The Coffee Shop - JULY

[Mark.W.Carson]

I tried... Unfortunately, I am looking for a good YA book or two that is not "Carry me away from my average life, you magical hunk" and also not "You're a wizard, Harry-ette"

I downloaded one, and although it gets 4.5 stars on average from 135 readers, I could not help but notice the "writing flaws" thoughout.

It makes me go back into my head for my story...

[dios4vida]

I agree with Sommer. Reading helps. I usually pour myself into another (non-writing) project for a while. Like, I crochet (like a little old lady!) so I'll focus on finishing a blanket or I'll start a new one. I'll work on that whenever I get the bug to write. If something REALLY just won't leave me alone, I'll jot it down in as brief a manner as possible and then hide it in a drawer.

Pretty much I find something to focus on, that will capture my attention so it isn't as easy to think about the writing.

I tried... Unfortunately, I am looking for a good YA book or two that is not "Carry me away from my average life, you magical hunk" and also not "You're a wizard, Harry-ette"

Well, for good YA fantasy, you can't go wrong with Rick Riordan. The Percy Jackson series is one of my all-time favorites, no matter how many times I read it. Also, the Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld is amazing. Michael Scott's The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel is also a very good YA fantasy series.

None of them would fall into the categories you mentioned, and I think they might be what you're looking for.

[Sommer Leigh]

I tried... Unfortunately, I am looking for a good YA book or two that is not "Carry me away from my average life, you magical hunk" and also not "You're a wizard, Harry-ette"

I downloaded one, and although it gets 4.5 stars on average from 135 readers, I could not help but notice the "writing flaws" thoughout.

It makes me go back into my head for my story...

Are you looking for a good YA fantasy? Or a good YA something else? I have loads of recommendations, depending on what you like. My husband likes to come to me and say, "I have this student who likes this, what book can I use to get him/her to read?"

[Mark.W.Carson]

I'm looking for something that can be "Similar enough" to what I am doing to help me figure out if I am on the right track, without it being nearly identical.

I'm looking for YA, contemporary setting, preferably male protagonist, but that's not a deal breaker so long as it's not some "I need a man to complete me" girl.

Fantasy is fine, and a magic system that is not over the top (no worldbreaker magic).

Bascially, I'm looking for a fun read. OK to have elements of romance, not OK to have major elements of horror, or abuse.

Edit: Oh and THANKS!!

[Sommer Leigh]

I'm looking for something that can be "Similar enough" to what I am doing to help me figure out if I am on the right track, without it being nearly identical.

I'm looking for YA, contemporary setting, preferably male protagonist, but that's not a deal breaker so long as it's not some "I need a man to complete me" girl.

Fantasy is fine, and a magic system that is not over the top (no worldbreaker magic).

Bascially, I'm looking for a fun read. OK to have elements of romance, not OK to have major elements of horror, or abuse.

Edit: Oh and THANKS!!

Can you tell me a little bit about what you're doing? Especially what themes you are writing.

[Mark.W.Carson]

Sure. My book is about a 16yr boy. He's not really a fighter, but gets himself into a lot. He ends up falling for a girl who is with a guy who treats her badly, and ends up killing himself when the girl's boyfriend sends him over the edge. From there, it takes elements borrowed from Judeo Christian mythos, basically Hell and Heaven, where he goes through more challenges, stripping away both the weak parts of himself, and the parts of him that made him whole and good, until he is left with lots of difficult choices in order to decide if it is better to "rule in Hell, serve in Heaven, or live on Earth."

That being said, I just want something relatively fun, no disastrous ending with perhaps elements of romance. I'd prefer fantasy but not set in some kingdom far away in the past, or other planet, etc.

[dios4vida]

Definitely Percy Jackson then.

[Mark.W.Carson]

I'd be afraid of similarities crossing over. I had thought of it, though.

[writersink]

The Percy Jackson series is one of my all-time favorites, no matter how many times I read it.

Mine too! I just bought them all from Amazon as a birthday gift to myself

Urgh, hands up, who wants to rip up their first page, toss it out of the window, then in the middle of the night sneak out, set fire to it and do a mad tribal dance around it by the light of the moon screaming "YOU WILL TURN GOOD. YOU WILL TURN GOOD." That is how I'm feeling right now.

[dios4vida]

One...last...push!!

That's all I need to get this draft finished (finally - it's taken 8 months longer to edit this loser than I was expecting). Two nasty, introspective, a-ha-here's-how-it-all-fits-together chapters to write and some tweaks on the final battle and I will be done. It's two, maybe three days of good, solid work. So why can't I seem to sit down and get them done?? I want to finish this draft so bad it hurts - literally. It's driving me insane that I'm not done yet. It's making me grumpy. I want to move on, to get a fresh perspective on this book (for better or worse), to work on something else and let my critique partner tell me if this is any good or not. Just some BIC and self-discipline is all I need to FINALLY be there.

Why can't I get it done, then?? Why am I sitting here, staring at that #$%$&?-ing cursor, not knowing what to write even though I know what has to happen to get me where I need to go?

[Claudie]

Brenda, I think it's because these are your last chapters that it suddenly got harder. I know I'm not alone with the Slow-Down-Near-Finish Syndrome. Like, the closer you get to the end, the slower you work. It becomes harder, even though it shouldn't. Sadly, I haven't found the cure yet. <.< But I'm right here on the sideline cheering for you to take those last strides to the finish line! You can do it!

[Sommer Leigh]

This weekend I had the best Indian food ever, hung out until almost 2am in a hookah bar, wrote a lot of words, deleted a lot of words, outlined while hanging out at the pool like some kind of fancy person, played with and snuggled a sugar glider, bought expensive nail polish, played in the LEGO store, got lost, got found, got sick, had tiramasu delivered to my hotel room, watched an obnoxious amount of America's Next Top Model, read Veronica Roth's Insurgent, saved the world, and watched fireworks while sitting cross legged in my driveway.

It was the best weekend ever.

[Sommer Leigh]

I'm looking for something that can be "Similar enough" to what I am doing to help me figure out if I am on the right track, without it being nearly identical.

I'm looking for YA, contemporary setting, preferably male protagonist, but that's not a deal breaker so long as it's not some "I need a man to complete me" girl.

Fantasy is fine, and a magic system that is not over the top (no worldbreaker magic).

Bascially, I'm looking for a fun read. OK to have elements of romance, not OK to have major elements of horror, or abuse.

Edit: Oh and THANKS!!

OH MY GOD. I am so sorry. I forgot all about this in our mad rush to pack and go on vacation. I will give you some recs tonight once I get home.

[Mark.W.Carson]

NP. I found a book, finished it, looking for another

Enjoy the vacation. (apparently everybody is going...)

What kinda Indian food? ( I ended up making chicken tikka masala, mango chutney, cucumber raita, and store bought naan -- burned the first set of mangos )




If you still have any recommendations, please let me know.

[Sommer Leigh]

NP. I found a book, finished it, looking for another

Enjoy the vacation. (apparently everybody is going...)

What kinda Indian food? ( I ended up making chicken tikka masala, mango chutney, cucumber raita, and store bought naan -- burned the first set of mangos )

If you still have any recommendations, please let me know.

What book did you read?

I had paneer tikka masala and my husband had a goat meat dish, but I don't remember the name. I'm a HUGE Indian food fan. *love* They also made this amazing mango lassi that they kept plying us with.