Meradeth Houston's Blog, page 50
April 1, 2014
Cover Reveal for I LOVED THAT ABOUT HER by C.R. Everett
This is going to be a week of cover reveals around here! And here's the first one :)
I LOVED THAT ABOUT HER by C.R. Everett – SYNOPSIS
In Love, Carry My Bags, we felt Camryn Johnson’s joy and pain during her heartwrenching and heartwarming journey through life’s circumstances, poor choices, and difficult lessons. Through her relationships with both Glenn and Reese, she became the person she wanted and needed to be.Now it’s Glenn’s turn.Glenn, who feels chronically misunderstood, shares his side of the story in the stand-alone novelI Loved That About Her, revealing his own inner struggles and showing what it’s like to live at the mercy of forces beyond conscious control. These forces take him and his family to the edge when college arch nemesis, Raine Babcock, wreaks havoc on their lives. Glenn shows us that all is not necessarily what it seems, even to himself.Walking a mile in his shoes, may change hearts and minds about the bad boy from Love, Carry My Bags that readers loved to hate.Recommended for mature audiences 17+ for language and sexual situations.EXCERPT My job ticked along way better than expected. Once I was on the inside, had my clearance, and put my naturally excessive curiosity to work, doors opened. And I opened them.I popped my head into the lab walking back to my desk after an aircraft inspection. “Any little green men in here?” I asked.
“Glenn,” my boss, who happened to be in the room, said. “I was just talking about you.”
“Yep, my ears were burning. That’s why I stopped by. Whatcha need?” I asked.
My boss looked like he didn’t know quite what to make of me, but overlooked any reservations he may have had, just like anyone else who saw my potential and took a chance on me had. For those folks, I was grateful. A flashback to my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Emerson, came to mind. She was the only one who took the time after class to sit down with me and re-explain each day’s lesson, because sitting there in a room full of quiet kids, listening, drove me ape shit. Instead of listening, I fidgeted in my chair wondering what was for lunch, sometimes getting out of my chair for a better view out the window, especially when a plane flew overhead. Mrs. Emerson was nice. “I have one just like you at home,” she said. I’m not sure what she meant, but at the time, I was thinking “nice little boy.” During our one-on-one’s, she’d speak to me like I mattered and never criticized me for not being like all the other kids who could sit in their chairs, listen, and understand, going off to do their homework by themselves after class. We did my homework together, and she gave me M&Ms after each problem I did right. Once I figured that out, I aced almost everything because there was a good reason to do the work. M&Ms right away, not some dumb letter grade handed back on a page three days later. When she explained to my folks that I knew the material, they laid into me about why I couldn’t do it at home in my room, but they clearly didn’t understand the power of M&Ms . . . or one-on-one.
“Conroy,” my boss said, “we need you in Seattle. You’re the first guy I thought of when this assignment came up—right up your alley.”
I was intrigued. My ears perked up when the words “need you” hit the air. Plus the fact that he thought of me, and “right up your alley” sounded phenom. Having gotten my attention, I listened intently as boss man outlined the particulars of the job, throwing in words like “top secret” and “special clearances” and “national security.” I was all over it and would have accepted right then and there if I didn’t need to consider Camryn.
“We need you ASAP,” he said.
“Let me talk it over with my wife,” I said, somehow managing to stifle my excitement. I hoped she’d like the idea too.ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C.R. Everett was born in Northern Illinois and has lived in various places over the years, currently residing in Utah. For twenty years she worked in finance, but today devotes her time to writing. She lives with her husband, two kids, Shiba Inu, and cat. When not writing, she updates her website, connects with her readers, does the mom thing, or cleans up after unruly pets. In her free time she enjoys reading, usually at the gym while on a treadmill, baking, taking walks, enjoying nature, and going to Starbucks. Mocha is her favorite.Website -www.creverett.comFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/creverettbooksBlog - http://creverett.blogspot.com/Twitter - https://twitter.com/authorcreverettGoodreads -https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564542.C_R_Everett
Love, Carry My Bags Amazon Link: UShttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SZYJ3WAmazon LOVE, CARRY MY BAGS – SYNOPSISCamryn Johnson’s world is turned upside down when long lost love, Reese Dahlgren, re-enters her life at a pivotal point in her already challenging marriage. She faces an excruciating predicament: choose between a broken home for her daughter or a broken life for herself.After her parents' divorce, Camryn first meets high school basketball star, Reese, at the Harvard Milk Day Festival bed races. Reese hides baggage of his own…until Camryn melts his heart and learns secrets entrusted only to her. Still, the weight is too much to bear. Unable to cope, Reese unwittingly backs Camryn into a corner during his air force enlistment—love him from afar, or leave him.Enter aerospace engineering student, Glenn Conroy. Persistent and savvy, he woos Camryn during her junior year of college and wins her heart. Or does he? When Reese re-enters her life, further disrupting her tenuous marriage, Camryn turns to best friend, Megan, for advice, but refuses to believe Megan’s suggestion that she’s caught in a “simple” love triangle.Camryn unveils hidden mysteries and secrets as she embarks on a life-changing journey of revelation and forgiveness, transcending doormat qualities inherited from her mother, and in the process finds what life's struggles are really all about.
