So I originally began this blog as a way for family, friends, and fans to follow my writing progress for my first book, Fallen & Forgotten...that's a lot of F's! I plan on posting on that in a later post, but today wanted to talk about the concept of fallen angels in writing. I stumbled across the website of young adult author, Becca Fitzpatrick, and read about her fallen angel series. Wanting to learn more about her books, I went to Youtube hoping to find some information. I stumbled across polandbananasBOOKS' channel and found it to be pretty interesting. She is a young woman who does book reviews. I was at first annoyed by her hyperactivity and didn't think that I would get much out of the fifteen-minute video, but actually found myself amused by her fast paced talking and excitement.
I'm not sure what drew me to XTINEMAY, but she's totally someone who I would want to be friends with in real life. In fact, I would be really honored if she reviewed one of my books in the future. I had to agree with almost every point that she made about the first book in Fitzpatrick's fallen angel series, Hush Hush, and I haven't even read the book yet! I was glad when she brought up Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series and Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga. Both Fitzpatrick and Meyer are mormon women who attended Brigham Young University, so maybe that has something to do with their similar plots and characters. I'm not sure what is so intriguing about falling in love with mythological or supernatural creatures. My fallen angel story does not include love or having to pick between two ungodly sexy men. It focuses entirely on an angel's fall and not teenage romance. It gives me hope that there is a much more darker audience for my fallen angel novel. I am considering reading the fallen angel stories in the market, just so I can know what to stay away from. Although Becca Fitzpatrick is a New York Times best selling author, I wouldn't want to write anything similar to what is already out there. It's funny, I hate reading, and rarely ever am in the mood to pick up a book. Most people say that it is good to read so that we can get inspired by ideas. I would actually only read so that I would know what NOT to write. Below is a book trailer for Hush Hush. I've always been turned off by book trailers because they normally include pictures, text, and cheesy music. As someone who first went to film school, I would prefer real actors to bring the book trailer to life, like when dozens of famous people came together to build the live action trailer for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Nevertheless, the trailers for Fitzpatrick's writing aren't all that bad, so take a look and let me know what you think!
I don't read, and I therefore most certainly do not follow any authors on Facebook. However, I did most recently visit the Facebook Page of Cassandra Clare, the author of the acclaimed The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, and The Dark Artifacts series. The last book that I have ever touched was written by her. I set that series down in 2010 and haven't looked back. It's not that the writing is bad. In fact, it is far greater than the words combined by Stephenie Meyer! I have just lost interest in reading as a whole. In my eyes, an author's professional Facebook page should inform their readers of upcoming novels, events related to their writing, and maybe some inside background to their stories that one would only be able to access by following them. Authors shouldn't be afraid to get a little personal with their readers. This allows relationships to build, thus adding not only monetary sales but lifelong committed fans. By showing one's interest in their readers, and author can accumulate so much more than a pile of cash. Authors who utilize Facebook Pages should be social, natural, consistent, and diverse. I was very, very, very, very - did I say very - displeased by what I saw on Clare's page. Instead of viewing a woman with a love of writing and the urge to build relationships with her readers, I saw a billboard for the movie coming out in honor of her book. As someone who originally began her college career in film and screenwriting, I can understand how awesome it is to have a book that you write be selected to become a movie. It's an awesome feeling knowing that your writing is now on the big screen. But what was so disappointing about Clare's page was that it looked as though she had forgotten where she came from. Instead of excerpts from her books or updates on her writing progress, the page was lathered in movie posters and actor interviews. Although she fully embraced marketing for the film and her book, she seemed to have been overcome by the fame of Hollywood and seemed to abandon her writing history. It's always so tragic to see the journey of a great author change from writing what they love to writing for money. Maybe Cassandra Clare and J.K. Rowling should go out to dinner to talk about how similar their lives are now... Clare scores a 50% in the social aspect of this social networking site. Although she posts information on the book/movie combo every day, she does not seem to pay much attention to the comments left by those who praise her creativity. When I write on Mibba, I thrive on the comments that I get on my writing and do my best to respond to every individual who has taken the time to leaving an uplifting and encouraging comment on my work. I can't even give a percent rating on the natural aspect of her Facebook page because through it I have no idea who this woman is. Since every post she makes is just recycling an interview on the movie or alerting her fans of the new Hot Topic clothing line made in her book's honor, it is really hard to understand who this woman is. It doesn't seem as though she is fake, I just cannot tell if her's natural in her being. The one positive that Clare can score with her Facebook page is that she definitely is consistent. If she's not posting every day, she is at least alerting her 144k followers about the latest interview, poster, or promotional event in honor of her book in some aspect. She's also consistently vague in who she is and if or what she is currently working on her writing. Lastly, she fails big time in the diverse category. She constantly hawks on her own writing and the upcoming film, City of Bones. She doesn't include links to posts of other authors, but instead includes links to future movie plans and cast profiles. This seems to be more of a fanpage for a movie than it does for an author. I am not trying to bash Cassandra Clare as an individual or a writer. I'm sure that she is a wonderful woman, I just can't know for sure since I have no clue who she is based on her Facebook page. Her writing is wonderful, and I definitely recommend taking a look at all three of her current series. If I were to ever pick up reading again, I would probably start with something that she has written. I only ask that if you, my dear reader, are interested in becoming a Hollywood writer, that you don't let it get to your head and that you don't forget where your origins began. Authors are masters of the pen and page. We need to embrace our readers and return their love by giving them insight to who we are and what we write. Nicholas Sparks is another author whose novels have made it on the big screen, but at least he is a humble man who hasn't forgotten those around him. On May 27th, he posted on his Facebook page, "Family means everything, so on this Memorial Day, let's be there for those who've lost loved ones who've bravely served our country." Even Neil Gaiman, author of Stardust, pops onto his Facebook page every once in a while to share a personal and funny post. Get on it Cassandra Clare, what has Facebook done to you???
