Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 12/18/12


Photo credit: Goodreads

Guys, I'm really sorry for sucking as a blogger lately. I feel like things haven't calmed down since the end of October. So if I'm not around here or Twitter much until January, I apologize. One of my new year's resolutions is to really get active again online.

After finishing the Allie Beckstrom series (and the latest Kitty Norville book), I decided to depart from my usual book genre and reread a classic: Little Men. If you don't know it, it's the sequel to Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, both of which are two of my all-time favorite books. Then I went on Netflix to see if I could find the movie--which I bought awhile back for $2 on VHS and is so bad it's good--and I found something even better. They made a Little Men TV series in 1999! So that's where the rest of my year will go...

Jo March, the tomboy heroine of Little Women, has grown up! She returns in this beloved sequel as a young woman with a family of her own. Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer, open their hearts (and their home) to educate and care for a handful of rowdy yet well-meaning youngsters.

Plumfield, the school where the boys learn "how to help themselves and be useful men," has a spirited student body that includes -- in addition to the Bhaers' two sons -- Nat, an orphaned street musician, cold and frightened when he first appears at the Bhaers' door; business-minded Tommy; Dan, a "wild boy" eventually tamed by love and kindness; and other endearing little mischief-makers.

Outside the classroom, the boys rush headlong from one prank to another -- from playing matador with the family cow to nearly setting the school afire with a smoldering cigar stub. But in the end, they prove to have a positive effect on the lives of the entire Bhaer family.

With tales ranging from tearful to cheerful, this heartwarming unabridged classic promises young readers an exciting and fun-filled visit to nineteenth-century America.

Follows the adventures of Jo March and her husband Professor Bhaer as they try to make their school for boys a happy, comfortable, and stimulating place.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

Charlie was both amazed and indignant; and after prancing for a minute, set off at a gallop, and away went Dan heels over head. If he had not belonged to the class of boys who go through all sorts of dangers unscathed, he would have broken his neck; as it was, he got a heavy fall, and lay still collecting his wits, while Charlie tore round the field tossing his head with every sign of satisfaction at the discomfiture of his rider.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Blindsided Review

blindsided2
Synopsis:

After a successful first soccer season in L.A, Jesse Shaw heads to London with his best buddy, Hunter, but his world is turned upside down when a dangerous prank threatens his career and his blossoming relationship with Hunter’s cousin, Isabelle.

Isabelle Mills lives in Notting Hill with her parents and her twin sister, Georgia. When she finds out her cousin is coming to stay, along with his famous soccer player friend, her first instinct is to hibernate until they’ve gone. However, once she meets Jesse, everything changes. He’s everything she ever wanted, but with so many obstacles in their path, can she really risk putting her heart on the line?


Review:

I'll be honest, when Kyra told me I could have an advance copy of Blindsided to review for her blog tour, I may have made some inappropriate squealing noises. Just a few, and they were very quiet. OK, sort of quiet. For all values of quiet that equal loud.

That's a colorful way of saying I was excited for this book. I liked Game On, but the real stars of it, for me, were the secondary characters: Freya, Bryce, Miguel… and Jesse. I liked Jesse a lot. Now, to be fair, I already knew Kyra was writing his story, but I don't think that would have changed my opinion of him at all. He's the sweet side of the team, the complete contrast to Radleigh McCoy's brash cockiness. He was endearing and showed a lot of potential in the first book, so I was really looking forward to getting his story.

And I wasn't disappointed. Jesse developed into a fantastic character in this book, the kind of guy everyone should have in their lives. Sure, he has some flaws--what 18-year-old doesn't?--but, when it counts, he's the guy you want to depend on. He's smart, he's kind, and when push comes to shove, he always has your back. But he's also got his priorities in pretty good shape. He knows that he needs to take care of himself because his career depends on it. He may get exasperated by his family, but he clearly loves them too. At times he may be a little too perfect, but the end result is an all-around good guy that you're going to root for no matter what.

