Titles are maybe the most important part of a book.
Actually, don't listen to me. I'm sure next week, I will tell you something else that is the most important part of a book, like the book.
Really, everything is important to a book. The cover is the eye catcher. Then the title is the next thing the reader sees. If the title is catchy or sinister or funny, or whatever the title is, it may help draw the reader into your book and make them want to buy it. So, the title is important.
Some of my favorite titles are: Red Rising by Pierce Brown, Love and Decay by Rachel Higginson, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessan, Just One Day by Gayle Foremann, Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira, Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin, Seriously...I'm Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres, Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Mind you these are only a few. But each of these titles evoked some response in me that made me want to read that book. And that is exactly what a title needs to do. It needs to make the reader want to read the book.
I love titles. I love thinking of titles. Even though it may not be the most easy thing. The first book I published is titled Still Life Moving. I think this fits the story perfectly. It is a cool title. It evokes interest in the story. And it explains the story. Kristopher is a vampire. His body is still, unchanging, yet he is still living and the world around his is changing. Therefore we have Still Life Moving.
So, having not explained at all why titles are so important or why you should chose a great title, I will explain a story to you.
I work at Subway. I was filling the chip rack yesterday. It is slightly a monotonous job which allows a lot of time for thinking. As I was filling the chip rack yesterday, I was thinking about book titles and how I wanted to come up with a sinister book title. Now, I can't give a lot away because I don't want to, and it is something that won't probably come up for a long time. But anyway, I was thinking of cool titles. That made me think of my own sinister title. Then I had to come up with a story based on the title. And I did. And it was so awesome. I wish I could tell you about it and how excited I am about it. But I can't. Just know that I spend all day thinking of this story from this title. Things just piled on and oiled on until I had the story and it was a great organic experience. It was great.
Okay, until next time.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
First Lines
All authors love different parts of the writing process. Some like the first line. Some like the first chapter. Some like the middle, or the climax. And some like the ending.
I like a lot of it, but what I probably like the most is the first line of the whole book. This may not be my strongest point. Actually I'd say it's not my strongest point. But I do love first lines. The first line of a book is called the hook. It is what is used to pull the reader into the story and make them want to continue reading it.
Some of my favorite first lines are as follows.
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." This of course is from The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.
"It is the first day of November and so today someone will die." The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
"'You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand.'" Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve
"What if Shakespeare had it wrong?" Just One Day Gayle Foreman
"The thing is, all memory is fiction." Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick
And of course who can forget. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
There are many ways to write a first line. There are many things you can do with a first line.
A lot of classic books and several modern books use narrative as their first line. The Hobbit quote is an example of this. It is a sparking line that starts the story and continues it.
Several authors these days use a line of dialogue to start their novels. The Devil quote is dialogue used as the first line. It is a good way to open the story interestingly, but also open it quickly and puts the reader right into the story.
Most authors like their first line to have shock value. The Just One Day quote is an example of this. Everyone knows who Shakespeare is. And I'm pretty sure, by now, no one questions him. So What is Foreman doing stating something so boldly? She is using if for shock value. And for me, it worked. I would also say the Heading Out quote does a good job of this. Most people believe their memories to be just that, memories. True memories. Fact. But for Goolrick to state that they are, in fact, fiction, is a bold statement and something that may shock some readers.
Another way to use a first line is to ask a question. The Foreman quote also does this well. Sometimes asking a question is not a good idea. If the reader is asked to engage right away, it may throw the reader off and make them not want to read that book. But asking a question in the first line may be a good way of engaging the reader. If they are ready for it. It may also make them feel important to the story.
You may not see why the first lines of a novel are so important and why they are so vital to the story.
I like a lot of it, but what I probably like the most is the first line of the whole book. This may not be my strongest point. Actually I'd say it's not my strongest point. But I do love first lines. The first line of a book is called the hook. It is what is used to pull the reader into the story and make them want to continue reading it.
Some of my favorite first lines are as follows.
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." This of course is from The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.
"It is the first day of November and so today someone will die." The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
"'You stop fearing the Devil when you're holding his hand.'" Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve
"What if Shakespeare had it wrong?" Just One Day Gayle Foreman
"The thing is, all memory is fiction." Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick
And of course who can forget. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
There are many ways to write a first line. There are many things you can do with a first line.
