And just to let you know, I tend to put Amazon links to my book within some of the posts, but if you're interested in getting Glittering Ashes from a different vendor, feel free to look at the "My Books" tab above, where I have several links to other places for purchase.
Okay, enough plugging, how are y'all doing? Like always, it's been so many moons since we've spoken. Let me know below so I can blog hop easier!
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Oh Darling" by Plug in Stereo. It's cutesy and indie sounding, no?
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 :)
This is slightly delayed from yesterday as I decided to make yesterday's post a the 1st campaigner challenge :)
Hi, everyone! I hope y'all had a fantabulous holiday weekend. I did. Let's see.
I knitted a handful of squares for my knitted quilt that never ends;
I played badminton like I was being paid for it, against my fiance (we didn't keep score, but I'm betting he won…just a thought);
we had a grill-out, not to be confused with a cookout, because that would involve people outside of my homage, lol;
annnnd I spent way too much time on Urban Threads blog (Ah-mazing) dreaming of being crafty and Pinterest, also dreaming of being crafty.
All in all, I had good times, and I hope you did as well.
Today, I want to do another Q&A with y'all. Really, there are only 2 questions, one to test something that I've been thinking about, and one to…okay they both fall into that category. Fair warning, these questions may be more applicable to my writer readers out there…But I want anyone and everyone to answer :)
1. Does your writing of one thing bleed into you having a passion to write other things? (like lyrics, picture books, scripts, jingles, poetry, tshirts, slogans, etc…)
2. When you mistype/misspell a word a few words back into what you're writing, do you erase back to that word or move your cursor back and fix the error? (I have a theory that these are the only definitive categories of writer types that exist. Lol. You know, maybe…)
Here's my answers to start the ball rolling…
1. YES. My problem is I want to write everything, and I know I will and do. Poetry, script ideas, a want to write children's books too, tshirts, lyrics…I have brain book entries for them all.
2. I erase back if I make a mistake. I know its counterproductive, but it's true. At least I type quickly enough to balance that…
It's your turn below!
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "How Many Times, How Many Lies" by The Pussycat Dolls. I think when I go diva and sing (moving my hands to match whatever octave I pretend to hit), I rock this song.
And on one last final note, thanks for all of the <3 for my flash fiction entry yesterday. I'm really glad you all seemed to like it. I kind of like the restrictions, and I'm thinking about doing a self-pubbed collections of shorts. I don't know if I should make them short stories or a whole bunch of flash fictions. Either way, they'd all be around a central theme. What do you all think? Short stories or flash? Let me know below!
This is my first campaigner challenge! Exciting stuff. It's a flash fiction, which I hadn't done before really. Also exciting.
The rules are:
Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.
If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut." (also included in the word count)
For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!
So here's mine! I'll call it "Held:"
The door swung open. I knew it was him because he was the one who put me in here. The one who locked the door behind him. The one who said he chose me, when I didn't ask for it, when I didn't want him, when I said I wanted to leave.
He came in like the time before. He entered, as silent as winter, and he sat in the corner in the chair that seemed to face me no matter which direction I turned.
I wouldn't be like I was last time. I was done with begging. It meant nothing but a wound to my pride, which was quite possibly the only thing that I had left. I regarded him like he regarded me. The only difference was his glance was predatory, and I was sure mine was curious and laced with hate.
I didn't want him to know I hated him. That truth would come out later.
I was not going to be the one to shatter the silence either. If he wanted conversation, he'd have to pry it from my clenched teeth. But he didn't try, and all I did was watch as the door swung shut.
200 words! Woot.
If you liked it, be sure to vote for me here (linked). I'm entry #169, and you just have to click the "like" button underneath it apparently... Thank you much! :)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. <3
Photo taken from Goodreads for review purposes only (http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1304810997l/9182478.jpg). I do not own this picture.
Hourglass by Myra McEntire
Source: Library
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publication Date: June 14, 2011
Blurb from Goodreads (I do not own this blurb. Used for review purposes only):
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
Genre: YA paranormal, no vamps, werewolves, or demons. It's a YA Time Travel novel. I've never read a time travel novel, YA or otherwise, so this smacked of originality. I'm semi-resistant to a lot of fantasy sounding books, but this wasn't anything like I expected.
