So, a lot of things have happened last month.

Nanowrimo is over--I won!- but the novel is still messed up and I'm switching between 'Till Death Do Us Not Part and DreamWalkers. 

A friend of mine from high school died and like always I'm still waiting to feel something for that since I have a bad habit of suppressing things, it's like I try to hard not to react to things immediately that I usually have delayed reactions to emotional things. It helps when we have an emergency, I could concentrate more on what needs to be done and think rationally but afterwards I always find myself questioning 'wow, is this it? Is this all the emotion I can spare?' then I'm left feeling like I'm a cold, heartless bastard. 

That's how I'm feeling right now. 

I mean, what's the big deal? It's only a high school friend that you haven't even see for 10 years or more. You haven't even talked to her or messaged her or even chatted on facebook. You might ask me that. 

But you don't understand. We were a trio, we were close all through high school. Maybe it's because she'd been sickly that I didn't feel surprise when I heard she died. Maybe this is coarse of me, but all I felt was relief, that she wouldn't slip in and out of comas and feel pain anymore. 

When my sister got into a really bad accident and both my parents were worried and crying, I was like 'okay, what can I do?', not even a hint of worry entered my mind. All I asked was, "Will she be okay?" and then I'm good. 

It's like when something happens, my mind immediately jumps to logic mode. I guess that's a good thing. But I'm thinking one of these days, I'd just break. 

Moving on.

Most people who knows me, knows that I'm a big advocate for learning outside of school. I mean, learning in school is great but you can't really focus on what you're actually interested on but lately, as I read and write and watch educational videos, never have I felt the gaping hole in my school curriculum.

I mean, let's take language for instance, in most countries in junior high they've taken to discussing novels by inspirational authors both domestic and internationally. We didn't, we were still studying about punctuation,  and structure.

We're just so behind on everything! We have no elective subjects, and my school was one of the best with extra funding.

Why couldn't they have given us more of a challenge?

I feel the lack of it now, you know, when I talk with people outside my country and I have to look up the things they're talking about and yes, it's great that I'm learning but it also makes me feel how lacking I've been.

As a writer, you have to know things, you have to know a lot of things and when you don't, you do research but in order to research you kind of have to actually know what it is you're looking for--and because of my lack of foundation, I often do not.

It's frustrating. 

#NaNoWriMo...

...is killing me.

It's doing great but it's killing me.

That is all.

As I go on I do notice several world-building stuff that I have to add layers to later on and I'm itching to go right on it but I can't. I CAN'T.

BUT I NEED TO.

BUT I CAN'T.

LEAVE THE EDITING UNTIL AFTER, SELF!

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: Chapter 2: The Early Bird Gets Assassinated

I caved. I just had to edit this. I write perchapter anyway, yes, even in #NaNoWriMo. So enjoy. Very rough, would have inconsistency and grammar and structure mistakes. Even typos. Not betaread yet. You are my betareader, feel free to tell me what I missed. Thanks



Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: Chapter 2: The Early Bird Gets Assassinated: Till Death Do Us (Not) Part Chapter 2 The Early Bird Gets Assassinated There were three people in the kitchen and o...

#Nowreading Rin Chupeco's The Girl from The Well

Haven't posted in a while. Here's a review on things that happened book-wise.

I realized I haven't compile my list of books yet. 

My first book, the first book that I entered NaNo with is published in 2011. Available on MizanStore and GooglePlay in print and ebook format. 

Author: D.F.Jules

Genre: Paranormal, YA, adventure, action, romance

Summary (As seen on Goodreads)

My name is Leah Curran and my life sucks

While other people inherit boxes of junk from their relatives, my family inherits powers. And not even cool powers. I have the ability to sense Angels, Demons and most importantly the Touched; people who are graced and cursed with the power of Angels and Demons, responsible for keeping the balance between Good and Evil. When it came to them, my mother only had one rule; avoid them at all cost. I broke that rule and lost my mother because of it.

Now I try to live a quiet, careful life with my uncle’s family and my best friend, Gabe. But once in a while the universe likes to kick you in the face just to remind you that you are small and insignificant. The Touched are gathering in my small little town of nowhere, and some of them know me and know what I can do. Some of them want to hurt me, some of them want to use me, and so little few want to protect me. Avoiding them is no longer an option.