C.R. Everett's heart-wrenching debut novel takes the reader on an emotion-packed journey that lingers long after the last page is turned.
I LOVED THAT ABOUT HER by C.R. Everett – SYNOPSIS
In Love, Carry My Bags, we felt Camryn Johnson’s joy and pain during her heartwrenching and heartwarming journey through life’s circumstances, poor choices, and difficult lessons. Through her relationships with both Glenn and Reese, she became the person she wanted and needed to be.Now it’s Glenn’s turn.Glenn, who feels chronically misunderstood, shares his side of the story in the stand-alone novelI Loved That About Her, revealing his own inner struggles and showing what it’s like to live at the mercy of forces beyond conscious control. These forces take him and his family to the edge when college arch nemesis, Raine Babcock, wreaks havoc on their lives. Glenn shows us that all is not necessarily what it seems, even to himself.Walking a mile in his shoes, may change hearts and minds about the bad boy from Love, Carry My Bags that readers loved to hate.Recommended for mature audiences 17+ for language and sexual situations.EXCERPT My job ticked along way better than expected. Once I was on the inside, had my clearance, and put my naturally excessive curiosity to work, doors opened. And I opened them.I popped my head into the lab walking back to my desk after an aircraft inspection. “Any little green men in here?” I asked.
“Glenn,” my boss, who happened to be in the room, said. “I was just talking about you.”
“Yep, my ears were burning. That’s why I stopped by. Whatcha need?” I asked.
My boss looked like he didn’t know quite what to make of me, but overlooked any reservations he may have had, just like anyone else who saw my potential and took a chance on me had. For those folks, I was grateful. A flashback to my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Emerson, came to mind. She was the only one who took the time after class to sit down with me and re-explain each day’s lesson, because sitting there in a room full of quiet kids, listening, drove me ape shit. Instead of listening, I fidgeted in my chair wondering what was for lunch, sometimes getting out of my chair for a better view out the window, especially when a plane flew overhead. Mrs. Emerson was nice. “I have one just like you at home,” she said. I’m not sure what she meant, but at the time, I was thinking “nice little boy.” During our one-on-one’s, she’d speak to me like I mattered and never criticized me for not being like all the other kids who could sit in their chairs, listen, and understand, going off to do their homework by themselves after class. We did my homework together, and she gave me M&Ms after each problem I did right. Once I figured that out, I aced almost everything because there was a good reason to do the work. M&Ms right away, not some dumb letter grade handed back on a page three days later. When she explained to my folks that I knew the material, they laid into me about why I couldn’t do it at home in my room, but they clearly didn’t understand the power of M&Ms . . . or one-on-one.
“Conroy,” my boss said, “we need you in Seattle. You’re the first guy I thought of when this assignment came up—right up your alley.”
I was intrigued. My ears perked up when the words “need you” hit the air. Plus the fact that he thought of me, and “right up your alley” sounded phenom. Having gotten my attention, I listened intently as boss man outlined the particulars of the job, throwing in words like “top secret” and “special clearances” and “national security.” I was all over it and would have accepted right then and there if I didn’t need to consider Camryn.
“We need you ASAP,” he said.
