If you have ever written anything or made anything then you know that one of the best feelings in the world is suddenly being inspired to create something. Inspiration can come from anywhere at anytime. I mostly get my inspiration from music or seeing a picture or someone saying something weird. (Mostly it's Yowah that does the weird sayings)
The other day I was suddenly inspired by a picture of a human/dragon person. (What I plan to do with that you will have to wait and see. For now it's a major secret.)
But what I'm working on right now is not a major secret. I am working on the second book in the Oblivion Trilogy which if you've read the first one you will see that the name of this book is called Oblivion's Knight.
It basically picks up from where the last book left off. You are probably wondering what in the world this one is going to be about. Don't freak you'll be able to read a synopsis soon enough. I hope to have it out by the end of this year or early next year. What I can tell you is that it will be longer than the first book (Or at least that's my goal...)
This book is so much harder to write than the last one. Unlike the first book where I could stumble around blindly and just happen upon a story, I actually know where I'm going with this book and how I'm planning to lead it into the next book. The next thing I'm going to tell you is something that I've been called insane over at least 20 times already. When I first started this book it was for the Camp NaNo (20,000 words in a month was my goal. Which seemed easy to the last goal which as you know was 50,000) The first day I wrote about 3,000 words or so. But the whole time I really didn't like where it was going. There were no jokes and Ava was about as funny as a rock flying at your face at 100 mph. She seemed to dark and angry and she wasn't the light character that I created a few months ago. I finally turned off the computer and went to bed. But I couldn't sleep. Not with that horrible piece glaring at me from across the room. I woke up around 3am and in a furious rage/panic attack, I deleted the entire story. The next morning I felt better. I tried starting over again. This time there were a few jokes (albeit very VERY morbid jokes) but it wasn't as light as I wanted so I turned off my computer again and left it for about two weeks. Needless to say I did not finish the 20k in a month nor did I even reach 5k. But I really didn't care. I was busy with the first Oblivion novel. I finally started writing again in May. I once again restarted the story (I kept the other draft this time) but this time I was content with the story line. Yes it's probably going to change a lot more before your read it but hey, I made it past the third scene finally. Right now I'm about... 16,000 words in or something like that...
I was also talking to Samantha a few days ago and we were talking about how morbid our stories were and when we thought we crossed a line. (NOTE: Her book is a Christian Western based in the late 1800's while mine is a book about modern day monsters.) She told me that she had removed some of the gore from her book while editing. (I was wondering what gore she was talking about, she had to explain it to me) The climax of her story involved some blood and that's what she changed slightly. She thought having blood on one of her characters heads was a little much (I hope I'm being vague enough) I told her that I have yet to find my line and how her story goes on emotions, mine kinda circles around sarcasm and my basic all around weirdness. At one point in the conversation I said it was easy writing the morbid jokes since half of what I say comes out like, "Waiter! There's a dead man in me soup" (Which apparently is funny...) or "You're dancing around the gore and letting their imaginations do the work.. I am doing back flips into a pool filed with skeletons." (Which she seemed to find funny as well... my house hold must look like pewee's play house to whoever comes over because things like this are said on a regular basis.)
It would be great if you checked out her book 'The Other Side of Me by Samantha Bartley'
It's available on Amazon and the kindle. The same goes for my book 'Oblivion's Heart by C.G. Bush'
Laters!
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Oblivion's Heart~ Behind the Pages
I think it's about time I wrote up a post talking about my book, Oblivion's Heart, and what possessed me to write a monster book when normally I write short mystery stories. It's a novel I'm proud of but sometimes it is very hard to explain to people... Normally people want you to explain your book in a few words and for someone with so much to say... It's hard. So normally I just say it's about monsters when really it's not. It's about a girl fighting to save her family from a curse. She just happens to be backed by a league of monsters...
I don't know why I don't say this. They would still give me strange looks. The facial expressions of people when I tell them (or someone else tells them) that I have a published novel and I'm only 17, goes from impressed/shocked to freaked out/confused in a matter of seconds. That's when their voice goes an octave higher (Which means that they are either lying or freaking out) and they try to change the subject as fast as possible.
But I still believe it's a good book; I'm just talking to the wrong crowd. But enough about that, let's get on to the stories behind the story.
