. Hm... What's two weeks from today? The 19th? Well that's not an even number. So...

If you want a "permanent" part in this series, email me by May 12th.
If you want to be in it, but missed that deadline. No worries! I'll write you in if you email me by May 20th.

And, uh, yeah! That's about it. You guys don't know how happy ya'll have made me. In fact, ya'll have made me SO happy, you should look for something special in the Treaties for You section, ahora. The other webseries I was making needed a theme song, so I wrote one. And even though my voice cracks at some point during the recording, I feel so honored to be working with you guys, I'm willing to let you hear an embarrassing version of the song as a way to say "thanks" up until the day I stop accepting people for permanent roles (MAY 12TH!).

Love you guys. SO much.

BAI!
Deserae

Commenting on Comments

Nicole- Comments is a weird word indeed. Speaking of, I meant to leave one on your Bibliomania post, but can't remember if I ever got around to doing it! I shall rectify this at once. I adore you for mentioning me in the post and because I have your posts sent to my email, it was even more special because I got to save it. :) Haha! While winky faces ARE peculiar, your faith in my and optimism are downright spectacular. Thank you for your love, my dear. I must say that to you every time we speak, but I mean it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hope all is well! Have an awesome weekend and GO SEE THE AVENGERS!

Why I Love Ya'll: An Ode to my Faithful Followers

In number, ya'll are twenty-eight,
But in truth, numbers never mattered to me.
Thank God numbers do not equate
The joy I feel infinitely.

You guys leave comments that keep me sane,
You care about me so much it's true!
that you keep me going when I'm feeling lame.
(Which is every other day so I must thank you.)

You put up with my every whim
And I whim a lot; I can't say why.
I tell you, "I'm starting a book blog and then
I'll be posting videos," and you stand by my side.

I guess the thing I'm trying to say
Is I honestly, truly love you all.
I wish I could find some way to repay
The love you've given me from my first call.

We've never met and it's not guaranteed
That we will in the future face-to-face,
But know that I love you and obviously
I'm thankful for you every day.

Love,
Deserae
P.S. I finished DITCHED and the ending really made the book for me. It's one of those stories that is good and I'm glad I read! But I probably won't read it over and over again. I did like it and you will see my official review for it in the second week of March, but if you're planning to read it, too, for My Ticket Elsewhere, know that:
-it wasn't as funny as I thought it would be
-it's one of those cute comedy of errors and is a cool love story once all the pieces are put together
-the order of telling goes back and forth CONSTANTLY from past and present (if you're bothered by that sort of thing)
-but the end really makes it worth it.
Will it go on my favorites of all times list? No. But it WILL go on my favorite YA Romance list. It's a great love story and I still recommend it, but with reservations because I know it won't be for everyone.

Commenting on Comments

Arianna- Yay! I'm glad you're excited! I haven't told anyone about the you-know-what yet, but I am going to be doing short films--- that's what I was referring to. :] Good things ARE happening, aren't they? I promise not to stretch myself to thin. Pinky promise. 

Nicole- Very cool! I checked out Cass, and I agree! Her videos are super cool. The person I was thinking about was Kaley Hyde (oh gosh, I know I'm spelling that wrong!). I'm excited to be presenting you guys videos, too. There will be more than one a month, but there will only be one scripted one a month (if that makes sense). 

Sonal- I AM going to be a busy bee, but you're right! It'll be worth it. Free entertainment is the best kind. And I love the things I'm doing so it's fun for me--- I'm having fun getting everything set up and going. :) Pinky promise to keep you updated! Thanks for all of your support, Sonal.

Maya- Oh Lord, let us not even THINK about the number of blogs I'm attempting to do. Instead, let's think of the AWESOME I'm praying they'll produce. Books and film are important to me so why not, you know? I agree. Butterflies are SO much better! And I got a B on one of them so yay! B for Butterfly! I think it's a sign! :] Hehe! Thank you for complimenting my taste in books! I have this theory: pretty covers make pretty books. Which REMINDS ME!!!! Agh! I MUST show you the cover of this book coming out called SHADOW AND BONE. Look it up, Darling. FALL. IN. LOVE. It's GORGIE, no? Words cannot even express how wonderful I think it is. Love ya! And OH EM GEE, Maya. Sang commented on your blog. SQUEE! 

