Writer Wednesday!

Today, you can view my interview at J.C. Martin's blog Fighter Writer! I'm so glad she agreed to interview me, and I hope you'll check out her blog! :)

Also, a HUGE thanks to everyone who helped critique my query!! You're help was much appreciated! :)

Query Revisited!

Okay. I revised my query and I got this:

Barren Reed, a pirate and notorious enemy of the government never thought searching the Orient for his father’s treasure could kill him. Though, the agonizing voices in his nightmares, pleading for his help should have been a clue.

Motivated to search for its whereabouts, Barren will uncover a bitter feud between his parents, and what he originally thought to be treasure, is actually a cursed device.  Barren’s mother, an Elf, skilled in the magic of dark arts, forged a gift for her lover, Jess. Suspecting him to be unfaithful, she warned him of a curse that would be enacted if he did not return to her. The curse would lead his family to face untimely deaths. Not heeding the warning, Jess retuned only once to bury the gift in the Elvish soil of Aurum, allowing the curse to corrupt and kill Barren’s kin slowly.

With his father already overcome by his mother’s curse, Barren’s wife, closest friend, and entire kin slowly being consumed by the evil device, he will stop at nothing to see this long-time feud end. There is only one problem—if Barren destroys his mother’s device, the curse will pass to him in its entirety, and kill him. Barren must make a choice—cease to exist himself, or watch his world waste away. 

Okay, suggestions? One thing I wasn't sure of was if the voice of my character was in here enough. I mean, I write from third person POV and have several characters who are at the forefront of this novel. I feel like this answers some questions posed last time. 

Any help is appreciated! :) 

I'm off to write an essay...blah!

QUERY HELP!

Okay everyone, I'd like your help! Over the Summer I posted my query so that my blogger friends could help me revise it. They were AMAZING! Then, I read From the Query to the Call by Elana Johnson and got this letter:

CUTLASS is a 117,201 word young adult fantasy novel.
Barren Reed, a pirate and notorious enemy of the government, never thought searching The Orient for his father's treasure could kill him.

For Barren, it isn’t greed that motivates his search for the treasure, but his nightmares, which seem to be telling him something vicious lies in place of Jess’s so-called “treasure”. His fears turn out to be correct when he discovers the treasure is cursed and may kill, not only his wife and closest friend, but his entire Elvish race. Barren must destroy the treasure before everyone dies, but there is one problem—the device cannot be destroyed without killing its assailant. Barren must make a choice—cease to exist himself, or watch his world waste away.

Please notify me if you are interested in reviewing my complete text. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

 It has been my favorite so far, but I'm afraid it isn't captivating enough. My goal is to move from no responses to at least requests for partials.

I am frightened. I fear that because my book does not fit this very paranormal-romance themed YA trend, it will not be appealing to anyone.

I think those books, however, are marketed to girls, and that mine should be directed to boys--initially.I had a thought last night that it might be a more....plausible read for middle-grade (I'm not sure if it's entirely market- focused?). I don't study that market, however, so I don't know. Also, I don't feel like my book quite fits. Perhaps it is right in the middle of YA and MG?!

I don't know. :( But yesterday half of me lost hope entirely and the other half just wants to keep fighting.

So here is me fighting.

Critique? Please!

Dead Computer...

I have terrible news. My one month old computer died. :/ It won't be alive for a couple more weeks. I'm going to try as much as possible to get to everyone's stories and to do all my campaign challenges and blogfests. I PROMISE!!

It only died because my internet schedule is packed. Go figure!

Much love,

Ashley

Campaign Challenge!

Okay! I am actually proud of myself! I wrote this during class (along with another poem due at midnight). hehe. I'm not great at flash fiction, but I liked this! And I hope you do, too. Here were the rules for Rachel's first challenge:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

• include the word "orange" in the story

• write in the same genre you normally write

• make your story 200 words exactly!

Here is my entry. I used orange in my story, and wrote in the same genre I normally write. I could only get to 198 words! :/

This is about my favorite, Cove Rowell. You all probably know what he looks like, but here's a picture:

Now, here's the fiction:

Canice's Betrayal

Shadows crept across the wall. The sun was rising. Pieces of orange light peaked through the window. Cove sat on the edge of his bed, knowing today would be a day of death.

He had never seen this betrayal coming. His father had taught him to trust no one, that treason was punishable only by death. His father had lived by those words, and so would Cove.

Cove grasped his sword and headed up stairs, loneliness grasped at his heart—today the one he had trusted most would be put to death. He already had an explanation for the incident. On deck, he broke through the morning light—a halo of dawn surrounded him. His father turned to him, a smirk on his lips.

"Only a day to Maris."

Cove walked up to his father, the smirk faded from his face.

“All treason is punishable by death,” said Cove. “You made me Captain upon your betrayal. Now I take that title.”

Cove did not wait to hear his father's plea--he could see the guilt in his eyes.

The blood of his father was warm on his hands, and the man who taught him of treachery was dead.

Hope you liked that! :D 

<3 

It's Raining Questions!!

