My Hero Monday: JK Rowling

This month, I've decided to participate in My Hero Monday, a monthly blog link-up over at A Girl's Voice and Free As A Girl With Wings (both of which are amazing blogs, and I highly encourage you to go check them out). It celebrates female heroes, and also encourages people to learn about new ones. If you'd like to see other blogs participating, or join the link-up next month, I've included links at the bottom of this post.

Also, over the course of November, this blog will be moved over to http://stayandwatchthestars.wordpress.com/. But don't worry- it'll still have the same content and everything, just a new URL and layout. If you'd like to leave a comment on this post, I ask that you do it on Stay and Watch the Stars instead.

And now, [finally], let's begin!

{website/ blog} {pottermore} {twitter}

Full Name

Joanne "Jo" Rowling. She writes under the names of JK Rowling and Robert Galbraith

Birthdate

July 31, 1965

Current Age

49

School(s)

 Wyedean School, St Michael's Primary School, University of Exeter

What books has she written? Which one is my favorite? Why?

JK Rowling was the author of the Harry Potter series, along with a few of "spinoff" books (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, etc.), and a couple of mystery novels (The Cuckoo's Calling and The Casual Vacancy). She's also published a novel named The Silkworm this year.

I haven't read either of her mystery novels, but the Harry Potter books have basically been my go-to series for the past six or seven years. I've loved the stories for a long time now, and I think they were one of the many things that inspired me to write. If I had to choose a favorite out of all of them... Maybe The Deathly Hallows or The Prisoner of Azkaban?

When did I first hear about her?

My mom and dad handed me the first book when I was in third grade and said "YOU NEED TO READ THIS SERIES." Well, maybe it didn't happen exactly like that, but my memory is fuzzy. All I know is that my parents recommended the Harry Potter series to me, and from then on, I was hooked.

What makes her one of my heroes?

Well, first off, she lost her billionaire status because she donated so much to charity. Honestly, I think that's something that billionaires should be obliged to do. Oh! And she was the first female novelist to become a billionaire, too! But anyway.

She went from being a single mom living in poverty to one of the most famous authors of our time. She's one of the people who proved to me that yes, you really can make a living off of being an author, and more. Not that it's likely. But still.

And finally, although I've always loved reading, JK Rowling was the one who turned that spark into a raging bonfire. She's an amazing author, and, in my opinion, an amazing role model as well.

Quotes

"Wherever I am, if I've got a book with me, I have a place I can go and be happy."

"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might not have lived at all- in which case, you fail be default."

"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

"I would like to be remembered as someone who did the best she could with the talent she had."

"We do not need magic to change our world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already."

Also, honorable mention goes to Malindo Lo (for inspiring me to write more diversity into my stories- you can find nevillegirl's post about her here) and Tamora Pierce (for writing fantastic fantasy novels and amazing heroines).

Be sure to check out the other My Hero Monday link-up posts!

November 3:

nevillegirl @ Musings From Neville’s Navel

Cait @ Notebook Sisters

November 10:

Bridget @ Nerds Inc.

Mawa Mahima @ All Things Wordy

Artgirl @ Alien Cows

November 17:

Charley @ Charley R’s Leaning Tower of Plot

November 24:

Orphu @ A Mirror Made of Words

Wrap-up by Engie @ A Girl’s Voice

What's Up in the Marvel Universe

There's a lot going on in the land of Marvel right now. I, for one, have been geeking out almost nonstop for the past week or so. A lot of this stuff is really awesome- for example, Marvel's first movies led by a woman and a POC have been announced. Also, the Age of Ultron Trailer has been released and it is perfection.

So let's take a look, shall we?

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First off, the absolutely perfect Age of Ultron trailer I mentioned. Gaze at the glorious thing that is this trailer. Done? (I'm not kidding. You need to watch it.) Good.

First off, the creepy Pinnochio music in the background needs to be mentioned. *shudders* And poor Bruce on the jet.

But what I really want to talk about? BALLET DANCERS. If my memory serves me correctly, one of Black Widow's covers back when she was with the Red Room was as a ballet dancer. So does this mean that we get to see more backstory for Nat in the Cinematic Universe? Let's hope so.

--

Second, we got a full list of all the movies for Phase Three! For those of you who aren't IN the Marvel fandom and are more like casual bystanders, the Marvel movies are set up in "phases". Phase One was everything up to The Avengers, and Phase Two will include everything between Iron Man 3 and Ant-Man.

No Black Widow movie, unfortunately- but look what we do get! Carol Danvers AND Black Panther! DC did beat Marvel to the punch with Wonder Woman and Cyborg, but honestly, I'm not going to complain. I'm just happy that these two major companies are both starting to introduce more diversity into their films.

