Shocker She's Making an Appearance!

Heaping Holy Cow!

I know that I have been pretty non-existent here in the blogosphere. I am terrible. I have been crazy in my family life and I am still the little brain trapped with 1,000 ideas that come flying out in all directions and I am constantly grasping at fragments and echoes as they come out but can't always articulate it into the words that I need. I want to thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and support through the years. It is nice to converse with others that sometimes face the same challenges day in and day out. I am so happy to be a part of your community. Perhaps throughout this year there will be interesting things for me to throw out in to the zone.

Praise and Advice

So…this is my first year in trying NaNoWriMo. I have watched many of you either pound through it or struggle at times, but I have always thought you to be the boldest, bravest people I know. I salute you and now, you have forced me to put on my big girl panties and deal with it.

Thankfully I have not totally stalled yet on this project. I know we are only a few days in, but sometimes finding the time to write is not always ideal. I squeeze what I can in when the moments present themselves but those are few and far between.

I have gained knowledge and strength in reading and watching you (my peers) through your different life stories and processes to get a handle on all the things that you multi-task in your lives. I am grateful for the life I have and the people in it.

If it weren’t for those people, then I would have drowned by now. Among you are some really great life preservers and I am thrilled to be part of your community. So I pose this question to you about writing.

Do you give them what they want, or do you give them what they need?

I guess that I want to know if you follow the trends that people are eating up right now or are you giving them something off the chart to mix it up a bit? I am always involved in so many projects at home that I don’t know which way is up, so I have a little bit of everything.

Also, since this is my first NaNoWriMo year, does anyone have any advice or suggestions? What has been the most beneficial for you during this process?

Glow (Sky Chasers #1) by Amy Kathleen Ryan & a Giveaway!!

Here is the Goodreads Blurb:

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...


Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.


But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

Here is my Take:

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a Goodreads First reads win for me.

If you adored Across the Universe by Beth Revis then you will enjoy Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan. It is a breathtaking journey across space with fifteen year old Waverly and her soon to be husband and Captain in training Kieran.

Come to find out that there are two identical ships launched one year apart, the New Horizon and the Empyrean. Each crew is different. One crew is religious and finds that it is lacking the ability to reproduce. They have delayed their mission to New Earth to wait for the Empyrean to aid them in their research to help them develop ways to remedy this but it is too late when they find out that the New Horizon have an agenda of their own.

Waverly finds crucial information that helps her understand how the New Horizon was plagued with their problems and who was responsible and also the conditions that the Empyrean was left in when she was taken to help the New Horizon with their fertility problems.

It is up to Waverly to decide if she wants to free Seth to help her set the Empyrean free from Kieran and another attack from the New Horizon.

This book is highly recommended to those who love YA Science Fiction

View all my reviews

Giveaway time. Guess what? I have an extra copy of this ARC....who wants it? Yeah, I know it is being released next week, but hey. Free book anyone?

RULES:

Must be a GCF

Must fill out this form below.

Giveaway deadline is September 16, 2011!

Famished by Lauren Hammond

I loved this book from the moment I started reading it. It makes me want to know more and making me crazy with the unknown. So if you haven't gotten a chance to pick up this book then please go do it now. I don't think that you will be disappointed at all.

Here is the Goodreads Blurb:
There is no United States. There is no world. An asteroid has destroyed what the human race knew as earth and The Great Famine has wiped out most of the surviving human population. For the few remaining survivors, food is scarce-- precious--a luxury. A luxury that most humans can’t find.

Seventeen year old Georgina Carver is fortunate. She’s survived the destruction. She eats three times a day while the rest of humanity is plagued by The Great Famine. And she’s safe, hidden away in an underground colony with her family and several other families of survivors.

All of that changes the day she’s randomly selected to be a gatherer. Georgina must leave her safe yet simple world and venture out into a world unknown. A vast, dangerous, destroyed world that could literally eat her alive.

