Monthly Archives: July 2013

The Power of Facebook, Friendship & Why We Shouldn’t Use a Nail Gun to Slice a Pork Roast

Posted on July 17, 2013 | Leave a comment

Follow up advice with facebook from Kristen Lamb, author of Rise of the Machines-Human authors in a Digital World.

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Yesterday we started talking about Facebook and ways to make friends and influence enemies. Just so y’all know, the writer who insulted me is now a peep. We kept talking. I apologized for having the skin of a grape and this person told me I was right and they had NO idea the tone of the message was as insulting as it was.

We chatted about social media and WANA ways and had a blast, and it was awesome to make a new friend. This writer felt super bad. But, I mentioned that it all worked out for the better because, had I not been insulted, we would never have talked and gotten to know how much we had in common (though I do not recommend insulting people to make friends).

See, told you guys sometimes tough love is in order ;).

So What’s the Deal?

I believe most…

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Are You Alienating Fans on Facebook & Fracturing Your Platform?

Posted on July 17, 2013 | Leave a comment

Awesome post from Kristen Lamb author of Rise of the Machines-Human Authors in a Digital World.

Rise of the Machines--Human Authors in a Digital World

 

Author Kristen Lamb's avatarKristen Lamb's Blog

Writers are NOT salespeople and marketers. We aren’t. If we were AWESOME at sales, we’d be in SALES. Sales pays way better than playing with our imaginary friends and hoping we create something others want to read. In fact—and I might be going out on a limb here—I would wager most of you are not thinking, “Well, I’m only doing this writing thing until I can land my dream job in sales.”

I work to be very forgiving when writers make social media faux pas because I get that you are trying to be responsible and that “sales” is unnatural for most of us. I’ve also dedicated years and a good quarter million words (most of them free) to educating writers the proper way of using social media.

I created WANA methods to let writers focus on what we are best at doing—writing. The WANA approach works. It’s been responsible…

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WWW Wednesdays (July 17)

Posted on July 17, 2013 | 8 comments

WWW_Wednesdays4To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My Answers:

Pure (Covenant, #2) Curently Reading: Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer Armentrout.  So far it is awesome.  As good as the first.  I will post a review once completed.

Everything Left Unsaid Recently Finished: Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson.   This was an excellent book.  A real tear jerker.  A review is posted.

Enchantment (Channie, #1) Shift (Shade, #2)Enchantment (A magical YA Paranormal romance) by Charlotte Abel is still waiting on my Kindle.  And I just picked up Shift(Shade #2) by Jeri Smith-Ready.  The first one was fantastic.  I will post reviews when completed.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Teaser Tuesday (July 16)

Posted on July 16, 2013 | 11 comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

Aiden reached out, brushing his fingers over mine.  It was a brief touch, but my body tingled nonetheless.  “I didn’t say you were scared.  If anything, you’re too brave.”

Our gazes met.  “Everything is changing.”

“Everything already has.”

(OK it is more than two lines…I couldn’t help it..lol)

Pure (Covenant, #2) Pure (covenant #2) by Jennifer Armentrout.  (8% on Kindle)

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

 

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Everything Left Unsaid – Jessica Davidson

Posted on July 15, 2013 | 1 comment

Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson.  Published Aug 1, 2012 by Macmillan Australia.  $9.44 Kindle edition on amazon.com.  (not available in Canada yet)

“I wait for him, the cold seeping through my clothes, until it finally dawns on me that he’s not coming back. And I wonder why he chose her instead of me? Why he went looking for her when I was right there.”
Tai and Juliet have been best friends forever – since they met at kindy and decided to get married in first grade.

They understand each other in the way that only best friends can.

They love music, beach walks, energy drinks and, they are slowly discovering, each other.

As they dream of adventures beyond the HSC – a future free of homework, curfews and parents, a life together – their plans are suddenly and dramatically derailed.

For Tai is sick.

And not everything you wish for can come true.

A poignant story of first love, hope, grief, family, and the twistedness of life. (Goodreads excerpt)

OMG this was a truly amazingly riveting and heart wrenching story.  Make sure you have the tissue box on hand when you read it.

What I liked most about this book is that it is told from both Tai and Juliet’s point of view.  You get to empathize with both characters and understand how they feel and see the world.  I found the story realistic and true to the characters.   The beginning is much like any young adult book and it is endearing to see the characters move from being friends to being more.  Once you get into the heart of the book and Tai’s illness you get an understanding of how both characters deal with what fate has brought them.  It felt real to me and I was able to empathize with both as they struggled with the issues.

I was reminded of The Fault in our Stars when I read this but I found this to be more of an emotional read and I admit that I was in tears at the end.  I found I really connected with the characters making it more emotional for me.

Jessica is a truly amazing writer and I would love to read more of her work.

5 stars for me.

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Opal – Jennifer Armentrout

Posted on July 15, 2013 | Leave a comment

Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout Opal by Jennifer Armentrout.  Published Dec 11, 2012 by Entangled Teen.   CDN $10.33 Kindle edition.

