Born from the Ashes (Again)

and again.
and again.
and again.

I bet we're all tired of hearing me say that I'm back. Right?

SO, guess what, guys and gals, I have finally gotten around to buying a new laptop!!

<insert some cute picture of party hats and confetti.>

Shh.. just use your imagination, I don't have a cute enough photo! ;]

Anyway, I can't start working on my wattpad stories until I yank the hard drive from my poor deciesed laptop child.
(Let's all have a moment of silence for past electronics.)

I also need to buy a case for the drive so that I can use it as an external drive in order to get to the files on that hard drive. Until then, I've started working on a few little things to keep all my lovely wattpad followers happy.

I hope that everyone is as excited as I am to get back into the swing of writing. My life didn't feel quite the same without it, but now that I'm writing again, I already feel better, more level headed.

Thanks so much for all of your support guys!
-Mason

Music to Write to: BANKS - Goddess

Music to Write to: BANKS - Goddess

Why hello there again guys and gals. I'm here today with another album to review in my 'Music to Write to' column.

First things first, Jillian Rose Banks, AKA, BANKS, is a relatively new artist who has basically only been on the scene since 2013; however, she has apparently been writing music since the age of fifteen. 

(Thank you Wikipedia.)

She currently has two extended plays: Fall Over & London as well as her debut album Goddess. If you can't tell, I'm going to be reviewing her debut album; though, I highly recommend that everyone go check out her EPs as well!

Goddess was released on September 5th, 2014 through Harvest Records. 

So far, the album contains four singles: Brain, Goddess, Drowning, and Begging for Thread.

Two promotional singles have also been released: Change and Alibi.

The standard version of the album has fourteen songs in its track list while the deluxe edition has a total of eighteen. I will be reviewing the deluxe edition because, well, I can. (:

The album opens with Alibi.

Alibi is definitely a strong song to start with. BANKS' vocals stay on the higher spectrum, and I have to say that she sounds lovely. Her voice is smokey, often dark despite the pitch, and this gives the song a lovely contrast in feel. 

She sings, "I promise I'm usually better than this, and now I can't even recognize myself anymore; you turned me into this."

As the album continues, it quickly becomes blatantly evident that this gal has some serious writing talent to back her up. A quick check to Wikipedia shows me that BANKS is credited as a writer for each and every song on the album. 

By the time, This is What it Feels Like rolls around, you find yourself bumping with the rhythm, following each and every word she spills through the air. BANKS holds the ability to make you feel how each and every line of her songs is supposed to be felt, and I deeply enjoy every moment of it.

The album ends on Under the Table on the standard edition; however, on the deluxe edition, the closing song is Bedroom Wall. Both tracks are incredibly strong; though, I admit that I favor the latter. 

"You know how I see you; we should be one. 'Cause I already told you, baby. Last time I tried to sing you this song, couldn't get the words out, baby. My arms are open for you, look at me now." 

In Bedroom Wall, she embraces the love she's been so torn about during the album's journey. Despite Goddess having such a lusciously dark tone, BANKS' vocals carry so much more emotion than pain. Her range is phenomenal.

On a whole, I HIGHLY recommend this album. It's a beautiful piece of work that breathes life into a stagnant pool of over-processed pop queens and princesses. I promise that you won't regret the decision!

Favorite Tracks:  Goddess, Waiting Game, Brain, Stick, Fuck Em Only We Know, Drowning, Change, Warm Water, Fall Over, Before I Ever Met You, Bedroom Wall.

Least Favorite Track: None. I can't find a single track that I don't like!!

Rating: * * * * * (out of 5 *'s)

Please support this lovely artist by purchasing this album! I have included the iTunes link, and I will do so again!

BANKS is going to be a lovely addition to my ever growing writing playlist!

Let me know what you guys and gals think of the album! What was your favorite song? Thanks so much for reading!

- With love, Mason

I'm Not Dead!!

PHEWWWWWWWWWWWWW

So, life has been sort of a strange, new lately. My boyfriend and I separated from our friend and old roommate, packed up our tiny apartment, and moved in with our collective BEST FRIEND into a tiny old house!

It's been an adjustment.
moneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoney

That's for sure.

I have been promoted at my place of work, and my boyfriend is making more money as well at his new job, so everything is coming together nicely but slowly.
Very slowly.

Speaking of my lovely boyfriend, he's actually buying me a laptop! (I'm currently bumming his.) So, I'm super douper excited to get back into the swing of writing, blogging, youtubing.
The whole shabang.

I actually have a pile of albums that I'm listening through in order to prepare some new music reviews for you guys.

Thanks (always and forever) for being so patient with me. It really means the world!!

My Forced Hiatus has Ended!

Well,
My laptop is finally back up and running well enough that I can FINALLY SIT DOWN AND WRITE!

It's a wonderful feeling, and to celebrate, I've already put up the newest chapter for The Skinny Boy Tales!

:D

I'm so happy to be back!

Sneak Peak :D

I'm working on the beginnings of a BRAND NEW STORY! It's going to be my first MATURE manxman story, and I'm pretty pumped about it!!

I don't want to talk about it too much, but to the ones that follow my blog, I'm going to share with you the working cover. This is subject to change, but right now, it's the one I'm planning on using <3

What do you think about it? Hm? hehe
Love you all!
-Mason

Just a Little Update (:

I'm still baffled by the support I've received so far from my Wattpad Family!

