Super Bowl Sunday!!!!!

Konnichiwa!

It's finally here! SUPER BOWL SUNDAY! Steelers take on the Packers in the grand daddy of them all! I'm a avid sports fan, so I will give you my prediction of the day, and will post a poem depending on who wins. This will give you guys a reason to stay tuned in case you weren't already. XD If the Steelers win, I will be posting the poem "Soldiers", and if the Packers win, I will be posting "Heroes." So return back after the game to see which poem will be posted!

Quinton's Prediction: The Cheeseheads take The Lombardi Trophy back to it's first home, 27-24.

~APLIW~

Questions with Quinton!

Konnichiwa guys!

Okay so these next two weeks we will be doing something totally new for questions with quinton. Today I will answering some questions that some of my fellow writers have about my writing, life or anything that crosses their mind. In the following week edition, we shall all be answering questions from you our fans. ;) That's right, you'll be asking questions for all of our blog members! But for this week it'll just be me. Here's what they wanted to ask me:

Megan: How do you develop your plots? Do you have any tips for writing processes and characterization?

Quinton: I develop my plots by first figuring out what the theme is, and how I want the story to ultimately end. Once I figure these out, I come up with a beginning that is in complete contrast of the atmoshpere of the ending, but that can be bent into many different situations. Then I establish the key points in the story, and add the finishing deatils last.

As for any tips, for writing processes I recommend that if you get writer's block, either stop writing and freewrite something totally off topic. Freewrite your story from that point then make edits as you go. Skip that part and write the next part. Or lastly, the one that works best for me, stop and let your mind wander.

For characterization, I recommend spending days on the characters. Everything from their clothing to their name is important. For example, with Azazel, his name actually means "greed" which happens to go with his aspect of greed. His favorite necklace is that of a lion, which is considered the embodiment of greed to some cultures. His favorite shirt is also green, which is the color of money. Also, the difference between characters and real life people is that characters are rational to some form. So make sure that everyone can understand the connections and they make sense.

Tara: When you began writing Pieces, did you have any idea how complex the story line would become? Did you plan for it to be intricate or did it start as a narrative about places you had been and people you met?

Me: While when I first started Pieces, it was story told from third person, from the perspective of an older Rey telling the stories to Stella's and Azazel's kids. :P So just from that, you can tell how much it has changed. I started to change the story line to fit more into my genre of writing(fantasy and sci-fi) so that I would be able to convey the message easier. The idea to tell the story from five differents points-of-view came from the fact Rey wasn't in enough of the scenes to tell every aspect and detail of the story. From all that, the story line of Pieces was born!

Anora: What made you start up L.I.F.?

Well, it was me and Chris that started it up, but I proposed the idea to start it up because I couldn't find a site that allowed from the kind of interaction that we have here. Only a few days later, my spanish teacher introduced blogger to me, and told me it would be great from me. A minor attribute was that I also wanted a place that I could stread infomation about my book. ;)

Alex: what's your fascination with puzzles??

Well first, for those of you who are lost, much of my writing speaks in one of a few styles: with a underlying tone of loneliness or hopelessness, easy-going, or in some form of a puzzle. You see, I love puzzles because they are the thing that perfectly describes human behavior the best for me. How so you may ask? You'll have to read Pieces to find out that information...

And now for the grand finale...................... Drum roll please.....
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Joseph: Who should the Bengals draft first in the upcoming draft?

Oh good old Joseph gets me with a sports question ;) Well first off, I would like to say I have gone 1-1 so far in the bowls I predicted last time. Let's go buckeyes! Second, the bengals need a lot of help right now. Quarterback, Running back, Wide Reciever, Linebacker, and both lines are spots of corcern. If I had to choose however, I would say that Wide Reciever, Running back, and linebacker are perfectly fine and if anything should handled in later rounds or free agency. Offensive line needs some help but will live, so it comes down to d-line and Quarterback. At this high a pick, and a possibly that Cameron Heyward will make it to the second round, the bengals should get a Quarterback to groom to behind Carson for the rebuilding years. I suggest Andrew Luck if he makes it to them, but if not, then Ryan Mallet. Cam Newton is a hell-no all the way though. But with Mike Brown as our owner, expect the worse chose possible. :P

~Quinton

Questions with Quinton!!!

Konnichiwa!

Hey guys! So today I will be doing a Q&A to answer some of your questions that you have been DYING to ask. ;) So without futher ado, let's get things started!

Orrin from Georgia: What is your favorite book of all time?


