I am first off happy to be a minion on the Joyful Brigade and my badge is posted on the sidebar of my. But I will give you a quick look see. Nice huh? See you April first A-Z Challenge participants!
March 16-20: I am not proclaiming myself an expert on anything.
March 23-27: Life life on your terms and always trust in the Lord.
March 30 - April 3: I have been able to finally make a profit from freelancing. I have become more independent and hope to be living on my own by the end of this year. Also it has been easier financially to prepare for the release of my novels.
I have been busy this month so I'm mostly at the Character sketch stage right now. But at least I have the first paragraph for Naked Mermaids down as well. Slow month on this end but things will perk up as I better manage my schedule.
I am happy to say first off that internet is back at home after nearly a week without it. If that's not something to celebrate clearly you have never used the internet.
I say Jupiter Ascending on Tuesday and had a wonderful time. The technology was mind blowing and the action insane. The story was engaging despite the huge plot holes. While I can understand why critics would hate it, I must say that this is the best movie I have seen so far in 2015. I plan to see Kingsman soon so it might become the second best but for the moment, money well spent.
Goal Hop
I have started an adult novel named Mermaid Strippers and hope to have it drafted and edited by the end of the year. This is my new goal for the hop in 2015. Wish me luck.
EY Meme
I think Draco Malfoy from the Potter books deserve his own series. Hell so does Severus Snape. Especially Snape. Who wouldn't want to know the history of these two secondary but essential characters?
I leave you with a video that will give you insight into one of the two you might not have had before. Enjoy your weekend.
Today I will be doing all of January's Express Yourself Meme's question in one go.
Jan 5-9: My resolution is pretty much to accomplish what I can actually do and surprise myself.
Jan 12-16: Saw Into The Woods at the cinema in December and it was wonderful.
Jan 19-23: Guardians of The Galaxy was mind blowingly awesome. Also there was the dark Nightcrawler and the crazy pants plot twist Gone Girl.
Jan 26-30: Write everyday, know your audience, write what you love.
Stripping Mermaids?
Yes my first 2015 manuscript will have stripping mermaids. Also it will be an adult novel and I am excited about finding different ways to show life under the sea from my perspectives. So far I seem to think pearls make better lighting for a strip show than floating electric eels. Imagine that? Enjoy your week everyone and remember IWSG is this Wednesday.
My favorite beverage is orange juice. I don't do coffee and tea is for an upset stomach nothing else seems to cure. So yeah, orange juice all the way. But yes, I do drink soda.
Getting Personal: Hi
I have been busy with freelance work so I haven't been blogging much. Also since November I have been having some hand pains and other issues. So I have to be careful with what I choose to write. But I want to keep you guys updated. Right now I'm working on the covers for upcoming books and I'm happy with how things are going so far. Monday will be my cover reveal for 'Where is Sarah' coming in March 2015.
Yesterday I saw The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 at the movies and it blew my mind. Anyone who loves the franchise should definitely go see it. I swear someone in it looked similar to how Christian Bale did in The Machinist. Divergent movie series can go take some tips for Insurgent coming next March. Plus I also did some writing for a novel which is a fairytale retelling. Not planning to release it anytime soon so I'll keep it under wraps for now. Nano was a dud but I think my other novel for Roe titled Huntress (NA Horror) has some real potential. Got around ten thousand words done on it. The hand pains and uptake in freelance made me have to change my priorities. Yet I am so excited for what is in store. The future holds a wonderful mystery and the present is just that. So I'm grabbing my gift and owning it.
I will be taking a break on Dec. 19 and coming back January 1, 2015. So glad to be blogging again and see you on Friday.
My insecurity this month is about my position in my writing career. Right now my freelance work is taking off and I'm glad about what I have accomplished. But in my own writing life I am having a lot of stalling. The Sacrifice Series has been delayed. I plan to move Where is Sarah? from a February 2015 release to March and Snow will be out 2016 instead of Summer 2015 to accommodate The Sacrifice Series starting August/Sept. 2015. It seems that every step forward I take ten steps back. No matter what I will only release my best work but sometimes I wonder when.