Karly- Haha! Yes, we can totally share him. I'm so glad you know what I mean. Augustus is... perfect. PERFECT. He is the essence of love. But I know what you mean! He's so perfect for Hazel. I hate to want to rip him from her clutches but DUDETTE--- it's Gus! 

WriMo Day 15

Once again, it was a productive writing day! And oddly enough (or not so oddly, knowing me) it wasn't for The Girl Book.

I did get 50 whole words down for The Girl Book! But since that's the equivalent of about three or four healthy sentences from me, I don't exactly see that as the "bestest" thing in the whole entire world.

I did, however, get about 1,500 words done for The Secret Project. I might have to add a tag for it now, because it's actually progressing quite nicely and, in time, this WILL be something I get to share with you completely instead of in random teaser tiny bits.

But until that day comes here's a pic of another MC for The Girl Book. And because you guys have been so great, I went past her eyes. Yay! I told you--- if I get any words down, treats will be given, and 50 words, Man! That's more than the average bear writes in his lifetime.

The quotes indicate that even though her full first name is "Mari-Elena," she prefers to (and really) go(es) by "Mari," a name I've grown quite fond of over time. Although she looks very sweet and innocent, Mari is a real trip when it comes to boys. And although you haven't met the last (or second to last--- not sure what to call the fifth girl, really) MC yet, I can tell you that the two of them clash because of Mari's boy issues. Ladies, do not be like that, PLEASE.

But despite that, Mari's talented and brilliant. She's the brainiest of the bunch and probably the most silly because of her lack of experience with boykind. But what shines beyond that is that she has a good heart, and although it's obvious that she doesn't always mean well, she still has a conscience that nags at her until she makes things right again.

So yes, she's very imperfect. As am I! You know, I've been thinking about what it means to participate in a "WriMo" and isn't the point of it all that you just, you know... write?! Well I've been doing that. Every stinkin' day! And yet statistically, I am 3,000 words behind where I should be at this point since today marks the halfway point of the month. Say it with me everybody:

Oops!

Love,
Deserae
P.S. This is one of my favorite Christmas songs and videos every. The original vid got taken down, but thank goodness for people who re-uploaded! Seriously. I can't spend Christmas without this version of the song. And speaking of, there are only two days until Christmas! What's on your wishlists for Santa?

Commenting on Comments

Maya: You guys will definitely be the first to know if The Secret Project gets anywhere beyond my computer screen. All I can say right now is that I've been belting it out and so far, I'm really loving it. Plus there are stick figures involved. Who doesn't love those?! I'm glad you liked the music, as well! That's always great to hear. And, again, I just wanted to say that I'm thrilled you liked the Daily Dose. I hope Alex Day's "Forever Yours" gets UK #1 and I love that all of the proceeds go to charity, so spread the word! 

WriMo Day 14

Today was exceptionally brilliant writing wise. Cumulatively, I belted out a little more than 2,800 words and it was spread out to three different things.

500 went to an outline I was working on.
1,7hundredandsome went to a super secret project I'm working on and can't wait to tell you about (but will have to. Sucks! But hey! I invented a new number for you so, shh!).
545 went toward The Girl Book and those were written a little after midnight in a weird "MUST WRITE" craze.

So I think I'm getting back into this writing thing. I should've written more toward The Girl Book, I know, but I was very productive today. So productive, it hurts, okay? So in honor of that, here's a few of Faye's faves. Music is really special in this story so I don't feel bad doing another whole blog post about it. Hehe! These, by the way, are in no particular order. And neither were Lynette's. Side note. Sorry!

1. The Summer Set's "Someone Like You."
Faye is a sucker for upbeat, "Girl, I love you!" music. So as an example of that here's one of the ones she likes most of all. "Someone Like You" songs hardly ever miss the mark (*cough, cough, Adele! cough*)

2. Panic at the Disco's "Ready to Go." 
When it comes to Faye's favorite real-life band, it would have to be Panic at the Disco. They're the closest thing to her favorite "in her world" band called Just Kidding! and the way that both bands create both positive AND sarcastic music really appeals to Faye for some reason...

3. The Civil Wars "Tip of my Tongue"
Even though Faye doesn't sing country/ folksy music, she still enjoys listening to it every once in a while. The Civil Wars make music that Faye loves. The lyrics are meaningful, beautiful, and haunting in nearly every song they write, and she wants to make music JUST like that.

