Hello, darlings!
It feels like years since I last wrote to you, and I miss you so. Truly, I do. In the month and a half since I started the hiatus, I've buried myself under a ton of great books. Plus Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's been wonderful. Unfortunately, I haven't finished the edit of my current project. I'm more and more thinking my idea is a bit Big for a debut. Maybe I'm wrong, but that spark of love just isn't there right now. Better to sit on it, come back later, and give it the time and respect it deserves.
Before we ring in 2012, I wanted to update you on my books and movies. Now, don't worry. They won't all get 100 words. That would be much too long of a post. So, I'll give each book and movie a score of up to five cheetah tails (all my opinion, of course).
November and December Books:
Fat Vampire, Adam Rex > 2.5 Tails
Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver > 4 Tails
Beautiful Disaster, Jamie McGuire > 3 Tails
13 Little Blue Envelopes, Maureen Johnson > 3 Tails
The Last Little Blue Envelope, Maureen Johnson > 3 Tails
The Vincent Boys, Abbi Cline > 2 Tails
That Boy, Jillian Dodd > 3.5 Tails
Between the Lines, Tamara Webber > 4 Tails
Where You Are, Tamara Webber > 3.5 Tails
Something Like Fate, Susane Colasanti > 2.5 Tails
Anna and the French Kiss, Stephanie Perkins > 5 Tails!!!!!!
Lola and the Boy Next Door, Stephanie Perkins > 5 Tails!!!!!!
Flat-Out Love, Jessica Parks > 4 Tails
Catching Jordan, Miranda Kenneally > 4 Tails
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy Kaling > 4 Tails
Size Matters Not, Warwick Davis > 3.5 Tails
I'm still making my way through The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but it's slow going. I also have a half dozen books waiting on my Kindle Fire (oh, yeah! Did I mention I got a Kindle Fire?! LOVE IT!!!!), and a wonderful work-friend loaned me The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Plus, I received The Perks of Being a Wallflower for Christmas. So many yummy books and so little time! How does a writer write when there's so much awesome stuff to read? :)
Movies
Twilight: Breaking Dawn > 3.5 Tails
The Muppets > 4 Tails
We Bought a Zoo > 4 Tails
New Year's Eve > 3.5 Tails
The New Year is hours away, so I wanted to wish all of you the brightest and best in 2012. I will continue my blog hiatus, but I'm available by email or on Twitter. I have a new idea floating around my happy, cheetah head. We'll see what becomes of it!
I love you all!
:), Marie
Showing posts with label My Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Books. Show all posts
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
October Books! Reviews, NYR Update, and Grizzly Hugs!
Ten months of the year are gone. GONE! Is anyone else asking where the heck they went? Wow...just wow.
November begins the real countdown to the end of the year. The holidays pack a triple punch with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year coming at us jab, hook, upper cut! It's a smiley time full of lights and love, but also stress if we let it be. So raise your right hand. Come on...raise it...please? Okay! Repeat after me.
I -insert your name- *pause* promise not to stress *pause* because it can only bring me down *pause* and being down is lame *pause* Word! :)
My new year's resolutions are relaxed, but still in effect. I'm never happy with the scale, but I'm pretty happy with myself. November's my month to workworkwork on SOULSCAPE and get crits from my super-awesome writer-friends (May and now November Backspace! I have the best writer-friends in the entire world!!!!). Also, I want to start outlining my new YA paranormal idea. I'm wildly excited to start a new project, but I want to put everything I have into SOULSCAPE to make it as good as it can be before querying.
Enough chit-chat, right!? Time for my October BOOKS!
1. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
I had to leave my local coffee shop because of all my tears and blubbering. If I Stay focused on Mia and her choice to live or die. SPOILER! She chose life, and that's where the book leaves her boyfriend Adam. Where She Went picks up several years later from Adam's POV. He's tortured and famous and so very fixable, but not without Mia who (again, SPOILER!) left him without a good reason why (so he thinks). Now the two meet up in NYC and try to work things out. Gayle Forman's language and visuals kept me almost ripping the pages just to turn them (even more impressive considering I was reading from my Kindle, hehe). Gayle Forman, I'm so not worthy, Wayne and Garth style. Go. Read. Now.
2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
While this book is dry and so very different from all of my YA choices (very, very, very, very times infinity different!), it has a good message. Positivity, healthy and meaningful relationships, taking initiative, hard work, etc. Those are the points I took from this book. The habits and principles are common sense, and each one of them weaves its way back to Positivity. No, the author doesn't harp on that word, but everything he discusses could be simplified to staying positive, being positive, behaving positively, and promoting positivity in the way you present yourself. Each one will give you such an advantage over your glass-is-half-empty acquaintances.
3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
I never imagined winning a Rejectionist auction for an ARC of Shatter Me would keep me up all night. This is the best book I've read in a while, and as you know, I've read a lot of awesome books this year. Mafi's dystopian tale of a planet lacking resources, a population starving and dying, and a political regime living the life of luxury threw me to the floor and held me there. Juliette can't touch other people. She hurts them. But when she gets a roommate in her silent prison, everything changes. Mafi creates a torn heroine desperate for contact and love, but afraid of what she could do if she gets them. But it's Warner, the ruthless, desperate, lovely villain that breathes sweet life into the story. I fell in love with his first sickly beautiful backward compliment to Juliette. There's more to him, I just know it. Too bad I have to wait until Fall of 2012 for the second book in the trilogy. *pout* When SHATTER ME releases on 11/15/11, find it and clear your schedule. You will definitely not regret it!
Plans for November:
I started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as Fat Vampire, on the flights to and from Backspace. I should be able to finish both before month end. Also, I'd love to clear out a third title from my Kindle, but I was recommended Stephenie Meyer's The Host by a writer-friend at Backspace after a description of my WIP. Not sure if there are many similarities, but it never hurts to find out.
What are your November goals? Writing? Reading? Movies? Turkey? Black Friday? hehe. This will be my first vegetarian Thanksgiving. Any ideas on alternatives to the big bird for turkey day? Quick reminder that I won't be blogging Friday or Monday (unless something at the Wizarding World MUST be shared!).
Grizzly hugs!!!
-Marie
November begins the real countdown to the end of the year. The holidays pack a triple punch with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year coming at us jab, hook, upper cut! It's a smiley time full of lights and love, but also stress if we let it be. So raise your right hand. Come on...raise it...please? Okay! Repeat after me.
I -insert your name- *pause* promise not to stress *pause* because it can only bring me down *pause* and being down is lame *pause* Word! :)
My new year's resolutions are relaxed, but still in effect. I'm never happy with the scale, but I'm pretty happy with myself. November's my month to workworkwork on SOULSCAPE and get crits from my super-awesome writer-friends (May and now November Backspace! I have the best writer-friends in the entire world!!!!). Also, I want to start outlining my new YA paranormal idea. I'm wildly excited to start a new project, but I want to put everything I have into SOULSCAPE to make it as good as it can be before querying.
Enough chit-chat, right!? Time for my October BOOKS!
1. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
I had to leave my local coffee shop because of all my tears and blubbering. If I Stay focused on Mia and her choice to live or die. SPOILER! She chose life, and that's where the book leaves her boyfriend Adam. Where She Went picks up several years later from Adam's POV. He's tortured and famous and so very fixable, but not without Mia who (again, SPOILER!) left him without a good reason why (so he thinks). Now the two meet up in NYC and try to work things out. Gayle Forman's language and visuals kept me almost ripping the pages just to turn them (even more impressive considering I was reading from my Kindle, hehe). Gayle Forman, I'm so not worthy, Wayne and Garth style. Go. Read. Now.
2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
While this book is dry and so very different from all of my YA choices (very, very, very, very times infinity different!), it has a good message. Positivity, healthy and meaningful relationships, taking initiative, hard work, etc. Those are the points I took from this book. The habits and principles are common sense, and each one of them weaves its way back to Positivity. No, the author doesn't harp on that word, but everything he discusses could be simplified to staying positive, being positive, behaving positively, and promoting positivity in the way you present yourself. Each one will give you such an advantage over your glass-is-half-empty acquaintances.
3. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
I never imagined winning a Rejectionist auction for an ARC of Shatter Me would keep me up all night. This is the best book I've read in a while, and as you know, I've read a lot of awesome books this year. Mafi's dystopian tale of a planet lacking resources, a population starving and dying, and a political regime living the life of luxury threw me to the floor and held me there. Juliette can't touch other people. She hurts them. But when she gets a roommate in her silent prison, everything changes. Mafi creates a torn heroine desperate for contact and love, but afraid of what she could do if she gets them. But it's Warner, the ruthless, desperate, lovely villain that breathes sweet life into the story. I fell in love with his first sickly beautiful backward compliment to Juliette. There's more to him, I just know it. Too bad I have to wait until Fall of 2012 for the second book in the trilogy. *pout* When SHATTER ME releases on 11/15/11, find it and clear your schedule. You will definitely not regret it!
