Road Trip Wednesday

     This week's Road Trip Wednesday Prompt:

How do you beat writer's block? Do you go for a jog? Read a book? Go to a movie? Come on, share your secret - we're dying to know!

     Hmmm, when I started my first for-real book back in my late teen years, well- I didn't beat writers block. I would write when I felt the urge, or had a scene in my head, and then not write when there was nothing there. Let me just say that I don't recommend this method since I got maybe 15,000 words written in about oh, um ten years. Yeah. Not cool.

     When I started writing Daze and Knights, I didn't really have this problem. But, the main reason for this is that when I would clean, or run on the treadmill, or right before bed, I'd plan future scenes. I'd play them in my head. Sometimes, they would be what I needed next, other times they'd be scenes that would happen later on. That way, even if I wasn't writing the book from start to finish, at least I was writing. A lot of times I would have to fill in the in-between bits later.

     If I'm really stuck on a spot, I'll quit for the day. I'll just be like, screw it, this isn't happening today. But then I go right back to it the next day, sometimes deleting what I did the day before, but usually with a better way, or a way to carry on the scene. Or if I really don't have a way to fix that problem, or move forward right from that spot, I'll move onto to something later. I'll come up with a way to fix the problem eventually.

     So really, the best way for me is to just be able to think, away from the computer, on what I want to happen. On how I want my characters to interact. And usually I come up with something. Basically- I daydream.

    

Blog Birthday and Campaigning

     Just a few things...

     First, I can't believe I have fifty followers. It's seriously hard to believe anyone would care what I have to say as I ramble along on this blog. I started the blog a year ago now- I don't remember the exact date but it was last August- mainly as a journal for myself. A way to keep track of my writing journey and whatever else I have going around in my head. This past year has been great learning not only about myself as a writer, but meeting lots of other writers out there who are going through the same things I am. It's truly incredible.

     Secondly... okay, the word "secondly" sounds totally hoity-toity to me, I don't know why. Anyway, I'm joining up with the Platform Building Campaign. You can find it here. It sounds like a great opportunity to connect with even more writers out there. Check it out if you haven't already.

     Thirdly... there actually isn't a thirdly. Or maybe there would have been but I completely forgot what it was because I have two crying kids right now. (And no, I don't have a picture for that.) So...

     Now they're screaming at each other. Gotta go!

WriteOnCon and Taylor Swift

     Can I just say that WriteOnCon was totally amazing?! Ha- of course I can. Sure there were some things I knew already, but I learned a ton as well. But not only that, it just... filled me up. It's like when I go to church on Sundays, I leave there feeling spiritually refreshed. This was the same except now I'm writerly (is that a word?) refreshed. It made me really want to go to a live conference. I've balked at them before because of the cost, the trip I would most likely have to make alone- which also adds to the cost, and asking someone to babysit my four kids while I take off. But this feeling I have of being part of the writing community (even though I was at home the whole time) is just so awesome.
     The hardest part for me was trying to simultaneously ignore the housework while trying not to ignore the kids while trying to take part in everything going on. My control-freak-ness was hard to overcome. And I think I have permanent numb-bum, but that's another story.
     Anyway, I'm so thankful I took part and I'm grateful to all those wonderful people who made it happen.
     And on a completely unrelated topic... the Taylor Swift concert was awesome. If you're a fan but unsure if she'd do a good concert- yes! She does an amazing concert. About every two songs had a story to go with them, with actors/dancers and new sets and costumes for everyone. It was pretty cool. I was really impressed. And my seven year old daughter loved it!

Jade- right when Taylor Swift popped out of the stage. (And me with my nose looking pointy!)

     So last week was a little crazy. I didn't get the amount of writing done that I wanted to. But life happens and taking the time to do WriteOnCon was definitely worth it. I'm currently at 15,000 words for my WIP. But I'm back on track for this week. So here we go...
    

Week Off for Taylor Swift

     Hey everyone! I'm going off the map... off the grid... I'm blacking out... what's the right way to say it about a blog?
     Anyway, I won't be posting this week because I'm "attending" WriteOnCon. It's my first time- I'm a newbie- but I'm really looking forward to it. Then on Friday I'm going on my one and only trip this summer- to Edmonton (which sadly is only a couple of hours away so it doesn't really count). I'm very excited for this trip though because I'm going to see Taylor Swift in concert! Yay! I can't wait! And just because this post is so short, I thought I'd add Taylor Swift's music video for "You Belong With Me". It was that song, and "Love Story" which inspired me to write for young adults in the first place. Have a great week!

