Each one of them will post on a determined day (Harmony will post on Mondays, Kieryn on Tuesdays, etc., etc.)
This week is all about introductions. But the real blogging will commence next week! If you're an aspiring author, or even if you write as a hobby (and hope that one day, you'll be ready to face the publishing industry, like yours truly) then I suggest you get your butt on over there, cause it will be epic.
(I love that word. I could say it over and over. Epic. Epic. Epic. Epic.)
After reading this entry by the lovely Kelsey Sutton, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts about this subject with you.
Kelsey says:
"So today while I was baking cookies I began to wonder, Do we kill off characters because it's really essential to the plot? Because we hate this character we've created? To mess with the reader's mind? Or just because we love that we can?
My answer to that is:
Because I love that I can.
I love creating tension between characters, building up the story and then killing off a character. Not my main ones, but a secondary one.
It's that "WTF???" thing about it that I love!
Then again, I don't think I'd be so drastic as to kill a loved secondary character. Take Fred Weasley, for instance. We all loved him and were really sad to see him die. I'm still sad about it, but I think J. K. R. made the whole ending a lot more realistic in doing this. It can't all end in fairy tale endings.
In my case, if I kill off a character it's not always essential to the plot. It's basically to mess with the reader's mind. And I wouldn't kill a character I hated, I'd bring it more into the story! I love bad guys!
I guess I could say, I like killing off my MCs best friends.
When an accident in Potions class turns Harry into Draco and Draco into Harry, each is trapped playing the part of the other. Romance, mistaken identities, really Cunning Plans, evil bake sales, a love triangle, and snogs galore.
When an accident in Potions class turns Harry into Draco and Draco into Harry, each is trapped playing the part of the other. Romance, mistaken identi...moreWhen an accident in Potions class turns Harry into Draco and Draco into Harry, each is trapped playing the part of the other. Romance, mistaken identi...mo
A must-read to all Harry Potter fans.
My Opinion:
I love reading Fan Fiction, and was looking for a good Harry Potter one, and came across this one. Everyone called it "THE Harry Potter Fan Fiction". And they were right.
It was like reading something J. K. Rowling had written herself!
I know that name must sound familiar to you all, and that's probably because you've seen it written differently. Cassandra Claire is the pseudonym Cassandra Clare, author of the Mortal Instruments trilogy, used to publish Fan Fiction back in the day.
The story revolvs around Harry and Draco, which are stuck in each other's bodies as a result of a Polyjuice Spell gone wrong. They have to play the role of the other, so as not to raise suspicion.
Like this, they both get to see what it's like to be the other. Draco, who's always envied Harry thinking his life was great, whereas his was not, finds that this is not the case.
Harry, who's always hated Draco, and thought he was the most evil of students at Hogwarts, discovers that Draco actually has a heart.
This piece of Fan Fiction is written in novel-length, at 207 pages. A warning: It includes the Harry/Hermione pairing, and while I'm a big Harry/Ginny - Hermione/Ron fan, I have to say, this is so well written, that I love this couple way too much!
It also plays with the Draco/Hermione pairing, and we all know that this isn't too far off from the actual books.
One thing that makes this so amazing, and loved in the HP fandom, is, I think, the completely accurate characterisation of J. K. Rowling's characters. Yes, the pairings are changed but, the characters remain the same. Draco is still too full of himself, Harry pushes everyone whom he loves away in fear they might end up dead, Hermione is the brightest young witch of them all, and Ron... he's Ron. Only, he isn't in love with Hermione.
The ending of Draco Dormiens leaves you wanting to read the sequel right away! (Too bad it is way too long!)
---------------
Before the release of her first book,City of Bones, "Claire" began taking down her Draco Trilogy Fan Fiction from the online archives. Of course, something this big can't ever completely disappear, and can still be found if you know where to look. I've found that you can download them from the Cassandra Clare Wiki page, under the Bibliography section. Just click on that link and you'll be taken there. I've downloaded them from someplace else too, to see if they were the same archives, and can guarantee you that they are. NOT ANYMORE!