4. Parachute "Kiss Me Slowly." 
If only a certain boy named Christopher Laidlaw would perhaps want to dance with her to this song... Then, and only then, would her life be complete. Or, you know, that's what she thinks.

5. Adele's "Tired." 
This is Sarah's favorite song by her favorite female artist. So that's something worth listening to.

BAI!!!
Deserae

Commenting on Comments

Maya: So glad you liked the Daily Dose! And the song! And that you're going to come to the movie night! Sorry. It's almost midnight so I'm rushing to post. But I agree with you about all of your fave movies... You have awesome taste, Girly!  

WriMo Day 13

Don't ask me why, but I'm exhausted. It's only 8:00 here in Cali and I'm... SLEEPY!!!

All my late nights... junk food eating... All of those days I went without going out of the house for some fresh air are finally catching up with me. Today I rode around with my mom a little. I wrote a little bit of outline so I know how the rest of "Friday, September 12th" plays out. I hugged my Millie Cat and she blinked at me. But I still feel...

Tired.

If you haven't already, do visit the Treaties for You page to read an excerpt from Faye's perspective. If you have, thank you kindly. Your feedback made me smile. If you must know the truth, there will probably be no words flowing from my fingertips tonight. And if you don't need the truth, I love you muchly, and I'll lie to comfort you by saying that there's always a possibility I shall end up writing something.

I wonder if these blog words count. Now I'm just fishing for excuses to give you guys content.

Wait a minute! I just typed a seven word sentence. And as you know, if I write ANYTHING, you get some content. So because my writing day was lame, the content you'll get will be small. Here's the chorus of a song Faye and her best friend, Ian, wrote together over the summer before The Girl Book begins. I willn't sing it to you. At least, not tonight. Haha!

Daydream believer won't you sing our song?
I'm so convinced that it could last forever.
Dance me away to days that we'll spend together
On the stage that we've claimed is ours.
Sing me our song.

And speaking of original songs... More Lewis anyone? I'm sorry. My sister has got me hooked.

Ciao for now,
Deserae
P.S. Check out the latest Daily Dose to find out how buying a song can help raise money for charity! The sales only count between now and Christmas Day so ask your parents for permission to buy it if you like the song and also, spread the word!

Commenting on Comments

Maya: You're the bestest, you know that?! Thank you so much for saying that. It's funny because character DOES come easier to me than plot. But I don't know! I have another MC in The Girl Book who took a long time to figure out. And originally, she was supposed to be the main MC. Lol! I'm glad you like the excerpts. I'll definitely post one next week as well so that you can meet MC number three. And the only time I say "ee"ther is when I say, "either or; neither nor." Haha! Are you attending the blah-g girl movie night. I hope so!

WriMo Day 12

There are only five more days until Christmas. When the heck did that happen?!

Tonight was a pretty successful writing night. Not as successful as I wanted, but I plowed through it and the result was 1,350 words toward The Girl Book and me getting out of a Lynette scene that, for some freaking reason was killing me to write. But I owe you guys something big (or biggish) and so here is a scene from Faye's perspective. As usual, the scene will only be up for a limited time, so if you read it, be sure to tell me what you think! It's kind of hard to give you guys a Faye scene that's not very spoiler-y, so forgive the lack of exploding cars in the background--- I do try to keep the casualties in my contemporaries to a minimum (aka zero!).

Thanks for sticking with me this long guys! This WriMo thing is beating me up. And oh my goodness gracious, do I need the company.

With all my love!
Deserae

P.S. Charlie really is so cool like. Just thought you ought to know...

Commenting on Comments

Prerna: Thanks, Love! And yes, I like doing character profiles, too, but that's usually when I know I haven't quite figured out the plot yet... I obsess over characters until they drive me up a wall and I have to just begin. 

Maya: Glad you like Faye :), it's cool that you can jump right in (I tend to but end up pulling out and having to start again and again), and thanks for your Lynette support. We'll just stick with the one 'n.' Over thinking this spelling thing could result in disaster. I LOVE that song by Linkin Park! And just for the record, I say "eye"ther. Lol! 

Aria (from email): I finally surpassed 20K today! I am sort of on track for my WriMo. And you know how pleased I am that you like my sassy Sarah (I meant, Faye! Honest!). 

WriMo Day 10

I know the day's still young, but I just agh! I can't write anymore! I think I need to take a creative break and write a song or do jumping jacks. I don't know. Everything in me is just rebelling against hitting the 20,000 word mark and I KNOW why I do this. I KNOW I'm just scared of this story going anywhere. But...

