HIATUS

Hey everyone! Sadly, I am taking a break from blogging until further notice. (Probably January 2014) If you wish to guest blog, please feel free to email me at authorashlynshore@gmail.com. I will accept anything like short stories, book reviews, or articles. For reviews, no erotica, vampire/werewolf, or mystery/crime. Also, I am writing my first novel I plan to self-publish. If you wish to read more of my works, my username is AlwaysAshlyn on Wattpad.

Miss you all already!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

Media Res VS. Ordinary World

The words, "in media res" is Latin for "in the middle of things" or "in the midst of things".

Starting a story in media res means to start it in the middle of the action. For example, let's say your protagonist realizes she is suddenly late for a meeting and she rushes to work. A lot of things could happen between her realizing she's late and her rushing off. Maybe she forgot her purse, or perhaps she runs into an unknown stranger while making her way to work and he gives her a secret coded message.

For some, starting in media res can be simple, easy, and exciting. But for others, it may be more difficult. In order to successfully incorporate media res into your story you have to make sure you explain things later on. It's always great to keep the suspense going, but not long enough so that your readers stop reading in frustration. Remember, show, don't tell. Use dreams, flashbacks, and dialogue to slowly reveal more about your characters and the story.

Actually, if you think about it, there are actually a lot of stories written in media res. At the moment, I can't think of any examples off the top of my head so if you wish to read some stories written in media res, google it.

Now let's talk about the opposite of media res, ordinary world.

Not as fancy-sounding as media res, huh? Starting in the ordinary world simply means starting in the protagonist's casual everyday life. Take Harry Potter for instance. We are first introduced to this abused and despised ordinary boy who is hated by his uncle and aunt. Then after a while, the situation begins to form and the story begins. Harry meets Hagrid who explains that Harry is a wizard and that he must come to Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Harry's like "What?!?!" and Hagrid's like "Yeah, you're a wizard."

Starting in the ordinary world is basically sticking to the traditional story-writing stages. There's the beginning, middle, and end. Now compare it to starting in media res. With that, you start from the middle, go back to the beginning and explain things, and then end it at the end.

In my opinion, I prefer starting in media res, but honestly, I'm better with writing in the traditional ordinary world. It really depends what kind of story you're writing and what your target audience is. The best way to decide this would be to write it in media res and ordinary world and then choose which one sounds better. So far, I haven't started any stories in media res, but I am hoping to. Starting with media res often attracts more readers then with ordinary world

The thing with starting with the ordinary world is when to begin the whole story. If you wait too long, readers will get bored and put the book down. You MUST get it at the right time. The exact, as-close-to-perfect as you can get right time. Let your friends and family review your first few chapters and make sure you get honest responses from them. Starting in ordinary world can be more stressful in a way, but if you can master it, it can be rewarding.

In conclusion, media res and ordinary world can be both highly difficult and extremely easy at the same time. It just depends on a lot of things. Some prefer media res, while others don't. And it's perfectly fine. I haven't read much stories starting with media res, but out of the two, it's definitely my favorite and I hope to write my own story with it soon.

So, what are your thoughts? What do you prefer? Please comment below and tell us your opinion.

:)

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

Author Interview: Jade Kerrion

Read the exclusive interview with award-winning author Jade Kerrion below! Check out her website at http://jadekerrion.com/ and buy her books at Amazon! Enjoy :)

PS. Looking for a one-time guest blogger! Email me at authorashlynshore@gmail.com if you're interested. Please do not send full articles or reviews unless asked for otherwise. 

1. Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

 

I started writing at the age of thirteen when my school essays were returned to me with a bunch of “A”s scrawled over the top. Teenagers are impressionable. Being much more impressionable than most, and believing that my teachers knew what they were doing, I figured I was destined to be a writer. It’s only taken me tens of thousands of hours of work since then to be halfway decent at writing (and I’m still learning each day), but one has to start somewhere.

 

2. When did you start taking writing seriously?

 

In November 2010, my husband challenged me to stop writing for fun and to start writing as a career. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) 2010 was the trigger. I spent that month writing Perfection Unleashed, my debut novel.

 

3. How many books have you written?

 

I released Perfection Unleashed in June 2012. To date, I have published five books. I have two more books scheduled for release in 2013.

 

4. What was your journey to becoming an author like?

 

Rocky, as most journeys are. For a while, I explored traditional publishing, but then decided I was too much of a control freak to take to traditional publishing. I preferred having creative control over my writing, artistic control over my covers, and process control over my publishing schedules. In the end, self-publishing made the most sense for me.

