Liebster Award + A to Z Theme Reveal

Happy Monday, friends! I hope the start to your spring is much more relaxing than mine. Senior year, college stuff, and work are far scarier and more demanding than the monsters that lived in my closet in days of yore. Prayers for energy and focus and peace would be much appreciated.

I was recently nominated for the Liebster Award by Abi from over at The Left-Handed Typist. Abi is incredibly sweet, funny, and left handed. Also, she has a very sincere, fresh writing style, so definitely check out her blog. Despite my admiration for the amazing Abi, I have to break the rules a bit by not actually nominating anyone. However, I did come up with questions, so if you want to answer in the comments or on your blog, that would be sweet!

1. What's the story behind your blog's name?

I started AM Station the summer before my freshman year of high school (coming up on four years!). I don't really remember how the name came into play...I remember sitting on my bedroom floor in PA, figuring out the formatting with my (very obliging) cousin. I feel like my dad suggested a name that lead to "AM Station"...or maybe he just flat out suggested it...either way, I guess he gets some credit. Obviously, it's a play off of FM or AM radio, and since my name is Anne Marie...it works.

2. What is your favorite stage of writing?

Ah, such a great (and hard) question! I love all the stages for different reasons. I'll go with first draft. I love planning and plotting and then finally being able to let the characters and story just come to life.

3. Where/in what conditions do you write the best?

No one can be around. I don't work well when there are people around me because I feel like someone is always staring at me. Doesn't matter if it's in my living room or in a coffee shop, I'm just too distracted. Besides that, there really isn't any other criteria. I usually write in my bedroom, which is bright yellow, at my purple desk right at my window, which overlooks a pretty decent size woods. 

4. What is a country you would like to visit?
England. I love English culture and accents and a decent percent of my blood is English.

5. What is your favorite historical period?

I like too many! I really like the 20s, 40s, and 50s.

6. What is your favorite dessert?

I'm actually somewhat picky about desserts. If I'm going to consume the calories, it's got to be worth it. Dry donuts and cakey brownies are the worst. Also I can't stand overly sugary frosting and cake that isn't moist. Not the biggest crunchy cookie fan either. And don't even get me started on pies...I cannot do pie crust. Apple, fruit, whatever. Blueberry is kind of okay. I would have to say ice-cream is one place where I am rarely disappointed. Except this past summer, my dad kept getting all of this ice-cream from a local ice-cream place that was in their mess-up freezer...kind of tasted like creamy cardboard plastic.

7. What's the furthest you've ever been from home?

Destin, Florida, which is fourteen hours away. We went on vacation there this past November and it was incredible.

8. What is your earliest memory?

Hmm...earliest. I'm just going to tweak it to "early". My first bed was a king size (since then, I downgraded to a double, then a twin, and now I'm back up to a queen) that literally took up the majority of my bedroom. Anyway. I remember very vividly lining up my multitudes of stuffed animals and dolls and telling them stories. Also, the staircase to the attic/playroom was in my bedroom, and I was convinced that Michael Alvin (a bad guy of my imagination) lived up there. As long as I was under my covers with my buddies, though, I was safe.

9. What is your happy place?

My happy place is anywhere in prayer. If I can be in the presence of Jesus...what more could I ask for?

10. If you could pick one author/screenwriter to meet, who would it be?
Jane Austen.

11. What is your favorite book adapted movie/show?

Pride and Prejudice. The BBC version.

Now, for my questions:
1. Favorite ice-cream flavor?
2. Awkward/embarrassing childhood hobby?
3. Crazy dream job (un-writing related)?
4. Fine point or ultra fine point sharpie?
5. Current favorite song?
6. Captain America or Iron Man?
7. Favorite scene in current WIP?
8. Who is Jesus Christ to you?
9. Flip-flops or sneakers in the summer?
10. Write me a poem.
11. Post a picture of a hair cut that you want but would be too scared to ever get.

There you have it!

WAIT! Don't leave yet, there's more!

For the second year in a row, I'm doing the A TO Z CHALLENGE! Which is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done, since I'm already drowning in all sorts of deadlines that have serious implications for my future. Plus I had a great theme idea and I've prayed a lot about it so I am going to do my best to get it done!

(For those unaware, the A to Z is a challenge where bloggers attempted to blog thematically from the letter "a" to "z" every day in April, save Sundays.)

So....theme music. For my theme reveal. The reveal of my theme. My theme's reveal. The reveal which corresponds to my theme.

Ahem.

