Alyssa Goodnight's Blog, page 9

Book Review Club ~ May 2012

Here we are again, with Barrie Summy’s Book Review Club. It seems like every other post on this blog is a book review club post! But in my defense, things have been crazy, and they’re going to get crazier still before they get sane. May is the fun month if you’re in school and it’s the last dash month if you have kids in school that are about to be glued to you for three months of summer. You do your absolute best to get everything on your to-do list done before the Last Day of School. Otherwise you’ll be dragging them around, while they whine, “Why do we have to do errands everyday?” At least that’s what boys say. So I’m in the final scramble. But I would not miss an installment of the Book Review Club if I could at all manage to avoid it.

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@Barrie Summy

This month, I’m reviewing Amanda Stevens’  THE RESTORER. I met Amanda at a local RWA meeting, where I was speaking and she was signing.  I picked up her book, read the blurb, and was hooked.  I couldn’t wait to get started reading it.  But I was good–I dutifully finished the book I was reading, and finally got started on THE RESTORER.  I will confess, I have not yet finished this book. If I hadn’t had the Avon Walk and a deadline to contend with, I totally would have. As it is, I’m letting myself read for twenty minutes every night before I go to bed. But I will not let myself end on a really creepy part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because I’m not used to creepy.  I’m a happy-go-lucky book girl.  I don’t typically read books involving ghosts either.  But there was something about this one.  Maybe the fact that there were rules, and the heroine was breaking them…

[from the back of the book]

Never acknowledge the dead

Never stray far from hallowed ground

Never associate with those who are haunted

Never, ever tempt fate.

My name is Amelia Gray.  I’m a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts.  In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I’ve always held fast to the rules passed down from my father.  But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.

It started with the discovery of a young woman’s brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I’ve been hired to restore.  The clues to the killer–and to his other victims–like in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret.  Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy.  To warn him would be to invite them into my life.  I’ve vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

I was reading this book on Monday, while eating lunch in a restaurant by myself, and when the waiter showed up to ask if I was ready for the check, I just stared at him.  The page I was on had me so utterly creeped out and freaked out that I couldn’t even speak. (It was slightly embarrassing.)  As I said, I love that there are rules, and Amelia is studiously living by them, until she can’t resist breaking them.  I love that it’s set in Charleston and other parts of South Carolina (which I visit every year), that it dips into Gullah magic and traditions, and that it’s full of interesting graveyard history.  The imagery is wonderful; the story has me mesmerized and wishing I could pick it up constantly.  I am positively agog to uncover the secrets of these characters!

And I am beyond excited that there are two more books in this series already out!  Must read faster…

Seriously though, I suspect this book will pique your interest, draw you in, creep you out, and get you hooked!

For more book recommendations, swing by Barrie Summy’s blog for a list of Book Review Club participants.  Click on the typewriter above.

 

It. Is. Done.

This past weekend was the Avon Walk in Houston, and I am happy to report, that I survived.  We actually had a couple of almost perfect days.  Late April in Houston can be muggy and hot, but Saturday was breezy and chilly, turning lovely later in the day, and Sunday was a bit hotter, but nice.  Friday afternoon it POURED down rain, right through our check in at Event Eve and our ‘carbing up’ cupcake stop.  But by the time we made it to P.F. Chang’s for dinner, it had cooled considerably, and the rain was gone.

We stayed at my MIL’s townhouse in the city so we’d be closer to the starting point, and despite being oh-so-tired, I didn’t fall asleep until after midnight.  Our alarms were set for 3:45 a.m. to give us time to drive to shuttle pickup, park, take the bus, and get to the Opening Ceremonies at 7:00 a.m.  It. Was. Freeeezing out there!  We shivered our rears off, standing in a wet field for over an hour before the ceremony started.  My feet were sore before we even began.

And then we were off.  And there were people all along the route out there, cheering us on, saying thank you.  Local bikers had signed up to help us with traffic, and they were at every busy intersection, always with a smile.  Then there were the Porta-potties.  But I survived those too.  The second day I tracked my progress with the number of Porta-potty stops I had left.  It was thrilling when I had none left, even though I was still three miles from the finish.

A couple of my walking buddies went off the beaten trail for another cupcake run.  They got me one too, and I enjoyed it thoroughly at Mile 26.2, while sitting in a massage chair, my feet propped up on a massage machine.  It was actually a really lovely walk–mostly.  We got to see A LOT of Houston.  A whole lot.

The stairs at my MIL’s were rough on the evening of the first day (I was sleeping on the third floor).  But once I was warmed up, I wasn’t overly sore for the second day’s walk.  And today I’m not too bad.  Better than expected.  I’m just glad it’s over.  New nicknames were used on that walk, and I hope they don’t stick…

Houston raised $2 million for breast cancer research and care.  And I was part of it.

