more overheard at college / also an update on my writing

w r i t i n g  u p d a t e 

so, i have very little time to write during college. over christmas break, i tried to work at least a little on my current WIP, a superhero / dystopian story. i know exactly how it begins & ends, and that's it, lol. it's very much discovery-writing. i made some progress, but not as much as i would have liked.

cut to last monday, when i was sitting in econ class, trying not to fall asleep as my professor was talking about supply & demand and tesla (don't ask).  and then i got this crazy idea to rewrite my first completed novel, the day we met (i did a post about it! here). and the even crazier idea? completely rework the ending, and even make it into a *gulp* romance. 

which, if y'all know me, i'm not the hugest fan of romance in the YA genre, since imo, teenagers are too young & immature for that kind of thing. they're bAbiEs. not to say that i don't like books with romance in them - some of my favorite books / series feature romantic subplots (i.e., Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Out of Time series, etc.) it just has to be done well. 

but yea. idk how it'll turn out, as i'm extremely nervous about writing romance (bc lets just say, don't exactly have personal experience, lol). but we'll see. i've already starting rewriting the first chapter, and i'm really enjoying it. just wish i had more time to devote to it, but college has picked up speed and now i'm trying to balance accounting & econ homework with lots of reading for my two lit classes. 

o v e r h e a r d  a t  c o l l e g e

"like i said, i have football player friends, so i'm basically a football player." - my RA

"want some encouragMINT?" - my RA (throwing mints at us)

"you annotate so much, it's gross." - E

"oh, i love valentine's day! can we buy each other super expensive roses that'll die in a week?" - M

"i'm reading a poem about a rich guy beating up a poor old woman." - E
"that's sexist." - M
"and ageist." - A
"AND CLASSIST!" - M & A highfive

* walking to dining hall *

"i got these boots at target." - M

"i love a good pair of booties." - G

..... - us

"WAIT NO, I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!!" - G

"i'm not naming my child Margarita." - A
"can you imagine? it'll be like, 'yo, Margarita, come down!' oh my gosh, that's terrible." - S
"that can be what the guys call her." - A

"guys, we're like pretty little liars! except without the murder and kidnapping." - my RA

"if i was a RA, i'd have feeling meetings. because i can't copy your tea time thursdays. we could have boiled gatorade instead!" - S

hope y'all are doing well!

figured out my comment issue, but now i have to clear my cookies & cache each time i want to comment. -_-

so, i'll try to reply but it might take me awhile. 

xoxo, 

a l l i s o n

know the novel part two / within the wip

i'm joining Christine's linkup again, with part two of Know The Novel. it's a three part linkup, and you don't have to be doing NaNo to participate. ;)

i'm using my current WIP, "Versus", for the linkup.

how's the writing going?

it's been...going. xD this is a hard time for me to write, as i'm in the thick of exams, projects, and studying for finals. not to mention balancing normal schoolwork with my part time job. also doesn't help that i woke up last week extremely sore (reallly hope i'm not getting the flu), and even my fingers are sore. -_-

but i hope to get a good amount written over the holidays. 

what's been the most fun aspect

about writing this novel so far?

superheroes! seriously, i'm so excited to be writing about superheroes. i absolutely love comic books (and grew up reading classics from the Silver Age), so it's a dream come true to be writing about them. 

has your novel surprised you 
in any way?

i have this sketchy idea of how it'll end, which it totally different than i had originally thought. so yea. xD

also, probably the fact that i'm totally pantsing this one. normally, i have a general idea of how i want my story to end, plus a one page "outline" of snippets i want to include, stuff to happen, etc. for this one, i'm totally just discovery writing, and it feels great. we'll see how it turns out, though. xD

what do you think about your 

characters at this point?

who's your favorite to write 

about?

so far, i love them. ;) my favorite so far is Charisse, who's dark and angsty yet believes firmly in the concept of justice for all. but i also love writing the morally grey character, Evan, who's gullible and naive yet sweet and charming. he also loves tea <3.

