San Miguel Writers Conference

I want to know your name, but don't just tell me. Write your name for me.

This was one of the prompts I got in one of various workshops at the San Miguel Writer's Conference. I think I already mentioned the conference in the last blog, but I could have made that up or dreamed it. I have had several strange dreams lately.

But anyway, the conference was great, and even though I was by far the youngest person there I still got to identify myself as a writer. There's something incredible about being surrounded by a whole bunch of people that all have one thing in common: writing.

Because I don't know what kind of picture to add to this blog.

And I wrote a lot over the weekend, from prompts to notes to letters for my friend back here. I think I filled a new composition notebook about halfway. But I love writing, and I love writing prompts. Which reminds me, be sure to check out Writing Gooder, because every Wednesday I post a creative writing prompt or challenge. Creative Catastrophe. Check it out!

And another random picture.

And, let's see, did I learn anything new? One workshop gave us a story map that drew from all those other plot triangles and outlines and put all of them into one concrete map to follow. I don't usually outline a ton because I feel like preplanning makes me get stuck in my writing and I forget to just write. But now that I'm in the fifth draft I realized that there are definitely some holes in my own story map and I need to go back and fix them.

And I learned all about playwriting and then went home and wrote my first five minute play. Yay me!

And I talked to an agent, how terrifying and exciting is that?

So maybe the coming months will bring some news after all. My fingers are crossed and I am most certainly praying as hard as I can.

Writing Extravaganza

I am currently sitting at a hotel for the San Miguel Writer's Conference, and I feel so accomplished to be here. There's just something about being in a place with hundreds of people who all have one thing in common: writing.

Somehow that just makes it seem more real to me, like, "hey, I'm a writer too. I have a manuscript and several drafts. I belong here."

Of course I also don't belong here at all, because the vast majority of people here are much much older than me, and I am pretty sure that most of them do not write young adult fantasy. Then again, this people never cease to surprise me. I mean, today there was that guy who writes satirical vampire novels told from the point of view of a cat. Hm.

And then that guy who exposes art or something and told me to self publish, and the old people who try to make every story sexual, and the crazy old ladies with weird eyes that make me want to jump in a hole. And there is no shortage of strange outfits, from fur vests to leggings to ridiculous stripes, I can look around in any direction and be surprised.

My mom and I got here last night and today was our first full day. We had two workshops and I already have a list of changes that I need to go back and work on for Shadow Whispers. I hope it's okay that I was daydreaming about my novel instead of paying attention...

Speaking of novels, book two now has 130 pages. Wow. Honestly I'm a little bit amazed at myself for all of this progress. I just have to say that I'm really excited to get this written. I don't entirely know what it is, but there's just something about words that makes me fall in love with writing a little bit more everyday.

Speaking of falling in love, happy valentine's day tomorrow! I celebrated early, on the 11th to be exact, because, well, I'm here and the guy I like is not. So we went out for coffee on the eleventh and he bought me a bouquet of colorful roses and came over to my house for dinner. It was marvelous, and those are the most beautiful roses I've ever gotten, and from the most amazing guy.

Okay, okay, done with the cheesiness. Sorry! Anyway, hopefully before too long I can pass on some tips from this conference. I'm sure I'll learn something new from all of these workshops, something blog worthy. Until then, happy writing!

You Know You're A Writer When...

You know you're a writer when you turn your little Christmas village into a map of your world.

I love the little Christmas houses that I find all over stores each winter, and this year I've managed to keep them up until now, even with my mom's constant hints that I should put them away. I just, I really like my little Christmas village.

However, today, instead of taking them down, I turned them into a map.

See, I realized that I keep losing characters, and every time I start writing I have to take a little bit of time to figure out where everyone is. It would be so much easier if they always stuck together, you know?

And of course with time and major editing this shouldn't be a problem, because of course it would be terrible if the readers couldn't keep track of the characters, either. But in the meantime, I needed a way to keep them in track.

