150th Page Anniversary

    Well, I've gotten to 150. Woot!  

    People ask me if I'm almost done, and the answer is no. I might be about half-way through, but with the ideas popping in my head, I might be only a fourth of the way through. I do have the ending though, so the hardest part is only filling in the middle :) Haha, I love writing.
     Adolf Hitler won WWII. His son is now dictator. 
    "It's not about who lived, but those who have gone."   - Lade

What America Means to Me

    In my book, there is no America - it's been lost, forbidden by Hitler to ever return.

    Since I've been writing about the fall of America and the freedoms that are no longer in play, I've learned more respect for our country and the symbols associated with the States - I know what they mean.

    Lade says that "America is nothing but a wonderful fantasy land."

    We Americans take for granted that we can walk outside without being shot - we can buy a car or groceries - we can do things that other countries won't allow. The fictional country of Ander in my story is nothing at all how America was.
It's funny how you can feel something so strongly that only you can feel. I feel America, much differently that those fighting for our country, but I feel it.

    God Bless the USA :)

100th Page Anniversary

    Wahoo! I finally got to 100 pages :) well, now it's 106... Haha - I love writing; it's so fun! My sister rolls her eyes at me when I say that, but it's true. I love when an idea comes and you just have to follow it until you can breathe out again. I'm getting hooked to it though, thinking about it and writing little notes to myself to "fix this paragraph" or "add 'this or that' to that sentence" and "explain this part better." Haha, I love bloody-ing up my papers.
    Here's the latest possible-cover picture:

front

back

   

    

    I chose black for the "On September..." paragraph

because the white made it seem too bright? Haha, I

don't know! I tried red, and the "Ballade..." paragraph 

as white, then black - but nothing seemed to fit. I'll

probably fix it later...

   What'd you think?

Which Way??

    [Some] Rules of Writing:
1.  Complete an idea before you start another.
2.  Press forward - try not to waste time erasing and starting something over.*
3.  Make note of any and all ideas pertaining to the plot.
4.  Don't use the all the ideas you write down for one story.
5.  Read, reread, and triple-read after each chapter to catch anything you want change.
6.  Listen to any and all advice - this does not mean do everything they tell you, but listen to them.

    * Backing up and erasing: something I've refrained from doing. Well, you have to break your own rules once in a while, yes? Yes; and that's exactly what I did. I erased four chapters and started a different idea, and so far, so good! Haha, I hardly ever do this - but I could either have just kept going with the original idea; or I could back up then go forward :) I might have to do this again later, haha.

All the Time

    So I get to school and can only think about Lade. I'm sitting in honors biology and catch myself thinking that Lade should do this; this can happen to so and so; Gabe can say this--ahhh!! It's so frustrating when that's all you think about: your book. What to take out, what to add on. Urg!
    Haha, it's good when you think about your book all the time, right?  
    Or is it obsession? I'm not quite sure myself, but I'm going to say for right now, it's good :)

Mother Memories

    Lade's life is on a standstill - anticipating whether or not you're going to die today can do that for you - and hearing one voice takes her into a trance. She remembers all the times her mother, Jean, subtly said her daughter was ugly; that she was ashamed to have a daughter that "looks like that." And it hurts. As Lade goes through these memories, her willingness to live begins to slide... Why should she survive if her mother can't even live with her - all because of her hair and eyes?

    I'm smiling as I make these memories. "Why?" you ask, well, your readers have to connect with your characters. There has to be some children who have thought that their parent's aren't proud of them. This is what Lade is feeling almost all the time. Because of Hitler's law (any blonde blue-eyed person or any person aiding this individual is to be executed to avoid rebellion) her mother begged to have Lade's hair dyed; to have optical surgery; anything to change her daughter's looks ... only because Jean is afraid of what Hitler would do to Jean.

   

It's Annoying, Let Me Tell Ya

   It's annoying when you get three chapters done, and you're feeling so good about it - then wham. You go blank. You have no ideas. No idea how to keep going. No way to start some new conflict (or how to resolve the earlier one). 

   You want to bring in new characters, but you know you have to get some more information to the readers before you just plop them in. It's annoying when you know you have a few chapters before you can introduce your new idea - or you have an awesome ending to use but you have no idea how to get from point A to B then to C. Agh!

    Oh well... back to the storming boards.

This picture is me right now: I'm Tom. And what I want is just out of reach, almost like it's laughing in my face ... =)