Anyway I'm excited to say that I finally got Where is Sarah? cover done last month. Will be sharing it December 15. This time around I don't feel like doing a big cover reveal, I will do that for the other four. But I will offer to send a preview of the cover to the first ten persons to comment. No you are not obligated to post but if you do don't do it before December 15. I just feel like taking a simple approach right now. Oh and I finally have a tablet. Fave thing to do? Play games and watch Netflix. The Android makes it so easy to do that. The microsoft word and blog business, not so much but I'm still excited. Have a great IWSG and see you on Friday.
P.S.: Sorry for the absence but during November all the writing for my freelance work and Nano gave me some version of carpal tunnel. Had to stop for a while and couldn't complete Nano and a few of my assignments went in late. Pain is pretty much gone now with rare tiny bursts. So taking it easy. Also Saturday was my birthday! I'm 30!
EYM in December
I'm looking forward to Into the Woods as my Christmas movie in theaters December 25, 2014. First movie I have seen in the cinemas in December? Penguins of Madagascar yesterday. What a hoot! I had fun.
November has arrived and I have all sorts of reasons to celebrate.
1. My tablet is on it's way and I can't wait. It has already arrived at the U.S. address and should be on it's way to Jamaica.
2. Birthday on November 29th. Can't wait.
3. Big Hero 6, Dumb and Dumber To, Birdman and Mockingjay should be coming this month. Also on the look out for Night Crawler and Penguins movie (if I can cough up the dough).
4. Four more movies and I can get a free movie pass. Also hoping to enter a contest that might win me a free movie pass.
5. Nanowrimo is here!
6. Having a surge in ghostwriting and freelance work. More money to put away and Black Friday is coming.
The Underrated Treasures Blogfest is hosted by Alex Cavanaugh.
Book: Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild: Such a lovely story about three girls determined to achieve their dreams and the reality that dreams are hard woprk no matter your age.
Movie: Superman Returns (2006) - So unfair it didn't get a sequel. Even the director Brian Singer was pissed off that the heads decided that the movie making around 400 mill wasn't enough for a sequel.
T.V. Show: The Tomorrow People: This new CW show only got one season because the greedy execs decided that it was cheaper to keep two dead shows than drop them and keep a new one not making over a million viewers on every go.
Last week was a poor internet week. Combined with ghostwriting work and not being able to log on my blog for IWSG, another issue was missing the movie Lucy because it got sold out. But this week is looking up. I saw Lucy last night and LOVED it. I recommend it to everyone. Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman both played their roles flawlessly and the Asian actors were scary awesome. Now those are top level henchmen for any bad guy.
Plus I have two ghostwriting orders for story plots that are a real challenge. But I enjoy helping others bring their ideas to life. Especially these two, both return customers. Also today I am finally going to see Guardians of the Galaxy. I try to go on half off days during the summer to save money and I'm going to see this 3D master piece of $650 instead of the usual $1300. Yay me! So what's up with you guys?
Express Yourself Meme
For August 4-8: One of my celebrity crushes from my teens was George Clooney. Remember ER? I Do!
August 11-15: I love everything about steampunk. It is such a creative and ever changing genre. I would like to do Jamaican Steampunk one day. So I guess what I love most is the creative way each writer of steampunk makes the world their own.
Whoo March has been quite a month. Next week Tuesday will start the A-Z Challenge and I haven't finished all my posts yet. But I will survive and I know readers will enjoy what I have to offer.
Now unto a little surprise. I dropped a hint to the author in a comment but now I'm ready to share with you all. I have decided to do my first parody! Yay! Of a book by an author I know online/blog. What? You say, I can imagine authors who chat with me or blog back and forth looking at each other or pointing at themselves. The lucky winner is....read the summary and guess.