Goals

    
     My goal was to have 10,000 words written by today. I got there yesterday. Ooo-aaa! Ooo-aaa! (Okay, that sounded fine in my head but it looks funny written down.) Go me, go me. I'm psyched. If I can keep it up, 10,000 words a week, I could have the book done in about 6-8 weeks. Wouldn't that be sweet! I'm obviously on a writing-high... we'll see how long it lasts.
     I'm finding it really helpful to set goals. My goal is a thousand words a day, not counting Sunday. But striving for 10,000 a week isn't a bad idea either.  I know every writer is different, some set goals, some don't. Some write whenever they can. With Daze and Knights, I just tried to write everyday. I didn't care how many words or how many pages. But I remember once I really got into it, I went crazy, writing as much as I could. This time, especially since I know exactly what's going to happen in the story except for maybe some minor details (I still haven't worked out location- eek), there's really nothing to stop me except myself. So a goal is necessary. I'm also hoping that by spilling this all on my blog, I will keep up with the goals so I don't embarrass myself. Haha.
     Anyway, wish me luck and I wish all of you out there luck on whatever it is you're working on. Cheers!

Hands- Who Needs More Time?

     I've been thinking a lot about Time since Wednesday's Road Trip Topic about finding the time to write. I just barely started my new WIP last Friday. I set a goal for myself to write at least a thousand words a day except Sundays. This past week I had it done no problem. Until I got to Thursday. It was a full day, I had cleaning to do, I spent the afternoon in Calgary, and once the kids were in bed, we watched The Return of the King. It was over by 10:30pm and I just wanted to go to bed, but I felt guilty that I hadn't gotten my thousand words done. So I worked for a bit but only managed a few hundred.
     I bring this up because since I've written Daze and Knights, a lot of family members and friends have told me they've always wanted to write a book but they can never find the Time. I totally get that. Kids, jobs, responsibilities, heck just life, gets in the way. We always have other things to do. Things that seem or are more important.
     What I've learned in the past few years is that if you want to be a writer- you will be one. You will write no matter what. You will make time for it. But if it's just a matter of having a story in your head that you think will make a great book, time will be harder to come by.
     I want to be a writer. I am a writer (just not published). I write because it makes me happy. I'm going to sound totally cheesy here but- it completes me. Whether my stories suck or not, whether I ever become published or not, I've learned about myself that I will continue to write., no matter what.
     BUT... that doesn't mean it's easy. I've got this great idea I'm all fired up about, but I still had a hard time finding TIME yesterday. So even if you're serious about it, it's still hard to find the time. And it's hard to sacrifice other things to write, although it has to be done sometimes. And sometimes, the writing has to be sacrificed. That's just the way it goes. It's not easy, it's never easy. But you do it because you have to.

Crush of the Week

Crush of the Week: Neil

(see him dancing above and a pic below) Aaaahhhhh, who wouldn't want to dance with him?! It's pretty obvious I love me a great love story, and the dance above is just that. A love story that's passionate, complicated, heartfelt, painful... all in less than 2 minutes. It gives me chills. Especially the part where Melanie literally runs, launches herself into the air, and Neil catches her. Amazing.

And some Random Thoughts...

   1. I'm joining The Spark Blogfest over at The Writer Coaster. You blog about what/who/which author inspired you to be a writer. I'm interested to see what other people's inspirations are.

   2. There's a post over at YATopia today that I just loved. Especially when she said, "NEGATIVITY- WE BANISH YOU!" It's like a mantra I want to repeat in my head daily.

     3. I've been watching Lord of The Rings with my hubby this week. We've got the last movie still to go, but I've been watching it and marvelling. J.R.R. Tolkien really did so much for the writing and the fantasy world, and I see how so many writers nowadays have been influenced by the world he created.

     4. Writing makes me so happy. Enough said.

Road Trip Wednesday- All About Time

    
     It's time for another Road Trip Wednesday, hosted by YA Highway. Today's topic:

What time do you prefer to do your writing? Early Worm? Night Owl ? Any five seconds you can grab?

     I usually write just after lunch. When I started writing daily, Jade (my oldest) was in Grade 1, and Logan was in afternoon pre-school two days a week for two hours. Plus my younger two napped then. So it was the best time. Even though things are a little different now, it's become a habit to write at that time. If I don't get to it for some reason, or if I'm really going crazy, I'll write after they go to bed too.