Plans for November:
I started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as Fat Vampire, on the flights to and from Backspace. I should be able to finish both before month end. Also, I'd love to clear out a third title from my Kindle, but I was recommended Stephenie Meyer's The Host by a writer-friend at Backspace after a description of my WIP. Not sure if there are many similarities, but it never hurts to find out.
What are your November goals? Writing? Reading? Movies? Turkey? Black Friday? hehe. This will be my first vegetarian Thanksgiving. Any ideas on alternatives to the big bird for turkey day? Quick reminder that I won't be blogging Friday or Monday (unless something at the Wizarding World MUST be shared!).
Grizzly hugs!!!
-Marie
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
September Books and, as always, a NYR Update
October's here! That means Halloween's on its way, and if you're like me, Halloween means one, incredible thing.
COSTUMES!
There may be a costume contest happening at the Cheetah the first week of November, so dress up, have fun, and get those pics ready. Yay!
NYR's are back on track. The eating's a bit better than August (aka, no longer approaching the land of Epic Fail). I've been mixing up my exercising, which makes it bearable, even fun at times. :) If it's not fun, I won't do it. How about you? Do you absolutely dread exercise? What about going dancing? Probably not as much, huh? Then make that your exercise!
Weekly movies are never an issue, as you all know. October begins the Fall Movie Season, and there are some great ones coming! Real Steel (Hugh Jackman...drool!), Footloose, The Three Musketeers, In Time (that one's going to be aMAZing), Anonymous, Melancholia, and so, SO many more! Which ones are you excited to see?
I'm adding to my writing resolution. I want to have half of my draft polished up and ready for critting by the end of the month. If the first two pages and query pass the test of my fantastic writer-friends (and probably all of you darlings if I decide to post them on the Cheetah for open opinions), I'll be confident going to the Backspace Conference on November 3-4, 2011. Oh, by the way, are you going to Backspace?! You should!
Now, on to the books! I had a late start, then came down to the wire on the minimum resolution number.
1. Evermore: The Immortals by Alyson Noel
Ever's family died in a car accident, leaving her to live a pampered life with her awkward aunt. Except that now she can hear other people's thoughts. Until she meets Damen. Think Twilight meets Sookie Stackhouse. A pretty good read that leaves us wondering what Ever will decide about her apparent immortality. The 'ghost' sister is the best part of the book, acting as both the comic relief and the sad, wandering soul who can't find her way. Thanks for the recommendation, Koreen!
2. Shattered by Sophia Sharp
Another series, I know! Shattered felt a little flat at the beginning, then the middle gives a ton of information, and the end flies, leaving our main characters in a hopeless situation. This is not a stand alone book (my opinion). Laura is self-admittedly average, normal, boring, as are her town and friends. Until, wait for it, a new boy shows up. ;) Logan's different, and he literally shows Laura a brand new world, a forbidden world. When they're discovered, Laura must flee her old life or face death. I found Shattered more Y than A, if you know what I mean, but it passed my 30 page rule.
3. The Great Snape Debate by Amy Berner, Orson Scott Card, and Joyce Millman
Holy. Hot. Dog!
This collection of essays was written after HBP, but before DH, and is split down the middle, half in favor of Snape's innocence and half convinced of his guilt. I won this excellent read from Lisa at Read. Write. Repeat, and it was exactly what I needed to bridge the gap between my second viewing of Deathly Hallows, Part 2 and my visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in November (hy-per-ven-til-breathes into bag-breathes into bag!!!!!!!). Not only do the authors explore Rowling's masterpiece, but they dig into Snape's character and analyze his truly heartbreaking life, guessing at his fate in DH, which of course, we all know *sniff*. When you need a Harry fix and fanfiction's just not doing it, this book won't disappoint.
Plans for October:
I'll be finishing The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People this month as CPE for my Accounting certification. It's dry, but it's a necessity. I would also like to read Where She Went by Gayle Forman since I'll be referencing If I Stay in my query for FREEFALL (btw, the awesome Laura Stanford offered up an alternate title, SOUL-CROSSED, for my YA Paranormal Romance. Thoughts?). I also need (yes, NEED) to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Every time I see a trailer for the new movie, I'm equally creeped out and intriqued. Must. Read. Book. I'm giving myself the minimum once again to make time for proofing and polishing and painstakingly perfecting my MS (perfecting was just a 'P' word; I'm confident, but not crazy!).
What are your October goals for everything? Are you a Halloween lover like me? Do you love it so much you've recently purchased a Dachshund because you want to buy one of those hot dog suits for him/her? hehe. Come on. You can admit it!
Enjoy carving pumpkins, eating lots and lots of pie, and attending as many Fall festivals as you can. Thanks for visiting the Cheetah!
-Marie
COSTUMES!
There may be a costume contest happening at the Cheetah the first week of November, so dress up, have fun, and get those pics ready. Yay!
NYR's are back on track. The eating's a bit better than August (aka, no longer approaching the land of Epic Fail). I've been mixing up my exercising, which makes it bearable, even fun at times. :) If it's not fun, I won't do it. How about you? Do you absolutely dread exercise? What about going dancing? Probably not as much, huh? Then make that your exercise!
Weekly movies are never an issue, as you all know. October begins the Fall Movie Season, and there are some great ones coming! Real Steel (Hugh Jackman...drool!), Footloose, The Three Musketeers, In Time (that one's going to be aMAZing), Anonymous, Melancholia, and so, SO many more! Which ones are you excited to see?
I'm adding to my writing resolution. I want to have half of my draft polished up and ready for critting by the end of the month. If the first two pages and query pass the test of my fantastic writer-friends (and probably all of you darlings if I decide to post them on the Cheetah for open opinions), I'll be confident going to the Backspace Conference on November 3-4, 2011. Oh, by the way, are you going to Backspace?! You should!
Now, on to the books! I had a late start, then came down to the wire on the minimum resolution number.
1. Evermore: The Immortals by Alyson Noel
Ever's family died in a car accident, leaving her to live a pampered life with her awkward aunt. Except that now she can hear other people's thoughts. Until she meets Damen. Think Twilight meets Sookie Stackhouse. A pretty good read that leaves us wondering what Ever will decide about her apparent immortality. The 'ghost' sister is the best part of the book, acting as both the comic relief and the sad, wandering soul who can't find her way. Thanks for the recommendation, Koreen!
2. Shattered by Sophia Sharp
Another series, I know! Shattered felt a little flat at the beginning, then the middle gives a ton of information, and the end flies, leaving our main characters in a hopeless situation. This is not a stand alone book (my opinion). Laura is self-admittedly average, normal, boring, as are her town and friends. Until, wait for it, a new boy shows up. ;) Logan's different, and he literally shows Laura a brand new world, a forbidden world. When they're discovered, Laura must flee her old life or face death. I found Shattered more Y than A, if you know what I mean, but it passed my 30 page rule.
3. The Great Snape Debate by Amy Berner, Orson Scott Card, and Joyce Millman
Holy. Hot. Dog!
This collection of essays was written after HBP, but before DH, and is split down the middle, half in favor of Snape's innocence and half convinced of his guilt. I won this excellent read from Lisa at Read. Write. Repeat, and it was exactly what I needed to bridge the gap between my second viewing of Deathly Hallows, Part 2 and my visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in November (hy-per-ven-til-breathes into bag-breathes into bag!!!!!!!). Not only do the authors explore Rowling's masterpiece, but they dig into Snape's character and analyze his truly heartbreaking life, guessing at his fate in DH, which of course, we all know *sniff*. When you need a Harry fix and fanfiction's just not doing it, this book won't disappoint.
Plans for October:
I'll be finishing The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People this month as CPE for my Accounting certification. It's dry, but it's a necessity. I would also like to read Where She Went by Gayle Forman since I'll be referencing If I Stay in my query for FREEFALL (btw, the awesome Laura Stanford offered up an alternate title, SOUL-CROSSED, for my YA Paranormal Romance. Thoughts?). I also need (yes, NEED) to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Every time I see a trailer for the new movie, I'm equally creeped out and intriqued. Must. Read. Book. I'm giving myself the minimum once again to make time for proofing and polishing and painstakingly perfecting my MS (perfecting was just a 'P' word; I'm confident, but not crazy!).
