How to Find Happiness A-Z: I

This above all: to thine own self be true, 

And it must follow, as the night the day, 

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

                                                       Hamlet Act 1 scene 3    

Ah, the infamous quote we hear time and time again. As a writer, this is some of the prime advice you receive--not to imitate anyone else, but to write until you've developed your own voice. I call this a form of Integrity.

According to dictionary.com, integrity is:

1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. 
2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.
3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.

Some people can get away with lie upon lie, even to themselves--but then, what are they left with? 

"I'm a size six." *RIP* "Uh, they must have not sewn that seam very well." 

That's right, exposure. =)

Society in general seems to be suffering from a lack of integrity--people who embezzle from work, cheating spouses, employees who give less than their best for a paid day of work, people who cheat on tests (let's pray they don't become doctors!), even those who lie under oath or omit the truth to promote their own agenda. 

How do we heal this rampant evil and begin to mend society? One person at a time. Ourselves. One family at a time. Our families. One relationship of trust at a time--the ones we treasure most, the ones that will bring us the greatest happiness. 

Trust=freedom. Freedom brings happiness.

To thine own self be true, eh? And while we're speaking about honesty, what is the stupidest lie you've ever told or heard? (I love the ones that come from little kids!) 

The Next Big Blog Hop

When you step away from a project or regular social activity, do you fear you'll be forgotten? It's a question that's been on my mind through our most recent move, having left all our dear friends behind. BUT, I got assurance that I HAVE NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN online. Yay!

I've been tagged! My long-time blogging buddy, Ian, over at Views from the Bald Patch (who has been way more involved in the blog-o-sphere than me for the last while,) put a smile on my face when he remembered me. Thank you, Ian!

I guess the point of The Next Big Blog Hop is to brag, er, answer 10 questions about your WIP, or Work in Progress. So, here we go.

1. What is the working title of your book?

Project Alaska.

2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
New York City, and one totally awesome dream.

3. What genre does your book fall under? 
Fiction--I know, how general can I be? YA fiction. Better?

4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? 
See, this is the problem with YA. Actors who are in the age range to play the main characters are difficult to find because they don't have a long history in film. However, if you want the look of the characters, these are my MC's:

       

Alaska or "Ally"                               Michael AKA "Ryan"                         

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Okay, I don't have it down to one sentence yet, so...

Ally doesn't ask for excitement. She steers clear, struggling to balance her Manhattan high school education around raising her little brother, keeping her illegal mother under a roof, and aiming for the cure to all their ails: Columbia Law. Boys are the last thing on her “to do” list, but Michael is no boy. From the first time he dismantles a security system to the first time he annihilates a foreign assassin, her world is forever altered. Now keeping him one step ahead of the searching military is the only thing that matters—as long as she can avoid falling in love.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Agency.  

7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? 
This one has been with me since we lived in NYC and regularly interacted with people who lived in the "projects", or government housing. Throughout the years I've been toying with it and doing research, and am still working on the draft. It's a ways from completion, but there's so much heart behind the story that when I stop worrying about my other projects (especially the one being considered for publication right now), I'm going to dive in full time. 

8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
It fits in the same world as the TV series Kyle XY, and closely with Breathless by V.J. Chambers. (Though much cleaner.) 

 

9. Who or What inspired you to write this book? 
I met one of the characters while living in NYC. I met so many others who faced the struggle of making it in a city where just one person is inconsequential. While struggling with that idea, I dreamed this story, and it's been bursting at the seams to break free ever since. 

10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Do you believe in liberty or patriotism? Which is more important, loyalty to cause, or freedom to discover who you truly are? 

Okay, that's all I'll say and tag 5 other people--all recent friends I've come to adore in the virtual realm. 

Tammy Mckee
Fiona Claire
Elizabeth Prats
Christine Danek
Nazarea Andrews

So what is your big project right now?