Monday Reads: The List is Endless

I've been reading like crazy in January so I've got a lot of books to talk about. 

First off, WICKED DESIGNS by Lauren Smith. Lauren is a fellow Samhain author and all around super smart lady. This book was incredibly sexy and dangerous. I'll admit though, that I had a hard time getting past the premise. The MC is kidnapped by the love interest at the very start, all because he wants revenge on her uncle. He doesn't care AT ALL that he has ruined her reputation completely. I liked how the MC fought back in the beginning, and fought against her feelings for awhile, but while she began to forgive/lust after/fall in love with him I was still like, um no. 

SWORN ENEMY by A.L. Sowards. This was a well-written, well-researched novel about World War II, most of it taking place in a location not usually used for WWII novels. The characters were fleshed out, and the mystery of who the double agent might be was really good. It lacked a little bit of something for me... not sure what I just wasn't feeling the emotion as much as I wanted to. Otherwise though, it was a great read.

THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING by Morgan Matson. Great contemp YA read. I loved it, loved the love interest, loved the friendships. My only complaint is that at over 500 pages, it was long for a contemp, IMO. 

GOLDEN SON by Pierce Brown. This is the second book in the trilogy and these books are... interesting for me. I love parts like crazy but then I'm bored by parts. The best thing about these books are- 1) he never goes where I expect. The plot twists and turns so much and I'm always surprised by it. And 2) the endings are such cliffhangers in the best way that I want to read the next one. Honestly, if they didn't end like this, I probably wouldn't have picked up GOLDEN SON and wouldn't pick up the third book, but I will now because I want to know what's going to happen. I will pick up book 3 but I'm really hoping it wows me more than bores me. 

IN THE MIDDLE by S.J. Henderson. S.J. and I are in a Facebook author group together and I picked up this book when I signed up for her blog tour. I read the book in two days. I found it a very interesting take on life and death, but most of all, I LOVED the love story. 

THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE by Jennifer E. Smith. I think this is my fave Jennifer E. Smith book out of the three I've read. I can't help but love the movie star/average girl trope, plus I loved the email aspect. My only complaint was it ended as Happy-For-Now with not much getting resolved at all. I wanted a better glimpse into the future, but that's just me. 

Phew. That was a lot of reading. What are you reading right now?

IN THE MIDDLE blog tour

Today I get to take part in the blog tour for IN THE MIDDLE, a YA Paranormal Romance by S.J. Henderson. 

Here's the blurb:

Girl moves to new town.

Girl meets Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.

Cue Happily Ever After.

That’s how the story goes, right?

Except this is Lucy. The same Lucy whose stellar driving skills single-handedly wiped out both of her parents, leaving her with nothing but the suitcase in her hand and the screws in her skull. Not to mention that Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome—AKA Oliver—is just as annoyingly bossy as he is hot. According to Oliver, Lucy’s not safe in her new hometown, but he refuses to say why. He just gives her some lame warning about not going out after dark, like that’ll stop her.

When several townspeople vanish, the lethargic community springs to life, fearful of the danger lurking among them. The problem is that Lucy’s the last person to have seen any of the missing. Doesn’t exactly qualify her for the Neighbor of the Year Award.

Lucy’s already given up on Happily Ever After, but now she has two choices left: find out what’s happening in her new home, or become the next victim.

Sounds pretty awesome right? Well I can tell you it is! I read this book in two days. It was a fast read, engrossing, the characters were vivid, and best of all the romance was swoony! Not only that, it was a very interesting take on life and death, and a touching story to boot.

You can buy the book on Amazon or at the Publisher's website: Tiny Fox Press.

Wanna read an excerpt? Of course you do!

“Do you trust me?” he asks. He’s closer to me.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really. We’ve got to get you back to the mansion before . . .” His voice trails off. I want to slug him in the arm for being spooky again, but I’d have to find his arm first.

He swoops in without warning, whisking me from my feet. Again, I cry out. He sucks in a sharp breath that catches between his teeth. “Lucy, I’m not kidding—stop making noise.”

My blood simmers beneath my skin. “Warn me next time you’re planning on picking me up, then.”

“Sorry,” he fires back, his mouth too close to my ear.

I want nothing more than for the strength in my legs to return so I can get away from him and his nerve, but Oliver is in control now and holds me pressed unnecessarily tightly to his body. Turning my head from him is my only means of escape. I’d shown him, all right.

With a little more energy than necessary, he heaves me up into the blackness. My bottom connects to something soft yet solid—Jasper’s back—and pain spikes down my spine. I gasp as my body starts to curl in on itself.

