Zara Hoffman's Blog: Zara Hoffman's Goodreads Author Blog, page 37
August 19, 2014
Movie Review: The Giver
Movie Description: In a seemingly perfect community, without war, pain, suffering, differences or choice, a young boy is chosen to learn from an elderly man about the true pain and pleasure of the "real" world.Book Synopsis: Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
Read my book review of The Giver. Post by Zara Hoffman. As you can see from my post above, I was very worried about this movie. I know that the star power of Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgård should have put me at ease, but the trailers seemed so bland and too futuristic when compared to the book that I was still freaking out. The title treatment also reminded me the alien TV show V, so that didn't help. My skepticism didn't abate when Lois Lowry herself, said:
I had seen Brenton Thwaites in Maleficent and wasn't too impressed, though I think that had to do more with the dull role of the prince than his acting skills. (Sidenote: you can read my movie review of Maleficent and my post on villains.) In The Giver, however, he shines.I had never heard of Odeya Rush before, but her portrayal of Fiona was captivating. I liked her character much more because of her acting than in the book. I thought she was kind of shallow in the original source material, but the movie also developed her more to serve as a viable love interest for Jonas. I despise the need to add romance to every YA story (book or movie), but it surprisingly didn't bother me as much as I expected.
Another change that I assumed would ruin the movie was the aging of the characters from 12 to 16 (again to follow the YA dystopian trend), but I think it works very naturally. 12 and 16 were very pivotal years in my life (more so than 13 and 17) so seeing a 16-year old Jonas facing these dark themes resonated with me.
What was also really great was the larger scope of the movie that wasn't shown in the book. The book is told from Jonas' POV so a lot of behind the scenes in the Community went unseen in the reading experience, but the movie can easily switch from Jonas' POV to the Chief Elder's, who is played Meryl Streep.
The Chief Elder's role (and tension between her and The Giver) was expanded for the movie. Understandable, since it's Meryl Streep we're talking about here, but the change was so seamless that for those who haven't already read the book (or read the articles talking about the changes made), you would never have guessed it had ever been otherwise.
The style of the movie showed clear parallels to The Hunger Games (The Communities resemble the District logos and Capitol) and Divergent (The Graduation—"Ceremony of Twelve" in the book—looks like the Choosing Ceremony). Despite this, The Giver is unique in its own right as a movie. The main reason is the way they portrayed the memories. And, if anyone says The Giver is copying plot elements, remember it was published in 1993—years before either of the modern dystopian trilogies. I already wrote a post on how The Giver is responsible for the current trend of YA dystopian novels like The Hunger Games and Divergent.
Overall, I loved this movie and agree with Lois Lowry's assessment (see image quote above). You can read my book review of The Giver, or buy the book yourself.
And finally, for those of you who have already read the book and seen the movie, here is a good review on how faithful the film was to its source material (it has spoilers, so again, read and watch–in that order).
FYI, The Giver was inspired by the author's father's memory loss. Here's another interesting interview with Lois Lowry. And here's one where she more strictly talks about the page to screen adaptation.
Jeff Bridges originally intended his father to play The Giver, but his father died a few years later.
On a random note, the girl who plays Fiona looks like Anna Kendrick on the poster, but really resembles Mila Kunis in more ways than one.
Being Brave: The College Essay
You may remember me saying that I finished the Common App Essay. While I wasn't lying then, I have since decided to work with Naked Essay Tutoring to help with the Common App and Supplemental Essays for my College Applications. The first one I wrote was about my Grandma, and while it was good, I have decided to do a different essay about my trip to South Africa.
It's a lot of writing, but I know what I want to do, so all that's left is the actual grease work.
8/17/14: I write my new first draft.
8/19/14: I change direction for the second time and write a different draft.
Read general updates about my College Applications.
It's a lot of writing, but I know what I want to do, so all that's left is the actual grease work.
8/17/14: I write my new first draft.
8/19/14: I change direction for the second time and write a different draft.
Read general updates about my College Applications.
August 11, 2014
Heroes with Hearts of Steel Blog Tour
Walt from Handled By Officer Welcome to my continuity character interview blog tour! With two books releasing within days of each other and another one on the way, I decided to give a taste of all of my men in one tour.
Title: Handled by Officer
Series: Women Behind The Badge, #1
Recruit officer Kiley Gibbons has walked in her twin sister’s shadow her entire life—born two minutes after, she’s five inches shorter with curls gone wild and the exact opposite of her outgoing, athletic sister. But that’s exactly why she’s the one woman who caught Walt Raynham’s eye, and she's the only one who threatens his future in the tactical unit.
Officer Raynham is everything Kiley needs to distract her from the daily grind at the police academy, too bad his drop dead gorgeous body is wearing the uniform of her boss. And when the academy is finally behind her, Kiley must find the strength to walk away from the man she shouldn’t touch.
