Welcome to Adventures in Writing. 

This blog is not updated often, but please feel free to read past posts about writing, reading, and everything related to The Shapeshifter's Secret Series. Recently I've been working on a new young adult series and will post more when I have updates! Until then, you can find me at hezface.blogspot.com and Instagram. 

Thanks for stopping by!

What's in YOUR future?

Hey guys! How is your 2015 going so far?

I've been wanting to share this drawing for some time. Remember that amazing, talented, wonderful fan named Anastasia? Well after reading The Secret of Darkwood Castle, she sent this image of Caleb and Julia. It just really made my day. One of the most rewarding feelings as an author is meeting readers who were inspired by your writing. Thank you so much, Anastasia! I love it.

I don't know why, but reality has just decided to hit me. I feel this sort of sadness knowing that The Shapeshifter's Secret trilogy is done. It's weird. 

Anastasia's drawing reminded me of something from long ago. I pulled out these sketches I drew when I young and daydreamed about being an author. Next to my drawing of a girl is a list of possible character names. One of the names is Julia. As a thirteen year old, I had already picked out my main character's name. 

It got me thinking. 

It seems that undoubtedly what we fill our heads with daily will affect our future. Our day to day actions will add up and one day we will look back and reflect on them. If we constantly think negative thoughts, how will things turn out? But on the opposite side, what if we constantly think positive thoughts? What if we dream big NOW and fill our heads with hopes, goals,  kindness, and world-changing ideas? Where will that put us in the future?

It's something to think about. 

Oh, and by the way, it's never too late.

Writer's Group: Wedding Edition

Can I tell you  how much I love my writer's group? Sometimes we dress up when we meet together. This month's theme was The wedding edition. Yes, you heard right. We dressed up in wedding gowns, ate wedding cake, and took wedding pictures. You can see more proof below.

I love these girls a) because we can have fun and be silly, but mostly because b) they help me so much with my writing, and their friendship has been invaluable. If you are serious about your writing and want to meet your full potential as an author, I highly recommend finding or creating a writer's group. How do you do this? Network, connect with and make friends with other writers at events like LTUE, Storymakers, Comic Con, or even author signings. I met some of these girls at Barnes and Noble's Authorpalooza and one through an English class. Find a few writers who write similar genres to you and make it happen!

The New Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Orlando, Florida

The new Wizarding World of Harry Potter is incredible. I'm sure you could have guessed that with how Hogsmeade turned out in Islands of Adventure. Universal has researched every detail perfectly to not only get the fans approval, but also J.K. herself. Yeah, they've done their work, and it's paid off. The rides, the shops, the interactive wand experiences–it's all as it should be, making you feel like you've been transported into Diagon Alley. (That might sound cliche, but that's just how it is). 

You'll probably just scroll through this to the pictures, but I thought make a list of what you'll encounter below:  

Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Potions everywhere.

The Knight bus complete with Stan Shunpike.

Hedwig and Harry's trunks at King's Cross station.
Platform 9 3/4 (you actually disappear into the wall as you enter).
My baby trying to eat Butterbeer ice cream, which was way too good to share with her.
The queue line for the Escape from Gringotts ride with plenty of glaring goblins.

My favorite parts that I wish I could show you: 

Knockturn Alley. My Nikon died right then. But guys, it was freaky and amazing.
The whole ride Escape from Gringotts. It's everything you want it to be, and pardon the cliche again, makes you feel like you are really there.
The train. It was different going each way from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley with magic happening on the windows outside as well as the compartment inside the train.

Enjoy the pictures and the surprise videos at the end!

St. Augustine, Florida

My family and I just got back from Florida. It was such a good break and I was thrilled we got to visit the seaside village of St. Augustine. Deemed the oldest city in America, you can feel a rich sense of history the moment you arrive. St. Augustine is said to be haunted and offers regular ghost tours daily throughout the city and museums.

 One of the most infamous haunted historic sights is the Fort Castillo De San Marcos. We got to roam around the fort (as best as we could with a stroller) and learn about the endless pirate attacks on St. Augustine.

Can you believe this city was established in 1565? 

Pirates lurking everywhere...

Why does Spanish Moss make me so happy? It's the perfect backdrop for such a historic and eerie city.

Ghost tours anyone? 

In the heart of the city are these charming shops featuring old fashioned ice cream, candy, and restaurants. Can you see why I love it here? 

St. Augustine also has the Fountain of Youth! But unfortunately, this isn't it. The fountain is located next to the Fort Castillo De San Marcos. In 1513, when the Spanish explorer Ponce De Lion came to Florida, he thought it was the actual site of the Fountain of youth. It was believed that the healing waters could reverse the signs of aging. 

Mill Top Tavern. Doesn't it remind you of Hocus Pocus? 

This city is incredible. If you ever get the chance, make the visit to St. Augustine, it's worth the trip! 

Once Upon A Time meets Frozen

Here's my review of Once Upon A Time so far. What did you think? 

Body Language

I think body language is fascinating. Honestly, you can learn a lot more about how someone feels from their body language than anything that actually comes out of their mouth.

I love applying this to writing because it helps create believable characters. You can tell your reader everything they need to know about a character purely off their body language. Adversely, if your character's body language is wrong, it will hurt your writing.

One thing I try to keep in mind is that often people say one thing, but their body language contradicts them. If you ask a favor of someone, they might respond and say they're happy to help, however you can sense that they feel uncomfortable or unhappy about it—it's because their body language is portraying how they truly feel.

Likewise, you might have moments in your writing where a character feels uncomfortable, scared, or unhappy, but they try to mask their inner feelings and appear calm and confident. It's important to show small traits of how they're truly feeling during each scene.

If you have a character that's feeling angry, they might stiffen up or change their tone. If someone touches their nose, they don't believe what's being said. If they're nervous, they'll be fidgety, give short answers, and have terrible eye contact. When someone's feeling relaxed and confident, they'll make themselves appear bigger, taller, and raise their hand higher in class. When someone feels vulnerable or scared, they'll shrink by crossing their legs, folding their arms, or sometimes touching their neck.

I've been watching other's body language a lot more closely, trying to take notice of how they react in different situations. My goal is to make each of my characters react believably, thus creating stronger writing.

How do you use body language in your own writing? What popular characters in literature use strong body language?