Feature and Follow

ACTIVITY: Write a letter to your favorite character. Rant, rave or gush…just pretend like they are real and you just want to let them know a “few things”. – Activity courtesy of author, Kelly Walker

Dear Cas Lowood,

Still slaying ghosts around the world? I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't, after what happened with Anna, but you know, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if you went back to your old ways. Anna changed a lot of everything for you, didn't she Cas? She got under your skin, into your heart and after that, you could never really look at ghosts, or girls, the same again. What was it that drew you to her, even before you laid eyes on her? Was it fate or destiny or the "forces that be" that kept Anna's story gnawing on the back of your mind, or were you just uber curious? 

I dunno dude. I love Anna and all. She's kick ass and powerful and she's not afraid to make a sacrifice, but the reality is... She's dead. That kinda puts a damper on the possibilities... But I guess you knew that too, even in all your determination to get her back, you knew she deserved to be happy after a few lifetimes of misery and guilt. I bet letting her go was one of the more difficult things you've had to do to send a ghost on their way. You've got some surprising strength, because with all the gloomy, moody, and depressed states you were in in your second book, I thought you'd never let go of the idea of Anna. 

Okay, maybe I'm being a little insensitive, but I really missed the old Cas ~ the Cas with a smart mouth and a quick wit and a decent size ego ~ in the second book, and I want him back. Your story ended way too quickly for me, Cas, and I don't want to remember you as being broken-hearted. I want to see you pick yourself up and deal with the cards life has handed you. I want to see what your life is like after Anna, what you'll do with everything that's happened. I know a series has the potential to drag itself through more books than it needs, but I think two cut yours short. Come back to us Cas.

Keely

Happy Reading Everyone :)

Favorite Paranormal Characters??

So many to choose from... you know that moment when you're standing in line at the ice cream shop and fifty different flavors smack you right in the taste buds, and while it's a beautiful moment, you're left with that angsty, unsatisfied feeling, because you know no matter which one you choose, you're always gunna wish you got the mint chocolate chip... or dutch chocolate... OOH or chocolate chip cookie dough... decisions, decisions..

Now that I've got you thoroughly confused as to what the hell I'm talking about ;)... I was just thinking about all the paranormal creatures I've come across since starting this blog.. There's aliens (currently reading about the smexy Daemon Black), werewolves, vampires, trylle, gods, demons, fallen angels, faeries, zombies, witches, ghosts, reapers.. heck there are even mermaids... (sorry, but I can't take that one seriously, and I take my paranormal creatures very seriously)... It's like a smorgasbord of weirdness, and it is beautiful...


So, the question I'm trying to get at not so successfully is:

How do you pick a favorite? Which is it?

I know, I know.. you can probably, in this world full of choices, have more than one favorite... But what if you could only pick one? 

Inevitably, I'm going to be forced to answer that question myself somewhere in this post, but for the time being, I wanted to ask you...

What's your favorite paranormal creature??
	Vampires
	Werewolves
	Zombies
	Witches
	Aliens
	Trylle
	Demons
	Mythical Gods
	Fallen Angels
	Faeries
	Ghosts
	Reapers
	Mermaids
pollcode.com free polls

If there's any I forgot to mention, please don't seek vengeance.. My sometimes inadequate mind can't possibly remember everything tinged with "otherness"... So just leave a comment below :)..

So which would I choose.. hmm? ... I think I'll go with... drumroll, please....

Werewolves

It may seem typical and maybe even a bit cliche, but I think werewolves are the cat's meow.. umm.. or whatever... Vampires can be kinda snooty in their immortality and the knowledge and experience that comes along with it... witches can be pretty vengeful and abusive with their power.. zombies are, well, lifeless... fallen angels are filled with turmoil (which is attractive in it's own right, but it can get kinda redundant)... and the rest, well, they're just not as exciting as a seemingly normal person totally beasting out in the light of the full moon.. 

Werewolves (at least the one's I'm thinking of ~ no Silver Bullet action going on here ~ more along the lines of Alcide Herveaux... yumtastic) are confidant, rugged, and, for the most part, down to earth... They can get a little crazy, raging even, but that's a forgivable quality that kinda adds to the appeal.. 

