So, I was looking at my website, and I've known for a while that I need to update the dang thing, but I've been letting it slide. Since I should probably start really thinking about promotion and all that fun stuff, well, it's about time that I get to work on that. The question then is: do I do this myself (or at least with the help of hubby), as I did last time? Or do I suck it up and ask for some help from someone else? I'd be willing to pay, not too much, but it would be nice not to have to worry about it myself. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thoughts? Suggestions?
Read More
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
After Reading: Starcrossed
by Josephine Angelini
Read More
Helen Hamilton has always tried to hide how different she is—no easy feat on an island as small as Nantucket, and only getting harder as she finds herself haunted by hallucinations and vivid nightmares.
It's not until she crosses paths with Lucas Delos at school that Helen's true heritage is finally revealed. Yet even as Lucas helps her awaken to her startling powers, they can never be together—not unless they can break free from the tragic destiny the Three Fates have in store.
This book managed to completely steal like two nights of my life. I've been incredibly busy, so when I finally managed to eek out some time to read before bed, I didn't have any intention of staying up super late. Um, yeah, not what the book was going to allow for. I read far into the night and loved every minute of it. The characters and setting in this book were just way too much fun. There were some serious similarities to the aspects that I enjoyed most in Twilight (I know, I know, but I really enjoyed the warm and fun home life of the Cullens--it was just fun, and intriguing, something that Angelini managed to bring in here without creating a copy-cat situation). The only issue I have is that Dreamless, the next book in the series, won't come out until May of next year! I can't wait that long! That, and that's also the proposed release month for my book, which falls into the "yikes!" category to think about. Still, pretty cool. I will certainly be re-reading this one as soon as I get a chance. Maybe after I get to Supernaturally and Forever, which are calling to me from my TBR pile :)
Okay, LJ, now you need to get working again...
Moving
Okay, having LiveJournal down for more than a week now is making me a little nuts. I'm going to start posting here from now on, though I'll still have my LJ account but start using this account as well. Blogger is just simpler and allows for a whole lot more functions. At any rate, this will be part of my new online home!
Read More
Saturday, July 23, 2011
After Reading: the Gathering
by Kelley Armstrong
Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students–for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.
Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing “bad vibes” about certain people and things. It does’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret…and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.
This book was great. Solid writing, solid characters, and otherwise just loads of fun. I really enjoyed it. I just wish that I had gotten MORE into the mystery in the town where Maya lives, as it totally cut off just when the hint of there being a solid case. Ahh! Now I have to wait until the sequel comes out, and I totally don't want to have to wait that long :) Anyhow, Armstrong proves her powers of excellence with this book, and I was particularly pleased with it. Definitely one to check out if you get a chance!
Read More
Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students–for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.
Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya’s determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya’s home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts experiencing “bad vibes” about certain people and things. It does’t help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret…and he’s interested in one special part of Maya’s anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.
This book was great. Solid writing, solid characters, and otherwise just loads of fun. I really enjoyed it. I just wish that I had gotten MORE into the mystery in the town where Maya lives, as it totally cut off just when the hint of there being a solid case. Ahh! Now I have to wait until the sequel comes out, and I totally don't want to have to wait that long :) Anyhow, Armstrong proves her powers of excellence with this book, and I was particularly pleased with it. Definitely one to check out if you get a chance!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
After Reading: Hourglass
By Myra McEntire
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?
I've SO wanted to get my hands on this novel since I first heard of it quite a while ago. Isn't the cover epic? Also, time travel. Need I say more? Anyhow, I totally dug into this book with all kinds of relish! For the most part, I really loved it. I had managed to get an uncorrected proof copy (long story there, not very interesting), so there were some serious typos here and there which left me a little frustrated--my own fault I know :) The only other thing I would have liked was the meet the bad guy (I won't say who to avoid spoiling it) a little earlier. He clearly has some interesting back story going on and I wanted to learn more about him and why on earth he's so driven to do what he did. Of course, perhaps this is what's coming in the next books. Overall, very fun read, very entertaining (even with some biology boo-boos, which is saying a whole lot if I'll overlook those!), so totally check it out!
Read More
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?
I've SO wanted to get my hands on this novel since I first heard of it quite a while ago. Isn't the cover epic? Also, time travel. Need I say more? Anyhow, I totally dug into this book with all kinds of relish! For the most part, I really loved it. I had managed to get an uncorrected proof copy (long story there, not very interesting), so there were some serious typos here and there which left me a little frustrated--my own fault I know :) The only other thing I would have liked was the meet the bad guy (I won't say who to avoid spoiling it) a little earlier. He clearly has some interesting back story going on and I wanted to learn more about him and why on earth he's so driven to do what he did. Of course, perhaps this is what's coming in the next books. Overall, very fun read, very entertaining (even with some biology boo-boos, which is saying a whole lot if I'll overlook those!), so totally check it out!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Some days...
