Agents and Assassins, Beautiful Books

So, I haven't really talked about my writing in quite a while, so I'm going to participate in Beautiful Books! The blog link-up for writers, hosted by Further Up And Further In. If you don't know what it is go over there to read the rules. I'm too lazy to type them out right now...

So here we go. I'm going to use my WIP 'Agents and Assassins'.

1. What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea? Actually, I was watching Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time, a couple of years ago, and I got the idea for a scene with a mysterious woman in black and a clueless hero arguing in a desert, so I wrote that scene and the story branched off from there. :)

2. Describe what your novel is about! It is about a very average young man named John Fletcher, and how he meets an easily upset young woman - who happens to be a secret agent - and gets swept up in a crazy adventure to stop an evil mastermind

3. What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like! Check out my pinterest board: Agents and Assassins

none of the images are mine, i found them on pinterest

ditto the previous caption

I made this on Polyvore

4. Introduce us to each of your characters! The main characters are: John Fletcher 21-year-old photographer, ran away from home on his best friend's airplane, a bit clueless and apathetic, does as he's told. Naya Law; easily angered, young woman, hates incompetence, been an agent since teen years. Cary Hitchcock; friendly, focused, young man, agent, captain of the team that Naya is on. Gigi Taylor, (I haven't written her yet, but she is awesome. No one is allowed to know anything about her just yet.). 

5. How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?) I usually hang out with the characters in my head and watch them in my imagination until I have enough material to work with for a while.

6. What are you most looking forward to about this novel? The twists. And the emotional and/or dark scenes. I love these characters, so I'm looking forward to spending time with them. :)

7. List 3 things about your novel’s setting. Planes. Deserts. Secret bases.

8. What’s your character’s goal and who (or what) stands in the way? John's goal is to stop the evil mastermind. What stands in his way is the fact that he is untrained and doesn't have the knowledge or skill necessary.  

9. How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel? He becomes an agent (maybe), and gets more emotionally balanced.

10. What are your book’s themes? How do you want readers to feel when the story is over? I guess the themes are: Working through hardship. Friendship. Learning to live with a great sorrow. Helping others though trauma. 

I want readers to be inspired to reach their goal. Whether that goal is saving the world, or saving a friend, or saving themselves. 

Thank you for coming on this adventure with me! 

And if you're new to my blog, be sure to have a look around, and drop me a comment!

See you later! 

Day 7: Kayla's 31 Days Of October Challenge, continues.

I feel as though I need to explain a couple things about this challenge. The books I that I'm posting about, I have read, but am not currently reading, I'm not trying to read a book in a day (even I'm not that good).
I guess that was the only thing...

And so it continues!
Day 6:

A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse

Day 7:

The Young Carthaginian by G.A. Henty

I didn't post yesterday because I by the time I had the time I was really struggling with depression, and I couldn't type. But I'm better at the moment, so yay! I can put this up now!

Later today I will be dressing up as this guy!:

For something or other, I don't really understand, but it's to support the arts so I'm game.

Have a wonderful day everyone!

#kaylas31daysofoctoberchallenge

5 out of 31 - October Challenge

Day 5 Of: Kayla's 31 Days Of October Challenge!

(so far, I'm the only one doing this... oh well...)

Today's book is a 'riches-to-rags-and-back-to-riches' story about a little girl with a very strong imagination.

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett:

#kaylas31daysofoctoberchallenge

And today's clothing ensemble:

In other news... well... there really isn't any other news... I'm exceedingly busy, and kinda very worn out. And at this particular moment, I'm struggling emotionally... nothing out of the ordinary, but it's still tough to deal with.

Are any of y'all going to be participating in NaNoWriMo this year?

I plan on it, but I haven't decided what I'll be working on.

Day 4: Double The Fun!

Kayla's 31 Days Of October continues! And today you get double the fun! (Because I missed posting yesterday...)

Sorry for that. I was not home, therefore unable to get it ready and done.
I guess I really ought to just have these pre-prepared... but how much more fun is it to just make it up as you go along? Answer: A lot.

So here are yesterday's and today's:

Books:
Oct 3rd - Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Oct 4th - The House At Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne

Polyvore sets:

Let me know what you think! And if you have any questions, be sure to put them in the comments!
See you tomorrow!
#kaylas31daysofoctoberchallenge

Day 2 - October's 31 Days

Day 2 of the Kayla's 31 Days Of October Challenge!
And just to be clear, there is no deadline if you want to join me in doing this. You can start at anytime.

Today's Book: The Fault In Our Stars - by John Green
This book is so good! As soon as I finished it I wanted to start it over. And so I expect I will be re-reading very soon.

And Today's Polyvore Set:

I am enjoying this very much. Maybe it will help me with getting blog inspiration.

Anyway! Just so you aren't getting a tiny post everyday, I will also be sharing my thoughts on things, or sharing info on my characters, because I realize that I haven't talked about any of my stories in quite some time.

Here's a few sentences about October:

"October Second" the calendar declared, not quite as excitedly as it had said "October First" but with more cheer than it would say "October Third."
The coffee mug on the counter giggled about the falling leaves, and the candle on the table sang of apples and pumpkins.



If you have any questions you want to hear my answer to, please put them in the comments and I will answer them in the next post.

