The Ray Family and Our December Fun

Photos of the Kidlet's 3rd Birthday Party, December 19, 2009

These photos were taken with another family members camera. We weren't able to get any really good photos, but the videos that I will post will be better footage. We got him the drum set and he is already starting to come up with his own beats. He loves music and I am so happy for that. I can't believe the little man is already three. All the old people that told me life would fly by were totally right.

Upcoming Book Review: To Desire a Devil (The Legend of the Four Soldiers Book 4) by Elizabeth Hoyt

I won this book from http://www.goodreads.com/ off of their First Reads Book Giveaway System. If you have the opportunity to sign up to win books, I would highly suggest you do it, because I win a book everytime I finish a book. Great system to find new and great authors.

This book was very intriguing and it had a great storyline to follow. I can't wait to get the review up for this one, but it will probably be a few days. Look for it.



Excerpt from the back of the book:

After seven years in hellish captivity, Reynaud St. Aubyn busts into his ancestral home half mad with fever, demanding his due. Can this wild man truly be the last earl's son, thought murdered by Indians?
NOTHING IS MORE INTOXICATING
Beatrice Corning is the niece of the present earl and a proper English miss. Yet she has a secret: No real man has ever excited her more than the handsome youth in a certain portrait. Now, suddenly, he's here, in the flesh-and luring her into his bed.
THAN SURRENDERING TO A DEVIL.
Only Beatrice can see past Reynaud's savage ways to the noble man inside. And Reynaud is drawn to this lovely lady, even as her loyalty to her uncle raises his suspicions. But can she tame a man who will stop at nothing to regain his title-even if it means sacrificing her innocence?

Visit http://www.elizabethhoyt.com/ for more information.

Thank you!

A Snow Ball Fight in the Family

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Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book One The Lightning Thief

Book Title: Percy Jackson & the Olympians/Book One/The Lightning Thief

Author: Rick Riordan (http://www.rickriordan.com/)

Pages: 375

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books

Genre: YA Fantasy/Science Fiction

{Scale Explanation: 1) Meaning awful, 5) Meaning not good, but not bad-equal, 10) Meaning wonderful}

PLOT - 9

CHARACTERS - 8

BEGINNING - 7

ENDING - 8

FLOW - 9

OVERALL - 9

What I liked about this book:  This was a very fun read that had me reading it as often as possible to get it read. I really enjoyed the Greek mythology that is a HUGE part of the book. I have dabbled into that aspect of history a bit and so this book became quite entertaining. Especially how it is that the Greek gods all have many children from many different humans creating heroes. I will enjoy reading this book to my son when he gets older and we start on chapter books, as I know he will enjoy it. I also enjoyed the character of Percy a lot, especially how he finds out all of these things about himself in this first book of the series. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

What I disliked about this book:  The characters weren't fully developed by the end of the novel, but it is the first book in the series, so I'll leave that to the rest of the books, I am sure the characters will be described more as the series goes on. The beginning was a bit tedious but only for the first chapter. It's very interesting after that. Even though the first chapter has a strange occurance in it, it wasn't as good as the rest of the story.

Who I would recommend this book to:  Anyone really, but more specifically, one who likes Greek mythology, adolescents that are troubled only to find out they are destined for greatness, fantasy type novels. This book was targeted for younger teens, probably more like tweens or pre-teens, but as an adult, I still enjoyed it.

What I felt this book was about:  Percy Jackson is a troubled 12 year old that lives in New York City. He has been to six different schools in six years. He doesn't fit in anywhere, he has dyslexia and ADHD. He thinks all he is meant for in life is to be a failure. He hates his stepdad, loves his mother like she is a god, and has a really cool best friend that he has only known for a year named Grover who has a muscular disorder in his legs. He goes with his school on a field trip to a history museum in the city when an incredible event happens, but after the event happens, no one acknowledges that the person he supposedly turned into gold dust ever existed, so he goes on about his business, still a little shaken and distraught over the event. He hears his mythology teacher speaking to his friend Grover about him one day and becomes even more suspicious. Throughout the rest of his school year, he does enough bad things to get kicked out of another school, and at the end of the year, Grover says that he has to go on the same train to the Upper Eastside, but Grover acts very suspicious, so Percy ditches him at the train station. He arrives home, his mother takes him on a trip to Montauk (http://www.montaukmonster.com/ <-funny site by the way!) and disaster strikes yet again. He finds his way to Camp Half Blood for the children of the Gods. There, he finds a way to fit in and finds out who his real father was. Then, he sets out on a quest to return the Lightning Bolt back to Zeus because it was stolen. Percy is the suspect, but Zeus allows him to try to find out who took it and bring it back to him. Percy gets to take Grover and Annabeth with him who prove to be worth the effort. They meet various mythical monsters along the way and avert disaster in every chapter it seems. But I won't tell the ending. (Shakes finger at the reader) That's not how I roll! :)

Favorite quotes from the book:
""He was slumped over, blood trickling from the side of his mouth. I shook his furry hip, thinking, No! Even if you are half barnyard animal, you're my best friend and I don't want you to die!""

