Sydney Simon's Blog, page 3

30 Days of Book Love - Day 6

30 Days of Book Love
Day 6 is upon us.  I hope everyone is enjoying all our answers - and thanks for playing along!  Today's question:


Most Surprising Plot Twist or Ending


I read this book at the beginning of the year, and true to my form for liking out of the box, this book was a total mindfu*#k.  I love a good plot twist or WTF ending.  Because, let's face it, the crazier the plot, the better the book (and it doesn't hurt that Sarah is a phenomenal writer).  I won't lie, this book is not for everyone.  The Heroine can come off as repetitive if you don't connect with her.  But, if you're like me, and you let your emotions get lost in the words, you will find HER truly heartbreaking story of pain, trauma and disappointment - tempered by HER hope and passion for a beautiful stranger.

I'm so glad Sarah took pity on us and followed up with a sequel, THIS is Me.  Both books shouldn't be missed.



And because great minds think alike, make sure you find out who else though that I am HER was the best book with a plot twist.

I had to add a last minute honorable mention, because, this book was also one of those WTF did I just read?  I am anxiously waiting for Shari to pump out Book 2!




Amazon link:
I am HER
THIS is me
Schasm

Make sure you enter here today:
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30 Days of Book Love - Day 5

30 Days of Book Love
Day 5 is here!


Favorite Quote From a Great Book


This book is one of my all time favorite books.  I bullied a bunch of people into reading it, cause I just knew they'd love it as much as I did.  And I was right!  Everyone I recommended it to gave it high praise.


So, why do I love this book so much?  Well, L.H. Cosway has a witty sense of humor and it plays out through her MC, Freda, aka Fred (because she likes "to be economical with her syllables.") and Nicholas, aka Viv.  Naturally, this is also one of those unconventional boy meets girl stories.  I like out of the box; coloring inside the lines is too much for me, especially when reading is concerned.  This book is a perfect blend of out of the box and good romance.

Fred isn't a bombshell blonde with a great body, like her roommate, Nora.  Fred is more full figured, and she's okay with her curves.

"If Nora's metabolism is an Olympic gold medal runner, mine is one of those slugs that you step on by mistake when it's cold and damp out."

She works at a thrift store, she bakes cupcakes for a local coffee shop, and she's honest about life.

"I might not have a boyfriend, but I have cupcakes, and those tasty bastards haven't let me down yet." 

She's also honest about her friend, Anny, who is not at all particular with whom she takes home at night.

"... I know good and well that Anny will f&#k a doorknob with enough alcohol in her system."

Then she meets Vivica Blue, who is dark haired and blue-eyed gorgeous.  She couldn't resist his wicked good looks.

"I've never been in love.  It's sad but true.  I think the most I've ever been in has been low grade lust."

Fred lives next door to Viv, and he likes the charm and character of their apartment building, which is located is a  lower class neighborhood in Ireland.  Viv doesn't see his view on it.

"If by lived in, you mean an aged whore with cracked skin and dome sort of downstairs infection she can't get rid of, then you're right, this building has plenty of character."

After Fred and Viv spend some time together and he flirts with her mercilessly, she falls...

"Isn't that what every girls wants?  To be loved by someone uniquely, to make a man feel something he hasn't yet felt for anyone else?"

"I want his smiles and his teasing, his smouldering look.  His sad eyes when he thinks nobody's watching.  Most of all, I want his heart."

So, if I give you any more of my highlighted quotes (which is half the book), I'll give away the whole story, and I really want you to read it.

I'm going to leave you with one more though, just because I can't help myself.

"I've never understood the appeal of sleeping in the nude, but slim people seem to be mad about it."

Seriously, go buy it, and then beg L.H. to write some more about Viv and Fred.


Amazon link:
Painted Faces

Don't forget to enter here:
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30 Days of Book Love - Day 4

30 Days of Book Love
It's Day 4 of our 30 Days.  And today's question is... name:

A Book From a Favorite Author


So, this one took a bit of thought.  Let's face it, I have more than a few favorite authors.  And even though this author hasn't been on the scene a long time, I love her writing and this book is one of my favorites from this year.  Not only is the writing beyond measure, but the story she told leaves me in awe of how she captured not just the setting, but the emotions of the characters - it's all flawless.



In the Fields, by Willow Aster, is not your typical boy meets girl.  Nope.  Willow took it steps further.  She told a story of a boy and a girl and made it a period piece:  early 70's, in the South.  
So, if you haven't read it, please do yourself a favor and pick it up now.  It's well worth it. 
Amazon Link:In the Fields
And don't forget to enter for all those great prizes:Rafflecopter

30 Days of Book Love - Day 3

30 Days of Book Love
Here we are... Day 3 of our thirty days.  This question, I actually (and not surprisingly), had little problem answering.  Sure, it took me a minute or five.  I had to have a little pow-wow with my conscience to make sure that I wanted to openly admit it.  In the end, good old fashioned common sense won out.

Because really, who doesn't want to jump in this book?  Even given the circumstances surrounding the recent casting (do you see where I'm going with this?)

Today's question:
The Book I Wish I Could Jump Into


Fifty Shades of Grey.

There, I said it.

I want to be Anastasia.  I want to trip and fall into his office and then have Christian drag me to the Red Room of Pain.

Who the hell doesn't?

I'll admit, I was a little shocked when I found out Charlie was cast, but it grew on me and I was actually looking forward to seeing him dominate the big screen, so I was surprised when he backed out.  Honestly, I was a little disappointed.

But now that hot morsel, Jamie has been cast.  I think I'm on board.

What book would you want to jump into?

