Plotter or Panster?

This seems to be a question that is asked a lot of authors, and there isn't a right or wrong answer. it all comes down to personal choice.
I always thought of myself as a panster but since becoming a mum I find it much easier to write if I have an Idea of which way the story is going. I don't plot everything out, but I need to know roughly what part of the story I will be writing today if I have any hope of getting more than a couple of hundred words down. pre mummy days I could open the lap top with no Idea what I was gong to write and it worked just fine but time constraints now a days don't always allow for that.
I would say I am still more of panster, mainly because although I do usually have an idea what I want to write, once I am in the zone my fingers and and quite often the characters have a mind of there own and I often read it back to find I haven't wrote a singe thing that I expected to write. which I love. Its great that my own story can take me by surprise.

I do find other Authors writing techniques intriguing. What works for one doesn't work for another, eche writer as there own unique way of writing whether it be a certain please to write or a certain time of day. the key is to love what you do and love what you write whatever your technique

Music to make the words flow by?

Recently while wondering around the NaNoWriMo forums a came across a forum called NaNo soundtracks with this as the description. From polka to punk, music is the most powerful writing stimulant available without a prescription. What CDs do you rely on for writing inspiration? And what are your characters listening to?
I have never really thought about listening to music while I write before but decided to give it ago, who knows it might even inspire me.
It soon became apparent it wasn't for me. I was far too busy singing along to every word (Much to my families annoyance. I am tone deaf) to really concentrate on writing, I tried everything from Usher to Robbie Williams, Jessie J to Florence and the machine all of it was too distracting, even my sons party album had me up on my feet dancing to Heads, Shoulders, Knees and toes, and it didn't take much persuading from my three year old either.
Am I on my own in this or do other people prefer to lock themselves in a quiet room too? Not that, that happens often around here, there are no quiet rooms with small boy running around.
Or does listening to music really inspire other writers.

I have played a game with my Ipod before now when I get writers block. I put my Ipod onto shuffle and press play, and I write the first line from the song that comes on down and then continue writing from there turning that one line into a story. Try it. see where it takes you Its quite fun and can really open up the creative mind.

Review for Awry (the Archers of Avalon) By Chelsea Fine

Review for Awry (the Archers of Avalon)
By Chelsea Fine



Sometimes love is meant to be. But sometimes love...is the death of you....

Seventeen-year-old Scarlet has just died. Only, dying isn't unusual for a girl under a centuries old curse that left her semi-immortal. 

This time, though, she comes back to her current life instead of awaking in a new one, and she realizes the curse is changing. Together with the immortal Archer brothers, Scarlet must piece together her life and try to break the curse before her impending death comes again


My Thoughts

I didn't think it was possible but this was even better than the first book, and that takes a lot of beating.
I loved finding out more about Scarlet's first life and how she became entwined in Tristan and Gabriel's lives.

Heather and Nate had me laughing out loud, there banter was adorable I couldn't help but think thy would make such a great couple, although having heard some of Nate's past I have to admit it had me dabbing the tears away. 

Again it ends on another cliff hanger making me eager to know what happens next. I cant wait to catch up with Team Awesome in the next instalment.

YAY. AWRY IS OUT

so excited that book two of the Archers of Avalon is finally out. I loved the first one and cant wait to get into this one, so much so I think I might have to put aside the book I am currently reading so I can start Awry.

What should a writer blog about

I have been searching all over the internet to find the answer to this questions? What should a writer blog about? I can sit at my computer all day in the fictional worlds I create, and just lose myself in he writing process. When my three year old allows it of course, but when it comes to writing on my blog I more often than not just find myself starring at the screen waiting for inspiration to take hold and usually just end up shutting it down and vowing to come back tomorrow.
Although I am writing this blog as a sort of diary for my writing and for book reviews I am sure that it would pretty boring for readers just to see the occasional update, which lets face it, is only going to consist of, how much writing I have done lately and how much editing I have done. I still intend to do those updates but a blog needs more substance than that so below are a list of topic (All writing related) that I may blog about.
feel free to leave a comment of other ideas you would find interesting. I am still fairly new at blogging so I am still finding my way around this crazy process. I have found a few cites that recommend writing about the topics below.


Blog topic ideas

What inspires me to write
who are my Favourite authors
what keeps me motivated
where is my Favourite place to write.
what music do I listening to while I write
what are my favourite writing blog's
Am I a plotter or a panster
etc. you get the idea

Its not all going to be about me though I also Intend to do YA author interviews, guest posts and book cover reveals and author promotions so if you know or are a YA author who is interested in doing an interview or are about to release a book please get in touch. I am a huge supporter of Indie authors so will be happy to help promote Indie books or debut Authors.
Of course I will still be doing book reviews which I hope you will check out. my latest review was of city of lost souls by Cassandra Clare and I am currently reading Here (On the otherside) by Denise Grover Swank that I will be reviewing.

Review for Here (On The Otherside) By Denise Grover Swank

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before.

Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from.

My Thoughts

First off, wow. Here was not what I was expecting at all. But in a good way. I read a lot of YA, and this is the first time I have ever come across anything like this. I was drawn in right from the start and found Julia to be so likeable her guilt over "killing" her best friend is heart breaking.
Then along comes Evan the popular boy who up until a week ago as never paid her any attention, to help her out of the shell she as built around herself. I found him to be an interesting character although I have to admit I have a book crush on Reece.

Its a mixture or romance, love triangles,Paranormal/Dystopia all perfectly balanced.

I never expected the story to take me to the world it did and I am looking forward to reading the next instalment to find out more about what Julia as got herself into and learn more about the world she as entered.

Review for City of Lost Souls By Cassandra Clare

Official Blurb
The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

MY THOUGHTS

My first thought when I finished this was "When is the next one out" I was hooked from the first page right up until the last.
there is multiple sub plots and character plots in the story that keep you gripped
I loved all he couples in the book but I think my favourite are Alec and Magnus and I am eager to know what will happen to them in the next book.
Obviously I love Clary and Jace too but sometimes I do want to shake her. ha
we also get to find out more about Jordan in this story

I think Simon really comes into his own, and at times appears to be the most human of them all despite being a vampire. he like Clary will do what ever it takes to save the people he loves.

Sebastian is quiet a complex character and despite his evilness I couldn't help but like him at times even drawn in to believing and trusting him.

Jace is completely different in this book but being bound to a guy like Sebastian will do that to a guy, instead of the u
sual sarcasm and wit we are used to and the arrogant self loving boy we've all come to love we get a very watered down version, its Jace but it isn't and I really missed his presence in the book

if you are already a fan of the mortal instruments you will love this and I will eagerly be awaiting the next in the series 

I am just over half way through Editing Curious Village (Still not sure on the title) despite that a most of it was wrote late at night and in rush as I was determined to complete it for Nano, I am pleased with the potential it as, it still needs a lot of work and I am sure it will take more than one edit, but once I have polished all the jagged edges I am hoping I will have something worthy of other people reading.
On top of that I am still writing my other WIP, t the moment though I am locked in a battle with one of the characters, an elderly gentleman called Earl who cannot decided whether he wants me to write him good or evil, I really wish he would make up his mind as I cant move forward until he decides, this is the second time this guy as caused me a problem, he wasn't even meant to be a big part of the story but he as somehow managed to worm himself in, pesky characters. the story as changed so much because of him and I have a feeling he isn't done yet, I guess he at least keeps the story fresh and exciting for me too

who knows what else he or any of the other characters have in store, I look forward to finding out.