I need to get back on track; school has started and I need a steady routine. I miss my blog and I miss having reviews to post. I hate having to use "fillers" so that throughout the week I've posted something. Life is stressful, my job is stressful, I have tons of work to do, lessons to prepare, and assignments to correct; but for the past three weeks it seems that is all I've done. The only time I read for me is on Fridays when six of my seven classes have recreational reading. As much as I love talking books with struggling readers who don't really believe me, I really miss talking books with people who already love to read. This is apart of my life I miss.
To "get back on track" I'm going to start a little list of things I want to accomplish this week (blog-related). I'm counting on you all to keep me accountable.
Do my BBAW interview (I've really neglected my partner)
Surprise Author Interview #1
Surprise Author Interview #2
Ask Author #3 for an Interview
Ask Author #4 for an Interview
Jane Austen Giveaway
Write culture post
Contact Publishers about Mysterious Classroom project
Find three author guest posts
Print off Author Pictures for bulletin board
Request Blogger Guest Posts
Devote at least thirty minutes a day to blog hopping and keeping up with my Google Reader
Read for an hour everyday recreationally — not the stories/books I need to read to teach
Collect at least ten Guest Reviews. This is a habit I got out of and it makes me sad. That, and I feel it's a huge loss for my students.
Today, I'd like to welcome my very first Guest Author Interview — Lizzy Armentrout.
A couple weeks ago (I'm never good with time in the summer) I was lucky enough to win "A Vengeful Spirit" (Shelly Gale Mystery: Book 1) from @lizzyarmentrout via Twitter. After 'twittering' with Lizzy a little I finally had the courage to ask her to by my first Guest Author! So everyone, please welcome Lizzy Armentrout!
Lizzy, tell us about you. I’m very excited to be asked to do this interview with you; thank you so much for asking me. I’ve been an avid reader of all mysteries since I started reading Nancy Drew in 5th grade. I’ve been a 6th grade school teacher for several years and have taught for 20 yrs this coming fall. My husband and I care for my dad, who has Alzheimer’s, and my step-mother, who is a stroke victim. We have one adopted daughter, Bethany, and two very spoiled dogs. I’m very active in my local church and have taught many different Sunday School classes & am very involved in the music ministry there. The one event in my life that has had a profound effect on me is the unexpected death of my mother when I was 11 & almost losing my father to a brain tumor 3 months after that. You can read all about that on my site. What was it like writing this book? It was a very relaxing experience; that is, after I actually sat down and started doing it. I love to write in longhand and would sit in the living room while the family was watching tv and write. I would become so involved in the characters that I would actually forget where I was and what was going on around me! How long did it take you to write "A Vengeful Spirit"? It took me about 1 ½ years to write the entire 1st rough draft. I had to stop several times due to work and family demands. Fitting writing in to my schedule can be very challenging at times. I had three very close friends who I would send three chapters at a time to so I could get their input and reactions. That really helped me to see the work through a reader’s eyes. Where did the idea for this book come from? My husband! Really! I’ve bought many, many books over our 19 yr. marriage, and I was complaining to him that the Christian bookstores don’t have enough contemporary mysteries coming out often enough. His solution? “Well, write your own.” I just laughed at him. But that seed was planted and three years later God put an idea in my head based upon my experiences as a schoolteacher, and A Vengeful Spirit was born. Although I didn’t tell anyone, even my husband, that I was writing anything until I had three chapters completed. I needed to prove to myself that I could actually get my thoughts down on paper. Any advice for aspiring authors? Don’t spend so much time reading “How To” books. If you have a desire to write and an idea for a story, then pick up the pen and just start writing. Don’t get hung up on the revising until you’re well into the book. I’ve seen too many “aspiring” author websites of people who are caught up in reading what other authors have to say about writing. No author is going to write in the same way. Find what works for you and get going. One last thing, I started out self-publishing. Don’t do it! Be patient and keep working to get a respected publisher; you’ll get much better results.
Thank you SO much Lizzy. I just finished "A Vengeful Spirit" and will be working on my review. Also, I'd like to pass this book on to more readers by hosting my very first contest! It only seems right, it's the first book I won, consequently my first interview, why not go for the whole nine yards and have a contest too! Stay tuned to hear about the contest at the beginning of the week! Again, Lizzy — thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. If you want to learn more about Lizzy check out her website and her testimonial (it's worth it!) and follow her on Twitter via @lizzyarmentrout.
Do you like to establish relationships with authors? Do you ever have"fan-girl/boy" moments?
I love it when an author contacts me about their books, especially when I've read their books before. There are some authors that are extremely popular that talk to me, and I go total fan-girl. But I also like when a little known author contacts me to send me their book and I end up loving it, It's great for me to find a new great author (Lauren Mechling, Megan Kelley Hall, and Brooke Taylor to name just a few). — Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog Oh, yes. I think that's one of the things I like best; being able to just talk to authors. (Julie Kagawa, I'm looking at you.) And I definitley have fangirl moments. I sobbed when I met Laurie Halse Anderson and spazzed a little the first time Gail Carriger tweeted @ me. It's fun! — Nicole at WORD for Teens I am a TOTAL fangirl. I get giddy at author events or when authors reply to my tweets or blog post. You should have seen me when I met Holly Black! I'm pretty sure she may have started the process for a restraining order; ) — Heidi at YA Bibliophile I'm brand new to the book blogger community so I haven't established a rapor with too many authors yet. The few that I have are amazingly friendly people and I'm very thankful they take the time they do to respond to my comments and questions. My most recent fan-girl moment was with Chef and Author Robert Irvine. I wrote on his Facebook page and he responded with a great comment which made me squeal like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert when I got it. — Kelli at Scarlett's Scraps I've yet to be lucky enough to establish relationships with authors, but I'd love to in the future. I do have one ARC winging its way to me, so hopefully that will become my first 'author relationship'. I've sort of had a fan-girl moment about Jasper Fforde recently- I can't stop telling people how good his books are and how nice he is in person. — Abigailann at The Story Factory Reading Zone I like to talk to them on twitter sometimes, or on their blogs but I'm very shy and get intimidated really easy so I leave the talking to my friends whenever we go to book signings. I have gotten very fangirly where I get really nervous and freeze, but nothing crazy like crying in front of them and stuff like that. — Cynthia at A Blog about Nothing I do a little. Since I have started I have been chatting to a few authors not just about there books but about everyday stuff and it just feels like having a girly chat with a person rather than one of your fave authors. I have had one fan girl moment when one of my fave authors at the minute L.A. Weatherly said she loved my review of her book Angel and was glad I loved the characters so much I didn't even know she would see it. — Megan at Reading Away the Days Of course, there always those authors that your just WOW, i cant believe im talking with them!!!! They are amazing and much more down to earth than I originally expected Reagan at Star Shadow Blog I have a few authors that I have exchanged ideas, emails, and tweets with. I can't say that I am particularly close to any of them. But I love to see what they have to say! — Lisa at Bookworm Lisa I never thought that I could have a relationship with my favorite authors, but it is possible. I talk with authors all over and even met some of them. It is just so awesome! I have had a fan-girl moment before. Every time I email a new author, asking him/her for an interview or something of that nature, I always freak out. (Is that weird?) Nora can tell you all about it, I stare at the SEND button and start smiling. Authors are like celebrities, that I can talk to and I love it. — Gina at The Bucket List I think most of us at one time or another has some sort of fan-girl/boy moment. Right?! And yes, I love interacting with authors and helping them interact with others. That is one of the driving factors in Read.Chat.Love, a Author-Blogger Chat and Event blog I am a co-founder of. — Stacey at Flippin' Fabulous — A Reader's Record I get SOOO fangirly if an author comments on my blog or seeks me out for a review/interview. Right now, I think my favorite moment was when Jo Knowles commented on my post about My Most Awesomely Horrifying Reads of All Time (I'd just put Lessons from a Dead Girl on the list) with a book suggestion for the list. The fact that I have actual, real-live authors reading my blog just blows my mind! -Christi at Christi the Teen Librarian Absolutely! I have read some amazing stories that I would not have read otherwise. I have become fans of some great authors and continue to stalk them accordingly. — J.L. at J.L. Jackson Not really, it'd be nice but isn't necessary. I do have a few author's who's blogs I follow though. — Ellen at Silver Tabby Books I am not one who actively seeks relationships with authors. I do reach out through Twitter and will interact that way, but I still consider authors to be celebrities and therefore somewhat remote and untouchable. It is a ridiculous notion but one I have never overcome. I have fan-girl moments every single time I get a comment from an author or an e-mail from an author or even a response on Twitter. My biggest moment was visiting a booksellers' trade show last October and was surrounded by authors. I felt privileged to be there but definitely felt I wasn't worthy to be in the same company! — Michelle at That's What She Read I haven't met or established relationships with many authors, so no. I love following my favourite authors on their blogs though. — Cole at Through the Book Vine As an author myself I have many friends who are authors. I’m not sure if fan-girl is a correct description, but I do have a great admiration for authors who persevere. — Ann at Cozy in Texas I don't generally go seek them out — I blog for myself because I like it, so I don't like to feel obligated to post a good review or anything like that. I don't review every book I read due to time constraints, but the ones I don't like or don't finish, I generally won't officially review, especially with some of the recent drama I've seen about negative reviews. However, I do follow a couple of my absolute favorite authors, and would be open to relationships with any of them. — Cat at Cat's Thoughts Yes, but it makes me nervous because I'm not the most outgoing person (Me= VERY shy). Absolutely, anytime an author replies to a tweet or the few times I've exchanged emails with one. I always have to step back for a moment just to compose myself before I can even think about replying back. My fan-girl moment would have to be the time that Robin McKinley @ replied me on Twitter. I was like so shocked because she's like one of my all-time favorite fantasy authors. — Orchid at The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia This is sort of a grey area for me. As a reviewer, I'm supposed to maintain a cool, professional distance from the authors whose books I review. Not only is it necessary for readers to trust in a critic's candor and impartiality, it's also easier for the reviewer if he/she is not emotionally tangled with feelings for the author when sitting down to write the review. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way. Lately, I've been a social media butterfly, striking up"friendships" with writers on Twitter and Facebook in an almost whorish manner. Only in a few instances have those connections spilled over into"real life;" for the most part, I only"know" the authors through their Twitter and Facebook accounts. Since I started The Quivering Pen, however, I've had several authors contact me through the blog and I've established several online relationships that way, too. I hope I'm still unbiased enough to give their books an honest review, when it comes to that. Favorite fanboy moment? It would have to be the email I received from novelist Sheri Holman not too long ago telling me that because of what I wrote about the cover of the Advance Reading Copy for her new novel"Witches on the Road Tonight," the design team at Grove/Atlantic decided to go with a different cover (which, in my opinion, is a huge improvement over the original design--a scan of which you can still see on my blog). Whether this was completely true or not--I mean, I'm just one little blogger out here in the world and I really don't think I carry all THAT much weight--it still pumped me up for the better part of a week. — David at Quivering Pen Blog I do like establishing relationships with authors, but I’m also totally nervous about it! I feel like my 12-year-old self trying to talk to a cute boy and saying the lamest things ever. I admire so many authors and I feel so thankful to them for the awesome reading experiences they’ve given me. I fangirl all the time, much to my embarrassment. I’m super shy though, so most of the time I’m just speechless. — Small at Small Reviews I'm actually really shy when it comes to authors. I follow several, but I have only ever conversed over the internet with a few, and then not for any lengthy period of time. Authors intimidate me, even though logically they shouldn't. Authors are people, too. Luckily, I've managed to avoid embarrassing fan-girl moments! — Rachel at Jacob's Beloved's Books Sure! It's nice that authors are really approachable and opennto their readers and fans. For me, it is an additional appeal for the readers. Especially now that there's twitter and facebook, even international readers and bloggers can sort of create a relationship and communicate w/ authors. I'm a big fan-girl myself. So I had those moments of serious fan-girling. To maintain a sense of dignity i shall keep those instances to myself. *whistles* — Len at Musings of a Reader Happy I am surprised every day at how big and active the book blogging community is. I love knowing that through the good times and the bad times that there is a group I can lean on for book recommendations, a listening ear or just to share the same hobby. — Kristin at Kritters Ramblings Haha, I'd love to establish relationships with authors, but I still regard them with a certain hoi-paloi status that is above me. I do however know a few people personally who are published authors and are local to me; that is pretty awesome! However, the farthest I've gone with an author is email/twitter fan girl squealing. I do have fan-girl moments! The best one was when Sherrilyn Kenyon was answering questions on the FaceBook page for her Chronicles of Nick series and she replied to mine. Fan-girl scream! I took a picture of the computer screen. I framed it. I'm proud of it. — Nora at The Bookery Not really applicable as I haven't established any relationships with authors, but I would. It'd be fun, I think, to be able to pick the brains of published/ to-be-published authors. — Kim at Book Munchies I do love it. Before blogging, I never even thought about contacting an author. Having a relationship with authors is always surprising and wonderful. I have a lot of fangirl moments. — Lindsay at Just Another Book Addict Yes. I have fan-girly moments all the time! I love when an author takes the time to respond on twitter or like my review on Good Reads. - Shannon at Books Devoured
*Part 3 of 3 will be posted soon. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
As the first Author Interview of the New Year, I'd like to welcome Barbara Fifield, author of "Lucifer Rising."
Tell us a little bit about you. Who is Barbara Fifield?
I am an Army Brat and lived in Germany and Japan as a child. I’ve been writing since I was 11 and won the best short story contest in sixth grade. I had to read my story in front of a class of 45 students (this was the 50’s during the Baby Boom). They loved my story so much they had me read it three times, even though there were other students who had to read theirs. I’ve been writing ever since and majored in journalism in college. I continued to write stories, poems, and plays. One of my poems about dancing was selected by a music company to be made into a song, but I never followed up on it. When I was 18, I wrote my first novel, "The Early Autumn," a teen love story. It was too long and needed editing. A publisher told me to throw it away and write another book. I wrote another one in my 30’s, called "Only Time Will Tell," a novel loosely based on my first marriage which was crumbling at the time. I kept parts of it which I plan to use in my next novel and tossed the rest away, after sending it out to only one literary agent and getting rejected. At this time, I had also returned to college to finish up my journalism degree which had been delayed due to the births of my two children. After writing on newspapers for several years and not making much money, I went back to school and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work as there were a lot of jobs in that field during the 1980’s. I wrote another novel called "Letting Go," where the main character, Marjorie, works as a social worker with abused women, then meets her second husband. That is the next book I plan to publish, maybe in a couple of years, after several more rewrites. My first novel, "Photographs and Memories," published last spring, is about how the character Angela coped with moving to Florida and the death of her second husband.
Describe the publication process you went through after writing "Lucifer Rising."
"Lucifer Rising" is my second novel and was published the end of June, 2009. It’s a fantasy romance about a female reporter, Elsa, who falls in love with a cult leader who happens to be a reincarnation of the angel, Lucifer. After many break ups, she finally leaves him, hopefully for good, although she questions her decision at the end. I base a lot of my characters on people I’ve known, and using my imagination, I concoct fictional personalities. The events that happen in the novel, such as Elsa finding her lover with another woman are made up but could have happened in real life to the characters, based on the personalities of the individuals they depict. The novel was published by Outskirts Press in only six months after it was submitted.
What was the easiest thing about writing "Lucifer Rising?" The hardest?
"Lucifer Rising" just flowed from me, with little rewriting, while I was waiting for my first novel, "Photographs and Memories," to be published. I’ve never found an easier book to write. The hardest thing about writing "Lucifer Rising" was expressing feelings of pain and rejection through Elsa, the main character. Although she realizes her lover, Tyrell, is evil, she still cares about him and keeps trying to make it work.
Describe "Lucifer Rising" in three words.
In three words, "Lucifer Rising" could be described as “Cultist captivates women.”
Do you have any habits when you write? If so, what are they.
Writing habits: I write for hours on end, rewriting as I go, then rewriting what I wrote earlier the next day. Sometimes it takes me weeks to finish one chapter. When my head starts spinning from all of the rewrites, I often go out to take a walk. That clears my mind.
What is something surprising or shocking about you that most people don't know?
Many events and characters I write about I’ve experienced which may surprise many readers.
Where do you hang out offline?
I am involved in many clubs off-line. I am the newsletter editor for a local chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). I also attend Toastmaster’s which is training me how to speak to audiences about my novels.
Where do you hang out online?
Visit my website at http://fifieldauthor.com/
If after reading the review and readers want to purchase the novel, where should they go?
Those who wish to purchase "Lucifer Rising" may find it on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.co,m or Outskirtspress.com’s bookstore.
Thank you, Barbara, for stopping by and answering a few questions. My review of "Lucifer Rising" will be posted soon.
At the beginning of this school year I realized that I had at least three girls who were severely struggling, not only academically but socially as well. When these girls came into my classroom each day they had this look of defeat on their faces — such a sad look for a freshman. When we started talking about recreational reading and that each freshman would be required to read two recreational books a quarter and that each Friday would be devoted to reading, I heard many of groans of agony I assumed I would receive.
These three girls came up to me after school and said, "Miss Remmers, we have no idea what to read. Nothing sounds good. Nothing is real." I immediately turned to my trusty bookshelf and handed them my copies of "Cracked Up to Be" (review) and "Some Girls Are" (review) . Four days later, each of the three girls had devoured both of these books and were begging for more. I don't have a copy of Courtney's next release "Fall For Anything," so I needed to find something to stall their ferociously growing appetite for YA.
I emailed Courtney's agent asking for an author interview; to my absolute delight, Courtney responded. When I told these girls, which has now gone from the original three to my "Girls Read" thirteen student After-School Book Club, they couldn't wait to put in their questions. Without further ado, I would like to welcome Courtney Summers, author of "Cracked Up to Be," "Some Girls Are," and the upcoming "Fall For Anything," not only to this blog, but to my classroom as well.