Both Radleigh and Leah make appearances in this book. Leah's pretty much the same from Game On, and I liked seeing her relationship with Jesse expanded upon. She's sort of a big sister/second mother to him, and it suits her. Radleigh's a little different than the last book, and I think being in a committed relationship with Leah has really changed his character for the better. It's like the nicer parts of his character were magnified, and the more offensive parts were diminished. His relationship with Jesse is a little more complicated than Leah's, and it was nice to see Jesse waver between hero-worship, slight resentment, and ultimately true friendship.

As for the new characters, I loved them all (you know, except the ones you're really not supposed to love). The main one is Isabelle, who was really a wonderful match for Jesse. She was sweet, insecure, and relatable. I think everyone has some aspect of Isabelle in them. As soon as their romantic interest is established, I was rooting for them. And even when she made decisions I didn't necessarily agree with, I still liked her, which isn't always the case with some characters.

So short summary: If you liked Game On, go read Blindsided. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. I thought this book was even stronger than the first, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next. The only complaint I had was that it ended too soon.


Author Bio:

Kyra Lennon was born on the South coast of England, and to this day, still lives by the sea. After years spent working in retail, where she met enough versatile characters to write hundreds of books, she finally took the plunge and quit her day job. Kyra's debut novel, Game On, was released in July 2012. While fiction writing has always been her passion, she also has numerous articles on a variety of topics published on prolific websites. Check out her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.


Buy Blindsided on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 11/27/12


Photo credit: Devon Monk's website

Still working on the Allie Beckstrom series. NaNo is definitely cutting into my reading time this month.

WARNING: The synopsis may contain some spoilers for the earlier books in the Allie Beckstrom series.

Allie Beckstrom’s lover, Zayvion Jones, is a Guardian of the Gate, imbued with both light and dark magic and responsible for ensuring that those energies don’t mix. But Zayvion lies in a coma, his soul trapped in death’s realm. And when Allie discovers that the only way to save Zayvion is to sacrifice her very own magical essence, she makes a decision that may have grave consequences for the entire world.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

The first in line was Truance, bearing a curved sword that looked like a scimitar.

We hit her with everything we had.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 11/20/12


Photo credit: Devon Monk's website

Since the last book in Devon Monk's Allie Beckstrom series came out this month, I've been rereading the rest of the book before diving into that one. I love this series. The world she built, especially the rules for magic, is so wonderfully complex and knitted together perfectly. I highly recommend it.

WARNING: The synopsis may contain some spoilers for the earlier books in the Allie Beckstrom series.

Allison Beckstrom is committed to her work tracing illegal spells. Now, there’s an apocalyptic storm bearing down on Portland, and when it hits, all the magic in the area will turn unstable and destructive. To stop it from taking out the entire city, Allie and her lover, the mysterious Zayvion Jones, must work with the Authority-the enigmatic arbiters of all things magic-and take a stand against a magical wildstorm that will obliterate all in its path...

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

Instead of attacking, he stood there, breathing hard, his hands clenched into fists in front of him, head tipped down so that I could not see his eyes.

But it was the smell of sweet cherries that told me exactly what was going on. Blood magic.

Monday, November 12, 2012

I'm Thankful for My Readers

*sigh*

It's been a really long couple of weeks, guys.

I knew I was missing this bloghop as it was happening, but between the no power, the traveling, and now the no internet at home thing, I couldn't seem to buckle down enough to write anything. So I'm going with the better late than never philosophy, especially since this I have some amazing people who deserve to be thanked. So... it's not creative, but since I missed the judging part anyway, I'm going with the laundry list-style thank yous here.

First and foremost, K.S. Lewis. She's been my CP, cheerleader, Writer's Block Anonymous sponsor, therapist, and many, many more things in the ten years we've known each other. She's awesome, and she never tells me to shut up or stop whining, and she listens to me complain all day about my MC and all her idiosyncrasies, and I'm pretty sure she's read Capitoline Hill about four or five times all the way through. I seriously couldn't ask for a better CP.

Next, my newest beta reader, Vikki. With impeccable timing, she emailed me a few weeks before I finished the latest round of edits on CH, just about the time I was starting to wonder where I could find a set of fresh eyes to read it through for me. And then she read it in about three days and sent back emails full of capital letters and exclamation points. She's listened to all of my most recent ideas and offered wonderful advice that I've completely ignored when my pinball-machine mind bounces to a new story, and I always feel really good about my writing after I'm done talking to her.