From the truly weird mind of Sheena-kay Graham. Seriously this lady is super weird in her head. Don't let that smiling face fool you. Printer Rose is a typical teenager who wishes to become popular. Her family line were all popular in pre-school straight through University but she has fallen short and no one is more disappointed than her mother and older twin brothers. One day she comes across a potion in the basement of her father's mistress house. She has no idea why she is there or how she got the address but decides to feed it to the lady's cat. The cat turns into a sexy female and runs off. Angry about her missing cat the mistress curses Printer to become boneless and leaves with no explanation of how she is a witch in the first place. Or how she knew Printer was even there. Magic perhaps, or total lack of logic. Anyway, Printer starts noticing changes in her body that eventually leads to an embarrassing incident that gets caught on camera and uploaded to Youtube. But instead of becoming a social pariah she gains instant fame. Yet things don't go as expected when it turns out those who become popular do so at a dastardly price and Printer becoming popular without paying the fee will bring out an ancient evil so frightening that Don King's hair looks like a perfect candidate to model a conditioner for well....models. Can Printer figure out a way to save herself and stop this evil? Where did the creepy guy who has a crush on her but looks like Nosferatu come from? Does this crazy story have a point? Why does something else keep popping up? Secrets are one thing, LSD laced story lines are another. Printer will have to navigate through it all and also find the mistress's cat now turned sexy female pin up model with African American security who rap at her so hard she can't grab the transformed cat back without getting better rhymes. Plus her curse is getting worse and milk won't hold off the final result forever. Will Printer ever go back to how things used to be? Uh no, this is a parody not a romance novel. Sorry romance but you kinda.... So....Printer has to fix things by destroying an ancient evil, getting back a witch's cat who's now a woman, deal with jealousy and rants from her family, an ugly stalker boyfriend never gonna be and anything else that pops up in this insane story that no asylum can contain. Seriously, it got pushed out the door by the doctors. Freedom! Ahem, I mean stay tuned. Boneless, a parody that will make you very aware that you are indeed part Skeletor. I mean skeleton!
So what did you guys think. Oh right, this is a parody of Moonless by Crystal Collier. And yes a lot of stuff popped up in that book too. And Alexia could be an annoying nosy busy body at times. But hey she got to be sexy and chased by evil....and meet a guy who has a psycho girl who wants him, bad. Of course it's also set in the past. Mine is modern day...bet you didn't get that when Youtube was mentioned. No idea when I'll actually complete this but I got the idea of parodying her novel because of all the crazy nonsense that sometimes took place. I gave it a great review and it is a really good book but seriously....it could be six different novels. Loads of plot....story...plenty of plot. Okay I'll stop now.
Cassie Mae's Latest Cover
Now to reveal Cassie Mae's Cover for The Real Thing. Better late than....just enjoy the sexy cover and congrats Cas. Seriously I mean Castiel from Supernatural has done well fighting evil and evading capture this season. Oh right and Cassie for her latest cover reveal. Awkward.
Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world. When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had.
About Cassie Mae :)
Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. She’s the author of the Amazon Bestsellers REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND and HOW TO DATE A NERD, and is the debut author for the Random House FLIRT line with her New Adult novels FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI and SWITCHED. She spends time with her angel children and perfect husband who fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.
Wow that cover is hot. Congrats Cassie!
Express Yourself Meme
Poor thing, at the bottom of so much action but no one forgot about you. Well, I didn't and Friday is a book review and only the Celebrate Meme gets to share in the spotlight. Sorry dear memie. But you get to shine now! Don't give me the finger! Ugh, moving on.
Question: Name one favourite character you have read or written.
Read: Carlisle from The Twilight Series. In the final movie when something sort of happened but didn't, my feelings were written on Esme's face. I mean Carlisle is a wonderful soul who brought together a family of loving vampires and if it weren't for him in truth....there would be no Twilight. Think about that...Edward and ahem Bella Swan Cullen. Just saying.
Written: Circa from Circa. I still hope to shop this novel to agents in 2015/2016. I am just taken by the honest attempt of a girl turned program then becomes human again through a freak accident.
P.S.: Hold up, how come in the Boneless parody summary the father has a mistress but no further mention of him is made? Weird.