""The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles.""



Thank you for reading! Now go and read it! :)

Blog Tag!

To the right, I decided to add a fun picture of my son and I, taken recently. It shows our personalities a bit.

There is a fun game being played lately in the blogosphere. It's a type of 'Tag! You're it!’ I've been tagged, so now it's time to answer some writing related questions. I hope that my answers are sufficient enough for even the pickiest readers. At the end of the questions I will tag three more bloggers, so be sure to check them out, too. Thanks, Anna L. Wells http://www.annalwells.blogspot.com/ for tagging me.

1. What's the last thing you wrote? What's the first thing you wrote that you still have?

The last thing I wrote was a few paragraphs for a screenplay that I am writing about my husband and his friends, in the style of dramatic comedy. I wish I still had my very first short story that I ever wrote from 3rd grade entitled, 'Murder at 5pm.' But a few moves demolished any chance of having that story. Lately, the first thing that I have written once I started writing again is a story entitled Portland, it's a YA book with Sci-fi woven into it. I'm about 16 chapters in, but I'm stuck as of now. :(

2. Write poetry?

Haha! My poetry is so obscure and disturbing, my husband won't read it anymore. I don't follow any of the rules of poetry, I just write what surfaces in my mind. Most of my poetry comes from meditation while trying to fall asleep at night.

3. Angsty poetry?

No, I don't think so. It's mainly weird, and very odd. My mother compared it to Jim Morrison once, but  wouldn't give myself near that much credit. She is my mom afterall. :)

4. Favorite genre of writing?

Fiction, because you can take it anywhere, but I dabble in everything other than Non-Fiction. I have used Science Fiction a lot, there's always a romance, except for in one of my screenplays that I am currently writing. I like Fantasy, because you do with it what you please. I like humor and tend to add some humor in everything I write. What's life without laughter?

5. Most annoying character you've ever created?

I would say that a character is annoying if they don't co-operate with me. All of my characters are annoying at some time during the writing process.

6. Best plot you've ever created?

Yikes. I have a story that I am only a chapter in, that I have worked on for almost a year now on development. I don't choose to relinquish the information, but it is very emotional and it involves a younger boy who is inflicted with a rare brain disorder.

7. Coolest plot twist you've ever created?

Well, in my NaNo story, I just went with my hands. They typed and I read what they typed, so they had a mind of their own. I made several people in the story betray the lead characters, then the betrayal was a hoax to get certain things to happen in the story. It was really fun, but very confusing at the same time.

8. How often do you get writer's block?

Very often, but I either push through it or move to a different story or read a book.

9. Write fan fiction?

I've thought about it before, but I have never dabbled with it. A interesting tid bit though: In 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, I used to get with one of my friend and write collaboratives of meeting Prince William of England and falling in love when we got older. That's kind of fan fiction-esque! Hehehe. I was a nerd, I know, oh wait, I still am. Hehehe...

10.Do you type or write by hand?

Type! Writing by hand really hurts my carpal tunnel issue. Yeah, 25 years old and I already have a horrible case of it, but I refuse to get the surgery. I've been trying to strengthen my wrist with grips, but I don't think I'll ever get back to 100%. Although I do keep a small notepad with me if an idea comes up when I'm not around my computer.

11. Do you save everything you write?

Yes, but I have noticed in the year that I have been writing that I don't like the stuff that I started with and I'm going back and changing a lot of it now.

12. Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?

I don't abandon ideas, they just get typed up and saved to an obscure file, then when the time comes, I look into it more and hopefully develop the story.

13. What's your favorite thing you've ever written?

I really like my poetry because I don't hold back and it's like a reflection of my mind, my deepest thoughts. My favorite longer piece of writing would have to be just the Prologue to Portland. I have spent hours and hours on that thing and it's right where I want it.

14. What's everyone else's favorite story you've written?

Well, not very many people have read my stuff, but when I had my stuff posted, everyone seemed to like my humorous rants about living in the California Desert. One person really enjoyed Portland too, but I've taken it all down for major re-construction.

