Amanda Bonilla's Blog, page 5
November 9, 2011
Rabid Fangirl Reviews ARC of Third Grave Dead Ahead and Does What She Does Best: Talks.
Or: Cassy shares her review of Darynda Jones, Third Grave Dead Ahead
Me: I won? I won!! Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!!! *SQUEEEEEEEEE* (almost pass out) *SQUEEEEEE* (jump up and down hugging my husband, *squeeee* some more)Husband: (Can't help himself, he too is bouncing, smiling and hugging me back) What did you win?Me: One of Darynda Jones' ARCs!!Husband: (No longer bouncing) So… you won a book?Me: Not just a book, an Advanced Reading Copy of Third Grave Dead Ahead.Husband: I thought you won the lottery.Me: This is even better!!Husband: Hmmmm…*sigh* He will never understand.
I was really, really bummed at the end of Second Grave. Charley and Reyes were separated and Reyes was so angry with Charley and didn't want to see her. I wanted to lay down right next to her and have a good cry!!! Amanda reassures me often that these unfinished endings HAVE to happen so that the story can continue. You can't very well have a series if you tie up all the loose ends. I Facebooked Darynda anyway, and told her she was on my sh*t list. In my defense, I was quite nice about it and she quickly messaged me back with smiley faces and reassuring words. The same evening, while I was making dinner, Amanda called me. I answered. "Hey lady!" (caller ID, of course) and she says, loudly and without a hello, "You are the only person I know that would tell an award winning author she's on you sh*t list!" "Uh-oh, is that bad? Should I have not done that?" "No, are you kidding me? I can't wait till a reader tells me I'm on their sh*t list!"
Sooooo….I was really looking forward to January and some, dare I say, redemption. You have probably already guessed though, since I won the ARC, that I did NOT have to wait (it's really not my strong suit anyway). The problem with reading a book three months before anyone else is that you can't talk to anyone about it. Thank goodness Amanda and I are friends, I read the book then sent it down the road to her with strict orders to stop anything else she might be doing and read!! I had to talk to someone! Four different times Amanda said "I can't believe _________!" And I'd say "He/she/it/they didn't!! Keep reading!! Then call me back!!" Every time you think you know what's going to happen-*BZZZZ*, you're WRONG!! Ha!! I love Charley! Love, Love, Love Her! While I was reading Third Grave, the phone rang a coupla times and I had to answer it (it makes me feel like I'm still being productive, I guess) and I had to use some of Charley's lines. (It should probably worry me that they were so easily transferred over into my reality… but it doesn't.) She's got great lines and her snarkiness is at an all time high in this third installment of the series. At one point in the story (and this I promise will be my only almost spoiler) Charley wakes up from being unconscious and Cookie is holding her hand and she thinks to herself –That's silly, Cookie and I rarely hold hands in public. There is so much to love in this book. We know the characters, it's comfortable and fun and flows so well. Reyes has tons of face time in this book and let's be honest, that's what we all want now, isn't it? Darynda shows sides of Reyes in this book that make me feel all warm and tingly and I'm not talking about s-e-x, but now that I've mentioned it, that makes me all warm and tingly as well! We get to see lots of Ubie and Swopes (Oh, Swopes!) Cookie is huge and Rocket has me feeling a little uneasy, I must say! There was a great scene with a bunch of biker dudes *sigh* and Holy Shnikes wait till you meet Mistress Marigold!! She actually made me nervous in the second book--I was feelin' all, Charley don't do it, don't contact her!!! And then we meet her and Wow-not what I was anticipating! There is something that Mistress Marigold says about the connection between Reyes *swoon* and Charley that's really got me thinking. Amanda and I have talked about it and I can't wait for the book to come out so I can hear what the rest of Charley's followers think. Man o' man, Darynda Jones has really outdone herself! I know that she wrote this book really fast and was a little nervous about it, (Facebook, again) but I really think her books just keep getting better and better. I can't wait till January 31st, I'm sooo stinkin' excited for all of Charley's fans and for Darynda!! Uhhh…I just realized I wrote this with the idea you're already a fan. Amanda has mentioned this series like a hundred times, so really you ought to be! Everybody mark your calendars and if you have yet to meet Charley and the gang: The first book is First Grave on the Right and the second book is Second Grave on the Left. Both books are fabulous, but wait till you get your hands on Third Grave Dead Ahead!