Today I'm sharing the cover for Blood-Kissed Sky by J.A. London. Book Two in The Darkness Before Dawn Trilogy. This is how you do a cover using a model's profile and a captivating background. As much as I know what she sees must be foreboding, I'm captivating by the beauty of the cover enough that I want to see it as well. Which I believe is an excellent quality in a superb cover.
Summary: There's nowhere left to hide.
Ithought vampires were our enemies—they controlled our lives, isolated our cities, and demanded our blood—until I met Victor. With Victor taking over as the new Lord Valentine, things were supposed to get better. Instead, they're worse than ever.
Day Walkers, a new breed of vampires who can walk in the sun, are terrorizing the city. Blood supplies are low, and if Victor's vampires don't get enough, they will become infected with the Thirst—a disease that will turn them into mindless killers.
To stop it, I must journey across the desolate wasteland to the very place where the sickness began. I can only hope that the answers that await me are enough to save us all . . . before it's too late.
Because writing what you know is important but you need to go beyond yourself and writing what you love is great but some aspects of your book you might hate but know it goes with your story/character. So I decided to combine them because I want to see and create what happens next whether I know it or not, or love it or not. Story matters most and that I'm satisfied I stayed true to the material and the characters I created.
See you guys on Friday and thanks for all your support for Kelly Abell and her latest book on Monday.
Today I'll be covering two week's worth of Express Yourself Meme since I took a break last week.
March 3-7 asked about autographs and I have quite a few.
Thank goodness for giveaways and cool blogger/author friends because all mine are from overseas and sadly I don't have a passport. But that hasn't stopped me from getting these awesome autographs.
Insurgent (Collector's Edition, Hardback) by Veronica Roth - Any time I see the V. Roth signature I want to squeal. Thank you so much Amber Argyle for the giveaway that won me this. I'm such a big fan of her work.
Pop Travel by Tara Tyler - Knew her as a blogger first and was excited to buy her novel for my kindle. When I got the chance to get a paperback copy how could I pass it up? Now I have her book on my dresser and her cool signature and cool words of thanks.
Past Due by Elizabeth Seckman - This lady is my blogger sister and after her first book Past Due came out I was excited to win the chance to get a paperback copy with her signature and lovely words.
Darkness Before Dawn and Blood Kissed Sky by J. A. London - I entered and won this by accident but hey two more autographed books is never a bad thing.
Thieftaker and Thieves' Quarry by D.B. Jackson - I'm especially happy since the latter is an awesome hardback.
I also have a few bookmarks that are autographed and that's great as well.
March 10 - 14: What saying or catchphrase do you say all the time?
I don't really have a catchphrase but there are a few things I say a lot.
"Hello/Good Morning" - What I'm polite?
"Please"
"Thank You"
"Have a Good Day"
"What? I'm Reading." - Or some variation
"Awesome" - Mostly while blogging or in comments. I've come to accept that I'll never stop and that I actually like it.
Yeah not exactly the adventurous type in speaking but hey I do have something to say. *Waves*
Oh yes I didn't forget about this little meme. Now on with Celebrating the small things.
1. Went to the library yesterday and actually left some daytime comments on blogs that had posted new posts.
2. Finally bought Allegiant. Was waiting for it out here and wasn't buying the hardback for over $2000 JM. Please. So yeah bought it this week...from The Book Depository. But before you roll your eyes (since I waited forever just to buy it online anyway) I'm buying my first Divergent series Hardback. Yay! Also though I finally (last place I went to in time for it to sold out, I mean seriously) found a place in Kingston with a copy this month I realized it would sink my movie budget since the book cost as much as a 3D movie ticket and that's before paying bus fare to get to the store and back (also I now have Pay pal money, unlike my pittance last year). Oh well, I should have my beautiful Hardback in April.