Tedra: I met Tedra through one of Falling for Fiction's Beta Mixers. She read through CH with a fine-tooth comb, sending me back four separate documents full of comments. She even caught the continuity errors that no one else noticed (really big ones too; I felt pretty blind for not seeing them). I really appreciate all the time she put in to helping me make it the best book it can be.

And last but not least, my family. They've all (with the exception of my brother, who's waiting me to send him the latest version) read CH and offered their comments, critiques, and opinions, and I appreciate each one so much (even when I argue with them!).

And thanks to everyone who's read/reading my blog, and who's supporting me as I look for agents, and who will hopefully get a chance to read this book! Thank you guys so much for everything!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Hurricane Sandy

As many of you know from my A-Z Blogpost last year, I live in New Jersey. And as many of you know, New Jersey was just ravaged by a massive storm that left many people homeless or powerless. So if I've missed your emails/tweets/blog posts lately... well, I have a really good excuse!

All things considered, my family was very, very lucky. We lost power for six days (it came back yesterday), but we spent three of them in another state on a vacation that we'd planned a few months ago. And we still don't have internet access. Other than that, we had no flooding and no major damage to the house or cars. Inconvenient, yes, and expensive to replace the food we lost, but nothing compared to the people who lost so much more.

Several towns within walking distance of mine were hit much harder. Houses were washed off their foundation; someone's porch wound up in the middle of the highway. Trees fell on roofs, cars, and electrical lines. People are still without power and likely will be for awhile longer.

I honestly can't begin to describe the devastation. I'm sure some of you have seen pictures on the news. Magnify that by about ten when you realize the restaurant they're showing is one you ate at just a couple weeks ago... and now it's gone. Or when your friends on Facebook are talking about waiting in line for food and clothing donations because they can't get back to even check on their homes until the streets become safer. There was a mandatory 7:00 curfew every night because the traffic lights were out and driving was unsafe. Also because people were looting (fortunately, we didn't see that in my neighborhood). There's a National Guard command post set up down the block from me, and I'm hoping to go over there after work this week to see if I can volunteer.

Obviously part of the takeaway from this is to be grateful for everything you have and try not to take it for granted. It's amazing what just not having electricity for six days felt like, let alone any of the other things that people are lacking right now, especially as the weather is getting colder and the holidays are coming up.

If you're able to/interested in donating to the relief effort, Governor Christie set up a relief fund. Donations can be sent to:
Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund
PO Box 95
Mendham NJ 07945-0095

The Red Cross is always a good option too.

Jen Malone is doing a charity auction, where the proceeds go to the Red Cross relief effort as well. Check it out at: http://www.jenmalone.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/kidlit-community-giving-back-to-benefit_31.html. She's auctioning off some critiques!

And if you're in the area and find yourself able to volunteer, check out NJ 101.5's website where they have volunteer opportunities listed for many of the most devastated cities and towns.

I hope everyone who was affected is doing okay. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help you!



P.S. The odd fringe benefit to having no power is that I actually managed to keep up with my NaNoWriMo word count. I definitely didn't expect that, but apparently the key to focusing on writing is to have no electricity and therefore no distractions.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 10/23/12

Okay, I'm almost positive I've done this one before, but I already explained about my obsession with this series. I'm almost done, and I have no immediate plans to start rereading it (especially since next I get to read Blindsided, bwahahah!), but one can never be 100% sure what will happen...

WARNING: The synopsis may contain some spoilers for the earlier books in the Alpha & Omega series, as well as Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series.

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

Since most of the tourists in front of the booth where she'd chosen to grab lunch came all the way to Anna's waist, she was pretty sure she was in no danger, but you couldn't tell it by the focused attention her mate aimed at the children.

If you can't tell that I'm looking at something on you that is precisely on level with the little ones' heads--his voice in her head had a rough purr--then you need your eyes checked.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Letting Go Bloghop

Today's the release day for Kyra Lennon's new novella, If I Let You Go. It's free on Amazon for today only, so quick, go get a copy!