“Okay,” Oliver says. “Slide your right leg over to the other side. I’ll keep you steady.”

My mouth flops open and I wonder if he can see the ever-growing whites of my eyes. Or maybe he’s picked up on the stampede going on between the valves of my heart, because he softens. “Lucy, I’m not going to let you fall. Trust me.”

“The only people I’ve ever trusted are dead,” I shoot down to him as I claw around for something, anything, to keep me from falling on my face.

Oliver snorts, which sends me over the edge.

“What? You think that’s funny?” I challenge him, no longer concerned about keeping quiet. His hand clamps on my leg in piercing reproof. I’ll have bruises there tomorrow, for sure. Through locked teeth, I order, “Let. Go.”

“Please stop,” he says. “I’m trying to keep you sa—”

A rumble beyond us, where the orchard fades into the rest of the forest, interrupts his plea. Even though I sit astride stoic Jasper, I can feel the ground vibrating beneath us.

“What in the—?” I cry, whipping my head in the direction of the growing commotion.

“Slide back,” Oliver commands. I know better than to take offense at his bossy tone. I’d made a big mistake, one he’d been trying to protect me from. The fear of horses leaves my body, only to be replaced by the fear of the unknown. Ignoring the bite of pain in my hip, I throw my leg over Jasper’s withers and shove myself backward, using my palms for leverage. A second later, Oliver sweeps himself upward and in front of me on his horse’s back.

“Hold on,” he yells over the thunder moving our direction.

And a bit about the author: 

S. J. Henderson is the founder of the Kid Authors Project, as well as a published author of the DANIEL THE DRAW-ER series. Now that she's published IN THE MIDDLE, she'll start working on the next big thing.

S. J. lives on a farm with her husband, four boys, two dogs, and cat. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her riding one of her family’s three horses. She loves to sing and is slowly learning to play the ukulele.

Social Media Links

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Twitter

Super Secret Project is No Longer a Secret

For the past couple of months I've been working on a Super Secret Project. Well, today, the announcement is out, and I can finally talk about...

THE DARCY MONOLOGUES!!!

I'm super excited to get to be part of this incredible anthology. I mean, check out those authors! 

If you want to read an interview about the project, check out Just Jane 1813 to see what our editor, Christina Boyd, has to say about it.

And look for THE DARCY MONOLOGUES coming May 22nd! 

Jane in January: Michael Buble vs Jane Austen

If you've read my Persuasion retelling, SWAY, you'll know that Michael Buble and his music was a huge influence on me. When I decided my Eric (AKA Captain Wentworth) would be a musician, it seemed natural to me that he'd be a Michael Buble-esque crooner. I listened to his music on repeat while writing, and mentioned a few of his songs in the novel (CRY ME A RIVER and AT THIS MOMENT were two big ones). I even read a biography of Michael Buble so I could get a better idea what kind of struggles an artist like Eric would go through in rising to the top. 

So for Jane in January today, I made you guys a quiz. I've given you a quote, and you just have to answer who said it: Michael Buble or Jane Austen. *I tried to go with random quotes instead of known ones, but I still think it's probably pretty easy.*

So take the quiz, then let me know what you scored in the comments. Everyone who tells me their score in the comments will be entered to win a paperback of SWAY and a copy of Michael Buble's newest CD "Nobody But Me." Open internationally! 

Monday Reads

Blogging... what on earth is blogging?

At least, that's how I've felt lately. As in, the last year or so. And especially over the Christmas break. We all need social media breaks now and again though. And I'm back today (late today) to talk about what I've read since... whenever I blogged last.

I really should've blogged earlier because I've got FIVE books to talk about.

CLOSE TO YOU by Kara Isaac. Dang. It's been so long since I read this (okay, only like two and a half weeks) and I don't remember what I loved and didn't about it. The premise and all the Tolkien-related nerdery: totally cool. The romance was fun. I gave it four stars so obviously something held me back from all the love, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. 

RED RISING by Pierce Brown. This was an interesting read for me. Started slow, but I kept reading because of all the hype. Then got super good. Then got a little boring. Then got really good. Then got okay. Then ended fantastically. So yeah, a roller coaster of a book. I didn't LURVE it but I'll definitely pick up book two.

SOLVING FOR EX by LeighAnn Kopans. This book has been on my radar for forever because I'd been in contests with the author, plus it's Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK retold YA-style. There were things I loved about this book- it was a fast read, good writing, and fun characters. I didn't mind the pining and angst most of the time, although there were times when the MC would go back and forth between I'm blah and no one likes me to I'm hot look at me! or he'll never like me and he's always liked me! It was a little wrenching at times. The whole mathlete thing got a little lost too and didn't get resolved at the end, which was a bummer. Otherwise, a fun read.

BEAUTY AND THE CLOCKWORK BEAST by Nancy Campbell Allen. I picked this book up at a bookstore because I liked the sound of the premise: a steampunk Beauty and the Beast meets Jane Eyre story. When I started reading, I worried there was too much going on. Not only was it a steampunk retelling, but there was magic, ghosts, werewolves, and vampires mixed in. It ended up working seamlessly and I loved the story! The mystery was solid, though I had the antagonist narrowed down to two since almost the beginning and it annoyed me a bit that the MC never considered these two, even though evidence pointed that way early on. Otherwise, the MC was awesome, and it had a swoon-worthy love story. I will definitely pick up another book by this author. 

P.S. I LIKE YOU by Kasie West. LURVE LURVE LURVE so much. I'd never read a Kasie West before but I will read ALL the Kasie West books now. This felt like a YA YOU'VE GOT MAIL and I loved the quirky MC and the cocky love interest. Best of all the book was funny, with fast and witty dialogue- my favorite. Sooo good. 

Christmas Faves

Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love the spirit of the season, the kindness, the smiles. I love celebrating the birth of Christ, and I love giving and receiving presents. I love the decorations, the food, the family, the music, the movies. Basically I'm one of those people who are like, "I love everyone" except it's "I love everything Christmas!"

Here are some of my faves:

I could listen to Christmas music on repeat, though there are some songs that are kinda annoying (Twelve Days of Christmas, anyone?). My faves are the classics: Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Perry Como, etc. But I especially- and this will come as no surprise- love Michael Buble's Christmas albums. He's the perfect mix of modern and classic, and I love his voice.

I can't pick just one favorite Christmas movie, there are too many. But one I love which is probably a bit underappreciated is CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT. The movie is funny and cute and silly and I love the love story. Check it out if you've never seen it.

A new thing for me this year is Hallmark Christmas movies. I know a lot of people have been on this bandwagon forever, but I haven't jumped on until this year and it all started because I heard that one of my fave swoon-worthy actors was in a 2015 Hallmark movie called CROWN FOR CHRISTMAS. After watching that (and rolling my eyes yet crying at the same time), I decided to give some others a try. I only got to watch a few, but I'll definitely be giving Hallmark movies a go every year from now on.

I don't read a lot of Christmas books either, although I did give a couple a try. But I have to go with my all-time fave, THE GRINCH, of course. And I have a special place in my heart for THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL, and SMALL ONE.

What are some of your Christmas favorites?

Monday Reads: The Chemist and The Forbidden Orchid

You'd think around the holidays that I would have more time to read.

NOPE.

Christmas is in less than a week and I don't feel prepared at all. Actually, I'm almost there, it's just- it's been so busy that I haven't had the chance to just laze around and enjoy the season. Hopefully I'll be there by this weekend. Or, as lazy as an adult with four children who's also having company over for Christmas can be.

Anyway, so I only read two books these past couple of weeks. THE CHEMIST by Stephenie Meyer and THE FORBIDDEN ORCHID by Sharon Biggs Waller.

So, THE CHEMIST. Honestly, it took me about a hundred pages to get into this book. If it weren't for the fact that it's Stephenie Meyer and her books have yet to disappoint me, AND the fact that someone had recommended this to me and said they couldn't put it down, I probably would have quit in the first couple of chapters. I mean, it took twenty pages until there was even dialogue! 

Some people might not mind this, but I love dialogue and I really felt the lack. Besides, isn't it a rule that you shouldn't have more than what, three pages without dialogue, or something like that? She's Stephenie Meyer and she can obviously break the rules, but still. For me, there was WAY TOO MUCH detail, especially at the beginning, and not enough action. Once I did get into the book, though, I really enjoyed it. The MC was an interesting mix of clinical and cold yet still human- her character arc was excellent. And I felt the love story only added to the book- in fact it was my favorite part- rather than taking away from the plot. I especially loved the banter between the three of them. (See what I mean about dialogue?) Anyway, definitely a book to check out if you're a Meyer fan, just be prepared for the slow start.