I will finally have the chance to do something that I have been hopelessly wishing for since the night my mother disappeared; a chance to fight back.

I have been waiting for this, I have trained for this. It’s time to do or die.

Available at: MizanStore  (Print. DeadTree version), GooglePlay (ebook, friendly to foreign-buyers), WayangForce (ebook).

The second book I did on NaNoWriMo.

Author: D.F.Jules

Genre: Paranormal, fantasy, YA, action, romance, adventure

Summary (as seen on Goodreads)

Lorelei Wong is a simple and ordinary girl. She fights with her mother, she goes to school, she paints and she hangs out with her friends. 

She is completely ordinary—

—in spite of the fact that her three best friends—the Lyall boys; Kai, Colin and Channing—are werewolves and that she is the only human growing up in a werewolf pack.

Other than that, she is completely normal.

Or so she, and most of the people around her, thought.

Until one day she is told that she isn’t; that she is in fact a key element that can either help or destroy the very people she calls family, the very people she calls pack. And the Packs, already dwindling in number because of The Great Pack War, responds very seriously to threats.

Suddenly, Lorelei doesn’t have the option of being just a girl, she must be smart and sneaky and strong in order to survive, because being what she is, the packs will want to either own her, use her or destroy her.

And if she dies, she knows all her three boys will follow--and that is something she will never accept. 

In order to bargain for their lives, she must learn to deal and control her powers under the tutelage of her mother, but soon she learns that power doesn't come for free and Lorelei has to figure out if the price for a life is greater than the price of her soul.

Available at: Wayang Force (ebook: PDF format)

On NaNoWriMo 2014 I'm doing Till Death Do Us (Not) Part.

I haven't a cover yet but here is the summary also seen on Goodreads:

Seth Matthews and his two siblings, Nadia and Nate, have a knack for finding trouble, or as they often protested, trouble have a way of finding them.

But with a family history like theirs, mischief-making is in their blood.

In a world of Affinity-users, Seth, Nadia and Nate have the Affinity with the dead, mainly ghosts. People like them are called Reapers, a designation that is usually treated with respect and admiration. But the black mark upon their family brought the siblings' day-to-day life under scrutiny from Affinity Elders.

Handling the burden of prejudice and suspicion in their own unique way together with their Bond-Ghosts--ghosts who are tethered to their souls whose sole job is to guard their bodies from possession--Seth, Nadia and Nate stumbles upon a mystery where Bond-Ghosts are disappearing one by one.

Now they have to work together to figure out who is behind the disappearances before accusing fingers point toward them...and before their own Bond-Ghosts, Darling, Lizzie and Vincent disappear as well.

Last year I did my book DreamWalkers but it's still not done yet because of reasons.  But you can read chapter 1 and 2 (as usual I will be periodically posting up chapters as I go along) here:

DreamWalkers is a book that I had a lot of trouble to begin with, not only because the vagueness concept but because of the characterization of my main character Medea. Medea struggles a lot with her demons and most of the time her demons wins and I'm not that person but when I write this story I have to become that person and it is hard. It became hard for me to sleep, it became hard for me to be around people, I'm anxious all the time, I focused on the negative and I'm angry and often times vindictive. It's uncomfortable. So I have to stop from time to time as I write which of course makes the book slow going. 

I will one of these days put on my big girl panties and hunker down to finish this book in the near future, the story is too interesting not too. 

BTW, I am also on Goodreads. 

Song of the day

The Wolf Series: OATHBREAKER-WOLF AT THE DOOR IS ONLINE!!!

The Wolf Series: OATHBREAKER-WOLF AT THE DOOR IS ONLINE!!!: Lorelei Wong is completely ordinary in spite of the fact that she is the only human growing up in a werewolf pack. Until one day she ...

#NOWREADING: Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse.

(summary from Goodreads)

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Thoughts:

This is one of those books that both summary and cover leads you astray. 

The cover makes you think that it's going to be well, court-like, high class-low class romance while the summary is, like a Romeo-Juliet kind of thing....it's not. Not really. 

It has all the elements of it but the book is so much more. Kestrel, the girl depicted in the summary as vaguely rebellious is intelligent, smart and cunning. She is groomed by her general father to be a worthy  military tactician, and he encourages such pursuits and needles constantly about enlisting because he deems her worthy. 

