Cherie Writes...

Blog Hopping Meme (Must be a bunny...hoppity-hop)

2012-02-27T10:03:00.002-07:00

I have been tagged in a blog hopping meme by the lovely E.M. LaBonte of The Realms of a Fantastical Mind. This meme hops, and since I like bunnies (as long as they're not the zombie kind), I decided to give it a go.

1. What is your dream vacation?

This:

Photo by virtualphotographystudio

2. Are you spontaneous or do you like to plan ahead?

A bit of both, actually. I don't plan the details. As long as I have a general idea of what's suppose to happen, or where we're going, or what we're going to do, then I'm good. I like spontaneity and being "in the moment".

3. Tell us one thing you want to do but don’t dare to do.

Gah! I don't know. I used to be a lot more adventurous when I was younger. Think scuba diving with great white sharks, flying in a helicopter, possibly even bungee jumping though heights make me weak in the knees...ya know, the stuff we dream of doing as daredevil teens because we believe we are mighty and invincible. But ever since I became a mother, I'd see Danger! signs everywhere--from the sharp corner of a coffee table to a staircase with a broken guard rail fence (that expensive staircase fence you buy at Babies R Us to keep your little one from tumbling down the stairs and breaking their sweet noggins).

4. What's your biggest phobia?

You know, phobia's a funny word because it somehow indicates a condition, an irrational fear. Like, I used to say I was an arachnophobe because spiders give me the heebie-jeebies. But then, I realized, I don't go bonkers whenever I see a spider, so it's not totally irrational fear. So I had to scratch that one out from my resume. :) If we were to rephrase the question and ask what's my biggest fear instead, then whew! I'll have an answer for you.

Once, I had this weird daydream (I was fully conscious. Sometimes I have very morbid, strange thoughts.) while I was out in the school playgrounds, waiting for the school bell to ring and for the kids to come out. And I imagined a "what if?" scenario where something horribly, horribly wrong is happening inside the school building. Say maybe, some of the school children had turned into zombies. First, I would hear a shriek or two, and then more. Followed by the onslaught of bodies running, screaming, bursting out of the doors...total chaos. I would grab my little boy from the swings, all the while craning my neck for a glimpse of my daughter. But the crowd is growing, swelling, and I wouldn't be able to see her at first. And then.

She would be sprawled on the ground, crying, having tripped while scrambling to get out of the way of stampeding kids. I would run to her, though my movements would be slow, hindered by my pregnant belly and the little boy hanging onto my shoulder. An undead creature finds her scent, and makes its way toward her. Screams tearing at my throat. Heart pounding. I would reach her, I would reach her...

It's not so much as what type of villain or threat (whether real or imagined) there is, my biggest fear is that I won't be able to save my kids. Protect them from the evils of the world. As a parent, there's only so much that we can do. Of course, you realize by now that my daydream is purely metaphorical (I am a writer, after all.), though the fear is real.

5. If you were stranded on a desert island – what 3 things would you want with you (not including laptop, or family).

Why would I be stranded on an island in the first place? I never travel by boat, and would never go on a cruise. But if you're going to go all Cast Away on me, I guess I would want to have a satelllite phone. A knife would be good, too. And a really, really, REALLY good book.

6. Name three blessings in your life.

My husband, my kids, and my family.

7. What was your nickname in High School?

I wish I had something cool to give you. But I went to geek school (yep, no kidding.), and I don't remember earning any kind of nickname at all. I did, however, got christened "Princess Neyti" by my high school friend's little sister (she was maybe 4 or 5, at the time). I stayed overnight at their house because my friend and I had a school project we were working on. Her sister took a liking to me...actually, she liked the snacks I brought with me, and after much giggling and munching, lil sis placed a toy tiara on my head and declared that I was to be, for the remainder of the weekend, Princess Neyti of Pringles Land. Yup, I'm royalty, people.

8. If you could meet the President of the United States, what would you say to him?

Probably a lot of questions, but the most pressing one would be: Why, oh why, do I always get the jury summons, and not my husband?? I've only been a citizen for a few years and yet, that dreaded mail always has my name on it.

9. If you could be any literary character for a day, who would you be?

Oooh, a tough one! Nothing comes to mind immediately (probably 'cause I'm hungry at the moment and daydreaming of a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting...mmm...Oh, sorry!) I do have a character I like very much, and though she only exists in 2K words of my own making, I'd like very much to make her come alive sometime. She's a young witch named Amelia, who's less green than a proper witch should be, and whose spells always backfire on her. She lives with her three stepsisters--all full-fledged witches--and they think Amelia's an abomination because she's more human than witch (she hasn't grown warts, for instance, and her button nose refuses to grow three inches long). After a disastrous spell puts Amelia in more trouble than she'd ever been, she runs away from the witchy village to find her place in the world.

10. What is your favorite quote?

I don't hoard quotes, so I have nothing in my arsenal to show you. I only try to live by the golden rule of life: Don't do unto others what you don't want others to do unto you. That's a tongue twister. So, basically, be nice and show kindness to everyone. Don't judge. We're all trying to live life the best way we can (and the best way we know how--even if our knowlede is imperfect and lacking. But as long as we try, isn't that good enough?)

I'm supposed to tag 7 people so this meme can continue to hop along. So, here are my victims, er, picks:

1. Angela V. Cook, who's newly agented, and may have more interesting answers to this meme than I do.

2. The Rookstar, a.k.a., Bethany, because she's hilarious and is naturally a rebel when it comes to memes and rules.

3. Mary Frame, who's just as equally rebellious as Rookstar, and when she's got too many margaritas to drink, is a real riot. ;)

4. Kittie Howard, 'cause I'm a curious bunny and I'd like to see what she'll come up with.

5. Jenny of the Phreshness, or the Party Pony, 'cause she knows how to par-tay, and to maddeningly twist memes around until they're irreverently funny. In other words, she's the first person to make me snort my drink (and caused me much embarrassment in the process.) <3

6. Suzanne F. Payne, 'cause she's in a blogging funk and I'm hoping this meme would lift her out of the funkiness. ;)

7. Erin Summerill, who's funny and cute and all-around lovely.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Book Spotlight: The Last Apprentice Series by Joseph Delaney

2012-02-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

This is an ongoing YA Horror series by Joseph Delaney. At the moment, book 8 is already out, and no, it is not the last one (hooray!). I stumbled upon these books at the library and became immediately hooked, so much so that I would borrow three at a time and finish them in a week. Good thing all seven were already pubbed, or I would have spent time tearing my hair and crying out, "What happens next?" Luckily, by the time I finished #7, I discovered The Monstrumologist series (Rick Yancey) and was able to feed my love for horror while Mr. Delaney worked on book #8. Hee!

About the Author: (from Goodreads)

Joseph Delaney is a retired English teacher living in Lancashire. He has three children and seven grandchildren and is a wonderful public speaker available for conference, library and bookshop events. His home is in the middle of Boggart territory and his village has a boggart called the Hall Knocker, which was laid to rest under the step of a house near the church.

Most of the places in the Spook's books are based on real places in Lancashire. And the inspiration behind the stories often comes from local ghost stories and legends.

The Spook's Apprentice, The Spook's Curse and The Spook's Secret have all been shortlisted for the Lancashire children's Book for the Year Award. The Spook's Apprentice is the winner of both the Sefton Book Award and the Hampshire Book Award.
(In UK, the books are called The Spook's Apprentice, while in the US, they are known as The Last Apprentice series.)

The Books:

Tom Ward, being the seventh son of a seventh son, becomes an apprentice to the County's Spook, Old Gregory, in order to learn to combat the denizens of "The Dark" and protect the County and those he loves.

It is a story of the battle between good and evil, and the blurred lines of in-between. This series is not nearly as gruesome as The Monstrumologist books, though if you were thinking of passing these onto your tween, or teen, you might want to check them out first. Everyone has a different "scare" threshold.

The ninth book in the series, I Am Grimalkin, is also already out though it is written in the witch assassin's POV, and not Tom's. I have yet to find this book.

A Makeover

2012-02-21T13:46:00.001-07:00

Hello, hello!

I hope you all had a fun holiday weekend. While the kids and I battled a cold virus during the break, we still managed to have fun so it was all good. I'd been avoiding the computer and the Internet due to my aforementioned headache problem (which still continues to assail me, btw. I'm beginning to worry there's something else going on in my old noggin--or maybe, I'm just being a pessimistic, worrywart. Crossing fingers it's only the pregnancy hormones causing havoc in my brain.) But then I come across some lovely blog templates online and I couldn't help myself. I just had to do a blog makeover.

So...TA-DA!

You like?

Haha! Cute, no?
Source: Amazingmania.com

I think there's something refreshing about makeovers. It's like when my hubster decides to redecorate the house every few years and then, voila! The same-old abode feels like new again...without tearing down walls and tearing up hair strands over paint colors. I love it. :)

So here's to hoping I would be well again to continue blogging. I've really enjoyed getting to know you through the blogosphere. It has been a wonderful experience.

Speaking of makeovers, the only thing I don't like about Blogger's new comment system is its two-word captcha. As if we don't need enough reasons to trigger my headaches.

Really, Blogger? Really? I think you need more black globs in there to render the words totally indecipherable.

So if I haven't been by to comment on your awesome posts, it's probably because the captchas kept me.

Have a great week, everyone!

Show Some Love

2012-02-14T13:15:00.000-07:00

It's V-Day! So I decided to come out of hiding, despite my headache-plagued noggin, to show some love. Which means...blog awards that I've gotten not-quite-so-recently and are now in dire need of being passed onto deserving individuals so that love may continue to abound in the blogosphere. :)

Photo By EPMLE

First off, from the ever lovely Tanya Reimer of Life's Like That, she awarded me not one, but TWO blog awards! Thanks, Tanya! Je t'adore!

Wowza!! Nice, eh? There are rules, of course, but since I've already done the give-us-seven-random-things-about-you thingy, and since my life is not superbly exciting as, say, a sky-diving/bungee-jumping ~~nuthead~~ person, I will skip this rule. (The only excitement I get lately is feeling tiny flutters in my belly, which one could argue was possibly the baby moving, or a severe case of indigestion.)

So, onto the awardees!

1. Kristin Baker Przybyla of Fairies and Pirates, etc. (If I bungled up your last name, K, I'm very soorrry!!)

2. The Golden Eagle. Yeah, 'cause she's golden. ;)

3. My teen pal Riley who's so ever clever and witty. She blogs at In the Jungle,. (Seriously, I can't remember if I've already given you the same awards, Riley girl. Just bonk me in the head if I did.)

4. Kate of Kate's Free Write. She's a painter! And a writer! And a mother like me!

5. Rachel Searles of Awkward Girl (though there's nothing awkward about her.) ;)

That's it for now since the monstrosity that is my headache is rearing its ugly head at me. To all my followers who have faithfully continued to show me support even though I have become one of the dreaded "sporadic" bloggers (it's only temporary, people!), I give you this award:

Yes, please don't hesitate to grab this. You deserve this. All of you.

This was given to me by my beautiful preggy friend, J.A. Bennett, who, despite her morning sickness and fatigue, still manages to blog every week (I swear I don't know how she does it.) Thanks, Jen! Love ya!

I'm A Writer, and I'm An Introvert

2012-02-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not generalizing here...I'm only referring to myself.

Yes, me. The quiet, inconspicuous person you don't see behind the online persona. In real life, when people talk, I'm the one who listens. I'm not the loud, obnoxious Uncle in the family reunion party, regaling everyone with his incredible tale of escaping the deadly bite of the garter snake he found in his garden (I'd be the one chuckling to myself because garter snakes are not deadly, nor particularly poisonous to humans).

In other words, I don't live for the spotlight. Instead, I make sure everything goes smoothly backstage.

That is who I am. And as I learn more and more about the publishing biz, frankly, I'm afraid.

Too often we hear how we as writers are expected to MARKET OURSELVES.

Build a platform Plan BOOK Tours BLOG book signings Join Google Plus TwEeT

Where's your FACEBOOK page? HyPeS Must do TumBlr CONFERENCES Blog Hops speaking engagements Interviews Contests!! SWAGS!! goodreads Amazon Pinterest is the NEW thing Promote, promote, promote...YOURSELF

We're expected to be loud. We need to be heard. We need to be seen. We have to be in your face because unfortunately, you and everyone else have the attention span of a 2-year-old... (if you're on Twitter, you've probably seen this countless of times. *coughspamcough*)

No.

That's not who I am. It's scary, isn't it? For an unpubbed writer, the pressure is ever increasing. For a pubbed or soon-to-be-pubbed writer, the pressure is doubly increasing. Whether you're on my side of the equation or on the other, the truth is, we have to sell ourselves eventually.

So if you're an introvert like me, this kind of stuff is what makes our nightmares. Can we just go back to the days of yore, when there wasn't a photograph of Jane Austen on the back jacket flap of Pride and Prejudice? Alas, no.

Tell me: Does the thought of being in the public spotlight terrify you or make you giddy? If you're an introvert, do you wory about these things, too, or am I the only weird one here? :) 

Book Spotlight: The Monstrumologist Series by Rick Yancey

2012-02-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

I LOVE these books. They are gruesome and macabre, yes. But behind the horrific images that'll make your gut churn with disgust, there are infallible truths about the nature of Man.

About the Author:

Rick Yancey is a prolific author having published a memoir, Confessions of a Tax Collector, and several adult and young adult books (Teddy Ruzak mysteries, Alfred Kropp series, and the Monstrumologist series). You can find his website here.

(Book cover images and blurbs from Goodreads.)

Book #1:

These are the secrets I have kept. This is the trust I never betrayed. But he is dead now and has been for nearly ninety years, the one who gave me his trust, the one for whom I kept these secrets. The one who saved me . . . and the one who cursed me.

So starts the diary of Will Henry, orphan and assistant to a doctor with a most unusual specialty: monster hunting. In the short time he has lived with the doctor, Will has grown accustomed to his late night callers and dangerous business. But when one visitor comes with the body of a young girl and the monster that was feeding on her, Will's world is about to change forever. The doctor has discovered a baby Anthropophagi--a headless monster that feeds through the mouthfuls of teeth in its chest--and it signals a growing number of Anthropophagi. Now, Will and the doctor must face the horror threatenning to overtake and consume our world before it is too late.

Book #2:

While Dr. Warthrop is attempting to disprove that Homo vampiris, the vampire, could exist, his former fiancÉe asks him to rescue her husband, who has been captured by a Wendigo—a creature that starves even as it gorges itself on human flesh. Although Dr. Warthrop considers the Wendigo to be fictitious, he relents and performs the rescue—and then sees the man transform into a Wendigo. Can the doctor and Will Henry hunt down the ultimate predator, who, like the legendary vampire, is neither living nor dead, and whose hunger for human flesh is never satisfied? This second book in The Monstrumologist series explores the line between myth and reality, love and hate, genius and madness.

Book #3:

When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting the "Holy Grail of Monstrumology" with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can't let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated--and not convinced.

Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey will take him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky--and will put Will Henry's loyalty to the ultimate test.

*****

I heard there's a fourth book in the series (yay!). If you're a fan of horror and human psychology, you don't want to miss this. ;)

Book Spotlight: The Wake Series by Lisa McMann

2012-01-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

In recent light of the author-reviewer blow-up/s that's been going around the interwebz (luckily for me, I've missed them since I'm not nearly as active online as I was before), I've decided to do away with book reviews on my blog. Instead, I'm doing Book Spotlights so you can see what I've been reading in my almost non-existent spare time. :)

So here we go, starting with a series that I've recently finished.
(Credits: Images and blurbs taken from Amazon and Goodreads.)

Book #1:

Not all dreams are sweet.

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody- notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

Book #2:

SOME NIGHTMARES NEVER END.

For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck.

Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open - but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.

Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability -- and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared....

Book #3:

Things should be great for Janie--she has graduated from high school and is spending her summer with Cabel, the guy she's totally in love with. But deep down she's panicking about how she's going to survive her future when getting sucked into other people's dreams is really starting to take its toll. Things get even more complicated when she meets her father for the very first time--and he's in a coma. As Janie uncovers his secret past, she begins to realize that the choice thought she had has more dire consequences than she ever imagined.

About the Author:

Lisa McMann is an NYT bestselling author of fiction for kids and teens. She has a new fantasy series for ages 9 and up called THE UNWANTEDS. She has a new YA book out called CRYER'S CROSS, and another one is slated to come out next month, entitled DEAD TO YOU. Visit her website and blog for more details.

An Editing We Go...

2012-01-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

I just realized I haven't blogged for a WEEK. *gasp!* In my defense, I've finally had enough brain cells intact to attempt editing. *another gasp!* I finished writing the first draft of my YA Urban Fantasy WIP Hidden last October of 2011. Then, as per the wonderful advice of my many writer friends, I left it to stew for a long time...well, 2 and 1/2 months to be exact. In the meantime, I did NaNoWriMo, found out I was pregnant (and named the bathroom my new hang-out place), spent the holidays with family, and read a lot of books (the published kind) from the library. I didn't have any inclination to write or even bother with the publishing biz. My Google searches became incredibly tame--instead of searching for monsters and mythology, or ways to kill off an immortal witch, I was looking for baby names and old wives' tales of how to determine the gender of your baby before you get that oh-so-exciting ultrasound picture.

I was in full mommy mode, and the writer in me was taking a back seat...temporarily.

But then, prompted by a friend's ms swapping (Thank you, lovely!), I was forced (in a good way) to finally open my Word doc and read Hidden in its entirety for the first time since I finished it.

I read, and read, and read. And lo and behold, the all-too familiar tingling returned, and I knew I wanted to dive back into the writing world once more. Hence, the editing.

So here's what I found out: I SUCK at editing my own work. Really. I'm reading the ms with the intention to spot out errors, but I get suck into the story instead and I forget why I had a pen and a highlighter nearby.

The bottom line? We NEED crit partners. Let me say that again: We NEED crit partners. Beta readers. Whatever you want to call them. We need help. We are NOT superhero writers, even if we write about superheroes all the time. Our first (and even second, and third, and possibly fourth) draft will stink. There's no way around it.

Don't feel lame for asking help. And, don't be afraid to see those red marks when the feedback gets back to you. It's okay to cringe and bang your head on the desk a few times from embarrassment, but don't let it stop you. Mistakes and acknowledging them help us improve. Grow. Become the best that we can be. For we're all capable of great things, we all have potential. The key is learning how to reach that potential.

So, here's to editing and to our wonderful critique partners! *huzzah!*

P.S. Btw, sorry if I haven't visited your lovely blogs. I tried, I really did. But for some reason, Blogger won't let me leave comments or open up blog pages, no matter how many times I try to refresh them. Hopefully, it'll get sorted out soon. ;)

Live What You Believe

2012-01-12T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the little one growing inside me.

This may be my third pregnancy, but the sense of wonder and amazement at seeing this miracle be real and tangible never cease to fill me. I'm in awe at the beauty and thrill of it all. With my previous pregnancies, the feeling remained the same. And now that my two kids are no longer babies, I'm still continuously amazed by them--their personalities, the things they do, what they aspire to be...

