RTW: Crazy Love

Hey everyone! I'm back! Or at least I am for the span of this post. You see, I've been expectedly busy with writing my thesis and with other final semester type things related to being a senior, and I honestly haven't had time to blog. Sad, I know. I wish it wasn't so.

But since it is, I felt it was high time I came back for an RTW and explained my seemingly utter departure from the blogging world. So there y'all have it. I explained myself.

Now for the fun stuff!

Welcome to our 169th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: What's the craziest thing you've done for love, or what's your favorite book/movie moment of someone doing crazy things for love?

It really depends on how you define crazy. Are we talking actual insane actions, like Jack freezing to death in the water even though there was room on that piece of wreckage? Or are we talking momentary flashes of insanity that lead us to sing outside the house of the one we love at three o'clock in the morning (likely while also intoxicated)?

Obviously I've never had a truly insane moment because I'm still alive, and I'm not sure I ever will. And after watching the Carnival cruise ship flounder around in Mobile Bay last week and hearing about all the unsanitary things those poor people had to endure, I don't think I'll be in Jack's position any time soon, i.e. no boats for this girl.

However, I feel like I must be slightly crazy when it comes to the Boyfriend. I'm not sure how many of you know that I love Skyrim, but I do. I love it. I also happen to love Boyfriend. But when you put Boyfriend and Skyrim together, that's when my crazy comes out.

I can't stand to watch him play. It's excruciating. He doesn't play right. And by right, I suppose I mean the way I play. (Which is RIGHT.)

I have to restrain myself from screaming. Sometimes I forget and try to tell him what to do, and then he does the complete opposite because he knows it drives me crazy.

If you're wondering where the crazy love part comes in, don't worry, I'm getting there.

He loves to play Skyrim even though he's not any good.

And because I'm such an amazing girlfriend, I let him play Skyrim more than I do. It's torture. But I endure it.

I have a video that shows this strange dynamic, but I'm not sure if I should post it. I want to, because it's funny. But he isn't used to being on the Internet. Oh well. I know! I'll transcribe it! I'm brilliant.

Video of Boyfriend Being Terrible at Skyrim:

Scene: His house in Falkreath

BF: Wait a minute, if you plant one, you get more than one back, right?

Me: *heavy sigh*

BF: *laugh*

Me: You get however many...is in the plant. It could be one, it could be more than one.

BF: *laugh* *funny face*

Me: Just plant something and find out.

BF: I did.

Me: Well, good. Yes, that's a stable.

BF: I want a horse in it.

Me: You have to buy a horse!

BF: I don't wanna buy 'em!

Me: Just--you've got a lot of gold! Just buy it!

BF: *dumb laugh* I don't have that much...

Me: You have enough.          (He has 16,000 gold at that point.)

BF: What about pigs and animals?

Me: You can buy a cow or some chickens from Lydia. Go do that.

BF: Chickens! I can't hear you! *laughs*

Me: Just, just buy some stuff from Lydia!

BF: Oooohh! Bench!!

Me: Here's an idea. Here's an idea.

BF: I'm sitting on a bench!

Me: Here's an idea: why don't you just get Lydia to decorate your whole house for you?

BF: Bench, bench!

Me: It would make our relationship so much easier.

BF: I was sitting on a bench...

Me: Oh my god...


Well, if that isn't crazy behavior for love, I don't know what love or crazy is. And if that's the case, I'm insane and should be locked up away from society. Immediately.

Until next time...

RTW: Adapting the Words

Welcome to our 153rd Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: 

It isn't surprising that this month's Bookmobile selection, Leigh Bardugo's (@LBardugo) Shadow and Bone, has sold film rights; the darkly magical world of the Shadow Fold begs for an on-screen translation*! But that got us wondering. We'd like to know, in your opinion, what is it that makes some books seem ideal for a film translation?

(*And don't forget, you can chat with Leigh about the movie, and any other burning questions you have about Shadow and Bone, during YA Highway's live chat with her next Tuesday, Oct. 30!)

The moment I saw this prompt, I giggled. Why? Well, it just so happens that I'm reading "A Theory of Adaptation" by Linda Hutcheon right this minute (I literally just set the copy down to check on the Internet and make sure it's okay), and my head is full of the why's and how's and other theoretical thingamawhosits surrounding adaptations from books to film to opera to plays to poetry to video games and beyond. 