“Let me talk it over with my wife,” I said, somehow managing to stifle my excitement. I hoped she’d like the idea too.ABOUT THE AUTHOR
C.R. Everett was born in Northern Illinois and has lived in various places over the years, currently residing in Utah. For twenty years she worked in finance, but today devotes her time to writing. She lives with her husband, two kids, Shiba Inu, and cat. When not writing, she updates her website, connects with her readers, does the mom thing, or cleans up after unruly pets. In her free time she enjoys reading, usually at the gym while on a treadmill, baking, taking walks, enjoying nature, and going to Starbucks. Mocha is her favorite.Website -www.creverett.comFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/creverettbooksBlog - http://creverett.blogspot.com/Twitter - https://twitter.com/authorcreverettGoodreads -https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6564542.C_R_Everett
Love, Carry My Bags Amazon Link: UShttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SZYJ3WAmazon LOVE, CARRY MY BAGS – SYNOPSISCamryn Johnson’s world is turned upside down when long lost love, Reese Dahlgren, re-enters her life at a pivotal point in her already challenging marriage. She faces an excruciating predicament: choose between a broken home for her daughter or a broken life for herself.After her parents' divorce, Camryn first meets high school basketball star, Reese, at the Harvard Milk Day Festival bed races. Reese hides baggage of his own…until Camryn melts his heart and learns secrets entrusted only to her. Still, the weight is too much to bear. Unable to cope, Reese unwittingly backs Camryn into a corner during his air force enlistment—love him from afar, or leave him.Enter aerospace engineering student, Glenn Conroy. Persistent and savvy, he woos Camryn during her junior year of college and wins her heart. Or does he? When Reese re-enters her life, further disrupting her tenuous marriage, Camryn turns to best friend, Megan, for advice, but refuses to believe Megan’s suggestion that she’s caught in a “simple” love triangle.Camryn unveils hidden mysteries and secrets as she embarks on a life-changing journey of revelation and forgiveness, transcending doormat qualities inherited from her mother, and in the process finds what life's struggles are really all about.C.R. Everett's heart-wrenching debut novel takes the reader on an emotion-packed journey that lingers long after the last page is turned.
March 31, 2014
Blog Tour for SUMMONED by Rainy Kaye
http://www.rainyofthedark.com/summoned-tours-giveaways/
Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.
Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.
Summoned is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
Find out more at http://www.summonedtheseries.com
And pick up a copy on Amazon!
Author Bio
Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark.com and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter (@rainyofthedark).She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
Author Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rainyofthedarkAuthor Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rainyofthedarkAuthor Blog: http://www.rainyofthedark.com
Cover Design: Kris Wagner https://www.facebook.com/digitalgunmanModel: Adam Jakubowski https://www.facebook.com/LadyJakubowskyPhotographer: Marcin Rychły https://www.facebook.com/karrdepl
a Rafflecopter giveaway
March 28, 2014
Release Day for VIOLET STORM by Anna Soliveres!
I'm really, really excited to showcase this awesome book today! Just look at that cover! I recently "met" Anna, and she's awesome, so be sure to say hello!! And if you pop by her blog, she's got a wonderful giveaway going on (who doesn't like giftcards, signed books, and promo cards??).
VIOLET STORMYA Science FictionRelease Date: Friday, March 28, 2014
A champion athlete with all the skills of a fighter, augmented to become a weapon that will change the fate of our world.
Symbol for Monarchy of the City of Light--which you
will only see here!!
A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That's where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon's secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they'll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he's ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She'll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.
Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she's got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.
Pick up a copy here:
Paperback (Amazon)KindleNookGooglePlay
The very cool back cover :)
About the author: Anna Soliveres has always been a storyteller but it wasn't until her early twenties when she began writing novel length works. The result was an enthusiasm to get better at the craft until her work could be shared with the world. Releasing in March 2014, Violet Storm is her debut novel. Anna is currently working on another young adult science fiction series, titled Snow Dolls, set to release in late 2014. To learn more, please visit her at www.annasoliveres.com. Connect with Anna on Facebook!Connect with Anna on Twitter!
Anna’s Amazon Author Page
VIOLET STORMYA Science FictionRelease Date: Friday, March 28, 2014
A champion athlete with all the skills of a fighter, augmented to become a weapon that will change the fate of our world.
Symbol for Monarchy of the City of Light--which youwill only see here!!
A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That's where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon's secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they'll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he's ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She'll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.
Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she's got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.
