Dienstag, 31. März 2015

More X-Files! And maybe more Star Trek as well?

I have come across some awesome news lately!
There will be a mini series of the X-Files with 6 new episodes!
They even said the old cast, Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson), will be back as well! I am looking forward to it and what new ideas they have come across. They don´t want to tell anything - a mystery that is XD
I always liked that series, even though I was somewhat unhappy about the turn of events. First it was all about mystery and creepiness and then it slowly turned to aliens and became more of a Sci-Fi series (I do love those as well) than mystery. But the second movie turned towards its origin again, so maybe the new series will be more about the mystery again instead of the alien invasion.

That awakens memories ...
I remember when I watched the series as a child, I so loved it and read all the books I could find in the library!
For some time, I had the strong wish to become an FBI agent myself and work on the X-Files XD
Yeah ... that were times back then ...
Anyways, I am looking forward to it!

And there is more!
I also read some news that there might be a new Star Trek series as well!
It has been 10 years since Star Trek: Enterprise was cancelled (oh, that suckes so much, I really enjoyed that series!), it sure is time to start something new.
Yes, there have been new movies, but a new series would be simply AWESOME! I was waiting for a new one for sooooo long ... It sucks to always watch the old stuff again and again.
Have a look at this article: Rumor: CBS developing a new Star Trek TV series

I have been and always will be a huuuuge Star Trek fan *_*
I watched all the series, all the movies multiple times and can´t wait to see more of it >_<
When I started to watch Star Trek, I was about 6 years old. I still remember how my stister and I watched it in secret every sunday morning (we were early birds and it started at 6am) while our parents were still asleep. We were so fascinated with this series!
It always was the first show to be shown after the TV test pattern - yes, I grew up in a time where there was no program in the middle of the night XD (God, am I that old?)

Live long and prosper X3

Samstag, 28. März 2015

Tips and tricks: What can I do against a writer's block?

I wanted to do this for a long time, but always forgot to do so: Post that blog entry in English as well XD'' (German version can be found here)
Now here it comes!

Every now and then people as for advise when it comes to writing and what they can do about a writer's block, so I thought why not write a blog post about it? 

A writer's block tends to occur mostly when the author lacks ideas or when e.g. a deadline pends. (<-- I know that way too well ... The NaNoWriMo is something like that, that pressures me too much because I want to reach the goal, but that leads to a writer's block in my case ^__^''' )
Suddenly it feels like your muse has just vanished or is on holidays; there is nothing left, no spark of an idea, only gawping blank. The worst you can do when it came to that is to force it. The reader will notice, believe me, and you as well will notice it when you re-read your work and that will get you down.
Spare yourself this and do not try to force ideas.

Instead, try to take one or all of these ideas to heart:

1. Tell someone (or a soft toy, if you do not want to talk to someone directly >__<) what you actually want to express with your story, what it is about and to where it should lead. While you tell this, it is possible you already gain new ideas.
Best of course is when your counterpart is someone who can talk (a human that is XD), that way you can have your ideas questioned, or you may be requested to explain it even better. Your counterpart will also tell you if it makes sense.
The goal is to make you think about it, to question your own ideas (what automatically will happen when you try to explain it to someone - at least it is like that with me) and that way free you from your writer's block.

2. Do a profile of your characters, deal with them.
If you are able to draw, way not sketch them? Their clothing, their arms, their jewelery, etc.
Write down what this character made him/her to what he is today. Write about his/her past, siblings/family, special abilities.
Develop a short story about one (oder more) of your characters. That will also help you to gain new ideas for your original story and maybe you are able to integrate that short tale about your character ^__^
It is always really helpful to occasionally deal with your characters more intensly and to let the original story rest.
This will not only help you to free yourself from the writer's block, but will allow your characters to gain more profoundness which makes them more convincing.

3. Try to also do a list of places, special objects, spells (if it is a fantasy story), creatures.
Describe them. The more detail the better. That will give you new ideas and again, will give things more profoundness. Dive into the world you created. Live it. Maybe you even create your own little story how you might be feeling in that world.
It will help you to experience more about this world and its creatures. Not only to make the story more interesting through these ideas, but also to get you back on track.

4. Think about what shall happen in your story. Even if you do not really know yet what e.g. the end should be like; a small portion of it is already there, trust me, like e.g. which character should not die (or maybe he/she should?).

5. Do not write what you might think others would like to read.
Write about what is on your heart, what YOU enjoy. Do not write for others but first for yourself. You write, because you love to write; because you want to give the reader a message; something that is important to you.
Do not write to impress others.
Everyone can be a writer but not everyone loves writing enough to really be one. Writing and the stories we want to tell come from the heart.

6. Place a pen and some paper next to your bed.
It happend many time to me now that I had the best ideas later at night or even in the middle of the night. You might resolve to still remember them in the morning, but believe me you will not. If you do, it will only be some pieces of it but by far not as great as your original idea. I really do speak of experience XD'''

7. If you really have no idea how to continue, take a break. Leave the writing be for a few days and do not think about it.
Occupy your mind with something else. Read a book, watch a movie or entertain yourself, go outside. The main thing is to not think about writing, your writer's block or how it may go on <-- you will not come any further if you continue to think about it, on the contrary!
With time, your problem will be solving itself.
It sometimes helps me to watch some beautiful fantasy movies (best for me is with awesome soundtracks and beautiful landscapes *_*). This way I was able to come up with some great ideas even though they had nothing in common with the movie I was watching, but to dive into another world cleared my mind and made my thoughts go on a joruney.

I hope I was albe to help you to get rid of your writer's block ^__^
Feel free to leave a comment or message me.