The novel was written for the NaNoWriMo (Short for National Novel Writing Month). It's a contest that happens every November; You have to write a 50,000 word story in 30 days. If you complete that you win. My friend Samantha Bartley (who also entered this contest) sent me a message one night telling me about it and I thought it sounded fun and told her I would do it with her. It started the next day so I had planned like zip. But I never really planned out books ahead of time (Yes I know it's crazy but you'd be surprised what can be accomplished while blindly stumbling through your mind) All I had was one scene and yes that was enough for me. I think you can build a story off one name (Which I've done before. I really wanted to use that name but I didn't have a story to put it in so I made one)
Speaking of names, If you ever wondered why I named two of the main characters Ava and Vladimir, it's because I was trying to explain a scene to Sam and I needed makeshift names. Ava was short and I could type it fast and I just felt like using Vlad. I had planned on changing them but after a while they stuck.
Elliot on the other hand has been changing since day one. First of all I really do not like the idea of cuddly vampires. So even though I don't flat out say it in the book, The vampires are killers and they drink human blood like all good vamps should. Originally Elliot was an older man around Vlad's age or a little older but I couldn't picture an older man running and doing some of the things Elliot does/ will do. (Just because I didn't think out the first book before I started it doesn't mean I haven't thought up the last two books)
While writing the 1500 daily word count, my nights were spent up very late. Sometimes I would get up in the wee morning hours and start typing till around 7, go get food and start again. I did have days I didn't even touch my laptop and those days I fell behind I freaked because you never realize how much 50k really is until you start working on it. I worked until I hit a block and then I would text Sam or Faith or even Tiphanie. Sometimes they would say something or sometimes I would just talk until if straightened out the problem. When I thought the book was getting boring I would go into my sisters room and have her ramble until I something caught my attention. I would go to piano lessons tired and my recital songs started paying the price for my lack of practice. But by the third week I had balanced writing and my life. It was stressful and exhausting but it was one of the best experiences of my life. I had good days where everyone would cheer me on but I also had really bad days when everyone just really didn't care and thought I should give up. But I didn't because even when I had those really bad days I still had friends cheering for me.
While stumbling through a first draft you will never know what you will find. I was in my room typing away one Sunday making excellent progress, I was working away still not knowing the ending of the book or the name of the book or even the name of the Oblivion. When all of the sudden I type a single line. I have no idea where it came from but when I typed it it all suddenly just hit me. Jerked my hands back from the keyboard and gasped (Yes I was so shocked I nearly screamed). I had my monster, my name, and most importantly my ending.
Another time when I was writing late one night I was sitting in my chair, minding my own business when all of the sudden I hear (I kid you not) whispering. I glance up from my computer and it stops. A few seconds later I hear it again and this is when I'm starting to panic slightly because I was writing a scene that involved whispers. That's when my sister says "Night" and I scream and nearly threw my laptop. Apparently she had been talking for a few minutes and I wasn't listening.
The next night I was typing again and I heard something and I saw shadows out of the corner of my eye. My sister was obviously trying to scare me again so I put my laptop down and open the door to give her a piece of my mind. To my surprise she wasn't there. This is when I stomp to her bedroom... only to find she was already asleep... Ok yes I was starting to freak out again. I went back to my room and started to type but I had just started when I heard a pop right beside my ear and a shadow on the wall. In one quick movement I was across the room holding a hammer ready to attack whatever it was. But there was nothing. Finally I just stand there and watch the spot waiting. After a few minutes the shadow appeared again. It was a beetle that had somehow gotten into my lamp above my chair and was now stuck.
So yes I had a few freaky nights but it was still fun.
The last thing I'm going to mention is Samantha's room... One night I was talking to her and she had been telling me about a room in her house that was hidden behind a bookcase. I thought this was a really cool idea so I added one into the story. When I talked to her a few days later I told her about it but I was shocked to hear that that room was no longer there. They had moved the shelf. I still claim to have stolen her room by accident. The room is now in Van Drake Manor where it's slightly stuck. (Sorry Sam)
That's all I can think of right now, if you are interested in buying a copy you can find it on amazon.com under Oblivion's Heart by C.G. Bush
Or click on the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Oblivions-Heart-Oblivion-Trilogy-Volume/dp/1482344815/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369261286&sr=8-1&keywords=C.G.+Bush
Laters!