-Cassy
Me: I won? I won!! Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!!! *SQUEEEEEEEEE* (almost pass out) *SQUEEEEEE* (jump up and down hugging my husband, *squeeee* some more)Husband: (Can't help himself, he too is bouncing, smiling and hugging me back) What did you win?Me: One of Darynda Jones' ARCs!!Husband: (No longer bouncing) So… you won a book?Me: Not just a book, an Advanced Reading Copy of Third Grave Dead Ahead.Husband: I thought you won the lottery.Me: This is even better!!Husband: Hmmmm…*sigh* He will never understand.
I was really, really bummed at the end of Second Grave. Charley and Reyes were separated and Reyes was so angry with Charley and didn't want to see her. I wanted to lay down right next to her and have a good cry!!! Amanda reassures me often that these unfinished endings HAVE to happen so that the story can continue. You can't very well have a series if you tie up all the loose ends. I Facebooked Darynda anyway, and told her she was on my sh*t list. In my defense, I was quite nice about it and she quickly messaged me back with smiley faces and reassuring words. The same evening, while I was making dinner, Amanda called me. I answered. "Hey lady!" (caller ID, of course) and she says, loudly and without a hello, "You are the only person I know that would tell an award winning author she's on you sh*t list!" "Uh-oh, is that bad? Should I have not done that?" "No, are you kidding me? I can't wait till a reader tells me I'm on their sh*t list!"
Sooooo….I was really looking forward to January and some, dare I say, redemption. You have probably already guessed though, since I won the ARC, that I did NOT have to wait (it's really not my strong suit anyway). The problem with reading a book three months before anyone else is that you can't talk to anyone about it. Thank goodness Amanda and I are friends, I read the book then sent it down the road to her with strict orders to stop anything else she might be doing and read!! I had to talk to someone! Four different times Amanda said "I can't believe _________!" And I'd say "He/she/it/they didn't!! Keep reading!! Then call me back!!" Every time you think you know what's going to happen-*BZZZZ*, you're WRONG!! Ha!! I love Charley! Love, Love, Love Her! While I was reading Third Grave, the phone rang a coupla times and I had to answer it (it makes me feel like I'm still being productive, I guess) and I had to use some of Charley's lines. (It should probably worry me that they were so easily transferred over into my reality… but it doesn't.) She's got great lines and her snarkiness is at an all time high in this third installment of the series. At one point in the story (and this I promise will be my only almost spoiler) Charley wakes up from being unconscious and Cookie is holding her hand and she thinks to herself –That's silly, Cookie and I rarely hold hands in public. There is so much to love in this book. We know the characters, it's comfortable and fun and flows so well. Reyes has tons of face time in this book and let's be honest, that's what we all want now, isn't it? Darynda shows sides of Reyes in this book that make me feel all warm and tingly and I'm not talking about s-e-x, but now that I've mentioned it, that makes me all warm and tingly as well! We get to see lots of Ubie and Swopes (Oh, Swopes!) Cookie is huge and Rocket has me feeling a little uneasy, I must say! There was a great scene with a bunch of biker dudes *sigh* and Holy Shnikes wait till you meet Mistress Marigold!! She actually made me nervous in the second book--I was feelin' all, Charley don't do it, don't contact her!!! And then we meet her and Wow-not what I was anticipating! There is something that Mistress Marigold says about the connection between Reyes *swoon* and Charley that's really got me thinking. Amanda and I have talked about it and I can't wait for the book to come out so I can hear what the rest of Charley's followers think. Man o' man, Darynda Jones has really outdone herself! I know that she wrote this book really fast and was a little nervous about it, (Facebook, again) but I really think her books just keep getting better and better. I can't wait till January 31st, I'm sooo stinkin' excited for all of Charley's fans and for Darynda!! Uhhh…I just realized I wrote this with the idea you're already a fan. Amanda has mentioned this series like a hundred times, so really you ought to be! Everybody mark your calendars and if you have yet to meet Charley and the gang: The first book is First Grave on the Right and the second book is Second Grave on the Left. Both books are fabulous, but wait till you get your hands on Third Grave Dead Ahead!
-Cassy
November 2, 2011
Say Hi to Cassy!
