Kelly Hashway's Blog, page 118
February 13, 2012
Monday Mishmash 2/13/12
Happy Monday! Here's what's on my mind today:
Valentine's Day I'm not big on this holiday, but for those who are, I hope you enjoy the day!YA Bound In addition to this blog, I've joined the amazing team of ladies over at YA Bound. If you love YA novels, you need to follow this blog. You can find it here or in my sidebar. Book Signing I'm heading back to the Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort on Sunday for another signing. I love them over there.Night Owl I've been staying up late at night to write, and I'm still getting up at 6AM. I'm wondering how long this will last before I completely crash.Computer issues I almost lost all my edits for the second book in the TOUCH OF DEATH trilogy because Word crashed and corrupted my file. I managed to recover the file and backed it up in three different place. *big sigh of relief*That's it for me. What's on your mind today?
Valentine's Day I'm not big on this holiday, but for those who are, I hope you enjoy the day!YA Bound In addition to this blog, I've joined the amazing team of ladies over at YA Bound. If you love YA novels, you need to follow this blog. You can find it here or in my sidebar. Book Signing I'm heading back to the Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort on Sunday for another signing. I love them over there.Night Owl I've been staying up late at night to write, and I'm still getting up at 6AM. I'm wondering how long this will last before I completely crash.Computer issues I almost lost all my edits for the second book in the TOUCH OF DEATH trilogy because Word crashed and corrupted my file. I managed to recover the file and backed it up in three different place. *big sigh of relief*That's it for me. What's on your mind today?
February 10, 2012
Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
Synopsis:
The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.
My thoughts:
After reading Hush, Hush and Crescendo, I fell in love with Nora and Patch. Their path has been nothing but difficult, yet they always find each other in the end. In Silence, Nora has had her memory erased, going back as far as five months, so she doesn't remember Patch. She sees glimpses of black and when she comes face to face with Patch again, she knows they have some sort of connection. But they have to pretty much start over as Nora regains her memories. And now the Black Hand, an enemy to both Nora and Patch is after them.
I loved Crescendo. It ended on a cliffhanger that made me crave Silence. The amnesia in the beginning of the book was really kind of perfect. At first I admit I thought, No way. She has to remember Patch. But really this string of events fit the story perfectly. As Nora regains her memory and has her mind blown by the things she learns, I was right there with her in awe. And the love between Nora and Patch is stronger than ever. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the Hush, Hush series.
Just for fun: What would you do if you lost five months' worth of memories? Would you track down answers like Nora, no matter how dangerous that would be?
February 8, 2012
Night Sky by Jolene Perry
Synopsis
After losing Sarah, the friend he's loved, to some other guy, Jameson meets Sky. Her Native American roots, fluid movements, and need for brutal honesty become addictive fast. This is good. Jameson needs distraction - his dad leaves for another woman, his mom's walking around like a zombie, and Sarah's new boyfriend can't keep his hands off her.
As he spends time with Sky and learns about her village, her totems, and her friends with drums - she's way more than a distraction. Jameson's falling for her fast.
But Sky's need for honesty somehow doesn't extend to her life story - and Jameson just may need more than his new girl to keep him distracted from the disaster of his senior year.
Opening line:
I push my way through what suddenly feels like masses of dancing couples, out the heavy doors of the school, and stop.
Jolene's favorite line:
Now that they're both in view, the problem is clear. Girl I've loved, girl I'm falling for. Let's meet in my driveway and see if we can give Jameson his first heart attack. Jolene's totally cheating here, but these lines are awesome, so I'm allowing it. :)
If you could be any character from the story, who would you be?
Kaylee - she's a minor character, but everyone else has too much drama. ;-D Though, part of me would like to be Sky 'cause I think she's a pretty sexy girl.
Where can we purchase a copy of Night Sky on March 1st?
