Okay, so this is my first official post since I moved (which is why I have not been posting lately). But I'm excited to announce that I am now living on the beautiful island of PUERTO RICO!!!!!!!!!!!
We are still trying to adjust and get our life settled. We just found an apartment, and we are on the mad hunt for jobs (I'm hoping to go back to work as an elementary school teacher).
Anywhoo, hope you are all well. I will try to post when we are able to get our lives back on a normal schedule.
xoxox
Melanie
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Amazing book covers from some amazing friends!
I am very VERY lucky to be part of a writing group that is filled with women who are not only fantastic, talented writers, but more importantly, women who are strong, empowered, intelligent, beautiful, reliable and caring to the depths of their very souls. Some of them are college students, some of them are getting married, and some of them are dealing with teenage children! (I'm not there yet, God help meeeeeeeee! LOL) I am so lucky to call these women my friends. We are a group of writers who are at all different phases of the writing journey and who respect, help, and route for each other in both our professional and personal lives.
Anyway, I wanted to share some of the beautiful covers from a few of these lovely ladies I'm proud to call mybitches chicas lindas. :D
The first one up is Jennifer Walkup's debut YA novel, Second Verse, which set to be released on October 1st, 2013 from Luminis Books.
But someone doesn’t like their snooping, and Lange and Vaughn begin receiving the same threats that Ginny once did. The mysterious words from the barn become crucial to figuring out Ginny's past and their own, and how closely the two are connected. They must work fast to uncover the truth or risk finding out if history really does repeat itself.
Doesn't that sound amazeballs???? Gah! So. Chilling! I love love love it!!! (And I want to say a special thanks to Jenn, who seriously saved my sanity when we both lost power for several days from Hurricane Sandy and then again when we were both mourning the heart breaking tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary--love you mucho chica!)
Next up is Jamie Blair's debut YA novel, Leap of Faith, set to release on September 3rd, 2013 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Now that Leah Kurtz has a place to call home, there’s no way she can tell the truth.
That her name is Faith, not Leah.
That she’s seventeen, not nineteen.
That the baby isn’t hers—she kidnapped her.
She had to kidnap Addy though. She couldn’t let her newborn sister grow up like she did, with parties where the drugs flow all night and an empty refrigerator in the kitchen holding nothing but pickle juice and ketchup packets inside.
She can’t risk losing Chris—the only guy she’s ever given herself to completely—by telling him she’s been lying. He’s the most generous person she’s ever known, and he’s already suffered the tragic deaths of his mom and infant sister.
But being on the run with a newborn catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions, and Chris’s aunt finds a newspaper article about Faith and a missing baby. Faith knows it’s time to run again—from Chris and the only place that’s ever felt like home.
Goosebumps much? I have been very lucky to have Jamie beta read all my stories and to get to see all her work during various drafts. She is an amazing writer and I can't tell her enough how envious I am of her mad skills when it comes character introspection.
Moving on, we come to the amazingly beautiful cover for Dance of the Red Death, which is the sequel to Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death (another cover that was so visually stunning that I have to show both).
Anyway, I wanted to share some of the beautiful covers from a few of these lovely ladies I'm proud to call my
The first one up is Jennifer Walkup's debut YA novel, Second Verse, which set to be released on October 1st, 2013 from Luminis Books.
Bad things come in threes. In Shady Springs, that includes murder.
Murder NowLange Crawford’s move to Shady Springs, Pennsylvania, lands her a group of awesome friends, a major crush on songwriter Vaughn, and life in a haunted, 200-year-old farmhouse. It also brings The Hunt: an infamous murder mystery festival where students solve a fake, gruesome murder scheme during the week of Halloween. Well, supposedly fake.
Murder Then
Weeks before The Hunt, Lange and her friends hold a séance in the farmhouse’s eerie barn. When a voice rushes through, whispering haunting words that only she and Vaughn can hear, Lange realizes it's begging for help. The mysterious voice leads Lange and Vaughn to uncover letters and photos left behind by a murdered girl, Ginny, and they become obsessed with her story and the horrifying threats that led to her murder.