     So what about you? When do you find the time to write?

     And because this is a short post, and I'm all Persuasion-crazy right now (for obvious reasons), here's a clip from my fave version. You can see Captain Wentworth (also MY Wentworth) in action.

Write Right Away Before You Lose It All

     Why does inspiration always come at the worst time? Usually when I'm laying in bed after a long day. To get my mind to relax so I can finally fall asleep, I make up stories. It's what I've always done. Now, I use the time to think about the story I'm working on, sorting out problems, or wondering where I'm going to go next. Of course sometimes I'll get something amazing going in my head but I'm too tired to get up and go back to the computer and write it down. So I leave it until the next day. By then, even though I might remember the gist, I don't have the same feeling I had at the time the inspiration hit.
     That happened to me over the weekend. I think it was Saturday night when I had this whole scene in my head- a very important and emotionally tough scene between my two main characters. Sunday turned out to be too busy to write, so by the time I got around to writing on Monday afternoon, I had completely lost the scene.
     I struggled over getting it out. It took me a long time to write it. And I worry that it's garbage, nothing compared to how it was when I first thought it. The funny thing is, what I first thought up might not even be that great. But at the time, it flowed. It was easy and natural. It just happened through my head like a movie, as if I wasn't creating the scene at all but just watching it. So when I have to struggle and hem and haw about what's happening and what I'm writing, I tend to think it's worse because it's not coming as naturally as it did the first time.
     The lesson here: get your butt out of bed and write what you're thinking at the time. Sure, you may end up going to bed later than you want to. But in my case, I'll be much happier with my work, even if it turns out to be garbage and I'll have to fix it all later anyway. At least I'll have confidence in the scene and in my writing instead of crippling doubt and worry that it will never be as good as it could have been.

Inspiration for my new WIP

     I'm so excited to be starting something new. I read on all these other blogs how people have 2, 3, 5, heck 10 WIPs they're working on at once and I so can't do that. I get involved in one world and I eat, drink, sleep, breathe it. It would be hard for me to be in multiple worlds at once (I think, although I've never actually tried it so who knows). But I've been lost in Jessica's world for the past almost two years, what with writing and constantly editing Daze and Knights, and then writing the sequel that is both untitled and unfinished. In fact, it's VERY hard for me to put it aside, especially since I'm so close to the end. But I'm stuck on a part and I'd much rather be writing than not, so that's the plan for now.
     So I already have some inspiration for my new WIP of which I've only written just over 2,000 words over the weekend. Music is such a huge inspiration to me though and when I'm lost in a new world, suddenly songs just leap out and I know they're perfect for the book. I've added some of those songs to my playlist: Heartache Tonight by Michael Buble, Back to December by Taylor Swift, Heavily Broken by the Veronicas, All I Need by Within Temptation, and Take It All by Adele. Do you see a theme here? Haha.
     Another inspiration... well it would be this guy:

 Rupert Penry-Jones as Captain Wentworth and how he looks without regency garb!                                           

     Rupert Penry-Jones who plays Captain Frederick Wentworth in the newest version of Persuasion. It's my favorite version except for a couple of very awkward parts that make me cringe (like the kiss, it's totally ewwwww). Since my new WIP is a remake of Persuasion, this guy is my Wentworth. Granted, he's getting up there in years (sorry dude, but it's true), so he really couldn't be my Wentworth if ever a movie were to be made (I know, I know, I'm only 2,000 words in). But that doesn't matter. He IS my Wentworth. I love how he's totally hot (in my opinion, some might disagree) but not perfect looking. And after writing all about a brunette, I'm happy to move onto a blond. Haha- silly yes, but still true.
     So what about you? Starting a new WIP? Getting new inspiration for an old WIP maybe?
    

Contests

    
     There are two contests going on that I'm entering today. I just love contests! It's great to get your work out there and hear what people have to say and also to read what other people have going on.    
     First I'm entering the Micro Synopsis contest over at YAtopia. If you want to enter too, you can find it here. You have to write a three-sentence synopsis (so hard!) and John Cusick from Scott Treimel NY is judging.
     The second contest is at the blog Blackbird In My Window. It's a first 500 words contest being judged by Lauren Ruth from BookEnds. (I love BookEnds- they have the most helpful blog!)
     So if anyone else is interested, head over to those blogs and check out the contests.