Yup, after careful consideration, I'm going to officially dub my favorite paranormal creature: the werewolf... :)

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Pledged Tour: Character Interview ~ Meet Jared!

I've already introduced you to the characters of Gwynneth White's Pledged, but I'm quite positive you're thirsting for more. You don't have to deny it. I don't blame you ;).

That being said, I'm excited to say that this blog has come across the lucky opportunity of having Jared stop by for a quick visit. He's a busy guy, what with being Warlord of Shenaya, fighting curses, and winning the hearts of stubborn women, so I'm surprised his aides even built up the audacity to ask him to do this favor for me.

And speak of the devil...

*Jared gives mock salute* “Keely, I have been informed by my aides that you wish to interview me. I suppose I should be flattered. But let me begin by asking you a question. You could have picked either of my cousins or my best friend Seth, why me?”

Keely: It’s no surprise. I’ve already posted on my blog and on Twitter that I love you,” *quickly adds* “in a ‘he’s my favourite character’ sort of way.

Jared: *gives Keely a sardonic smile* “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m spoken for. And I mate for life.” *pauses* “Correction. Eternity.”

Keely: But Jared, you are under the curse. You've pledged.

Jared: “What’s that’s got to do with anything? I might have made Reuel some promises, but that doesn’t mean he owns me. No one owns me. Except maybe Sophia – and that’s because I choose it to be that way.”

Keely: This is my main question . . . how do you get to do what you want when the curse is supposed to change you? Do you fight the curse, or is there just something within you that is stronger than the promise you made to Reuel?

Jared: “My lady, the Guardians – those are angels, by the way – will try and tell you it’s because I have a valiant spirit. Whatever that’s supposed to mean. I just think it’s because I take exception to people telling me what to do. I was born to lead, not to follow. *laughs depreciatingly* Okay, Keely, if you promise not to tell anyone, I’ll admit that I do fight it. All the time. I don’t always succeed, but, hell, I try. I guess I didn’t really understand what I was doing when I pledged. I’m a bit wiser now. And a lot more pissed off too, if you’ll excuse the expletive.”

Keely: When you first met Sophia, you revealed nothing of your eventual feelings for her. There must have been an attraction when you first saw her. Did you feel something like, say, spiritual recognition, when you first met her?

Jared: “Have you seen her? Obviously not, or you wouldn’t be asking such an asinine question. Of course I felt something! What man wouldn’t - given that she’s the most beautiful girl on the planet? Next question.”

Keely: Sorry, Jared, I know you like controlling conversations, but you still haven’t really give me my answer.

Jared: *grins* “I do like it when women hold their ground. Where I come from girls are seen as little more than chattel. It was one of the things that first struck me about Sophia. She just couldn’t grasp the concept that girls are supposed to be demure - keep your head down, say nothing, make babies. I loved that she challenged that in everyone. She still does. Even after all this time.”

Keely: “And that connection I asked about? Please just answer that question? After all you are supposed to be soul mates!”

Jared: *laughs playfully* “Anything to please and delight you, my lady. After all, I would hate you say that Jared, Warlord of Shenaya, was afraid to answer a few impertinent questions. Now what did you call it? A spiritual recognition? No. I had no flash of lightening telling me she was my soul mate when I first saw her.”

Keely: So you admit you were a bit dense?

Jared: *narrows eyes* ”No, just focused on getting what I want.”

Keely: That brings me to my next question. You carry a tremendous amount of responsibility leading Shenaya's army. Not that you can't handle it, but how does it feel to be warlord at such a young age?

Jared: *incredulous* “Young age? I’m eighteen! That’s pretty average for Warlords where I come from.” *gives Keelly a quizzical look* “Not in your time, apparently. Okay, maybe some explanation is required. I started my military training at Pledging Camp when I was six. And I have a natural affinity for strategy. Thanks to that I’d run rings around all the other Pledged and the Defenders when we practiced war games.” *grins* “And I’m also painfully modest. It’s a real failing.”

Keely: Yea, right! Full of yourself, if you ask me. And no, don’t answer that. I’m leading this interview. Now tell me, you pledged, but your friends ~ brothers, really ~ Caleb and Daniel did not. How do you think things might have been different had you not fallen under the curse?