EVERYTHING I LEARNED IN HIGH SCHOOL: Letters to my High School Self

Well, maybe not everything I've learned...but the biggies. Senior year has brought out so much reflectiveness (not a word, whatever, I didn't learn to spell in high school obviously) in my self, which is saying a lot, because I'm a pretty reflective person. Anyway, I have had a very unique (or at least, I like to think so) high school experience and have been looking for an opportunity to dive into my story.

What will you see if you chose to stick around during April? You'll see the grace of God at work, and all of the tears, heartbreak, laughter, and joy that it brings.

Like I wrote in my last post, we have to tell our stories. We simply have to. God gave them to use for a reason, a long with words and fingers to write. So, dear friends, I hope you'll read my stories...they are my gift to you.

Have a blessed Holy Week.

Reflections

I woke up on May first feeling as though I was forgetting something.

Something was missing, there was something I had to do...oh wait, no there wasn't. It wasn't April anymore, and I didn't have to do a mad-dash and type out a bunch of words and prayed that somehow would make sense. Sometimes they did, sometimes I probably just thought they did. Happens.

This was my first year doing the A-Z Challenge.

I honestly don't know why I signed up for it. Perhaps mostly to get into posting more regularly and leave behind the sporadic posting schedule. Additionally, networking was definitely appealing to me. I LOVE meeting other people on the same writing journey as myself coupled with wonderful blogs.

The people I have been privileged to interact with as a result of the A-Z Challenge completely blow me away. I'm so impressed by their talent and dedication. Shout outs to just a few of my new favorite blogs:

• A Writer's Musings 
• Cortney Pearson
• The Faux Fountain Pen
• Write With Fey
• Jay Noel
• Pearson Report

There are so many more, and I hope to share them with you in the coming days.

Going into it, I knew it was going to be hard-to-impossible for me to post on some days. And turns out, it was. Some days got longer posts than others and some even got guest posts (thanks again to Faith, Anna, Becca, Jess, and Jen!) and there was even one that just got a link to a post. But I managed to come out even in the end.

I'm glad that I picked "writing" as my theme. It helped me organize my thoughts pertaining to writing. It provided some awesome self-reflection time for me, and I was able to evaluate my personal writing beliefs. I discovered that I did have a mental list of "rules" (some firm though some flimsy) though I didn't really know it. Furthermore, I discovered things that I subconsciously believe, which was kind of weird.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much, darling readers. Your comments never fail to inspire me and make me smile. I write for myself and it never ceases to amaze me that people like it! You encourage me to keep going, to never give up on my dreams...so thank you.

Around here, you can expect me to be posting two to three times a week. Well, at least, I'm going to see how that schedule works out through the month of May and then reevaluate. I'm planning on doing writing related posts on Mondays, book (and perhaps movie and music) reviews on Wednesdays and posts about my life on Fridays.

Love you guys. Thanks for empowering me, encouraging me, and never failing to make my day better. I can't wait to put each and every one of your names into the acknowledgements page on my book some day.

How was the A-Z for you? If you didn't do it, do you think you might next year?

How To Kill A Character: Or Rather, Why

Welcome to yet another post from AM Station for the A-Z Challenge...no, kids, we're not done yet! Still have...a lot more days to go...so...much...blogging...

I am TIRED. So much blogging lately. I have to admit, my MS has been suffering this month due to my attentiveness to my blog. But that's fine, as I've definitely neglected my dusty little corner of the internet in the past, so I suppose I'm making up for it. I'm certainly proud to have made it this far, and it's been such a blessing to have interacted with so many incredible bloggers!

So, How To Kill A Character, as told by Anne Marie Schlueter.

First of all, consider your motive(s). Why are you killing your character? Because it's fun? You morbid person...I like you ;) Is it because J.K. Rowling killed Snape and you just have to take your anger out on SOMEONE and ruin his/her life like Rowling ruined yours?! SAME. Or perhaps because it's just something that's done in writing? I can relate.

Like everything we write, we need a reason. We need a good, solid, realistic reason for every single action that our characters make, for everything we authors throw their way. We need to take into account how this one action is going to affect each character and, of course, the story in its entirety. Basically, we need a pretty good reason to oft a character.

The reasons previously listed are not good reasons. I confess, I've bought into them before. Especially the second one (*whimper* But Snape....). However, they are quite shallow excuses for ending a life(even a fictional one). Our stories deserve better, as do our characters. I used to just kill my characters just because, perhaps for the shock factor or something. While death is a part of life (which is what books are about typically, right), there is a time and a place for death.

When I decide to kill a character, I consider a few different things. First, am I doing this just to surprise my readers? Second, is this furthering the story in some way, in particular, is it furthering character development? Third, is it necessary for the character to be alive in order to advance the plot? Fourth, is the death realistic?

