Tag: reading

A Writer’s Guide to the Best Books about Writing

A Writer’s Guide to the Best Books about Writing

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Ack! It’s been a while. I’ve spent a lot of time researching the craft, and absorbing myself in practice.

I was inspired to write this blog post because I frequently spend a lot of time typing “best books about writing” into Google. Thanks to time spent in used bookstores, titles loaned by writer relatives, and painstakingly going through the small section of writing books at my local Barnes and Noble, I’ve been able to compile a list of the top three books I recommend about writing (right now).

Let’s get into it.

The Happy Writer by Marissa Meyer

As someone that’s written professionally for well over a decade, I found this book to be extremely helpful. What’s better than a book about craft from the Marissa Meyer? You know, the lady that wrote the bestselling Cinder series?

Here are my takeaways from The Happy Writer:

  • You must have an idea file. I recently subbed to Evernote, a handy little notetaking app. I used it in the past, but I currently find it extremely helpful in organizing my writing life. Don’t worry, I’m not getting paid to mention this app, I don’t have it like that :). I’ve found the idea file helpful, because I’ve accepted the fact that ideas don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be noted. There are things in my idea file that I cannot wait to get to, but I’m working on about three projects right now, not including this blog.
  • It all adds up. Meyer touches on the fact that a lot of us tend to ignore when we’re so focused on completing a grand project all at once for the sake of our ego. She mentions how anyone can build writing into their day, even the busiest people. Ten minutes there, 15 here, five while waiting for appointments, every bit of writing is valuable, because dutiful practice is priceless.
  • Pick three things. I really like this strategy. As an ADHD person that has a hard time prioritizing tasks (hence me subscribing to a note taking app, using the notes app on my iPhone, and bullet journaling). Pick three things. Meyer says they don’t even have to necessarily be writing. Example: nail trim for dog, dishes, litter box. And then you might build on it throughout the week: five minute writing practice, dentist appointment, pick up groceries.

Fire Up Your Writing Brain by Susan Reynolds

This book blends neuroscience and creativity to create a writer’s companion that easily breaks down how to hack your brain to write consistently and write well.

I will point out that I’m usually not a fan of Brain Books. I usually find them dull, but I appreciate all of the contributions that have been made to neuroscience over the last decade.

Here’s the first thing about this guide:

You will not find this book in a Google Search.

Or at least, I didn’t. I’ve scoured the web for so many books on writing, and this one hasn’t ever appeared in a search. I don’t know who Susan Reynolds pissed off. I only have the book because my mother-in-law (also a writer) found it in a Barnes and Noble several years ago.

And here’s a few MORE things about this book:

  • It is a long book. Be prepared, this might take a few sessions to get through, and mine is obviously well loved based on the picture above.
  • It has small personalitiy tests to help you figure out what writing process works best for your brain. You’ll find several quotes from famous authors in this one.
  • Without spoiling too much, I really appreciated the way that Susan honors the writer’s brain by acknowledging how much is going on in our brains at any given time. An idea that really stood out to me was this: When you’re working on a project and you’re stuck, consciously ask your brain to work on it in your subconscious. When I was suffering as a freelance ghostwriter for years, I often found myself uninspired and frustrated because it wasn’t something that I care about. After reading Susan’s book, I would think about the current project and say to my brain: “I want you to work on this for me. Think on it.” And then I’d go on with the rest of my day, often avoiding the project entirely! (If you are thinking of ghostwriting fiction for pennies, I will hold your hand and tell you not to do that shit. It’s like being someone’s surrogate but they refuse to pay for the baby’s expenses and doctor appointments, and then they come back with vague complaints about how the baby’s forehead skin is wrinkled. Excuse me??)
  • It touches on the value of doing absolutely nothing and calling it part of the writing process. Reynolds recommends allowing for a two hour block of time, if you can, where you do nothing but contemplate your main idea. (It’s so hard to focus on just one idea, though! But she’s the expert.)

Last, but certainly not least….

