Anne’s Book Club 10

I love reading trilogies, tetralogies, and series. If you don’t want to wait a year (or sometimes two) between books, here’s a list of trilogies that are coming to an end, sadly, this year (in order of release):

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Days of Blood and Starlight, and Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Apr 2014) by Laini Taylor is a gorgeous sweeping story of monsters, love, teeth, lies, hope, and reincarnation. Laini Taylor is one of my favorite YA authors. Her writing is rich and lyrical. It will transport you from a magical Prague to a deadly land of dust and starlight. These books will leave you breathless and aching in all the right ways.

Note: I first fell in love with Laini Taylor’s writing when I read Lips Touch Three Times. Audrey reviewed it here after I foisted it on her to read.

Shadow and Bone, Siege and Storm, and Ruin and Rising (17 Jun 2014) by Leigh Bardugo is a unique and wildly imaginative tale of summoners, sunlight, darkness, beauty, ugliness, friendship, and romance.  Leigh Bardugo writes magic that sparkles on the page. Her world is enriched by Russian language and folklore, but it’s all her own. The Darkling is sinister and trapped by his own lust for power. Alina and Mal are mismatched and matched brilliantly.

Note: I picked up the first book at the library completely based on the cover. I’m so glad I did. It was a thrilling read. (Also, a New York Times Bestseller, but I didn’t know that at the time.)

Something Strange and Deadly, A Darkness Strange and Lovely, and Strange and Ever After (22 Jul 2014) by Susan Dennard is sprawling epic that weaves zombies, spirit-hunters, steampunk, necromancy, love, and demons. Susan Dennard writes some intense action scenes. Anyone who enjoys historical fantasy will inhale these books. The settings of Philadelphia and Paris are delightful. I can’t wait to read about Egypt in the third book!

Note: Something Strange and Deadly is the first book in the trilogy. I put it in the middle of my collage so it looks like the other two cover girls are looking at her.

Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire (2 Sep 2014) by Sarah J. Maas is an epic fantasy that brings together assassins, political intrigue, sexy heroes, castles, mystery, and one of the baddest-ass female protags in Celaena Sardothien. Sarah J. Maas also writes terrific fight scenes. Each book is told from three points of view: Celaena, Chaol, and Dorian. Each of them are hiding something exquisite, and the twists and turns to reveal these things are divine.

Note: Sarah J. Maas and Susan Dennard are critique partners. It’s no wonder I like both of their trilogies, which are wildly different and amazing.

Unspoken, Untold, and Unmade (23 Sep 2014) by Sarah Rees Brennan is a quirky story with a diverse cast, a quaint English town, magic, mystery, family legacies, and a plucky heroine. Sarah Rees Brennan is known for her humorous voice, and she certainly delivers in these books. However, there’s a darker side too, filled with need and murder. The two main protags have been able to communicate psychically since they were little things. I loved being in Kami’s head, which is funny because I’m pretty sure Jared did as well.

Note: Sarah Rees Brennan also wrote the delicious The Demon’s Lexicon trilogy, which I highly recommend. The twist in book one was perfect. It made me question things. Things I can’t tell you because I’m not going to spoil it.

The Darkest Minds, The Darkest Minds Never Fade, and The Darkest Minds Never Fade In the After Light (28 Oct 2014) by Alexandra Bracken is a page-flipping thriller that deals with powers, a sadistic government, escapes, road trips, creating family, and hard choices. Alexandra Bracken writes about a future where a disease has killed most of its children. Those that did live are burdened with powers that many adults think made the kids monsters. In a world of brutality, Ruby finds love and answers to long-guarded secrets. But will she survive?

Note: I was a huge fan of comics/superheroes as a kid. These novels hit all the right buttons for me. I can see this set of books being turned into a Hollywood franchise.

Are there any trilogies, tetralogies, or series ending this year you think I should read? Let me know in the comments!

Jen’s 2014 Writing Goals

GOOOOOOALS!

1. Writer’s retreat with my fellow bloggers and actually use it to write instead of talk about secret boyfriends.
2. Lead more people to this creative space in every way possible.
3. Actually work on my work-in-progress so that I can call it a completed manuscript by the end of this year!
4. Submit to all the things with all the things.
5. Read more! Contemporary?!! Scifi?? New things!
6. Find more amazing poets to ogle.
7. Write my posts in a timely fashion (aka not the night before they’re due).
8. Honor my offers to critique for others (I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry) and set aside time to work with crit partner(s).
9. Do more research.
10. Learn how to outline!
11. Work on show not tell.
12. Stop all the doubts.

Let’s go!

Anne’s 2014 Writing Goals

GOALS! GOALS! GOALS!

1. Attend a Cimmerian Tales writing retreat!
2. Submit 3 short stories to pro markets (quarterly)!
3. Finalize anthology for August release!
4. Post on time!
5. Study sentence structure!
6. Challenge yourself to use better turns of phrase!
7. Start campaign on Tumblr to raise funds for libraries!
8. Revise guerrilla marketing campaign!
9. Read a book a month for research, writing inspiration, and craft!
10. Work on pacing, zOMG!
11. Experiment with more subgenres like horror, contemporary, or mystery!
12. Always enjoy the process!