 

5. Is there anything specifically that helps you write better/inspires you?

 

I think I’m past the stage of needing inspiration; writing is more of a compulsion now. In general, I have a compulsive personality; people like me should never get exposed to alcohol, cigarettes, or recreational drugs—we’re easy prey. Years ago, computer gaming and writing used to go hand-in-hand for me. My characters from my computer games inspired my writing. Since then, however, my characters have taken on a life of their own and thus, I have been freed to happily obsess about them without needing the occasional computer gaming boost to sustain them.

 

6. What's the hardest part of writing for you?

 

The hardest part is stopping. After multiple rounds of self-editing, several weeks of working with my editor, and several rounds of proofreading, I have to put the manuscriptaway and say “done.” I think it is entirely possible to edit forever, but at some point, you have to stop and send the book out into the world.

 

7. Do you have a specific writing style?

Third person past tense? To be honest, I’m not sure I know the response to this question. Some people say my style is much like one author or another (which would be an interesting feat, considering I’d never read some of those authors.) Broadly, I’d say that my style tends to resemble serials or movies. I grew up writing fan fiction, and got accustomed to writing sections of chapters that almost inevitably ended on a cliffhanger just because that’s the way fan fiction is usually consumed on online fan forums. In addition, I write the movie I see in my head, and not surprisingly, people have commented that reading my books is like watching a movie.

 

8. Who is your favorite author?

 

Neil Gaiman is pure genius in his storytelling ability. I’m a huge fan of his Sandman series.

 

9. What are your favorite books and what genres do you prefer?

 

Science fiction and fantasy are my favorite genres to read and write. I’ve especially enjoyed the Belgariad andMallorean series by David Eddings. To unwind, I settle down with a sweet and satisfying romance, preferably Nora Roberts. I also enjoy thrillers, especially some of Robert Ludlum’s novels.

 

10. What is some good advice/tips for young writers/aspiring unpublished authors?

 

Success in any new career takes time. Be patient. Invest in yourself—understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and be committed to continual learning and constant growth. It is said that it takes 10,000 hours of work to become an expert in a field. That’s approximately 5 years of full time 8-to-5 work, and you need to be prepared to make the investment of your time and resources for the long haul.

 

11. Advice for getting rid of writer's block?

 

I think writer’s block is just an excuse. Writing is a discipline, like going to school or work each day, like exercising and eating healthy. It’s just something to have to do because it’s an expectation for achieving your career goals as a writer. Maybe that particular scene isn’t working out the way you want, well, then work on another, but work on something. Thomas Edison said it best, “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” Today, you may not have the 1%, but you sure can muster up the 99% because that is under your control.

 

12. A favorite quote of yours you'd like to share?

 

Neil Gaiman’s character, Death, from the Sandman series, utters my favorite quote, “It always ends. That’s what gives it value.” That quote reminds me that what makes any experience, even life as a whole valuable, is the fact that it ends. Because it ends, every moment is that much more precious and beautiful.

 

13. What would you be if you didn't become an author?

 

Well, I’m already several things, in addition to wife and mother. I actually work full time in an education company in the area of business and learning strategy. I enjoy my job very much and don’t have any intention of quitting.

 

14. Can you share some info about your current work with us?

 

Well, I have two novels coming out in 2013. Perfection Challenged, the conclusion to the seven-time award-winning Double Helix series, and Eternal Night, a paranormal fantasy set in the future (sounds odd, doesn’t it?), kicks off the Aeternae Noctis trilogy. Currently, I’m working on a romantic thriller, a spin-off the Double Helixseries.

 

15. Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? 

 

Only that I’m thrilled you’ve enjoyed my novels. To every one of you, thank you for sharing this journey with me and I hope you keep hanging around. The best is yet to come.

 

About the author

 

Jade Kerrion unites cutting-edge science and bioethics with fast-paced action in her award-winning Double Helixseries. Perfection Unleashed and its sequels, Perfect Betrayal, Perfect Weapon, and Perfection Challenged have been described as “breakout science fiction” and drawn rave reviews for their originality and vision. Her novel,When the Silence Ends, is a Young Adult spinoff the Double Helix series. She is also the author of Earth-Sim, a compelling and whimsical view of Earth’s history through the eyes of the two students assigned to manage our planet.

 

Social Media Links:

 

Connect with Jade Kerrion: Blog / Facebook / Twitter

 

Thanks for reading! More great interviews yet to come, thanks to all your support!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

Book Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Note from Ashlyn: I am looking for a one-time guest blogger to post something on this blog. It can be anything, from book reviews to advice on self-publishing. Email me at authorashlynshore@gmail.com for submissions. Please do not send a full article or review unless asked otherwise.

