Camp NaNoWriMo April 2013 Progress Report

(6:15 a.m.)

I feel like I am failing right now...I am not making the progress I would like and it is quite frustrating. At the same time, I understand that right now my body and my mind are trying to adjust to my new job and all the stresses that go along with it. But, that is still no excuse for not sitting down and spending at least 30 minutes to an hour working on Souls Unknowing.

What I can report right now in regards to a word count...164 words. I managed to write out a summary. I mean, I've also written 3 book reviews this month, but I'm not counting those in my word count because they have nothing to do with the story.

Also, I have been making some changes in regards to some character names and such and a few of my main characters are actually currently without names, which somewhat makes it difficult to write.

Anyway, my goal is that this afternoon, once I get home from work, to at least get down the prologue. We'll see what happens.

(9:30 p.m.)

Still not really making much progress. I'm doing plenty of thinking about the story and possible ways to write certain scenes, but I'm not spending much time sitting at my computer (or sitting with a pad of paper and pen) and writing. Some of you may recall that during the first session of Camp last year my grandma caught a really bad virus and we thought it looked pretty grim. I can honestly report that true to her nature, she fought back and is winning, though it is a slow and steady recovery. We moved her out of the nursing home she had lived in since last July and now she's at home with us. I feel compelled to spend a couple hours with her when I get home each day.

By the time I actually head up to my room every evening, I have to go about setting out my clothes for the next day, gathering my pajamas up, and head to take a shower and get ready for bed. Then, if I'm lucky I can get on the computer for a few minutes so I can check my e-mail, do a little job hunting since I'm still not where I want to be, and working in a factory is not all that great for a librarian, seriously.

So, when I do pull up Souls Unknowing, I just stare at that nearly blank Scrivener page and my mind seems to go as blank as the page. My goal for right now is to just try to jot down a scene or two before/during work and then make serious progress this weekend, where...hopefully...I will have more time to focus on writing.

Souls Unknowing

Something has caused the spirits of Rolling Acres Boarding School to grow extremely restless, and it is up to a small group of mediators to discover long buried secrets to prevent such a tragedy from occurring once more.

Unfortunately there are a number of hurdles to overcome and there are more secrets than just what happened preceding the fire that destroyed the school 50 years earlier.

Tru Martin struggles with accepting her true place as one who communicates with spirits due to a desire for normalcy. Veteran mediators Megan, Allie, and Ian all seem to have different opinions on how to proceed with crossing over the spirits. And the arrival of another mediator who has a history with one person in particular may lead to the greatest shock of all.

With time running out and graduation coming around the corner, can this friendship formed out of a shared ability survive all the discoveries, spirits, and dangers, and solve a mystery before everything goes up in smoke?

Well...this is what I have right now for the story summary/back cover blurb. I still might do some tweaking, but what do you guys think?

From the Stacks: Worlds of Arthur by Guy Halsall

Okay, so this is sort of a different area for me to review, but I usually enjoy books about King Arthur so I took a chance. This is my first academic style book since I graduated with my Master's degree in December 2011. Welcome to my first completely random "non-fiction"/historical/academic research NetGalley review.

Summary:

King Arthur is probably the most famous and certainly the most legendary medieval king. From the early ninth century through the middle ages, to the Arthurian romances of Victorian times, the tales of this legendary figure have blossomed and multiplied. And in more recent times, there has been a continuous stream of books claiming to unlock the secret or the truth behind the "once and future king."

The truth, as Guy Halsall reveals in this fascinating investigation, is both radically different--and also a good deal more intriguing. Broadly speaking, there are two Arthurs. On the one hand is the traditional "historical" Arthur, waging a doomed struggle to save Roman civilization against the relentless Anglo-Saxon tide during the darkest years of the Dark Ages. On the other is the Arthur of myth and legend, accompanied by a host of equally legendary people, places, and stories: Lancelot, Guinevere, Galahad and Gawain, Merlin, Excalibur, the Lady in the Lake, the Sword in the Stone, Camelot, and the Round Table.