Are just in need of a little fish-face :)
(This is also why one shouldn't allow their brother to snap indiscriminate photos of a person.)
Read More
(This is also why one shouldn't allow their brother to snap indiscriminate photos of a person.)
Sunday, July 10, 2011
After Reading: Betrayals
by Lili St. Crow
Dru Anderson’s parents are long gone, her best friend is a werwulf, and she’s just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn’t entirely human. (So what else is new?)
Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England Schola for other half-vampire teens like her, and there’s a big problem—she’s the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn’t be so bad, but Dru’s killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide.
When murderous vampires start showing up and the body count begins rising, Dru has to figure out who to trust and when to run–or tonight might be her last…
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Strange Angels, and was looking forward to getting back into the world of Dru, Graves, and the other interesting characters. Betrayals, however, wasn't all that I was hoping for. It wasn't until the end that I really felt drawn into the world, and all the twists and turns that the first book had to offer. It was still a good read, just the first part of the book seemed to drag for a while. Sure, I completely understand why--the situations, and Dru's feelings, needed a background and time, it just felt like too much. At any rate, I'll be looking to check out the next books when I get a chance.
Read More
Dru Anderson’s parents are long gone, her best friend is a werwulf, and she’s just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn’t entirely human. (So what else is new?)
Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England Schola for other half-vampire teens like her, and there’s a big problem—she’s the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn’t be so bad, but Dru’s killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide.
When murderous vampires start showing up and the body count begins rising, Dru has to figure out who to trust and when to run–or tonight might be her last…
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Strange Angels, and was looking forward to getting back into the world of Dru, Graves, and the other interesting characters. Betrayals, however, wasn't all that I was hoping for. It wasn't until the end that I really felt drawn into the world, and all the twists and turns that the first book had to offer. It was still a good read, just the first part of the book seemed to drag for a while. Sure, I completely understand why--the situations, and Dru's feelings, needed a background and time, it just felt like too much. At any rate, I'll be looking to check out the next books when I get a chance.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Music & Writing
There are posts all over the blogosphere regarding using music for writing. Many people use it as a tool to get into the mood for a book/scene/character. I'm totally no exception to this rule, and find that having some good tunes on in the background makes it a million times easier to get more words on the page. It also has the handy trick of blocking out the sounds of the PS3 in the other room (shooting and yelling from little electronic men really only helps at certain times--and I don't write a whole lot of war scenes :), as well as my crazy neighbors (yay for thin walls!). Other than getting into my writing, songs have also inspired a whole lot of my novels. Take for instance, Colors Like Memories, which came to me while driving home one evening, listening to this:
(The video isn't very indicative of the book, but the lyrics really hit me in terms of explaining Julia's trials, and learning how to start over. I literally got home and had to run to my computer, the first chapter just wrote itself with this song going in the background.)
My current WIP came from this fun little song:
(Isn't that a fun song? I love it, and it gets at my MC so well :)
So, yeah, music plays a huge role in my books. I'll share the rest of the the Colors soundtrack later!
Read More
(The video isn't very indicative of the book, but the lyrics really hit me in terms of explaining Julia's trials, and learning how to start over. I literally got home and had to run to my computer, the first chapter just wrote itself with this song going in the background.)
My current WIP came from this fun little song:
(Isn't that a fun song? I love it, and it gets at my MC so well :)
So, yeah, music plays a huge role in my books. I'll share the rest of the the Colors soundtrack later!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Author Photos
Yesterday was something of an adventure: I took photos to use for my author photos (on the web and otherwise). I'm lucky in that my little brother is an awesome photographer and while he's been home on summer break, I got him to promise me the morning to take a few shots. We had a lot of fun wandering around the arboretum and interesting campus buildings near my house, and took a ton of pics. I've been sorting through them this morning, and it's going to be incredibly difficult to chose!
While taking the photos, there were a few things going through my mind: first of all, how to appear approachable. I write for teens, so I especially wanted to look casual and not too "adult." Also, it was about a 105F outside when we were walking around, so staying sort of cool was another concern. Also, I make a lot of strange faces. All the time. I can't count how many photos of myself where I'm doing something strange with my mouth or eyes, or something... It's a horrible gift :) Thankfully, my patient brother managed to only snap a few of these (to his infinite amusement). So, just as a sampler, here are a few of my fav's:
I really don't know which one to pick, but it's certainly fun to have so many choices!!