Creative Writer’s Notebook by John Gillard

Wow, wee, oh wow! This one has been a delightful challenge! Gillard has curated the best collection of writing challenges and lessons from some of the greats. Normally, I’m not a sucker for any of the ‘classics’, preferring to focus on more contemporary works, but the Creative Writer’s Notebook is just a master class on how to write well.

  • This book offers ‘put your money where your mouth is’ writing exercises that challenge you to think more expansively. I fee like this book is a low cost peek into a creative writing class. Or writing workshops. If you have social anxiety about either of them, then this is a great alternative!
  • The book is meant to be written in, as all of the prompts come with lined pages underneath the lesson.
  • I purchased mine at Half Priced Books, but you can also snag it on Amazon for about $31. Again, it’s an investment.
  • Here’s an example of one of the prompts I experimented with: Drinking black coffee in a roadside cafe. There is no cream or sugar. My brain kind of started this rapid fire process with this one. There is so much that is being said and not said in just these two sentences. I used the prompt to write about one of the main characters in my upcoming collection of short stories. I used this brief prompt to springboard into a sample about a tense breakfast with a man that doesn’t challenge the FMC. Chaos ensues.

This one is by far my favorite one on the entire list— here’s a few juicy pics from the book:

A lil lesson on Hemingway
There’s always a brief introduction of the writer and what their biggest contributions to style and craft were.
These are the kind of prompts that challenge me the most. I’ve never been skilled at extremely short flash fiction.

Okay, there’s my roundup! I hope you enjoyed browsing this list, it was a labor of love and experimentation. I hope to post again next week if life doesn’t get in the way.

What books about writing would you recommend?! Let me know in the comments!

Another Yes for Yarros

Another Yes for Yarros

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Don’t you love a little alliteration? It’s my favorite. I read Great and Precious Things by speed writing romance icon, Rebecca Yarros. This woman has such an extensive backlist that I can’t even begin to dream of what her process might be. She mentioned in an interview earlier this year that we won’t even be seeing the fourth book in the Empyrean series next year because Onyx Storm “nearly killed her”.

Creative work can be intense and grueling. It can amount to hours spent at a desk with an aching back and a marathon going on inside of your brain. I’ve been working on my book of short stories that I hope to put out in the next 3 months or so, and have been bartering with the Gods of money in the hopes that they will help me win ANY of the writing contests that I’m entering.

Anyways, back to the book.

What It’s About

Ex-marine Camden Daniels returns to his small, stifling hometown in Colorado. He’s essentially the village leper, not only because of the havoc he used to wreak in his turbulent childhood, but because he committed the ultimate sin: He didn’t bring the Golden Son (his brother, Sullivan or Sully) back from overseas.

His little brother followed him into the service and returned home in a wooden box.

Camden’s neighbors and even his own father hold him responsible for Sullivan’s death.

Everyone except Willow Bradley: Sullivan’s ex-girlfriend and Camden’s lifelong love. While Camden would do anything to not have to deal with the unmasked hatred of the folks of Alba, Colorado, he’s been summoned home by an urgent phone call from his father. His father has early onset Alzheimer’s, and he begs Camden to return after years of silence so that his son can help him secure a DNR.

Camden’s mission is met with pushback from his older brother, Xander (who also happens to be the mayor). The two brothers prepare to battle it out in court, and the only person who’s willing to help Camden is Willow.

Willow has certain feelings for Camden that tangle with her grief over her first love. That doesn’t last long, however, as the two bend a knee to the bond that has held the two of them together since they were kids. Confusion, heat, and a bold love story ensue.

Dope Shit About This Book

So, here’s what I personally liked about this book, and what kept me coming back. Me staying dedicated to one book for days at a time is a big deal because I tend to read about 8 books at once, and I have an absurd number of books checked out from my library.

