One Last Petal

Trouble in Bookland: Part One by Marlene Simonette First of all, I would just like to say that I am honored to know this young and talented author personally. I met her last year through the NaNoWriMo forums and she is one of those with whom I have stayed in contact over the past several months. Her joie de vivre and vivid imagination are easy to see even in just how she interacts online, and are among the reasons I was looking forward to the release of her first book so much.  Trouble in Bookland  fulfills the dreams of so many authors and readers - it offers a place where writers and characters can interact in the world together. Thirteen-year-old author Linda is taken to this wonderful land for her birthday, and while she's there, adventure ensues, just as it should. While dealing with something from her past, Linda must grow as an author in order to defeat a villain that seems intent on destroying book worlds.  This is a fun little story (only took me around an hour to re

If you don't know about National Novel Writing Month, then you need to head  here  right now. Yes, forget about me, and go get lost in the wonder that is NaNoWriMo, writing 50,000 words during the month of November. It's a fun challenge to leave your inner editor behind and just let your story out. It's a race against yourself  to finally  write that book you've always said you would (or at least get a good head start on it!). But mostly, it's a world-wide community of like-minded people who are just as introverted, crazy, and obsessed about their own characters as you are. Camp NaNoWriMo is also run by the same people, but just as summer camp was a time to relax and play in the mud, so is Camp NaNo a less formal version of the November challenge. Personally, as much as I enjoy NaNo, I love  Camp. You get to pick your own goal, so if you aren't ready to tackle 50,000 words in one month, this is a great place to start. Not only that, but there's a stronger

I picked up this book on novel writing by Walter Mosley the other day at the library. I was looking for another one, (which I didn't find, sadly), when this one stood out. It's small, but the affirmative wording of the title drew me to pick it up (Clever, Mr. Mosley, clever). I read it in just a couple of hours this morning, the blizzard outside giving me a great excuse to curl up with hot chocolate and a book. It's not full of profound wisdom nor overly burdened with examples or "must do's", which I found made it all the more enjoyable. The straight-forward wording is something that I relate to, and the example that were given were clearly laid out. It's not a workbook or a reference guide, just a simple presentation of the basics of novel writing, along with a forthright assumption that you will now go write your novel. A few things that I hope to take with me from reading it: 1. Write every day. Mosley suggests a minimum of one and half hours a day.

Bonjour! I'm known as Belle; because I view the character as part alter-ego, and part role model. I've always admired her - not just for her love of books, but for the way she isn't afraid to stand up for what's right.  I'm a writer, who hopes to someday be an author and dreams of being published at some point in that oh so vaguely defined future.  I've always had various stories playing in my head; getting them down on paper is where the trouble lies. I get distracted by plot bunnies and Real Life gets in the way. That's where this blog comes in. My hope is that I will use this to keep myself organized and somewhat accountable.  Over the next few weeks, I'll tell you more about some of my writing projects and introduce to you a number of my characters. In the meantime, poke around and feel free to ask me any questions. Thanks for stopping by! ~Belle