Archive for the 'Book One' Category

June 1, 2011 | "Whoa whoa I gotta go...back to schoooool...again",Book One,Book Stuff,DA Series: The Graphic Novel,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,Mentors,Prescott College,School Daze,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writing Movements

This post is brought you by Staind. LOL.

I was thinking of Staind’s song, “It’s Been a While” as I wrote this post. I like that band. And it really has been a while. I can’t remember the last time I visited anyone in my blogroll. There’s a fine layer of dust over there. *blows out a breath and coughs as dust mites fill the air*. Sorry about that. I tend to abandon blogs that haven’t been updated in a while, so I imagine that the few regulars I had have long since found someone else to follow.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but my blog is probably going to remain sporadically updated for a little while longer. School has been an all-consuming evil obligation, to the point where I read if I have any free time. And I’m reading books, not blogs. So, let me catch everyone up before I disappear again.

School Daze – The spring semester ended with A’s in both of my classes, Volunteer Management and Human Relations. Thank you to Shoshana Ross and Chantal Sheehan (again) for being my mentors. You can read more about that HERE. I created the other website to chronicle my journey to opening my own nonprofit, so anything I learn in regards to that will be posted on that blog. Anything about writing will be posted here. The summer session starts tomorrow (I had about a 3-week break reprieve) and I’ll be taking Marketing for Nonprofits with Abbie Fink of HMA PR and an online Moodle course, Self-Exploration Through Creative Writing. I’m still looking for course mentors for the Fall 2011 through Spring 2012 semesters. If you or someone you know would be interested, check out the details HERE.

Writing – I finally finished writing Chapter One of the DA graphic novel. You can read about my first two sessions with Bryan Graham, creator of Section 1138, HERE and HERE. It took a lot longer than I thought because I still want to add stuff and keep the dialogue the same. I realize that I may have to re-vamp the story a little bit and provide more action on Draven’s part. I had an original idea when it came to this series: providing little tidbits at the beginning of each chapter that are based on her assignments. For Book One, since it involved a place called The Royalty Treatment Day Spa, I wanted to put the different spa treatments you could get at this spa at the beginning of each chapter. My mentor from my Novel Revising course stated that the info was distracting from the story, especially since not a lot of the action was happening there. I should only include it if the action is actually happening there. Hence the changes I’ll need to make. Now that I’m going a different route with the series, I can have actual pictures instead of text. In addition to finally finishing Chapter One, the Draven Atreides website is done. Finally! After nearly a year. There’s nothing in The Books area (yet), the newsletter hasn’t been created (yet), I haven’t set up a Twitter account for her (yet), and no thoughts have been written down in her “Diary” (yet), but you can look at everything else. LOL. All of that will come when Book One is released. Now that the series site is up, I’ll be chronicling the process of writing the GN over there as well as here.

Life – Still working the day job, but hope to move into the nonprofit sector by the end of the year. Health-wise, I’m trying to cure a reoccurring body dysfunction. During this process, from Dec 2010 to now, I’ve lost about 12 pounds. And no, losing those pounds was not intentional and not something I could afford to lose. Shit like that just happens when you cut something out. I’m trying to gain some weight back while maintaining a healthy diet, but the good thing is that I got a semi new wardrobe out of it. A lot of the clothes I had before were too big, so I had to go out and buy ones that fit. Oh, the hardship! And it really was for someone like me. LOL. Seriously. I’ve never liked clothes shopping (even when I was young) and would rather spend money on books than clothes. LOL. My good friend and manager left the company last month to move to Florida. Really, really bummed about that. And I found out my best friend is moving to Boston for her dream job at the end of July. Really, really bummed–and depressed–about that. I feel like everyone’s leaving me and moving on with their lives. I’m happy for them and at least will have two new places to visit (never been to either place), but still…*sigh*. It just really sucks.

Soooo, that’s it. In a nutshell. My birthday’s this Sunday and I’ve got some stuff planned, so I may be posting again this weekend.

Technorati Tags: Staind, HMA PR, Section 1138

April 3, 2011 | Book One,Creative Soulery,DA Series: The Graphic Novel,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment,Writing Movements

Session #1 – Mar 17th

Session #2 – Mar 31st

This time, I did a lot better. I took a page from the script section in the IDIOT’S GUIDE TO CREATING A GRAPHIC NOVEL and copied the format of that script. Very, very helpful.

I stopped over-describing things, but still described things. If that makes sense. And Bry still suggests that I should cut down on the dialogue. CLICK ON LINK FOR FULL-SIZE VIEW

When I sent him these next 5 pages, I said this in my email:

• I revamped it a little after we talked. I liked your idea about the full page of the spa and police cars with flashing lights in the parking lot. I also liked your idea about the initial meeting between Draven and the agents. That was pretty much the whole first chapter.

