Chill - It's only Nano Season.

So as this blog's title somewhat suggests, I am going to try to chill as I spray ink on a whole lot of paper because for the entire month of November, I will be participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The goal is to reach 50,000 words within the month. There will be sweat, tears, and most definitely blood: characters' blood. The madness of this has made me think to give some various suggestions on how to relax and focus, on how to be chill:

1. Meditation. I have yet to use meditation on a regular basis, but the times I have, they have brought some wonderful mental healing. Even just a minute was enough to have me smiling and ready to tackle the rest of my day. Deep breaths and the clearing of the mind are very important factors. I'd find that thinking 'in and out' as a mantra while you take deep breaths will help slow you down and help you keep your kind from running amok if you really have problems finding your way to a clear mind.

As I'm no meditation expert, here are a few links to help you figure it out:

• Ananda Sangha: Learn to Meditate

• The Meditation Mind: Easy Meditation Techniques for Beginners

• The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing

2. Background music with NO lyrics. The style can be any of your choosing, but personally, and as what I learned in my music appreciation class from my professor, the best effects come from a low to medium volume and with classical music. The idea is to keep the brain stimulated with noise, but to still move the thought process forward. (Okay, that previous sentence is my own belief, but it does sound quite logical and scientific, right?) Here are some serene orchestral music I've decided to use: 

• Memoirs of a Geisha (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• War Horse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

• Living Room Songs by Olafur Arnalds

• Beginnings album by Josh Kramer

• Albums by Josh Kramer

3. Smiling! If you aren't chill, you are probably stressed out and therefore, probably unhappy. Smiling, no matter what kind of mental state you are in, can help bring you into a better mental state. For drastic measures to ensure you don't lose your smile after choosing this avenue, I suggest putting Vaseline on your teeth. If you don't have any, get some as I'm sure it could be of use for other things around the home someday. I learned from dancing that this will keep you smiling, but if you are strong and can stand the taste... power to you then.

4. Writing! BUT, write something fun like song lyrics or a quick poem on how you despise the torture Nanowrimo is putting you through or about whatever has your knickers in a twist. 

 

5. It is better to vent than to keep things in. Speak your troubles to someone you trust or write it down in a diary.

6. Exercise! Any sports activity will help you relax. In fact, try any hobby you love to help you calm down.

7. Watching this video called the Skype Laughter Chain. If you didn't laugh while watching that, it is okay. The point I make is laughing helps the same way smiling helps! So find some jokes or blooper videos and save them for future reference when you are in need of a giggle to brighten your day.

I think I've come up with a good amount of things that will help me through my crazy roller coaster ride for NaNoWriMo. I hope these things help you as well! Whether these help you or not, do share how you get yourself to relax!

Review: 172 Hours on the Moon

172 HOURS ON THE MOON

It's been decades since anyone set foot on the moon. Now three ordinary teenagers, the winners of NASA's unprecedented, worldwide lottery, are about to become the first young people in space--and change their lives forever.
Mia, from Norway, hopes this will be her punk band's ticket to fame and fortune.
Midori believes it's her way out of her restrained life in Japan.
Antoine, from France, just wants to get as far away from his ex-girlfriend as possible.
It's the opportunity of a lifetime, but little do the teenagers know that something sinister is waiting for them on the desolate surface of the moon. And in the black vacuum of space... no one is coming to save them.
In this chilling adventure set in the most brutal landscape known to man, highly acclaimed Norwegian novelist Johan Harstad creates a vivid and frightening world of possibilities we can only hope never come true.


*SPOILER WARNING*

Oh. My. God. This may have not been the best book I’ve ever read, but it definitely made it onto my ‘favorites’ shelf. Now, if you’ve just finished reading it, go back and reread the ending of the chapter “Departure.” Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Now, you’ve read it right? Don’t read on if you haven’t read, or I will totally spoil everything for you.

Again: Oh. My. God. I had to reread that chapter three times before I finally got it: the doppelganger was the one that made it into the escape pod. I feel like an idiot for not getting it the first time, but I still got it. The ending, though… It was a BRILLIANT ending, even though I hated that the doppelganger is just loose on Earth. And the Japanese legend Midori told everyone that the doppelganger brought up at the end gave me chills!

Now, about the entire book: it’s about three teenagers, Mia, Midori, and Antoine, who are sent to be the first teenagers in space. They go through their tests and trainings for a few months, and then they are sent into space with five other astronauts.

I admit that the characters could have been a bit more detailed, but Mr. Harstad did spend the first half of the book explaining who they were and what was going on.