  • A female protagonist who is not afraid to want boldly. Willow doesn’t heed the hatred that palpates Camden’s presence in Alba. She is not afraid to let him know that Sully wasn’t the only man that she’s ever loved, and she takes step after faithful step back into Cam’s life, hoping that he’ll want her back.
  • An emphasis on the relationships between our parents and their expectations for us. Great and Precious Things is a cute love story for sure, complete with teasing nicknames similar to Xaden and Violet in Yarros’ Fourth Wing series. Both Willow and Camden have to untangle themselves from their parents’ perceptions of them. Camden wants his father to really see him and not his youngest son’s wild killer. Willow needs to stand in her truth in front of her judge father (he’s a judge in this town) and proclaim that she will not isolate Cam, that she will not don the mourning veil in Sullivan’s honor for the rest of her life.
  • Melty, melt, melt, romance. Camden is an undeniably likeable and well-rounded male lead. He is sensitive, protective, and a total hero. He is a tortured hero in a sense because he will never give himself credit for the good things that he has done.

Now, Go Get It

You know what I say- I always end these things telling folks to go to their local libraries. You can do that, or you can read it on Kindle Unlimited with a subscription. But I will say libraries are under attack in the US, and there’s no way of telling where things will end up in the next few years. Go to your library, get a card, and make your friends and family members get cards. Libraries need your support now more than ever.

What’s Next?

Let me know if I can take the book bullet for you and read a book you’re unsure about before you do. If the book is bad, I will have suffered so that you don’t. If the book is great, you’ll see it on this blog!

Also, comment and tell me what you guys are reading! Have you already read Great and Precious Things? Did you like it?

I’ll be posting again soon, probably about a romantasy I’m reading right now. In the meantime, stay weird and happy reading.

Alicia

How to Write When You Have Seasonal Depression

How to Write When You Have Seasonal Depression

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello, readers! I come to you with a humble blog post about writing when you feel like you can’t go on. I have written professionally for years, and every year, I’m faced with what Adam Gnade has coined the Big Sad.

It’s the same every year. I lose motivation to do fuck all but eat, drink coffee, and eat again. I’m snappier and I’m harder to love, but I can tell you that I can avoid being either of those things when I’m writing. I’m not myself when I’m not writing. I put on my people suit and go to work, and pretend to be the kind of person that would be happy working for someone else for the rest of my life.

But there’s no fooling myself. Or my loved ones.

If you are a writer, to survive the winters, you must write.

Easier said than done, especially when you’re constantly beating yourself up over all the writing you haven’t done. So, here is my advice to you, things that I have learned the hard way when it comes to the beautiful art of writing. (I don’t know why more people don’t call writing an art, but instead a craft)

Take Advantage of Your Upswings

Most folks with seasonal depression tend to have very good days and very bad, rotten days. When you find yourself graced with a good day, go to your writing desk. Or couch. Or closet (more on a good writing space later).

The feeling of having written will carry you through on the bad days like a lifeline. Writing will ultimately give you purpose. And you don’t have to write for a super long time, either!

On my worst days, I can only manage a 5 minute writing prompt or brain dump. But I at least give myself my best chance, and I sit down at my desk. It is not easy, and it takes a lot of buildup. Some days coffee is the only thing that brings me there.

Sensory Goodness

I’m neurodivergent in a lot of ways. I won’t get into it here, but essentially, my senses are more easily agitated than neurotypical people. I can’t stand the sound of the kid running upstairs when it is comparatively a low mumble to my husband, who’s neurospicyness allows him to ignore it with the help of a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Strong smells inspire anger, and being too hot or too cold drives me nuts.

Invest in the things that make it easier to be at your desk. Create a soft environment with just a little clutter. Light a candle (or two), and throw on some earbuds. As I write this, I’m listening to lofi hip hop beats through my over ear headphones. I’m wearing a comfortable pair of sweats, and a fluffy jacket and my hair is in plaits. I look like a complete ragamuffin. But that’s what I need to work.

Start Meditating

I recently started meditating again and it has been life changing. My low mood has improved and I look at things with more optimism. I only mediate in 3 minute spurts using an app, and it works wonders for me. I also practice rectangle breathing (breathe in the nose for 4 seconds, hold for 2, then out for 6).

Meditation has cleared my mind enough to be clear about my goals and what I hope to accomplish with my writing. It’s also been a way for me to take it easy when it feels like I should be writing.