if you were transported into your novel

and became any of your characters, 

which one do you think you'd be?

would you take any different actions

than they have?

hmm, i would probably be Charisse. i tend to be overly snarky at times *cough*, and can definitely see myself in the dark, goth-like girl. although i would 100% use my superpower all the time. not to be a villain, but just to be swooping around the city in a swath of smoke would be so much fun. 

give us the first sentence or paragraph

and then 2 (or 3!) more favorite 

snippets!

urghh, okay. please remember, this is not edited. ;)

first paragraph: 

Rainy nights in Emitton City were the worst. 

No, they were dangerous. Lethal, even. For at night, all those with hidden powers, or gifts as they laughably called them, roamed the streets. Uninhibited and thirsty for their kind of fun. 

snippet #1: 

Charisse didn't wait to hear his threats. Heedless of the consequences to follow, she flung her hands before her, channeling all her strength. Grey smoke poured from her black painted nails, surrounding Jakob and physically pushing him through the locked door. Charisse ran to the door, keeping one gray-tinted hand firmly on the splintered wood. 

snippet #2:

Rainy nights for the cursed were even worse.

Evan Madsen pressed his cheek against the cold foggy window, his eyes reflecting gold back at him. His hands, sheathed in the familiar leather gloves, curled into fists as he continued to gaze out the window at the empty, silent street. 

snippet #3: 

They sat on the edge of the building, their legs dangling in the cool winter air.

Charisse squinted at the setting sun, smiling slightly as golden rays of light danced over the buildings of Emitton City. Shadows flitted and ducked as a crisp wind sent twigs and dead leaves flying through the air. 

have you come across any 
problem areas?

urghh, maybe the plot? xD. i have a general idea of how my story starts and ends, but i'm not exactly sure what's going on in the middle. so, we'll see. *shrug*

what's been your biggest victory with

writing this novel at this point?

connecting really well with my characters. ;) it's hard for me to write as i can't devote all the time i want to, but every time i pull up my google doc, it's so easy to dive back into my characters. ;) also, i just really love them. xD

be honest, have you killed any 
characters off yet?

NOPE. not yet, at least. ;)

take us on a tour of what a normal writing

day for this particular novel has looked like.

where do you write? what time of day?

alone or with others? is a lot of coffee consumed?

do you light candles? play music? get

distracted by social media? tell all! 

i try to squeeze an hour of writing per day. butttttt......that usually does not happen. i'm lucky if i can even type a paragraph per day, that's how crazy it's been lately. so, i'm really looking forward to the holidays for some nice writing time. ;)

but, i write alone. (if you can call living in a household of seven as alone, xD). yesss, coffee and tea are consumed. currently, i'm loving my well-rested herbal tea + my cafe mocha creamer for coffee ;). no to music, as i get easily distracted. although sometimes i play the sherlock soundtrack. 

well, hope y'all enjoyed this. ;) and i hope that y'all had a lovely thanksgiving!  

how's NaNo going?

and did any of y'all go
black friday shopping? 

<3 <3,

allison

know the novel / part one: introductory

today, i'm participating in a brand new linkup created by the amazing Christine Smith! it's a three part series, over three months, and i'm very excited to do it ;).

anyone is welcome to participate, and you don't have to be doing NaNo in order to participate ;).

i'm using my current WIP, "Versus". ;) there's going to be a post sometime next week fully introducing it, xD

what first sparked the idea for this story?

hmm, probably my childhood of reading Marvel comics. ;) i've always wanted to write a superhero story, and after i read "Renegades", that really sparked my interest in writing one. so, i developed characters + a rough idea of a plot, wrote a sketchy + loose outline (one page, xD), and here i am. ;)

share a blurb!

Charisse Kim just wants to fit in and forget her family's dark reputation as the villains with otherworldly powers. Unwilling to identify herself with them, Charisse refuses to reveal her own superpower, controlling and dissolving into smoke at will. 