15. Ever written romance or angsty teen?

There is a lot of romance woven through the two novels that I have gotten the furthest with, but that is all I've written as far as that genre goes. Angsty teen, whew! The lead character in Portland becomes an angsty teen after the disaster in the beginning of the story.

16. What's your favorite setting for your characters?

The Pacific Northwest, because that is where I have always dreamed of living. Although, I have a few that go all around the world.

17. How many writing projects are you working on now?

Haha! That's a crazy question. I have several novels, several short stories, several poems, several rants, several ideas being developed, several edits in progress. It will be a feat to actually finish a novel though!

18. Have you ever won an award for your writing?

A lovely E-Certificate for winning a short story contest in the Weekly Short Story Contest group in Goodreads.com, awarded to me by Paige(Tink), the group moderator. Thank you Tink!

19. What are your five favorite words?

"Your Writing Weirds Me Out." Actual quote from my husband. No, my favorite words to use lately have been: obscure, bemused, vague, odd, and face. LOL

20. What character have you created that is most like yourself?

Most of my characters have something about me woven into their structure, but for the most part, I don't base characters off of myself. Maybe sometimes, I add something to the character that I would like to be, that's always my favorite type of resemblance.

21. Where do you get your ideas for your characters?

People watching and deep thinking. That's really all that's to it. Oh, and sometimes I dream a character shell, and when I get to writing, I get more in depth with the character.

22. Do you ever write based on your dreams?

OH Yes! Very often, I always have vivid dreams, just about every night, so I make sure to write anything interesting down.

23. Do you favor happy endings?

Yes, but my favorite novel in the works right now is going to be one of those that makes me cry as I write the ending, since I already have the ending developed, I just need to focus on the beginning and the middle.

24. Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Yes, oh god yes! It drives me crazy sometimes. I have to go back several times until it's right, before I can move on even if it's something that I need to type up right away.

25. Does music help you write?

Yes and no. It depends on the atmosphere that I am writing in. Music is a big part of who I am and sometimes, you play just that right song that makes you want to get up and groove. So, I have a hard time sitting down if I am listening to dance music, but slower stuff puts me in a good mood to write, especially Ludwig Van and any other classical.

26. Quote something you've written. Whatever pops in your head.

“Thank you darling, I’m so glad I chose to keep you around.” Scarlett was joking now? Jason couldn’t believe what he was hearing, so he answered with the only comeback he could think of at the time.

“You’re face chose to keep me around.” They both laughed as Jason started the car and took off at a dangerous speed.

(From my NaNoWriMo Story for this year. It was a fun thing to do.)

And now the three blogs I will tag are: (be sure to visit their blogs, too)

Kyle Borland at http://www.kgborland23.blogspot.com/

Rita J. Webb at http://www.afantasyfiction.blogspot.com/

Renee Miller-Johnston at http://www.rjmiller.weebly.com./

I don't know if they will respond to it, but maybe. I would like to see the answers for all of these writers, as I really admire their writing.

:)

A Fun Holiday Photo

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Upcoming Book Review: Across the Pond by Storyheart

This was a fun little read that I read a few months ago, but the author is a good friend of mine and so I thought that I should write a review for his book on my blog. I hope to get more people in the know about this marvelous book that I feel is for all ages.

Excerpt from the back of the book:

Finding himself packed off to friends in the USA, fifteen-year-old English-born Fred Squire is not happy.
Then he meets Brittany.
Struggling with his feelings for Brit and the language, Fred is further confused when he meets Brit's flirtatious friend, Angel.
Escaping from a confrontation with Steve Harris, the neighborhood bully, Brit tells Fred her dark secret about Harris, and Fred's world is turned upside down.
Life continure to throw Fred a curveball when he catches a baseball worth a small fortune. Further fun-ins with Harris, a crazy family, barbecue, and a chase through a mall all add to Fred's American adventure.
"Brit and her Brit" know that their young love will be followed by heartache when Fred has to return to England but not before some final twists in the tale.

Visit http://www.across-t-pond.com/ for more information.