You have fantastic characters. They are so honest and real — just like us! How do you come up with your characters? Do you have any inspiration? Do you have a writing process you do for character development?
Thank you! Inspiration varies from character to character. With Parker and Regina, I was interested in writing female protagonists who were not traditionally nice. Parker was inspired by the pressure we place on girls to be perfect, often at the expense of themselves. In Regina, I wanted to write a character who didn't make likeable choices, but I wanted to see if I could make readers understand why she made those choices. I don't do any pre-writing in terms of character development (like interviewing my characters etc.)--once I have their general story in my head, I usually dive right into the book.
While I loved "Some Girls Are," it was almost painful to read it because of the issue of bullies. What was your inspiration for Regina and the other characters in "Some Girls Are"?
As a girl who bullied and was bullied, I had a lot of questions about my own experiences. I wanted to make sense of them and find out if I was alone in them, and that's ultimately why I wrote the book. As I mentioned above, in Regina, I wanted to write a female character who wasn't always nice or made good choices, but I wanted readers to understand why she made them. She's in a very toxic relationship with these girls she has known all her life and thinks of as her friends and she's constantly worried about her own immediate survival within her group. This fear inspires her to act in not always the best ways. But I think that's a sadly common situation girls find themselves in.
We learn in school that we have to practice our craft and setting up a routine is the best way to be consistent. Do you have a routine when you write? Any thing you have to have when you sit down to write? When do you write and where?
It's definitely important to be consistent; that will help you turn your writing into a discipline. I write every night (I'm a night owl) at a desk in my room. Pretty basic! I like to have water or coffee nearby and I absolutely have to have my headphones, so I can listen to my favorite songs while I type.
Parker, from "Cracked Up to Be," and Regina, from "Some Girls Are," were such fantastic characters. I can't wait to read your next novel. "Fall for Anything." Can you tell us anything about the protagonist of that novel?
Thank you! The protagonist of Fall For Anything is a girl named Eddie Reeves. She's seventeen and she's VERY unlike Parker and Regina. She's my first non-mean girl character. Eddie is a very vulnerable and open girl who is trying to make sense of her father's death (he killed himself). She's very single-minded in her quest to unravel the mystery and find out the truth.
What advice do you have for fourteen year old aspiring authors?
If it's what you really want to do, don't let anyone talk you out of it. And always set flexible goals!
What's your favorite and worst high school memory?
My favorite memory of high school is when the last bell went and I got to go home.;) The worst memory was walking down the hall and seeing a boy get publicly humiliated. A crowd had gathered and they were all laughing at him. It was awful.
What songs are on your iPod right now?
Sooo many. Here's a sampling: Marina & The Diamonds' album, The Family Jewels (fave tracks: Oh No! and I Am Not a Robot) Florence + the Machine's album, Lungs (fave tracks: Dog Days Are Over, My Boy Builds Coffins) Lissie's album, Catching a Tiger (fave tracks: Record Collector, Bully, Stranger)
Who is your best friend? How did you meet?
I have a few best friends who have come into my life in different ways... one of them is in the dedication of every one of my books.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Thank you so much for reading my books and for your thoughtful questions! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!
Thank you so much Courtney for taking the time to talk answer my girls' questions. They were so excited to read your answers and demanded a printed out copy. These two novels not only opened up a world of YA fiction to these struggling readers, but they also provided an outlet and new found community. "Girls Read" meets every Tuesday after school; we are currently reading "Shiver."
"Fall For Anything" comes out December 21st, 2010.
It's that time of year, Twitter and my GR is buzzing with the excitement of another year gone and another year here. With all the upcoming Reading Challenges and Goals for the new year, I can't help but feel motivated and ready (whether my classroom is or isn't is another question). Yesterday I looked at all the books I read and came up with my top ten favorites. Feeling a little extra motivated I even made a video — beware: it is my first video, and while I'm extremely proud of it, it isn't perfect.
Books mentioned:
10. Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready 9. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 8. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick 7. Beastly by Alex Flinn 6. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver 5. Matched by Allie Condie 4. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore 3. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher 2. Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers 1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Colli ns
After making that list I still felt like something was missing, like that list alone didn't sum up 2010. I continued to think about it this morning and then it hit me: it isn't always the books that mean the most, sometimes it's the authors. I read 65 books in 2010 and the above are my favorite reads, but what about my favorite authors? The authors who were crazy kind, excited to talk to me, and who were full enthusiasm?
Here are my top authors of 2010:
Lauren Oliver — Besides being an awesome writer, you were so approachable at BEA and I was so impressed when you remembered my name when you say me randomly walking around!
Shannon Delany — You single-handedly were the reason Sheila and I made it to the Author Event at BEA where I met so many great women! You were so friendly, understanding, and patient with my back and forth Twittering to find where you all were. I so appreciate everything you did and can't wait for your second book.
Courtney Summers — Your books never cease to amaze me, but I'll never forget your Author Interview with my struggling readers (and they never will either). You really demonstrated to my students that authors are people too — no matter how famous! Thank you!
Denise Jaden — Girl, "Losing Faith" rocked my socks off but you are just as outstanding (if not more!). You have such an outreach to readers and bloggers, I am so impressed!
Violet Haberdasher — I loved "Knightley Academy" and the main reason I bought it at BEA was because of how approachable you are! You were so friendly and excited to be at the NYC library! I can't wait for book two!
Simone Elkeles — I haven't even read one of your books (yet), although I do have all of them on my bookshelves and in my classroom. Your books are books that I don't have to pitch to students — they pick them up, love the cover, love the synopsis, and come to me later saying "I loved this novel! Give me another one like it!" At BEA you were so friendly and even joked about me actually being a teacher because of my size (true story, my students think the same thing!). You gave me two signed posters and they were the first posters up in my classroom. My students can't believe I met you! Thank you so much for giving a first year teacher some credibility!
Shari Maurer — I still need to read your book (I know, I'm behind), but I love your enthusiasm for reading and for struggling readers! I will never forget at BEA how willing you were to talk to me about my students (and I hadn't even met them yet!). Thanks!
Karen Essex — I read a review of "Dracula in Love" on a blog and commented that I really wanted to read your novel but had gone to BN and it was $25, within a half an hour later you had emailed me and asked if I'd like a copy for review. It was one of those moments that my students said, "That didn't just happen, did it?" And it did. Thank you for being so awesome!
Simmone Howell — My first Australian author! I am so excited to read your books in the near future! Your enthusiasm for reading and for students means a lot to me!
Hello everyone… it's time for another post for our second month of Blogger Talk: Novel Exposed!! Today we have a exciting and very different, yet fun interview with Partials author, Dan Wells. We hope you'll enjoy it, as much as we have. A quick message: Lisa (A Life Bound By Books) and I would love to thank everyone who participated in last months discussion. We're still working out the kinks of this new feature for both of our blogs, but we believe it's been a great addition for each of us. We hope you guys will continue along with us for the journey as we bring you new and exciting books and authors each month.
Title: Partials (Partials, #1) Author: Dan Wells Publisher: Balzer + Bray, 472 Pages (February 28th, 2012) Add Partials to: Goodreads Order Here: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, The Book Depository
Synopsis: Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partialsóengineered organic beings identical to humansóhas decimated the worldís population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanityís time is running out.
When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friendís pregnancy, sheís determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the warís origin that she never knew to ask. Top 5 Interview:
1. Give us 5 words you would use to describe Kira? Smart, Brave, Reckless, Temperamental, Determined
2. 5 words you would use to describe the"world" we see in Partials? Decaying, Empty, Overgrown, Dangerous, Waiting
3. Tell us 5 ways we would know someone is a Partial? 1- They're stronger, faster, and tougher than a human. 2- They're trained in battle. 3- They heal at a superhuman rate. 4- They can communicate silently with other Partials, which also means: 5- You can tell someone's a Partial if you are a Partial yourself
4. The 5 major survival skills humans would need in order to stay safe. 1- Stay away from old houses; most of them lack steel construction and could collapse if you're not careful. 2- You can find water almost everywhere, but make sure you purify it first. The Old World put a lot of scary chemicals into the soil. 3- Most canned food is still good, so you can find food almost anywhere (but watch out for cans that are bloated or swollen--they've gone bad). 4- Stay away from Partials at all costs. 5- Partials aren't the only bad guys. Wild animals have reclaimed most of the planet, and unscrupulous humans might be the most dangerous threats of all.
5. What are 5 symptoms of the RM virus?
1- Intense fever. 2- Loss of bodily fluids (mucus, urine, sweat), and with that the threat of dehydration. 3- Hallucinations. 4- Loss of muscular control. 5- Destruction of the immune system.
Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy touring schedule to stop by today and be part of this months Blogger Talk. It was great to have you here, you're more than welcome anytime and we're looking forward to having you stop by again later this week when we share some favorite quotes with everyone.
Find Dan Online:
Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Check out my review of Partials HERE!
