Final Woes

Not in the sense of death, but what we call "Dead Week" at my university. Dead week is the week before finals. The rule of the university (which some professors have blatantly ignored before) is that the professors must not give tests. This is probably (in theory) to lighten the load of us students the week before finals. I'm not sure why it is given that name, but I, personally, call it "Drop Dead Week", because it is the week I feel immense stress and fatigue. This year, however, my set of professors seem to have the same thought: "We'll have everything due during Dead week and finals week will be less stressful." Yeah...but that just means that this week (the week before Drop Dead Week) is even harder. I'm not sure your logic is helpful. At all.

One of the ways I'm half-way surviving is that I'm letting myself take breaks (usually 10-30 minutes). And what do I do during these breaks? Well, lately I've been writing! Yes, this is an update! Chapter 23 is done!

That's all for now. Wish us all luck this week, Drop Dead Week, and Finals week.

How a Trilogy is Killing Me

I have read several trilogies. I have read many book series. Trust me, I know how much of a pain it is to be a reader: always waiting, waiting, Waiting for the next book to come out to find out what is going to happen next. And it just about kills me as a reader. Sometimes, to avoid this situation, I put a book on my to-read list and leave it there for years until I'm sure that the author is done with it. Then, I can read it all in three months or three days...depending on how hooked I am and what is happening in my life.

But...I have to say...writing a trilogy is almost killing me too! As I write, it is like I'm watching a movie in my mind. Another way to explain it would be like saying that I'm reading what I'm writing. The only difference is that I know the big scenes that will eventually be written. I know how the main plots are going to be played out. I know the reasons why the villains are doing what they are doing and the protagonists main weaknesses...and who's going to call them out on it. 

And (sorry for being redundant...no, actually I'm not sorry), It's Killing Me!

Writing half of a chapter takes a lot more brain power than what I actually realize...that is, I don't realize until I take a moment to take my fingers off the keyboard and think about nothing for a moment. Then I notice that my head is starting to ache. Sometimes I need to stop its so bad. Other times I just can't stop. Sound familiar, fellow bookworms? Like those times when you are in the middle of a really, really good book and it's two a.m., but you just can't stop...that would be ridiculous! Yes, it would. Especially if you know what's coming, but don't know exactly when and under what circumstances.

That is what it is like for me right now. The main reason I want to finish the second book with Cassie and the gang is to start the next book. I want to experience what will happen just as I wanted to experience what would happen when I read "The Lady of Bolton Hill" by Elizabeth Camden. Oh, and the hundreds of other good books I've ever read.

To sum up: bookworm pain is extremely similar to writer pain.

Recent Writings

Finding time to write is very hard when I go to college, help out with nephews and nieces, and have a job. I get so busy that I sometimes don't have time to write for months. Then, when I suddenly have time, I don't exactly know what to write anymore.

That's where I am right now. But, as many other writers have said, I am not giving up. Writing is a process that needs to be done as much as possible. Even if I get only one paragraph done per day, it's still good.

I thought you'd like an update. The second book, compared to the first, is getting done rather quickly. I wrote chapter 5 of "Casting..." three years after I started it. It hasn't been a year since publishing the first book and I'm already done with fourteen chapters of the first draft of the second. I feel that I am doing very well, all things considered.

Now, it's time to get back to writing...

Explaining the Blog Title

So, if I take all this time to name my characters and chapter titles (literally Hours for the chapter titles. I am a bit frustrated I even did that for "Casting", because now I feel like I have to make some for the second book...but I haven't started doing that for it yet, even though I'm almost done with chapter 12), then I must have had a reason for naming this blog "Magical Mysteries", right?

Yes. But it wasn't nearly as hard as naming chapters. I chose "Magical Mysteries", because my trilogy deals with magic (duh) and while I think I give my books (at least, "Casting My Heart") a mystery-like writing style. Whenever my cousin would read my first draft (I didn't have her read the other drafts) she would always say "What does this mean?! Why did you stop?! I need more! You are so mean for stopping there!". And I loved it! I loved (and still do) the feeling of knowing that I understand everything and my readers have to keep reading to figure out what is each character and their motivations along with their characteristics. And, especially, how they fit into each other's lives. I love this so much, that I don't think that I'll change this way of writing. Maybe...but probably not.

