A Picture For Everything Random

Prepare for a random post--which is actually about good things! Mostly. I think

• You know how sometimes people say really really really NICE things about you and you're not sure what to say? Because I've had that happen a couple times this week and I'm just so speechless by it. Because what do you say without it coming off as, "Why yes, I do know I am awesome!" If anyone thinks of an appropriate response, please share. Sometimes "thank you" doesn't seem like enough.

• Despite this one randomly awful day on Wednesday, this week has pretty much rocked for me! I mean, like stupendously. Part of that is because of London and part because of friends and part because things I've been working so hard for are on the brink of becoming something else. Maybe. And I mean, I have awesome friends who have lots of exciting things happening--and excitement is contagious!! (Even when my arm is killing me.)

• Did yall see that my girl Carrie Underwood released her new album cover AND single? No??? Well let me share! 

She's so pretty.

Her new song is called "Good Girl" and I'm addicted! Here's a sneak peek, but you should (and must!!) go buy  it. 

• Speaking of music anyone else been watching The Voice??? Love that show, yall. Love that show...And I enjoy looking at and listening to Adam Levine. As always. Geesh...so good.

He's so pretty.

• I read a really really really REALLY awesome book ---Something Like Normal by Trish Doller. It comes out in June 2012 and it's this really amazing story of a marine who's come back home on leave, back to the life he left behind and how he has to fit again. It's beautifully written and underlined with humor. It has the most amazing male protagonist voice I've ever, ever read. You should check it out. 

• I am so excited for the final installment of THIS BOOK which comes out on Tuesday while I'm in London! And then Rachel Hawkins comes here and I'm so pumped to meet her. YAY. 

Anyway, that's my random Friday morning update. Time seems to be standing still since I am London bound in only a few more hours! I don't leave until 9pm so help me pass the time by leaving other fun updates in the comments!! 

Everyone have a lovely week!!!!

I go to London in ONE week!!

You know, you dream about something for a long time and never really, truly believe that it will happen. You plan and think and hope and talk about doing it. I know my best friend from high school, Ashley, and I always talk about London. About how we're going to find a way around the law and move there, marry some hot dude with a British accent and live happily ever after.

Of course, I never really believed that--even when I talked and "planned" it. I'd never been to London--and really had/have no money to go--so it was always a talk. An idea. A dream.

Sometimes writing is like this. We have these big plans and ideas and dreams of writing a book, of getting an agent, of getting said book published. We work incredibly hard to write a novel. We dream and hope and think and talk about the future. We dream. We spend a lot of time dreaming, in fact. 

London and publishing are the same in this regard. They're both the happily ever after with the hot British guy. But if there's one thing I've learned from writing--and from planning a trip to London--is that it's a lot more than just dreaming. It's doing. It's deciding and it's pursuing.
 
That's what I had to do. 

I'm going on this!

See, I had this trip to London all planned with grad school. It was going to be awesome--full of shows and history and art. Glorious. But then I dropped out of grad school and saw my opportunity slipping away. So, what did I do? I made a decision. I decided I would go to London and I bought a plane ticket one unseasonably warm day in November. I decided and I did. I even found a friend to go with me so I didn't have to experience this thing I've always wanted alone--because things like dreams are better shared with someone else.

I was going to London, alone, and it would be totally awesome because I dreamed about this. But it was months away and it didn't matter really. We planned---kinda. We spent money and I felt it each time the cost increased and my savings account decreased.

My trip to London is risky. It was a risk financially, emotionally, mentally, and if I had to go alone like I planned, probably wouldn't have been the safest either. But I made a decision and I
made it happen and everything has been working out.

 It's kinda incredible how much this whole thing is teaching me--and how it's reminiscent of writing. Writing is a risk. There's no "sure thing" in pursing this profession. But we have to do it because it's the dreaming, it's the hoping and thinking and talking that makes us want it.

