Alyssa Goodnight's Blog, page 10
February 20, 2012
Launch Party Pics!
It was absolutely perfect! Except possibly the temperature…
>
February 17, 2012
Whirling Dervish
Much has been going on since last I posted here about anything other than AUSTENTATIOUS.
But first, I must share my book news: AUSTENTATIOUS was featured alongside new releases from Mary Balogh, Lisa Kleypas, Sarah MacLean, and Rachel Herron (!!) in Women's World under the header, "You deserve the best…New romance novel!" I am thrilled!!
Next up, because it's taking up the next biggest chunk of my time: I've decided to participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this year. One of my best friends from high school was recently diagnosed and went through treatment, and I will be walking as a tribute to her. It's 26 miles the first day and 13 miles the second on April 21. So far my longest walk has been 8.5 miles, and I have to say that this training is highlighting every foot frailty a person could possibly have. Well, that I have. I'm actually a little worried about making it the full distance. One day it's blisters, the next it's the bones on top of my feet. Something's gotta give!
I chipped a tooth on a gluten-free pretzel and, as a result, I needed to get a new crown put in my mouth. Huzzah!
With LOTS of help from my friends, I hosted an AUSTENTATIOUS Launch Party! It was extraordinarily chilly, which isn't overly surprising given 
that it was held on the outdoor patio of a local Dunn Bros. Coffee Shop, but Texas weather is pretty fickle. We didn't know what we were gonna get. I had a great turnout. There was a reading (ugh!), some divine cupcakes, some party games, and the mustaches on sticks I had to have. I will be posting pictures as soon as I get them from my designated photographers. Here's one I snapped with my phone…
I started an inspiration board for Book 3 (with Kensington) on Pinterest, and I'm loving adding new pins. I'm 50 pages in on this book and just now starting to find my rhythm.
I managed to only read a single book in about a month's time. It was The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stewart. I enjoyed it, but it felt more like a series of hilarious character sketches instead of a cohesive story. Next up? Sass & Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler, who I will be signing with (along with Patrice Sarath) at the Town and Country B&N in Houston on March 10th, 2:00pm. Should you be in the area, I'd love to see you!
Okay, I think that's about it for now. What have you been up to?
February 15, 2012
Giveaway Winner
Hello.
Remember me? Seems like forever since I've posted, but honestly, with everything else going on, this blog has simply slipped through the cracks. And I apologize to my 2 (3?) dedicated readers. 
Today I'm simply posting to reveal the secret message that my Scavenger Hunt produced and to announce the Winner!
The secret message was… Experience and rediscover the magic of Jane Austen in quirky Austin, Texas.
The view down South Congress Ave in Austin, Texas, via.
Thank you to all of you who worked it out and played along! I hope you had fun! And for those who have purchased AUSTENTATIOUS already, thank you! I hope you are enjoying it!
But I could only pick one winner, and it was blueyedirishgrl. She selected a $100 B&N gift card as her prize. Congratulations, Michele!!
I hope to be back tomorrow, after I've submitted my (already late) first 50 pages of a new project to my agent. I hope you'll swing back by. Then again, it's possible the sore throat I contracted today will morph into something worse, and I won't feel up to blogging at all. Let's all cross our fingers that that won't happen!
January 31, 2012
Book Review Club ~ February 2012
This month, I'll be reviewing DEADLY by Julie Chibbaro.
Honestly, this book has been on my Amazon wish list for some time. I found the premise: a nineteeth century young woman's role in ferreting out the cause of typhoid fever, simply irresistible. I'm very fond of books that infuse history into their storylines. For someone like me who reads very little nonfiction, this is a way to sneak a bit in.
The story, written as a series of journal entries by Prudence Galewski who is living with her mother in New York City, begins in September 1906. Her brother has died of infection and her father has left to become a soldier, fighting for America in Cuba. Her mother is a midwife and Prudence assists her while attending a rather short-sighted (in Prudence's opinion) School for Girls whose focus is training the girls to be shop girls or assistants…or wives. Prudence doesn't want any of these things. She doesn't believe she'll ever fall in love, and she wants to do something useful with her life–she wants to understand the human body and disease. She wants to learn why so many young mothers die in childbirth and why so many fall people sick to disease. When an opportunity presents itself for her to be the assistant to a man at the Department of Health and Sanitation, she is simultaneously thrilled and uncertain. Her mother does not initially support the idea, and Prudence will be required to leave school. Prudence eventually decides to accept the job, and from that point on, the novel reads like a CSI mystery as Prudence and her boss, Mr. Soper, attempt to discover the reason behind a recent outbreak of typhoid fever. Then the excitement is ratcheted up even further as the story slides into action/adventure territory. And through it all, Prudence is facing some troubling realities about herself, her life, and her family.
Written in simple but lovely prose, DEADLY was a joy to read.
"For tonight, I will tie together these fluttering ribbons of feelings and simply enjoy his company."
