March 17, 2013 by EM Castellan

My Week In Review – ROW80 Check-In 10

Hello gentle reader,

It is time for another weekly check-in! I hope you had a great and productive week…

Quote of the Week

“Richard had noticed that events were cowards: they didn’t occur singly, but instead they would run in packs and leap out at him all at once.”

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

This week was indeed very eventful in my corner of England…

Picture of the Week

Light by my friend M.LIN

ROW80 Check-In

My goal for this round is to write every day. This week, the day job was crazy, but I still managed to write

5 days out of 7.

Word Count of the Week

This week I added 2800 words to my Work In Progress.

TV Show/Movie of the Week

Veronica Mars

Thanks to an incredible 24-hour Kickstarter campaign, the once cancelled TV show Veronica Mars is to become a movie in 2014. And this is awesome news!

Good News of the Week

This week the amazing Kat Ellis organised a pitch contest on her blog. I entered my Work In Progress Lily In The Shadows and won not one but TWO first-pages critiques, by Jani Grey and Bridget Shepherd.

Links of the Week

On my blog this week I finally revealed the title and plot of my Work In Progress.

On There And Draft Again this week, new member Rachel explained how to draw inspiration from other genres when writing fantasy.

On the Corsets, Cutlasses and Candlesticks blog, YA Author Jennifer McGowan explained How and Why She Fired Her Writing Process (an got published).

On the YAvengers blog, Amanda Foody wrote a great article on how to show, and not tell.

Finally I also recommend YA writer Carissa Taylor’s blog, full of writing tips and books recommendations.

Next week

Next week on my blog I will celebrate my birthday with a book giveaway! Come back on Tuesday to see which books you’ll be able to win…

How was your week? Make sure to share your writing progress and what inspired you this week in the comment section below!

March 14, 2013 by EM Castellan

New Project Reveal – Part 4: Title and Plot!

Hello gentle reader,

this week again I’m taking part in the Tursday’s Children meme hosted by Rhiann Wynn-Nolet and Kristina Perez. It is “a weekly blog hop where writers come together to talk about whatever inspires them.”

In these posts, I share a little bit more about what I’ve been working on, a YA Historical Fantasy nicknamed Secret WIP. Three weeks ago the first part of this “Project Reveal” was all about Setting. Two weeks ago I talked about films that inspired me to write this story. And last week I introduced you to my Main Character.

Today’s theme is : TITLE, PLOT and HOW I GOT THE IDEA FOR THIS STORY.

So withour further ado…

My Secret WIP’s title is LILY IN THE SHADOWS.

Here is the pitch I have come up with for it so far:

When all the flowers die in Victorian London, a streetwise flower girl with a love for books and a gift for getting into trouble investigates before the city descends into chaos and she loses everything.

I got the inspiration for this story from a song by Delain (a Dutch symphonic metal band I’m fond of) entitled Mother Machine.

Here are some of the lyrics:

Little girl in a concrete world
artificial hurt
in your eyes
You won’t see any living trees
any flower fields in my time

Round and round and round
the wheels come down
Dreaming of the steam
the pounding sounds
Round and round and round
the wheels come down
Won’t you electrify my soul
intensify it all

(…)
I’ll fold you paper flowers little girl
for you’ll never see a real one

So are you ever inspired by a song? Feel free to leave me a comment below, and to visit the other Thursday’s Children posts here.

March 13, 2013 by EM Castellan

Waiting On Wednesday – 24

Hello gentle reader,

This week I’m waiting on The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater (Expected publication: September 17th 2013 by Scholastic Press).

This will be Book 2 in The Raven Cycle and I can’t wait to read it. The Raven Boys (a YA Low Fantasy) was definitely one of my favourite 2012 releases. I read it thinking it was a stand-alone book, then found out only weeks later it was part of a series… which makes sense considering the ending. Now I’m really looking forward to finding out what happens next to Blue and the boys.

If you haven’t picked up The Raven Boys yet, I suggest you do! Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Which book are you waiting for this week? Feel free to leave me a comment below!

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by book blogger Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating. You can see what other bloggers are waiting for here.