Book Review: The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

Book Title: The Martian Chronicles

Author: Ray Bradbury (http://www.raybradbury.com/)

Pages: 181

Publisher: Bantam Books/Doubleday
Genre: Science Fiction/Short Story Collective

(Scale Explanation: 1) Meaning awful, 5) Meaning not good, but not bad-equal, 10) Meaning wonderful)

PLOT - 9

CHARACTERS - 8

BEGINNING - 8

ENDING - 8
FLOW - 7

OVERALL - 8

What I liked about this book:  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it is quite rough around the edges and slightly choppy at times, and well, some of the chapters strewn together do not completely make sense. Though, it was very eye opening and entertaining. I loved the science fiction aspect of the book and the interestingly dark wit that Ray Bradbury used throughout. I will most likely pick this book up again at sometime during my life, but for sure, I will read more Bradbury books as I obtain them. The man was a mastermind of imagination and I believe that he has received too little credit for all of his genius work. My favorite chapter of the book is a chapter in which he incorporates Edgar Allan Poe's story about the House of Usher. Very detailed and morbidly funny, I enjoyed this chapter the most.

What I disliked about this book:  Obviously from my ratings above, there were issues that I had whilst reading this work of literary art. Though I love it, I had a problem understanding the actions of the characters. Most of the characters weren't very developed, but one can truly appreciate it given the style that this book is written in.I found it quite choppy and it seems to jump from different characters all around. If you are not a fan of quirky and different styles, you won't like this book.

Who I would recommend this book to:  Obviously, as I stated above, I would not recommend this book to anyone that isn't a fan of quirky and untraditional styles. Bradbury just didn't care about following the rules when he wrote this book and possibly his other books that I have yet to venture into. I would recommend to those that are open-minded when it comes to reading and enjoy different styles of writing, anyone that is not faint of heart, there is some violence and Bradbury has described the way blood flows from a body a few times. Other than that, the murder scenarios are quick and to the point, basically, stating "And he was dead." Also, I would recommend to people that like science fiction, this would surely be an enjoying read, and possibly those interested in philosophy, because I have a sneaky suspicion that Bradbury has thrown some philosophical ideas of his own in the text.

What I felt this book was about:  Well, as I have explained above, I felt like Bradbury poured himself all throughout this book. A lover of literature bad-talking those that burnt the books back in a time when fantasy literature was forbidden, the main characters are depressed and often on the brink of insanity, which I believe Bradbury must have passed at some point in his life, but as Cornelia Funke quoted in Inkspell, "So what? All writers are lunatics." So, basically, this book is about the colonization of Mars and what we stupid humans do to the beautiful planet that has survived through the Martians for eons, because they knew how to balance nature and technology. There's not much else to tell as the story has so many sub-stories strewn throughout it, to tell about all of them, would be re-telling the book. Read it!

Favorite excerpts or quotes from the book: 
""Well, what about this name: Edgar Allan Poe?"
Mr. Bigelow shook his head.
"Of course." Stendahl snorted delicately, a combination of dismay and contempt. "How could I expect you to know blessed Mr. Poe? He died a long while ago, before Lincoln. All of his books were burned in the Great Fire. That's thirty years ago-1975."
"Ah," said Mr. Bigelow wisely. "One of those!"
"Yes, one of those, Bigelow. He and Lovecraft and Hawthorne and Ambrose Beirce and all the tales of terror and fantasy and horror and, for that matter, tales of the future were burned. Heartlessly. They passed a law. Oh, it stated very small. In 1950 and '60 it was a grain of sand. They began by controlling books of cartoons and then detective books and, of course, films, one way or another, one group or another, political bias, religious prejudice, union pressures; there was always a minority afraid of something, and a great majority afraid of the dark, afraid of the future, afraid of the past, afraid of the present, afraid of themselves and shadows of themselves."
"I see."" - Page 105


I hope you enjoyed this review. Now, go out and read!!!

Upcoming Book Review: Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book One The Lightning Thief

Well, for this book, I thought it would be a good idea to read it before the movie came out. So, I ordered it a few weeks ago and received it in the mail yesterday. I'm one chapter in and so far, it is a very enjoyable story, with great details. I hope to have this review up in the next few weeks.

Excerpt from the inside cover of the book:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zues's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Visit http://www.rickriordan.com/ for more information.

Sounds very interesting. Thank you.

Book Review: Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

Book Title: Proof by Seduction
Author: Courtney Milan (http://www.courtneymilan.com/)
Pages: 345
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Historical Romance

{Scale Explanation: 1) Meaning awful, 5) Meaning not good, but not bad-equal, 10) Meaning wonderful}

PLOT - 10
CHARACTERS - 10
BEGINNING - 10
ENDING - 10
FLOW - 10
OVERALL - 10

Can you tell I loved this book?

