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Why in the World Would You EVER Want to Write a Book Series?

2/26/2013

I'd never planned to write a book series...EVER. The reason why: because book series' are hard! Dang hard.

Then I wrote DESERT RICE. I finished the book and didn't have plans to write a second. Guess what? The character of Sam wouldn't leave me alone. She demanded a second book (those of you who are writers will completely understand the concept of being haunted by a character. Those of you who are readers will think I'm crazy, and in a lot of aspects, you're right). That second book HAD to be written. I couldn't get around it, but I didn't necessarily enjoy the idea of doing so. You want to know why? Because what if I didn't write it in the way my readers were hoping for? What if the second book was no where near as good as the first? What if I let them down? *huge, crippling fear*

So then guess what I went on to do? I wrote WANTED: Dead or Undead and part way through I realized there was no way everything would be tied up in a nice little bow by the time I got to the ending. It was going to have to be a series. Dang it. There I go again. The worry, the questions, the fears all came rushing back. And now that I'm in the process of writing book three in the series, it's become even worse, so much so that I'm finding it very difficult to write and most likely won't be able to publish it this coming Summer. It may have to wait until the Fall.

Readers have expectations. They have their favorite characters and ideas of what THEY want to see happen. But here's the thing: each reader is different, each reader has their own ideas, and each reader is keeping that information locked away inside their own heads and not sharing it with the author. So where does that leave me? I have to write the story that is inside MY head and hope my readers will understand, and hopefully like what I've done and where I've taken the story. The other thing I've come to realize is that even if I wrote the second and third book in the series EXACTLY how my readers were hoping, they'd still be upset because the story was so predictable. I can't win. There's no way I can win.

Ahhh...what to do, what to do?

The only thing I can: write the book that is inside my head. That's it. I got the best advice from my editor that said, "You can't control the response to your book, only the book that gets written." That's all I can do. Simple and to the point. My editor is extremely wise. I love her.

And in the future, I will only write stand alone books. That's my plan. (But we all know what they say about plans, right?).

So I have a question for you: what series of books was your favorite? What ones disappointed? (For me, I loved the first book in the Hunger Games and then each book after that, not as much).

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Did you see last nights episode of The Walking Dead? spoiler Review

2/18/2013

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*WARNING: SPOILER ALERT*

I love me some Walking Dead. I'm a huge fan of the show. But in saying that, there are still a few things about the plot and its characters that I just don't get.

Last night's episode "Home" was by far one of the best we've had since the midseason premier. When I say, "Ewww! Gross!" several times outloud, then it's an awesome episode. Lots of zombie gore and action that will make you cringe.

But there were a couple of things that I just didn't buy into, nor appreciate:

Like, what in the heck is up with Glen and Maggie? I turned to my husband and asked him, "Why is Maggie so mad at Glen?" To which he wasn't even quite sure. I don't get it. Yes, they were kidnapped and tortured in their own kind of ways, and yes it sucked being vulnerable to the Governor's whim to save Glen from losing his hand and eventually his life, but the Governor didn't rape her. The Governor didn't do much of anything to Maggie (in the realm of possible things he could have done). Sooooo...then why all the anger Maggie? Why are you SO mad at Glen? What exactly did he do? To me, it just makes no sense whatsoever. It feels farfetched. maybe the writers just didn't know what to do with her character. I don't know, but that situation better get figured out soon before I start chanting, "Kill her off! Kill her off!" Like I did with Lori, and we ALL know what happened to Lori, don't we?

Speaking of Lori, even in death she drives me nuts. This whole weirdness with Rick hearing her on the phone and now seeing her ghost just isn't fun for me. I love Rick. Always have. But this new crazy Rick is driving me crazy. I get that going through life constantly fighting off the undead and losing loved ones left and right can take a huge toll on one's psyche. But enough already. Now we've got the guy throwing open gates and running out into zombie infested fields to chase after the ghost of his dead wife, who he even admits ISN'T THERE. I've gotten to the point that when he comes on scene I just about cringe inside and use that time to refill my drink or take a quick potty break. It's become that bad. BUT, the last scene of this episode where he is looking at all the devastation gives me hope that the Rick I know and love will soon be back. There was just something in his eyes that makes me want to tune into next weeks episode SO BAD. I sure hope he's back, because we all know that Glen is in no mental shape to be leader and take over--thanks to Maggie and her weird misplaced anger. I love Glen, but he's no leader.

