Winning

It's November 30th which can only mean one thing, the last day of NaNo! Okay so maybe it can mean more than one thing, but you catch my drift. So the question begs to be asked. Did you win?

The answer, is yes and no. Before I go into details, I will preface this by saying how much I believe in the 'something is better than nothing' mantra and I did get a lot accomplished this month.

I thought this picture was hilarious. Maybe it's because I'm tired and everything is funny, but still. Ha!

 
I didn't write 50,000 words in the month of November. I wrote 46,000 words. I know if I really pushed myself I could write 4,000 words today and still count it as a win. But here's the thing, (I know how much you all love excuses) I finished the novel I started for NaNo, and I've been working on fixing EXISTENCE. It doesn't need words added to it so much as a slash and add and slash some more.

So there you have it. I did finish a novel in the month of November. I actually started it and wrote 13,000 words in October and the book ended up being 50,000 words exactly. I wrote those 50K in a month which is why I say that I won, but I didn't win.

Would it be wrong of me to claim that winners badge anyway?

***

On a completely unrelated note, an old friend of mine has started a writing blog that I suspect is going to be all kinds of awesome! She's just getting started and could use some writerly peeps. Since I know my writerly peeps are the best, I urge you to go follow her here. Thanks for being awesome!

The Tyrant King

Today I'd like to welcome a special friend and congratulate her on the release of her third book, The Tyrant King!

Cheri Chesley was the president of my local writers group before she moved, and she is so fun to be around. I've only read The Wild Queen, but I do love her writing style. Here's more about The Tyrant King.

Her heart paused, but Krystal remained defiant. “You lie. You would never do such a thing to my child.”

            “You think not?” He laughed again and she drew back. “I’ve sworn an oath to annihilate my dear cousin’s present and future, take over his kingdom and his crown, and fulfill my father’s dreams. And you think I would hesitate to murder his offspring? Come now, Krystal. I know you are smarter than that.”

Krystal’s peaceful life as queen of Fayterra is shattered when a stranger arrives with a connection to Jareth that threatens to change everything. Soon her loved ones are threatened, her people are under attack, and Krystal must face a devastating loss.

As the future becomes bleaker and the mystery continues to unravel, Krystal’s enemies will learn just how far she will go to defend the people she loves.

You can purchase the Tyrant King here - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/207131 

Cheri Chesley believes in miracles and the magic of books in everyday life. When not writing, she can be found reading the dictionary for fun or devouring any of the many books in her library. She lives with her husband and numerous children in Waurika, OK. Look for updates on her latest works at www.cheri-chesley.com.

 

Find it here

Find it here

NaNo Update and Captcha Craptcha Day!

The ever brilliant Shelly and Chad have come up with a blogfest that will make all bloggers, everywhere, happy and sane people. It's called the Captcha Craptcha Day!

The point? To let other bloggers know how much we hate the little word verification boxes. All we want to do is make a comment!

Please, for the love of all that is holy and good, turn them off! If you don't know how, here's a post I wrote about it - Turning off word verification on Blogger.

If you're worried about spam, change your settings to verify comments before they post! Truth is, Blogger has an awesome Spam filter. Even if you get a spam comment to your e-mail, chances are it never posted on your blog. You should be out of excuses now - so hop to it!

  
Moving on... We're almost halfway through the month of literary abandon. Here's my stats so far -

Words written: 23,000 (I don't write on weekends so my Monday stats will always be a little low)

Days Left: 18

I'm trying to finish before Thanksgiving and I may just make it at the rate I'm going, as long as I can keep writing 4,000 words a day. Wahoo!

How are your goals progressing?

Nightingale by David Farland

Hope everyone is writing away now that NaNo has begun!

Today I'm doing a special review for David Farland's Nightingale.

Here's the Blurb:

Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness.  Others sing to summon it. . . .

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."

But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know.  Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.


What I liked:
It was original. The concept had a few Characteristics borrowed here and there, but the twist was new and exciting.  Not to mention a young adult from a male point of view. The writing really nailed it.

I kept turning the pages. Wow, talk about being invested in the Main Character. My heart went out to Bron right from the start. I just had to know what happened next and I won't be very patient waiting for the next book in the series. David, if you're reading this, please stop and get back to work, okay?

Teenage dream. Those two words pretty much sum it up. There was romance, adventure, conflict, and even some fun powers thrown into the mix.

What I didn't like:
It ended too soon. We don't even know which girl he picks!

Overall:
If this in on your To Be Read list, bump it up a few notches. Wonderful story and worth the awards and accolades it has received! 

You can find it here:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Itunes Enhanced novel (really cool)

And learn more about David Farland here: 

http://www.facebook.com/david.farland1

Twitter handle @DavidFarland

www.nightingalenovel.com

 
Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories.

Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!

Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."

"Superb worldbuilding, strong characters, and Dave's characteristic excellent prose.  --Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"A wonderful tale of a young man trying to find his humanity, even though he's not quite human.  One of Farland's very best!"--#1 International Bestseller Kevin J. Anderson