A lot of classic books and several modern books use narrative as their first line. The Hobbit quote is an example of this. It is a sparking line that starts the story and continues it.
Several authors these days use a line of dialogue to start their novels. The Devil quote is dialogue used as the first line. It is a good way to open the story interestingly, but also open it quickly and puts the reader right into the story.
Most authors like their first line to have shock value. The Just One Day quote is an example of this. Everyone knows who Shakespeare is. And I'm pretty sure, by now, no one questions him. So What is Foreman doing stating something so boldly? She is using if for shock value. And for me, it worked. I would also say the Heading Out quote does a good job of this. Most people believe their memories to be just that, memories. True memories. Fact. But for Goolrick to state that they are, in fact, fiction, is a bold statement and something that may shock some readers.
Another way to use a first line is to ask a question. The Foreman quote also does this well. Sometimes asking a question is not a good idea. If the reader is asked to engage right away, it may throw the reader off and make them not want to read that book. But asking a question in the first line may be a good way of engaging the reader. If they are ready for it. It may also make them feel important to the story.
You may not see why the first lines of a novel are so important and why they are so vital to the story.
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Paperback
Hello all. It has been a long time. And that is because I have been spending my time getting the paperback ready for you. So maybe you will forgive me.
So, making the paperback was a lot more difficult than I would have expected. It didn't take as long as I would have expected but at the same time it took far longer than I would have expected. I got it done the way I thought I wanted. And then I turned it into a PDF. And then I went to upload it. Which, when I uploaded it, it said I had an error. So I went back and tried to fix the error, turned it into a new PDF and uploaded it again. Now it said I had three errors. So again I did it all over again. And just saying I did it over again seems easy right? No. Doing it over again took an hour each time. I spent so much time uploading and reuploading this thing. Then I ordered a proof. The proof came in the mail three days later.
Then, I wasn't happy with the proof. Some of the page numbers were touching the last lines on the pages. The don't was too big. The margins were too small. There were just things that I could have lived with but that I wanted to look professional. So I needed to change them.
So I went to change them in the indesign document. But some of the things weren't working. So then I decided to just start all over again. It was a little frustrating.
But alas, I got it turned into a PDF, uploaded it, got the proof, approved the proof, and it is now available on amazon for paperback. After all that work, it is now available.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1500714186/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_twi_2?qid=1408242528&sr=8-1
You are welcome. I hope at least some of you buy it. And if you do, thank you.
So, making the paperback was a lot more difficult than I would have expected. It didn't take as long as I would have expected but at the same time it took far longer than I would have expected. I got it done the way I thought I wanted. And then I turned it into a PDF. And then I went to upload it. Which, when I uploaded it, it said I had an error. So I went back and tried to fix the error, turned it into a new PDF and uploaded it again. Now it said I had three errors. So again I did it all over again. And just saying I did it over again seems easy right? No. Doing it over again took an hour each time. I spent so much time uploading and reuploading this thing. Then I ordered a proof. The proof came in the mail three days later.
Then, I wasn't happy with the proof. Some of the page numbers were touching the last lines on the pages. The don't was too big. The margins were too small. There were just things that I could have lived with but that I wanted to look professional. So I needed to change them.
So I went to change them in the indesign document. But some of the things weren't working. So then I decided to just start all over again. It was a little frustrating.
But alas, I got it turned into a PDF, uploaded it, got the proof, approved the proof, and it is now available on amazon for paperback. After all that work, it is now available.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1500714186/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_twi_2?qid=1408242528&sr=8-1
You are welcome. I hope at least some of you buy it. And if you do, thank you.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Me and Sleep
I LOVE SLEEP! Alas, it does not love me.
I am 23 years old and I love to go to bed at 930 at night. Yes, I know that I am an old lady for going to bed that early. But trust me, if I don't get a lot of sleep, I can be a bear. I get really cranky when I don't get enough sleep. I guess I didn't grow out of that as a child.