What are your October goals for everything? Are you a Halloween lover like me? Do you love it so much you've recently purchased a Dachshund because you want to buy one of those hot dog suits for him/her? hehe. Come on. You can admit it!
Enjoy carving pumpkins, eating lots and lots of pie, and attending as many Fall festivals as you can. Thanks for visiting the Cheetah!
-Marie
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
BOOKS! August in Review with a NYR Update!
September! The leaves begin to turn, the temperature considers dropping (then raising, then dropping, you get the idea). Autumn greets us with apples, cider, and hot cocoa. Oh, and with BOOKS!
The New Year Resolutions, fitness-wise, are teetering on the edge of partial failure, especially the healthy eating, so I'm kicking my butt into gear again on September 12. Labor Day weekend was a food fiasco. I need a week to recover before I go cold turkey (is it still 'cold turkey' if you don't eat meat? Hmm...).
The writing resolution took a break in August as I sought the feedback of my fantastic writer-friends (love you Linda, Laura, Lynne, Nebraska! You're all the very, very best!). While I kept myself away from my MS, I caught up on a few books on my Kindle.
1. The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman.
The title's a bit of a mouthful, huh? Goldman writes the book not as an author, but a screenwriter abridging Morgenstern's tale. I'm pretty sure Morgenstern doesn't exist, but even after googling him, there's a smidgeon of doubt left. :) It makes for a, well, classic tale of true love and high adventure! Buttercup is rather dumb, Westley is as wonderful as Carey Elwes portrayed, and Inigo Montoya...perfection. He and Fezzik make the book. Very, very similar to the movie, but seriously, everyone needs to read this. You'll laugh out loud over and over.
2. Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
The second part of a trilogy should add characters and plotlines and conflicts and leave the reader hanging. Well, Original Sin does just that. Though I enjoyed Personal Demons more, there were parts of this book that gripped me, especially once Gabe comes back and is...tempted. For those who haven't read Personal Demons, Luc (Lucifer) and Gabe (Gabriel) came to Frannie's school to tag her soul for Hell and Heaven, respectively. A love triangle ensues. Good, good stuff, but I won't give anything away. Now, I was totally Team Luc in Personal Demons. Gabe was a bit flat for me. Conflicted, sure, but nothing like in Original Sin. He gets a lot more interesting, and I'll put money down that the story gets better in the third installment. It'll be a long wait for this Cheetah!
3. When One Night Isn't Enough by Wendy S. Marcus
The cover pulled me in, though the story wasn't exactly what I expected. Emotionally damaged Ali hooks up with emotionally damaged co-worker Jared, but he's leaving for another job. Why didn't they use protection?! A quick read with very human characters and a bit of hot sex, this isn't for the faint of heart. Fantastic marketing, though. The cover gave me the impression that it would be a tale of fun seduction, but turned out to be an angsty, mid-twenties romance between two people who don't have a clue what they really want. Not bad at all. :)
4. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Sad with a hint of bittersweet. The book follows Mia after a car accident kills her family. She's a kind of ghost watching her body as she tries to decide if she should stay or go. I laughed. I cried. It's a really lovely book with a cliffhanger ending. I read it in hopes of finding a comparable title to my MS. While I think it would do the job, my main character makes her choice early in the book and must deal with the consequences. Looks like I'll be reading the sequel in September. :)
Plans for September:
Well, Forman's Where She Went may come later in the month, but for now, Koreen Clemens, who is fabulous, recommended Evermore by Alyson Noel. Also, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin sounds like a comparable title (thanks, Golden Eagle, who is also fabulous!). Plus, I'm returning to my own MS to polish, tighten, etc., to get it ready for BackSpace in November.
What are your September goals? Books? Writing? Movies? Food? Autumn? Anything?!
No movie review this week due to the holiday, but I'll make up for it next Monday. Promise!
-Marie
The New Year Resolutions, fitness-wise, are teetering on the edge of partial failure, especially the healthy eating, so I'm kicking my butt into gear again on September 12. Labor Day weekend was a food fiasco. I need a week to recover before I go cold turkey (is it still 'cold turkey' if you don't eat meat? Hmm...).
The writing resolution took a break in August as I sought the feedback of my fantastic writer-friends (love you Linda, Laura, Lynne, Nebraska! You're all the very, very best!). While I kept myself away from my MS, I caught up on a few books on my Kindle.
1. The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman.
The title's a bit of a mouthful, huh? Goldman writes the book not as an author, but a screenwriter abridging Morgenstern's tale. I'm pretty sure Morgenstern doesn't exist, but even after googling him, there's a smidgeon of doubt left. :) It makes for a, well, classic tale of true love and high adventure! Buttercup is rather dumb, Westley is as wonderful as Carey Elwes portrayed, and Inigo Montoya...perfection. He and Fezzik make the book. Very, very similar to the movie, but seriously, everyone needs to read this. You'll laugh out loud over and over.
2. Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers
The second part of a trilogy should add characters and plotlines and conflicts and leave the reader hanging. Well, Original Sin does just that. Though I enjoyed Personal Demons more, there were parts of this book that gripped me, especially once Gabe comes back and is...tempted. For those who haven't read Personal Demons, Luc (Lucifer) and Gabe (Gabriel) came to Frannie's school to tag her soul for Hell and Heaven, respectively. A love triangle ensues. Good, good stuff, but I won't give anything away. Now, I was totally Team Luc in Personal Demons. Gabe was a bit flat for me. Conflicted, sure, but nothing like in Original Sin. He gets a lot more interesting, and I'll put money down that the story gets better in the third installment. It'll be a long wait for this Cheetah!
3. When One Night Isn't Enough by Wendy S. Marcus
The cover pulled me in, though the story wasn't exactly what I expected. Emotionally damaged Ali hooks up with emotionally damaged co-worker Jared, but he's leaving for another job. Why didn't they use protection?! A quick read with very human characters and a bit of hot sex, this isn't for the faint of heart. Fantastic marketing, though. The cover gave me the impression that it would be a tale of fun seduction, but turned out to be an angsty, mid-twenties romance between two people who don't have a clue what they really want. Not bad at all. :)
Sad with a hint of bittersweet. The book follows Mia after a car accident kills her family. She's a kind of ghost watching her body as she tries to decide if she should stay or go. I laughed. I cried. It's a really lovely book with a cliffhanger ending. I read it in hopes of finding a comparable title to my MS. While I think it would do the job, my main character makes her choice early in the book and must deal with the consequences. Looks like I'll be reading the sequel in September. :)
Plans for September:
Well, Forman's Where She Went may come later in the month, but for now, Koreen Clemens, who is fabulous, recommended Evermore by Alyson Noel. Also, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin sounds like a comparable title (thanks, Golden Eagle, who is also fabulous!). Plus, I'm returning to my own MS to polish, tighten, etc., to get it ready for BackSpace in November.
What are your September goals? Books? Writing? Movies? Food? Autumn? Anything?!
No movie review this week due to the holiday, but I'll make up for it next Monday. Promise!
-Marie
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
July Books and New Year's Resolution Update!
I can't believe it's August!!!!!!
The Cheetah's been flying for seven, whole months, and I've met some of the most amazing writer-friends (that's you!). I'm so grateful for your time. I know there are a ton of great blogs out there, and stopping by mine...well, you make me happy!
The NYR's haven't been dropped yet. Yay! I'm still exercising, still watching what I eat (though the weekends are a struggle), and I'm still reading and writing. I see no reason why August won't be even better than the seven months before it. :)
On to the reviews!
My July reading was sparse, SORRY, but I did polish my manuscript and send it to some amazing crit partners. They'll be ripping it to shreds very, very soon. hehe.
1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Such a heartbreaker. Dickens has a dry humor in much of the book, especially when focusing on the bodyguard Jerry Cruncher or dear Lucie's 'nanny,' Miss Pross. But the heart and soul of this book lies with a waste of space named Sydney Carton, who can't say one good thing about himself until the last page. He's a tragic doppleganger of the well-to-do Charles Darnay, who I find myself disliking for no other reason than he seems bland and goody-goody. Though it's tough to get through the language, especially when I'm used to YA novels written in strict first person, it's worth the journey. LOVE this story.
2. Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress
I met Adrienne at BackSpace in May, and what a doll! Though Dragon's Gate is solidly MG, it has a quick quirkiness to it that, once it started moving, refused to let me go. Timothy is too smart for his own good, and somehow finds himself the keeper of a key that controls a dragon. And when I say dragon, I mean an elderly Chinese man named Mr. Shen. Mr Shen's a hoot, by the way! This book has dragons, pirates, ninjas, monks, gamblers, 'ghosts,' and Peter Pan. Now, please tell me it doesn't sound awesome!