It's happening. My brain is slowly turning to mush. I'm forgetful. Scattered. Trying desperately to schedule myself before I lose control completely. November is going to be like running the gauntlet for me and to top it all off, my head feels like it's 3 times too big and filled with helium. I'm popping zinc lozenges like they're candy. Damn it, I will NOT get sick! But swooping in to help save my sanity is my friend Cassy. She'll be guest blogging here from time to time. She's an avid reader and not afraid to speak her mind.. And she's pretty kick-ass. So, without further ado, let me introduce you:
Hi, my name is Cassy. *curtseys* Most people know me by my smile and the decibel at which I speak. Since you can't actually hear or see me you'll probably know me by the number of exclamation points, asterisks and parentheses I use. I'm a stay at home mom to two small girls and the wife of a very hardworking man which means I gotta be a hardworking woman (most days). If I ever had a boss that worked me as hard as my family does, I'd quit!! There is no way I'd be getting paid enough!My best friend is a writer. You may know her, Amanda Bonilla? She writes an awesome sex scene!! Even though that should probably be an awkward sentence for me to write--it isn't. She also writes an awesome fight scene. Don't let that fool you, I could still take her! Anyhooo…she's the reason I'm here…or…maybe the reason I'm here is because her debut book is about to be released and she's teetering on the precipice of stardom (or insanity) and has too many blog posts to write (for her blog tour). So instead of letting her own blog flounder she's letting me be her guest blogger (and thus I'm questioning her sanity). I'm not a writer. I'm a reader! BTW: that's my disclaimer. I thought I'd start by telling you a little about myself (because I haven't already) and since I always enjoy it when people tell me random things about themselves in lists (Hi Tracey!) that is what I'm gonna do for you!!· Someday I want to live in a yurt.· I have a ten year old Pug named Vinny. · I have three sisters and we all sound alike when we laugh.· I wish I was a runner.· I use the word "dude" a lot.· I've tried to quit.· I hate scary movies. · I wish I could wear cute hats all the time.· I've got a big head and they look weird so I never wear hats.· I like hot tea, clean sheets and snuggling.· I listen to country music and classic rock.· I love painted toenails but hate painted fingernails. · I don't like it when my husband calls me by my name.· I'm a morning person.· My favorite show is Castle.· I clap my hands and jump up and down when I watch it.· I'm a Capricorn.· Paranormal Romance/Urban fantasy books are my drug of choice.· I believe the Twilight series to be a gateway drug.· I didn't know I was a geek until I saw Nathan Fillion (Castle) in an interview and he was being referred to as the "King of Geeks".· I'm OK with that.
Hi, my name is Cassy. *curtseys* Most people know me by my smile and the decibel at which I speak. Since you can't actually hear or see me you'll probably know me by the number of exclamation points, asterisks and parentheses I use. I'm a stay at home mom to two small girls and the wife of a very hardworking man which means I gotta be a hardworking woman (most days). If I ever had a boss that worked me as hard as my family does, I'd quit!! There is no way I'd be getting paid enough!My best friend is a writer. You may know her, Amanda Bonilla? She writes an awesome sex scene!! Even though that should probably be an awkward sentence for me to write--it isn't. She also writes an awesome fight scene. Don't let that fool you, I could still take her! Anyhooo…she's the reason I'm here…or…maybe the reason I'm here is because her debut book is about to be released and she's teetering on the precipice of stardom (or insanity) and has too many blog posts to write (for her blog tour). So instead of letting her own blog flounder she's letting me be her guest blogger (and thus I'm questioning her sanity). I'm not a writer. I'm a reader! BTW: that's my disclaimer. I thought I'd start by telling you a little about myself (because I haven't already) and since I always enjoy it when people tell me random things about themselves in lists (Hi Tracey!) that is what I'm gonna do for you!!· Someday I want to live in a yurt.· I have a ten year old Pug named Vinny. · I have three sisters and we all sound alike when we laugh.· I wish I was a runner.· I use the word "dude" a lot.· I've tried to quit.· I hate scary movies. · I wish I could wear cute hats all the time.· I've got a big head and they look weird so I never wear hats.· I like hot tea, clean sheets and snuggling.· I listen to country music and classic rock.· I love painted toenails but hate painted fingernails. · I don't like it when my husband calls me by my name.· I'm a morning person.· My favorite show is Castle.· I clap my hands and jump up and down when I watch it.· I'm a Capricorn.· Paranormal Romance/Urban fantasy books are my drug of choice.· I believe the Twilight series to be a gateway drug.· I didn't know I was a geek until I saw Nathan Fillion (Castle) in an interview and he was being referred to as the "King of Geeks".· I'm OK with that.
October 30, 2011
Spooky Legends Blogfest
Pop on over to Dark Faerie Tales today where Darian is telling the story of Idaho's Jack the Ripper. Leave a comment and enter to win a signed ARC of SHAEDES OF GRAY! Hope to see you there!