The Cover: Really intriguing. I don't know if I would have been dying to read it based on the cover alone, but it does have an "Hmm, let's see what that's about" element. The girl's hair on the cover makes you know something will be off about the book, in a good way. I do like simplistic covers with a new element, and this book cover definitely applies.
The Plot: Emerson (love the name) is going through a lot, namely her parents' deaths and her unwelcome ability to see people from other time periods at inopportune moments. She's fed up with dealing with them, and her brother decides to help by bringing in Michael to give her ways to deal with what she's seeing. The plot was original to me. I hadn't read anything like it. It had enough plot movement to keep you from being bored with the sciency bits and to keep the pages moving almost by themselves. When one thing may have gotten burned out, something new happened between Emerson and Michael, or to them, rather, and that kept things really interesting. I love when a book can keep my attention.
The Romantic Element: Huge props to McEntire for her romantic prowess. She manages to make an awesome MMC (main male character), while having, you guessed it, a love triangle. Color me pleased. The love triangle really didn't feel contrived at all like some novels fall in danger of having, and she even had a gut-wrenching tension-y moment. I live for them, almost literally, when I read YA. I re-read that section like three times. Not going to lie about that.
Carry-on Factor: Hourglass will stick with you. Emerson was perfect-y enough to make you want to be like her but real enough to make you not hate her while you're reading about her. You get invested in her story, and Michael, and another character who will remain nameless but makes it worth looking forward to read Hourglass #2…
Overall: McEntire's spin on making YA paranormal romances new again is definitely appreciated by me. I'm looking forward to reading the next one as she did leave some things undone in the typical YA fashion. BUT, don't be afraid to start this book for fear of a cliff-hanger. McEntire did not leave us saying WTH, I promise. She just left some things to be resolved. That's all.
Have you read this book? If you did, what'd you think? If you haven't, do you want to? Let me know below! :)
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Who Knew " by Pink. I was hooked on this song something crazy when it came out, still am. I <3 Pink.
Hi, everyone. I'm already loving Rachael Harrie's Third Writer's Platform Building Campaign (open til the 31st), because I've found so many new great blogs from it, and so many great people have found my blog through it as well. SOOO. I want to give BIG hello's to all the new followers (and big big hello's to all my older followers because obviously y'all are awesome as well). It's really great to have so many new faces around to learn from :)
Today, I wanted to do something I've seen on a lot of blogs lately, the short and sweet getting to know you blog posts. Basically, the rules, as I saw them, are that I'm supposed to give you 3 obscure facts about me, and in return, I want 3 obscure facts about you in the comments. Let's get to know each other; the more people that comment, the more awesome this will be. Bring them on!
Here's my 3:
1. I break into song a lot around the house and out and about (really, I do), sometimes without realizing it. I once told a friend that I really liked this one song and had she heard of it, and she responded...Yes, you've been singing it every other minute for a week. Music permeates me, what can I say?
2. I love caramel iced coffee's from MckeeDees. I get them large and the world receives the consequences. (I don't drink soda, haven't in years, so caffeine is intense for me, and it shows lol.)
3. I am a catch-phrase fiend. I'm one of those people who has a new saying, something they say incessantly as in maybe a substitute for the word "cool," every week. Right now, I've been saying, "That doesn't make a lick of sense." You would think something like that wouldn't come up much in convo. You'd be wrong. I say it all of the time, or I say "like that would make a lick of sense." I think I said it to be ironic once because it sounded funny to me, and it stuck. I'm very self-impressionable.
You, in the comments below, give me 3 bits of golden nuggets of your own.
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Mr. Saxobeat " by Alexandra Stan because it's Friday, and don't you just want to rock out privately or publicly to a dance jam? Well, if you did feel so inclined, here's a good song for just the occasion.
My slightly pouty bad news is that I can't blog hop today or respond to yesterday's comments (though I did read and enjoy them all) because I'm running about with my mother, but I will be back with a vengeance on Monday, no worries. Happy, happy, super happy weekend to everyone and everybody!