• I know what you’re going to say about some of the dialogue (too much), but it’s going to be a graphic novel, not a comic book. And I liked the way Richard Sala did it in CAT BURGLAR BLACK.

• At one point, I had decided to model my novel after CBB: 126 pages, roughly 16 pages per chapter. The first chapter actually had 40 pages. And it’s only got 5 chapters! But I like the prose-with-picture theme that Hannah proposed, which made me think of a diary format (Kinda like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. I’ll bring a copy tomorrow so you can see what I’m talking about. And no, the copy isn’t mine. I borrowed it from a co-worker who’s got a kid). LOL): where it’s like Draven’s telling the story (pictures) and will occasionally “interrupt” and provide a little commentary. You’ll see what I mean when I use the different font.

In regards to that last bullet point I would like to add that this is Book One. I feel that this first time, there needs to be a bit of explanation as to Y.I.D.’s purpose and a little background on Draven’s target. I may cut it a little bit, but for now, I think the wordiness needs to stay. Of course, that may change once the illustrator gets his/her hands on it. Since I’ve decided to go the picture-and-prose route, that per chapter page length might not work (although I’d like to keep the 126 total page length). I think it would really depend on how I do the prose. But an idea Bry came up with regarding the cover got me a little fired up about how this GN will look when it’s printed.

Without giving away too much, the cover is going to look like a file folder and the concept was that Draven would be telling the story like a diary (with pictures), so the pages would look like lined paper (i.e. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID series). But if it’s going to look like a folder on the outside, it should look like one on the inside, too, right? Not like a diary, wouldn’t you say? Yeah, that’s kinda what I was thinking. And the contents of a folder generally have a lot of notes in the margins, sticky notes, pages of actual notes, etc. Draven does a lot of internal thinking and she also keeps journal-style notes of her activities and findings.

Bry came up with a fabriffic idea that during these points in the book, I should use an actual image of a Post-It note with writing on it…or an actual blank page with typed up notes…or a note in the margin that’s one of her internal thoughts.

How. Freakin’. Cool. Is. That?

I never would of thought to do something like that. Bry continually opens my eyes and shows me how much you can do in a GN and how it’s all about The Visual.

“So, how did it feel this time? Was it more difficult?” he asked.

“The script format is easier. The re-writing is a little difficult, still. I’m starting to realize that I’m cutting out whole chapters,” I told him.

He shook his head and said, “No. Don’t think of it as cutting out, but just writing it in a different way. If you think of it like that, it should get easier.”

Which totally makes sense. I’m used to describing EVERYTHING and a lot of the things I’m describing can now be images. So really, all that’s left is dialogue and Draven’s inner thoughts.

During these past two sessions with Bry, I’ve had so many Lightbulb Moments it’s ridiculous. That one however, felt less like a lightbulb and more like a spotlight. LOL.

And now you see why I love working with him.

Lessons Learned:

~ Start looking for an illustrator now – It took Bry 7 months to find his. I was thinking that I needed to wait until the story was done, but I already have the story. Duh.

~ In selecting an illustrator, be well, selective – Don’t send the whole script, just a few pages to see how they perceive your characters. Website is preferred (so you can at least see a portfolio), if not, have them send samples. If you can’t pay the artist (which is preferable for me, but let’s get real here…), then work out a talent+trusting relationship+belief in the project=the-money-will-come-and-we’ll-split-it-50/50 situation.

~ Assign a color to each main character to indicate who’s talking – Especially if the dialogue takes place off-panel.

~ is WAY more helpful to me than . Sorry Scott.

~ Just like writing a novel, there’s no right or wrong way to write a GN. REALLY. – It’s whatever works and feels comfortable to you and your illustrator. This is actually something Bry has to keep reminding me about, but sadly, it’s going to take a little longer to absorb. LOL.

Technorati Tags: IDIOT’S GUIDE TO CREATING A GRAPHIC NOVEL, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Post-It

January 19, 2011 | A Royale Pain,Book One,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #54:Give a blurb for your favorite book or one of your own!?

Here’s the back-of-the-book blurb for Book 1 in the DA series: A Royale Pain

A day at the spa can be a “royale” pain.

Sixteen-year-old Draven Atreides has just started a new gig as an FBI informant. Her To Do list includes: adjust to new life, make new friends, and try not to tell said new friends about her secret job.

A French chemist is peddling his “specially formulated” products to high class spas and his latest target is celeb favorite, The Royale Treatment Day Spa. Unfortunately, his products cause some nasty side effects and the results are so not pretty. Just when Draven’s first assignment seems to be heading south, she receives unwanted assistance in the form of Rader Deschanel. What does he want with Draven? Will she be able to solve her first official case without blowing her cover?