Jared: *caught in a rare moment of introspection* “I often wonder about that. How different life would have been. I guess Caleb and I still would have fought, because that was our way. Fight and make up. It’s what made our friendship special. The trouble was, after I pledged we never got to the make-up part. I see now that our war made it easier for Reuel to manipulate us both.” *shakes head* I hate that it made us weak. We probably could have taken him and his demons on in battle – and won, if I hadn’t pledged.” *pauses* “Not that I’m saying it’s my fault. Caleb is such a moron, if hadn’t done what he did to Phineas none of this would have happened.”

Keely: Thanks for a straight and honest answer, Jared. Now maybe you can clear up a confusion I have. Most of the people around you seem to be distrustful of the Guardians even though they are supposed to be the 'good guys.' How do you feel about them?

Jared: *laughs* “Most of the people? Or do you just mean Seth and Caleb? I don’t expect you to answer that. *looks over shoulder* “I’m what’s called a ‘covert’ supporter of Gideon and the Guardians. I hate that I’m pledged and that, like it or not, it gives Reuel power to control me. I really look forward to the day Gideon’s Prophecy is fulfilled and Reuel is destroyed. But I guess I’m beginning to sound like Sophia – indiscrete – and in Shenaya, where I come from, people have been fed to the vultures for less serious admissions. So . . . let’s talk about the weather.”

Keely: Jared, thanks for coming onto my blog today. I really enjoyed talking with you…..

Jared: “Pleasure, My lady. Now with that out the way, we really must discuss this modern technology of yours . . . Twitter? Isn’t that something girls do on the morning of the Emblem Picking when they’re trying to intimidate all the boys?”

Keely: *shakes her head, biting her tongue* Jared, I think that's a long conversation for another time...

Wanna get to know Jared and the other characters even better? Check out Pledged and Gwynneth White via

Twitter ~ GoodReads ~ Facebook ~ Website

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

My Personal Rambling: Character Development ~ Relationships

Writing a book is hard. It's also incredibly mind-blowing, absorbing, and a completely obsessive task that consumes hours of your day without your realization until your red-shot eyes finally glaze over and you can't see straight anymore. My life revolves around reading, writing, movies...- anything involving a solid-downright-good story. I keep my journal handy, mostly at all times, just in case I see something that gets my neurons firing. I'm quite obsessive in finding inspiration to push my book further into the story I want it to be.

Lately, my mild case of CWS (compulsive writing syndrome) has steered me toward focusing on the relationships between characters. Friendship, rivalry, romance ~ it's the essential human element of all stories - it's what makes us tick - and it needs to be believable.

I'm reading four books at the moment, and all of them have some form of romantic interest, all varying in intensity. Some are love attraction at first sight and others take a realistic amount of time to build. I have a slight problem with character relationships that suddenly appear, whether they are romantic or otherwise ~ they feel forced and completely unlike anything that would form a strong connection in real life.

There needs to be some kind of foundation, something that eases readers into the emotions the characters develop so that readers can feel the integrity of the growing relationship.

I read a lot of YA novels, and I understand the hype about the strong, gorgeous, mysterious guy falling for the slightly outcast girl and vice versa. These novels usually tell the story of a young person in the midst of a maze of trouble finding their way to who they are, and most of the time, to someone who loves them for who they are. This is all well and good, but when that love appears out of thin air, I think it sets the standards pretty high.

Even more...adult...books, *cough*Fifty Shades of Grey*clears throat*, have this element, and although I believe Ana is more in lust than in love with Christian Grey, her ability to turn into a pliable mess of gooey hormones at the sight of him completely contradicts the character we were initially introduced to. I get his appeal, but she doesn't even put up a fight or question the situation ~ totally naive.

