Book Nook: An Fans out There?

 I may have done this novel before, but I began rereading it again recently. (Nearly done once more.) It's a nice break from the other novels I've been reading. More light-hearted and what-not.

Here are a few of my favorite aspects of this novel

1. It was written during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) purely for fun

2. It plays with something every fan has encountered at least once.

3. It doesn't take itself seriously until it does

4. It covers more material than any book that size should (and does it well)

Rainbow Rowell's introduction is pure gold. She states how and why she wrote the book from the very beginning. At the end she then thanks everyone who's ever read or written FanFiction as well.

Ah, FanFiction. The art of taking something you love and writing a new character into the universe to meet the original characters. Taking the original characters and putting them into new circumstances. Slash.

WARNING PAST HERE BE SPOILERS!

This novel follows Cather through her first year of college and all of the awkward socialities that ensue.

We meet the following cast of characters in the regular narrative:

  Wren - her twin

  Regan - her upperclassman roommate

   Levi - The smiling guy who's always in their room

   Art - Cather's dad

   Nick - fellow student and story thief

Cather prefers to be alone. She goes to classes, engages when she has to, but people are not her cup of tea. (To which I can relate, hiding in my room and avoiding people in the safety of my book-filled bedroom.)

Her preferred method of coping is writing.

FanFiction.

Slash.

Simon Snow and Baz slash, to be precise.

She has been writing her fanfiction, Carry On for two years and has to have it finished before the final book in the series comes out. All while attending college and taking a writing course which wants a 10,000 short story as a final.

Between trying to focus on Simon and Baz and her courses is a bi-weekly meeting with Nick. He's in her Fiction Writing course and wants to "collaborate" *coughstealherstuffcough*. Then there's Levi who's constantly in their room because he's Reagan's boyfriend (or so we assume because Cather assumes).

This novel deals with new roommates, social anxiety, mental health, and abandonment.

I won't spoil it all completely, but the issues that it talks about definitely are not listed in the fun going title. This is an excellent read for anyone beginning college, moving away for the first time, and living with mental issues. It takes us through the steps from the point of view of someone who is coping with them firsthand.

I recommend reading this book. And fear not.

Carry On is next on my To-Read list....provided I don't get caught up in another Cozy Mystery.

What is your favorite novel to read? Any recommendations?

See you next week!

WIP Week - Outlining

Right, well let me tell you about my writing style.

I get the story in my head. When I'm in the mood (or the zone) I write/type depending on what I prefer. I NEVER outline. Not even when I was supposed to do so in high school.

The last some odd years - basically since middle school - I've had this story idea in my head. I'm not ashamed to admit it began with a fanfiction for Lord of the Rings, spanning into Pirates of the Caribbean, Van Helsing, and The Phantom of the Opera.

Over the course of those many, many years it has evolved into something far more frustrating and life/mind consuming. (It may be a miracle I managed to stay sane for so long.)

Now, to this outline.

I realized that this massive fanfiction had an excellent plot, great locations, interesting tech, and a bunch of characters ripe for the picking. Only....they weren't their fictional characters anymore.

Through the course of years the characters left behind their rather copyrighted persona and became something more original. It was a miracle.

So I spent a few hours (yup, hours) going through the story. I made an outline for the first time in forever.

(.....yup....good luck getting that song outta your head.)

Right now it's at seven (7) pages, and I'm still not even close to being done with it.

The only issue I now face.

Writing.

I have 2 1/2 pages written out, but I'm taking my time in doing so. I did set a deadline to have chapter one done by the 15 of April. See how well that didn't turn out? Life happens, and we can't always keep up. (Well, I'd be more inclined to do so if I was getting paid for it. Or if I had an editor or a BETA reader.)

Huzzah for being a free writer!

Here's a little snippet of my outline for WIP week!

THE LIEBRARY

-Liebrary houses ancient books, of magic, obscure, rare finds

- A group of Magicians were in charge of keeping it

- They abused the power in the books

(Possible ghost of the past in charge of it now)

What's something that you are working on? Would you be interested in reading my novel, piece by piece?

Book Nook: Fangirl

This past week I finished another book. (14 so far this year, woo!)

I found this book on one of the may "YOU SHOULD READ THIS" lists that circumventilate the internet though the year. You know the ones - "Christmas Reading List", "Books to Read Before You Go To College", "Teen Books", etc.

Well, this one had some elements that I was familiar with:
   - College Freshman
   - Writes FanFiction
   - Ignores Everyone
    - Introvert


While I am no longer a college freshman, and the others may or may not apply, I decided to check out this book.

.....

I think I just made a bad library pun.....


Book Title: "Fangirl"
Author: Rainbow Rowell
GoodReads Site: Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell


My brief little synopsis/opinion:

Cath is a twin.

She and Wren used to do everything together, including writing fanfiction for their favorite book series, "Simon Snow".

Now that they're in college, they live separately, and don't talk as much.

Writing fanfiction helps Cath to sorta stay grounded. It's the thing that's constant in her life as everything is changing.


Experience your freshman year of college all over again through they eyes of a girl who's just trying to write her story while taking classes, ignoring boys, writing stories with boys, keeping her sister from passing out, keeping tabs on her dad, and trying to make sense of where she stands in the world.


I would recommend this to anyone who love to write; who's been on the nerve-wracking side of dealing with new roommates; who's lived in the dorms; who's ever had that sliver of doubt about life.


Go check out, "Fangirl".

Short - Sweet - Lost

I couldn’t really decide on what topic I wanted to use today. I know most of the time it’s hard to find a topic. Sadly – and although there are dozens of sites that state lists and lists of topics – I have not found much inspiration for today.

Which is why I’m posting this around 11 at night.

I could ramble on about something I enjoy, such as: The Phantom of the Opera, Walt Disney, New York pizza, old movies, sock monkeys, tangle art, writing, fanfiction, movies in general, opera, theatre, theater, musicals.

(Okay the pizza’s a random – but I’m watching “Friends” and they are eating cheese pizza right now, which looks so incredibly delicious!)

Alright – fine – there’s a ton of things I could write about today. Instead I think I’ll just leave it here – ask me a question if any of the above are things you love.