 My first Campaigner Challenge should be up sometime today...I'll have to do it when I can manage because I have class until 8 tonight, and a poem to write for class due by midnight. So...we'll see how this goes! :)

I was tagged in two (making a total of three) games of tag! yay!!
This time by lovelies Amber Clites and Cortney Pearson. These were great questions guys!

Here are Amber Clites  questions:

1.  Pantser or Planner?
I do not plan my books out...hate outlines!

2.  Favorite book, movie, and TV show?
That would be The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings, and New Girl.

3.  Would you rather have free Starbucks for five years or free itunes for life?
....man. Itunes. Starbucks is fattening.

4.  What inspires you more, music or visual (ie: photography, scenery, etc)?
Music.

5.  Are you also addicted to Pinterest?
No...I signed up and then everyone started following me and I was like...why????

6.  The question for the ages, Edward or Jacob?
Eww. I'll take Aladdin. :)

(Yes, I added the beard. See THIS POST for details)


7.  Would you rather be able to talk to animals or to be able to speak and understand any language?
Speak and understand any language!

8.  Would you rather be kidnapped by terrorists or abducted by aliens?
Aliens. Def Aliens.

9.  What is the genre(s) that you write for?
YA Fantasy!

10.  *Warning stolen question* If money were no object, where would your dream vacation take place?
Hehe. Idk if I answered this...umm. Probably Italy at the moment!

11.  Did you cry in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two?  Was one of the times when Dumbledore asked Severus, "After all this time?" and Severus responded, "Always. "  And if not, are you sure you have a soul?
Bahaha. Best. Question. Ever.
Yeah, I try to hide my crying though.



Now, Cortney Pearson's  questions!

1. Plotter or pantser?
NO OUTLINES!!!

2. Who is your favorite character and why?
Cove. He's everything I want to be...except for a man. I don't want to be a man.

3. Name two things within arm's reach.
Aladdin and backpack.

4. If you could go back and do anything over again, what would it be?
Ehh. Nothing. I think everything happens for a reason!

5. Date with a celebrity--who would you pick?
Ben Barnes.

6. What is your favorite song?
Uhh. Don't have a favorite song, really. It all depends on my mood.

7. What genre do you write in?
GO YA FANTASY!!

8. What's your favorite thing to do other than write?
I'm boring at the moment and all I do outside of school work is write. Yep.

9. What's the coolest thing you've ever done?
Become a Gates Millennium Scholar. Go me!

10. Where is the coolest place you've ever been?
IRELAND. <3

11. What is your favorite quote?

Right now, this one: 

But I also like: "Beauty is genius; is higher, indeed, than genius, for it needs no explanation." Oscar Wilde.

Since I already tagged people, I'll set out a list of questions and whoever wants to answer them, may. You can comment or post on your own blog! Tell me if you answer them on your blog, I'd like to read them!

1. What is the most random question you've ever been asked?
2. What was your BEST Halloween Costume?
3. Do you like socks? I know people who are afraid of them!!
4. Do you get halfway through writing a book and then go, "Maybe I should feed my characters..."
5. Do you try and plan out what your future book cover will look like?
6. Are you afraid libraries are going to disappear with all these e-books?
7. Aside from writing, in what other ways are you creative?
8. Do you like 'ice-breakers' (not those mints, but those games you play in meetings/colleges/camps)? 
9. Did you cry all the way through the movie UP?
10.What is the best thing about the genre you write?
11. What's the worst thing about the genre you write?

Overview

Well, I'm attempting to take on full-time blogging. I realllly want to be more involved online with writers and I decided the only way to do it, is to comment, blog and get involved in blogfest contests and whatever else I can dive into.

Now, why isn't this easy? Well, anyone who has followed me knows I'm a college kid. I also graduate in May but must complete my 19 hour course load first! Which I will do, :)

Anyway. To get organized aside from my school planner:

I now have this:

This is my blog schedule. I actually set it up for March, and wrote everything I have to do for the rest of February in the margins. I'm so excited!

One my list of things to do are part of the Campaign over at Rachael's Blog.

Header image and thumbnail photograph by

 Hugh Lee and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahlgoode/

K.T. Hanna over at The Scribble Muse has begun this awesome campaign to get people motivated to finish their goals. If you'd like to sign up, head over there and check this out!

My goals are as follows, but unofficial (only meaning, I may add to this).

• Come up with something cool for my "Blog Anniversary"!

• Edit my short story for Cove and Sara

• At least finish editing half of Flintlock (this will be about 200-250 pages)

• Finish all school work and related Graduation/Graduate things 

• Visit more blogs and plan more posts 

Yep. I made these super quick after an exam on Tuesday.These are all things I've been intending to get around to do, and have kind of accomplished some, but if I have this goal in mind and a support group, nothing's going to stop me!

I am also going to participate in the A-Z Challenge!!

My attempt at a theme are my characters/places. I might have to kinda tweak that a little considering I don't want to give a ton away!

Then there is the "Got Green?" Blog Hop!

You can stop by Mark Koopmans blog to learn more about it!

I hope this gives everyone some more awesome things to participate in! As for me, I'm off to study. Yay exams. :/

<3