If you want to be a writer, you must do two things about all others:  read a lot and write a lot…reading is the creative center of a writer’s life…you cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you. ~Stephen King

Photo Credit: Dia™ via Compfight cc A few days ago I was watching a program about sewing your own clothes. Up until that moment I always thought it was easy. Why? I don’t know. My mom almost never sews and I don’t know how to do it but I had always thought that it was an easy task to learn. HA! As I saw it if I depended of sewing my clothes I’ll be naked till the end of time. So this made me think how we usually tag things we never did as easy or simple until we face the day of actually doing them. One example is cooking. When you’re a child you see your mom cook and you think that really looks easy. I could cook anything I want if only they would let me. But the day comes when your mom is not home, you’re old enough and hungry and you can’t even boil an egg. It proves to be harder than you thought. Don’t make me start with ironing too. You think it’s so easy and relaxing and it’s the road to hell. Yes, I hate ironing and take me ages so my opinion is biased.

 
Just yesterday I finished this four book series. An epic story of fallen angels, nephilims and love.

It’s no secret I’m a romantic and I really enjoyed the story of Patch and Nora. I loved the way their love grew and the trust with it. I know there has been a lot of controversy regarding this relationship but really if you see it without prejudicing and going into the same mistake Elizabeth Bennet gets into with Mr. Darcy you’ll see this is not about possession but belonging and it’s mutual.

Becca Fitpatrick did an amazing job with these four books, even when I thought with three it will be even better. She had an intriguing story and always leaved you with a huge cliffhanger that often made me throw the book. It’s a passionate and intense story as every story of war and love, of good and evil.

If you like paranormal I really suggest you read this series. Here’s the blurb:

A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

If you’re not yet convinced look at the amazing covers:


Yes the sexy fallen angel is Patch and yes believe me he is give-me-a-cold-shower sexy. If you don’t believe look at this couple of quotes:

“I could get you to smile like that, and without sales tax."
I whirled around to find the real Patch standing in the fitting room behind me. He was wearing jeans and a snug white tee. His arms were folded loosely over his chest, and his black eyes smiled down at me.
Heat that wasn't entirely uncomfortable flushed through my body. "I could make all kinds of pervert jokes right now," I quipped.”
― Becca Fitzpatrick, Silence

“Nora: You dress to impress.
Patch: No, Angel. I undress to impress.”
Becca Fitzpatrick, Silence

Yes, I have a soft spot for sexy, passionate, guys who would give their life for the girl they love so if you’re like me run to read about Patch. You’ll not regret both to read Nora’s story and see how she grows stronger in every book either.

I know I have set lots of goals before and also I know I tend to set too high goals for me to achieve. What can I do, I’m a dreamer.
Goals are good for getting your purpose on doing something and not falter (even when I do it often) because you want to achieve it and will stick to it.
The problem is when there is no punishment or reward at the end of it, then you may think that it doesn’t matter that you can get a longer deadline. Now my Bestie Stacey and I have this goal/punishment/reward monthly. We set our goals and share it with the other and we have to stick to it.
When you have a friend at the other side also wanting to achieve her goals it’s easier to work harder. Also if what you put on the other side is a punishment that will be hard and a reward you really want to have. For us a day of only reading and not working on anything else, a great reward.
My goals for this month were:
· Read four books (only read 1)
· Catch up in my critiques (this I did)
· Finish drafting my contemporary novel and be halfway revising ( I think I’ll finish drafting on Friday L)
· Revise the first chapters of my previous WIP according with some feedback ( I haven’t got to it)
I have to say that it was a busy month; I’m taking a deep editing course that has lots to learn and work on. But these are the goals I set and I have to face the consequences. I have to go through my punishment of being a good girl and figure what to blog about every day of this week.
I hope this time I set more realistic goals for myself.
I’d love to know about your goals!

 

A few weeks ago I was talking with my dear friend Pao. We were talking about Les Miserables and how it made her cry when she watched the play (several times), but she never been able to read the book.

We kept talking and at some point she said, “The book was just too much. I couldn’t stand it.”

To what I said, “But it’s the same story and you already know it.”

“I don’t know it’s different,” she said.

So we kept talking as we often do (we can talk for days without stopping) and came to the conclusion that there’s a difference at an emotional level between books and movies. When you watch a movie you can empathize with the character but at the end it is happening over there in the screen and to that guy. You can separate yourself from the character even if you cry or laugh. You can only relate.

When you read a book this story and characters live in your mind, being there they take things or traits of you and you become the one living all those things, good or bad. So in my opinion when you read a book the experience becomes more powerful because at some point you can’t separate the character from you. You are the one being in jail, you’re the one dying, and you’re the one marrying. All those emotions are in you and that makes the experience more real.

Of course all this is my opinion. I can’t wait to know what you think.

It’s been a long time, I know. But I have good reasons for being absent all this time. I worked hard with Glowing Shadow and now I’m querying it.
In this time, I learned a lot, met wonderful CPS and friends (including my sister of other mother that is very far away in Australia), entered lots of contests and I’m also finishing the draft of a new YA contemporary novel.
Blogging became really hard with all those things in mind but I’m ready to try again. I want to post at least once a week and I have prepared some subjects that I think you’ll like.
So for my first post back I’m posting about the One Lovely Blog Award. My bestie staceynash nominated me.

This is basically a blog hop. I have to share seven interesting facts about me:
1. I met my husband through internet and decided to marry him the first day we saw each other face to face.
2. So I married really young, I was nineteen and moved to the other side of the ocean, to Madrid.
3. I speak three languages: English, Spanish and Galician. The two first I can read, write and talk. Galician I can only talk.
4. I think of myself as a citizen of the world, being the daughter of Spanish immigrants in Mexico and Germany. Also there’s the thing that I married a Spanish guy.
5. I learned to read and write English and Spanish at the same time.
6. I read faster in English.
7. I have a severe addiction to chocolate. I can’t stop myself of finishing the package if I open it. And when I make myself stop eating it for weeks I get really cranky. Hulk is peaceful beside me.
And now for my own One Lovely Blog award nominees: I nominee all of you who want to participate!