The Volarians are a strong, military lot, both male and female can enlist. It's either military or marriage for Volarian woman. 

Every woman carries a jewel dagger--some ornamental, some not--and at their coming of age is taught where to push said dagger when the situation calls for honor suicide. 

Not to say that the women are looked upon as individuals themselves. they are still forced to take an escort everywhere they go etc. And though it is said that both male and female can enlist, there was no mention of a female soldier or God forbid, officer, but still. 

Arin is proud, intractable, serious and surprisingly sweet. He's also strong, and educated and smart and more than meets the eye.  We know what he's up to straight away really and we can't blame him for it. 

Actually, it's kind of hard to blame one and the other for their feelings, for their arguments, for the ugly words or the anger between them afterwards. I had really hoped that the author would not create a happy ending right away and I was relieved that she didn't. 

Kestrel's people enslaved Arin's. And now, Arin's people are taking back their freedom, and in the process killing hers. How do you get over that, really?

It's true that Arin tries to be noble, felt the need to be better, but in war, there will be casualties. And how can Kestrel forgive the man who are killing her people? Eventhough she understood why he did the things he did. 

And how with all the political intrigue and the manipulation that they have to do against each other, to SAVE each other, can their feelings for each other survive?

The angst felt real, the action they each took doesn't make me want to tear my hair out. I understood their actions, I relate to their feelings. I sympathized and I REALLY WANT BOOK 2 NOW!!!

#SongoftheDay: Jason Mraz's A Long Drive

Long drive, long night

The best night of my life, 

With you riding, your hand on my hand. 

The thought of arriving, kind of feels like, dying. 

I don’t want, to go home and be, alone. 

Could we, stay out? 

Could you, drive a little slower, don’t matter where we’re going, 

As long as I’m with you, we could take the long way. 

Chevy Nova, front seat, sofa, getting closer, to you. 

Drive a little slower; don’t matter where we’re going, 

As long as I’m with you, we could take the long way. 

Drive a little slower, not ready to go home, 

I’d rather stay with you. 

We could take the long way, to the country out of town. 

Let’s get lost; I don’t wanna be found. 

Let’s get away, now and be careful not to crash. 

There’s no defrost and we’re steaming the glass. 

You and the road have a generous shoulder 

We can pull over and say we took the long way. 

Headlights, not strobe lights, 

I can see you, but not quite. 

I can feel you inside; the timing is just right. 

For the moment, I don’t want to go home. 

Take the long way. 

Drive a little slower; don’t matter where we’re going. 

Take the long way. 

Drive a little slower; don’t matter where we going now. 

Take the long way 

Drive a little slower; not ready to go home. 

I’d rather stay with you. 

We can take the long way. 

Long drive, long night, 

The best night of my life.

Was trying to avoid doing this but who am I kidding, it's Robin Williams.

R.I.P you dear, dear man. 

Thank you for all the laughs and childhood memories. You made it better. 

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: Chapter 1: If Wishes Were Ghosts We'd All Be Haunt...

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: Chapter 1: If Wishes Were Ghosts We'd All Be Haunt...: A/N: Really rough draft and not beta-read. All mistakes are mine. Feedbacks would be appreciated. Here goes!!! Till Death Do Us (Not...

#NOWREADING Karina Cooper St. Croix #5 Engraved (SPOILERS)

Summary:

Cherry St. Croix returns to the fog-ridden streets of Victorian London, where the balance of power threatens all that she loves.

I will not wither without laudanum. Sober and determined, I have chosen another way—alchemy, and the pursuit of wellness it embodies. My name is Cherry St. Croix, and though freedom is finally at my fingertips, I return to the blackened streets intent on righting the wrongs I'd left behind.

All is not well in London low. Caught in a war between gangs, men are torn limb from limb, and I am called on to ascertain how. The immoral Karakash Veil is no doubt involved, and Micajah Hawke, a prisoner in his own Menagerie, cannot soften the danger this time.

Armed with the alchemical arts I have learned, my ever present guardian, and what few friends are left to me, I embark on a campaign to rescue the ringmaster I cannot abandon, save the Brick Street Bakers from annihilation, and finally face that which frightens me the most—my own heart.

Thoughts:

So, we left Cherry in the last book heading off to London with Maddie Ruth and her guardian/tutor Ashmore. Sobered up and armed with alchemy, she's headed off to save Hawke. 