October 26, 2011
Putting My Ducks in a Row
Last week I blogged at Magic and Mayhem about how a book release is like the ninth month of pregnancy. Between now and the first of the year, I'm going to be hustling about like a nesting mother-to-be. I'm busy in a way that I never thought I would be, and I'm loving every minute of it. But it also means that blogging here, even one day a week, might be too much for a month or so. I have 20 or so blog posts/interviews to finish for my blog tour, the outline for book 3 is due in November, I'll be working on edits for book 2, and I have a novella due by the end of December. Plus, I have to keep plugging along on a zero draft for book 3. Oh, and did I mention Shaedes of Gray will be releasing in less than 45 days?!?!
I'm really proud of how I've stuck to my schedule this summer/fall. I've blogged twice a week (once here and once at Magic and Mayhem). I've maintained my FB page and Twitter, though I have to say, I'm not the most brilliant or witty of tweeters. I'm starting to realize, though, that I need to back off a bit and get some work done. I won't be gone, though. I'll still be blogging here and there, and my blog tour kicks off in mid-November. And I'm going to have guest bloggers! Yep, you heard me. ;) My friend Cassy is going to be popping in now and again with book reviews and whatnot. I'll be posting a little hello snippet from her next week.
Have you kept to a blogging schedule lately? What works for you? What doesn't?
I'm really proud of how I've stuck to my schedule this summer/fall. I've blogged twice a week (once here and once at Magic and Mayhem). I've maintained my FB page and Twitter, though I have to say, I'm not the most brilliant or witty of tweeters. I'm starting to realize, though, that I need to back off a bit and get some work done. I won't be gone, though. I'll still be blogging here and there, and my blog tour kicks off in mid-November. And I'm going to have guest bloggers! Yep, you heard me. ;) My friend Cassy is going to be popping in now and again with book reviews and whatnot. I'll be posting a little hello snippet from her next week.
Have you kept to a blogging schedule lately? What works for you? What doesn't?
October 25, 2011
Happy Book Birthday to Sandy Williams!
THE SHADOW READER hit shelves today! I can't say enough about how wonderful this book is. Full of action, suspense, danger, and a fair share of romance, this is a must read for any urban fantasy lover! Go forth and get your copy! You won't be dissapointed.
There can only be one allegiance. It's her time to choose.
Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.
A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn't her only secret. For just as long, she's been in love with Kyol, the king's sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.
But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she's captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.
There can only be one allegiance. It's her time to choose. Some humans can see the fae. McKenzie Lewis can track them, reading the shadows they leave behind. But some shadows lead to danger. Others lead to lies.
A Houston college student trying to finish her degree, McKenzie has been working for the fae king for years, tracking vicious rebels who would claim the Realm. Her job isn't her only secret. For just as long, she's been in love with Kyol, the king's sword-master—and relationships between humans and fae are forbidden.
But any hope for a normal life is shattered when she's captured by Aren, the fierce and uncompromising rebel leader. He teaches her the forbidden fae language and tells her dark truths about the Court, all to persuade her to turn against the king. Time is running out, and as the fight starts to claim human lives, McKenzie has no choice but to decide once and for all whom to trust and where she ultimately stands in the face of a cataclysmic civil war.
October 19, 2011
ARC Giveaway and Blog Tour Info
I'm giving away an ARC of SHAEDES OF GRAY over at Magic and Mayhem this week! Stop by and leave a comment until October 25th to be entered to win.
Also, I've added a Blog Tour information tab with a list of dates and locations for my blog tour. I'll be giving away books and cool swag. I hope to see you at one of my stops! My blog roll has grown considerably over the last year, and it's crammed full of great sites dedicated to reviewing books and spreading the love of reading. There's nothing better than the enthusiasm that comes from a great review or much anticipated news from your favorite author. I get most of my book and publishing news from blogs. I'm a total fan girl and I can't wait to be a guest on some of my favorite blogs!
Also, I've added a Blog Tour information tab with a list of dates and locations for my blog tour. I'll be giving away books and cool swag. I hope to see you at one of my stops! My blog roll has grown considerably over the last year, and it's crammed full of great sites dedicated to reviewing books and spreading the love of reading. There's nothing better than the enthusiasm that comes from a great review or much anticipated news from your favorite author. I get most of my book and publishing news from blogs. I'm a total fan girl and I can't wait to be a guest on some of my favorite blogs!