And is it just me, or does anyone else think Andrea should just die? Why in the world is she still back at that compound? Why, oh why? Of course we need a pair of eyes back there, letting us know what is happening on the inside, and without one of the characters being there, we'd never know. I get that. But is Andrea really THAT dumb? Seriously? The Governor is coo-coo for cocoa puffs and she's seen his weirdness first hand, so why stay? Now that you know your friends are alive, WHY STAY? Again, I think the writers misjudged this. If anything, the way they've tried to keep her there, makes us, as viewers, really dislike her. It would've been better if she was there to keep tabs on him from the inside or something like that. But this, "I still like him, even though I know he's weird and he tried to murder all my friends, but we're lovers so I can let that slide" is just crap that makes me want to slap her. She better do something, and do it soon or again, I will be chanting, "Kill her off! Kill her off!" (Wow, the more I think about it, the more I realize there seems to be very few characters I like, and yet, I keep coming back. Why do I keep coming back then...DARYL!!)

I knew he'd be back! What an awesome moment that was! AND, I absolutely loved the scene between him and Merle in the woods. About time he put his brother in his place and told him exactly what he thought about him. (You tell him, Daryl!). When they both come to the rescue of a family, fighting off the undead on the bridge, there's a quick moment where I was a bit concerned: Merle is rummaging through the family's car, looking for food and supplies that he figures he has every right to take. If Daryl stood back and let Merle do what he wanted, then the Daryl who stood up to his brother would simply be a one time fluke. It's in this moment where we learn where Daryl's heart and commitment lies (Please not with Merle! Please!) But when he stuck that crossbow to the back of his brother's head, I punched the air with joy! Daryl is still a good guy! The best guy! I love that guy! All is well. I still have faith in the show.

I still have a couple of issues with this episode though, despite my love for Daryl, that I want to address. The first: where were the other people in the jail during this whole shootout? Tyreese and his sister and the other guys, whose names we do not know, where were they? Why not turn to them for help? Everyone knows the Governor is coming and going to act out some kind of revenge. Wouldn't that be a good time to open the gates and let the newcomers help? Nope. We don't even see them AT ALL in this episode. Our original group is getting their butts handed to them on a plate--a total shootout, a van filled with walkers dropped off right in the yard (very cool by the way)--and there is no Tyreese? There's FOUR other people in the prison who could help, and nothing? Are you kidding me? Ahhh... Dumb, dumb, dumb. This next episode they better use these guys. Come on. Let's be smart here.

And lastly, they killed off Axel. My heart hurts when I type that. I really, really liked him. He was a good guy, someone I thought could be a contender for Carol's heart (wouldn't that have been fun, watching Axel and Daryl try to win her affections...it could've been good). But no. Axel is dead. It was a powerful moment in the show, him taking a bullet to the head, but that doesn't mean I agreed with it. Now all the original prisoners are dead. Thanks a bunch, writers of The Walking Dead. Thanks a bunch. Yes it was dramatic and was set up to yank on our heart strings, which it did, but the thing the writers don't understand is that I now refuse to care for ANY of the new characters they plan to introduce. They're dispensable. We shouldn't invest in them. That's what I've come to learn. Nope, we can't kill off Andrea or Maggie (people who annoy us) we've got to kill off Axel, sweet, misunderstood Axel. That makes me so sad.

Despite all the "dumbness", if you will, I have faith that things will turn around for this show and the remainder of the season will be awesome. Rick looks to be on the mend from his craziness (which I still don't understand the purpose of), Daryl is back (Yippee!), the group HAS to fight back (which should lead to some great stuff coming our way), and Andrea appears to be a little wiser (about freakin' time).

