Nikki Jefford is “a third generation Alaskan who loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt.” Ms Jefford is the author of the Spellbound trilogy (Entangled, Duplicity). Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter is her newest novel. Full of action from the very first page, Aurora Sky is a book that will have the reader hanging onto every word, staying up late into the night to in out just what is going to happen next!
Aurora Sky has had all of Alaska she can take. She just wants to finish her senior year, get on with her life, and never look back. She’s had enough cold and snow to last a lifetime and she can’t wait to go to college anywhere else. But all that changes with a car crash on an icy road. Suddenly, getting out of Alaska is the last thing on her mind.
When she wakes up after the wreck, Aurora discovers she’s been saved by government agents because of her special blood type. In return for a medical miracle, now she’s forced to become a vampire hunter. Worse than the thought of having to kill monsters she never dreamed actually existed is the fact that she can’t leave Alaska.
Now, instead of worrying about college essays and making good grades, Aurora spends her free time training and thinking about a certain mysterious boy from school. Her old best friend doesn’t talk to her anymore, so she makes friends with some vampire groupies in an effort to find out more about the undead scene…and finds out that the boy of her dreams is more than he seems.
I’m proud to say I’ve actually made progress this week. Not on writing. I haven’t done any actual writing this week. Sigh….Muse? Where aaaaare you? Hello? Okay. This is what my progress on The Fall looks like over the past few weeks:
You’re right: nothing. No writing. But it’s only Tuesday….Apparently, my Muse has taken off for parts unknown. Knowing my Muse, “parts unknown” is probably code for “a beach with a hammock, a never-ending margarita machine, and a cute cabana boy.” I digress. Where was I? Not on a beach….
I did, however, manage to do my revision chapter outline for seven chapters of the werewolf story this morning. I also converted an entire chapter of the zombie story from 3rd person to 1st person POV. That’s trickier than it sounds…I’ve done short crits for two people in my writing group. Written several blog posts for my other blogs. And looooots of homework. Yay for homework. Except not.
Goals for the rest of the week: Convert another chapter of the zombie story. Finish the revision outline for the werewolf story. Write another chapter of The Fall. Survive.
A Natural History of Dragons, by Marie Brennan Artwork by Todd Lockwood
Marie Brennan is a former academic with a background in archaeology, anthropology, and folklore, which she now puts to rather cockeyed use in writing fantasy. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to many short stories and novellas, she is also the author of A Star Shall Fall and With Fate Conspire (both from Tor Books), as well as Warrior, Witch, Midnight Never Come, In Ashes Lie, and Lies and Prophecy. You can find her online at SwanTower.com.
You, dear reader, continue at your own risk. It is not for the faint of heart—no more so than the study of dragons itself. But such study offers rewards beyond compare: to stand in a dragon’s presence, even for the briefest of moments—even at the risk of one’s life—is a delight that, once experienced, can never be forgotten. . . . All the world, from Scirland to the farthest reaches of Eriga, know Isabella, Lady Trent, to be the world’s preeminent dragon naturalist. She is the remarkable woman who brought the study of dragons out of the misty shadows of myth and misunderstanding into the clear light of modern science. But before she became the illustrious figure we know today, there was a bookish young woman whose passion for learning, natural history, and, yes, dragons defied the stifling conventions of her day.
Here at last, in her own words, is the true story of a pioneering spirit who risked her reputation, her prospects, and her fragile flesh and bone to satisfy her scientific curiosity; of how she sought true love and happiness despite her lamentable eccentricities; and of her thrilling expedition to the perilous mountains of Vystrana, where she made the first of many historic discoveries that would change the world forever.
Marie Brennan introduces an enchanting new world in A Natural History of Dragons.
‘A Natural History of Dragons’ brings the Victorian era to life with stunning details and such lifelike depictions that the reader will truly feel like they are on an expedition to study dragons. From the very beginning, when Isabella was just a child and fascinated with sparklings, the majesty and mystery of dragons shrouds every page. Though mystical, magical creatures to the reader, Ms Brennan brings them to startling life with each tiny detail revealed. The beautiful illustrations bring the entire world to life.
Zhagrit Mat, by Todd Lockwood
Isabella is no shrinking violet, and her rather madcap adventures grow from the natural curiosity of a child to mould her into the Darwin of dragons. Ms Brennan masterfully and evocatively tells this memoir-style tale of one girl’s love of dragons, and her willingness to sacrifice everything to study them.
P.S. I really enjoyed this book. I’ve always loved Victorian-era fiction, if done well, and this one is done extremely well. I could totally relate to Isabella searching for sparklings behind the house, since I used to always be on the lookout for different animals and plants when I was a child. If there had been tiny dragons around, well, my joy would have been boundless. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms Brennan several years ago at Conestoga Writers Conference, and really enjoyed her thoughts on the different panels. She was nice enough to answer questions from aspiring writers, and her kindness made a huge impression on me. I’ve read most of her books (Witch, Warrior, Midnight Never Come, In Ashes Lie), and loved them all. If you’re looking to read something a little different, I highly recommend them.