Most nights I lie in my bed and wait for sleep. Some nights I wait hours for sleep to take me. This sucks. Most of the time it's because my brain will not shut up. And most of the time it is thinking of useless stuff. Or playing songs. UGH! Like, I appreciate that I have an active brain. It really helps to have an active brain being an author. But when I am tired and want to sleep, I wish I had a switch, like a light, that I could just turn it off. There are a few miraculous nights where I actually get to sleep in a reasonable amount of time. But like I said, these are rare occasions. There was a time that I knew every single word to It Will Rain by Bruno Mars. I would sing this to myself over and over again until I fell asleep. And it actually helped. It's that counting sheep theory.
To get to my point. Sunday night, I was lying in bed, not able to sleep because, well, I just don't think I was tired. So, because I couldn't sleep, I decided to actively think, instead of trying to shut my brain up. Now, I recently published my first book. It is a stand alone book. Which means there will not be a sequel to it involving the same main characters. One of the people who read my book was said because there would not be a sequel. Now, before she had read my book, I was toying with the idea of writing, not a sequel, but a companion book to this one. I knew it would involve the first books' main character's roommate. Wow that was complicated. So, I knew who the main character would be, but that was it. I had no idea if I could even give him a story. I knew I wanted to, I just had no idea what was going to happen.
So, as I laid in my bed, unable to fall asleep, I plotted out almost the entire book. I came up with the love interest. I knew what she would do. I knew what the conflict would be. I knew how it would end. I had it all down. And I was so proud of my brain. I wasn't even upset that I couldn't go to sleep. I hate to sound conceited, but sometimes I am really amazed by some of the things my brain comes up with and how it can connect dots.
So, I use the word so a lot. But besides that, I turned a night of frustration into a night of productivity. I do have to say, even when I don't get sleep because my brain won't shut up, most of the time, right before I'm going to sleep is when I get some of my best ideas.
In conclusion, lack of sleep is not always a bad thing. But only once in a while.
I am 23 years old and I love to go to bed at 930 at night. Yes, I know that I am an old lady for going to bed that early. But trust me, if I don't get a lot of sleep, I can be a bear. I get really cranky when I don't get enough sleep. I guess I didn't grow out of that as a child.
Most nights I lie in my bed and wait for sleep. Some nights I wait hours for sleep to take me. This sucks. Most of the time it's because my brain will not shut up. And most of the time it is thinking of useless stuff. Or playing songs. UGH! Like, I appreciate that I have an active brain. It really helps to have an active brain being an author. But when I am tired and want to sleep, I wish I had a switch, like a light, that I could just turn it off. There are a few miraculous nights where I actually get to sleep in a reasonable amount of time. But like I said, these are rare occasions. There was a time that I knew every single word to It Will Rain by Bruno Mars. I would sing this to myself over and over again until I fell asleep. And it actually helped. It's that counting sheep theory.
To get to my point. Sunday night, I was lying in bed, not able to sleep because, well, I just don't think I was tired. So, because I couldn't sleep, I decided to actively think, instead of trying to shut my brain up. Now, I recently published my first book. It is a stand alone book. Which means there will not be a sequel to it involving the same main characters. One of the people who read my book was said because there would not be a sequel. Now, before she had read my book, I was toying with the idea of writing, not a sequel, but a companion book to this one. I knew it would involve the first books' main character's roommate. Wow that was complicated. So, I knew who the main character would be, but that was it. I had no idea if I could even give him a story. I knew I wanted to, I just had no idea what was going to happen.
So, as I laid in my bed, unable to fall asleep, I plotted out almost the entire book. I came up with the love interest. I knew what she would do. I knew what the conflict would be. I knew how it would end. I had it all down. And I was so proud of my brain. I wasn't even upset that I couldn't go to sleep. I hate to sound conceited, but sometimes I am really amazed by some of the things my brain comes up with and how it can connect dots.
So, I use the word so a lot. But besides that, I turned a night of frustration into a night of productivity. I do have to say, even when I don't get sleep because my brain won't shut up, most of the time, right before I'm going to sleep is when I get some of my best ideas.
In conclusion, lack of sleep is not always a bad thing. But only once in a while.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Writing Funny
I love to laugh out loud while reading books. I love funny books and funny moments in serious books. Comedy is a huge part of entertainment, whether it be stand up, books, movies, or TV. So do you have to be a funny person to write funny, or can you just work at it?
