I found out about this graphic novel series thanks to Rick Riordan (blog / website), who wrote the Percy Jackson, Olympian, series.  Seeing as how I am currently very interested in Greek mythology thanks to Rick Riordan, I figured these graphic novels were a great lead.  However, finding this one was tricky. It just came out in January and I finally found a place that had ONE copy. I bought it, needless to say.

I haven't read comics or graphic novels in a really long time, besides V for Vendetta a month-plus ago.  However, I was really fascinated with Zeus.  I loved the art-work, but as a not-very-artistically-drawing-inclined-person, stick figures fascinate me.  I was really glad at how the story was done.  There are a lot of different versions or takes on the myths covered in Zeus and I thought it was a really good read.  I'd suggest it!  I'm also eagerly awaiting the other releases.  If you're interested in seeing sneak peaks or the artwork in the process of being done, check out the blog, Olympians Rule!  George O'Connor posts works-in-progress or other snippets of stuff.

First up - the Write Your @ss Off Round Up!

I know a lot of people wanted to come and couldn't make it so we all pretty much stayed connected via twitter for most of the day, but two lovely ladies did come to my place and hang out for a stretch of a bunch of hours and write - and also entertained me by listening to me whenever I just had to talk.  I might need to warn people that I randomly interrupt people with tangents, weird thoughts or whatever.  I like talking to people!

My word-count total for Saturday was 3,501.  I had a lot of problems to work through so there was a lot of sitting there and staring off into space as I puzzled things out.  I continued through Sunday and wrote 5,688 on Sunday while everyone else was watching the Superbowl, for a weekend Write Your @ss Off total of 9,189.  I'm really happy with that number! I'm even happier with the ratio of where I'm writing what if you look at the numbers across the board.  I should probably include a snapshot of the excel sheet I'm tracking everything in so you can see exactly how crazy and micro-managing I'm being about this!  I only do it because I know I need to see something to help me change.

Okay, well, I'm not really sure I have much else to say other than writing stuff....  I didn't do much else this weekend.  Gee this isn't a very eventful blog.  Sorry!

The weekends make me sad because hardly anyone blogs - and then Monday there are a billion things to read.  I thought that Cornell DeVille's blog this morning on his continuation of Show vs Tell was great; I really need to read this over again later!!!  There's even a little contest going on that I think I might enter for the fun of it and the exercise!  Jane Friedman does a weekly Best Tweets for Writers and I tend to start following some people just because of what she's included in this weekly blog edition.  I just recently started following Janice Hardy's blog, and I'm so glad I am!  Today she did a bit called Ready, Set...Where's the Action?  Something I'm trying to do more of she underlines really well.  And lastly, it's Monday so that means Writing Excuses!!!! Their latest blog is on Roleplaying Games as Tools for Storytelling.

Jane Austen as a vampire? Really?  Okay, when I passed this in Target one day around Christmas I did a double take, laughed, and was rather certain she rolled over in her grave.  However, this book is adorable and charming. 

The Setting is simple.  Small town with a book shop and a few other briefly visited areas.

The Characters are wonderful.  I can't think of anything to say without giving up spoilers.

The Plot as you are led to believe is about Jane Austen publishing a book - today.  It is much more than that.  There is a smattering of romance, some murder, accusations, blackmail and a foreboding doom at the end of the book - it's overshadowed by a much more happier event at the end. 

Yes, I realize it's ridiculous - but if you're in the need of a fun, lighthearted vampire novel that nods to great literature - it's a fun read-in-a-day book.  I'm already stalking the sequel.

I don't generally read mysteries - or stories set in current day.  I don't generally find them interesting, but I wanted to challenge myself with reading something out of the normal - for myself.

If you're unfamiliar with the book, the author Stieg Larsson passed away in 2004 and this book was not published until 2008.  It was also written in his native language and the first in a trilogy.  Wikipedia does a good job of explaining it here.  I think that some of the original shimmer must have disappeared in the translated work - which is still good and engaging - but I think if I understood the setting and context better I would find it much more compelling.  I, however, read a lot of fantasy so I can fill in the blanks when we mention kroner instead of dollars.

The Setting in the book throws me and a few times I consulted a map before saying Screw it!   I just trust that these places exist and I don't have to know where they are.  However things seem European enough; though I wonder at all of the one or two room cabins in a modern-day, not everything is all Americanized  :P

The Plot! OMG It's the best thing about this book.  The writing is good, but the plot is so intricate I could only stay a few steps ahead.  I had some vague idea of how it would turn out but I was never 100% sure.  It's got a lot of layers, a lot of things going on, and if you can keep track of who is who it's what keeps you reading.

The Characters. This is where I have a problem.  The main character? Yeah, I think he's like a whitewashed wall.  Salander (sp?) is about the most interesting character and most of the time I find her believable.  What I don't find believable is the almost author-fantasy way the female characters jump in and out of bed with the male MC (whose name I can't spell) and nonchalantly say hello to each other as they pass in the hallway as the next female hops in his bed. 