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Be sure to stop by again later this week for quotes from Partials and discussion post we hope you'll join in on to help us celebrate this FANTASTIC book and author.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to fill out my blog survey. First, I'll go over the feedback then announce the winners below. Overall, you all said you really enjoy my blog. THANK YOU! That means so much to me!
REVIEWS — All responses were either great/average.which is wonderful to me. I sometimes struggle with reviews and, oddly enough, the more I liked a book, the harder the review is to write. I feel like I'm not doing it justice. I had some people say they wished I'd add a section to my reviews that said if I recommend the book or not, or who it would be recommended for. That is a great idea! I will start doing this. I'll try to either add (Recommended for ALL/PARANORMAL/CONTEMPORARY fans), something like that and I'll add an age range when needed.
INTERVIEWS — Most of you enjoy my author interviews. Some said they didn't read those, which I completely understand. Typically, I add interviews when I'm giving away a book by that author. I feel it's a way to explain the book better to the readers and introduce them to the person who wrote it. I always alter the questions to fit the author/book. Sometimes they are the same questions you will see on another interview, but I try really hard to not just use the same questions over and over. I'm still trying to expand on this and come up with new post ideas for authors.
GIVEAWAYS — Responses ranged on this question. A majority said the giveaways were great, some said average, and a few said bad. Which is fine. I wanted honest opinions. According to blogger (and this number isn't completely accurate), I've hosted around 193 giveaways. Most of the time these giveaways are made possible by the author or publisher. I try whenever possible to include International readers by giving away ebook copies. Giveaways are one of my favorite parts of blogging because it's nice to give people the chance to read a book they may not have been able to pick up. I would love to host giveaways more but it is expensive to package and ship the books. People may not realize it, but many times bloggers do pay for those things (any time it doesn't come directly from the publisher/author). I'd love to have more giveaways, open to everyone, but it just isn't possible. Even an event like Haunted Halloween costs us (Lisa and I together) about $400 for shipping and supplies alone during that 1 month.
EXPLORING NEW YA — This was a new feature this year and I wanted to know if people liked it. The reason being because it takes an incredible amount of time to set up: ) I post it twice a month. Some people said they haven't seen it, and others said they read it, but normally don't add any of the books to their lists. Just a note, if you haven't seen the feature at all, you can click on FEATURES then EXPLORING NEW YA at the top of the blog. Lots of people said they love it and do use it for book recommendations too. I do enjoy having a place where new releases can be featured. I'm just glad most people do see it and may find some books they'll enjoy.
MOVIE REVIEWS — This part was kinda even around the board. Some liked it, some didn't, some didn't care.: ) This is a new feature that I do think I'll have on, but only occasionally. Maybe 1-2 posts a month related to movies. I liked this idea because we all watch movies. Sometimes these movies will be related to books (like Water for Elephants). When I got the opportunity to review movies for Fox Entertainment I didn't want to pass that up. Especially since they do offer giveaways for many of these movies. This is something I'd really like to offer to readers. Plus, I really need more features on here. I know people get tired of reviews and interviews so this will give me something to break that up. Hopefully people like it!
LEAST FAVORITE POSTS — This one had a wide range of answers but a majority picked either YA NEWS, INTERVIEWS/GUEST POSTS or IN MY MAILBOX. YA News is something I post occasionally just to highlight some things going on in the YA book world. Sometimes it's cheap books/ebooks, author news, book covers, or other bookish news. It's sort of a"misc." place to put things. I would like to make it a more enjoyable thing to read, but it all really depends on what's going on right at that time. I'll try to include more interesting things as we go along. Interviews/Guest Posts are kinda part of the norm for bloggers. I mentioned interviews above and I do want to make these posts more interesting as well. Sometimes these posts are part of a tour so they are out of my hands but I do want people to enjoy what they read. In My Mailbox will be mentioned below.
FREE/CHEAP EBOOKS — Most of you said you do want to know about free or cheap ebooks. This is something I've had in YA News most of the time. I'm going to keep a look out for these books and hopefully post about them more frequently. For now, they will be with other YA news though. I don't find out about them enough to have a separate thing so be on the lookout for those.
INDIE/SELF-PUBLISHED BOOKS — A majority said yes, they do read these books. I try super hard to feature these books for a few reasons. 1- the books can totally rock! Some of my all-time favorite books are self-published or from a super small publisher. 2- the authors rock! 3- the books are normally much cheaper. This is especially true if it's in ebook form. So, an awesome book for only.99 or $2.99? Yes! And 4- because these awesome books from these fabulous authors are often overlooked. I'm not someone who will ever turn down someone just because their book is self-published or from a publisher I'm unaware of. That isn't fair. Every book deserves a chance and if it's something I think I'll enjoy, I'll read it. That's the fun part of reading. You never know where your next favorite book will come from. At the same time, it really makes me happy to know that the readers enjoy these books as well. I honestly wasn't sure if people did so I'm sure this makes a lot of the authors very pleased.
WHAT IS NEEDED? — This had a wide range of answers. CONTEMPORARY/HISTORICAL/FANTASY/MYSTERY. And this is why I loved the survey. I hadn't realized how neglected certain genre's were on here! Especially contemporary. I love contemporary books! I admit, when I first started blogging paranormal was my go-to type. Over time, I've tried to expand that a bit. This can be difficult because I'd say around 60-70% of the review books I receive are paranormal. But I will be changing this! I'm even thinking of having a contemporary week in a few months. I'm reading more and more contemp. books so you guys are in luck! I'm not a huge fan of historical and I really don't get many of those for review. Same goes for fantasy or mystery. But, I will still try to feature those books in some way. I do want to have a nice balance on here.
WHAT IS NOT NEEDED? I didn't have a ton of answers here but PARANORMAL was a common answer.: ) Sorry guys! I do have lots and lots of paranormal. Expanding my own book preferences is a goal of mine for this year. I've been surprised in the past by the books I've liked so I think it will be nice to get out of my comfort zone.
WHAT NEEDS IMPROVED? Some people commented here about the blog appearance. I do realize there is a font problem. I'm not sure why it's like that and my blog designer isn't sure either. It is small and usually I have to go back and resize each post (but then that throws the formatting off). This is something I plan to work on. Along with that, I hope to de-clutter a bit and change things around in the next few months. But it's good to hear from readers because I'm not sure how things show up or load for you guys. Others said NOTHING, so thank you!!: ) I'm so happy to see that many of you enjoy my blog and like coming here. I did see a comment about using more social media and YES, I need to do this badly. I'm naturally introverted. I do have twitter but rarely get on there. I lurk a lot: ) I do want to become more social on twitter and even have more conversations take place on the blog. Actually I'm working on this part right now (stay tuned for details on that!).
FAVORITE PART OF THE BLOG — You guys had such nice answers here! Many said reviews, that I think of international followers, that I seem to care about my readers (I do, lots!), that I'm nice (*blush*). Thank you! Sometimes it's hard to know how things come off when we are just typing them out. I never want anyone to feel ignored or like I don't care about what the majority would want. Yes, I blog for myself but I enjoy it because of you guys. Honestly, I would never do this if no one read what I wrote. The enjoyment comes from knowing that maybe at least 1 person will get joy out of a book I recommend, or out of reading about a new author. That is what makes everything worthwhile. HOW OFTEN DO YOU COME HERE? Most said a few times a week, which is great! I know I've been slacking since October. Haunted Halloween sort of gives me a blogging hangover: ) I want to pick things back up again and I do have lots planned!
LAYOUT — Most people said they loved it or it was average. Personality, I do love the overall look of the blog but I do plan to change things up a bit because I know it can get boring. But the design will stay the same for a while, little things may change.
IN MY MAILBOX — I know IMM is something people either love or hate. Some people picked it as a favorite post and some suggested I stop doing it. I don't do IMM each week. I'm lucky to do it once a month.: ) So if you see a ton of books on here, that's why. I DO like to do IMM occasionally because it's a way to mention books that may otherwise not be noticed. I can't read everything I get, and I'd feel bad for getting a book that never gets viewed on my blog. IMM gives me a way to show the books where hopefully some people will see them and add them to their lists. I personally love seeing people's mailbox posts because I get a lot of good book ideas myself. Plus, it's nice to see an actual copy of the book (I'm all about book covers!). So I guess I'll be somewhere in the middle. IMM won't be something you'll see here each week, but I won't be cutting it out completely. But I did want to mention it so people know why I personally do it.
RATING REVIEWS — Everyone said yes or that it doesn't matter. I wasn't sure if people liked this fact or not so I was glad with the results. I pay much more attention to reviews that are rated but I didn't know if people agreed with that or hated if a book was rated. This will be staying the same. I will continue to rate books and will be adding the recommendations I added above.
Again, thank you guys so much for participating! You all had such nice comments and suggestions. Another survey will be posted in the near future related to Haunted Halloween. Lisa and I will give more information about that soon.
