GIVEAWAY!!!

I'm one follower away from 200!!! I've got two shiny and awesome new books just waiting to be given away so this is just a heads up- as soon as I hit 200, there will be a giveaway!!!

Okay, I'm kinda excited about this for some reason! Maybe because it's the first giveaway I've ever done. I wish I had some great ARCs or a fab contest with an agent or two but alas... Unfortunately I'm not THAT cool.

Anyway, keep your eyes open because you could win one of two books that I don't even own myself- I borrowed them from the library to read. Except, of course I own them now, temporarily, but I haven't even cracked them open because soon they'll be YOURS!!!

That's it. I'm done with all the exclamation points.

Writing Retreat

Today's Road Trip Wednesday question, hosted by YA Highway is:

If you could go on a writing retreat anywhere, where would you go & who would you bring? If time and money were no object, where would you shut yourself away to write the great American novel? And what friends, crit partners, or inspiring authors (living or dead!) would you bring along?
Oh this question is so so easy (and I think I've answered it before...)

While there are many places in the world I wish to travel, there is only one place that would be my dream writing retreat. In fact, it would be my dream living spot. It's not actually a specific place but there are certain things I want there:

1. Hot weather. Lots of sun. A light breeze (not major wind).

2. A beach.

3. Soft sand.

4. Warm ocean (or lake) for writing breaks.

And that's it. That's all I ask. Who would I bring? Um, no one? (Ha, sorry family.) If I was living there, obviously I'd want my family there. But if I'm just going to write, if I'm "shutting myself away to write the great American Canadian novel," then I'd rather be alone. No interruptions. No distractions. No worrying that one of my kids is gonna drown in said ocean. Even other authors, or crit partners, or anyone really would be distracting. Because then you'd get to chatting... and laughing... and not writing. I'd want perfect and complete PEACE. (Probably because I never get it.)

A few other things I'd need there:

1. Phone, iPad, iPod. For music and research. Not to go on twitter or play games or anything like that, I swear.

2. Someone to feed me and bring me drinks. Like a hot cabana boy. Just kidding. Or not.

3. Books to read, for other writing breaks and inspiration.

Where would you go? Would you bring someone with you?

Teaser Tuesday

It's Teaser Tuesday time, hosted by Miz B. at Should Be Reading.

I finished Hallowed by Cynthia Hand last night (amidst lots of tears and snot) which is a sequel to her first novel Unearthly. So today I just randomly opened the book and picked a bit. Which actually is what you're supposed to do for the teaser but usually I pick a bit I've read recently that I really liked. Anyway, here's my teaser for this week:

There are a lot of words I'd use to describe Christian Prescott: mystery, enigma, conundrum, destiny, terrifying, and, well, just plain hot, if I'm being honest, but the word idiot has never crossed my mind. Except maybe that one time at prom. (page 114)

What are you reading right now?

The Booker Award

I was all prepared to blog about something "serious" today. Something "meaningful." Something "smart."

Well, I got saved by the blog award! Ha!

My newest CP Dahlia (you can find her here) has awarded me the Booker award. Thanks Dahlia! And by the way, you should check her out because I just read her MS and it was HAWESOME! (No I didn't misspell, that is hot and awesome all mashed into one super-word.)

The Booker Award is an award given to book bloggers provided they blog at least 50% about books, including reading or writing. The rules, because there's always rules with blog awards for some reason... Anyway, the rules are that I have to name my top five favorite books.

TOP FIVE FAVE BOOKS OF ALL TIME:

You know I can't pick, right? It's IMPOSSIBLE. Okay, I'll try.

1. Harry Potter books 1-7 by JK Rowling. I know, I know, that's seven books right there. But these are books I could reread and reread and reread (and I have). We all know why these are the BEST BOOKS EVER, so I don't think I have to explain myself.

2. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Again, this is... I don't even know how many books are out there now. I'm refusing to read any more of them until they are ALL out and the series is over. Then I will read them all from start to finish. I used to restart the series every time a new book had come out but I've stopped doing that since there's A LOT and they are VERY long.