Read More
While taking the photos, there were a few things going through my mind: first of all, how to appear approachable. I write for teens, so I especially wanted to look casual and not too "adult." Also, it was about a 105F outside when we were walking around, so staying sort of cool was another concern. Also, I make a lot of strange faces. All the time. I can't count how many photos of myself where I'm doing something strange with my mouth or eyes, or something... It's a horrible gift :) Thankfully, my patient brother managed to only snap a few of these (to his infinite amusement). So, just as a sampler, here are a few of my fav's:
I really don't know which one to pick, but it's certainly fun to have so many choices!!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
After Reading: The Condition
by Jennifer Haigh
The Condition tells the story of the McKotches, a proper New England family that comes apart during one fateful summer. The year is 1976, and the family, Frank McKotch, an eminent scientist; his pedigreed wife, Paulette; and their three beautiful children has embarked on its annual vacation at the Captain’s House, the grand old family retreat on Cape Cod. One day on the beach, Frank is struck by an image he cannot forget: his thirteen-year-old daughter, Gwen, strangely infantile in her child-sized bikini, standing a full head shorter than her younger cousin Charlotte. At that moment he knows a truth that he can never again unknown something is terribly wrong with his only daughter. The McKotch family will never be the same.
Twenty years after Gwen’s diagnosis with Turner’s syndrome, a genetic condition that has prevented her from maturing, trapping her forever in the body of a child, all five family members are still dealing with the fallout. Each believes himself crippled by some secret pathology; each feels responsible for the family’s demise. Frank and Paulette are acrimoniously divorced. Billy, the eldest son, is dutiful but distant, a handsome Manhattan cardiologist with a life built on compromise. His brother, Scott, awakens from a pot-addled adolescence to a soul-killing job, a regrettable marriage, and a vinyl-sided tract house in the suburbs. And Gwen is silent and emotionally aloof, a bright, accomplished woman who spurns any interaction with those around her. She makes peace with the hermetic life she’s constructed until, well into her thirties, she falls in love for the first time. And suddenly, once again, the family’s world is tilted on its axis.
(This officially wins the award for longest synopsis of a book posted here!) Okay, so I picked up this book really looking forward to reading about a few of my favorite things: dysfunctional families, scientists, and Turners Syndrome. While this book had these elements, I really slogged through it. There was just enough to keep me interested throughout the book--the writing was really superb--but it wasn't until the last fifty pages that things picked up. Before that, I was really wondering why I kept reading. It was just one of those books that nothing happened in. Well, a few small things, but the main thrust of the story was told in back-story inserts that got confusing and overly long. Anyhow...not my cup'a. Too bad, really, because that cover it utterly awesome!!
Read More
The Condition tells the story of the McKotches, a proper New England family that comes apart during one fateful summer. The year is 1976, and the family, Frank McKotch, an eminent scientist; his pedigreed wife, Paulette; and their three beautiful children has embarked on its annual vacation at the Captain’s House, the grand old family retreat on Cape Cod. One day on the beach, Frank is struck by an image he cannot forget: his thirteen-year-old daughter, Gwen, strangely infantile in her child-sized bikini, standing a full head shorter than her younger cousin Charlotte. At that moment he knows a truth that he can never again unknown something is terribly wrong with his only daughter. The McKotch family will never be the same.
Twenty years after Gwen’s diagnosis with Turner’s syndrome, a genetic condition that has prevented her from maturing, trapping her forever in the body of a child, all five family members are still dealing with the fallout. Each believes himself crippled by some secret pathology; each feels responsible for the family’s demise. Frank and Paulette are acrimoniously divorced. Billy, the eldest son, is dutiful but distant, a handsome Manhattan cardiologist with a life built on compromise. His brother, Scott, awakens from a pot-addled adolescence to a soul-killing job, a regrettable marriage, and a vinyl-sided tract house in the suburbs. And Gwen is silent and emotionally aloof, a bright, accomplished woman who spurns any interaction with those around her. She makes peace with the hermetic life she’s constructed until, well into her thirties, she falls in love for the first time. And suddenly, once again, the family’s world is tilted on its axis.
(This officially wins the award for longest synopsis of a book posted here!) Okay, so I picked up this book really looking forward to reading about a few of my favorite things: dysfunctional families, scientists, and Turners Syndrome. While this book had these elements, I really slogged through it. There was just enough to keep me interested throughout the book--the writing was really superb--but it wasn't until the last fifty pages that things picked up. Before that, I was really wondering why I kept reading. It was just one of those books that nothing happened in. Well, a few small things, but the main thrust of the story was told in back-story inserts that got confusing and overly long. Anyhow...not my cup'a. Too bad, really, because that cover it utterly awesome!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)