Top 10 entertainment in 2012

So, as 2012 winds to a close, it's time to reflect on the year that's passed, and look forward to the year to come. For me, this past year has been a blast. I've gotten through my second and third semesters of college, I finished two full-length novels, and experienced spending WAY too much money. (That last one is still going on, by the way, at least until Christmas)

So, to celebrate the coming of the New Year, I'm putting a Top 10 of my favorite moments in entertainment history (books, music, movies) for you write-hards to enjoy at your leisure. As long as the world doesn't explode or get attacked by aliens some time tomorrow. 

#10- Carrie Underwood

----- Carrie has done so well since she got off Idol, and years later, her popularity has skyrocketed! If you say you're not a big fan of country music, you should at least give her a listen. Her music videos this year from the album that came out November 2011 are phenomenal!

Good Girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-uothzTaaQ

Blown Away: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJgoHgpsb9I

#9- Peter Hollens

----- If you have not seen this man's music on Youtube, you need to! Peter Hollens is an acapella artist on Youtube, who creates every sound in his songs/covers/videos with his own voice! No instruments or anything! Check him out, and subscribe. His songs are also available on iTunes, if you like them enough to support such an amazing singer!

A few of my faves:

Some Nights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AfTBoCKJbU

(^ That ones awesome, not just due to the beautiful singing, but the random lawnmower. Random's cool now, right?)

I Won't Give Up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvJ0HzLke0Y

Lights (w/ Eppic): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9yLzpIpK7I

#8- Pentatonix

----- This group of acapella artists were the winners of the Sing-Off in 2011, and they're still going strong. With a ton of videos of covers and medleys on Youtube, they are quickly rising the ranks in the artists I lsten to most. They also might have an album or two out for sale. I'm going to try to get tickets to their concert. And yes, that last sentence means they are going on tour next year. You know, if we don't all die tomorrow. xD

N'Sync Medley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUxH1KVi84Q

Britney Spears Medley (from the Sing-Off): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9HRWoiapio

As Long As You Love Me/Wide Awake mashup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OREQmPB3RF4

#7- Hotel Transylvania

----- Hotel T is a great movie. You may think it's a kids movie because it's animated, but here I am, almost twenty years old, and I absolutely LOVED it. And it's an all-star cast as well. The jokes ranged from corny to hilarious. This movie is worth checking out! Pick up a copy when it comes out on DVD on January 29, 2013. As long as we're not dead before then.

#6- Lindsey Stirling

----- Just like the two earlier musicians (#'s 8&9), Lindsey Stirling posts videos of her songs, all originally created music, on Youtube. However, with one catch. Lindsey's not a singer. She's a hip-hop violinist! Those two may not seem to go together, but with her, THEY DO! Lindsey was actually one of the top videos of 2012 on the Youtube Rewind! She's going on an international tour next year as well. One of my best friends gets to see her perform TWICE and actually GETS TO MEET HER!!! I'm very jealous of her right now. If you haven;t checked her out, here's a few of my faves of hers:

Shadows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGCsyshUU-A

Crystallize: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHjpOzsQ9YI

Moon Trance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dfZ9BXaNyE

#5- Dark Shadows

----- Just to start this part off, Johnny Depp... Amazing in this reboot. Now, I've never seen the original series of Dark Shadows, but based on what I've heard, many people thought this was a great film. And, fun fact for ya: the Barnabas Collins from the original series actually makes a cameo in this film. See if you can find him. ;)

#4- The Janus Affair

----- Ever heard of steampunk? Before two years ago, me neither. But, if you like historical fiction and/or fantasy, steampunk is the new genre you need to keep an eye out for. It's filled with carriage chases, steam-powered gadgets, and two ultra-cool secret agents that love to get into trouble. Wait.... that may just be the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Written by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris- two of my favorite authors and friends- this series centers on two agents in the MoPO. The first is Eliza Braun, a renegade agent who loves shooting, blowing stuff up, (actually, anything that explodes and/or starts fires works for her) and mainly pushing her partner's buttons. Wellington Books is the archivist of the Ministry, a studious man who loves to tinker with newer technologies in his free time. (FYI- DON'T call him a librarian. He will get mad.)

When these two agents start taking on cases of their own choosing, the only thing that results is an adventure that will hook you from page one. The first book, Phoenix Rising, came out 2011, and the Janus Affair this past May. Check them out! You won't regret it!

#3- The Avengers

----- If you've never heard of this movie, you've been living under a rock for the past year. Time to face the sun. This movie doesn't need an explanation of how awesome it is. You just need to watch it. Over and over again.

