Monday 22 August 2011

The Spark Blogfest



This is the last blogfest (and it's a contest, too!) on my list for a while. It runs from August 22-26, so there's still time to sign up! You can add your name to the list over at Christine Tyler's website. Anyway, let's get on with it! Here is what is required in the Spark Blogfest:

What book made you realize you were doomed to be a writer?
What author set off that spark of inspiration for your current Work in Progress?
Or, Is there a book or author that changed your world view?

As writers, we're always striving to get out a message of inspiration to others. This blogfest is a celebration for those who have done this for us. Join the Spark Blogfest, aka Sparkfest, by posting your answer to any of the three prompts above (or make one up as long as it fits the theme). - Christine Tyler

So, I thought I'd have a go at answering all the questions, just for fun!

What book made you realise you were doomed to be a writer?
Well, I've been writing stories since I was a kid, but probably the first books that inspired me to write something that took a bit more commitment than a short story were the Point Horror (etc.) books. I mentioned these books on my blog back in March of this year. I'd say they were the main inspiration for my first extended story (my English teacher jokingly called it "the novel"), The Winter Downfall. It was a terrible story, but it was the beginning of me trying to write longer works.

What author set off that spark of inspiration for your current Work in Progress?
Well, if we take SUNDOWN (et. al.) as my current WIP, even if they're complete and I'm far into revisions, I guess I can thank Stephenie Meyer and her TWILIGHT series. Or rather, I can thank all the women who read TWILIGHT and fell in love with Edward Cullen. I read somewhere about women's reasons for loving Edward, and it got me thinking about what sort of hero I'd love to read about in a novel. Unsurprisingly if you know me at all, he turned out to be a humble rock star. So yeah, that's how SUNDOWN and friends were born.

Is there a book or author that changed your world view?
I'm sure there are countless books or authors I could mention here, but I want to mention Emergency Sex (and Other Desperate Measures), which three peaceworkers wrote together. It details their experiences in some of the world's most war-torn locations. How did it change my view of the world? You can read about it in my GoodReads review, but suffice it to say it made me question how I thought of war and foreign intervention in civil war zones, a subject very near and dear to my heart both before and after reading this amazing book.

25 comments:

  1. LOVE your books that changed your world view.

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  2. Thanks for sharing~ I especially love your answer to the third question, and am adding that book to my TBR list!

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  3. So interesting to read what got you started. I may have to check out the rest of the blogfest.

    ~Debbie

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  4. Thanks for the comments everyone! I really do recommend that book EMERGENCY SEX, it's a great read. Funny, tragic, educational, you name it.

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  5. Great questions (and answers) :)

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  6. Awesome answers. Twilight also had a bit of inspiration for me to write something I wanted to see in a book too. =)

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  7. It's so cool how everyone is inspired by different works.

    I'm not familiar with Emergency Sex, but you've got me intrigued.

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  8. It's so interesting to see how different people got inspired!

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  9. Great answers to Christine's thought-provoking questions.

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  10. Edward Cullen is a great character. Meyer is inspiring to me also, because I love that a mom with no real writing training could write something that resonates with so many people. Great answers :)

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  11. Yay, Spark Blogfest! Your answers were educational for me too - I'd never heard of ES&ODM, but it sounds interesting, and I also had no idea that there were pre-Goosebump Goosebump books :-)

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  12. Thanks for stopping by everyone! I have yet to visit anyone else's blog for this 'fest, but am getting onto it today!

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  13. Hello, Trisha! I'm here from Sparkfest. I answered all the questions too! I couldn't pick just one to answer, LoL. Your answers are great; it's cool to see where writers get their inspiration!

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  14. Great idea to answer all three questions! I only answered one, now I feel lazy LOL.

    I'm really interested in the Emergency Sex book now, heading over to GoodReads to read your review. Sounds like a great and thought-provoking book.

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  15. Emergency Sex sounds interesting I might have to check it out.

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  16. @Laura - hi, thanks for stopping by! Nice to meet you. Will check out your answers too.

    @Julie - well, I kept my answers short so I could be seen as lazy too. hehe

    @kmckendry - it's a great book. I do recommend it!

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  17. Yes, thanks for sharing! I did the blogfest as well. ^.^ And it does sound like an interesting book. Perhaps I'll look into it.

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  18. I don't remember Point Horror, but I loved reading Nancy Drew. Emergency Sex sounds very intriguing. I'll have to add it to my list.

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  19. @Griffinclaw - it was a cool blogfest!

    @M Pax - very good idea! I must admit I haven't read any Nancy Drew...ever.

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  20. Hopping over from Spark blogfest. :) I'll have to check out that book. Oh and I'm also a Campaigner! Nice to meet you. :)

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  21. Hi! Fellow Spark Blogfester here - I like that you took a crack at all three questions. How ambitious! :-)

    That's very cool that Edward (and the ladies' love for him) got you thinking about the sort of hero you'd like to read about. Kinda harks back to the advice that you should write the books you want to read! :-)

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  22. @Katie - nice to meet you too, thanks for stopping by!

    @Crystal - yep, I figured it couldn't hurt. I was writing it for me anyway, not with an aim to publishing.

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  23. you have talent a lot of talents! born to bring beauty into the world in various forms =) nice spark!

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  24. Very original sparks! I relate to the second paragraph especially. Reading books that aren't exactly our style can often tempt us to write in the opposite direction just to provide it for readers...and ourselves! VERY nice. Thanks for joining Sparkfest!

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  25. @Tara - thanks for the comment & for stopping by!

    @Christine - yeah, I mean don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the Twilight series (read all 4 novels in 4 days, which for me is quick!), but he's not exactly what I pine for in a man... hehe

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Thanks for your words, me hearties! and don't forget to leave a link to your blog somewhere I can find it!