Pick up a copy here:
Paperback (Amazon)KindleNookGooglePlay
The very cool back cover :)
About the author: Anna Soliveres has always been a storyteller but it wasn't until her early twenties when she began writing novel length works. The result was an enthusiasm to get better at the craft until her work could be shared with the world. Releasing in March 2014, Violet Storm is her debut novel. Anna is currently working on another young adult science fiction series, titled Snow Dolls, set to release in late 2014. To learn more, please visit her at www.annasoliveres.com. Connect with Anna on Facebook!Connect with Anna on Twitter!Anna’s Amazon Author Page
March 26, 2014
A little about me thanks to the Liebster Award
Thanks so much to Faith Sullivan for nominating me for this award! So very sweet of you :) And HOLD ME TIGHT is due out soon and I can't wait!! If you haven't made it by her blog, or checked out some of her amazing books, I highly highly recommend them!!The Liebster Blog Award translates to “the beloved” or “the dearest.” The award is given as a way to celebrate smaller blogs. (Only blogs with under 200 followers can be awarded.) Before you accept the award, there are a certain set of tasks you must complete. The first is to reveal 11 facts about you, answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you and then create 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer.
11 facts about me? Ummm, let's see if I can find something interesting:
This is why summer needs to get here soon! :)I have a fish named Watson. He ate Crick.There's some serious nerdiness in how we name all of our pets.I grow succulents in my kitchen.I teach kids about how evolution really works.I love all things pumpkin. I'm currently training for a half marathon with my mom and sister.I don't sit still well.I'm very crafty--as in, like to make random stuff I find on pinterest.I have no idea how to sew, which I hope to remedy this summer.I love, love, love summer.I'm praying that I have a job after the end of this semester. Because I work for a university that puts sports over education. Which pisses me off more than I can possibly express, though imagining smoke-from-the-ears-fuming might get close :)
Faith gave me a few questions to answer, so here goes:
1. What do you like best about your personality?
~Hmm. Good question. How about my tenacity. It takes a LOT for me to give up. Which sometimes works against me, but not always :)
2. What's the best piece of advice you ever received?
~That you have to put yourself first sometimes. I'm not very good at this.
3. What does it take for a book to stay with you long after reading it?
~A really amazing idea/concept/world. I love good characters and lots of emotion, but I find myself thinking about worlds and ideas more.
4. If you could tell an author that you admire one thing, what would it be?
~I would love to tell Madeline L'Engle just how much her books make me happy.
5. Who is one person who always makes you happy?
~This isn't one person, but my online writing buddies always make me so happy. They make this business so much more fun.
6. What was the best birthday you ever had?
~I am going to have to say one that I don't remember very well, but I think I was 4 and my parents had a ton of people over, and we took turns riding on our pet donkey (yes, you read that right), and he was always a grouch and hated that, but was still so sweet. I just have memories of little snatches of sunlight and ice cream and a piñata, but it was awesome :)
7. What drives you to share your thoughts about books on social media?
~Reciprocity. I mean, I love sharing good books, but I do it because I always appreciate it when people share mine.
8. What's the best thing an author ever said to you?
~I'm torn on how to answer this: an author in a book? Or one of my author friends? Ummm :)
9. What do you consider the ideal length for a book in terms of the number of pages?
~About 300 pages. Long enough to get lost in it, not so long that it has the potential to get slow in the middle. Or hurts as much when you drop it on yourself.
10. What fictional character do you most resemble?
~Meg from A Wrinkle in Time.
11. If you could give the person reading this an uplifting message, what would it be?
~Life's short, take the time to do what makes you happy!
Okay, and I'm going to nominate a few people who have probably been tagged before, but oh well! Same questions as those above :)
Erin AlbertMichelle PickettKatie CarrollStephanie Robinson & Jessica Haight
March 24, 2014
After Reading: A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES by Deborah Harkness
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism. (Goodreads)
So, I totally and utterly loved this book. As in, devoured it, despite the very limited reading time I currently have. Did it screw up some basic evolutionary principles? Yes. Did I have to skip a few parts because I found myself going "ack! Not how science works!!"? Yes. Still, totally and utterly loved it. I know there are a few reasons why: I love history. I adore Oxford. I have a soft spot for immortal creatures and all they've seen. And I really liked Diana's voice. Well, more so at the start of the novel when she seems much more put together and stronger than later on (and even though I totally understand what broke her down, I found myself wanting to tell her, "hey, you are a strong person--act like it!" (I apparently had a lot of conversations with these pages!) Anyhow, overall, very fun read, and I can't wait to check out the next one, because hello Time Travel!
Have you read this book? Or do you ever have conversations with books? :)
March 21, 2014
My Writing Process Blog Tour!
Short PSA: If you haven't seen this yet, my publisher is running a special!! Preorder Surrender the Sky (due out May 2nd!!) and get The Chemistry of Fate free. Now, who doesn't like free books? :) Check this out here!And, speaking of free books, I sent out my first newsletter yesterday, which you can check out here, and also subscribe if you are interested :) I'm looking for reviewers for SURRENDER, so if you're interested, details are there (or you can email me, because, yeah, that always works too!).