 

Author: Marie Lu (http://marielu.org/)

Genre(s): Romance/Dystopian

POV: First person with two main characters alternating chapters, present tense

Series or Single: Book One in the Legend Trilogy

 

3.5 Stars

 

Summary:

 

June Iparis, the Republic’s most prized prodigy and first to ever score perfect on her Trials, discovers that her brother was murdered.

Day, the Republic’s most wanted criminal, is the prime suspect. So when June is assigned to capture her brother’s murderer, she is eager to take revenge. But Day is different and definitely not like any other criminal. Before June has the chance to stop everything, Day becomes property of the Republic and is taken away to be executed. June’s suspicions rise after she realizes everything that was hidden from her is revealed, and that her brother’s death wasn’t what she knew of.

 

Review:

 

I finished this book without even noticing I did.

 

Through every well-written chapter, I could tell how much passion the author put into to write this book. Lately, I’ve been on a dystopian craze, reading every series and book I could find, but Legend was definitely by far the best. Highly recommended for ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Divergent’ fans.

 

I loved how June and Day had a sort of mysterious, yet complex romantic relationship between them. There really is no comparison for these two. But really, if you asked me, I don’t think they would make a very long-lasting couple.

 

Day is the typical, flirty fifteen-year old criminal on the run while June is the clever, calm, and collected military prodigy. Despite them having a steady relationship, I was fascinated by their individual personalities and traits. Day surprised me a lot of times, more than June. He protected his loved ones before himself and is without a doubt, the most self-sacrificing character in the book. Also, I noticed later on that he has sort of a double personality all mashed together. The selfless, kind and passionate side of him can only be seen when he’s around his family or his friends, especially Tess and June. His other side, the cunning, rebellious and naughty side of him often appears when he’s on the run from Republic soldiers or in front of anyone considered his enemies. Either way, he has a catchy habit of calling anyone he meets, ‘cousin’.

 

I think June is an enhanced and improved, different-kind of Tris Prior. (Divergent) She can be unwillingly selfish sometimes, and takes things for granted a lot. The only flaw I’m uncomfortable with is how perfect June is. It could be possible, but how likely is a stunningly beautiful, smart, and honorable military prodigy to be born? I believe that the story could have had a more interesting twist if June wasn’t so attractive or as confident.

 

But do you want to know who my favorite character was?

 

Day’s best friend and partner in crime, Tess.

 

Tess is described with having big adorable eyes and a delicate personality. She was found on the streets of one of the slums sectors by Day as an orphan. Tess can be very fragile at first, and easily jealous at anyone who Day finds interesting. It is later revealed in Prodigy that Tess had matured and began crushing on Day.

 

Enough with the characters now, the waste of chapters is what I really need to talk about.

 

Day being held by the Republic in a cell is what takes up basically almost a quarter, maybe even a half, of the story. Also, I think Day keeps having too many nightmares and June not enough. Another thing I noticed personally was how quick June’s brother died. Usually, authors strive to make character deaths as meaningful as they can, even supporting characters. I couldn’t connect with the way June felt about her loss and it was as if nothing changed in my mind when her brother died. But it wasn’t the fact that he died, it was why and how he died.

 

Nothing in particular really got me pumped, but I can’t say I was disappointed. Many others disagree and thought this was better than the Hunger Games, but that’s just my opinion.

 

So, you might be asking, do I recommend this book or not? For casual dystopian fans, yes, definitely go ahead! For others, you may just like it or you may love it. In short, I was one of the readers who absolutely adored it, but also found quite a few flaws. Not as exciting or thrilling as the Hunger Games, but way worth reading. Sure it was great, but I wish there was something more to it that could’ve made it stand out more.

 

Have you read any books in the Legend Trilogy? Please feel free to share your thoughts below in the comments!

Favorite Quotes from Legend by Marie Lu

"I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat, and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine" - June

"I'm entering the patrol as a detective in training. My first tracking mission: Day."

"I would rather die than see them hurt you.

And I have a sudden fear that somehow, some way, what he said in that dream will come true."

"My hands start to shake. The boy is John."

"I never did ask you about your street name. Why 'Day'?"

"Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time."

"You try to walk in the light."

"In fact, he got the same score I did. I am no longer the Republic's only prodigy with a perfect score."

"My brother had once promised to stay at my side forever. I look away from Thomas and towards the altar, so he doesn't see the tears in my eyes. I can't smile back. I don't think I'll ever smile again."

"That would be impossible. Metias can't be tortured. He is already dead."

"That's when something happens. I stumble into a Skiz fight."