So, anyway, here's the list:

Pretty awesome, huh? I'm loving these gorgeous logos. Also, the introduction of Carol Danvers and the Inhumans means a future Kamala Khan movie is a possibility!

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And, in miscellaneous-but-still-awesome Marvel news (yes, there's more)...

• The Guardians of the Galaxy are getting their own animated TV show on Disney XD!

• For those of you who haven't heard already, there's an alternate universe where Gwen Stacey got spider powers instead of Peter Parker. Well, Spider-Gwen (as she's been dubbed by fans) is getting her own ongoing comic series! Also, several other fantastic Marvel ladies, including Gamora, Peggy Carter, and Silk are getting their own series as well. 
• The new Thor series (starring a mysterious woman as the new Thor) has started off with a bang. 
• And finally, the amazing Natasha Romanoff is getting a YA novel! It will be written by Margaret Stohl (author of the Beautiful Creatures series), and will come out in May 2015.

--

So, anyway, I hope I haven't missed anything (but I probably did)! What are you looking forward to the most?

Planning for NaNoWriMo

I'll be doing the YWP again this year! My word count goal is currently 25,000 words, although I'll have to see how doable that is since I have a busier schedule than last time. You can check out the page on my WIP if you want to know more about it.

But enough about me- you want to know about how to plan for your novels, don't you?

Well, don't worry! I've got some tips coming!

Characters
One of my favorite parts of writing is seeing the characters come alive in my mind- there's a kind of magic to it. Character creation, for me, is a very long process, that starts with a concept and develops in my mind until I feel ready to write it all down.

I've always character questionnaires to be quite fun, so you might want to look around for one you like. Here's a link to one I've found that I liked.

Character story arcs are very important (but also fun!) These are woven in throughout your plot (or at least, that's how I do it). Basically, your character(s) should undergo some change through the novel. Maybe they mature a bit, or learn to trust their friends a bit more, or similar. So write that down.

Another thing that I find handy is to create timelines for my characters- a year by year (or month by month, or whatever) list of the major events in their life and influences on their personality.

Doodling your characters (if you like to draw) is fun as well, and can help clear up the picture in your mind.

Or throw your characters into a random situation, like a sit down dinner, and see what happens.

Basically, whatever works.

Story Arcs

Last year, my creative writing teacher gave me some excellent tips about this magical thing called the 8 Point Story Arc. It's basically eight "points" used to structure to main plot of your novel.

Stasis/ The Normal World
This is what life is like for your main characters before what most people call "the inciting incident". It should basically be a snapshot of day-to-day life for your characters before the action starts. And like a snapshot, it should be short- only a couple of pages at the most.

Trigger/ The Inciting Incident
This is what sets your character on their big adventure- something that the main character can't control. Sort of like Cinderella's fairy godmother.

The Quest
This is simple enough- it's whatever adventure the trigger set off. On your basic story arc, this is one part of the Rising Action.

Surprise
You may just have one of these, or you may have several. But the important thing is, the reader has to go "I did not see that coming."

Critical Choice
This is where your protagonist(s) make the big choice- the one that decides which direction the rest of your novel goes in. Many times choice is between hard but good or easy but bad. This point is what causes the climax.

The Climax
The highest peak of tension in your story. This event should ideally be caused by your character's critical choice.

Reversal
The reversal is the end of the critical choice and climax. It should change the status of your characters, like Cinderella going from a peasant to a princess.

The Resolution
This is where the story comes full circle. Any questions the reader had should have been answered by now, and your characters should have undergone some change through the story.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo? How do you plan to outline? Let me know in the comments!

Shipping and OTPs

Before we get started on the actual post, I'd like to let you know that I've written a co-review of "Kill the Moon" (S08, E07 of Doctor Who) with nevillegirl at Musings from Neville's Navel. You can find the post here.

For those of you who aren't neck deep in nerd culture and fandoms, I'm going to define what these mysterious "ships" and "OTPs" are (No, it has nothing to do with FedEx).

Shipping (Ship is short for relationship, I think?) generally means that you think two characters would make/ are a cute couple. Sometimes people also ship characters as just friends- they don't necessarily have to be in a relationship.

OTP stands for "one true pairing". The thing is, most people have multiple OTPs. It can be taken in different ways, like you have one OTP per fandom, or even per character.

So, anyway, now that I've defined those critical terms and self-promoted a bit (as usual), let's get started! I'm going to be listing my OTPs and my thoughts on them/ why I ship them. Hopefully, this one will have a bit more substance than my horrendous INTJ characters post.