#2- Gangnam Style

----- K-pop. Horses. Dorky dance moves. Awkward elevator scene. All adds up to a viral video that very well make it to 1 billion views before the new year. If by some nightmare you have not seen it, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0

And #1- Revolution

----- This is the only Television show that made it to the list. And it's my number one pick for 2012. If you need more evidence than what's coming, check a few of my previous blog posts. There's actually one that goes in depth as to why I like it.

I like action. I like drama. I like messing with people's emotions. I LOVE it when all three of those come together in one. And the best execution of this is Revolution. The first ten episodes of season 1 came out on Monday nights starting at the end of September, and I was hooked by a commercial in August. And I'm going to stick with it! The tension, the sword, gun, and fist fights, the relationships, the BIG cliffhanger they left me with= all good reasons to watch when it comes back.

At the end of March.

....

MARCH!!!!!

*dies*

xP

Anyway, those are my top 10 of 2012 entertainment. I recommend all ten of these very highly, as I watch/listen to them on a regular basis. Hopefully, you'll like them as much as I do!!

Cheers to the New Year!

-Chrissy

PS- This is a note to whoever has kept with me since the beginning of my writing journey, I just want to tell you I love you. You know, in case the Mayans are telling the truth. After all, they know the world's gonna end in 2012, but they don't see the Spaniards and their own demise, both of which were so much closer. They have to be telling the truth, right?

PPS- Bonus points if you knew the above PS was sarcasm. :)

The Journey continues...

How's everybody??

Me? My month's been pretty rough. Started out with some issues with a friend, culminated with a ton of papers, projects, and homework, and punctuated by what use college kids like to call "He!! week". In addition, I attempted NaNoWriMo this November, which also may be why I was absent for so long on here. Unfortunately, I will not be winning NaNo this November. I'm currently at 33.6k. By basic logic, unless I get a miracle between now and midnight tomorrow, I won't win. xD

That brings me to today's blog topic: Perseverance. There are probably millions of people out there in the wide, wide world that dream of becoming published authors. When you take into account that publishers and agents are very selective in what stories they take on, it paints a very sad picture, doesn't it?

However, if we push on through, whether it take months, years, or decades, we may just make it.

For me, I realized early on this month (around 11/16) that I wouldn't be able to win. But, at that time, I also realized that my ranking on the author totem pole was low enough where self-imposed deadlines aren't set in stone. THEY CAN BE CHANGED.

The whole point was to write a book. I'm still going to do that. My NaNo deadline of writing 50k may be impossible now, but my ultimate deadline of having a completed novel by New Year's Eve may still come to fruition over the course of the next month.

This page is called "A Writer's Journey" for a reason. It comes from a very popular quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"Life is a journey, not a destination."

As long as you pay attention to the journey, where you end up will be much more satisfying than if you're focused on the end.

Now, I have two girls that are in need of some good ol' author's attention. (My characters, in case you were wondering)

-Chrissy <3

I'M FEARLESS

So, Webbites, how have YOU succeeded recently? Me, I finished my second book in my Trials of Terrara Vikos novel series. Which I started, if you recall, back at the beginning of August. 

Yeah, no big deal.

But, now I have to learn some new skills. The main one being --> Patience. This time, it is not anyone else telling me not to touch the manuscript but me. I'm waiting a week, so by this weekend I'll be able to reread the entire book and see how much it royally sucked. Not saying it will suck, but it's entirely possible (though my beta reader would probably say otherwise).

Patience is a hard skill to acquire. If you've never learned how to be patient, now's the time to learn. Now, I speak from experience when I say that learning new things or changing old ones is scary. Trust me, I know. 

But, fear doesn't always have to hold us back. It's a natural response to stimuli that trigger a fight-or-flight response... but you don't want the scientific-y side to this, do you? Basically, what I'm saying is it's normal to be scared of new things, whether it's a change of old ways or incorporating new ones. Learning patience scares me a little, but there are plenty of other things I'm scared of.

The main one: my future.

Sure, my goal is to become a physically published author someday, with a real copy of my book in my hands and on book store shelves. What's scary is the uncertainty of that. It could take months, years, or even decades before I even get an agent, much less a publishing contract and bookstore shelf status. And Rejections! I'm aware that there will be plenty of R's, some of which might hurt. Not to mention that it's my dream to get through all that sooner rather than later.

What's a girl to do?

To tell you the truth, I may be an adult now, but I still enjoy childish things. Things such as young adult novels, Harry Potter fandom, and (I know some of you may groan) children's TV networks. Yes, I'm talking Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. While I know both those channels have considerably changed over the years, one thing that has mostly stayed the same is the messages in their movies.

I still watch Disney Channel, usually on a weekly basis at the least, b/c I enjoy the shows. But, every so once in a while, at night I'll turn Disney Channel on to see if there's any good movies on. Being October right now, they were of course showing a Halloween themed movie.

It's their newest DCOM movie, called Girl Vs. Monster. It's about a fearless girl named Skylar, who finds out her parents are monster hunters and has to learn how to overcome her newly-aquired fear-- fifteen years worth-- while trying to recapture her personal monster, Deimata. Throughout the movie, Skylar has struggles with dealing with fear for the first time. The reason she'd been fearless for most of her life was because the one who would bring on that fear, Deimata, was sealed up. Skylar has to learn to overcome all those fears that suddenly hit her, fears very similar to everyone growing up: appearance, confidence, and stage fright.

Think of your personal writing journey fears.

Or any of your fears for that matter.

Just imagine them as a personal monster, like the eternally evil Deimata. If you stay scared of something, your monster will get stronger by feeding on that fear, and that will make it that much more difficult to defeat. So, you have to show that monster who's boss. You need to learn to be FEARLESS. Not necessarily with everything, but if you face off with your fear, you will be stronger in the end.

For me, I need to accept that I can't know exactly what will happen in my future, but I have to have no fear and tell myself that whatever happens, I'm still me.

Quite a lesson from a children's movie, huh?

-Chrissy

PS- This song might help encourage the FEARLESS nature hiding inside you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKQTAr8jp24&feature=related

REVOLUTION realization

So, my writing's been taking an enormous leap since I last posted. I was able to publish a new story up to both Smashwords and Amazon. Hopefully, they will be up on other sites soon.

So, I've been watching a new show on CBS called Revolution. The show's set in a dystopian future, where nothing electric works. A girl named Charlie's father gets killed in a scuffle in her little village, and has to go rescue her brother, Danny, from the clutches of the militia, run by the leader of their newly formed dictatorship, Monroe. It's interesting to watch this show, because there's not many like it.

Drama.
Complex plotlines.
Plus, action every 2 minutes, whether it be chased by vicious dogs or kicking Militia butt with just a sword. (The Militia has guns, by the way. Guns vs single swordsman. Yeah, Miles is just that awesome)

I think I'm attracted to the series because it's such a rare find in television today. Not to many action/adventure sagas to satisfy the people that love and fangirl over. I can't help but wonder how the creators came up with such a good blend of all my favorite parts of a story.

But, then I realize, they're doing the same as me. They started out with an idea, and fleshed it out to make it unique. Putting in bits and pieces of things that would spark the imagination, and pick out the opportune moments to leave observers on the edge of their seats when they have to take a break (i.e.- cliffhangers).

While I'm just starting out, and they are (probably) more experienced writers and directors, we're not so different when it comes down to our roots. We're just dreamers, and if their dream can come to fruition...
Why can't mine?
:)
-Chrissy

Back in the ring!

So, here I am again! Miss me??
Ha, so yeah, I'm back, with an exciting development. My NaNo novel that I was workin' on... MADE IT TO 50k!! Yeah, that's exciting. Not finished yet (understandable since the first one in the series ended at 60k...), but I'm steadily getting to the end.
It's exciting when you know you're so close to finishing! Like, I know what I want to happen, so every word I type is like an adrenaline rush! If you're a writer, you know what I mean, right? To know you're so close, that every word you type is one word closer to being done, which is one step closer to being published, and one step close to my dream!
Well... I mean your dream. :p Of course that's what I meant!
Anyway, if you've gotten this close, then you understand where I'm at right now. I've got three short stories I've published in this same fantasy world of my recent books, which I've gotten like, 3 compliments. :p Which is a BIG accomplishment.
lol, no it's not. But I'm getting there!
Well, it's late here, and I NEED to get back to writing before I get to bed. Toodles, everyone!
-Chrissy

Procrastinating Blogging, AGAIN!!!

So, yet again, I fail to update this blog on a regular basis. I apologize in advance for this, but my schedule has been packed the past couple weeks. Yeah, I know, I used that excuse again, but don't try to tell me you don't do the same thing! ;)
Anyway, at the start of August, I learned about something called Camp NaNoWriMo. Now, if you're an avid enough writer, you know what NaNoWriMo is. At least the regular one that takes place in November every year and you try to write 50k in a month. Camp NaNoWriMo is basically just that, except you can participate in the summer, i.e. August. This comes in handy when you're a full-time student, because November is usually crunch time for papers and preparing for exams. I started out this month trying to work on the second book in my ToTV novel series, with every intention to get to at least 50k by the end of August, therefore winning my first NaNo!
...
That was before I had to get ready to go back to school. Yeah, I can hear you groaning. You've probably been in that situation before. Usually, high levels of emotion spur me to write more, but the higher levels of stress and panic that are associated with the start of a new school year completely did me in. I haven't worked toward my word count goal in a full week! I'm at a good 33,000, and that's probably close to where it will stay. I will try to work on more, but the key word is TRY.
Of course, I'll probably get more time this semester to write, due to my classes lack of Homework. You'd probably think that's a good thing. You know, more time for writing? Well, to completely counter that logic, I hate not having much homework. Homework helps fill the down time, and comes in handy to take your mind off your writer's-blocked WIP. Part of the reason I haven't worked on GoF in a week is b/c I've got a terrible case of writer's block. This is why I'm frustrated when I don't have a ton of homework to fill the void and distract the rising stress levels in my head.
On the plus side, working on a short story for a contest on Figment. If you're a writer of any kind, you should join the Figment community. It's a real blast!
Time for me to sit down to brainstorm. To quote an old cartoon genius:
"Think... Think... Think!"
-C

Ugh...

Well, this sucks.

I said in my last post that today was the day I got to look at my manuscript again. I was really excited and pumped for it!!

... Until I woke up this morning with an upset stomach. So, now I'm just sitting here, listening to some good ol' Christian rock (7eventh Time Down- Really cool band) while waiting for my stomach to settle. Ordinarily, I would just work on my story anyway and have my stomach churn. However, I'm scheduled to pick up my grandmother from the airport this afternoon and need to be able to drive for an hour to get there and about an hour back! So, upset stomach's not allowed.

Okay, so, not much else to say, other than I hope you guys out there on the Interwebs aren't feeling this terrible and are making progress today on your own projects!

Ugh, don't need this today...
-C

Restrictions and Parties

I've been soooo busy lately!! So, apparently, my want to write on here diminished since my first post, so I'm determined to keep it up this time!!

I've learned two things since my last post I'd like to share:
About two weeks ago, I finished the first book in a series I started last year. If you've ever finished a book like I did (9k in the last day), the excitement can last a while until you shut down. Not to mention if you're as serious as I am about publishing it, you could have little to no patience!

Luckily for me, I have an awesome mentor who has helped me get through not looking at it for two weeks. Can you imagine that? The constant agony of not being able to send out queries to agents or edit it for two whole weeks?! I'm the kind of person who rereads everything everyday even if I am not writing anything for it!! Well, I got through it, and tomorrow I can look at my manuscript with fresh eyes. It does come in handy to get away from it for a while. I didn't think it would be as easy as it was (though it wasn't easy, just easier than I thought), but going up to Canada for a weekend in the middle was great without having to worry about my stories or writing! It's also kinda funny to see my uncle and family drinking and going crazy on the grassy dance floor of my cousin's graduation party! xD

My advice to all writers at this stage: TAKE. A. BREAK. It really helps to clear your mind so you can do a better job polishing your own manuscript. That doesn't mean don't write at all either. Work on another project, a school paper, or poetry.

... Oh, and the second thing? When you go to a party with a eight year old kid, DON'T mention the word alcohol. Because then they will not leave you alone until you explain why their mommy or daddy can't drive them back to the hotel after having a bunch of Canadian beers.

Happy writing!
-C

Well, I procrastinated. Again. Let's just say I actually created this blog a few month ago, and now I'm finally writing posts for it! Funny how easy it is to procrastinate something you need to do.

Speaking of, isn't writer's block a distant cousin of procrastinating? Think about it. Both make you put off something that needs to be done, and then you panic and rush when you get to your 'deadline'. Sound similar yet?

As a full-time college student, I completely understand procrastination. And, being an aspiring author, I also understand the stress and complications of writer's block. While it may not be voluntary, writer's block procrastinates your writing. Once you get in the real business of publishing, you can't let writer's block risk it all! Here's my advice for teaching writer's block who's boss:

1) Take a break. Walk away from it for a while. What would you do in the meantime? Go on a small stay-cation. Grab lunch with a friend. Work on another bit of writing. Read that book that you've been... ahem, procrastinating. These help to clear your mind so you can look at your work with fresh eyes. (Also a good technique when you get around to editing!)

2) YOUTUBE. I know this isn't a normal piece of advice, but I find it's easier for me to write with sound in the background (As long as it's not my mother belting out songs at the top of her lungs). Now, this doesn't work for everyone, but you should at least try. Here's what you do: Go on Youtube.com and search for your favorite song. Put it on a playlist. Then, look at the recommendations and pick a song that catches your eye. Put on same playlist. Repeat. Soon, you'll have a rockin' playlist. Either listen to all them (even shuffle it if you like) before writing or while you're brainstorming. Music is a big inspiration. Even if the lyrics don't pertain, the beat and rhythm might create ideas your next biggest work.

3) Just write! It doesn't matter if it's junk or just plain terrible, you'll still be writing, and who knows? Maybe you'll think of an idea to push writer's block out to sea.

Try those out and see if they help. Sometimes, just like procrastination, you just need to tell writer's block to "Hit the road, Jack!"

Speaking of which... I have a novel to write. See ya!