The rules:
"Was there a time when you had to let go of someone or something? How did it make you feel? How did you handle it? Or if that's too personal - which I completely understand - how about writing a piece of flash fiction? The only rules are - obviously - it has to be related to letting go, and please keep it to a maximum of 500 words."

I'm very, very bad at letting things go. Not grudges (believe it or not, I'm actually quite good at letting go of those), not people, but things. Possessions. Stuffed animals from my childhood or school assignments from the 1990s or old computers and computer bits. Stupid stuff that the intellectual part of me knows I'll never use again or never want to use again.

I want to be clear. I'm not a hoarder... but just barely. Sometimes it feels like the only thing that keeps me from being one is a severe lack of free space and claustrophobia (irrational fears win out over irrational attachments any day). I can get rid of things that are obviously garbage, like hastily scribbled notes of no consequence and things that are broken beyond repair (though my definition of "beyond repair" might be looser than some). But if there's even a chance there might be practical value or, heaven forbid, sentimental value, I have a hard time parting with it.

To some extent, I blame Disney for this. You can say what you will about whether they give little girls unrealistic expectations for their future or give people a false sense of what "true love" is, but I think the real problem with Disney movies are that they personify everything. Suddenly, my stupid childhood toys have sentience. How can you just throw something out that has sentience?! Damn you, Disney, for giving me empathy for things that have no feelings for me to share.

I also don't like change. I think the might have something to do with it too.

We all have our issues, I suppose. If this is the worst of mine, I'm probably doing okay... though I should probably keep an eye on it if I ever move into a bigger place.

Congrats on the new book release, Kyra!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 10/15/12 (and a Cover Reveal!)

It's possible I've already used this book as a Teaser Tuesday. It's not my fault. Every once in awhile I have the overwhelming desire to reread Patricia Briggs' Alpha & Omega series. It's a novella and three books, and once I get to the last book, I sometimes start over. And over. And over. I think I cut myself off at three or four rereads last time. I don't know why, but I'm just addicted to this series (OK OK, it's the main character. I just think she's so cool and very, very well-done). And the second book has the honor of being the first book I ever bought on my Nook. This is from the first book (the sequel to the novella).

Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member—and as his mate.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

She was nothing, and she had brought about their Alpha's death: they'd have killed her if they dared.

Just try, she told them without using words.




Also, Kyra Lennon revealed the cover of her new book, Blindsided! Go check it out, and go read Game On so you'll be ready when it comes out November 19. And take a look for my review on December 4!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 10/9/12


Photo credit: Dan Wells' website

Sorry about missing last week's Teaser Tuesday, guys. I lost track of my days, and before I knew it, it was Wednesday. Which is too bad because I was reading Robison Wells' Feedback, and it was really good. But this week's teaser comes from Dan Wells' Partials, which is also really good (and not at all what I'm expecting it to be).

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic-in-training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws have pushed what's left of humanity to the brink of civil war, and she's not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will find that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

Dr. Morgan seemed oblivious to Kira's shock--or was interpreting it as uneducated bewilderment. Kira struggled to hide her emotions as the doctor kept talking, suddenly terrified at the prospect of this cold, calculating woman in possession of so powerful a secret.

Monday, October 8, 2012

I've Been Tagged!

Emily R. King tagged me (like, two weeks ago) in this, and I've been really excited to do it. So here goes!

  1. What is the working title of your book?
    Capitoline Hill
  2. Where did the idea come from?
    When I got tired of reading crime novels a few years ago, I looked for a series in a new genre, and I stumbled upon Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series, which focuses on all different supernatural species. From there, I found myself spinning off to other urban fantasy books, with a particular interest (at the time) in werewolves. Eventually I decided to try my hand at writing one.
  3. What genre does your book fall under?
    Adult urban fantasy
  4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?
    Ironically, this is one of the few books I've written/started where I didn't come up with this. Upon some reflection, I can't think of one to play my MC, Quinn. Maybe Amber Tamblyn, though with her hair chin-length, straighter and lighter.

