Stretching myself...

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I hate working out. I just wish there was a quick fix to getting fit and losing weight, but sadly I don't believe there is. Like anything in life it takes hard work. Therefore with it being the summer  my youngest is at day camp and the  teens are in bed until mid morning, I thought I would shake up my routine. As soon as I drop off at summer fun I go to the YMCA. We have a family membership, that shock, horror, we rarely use. With that at the back of my mind I aim to make full use of it. I have been going 4 times a week so far. I'm stretching myself and my routine, which is usually the bikes and the tread mill.

This week I went to Pilate's ( which I loved and will go back...absolutely). Zumba...I so loved the music and wished I was more rhythmic and co-ordinated than I am, but I just couldn't get to grips with the speed and the movements and the shake that body... And then I tried muscle training and cardio which I totally can do and really enjoyed, even if every part of my body is aching. The instructor is very seductive in the way she speaks through the class, almost whispering that at every push and squat thrust our bodies are changing. I'm so willing and eager to believe, that I do find myself pushing that extra bit harder.  It made me realize I have to step out of my comfort zone to become stronger and  more toned. No pain no gain. I'm still aching, but I know it's good and I'm dreaming of that new body.

You maybe thinking well that's all well and good, but I thought this blog was about writing and you'd be right. I believe anything that makes an impression upon you is something worth examining and discussing and I believe that every day events help shape you as a person and as a writer. Healthy mind and body, healthy writer???? Right, please say you agree!! It occurs to me as I work out many possibilities for stories so I believe it's a good way to brain storm ideas and also as I'm trying different classes with the aim of getting stronger so too should I consider different ways to strengthen my writing.

One way this summer was to read as many books as I could. I'm reading a combination of adult and YA novels. I have chosen two that  I have really enjoyed, both are YA novels. This is the genre I was most eager to read, as my first novel is aimed at this audience. And everyone tells you to research the genre you are writing in, to try to ensure you're not writing a story that has already been written a million times. Although, that being said each writer brings something different to the table with their characters or slant on the story. But I do believe it needs to be fresh. This is what I'm aiming for and it's a word I hope to hear more and more as I expose my story to readers, agents, and publishers.

The first book is Need by Carrie Jones, I  believe this was her debut novel. Her female protagonist Zara White has recently lost her step-father and she's having a hard time coming to terms with his death. Her mother decides to end her to stay with her step-grandmother's house in sleepy bitterly cold Maine. I did think this was a bit odd to start. Zara appears to have a weird man stalking her, who follows her to grandmother's house and leaves a trail of gold dust. There's romance, suspense, and fantasy. I really enjoyed Zara's voyage of self-discovery and acceptance of who she is and will be searching for her other books.

 My second book I loved. Deception by Lee Nichols. Now this I thought was fresh. Emma Vaile (Love the name) the main character is strong, quirky, and immediately visible. When her eccentric parents disappear and Emma is left alone in San Fransisco she plans what most kids her age would, a party. However, that doesn't go as planned and she soon becomes the ward of Bennett a family friend. Bennett is of course wildly handsome, but his manner is very cool and distant. You can feel her attraction for him immediately...but strange that someone so young would get custody...Anyway...Emma ends up staying at Bennett's parents mansion/museum in Boston and starts attending Thatcher academy. The story is full of ghosts, flash backs, past lives, and monsters. It is creepy, spooky, and it does keep you on the end of your seat. Her next book is called, Betrayal and I'm already guessing who is going to be responsible. Really enjoyed it..

"I couldn't see, couldn't breathe. Strapped to a chair underwater, I was shivering and my lungs burned. A moment before I blacked out, the chair rose through the icy darkness and broke the water's surface.
I gasped and coughed, but the instant I caught my breath, he plunged me under again, brought to the verge of drowning over and over." 

    

That's it for this week, keep reading and taking note of everything you see and do. You never know when that experience will come in handy...Cheers Jen