Probably one of my fave books of 2015 was Sharon Biggs Waller's A MAD, WICKED FOLLY. So I eagerly picked up THE FORBIDDEN ORCHID. I rated it 5 stars on Goodreads, but it's really more of a four and a half. (I rate up, because I'm nice like that.) I loved the book and only had two tiny complaints. One, the blurb of the book tells us that the MC is going to travel to China with her father. So I waited and waited for this to happen but it didn't happen until about 180 pages in. I really wanted this to happen sooner, with a little less lead-up. And two, the love story was SO AWESOME in parts, but then it got forgotten at times. There were times when she could've played it up but she didn't. 

Otherwise, it was a solid book that I loved and I still count Sharon Biggs Waller as one of my fave historical YA authors. 

What about you? Do you like dialogue? Does it take away from the book when there isn't much?

Monday Reads

I rounded out the end of November with the last of a trilogy and two romances.

Myra McEntire's INFINITYGLASS is the third of the trilogy and I really enjoyed it. I wasn't sure I'd like the brand new POV's (each book has two different POVs) but I ended up really liking Dune and Hallie. I also thought she ended the trilogy really well. The ending seemed to happen quickly, but I think that's what happens when you've been into multiple books with the same story and suddenly it's over and you're all...

Anyway, it's a great trilogy and very voicey.

Then I read SOMETHING IN THE HEIR by Jenny Gardiner. I had really high hopes for this one because the premise is super cute. Unfortunately, I was less than impressed with the writing and some of the scenarios were so ridiculous it was hard for me to believe them. Plus the MC had a serious case of modesty to the point where the LI is constantly telling her how great she is. *eye roll* I finished to the end though and there were some cute and swoony moments.

Last, I read A Yorkshire Christmas by Kate Hewitt. I didn't realize this was only novella length when I bought it for my Kobo, but the story was really cute. Kinda reminded me of The Holiday (that Christmas movie with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz) at first but it takes it's own turn. It was a fun Christmas read, and I promptly watched The Holiday as soon as I was done!

Black Friday Sale!!!

It's Black Friday so that means... SALES!!!

I'm part of the lovely group over at Austen Variations and we're having a huge sale of many of our Jane Austen related books. A lot of PRIDE & PREJUDICE variations, and my very own SWAY (a contemporary PERSUASION retelling in case you didn't know) is on sale for $0.99, which is a screamin' deal if you ask me. Check it out at the link above, or you can just go straight to Amazon if you want to pick up SWAY. It's also on sale at Amazon Canada, and other ebook retailers like B&N, and I'm trying to get the price reduced on Amazon UK for all you Brits out there, so stay tuned.

Hope you're having a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend if you're American, or just a great weekend if you hail from elsewhere in the world! Much love!

Monday Reads: A Whole Lot

I took a little blog break because I went to Hawaii! But now I'm back with a few books I read in the last month.

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star by Brandon Mull which is the second book in the series. This book started off stronger than book 1 for me, and I enjoyed it. I am, however, debating whether to pick up the rest of the series. The books are good, I just don't love them. But I feel this intense guilt if I don't finish the whole series because I'm wacky like that.

Ashes by Sophie H. Morgan. I "know" Sophie online because she's a fellow Samhain author and I was psyched to finally read this book. It was awesome! A page-turner, with a kick-A female MC and a swoony love interest. It blends a lot of genres which could've turned out disastrous but totally worked for the story. I can't wait to read another book by Sophie.

The Darkest Hour by Caroline Tung Richmond is a story set in World War II about girls who work as spies for the Allies. I loved the different characters and loved the twists in the book. It could've used a little romance for my taste, but otherwise an excellent read.

Wedding Bands by Ev Bishop is a second chance romance story that I really enjoyed. Like most romances, you know they're going to get together eventually, but it's fun reading about the journey. There was also a little twist at the end which I didn't anticipate. I participated on a panel with Ev Bishop at a con over the summer and she was lovely. 

I also did a couple of rereads: Hourglass and Timepiece by Myra McEntire. I've had the third in the trilogy (Infinityglass) sitting on my shelf since last Christmas, but it's been so long that I needed to reread to remember the story. I think I enjoyed these two books more this time than I did the first time. I love time travel, and the voice is so spot on in both books, though they're from two different POVs. So far Infinityglass is living up to my expectations.

So it's been a good reading month. What have you read lately?

Friday Loves: HAMILTON

I know I'm behind on this. HAMILTON is yesterday's news.

Blame my Canadian-ness. Or the fact that I don't make it to Broadway often... or like ever (*sobs*). 

But I've been around, I've heard things. Yeah, I know stuff. 