I don't know why I don't say this. They would still give me strange looks. The facial expressions of people when I tell them (or someone else tells them) that I have a published novel and I'm only 17, goes from impressed/shocked to freaked out/confused in a matter of seconds. That's when their voice goes an octave higher (Which means that they are either lying or freaking out) and they try to change the subject as fast as possible.
But I still believe it's a good book; I'm just talking to the wrong crowd. But enough about that, let's get on to the stories behind the story.
The novel was written for the NaNoWriMo (Short for National Novel Writing Month). It's a contest that happens every November; You have to write a 50,000 word story in 30 days. If you complete that you win. My friend Samantha Bartley (who also entered this contest) sent me a message one night telling me about it and I thought it sounded fun and told her I would do it with her. It started the next day so I had planned like zip. But I never really planned out books ahead of time (Yes I know it's crazy but you'd be surprised what can be accomplished while blindly stumbling through your mind) All I had was one scene and yes that was enough for me. I think you can build a story off one name (Which I've done before. I really wanted to use that name but I didn't have a story to put it in so I made one)
Speaking of names, If you ever wondered why I named two of the main characters Ava and Vladimir, it's because I was trying to explain a scene to Sam and I needed makeshift names. Ava was short and I could type it fast and I just felt like using Vlad. I had planned on changing them but after a while they stuck.
Elliot on the other hand has been changing since day one. First of all I really do not like the idea of cuddly vampires. So even though I don't flat out say it in the book, The vampires are killers and they drink human blood like all good vamps should. Originally Elliot was an older man around Vlad's age or a little older but I couldn't picture an older man running and doing some of the things Elliot does/ will do. (Just because I didn't think out the first book before I started it doesn't mean I haven't thought up the last two books)
While writing the 1500 daily word count, my nights were spent up very late. Sometimes I would get up in the wee morning hours and start typing till around 7, go get food and start again. I did have days I didn't even touch my laptop and those days I fell behind I freaked because you never realize how much 50k really is until you start working on it. I worked until I hit a block and then I would text Sam or Faith or even Tiphanie. Sometimes they would say something or sometimes I would just talk until if straightened out the problem. When I thought the book was getting boring I would go into my sisters room and have her ramble until I something caught my attention. I would go to piano lessons tired and my recital songs started paying the price for my lack of practice. But by the third week I had balanced writing and my life. It was stressful and exhausting but it was one of the best experiences of my life. I had good days where everyone would cheer me on but I also had really bad days when everyone just really didn't care and thought I should give up. But I didn't because even when I had those really bad days I still had friends cheering for me.
While stumbling through a first draft you will never know what you will find. I was in my room typing away one Sunday making excellent progress, I was working away still not knowing the ending of the book or the name of the book or even the name of the Oblivion. When all of the sudden I type a single line. I have no idea where it came from but when I typed it it all suddenly just hit me. Jerked my hands back from the keyboard and gasped (Yes I was so shocked I nearly screamed). I had my monster, my name, and most importantly my ending.
Another time when I was writing late one night I was sitting in my chair, minding my own business when all of the sudden I hear (I kid you not) whispering. I glance up from my computer and it stops. A few seconds later I hear it again and this is when I'm starting to panic slightly because I was writing a scene that involved whispers. That's when my sister says "Night" and I scream and nearly threw my laptop. Apparently she had been talking for a few minutes and I wasn't listening.
The next night I was typing again and I heard something and I saw shadows out of the corner of my eye. My sister was obviously trying to scare me again so I put my laptop down and open the door to give her a piece of my mind. To my surprise she wasn't there. This is when I stomp to her bedroom... only to find she was already asleep... Ok yes I was starting to freak out again. I went back to my room and started to type but I had just started when I heard a pop right beside my ear and a shadow on the wall. In one quick movement I was across the room holding a hammer ready to attack whatever it was. But there was nothing. Finally I just stand there and watch the spot waiting. After a few minutes the shadow appeared again. It was a beetle that had somehow gotten into my lamp above my chair and was now stuck.
