Monday, December 21, 2009

Stephanie Kallos » how to write your second novel or if you want to make God laugh, show Him your outline

Here then is the lesson learned from writing The Second Novel: the best writing comes not from the part of you that writes an outline. The best writing comes from the part of you that feels, grieves, fails, flails, yearns, despairs, flounders, and prays. The best writing comes from the place where you dream.

Posted via web from Carissa Thorp's

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Free Album Download | The Civil Wars // Live At Eddie's Attic

I recently purchased The Civil Wars Poison & Wine EP on iTunes. Love it. Moody, beautiful, alt folk. You can get the free download of their "Live at Eddie's Attic" album at the link above.

Posted via web from Carissa Thorp's

Saturday, December 05, 2009

My Parents Were Awesome - Tumblr blog


Before the fanny packs and Andrea Bocelli concerts, your parents (and grandparents) were once free-wheeling, fashion-forward, and super awesome.

Send to myparentswereawesome@gmail.com with your name and the name of those pictured (or submit directly through Tumblr). NOTE: If your photo is chosen, it will most likely take at least 3 months before it is posted.


Please feel free to send a page or two if your photo comes with a fascinating, romantic, or interesting back story! It could end up on the site!

When you submit your picture, you grant MPWA a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use the work to be used, copied, sublicensed, adapted, transmitted, distributed, published, displayed or otherwise under our sole discretion.

Got to have some cool photos of Mum & Dad I could submit. . .

Posted via web from Carissa Thorp

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Book Review: The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale:

AurealisXpress review: Review by Carissa Thorp

The Book of a Thousand Days was first released in 2007 to great acclaim. This year Bloomsbury have re-released it, along with Hale's other novels, with a gorgeous and eye-catching new cover. I'm glad they did, because I missed it the first time around, and am glad I was able to read it, finally.
In a Mongolian-spiced fantasy world, Dashti, a young girl who has already known great hardship and loneliness, finds herself imprisoned in a tower with her newly aquired mistress, a Lady who refused an offer of marriage and is being punished for it by her father. The sentence is seven years, unless the Lady relents and agrees to the marriage; something Dashti comes to realise will never happen.
Graced with a spirited and steadfast heroine in Dashti, and told in her clear, sensible and deliciously funny voice, diary-style, The Book of a Thousand Days is a joy to read and never boring, despite the women's imprisonment, and frequently heart-breaking, tense, and generous. Dashti makes the best of her situation, even though her Lady is going mad, their food is disappearing fast, and threats from outside the tower loom. Her gift of healing with song, her ability to give of herself, and her patience, make her a character to remember. And her story is surprising, unique and so very well told. Recommended.

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (2009), Paperback, 320 pages