After Georgina is severely injured, her life begins to fall apart. She can’t remember how she got home or what happened to her while she was on the new earth. The boy she is crushing on avoids her and she keeps having visions that involve an unknown person with violet eyes.

As Georgina begins to unravel the truth, it doesn’t take her long to figure out that maybe her safe yet simple life isn’t that safe at all.


My Take:
Famished by Lauren Hammond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wowza. I loved reading this book so much I did it all at once. I couldn't stand not knowing what was going to happen next. Craving Hunger Games from Suzanne Collins? Yeah, then you will eat this series up. It will leave you FAMISHED and wanting more by the last page.


I won this book from Lauren and am so happy I got the chance to read it. A wonderful story about a colony living underground trying to survive. Georgina is one tough young lady and has heroine written all over her.


When her name is drawn from the lottery and she is paired with her long time crush, Colin, things are looking really hot and steamy. When they get to the surface to look for supplies things go from bad to worse. They have two separate lists to shop from and have to try to dig through rocks, dirt and debris for what they need.


Once they leave each others side, the adventure begins and unknowingly Georgina will meet an ally that will help her survive. A small mixture of a love triangle is in the desolate air.


Recommended for all YA lovers of dystopian times.


View all my reviews

I have lost me…

I got to thinking the other day and let me tell you…ohmebegez. Once I start it doesn’t stop for like three days – promise.

So I was pondering all the work I am attempting to put into my edits as I keep getting non-stop ideas (like volcano eruption – just keep writing until it crusts up). Then I also love and mean totally LOVE to beta read for people. I read and try to keep a blog. (as you can see) I am trying to twitter and email and network and keep up with where I started on Writer’s Digest…

Then there’s the peanuts football practices Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday nights. Volleyball games Tuesday & Thursday nights. Football games – J.V., Varsity and Peanuts – Monday, Friday Nights & Saturdays.  No joke!

So here it is the second week of school and already it looks like the only night we don’t have sports is tonight – WEDNESDAY – fabulous Wednesday night. As I look at trying to edit so that I can actually …maybe one day send my manuscript out to shop for an agent. Beta reading, writing, blogging, following blogs, tweeting, following tweets, and worrying about my following – “Am I entertaining enough?”

I’m so caught up in building a platform that I am losing me. Not to mention that my routine is a little insane and after sports I still have to check homework before I can play with my friends.

I just want to say ‘hang in there’. I’m not complaining or making excuses. I LOVE MY LIFE. It’s just a little bumpy like every one else’s. We all have our moments. Up, down, happy, sad, frustrated, or just plain pissed off.  We’re all human – but I don’t have to tell you that right? Ahem! Right?? Kidding.

However, my brain got a little rattled…okay. A lot. But it will get a jump start and back into action very soon. More ideas are getting thrown to paper so maybe they will show up here. Who knows. Until then, take care of you.

A great ARC Contest hosted by Sara McClung

Ok, those of you that aren't familiar with Sara McClung, I suggest you mosey over to her blog and check her out. She is funny and has great advice for any writer. Right now on her blog she is hosting an awesome ARC giveaway. She is offering to give away some wonderful books that are going to be delicious reads and just make you itch to check it out and enter to win.

Here are the books that you will find.
A set of Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness both are signed by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Rot & Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
The Unidentified by Rae Mariz
Halt's Peril by John Flanagan
The Goblin Gate by Hilari Bell
Jane by April Lindner
The Winds of Heaven by Judith Clarke

So if any of these sound like the juice that your brain needs to drink, then float on over to Sara McClung's blog and sign up. You might just become a dedicated follower. Plus she gives you a small teaser of what the book is about. So go and check it out. Thanks Sara. Good Luck with the ARC Giveaway.

I have decided that any that I am fortunate enough to win...after I read them of course, I am going to donate to our local library. Their budget is so small that we can't get the newest books for quite some time, so I am going to do what I can to help them out as a writer.