The book was fast paced and full of action and creepy people. 

Though I'm intrigued by Hawke and Cherry, I'm not really sure I want them to be together, primarily because Hawke's a headcase and asshole extraordinaire. I'm not saying that he's incapable of love or sacrificing himself but damn, dude, REALLY? If you read this book and the last one, you'd get why I would think so. 

And btw, I'm still hard up on Cherry just realizing that Hawke had been protecting her all this time. Maybe it's the opium, maybe it's her own prejudice, maybe it's her denial on how she feels for Hawke but still, girl. 

The book doesn't really give you time to breathe and process, and Cherry gives one hell of an impression of the energizer bunny. She was SERIOUSLY determined to save Hawke. 

Ashmore was awesome, supportive and practically the white knight to Hawke's sort-of-villain.

I seriously want to burn the Menagerie into the ground. Glad people beat me to it. That place was creepy in the first place but at least not evil, it was a place where rules were scarce and darkness lurked around the corner but when Hawke was no longer the ringmaster, that place went to the pits. 

And I want to smack the Veil upside the head. 

I'm now really eager for the sixth book because now Ashmore and Hawke would exist in the same scene. Man, that would be so FUN. 

Touched #1-The Sword is available on Google Play Book

HEY, YEAH. BOOK 1 IS AVAILABLE ON GOOGLE PLAY BOOK 

#NowReading Sherry Thomas' The Elemental Mage Trilogy (ARCs)

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future

Publishing News #Oathbreaker1

Signed a contract with Wayang Force to publish Oathbreaker 1. 

LIFE IS A FUCKING JOKE

Yes. Writing is SUPER EASY. All I need is to sit my ass in front of the screen and it will just come to me. I don't even need silence, I don't need to focus, I don't even need to feel or to think. I don't even need to write immediately when inspiration strikes because those ideas, those moods and the atmosphere will return in a snap when I actually do get to write. You're right. I can do my JOB when it's convenient for you. #sarcastichandraised

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: 2nd Snippet

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: 2nd Snippet: Nadia banged her head against the table, tea cups rattled in their saucers. “My head hurts.” “It’s funny how duplicity and intrigue ...

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: 1st Snippet

Till Death Do Us (NOT) Part: 1st Snippet: Seth yawned again and flexed his left hand; it was covered in black ink from his left pectoral to the tips of his fingers, ancient spell...

So, Ugh.

I have been busy. Not busy writing sadly, only managed to come up to 6K words for Camp NaNoWriMo, mainly because since my mom was here, I've been busy doing chores around the house and to help her cook and then doing chores again. When I actually got to rest, I'd just be too tired.

Mom is away now but she'll be back on Sunday. Hopefully, since my sisters will be here also, I can get some slack and have more time to write. But I'm trying to catch up right now. 12 k words to catch up. Yikes.

Boo was attacked by a stray cat and is now at the vet to get stitches. Again, hopefully, we can get him, oh sorry, Boo is actually a girl, her, back on Monday.

Have changed the title to NaNoWriMo novel from Something Wicked This Way Comes to Till Death Do Us (Not) Part. 

Am still thinking over the main arc but the story is coming along, the non-relationship between Darling and Seth intrigues me. So far, there is no romance between them and I'm liking that.

I miss Boo, I'm experiencing empty nest syndrome, of course my other cats are here but not by baby Boo.

Well, haven't been able to read more books either but will have to concentrate on writing for the time being, so, farewell, dear people, must write.

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Character: Seth Matthews and His Bond-Ghost: Darli...

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Character: Seth Matthews and His Bond-Ghost: Darli...: (Anton Yelchin as Seth) Different from both his siblings, Seth doesn't remember much about his parents so the prejudice that th...

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Character: The Matthews Twins and their Bond-Ghost...

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Character: The Matthews Twins and their Bond-Ghost...: (Maddie Hasson as Nadia Matthews) Fraternal twins, Nadia is blonde and slim like her mother while Nate has the curly dark hair ...

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Something Wicked This Way Comes: Something Wicked This Way Comes: SWTWC is a novel I'm working on for Camp NaNoWriMo July 2014. This will be the first time I'm writing a boy as a MC and Ghosts as th...

