Updates and Interview

Hi peoples!

Sorry I've been M.I.A. Don't you hate when business interferes with everything you want to do? Sheesh.

Well, I have some updates. Today, there's an awesome possum interview with me on Melissa Bradley's blog, Melissa's Imaginarium. Sooo if you have a hankerin' to learn more about me, Glittering Ashes, and maybe my writing process, you can check out the interview there. Thank you, Melissa for having me :)

Also, Don't forget that there's still time to enter yourself in to win a copy of my book Glittering Ashes on Misty's Book Rat blog here. It's open until September 26th, I believe. So fill out the form like a neato person and try your hand at winning, won't you?

I wanted to give a shout out to C.D. Meetens who was kind enough to mention me and Glittering Ashes the other day on the One Little Spark blog. Swoon. It made my day (and Kelley York's who has a super cool looking book coming out called Hushed). Thank you bunches!!!

And, lastly, I also seemed to have won another award, this time from Michelle Helene. YAY :) Thank you much!! Check it out:

Isn't it gorg'?

I know I'm supposed to pass it out, and I want to, but I also don't want to bug people, and since I love my commenters, I want to offer this one to all of y'all who take the time to come here and listen to me blather on :) So feel free to grab it, and I hope everyone who comments takes the time to check out all of the other people who take the time to comment on here. I know I check out everyone, and I almost always like what I see. 

Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Too Lost in You" by the Sugababes. Because, why not? <3 lol

Happy Reading and Writing, y'all :)

Updatin' and Review of Eve by Anne Carey

Hey, peoples :)

First off, thank you for all of the well wishes. You guys (and I may have mentioned this before) are awesome, and I really appreciate you all taking the time to stop by and say hi, even when I was off babysitting for sickies and crossing my fingers I wouldn't catch the sniffles as well.

I want to remind everyone to stop my Misty's blog Book Rat to see my guest post and to enter in for a chance to win a copy of my book Glittering Ashes. I want there to be tons of entries, so please help me with that and put your magic hats on for a chance of winning it. <3

Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled blog post. Today is a review day (and psst, tomorrow is another blog award day because Carrie Butler is awesome possum. Thanks, Carrie!)

 Photo is from Goodreads (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1299396299l/9297774.jpg). I do not own it, and it is only used for review purposes.

Title: Eve

Author: Anne Carey

Source: NetGalley

Publisher: HarperTeen/HarperCollins

Tentative Publication Date: October 4, 2011

Blurb from Goodreads (which I do not own but am using for review purposes only):

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

The Genre: Apocalyptic YA romance. There's been a world plague; disturbing future and romance ensue. Series beginner, I'm sure.(Update: It's a beginner of a trilogy. Cooool beans, y'all.)

The Cover: I like it. I always like covers with actual people that don't show their faces. Faces ruin everything for me. They're never right, or what I have in my head (in my head, they're always cuter). So I like that this title chose to go with the bridge and that font. I'd pick it up based on this cover, wouldn't you?

The Plot: I was worried going into this one. Another YA future tale? Sigh. I had low hopes, but this one had a intriguing beginning that kept me going, even if it did get slow in the middle. Eve was a decent character, slightly weak at times, but good when she needed to be. Some parts were frustrating, but I know those are loose ends that will be tied up in subsequent titles in the series. It's definitely the beginning of the series, so expect some things to be left to be resolved later. There's enough action to keep you moving, and I wasn't bored. In fact, I wanted to get back to reading it when I stopped. That's saying something.

The Romantic Element: Caleb is a good guy. Carey makes it easy for you to like him and cheer for him. There are enough dramatic bits and heart-wrenching bits to make the romance worth reading.

The Carry-on Factor: As this is the beginning of a series, there are things left to wonder about in the next book. I'm sure tons of people will be clamoring to read Eve 2 and 3 and so on. I wouldn't be opposed to read them either lol. It's an interesting take on the storyline of the world gone all crazy.

Overall: I wasn't disappointed by Eve. It kept me entertained more than some other titles I've read that fit the apocalyptic bill. If you liked The Forests of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan or Hollowland by Amanda Hocking (<3ed), this may be up your alley as well. 