Murder Yet to ComeWeeks before The Hunt, Lange and her friends hold a séance in the farmhouse’s eerie barn. When a voice rushes through, whispering haunting words that only she and Vaughn can hear, Lange realizes it's begging for help. The mysterious voice leads Lange and Vaughn to uncover letters and photos left behind by a murdered girl, Ginny, and they become obsessed with her story and the horrifying threats that led to her murder.
But someone doesn’t like their snooping, and Lange and Vaughn begin receiving the same threats that Ginny once did. The mysterious words from the barn become crucial to figuring out Ginny's past and their own, and how closely the two are connected. They must work fast to uncover the truth or risk finding out if history really does repeat itself.
Doesn't that sound amazeballs???? Gah! So. Chilling! I love love love it!!! (And I want to say a special thanks to Jenn, who seriously saved my sanity when we both lost power for several days from Hurricane Sandy and then again when we were both mourning the heart breaking tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary--love you mucho chica!)
Next up is Jamie Blair's debut YA novel, Leap of Faith, set to release on September 3rd, 2013 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Now that Leah Kurtz has a place to call home, there’s no way she can tell the truth.
That her name is Faith, not Leah.
That she’s seventeen, not nineteen.
That the baby isn’t hers—she kidnapped her.
She had to kidnap Addy though. She couldn’t let her newborn sister grow up like she did, with parties where the drugs flow all night and an empty refrigerator in the kitchen holding nothing but pickle juice and ketchup packets inside.
She can’t risk losing Chris—the only guy she’s ever given herself to completely—by telling him she’s been lying. He’s the most generous person she’s ever known, and he’s already suffered the tragic deaths of his mom and infant sister.
But being on the run with a newborn catches up with her when a cop starts asking questions, and Chris’s aunt finds a newspaper article about Faith and a missing baby. Faith knows it’s time to run again—from Chris and the only place that’s ever felt like home.
Goosebumps much? I have been very lucky to have Jamie beta read all my stories and to get to see all her work during various drafts. She is an amazing writer and I can't tell her enough how envious I am of her mad skills when it comes character introspection.
Moving on, we come to the amazingly beautiful cover for Dance of the Red Death, which is the sequel to Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death (another cover that was so visually stunning that I have to show both).
Bethany Griffin continues the journey of Araby Worth in Dance of the Red Death—the sequel to her teen novel Masque of the Red Death.
In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.
Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.
With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death series with a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.
In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.
Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.
With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death series with a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.
Gah! So, so excited! Team Will or Team Elliott? Hopefully Dance of the Red Death will help me decide (though Bethany writes such a killer love triangle that I want Araby to either end with both or for them all to die so I don't have to decide LOL--JUST KIDDING I DON'T WANT ANY OF THEM TO DIE!!!!!!!!)
Okay, moving on!
This next book I was lucky enough to beta read. No Ordinary Hero is an incredibly fun story with memorable characters! It is a YA book that was self-published by my girl Dee J. Stone who writes her stories with her twin sister. Yeah, that isn't totally cool or anything. ;-)
The world is set to explode in three months.
The source: a lonely girl with an extreme superpower fueled by the negative emotions inside her.
The solution: send fourteen year old superhero-in-training Kale Zenith to be her friend and give her a reason to smile.
The problem? The girl trusts no one.
With the fate of the world in Kale’s hands, quitting is not an option. Perseverance is key to knocking down the many walls around her, and soon he gets to know Lindsay as more than just the girl who will destroy the planet.
But there’s trouble back home. A secret plot is brewing inside his superhero League, and it’s up to Kale to expose the traitor. But that takes time away from Lindsay when she needs him most. Can he save her and the world before it’s too late?