I would like to think I am a decently funny person. I get told I'm funny. I've been told I should be a comedian. I make people laugh. So writing funny scenes in my books should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. Sure, I can write funny scenes, but they don't just come to me. I have to work hard at them. It is one thing to come up with a comeback when you are in a conversation with someone and your mind is sharp. But it is an entirely different thing when you are writing a scene and you need to write something funny, but also something that your character would say, not just how you would react to what the other person said.
Then you have to figure out how funny you want it to be. How long do they have to be funny. Do you just want a good one liner for a punch? There is a lot to being funny in a book. Also, a one liner that may be common to you and your friends, a reader may have no clue what you are talking about. It's a complicated process. For me anyway. I'm sure other authors have no problem being funny.
For me, I write a lot of serious stuff. A lot of dark moments. One of my problems is not having light moments to break up the darkness. Sometimes you need a little humor to break up the tension. Sometimes you need a character to say something funny to add awkwardness. Sometimes you should not put something funny in a serious scene because it will seem crass and break up what you have going. Humor is like walking a tight rope. One of the worst parts about using humor is offending someone. I hate judgmental people and I hate judging period. I hate hurting people's feelings. So when I add humor I have to make sure it doesn't offend anyone or hurt anyone's feelings.
So in conclusion, humor is great, possibly bad, and almost always difficult for me.
My book has been out in the world for two weeks now. I can hardly believe it. If you haven't gotten a digital copy yet, there are several places you can do so.
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/453465
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/still-life-moving-laci-maskell/1119899273?ean=2940046048933
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Moving-Laci-Maskell-ebook/dp/B00LFZ1I64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405368152&sr=8-1&keywords=still+life+moving
Or, if you are waiting for a paperback copy, don't fret. I am working on that this week and will hopefully have that out to you soon.
I would like to think I am a decently funny person. I get told I'm funny. I've been told I should be a comedian. I make people laugh. So writing funny scenes in my books should be a piece of cake, right? Wrong. Sure, I can write funny scenes, but they don't just come to me. I have to work hard at them. It is one thing to come up with a comeback when you are in a conversation with someone and your mind is sharp. But it is an entirely different thing when you are writing a scene and you need to write something funny, but also something that your character would say, not just how you would react to what the other person said.
Then you have to figure out how funny you want it to be. How long do they have to be funny. Do you just want a good one liner for a punch? There is a lot to being funny in a book. Also, a one liner that may be common to you and your friends, a reader may have no clue what you are talking about. It's a complicated process. For me anyway. I'm sure other authors have no problem being funny.
For me, I write a lot of serious stuff. A lot of dark moments. One of my problems is not having light moments to break up the darkness. Sometimes you need a little humor to break up the tension. Sometimes you need a character to say something funny to add awkwardness. Sometimes you should not put something funny in a serious scene because it will seem crass and break up what you have going. Humor is like walking a tight rope. One of the worst parts about using humor is offending someone. I hate judgmental people and I hate judging period. I hate hurting people's feelings. So when I add humor I have to make sure it doesn't offend anyone or hurt anyone's feelings.
So in conclusion, humor is great, possibly bad, and almost always difficult for me.
My book has been out in the world for two weeks now. I can hardly believe it. If you haven't gotten a digital copy yet, there are several places you can do so.
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/453465
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/still-life-moving-laci-maskell/1119899273?ean=2940046048933
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Moving-Laci-Maskell-ebook/dp/B00LFZ1I64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405368152&sr=8-1&keywords=still+life+moving
Or, if you are waiting for a paperback copy, don't fret. I am working on that this week and will hopefully have that out to you soon.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Happy Monday
Hello all. My book has been out for a week now. That is exciting. Who actually believed I would have published a book? I had my hopes but I had my doubts. Just kidding. This is what I have wanted to do the most, for the longest time. I could not live if I was not creating stories.
My family likes to give me crap and bring up the story of the time I rehashed to them an episode of Friends I had seen. Now you might not think this would be something worth giving me crap. However, the episode was 30 minutes and it took me about an hour to tell them about it. When they talk about it now, I just tell them that should have given away that I would be a writer. I mean, I had to give them all of the good details. Well, anyway, my book is out!! I am an actual, legit author now. That is so exciting.