Now, don't get me wrong. It's actually quite enjoyable. Relating to this RTW, one question that Hutcheon discusses is:

Are some kinds of stories and their worlds more easily adaptable than others? (15)

Well, in short, yes. Some books naturally lend themselves to visual translation. Books that contain a wide breadth of imagery and visual scope give screenwriters and directors more to work with on the visual aspect of films. However, another important piece of this adaptation game is the style of the novel. "Linear realist novels" are easier to adapt to the big screen than what we call "experimental" novels (Hutcheon 15). (Look at me using MLA format in a blog post!) 

So, basically, novels that follow the plot pattern of cause and effect, point A to point B, etc., are easier, and therefore more likely, to be translated to movie form. It's more difficult to translate stream of consciousness novels or novels narrated by a single protagonist with lots of internal reflections, unless the director is going for the Sundance effect and cares about "art" and the "craft." If that's the case, I say more power to them. Indie theatres need films too. 

The most successful films are adapted from books that do meet the requirements of "linear realist novels," at least in the respect to the linear part. I happen to believe that the term should be retooled to say "linear fiction novels" due to the preponderance of fictional--often fantasy--novels that were made into movies or are currently in the works. Ex.: The Hunger Games series, Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, Percy Jackson series, Twilight series (I'm ready for this to just be over...),  The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Eragon (although that was kind of a flop), City of Bones, and now Shadow and Bone, and the list could go on forever. 

You also have to take into consideration the relative success of the novels themselves. A production studio is not going to take a risk on a novel adaptation unless that novel has a large fanbase and they think they'll sell bajillions of tickets. Another component is the book's theme and connection to other, highly successful adaptations. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," pretty much sums it up. Exciting or otherwise appealing themes (dystopian boom, anyone?) are what big studios count on to drawn in the public. People like what they like, and if the public is clamoring for more Vampire/Werewolf dramas, then the film companies will rush to give it to them. In exchange for their money, of course. 

We, as humans, are attracted to the known without often realizing it. We want more of whatever satisfies our desire for escape and adventure, but it has to be within the boundaries that we are comfortable with. Movie studios recognize this fact and use it to determine what they produce. 

It's a tough business, but if an author is lucky enough to attract the right attention, he or she might just see his or her novel adapted to the big screen. Wouldn't that be exciting? 

Until next time...

RTW: NaNoWriMo Not Likely (for Me)

Welcome to our 152nd Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: 

Are you doing NaNoWriMo, or have you ever? Does having a deadline inspire you?

Alas, I will not be able to participate in the annual scramble for words that is NaNoWriMo. I know that once November rolls around (and it will be here before I'm ready) I'll see Tweets and Facebook updates galore about word counts and so forth. And I will not be one of them. 

I'm just too busy with classes and work to even think about adding another thing to my plate. Sure, I'd enjoy it, but I have a thesis to worry about and it needs my attention quite desperately at the moment. 

Perhaps next year I'll be able to participate again. I do enjoy the thrill of getting the requisite number of words each day. It's addicting in some sense. Okay, it's very addicting. Every writer--published or not--who participates gets the NaNo Buzz. Exhausted but exhilarated, we type like fiends until our fingers refuse to continue, and then sit back on our heels to whistle appreciatively at the words, glorious words, that fill our screens. 

Just the mere fact of thinking about trying my hand at 50,000 words makes me want to try...

But I can't. There are times when I can do something, and also times when doing what I want to do will be too  much of a burden for my already laden schedule to bear. This is one of those latter times. And I hate it. 

However, there's always next year. I'll just have to live vicariously through all of y'all's NaNoWriMo experiences this go around. I hope y'all have fun. I'll be watching wistfully over here...

Until next time...

RTW: Cooler Days are Coming

Welcome to the 150th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: How does your writing (place, time, inspiration) change with the seasons?

As far as creative writing goes, winter and fall are the most productive times of the year where my stories are concerned. I'm afraid they get a bit neglected when the weather is hot and humid.

For some reason, when it's hot outside I don't want to write. It's strange, I know, but it's the truth. My creativity is near zero during the hotter months. But when the first crisper days of fall roll around, I start to get the writing itch. Ideas come flooding into my head and my fingers just want to type. 

I just love this image. It's so beautiful. 