The other day, I heard someone say to live what you believe. What do you believe in? What do I believe in?

I believe in love, family, and motherhood. I believe in hope and having faith.

The great thing about blogging is meeting wonderful people. I love knowing how we're all different from each other--varying backgrounds and lifestyles, beliefs, and ideas. I have a friend who's opted to be childfree, and I think that's awesome. It's what she believes in, and therefore, she lives it. And that, in my eyes, is magnificent and respectable.

I have another awesome friend who's into feminism, paganism, and she's a strong supporter of gay rights. I adore her because she knows who she is, knows what she wants, and she lives what she believes in.

And of course, who can forget my dear friend who, I hope, may find the guy or the girl of his dreams someday. Life is full of many possibilities. Life is full of many miracles.

Live what you believe. Pursue your dreams. Know what's important to you and fight for it.

If writing sings through your soul, despite the fact that you don't have an agent or have received countless rejection letters, keep on writing. Believe that this is what you want to be, believe in who you are. Because if you don't, no one else will.

Books, and Hypes, and Whatnot

2012-01-10T10:22:00.001-07:00

One of the perks about being pregnant is that I get to eat and crave whatever I want. The not-so-perky side of pregnancy is that I'm constantly tired and my brain is encased in fog. This morning I had a great idea for a blog post. A shower and breakfast later, I've totally forgotten about it. No matter how hard I try to remember I come up empty. And hungry. So of course I had to go hunt down some snacks, and then I came back only to forget some more. Huh? What were we talking about?

So, in all my rambling glory, I'll just have to wing this post. :-P

Lately, I've been reading a lot. Minimal writing, obviously, because I can't focus enough to be coherent for several paragraphs. I did start a story sometime last week, and I haven't been back since. I've attempted to do some edits but I keep falling asleep by the next page--don't know if that's a bad sign. Does that mean my story is boring, or is this baby factory house using every ounce of energy I've got? Hopefully it's the latter.

Anyway, back to the reading. I've read some AMAZING books and ones that I thought (and were hyped to be) amazing but failed to impress. I'm always sad when a book ends up disappointing me. I put so much eagerness and joy when I dive into the first pages, and I'd really like to keep that smile on my face until the very end. But sometimes, it just doesn't happen and I feel a bit let-down. Especially when I had high expectations going in because of the hype.

What do you think about hypes? Is it better that a book wasn't hyped as much and ended up being fantastic? Or should the marketing geniuses create a hype for a book anyway to garner readership, even if the book does not live up to its hype? (And does it make you want to run out and rant and rave, shake your fist up to the heaven, or is that just me?)

This curious and foggy mind wants to know.

Sometimes my best book finds are accidental. I go to the library and peruse the shelves, looking for something to catch my interest. Maybe it's the unusual cover ('cause my taste runs in the unusual and weird sometimes), or the blurb on the back cover. Maybe it's the genre (library books usually have genre labels on their spines; if I see one that says Horror or Fantasy, I'm sure to check it out), or, and I've done this too, I just pick one just because.

It's a hit-and-miss process, but like I said, I've found great finds (and the not-so-great ones as well) doing this. I also like book recommendations from friends because more often than not, I can trust that if they love a book, I'm sure to love it too.

So, second (or fourth, or fifth) question of the day: How do you choose what to read? I know you're all busy people out there so time is a luxury.

Book Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

2012-01-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

I'm usually not a huge fan of [pure] sci-fi novels just because I don't have the patience to deal with the technical/mechanical aspect of the world. Sometimes the exposition becomes a bit too boring, especially when the author gets carried away with their worldbuilding. (Maybe I just read the wrong sci-fi books.) Anyway, it took me too long to finally go and get Beth Revis' Across the Universe, despite the rave reviews of readers everywhere. But I did, and then I wanted to slap my forehead for not getting it sooner.

It is brilliant! It is amazingly well done!

Ahem. Before I do more gushing, here's the blurb from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone - one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship - tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

About the Author:

Beth Revis writes science fiction and fantasy novels for teens. Across the Universe was her debut novel and the first in a trilogy. The next in the series, A Million Suns, is slated to come out January 10, 2012! You can find her website here.

The Book: YA Sci-Fi

The book alternates between two POVs--that of 17-year-old Amy who is cryogenically frozen in the ship Godspeed, and Elder, the next-in-line leader of the gen (generational) people populating the ship. When Amy is awakened from her sleep before they land on Centauri-Earth, the new planet Godspeed was heading for in hopes of beginning a new life there, she almost dies having been unplugged improperly from her frozen state. Life in the ship is strange and unnatural by Amy's standards. At the same time, the gen people regard Amy as different and therefore, crazy. She clearly does not belong. Amy doesn't think the people in the ship act naturally, or even are remotely similar to the people of the Earth she left behind. For one thing, they are all mono-ethnic--same color skin, hair, and eyes. They don't think for themselves; rather, their leader named Eldest does the thinking for all of them.

Elder is being trained by Eldest to take over his position once the time comes. He's taught to serve the people and know what is best for them. But Elder feels that his mentor has been keeping lots of secrets from him. Secrets like the cryo chamber and why someone was suddenly intent on unplugging and therefore, murdering the people sleeping in their icy coffins.

As Amy and Elder work to find the murderer, the ship's secrets begin to unravel around them.

I really enjoyed Ms. Revis' world of Godspeed and its eerie inhabitants. The contrast between Amy and Elder is striking and it felt real--Amy having come from Earth, and Elder who never knew land or home except for the ship where he was born. The characters (both main and secondary) were well thought out. The worldbuilding was the one I was most impressed with--I didn't get bored or felt that there was too much telling, too much technicality. Like I said before, it was done really well so that I never got lost in the exposition. Fast-paced and tension-filled, this book had me turning pages even when I was so dead tired and ready for a nap.

I can't wait for the sequel A Million Suns to come out in a few days!

2012, It's Nice to Meet You

2012-01-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are. A little bit older, a little bit wiser (perhaps?), and yet, still as excited as kids on Christmas day. A new year always usher in new hopes and dreams. A time for beginnings and reconciliations. A chance to forget past mistakes and forgive old grievances. And sometimes, having the new year come upon us simply remind us that life goes on...and on...even when we feel like dying inside.

Last month, a friend of mine lost her four-month-old baby to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). The whole community responded with an outpouring of love and services to this grief-stricken family. Then a couple of days ago, two weeks after the funeral, I met the mom at church. The look on her face is something I would never forget. It was the face of a crushed soul, of a heart that knew indescribable pain. I gave her a hug, squeezed her tight, and sadly, it was all I could do. I couldn't take away even a smidge of her pain. Whe I asked her if she was surviving, she answered: "Surviving? I suppose I am, if that's what it's called."

And that's when I saw it: a glimpse of her hope. Though surviving equated dying in her case, she was still hopeful. Would laughter once again find its way through her home? Yes, it would. Not now, and maybe not for awhile, but it'll be back for sure, and her heart will mend albeit slowly.

I'm in awe with the resilience and strength of the human spirit. How love and grief and happiness can buoy us up despite dire circumstances. That in this world we live in, we must experience sadness to truly appreciate joy, hardships to be grateful for blessings and small miracles.

Well, what does this reflection mean for me and for the new year? It's simply a reminder to myself (and I hope to all of you as well) to

Love MORE
Laugh MORE
Share MORE

and to truly LIVE each day with open hearts and with eyes wide open to see the beauty around us. Connect with people. Appreciate your loved ones. Play with your children. Feel and be alive.

I don't make resolutions. Rather, I make commitments. 2012 is bringing huge (but welcome) changes to my family in the form of a much anticipated little bun in the oven. :D We are excited and scared at the same time, but mostly excited and thrilled to have this baby enter our lives.

So there you have it--my not-so-big secret and certain reason why I've been off the web lately. I'm close to getting my energy back, and when I do, I expect I'll be hanging out with all of you soon.

I wish you all a wonderful 2012.

A Quick Hello!

2011-12-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hello! I hope you all had a great and fun holiday season. ;) I think I'm almost getting back into the swing of things...almost. Thank you for the comments you all left me in my last and very old blogpost. I've missed you all! It's been hard keeping up with the blog because of a certain reason I will reveal soon in the near future. (Um, no, I don't have an agent. I haven't even started querying yet.) :D

So. Anyway, I wish you all good health and happiness to ring in the New Year. Do you have resolutions for 2012? Goals? Mini-goals?

I'm hoping to get back into writing and finishing my NaNo novel, which needed at least 10k more to end the story. Also, I have my other WIP Hidden awaiting edits. I think I've let it stew long enough. ;) My brain has really been in a foggy state lately so I'm hoping to get back my focus really soon. Must be all those holiday goodies. I swear my kitchen counter is overflowing with treats and chocolates and fudgey goodness, and I just can't...I mean, who's gonna eat them all? Good thing candies last for a long while, eh?

Well, I'll see ya when I see ya. Now that I have a brand-new laptop for Christmas (thanks to the hubster!), this writer is going places...or something like that. ;)

Here's a picture of the cake my hubs and I made for Christmas--a Buche de Noel!

Hey, hey!

2011-12-08T10:12:00.001-07:00

Hello lovely people!

Yes, I've been gone for a while. And I miss you all! But my health (and those of the people in my household) hasn't been well lately and has kept me away from the Internet. Alas, I may continue to be sporadic with blog posts all through December, but I'll try really hard to keep up with all of you.

I only resurfaced today to acknowledge blog awards that wonderful people have given me. Sorry this took too long, guys!

First off, from Jenny Ryan of You Were Going to be Fantastic is the 7 x 7 Link Award. Since I've already done this, I won't sort through my posts again for the Mostest and the Bestest. :) If you missed my 7 x 7 post, well, here it is!

Thank you, Jenny! You guys should check out her blog where she posts chapters of a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story about a girl named Katie. ;)

Next up, is the ever lovely and beautiful friend of mine, Angela V. Cook of The Starving Novelist, who gave me the Beautiful Blogger Award. I love you, girl! Thank you ;)

And lastly, a more recent one, is the One Lovely Blog Award from Dean C. Rich of The Write Time. He blogs about writing and time management, people! If you're having a hard time trying to balance writing with life, go check out some of his posts. I bet you'll find something useful or applicable to you.

Thanks, Dean!

And now, for the awardees:

7 x 7 Link:

1. Erin Summerill
2. Rachna Chhabria
3. Suzanne F. Payne

Beautiful Blogger:

1. A.M. Supinger
2. Ashley Nixon
3. Caitlin Vincent

One Lovely Blog Award

1. Jessie Humphries
2. Peggy Eddleman
3. Jen Bennett

<3 to all. And stay healthy, everyone!

Cookies!

2011-11-30T10:03:00.001-07:00

I'm emerging out of my writing cave today for COOKIES! And also, for being a NaNoWriMo WINNER!

*cue Rocky Balboa's victory music*

BOOYAH!

Whew. Now I can actually go to bed at a decent hour and take a shower in the morning. Also, sort the laundry that's already wilting in the basket, scrub the toilets, DO MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, and yeah, get more sleep.

Proof of my crazy November! Yeah!

I will post about my NaNo journey sometime later...er, mucho later. For now, you all get to drool over COOKIES! because my lovely and uber sweet friend, Angela V. Cook of The Starving Novelist (how appropriate!) is hosting a Virtual Cookie Exchange.

So, perfect timing for a celebration, no?

Here are the links to other blogs participating in this Cookie Fest:

The Starving Novelist

A Book, A Girl, A Journey

By Anna Banks

Publish Novels or Bust

Source

I'm not a baking guru. Heck, I hardly bake pastry confections or bread or cookies or pies because while I can cook meals, baking, with its precise measurements and tedious methods, sometimes make me twitch an eye or two. So I generally leave the baking to the pros--like my mother, my sister, and my mother-in-law--and settle for those easy cut-and-pop-into-oven cookie dough available in your grocery aisle. Usually located in the cold shelves with the butter and eggs (at least, it is in my local grocery store).

But! That would not be good enough for this cookie fest. At the very least, Cookie Monster will stalk me and shove cookies in my mouth while I sleep if I don't give you a good cookie recipe.

So, what to do? What to do? I turn to my trusty and beloved cooking idol: Ree Drummond of Pioneer Woman Cooks. If you haven't heard of her, you need to get acquainted ASAP! Because of her, I made my very first Flat Apple Pie (with homemade crust! And to think I don't bake!) with great success. So this woman clearly is a guru, and she makes everything look so easy to make with her step-by-step photos accompanying the instructions.

Therefore, I share with you her website so you can peruse all the delicious meals she features there, and also a recipe that is simply to die for:

Cleta Bailey's Toffee Squares
From: Ree Drummond aka Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:

2 sticks Butter
1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 whole Egg
2 teaspoons Vanilla
2 cups All-purpose Flour
2 cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)
3/4 cups Finely Chopped Pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and flour and mix until combined. Spread on cookie sheet with an offset spatula until thin. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle on chocolate chips. Return to oven for 1 minute. Remove from oven and spread chocolate thinly over the cookie layer.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cut into squares.

*******

I have her cookbook, and let me tell you, I use it all the time. My kids will happily eat anything I serve them if I tell them it's from the Pioneer Woman cookbook. Crazy, eh? And I sound like a telemarketer. Believe me, I don't get paid to endorse her or her product. I'm just simply a big fan.

Do you have favorite cookies you bake for the holidays? Care to share? If you want to participate, go ahead and post your favorite cookie recipe, but let me know so I can add you to the list of links!

> . <

Tumbleweeds, NaNo, and Turkeys

2011-11-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Hey, hey, my beautiful people!

Are those tumbleweeds and cobwebs you see on my blog?

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Why, yes. Yes, they are.

This month is almost over (yeah, 'cause we all know that after Thanksgiving day, the rest of the month goes by like this: FRISATSUNMONTUEWED and then Voila! It's Christmas! Ok, ok, not right away). And with my first ever NaNoWriMo participation, it's been crazy-busy...THOUGH I found that it's been actually DOABLE for me (surprise! surprise!). I am normally a slow writer who likes to take her time, but if you give me a challenge, I get that wild look in my eyes and go into sessions of word vomit.

For instance, one day I wrote 4,200 words--which, for all you superhero writers is nothing! But for me, that's like my brain was split open by a mad, evil scientist, and shaken around to make the words spill out.

*what is with all the morbid imagery? I'm sorry. Will try to tone it down.

And then I would go through periods of hardly-any-writing, which I guess is not as bad as no-writing-at-all days. As of yesterday, I hit the big 40K, which means I have the rest of the month to come up with 10K words.

Hooray for NaNo!

For all you NaNo-ers out there, I hope you're meeting your goal/s. Keep on writing!

So, I am surviving and doing well. And since THANKSGIVING is practically knocking at our doorsteps, I'd like to take the time to say THANK YOU...

...for YOU, wonderful people, who take the time to come and visit my blog (and leave comments), even when it was gathering dust and spider babies.

...for my FRIENDS, both personal and virtual. You guys keep me going! Your stories, your lives, your beauty, your kindnesses...I will be forever grateful for your friendship.

...for BOOKS and ART and MUSIC, because they make life extra-beautiful.

...for my FAMILY, who's always been there for me, even when I'm bordering on stepping over Insanityville, and for understanding my long periods of silence because I'm thinking, plotting, and hacking away at the keyboard for many, many hours.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Book Review: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

2011-11-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

I won this book (along with 6 others) from A.M. Supinger's short story contest. (Thanks, A.M.!) I've heard rave reviews of this book before so I was excited to read it.

Blurb from Goodreads:

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secret,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.
I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.
I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her step-mother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way—thin, thinner, thinnest—maybe she'll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl's chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.

About the Author:

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous ALA and state awards. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. You can follow her on Twitter, or find her blog here.

The Book: YA Contemporary

I have to admit I was surprised at first by the stylistic construction the author employed to emphasize the protagonist's state of mind. By page three, I was fine. I actually think it renders the book a feeling of being not altogether there...a chopped up perception, a disoriented reflection of Lia's mental being. Which is what our protagonist, Lia, is: a hollow shell of a teenage girl who starves herself to fill up the void inside her. She's not altogether there. Her body image is bloatedly skewed, and her relationship with her family is so messed up she feels like a rag doll being passed from one person to the next.

When her ex-bestfriend Cassie dies in a motel room alone, Lia's downward spiral becomes inevitable. Even though her mom, a heart transplant surgeon always too busy for her, and her dad and his new wife/stepmom, genuinely wants Lia to get better, Lia continues to deceive them by sewing quarters in her weighing robe and appearing to be the perfect, calm daughter as the pounds melt off of her. Lia also begins to see Cassie haunting her, waiting for her to die so they can be together again.

Ms. Anderson's lyrical prose reflects Lia's morbid thoughts. I thought it was really well done and not over the top at all. It is haunting and sad and beautiful at once. It is an insider's peek at what could possibly go through an anorexic person's head. I've read other reviews where someone complained the protagonist was too egoistic to be likable. Too selfish, too self-absorbed. But that's why the author nailed it--people who suffer from such disorders have a distorted sense of reality.

Very well written for a sensitive subject. I give the author a big kudos for tackling such a painful and complex character, for letting us dive into the ugly truth of anorexia and bulimia, and for opening doors to others who may be going through these same experiences. Highly recommended.

How's Your NaNo Going?

2011-11-10T13:53:00.000-07:00

I think I'm all mixed up this week because of NaNoWriMo. So I won't attempt a long post, but would like to say HELLO! to all of you, brilliant, talented people! ;) And I wanted to leave you with this:

Keep on writing! May the MUSE be with you. ;)

P.S. Sorry if I haven't been visiting your blogs. But know that I am thinking of you guys in between writing breaks, snack breaks, and...er...well, not so much while I'm sleeping *awkward silence* Sorry. BUT! I love you guys, and the Nanoing is going great!

P.P.S. I'm CherieL over at the NaNoWriMo site, if you ever need a buddy. ;)

Write on! \m/

Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

2011-11-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

I totally bought this book the moment I saw it on the shelf at my local bookstore. Didn't know what the story was about, didn't care to know. They could have been about vamps or zombies or whathaveyou and I still would have gotten it because it's by LAINI TAYLOR!! This author can write. This author can write and blow your mind apart.

Are you drowning in my endless gushing yet?

*dials down adoration scale to prevent readers from fleeing blog*

Ahem.

Blurb from Goodreads:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

About the Author:

Laini Taylor is the author of three previous novels: the Dreamdark books Blackbringer and Silksinger, and the National Book Award finalist Lips Touch: Three Times. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, illustrator Jim Di Bartolo, and their daughter, Clementine.

Visit her website here. Book site here.

The Book: YA Fantasy/Paranormal

"Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love.

It did not end well."

Ms. Taylor's masterful prose always delivers beautiful, haunting images. It is mostly set in Prague, though we see glimpses of other cities through the portals that Karou enters to "run errands" for her chimaera family. And of course--the world of Elsewhere. Eretz. The otherworldly kingdom where an age-old battle between the angels and the devils continue to rip apart lives and dreams and...love.