Also, be on the lookout for some new features coming up!: )
Winners! US Winner (Wins Damon.uhh, I mean Vampire Diaries season 2, UNLEASHED, and AMPLIFIED) theatredreamer@…
INTERNATIONAL Winner ambiepie@…
Other Winners from past giveaways UNTRACEABLE Kelsey D.
Today I'd like to welcome the author of "101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle," Dawn Del Russo. Dawn, tell us about you. I am a fashion stylist and owner of www.belladawn.com. I have loved fashion, trends and styling since I was little. My dream came true when I opened my boutique 5 and half years ago. Tell us about "101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle" I was absolutely so excited to put this book together. I love helping women look fabulous and feel good about themselves. This book is a simple little guide that gives everyone young an old the ability to add a touch of "glam" to their life. What was your favorite part of writing "101 Glam Girl Ways... "? I was so excited as I saw my ideas come to life through the super cute drawings, literally I saw my imagination come to life! Explain the writing/publishing process. The process of writing a book for the first time is definitely a learning experience, but now I can't wait to write a second. It takes time and for me evolved very organically. I started with get getting my thoughts down on paper. After I had the writing complete I was able to focus on finding a illustrator and making my visions reality. Working with Book Surge, the publisher, was a relatively simple process, they lead me through copyrighting it and design and layout. How did you get here? How long did the whole process take? The process was about 2 year. Since I knew what I wanted to write about, and a lot of the tips I was already using on a daily basis it developed pretty quickly. The illustrations were all drawn by hand, that was much more tedious, but well worth it for the final product.
Who would like this book? The response I have received have been amazing all ages love the book. It is very relatable and many people can find a tip or two they do already. Young girls love the illustrations and simple text, while sophisticated women love the glam tips like "get a mani/pedi." Do you follow all 101 ways to being chic? I absolutely try to follow all the tips, I have definitely done them all. Sometimes making time can be difficult but so important, and I love feeling glamorous of course. If not, which ones do you feel you need to work on most? I need to get more massages... hehe, that is one I never seem to stay on top of. Which tips are your favorite? Do you do them regularly? My two favorite's are tips #1 and #101, Wear Diamond Studs and Believe in your self. I follow them both religiously. (My favorite is also #1! I wear fake diamond studs everyday! I was so excited to see this when I first opened the book!)
Where did the idea come from for this book? The book pretty much evolved from the tips I was always giving out to my clients. I decided to post a few on my blog, and from there it eventually turned into this book. Do you have any advice for young women who want to be chic? Yes, start with feeling confident in yourself, get your clothing tailored to fit your shape, always wear lip gloss, and love everyday.
You talk about lip gloss a lot, can you suggest a kind for someone (like me) who is clueless to all things lip gloss. There are a few great lip glossses in a variety of price ranges, E.L.F. is $1 but great gloss, Kohls sells a brand called Flirt which I love and Mac Dazzle Glass super glam. Links: Hypershine, Flirt Cosmetics, Bloomingdales Where can we find you online? I am every where, I give daily tips on my blog www.myintimateaffairwithfashion.com, twitter.com/dawndelrusso,www. facebook.com/dawndelrusso, my shopping site www.belladawn.com, and for more about me www.dawndelrusso.com Any last parting words? "Dream your dream, live your life, and look glamorous doing it!" Thanks for stopping by Dawn and taking time to answer some of these questions. My review of "101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle" will be posted tomorrow!
I'd like to welcome Preetham Grandhi as today's Guest Author.
A couple weeks ago Preetham was great enough to send me a copy of "A Circle of Souls" for review. The review will be up later tonight — and I can't wait for everyone to read it! But without further ado, please welcome Preetham Grandhi!
Mr. Preetham Grandhi, tell us about you.
Preetham: I was born and raised in Bangalore, in south India. I went to Baldwin Boys high School, one of the old British schools in Bangalore. Soon after high school I went to into medical school followed by residency in America. After my graduation from the Child Study Center at Yale, I have been the chief of service for House 5 at Bronx Children’s Psychiatric Center. I am devoted to helping young children gain insight into their emotional and behavioral needs and empower them to maximize their inner potential. I also have a private practice and reside in Westchester County, New York, with my family. My wife has also just published her first cookbook titled "Spice up your life: The flexitarian way," and our seven year old son presented his first story at school titled, "Hal the howling monkey."
What was it like writing "A Circle of Souls"?
It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done and I thought going to medical school was hard. Writing the book and more so promoting the book is harder.
How long did it take you to write "A Circle of Souls"?
It took me four and a half years to write. I actually wrote the first draft in 1 and half years, it took me the rest of the time to revise over 15 times.
Where did the idea for this book come from?
It was a few months post 9/11, and I was looking at the biographies of the people who had lost their lives. I began to wonder if there was a larger meaning to their lives. All of a sudden, a story flashed into my mind, and I quickly wrote it on a piece of paper. I knew then that I needed to write a story that was larger than life. It needed to communicate the essence that there is a bigger purpose and meaning to our passage on earth. I knew that in order to capture and convey such a message, the book needed to be captivating, interesting, and thrilling. I realized that a story based on the work I do would be the right place to begin. I am a child psychiatrist and had just started a new job. During my fellowship, I worked with children with numerous psychosocial issues and had many life stories to tell. It was at that moment that I decided I could write a book that would capture all these thoughts. That was how A Circle of Souls was born.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Never give up, anything is possible but you will never know it if you don't do your half.
What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?
The hardest thing is writers block, especially if it lingers for weeks on end. The most rewarding thing is when people read it and say they like it.
If you could be any literary character, who would you be and why?
Tintin from the comic series, for all the adventures he has.
What is in your CD player/iPOD right now?
I like Paul Van Dyke, the rhythmic beats are very soothing and gets me to the pace where I can begin to write.
Again, I'd like to thank Preetham Grandhi for stopping by and sending me "A Cirlce Of Souls" for review! Check out his website here. I'd like to pass on this book — but I don't know if I can part with it. But I still highly recommend you purchase it or look for it at your library.
I won this book via a twitter contest hosted by author @lizzyarmentrout. Thank you, Lizzy, for sending me the book! Lizzy was also my first Author Interview as well!
"A Vengeful Spirit" — Lizzy Armentrout
From Amazon.com...
"Welcome to Pilotview, NC; a quiet, peaceful town where nothing much happens. That all changes when evil strikes the Irvin family. Why is someone targeting Tucker's family? What could a 12 year old have done to bring such terror to his home? Why is his father missing? Shelly Gale, his teacher, can't resist helping one of her students as his family seems to go through trial after trial."
"A Vengeful Spirit" isn't really in the genre that I normally read — so it took me a while to get used to the characters and the plot. But by chapter three I was captivated. I ended up finishing the story in two sitting. It's a fast read and it's a good read. The characters are unique and feel like real people — people that could be in my own community. I liked that I could relate to these characters — it helped with Max, the 10 month old Golden Retriever, Pippin is five years old but I remember back to the days when he was just a hot mess of red fur. But even without Max, I could relate to Nicole who loved all things material but was still a great friend. And as a future teacher, I could really relate to Shelly's love for her students. And while not as devote as the Christians in the book, I could still relate to their need for guidance, wisdom, and protection.
As a Christian Murder Mystery, Lizzy Armentrout has produced the perfect balance between all things Christian and Murder Mystery. So many times authors have to sacrifice one for the other — but Lizzy Armentrout manages it perfectly.
The only 'negative' thing I can think of is that the romance in the book is a little predictable. But Lizzy Armentrout makes up for that with all of the twists and turns that the mystery brings to the book. At the end of the book, the final "ah hah!", I was just stunned! The book was written perfectly for a mystery — everything was going some where and there were no loose ends.
This is a great book for Christian readers and those who just love a Murder Mystery. I look forward to finding out what trouble Shelly Gale finds next.
Today I'd like to welcome Hannah Moskowitz, author of the recently released "Invincible Summer." Hannah, have you ever been in bit of a love triangle like your protagonist Chase? If not, what do you imagine it would be like?
Oh, God, I don’t think anyone has ever been in a love triangle like Chase. It is a weird, weird love triangle.
But no, I haven’t been. I don’t think I could be as cavalier about it as Chase is. I think I would be very stressed. And a little grossed out. Maybe a lot grossed out. After reading the book, I'd completely agree with you Hannah.:) How would you describe “Invincible Summer” in three words?
Quiet, raw, and strange.
How would you “pitch” your book to a class of 9th graders – boys and girls?
Invincible Summer is about a boy who wants more than anything for everything to stay the same. And that means keeping a tight hold on the siblings he needs for support. But his sister is growing up way too fast, his deaf younger brother’s refusal to learn sign language is grating on the whole family, and there’s a whole new baby on the way. And Chase’s older brother Noah, who should be the one worrying about all of this, not Chase, runs away at any suggestion of responsibility. And when his parents’ marriage falls apart, and Noah’s girlfriend starts showing more interest in Chase than in Noah, Chase has to come to terms with the fact that his safety net is unravelling. But he still isn’t prepared for how far he has to fall. This will be a book I definitely pitch to my class. While I am a bit nervous about the cover, I think that this is a book my students will really enjoy. They'll open it thinking it's a light summer read and then the depth will seep through the pages without them even realizing it.
