I haven't done any editing today

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This means, of course, that I am going to have to do a LOT of editing tonight. I'll be up late typing away like a crazed writer who has nothing else to do but pay attention to her characters.

But I do have a valid reason for slacking today. Even my partner in Camp NaNo agreed is was a good excuse.

MY BOOK CAME IN YESTERDAY!!!!!

SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

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Finally, after weeks and week of waiting The Runaway King finally came in! I could finally read what happens to Sage after... well after THAT. And it was worth the wait. Because the book was amazing. I was so happy to have it that I read the first half last night and the rest this morning. Then I picked up book three and just kept reading until I was finished with it. *SPOILERS AHEAD*

I really, really love Jaron. and I'm probably going to do a proper review on both these books, but for now I'm just going to say they were the most satifying reads I've had in a while. I love each of the characters. I even liked characters I never thought I would. And I got unexpected friendship stories and love stories and adventure and it was brilliant!!!! I definitely recommend them to anyone with time and a thirst for adventure. And I thank my friend for showing them to me.

Now I can finish The Gallagher Girls and try not to freak out over Preston or Zack too much. And try not to think anything bad is going to happen to Liz. Because why should it?

I now have a whole line of books lined up to read. I want to read a series which appears to be a type of Wild West with Magic. I want to read "Sorcery and Cecilia" I want to re-read all the Howl books, including "Castle In the Air" which I have never actually read. But I might wait until after NaNo to read any of these.... cause I really need to finish my book.

My book. Yes, its coming along. Tyson isn't so bad now, though he still irks me. I think he is a twerp and infuriating. But he isn't all bad. I'm not ready to release a proper snippet yet, but I hope to in a few days. Please remember this is the rough draft and not the finish product, and also the first book I've actually FELT like finishing. Its the first time I've taken the time to think, "This is how it should be. This is what's going to happen. This is how it will all end." So many of my stories have failed because I didn't have an exact plan. My stories are usually just a bunch of characters who do nothing all day. But this time my characters came together and made a plot. They have motives and needs. They actually need to get from point A to point B and that is a big step in the right direction for me. It also helps that I really care about my characters. Except the villains. My antagonist isn't so great either.

Another reason I haven't done much editing yesterday or today... (cringes) I stayed the night at my sisters house last night and put down my story to watch a movie with popcorn and M&M's. These were delicious of course, because, well, you can't go wrong with Popcorn and M&M's. The movie, on the other hand, was not so grand. In fact it was really quite dreadful. I will tell you the name of it so you know to avoid it. Its called Run. It has William Mosley in it. And he was basically the only good actor in the whole film. Him and his dad. And there was one other kid who was okay. But the girlfriend was obnoxious. Super obnoxious. Everything I hate in annoying female characters. And she wasn't a great actress either. The whole movie was slow. The trailer made it seem like this epic chase movie with lots of chasing and parkering and the Moffia. But it wasn't like that. It was slow. And boring. And silly. And I kept laughing at all the wrong times. Times that should have been sad but weren't. Amy and Treskie were laughing too. And for some reason all of us laughing increased the hilarity and just made us laugh more.

It was a terrible movie. Avoid it. Its not worth watching.

May must be the month for stories. A few days ago a genie named Archimedes walked up to me and demanded I write his story. He brought his friend Eric along, which makes me think its going to be a friendship story. Maybe even a brother-friendship story. Which is good. I'll try not to kill anyone this time around. But I told them both they'd just have to be patient because I'm trying to tell someone elses story at the present, as well as finish school. That made them pout but I think they can wait. They seem to be good at that. Though I wouldn't call it waiting so much as lurking. On my bed. and poking me when I try to sleep. Which I really do not need because I already have Tyson and Peregrine doing that to me. I really don't need to more characters from a DIFFERENT story pestering me. I swear, its like characters think all we writers have time to do is tell their stories!! What about life?? What about Jaron?? He NEEDED me. I can't give all my time to them!

I hope to share a better NaNo update soon. I'm really going to try and finish this.... Please wish me luck! Its much appreciated.

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~Ben The Robot~

The False Prince Review

For the past few months I've been in writers rut. Except for a very few books, nothing I read stuck with me and everything fit the same mold. I've always considered myself a major book worm and I was having Reader-Withdrawal depression. WHY DON'T I LIKE READING ANYMORE?? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME??? *cries in the corner.* But then.... THEN!! My amazing friend recommended a book to me. A book she promised me it was brilliant and new. So I figured, what the heck, and checked it out from the library.


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Oh my gosh!!! It was so good! I finished it in two days. With much nervous tension and finger biting and wondering how it was all going to play out.

The basic plot is pretty straight forward:

In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point — he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well.

As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.

Like I said, pretty straight forward. It sounded like it would fit in with a few other books I had tried to read recently, especially the bit about long-lost princes and such. But I was desperate for a good read and I trust this friend immensely, so I dove into it and started reading. I wasn't disappointed.

