NaNoWriMo 2022

November 17, 2022February 28, 2023 | Ardin Patterson

For those participating, how is NaNoWriMo going so far? We’re now 17 days in, and I’m fairly satisfied with my progress so far. I like what I’ve put down, and am emotionally attached to my characters, so I’m excited to finish and get to editing.

I’ve been feeling under the weather these last couple of days, so I haven’t gotten as much work done as I would’ve liked, but I’m sure I’ll make up for that lost time eventually. I love creating mood boards, playlists and doing sketches of my characters while I’m writing. I find it helps me capture the characters personality, and see them as more fleshed out. I could honestly spend hours just creating characters, I think that’s why I spend so much time in Create-A-Sim when I’m playing Sims4. I like to imagine the story of their life, what sort of careers they might have, who they’ll love…if they’ll love at all? I love to think about the types of clothes they wear, what they eat, what they listen to, what their favourite genres are. That’s why I had so much fun doing OCtober last year. I wish I did it again this year, but I didn’t have time unfortunately.

For the novel I’m working on right now, I’ve got a playlist going with an array of songs that I find really fit the theme and characters…or just the overall vibe. Heaven, California is one of the songs that just fits the vibe.

Sometimes I just have this playing faintly in the background while writing. I also listen to a bunch of other songs like Greenroom, My Girlfriend is a Witch and Girl With One Eye.

The images above are all outfit inspiration that I draw from for some of the character’s in the novel. Some character’s, at least in my mind, have a signature colour scheme. Occasionally I’ll sketch a series of outfits that I want to describe for key scenes in my novels. This can be helpful when I go back and edit, in case I want to add some more visuals. Sometimes I do this just for fun. With Vermin, I have a lot of outfit sketches and things, especially for Rose. She has a few signature looks that she wears throughout the series.

I’m very excited about this new novel, and of course I will keep you all posted on the next two books in The Vermin Series, and when those will be released once I have more information on that.

“Fantasy based stories aren’t usually my forte – BUT BOY! Am I sure glad I took a chance on this book!”

May 1, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

Vermin has received another wonderful review!

Fantasy based stories aren’t usually my forte, especially ones that are part of series which are still unwritten/ released – BUT BOY! Am I sure glad I took a chance on this book!

Ardin is an amazing storyteller! Though this is her debut novel, she uses good descriptions of actions taking place, good word choices, and the story flows wonderfully. I can envision the facial reactions of each character as described.

At the beginning, I will admit, I was a bit lost with the amount of characters that were quickly introduced. I found it hard to understand who was talking but that soon passed. I came to understand that it was necessary for the storyline to progress as the characters have different storylines taking place at the same time, eventually leading to one that comes together.

I loved the fact that the back stories of most characters were hidden and revealed along the way as the story progressed. Without giving too much away, I adored slowly finding out about what happened to Roland and his family, and also the history with him and Dianna.
Roland is an interesting character; we get sneak peaks into his past as it unravels. I would say he is the main character and discovering the hidden truths with him is something I hope to continue uncovering as the series progresses.
As readers, we were given just enough information to have us hooked and wanting more. I have many questions which I hope I get answers to in books 2 and…3?

There are many cute/ adorable moments between certain characters that I LOVED reading about. Certain scenes stuck out to me and will stick with me for time to come.
I am heavily invested in ALL of these characters (minus Peter, solely because he annoys me). Each page I turned, and each chapter I finished had me begging for more!

**Ardin, if this series gets dropped, I will be outraged!**

— Author, Lindsey-Anne Pontes

Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to post reviews, and who have shared them with me! And no worries, the series won’t be dropped. I’ll be doing an announcement on book two soon, I promise!

A Poem for Dianna on TikTok

April 29, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

@theverminseries
a poem for Dianna.full poem can be found online#favebooks #booktok #poetry #bookish #characters #theverminseries #ilovebooks #reading #dianna #diannaandroland #vermin #bookseries #bookfandom
♬ In The Forest (Acoustic Indie No Copyright) – Instrumental – Lesfm & Olexy

You can read the full poem here on the blog: A Poem for Dianna.