Quinton: Hey Orrin! There are a lot of good choices, but "Silverwing" by Kenneth Oppel takes it for me. Regualrs know how much I love this book, but it's about a bat who was seperated from his colony after getting their home burned down. Now he must save them from evil vampires bats that are framing them for crimes. I love the book for it's imagery and how perfectly he describes living in a bat's world, connecting it with human pain so flawlessly.


Kati from Monroe, Ohio: How do you keep going?


Hey Kati! Depends on what you mean. For writing, I have a great number of supporters, a lot of inspiration, and I like to finish everything that I start.


Bailey from Cincinnati, Ohio: Where so you get your inspriation to write?


Well Bailey, that changes depending on what I'm writing. But most of the time it's my friends or how I'm feeling at the time. However, books require more then that. Pieces inspiration came from a dear friend of mine, and it's kind of a way of me to get my pent-up frustration.

Eddy from Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Okay give me the winners and why- Michigan State/Alabama, TCU/Wisconsin(GO BADGERS!), Arkansas/Ohio State, Auburn/Oregon.

Sports question, I was waiting for this :D Okay in order: Bama 23-20 because Ingram is looking to increase his draft value and State won't have the talent or the magic for this one. TCU 31-17 because the Badgers won't be able to run on that TCU line and have played nothing but terrible teams late in the season so they got lucky to get in. Ohio State 23-22 because as good as Ryan Mallet is, I don't think he'll be on the field long enough to score enough points, and that defense for the razorbacks just doesn't seem tough enough to me to stop the buckeyes. Lastly, Oregon, 45-41, because I trust Oregon to play better team ball then Auburn, and to hold the ball longer away from Auburn. I am not too confident about Oregon or Ohio State, but I fell like both Arkansas and Auburn lack stars after Ryan Mallet and Cam Newton.

Alyssa from Dacula, Georgia: A lot of your writing an underlying concept of isolation and a sad tone to them, is there something that you have gone through in life that has caused that? Or do you simply write that way because it's your personal style?

Your not far off. It's really a mix of both. I have moved around alot, an dlost a few close friends, which really messed with my mind. To recover from it, I first sought comfort in sports. However, my teams were the Cavaliers, Bengals, and Ohio State. Only one of them is doing even remotely good anymore, so I switched to writing. My writing always has and almost always will reflect how I feel, so it took on that a tone of loneliness that you tend to always see. I have been writing like that for three years, so it stuck to my style.
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Well guys that all i have for today, but if you would to ask me a question, e-mail me at drquinton@hotmail.com and I'll post them in the next segment of Questions with Quinton. Until friday, I would to wish you a great break, and to always put life into words.
~APLIW~

Quinton

So Tuesdays Then?

Seems like I get to post something new every Tuesday! By the way, great poem Joey. Really great.
Well, today I feel like posting one of the many pieces of poetry I wrote before I fall asleep (I try to do one everyday just to keep myself thinking). Anyway, here's one of my awful poems. I hope you guys don't hate it too much!

* * * * *

Pretending


Im tired of pretending
that everything will be alright
tired of pretending that this isn't
too far gone,
that something can be saved.
This is me, laying down my arms.
I've stopped fighting,
All I have left, is my shield
to defend me from you.
And I'm not pretending
This is real.
So take a chance
put down your sword
and maybe,
just maybe,
we might be saved.

* * * * *

Oh and I think Quinton might have some news coming up, so stay ''tuned'' and in the coming weeks you just may here about something new.

~Anora Anakaya~

I'mmmm Backkkkkkk......

KONNICHIWA!!!!!!!!!

No I am not T.I.! Your lovely co-creator of Life in Fiction, Quinton, has returned!!! My blogger log-in is finally working again! So I'm back and will be making updates to make up for past weeks I have missed. My inbox has been overloading and so I will be doing a extended version of Questions with Quinton on Saturday. I will also let everyone know about the new contest I have been working on. ;) Also, as another treat, this is my month, and I will have another book review by August 20th. The book will be "The Life of Pi." So stay tuned mis amigos!!!

~APLIW~

Quinton is BACK!!!!

Questions with Quinton(Friday Special)

Konnichiwa!

     So today will be my last post before I take my break, so I'll answer as many questions as I can to keep you updated. I got tons of them this week, So here goes the most recurring ones:

Will you go in depth with all our stories like you did with Bengal Road?

     Good question. I will if you ask me to, I was asked to see if I could find the similarities with Bengal Road, so I did. If you'd like me to do the same with yours, I would be more then happy to.