It'll be available in a ton of places, but the easiest way to learn where to buy it is at the publisher's website. http://www.tribute-books.com/
Where can readers find you on the web?
www.jolenebperry.com
www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/#!/JoleneBPerry
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4944599.Jolene_B_Perry
Just for fun: I love Jolene's favorite line, probably because I can relate to having a past love and a new one in the same place. So I have to ask, have you ever found yourself in that situation with a love lost and a new love?[image error]
February 6, 2012
Monday Mishmash 2/6/12
Happy Monday! Here's what's on my mind today:
Touch of Death edits I got my editorial letter last week, so I'm deep in edits right now. The good news is I'm enjoying it. No tears... at least not yet. Newsletter My free monthly newsletter goes out later today. If you aren't signed up to receive it but would like to, you can sign up here.Writing without nap time Last week I mentioned my daughter gave up naps. I now have her trained to give me one hour of quiet time each afternoon to write while she does puzzles, reads, etc. Love her!Kindergarten Sign ups are this month. Parent/teacher conferences went well, so we move on to the kindergarten evaluation.Presidents' Day Week I have two book signings, a school visit, and my daughter's birthday party planned for Presidents' Day Week. (Wow, that's weird to say.) One more week until the craziness begins.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
Touch of Death edits I got my editorial letter last week, so I'm deep in edits right now. The good news is I'm enjoying it. No tears... at least not yet. Newsletter My free monthly newsletter goes out later today. If you aren't signed up to receive it but would like to, you can sign up here.Writing without nap time Last week I mentioned my daughter gave up naps. I now have her trained to give me one hour of quiet time each afternoon to write while she does puzzles, reads, etc. Love her!Kindergarten Sign ups are this month. Parent/teacher conferences went well, so we move on to the kindergarten evaluation.Presidents' Day Week I have two book signings, a school visit, and my daughter's birthday party planned for Presidents' Day Week. (Wow, that's weird to say.) One more week until the craziness begins.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
February 3, 2012
Fitting the Pieces Together
First, we have a winner in my cover reveal and 200 follower giveaway. Congrats, Sheri Larsen! You won! Email me your mailing address and I'll get your three choices out to you.
Onto today's topic of fitting the pieces together. The more I write, the more I change the way I write. I've written novels from start to finish. I've written the ending before the rest of the story. I've even stopped halfway through to go back and add five chapters of subplot throughout. What I never thought I'd do is write whatever scene came to mind and piece them together later.
But now I do. If I get a certain scene in my head, I enter down on my manuscript and type away. Then I go back to where I was and pick up again. With my latest WIP, I had four different scenes written ahead of time, and I moved them around to where I needed them as I wrote. Was it a little crazy? Yes. But I think the scenes would have lost something if I didn't write them when they came to me. And to be honest, piecing the scenes together like a puzzle is kind of fun.
If you've never tried it, I challenge you to let yourself do it. I said I'd never do it, but here I am.
Can you write out of order?[image error]
Onto today's topic of fitting the pieces together. The more I write, the more I change the way I write. I've written novels from start to finish. I've written the ending before the rest of the story. I've even stopped halfway through to go back and add five chapters of subplot throughout. What I never thought I'd do is write whatever scene came to mind and piece them together later.
But now I do. If I get a certain scene in my head, I enter down on my manuscript and type away. Then I go back to where I was and pick up again. With my latest WIP, I had four different scenes written ahead of time, and I moved them around to where I needed them as I wrote. Was it a little crazy? Yes. But I think the scenes would have lost something if I didn't write them when they came to me. And to be honest, piecing the scenes together like a puzzle is kind of fun.
If you've never tried it, I challenge you to let yourself do it. I said I'd never do it, but here I am.
Can you write out of order?[image error]
February 1, 2012
Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe (Review)
Synopsis:
It's the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind-part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven. As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez's newfound power rockets out of control, it's a Narcolym who could change her fate...if she can trust him. Dez's guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.
My thoughts:
Between the gorgeous cover, the great story line, and the fact that Trisha is one of my agency sisters, I knew I had to read this book. But... I had no clue it was going to become one of my favorite reads in a long time. Seriously. I loved this book. I couldn't put it down. Dez is a kick butt character who has her flaws. She can take on any guy in a fight, which is just awesome, but she's also extremely caring. She's very real and her emotions are raw. I got so wrapped up in her relationships with Jace and Reese and couldn't wait to see how the story would play out. The action scenes are intense, and I had to keep reading to see what would happen next. Add in Trisha's flawless writing and this book is definitely one I'll be reading again.
If you haven't bought this book already, go get it now! Seriously! Go!
