Tag: Jennifer Armentrout

Maybe I Can

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Writing:

I still haven’t finished the first draft of RTD.

After writing the climax last week (two weeks ago? Like everyone, I’ve lost track of time) I knew I’d have three more “finishing up” chapters I’d need to write for everything to come together at the end. All the loose story lines need to be wrapped up because not only is this the end of the book; it’s the end of the series, so, like Lord of the Rings, this has to have 3-4 subsequent endings. Just so we all know what happened with every character at the very, very end.

I’m almost finished writing the first of the last three chapters. But. It. Is. DRAGGING. I’ve spent the last few days on it, but I think that’s okay because I’m typing and then stopping to think a lot. It’s not the best way to get words on the paper/screen, but it’s important work. Every time I’m stopping to think, I’m visualizing what happens next. I’m not a planner, so I don’t have a detailed outline of what goes where and happens when; I only have the few paragraphs I keep at the end of my word doc, along with any previous ideas still bopping around in my head. So, stopping to think is my way of “following the characters.” I’ve been writing a little, thinking, and writing a little more. It definitely makes getting through this a bit slower, but at least the picture is coming together.

After this chapter, I’ll have two more. TWO MORE and then the first draft will be done! Finito! Completely written! Of course, it will be on to the dreaded second draft after that…but still. Getting closer, guys. I’ll drink some wedding wine to that! 😊

Reading:

I just finished Blood and Ash by Jennifer Armentrout. It was good, but I texted my reading-buddy early on that it felt *extremely* similar to the background of my story, Rozmarie & Josiah, which I’ve had online since 2015. The entire plot is different, so no, she didn’t steal it in any way…but I was super convinced for a while that there was some tie to mine (again, there isn’t) but it kind of boosted me a little. It made me feel like, okay…yeah… this author that I dig is writing very close-ish to what I write, and she’s got a solid fan-base and like, an actual career. We are leaps and bounds away from each other in certain ways, but it’s  still kind of cool. It kind of makes me feel like yeah…maybe I can do this some day.

And that gives me more incentive to keep going with RTD. It’s a win-win-win.

How are you doing during this pandemic? Getting stuff done? Reading any? Following any of your hopes and dreams?

P.S. The book was actually pretty good! I would recommend it if for any paranormal romance fans who like a lot of action.

Born a Tapestriest

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I’ve been on a Jennifer Armentrout binge.

You know how sometimes you remember a certain scene you always liked or a bit of dialogue you enjoyed and you find yourself reaching for that book again and start rereading that scene or the few lines of dialogue and then, before you know it, you’ve committed yourself to the entire story or series, starting from the first page and sucking up ever delicious morsel like you remember it? Except you don’t really remember everything because it’s been a while since you read it, so everything is sort of new, but you know you’re going to love it because you already did?

Yep, this is what’s happening to me.

It’s AMAZING.

So, I’m in the process of writing the first draft of the third book in my Arizal Wars series and a lot of the first draft process is thinking. Just thinking. Planning and questioning and visualizing and basically staring up at nothing, trying to sew the tapestry with only balls of colored yarn. You know what it’s supposed to look like, what the end result will be, but you still have to put it all together. It’s definitely a challenge, but hey, you took up tapestry sewing for a reason, right? Or were you born a tapestriest? Is that a word? It should be.

As I was taking one of these moments to evaluate Reid and his strengths and weaknesses, one of my newly favorite heroes came to mind. Not that they’re particularly similar, but I kept asking myself what I liked so much about Dameon Black? Is it his bad boy attitude? His hot, take-me now looks? Or that he’s so much in love with Katy Swartz, the Lux series heroine? And then, for some ridiculous reason, I couldn’t remember the first exchange they had which was EPIC because she pretty much told him off. I think the bird was flipped too, which made me remember what a baddass she is. But I couldn’t remember the exact details, so the only logical thing to do was reread it.

So I did. And the next scene and the next. Damnit. I’d reread the entire first book in a few hours that was SUPPOSED to be used for writing. Hence my blog-lacking. Lo Sorrento, amigos.

But I couldn’t stop there. I’d had a taste and I needed more. So the second book was devoured and so on and so on. And really, I’m just torturing myself because the next one, book 6, doesn’t even come out until next year. Or maybe the end of this year. I’ll have to ask Mrs. Whatever because she was the one who introduced me to this reusable crack. Thanks.

So that’s where I’ve been. Not writing. Well, some writing. Mostly reading. BUT I have been moving closer to the end of the first draft of book three in my series, which I’m really excited for because you get to find out all sorts of new things and meet new characters. And I’m always down for new adventures.

Well anyway, I’m off to write again. Or *cough*…read…*cough* No, no, no… I’m writing. For real. There will be words typed and plots planned and tapestries being sewn… all good things. I’m excited.

You should be too.