March 10, 2013 by EM Castellan

My Week In Review and ROW80 Check-In 9

Hello gentle reader,

It is time for another weekly check-in! I hope you had a great and productive week…

Quote of the Week

“Once again…welcome to my house. Come freely. Go safely; and leave something of the happiness you bring.”

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Basically my blogging philosophy.

Picture of the Week

Lights in London by my friend M.LIN

ROW80 Check-In

My goal for this round is to write every day. This week again I managed to write

6 days out of 7.

Word Count of the Week

This week I added 2680 words to my Work In Progress. I also edited it a lot, and wrote a synopsis for it.

TV Show of the Week

Vikings (History Channel)

Honestly, I watched this show because of its title. I LOVE Vikings stories. The first two episodes aired this week and they were quite enjoyable, if you don’t mind a slow start and ridiculous hairstyle. I know I don’t, as long as there are, you know, VIKINGS.

Good News of the Week

I had again a lot of good news this week! First a fellow member of There And Draft Again, Kathi, awarded me the Very Inspiring Blog Award. If you recall, I have already received it twice (!) so you can read my acceptance post here. Then the awesome Veronica Park offered (!!) to critique my synopsis and she gave me some amazing feedback to improve it. And finally after 4 months of silence, my wonderful CP Jessica Montgomery started blogging again! Go and follow her here! She’s awesome, I promise.

Links of the Week

On my blog this week I celebrated World Book Day and I introduced you to the main character of my YA Historical Fantasy novel set in Victorian London.

On There And Draft Again this week, Mara shared tips on finding the perfect Critique Partners and Jessica reviewed her favourite Fantasy book.

Also YA author Laura Lam blogged about How To Help Debut Authors.

Susan and Tyler Rose over at The Feather And The Rose celebrated their 200^th post with a Mysterious Giveaway.

Finally you should check out Serena Lawless’s awesome Tumblr. And while you’re at it, you may want to follow her on Twitter. You won’t regret it.

Next week

Next week on my blog I will (finally) reveal the title and plot of my Work In Progress!

How was your week? Make sure to share your writing progress and what inspired you this week in the comment section below!

March 7, 2013 by EM Castellan

New Project Reveal – Part 3: The Main Character

Hello gentle reader,

In these posts, I share a little bit more about what I’ve been working on, a YA Historical Fantasy nicknamed Secret WIP. Two weeks ago the first part of this “Project Reveal” was all about Setting. Last week I talked about films that inspired me to write this story.

Today’s theme is : MAIN CHARACTER.

My novel takes place in London in 1862. The main character is Lily, a sixteen-year-old flower girl who lives in Whitechapel, likes books and tends to get into trouble.

Augustus Edwin Mulready – A street flower seller (oil on canvas, 1882)

In Victorian London, flower girls were a very common sight. Instead of having to go to the market or a nursery garden, people who wanted to buy flowers simply had to go to any street corner in London and find the nearest flower girl.

Lily has honey blond hair and for various reasons, she dresses well above her social status. I’m having fun researching Victorian clothing for this novel!

You may know I like to base my characters off actors to help me describe them physically. When it comes to Lily, I’ve been keeping Emily Browning in mind: not to tall, not too strong-looking, halfway between innocence and sadness…

The last important detail to know about Lily is that within the first pages of the story, she becomes almost deaf. I find writing a character with a disability very interesting and challenging. Here I thought writing a novel in the first person from the point of view of someone who can’t hear would be challenging enough…

So what inspires you to create characters out of thin air and flesh them out? Feel free to leave me a comment below, and to visit the other Thursday’s Children posts here. And come back next week for the 4th and last post in this New Project Reveal series, in which I will tell you all about the Plot and the Title of my Secret WIP…!

March 3, 2013 by EM Castellan

My Week In Review – ROW80 Check-In 8

Hello gentle reader,

It is time for another weekly check-in! I hope you had a great and productive week…

Quote of the Week

“I’m not running away. But this is one corner in one country in one continent in one planet that’s a corner of a galaxy that is a corner of a universe that is forever growing and shrinking and creating and destroying and never remaining the same for a single millisecond. And this is so much, SO MUCH, to see, Amy. Because it goes so fast. I’m not running away from things. I’m running to them before they flare and fade forever.”