3. On Wednesday I got my first book from TBD that I ordered this year. Elegy by Amanda Hocking. I'm loving it so far and the cover is AMAZING. The final book in the Watersong Series is just as great (if not greater) than the first book Wake. Which says a lot since Lullaby the sequel was a disappointment and Tidal was a bit above okay. So glad Amanda got it right in the end.
4. I'm back to blogging! Did I say already I missed you guys last week during my mini-blogcation?
5. Love and Blogging. Yup I'm celebrating those things. See you guys on Monday.
The TV Show I could be in as myself would be Grimm and what do I bring to the table. My writing and research skills. I would take up 'residency' in the trailer and help compile the mounds of books into easier to search files and also with my job being online at home be able to move around without too many questions being asked. I'd be the happy loner who loves to read and has a secret crush on Monroe while helping Nick 'The Grimm' do research on the creatures he has to stop and be able to send out warnings if anyone unusual starts coming around the trailer.
Besides who wouldn't want a chance to play a character on Grimm? Even if I can't kick butt (unless someone comes at me, watch out), I can write a mean story, do research and give advice during nice long chats. A very useful quality if I say so myself.
1. I purchased a copy of A Journey Begins by Cambria Harrington last night. If you remember on my Wednesday post I mentioned her and suggested you guys check out the interview she did. I plan to read the book over the weekend and see what talent this fourteen year old author really has. I'm glad to support a teen's writing dream and hope others take the opportunity. In two days the book goes from 99 cents for the kindle back to $2.99. So get your copy fast if you want to get a great deal.
2. I loved this week's Express Yourself Meme question. I have to say before that if I imagined myself on Grimm, I would give myself some kind of ability. But this week's question got me thinking of my own real lufe qualities and they aren't half bad. Thank you Dani for helping host such a fun meme.
3. I have my theme down for the A-Z Challenge. Just need to complete the posts. But I will be done in time.
4. Pseudo celebrating my blogging break next week (minus cover reveal for Kyra). I still want to blog but I need the break to recharge my batteries and focus more on writing (including my writing gig, laptop, you will soon be mine).
5. Realizing the inflammation in my left thumb and index finger wasn't from a bug bite but inflammation. Yay internet. Now instead of spending almost $700 JA Dollars on bug cream. I can instead spend $105 on over the counter aspirin so the Ibuprofen can get rid of the swelling. Been working over the past two days, only my thumb left. Yay, seriously please go away swelling.
6. Going to see the Lego Movie on Saturday. This somebody is going with nobody. And it will be AWESOME! And I won't have a certain someone telling me about weight and eating...whatever. I'm going to the movies y'all! I'm eating theatre food. Not popcorn, the kernels hurt my throat. Sorry but I have to particular and hope the type is kind to my swallowing when I pop them in my mouth. Boy do I sound like a sissy.
7. Ghostwriting gig is bringing some dough! Thanks to this I get to go to the movies 100% on my own dime and don't need to ask for a pick up. Yup I'm taking the bus to and back with my own cash money. Trust me, this is big for me. No begging, I mean asking for rides home in advance to save money or my fear of travelling after dark. Well, more of a dislike. Plus The Lego Movie has a 2:30 pm showing at Palace Cineplex so I can get home before dark. Yay!
Goal Drain
Do You Have Goals? Bloghop is a monthly hop hosted by Misha. Each month you state the progress of a goal you submitted to the hop for the year or whichever period you choose to complete it in.
My AYA goal has taken a backseat this month. Sorry but between my ghost writing gig, saving for a laptop before April, plans to have Monster City MG ready for October and writing Beseech's first five chapters....I have not done much of anything this month. I plan to start the AYA blog in March and continue again with the novella I have planned for this new genre. That's all I can handle right now.
Express Yourself Meme this week wants a list of five book world's I wouldn't want to live in and five that I would want to go to.
Never Ever!
1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - If you read it, you'd know why.
2. The Diary of Anne Frank - Same here.
3. Moonless by Crystal Collier - Seriously the soulless are scary. And the passionate can be...a bit too passionate.
4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver - Love a disease? Please!
5. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews - Incest. Need I explain any further? Love the books but would never take a character's place. EVER.