3. Writing the Breakout Novel: The Workbook by Donald Maass
This is the companion workbook to Writing the Breakout Novel (that I read in June), so I won't go into details except to say Buy It, Buy It NOW! Write your novel, read the book, go through the workbook, and prepare to rewrite. It's an amazing tool and sits firmly on my desk between Strunk and White's Elements of Style and King's On Writing. Wonderful!
No, I didn't get through The Princess Bride. Not Original Sin either. I was bad, I know, but sometimes the MS takes center stage. So, I read it twice in July. Does that count? ;)
Plans for August:
Well, The Princess Bride and Original Sin are high on my list, and I have a handful of books on my Kindle that've never been touched. Shame on me! I'll also have the pleasure of critting a couple manuscripts (Lynne, Tonya, Eliza!) when they're ready. We'll have to play things by ear.
What are your goals for August? Books? Writing? Movies? Travel? Sharing is caring, you know!
-Marie
The Cheetah's been flying for seven, whole months, and I've met some of the most amazing writer-friends (that's you!). I'm so grateful for your time. I know there are a ton of great blogs out there, and stopping by mine...well, you make me happy!
The NYR's haven't been dropped yet. Yay! I'm still exercising, still watching what I eat (though the weekends are a struggle), and I'm still reading and writing. I see no reason why August won't be even better than the seven months before it. :)
On to the reviews!
My July reading was sparse, SORRY, but I did polish my manuscript and send it to some amazing crit partners. They'll be ripping it to shreds very, very soon. hehe.
1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Such a heartbreaker. Dickens has a dry humor in much of the book, especially when focusing on the bodyguard Jerry Cruncher or dear Lucie's 'nanny,' Miss Pross. But the heart and soul of this book lies with a waste of space named Sydney Carton, who can't say one good thing about himself until the last page. He's a tragic doppleganger of the well-to-do Charles Darnay, who I find myself disliking for no other reason than he seems bland and goody-goody. Though it's tough to get through the language, especially when I'm used to YA novels written in strict first person, it's worth the journey. LOVE this story.
2. Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress
I met Adrienne at BackSpace in May, and what a doll! Though Dragon's Gate is solidly MG, it has a quick quirkiness to it that, once it started moving, refused to let me go. Timothy is too smart for his own good, and somehow finds himself the keeper of a key that controls a dragon. And when I say dragon, I mean an elderly Chinese man named Mr. Shen. Mr Shen's a hoot, by the way! This book has dragons, pirates, ninjas, monks, gamblers, 'ghosts,' and Peter Pan. Now, please tell me it doesn't sound awesome!
3. Writing the Breakout Novel: The Workbook by Donald Maass
This is the companion workbook to Writing the Breakout Novel (that I read in June), so I won't go into details except to say Buy It, Buy It NOW! Write your novel, read the book, go through the workbook, and prepare to rewrite. It's an amazing tool and sits firmly on my desk between Strunk and White's Elements of Style and King's On Writing. Wonderful!
No, I didn't get through The Princess Bride. Not Original Sin either. I was bad, I know, but sometimes the MS takes center stage. So, I read it twice in July. Does that count? ;)
Plans for August:
Well, The Princess Bride and Original Sin are high on my list, and I have a handful of books on my Kindle that've never been touched. Shame on me! I'll also have the pleasure of critting a couple manuscripts (Lynne, Tonya, Eliza!) when they're ready. We'll have to play things by ear.
What are your goals for August? Books? Writing? Movies? Travel? Sharing is caring, you know!
-Marie
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
B-O-O-K-S! June in Review and NYR Update!
Hello, July!
June flew by in a whirlwind of manuscript rewrites, writer-friend crits, sweltering temperatures, and of course, BOOKS. The New Year's Resolutions haven't been lost in the shuffle, though this whole quarter has been a food wreck. Carbs, snacks, casual dining. OH MY! I'll kick the discipline up a notch in July.
But for now, let's get to the good stuff! Here are my June reads.
6/4/11 - City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
Do you ever have those moments when you're reading along, la-dee-da, then a plot twists smashes you in the gut like you've been kicked by an angry leprechan wearing steel-toed boots? Yep. That's the long and short of City of Bones for me. Good book. The flow felt more middle grade than YA, but that didn't detract from the story at all. Clare builds a world existing alongside our own that feels believable, even attractive, to the mundanest of mundanes. Shadowhunters, Mortal Instruments, vampires, werewolves, and a dreamy love interest with emotional baggage. What more could a girl want? ;)
6/5/11 - Writing the Breakout Novel - Donald Maass
This book is amazing. A-MAZ-ING! I dare you to read it and tell me it didn't make you reevaluate your entire manuscript. Meeting Don Maass put his words in perspective, and going through his eight hour workshop...well, I just want to dive down on my WIP like an enraged hawk and tear it to shreds. :) Buy this book and add tension to every page of yours!
6/10/11 - Please Ignore Vera Dietz - A.S. King
I met A.S. King at Backspace, and what a nice gal. So supportive of fellow authors addressing the sometimes frowned-upon themes in YA. In Vera, she hits on parental abuse, teenage alcoholism, and a slew of other subjects that, yes, happen in the real world. It's a heartbreaker, though, with the occasional hilarious moments (brief lectures from inanimate objects, flowcharts from Vera's Zen master Dad). The book made me ask myself if we all turn out like our parents, especially if we work really, really hard to be someone completely different. My answer? I don't know. I haven't exactly figured out who I am yet. I'll get back to you when I know. :)
Only three, but I also shared The Hunger Games with a friend at work who gobbled the series up in a week. So cool that I can 'loan' most of my Kindle books. Great idea, Amazon!
Plans for July:
Books: I've started rereading A Tale of Two Cities (LOVE Sydney Carton), and Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress is in my reading/snack drawer at work. Plus, if you remember my Princess Bride post from last week, you know that story's on my Kindleimpatiently waiting to be devoured. And Lisa Desrochers's Original Sin, the second in the Personal Demons trilogy, came out July 5th!
Must. Read.
Movies: Do I need to say it? Really? How about a picture instead (courtesy of Google images). ;)
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Writing: I will finish my manuscript in July and send it to my wonderful, very honest writer-friends for a good mauling. I will tie together all the plotlines, develop the characters arcs, solve the mysteries, and I swear I'll win and break every heart on the planet by the end. Well, that's the goal. hehe.
I'll also finish critting Laura Stanford's Girl in the Mirror. Check out her blog and comment on her query for GiTM, the story of one seventeen-year-old's race to escape a human trafficking operation.
I love you, my follower darlings. You give the Cheetah her wings!
-Marie
June flew by in a whirlwind of manuscript rewrites, writer-friend crits, sweltering temperatures, and of course, BOOKS. The New Year's Resolutions haven't been lost in the shuffle, though this whole quarter has been a food wreck. Carbs, snacks, casual dining. OH MY! I'll kick the discipline up a notch in July.
But for now, let's get to the good stuff! Here are my June reads.
6/4/11 - City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
Do you ever have those moments when you're reading along, la-dee-da, then a plot twists smashes you in the gut like you've been kicked by an angry leprechan wearing steel-toed boots? Yep. That's the long and short of City of Bones for me. Good book. The flow felt more middle grade than YA, but that didn't detract from the story at all. Clare builds a world existing alongside our own that feels believable, even attractive, to the mundanest of mundanes. Shadowhunters, Mortal Instruments, vampires, werewolves, and a dreamy love interest with emotional baggage. What more could a girl want? ;)
6/5/11 - Writing the Breakout Novel - Donald Maass
This book is amazing. A-MAZ-ING! I dare you to read it and tell me it didn't make you reevaluate your entire manuscript. Meeting Don Maass put his words in perspective, and going through his eight hour workshop...well, I just want to dive down on my WIP like an enraged hawk and tear it to shreds. :) Buy this book and add tension to every page of yours!
6/10/11 - Please Ignore Vera Dietz - A.S. King
I met A.S. King at Backspace, and what a nice gal. So supportive of fellow authors addressing the sometimes frowned-upon themes in YA. In Vera, she hits on parental abuse, teenage alcoholism, and a slew of other subjects that, yes, happen in the real world. It's a heartbreaker, though, with the occasional hilarious moments (brief lectures from inanimate objects, flowcharts from Vera's Zen master Dad). The book made me ask myself if we all turn out like our parents, especially if we work really, really hard to be someone completely different. My answer? I don't know. I haven't exactly figured out who I am yet. I'll get back to you when I know. :)
Only three, but I also shared The Hunger Games with a friend at work who gobbled the series up in a week. So cool that I can 'loan' most of my Kindle books. Great idea, Amazon!