But when her friend’s death leaves Kiley with two children to raise and a custody battle she just might lose, there’s only one man strong enough to step in and fill the role of her fiancé. Now Kiley’s not sure she wants to resist the temptation Walt causes, and he’s not so sure a family would be such a bad thing. Together, they discover love and an engagement of convenience could be an unstoppable force for happily-ever-after ... until a killer has another idea that may cost them everything they didn’t want.
This was it. Nerves had me jittery, and lack of sleep left my brain a little frazzled. I’d taken special care with my make-up, curled my hair and arrived early for my special date. I’d chosen black and white printed silk pants that looked like a pair my mom wore in the seventies, and a black clingy t-shirt for the occasion. I didn’t dare wear heels, black sandals were more than dressy enough for me.
I looked up at the red roof and the pristine white exterior of my favorite hotel. In thirty minutes I was going to meet all of my men in one place. Every single one of them. Which meant, they’d find out about each other and know they weren’t the only ones that I’d dreamt of — imagined doing scrumptiously delectable things … and we’d all be sitting on the terrace enjoying the sunset together. I’d reserved seating for five.
How could one woman be so lucky? I mean I would have killed for a date like this when I was in my twenties. Of course in my twenties I would have been ready to make a move on a least one of them — maybe all of them ;) Four tempting male specimens was not exactly everyday fare, even if I was at the Hotel Del Coronado.
At my current age, however, I laughed when my husband got jealous. He’d actually pouted on our drive to the airport and then kissed me hard and long before saying goodbye. No matter what anyone believed, my men had nothing on the real muscles that embraced me every day.
I took the winding path to the lower terrace, and waited for the maître d’ to take me to the table in the corner. Yes, my guys would have to walk through most of the clientele enjoying the sunset dinner, but once they were seated the distraction to the rest of the women in the restaurant would be minimal … thanks to a couple of huge potted hibiscus plants the manager had moved especially for this meeting.
Just as the young waiter my son’s age brought my drink, I heard a collective feminine gasp on the other side of the fragrant flower wall. Exactly the reaction I expected my guys to receive and I didn’t have long to wait before a blond head appeared around the corner. His deep blue eyes taking in every bit of the surroundings as he scoped-out the scene. He noticed the large seating arrangement. Took in the flower wall dividing our table from the rest of the restaurant — and he noticed my half-empty glass of amaretto sour.
He smiled that devilishly handsome smile, his blue eyes twinkling with laughter and it took every ounce of my control not to down every last drop of my liquid courage. “What are you up to, Kym?”
“Nothing. I just thought we should have lunch.” I started to get up but he motioned me to stay seated, and his eyes crinkled with humor.
“I don’t think you flew me all the way to San Diego and booked a room for me at the Hotel Del ‘to have lunch.’” He pulled up the chair next to me, making sure his back was to the building like my own, and I swore I stopped breathing for a moment.
He wore a pair of tan slacks that couldn’t hide his muscular thighs and light blue T shirt that clung to his muscular chest.
“Is your family joining us?” He glanced at the other chairs and when I shook my head, his dark blond eyebrow hitch up a notch, but he stayed silent waiting for me to fill the void. Luckily, the waiter came and took his drink order, the house beer, and allowed me time to gather my wits.
Once the waiter was gone, Walt leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles, completely relaxed and comfortable. I wish I felt the same.
“If I was a different man, I’d think you were looking for a little action. But I’ve worked cases with you, and I know your husband, everything is always about the job, unless you’re with him.”
“I’m retired, this isn’t about the job.” I assured him.
“Please tell me this isn’t about that book you’re writing...” I looked away under his scrutiny and grabbed for my drink. Walt sighed. “Kym, I appreciate your concern, but no matter what you write, I will not be tied down to one woman.”
It was my turn to smirk. I’d known Walt since he was a boot in the academy, and I’d met his dad when I was a young officer before Walt Senior died at the hands of a drunk driver when he was working an accident scene. Walt Jr. was cocky, thought he knew his heart, but he didn’t have a clue what life had in store for him. And I was going to make sure he got exactly what he deserved, what his dad wanted for him, whether Walt wanted it or not.
“This is a battle you won’t win, Walt.” I warned.
He scoffed, no longer searching my face, but reaching for his beer that had just arrived. “I won’t lose, even if you bring Chuck in on this fight.”
My hubby would call the look on my face a ‘shit-eating grin.’ Those two had been sparing for years and despite the age difference, I was sure my husband would still give Walt a run for his money. I also knew how much control this man would lose, and what he would risk for the woman he loved. Walt took a health swig, confident in his ability to protect his heart.
But his heart had a target on it, and his brawn was no match for the curls he was going to meet next week. It was just a matter of time before his brain caught up … and surrendered.
Note from Kym:
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or is it lust that drives us to approach that special person? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
And if you’d like to read more about Walt, and the rest of my heroes, stop by my website and Catch the Wave that will take you to my next installment of the Heroes with Hearts of Steel.
See you on the beach!