Take Me!
1. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling - Screw The Dark Lord, I want to see some magic.
2. X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby - Comic, novel, movie....who cares! Sign me up!
3. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare - I just want to see it. No I don't any powers, just a back stage pass.
4. Um...Oh Batman Universe - Yup, I want to see Batman...and Poison Ivy from a distance.
5. Static by L.A. Swift - Hey I would like to see someone change from female to male or vice versa. Plus can you imagine how insane Wendy William's Hot Topic segment would be if this was real life? Tell me you wouldn't want to get a peek at that?
Yes I picked comics too but I don't care! It's my list. Celebrate the small things
Sadly not my best week but I do have something to be happy about. Yesterday I saw that Riptide Publishing retweeted my netgalley review of Static. Also I have been ruminating about it and decided I want to complete Monster City before October 2014 so I can enter it in the 2015 Times/Chicken House Children's Competition. Worst case scenario if I don't make it I can always enter Chickenhouse Open Submission if they have it again next January. Monster City is a w.i.p. MG and I would feel more comfortable having help from a publisher selling it than doing it on my own. Also I write mostly YA and don't want to give mixed signals to any agent by shopping it out first. I know agents can do both YA and MG but since this might be my only MG, I just feel more comfortable trying to get it to a publisher on my own first. Plus I'm holding out for Circa being my first manuscript to shop to agents next year or later.
Yes that's my celebration this week. Enjoy your weekend.
"Express Yourself" is a weekly meme. It's goal is to help our fellow bloggers get to know one another better, to help motivate one another, laugh (or cry) together, in other words – stalk.
This week: Tell us about some book couples you adore.
1. Ron and Hermione from Harry Potter series. Yeah Rowling wanted Harry but guess what? It didn't happen! Bam! The characters run the show people.
2. Tara and Eliza from The Beginning of Us. The only lesbian couple on the list but trust me their struggles to be together will draw you in.
3. Tobias and Tris from Divergent. These two have been through quite a bit and truly love each other.
Celebrate the small things meme
First off, Happy Valentine's Day!!! OK, unto the next.
Won two Amazon gift cards this week, one from Clare Dugmore's giveaway. Thanks Clare. Whoo! I bought ebooks galore including Cassie Mae's (Becca Ann) latest book and Cassatorm by Alex Cavanaugh at it's $3.99 price. Also bought some other books including Winter Queen by Amber Argyle (at special $0.99 price) and Cinder by Marrisa Myer at special $2.99 price. Not everything was on special but this girl loves grabbing a deal and with $30.00 worth of Amazon G.C. to spend I cleaned up!
Also read Static off Netgally, published by Riptide Publishing. Reviewing next Tuesday and I must say in advance...be there. Another LGBT hit people. And this one deserves a movie. Plus, Moonless by Crystal Collier will be reviewed next Wednesday.
P.S. : I went through my bloglist this morning and quite a couple blogs moved up to the top 50/100. So if some of you who might have gotten a comment from me almost bi-weekly or less start getting weekly/regular comments from me that's why. I love commenting and visiting as many blogs as I can and welcome to the party level new arrivals. Sorry to those deleted blogs I had to remove links for and some that got moved down because of months of no updates. I love you guys but if your blog is gone or not updated for example...since October 2013? Come on, you can't be in my top 50/75 sitting pretty while other blogs being updated regularly are as far as 150 on my side bar. Again love you but...sorry it's just life.
Finishing my Take My Soul novella (for AYA) so I can get it critiqued. Write the first five chapters for Beseech, a novel idea that finally breathed life last night. Yay jealousy! Finalize the cover for Deadly Luxury Write even more than last month Actually update my fan fiction Pray more Help my fellow bloggers/writers
I am excited to say that an idea I wrote down sometime back has come to life. Well fruition. Inspiration comes in many forms and in this case it was from a bit of jealousy funny enough. I was thinking about another young adult novel I had read the preview of and thought I wish I had written something like that. Then last night when the thought came again I was hit with the realization that I already had an idea written down a while back that also had a town with an unusual quality that held it's occupants under it's sway. So I got an empty notebook, wrote my name and the title on it and decided to try and start the novel Beseech (working title). A little rocky at first I started with a Welcome to Happy Fate, the town which most important rule was that no one was allowed to share bad news. Then I went unto chapter one and wrote the first paragraph. And guess what?