In the beginning of the book, Karou does not know who she is or where she comes from. In the eyes of her friends, she's the blue-haired girl whose sketches are extraordinarily real and mystical; the girl who would disappear for days on end to "run errands", and sometimes come home with mysterious scars and bruises. For Karou, she's the girl who can make wishes using her beads, or scuppies, and who must absolutely obey her caretaker Brimstone's orders, even if it meant dragging elephant tusks in Paris back to the portal.

There is so much intrigue and mystery surrounding her and her life with the chimaeras, it's enough to keep you turning pages. When a seraphim tries to kill her, the line between this world and the other begins to blur, and Karou is finally going to find the truth about herself.

This is a MUST read. For anyone who enjoys Fantasy, yes. But more so if you enjoy beautiful writing. There's a wonderfully impossible love story in the mix, too, and a lot of wishing for hope.

For my part, I just wish that Ms. Taylor would never stop writing, would never stop giving us art in the form of her books. I can't wait for the sequel to come out.

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2011-11-02T08:29:00.000-06:00

Great title, isn't it? I won this book from Claire Legrand's #ARCAPALOOZA contest on Twitter. Claire is uber generous, and so much fun! Her book, The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, is due out in Fall 2012, and I wish there was a time machine so I can get my hands on her book. You can find her website here.

Blurb from Goodreads:

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

About the Author:

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of the three young adult novels: The Comeback Season, You Are Here, and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City.

The Book: YA Contemporary

When Hadley misses her flight to London, she ends up waiting in the airport for the next available flight. She's all kinds of mad, and not just because she's barely going to make it to her father's wedding to a British girl he left his family for, and whom Hadley has never even met in person. Hadley, in typical child-resenting-both-parents-for-their-divorce fashion, does not want to go to the wedding, let alone forgive her father for leaving her and her mom in an emotional mess. And did I mention she's claustrophobic, thereby making the thought of flying in a metal tube ten times scarier than meeting the new stepmom?

But Hadley meets Oliver, a British Yalie student, who's also heading to London for a family affair. He offers to help her with her bags, and when they end up seating in the same row in the plane, he helps her forget about the tiny, closed-up space.

I really enjoyed reading this (I finished it in about 2 hours!). It's light, it's cute, and who doesn't like stories of a serendipitous nature, right? While the romance aspect hovers above their heads for most of the story, it is really Hadley's relationship with her father that takes the spotlight. It's about forgiveness and love, for letting go and taking in new risks. There's also a sort of parallel-contrast between Hadley's relationship with her dad, and Oliver's relationship with his dad. While Hadley and Oliver struggled to come to terms with their own individual heartaches, they realized that together, they keep each other grounded.

This reminds me of a cutesy summer flick that leaves you smiling and feeling fuzzy warm inside after you leave the movie theatre. The conflict's not a matter of life and death (yeah, you know me. I mostly read fantasy or dark fantasy/dystopian/horror so this was different for me), but it's a sweet reminder of how we need to put things in perspective and learn to look beyond our own (hurt) ego. In Hadley's case, her father truly loves the woman he's marrying, and while he knows this hurts Hadley and her mom, it is an unescapable truth.

So, if you've got an hour or two to spare, or the next time your flying somewhere, pick this up for a pleasant, enjoyable read.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:25:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure which is scarier: Halloween or NaNoWriMo. :-D

Did ya know...

~ We didn't really celebrate Halloween in the Philippines...not while I was growing up anyway. We knew about Halloween, but there was, sadly, no trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. They have Halloween now. Lucky little kids. I missed out big time when I was young. *sniff*

Me want candy!

~ We had different kinds of monsters we were afraid of. We called them aswangs. My mom would try to scare us so we would listen to her, or make us go to bed when it was bedtime. I mean, that's pretty counterproductive, right?

Mom says, "Go to bed so the monsters won't come after you!"

Yeah right. The aswangs will eat me while I'm sleeping.[hides in the closet; forces eyes to stay open]

~ There was a giant tree called a balete that we would have to pass every time we hike through the woods to visit my grandparents' house (which was in a pretty isolated place). My cousins (who were older than me) used to tell me to say excuse me as we're walking past so that the ogre who lived in the tree would not bother us. O_o

"I am watching you," says the invisible ogre.

~ Of all the aswangs in the Philippines, I was most afraid of the manananggal (yeah, try saying that five times really fast!). A beautiful woman by day, but at night, her body splits in half right along her stomach so that her legs get left behind as she sprouts wings and fly through the night, looking for babies and little kids to snatch up and eat. There's no use hiding as she has a wicked sense of smell. The only way to defeat her they say (I don't know who 'they' are, really. Who makes up this kind of stuff, anyway?) is to find her bottom half and destroy it so that when dawn comes, she can't transform back into her human self.

Happy Trick-or-Treating! Watch out for Spookables! ;)

This is my only costume. Har har!
BOO!

*****

To all of you doing Nano this year, let's buddy up! I'm CherieL over there.

Honesty is the Best Review Policy??

2011-10-28T12:09:00.000-06:00

Okay, not to be overly dramatic but I just want to point out that when I write reviews for books, it's not to disparage, hurt, smite down anyone in any way. I LOVE to read. I go through hundreds of books in a year or so. Before I even started writing and blogging, I would go through 4 to 5 books in a week, 7 on an easy week (a book a day). My Goodreads profile doesn't even reflect all of the books I've ever read in my life (partly because I haven't had time to update it, and a lot of the books I read didn't get written down so now I don't remember their titles.) The bottom line is, I have a pretty good sense of what kind of books works for me and what doesn't.

Awhile back, my good writer friend J. Lea Lopez posted an HONEST REVIEW PLEDGE on her blog. So I would like to ask J. Lea's permission to share this with you, and adopt it as well because it is a wonderful pledge.

As a writer, I pledge:

Never to pay for fake positive reviews of my work
Never to offer discounts, freebies, or other perks to readers in exchange for falsely positive reviews
Never to solicit false negative reviews for other writers' work in order to make my own look more favorable or to gain marketing advantage

As a reader/reviewer, I pledge:

To review all works honestly and candidly
Never to write a negative review for the purpose of revenge, spite, or personal attack
Never to accept money, flattery, gifts, or other perks in exchange for false positive reviews
Not to let opinions or expectations of others affect my views of the work I'm reviewing

There you have it.

I know getting reviews you don't like hurts. I won't dismiss that. But if you, as an AUTHOR, expect people to hand out their hard-earned money for your work (even if it's only $0.99, it's still money), then be prepared to accept what they may have to say. It's only fair.

Book Review: Cold Faith and Zombies by Sean Thomas Fisher

2011-10-27T08:01:00.001-06:00

I feel like I need to put a sort of disclaimer or note or something whenever I do a book review. Partly because I want to emphasize that my opinion is mine alone and is based on my assessment of a book as a READER. Also, the book business is HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE, and what may be a great read for me might not be so great for you, and vice versa.

Now that I've gotten that part over with, let me preface this review by saying I purchased this book ($2.99 on Amazon) mainly because I know and follow the author's blog. Sean's always funny and a litle bit obsessed with zombies. Okay, a LOT obsessed. He has that easygoing "voice", very laid back personality, and he's the only person I know who can turn Lindsay Lohan into a zombie.

Blurb from Goodreads:

The scripture warns that in "the last days" the love of the great body of believers will grow cold and maybe that's why people who aren't people anymore began pounding on Paul's front door. With his zombie movie and gaming experience, his wife, Sophia, and trusty friend, Dan, know they have an edge against extinction. Paul quickly gets them guns, a siphon-kit and a plan to head south, because if the walking stiffs don't get them, the freezing Iowa temps will.

Overnight, Paul goes from the unemployment line to the front line in a battle against evil, where he finally finds his calling as a leader. However, his swelling confidence quickly propels them towards tragedy, putting his faith to the ultimate test while the fate of others hangs in the balance.

This book will bring ravenous zombies into your home without the use of strong language and graphic violence.

About the Author:

Sean Thomas Fisher was born and raised in the eerie little town of Des Moines, Iowa. After graduating from The University of Iowa with a major in Communications and a minor in Religion, he went on to host several radio shows on Rock and Country stations across the United States. Upon tiring of fighting off ravenous walkers in suits and ties, he turned his writing skills to the dark side and is now the author of his debut novel, Cold Faith and Zombies, and two short stories, First Zombie and Second Zombie. His Horror/Paranormal novella, Cold Summer Nights, was recently released by Bump in the Night Publishing and is based upon a true story that to this day...no one believes.

You can find his blog here.

The Book:

Here is where I tread on eggshells. I have a lot of respect for the author, and I possibly had high expectations going into this read. The plot itself is very decent, though not original of course--zombies going after the survivors is a story we've all heard and read before. Prior to reading this book, I was watching the AMC's horror fest on TV, and one of the movies playing was The Diary of the Dead: a bunch of college students were filming a movie when TV reports of people coming back from the dead and attacking others unnerved them. Long story short: they fended off the walking dead, watched friends die and come back to life, and their journey was recorded through a camera that their student friend insisted on doing for the sake of letting others know what had happened to them. My point is, this storyline has been done to death, and while I am not aversed to a rehash concept, it would have to be written really well or delivered in a unique way to make me stand up and take notice.

So, anyway, back to the book. Our protagonist and his friends are basically just trying to make it through one day at a time. They're average, ordinary people who are doing what they can, and sometimes, their "best" is not good enough and people die. Like I said, decent plot in that it doesn't spare us the awful "realities" of such a situation. The characters are ALL vulnerable, and the ones we like may not even make it through at all. There are references to faith having gone from this world, and our protagonist who was raised by an extremely religious parent begins questioning God and his own personal faith. When tragedy strikes him, he goes through the motion of one dwelling in the sucking vortex of grief. But in a world crawling with flesh-eating zombies, he has to get his head back in the game or die.

The tension is great throughout the book, and the characters are likable enough. However, I feel that the execution of the story did not do it justice. There were too many typos, grammatical errors, POV shifts or head-hopping, and repetitions of either words and phrases or ideas. I can deal with a few errors (no one's perfect, I know) but when it happens again and again, I find myself pausing, backtracking, and getting taken out of the story. There were also inconsistencies with the rules of the plot: one moment we have the zombies featured as fast predators. But later in the story, one of the characters said "they (the zombies) could barely walk".

There are some tender moments in this book, especially when the author reminds us how fragile life can be. If you care for some light, funny dialogues, pop culture references, and a realistic but grim look at a zombie apocalypse (and if you can turn off your internal editor while reading), Cold Faith and Zombies might be for you.

In Case You're Wondering...

2011-10-25T09:47:00.000-06:00

I'm still here. Remember those books I listed in my previous post? Yep, I am busy reading and reading some more. 5 books so far...lots more to finish before November 1st. Expect a lot of book reviews coming your way the month of November. (Which is perfect since I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year, and I doubt I'll have time to blog much.)

What's that? You don't know what NaNoWriMo is? I didn't either until I saw the frenzy on Twitter over a month ago about getting ready for this whatchamacallit annual event. So of course, crazy, curious ~~cat~~ person that I am, I had to go and check it out. And sign myself up without even thinking it thoroughly. I already told hubs last week I'm doing this writing thing next month, and even though his eyes were mostly glazed over, sweet as he is, the first thing he asked me when I was done explaining was: What can I do for you?

See? See why I married the guy? *envy me* haha!

So. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It's not a contest, per se. More like a challenge you do with a bunch of other ~~crazies~~ writers. The goal is simple: Write 50,000 words in a month. If we must simplify this, that would be approximately 1700 words everyday. Sounds doable? Perhaps. I'm a slow writer but highly motivated when given a deadline. So we'll see how it goes.

Alright, I'm going back to my reading. Must build up my ammunition (words) before the real writing begins.

By Debbie Ridpath Ohi

See ya on the flip side!

Are you doing NaNo too?

What's On Your Nightstand?

2011-10-21T09:50:00.004-06:00

It's Fall Break, hooray!

Since I finished writing my WIP's first draft, I've just been drifting around--I finished outlining my NaNoWriMo story, which is an MG Fantasy my daughter already knows and loves (yes, I've told her the story), haven't touched or peeked the WIP (must let it simmer, according to the editing experts), and I've been spending a lot of time with the family doing Fall-ish things (getting pumpkins, making Halloween decorations, going out to see the Witches' Village, looking for costumes, etc. etc.). While this is all fine and dandy, I realized I haven't read any of the books I have sitting on my nightstand. I fear if I don't get to it, they'll topple over and smother me while I'm asleep.

So! A challenge. How many books do you think I can finish in the week before November 1st (when NaNoWriMo starts)?

These are the books awaiting me: (Some of them are Kindle editions)

Do you think I'm crazy? I used to be able to read 4 to 5 books in a week, back in my days of living under a rock.

What about you? What's on your nightstand?

7 x 7 (It's the magic number)

2011-10-19T09:27:00.000-06:00

I've been procrastinating on this particular blog award because it requires me to sort through my blog posts for the most beautiful, most controversial, most popular, etc., and somehow it's making me feel like a judge for American Idol. Or maybe, a better metaphor would be a beauty pageant judge...

Strut your stuff, blog post #20! Chin up, blog post #68! You call that a walk? What are you thinking?

And I fear my posts from now on will develop an inferiority complex.

BUT! It has to be done. Sooooo...a BIG THANKS to these wonderful blogger friends who bestowed me this interesting award:

Tara Tyler of Tara Tyler Talks. She's a lovely math teacher and writer rolled into one. I am always in awe of mathematicians because Math was the one subject I struggled the most with during my high school years.

Caitlin Vincent of Musings of an Ordinary Mind. Caitlin is one of the sweetest and smartest persons I know. I love her writing voice (check out her A Word for Wednesday posts). Love yah, Cay-Cay! ;)

A.M. Supinger of Inner Owlet. This gal is one of my favorite bffs. She's lovely, she's funny, and she can write beautiful, sometimes heart-wrenching stories. She's very imaginative and she never ceases to amaze me with her talent. <3

Thank you, ladies!

Cue the music and lights... Here we go:

1. Most Beautiful Post goes to... I can't decide between two so I made it a tie instead. The first one is the meme: Writing Is NOT Like a Box of Chocolates, where I compared writing to a tango dance. It has JLo and Richard Gere. I mean, c'mon, Richard Gere, right? Ok, he's old but he's still got it.

The second pick is more personal (to me, anyway): Poetry, The Music To My Soul.

2. Most Popular Post is...my contest entry: Beware the Bunny. So technically, this is not the first most popular but the FOURTH ranking post. The others were giveaways so I didn't include them. Apparently, you guys like morbid, scary bunny stories. O_o

Don't be fooled by those lovely round eyes, or by its soft fur.

3. Most Controversial Post (oh my!): I don't do politics, so I had a hard time picking a winner for most controversial. And then I remembered this post that started the #goatposse phenomenon on Twitter so what the heck: Who We Are. Yep, it's got goats in it.

So cute, right?

4. Most Helpful Post goes to...Passive vs. Active Voice. This is actually the second most popular post too. I get "passive and active voice" searches a lot. Glad to know it's helping someone out there. *looks out into the great beyond*

5. Most Surprisingly Successful: (wait, what does this even mean? That a post I thought was a loser actually garnered views? Or that a post I wrote wriggled its way into the top popular post ranking?) Since I'm not sure about this, I'm going with the next popular: The Breakfast Club: YA in a Nutshell. John Hughes, baby. 'Nuff said.

6. Post That Didn't Get the Attention It Deserved or Most Underrated (I need to make two sashes for this): I think it would have to be the milk maid story found here: Because I Was A Reader First Before I Became A Writer. I'm still thinking of myself as the milk maid sometimes, especially when I get writerly doubt. (You think you can write, punk? Oh yeah? Ya think you can? Huh.)

7. The Post I Am Most Proud Of: This is the one that started it all: On Writing and Other Knickknacks that Stumble My Way.

And I'm tagging these wonderful bloggers because I'm sure they have interesting posts to share with us:

Michelle Simkins (Beyond awesome. Y'all need to follow her. Srsly.)

Shelly Brown (Funny and entertaining. When I think of Shelly, "movie star" comes to mind immediately. Must be those cool-looking shades she's got on.)

Bethany C. (She is my Shakira-fro-wearing, hamster-slave-driving, purple goat sistah who totally rocks. I <3 <3 <3 her!)

Lori M. Lee (Uber talented. I drool over her manga artwork all the time.)

Mary Frame (The wolf lady who doesn't write about werewolves. Yeah, she's awesome.)

The Golden Eagle (She rocks. 'nuff said.)

Laila Knight (Her words: "Life is too short to let it be ordinary." Amen!)

Abby Fowers (A real, down-to-earth, sweet lady. ;) )

Kristin Baker (I love this gal! She's funny and smart and sweet.)

Peggy Eddleman (she just landed herself an agent! Hooray!)

Go on, ladies! Dazzle us with your fabulous posts! <3

An Interview (Sort Of), A Monday Funny (Possibly), and An Unsparkly Day

2011-10-17T14:03:00.000-06:00

Sooo... before I tell you why I'm feeling -10 sparkly today and all kinds of grouchy, the sweet and lovely Ashley Nixon threw a bunch of questions at me over the weekend about writerly stuff and such, so head on over there if you care to know what my writing space looks like (yes, there's a picture! And if you look closely, maybe you'll spot Ryan the Zombunny.) And heavens no, I wasn't grouchy because of this interview. Boy, wasn't that a terrible preface (sorry, Ashley! You know I love yah!)

If you still care to know what ruffled my feathers, come back over here when you're done. I can wait.

~ cue elevator music ~

By Debbie Ridpath Ohi

You're back? You're that curious, huh. I may end up disappointing you. Just a warning.

Alright, here it is: my iPhone is busted.

It still works, yeah, but the screen has these spidery webbing all over it. I know it's Halloween and all, but I prefer my spider webs to be fake, synthetic stuff I can stick on the bushes outside, not this cracked iPhone glass. :(

So I was walking my little girl to school when this family with a dog came up behind us. Their dog was making some weird huffing sound, which freaked out my daughter. She started running, tripped on the curb, and fell down. When I hurried to help her up, my iPhone slipped out of my hand and the hard cement was no way merciful. Screen totally ruined. Curse ye, weird sounding dog!

Okay, okay, I know it's not the dog's fault. Or anyone's, really. But see, my daughter is terrified of dogs because of a traumatic experience. We were at the playground once, and I think she was only 4 at that time, when this little puppy started chasing her, nipping and barking at her heels. The poor girl shrieked and screamed, and ran in circles, while the dog owners stood and watched and LAUGHED, thinking it was cute and funny.

It was neither cute nor funny. I, of course, rescued her but the damage was already done.

See now, before any of you dog owners get mad at me, hear this: I had a dog growing up. I'm no dog hater, by any means, but one thing I know is that NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOVE YOUR PET AS MUCH AS YOU DO. (Yes, I LOVED my dog but I was considerate of others.) So please, when you're in a public area, KEEP THEM ON A LEASH. And for goodness sake, pick up after them. We seriously had a neighbor once who let their dog use OUR FRONT YARD as their PERSONAL BATHROOM. Those turds are not gonna pick themselves up, FYI. Their dog was doing its business while we were pulling out of our driveaway, and I totally saw the guy just watched and did nothing. NOTHING!