If the answers to these questions lead me to the murder of a character, then I begin to consider how each character will react in a way that suits their respective personalities. People do crazy things when in grief...the craziness can be turned up or down, too, depending on the timing and gruesomeness of the death. Be sure to take that into account. Also, if cheesy dialogue is something you struggle with (my dialogue is the worst when my characters find out about a death), try reading it out loud to see how it sounds.

Lastly, I figure out how my characters will each handle the baggage of the death long-term. Pretty self-explanatory.

As previously stated, death is a part of real life. Therefore, for our writing to be realistic, we must have a place for death. Just be careful not to overuse it, and to think through the reasons why. The book Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is a great example of how death affects characters differently. It is definitely worth a read, for many reasons, but certainly character development being one of them.

While we're on the subject of death, here's a cool infograph on how to cover up a murder.

What are some reasons you kill your characters?

A-Z Challenge: THEME REVEAL!

Guys, I've done it. I've excepted the challenge.

*gulp*

ARE Y'ALL READY FOR THIS?!?!! Because I'm not!!

This April, I'm doing the A-Z CHALLENGE. Time to get alphabetical! I'm so excited about this, however daunting blogging every single day seems to me. Oh well! I'm a writer, I live outside the comfort zone. I'll take it one day at a time.

I'll be honest with you, if coming up with a theme is the easiest part of this whole blogging thing, I am so done. For weeks, I couldn't come up with ANYTHING. Finally, though, I had a light bulb moment and figured it out.

Don't get too excited. Please, stay in your seats.

THE THEME OF AM STATION FOR THE A-Z CHALLENGE 2015 IS...

*drum roll*

*deep breath*

*cell phone goes off*

*more deep breathing*

*ahem*

WRITING!

I can practically feel your thoughts right now.

Wow. Original. 

*bows and hastily exits the stage to avoid tomatoes*

BEFORE YOU JUDGE...well, one, you shouldn't be judging because this is a blog about writing. It's a blog about a lot of things, actually, but most posts usually circle back to the writing aspect of my life. It's right there in the description.

TUNE INTO THE LIFE OF A CATHOLIC TEENAGE WRITER.

(MAN I AM ON A ROLL WITH THIS CAPS LOCK STUFF TODAY.)

I am going to be blogging about things that inspire my writing, rules I follow, my writing challenges and how I deal with them, and much, much more. Hopefully, I'll be able to provide you with fresh insights and make you laugh. Or at least smile. Or snort air violently from your nose. I'll settle.

SO! Be sure to check back on APRIL FIRST for the first post! I was going to tell you the first topic, but nope, you'll have to wait and see.

Oh, get over it. Stop biting your nails in anticipation. You'll survive.

Or maybe you won't. If not knowing is truly affecting your health, please drop me a line and let me know. I probably still won't tell you. JOKING! Maybe.

Also, slightly unrelated...

BIG THINGS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF ANNE MARIE NEXT MONTH (A.K.A. APRIL):

1. Easter! 
2. Family visiting from where I used to live! (BEST. THING. EVER.)
3. Finally making a TEC Retreat! (I am so so so so excited! Going back to my hometown for it!!!!)
4. Share-a-thon fundraiser at the radio station where I intern!
5. There was one more thing...what was it...

OH RIGHT. MY 17TH BIRTHDAY! Woot woot. April 24, darlings!

Okay, that's all for now, folks. Thank you for putting up the major sass queen that is Anne Marie. Y'all rock, can't WAIT for April!

Submission Roller Coaster: Special Announcement!!!

If you've ever submitted writing, you know all about the Submission Roller Coaster.  For those of you who haven't experienced this up-and-down-and-all-around ride, let me enlighten you.

While writing the piece, you're going up up up up, only able to see the clouds. A tremendous sensation of "absolutely anything can happen" (complete with Ellie Golding singing in your ear) fills your entire being. All of a sudden you're done writing and revising and then you're teetering on the very top of a hill. Just as you hit the send button on the email containing your masterpiece, all that you can think is "WHY DID I DO THAT?!"

Followed by "I'M NEVER WRITING ANYTHING AGAIN IN MY LIFE OH MY GOSH WHAT POSSESSED ME TO DO THIS I CAN'T WRITE I CAN'T WRITE WHY DID I EVER THINK I COULD?!" Butterflies explode in your stomach as you race down the track, absolutely positive that you'll fall and hit the pavement below you.