The big problem with all this, notes Halsall, is that "King Arthur" might well never have existed. And if he did exist, it is next to impossible to say anything at all about him. As this challenging new look at the Arthur legend makes clear, all books claiming to reveal "the truth" behind King Arthur can safely be ignored. Not only the fanciful pseudo-historical accounts--Merlin the Magician, the Lady in the Lake--but even the "historical" Arthur is largely a figment of the imagination. The evidence that we have, whether written or archeological, is simply incapable of telling us anything detailed about the Britain in which he is supposed to have lived, fought, and died.

My Thoughts:

Okay, so this may actually be a fairly short review, and I apologize for that, but I'm really trying to figure out what to say about this one. In the beginning it was a lot of history of Britain and only very tiny mentions of a person who might have been the Arthur of history who became the Arthur of legend. As might be expected, this is one of those reads where some people would groan, their eyes would glaze over, and they would feel like they were being forced to read a text for a college assignment.

Now, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it...just that my brain went to that place when I was about 50 pages in and was trying to make myself continue to read. For the past year and a half I have only been reading fun (and occasionally long, like Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey) fictional books, so reading this detailing of the facts and stories of history that could help to prove or debunk the existence of Arthur felt a little dry.

This is a fact I found to be ridiculous because I absolutely adore Arthurian legends. Regardless of whether or not Arthur actually existed with Guinevere and Lancelot and the Round Table, I feel like the story of him and how he ruled his kingdom and the valiant behavior by the Knights of Camelot are inspiring and wonderfully imaginative. So, if it's all just an elaborate fantasy, that's fine because I read a lot of those. But I still like to imagine that he truly did exist.

I thought the book was well-written, and while part of me liked that the whole thing wasn't inundated with numerous footnotes, and instead include a chapter by chapter reference list at the end, the scholar in me was not pleased by that. I wanted to know exactly which ideas and details were taken and/or inspired by other texts. Yes, it was easy to tell when a lengthy comment was borrowed from another text because it was centered and sectioned off from the rest, but still, I wouldn't have minded some footnotes.

This book did mostly satisfy my scholarly side, so I don't imagine I'll be running to another non-fiction or scholarly type book for a long while...unless it is one of my writing resource books. I have to give Worlds of Arthur a 3/5, again, not because it was bad, but because it wasn't as enthralling as I expected it to be. Because when I found this book on NetGalley it was in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi section...so I was actually somewhat expecting a historical fiction-ish novel.

Worlds of Arthur at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/worlds-of-arthur-guy-halsall/1112760405?ean=9780199658176

Worlds of Arthur at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Arthur-Facts-Fictions-Dark/dp/019965817X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364865858&sr=1-1&keywords=Worlds+of+Arthur

From the Stacks: The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

This was a very enjoyable NetGalley read for me, and I'm so glad that I've already been granted access to the sequel because I really didn't want to wait to find out what happens next.

Summary:

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normalwould become forever out of reach.” 

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

My Thoughts:

I very much enjoyed this book, and I thought it was an excellent read, filled with just enough historical detail and description to make everything quite believable. Having Lora as the only scholarship aka poor student at this all-girls boarding school definitely cast her as an outsider, but I feel that it also gave her the freedom to get away with a number of things the other girls might not have.

Now, I will admit that for about the first third of the book I really wondered how long I would have to wait to find out who/what Lora is, and discovering that she is a drakon (a dragon) definitely increased my interest in the story exponentially, and I feel that the pace really picked up from that point. 

The romantic leads in this book were quite interesting. I definitely loved Jesse and the connection he and Lora had. With the way it was written I definitely felt pleased about the two of them being together, and I never really saw Armand, or Mandy as he likes to be called, as an honest romantic interest. I could see him as a friend though. But, considering how the story ends, Armand may actually be stepping up to the plate in the sequel to become a true contender.

Speaking of the ending...it actually surprised me and I did cry. I was not expecting the sacrifice that was made and I honestly wonder how the story will play out now. I am very intrigued and will be diving in to the sequel rather soon.

Oh, I really did also start to like Lady Sophia, one of the other girls at Iverson with Lora. Though yes she was a bit snobby and elitist at first, I feel like she actually gave Lora a chance, even if it was for slightly petty reasons, and she may actually turn into a good friend for Lora, so I'm excited for that.

I'm sure that there's plenty more interesting story to tell and I can't wait to read it. The Sweetest Dark is a 5/5 for me, and is out in stores today. The sequel will hit the shelves this August, so there won't be long to wait, which is really nice.