Oh the horror!

Ahem. I'm okay now. Still bemoaning my phone but that's life. I hope the rest of you are having a wonderful, sparkly, trauma-free day.

<3

Book Review: BROOKLYN, BURNING by Steve Brezenoff

2011-10-15T10:53:00.000-06:00

Blurb from Goodreads:

When you're sixteen and no one understands who you are, sometimes the only choice left is to run. If you're lucky, you'll find a place that accepts you, no questions asked. And if you're really lucky, that place has a drum set, a place to practice, and a place to sleep. For Kid, the streets of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, are that place. Over the course of two scorching summers, Kid falls hopelessly in love and then loses nearly everything and everyone worth caring about. But as summer draws to a close, Kid finally finds someone who can last beyond the sunset.

About the Author:

Steve Brezenoff is the author of dozens of chapter books for younger readers and the young adult novel The Absolute Value of -1. Born in Queens, Steve has lived in the suburbs on Long Island, on a couch on Manhattan's Upper East Side, a few feet from the 7 train in the Sunnyside neighborhood in Queens, and across the Hudson River in Jersey City--but none of those places has stuck with him or been missed as acutely as Brooklyn, where he lived on and off for much of his twenties and early thirties. Now he lives in St. Paul, with his wife and two sons.

For more on the author, visit his website or Goodreads page.

The Book:

I won this book from a giveaway hosted by the publisher Carolrhoda Lab. I had forgotten that I entered the giveaway in the first place, so imagine my surprise and elation when they contacted me about my prize. It was weird 'cause I couldn't remember what the book was about, so when it arrived, I had no preconceived notions at all (and yes, I didn't google it beforehand. It was a pure cold read).

I took it with me to my daughter's dance class, hoping to kill the hour with some quiet reading. I didn't know I would have a hard time putting it down.

The magic and charm of Brooklyn, Burning lies in its masterful, lyrical prose. The author took risks by switching into different POVs and alternating between the past and the present, but he did it so well that it didn't jerk me, the reader, out of the story. Instead, it let me dive in and then float along with the waves. I was entranced by the beauty of it all.

There are several angles in this book to draw perspectives from--we can talk about the *LGBTQ characters, the setting, the central theme, the love story, the parental units and the characters' relationships with them, friendship, music, summer affairs, arson, etc. The thing is, you can take away what you want from the novel--it's the reason why if you read the reviews for this book, you'll see varying opinions. There are ugly truths and beautiful truths, and even those in-between. For me? I simply LOVED Brooklyn, Burning.

Kid, the main character, is Kid. He/She could be anyone, could be you. (For this review, I will refer to Kid as male since that's how I envisioned him when I read the book. Others have noted how the author never really tells us what or who Kid is. But as reading is partly influenced by the reader's own perception, there is no wrong or right way as far as Kid's gender issue is concerned. For all I know, you could be reading it and thinking of Kid as a girl. Whatever works.) Kid has been living "in the streets" after his father kicked him out of the house for being LGBTQ. He hangs out at Fish's bar, down in the basement, where he plays the drums with Felix, a musician and a junkie and Kid's first love. But then a fire in the warehouse (where Kid and Felix used to sleep) broke out and destroyed everything Kid has hold dear to his heart.

The next summer, Kid meets Scout, who is another musician looking out for a band to play with. It is during this time that the police holds Kid as a suspect for the warehouse fire. We see glimpses of Kid's relationships with his friends, mentors, Felix, his parents, and Scout.

Brooklyn is a hard place to be, but at the same time, it takes in Kid just the way he is--and unconditionally. In a way, Brooklyn itself is a character as well as the setting for this story.

My favorite part is when Kid and Scout are trying to come up with a name for their band. Kid asks Scout what her songs are about, and she says it's about the world in general, about people. And so they become People. (p.144) It's very simple, and yet so poignant. I feel like this is the core of the story. That no matter who we are, or what we are, or what others think of us, in the end we are all PEOPLE. We are one and the same. It's about acceptance and tolerance and real love. The kind of love that doesn't kick out their child into the streets simply because they do not fit your definition of what they ought to be. The kind of love that hurts, and laughs, and feels sorrow.

If you like stories that make you think and look at the world in different perspectives, pick up Brooklyn, Burning and let its music seep into your soul. I highly recommend this.

*LGBTQ = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer

Editing = Cleaning = ?

2011-10-12T13:47:00.001-06:00

Today I've been cleaning and sorting through drawers and art stuff and all kinds of school work that get shoved in corners and plastic bins. Stuff like these always takes longer than I anticipate in the beginning. But afterwards, it feels good to have four trash bags full of things I may never use or look at again in the future.

Clean house = peace of mind. (Until it gets dirty again--the house, not my mind. Yeesh.)

It's amazing how much clutter we can accumulate in a matter of weeks, or even days. Lots of unnecessary things we don't need or won't ever use again. (Wait for it--an editing metaphor is heading your way. You knew it, didn't you?) Just like in your beloved manuscript, you'll have to sort and weed the bad, unnecessary "darlings" (those words or phrases you're absolutely in love with but they don't progress the plot or they weigh down the pace). It will be a painstaking job but in the end, you know it'll make for a better and shinier novel.

A couple days ago I asked for editing tips from YOU, brilliant readers, and I must say I am glad I did because I gleaned a TON of helpful stuff.

For instance:

~Let the manuscript sit and simmer for a loooong time.

~ PURPLE pens are prettier, more creative, and less harsh than RED pens. (Green is acceptable, too. Right, Phresh?)

~ Read it OUT LOUD.

~Print it out and edit with a pen (instead of editing on the screen). Highlighters are useful when doing line edits.

~Use BETA READERS or CRIT PARTNERS.

~Edit, rinse, repeat.

~Chapter map in a grid, with columns for page numbers, brief chapter summaries, and potential plot problems and questions. (I like this one!)

~Do NOT over-edit.

~Cupcakes are okay during editing. And lastly, don't be afraid to write BOOYAH! at the end of your ms. Have faith in yourself and in your writing.

So. The metaphor? Editing = cleaning = happy me. The process may be tedious and physically laborious, and really, who likes cleaning houses, right? (Except for my mom.) BUT! The end result is something to look forward to.

Confession: I haven't done any EXTENSIVE editing before in any of my mss. So I consider myself a newbie at editing. When I write my first draft, I occasionally make notes in my Word doc. (If you don't know this: You simply highlight the word or words and click on Review located in the top bar, then New Comment.) I'm a slow writer because I don't merely pump out words--I review them as I go along. Yeah, blame my internal editor. It doesn't mean my first draft is clean and error-less. It just means I'm a neurotic writer who second-guesses herself a LOT.

This is my BIG book of notes. Ha! Yeah, I write EVERYTHING down--from chapter outlines, ideas, character names, phooey queries, synopsis attempts, grocery lists, TBR lists, and anything that catches my eye while surfing the net.

Here are some helpful links I've been perusing lately:

I, Editor by Robert K. Lewis via From the Write Angle blog

Editing Your MS in 30 Days or Less by Elana Johnson, YA Author of Possession

Over-Editing and Self-Esteem by Joyce Alton, Yesternight's Voyage blog

"Hello, How May I Edit You?"

2011-10-10T07:51:00.000-06:00

As you may (or may not) have noticed, my blogging has been all over the place lately. :D And now that it's October, which is one month closer to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), it's not going to get any normal.

BUT!

Life is a lot more fun when it's unpredictable, right? Right? Oh okay, not for you guys who crave routines. ;D

So. I FINISHED writing my first draft of HIDDEN. Mind you, this is probably the 4th start-from-scratch-again revision draft, so it's not exactly my first ever novel to finish. Just the one I am satisfied...FOR NOW. For lo and behold, just when you think you've finally written fin or the end or booyah! at the end of your manuscript, and you're finally stuffing yourself with cupcakes in celebration of your GREAT accomplishment, the doorbell rings and the red pen is at your doorstep saying, "Hello, how may I EDIT you?"

If you are smart (like me), you'd slam the door on its face and say, "Not today, buddy! Come back in a couple of weeks."

And then you go back to your happy dancing and cupcake eating, and never mind the red pen eyeing you balefully from outside the kitchen window. You'd better celebrate now because once the two weeks are up, YO! NO CUPCAKES FOR YOU AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL GET SLASHER-CRAZY AND WIELD A HATCHET BECAUSE YOUR FIRST DRAFT WILL BE NEEDING SOME MAJOR SURGERY!

Ahem. It's one of the truths in the universe, unfortunately. No first rough draft turns out to magically be a bestseller. It's just not happenin', dude. Okay? EDITING is part of the process. No shortcuts, no way around it. So tell me, since I need my head back on pretty soon-- HOW DO YOU EDIT YOUR MS?

Please share 'cause I need ideas that are not as torturous as what I'm planning to do with my beloved manuscript. On Wednesday, I'll share with you my process and a few linkages to awesome editing advice.

While you're here, enjoy this Monday Funny to start off your week right!

By Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Sigh. How I wish...

Just Brilliant!

2011-10-05T10:38:00.000-06:00

First off, my short story entry won A.M. Supinger's underwater fiction contest! The prize: BOOKS! So I'm very excited. ;D YAY! A.M. posted my story on her blog so if you want to read about Melusines, head on over there!

I'm so close to finishing the first draft of my WIP Hidden. I've been feeling nostalgic writing the end chapters. There's relief and at the same time, a sort of bittersweet moment where I'm thinking, My word, it's over...well, until editing comes around and I have to chop up this baby to pieces. But for now, I'm going to enjoy its wholeness. So thank you for the encouraging words and for staying with me even though I've been a bad blogger lately.

And to add to my good news, Angel of Mermaid Vision Books passed me the Brilliant Blogger Award. She's such a sweetie! Her blog has book reviews and general discussions about TV shows and movies. So if you're looking for a book to read, head on over there and peruse her selections.

Thanks, Angel!

The rules for this award are:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated me.
2. Share seven random facts about myself.

3. Pass the award along to 5 newfound blogging buddies
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

Sounds familiar? Yep, I think I've got these rules tattoed on the inside of my skull since my first blog award. Ha! :D Instead of doing the 7 random things since I'm out of 7 new random things about myself, I give you random writerly advice that may or may not be based on my own writing experience. :D

~ Feed your brain. I mean, literally. Do not write while hungry or else your prose will suddenly find itself chock-full of metaphors with FOOD in it.

Her wet, limp hair reminded him of overly cooked spaghetti strands.

~If you write horror, don't write in your basement alone. Or way into the night. Even if you have all of the lights on, you eventually have to turn them off when you retire for the night. Those stairs look daunting now, don't they?

~When a writer says, "I'm cutting today" it doesn't mean they're cutting themselves. Don't be alarmed.

~It's okay to scream and yell and shimmy when your short story gets accepted for publication, or when you get an agent request. Even if your kids are staring at you as if you've sprouted horns on top of your head and have gone over to the "dark side".

Source

~If you have a young kid, stock up on their favorite DVDs/movies/TV shows. Trust me, it's how I get my writing done. Don't forget to have a drink and a snack within your reach so at the first "Mommy!" wail, you have ammunition at your fingertips.

~Yes, the laundry can wait. But just know, if you leave wet clothes in the washer, they are going to STINK.

~And lastly, write with your heart.

I'm passing on this blog award to the following bloggers because I know they are BRILLIANT!

1. Anita Howard
2. Lydia Kang
3. Sarah Fine
4. Sarah Pearson
5. Angela V. Cook
6. Lori M. Lee
7. Julie Fedderson
8. Barbara Kloss
9. Erin Summerill
10. Tara Tyler
11. Jessie Humphries
12. Rachna Chhabria
13. Jami Gold
14. Shelly Brown
15. Mindy McGinnis

I know I went over 5, but hey, I'd tag you all if I had the time. <3 Love you, guys!

Have a great day!

Monday Funnies and the Skeleton Key Blogvel

2011-10-03T09:30:00.000-06:00

The Skeleton Key blogvel's last chapter is up today at Michelle Simkins' Greenwoman blog. *sniff* Ax and Becca's adventures have come to an end. It's been a fun collaboration with talented writers, and I know I enjoyed following the blogvel as much as writing my own chapter contribution.

Anyway, here's the list of chapters with links for those of you who are curious and want to read it from the beginning to end. And excuse me while I go sniffle in a corner. For those of you who've already read the chapters, check out the Monday Funny at the bottom of this post for your dose of writerly fun.

Have a great week, everyone!

Chapter 1–May 30. Greenwoman
Chapter 2–June 6. Inner Owlet
Chapter 3–June 13. Word by Word
Chapter 4–June 27. In the Jungle
Chapter 5–July 4. The Creativity Rebellion
Chapter 6–July 11. The Party Pony
Chapter 7–July 18. Hey Now
Chapter 8–July 25. The Demeter Diaries
Chapter 9–August 1. Jello World
Chapter 10–August 8. Laura’s Universe
Chapter 11–August 15. Words from the Woods
Chapter 12–August 22.Greenwoman
Chapter 13–August 29. Chelsea Rose Fine Arts
Chapter 14–September 5. Tighty Writie
Chapter 15–September 12. Ready, Write, Go
Chapter 16–September 19. In the Jungle
Chapter 17–September 26. Writing with Shelly
Chapter 18–October 3. Greenwoman

By Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Enjoy!

Book Giveaways at Book Nerd Reviews!

2011-10-01T23:27:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I bring you this message because I want to win THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin. Happened to read a chapter sample a few days back and I was hooked!

And since Book Nerd Reviews is having a giveaway, I had to blog about it. The other two choices btw are:

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD by Kendare Blake

IF I STAY by Gayle Forman

You wanna join too? Click here.

Inspiration Meme

2011-09-30T09:53:00.000-06:00

Hiya folks! Yes, I'm alive and well, thank you for asking. I've been hunkering down in my ~~bat~~ writing cave, furiously working on my WIP everyday to meet my goal. As of today, I'm 88% done with my first draft. Yippee! And while I'm internally cringing at some of my paragraphs, I have to squelch my inner editor and save it for the editing round.

Of course it's not all roses and sunshine. My ever fickle MUSE a.k.a. the BRAIN has decided to wrestle with me, writing down scenes WHICH ARE NOT INCLUDED IN MY PLOT OUTLINE WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!? Needless to say, it has slowed down my writing momentum and I'm spending more time thinking than actual writing. GAH! Has this ever happened to you?

So. I apologize for not blogging, not reading your awesome blogs, not commenting (though this is partially BLOGGER'S FAULT--my comments kept getting eaten by the great cyberspace monster CHOMP CHOMP), not tweeting much or of being virtually MIA (Missing in Action) these past few days. My WIP will have to thank you for your patience. :D

This Inspiration Meme is long overdue, and since I'm taking a teensy break from the world of HIDDEN to take a breather, I thought this was perfect timing. What better way to pin down the muse, right? Give her doses of inspiration and maybe she'll start cranking the brain gears again.

The beautiful Ashley Nixon (she's such a sweetheart! If you don't know her yet, go check her blog out. This chicka always makes me smile!) tagged me in this meme of her own creation.

Here are the rules:

1. Acknowledge who tagged you on your blog.

2. List 5 things that inspire you. It can be pictures, a video, anything! :D

3. I'm thinking the limit can range from 1-10. So tag within this range, anyone who inspires you! We want to spread this creativity and inspiration, don't we? YES!!!
4. And of course, tell those wonderful inspiring people who they are!

So, here we go:

1. My family. All of them inspire me everyday. My hubby is wonderfully supportive and loving. He balances me out and keeps me grounded when life overwhelms me. My two beautiful kids fill my heart with unbounding joy. Even when they resemble Wild Things at certain moments. Their warm hugs and sloppy kisses never fail to make everything right again.

My mother lives thousands of miles away from me, but our connection has gotten stronger through the years, especially when I had my kids. She's a strong, resilient woman, who'd raised us to be good people. I'll always be grateful for her love and example.

2. Books. I'm a reader too, and reading was my first love before I started penning down my own stories. I can't give you ONE BOOK that has inspired me the most because the reality is, I'm constantly finding new books to love. I do have to mention a couple:

Brooklyn, Burning by Steve Brezenoff is one of my latest reads, and I was simply in awe of the beauty of the story and the writing itself.

Who doesn't love The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, right? I bawled like a baby after reading this book, to the surprise and concerned look of my hubby who didn't know why I was suddenly dripping like a leaky water pipe. "It's just this book...it made me cry. It's so so...WAAAHHH!" :D

3. Art. Yes, I love ART. I love the calm and peace it brings to me. Sometimes it's other people's brilliant works. Sometimes, I make my own--nothing spectacular, just mostly plain pencil sketches. It's the process and focus of making lines resemble something that brings about this inner peace. There's just me and the paper and my drawing tool. And in a way, it's similar to writing, only we are drawing with words instead of making pictures.

4. Nature. I grew up in a tropical country with beautiful views of untouched beaches, glorious sleeping volcanoes, and an exotic selection of flora and fauna. Later, I would come to live in Hawai'i, and running by the beach early in the morning with the sound of waves lapping on the shore, before people would overtake the endless strip of bleached, golden sand...it's serenity.

Photo by Dee Q8

Now I live in a valley, surrounded by majestic mountains. No oceans here, but I am in love with the changing of the seasons. Fall is my favorite time of the year when the leaves turn into wondrous colors of yellows, oranges, and reds, fluttering in the breeze and falling like golden raindrops.

5. People. This means YOU. You guys are amazing, wonderful people. You wake up each day with hope brimming in your hearts and ideas stewing in your noggins, and you walk the tightrope of life. Balancing your dreams with real life. Finding time to read, write, learn, love, and reach out to others. So THANK YOU for inspiring me.

I won't tag because I don't have time to check out who hasn't done the meme yet. If you feel like this is something you'd like to talk about in your blog, go ahead and do the meme. Tell us what inspires you. We would love to know!

Have a great weekend, everyone! <3

Green Looks Good on Me (I Think!)

2011-09-26T07:58:00.002-06:00

The best thing about having nice blogger friends is getting awards from them. Who needs an Oscar or an Emmy when you can have the ever green Versatile Blogger Award?

Yep, the lovely Charissa Weaks of A Day in the Life of an Aspiring Author graciously handed me this award. Thank you, Charissa! You rock, girl!

Since I've done this before, I won't bore you with another 7 random things about me. Instead, I'm going to give you a list of 7 bloggers I'm tagging and the reasons why I think they're great. :D

1. Suzanne Payne. She's an Elementay Music teacher, a mother, wife, friend, hottie (in my book, hehe! It's our secret code of sorts), Twitter buddy, and a writer. This lady has heart, and I love her sincerity.

2. Anna Banks. This chicka is hilarious! If you follow her on Twitter, you'll know what I mean. Plus, Anna's debut novel OF POSEIDON is coming out soon. And it is lovely. And I can't wait to read it. ;)

3. J. Lea Lopez. Because she's crazy-fun, loves Jell-O, she's a #goatposse member, and she's an AQer (Agent Query member). J.Lea writes sexy stories too. Woot!