If you want to read them and have trouble downloading them from the Wiki page, you can always contact me, and I'll email them to you, just look for my email address on the right sidebar, under the heading Contact Me.
EDIT 13/09/13: A LOT of people have been contacting me about this series. Truth is, my links had been taken down once someone got wind of them. But no matter! I have the files saved and was able to upload them again. So, here and here and here.
I've just read that Before I Fall, by the amazing Lauren Oliver has been optioned for a film! I can't wait to see who they cast as Sam, Elody, Ally and Lindsay! This is definitely one of my favourite books. You can read my review here.
----------------------------------------------
Crescendo, by Becca Fitzpatrick, has a new cover and it is amazing!Want to know why it's raining on the cover? Read this:
…Patch stood over me, and a drop of rain slid from his hair, landing like ice on my collarbone.I felt it slide along my skin, disappearing beneath the neckline of my shirt. His eyes followed the raindrop, and I began to quiver on the inside...
Ahhhhhhhhh! Patch, how did I forget about you?
That right there had my swooning and wishing Crescendo was out NOW!
Did you know that Fallen Archangel is holding a giveaway where you can win the ARC? And it's open INTERNATIONALLY! :D
What would you give to make good on the sins of your past? For merchant Barnabas McDoon, the answer is: everything.
When emissaries from a world called Yount offer Barnabas a chance to redeem himself, he accepts their price -- to voyage to Yount with the key that only he can use to unlock the door to their prison. But bleak forces seek to stop him: Yount's jailer, a once-human wizard who craves his own salvation, kidnaps Barnabas's nephew. A fallen angel -- a monstrous owl with eyes of fire -- will unleash Hell if Yount is freed. And, meanwhile, Barnabas's niece, Sally, and a mysterious pauper named Maggie seek with dream-songs to wake the sleeping goddess who may be the only hope for Yount and Earth alike.
This book is the first in its series, and it sounds really exciting. I've downloaded it and will read it after I finish readingWater for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, which I'm really liking.
(I just browsed through the PDF, and it's 412 pages long! :O )
I couldn't not post it! This is beautiful! I'm sure I'll love it. Paranormalcy comes out on August 31st! (I'll have to wait a little longer to get it, but I don't mind waiting.)
Kiersten has a really cool blog, if you haven't checked it out yet, go here.
----------------------------------------------
AFFILIATE NEWS
Jess at The Cozy Reader has reviewed Other, by Karen Kincy. Here's what she had to say:
While I didn’t “love” this book I know a lot of “others” have enjoyed it. So I’d like to give it away!
Read the rest of her review here. Go here to enter Jess's giveaway. Open to US addresses only.
I'm making this a new feature in TCM, borrowing the idea from The Story Siren.
Would you like to be mentioned here? Become my affiliate! All you have to do is take my button (right sidebar), put it on your blog, tell me you've done so in a comment, and I'll do the same. Once a week I'll highlight some of your week's posts, and if you can and want to, you can mention my blog in one of your posts.
Book Blogger Appreciation was started by Amy Riley of My Friend Amy in an effort to recognize the hard work and contribution of book bloggers to the promotion and preservation of a literate culture actively engaged in discussing books, authors, and a lifestyle of reading.
The first Book Blogger Appreciation was observed in the fall of 2008 and occurs every September. The week spotlights and celebrates the work of active book bloggers through guest posts, awards, giveaways, and community activities. Book Bloggers are encouraged to register their participation for inclusion in a database of book bloggers.
While I was not yet around for the first BBAW, I was for the second, which took place last year.I think it's such a wonderful idea, to have a week dedicated to recognise our fellow book blogggers and just have fun!
So watch out, because you might find some giveaways on TCM soon!
Also, I'm nominating this blog to the following categories:
This week I'm not reading a book, but listening to it. I'm currently listening to The Iron King's AB, one I'd started last month, but couldn't find the time to listen. Well, I'm making myself have time now: while I finished a proyect for my Ceramics class, I was listening to it.
I'm already into it, and I'm only three chapters in. That usually means I'll end up loving the book.