My Review Other Books by Kym Roberts I loved this book so much! I was sad by how quickly I finished it, but the action and romantic suspense didn't let me take it slow—I HAD to know what was going to happen. I do wish the author could have spent more time exploring some of the important secondary characters, because they were just as awesome as Kiley and Walt, but that's just me being a highly-invested reader. It's kind of my MO. Also, there was a large time jump that caught me off guard. It was foreshadowed and then mentioned afterwards, but I still feel like I missed something. This lapse in clarity was a one-time offense, though, so I can easily forgive it. If anyone is looking for a page-turner this summer, I highly recommend Handled by Officer, especially for fans of cop shows and romance.
Title: Dead On Arrival
Series: Malia Fern Mystery, #1
Catch the Wave of a wild new paranormal mystery series that will leave you locked in the middle of the impact zone!
Bikinis and board shorts are all in a day’s work for surf instructor Malia Fern. Life is good on the island of Kaua’i, even if her social calendar is lacking and a big surf company is droppin’ in to steal her customers. When Malia stumbles upon the body of tourist who speaks to her from his sandy grave, life as she knows it disappears in the outgoing tide.
She didn’t expect to find herself investigating his death, she has no experience, nor any desire to work in the family business of law enforcement, but that’s exactly what she’s doing because the victim keeps asking for help and a group of mystical Menehune men need her protection. If she knew how to offer it, things would be a whole lot easier.
To make matters worse, her love life is out of control. Makaio Natua, the forbidden bad boy cop, is everything she wants. But his charming, security specialist cousin, Alapai Lincoln, is everything she needs. What could be worse than meeting the two of them at the same time? A curse designed to control her future.
With life turning wacky, Malia is determined to discover if the victim’s death was an accident, a dope deal gone bad, or something more sinister than she could possibly imagine, because this time her last big wipe out may leave her Dead On Arrival.
Title: Dead Man's Carve
Series: Tickled to Death Mystery, #1
"There's nothing wooden about Dead Man's Carve. Roberts mingles a sparkling, unique voice with a great old-fashioned mystery." ~ Wendy Lyn Watson, Mysteries a la Mode & Pet Boutique Mysteries (as Annie Knox)
Rilee Dust isn’t your typical wood carver, she’s young and making a go of it in the small village of Tickle Creek, Oregon. She’s also the only one in town who isn’t determined to get rid her strip club neighbor. Everyone else, however, is ready to evict the Girls, Girls, Girls.
When a dog adopts her and turns her life upside down, Rilee’s not so sure it’s a good thing. Especially when he leads her to a moose, a man and a dead body. Because the moose kicked her butt, the man saved her life and the dead body is one of her customers.
Now Rilee’s smack dab in the middle of all the small town politics with a killer on the loose who has an ax to grind. And Rilee just may be the next victim to have her name carved in stone.
About Kym Roberts
Three career paths resonated for Kym during her early childhood: a detective, an investigative reporter, and…a nun. Being a nun, however, dropped by the wayside when she became aware of boys—they were the spice of life she couldn’t deny. In high school her path was forged when she took her first job at a dry cleaners and
met every cop in town, especially the lone female police officer in patrol. From that
point on there was no stopping Kym’s pursuit of a career in law enforcement—even
if she had to duct tape rolls of coins to her waist to meet the weight requirements to be hired. (Yes, she really did that!) Kym followed her dream and became a detective that fulfilled her desire to be an investigative reporter, with one extra perk—a badge. Promoted to sergeant Kym spent the majority of her career in SVU. She retired from the job reluctantly when her husband drug her kicking and screaming to another state, but writing continued to call her name, at least in her head.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Title: Handled by OfficerSeries: Women Behind The Badge, #1
Recruit officer Kiley Gibbons has walked in her twin sister’s shadow her entire life—born two minutes after, she’s five inches shorter with curls gone wild and the exact opposite of her outgoing, athletic sister. But that’s exactly why she’s the one woman who caught Walt Raynham’s eye, and she's the only one who threatens his future in the tactical unit.
Officer Raynham is everything Kiley needs to distract her from the daily grind at the police academy, too bad his drop dead gorgeous body is wearing the uniform of her boss. And when the academy is finally behind her, Kiley must find the strength to walk away from the man she shouldn’t touch.
But when her friend’s death leaves Kiley with two children to raise and a custody battle she just might lose, there’s only one man strong enough to step in and fill the role of her fiancé. Now Kiley’s not sure she wants to resist the temptation Walt causes, and he’s not so sure a family would be such a bad thing. Together, they discover love and an engagement of convenience could be an unstoppable force for happily-ever-after ... until a killer has another idea that may cost them everything they didn’t want.
This was it. Nerves had me jittery, and lack of sleep left my brain a little frazzled. I’d taken special care with my make-up, curled my hair and arrived early for my special date. I’d chosen black and white printed silk pants that looked like a pair my mom wore in the seventies, and a black clingy t-shirt for the occasion. I didn’t dare wear heels, black sandals were more than dressy enough for me.