Is Terra the same person as Stella from your book?

     Stella is based off her yes. She's an excellent writer herself and is constantly helping me out. :)

I know I may be pushing it, but is Lacrime somehow connected to The Rey Saga? I read that post you put up and I found multiple things that could connect the two series.

     Very smart readers we got here. But that's knowledge for only me to know for now. ;)

What was your inspiration for writing?

     This one's easy. My biggest inspiration are my friends I have everywhere across the country. They are what allowed this story to be made, and shaped me into who I am today.

Do the characters in your book have powers? If so, what are they?

     Yes, I guess you could call them powers. Eleven of the characters have powers: Rey, Chloe, Darcy, Tim, Harper, Drake, Stella, Lyssa, Azazel, Alexander, and Blake. I won't reveal all of them, but what I will say is most of these characters will have you fooled on what their power is with the exception of Harper(Mind Reading) and Alexander(Supercomputer-like Memory). Rey's has already been revealed, you just don't know it.

What do you think of the US so far?

     I have mixed thoughts on them, as the U.S. don't show up until the second half, but are extremely dominant at that point. I really rather not talk bout it after that terrible call by the ref that cost them a victory, but when the U.S. is playing woth some urgency, they are unstoppable. I stick by my thought that they will get out of their group, but any higher then the semi-finals is a reach for me.

Will there be another contest?

     Yes indeed there will be. While I'm on break I'll be working on a new one that will be as challenging as the first one, but different in it's own way. Hopfully when I return it will be done. :D

How would we know which animal goes with what aspect in the book?

     Very good question. Each character will be wearing a piece of jewelry to represent their animal. Like for example, Azazel animal is a lion, so he has a necklace of a lion head around his neck. The Jewelry Set will be called.... *Spoiler Alert*. Sorry can't say, but you actually already know it. ;) The Set contains four necklaces, two rings, two bracelets and two anklets. (Subject to change.)

When are you coming back from break?

     As soon as I take care of Pieces parts 1 and 2, editing Bleeding Truth, getting caught up on summer school, and finishing band camp. That won't be until late July at the soonest, but I plan on making a few posts on days that I have time before band camp. When I return however, I will have Pieces part 1 along with the current prologue finished and connected to a special page just for you blog readers, a release date for the book, hopfully a new contest and pictures of the ten piece animal jewelry set in Pieces. Maybe even the finished Cover Art. :D


Well that's it's it folks! The last post for awhile, so be good to my man Chris, as he'll be running the show with Terra for a bit. This is mostly likely the last of my world cup posts, so good luck USA and South Africa, and let me be the first to wish you all a wonderful INdependence Day and remember, to live your life as if it were fiction, and always put life into words. ;)

~APLIW~

Quinton = GO USA!!!!!

Book Review: Airborn

Konnichiwa!

So it's time for the first ever book review for our blog!

Airborn

The book I will be reviewing is called Airborn. The first book in a series by Kenneth Oppel. This is the story of Matt Cruise, a sky-loving cabin boy aboard the luxury airship the Aurora. He lost his father at an early age, and therefore has to take this job in order to take care of his mother and sisters. However, He genuinely loves the ship and the being in the air, and even has a dream to attend the Airship Academy, a special airship school, in hopes of Captaining his own ship one day. Matt is one of those people who adventure flocks towards, so it's expected that one day when he's on crow nest duty, he spots a once thought to be lost hot-air balloon. Almost by himself, he manages to save the lost balloon and get onto the airship. On board he finds an injured old male pliot who is beyond saving. Before the man dies, he asks if Matt has seen "them". Confused, Matt lies, but is quickly called out for it by the injured pliot, and the man dies leaving Matt completely lost. But a year later, the granddaughter of this man arrives, attempting to pluck Matt knowledge of what "them" are, and takes them on the start of a wonderful adventure through beautiful lands, exotic animals, piracy and of course romance. Don't worry boys out there, this isn't anything like twilight. ;)

This book was very well done, and expertly written. Now I did feel like the story took awhile to pick up, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Even after I finished it, I went back and reread the first few chapters. I love the amount of plot twists that he has placed in this series, catching you off guard and while also having saying, "OH! That makes sense now!". There is just one thing that have to say is the weakness in all of Kenneth Oppel's books, his characters. Now it's not so much he doesn't develop them, offer interesting background, or lack of diversity. With the exception of two of them(Mr. Vlad and Matt), they lack that "boom" factor. That indescribable factor that turns them from great to unforgettable. Despite this problem, the book is beyond worth reading and highly recommended. Chris will be handling the next book review, but it won't be for around a month. So I highly suggest you check this book out and give it a read, along with the other two books, Skybreaker and Starclimber. ;) My final post before break will be a Questions with Quinton post Friday evening. Send in any last second questions!