Doctor Who, The Power of Three written by Chris Chibnall

Picture of the Week

Gordon Square, London by my friend Lea

ROW80 Check-In

My goal for this round is to write every day. This week again I managed to write

6 days out of 7.

Word Count of the Week

This week I added 2250 words to my Work In Progress. I don’t know… it was a slow week.

Book of the Week

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (YA Historical Fantasy/Steampunk)

This week I finally started to read the first book in The Infernal Devices series. And so far I like it!

Good News of the Week

I had a lot of good news this week! First I won not one but TWO query critiques, one by The Writer Diaries ladies and one by Lit Agency Intern Lauren Spieller. I also celebrated the first anniversary of my blog with a book giveaway. Finally the lovely Vikki Thompson gave me the Very Inspiring Blog Award. I had already received it back in November 2012 and you can read my post here.

Links of the Week

On my blog I posted about which movies inspired me to write a YA Historical Fantasy novel set in Victorian London.

On There And Draft Again this week, Kathi talked about characters in fantasy and I shared the list of SFWA awards’ nominations.

The ever awesome Rachel O’Laughlin is self-publishing her Epic Fantasy Coldness of Marek and its sequel Knights of Rilch and she explained when you will be able to buy them here.

Finally The Evolution of Mara Dyer is now out in the UK and if you haven’t read it GO AND BUY IT NOW!

Next week

Next week on my blog I will celebrate World Book Day!

How was your week? Make sure to share your writing progress and what inspired you this week in the comment section below!

February 28, 2013 by EM Castellan

New Project Reveal – Part 2: The Inspiration

Hello gentle reader,

In these posts, I share a little bit more about what I’ve been working on, a YA Historical Fantasy nicknamed Secret WIP. Last week the first part of this “Project Reveal” was all about Setting.

Today’s theme is : INSPIRATION.

My novel takes place in London, during the Victorian era. I had the idea for it years ago, and since then I’ve watched many films and TV shows which have helped me get a clearer idea of what story I wanted to write. Here are a few…

The Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)

The Crimson Petal and the White (2011)

Jane Eyre (2011)

Great Expectations (2012)

Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Ripper Street (2013)

Peter Pan (2033)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

The Sally Lockhart Mysteries (2006-2007)

Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking (2004)

Sherlock Holmes 1 & 2 (2009-2011)

So this is what inspired me! I hope this gives you a taste of what’s to come in my Secret WIP…

What inspired you to write your Work In Progress? Do you find inspiration in the films or TV shows you watch? Feel free to leave me a comment below, and to visit the other Thursday’s Children posts here.

February 27, 2013 by EM Castellan

One Year Blogiversary and Leap Into Books Giveaway! (closed)

Hello gentle reader,

My blog is one year old this week! To thank you all for following me on this journey, I am taking part in the Leap Into Books Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Jinky is Reading.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED -THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

The winner will be contacted by email.

The giveaway runs from today until Thursday 7th March 2013. It is a chance for you to win:

a SIGNED paperback of Pantomime by Laura Lam (YA Fantasy)

The giveaway is, as always, international.

Giveaway information:

The giveaway is open until Thursday 7th March 2013 at midnight (BST time).

To enter please fill in the contact form below with your name and email. If you follow my blog by email or WordPress , if you are a Twitter follower , if you like my page on Facebook or if you tweet about the giveaway, this will grant you an extra entry. Mention it below.

Entrants must be at least 13 years of age.

This giveaway is open Internationally.

The winner will be chosen randomly, notified by email and will have 72 hours to reply or a new winner will be chosen.

I am not responsible for items lost in the mail.

I hold the right to end the giveaway before its original deadline without any prior notice.

I hold the right to disqualify any entry as I see fit.

Privacy information: no information given for this giveaway will be used for other purpose than this giveaway. All information provided (names, emails and mail addresses) will be deleted after the giveaway.

Good luck and feel free to leave me a comment below…

This is a blog hop! Visit the other giveaways here.

February 21, 2013 by EM Castellan

New Project Reveal – Part 1: The Setting

Hello gentle reader,

today I’m taking part in the Tursday’s Children meme hosted by Rhiann Wynn-Nolet and Kristina Perez. It is “a weekly blog hop where writers come together to talk about whatever inspires them.”