I Moved Again. YES. Again.

On Friday, I was surprised by my mother when she told me that I was going to move to our new house. I think my response was, "what? When? TODAY?"

So, I rushed to pack, I think Boo knows that I was going to leave that he refuses to leave me alone and even climbed on my shoulder as I gather my things. It's like he thought that I was going to leave him alone. 

Anyway, we were trapped in a car for 4 hours on a road that was as long as it was curvy. UGH. 

Having never ridden a car before, Boo was terrified and clung to me while he swiveled his head pretty much everywhere, I think he was feeling sick at one point. But soon, he relaxed enough to sleep on the pillow I brought for him eventhough he still had to have my arms around him. 

(Boo wondering how we were moving so fast)

(Boo, taking a nap break)

(Boo, finally arrived at the new house and chilling)

The house is much bigger and has a really big yard and has three other cats but Boo likes to take naps upstairs with me. The second floor is MY floor, a lot of sunshine and wind so he loves taking naps. 

Because moving and cleaning the house I haven't been writing for NaNoWriMo and only started today. I need to catch up!!!

But, hey, look what I made from scrap yarn!! 

#NowReading: McCormick Templeman's The Glass Casket and Stacey Jay's Of Beast and Beauty

Summary on Goodreads:

Death hasn't visited Rowan Rose since it took her mother when Rowan was only a little girl. But that changes one bleak morning, when five horses and their riders thunder into her village and through the forest, disappearing into the hills. Days later, the riders' bodies are found, and though no one can say for certain what happened in their final hours, their remains prove that whatever it was must have been brutal.

Rowan's village was once a tranquil place, but now things have changed. Something has followed the path those riders made and has come down from the hills, through the forest, and into the village. Beast or man, it has brought death to Rowan's door once again.

Only this time, its appetite is insatiable

Summary at Goodreads:

In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Camp NaNoWriMo July 2014

So, Camp NaNoWriMo is coming up and I hope to God that it won't be a failure on my part like last month. Ugh. I was torn between finishing a book or a starting a book on Camp NaNoWriMo but voted into starting a book. It's the one I've talked about a couple of days ago, the one that came to me in a dream (but then again all my books came from a dream). 

This is the book where the main character will be a boy (fingers crossed!). His name is Seth Matthews and he has two siblings, Jonah and Lesley and they live with their uncle James Warner (uncle from their mother's side). All three teenagers will have superpowers mostly something to do with ghosts while their uncle is as ordinary as everyone else in the world. 

Poor uncle James will have his hands full. 

As I said before, this will be the first time that I'll be writing a story with a boy MC so...wish me luck. Oh, and I haven't figured out a title yet. I'm going for my fall back title for now: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Summary

Seth Matthews and his two siblings has a knack for finding trouble, or as they often protested, trouble has a way of finding them. 

Having three teenagers in one house you expect a certain amount of trouble, but their Uncle James Warner, was so not prepared for their kind of trouble. 

When other parents have to worry about drugs, curfew, alcohol, and safe sex, James has to worry about noises in the night, things moving on their own and exorcism.

When other parents have to buy frozen pizza and soda in bulk, James is buying salt, occult books and fashioning iron bits into jewelry.

When other parents go to PTA meetings, James has a network of respected and dubious occult experts. 

It's hard to take care of three teenagers, it's even harder to take care of three teenagers with supernatural powers.

Excerpt:

If he was any other kind of guy, Seth would probably be delighted waking up to see two girls fighting over who would have his body.

If he was any other kind of guy, Seth would probably be screaming his lungs out when he figured out that he could actually see through both girls.

But he wasn't any other kind of guy, he was Seth, so when he saw the two girl-ghosts smacking the hell out of each other, he reacted like Seth would do: he blinked, yawn, scratched and thought about breakfast.

#NowReading Sarah Rees Brennan's The Lynburn Legacy 3 Unmade and Sarah J Maas's Throne of Glass 3 Heir of Fire.

summary from Goodreads

Who will be the sacrifice?

Kami has lost the boy she loves, is tied to a boy she does not, and faces an enemy more powerful than ever before. With Jared missing for months and presumed dead, Kami must rely on her new magical link with Ash for the strength to face the evil spreading through her town.

