Road Trip Wednesday: Words to Love By

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments on YA Highway, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

You can participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic

What words do you absolutely hate? Which ones do you adore?

When it comes to writing, there are several words that are outside my comfort zone. Hate is something a strong word, so I'm going to go with dislike. 

Dislike List

Douche (although, I sometimes do laugh when others use this!)

Awesomesauce (is this one or two words? Either way, I'm not crazy about it.)

Sexting 

Fart 

Pu**y (you know the one)

Fa**ot  (you know the one)

Love List

Hubris 

Craptastic

Forever

Delicious 

Acrid 

Sapphire

Cake

Serenity 

Infinite 

Chortle 

Exemplary 

Amazing

Yes

Billowing 

 

Road Trip Wednesday: Pseudonyms

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments on YA Highway, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

You can participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic

If you couldn't use your own name, what would your pseudonym or penname be?

My answer:

I'm already using a pseudonym--sort of. My first name is real, but my writerly last name is not. I decided on this for a few reasons:

1. Anonymity. With the ability to find anyone anywhere in the world these days, I figured a little anonymity couldn't hurt. Plus, my husband's job demands some level of this, so it just made sense.
2. The real last name is surprisingly difficult to pronounce to the general public. 

I think coming up with the perfect pseudonym was the hardest part of this. How do you choose a name that both represents who you are, but also gives you some privacy? I mulled over it for months before making my choice.

I do kind of wonder, though, how fun would it be to have a name like: Penelope Winterbloom or Constance Merriweather? (apparently my dream pseudonyms all contain some element related to the seasons)


What about you? If you were to choose a pseudonym, what would you choose? And if you're already using one, why?

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Books of the Year

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments on YA Highway, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

You can participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic

RTW is combining with Highwayer Sarah Enni's End-of-the-Year blog carnival, and asking:
What were your top five favorite books of 2011? 

 This is such a hard question since I read nearly 100 books this year, and fell in love with so many of them. Narrowing it down to five isn't easy, but I've given it a shot. The following list is in no particular order. Each of them kept me on my toes in different ways and kept me reading well past my bedtime or "Okay, I really need to write right now time!"

 The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin 

Haven by Kristi Cook

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

I'd love to hear what your favorite reads of 2011 were. Please leave a link to your blog in the comments.

Road Trip Wednesday: Where do you buy your books?

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments on YA Highway, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

You can participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.



This Week's Topic:
Where do you buy most of your books? No one is judging! 

I buy my books pretty much anywhere. I'd say the majority of my books are purchased from Barnes & Noble and Amazon, but if I'm in a grocery store (it happens to me more often than you'd think!) and they have a book that catches my eye, I'll buy it there. I'm one of those people who buys books on a whim, so if it looks good and it's right in front of me, I'll usually buy it right then. I'm not exactly known for my patience when it comes to books I want to read.

So what about you? Where do you buy your books?

Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic. We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link in the comments - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments on YA Highway.

Today's Question:

What has your writing road trip looked like so far? Excitement? Traffic Jams and detours? Where are you going next?

There are lots adjectives I could use to describe my writing road. I can't complain really. I started this road in April, 2010. I wrote and wrote and wrote the first draft finally finishing it October. Then, I took a few months off to think about the WIP and to figure out where it needed to go next. I knew it was full of plot holes and beginner mistakes. 

In January 2011, I began my revisions. I spent months fighting with the WIP. I sent it off for critiques. I fought with it some more. 

In May 2011, the story took on a whole new form. This meant that my first WIP was nothing more than a practice run to see who my characters really were and I essentially needed to start from scratch, but that I will not complain about. 

In September 2011 (last month!) I finished the first draft of this second WIP (it's really just too different to even put it in the same category as the original one). I took a few weeks off again, letting the story move through me, getting to the heart of the story once again and now......now I am revising it. Now, I'm liking what I see when I'm revising. Now, it's coming together--at least that's what I'm hoping is happening. 

In summation, I wouldn't call my writing road long, windy and dark, but it hasn't been very quick either. I'm certainly not one of those writers (yet) that can sit down, draft a novel in six weeks and have it ready for querying a month later. 

That being said, I am still proud of the fact that I've completed not one, but two first drafts.

So how about you? What has your writing road been like? I'd love to hear from you. Please leave a comment and I'll be sure to visit your blog.

Road Trip Wednesday - Cover Love

 

 Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)   This Week's Topic: 
What are your all-time favorite book covers?

 My picks:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - My most current obsession

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Tempest by Julie Cross

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

So how about you? What are your all-time favorite book covers? 

Road Trip Wednesday - Best Book of August

 

 Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)   This Week's Topic: 
What's the best book you've read in August?

 My pick for August:

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

I seriously can't get enough of Simone's books and this one is my new favorite. Of course, each book I read by her is my new favorite, but until she comes out with the next one, this one is taking the cake. If you haven't yet read this series, you should definitely do so. They are all kinds of awesome!

So how about you? What has been the best book you've read this month? 

Road Trip Wednesday: June's Best

 

 Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)   This Week's Topic: 
What's the best book you've read this month?

 My Answer:

I have two answers, because, honestly, the best book I've read this month was a sequel written by one of my critique partners. It was phenomenal!

But since I'm assuming that people are going to want to hear about books that are currently out on the market, the best book I've read this month is: 


The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier

How about you? What is the best book you've read this month?

Road Trip Wednesday: Burning Love

 

 Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)   This Week's Topic: 
The house is on fire and you've only got time to grab five things. What are they?

 My Answer:

1. My children (that counts as one, right?);
2. My husband;
3. My dogs;
4. My wedding album; and
5. My laptop - I swear to God, no one will want to live with me if I lose my MS. For real.

How about you? What would you grab?

Road Trip Wednesday - The Elevator Pitch

 Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)   This Week's Topic:

You're re-reading one of your faves when someone asks the dreaded question: "What's that book about?" Give us your best off-the-cuff blurb of any book, any genre, and have your readers try to guess the title in the comments!

 My Pitch:

Love is forbidden. In fact, it's a disease. The main character in this book will stop at nothing to be cured. That is, until she finds out her best friend has a huge secret she's been keeping from her and then the unthinkable happens: she falls in love. 

Any ideas? 

Road Trip Wednesday - Plotting v. Pantsing

 Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)   This Week's Topic:
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Do you like to make a detailed plan before you start a project? Or do you prefer to fly by the seat of your pants and make it up as you go along?

I am a little of both. I have a general plan or idea for the project and I may even have some notes written up on what I can expect to happen or certain tidbits of info on my characters, but the rest is pretty much flying by the seat of my pants. I think I definitely lean more towards being a pantser and I'm okay with that.

How about you?

YA Higheway - Choose your narrator?

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ from YA Highway where each week there is a writing- or reading-related question for us to answer. Check out YA Highway to follow along with everyone who participates. :-)

This Week's Topic:
Some audiobooks are read by celebrities. Most recently, Cassandra Clare's CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS was partly read by Ed Westwick of Gossip Girl.

So, if you got to choose a celebrity narrator for the audio book of your WIP or your favorite novel, who would it be and why?

Since I really don't have a clue as to who would have the right voice for my book, I'll go with the names of some of my favorite actors. My current WIP is from the female POV, so my choices would be:

Rachel McAdams (she sort of has the look of my character, too, which is nice):

Kate Beckinsale (in an American accent, of course):

They are both beautiful and have great screen presence so maybe their voice would fit for an audio book, too. 

What do you think?