Courtney Wendleton's Blog, page 150
June 13, 2014
June 11, 2014
Well the first review for “Innocence” is in…and the news is good! 5 stars.
Here is what was said:
The author describes each scenario vividly, that readers will feel as if they are really there. It’s a fast paced, well-written book. You get to care about the characters, and what happens next.
(SPOILER ALERT) The story follows the life of Alexa, who seems to be an ordinary girl, but the first clue that her life is different are her Celtic earrings. It’s a story about family, friendship, mixed with Irish mythology, vampires, and a romantic story, with lines and moments and banter between the lovers that make you smile as you read them.
Each character is well crafted, and well described, the author clearly spent a lot of thought into them. Alexa meets J.P., seemingly by chance on the plane. They meet again, as by chance she leaves her hoodie on the plane and J.P. goes out of his way to return it to her. But things get more interesting as they find out that J.P. is a music teacher at the same university that Alexa goes to. Fate seems to be playing with them. Then she meets new friends, Alistair and David who claim they have the powers of an empath and a medium, and a new schoolmate named Dexter who seems to emanate a dark aura. The adventure continiues, with Alexa finding out that vampires are real, and that his two new friends were vampire hunters, and that their boss was her Uncle Kevin, where she stays. It all spirals towards a satisfying ending.
Favorite lines :”Must have been some turbulence if you got knocked out of my chair and into my lap.” “When they feel that he is not giving them enough attention, they won’t sing, or sing the wrong word so he does pay attention” “Any guy willing to ruin his carreer for you is a keeper. Snag or bag him now, or send him my way!” “Judging by the stunned look on her face, the dress was a disaster. Do you have a coat or something to wear over it? Just so you don’t give anybody a heart attack?”
June 2, 2014
Calling All KINDLE Users!
Starting tomorrow, until Friday the 13th, I will be choosing 5 random people to receive a free copy of my new book “Innocence!” To be chosen all you need to do is mention Innocence Giveaway in a comment, or contact me on twitter, @CneyRiley08. I can also be contacted at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author....
May 26, 2014
Followers
Am I the only person who has an issue with the word “followers?” Am I over thinking the term? When I hear or see the word I automatically think of religions, and the occult.
I am far from someone that should be worshipped or mindlessly followed, so why should those who choose to read my writing be called followers? Y’all are awesome and as humans we have a tendency to label things. Everything has to have a name, and if it doesn’t we come up with one.
The question is who chooses the term? Who decided that we should be followers? I understand it is a general term worldwide, but why not come up with a different, better term to use? I know celebrities come up with their own cute names for their fans, so what is the difference?
Any ideas or suggestions? Personally, because I am odd mainly, I love the idea of calling my followers Squishies. I take the term from Finding Nemo, when Dory named a jellyfish. Its better than being called Georges, from Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck (I think…memory is fried this early in the morning. 230 am).
You be Beethoven and I’ll be Bach,
Abra Rhea
May 23, 2014
Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews
I have read the book years ago and am rereading it as it I one of my favorites. I’m not completely through the book yet, but wanted to weigh in about the family first. The whole family is nuts.
First let’s talk about the family as a whole, they are perfect. A perfect family does not exist! I understand it is fictional and years ago but come on, as far as making it believable it is farfetched. They look and act perfect, I can see why bad things start happening to them.
The mother is completely useless. Yes, she takes care of her children but only until her husband dies. She falls apart and starts falling back on her parents because she doesn’t believe in herself a and her capabilities to care for them. From what is mentioned in the book, she starts relying on Cathy and neighbors to care for the children while she writes letters and walks around in nightgowns.
Cathy is selfish, jealous and childish. I understand she is a child of 12 but are we really that naive at that age? She was jealous of sharing her father with her own mother. On what planet is that normal? By the time I was 12 I had been to 3 funerals for great-grandparents and grandparent. I know that not everyone has been that unfortunate but to not to grasp death at that age is ridiculous. Believing wholeheartedly that no one can die unless they are old is so blissfully stupid.