It still doesn't change the fact that I'm not writing right now. No matter how long I keep my eyes on this computer screen, the words just AREN'T going to come out. So I think I'm going to take a break. I think I'm going to think ahead and plot out what's going to happen beyond this scene. And we'll try again a little later. That's fair, right? I'm sure it's at least fair enough.

I've already got 253 words out today, though, so just in case I never return (aka go to bed without opening The Girl Book document again until tomorrow), I thought I'd introduce you to girl number two.

She's the oldest of the bunch and she's my Southern Belle. Sarah's character is so much fun to write because she's this no-nonsense, go-after-your-dreams type person who hails from New Orleans and is not afraid to get down. Too bad I'm not working on a Faye scene (you have to call her Faye, folks. If you don't, she will kill you); I would've been done yesterday!

Oh. And you see that weird "ear piercings" thing? Please ignore it. I make notes on my character drawings so that I can remember certain things like eye color, hair color, and things like their goals and hometowns and what nots. So yeah. That's what that is.

Do you guys do character profiles before you begin writing? I don't do it all the time, but sometimes (ESPECIALLY when working with multiple MC's) it helps. How do you go about doing it if you do and what information do you count as relevant?

Until next time, Loves. Here's a song of my little sister's favorite "college" boy singing an original song of his. Ignore the talking in the beginning. The song is actually quite lovely when you give it a listen.

Ciao for now,
Deserae

Commenting on Comments

Maya: Thanks, Lovely. I had a great time and seriously loved the movie. I'm a little biased, though, because when you put Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. together in a film... that's... that's just not fair. :) My dear little Wondercat is now shaved and skinny. But she's clean! And that, my friend is a beautiful thing. I was glad I chose Lynnette too until my sister was like, "You've always just spelled it with one 'n.'" And I was like, "Did I?" And she was like "...Yeah." So... I'm confused once again. I guess, we'll see what happens. But spelling aside, her name is still Lyn(n)ette. And I mean, that's pretty awesome. Lol!

WriMo Day 7

Not much to report today because I've been reading more than I've been writing. BUT because I did write a gripload of comments for this project I'm Beta reading, I am going to count those hundred or so comments with about ten or so words each as my writing for the day. So that means I owe you guys a treat. And yes, I realize that I'm just being a big 'ole cheat right now. Don't worry! I'll make it up to you and the girls tomorrow. I won't go to sleep until I've written 2,500 words. And that's pretty cool because I ended up writing just about that much LAST night because after I wrote that blog post, I wanted to finish up the scene I was working on.

So without further ado, let's finish up Lynette's week with some of her favorite music. Do not be alarmed! She's only as weird as I make her!

1. OkGo's "End Love." 
This is actually why I featured the song a few days. When I stumbled upon it again, I was writing a Lynette scene and I imagined her listening to it in that scene. And it's probably the grooviest song ever! Lynette likes to groove. She's an oldie in that way.

2. Maria Mena "Nevermind Me." 

She's a really shy girl, Lynette is. And no matter how hard she tries to overcome it, there's this little voice in her head that's always telling her she's small. Thankfully, she meets some people who offer ways of fighting that inner demon. But sometimes, that doesn't work, and she listens to all of the sad, self-pitying music she can find. Maria Mena is both her ego booster and pity-party leader.

3. Beethoven's "Moonlight." 

To be honest, though, Lynette hardly has time for drama. The closest she comes to confrontation is when she's playing her cello and getting lost in the music. Since she's a classical musician, she spends MOST of her free time listening to and learning classical music. This is her favorite classical composition.

4. Yurima "River Flows in You."

But she's not all about the classics. She likes to listen to newer composers, as well. This is her favorite modern composition and the song that she feels is the most "romantic love song" of all times. Too bad she doesn't have time for love. Did you see her schedule?!

5. Claude Debussy "Claire de Lune." 

And this song has sentimental values for her. Not only was it the first song she learned to play all the way through (on the piano. First a pianist! Now a cellist), but it was also the first song she ever performed for an audience and it was the song that her father used to play on repeat to lull her to sleep when she was younger. Plus, it's a gorgeous composition. I adore it, too (*looks away* *scratches head*). 

And that's all (the music you need) from me today! Guess what guys?! Tomorrow's Friday!