Plans for July:
Books: I've started rereading A Tale of Two Cities (LOVE Sydney Carton), and Timothy and the Dragon's Gate by Adrienne Kress is in my reading/snack drawer at work. Plus, if you remember my Princess Bride post from last week, you know that story's on my Kindle
Must. Read.
Movies: Do I need to say it? Really? How about a picture instead (courtesy of Google images). ;)
Writing: I will finish my manuscript in July and send it to my wonderful, very honest writer-friends for a good mauling. I will tie together all the plotlines, develop the characters arcs, solve the mysteries, and I swear I'll win and break every heart on the planet by the end. Well, that's the goal. hehe.
I'll also finish critting Laura Stanford's Girl in the Mirror. Check out her blog and comment on her query for GiTM, the story of one seventeen-year-old's race to escape a human trafficking operation.
I love you, my follower darlings. You give the Cheetah her wings!
-Marie
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
May Books and Backspace Teasers!
June is here, darlings, and the heat is ON! :)
May was a great month for books!
5/11/11 - Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
I'm a YA girl. That's not a huge surprise, I know. And I usually gravitate toward the supernatural, but a friend at work loaned me Safe Haven. An emotionally damaged woman runs from her abusive husband and falls for a good man in a tiny, North Carolina Town. But her livid husband is on his way. I enjoyed this book once the husband/villain entered the story. Now, I'm not opposed to a romance. I'll swoon as quickly as the next gal, but the yummy conflict of Unconcerned Love versus He's Coming (with Jaws music) kept me reading. A sweet book with a happy ending for the good guys. hehe. See how I qualified that statement? Yeah.
5/15/11 - Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The movie previews snagged me with their adorable main character and clean-cut love interest. I did feel there was something, I don't know, more to the story, though, so I bought the book. There was more! And, oddly enough, less. Rachel and Darcy (aka. Doormat and On-A-Pedestal) are life-long best friends. Then on Doormat's thirtieth birthday, she sleeps with Dex, On-A-Pedestal's fiance. Normally, I wouldn't root for the cheaters, but Darcy isn't what my mother would call a 'nice girl.' It's a good read as you wait for Rachel and Dex to get caught or for Darcy to acknowledge her flaws, but I doubt I'll pick up the sequel. I would certainly recommend the movie, though, if you need a no-thinking-required romantic comedy. :)
5/25/11 - Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
The new Sookie!!!!! I can't say this was one of my favorites (I'm looking at you Eric-loses-his-memory-and-runs-naked-through-the-woods-YUM), but definitely not bad. The fae play a big role, Alcide makes an appearance, Mr. Sulky Intenserson (Bill) saunters back into Sookie's life, and there's hell-or-high-water drama with Eric. Charlaine Harris shows, once again, how well she makes her readers want to throw the book across the room. Then pick it back up and keep reading. :) And that, darlings, is how to tell a story!
5/25/11 - Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan
That date's not a typo. Flights are great ways to fly (no pun intended) through books. It helps that Patrick Ryan wrote a fantastic story. Twins Kyle and Judy like to compete. Well, Judy just likes to win. So when Garret, a maybe vamp with a dark aura, a talent with charcoal drawings, and a sexy 'way' about him, comes to live with the twin's family, the game is on. I loved Kyle! An out sixteen-year-old not ashamed of his feelings and completely comfortable with his body, he wants to find love. The readers want him to find love. With Garret. AND we want to know if Garret's really a vampire. Read this book. It's so worth it!
5/29/11 - When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer
But my main goal is to dive back into my Kat Wake story. I learned from describing and pitching at Backspace that the uniqueness of my story doesn't lie in the bargain Kat makes with the afterlife's gatekeeper, but in the romance. Why didn't this hit me before? Because I was so bogged down in sharpening my query and relaying 'the message' that I couldn't see the conflict. Conflict is what makes me and you and that dude in the back turn the page. As a risk-averse human being (hello, accountant!), I'm programmed to avoid conflict, and no one would want to read about my boring life. That's why I/we/readers escape into fiction. For the mess, the conflict, the disaster. For the thrills and the roller coaster. We love it. I love it, and I want to make my story stand out, so that you can fall in love with it as much as I have.
I want to make you turn the page.
What are your big reading/writing/arithmetic (umm, yeah, forget that last one) plans for June? Start with When the Stars Go Blue. Seriously.
-Marie
May was a great month for books!
5/11/11 - Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
I'm a YA girl. That's not a huge surprise, I know. And I usually gravitate toward the supernatural, but a friend at work loaned me Safe Haven. An emotionally damaged woman runs from her abusive husband and falls for a good man in a tiny, North Carolina Town. But her livid husband is on his way. I enjoyed this book once the husband/villain entered the story. Now, I'm not opposed to a romance. I'll swoon as quickly as the next gal, but the yummy conflict of Unconcerned Love versus He's Coming (with Jaws music) kept me reading. A sweet book with a happy ending for the good guys. hehe. See how I qualified that statement? Yeah.
5/15/11 - Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
The movie previews snagged me with their adorable main character and clean-cut love interest. I did feel there was something, I don't know, more to the story, though, so I bought the book. There was more! And, oddly enough, less. Rachel and Darcy (aka. Doormat and On-A-Pedestal) are life-long best friends. Then on Doormat's thirtieth birthday, she sleeps with Dex, On-A-Pedestal's fiance. Normally, I wouldn't root for the cheaters, but Darcy isn't what my mother would call a 'nice girl.' It's a good read as you wait for Rachel and Dex to get caught or for Darcy to acknowledge her flaws, but I doubt I'll pick up the sequel. I would certainly recommend the movie, though, if you need a no-thinking-required romantic comedy. :)
5/25/11 - Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
The new Sookie!!!!! I can't say this was one of my favorites (I'm looking at you Eric-loses-his-memory-and-runs-naked-through-the-woods-YUM), but definitely not bad. The fae play a big role, Alcide makes an appearance, Mr. Sulky Intenserson (Bill) saunters back into Sookie's life, and there's hell-or-high-water drama with Eric. Charlaine Harris shows, once again, how well she makes her readers want to throw the book across the room. Then pick it back up and keep reading. :) And that, darlings, is how to tell a story!
5/25/11 - Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan
That date's not a typo. Flights are great ways to fly (no pun intended) through books. It helps that Patrick Ryan wrote a fantastic story. Twins Kyle and Judy like to compete. Well, Judy just likes to win. So when Garret, a maybe vamp with a dark aura, a talent with charcoal drawings, and a sexy 'way' about him, comes to live with the twin's family, the game is on. I loved Kyle! An out sixteen-year-old not ashamed of his feelings and completely comfortable with his body, he wants to find love. The readers want him to find love. With Garret. AND we want to know if Garret's really a vampire. Read this book. It's so worth it!
5/29/11 - When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer
Please go read this book. Seriously. The journey...amaaazing. This YA spin on Carmen is intense, sultry, beautiful, and I guarantee you won't want to put it down. Solidad Reyes loves to dance. It's her life, so she surprises even herself when she turns down an enormous opportunity to instead spend the summer performing with a competitive, all-male drum and bugle corps (don't scoff, just check one out). She falls for two, very different guys, and OH MAMA, you have to read it. Twists, turns, and conflictconflictconflict. It's delicious. I had the opportunity to meet the author at Backspace, and between her being incredibly nice, the gorgeousness of that cover, and the lure of the dance, I bought it almost immediately. No regrets!
Plans for June:
My new author-friend Laura, who is amazing and will land an agent very soon, I just know it, ordered me to read City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, so I sent it to my Kindle on Monday. I met A.S. King at the conferece, but her book was sold out by the timeI gave the bookseller all my money I made it to the table. From King's descriptions, I need (not just want, need) to read Please Ignore Vera Dietz. I bought five other books though and have a couple on my Kindle AND there are tons in my office staring up at me with Puss in Boots eyes. 'I know!,' I tell them. So, any one of those can round out my three for June.
Plans for June:
My new author-friend Laura, who is amazing and will land an agent very soon, I just know it, ordered me to read City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, so I sent it to my Kindle on Monday. I met A.S. King at the conferece, but her book was sold out by the time
But my main goal is to dive back into my Kat Wake story. I learned from describing and pitching at Backspace that the uniqueness of my story doesn't lie in the bargain Kat makes with the afterlife's gatekeeper, but in the romance. Why didn't this hit me before? Because I was so bogged down in sharpening my query and relaying 'the message' that I couldn't see the conflict. Conflict is what makes me and you and that dude in the back turn the page. As a risk-averse human being (hello, accountant!), I'm programmed to avoid conflict, and no one would want to read about my boring life. That's why I/we/readers escape into fiction. For the mess, the conflict, the disaster. For the thrills and the roller coaster. We love it. I love it, and I want to make my story stand out, so that you can fall in love with it as much as I have.