I was riveted by the fascinating and occasionally gruesome storyline, but it was Prudence's curious, intelligent, and honest view of life and everything in it that made this a truly memorable read. And now I know a bit about the infamous Typhoid Mary too. Intrigued? I recommend picking DEADLY up!
Interested in reading some carefully crafted reviews? Swing by Barrie Summy's blog and catch up with the rest of the Book Review Club!
Click icon for more
book review blogs
@Barrie Summy
January 29, 2012
AUSTENTATIOUS Word Collage
I can't figure out how to make this any bigger here…but I created this word collage using early reviews for AUSTENTATIOUS…
Click on it to see it bigger!
Have you pre-ordered your copy? Are you psyched?? One more day, people, ONE MORE DAY!! And don't forget my scavenger hunt/giveaway…see post below!
January 22, 2012
Countdown and Giveaway!!
Let the final days countdown begin!! At the writing of this post, there are only 8 DAYS remaining until AUSTENTATIOUS is OUT!! Naturally I'm trying to build interest and hype, excitement and anticipation, so I'm hosting a GIVEAWAY SCAVENGER HUNT! That's right, I'm going to make you work for the prize, but it's a good one!
If I have between 1 and 500 entries, I'll be giving away the winner's choice of a $100 gift card to Amazon.com (or BN.com) or a Kindle Touch!
Awesome, right? Wait for it…it gets better.
If I get more than 500 entries, I'll give away a $200 gift card or a Kindle Fire! So spread the word!!
Read on for the details.
The storyline of AUSTENTATIOUS hinges on a magical journal that edits down perfectly acceptable journal entries into fortune cookie style bits of wisdom. The scavenger hunt is a little like that, but tweaked a bit.
AUSTENTATIOUS has been reviewed by several stellar book bloggers, and they've all said some lovely things about the book. As a way of thanking them and encouraging you to read their glowing reviews of AUSTENTATIOUS, I have decided to use specific words from their reviews to form a secret, fortune cookie style message. To enter the giveaway, you'll need to visit each of their blogs, capture the clue at each based on the key posted below, and then put them all together to form the message.
Once you've deciphered the message, leave a comment with your email address. I will not publish comments associated with this contest.
Want more entries?
Post this scavenger hunt giveaway to Twitter, Facebook, or your blog: RT Scavenger hunt and Giveaway for AUSTENTATIOUS by @a_goodnight Win a Kindle!! Deadline 2/14. http://tinyurl.com/7n38hxq
(Worth 1 extra entry)
Follow me on Twitter (Worth 1 extra entry)
Read the book and write a review of AUSTENTATIOUS on Amazon, BN.com, or your blog (Worth 5 extra entries) If you buy it on the day it comes out, the deadline gives you two weeks to read it and review it!
Please comment individually for each entry you've earned (and I'll verify that you've met the indicated criteria).
The deadline is Valentine's Day, February 14, 2012! I will randomly select a winner on February 15th.
Open to US residents only. Sorry!
Okay, here is the key.
P stands for paragraph. Starting at the beginning of the review, skipping past a blurb or Goodreads summary, count the paragraphs (delineated with a carriage return).
S stands for sentence. Count out the sentences in the specified paragraph.
W stands for word. Count out the words in the specified sentence.
For example, P2/S4/W7 would be the seventh word, in the fourth sentence of the second paragraph. Make a note of that word, read the review of AUSTENTATIOUS, and go on to the next clue.
There might be more than one word specified. W5-6 means words five and six.
Make sure to keep the words in the following order:
P3/S2/W5 via Chick Lit Central
P1/S5/W15-16 via Book Briefs
P2/S1/W3-4 via Short & Sweet Reviews
P7/S1/W27-29 via Musings of a Book Lover
P3/S1/W3 & W7 via Austenesque Reviews
P2/S2/W14-15 via Lisa and Laura Write
Good luck! Have fun! Tell your friends! Tweet it to the world! And please consider adding AUSTENTATIOUS to your reading list!
Thank you sooo very much to all of the wonderful book bloggers who participated in this scavenger hunt!
January 19, 2012
New & Noteworthy
I am giddy with excitement over some of the reviews AUSTENTATIOUS is getting.
From Lisa and Laura Roecker: "If AUSTENTATIOUS were a movie, Hugh Grant* would play Sean. Enough said. *Hugh Grant circa Notting Hill and Love Actually"
From Kat at Musings of a Book Lover: "I don't think I have laughed out loud with any book as much as I did with Austentatious!"
From Toni at Books Read 'N' Makeup Done: "Ms. Goodnight has reignited my love of Jane Austen and I couldn't be happier."
YAY!