What is your favorite thing to do during the summer or at the beach?
Crack crabs on the porch with my dad and my sister. I’m a Maryland girl. Thank you so much for stopping by Hannah. If you haven't already make sure to pick up your own copy of "Invincible Summer" by Hannah Moskowitz.
This blog tour resumes on Monday with a review by the Reading Nook and finishes Tuesday with a review from Read My Mind.
I definitely got some things accomplished this week compared to last week. This week I was super busy reading, reviewing, cleaning, and packing. I wanted to get through most of the books from my mom's library so that I wouldn't have to take them with me — but, alas, yesterday when I moved back to school I did have to pack the last two (Eighth Grade Bites and Ninth Grade Slays).I also packed up all of my review books (I think there three or four), the books I've won but have yet to read, and of course the books I'll be giving away here in the coming weeks — "My Name is Will ", "Dancing with Ana", and "Boy Toy".
This week I finished Blue Bloods, Masquerade, Revelations, and On the Bluffs. I also had an Author Interview with Nicole Barker (author of "Dancing with Ana"). I went from fourteen followers to 26! I am super excited — welcome everybody to my little world of madness!
This week I sent "On the Bluffs" off to Sheila.
I am all moved into the dorm as of yesterday and begin RA Training on Tuesday night. So I'm spending these few days with my best friends and enjoying my last bit of summer. This week my goal is to get through "Eighth Grade Bites" and "Ninth Grade Slays" and start "Frozen Tears". I'm not quite sure how much time I'll have for reading this week (and next) — but it'd be awesome if I could get all three of these finished in a week. I also have a surprise scheduled for Thursday — so stay tuned!
This week's Guest Review was "Suite Scarlett" by Megan from WriteMeg! If you're interested in submitting a Guest Review — please find out how.
Last (but definitely not least), it's official. I made it into the Harry Potter class. It was completely full and I was number four on the waitlist — but I didn't really expect three other people to drop out. So I emailed the new professor (it's her first semester teaching at the college level), and was like "Are you going to be accepting more than forty students?" If not, I'd completely understand — that's a lot of papers to grade for a new teacher! But it is my last semester to take a Lit class (I'll be student teaching in the Spring) and I need another Lit class to fulfill my Literature Specialization. I played it up that it was cool if she wasn't going to take more students, but I'd rather know now so that I can look into alternatives. She replied (a week later — but better late than never) sayin that since it was my last chance to take a Lit Course she'd sign my add slip right away! I'm super pumped! Very VERY excited. Best part — I don't have to purchase any more extremely overly expensive books because I already own the HP books (we will only be covering the first four though). I'll make sure to keep you all posted with what we talk about!:)
Happy Sunday everyone!
What did you finish this week?
OH and just a heads up — ignore my posts on Tuesday. I'm adding a 'box' to my side bars to help students find out the order of books in popular series (Harry Potter, House of Night, Blue Bloods, Sookie Stackhouse, Twilight). To you and I, many of these things are second nature. But to struggling readers, it might not be so obvious that Eclipse comes after New Moon. So I'll be posting several (probably five) of these posts — simply with the order of the books in the series — so that students who are unsure of which book to read next can find it quickly. Sorry for filling up your Reader — but it is necessary. Thank you for understanding. If you know of any other awesome series I should put down... please comment!:)
Today I'd like to welcome Nicole Barker, author of "Dancing with Ana".
"Beth is a lucky girl... she comes from a loving family, she has three best friends. She loves to surf and lives five minutes from the beach. She also recently discovered that the boy she's grown up with has the most amazing green eyes... Beth has every reason to smile. Every reason to be happy. Every reason to feel blessed.
Then why is she sticking her fingers down her throat?"
I loved "Dancing with Ana" — check out my review if you haven't read it yet!
What was it like writing this book? It was simply amazing. There were days when I would write for three or four hours straight, not stopping to answer the phone, do laundry... eat. When I'm writing, I'm a bit compulsive and obsessed. I'm not quite sure my husband and kids would call the experience amazing... but they were incredibly supportive.
How long did it take you to write "Dancing with Ana"? I wrote the first words at the end of August 2008 shortly after my kids started school and my final words right around Thanksgiving. Of course, I use the word “final” very loosely, because I rewrote and edited the book for another six months, finally letting it go at the beginning of June. There is no doubt I could pick up Dancing With Ana any day of the week and still find things I would change, but I had to release it. I was starting to embody Jack Torrance from The Shining.
Where did the idea for this book come from? Well, it kind of came out of the blue. I've always had a desire to write a book for young adults. I have an incredible amount of respect for this age group, as I can remember my own issues and struggles during this time. It was important to be able to write about a subject that is very common in their lives, whether it affects them personally, a friend, a family member, etc., but still create an entertaining story that involves friendship and love. I didn't want it to be clinical.
Where did the title come from? When most people think of anorexia, they picture a young woman very thin, bones protruding, starving to death. They picture the extreme of the disease. There are many stages of anorexia, just as there are many reasons why a person would choose this way to cope with an issue. Most victims start off merely dancing with ana, which is still an intensely painful and isolating experience. It's when they stay too long at the dance, or can't leave, that ana becomes a living, breathing entity they both fear and need.
What or Who inspires you to write? I have two sisters who are severely mentally and physically disabled. Not a day goes by when I don't think of them. To say there is so much they aren't able to do is such an understatement it's almost laughable. They inspire me to live my life to the fullest, not be afraid of failure, be courageous. My children are also a huge inspiration. I want them to reach for their dreams, so I need to be an example of that. There is a quote from a Blues Traveler song that I always tell them, “There's no such thing as a failure who keeps trying, coasting to the bottom is the only disgrace.”
What do you like on your pizza? Plain old cheese, NY style
What is in your CD player/iPOD right now? I have to laugh, because I could spend the next hour writing what is in my Ipod. Music is everything to me. If I could sing or play an instrument, I would try to start a band. To name a few... The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Blind Melon, Gwen Stafani, Janis Joplin...
And finally, if you could say anything to your young readers — what would it be? Try to keep a journal, write whatever pops into your head. You'll look back and realize that this part of your journey is very profound. Oh, and I love hearing from you! Thank you so much Nicole for stopping by! I was really wondering where the title came from — but now that mystery's put to rest.:)
Really — make sure to read this book. It's one of the best and most honest I've read all summer. Tomorrow stop by because I'll be giving away two copies of Nicole's book — "Dancing with Ana". Visit Nicole online at Nicole's website.
I'd like to welcome Carla Buckley, author of "The Things That Keep Us Here, " as my guest. Everybody say, "Hello Carla."
Tell us a bit about you — who is Carla Buckley? I’m a wife, mother of three, and coddler of two small dogs. Growing up, I was passionate about both art and writing, studied both in college, worked as an artist and a writer afterward, but it wasn’t until I decided to stay home following the birth of my first child that I narrowed my focus to writing.
How long did it take you to write "The Things That Keep Us Here?" Six months to produce a draft I could share with my literary agent, another six months working on the feedback she gave me, then a final six months revising it with my editor.
Explain the process you went through after you had finished writing the novel. Usually, after I’ve finished a manuscript and sent it off to my agent to be shopped to publishers, I immediately begin writing the next book. This time, however, I held off. The Things That Keep Us Here was a different kind of book to me, one that represented a huge leap forward in my writing, and I wanted to see how it fared before I re-committed myself to the writing process. The Things That Keep Us Here was turned down three times--because publishers didn’t want to touch the topic of bird flu--before it found a home at Bantam Dell, with an editor I’m privileged to call mine.
Do you have any writing habits or anything you HAD to do before sitting down to write the novel? Years ago, a screenplay writer taught me how to plot according to a three-act structure, and that’s what I follow before I begin writing: I set up the three acts, each with their turning points, and pretty much lay out the entire novel in my head before I start.
There is a lot of scientific information that, as a non-scientist, sounds completely plausible in your novel; where did you get this information or are you a closet-scientist? I am a confirmed non-scientist! In school, science terrified me, with all its intricacies and seeming irrelevance, and I avoided it wherever I could. It’s ironic, perhaps, that I married an environmental scientist, which allowed me to see science from a different perspective, and understand its own serene beauty. When I undertook to write The Things That Keep Us Here, I did a great deal of research: I read everything I could on avian influenza, and interviewed scientists from The Ohio State University who actually do the work that my character, Peter, does. It’s these scientists, whom I acknowledge in my book, who made the science leap from the page for me.
What is your favorite thing about your novel? This is such a great question. I’d have to say it’s the turning point in the middle, where my character Ann, surrounded by death and fear and confusion, confronts who she really is at heart, and makes an impossible choice. For me, this is what my novel is really about: who are we deep inside, when we can’t rely on someone else to save or protect us, and how do we live with the choice we make? I’ve heard from many readers on this part of the book, which delights me.