I want to make you turn the page.
What are your big reading/writing/arithmetic (umm, yeah, forget that last one) plans for June? Start with When the Stars Go Blue. Seriously.
-Marie
Friday, May 6, 2011
April Books. What's on tap for May?!
April showers? Umm, let me think.
May flowers?
Seriously, how many of you at least thought about pilgrims? No one?
The month of May has so much in store for us. Summer movie season kicks off, I'm going to Backspace (!!!!!), Mother's Day, Memorial Day. Anyone planning on camping? Cookouts? Bonfires? How about Sookie? Yes, the new book comes out this month. Mine arrived yesterday, and I can't wait for an Eric fix. Yum.
The New Year's (fitness) Resolutions are going strong! YAY! I'm still kickin' it vegetarian style. It's a lesson in discipline and makes me feel lighter, stronger. My second round of TurboFire continues. By the end of June, I hope to be in my target weight range, as well as see some proof of abs (a hugely tough goal, let me tell you). We'll see what happens. Excited!
My April books were...diverse...yes, that's the best word.
4/10/11 - Room by Emma Donoghue
In the spirit of The Lovely Bones, I thought this was a good book, a unique idea, but ultimately one of the creepiest stories I've ever read. You watch life from an 8x8 soundproof shed through the eyes of a five year old who thinks Outside isn't real, that Room and Ma and Bed and Duvet are the only really real things in the universe. After finishing that book, I was in serious need of a light and fluffy YA about vampire hotties. Or, you know, the next Sookie book. :) Did I mention that's coming out in May? Oh, I did? Hmm...
4/17/11 - Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett
I wanted a less serious book, and that's exactly what I got. :) Glory's a curvalicious vamp who rocked the twenties and is opening her own business in the here-and-now. Two hotties want her, she has a shifter living across the hall, and a religious fanatic is taking out vamps in Austin. I doubt I'll read the sequel, but the idea of shedding the super skinny female vamp image was cute. A little long, though, with sex scenes out of nowhere, and more accent in the dialogue than I like. The labradoodle bodyguard probably has the best lines. And he eats Cheetos!
4/18/11 - The Hating Game by Talli Roland
Such a cute, quick read! British entrepreneur Mattie Johns goes on a dating gameshow for the prize money, but gets a heckuva lot more. This book reminded me of Elizabeth Young's Asking for Trouble and A Promising Man, both of which I own and love. Snappy Brit MC with guy troubles and an attitude. It also makes me think twice about the 'reality' of reality shows. :) Definitely recommend. Talli Roland has a great blog, too, if you're interested.
4/26/11 - Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Holy. Hot. Dog. I couldn't stop reading. Writing, criting (sorry WH Crit girls), blogging, BREATHING! All were put on hold for this book, and at the end, I swear I screamed to the heavens. The government has labeled love a disease, and people are basically lobotomized at age eighteen to be 'cured.' A few months before her procedure, Lena gets infected (she falls in love). I'm still catching my breath. Everyone needs to read this, like, yesterday! I may have to pass on my copy in some kind of contest. Anyone interested?
Plans for May:
Umm, well there's that one book... :) Also, I won Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan in the Write Hope auction, and a girl at work loaned me a Nicholas Sparks book (Safe Haven, maybe. Can't remember!). That's my plan. I also want to get another huge chunk of my new WIP on paper/Word doc and go through my Kat Wake story again before Backspace.
How about your plans for May? What are your goals? Delirium? You will NOT regret it. Sookie? Yeah, me too!
Don't forget about Crits for Water! Check out Help Write Now too! And Teralyn's working toward the conference of her dreams. Stop by and help if you're able!
-Marie
May flowers?
Seriously, how many of you at least thought about pilgrims? No one?
The month of May has so much in store for us. Summer movie season kicks off, I'm going to Backspace (!!!!!), Mother's Day, Memorial Day. Anyone planning on camping? Cookouts? Bonfires? How about Sookie? Yes, the new book comes out this month. Mine arrived yesterday, and I can't wait for an Eric fix. Yum.
The New Year's (fitness) Resolutions are going strong! YAY! I'm still kickin' it vegetarian style. It's a lesson in discipline and makes me feel lighter, stronger. My second round of TurboFire continues. By the end of June, I hope to be in my target weight range, as well as see some proof of abs (a hugely tough goal, let me tell you). We'll see what happens. Excited!
My April books were...diverse...yes, that's the best word.
4/10/11 - Room by Emma Donoghue
In the spirit of The Lovely Bones, I thought this was a good book, a unique idea, but ultimately one of the creepiest stories I've ever read. You watch life from an 8x8 soundproof shed through the eyes of a five year old who thinks Outside isn't real, that Room and Ma and Bed and Duvet are the only really real things in the universe. After finishing that book, I was in serious need of a light and fluffy YA about vampire hotties. Or, you know, the next Sookie book. :) Did I mention that's coming out in May? Oh, I did? Hmm...
4/17/11 - Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett
I wanted a less serious book, and that's exactly what I got. :) Glory's a curvalicious vamp who rocked the twenties and is opening her own business in the here-and-now. Two hotties want her, she has a shifter living across the hall, and a religious fanatic is taking out vamps in Austin. I doubt I'll read the sequel, but the idea of shedding the super skinny female vamp image was cute. A little long, though, with sex scenes out of nowhere, and more accent in the dialogue than I like. The labradoodle bodyguard probably has the best lines. And he eats Cheetos!
4/18/11 - The Hating Game by Talli Roland
Such a cute, quick read! British entrepreneur Mattie Johns goes on a dating gameshow for the prize money, but gets a heckuva lot more. This book reminded me of Elizabeth Young's Asking for Trouble and A Promising Man, both of which I own and love. Snappy Brit MC with guy troubles and an attitude. It also makes me think twice about the 'reality' of reality shows. :) Definitely recommend. Talli Roland has a great blog, too, if you're interested.
4/26/11 - Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Holy. Hot. Dog. I couldn't stop reading. Writing, criting (sorry WH Crit girls), blogging, BREATHING! All were put on hold for this book, and at the end, I swear I screamed to the heavens. The government has labeled love a disease, and people are basically lobotomized at age eighteen to be 'cured.' A few months before her procedure, Lena gets infected (she falls in love). I'm still catching my breath. Everyone needs to read this, like, yesterday! I may have to pass on my copy in some kind of contest. Anyone interested?
Plans for May:
Umm, well there's that one book... :) Also, I won Gemini Bites by Patrick Ryan in the Write Hope auction, and a girl at work loaned me a Nicholas Sparks book (Safe Haven, maybe. Can't remember!). That's my plan. I also want to get another huge chunk of my new WIP on paper/Word doc and go through my Kat Wake story again before Backspace.
How about your plans for May? What are your goals? Delirium? You will NOT regret it. Sookie? Yeah, me too!
Don't forget about Crits for Water! Check out Help Write Now too! And Teralyn's working toward the conference of her dreams. Stop by and help if you're able!
-Marie
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Books, books, books! March Recap, NYR Update 3/12
Spring has sprung. Holy hot dog, it's April! Second quarter is upon us with its rain-and-shine and tax deadlines and TULIPS! Well, unless the snow from last Thursday killed them. :) Nah!
The New Year's Resolutions are going strong, although my healthy eating took a dive during the Seattle vacation. I'm back on track starting Monday with a new round of TurboFire and an attempt at going vegetarian. We'll see what happens!
So, here are my March books:
3/5/11 - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Was I motivated to read this book by Robert Pattinson's sun-kissed face in the movie previews? Not entirely (motivated to see the movie in April? ummm, YES!). This is a lovely story with an unnerving villain and a twist that caught me by surprise. Written in flashbacks from the ninety-three year old Jacob's perspective as he ponders the meaning of his life in a nursing home, I'd recommend it to anyone who's ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes of the circus. The picture is very obviously not mine.
3/6/11 - The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
I would read a bit, put the book down, then wander back to it. Does the lovely Lennie end up with Joe? I sure hoped so, but needed to find out, so I read it in a day. Yes, a day! And I'm not a fast reader. This one's a heartbreaker, so be warned, but it's also a story of self-discovery and family ties with poetry flitting about the pages. Lots (and lots and lots) of descriptions and similes, but it's not distracting. A quick, good read with another good boy that I may have a crush on (but nothing, nothing like Peeta; remember this post?).