I can feel the change coming on, too. This week the mornings and evenings have been in the 60's and I've seen the leaves turning orange, yellow, and brown. I'm waiting, quite impatiently, for the day when wearing a thick jacket outside is socially acceptable and not just something I do because I'm too lazy to take it off after exiting the freezing buildings. 

Perhaps it has something to do with the energy I'm saving not sweating to death. That's my theory. And along with the colder weather comes fun things like bonfires and hot chocolate. Some of my fondest memories from growing up have been during this time of year. There are holidays and gatherings of friends and family. 

Everyone gains a new energy once the temperatures begin to dip. It's wonderful. 

Writing while under the influence of cooler temperatures and hot chocolate comes easily. Throw in a crackling fire and you've got one happy writer girl. 

Until next time...

RTW: The Things They Made Me Read

Welcome to our 146th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: 

Back to school time! What's your favorite book that you had to read for a class?

For this post I'm going to break things down into two groups. The first being high school and the second being college. Since I'm currently in college and can actually remember most of the books I've read, I feel like that will be the hardest group in which to pick just one novel. 

High School

courtesy goodreads.com

This one is a no brainer. My favorite book from those turbulent years is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I love that book so much I even used it in a few essays I wrote my freshman and sophomore years of college. I wasn't a huge fan of Steinbeck's other most popular work, The Grapes of Wrath, when I was in high school and I can't say that I am today. It's a great novel but just doesn't appeal to me. East of Eden, however, did and still does. I love(d) how Steinbeck took the Cain and Abel story and applied it to westward expansion and the American tale of growth. Even just writing about it makes me want to go pick it up again. The whole book is simply dynamic and littered with allusion, morality, and the dirty politics of family. 

courtesy goodreads.com

College

Last semester I took a class that compared the works of Ernest Hemingway and Willa Cather. I'd read All Quiet on the Western Front in high school and hadn't loved it. Turns out I still don't like it. But I'd never read anything by Cather prior to taking that course. Fortunately, Cather seemed to be my cup of tea. Her novel My Ántonia completely won me over. I think I even wrote a post about it...*runs off to check past posts*...guess not. Maybe that was a dream. Anyway, I seem to have a thing for American turn-of-the-century, coming-of-age novels. I'm actually really surprised since my focus is on Southern literature not on midwest or western American literature. But I digress.

So that's it. My two favorite required readings. I'm gonna go now. Things to do. Questions to answer in the lab. Sandwiches to eat. Stuff.

Until next time...

RTW: Lovely Things

Welcome to our 144th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic is: 

(Inspired by Stephanie Perkins' post on Natalie Whipple's blog) 

What is your novel's "Love List"?

A love list, according to Stephanie Perkins, author of Anna and the French Kiss, is a list of things, which can be ideas or concrete objects, that make you love your WIP. I've never thought about making lists like this before, but since I really like making lists writing this post was fun (my favorite kind of lists are the grocery kind). 

Explosions. In the sky. Over my house. 

Off the top of my head, here are a few of the things on my love list for a little WIP of mine that I like to call "Super Duper."

1. Ireland

2. Spanish moss

3. red hair

4. super powers

5. blue-eyed boy

6. sarcasm

7. a green man

8. betrayal

9. growth

10. explosions

11. more explosions

12. yummy food

13. mind control

14. the elements

15. family

As you can see, I like my novels to be a bit more combustible than most. So what are y'all's love lists?

Until next time...

RTW: Best of May

Welcome to our 133rd Road Trip Wednesday! 

 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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: What was the best book you read in May?

Well, I've done quite a bit of reading since classes officially went kaput, so I actually have non-class related choices this time. That's always fun.

Let's see...best book of May...has to be Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I already blogged about it and all (Burnt to Cinders), but I'm perfectly content with mentioning it again. Since it is such a great book. I also have to give a shout out to Lamplighter and Factotum by D.M. Cornish.

Also, to give you a taste of Cinder (if you haven't already partaken of that wonderful fairytale/alien concoction), here is the book trailer that I made for it a few weeks ago. I've already posted it once, but hey, where's the harm, right? Right.

Well, that's all I have for today. I've been working on a new WIP (it's super top secret, even I don't know what it's about to be honest) and I'm all worded out. (And yes, I realize May was like 6 days ago. It's summer.)





Until next time...

RTW: A Thousand Words

Welcome to our 125th 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, since this week's topic is a short one, you can include your answer in the comments.


It's been a while since we had an inspirational photos post, and we always love those. So...

This Week's Topic:

What images inspire/ represent your WIP or favorite book?

Out of habit, I am always accruing images of inspirational things, places, people, sights, etc. Just yesterday I was trolling the Internets looking at pretty things on Nat Geo's site. Lovely images. 

This is my favorite. 

It makes me feel a sense of wonder at nature and wildlife. It's a feeling that I try to convey in one of my WIPs. It's a profound sense of the connection between nature and man, or the lack of connection thereof. There's a certain mysticism about the natural world that cannot be penetrated or fully understood by man, but we try all the same. It's that search for belonging in the natural order of things that I find so fascinating. This stag and his posture of utter serenity speak volumes to me and I just want to capture it so I can recall that feeling again and again. 

It's almost selfish in a way. Yet, I can't help wanting to hoard the feelings inside of me. 

I am haunted by this image in much the same way as the previous one; however, this picture evokes more of an otherworldly quality. I want to dive into those leaves and relive past lives. I want to wander in those trees and hear the ghosts of our pasts. In that forest, there is no time. It doesn't exist. This timelessness is what I want to convey in my WIP about nature. Seasons may change, but images like this stay with you forever. 

I hope y'all are having a lovely Spring. I know I, for one, am looking forward to Summer. I've been planning out my class schedule for Fall and I'm already tired. But I'm on the home stretch! Only two more semesters of classes, an Honors Thesis, and one semester of student teaching, and then I'm done!!! *excited dance*

Until next time...

RTW: Best Book of March

Welcome to our 123rd 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, since this week's topic is a short one, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic:

What was the best book you read in March?

Due to the complete lack of time to read books for "fun," I'm going to say that the best book I've read this month is...

image from goodreads.com

Silas Marner by George Eliot. 

It's not a very long novel but it's certainly the best book I've read this month, including Great Expectations. Don't get me wrong, I love a good Dickens' novel (my favorite is Tale of Two Cities) but Pip annoys me. 

The main character, Silas Marner, is repeatedly oppressed by outside forces and he gets to the point where he becomes a figure that people distrust, but throughout the narrative we see how things work out for the better and how Silas goes through a transformation into a respected member of society. Love, redemption, satisfaction, and faith play important thematic roles in the novel. It's thoroughly heartwarming, as it was no doubt meant to be. 

Silas Marner employs the wry touch characteristic of Eliot's works, and as a piece of literature, it's decidedly tinted with the attributes of a fable. I've always been a fan of fables and fairytales so reading this book was a nice break from the other Victorian readings that I've been doing lately. Realism is fine in small quantities, but sometimes it's nice to read something that puts a smile on your face simply because it's sweet. 

If you haven't read Silas Marner or anything else by George Eliot, I highly recommend that you do. Or at least read Silas Marner. It's not very long. There are some dragging, dull moments but the ending is worth the time spent skipping those spots. (Haha!)

Well, here's to hoping that next month I'll have a YA book to mention and discuss!

Until next time...

RTW: Hot Stuff Coming Thru

Welcome to our 122nd 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, since this week's topic is a short one, you can include your answer in the comments either here on my blog or back on the prompt post at YA Highway. It doesn't matter where

This Week's Topic: 

A long-awaited kiss, a surprise ending, a character's sudden decision… these are the moments that make us smile, gasp, and LOVE a book for the rest of our lives.

What is your favorite literary moment?

Making this decision was not easy. I've been blessed to have the opportunity to read many books in my life and there are countless memorable moments to go along with them. 

I can still remember the first time I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the magical feeling I got when Harry is finally allowed to read his letter. It's not a big moment in the grand scheme of the series, but it's important to me because it emphasizes the spectacular journey that Harry will soon embark on. Looking back as a long time Potter fan, I take away so much more from that moment than I did perhaps the first few times I read it. 

And then you can't forget the memorable scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as Molly Weasley takes on Bellatrix Lestrange with a "Not my daughter, you b*tch!" That's one instance of raw feeling that continues to catch me off guard and fill me with a sense of thrill just imagining Mrs. Weasley finally ridding the world of the depravity of Bellatrix Lestrange. The doting mother versus the deadly widow. Poetry in fiction. 

I promise not all of my favorite literary moments are from Harry Potter novels, but a good deal of them are. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. 