♥

Audrey’s 2014 Writing Goals

1. Meet all my fellow CTers for a writing retreat.
2. Learn some HTML so Anne doesn’t have to fix my posts all the time.
3. Write a poem I am proud of.
4. Start all my stories sooner than 24hrs before they are due.
5. Read my new collection of tales by H.P. Lovecraft.
6. Post images with my No Rules Friday Posts.
7. Revise Guerrilla marketing strategy.
8. Computerize our CT Logo (which is awesome BTW).
9. Finish The Heap.
10. Challenge myself to provide constructive criticism and feedback when critiquing.
11. Improve depth of my characters and write a hero/heroine worth rooting for.
12. Conquer my pacing issues! No more slow starts and rushed endings.

Julie’s 2014 Writing Goals

I’m hoping that 2014 will be full of opportunities and positive experiences–here are a few goals I have set for myself to make it an even more productive year:

1. Get accepted to a graduate program or a summer writing workshop (or both)!
2. Continue to post on time, and think of ways to spread the word about CT
3. Try an urban fantasy, or a piece in third person, or both, for CT
4. Finish some of my other pieces and sell a short story
5. Cross off some of the books on my reading list
6. Research my potential novel and get a draft started
7. Be more attentive to the dreaded “he felt,” “she wondered,” etc.
8. Likewise, in first person stories, spend more time developing the world without putting it all through the “I” lens
9. Be sure to build my magic with concrete rules (and spend a little more time developing setting)
10. Get out to Colorado, or somewhere else new, for a writing retreat!
11. Spend some time editing CT pieces and possibly submitting new versions to other venues
12. Write, write, write!

Happy New Year 2014 from Jen

Hey guys, we are coming to the end of the very first day of 2014 and let me just say that I think this year is off to a good start.

I know that I would not be where I am today as a writer or a person without the wordsmiths who have inspired, frustrated, and kept my lungs and heart pumping with words and worlds: the creators of the books and lyrics and prose that swallowed me whole in a simple turn of phrase. I thank them forever and ever. And I am lucky enough to call three of them my friends here at Cimmerian. I absolutely love the three of you, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings. I promise I’ll stop showing up late to everything and I’ll bring more gummi bears.

I would also extend the highest of fives and hugs to every single person who stopped by Cimmerian to check out our words and hang out, no matter how long you stayed. The worlds we have created throughout 2013 make me hopeful for the year to come. I like this little shadowy haven we have created, and I hope y’all come back to see what we are up to in the next 12 months. Let’s make it count.

Happy New Year 2014 from Julie

Hey there, all you Cimmerian readers. It’s good to be on the other side of 2014, and I hope this year will bring us all lots of positive opportunities and learning experiences.

Thanks for checking in and reading our stories, whether you’re here every week or you just pop in from time to time. And to those of you who leave comments or add us as favorites, we love hearing from you.

I’m extremely grateful, in addition, to my fellow “Cimmerers”–the blog has been a source of fun, frustration, laughs, release, and inspiration.

Here’s to a fruitful 2014.

Happy New Year 2014 from Audrey

I hope everyone had a wonderful 2013, or at least one that had more ups than downs, but I’m really looking forward to 2014 and its new possibilites. I would like to take a moment to thank a couple of people who brought joy and hope to me in 2013.

First, thank you to my lovely writing partners Jen, Anne, and Julie. Julie, thank you for being a wealth of information and providing us with fat animals. Jen, thank you for inviting me to join CT and for being so emotionally honest and huggable. Anne, thank you for challenging me to do better, explaining the internet and its wonders to me, and for meeting me for waffles and writing whenever my crazy schedule allowed it. It has been wonderful working on this blog with you all and I really appreciate all your help and understanding with my writing and my life. I would like to thank everyone who liked or commented on one of my stories: Jeff Coleman, Beautiful Loser, The Zomie Blog, Thelosperspective, The Talking Violin, Dennis Cardiff, Damyanti, Oneanna65, Anna Mosca, Myothervoices, Dietterrogiers, Forestmtnhike, Michaelalexanderchaney, Redneck Rosarian, Matt George, and Taylor Oceans. Also, thank you to all my followers on twitter.

Thank you to my sister, Kit Campbell, for reading my blog and giving me feedback. You are an amazing writer and editor and I’m glad we’re family. Thank you to my mother for reading everything I write and staying up late to give me comments when I post last minute. Thank you for raising me with books and writing as part of my life. Thank you to all my other friends and family members that have encouraged and supported me, especially Christina Davis.

And lastly, I would like to thank my husband and son for being supportive of my writing needs and believing me. I love you both.

Happy New Year 2014 from Anne

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I’d like to take a moment and thank all of our followers on WordPress, Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook; everyone who’s liked a story; everyone who’s shared a story; and everyone who’s left a comment. You’re our fireflies in the darkness. Thank you to those of you who started following us in 2012 for sticking with us. Thank you to those of you who joined us in the last six months for giving us a chance. I hope you’ve enjoyed our dark little tales because I’ve enjoyed sharing them with you.

If you like what we’re doing, please leave us comments and tell your friends. If you have an art piece you’d like to see turned into prose, please send us an email!

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to my fellow cohorts: JeTi, AuGo, and JuSt; for being patient, delighting me with your stories, and letting me be my authentic-Aquarian self. The past six months have been a wild ride of creative energy that I’ve never experienced before. I cannot wait to read Cimmerian Tales in 2014.

♥