I recently decided to turn this novel series into a comic book series and I’m not sure if comic books have blurbs. But this would’ve been the one to go on the back of the book.

Technorati Tags: YA Highway

January 12, 2011 | A Royale Pain,Book One,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #53:What is your favorite line from your WIP (or from a book you read recently)?

I haven’t done this in such a long time it’s nice to get back in the game. I don’t have just one favorite line from my WIPs. I have several:

~ I’m meeting two undercover FBI agents in Central Park today.

~ Yes, it’s true. She doesn’t laugh, she giggles. If she were a doll, she’d be Tickle Me Elmo’s kid sister.

~ Their physical prettiness just kind of, you know, slaps you upside the head.

~ Out of the whole school, small as it is, he ends up with her? She’s an embarrassment to the female species.

~ Someone needs to slap this guy with a Stupidity Citation.

~ “My Mercury must be in retrograde this week to get a break like this.”

~ “If you say destiny, or even Fate, I’m so going to spew.”

~ O…kay. Who pissed in his Cheerios?

The list goes on and on. These lines come from Book One in the DA series. Draven has a great sense of humor, doesn’t she? You can also check out her inner thoughts in the Fiction Project posts below.

Technorati Tags: YA Highway

September 22, 2010 | Book One,Book Two,Dance Jam Productions,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,Road Trip Wednesday,Secrets and Kisses

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #46: If you went to high school with your characters, would you be friends?

Hells to the yeah!

For the simple reason that each of my characters has a little bit of me in them, they’re “inspired by” someone I know, or they’re someone I wish I could be. In my first book, SECRETS AND KISSES, I would be Skylar Knight. Actually, I was her. I was shy, I crushed from afar, when I was her age I worried about not knowing how to kiss—okay, let me rephrase that. I didn’t worry about not knowing how to kiss until I actually started dating. Which was right around the time I entered community college. Back in high school, I just crushed from afar and didn’t worry about the kissing part because I was attracted to white guys and knew that no white guy would be interested in a black girl. That’s just how it was at my school. Especially when the ratio of minorities to whites was pretty slim. And, being the bookworm that I was back then (and currently still), I so would’ve checked out a kissing how-to book from the library. Skylar’s best friend, Ellie, kind of reminded me of Six. You know, Blossom’s best friend on that show “Blossom”? She’s funny, she’s bubbly, and knows when to give you a kick in the pants for being stupid. Or when you need to suck it up and put your Big Girl panties on.

Mataya Black Hawk in DANCE JAM PRODUCTIONS, my second book, is not so much shy as reserved (because of the secret she carries), and slow to trust people she first meets. But once you’re in her little circle (and it’s little. Tiny, really), you’re there forever and the loyalty is ironclad. Her two best friends, Mici and Ren, sort of balance her out. Ren’s a tomboy skater chick (but still a girly-girl) and Mici’s the feminine one, who wouldn’t be caught dead wearing baggy pants. There are differences, but the dynamics work.

My current series, DRAVEN ATREIDES, TEENAGE INFORMANT, Draven was inspired by my then 16-yr-old niece (she’s 21 now). She’s witty, independent, has a good head on her shoulders, and resourceful. She’s got to be because she’s leading a double life (Draven, not my niece). Her best friend, Rico, was inspired by an old high school friend of mine who “came out” during our senior year (luv ya, Michael). And OMG, he was hysterical. Hy. Sterical. He always had me crackin’ up, so I hope I’m able to do him a little bit of justice in this series. Draven’s other best friend, Poe, is a little wild and looking forward to that rocker musician lifestyle. LOL.

I think my group here is a great mix of personalities and ethnicity, with the occasional clash to make it interesting. LOL.

It’s funny, as I look at the break down of each character, I’ve noticed two things: 1) I tend to create an introverted/reserved MC and extroverted/silly/quirky friend(s) and 2) my MC’s have only one or two good friends.

I really am writing what I know. And I’m not just referring to the fact that all of my books are based in Phoenix, AZ. In real life, I’m the introverted/reserved MC and I have two best friends that I’ve known over 20 years each. That’s my tiny, ironclad circle of friendship. But they—and the other friends I have–are so much more than me: outgoing, bold, self-confident, strong. I feed off that and have come out of my shell a lot over the years. I have that “friendship diversity” in real life—and it works for me—and I guess I want that for my characters, too.

Technorati Tags: YA Highway, SECRETS AND KISSES, Blossom, DANCE JAM PRODUCTIONS, Phoenix, AZ