And while I like endings that aren't ....and they lived happily ever after.  I didn't like the ending. I won't spoil it, but it left me unstaisfied and reaching for something light hearted and funny - because at the end of this book I was grumpy, unhappy, and unsatisfied.

Yes, more book talk.  So almost right after I posted my last blog where I bemoan my writing - I read Janice Hardy's weekly Re-Write Wednesday blog entitled, The Frankendraft.  Now, this actually helped me to see that my story isn't buried, it's still plainly obvious - to me of course - and I don't see it as having some of the other bits she talks about - so maybe there's hope for me yet!  It's a little encouraging at least!  However, yesterday was all about indulging in a semi melt-down/pity-party about how terrible I was doing and woe is me, I should be doing something else!  I laid down around 11 on Wednesday night, got comfortable - and then - EUREKA! I had a brilliant idea I should have had ages ago when writing the first draft. I even twittered about it! And then I promptly cuddled up to my pillows to go to sleep.  Except then I was too consumed by the idea to do anything else.  In short, I got up and wrote until 2am.  I was very tired, please excuse the randomness as I tend to keep a blog in edit until I feel like posting it. This one happens to cover three days.

On another topic... I need to get my bangs trimmed, but the idea of sitting down in a chair while someone waves scissors around my head gives me nightmares of what happened last time.  They're just bangs - right?  I'm not ready to trust someone with the rest of my hair; I just want my bangs trimmed. Oh - well then I think I might need an eyebrow wax too.... Blarg - being a girl is expensive!!!

So I'm still reading through The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and I keep wanting to scream at it.  I find myself not caring about the MMC and really only about the bits on the FMC - unfortunately 3/4's of what I've read are about the character I don't particularly care about. Grrrrr!  At least last night she came into a more prominent role.  I'll save my other thoughts for my book review.  [edit] Finished last night. I want to burn the book.

I'm currently sitting at my desk wondering what reason I could have to try making Bakerella's new Oscar Cookies. OMG they look so YUMMY!

And yet more book drama - Macmillan takes a shot at Amazon in an add for a new book with the bottom text saying Available Everywhere Except Amazon!  Other book publishers are joining in on the whole mess and a friend and I have started a GoogleWave to keep a semi organized chronicle of all the stuff that's going on because - well - I'm a drama whore.

OMGOMGOMG - This just made my Friday! Robin McKinley shared the new cover of her upcoming book, Pegasus.  I'm super excited!!!!

Today did not start out well.  I woke up at 7:28 and freaked out. I usually leave my apartment between 7:30 and 7:35.  Today is also the start of a new class.  Today was not a good day to be late.  On top of this my clothes were either damp and still in the dryer or still in the washer because silly me didn't get home in time last night to do anything but catch some evening news and read some stuff and go to bed.  Also, weirdly, I wore my socks to bed and the elastic on the ankle/calf part was so tight I think it bruised me.  Oh - and I'm wearing a dress and forgot to shave my legs - but thank goodness it's one of those maxi-almost-floor-length dresses so if someone wants to stare at my ankles they'll see I didn't shave.  Sorry. I was sort of running late this morning.  *sigh*

Okay, so I don't remember whose blog I read it on but it is vastly true that the recent mess with Amazon and Macmillan is really hurting the authors that fall under the M-Umbrella.  There are a number of people who discuss that at length and much better than insignificant me will, however, I can tell you about what I'm going to do!  I went through their website today, more specifically the new releases and I've picked out - oh - seven book - I want.  Now I can't possibly buy seven new releases, I'm scraping the bucket this week, but I can buy two or three to do what I can to help out.  The ones I really want are Zeus: King of the Gods, a graphic novel by George O'Connor to feed my current Greek mythology addiction.  It's not really a brand new release; it was released in January, but I figure the guy still needs sales.  I used to read a lot of historical fiction; not so much anymore unfortunately.  The Forgotten Legion by Ben Kane looked interesting and promising, so it has a big star by it's name.  And, to feed another guilty pleasure - a vampire novel; not just a vampire novel, but a vampire and werewolf novel!  Touch of Evil by T. Adams and Cathy Clamp.  Hey - it's research to see if I really want to keep shelving my vampire story idea!!

The stupid thing torments me.  Yesterday I had some great ideas for it that I wrote down on my little notepad and filed away to type up later when I have time.  I also had some good ideas for some other stuff, but none that irritate me like a story I don't think I want to write because everyone is writing vampire stories!  At least this morning while driving to work I came up with a really neat twist to another idea I've had, but started out as a fanfic idea I couldn't write because the author expressly says on their website: do not write fanfics!  So I'm really happy to have worked it so it's new and original but with the same overarching issues and problems.  The new ideas I had for it are super nifty to me at least and I like them so I'll scribble them down and file them away for later.