Daughter of Black Lake – Book Review

March 15, 2022March 22, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

About

It’s the season of Fallow, in the era of iron. In a northern misty bog surrounded by woodlands and wheat fields, a settlement lies far beyond the reach of the Romans invading hundreds of miles to the southeast. Here, life is simple–or so it seems to the tightly knit community. Sow. Reap. Honor Mother Earth, who will provide at harvest time. A girl named Devout comes of age, sweetly flirting with the young man she’s tilled alongside all her life, and envisions a future of love and abundance. Seventeen years later, though, the settlement is a changed place. Famine has brought struggle, and outsiders, with their foreign ways and military might, have arrived at the doorstep. For Devout’s young daughter, life is more troubled than her mother ever anticipated. But this girl has an extraordinary gift. As worlds collide and peril threatens, it will be up to her to save her family and community.

Set in a time long forgotten, Daughter of Black Lake brings the ancient world to life and introduces us to an unforgettable family facing an unimaginable trial.

Thoughts

Wow! Cathy Marie Buchanan has done it again!
I absolutely loved reading about Hobble, Devout, and Smith. The story was so vivid. I was constantly filled with wonder, and anxious of what Fox would do next, and what secrets were kept in the past.
I also loved the way the chapters were split, with Devout’s written almost as if they were being seen by someone else, in third person because they happened in the past, whereas her daughter Hobble’s were written in first person, present day. I thought that this made the story stronger, and it also allowed the reader to get a clearer picture as to who Smith was through the eyes of both his wife, who had known him since he was a boy, and his daughter who could tell his every thought just by looking at him.
I loved each and every character in this book, and was definitely drawn to Smith, despite him not having a perspective. It was clear how much he cherished his family, and wanted to keep them safe, making decisions that could put himself in grave danger.
The way the suspense was built up in this story was also fantastic! I was constantly worried about what might happen to this family. I don’t want to spoil anything but it was definitely a thrilling read.
I can’t wait to see what’s next for this talented author!

Rating

One Italian Summer – Review

About When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all…

by Ardin Patterson December 28, 2022December 28, 2022

The Black Swan of Paris – Review

About A world at war. A beautiful young star. A mission no one expected. Paris, 1944 Celebrated singer Genevieve Dumont is both a star and…

by Ardin Patterson November 18, 2022December 28, 2022

NaNoWriMo 2022

For those participating, how is NaNoWriMo going so far? We’re now 17 days in, and I’m fairly satisfied with my progress so far. I like…

by Ardin Patterson November 17, 2022February 28, 2023

Songs You’ll Want On Your Playlist Based on Your Favourite Character

February 23, 2022February 22, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

Roland

Dianna

Nicholas

Rose

Peter

Micah

Zana

Thompson

Julius

Caspian

Vincent

Books You Should Read if Rose Is Your Favourite Character

February 18, 2022February 22, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

@theverminseries
books you should read based off your fave character #bookishthings #booksbooksbooks #reading #fypシ #booklovers #bookaesthetic #manga #characters #theverminseries
♬ Cannibal – Ke$ha

Something you might’ve noticed is that almost all of these books fall under romance. Rose is a romantic at heart, and adores books with romance, animals or adventures. She’d most likely be a big fan of stories like Pippi Longstocking, Black Beauty, and Little Women. If she was into manga/anime, I’d say she would definitely be a fan of series like Yona of the Dawn or Love Me, Love Me Not.

Something of hers that I wish I had, is her attic library. It’s so cozy up there, and she has books that were collected first by her grandparents, then her father and uncle, and now a collection of her own. I love finding books that belonged to my family members and reading them…plus old books have this gentle…almost calming scent and feel to them, and that connection to books is something I definitely share with her character.

If you could recommend a book to one of your favourite characters from the series, which would it be?

When Roland Met Dianna…

February 16, 2022February 22, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

@theverminseries
When Roland met Dianna…💖#reading #bookishthings #booklovers #booktok #characters #drawing
♬ a shot of espresso by andrew garfield – kat

Want to win a signed copy of Vermin? You can enter the giveaway on Goodreads in March! The contest opens March 1st, and will run until the end of the month.

“You’re all probably wondering why i called this meeting…”

January 11, 2022January 10, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

@theverminseries
“You’re all probably wondering why I called this meeting” 🙄#booksbooksbooks #bookishthings #reading #theverminseries
♬ original sound – VI KEELAND

What have you been reading lately?

