In My Mailbox [3]

In My Mailbox [2]

Okay so this week I only got one book, but the book I got I have been looking forward to for ages!

Sing Me to Sleep
by: Angela Morrison

THE TRANSFORMATION
Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR

When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK

The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.

Doesn't it sound awesome?! I was in a choir almost exactly like that for five years, and this will be interesting to read a take on that :)

Graceling by: Kristin Cashore

Graceling

by: Kristin Cashore

From Kristin Cashore's website-

Graceling is the story of Katsa, who has been able to kill people with her bare hands since she was eight. Katsa lives in the seven kingdoms, where very occasionally, a person is born with an extreme skill called a Grace. Gracelings are feared and exploited in the seven kingdoms, and none moreso than Katsa, who's expected to do the dirty work of torture and punishment for her uncle, King Randa. But then she meets a mysterious stranger named Po, who is also a Graced fighter and the first person ever to challenge her in a fight. The two form a bond, and each discovers truths they never imagined about themselves, each other, and a terrible danger that is spreading slowly through the seven kingdoms.

From Me:

When I began Graceling I knew that I would love it. There was no question in my mind that told me otherwise, and I was right - mostly.

When I first began to read it I was shocked that I didn't automatically fall in love, it took me a full week to get to page 60, but I think I can blame that one on my school work and obsessive workload because as soon as I did reach 60 I refused to put it down and read the rest that night, which is always my favorite reading experience.

I loved the characters, the world, and the relationships. I felt that Katsa's character was what I like to see in YA fantasy. She deffinately was not a damsel in distress and she could handle things herself, but yet wasn't opposed to having help along the way. I loved getting into Katsa's head. Her thoughts and emotions felt very real to me and I felt her pain and even her determination on many occasions.

I LOVED Po. I can't even express how much I adored him as a character. He was just adorable, and powerful. One AMAZING combination.

I'm kicking myself for not reading this book sooner, but now that I have I can't wait to read Fire and continue on into this world Cashore has created.

I give it a 9.5

-Christina.

Wannabe Writers [1]

Wannabe Writers [1]

I saw this new Meme over at Confessions of the Un-Published- (http://www.sarahdarlington.com/) and it sparked my interest as I am as well a wannabe unpublished writer. So this seems to be a Meme dedicated to fellow reviewers helping one another to overcome whatever writing trouble we're having - and less face it, helping eachother is fun. :)

Where I am in the writing process: I'm actually not sure where I am in my writing process honestly. I know that sounds strange, but my story is quite complex and I'm not entirely sure where it will take me in the end, I have an idea of where I feel it will end up but my characters deffinately have minds of their own. I've written what I previously thought would be half... but now it seems I have barely scratched the surface.

My Current Problems: I'm not stuck - I refuse to say that, but I am unsure of how to write certain scenes which drives me crazy. I know that I should just carry on and continue writing it, leave my editing for later but it's deffinately easier said than done.

Question of the Week: How do you stay motivated?
I've been having problems with this very issue for awhile myself. I have been working on my book since November of 2007 - which seems insane to me thinking about it now. I was very in to it for awhile, but then I read On Writing by Stephen King and I took his "time off" aproach seriously and though it did work when I returned, it took me awhile to return which was the problem.


What do you do to stay motivated?

In My Mailbox [2]

In My Mailbox [2]

Okay the books I got this week are...

Now, last week (I'm combining the two) I got some AMAZING swag from Kimberly Derting. Here it is!

Isn't it amazing! I got two signed posters plus a ton of stickers and signed bookmarks. I squealed when i opened it. Now one bookmark in this picture wasn't a part of the swag package - the blue book mark at the top is from one of my best friends and it was just super cute I had to add it. It has a favorite quote of mine on it "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when he is silent." I just love the quote, and it's origin.

So, what did you get this week?

The Last Song by: Nicholas Sparks Review

The Last Song

by: Nicholas Sparks

From Amazon:

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.
The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels--first love, love between parents and children -- that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

From Me:

I have to start out and say that I am a Nicholas Sparks fan. I have always felt that his stories ended with just enough gut wrenching sadness for me to truly appreciate the growth and development of his characters along the way... and lets be honest any type of gut movement whilst reading is a good thing right?

This book was no exception.

I loved each of the characters and felt they were friends and that i knew them. Ronnie felt so real to me, some of her feelings about life and just the way she viewed things I feel myself on a daily basis. In no way did I feel her character to be two dimensional, quite the opposite really, I felt she was right beside me the entire time.

I loved her relationship with Will as it to felt real. I felt that Will was a typical guy - without being too typical. He was average but then extraordinary all at the same time and I don't know how to describe that phenomenon or how to really say how that is possible but he also was in no way a flat character and also jumped off the page and into my living room. I liked how he wasn't perfect, though he did have all of the traits that would make him so. He had his flaws that rang true, but despite everything he was still just an amazing guy.