If you had to describe "The Things That Keep Us Here" in three words — what words would you choose? Frightening, poignant, and real
Where did the title come from? My original title was Flu Season, which my publisher felt wasn’t a perfect match. Over the course of six or so months, I tried out other options: Six Hours, Flight Risk. My book was sold to the UK and Germany as Out of Thin Air. None were quite right. Finally, facing a catalog deadline, the senior people at Random House got together and brainstormed, and my editor called me the next morning with the final title, The Things That Keep Us Here. I’m deeply honored that my publishing house was so invested in finding the perfect title for me.
What are you currently working on? My next book also focuses on a global threat, as shown from the perspective of the non-scientist. In it, a woman, long estranged from her hometown and her family, returns to find her sister dead and others sick from the same disease. Although I don't want to reveal the source of the illness, I will say it's based on a truly frightening phenomenon that few people are aware of, but scientists are looking into, and I predict it will start making headlines shortly.
What are you currently reading? I’m halfway through two novels, both debuts. The Murderer’s Daughters, by Randy Susan Meyers, which is a heart-rending story about two young girls who witness their father’s murder of their mother, and how their lives are forever shaped. Meyers does a fantastic job of moving the action forward, and it’s hard to believe this is her first novel. And The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book so driven by voice as this one is, and I’m loving every page.
Where can you be found offline? The very few hours that I’m not writing, I’m walking my dogs, working out at my local rec center, and ferrying my children around to their various activities. Sometimes, I make dinner! My sister is my writing partner (and the best writer I know), and we regularly get together for a many-hour lunch at a local sandwich shop to pound out various issues in both our works in progress.
Where can you be found online? My website is my online home: www.google.com. There, readers can contact me, or reach me through Facebook, Twitter, goodreads, and LibraryThing.
Any last comments? Thanks for hosting me here, Miss Remmers. It’s always a delight to meet another reader as passionate about books as I am!
Not only do Carla and I share a passion for reading — we also have similar roots. Her husband is from Northern Minnesota and it turns out that she frequently visits my own home town of Cass Lake, MN for summer vacations!
If you haven't read, "The Things That Keep Us Here, " you are definitely missing out. This is one of the best adult fiction books I've read. Highly recommend it.
It's no surprise that I absolutely adore Kimberly Derting. The Body Finder was one of the first books I read as a blogger and I was instantly in love with the story. From that moment I have been a stalker… ahem… fan of Kimberly's.
Believe it or not, it's not just Kim's writing that makes her incredible. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever had the pleasure to talk to. She is nothing but kind and considerate, and when I was just a newbie blogger who had no idea what I was doing, she was one of the first authors to be on my blog.
For all those reasons, I was completely thrilled to be her blogger for the Dark Days tour. I've always wanted to be part of the Dark Days tour, but to have Kim as my author, makes it so much more special!
I had the pleasure of interviewing Kim again and, trust me, you guys wanna check out her answers!
1. What are a few of the most important lessons you've learned while writing The Body Finder series so far?
Aside from never, EVER talk to strangers, and learning the difference between “lay” and “lie” (I’m still shaky on this one!), I think I’ve learned to be a more patient person. When I was a newbie author, I was always in a hurry-up-and-wait mode, and now, not so much. I’ve come to appreciate the downtime, even though there isn’t usually much of it.
2. What is the most difficult part of the writing process for you? For me, it’s trying to set a writing schedule and actually sticking to it. I find myself constantly distracted by Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest (OMG Pinterest!), blogs, and email. Also, my family’s constant need for food and attention can be a little distracting as well!: )
3. Can you tell us one way Violet has changed throughout the series? Violet has always been really (really!) private, probably stemming from a lifetime of keeping her gift a secret. She’s learning to open up—and even starting to lean on others a little. I think it’ll probably take a while to get the hang of it, though!
4. Can you share with us a few of your favorite lines from The Last Echo?
“Mocking me will get you nowhere.” But he [Jay] leaned down, his breath tickling the side of her neck, and a rush of warmth flooded Violet’s stomach. “There are other ways to break me, though.”
Claire pursed her lips. “Don’t do it, Chels. They’ll spit in your food if you send it back. You don’t want them spitting in your food, do you?”
Violet wanted to nod, but she was too afraid to. Their lips were far too close. Dangerously close.
“I gotta say, if you’re gonna get hurt, this is the place to be. The drugs here aren’t half-bad.”
Sara dangled the familiar surfboard keychain Jay had gotten her when he and his mom had gone to Hawaii. It said Maui on one side and Victoria on the other, the closest he could find to Violet.
There was a thin veneer of frost that coated every surface of her skin and dusted her perfectly tweezed brows and the thick fringe of her lashes, making them look brittle but beautiful.
BIGGEST Questions This is the biggest Dark Days event so far, so we are celebrating by asking each author some"biggest" questions. Biggest Celebrity Crush George Clooney. (Sorry, honey!) Biggest Pet Peeve People who start sentences with “Not to be rude… ” but then say something horrible about someone else. Biggest Guilty Pleasure The Kardashians, or any reality show featuring the Kardashians. Biggest Book-Boyfriend Crush? If I just say Jace, do you know who I mean??? (Hint: I mean Jace from the Mortal Instruments series.) Biggest Embarrassing Moment There was a moment when I was 19, involving an adult filmtitled “Beaverly Hills Cop” which I mistakenly thought was “Beverly Hills Cop”. They are not, I repeat NOT, in fact, the same movie! Biggest Fan-Girl Moment When I met Kim Harrison, I was so excited I told her I was a “Harper Arthur” too! Turns out I’m an “author” not an “Arthur.” Biggest Fear Anything involving spiders, sharks, vampires, being buried alive, snakes, exercise (I’m sure there’s phobia for that!), Big Foot, or having toilet paper hanging from the back of my pants when I leave the women’s room. I may be a little neurotic. Biggest Accomplishment Not ever having toilet paper hanging from my pants when I leave the women’s restroom. Biggest Addiction Online shopping. (This may fall under the column Biggest Guilt Pleasure as well!) Biggest Regret Not a fan of regrets, so yeah…
The Last Echo is the third book in the Body Finder series. USE GOOGLE to addThe Body FinderDesires of the DeadThe Last Echo… to Goodreads
Published by HarperCollins Date: April 17th, 2012
Schedule for leg 4
4/3 — Kimberly Derting at Confessions of a Bookaholic 4/5 — Jill Hathaway at Down the Rabbit Hole 4/10 — Kimberly Derting at Confessions of a Bookaholic 4/12 — Jill Hathaway at Down the Rabbit Hole 4/17 — Dan Wells at Bookalicious
See the authors in person
Kimberly Derting (THE LAST ECHO), Jill Hathaway (SLIDE), and Dan Wells (PARTIALS)April 18th @ 7pm | Books & Co | Dayton, OH | Supernatural Snark April 19th @ 7pm | Anderson’s Bookshop | Naperville, IL | Live to Read April 20th @ 7pm | Barnes & Noble | Burlington, MA | Books Complete Me
Become a fan at facebook.com/PitchDarkBooks
Follow @pitchdarkbooks and use #pitchdarkdays in your tweets Stay connected to all things Dark Days on the Pitch Dark Facebook page, including exclusive content features every Wednesday!Make sure you check out this amazing widget that will tell you everything you need to know about the Dark Days authors and their books.
Prize:
1 winner will receive an ARC of The Last Echo.
4 winners will receive a swag pack from The Body Finder series.