Let the shipping begin!

Clint Barton/ Natasha Romanoff- Marvel Cinematic Universe



"Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call." -Natasha Romanoff, The Avengers

How could anyone not ship this? I mean, they're just so perfect for each other. You want chemistry? They've got chemistry. I can totally imagine them going on this super romantic dinner date and then right afterwards going out to kick some HYDRA butt or something.

Cecil/ Carlos- Welcome to Night Vale



"Neat!" -Cecil Baldwin, WTNV Episode 16 (The Phone Call)

Why do I ship them, you ask? HAHAHA Cecil and Carlos are just... They're just... so cuuuuute together. Also I have a weakness for ships where one or both of the people in it are super awkward and nerdy and obviously in love but have a really hard time expressing it and I just... It's perfect. They're perfect for each other.

Jenny/ Madame Vastra- Doctor Who



"I'm a lizard woman from the dawn of time, and this is my wife." -Madame Vastra, The Snowmen

Jenny and Vastra are really one of the only reasons I'm still watching this Moffat stuff. I don't have as much to say on this one, but... PERFECTION.

Sherlock Holmes/ Molly Hooper- Sherlock



"You've always counted." -Sherlock Holmes, The Reichenbach Fall

As I said, awkward-nerdy-but-still-adorable ships are one of my weaknesses. I don't really have a whole lot to say on Sherlolly either, though, aside from that it's cute.

Billy Kaplan and Teddy Altman- The Young Avengers



"Oh, ugh. Is love really going to save us all?" -Loki, Young Avengers #13

Why, you ask? Excuse me if I laugh at you again. Billy and Teddy are the best together, there's no denying it. They understand each other, and they're just such a (I feel like I'm really overusing this word but) cute couple.

Gertrude Yorkes and Chase Stein- The Runaways

"I was reventilating him. Anyone who says different gets fed to my dinosaur." -Gertrude Yorkes, Runaways #16

Throughout most of the original series, they hated each other (Well, at least, Gert hated Chase. I have no idea if Chase hated Gert or not.) and then BOOM.  They were absolutely in love and it was perfect. And it wasn't perfect, either. It was realistic. They had their ups and downs. It wasn't all just fluffiness and rainbows, but they still stayed together, and... I think that makes it all the better.

Let me know what your ships and OTPs are in the comments!

INTJ

First off, before we get started here, I'd like to shove you in the general direction of gently nudge you toward the new page I created on my current WIP novel.

And now that you've done that (You have, right? Thanks. You're an awesome human being. High five!), on to the actual post. Basically, I'm going to list a few characters who supposedly share my personality type and my thoughts on them and our similarities (because I like making lists).

If you want to try this, you can take the test here and find the character list here.

Brief summary of my type (INTJ): INTJs are clever, analytical, pragmatic and logical, and are not scared to tell someone (or themselves) when they're being stupid. They emphasize efficiency, making them simultaneously loners and excellent leaders.

Batman from DC Comics
As you probably already know, I'm not a huge DC fan and I really don't know enough about him to judge my thoughts on this one, but hey, I'm Batman!

Ebeneezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol
Um I really don't think so but oookay? Maybe I can see him being an INTJ, but I'm still not really very much like him.

Four (Tobias Eaton) from Divergent
I haven't read Divergent yet but I'm going to file this away for future reference.

Some Incarnations of the Doctor from Doctor Who
That's not very helpful. Maybe if I knew which ones it was talking about? Twelve, I suppose?

Severus Snape and Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter
NOPE. Voldemort isn't an INTJ.  I can say that for a fact. I mean, those long "I'm going to gloat and rant about you before I kill you" speech he does every time he gets his hand on Harry isn't very "clever, pragmatic, and logical" of him, is it? Maybe I can go with Snape. But not Voldemort.

Marvin the Paranoid Android from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
AHAHAHA My life is complete. I am Marvin the Paranoid Android. I guess I can maybe see a tiny bit of a resemblance? Maybe?

Smaug from The Hobbit
Why yes I do have a nasty habit of hoarding treasure. This is turning into less of a "deep thoughts on my similarities to the characters" and more of a sarcastic commentary.

Amon from The Legend of Korra
WOAH OKAY let's take a detour and talk about storylines that don't live up to their potential, yes? Because Amon and the Equalists had a lot of wasted potential. When they were first introduced, I had kind of expected them to be more of a metaphor for other real life equal rights movements. But then the show kind of brushed them off as being bad guys who think that the Benders are privileged even though they aren't. I felt like the storyline would have been a lot more interesting if it were more about Korra questioning the world as she knew it, and who was right- the Benders or the Equalists. If that makes any sense? Anyway. Back on track.