Now, onto what I felt was almost the focal point of the book - Ronnie's relationship with her Dad. These parts made me cry. Ronnie hadn't spoken to her father in three years and is now spending the summer with him. There is so much growth within these pages, and there's the ultimate rebuilding of that relationship. My parents got divorced when I was 15, I was in the same boat as Ronnie and maybe that is why this part got to me so much, but it was an absolutely beautiful thing to witness - and then ultimately filled me with so much joy but yet at the exact same time heartbreak.

All of these aspects made this an amazing book, I loved her brother and found him to be at some times the comedy relief in situations, but he was adorable and made me smile.

I do however think that some parts were rushed, I found entire weeks just skimmed over, and a few situations came up very fast and I wished had been explained more, but overall I found this book to be great and I give it a 9.

-Christina

"It's a Major Award!"

Oh how happy I was today to go check my e-mail when I saw that I had an award! I had a Christmas Story moment, not gonna lie.

The rules:
List 10 things that make you happy.
Try and do at least one of them today.
Tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day.
Link back to the person that tagged you.

10 things that make me happy

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. My Friends & Family
4. Being outside.
5. Music
6. Cheesecake
7. Lovely quiet moments
8. Having plenty of sleep (never happens)
9. Breaks without school!
10. Anne of Green Gables movies. (Gilbert is my hero!)

I honestly can't think of ten people to tag, so rather I am tagging anyone who shares a few of my likes with me - if you share some then you deserve this award as well, and just leave me a comment informing me of what you enjoy. :)

But thank you to Alexa at Hooked on YA books !!! I really enjoyed doing this!

Author Interviews: Beth Fantaskey edition.

C: What inspired you to write Jekel Loves Hyde?

B: I honestly have no idea where the idea for this book came from. It seems like the title just popped into my head one day, and it struck me as a great start to a YA novel with a paranormal twist. I could imagine lots of possibilities. Before long, the characters of Jill Jekel and Tristen Hyde began to develop in my imagination, too, and the story took off from there.


C: What was your writing process like?

B: I am a pretty disciplined writer. I like to sit down in the morning and get to work, and I set goals for myself, too. Otherwise, because I work at home, it's too easy to get distracted or procrastinate. (And I usually give myself some kind of reward, like a snack, when I meet my goal. I'm like the Scooby-Doo of writers!)


C: How long did it take to write Jekel Loves Hyde? What about Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side?

B: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side just poured out of me. I wrote the first draft in about two months, I think - although of course the revision process went on longer. Jekel Loves Hyde was a different story. The plot is more intricate, and has even more twists and turns, so it took a few months longer for me to write.


C: What are your perfect writing conditions?

B: A cup of coffee or a Diet Coke (fountain, preferably from McDonald's) by my side, a very warm room, socks - not shoes, and good music in the background.


C: What kind of music do you listen to?

B: I live in a town with two college radio stations, and I usually like to listen to those, because I like to check out new alternative music. My iPod is pretty eclectic, though. I have everything from AC/DC to +44 - and I'm open to country, a little rap... pretty much anything!

C: Favorite movies?

B: I always blank out on this question, and there are very few movies that I watch more than once. I would say two that I revisit now and then are "The Princess Bride" and the 1980s dark comedy "Heathers." If I see them on TV, they usually draw me in.


C: What would you consider to be your most embarrassing moment?

B: Oh, gosh! There are so many! I am a legendary klutz. One of the worst, though, happened during a job interview with about ten people around a conference table. They gave me the one broken chair at the table, and when I sat down, I ROLLED BACKWARDS out of the chair. Head over heels - while wearing a skirt. (I did not get the job.)


C: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

B: Treat writing like you would anything you want to be good at - meaning practice. Every day. It's great to have talent, but writing is a skill, too, and you have to hone it.

Thanks to Beth for doing this amazing interview, and I know it's a bit late, but expect an In My Mailbox tomorrow, and now I'm off to watch The Pregnancy Pact on Lifetime!! lol

Later guys :]

Writing and me.

I am on my high school's newspaper staff and being such I am expected to write articles (obviously) but this is not the problem - since being on the newspaper staff I have discovered how much I absolutely HATE journalistic writing.

I adore writing, I'm working on a book myself, but journalistic writing absolutely drives me insane. My very first story I turned in to the newspaper I got in trouble because it read too much like fiction (which I honestly kind of take as a compliment) but it's just so boring. I hate writing facts, and just facts. Granted I did not stretch the truth but I used words such as buzzing and added description... which I knew was a no no, but in my defense it sounded a whole lot better!

Ugh, I'm just greatly saddened by this. I can't stand this writing style and I have written alot of articles now and it does not get any easier. It just bugs me. I thought that I would be just like Rory Gilmore and discover a love of journalism and go on to Yale and love all things newspaper (the Girlmore Girls lover in me told me so!) I just don't know what I'm going to do about all of this.

Anyone have any secrets for journalistic writing? I took journalism last year so I know about the craft... I'm just no good at it. *sigh* oh well.

I guess we'll see how this semester goes. It's not that my articles sound bad, they just aren't what I want and they are quite difficult to write. hmm We'll just have to see.

