Right, so. Clearly; I'm awful at this blogging thing.

Wow, it's been eight months since I did this blog thing. Well, let's get straight to the point, eh?

While I'll legitimately try to keep up with regular posting about whatever, this is going to be turning into mainly a book blog. Because apparently my snarky application to be an advance reader for a publishing company (that will eventually be getting a copy of my project every week for eternity until they accept it) was clever (or smartassy) enough to catch their attention.

I'll be getting advance copies of books from this specific publisher and they asked, (read: intended) me to review them on retail sites, Goodreads, Facebook, even here on my own blog. This inaugural run of marketing and free sht lasts for six months, and I'll have to keep applying to stay in this club of geekery and awesome. And dammit, I like books. And they'll be free. I see nothing wrong with any of that.

 

Unless they send me things like this.

Which, let's be real, they might. These slop troughs meant purely to sell to mass markets of preteens and cat ladies, who for some reason think being stalked, controlled, manipulated, and not murdered because someone "loves" (owns) you is romantic, are somehow ridiculously more popular than they ever should have been. My feelings on this is on reserve for a future entry...

Now I know, I know. Not everything's going to be from my favorite author, or in the same vein as my favorite series, not even my preferred genres. And just because I don't like it doesn't mean that other people can't or shouldn't. And I understand that. But reading, reviewing, and studying other writers' work, regardless of whether or not I like or respect it can only help me. Especially since they have book deals and I don't. So I'm taking it for what it is, and am very grateful for the opportunity.

I think I'll not pull a typical Steph and actually take this sht seriously. I mean, I'm certainly no real critic. I haven't even finished a first draft on anything I'd remotely consider publishing, so I'm not sure from which part of my ass I'd pull any intelligent, credible remarks or commentary. Plus I've always heard; "Those that can't write, critique/edit." And I certainly don't want to be thrown in with that lot.But I'll do my best in the reviewing department. I'll be honest, and fair, and constructive, trying to keep too much of my personal biases out of things. Because no one likes to be pitched judgmental critical bullsht, no matter how well established they are in their field. Especially not from some brown-nosing noob willing to do anything to play ball.

Neg is pretty much my spirit animal.

So, the good news is, I'm peeking through the proverbial cracked door to my career of choice. Albeit not necessarily the route I'd have chosen. I'd much more prefer to strike literary gold and get a NY Times best seller straight out the gate, but that's less likely than I'd hope. Sad, since I've always wanted to kick in the door to some ritzy building riding a white tiger on rocket skates drinking orange cream soda out of a chalice and be like "WHAT'S UP, LOSERS."

But... They at least know who I am. They apparently think I'm interesting. And garsh dangit, they picked me. I'm hoping that studying what they like to publish/hope to promote will help me finish, market, and sell my own project(s). Not too much progress on that front either, I'm afraid. Mostly outlining and juicing up of what I already have. I did manage to outline a different project, though, and that's looking quite promising as well. Now if my friends would actually read what I send them so I could get some feedback and ambition to continue, that would be fan-freaking-tastic. -_-;

Fair warning, unnamed-until-I-get-the-legal-details-of-this-deal publishing company. I'm not good with gentle. And I've been itching to use this battering ram I've got under my bed.

Opportunity comes once in a lifetime.

/Crosses fingers.

- RaRa out.

What is this? I don't even...

 What the sht are people supposed to blog about anyway? I mean really, why do you care what goes on in my daily life? Which unfortunately, right now, is mostly me working out, reading, and cruising the internet trying to force myself to make progress on a book I’ll probably never sell. Or what I think for that matter. I’m just words on a screen to you people. Well, also that pic on the bio part. That’s legit me, I swear. But there’s a fairly decent chance I’m not wearing that exact outfit.

And yet here it is: The blog a million websites say that I, as an unsigned and aspiring author, need to have to promote myself. Something about networking, offering a taste of my style, exposure, accessibility, some sort of other horsesht I skimmed over. Personally, I think I should finish my fcking manuscript first, concentrate efforts on one three headed monster at a time, but I suppose there’s no harm in starting now just for the lolz.