4. Kimberly Krey. She's a Utahn mom-writer-reader like me. And she likes doughnuts. ;D

5. Michelle Simkins. Fellow #goatposse member, AQer, Greenwoman (as in she's all earthy and green and fae-like. No, she's not actually green, she just embodies it. Hehe.), feminist, knitter, gardener, tea drinker, reader, mother, wife, friend, writer (not in that order, btw). Versatile, indeed.

6. Leigh T. Moore. She's fun, she's cool, and she's super nice! Follow her blog and you'll see what I mean. :)

7. Masako Moonshade. (How cool is that name?) She's a fellow AQer and Twitter buddy. I'm only getting to know her but I think she's FAB. ;)

Have a great week, everyone! <3

Fusion

2011-09-23T09:48:00.002-06:00

Boy, do I have a treat for you this weekend!

My lovely and talented friend A.M. Supinger of Inner Owlet has a new series on her blog called FUSION, where she writes short stories for her followers based on what THEY want their story to be about. How awesome is that?!? I was lucky to be her first Fusion participant. When A.M. asked me for a prompt, I gave her the vague answer of "someone coming from a foreign land". And, being the awesome writer she is, this is the story she made for me.

Enjoy!

GRANDFATHER TIME

Story and Artwork copyrighted by A.M. Supinger

(Used with permission)

Cherie stared around her grandfather’s home. The dark wood and musty chandeliers created a formal atmosphere that was familiar and comforting.

“Do not touch any of the clocks in this house, Cherie. You know that they are my domain…anyone else, even family, that touches them are forfeit to their power. I wouldn’t know you were in trouble until it was too late.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

“Alright, then.” His long mustache and matching beard twitched as he smiled. “I’m glad you’re here for a visit. If you go check your room, you’ll find a special present waiting for you.”

“Thank you!” Cherie bounced into his arms for a hug and then turned and raced away. The narrow passageways leading through her grandfather’s castle were familiar, and she skipped up steps and past creaking suits of armor with no fear. But her feet skidded to a halt just outside the bedroom always reserved for her.

A new clock hung next to her door, but it didn’t look like any of the other time pieces cluttering the rest of the house. It was oval and imperfect, bulging and curving over large gemstones set deep into the golden frame. The clock’s face was lost amidst hundreds of zigzagging swirls and clock-hands.

It was…mesmerizing.

Cherie leaned forward and stared at the unique design. Who would make such a ridiculous contraption? It made no sense. She reached a finger forward and poked the golden frame.

Screaming did her no good. She’d touched the clock! How could she have been so stupid? Pain warped her thoughts as her body twisted and writhed. The space between her Grandfather’s house and the clock’s dimension was vast and dark and horrible. She screamed endlessly.

Father had once explained that time was tied to dimensions, and that no two dimensions ever had exactly the same time. Time was literally endless that way. By touching a clock she had been sucked into its dimension…just as Grandfather had warned her she would be.

Light exploded around her as she materialized. The darkness retreated and Cherie stared up from the ground at a blue sky. Blue. Why was the sky blue? Her body screamed in continuing pain while her mind whirled with realization.

She’d never see her parents or her grandfather again. She’d never go home.

Standing took some effort. She hoisted herself upwards and reeled at how heavy her body felt. Brown sticks shot upward all around her and green frills at the top of each brushed the blue sky. How odd. Her clothes were the same as when she’d arrived at Grandfather’s castle – pink, yellow, red, orange and blue all competing for attention – but each thread seemed muted. Her skin wasn’t a vibrant yellow anymore, either. She looked sickly…more golden than anything.

Disgust and fear clenched her stomach.

Voices called out to her left, and Cherie turned just in time to see three men emerge from between the tall brown sticks. They all stopped and stared at her.

“Uh…are you lost?”

Cherie heard the words, the strange syllables clinging to and then sliding past the man’s lips, and was surprised that she could understand him. She nodded, unsure if she could speak the odd language.

“How on Earth did you get here? You’re three miles outside of town.”

Cherie gulped. Earth…? Grandfather had often told stories about the many dimensions of Earth. It was a strange and scary place in his tales.

“I guess it doesn’t matter. We’ll walk you back. I’m a Ranger Dave,” he pointed to a badge on his plain brown shirt, “and these two are both trainees.” The man pointed to the two men flanking him. Dave’s gaze curiously traveled down her gown. “What the heck are you wearing?”

Cherie looked down. “A dress.”

“I can see that.” Dave’s voice was low and playful, like he was teasing her. “What’s your name, darlin’?”

“Cherie.”

“Well, Cherie, it looks like you have a lot to learn about hiking.”

“More than you know, Ranger Dave. More than you know.”

*********

If you want to be immortalized in a story, head on over to Inner Owlet and follow this amazing gal, whose brilliant, creative mind never ceases to amaze me. ;)

Thanks, A.M.! <3

WINNERS!!

2011-09-22T13:33:00.002-06:00

Whew. Tallying is such a pain and Math is not my strongest subject (don't worry, I still got A's and sometimes B's, but I'd never failed Math so rest assured I know what I was doing counting up points. :D ), but we finally have WINNERS!

Woohoo! THANK YOU to all who participated in my first ARCs GIVEAWAY! I didn't know those books would be so sought after. LOL!

Thank you for tweeting and spreading the LOVE. Also, a big thanks to my new followers--HELLO! I hope we'll have fun getting to know each other.

Anyway, I did the drawing as random as I possibly could, via Random.org. (I assigned each one of you letters & numbers accdg. to points, and then I picked a random number for the winner. Random.org did the scrambling thingy.)

What's that? I'm stalling? Oh my! Let's get on with it then.

DRUMROLL, PLEASE....

Winner of CROSSED by Ally Condie is:

A.M. Supinger

Winner of THE FUTURE OF US by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler is:

DLiteraryB!tch

CONGRATULATIONS!

(throws confetti)

Photo By ADoseofShipBoy

Email me your mailing address at: writercherie AT gmail DOT com.

On another winning note, I won Krista's The Mighty Pen flash fiction contest over at her blog I Take the Pen. So I got this badge to show for my mighty, fancy writing ~~pen~~ powers.

Her prompt last week was this:

The soft melody of the song drifted up through the window. The gentle notes floated on the same breeze that stirred the curtains...

And here was my creation:

I put down the book I was reading and reached for the latch.

"Stupid Antonio. I can't take this anymore," I muttered. There he was two floors down, strumming his guitar, his voice cracking on the high notes. He looked up and smiled.

"My answer is still NO," I said, slamming the window shut. For two weeks, Antonio had serenaded me with his made-up songs of love and broken hearts. And all for a night in the town. One dinner date.

I shook my head. It was impossible.

The sun's last rays melded with the darkening horizon. I took off my clothes, peeling the layers one by one until I had only my skin wrapping me together. But not for long. Fangs extended, limbs shortened and disappeared, my skin turning leathery and black. I extended my arms, now encased with the thin film of my wings, and flapped them.
I shrieked. A moth's location echoed back to me, my sonar senses heightened at the promise of food. Time to hunt.
*******
Krista has them on every Thursday, so head on over there for a fun writing challenge.

Happy Thursday, folks! <3

Digging for Character Goals

2011-09-20T09:43:00.003-06:00

I've been participating in an online workshop over at WSE (Write Stuff Extreme) and one of the topics we're focusing on at the moment is about CHARACTER GOALS. Doesn't sound too hard, does it? Actually, it is.

We know to ask the obvious questions:

-Who is your character?
-What do they want?
-What's (or who's) standing in the way of your character's goal?
-Is this goal feasible?

The problem, I've discovered, is that in a course of a story, your character will have MANY goals. What your character wants in the beginning of the story may be different from what they want as you near the end. So how do we answer the big GOAL question? 'Cause ultimately, we gotta have ONE GOAL that'll encompass all of these mini-goals.

TIP: By the way, if you can answer those questions above, you've got the beginning of a query letter right there.

Check out this video by the Plot Whisperer aka Martha Alderson for great plotting tips.

Also, my lovely friend Mary Frame talks about goals and flaws that you should absolutely read because it's great.

Aannnddd, my equally lovely friend Mary Baader Kaley (yes, I have a lot of friends named Mary and they're all wonderful), who introduced me to WSE, has a lot of critiquerly advice over at her blog Not an Editor.

So tell me, how do you assess your character's goal/s? Is it so clear-cut that you know exactly what your character wants and how they're going to get there? Or are you floundering in the dark, like me, trying to dig into the core of the story?

Review: Playing with Fire--Anthology of Horror

2011-09-16T14:39:00.001-06:00

Last month, I participated in Kate Evangelista's Review Request series, where authors provide copies of their books (or in this case, an anthology) to bloggers interested in reviewing them.

Playing with Fire caught my eye because I've always liked reading horror/thrillers, and this one is a compilation of several horror short stories. Score! Thanks to Ms. Coral Russell for giving me this opportunity.

Click on image to visit their website.

My Thoughts

Stories:
Best Served by Susan Evelyn
Widows of the Night by Robynn Gabel
Bitten by Nomar Knight
Playing with Fire by CAV Laster
Devil of a Ghost Tour by Coral Russell
Key to a Haunting by Coral Russell
Amador Lockdown (excerpt) by Coral Russell
Flawed by Brian Fatah Steele
The Stuff Dreams Aren't Made Of by Brian Fatah Steele
This Dark Magic by Chryse Wymer
Living with Murder (excerpt) by Chryse Wymer

Let me just preface by saying that rating horror stories is akin to rating how spicy your food is. Everyone has different spice thresholds. What might be spicy for me, might be too tame for you. What might be horrific to me, might be so-so to you. And vice versa.

When I think of Horror, I'm immediately looking for the chill-in-your-spine, goose-bump-tickling kind that makes me look over my shoulder when I'm turning off the lights in my house for the night. While gore and graphic-ness is okay with me, I usually tend to favor the kind of psychological horror to scare me silly. Atmosphere, good tense writing, pacing, and appropriate descriptions can all contribute to a good scare.

Best Served is like a paranormal appetizer to whet your craving for more. I did not find this horrific by my standard, but nevertheless it was a pleasant read. You have a young mage playing detective in hopes of catching the man who killed her friend. A tiny bit suspenseful, but the outcome is predictable.

Widows of the Night is slightly disturbing, and is probably my favorite out of all the stories simply because of the emotions it invoked in me. The protagonist is a young girl who suffers neglect and abuse from her mother. Her punishment for the smallest mistakes entails spending the night in a closet crawling with Black Widow spiders (and she's an arachnophobe). Being one myself--an arachnophobe, not a spider! Sheesh--I had a lot of sympathy for this girl. The descriptions of her stay in the closet made me shudder. And that's a good thing. ;)

Bitten would appeal to zombie lovers anywhere. The protagonist lends an air of comic relief, even after he got bitten. So I enjoyed this, though I was mostly smirking while reading. Meeaattt!

Playing with Fire is a military experiment gone awry. Or is it? I got drawn into the story right from the start, and even while I kinda knew where it was heading, I read it anyway. I actually sympathized with the protagonist, who was suddenly abandoned by his father and hunted down by weird, evil-looking creatures. He didn't see it coming. Poor guy--all he wanted was a Hummer and he got the you-have-to-save-the-world kind of a deal instead. Lesson: Be wary of secretive military fathers who dabble in strange experiments.

Devil of a Ghost Tour is your typical ghost/demon possession story. A married couple goes on a ghost tour hosted by paranormal investigators Hector and Marcos. The story goes back and forth between the past and the present: the history of the haunted hotel and the young couple's experience while touring the hotel. While this is fairly solid and well-written, I felt like there was unnecessary verbiage, like Hector and Marcos' light bickering or dialogue lines that had nothing to do whatsoever with the story line. Aside from that, it was a nice, pleasant read. Didn't scare me out of my seat, but that's alright.

Key to a Haunting had a lot of beautiful potential. The love story aspect between the factory worker girl and the boss' son had me sighing after them. Like the story before this, it goes back and forth between the past and the present: (past) the forbidden love between worker girl and boss' son; and (present) a man struggling to succeed financially and to keep his marriage from crumbling apart. I kept expecting a sort of parallel between the two stories, and at least a resolution with the haunting, but I was shocked when it ended quite abruptly. Also, Hector and Marcos appear in this segment as paranormal investigators.

By the way, I love the historical aspects of Ms. Russell's stories. They bring so much dimension to the plot themselves.

Amador Lockdown (an excerpt) is such a tease...well, considering it's an excerpt so yeah. Here we have the Paranormal Posse back again with Hector and Marcos and a few others of their group hosting a cemetery tour. I loved this and it creeped me out, so kudos to the author for the creep factor!

Flawed is a perfect, horrific family drama. What happens when our darkest, flawed traits are magnified? For the protagonist, it means chaos and death. This is a story that makes one think.

The Stuff Dreams Aren't Made Of is another brilliant piece by the author who wrote Flawed (Brian Fatah Steele). It is melancholic, rather than horrific, but I really like the concept here of Dreams and Hell. Very original.

This Dark Magic has a great, easy-to-read voice. It follows the story of a Gazette reporter who gets thrown into the ugly world of Dark Magic and necromancy. I was drawn in immediately because of the voice, but the plot itself needed to tie some of its loose ends together, even for a short story. There were creepy, intriguing parts, but in the end, I was left more confused with the relationships between characters, instead of finding that "aha" moment.

Living with Murder (an excerpt) has a sci-fi feel to it, with the technology that this world possesses (such as the Oracle which lets you go through someone else's memories. As this is an excerpt, there is no resolution, but I thought it raised a lot of conflict and thought-provoking questions. The writing is well done--excellent descriptions and voice.

I really did enjoy reading this anthology. I'd give this 3.5/5 stars.

If you're interested, here are the links:

Smashwords

Amazon

B&N

GIVEAWAY! ARCs of CROSSED (Ally Condie) and THE FUTURE OF US (Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler)

2011-09-14T07:11:00.001-06:00

This is my 100th post! And in celebration of how far this blog has progressed since I started it last April 1st, 2011, I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY!

(Yes, I thought I was fooling myself too on April Fool's Day by starting this blog, but with the help of WONDERFUL friends, I fortunately did NOT have to chuck this down blog-o-wasteland.)

More things to celebrate:

--10,000+ pageviews
--1300+ comments (including mine)
--200+ SUPER FAB FOLLOWERS (yes, YOU!)
--aaannnd, this baby is 6 months old! Awww! I bet we can feed it solids now.

So what am I giving away, you ask? No, you can't have my Blu-Ray DVD, sorry. Or my sparkly tiara.

IT'S THIS!

Click on picture for my review.

AND THIS!

Click on picture for my review.

Now for the rules... Rules? What rules? As long as you're a follower (since this is a celebration of YOU, for being a loyal, wonderful friend), you're in. Just leave me a comment telling me which one you must absolutely have.

There are going to be 2 WINNERS (one for each book, obviously. D'oh.) If you feel like you want to increase your chances of winning--and this is not mandatory at all--you can spread the news via Twitter, and I'll give you an extra point for every tweet or retweet. Just make sure you tag my Twitter handle so I won't miss it: @writercherie. If you're not on Twitter, you can clean my house and I'll give you extra 150 points! Nah, just kidding! Blogging about this giveaway will earn you an extra 5. Is that fair? I really don't want people to have to go through hoops and rings of fire, but at the same time I know those who don't tweet are at a disadvantage.

EDITED TO ADD: You can tweet and RT as many times as you want. I will total so no need to comment after every tweet. Thanks!

Contest ends next Wednesday, Sept. 21st at midnight, Mountain time.

That's it. Easy peasy. I've always believed that books are meant to be shared. Thanks to Jenny Phresh, for I won these books from her giveaway. I've enjoyed reading them, and now it's time for someone else to discover these wonderful novels.

Good luck! And THANK YOU for being a part of my experience. <3

Chapter 15 of the Skeleton Key blogvel (blog novel)

2011-09-12T03:09:00.000-06:00

For those of you new here, the Skeleton Key blogvel was started by my ever talented friend, Michelle Simkins, who's always full of good ideas. With a few pleas and much bribery (hehe! Not really), she got us to sign up for a chapter each week. And now it's my turn. You can check out the list of chapters here to follow this blogvel's progress.

Chapter 14 was brought to us by Kellie M. of Tighty Writie, and Chapter 16 will be up next Monday at Riley Redgate's blog In the Jungle.

Happy reading and I hope you enjoy my chapter! <3

*********

Chapter 15

The greenish sludge coats my throat and I resist the urge to vomit. I turn to my guide, or should I say, clown, and ask, “How do I get back to the world of the living?”

Greg guffaws and slaps his knees with his big, meaty hands. The gatekeeper smirks at me.

“What?” I run my tongue over my teeth, checking for stuck remnants of the nasty drink. These two may be dead and not the kind of guys I want to impress, but still. I haven’t lived down the spinach-on-teeth episode last year at Dex’s family Christmas party. “What’s so funny?”

“See, hon, once you get to the Underworld, there’s no elevator to take you back up.” Greg points to the ceiling. “The fastest way outta here is through the Rebirth center. Sure you’ll have to spend years growing up all over again, but hey, maybe you’ll get lucky the second time around. Maybe you won’t get acne through your teen years, or maybe you’ll get born to Paris Hilton. Who knows? Either way, it’s better than hanging around Starbucks forever.”

My hand goes to the zit under my chin. I think of my college loans and how I’ve always wanted to pursue an Art degree instead. A nice art studio, all quiet and zen-like, sounds really appealing right now. Or maybe I could be born in a supermodel body. I’ve been running for half a year and the scale hasn’t budged in my favor. Damn chocolate cupcakes with their yummy pink frosting! Well, I suppose it is partly Genevieve’s fault…

The door opens and my stomach drops.

I squeak, “Genevieve?”

There’s no mistaking those bright green eyes. Genevieve frowns and wrings her hands as she approaches. “Rebecca, I thought you’d gone back to life by now. What are you still doing here?”

“Me? What are you doing here? Did you take the meta essence too?”

Greg slicks back his hair with his palm. “Who’s the hottie?”

Genevieve ignores my guide and shakes her head at me. “Rebecca, you need to get back up there now! If you stay here too long, you’ll mimic death until you’re truly dead.”

“What?” Oh shit. This is so not cool. “Seriously, next time you guys send me on a mission to the Underworld, would you please give me an instruction manual?”

Genevieve’s frown turns into a grimace. She grabs me by the elbow and steers me into the ladies room.

“We’ll be here when you get back, love,” says Greg, wolf-whistling after us.

Genevieve locks the bathroom door. “Listen Rebecca, things are getting really bad. Right after you left, I had the vision again—the one of you and the killer—only this time, the mist had cleared and I could see his face. But then I died.”

“You’re dead?” The air seems to get sucked out of my lungs and I stagger toward the sink. The mirror shows my skin turning paler, and it’s not because of Genevieve’s news. “H-how?”

“I’m not sure. I think Mr. Harvey did it. It happened so fast…I saw the vision and the next thing I knew, I was riding some Ankou’s golf cart. I’m so sorry, Rebecca. I’m not going to be of much help to you anymore.”