Like how popular HAMILTON is. I mean, you'd have to live under a rock not to know about it. I've listened to bits and pieces on YouTube. I saw the performance on the Tony's. But I finally have the entire soundtrack and I've now become another one on the long list of HAMILTON fans. I would LOVE to see this show. So bad. Unfortunately, I'm not planning any trips to NYC anytime soon, and HAMILTON probably won't be a touring musical to Canada for awhile. Here's hoping it comes here soon. 

I guess it gives me a lot of time to learn all the lyrics, though. It's so much more fun watching a musical when you know all the words then when you're not even familiar with the songs (I'm looking at you, WICKED). So, I'm not throwing away my shot at learning every single word. (See what I did there?) And tonight I get to watch the PBS special!

Monday Reads: Two JAFF, a YA, and an NA

Have you ever loved an author... like everything they say on social media is hilarious, or you think if you knew them in real life you'd be besties, or maybe you saw them at a conference or signing and thought they were so interesting? And I mean this in a totally non-stalkerish/non-crazy way, I swear.

Anyway, so then you read one of their books thinking you'd LOVE it? Then you just... don't. 

Total bummer. So yeah, that's how I kinda felt about FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull.

My daughter read and LOVED the FABLEHAVEN sereis like crazy, so she insisted on coming with me to 2015's WHEN WORDS COLLIDE because Brandon Mull would be there. I hadn't read anything by him, but we went to all his panels and he was such a dynamic speaker. Seriously. If you have a chance to hear him in public- GO! Anyway, I finally gave the first FABLEHAVEN book a try a couple of weeks ago and... I liked it. I did. But I wanted to love it so bad, like Harry Potter type love, and I just didn't. I've since started book two- so obviously I liked it enough to want to read on in the series. But it got me thinking about the book and why I didn't connect with it like I wanted to.

Honestly, I think the main thing is I'm not into "creature" kinds of books. I've read other fantasy-ish novels that have had a lot of magical creatures or magical items in them, and they're just not my kind of thing. I like magical people, not regular people who run into magical stuff. And FABLEHAVEN is all about a magical preserve. The other thing was it lacked the humor of Harry Potter. There was this one really funny part which I loved (the whole cow-milking scene), but I wanted more funny, especially since it's MG. Anyway, I did enjoy the book. I loved the difference between the brave but sometimes foolish Seth, and the more responsible Kendra who finds her courage in the end. The world-building too was stellar. Already with book 2, I've found the plot to be more fast-paced, which is a bonus. So we'll see how this one goes. I know with HP, I didn't really LOVE them until PRISONER OF AZKABAN, so I'm giving FABLEHAVEN a chance.  

The next book I read was MR. DARCY BROKE MY HEART by Beth Patillo. I'm just going to say I gave the book 3 stars and leave it at that. I've read amazing JAFF books, and this one didn't measure up like I wanted it to.

Then I read MORE THAN MUSIC by Elizabeth Briggs. SWOON! This book was everything I wanted it to be. I wanted a sexy and fun romance, and this was it. I can't wait to read book 2 in the series.

Lastly, I read another JAFF book, LETTER FROM RAMSGATE by Suzan Lauder. I got this as an advanced copy and loved every minute of it. It felt like reading Jane Austen herself, as if I was reading one of her rewrites of PRIDE & PREJUDICE. The changes made in this book were so clever, and so well done, that I could really see it. Definitely one of the best P&P variations I've ever read. 

What did you read this week?

The Great Bookmark Saga of 2016

Who knew bookmarks could be such a pain? 

ME. I KNOW.

Thus begins the Great Bookmark Saga of 2016. Also known as, A Disaster of Epic Proportions. 

I wanted some bookmarks for SWAY. Samhain was kind enough to send me rack cards before SWAY came out and I have a few left, but they're out of date, plus I wanted something bookmark size. So I decided to design my own using Canva. I'd already designed something on Canva so obviously I was an expert and it seemed like a good idea.

It pretty much took me an entire day just to make my design. Once I did, it was pretty, I loved it, and I thought, all I have to do is upload it to Vistaprint and Bam! I've got bookmarks.

WRONG!

First, I'd heard that you can save money by uploading two designs on the rack card template and then you can cut them yourself and voila! Two for the price of one bookmarks. This did not work for me. So I tried to fit my design into Vistaprint's bookmark template. Also did not work. I redesigned my bookmarks on Canva multiple times in different sizes in an attempt to fit them into the template. NOPE. And keep in mind, this wasn't just a, click once to resize. Because I'm on basic Canva, I had to design over again FROM THE BEGINNING. EACH TIME.