Yay!
Deserae <3
P.S. I've found myself in a predicament. I accidentally spelled "Lynette" as "Lynnette" in one instance and I can't tell which spelling I like more! Which do you prefer? The single or the double "n." Right now... I think I... agh!

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Maya: My mom is... a mom. Haha! But gosh! I used to be the same way. That's why The Girl Book got put into a folder. When I picked it up a few days ago, I realized I had left off on a good part. Like what in the world did I do that for?! Makes no stinking sense... And oh my gosh, you're a brave woman. If I had her schedule, I would die, come back from the grave to complain, and then die again to get out of doing the work. Haha! But BMA has a wide variety of classes. You know what would be fun? Letting you guys pick classes you'd like and then writing you in as "extras." Lol! That'd be so cool. I love slipping people I know into my stories as side characters. Don't be surprised if that accidentally happens. I mean, who KNOWS what these fingers are capable of?! And Hart was starting to grow on me. I've always loved the name "Joshua" though. And "Jackson." Boy, do I love "Jackson." For a girl, though. There are too many Jackson's hanging around nowadays in YA (or am I imagining that?! Maybe it was some other name I was fond of like William or James... Hmm... I should actually look that up now. I'm becoming paranoid...)

Aria (from email): Does it show, though? Like really? I DO love The Girl Book right now, but is it SHOWING?! That's intense! :) Thanks, Love for your support. I know I owe you some PW, but I've been... occupied... Hehe!

WriMo Day 6: Writing What You Love

Because this week seems to have been Lynette-centered, I thought I'd keep that theme going by treating you to her class schedule to celebrate the fact that TODAY, I wrote 1,777 words AND I am not. finished. writing. Yippee!

I would just outright tell you what The Girl Book is about, but I feel like you guys are SO smart and SO clever, you've probably already formed some sort of idea of the themes and ideas this book is wrapped around. If not, that's alright! The month is young and there are plenty of chances for me to give myself away. But until then, I must admit I'm having too much fun giving you guys seemingly random teaser things and then talking to you guys about TV and things that have absolutely nothing to do with them.

So in the spirit of how we've been doing things, I thought I'd take a minute to propose a semi-dialogue with you all about something that gave me a bit of a shock as I was writing today. Last night, I made myself hold off on writing Lynette's next scene even though I was itching to get it down in writing because I thought it was probably going to be pretty fantastic once I saw it on paper.

And... I mean, in my opinion, it was. It wasn't the BEST Lynette scene I'd ever written, but I'm a pretty harsh critic of my own work, and even I was laughing and smiling and cringing at my dear girl's awkward shyness and the inter-workings of her conservatively wired mind. It was cool to see come to life because, I mean, I had been away from this project and these girls for SO long, I was literally frightened to try to jump into their heads again.

But... after rereading the material I already had... After getting nice responses from you guys about the excerpt and my WriMo in general... After going through the folder I have that has all of GIP's goodies... I was shocked to remember how much I loved this project, and surprised to realize I'd purposely stepped away from it because I didn't think I did. I mean, what the heck?! How could I not love this project?!

And then today, when I was writing, the strangest thing happened. I wanted to write. I didn't want to stop writing. I was mad at myself for needing food (but, Boy, did I need food), and I was mad at my mom for asking me to wash the towels (but, Man, did we need towels). Because I thought, if I stopped once I was in the zone, I was going to lose that zeal I had at the beginning of the day.

But I didn't.

It was still there when I returned an hour and a half later.

And you know why? Because I was loving what I was writing. And I realized the difference between the days that I hated writing and the days that I loved it wasn't me or my story or my ideas or whatever other nonsense I'd blamed it on that day just to cut myself some slack... It was that I didn't LOVE what I was writing. I didn't love what was going down on the page, you know?

What little things do you notice about your own writing habits, good days, and bad days? This post has gotten a bit massive but that's alright; I want to know! Lynette's schedule shows what a typical day at BMA is like. You'd probably hate going there, or maybe you'd love it depending on how sadistic you were as a high school freshman. Personally, I would've welcomed the challenge. At least it would've given me something worthwhile to complain about.

Lynnette Highmore's Schedule of Classes
7:30- 8:45: Orchestra--- Classical Music
9:00- 9:45: Honors American Literature
10:00- 10:45: Geometry
11:45- 1:00: From Swing to The King: 1920's- 1960's Music (A Course in History)
1:15- 2:00: Earth Science
2:15- 2:45: Extra Curricular Environmental Studies
2:50- 3:30: Yoga

So do you still think you want to go to BMA? I... didn't think so...