I looked up at the red roof and the pristine white exterior of my favorite hotel. In thirty minutes I was going to meet all of my men in one place. Every single one of them. Which meant, they’d find out about each other and know they weren’t the only ones that I’d dreamt of — imagined doing scrumptiously delectable things … and we’d all be sitting on the terrace enjoying the sunset together. I’d reserved seating for five.
How could one woman be so lucky? I mean I would have killed for a date like this when I was in my twenties. Of course in my twenties I would have been ready to make a move on a least one of them — maybe all of them ;) Four tempting male specimens was not exactly everyday fare, even if I was at the Hotel Del Coronado.
At my current age, however, I laughed when my husband got jealous. He’d actually pouted on our drive to the airport and then kissed me hard and long before saying goodbye. No matter what anyone believed, my men had nothing on the real muscles that embraced me every day.
I took the winding path to the lower terrace, and waited for the maître d’ to take me to the table in the corner. Yes, my guys would have to walk through most of the clientele enjoying the sunset dinner, but once they were seated the distraction to the rest of the women in the restaurant would be minimal … thanks to a couple of huge potted hibiscus plants the manager had moved especially for this meeting.
Just as the young waiter my son’s age brought my drink, I heard a collective feminine gasp on the other side of the fragrant flower wall. Exactly the reaction I expected my guys to receive and I didn’t have long to wait before a blond head appeared around the corner. His deep blue eyes taking in every bit of the surroundings as he scoped-out the scene. He noticed the large seating arrangement. Took in the flower wall dividing our table from the rest of the restaurant — and he noticed my half-empty glass of amaretto sour.
He smiled that devilishly handsome smile, his blue eyes twinkling with laughter and it took every ounce of my control not to down every last drop of my liquid courage. “What are you up to, Kym?”
“Nothing. I just thought we should have lunch.” I started to get up but he motioned me to stay seated, and his eyes crinkled with humor.
“I don’t think you flew me all the way to San Diego and booked a room for me at the Hotel Del ‘to have lunch.’” He pulled up the chair next to me, making sure his back was to the building like my own, and I swore I stopped breathing for a moment.
He wore a pair of tan slacks that couldn’t hide his muscular thighs and light blue T shirt that clung to his muscular chest.
“Is your family joining us?” He glanced at the other chairs and when I shook my head, his dark blond eyebrow hitch up a notch, but he stayed silent waiting for me to fill the void. Luckily, the waiter came and took his drink order, the house beer, and allowed me time to gather my wits.
Once the waiter was gone, Walt leaned back in his chair and crossed his ankles, completely relaxed and comfortable. I wish I felt the same.
“If I was a different man, I’d think you were looking for a little action. But I’ve worked cases with you, and I know your husband, everything is always about the job, unless you’re with him.”
“I’m retired, this isn’t about the job.” I assured him.
“Please tell me this isn’t about that book you’re writing...” I looked away under his scrutiny and grabbed for my drink. Walt sighed. “Kym, I appreciate your concern, but no matter what you write, I will not be tied down to one woman.”
It was my turn to smirk. I’d known Walt since he was a boot in the academy, and I’d met his dad when I was a young officer before Walt Senior died at the hands of a drunk driver when he was working an accident scene. Walt Jr. was cocky, thought he knew his heart, but he didn’t have a clue what life had in store for him. And I was going to make sure he got exactly what he deserved, what his dad wanted for him, whether Walt wanted it or not.
“This is a battle you won’t win, Walt.” I warned.
He scoffed, no longer searching my face, but reaching for his beer that had just arrived. “I won’t lose, even if you bring Chuck in on this fight.”
My hubby would call the look on my face a ‘shit-eating grin.’ Those two had been sparing for years and despite the age difference, I was sure my husband would still give Walt a run for his money. I also knew how much control this man would lose, and what he would risk for the woman he loved. Walt took a health swig, confident in his ability to protect his heart.
But his heart had a target on it, and his brawn was no match for the curls he was going to meet next week. It was just a matter of time before his brain caught up … and surrendered.
Note from Kym:
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or is it lust that drives us to approach that special person? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
And if you’d like to read more about Walt, and the rest of my heroes, stop by my website and Catch the Wave that will take you to my next installment of the Heroes with Hearts of Steel.
See you on the beach!
My Review Other Books by Kym Roberts I loved this book so much! I was sad by how quickly I finished it, but the action and romantic suspense didn't let me take it slow—I HAD to know what was going to happen. I do wish the author could have spent more time exploring some of the important secondary characters, because they were just as awesome as Kiley and Walt, but that's just me being a highly-invested reader. It's kind of my MO. Also, there was a large time jump that caught me off guard. It was foreshadowed and then mentioned afterwards, but I still feel like I missed something. This lapse in clarity was a one-time offense, though, so I can easily forgive it. If anyone is looking for a page-turner this summer, I highly recommend Handled by Officer, especially for fans of cop shows and romance.
Title: Dead On ArrivalSeries: Malia Fern Mystery, #1
Catch the Wave of a wild new paranormal mystery series that will leave you locked in the middle of the impact zone!
Bikinis and board shorts are all in a day’s work for surf instructor Malia Fern. Life is good on the island of Kaua’i, even if her social calendar is lacking and a big surf company is droppin’ in to steal her customers. When Malia stumbles upon the body of tourist who speaks to her from his sandy grave, life as she knows it disappears in the outgoing tide.
She didn’t expect to find herself investigating his death, she has no experience, nor any desire to work in the family business of law enforcement, but that’s exactly what she’s doing because the victim keeps asking for help and a group of mystical Menehune men need her protection. If she knew how to offer it, things would be a whole lot easier.
To make matters worse, her love life is out of control. Makaio Natua, the forbidden bad boy cop, is everything she wants. But his charming, security specialist cousin, Alapai Lincoln, is everything she needs. What could be worse than meeting the two of them at the same time? A curse designed to control her future.
With life turning wacky, Malia is determined to discover if the victim’s death was an accident, a dope deal gone bad, or something more sinister than she could possibly imagine, because this time her last big wipe out may leave her Dead On Arrival.
Title: Dead Man's CarveSeries: Tickled to Death Mystery, #1
"There's nothing wooden about Dead Man's Carve. Roberts mingles a sparkling, unique voice with a great old-fashioned mystery." ~ Wendy Lyn Watson, Mysteries a la Mode & Pet Boutique Mysteries (as Annie Knox)
Rilee Dust isn’t your typical wood carver, she’s young and making a go of it in the small village of Tickle Creek, Oregon. She’s also the only one in town who isn’t determined to get rid her strip club neighbor. Everyone else, however, is ready to evict the Girls, Girls, Girls.
When a dog adopts her and turns her life upside down, Rilee’s not so sure it’s a good thing. Especially when he leads her to a moose, a man and a dead body. Because the moose kicked her butt, the man saved her life and the dead body is one of her customers.
Now Rilee’s smack dab in the middle of all the small town politics with a killer on the loose who has an ax to grind. And Rilee just may be the next victim to have her name carved in stone.
About Kym Roberts
Three career paths resonated for Kym during her early childhood: a detective, an investigative reporter, and…a nun. Being a nun, however, dropped by the wayside when she became aware of boys—they were the spice of life she couldn’t deny. In high school her path was forged when she took her first job at a dry cleaners andmet every cop in town, especially the lone female police officer in patrol. From that
point on there was no stopping Kym’s pursuit of a career in law enforcement—even
if she had to duct tape rolls of coins to her waist to meet the weight requirements to be hired. (Yes, she really did that!) Kym followed her dream and became a detective that fulfilled her desire to be an investigative reporter, with one extra perk—a badge. Promoted to sergeant Kym spent the majority of her career in SVU. She retired from the job reluctantly when her husband drug her kicking and screaming to another state, but writing continued to call her name, at least in her head.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
August 1, 2014
Writers Digest Pro 2014
Today I went to the awesome Writer's Digest Pro (part of the Writers Digest Conference 2014 #WDC14). It was a pretty packed schedule of seminars from 8:30-3:30, and while I'm thoroughly exhausted, I took a good amount of notes and learned lots of new stuff!
Agenda
8:30 am - 8:35 Welcome and Opening Remarks by Phil Sexton
8:35 am - 9:20 Moving the Needle: How to Boost Your Book Sales from 1,000 to 10,000 Copies Sold by Tim Grahl (Founder of Out:think and author of Your First 1,000 Copies )
9:25 am - 10:10 Advanced Social Media Skills for Selling Books by Kristen McClean (CEO, Bookigee)
10:15 am - 11:00 Advanced Amazon for Authors by Jon Fine (Director of Author & Publisher Relationships, Amazon)
11:10 am - 11:55 Author Branding: What You Need to Know by Michael J. Sullivan (Author)
1:00 pm - 1:45 A View from the Top: Publishing Insiders on Taking Your Writing Career to the Next Level by Kristin Fassler (Director of Marketing @ Penguin Random House), Matthew Baldacci (VP of Marketing @ Scholastic Trade Publishing), Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency), Kate Travers (Director of Digital Business Development @ Workman Publishing), and Brandi Larsen (Digital Publishing Director, New American Library, Berkley Books, and Celebra imprints @ Penguin Random House)1:50 pm - 2:35 When the Author Is a Critic: The View From Both Sides by Emily St. John Mandel (Author), Shanna Swendson (Author), and Porter Anderson (Journalist/Speaker/Consultant in Publishing)
2:45 pm - 3:30 Do You Really Want to Write a Bestseller? Here’s How by Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency)
You can download my notes here.
[image error] WD Pro 2014File Size: 55 kbFile Type: pdfDownload File Also, the last 2 books listed under Self-Publishing were mentioned multiple times, so go check out my list of Must-Read Books for Writers.