So far the book is good, I am just ranting about how perfectly crazy the family seems to be. Talk about overkill on the husband too by the way. V.C. wanted to make sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that the man was dead.
You be Beethoven, and I’ll be Bach.
Abra Rhea
May 22, 2014
How is it possible?
How is it possible to have writer’s block for two books but be able to sit here and type up a post in now time at all? I’m sitting here with tons of research for one book, near and dear to me but can’t write a single word; when in reality it should be the book that writes itself. I also have sequel to Innocence staring at me but again no words come.
How can I write a little post to a blog but not work on my books? Maybe I’m not even writing something coherent or worthwhile in this post and just babbling about my writer’s block . How hard should it be to write? The story unfolds so naturally at times that I can’t write it down fast enough, other times it trickles out like a small leak but it still comes to me.
Now I am at a stand still, and it is driving me insane! On the upside I have been reading more, but that doesn’t compensate for being unable to write. I know at some point the block will slip and I will be fine, but I don’t like to be idle when there’s work to be done.
Back to my isolation chamber listening to Meatloaf, and other great classics.
You be Beethoven and I’ll be Bach,
Abra Rhea
May 21, 2014
What you don’t see
Originally posted on Fear No Weebles:
The other day I was minding my own business, waiting on a subway platform. Three girls, about 15 years old, were about to pass me, and they were looking my way. One of them pointed at me and said, “You’re FUNNY looking!” She and her compatriots roared with laughter because this was
the most hilarious thing ever
.
Fortunately for them I was caught off guard and I didn’t react. If I had, their delightfully charred remains would have been scattered across the third rail. Alas, I hadn’t expected to be zinged by a trio of idiot adolescents, so I was unprepared. I just stood there, speechless and confused.
I confess, I do not have a thick skin. What can I say, I might be foul mouthed and full of piss and vinegar, but I’m also a dainty little blossom. (Fuck you, stop laughing.)
And because I’m a delicate flower…
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Walking While Fat and Female – Or, Why I Don’t Care Not All Men are Like That
Boys can be jerks. I don’t think they can be considered men because they don’t know how to act in public.
Originally posted on Courtney Meaker:
I started walking between 5 and 12 miles a day about year after I moved to Seattle. The main motivator was a crippling anxiety about being late coupled with an inconsistent public transportation system (
that will now become less consistent
, yippee). Additionally, working in an industry with late nights (I house manage for various theaters) means that if you’re reliant on public transit, you will be waiting for an hour at a scary bus stop with Mr. and Mrs. Meth Addict at 1:30 in the morning. Walking became a way for me to take control of my commute. It was my time. Four mile walk to work. Four mile walk back. In the rain. In the dark. In the cold. Every season. Sometimes with tunes. Sometimes with “Stuff You Missed in History Class.” Sometimes talking to myself. And sometimes with silence.
When I moved to Seattle I weighed 260 pounds. Because…
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May 18, 2014
South Park
I love South Park as much as the next person, but isn’t there a breaking point where you can’t watch any more reruns for awhile? My family loves SP and DVR’s every episode, new and old. Then watches at least ten episodes a day, twice a day.
Yes, we watch other things but they do the same thing with the other shows. How can a person do this? I admit that I do this with other shows, but the other shows I watch, but those shows have at least some type of message or more intellectual than SP.
Have a nice day!
Abra Rhea
Praise for “Divergent” series
Just finished the second book, Insurgent, and loved it! Veronica Roth is amazing! I can’t wait to see how the movies play out.
I’m going to avoid spoilers, in case there are others who have yet to read them, but I will say it can be a bit confusing. She jumps from one spot to another spot, leaving gaps of time and the reader a tad lost for a few moments. Once the fog is lifted, a mother time gap is thrown at you.
Not complaining, it’s just a pet peeve of mine when there isn’t some type of segue to expose the time gaps. Something about not having a segue makes the writing seem rushed or sloppy. With VR the time gaps are small and numerous, but short and sweet.
Have a nice day!
Abra Rhea
