This looks hard, so I'll be lazy instead.

I had one of those shining moments of clarity about plot this weekend. It wasn't about how to actually FIX my plot, oh no. That would have been useful. Instead, it was realizing how deeply flawed my writing technique is. ^_^

Those of you who've been masochistic enough to read an entire story of mine know that I have a tendency to get distracted from my central storyline. To the point that some readers have had to ask me what the central storyline actually was... I try, I really do! I just decide that i have to Explain why people do things, and then I get distracted by freedom fighters. Or libraries. Or bagpipes. Or tattoos. Or hair colour. A hundred thousand words or so later, I return triumphantly from my pointless excursions, and wrap up the plot in ten thousand words written in a day because I'm so exiling tired of the book.

The voices (Burnout, Muse and Inner Editor) in my head pointed this out to me on the weekend.

And I went hehehehe. Oops. But that's like real life, right?

They stared at me and said Noooo, that's not the point. Real life is boring and aggravating. This is A Bad Thing you are doing. Fix it. Make your shiny distracting storylines count, or cut them out.

I coughed and refused to make eye contact. But that sounds hard!

They made comments which I can't repeat, but they amounted to "Suck it up, Buttercup."

So that was my weekend, story-wise. And say, has anyone else noticed how HARD it is to lead up to a conclusion for eighty or one hundred twenty thousand words, making everything count? I fear writing now... But in other news, I finally managed to figure out how to rob the bank. ^_^ Silly small town, leaving their deputy codes lying around...

Don't pay any attention to this post, carry on...

Don't bother to read this, it wouldn't interest you.

Win an ARC of the novel A MOST IMPROPER MAGICK:

You don't want to enter to win a free book, here. I mean, who wants a book with highwaymen and magic? All you have to do is read the fascinating and lovely wonderful first chapter online and you'll see. It's true. NOTHING cool and enticing there...

This wouldn't interest you, go back about your business.

"Calm down, it's not a tactical strike!" "But it's Chapters!"

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I was distracted by being IN TOWN. Which is the local term for being out of town, in the Big City. (It's a Newfoundland thing.) I went to a concert, and a party, and the mall, and BOOK STORES, and wished greatly for more time, but overall it was ver' shiny. I shall begin at the beginning, and recap. *clears throat*

My whole family had to go in for a party on Sunday, and because it's a four or five hour drive (depending on how many bathroom breaks we take and how closely we pay attention to the speed limit,) we decided to go in on Saturday, scatter to spend time with friends, and then return in time for work on Monday. Because I'm awesome, I got to go in with the early car. *smug* I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but my dad has awesome taste in music. (I'm serious!) I generally leave the car with a list of at least four songs I need to buy for my own, and this time was no different.

Anyhow, after four hours of music and coffee, we got to Town. So we immediately went to the mall. (We're from a small town, what can I say?) Daddy was meeting people for business, and I was christmas shopping. It was- busy. People filling the concourse, I can take. It's like moving through an airport, and the crowds have no real connection to me. Crowds in stores, are not so much fun. I was going to try to spend a gift card on some work clothes, so I marched my way into the designated shop. I saw the line for the changing room stretch past the cashes, and marched right back out again. But I fought my way past the messy hordes in Sears, and bought the required gifts! The time in line was long enough to hear all about the latest divorce of the woman behind me, and her starbucks addiction, which information just added to the flavour of the day. It's not a proper trip to the mall without hearing personal information you wish you hadn't!

But I hadn't had enough punishment yet, I still felt the need to shop! I went to American Eagle, grabbed pretty things, saw the prices, put most of the pretty things back... Also, has anyone noticed how many layers the models in that store wear? I mean, I counted six layers in one instance, and she still didn't look warm. I had time to count, because I was in line for many, many minutes. *draws a veil over the line* It was long enough that once I was released I walked with a sense of urgency to the bookstore. Bookstores just calm the panic, y'know? And there I realized that I've been watching quite a few "best of the year" lists of YA books go by, lately, and these books were actually THERE, in FRONT OF ME, for SALE. And I had MONEY. (Not for long...)

I bought books. *cough*

I bought quite a few books. It's research, right? And I haven't been in a new bookstore in a year, and any bookstore at all in eight months. So we'll just pass by the issue of how much money I spent there...