Things are bound to get good and I can't wait. The count down to next Sunday has begun.

So what did you think about the episode "Home?" Love it? Hate it? Agree or disagree with me? I'd love to know what you think. Leave a comment. Let's discuss this show that annoys me, yet I still love.

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Are you a Zombie? (Tips & Tricks for the Newly Undead)

2/12/2013

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Whenever we think of the zombie apocalypse, most of us would like to believe we would look something like this--->

When in reality we will most likely find ourselves looking like this

<---

It's the hard cold truth, and I'm sorry to break it to you, but it's better that you know now so you can plan and prepare for your inevitable zombiehood and make the most of it.

Because here's the thing: There's usually a lot of zombies in a zombie apocalypse. Lots. Every movie says so. (And have you seen the movie for WORLD WAR Z? Damn. That's a lot of zombies. See trailer below).

Even super intelligent people become zombies—doctors, businessmen, scientists, rescue people, military—so how in the world is someone like you and me going to beat this thing? No offense, but we're not. We're just not.

In fact, unless you are a redneck with a bunker of ammunition, having prepared for a zombie apocalypse since birth, you are pretty much screwed.

Is this your face? No? Then you will be a zombie.

So now that we've come to accept our fate (Just embrace it. It will be okay), we can go about preparing ourselves to be the best damn zombie a zombie can be.

Tip #1: When you find you have been bitten, don't scream and shout that a zombie got ya. That's a no-no. Big time. You will end up with a bullet between the eyes before you even had a chance to enjoy yourself. Just relax. Take some deep breaths. And for the love of all that's good in the world, hide that bite. Don't show anyone.

Tip #2: Act natural. This will be hard, but I have faith that you can do it. Try whistling. Everyone likes whistling and people will think you're A-OK and not think anything is up with you.

Tip #3: Get to a safe place. Find somewhere that is comfortable for you, but make sure it's open and airy as well. Locked doors and windows will be your downfall and make being the best zombie you can be quite difficult (Zombies can't unlock doors. That's a fact) and you don't want to spend all your glorious zombie time trying to smash down doors. Wasteful. So if you chose to go to your home, leave all your doors open and try to stay on the main floor. Stairs can be tricky.

Tip #4: Before you go into convulsions and succumb to unconsciousness (this happens right before death) take the time to bathe. Freshen up a little. Wash all your parts, brush your teeth, and maybe put on your very best clothing. A nice suit and tie for the gents and a lovely party frock for the ladies. A well dressed zombie will get you much farther along than looking like a hobo. There's no need to play into the stereotypical zombie role. None-what-so-ever

Tip #4a: Spray your clothing with Scotch Guard. You will be outdoors a lot and most likely it will rain. But more importantly, it will help protect your clothes from stains as well (there will be stains. It's inevitable). WARNING: Scotch Guard is flammable, so proceed with care.

Tip #5: Be mindful of where you're swinging your limbs and where you're walking. There's no need to rush about once you've turned. Take it easy. Slow it down. Every movie shows that even the slowest of zombies still manage to do a lot of damage and eat a lot of brains. Your body is your temple. Take care of it. Injuries happen to the careless and to the overly zealous. That doesn't have to be you. You don't want to snag your arms on broken fences or twist an ankle by tripping over another zombie. That will just make things more difficult. Take care of your corpse. Be good to it.

Tip #6: Remember your manners. Don't push or clamor over other zombies. There's no need for rudeness. And yes, there will be jerk zombies. If they were a jerk as a human, then they will most likely be a jerk as part of the undead. Don't waste your time fighting them. Just shamble away. Move along. There will be other survivors to eat and nicer zombies to create a horde with. You have plenty of time.

Tip #6a: Don't become a member of the wrong horde. Your instinct will be to find other zombies, any zombies, to mingle and become friends with. Be careful. Some zombies are just buttheads. Don't let that be you. Find other zombies with similar values as yours. Working together can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing if you chose your friends unwisely. Watch and observe your new zombie friends' behaviors, if what they're doing feels wrong and goes against your principles, then go with your gut. You don't have to eat the baby if you don't want to. You have a choice.