3/24/11 - The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Well, I was certainly 'into' the book. Meaning, the creepy creeps lived in me every time I picked up the bent paperback. Seriously. The killer is an everyday kind of guy who I probably walk past at my job, on the street, in the gracery store *cold chill.* But the ending just wasn't what I expected. A good book, yes, but not one I would seek out again. I suppose that made the story feel more real (and, did I mention, creepy? Yeah).
Does rereading and revising my WIP count? hehe
Plans for April:
Well, I still have The Room by Emma Donoghue and The Hating Game by Talli Roland on my Kindle. A friend at work recommended (and loaned) Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett, but I'm struggling to stay interested at only page fifty. So, those are the three I'll focus on. Any others can be bonus.
On the writing side, I will (WILL) finalize-for-now my WIP. It's time for some feedback, so Katharine and her Crits for Water campaign will see me soon. Such a fantastic idea and a great cause! As always, if you haven't popped over there, go. Now. I'll wait...........okay. Oh, you need more time? ..............good.
I also have a new idea banging around my head that needs written down, so I'll try Ali Cross's NiNoWriMo another month (Feb. and Mar. weren't exactly successful, but you know, constant vigilence! Or something like that).
What will you be reading in April? How about your garden? Is your green thumb poised and ready? :)
The New Year's Resolutions are going strong, although my healthy eating took a dive during the Seattle vacation. I'm back on track starting Monday with a new round of TurboFire and an attempt at going vegetarian. We'll see what happens!
So, here are my March books:
Was I motivated to read this book by Robert Pattinson's sun-kissed face in the movie previews? Not entirely (motivated to see the movie in April? ummm, YES!). This is a lovely story with an unnerving villain and a twist that caught me by surprise. Written in flashbacks from the ninety-three year old Jacob's perspective as he ponders the meaning of his life in a nursing home, I'd recommend it to anyone who's ever wondered about the behind-the-scenes of the circus. The picture is very obviously not mine.
3/6/11 - The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
I would read a bit, put the book down, then wander back to it. Does the lovely Lennie end up with Joe? I sure hoped so, but needed to find out, so I read it in a day. Yes, a day! And I'm not a fast reader. This one's a heartbreaker, so be warned, but it's also a story of self-discovery and family ties with poetry flitting about the pages. Lots (and lots and lots) of descriptions and similes, but it's not distracting. A quick, good read with another good boy that I may have a crush on (but nothing, nothing like Peeta; remember this post?).
3/24/11 - The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Well, I was certainly 'into' the book. Meaning, the creepy creeps lived in me every time I picked up the bent paperback. Seriously. The killer is an everyday kind of guy who I probably walk past at my job, on the street, in the gracery store *cold chill.* But the ending just wasn't what I expected. A good book, yes, but not one I would seek out again. I suppose that made the story feel more real (and, did I mention, creepy? Yeah).
Does rereading and revising my WIP count? hehe
Plans for April:
Well, I still have The Room by Emma Donoghue and The Hating Game by Talli Roland on my Kindle. A friend at work recommended (and loaned) Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett, but I'm struggling to stay interested at only page fifty. So, those are the three I'll focus on. Any others can be bonus.
On the writing side, I will (WILL) finalize-for-now my WIP. It's time for some feedback, so Katharine and her Crits for Water campaign will see me soon. Such a fantastic idea and a great cause! As always, if you haven't popped over there, go. Now. I'll wait...........okay. Oh, you need more time? ..............good.
I also have a new idea banging around my head that needs written down, so I'll try Ali Cross's NiNoWriMo another month (Feb. and Mar. weren't exactly successful, but you know, constant vigilence! Or something like that).
What will you be reading in April? How about your garden? Is your green thumb poised and ready? :)
Thanks for checkin' out the Cheetah!
-Marie
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
February Reading Recap, NYR Update 2/12, and Contest Update
It's March! Daylight Savings, St. Patty's Day, Spring (SPRING!). My New Year's Resolutions are still going strong, and my first ever contest has come to an end. Three, lucky ladies will be getting emails from me shortly, and the Exotic Feline Rescue Center will get a $60 donation. Thank you all so, SO much for following this blog. It's still in its infancy, but I'm grateful to have met you all.
Without further gracious blabbering, here are my February books:
2/4/11 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I really enjoyed this book, first of all. It was terrifying, especially since the audience will be middle grade, but at the same time...how do I put this...kids probably need to read things like this. A gritty, have-and-have-not, be grateful, very political kind of book with a bit of a love story. If you haven't picked this one up, do so. You'll be appalled by the brutality, but thoughtful at the masterpiece that is Katniss Everdeen.
2/6/11 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
This is my favorite in the trilogy. Peeta Mellark may have turned me off to bad boys for good (remember this post?). I certainly fell in love with him. More in this book than the first one. There's still quite a bit of bloodshed. One of my favorite characters, Cinna, is assumed to be dead, and I gobbled up every word to see if Peeta would make it. Excellent book!
2/7/11 - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Yes, yes. I know. I read the book in a day. But you probably did too! This was my least favorite of the three, but I have to imagine that these kinds of ugly things happen in a civil war. I wanted a fight between the potential suitors followed by their confessions of love, but it didn't happen. Gale and Katniss aren't speaking most of the time, and Peeta...I just can't talk about it. It ends the way I hoped, though too quickly and not without a lot more blood and heartbreak, but Collins got the romance right (my opinion). Everyone needs to read these books.
2/15/11 - Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris
I met Carrie at the Antioch Writer's Workshop in 2010, my first foray into the world of writing/authors/conferencing/etc. She was sweet and helpful and honest, so I tried out her Jane Austen-inspired murder mystery about Mr. Darcy and his new wife. We all know the story of Pride and Prejudice, and this picks up immediately after that. The dialogue is enchanting (yes, enchanting) and the pace is slow-to-moderate until the end. It wraps up in a hurry, but it works. Not my normal read, but I enjoyed it.
2/20/11 - Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Loved, loved, loved (and LOVE) this book. Gilbert's voice and the way she weaves her personal tale of divorce, exploration, discovery, and hope (yes, yes HOPE) have rekindled the wannabe traveller in me. I've never been out of the country (excluding U.S. protectorates). Heck, I've only rarely been west of the Mississippi, so I know nothing about travelling, but I want it. I want it so badly I can't stop surfing travel websites. Read this book, whether you're twenty, thirty, forty, or one hundred and twelve, because it needs to be devoured. Thank you so much to Kate Scott for having a contest from which I won this incredible book.
2/26/11 - An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This was a good one. I liked it a lot better than Looking for Alaska (not that LfA wasn't good, but I'm not a huge fan of heart-crushing, sob stories [my opinion]). The inability of the characters to understand what they're feeling plays out like seventeen/eighteen year old drama. It's real, making me once again wonder if Green is the inspiration for the main character in his book. Laugh-out-loud funny in some parts and painful in others, I'm glad it was recommended (and loaned) to me.
Plans for March:
I'll be conservative in my plan and hope to surprise myself. On the Kindle: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, The Room by Emma Donoghue, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. In addition, there's a book called The Overnight Socialite on my desk that I bought ages ago and need to read, so that will be four.
What March reading plans do you have? How about plans for Spring? Do you clean? Do you break, as in Spring Break? Are you going to Seattle/Forks (yay! me too!)?
-Marie
Without further gracious blabbering, here are my February books:
2/4/11 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I really enjoyed this book, first of all. It was terrifying, especially since the audience will be middle grade, but at the same time...how do I put this...kids probably need to read things like this. A gritty, have-and-have-not, be grateful, very political kind of book with a bit of a love story. If you haven't picked this one up, do so. You'll be appalled by the brutality, but thoughtful at the masterpiece that is Katniss Everdeen.
2/6/11 - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
This is my favorite in the trilogy. Peeta Mellark may have turned me off to bad boys for good (remember this post?). I certainly fell in love with him. More in this book than the first one. There's still quite a bit of bloodshed. One of my favorite characters, Cinna, is assumed to be dead, and I gobbled up every word to see if Peeta would make it. Excellent book!
2/7/11 - Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Yes, yes. I know. I read the book in a day. But you probably did too! This was my least favorite of the three, but I have to imagine that these kinds of ugly things happen in a civil war. I wanted a fight between the potential suitors followed by their confessions of love, but it didn't happen. Gale and Katniss aren't speaking most of the time, and Peeta...I just can't talk about it. It ends the way I hoped, though too quickly and not without a lot more blood and heartbreak, but Collins got the romance right (my opinion). Everyone needs to read these books.
