Valia Lind's Blog, page 17

The Elements Book Cover Tag!

Hello lovelies,

So, I did a thing. Yes, I participated in a YouTube book tag! I know, crazy right? Anyway, here it is.

 

Hope you enjoyed! If you'd love to participate, don't forget to leave links below. Thanks for watching!

Much love, 

Valia 

Book Spotlight: A Tale Of Two Centuries (My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century #2) by Rachel Harris

     Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

     One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

     With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

From Goodreads.com

     
     Alessandra is a sixteenth-century girl in need of a twenty-first-century adventure. So when the fates hear her plea, she shows up on her cousin's doorstep, ready to experience this other world for herself. Everything about this century is baffling, including the gorgeous surfer Austin. But Alessandra didn't come to sit on the sidelines, she's ready for an adventure. And that's where the real fun beings. 
     Let me just start out by saying I loved everything about this book. While I really enjoyed the first book, I was a little unhappy in the end there. If you know me and my romantic heart, you know why. Going into Less's story, I was a little nervous, I have to admit. But I am happy to report, I was not disappointed. Honestly, I don't think Rachel can disappoint me. I pretty much adore everything she writes. Anyway, off track here. 
     I really enjoyed Alessandra's character in this book. I liked seeing her blossom out of her shell, exploring the different sides of her personality. Her contrast with her cousin Cat is evident, but the dynamics between those two are great. They compliment each other without being too similar and I loved that. 
     Now, the swoon factor in this book is mighty high. I freaking loved Austin.
 I loved how much of him we saw, how much we got to know about who he is. Just like Less, I wanted to hug him to pieces for most of the book. And his possessiveness when it comes to Less? 
Oh my... Okay, I'm done now. 
     Also, I really liked that we saw Cat and her own story brought to light a little bit. I'm glad that she's getting a happy ending as well. I know that happy endings don't always mean finding your Prince Charming, but it doesn't hurt. And although I kind of wish...nope, not going there. You just have to read both books and figure things out for yourself!
     Alessandra's journey is one fun adventure. This book will have you laughing and on the edge of your seat, which to me spells one fun ride. I'm telling you, I'll read anything Rachel writes. Go grab a copy of A Tale Of Two Centuries for yourself and experience the awesome story of sixteenth century sixteen year old girl dealing with twenty-first century problems. 

This book makes me happy
     Happy reading, 

     Valia 

Book Spotlight: Taste Test by Kelly Fiore

     If you can grill it, smoke it, or fry it, Nora Henderson knows all about it. She’s been basting baby back ribs and pulling pork at her father’s barbeque joint since she was tall enough to reach the counter. When she’s accepted to Taste Test, a reality-television teen cooking competition, Nora can’t wait to leave her humble hometown behind, even if it means saying good-bye to her dad and her best friend, Billy. Once she’s on set, run-ins with her high-society roommate and the maddeningly handsome—not to mention talented—son of a famous chef, Christian Van Lorten, mean Nora must work even harder to prove herself. But as mysterious accidents plague the kitchen arena, protecting her heart from one annoyingly charming fellow contestant in particular becomes the least of her concerns. Someone is conducting real-life eliminations, and if Nora doesn’t figure out who, she could be next to get chopped for good. 

With romance and intrigue as delectable as the winning recipes included in the story, this debut novel will be devoured by all.

From Goodreads.com

     Nora is a small town girl with big town dreams. When she's accepted to Taste Test, a reality TV show for teens, she's more than ready to go. Leaving her family and friends behind, she heads to the big city to prove to the world that she's more than just a small town cook. She meets all kinds of interesting- that's a safe word- people, including the rich and handsome Christian. He gets right under her skin. She works hard to prove herself in a world so different from her own. And if that's not hard enough, someone is sabotaging the show. Now, she has more than just who wins to worry about. 
     Guys, I absolutely loved this book. Nora was a really fun character to get to know. I liked seeing her fight her way past the rich and snobby, showing them her true colors. Sure, there were times where I kind of wanted to smack her, just a little. But that is only because I was rooting for her. It's always a sign of a good character when there is emotional reactions from the readers. :)
     Now, Christian was all kinds of swoony. I liked how they were rivals turned acquaintances turned partners. And then some *wink wink* He was a great solid character who made me laugh out loud more than once throughout the book. I really enjoyed his and Nora's relationship. They were adorable together. I also really like that it wasn't love at first sight. There was definite tension, but it was explored throughout the whole book. 
     Overall, this book is a must read. Anyone who enjoys a good story mixed with some delicious recipes will find a win in this book. Not only are the characters engaging, the book is filled with yummy treats for everyone to try. Seriously, I loved this aspect and the fact that I didn't have to guess what goes into any of the dishes. I could just try them myself. Ms Fiore, this book is delectable and I look forward to reading more of your stories. 
     This book hits the shelves August 27th, 2013. Get it, read it, love it!