Volleyball Season is in Session...Whoot!

Last night our girls had their first volleyball scrimmage of the season. That officially kicked off the season. They played for two hours. About four different matches and different types of scrimmages. It was awesome. GO SEEGER! WHOOT! WHOOT ! It was an eye opening experience and one that made me realize that I really need one of those comfy cushiony thingys for my rump that was numb for an hour after that.

Bleachers are not made for comfort. I kid you not...Some may look pretty, but they are tricky little flat demons that pain your tail bone on purpose. Anyway. Yeah, can't wait for more games. We have two a week, meaning that my schedule is about to become hectic. Volleyball will be Tuesdays, Thursdays and some Saturdays and football every Friday night. PLUS...yes, there is a PLUS. Little one starts peanut football practice on the 24th and will have practices on some of the same nights that I have volleyball. Can we say crazy?

Lots of coffee and who knows what else (insert any prescription name here)will have to get me through. Maybe that is what is wrong with me lately. I haven't been chaotic enough. I seem to do better under stress. I have slacked off on my writing, editing...ya know, stuff. I am still beta reading and still jotting down ideas and some things for some of the WIPs I am working on, but...I lost motivation along the way. It will find me again though soon, like a stalker in the night sneaking up on its prey. It will find me, oh yes, it will.

And I say BRING IT ON! I am ready for my minions to head off to school and will try to get back on track.

Scott Westerfeld...what can I say? Thank you.

Eating Scott Westerfeld's books up like candy. Uglies, Pretties, Specials and now finishing Extras. A must read.

Deadly Sin # 4…Sloth

This has been me for the past month. I have done absolutely nothing. Laziness has set in and taken over my body. Listlessness and indifference has become the norm of my days. I have really not done much of anything. I need to pull myself together and do more but have no ambition to get going.

Where do I find the umph to get back on track? Has anyone else ever fallen victim of the sloth sin? I’m sure it has happened to someone else out there other than me. Help a sister out. How do I get out of this deep rut that I have succumbed to?

Movements are restricted, mind is made of mush and everything moves in slow motion except that the next thing that you know, the entire day is gone and you have nothing to show for it. Argh!...I am so slothy.

What makes a title?

I’m sure that many of you have been through this before and are still struggling with this now.  How do you find the perfect title for you manuscript?  You have just spent so much time, weeks, months, even years working on perfecting your most treasured work…now what do you call it?

Where do you get inspiration for a name for your book? Where do you look for a name? Does it just come to you easily or are you someone who struggles with it?  I know that they say sometimes when you sign with a publisher that when they read your manuscript, they may want to make changes and may want to change the name. Can you live with that?

I mean that I have around six to seven WIPs…some I have titled. But I don’t know if they are solid titles. I know that there are some that I feel very strongly about and some I am mediocre about because I need to differentiate my works because I would be completely confused if I called them all untitled…lol.

Some titles come to me in my sleep or during the middle of the day. I have even just been listening to music and a title comes to mind. Sometimes I come up with titles that have nothing to do with any of the WIPs that I am writing but I write them down …just in case.

So tell me, where do you get your inspiration for a title?

Deadly Sin # 3…Greed

Greed is applied to a very excessive or rapacious desire and pursuit of wealth, status, and power.  Yes, I admit that I come across greed when it comes to my writing. I want my writing to be recognized, so I guess I want the status of being known to the world. The wealth wouldn’t be a bad thing either, but I am ok now with or without it.

Also with greed, I am compelled to get things done. I am greedy to get my WIPs done, greedy to get as many MS written as I can. The more of my own work I have, the better I feel about myself…status to my own mind perhaps. My own power.

Power. What gives you power? Power to me is something that is achieved by working really hard on something and creating something you believe in. To me that is power. I have power because I believe in what I am doing. Do you have power? I bet you do…

Weekly Chapter Challenge Update # 3

Things seem to be moving along swiftly now. My story is flowing now with a little more fervor then it had in the past and I am grateful as ever for all of the input that my WCC partner Trisha Leaver gives me every week.