Top Ten Reasons to Read AUSTENTATIOUS

I stole this idea from someone on Twitter, and I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t even know who!  I was just scanning down the feed on my phone and thought, What a fun idea!  The idea took hold, and now, here I am, coming up with my own list.

So…. let’s get started.

TOP TEN REASONS TO READ (& LOVE) AUSTENTATIOUS…

10.  Reading about a cupcake is the next best thing to eating one.  (Admittedly, it’s a distant, and not nearly as satisfying, second.)

 9.   It’s a quick way to make sure you’re current on pop-culture references.  (Okay, maybe not totally current…)

 8.   If you’re planning a trip to Austin in the near future, take AUSTENTATIOUS along as a travel guide.

 7.   Haven’t you always wished that Jane Austen had stuck around a little longer?

 6.   It’ll make you ask yourself, What if this had happened to me??  Could I have dealt?

 5.  You will never look at a stuffed mushroom in quite the same way.

 4.  Pithy, witty Jane Austen quotes are peppered through the book.  Test your memory.

 3.  Hottie nerd.  Just sayin.’

 2. You’ll feel an inexplicable urge to karaoke.  Or find a man with an accent.  Or both!

 1.  You’ll want to start a Sean MacInnes Fan Club!  (For the uninitiated, he is the MIK…or Man-in-a-Kilt).

Have one of your own?  I’d love to hear it!  Leave me a comment!

Walking On…

Yesterday was the last long walk before the big day, which is next Saturday, April  21st.  We met at 7:00 am and walked until 2:30 pm, stopping about an hour for lunch.  Twenty miles.  It was meant to be 22, but we had to pick up the kids from school.  (Thank goodness!)  This was my favorite of the long walks.  It was a nature walk and a walk along the Gulf combined.  We saw all sorts of critters, picked wild dewberries (on the run), got eaten by mosquitoes, kicked up gravel, and were cooled by balmy breezes.  I almost got locked in a park bathroom at one point.  And, best of all, I managed to stay civil for the entire walk.  I admit to getting a little grumpy around the 16 mile mark on every long walk.  It's hot and muggy, my fingers have swollen up like sausages, my feet hurt, and I just want to be DONE.  But yesterday, I powered through the cranky and was still smiling at the end.  I consider that a victory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news, I've added new pinboards on Pinterest for AUSTENTATIOUS, the sequel, and the book I'm working on right now, if you're interested…

Book Review Club ~ April 2012

Life marches on, and so do I. My Avon Walk training is getting BRUTAL! Yesterday, we were all set with a planned route to walk 20 miles, and a mile in, it started pouring down rain. Luckily, we were only a little ways from one of my walking buddies' houses, so we ran back, got in the car, and went to walk the mall. That's right. I am officially a Mall Walker. We arrived at the mall at 7:30 am and didn't leave until around 10:30 am, when the rain stopped. That is a LOT of laps around the mall. We did make time to take a quick photo with the Easter Bunny though.  After that we walked over the freeway (scary!) to lunch (we totally could have eaten in the Food Court…) and back, discovering that there aren't really any sidewalks around the mall. So guess what we did… We walked the perimeter of the mall parking lot! Over and over again until we reached a total distance of 20 miles. It. Was. Brutal. Whew! Only one more long training walk before the real deal. Thank goodness!  I can't handle much more of this.

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@Barrie Summy

That was a digression. We are really here for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club, and for April's meeting, I'm reviewing PERFECT ON PAPER by Janet Goss.

The story begins with artist/crossword puzzle aficionado Dana Mayo learning that the love of her life–a married man she's not even had contact with for twenty years, has died.  This inspires her to take stock of her life, to start being less picky about men and open herself up to romance.  Almost immediately she stumbles over Hank, a hunky contractor who is sweet and gainfully employed, owns a pristine vintage panel truck, which gets Dana's heart beating faster, and a pig.  Named Dinner.  Hank is restoring a old brownstone in New York City, but from the looks of things, he doesn't know much of anything about the project.  Plus, he uses words and phrasings that Dana, a word guru, cannot abide.  Meanwhile, Dana is inspired to paint a picture of Dinner wearing pearls, and the owner of the vintage dress shop below her apartment demands to be allowed to hang it in her store–for a commission, of course.  The painting is snapped up and more are demanded, so Dana keeps painting Hank's pig, trying to figure out if he could possibly be the one for her.  Then she meets Billy, a sexy crossword puzzle  contructor who is about fifteen years her junior.  She's torn.  She has so much in common with Billy (he even asks for her help constructing crossword puzzles!) but she can't see a future with him, and yet, Hank is not quite what he seems.  While all this is going on, she finds out the love of her life is actually still alive, her paintings are selling like gangbusters–which makes her worry over whether the imaginary artist story her downstairs neighbor concocted might put her at risk of fraud, and her friend is dealing with sudden agoraphobia.