Source: from Goodreads at http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51slhINC9%2BL.jpg
Bethany Farmer's life is a boring high school routine, and she likes it that way. Soccer, coffee, homework, more coffee, and no goofy romance. That is, until foreign exchange student Allein Atwood shows up in her Midwestern town, and her life turns epically weird. Allein has unearthly good looks, princely politeness, and a bunch of goofy, romantic pick-up lines. But is his country really so foreign that they don't know anything about soccer? Or coffee?
To her horror, Bethany is swept off her feet by Allein's spellbinding ways--and then knocked flat by savage creatures set loose into suburbia to hunt Allein down. Suddenly Bethany's normal town is twisted upside down, and nothing is what it seems. Can Bethany rescue her prince of a boyfriend and keep them both alive long enough to go on a second date?
Publisher: Graphic Universe/Lerner Publishing, Inc.
Tentative Release Date: October 1, 2011
This book was fun. I feel it was geared towards a younger reading set. If I had a younger cousin, sister, child of a friend who was around 10-13 give or take a few years in either direction, this book would be a complete slam dunk (i.e. fantastic Halloween present (does anyone do that?), birthday present, and "aren't you awesome?, have a book" days. And for those of us that don't fall into that age bracket (ahem, I'm slightly older than that…not that I act it), there were enough funnies to keep us entertained.
Genre: Graphic Novel YA Paranormal Romance. Because, wouldn't it just be fun to see the dark and brooding handsome MMC (main male character), or at least what someone else thinks of when they write about that kind of character? I was thoroughly entertained by how they depicted him, and the character's responses to him at that (but I'll get to that).
The Cover: I like the coloration of the cover more than some of the content of the cover. Park and Croall do interesting things with color (or rather without color), and I would have liked to see them how they are depicted in the non-actions scenes. BUT, I completely understand their choice to go with the action-y version of Allein and Bethany. How great is his name btw? Can I just pause to say, big lols? Okay, I did.
The Plot: The plot seemed pretty straight forward, and I was worried it would even be predictable, but the choices in the characterization of Bethany kept that from happening. The graphic novel manages to make fun of itself and the genre that it's in (YA paranormal romance), and that entertains me (ahem, see my note about the funnies for the older peoples). It has an awareness of itself as being a part of that genre, and Croall has Bethany react to things differently then one may expect.
The Illustration (a necessary review element for a graphic novel): I liked how it was drawn. The color choices, the lack of color choices, really enhanced the book, and frankly, I just dig the way that comics/graphic narratives can convey things with less--less words, less pages, less time, less frames, than most writers really can. Croall and Park handled that well, and I like how they didn't stick to the strict "box frame" style.
The Romantic Element: It's absolutely swoon-worthy for the younger set. No doubt about it.
Carry-on Factor: This was an easy breezy kind of read, but it left a girl power-ish sentiment that would be a positive one for young female readers.
Overall: This wasn't a deep read, and it wasn't supposed to be, but what it does do is entertain. I laughed a bit; I admired the crafting of it; and I liked the against the grain choices they made in the characterization of Bethany. I would call it really perfect for a beginner YA paranormal romancer---feel free to buy it for your youngin's lol.
Now, I know I've played this song on here before, and it's a different kind of paranormal, but it's kind of perfect for the title of this book, "Zombie" by Natalia Kills. "I'm in love with a zombie…does he want me for my body or does he want me for my brain?" Come on. It's freakin' hilariously perfect.
Disclaimer: I do not own the picture, blurb, or video used in the making of this blog post. I did not receive compensation for this review, although I do have several Amazon affiliate links within this post.
No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.
Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.
But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.
Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story
I chose this book because I loved the cover. I had a hankering for a YA contemporary, so when I saw this title, I thought, "This is what I was asking for."
My version of the blurb: When Bria, the artist, decides she wants to break out from the norm and travel abroad, she wasn't expecting a middle-aged tour group to be her companions. But after meeting a care-free, ponytailed, free-spirit, travel-bitten backpacker Rowan, and his sister Starling, Bria will find her own adventure and a way to find herself away from her fighting parents, best friends, and heart-breaking ex-boyfriend.