The source: a lonely girl with an extreme superpower fueled by the negative emotions inside her.
The solution: send fourteen year old superhero-in-training Kale Zenith to be her friend and give her a reason to smile.
The problem? The girl trusts no one.
With the fate of the world in Kale’s hands, quitting is not an option. Perseverance is key to knocking down the many walls around her, and soon he gets to know Lindsay as more than just the girl who will destroy the planet.
But there’s trouble back home. A secret plot is brewing inside his superhero League, and it’s up to Kale to expose the traitor. But that takes time away from Lindsay when she needs him most. Can he save her and the world before it’s too late?
Dee is another friend/crit partner of mine. I love reading her work and she is a fantastic beta reader (COMMAS ARE MY NEMESIS!). I cannot wait to (beta) read the sequel to this story!!!!! And she does her own covers! I'm in AWE!
And finally (for this post anyway :D) I have the amazingly talented Debra Driza's debut YA novel, MILA 2.0 which was JUST released on March 12th from Katherine Tegen Books.
Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.
Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.
Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.
Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity-style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.
Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past—that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.
Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.
Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity-style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.
I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book. The only thing that sucks is that I finally got to meet Debra at our very first writer's retreat that we recently did in GA (that wasn't the part that sucked--that was actually amazing). What sucked is that had the book come out just a few days sooner, I could have had her sign my very own copy! Booooooo. Oh, well, hopefully she'll be at our next retreat in PR and sign it then :D
So, these are just a couple of books/covers from the amazing, talented writers from my online writer's group that I'm so blessed to be a part of. I'm incredibly proud and excited for each of them and wish them all the success in the word with these books and all their future ones!
xoxoxox
Melanie
P.S. More covers to come soon!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
You know you're a shitty blogger when...
it takes you TEN FRIGGIN MINUTES TO FIGURE OUT/REMEMBER HOW TO MAKE A NEW POST!!!!!! arrrrgggghhhhhh grrrrrrrrr
Sheesh. For serious. I could not figure out for the life of me how to post. So, so sad (turns out I had to sign out and sign back in. WHY? WHY???? #^$#^**% technology + me = I totally get how overwhelmed my grandmother felt when microwaves first came out!)
But, since one of my New Year's resolutions is to get back to bloggin' (and twitterin') and tryin' to stay more connected to those out in the social media world, I figured I'd start here.
Not sure what I'll be ramblin' about (perhaps I'll do a post on my affinity to adding the g to those "ing" words. What is that about?), but I just love that top picture thingy on my blog (See? Don't even know what it's called!). Besides, I paid like $60 smackers for it, so gosh dang it, I'm going to enjoy it and so are you.
FYI, I just finished my fourth novel, which is currently titled Blame it on Plato. It's a YA Romance Thriller pitched as Pretty Little Liars meets Scream. I'm excited to start querying this thing and get on to my next book which will be more of a thriller/horror type story.
Hope all is well with you and PLEEEEEASE tell me all the good news (or bad or sad or indifferent) that has been going on with you.
xoxoxo
Mel
Sheesh. For serious. I could not figure out for the life of me how to post. So, so sad (turns out I had to sign out and sign back in. WHY? WHY???? #^$#^**% technology + me = I totally get how overwhelmed my grandmother felt when microwaves first came out!)
But, since one of my New Year's resolutions is to get back to bloggin' (and twitterin') and tryin' to stay more connected to those out in the social media world, I figured I'd start here.
Not sure what I'll be ramblin' about (perhaps I'll do a post on my affinity to adding the g to those "ing" words. What is that about?), but I just love that top picture thingy on my blog (See? Don't even know what it's called!). Besides, I paid like $60 smackers for it, so gosh dang it, I'm going to enjoy it and so are you.
FYI, I just finished my fourth novel, which is currently titled Blame it on Plato. It's a YA Romance Thriller pitched as Pretty Little Liars meets Scream. I'm excited to start querying this thing and get on to my next book which will be more of a thriller/horror type story.