Scar from The Lion King
Why am I always the bad guy? Geez.

Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Um, yeah, I can agree with that one, actually. Even though he's a villain.

Tiana from The Princess and the Frog
YES AN AWESOME AND AMBITIOUS DISNEY LADY! AND SHE'S NOT A VILLAIN!

Professor James Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes from Sherlock Holmes
Annnnd another villain.

Khan from Star Trek: Into Darkness
First Sherlock, and now Khan. I'm sensing a pattern here.

So basically a short list of villains, with a few heroes and more sympathetic villains scattered in between. And I must say, I like a lot of the characters on this list.

My Favorite Comic Books

So, yes. It's been a really really long time since I actually posted on here. But hopefully I'm back now! And to get this blog up and running again, I've compiled a list of my favorite comic books, including what I liked, what I didn't like, etc. Enjoy!



The Avengers
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Main Characters: Iron Man, Captain America (Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes), Thor, Red Hulk, Spider-Man, Hawkeye, Wolverine, Spider-Woman
What I Liked: I've actually liked a lot of the Brian Michael Bendis stuff I've read so far. He does a really good job with the team dynamics, and sometimes the plotlines.
What I Didn't Like: You know how I said "sometimes" the plotlines? Yeah, well, in Avengers they're kind of a hit or a miss. Some I loved, some I didn't.
The Verdict: 6/10



Hawkeye
Writer: Matt Fraction
Main Characters: Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, and Pizza Dog
What I Liked: They were really funny, and the characters were really relatable. It was also really interesting reading a comic about a not-so-super hero while he's not being a... well... hero. And the cameos in vol. 2 were a lot of fun too. And Pizza Dog. I love Pizza Dog.
What I Didn't Like: It's fun. Not that that's a bad thing, but sometimes it feels like that was the sole goal of the book. When the plot did get "serious", it felt kind of... I don't know... dull. I dunno. Maybe I'm not making much sense here. Anyway.
The Verdict: 8/10



Amazing X-Men
Writer: Jason Aaron? I think?
Main Characters: Nightcrawler, Wolverine, Storm, Firestar, Northstar, Iceman, Azazel
What I Liked: Firestar's character development was great. Her change through the course of the story... She became a lot more confident in her place as an X-Man. And Nightcrawler's back! He's been one of my favorites ever since I got into X-Men. So that was great. I guess... just the characterizations overall. And the plot was very well done, too.
What I Didn't Like: The way it ended. I can't really go into detail without spoilers, but... just no. I didn't like the ending.
The Verdict: 8/10



Young Avengers
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Main Characters: Wiccan, Hulkling, Miss America, Kate Bishop, Kid Loki, Speed, Prodigy, Marvel Boy/ Noh Varr/ The Protector/ whatever he calls himself
What I Liked: The team dynamics and character development were AMAZING. I loved each and every one of the characters. And the writing was hilarious. And Billy and Teddy were just so darn CUTE together.
What I Didn't Like: The plot felt really rushed sometimes, like they were trying to cram too much into too few pages. And am I the only one who didn't get the whole Kid-Loki-Turning-Into-Teenage-Loki thing? I dunno.
The Verdict: 9/10



Excalibur (Classic)
Writer: Chris Claremont
Main Characters: Captain Britain, Meggan, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rachel Summers
What I Liked: These are probably the oldest comics I've read which means they're from before 2000 and WOAH THERE'S MORE THAN ONE TOKEN GIRL ON THE TEAM THIS IS SHOCKING. But seriously. The plot was great (I loved the concept of the Warwolves), and a lot of my favorite characters were included.
What I Didn't Like: I found the art kind of meh, but that's just personal preference. It's also annoyingly hard to get your hands on a copy.
The Verdict: 7/10



Runaways
Writers: Brian Vaughan and Joss Whedon
Main Characters: Gertrude Yorkes, Karolina Dean, Nico Minoru, Chase Stein, Molly Hayes, Alex Wilder, Xavin, Victor Macha
What I Liked: Um. EVERYTHING. No. Just kidding. I'll try to be a bit more specific here. Most of the time, the art was great (most of the time meaning "when it wasn't that weird manga stuff"). The plotlines were stupendous. But the best part was the character development. If you like excellent, three dimensional characters, chances are you'll LOVE Runaways. As an added bonus, Joss Whedon was such a huge fan that when Brian Vaughan left he wrote a few issues.
What I Didn't Like: As mentioned before, after a little while, (around vol 9 I think?) the art style switched to a really weird manga-but-not-really thing and I didn't like it at all. Also, since the series was canceled in 2009, there are a ton of strings left untied that'll have you making up headcanons for years to figure out what happened.
The Verdict: 10/10 as long as you pretend everything after Joss Whedon's books never existed.