I’m Stephanie. With a PH and an A. If you’re reading this, there’s a fairly decent chance you already know who I am. But just in case…

I answer to any variant of my first name, even if you use an FY instead of the whole  –phanie bit. I’m none too picky. If you’re clever, you might even figure out my gamer tag. I’m 24, a Libra, a writer, a dancer, a book/video game/comic geek, and a Bruins fan. I’m a New England native, toeing the Masshole/Rhody line. I graduated from UMass Amherst with a B.A. (MF!) in English, no spec. in creative writing (That’s fodder for a rant that might pop up in the future.) It’s the most useless degree I could have gotten, especially since I have no desire to teach. Yes, I’m aware of that, but I studied what I love. So fck right off.

I’ve been reading, if mum is to be believed, since I was two. And I haven’t stopped. Most little girls want make up, Barbies, and shoes. I wanted books, video games, and fireworks to blow up Barbies. I was/am a tomboyish outsider loner type. Only a couple of friends, most of my time spent in other worlds with fictional companions I wished were real. My world never made much sense to me, so I loved to escape into others. I never liked myself or saw any value in my talents and accomplishments, so I found comfort in those of heroes, or scoundrels, anyone in the stories I would devour, fictional people I wanted to be like one day... Despite no one walking around carrying swords or riding battle steeds and casting magic. Sitting alone and reading in a little nook in the house, against a tree in a park or on top of a rock on the beach, even sitting in the front seat of a car and hearing rain hit the windshield, made me feel as though the book was made for me, and me alone. It was my world. But after a while, I got lonely in intangible realms with amazing people I couldn’t speak to outside of my own twisted little mind. So I started to share them with the real friends I had. And new ones I had made. And that’s what I’m hoping to do here. Share my love of reading and meet new people.

 So what’s my focus point for this? Aside from self-promotion of course? Sht if I know. It could be anything, really. What I’m reading, what I’m watching, what I ate or what color my underwear is. I figure I’ve got a 30,000$ piece of paper that decrees I should know how to critique and produce literature from a scholarly standpoint, and that’s pretty much what I guess I’ll try to do. While working on my own attempt(s) to enter the literary world. Obvi.

At first I thought I should cynically and humorously critique books, then pair them with pictures of me reading in my underwear/in strange locations, more than likely planking or wearing stupid hats. I’ll at least get hits for the semi-sexy Where’s Waldo-esque stupidity. Then I started thinking that I wouldn’t be taken seriously, and I sort of need something legit to get my name out there. So I thought about all the things that make me bitch and complain to my friends on the daily. And I realized; I’m trying to finish an urban noir fantasy book. My friends read these kinds of books. (I can take credit for most of that, I’ve passed my current favorite series to at least 15 people. You might find out what series exactly in a future post.) We’re pretty down to earth, semi-geeky individuals that can argue and debate intelligently with curse words AND valid, well researched points, without being immature twts about it. There may be more people like me, and us, out there somewhere. I should start a blog about daily nitpicks in all aspects of my life, and see who I can troll… I mean, with whom I can relate.

Yeah, that’s right. I used “whom.” I can write like a lady should I so choose. But don’t get used to it. I’m very casual. Clearly, from the usage of the vulgarities and less than proper sentence structure in this post alone. But may whatever god you believe in help you if there are spelling/grammatical errors/incomprehensible gibberish in any responses you post. I’m vicious with typos and improper usage of your/you’re, there/their/they’re, and wen ppl typ lik dis.

So I guess it’s a general blog. About anything and everything. And I suppose I’ll update with my book’s progress once in a while (Read as; when I do more than minor edits.) I won’t share too much info on it, though-Can’t release the beast before its ready. Might lose steam on it if I do. I CAN say that it’s urban noir/paranormal fantasy, WITH NO SPARKLY VAMPIRES, and is 7 chapters, 164 pages long at the moment. I’m aiming for twenty chapters, around 400 pages, and I have outlines for a prequel and a sequel. We’ll see how that factors in if I finish this project, which could be a standalone, or a series in and of itself. Whatever will get it published, I don’t give a fck. But I promise you. I’m taking it seriously. It means the world to me. I won’t let this baby out into the great wide unknown until I’m proud of it. And I hope you’ll like it, too.

I'll try and stick to schedule; probably Thursdays. I shalt steal your Thursdays. Muh ha ha.

Welcome to the world where the air I breathe is mine.

- RaRa out.