     Happy reading, 
    
     Valia 

Blog Tour: The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce

Hello lovelies, 

Today I have a special treat for you. Take an inside look at the way of Ms Bryony Pearce's The Weight of Souls!

Road map to The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce

In a group of people I am the go-to person for a pen or piece of paper, because everyone knows I’m a writer, but as my friends are starting to learn, I’ll be the last person to have something.  

 

I often feel like a bit of a failure; as if I am letting the artistic image down.  I feel as if I should always have a pencil poked into my curly hair, a notebook stuffed in my knickers, a bic in my bra.  But I am perhaps a slightly unusual writer in that when I am in the process of percolating a story I take no notes.  I just my brain get on with it, putting the pieces together, until finally I get a bit of a Eureka moment and I know I have something cohesive.

 

When I get that moment, that’s when you’ll find me frantically scrambling for a notebook.

 

The way my story-telling brain works is that I will develop a character first.  They often appear in my head pretty much fully formed.  I know what they look like and what their ‘problem’ is:  I knew that Cassie from Angel’s Fury had been reincarnated, I knew that Taylor from The Weight of Souls saw ghosts, I knew that Kane (from my new work in progress) was able to jump between worlds.  Then these characters live in my brain, occasionally yelling at me, until I can work out the story that needs to be told about them.  That is what I am always seeking inspiration for – the puzzle pieces that form my character’s complete story.

 

When I have the outline of a story ready to go in my head I write down a one page synopsis, then I sit down and complete a chapter by chapter outline.  That’s when you’ll find me doing research and taking notes.  

 

For the Weight of Souls I did several strands of research:

 

1.Background – A refresher course on Egyptian Mythology2.Setting – I had to revisit London to make sure that my memory of the city matched with its current incarnation.  3.Genetics – how Taylor’s family genes could have been altered and the mechanics of passing the curse on from parent to child.4.Crowd Behaviour Theory and the theory of Deindividuation – how the V-club could have such control over its members.5.Chinese gods, ancient religion and naming conventions (much of that did not end up in the final book as I had to remove the prologue which was all about Taylor’s Chinese ancestor, but some of it remains – Oh-Fa mentions the I-Ching and calls Anubis the ‘greatest of the lords of death’ and the name of Taylor’s mother, Emma-Oh, reflects the name of the wrathful Chinese god Yama who, in Japan, became known as Emma (for a more on my naming conventions please go to Sons of Corax -http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/ - on the 5thAugust where I have a whole blog post on how I chose the names of my characters in The Weight of Souls).  

 

I then had to spend time making up some of my own ‘world rules’

 

1.  The ‘rules’ of the ghost’s interactions with the world (for more on that visit Death Books and Tea -http://deathbooksandtea.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-us.html - on 27th July)

2.The ‘rules’ of Taylor’s own curse?3.The ‘rules’ and history of the V-club (for more on that, visit Reading Under the Stars -  http://readingunderthestars.blogspot.co.uk/ -, also on 27th July)4.A bit of extra mythology – how did Anubis end up in the tomb, how can he escape etc.

 

Once I have the whole book plotted out, that’s when I sit down and start writing.  I need to plot properly because I have very little time in the day to write (I have two children) and when I do get some spare time I need to know exactly what has to happen in that chapter and where it needs to go so that I can just get on with it), I also like to do lots of foreshadowing and literary allusion so it is important to me to know what is going to happen later in the book.

 

I don’t know how I compare to other writers in that regard.  Occasionally I am shocked when I speak to my literary friends and discover quite how different we all are.  Steve Feasey (author of the Changeling series) for example, does not plot at all and cannot comprehend the way that I write: it is as mystifying to him as not plotting is to me.  Jon Mayhew (author of The Bonehill Curse and Demon Collector) does plot, but he prefers to write his favourite scenes first, then go back and fill in the parts he is less excited about.  He recently told me that he literally has gaps in his works in progress that say ‘They travel.  Stuff happens.’  I could never do that.  I have to write in a linear way.  

