Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

I found this on a whim and it looks good.  Here is what Good Reads said about it:
From internet stars Elle and Blair Fowler comes a scintillating new novel that takes readers Beneath the Glitter of the glitzy L.A. social scene.

Welcome to a place where dreams are made. And where nothing—and no one—is ever what it seems.

After their make-up and fashion videos went viral on YouTube, sisters Sophia and Ava London are thrust into the exclusive life of the Los Angeles elite. Here fabulous parties, air kisses, paparazzi and hot guys all come with the scene. Sophia finds herself torn between a gorgeous bartender and a millionaire playboy, and Ava starts dating an A-list actor. But as they’re about to discover, the life they’ve always dreamed of comes with a cost.

Beneath the glitter of the Hollywood social scene lies a world of ruthless ambition, vicious gossip…and betrayal. Someone close to them, someone they trust, is working in the shadows to bring the London sisters falling down. And once the betrayal is complete, Sophia and Ava find themselves knee-deep in a scandal that could take away everything they care about, including the one thing that matters most—each other.
Expected Publication Date:  September 4, 2012
What book are you waiting on?

My $.02

Hey guys!  Thanks for all the new follows on my blog and Twitter and likes on Facebook.  You guys rock!   I have a new review coming up with an interview with the author too.  Her name is Ariana Zamora and her book is called The Dreamer.  You won't want to miss it. Annnnd... My girl KA Linde surprised all of her fans today by releasing her book Avoiding Commitment on all e-readers two days ahead of schedule!!  So yes, that means it was released today.  Paperback will still be released on Aug. 1st.  I can't stress it enough, if you haven't read her books, do so...now.  Once you have, do me a favor and post your review of her book(s) on GoodReads and Amazon.  It may not seem like much but your reviews help our author friends so much.  I've also had some great breakthroughs with my writing the past week.  Just when I think I couldn't possibly get anymore ideas on stories to write BOOM, one more pops in my head.  So I'm keeping a journal of all of these ideas and hopefully will write them all in my lifetime. :)  Right now, I'm focusing on two and I'm really pleased with how they're going.  I got some GREAT feedback by a great author friend of mine and that helped me out a ton.  Thank you girl!  I have high hopes for this goal and cannot wait until I can share these stories with you.   xoxo

Drum Roll Please...

The time has come to announce the winner of my giveaway with K.A. Linde!
I used www.random.org to generate the winner
And
The winner is...
Jenn @ Peas and Crayons!!!
Congratulations Jenn!  
I will forward your email to K. A. Linde and she will be in touch with you.  
Thank you to all who entered!  Stay tuned for another giveaway with K.A. and an interview.  I will also be reviewing the second book in the series, Avoiding Responsibility.  

Interview with SC Stephens

A little while back, I asked SC if she'd be willing to let me interview her for my blog.  She was so kind and willing.  I first heard of her when I read her fantastic amazing debut Thoughtless and knew when I started this blog I wanted to have her here.  If you haven't read her books, I strongly suggest you change that.  I promise you won't regret it.

Without further adieu, my interview with SC!

1.  I want to go for the obvious question, what started your interest in writing?

I’ve always had the desire to write, but no real story to tell. I’m a big fantasy fan, so I initially dabbled in that genre. But it was surprisingly difficult for me to build a world from scratch. I found that basing my characters in the real world made things flow a lot easier. The one thing I found myself returning to whenever I tried to write anything, was romance. Eventually, I gave up on trying to force myself to write a certain way, and just went for the full-blown love story. It’s my favorite part of books anyway, whether I’m reading them or writing them—the first look, the undeniable attraction, the longing, the desire, the eventual caving. I’m a sucker for a love story. 

2.  What is your first published book and what year was it published?

 Thoughtless was my first, my baby. I wrote it in the first part of 2009, finished it in June, and published it chapter by chapter on FictionPress.com in August. I never expected anyone to find it, let alone read it, but it didn’t take long for the feedback to roll in. I still remember the first review it received. It was after the espresso scene. The reader was…upset…with how Kellan treated Kiera at the end of the chapter. Getting feedback made me giddy. I got a little obsessed with checking my email for “story alerts.” By the end of the book, everyone had fallen for Kellan. Having other people love him as much as I do was a very surreal experience. I was hooked on writing after that.

3.  Many many of us, me included, have fallen in love with Kellan.  Tell us how he came about?

 Lots of daydreaming, lots of listening to music. I was obsessed with One Republic, and listened to the album Dreaming Out Loud nonstop while I ran on the treadmill (okay, I walked with the occasional slow jog). Anyway, I started seeing a very clear image of Kellan singing on stage. His character blossomed from those early visions. I also had a tiny crush on an Australian actor at the time, so I threw the two guys together in my head and out popped Thoughtless.