I am not doing this novel justice at all.  There are so many twists and misunderstandings and secrets and mysteries, that I was wrapped up until the very end.  Plus, Dana Mayo is very funny and conflicted and savvy and smart.  It was a pleasure to be in her head.  All of the characters were well-written and 'real.'  And the insight into how crossword puzzles are created was rather fascinating.

So.  If you're looking for a twist on a romantic comedy, this book is for you.

And if you're interested, I'm chatting about AUSTENTATIOUS, Austin, and whatever else comes up over at Jennifer Crusie's Cherry Forums this week, so come for a visit (and a chat!)

 

 

The Avon Walk Saga

It's now about four and a half weeks until the Houston Avon Walk (26.2 miles on Saturday/13.1 miles on Sunday…or close to that), and I have been through a crazy amount of training difficulties.

First, shoes. I needed new ones. I got the wrong ones, and I was getting blisters and sore feet…

So I went back to my old shoes and walked ten miles. Mistake. Then I had foot "issues." To the point that I was icing my feet and taking prescription strength ibuprofen.

Then training stopped. Dog-walking stopped and I rested.

I went to a running store and got fitted for shoes but they kinda hurt my arches in testing them out inside my house, so I was afraid to wear them out.

When two weeks past with limited improvement on the "issues", I went to the podiatrist. I was told (happily) that everything looked good, that I'd probably just overused my feet. (That strikes me as hilarious.) I was put on a steroid treatment and sent on my way.

I went back to the running store, was given a lecture (a nice one) and was told to wear them outside, then come back with my "wear-patterns" and they'd reassess and replace the shoes if need be.

Sunday I walked three miles, no issues. Yesterday I walked four and a half miles, no issues but a slightly sore leg. Today I walked four and a half miles (around the mall…pic is me at the Easter Bunny's digs) with no issues.

Thursday is a big day. We are supposed to walk eight miles to a tea room, where our stinky selves will have lunch before walking home. I think I'm going to have to get a ride home. I'm not sure I'm ready for that distance.

I hope I'm back on track. I've had enough drama.

The Story of a Cupcake Redneck

If you've read AUSTENTATIOUS, you know about the cupcakes.  If you haven't read it, I will tell you that the main character is a bit of a cupcake gourmet…although she'll take a plain Jane cupcake in pinch (wouldn't we all).  So, when planning the AUSTENTATIOUS Launch Party, the one thing I knew for sure was that there had to be cupcakes.

Well, there is this absolutely amazing new cupcake shop right down the street from where I decided to hold the launch, and if I'd been celebrating AUSTENTATIOUS hitting the New York Times Bestsellers List or the  AUSTENTATIOUS Hollywood premiere, I could probably have overlooked the $2.75 a cupcake price.  But I wasn't, and I couldn't, so my next plan was get cupcakes from Target.  Before you judge…consider whether you've ever had a Target cupcake before.  Because they are freakin' delicious.  Even if you're not a fan of the sugar-sweet lard frosting (I totally am!), the vanilla cupcakes in particular are simply lovely: moist, light, and delicious.  But I got told, in slightly couched terms, that I'm a cupcake redneck, and that I'm the only one of my friends who likes Target cupcakes, the frosting in particular.  (It was said very nicely and meant to be helpful.  And honestly, I could only pity those poor friends who couldn't enjoy the old-fashioned wedding cake style of a Target cupcake.)

I protested that the cake part of the cupcake was still delicious, and so a very good friend of mine (an admitted frosting snob) offered to frost some topless Target cupcakes–around a hundred–with a team of sweetheart volunteers.  We had vanilla buttercream and strawberry buttercream and mint chocolate ganache (made by me), and it was perfect.  We had soooo many compliments on the cupcakes and soooo many people asking who'd made them because they wanted to order some for their own parties.  Now you know the secret to 5 Ladies Bakery, half of which, is Target.  The most raved over by far, was the strawberry buttercream, and I'm including the recipe below.  Enjoy!

STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 (16 oz) package powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries, chopped, additional strawberries to garnish

Beat the first 3 frosting ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with strawberries, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Spread on cooled cupcakes.

I'll also tell you that some of the cupcake inspiration for the book came from this website: cupcakeblog.com

Your homework?  Visit a Target with a bakery, grab a six pack of vanilla cupcakes with sweet-lard frosting and give 'em a try.  Then come back here and let me know what you think.

Book Review Club ~ March 2012

First Wednesday of the month means another meeeting of Barrie Summy's Book Review Club.