"Kaede strikes like a bull, a battering ram.

This girl strikes like a viper."

"But I know Tess would've given me sad puppy eyes for the rest of the day. So I didn't."

"She's not cynical or jaded. The streets haven't broken her. They've made her stronger instead.

Like me."

"I have no sympathy for a criminal, I remind myself harshly. Just a score to settle."

"But… sometimes it feels like we're the same person born into two different worlds."

What are your favorite quotes?

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

The Art of Fantasy Worlds

Fantasy fiction has that special touch that makes them different from sci-fi or dystopian fiction.

It's that sense of imagination and adventure we all love. But the question is, how do you summon it?

If you normally write dystopian or science fiction, it may or may not be easier to transition over to fantasy. Fantasy can be anything you can imagine, which is why most amateur writers are fond of it.

Today I am going to tell you how to create your own fantasy world. It can be a kingdom, a forest, a town, anything. So let's start with its landscape. What does everything look like? Mountains, valleys, cliffs, or meadows?

Once you have a simple idea of what you want your world to look like, think of a name. If you don't have one now, that's fine. You want the name to make sense, though. If your world is pretty much all flat land, you probably aren't going to call it the "Enchanted Hills".

This is the stage where you can brainstorm some other ideas you want to incorporate into your world. Maybe there are four lakes at each corner of the kingdom. If so, what are they for? These connecting ideas will come in handy later if you write a story using this world.

But wait a moment.

Who are the inhabitants of this land? Mysterious elves? Dragons? Faries? Remember, this is a fantasy world, so you get to be creative. Maybe there are three clans of inhabitants, wolves, mermaids, and dryads, for example. Then you could divide the kingdom three ways for each clan. And perhaps one of the clans is jealous of the other, if so, why? Try to fill in all the gaps of your world so that everything looks nice or at least makes sense.

For those who are designing their own kingdom for the use of a story, think of different towns to add in. Each could serve a certain purpose related to your characters and story. Don't forget to make your protagonist's hometown or village unique. Maybe give each citizen there a certain trait they all share, so your protagonist or other character can differ from that.

If it so helps, draw a map. It's better to visualize your world on paper then in your head. Unless you're an artist and you wish to color your world, a simple sketch will do. Keep in mind the best fantasy worlds are the most unique and creative, so don't be afraid to step outside the lines!

For more information on fantasy worlds, look up some older posts on my blog. Also, read lots of fantasy books and take note of important details.

Good luck on your fantasy novel!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

Author Interview with Melissa McPhail!

Thank you everyone for waiting for this blog's very first author interview! I have interviewed the brilliantly talented author of the "A Pattern of Shadow and Light" series, Melissa McPhail and cannot wait for you to read it! Please comment and buy Melissa's book, Cephrael's Hand at http://www.amazon.com/Cephraels-Hand-Pattern-Shadow-ebook/dp/B0046A9VLO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331577020&sr=8-2

Enjoy!

Author: Melissa McPhail

1. What inspired you to become an author?

At my christening, the three good fairies banged me over the head with their wands, and the first said, "You will be unnaturally tall for your age and marry a prince three inches shorter than you," and the second fairy, who was a little scatterbrained, said, "you will lead a charmed life to the envy of your friends but you will never be able to leave the house on time and when you come to a staircase you will be required to trip while climbing it,"  and the third fairy said, "Never mind those old bats, I'm giving you the gift of storytelling. Writing will be your greatest joy to the exclusion of nearly everything else, especially people, and you will write epic tales." 

So this accounts for all of my vices and disgraces and apparently my great lack of enthusiasm in attending social functions.

 

2. How many books have you written?

I've published two volumes of my five volume epic fantasy series, A Pattern of Shadow and Light, and I'm currently writing the third. I think volume and epic are both appropriately descriptive for this work, because my books are longer than most indie works (maybe a little longer than average for the genre). I see some indie authors churning out works and building their backlist and sigh somewhat despondently, because I'd love to be able to do that. But this story cannot be told properly in one-hundred-thousand word episodes.

 

3. What are your favorite books to read and what genres do you prefer?

I am obsessed with Fantasy and Science Fiction, especially fantasy. I believe whole-heartedly that everyone should read speculative fiction, because it's good for the soul in ways that contemporary fiction can't hope to compare. That may sound like blasphemy to some and hubris to others (I've written several blog posts on the topic and will always have more to say about it), but look at it this way: we're surrounded by reality. Inundated by it. And now, in your precious spare time, you're going to go read about it some more? Really? It improves your general outlook on life to read about that poor woman whose husband left her and whose sister died on a humanitarian mission to Africa and now she's battling with cancer?  