So, what happens after I finish the "Magic Spells Trilogy"? I'll keep writing fantasy, right? Ummm...actually, no. Not necessarily. Don't get me wrong, I Love writing fantasy. But I also love historical fiction and murder mysteries and Christian fiction and sci-fi (a little...). So, why did I pick "Magical"? Because I believe that all books, no matter what genre, are magical. 

So, what do I have planned after Cassie, Dillon, Diana, Thomas, and Elsie? Two big projects are on my radar. One is a stand alone novel; another fantasy-like novel that involves two different worlds (again), but...yeah...I can't give too much away.

My other project that I would really like to write is a series. I'm not sure how long the series would be in its entirety: maybe it won't be a series, but I really want it to be one. Unlike my other books, this one will not have any fantasy elements in it. I can't say much about it (I want it to be a grand surprise AND who knows? Maybe I'll never get to it. But that would be a real shame. I love this idea) However, I think it's okay to tell you that it will be a murder mystery (hopefully mysteries!) set in New England during the 1870s. And that's all I am going to reveal.

Until next time, my wonderful readers!

New French Blog!

I have big news! Unfortunately, it's not book related....but it's still awesome!

I have been accepted to go abroad for three weeks to France this June! I am so excited, you can't imagine! I have already started a blog that I want to post to while I am there. Check it out!
http://flighttofrance.blogspot.com/

 I suppose it kind of connects to "Casting My Heart" in that I used the French word for "mermaid" for my sirens (la sirène). There. I was able to connect it to my writing.

Another Spring Break

Oh my goodness! I forgot to post on the seventh of this month! That just goes to show that spring break is no longer "spring break". Some people go away to Florida and do absolutely nothing of value. And then there's me: I work at home and at the place I'm employed. Then I come home and work some more.

I really should have done homework. Instead, I finished an application to study abroad this summer for three weeks in France (yay!). The Friday of "spring break" and I'm exhausted. I look back at my week and wonder if I really only got a half of a day to do nothing. Yep: a half a day. What I really want is a break from life. But, at least I got a break from school work.

I really haven't been able to write anything since I last posted that I have just started the first few lines of chapter 12 of book 2. Hopefully, in a few weeks I can take a breath and squeeze in a few more chapters before I am bogged down by finals.

Until next time...

Second Edition

That is what I hope, anyway.

The worst thing about self-publishing is that I don't have an editor. So, while I did rewrite the book four times and read it more times than I can count, I still have horrible mistakes that everyone keeps pointing out to me. I want to fix these mistakes so badly...the writer in me screams in anger for making them in the first place.

I have to remind myself that I'm just a lowly writer...self-published. Someday soon, however, I have got to get a second edition of "Casting My Heart" out!

The second problem with self-publishing is the process of making a cover. It was incredibly harder than I thought it was going to be...probably because I was not going to use a template. I am, however, extremely proud of what I and my "cover team" accomplished. And I am excited to do the other covers...but I'm also dreading them at the same time. I bring up covers only because most authors/publishers have a new cover designed for a second edition. That makes me really agitated thinking about it. So...I hope it will be alright with all of you if I don't make a new cover for the second edition.

Oh, to have time only to write and edit. I'd have the trilogy done and move on to my other projects that I want to write also.

Fourth Month: Thomas McCoy

Thomas: "A Twin"
Martin: "Servant of Mars, god of war"
McCoy: "son of Aodh; an old word for "Fire"; a Celtic deity"

I can't really explain much about his name, because I don't know if I will reveal things in books two and three.

The McCoys are of Irish descent.

Thomas is Cassie's and Diana's friend who is the fun guy who doesn't care if he hangs out with girls. He is extremely athletic, but doesn't have a big head about it. He also works in his family's restaurant, usually as a waiter, but he prefers to work back in the kitchen.

Thomas McCoy is the boy across the street (for Diana, anyway). They have been best friends ever since Diana moved into said house. When he's not busy, they hang out, arguing over movies and carpooling to and from school. They love to play pranks on other people and have been known to get into trouble with their neighbors...with Thomas as the mastermind behind most of the mischief.

Thomas has one younger sister, Jessica, who's a bit younger than Diana's younger brother, Zach.

Thomas doesn't get to write in his point of view much in the first book, but he will play a huge part in book two.