So, despite loads of homework and reading for school, I managed to do mini-outlines for two more chapters in the werewolf story. Progress, although of the infinitesimal, snail-like variety. Three chapters down, 29 to go…but it will get done. And I promised my best friend/co-writer that I would convert ONE chapter of our zombie story to first-person this weekend. I’m also thinking about trying out Scrivener. Anybody out there used it or have any opinions or comments about it?
I also have this sitting on my desk, waiting to be read:
Personal bribery at its best…
I know, I know. The Wheel of Time series has dragged on forever. I’ve heard all the complaints. Seen all the bad reviews for the series in general. I know. Also, I don’t care. I haven’t opened it yet. IF I get all the stuff done that I need to this weekend–homework, writing, revision, blogging, cleaning, re-decorating, planting–THEN I will start reading it. If not, well, it’ll have to wait. It’s been years since I started reading the series, I don’t think a few more days will hurt me.
So, school started again today. Not that I went. Um, the roads were pretty crappy this morning due to a winter weather system that moved in early this morning, and after watching news and traffic reports for a while, I decided I didn’t really want to risk driving 25 miles to school on the first day of the semester. Yes, I hate missing class. But at least this was a day that would have been at least partially taken up with going over the syllabus, which I’ve already read. So instead of risking my life with crazy Texas drivers who freak out at the first snowflake (and let’s not even talk about ice), I stayed home. I did quite a bit of homework. Yeah, I know, it’s the first day of classes. But the more I get done during the week, the less I have to do this weekend. And with 17 hours this semester, there’s a lot to do.
Despite my busy schedule, I still want to keep up with my writing. That means I have to set small goals, instead of my usual over-the-top, all-or-nothing method. With that end in mind, I’ve decided to do a very brief chapter outline of the werewolf story, to make revisions a bit less overwhelming. So I outlined the first chapter today. Granted, it’s maybe 5 sentences, but it’s progress, and I plan to do more work on it the rest of the week. I also plan on converting one chapter of the zombie story to first-person each week, and I also intend to get in at least one writing session a week on the new story. In addition, I’d like to keep up a twice-weekly blogging schedule. That doesn’t sound like much, but I do have two other blogs, so that’s a bit more time-intensive.
This week I’m focusing on baby steps. The tortoise won the race, didn’t he?
I made a bit more progress on the new story, a little more than 1,000 words or so. I love the story idea, of course (or I wouldn’t be writing about it), but sometimes I do get a little discouraged. Sometimes, my inner editor/critic/peanut gallery starts talking louder than normal, and that voice drowns out my Muse and my love for the story. That little voice says “What’s the point? You’re NEVER going to get published. Ever. You’re a terrible writer, and you write crap, and no one will EVER want to read it. Why do you bother?”
Sometimes it’s hard to silence that voice. Sometimes that’s all I can hear when I sit down at the computer. Sometimes I think that voice is right.
It’s a struggle right now, but I won’t let the demons win.
So…after being told repeatedly by several people that I needed to watch The Walking Dead because it is, apparently, the greatest show ever, I finally ordered the first season on DVD. It came in today. Now I’m faced with a conundrum: stare at the blank page of my new story, or this:
This is a really tough choice, isn’t it? Yeah, RIGHT. So, since I’m obviously not going to be staring at the blank page, my next question is this: does watching I-don’t-know-how-many-episodes of The Walking Dead count as “writing”? Not actual writing, clearly, but research for writing? I mean, my best friend and I DID write that zombie story. And my new story DOES have zombies in it….So. Clearly this is writing-related. Win!
I did start writing the new story. Not much, only 1,000 words, but it’s a start. I’ll do some more work on it today, whether planning or actual writing, I’m not sure which. Since I intend to spend this New Year’s Day doing things that I plan to continue doing throughout the year, writing is a must.
Normally, I would have a whole list of “goals” for the new year (I don’t call them “resolutions” anymore). This year, not so much. Last year was too overwhelming, too awful, just too much. So I only have two goals this year. 1) Have a better year than last year. 2) Keep writing.
I did do some work on the new story yesterday. Okay, I didn’t actually start writing it. I planned on it, but it was Christmas, and I spent the day with my mom and my brother, plus I ended up spending the night at my mom’s house because of the weather, so I wasn’t exactly able to write. But I DID get another chapter outlined, and flesh out my MC a little bit. That counts as progress, right? So. Tomorrow. Again….
Have you ever been so excited about a new story that you jumped out of bed, raced to the computer, and spent hours with your fingers flying over the keyboard as the story poured out of you and onto the page? Yeah, me neither. Well. Let me modify that statement a tiny bit: I haven’t had this happen to me lately. It’s happened, but it’s been a good long while. Say…years. Oh, I’ve written (some). I’ve completed stories. I’ve had new ideas I’ve been excited about. But never to the point where it completely took over my life. As a matter of fact, I have a new story idea right now that I’m really excited about. Sadly…I have no motivation. Seriously. It’s my semester break. I have plenty of time to write. But I haven’t. Not a single word. I have a phase outline of the first chapter. I know a bit about the world and the characters. I have more than enough to start. I just…haven’t.
I need to find my motivation. My Muse (inspiration) is probably waiting at the keyboard for me. All I need to do is show up and be ready to work. Tomorrow. I’ll start tomorrow.
Tomorrow Is Another Day 