IF anyone is interested, it is a great paranormal romance. Who doesn't love those, right? If you have any questions or want to reach me . . .
You can find me at the following places:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laci-Maskell/1522986734597053
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaciMaskell
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LaciMaskell
Here is where you can find my book
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/453465
Barnes and Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/still-life-moving-laci-maskell/1119899273?ean=2940046048933
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Moving-Laci-Maskell-ebook/dp/B00LFZ1I64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404762449&sr=8-1&keywords=Still+life+moving
If any of you have read my book, I would love it if you would leave a review on any of those websites. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Also, if you've read my book, I hope you enjoyed it.
Also, I am working on formatting my book so that I can get it out to you all in paperback, because I know a lot of you are waiting for that.
Until next time.
My family likes to give me crap and bring up the story of the time I rehashed to them an episode of Friends I had seen. Now you might not think this would be something worth giving me crap. However, the episode was 30 minutes and it took me about an hour to tell them about it. When they talk about it now, I just tell them that should have given away that I would be a writer. I mean, I had to give them all of the good details. Well, anyway, my book is out!! I am an actual, legit author now. That is so exciting.
IF anyone is interested, it is a great paranormal romance. Who doesn't love those, right? If you have any questions or want to reach me . . .
You can find me at the following places:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laci-Maskell/1522986734597053
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaciMaskell
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/LaciMaskell
Here is where you can find my book
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/453465
Barnes and Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/still-life-moving-laci-maskell/1119899273?ean=2940046048933
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Still-Life-Moving-Laci-Maskell-ebook/dp/B00LFZ1I64/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404762449&sr=8-1&keywords=Still+life+moving
If any of you have read my book, I would love it if you would leave a review on any of those websites. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Also, if you've read my book, I hope you enjoyed it.
Also, I am working on formatting my book so that I can get it out to you all in paperback, because I know a lot of you are waiting for that.
Until next time.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Book Birthday
The day has come! I have published my first book! Happy book birthday to me!
I feel really awesome! I mean, I published a book. I knew this day would come, but I was never really for sure about it. I mean, me, publish a book.
So, it is out there. My book is called Still Life Moving. Right now you can get it as an ebook on Smashwords. Hopefully soon it will be on Barnes and Noble and then Amazon. Also it will eventually be available for Soni and Kobo books and a few others. So check it out. My name is Laci Maskell if any of you wanted or needed to know.
In celebration of publishing my first book, I would like to talk about emotions we get from various mediums like books, music, movies, and so on.
I have been told I am an emotional person. And I will admit, that yes, I am decently emotional. I used to be worse, mind you. I love to cry while watching a movie or reading a book. My siblings find it strange, wondering why I would want to watch sad movies when there is already so much sadness in the world. Here is my explanation, I love to get so attached to characters that I feel the need to cry for them.
Here is a run down of my emotions from books, music, movies, and so on.
When I was 11 years old, my dad and sister took me to The Lord of the Rings against my will. I did not want to see this movie. I didn't think it was my thing. Then I went. I sat in the theater enthralled by the story and the characters. I didn't move or practically breathe for 3 hours. Then the movie was over and I was devastated. I held my composure until we got out into our vehicle. I sat in the truck, silent, trying not to cry. My dad and sister asked how I liked the movie. That is when I cried. They were shocked and asked what was wrong. I merely said, "It ended." I was so in love with these characters and this story that I was crushed that it was over. Trying to help me through my emotional state, they told me that there would be two more movies in the series. It was like the best news I could have ever gotten. So my sister and dad taking me to The Fellowship of the Rings was what started the whole Laci being a person. Or Laci being the person she is today. So really I need to thank my dad and my sister.
I cry watching many movies. PS I Love You. OMG When she says "I loved him and he died. What was the point?" I lose it every time. I mean, you get so attached to this character throughout the movie who has lost her husband and you feel for her. At least I did. I cried so hard. I cried at the end, well several times, while watching The Time Traveler's Wife. After he dies and then comes back years later and his wife does that little hiccup laugh cry thing because she is so happy to see him, I mean how could you not cry watching that. I cried when Cedric Diggory died. I cried watching King Arthur when Lancelot dies. OMG with the crying. I mean, I do laugh and smile a lot, but crying may be the harsher emotion.
