A Poem (link)

Click here to see my poem on “the daily gallen” blog

A writer friend of mine, Tim Gallen, is featuring creative pieces on his blog.  Yesterday, he posted one of my original poems (I don’t do a lot of poetry, so this is extra special).  Please swing by and take a look.  The poem was part of a 100-word challenge and I’m kinda proud of it

Boldness

I’ve been working on my novel a lot lately, and I’ve noticed a pattern.  Once I decide what I’m going to do next, I can write, and write, and write, and wri….

But when I’m finishing up a scene, I suddenly run dry.  Words just won’t come.

Do I lack boldness?  Do I fear spending hours on something that is just… wrong?  Am I afraid to commit?  Am I lazy?

I have no idea, although you are welcome to pose possibilities (nicely).

The question for now is, since I’ve realized this pattern, what can I do about it?  How do I make my writing time near the end of a scene as productive as the time in the beginning?

Any ideas?

Random Bit of History

As you probably know, I’m redoing my WIP in 1st person.  I’ve mentioned that this has taken several wide turns.  As I was working on this Wednesday, a random bit of characters’ family history came about.  I thought I’d share it with you since I doubt it will make it into the final draft.

Now, a word of warning.  I just typed this.  It is very much a first draft. 

The setting for this text is a family meal.  The father (aka “Dad”) is speaking.  He’s telling his daughter-in-law the story (I’m not going to get into why).

Enjoy!

Review: Drive Back the Darkness

Overall:

I enjoyed this book.  It was a fun and light read for me.  The setting was interesting, as were some of the characters and creatures.  I found the quest compelling and am looking forward to seeing how it plays out in the remainder of the series.  There are also a few subplots that look like they will turn quite interesting as the main plot unfolds.

This book is geared toward the YA (young adult) audience, but probably to the younger end (12ish).  As an adult, there were some weaknesses I found mildly irritating, but in my opinion these are unlikely to bother the target audience.  Moreover, some of these weaknesses will likely allow for more growth and depth in later books in the series.

I would put this book in to the following categories : YA/teen fiction, fantasy, adventure/quest, and coming-of-age.