Juliana Haygert

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Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, My writing

Last #ROW80 Checkin of the year!

The last check-in of this round. It officially ends tomorrow, but since tomorrow I’ll be on roadtrip, I’m posting it now.

Omg, that went by so fast! I had fun, did you?

 

Here are my goals (for the whole round):

  1. Write at least 2k words from Mon to Fri, when I’m not editing (Sat and Sun are reserved for family!)
  2. Finish the MS I’m writing (for now, I call it Attitude) (*)
  3. Edit Attitude (*)
  4. Outline a novel for NaNoWriMo (*)
  5. Participate on NaNoWriMo (*)
  6. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.) (*)
  7. Read 1 book per week
  8. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-ins)
  9. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

This last week:

Blogging

All done.

 

Reading

I’m reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Hopefully I’ll finish it tomorrow during the roadtrip to my parents ;)

 

Writing

Monday: Had to run a few errands and also had my pilates class, so only wrote 2133 words (I wanted to write 5k …).

Tuesday: 6779 words.

Wednesday: 1500 words and finished the novella. At night, I should send it to two beta-readers.

 

Conclusion

I’ve got loads done: I wrote two novellas and a novel (and about 20k words of another) during these 80 days.

More important, I had a great time and met great writers who also have a life and a family to take care of and have to juggle all they want/need to do.

The challenge, the check-ins, and the support of the other members kept me on track, even when I was down or thinking about tossing all away lol

Since the goals can be anything and many things, I recommend ROW80 to any writer in need of friends and encouragement and support—if you’re willing to give support too.

I’ll definitively be back for round 01 of 2012! (the post with my goals is already written lol)

 

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, E-books, RTW

RTW: The only shopping I like

 

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

 

This week’s topic:

 

Where do you buy most of your books? No one is judging!

 

I buy e-books at Amazon.com.

 

 

*The title of the post refers to buying books as the only shopping I like, cause I hate, HATE shopping. Even clothes, shoes, anything. I love having them, hate going to the mall to shop. 

 

I have a good explanation, though.

When I used to live in the US, I went to Books A Million, which was the bookstore nearest to my house.

When I came back to Brazil, I brought a lot of books, but, within a few months, I had read them all. I wanted to keep reading in English (so I would not lose my English and because I was writing in English). There are a few bookstores here in Brazil who carry a dozen of titles in English, the “original” book, but they charge a lot for it (you know, it’s foreign …).

So each time my husband went to US for work, I ordered 10+ books. Can you imagine the weight of 10+ books on a suitcase? More than once he paid for overweight on his baggage and wanted my neck for it lol

Then the e-books exploded and I saw a solution for my reading … my husband bought a Kindle for me and I started buying books online. Pretty simple, pretty neat.

I do miss the smell and the feel of print books, but at least now I can keep reading without having to wait for my husband’s rare US-trips ;)

When and if I go back to US (to live again!) next year, I’ll probably buy half of the books on a bookstore near to my house (luckily a local one) and the other half on Kindle. You gotta admit that having a hundred books on a small device is kinda of neat for traveling and such.

 

Anyway …

Where do you guys buy books?

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, Contests

A Book Giveaway

 

Hey guys!

My friend Melissa Hurst is hosting an awesome giveaway on her blog.

She is giving away her ARC of Tempest by Julie Cross since she loved it so much!

You just need to be a follower of her blog and answer this question: what you would like to do if you could travel to the past? (my answer: visit Ancient Egypt!)

Nice, uh?!

Your time to hop on there and check it out!

Cheers,

 

Categories: Blogging, My writing, RTW

RTW: The perfect gift

 

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway’s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

 

This week’s topic:

What would be the ideal holiday present for your main character (or favorite character)?

I won’t go into many details, but since I have a few manuscripts, we’ll go one by one. (Note that the blurbs were made up at this instant. Thus, they are very, very bad).

 

DESTINY GIFT, paranormal romance: In a world of chaos, Nadine has visions she doesn’t understand—she believes she might be hallucinating. Until she meets the guy who haunts her visions and everything starts to change … even the world.

Nadine: to keep her family out of her problems and to find a way of being with Victor.

Victor: to get his powers back, to win the war, and have Nadine by his side.

 

GYPSY HEART, urban fantasy (with lots of romance): Mirella is finally overcoming her major trust issues when she discovers her mother lied about their heritage–as Tziganes, they are powerful, special, and hunted.

Mirella: a normal family, with a mother who doesn’t lie to her and an existent father. And to learn how to trust (some) people.

 

ATTITUDE, contemporary romance: Everything is too perfect, until Alicia looses the one thing she loves most—dance. With her new best friend, a wheelchair, she goes back to her parents house. When everything seems lost, a rescue team comes into action.

Alicia: to dance again.

Fred: to find out if Alicia is right about his childhood trauma.