I love music almost more than I love anything. I seriously love music. When Katy Perry's Teenage Dream came out I would smile huge ever time I would hear it. I love that song. I love Ed Sheeran songs. I See Fire by Ed Sheeran for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, OMG I love that song! I could listen to that song over and over again. And I do. I am listening to it as I write this post. Also his song for The Fault in our Stars, All of the Stars, I cannot get enough of that song. I love it so much. Wherever You Will Go by the Calling is probably by far my favorite song ever! I love it so much. Also, Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas! OMG I love that song. Not to mention that it is the song they play on every season finale of Supernatural which is one of my favorite shows ever. UGH! I love music so much. Music makes me feel so many things. So, I do like country music so don't get me wrong, but I love rock music way more than country music. And I will tell you why. I challenge anyone who wants to argue with me, to find a country song that has more emotion in it than in any rock song. Rock music so much emotion and energy and passion in it. It fills you with so much you never feel like you are without. I have cried listening to music before. You better believe it.
Now, books. What can I say about books? I love books so much. Mostly I read YA books. But I do love other books. If I didn't love books, I don't think I would have read 91 of them last year. I love books so hard core. I cry a lot when I read books. I laugh a lot when I read books. I cried when I read the last Harry Potter book and he goes out to the forest to face Voldemort and he knows he is going to die. UGH! So sad. I cry a lot when reading books. There are too many to list at the moment, so I will tell you about the one book that kills me every time. And subsequently the movie. The Fault In Our Stars. I know a lot of people love this book and the movie and they feel like it is their own. But really this book is mine! Just Kidding. But man. The Fault in our Stars has got to be my favorite book ever! Lately John Green, or people who write about John Green, have gotten a lot of flack for calling him the teen whisperer. Now, I have mixed emotions about this. I understand where other authors are coming from here. Some of their books are just as good and just as popular as The Fault in our Stars, so they have every right to be mad. However, they cannot deny, I will fight them if they do, that TFIOS is seriously and amazing book. I cry every time I read this book. I have read it 6 times and I openly weep every time I read it. So TFIOS is 313 pages. The first time I read it, I cried from page 203 to the very end. And I read this thing in one sitting. I love this book SO MUCH!!! I can't even really tell you why I love it so much. But I do. When I watched the movie I cried hard core! Hard Core! I recommend this book to everyone I know. It truly is such a great book.
Now, my book. I used beta readers before I published my book to find out if it was any good. I gave it to my best friend. When she was finished reading the book she texted me and was mad. She said she cried, and I told her how happy that made me. Like I said, I think it is very important for the reader, listener, watcher, to get so attached to the characters that their experience with the material elicits some form of emotion from them.
So there you have it folks. I am a big baby who will pretty much cry at anything.
Don't forget, I have published my first book. It is called Still Life Moving by Laci Maskell. It is now available at Smashwords.com and will be available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon soon. If you choose to purchase it I will be greatly appreciative. Also, I will be making it available in paperback soon, so if you do not have an ereader, do not fret, you will be able to get a paper back in the near future. Happy book birthday to me!
I feel really awesome! I mean, I published a book. I knew this day would come, but I was never really for sure about it. I mean, me, publish a book.
So, it is out there. My book is called Still Life Moving. Right now you can get it as an ebook on Smashwords. Hopefully soon it will be on Barnes and Noble and then Amazon. Also it will eventually be available for Soni and Kobo books and a few others. So check it out. My name is Laci Maskell if any of you wanted or needed to know.
In celebration of publishing my first book, I would like to talk about emotions we get from various mediums like books, music, movies, and so on.
I have been told I am an emotional person. And I will admit, that yes, I am decently emotional. I used to be worse, mind you. I love to cry while watching a movie or reading a book. My siblings find it strange, wondering why I would want to watch sad movies when there is already so much sadness in the world. Here is my explanation, I love to get so attached to characters that I feel the need to cry for them.
Here is a run down of my emotions from books, music, movies, and so on.