Hope all is well with you and PLEEEEEASE tell me all the good news (or bad or sad or indifferent) that has been going on with you.
xoxoxo
Mel
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Share it Saturday
Hey guys!
The summer has been a whirlwind of busy. Two six year olds will do that to you. :D It is going so fast, which I strangely love and hate at the same time. Love it because I do miss my quiet time to write, which I'm finding very hard to do right now having the girls with me all day. And yet, I hate it because I love my girls so much and appreciate the time we are able to spend together (except when they are fighting--I spend a lot of time breathing and counting to ten ;)). They are growing up SO fast.
Besides kids, I'm trying to keep up with keeping the house clean (OMMessiness!), keeping my fridge and pantry stocked with food (Holy cow these girls want to eat ALL DAY-Yay for fresh summer fruit!), beta reading, pleasure reading, writing, library events, playdates, going to the pool/beach, and watching the olympics. I LOVE THE SUMMERRRRRRRRRR!
What have you been up to this summer?
Oh, and if you haven't seen this, this is a cute little video made by the US swim team to the song Call Me, Maybe :D (ETA: you have to click on the Youtube link--sorry!)
The summer has been a whirlwind of busy. Two six year olds will do that to you. :D It is going so fast, which I strangely love and hate at the same time. Love it because I do miss my quiet time to write, which I'm finding very hard to do right now having the girls with me all day. And yet, I hate it because I love my girls so much and appreciate the time we are able to spend together (except when they are fighting--I spend a lot of time breathing and counting to ten ;)). They are growing up SO fast.
Besides kids, I'm trying to keep up with keeping the house clean (OMMessiness!), keeping my fridge and pantry stocked with food (Holy cow these girls want to eat ALL DAY-Yay for fresh summer fruit!), beta reading, pleasure reading, writing, library events, playdates, going to the pool/beach, and watching the olympics. I LOVE THE SUMMERRRRRRRRRR!
What have you been up to this summer?
Oh, and if you haven't seen this, this is a cute little video made by the US swim team to the song Call Me, Maybe :D (ETA: you have to click on the Youtube link--sorry!)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
CONTEST!!!!
Nope, not mine. My good writing buddy (and one of my amazing crit partners) Rachel Allen (newly signed author repped by the amazing Susan Hawk of The Bent Agency) is running a contest on her blog for a chance to win a copy of Larkstorm by Dawn Rae Miller AND a copy of Looking for Alaska by John Green. Check it out HERE!
Good luck! Both are great books!!!!!!
Good luck! Both are great books!!!!!!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
AND THE COURTNEY SUMMERS' 3 BOOK GIVEAWAY WINNER IS...
MONICA GUTIERREZ!!
Congratulations, Monica! Hope you enjoy owning these awesome books (and of course lending them to all your friends so they can share the love as well!--just make sure you get them back!) I will be emailing you shortly for your addy deets!
Thanks to all who entered! I wish so hard I had copies to give everyone! But, if you have not yet read any of these books, please do so. You will not be disappointed! I will be having more contests in the future with other awesome titles so please check in!
And to Courtney Summers, CONGRATULATIONS on all your success and I look forward to owning This is Not a Test. Knowing me I'll probably end up purchasing an additional copy to give away so I can continue to share the CS love <3 <3
Congratulations, Monica! Hope you enjoy owning these awesome books (and of course lending them to all your friends so they can share the love as well!--just make sure you get them back!) I will be emailing you shortly for your addy deets!
Thanks to all who entered! I wish so hard I had copies to give everyone! But, if you have not yet read any of these books, please do so. You will not be disappointed! I will be having more contests in the future with other awesome titles so please check in!
And to Courtney Summers, CONGRATULATIONS on all your success and I look forward to owning This is Not a Test. Knowing me I'll probably end up purchasing an additional copy to give away so I can continue to share the CS love <3 <3
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
GIVEAWAY! SHARING THE COURTNEY SUMMERS LOVE!