All New X-Men
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Main Characters: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Angel, Archangel, Iceman, Shadowcat, Storm, Mystique (I feel like I'm forgetting someone, though...)
What I Liked: The plot was really unique, and it was pretty cool to see all the old X-Men trying to adjust to modern day life. Kitty's banter with Bobby was a lot of fun to read. The dark path Jean has started heading down is pretty interesting, although I'm not quite sure what's up with her relationship with Hank? But oh well. He's got to be better than Scott.
What I Didn't Like: SCOTT SUMMERS. Ugh. That guy. Get it? Huh? Huh? Thinly veiled Night Vale reference? But seriously. He's starting to get on my nerves. A lot.
The Verdict: 8/10

Quarterly Rewind: Spring 2014

So, hi guys! It's me again, believe it or not. Sorry for the lack of posts lately! I've had a really hard time coming up with ideas for posts lately, but hopefully I'm back now. Keep an eye out for my review of Ash by Malinda Lo, as it should be coming soon!

(And yes, I've borrowed the Quarterly Rewind from Musings from Neville's Navel again.) It's a bit late, but hey, who cares?

Favorite Quote From A Book I Read This Spring

"I got to thinking that poems were like people. Some people you got right off the bat. Some people you just didn't get- and never would."

-Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, by Benjamin Sáenz

This Spring In One Word

Busy!

Most Popular Review This Spring

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Top Two Books I Read This Spring

1. Ash, by Malinda Lo. I haven't even finished it yet, but gosh, this book is amazing. Queer protagonists! Fairy tale style storytelling (in a YA book)! What's not to like?
2. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. METAPHORS! Metaphors everywhere!

Two Things I’m Looking Forward To This Summer

1. Horseback riding. I'm doing a summer camp, so that'll be fun. Even if it'll be really hot out.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy comes out on August 1st! I can't wait!

Three New Obsessions This Spring

1. Comic books. I still haven't read that many, but the ones I have read, I've loved.
2. Renaissance-era stuff. My school is doing a renaissance fair next year, so I've been doing a lot of research.
3. Polyvore, a new favorite website of mine. Which is weird. I've never really been into fashion. Even if it's fandom related.

Most Popular Three Blog Posts Overall This Spring

How to Read and Write Circular Gallifreyan

Elsa and Anna: Not the First

Why Gertrude Yorkes Needs a Bit More Appreciation

Three Posts I Loved On Other Blogs This Spring

Review: The House of Hades (Musings from Neville's Navel)

Bending Over Backward (This Page Intentionally Left Blank)

Writers Should Learn Languages (YAvengers)

Three Things That Happened This Spring

1. I've branched out in my reading interests a bit. I've started reading a lot more historical fiction, queer fiction, and comic books lately.
2. I was REALLY busy in May. I had a horse show and two big school events. It was fun, though.
3. I volunteered to help teach a book club at school next year with a few friends!

Six Songs That I Listened To Far Too Often This Spring

1. Cassandra's Waltz, from the Doctor Who soundtrack. It's so lovely and sci-fi sounding at the same time.
2. New Year's Day, by U2. I don't know what it is about this song, but I love it.
3. New Soul, by Yael Naim. Which is weird. This is more my mom's kind of music (I usually don't listen to upbeat songs), but... I like it.
4. Nobody but Me, by Save Ferris.
5. Warg Scouts, from the An Unexpected Journey soundtrack. This one is great for writing action scenes to.
6. I Can See the Light from Tangled.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow. Just... wow.

This book blew me off the face of the earth. I mean, not literally, but... it was really good. Really, really good.

First off, there's the absolutely gorgeous, yet simplistic, cover. People are always telling me "don't judge a book by its cover!" But so far, it's seemed a pretty accurate rubric, with a few exceptions.

TFIOS has one of my favorite covers ever. It looks as though it's made of clipart, yet it has a nice artsy feel to it. I love it.

Secondly, this book is sad. If you're looking for a fun, easy read with no tears and very few metaphors, skip this book. Then come back to it when you're ready because it's not to be missed.

I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO HAZEL AND GUS' HAPPILY EVER AFTER?

And then there were the metaphors.

This book is stuffed with so many metaphors, I was still picking up on new things during my second read of it, and I'm sure that if I decide to read it again I'll pick up on some more.

And then there were some absolutely beautiful quotes.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep. Slowly, then all at once."

"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."