According to the Search Engine Optimizer (SEO) rules and regulations for writers hoping to further excel their Internet popularity, the keywords used in blog titles should have two or more words in it that readers are most likely going to search for, such as, "Writing Tips," or, "How To Become The Next J.K. Rowling." So how many of my readers would ever think to search, "Chroma?" None, right? Well, very few know of my future career goals, which is why I have chosen to reveal them here in this blog. My future career goals did not stop with wanting to be a princess, clown, veterinarian, artist, or even an author. No, in today's economy, I knew that trying to base a career off of something so hit-or-miss would be dangerous and costly. This is just another reason why I added the master in Business Administration, to ensure that I would be able to maintain a job that would continue to benefit me and my future family. So, why Chroma? Exactly a year ago, I decided to return to college. After getting kicked out of Biola University (perhaps a story for another blog, yes?), I took a year off of school, thinking that I wouldn't need a degree in order to kick off as an incredible author. Sadly, another mistake God made in creating me was burdening me with Diabetes, a costly disease that I cannot afford to pay for without help from my father's military insurance. Naturally, the only way to stay on their insurance until I am 26, was by returning to school. Thus began my academic journey through Southern New Hampshire University, an online university that has surprisingly taught me more than any other academic resource. As the first born, I have always been a strong willed, hard headed, leader. I love taking charge, and boy, do my siblings know it! My dream of owning my own literary agency began in May of 2012 and has been growing ever since. People find it a funny combination: someone who loves to write, hates to read, and cannot spell. Despite the fact that I am wary about touching already published books, I have found much joy in editing writers' stories on Mibba, where I write. I love giving tips, comments, and constructive criticism. For every two critiques I give a struggling writer, I make sure to include one compliment. My goal is not to harshly break apart a writer's baby, but instead give them advice on how to embody their good qualities and work on improving their lesser ones. Following my business career, I took a Financial Accounting course where the final project was to write a business proposal, complete with an operation analysis, competition analysis, and first year pro forma financial statements. My proposal ended up being 11 pages long and scored a 150/150. I will not post the entire proposal here, however, I will give you a brief underlay of why I chose Chroma for not only my business enterprise, but also for the title of this blog. When researching chromatic colors, I came across a phrase in an online dictionary that stated, "A color's value is its brightness, its chroma is its strength, and its hue is its position in the spectrum." I immediately took a liking to the word chroma and its purpose in defining the position of a color that I thought it to be a perfect name for my business. Chroma is the strength of saturation, which is the state that occurs when nothing more can be absorbed or added. Chroma: A Literary Agency will be a service enterprise that will not only act as the mediators between writers and publishers, but also offer extended programs for writing development processes and character development. Most publishing companies overlook new authors who submit works with poor grammar and spelling, and improperly developed characters and plots. My goal with this business is to take a step above the average literary agency by building relationships with our authors and helping them to understand how to truly write. Not only will the people at Chroma personally sit down with each author to get to know them and their work, we will also pick apart and redevelop their story so that publishers will be fighting to sign them. Our job as a literary agency would be to act as a gateway between authors and publishing agencies, deal with contract negotiations, ensure payment of royalties, and act as a mediator if there are any problems between the author and the publisher. Many lucrative companies will ignore non-agented authors and by representing authors with skills we helped to create, I hope that the best of the best will finally have their voice heard. Although my intentions with Chroma are still in their very early forms, I feel that this is a company with much potential, which is why I felt it necessary to pursue a master in Business Administration, especially as a woman. Ever since discovering the term chroma, I have felt a connection with it, which is why I have chosen it for my blog title. It may not be a popularly searched word, but the history that I share with it is all that matters to me. Chroma is a sign of strength, and I find myself to be a strong woman with strong writing skills.