 

While I admire great writing in any genre, I look at some of those novels and wonder what the author and the reader could possibly gain from reading them? We feed our souls the same way we feed our bodies, and a bit of care ought to be taken in deciding what kind of sustenance we're consuming. 

Why not feed your imagination instead? Explore new lands, new worlds, new universes! New ideas - be them shocking, heartbreaking, redemptive or edifying. Speculative fiction is the only genre where there are no rules, no boundaries, and the only limitation is the extent of your own imagination.  

 

4. How are you different from other authors? What makes your books special?

I'm a visual writer, so you're going to be pulled into the world and see it spiraling around you in vivid color. I'm also a philosopher at heart with a great history of study into comparative religion and the age-old question of ethics versus morality. So the dominant themes in my book concern honor, trust, faith and truth, but they also encompass ideas such as self-determinism, free will, choice and causation - all within a grand landscape of kingdoms, epic sword fights, magic and intrigue. 

Where I think I shine most, however, is in providing a mouthpiece for my characters. They are all individuals, with personal hopes and convictions, as well as with faults and fears. My series is their story, a vast pattern of interconnected threads, and the woven tapestry of its telling is my life's work.

 

5. A quote you'd like to share?

I'm a huge fan of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the Transcendentalist movement that gained its voice at the turn of the 20th century.  I think just about everything Emerson ever said or wrote fits well in quotes, but one that speaks to me especially at this time in my life is: "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." Or in the profound words of my character, Fynn, "Fill what's empty, empty what's full, and scratch where it itches." That's Fynn's idea of being true to himself. Would that we might all live up to our own mottos so completely

Bio:

Author Bio: Melissa McPhail is the author of the award-winning epic fantasy series, A Pattern of Shadow & Light. In addition to her writing, Melissa is a classically trained pianist, violinist and composer, a Vinyasa yoga instructor, and an avid Fantasy reader. A long-time student of philosophy, she is passionate about the Fantasy genre because of its inherent philosophical explorations. She seeks with her novels to explore good and evil, nobility, honor, free will, courage and self-sacrifice in all their many facets. 

A Southern girl at heart, Melissa now lives in the Pacific-Northwest with her husband, their twin daughters, and two very large cats.

Thanks for reading and don't forget to comment!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

PS: Read more about Melissa at her website at http://melissamcphail.com

My Top 15 Favorite Words

Hey everyone, it's Ashlyn here! Was discussing my favorite words with a friend and came up with this blog post. Enjoy!

15. Imagine

I am a HUGE fan of imagination as most of you know how much I love Bridge to Terabithia! I absolutely adore bringing my imagination to life while writing and I try to be more open-minded in reality as well. :) Unfortunately, today people are neglecting their imaginations and obsessing over things like iPhones and other material possessions. *rolls eyes*

14. Nature

Mountains, valleys, rivers, nothing inspires me more! In my spare time, I sometimes go out and explore God's amazing creation, which is where most of my inspiration comes from!

13. Write

… This one should be rather obvious…

12. Read

Every writer must read just as much as they write! Reading what other writers have to say is one of the main sources of creativity and inspiration. For me, I can read approximately two or three books every week. How about you?

11. Rebel

I love the verb and the noun. Who doesn't love rebellious characters like Tris Prior, Katniss Everdeen, America Singer, and June Iparis?

10. Create

Don't really have an explanation for this one, just really love it! Creativity, creative, they just really draw me in.

9. Aspire

Look up. "Ashlyn Shore: Aspiring Author of Today".

8. Inspire

Inspiration is a writer's best friend. Without inspiration, every story would be very similar and dull to read.

7. Dystopia

Honestly, I wasn't a fan of dystopian books at first. The Hunger Games kind of drew me in, but it was Divergent that really opened up my mind to read other dystopian novels.

6. Join

Dunno, just like joining things :) Communities, forums, clubs, websites, that kind of thing.

5. Blue

My favorite color and the color of the sky.

4. Forest

Whenever I'm reading a fantasy story and a character wanders into a forest, I half-expect an elf or fairy to pop out.

3. Kingdom

When I'm not writing stories, I'm creating random kingdoms just for fun. Enforcing different laws, people, and creating the rulers. Sometimes I even sketch maps for my kingdoms if I get really attached to them. Then I turn them into stories :)

2. Random

I like randomness. Enough said.

1. Free

Free. My favorite word is free. Get it? I love all of its meanings, but my favorite is probably to be free. Freedom, you know. 

What are your favorite words? Tell me your thoughts by commenting below!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today