But then. . .miraculously, you're going up a hill again. Maybe I'm not a fail. Maybe they'll publish it. Maybe J.K. Rowling will see it and offer to help get me a publishing deal for my book. Maybe Tom Hiddleston will see it and fall madly in love with me. Maybe. . .maybe. . .maybe. . .

And then just like that (whoosh), you're flying downward again. "OH MY GOSH I'M MOVING TO ANTARCTICA WHERE THERE ARE NO PEOPLE AND NO INTERNET AND I WILL LIVE IN SHAME WITH ONLY POLAR BEARS AS COMPANY UUUGGGHHH."

Next, you're upside down, sure that you're going to die and live at the same time. Maybe someone will fund my entire writing career. "NOPE I'M GONNA DIE GONNA DIE GONNA DIEEEE!!" Maybe I'll change someone's life. "NOPE SOMEONE IS GOING TO SHOW UP AT YOUR HOUSE WITH A GUN AND FORCE YOU NEVER TO WRITE ANOTHER WORD AGAIN."

Sorry, guys. I'm a major drama queen.

This whole cycle repeats itself a few more times and then it's over, either ended by a acceptance or a rejection, or by just plain forgetfulness.

Anyway. . .

I submitted an article the Life Teen blog (I blogged about one of their posts here) back in April (thus boarding the Submission Roller Coaster). This blog is so incredible and has helped me grow so much as a person over the past few years. They were looking for articles from teens, so I submitted one. Yikes. Needless to say, it was a rough few weeks following the submission.

By the end of April, I had completely forgotten about it. The musical I was in, plus general end-of-year stuff, pushed it out of my mind. Or maybe I made myself forget about it because I thought I'd made a mistake in submitting it.

So it was to my great delight and surprise when I received an email from the ultra-amazing Christina Mead of Life Teen this past Monday, apologizing that it had taken so long to get back to me and that she'd love to publish my post!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course, I screamed (#dramaqueen). I mean, it's not a huge deal, but it's a slightly big deal. Life Teen has changed and impacted so many lives (including mine) so the fact that God could potentially use my writing to bring His love to someone is totally humbling.

Side story-- my sister came running into my room after I screamed with a box of tissues saying "Oh my gosh, you are such a baby, where is it?!"

"Where is what?"

"The spider. Isn't that why you screamed?"

Hahaha. Very funny.

So head on over to Life Teen to read my post and let me know what you think!

What I've Been Up To

Hello, dear readers. So sorry that I've been a bit MIA. Things have been sort of crazy in my formally quiet little life. Well, actually, my life has never been what one might call quiet. However, if I had been cruising along the highway of life at 60 MPH, now it's more like 120 MPH.

Let me enlighten you. Here's what's been going on in my reading/writing world:

1. I have been reading a lot more, which I am quite pleased about, considering how crazy things are. I'm still not reading as much as I was when I was homeschooled, but I have been reading more than I did in the beginning of the year. I'm currently reading Scarlet, book 2 in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. LOVED book 1, Cinder-- definitely a book that will be reviewed soon=) But I might have to shelf Scarlet for a bit because my hold on Requiem (book 3 in the Delirium series by Lauren Oliver) just came in! I've been DYING to read it.

2. I mentioned before that I'm working on a new story. Progress on that is slow, but it's coming along. I'll try and post an excerpt soon. That leads me to thing number 3. . .

3. Preparations for Camp Nanowrimo! I'm going to camp this April because I really want to write the mentioned story. I'm absolutely in love with my characters already and I'm really enjoying writing their story. I've never done Camp Nano, but I think it would be a great way to help my story along. Plus, my birthday is in April, so Nano is the best present ever!


Now, here's what's been going on with everything else:

1. Toledo. I mentioned before that we're moving, which is crazy stuff in itself. Selling our house, buying a house, and registering in a new school (I'm SUPER excited about this new school, just thought I'd throw that out there) has been demanding most of my family's time. Even though I guess I personally don't have to sell our house or buy one, it still weighs heavily on my mind. Which is sort of dumb, considering that there's nothing I can do about it.

2. School, meh. Pretty self-explanitory. I've been working crazy hard to keep my grades up because of this new school I'll be going to.


And here's a sneak peak at some things coming soon on AM Station:

1. Cinder/Scarlet book review! Already spoke a bit about that, stay tuned!

2. Guest post! I'm pretty sure Perks of Being a Wallflower is going to be reviewed, but more on that later.

3. Camp Nanowrimo updates! I highly encourage you to take part in this upcoming camp. It sounds like it's going to be AMAZING!

Thanks for reading, guys. You all seriously rock my world-- thank you for taking the time to read my blog=)