First off, the main character, Sage. Sage is so freakin EPIC!!!! I loved him from the beginning. He actually had character! *jumps up and down* For me, liking him right off was a big step because lately main characters have either been bland, too perfect or all out bratty and obnoxious. Not that Sage isn't a brat - he is. But he is the best kind of brat, and I love him. He's very defiant and stubborn. He doesn't let himself get pushed around easily. He has a lot of fight in him and he isn't afraid to prove it. And he is brave. A bit reckless maybe, but brave all the same.

Then we had the two main side characters. Tobias and Roden. To be honest, I thought I'd like Roden more. Tobias seemed really hard to get along with and just.... No. No. Why wouldn't he shut up, dang it?? But by the end of the book I was TOTALLY a Tobias girl. First off he was like a Medieval nerd. Secondly, he had a lot of spunk too and he was fighting for his life the same as Sage. He was just trying to go about it differently. And third, he isn't such a bad kid once you get to know him. He's actually pretty brilliant. Roden on the other hand.....

I don't like Roden much.

There is a touch of romance in this book but it was so natural and sweet I didn't really care. Its more like they are very dear friends and, given time, they could be in love. Almost like, they might both be in love but they don't know it yet. I loved it. Imogene was cute and sweet. And she was a girl character I could actually LIKE. I really like how she and Sage were. Sage was so gentle and defensive of her. And she admired him. and it was just CUTE!!! But while there is a touch of romance, it isn't THE thing. which is nice. I like Romance better when its more in the back round and it sneaks up and you and makes you love it. I hate forced romance.

But Imogen and Sage just make me happy. And I wouldn't mind a bit more them. I ship It *grin* 

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But back to Tobias and Sage. I am going to try and keep this pretty spoiler free, but in case I slip up, just try to be careful: Remember my thing with friendship stories? You show me a friendship story and I fall to pieces. They are my favorite. Well, I've been really in the mood for a good friendship story. Not that I haven't found a few already - Merlin & Arthur, Sam & Dean, Elliot & Hardison.... But I wanted more!! I am always looking for more friendship stories. Now, in this book there isn't so much of that - at least not in a BIG way. But its very much hinted at, ESPECIALLY near the end. The last chapter has this one amazing moment where I threw up my hands and squealed "FRIENDSHIP STORY!!!" You can see epicness being planted for the future with that one line. And that is also the line that completely sold me on Tobias. Tobias and Sage keep having these conversations where Sage says that he is going to win the competition. He will become the long-lost prince. He will be the new King. And at one point Tobias says this one thing...... And there is a spoiler here, but oh well. I love this line. Skip it if you don't want to know anything.

*SQUEAL!!* TOBIAS BELIEVES IN HIM AND HE LIKES HIM AND HE WANTS TO FOLLOW HIM...... AND OH MY GOSH WHY DIDN'T I KNOW I WANTED THIS SOONER??!!



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I had a lot of Tobias and Sage feels. I was on a Tobias and Sage high. I jumped up and rushed to find fan art. Any fan art. (well except the creepy stuff)

But there was none! *Gasp* It seems I have found another brilliant book which has no fandom. Just a tiny little village. In the middle of nowhere. And because it is so tiny it is very hard to find so no one comes there.

And apparently none of us villagers know how to draw.

And those that do aren't as good as my sister, so she has to come to the village and draw for me.

I  need fanart, sister of mine! MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

*breath*

The friendship story aside, the book overall was brilliant. The antagonist AKA Conner, was definitely the kind of guy you could hate and feel fine about it. Cause he was not a nice man. And he did many terrible things. And I want him dead I think. Unless he miraculously changes. And then there are other characters whom you don't think you'll like and then you do. And the plot was solid and well paced. It reeled you in. It kept you enthralled. And it manipulates you into thinking you know everything then flipped the tables and suddenly you feel very dumb. There was one part especially that was a very whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?  moment.

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Then you flip the pages back to make sure you read those words right.......

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And then you just sort of sit there. And you're like. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!! OMGOSH!!

MINDBLOWN!

At least that was what I did.

Then I felt really stupid.

I finished the book pretty quickly after that, and when I read the last page I wanted to run around in long dresses and capes. And sneak out windows. And discover secret passageways to clamber through. And learn how to sword fight.

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No one else had read it except for my friend. I was alone in my house with my feels. So I emailed her and yelled. And squealed. And fangirled. and She fangirled back because she loves it too.

And I rushed to put book two and three on hold cause I was on a Sage high and needed more.

They still haven't' come in.

Its been over two weeks.

*headdesk*  

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I feel like I need to start stalking the library in a hood with my hands buried in my pockets, watching the people who enter the door with a keen eye to see if any of them have it. And then if I caught sight of the target, I'd rip it right out of his hands and run away laughing.


I might actually do that now.

I NEED more Sage!!!!!! 

So in conclusion, if any of you need something new, something amazing and are in the mood for fantasy, then this book is a great choice. I highly recommend it. Just check out the whole trilogy at once so that you wont have my problem and get eaten up with anxiety while waiting for book two and three to come in.

God Bless!! And Happy Eastertide to you all!!!

~Ben the Robot~