October 17, 2011
Pots n' Pens
I'm a guest over at Pots 'n Pens this morning, discussing food and fiction. If you get a chance, stop by!
October 12, 2011
Winter Prep
For the first time in 8 weeks I don't have a post prepared. It's busy around here. Soccer just wrapped up for the season. I'm up to my eyeballs in peppers, carrots, peaches, and tomatoes. Today I'll be freezing, canning, and generally getting prepped for winter. And when you live in the mountains, you know that snow can come and stick anytime after October 15th. How about you? Are you prepping for winter? Or do you get a break before the winter storms hit?
October 5, 2011
The Zero Draft
I learned something over the course of writing my Shaedes World novella last month. It's really important to just spit the story out. I have a tendency to over-analyze every word. To go back and change sentences or paragraphs before moving on with the story. But when I wrote the novella, I set a goal for myself: finish the zero draft in 30 days. And I wasn't about to not meet my goal.
I have friends who can crank out a zero draft in no time at all. And I found out that the best way to finish a story quickly is to allow yourself to skip over minor details. Whereas I might usually suffer over a name choice for thirty minutes or longer, this time I just typed [name]. Or if I needed to research another language to make sure my word choice was correct I would type the word in English and type [Armenian] or [Gaelic] next to the word. I didn't sweat the small stuff. If I wrote a couple of pages of dialog that didn't sound quite right, I would add a comment bubble in the margin that read: "This doesn't sound quite right. He's more...(add character traits) go back and fix later."
By allowing myself to skip over the fine details, I sped up my writing and finished on time. I didn't have to sacrifice anything to the time frame I set. I still wrote in a linear fashion, I was able to keep to my rough outline, and I busted out the word count, which in this case, was only 1.5k words a day.
Since finishing the zero draft, I haven't even opened the document to take another look. It's not due to my editor until the end of December, so I have plenty of time to go back, fine tune, and fill in the blanks. I won't have to rush. By spitting out the zero draft, I've given myself more time to focus on the third book in the Shaede Assassin series. A book that I'm planning to finish ahead of schedule so I can work on some non-Shaede related projects.
How do you write that zero draft? Do you turn off your internal editor and run with it? Or do you go back and edit as you write?
I have friends who can crank out a zero draft in no time at all. And I found out that the best way to finish a story quickly is to allow yourself to skip over minor details. Whereas I might usually suffer over a name choice for thirty minutes or longer, this time I just typed [name]. Or if I needed to research another language to make sure my word choice was correct I would type the word in English and type [Armenian] or [Gaelic] next to the word. I didn't sweat the small stuff. If I wrote a couple of pages of dialog that didn't sound quite right, I would add a comment bubble in the margin that read: "This doesn't sound quite right. He's more...(add character traits) go back and fix later."
By allowing myself to skip over the fine details, I sped up my writing and finished on time. I didn't have to sacrifice anything to the time frame I set. I still wrote in a linear fashion, I was able to keep to my rough outline, and I busted out the word count, which in this case, was only 1.5k words a day.
Since finishing the zero draft, I haven't even opened the document to take another look. It's not due to my editor until the end of December, so I have plenty of time to go back, fine tune, and fill in the blanks. I won't have to rush. By spitting out the zero draft, I've given myself more time to focus on the third book in the Shaede Assassin series. A book that I'm planning to finish ahead of schedule so I can work on some non-Shaede related projects.
How do you write that zero draft? Do you turn off your internal editor and run with it? Or do you go back and edit as you write?
September 28, 2011
Running on Empty
Honestly, I got nothin'. I'm running on fumes, and it seems like no amount of sleep is going to make me feel replenished. I sort of feel bad for whining because it's the teen's soccer schedule that's killing me. And let's face it: I'm just driving and sitting in the stands. He's actually running, non-stop, for 90 minutes, three times a week. And that doesn't count the practices on non-game days. But when the closest school is over 2 hours away, it makes for a tired bunch of travelers, parents and kids alike. And the hubs and I have committed to attending all of the teen's games because, well, he's a freshman starting varsity. And playing every minute of every game. It's a huge achievement, no matter what size school you attend. So, we're out there, supporting the team screaming and yelling, sometimes in Spanish. Okay, well, the hubs cheers in Spanish, I have to stick to plain-old English cheering. ;)
I'll be back next week with a shiny new post. But in the meantime, I'm going to give my brain a little rest. Downtime can be good. Really good.