 

So I hope you enjoy The Weight of Souls and this piece of insight into how I write.  

 

If you would like to know more about me or my work, please visit my website www.bryonypearce.co.uk, join the conversation onTwitter @BryonyPearce or like myfacebook page BryonyPearceAuthor.

 

Thank you

Blog Tour: This is W.A.R. by Lisa and Laura Roecker & Giveaway

 

Hello lovelies, Today I have a special treat for you. Here's a little inside look at Lisa and Laura and their own, most famous W.A.R...
It is no secret that as sisters, we waged many wars growing up. We used to place large, plastic spiders on our younger sister Stacey's cheek while she slept. We'd snap a photo and surprise her after developing the film. "Oh my gosh! Look what was on your cheek!" Niiiice. There were torn shirts in high school hallways, diary pages read aloud to the neighborhood, bras and underwear thrown out second story windows. It was all sorts of fun. 
But the most famous sister-wars were the ones where we banded together. In the aftermath, of course. Most memorable was when Lisa and I were fighting over one very large, very heavy cordless phone. Think the length of your forearm, the weight of a small baby, with a long, dangerous antenna that pulled from the top. Well, the phone was thrown at my head and most definitely left a mark. Both on me and the phone. It broke. No dial tone, no charge, no chance of resuscitation. We knew immediately that we were screwed. Cordless phones were expensive! They didn't grow on trees! We were careless and insensitive and ungrateful.  
So instead of playing dumb, lying or being honest, we found the nearest shoe box, said goodby and headed out to the railroad tracks that ran through our neighborhood. And we buried the phone in shallow grave. Our mom would page the phone with a wrinkled forehead, frustrated that no matter how hard we cleaned and searched, we could not unearth the stupid thing. That is, unless you headed out to the railroad tracks with a shovel.  
Lisa and Laura Roecker are sisters-turned-writing-partners with a love of all things Young Adult. Some call it arrested development, but the sisters claim it keeps them young. Plus, its cheaper than Botox. Lisa and Laura live in Cleveland, Ohio in separate residences. Their husbands wouldn't agree to a duplex. THE LIAR SOCIETY is their first novel.
 
This is W.A.R. begins with a victim who can no longer speak for herself, and whose murder blossoms into a call-to-arms. Enter four very different girls, four very different motives to avenge Willa Ames-Rowan, and only one rule to start: Destroy James Gregory and his family at any cost. Willa's initials spell the secret rallying cry that spurs the foursome to pool their considerable resources and deliver their particular brand of vigilante justice. Innocence is lost, battles are won—and the pursuit of the truth ultimately threatens to destroy them all.
To enter the giveaway just click on the banner!  
What do you guys think? Will you be checking out This Is W.A.R.? 
Happy reading, 
Valia 

It's Camp NaNoWriMo & other frivolous undertakings of summer.

Hello lovelies, 

So today is brought to you by hectic list making, non stop outfit rearranging, and trying to stuff a bunch of clothes into one suitcase. Does anyone else out there dislike packing? 
Ok good. It's not just me. 
But the pains of packing do bring with them one awesome truth: it's VACATION TIME!!!!! 

If you follow me on twitter, you know how much I need a vacation. I think my tweets have become complain-y (sorry about that). Anyway, in the midst of all the chaos (because seriously, chaos is the most accurate word describing my room right now) I realized it's July 2nd. Where in the world did June go? 
The main reason why I slightly panicked at the fact that its day two of July is because I'm supposed to be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo. My goal is 50,000 words before the end of the month. Which means I'm supposed to be writing almost 1700 words a day. Oops and double oops. Did I mention the fact that I forgot it was July? 
Seriously though, I'm determined to get this done. The book I'm writing right now is fun and different and I love it to pieces. But with a week long vacation, and all the hectic-ness that comes with summer, how am I going to find time to write? (I'm asked this question way too often). So let me tell you how. 
By writing. 
Amazing concept right? 
I think sometimes we forget that everyone has the same amount of hours in the day. It's all about the way you prioritize. Writing is what I do. It's what I love. So it's a natural extension of my day. 
Makes sense. 
On the other hand, I've read some awesome books lately that I fully recommend adding to your TBR. 