    Photo credit: Robin Wong, Wikipedia
  5. What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
    When Quinn brings a stray, possibly man-killing werewolf home to the Mid-Atlantic Pack, she's forced to deal with not only his issues, but her own, as well the safety of the Pack she's sworn to protect.
  6. Will your books be self-published or represented by an agency?
    Agency, I hope!
  7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
    Um... 6 months? Something like that.
  8. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
    Kelley Armstrong, I suppose (see above).
  9. What else about your book would pique the reader's interests?
    Well, werewolves obviously. And... there's a bit of romance, a lot of action and fighting, some warm-fuzzy family moments, and twin brothers that made me giggle almost every time they were on the page.

I know this has been around a lot already, so I'm tagging the first five people who comment and haven't done it yet.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

September Wrap Up

*sigh*

It's been a pretty tough couple of months for me, writing-wise. As much as I'm finally moving forward on Capitoline Hill, I've been totally stalled on everything else. I made a half-hearted effort at Angels this month, but I hit a brick wall a week or so in.

I know what the problem is. I've reached a point in all my existing stories where the characters have to start moving towards the main goal. Which is the point where I realize the story doesn't have a main goal.

My pre-production--for lack of a better word--sucks. I don't outline. I don't even think past the opening chapters half the time. So it's no wonder that I get to the middle of the beginning of the story and crash and burn.

I've been making an effort at improving lately, but it's not going as well as I'd hoped. I wrote down everything I know for CH2, which I want to write during NaNo, and it turns out... there's only ten bullet points, most of which relate to the romantic subplot and not the main plot. So I'm trying not to panic that I'll be winging it during NaNo.

OK. Whining over now. I'm sure looking at my goals for September will make me (not) feel better.

September's goals:

  • Write 10,000 words, mostly for Angels. Well. That didn't happen. I did write words for Angels. A few at least.
  • Enter at least one bloghop and post at least one blog post (not including Teaser Tuesday). I did. I entered the Genre Blogfest (a little late, but better than never), and I posted about Kyra Lennon's novella cover.
  • Be a better CP. I read one of them. Well, that's something.

Also, I started querying agents for CH, which I consider the biggest victory of all. Having accomplished that goal makes me feel better about the ones I missed.

And now, here are my goals for October:

  • Outline CH2. This one is pretty important, seeing how I won't have another opportunity before NaNo.
  • Query 14 more agents for CH. That will bring my total up to 25.
  • Get through my CP pile. For real this time.
  • Carve out a few hours a week that are solely devoted to writing. I think part of the reason I've been having trouble lately is because I'm unfocused, which comes from doing other things when I should be writing. Then I feel guilty about not writing, and a vicious circle begins. A lot of people talk about making writing part of your daily schedule. I need to be better about that.

Do you have any goals for October? Also, who's doing NaNo? Anyone want to set up a writers' group or message board or something to help motivate us?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 9/25/12

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from Neal Shusterman's UnWholly. It's the sequel to Unwind, which was a fantastic social commentary masquerading as fiction. I highly recommend both to anyone who likes dystopia.

Thanks to Connor, Lev, and Risa—and their high-profile revolt at Happy Jack Harvest Camp—people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of troublesome teens while simltaneously providing much-needed tissues for transplant might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests that want to see it not only continue, but also expand to the unwinding of prisoners and the impoverished.

Cam is a product of unwinding; made entirely out of the parts of other unwinds, he is a teen who does not technically exist. A futuristic Frankenstein, Cam struggles with a search for identity and meaning and wonders if a rewound being can have a soul. And when the actions of a sadistic bounty hunter cause Cam’s fate to become inextricably bound with the fates of Connor, Risa, and Lev, he’ll have to question humanity itself.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

The cliffside plantation estate has a rose garden filled with well-pruned hedges and exotic, aromatic flowers. Risa, having been raised in the concrete confines of an inner-city state home, was never much of a garden girl, but once she was allowed access, she began coming out daily, if only to pretend that she isn't a prisoner.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Cover Reveal, Genre Blogfest, and Some News

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First thing's first. Check out the gorgeous cover for Kyra Lennon's new novella, If I Let You Go. Seriously, how much do you love the look on her face? Gives me chills.