Oh, and then we went to Chapters. ^_^

I actually skipped into the store, and literally was cooing over the bookshelves at one point. (I love how the staff is so jaded, they don't even blink when you're all but making out with your new purchases. (No, that wasn't me, that was a guy with some new Manga, which he apparently had abstained from for too long)) So I, uh, got some more reading material there. But by then my panic in the mall and euphoria over new books was starting to show, in addition to the fact that I hadn't eaten for quite a few hours. So we went to a restaurant! I had fajitas, and they were lovely.

Let me see, what else happened? Oh yes! Then Daddy dropped me off at a friend's house, and we talked for an hour before I walked down and saw the Messiah, then I came back and we watched two movies. Busy day, yes?

And the next day consisted of eating a quarter of a cheesecake, going to a party where people were friendly, and then driving home for five hours in the sticky dark. It could have used more reading and cheesecake, is my personal opinion.

And here are my books. *beams* I didn't really WANT to buy grown-up books, but people look at me funny and talk to me about potential; squandering of, if I only read YA. And I think I got some lovely things, "serious" books notwithstanding. ^_^

(I'm amused by the fact that my Dad thought Beautiful Creatures was a "darker" book than Battle Royale, based on a cover scan. *is amused)

Now I just have to read them and remember to write. YAY CHALLENGE.

Reason I love Twitter # 37

This conversation:

• Snazel: Cleaning my room is so exciting. I always discover random violins and that I do, in fact, own socks.
• Spartezda: ...You have an infestation of wild violins in your room? Do they chirp mating songs at night like frogs?
• Snazel: No, there is only one. He sings sad and lonely songs through my dreams.
• Bahnree: XDDDD Do violins live in a herd? Mob? Flock?
• Snazel: A flurry of violins? A Collective of Violins? A Murder of Violins?
• Bahnree: "Collective" makes it sound like a hive mind. But if there's only one, does that work? Is it like the queen violin?
• Snazel: First violin leads the hive mind?
• Spartezda: So much is explained now about orchestras...
• Inksie: *wants wild violins*

The Angel Experiment, James Patterson

I will admit that I did not have high expectations for this book. By which I mean I had one of those moments where you stand in front of the library shelves and realize you've read everything that looks even remotely good, and then you grab a random book off the shelf because it's YA. (I also admit that I may have been influenced by the fact that my grandmother read The Lake House, by the same author, and liked it. I honestly did not expect to share reading tastes with my grandmother.) But hey, I heard there were kids with wings in this book, and I have a character with wings who I love, so I thought I might as well give it a shot! I mean, otherwise I'd have to read The Brothers K. *fearful shudder*

So I checked it out, and brought it home, and opened it up, fully prepared to write a scathingly sarcastic review about how anything can be popular nowadays! Then, a hundred and sixty five pages later, I realized I might actually be enjoying this...

The plot is this. Max (short for Maximum) is one of six kids who've been genetically experimented on. The most obvious symptom of these experiments is the fact that they have wings, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that the flock has other "special talents." They escaped from the School two years ago, and are happily learning how to be normal in a house up in the mountains. Unfortunately, the people Scientists at the School are not eager to let their precious experiments just up and LEAVE like that, and they send their enforcers after the kids. Much chasing and freaky things ensue.

And really, that is it for the plot. There are chases, and escapes, and chases, and escapes, and narrow escapes, and really freakily narrow escapes, and more chasing. Unexpectedly though, I really didn't mind! It feels like the author was in love with these characters and a few ideas, so he started playing with them. He didn't really figure out where he was going with the plot until about two hundred pages in, when his editor said "ah-huh, this is great and all, but we have to sell this to kids. Make it a trilogy." And maybe I'm just in a startlingly amiable mood, but this was fine with me! I love hanging out with good characters, and the character of Max is lovely.

At the beginning of the book I was not sold on the narration, particularly because I though Max was a guy. But once I figured out that she was, in fact, female, I had a melt-down of relief and embraced the book gleefully. (That may or may not have been a literal description of my actions... ) I loved Max's voice once I got used to it, especially her wry comments on events such as hearing voices. (Can I also say I loved the genius hacker schizophrenic boy? Is that allowed?) Since this book is a continuation of two books for "grown ups" it starts out with many things already established, including the evil nature of the people at the School. I was particularly annoyed by how often they felt the need to repeat the evil nature of the deeds of the School. Then I met the white-coats of the School, and I no longer minded anyone mentioning the fact that they'd rather die than go back there. The habit of telling me things before they were shown was actually my main quibble with the book, though by the end of it I no longer minded.