Random Thought Thursday

1. If I Stay by Gayle Forman was A-MA-ZING. Enough said.

2. I forgot to put Charlie St. Cloud on yesterday's novel/movie list. I saw the movie first (hello Zac Efron) and read the book later. This was one of those rare cases where I liked the movie better. (But again- hello Zac Efron.)

3. The house is strangely quiet with two of my kids gone. Except when Kori throws a tantrum because she doesn't have her older brother and sister to play with. Sigh.

4. Why do people have to force deeper meaning into Jane Austen? No her books are NOT about slavery, lesbianism, incest, or whatever else you want them to be about. They are about women trying to make the best of the world they live in. They are about people. And they are about love. So there. If you have a degree or wrote your thesis on her or are somehow a Jane Austen expert- feel free to curse and contradict me to your hearts content. As long as I can't hear you, I don't care.

5. I got the WORST splinter in my foot yesterday. That's what my intolerance for shoes brought me. I'm not joking when I say it was the most painful splinter ever, causing my foot to ache and me to scream when my husband had to perform an emergency sliver-ectomy- which turned out to be a complete failure because after half an hour of digging into my foot... nothing. It's still there and I finally gave up because I'm wimpy like that. Which means I'll be limping around until the thing forces itself out. (You better hurry you crappy splinter or I'm gonna... oh wait, I'm not gonna do anything cuz I'm too wimpy.)

6. Note to all the singles out there: do NOT go on a date to Five Guys Burgers and Fries. It's so messy, it's inevitable you'll end up with ketchup on your face. Or in my case- your lap. Luckily I wasn't on a date, but with the man who swore to love me no matter how much ketchup gets smeared onto my jeans.

7. Taking notes while reading a book kinda sucks. Although I'm really delving into the characters in a way that flying through the book never allows. I'm doing this because my new WIP is me trying a modern take on a classic. We'll see how it turns out.

8. Captain America was a surprisingly good movie. Not only was it funny and I loved the WWII plot line, but it didn't have any swearing (I don't think), sex scenes, or graphic violence. Shocking for a movie these days. I recommend it if you're into superhero movies and you don't mind the inevitable cheese that comes with them. And Chris Evans is a bonus (plus it's funny to see him all teeny-weeny).

9. Like all the fans out there, I'm still waiting... and waiting... and waiting... Meanwhile, I have to listen to their oldies to tide me over (above and below).

Novel Films Blogfest

There's a blogfest going on at Scribble and Edit. You can find it here. I've decided to join since I was honestly curious about my own responses.
So here's the topic of the blogfest:

How many works of fiction have you seen BOTH the film/TV drama and read the original book, play or comic story?

I was surprised at how long my list is. But here it is, what I could remember anyway. There's probably books from High School that I had to read and we watched the movie in class that I just don't remember. (And as you can see, I'm rubbish at pictures- I couldn't figure out how to do a collage, and even though I have the pics nicely ordered, once I publish the post they go all haywire. I have no skills.)

MG/YA:

 Harry Potter 1-7- J.K. Rowling
Inkheart- Cornelia Funke

Eragon- Christopher Paolini

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief- Rick Riordan

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader- C.S. Lewis
The Princess Diaries, Avalon High- Meg Cabot
Beastly- Alex Flinn
I Am Number Four- Pittacus Lore
The Vampire Diaries- L.J. Smith
Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse- Stephenie Meyer
Speak- Laurie Halse Anderson

Adult Books:
The Notebook, Dear John, A Walk to Remember- Nicholas Sparks
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood- Rebecca Wells
Sahara- Clive Cussler
P.S. I Love You- Cecilia Ahern
The Work and The Glory 1-3- Gerald Lund
Angels and Demons, The DaVinci Code- Dan Brown
The Firm, Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill- John Grisham
Timeline- Michael Crichton
The Pillars of the Earth- Ken Follett
Wizard's First Rule- Terry Goodkind (Legend of the Seeker)
Something Borrowed- Emily Giffin
Confessions of a Shopaholic- Sophie Kinsella
Possession- A.S. Byatt
Atonement- Ian McEwan
The Time-Traveler's Wife- Audrey Niffenegger

Classics:
All Quiet on the Western Front- Erich Maria Remarque
The Lord of the Rings 1-3- J.R.R. Tolkien
The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers- Alexander Dumas
Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte
Little Women- Louisa May Alcott

Anne of Green Gables- Lucy Maud Montgomery

Tom Jones- Henry Fielding

Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey- Jane Austen

Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, Othello- William Shakespeare

