What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. It was created by created by Jaime and Erin. Want to join the party? Go right ahead, and remember to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.
What I’m Reading
I just finished reading FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell, and oh my god this book. I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK. I really need to blog about it but I suspect it would devolve into just me squealing about it.
I haven’t felt so inspired by a book since I read BIRD BY BIRD. I kept feeling like I should stop reading to write, but I didn’t want to stop reading!
Now I’m chilling out with HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, which is part of a personal project to study a few middle grade titles and examine what makes them work. I’ll probably do a blog post with my notes. So far, it’s cute, fun and surprisingly British — it’s almost Neil Gaiman-ish.
After that I’m going to try and reading some of the authors I’ll be seeing at Angry Robot’s Halloween Takeover at Forbidden Planet in London. I’m starting with Anne Lyle’s THE ALCHEMIST OF SOULS (fantasy set in Elizabethan London) and then reading Adam Christopher’s EMPIRE STATE (superheroes in a parallel prohibition-era New York).
What I’m Writing
Yeah, about that…
Last week editing was going strongly and I got some writing done on the side, but this week… nada. I’m not really sleeping properly so writing time has been cancelled while I deal with things and wrestle my sleep back into order.
I’d say I’ll be back on track next week, but POKEMON X & Y IS NEARLY HERE. POKEMON POKEMON POKEMON.
What Inspires Me
POKEMON POKEMON POKEMON have I mentioned I am excited about Pokemon because I am SO EXCITED to see them bring this game up to the next generation of consoles. And there’s a new PHOENIX WRIGHT game out at the end of the month and I just. I can’t. *flails* *plays all the video games*
But seriously, I am also very excited about the WORLD FANTASY CONVENTION 2013 at the end of the month. It’s going to be scary and expensive and empower and education and so much fun. I get to meet my writing friends in the flesh! I get to be in the same building as Sir Terry Pratchett! I have a valid reason to visit Forbidden Planet in London!
I am really looking forward to this event, the first of hopefully many cons.
What Else I’ve Been Up To
I’ve been playing ZOMBIES RUN! lately, a fun little fitness app that weaves a story into your running routine. It’s been really motivating me to get my butt off the couch and onto a treadmill, and I’ve been weaving quite a story around my Runner’s adventures. Enough that I was thinking of blogging about it.
Then today I read the YOU’VE SUBMITTED YOUR BOOK: NOW WHAT? guest post by Karina Cooper on Chuck Wendig’s Terriblemind. I took a spin over to her blog afterwords and saw that she’s had similar inspiration, writing a story to accompany her missions. I won’t be going into that much detail but it definitely inspires me to get back to my Runner’s story.
Yay, I found another Pokemon fan! :D *high five* I can’t buy X or Y though as I don’t have a 3DS :( (this is the first generation I’ve not been able to buy *wails*) Also, you’re going to World Fantasy Con? I may be a little jealous!
How to Train Your Dragon is awesome! I’m writing an upper-MG fantasy book at the moment so I’ll be interested in reading your notes. :) I’m currently rereading the Skulduggery Pleasant series to get some tips on how to write action scenes and snappy dialogue!
Hello Emma, welcome to the blog! Lovely to see another Pokemon fan here.
You should get a 3DS (or the cheaper 2DS)! I have no doubt they’re entirely worth the purchase cost just for Pokemon, hehe.
I am going to WFC! It is super exciting but also super expensive, I’ve been saving for months.
I’ll definitely put those notes up then. :) Are you enjoying Skullduggery Pleasant? I’ve been meaning to read it for ages, it sounds really good.
I’m extremely tempted to spend some of my savings on a 2DS. :P It’s like a ritual that I have to buy every new game!
The Skulduggery books are great! They’re very funny, inventive and action-packed, and definitely worth a look if you’re looking for a MG series to read.
I can’t wait to get my hands on Fangirl. I’ve heard so many great things about it and I LOVE her other two books!
It is SO GOOD. I’m sure you’ll love it!
Sorry to hear of your sleeping issues, Emma. :( I hope you get that sorted out soon. I’ve tried writing when I’m tired, and it doesn’t work. When I was much younger, I was able to pull all-nighters, and get by on not much sleep. Not anymore. Now you’ve joined the over 21s, you know what I mean. ;)
It’s wonderful FANGIRL has inspired you so much. ELEANOR & PARK, her first book, has been recommended to me, so Rainbow Rowell seems to be the author of the moment.
And I’m not going to mention being jealous that you’re going to get to meet Sir Terry Pratchett, or that you’re going to visit Forbidden Planet in London. I’d love to go there just to gaze at all the Doctor Who stuff. :)
Have a wonderful, restful, week, my friend! :D
She really is the author of the moment. She’s equally as skilled as John Green, so it makes me happy to see a lady writer inching towards a John Green-ish level of success. (He actually helped her out a lot by reviewing Elanor & Park.)
I know EXACTLY what you mean. 22 is clearly the point where I become a true adult who cannot stay up late. Life isn’t fair.
Oh man, if I meet Terry Pratchett I don’t think I’ll be able to *say* anything. I’ll just stare. And stare.
This is just further proof that I need to read FANGIRL already. I’ve heard so much ‘fangirling’ over this book, and I really enjoyed ELEANOR & PARK, so it’s probably time to pick up a copy, right? Sorry to hear that you’ve been having such a hard time finding sleep. That always throws everything off. I used to do shift work and it played havoc with my system. I hope it all gets back on track soon! Have a great week, Emma! :-)
Fangirl is on my Kindle To Be Bought pile. The blurb basically read like my entire teenage experience :P
I still have a copy of Pokemon Blue but I don’t think I have a Gameboy to use it on ^^;
Hope you get some sleep soon. It’s a horrible problem to have.
Have an awesome week :D
I hope you have an awesome week too! I’m sure you will, you’re powering through those edits.
My son is pokermon mad too. They have never done much for me sadly. :)
Thanks for stopping by Jossie! Your son has great taste. :)
I love the idea of the Zombies Run story! I hope you end up sharing it. :) The fantasy convention sounds like great fun (meeting/seeing/breathing the same air as Sir Terry Pratchett?!?!?). Awesome!
I keep hearing about FANGIRL and about how people have ALL THE FEELS after reading this book. Apparently, I need to get my hands on it. :)
Have a great week!
Too bad you havn’t been sleeping well lately, I hope it’ll get better soon for you!
And I got Pokémon X! Eeep! (I actually got it yesterday already, for some reason they released the games a day early in Japan, Spain and the Netherlands?) If you like we could exchange 3DS friendcodes, then we could play together some time?
I’ve got Y and would love to hang out! My friendcode is 2191-7896-2627 :)
Yay! My code is 2681-0073-7705 (And now to quote Guildmaster Wigglytuff :”Friends friends, friendly friends! YOOMTAAH!!!”)