Become a Student in Your Craft

I know I said writing should be called an art earlier, but you get the idea. I love nothing more as a form of productive procrastination than acting as a student. I read books on writing, do writing exercises, and read magazines to see what other writers have accomplished. A particularly good book about writing instruction is Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. She takes a Zen approach, and it’s a great, easily digestible read with some lessons on writing.

Writing courses are expensive, so if you want to be a writer, learn all that you can from books.

No News Unless It’s Book News

Oof. Easier said than done. I try to limit my news viewing, especially post-election. I let myself read as much book news about publishing, and all the new stuff coming out by reading about it on sites like Book Riot. I like to wrap myself in a cocoon where books are my only reality.

Read, Read, Read

If you can’t manage to make it to your desk, or sofa, or coffee table to write, then read a book. And read lots of them. When you’re reading a book, you’re still learning how to be a writer but without the excruciating feeling of trying to get blood out of a rock when you sit down to write and it just isn’t happening that day.

Read widely. Go to bookstores and libraries, get an e-reader, or listen to audiobooks. One of my defense mechanisms against the Big Sad is that when I get up in the morning before the intrusive thoughts start to settle in, I put on my over-ear headphones and listen to an audiobook or a podcast about writing.

Now, Go and Write!

After reading this post, I hope you feel more confident about your writing practice. If you don’t, I’m sorry. Just know I am here with you and you are not the only one struggling to get things done. Feel free to leave a comment on how you manage your writing practice throughout the winter months.

Till next time!

Alicia

What’s more terrifying than an HOA?

What’s more terrifying than an HOA?

by ajcwrites ♥ 2 Comments

Hello, readers! I’m back with another book recommendation. This week’s post is about Vincent Tirado’s We Came To Welcome You. This is another one that’s right on time for spooky season. This book is topsy turvy while giving us some BIPOC queer representation.

The story centers around Sol, a butch Black lesbian that’s recently moved into a quiet and uniform community called Maneless Grove. Sol and her wife, Alice, are immediately slammed with the reality that they don’t quite fit in with the neighbors of their predominantly white community.

This is especially true of Sol, who is white-knuckling the reigns on her identity while Alice tries to assimilate. Sol is on an involuntary administrative leave from her job as a scientist at Yale, and it leaves the functioning alcoholic plenty of time to encounter reasons why Maneless Grove isn’t as welcoming as they hope to be.

From neighbors trying to let themselves into her home, to old women clawing at her, desperate to tell Sol that she needs to get out of Maneless Grove before it’s too late, We Came To Welcome You keeps a chill running down until the big reveal.

This book will leave you staring in a sort of passive horror as the curtain is pulled back on the creepy community. In Maneless Grove, the kids don’t speak and aren’t outside playing, every house is painted the same shade, with the exact same curtains, and is home to the exact same people.

Sol and her wife face mounting pressure to join the HOA, and I will tell you this: I hope to never live under an HOA. The community boasts about the ‘benefits’ of joining their HOA, but Sol and her wife are hesitant to cement their place in this community. Also, there might be people hiding in the walls.

This story has what I consider to be undeserved poor reviews on Goodreads but I firmly disagree. Tirado does a great job of underlining the silent fury of the oppressed, and anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t quite fit in will love this one.

I’m reading/listening to another spooky read, so I hope to post about that soon. You can score We Came to Welcome You for $14.99 on Kindle, which is a bit pricey for a Kindle read but it is well worth it. However, don’t listen to me wax poetic about the cost of books when you can go to your local library and borrow a copy for free. So, like, go.

Till next time!

Alicia

Hot Killz

Hot Killz

by ajcwrites ♥ 2 Comments

Hello readers! I’m back with another slamming romance book rec, and I think you’ll really like this, hot, dark romance. Is it dark? I don’t know. A book about two serial killers that have a contest every year to see who can kill their target sounds pretty fucking dark, but I digress.