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@Barrie Summy

We have been going strong for three years this month (and I've only missed a month, I think!)  This month, I have a preview for you.  This book won't be out until March 27th, but while you're waiting, you can pre-order it, put it on your Amazon Wishlist, or add it on Goodreads.  I was lucky enough to get an early copy from the author, and I promise you, this is a book you don't want to miss!

Introducing A BREATH OF EYRE by Eve Marie Mont…

A BREATH OF EYRE is the first in the UNBOUND series, about sixteen-year-old Emma Townsend, who is somehow able to travel into the world of the book she's reading.  I think you can probably guess which book she's reading in this, the first of the series (it's JANE EYRE, for those of you who didn't want to guess).  Upcoming books involve Emma's literary adventures into THE SCARLET LETTER and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.  (I cannot wait!!)

A quick summary, without spoilers… The story starts on Emma Townsend's 16th birthday, at the party that even she doesn't want to attend.  She walks out, feeling alone, lonely, and untethered, and swims far out into the ocean despite riptide warnings.  Her struggle to get back to shore is just the beginning of a very difficult year.  Her father has been distant since her mother died, her stepmother doesn't get her at all, she's a scholarship student at the ritzy boarding school she attends and doesn't have many friends there, and she's feeling lost.  But thanks to her mother's old college roommate, she's discovered JANE EYRE, and reconnected with a childhood friend she once tried to kiss (and her crush is still going strong).

Back at school, she has a new roommate, another scholarship student who has lost her own mother in a riding accident, and has a little chip on her shoulder.  Together she and Emma start getting into trouble, and Emma starts crushing on her literature professor, who reminds her of a dark and brooding Mr. Rochester.  *** Circumstances conspire *** and suddenly she's thrown into the novel JANE EYRE.  She is Jane Eyre.  She's arrived at Thornfield, is speaking fluent French, and teaching Mr. Rochester's ward.  Her only tether to her other life is a dragonfly pendant that was her mother's, and when it is accidentally lost, she loses all since of her other self.  When she finds it again, she's met Mr. Rochester and fallen a little bit in love with him, but she misses her old life.

Okay, I can't give anything else away, but I will tell you that tensions ratchet up in both worlds, Emma cannot decide in which one she belongs, and everywhere is fraught with potential tragedies.  Here's my Goodreads review:

There is no other book like this, but I'm ecstatic that two more are coming! I loved that Emma Townsend is quiet and a reader. She's self-conscious and uncertain, but she's clearly full of talent and not afraid to speak up and speak out when necessary.

Her life before discovering Jane Eyre was already pretty intense, but afterwards, it's shocking and spell-binding, and absolutely amazing. I love, love, LOVED the dual nature of this book and all its breath-taking, tension-building Gothic moments. But I also loved Gray and all the trapping of a sweet (and sexy!) YA romance.

It's been too long since I've read Jane Eyre, and I think, once I've gone back to reread that classic, I will appreciate A BREATH OF EYRE even more as the cleverly crafted and beautifully written homage that it is. It's truly a modern-day classi c.

Definitely put this book on your list!!  For more reviews, click on the typewriter!

 

Keeping you up to date…

FYI…there's a copy of AUSTENTATIOUS up for grabs, as well as an interview with the hero of the story, Sean MacInnes, on Seeing Night Reviews.

Go enter!  (Or if you already have a copy, go see what Sean has to say… )

 

And there's a great new review from Jakki Leatherberry at Mary Simonsen's Austen Inspired Fan Fiction Blog.

"Austentatious! What a fun, hot novel! I was swept up in a whirlwind of kooky advice, humorous characters and steamy romance."

 

And, if you're in the Houston area (or somewhere in the state of Texas and looking for a reason to take a roadtrip), I'll be signing copies of AUSTENTATIOUS, along with fellow Austenesque authors, Jennifer Zieger, who will be signing  SASS AND SERENDIPITY, and Patrice Sarath, who will be signing THE UNEXPECTED MISS BENNETT, at the Town and Country Village Barnes and Noble this Saturday at 2:00pm.  There will be scones, so come one, come all!!

 

I will be back here Wednesday for Barrie Summy's Book Review Club.

Marketing Imaginings

I my head, when I imagined how wonderful it would be if AUSTENTATIOUS became a word-of-mouth phenomenon, I somehow got these two commercials (from long ago) confused in my head.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Just replace 'Egoiste!' with 'Austentatious!'

Seeing them now, outside the corrupter that is my brain, I find this hilarious.  What I remember is a multiplying array of women opening French doors or shutters and the commerical voice saying, "And they'll tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends…"  Obviously I was too young to remember these commercials properly…

It was a good dream though.