To Kill A Mockingbird- Harper Lee

Les Miserables- Victor Hugo

A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, Hard Times- Charles Dickens

Far From the Madding Crowd- Thomas Hardy

The Secret Garden, A Little Princess- Frances Hodgson Burnett
Lord of the Flies- William Golding

The Sudden Creativity-Disappearing Act

    
     Have you ever had one of those days where nothing is going on brain-wise? That's what happened to me yesterday. It's not like I wasn't there- I went about my daily routine, functioning normally, carrying on conversations, solving minor problems, etc. But it's like, I was only operating on one level. There was nothing deeper there. I went to post on my blog and I had nothing to say. Which is weird because I have a few topics floating around in my brain that I want to post about sometime. But I couldn't find them yesterday. I couldn't remember them. It's like any creativity I possess had just disappeared.
     I wonder if it's because I spent the entire morning cleaning out my absolutely ba-sgusting van. With four kids you can only imagine how gross and dirty it was. Actually- you can't imagine it- even I was surprised at all the crumbs, crusty fries, old fruit snacks, candies, and toys buried in every nook and cranny of my van. Ew. It was such a mindless task I wonder if it squashed out my creative juices. But then, usually I have lots of ideas flowing when I'm cleaning because it is so mindless I can let my mind wander to other things.
     Who knows. I just know that this sudden-lack-of-creativity-disease hits me every once in awhile. And I really don't like it. It makes me feel like something's missing. Like I'm not my whole self. It's kind of scary actually. I think I need to find a cure, STAT. (Although- phew- I'm back to normal today.)

Hoax

     Oh. My. Gosh. I just read the post on Writer Beware about that hoax where a writer got scammed into thinking they were not only going to be repped by a Writer's House agent but that their book sold immediately in a six-figure deal. Sheesh. If you want to read about the post, go here.
     Can I just say- how awful. I'm shaking my head at the awfulness of the whole thing. Can you imagine, thinking your dream is actually coming true, only to find out it was just a cruel joke?
     The lesson here is learn all you can. I have a fear of things like this in the back of my mind, but mostly, I think everything will just work out for me. I won't get scammed by a fake agent or someone who wants to take all my money. But you never know do you? And when you're in the throes of finally realizing your dream, I can see how you would lose your level-headedness.
      I think everyone should be aware of this, so if you haven't heard about it, read the post. And then don't let it freak you out so much that it ruins your weekend!

Too Much Editing?

    
     How much editing is too much editing? That's my question for today (and for, well, all-time).
     I've lost count of how many times I've edited Daze and Knights. I'm not regretting the edits. I know my MS has just gotten stronger and stronger each time. But I worry about getting to that point where I've completely edited myself out of it. Or edited the voice out. Or edited those sentences that are my way of saying things.
     Agents want your MS to be squeaky clean. I get that. They don't want you to tell them it still might need edits. I totally get that- why anyone would point that out in their query is beyond me. But how do you know when it is squeaky clean? Do writers actually reach that point, that moment? Do they have that thought of, "I've done all I could, it's the best I can make it, now it needs to prove itself out in the world"?
     I don't think I've ever had that thought. No correction. I've had that thought after each and every edit. And then I go back and there's always more to fix. I can't help but think there will always be more to fix. So how do you stop editing? What makes you stop editing that MS for the last time?
     What do you other writers out there think of this? Because I'm thinking this time (like every other time before) that this edit will be the last one. That I will query again for a bit and if I get nowhere than the book will be shelved for good. Or at least ten years or so. But I know, deep-down, that I could edit it again in the hopes that one more edit might do the trick.
     So how much editing is too much? When do you stop? When do you say, I've done enough?

Give Us Some Love... Or Hate, Whatever

     My parents offered to take my two oldest kids and keep them for a couple of weeks, cuz they're awesome like that. So I'm in Cardston for a couple of days which is why I haven't blogged. I go home later today but I wanted to do a quick post mentioning the Agent's Inbox contest underway over at Mother.Write. (you can find it here). I'm one of the lucky entrants- #9, I'm not shy I'll tell ya- and I'd love any and all comments.
     So come on, hit me with your best shots. I can take it. And everyone else who's taking part in the contest would love your comments too. So check it out!
     And on to Road Trip Wednesday...

What was the best book you read in July?
   