After all this, I finally decided to use a different printing company. I uploaded my design and it was easy... TOO easy. But I ignored this and ordered a hundred bookmarks. At this point, it was like 2 am, but I could not fall asleep. I kept stressing about these bookmarks. What if I hadn't gotten the design within the bleed lines? What if words were cut off? What if they ended up blurry? Then I'd be wasting my money, PLUS a trip to the US where I had to pick them up (they don't ship to Canada). In order to get some sleep that night, I cancelled the order. 

I just didn't feel good about ordering through this second printer, so I went back to Vistaprint and asked them to fit my design into their template. Waited a day. They couldn't do it. 

Forget online printing companies, I would go local. So I went into Staples (a Canadian office supply store) and asked if they printed bookmarks and if they would print my design, how much, etc. They said yes- bring in the design on a USB. I did, the next day. The lady, the same one I'd already talked to, couldn't open the file. So she said for me to change the format and come back. So I did. AGAIN. I put my design into every format I could think of and went BACK into Staples. Same lady. Still couldn't open the file. She basically stared at me like I was some kind of idiot, but I'm sorry lady- those files opened on my computer at home! Anyway, suck-it Staples, I'll go somewhere else. After calling around and leaving multiple messages with small printing companies, I decided to try online again.

Can I make a side note here and say, if only Vistaprint had a bookmark template! They have rack card and business card templates, but with bookmarks, you have to upload your design. Otherwise, I would have redesigned right on Vistaprint. But I couldn't do that, so this time, I uploaded my design and asked them to recreate it for me. A day later, wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles... THEY DID! I had to make a minor change and wait another day, but finally, I had a working design that I could actually order on Vistaprint. So I did. They told me I would get them in a few weeks, in time for a book signing event I had planned for the beginning of October.

I waited. I checked the mail. I waited some more. I checked some more. NOTHING. Finally, a few days before my event (and here is where I screwed up... I should've done this a week earlier) I went into the tracking info on Vistaprint, which led me to UPS, which led me to this extensive list of all the places these bookmarks had travelled to. Apparently, they didn't have the right address, they contacted the receiver (me, and NO THEY DID NOT), got an address, delivered. They were rejected by the receiver (BECAUSE IT WASN'T ME), mailed them back to Ontario, went to three different cities in Ontario, and were currently in limbo when I checked. I called UPS. 

Long story short, UPS doesn't deliver to PO boxes, and sent my bookmarks back to Vistaprint. 

First of all, WHY DIDN'T UPS CALL/EMAIL ME??? I would've given them my street address. I have no clue WHO they kept contacting.

Second of all, if Vistaprint always uses UPS, and UPS never delivers to PO  boxes, WHY ARE YOU ALLOWED TO ENTER A PO BOX INTO THE ADDRESS LINE? When I called Vistaprint, they didn't even know UPS doesn't deliver to PO boxes!

What. The. Fudge.

Anyway (not really anyway, but I'm mostly over it, so anyway), Vistaprint said they would resend and I would get them October 6th... six days AFTER my bookstore event. Great. Thanks for that.

I didn't actually get them until today. If you want to see what they look like, and my reaction to opening them,  you can go here. 

Friday Loves: Gilmore Girls!

My sister often told me how much she loves Gilmore Girls, how she's watched the entire series at least ten times. Then there's the fans on Twitter, who tweet about it constantly, despite the fact the show ended years ago. Probably because of the revival coming up. Anyway, I finally decided to give it a try.

The first episode was good, but I wasn't immediately sold. It took me... a whole TWO episodes to get completely hooked. I don't know what it is about the show that hooked me so soon, but I'm guessing it's probably a mix of the witty and fast-paced dialogue, and the flawed yet likeable characters. At first I was awed by both Lorelei and Rory (please can I be them?!), but now that I've gotten to know them, they drive me cray-cray. Lorelei especially. She has these epic mom moments and I really envy her relationship with her daughter at times- it helps me be a bit more aware of my own relationships with my daughters (and son). Of course, Lorelei is also self-absorbed most of the time and there are so many moments when I'm mentally screaming at her to just shut up already. Rory I liked from the start, until the whole end of season four thing with Dean, and now I just want her to smarten up. But what makes the show great is despite these things, I still want them to get their happy endings, or happy for right now's. I want the same for Luke, Lane, Dean, Jess, Emily and Richard, even Kirk. 
These characters are so compelling, it's hard not to be completely hooked on their lives and want to know what crazy thing they'll do next.