She has been ever so patient with me when life hits and if you have read here, you see it happens here often.  Life is my everlasting tornado sometimes leaving a path of destruction and sometimes bringing me beautiful things as well. I am patient and I am glad that there are others that work well with me.

I still struggle sometimes with shut down making it hard to focus on the task at hand which is the MS I am working on during the WCC, but I also have several WIPs and thoughts that plague my mind and lead me astray.

At least I can say that with the storylines that my mind creates, I will be able to be a part of the WCC for quite some time and will be able to recommend it to everyone that I know for many, many months to come. I am still enjoying the exchange and give props to my partner for such a wonderful MS she is creating and making my heart weep at times.

Being part of the group in WCC and in Writer’s Digest is like being part of a family. I like belonging to a family of people who thinks a lot like I do. I love all the criticism and support that comes with this family. So if you are not already a part of this family…my family, come join me.

The voices inside my head are going crazy…

There are actually so many things going on that I don't know where to start. Have you ever been like that before? Of course you have, it is common. I'm not some freak…ok, ok. So maybe I am--a little. A muse as its called that leads you from project to project and keeps those creative juices flowing. WELL-- I have several. Some good and some evil. Muhhaahaaww.

 

Actually I am looking for a way to either get them to all quite speaking at one time or to quiet down just a squidge so that I can concentrate just enough to focus on some things. I admit, life is hectic enough without them all pulling me in ten different directions and about five different genres…no seriously. They don't concur on a genre, they all have a different preference too.

 

So this has been making it hard for me when doing some writing. I have like five WIPs out there because I listen to the voices and let them guide me for a bit and then another one grabs me and I take off skipping hand and hand with them down another path of sparkles and rainbows or dark shadows and cobwebs. I tell you, that I know I should just focus on one, but the truth is that I know that they all have something important to say and I am afraid that if I don't follow them all around that I may miss an opportunity not to catch their important story and that it may get backlogged in the lost forever files of the IGNORE BOX of suppressed ideas not realized.

 

Besides, I am powerless to them. I can't tell them to STFU. I like all of them unconditionally. No matter who or what they are.

 

I wish that I could say that I was organized and everything had a place and a plan and I wrote a chapter a day and that everything goes as planned, but the truth is…I am a windstorm throwing things down here and there and cleaning up the mess afterward but that's me. To be honest, I like me, I understand me. I just wish that I could calm me down a little. I feel like I get so overwhelmed with all of them (muses) that I mentally shut down sometimes and that is counterproductive.

 

Ok--So here goes. Who has some advice…ideas…words of wisdom…tell me to STFU…Just puttin it out there. LOL

Momma Update

A huge THANK YOU to all of those who had us in your thoughts and prayers. Everything went well and she is back home and doing great. She is already up and moving around walking her dog. She is back on the right track so far. The doctors aren’t certain when we start back doing the dialysis, but I will try to keep everyone posted that wants to know.

I am just glad that I had so many prayers sent my way…that helped a bunch. I believe in the power of prayer. I have had so many well wishes from some of my friends here, and they were powerful to my heart that made me realize that I am lucky to be able to call you friends.

And your families are lucky to have you as well, because you are genuine, honest and caring people who took me in through the writing community and have treated me like family. I just want you all to know that I think you are fantabulous people and think the WORLD of all of you.

They say you never know who your real friends are until something detrimental happens in your life and let me tell you…I would keep everyone of you as friends today, tomorrow, next week…forever.  Big Hugs…you are truly amazing people and today I am blessed. Thank you for allowing me to be in your circle and embracing me with your words.

Take care of you.

Weekly Chapter Challenge Update # 2

So far things are going great. I have stumbled a couple of times because I am having some split personality issues of wanting to write in first person and then switch to third limited and then back to first and so on and so on.