Rob Lynburn is now the master of Sorry-in-the-Vale, and he demands a death. Kami will use every tool at her disposal to stop him. Together with Rusty, Angela, and Holly, she uncovers a secret that might be the key to saving the town. But with knowledge comes responsibility—and a painful choice. A choice that will risk not only Kami’s life, but also the lives of those she loves most.

This final book in the Lynburn Legacy is a wild, entertaining ride from beginning to shocking end

Summary from Goodreads

Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy.

While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

I know, both books are written by women named Sarah and both are the third books in a series. My subconscious likes to connect things. It does this often whether I'm buying movies or reading books there's always something similar. *shrugs*

About Boo and the Power of Procrastination

Boo, my kitten has gotten so big. They grow up so fast *sob*. He still likes to bite and nibble but we finally have a schedule. On mornings we play with monkeys and then if it's hot outside, I bathe him and dry ourselves outside while we eat and take naps. 

Then we play and then eat and nap some more. 

Since he's beginning to like run around I have to give him a bell. I didn't have a bell small enough so I had this big ass light bell that I attached to his collar (which I crochet. Ha). He nibbles on it first but then he sort of got used to it. 

Boo likes to run. A lot. Good thing we have monkeys so he jumps and chases after them. He spends a lot of energy when playing with them. 

Boo still likes to sleep on my arms and although I try to keep him of me when I had to work, he still perseveres as showed below. I actually lifted up my hand above my laptop and he was starting to slid off my arm but still he clung. Stubborn kitten. 

Anyway, I have been holding off on writing more of DreamWalkers because there's just something not right about it, I had to let it simmer inside my head for a while and lo and behold, finally figured out how to make things work. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DIE. 

See, procrastination does work. 

And yes, authors are evil. 

Snippet of something I'm working on.

So, I had this dream last night and I just had to write down.

Surprisingly, the main character is a boy. This is my first attempt on writing a boy as an MC. Pray for me. Will need to hit several of my boys for keeping the character in...well, character.

If he was any other kind of guy, Seth would probably be delighted waking up to see two girls fighting over who would have his body.

If he was any other kind of guy, Seth would probably be screaming his lungs out when he figured out that he could actually see through both girls.

But he wasn't any other kind of guy, he was Seth, so when he saw the two girl-ghosts smacking the hell out of each other, he reacted like Seth would do: he blinked, yawn, scratched and thought about breakfast. 

Copyright © 2014 by D.F. Jules

#nowreading: Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire

summary on Goodreads

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

I just caught myself giving a pep talk (to myself) on not fearing things to end before they begin in regards of reading the last book in a series (I haven't even touched Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire and Sarah Rees Brennan's Unmade because I'm so scared of reaching the end of the book) and it sounds painfully like when people encouraged their friends in the start of a relationship with their significant others. 

I'm such a nerd. LOL. #bookgeek #NerdandProud

Death is a messy business.

-Opening sentence in a yet untitled book.

Finally reaching the end of editing Wolf at the Door (Oathbreakers #1) so I can finally come back to DreamWalkers.

#NowReading: Frank Tuttle's All the Paths of Shadow and Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Curse

Summary from Goodreads

“Walk warily, walk swiftly, walk away.”

The king’s orders were clear enough. “Move the tower’s shadow,” he bellowed. “I refuse to deliver my commencement speech from the dark.”

As the newly appointed mage to the Crown of Tirlin, Meralda Ovis has no choice but to undertake King Yvin’s ill-conceived task. Tirlin’s first female mage, and the youngest person to ever don the robes of office, Meralda is determined to prove once and for all that she deserves the title. The Tower, though, holds ancient secrets all its own. Secrets that will soon spell destruction for all of Tirlin—unless Meralda can unravel a monstrous curse laid by a legendary villain seven centuries before she was born.

An ancient curse. A haunted tower. A clamorous gathering of nobles, mages, and kings from the Five Realms come together in Tirlin for the fifth-year Accords. Meralda finds herself facing far darker foes than any mere shadow of the tower.

Summary from Goodreads

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

#BookTalk: Jim Butcher's Dresden Files #15 Skin Game (HEAVY SPOILERS)

Seriously, if you don't read the Dresden Files I am judging you. 

Heavy spoilers is hidden. 

Read it in one day (of course), to be honest, when it came to Jim Butcher, his books immediately made me push every other book on my TBR list way back. No matter what other book I have down the line, Jim Butcher's is the book I pick up.