"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations."

You get the picture.

And then there was John Green.

I want to write like John Green someday.

One of my favorite things about John Green is the way he writes books inside of books, then quotes these books in his books. If that makes any sense at all. An Imperial Affliction nested so nicely inside of TFIOS. It was amazing.

Actually, the whole book was amazing.

So, those are my thoughts on it... what did you think of TFIOS?



View all my reviews

TCWT Blog Chain

So, Teens Can Write, Too is back, along with their blog chain! Yay! So, anyway, this month's prompt looked like a lot of fun, and I figured... hey, why not?

What kinds of YA Fiction books would you like to see more of?

First of all, I'd like a bit more... variety in the romance department. More LGBTQ+ characters. Characters who don't fall in love. That kind of thing. YA seems cliche now, if only because of all the love triangles. I don't mind romance, but how about something without it for a change?

Also, I would enjoy some more fantasy. Vampire stories are not included. Quality fantasy is hard to find in the YA area; I really wish there was more.

On that subject: I also want more sci-fi. Dystopian novels are so overdone; it seems like most of them are just like The Giver ripoffs.

Fourth: More John Green. 'Nuff said.

I know there are quite a few of these, but I really enjoy retellings of fairy tales. So some more of those would be nice too.

Another: More historical fiction. I really enjoy good historical fiction, but it's hard to find in the YA genre.

And, finally: some smart, nerdy girls. There are tons of romances where nerdy guys fall in love with cool girls... why not the other way around?

A Writing Tag

Found this from Musings From Neville's Navel, and it looked like fun. So... here goes.

Magic Violinist's Questions

Fantasy or Sci Fi?
It depends. I prefer writing fantasy and reading sci-fi. The world building is so much fun! But sci-fi is a lot of fun to read too, especially if the author is talented.

Male or female protagonists?
I definitely prefer writing female characters. With writing, I'm a bit more flexible.

Epic Adventures or simple, small town life?
Epic adventures. I prefer reading about dragons and warlocks and such to... high school and friendships. After all, I get to experience those in real life. Reading transports me to a new world.

Which book would somebody have to pay you to read?
Twilight. Need I say more?

What book have you read the most?
The Harry Potter series wins by a landslide. I think I'm on my ninth re-reading now.

Do you buy used books? Why or why not?
It depends. Sometimes, old books tell a story, and not just with words. They have... history. But sometimes, I want a new book to record my own history.

That probably sounded a bit odd. Oh well.

What genre would be wildly outside of your comfort zone to write/read?
For writing- Romance. I can handle romantic subplots, but as a genre... just no. I don't understand how to weave a whole story out of it.
For reading- Horror. As a rule, I don't read horror- but I do enjoy writing it.

First drafts or editing?
First drafts. I enjoy watching my writing improve through editing, but the best part is the initial flow of words, and getting them onto paper. It makes me feel like I can do anything I want.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?
Science. I enjoy twisting the amazing world around us into something even more amazing.

Do you base stories on real life experiences?
No. I do pull emotion and character traits from real life, but not stories.

Nevillegirl's Questions

What kind of music do you like to listen to while writing?
Soundtracks. They affect the mood of my writing quite a bit.

What kind of music do you not like to listen to while writing?
Anything but soundtracks. It's too distracting, especially if it's a good song.

Who or what was the inspiration for the first character you ever wrote?
I don't even remember the first character I ever wrote, so I'll go back to the first one I remember. I believe she was inspired by one of my best friends.

Do you ever have romance in your stories?
Yes, as a subplot.

What authors do you think you write like?
I don't know myself, but I've been told that I write like Margaret Atwood and Chuck Palahniuk.

Are your stories usually funny or serious?
As Joss Whedon said, "Make it dark, make it grim, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke." I think that describes my writing pretty well.

What is the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?
My creative writing teacher made predictions for the future occupations of everyone in our class. She said I would be a writer, living in a flat in Soho. That was pretty cool.

What is the worst thing someone has ever said about your writing?
I honestly don't know. I don't really pay attention to negative comments.

Why are all these questions about writing?
You tell me.

Would you rather own a castle or all the chocolate in the world?
A castle. If I owned all the chocolate in the world, that would mean nobody else had any. I'd be like the Dictator of Chocolate, and that would be horrible.

Thoughts on 'Fangirling'

Fangirl

Noun; fan-girl

Informal, derogatory; An obsessive female fan

--

Some people would call me a fangirl. Most, actually. Why? I'm a girl, and I enjoy nerd culture.

But why does that make me a fangirl?

And why is okay to be a fangirl, but not a geek girl?