Life is about taking risks. It's about making a decision and pursuing it. Life without those things? Pretty boring. We need to dream--about writing, about making movies, about going to far off countries--because the dreaming shows us where we want to be and the rest gets us there.

For me, my dreaming is leading me to London.  I go to London in one week!! One week! I am so excited about this! It doesn't even feel real yet.

This is gonna be good. All of it. Whatever your dream is---pursue it. Maybe it will lead you to hot British guys. Maybe not. But if it's your dream, you'll definitely get some form of happily ever after. I just know it. Whatever you do--don't miss the moment.

"We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand – and melting like a snowflake." - Marie B. Ray

Anyone have any recommendations of good London-area things to see or do? Touristy? Non-touristy? Book stores? Parks? Coffee shops? Ideas welcomed!! 

SO MANY COVERS!

Look at all these pretty things!! Click the cover to add to goodreads. 

In Amerie's world, the eviliest of souls can escape from Hell and take up residence in human bodies. It's Amerie's job to send the 'Damned' back. But when her mentor, and mother, dies on the job, Amerie quits and falls off the map.

Until Marshall turns up offering her information on who killed her mother in exchange for her to begin hunting again. As Amerie focuses on revenge (and on winning Marshall's heart), Marshall focuses on deception, and his secret could be more dangerous to her than all of the Damned in the world combined.

 

A romantic sci-fi thriller about love and second chances.

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the pain meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become, and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near-impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one unlikely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life– a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha… and the secrets of her heart.

And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school's most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

What do you guys think???

Life Update, with Jensen Ackles

Life Update!! And I used Jensen Ackles to help tell this story, because--let's face it--he makes everything better.

Sorry, I've been scarce these last couple weeks.  I have tendonitis in my right wrist--which SUCKS.

And I am hard at work sifting through the slush pile for Spencer Hill.

And doing critiques for CPs.

And just reading anything I can find.

And I'm going to London in 3 weeks---OMG.

So you know, I'm just here......unable to write, to post, to even type with my right hand. But you know what???

Life is pretty good.

Hopefully, I can write a post next week. Tell me what YOU are up to in the comments. (Or, you know, swoon over Jensen. Either way...)

Everyone have a nice week and remember:
 

All these gifs from http://reackles.tumblr.com/

Cover Reveal: Finn Finnegan

 

 

 

Finn (not bleedin' Finnegan) MacCullen is eager to begin his apprenticeship. He soon discovers the ups and downs of hunting monsters in a suburban neighborhood under the demanding tutelage of the Knight, Gideon Lir. Both master and apprentice are descendents of the Tuatha De Danaan, a magical race of warriors from Ireland. Scattered long ago to the four corners of the world, the De Danaan wage a two thousand year old clandestine battle with their ancient enemy, the Amandán, a breed of goblin-like creatures.

Now with the beasts concentrating their attacks on Finn, he and his master must race to locate the lost Spear of the Tuatha De Danaan, the only weapon that can destroy the Amandán, all the while hiding his true identity from his new friends, Rafe and Savannah, twins whose South African roots may hold a key to Finn's survival. Armed with a bronze dagger, some ancient Celtic magic, and a hair-trigger temper, Finn is about to show his enemies the true meaning of "fighting Irish." 

 

 What do you think of the cover??? I like the spot of blue in Finn's eyes and can't wait to read it!!

 

 

Interview with Jessica Spotswood

I have the immense pleasure of interviewing the debut author Jessica Spotswood. Jessica's book, BORN WICKED, came out on Tuesday. It's a fantastic story about Cate Cahill and her sisters. The girls have a secret: they're witches. And it's the worst thing they can be for their kind are not tolerated. But what happens when their secret is revealed?

Note: it's WAY better than that. Just read the interview.

If you could be any item on a Mexican restaurant menu, what would you be and why? 

Salmon tacos with fresh salsa & cilantro! They’re my favorite. 

Tell us about your book in 6 words or less.  