Agenda
8:30 am - 8:35 Welcome and Opening Remarks by Phil Sexton
8:35 am - 9:20 Moving the Needle: How to Boost Your Book Sales from 1,000 to 10,000 Copies Sold by Tim Grahl (Founder of Out:think and author of Your First 1,000 Copies )
9:25 am - 10:10 Advanced Social Media Skills for Selling Books by Kristen McClean (CEO, Bookigee)
10:15 am - 11:00 Advanced Amazon for Authors by Jon Fine (Director of Author & Publisher Relationships, Amazon)
11:10 am - 11:55 Author Branding: What You Need to Know by Michael J. Sullivan (Author)
1:00 pm - 1:45 A View from the Top: Publishing Insiders on Taking Your Writing Career to the Next Level by Kristin Fassler (Director of Marketing @ Penguin Random House), Matthew Baldacci (VP of Marketing @ Scholastic Trade Publishing), Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency), Kate Travers (Director of Digital Business Development @ Workman Publishing), and Brandi Larsen (Digital Publishing Director, New American Library, Berkley Books, and Celebra imprints @ Penguin Random House)1:50 pm - 2:35 When the Author Is a Critic: The View From Both Sides by Emily St. John Mandel (Author), Shanna Swendson (Author), and Porter Anderson (Journalist/Speaker/Consultant in Publishing)
2:45 pm - 3:30 Do You Really Want to Write a Bestseller? Here’s How by Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency)
You can download my notes here.
[image error] WD Pro 2014File Size: 55 kbFile Type: pdfDownload File Also, the last 2 books listed under Self-Publishing were mentioned multiple times, so go check out my list of Must-Read Books for Writers.
Writers Digest Pro 2014 + Giveaway
Today I went to the awesome Writer's Digest Pro (part of the Writers Digest Conference 2014 #WDC14). It was a pretty packed schedule of seminars from 8:30-3:30, and while I'm thoroughly exhausted, I took a good amount of notes and learned lots of new stuff!
Agenda
8:30 am - 8:35 Welcome and Opening Remarks by Phil Sexton
8:35 am - 9:20 Moving the Needle: How to Boost Your Book Sales from 1,000 to 10,000 Copies Sold by Tim Grahl (Founder of Out:think and author of Your First 1,000 Copies )
9:25 am - 10:10 Advanced Social Media Skills for Selling Books by Kristen McClean (CEO, Bookigee)
10:15 am - 11:00 Advanced Amazon for Authors by Jon Fine (Director of Author & Publisher Relationships, Amazon)
11:10 am - 11:55 Author Branding: What You Need to Know by Michael J. Sullivan (Author)
1:00 pm - 1:45 A View from the Top: Publishing Insiders on Taking Your Writing Career to the Next Level by Kristin Fassler (Director of Marketing @ Penguin Random House), Matthew Baldacci (VP of Marketing @ Scholastic Trade Publishing), Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency), Kate Travers (Director of Digital Business Development @ Workman Publishing), and Brandi Larsen (Digital Publishing Director, New American Library, Berkley Books, and Celebra imprints @ Penguin Random House) 1:50 pm - 2:35 When the Author Is a Critic: The View From Both Sides by Emily St. John Mandel (Author), Shanna Swendson (Author), and Porter Anderson (Journalist/Speaker/Consultant in Publishing)
2:45 pm - 3:30 Do You Really Want to Write a Bestseller? Here’s How by Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency)
You can download my notes here.
[image error] WD Pro 2014 File Size: 55 kb File Type: pdf Download File Also, the last 2 books listed under Self-Publishing were mentioned multiple times, so go check out my list of Must-Read Books for Writers.
AND... you can win a paperback copy of APE by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch (paperback | kindle)! All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Agenda
8:30 am - 8:35 Welcome and Opening Remarks by Phil Sexton
8:35 am - 9:20 Moving the Needle: How to Boost Your Book Sales from 1,000 to 10,000 Copies Sold by Tim Grahl (Founder of Out:think and author of Your First 1,000 Copies )
9:25 am - 10:10 Advanced Social Media Skills for Selling Books by Kristen McClean (CEO, Bookigee)
10:15 am - 11:00 Advanced Amazon for Authors by Jon Fine (Director of Author & Publisher Relationships, Amazon)
11:10 am - 11:55 Author Branding: What You Need to Know by Michael J. Sullivan (Author)
1:00 pm - 1:45 A View from the Top: Publishing Insiders on Taking Your Writing Career to the Next Level by Kristin Fassler (Director of Marketing @ Penguin Random House), Matthew Baldacci (VP of Marketing @ Scholastic Trade Publishing), Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency), Kate Travers (Director of Digital Business Development @ Workman Publishing), and Brandi Larsen (Digital Publishing Director, New American Library, Berkley Books, and Celebra imprints @ Penguin Random House) 1:50 pm - 2:35 When the Author Is a Critic: The View From Both Sides by Emily St. John Mandel (Author), Shanna Swendson (Author), and Porter Anderson (Journalist/Speaker/Consultant in Publishing)
2:45 pm - 3:30 Do You Really Want to Write a Bestseller? Here’s How by Larry Kirshbaum (Senior Literary Agent @ Waxman Leavell Literary Agency)
You can download my notes here.
