2012-04-29

What can be stronger than a vampire's nightmares? You'll find it out in the 20th chapter of:
Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.


Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Enjoy this chapter's literary suggestion.



JACK. I am afraid I really don’t know. The fact is, Lady Bracknell, I said I had lost my parents. It would be nearer the truth to say that my parents seem to have lost me...I don’t actually know who I am by birth. I was...well, I was found.

LADY BRACKNELL. Found! (…) Where did [he] find you?

JACK. In a hand-bag.


Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

2012-04-25

Here's a new review from the fantastic Catti-brie Potter. As soon as I got the rec, I rushed to read this fic, and I'm already hooked.  The story is complete.
Summary: How can you die when you've never really lived? That's the problem Bella Swan faces when she's told she only has a year to live. Can she make up for a lonely, unhappy life in the short time she has left... and maybe find love too? All-human, EXB.
 
Don't miss it because...


I read this story a long time ago. I remember reading how other authors were recommending it. I love angst to a certain extent so the summary didn’t appeal to me very much. I didn’t like the idea of Bella dying. After seeing nothing but praises about the story, I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did it!

Bella it’s 26 and she lives in Forks, with Charlie. It’s just a normal day like any other when she suddenly starts to feel an acute pain in her chest. She makes a doctor’s appointment and the news are terrible. The doctor tells her she suffers from something incurable and that she barely has a year left. He tells her there are some treatments to prolong her life a few months but Bella refuses to take them. She also decides not to tell anybody about her condition.

The thing is, Bella hasn’t been living. She has been existing but not actually living. She has a very sad life. She has been ignored by her family all her life. She doesn’t have dreams. She barely has any friends. She’s lonely. After being diagnosed, she starts to make some changes in her life, slowly at first, but steadily. And this is one of the reasons why I love this story. Bella is told she’s going to die but she decides to take the reins of her life and start living.

She encounters Alice by chance one day. They went to high school together but they haven’t stayed in touch. They catch up and Alice offers Bella to move in with her until her wedding with Jasper and Bella accepts her offer. And this is when Edward really enters Bella’s life. And I say ‘really’ because Bella knew about Edward before. Actually, the whole town of Forks knew. He has been the object of a lot of gossip. He moved to Forks but nobody really knows why or what does he do for a living. The town has been spreading a lot of gossip about him. He lives alone in a house near the lake that he bought from Alice. That’s how Alice and Edward became friends. Bella had crossed paths with Edward before (thanks to a chance encounter in the street one day) but they had never spoken until Alice introduces them. They become very good friends and they share a very special relationship. But a lot of parts of Edward’s life are still a mystery. And don’t we all love a mysterious Edward?

And at this moment is when I’m going to stop talking about the plot in order to not give anything more away because you need to read it. Chapter 10 is one of the crucial chapters of the story. It totally threw me for a loop. I was not expecting what happens at all. This is not your usual Edward and Bella story. Don’t let that stop you from reading it because I can assure you that it IS a love story (I wouldn’t be reviewing it if that wasn’t the case, trust me) and an amazing one. I love how Bella comes out of her shell and becomes a very strong woman that is not afraid of going for what she wants. This story reminds us that we have to live our lives to the fullest because nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.

Rosybud’s writing is engaging. She describes Bella’s feelings incredibly well. The whole story is in Bella’s point of view so you are completely immersed in what is going on in her head and in her struggle to cope with the impending doom that lurks in the horizon. 
 
There are some stories that touch you and you can’t forget. This is one of them for me. It became one of my favourite fics since the moment I read it. So don’t let the summary dissuade you from reading this beautiful story. You won’t regret it!

P.S. Once you have read the story, don’t miss the one-shot in Edward’s point of view! It will give you a glimpse of Edward’s thoughts and it will help you to understand him a little bit better.

Thank you, Catti-brie!

If you read this fic, please don't forget to tell the author that "My Reading Lounge sent you" and say "Ciao!" from me! Thanks!  

2012-04-22

If you want to know more about Edward's last Christmas and his secret sorrow, don't miss the 19th chapter of:
Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.


Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
This chapter's literary suggestion is




Dino Buzzati, The Tartar Steppe


Reviewers get an excerpt from the novel.
In the chapter, Edward mentioned the National Park of Abruzzo. You can visit it here: http://www.parcoabruzzo.it/Eindex.php.

Some animals that live in the park:







2012-04-20

iSparkle Awards - have you checked the Nominees?




Some of my favorite authors and stories are up, too!
My friend Camilla is up for The Sparkle Award. Go enjoy her stories!

Voting will begin May 1st.

Enjoy your weekend!

Speaking of weekend, An Italian Winter is due to be updated later today and has been reviewed on IndieFicPimp!


- Raum

2012-04-15

You're invited to a dinner date with Edward. Something will be hot. Will it be the food? The 18th chapter is waiting for you.
Summary: "There was a reason behind Edward's rebellious period – a reason that still holds true and brought him to Italy. His existence has been predicated on revenge for decades, to the point that forgiveness seems impossible. When Edward meets Bella, only a winter separates him from his last human prey and his own destruction." AU-Vampires.

"I'll tell you something I like."
Reviewers get a little gift (different for each chapter)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Light like a wisp of smoke, the idea began to float in my mind."
This chapter's literary suggestion is represented by



Jacques Prévert's love poems.