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ve been catching up on some reading am would love to challenge myself to see how many books I can complete in a week. I’m almost finished the two I’ve been reading, so I’ll probably start this challenge once I’m finished them. While reading, I’m also taking some notes on passages that really stick out to me, not exactly in an annotated kind of way, but more just keeping my notebook nearby and jotting down what about that line or passage made me say, “Wow this is fantastic!”

I’m considering this a part of my research, since I feel reading helps me write better, and pushes me to try out new techniques, genres or styles. Plus, it’s fun!

The one book I’m reading is at a very crucial point, and I’d like to avoid spoilers so…I’ll just let you know, that I’m both excited and worried for the characters! If they kill off my faves I will probably cry. Who am I kidding? I will definitely cry! I’ve had so many of my favourite characters die off between the books and shows I love, that I’m lining up an entire list of soft-cute-fluff shojo to read on the side.

Well, I best get back to my books!

Reading, Writing and Rambling

January 10, 2022January 9, 2022 | Ardin Patterson

I’m always fascinated by how my favourite authors always manage to reel me into their stories, so much that I’ve reached a point where if I know they’re releasing a new book I mark the release date in my calendar or prepare for preorders.

They’re such fantastic storytellers. Each story they write, every new character and setting, is so much fun, and it can be exciting to count down the days until a new novel is announced!

Right now, I’m doing a bit of tweaking before my first full read through of my manuscript. I prefer to do the first read aloud to test how it sounds to my ear, get a feel for the pace, and take the time to make sure each scene flows accordingly. This also allows me to pay closer attention to character voice in my first draft. Because I enjoy character driven stories, voice is one of the main things that pulls me into a novel. I’m the type of person who selects which books I’d like to read, based on whether or not I continue reading after the first chapter. Normally, if I find I’m already onto the third chapter, I end up loving the book. This isn’t always the case, but I’d say 75% it’s accurate. I don’t mind plot driven stories, but they usually take me a little longer to get into, and I’m more likely to look for reviews from friends with these types of stories. However, I’ve read great pieces on both ends, and I think that for craft purposes, it’s a good idea to explore both, even if you lean more towards one over the other.

Reading for me is both a hobby, and an exercise. I absolutely adore stories, and because I’m engaging with them constantly through work, I also take the time to think about what I’ve read, the way the language works on the page, and how each writer approaches their craft. I love looking at the ways different writers go about introducing characters into a scene, or how they unveil the setting. There are so many things you can learn about writing when you read. Plus, I find books comforting, and often count the hours until I can curl up in a blanket and read uninterrupted.

Although, slightly off topic, I’m currently reading two books at the same time, and loving both. I can’t wait to share my reviews. I was actually been reading them slowly on purpose because I couldn’t think of what to read next! Thankfully, I’ve got a stack of novels, manga and graphic novels lined up around my room, so I have a wide variety to choose from. Now I’m reading fast again, because truthfully, I’m a little overwhelmed by all the options…perhaps overwhelmed isn’t the right word, as I am in fact whelmed…what I mean is, that there’s so much to choose from and so many new books releasing this year, that I feel as if I must read everything I currently have before I can even think about adding new books to my collection! On top of that, a handful of my favourite authors have announced they’re releasing books this year, so I already have a 2022 TBR in the works. Part of me is hoping I can finish a few books this week. It’s times like this that I miss starting and finishing three or four books a day. How did I managed to read so quickly? Well…I suppose at one time all I did was read on the weekend. In my second year old university, my reading definitely slowed down…but I still was managing 3 or 4 books a week. These were for school though?

Well perhaps I’ll challenge myself once I complete these two, and see how many books I can finish in a week? I’m honestly curious, and I think it’d be good to crack open a good book and dive right into it, versus dragging it out for as long as possible haha.

Well, I best get back to my manuscript if I want to have time to read later this evening. I wish you all the best in your own goals this year! Also, as I’m trying to do this myself, remember to stay hydrated and to get up and stretch every now and then!

Read More about Vermin

Read More about Vermin

Read More about Vermin

About

Thoughts

Rating

Roland

Dianna

Nicholas

Rose

Peter

Micah

Zana

Thompson

Julius

Caspian

Vincent

Read More about Vermin

Read More about Vermin

Read More about Vermin

What have you been reading lately?