Bean Cakes and Parasols

Just a little life update for all my lovely readers. Over the weekend I attended Matsuri, or the Japanese Festival of Arizona. Two friends of mine were in a fashion show where they modeled different variations of traditional Japanese kimonos, and they did a fantastic job. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to breathe, let alone move in the beautiful, but crazy binding outfits. Here's a little pic of me with the two of them in all their awesomeness. Yes, I'm the stubby little one in the middle.

So after watching a fashion show, a drumming show, and a dance show, I was left feeling incredibly inspired, if not grossly untalented. The stirrings for a Japanese themed paranormal romance began forming in my mind, but before I could fully work it out, I realized my pale vampire flesh was beginning to an unflattering shade of pink, so my friend and I went and purchased a parasol to stop the skin baking in its tracks.

After some bean cakes which have a sort of play-doh texture, but are nonetheless delicious (how I'm sure my 3 year old self actually thought play-doh tasted) we headed home where I continued to formulate my new story idea. There's nothing more exciting than working out a new story. Your imagination and creativity get to flow and if you add a little music to the mix (let's go with M83's Midnight City) and it's a truly magical experience. There's so much about the Japanese culture that's rich, and thrilling, and inspiring...however, the realization that I'm already deep in the process of writing two separate books, book 5 of The Protectors and a vampire book that I hope to have up pretty soon. Side note, it's a vampire book, but its not a too typical vampire book - I promise. This means that my little Japanese inspired book will have to be put off for a while, but the outline is written down and waiting for me whenever I get the time to return to it.
It's amazing how just stepping out of your front door and attending a festival can inspire an entire book. The same can be said for going on a vacation or to a concert or even just a picnic in the park. Writers, all artists for that matter, can pick up so much inspiration from the world and people around them. Every day is a new day to come up with your next amazing idea...and that's pretty damn cool!
Till next time my wonderful readers...thank you...I luv ya!
~Paige out...

MUSIC MONDAY - It's Muse-ic to my ears

Let's talk about Muse-ic! I think the funniest thing about that little play on words is how much joy it actually brings me. Seriously, though, let's talk about Muse. I've always loved Muse. I became a huge fan way back when their Absolution CD first came out. And years later, after getting many of my friends hooked on their musical genius, I am still a fan. In fact, a good many of their songs are on my 'Writing Playlist' (remind me to share some of those songs on here sometime in the future).
Lately, I've become OBSESSED with their new song 'Madness'. In addition to working on the 5th book in The Protectors Saga, I've also been putting effort into a few other writing projects, and the song is perfect to just get lost in and think through some of the more intricate story details in my head.
So, I hope you enjoy this Muse-ical wonder as much as I do :)
~Paige out...

A Tiny Offering

All people are an interesting mix of good traits and bad traits. Personally, some of my flaws consist of poor time management, being easily distracted (like I'm practically a sugar riddled three year old), taking on too much and then getting overwhelmed and sleeping for a week, and not taking care of my health properly. Of course, these are only a very few of my many questionable traits, but these are the ones that lead to certain disappointing things...like promising to have a snippet from book 5 of the Protectors Saga out on my bday and then failing to do so. Apologies. Apologies.
I know it's about a week late, but I'm FINALLY getting it to you. I couldn't decide what to share, so I literally just brought up a page at random and picked out a tiny scene from the page. I hope you enjoy it, and I promise (a promise I actually intend to keep) that I will post more tiny snippets from the book in between now and when I publish it. I also promise there will be Dravery scenes! To my readers and followers...thank you...I <3 U!
~Paige out...

And here you go. The reason for this post, a small excerpt from book 5 of the Protectors Saga -

                "Are you nuts?!" Jade stepped in front of Avery, blocking her from returning into the chamber, "It's a dragon! There are only two things you do with a dragon. One, if its killing people then you slay it," out of the corner of her eye, Avery could see Sasha nodding her head in agreement, "and two, if it's not actively killing people then you don't provoke it in to killing people…and by people I mean us!"

                "I think it wants to help us." Avery argued, "It seems to hate Demons even more than we do."

                An almost guttural sound escaped from the mouth on Jade's shocked face, "What are you, the 'Dragon Whisperer' all of a sudden?"

                Avery fought the impulse to roll her eyes. Instead, she said calmly, trying to reason with Jade, "If it were going to kill us it could have easily done so by now."

                Jade opened her mouth in a silent scream, letting Avery know that reasoning with her was out of the question, "Oh my God!" She struggled to keep her voice down, "I cannot believe what I'm hearing. This is like that show in that animal channel where the idiot person keeps a wild animal as a pet…and then the monkey rips their face off!"

                There was nothing Avery could even begin to think of to say in response to Jade.

                Skylar, on the other hand, protested, "I like monkeys!"

                Jade squinted her eyes at Skylar, shaking her head in disbelief. Glancing back to Avery, she asked, "Do you get what I'm saying?"

                "What have you got against monkeys?" Skylar pushed.

                "Forget the monkey!" Jade shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls of the cave and echoing around the girls.