The Sweetest Dark at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-sweetest-dark-shana-abe/1108022933?ean=9780345531704

The Sweetest Dark at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sweetest-Dark-Shana-Abe/dp/0345531701/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364864881&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Sweetest+Dark

From the Stacks: Spellbinding by Maya Gold

Today's review was an extremely quick read, and yet another book I received from NetGalley.

Summary:

Salem is the bewitching backdrop to this lush, fast-paced tale of one girl discovering the source of her powers.

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on. 

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

My Thoughts:

Okay, so I think it maybe took me a total of 2 hours to read this book so it at least reads rather quickly, and the story pretty much moves at a good pace. I don't know...I'm sort of conflicted about how I feel about this book. Generally I love stories that have to do with witches, and for some reason it is even more interesting when tying in historical events such as the Salem Witch Trials, but I honestly feel that this story wasn't my absolute favorite YA witch-themed novel.

Abby did feel mostly realistic to me. I mean, upon discovering that you are a witch and actually have the ability to cast spells and move objects, I would probably try using it for personal gain myself, which Abby does, which is very realistic teenage girl of her...she uses it to help pass her driver's test, get a parking spot, get her jock crush to pay attention to her, etc. At one point I was actually concerned that her desire for personal gain and her desire to get payback to those who have basically bullied her would actually make her turn to the dark side. 

So, let's talk about the other characters. First, there's Travis, the jock Abby has a crush on (and has since elementary school)...he seemed to be sort of lacking in personality to me. He's supposed to be this really nice guy who is gorgeous and does things for charities, etc. but really the only big interactions between him and Abby are after he's under her spell and he basically seems like a puppy searching for her approval. It bugged me.

Then there was Megan, Travis's girlfriend, who is a gorgeous mean girl who walks around with her two "friends" who are not as attractive as she is, probably on purpose, and who picks on Abby and calls her Big Bird and all sorts of other things. Really, could this story add some more cliched characters to the mix? There's even the whole prom scene where Megan and her cronies spray paint Abby's dress and chop off her hair. Really? To me that feels mostly like something you see in books and movies. I certainly never saw anything remotely close to that in school.

I did enjoy Rem, though his on-again, off-again attraction/feelings/whatever towards Abby did start to grate on me. Abby spending all that time thinking about Travis, who was unavailable) when Rem was there just made me groan and shake my head. I mean, Abby seemed like a smart chick...didn't she realize that there was practically no chemistry with her and and jock-boy, especially when there's Mr. Hottie Rem around. I really liked him.

Also, based on how this story ends, I'm going to guess that it's a standalone novel. If there's an attempt to turn this into a series, I don't know if I'm likely to read it. The ending seemed to wrap up a lot of things, including the romance story and the witch story. Now, that being said, if Maya Gold wanted to sort of maybe go with a prequel novel that details the events in Salem from the trials then I would probably be okay with that. 

All in all, I think this book was about a 3.5/5 for me.

Spellbinding at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spellbinding-maya-gold/1112090670?ean=9780545433808

Spellbinding at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Spellbinding-Maya-Gold/dp/0545433800/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364863797&sr=8-1&keywords=Spellbinding

From the Stacks: Quintessence by David Walton

This NetGalley book was absolutely stunning. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read it.

Summary:

"Imagine an Age of Exploration full of alchemy, human dissection, sea monsters, betrayal, torture, religious controversy, and magic. In Europe, the magic is thin, but at the edge of the world, where the stars reach down close to the Earth, wonders abound. This drives the bravest explorers to the alluring Western Ocean. Christopher Sinclair is an alchemist who cares only about one thing: quintessence, a substance he believes will grant magical powers and immortality. And he has a ship."

My Thoughts:

All in all, I'm giving this book a 4.5/5, because at times it really did feel a little slow to me. However, the descriptions were amazing, and the mysterious and amazing island of Horizon is absolutely magical. The summary makes it sound as if the story focuses on alchemist Christopher Sinclair, but really, I found him to be a secondary character to the Parris family. Most of what happens seems to center on Dr. Parris and his daughter Catherine.