Madison Connor is about to lose it. Her job, that is. For three years, she’s taken care of Dominic Hartley’s five year old daughter, Tilly, but her world is flipped on its head when Dominic tells her his latest promotion is taking him to New York. With Tilly having a meltdown over the move, Madison and Dominic get into a fight that changes the entire nature of their relationship, causing Madison to ask herself a big question. Can she let him go?



Kyra Lennon was born on the South coast of England, and to this day, still lives by the sea. Fiction writing has always been her passion, but she also has numerous articles on a variety of topics published on prolific websites.

Kyra’s debut novel, Game On, was released in July 2012 and the second book in the series, Blindsided, is due for release in November 2012.

If I Let You Go is scheduled for release on October 22, 2012. Check out Kyra online here: Blog / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads



Shh, I know I'm, like, two days late for this, but I really wanted to do it anyway. Don't tell anyone.

Favorite genre of...

  • Movie: Romantic Comedy. Yup, I'm a sucker for the chick flicks. I also like those weird, cerebral dramas, like Inception.
  • Music: Country. I swear, I'm a Northerner. I'm just a Northerner who likes country music. But I'll really listen to almost anything (except death metal).
  • Books: Right now, Urban Fantasy. I go through waves. Before this, it was legal and cop mysteries, but I've been on the fantasy kick (both adult and YA) for a few years now.
  • Guilty Pleasure: This is actually pretty hard because I don't really feel guilty about what I watch/listen to/read. I guess the closest would be my love for boy bands. Yes, I admit it, I've been listening to One Direction lately. And you know what? I like them. So there.

And last but definitely, definitely not least, my news. I've started querying agents for Capitoline Hill! I made myself a resolution that I'd celebrate the Jewish New Year by sending my book to at least a few agents, and I did it! Only five so far, but I'm plugging away at the list I've made. This is by far the furthest I've ever gotten towards getting a book published, and I'm really, really excited about it.

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 9/18/12

I finally did it. I've broken away from the vortex that is Animorphs. I understand now why I read those books when I was nine years old until I was 12. But I'm excited to be branching out again. I read Nyrae Dawn's Measuring Up, and it was amazing. And now I've just started Gina Damico's Croak. I've been looking forward to this one for awhile.

Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her targets like a natural born Killer.

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

But it no longer mattered. Lex had been blinked out of existence.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 9/11/12

Okay. Okay, I promise this will be the last week of Animorphs books. Probably. Most likely. Almost definitely.

He is called the Ellimist. A being with the ability to alter space and time. A being with a power that will never be fully understood. He is the reason Elfangor came to Earth. He is the reason the Earth now has a fighting chance. And though his actions never seem quite right or wrong, you can be certain they are never, ever what anyone expects.

This is the beginning and the middle of the story. A story that needs to be told in order to understand what might happen to the future. The future of the Animorphs. The future of humanity. The future of Earth.

He is called the Ellimist. And this is his story...

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

Too late to take it back. And anyway, I didn't want to take it back. Squabbling wasn't going to win the game.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

August Wrap Up

I have to say, this was a really nice break. Taking a few weeks to decompress was a good idea. I think I'm ready to get back into things, but I'm still going to take it slow. Work promises to be crazy from now until Thanksgiving, so probably not piling up unnecessary deadlines is a good idea.

So here's last month's goal breakdown.

  • Have a polished MS for CH, along with a complete query letter and synopsis. I mostly do. My betas have been sending feedback on the latest draft, and I think one more pass through ought to do it.
  • Enter at least one bloghop. Er... oops.
  • Visit K.S. Lewis. I did. And it was awesome! I so wasn't ready to come home.
  • Relax, shake it off, and approach my writing with fresh eyes in September.