Love!
Deserae

P.S. Sonal totally featured this song on her blog. And I lalalalove it! I need to start featuring Christmas music. We'll see what I can do in the near future. 

Commenting on Comments

Maya: Oh, you've totally brightened my day. Thank you for reading and I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I wish Lisi had written more books, too, because, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't pleased with how it ended. I wanted... something else. I wish her publisher would've let her have more time to expand the series. I love the last name Daniels, but I'm not feeling either name. Maybe if I knew his character better. Of the two, though, I prefer Hart. Hart Daniels actually DOES have a bit of a ring to it now that I put it altogether like that. :) I can think of some guy names tonight and post them when I respond to your new post! Yes I see there's one there and yes, I'll be responding, soon. Love ya much!

WriMo Day 5

I'm not doing a very good job at tracking how many words I've done compared to how many words I SHOULD have done, but today I finished (575 + 198...) 773 words for The Girl Book. And I'm still writing! So that's always a good thing, I think.

I told you I had some things I wanted to link you to so first! Here's the exclusive content I promised you--- it's another excerpt because, well, you saw one of The Boy Book so I think it's only fair you see one of The Girl Book, right? So click here to read a scene from Lynette's perspective after you check out all of these cool thingamabobbers. This excerpt will be taken down in about a week so read it and let me know if you like it before it... gets taken down in a week! Yeah!

Thingamabob #1: Prerna's blog, The Sands of Writing, always has really cool writerly type things. And it's actually encouraged me to talk more about writing, than to just talk about writing (if you visit her blog, you'll see what I mean). So click up above to just check out her blog or click here to read a post that I HAD to comment on because I loved it so much. I think as writers, it's good to support one another. ESPECIALLY if you meet a writer who not only has marvelous things to say, but also likes Once Upon a Time. Just. Saying.

Thingamabob #2: So speaking of encouraging and supporting fellow writers, Adam Heine just landed an agent. Now if you don't know who this guy is, don't worry--- I didn't, either, until I fell in love with Natalie Whipple. But he's been submitting for a couple of years, now, I think, and I just think it's very inspiring, epicanarious, and frickin' awesome to hear that he's finally got someone on his team. So yay for Adam! If you want to read that post of postiness, please click here.

Thingamabob #3: If you haven't decided you're going to see this movie, or this one, or even this one sometime in the near future, decide to do all of the above RIGHT now. Well... not RIGHT now, but, you know, as soon as you can, okay?

And that is all from me. I hope all of my links will edify you in some way or another. Edification is needed across this entire nation. And yes I just added that because it rhymed, and no I will not delete it, thank you very much.

Love!
Deserae
P.S. Sigh... I love OkGo's music videos... Do you guys even listen to the music I post here? I do from my phone because I don't have a great YouTube app. so I cheat by coming on here and playing these songs. Lol!

Commenting on Comments

Prerna: Gosh, I wish we could discuss it without spoilers, but let me just say that I think I said all I needed to in my comment to your post. Although, I have to admit, I really wasn't mad at them for going that route! Shocked, maybe, but not at all phased. I am going to--- agh! Spoilers! But I wish that the thing that was done didn't have to be done because I liked the thing that was happening before it was done and wanted to see more of that even though, now, it's impossible. I should stop ranting now.  

Maya: No worries, Love! I'm just happy you comment at all! I like responding to you guys. :) Thanks for saying you like Aiden's name! I was worried about it, at first. But yeah, it's starting to really grow on me. And I honestly think it's perfect for him the more and more I think about it. The thing about choosing boy names is to not over-think it. What I do is I think about my guy friends and their guy friends and pick out the names I like. And if one clicks, then I use it like it's nobody's business. Because it's not! And because I can. :) Charlie WAS my fave charrie in Alphas, but in the end, I think my favorite was... Allie... Maybe... Toward the end of the series, I found myself finding faults in all of them. But I THINK Allie came out my fave. I THINK... Thanks for the luck! I'll need it. 

Aria (from email): The Boy Book will return probably around Valentines Day. When you can't get a real date... write up your own! Lol! Thanks for your support of The Girl Book, though. That means a lot. And I didn't finish PW Ch. 13 tonight. I know... I'm a failure, like Larry!