There have been lots of complaints about these books and I often agree with them. However, I love and have always loved the fantasy world Jordan created and the oh-so-awesome characters. These books were really my first book LOVES and we never forget our first love, do we?

3. A recent love is another obvious one: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I could read this book over and over and over. In fact, I've been dying to reread it but there's just too many books on my TBR pile.

4. The complete works of Jane Austen. Yep, I'm an Austen fan. Her books rock! Pride and Prejudice has always been a fave, and Persuasion comes a close second.

5. Everything by Meg Cabot and Ally Carter. Their books are so much fun. Light, funny, and entertaining. Exactly what I love and look for in a book.

Okay, so I kinda listed fave authors more than books so I completely broke the rules. Oh well.

WIP Songs

Guess what? I'm thisclose to finishing my sequel to Daze and Knights. And let me tell you, I'll breathe a massive sigh of relief when it's done because I've been working (on and off) on this thing for TWO YEARS. I haven't given it priority because I know that writing a sequel to a book that isn't published (or may never be published) is kinda a waste of time. But then I say it isn't, because hey- I'm WRITING. No writing is a waste of time.

There's been this one song that has really helped me push through the troubles I've been having. Every time I listen to it I suddenly get new scenes in my head. It has been a life-saver book-saver for me. I just had to share:



There are a few other songs that I either mention in my sequel, or have also inspired it. This one has felt like the soundtrack for the entire novel:

There's one scene with dancing... cuz you know I love dancing and I can't help putting it in somewhere... Anyway, it's in a forest but Jess hears these two songs in her head. The first one she's dancing alone and celebrating something, and the second, she's dancing with a certain gentleman.



(This is the only clip I could find that would play)

(LOVE Michael Buble)

What songs inspire your WIP? I always love hearing new music...

Teaser Tuesday

Ah, welcome back Teaser Tuesday. I kinda missed you.

No really, I like doing Teaser Tuesday. I especially like reading other people's teasers, see what they're reading, see what the books are like. It's fun. If you want to check them out, go to Should Be Reading.

My teaser today is from Out of Sight, Out of Time by Ally Carter- her 5th Gallagher Girl book. I LOVE these books by the way. They are so much fun to read. I wish Ally Carter was my BFF. Seriously.

"You don't get it, do you?" Macey threw her covers off and stepped barefoot across the floor."We're not mad because you left." She practically spat the words. I wondered if Liz or Bex might wake up, but neither stirred. "We're mad because you didn't take us with you." (page 68)

Anyone else got any teasers?

Random Monday Thoughts

Usually I save my random thoughts for Thursdays, but I couldn't help myself today. My brain can't seem to focus on just one thing.

1. It's going to be a busy week.

2. I'm sad that Blog Me Maybe is over. What am I gonna blog about?

3. Right now I'm critiquing a great contemp read from a girl I met during The Writer's Voice. So far it's been excellent.

4. I'm itching and trying and dying to get the sequel to Daze finished. I'm thisclose. It hurts. Why? Because I've been working on it for a looooong time. I started it the second after I wrote "the end" on my first draft of Daze. Since then, I've worked on it in between Daze edits, and writing Sway, and anytime I had time. I JUST WANT TO GET THE THING FINISHED!

Okay, I'll stop yelling.

5. I've had this idea floating around in my head for MONTHS for a new WIP and I can't wait to start it. Must. Finish. Sequel. First.

6. L.G. Keltner at Writing Off the Edge awarded me the Stylish Blogger award. Haha, have you seen my blog? It's not what I would call stylish. I used to change the background all the time but I've since decided that simplicity is best. If that makes me stylish... well great! (Actually, simplicity has always been my thing when it comes to clothes/decorating, etc.)

7. I've said it a zillion times, but now that the trailer is out I can say it again. LES MISERABLES! It'll be hard to survive until December. Here's the trailer, in case you haven't seen it. I saw it in the theater over the weekend and it was even better all huge and loud and stuff!

8. I'm only 5 followers away from 200! So I'm thinking...  GIVEAWAY! More on that to come...