I am seriously considering starting on another project that maybe a short story or a short novella length work.  It's romancy in nature, which is strange for me, but is very Christian in nature and is derived from a huge game of "What if....?" that I played once with someone I used to know.  I have struggled with how similar the FMC is to me and how to make her less like me - but I don't know that I can and not completely change aspects of the story.  Then again I have to accept that the idea came from my own personal, on the fly decisions about what I think I would choose to do if certain things happened to me.  Going to snag a few people for brainstorming help on this one and see where it takes me.

Is it just me, or am I slowly starting to just talk about books and writing ideas and stuff?  I really do other things.... Like tonight I'm going to church!  I just stand at a computer and check kids in and hand them an adhesive name-tag and smile and say something witty (if I'm lucky) but more often than not I'm just hopelessly silly.

Oh hey! I just realized today that the Super Bowl is sometime this weekend.  Wow....

And yet MORE drama! Well, it was coming eventually.  So far I've only seen one tweet about it and two articles from Cult of Mac, nothing that puts things in concrete terms to me - yet.

Annnddd now I've typed my lunch away.  Today is getting better!!!

Bah!

I'm having one of those not-so-happy nights.  As I read through bits of my novel, I know I can write better than what I'm currently doing.  Really!  I've seen me do it before! But -- it's not good.  Or at least I'm at a point where I reread stuff while the critique group is reading it and all I can think is OMG this is utter crap!  Yeah.  And then I groan and wonder why in all that is sane in the world am I still plugging away all determined like at this project.  It's a wolf-by-the-ears situation; I really refuse to let go because I'm determined to finish the thing. 

Maybe I just need fresh eyes on it now that I've had some critique and revised the first bit of it to get another opinion.  I'm just not sure what to do.  I have two friends who have said they will read through what I have and give opinions.  I'm just frusterated with myself and having a pity-party tonight.

Also wondering if maybe I should set revision aside and work on a short-story or something this week and then come back to my novel with fresh eyes.  Hmmm, I'll make a decision tomorrow after I've slept on it.

Okay, so as relaxed as my weekend was - this was not so in the rest of the world.  I'll touch on that in the end.  :)

Friday - hockey game - we won!!! Spent this with my friend Amanda.

Saturday was like... make up for all of the time I haven't made the edits my critique group suggested.  I spent the day at Barnes and Noble critiquing and rewriting stuff.  I wrote about 4K, added some really nifty stuff and am still very excited about my writing process. Oh - and I bought books.  Yes, I know I said I shouldn't - but I did!  I bought Becky Levin's book The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide (this time I smartly copied and pasted that, because even though I try, I keep getting the title wrong!  I'm sorry!!!!)  I also got Sunshine and I think Rose Daughter... Crud. I can't remember!!!!!!  Oh well, both Robin McKinley books!  Other than that, I didn't do anything really useful Saturday; just reading and writing - but I loved it!

Sunday was mostly a useless day. I took out the trash! And did dishes! Watched 500 Days of Summer and went to a hockey game - again - only we lost this one  :(

Today I need to be very useful.  I need to do laundry, change the Chinchilla cage, clean, clean and clean, and hopefully revise and pretty much rewrite the next scene because I had some great ideas for it.

I have also decided I dislike my planner. I want a small monthly view calendar and I want to be done with this almost useless one I have now.  I think I saw one at BnN that fits what I want that if I get everything done as I need to this week, I just may treat myself to.  Ug - and have I mentioned that buying into the BnN membership thing has made me want to go and use it more? Because I really do need to make sure I get my money's worth!!!!

This week should be the normal type of busy.  Tonight being domestic, with some knitting time thrown in, tomorrow Critique Group, Wednesday church Thursday the Book Club - where I give my unfavorable review of the book everyone else loved and I - ah - didn't, and Friday I hope to hang out with people, go to movies and clean like crazy for Friday - because Saturday is Write Your @ss Off Day!!!!!

And on to the DrAmA!!!!!!!

I think I've become a real-life-drama-nut.  Like, I really like reading about crazy stuff that really happens, except this news isn't really the giddy type, it makes me sit back and grimace and think.  The thing this weekend is the whole Amazon vs Macmillan debacle, which can reasonably be said to happen as a result of Apple debuting the iPad.  Everyone has an opinion, everyone thinks this way or that; I'm erring on the side that neither are really right, but I agree far more with Macmillan than Amazon.  Now, you can read the full release from Macmillan here on the free edition of Publishers Lunch.  And then there was Amazon's rebuttal and subsequent removal of all Macmillan titles.  Nathan Bransford posted a blog this morning explaining the whole mess; he always has a lot of really good stuff to say and plays connect the dots with stuff.  I thought Scott Westerfeld posted a really interesting and insightful blog about the whole mess, and I think I agree with him on most points.  However, over at Fiction Matters, they posted an article that is more favorable to Amazon.  I'm sorry, but I just have a hard time with the seller dictating the price of what the publisher can sell their product for.  All in all, I'm reading everything and it's fascinating! If it also makes me sad.

Anyways, lunch is over!  Still plugging away at Girl w the Dragon Tattoo!