Freitag, 27. März 2015

The tears of the unicorns I

The tears of the unicorns I - Temptation
is now available as eBook and soon as trade paperback as well! 

The eBook can be found here: The tears of the unicorns I on Amazon

Synopsis:
The angel Caylen is entrusted with guiding Eliya back on the path of light, but when his assignment is terminated she takes her life in despair.
He cannot bear losing his charge, and desperately searches for a way to bring her back to life. That is when he stumbles upon the Holy Grail, which seems to show its amazing powers in combination with unicorn blood.
Because if her gift for foreseeing the future, Miriel, the sister of Caylen, is sent to bring back the Grail which has been stolen by him.
Sirion, a mage, is helping her with her task.

An adventurous and dangerous journey begins, because there is much more at stake than at first seemed ...

Here comes the cover (which looks somehow much darker than the original file and the printed book O_O):

Anyways, if you would like to have a peek inside the book, feel free to visit my website. I uploaded an excerpt there ^_^

I would be more than happy if you were to read the book and review it! Thanks in advance ^__^

Sonntag, 15. März 2015

The Dwarf that would be king

It keeps me thinking ... quite a lot to tell the truth. I do not want it to just end. 
I grew up with "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" and now all that should just end? No more stories of the world of Middle Earth? No more beautiful landscapes and no more Peter-Jackson-magic?
It saddenes me so much to think about it ... Q_Q
I want it to go on. There is so much material to work with, so many more stories to be told.

There is especially one that keeps my fingers itching. It almost tempts me to imagine it, write something. Almost.
I have never been a great Fan Fiction writer. Too much to think about because you have to work with a world someone else created and you have to work with someone else's characters. I find it much more difficult to keep other people's characters in-character than your own creations.

What I am talking about is somewhat of a prelude to "The Hobbit".
Over a hundred years passed between Smaug attacking Erebor and Thorin going on his quest to reclaim his home. (I still can't believe Thorin was 195 years old XD)
A story about the Dwarves - their lives after they were forced to leave their home. What they became until they finally settled and delved a prosperous new home in the Blue Mountains up to the Battle of Azanulbizar and Thorin being king until he finally decides to take back his home leading to "The Hobbit".
That would be so awesome >__< (and with lots of Thorin *_*)
My fingers start to itch again XD

So, dear Peter Jackson, please do not abandon Middle Earth, keep it alive.
Do you magic again and make us happy >__<

I would call him if I knew how XD''''


Dienstag, 10. März 2015

About 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'

I have to admit, when I first watched 'An Unexpected Journey' I was somewhat disappointed and I felt my fear confirmed that this film series will suck and be reaaaaally long-winded.
Thinking back to 'The Lord of the Rings' books and then comparing it to 'The Hobbit' book I could not understand how Peter Jackson had to do three parts on that one as well. It did not seem right and I almost did not watch the first movie! But since my husband insisted to watch it I came along (we do everything together, always ^_^).
After watching 'An Unexpected Journey' I said I might watch the other parts, but will not buy the DVD/Blu-Ray, because I was disappointed. All the singing and expatitating on some scenes made it somewhat boring. But how else would a three part movie be possible with that short book?

'The Lord of the Rings' on the other hand had taken me in from the beginning.
I loved the movies really much (I think I have watched them all for like 10 times by now?) and for the first time, I liked a film better than the original book (the book was due to all the singing and poems really long-winded and sometimes made you lose focus), something that has never happened before. Since then I long for a trip to New Zealand to visit the beautiful landscapes and the movie sets.

But back to 'The Hobbit':
And then, a year later, the second part came ... I liked it much better, less singing, more action ... And then the third part ... But it was only then that I was completely taken in by it >_<
Now I love it with all my heart and can't wait for the Extendend Edition of all three parts to be published XD''''
I find it really fascinating what is possible in the movie business these days, all the effects - the magic -  and I guess it would be really interesting to be on a film set while they actually film a movie, to see what is real and what is done on the computer and how they do the costumes and the make-up. This is so exciting! Waaah, I guess I have found the job of my dreams XDDD

I also never thought I would call a dwarf 'handsome', but Thorin Oakenshield is a really handsome fella >_<
With time, he grew to be my favorite character in 'The Hobbit' because of his noble character (even though he was taken in by Dragon Sickness - but he freed himself of it >_<)

I read a lot of critiques about 'The Hobbit' and there was one I really disliked. In fact it made me mad. It called 'The Hobbit' and all fantasy stories to be escapisms and stupefaction of people. That person also went as far as to call the people loving fantasy to be weak and stupid for not living in the real world.
I feel sorry for the poor soul being so narrow-minded to not accept the opinion of others and calling them stupid and weak. I will not call that person stupid, just narrow-minded for not seeing that people are different. Everyone likes different things. It would be a boring world if we all were the same, would it not?
It is the differences that make this world interesting - at least that's what I believe >_<
And since I am a worshipper of fantasy, especially 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' and also being a fantasy author myself, I kinda feel offended by these words. But I guess that is exactly what the author of that critique wants - to offend XD'''
And I think the world J.R.R. Tolkien created with all its details is quite remarkable. I admire people with this much imagination! The story for a book first needs to be created and imagined, it is not an easy task and to call these people stupid and weak does not seem right. I guess that poor soul only has his/her hatred for fantasy and no imagination at all or the insight to appreciate the hard work it takes to create a world. And almost every book or movie comes from someone's imagination and is therefore fiction >_<

Okay, now I think I am done ... Enough nagging XD
What do you think of the movie adaption of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings'? What do you like better? The movies or the books? Let me now ^_^