It's Like Creative Deodorant

This is a follow up from my post on March 15th, A Painful Truth. Following the aftermath of trunking my baby, Bond of Darkness, my manuscript that received so much TLC, I started with a new project.

It took me a while to break out of the fantasy shell. I really didn't know anything else. Fantasy is what I have always read and always been interested in. But to get my mind of Bond of Darkness, I needed to start a project in a new genre. 

This genre became paranormal, with historical fiction involved. I was happy to be able to start something that bloomed quickly. It was fun to be able to do research for a novel. When writing fantasy, research is hardly required. You're the god, tilling the world and creating the people. In a world that exists (Earth), you need to research the real aspects: towns, cities, types of people, transportation. 

But I didn't want to entirely abandon fantasy. So, I added my historical fiction twist. 

My partners are proud that I'm working on something new. We've all started breaking out of our writing shells, and while it took me a while to get going, I think my project will be healthy for me creatively. A creative mind needs to be stimulated in various ways. Reading is the obvious matter to do this. But you also need to experiment. Write outside your genre. Partake in conversation that might stimulate voice for character. Learn from other writers. Browse blogs. Force yourself to do prompts.

Only if it were this easy.

All will push you to better yourself, slowly but surely. Even if you're like me, where writing is more of a hobby and not something that will be your career choice, remaining creatively healthy is a must.

What have you done to spark a change in your writing? Do you force new projects on yourself to stay diverse, or do you pick up a new project when deemed necessary?

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels
Book Four of The Mortal Instruments
Published: April 5, 2011
ISBN-10: 1442403543
ISBN-13: 978-1442403543

Review: 5/5

Cross posted at Goodreads.

SPOILER FREE:

Just when you think The Mortal Instruments has concluded, Cassie Clare blows your mind on a new story brewing around the culmination of events in City of Glass. The Three Mortal Instruments are back in their rightful places, Jace is resurrected by the Angel Raziel, Valentine is gone and Sebastian is dead. Right?

Well, I can't tell you that. But City of Fallen Angels is certainly worth reading and definitely has the same strength that we loved The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices for. There's even mentions of characters from The Infernal Devices in City of Fallen Angels, just as there was vice-versa. City of Fallen Angels picks up two months after the death of Valentine. Things are being repaired in the Shadowhunter world. Jocelyn and Luke are getting married. Clary and Jace are deeply in love. And Simon is...well, still a vampire.

I assure you, you'll love this book. Clare really had this all planned, even if she says books 4-6 weren't planned. Secretly, they were. Shh, it's just between us. Finally, the conclusion of City of Fallen Angels is what really blew my mind. With all the shit that goes down, happy ending under way, BALL IS DROPPED (again).

I'll say no more. If you haven't read The Mortal Instruments, do it. Although this review is littered with spoilers on the behalf of the first three books. I'm eagerly awaiting City of Lost Souls (the cover release and book, too), which is due out next year.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP

Now Reading: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels
Book Four of The Mortal Instruments
Published: April 5, 2011
ISBN-10: 1442403543
ISBN-13: 978-1442403543

Who will be tempted by darkness? Who will fall in love, and who will find their relationship torn apart? And who will betray everything they ever believed in?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge.

I still remember the day I downloaded the sample of City of Bones. One week later, I blew through the first three books of The Mortal Instruments. It's the kind of YA fantasy that has characters you become attached to from the first meeting.

Now here, in the fourth installment of the series (something no fan of Clare saw coming), we're going to deeper into the world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders. The conclusion of City of Glass left a lot of us wondering what could have happened after "happily ever after" resolution. Of course, it was far from a "happily ever after." There were the hints that there was more story to be told. Is Valentine dead (again)? What's to become of Simon? Can all those hurt repair their pain after Valentine's war? Will Clary and Jace be together despite the truth? And something we all want to see happen, will Magnus and Alex be together?

I'm excited to jump back into this world. Review of City of Fallen Angels to come.