Considering the time period and such, I thought the characters felt very true to life, and I really did feel as if I was reading a historical novel, that just happened to have these creatures capable of turning invisible, walking through walls, healing themselves, and forming mind-links.

The slowness I mentioned earlier came from how a great deal of the book is the voyage across the ocean, which I guess makes it all the more realistic because for the characters, the journey would have been long and dull and tedious.

I absolutely adored Catherine Parris. She is a young woman who feels as if she is being pigeon-holed by her mother to dress up, go to dances, and attract a suitable, wealthy, and high-ranking man to marry...which is not exactly what she'd like. Sure, she wants to marry, but she also is intrigued by the work her father does as a physic, especially since he is doing the "appalling" act of dissecting corpses to discover how the human body truly works. Along the voyage she joins in on his studies and shows just how intelligent and clever she is, and I love how some certain characters begin to see just how amazing she is and come to respect her opinion just as well as a man's.

There is so much going on in this story: discovering the alchemical truths of Horizon, basically a coming-of-age story, struggles with religion, science, and morality, as well as life and death, and a definite struggle between the natives of Horizon and these English invaders. I very much enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to people who like historical novels, tales of alchemy, and it really does have a sort-of steampunk vibe to it as well. 

Quintessence at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/quintessence-david-walton/1111298355?ean=9780765330901

Quintessence at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Quintessence-David-Walton/dp/0765330903/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363698966&sr=8-1&keywords=Quintessence

Other Readings:

Currently I am reading a couple manuscripts for friends, so there won't be any review on them or anything else...yet. When they become published novels, that's a wholly different story. I'm also working on finishing up Dr. Frankenstein's Daughters by Suzanne Weyn, and City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte.

From the Stacks: A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont

Here is another NetGalley From the Stacks review. The only issues I had with this book had to do with the fact that I was dealing with a wonky formatted proof copy, but I can't hold that against the content of the book or my review, since I knew that NetGalley often gives their reviewers the uncorrected proof copies of books.

Summary:

"The compelling heroine of Eve Marie Mont’s novel A Breath of Eyre returns to find truth and fiction merging through the pages of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic, The Scarlet Letter…

Emma Townsend is back at prestigious Lockwood Prep, but her world has altered immeasurably since her tumultuous sophomore year. The best change of all: her boyfriend, Gray. And though Gray is leaving for Coast Guard training, Emma feels newly optimistic, even if the pain of her mother’s long-ago death still casts a shadow.

Yet Emma isn’t the only one who’s changed. Her friend and roommate, Michelle, is strangely remote, and old alliances are shifting in disconcerting ways. Soon Emma’s long-distance relationship with Gray is straining under the pressure, and Emma wonders if she’s cracking too. How else to explain the vivid dreams of Hester Prynne she’s been having since she started reading The Scarlet Letter? Or the way she’s found herself waking in the woods? As her life begins to echo events in the novel, Emma will be forced to choose between virtue and love. But can she forge a new future without breaking her heart?"

My Thoughts:

When I first picked up this book, I was really curious to see how Eve Marie Mont would get Emma into the world of Hester Prynne and The Scarlet Letter. In A Breath of Eyre, Emma ended up going to the hospital four times, and I sincerely hoped that would not be the same method for the translation this time. If you remember from my review of the first book, that was definitely one of the points that really bothered me. Thankfully, it wasn't the same. Instead, Emma goes into a pseudo dream state while running...and she only goes to the hospital once, so that's a definite plus.

Knowing that The Scarlet Letter was central to this book, I really should have known that it would deal with some serious matters in the lives of Emma, Michelle, Gray, Owen, Elise, and Jess. Okay, yes, the adultery issue from the original book is not nearly the same in this...Emma kisses someone in a moment of weakness, and yes, that someone does happen to be in a relationship, but it is not nearly as drastic as what Hester Prynne experiences. Of course, high school being what it is, the gossip mill takes care of everything and the issue blows completely out of proportion. A Touch of Scarlet really is about growing up, figuring out who you are, taking a stand with friends and against injustice, and it also broaches the matter of sexuality. I thought it was all very well done, and even in the midst of some serious bullying and such, Emma and her friends, both old and new, still also find a way to joke around with each other.