I'm presenting it to you now! Isn't that cause for celebration?!
Chapter One Armalie Tate listened attentively to the latest rumour to hit Happy Fate. Mrs. Rogers had gotten second place in the Front Yard Garden Contest for the third year in a row. Before that she always won. But after Mr. Junebug started growing flowers out of his picket fence, he was a shoo in. no one could imitate it and he refused to share his secret. His garden looked like paradise and his front yard fence screamed ingenuity and springtime. The scandal of the whole situation had Armalie anxious to share it with Rin Baker, her best friend.
So? What did you think? Let me know and enjoy your weekend everyone.
Summary on Goodreads: What if you could become thin overnight?
Katherine Blythe is an overweight teenager who, on her sixteenth birthday, wishes to be thin, only to find her wish coming true with alarming side effects. As she loses over half her weight in the span of a week, she finds the world is a different place when you look the way you’re told you should.
But is her wish responsible for all this? Or is there something else going on—something distinctly supernatural?
Review: Katherine starts as an unhappy overweight teen weighing almost 300 pounds. Her friend Sarah is excited to go out to the beach along with other teens from their year but Katherine dreads it. After a tearful breakdown Sarah takes her home from the mall and gives her a cupcake to wish her happy birthday. Katherine blows out the candle and wishes to be thin. This is when the real drama starts.
The world is different when you're thinner and Katherine learns both the good and the bad sides of her new look. Including doctor's appointments and a mood swinging mom. Katherine eventually realizes though that something is going on beyond just medical miracles and wishes. Something she just might not like.
I loved this novellette, a short read it doesn't shy away from the issues facing overweight teens or skimp on great writing. When I purchased it on Amazon I was confident I would get my money's worth on this ebook and I was not disappointed. Kevin had also written a previous horror series and he continues to draw in readers with captivating stories and great writing. My one gripe though is a disconnect with the storyline. Katherine wishes to be thin yet when supernatural elements come into play, they clearly have nothing to do with the wish. Especially when paternity becomes an issue. So why then did the wish start all of her changes? That was never answered and left a big hole in the story for me. I do highly recommend this book though and my storyline issue is the only reason this book doesn't get five stars. Kevin Richey is still a horror short story writing genius everyone should check out. I'm glad I read this book.
Rating: 4 Stars
Grimm
Did anyone see the insanity on Grimm last week on NBC? Won't give any spoilers but the writers were right to end with (only slightly paraphrasing) OH %&* I can't wait for the new episode! Damn it being February 28 but other than that....swell.
Express Yourself Meme
Is there anything you'd like to change, or work on, about yourself this year?
I have a short list.
1. Lose the weight I gained last year after getting sick.
2. Write more, procrastinate less.
3. Learn to network.
4. Pray more.
Remember that tomorrow is my interview with Sarah Brooks, author of The Beginning of Us. So glad my book review caught the publisher's attention.
So there you have it folks. And yes I love books, food and have a dust allergy. You know me so well. See you tomorrow for my first Getting Personal post for 2014.
Today I'm sharing the cover for Chasing Anya by J.L. Campbell. I'm a day later than the official reveal but it is never too late to help a friend and fellow author/blogger.
Summary: Been there. Done that.
Feisty and independent, Anya Davies lives by her own rules. The one thing she's hell-bent on avoiding is a conventional relationship, thanks to her abusive ex who refuses to stay in the past. As far as she's concerned, romance is a no-no.
The second complication in her life is a secret that condemns her to constant guilt and a solitary life. A series of near misses and escalating threats are a third and worrying factor. Only a special man would understand or live with Anya's challenges and demands. Casual sex...so not having that.