Just for fun: Ladies, would you want to be more powerful than any guy, even the one you're dating? And, guys, would you be okay dating a girl who was more powerful than you?[image error]
January 30, 2012
Monday Mishmash 1/30/12
Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts today:
Thank you! A huge thank you to everyone who hosted the cover reveal for TOUCH OF DEATH, commented on one of the blog posts, and/or added my book to your Goodreads shelf. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your support.No more naps My daughter is growing out of her naps. This is good because she can't nap in kindergarten next year, but it's bad because I lose 2 hours of writing time. Looks like I'll be learning to write more at night.Giveaway Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It ends Thursday at 11:59pm. Sorry that it's only open to US. I will do an international giveaway soon.Dancing My daughter and I have been in dance mode lately. Dancing is great for getting the creative juices flowing.Spencer Hill Press Giveaway If you missed the SHP giveaway, there's still time to enter. Great books are up for grabs.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
Thank you! A huge thank you to everyone who hosted the cover reveal for TOUCH OF DEATH, commented on one of the blog posts, and/or added my book to your Goodreads shelf. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of your support.No more naps My daughter is growing out of her naps. This is good because she can't nap in kindergarten next year, but it's bad because I lose 2 hours of writing time. Looks like I'll be learning to write more at night.Giveaway Don't forget to enter my giveaway. It ends Thursday at 11:59pm. Sorry that it's only open to US. I will do an international giveaway soon.Dancing My daughter and I have been in dance mode lately. Dancing is great for getting the creative juices flowing.Spencer Hill Press Giveaway If you missed the SHP giveaway, there's still time to enter. Great books are up for grabs.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?[image error]
January 27, 2012
Cover Reveal And Giveaway
It's here! The cover of TOUCH OF DEATH! I'm in love with it, but I want to hear what you think.
And here's the official synopsis:
Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.
Yay! And as promised, I'm giving away multiple YA books in honor of reaching 200 followers. One winner (US only. Sorry!) will win their choice of 3 YA books from the following.
(Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, The Heist Society, The Last Little Blue Envelope, Fade, Raised by Wolves, Get Well Soon, Cloaked, Tenth Grade Bleeds, The Poison Eaters, Leap Day)
Simply fill out the rafflecopter form below and check back next Friday (2/3/12) to see if you've won! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.
And here's the official synopsis:
Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.
Yay! And as promised, I'm giving away multiple YA books in honor of reaching 200 followers. One winner (US only. Sorry!) will win their choice of 3 YA books from the following.
(Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, The Heist Society, The Last Little Blue Envelope, Fade, Raised by Wolves, Get Well Soon, Cloaked, Tenth Grade Bleeds, The Poison Eaters, Leap Day)
Simply fill out the rafflecopter form below and check back next Friday (2/3/12) to see if you've won! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.
January 25, 2012
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Synopsis:
They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.
My thoughts:
This was one of those books that when I read the synopsis, I thought, Why didn't I think of that? It's such a great concept. In a world where people are turned off from their emotions, Lena is overcome by them. At first she looks forward to the cure, to not ending up diseased by love like her mother was. But as she unravels the truth about the world she lives in and Alex shows her what love really is, she questions the life she's always known.
Who knew a book about people turning off their emotions could make you feel so much? Oliver really delivers with this book, and I'm looking forward to diving into Pandemonium soon!
Just for fun: If you could be cured of the heartache that can happen as a result of love lost, would you do it, knowing you'd never love again?
January 23, 2012
Rebel Writer's Pledge 2012
Yes, I know it's Monday and it's mishmash time, but I'm participating in the Rebel Writer's Pledge 2012 blog hop (hosted by the amazing Sheri Larsen), which is today. So no mishmash this week. It will be back next week though, so don't worry.
[image error]
The Pledge is all about setting goals that we as writers have control over. So here are mine:
Write three manuscripts in 2012. (I did this in 2011, so I know it's doable.)Read and review more current YA books. (My attempt to stay on top of my TBR pile)Write a novel that's completely outside my comfort zone. *This is the big one for me. I want to write a YA contemporary and I'm nervously excited!*I'm keeping it to three since I want to make sure I achieve these goals. I'm holding myself accountable and now you can too because I've shared my goals with all of you.
Your turn. What goal or goals will you hold yourself accountable for this year?[image error]
[image error]
The Pledge is all about setting goals that we as writers have control over. So here are mine:
Write three manuscripts in 2012. (I did this in 2011, so I know it's doable.)Read and review more current YA books. (My attempt to stay on top of my TBR pile)Write a novel that's completely outside my comfort zone. *This is the big one for me. I want to write a YA contemporary and I'm nervously excited!*I'm keeping it to three since I want to make sure I achieve these goals. I'm holding myself accountable and now you can too because I've shared my goals with all of you.
Your turn. What goal or goals will you hold yourself accountable for this year?[image error]