I'm in the middle of season five right now, so I still have a ways to go until the end. Hopefully I'll be done before the new episodes air next month. But for now, pardon my many Gilmore Girls tweets- this is all new to me and I'm loving it. I'm so glad I gave this show a shot. 

What about you? Have you watched Gilmore Girls and did you like it?

Monday Reads: 4 YA

Soooo, I've felt lately like I've been in a bit of a book slump. Actually, I feel like I've been in a life slump, but that's a post for another day (or maybe just for inside my brain).

Here's what I've read lately:

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

This was one of those books that people LOVE but I just... didn't. It never captured me, I didn't feel like very much went actually happened, and I never connected to the characters. It did have a few really great moments though. 

My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

So I said book slump, but maybe not because THIS BOOK. It was HILARIOUS. Just so so so very well done. I loved it, I want it to be a movie, I want it to be real. Hey, if Reign is a show, they could make this a movie. Just saying. Seriously loved this book- one of my fave YA historicals ever.

A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir

This book was pretty great. A good sequel with a twist I thought I saw coming but it twisted in a different direction. I really enjoyed it and I'm interested to see where Sabaa Tahir takes the next book (final book?). 

Chasing Memories by Tia Silverthorne Bach

This book was a light paranormal read, a genre I feel I haven't read in awhile. There were some really fun moments, and it also had a twist I didn't see coming. It's the first of a series (or maybe trilogy?) so it ended on a cliffhanger which left me unsatisfied. I think I've lost patience for cliffhangers. 

So maybe I haven't been in a book slump after all. Or it could be the fact that I started a book after Chasing Memories and couldn't get past page 50 (nope, couldn't do it) and now I'm reading something where I love the author but I haven't gotten into it yet. Please, I want to get into it so bad! Or maybe my life slump is bleeding over into my reading and tainting everything.  

Monday Reads: A Hodgepodge

Alas, my reading has slowed down a bit lately. I have to keep telling myself it's not a race- I don't have a reading deadline (not counting library due dates). Sometimes I feel this insane urge to hurry and I don't know why.

Anyway, here's what I read:

LONGBOURN'S SONGBIRD by Beau North.

This was a Pride & Prejudice retelling which takes place in the South after WWII. There were so many things I loved about this book- the setting, Elizabeth's backstory, the twist on Colonel Fitzwilliam, the change around Bingley and Jane... Some of the characters were developed so fully that it really brought them to life, more than the original. My only pet peeve was that because of this- some of the other characters were kind of left in the dust. P&P has a huge cast so obviously you can't fully realize everyone, but I felt some were started and then left behind and I would've like a little more there. Otherwise, excellent read. 

FLIRTING IN ITALIAN by Lauren Henderson

So, this is the kind of book where I'm dying to talk to somebody who has read it. I have a lot of opinions, most which I will bottle up until I can talk to someone about it (lol). There were some really fun things about this book, and I automatically love an Italian setting. However. My biggest pet peeve was that it ended on a cliffhanger- so obviously there are sequels, but this was a YA contemp romance and having no end to the plot really drove me bananas.

OUTRUN THE MOON by Stacey Lee

I loved like crazy Stacey Lee's first book UNDER A PAINTED SKY so naturally I picked up OtM. It didn't disappoint. Stacey Lee is easily one of my fave historical YA authors. She writes beautiful stories with the kind of characters you want to be besties with. OtM isn't only about Mercy's survival of the earthquake, but also about her journey to be seen and heard as a person, a woman, as being just as good as anyone else despite the way the world saw her. I have no gift for eloquent reviews, just read the book because it is excellent.

The Best Laid Plans

Sometimes I look ahead and wonder what in the heck I'm going to write next.

And then there's the times where I look ahead with a plan in place. Usually this plan is, I will write this first, and then that next, and then go back and revise this, then revise that... you get the idea. At the beginning of the summer I had this plan in place. 

Well, summer is almost over and that plan basically blew up in my face.

I mean, I sorta set the fuse. For one, the manuscript I was supposed to write during the summer- well I only got about 10k written. Writing was lower on my priority list these past couple of months. Now that school is about to restart, I suddenly have multiple other projects I also want to work on, and I'm not sure what to do first. Finish the already started WIP? Write that novella I've been considering? Ignore both and write a new YA? 

I don't do well without a plan. I don't like chaos. I like to be in control. So I have to get my act in gear and just decide. Make a new list, set a new order, and then GO. Because I can't GO until the plan is in place. 

I just have to remember that even the best laid plans can fall apart. But when they do, I will start over, make a new list, set a new order, and then GO. Again. Because what else can you do?