Until next time...

RTW: Memoirlicious

Welcome to our 118th Road Trip Wednesday! 

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments. 

 This Week's Topic: 

NAME THIS LIFE: What would your memoir be called?

Consider this an update. 

Not to seem vain or overly enthusiastic about talking about moi, but I've actually given this a bit of thought. It's one of my greatest inner anguishes that Where the Wild Things Are has already been used with great success. That title perfectly sums up the purest essence of Bailey.

Because we all know that I have infinite wild things inside of me just waiting to burst onto the scene and cause all kinds of havoc with the civilian population. It's no wonder I drink coffee; I have to keep them busy.

However, since that title already graces the shelves of stores everywhere, I have a few more titles that may just serve in some capacity.

The Girl with the Deathly Hallows Tattoo

I had to make this. 

World War B
Bailey Hammond and the Empty Coffee Pot (this will be in series form and subsequent books will grow exponentially)
Sleeping Late for Dummies!
One Star Wars Bandaid at a Time
It's a Dill Pickle Chip Kinda Life
The War of the Minds
One Pen, Two Pen, Green Pen, Blue Pen


As y'all can see, I'm all over the place. I'm actually pretty partial to the first one and the third option. Yep. They're alright.

Until next time...

RTW: Words, words, words

Welcome to our 117th 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.

This Week's Topic:

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

I have a confession to make. 

I was a spelling bee kid. From fifth to seventh grade, I spent months out of the year studying large stacks of word packets and books. Each night before I went to bed, my Dad would call out ten pages of words to me, quizzing me on the definitions, usage, and origins of each word. 

Life was simpler back then. I word-dropped like crazy. Once, I even read the entire Webster's dictionary. For fun. 

Those days are long past me, but I still get a thrill from discovering new words and using them in conversation or when I'm writing. Thankfully, as an English major, I get to use my words a lot. 

A few of my favorite words are: 

Adroitly

Malaprop

Ginormous

Nincompoop

Imbecile

Beatific

Alacrity 

Opportune

Magnanimous

Keen

Felicitous

Dimwad (that's one I made up)

Incomprehensible

Indecent

Indelible

Poignant

Astute

Aaaaand the list goes on and on. Sometimes my favorite words are ones that I've made up on the spot. I know I'm not the only one who does that. It's fun. 

Due to the reading I've been doing for my ancient rhetoric class, I've been collecting words like crazy. Or like a crazy person. Whichever. The definition doesn't matter at this point.

I can't say that I hate any words explicitly, but I do have a distaste for certain words, especially if they start with the letter t. Why the letter t, I have no idea; it's just been an issue that I've had for as long as I can remember.

Words I dislike rather strongly:
Titillating
Taxes
Solemn
Purge
A bunch of cussin' words (Although I am rather fond of the s-word.)
Retarded
Toilet
Punctual
Digit

I'm sure there are more, but this is all I can think of at the moment. As soon as I post this I'll probably be hit with a deluge of words that irk the living daylights out of me.

What are y'all's favorite words? Least favorite? First words? Last words? (Haha, just kidding!)

Until next time...

RTW: No Samesies Allowed?

Welcome to our 116th 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.

This Week's Topic:

What SNI (Super New Idea) were you psyched to work on, but discovered it was too close to something already done?

Honestly, I can't say that I've ever had this problem before, at least not in the way of me knowing it. I typically try not to make things like other things (and this involves a lot of "outside the brain" thinking), but I suppose if I did have to draw any lines of similarity between something of my own and something that had already been written, then it would probably be my story about demons. 

It's influenced by Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunters, but only protagonist-wise. The demons are entirely different and I also have a different backstory for how demons were created and how they interact with humans. There are angels involved as well, but not in the same way as in Clare's books. 

The similarities end there. My story isn't nearly as romance based as City of Bones and the rest of that series. I'm still working on it though, so the incidental samesies haven't discouraged me at all. I've found that having some things the same doesn't necessarily mean my ideas should be scrapped simply because that territory has already been covered. 

You can always bring something new to the table. That's what's so great about creativity and imagination. Those traits rise to the occasion and allow us to expand what is known into the unknown regions. It's the only way we can grow. 

We wouldn't have Harry Potter if it weren't for J. K. Rowling's persistence in writing Harry's story despite a lack of encouragement.