October's 31 Days

On this, the first day of October, I have an announcement of sorts.

feel free to steal this image to use on your own blogs
I made it using Pixlr

I am creating a challenge called Kayla's 31 Days of October.
Here are the rules:

• Step 1 - pick a topic e.g. books, music, art, movies, people, food, etc...
• Step 2 - every day post a picture of, or, write a blog post about something related to your topic and mark it with the hashtag #Kaylas31DaysOfOctoberChallenge 
• Step 3 - if you write a blog post for the challenge, put a link to it in the comments!

I will be participating using two topics, books - on Instagram - and Polyvore clothing sets that I'll be putting together. And then I will use my blog to show both in one place.

Today's Polyvore outfit:

And the book of the day: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and other stories - by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Loved and Lost

Words that are so frequently quoted that I fear that people no longer stop to think it through before they just simply agree... 

It is better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all.

I don’t know what was going through the mind of Tennyson when he wrote that. I don’t know the context of that phrase. Or if he meant it. Or if he was speaking only for himself; or for the whole of humanity.

It is better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all.

I disagree. For to love, is to hurt. And I don't like pain. You may try to argue with me, but believe me, all loves hurt, if only when the object of that love leaves, or dies, or in any other way ends.  But love will continue on - except maybe for the lucky ones, where it was the love and not the object that died, but then... can that really be called love? - it will stubbornly continue to make life difficult, and sometimes downright miserable. How can it be better to live with pain, when the other choice is: never feel the joy that causes the pain.

It is better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all.

Even temporary separation hurts, only when you are with someone you love are you likely to feel the happiness.

On the other hand, perhaps "better" is not something for me to decide or understand. Maybe there is something to be gained that I have not discovered... 

I wouldn't give up love now that I have it, but I think I would rather never to felt it at all. For without love, there is no pain, no fear. 

But is a painless life worth living?

Is a love-filled life worth hurting over?

Do I love? Yes. I love a lot of people. And I don't love halfheartedly... so perhaps that is why it hurts. Perhaps that is why I'm scared. Scared of "loved and lost". Scared of being the only one to fall. Scared of being the last one to lose. 






[If you gained any knowledge or pleasure from this, please share with your friends, family, acquaintances, school mates, co-workers, stalkers, pets, etc...]

Here goes nothing...

Do you have something to live for?

It's not a simple question. At least, to me it's not. But it's one that should be asked.

Without a reason to live... 

well...

we'll die.

Maybe not physically die. Maybe someone can trudge through life, without ever living... but to me, that sounds like hell.

Do you have someone live for?

I do... in fact... without these very special someones, I honestly don't think I'd still be here... They are the reason that I don't want to die... they are my reason for fighting the depression, the reason I don't give in. They show me the joy in life, and the worth in having a passion.

Yeah, I love what I do, but... what matters more to me: 

Is who I do it with.

Without them, the fire within me would have starved... a long time ago... possibly before most of you even knew me.

They are my survival. 

So I hope they realize just how much they mean to me...

And I hope they believe me when I say...

That I love them.

And I will forever thank God that I know them... that they are in my life.

I couldn't stand to lose them. 

So if I ever tell you that you aren't allowed to die. Or that dying first is my job.

Know that I'm not joking. 

~ Kayla Rose Arnold

I just googled 'most beautiful picture of space'

the photos are not mine. I got them off of google

...Something... and an announcement...

Hey y'all!
I have done a lot more resting lately, which means my occasionally great eloquence is starting to return to me; SO maybe I will start writing magnificent posts on deep and quizzical topics! But until that happens, you'll just have to be satisfied by this kind of post.

What have I been up too?

I have recently been listening - almost exclusively - to the band Twenty One Pilots. I love all of their songs but some of my favorites are 'Car Radio' 'Heathens' 'Stressed Out' 'Ode To Sleep' and 'Migrane'. The songs are brilliant and I connect to them so completely - which doesn't happen often.

I have also recently watched three Bollywood movies: 'Student Of The Year' 'Dostana' and 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania'. I loved all of them.

School has begun again, and that is keeping me busy.
So are the two shows I'm in right now, the "Footloose" shadowcast, and "Sweeney Todd: the demon Barber of Fleet Street"! I'm in the ensemble for both, and it's a lot of work.

Also! I have an announcement to make! I have started up another blog! The Adventures of Luna Aquafall! It is blog for a fictional persona of mine named (you guessed it!) Luna Aquafall. She is a soon-to-be time-and-space traveler/explorer. And the blog is her way of documenting the adventures. So go check it out!

May Art Take You Over

Here I sit, listening to Beethoven, sketching anatomical hearts and lungs, pondering over the anime "Your lie in April", and creating thoughts that - at the moment - feel like they could one day become famous quotes.


So I decided to make use of this moment, in more than just enjoying it. I want to share it.


In this moment, I am at peace...
... It's something I haven't felt in quite a while.

In order to put out art, one must intake art...
... You can only move if your vehicle is properly fueled.

And you need a reason to create...
... Whether it be a person, place, thing, or idea.

Some art is to lose yourself in...
... Some is meant for finding yourself...
    ... And some is for finding others...

Some forms of art are there for when you need to whisper, scream, or shout, without so much as a word. And others are there to paint a soul with sound, be it with words or just instrumentation.

Go see art. Go listen to art. Dance it. Feel it. Smell it. Taste it. Love it. Hate it. Buy it. Sell it. Move it. Make it. Live it. Let it fully encompass you. Allow it to embrace you. Let art swell into every crack in your heart, mind, and soul. Let it hurt. Let it fill you with joy. May it make you laugh, make you scream, make you smile, and make you cry. May it move you to feel every emotion. Let it move your body.

May art take you over.