Rules:
You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
Name and email must be provided.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US/CA only and ends April 24th.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
I think its when you get that one comment that just makes everything you do all worth it. — Yara at Once Upon a Twilight Getting to know other bloggers! Although I should also mention, getting book recommendations, then falling in love with the book. I can't be eternally grateful enough to the blogosphere for introducing me to a TON of amazing books. — Audrey at holes In My brain The people, all the way. Both bloggers and authors. I've contemplated giving blogging up a few times, but in the end I never want to lose the community aspect of it all. So I keep going. — Amanda, Another Book Junkie Reading others posts and reviewing books. — Kate at Ghost of the still Honestly, it would have to be all the awesome people that I have met! The book blogging community is the BEST! — Missy at Two Readers Reviews I love getting to know authors, many that I have met are fans like me and just enjoy reading and creating something for everyone to enjoy. I have had two major fan-girl moments and I know all have many more to come. One was meeting Laurell K Hamilton at comic con one year, she was super sweet and was so happy I enjoyed her writing. The other was Sherrilynn Kenyon, my goodness she was such an awesome person and we chatted a bit about those awesome Dark Hunters in her books. - Kristen at Seeing Night Reviews
My favorite part of blogging is getting to network with a bunch of awesome people. - Darla at DforDarla's Definite Reads Easy! Sharing our passion for books! I love sharing my excitement with others, and I find most of my wish list reads through other bloggers. It's so amazing to be surrounded by other book lovers! — Tynga at Tynga's Review
I love everything about blogging, but mostly I love knowing that people share my same crazy interests & obsessions. The contests are fun too; -) — Jane at At Random
Finding new books and bloggers. I have added tons of new books to my TBR list because of blog memes, blogger recommendations or reading reviews from other bloggers. The reason I started blogging was, of course, because I had a huge love of reading. So gaining new book recommendations is one of the best parts. I also love meeting new bloggers. It's fantastic to be able to talk books with someone who shares that love of reading. - Aimee at Coffee Table Press My favorite part of blogging is when you get people excited about something that they've never been excited about before, like getting a non-book-lover to enjoy reading, or when mentioning a relatively unknown book suddenly puts it on people's radar. — Alethea at Read Now Sleep Later
I put a lot of thought into my reviews, so I feel a strong sense of accomplishment when I post them for the world to see. — Jessica at Brief Book Reviews Reading and writing and getting to know fellow bloggers!: ) — Shirley at My Bookshelf Being able to share things I've learned about or been a part of with my students. When I share that an author dropped by the blog or the release date of a new book, they get excited and that's wonderful to me. — Jill at The O.W.L It's a toss up between discovering new books that I never would have heard of otherwise, AND talking with this group of people who get my love of books in a way that no one else does. — Ashley at Book Labyrinth The discovery. Before I started blogging, I was an avid reader, but in a very limited way. I stuck to the tried-and-true, the familiar authors I knew I'd like before I even picked up the book. After blogging, I realised that I ought to branch out more and give new things a try. I found free books online (legally free, mind you), and took chances on authors I might not have looked twice at before but because the price was right, I figured it couldn't hurt to give them a chance. I wasn't disappointed. I've discovered new and awesome authors this way, bought their books, and become a fan. I love discovering new and good things! I also love that blogging gives me a chance to exercise my writing muscles, so to speak. I love writing, and here's a little excuse to do it regularly! — Ria at Bibliotropic Oh, gosh. I can't choose my absolute favorite. I love getting to squeal over pretty, shiny new books (especially the ARCs), interviewing fabulous authors, giving away (and receiving) swag and new books, and just hanging out with bibliophiles like me. — Lucia at iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books The interaction between the other bloggers. It's often hilarious, sometimes emotional, but always friendly. — Rie at Mission to Read Argh, just one?! Um… the people and the community. While I (obviously) love books, reading and writing about books and reading, I don't think it would anywhere near as fun if I was doing it by myself. I also think it's amazing that people out there care what I think! I've found more fantastic books in the past 6 months from book bloggers than I would normally find in years. It's astounding how quickly my TBR list has grown… — Lisa at BaffledBooks Coming across little known books I wouldn't have stumbled on otherwise and getting to sing their praises to all my readers. Also pet chatting with other bloggers is pretty funny. — Rhiannon at The Diary of a Bookworm I love sharing my feelings about books that I love, and adding onto that, I absolutely love when I get comments about how my review or something I said about a book made someone else want to read it, or add it to their to-read pile. To me that feels amazing, it's the same feeling I get when I convince my friends to read a book. It feels good knowing that I'm spreading the love for a certain book, and that someone else will get to enjoy it just like I did. In the case of books, sharing is most definitely caring.: ) — Ambur at Burning.x.Impossibly.x. Bright I love comments. I know it sounds weird and maybe stuck-up, but knowing that someone out there is actually reading your blog is the most amazing feeling. When someone says they want to check a book out because of a review I do, that is great too. — Katie at Books are Dreams My favorite part of blogging so far has been the relationships I have built with other bloggers. I have definitely made some lifelong friends and I am extremely grateful. — Kate at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! My absolute favorite part of blogging is getting to meet all the other bloggers and being able to talk with authors. I always knew there were people out there who loved books and reading as much as I did but I was never really able to connect with them like I do now. — Emilie at Emilie Book World My favourite part of blogging, whether on my book review/author interview site, or on my personal blog, is making connections. Also, writing forces me to examine my opinions and subjects with a lot more depth than I would if I were just spouting off my opinions at a family dinner or at the staff room table. Blogging for the public forces me to be more accountable. — Kim at Fresh Fish and Foolishness COMMENTS! They make me feel so special and can seriously make my day.: ) — Jackie at Teen Book Guide
*Part 2 of 3 will be posted soon. USE GOOGLE if you want to know more about the blogoversary celebration.
So this week wasn't as lucrative as last — but I'm still happy with what I accomplished. I finished reading The Man Who Loved Jane Austen, Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride, and A Vengeful Spirit. I didn't exactly meet my goals from last week's Sunday Salon because Persuasion and Jane Austen Ruined My Life didn't come into my library yet. But I did watch Emma for the Everything Austen Challenge. I went to see My Sister's Keeper and Hp 6 (still working on my review). I received an award. And I hosted my first Author Interview. So overall — I'm very happy with how I fared last week.
This week don't expect near as much fun — book wise anyway. Tomorrow I leave for a mini vacation to Washington DC. My dad needs to attend the Indian Affairs meetings so my mom and I are going to sight see. Because of this, my goals are going to be sort of sad. My goal for this week is to finish A Circle of Souls, Suspense and Sensibility, and Jane Austen Ruined My Life. Expect Reviews!
But no worries about me being gone — I've been working especially hard to make sure that I have at least one post a day while I'm gone.:)
This week was crazy! I was in DC from Tuesday to Friday. Then Saturday evening the wireless internet modem broke and I've just recently got off the phone with Qwest setting up the new modem. So my Sunday Salon post is up on Tuesday. It's my favorite meme so I couldn't just not do it!
This week I finished A Circle of Souls, Elemental Shaman, and Suspense and Sensibility. So this week wasn't as lucrative as last — but I'm still happy with what I accomplished. I also hosted an Author Interview.
This week I intend to do a lot of catching up. I have 800+ posts in my Reader to read and comment on, two book reviews to post, a movie review to post, etc. I also went to the library and checked out the Twilight Books — figure now is the time to read them all before school starts and the next movie comes out! But the parents are gone for the week so it's just me and Pippin for the week so hopefully I'll get it all accomplished.
A little bit of excitement to mention: I was with my mom in her library in the middle school and saw a Harry Potter throw blanket laying on the floor. I asked mom what was up with it and she told me that it was something that the book clubs sent her as incentive to buy books from them and their publishers. She simply told me to take it if I wanted it (which of course I did!). So I am now the new owner of a Harry Potter blanket! Exciting! It will probably have to go into storage until next year when I move out of the house with the parents and into my own house in the 'real world'.
I've also started reading "Jane Austen Ruined My Life" and wow — I'm on chapter four and... wow! I can't wait to finish it! The main character is so easy to relate too! Wow! But I feel like I have some catching up to do with the blog and summer classes before that will happen — but really, wow!
Whoo! The first Sunday Salon of the year! Late last night (the reason this Sunday Salon is being written on a Monday) I finished "Delirium" and... wow... wait until my review.
With the New Year and all of its resolutions (or should I say Reading Challenges) I'm feeling particularly motivated. I always love this time of year — the promise of a clean slate and new beginning. It's fun reading everybody's challenge posts and feeling that excitement of anticipation of the first book to read, first review, first author interview, first of everything.
2010 was an exciting year for me: found a full time teaching position (that I love), graduated from college, watched three of my best friends get married, attended BEA, went all over the US for weddings (see last summers post), moved into my first apartment, attended book festivals in Minnesota and South Dakota, began dating D, began teaching 9th grade, got engaged, etc. It was amazing.
Even more fun awaits me in 2011: BEA 2011, my wedding, my honeymoon, etc. I am so thankful to have everyone on these travels with me through life. Thank you!
After doing all the calculations, I wanted to share with the world my accomplishment of reading 65 books this... er, last year. While a small number so some, this is something I'm extremely proud of; after all my obligations, all my trips, and being employed full-time, I'm proud to say that I read 65 books last year. So I did what any of us would do, I posted on the blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook.
Now the thing about Facebook, is that I only have one account and I don't really have a lot of "book blogging" friends on that account — Facebook isn't something I utilize to advertise for my blog. I think I have four "book blogging" friends on FB. That status update received over 10 comments of "Wow, that's great" etc. And then there was this one:
Now, I should have left well enough alone and walked away. But, I didn't. Something that REALLY bugs me about my students is put downs, especially ones about being an "overachiever" and basically intelligent. Who told people that it is okay to treat someone like that. Even as an adult I was a little upset over this comment — who was he to judge me? I tried rolling it off (as you can see), but I was still upset. So I can't imagine how my students feel when it happens to them. A few comments more and I couldn't take it; I had to stand up, not only for me but for my students as well! If I can't stand up to that kind of "bullying," how can I expect them too.
World, here's the deal: Reading is cool. Successful people read. It's a fact of life. If you don't like to read that's fine, but don't put down those who do. It's unacceptable and I will call you out on it. Who gives you, an "underachiever," the right to belittle someone who succeeds?
Gah! Happy Monday!:) But really, what about you? As readers and, dare I say, "overachievers" you must have encountered this type of "bullying" at one point? Am I alone in admitting that it bugged me? That it made me feel like I was back in High School again?
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