Thankfully, I have someone who is understanding and helping me cope with my dilemma of wanting to portray the other person’s POV other than the MC. It has been a tough road, but I have been diligently reworking my thoughts to convey the first person POV only.

When we are done, I will go back and revamp the MS with it written all in first POV. I thought about it for a while and stewed on it and then decided I liked the voice it had when I wrote it in first.  I liked the third person vision to give light to the pain of my other characters so that I could explain their intensity of passion/feelings within the MS, but if I do it the right way in first person, you will get it.

I guess that means I just need to work that much harder. So thanks to my buddy, I am doing just that. I am trying to morph my multiple personality into one so that I can write my MS the best I can.

Best of luck to you writers. I believe in you. Keep writing… and take care of you.

BETA READERS FOUND!!

Ok everyone, I promised to talk about beta readers. I have a few and I have a place where you can find them. My friend Nathalie from Writer's Digest has just started a new community for you to join if you are looking for beta readers to look over your work. Go to Writer's Digest and join Beta Reader Central.

I promise that you won't be disappointed that you join and have others read your work and give you insight. It will be fun and you will meet new people. So go--Yes, I mean RIGHT NOW!! Get your ass moving. Sign up and help an aspiring writer out.

I read all genres. I don't care, as long as I can help someone else out. I am there, come find me. I would be honored to beta read for anyone. You never know, one day, I could be asking you for a signed copy reminding you that I once beta read for you and that even though you didn't take any of my advice...I was there for you. lol

Anyway, I think that it has been a wonderful experience for me so far and I am enjoying it more and more every day that I do it and hope to get to meet more people and read more work. It does give you a break from your own work and then puts me back into the mode where I feel I can make my MS worth reading. Sometimes it is good to hear what a reader thinks since they may be the one that picks it up in the store someday. IMPORTANT!

Weekly Chapter Challenge Post Prompt

Ok…so I am a little behind on this post because I was promising to do it on Monday and life happened as usual. Thank goodness, I am breathing. Wheew!

So I am part of the Weekly Chapter Challenge on the Writer’s Digest Website and anyone who is aspiring to be a writer really should become a member of Writer’s Digest and go to the Weekly Chapter Challenge and find a writing buddy.

I wasn’t sure I was ready for one at first so I put it off for a couple of months and then I joined and hooked up with a wonderful YA writer, Trisha Leaver, who is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of The Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency and is diligently working on edits for her manuscript Cedar.

In her spare time, she is exchanging chapters with me, beta reading for others and maintaining her family. I look at her with awe, because she is a magnificent beta reader and she tells me directly what she thinks…with tact. She never comes across the wrong way. She is always appropriate in her comments

If it hadn’t been for EJ starting the group, then I wouldn’t have found her. So thank you EJ. Much appreciated. I also found a couple of other people that I beta read with and am having a blast sharing my work and reading others. I guess I never thought in a million years I would be brave enough to let anyone read my work, but everyone has been so kind and honest with their feedback and that makes it easier to want to share it with the WORLD.


Also, this is the fist time that I have tried to work with links and such on my blog, so forgive me if they aren't working out. I haven't mastered the blog world yet. Post me and let me know if I miffed it up bad, real bad, really, really bad, or just forget trying it again Regina. LOL.


So this is mainly about the WCC so watch out later when I give a huge shout out to my beta crew who I hope to continue to work with them on future projects. I like their input. So go... yes, RIGHT NOW to Writer's Digest and friend me. Then go to the Weekly Chapter Challenge and get cracken on those chapters. I know you can do it. I believe in you. So go, get movin and take care of you. See you there.

New blog that I came across. Please check it out!

Leaguewriters.blogspot.com The League of Extraordinary Writers where they Debut YA Dystopian Writers. I found it when I was on someone else's blog and promised to mention it on mine. So if you can go check it out. It is really neat and has different talents on there to read about. I found it very interesting. So if you can I urge you to take a peak...Thanks.