So when Skin Game came out, I was practically salivating for it. I think I dreamed about it one time or another. 

Anyway, Harry Dresden+Nicodemus+Heist...no force in the 'verse can stop me from reading this book. Except death, but you get what I mean. 

First though I need to say, PARKOUR! LOL. That will never get old. 

I'm just imagining Harry running all over Demonreach and shouting Parkour like a bigass three year old. That's one of the reasons why I love Harry, he's this really powerful wizard but he's also a spaz and not afraid to show it...I think Murphy said something of the same note. 

Back to the book. Nicodemus is at it again, and called upon Mab to let him borrow Dresden for a job. Mab agreed so Harry had to work with Nicodemus.

Bad idea all around right?

Nicodemus being Nicodemus of course has something up his sleeve so Harry had to figure what that is and also somehow sabotage whatever Nicodemus wanted to do without getting dead. 

I like that this book centers on Harry's almost supernatural ability to get out of deals. It's not really honorable of him, but since he's dealing with either the Sidhe or bad people, I'm okay with that. I can appreciate the bendiness of Harry's mind.

And we get to read Micheal in action again, which is awesome. One of the things I like about Jim Butcher is that he can write a character like Micheal who is devout in his belief without being preachy and sanctimonious. In fact, I feel assured in Micheal's belief of God, and that he's okay with people questioning God and that he admits that he doesn't have all the answers but he believes that God acts with love. 

I'm not a religious person but Micheal makes me want to believe and that's kind of awesome. 

We didn't get to see Thomas but we get mentions of him. 

We get lots of Murphy (YEY) and how do I adore the progress in their relationship and there was this scene in the book where Murphy got hurt bad and Harry was questioned on why he wasn't as angry as he should have (considering Harry has a dangerous level of white knight syndrome) but Harry seemed to only be as angry as if Micheal was hurt, and Harry answered he was angry but Murphy was warrior in her own right and he respected her strength. I SERIOUSLY dig that. That he treated Murphy as an equal. That he trusted her to deal with all the supernatural crap when she's not even close to supernatural. 

BTW, WE ALL DO CRAZY THINGS FOR LOVE. That scene, THAT SCENE. When the sword broke, I practically screamed. 

AND THAT OTHER SCENE, with the bed. I KNEW it was a dream but HOLY SHIT.

And ha, HARRY's PREGNANT. 

That was some twisted and funny shit, right there. 

Butters. I was so sad for Butters' doubt about Harry but how epic is Butters becoming? And I love that Bob and him are like this great partnership. I'm kind of wondering how Butter is changing Bob though. He was different when he was with Justin, and different when he was with Harry, I'm wondering how working with Butter changes him. 

We see more of how destroying the Red Court resulted in the Supernatural world of Chicago and the world, how there's so much power to grab and every supernatural groups are furiously claiming theirs. 

We also get Molly, trying to do her best as a Winter Lady, but she's dealing with the same thing with Harry and I think she's less aware of how her powers can change her. Harry has people to point at him and question him and doubt him but Molly keeps everything close to her chest and she's isolated. Sure she has her family but she hasn't told them yet so--

Maggie, and Mouse and the Carpenters. SO CUTE. 

I teared up and sobbed in a lot of places, I mean, full-on sob and tears. And I felt pity for Nicodemus at one point. DAMN YOU, BUTCHER FOR CREATING SUCH CHARACTERS!

AND, BUTTERS AS A KNIGHT OF THE CROSS. AND LIGHTSABERS!

HOW AWESOME IS THAT?

And Harry and Murphy at the end!!!!!

And now of course, I'm gonna imagine Maggie and her own talking skull ( also, her half-sister) which is really awesome. 

...I think that's all my exhausted brain can think about right now. 

Quote

"Knowing someone hates you is one thing, understanding why is another thing all together."

-Leah Curran Touched #2 The Saint

#NowReading: Adrienne Kress's The Friday Society

Summary (Goodreads):

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns –and the heroines who use them all 

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

edited:

The writing style didn't agree with me so I abandoned this. 

#BOOKHAUL!, DreamWalkers and A Whole Lot of Nothing

Aren't they PURTY?

Still have a ton of new books but I'll introduced them to you gently. 

