A bit of YA heaven

I've just started reading the second book in Libba Bray's Great and Terrible Beauty series; Rebel Angels with the third one, A Sweet Far Thing, lined up and waiting. I only finished GTB a week ago and took a rest to read Cassandra Clare's Book 2 of the Mortal Instruments series: City of Ashes. I should probably talk about that, because I still can't get it out of my mind. But instead, I'll talk about Libba Bray's writing; the incredible beauty of her images, her sense of place, character and time. The writing is so lovely and at the same time biting it makes me ache. The uppity British school her main characters attend, their bitchy rivalries, their pent-up frustration against a proper woman's place in society, set against a back drop of wild, dangerous, magic and sensuality. AHHHHHH! It's YA heaven to me. After reads like these, I'm very worried about what to read next. I'm thinking of a book called a Certain Slant of Light (can't recall the author's name) but it's a ghost story with a twist. Also a possibility: Wildwood Dancing

Personally, I wish there were two of me. One who can read around the clock and the other who can write. Make that three. There's got to be one who lives the rest of my life. I know Christine says she never reads in the genre she writes, but I live, eat and sleep YA and feel like I'm missing something if I'm not reading it.
I find I don't have a problem with reading it while I write it. The characters in the books I read feel very distinct from the ones I invent. And you know what's REALLY scary?

They are all seem real to me.

What am I reading????

I am reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter, by Jeff Lindsay. I actually just started it last night and did not want to go to sleep I just wanted to read. The hit series in Showtime, Dexter is based on this series. It's about a serial killer who kills serial killers. He was raised by his foster father who happens to be a homicide detective. He recognizes early on that Dexter is a sociopath. He teaches him a code to keep him safe, also teaching him to fake emotion since he feels none. Dexter works as a blood spatter expert in a lab for the police department, his foster sister is a cop. Lindsay's characterization is pretty darn good, and I am really enjoying Dexter's dark and secret world.

He is an unlikely hero...he is technically a bad guy who hunts other bad guys. So far I really recommend this series if you want something interesting and different to read that is not too heavy. I put down the other book I was reading to start this one because the other was taking me so long (not sure if I will go back to it). Now I am ordering the other two books.

Trish

A room of mine own . . .

Oh, to have an ideal writing room . . . although if I had a perfect place to write, what would I blame for my fallow periods? But it’s still fun to dream, so here goes.

First off, I would have to have lots of windows and interesting things to look at on the walls – when I write, I spend good stretches of time staring off into space, and it’s nice to have something to stare at. I wouldn’t have a desk – just some comfy chairs that I could sit in with my laptop, and an ottoman for my feet and a little table for a drink and the baby monitor (I write while my son naps – it’s actually great motivation. If I don’t write then and write fast, I miss my chance for the day.)

Really ideally, my writing room would have a door that opened on to the back yard, where a nice dirt path winds into the woods, makes a 1.5 mile circuit, and dumps me back at the house. This path and back yard and woods are not attached to my current home, but I’m fantasizing here, people. Anyway. That would be perfect, because I like to walk when I’m stuck for words.

There would be a stereo and a little T.V. in the room. Sometimes I like quiet, and sometimes I like music and sometimes I like the television on but turned down too low to hear while I’m working. So, include all of those things, too.

What else? I’d like Internet access, but not wireless. I’d want to have to walk over to a specific chair and plug in my computer to get access to the ‘net. I read a great quote that pretty much sums up my reasoning for this . . . “Being a great writer is 3% inspiration and 97% not getting distracted by the Internet.” I have no idea who said that. If you do, leave a note in the comments section, will you?

Those are all my necessities. Maybe someday I’ll win the lottery . . . speaking of which, I wonder what J.K. Rowling’s writing space looks like?

Location, Location, Location

For me the perfect creative space is all about this quaint little Canadian costal town. In the mornings, I could walk to the market and by my groceries for the day and then head back to my little house on a hill. I'd like to have an attic room with two bay windows, one showing me the harbor and the other facing the forest. It should be a soft neutral color and have two big comfy chairs for reading and chatting with a friend. My desk would sit in a corner, though I'd probably spend most of my time in my fluffy chair with my laptop. Book shelves lining the other two walls with all my favorites including my Wordslingers shelves, that would have pics as well as their brilliant works. It would have to have an awesome stereo system. I like to take writing breaks and dance around the room. Hardwood floors but with a couple of well placed rugs, cause I'm sure it'll be a stinker to heat. That's my spot. I wish I was there right now!

Mandy

My Dream Space

If I could create any space to write and money were no object.... Hmm, first it would have a huge bay window facing South, where most thunderstorms blow in from in this area. I would have a soft couch in muted colors, one wall would be pale blue with thousands of my favorite quotations written in calligraphy. Along another wall I would have a large black and white photo, probably of trees, and the other wall with custom shelving for all of my books--and a special display shelf for Wordslinger books.

A small desk facing the window to give me the opportunity to slack and daydream. Let's not forget the collage of inspiring people...like Mr. McAvoy, here.

Trish