Witches & sisters & kissing! 

Who are your two favorite characters in BW? What can you tell us about them in 5 words or less? 

Cate: stubborn, protective, loving sister 

Finn: clever, brave, handsome bookseller

Did you have to research about anything in BW? What are some things you learned and how did they shape the novel? (if you can tell without spoiling) 

One of Editor Amazing’s notes in my edit letter was to “ruffle my corsets” – to add more physical description of the settings and costumes. I did a lot of research into Victorian clothing and home décor, and also autumn gardens. I think the reading I did (and pictures I looked at) helped tremendously in making it a more lush, descriptive book. 

What's one thing you want readers to know about BW if that's all they ever get to know? 

It was really important to me to create a protagonist who is independent but also flawed, who means well but doesn’t always choose the right thing, whose mistakes have consequences – and who is loved anyway. I hope I’ve accomplished that with Cate. 

What's the most surprising thing about the publishing process so far? The scariest? The most exciting?  

The most surprising: how quickly everything happened after my book deal! It will be less than a year between BW going out on sub and seeing it on shelves. 

The scariest: writing book two, my first sequel, under a four-month deadline. Second books are tricky, challenging beasts. But I hope it will be amazing! 

The most exciting: hearing from readers who love Cate and Finn and Maura and Tess. It makes me so, so happy! 

Thank you Jessica!!

BORN WICKED came out on Tuesday and is available everywhere. Watch this book trailer and I think it will convince you. I devoured this book. The world, the characters, the magic are all wonderfully delicious. And Finn? He's super awesome. I think everyone will find something to like about it.

Jessica will part of the Breathless Reads Tour. Check out this page for all the stops. You can also download samplers from all books here.  OR you can read the first two chapters of BW here.

• Buy the book:   IndieBound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million
• Add to your Goodreads shelf! 
• Connect with Jessica on twitter or on her blog.

What a Difference a Day Makes!

On Thursday, I wrote this post where I kinda complained about the in-between. Mostly, I was frustrated with this new WIP I have, HOTBOYALICIOUS (not real title.) I had two really exciting opening chapters, some characters that I was really looking forward to writing, and this amazingly-developed mythos. The only thing I didn't have? The next chapter.

And I've been stuck here since Christmas! I talked to writer friends about it. Took on a few different approaches to find out the next chapter. Took some time away. Tried to work on different project. Nothing worked. Then I figured out that I didn't really have a plot---which prompted the post on Thursday.

It's depressing when you realize you have all the elements to tell a story, except what's the most important piece. It sucks. And my best friend Patricia and I spent all of our daily hour phone call complaining about being stuck. (Because she was in the same place I was.)

What a difference a day makes!

I don't know what happened. I was sitting in my office, doing work on Friday (which is the busiest day all week!) and I had this idea. So I wrote it down. And then another, and I wrote that down. Something clicked and I had some more of this plot. Patricia and I spent two hours on the phone talking through mine--and hers, which fantastically took a positive turn while she battled a migrane Thursday night.

HOTBOYALICIOUS now has a plot.

Which is funny, because it was there all along but  I was missing that one minor piece that would thread the whole story together. It's been a very exciting weekend--full of plotting, which I have never done for a whole novel before ever until now, and writing.

This story is different for me. My last book took so much time to perfect--and I love it--but Hotboyalicious is a whole new level for me. It's so much fun. I often have to stop myself from gigglefits in between writing scenes. My CP and my friend who are both reading, love my characters, too. That's a great feeling.

What a difference a day makes.

Seriously. If you're writing and you're stuck anywhere near where I was....just give it time. I promise you'll figure it out. Sometimes the story just needs to reveal something to you that you're missing. Be patient (which is so so so so so hard.) But in the end, so worth it.

In the meantime, I have a writing retreat next weekend and I'm going to spend it writing Hotboyalicious. And hopefully, containing my giggles so other people don't stare at me.