It seems absurd to cry about death while in the Underworld but I hug Genevieve anyway and sob on her shoulder. “Bossman’s so going to pay for this.” I can’t believe he lost control of his needs like the others did, and turned on Genevieve like that. What was he anyway? A cat man? Do they eat people?

She pats my back. “Don’t worry about me. I’m hoping to get reborn somewhere nice and peaceful.” I let go of her. Genevieve smiles. “But you…you have a mission to finish, a world to save. Be careful, Rebecca. Mr. Harvey is not what he seems.”

I blow my nose on a two-ply sheet. “How do I get out of here?”

“Do you still have the Hummer? It’s not only a tracker but it can act as a guide. If you concentrate really hard, you’ll be able to find Hadriax’s signal. The Hummer will lead you back to him.”

Great. I remember my burnt hands and the metal sticking to my skin while tracking Ax in Tokyo. As if reading my thoughts, Genevieve says, “Not too hard. Just enough to connect you to his essence.”

His essence. Riiiight. The tips of my ears warm up.

“Good luck, Rebecca. I’m so glad to be your friend, if only for a short time. I must go now. The Rebirth Center closes at six.”

After Genevieve leaves, I hold the Hummer up and think of Ax. Of the way steam issued out of his ears the first time we met. I smile. His beautiful amber eyes used to regard me with indifference, as if I was a puny human he didn’t want to waste his time with. Oh-ho, I proved him wrong, didn’t I?

The Hummer’s not working. I shut my eyes. Concentrate! I remember the feel of Ax’s broad shoulders under my fingertips, his warm lips on mine…. I remember the gentle way his arms held me after Angelica took my sister; how mate or not, I’d always be painfully aware of his presence because now I care. My chest constricts. I do care! I’m falling for the dragon man.

I gasp. The Hummer thrums, vibrating in my hands. It glows red, like an iron poker left lying in the hearth. Oh shit! I may have overdone this essence thing. Ax’s gonna kill me when I come back with Hummer ashes. But there’s no buzzing this time and my hands do not burn. The glow transforms into blinding white light until I can no longer look at it. I turn my face away and squeeze my eyes tight.

I have this weird sensation of whirling around and being grounded at the same time. My stomach churns, and just when I think I’m about to spew out the green sludge I drank at the bar, the motion stops. My arms rendered weak from the effort, the Hummer falls with a dull clank on the stony floor. Where am I?

The cavernous room is dimly lit by torches held in brackets. Very Medieval, and yet, there’s a computer desk pushed against the stone wall. There’s even an iPod charging on a docking station. A massive bookcase spans the length of another wall, with titles written in strange characters and rune-like symbols next to Marketing Strategies manuals and Violin for Dummies. Violin?

In another corner, there’s a loveseat, a mini-bar, and a huge plasma TV mounted on the wall. The most curious thing, however, is the middle of the room where there’s…nothing. Just a great, oval rug that’s probably more expensive than my life and my college loans put together.

The ceiling rumbles above me. Bits of rock dislodge and clatter on the floor. Another rumble, this time coming from the heavy wooden door. I pick up the Hummer and back away from the source of the noise. My knees tremble.

Ax bursts in through the door, half of him encased in dragon scales, the other half still human. His golden eyes have red slits now, and they look about him wildly.

“Ax!” I run to him, but stop midway when he growls at me. “Ax, it’s me. Rebecca.”

At the sound of my name he shakes his head like a wet dog. I take a step closer and hold out a hand. Finally he says, “Rebecca?”

He winces as I throw my arms around his neck but he doesn’t hesitate when I tilt my face upwards. His kiss is hard, demanding. Hungry. As if it’s all we can afford at the moment. Or maybe it’s all we have left for the room begins to shake violently.

“Ax, what’s happening?”

He cups my face with his human hand. “Rebecca, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Angelica…the visions…” He grimaces. “She’s gotten a lot stronger through the years. I saw you dead in my mind. And it felt so…real.”

“It’s okay. I’m here.” I touch his face. “But what’s going on? Genevieve’s dead and I saw her in the Underworld. She said…she said Mr. Harvey killed her.”

Ax swears under his breath. “I should have known. Damn traitor! But I was too busy fending off Angelica and her brother Damien. They’re here and we’ve been fighting them since you left.” He rummages through the desk. “You need to get out of here, Rebecca. They’ll be coming after you next.”

“No! I’m staying with you.”

Don’t argue with me. I’m trying to keep you safe.

Get out of my brain, Ax!

He turns around. “You can do that? In your human form?”

I shrug.

The door breaks into a million splintery pieces. Ax saves me from being turned into shish-kebab by shielding me with his body. I feel him shudder as his human part gets jabbed with wooden spikes. Greenish-blue blood drips from his arm. “Shit,” he whispers. “I thought the magical reinforcement I placed around this room was going to hold for a while. A long while.”

Mr. Harvey strolls in through the doorway.

Ax stiffens and growls. “What do you want, Gene? Why are you doing this?”

The bossman grins, his teeth elongating.

Ax’s human half begins sprouting scales until he’s covered with them, though he doesn’t resume his full dragon shape. Mr. Harvey claps his hands, his cat-like eyes beaming as if this were a regular circus show.

“My turn.” Mr. Harvey rears back his head. His smooth scalp bubbles, its surface first shifting into ridges then a series of peaks. Two black horns sprout, breaking the skin around his temples. His torso contorts and writhes. Mr. Harvey’s expensive suit breaks apart at the seams. A pair of bat-like wings unfurl behind him. His shoulders grow, expand, his obsidian skin stretched taut against bones and muscles. Mr. Harveys’s face elongates until it resembles a mash-up between a horse and a bat.

“Ohshitohshitohshitohshit,” I mutter, cowering behind Ax.

“Ba’al Azabub.” Ax’s voice quakes with anger.

Mr. Harvey, or Ba’al whats-it, roars. “I’m more popular as Beelzebub.” He points a talon at me. “Give me the key, human. Your time on Earth is over. I’ve been building the portal to Hell for decades while gathering strength. Once all of the portals are closed, Hell will open its doors for me. My children will aid me.”

Angelica enters the room, followed by her brother Damien whose mouth is clamped around the HR lady’s neck. He tosses her body away.

Ax hisses at me. “Get back, Rebecca.” I scramble away as Ax transforms into his dragon form. He opens his mouth, jetting out fire at the demon.

Beelzebub doesn’t flinch. He laughs, the sound akin to an avalanche. “You should have completed the mating ritual, then you’d be at your full strength.”

Angelica steps forward. Ax’s body writhes on the ground. His scales retract and grow again, as if he can’t keep his shape. I stare at him.

Rebecca! Ax’s thoughts enter mine. I feel his pain, each wracking spasm of his unstable body. My eyes blur with tears. I didn’t sign up for this.

Damien grabs my arm and drags me into the center of the room. He shoves me down in front of his father. Beelzebub grins at me and flicks a finger. A ring of fire encircles us, just like in Genevieve’s vision.

“You killed Margeurite,” I say.

“Yes, and I will kill your boyfriend too, if you don’t give me the skeleton key.” He sweeps his arm and the floor crumbles, widening into a chasm between us. “Look at all those souls yearning for a better kingdom.”

I gasp. Demons, monsters, and skinless things crawl along the sides of the pit, but an invisible barrier is keeping them from reaching the top. Hell’s doors.

“Give me the key.”

Ax’s voice drifts in my mind. Rebecca, no! I flinch as an image of Ax convulsing on the floor appears before me.

“He will die,” says Beelzebub. “But you can save him. Give me the key.”

My fingers curl around the skeleton key in my pocket.

Say What Now?

2011-09-09T16:03:00.000-06:00

People. Be careful of what you say or post online. The Internet is forever.

You've probably heard this piece of advice before, or even read some horror stories of social media woes. You probably paid attention and made a promise to yourself to NEVER EVER be the nincompoop who trash-talked her co-worker online, only to find out a day later than even without naming names, said co-worker knew she'd become the water cooler topic of the week, thanks to you. Or be the idiot who whines about the agents he'd submitted his mss to. Whatever may be the scenario, when you feel that itch coming upon you to rant/rave/raise hell/complain online--whether through your blog or Facebook or Twitter--STOP!

THINK!

AND THINK AGAIN.

It's all too easy to forget that what we say online can be viewed by MILLIONS of people from around the world. The thought doesn't even cross our mind when we press the Publish or Send button. Not when we're happily enclosed in our little writing shell, the four walls of our world literally the four walls of our house.

Even when we don't name names. Even when we think we're so clever that no one's ever going to guess we're talking about our neighbor's spying problem, always assume that your readers are SMART, INTELLIGENT people, and someone somewhere will eventually figure it out.

So. Be cautious. STOP, THINK, and THINK AGAIN. You just might end up being the conduit to someone's misfortune just because of the things you carelessly let slip online. Or, instead of being the conduit, you become the victim. Whatever the outcome, someone's bound to get hurt.

Don't let that shiny screen in front of your computer fool you. There are people--real, live ones with feelings like yours--behind them.

So you're probably wondering if something happened to me. Nope, thank goodness no. (ahem) This is just a public service reminder.

Have a great weekend, everyone! <3

Business and Busy-ness

2011-09-06T12:16:00.000-06:00

First order of business today goes to the link for Chapter 14 of the Skeleton Key blogvel by Kellie M. of Tighty Writie. I'm up next Monday with Chapter 15, so I'm biting my nails here. :-0

Next up, the lovely and generous Krista of I Take the Pen has awarded me with the yummy looking Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award. Thank you, Krista! You are too sweet!

There are rules with this baby, but since I've already done the 7 Random Things post here and here, I thought that should suffice. But I still would like to pass this on to other sweeeet bloggers, because I like spreading the love.

So my dear friends, I award this strawberry shortcake to the following people (and guys, no pressure. You don't have to take it if you don't want to, or you don't have to follow all the rules AND still take the cake because I'm cool with that.)

1. Charlotte of Charlotte-on-the-Web. She's one of my newest followers, and her blog looks sweet! Plus, she's not a spider so double yay!

2.Isis Rushdan. Another sparkly new follower! ;)

3.Lola Sharp of Sharp Pen/Dull Sword. Yes, she's got a spiffy, sharp-looking blog.

4.Shallee McArthur, because she loves Africa and I've got a soft spot for Africa. Oh yeah!

5.Len Lambert of Conversations with Self. Her blog is so flowery. Pretty!

So go check 'em out (and not in a creepy, pervy way) and show 'em some love.

Hmm...am I forgetting anything else?

Oh, yes. I'm participating in #WIPFTW (that's Twitter-speak for Work-In-Progress For The Win), which basically means I have a deadline to finish my goal by November 1st. A lot of my friends are participating, and we just sorta created this to help motivate us to finish our WIPs rough drafts, editing/revisions, or whatever goal we've set for ourselves. It's great because it's nice to get support and public shaming (if necessary) in our pursuit of our goals.

My goal is simply this: To finish the first draft of my YA Paranormal/Fantasy WIP Hidden. Summer waylaid me with its too many tempting distractions of sun, family vacations, and all around FUN. But now that FALL is here, it's time to get back to work. Sad, I know, but it's LIFE. So I've updated my word meter and placed it higher up on my blog so YOU can also shame me if that meter doesn't move.

The downside is, I have less time to visit all the blogs I follow and less time to goof around. BUT I WILL TRY MY VERY BEST to keep in touch with all of you because you guys are simply WONDERFUL and SMART and AWESOME. And I truly enjoy visiting and reading what you have to say.

So please bear with me at this time. Happy writing, everyone! And may the MUSE be with you. ;)

Harvey's tête-à-tête with Mary Kaley

2011-09-05T07:08:00.000-06:00

If you're ever on Twitter and you follow a bunch of us crazy writers who call ourselves the #goatposse, you're probably nodding your head by now and thinking, "Ah, yes. Those nut jobs are at it again." :)

This is Harvey. He'll be asking the questions around here.

Well, we are proud to say we managed to ~~rope~~ ~~reel~~ ~~pressure~~ convince a totally respectable and upstanding writer friend to join our silliness and do the EVIL Panty Meme (originated by the nefariously clever Michelle Simkins) in exchange for the #goatposse badge/blog bling and LOTS of goatly love. <3

So let's give a warm applause to our new member: Mary Baader Kaley of Not An Editor. By the way, you guys should totally check out her blog and follow her for critiquing tips and excellent interviews with authors.

Harvey volunteered to hunt down Mary and force feed her rutabaga if she refuses to answer the meme questions. Let's see what Harvey's got for us.

Me: (taps on ear piece) Are we on? Hello? Harvey, can you hear me?

Harvey: Baaaa!

Me: Were you able to do the interview?

Harvey: Baaaa!

Me: Oh good. Alright, then. Take it away, Harvey m'boy!

*************

What do you call your panties/underwear/undergarments? Do you have any commonly used nicknames for them?

I’d have to go with underwear, plain and simple. Somewhat boring, but the odd thing is? I don’t recall anyone of my friends or family members calling them anything different (must be a Midwestern thing). Except Grandpa, who on occasion could be heard referring to his skivvies.

Come to think of it, though, I do have to remind myself (every so often) that I wear Big Girl Panties, and can therefore do anything I put my mind to. Like writing a WiP. Thank heavens for big girl panties.

Have you ever had that supposedly common dream of being in a crowded place in only your underwear?

No. It’s always a dream about being stark nekkid. But I get those bizzaro wardrobe malfuntion elements, like I look down and I have nothing on, I panic and try to hide, and then I look down again, and voila! I have clothes. Ugly ones. But still—whew! Not naked. Until the next time I look down.

What is the worst thing you can think of to make panties out of?

Porcupine quills.

If you were a pair of panties, what color would you be, and WHY?

Skin colored. Because then? If I have the naked nightmare, I can change the butt-nakedness into skin-colored skivvies. Sigh. I feel better already.

Have you ever thrown your panties/underwear at a rock star or other celebrity? If so, which one(s)? If not, which one(s) WOULD you throw your panties/underwear at, given the opportunity?

Haven’t, and don’t know if I would. However, if it were a full moon and someone forced me to do it, I might consider Alcide from HBO’s True Blood. Because I’d be his werewolf bride, and werewolves do not need skivvies. Word.

You’re out of clean panties. What do you do?

Wear my husband’s boxers. But I would NOT scratch my…self.

If you could have any message printed on your panties, what would it be?

YOU ARE NOT NEKKID. WAKE UP.

Or? THESE ARE BIG GIRL PANTIES. I MEAN UNDERWEAR. NO, SKIVVIES.

How many bloggers does it take to put panties on a goat?

Duh. One. I’d just explain to the goat that they’d stop having the nekkid in public nightmares if they put on panties.

Tag Four People and tell them why you are being so cruel to them.

Jeepers schmeepers. I’m so unskilled at the whole peer pressure thing. Hmm. Only if they want to—yanno—b e cool, like the rest of us in the goat posse. (How’s that?)

1. Sophia Martin, because she was supposed to send me her WiP a while back and I’m still waiting. Ho. And hum.

2. KD Sarge, because she knew the title to a charming children’s book that I couldn’t quite remember.

3. Mary Frame because I have no idea how she got out of this one but still has the goat posse thing on her blog. #momlovesherbetter

4. Jen Bennett because she's a new #goatposse member too.

5. Kellie M., since one of the #goatposse people told me to tag her. So Kellie, yeah, you're tagged. Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger.

I’m no good at math. Sigh.

***************
Me: Thank you, Mary! Now you won't have to eat the rutabaga, thank goodness, since Harvey already ate it. Bad goat, Harvey, bad goat...

The Stages of Writing a Novel: A Video

2011-09-03T09:15:00.001-06:00

I just had to share this. It's too funny to keep it all to myself.

For all you writers out there, this one's for you. Enjoy!

A Guest Post and a Blog Award

2011-09-01T10:33:00.000-06:00

I just wanted to spotlight this amazing blogger real quick. Rachna Chhabria of Rachna's Scriptorium posts interviews and wonderfully helpful writing tips. Plus, she's always nice to me, leaving comments that make me smile. So to you, Rachna, I award the Cool Blogger Award. No rules with this one. Just claim it and enjoy. And you're free to pay it forward if you choose to do so.

Thank you, Rachna, for being a bright spot of sunshine in the blogosphere!

A few days ago I got an email request from a blogger wishing to guest post on my blog. Of course I said yes! It's always fun meeting new people and getting to know them.

Anmol Gupta from The Impact of Thoughts created this poem for us to enjoy. Thanks for sharing, Anmol!

“A World beyond Boundaries”

Yes! I dare to wish it

A Utopia you can say but

Hope is the word for me..

A world where exist no boundaries…

Where A girl is as equal to her counterpart

A black is as good as a white

Where nothing other than love

Can even think to reside.

Where A Poet is free to express

And there exists nothing to suppress

Where freedom becomes the utmost priority

And there exists nothing such as “HUMAN CALAMITY”.

Where I can be your friend

And asking everybody’s surname is not a trend

Where peace is not the gap between wars

And we care for earth more than mars.

Where there exists no species like HYPOCRITE

And doing things is considered more artistic

Than learning a quotation to write…

Yes! I dare to wish

A Utopia you can say but

Hope is the word for me..

A world where exist no boundaries…

Giving Back + Links That I Forgot to Mention

2011-08-30T07:23:00.002-06:00

My mother's always taught me that service is a commendable thing. I've found through the years that whenever I become egocentric (me! me! me!), the cure is simply this: to take down the mirrors and look around me. These past few days we've had Hurricane Irene ran its destructive course through the East Coast, claiming lives in its wake. And what did I do? I bemoaned my writing funk.

Not cool.

While I am deeply grateful for all of your support, I also want to smack my head for being such a whiner. So to cure myself, and to show my appreciation, I am going to offer you this:

UPDATE: The First Chapter Crit slots are NOW FILLED!

FIRST CHAPTER CRITIQUES/EDITS/FEEDBACK TO THE FIRST 3 PEOPLE TO EMAIL ME AT writercherie [AT] gmail [DOT] com

FIRST PAGE CRITS TO THE NEXT 5. <-- And this one is CLOSED to new requests!

THANK YOU for participating!

That's it. Easy peasy.

After you scramble to open your emails and send me your lovely requests (I'm a fairly competent reader/editor, I think. At any rate, I'm a useful second pair of eyes.), come back here and check out the following links:

The Clothing NOT Optional contest hosted by J. Lea Lopez of Jello World is still looking for votes. One of the "steamy" short stories is mine, but I can't tell you which one it is. So go read the four entries and blush and then vote for your favorite. Hopefully, you end up voting for my story, even if you didn't know it. Voting is also anonymous. There's a poll on the left sidebar. Please and thank you!

Chapter 13 of the Skeleton Key blogvel is up! Over at Chelsea Rose's blog. This chica is also a very talented artist. Check out her artwork while you're there.

And last, but not least, I want to do a BIG SHOUT-OUT to my wonderful and generous friend JENNY PHRESH of The Party Pony for bringing a smile to my face. She'd heard of my library dilemma (it is closed for a whole month due to renovations *gasp!*) and decided to mail me books so I won't have reading withdrawals (my right eye was starting to twitch).