4.  What is something about you that may surprise us?

Hmmm, I don’t know if there is anything “surprising” about me. I haven’t taken an English class since high school, which was many moons ago, but I think that’s apparent in my writing. I’m working on it every day, and I’ve learned so much in the last few years. I’ve thought about taking some creative writing or grammar classes, but I don’t want to bog down my mind with the “mechanics” of writing. It squelches the creativity. I consider every story I write a learning experience, and that’s one of the reasons I love self-publishing. I don’t think a traditional publisher would ever allow me that sort of freedom.

Oh, and it may be surprising to know that Thoughtless is the only story I wrote “out of order”. I wrote individual scenes and then weaved them together to create the story. I don’t recommend doing it that way. I ended up doing a LOT of rewriting! I changed my writing style after Thoughtless to a more linear style: chapter one, then chapter two, etc. There are a couple of “outtake” scenes from Thoughtless that are collecting dust in my computer, including a scene where the “smack heard around the bar” happens in their home, right in front of Denny. The confession scene happens right afterwards, in Kellan’s car. I must say, I like it happening at the Space Needle a lot better.

5.  Tell us a little about yourself.
 I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my two equally beautiful children. I have a monstrous coffee habit, up to an entire pot a day—yikes! I wake up early every morning to write before I go to work. I work for four different people, and they are all amazingly supportive of my writing career. I’m more like Kiera than I want to admit—quiet, reserved, and constantly feeling like an idiot, lol. I also have the sense of humor of a thirteen-year-old boy…hence, Griffin.  I’m horribly self-critical, so I’m constantly surprised that anyone likes my stories! Lol. I am definitely my harshest critic. In fact, I’m picking apart these answers as we speak…

           

6.  What is the craziest piece of fan mail you've received?

Hmmm, I don’t think I’ve received anything crazy. I get the best mail from people! My favorite ones are from people who have a story of their own that is similar to something in one of my books. I had one woman write me to tell me that reading one of my novels helped her open up a line of communication with her husband about a tragedy in his past, and they were able to talk about things they never had before. The fact that some story in my head created such a positive experience in someone else’s life, blows my mind. I’m awed by every person that is touched by my characters.

           

7.  If Thoughtless were to be made into a movie, tell us who you'd pick to play Kellan, Kiera, and Denny.

 This question is so tough for me! Well, except for Denny. He’s the only easy one! As I mentioned before, he’s based on an Australian actor, Craig Horner, such a cutie, so it would only be fitting if Craig played him. Kiera, I’m not sure. If they could make her look girl-next-door pretty instead of yowzers-pretty, than I really like either Minka Kelly or Leighton Meester for her. Kellan is impossible for me to pick so I won’t even try. He’s too specific in my head, so nobody in real life comes close. Except this one guy I saw at the grocery store once! He was so similar to the Kellan in my head that I could not stop staring at him. I’m sure he thought I was mental.

8.  How do you write?  Do you outline or do you just one two three go?
 I am a write-by-the-seat-of-my-pants girl. I typically have an idea of where I want to go, or certain points that I want to hit along the way, but it’s usually a very organic process. It’s like watching a movie unfold in my head, and sometimes the things that happen even shock me! There were quite a few parts in Thoughtless where some small thing that happened earlier in the story became critical later in the story. Kiera disliking talking to Griffin, for instance. I had no idea how important that detail would become to the storyline later on. Or Anna’s visit. At the time Kiera first spoke with Anna, I had no idea how that visit would go, other than badly.

9.  Who is one of your favorite authors?  What is one of your favorite books?

I have two older brothers, so I grew up on fantasy—Piers Anthony, Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind. I think fantasy has some of the most romantic characters out there. I’m also obsessed with Richelle Mead and Stephenie Meyer. The characters they write are unforgettable. I can’t pick a favorite though! There are just too many good books out there. I’m also a huge supporter of both indie authors and unpublished FanFiction/Fictionpress writers. I got my start there, and let me tell you, there are some crazy talented girls and guys that have yet to publish their works—my girl, K.A. Linde, being one of them.

10.  Tell us what you're working on right now.

I’m halfway through the third book in the Thoughtless series which I recently announced the name of, Reckless. My goal is to have it out this year, but, we’ll see how that goes! I am having such a blast writing for these characters again. And, in different ways, I am so proud of each and every one of them. It will be hard to let them go.

Thank you to SC for joining me on here today.  For more information on her, you can find her on Facebook here.