Wait, wait, wait, if this seems like dejavu here on my blog, don't fret! I have done this before (twice, actually), but two really awesome people tagged me, so I'm playing along and going to have some fun :)
Who did this to me? Well, we'll start with Stuart R. West, aka the person I discuss serial killers with. Okay, actually I discuss them with my students students, too, but that's not as entertaining. There is some serious fascination with serial killers out there. Stuart puts a whole new spin on things though, and I love his work. You really must check out his blog in order to appreciate it's awesomeness :)
Jimena Navaro is a twitter buddy who writes an awesome tale and also shares my love for some good YA sci-fi :) Have you gotten to check out The Withering Sword? Definitely recommend it! And Blue Rabbit (which I need to read!!) looks awesome. Check her out on her blog!
Anyhow, here's the questions, along with my little answers, all spruced up since the last time :)
1) What am I working on?
~I'm currently drafting the fourth Sary Society book. Which is a mess of plots and characters at the moment. In other words, I'm having fun creating crazy stuff :) Just wait until you see what I've done to the Sary... Also, I basically reveal what's happened to Julia and Edison, Ari and Tom, and Jassen and Gabby (who you haven't met yet, but will in book #3).2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?~My gut reaction to this question? I probably really don't stand out. I guess don't tend to fall into the typical boy meets guy/vampire/werewolf/fae/shapeshifter-of-some-kind and they fall in love while saving the world (though, let's be honest here, I love these stories), and most of my stories tend to hit on much darker themes. So, yeah, really, not so sure how to answer this.
3) Why do I write what I do?~Because I love it. Because I love getting lost in my own little world and for some reason I though "hey, I'd love to let other people enjoy these too." Sometimes I think the voice that suggested that last part was utterly insane.
4) How does my writing process work?~Lately, during the middle of this insane semester, it pretty much involves me attempting to snag a few minutes here and there in the evenings (when I'm not so tired I can't keep my eyes open) and attempt to get some words in. The weekend can occasionally be better and I'm sometimes lucky to find a few hours. My real writing time is the summer, when I don't have to teach and can't dedicate a few hours a day to really digging into a project. Ahhh, I can't wait for summer!!!
What are your weekend plans? Anything fun going on??
March 19, 2014
Self Lovin' Bloghop!
The lovely TL Watson is running a bloghop today to talk about those things that we're good at. In her words: "Please share with us what you're good at. There's something--I know there's something--no matter how small you think it is." Check out her blog post about it, and feel free to join in!
As TL points out in her post, writing can be lonely work. It can leave you staring at your work going "gah, this sucks!" It can make you a little crazy... :) But it's important to emphasize those things that you actually are good at. If only because we can all be a little too hard on ourselves. Am I right?
To be perfectly honest, I hate talking about myself. Even coming up with something here is difficult. Self promotion absolutely kills me. I put a smile on and try to be positive about my books and my work, but there's always a part of me inside (and most days this part is overwhelmingly most of me) that's absolutely certain everything I've written is utter crap. That there's a reason why my sales and amazon rankings stink. (I'm really not fishing for compliments here, just being honest.) So, attempting to think of something that I actually feel I do well? It kind of makes me think of everything I don't do well. Which is just utterly backward in so many ways.
And completely defeats the purpose of this hop!
So, yeah, something that I think I sometimes do decently? Opening lines. I can write a really decent opening line, sometimes if I'm lucky, opening paragraph. Openings are my favorite part and I love putting something together fun and attention grabbing. Now, if only the rest of the book went so well....
What about you? What are you good at when it comes to your writing, or just in general?
As TL points out in her post, writing can be lonely work. It can leave you staring at your work going "gah, this sucks!" It can make you a little crazy... :) But it's important to emphasize those things that you actually are good at. If only because we can all be a little too hard on ourselves. Am I right?
To be perfectly honest, I hate talking about myself. Even coming up with something here is difficult. Self promotion absolutely kills me. I put a smile on and try to be positive about my books and my work, but there's always a part of me inside (and most days this part is overwhelmingly most of me) that's absolutely certain everything I've written is utter crap. That there's a reason why my sales and amazon rankings stink. (I'm really not fishing for compliments here, just being honest.) So, attempting to think of something that I actually feel I do well? It kind of makes me think of everything I don't do well. Which is just utterly backward in so many ways.
And completely defeats the purpose of this hop! So, yeah, something that I think I sometimes do decently? Opening lines. I can write a really decent opening line, sometimes if I'm lucky, opening paragraph. Openings are my favorite part and I love putting something together fun and attention grabbing. Now, if only the rest of the book went so well....
What about you? What are you good at when it comes to your writing, or just in general?
March 17, 2014
Interview and Sary in the Real World story with Bish Denham, author of ANANSI AND COMPANY
I have an awesome treat for you all today! I was lucky to win a copy of Bish's book a few weeks ago and am really looking forward to it! I thought it would be lots of fun to get to know her a little better here. Be sure to say hi in the comments!
First of all, Meradeth, thank you SO MUCH for inviting Anansi and me to come visit. We really appreciate it! Okay, lets see about your questions.
(Q) I think it’s pretty safe to say that most writers love reading. What are some of the books that influenced you the most? Anything you’d like to recommend? I am and will always be totally in love with the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. Oz is the only true original American fairyland, a place any and all Americans should visit. I was also strongly influence by Jack London. Call of the Wild was the first book that made me cry, and from that I learned the power the written word can have. There are many other authors who shaped my early writing years, John Steinbeck, Khalil Gibran, Oscar Wilde. As for recommending books, I’m not good at that because people’s tastes are so varied. What I like, might not suit you or anyone else. I would say though, that reading the classics is good exercise for the brain.
(Q) What is your favorite part of the writing process? What about it makes you love it? I love writing the first draft. There’s a freedom about it that just about makes my toes curl. I can totally lose track of time. I also love researching for a story because of the ideas that come from it and the new things I learn.
(Q) What’s your biggest pet-peeve when it comes to the writing world? Does anything get under your skin and itch? I don’t have any pet-peeves, as such. A writer can’t expect to please everyone and I fully understand and accept that. Plus, each of us has our own way doing things.
(Q) If you could meet any writer, living or dead, and pick their brain over coffee/tea/hot-chocolate, who would it be? What would be your first question? Oh gosh, I’d love to meet up with any of the authors I mentioned earlier. But I don’t know if I’d have any questions for them. I’d just want to tell them how thankful I am for the books they gave the world, for being bold and brave and truthful.
And, Bish has offered us an amazing Sary in the Real World tale, which honestly made me choke up so I hope you enjoy it!Many long years ago when I was young and stupid I got myself into a strange, dark place. I won’t go into the details, but I went into a deep depression. It was so bad I decided the only solution was to kill myself.
At the very moment I was about to end it all, there was a knock on my door. Something compelled me to answer it, and there was a West Union man with much needed money from home, money I needed to get myself back into the loving arms of my family.When I shut the door I knew I’d been saved by a Guardian Angel, a Sary, dressed as a human being. I also knew I’d never again let myself get that depressed. It’s much better to be thankful for every little thing I have in my life, than to moan and groan about what I think I lack. The truth is, I don’t lack for anything, not with Sary standing at my back, covering me with their wings.
Find Bish online at these places:You can find her at her blog: Facebook: Twitter: GoodreadsAnd don't forget to grab a copy of ANANSI AND COMPANY!
First of all, Meradeth, thank you SO MUCH for inviting Anansi and me to come visit. We really appreciate it! Okay, lets see about your questions.
(Q) I think it’s pretty safe to say that most writers love reading. What are some of the books that influenced you the most? Anything you’d like to recommend? I am and will always be totally in love with the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. Oz is the only true original American fairyland, a place any and all Americans should visit. I was also strongly influence by Jack London. Call of the Wild was the first book that made me cry, and from that I learned the power the written word can have. There are many other authors who shaped my early writing years, John Steinbeck, Khalil Gibran, Oscar Wilde. As for recommending books, I’m not good at that because people’s tastes are so varied. What I like, might not suit you or anyone else. I would say though, that reading the classics is good exercise for the brain.(Q) What is your favorite part of the writing process? What about it makes you love it? I love writing the first draft. There’s a freedom about it that just about makes my toes curl. I can totally lose track of time. I also love researching for a story because of the ideas that come from it and the new things I learn.
(Q) What’s your biggest pet-peeve when it comes to the writing world? Does anything get under your skin and itch? I don’t have any pet-peeves, as such. A writer can’t expect to please everyone and I fully understand and accept that. Plus, each of us has our own way doing things.