After all, 'geek girls' are being called out today, for cosplaying and wearing the costumes that the very men shaming them designed.



Yet nobody is calling out the thousands of 'fangirls'. Why?

Because it's okay to idolize an actor for his portrayal of a character in a movie or TV show that happens to belong to nerd culture.

But enjoying the actual comics? Or the movie, simply for its quality? Or cosplaying your favorite character?

No. That's not okay, in today's society

And that needs to change.

Because it's okay to like an actor. Being a fangirl is just fine. But it's not okay to also enjoy nerd culture for something other than certain British men.

And that's just wrong.

Now, why do people assume that any girl who enjoys nerd culture is a fangirl?

Am I, a teenage girl, incapable of enjoying something, simply for its content?

No. I'm not.

Maybe I do on occasion think 'Oh. He's cute."

But I'm not a fangirl, and I'm sure there are plenty of other people like me.

People who are sick of being stereotyped because of the things they enjoy.

Review: Runaways, Vol. 4: True Believers

Runaways, Vol. 4: True Believers by Brian K. Vaughan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



So, this one was by far my favorite of the Runaways books. Full of plot twists, brilliant character development, and some excellent artwork, it certainly deserves my five star rating.


THE ART

Not my favorite, but still excellent. The darker, rather subtle colors fit the mood of the book very well. Molly looks quite a bit older than usual, and it seems as if they slimmed down Gertude a bit, but aside from that I liked it.


THE WRITING

One doesn't usually expect excellent writing in a comic. But True Believers was quite good. Perhaps not right up there with Harry Potter, but it still beats some novels I've read. Not many, but some.

The characters, as usual, were quite well developed. I like the budding romance between Gert and Chase; as Nico says, they're "made for each other." I also like the Karolina/Nico/Alex love triangle. I don't usually enjoy love triangles, but I do like this one. Molly at times seems very immature for her age, but I felt like in True Believers, she grew up a little.

Now on the plot twists. I don't believe I've encountered this many plot twists before in a single book. Victor's past, for example. And the ending... What was with that? Has Alex returned from the dead?

OVERALL

So, that being said, I LOVED True Believers. It's one of my favorite comics so far, and certainly worth a read.



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My Camp NaNo Novel!

So. You remember how I mentioned possibly making a post about my Camp NaNoWriMo novel? Well, here it is, under my new pen name... Bridget Gillman!

Charlotte Herris has everything she could ever want. After all, she's the daughter of a millionaire and a genius, Charles Herris. Her father runs the Herris Corporation, which has recently branched into genetic sciences. While working with her mother in the lab one day, her sister Katie lockd them in the testing chamber. Her mother didn't survive, but Charlotte did- and she was left with superhuman speed and reflexes. Charlotte now lives a double life- flirtatious daughter of a millionaire and smart-mouth masked vigilante.

Melanie "Mel" Brooks never wanted to be a hero. She was a popular girl at school, and had just finished her Freshman year with flying colors. But when she's kidnapped by her best friend Charlotte's sister Katie and used for genetic experimentation, she wakes up with wings and enhanced eyesight. After defending Charlotte from Tiger, another experiment gone wrong, she takes up the mantle of the Hawk and decides to defend her city, no matter what the cost.

Asha Brown is the Bluebird, like her mother, and her mother's mother. The fact that she has powers comes as no suprise to her. Her powers give her the ability to turn invisible, leaving nothing but tiny blue sparks where she walks. She uses her powers for the good of the city.

Sharon Baker is an oddball. She's a bit of a nerd, and always has her facts straight, which makes her a bit of a smart aleck. The fact that she has precognition- the ability to see the near future-doesn't help much. The only other problem? She doesn't do 'superhero'.

Review: The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I never would've picked this book up on it's own, unless I was just looking for the longest book on the shelf, which does happen sometimes. Looking at the cover, you would never guess that it was a science fiction story- I guessed that it was probably historical fiction. But it was required reading for a class i'm in, so I figured I would give it a shot. Boy was I surprised.

First of all, if you're looking for a quick, fun read... put this book back on the shelf. It's an amazing story, and probably in the same league as Harry Potter when it comes to my favorite books. But even for the fastest readers, this book is going to take a while.

For one thing, it's dense. It deals with the psychological issues of cloning humans and animals, along with several other controversial issues. It definitely requires some thought to read. That being said, if you don't mind any of this stuff (like me), this book is not to be missed.

Matteo Alacran is certainly not an endearing character. He takes after the man he was cloned from, El Patron, in many ways. Without the guidance of his friend Maria, he would have turned out much differently- and taken after El Patron in many ways.