 

PASSION, contemporary romance: A deal puts Dylan and Hayley together. He wants to impress his father, she wants to propel her career. But the deal falls through when they realize they have true feelings for each other—and many, many problems.

Hayley: to be the best on her career.

Dylan: to get over his brother’s death, and be lost on his father’s radar.

 

ENERGY, sci-fi romance: after being re-captured by the Primes, Ella is sent to Earth to train the new Sentinel.

Ellanue: to finish her personal (and secret) mission.

Blake: an easy, good, rich life. Emphasizes on easy. And on rich.

 

Only that lol

How about your characters? What would their ideal holiday present?

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, Entertainment, Model Monday

Model Monday: Fairy Tales

When I started this topic, I didn’t think I would find so much information about it.

Frankly, I don’t know where it started, but Fairy Tale retelling is very popular right now, in books, movies and TV series. But I confess I like it. I love Fairy Tales. I grew up watching movies of the Disney Princesses.

I also like they are changing the weak princess image with Tangled and the upcoming Brave movie.

As for retelling, I like a bit of dark side.

Have you seen this picture, where the princesses dress as the villains on their stories?

And I like them like this too:

Bad and kick-ass warrior princesses (please, don’t think of Xena right now).

Oh, did you guys see the Annie Leibovitz’sDisney Dream Portraits? They are also super awesome, an inspiration. I look at them and feel how magical they are.

 

TV series are picking up on Fairy Tales. We have Once Upon a Time and Grimm. And I didn’t watch any episode of them yet. Are they good?

 

Of course, movies are not left behind:

Funny and original

I really liked this one

A mix of many fairy tales

A Cinderella Story

This one is also about Cinderella

Even Barbie caught up with the trend (the Twelve Dancing Princesses)

And this one is based on Alex Flinn’s book

Speaking of Alex Flinn, she is becoming quite famous right now because of her fairy tales retelling.

She also wrote:

A mix of fairy tales

About Sleeping Beauty

 

More books about Fairy Tale retelling:

About the Twelve Dancing Princesses

A twist on The Red Hiding Hood

Puss-in-Boots retelling

 

Do you like Fairy Tales? Original or retelling? With dark or humorous twists?

Hope you’re inspired!

Cheers,

Categories: #ROW80, Blogging, My writing, Reading

#ROW80 Checkin 12/11

Hello guys =)

How are you? Having a good weekend? I hope so!

Yesterday was the end-of-the-year presentation of my daughter’s school (she is in pre-K). She danced and it was so beautiful! Proud mama here lol

Anyway, time to check-in again (already!).

 

Remembering my goals:

  1. Revise my NaNo novel (G.H.)
  2. Read 1 book per week
  3. Blog at least once per week (besides the #ROW80 check-in)
  4. Comment on #ROW80 friends’ blogs

 

Blogging

Blogged, commented, tweeted ;)

 

Reading

If you look at the right, I have a Goodreads Reading Challenge. Before, it was 52 books in 2011 (one per week), but I’m increasing it as I’m going since I already overcame that goal. I’m planning on reaching 60 books. Let’s see.

I’ve read Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

I’ve read Writing Great Books for Young Adult by Regina Brooks (literary agent). This book has been on my shelf for a few months. Since I’m having a debate about writing Young Adult or New Adult, I picked up and read it.

Atm, I’m reading The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek.

 

Writing

I’ve re-read and revised my manuscript, but I confess it was too slow for my taste. I finished it Thursday, but it could have been earlier if I hadn’t #procrastinated a lot. I still need to tweak on one scene that I have trouble with. I had an epiphany last night about how to fix it, so I should do that tomorrow morning. Then, I’ll send it to my beta-reader.

Monday I was so not in the mood to revise, I started brainstorming new ideas (and some old ones too), then read a little.

Thursday, I spent most of the day out and about with friends (we have some friends from the US visiting this week, so we’ve been taking them out a lot).

And Friday was worse. I haven’t watched any Vampire Diaries episodes yet this season, so I watched them all on Friday … and now I feel bad about it.

To complete the #procrastination mode on my work, I critiqued 3 synopsis and 2 queries from friends this week, which kept me away from my own work. But that’s okay, that’s how critiquing partnership works ;)

However, I’m trying to force my writing out and it’s not happening. Every time I sit before the computer and get ready to type my mind starts playing tricks on me. Am I doing the right thing? Should I care about the age of the protagonist? Should I be stubborn and stick with NA? Should I try and change to YA? What if my voice is not good for YA? That same rant you heard before … The problem now is that it’s upsetting me to a point in which I’m just not being able to write. And man, I love to write! Each damn word I type, I stop and think “is it a waste?” … Especially now that I just “finished” G.H. and want to begin writing something else.

Anyway, I don’t want to start ranting AGAIN =P

 

How is everyone doing?

To check on other ROW80 members, you can hop on the linky list.

Cheers,