Besides, the success of a book is dependent on multiple things: the author, the editor, the publisher, and the readers. And then you have the booksellers and the reviewers. Even if your idea is somewhat similar to another previously published and possibly very successful book, that does not mean your idea won't be just as successful. Who knows, your book may just hit a better chord in the minds of readers. 

And what are the odds that your idea is going to be exactly the same as another one anyway? It's nearly improbable. There's always going to be some variation. And if that happens naturally, just imagine what you can accomplish if you put your mind toward developing differences. Radical idea, right? 

Until next time...

RTW: Best of January

Welcome to our 115th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: 

What was the best book you read in January?

I'm keeping it short and sweet today because I don't have much time; I know y'all understand. I think I've already posted once about all these things i've done by Gabrielle Zevin, but I don't believe I ever went into much detail about why I enjoyed reading this book. And I won't really do that in this post, haha! 

Just to give y'all a little background information, Goodreads' description is the following:

In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family. 

Engrossing and suspenseful, All These Things I've Done is an utterly unique, unputdownable read that blends both the familiar and the fantastic.

It's all of that and then some. The prose is engaging, the MC is tough but relatable, and the plot does not disappoint. Plus, it's interesting to read about a future world where chocolate and coffee are no-no's. That's just plain inconceivable to someone who has survived off of both of those things more than once during finals week.

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week and a great RTW!

Until next time...

RTW: YA MC Showdown

Welcome to our 114th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: 

 Write a dialogue between two of your favorite YA characters.

Two of my favorite YA characters come from completely separate novels, and I think that if they ever did meet IRL, that this sort of confrontation would transpire. Meet Dru Anderson and Sabriel Abhorsen.

Sabriel

Dru Anderson

Dru: So...you're a necromancer. *fidgets with gun*

Sabriel: *furrowed brow* No. Necromancers employ Free Magic. I am the Abhorsen. I abide by the laws of the Charter. I stop necromancers from playing with the dead. 

Dru: *snorts* 

Sabriel: And what exactly do you do?

Dru: *eyeroll* I try not to get killed by vampires wanting to suck my yummy Svetocha blood and basically save the day even though I don't want to be a part of it. It all started when my Dad came back from the dead as a zombie and I had to kill him. Things started going downhill into crazy town from there. 

Sabriel: *nods* Yes. Dead fathers do have a habit of complicating things. Mine sent me his sword and bells and then told me I had to save the entire Old Kingdom from the greatest Greater Undead that the world had ever seen. 

Dru: It's like they do it on purpose. 

Sabriel: Exactly. I mean, we're only teenagers, what reasonable person would tell his teenage daughter to go into the Old Kingdom without telling her everything she needed to know? I almost died, like, at least five times in the first half of the book. 

Dru: Men. I have two guys fighting over me, I love them both, but Jesus, they both just tick me off sometimes and I want to punch them. Repeatedly. I mean, come on! Stop trying to control me already! I've been practically taking care of myself my entire life and I shot my own zombified father for pete's sake! 

Sabriel: *sighs* The guy I like has memory issues. I found him on a ship, frozen as a figurehead in a spell one of my ancestors put in place because he went a little nutty during some past event he never likes to talk about. I like him and all, but sometimes I feel like he isn't being very honest with me, you know?

Dru: I say just beat the crap outta him and make him talk. Or else just run away and leave him behind. Sometimes I think we'd be better off without them. 

Sabriel: Yeah...but it's my duty to help the Old Kingdom. And he's a part of it. Besides, it's not like he's all bad. He saved me a few times!

Dru: They do have some uses. Stupid jerks. 

Sabriel: This has been nice. The sendings don't talk and Mogget can be a real pain. He never answers my questions and sometimes I feel like he wants to eat me. 

Dru: It has. I've never really had friends before, but you're alright. *eyes her sword and bell-bandolier* So...what do those do?

Sabriel: *pats bells gently* They send the dead back to the realm of death. 

Dru: I need me some of those. 

Sabriel: Umm, perhaps not. 

Dru: ...

Sabriel: *stern look*

Dru: You're probably right. My powers are way cooler anyway. 

Sabriel: I'm sure they are.  

Well, there you have it folks! I modernized Sabriel's speech for the sake of expediency, but just imagine her with an Australian accent. That should help. 

Until next time...

RTW: Oh, the Places I'd Go

Welcome to our 112th Road Trip Wednesday!