Here's the Amazon link for the Fifty Shades Trilogy:
Fifty Shades of Grey

Don't forget to enter here:
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30 Days of Book Love - Day 2

30 Days of Book Love
So we're on Day 2 of our 30 Days.  Today's question was relatively easy for me to answer.


Favorite YA Series


I am not a big YA person.  It is not my favorite genre.  I went through high school, I graduated, I went to college.  I didn't have nearly the fun/drama/angst as all the YA characters I read about do.  


All that being said, I'm pretty invested in The Keatyn Chronicles by Jillian Dodd.  Keatyn is beautiful, rich and her milkshake brings all the boys to her yard.  
Jillian's books are fun, yet still have several more sincere subplots that run through the six books.  I haven't had a chance to read the fourth book in the series, Love Me, but as soon as I publish, I plan to catch up.  
Have you read about Keatyn?  
Who do you think Moon Boy is?  I have my thoughts!
What's your favorite YA series?

Here's the Amazon link for Stalk Me, and right now, it's FREE.

Stalk Me


Check out all the prizes and enter here:
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30 Days of Book Love - Day 1

So, last month I made a post on my Facebook page about what kind of books and gifts people wanted to win when they entered Rafflecopter giveaways.  I got a small response, and it was helpful.  Which leads me to this:   

30 Days of Book Love
MJ Abraham got me and three other authors (Angie McKeon, Barbie Bohrman and Claire Contreras) to come together and engage readers - each day we will post one book related question that we will answer, and our hope is to get you to answer too.  The fun part is seeing the diversity of how all of our answers will be different, or even the same.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we will.  We've had fun discussing our answers and planning this out.  
Of course, there will be prizes and incentives for playing along.  Check out the link below.  And make sure you stop by our Facebook pages and check out what we're up to.  All of us are in the middle of releasing some great books soon!
So, without further adieu... Today's question:
Favorite book turned into a movie where the movie did it justice
I'll admit... this one was a tough one for me to answer, only because I didn't have an immediate one.  I had to sit and think about it for a while because the movie hardly, if ever, does the book justice.  Right?  
So, I sat on this one for a day or two and really put some thought into it.

And this is what I've come up with...



I read the Time Traveler's Wife in 2006, and I loved the story.  I loved the uniqueness of it - and I appreciated, as a writer, how the author effectively told this love story without over-complicating it with too many details of the time traveling.

So, in 2009, when the movie releases, I am very hesitant. I usually don't throw all my hopes in to movies that are adapted from books.  This one was especially worrisome, because, how to you effectively tell the time traveling story line without taking away from the love story?

Well, it was done.  And it didn't hurt that Eric Bana is HOT!

Did you see or read the Time Traveler's Wife?  What did you think of the book and the movie adaptation?

What's your favorite book/movie?

Here's the Amazon link for the Time Traveler's Wife:
The Time Travelers Wife


Check out all the prizes up for grabs:
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New Teaser

New post up on my blog, along with teaser #6

xo! SS

http://sydneysimon.blogspot.com/

I Get It

I get it, really.  I do.


The indie marked is flooded with new authors, new books, new ideas to try to spin your typical 'boy meets girl' into something different.  
I get it.  I am a reader.  
So, I tried to do something different.  Which, months ago, was a relatively new idea:  tell it from a different point of view.  Readers want different.  They don't always want to hear from the jaded woman; the woman who was hurt, scorned, cheated on, left behind.  
Readers wanted to hear from the GUY.  The one who hurted, scorned, cheated and left behind.  So, that's what I did.  But in the 8 months that it's taken me to almost finish, people have beat me to it.  
I had to change it up again.  
This time, you will only hear from the males in my book.  
I lie.  
You will hear from Siena, but only a few times,  the prologue, the epilogue and three other chapters.  The remaining chapters will be told in HIS point of view only.
There will be a second book, and it will be the exact opposite; told from HER point of view, with a few chapters from the males.  It will not be a retelling; it will move forward where the first book left off.  If it sounds like something you may be interested in, please like my Facebook page and add The One You Love to your TBR's - I'd truly appreciate it.  
I hope that this will entice readers into something just a bit different and that they will enjoy hearing how a middle age woman works through the darkness in her life.  
Crossing my fingers. xo - SS
https://www.facebook.com/sydneysimonauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18300160-the-one-who-loves-you
 

I Am NO Good at This

So, I fancy myself a fairly intelligent woman.  I'm successfully raising two kids and I am trying to finish my last year in college.

I am new to the writing community.  I've always loved to write, just not well enough for anyone to come banging on my door begging for my short stories or random poems to publish.
Until now.  No, no one's banging down my door.  Instead, I'm banging my own door to the world of self-publishing, anxious to put out my first book.
Great, right?
Wrong.
There is just so much more to typing up 80-100 thousand words and stringing them together well enough to tell a story.
There's finding someone to do your cover, someone to edit, someone to format, someone to read the shit you typed up so that they can tell you whether your story sucks or not, and lastly, someone to market and push your baby out to the world for everyone a few people to see.

That's where I am today.
I had to set this blog site up.  It nearly sent me over the edge.  I patiently wadded my way through this bullcrap for more than two (three, but who's counting) hours to come up with a mediocre page.
I admit.  I am not savvy enough to design anything computer related.  "If you have gmail, sign up with blogger (it's easy as hell. if i can do it you can)"  That is a direct quote from a "helpful" friend.  If my friend lived closer, I'd punch her for telling me that.
So, please bear with me while I work my way through this.

In the meantime, be on the lookout for some fun stuff happening next month.  I'll be working with 4 other authors on a great project.  There will be gift cards and signed books too!

Thanks for making it this far.  If you have any suggestions, leave me a comment, I may be able to figure it out, or do me a solid and contact me at my Facebook page.  THAT I can navigate through.

Have a fabulous day!
-SS