Nancy Farmer does an excellent job showing her vision of our future world. Unlike many dystopian stories, not every part of the world is corrupted, dark, and grim. But many are. Just like today, not everything is horrible, but not everything is wonderful, either. Perhaps that's part of the magic of this story.



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Review: Get Real: What Kind of World are YOU Buying?

Get Real: What Kind of World are YOU Buying? by Mara Rockliff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



'Get Real' is a nonfiction YA book about voting with your dollar, a subject that my mom believes quite strongly in. I spotted it while browsing the shelves at our school library, and thought "Hmm. May as well pick it up. It looks interesting.' That's how I find the majority of the books I read. So I checked it out and took it home.

First of all, this book is a fun read, but it's also quite frightening. Believe me, if you read it, you'll start to have serious doubts about whether or not you really want to be eating hamburgers. And if you ever decide you want to buy a new pair of jeans (which you probably will), you'll think twice about where they come from.

But enough with the warnings. It really is an amazing book, and you should read it. It takes important issues stemming from corporate America. Speaking as a teen, I loved the tone. It was fun and easy to understand, but I never felt like the author was talking down to me. This is saying a lot- the only other book like this that I've read is 'A World Without Fish', and this problem is the main reason that I don't read as much nonfiction.

Also,each source used is clearly listed at the back, and the list takes up about three pages, even in a tiny font size- the author clearly wasn't making this up.

So, overall, I'm going to give this book a 10/10!



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Quarterly Rewind- Winter 2014

So, I got this idea from nevillegirl at Musings From Neville's Navel. Basically, it's a meme going over the events of the past couple of months.

It's hard to believe that winter is over, isn't it? And I'll be turning fourteen in a couple of days. Weird.

So. On to the meme.

Image From This Winter

A photo taken during photography class at my school.

Favorite Quote From A Book I Read This Winter
“In the end, all it takes is one small action, by one person. One at a time.” 
-Ghost Hawk, By Susan Cooper



1. The Neptune Project, by Polly Holyoke. It quickly became one of my new favorite books. I love the characters, the story, and the writing.
My birthday! No. Okay. Um. Seriously.
First of all, the new X-Men movie, Days of Future Past. And Muppets Most Wanted. Honestly, it seems like all the best movies are coming out this year. I'm so excited!
Second... let's see. I'm going on a school camping trip; that should be fun, as I haven't been tent camping in a while now.
Disney. After Frozen came out, I've been totally hooked on Disney. Remember how I was mentioning adding 'yet another fandom' to the list? Well, here's another one. Give me a year and I'll be a sobbing wreck from all the feels.
Third. Let's see. Looking at FitzSimmons stuff on Pintrest because even though I don't watch Agents of SHIELD it's one of the bestest ships ever.

This Winter In One Word
Fast. The year has been going by much too quickly for me.

Most Popular Review This Winter
The Neptune Project, by Polly Holyoke.

Top Two Books I Read This Winter


2. Shada, by Gareth Roberts. It's like high-end Doctor Who fanfiction, plus it retains the trademark humor of Douglas Adams.

Two Things I’m Looking Forward To This Spring

Three New Obsessions This Winter
Marvel superheroes- the movies and occasionally the comics. I've never really been into superheroes before, but lo and behold. Here I am, a newly coined True Believer. Yet another fandom to add to my list.

Most Popular Five Blog Posts Overall This Winter
How to Read & Write Circular Gallifreyan
Way To Go, Marvel!
Photo Editing
What Every Fairy Tale Needs
The Neptune Project Review

Five Posts I Loved On Other Blogs This Winter
How to Write Strong Females
Mini Reviews: Heroic Edition
Love and the Pursuit of Evil
First Reaction to The Giver Film Trailer
Sochi and Stuff

Five Things That Happened This Winter

Hmm. Let me see.

I started a new novel, which I may or may not write a post about sometime in the near future.I downloaded the free trial of Scrivener, which I may or may not decide to use. I realized that my decision about which high school I want to go to will be a lot harder than I originally thought. I joined Pintrest and went crazy with it. And I learned the basics of html coding and css.

Three Songs That I Listened To Far Too Often This Winter

Let It Go, from Frozen. It's perfect stress relief, and always manages to make me feel better.

Plus, it's just plain awesome.



New Year's Day, by U2. I just discovered U2 on my iPod, and I love it. It's quickly made a place on my list of favorite music.

Eleanor Rigby, by the Beatles. It's so sad. But as Sally Sparrow so wisely put it, "Sad is happy for deep people."




The Song of the Lonely Mountain, by Neil Finn. It's so beautiful and rather haunting.



So, I think that's about it.