Meanwhile, Evan Madsen conceals his own power out of a terror of injuring people. With a touch of his hands, he can turn anything into gold. A power easily corrupted and taken advantage of. A power that destroyed his childhood. 

The two meet at the coffee shop they work at and form an unlikely friendship. And for awhile, Charisse and Evan feel like they belong in a city of misfits and villains. 

Until everything changes. 

A superhero suddenly arrives in the city, determined to destroy the dark villains. Evan, angered by report after report of people with superpowers terrorizing and injuring innocents, decides it's time to rescue the city and thus becomes Alchemy. But at what cost? 

Charisse is disturbed by the merciless actions of the mysterious Alchemy, who claims he's saving the city. And when the beloved superhero becomes like the very villains he despises, it's up to Charisse to don the moniker Psycho and fight back. 

Friends by day, foes by night. 

Who becomes the hero? 

where does the story take place?

what are some of your favorite aspects 

of the setting? 

the story takes place in a dystopian, futuristic world, where select people are born with superpowers. the powers are referred to as otherworldly gifts, and no one knows where they come from. the world is divided into numerous cities, each governed by a Council. 

"versus" mainly occurs in Emitton City (name subject to change ;), a particularly desolate city. the city is comprised of factories and dark, shadowed alleys, thus giving the city a smoggy, dark atmosphere. 

i like how cliche the setting is....city with tall buildings, dark smoke and smog filling the air, narrow alleys, cobblestoned streets. very superhero-esque, xD. 

tell us about your protagonist. 

in the eyes of the city, Evan is the protagonist. the hero, the one who destroys the villains, no matter at what cost. 

according to her moral code, Charisse is the protagonist. she fights back against injustice and cruelty, believing firmly that no matter how evil a person is, they deserve a fair trial and justice. 

therefore, both characters are protagonists and antagonists. ;)

who (or what) is the antagonist?

ummm, probably just the concept of what defines a hero. if that makes sense, xD. is the hero the one who defeats the villains, even tho he's merciless? or is the hero the one who fights against such merciless killing, believing that every one deserves a fair trial? 

in their alter egos, Alchemy and Psycho are each other's antagonists. 

i can't say much more, because i don't know  because #spoilers. xD

what excites you most about this novel?

SUPERHEROES. 

seriously tho, i've dreamed of writing my own superhero story. i'm so excited to create my own superheroes + supervillains, giving them unique powers, + writing a story similar to a marvel comic book. 

SO EXCITED, xD. 

is this going to be a series? standalone? 

something else?

so far, it's a standalone. we'll see if anything changes, xD. i find that i'm better with writing standalones, as i like wrapping everything up in the end. *shrug*

are you plotting? pantsing? both?

besides a one page "outline", 100% pantsing. that's how i work, xD. i find that writing outlines stresses me out, as of now, i don't know how this story will end. :/ 

i'll write a post about my writing style, but a summary: i come up with characters + a really rough story plot. then i write a messy first draft, sort of "discovery writing". i have a list of things that i know that i want to include, like random snippets of dialogue or events. ;)

name a few things that make this story

unique.

hmm, i'm trying to spin the cliche of superheroes treating their powers as curses / gifts. ya'know, the x-men line where Storm, who can control the weather, says, "There's nothing wrong with us." and Rogue, who can kill with a touch of her hand, says, "yes, there is."

it's the opposite in my story. Alchemy views his power as a gift, while Psycho thinks it's a curse. 

share a fun "extra" of the story.

pinterest board! 

also, brief soundtrack: 

everybody knows / sigrid

the king arthur soundtrack / specifically the devil + the huntsman

bohemian rhapsody / queen

carry on wayward son / peter hollens

the winter soldier sountrack 

say something / pentatonix

are y'all planning to join

Christine's linkup? 

also, are you planning

to dress up for halloween? 

 my friend and i are going 

as the winter soldier. ;)

<3 <3, 

allison 

I FINISHED MY BOOK | snippets + aesthetics

hi i just finished MY FIRST BOOK EVER. so yea, i'm freaking out, xD. and yes, i'm going to overload y'all with lots of random snippets, aesthetics from my pinterest board, and just overall freaking out. :D

and i just realized that i've been posting about my wip two weeks in a row...so sorry xD. i promise next week will be different :D

okay, so I've been doing the 100-4-100 challenge (hosted by the amazing Go Teen Writers//go check them out, they're awesome), and I finished my book on Monday, August 20. SO FREAKING EXCITED!