So, like I mentioned above, Butcher and Blackbird is a wildly hot story centered around the slow-burn romance of Sloane (Blackbird) and Rowan (Butcher and absolutely steaming hot male lead). Each of them is an iconic serial killer in their own right, with Rowan being the famed Butcher of Boston and Sloane is known for her trademark– gouging out them eyeballs.

Both of them have a penchant for justice and make a point of only going after other serial killers. Serial killers that are, you know, worse than them.

Sloane is an achingly beautiful protagonist, afraid of getting her heart broken and keeping herself closed off from anyone for years, except for her absolute best friend, Lark. She expresses herself in her naughty habit of killing, so when she meets the Boston Butcher, she finds a kindred soul.

Their meeting kicks off a years-long contest to essentially see who is the best killer. They meet up once a year, and the slow burning, sizzling heat between them grows with every meeting. Sloane is under the impression that she’s too fucked up to be loved, but clearly, Rowan disagrees.

The attraction between them is almost tangible. Rowan is such a hot male lead. He is protective and fierce, and he knows exactly what he wants more than killing and that’s… Sloane.

When it comes to heat, Weaver knows exactly what she’s doing. The love scenes in Butcher and Blackbird are a masterclass in writing a seamless sex scene. Every lingering stare and every touch that lingers just long enough to be anything friendly. This carefully devised love story will leave you breathless.

As you can see, I’m quite passionate about this one! Check out this hot read here (I bought it and you should, too), or hit up your local library and proudly check out this smut. I work at a library and I promise you, we’re not judging :).

Dark and Smooth

Dark and Smooth

by ajcwrites ♥ 1 Comment

Spoopy, scary, just in time for spooky season. This book actually came out in May of this year but I got around to it within the last month.

I feel like King needs no introduction. A master of his craft, and refined with age, I find myself completely absorbed with his newer stuff. Don’t come for me on the old stuff, some of that is good too, but a little before my time. (28! So young, and yet, so old. Don’t believe me? Ask my fucking knees).

It’s a book of short stories! A couple of the stories are anything but short, but that’s okay!

In this collection, King insists we readers keep coming back for more, because we like it darker, and darker, and darker. Most of the pieces in this book absolutely deliver on that front.

Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream is about one man’s brush with clairvoyance, and man, is it good. We follow Danny’s story after he has a dream of where the body of a dead girl is located. This launches a series of events as Danny quickly begins to regret telling anyone about her, as he’s now the prime suspect in her murder investigation. You’ve got to read it to get the full impact, of course, but this one kept me glued to the edge of my seat. I listened to it and read it on my Kindle.

Another standout is Rattlesnakes. Vic Trenton visits the Florida Golf Coast to escape torturous memories of his dead wife and son. He stays in a friend’s McMansion, where odd and odder things begin to happen. Things are moved around where they shouldn’t be, he’s having crazy dreams and the old woman next door might be at the center of it. It’s a slam dunk of a story.

You Like It Darker is a pricey read if you’re buying on Kindle. And King has enough money. But I won’t tell you what to do with yours. Hit up your local library for this one, on Libby, CloudLibrary, or in person, of course! Go say hi to your favorite librarian and if you don’t have a favorite librarian, go make friends with one!

Till next time.

Thanks for reading,

Alicia

Rip My Heart Out, Why Don’t You

Rip My Heart Out, Why Don’t You

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello, and welcome back to ajcreads! I’m back a week after my last post (it’s my intention to post more) and I’ve been busy devouring Say I’m The One by Siobhan Davis. I hadn’t heard of Davis before this week, but when I was prowling Audible for a good listen, I found this in my feed.

I listened to this book and read it on Kindle Unlimited, and I was hooked. Not a single shower was taken without this book playing on top of the toilet.

I’ll get right into it.

Say I’m The One is a searing hot romance with an unexpected twist. It is not for the faint of heart, and it’s not an ooey gooey read, although I do like my ooey gooey romances. Davis does a spectacular job of dropping you right into the mind and body of Vivien Mills, the daughter of two Hollywood actors. Vivien prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but when her childhood best friend turned boyfriend, Reeve Lancaster, breaks out onto the scene as a fresh face in Hollywood, she is thrust onto the world’s stage as Reeve’s clingy highschool girlfriend that won’t let him go and be great without her.

