A book to check out

Wow. I've been a bad blogger. Today, I will have two posts. The other post will explain a few things. This one is a book you must check out.

Pretty isn't it.

Title: CONTROL

Author: Lydia Kang

Pages: 400

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Blurb:

When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.

A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.

 

 

I thought this book was awesome!! Loved the voice and the whole world that was created. If you haven't checked this out, please do. It has a great pace and keeps twisting and turning with suspense.

 

Thoughts?

What are you reading now? Any recommendations?

 

Have a great day!!

Happy release day!!

The lovely Stina Lindenblatt is releasing her debut New Adult novel today. Isn't it pretty?

The stats:

Title: Tell Me When

Author: Stina Lindenblatt

Pages: 245

Publisher: Carina Press

 

Blurb:

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class.
She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.
But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.
When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her—and Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.

 

 

 

Congrats Stina!! Can't wait to read it!!

 

Go check it out! Also, she has some giveaways on her blog.

 

Have a great day!! 

 

Happy holidays!

Holy cow, I'm a bad blogger, but I've gotten a lot of writing done. I'm about 1/2 through my first draft of a new project and am in love with it. So we will see on that.

One thing I try to keep in mind this time of year is to live life a little. It gets hard when I get caught up in my manuscripts. All the other worlds that I create and characters that I breathe life into, it takes a lot of my energy and attention, but I have to stop sometimes and live reality. I know I've posted about this before, but it is something you have to do or you'll miss little things that matter.

There are times during this season that I get frustrated because I don't get my word count in or I can't think a continuous thought. It can make one grit their teeth and cringe, but these magical moments will be gone one day. Yes, my patience is being tried on all levels in real life and in writing life, it happens, I'm human. But I'm soaking it all in. I will finish this draft, I know I will. I'll revise and hopefully query it one day, but I also have to experience those moments so they can live in my memory too.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a happy new year!!

See you next year!!

Eat some cookies! Nom nom nom!!

Tea time with Failure

The funny thing about failure--it's everywhere. It's also not something you want to hear or admit. But it's always there--waiting. A bad word to many. A blemish to a blank sheet. To those who strive for perfection, it's the boogey man under the bed ready to strike fear. Let's face it, it will happen to you. More than once. It comes in all shapes and sizes from a simple thing to something that will not only affect you but many, maybe thousands or millions.

So, I sat down with failure and poured a cup of tea. What is failure really trying to say? Is failure that bad? I guess it depends on how big it is, but I stepped back for a moment and really let failure tell me. It seems I've misunderstood it. Sure failure hurts that's how it gets your attention. And at the time that it strikes you may not know why until a later time. I'm talking possibly years. That's where the misunderstanding comes in. Failure gets blamed for a lot of things, but it's the victim that needs to pay attention and turn failure around. Send him packing. I will admit failure has entered my life on many occasions, more than I like to state, but it wasn't until recently when I really looked at it--with my own two eyes and not from others advice, although that doesn't hurt the situation--it softens it. Spins it. Allows perspective to set in.

What is failure really trying to say? Try harder? Do better? Learn more? That's part of it. It's also trying to say that nothing is perfect. There's always room for improvement and everything is flawed. Sure there's a normal but believe it or not that's left to interpretation. Failure is trying to tell me there is another way. It's not my time. Failure never said to stop or not try. It simply is guiding me another way.

That's where it gets foggy. I need to know a clear path. I don't like the unknown. That's why failure is scary. It's messes things up and cuts your yellow brick road in half, blacking it out, making it seems like it leads to nowhere. The only way to get back is to keep going, try something different, learn something new--grow stronger. That's what life is--isn't it? Growing and finding out who you are. Failure has to be there to make sure that happens.

My thoughts for today.

How is everyone doing?

Have a great day!

IWSG--Murky lake of writing

I totally missed last month. Sorry. I was away and totally forgot. There I said it. :) Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for hosting and bringing writers together. Writing can be lonely and to have support can make you blossom. Don't forget to check out the other fine folks who participate.

Well, not much is going on here. I finally got through that murky stage where you think you'll never write again or have an idea (whether it's great or not is undetermined). It's scary. It seems I go through it every time I finish a manuscript. I finally say a novel is done and a small idea comes but the characters don't speak. I think it's the brain telling you to stop and take a break. The remedy is--you should. Revising a manuscript for months can have your brain in knots. It needs to unravel. Of course when you're in the moment, it feels like an eternity. The end. No more words will flow. Patience eats at you.

But there is a light. That little pin hole that's making it's way through the darkness. See it. It's there.You're a writer so no matter what that spark will return. And that's where I'm at. The spark returned. Yes, I had my typical fit of "I will never write again because I suck and no one will ever want this," but I took a couple of days to send the brain to the brain spa and finally things are starting to flow again.

I'm still scared though. My last novel is going through the query process and I can't help but feel like I'm repeating my first experience, but I must go through it and be persistent to get anywhere. Right?So in a nutshell, I'm back on track. For now. I can't say that I will be a regular blogger but I'm still here now and again.