Because it's my first book completed. Cover to cover. Chapter 1 to Chapter 50 something (my chapters are really short, fyi).

It's a YA contemporary, 285 pages, and 54,211 words. It's called "The Day We Met".

I cried when I finished it, because this story is so precious + personal. I also cried while I was writing it, which is a first for me, bc usually I only cry during movies (and certain books *cough* HARRY POTTER)

I'm so excited to edit it (weird i know), and it needs A LOT of editing. oh well xD I'm planning on waiting at least two months (bc #senioryear) until editing it, and then I'll order a spiral bound, double spaced copy off Lulu bc I edit better on paper.


And as soon as I finished, I ran downstairs and told my mom that I finished writing my first book. And then had the cutest conversation with my little brother, who tried to convince me to publish it now. xD

So then Mom took me to get my nails done, and the next day we got coffee at Panera. To celebrate. xD

basically, this post is me freaking out, lots of excited + incoherent rambling, some snippets, and lots of aesthetics.

Okay, so before all the snippets + aesthetics, here's a really rough synopsis:

her dream is to write a novel. 

his is to leave an impact on the world. 

When aspiring author Evynne Olson meets Chad Everton in a coffee shop, they quickly become best friends, bonding over coffee and fandoms. They soon realize they are more alike than they originally thought, and decide to start a blog to record their adventures. They embark on a quest to co-write a novel. Their story is sunny and hopeful, full of light and friendship and iced coffee. A story that resembles their own friendship. 

And when it seems like darkness is swallowing their dreams, how can they change the world? 

                                      

So, it needs a lot of editing/tweaking, but I think it describes my story pretty well. :) less formally, "The Day We Met" is:

two overly caffeinated teenagers attempt to write a book together without any prior novel-writing experience. they decide to start a blog in addition to their New York Times Bestseller's List future novel. 

lots of binge-watching of The Office + Sherlock, and numerous geeky conversations about Marvel films and comic books. 

also, they want to change the world of literature. specifically, young adult lit.

Also, the day after I finished it, I ordered a first draft copy off Lulu, and spent an exorbitant amount of time on the cover (because for some reason, it took me forever to upload my pictures). The picture is from Pinterest, so obviously I won't be using it for the real cover if I ever publish it. But since it's just for my own personal use, I thought it would be okay. :)

And originally, the mock cover was going to something completely different, but I saw this ^^ adorable picture on Pinterest, and instantly, I knew that sunflowers are exactly the aesthetic for my book.

okay, on to the snippets + aesthetics!

all photos below are from pinterest + canva

sunshine // iced coffee // driving at night // fresh flowers // overly caffeinated 

hands cupping mugs of warm tea // typing into the late night // friendship // spattered watercolors

purple rimmed eyes // chipped nail polish // laughing too hard // ink stained fingers

tangled earbuds // star sprinkled sky // musty smell of old books // incoherent texts

SOUNDTRACK 

because why not? i'm already overwhelming y'all with snippets + aesthetics, xD

vanilla twilight | owl city

you will be found | dear evan hansen

dreamers | for king & country

to the sky | owl city 

joy | for king & country

history has its eyes on you | hamilton

to be human | sia 

fireflies | owl city

character. evynne 

black coffee at night // reads too fast // messy scrawly handwriting // afraid to fail

her main goals in life are to write a book, go to college, + get a job to support herself. sometimes described as too practical.

character. chad

drinks way too much tea // too happy // wants to be remembered // glass half full 

he has too many impossible dreams, but is determined to accomplish all of them. sometimes described as naive or too optimistic.

okay, that's it. sorry for such a long, rambling + disorganized post, but I'm still just in shock + so happy that I finished my book! and I can't wait until my first draft copy arrives from Lulu...definitely not going to stalk the mailbox until it comes, xD.

so, what do y'all think? 

what WIP are you currently working on? 

and when did you finish your first book?