So yes I had a few freaky nights but it was still fun.
The last thing I'm going to mention is Samantha's room... One night I was talking to her and she had been telling me about a room in her house that was hidden behind a bookcase. I thought this was a really cool idea so I added one into the story. When I talked to her a few days later I told her about it but I was shocked to hear that that room was no longer there. They had moved the shelf. I still claim to have stolen her room by accident. The room is now in Van Drake Manor where it's slightly stuck. (Sorry Sam)
That's all I can think of right now, if you are interested in buying a copy you can find it on amazon.com under Oblivion's Heart by C.G. Bush
Or click on the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Oblivions-Heart-Oblivion-Trilogy-Volume/dp/1482344815/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369261286&sr=8-1&keywords=C.G.+Bush
Laters!
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Random Scavenger Hunt
A few days ago I invited my friend Faith over, Those of you who read by blog may know her by the name of Jess and I keep forgetting to write it like that. Earlier in the week Faith had told me she wanted to join me on one of my adventures since they always seem to happen when shes not around. So I told her that we would have a very interesting adventure... as it turns out we did. (But it's always interesting when you have Yowah make up a scavenger hunt list.)
This list was one of the most random things ever. It mostly involved taking pictures and doing things but I am still calling it a scavenger hunt.
We tried to involve all of our main spots in town. We were going to Red Bluff but it had rained and I didn't really think the mighty Craig could get out of the mud if we happened to get stuck. So that was crossed off the list as well as the coffee house and the museum (They were closed)
But the rest of it we did and we added things as we went along. First we went to the library to find a book on dragons.
Being the bookworm that I am I knew that the children's section upstairs had at least two dragon books but still I hadn't been up there in years so I asked the woman at the desk. She seemed really confused... Faith is probably going to read this and say that it was my fault for confusing her but it really wasn't. This is what happened:
Me: "Hi I'm looking for a book on dragons." *Insert Faith's 'Crystal-what-the-heck-are-you-doing-you-can't-just-ask-her-point-blank-like-that' look*
Her: "You want a book by a dragon?"
Me: "No a book on dragons. You know... big and breaths fire? It's for a scavenger hunt." (Actually saying that was probably a mistake because her face was like "Oh no there's gonna be more of you?")
Her: *Types on the computer a minute. Faith is standing by awkwardly.*
After a few minutes I decide to find it myself. Luckily they haven't recognized the books.
We took a picture of it then a thought hits me. Let's take a picture with the librarian, she wasn't that excited about it and I don't think she was smiling much either... But she did take it.
After that we walked across the parking lot to the park.Where we found that all of the graffiti had been sanded away. (Almost all of it) Then Yowah started chasing us like she had put on the list she was going to do. She caught Faith but I was too quick so I won that round.
The next thing we did will need slight explaining. (everything we did needs explaining but this needs more than others.) There is a stage near the Library where they use it for... stage purposes... Anyway the last thing we needed to do was put on a performance. Faith and I are proud Sherlockians so we decide to reenact BBC's Sherlock 'The Final Problem' The scene where Sherlock *Spoilers* dies.
I act as Sherlock and stand on stage. Faith gets on the ground and Yowah is filming. (Yes we captured this moment on video)
We say the last three sentences or so and I dramatically fall face first to the ground. It was Epic.
As we walked back to my car we spotted the mailman making a delivery to the library, we added yet another item to our list.Take a picture with the mailman. (Strange enough Faith didn't really want to be in many of the pictures. The mailman seemed excited that we asked... He even did a dance and sung "I'm gonna be on the internet! I'm gonna be on the internet!" We made someones day so I guess this hunt wasn't totally pointless.
After leaving the Park/Library we went to the Dollar Tree and bought a hand full of fake flowers for the last thing on the list. We took them apart in the car so we would have more and then Faith asks 'So how are we going to do this?' That's when I grab a single flower and jump out of the car (we had drove to the walmart parking lot) and look around. I spotted a little older woman and her husband putting the groceries away. I raced across the parking lot and handed her the flower. She looked really surprised and kept saying thank you but all that time I just smiled then I turned around and ran back to the car.
