Monday, June 27, 2011

Something Wicked blogfest: My Favoite Spec-fic!

Go here to join in the blogfest and enter a contest to win a secret box of mystery. Their totally awesome. Seriously.


1. Harry Potter



Need I say more? I know that this may be on a LOT of other people's lists but I can't not list it. It's my favorite series, so inspiring and I love it to death!






2. The Kingkiller Chronicle

Consisting of The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. Waiting for the third book. Well, the Kingkiller Chronicle is so awesome and real. Real as in the people, the characters, the world, it's all so real that it could exist. I mean, yeah there's 'magic' and a couple of creatures that don't really exist (the draccus, for example) but, it's just so realistic. These books are wonderfully awesome and inspiring. The level of realness these books have achieved is what I strive for in my writing and world building.

My third favorite is hard to choose. I can't think of any other books that I love as much as Harry Potter and Kingkiller, and I don't watch many TV shows but. . . There is this movie. . .


3. Pan's Labyrinth

A few months ago I saw some people talking about how awesome this movies was so I rented it and it is so awesome! It's like, a fairytale but dark and gritty and creepy and a little bit scary and so very dark and I loved it so much! It's a very inspiring movie especially if that's the sort of thing you like to write (which, I do)!




Why do I like spec-fic?

Well, I like spec-fic because of all the different worlds and ideas that can be created there that can't be in the 'real world'. And besides, I don't want to read about things that happen in the real world when I already live here. Much better to read about magic and strange lands and creatures (dragons) and magic.


Where do I see spec-fic going in the next few years?

Honestly I don't have a clue. The only thing is that perhaps spec-fic, namely sci-fi and fantasy may get a lot more popular than it is now. To me it seems like it's already getting noticed more so perhaps that notice will only grow, I don't know. *shrugs* 

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Review: Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children

 Goodreads summary:

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.


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First off, I love the title of the book. I mean just look at it: Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children. It's just delicious! And second, the cover is absolutely amazing.

Now, from the look of it, I assumed that the book would be very creepy and haunted, or eery somehow, but it wasn't. Not to say it wasn't good, it's just not what I expected.

I thought the story was really cool. I was able to pick up on many of the clues, though I don't know if that means I've become more perceptive or if they just weren't so well hidden. The photographs in the book give the story a nice touch, it makes everything come to life in a way that couldn't happen without them. Not to mention giving the book a slightly creepy feel that the story itself doesn't possess. Altogether unforgettable.

I'm also pretty sure that this will end up being a series given how the story ended and honestly I can't wait for the next book to see what happens left. Unfortunately the ending didn't feel as satisfying cause the ending wasn't. . . closed? The ending didn't resolve everything I suppose. I felt like it left too much hanging, but that's just me.

There's also a small touch of romance, but it's very small. And sometimes a little disconcerting every time you realize who it was the girl liked before. Plus I kept thinking part of the plot would be what is part of the plot in my book. But that hasn't happened. Yet anyway. I suppose it's still possible to happen in later books.

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who likes books with fantastical elements, cause it's awesome. And everyone please remember that this is only my opinion. Just because I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending doesn't mean you won't be :)

And this is pretty much my first time reviewing something. I usually avoid it at all costs unless it's to say "It's awesome, you should read it." I'm sure my reviews will get better the more I do them :)

Also, does anyone else think it looks like there's something peculiar in the background of the cover photo?




Do you see the creepy thing?

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Pottermore! ROW80 Update 6/23

So this will be the last update until next month! I've got a little break but I feel like I will still do a bit of planning and plotting during the break so I can be more fit for writing next month. I can't wait! I think I'll accomplish much more in the next round than I did this one.

So. . . What does everyone think of the mysterious Pottermore so far? I'm still not quite sure. From what J.K. Rowling said in the video it sounds like a sort of interactive thing to accompany the books, with added content and new information about the Harry Potter world. It's still a bit hazy I think, what it's really going to be.

But even so I can't help but be excited! It sounds like it could be really cool, but I can't help but worry that it may not be as wonderful as I'm hoping.

Nevertheless, I can't wait for October. And perhaps, just maybe, I could be one of the people to get early access to Pottermore on July 31st. I'm at least going to try ;)

What is everyone else thinking about Pottermore? Are you excited about it? What do you think it'll be like?

Other ROW80ers here! Until next month!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Too Many Books!!

I can't remember whether I've already told you guys how large my to-be-read book pile is, and my in-the-middle-of-reading pile. It's monstrous and has been so for at least a year and growing by the week. Actually I didn't even know how many books there were that I haven't finished yet. I am honestly surprised.

See, I was under the impression that I only had twenty some odd books I haven't finished. (Only twenty, she says!) It seems that I have more than that. In fact, I have more than twice as many unfinished books. There are 51, 51,  books!! 25 books are in the TBR pile, 22 are in the IMR (in-the-middle-of-reading) pile! I am actively reading only 4 books.

Here's the evidence of this atrocity:

(TBR pile)

(IMR pile)

(Currently reading)

So, yes, I have a problem. I'm a hopeless bookaholic! You see, what happens is that I buy a book and start to read but before I finish that book I see another interesting book and then start to read that one, then before I've finished either of those I see another book that I start to read and then forget about that first one, then another and another and before I know it, it turns into this!

So, I'm going to start getting these books read! What I'm going to do is completely read at least one book a month and review it on the blog. If I finish more than one book a month I'll also review them here. I think this'll help me stop myself from buying tons more books before I've finished the others.