"Our love endures
Obstinate as a mule
As alive as the desire
As cruel as the memory
As stupid as the regret
As tender as the memory
As cold as marble
As beautiful as the day
As delicate as an infant."
(Jacques Prévert)

Here (http://xtream.online.fr/Prevert/indexeng.html) you can read more about this poet.

2012-04-14

If you're in the mood for a good laugh, I'm giving you two recs. Instead of my usual "Don't miss it because..." review, I'm suggesting an image for each fic.

If you're reading these stories, come share your thoughts.

Summary: Edroar the Angry Lion frightens all the girls and boys at Cullen Publishing with his loud roar. Will his new massage therapist Bella Swan run away like all the rest, or can she tame this savage beast? AH/AU OOC.


Summary: Edward has an issue with Bella Swan that can't be found in the employee handbook. AU, goofy.

If you read these fanfics, please don't forget to tell the authors that "My Reading Lounge sent you" and say "Ciao!" from Raum! Thanks!  


2012-04-11

On DailyWritingTips.com I've found an useful article about 34 Writing Tips That Will Make You a Better Writer (by Daniel Scocco, http://www.dailywritingtips.com/34-writing-tips-that-will-make-you-a-better-writer).

Here's a selection of tips I've actually applied (or that I'm trying to learn).

Why don't you share your experience?

1. Daniel
Pay attention to punctuation, especially to the correct use of commas and periods. These two punctuation marks regulate the flow of your thoughts, and they can make your text confusing even if the words are clear.

I recommend services such as Project Team Beta, Emergency Beta Service, or Sparkly Red Pen. Don't miss the opportunity to get a great beta reader!
 
3. Bill Harper
Try not to edit while you’re creating your first draft. Creating and editing are two separate processes using different sides of the brain, and if you try doing both at once you’ll lose. Make a deal with your internal editor that it will get the chance to rip your piece to shreds; it will just need to wait some time.
A really nice trick is to switch off your monitor when you’re typing. You can’t edit what you can’t see.

I've learnt the importance of this tip through the Emergency Beta Service Writing Boot Camps. A wonderful experience to unleash your creativity.
 
4. Jacinta
In a sentence: write daily for 30 minutes minimum! It’s easy to notice the difference in a short time. Suddenly, ideas come to you and you think of other things to write. You experiment with styles and voices and words and the language becomes more familiar…

I agree. If you try an EBS Writing Boot Camp, you'll write for 50 exciting minutes.

6. Pete Bollini
I sometimes write out 8 to 10 pages from the book of my favorite writer… in longhand. This helps me to get started and swing into the style I wish to write in.

I don't write out pages from my favorite books, but I do reread a chapter (or two) before starting a writing session. That leads us to the following tip:
 
7. Nilima Bhadbhade
Be a good reader first.

9. Kukusha
Learn to take criticism and seek it out at every opportunity. Don’t get upset even if you think the criticism is harsh, don’t be offended even if you think it’s wrong, and always thank those who take the time to offer it.

This is what reviews are for. I firmly believe in constructive criticism. Reviews aren't meant only for praise.
 
17. John Ireland
I set my writing aside and edit a day or two later with the aim of making it terse. It has trained me to be more conscious of brevity when writing for immediate distribution.

I've noticed it helps -- it's difficult for people who, like me, aren't very patient; but sometimes those two or three days of delay before editing can actually improve an entire chapter.
 
22. Julie Martinenza
Instead of adding tags (he said/she said) to every bit of dialogue, learn to identify the speaker by showing him/her in action. Example: “Pass that sweet-smelling turkey this way.” With knife in one hand and fork in the other, Sam looked eager to pounce.

This is a precious advice. I wish I could apply it more. Here's a trick to understand if a writer is applying this tip. Read the chapter and then try to answer the following questions: what else have you learnt about the characters beside their words? What are they doing? Can you describe their look?...

34. Pedro
Edit your older articles and pieces. You will notice that great part of it will be crap, and it will allow you to refine your style and avoid mistakes that you used to make.

I don't have the courage to look at my old, ancient old pieces :) Yet.

Your comments are welcome!

- Raum
 
Underfictionated: An Italian Winter by @RaumTweet: His rebellion began for a reason; it still holds true and brought him to Italy. His life's been predicated on revenge for decades; forgiv...

2012-04-08

Lissa Bryan: Letters of Note: C.S. Lewis on Writing: Letters of Note has a wonderful letter from C.S. Lewis with good advice on writing: What really matters is:– 1. Always try to use th...

2012-04-01

"De Immortalitate" (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7116125/1/De_Immortalitate) won a Torch Award (2nd place) as "Best Completed Story."

Antonius and Bella would like to thank all the readers and everyone who voted for their story. I'd like to say "thank you" to the wonderful De Immortalitate staff: Camilla, LJ Summers, Duskwatcher, Marlena, and JMolly.

Story Summary: "The life of the Roman patrician Antonius is put at stake by his father, Felix. When Felix brings to his only son a new slave, Bella, more reasons arise for Antonius' concerns. Felix's secret can change Antonius' and Bella's destiny." ExB AU/vampires.

Antonius and Bella are celebrating...
Here (http://thetorchawards.blogspot.it/p/winners_31.html) you can find all the Torch Awards Winners.
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