To date (11/6/2012):

I've reached over 300 fans!

I'm also super excited to say that I've reached WAY over 1k votes!

My stories have also done very well! I'm beyond excited that my stories are doing as well as they have! You guys are the ABSOLUTE best!

Imaginary

Souls Entwined

The Skinny Boy Tales

Falling

As Time Proceeds

I write for all of you, and I have lots of new ideas JUST FOR YOU guys and gals!
I love you all!
- Mason

Imaginary Update (:

As of this morning, I logged onto wattpad to find that my story Imaginary is now at 19k reads and working towards twenty thousand reads!

I never thought this would be possible <3

Thank you all so very much!

Also, updates will be a little slow due to the fact that I'm visting my best friend in Colorado(:
Forgive me?

Behind the Scenes: Imaginary

I have finished my first story on wattpad here, and as promised, I'm going to share a little extra information about this story for my lovely readers!

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
Please read the story first before reading this post! here 

To being with, the idea for Imaginary came from a dream I had and a conversation I shared with one of my bestest friends.
I never NEVER planned for Imaginary to become more than a 2 or 3 chapter short story, but shortly after I began planning it out, I realized how much I really loved the idea of a shut-in being in love with his childhood imaginary friend.

After I created the characters and began writing for Tyler, I fell in love with the relationship between Tyler and Jerry. As toxic as it was for Tyler, Jerry was his absolute everything.

Do I even need to mention Daniel? In short, he is perfectly imperfect but absolutely perfect for Tyler.

As you know, the story is ended with an upbeat air, and the two of them are happy and looking forward to their lives together, but my biggest secret about Imaginary is the fact that the REAL ending, the ORIGINAL ending I planned out for Tyler, Jerry, and Daniel was far different than what I wrote.

In the original ending, Tyler doesn't get a happy ending. He sees his father with Daniel and loses his mind, shatters into a thousand pieces, and takes his own life.
In death, Tyler finally finds peace, and Daniel is left alone in the world, slowly becoming a hermit, scared to leave his own home, eventually choosing to take his own life in hopes that he can once again have Tyler in his life.

Twisted, huh?

Overall, I changed the ending because once I started writing, I couldn't break Tyler and Daniel up. The idea literally made me sick to my stomach, so I gave Tyler what he wanted instead. He gets his happy life and the opportunity to have an even better life with children. <3

I am so happy to have shared this experience with you all. Thank you all, and in a little under two months, I've had a story nearly reach 8k, and I have over 100 fans.
Thank you. Thank you.

THANK YOU
- Mason

Mason's Tips for Writer's Block

I have noticed that quite a few people on wattpad complain about writer's block.

I totally agree that writer's block is one of the most crippling things a writer can experience if you let it cripple you.

Click Pickover's Tips for Writers has quite a bit of useful information if you would like to check it out, but I am going to compile a list of things that help me get through writer's block.

1. Take a step away from your work.
      If you find yourself absolutely stuck on your writing, and you're pulling your hair out in sheer and utter frustration, simply take a step back. Give yourself a little break, but don't let the break transform into anything much longer than a few hours.
     The main goal is to get past whatever is blocking your writing, not ignore it.

2. Reread what you have written to pinpoint exactly where you are stuck.
     This will help you isolate the exact point in your writing that is bothering you. In my case, when I get writer's block, it's because there is a specific part in my writing that I don't like or I believe doesn't work. All I have to do is rework my writing until I like it.
     This takes time, but in the end it's totally worth it.
3. (This one is my favorite) Listen to music that inspires you.
     This is more of a tip to avoid writer's block all together. When writing, I listen to my musical muses, and I highly recommend that every single writer out there sit down and find music that inspires you.
     In my case, I listen to Milla Jovovich, Marina & the Diamonds, Ellie Goulding, Florence & the Machine, Tori Amos, and Lana Del Rey. Something about the combination of their music just keeps me going, and it honestly helps me avoid writer's block completely.

I hope this help any of you, and if you have any questions, please drop them in the form of a comment(:
Also, if you have any tips for writer's block, please share them below :D
We could all benefit from it <3

Imaginary: My First

If you are coming here from Wattpad, I am sure you have read this story of mine (considering it is the most popular story I have up at the moment).
If you haven't, here is the link :D
http://www.wattpad.com/story/1766778-imaginary-boyxboy

I finished writing the whole story two days ago, and I am in the process of uploading the last few chapters to my account, and I have to say that I'm actually rather sad about the whole thing. Honestly, it's more of a bittersweet sadness, but it's still a sadness.

I joined the Wattpad community less than two months ago, and I have already been gifted a story that has reached over 5000 reads! and over 80 'fans', and I believe I owe it to this story.

This is why I'm sad to wrap it all up and tuck in all the corners. Imaginary was my first, and may possibly be my favorite; however, I am definitely looking forward to the future with my new story ideas and sharing them all with you.

Thank you all for making this a wonderful experience with me, and don't forget to keep checking up on Imaginary and my new story Souls Entwined http://www.wattpad.com/story/1836835-souls-entwined-boyxboy

This story will become my main focus once I finish Imaginary (: