Colleen Houck's Blog, page 37
December 18, 2014
Top Ten Books on my TBR Pile for 2015
In case you don’t know, I love to read. I am reading constantly and my goal for 2015 is to read 100 books. Most of the books I read are YA simply because I have access to a lot of these books and since I rub noses with the authors, I like to feel like I know what they write when I meet them. Also I just love YA.
Right now my bookshelves are loaded with somewhere between 200 and 300 books that are demanding my attention and I am determined to get to all of them at some point, but there are some that have been staring me in the face for a while and this blog post is my way of committing myself to reading these books this year.
I’ve read the first three of this series and loved them but the last three have been staring at me a while. I need to finish this series.
I’ve bought this entire series and I know I’ll love it. I just need to sit down with them and get started.
I actually met Chris at a conference a few years ago and he is delightful. We spoke at length about dragons and chain-mail and how I write “those” kind of books meaning books with kissing. 
I’ve read the rest of the series but the size of Inheritance has been putting me off simply because I know it will take me a while.
Gennifer just came to Portland this fall and I got to go out to dinner with her. She is so awesome! I know I’m going to love her series so this one is on the top of my TBR pile.
This series has been sitting on my shelf for a while. The main reason I’ve been putting it off is that there are six books and that’s a lot to commit to. I’m going to do it this year though.
The only excuse I can make about not starting this series is that I haven’t met the author yet. Once I meet them I shuffle their books to the top of my pile. I’m sure I’m going to love this one.
My reason for postponing this series is twofold. One, I haven’t met the author in person yet outside of a fangirl way from a distance, and, like I said, I shuffle those authors I have time to chat with to the top of the pile. And, two, it’s a large series and therefore a big commitment. Still, I have the whole series so I need to get started.
When I met Orson Scott Card a couple of years ago it was a dream come true. I’ve been a fan of his since I was a teenager. At the time, I told him I’d read everything he’s ever written. That was true then but it’s not true anymore. I’ve gotten distracted and haven’t yet picked up his YA series. It’s sitting on my shelf calling my name.
This trilogy has been constantly postponed for at least a few years. Love the cover art and I really enjoy angels so it’s on my list.
Scott Westerfeld is one of my favorite writers. Why I haven’t pulled this series out from the stack yet is a mystery to me. I love steampunk and this will be a fun read, I’m sure.
There you have it, my top ten list of series I need to start or finish in 2015. What am I missing? Check my GOODREADS page to see what I’ve been reading this year and don’t forget to join my BOOK CLUB where I interview amazing authors and read along with you. There is an awesome prize given out at the end of the live chat too. I have some really amazing authors lined up for 2015 so check them out and ask a question to be entered into the drawing for a prize!
My 2015 authors include: Amalie Howard, Beth Revis, Suzanne Lazear, Sophie Jordan, Ann Aguirre, Page Morgan, Rachel Vincent, J. A. Souders, Marissa Meyer, Kady Cross, & more!
December 17, 2014
Movie Review For Interstellar & Big Hero 6
I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)
Colleen’s Movie Review
Romance: There wasn’t much going on in the way of romance. Something was teased briefly between Matthew’s character and Anne’s but nothing really developed in the timeframe of the film and it was a looonnnng timeframe.
Special Effects: There were definite and obvious nods to Christopher Nolan’s previous projects. I liked the ice planet and the spaceship. The wormhole was interesting. The way people slept on the ship and the planet where they were walking on water was cool. The circular farms going up overhead was too much like Inception for me to think of it as unique or interesting. For a space movie the special effects were a little underwhelming. I’m sure this was partially due to the fact that they wanted this film to be as realistic of a space journey as possible. I read somewhere that it got a nod from scientists who approved it. The sad thing is, that made it somewhat boring, like a science film you’d watch in high school or in an I-Max theater.
What I Liked: The dry, dusty planet felt real. It was choking the life from me as I sat there. The acting was good. The cameos and the dangers of being in space and far from home felt as nerve wracking as if I was on board. TARS, the robot.
What I’d Change: The story got weird. By the time we got to the end (and it took a very, very long time to get there) I no longer cared. The answers to the mystery of where the secret messages came from were disappointing and when a movie is focused so much on keeping everything real, I found the departure into the miraculous inside the black hole too much to swallow. I didn’t believe it and because of that, it colored my entire perception of the film.
The Tagline:
Mankind was born on Earth. It was never meant to die here.
The end of Earth will not be the end of us.
Go further.
Mankind’s next step will be our greatest.
I guess I like the first one best but none of the steps that took place to save mankind felt particularly thought through or heroic. Mostly, it felt accidental and mankind got lucky which is not something I’d normally associate with a movie of this type.
Hunky Hero: I haven’t really liked Matthew McConaughey for a while now. I have a hard time separating the actor from the man. As a result, there wasn’t much of a hunk factor in this film.
The Villain: There was no villain in this film unless you count crazy-guy-desperate-to-live or a giant wave which I don’t.
Best Line: TARS: I have a cue light I can use to show you when I’m joking, if you like.
TARS was the robot on the ship and it served as the only humor in the film so pretty much anything TARS said was my favorite.
Dr. Brand: Do not go gentle into that good night; Old age should burn and rave at close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
This line was used over and over to the point where I expected Matthew to start rubbing his fingers together. Normally, I really like this quote but it was used too much and it ended up annoying me instead.
Best Scene: I guess it was when TARS turned into a whirlygig lifeguard and spun on the water to fetch the idiot doctors who jumped out the ship when a giant wave was coming.
Recommended for YA Fans: If you like.
Compared to the Book: No book to compare to.
Trailer:
A Guy’s Perspective
Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.
Review:
Interstellar? Not So Stellar
In the not so distant future, planet Earth—specifically the Dust Bowl of Midwest America–is deteriorating to the point where farmers are more crucial than engineers. Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is a former pilot who is selected to man a rocket into space in search of alternative planets for Earthlings to populate.
Not exactly an original premise but one that has promise, especially under the deft hand of director Christopher Nolan. It certainly delivers on special effects, top-notch acting, cinematography, but it suffers from inadequate pacing and incomplete storytelling. I really wanted to like this movie, but at the 169th minute, I was a bit exhausted, uninspired, and somewhat confused. Don’t get me wrong, I was entertained and I don’t regret seeing it. I just wouldn’t discourage nor encourage anyone away from or toward the film.
Maybe I didn’t quite comprehend or appreciate the gravity of Nolan’s message (pun intended) and/or perhaps I was just not sold on some story points that seemed to swing wildly and missed. For example- in one scene, when Cooper winds up in a black hole and somehow time travels to the point where he has to Morse code a message with falling books to his daughter many years into the past, I found it unconvincing; The meeting between Cooper and his daughter on her death-bed was sweet, even bringing tears to my eyes, with the potential to leave a strong impression on me, but the people surrounding her bed barely even glanced at him, making the scene more odd than the director probably intended.
I give this film 6.5 Hulk Smash Fists.
Brad
Romance: None
Special Effects: It was cute. I liked the artistic style of the film.
What I Liked: Hiro. Baymax and I loved Tadashi, voiced by Daniel Henney one of my favorite actors. The cool inventions Hiro made.
What I’d Change: I’d make the other characters a bit more likable and interesting. They are supposed to be part of the Big Hero 6 so they should stand out a little more.
The Tagline:
Can’t find a tagline
Hunky Hero:
Doesn’t really apply though I really did like Hiro and loved Tadashi. Wished we had more of him.
The Villain: There were not one but two villains in this movie and I liked the twist of it and how it all played out.
Best Line:
Baymax: [to Hiro, who’s stuck and buried under a pile of action figures] On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?
Hiro: [irritated] Zero.
Baymax: It is alright to cry.
Hiro: No! No, no, no, no, no!
Baymax: [picks up Hiro and holds him like a baby] Crying is a natural response to pain.
Hiro: [jumps out of Baymax’s arms] I’m not crying.
Baymax: I will scan you for injuries.
Hiro: [firmly] DON’T scan me.
Baymax: Scan complete.
Hiro: Unbelievable.
Baymax: You have sustained no injuries. However, your hormone and neurotransmitter levels indicate that you are experiencing mood swings, common in adolescence. Diagnosis: puberty.
Hiro: [surprised] Whoa, what?
Baymax is awesome.
Best Scene: When Baymax sacrifices himself.
Recommended for YA Fans: Yes.
Compared to the Book: I have not read the comic books but I think the story is well crafted and will be very much enjoyed by it’s intended audience. Not sure I would watch another but I liked the origin story.
Trailer:
A Guy’s Perspective
Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.
Review:
Interesting Collaboration But Big Dud
Pixar and Marvel usually deliver high quality films and stories in their own productions, but they never collaborated together until now. Appropriately, and strangely, though this hybrid had numerous American and Japanese references (the locale is “San Fransokyo”), the movie was surprisingly flat and clichéd.
The first 20 minutes was the movie’s best—I enjoyed the obvious sibling comradery between Hiro and the older Tadashi and learning about Tadashi’s work projects, particularly a cute health care robot named Baymax. After that, the rest, I’m sorry to say, went downhill. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!!) There is bad blood between Tadashi’s company and another who both compete to acquire Hiro’s services, but Tadashi is killed, and Hiro and Baymax, his new sidekick, become embroiled in a fight between good and evil.
Four characters we know practically nothing about join forces with Hiro and Baymax to formulate a laughable cartoon-heroes team of Avengers against a villain hell-bent on revenge for his daughter’s death. Naturally, the four manage to get into trouble and are rescued by Hiro and Baymax, with a sacrifice you can see coming a mile away. Ultimately, the villain is defeated and the Big Hero 6, as they are named, live to fight another day. It was all mind-numbingly clichéd and reminiscent of many films you and I have seen a million times before.
If there is a sequel with the same characters, I’m likely not going to see it. Having said that, I’m sure Pixar and Marvel will create something awesomely original in the future and that intrigues me. This, however, was not it. And it gets 4.5 Semi-Hulk Smash fists.
Brad
December 16, 2014
Top Ten Books I Read in 2014
Hello All,
If you missed my recent blog with book gift ideas, you should go check it out. Just in case you’ve already read all of those, here is my list of top books I read this year. You should note that I’m often years behind so just because I read them this year doesn’t mean they were published recently.
So let’s get going. In no particular order, my ten favorite books/series of the year with a few extras thrown in were…
My Review: Love, love, love this book. I could tell I was going to love it from the first few chapters. Sci-Fi is pretty uncommon in YA and it’s one of my favorite genre’s. So excited about continuing the series. Love the characters!
My Review: Wonderful! Page Morgan has a true gift for metaphor. I actually took notes as I read which is not as common an action for me as I’d like it to be. So excited to read more of this story and the characters. Love her version of Paris and the gargoyles are steamy!
My Review: Loved this. Didn’t think you could mesh steampunk with fairies. Clearly I was mistaken. On to book two! Note: Since then I’ve finished book two and am saving book three for a live chat with the author in the spring.
My Review: Wow! The premise of this book is so fascinating! I loved Davy. She’s an amazing character and I really came to admire her especially by the end. Hope book two comes fast because it leaves you on the edge of your seat biting your nails.
My Review: This is the second series I started this year that deals with aliens. Love the premise. Really liking Zane too, especially at the end. And how evil is the Doctor? Am I right?
My Review: I raced through this book like I had a snapping dog on my heels. Loved the twists and the whole concept. I wouldn’t have minded a little more kissing but this was an excellent read! Ordered the second book before I was even done.
Note: Not enough kissing is one of my frequent complaints with YA books The only reason I mention it here is because I kinda fell for the hero. He reminds me of Ren.
My Review: I was sucked into this book so quickly that I was surprised when it was over. Love the main character. Wish I was more like her. She’s one I wouldn’t want to grapple with. Like her, I am horribly curious as to what caused the apocalypse. Excited to read on to find out.
My Review: Loved it! Rachel is a fantastic heroine. She’s strong and gutsy and tough as nails. Looking forward to continuing the series. Loved the Cursed One and the secret of the package.
Note: Er…now that I reread my review, the secret of the package sounds awkward. I promise it isn’t what you think.
My Review: Wow this book is so creepy I still feel a little squirmy. Pioneer is the best and worst thing about this book. What a villain!
Note: Just finished book two and boy, the villain is still so amazingly evil I still feel a chill going down my spine.
My Review: Another fun and interesting series by Kimberly Derting! The different languages and the rules regarding them was such a new idea. Loved Charlie and Max. As usual the characters are very well developed. I feel like I know them well enough to recognize them on the street if they appeared. =) On to the next book in the series.
My Review: Wow what an interesting world. Nothing at all like what I expected. I loved the ships. I loved the ending. I loved Nailer. He’s an awesome character. Such description! I felt like I was drowning in oil, boiling hot and claustrophobic in a vent of an old ship, and drowning in a sinking vessel. Loved it!
My Review: The grievers really freaked me out. Favorite part was when the hero tied himself to the wall with vines. I would totally do something like that assuming I had the arm strength. The ending! Gah! What’s going on? I need to know.
So did you read any of these this year? Which ones are your favorites? Leave a comment to let me know. Also if you have any recommendations for 2015, leave a note here. My goal is to read 100 books next year.
Colleen
December 14, 2014
Glittery Eye Makeup for Holiday Parties *Super Big Colorful Prize*
It’s that time of year when you are invited to scads of holiday parties and you want to have a few new beauty tricks to really steal the show. One of those fun flirty ideas is to add an eye pigments to your look. There are many brands like MAC, NYX, Maybelline, Loreal, Urban Decay, and more. There are loose pigments, roller ball applicators, wands that let you line the eye or fill the lid with sparkle, liners, chubby pencils, etc. There are so many fun colors to choose from and as long as you use an eye primer first it should last as long as you do at the party.
If you aren’t looking to buy a new product use your favorite eye shadow and apply it by scraping a little product out of the pan and put it on a lid of the shadow container and mix the loose shadow with drop of eye drops or a make-up setting spray like Urban Decay Make up Setting Spray and mix it with your favorite shadow. It should make your favorite color deeper and more pigmented. If you want to just try one but not break the bank try NYX Roll on Shimmer for $3.99, or try you hand at Ultra Pearl Mania Loose Pearl Eye Shadow for only $2.99. There are so many highly pigmented colors to choose from, and they make your eyes sparkle.
Most pigments has “fall out,” that is to say it falls on your cheek as you apply it. Especially the loose vibrantly pigmented powders. So make sure you have a Kleenex handy and place it under your eye to catch the extra sparkles as you apply it. Some pigments like the Urban Decay Heavy Metal Loose Glitter suggest a makeup adhesive to keep the product on all day. These forms of pigmented shadow have larger pieces so keep that in mind if you eyes are sensitive or wear contacts.
Try a creamy based long wearing eye shadow like Sephora Cream Velvet Eyeshadow. These shadows are a great base color and if you apply the pigment right after the cream shadow the pigment should adhere well. The cool thing about this is that you can layer the colors. You could do a grey shadow with a silver pigment, or a peach shadow with gold pigment on top, or even a carbon shadow with gun metal pigment. (Don’t forget the primer before the cream eye shadow!)
Check out the Gold Glitter and Bronze makeup look tutorial.
Purple and Glittery Smokey Eye Make Up Tutorial
A little too much purple for me, but this girl has some great make up skills. She does work for MAC and does stuff like this every day. You should check out her wedding day make up. It’s a long tutorial but the result is fantastic.
Perfect Summer with a Hint of Glitter Tutorial
I love the way this one looks; sort of a Peaches and Cream look.
How to Add Pigments to your Look Tutorial
Have great Holiday Season, and since I love color I have an extra cool prize for this blog.
I’m going to make you work hard for this prize since there are so many items included. So do as many of the items as possible to bump up your chances to win! Writing the reviews can be done for each book on different days to get more points.
There are two prizes filled with 8 Nyx Ultra Pearl Mania Eye Pigments. Just in time for all those parties.
Pack 1 Includes:#09 Lime Pearl, #04 Silver, #06 Black Pearl, #02 Pearl, #15 Lilac, #11 Baby Pink, #12 Purple Pearl, and #20 Mocha.
Pack 2 Includes:#16 Spice, #19 Mink, #09 Lime, #12 Purple Pearl, #15 Lilac, #02 Pearl, #13 Sky Pink, and #03 White Pearl.
Good luck!
Shara
December 11, 2014
Top Ten Conference and Tour Highlights of 2014
Here’s a recap of my conference highlights this year.
#10-Giving a presentation at the Pasadena Memorial High School in Texas. I received such a warm welcome from this school. The kids were so fun and helpful and even carried all my stuff to the car. They provided a fantastic lunch and were such fabulous hosts. I’d love to go back!
#9-The Utah Tour. I did a four school visit with Bree Despain and a book signing with local Utah authors. Had a blast seeing my long time friends (I used to live there) and shopping with the girls. Found out I love touring with other authors and hope I can do that more often in the future.
#8-The AZ tour. It was so fun touring Arizona with my mom and family members. My brothers have now all officially been to either one of my book signings or school visits. It was so cool for me to visit the schools of my nieces and nephews! Most favorite school experience was when a 10 year old boy started crying when I ran out of books.
#7-Meeting and conversing with a pair of Deaf twin girls at the Romantic Times Convention in New Orleans. My fellow authors were so impressed that I was able to converse with them and they were so awesome to chat with.
#6-Winning a prize at the steampunk tea party at the Romantic Times convention. It’s always cool to win something and I love seeing all the costumes! Next year we are actually dressing up too!
#5-Dancing at the Saints and Sinners party at the Romantic Times convention with my sisters. We laughed at the cover models that were dancing with a lot of…ahem…enthusiasm at the party with the attendees. We learned a new line dance to the Cupid Shuffle which was so fun!
#4-Another dancing one. I danced with the other YA authors at the Teen Party at the Romantic Times convention to Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel-one of my favorite songs ever!
#3-Took a picture with Jennifer Armentrout and her cover model for the Lux series, Pepe Toth. He smelled so good! I told my husband and he started wearing what I call man lotion from Bath & Body works. It’s called Whitewater Rush. Smells so good!
#2-The Rocky Road Marshmallow dessert we got at Perry’s Steakhouse and Grill in Houston. Soooo yummy!
#1-The YASH author brunch at the Romantic Times convention. It was a lot of work to get it ready but it was so nice to gather together as authors and just chat. Unfortunately, we aren’t going to do it next year since I’m already committed to do other things but we will try to do it again on a future date.
And there you have it. My top ten favorite conference experiences this year!
Colleen
December 10, 2014
MODERN INK SOCIETY
FEATURING GUEST Alexandra Monir
A Day in the Life of Writing
Welcome to the eleventh session of
THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!
“The most important thing is to read as much as you can, like I did. It will give you an understanding of what makes good writing and it will enlarge your vocabulary.’”
— J.K. Rowling
Introducing the lovely
Alexandra Monir
A Day in the Life of Writing Suspicion
“I can hardly believe that Suspicion is actually out in the world! It seems like just yesterday I was spending months hunkered over my desk writing the manuscript.Even though it was probably the most ambitious, hardest book I’ve written, it was definitely the most fun. And that’s because I combined several story elements I love most into one story, from the gothic murder mystery to the paranormal to a sweeping English manor setting. This meant that a typical day as I was drafting the book involved a bunch of different things…Studying British lifeJust like Imogen in the story, it was very important to me to be completely at home in the British world. I wanted to create an authentic English setting with characters who felt real and not dreamed up by an American author. While working on Suspicion, I usually spent a good hour a day reading a bit of a contemporary novel written by an English author (to get a better sense of the current slang and everyday terms) as well as UK guidebooks and maps, to make sure I had all my geography straight and that I knew the culture and backstory of each area, be it London or Oxford. But the best thing I did was take a research trip to England with my mom while I was writing the book—that’s when everything came together and I really felt confident that I could write about this country I love so much. Getting inside the minds of British aristocrats. It wasn’t enough to just understand British culture—I had to know what it was like to be a Duke or Duchess! I did a ton of research on the history of the British aristocracy, reading everything from memoirs like Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan’s The Glitter and the Gold to nonfiction like the deliciously fun So You Want To Marry a British Lord by Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace. But to understand what it’s like to be a British aristocrat in modern times, I had one trusty resource: Tatler magazine! Even though the book is already written and published, I still pick up the magazine every month to dive back into the glamorous world of young Lords and Ladies today.Studying the art of mysteriesSUSPICION was inspired by my love of the classic suspense novel Rebecca, and while I wouldn’t dare compare myself to the brilliant Daphne du Maurier, it was crucial to me that I understand the craft of mystery writing and make sure that my plot held its own. So while reading and watching countless mysteries, I took note of at which points in the story the writer chose to drop their clues and red herrings, how the big twists were set up, and so on. This made me really excited to continue writing mysteries—it’s so much fun assembling the puzzle!Yes, eventually after all the research and planning, it was time to get my hands on the keyboard and start writing. And while it can be so nerve-wracking to stare at an empty screen just waiting to be filled with words, there was nothing more gratifying than losing myself in the scenes.
I hope you enjoy reading SUSPICION as much as I loved writing it! I’ll be going on tour starting with a book release & holiday party this Thursday evening, December 11th at Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica, CA. I’d love to see all of you SoCal readers there! If you’re not in California, you can find out the rest of my tour dates and more about me at www.alexandramonir.com.”
Here’s a little teaser of her new novel NOW AVAILABLE, SUSPICION!
Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.
Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.
Check out Alexandra’s song to go with the book at www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWLHBZZOz! She’s so talented!
A huge thanks to Alexandra for sharing some insight into the life of a writer! I can’t wait to check out this book myself! For those of you who are aspiring authors, a great resource can be those writers who have paved the path before us. Their experiences bring great insight and wisdom and can help us along on our own journey in writing.
If you’d like to win a copy of Suspicion, leave a comment below and tell us about your favorite mystery. It could be a movie or a television show, a book, or a real live mystery that has never been solved.
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
MODERN INK SOCIETY
FEATURING GUEST Jessica Khoury
Life as an Author: The Best and Worst List
Welcome to the tenth session of
THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’”
— Charles Dickens
Introducing the talented
Jessica Khoury
Life as an Author: The Best and Worst List
“Being an author is full of ups and downs—some days are harder than others. So is it worth it in the end? Here’s a list of some of my best and worst experiences as an author.
WORST
People read your book! It’s terrifying. Which is why when someone says to me, “Oh, by the way, I started reading Vitro!” I usually laugh nervously and change the subject. A psychiatrist named Donald Winnicott once said, “Artists are people driven by the tension between the desire to communicate and the desire to hide.” I think that’s pretty dead on the money.
BEST
People read your book! It’s amazing! I remember how before I was published, the biggest, most radical thing I could think of was if people actually read the stuff I was writing, and how surreal that would be. So yeah, it’s scary—but it’s also exhilarating. Like, there you are, thousands of miles away, and I’ve never met you, but you’re reading something that I spent hours and months pouring myself into. You and I have a connection now. See what I mean by both terrifying and amazing?WORSTYou have to spend hours each day writing. Shocker, eh? The truth is, not every day is spent in a magical gush of words. Some days it’s all I can do just to get a sentence written. Some days, it’s work. This happens with every manuscript at some point, no matter how in love with the story I am. There always comes a point where I have to force myself to sit at the keyboard and set strict rules to make myself get the work done.
BEST
You get to spend hours each day writing! It’s what I always dreamed of! And sometimes there are those magical days when you’re inspired and energized and can write for eight hours without stopping. With every book I write, there are always some of these days. But no matter if it’s a hard day or a good one, I’m always so grateful that this is what I get to do. My worst day as a writer still trumps my best day running a cash register (though to be honest, I usually hid a book under the cash register and sneaked chapters in between customers, so that was a lot of fun!)
WORST
You get stuck. It happens—quite a lot, actually. Sometimes I get stuck on a line, or even just a word. Sometimes it’s a whole scene. The worst times, it’s the whole book. These moments of “Crap! It’s ruined! I can’t fix it! I’m the most horrible writer who ever lived!” really suck, and they can become huge mental blocks if you let them.
BEST
You can get un-stuck—and it’s the best feeling! Finding the solution to a problem in my story always invigorates me. It’s like an instant rush of excitement and inspiration. And no matter how stuck I get at times, the answer always comes through sooner or later. When it does, it’s like the proverbial sun breaking through the clouds, and suddenly I see all the wonderful things in the story that made me love it in the first place.WORSTThe book you write will never match the one in your head. By this, I mean that when I get a new idea for a story, it’s perfect. Beautiful. Brilliant. I can spend hours dreaming about the book it will become. But after months of writing, what I end up with is never the same as the idea it was born out of. It’s got flaws and the characters did unexpected things that turned the story in new directions. I might have had to cut some of my favorite things about it because they didn’t fit. My bright, shining idea is suddenly tarnished, and I wonder why I even try.
BEST
The book you write will always surprise you. Even if it’s not exactly what I pictured in the beginning, my story has evolved through the writing process. It has deepened and taking surprising turns, and usually it’s taught me something about myself along the way. Though the general points remain the same from beginning to end—the main characters, the setting, the core conflict—the thing that changes most is usually the theme—the thing the book is truly about. This quote from Flannery O’Connor sums it up perfectly: “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.” So at the end of each book, I discover that yeah, maybe it’s not exactly what I thought it would be… but it’s what it’s supposed to be, and that’s even better.
BEST
In the end, though, I think the #1, absolute best part of writing is the people. It’s a pretty solitary job at times—you know, just you and the blank page, hashing it out—but all those lonely hours are spent with the primary purpose of connecting with readers, and hands down the most rewarding part of writing for me is making those connections. The readers, authors, and industry professionals I’ve met in the past few years are my most valuable and cherished part of being an author. Without them—without you—none of this would be worth it. So do I ever wish I did something else for a living like, say, train dolphins or sell real estate? No way. Even at its harder moments, writing is filled with inspiration, surprises, and wonderful, amazing people who continually put a smile on my face. At the end of the day, I can’t see myself anywhere but here. I guess you could say, in light of all the Bests in this list, the Worsts are really nothing at all.”
To learn more about Jessica Khoury you can visit her at her website, www.jessicakhoury.com.
Don’t forget the live chat for Colleen Houck’s book club coming up at the end of this month!
For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY with a copy of the novels Origin, Vitro and Tiger’s Curse during the live chat! You won’t want to miss this one!
A big thanks to Jessica for sharing some insight into the life of a writer! It always surprises me that despite the hurdles and roadblocks, they each work through those challenges with determination and persistence. They never give up! Their story gives me courage that maybe I too one day can write my story.
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
December 9, 2014
Book Gift Giving Guide
Here are my book recommendations for gift giving this holiday season. I’m not going to list any of the most common you can find at Costco at this very minute or that have been made into a movie this year though I do enjoy most of those. This list is for those harder to find series that might not be as obvious. Also I’m linking all the books to my local Indie bookstore, Powell’s where you can order online and I believe get free shipping. I was going to keep it at ten but that’s just not enough so you get twelve.
Middle Grade
Young Adult
And there’s my list! What am I forgetting? Are there any books you loved this year that you would recommend or are planning to give as a gift?
Colleen
December 8, 2014
Top Ten Gift Ideas For Women
I don’t know about you but I’m always searching for new gift ideas. I thought I’d share some of my favorites. If you have some other cool gifts that I should add to my list, please leave a comment and let me know what they are!
#10
Swiffer Wet Jet-I’m not usually a big fan of cleaning products for Christmas but I love this thing. The way the product smells is fantastic and it’s so easy, cleaning is almost fun.
#9
Opi Pedicure Soften-I use this stuff on my feet after every shower. It works really well between pedicures. If I was gifting this, I’d get a set of products or pair it with nail polish and a nail grooming kit.