Friday Loves: SUMMER

August is almost over, summer is coming to a close. The kids start school next week. The weather here in Alberta seems to think it's October, not August. And I'm sad.

I love summer. I love not having to wake up to an alarm. I love spending time with my kids. I love that they help me with the house cleaning. I love taking them to do fun things. I love the beach.

I don't get a lot done in the summer, that's the only downside to it. I have a writing to-do list a mile long that I barely made a dent it. But I really relish these two months of being with my kids. Sure, they drive me crazy sometimes. (Mom, I'm bored. Mom, I have nothing to do. Mom, why can't we go somewhere. Mom, if I can't play the computer then I don't want to do anything!) But during the school year, there's barely any time to do anything with school, and four kids different after-school activities.

I'm going to miss the summer. I'm going to miss lazy days, and days spent at the beach, and the nice weather (which we barely got any of this summer). I'm going to miss the slower pace. Summer- I love you. And please come back again soon.

Monday Reads

Fabled by  Vanessa K. Eccles was my first read. It was a fun and action-packed twist on fairy tales. I loved the MC Rowena and her two different love interests. I just wish there had been more of a resolution to the end. It was a total cliffhanger and I want to know so badly who she chooses!

And I Darken by Kiersten White. So. This book-which is a re-imagining of the story of Vlad the Impaler- was really really good. The writing, the characters, the storytelling, the setting, everything. It was like perfect, except... I never really connected to the characters. I don't know why. Book slump maybe, but I didn't love them like I wanted to. I read to the end because I wanted to know what would happen, plus- like I said everything about the book was excellent so I enjoyed reading. I just never connected. Ergh. It kinda makes me mad at myself that I didn't, but what can you do?

Prep School Confidential by Kara Taylor, a YA mystery. Love the voice in this book! So voicey! And fun. Fast-paced and great characters. Maybe a bit too many characters sometimes (I forgot who some of them were at times), but an all around excellent book.

Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard. This was a similar mystery to Prep School Confidential. It didn't have the humor PSC had, but I read this book in one day because I couldn't put it down. The only downside, is the blurb on Goodreads totally gives the twist away so I knew what was happening the entire time. Also, and weirdly- the blurb on GR mentions a characters who is named something completely different in the book. WTFudge??? Weird. 

What have you read lately?

Conferences, And Why They're Important

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend WHEN WORDS COLLIDE for the second year in a row. WWC is a Calgary based writer/reader con that I was pleasantly surprised to discover last year. This year, I not only got to attend, but speak on four different panels as well. My mother-in-law also came with me and we had a great time at the different classes and panels. 

Me and my MIL Debbie before the keynote speeches (plus a photobomber in the background!)

Before I heard about WWC, I would hear other writers speak about cons near them and think, I don't have that luxury. There's nothing nearby, I can't afford to travel to one, but oh well, I'll survive. And of course, you do. But there's a lot you miss out on when you don't get to attend a conference.

Last year, I went to a lot of YA panels. I didn't learn a whole lot that I didn't already know. (disclaimer: not because I know everything about YA, they were just topics that I was already familiar with- I attended them because my daughter was with me.) This year, I went to a lot of marketing kinds of panels- how to build your author brand, how to reach your readers, how to do a successful book signing. These were things I needed to hear right now. I took pages and pages of notes and learned A TON. 

On a panel about ratings, trigger warnings, and language with authors D.C Menard, Angelica Dawson, and Jane Ann McLachlan (not pictured)

That doesn't mean I wish I hadn't gone the first year (instead it gave me the courage to participate on panels myself), nor did it make me wish I'd gone to different classes. Because no matter if you learn brand new stuff or if you're hearing things you've already heard before, that's not really the point. It's the camaraderie. It's being among other people who share the same goals and passions you do. It's getting motivated again, filling your well, getting fired up for whatever part of the journey you're on in that moment. It's being with people who get you, whether you're chatty with everyone or you're like me and keep more to yourself- you still feel that bond.

On a panel about romance heroines with authors Lori Whyte and Jessica L. Jackson, and Harlequin senior editor Victoria Curran

Whether you learn a bunch of stuff or learn nothing, whether you sell a bunch of books or sell none, whether you make a ton of new friends or stay the same introvert you always were, no matter what, you leave lifted. Filled. Ready to tackle a new year, a new project, a new path. You're ready to keep going. You're rejuvenated.

P.S. So I thought there were no conferences in my Canadian town. I don't remember how I found out about WWC, but if you think there's nothing near you, research. Because I'm betting there's something out there a lot closer than you think.