The woman watched us until the three of us disappeared into a crowd randomly handing out flowers. Only one person refused to take a flower. Everyone else seemed too shocked to question it. We also took a picture with both greeters who were happy to receive a flower. We ran into at least five people we knew who all asked us what on earth we were doing. We handed them a flower and kept walking (with the exception of one couple who we talked to while passing them out.)
We didn't do anything illegal; just really weird. Not like we were dressing up in black cloaks and running around a grave yard... *Smiles innocently*
After this adventure I took Faith home which ended the random scavenger hunt. we plan to do a better one the next time she visits... and next time we will be visiting a some place haunted! *insert random ghosty noises*
Till next time,
Laters!
This list was one of the most random things ever. It mostly involved taking pictures and doing things but I am still calling it a scavenger hunt.
We tried to involve all of our main spots in town. We were going to Red Bluff but it had rained and I didn't really think the mighty Craig could get out of the mud if we happened to get stuck. So that was crossed off the list as well as the coffee house and the museum (They were closed)
But the rest of it we did and we added things as we went along. First we went to the library to find a book on dragons.
Being the bookworm that I am I knew that the children's section upstairs had at least two dragon books but still I hadn't been up there in years so I asked the woman at the desk. She seemed really confused... Faith is probably going to read this and say that it was my fault for confusing her but it really wasn't. This is what happened:
Me: "Hi I'm looking for a book on dragons." *Insert Faith's 'Crystal-what-the-heck-are-you-doing-you-can't-just-ask-her-point-blank-like-that' look*
Her: "You want a book by a dragon?"
Me: "No a book on dragons. You know... big and breaths fire? It's for a scavenger hunt." (Actually saying that was probably a mistake because her face was like "Oh no there's gonna be more of you?")
Her: *Types on the computer a minute. Faith is standing by awkwardly.*
After a few minutes I decide to find it myself. Luckily they haven't recognized the books.
We took a picture of it then a thought hits me. Let's take a picture with the librarian, she wasn't that excited about it and I don't think she was smiling much either... But she did take it.
After that we walked across the parking lot to the park.Where we found that all of the graffiti had been sanded away. (Almost all of it) Then Yowah started chasing us like she had put on the list she was going to do. She caught Faith but I was too quick so I won that round.
The next thing we did will need slight explaining. (everything we did needs explaining but this needs more than others.) There is a stage near the Library where they use it for... stage purposes... Anyway the last thing we needed to do was put on a performance. Faith and I are proud Sherlockians so we decide to reenact BBC's Sherlock 'The Final Problem' The scene where Sherlock *Spoilers* dies.
I act as Sherlock and stand on stage. Faith gets on the ground and Yowah is filming. (Yes we captured this moment on video)
We say the last three sentences or so and I dramatically fall face first to the ground. It was Epic.
As we walked back to my car we spotted the mailman making a delivery to the library, we added yet another item to our list.Take a picture with the mailman. (Strange enough Faith didn't really want to be in many of the pictures. The mailman seemed excited that we asked... He even did a dance and sung "I'm gonna be on the internet! I'm gonna be on the internet!" We made someones day so I guess this hunt wasn't totally pointless.
After leaving the Park/Library we went to the Dollar Tree and bought a hand full of fake flowers for the last thing on the list. We took them apart in the car so we would have more and then Faith asks 'So how are we going to do this?' That's when I grab a single flower and jump out of the car (we had drove to the walmart parking lot) and look around. I spotted a little older woman and her husband putting the groceries away. I raced across the parking lot and handed her the flower. She looked really surprised and kept saying thank you but all that time I just smiled then I turned around and ran back to the car.
The woman watched us until the three of us disappeared into a crowd randomly handing out flowers. Only one person refused to take a flower. Everyone else seemed too shocked to question it. We also took a picture with both greeters who were happy to receive a flower. We ran into at least five people we knew who all asked us what on earth we were doing. We handed them a flower and kept walking (with the exception of one couple who we talked to while passing them out.)
We didn't do anything illegal; just really weird. Not like we were dressing up in black cloaks and running around a grave yard... *Smiles innocently*
After this adventure I took Faith home which ended the random scavenger hunt. we plan to do a better one the next time she visits... and next time we will be visiting a some place haunted! *insert random ghosty noises*
Till next time,
Laters!
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