2/15/11 - Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris
I met Carrie at the Antioch Writer's Workshop in 2010, my first foray into the world of writing/authors/conferencing/etc. She was sweet and helpful and honest, so I tried out her Jane Austen-inspired murder mystery about Mr. Darcy and his new wife. We all know the story of Pride and Prejudice, and this picks up immediately after that. The dialogue is enchanting (yes, enchanting) and the pace is slow-to-moderate until the end. It wraps up in a hurry, but it works. Not my normal read, but I enjoyed it.
2/20/11 - Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Loved, loved, loved (and LOVE) this book. Gilbert's voice and the way she weaves her personal tale of divorce, exploration, discovery, and hope (yes, yes HOPE) have rekindled the wannabe traveller in me. I've never been out of the country (excluding U.S. protectorates). Heck, I've only rarely been west of the Mississippi, so I know nothing about travelling, but I want it. I want it so badly I can't stop surfing travel websites. Read this book, whether you're twenty, thirty, forty, or one hundred and twelve, because it needs to be devoured. Thank you so much to Kate Scott for having a contest from which I won this incredible book.
2/26/11 - An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
This was a good one. I liked it a lot better than Looking for Alaska (not that LfA wasn't good, but I'm not a huge fan of heart-crushing, sob stories [my opinion]). The inability of the characters to understand what they're feeling plays out like seventeen/eighteen year old drama. It's real, making me once again wonder if Green is the inspiration for the main character in his book. Laugh-out-loud funny in some parts and painful in others, I'm glad it was recommended (and loaned) to me.
Plans for March:
I'll be conservative in my plan and hope to surprise myself. On the Kindle: The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, The Room by Emma Donoghue, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. In addition, there's a book called The Overnight Socialite on my desk that I bought ages ago and need to read, so that will be four.
What March reading plans do you have? How about plans for Spring? Do you clean? Do you break, as in Spring Break? Are you going to Seattle/Forks (yay! me too!)?
-Marie
Monday, January 31, 2011
New Year's Resolution: Update 1 of 12
My brain's on a fiscal calendar of sorts. The weekend before the first day of the month, I usually change my calendars and transition. It's weird, but have you read some of my posts? I'm a weird kinda gal.
Anyway, here's my first New Year's Resolution update:
1. Start a blog...
Done! By the way, thank you all for following this blog. It means a heckuva lot.
2. Read three books per month...
I got through four in January (see list at end of post)
3. Polish my manuscript and query...
My novel is on the query block. I'm doing the 'send 10 and wait' strategy. So far, I've gotten four, polite rejections. If I don't get any requests for pages, I'll assume my query letter needs help, revise, and send ten more. In the meantime, I'm 2,000 words into book two (yay!).
4. See at least one movie a month...
This has not and won't be an issue. I'm a movie-a-holic.
5. Fitness goals...
This has also not been an issue. I started week five of TurboFire this morning and still enjoy it. I don't have to threaten the scale before I step on it anymore. :) Major improvement there.
So, remember that resolution to read 3+ books per month? Well, here's January.
1/8/11 - The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Boy, this was a heart breaker. Every page thumped me on the noggin and said 'Yeah, you! Go fix your manuscript.' I was relieved, however, that I've been right about 'serial' commas all along. For some reason, the second comma in lists has been lost since I took English in grade, middle, (right there!) and high school. Page 2, people! A short read filled with excellent advice. This book has won a place on my desk.
1/15/11 - Truly, Madly by Heather Webber
What a quick read! Lucy Valentine is smart, sexy, a bit of a psychic, and reminds me of Sookie Stackhouse (I LOVE Sookie, new book in May 2011 if you haven't heard). But Lucy wasn't my favorite character in this first book in a series of (so far) three. It was Raphael. He practically raised Lucy and has an adorable father/friend/sweet uncle vibe with her. I loved it! Then there's Sean, the love interest. Flirty, sarcastic, and damaged goods. Yeah, I fell hard along with Lucy. Good book.
1/20/11 - Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
This is one of those books that make me feel old and creepy. I'm only twenty eight, sure, but the love interests in Personal Demons are super hot seventeen year olds. As usual, I fell (hard) for Luc, the demon sent to tag Frannie's soul for Hell. Franny's the heroine, by the way, and a very realistic one. The sexy (and, did I mention, super hot) Luc finds redemption in Frannie's love. It's a pretty good read. There's a sequel coming out in 2011 called Original Sin.
1/29/11 - A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
This is a very sexy book. Sexy heroine, super sexy love interest, and a good bit of sex. The story's deep, a little overwhelming for me as I had no expectations (except about Brystion, previously mentioned super sexy love interest), but it was a quick read. I enjoy sarcastic heroines, and Abby is certainly that. She has natural and supernatural issues that are weaved together very well by Pang. I'm glad I read it, but I probably wouldn't read a sequel if Ion's not coming back. Super sexy Ion...mmmm.
Plan for February:
1. I have The Hunger Games on my Kindle
2. Eat, Pray, Love is on its way from Kate at My Life in Fiction. Thanks again for the contest goodies!
3. I've started three Jane Austen/Austen-related books recently and will (yes, WILL) get through one of them in February.
4. At least one more, but I'm determined to get a first draft of my book 2 (Kat of Nine Tales series) written as well. We'll see what happens.
What February reading plans do you have? Did you check out the FLY TO 500 Contest?
-Marie
Anyway, here's my first New Year's Resolution update:
1. Start a blog...
Done! By the way, thank you all for following this blog. It means a heckuva lot.
2. Read three books per month...
I got through four in January (see list at end of post)
3. Polish my manuscript and query...
My novel is on the query block. I'm doing the 'send 10 and wait' strategy. So far, I've gotten four, polite rejections. If I don't get any requests for pages, I'll assume my query letter needs help, revise, and send ten more. In the meantime, I'm 2,000 words into book two (yay!).
4. See at least one movie a month...
This has not and won't be an issue. I'm a movie-a-holic.
5. Fitness goals...
This has also not been an issue. I started week five of TurboFire this morning and still enjoy it. I don't have to threaten the scale before I step on it anymore. :) Major improvement there.
So, remember that resolution to read 3+ books per month? Well, here's January.
1/8/11 - The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Boy, this was a heart breaker. Every page thumped me on the noggin and said 'Yeah, you! Go fix your manuscript.' I was relieved, however, that I've been right about 'serial' commas all along. For some reason, the second comma in lists has been lost since I took English in grade, middle, (right there!) and high school. Page 2, people! A short read filled with excellent advice. This book has won a place on my desk.
1/15/11 - Truly, Madly by Heather Webber
What a quick read! Lucy Valentine is smart, sexy, a bit of a psychic, and reminds me of Sookie Stackhouse (I LOVE Sookie, new book in May 2011 if you haven't heard). But Lucy wasn't my favorite character in this first book in a series of (so far) three. It was Raphael. He practically raised Lucy and has an adorable father/friend/sweet uncle vibe with her. I loved it! Then there's Sean, the love interest. Flirty, sarcastic, and damaged goods. Yeah, I fell hard along with Lucy. Good book.
1/20/11 - Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
This is one of those books that make me feel old and creepy. I'm only twenty eight, sure, but the love interests in Personal Demons are super hot seventeen year olds. As usual, I fell (hard) for Luc, the demon sent to tag Frannie's soul for Hell. Franny's the heroine, by the way, and a very realistic one. The sexy (and, did I mention, super hot) Luc finds redemption in Frannie's love. It's a pretty good read. There's a sequel coming out in 2011 called Original Sin.
1/29/11 - A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
This is a very sexy book. Sexy heroine, super sexy love interest, and a good bit of sex. The story's deep, a little overwhelming for me as I had no expectations (except about Brystion, previously mentioned super sexy love interest), but it was a quick read. I enjoy sarcastic heroines, and Abby is certainly that. She has natural and supernatural issues that are weaved together very well by Pang. I'm glad I read it, but I probably wouldn't read a sequel if Ion's not coming back. Super sexy Ion...mmmm.
Plan for February:
1. I have The Hunger Games on my Kindle
2. Eat, Pray, Love is on its way from Kate at My Life in Fiction. Thanks again for the contest goodies!
3. I've started three Jane Austen/Austen-related books recently and will (yes, WILL) get through one of them in February.
4. At least one more, but I'm determined to get a first draft of my book 2 (Kat of Nine Tales series) written as well. We'll see what happens.
What February reading plans do you have? Did you check out the FLY TO 500 Contest?
-Marie
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