Genre: YA contemporary/romance. I wouldn't say contemporary romance because the story is a lot about traveling (the love of) and Bria finding herself. So even though romance is important in the book, there's a balance between the story and the romance.
The Cover: I like it. It caught my attention. It's simple, but effective. I think it's spot on to what the book is about, and Bria's description matches the cover perfectly to me.
The Plot: This book is travel heavy. If you're into travel at all, this is the book for you. I felt like I was in the islands with Bria, that Rowan was guiding me as much as he's guiding her. It's very setting heavy, because the fun of the book is that you're traveling without the plane fees. If you haven't been bitten by the travel bug, it might not be as interesting to you, but if you've even wanted to just pretend like you could up and go off to wherever, this book will be fascinating. Bria is a novice traveler on an exploration, and you can be too as you travel along with her and Rowan.
The Romantic Element: This book is definitely a slow burn in the romance department. Bria and Rowan travel, and you get little bits of them. You want to read the book to see if anything will happen between them, and it keeps you guessing if it really will.
Carry-on Factor: The descriptions of the setting made the book. Hubbard seemed well-versed in the places described, and after finding out that she really does know about back-packing, the book seems pretty authentic in that respect. I know I've gained knowledge about places, and in some instances, I feel like I could have been there.
Overall: This is a travel YA. If you've been looking for a no magic, backpacking adventure, then this is your book. From the opening, you're with Bria as she goes off the grid, finds friends, and tries to find herself. If that sounds like something you'd dig, then this book wouldn't disappoint.
Now for a song to write by, which is eerily perfect for this book, "Kihei Town" by The Throwdowns. I found this song randomly a while ago. I love the laid back vibe. Perfect for Wanderlove!
*I do not own this picture, book, or the book blurb taken from Goodreads. The use of these things are for review purposes only.
Disclaimer: I did not receive anything in exchange for this review (or any review), although there are several Amazon affiliate links on this blog post.
Reminder: Don't miss out on a chance to win a copy of my book Glittering Ashes! Stop by my interview at The Character Depot and comment--that's all you have to do to enter. Drawing is Friday! Thank you much :)
I'm SUPER encouraging y'all to check it out and enter to win (all you need to do to enter is comment on my interview post, and the drawing will be done on Friday).
Tell all of your friends, family, and strangers you pass on the street, won't you? lol.
Thanks, everyone! Have an awesome writing day.
And because I can and want to, I'm still leaving you with a song to write by, "Impossible" by Shontelle because I <3 this song, and writing can sometimes seem impossible (to do, to be successful at), but it doesn't mean it ain't worth while, right?
Earlier this week, I saw an amazing movie. I want to watch it again because it has so many quotables in it. <3 I love quotable bits. The movie is called The Apartment:
It came out in 1960, and it's in black and white. I know, some of you out there will be like me, very judgy, and might want to back away now. BUT, it was amazing.
Here's a sloppy blurb by me: A man decides to pimp out his apartment to the higher up men at work that have all these mistresses but no where to take them. The plan works to help him get ahead, but he falls for the elevator girl in the mean time, only to find out that she has an affiliation with his apartment already. Hilarity, romance, innuendos, and issues ensue.
I really liked it, and you should check it out if you have the chance. Funny side-note story, I told my mother about it, and she told me she had just picked up that movie that very day at the library, but had put it back because it was black and white. Weird huh? She then got it from there, watched, and loved it. Okay, back to our regularly scheduled blog post…
This movie got me thinking about what it is about romance that makes me clamor to read it. With very few exceptions, I'm not a big romance movie person. I have to want to watch something predictable to get into them, and I have to be forced by other parties to watch them at all (mostly). But, with books? You all know by now that romance is a must for me. A big must (also mostly).
I like:
Non-traditional
Hard to attain
Complicated but sweet
All worth it for their first moments
Love.
And I've read love stories in all kinds of their variations (chick-lit to Ya to horror with some lovey bits), and I never get tired of it. Seeing how people make a connection and come together in all kinds of circumstances just is the bee's knees for me.
So, now I ask you, because I really want to know, do you have to have romance in the books that you read? What makes you like that element (or hate it)? OO, and if you have examples, then, you're awesome. Let me know below.