September's goals:

  • Write 10,000 words, mostly for Angels. I've been in a very MG mood lately (as evidenced by my reading Animorphs for the past month). And I realized that I've been overestimating how long a MG book is. Based on some of the books I've looked up, Angels is really a third of the way done. So I'm going to try to spend the next two months working on it, so maybe I can have another finished book before NaNo starts in November.
  • Enter at least one bloghop and post at least one blog post (not including Teaser Tuesday). I need to get back to being involved in the blogosphere.
  • Be a better CP. I currently have three MS excerpts to read and critique for three people who have been fabulous at reading my stuff, and I owe them big time. Break time's over.

And that's it for now. How was everyone else's August? I know I've been a little absent from blogs and even Twitter, so I hope you all enjoyed your summer!

Teaser Tuesday - 9/4/12

Good news! I finished the 54 books of the Animorphs series (I know you were all dying of curiosity)! Aside from the last half of the last book, it was exactly as good as I remembered it being, maybe better.

Now I'm on the specials. And then maybe, eventually, I'll actually read something not related to this series. Maybe.

We never should have done it. But we needed a break. You know, some time off from the superhero stuff. A chance to act like normal kids. Well -- as normal as four kids who can morph, a hawk, and an alien can be. Everything should have been cool.

Now Rachel is missing. And there's this...this thing that's after us. But it's not up to me to tell the whole story. Tobias, Cassie, Marco, and Ax were there, too. Even Rachel has some info to add. So go ahead and check this out. And remember not to tell anyone what we're about to tell you. It could mean the difference between life and death. Or worse...

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

I watched the dust beast re-form to go after a truck that was careening backward up the street. Careening straight into a parked car.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 8/28/12

This week's Animorphs Teaser Tuesday is from book 37: The Weakness.

While Jake is away at an out-of-town wedding, Tobias discovers the place where Visser Three feeds. There is a unanimous decision to acquire cheetah morphs and run him down. But which Animorph will lead the mission in Jake's absence?

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

And in order to do the great things, in order to win wars and build cities, or whatever, you've got to have pride and confidence. You've got to be just a little bit arrogant.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 8/21/12

Aw, guys... I'm still reading Animorphs. What can I say? It's a 54 book series, not including the specials. And even though I'm reading at a rate of roughly two books a day (remember, these are meant for ten-year-olds), I'm not quite fast enough to finish in a week. But I am up to book 21: The Threat.

There is a new Animorph. And he's arrived just in time, because the Yeerks are preparing their biggest takeover ever. The ultimate target: the world's most powerful leaders gathered together in one place. What better way to get into the minds of humans? Literally.

At first, David joins the fight with a vengeance. But there is definitely something wrong. Because he's starting to break the rules. Taking risks that could get them all captured. Or killed. The Animorphs don't know what to do. Because there was a time when the Yeerks were their greatest enemy. That's about to change...

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

She snatched the tie out of my hands, whipped it around Ax's neck, tied it neatly, cinched it up, rebuttoned his shirt using the buttonholes we'd managed to miss, buttoned the top button of his jacket, straightened his lapels, and pushed his hair into place. All in less time than we'd wasted staring blankly at one another.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Game On Blog Tour

gameonsmall2

I'm so thrilled to have a special guest on Chock Full of Words today. Meet Leah Walker, the star of Game On by Kyra Lennon. She's here today to talk about her family. Much of Game On centers on the relationships between Leah and her brother and parents, so I'm excited to hear more of her thoughts on the subject (especially her nephew Jamie, who was without a doubt my favorite character in the book. Please give a warm welcome to Leah Walker! (I know, I know. I missed my calling as a game show announcer.)

I’d like to tell you a little bit more about my family. You see, now I live in L.A, I don’t get to see them much anymore. And by that I mean, I haven’t seen them in over a year, since I moved to America. I think some of my friends here think that I don’t miss them because I rarely talk about them. In fact, the opposite is true. I miss them so much, it hurts to talk about them.

My mum, bless her heart, is kind of... old before her time. And she’s always been that way. We used to be close, but my rebellious teen phase put a huge dent in that. This wasn’t her fault. It was mine. I shut down, and stopped talking about what was going on with me. She didn’t make it any better by pushing, and she can give a guilt trip better than anyone I know. But it was me who initially weakened the bonds. I hope that one day we can fix it all. We talk on the phone every few weeks, and in spite of the distance, we have got closer. But there are many things beneath the surface we need to deal with.