So please, please, please, go pay her blog a visit and show her some LOVE because she is just way too nice. And FUNNY. And awesomely talented. And did I mention, FUNNY? I must warn you though...do NOT drink anything while reading her blog posts. I don't want to be responsible for ruined suits or clothes, and I will certainly not accept your dry cleaning bill if you send it to me.

Have a great day, everyone!!

THANK YOU!

2011-08-29T10:21:00.000-06:00

I'm overwhelmed by the support and love you guys have shown me.

THANK YOU!

You guys are the BEST!

I'm going to write now--a horror short story that I hope will haunt my dreams tonight. Because of your kind words and comments and cheerleading poms poms, this will be my reality soon:

By Debbie Ridpath Ohi

I wish you all a FABULOUS week! Happy writing! And if Mr. Doubt comes slinking around your corner, I'll be there to help you ward him off. <3 you all!

Wherein My Mind Wandered and I Had To Rope It Back Into the Old Noggin

2011-08-27T10:21:00.000-06:00

I've been such a scattterbrain lately. I really thought life would resume normality once my little kiddo goes to school, but while this week has been a success for her (she LOVES her teacher, she's gotten a NEW BESTFRIEND on the very first day, and the school lunch menu has 3 meal choices now--and "Mommy, there is cake on Thursday!"), I've been lost in the wanderings of my own mind.

So. I haven't done any real writing, haven't been reading a lot of your wonderful blogs, and I've just been in a general sort of funk. Not the sad kind, more like the "What am I going to do and Where am I going next?" kind of a thing. Sounds like a midlife crisis, but no, it's not. Besides, I'm not THAT old. :D

I guess I'm just going to ramble now. Feel free to stop reading whenever you want--I promise I won't get offended. ;) Sometimes I feel like I have to do things--for instance, I've been thinking about how I haven't even blogged about writing tips, or anything remotely helpful or thought-provoking. Then I see all the other blogs in my RSS Feed and they've pretty much covered everything else I wanted to say or write about. I stare at my WIP and the old doubts rise up to attack me: You call yourself a writer? Do you even know what you're doing? And then the ever annoying chuckle, followed by: You dish out writing advice and you can't even follow your own advice?

Sigh. Get out of my head, you miserable Mr. Doubt! And take Ms. Self-Pity with you on your way out!

If only it were that easy, right?

To pass the time (who knew I had time to pass?), I've been doing some digital art work. It's my therapy. The interesting thing I've come to realize is that when I'm creating visual art, my writing gets stoppered with a cork, and vice versa. It's like I'm only allowed one creative outlet at one time. What's up with that? Maybe this is one of those conundrums: You draw, you can't write, OR you can't write, so you draw, OR you write, and you can't do anything else at all. HAHA!

Writing this post seems to help me rope my brain back into my noggin. Maybe, just maybe, I'll get some writing done today. Crossing my fingers now.

I wish you all a fabulous, productive weekend! May the MUSE be with you. :)

**********

Because I'm a scatterbrain, I forgot to give you the link for this week's Skeleton Key blogvel Chapter 12 by the ever prolific writer, Michelle Simkins.

Also, J. Lea Lopez of Jello World hosted a sexy short story contest called Clothing NOT Optional. J. Lea writes romance and erotica, and her challenge was to come up with a sexy story where the characters steam up the page while keeping their clothes on. No nudity. I normally don't write sexy stories but peer pressure, and the challenge to write out of my comfort zone, made me cave in. There are four entries up on her blog, and the voting is now OPEN for readers to choose their favorite story. I won't tell you which one is my story so it will be a fair contest, as all entries are anonymous. So head over there to read and choose your favorite (hopefully, you'll like mine). You are allowed to blush, btw. It's ok, I won't tell anyone.

MATCHED & CROSSED By Ally Condie

2011-08-24T12:07:00.000-06:00

I picked up Matched by Ally Condie at the library based on a stranger's review--this guy (yes, he was MALE!) was a junior high teacher and he was really impressed with the book. So, out of curiosity (and this was back in the days when I was still living under a rock), I pulled out Matched from the bookshelf and took it home with me. I finished the book in one day.

So when Jenny Phresh of The Party Pony hosted a contest with YA ARCs, and among them Crossed, the sequel to Matched, I knew I had to go crazy and try to win it. By the miracles of the universe and possibly good karma, I won the book, along with The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler (see my review here). You can't believe how much squealing and happy dancing took place in my humble abode. I believe the neighbors got together to plot my eviction...oh wait, they can't evict me, I own my house. Mwahaha!

Moving on...

Ally Condie is a former high school English teacher turned bestselling author. She lives just outside Salt Lake City, Utah with her family. (Yay, a fellow Utahn!) Her website can be found at http://www.allysoncondie.com/.

Here are the blurbs for her books, courtesy of Goodreads:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.**********

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

**************

Why I Recommend:

Though it's a typical dystopian, disguised as a utopia at first, I still enjoyed the elements of this dystopian society--a world where everything is controlled, from the amount of food one eats to what they dream at night. Think Big Brother of George Orwell's 1984. Anytime we have a government, fictional or not, that tries to suppress their people's right to choose and think for themselves, you know you want them to fail so bad you're willing to root for any sign of rebellion, however small. Needless to say, the novel's setting definitely set the tone for the entire book and made me immediately sympathize with the protagonists (I love me a rebel, you see.)

Cassia's excited to discover her match, as all the other girls are. Having lived within the Society's grip all her life, she didn't know any better...until an error in her Match card shows her an alternative life. A possible match with Ky, an Aberration, instead of the upstanding citizen and best friend, Xander, whom Society had intended for her all along. This "glitch" made Cassia take a better look at herself, her life, her family, and why did her Grandfather, who was dying, left her with a forbidden poem?

As Cassia tries to unravel the Society's secrets, as well as get to know Ky and his dreadful past, the Society keeps a closer watch on her and her family. Soon she begins to feel smothered, as her feelings for both Ky and Xander become complicated.

The writing is pretty solid, and the pace nicely done. I also liked the poem references in the book. There are so many dystopian novels out there right now, so as far as settings and politics go, this wasn't exceptionally original. Neither was the love triangle angle, which almost every YA book has anyway, BUT I still enjoyed this story. I liked Cassia and her determination. She isn't afraid to search for truth even when it meant risking her life and the people she loves. She's not afraid to pursue her heart either, which is always commendable. In a world that is tightly controlled, it takes courage to rise above the norm and stick out like a nail, even when Society tries to hammer it down. The romance angle is also sweet and not overly done. Plus Ky is an intriguing character.

Book 2 follows with Cassia looking for Ky, when Ky gets sent out to the Outer Provinces. So we get alternate POVs between Cassia and Ky with each chapter. There may or may not be a rebellion, but nevertheless, the idea of one gives Cassia hope that someday the world will be right once again. I won't say anything else to avoid dishing out spoilers by accident. But I just want to say that book 2 follows in the same vein with book 1 (pacing, writing, etc.), and the focus on Cassia's personal life is stretched out to include the bigger picture of the world around her. All in all an enjoyable read, and already, I am waiting for book 3. =)

If you want to check out other books I've read and reviewed, go here. As I've mentioned last week, I'm planning a future book giveaway so stay tuned for details.

You Like Book Giveaways, Right?

2011-08-23T12:42:00.002-06:00

So I'm NOT giving out books YET. But there are a lot of generous bloggers who are hosting wonderful book giveaways.

So, let's get on to business.

1) My Twitter friend Mandie Baxter, she-who-rocks-the-glasses and gives me wonderful medical advice every now and then (no, she's not a doctor, though I call her Doc Mandie), is having her FIRST EVER BOOK GIVEAWAY! You have the opportunity to win a paperback copy of Love Story by Jennifer Echols (with a really pretty bookmark, so she says), OR two e-books by Amanda Hocking: Hollows, the first book in the Hollows series, and Switched, the first book in the Trylle Trilogy. So go check out the deets for a chance to win!

2) You can win a SIGNED copy of Maggie Stiefvater's FOREVER (the third book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy) at Pots & Pens. All you need to do is follow their blog and tweet about the contest. Easy peasy.

3) Do you like mermaid stories? Then this book might be your thing. Win EVERBLUE by Brenda Pandos at Confessions of a Bookaholic.

4) The ever generous and lovely Jenny Phresh is having a party, er, I mean a GIVEAWAY at her blog. People, you MUST follow this awesome lady. I love her to death. You can win A Million Suns by Beth Revis, Getting Somewhere by Beth Neff, Dragonwood by Janet Lee Carey, Truth by Julia Karr, and Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey. See? See what I mean? GO NOW!

GOODLUCK!!!

Ryan the Zombunny's Reign of Terror and Love

2011-08-22T06:51:00.002-06:00

If you've been following my blog for sometime now, you would know that I'd won Michelle Simkins' contest with my short story entry "Beware the Bunny". The lovely prize was Ryan the Zombunny, who arrived on my doorstep one stormy night.

This is a story of how our first three days went....

Warning: There may or may not be truth in this story, but all I know is that it's NOT for the faint of heart.

*******

Lightning whipped across the darkening sky, a silver lasso cackling with electricity. Black clouds had gathered unexpectedly this summer evening, and somewhere across the state, some unfortunate weatherman was getting fired for missing the signs of the impending storm. Thunder bellowed its presence and announced the onslaught of rain, which came hard and fast. Like tiny furious daggers going for the kill.

The doorbell rang. I wiped my hands on a dishtowel before pressing the start button on the dishwasher. Before I could get to the door, I heard the sound of tires screeching on the slick pavement, as if someone couldn't get out of here fast enough.

"Yes?" I said, opening the door a crack. There was no one. A chill shot up my spine, but I ignored the feeling and flung the door wide. This was what I saw:

It was Ryan the Zombunny! Yes, I saw the suspiciously lone shoe on the welcome mat, but Ryan was here, and I'd been waiting for his arrival.

"Hey there, little guy. You're an absolute cutie! I can't believe the Postal worker opened your box. I'll have to remember to report this to the Post Office tomorrow." I picked him up. "After all, it IS a crime to open other people's mail."

Ryan looked at me with eyes full of understanding. Well, with ONE eye since the other one was hanging off its socket and was gazing at the floor.

"Are you hungry?" I carried him to the kitchen. On the counter were the vegetables we had scored at the Farmer's Market the day before. "Oh crap!" I slapped my forehead. "I forgot to get you some cauliflower. Oh well, we have plenty of other things. What do you think? Would you like to try a tomato?"

Ryan turned his nose at my food offering. I sighed. "Guess what, first thing on Monday, I'll take you to the grocery store and we'll get you some cauliflower, okay?" He merely hopped off the table in reply. I should have known then that he wasn't hungry and the shoe still lying on my doormat was a clue.

But I wasn't playing detective. I was glad to welcome him into our family. Still, it was obvious we weren't off to a good start, and I wanted desperately to amend this.

So I showed him his bedroom.

And I intoduced him to some friends.

Strangely enough, no one has seen Mr. Octopus since then.

I taught him how to operate the TV remote so he could watch his favorite shows.

Needless to say, he quickly changed the show I was watching (TLC's What Not to Wear) to The Walking Dead.

"Okay," I said. "You can watch that but only when the kids are not home." He didn't answer.

The storm was finally dying down. Rain softly pitter-pattered on the rooftop. The children came home from visiting their Grampa and Nana, and there were ecstatic cries of joys at the sight of our newest "family member". Ryan had to endure cuddly hugs and tea parties with Tinkerbell, Buzz Lightyear, and the Elephant family. But he didn't complain. Not a word.

Later, I found out why.

May the Force be with you, Obi Wan...NOT!

Alas, the Force was not strong enough to save Obi Wan.

That night, I tossed and turned in my bed and dreamt of being chased by zombies.

******
Six a.m. came fast enough, and I staggered down the stairs with bleary eyes and hair to rival my friend Bethany's afro. A little bird chirped happily just outside the window, singing Gisele's Happy Working Song (from the movie Enchanted), when suddenly there was a whoosh followed by complete silence.

"Get that...that dead thing out of my house," I cried, but Ryan just stood there. I hurriedly swept the thing away before the children could see it. "Okay, buddy, let's have a new rule. No bringing dead animals inside."

His eye widened. Goosebumps prickled my arms. I had the strangest feeling that somehow he didn't break the rule at all.

Shaking off the chill, I ran back upstairs to get showered. Ryan followed behind me. "No, buddy, I have to get ready. Why don't you go and play?"

He stared at me from the bottom of the stairs.

After I was done getting ready, I went to the basement to look for Ryan and spied him taking a girl bunny for a ride. Imagine the smile on my face to see him finally having fun.

Unfortunately, fiive minutes later, girl bunny unwisely stopped to chat with a friend.

Uh-oh!

R.I.P. Mr. Gorilla. Rest in Pieces.

Unnerved, I took Ryan outside to enjoy the summer's lovely (and rather scorching) sun.

The Boy was helping me water the flowers in the backyard, and Ryan got up to get a closer look. Sweet bonding moment...or was he only gearing up for the pounce?

Luckily, no ghastly incidents occurred.

Evening came and we had survived with hardly any injuries or more beheadings. (Mr. Gorilla underwent extensive sewing surgeries and though he'd have to live the rest of his life as a vegetable--he chose a rutabaga--he is thankful to have his head still attached to his body. Headless toys don't get second chances. *coughtrashbincough*)

The tension in the house had considerably lightened, and Ryan even conceded to try a tomato. After I read him and the children a bedtime story, Ryan asked to borrow my sparkly tiara.

When he gave it back to me, he pressed his soft face to my cheek. I grimaced, expecting pain. But what I got was a kiss.

Yikes! My lips are NOT that red in real life. Silly iPhone camera app.

Welcome home, Ryan.

"The Future of Us" by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

2011-08-19T20:12:00.001-06:00

I won an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) of The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler when my wonderful writer friend Jenny Phresh aka The Party Pony decided to clean out her BEA haul from her shelves and give away some prized titles. (People, this is one of the many reasons why you should follow her blog. Aside from randomly hilarious posts on galloping shopping carts and squirelly activities, this woman is GENEROUS! Plus when she's feeling sentimental, she writes beautiful, inspiring prose that'll make you want to wander around the subway sans contacts/half-blind.)

I finished reading this while on vacation--it is an easy, fast read. Here is the blurb for the book:

It is 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long--at least, up until last November, when everything changed. Things have been awkward between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD-ROM in the mail, his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, Josh and Emma learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right--and wrong--in the present.

*******
About the Authors:

Jay Asher is the author of the NYT Bestseller Thirteen Reasons Why. Visit his blog for more info.

Carolyn Mackler is the author of the popular teen novels, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (A Michael L. Printz Honor Book), Tangled, Guyaholic, Vegan Virgin Valentine, and Love and Other Four-Letter Words.

Why I Recommend:

The book comes with two POVs--the chapters alternate between Josh and Emma. As I've mentioned, this is a fast, easy read. The writing is pretty straightforward (no lyrical or poetic prose here, but that is fine with me. I just like to point out pretty writing when I see it. Totally subjective, people.)

I enjoyed going back to 1996 and the cultural references, like AOL (so funny because AOL was the BIG thing back then. I still remember those free CD-ROMs they gave out in the mail.), Seinfeld, Windows 95, and those cheesy brick wall screensavers, among others. It's like a trip down memory lane. Only in the book, it's the opposite, for when they found a strange website called FACEBOOK on Emma's computer, they were suddenly privy to their future selves.

Soon Emma and Josh realize that their actions or even their thoughts in the present (1996) have the capability to change their future circumstances (15 years later). For instance, Emma deduces that she's unhappy in her marriage, and when she decides to never marry that person, the next time she logs in she's married to someone else. It was fascinating to see how their choices now affected their lives later.

The only thing that didn't sit well with me is the fact that their seemingly meaningless acts--those tiny, itty-bitty trivial things they did--somehow created huge ripples enough to drastically change their future in a heartbeat. I'm not a philosopher, and I certainly can not tell you that by deciding to sit down and read this blogpost as opposed to say, deciding to play on Twitter is somehow going to change your future so that instead of becoming a bestselling novelist (because you read my post), you went bankrupt and lost your mortgage. Confused? What I'm saying is that in the novel, it's implied that every little thing we do in the present time can have huge repercussions in the future. Maybe it's just me, but I believe that huge repercussions only happen when we're faced with important decisions. Spilling vase water on the carpet (which Emma did) is not enough to make the circumstances of her future marriage change.

But as I am no Einstein, maybe it does. All I can say is that this reader was raising eyebrows at one point.

Putting such things aside (it's the same case as with Time Travel, messing with the time and space continuum and whatnot, only different...), the book was still an engaging read and I was really intrigued to see how it would turn out for both Emma and Josh. I kinda knew where it was going (no spoilers from me, but as you can see, it was a bit predictable). I liked Josh's character better than Emma's, but again, totally subjective. The supporting cast were good and well-sketched. I liked how normal teenage issues (such as the relationship with their parental units, the "sex" talk, etc.) are portrayed realistically in the story.

All in all, a good read, and one that makes you think: Are the choices I make TODAY making a difference TOMORROW?

To find out more, you can visit the book's facebook page. The Future of Us is slated to come out by November 2011. If you want a copy now, stay tuned because I'm planning a giveaway where you can win an ARC of The Future of Us for your own reading pleasure.

;)

Book Giveaway at Claire Legrand's blog!

2011-08-18T10:14:00.000-06:00

This lady is amazingly generous. Claire Legrand is doing a Suitcase Seven Giveaway, and we are currently on book 5, which happens to be an ARC of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone! I love Laini Taylor! So of course I had to blog about this and do some tweeting to win it.

*crossing fingers* Oh please, please, please, let me win!

And while you're checking out her giveaway, follow her blog too. She's an up and coming author about to debut her novel THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS by Fall 2012 (Simon and Shuster).

So, what are you still doing here? Go. Now.

;)

And The Winner Is...

2011-08-16T07:42:00.000-06:00

I'm so glad to be home again. Vacations are fun, but there is no place like home (right, Dorothy of Kansas?) There's a lot of catching up to do and I'm sorry I haven't been able to read blogs. I'm excited to visit you guys and see what you've all been up to.

BUT before I wander around the blogosphere, the winner of the BOOK GIVEAWAY and soon-to-be proud owner of an autographed copy of THE FIFTH SPECTER by T.S. Welti is... (drumroll, please)

JEMI FRASER

Congrats, Jemi! Please email Ms. Welti so she'd know where to send you your prize at:

tswelti dot writer at gmail dot com. Thanks to all who participated and showed support to our lovely friend and writer, T.S.

********

If you've been following the Skeleton Key blogvel (blog novel) my writer friends are doing, Chapter 11 is up at Ms. Cate Woods' blog Words from the Woods. To find the other chapters, see the Table of Contents for the list of chapter links.

And last but not the least... head over to A Still and Quiet Madness to read Anita Howard's EXCITING NEWS! I love this lady and I'm so happy for her. <3

See ya soon!

Monday is Blog Award Time!!!

2011-08-15T07:08:00.001-06:00

Hello Monday!