When I was 11 years old, my dad and sister took me to The Lord of the Rings against my will. I did not want to see this movie. I didn't think it was my thing. Then I went. I sat in the theater enthralled by the story and the characters. I didn't move or practically breathe for 3 hours. Then the movie was over and I was devastated. I held my composure until we got out into our vehicle. I sat in the truck, silent, trying not to cry. My dad and sister asked how I liked the movie. That is when I cried. They were shocked and asked what was wrong. I merely said, "It ended." I was so in love with these characters and this story that I was crushed that it was over. Trying to help me through my emotional state, they told me that there would be two more movies in the series. It was like the best news I could have ever gotten. So my sister and dad taking me to The Fellowship of the Rings was what started the whole Laci being a person. Or Laci being the person she is today. So really I need to thank my dad and my sister.
I cry watching many movies. PS I Love You. OMG When she says "I loved him and he died. What was the point?" I lose it every time. I mean, you get so attached to this character throughout the movie who has lost her husband and you feel for her. At least I did. I cried so hard. I cried at the end, well several times, while watching The Time Traveler's Wife. After he dies and then comes back years later and his wife does that little hiccup laugh cry thing because she is so happy to see him, I mean how could you not cry watching that. I cried when Cedric Diggory died. I cried watching King Arthur when Lancelot dies. OMG with the crying. I mean, I do laugh and smile a lot, but crying may be the harsher emotion.
I love music almost more than I love anything. I seriously love music. When Katy Perry's Teenage Dream came out I would smile huge ever time I would hear it. I love that song. I love Ed Sheeran songs. I See Fire by Ed Sheeran for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, OMG I love that song! I could listen to that song over and over again. And I do. I am listening to it as I write this post. Also his song for The Fault in our Stars, All of the Stars, I cannot get enough of that song. I love it so much. Wherever You Will Go by the Calling is probably by far my favorite song ever! I love it so much. Also, Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas! OMG I love that song. Not to mention that it is the song they play on every season finale of Supernatural which is one of my favorite shows ever. UGH! I love music so much. Music makes me feel so many things. So, I do like country music so don't get me wrong, but I love rock music way more than country music. And I will tell you why. I challenge anyone who wants to argue with me, to find a country song that has more emotion in it than in any rock song. Rock music so much emotion and energy and passion in it. It fills you with so much you never feel like you are without. I have cried listening to music before. You better believe it.
Now, books. What can I say about books? I love books so much. Mostly I read YA books. But I do love other books. If I didn't love books, I don't think I would have read 91 of them last year. I love books so hard core. I cry a lot when I read books. I laugh a lot when I read books. I cried when I read the last Harry Potter book and he goes out to the forest to face Voldemort and he knows he is going to die. UGH! So sad. I cry a lot when reading books. There are too many to list at the moment, so I will tell you about the one book that kills me every time. And subsequently the movie. The Fault In Our Stars. I know a lot of people love this book and the movie and they feel like it is their own. But really this book is mine! Just Kidding. But man. The Fault in our Stars has got to be my favorite book ever! Lately John Green, or people who write about John Green, have gotten a lot of flack for calling him the teen whisperer. Now, I have mixed emotions about this. I understand where other authors are coming from here. Some of their books are just as good and just as popular as The Fault in our Stars, so they have every right to be mad. However, they cannot deny, I will fight them if they do, that TFIOS is seriously and amazing book. I cry every time I read this book. I have read it 6 times and I openly weep every time I read it. So TFIOS is 313 pages. The first time I read it, I cried from page 203 to the very end. And I read this thing in one sitting. I love this book SO MUCH!!! I can't even really tell you why I love it so much. But I do. When I watched the movie I cried hard core! Hard Core! I recommend this book to everyone I know. It truly is such a great book.
Now, my book. I used beta readers before I published my book to find out if it was any good. I gave it to my best friend. When she was finished reading the book she texted me and was mad. She said she cried, and I told her how happy that made me. Like I said, I think it is very important for the reader, listener, watcher, to get so attached to the characters that their experience with the material elicits some form of emotion from them.
So there you have it folks. I am a big baby who will pretty much cry at anything.
Don't forget, I have published my first book. It is called Still Life Moving by Laci Maskell. It is now available at Smashwords.com and will be available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon soon. If you choose to purchase it I will be greatly appreciative. Also, I will be making it available in paperback soon, so if you do not have an ereader, do not fret, you will be able to get a paper back in the near future. Happy book birthday to me!
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