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic

Describe your dream writing retreat. Where would you go? Who and what would you bring?

I'm a wilderness person. My creative juices are stimulated by grand scenes of nature. I also have a thing for trees. I don't know what it is about them, but they make me happy. These trees in Scotland fill me with a euphoric sense of joy and peace. If I were among them right now, I think I'd sing this song. 

nature.desktopnexus.com

Therefore, I feel like my perfect writing getaway would have to be somewhere like this. 

worldwide-travelling.blogspot.com

It's a cottage! It's so quaint and country. I can just imagine waking up to the sound of songbirds, making myself a cup of coffee, and then sitting outside as the world comes back to life. A place like that would be perfect for writing. Plus, this place reminds me of Snow White. She's my favorite princess after Belle. 

Also, there are these nifty little things called "forest book nooks" that look a little something like this. I really, really, really, really (times infinity) want one of these mini-houses. If you want to know more about them, here is the link to the article on The Limite Magazine website. 

limitemagazine.com

limitemagazine.com

limitemagazine.com

As it is, the forest book nooks are a bit too modern architecturally for my taste, but I feel like I could easily modify one for my purposes. I have oodles of rustic, old world charm just waiting to be unleashed on an unsuspecting book nook. I think if I could somehow combine the cottage and this design, I'd have the PERFECT writing retreat. 

However, since I'm a fan of beautiful places, here are a few other places that I would LOVE to stay and write. 

go-destination.com

funonthenet.in

And they must have a library much like this one.

designemo.com

With a book collection like this. 

teddybearworld.org.uk

Yep. I'd write there. Actually, just looking at pictures of those places makes me want to write. As for who or what I'd bring, I can honestly say that I would bring no one. I write best in solitude. I love my family and my friends, but they tend to get in the way. I need total isolation from people to get things done. 

But I would bring my computer and my pillow. Those are two things I can't live without, no matter where I am. 

What would y'all's perfect writing escapes be? 

RTW: Best Books of 2011

Welcome to our 111th Road Trip Wednesday! 

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, 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 - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments. 

This Week's Topic: 

(YA Highway combined today's RTW with Highwayer Sarah Enni's End-of-the-Year blog carnival, so if you want to see what that's about, just click on over!) 

What were your top five favorite books of 2011?

I'm going to keep this post brief considering I've already discussed my choices at one point or another. I just can't get over how awesome these books are!

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Yes. This one is going to stay in my favorites for many years to come. Don't be too surprised to see it crop up as my favorite read of 2012. Weirder things have happened, especially at Les Cirque des Reves. And this is the link to my review a few RTW's ago.



2. The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

This was the book club pick of November over at Tracey Neithercott's blog, and I enjoyed this book so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. (I've been watching 30 Rock for a couple of weeks now, so if you notice any irregularities, just nod and pretend like it makes sense.)

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Surprisingly, I don't think I blogged about this one. Huh. Is this what it's like to be in The Twilight Zone? Click on the title if you need to know more or haven't heard about it. I won't judge (because I can't tell if you don't know or not) but you really should read this book. It's AWESOME. The End.

4. Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
Here is my review of this delightful variant of the zombie genre! Bram...le sigh.

5. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
This was a difficult choice. I had some bitterness initially over this book, mostly because I hate waiting, but once I finally read it, I wasn't disappointed. I realize it must have been extremely difficult for Paolini to wrap up this series (and it could have gone on forever) so I give him props for doing a wonderful job. I could have sworn that I did a review of Inheritance...oh wait! I did! Only it wasn't for here. It was for The Vanguard. *searches for link* Aaaand here y'all go. A review of Inheritance, a la moi.





Alright, well, this post has taken a lot longer than I'd anticipated. Must be all the links. Those things are the devil.  

Until next time...

RTW: Where My Money Goes

Welcome to our 110th Road Trip Wednesday!

 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, 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 - 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!

Thanks for not judging because I have a problem. This problem is one that usually results on my checking account having a heart attack whenever I enter a bookstore. 

It doesn't even matter which store it is. Barnes & Noble, BAM!, local stores, the library book sales, Walmart, Target, gas stations, yard sales, Amazon, and the list can go on into eternity. I'm not picky about where I get my books. All that matters is that I get them. 

Take yesterday for instance, I wasn't feeling well and my Mom took me to Page & Palette, our local bookstore, and still I managed to come away with two books. 