What I liked about this book: It was amazing how Courtney was able to bring it all together. I loved the details, the descriptions of what the different characters saw in the other characters eyes at any given time. Eyes can say a lot about a person. I love the witty arguements that the two main characters exchanged often throughout the book. I enjoyed the dilema that learning about themselves brought upon the two main characters and how that affected the multi-faceted lives they lead. And of course, the love scenes were very sensual and very romantic. Oh, and the male leading character reminded me of myself so much.

What I disliked about this book: Absolutely nothing. This book seemed to be everything that I never knew that I would like in a book. This was my first venture into historical romance and I will continue to explore the genre in the future. Especially anything that Courtney Milan writes.

Who I would recommend this book to: Anyone that likes historical romance books, or would like to venture into this genre. Anyone who loves to read a good love story, and anyone that is very scientific as you will relate to the male lead character as I have done.

What I felt the book was about: A love story, clear as that. Of course, there is much deeper things throughout the story than just the love story. Madame Esmeralda is a fortune-teller, but she has only chosen this profession because she refuses to join society int he oonly roles she could ever fill with her social status. She has been consulting Ned Carhart for two years, and they have grown close, just about as family members, but Ned's cousin, the Marquess of Blakely, Gareth Carhart wants to prove Madame Esmeralda a fraud by scientific experiments with her fortune-telling abilities. He wants to prove her a fraud to teach Ned not to be so trusting and to try to make Ned like him. He is a cold man, with no room in his life for love, or friendship. Meeting Madame Esmeralda turns his life upside down in his mind, making him question everything about himself and how he view people and the world. But at the same time, Gareth makes Madame Esmeralda question who she really is and why she has chosen this path for her life. Through all of this, there are witty arguements, interesting conversations and situations, and a few silly humiliating tasks that Madame Esmeralda gives to Lord Blakely. In the end, oh wait, I don't tell anyone the ending. You just have to read it, because you will love it. :)

Favorite excerpts or quotes from the book:
""Fun?" He raised one eyebrow. His tone disparaged the preposterous. Magic? Killer unicorns? Fun?!" - Page 103
That's just my favorite, but there are so many more, but if I put them on here, it will ruin the story for anyone that intends to read it, so read it! :)

Thank you

Upcoming Book Review: The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury

Hopefully, by tonight or by tomorrow, I'll have my review up for this wonderful science fiction masterpiece by one of the most gifted and strange authors of all time.

Excerpt from back of book:

A skillfull blending of fancy and satire, terror and tenderness, wonder and contempt by the author of THE ILLUSTRATED MAN. A glimpse of things to come-A glance at the past. Here is ay Bradbury's sometimes eerie, sometimes poetic fantasy about the colonization of Mars. The story of familiar people and familiar passions set against the incredible beauties of a new world.

Visit http://www.raybradbury.com/ for more information.

Photos From Snow Storms Past

First Snow of the Season

I'm so giddy about this, but just a few days ago we had our first snow storm of the season. With many more on the way, told by the weather lady in this area, there should be many photos of snow posted to my blog. I've posted a few pictures from last years snow storms.

Excitement Over a Holiday Toy

So, this commercial featuring a race track for Lightning McQueen and Mack from the Disney/Pixar movie Cars, aired a week ago and my son reacted so crazy the first time through, that we rewound it and allowed him to watch it again, video-taped of course.

The First Day of NaNoWriMo Freedom

So, all of the NaNo writer's out there must be feeling some sort of relief at this point. The month of November is over, you have either written a lot of words, or completed a 50,000 word novel, or for those over acheivers out there, a few of my friends included, you have doubled the 50,000 word count and went into 100k territory.

Congratulations!
You have achieved something that most of us only dream about, or think is impossible.
Guess what, we all have a novel inside us and it's just a matter of getting it out, so if you didn't finish with NaNo, keep going, maybe it will take you a few months, a few years, a few weeks, a few more hours, several decades. No matter what, the satisfaction of finishing a novel is within you, so go for it. It's like nothing you've ever felt.

Also, I'd like to tell everyone that now is the time to release that big breath of air you took in on November 1st, relax!
You can now take showers, eat, spend time with your family that's wondering if you died in your room. Re-connect with your brain, and go outside. Winter is the best time of year, enjoy the cool breeze and fall colors that are washing away.
You deserve it.

Just one more month and 2010 will be here.
What are your goals?
Share in the comments section or write them down for yourself, but keep track of them.

My goals are to finish a novel, submit stuff for publishing, even if it is through literary magazine's, complete Scriptfrenzy, Complete NaNo, teach my son everything that I can, lose 50 pounds, read, read, read, write, write, write, and enjoy life.

Hope to see you all around here soon. Maybe a contest is in the works for next year.

:)