No one is like Daemon Black.

When he set out to prove his feelings for me, he wasn’t fooling around. Doubting him isn’t something I’ll do again, and now that we’ve made it through the rough patches, well… There’s a lot of spontaneous combustion going on.

But even he can’t protect his family from the danger of trying to free those they love.

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different… And I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest of enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Together we’re stronger… and they know it. (Goodreads excerpt)

First off…HOLY CRAP what an ending.  This is what I hate about reading a series.  I don’t want to spoil it so I will just say…wow that was quite a cliff hanger there!

I really enjoyed the book.  It didn’t disappoint.  Each book just adds more and more and never gets old or boring or repetitive.  I like how the relationship between Katy and Daemon is evolving and growing.  I love the kick ass powers that she has.  I mean who wouldn’t want to meet a drop dead gorgeous alien and then get powers to boot!

I think what I liked most about this book is that it keeps getting more evolved and more interesting.  The action in this one is phenomenal and I loved every edge of your seat moment.  I was worried that it would get boring and repetitive but I was pleasantly surprised and am looking forward to the next book.  I can’t wait to see what Jennifer has dreamed up next.

5 stars for me.

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Feisty Female YA Tournament 2013 – Round Six!!!

Posted on July 15, 2013 | 1 comment

Yeah Katniss is still in this tournament and now is your chance to help her out.! This is round 6 and only the top 3 move on to the next round.  

Feisty Female YA Tournament 2013 ~ vote for Katniss!     

    It’s that time of year to vote for the females that have carried their many weapons with care, have taken out more bad guys than you can count on both hands and have shown the world that women are not to be messed with!
It’s also a chance to acknowledge that heroines don’t have to be simpering, weak or girly – they can have iron backbones and save the day better than any man can 😉

Voting will be open 31 May – 31 July. There will be 7 Rounds:

 Round 1 – top 20 move to Round 2
– Round 2 – top 15 move to Round 3
– Round 3 – top 10 move to Round 5
– *Round 4/Gatecrashers* – top 5 move to Round 5
– Round 5 – top 5 move to Round 6
– Round 6 – top 3 move to Round 7
– Round 7 – WINNER IS ANNOUNCED 31 JULY
CURRENTLY IN SESSION: ROUND 6     Voting for Round 6 ends July 20th.

VOTE HERE (click)
This tournament will be going on here, on Goodreads, and via Twitter.

My support (and hopefully my fans) goes out for Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins  – She is one tough Female with alot of spunk!  Let’s all get out there and show our support -vote for Katniss!  

   

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What Star Wars “A New Hope” Can Teach Us About In Medias Res

Posted on July 12, 2013 | Leave a comment

Awesome post from Author Kristen Lamb. I love the Star Wars analogy!

Author Kristen Lamb's avatarKristen Lamb's Blog

Yesterday, the AWESOME Marcy Kennedy taught “showing, not telling” using Star Trek” (hint, hint, take her class). So what is the natural follow-up for Star Trek?

STAR WARS….duh.

Setting is one of those tools that helps writers to do more showing than telling. Today, we are going to tackle a highly confusing subject for many writers—In medias res. In medias res quite literally means in the middle of things. This is a literary tactic that has been used since the days of Odysseus. It is a tactic that forces the writer forward, to begin the story near the heart of the problem.

The Trouble with In Medias Res

Ah, but this is where we writers can get in trouble. I see writers beginning their novels with high-action gun battles, blowing up buildings, a heart-wrenching, gut-twisting scene in a hospital or at a funeral, all in an effort to…

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WWW Wednesdays (July 10)

Posted on July 10, 2013 | 7 comments

WWW_Wednesdays4To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My Answers:

Everything Left Unsaid Currently Reading: Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson. So far it is really good, everything it promised. I will post a review once completed.

Opal (Lux, #3) Recently Finished: Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer Armentrout. Really enjoyed this book. I will post a review as soon as I can.

Next? Pure (Covenant, #2) Enchantment (Channie, #1) Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer Armentrout. Because the first one was so good and Enchantment (A magical YA Paranormal romance) by Charlotte Abel are still waiting on my Kindle. I had to sneak in Everything Left Unsaid before these. Will post reviews upon completion.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Teaser Tuesday (July 9)

Posted on July 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

I wait for him, the cold seeping through my clothes, until it finally downs on me that he’s not coming back. And I wonder why he chose her instead of me? Why he went looking for her, when I was right there. (page 16)

Everything Left Unsaid Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Musing Mondays (July 8)

Posted on July 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

MusingMondays5Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it!
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

My Musing:

My musing today is about time management. I don’t seem to have enough time in the day to do everything I need to get done. (or want to get done!) I am a pretty organized person, so I normally don’t struggle too much with this but lately it seems I’ve lost the organization and my life is spiraling out of control. (Ok that is an exaggeration…lol) Maybe it is the fact that it is summer and I would rather be outside but it seems I need more time to do the things I want to do (read/Shift (Shade, #2)write/ splash around with the kids in the backyard) rather than the things I have to do (work/laundry).