In case you're wondering, I finally bought Across the Universe by Beth Revis and Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks. Yay! More books for me to potentially review (if I ever have time to sit down and read them like I want to)! 

As it is, I can't seem to kick the habit of purchasing every book I lay my hands on. Seriously. I have to restrain myself from touching books because once they're in my hands, I'm not going to let go. It doesn't matter what they're about. 

I have multiple anthologies that I picked up at used book sales simply because I "wanted to see how heavy they are" and then couldn't pry my fingers away. I have two complete compilations of William Shakespeare's plays and poetry. 

Do I need two? Not likely. They just sit and take up valuable shelf space. Will I get rid of either of them? Probably not. I'm also a book hoarder. 

Alright, well, I know I promised y'all a book vlog about Dearly, Departed, and y'all will get it eventually. I've been distracted the past few days. I just now realized it is Wednesday. Time sure flies. 

Until next time...

Not RTW, This is a Sloth

Look at what I got today!

A baby sloth! Isn't it simply adorable? If you hurry over to enter YA Highway's Third Annual Winter Giveaway, you can get one of your very own!

This one is MINE. *pets sloth*

In other news, I have two more things to do today before I can officially say, "To heck with finals!" Both of them are presentations. I hate presentations. I don't mind standing up in front of class talking about stuff, but I don't like waiting for my turn. It makes me sick.

SO, I'm just going to go in there and be like, "Hey, I'm going first, and there's nothing anybody can do to stop me!" And then I'll proceed to take over the world.

Also, all of the responses I've had to my vlog idea have been positive, so I'm thinking that's what I'm going to do. You should all pray for YouTube. I have no idea what I'm going to unleash.

This Wednesday feels so weird without an RTW. I'm not complaining since YA Highway has that wonderful contest to fill it's place, but I guess I've become rather accustomed to being prompted into spewing my thoughts in a certain direction.

I mean, look at this post! It's a mess! I need guidance. There are so many topic threads that I have no idea which one to pursue...I really want to talk about that baby sloth but the vlog idea is pulling me in that direction...

Oh forget it. I'm going to go Tweet @aliciagregoire some more.

Until next time...may the force be with y'all! (Always.)

RTW: The Great Shelf Journey

Welcome to our 108th 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. 

This Week's Topic:
How far would you go to get published?


It must be the fact that I'm scrambling to cram for finals and finish all of these dratted ten page papers, but I couldn't help but chuckle at the topic this week. I know; my mind is in a dark place. Don't judge me. (You were all thinking it, too.)

I suppose I have to provide some sort of answer. Let's just assume for a moment that I'm done with college and I'm on my own. Wow, that sounds nice.

Anyway, in this dream, I'm out there in the world, giving as good as I get and not taking 'no' for a final answer. That world is my oyster. Anyone who stands in my way to publication is going to feel the swift edge of my paper sword. And we all know how horrible paper cuts are. *shudders*

However, I'm not quite sure just exactly how "far" I'd go to get published. It's not a question I tend to ask myself or get asked by other people. I mean, technically I'm already published multiple times over since I have articles in my college paper every week, but I don't think that's the kind of published we're talking about.

So, for brevity's sake, let's just assume that I won't do anything morally or ethically compromising in order to have a larger piece of my work published and on bookshelves across the world. That's probably the best answer I can come up with.

I'm far too easy-going to do anything strenuous or complicated either. Some may say I'm lazy (and that would be true in some sense), but it all comes down to the fact that I'm too good-natured and content with my life to do anything that may jeopardize my success or rock the boat.

I'm happy to work for everything that I get, and it is the journey more than anything that I enjoy. So, there is another answer. I'm willing to put in the time and effort to get to publication the hard way. I like the idea of earning my spot on those shelves.

It appeals to me.



On a different note, I don't know if y'all have noticed, but I've been adding some new doohickeys to the blog of late. There's the new comment system that allows us to have a dialectical relationship. I did lose all of the past comments (here's my post lamenting that), but I think the end result is worth it.

Also, if you address your attention to the end of the post, you will see some links to other posts similar to this one. This is my new favorite thing! I've been lusting after the recommended posts widget that others have on their blogs for a long time, and I finally organized an attack plan and made it happen, resulting in glorious options at the end of each post. Success is the best balm for envy.