At one book per month I might be able to finish all these by year 2015 O.O Gosh I better get reading. I wonder if it's possible for me to finish all these by this years end?

So, what about you guys? Are your TBR/IMR piles this out of control?  Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Breakthroughs! ROW80 Update 6/19

Hey look, I remembered this Sunday!

This week has been important for my book, I've gotten back to reading my how-to writing books that I had stopped reading for awhile and made two major breakthroughs on the plot! Breakthrough #1 has to do with the villain and I'm super excited about it because it gives him much more depth than he had before and because it's just the sort of emotionally confusing should-I-still-hate-him? thing that I love to read! Breakthrough #2 has to do with a part of MC's character arc which I'm so glad that I thought of it! I mean, that element was already in there but before I wasn't really giving it the attention it deserved. Now I know it's one of the huge things that will evolve my MC from who he is to who he will become. Exciting stuff!

At the moment, I'm focusing less on the writing and more on the planning, so I'm not reaching my daily wordcount goal, but I feel that the plotting is more necessary at this point than the writing is. I feel that I just need to work out a few more key things before I can start writing in earnest and actually know the plot lines and how the story will progress, not having to 'pants' a huge chunk of it.

Sometimes I like pantsing, but I've come to find out that when I'm truly serious I like to know where I'm going before I start.

So, all in all I think it's been a good week for me!

Oh. And it seems that the next check in on Wednesday will be the last for round two of A Round of Words in 80 Days. Round three will start on July 4th! That'll be my first real round, seeing as I joined in round two right in the middle of it. :p

Find other ROW80ers here!

Friday, June 17, 2011

A Super Important Announcement!

Okay, I have an announcement!

Saying that just makes it seem like I shall say Very Important Things! It's kinda fun. Anyway.

As you may have noticed my posts have become few and lacking much passion. The only thing pulling me through right now is the ROW80 updates and this makes me sad. But I think I know what's wrong. Limiting myself to talking only about writing is what's doing it. Not to say I'm getting tired of writing about writing, it's just that there's only so much for me to talk about when it comes to writing. I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination so I don't feel comfortable giving out lots of writing advice, and just talking about my own writing all the time get's a bit boring.

So, I'm going to let my blog span some other subjects of interest. It won't be all about writing anymore, it'll be about other things I find interesting as well. It'll be more. . . personalized I suppose. And less limiting and constricting in the subjects I can write about because my blog will no longer be a writing only blog. It'll be a Taylor Roseberry blog.

I will still talk about my writing and stuff but not every single post will be about it.

I hope that you guys understand and I hope I don't lose any readers but in the end I think it'll be better for all of us. Cause reading a blog without any passion or interest in it isn't fun for anyone.

So, I don't know what the future will bring to my blog, but I hope that now that I have given myself the option to blog about other things, that my passion and interest for my blog will come back.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

ROW80 Update 6/15

Man these Sundays just keep sneaking up on me! I've had plenty of ideas for my story and, I want to try my hand at illustrating some of the scenes I have in mind. But I wont for awhile yet cause I don't want to get too distracted form the writing itself.

Find other ROW80ers here!

And I have just discovered a very intriguing book thanks to Sommer's blog. The book's called Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children. First of all, I absolutely LOVE the title. It's the kind that just catches my eye and would make me by it for that alone. And then the cover- again, I would by the book for the cover alone (I'm just like that, gotta love awesome book covers!). I mean look at this:


It's just so eye catching! So, for those reasons (and what I read of the summary) I've decided to buy it! After I decided to buy it I found out I could read the prologue and first three chapters of the book here and I'm hooked. I'm gonna go buy the book tomorrow so I can read the rest, I can hardly wait!

I'd tell you what it's about, give a little summary or something, but since I'm not good at that and it wouldn't be good enough I'll let his book trailer do the talking.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

ROW80 Update 6/8

Hi! So. . ! Honestly, I haven't written too much, I've been busy, might have to move, those pesky real life things that always seem to get in the way. I will get back on track there just doesn't seem to be any time!

And I've gotten some books! I love the used book stores around here especially when they have what I'm looking for! I got Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, the last three books of the Earthsea series by Usala K. Le Guin and Shadowmarch by Tad Williams. I'm 200 pages into Shadowmarch right now and I like it so far. I haven't started on the others yet, I'll wait until I finish Shadowmarch.

And really I don't know why I've bought these books when I still have so many I haven't finished, but that's just the way it is. Maybe I'll try and read those soon.

What books are you reading right now? And how many?

The linky for other ROW80ers!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

ROW Update 6/1

Hi! For some reason I feel excited, even though I don't know why. I probably shouldn't feel this way, seeing as I totally failed May Madness last month and haven't been keeping up with my ROW80 goals like I should be. Not to mention that I'm totally behind on reading the blogs I'm following. I really don't have a reason to feel excited.

Yet I am.

And my total wordcount for May Madness was 15,791. I suppose it's more words than I would have written without the challenge.

Today, I think, I'll have to lower my daily writing goal. 2,000 words is simply too much for me. So. . . I'm moving it down to 1,000. I'm still going to work the plot, world build and stuff for thirty minutes a day but only write 1,000 words. I  think I'll make up some little progress charts for myself, that stuff usually helps me stay motivated when I can announce on the chart that 'I did it!' so, yeah.

I hope everyone is having a good day this fine June 1st, and find themselves lighthearted for no apparent reason!

:D

The linky for other ROW80ers!