[image error] WD Pro 2014 File Size: 55 kb File Type: pdf Download File Also, the last 2 books listed under Self-Publishing were mentioned multiple times, so go check out my list of Must-Read Books for Writers.
AND... you can win a paperback copy of APE by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch (paperback | kindle)! All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 31, 2014
Revising Book 2: Tears of an Angel
If you aren't already up to speed on my summer '14 agenda, you can read bout my trip to South Africa, and then come back here. In addition to that 2 1/2 week trip, I've been doing a lot of research for Freedom For All, an anti-human trafficking organization founded by Katie Ford (daughter of the esteemed Eileen Ford of Ford models).
I had previously hoped to finish a 2nd round of edits on the 2nd book in The Belgrave Legacy before July ended, but that is clearly not going to happen as today is almost gone and I am no closer to publishing the sequel than I was when I wrote that post.
In the mean time, I thought all my fellow writers would appreciate a compilation of some recent links I found in my RSS feed (of blogs I'm following) about editing/revising/etc:
The Ultimate Guide to Working with Beta Readers (The Write Life)Edits, Editors, Editing—The Secret Weapon (Anne R. Allen's Blog)Use Hemingway's Advice to Rewrite Like a Pro (The Write Life)Editing In Layers: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (Go Teen Writers)
I had previously hoped to finish a 2nd round of edits on the 2nd book in The Belgrave Legacy before July ended, but that is clearly not going to happen as today is almost gone and I am no closer to publishing the sequel than I was when I wrote that post.
In the mean time, I thought all my fellow writers would appreciate a compilation of some recent links I found in my RSS feed (of blogs I'm following) about editing/revising/etc:
The Ultimate Guide to Working with Beta Readers (The Write Life)Edits, Editors, Editing—The Secret Weapon (Anne R. Allen's Blog)Use Hemingway's Advice to Rewrite Like a Pro (The Write Life)Editing In Layers: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 (Go Teen Writers)
July 26, 2014
Book Review: The Kiss of Deception
Title: Kiss of DeceptionAuthor: Mary E. Pearson (Website | Twitter)
Series: The Remnant Chronicles, #1
In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.
In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.
On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.
Reasons why I (really, my mom did, but whatever) bought this book:The cover was pretty The plot sounded awesome (and it was)
I love the adventure/romance/fantasy genre. Always have, probably always will, but in recent years, there have been a lot of similar books in the YA category (and NA, if I'm to be honest). Thankfully, Kiss of Deception was fresh and original. The plot was a real page-turner from start to finish. The characters were all three-dimensional with complexities that I could relate to.
One thing about the characters, the beginning of the book is told from Lia's POV, then goes to the Prince's and the Assasin's (marked under the chapter numbers). When we learn the 2 guys names as Rafe and Kaden (not necessarily in order), it switches to those instead of the titles. But it is not until Chapter 43 (of 72)) that it is explicitly revealed who is who. For my part, I kept jumping between who was who, but finally guessed correctly (and before I read that chapter). It was a little frustrating, but I so deeply admire the author's ability to avoid using either guy's name for the majority of the novel.
Add Book 2, The Heart of Betrayal to your TBR List!
July 25, 2014
Young Adult Dystopian Fiction
With the success of
The Hunger Games Trilogy
and the upcoming movie adaptation of
The Giver
, it's no surprise that The Divergent Trilogy is popular among both book and film audiences.
Two days ago, I read an interesting book called Divergent Thinking: YA Authors on Veronica Roth's Divergent Trilogy (Goodreads | Kindle). from Smart Pop Books (their other books look awesome). It reminded me of The Hunger Games and Philosophy (Goodreads | Kindle) from Wiley Publishing (part of The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series, not to be confused with the Popular Culture and Philosophy Series).
Anyway, both books analyze why everyone seems to be obsessed with specific Dystopian YA novels (and their film adaptations). Back when I was still doing PR work for Melissa A. Petreshock, another teen was doing a Throwback Thursday series (which rocked), and talked about The Giver and Divergent. Read that post when you're done here. And here's another post about the over-saturation of said genre.
Divergent Thinking differs from The Hunger Games and Philosophy in that it is comprised of essays, ranging from the psychology to modern-day equivalents of the Faction System, by other YA authors instead of a philosopher. The first essay, "From Factions to Fire Signs" by Rosemary Clement-Moore, states that the reason "we like books that sort people" (a common theme in dystopian fiction) "comes down to a paradox"
I was talking to her about why Lois Lowry should be given a medal for making dystopian a popular genre of Young Adult Fiction because without The Giver, Katniss and Tris' stories probably wouldn't have been published (again, read this article).
