DONE!

The rough draft of Soul Burner is FINISHED!

Official Word Count: 72,984

Estimated Page Count: 290

FYI: Soul Burner is what I am calling the rough draft. The new working title is The Shepherd of the Damned.

Now I get to do a complete rewrite. Thank you, everyone, for your support and motivation in this project. s

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I remember seeing this book at Barnes and Noble and not being all that interested. Then my aunt mentioned it to me so I decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did because it is quite enjoyable.

The writing is very good. Cassandra Clare has a flare for precise detail and very raw imagery with her use of metaphor and simile. I loved the dialogue because it was realistic and I could picture teens actually talking that way. They weren't teens that sounded like adults or like children; they were teens.

Clare uses Dante's Inferno to create her world of Shadowhunters, demons, warlocks, witches, vampires, werewolfs, fairies, and other magical creatures. I like this because it exposes teens (her target audience) to a classical piece of literature that they, otherwise, would not know about.

I do have some qualms with the story though. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!) Why would Clare go through the trouble of creating this romance between Jace and Clary only to have the big twist at the end revealing that they are brother and sister? I'll admit I actually knew it was coming because I had read the synopsis of the next book, City of Ashes. So while Clare was building up this romance, I kept thinking, Sick, I know they're going to find out they're related. Why is she doing this to me (the reader)? I'm sure she has a good explanation for it, but it saddens me because I really liked the chemistry between Jace and Clary.

That brings me to my other complaint. This might be because I am not the target audience. I don't think the target audience for this book is a 26 year old white male, English major, and an aspiring writer. That being said, for her target audience I don't think this is the case. I just think that some of it was too predictable. Not just the relationship between Clary and Jace, but also some of the big "revelations." Granted, it is a nice tool to have the characters be oblivious to things the reader is all-too aware of, but sometimes that can be overdone. While I love Clary, she is not exactly smart sometimes. But I think that could also be simply because she's a teenage girl. It is also a nice payoff for the reader to be right sometimes when they predict what is going to happen. That being said, even though a good portion of the book is predictable, there are a few things that Clare throws in that are pleasant surprises. It is moments like these that you realize you are in the hands of a true storyteller with pure talent. And, no matter how predictable it is, you can't help but enjoy the ride.

I am really excited to read the next book in the trilogy. I've been on a teen fiction kick lately for some reason, and this is definitely a good read in that genre.

Insanity

Will the insanity ever end?

I know Christmas is next week but, wow, I just can't believe how many people keep coming in to Deseret Book to buy Christmas stuff. I didn't even know there were this many people in Idaho Falls. Where are they all coming from? Seriously!

Today was a "slow day" and we did nearly $13,000 in revenue.

I've actually been really good this year, despite the insanity at work, at being in the Christmas spirit. The First Presidency devotional this year seemed to have the main message of focusing on the reason for the season rather than the hubbub of the commercial side of it. I am determined to keep my feet firmly planted and fight against the "commerciality" of the season.

Onward and upward, my friends!

Be Strong

I just received news that my really good friend lost her newborn baby due to heart complications. Please keep the Cederstrom family in your prayers throughout this difficult time.

Christmas Time!

I've worked retail for forever it seems. Okay. That was an exaggeration. I have worked retail the last five years not counting the summer I worked at K-Mart. That is besides the point. Man, I get off-track so easily. The point is retail is horrible during Christmas time. It has a way of sucking the Christmas spirit right out of you. I worked at Wal-mart for three of the last five years and, let me tell you, the big, happy, smiley face is a big ol' lie.

Now, there are other reasons I've been a Scrooge during Christmas seasons. Snow is a huge one of those reasons. I'm perfectly content with having a warm Christmas. Call me crazy. I've seen what it's like to have a sunny Christmas and it's not all that bad. White Christmases are overrated thanks to Bing Crosby's song.

All of that aside, I have found myself in total Christmas mode this year. I am stoked about Christmas! Not only about the gifts and all that mumbo-jumbo, but also about the true meaning behind it. I have gotten most of my Christmas shopping done already so that I can focus on the birth of the Savior. In one of Tori Amos' songs on her new Christmas album (which is fantastic) she calls the Savior's birth "our salvation's hour." Angels, I'm sure we were among their number, rejoiced at the birth of Christ as it marked the beginning of our redemption.

At Deseret Book I see the commercialized side of the Savior's birth. Nothing against the book store. We sell good stuff that do good for people. It just tends to make the Nativity scene less special when you are surrounded by it all the time. So I am making a greater effort to be more awed by them and to concentrate on the true meaning of Christmas. It will be no easy task with customers who are stressed out about Christmas, grumpy coworkers who need to take chill pills, and hearing the same Christmas songs over and over and over...and over...and over...and...oh...You get the picture.

So I challenge you, dear reader, to focus on the beautiful story of a virgin mother who gave birth to a Son who would grow up to be our Salvation. Focus on the intricacies of the story: how Joseph must have felt when he found out his betrothed was pregnant, how Mary must have felt when she first received the visit from the angel, and how both of them felt when they first laid eyes on the baby Jesus.

One last thing before I close this monstrous rambling post.

This last Sunday I woke up to Sounds of Sunday. Glen Rawson was talking about the story of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. At first it was a nice little Christmas story, and I was half-asleep so I was just barely listening. Then he started talking about when Christ died, there was only Mary there. Glen Rawson said it really well. He said that the absence of Joseph shows that Christ can empathize with us in EVERY aspect of our lives including the loss of loved ones. This, of course, made me think about my sister and I got kinda weepy, but that is besides the point.

I refuse to get too caught up in the retail side of Christmas this year. Instead, I want this to be about my Savior who I know empathizes with me in all my trials and heartaches.

This won't be the last post this month but I just want to say:

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to take a moment to list some things I am grateful for. I did this last year and had fun with it so I might just make it an annual thing to add to my blog. Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and also take a moment to consider your many blessings.

These are in no particular order. I am grateful for:

Indoor plumbing
Food (especially today where there will be lots of it)
Family, I have such an awesome family. Even my extended family is cool.
Books, where would I be without them?
Sunny days
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Friends who put up with me even when I'm grouchy
My talents
Clothes
Technology
Cell phones (sometimes I hate them but today must be a good day)
My job (even though I hate my job right now because it's so insane and everyone's stressed)
Music that makes me happy or inspires me to write
Music in general I guess
Chocolate
Ice cream (seldom in winter. what is wrong with people who eat ice cream in winter?)
Hot chocolate
Barnes and Noble for being my sanity sometimes
School and being able to go to it and get a degree
Lazy days
Advil
Weight loss! I'm down four pant sizes!
Girls
Babies' laughter (it's the best thing in the world)
Hawaii
Our founding Fathers who helped create this great nation
The things I take for granted (the fact that I have things I take for granted means I am very blessed)
Great movies
Awesome tv shows (The Closer, Charmed, Medium, Bones, Heroes, Criminal Minds, etc.)
Art throughout history
Literature
Luxury
Family vacations
Sweet memories of my beautiful sister, Brittany
My car
My life

Yeah that about covers it for this year. I am sure I missed some somewhere but...I am off to feast! Have a happy Thanksgiving, friends and kindred. :) Love you all!

20 lbs. Later!

I will do a before and after pic thing later but I was too excited.

Since June I have lost (drum roll please)

20 LBS!!!!!!!

My pants hang off me now. Guess I need to go get some new ones.

I'm still planning on losing another 5 or 10 lbs.

Booyeah!