(Q) If you could meet any writer, living or dead, and pick their brain over coffee/tea/hot-chocolate, who would it be? What would be your first question? Oh gosh, I’d love to meet up with any of the authors I mentioned earlier. But I don’t know if I’d have any questions for them. I’d just want to tell them how thankful I am for the books they gave the world, for being bold and brave and truthful.
And, Bish has offered us an amazing Sary in the Real World tale, which honestly made me choke up so I hope you enjoy it!Many long years ago when I was young and stupid I got myself into a strange, dark place. I won’t go into the details, but I went into a deep depression. It was so bad I decided the only solution was to kill myself.
At the very moment I was about to end it all, there was a knock on my door. Something compelled me to answer it, and there was a West Union man with much needed money from home, money I needed to get myself back into the loving arms of my family.When I shut the door I knew I’d been saved by a Guardian Angel, a Sary, dressed as a human being. I also knew I’d never again let myself get that depressed. It’s much better to be thankful for every little thing I have in my life, than to moan and groan about what I think I lack. The truth is, I don’t lack for anything, not with Sary standing at my back, covering me with their wings.Find Bish online at these places:You can find her at her blog: Facebook: Twitter: GoodreadsAnd don't forget to grab a copy of ANANSI AND COMPANY!
March 15, 2014
The Many Sides of Medusa Blog Hop!
Thank you for stopping by the Many Sides of Medusa Blog Hop hosted by Heather Lyons and Kelly Hashway!
>Okay, so I'll admit, when I think Medusa, the first thing that come to mind is this:
Clash of the Titans freaked me out a good deal as a child, and Medusa's head in the bag really bothered me. I remember trying to think of ways that I would avoid looking at someone who could turn me to stone, and pretty much deciding that if that ever happened to me, I was done for :) Anyhow, that was my first taste of Medusa, but I love reading mythology based stories that turn those notions on the head. Kelly and Heather's books both have that awesome ability, so be sure to read more about them, and enter the giveaway!
Door Prize: Your door prize for joining us is the short story prequel to the Touch of Death series titled Curse of Death. It's the myth about Medusa and how she was cursed by the goddess Athena. Claim your free gift by clicking here.
Heather and Kelly are teaming up to show you a very different side of Medusa. Forget the monster you might think she was, and check out these excerpts from The Deep End of the Sea and Touch of Death. You just might change your mind about Medusa.
The Deep End of the Sea excerpt:
But there’s no way around it. I am, in fact, a monster. A hideous one, to be precise, but as I don’t have any mirrors on Gorgóna, I can’t verify that one for certain. I rely on the fact that every single person I’ve frozen over the ages boasts abject fear on their face, which makes me believe they find me pretty horrifying. And it sucks. It genuinely, truly, absolutely, unequivocally sucks. I hate stealing lives.Thus, not only am I a monster, I’m a really lousy one. A lonely, classic Five Stages of Grief following, insecure, shut-in of a pathetic beast who talks to the snakes on her head and the statues on her island.
Find Heather online:
Website
Purchase The Deep End of the Sea on Amazon or B&N.
Touch of Death excerpt:
My hair blew up, flying wildly all around me. My blood bubbled in my veins like boiling water, but it didn't hurt. It was the feeling of power. Too much power. My body felt like it was going to burst. Still I held on. My eyes closed, and I threw my head back. An imaged filled my mind. Medusa. Her snakes wriggled their bodies at me, flicking their tongues. Chills ran down the backs of my legs, but I forced my eyes away from the snakes. Lower. To Medusa's face. She smiled at me. Her face and eyes filled with warmth. She looked like…Mom."Do not fear me, Jodi. My blood lies in your veins and in your heart. you are one of mine. My children."
Find Kelly online:
Website
Purchase the Touch of Death series on Amazon or B&N.
If you want more Medusa, be sure to check out The Deep End of the Sea and the Touch of Death series. And…Heather and Kelly have a giveaway for you. Enter on the rafflecopter form for your chance to win a $20 gift card to either Amazon or B&N, Medusa Makeup lipgloss, signed bookmarks from both authors, buttons for each book, and Touch of Death stickers.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
March 14, 2014
Katie Carroll's Sary in the Real World Story!
I haven't had one of these awesome stories to share in a while, so I'm really happy to be able to share my amazing critique partner, editor, and all around amazing person, Katie Caroll's post! Also, you definitely should check out Katie's blog, and her amazing book, Elixir Bound!!