Review of Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde

My oh my.  Where do I start?  
Never has a book made me feel so many emotions as this one.  I'm not kidding.  Once you read it, you will know what I'm talking about.
Lexi and Jack.
*sigh*
We meet Lexi receiving an early morning phone call from Jack.  Thus starts the roller coaster ride story that is their "friendship."  Jack asks a favor of Lexi and like usual, Lexi agrees.  
You see, Jack and Lexi have history.  Good history?  Um...at times.  You will want to kiss Jack, smack Jack, melt at Jack's words, then wring his neck.  I'm serious.  This man is one of thee most complicated men ever written.  
Eventually you will meet Bekah and Ramsey.  I don't like Bekah.  I like Ramsey.  Without giving too much away, Bekah is a part of the favor Jack asks of Lexi.  Ramsey?  He's Bekah's brother and oh so much more to this story.
There are many times I want to ask Lexi, "Why?  Why why why?"  Then there are many times I want to kick Jack and ask him the same thing.  Just writing this review is bringing up all of those emotions!  
The ending is very satisfying in many ways and it leads to the second book, Avoiding Responsibility which I will post my review of very soon.
AND...
I am doing a pre-release giveaway of this book to one lucky reader!  K.A. Linde is busy getting ready for the actual book release of Avoiding Commitment and when I put my review of Avoiding Responsibility up on my blog, we'll also do a giveaway then for the book itself!  
For this giveaway, you will be emailed the PDF version of this book.  And believe you me, you will be hooked from page one.  You may even need to email me asking me stuff like, "What the heck?" and "Why oh why?"  You will also want to tell me how cute Jack can be or how Ramsey cracks you up.  You will tell me you hate Bekah.  Even if you don't, tell me that anyway.
Okay so, here are the ways to enter this awesome giveaway:
*Like this blog on Facebook*Like K.A. Lindes Facebook page*Follow this blog*Follow me on Twitter*Follow K.A. Linde on Twitter
Please leave a comment on this post with links of what you did or tell me you followed this blog.  I will choose a winner via random.org at 11:59 PM Mountain time on Thursday July 26th!  Good luck!

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill  that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.  I'm excited to be back and participating in this meme!  My choice this week is:

When Barry Fairweather dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.
Expected release date: September 27, 2012
I can't wait for this book!  I'm sure we are all wondering how this will be compared to her Harry Potter series.  If it's anything like it, it will be the next big hit.  
What are you waiting to read?

Book Review of Celtic Magic by Amber LaShell

Fantasy?  Check.  Romance?  Check.  Action?  Check.
Abby Kane was a normal girl doing normal things, until one day when her father asked her a strange request.  Thus starts a whole new world and discoveries for her.  She starts working for her deceased mothers good friend Jasmine and moves into her own apartment.  She meets Tom at a cafe and they have an instant attraction.  She discovers she possesses magical powers and that the mother she thought was dead really is a Celtic Goddess living in a magical world.  Oh, and then she discovers that an evil fairy queen, Elysia, wants her dead.  
Amber LaShell dives into this magical book head on.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a huge fan of fantasy but Ms. LaShell made this one fun.  The writing is imaginative and the story is entertaining.  There were a few twists and turns along the way and some comical moments.  The ending of this book was the best though.  Ms. LaShell left my jaw dropping when I read the last few words of this book.  
I will say that there were some moments I had a hard time connecting with.  There were a few times I thought something was a little much.  That being said, I still would say it's a fun read and am happy I had the chance to review it for my blog.  I would recommend this book for the older YA generation on up as there is some sexual content.  
You can find more about Amber on her website:http://www.amberlashell.net/

I've Always Wanted to be a Writer

For as long as I can remember, writing a book has been a goal of mine.  So why haven't I attempted it until now?  There are many reasons but the main one being I just never thought I could do it.  Seriously, the odds are stacked against you first of all.  Then, your self doubt grabs you and takes hold as well.  I mean seriously, who in their right mind thinks I could not only write a book, but have it published too?  I have not.
Until now.
I'm not saying I'm the next Danielle Steel by any means but with the way self-publishing is becoming more and more popular, I know I can be published.  Now, it's just writing the blasted thing.  I've started writing a book.  Can I finish?
Yes, I can.
Will I?
Man I hope so.
I met someone who gave me the push I needed to do this.  Someone amazingly fantastic.  Her name is Melissa Perea and she is writing her first book as well.  Visit her blog and tell her I sent you.  http://melissaeperea.blogspot.com/
*side note:  You all are going to be hooked on her book when it comes out.  Mark my words.  Remember you heard it here, the name Melissa Perea.  You can thank me later.
Anyway, Melissa gave me that push I needed to finally tell my insecurities off and actually do this.  I had one idea I was going for, then another hit me so I went for that.  When I tried writing that, it wasn't flowing.  So I went to my original idea and tried writing that.  Again, not flowing.  UGH!  Why are the writing gods against me?  Then, ANOTHER idea popped in my head and I started writing it.  This time it's flowing!  The third time really is the charm.
But, it's still not easy.  And I'm finding these stories don't end up the way you originally planned.  And wow, how many times do I need to change a scene until it's right?
Regardless of how difficult it may be, I'm going to do this.  I'm determined.  I'm no longer willing to sit back and dream about this, I'm going to make it happen.  

*Tapping mike*  *Blowing dust off blog*  Is anybody still here?
I know, I know.  I've been gone a while.  Too long.  I'm sorry about that.  Life got completely crazy for me and I had to let this go for a bit.  Crazy I know after just launching but I'm back.  And I'm making some changes too.  I'm attempting to write my first book and want to chronicle the journey here, as well as still blogging about all things book related.  I have a review to come and another one just requested which I'm really excited about.  I hope you'll come back and join me and I hope I'll make some new friends along the way too.  MWAH!!!