Now, like some other reviews I've seen, I did feel like some of the characters changed almost too drastically. Emma was a good strong protagonist in A Breath of Eyre, even standing up for herself and Michelle in front of the honor council, but for a majority of A Touch of Scarlet, Emma seems to have withdrawn from everyone, becoming so attached to Gray that when he isn't around she is basically a mess, not really knowing who she is or what she is doing. (I know in some circles, this is known as the Bella syndrome, because it is basically how Bella acts after Edward leaves her in New Moon). Of course, I also think, considering all the mistakes she has made through the book and because of everything she has learned, by the end of the story Emma has definitely become a stronger person than she was before. So, this book tore her apart and put her back together.

I will be really intrigued to see what happens in A Phantom Enchantment, because seeing Emma in the world of The Phantom of the Opera should be pretty fun, while also dealing with a number of mature themes that I believe teens and young adults deal with quite frequently these days. So, I really look forward to reading the final book of this trilogy. Overall, I really think this book is more a 4.5/5.

A Touch of Scarlet at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-touch-of-scarlet-eve-marie-mont/1112034923?ean=9780758269492

A Touch of Scarlet at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Scarlet-Eve-Marie-Mont/dp/0758269498/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362515424&sr=8-1&keywords=A+Touch+of+Scarlet

Other Readings:

Okay, now I'm getting into some of the books that I've been meaning to read for a while, and even bought, but have sat on my shelf for quite some time. First up on my list: Skinwalker by Faith Hunter, followed by Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews, and Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire.

From the Stacks: Embers in a Dark Frost by Kelly Keaton

I read this...last month, I think. It was an interesting book, and my only big issue with it was sometimes weird formatting in my e-book, which is not really the author's fault so that won't factor into my review. Well...actually in the case of this being a self-pubbed book, I guess it is the author's fault, but I still won't factor that into my review, because it happens sometimes.

Summary:

"The Fire Breathers have come. The Underworld calls. A choice must be made…

With her feared half blood and flame-colored hair, DEIRA D'ANU is a constant reminder of human betrayal and the war that claimed the light from Innis Fail. Now, darkness and frost creep across the land, strengthening the Lord of the Underworld. War is imminent—an allegiance with the Fire Breathers is vital. When their champion, Balen, sees Deira, he believes she is the key to finding the light and stopping the dark frost.... 

But the Underworld calls to Deira, tempting her to turn her back on a world that never cared and betray the champion willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe and save his world from darkness."

My Thoughts:

Okay, I'm not going to lie...when I went online to get the links for where to purchase the book below, I discovered that a new cover had been designed...same basic picture and background, but they changed the font for the title and moved the author's name from the top to the bottom. I like the new version better, really. Oh well.

Overall I thought this book was a pretty decent story for just $0.99. I enjoyed the setting and for the most part I really liked both Deira and Balen, but...and I can't exactly place my finger on what exactly bothered me...something was missing from the story. Yes, when I reached the end, I admit to being curious as to what will happen in the sequel. Maybe the relationship between Deira and Balen could have had more to it. Now, as I'm sitting here, I'm struggling to remember most of the story, but I do remember finishing it with a sense of "oh, is that all?"

I like fantasy settings; I like stories with elves and magic. This one even had portions of romance and even a bit of a mystery. Perhaps I'll just have to pick up this book and read it again...most likely right before the sequel is released. Doing a little browsing through other reviews, it seems that this is the first of a duology, and others are saying that the next book should be out this year. For now though, my review stands at 3/5. Embers in a Dark Frost was good. It just didn't wow me.

Embers in a Dark Frost at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/embers-in-a-dark-frost-kelly-keaton/1113774766?ean=2940015831795

Embers in a Dark Frost at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Embers-Dark-Frost-Fire-ebook/dp/B00A4JG8Z8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363302925&sr=8-1&keywords=Embers+in+a+Dark+Frost

Other Readings:

Tomorrow I'll have a Bonus From the Stacks up, a NetGalley review of A Touch of Scarlet by Eve Marie Mont. Right now any reading I'm doing is at a leisurely pace...because I am a week away from the first session of Camp NaNoWriMo, so my focus will shift from reading to writing. But don't worry. I've read 60 books so far this year, so I have my reviews typed up and ready to go. You may find through April that I'll just ignore this section of my post...or maybe I'll do a quick update on my writing progress.