This is going to be quick and easy. I have recently gotten to know these bloggers and I thought they need acknowledgement for the work they put on making their blogs shiny and sparkly. And you know me, I like sparkly things! ;)

So I hereby award the BLOG ON FIRE award to the following ladies:

1. Jessie Humphries
2. Krista
3. Lisa Ann
4. Tracy Jorgensen
5. Rachel Brooks
6. Julie Fedderson
7. Jeana Watts
8. Christine Tyler
9. Madeline Bartos
10. Charissa Weaks

Enjoy!

Tune in tomorrow for the winner of the BOOK GIVEAWAY: THE FIFTH SPECTER by T.S. Welti. You can still join! Contest ends at midnight, Mountain time.

Have a good day, everyone!

Author Spotlight: T.S. Welti (On "The Fifth Specter", Going the Indie Pub Way, and Cookies!)

2011-08-12T06:56:00.000-06:00

Book Giveaway: The Fifth Specter! Contest details here.

As promised, I'm very excited to present you to the amazing and talented T.S. Welti who has graciously accepted my request to poke around her brain (non-invasive, I promise) and tell us more about herself and her journey alongside Parker Chance, her protagonist for The Fifth Specter.

Barbara Walters? Um, no. More
like Rita Skeeter. ;)

Time to don the specs, adjust the suit (with the shoulder pads), and test the microphone.

Testing, 1,2,3.

Ahem. Here we go, Barbara Walters-style (in purple, 'cause I lurves purple).

How did you come up with the concept for The Fifth Specter? What was your inspiration and was there a specific one in mind?

The idea for The Fifth Specter came to me gradually. Parker's story and that of his parents came to me on August, 2, 2005. (Yes, I'm a nerd. I remember the exact date.) Within two weeks of the initial idea, I had already decided this would be a five-book series that would center around the Law of Fives. It grew exponentially and in all directions from there. Unfortunately, being a single working mom, the plot for the series was too intricate to weave in my off time. When I was laid off in November of last year, I had an Oprah "Aha!" moment and realized this would probably be my only opportunity to finish The Fifth Specter. That's when the concept of the Law of Fives and Parker's story finally gained lift-off.

You remembered the exact date? Sheesh. I can't even remember what today is. :)

Why MG? Most MG books have a certain tone and voice to them. It's not always easy to portray the voice of a young MC. How did you prepare yourself to write Middle Grade?

I didn't consciously choose middle-grade. In the beginning (2005/2006), I just wrote without any real plan. I was a true newbie. In 2008, as the story developed and got a little darker, I questioned whether it should be classified as young adult. I even switched point of view three times as I toyed with Parker's voice. But, even though Parker is thirteen and he's gone through some tough experiences, the sheltered life he lived with the Rooney's gives him a very innocent and, at times, naive voice. I sometimes wish I had written a young adult series, just because they're so popular. But I didn't write the book (and continue writing it after five years) because of what was popular. I love the characters too much to give up on them. <--That's always a good thing! ;D

Are there certain books or movies that helped influence the world of Stonyford Hollow and Knobhouse Academy?

There are many books and movies that have influenced The Fifth Specter. When I began writing the book in August 2005, the original story was more like the TV show Heroes. Unfortunately, the TV show came out a few months after I began writing the book and it was so spectacular I knew I had to take The Fifth Specter down a slightly different route. After that, the story was influenced by many movies and books, particularly X-Men, Harry Potter, The Giver, Illusions, and Chronicles of Narnia. Of course, my writing is influenced by just about every book I've read and every experience I've had. For instance, I wanted Parker to play a sport, but the only sport I had ever played was soccer. When I began writing the book, my daughter had been playing goalkeeper for three years. From those experiences spent playing and watching soccer games, Cosmic Ball was born. You'll also notice the "flashes of color" inspired by The Giver. Though I'm not religious, I am fascinated by biblical tales. There are many nods to those stories in The Fifth Specter as well as a nod to Macbeth and another favorite of mine, Jane Eyre.

I have not read the Giver but I am going to now.

I know you went the route of indie publishing. How did you come to this decision? And why not traditional publishing?

When The Fifth Specter was finished, I sent out only two query letters; and that was after my mind was 95% made up about going indie. I read a lot about the indie publishing industry as I wrote The Fifth Specter (six years is a long time). When it came time to decide whether I would go indie or traditional, I didn't wanted to wait another 18-24 months to find an agent, go through revisions, submit to publishers, go through contract negotiations, and then probably end up with a book and artwork I was not entirely pleased with. Not to mention that, as a new author, I would not have had enough clout to negotiate my ebook rights. The process just didn't seem appealing to me. I wanted to get my book out quickly and retain all my publishing rights. Now, the problem with indie publishing is, of course, reach. There are still more people without ereaders than there are with. A traditional publisher is great for reaching that audience. If I were to ever go traditional, I would want to make sure I had enough power to retain ebook rights. The fact of the matter is, indie publishing has been around for more than a century, but the publishing industry has placed a stigma on it. I think we are starting to see that stigma being lifted. Indie entertainment (books, music, film), is the way of the future and I'd rather be running with the pack than trying to catch up.

Since Parker starts out at 13, does this mean it's going to eventually cross over as a YA book as he gets older in the series?

As the series plays out, it will definitely get more intense and it will feature more difficult scientific concepts, but I think it will still be suitable for tweens and up.

Are you worried about it being compared to, say, Harry Potter? There are a few similarities after all (i.e. Parker is an orphan who didn't know he had powers until he discovered the super world), which is understandable as you have mentioned being influenced by Harry Potter.

I don't really worry about the Harry Potter similarities since there are so many books with that "ordinary hero discovers he's extraordinary" storyline (namely Star Wars, X-Men, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, etc.). Of course, there will always be people who don't like a book because of it's similarities to another book and there are some who will love it for just the same reason. I try not to think about that and just write the series as I envisioned it. As far as Parker being an orphan, you may be in for a surprise. *evil laugh*

Oh boy. A twist! Me loves twisty-twists!

What has been your experience with your indie publishing journey? Care to enlighten us clueless ones a bit?

My experience (which is really only five weeks) has been great. It's definitely hard work (just ask my Circadian Rhythms), but I had no idea there was a world of authors and readers who are so willing to help authors succeed. I've had fourteen book bloggers agree to review The Fifth Specter. Fourteen! I've also gotten amazing feedback from readers and authors who've read the book; and who doesn't like a good ego stroking. If I hadn't gone the indie route, I wouldn't have all this feedback to buoy me as I write the second book. But I try to remain objective and I'm constantly trying to be a better writer. I still read books on writing and publishing and I follow a ton of great blogs (including yours). It's hard work, but there are so many resources available to indie authors. I'm definitely enjoying the process.

Have you been building your audience through social media before the book's publication? Has it helped at all with getting your name and your work out there?

I probably should have gotten serious about trying to build my platform a long time ago. Now that I am a bit more active in the social media universe, I find that it is somewhat helpful (in terms of book sales), though not as helpful as one would think. I suspect about 80% of my book sales have come from readers stumbling upon my book. That's probably not a very encouraging number because, as an indie author, how do you get readers to stumble upon your book? Well, I suspect word-of-mouth is still probably the best way to get your book recognized. And everyone knows word-of-mouth in the publishing industry comes from writing something that resonates with the reader. Above all, when it comes to social media, I try to remember Nathan Bransford's famous words, "Social media is social." I don't mind tooting my own horn if I accomplish something, but I'm not on Twitter or Facebook to sell books. I get a genuine rush from the social interactions.

I agree. I first met you through Twitter and we've been friends since! Hooray for Twitter!

Anything you regret doing, in terms of publishing? Or has it been a wild ride for you?

ME: This is the finished cover. Isn't it cool?
I think you did a helluva job despite the
time constraints, T.S.!

I regret not starting on the cover art for The Fifth Specter much earlier. My illustrator and I began working on it just a few weeks before it was published and we ended up having to scrap the first design and start over. The original cover had Parker, Lucas, and Norah with Rochester sitting on Parker's shoulder. It looked pretentious. Putting the cover together was such a nerve-wracking process because I had promised the book would be published by a certain date and I had people asking me, "Is it done yet?".... "Where can I buy it?" I wanted to deliver the book on time and, unfortunately, the book cover wasn't exactly what we had envisioned due to time constraints. Other than that, no, I have no regrets. I had nearly six years to wash away those regrets with many bottles of wine. ;)

Any writing quirks or routines you follow?

I recently posted a blog post about my writing process. I have been diagnosed with ADD once as a child and once as an adult, so I deal with that when I'm organizing my writing. You don't want to see my desk! I try to keep my writing process organized, but my writing routine varies depending on my schedule. I usually wake up and sit down at my computer for four to five hours. I check email, write, and engage in a little social media. Then I take a break and sit back down about 9PM and write for another three to four hours. It allows me to spend time with my daughter and get things done outside of my home during daylight hours.

What do you do when you're stumped?

I get up and do something or I write through it. The odd thing about keeping your mind and body moving is that your brain subconsciously continues to work on previous problems. Most of the time, though, I write through the block. I've realized that not every single word I write has to be inspired by something or perfectly figured out. If I'm writing a scene and I can't figure out how I'm going to get my character from point A to point B, the path usually reveals itself as I write. Some people call this being inspired by the muse, some call it the characters guiding the writer; I think it's just doing the work.

What's your writing muse like?

My writing muse is a dark and fickle mistress. She's been known to abandon me for long periods of time... or so I thought. I recently realized that when the writing got tough (mainly in 2007-2008 for me), it was I who had been fleeing from my muse. She was always there waiting to share a glass of a wine and good tale. I just had to sit my butt down and listen to what she had to say.

That is great advice! I've never really even thought of it that way--me fleeing the muse instead of the other way around. Will have to try this out--minus the wine--with chocolate and a good writing pad. Thanks, TS!

Do you have a favorite author or book that you go back to time and again? Just one, as in your ultimate love, and if the apocalypse was here and you could only take one book, this would be it? ;)

Oh, gosh, this is tough. I absolutely love The Giver and The Book Thief, but it would be so hard to choose between them. Can I bring the first half of The Giver and the second half of The Book Thief? I have a thing for dystopian (or utopian gone awry, as it is in The Giver), but I cried for nearly an hour at the end of The Book Thief. I'm such a sap.

I cried through The Book Thief too, so you're not the only sap around here. *grin*

I love your answers. You just confirmed how much of a superwoman you are. Speaking of which, if you were a super in Parker Chance's world, what superpower would you like to possess?

This is going to sound evil, but I would really want to be a Writer. As you know, Writers are superhumans with the ability to "write" counterfeit thoughts in another person's mind. The idea of placing thoughts of peace and kindness in everyone's mind is irresistible to me. See... I only have the purest of intentions.

We are the opposite! I wanted to be a Reader. :) So I can figure out what my kids want and avoid temperamental fits.

When can we expect book 2 of the series?

Book 2 is scheduled for release December 2011. I can't reveal the name of the book yet, but I can say that the name of book 2 is mentioned in book 1.

And lastly, what secret talent (other than writing) have you been keeping from us?

My not-so-secret talent is baking. As Lucas's father reminds us in The Fifth Specter, all good baking is good chemistry. I have always had a knack for the science of baking. I bake at least twice a week and I even keep my own sourdough starter. I post recipes on the blog once in a while, as well.

Yes, T.S. made this! And it look sooo YUM! Click on the pic for a link to the recipe.

Thank you, Ms. Welti, for visiting us today! We wish you success on your publishing journey.

For more on T.S. Welti, check out her blog where she hangs out to talk about writing, books, and her love for the perfect cookies.

She also has a short story "Bleeding the Blind", featuring Sparky from the Parker Chance series. Visit her Amazon Author Page for more details.

Book Review: "The Fifth Specter" by T.S. Welti

2011-08-10T07:50:00.000-06:00

Book Giveaway for The Fifth Specter is still open! Click here for details on how to win.

Blurb:

Thirteen-year-old Parker Chance has endured years of ridicule at the hands of his adoptive family on account of his frequent “hallucinations”—until he finally decides to run away. His escape through the forest doesn’t quite go as planned when Parker’s life is saved by a stranger who claims to have the power to control electricity. The man uses this power to zap Parker into a tiny village buried in the mountains of Northern California.

The village of Stonyford Hollow is home to a species of humans who have evolved superhuman traits. Pieces of Parker’s trouble past begin to click into place when he discovers he is one of them.

Parker begins attending Knobhouse Academy where he learns he is one of five Specters in the universe with the power to travel by portal. As usual, Parker flouts the rules with a little harmless portal-hopping, but it all goes awry when he discovers someone wants to use his power to break a notorious scientist out of prison—the same crackpot responsible for his birth mother’s disappearance. Though Parker has been warned to put the mysterious circumstances of his mother’s disappearance behind him, he and his new friends are too curious for their own good.

********

T.S. Welti is a dear writer friend of mine. But before you cry “Biased!”, I’ve promised her that I would do an honest review of her debut novel “The Fifth Specter”, which is book one of the Parker Chance series. And honest is what you are going to get. =)

The book starts off with a glimpse at Parker’s life with his adoptive family, the Rooneys. Needless to say, the Rooneys—Clarence (dad), Victoria (mom), Jacob and Jacqueline (twins; biological kids of the Rooneys)—hate Parker Chance. The only one in the household who cares for Parker is Sophie, their old housekeeper who seems to know a lot about Parker’s past. These characters have interesting personalities so it was fun to see their interactions with Parker. There are also funny moments which kept with the light MG (Middle Grade) tone of the book. I didn't, however, figure out how the Rooneys adopted Parker in the first place. I'm hoping that more of this will unravel in the next books of the series.

While the writing is fairly solid and clean, there were a few repetitive ideas and even fewer typos that could have been done away with it. Still, this is better than most and the editing mishaps (very minimal) did not detract from the story.

When Parker arrives in Stonyford Hollow, the village where the supers live, it brought me back to a Harry Potter scene with Harry coming to Diagon Alley for the first time. The awe and wonder, the realization that there was another world he could possibly belong to, and the similarity goes even farther when the people in the super world recognize Parker Chance for the white streak on his hair and for the fact that his mother was a celebrated super, thereby making Parker Chance famous by association. Ms. Welti's super world is also as richly detailed, which made for an exciting read. We learn about electrotransporters, RoboChefs (I want one in my house!), and micrographs, among other things. Every super has their own powers, some of them having more than one. I thought it was fun exploring the different kinds of powers they could have. Ms. Welti's worldbuilding is admirable and well thought-out.

Knobhouse Academy also reminded me a little bit about Hogwarts. There are five different halls (dorms): Epicurus, Caesar, Newton, Galileo, and Da Vinci. Each hall is represented by an animal mascot. Epicurus Hall, for instance, has eagles, and this is where Parker is placed by Professor Adler, his mentor. The Academy also has a sport that is similar to the human's soccer game, which is called Cosmic Ball. The difference? They get to play using their super powers. Very cool!

So imagine a place teeming with high schoolers who have powers to play around with. Yeaahhh, there's bound to be some troublemaking, right? Just as Harry had Draco to deal with, Parker has Blakely, whose family was rumored to be connected to spinnows (spinnows = BAD). But thankfully, Parker finds friends to help him in his (mis)adventures: Lucas, his roommate, and Norah, a smart girl with a secret super power. Together they poke their noses around to find the truth about Parker's mother's mysterious disappearance, her connection to the evil mad scientist Asteroth, and also to play detective with the suspicious thefts going on around the school. This is your typical MG adventure book with mysteries, action, villains, cool powers, and characters that you can be friends with.

I mentioned how I saw similarities to Harry Potter (book one). Let me say that the similarities end halfway through the book. (And, by the way, I LOVE Harry Potter so I didn't have a problem with this.) A few other (minor) nitpicks I have: (1) I had a bit of a hard time trying to keep up with secondary and tertiary characters--it is a school setting after all, so there are going to be teachers and students. A lot of them. (2) Transitioning. There were certain places where the transition was brief and as a reader I wasn't ready to move on to a different concept.

Overall, The Fifth Specter is an enjoyable book, and if I were a tween myself, I would have been totally engrossed in Parker Chance's world and would secretly wish for superpowers of my own. I love the friendship between Parker and his friends, how they support each other. This book has a lot of good potential. It is an engaging read, and kudos to Ms. Welti for bringing Stonyford Hollow and Knobhouse Academy to life. I am looking forward to the next installment of the series so I can follow Parker Chance in his journey to explore his powers, his past, and to discover his own identity.

Links:

Goodreads

Amazon

Just a little side note...and a big THANK YOU!

2011-08-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

I won Michelle Simkins' Give Me Your Cute Evil Longing to Eat Brains with my illustrated short story entry "Beware the Bunny", so THANK YOU to all of you who voted for me! I really, really appreciate your support. My family is excited to welcome Ryan the Yarn Zombunny into our home. <3

Also, I am guest posting at A.M. Supinger's blog Inner Owlet with my MGish short story called "The Magic Pebble". It has a dragon, possibly. And a humongous fish. ;)

Okay, now back to our regular programming...don't forget to join the BOOK GIVEAWAY contest. The prize: T.S. Welti's debut MG novel "The Fifth Specter", book one of the Parker Chance series.

Monday News, Book Giveaway, and Author Feature! Woot!

2011-08-08T07:02:00.000-06:00

Hello Monday!

We are going to have a very exciting week! My friend and writer extraordinaire, T.S. Welti, is being featured here for the whole entire week. She is an amazingly talented woman and I'm very proud to present her awesomeness to you. Her debut novel, The Fifth Specter: Book One of the Parker Chance series is OUT and ready for your reading pleasure! I had the good fortune of snagging a signed copy from Ms. Welti herself, so I'll be sharing my review soon.

So! Let's get this started.

To start off, we have a BOOK GIVEAWAY, courtesy of Ms. Welti. All you need to do is answer this simple question:

If you could have a SUPERPOWER, what would it be?

Leave your answer in the comment section below. The contest runs for a week and will end on Monday, August 15th. After the contest ends, the winner will be randomly selected and announced on Tuesday, August 16th.

The prize? A COPY OF THE FIFTH SPECTER BY T.S. WELTI! So go wrack your brain for superpower ideas!

On Wednesday, I'll be posting my review of The Fifth Specter.

On Friday, Ms. Welti answers my prodding questions in an interview (ala Barbara Walters, or...possibly Rita Skeeter-style.)

So stay tuned and show some love!

Bio:

T.S. Welti is a single mother living in Southern California. She writes books for kids and teens and bakes in her spare time. In 2005, she began writing the Parker Chance series while sitting in the shade of a weeping willow on a sweltering summer day. Five years later, she lost her job and book one was still not finished. After many sleepless nights spent slaving away at her keyboard, she was finally able to finish The Fifth Specter and has never looked back. You can find out more about T.S. Welti and the Parker Chance series on her website at http://tswelti.com/.

Check out her blog The Smoking Quill. You can also follow her on Twitter: @TS_Welti.

Not a Twitterer? Check out her FB Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/tswelti.author

Also, her FB Book Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheFifthSpecter

**************

Chapter 10 of the Skeleton Key Round Robin Blogvel is now up by Laura of Laura's Universe.

Have a great day, everyone!