BOOK CHALLENGE 2015 #1 AND #2 -- GRAPHIC NOVEL AND COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES

MeruPuri: Märchen Prince by Matsuri Hino

Meru Puri is a fun little quartet of manga.  It's about a normal girl, obsessed with a romantinc TV show, that finds out that love is more than what her naive plans think.  

Airi Hoshino meets Aram when he magically appears through a mirror.  She doesn't know that her life will soon be entangled in his.

Aram is on the run from his older brother who tried to curse him.  He seeks refuge from his world in Airi's home.  

It's one misadventure after another as Airi and Aram trek through a mire of court intrigue, their feelings, and a host of slightly psychotic characters.  

This is a collections of short stories by Patricia Wrede the author of many wonderful tales.  It has a couple of short stories that go along with the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.  It also has a great chocolate cake recipe that has hilarious instructions.  I mean how can you go wrong with a name like Quick After-the-Battle Triple Chocolate Cake.  

There are also other diverse tales like one that is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty and an urban fantasy one that has the girl trying to choose her own destiny. 

A READING CHALLENGE

I found this reading challenge on a blog.  Don't ask me where because I couldn't tell you if I tried. *Edit:  POPSUGAR

Anywho, I'm going to try to accomplish it.

What is really awesome is that I ticked one off without even trying.  It was to read a graphic novel.  Oops!  I was reading MeruPuri: Märchen Prince by Matsuri Hino (aka Vampire Knight author).

So I will try to post about my accomplishments in this challenge.

You can see the entire list on my 2015 Reading Challenge page in which I will have pretty covers of the books I have chosen.  The order of them will change as I tick off each one.

A TINY LITTLE UPDATE

So it is almost Christmas and the end of the year. Time flew for me.  It felt like a blink of an eye and the year was half over.

So what am I planning to do.

I'm working on my A to Z Challenge for April.  Waiting for announcements.  And working my regularly scheduled job.  Hmm.  Oh, yeah, I'm going to be baking and cooking my brains out in the next few days.  Sigh.  Lots of food though.  Pie.  Nom, Nom, Nom.

I'm reading again.  So, I may actually get to my Goodreads pile.  Crossing fingers and toes on that one.  I know I just have to pick up a book from it, but they are like decoration and I don't want to disturb the aesthetics of it. Hee hee.

As for next year, I have no idea what is going to happen.

Other than that, I'm girding my loins (heh heh) and gearing up for Christmas.

Cheers everyone.  Hope your holidays are fab!

NANO FINISHED, REUTSWAY DONE, AND SO AM I

Hey.  How is everyone on this fine freezing (here at least) day?

I'm fantastic.  NaNo is officially over.  I did not make my 15k but I was dang close.  14k and change.

Not bad considering I was using only an iPad and my work computer for it.  I sent in two of the four stories for Reuts.

To brag, I did make the top picks of the week.  SQUEE!  You can see it here:  Week Three Top Picks  Now it a waiting game to see if I get chosen as a finalist.  Then it's the wait for the final picks for the book.  Edit: Date is January 31st.

Last year, I was a finalist but didn't make the book.  So, I'm going to forget about it completely and enjoy reading some random things.

My friend made the 50k, but the story is not complete.  She will continue on and finish it.

Now, I will get back to normalcy and reading.  I've missed reading.  My poor Goodreads pile is scary.

OOO!  The Of Mist and Magic contest is going until December 15th.  Here is the link to the music: Eternal Rest of a Ronin

NANO UPDATE 2014

And so the end of NaNo is near.  One more week of writing madness to go through.

For those of you who do not know what NaNo stands for; it's NaNoWriMo or in long version, National Novel Writing Month.  It is where writers strive and most succeed to write 50,000 words in one month.

That's the goal anyway.  I do not do that.  I would hurt myself badly if I tried.  My inner editor is an evil witch and will not shut up no matter what I do to her.  Chains.  Whips.  Torture.  Drowning.  You name it I've done it, and she laughs in the face and comes back with a vengance.

Ahem.

So, instead I strive for the lofty goal of 15k or there about, which is somewhere where four short stories for Reuts Publications.

I have already expounded on their theme of Mythology this year.

As to the update itself.

I did not finish the Egyptian short story on time.  It did not get sent to them.
Sent in the Celtic and the Asian one.
Waiting for the parameters for the Eastern European one
Did a flash fiction for a site.
And have been plucking away at my own Mythological creation.

So far that brings my word total to 13.7k plus some change.  

And that my friends puts me right on my personal target.

YAY!!!!

COMPOSERS FOR RELIEF: ONE YEAR LATER

Okay so i'm totally copying this from Sam's Facebook post, but she totally has way better words than I do.

So, without further ado in Samantha's Words:

Today, November 8th, marks the one-year anniversary of Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. The world's most destructive storm devastated the Philippines, killing over 6000, displacing over 4 million and drastically affecting the lives of over 14 million people....

Over the past year, an incredible international team of composers, musicians, writers, graphic designers and films students, led by Peter Ebbinghaus, worked together for a creative solution in support of the relief efforts for the Philippines. This unparalleled collaboration gave rise to theComposers for Relief organization.

In honor of these continued efforts, the Composers for Relief will launch a new web site and release a CD version of the album! Please show your support by purchasing the album and companion ebook, Beyond the Binding, newly listed for $0.99!

Watch this heartwarming documentary, filmed by Jamal Daood and Ray Kril's talented team, YOLANDA'S GOT TALENT!

Yolanda's Got Talent

YOLANDA'S GOT TALENT PREMIERE 8 NOVEMBER 2014- the one year anniversary of the tragic storm Yolanda COMPOSERS FOR RELIEFhttps://www.facebook.com/composersfo...

YOUTUBE.COM

FAIRY TALE TO MUSIC

My lovely blogging buddy, writing pal, and all-around fabulous lady, Samantha Redstreake Geary is having another writing contest!!!

SQUEE!!!

Really Slow Motion has a new album coming out.  It's called Of Mist and Magic.  I've listened to one of the songs and it is beautiful.

The prompt is a piece from the album.  In 500 words or less, retell a classic fairy tale and post it to her blog.

It's due before December 1st, peeps.

Not only can you win a digital copy of the album, but there is a chance to be published in companion anthology!!!  That's right, peeps.  Published.  That lovely magic word any writer aspires to have in their bio.

So, go forth and write.

HERE IS THE YOUTUBE LINK TO THE SONG:  THE ETERNAL REST OF A RONIN