-Christina :D

P.S. No In my mailbox this week because I didn't get any actual books - but I did get some swag which I will show you this Sunday!

Author Interviews - Kimberly Derting edition.

Okay guys, today I have an interview with Kimberly Derting, the author of the much anticipated 2010 release The Body Finder. It is due out in March, you can find more information about The Body Finder and Kimberly at her website located here-http://www.kimberlyderting.com/index.php

C: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

K: When I was in the 7th grade I really thought I wanted to be a jet-setting Journalist, but somehow I just couldn’t picture myself traipsing through jungles or war zones trying to get my story. I’m the kind of girl that doesn’t even like tent camping. Besides, there were all those facts and truth-telling. Making stuff up is way more fun!

C: How long did it take you to write The Body Finder?


K: In total, it took about six months. I do a lot of my revising as I write, so by the time I’d finished my first draft it really just took another month or so of polishing before I felt like it was ready to submit.


C: What are your favorite books?

K: That is a loaded question! All time faves, I would have to say To Kill A Mockingbird (always!), and of course almost anything by Stephen King. More recently, I just finished Beautiful Creatures, and have to say that it was brilliant. Margie (Stohl) and Kami (Garcia) wrote an amazing book!


C: Where did you get the idea for The Body Finder?

K: One day my husband just randomly threw out the statement: “What if there was a person who could find dead bodies?” From there, my imagination kicked in, and Violet and her creepy ability were born!


C: What character in The Body Finder do you think is most like you?

K: I almost hate to admit it, and maybe that’s why I like her so much, but it’s probably Chelsea . Not so much the athletic part, but her willingness to say whatever’s on her mind, no matter what the setting. I was always kind of like that, especially when I was younger. I think I like to shock people.


C: If you could have one person over for dinner dead or alive, who would it be?

K: I’m sure most people go for the really famous writer or an important person from our history, but I’m going to say Sue Sylvester from the show GLEE. She would totally have to come in character though because she is freaking hilarious! See, I’m drawn to people like me who always say it like it is.


C: What is one of your most embarrassing moments?

K: Ever? When I was 18, I was working in a video store (back when VHS tapes cost like $80 each, so the stores didn’t stock them on the shelves, we kept them behind the counters). This video store also had a “naughty room,” where the “adult materials” were kept. One day, this man came to the counter with his little video tag thingy to get his movie, and I quickly read it and said “Oh my god, you haven’t seen this yet? This is the best movie ever!” And then I turned to get his video and realized that the tag didn’t say “Beverly Hills Cop” (starring blockbuster entertainer Eddie Murphy), it said “Beaverly Hills Cop” (a movie from the naughty room), which had an entirely different cast of entertainers.

I couldn’t even make eye contact with the guy after that. All I could think of was that he must be thinking: “Coolest chick ever!”

And just for the record, I did not watch the porno version of Beverly Hills Cop.


C: How do you normally deal with writers block?

K: I haven’t had to face this too often, and never for more than a day or two, but the best thing for me is to hop in the car and drive. Preferably listening (and singing really loudly) to bad 70’s music. Or Kid Rock. Whichever happens to pop up first in my CD changer.



C: Christina or Britney?

K: Christina, definitely. I don’t care what anyone says, that girl can SING!!!


C: What kind of music do you like?

K: That is the hardest question ever. I like almost everything. I grew up listening to my mom’s music (hello…Elton John and The Carpenters), then I moved into the 80’s for some big-haired rock bands and Madonna, I did a stint in the 90’s with grunge and Will Smith (and may have even had a passing thing with…*cough*GarthBrooks*cough*), and am currently listening to everything from The Jonas Brothers (courtesy of my eight-year-old daughter) to Lil’ Wayne (thanks to my wannabe gangsta 16-year-old son). See what I mean, tough question!



C: What are your perfect conditions for writing?

K: Nothing fancy, just some tea, Hot Tamales (my current favorite candy), my laptop, and some uninterrupted time. It’s that simple.


C: If you were to be in another profession, what would it be?

K: Well, it certainly wouldn’t be an editor. I have a tremendous amount of respect for those who can edit other people’s work. I’m the Paula Abdul of critiquing (meaning that I “love” everything) which probably wouldn’t go over too well at a publishing house. Now that Paula is gone, maybe I should just be a judge on American Idol. I could be the new Paula, constantly showering the contestants with compliments about their mad singing skills and beautiful outfits.

Okay, a huge thanks to Kimberly Derting for the amazing interview!!
And thanks for reading. :D

Most Amazing Writing Advice Ever.

Okay guys, I saw this over at Kimberly Derting's blog a few days ago and I have to share, I find this video to be amazing and inspiring - just everything about it makes me smile haha. :D

Watch and Enjoy!



Oh, and also for some more excitement - tomorrow I will have an interview with Kimberly Derting (author of The Body Finder) up so look forward to that! I'm going to try to make interviews a weekly Thursday thing as well and so far that's looking good.