My dad’s quiet. Not in a grumpy old man kind of way. He just likes to keep life as simple as possible, and would never dream of starting an argument, or nitpicking over something that might cause a row. He just sits back, waits. His facial expressions always give him away though. He’s the kindest man I know, and he only ever wants what is best for everyone.

My brother, Josh... he is amazing. He’s kind of the perfect combination of my parents, personality-wise. He’s like my mum in the sense that, if someone has a problem, he wants to help. But like my dad, he knows when to hold back. He didn’t interfere in my decision to move to America. Well, he didn’t try and talk me out of it. He told my parents to let me go and stop badgering me into staying near home. I knew he wanted me to stay, but he made sure that I didn’t feel any pressure from him.

Josh’s wife, Christina, is just about the sweetest person you could ever hope to have in your family. She’s been with Josh since they were at school, so she’s known me since I was thirteen. I always looked up to her when I was growing up. I thought she was really cool, and I loved her blonde curls. I remember asking my mum over and over if I could dye my hair blonde. Mum always laughed and said that blonde wouldn’t work on my black hair, and it would be more likely to come out green. During the rebellious phase I mentioned, I paid to have blonde streaks put in my hair, and they were most definitely blonde, not green. Mum was livid!

Josh and Christina have two wonderful children. Jamie is seven and Grace is sixteen months. I haven’t seen Grace since she was a baby, and I know there is a lot I’m missing out on. I was always exceptionally close to Jamie, and it lights up my day when I get to speak to him on the phone. He’s a great kid, and I know he is going to grow up to do great things.

I’m lucky, I know. I’m really looking forward to seeing them again, but talking about them? That’s always hard. So now I’m going to get a glass of wine, and think about something that doesn’t make me want to jump on the next plane to England!

Thanks so much for being on my blog, Leah! If you're interested in buying Game On (which you should be), you can purchase it on Amazon or Smashwords, at the following links:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon paperback
Amazon UK Kindle
Amazon UK paperback
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble Nook

Kyra's Blog


Go Team Leah!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 8/14/12

What am I reading right now? Oh, that's right. Animorphs! I'm having a crisis of... age... and I've decided to go back to my reading roots. Also, I was insanely curious as to how these books would withstand the test of time. Turns out they're still awesome. This teaser comes from book 7.

The fight for the planet continues in this gripping installment. The Animorphs must make an exacting choice. The last time Rachel and her friends entered the giant Yeerk pool beneath their town things went very bad. This time they plan to be careful, and sneak in as roaches, just to spy. Once they're inside, though, the team gets caught. But right as things are looking their most dire, everything stops. Everything. Then Rachel and the Animorphs hear a voice. It belongs to a very old, very powerful being, and it says it can save them. But if it does, the Earth will be defenseless.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

"I knew you were coming," the future Rachel said. "After all, I was you. Once I stood right where you stand now, and looked just like you look now, and saw myself as I am today."

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Teaser Tuesday - 8/7/12

I read so many good books this week, still mostly in the contemporary YA genre, but the one I'm reading now is a little more fantasy and a little more fun: Chantele Sedgwick's Not Your Average Fairy Tale.

Ash Summerland has it all–good looks, popularity, and the best grades at The Academy of Magical Beings. Ready to complete his last assignment in order to graduate, Ash is confident he will get the apprenticeship he wants. When he opens the letter from the Council, he is shocked to discover he has been assigned to apprentice Lady Shenelle, Keeper of Happy Endings. A.K.A. the head fairy godmother. Ash is forced to grant three wishes to a troubled human girl named Kendall, and ultimately give her a "happy ever after". But Kendall turns out to be more than he bargained for. Still grieving over her father's death, Kendall doesn't want anything to do with him. And worst of all, she doesn't believe in happy endings.

The rules for Teaser Tuesday are:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
  • Then hit up Should Be Reading to add your link.

And the teaser:

I wasn't ready to grant her other wishes yet. I wanted her to take her time. I wanted more time with her, but once she said the words I wish, I had to grant them no matter what.