     Wait, is July over? Did I miss some days? I swear I've still got a few days left and you never know what I might read.
     No, kidding. Nothing will beat Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Yes. For sure. Nothing compares. Half-Blood Prince would come second. I have to say, I'm really enjoying Something Borrowed right now. It's a lot like the movie (except without as much of John Krasinski's character- sigh) and it's been a fun summer read. But nothing beats Harry Potter.
     How about you? What was the best book you read this month?

Passion and 13 Reasons Why

     I've read two books since Divergent. The first was Passion by Lauren Kate. It's the third book in her Fallen series (if I can call it that).

     I really like these books. Reviews are mixed (as they usually are) but I'm a fan. It's hard for me not to be since the books are basically a love story through time. Daze and Knights, and all the future books I have planned, can be summed up the same way. Although hers has Angels and Demons in it, mine doesn't. I liked how in Passion, Luce explored those past lives. You know I'm a sucker for history. What I didn't like was Luce constantly repeating herself. I got that note from a beta reader recently about how Jessica repeats herself, and I thought, nah- she doesn't. But now I'm going to really look for that as I'm editing. I feel like everything Jessica has to say and everything she thinks is important, especially in the moments they happen. But I really need to look for those things she's said before so readers don't roll their eyes as I did a few times during Passion.

     The second book I read, last night and this morning because I couldn't put it down, was 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. I know many of you have probably read this book already. If you haven't- do it now! It's a powerful book. One that you keep thinking of. That you can't get off your mind. Probably because it's disturbing. It deals with hard issues. It reminded me of Laurie Halse Anderson's books- she also writes about tough issues. It was an amazing book in its way- one that doesn't exactly give you the warm fuzzies, but makes you think about yourself, and your interactions with others. Everything you do, everything you say, can have a profound impact on someone else in a good or bad way. And you probably won't even realize it. The lesson I learned from this book was to really think about how you treat others. Because you never know what they're going through. Or what one thing you say or do might cause.
     So, two very different books, but both good in their own way. Honestly, I think I prefer the love story of Passion to the twisted/heartbreaking story of 13 Reasons Why. It's just more my thing. But I applaud anyone who can write about that stuff because those stories need to be told and heard.
     P.S. I just read on Jay Asher's blog that 13 Reasons Why will be made into a movie with Selena Gomez starring as Hannah Baker. I'm excited and also somewhat scared to see that book as a movie. And I think Selena Gomez, as cute as she is, makes a weird choice to play Hannah.

Need A Little Love Inspiration?

     I know I posted a dance routine yesterday. I'm way behind on my SYTYCD- I've got two weeks of shows on my PVR that I haven't watched yet. Last night I watched the top 14 show and saw this number (above).
     Wow. Just, wow. I could go on and on about how amazing it was but if you watch it you'll see.
     Aside from the amazing technique and performance, I just FELT so much watching the number. The dance completely and perfectly and wondrously (love my adverbs) showed that feeling of first being in love. That floating-on-air, passionate, breathless, able-to-do-anything, intense, feeling. If you need some inspiration for love or a relationship in your writing, watch this. I guarantee, you'll get the inspiration you need. I especially love the part where he crawls his fingers up her arm, then down her other arm. Gave me the shivers.
     Again, wow.

I Got You and Road Trip Wednesday

     I'm totally obsessed with "I Got You" by Leona Lewis. It all started when I watched this dance number. One of my favorite routines so far this season. Watch it, it's amazing. I also have the song on my last Harry Potter post- it's the background song on the video tribute to the actors. Such an awesome song.

    
     On to Road Trip Wednesday. I skipped last week cuz I was too Harry Potter involved. (I saw the movie again last night. It was toonie tuesday, so why not?!) So here's today's question: Who are your favorite literary villains/antagonists, and why?

Um, duh... VOLDEMORT. Such an evil, evil wizard. So evil that he split his soul multiple times by murdering others, just for immortality. Goll, he's bad. And it's so satisfying when *spoiler alert* he gets his in the end.

And also, SNAPE. Although *spoiler alert* he doesn't end up being a villain, he's still so mean throughout all the books. He's probably a favorite of mine because we learn his story- we find out the reason for the meanness. We find out that he's not just evil, he's sad, and lonely, and he made some bad choices. Poor, poor Severus.

A completely different kind of villain, but one I love to hate- George Wickham from Pride and Prejudice. He's smooth, charming, handsome. But a snake. A ruin-er of innocent girl's virtue. And a big inspiration for one of my own characters.

So what about you? What villains do you love? Or love to hate?