 
Hmm, not exactly sure how I ended up reading cooking books back to back, but now I've got myself a whole list of recipes to try out. I'll be posting full reviews for these books in the next few weeks, but for now all you need to know is that they are amazing and you need to read them. I said so.
Well, I'm off to try and make sense of this mess that currently occupies my bedroom. 
Any exciting plans for July? 
Much love, Valia 

Book Spotlight: The Pirate's Wish (The Assassin's Curse #2) by Cassandra Rose Clark

After setting out to break the curse that binds them together, the pirate Ananna and the assassin Naji find themselves stranded on an enchanted island in the north with nothing but a sword, their wits, and the secret to breaking the curse: complete three impossible tasks. With the help of their friend Marjani and a rather unusual ally, Ananna and Naji make their way south again, seeking what seems to be beyond their reach.

Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must still face the repercussions of going up against the Pirate Confederation. Together, Naji and Ananna must break the curse, escape their enemies — and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction.

From Goodreads.com


     The Pirate's Wish is everything book two should be. When I read an ARC of The Assassin's Curse last year, I wanted (needed) book two right away. And waiting this long, I was nervous on how the story will play itself out, considering this is a duology and there will only be two books. I was not disappointed. 
     The Pirate's Wish picks up where The Assassin's Curse left us begging for more. Ananna and Naji are stranded, trying to survive and figure out how in the world they're supposed to break the curse and complete the three impossible tasks. I really wish everyone has read this book already so I can speak freely and discuss all the fine points of the book, but I'm not a fan of spoilers so I won't do that to you, my dear readers. 
    However, I will talk about Ananna and Naji. Oh, those two. So frustrating. So exciting. The whole time reading this book I had to keep myself from hugging it to throwing it against the wall. Figuratively speaking, of course. I was reading this on my iPad. Either way, Cassandra did a fantastic job with those two. Each  is so developed, unique, and at times broken, that you can't help but cheer them on throughout the book. I loved Ananna as the main character. There was so much that girl had to go through, so much she had to learn about herself and the world around her. And kick some serious butt in the process. On the other side was Naji, who deserved to be kicked a few times, but still is plenty swoon worthy. I liked how he wasn't your typical main boy character. 
     Overall, this book was a great follow up to The Assassin's Curse and I'm sad to see the series end. Cassandra created a world that's full of danger and magic, full of self discovery and real heroism. I highly recommend reading this duology and discovering this world for yourself. 
     The Pirate's Wish is out June 18, 2013! Get it, read it, love it! 

    Happy reading, 

     Valia 

The honeymoon stage.

Voices. There are voices in my head. 
You know, if you tell a non-writer (or non-reader) that there are voices in your head, they'd look at you weird. And then, they'll proceed to run away. But for someone who lives in a world of the imaginary, this is a typical statement. 
Lately, I've had a particular pair of voices hanging out in my brain. And to be honest, I'm quite in love with these two voices because I love love these characters. I love who they are and what they represent.  They're fun, exciting, and new. 
I'm definitely in the honeymoon stage. 

But what do you do once that's over? You continue with the writing and the loving and the working. 
Honestly, I get asked this question A LOT. How do you get over writing block? How do you finish a book? 
Well, the answer is simple: write. 
But at the same time, it's not simple because you need to write. 
The first love stage is exciting. You're figuring out your characters, you're finding what makes them tick. It's like meeting a new person. 
The honeymoon stage is fun. This is where you're having a blast just putting words on paper. Typing and typing away. Then, you hit that wall. I'm at that wall right now. Or I'm getting there. I'm about 20% finished with my new book and now, since it's coming up to that almost halfway point, I really need to start thinking about what I'm writing. And guys, it's work. It's a lot of work. 

When I'm at this stage, there are a few things that help me through:

1. Remind yourself why you love writing - I think oftentimes, when writing becomes work, we forget that we're doing this because we love it. Well, at least that's why I do it. And becoming successful in doing what you love, you have to work. However, once you remind yourself that you actually love the end result, the work won't be so much work. 

2. Take a break - as in walk away. I forget to do this, which may sound funny to you. There are times when I'm so focused on making myself write this or that, I forget that if I walk away for a few minutes, I can come back with a new perspective. This happens every time I walk away so I'm not sure why I keep forgetting it. 