#8
Great Harvest-For a quick gift in a hurry, I love to give Great Harvest breads. There’s nothing like a fresh loaf of bread and they have great holiday options.
#7
Holiday Fragrance Collections from Bath & Body Works-You all know how much I enjoy candles and the Bath & Body works three wicks are my new favorites. I was so wowed by the pumpkin collection that I went back for more only to find they’re seasonal so stock up when you can.
#6
Hanging Jewelry Organizer-I have about four of these. There are some that hold necklaces and bracelets and others for earrings and barrettes. It’s so nice to be able to see everything at once and not have to dig through a box.
#5
Chocolate-Have I mentioned my favorite gift of all? You can never go wrong with chocolate. Whether it’s milk, dark, or salted caramel, everyone loves it.
#4
A Kindle or a Nook-I love reading and this is a great gift for all your reader friends. You may want to include a gift card so they can fill up their new device with books. Books in general are always a good idea. Might I suggest the Tiger’s Curse series?
#3
Philosophy Holiday Collections-These smell so good and they are wonderful gifts for all those people who work hard to make your life a little easier like teachers, the lady who does your hair, your agent, etc.
#2
Harry & David is my go-to holiday and birthday store-There is nothing here that I don’t like. The only problem is that I end up clicking on two for me one for you, three for me, one for you. You get the idea.
And #1
Clarisonic Mia 2 with Refreshing Gel Cleanser-This is my absolutely favorite thing right now. It’s like getting a mini-facial and drinking a warm glass of milk before bed every night. My skin tone and softness has improved so much by using this.
There you have it. My top ten gift ideas for women. Do you have any other gift suggestions that might help out those who are buying for those hard-to-shop-for ladies out there?
December 7, 2014
TIGER’S PROMISE AUDIO NOW AVAILABLE-PLUS GIVEAWAY!
I’m so excited to announce the release of TIGER’S PROMISE Audio Book! I’m also lucky to have such talented actors as part of the audio books who help bring Houck’s stories to life!
Check the audio book on audible.com for a sneak peak!
If you haven’t heard about this novella before, here’s a little teaser.
“Before Kelsey there was a girl, raised by a villain, whose love for a hero changed the course of history. Trapped under the thumb of her abusive and powerful father Lokesh, Yesubai struggles to keep her own magical abilities secret while evading his dark powers. When Lokesh promises Yesubai to the prince of a neighboring kingdom, she becomes the central pawn in his plot to destroy the ruling family and take power for himself. Yesubai is trapped by her father’s threats and desperate to protect the man she comes to love, but she knows that any decision she makes will have dire consequences. As dark forces gather around her, Yesubai must decide if she’s willing to reveal that somewhere deep within her she has the power to change everything.”
I thought it’d be fun to look behind the proverbial curtain and sneak a peak at who’s who in Houck’s audio books.
Introducing Annika Boras, an American actress, who is the narrator for Houck’s Tiger’s Curse series.
Here’s a little about Annika,
She has appeared on television in Lights Out, Homeland and The Following. On stage, she was nominated for a 2009 Lucille Lortel Award.[1] and a Drama League Award[2] for her first two Off- Broadway productions. Annika grew up surrounded by music and spent her early years studying ballet, performing in the children’s chorus of Operas, and was involved with the Garage Theater Group. As a young adult she studied classical voice and music theater with a desire to make a career in music as opposed to acting. Later she switched to acting and graduated from The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 2005.
Boras was discovered by David Zinn while acting in Romeo and Juliet, and has been in several off Broadway shows and has a passion for Shakespeare. She has performed as Lady MacBeth and has also performed in The importance of Being Earnest as Gwendoline Fairfax.
In celebration of the release, Colleen will be giving away 10 FREE audio book downloads of TIGER’S PROMISE!
Here’s how it works, simply enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win. It takes just a minute to do! Good luck! And remember, for Tiger’s Curse fans, this could be just the gift you’ve been looking for this Christmas!
Hurry now, offer ends December 20th!
~Till next time,
Linda Louise