Plot: 9/10

Imagery: 10/10

Characters: 8/10

Climax: 9/10

Overall: 9.5/10 Great story and series

~APLIW~

Quinton = GO USA!!!!!

Progress Report

Konnichiwa!

     Okay okay to update on my books, I have finished typing up chapter 16, and am currently working on my second prologue for Pieces. I have only finshed a portion of Lacrime, and won't continue until much later.

Now to update on the site, I have now made Questions with Quinton daily, as well as increase the number I asnwer. Also We have a new author writing posts now named Terra. :) Lastly, Chris and I will be doing a new section for reviewing books for you guys to read, that I think you may find a liking too. We will grade them based off our own individual systems. I will kick things off this Thursday, giving me time to prepare what my system will look like... Have a fabulous Tuesday!

~APLIW~

Quinton = GO USA!!!!!

Questions With Quinton

Konnichiwa!

So guys I am getting enough questions to the point I will now make this a weekly post, so now you'll be getting questions from me every Sunday. XD Okay lets get on it!

Are you going to put up anything on manga?

     Well, manga is debatable on whether or not it is considered a true book. Although I myself read it, and since it does have a plot, setting, climax and all the other elements a book has, if I get enough requests I will consider doing it along side Chris and Tara if they thinks it would be okay.

Are you going to do another contest?

     Yes I will. Very soon in fact. I just need to get some things prepared and finish some work for my editors and summer school. It will probably be announced in July, but there's a chance you hear bout it until early August, as I have a camp from July 16-24.

So is The Rey Saga a trilogy or a tetralogy?

     It's now a Saga, which is a four book series. I think you might have meant a quadrilogy, though I'm unfamiliar with the correct term. I had to change it after the length of the first book hit over a thousand pages.

You should do a section where you review book for us to read!

     I'm very aware that this isn't a question, but It's a very good point. I might work with Chris to see if he would like to do something like that. If so, is there any books you would like us to review? If so, send an e-mail to Chris and I at brinque@msn.com and drquinton@hotmail.com and we'll see what we can do. It'll only be once a month however, as we still have books to write and other activities.

~APLIW~

Quinton - GO USA!!!!

Questions With Quinton

Konnichiwa!

     So it's another day, another round of questions, so lets get to it!

Who is your favorite author?

     I would have to say Kenneth Oppel, author of my favorite book, Silverwing and of Airborn. I love the detail he puts in describing his worlds, like in Silverwing how he doesn't use a single color in any of his explanations as you are seeing from a bat's point of view. Plus the world in Airborn is just amazing, you can literally taste the foods that he describes. No one like him in my opinion.

Who you got in the World Cup?

     I would love it if the good ol' US of A would take home the cup, but since that doesn't seem possible I would take Brazil. Can't go against them.


~APLIW~

Quinton

Questions with Quinton

Konnichiwa!

Today is the next segment of Questions with Quinton! Let's get to it:

What made you start writing a book?

     I actually have been writing short stories for awhile now, but this the first book I have tackled. I started writing this book as a method to deal with a period of depression I was going through, as every other method was sealed away from and I was getting dangerously close to going over the edge. Although I'm still in that stage, I'm significantly better off then I was in November when I started writing.

How did you decide on the aspects for each Character?

     Well that was a long and grueling process, that took three hours. ^o^ No but really what I basically did was send a text to a bunch of my friends and the first ten to reply(with the exception of Chris, who already perfectly symbolized the character I wanted to use as one of the five main characters in the book) got to pick their character's name and pick their aspects. Now I came up with the aspects for each from watching a anime show called Bleach, but decided to re-work them differently so their meanings were different. I think I fluked out overall with who ended up with what character, as everyone but Justin(Tim) matches their character in some way.

~APLIW~

Quinton

Polls

Konnichiwa!

okay so very soon I will be putting up polls for you to answer okay the site, books, authors, famous characters, etc. to add a little variety to the site. Also, you can now ask me questions on http://formspring.me/ReyIvory. There you won't have to wait to have your questions answered on sunday, but I will answer each question in more detail on this blog instead. That's all for today!

~APLIW~

Quinton