Soooo who's excited about this one? Let me know below if you're jonesing for it. 

Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Say It Like You Mean It" by Matchbook Romance off of their Voices album. It's an Amazeballs CD.

Happy Reading and Writing, y'all!!!

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation in exchange for this review. However, there are several Amazon affiliate links within this blog post. 

7 x 7, Baby

Hi, everyone :) First off, I want to thank everyone for the well wishes for my sickie in the house. I have all of the best blog people :)

On that note, I feel completely weird about me not being able to blog hop the past couple of days, today included. I'm about to run out to take said sickie to a doctor's appointment so I can't run around and say hi like I want to. But I will, and I really appreciate you all's comments, so please keep them coming :)

Today, I want to give a special thanks to Krista who has a great writing related blog called I Take the Pen, which you all should check out. She was nice enough to give me this award:

I'm supposed to match a blog post of mine to each descriptor with a link and then give the award to some awesome people. So here goes!

Most beautiful: Most Wanted Book Plots: I'd like to seemore of these please: because I asked for books matching certain criteria, and I received so many responses from so many nice people wanting to help me. It was a beautiful thing.

Most Helpful: I'd say Writtle Me Your Writing Tools, because I gave some people new tools to use with their writing.

Most Popular: According to Blogger, my post popular post right now is 1st Campaigner Challenge. It had a lot of traffic from other great campaigners

Most Controversial: Decision Made/YA sub-genre roll call: Because I announced there my "controversial" decision to self-publish Glittering Ashes

Most Surprisingly Successful: that'd have to go my "most popular" post too, 1st Campaigner Challenge. I couldn't believe all the nice responses!

Most Underrated: It's IFI time!: This was a mini post directing you to an awesome cartoon about the writing industry. It was early on in my blogging career, and I doubt that many people heeded my words about it's greatness lol

Most Prideworthy: I AM NOW (self) PUBLISHED: GlitteringAshes: Because this is the post where I announced Glittering Ashes being launched into the universe :)

That was fun. Thanks again, Krista! Now to give it to well-deserving peoples.

Hmmm….How about:

J.L. Campbell at The Character Depot

The East Coaster at Published in a Year

Jen at A Book, a Girl, a Journey

Becca at Nerd Girl Reads and Writes (an absolute fave of mine since before I started this blog)

Alicia Gregoire at Slice of the Blog Pie

So be sure to check all of these blogs to see their own links, and even if they've already done this award, they will still be directing you to even more awesome people. 

 Psst, Don't forget to stop by The Book Rat for a chance to win a copy of my book Glittering Ashes!!!

Now to leave you with a song to write by...I chose "Wine Red" by The Hush Sound. I know I just did the Hush Sound, but choosing "Lighthouse"  by them somehow got "Wine Red" stuck in my head all of last night. I sang the opening like I was receiving gold coins to do so all around the house. My poor fiance...

Giveaway on Book Rat

Hello, peoples!

This is going to be  short and sweet post because I'm just dropping in. (I'm taking care of a sickie in my house with the flu). I'll be back to commenting on Friday's comments and checking out everyone's blogs really soon :)

But, before I go, I want to tell y'all some awesome news. You all have a another chance to win Glittering Ashes !!! Misty at Book Rat (an awesome possum review blog) was nice enough to let me do a guest post on her blog today, and everyone who fills out a form on the post is entered in a chance to win my book. I'm excited, and you tooootally should be too lol. Tell all of your friends, neighbors, passers-by, bosses, family, acquaintances, and complete strangers all about it! (newspaper boy style, "Extra! Extra!" is what I recommend.) Ha.

So be sure to stop by, seeing Misty's awesome blog, and fill out the form to enter for a chance to win Glittering Ashes   here.

And I have to leave you with a song to write by, "Lighthouse" by The Hush Sound. <3, it's a creepy little lovely sounding story, no?

Happy reading and writing!!!
Oh, and don't forget, Glittering Ashes is available on Amazon in paperback now as well :)