I was talking to my best friend, who also happens to be the person I discuss my writing problems with and the one who coached me in weapons for the first book, and he told me to make a map. He even offered to carve little wooden people for me to use, and I loved the idea.

But then today I saw the Christmas village, and, well, it works.

This is a terrible picture, but you get the idea, right?

Oh, and did I mention? Book two has 100 pages now. It's getting there, and I am so excited. Now today I get to go burn houses to get the Remnants out of Ciopal....

Hm, maybe I ought to avoid spoilers?

Anyway, what kind of you know you're a writer moments have you had?

Five Things I Love About Christmas

I love Christmas. Most people do, and the ones who don't usually have good reasons that aren't related to Christmas. We've been putting up Christmas Decorations and listening to Christmas Music, and I am so excited because I love this season. So, here's why:

1. The Christmas Story.
    -As a Christian, I love rereading the story in all the Gospels of Jesus' birth. Yes, I've heard all the people that say that Jesus probably wasn't born in December. I know that December 25th was actually the date of a Pagan mystic celebration, and someone decided to take over the Pagan holiday and make it Christian. But that doesn't matter to me. I just love that this month is a time to celebrate Jesus and his arrival in Earth as a human baby when he could have ruled from Heaven as a king. How cool is it that he left everything just to come here for us?

2. Nativity Sets
   -This is basically the same reason as the one I mentioned above. But I love collecting nativity scenes and I love looking at all the little Baby Jesus figures. Someday, when I have my own house, I'll have a house full of nativities.

3. Christmas Decorations
    -I am one of those people that likes to turn up Christmas music and dance around putting ornaments on the tree and lights around the inside and outside of the house and cutting out paper snowflakes and putting up my Christmas village. I love the feeling of Christmas that comes along with decorations; everything just feels so warm and cheerful and peaceful.

4. Christmas Cookies
    -Okay, come on. Who doesn't like Christmas Cookies? (I made Sugar Cookies today!)

5. Celebration Atmosphere.
    -I'm sure this is partly because my siblings and I all have birthdays right around Christmas, so December is like a major party month. Plus, this month I've got all the birthdays coupled with my graduation, so double party there. Plus, Christmas also means Christmas break, and lack of school is always a reason to celebrate.

Chaos and Christmas

I know, I know. 
I haven't been on in ages, and this poor blog has been hopelessly abandoned.


I went on a cruise this Christmas, and spent Christmas Day in Jamaica. Good thing God is everywhere. It was great overall, and I did a lot of new things, such as parasailing and scuba diving and touching sting rays. (Which feel incredible slimy and gross, by the way.)

I also went to Florida, and North Carolina, and then finally came back to Oaxaca in time for a paintball game with some of my friends and a couple movies and multiple coffee dates. Overall, a fantastic vacation, and I wish I had more time to tell you more about it.

However, book two has been started, which I'm sure I've mentioned many, many times, and is now over 80 pages long. I'm excited to get it down on paper, although I have to admit that writing this book hasn't been easy. These characters are stubborn, you know, and they'll have their way whether I want them to or not.

Honestly, you have no idea how much I've argued with some of them. Especially regarding romance, with all of the trying to pair off even though they know that it is completely outside of character and irrelevant to the story. They try anyway, and I'm barely keeping them away from each other's throats.

The Remnants are fantastic, though, and I wish I could give more time to each of them. They are all developing splendidly, and they deserve an applause.


I also have no school for the next few months, which means a lot of time for writing, Or for meaning to write and then procrastinating or getting frustrated and not writing after all. Still, time is time and I am so grateful that now I can write when I want to instead of having to write complaining poetry in my journals.


Oh, that reminds me that I am now a Junior Moderator of that site I mentioned once or twice, The Young Writers Society, which as far as I'm concerned just means that my name is written in Green letters instead of Blue and I have some new special powers that I haven't quite figured out yet.

Well, there's a ridiculously quick summary, and probably still too long.

Head-First Into a New Adventure

Book two now has fifteen pages written, and I am so excited to finally be back with my precious characters. Sure, four years have gone by since the first book, Shadow Whispers, and the Whisperers have certainly changed a lot. I mean, I'm not sure if Mortiod is going to make it; Briaka will have a lot of work cut out for her trying to cheer him up.

However, Shadow Remnants is up and running, and you have no idea how happy it makes me to have that book started and know that I'm back to writing.

I won't lie, there is a lot I still need to fix up in the first book. I do need to get that fifth draft written, but in the meantime it's nice to work on something at least.

Plus, I've been on a couple of dates since my last post here, and it's so nice to just talk to someone for hours while playing a super nerdy board game and taking up two tables at a coffee shop because the game took up so much space. It had been a while since I'd smiled that much.

I also am finally done applying to colleges. That's a lie. I still have one that I need to finish. But... well, I'm a lot closer.

And I cleaned my room today!

Ignore the random milk carton in the corner. There's a story behind that. And yes, this picture is actually mine!

And I graduated from high school! It was an interesting ceremony, since I happened to be the only graduate, but I had so much fun. I survived the walk down the aisle without tripping, got through my speech without problems, and got my diploma. Unfortunately I still have to go to school next week to finish up my finals. But... I'm graduated!

Isn't it so exciting? I'm holding my diploma of graduation. Wow. I'm graduated!

So, there you have it, the crazy events and the most exciting fact that I am back to writing Book Two. Wish me luck and speedy writing.

Oh, plus I got to watch the Hobbit! Such a good movie, I love the Lord of The Rings!! <3

Yeah, he's my favorite, for sure!

Entertainment Overload

Crash! Bang! Boom! Splash! Flop! Pow! Kachaw!

I'm back!!

I don't really know how long it's been since I last posted, but it feels like it's been forever. I know a lot has happened since the last time I wrote, and I feel like I have an overload of information to pour out on my dear blog. Of course, I don't actually want to have this mega-long blog post with too much information to keep up with. So I'll try to narrow it down.

I'll skip the graduation fiasco, since I'm sure I'll mention it again once I actually graduate.
I'll also skip the exciting guy drama, since, well, frankly, I just don't want to talk about it.
I'll skip the SAT and the practice and the fact that I cannot stand bad grammar and SAT is full of it!
I'll skip Catching Fire and Ender's Game and Book Thief and Hobbit that I'm so excited for.
I'll even skip Thanksgiving and Korean food and too many sleepovers for my own good.

I think the most exciting event was our Junior/Senior trip to this little village called Atepec.
Our school always lets the Juniors and Seniors fundraise throughout the year so that at the end of the school year they can all go on this big, awesome beach trip. I'm graduating early, though, and another girl is leaving in December, so the class all agreed to set up a semester trip apart from the end of the year beach trip.

We headed up to the village, all ten of us (or are there eleven? Massive class anyway, huh?) and spent the weekend playing tons of board games and card games and group games and laughing until our stomachs hurt  so badly that we could barely even keep laughing.

We hiked down to a field overflowing with sunflowers and a cool little river hidden by bamboo and 'nispero' trees. We played hide and go seek and camouflage and sardines in the backyard at night, and only one girl twisted her ankle and touched one of the poisonous caterpillars. We all got some scratches and some cactus thorns, though.

At one point, I recorded the conversations going on because everyone except for me was involved in either a game of Risk or Chinese Checkers. I got some interesting sentences and conversations.

"Everyone was really close to me!"
"Your troops are like Shamgar!"
"It will be your face going into the toilet, then."
"I'm going to Congo to kill Ben!"
"I have nowhere else to go." "Heaven! You can go to Heaven!"

There are definitely more, but these are the ones I can remember of hand. I'm laughing just remembering.

Hopefully I can update again soon; I'm about to begin writing Draft 5, and I am so excited to get on to the second book in the Shadow Series. Ah! I can't wait!!

(I'm not sure why the pictures aren't working. Hopefully I can get them up before too long.)