Now to leave you with a song to write by, which is perfect for this occasion, "Nicest Thing" by Kate Nash. If you never listen to any other song I list on here, listen to this one. It's worth it. ---Ã strong words for an AMAZING song.
Also: I really want to get the word out about my book, Glittering Ashes (The Dark Artist Series), and I have some things in the works already (VERY excited about that). So, if you're interested in receiving a free ebook copy in exchange for a bookie blog review, let me know (below or by email). Also, I'm more than game for author interviews if you want something to fill in one of the days on your blog :)
Hey, everyone! First, thanks for all the comments on my last post. Really amazing turnout. And big hi's to all of my new followers :)
Today, I want to do a book review, which may or may not be necessary because the book I'm reviewing is practically an addiction for the YA community/blog world. Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) by Veronica Roth.
Blurb (Taken from Goodreads--Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to do with Divergent by Veronica Roth. This description was taken from Goodreads to promote the book. No compensation was given in return for this review, and I got this book from the library.)
"Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances."
I tried avoiding this book for a while. I first saw it in Wally World; I noticed it because the cover was different than something I'd seen before. I picked it up, got the dystopian vibe, and I put it down.
Then it exploded on every blog I've seen for months. Everyone <3s it something ridiculous, and when I read it, I really liked it too.
It was dystopian, but instead of making the girl a "less than smart" person who has to figure out x, y , or z about her Society that ain't quite right, Tris, the MFC (main female character), in this book was normal, kick arse, and strong. You have to love that. I'm not saying some of the stereotypical elements of the new dystopian thread of YA weren't there, but they were handled in an original way that didn't make me want to vomit.
So here's a roundup of some of the key elements:
The Cover: Major points for being different. Wasn't something that looked like something I had to read, but the cover made me pick it up. I was hypnotized by it, I suppose. Good overall.
The Plot: Good stuff. Really good. I wanted to read it to see what would happen. Roth crammed action, tattoos, friendship dynamics, and romance, along with a maybe-not-so-attainable goal of becoming part of a rather intense group. It may have started a little slow with explaining all of the faction dynamics (you'll see what I mean), but it definitely made up for it after about 2.5 chapters in. The beginning is necessary, and the rest of the plot--intriguing enough to keep the pages turning at an alarming rate.
The Romantic Element: Because, come on, if I'm reading it, there has to be one. Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) was good in this aspect. Four was a great MMC (main male character), and the romance was a slow burn--pretty much the best kind (which I posted about here). You wanted to read the action-y bits to get to see the romantic bits, BUT the action bits were just as good, if not better. The plot made the romantic bits that much more exciting.
Carry-on Factor: Do I want to read it again OR do I want to read the follow-up? In this case, the latter applies, and yes, I will read it. I really want to. Can we arrange for that to be sooner than later? AND, it’s already a buzz online that it's being made into a movie, so jump on the bandwagon, people, so you can say you read the book before you watched the film and blah blah blah.
Overall: Completely worth reading. It was more original than a lot of the options that YA is getting these days. I support the purchase/library checkout. If for nothing else, it'll definitely keep you entertained for the x amount of pages (without lag time in the middle--HUGE plus)
What did you all think of Divergent (Divergent Trilogy)? If you've read it, do you agree with my take on it or what would you change/add to what I've said above? Let me know below!
Note: I decided to change up how I review books. I'm always going to be honest, but the star rating system seems a little harsh (example: Stolen by Lucy Christopher is COMPLETELY worth a read, but my review here may or may not have gotten that across in the best way).
Now to leave you with a song to write by, "Bye Bye Boyfriend" by FeFe Dobson. I <3 the beginning, and I've been known to listen to the first 30, and then start the song over…and over…and over…sorry to all of my friends who have had to deal with me :)
P.S. I'm now looking for book bloggers to review my book, Glittering Ashes (The Dark Artist Series) (write-up in "My Books" tab above and by clicking on link). If you're interested in getting a free ebook copy in return for a review, please let me know below or by email (writtled @ gmail . com---minus the spaces). Also, I really, really (really) want to do author interviews. They seem amazing to me, so also contact me if you want to do something to that ends for your blog post one day. Thank you! And I look forward to hearing from all you wonderful people :)