Anyway, have been busy editing Wolf at the Door (WATD) especially since contract is being negotiated and I haven't time to continue with DreamWalkers but will go back to it after. Meanwhile, I'm thinking of changing The Wolf Series into the Oathbreaker Series, considering the book isn't really about the wolves but about the Waerloga....strange how things can hit you at the last moment. 

And I just changed the title on Goodreads. So WATD is Oathbreaker #1. 

I'm not editing much of the book just a little here and there, change some weird sentences or catch a few more typos and misspellings if I can. 

I really need a good editor. It would help if I have another set of eyes to catch things that I didn't. 

In DreamWalkers, it's weird how as an author you would have your own favorite character. Someone who despite not being a main character, you love just the same. Sure enough, like a parent, you would have a favorite child but...in DreamWalkers, I didn't expect Yohan to be my favorite. Sure he will be a big part of the story but...It's not surprising that Medea would be the most confusing character for me, I just don't really get her because my personality is so very different from her and writing her has its ups and downs and sideways while Sen, my second favorite, is actually pretty easy to write about that I'm worried that he would come off as boring. Don't get me wrong, I don't consider him boring, but he's so entrenched in Asian customs and traditions (Japanese, where everything is suppressed and understated) that I'm afraid he would come off as staid and...boring. To me he is fascinating, all that rock-steadiness and Japanese restraint hiding an ocean vastness of will and passion and I give him little moments-subtle-moments where I try to give hints of that intensity and bring it out, especially in his interactions with Medea. But Sen is also respectful, quiet, a flowing river underneath a mirror surface type and I'm afraid I wouldn't do him justice. And I'm afraid that my readers who aren't Asian will not be able to relate to him...

It's like when an Asian movie is remade by Hollywood,  a change in values and traditions change the whole look and feel of the movie. Sometimes what we Asians consider powerful emotionally or scandalous isn't a big deal for other people and I'm afraid of such meaningful actions from Sen would pass people by because they don't get it. They don't get him.

Or am I thinking too much or being an Asian snob?

Yohan, my favorite, would most definitely be a crowd pleaser, not only because he's the not-so-typical bad boy type--sort of--but because he is passionate and he acts on said passion. Not that he's reckless, because he's not. But he's the type to say rousing speeches and lead men while Sen is the one who stands behind the throne and whispers secrets and quiet advice. Both boys are intense but while Yohan has the burn-to-ashes intensity of the sun, Sen is the steady light in the dark that guides you home. 

So, which would you prefer? 

P.S: Boo is doing great. He's eating a lot, napping like the world is going to end and basically creating a mess wherever he goes like cats do. 

Happy with his progress. *thumbs up*

Ship Talk: #Olicity

This episode, yo. THIS EPISODE, YO.

Ugh, it gave me such a beautiful dream just to take it all away *weeps* I knew they were going to do it, but, DAMN, it was such a lovely scene.

And when he said, "I love you" the way his face and eyes and expression changes into what I called his 'Felicity's Oliver' face, it was so....GAH. I had to squee silently because it's the middle of the night and everyone else is sleeping including my kitten I don't want to wake him up because it was hard enough to get him to sleep. 

(Here is a picture of a sleeping Boo)

My reason for shipping them isn't just insane chemistry, it's because the Oliver who is with Felicity is good and honorable, it is the best version of himself. And he respects her, he cares for her, he's soft and gentle for her and most of all, he smiles for her. And not the way he smiles at general (if he actually did smile) but he has this special look on his face when he's with her, when he speaks to her and I LOVE that. I SHIP that. 

They have a very unique relationship, a true partnership where he listens to her when he doesn't listen to anyone else, where she encourages him to stand up for what he believes, remind him of said principles. She believes that he can be the man that he wants to be and because of her faith in him, he becomes that man. She is there to talk him off of a ledge, and there to smack his face with reality. She cares for him but she also dishes out the hard truth.

Like Oliver said, Felicity isn't a sidekick, she's his partner.

And that's why I ship my babies.

He has no baggage with her like he does with his other women, no history. There is no guilt, or pain, or misunderstanding. There is only respect and truth and trust and now affection. This is Oliver's clean slate, this is his second chance. 

And that is why I ship my babies.

ThIs video by iForeverYooung? 

This is why I ship my babies.