Despite the number of pages in this book, it was a very fast read. I think I got through the 422 pages in under two hours, which has something to do with my reading speed, but also had a lot to do with the font size, four-page chapters, and easy comprehension level of the book. If you pick it up, don't expect it to take a weekend to get through. However, if you do pick it up, expect to have to seek out the other stories in the trilogy. The ending manages to both resolve almost nothing, and add new questions.

So yes. Plot was meh, then WAIT HOW IS THIS THE END??? characters were win, voice was win. A lovely, exciting, fluffy/dramatic read. I gave it four stars out of five.

"Let that city take you in, let that city spit you out, let that city take you down.."

So, I was going to write, wasn't I? HAHAHAH. *cough* Or read books.

Instead I read six years of Least I Could Do, which is a highly hilarious and highly inappropriate web comic. And by "inappropriate," I mean you shouldn't read it if you are under the age of consent in your country. Or if there are small people who might look over your shoulder. (sample from ages ago)

Right, so I asked a question, a while ago. And to my eternal delight, I got answers. *pets silky lovely answers* Unfortunately the answers were pretty much split down the middle. *cough* So it was left up to me to decide what to do with my INFINITE CONUNDRUM. Perhaps I shouldn't be trying to blog with these holes in my brain. Perhaps I should eat more butter toffee. Mmmm, Butter toffee.

Er, what was I saying? Oh yes, infinite conundrum. (I really like that phrase. Perhaps I should steal it from myself.) I decided to keep writing with my fractured timeline, and go back and write later.

This is for two reasons.

1. I actually don't know how to re-write, never having done that. Or edit. Those are whole new skill sets, which will cause much weeping and possible ritual suicide. *happy smile*
2. This may sound absurd, but I don't, actually, uh, feel at home in the setting of the first part of the story. This is because it's a, uh, high school. Before you laugh me out of town, know that I was home schooled! I have never been inside a high school during school hours, and it's such tacit knowledge for, like everybody, that it makes me nervous to bluff. So I need to research High Schools. *hides in shame* And honestly, it's more fun to research WWI class structure for the NEXT bit! *beams distractingly from hiding*

So that's that. I will write this weekend, I promise. And now a question, that I think sounded very fun! :D

If I came with a warning label, what would it say?

The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Gail Carson Levine

"She could storm a castle, but you could last a siege."

-A description of the two princesses by the dragon Vollys.

Meryl is brave, brash and energetic. Addie is shy and terrified of everything. But when Meryl falls fatally ill, it's Addie who has to face monsters in a quest to save her sister. Whether the quest is successful or not is- debatable.

The book has been around for a while, (published 2001,) so it's possible you've already read it. ^_^ This is a re-read for me, as after devouring Ella Enchanted I went through everything my library had by Levine in a week. The first time around I just decided I didn't like this one, and dismissed it. Since now I am an "adult" I thought I should think about it more on the second visit, which I did enjoy more.

One of the reasons I didn't like this one at first, I think, is because of the different tone of the story from what I expected. In Ella Enchanted the main character is essentially hopeful. Even when she's cutting herself off from the boy she loves, there are still friends by her side, and there's still a sense that this can be fixed. In The Two Princesses of Bamarre, the main character is essentially fearful. Even when she's triumphed in battle, there is still a sense of what else can go wrong, and Meryl is still dying.

The majority of the characters in the story are only treated with briefly. In fact, only four characters really take shape in any way, and one is a dragon. (The greedy, temperamental and clever Vollys is actually my favourite . "In case you were thinking of escaping, I always close the door securely. *lies down* I am the door.") I love lots of characters, but for this story, the sparse cast worked. The main conflicts are Addie's internal battles.

The whole story was about finding courage, and it thankfully neatly side-stepped the easy speech about "courage is doing things you're afraid of even though you're afraid." It showed that you can find your courage, face the worst thing in the world, and it can still happen. The ending is a- source of contention. I have friends who say they hate it, and friends who love it, and friends who refuse to answer the question. For me personally, I thought it fit well with the rest of the book. To give a pat "happy" ending would have been jarring after the rest of the book, and to give the ending I cynically expected would be too bitter for the age group. (Plus it would probably have doubled the book, to deal with the outfall.) So the bittersweet frustration to end off with did work, in my mind.

I still don't really like this story, but once I get past the second chapter I'm sucked in till the end. I gave it three stars out of five.

(I should mention that my stars system is based on how much I personally liked it, and would I read it again. From "I didn't like it" at one star to "I loved it" at five. This isn't intended to be an overall describer of quality.)