Here's a list of a few books in which the relationship in my opinion between two characters is admirable and note-worthy:

• Blood Red Road - Saba and Jack
• Graceling - Katsa and Po
• My favorite characters - they built their relationship from friendship and respect for each other's independence - they lift each other, each helping the other come to terms with who they are.
• Beautiful Disaster - Abby and Travis
• Abby and Travis were a little intense and a lot crazy, but I loved the complexity between them.  
• Beautiful Creatures - Lena and Ethan
• Divergent - Tris and Four
• Hollowland - Remy and Lazlo

All of these novels or series have tangible elements in the relationships between the characters. Friendship, hesitation, fear, independence, admiration, respect, questions... Nothing is simple or easy about being in a relationship or falling in love, and these books I've listed represent the complex emotions that people go through when they find someone worth risking it all for. It doesn't happen with the turn of a page or the skimming of a paragraph, but develops from page one through the entire book or series of books. 

I know some people like to get to the nitty-gritty, and there's something to be said for the entertainment value in that, but...I don't know.. it always feels forced to me. On the other hand, if the characters take it too slow, readers tend to get frustrated. Finding the balance between the two seems to be the predicament. 

What about you? Do you like jumping right in to the emotional intensity of a relationship, or would you rather read about two characters who form a bond through events and over time? 

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~

Booking Through Thursday

I can't believe I've made it to Thursday.. I imagine myself, usually on Mondays, getting through each long day, trying to blow it off as no big deal, even though I have no desire doing what I get a paycheck for. Thank God for books and the book blogging community, where I can immerse myself in the things that truly matter :)

This weeks question asks:

What are your literary "pet peeves"? 

The things that drive me bat-s***-crazy in the literary world are pretty similar to the "nails-on-a-chalkboard" incidents that irk me in real life. I'm a character-driven reader ~ I feel that the characters are what make the story and everything else just trickles down from them. So when a character is shallow, lazy, helpless, and just plain stupid, I get a little irritable. (People are the only things that bug me in real life, so I guess it makes sense that characters are the source of my annoyance in the literary world).

One example that comes to mind, probably because it's the most recent book I completed (yay! I finally finished it!), is Clary from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. I love the series, but Clary.. she's just.. well.. annoying. She always wants to be in the middle of the Shadowhunter "fights," but when they find themselves in the thick of it, she freezes, screams, and waits ever-so-patiently as a ten foot demon is fatally creeping towards her to be saved by someone else who already has their hands, clothes, and hair full of gooey monster ichor. She doesn't think about the situation at hand, and only worries about what she's feeling, about getting gratification or resolution for her worries, when really, a little patience would go a long way and not ruin everyone's careful plans. Sorry, I ramble. But her helplessness and idiocy just made me so furious!

So to make a too-long story short, characters are usually the biggest source of my literary "pet peeves." I don't mind if they make mistakes - in fact it's the faults that make the story interesting - I just want them to learn from those mistakes and realize it's probably in their best interest not to repeat them ~ although many seem to create patterns, which just rakes my nerves.

Happy Reading Everyone :)


~ Keely ~ 

Booking Through Thursday

This week's BTT asks two related questions:




Are there any fictional characters whom you have emulated (or tried to)? Who and why?

and

What fictional character do you feel is most like you personality-wise? 

I take a little bit away from all the characters about which I read. I don't try to emulate them per say, but sometimes they offer such wisdom or they say things that give me something to think about in regards to my own life that I can't help but be affected. 

Personality-wise... Recently I read Graceling (review here), and although I'm definitely not like Katsa in the kick-anybody's-ass sense, I could definitely relate to her predicaments. She didn't want to be owned by anyone ~ her desire to belong to herself surpassed any other desire of her heart, even the desire to live. She was controlled by a king she despised, something of which she felt she had no control. Sometimes I feel owned by a job for which I have no passion, which I'm sure everyone goes through at some point in their lives, but I feel stuck in a place I can't stand most of the time, and despite all my efforts, I can't seem to get out. One day, hopefully, I'll bust out a Katsa move and just say *enough* ~ when I have a backup plan to pay my bills ;). 

Also, Katsa won't give up herself for the sake of love. I used to be afraid of that too, until I met my husband who accepts me the way I am, stubbornness and all. I learned, just as she did, that love doesn't mean sacrificing a part of yourself or even your freedom. It means you share a part of yourself with someone who would never take it away from you, and you give each other strengths you never knew you had. 

Happy Reading Everyone :)

~ Keely ~