It makes matters worse that Reeve seems to be changing. He’s not the same sweet boy that Vivien has come to worship. He’s angry and defensive and nothing like himself as Hollywood sinks its claws further into him.

Their love is tested when Reeve snags the starring role in the Rydeville Elite series, where he we’ll be working up close and personal with Saffron Roberts (a literal psychopath) who is hell-bent on claiming Reeve for herself and breaking up his relationship with Vivien.

This book will give you a whirlwind of emotions that you leave you cheering for, and screaming at Viv as she navigates the new obstacles in her relationship. Davis does an incredible job of always launching straight into the action, giving us the good stuff right away.

The second half of the book left me feeling like I was reading a telenovela instead of a romance novel. The next part of the story is when we are introduced to Vivien’s new, and dangerous love interest.

Irish singer Dillon O’ Donoguhue is nothing like the soft-hearted man she’s used to. Dillon is fiery, his love is passionate and hot. Vivien experiences a wholly different kind of love with him, and the question she’s left asking is: Is Dillon’s love enough to finally give up on Reeve?

There is an incredible twist at the end of the book, so hold on tightly because I in no way saw it coming. This searing hot novel is the first in a duet. I’m going to start reading the second book as soon as I finish typing this.

What can I say other than: (squeal) Read the book!!

You can read it for free on Kindle Unlimited if you have a subscription. When I snagged the audiobook, I got it from Audible for about $7.

Let me know if you read this book or have read it before in the comments. Love triangles bring me back to my high school years when the pressing question was Team Edward or Team Jacob? (I’ll never tell.) With Team Reeve or Team Dillon at the forefront of your mind while reading this, you will be hooked down to the very last word.

Keep it weird until next time~

I Don’t Know, a Ghost Maybe?

I Don’t Know, a Ghost Maybe?

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello! Welcome back to ajcreads. I’m back after a month or so, and going forward, I want to try and at least post biweekly for you guys. I’ve been busy writing my YA fantasy novel (more on that in a few weeks), and reading, and working my daytime job. Anywho, I can’t wait to tell you about Home Before Dark by Riley Sager.

If you read one of my previous posts, Creepy, Creaky Houses, you would know that I am a Sager Fangirl. Sager doesn’t miss, struggle, or falter. Home Before Dark is another slam dunk in Sager’s catalog. Did you know that Riley Sager is actually a pseudonym ? Well, now you do.

So, let’s get into it. Home Before Dark, is a heart pounding thriller that may or may not be a ghost story. I had plenty of fun guessing in between feeling my spine tingle from all of the spooky scary stuff going on in the book.

The story centers around Maggie Holt. She is the only daughter of infamous writer Ewan Holt, and Ewan has recently died due to an illness. Upon his deathbed, Ewan asks Maggie to never return to the subject of the book that made him so famous: Baneberry Hall. Maggie and her family fled Baneberry Hall, a massive estate, when she was five. Ewan wrote about the estate in his wildly successful book, House of Horrors.

The legacy of the book and the controversy surrounding the infamous house where several random and grisly deaths have occurred has followed Maggie her entire life. So much so that she can hardly get away from questions from a nosy receptionist at the lawyer’s office that tells her what Ewan left her in his will.

Ewan has left not only a sizeable amount of money for Maggie, but to her absolute shock, he’s left her Baneberry Hall. Maggie had assumed that her father sold it, but he’d kept it all these years. She ultimately goes back on her promise to not go back to Baneberry Hall due to a burning curiosity to visit the place that her parents fled from when she was so young, but to also fix it up and sell for a profit since she’s a designer.

When Maggie returns to Baneberry Hall, things are instantly sketchy. I mean, some of the stuff happening is an instant hell no for me (for real, like pack it up, turn around, no amount of money is worth this, send me my check) Ghostlike activity keeps happening in the house, people may or may not be breaking into the house to say they did for bragging rights, and Maggie is never too sure who she can trust while she investigates the past and tries to learn the true story of what happened 25 years ago at Baneberry Hall.