<3 <3,

allison riera

the language of worlds

Hey y'all! Today I'm going to do The Language of Worlds bimonthly linkup, all about your WIP's characters. Check out Liv's post for more details, if you want to do this (bc it's open to everyone! :D).

So, for this linkup I'm going to use my current WIP, the day we met. which i'm almost done with!! one chapter left! 

where does your character live, 

and how does that affect them?

There's two main characters, Evynne and Chad. They live in a small town (North Creek) in Texas, although I'm considering switching it to Mississippi. No matter what though, they'll end up living in small town in the South. :)

It affects them as they live in a small town, where they know basically everyone.

if they could book a vacation to anywhere

in the world, where would they go and why?

Hmm, Evynne would go to England to visit King's Cross Station, 221B Baker Street, and the cafe featured in BBC #Sherlock. Because she's a huge and unapologetic geek. :D

Chad would go to New York City, to visit Broadway (and hopefully see #Hamilton), Rockefeller Center, etc. But mainly, he'd just want to go somewhere with his family and Evynne. 

on a scale from 1 (low) to 10 (high), 

how ambitious are they?

Evynne is probably a five, as she wants to do a lot of things, but doesn't think she'll ever actually finish or accomplish her goals. 

Chad is a nine, as he has lots of wild dreams and actually has the motivation and desire to go accomplish them. 

what do they want to achieve long-term?

Evynne wants to finish high school, go to college, and graduate with a degree that'll help her get a job. Writing is one of her passions, and eventually she wants to finish one of her stories. Potentially even publish it. 

Chad wants to get a job that he enjoys, no matter what the paycheck is. Currently, he's considering becoming a writer full time. He also wants to pursue happiness, to make the world a better place.

who inspires them?

They both inspire each other. 

Chad inspires Evynne to be more optimistic, to look for the rainbows instead of seeing just the rain clouds. He inspires her to follow her dreams, no matter how hard or unattainable they seem. 

Evynne inspires Chad to be more practical, to be more organized and productive with his time. To know that in order to fulfill his dreams and goals, it takes hard work and perseverance. 

how would they handle seclusion?

An introvert through and through, Evynne wouldn't mind seclusion (for a reasonable period of time). She needs alone time after spending a lot of time with friends, just to recharge. 

A mix between introvert and extrovert, Chad wouldn't mind seclusion for a little while...and then he would start to go crazy if left alone for a long time. 

are they a cat person, or dog person?

They're both definitely cat people. Evynne really wants to get a cat, but one of her brothers is allergic, so she has to wait until she has an apartment of her own (and she's already planned it out: it'll be a black and white cat named Sherlock). 

what's their favorite type of weather?

Evynne's favorite type of weather is a classic fall day: crisp air, gentle breeze, and crunchy leaves. 

Chad's favorite kind of weather is a cold, snowy day where there's no school and all day is spent sledding and building snowmen and snowball fights. 

when they're hungry, does it show? how?

For Evynne, yes definitely. Sometimes she doesn't eat (because when she's stressed, she either doesn't have time or just isn't hungry). But when she doesn't eat....she gets irritable and grumpy. Hangry. xD

Chad....no, because he never skips meals. So whenever he's hungry, he'd just go get food. Yup. :D

what's one Bible verse they would identify

with?

Evynne: 

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Chad: 

John 14:27

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

are y'all going to do this linkup? 

random question:
current favorite tv show? 

<3 <3,

allison riera