Thanks, Meradeth, for having me on the blog today for another Sary in the Real World post. When I posted back in November, I told the story of how my sister and I were on our way to Alaska to run a marathon and needed some Sary intervention to get there. The acts of kindness in that case were big acts, the kind of stuff you remember for a long time afterward.
But there are acts of kindness that are smaller, performed every day, with little fanfare. In some ways I think these small acts are more important than the big ones because little by little they add up to a big whole. The opposite of the saying “death by a million paper cuts,” a positive butterfly effect.
A few months ago, my 2-year-old and I were walking in our quaint downtown and needed to stop at the post office. I had him in the stroller with all my packages in the bottom compartment. Upon arriving at the post office, I realized the old government building had several sets of stairs and no ramp. So I was faced with either taking everything out of the stroller—purse, many packages, my toddler—hauling it all into the post office, and leaving the stroller outside or trying to pull the stroller up the stairs. I opted with trying to pull the stroller up the stairs.
A couple of stairs in, a petite woman came walking down the sidewalk and offered to help. With two sets of hands, we were able to easily carry the stroller and all its contents up the stairs. Now this lady had no way of knowing I was pregnant just not showing yet, so her help was especially appreciated because I probably shouldn’t have been trying to haul all that stuff up the stairs in the first place. When we went to leave the post office, another woman helped me get the stroller down.
Now these two acts of kindness weren’t life-altering or world changing, but they made my day a little bit easier. At the time I had been suffering a lot of fatigue and morning sickness, so anything to make my day slightly easier was much appreciated. I try to offer up these small acts when I can as well. Holding a door open for someone, offering a smile to someone while I’m walking down the street. We can all be Sary every day with little effort and send little ripples of kindness around the world.
About the author:
Katie L. Carroll began writing at a very sad time in her life after her 16-year-old sister, Kylene, unexpectedly passed away. Since then writing has taken her to many wonderful places, real and imagined. She wrote ELIXIR BOUND and the forthcoming ELIXIR SAVED so Kylene could live on in the pages of a book. Katie is also the author of a picture app called THE BEDTIME KNIGHT and a book editor. She lives not too far from the beach in a small Connecticut city with her family. Visit her website at www.katielcarroll.com or follow her on Twitter @KatieLCarroll.
Thanks, Meradeth, for having me on the blog today for another Sary in the Real World post. When I posted back in November, I told the story of how my sister and I were on our way to Alaska to run a marathon and needed some Sary intervention to get there. The acts of kindness in that case were big acts, the kind of stuff you remember for a long time afterward.
But there are acts of kindness that are smaller, performed every day, with little fanfare. In some ways I think these small acts are more important than the big ones because little by little they add up to a big whole. The opposite of the saying “death by a million paper cuts,” a positive butterfly effect.
A few months ago, my 2-year-old and I were walking in our quaint downtown and needed to stop at the post office. I had him in the stroller with all my packages in the bottom compartment. Upon arriving at the post office, I realized the old government building had several sets of stairs and no ramp. So I was faced with either taking everything out of the stroller—purse, many packages, my toddler—hauling it all into the post office, and leaving the stroller outside or trying to pull the stroller up the stairs. I opted with trying to pull the stroller up the stairs.
A couple of stairs in, a petite woman came walking down the sidewalk and offered to help. With two sets of hands, we were able to easily carry the stroller and all its contents up the stairs. Now this lady had no way of knowing I was pregnant just not showing yet, so her help was especially appreciated because I probably shouldn’t have been trying to haul all that stuff up the stairs in the first place. When we went to leave the post office, another woman helped me get the stroller down.
Now these two acts of kindness weren’t life-altering or world changing, but they made my day a little bit easier. At the time I had been suffering a lot of fatigue and morning sickness, so anything to make my day slightly easier was much appreciated. I try to offer up these small acts when I can as well. Holding a door open for someone, offering a smile to someone while I’m walking down the street. We can all be Sary every day with little effort and send little ripples of kindness around the world.
About the author:
Katie L. Carroll began writing at a very sad time in her life after her 16-year-old sister, Kylene, unexpectedly passed away. Since then writing has taken her to many wonderful places, real and imagined. She wrote ELIXIR BOUND and the forthcoming ELIXIR SAVED so Kylene could live on in the pages of a book. Katie is also the author of a picture app called THE BEDTIME KNIGHT and a book editor. She lives not too far from the beach in a small Connecticut city with her family. Visit her website at www.katielcarroll.com or follow her on Twitter @KatieLCarroll.