Basically I'm swamped with all the stuff involved in trying to promote AUSTENTATIOUS, but a few interesting things have happened…
Last Sunday, the homily at church revolved around a discussion of apprentices. At one point, I leaned over to my husband and said, "I consider you my apprentice." I was only partly teasing. He turned to look at me, and without cracking a smile, said, "I consider you my apprentice." For some reason, this strikes me as absolutely hilarious. It totally sums up the sort of relationship we have. I think he's the work-in-progress, and he thinks the same of me.
I watched Notorious. I don't know if I was sleepy or the volume was too low on the TV, or what, but I had a lot of trouble understanding both Ingrid and Cary! I enjoyed it, but it definitely wasn't one of my favorites. I couldn't really sympathize with the characters, at least until she was lying sick and poisoned there at the end. But the cinamatography was classic–beautiful! On to the next Hitchcock…I think Torn Curtain. That movie poster puts me in mind of a Nancy Drew (is it the colors?)
I visited a (somewhat) local independent bookstore on Tuesday that I'd never been in before. I'd sent them an galley of AUSTENTATIOUS several months back at their request, and my intention was to go in and introduce myself. The lady working the cash register told me that she was certain they'd received it (which I already knew), and that it was on a shelf somewhere waiting to be read, or it was being read by one of their staff. O-kaay. She asked if it was a young adult book, and I told her it was women's fiction. Her response: "Oh." Then she asked if I only wrote adult books. I said, "So far." She replied: "Well, YA is where it's at!" Seeing as their tiny bookstore was a mix of pretty much everything, from picture books to cookbooks, I couldn't understand her obsession with YA. Clearly I am not an author to watch, in her opinion.
On a side note, I finally checked out a library book on my Kindle! I'm so excited! Now if I just had a chance to read…
What's up with you?
January 13, 2012
Photo Finish
I had the awesome opportunity to view the entrants in the National Gingerbread House Competition, held at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, in mid-December last year. I've been meaning to post a few pictures, but the holidays snuck up on me… But you're getting to see them now, so enjoy! These were a few of my favorites…
Youth (up to age 7)
Youth (ages 8-12)
Teens
And Adults…
Pretty amazing, huh? So, which is your favorite? I'm very partial to that gypsy trailer among the trees. Not to mention that Clydesdale, which was part of a larger scene that I, evidently, didn't capture.
January 10, 2012
A New Review!
I adore this latest review for AUSTENTATIOUS by Girls in the Stacks, and I couldn't resist sharing (just a snippet or two):
"What a lovely romp of a read!!! I easily devoured it in one sitting – laughing and smiling.
I absolutely adore this Jane Austen-esque book. It is full of wit, comedy, magical journaling and utterly cute and ahhh worthy romance. Goodnight has done an excellent job capturing the essence of Jane Austen and her characters – creating a modern world for them to live.
If you're a fan of Jane Austen modern re-telling's, then this is a MUST read!"
Hurray, hurray!
It's getting close to the release date…twenty days to go, and I am busily trying to make sure I have all my ducks in a row. I met with a couple of 'party-planning' friends to talk launch party details today, and I think we'll come up with something good. Among the mentioned: personalized M&M's, pocket protectors, and mustaches on sticks. Does that make you curious? I just want to keep things playful, fun, and memorable. So I'm crossing my fingers.
I do plan on a blog tour of sorts, starting on January 23rd, and you are assured of a lovely giveaway, so I hope you'll keep tabs on things around here.
January 6, 2012
Makin' Plans
Okay, so I'm not generally too big on new year's resolutions (I'm not sure I accomplished any of the ones on my list for last year…), but I have already come up with two for this year, and I plan on stickin' to 'em.
Resolution Number 1: Watch a portion of the Alfred Hitchcock movies that I've not seen. (Originally my resolution was to watch ALL the ones I haven't yet seen, but now that I've looked at the list, I'm not sure I can pull that off.) I am a HUGE Hitchcock fan–HUGE! But I've discovered, in chatting about his movies, that there are fewer I've seen than not seen. A few of my favorites: Rear Window, North by Northwest, To Catch a Thief, Dial M for Murder (see a pattern? they all feature either Cary Grant or Grace Kelly.) I feel like this needs to be remedied…stat. So, on my list to get started are the following:
(blurbs via imdb.com)
Torn Curtain, starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews: "An American scientist publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin and then figuring out a plan to escape back to the West."
Notorious, starring Cary Grant (!) and Ingrid Bergman: "A woman is asked to spy on a group of Nazi friends in South America. How far will she have to go to ingratiate herself with them?"
Foreign Coorespondent, starring Joel McCrea and Laraine Day: "On the eve of WW2, a young American reporter tries to expose enemy agents in London."
Resolution Number 2: Taste French macarons. Not coconut macaroons–I've had those. Love 'em. The garishly colorful little French sandwich cookies made out of almond flour. Just look at those colors! I can't resist.
And that's pretty much it. Give me a box of these cheerful little cookies and pop in a dark, murderous story on DVD, and my year is made! What about you? What do you plan to tackle this year?