Tip #7: Stay to side roads and trails. Open fields make you an easy target. Main roads will get you run over or blown up when the military drop their bombs. Country living is rather nice anyway, so look for little towns. Farmers are actually quite delicious. More organic than city folk.

Tip #8: This is the most important one, smile and enjoy yourself. You're a zombie! It isn’t like your dead-dead or anything. Aside from the occasional insane zombie survivalist, undead life can be pretty good. No taxes. No paying bills. No mowing lawns or taking out the trash. Look at the bright side and make your zombie living the best it can be.

Of course there is much more we can all learn to prepare ourselves. The above is just to get you started and give you a fair chance of "living" for as long as possible in your undead state before someone cuts off your head or shoots you. If you know any other tips or tricks that might be helpful, please share. We're all learning here. And, when the time comes, and you see me in my zombie state, wave and say hello. Maybe we can start our own horde together. Wouldn't that be fun!

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#warmbodies A hit or a Miss? (One Zombie Writer's Take on the movie)

2/2/2013

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I must admit that I haven't read the book that this movie is based on. So in saying that, my feelings are based simply on seeing the movie as is, without that knowledge of what was missing, what was changed, or what was completely off base. In some respects, I like that I didn't read the book first. This is my opinion of the movie, and the movie alone.

I'd watched the movie trailer for WARM BODIES a while back and was hesitant (see trailer below). Honestly, I thought it looked dumb and incredibly cheesy. It didn't grab me like the movie trailer for WORLD WAR Z. Now that movie had me sitting on the edge of my chair, nervous, yet highly intrigued. Because WARM BODIES didn't make a huge impression on me, I put this zombie movie on my "wait-until-the-video-comes-out" list. I was in no rush to go out and watch it.

Tonight, I went on a date with my husband and another couple (close friends of ours) and had planned to go bowling (Yes, people in their 40's go bowling. We're cool). When we got to the bowling alley, the place was packed so my friend suggested we go see WARM BODIES. She knew that because I'm a zombie enthusiast, not to mention an author of zombie novels (shameless plug here) she figured I'd be jumping at the chance to go see it. I wasn't jumping, but said what the heck. Secretly, as we searched our iphones for movie times, I checked out ROTTEN TOMATOES to see what the reviews had to say. I hate wasting money on poorly rated movies. But it had great ratings, which totally surprised me. Even the critics seemed to enjoy it (critics are hard to please, the buggers).

Well let me tell you, I LOVED it! I really, really loved it! The theater was packed and we had to sit like five rows from the screen--it was that popular (and we'd even bought our tickets an hour early...it's one of those theaters where you pick and reserve your seats. We didn't have much choice). Anyhoo...I was pleasantly surprised by this romantic comedy of a zombie movie. The concept is different (not one I've seen done before) and I totally enjoyed it. But I'm a sucker for zombies and humor. The zombie movies that are all serious-like and terrifying, not so much. I like my zombies shambling and not all "you-don't-have-a-friggin'-chance" kind of zombies. I do still plan to see WORLD WAR Z despite the fact that those zombies look horribly terrifying (see trailer below).

I would have to say that WARM BODIES is now among one of my favorite zombie movies. The others: ZOMBIELAND (of course), SHAWN OF THE DEAD, and FIDO (awesome). It was funny without being overly dumb and I loved the characters. Of course, there were some not-so-plausibe zombie moments (like I prefer my zombies NOT to have the ability to kick me in my chest or open plane doors, but that's just me).

I walked away from this movie thinking, "Wow, when this movie comes out on DVD, I'm getting it!" So it's February, the month of love, so grab your honey and go check out this movie. I enjoyed it, and based on the reaction from the packed theater where I watched it, everyone else enjoyed it too (lots of laughing and several times people made comments back to the screen). Fun times.

So, have you seen it? What did you think? Have you read the book and if so, how did it compare (I'm curious about that)? When you go see it (if you do) come back and share your experience with me :)