My Wordpress as a Writer

Hello loyal 10 people who still follow me after 5 years of inactivity!

Chances are, your accounts are all as abandoned as mine, but on the off chance that they aren't, I just wanted to let you all know that I have a new blog!

Ace Parks  is my Wordpress account that follows my writing life, where you can stay updated on my books and read about all things writing. I may republish some of my book reviews there too.

Writing has been my crutch and my dream since the mere age of 13. It started as a hobby, fueled with a desire for books to bend to my visions; now it’s my life’s dream. 

Born and raised in New Zealand, I have a number of sibling and a hoard of niblings (that’s the gender-neutral term for nieces and nephews!). I work part time, and study full time at Massey University; my bachelors is a double major in Creative Writing and Psychology, but once that’s under my belt I’m going for gold: Post-Graduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology. That’s right guys; this airy-fairy head-in-the-clouds gal is going to be a doctor one day. 

I’m a serial hobbyist; that is to say, I enjoy reading, writing, sewing, art, yoga, dance, and probably half a dozen other things that are currently on the back-burner and don’t immediately spring to mind.
Ironically, as a child I refused to read. I wouldn’t go near a book – not until they were forced upon me in Intermediate, and the rest, as they say, is history. Since my discovery of the written word, I’ve spent my life spouting off about how I’m going to be an author. At 21, I’ve decided to get a little more serious about that goal.

Hmmm... Update

SO, I know I haven't posted a review in FOREVER, but I actually have been reading crap-loads. Why no reviews then? Mainly because I hardly have time with assesments due AND exams coming up at school, but also because I've been reading an incredible, amaaazing book series: The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series, by Laurell K. Hamilton. (Just a note, I'd label it an M [mature] or R15...)
And I have already reviewed about two of the books in the series, and there are more than 7 books, so I figured if you aren't hooked by the first two reviews then...well, you can put it together.
Anyway, I'm not sure when I'll get around to reading something else or posting a review...
Another factor is that my keyboard's space-bar is half broken, so most of the time I have to push it at least twice before it works. Majorly slows down typing...

But I'm open for guest reviews!

Juicy Writing, by Brigid Lowry

Title: Juicy Writing

Subtitle: Inspiration and techniques for young writers

Author: Brigid Lowry

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 195

Chapters: 5

Genre: Non-fiction - Writing

Rating: 9/10

Blurb (quoted):

“Brigid Lowry knows the highs and lows of being a writer, but she still thinks it’s a joy. In this book she takes you on a journey to discover yourself and what you really want to say, AND how to make it juicy and original. So, what do you need to begin? Where can you find ideas? How can you make your writing better? What can you do if you get stuck?

Let Brigid inspire you to doodle, daydream and discover your creativity – then write hard and fast into the wild land of your imagination. If you ever thought you’d like to write, start reading Juicy Writing!”

Judgement:

I have to say, this book was very inspirational. I found myself wanting to put it down and start writing all the time.

The content is highly helpful to both beginners and novices. It has great writing exercises, games, and ideas, as well as information and thoughts on various aspects of writing such as plot, characters, point of view, and the affect it can have on a person’s life and how a person’s life affects it.

The writing style is fun, playful, informal – perfect for those who struggle to read non-fiction due to the rigidity and raw information that gets boring. It held my attention through almost all of it and was quite entertaining as well as informative.

I definitely recommend this book to creative writers, whether you write poems, novels, scripts, or cartoons, it doesn’t matter.

So, You Wanna be a Writer? by Vicki Hambleton and Cathleen Greenwood

Title: So, You Wanna be a Writer?

Subtitle: How to Write, Get Published, and maybe even make it big!

Author: Vicki Hambleton and Cathleen Greenwood

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 143

Chapters: 12

Genre: Non-fiction - Writing

Rating: 10/10

Blurb (quoted):

“You have the ideas and the creativity to be a writer. You’re missing only one thing… this book!

Do you long to see your name in print? Do you dream of captivating people with your stories, poems, or movies? If so, this is your chance! So, You Wanna Be a Writer? gives all the information you need to become a published author. Learn the secrets behind:

·         Finding the right genre to best express yourself.

·         Creating cool story lines and fascinating characters.

·         Starting your own reading and writing groups.

·         Overcoming the dreaded writer’s block.

·         Selling your stories and getting them published.

·         Promoting your work through signings, TV and more!

Read exclusive interviews with famous writers like Michael Crichton, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, and Wendelin Van Draanen. Plus, meet ten real kid authors who share their best writing tips and advice!”

Judgement:

This book honestly covers everything – that is the first thing I have to say. It takes you through the entire writing and publishing process, explaining everything along the way.

Although it doesn’t say so anywhere on the cover, this book is for young writers hoping to get their name into print. It includes a dozen or so interviews with young writers from ages of about 8 to around 16, with information about how they write and why, and their publishing experiences.

The writing style is fun and enjoyable; unlike a lot of fiction books, it made this one fun to read. The information is helpful to those who are just starting out in the writing world or have already been researching and participating in it for years.

There are so many helpful resources, with websites and contacts for where to get published, including contests, magazines, publishers, and where to find more information on writing. It also includes some information about different careers for writers, types of writing, and tips about editing and writers block.

This book, as I’ve already said, covers everything, and anything it misses can be found in one of the resources listed.

I really enjoyed reading this book and found a lot of useful information in it. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for information on anything from writing to editing to publishing.

Write Your Own Fantasy Story, by Tish Farrell

Title: Write Your Own Fantasy Story

Author: Tish Farrell

Target Audience: Young Adult

Pages: 61

Chapters: 10

Genre: Non-fiction

Rating: 4/10

Blurb (quoted):

“Want to be a writer: This is the perfect place to start. The Writ Your Own series will teach you how to craft believable characters and intense plots, along with satisfying beginnings, middles, and endings. Examples from numerous books appear throughout the text, along with tips from published authors to help you along.

Fantasy is one of the most popular types of fiction. Fantasy stories – from The Wizard of Oz to Harry Potter – feature characters, places, and events that are beyond what is possible in our world. These stories make amazing, surprising and fantastic things seem completely real, and these takes hold readers in their grip from beginning to end.”

Judgement:

This book is supposed to be a guide to fiction writing. Although it has suitable content, it taught me nothing new, about fantasy or writing. This fact brings me to say that it is suitable for a beginner, who is just starting on their way to novel writing.

The cover is professional and attractive, eye-drawing, and gives the sense of many pages of text (just as a novel is), however when I opened it I found instead a picture book, which took it down to a younger level and somewhat disappointed me.

I would only suggest this book to younger people looking to begin novel writing for the first time.