This novel was absolutely addictive. I listened to it on Audible and I read the physical book from my library (ahem, go to the library, go right now). This story is a spine chilling mystery that constantly begs the question, are ghosts real? Sager almost instantly drops you into Maggie’s body, and every emotion is so visceral and just fucking scary. So creepy, so good, so compulsively readable.

I would advise you to find out by picking up a copy of the book here or you can find a library in your city and borrow it from there. Beware, it might be difficult to get your hands on a copy of this title.

Have you read this one? Let me know in the comments! Are there any other books that you guys want me to read so that I can do the hard work of finding out if it’s good or not? If it is good, it will appear on the blog. I make a point to keep this a book recommendation blog and I only post about what I liked.

Keep it weird until next time (I know I will)

Keep Reading!

Keep Reading!

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Welcome back to ajcreads! I’ve been gone for a while because I can’t seem to finish any book that I start.

However, I recently finished Austin Kleon’s Keep Going and I have good things to say. I’ve been a fan of Austin Kleon since when I read his first book, Steal Like an Artist, shortly after I graduated high school in 2013. I remember being enthralled by his message that we have to stay creative even when we’re feeling uninspired and like nothing we make is original. (Side note: there’s no such thing as an original work these days. Every thing has been done, just do your best version of it!)

Keep Going did not disappoint. While so many terrible things are happening in the world right now, it’s crazy important for us to keep going as creatives. I know a lot of you might be doing Camp NanoWriMo next month, and maybe you should give this a read before you set off on your next challenge.

It’s a brief read, and there are illustrations throughout the book. Winter is a challenging time for me, so I needed the pick me up of something inspiring. Kleon touches on how we can stay creative by doing things like staying off of social media and maybe turning your phone on airplane mode, developing and maintaining a practice practice of your craft, and even having a special spot to do what you do.

This is a great read for creatives that are crawling out of the Winter Sad and need a pick me up to start doing what we as artists need to do most: make things.

You can buy Keep Going here. Or, you can use this unseasonably warm weather (72 degrees in Februrary here in Kansas) as an opportunity to go to the library and pick up a copy.

I want to hear your thoughts on how you stay inspired and motivated to keep going in those down periods. Like, comment, subscribe, and let’s start a conversation!

Till next time!

Alicia

Good Girls Get Dragons

Good Girls Get Dragons

by ajcwrites ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Violet Sorrengail, a petite but whip smart daughter of one of the commanding generals of the Kingdom of Navarre, is in for the ride (see what I did there?) of her life when she is forced to enroll in the Rider’s Quadrant of Navarre’s war college.

Frail and having been initially trained to join the Scribe quadrant, Violet will have to hope that a dragon doesn’t leave her in a pile of ash, and actually chooses her to be its rider.

This is the fantasy I’ve been looking for forever. It has been literal years since a fantasy like this kept me on the edge of my seat, and dying for more with each scene. Fourth Wing is sensual, and addictive, and left me in that place where you have a silent scream in your throat while the characters do their thing.

Violet is forced to ride alongside some of the descendants of Navarre’s traitors, men and women who led a rebellion many years ago. More than a few of them have a score they’d like to settle with General Sorrengail.

I should mention that there is a sensual, satisfying slow burn to look forward to with the one guy she shouldn’t want. Her life is on the line, and her heart is too when she comes face to face with one of the strongest men that wear the Rebellion Relic, Zayden Ryerson.

To make matters worse for her but even sweeter for us, Zayden happens to be her Wing Leader this year.

While Violet can depend on her smarts to help her escape certain death, she might not truly survive and thrive without Zayden’s help, especially since he might want to get even with General Sorrengail, too.

Ah! I don’t want to spoil too much. Just know that I am internally screaming along with you. This is a long read and will keep you busy for a while so treat yourself to it here or visit your local library.

The sequel, Iron Flame, comes out this November.

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See you next time!