I think that everyone has a book that they remember as the one that changed how they viewed books and reading. The book for me was THE BLUE SWORD by Robin McKinley, though THE OUTLAWS OF SHERWOOD by the same author is the one my friends and acted out for years. A lot of the books that I wrote when I was young were influenced by them. I even used the name Aerin. My younger sister did something similar using the RANGER'S APPRENTICE series by John Flanagan. Fan fiction is a good way for people to get their feet wet with writing. World building is intimidating and some people get world building disease, which means they never actually get to writing the story.
It is important to create your own stories, but sometimes it can just be a nice release, or a good jumping point. Just remember that while there is a market for a lot of fan fiction, mostly online through forums or with friends, there is a bigger market for original work.
30 July 2012
29 July 2012
*Yoyo and Momo Revolt
Intro: Moose said that if I got dinner ready he would write a story for me. I agreed. He tried to back out of it, but then he wrote one. I made a few edits, but overall, the story is his. It makes me laugh.
The Mormoto’s always wondered what their dogs, Yoyo and Momo, and cat, Rodent did when they weren’t home. And whenever they were home, the animals didn't want to do anything but lounge. Mr. Mormoto knew.
When they left for the day Rodent took charge. She would show the dogs who was in charge. First she would get Yoyo to carry here on his back around the house to inspect her castle. While this was happening Momo would go to the kitchen and make ready her majesty’s breakfast of fresh tuna, lightly seared on both sides. After the inspection and breakfast, Rodent would then have Yoyo and Momo entertain her. They would wrestle with each other and do tricks just for her amusement. If she was not satisfied she would jump at them scratching and clawing till they made her laugh.
Eventually Yoyo and Momo got fed up with Rodent’s antic’s and the revolt was planned. First Momo knocked over the TV in the middle of Rodent's favorite show and refused to clean it up. While Rodent was busy bossing Momo to get her favorite show back on Yoyo ran into her throne knocking it over and sending Rodent flying.
The fight was on.
Yoyo and Momo chased Rodent all around the house knocking over the furniture and making a mess. Rodent climbed up on to a shelf out of the way of the dogs. An hour before the Mormoto’s were due home all the animals came together to clean up the house. When the Mormoto’s got home their pets were just too tired to go outside and play with the Mormoto’s.
27 July 2012
Pendragon
by D. J. MacHale
I remember first seeing PENDRAGON in the university bookstore. The cover looked interesting, but I decided to read FABLEHAVEN instead (which is another series that I highly reccomend). A couple of months after that I went to a book sale where I found the first PENDRAGON at a good price. I was hooked from when I first started. The only problem was that at the time there were only five books out. I had to wait for them to come out, and I bought them as they came out in paperback. My husband actually gave me books 7 and 8 as a wedding present and then a couple of years later he gave me 9 and 10. (There are ten books in the series.) I would also like to add that my husband who is not a big reader, has read 7 of these and is working on the 8th.
PENDRAGON is about Bobby Pendragon who is a traveler. His Uncle Press shows up on his doorstep one night asking for help and Bobby is thrown into an adventure, in another dimension, called territories. They travel by flume and though they know which territory they will end up in, they don't know when they will end up. They aren't the only travelers. Every territory has its own traveler, though they don't always help the situation. And then there is Saint Dane, the villain who's goal is to destroy the territories and therefore destroy Halla. The story is told in two parts. Bobby's friends, Mark and Courtney explain what happens back on Second Earth. Even their lives are altered by what happens on the other territories.
In PENDRAGON, every territory is different. One is a water world. One is a past earth. One is desert. One is world of games. The majority of the books are well contained with just a teaser as to where he will be going in the next book. With each book Bobby and his friends age, though Bobby faster than his friends. I found the books to be a great introduction to some of the darker science fiction out there and they ease the readers into some of the darker themes as the books progress. My favorite book is THE NEVER WAR though THE QUILLAN GAMES is a close second. D. J. MacHale presents so many interesting ideas in this series. I only posted two covers the first and the tenth. THE MERCHANT OF DEATH is the original cover. THE SOLDIERS OF HALLA is a new design they've released.
The Merchant of Death
The Lost City of Faar
The Never War
The Reality Bug
Black Water
The Rivers of Zadaa
The Quillan Games
The Pilgrims of Rayne
Raven Rise
The Soldiers of Halla
PENDRAGON is about Bobby Pendragon who is a traveler. His Uncle Press shows up on his doorstep one night asking for help and Bobby is thrown into an adventure, in another dimension, called territories. They travel by flume and though they know which territory they will end up in, they don't know when they will end up. They aren't the only travelers. Every territory has its own traveler, though they don't always help the situation. And then there is Saint Dane, the villain who's goal is to destroy the territories and therefore destroy Halla. The story is told in two parts. Bobby's friends, Mark and Courtney explain what happens back on Second Earth. Even their lives are altered by what happens on the other territories.
In PENDRAGON, every territory is different. One is a water world. One is a past earth. One is desert. One is world of games. The majority of the books are well contained with just a teaser as to where he will be going in the next book. With each book Bobby and his friends age, though Bobby faster than his friends. I found the books to be a great introduction to some of the darker science fiction out there and they ease the readers into some of the darker themes as the books progress. My favorite book is THE NEVER WAR though THE QUILLAN GAMES is a close second. D. J. MacHale presents so many interesting ideas in this series. I only posted two covers the first and the tenth. THE MERCHANT OF DEATH is the original cover. THE SOLDIERS OF HALLA is a new design they've released.
The Merchant of Death
The Lost City of Faar
The Never War
The Reality Bug
Black Water
The Rivers of Zadaa
The Quillan Games
The Pilgrims of Rayne
Raven Rise
The Soldiers of Halla
25 July 2012
A Child's Perspective
This weekend we went to the zoo. As Moose and I walked around Moose made the comment that we were probably only one of a few couples that didn't have children. We had a great time. The animals were more active than I anticipated. The polar bear was swimming circles. Even the tigers were playing in the water. They have really large teeth. My favorite part of the day was going to see the monkeys. We were standing back watching the spider monkeys. There were two brothers who were watching the monkeys. One turned to the other: "Spider monkeys are poisonous."
"They are? How do you know?"
In my mind I answered the question as a child would. "Because they are spiders."
Instead the brother answered. "Because they have sharp teeth."
I am around children fairly often and though I can anticipate their reactions it always amazes me how their minds work. They don't take the easy way. They think a lot about what they do and they all have their own logic. I hope that as I continue writing I can take a child's perspective to increase my creativity and broaden my view.
"They are? How do you know?"
In my mind I answered the question as a child would. "Because they are spiders."
Instead the brother answered. "Because they have sharp teeth."
I am around children fairly often and though I can anticipate their reactions it always amazes me how their minds work. They don't take the easy way. They think a lot about what they do and they all have their own logic. I hope that as I continue writing I can take a child's perspective to increase my creativity and broaden my view.
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