I've never been a fan of writing about myself. When I'm told to list some of my accomplishments, it feels as though I'm bragging. When I'm told to write about my history and future goals, it feels as though I'm being a vain woman. I feel like writing about yourself is what you do when you have nothing else to write about. It is much easier to answer questions about yourself than it is to just blurt out random facts; because when you are answering questions, you are revealing things about yourself that others are actually interested in knowing. Nevertheless, here's a bit of my background: I was born on July 2, 1991, around 10pm to Jodi Lynn and Joseph Patrick Diminick. My parents should have known since my birth that I would be a child prone to ruining their plans, as my mother went into labor just minutes before attending a military lunch for my father and other important officers. I suppose I can't blame her then when her first words to my father after giving birth to me were, "I want a cheeseburger." I was born that night into a military family. It was the first mistake God made involving my life that would lead to a great sense of instability. Now, at 21, I can say that I have moved 16 times in those 21 years. I have attended several schools growing up, including public, private, home school, and co'ops. I've also attended three universities: Syracuse University, Biola University, and Southern New Hampshire University. I normally get antsy after a year or two of living in the same place and even take to rearranging rooms in my apartment just to feel as though I am someplace new. Being the first born, I am naturally a hard headed being. I like getting my way, which might also come from being a female. Growing up, I was a very quiet individual. That came from constantly moving and never being able to make life-long lasting friendships. Although my Facebook is nearing 1,000 friends, I cannot say that they are all people I am closely connected with. The greatest sadness I face when realizing how a military lifestyle has ruined my upbringing, is when I think about my wedding day and how I will have no one to stand beside me as my bride's maids. There will be no bachelorette party and there will be no late nights out with the girls. Very few people nowadays will pay the couple hundreds of dollars to fly across the country to attend the wedding of someone that they only knew for a year or two. I suppose that is why I took to writing. Like any other little girl, I wanted to be a princess growing up. Then, after attending a rodeo, I wanted to be a clown. A few short months and a clown suit later (complete with a rainbow wig, giant shoes, and a red nose!), I wanted to be a veterinarian. That quickly changed after watching a live neutering. I then wanted to be an artist, and by age 16 I had settled on being a novelist. When I was 5, I had written a short story on fifteen index cards about an orange fish who got lost from its family. Sound familiar? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I should have minor rights to Finding Nemo somewhere... I took a year of general education courses at Syracuse University, and took two years at Biola University where I studied Film, Biblical Studies, and Sociology. After taking a year off of school, I returned in the Spring of 2012 to Southern New Hampshire University where I am currently pursuing my minor in Sociology, major in Creative Writing/English, and my master in Business Administration. Taking after my dad with loving education, I have considered adding a doctorate in Philosophy to all of that. The first novel I ever wrote took 9 months to create. It was 422 handwritten pages and was in the first person perspective of a 26-year-old male. I was 16 when I wrote it. I have since dated a man who was 27-years old, and I'm sure that if I went back to read that chicken scratch of a mess, I would be a bit shocked at how I portrayed a man 10 years my senior! Some people say that writing for them has been their escape. For me, it has taken the place of reading. I despise reading, and have yet to actually pick up a textbook for school seriously. A lot of people are stunned to hear of a writer who doesn't read, but alas, at least one exists. With not much out there that interests me, I prefer writing my own stuff, which has become quite popular on my Mibba account. My most popular stories on there is my end-of-the-world monster trilogy, which has been seen as a much darker (and better!) version of the Twilight saga. Anything that makes that trash disintegrate makes me happy. My current baby is my fallen angel novel, which is currently going through the editing process with Brittiany Koren from Written Dreams. Hopefully, we can get this novel out within the year! The first draft was done with I was 17, so now I am working on maturing my writing voice and piecing together a novel that is fluent in its tone and believable in its subject matter. To finish off this little biography, I will add a cornucopia of facts! I have one sister, Alaina (19), and two brothers, Anthony (14) and Aaron (10). Just an interesting fact, I have a soft spot for the name "Aaron" and in every one of my novels and screenplays, there is a character named Aaron. I'm not sure why, but that name has always appealed to me. I was diagnosed at age 4 with Type 1 Diabetes. My health has never been under great control and although this life-long disease has yet to cause any severe problems in my body, the doctors believe that it is only a matter of years before tragedy will strike. Growing up, I played basketball, tennis, golf, dance, and gymnastics. Funny fact about high school sports, after getting kicked off of the tennis team for absolutely sucking, my friend Sara and I snuck into all the school sports pictures for the yearbook. We even made it into the sports picture for the local newspaper! Lastly, I am a hardcore female gamer. I love playing Black Ops II on my xbox 360. When not writing or working on school assignments, one can definitely find me plopped on the couch with a controller in my hands! SWYD!