WriMo Day 1

So I did it! I started my WriMo today! But what I didn't do was get 1,000 words. Boo!

My day was fairly productive, though.

I moved out of the dorm and into my sister's place.
I packed up a small duffel and printed out my boarding pass.
I ate well. Really well.
And I took the best nap in the history of the world.

Not to mention I started looking up internships and got to email some very important people (gosh... I love email...). And I snuck some writing in! How cool is that?!

Loves, I've got a lot going on. And I'm not really good at this whole male POV thing. And I'm not feeling very confident about how this is going. So for today's yum-yum, I'm just going to let you see what I've got. Click the picture to get a better view and oh my gosh, guys--- if you hate it, tell me now. Although... there's not really much to go off of, so that's probably not fair of me to say. Can you tell I freak out easily? I'm an incurable freaker outer.

By the way! If you didn't get to read the fun facts about my other WIP, PW, please click here to do so, and be sure to check out the excerpt I posted here before I take it down late Sunday night! Love ya'll! Thanks for putting up with me.

My goal for today was: 1,000 words
The recommended NaNo count would be: 1,667
My actual word count: 403 words

Love!
Deserae <3

Commenting on Comments

Maya: I'll definitely tell Eva you wished her a happy birthday and thanks for your support! I know I say that all the time, but I really appreciate it. You're awesome. Beyond awesome. And yay! I'm glad you're inspired. Oh, I wish you luck on your writing, too. Keep us posted, okay?! You know I love talking about writing with my homies (aka you guys because you don't laugh when I say that. Teehee!). Ciao, Bella! 

Treaties For You

Because I got awesome feedback from Aria and Maya on my query, I wanted to post a treat for you guys. I've been working really hard on making PW the best it can be and so I've been working with people, getting feedback, and revising like crazy. So here are some fun facts about PW and, also, a short excerpt from the first chapter.

Fact #1: I got the idea to write this story from a friend of mine named Sahara Blank. The great thing about Sahara is that she is ALWAYS fun to talk to and she's always been a hilarious gal to be around. But one day, as we were waiting for a bus, she was telling me about her day and that she got to meet a vampire. I asked her if she was serious and she told me she was. She recounted, in full, the conversation she had with Omar and I couldn't help but chime in. "Omar, the Vampire?" I asked disbelievingly. "Oh, yeah," she assured me, and we must've laughed SO hard... She told him, "Well I'm a werewolf!" and he got a little defensive. But she continued on with her joke saying, "Yeah 'cause sometimes I don't shave in the morning and I get SUPER hairy..."

He didn't think it was funny.

But on the bus ride home, I couldn't stop thinking about how serious he was about being this vampire person. I was really impressed and a little terrified and I couldn't help but thinking how weird their entire conversation was... And thus, PLANET WEIRD was born. Titles and characters tend to come first and then the rest comes in later.

Fact #2: I never wanted Omar to be the star, though. I wanted to expose him for the phony he had to be. So I kept thinking of ways to have an interesting premise, but keep his character in there. The line, "The kids are weird, too," came to me immediately and then I realized "Oh snap! This is a book about aliens on Earth!" So I had to find a hero, but she ended up being a heroine when a girl named Drew walked into my Journalism class. I couldn't believe how perfect the name was. Drew. That was my heroine! I started writing almost immediately.

Fact #3: The first line has always been, "Planet Jr. High is weird; there're no ifs, ands, or buts about it."

Fact #4: The word "weird" is in the first line of every chapter. And a message is currently hidden in my book for my readers, but I won't go into detail about that just in case things change. The message, though, hints to the characters involved in the next installment. I'm more excited about the second book than this one sometimes.

Fact #5: The plot of this story was figured out shortly after I plotted the second story. The title to this story was figured out immediately, but the second book is still unnamed. This is one of the easiest books I've ever written because I enjoy the world so much, but it was one of the hardest to get right plot-wise. But I'm grateful for it because now I know how to do three things: show when needed, tell when needed, and create plots that focus both internally AND externally.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Click here to see a short scene from PW Ch. 1: Earthbound.

And that's it for me today! Although PW is NOT the story I'll be writing for my WriMo, I'm going to continue to work on it and I hope to be done with it soon.

Oh, and one more treat for you guys! The song below is one that I listened to a lot while writing and editing PW. If you read the query, you'll probably understand the connection.

Love you guys!

BAI!!!
Deserae <3