How do you make it through the murky blank lake of writing?

Have a great day!!

New releases, books to check out and congrats!!

Hi everyone! I'm trying to get back into a regular groove of blogging so we will see what this week brings. I have a bunch of things to highlight today so let's get to it.

1. If you haven't already, go check out the lovely Christina Lee's ALL OF YOU. It's hot!!! I did read this, and whoa, hotness. I'm team Bennett all the way. Currently, it's an ebook but will be released in paperback July 1, 2014. You go, Christina!!

 

Title: ALL OF YOU

Author: Christina Lee

Publisher: Penguin/InterMix

Blurb: In this powerfully emotional debut New Adult novel, Avery has just met her hot upstairs neighbor. He’s irresistible. Tattooed. And a virgin.
 Nursing student Avery Michaels wants nothing to do with dating—she’s perfectly happy single. Privy to too many of her mother’s bad decisions and even worse taste in boyfriends, all Avery can handle is a string of uncomplicated hookups whenever the mood strikes.
 When she meets smoking hot tattoo artist Bennett, she wants him—for just one night. But he won’t accept a no-strings-attached arrangement. He lives by a straight-laced code of values based on his own troubled upbringing.
 Bennett sees something special in Avery and he wants more from her. Way more. As Avery wrestles with her emotions for Bennett, danger and tragedy force them to open up to each other. And Avery must face the terrifying realization that she wants more from him, too.
 
So she needs to make a choice—let Bennett go or finally let him in.

 

2. In other New Adult news, the amazing Stina Lindenblatt revealed the cover of her debut novel TELL ME WHEN. Sweetness!!

 

Title: TELL ME WHEN

Author: Stina Lindenblatt

Publisher: Carina Press / Harlequin

Release date: January 20, 2014

Blurb:

 

Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class.
She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.
But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.
When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her—and Amber is determined to protect Marcus…even if that means pushing him away.

3. Another New Adult novel has been released by Kevin Sheridan. It has a very cool premise. And I had the pleasure to read it before the release. Definitely one to check out!! Congrats Kevin!!


Title: UNDER A BROKEN SUN
Author: Kevin P. Sheridan
Publisher: Dancing Dolphin Productions

Blurb:

When the world is thrown back into the dark ages, Adam Dawson must find his way across the country to reunite with his father, fighting through the religious zealots who believe the end has come.

4. In YA news, Ilene Wong has sold her debut novel, NONE OF THE ABOVE to Balzer + Bray. A huge congrats to her!! It will be released Fall of 2015. Go give a her your love!!

Big congrats to all these authors!! Mark your calendars for the releases and definitely check out the books that are out!!

That's all for today. No exciting news for me. Just writing and revising. Basically, I'm just moving along . . . slowly. I plan to be back for IWSG on Wednesday!!

Have a great day!!

A book to check out.

Wow. I've been gone a while. Sorry. Between real life, writing, brainstorming, revising and querying, some things have slipped through the cracks. My next posts will be about up and coming books that you may want to should check out. :)

Today, I have THE EIGHTH DAY by Dianne K. Salerni. I've known Dianne for years and she is not only an amazing author but an incredible person. I can't thank her enough for all the advice she has given me. The cover of her new book, well first book in her new series, was released recently and it's really cool. I am so excited for the release and for Dianne. THE EIGHTH DAY will be born to the world summer 2014. So mark it on your calendars people.

 

Title: THE EIGHTH DAY

Author: Dianne K. Salerni

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release date: Summer 2014

MG Fantasy

 

Blurb:

When newly orphaned Jax Aubrey awakes to a world without people the day after his thirteenth birthday, he thinks it’s the apocalypse. But then the next day is a regular old Thursday. Has Jax gone crazy? What’s going on?

Riley Pendare, Jax’s sort of clueless eighteen-year-old guardian, breaks the news: Jax just experienced the Eighth Day, an extra twenty-four-hour period between Wednesday and Thursday. Some people, like Jax and Riley, have the ability to live in all eight days. But others, like Evangeline, the teenage girl who’s been hiding in the house next door for years, exist only on this special day.

At first it’s awesome to have a secret day. But as Jax gets to know the very guarded Evangeline, he discovers that she is the sought-after key to an ancient spell rooted in Arthurian legend. And Riley—who forgets to pay bills and buy groceries!—is sworn to keep her safe from those who want to use her to eliminate the seven-day world and all who live there.

Jax tries to protect Evangeline, but with his new friend’s life on the line, as well as the threat of human destruction, he is faced with an impossible choice: trigger a real apocalypse or sacrifice Evangeline.

With a whole extra day to figure things out, it couldn’t be too hard . . . right?

 

 

 

 

 

Check out THE EIGHTH DAY summer of 2014. Can't wait!! You go, Dianne!!

 

Have a great day!!