The conversation then veered into my opinion of which trilogy I liked better (The Giver is my favorite of all 3 works, hand down). I said Divergent. I think the Hunger Games books were written better, but I like that the Faction System is based on values and that there is a Choosing Ceremony. There's still a bunch of corruption and rules in that government as there is in the Capitol and even the Board of Elders, but at least there is the illusion of real choice. In contrast, the Districts are arbitrary. If you're born in District 12, you're stuck as a mine-worker. The only way out is by winning The Hunger Games.
The Giver had both aspects. While the Elders assigned jobs at the Ceremony of Twelve (which is now Ceremony of Sixteen, because Hollywood loves teenagers), the decisions are based off observations of the students and their extra-curricular activities. It's not as arbitrary as in Collins' world.
I'm not saying any of the 3 worlds is better than the other. One has a fight to the death, the other creates mindless drones, and the final one (or first if you go by publication date) has drugs that represses all emotion. I certainly wouldn't want to live in any of them, if given the choice.
The dystopian genre works for young adults because rebellion is inevitable, and all of the stories have a teenage protagonist fighting (and usually winning, at least in some way) against the control of their oppressive adult governments.
Do you agree or disagree with what I said? Have anything to add? Comment below!
Two days ago, I read an interesting book called Divergent Thinking: YA Authors on Veronica Roth's Divergent Trilogy (Goodreads | Kindle). from Smart Pop Books (their other books look awesome). It reminded me of The Hunger Games and Philosophy (Goodreads | Kindle) from Wiley Publishing (part of The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series, not to be confused with the Popular Culture and Philosophy Series).
Anyway, both books analyze why everyone seems to be obsessed with specific Dystopian YA novels (and their film adaptations). Back when I was still doing PR work for Melissa A. Petreshock, another teen was doing a Throwback Thursday series (which rocked), and talked about The Giver and Divergent. Read that post when you're done here. And here's another post about the over-saturation of said genre.
Divergent Thinking differs from The Hunger Games and Philosophy in that it is comprised of essays, ranging from the psychology to modern-day equivalents of the Faction System, by other YA authors instead of a philosopher. The first essay, "From Factions to Fire Signs" by Rosemary Clement-Moore, states that the reason "we like books that sort people" (a common theme in dystopian fiction) "comes down to a paradox"
1. Humans like to sort things.My mom hasn't finished either dystopian trilogy, which is fine. My only stipulation is that she finish reading them before the 4th movie comes out for each series (the fact that the film industry is splitting the last book in 2 for every series since Harry Potter pisses me off, but that's another topic).
2. Humans like heroes who defy sorting.
I was talking to her about why Lois Lowry should be given a medal for making dystopian a popular genre of Young Adult Fiction because without The Giver, Katniss and Tris' stories probably wouldn't have been published (again, read this article).
The conversation then veered into my opinion of which trilogy I liked better (The Giver is my favorite of all 3 works, hand down). I said Divergent. I think the Hunger Games books were written better, but I like that the Faction System is based on values and that there is a Choosing Ceremony. There's still a bunch of corruption and rules in that government as there is in the Capitol and even the Board of Elders, but at least there is the illusion of real choice. In contrast, the Districts are arbitrary. If you're born in District 12, you're stuck as a mine-worker. The only way out is by winning The Hunger Games.
The Giver had both aspects. While the Elders assigned jobs at the Ceremony of Twelve (which is now Ceremony of Sixteen, because Hollywood loves teenagers), the decisions are based off observations of the students and their extra-curricular activities. It's not as arbitrary as in Collins' world.
I'm not saying any of the 3 worlds is better than the other. One has a fight to the death, the other creates mindless drones, and the final one (or first if you go by publication date) has drugs that represses all emotion. I certainly wouldn't want to live in any of them, if given the choice.
The dystopian genre works for young adults because rebellion is inevitable, and all of the stories have a teenage protagonist fighting (and usually winning, at least in some way) against the control of their oppressive adult governments.
Do you agree or disagree with what I said? Have anything to add? Comment below!
July 16, 2014
Tears of an Angel: July '14 Update
The first edit is complete! Next edit will hopefully be done by the end of July, and the next at the end of August, then we'll see from there. In the meantime, read The Belgrave Daughter and support Tears of an Angel by adding it to Goodreads, pledging your social media power through Thunderclap, pledging your financial support through Publush, and listening to the playlist on Spotify.
Thank you and have a great day!
Thank you and have a great day!
July 14, 2014
Being Brave: Beautiful
This summer, I'm working on getting rid of my acne and working out to be fit and healthy. I never wear makeup, but I have never really liked the way I looked before this year. Maybe it's because I'm becoming more mature and better and distinguishing what really matters, but the point is I feel better about myself and am feeling more brave in my appearance and clothes. This past year, I've felt more comfortable in my own skin than I have in a long time.Below is a Dove campaign called "Real Beauty Sketches" and I think it's really powerful. More recently, Colbie Caillat just released a music video for her song Try that is all about the pressure to look pretty in society. Here are some other songs I love that are about self-worth:
Perfect ~ P!nk Beautiful ~ Carole King Brave ~ Sara Bareilles Invisible ~ Hunter Hayes Who Says ~ Selena Gomez