Enter Christophe Mondesir. Two years ago, Anya dumped him without explanation. An accidental meeting shoots Anya back on Christophe's radar. He refuses to be denied and plans to breach the fortress Anya has built around her heart--if she'll commit to more than a casual liaison. He's also determined to find out what she's hiding. That's if the stalker who's after Anya doesn't end her life first.
I missed the first meme last week but I'm just in time for the second one for 2014. This time we are to share what we'll be seeing at the movies this year. Here's a few of my picks.
American Hustle (came to Jamaica last week) 12 Years as a Slave (coming out Wednesday, yes another late arrival) Divergent X-Men: Days of Future Past How to Train Your Dragon 2 Frozen (saving it for month end, it will still be there) Big 6 The Giver
This week I celebrate the fact that Christmas is almost here. Also I got another book from my giveaway wins in the mail. I won an e-copy of Switched by Cassie Mae. And I have a special announcement when it comes to The Sacrifice Series next Wednesday. Also I'm happy for two years of blogging and all the wonderful friends I've met along the way. Love you all. Oh and the birth of Jesus, Christmas Day.
I found this tour in my e-mail. The author had sent the request in October for me to post during their tour during November and today is the last day so I'm just in time. Better yet I was referred to her by another author. *Squeals* This is what happens when you're helpful in this community, people remember you. Anyway today I'm taking part in the Waking Up Dead Blog Tour and if you like reading about ghosts, debating the after life and mysteries. This book should be high on your list. And don't forget to check out the book trailer before you go.
Blurb
When Dallas resident
Callie Taylor died young, she expected to go to Heaven, or maybe Hell. Instead,
she met her fate early thanks to a creep with a knife and a mommy complex. Now
she's witnessed another murder, and she's not about to let this one go. She's
determined to help solve it before an innocent man goes to prison. And to
answer the biggest question of all: why the hell did she wake up in Alabama?
_____________________________________________
Excerpt 1
When I died, I expected to go to heaven.
Okay. Maybe hell. It’s not like I was perfect or
anything. But I was sort of hoping for heaven.
Instead, I went to Alabama.
Yeah. I know. It’s weird.
I died in Dallas, my hometown. I was killed,
actually. Murdered. I’ll spare you the gruesome details. I don’t like to
remember them myself. Some jerk with a knife--and probably a Bad-Mommy complex.
Believe me, if I knew where he was, I’d go haunt his ass.
At any rate, by the time death came, I was ready for
it--ready to stop hurting, ready to let go. I didn’t even fight it.
And then I woke up dead in Alabama. Talk about
pissed off.
You know, even reincarnation would have been fine
with me--I could have started over, clean slate and all that. Human, cow, bug.
Whatever. But no. I ended up haunting someplace I’d never even been.
That’s not the way it’s supposed to work, right?
Ghosts are supposed to be the tortured spirits of those who cannot let go of
their earthly existence. If they could be convinced to follow the light, they’d
leave behind said earthly existence and quit scaring the bejesus out of the
poor folks who run across them. That’s what all those “ghost hunter” shows on
television tell us.
Let me tell you something. The living don’t know
jack about the dead.
Not this dead chick, anyway.
About the Author
Margo Bond Collins lives in Texas
with her husband, their daughter, several spoiled cats, and a ridiculous
turtle. She teaches college-level English courses online, though writing
fiction is her first love. She enjoys reading urban fantasy and paranormal
fiction of any genre and spends most of her free time daydreaming about
vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, and other monsters. Waking Up Dead is
her first published novel. Her second novel, Legally Undead, is an urban
fantasy, forthcoming in 2014 from World Weaver Press.
What do I carry around in my purse? Well an ID Card is a must, money, any other form of identification I need like NIS and TRN Number. Movie Ticket stubs I collect and library cards and a few receipts. My handbag has my books and pens, any papers I have to carry and should but often doesn't have my lip gloss. So pretty ordinary. Oh and my kindle when I can carry it.
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