The plot was… Oh my, God, it was amazing. Three teenagers being sent into space and then they encounter strange things called their doppelgangers mixed with a Japanese legend, the moon, and suspense just made me immediately want to finish it, even though it was close to impossible to stick through the first half of the book. I mean, I was already begging to read it when I read the summary on GoodReads, but when I bought it and skimmed through it, I was freaking out about how amazing it looked. The first chapter was pretty good, and I try not to judge a book by its first chapter (because I am oh so guilty of judging books by their covers) but it was hard to stick to. I kept going though, because I was determined to find out what happened. The turning point for me was when Mia saw the “6E” on Murray’s jacket. That’s when I decided, “Okay, I’m not putting this book down until I finish it.” And I didn’t.

I was so afraid that there would be a sequel when it got to the middle of the book and they had just arrived on the moon (the title clearly says 172 hours, which is a week) and I didn’t know how Mr. Harstad was going to scrunch a week into half of a book. Plus, I didn’t want to wait a year before a sequel came out, especially since it was starting to get really good. But, there was absolutely no week on the moon, though I do want a sequel!

One line is stuck on my mind though. It’s from page 312 of the hardback edition: “There was a man sitting under the apple tree in the greenhouse. There was no oxygen left for him to breathe.” Now, by that point, I was close to crying, just because he had sacrificed himself so that the women (Caitlin, Mia, and Midori) could get home. And then they didn’t.

At least, none of the real ones did.

And now there’s a doppelganger that can mock a nightmarish Japanese legend roaming the Earth killing people and taking their places.

Overall, because of a few things that I think could have been done better, such as shortening the character backgrounds, I give it a four and a half.  

Liebster Award

We've been nominated by Clandestine Sky, to whom we send our thanks.

R U L E S :

1. Thank and link back to the giver
2. Answer the award giver’s questions
3. Nominate 5 other blogs that have fewer than 200 followers
4. Ask questions for one’s nominees to answer.
5. Post the Liebster’s Award Picture on your post.

A N S W E R S :

Jessie's answers:

1. Which fictional character do you hate/dislike most?

     Oh, that's a tough question... I would have to say Peter Pettigrew from Harry Potter. I've always thought that he was a sneaky rat that betrayed his best friends. In my opinion, you just don't do that.

2. What book can you read over and over without it getting boring?

     Vampire Academy, hands down. I've read the entire series multiple times, but I keep finding something new that I missed before. And the action and romance is always there. 

3. One thing you don't like about your favourite book.

     I can't answer this though! I don't have a favorite book. That's like asking a mother who her favorite child is! But ONE of my favorites is 172 Hours on the Moon. The only thing I didn't like was that it took so long to get into the action. It didn't actually begin to get really good until about one hundred pages in, which is one way to lose a reader's attention. I nearly put it down, but I needed to know what happened at the end!

4. One question you would like to ask your favourite author.

     Can we hang out some more so we can talk? <-- That would probably be it. If I actually had to ask them something else, it would probably be what their favorite part of writing is.

5. What made you decide to start blogging?

     Boredom, I think. And the fact that I wanted to review the books I've read. 

Jessica's answers:

1. Which fictional character do you hate/dislike most?

     Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter. She was so perky, which only added to my dislike as she antagonized the other characters in the story. She should be the one having to write lines with her blood. Just my opinion.

2. What book can you read over and over without it getting boring?

     Romeo and Juliet. What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic who loves Shakespeare's poetic prose and the profound, and bittersweet love story he created.

3. One thing you don't like about your favourite book.

     I'm not sure I have a favorite book? However, currently, I have been partial to a story I just read called Prisoner of My Desire by Johanna Lindsey. I don't like the way the antagonist is dealt with and the girl main character's 'brief' stubbornness at the end peeved me a bit. Oh wait. That is two things. Oh well. Bonus answer for everyone.

4. One question you would like to ask your favourite author.

     I would ask my favorite author: "If you love ice cream, what is your favorite flavor?"

5. What made you decide to start blogging?

     The fact I could share my own views to others and hopefully, spread some words of wisdom and joy in the process. I just love making a difference in someone's day.

Q U E S T I O N S :

1. If you like ice cream, what is your favorite flavor?

2. What has blogging done for you?

3. What is your favorite quote that you have written/read?

4. What book ending has surprised you the most?

5. What book has changed you the most?

W E  N O M I N A T E :

1. Pens and Ink Writer

2. Enchanted Angel

3. Skyway Alley

4. Delerious Musings of a Writer

5. There is Darkness in Light

We're Back!

Hey everyone! We're back! If there is anyone out there to be called everyone, we'd love to know! There's not much to say except that we've been nominated for the Liebster Award by Clandestine Sky. Our next post will be the contest and it's rules!

Happy writing!