Maybe I just need a vacation!

Anyone else struggling with time management lately?

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your musing in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

Monday Musing is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Feisty Female YA Tournament 2013 – Round Five!!!

Posted on July 7, 2013 | 1 comment

Ok everyone Katniss is still in this tournament and now is your chance to help her out.  This is round 5 and only the top 5 move on to the next round.  

Feisty Female YA Tournament 2013 ~ vote for Katniss!     

    It’s that time of year to vote for the females that have carried their many weapons with care, have taken out more bad guys than you can count on both hands and have shown the world that women are not to be messed with!
It’s also a chance to acknowledge that heroines don’t have to be simpering, weak or girly – they can have iron backbones and save the day better than any man can 😉

Voting will be open 31 May – 31 July. There will be 7 Rounds:

Round 1 – top 20 move to Round 2
– Round 2 – top 15 move to Round 3
– Round 3 – top 10 move to Round 5
– *Round 4/Gatecrashers* – top 5 move to Round 5
– Round 5 – top 5 move to Round 6
– Round 6 – top 3 move to Round 7
– Round 7 – WINNER IS ANNOUNCED 31 JULY

CURRENTLY IN SESSION: ROUND 5


VOTE HERE (click)

 
This tournament will be going on here, on Goodreads, and via Twitter.

My support (and hopefully my fans) goes out for Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins  – She is one tough Female with alot of spunk!  Let’s all get out there and show our support -vote for Katniss!  

   

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Friday Finds (July 5)

Posted on July 5, 2013 | Leave a comment

FF2_MdFRIDAY FINDS showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list… whether you found them online, or in a bookstore, or in the library — wherever! (they aren’t necessarily books you purchased).

So, come on — share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

I am very excited for this weeks find. I belong to a book club on goodreads that has a travelling book society. This book made it to my house yesterday and I can’t wait to read it. Each person has written comments and stuff in the margins and everyone put a postcard or picture or some trinket in the book. Once I am finished reading I will then send it on to the next person on the list 😦

Here is my book:

Everything Left Unsaid Everything Left Unsaid by Jessica Davidson.

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WWW Wednesdays (July 3)

Posted on July 3, 2013 | 1 comment

WWW_Wednesdays4To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My Answers: I am afraid I have been amiss in my reading this week and my answers therefore are the same as last week. 😦 I promise to catch up this week and have a new post for the next segment of WWW.

Opal (Lux, #3) Currently Reading: Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer Armentrout. So far I am loving it. It is the third in the series and it doesn’t disappoint I will post a review as soon as I am finished.

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1) Recently Finished: Half Blood (covenant #1) by Jennifer Armentrout. Awesome series. I have already downloaded the next book on my Kindle. Review posted.

Next? Pure (Covenant, #2) Enchantment (Channie, #1) Pure (Covenant #2) by Jennifer Armentrout. Because the first one was so good and Enchantment (A magical YA Paranormal romance) by Charlotte Abel is still waiting on my Kindle. Will post reviews upon completion.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks! :D

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Should Be Reading. Check out their blog!

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Feisty Female YA Tournament 2013 – Round Four!!!

Posted on July 2, 2013 | 2 comments

Katniss is still in the tournament but this is a chance for those voted out to get back in.  Round four is open until July 4. 

Feisty Female YA Tournament 2013 ~ vote for Katniss!     

    It’s that time of year to vote for the females that have carried their many weapons with care, have taken out more bad guys than you can count on both hands and have shown the world that women are not to be messed with!
It’s also a chance to acknowledge that heroines don’t have to be simpering, weak or girly – they can have iron backbones and save the day better than any man can 😉

Voting will be open 31 May – 31 July. There will be 7 Rounds:

Round 1 – top 20 move to Round 2
– Round 2 – top 15 move to Round 3
– Round 3 – top 10 move to Round 5
– *Round 4/Gatecrashers* – top 5 move to Round 5
– Round 5 – top 5 move to Round 6
– Round 6 – top 3 move to Round 7
– Round 7 – WINNER IS ANNOUNCED 31 JULY

CURRENTLY IN SESSION: ROUND 4 – GATECRASHERS

VOTE HERE (click)
It’s your favorite’s chance to make a comeback in the WILDCARD ROUND (#4)!!

ROUND 3 RESULTS:1.) Maggie Masters
2.) Ruby Moore
3.) Katniss Everdeen
4.) Rose Hathaway
5.) Alexandria Andros
6.) Hermione Granger
7.) Alyssa Gardener
8.) Tris Prior
9.) Claire Danvers
10.) Celaena Sardothien

This tournament will be going on here, on Goodreads, and via Twitter.

My support (and hopefully my fans) goes out for Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins  – She is one tough Female with alot of spunk!  Let’s all get out there and show our support -vote for Katniss!    

She’s spunky and cute, defiant and bad ass!  Most of all, She is the

GIRL ON FIRE!                           

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