I have decided to join this meme to share a little bit more about what I’ve been working on, a YA Historical Fantasy I have teasingly nicknamed Secret WIP. I have been getting a lot of questions about it, especially on Twitter, so I have come up with the idea of a “Project Reveal” in 4 parts, that will give you a taste of what Secret WIP is all about over the next few weeks.

Today’s theme is : SETTING.

My novel takes place in London, during the Victorian era. I am lucky enough to live near London, which means whenever I need to research a location, I can hop on a train, go to London and take pictures. All the pictures below are therefore mine…

Whitechapel, London

My main character moves about London a lot, and she can be found in the morning in East London, at noon at Covent Garden and in the evening at St James’s. Above and below are pictures of the Whitechapel district, made famous by Jack The Ripper at the end of the 19th Century.

Spitalfields Market

Fournier Street (with the Ten Bells Pub and Christ Church)

Then if we travel west we arrive at St Paul’s Cathedral…

St Paul’s Cathedral

Then we reach West London, wealthier and more grand…

St James’s Square

Russell Square

So this is where my new project takes place! I hope this gives you a taste of what’s to come in my Secret WIP…

What is the setting of your Work In Progress? Do you find inspiration in the places you visit or where you live? Feel free to leave me a comment below, and to visit the other Thursday’s Children posts here.

February 17, 2013 by EM Castellan

My Week In Review – ROW80 Check-In 6

Hello gentle reader,

It is time for another weekly check-in! I hope you had a great and productive week. Mine was… crazy.

Quote of the Week

“I think I’ll try defying gravity.”

Wicked, The Musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman

Trying to get traditionally published sometimes feels like trying to defy gravity. This week I received one too many rejections and was tempted to throw my flying broom in the fire. But then I didn’t, partly thanks to the support of Jessica Montgomery, Rhiann Wynn-Nolet, Kate Michael, Rachel O’Laughlin, Juliana Haygert and Rachel Horwitz. These ladies are awesome and I’m so grateful I have them…

Picture of the Week

Hotel Russell, Russell Square, London

I went to London this week, and I stayed at a beautiful Victorian hotel. That was quite fitting, since I’m working on a novel set in Victorian London…

Word Count of the Week

This week I had some time off work and I added 9000 words to my Work In Progress, which means it is now at 18,000 words. I’m very pleased with that.

TV Show of the Week

Downton Abbey (ITV)

Slowly but surely, I am catching up on the latest seasons of this awesome show…

Film of the Week

Warm Bodies

I went to see it last Friday and I loved it! Such a fun, adorable and thought-provoking movie.

Good News of the Week

This week, Rachel O’Laughlin decided to self-publish her Epic Fantasy and wrote an excellent post about it.

ROW80 Check-In

My goal for this round is to write every day. This week again I managed to write

4 days out of 7.

Links of the Week

On my blog I posted about movies that taught me something about writing, and I added pictures of handsome actors. It was Valentine’s Day after all this week.

On There And Draft Again this week, Mara shared some World Building Resources and I gave advice on how to write a 200-word pitch for a Fantasy novel.

On her blog, Emily Wenstrom interviewed the awesome YA writer Aimee L. Salter about her creative process. Worth a read!

Literary agent Carly Watters posted about When to revise your manuscript and when to keep submitting It was exactly the post I needed to read this week.

And YA author Maggie Stiefvater revealed the cover of the sequel to The Raven Boys here.

Next week

Next week on my blog I shall take part in the Thursday Children meme for the first time. It’s “a weekly blog hop where writers come together to talk about whatever inspires them.” I’m very excited about it…

How was your week? Make sure to share your writing progress and what inspired you this week in the comment section below!

EM Castellan

YA author, worlds builder and insatiable reader

Tag Archives: EM Castellan

My Week In Review – ROW80 Check-In 10

New Project Reveal – Part 4: Title and Plot!

Waiting On Wednesday – 24

My Week In Review and ROW80 Check-In 9

New Project Reveal – Part 3: The Main Character

My Week In Review – ROW80 Check-In 8

New Project Reveal – Part 2: The Inspiration

One Year Blogiversary and Leap Into Books Giveaway! (closed)

New Project Reveal – Part 1: The Setting

My Week In Review – ROW80 Check-In 6

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