3. Spend time outside - I know this one can go under walking away, but now that it's summer, I think we as writers forget that there is sunshine our body needs. So, go outside. Go sit in the sun (in a moderate amount), swim in a pool, play with your dog. Basically, go get some vitamin D. Seriously, you need it. 

4. Remember, you are not alone - there are writers everywhere that are in the same boat as you. Sometimes, the greatest encouragement is talking to someone who understands exactly who you are and what you do. Yesterday, I spent some time with two such authors and let me tell  you, it was the greatest encouragement. I'm all fired up now!

Nothing I've said here is new to anyone, but I feel like sometimes we need the reminder. At least I do. So hold on to that honeymoon feeling and keep on writing! 

Much love, 

Valia 

PS What are some things you do when you feel bummed about your writing? Share below. 

Giveaway. Giveaway time.

Hello lovelies,

As you can tell by the super clever title of this blog post, I have a giveaway for you! I know, it's about time. Really. I also know that I haven't been keeping you as updated on the ways of my life, so since I'm offering up some goodies, please forgive me? :)
Now, before I show you the awesome, let's do some quick updates.
1. If you haven't seen it yet, I've finally opened up the Etsy shop everyone's been asking about. There's only a few things in it for now, but I'll continue to add to it. I'd love for you guys to check it out. What do you think? https://www.etsy.com/shop/StainedFingertips 

2. Speaking of projects, here's a glimpse into the new SmashBook I've started. I'm going for elegence and fun.

3. The new WIP is still coming along nicely. I'm trying something new and having a blast with it. Can't wait to share it with you. For now though, all you get is this picture. Aren't you curious? :)



4. And after we talk about writing, we need to talk about music. Here are a few songs that've been stuck in my head lately. Any songs  you've been obsessed with lately? 



5. And to wrap this up, here's a few books I've read lately that I've really enjoyed. 


  

What are you reading? :) 
Now, you ready for the giveaway? Did you even read the updates or were you too excited? Who can blame you, this giveaway is awesome.
Okay, okay. I'll stop with the teasing.
First of all, you guys remember how much I enjoy Jennifer Archer's writing? Well, the lovely lady has a new book out, Shadow Girl, and I have a signed copy just for you!
If you guys haven't read the amazing Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins yet, or The Collector by Victoria Scott, you get an ebook of that.
Basically, follow me and spread the word!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks lovelies for all your love and support! Now go and enter!

Hugs,

Valia

Second Book Syndrome

So I've been trying to catch up on some reading lately. My TBR pile is seriously taken over my life, so it's a work in progress. But there is something that I've noticed in recent books that I kind of wanted to discuss here. 

Relationships in sequels. 

Here's a thing I've noticed. I like first books. The fresh perspective. That first discovery of the characters and the world they live in. I especially love the struggle that the two main characters go through when it comes to discovering who they are together. You know what I'm talking about. That chemistry, that spark that ignites, the woes of the "can we be together?" When it's done right that is. I'm not big on the whole insta-love aspect, I really don't think that's plausible, so forgive me for the skepticism. I love it when the characters develop as individuals before they become anything close to being a couple. 
There are a few examples of this that I really love. If you've been following me for any length of time, I'm sure you've seen me freak out over these books before. 

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett. You remember my love for this book right? One of the huge aspects of that was the fun and realistic development of the characters. It was about discovering who they are, and becoming better versions of themselves. There's just so much here, I don't even know what to say. Just read it people, if you haven't already. I can't wait to see what happens in book two. 

Another good example of this type of relationship is Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins. I loved this book to pieces and I loved Anna and Kaidan's relationship. I enjoyed how honest they were with each other, the obstacles they have to go through every step of the way. And when the book ended, you still have no idea what is going on between those two. 

The Assassin's Curse duology is a great example of focusing on the story versus the romance aspect of it. I've actually read book two already and there's just so much I want to say about it! Must restrain myself! The relationship between Ananna and Naji was fun and real. Never could they ever imagine the journey that they must take and it's one great adventure. 

Now, minus the Assassin's Curse, I haven't read the second books in the other series. And here's where the fear comes in. Sometimes when characters get together, the tension and excitement falls off. I've noticed this in a lot of the second books I've been reading. Honestly, I don't see this happening with these books and I think mainly it is because the relationships are not the typical ones we've grown so used to. Serious kuddos to Mindee, Wendy, and Cassandra that's for sure! 

So what do you think? Do you have the same "second book" fear when it comes to books? 

Happy reading, 

Valia