Anyone who really knows me knows I totally fangirl over CS. Well, not her per se ('cause that would be like stalkerish, right?), but over her awesome books. Oh, and I love the fact that she's a gamer. And that she likes zombies. And that she sometimes has a dark/funny sense of humor that I can relate to. Okay, so I might be slightly stalkerish, but I swear I don't sneak into her window and watch her sleep ('cause she's like in Canada and that would require me showing my hideous passport photo and going through customs and that wouldn't be pretty 'cause I pack some weird ass stuff when I travel--ALL LEGAL, I SWEAR!) But really. She's crazy cool and has a great online presence. (I tweeted my idea to her one day that we should invent a treadmill that's set up with a virtual surround screen with zombies chasing you. She thought it was a great idea :D)
Anywhoo, lets keep this short. Here's the deal. In celebration of the release of her latest novel, I'm giving away all three of her previously published books. Yep. You
I actually bought these books to give away. I bought one copy of each for myself and additional copies, which I have been saving for when her next book was coming out. 'Cause I is cool like dat. :D But srsly, it's because I love her stories and her writing style so much and want to share the love with others who have not had an opportunity to read these books or wanted to own them but just haven't had the money to purchase them but would love to have them sitting on their book shelf because they're COURTNEY FREAKING SUMMERS' BOOKS!!!
I'm going to make this contest easy. All you have to do is leave me a message in my comment section and then tweet this contest or blog about it or tell a friend about it. I'm not going to make you join my blog or my twitter account (though if you want to you're more than welcome to do so). I'm not even going to stalk you to see if you have tweeted or blogged about it. I'm going on good faith here, people. I'm going to trust you, my fellow human being, to do the honorable thing and help me spread the word about this contest. And don't be greedy now. I know how this works. You think, if I don't tell anyone less people will enter to win and I'll have a better chance of winning. *insert evil smiling emoticon* Uh, huh. Yup. Been there, done that, thought it. You are all my Obi Wan Kenobis. I need your help!
Don't forget to leave your email or a link to your blog or twitter or some way I can contact you if you should be the winner. You have until Friday, June 14th at midnight to enter and I'm going to pick a winner using random.org. Unfortunately, I'm pretty broke at the moment so I will only be able to open this contest to people in Canada and the United States. Sorry :-(
Good luck!!!
Thursday, May 10, 2012
EVERYONE MUST READ THIS BOOK!
Hey guys!
Sorry I've been gone for so long, but all my spare time has been dedicated to writing and reading, which leaves very little time for blogging. ☹
BUT…
I had to come out of my secret cave to rant and rave about a book I've just finished. Okay, so it wasn't the physical form of the book. And no, it wasn't even an electronic version of the book. I experienced this book by audio (my first audio book ever) and I plan on purchasing a hard copy of it as soon as I can because I need to physically hold this book in my hands so I can hug it and caress it and have it on my book shelf forever and ever and EVER INTO ETERNITY.
"Tell me the name of the freaking book already!" you scream.
Okay, okay.
The book I'm talking about is called Between Shades of Gray (please, PLEASE do not confuse this book with 50 Shades of Gray!!!! I'm still so mad that author chose a title that is so closely related to the master piece that is Between Shades of Gray).
The book is written by Ruta Sepetys and she is an absolute genius. Period. I have never been so touched and so moved by a book ever and when I said before that I experienced this book by audio, I specifically chose the word "experience" because that's what this book is. It is an experience like no other. BSoG made me feel and experience every emotion the human soul encompasses including some emotions I didn't even know existed! I laughed, I cried, I smiled so big my cheeks hurt. I was angry, I was appalled, I was educated and enlightened and there were moments where I literally thought I might throw up from the anguish and pain of what I was reading. The fact that it is based on facts from history (and a mostly hidden one at that) and the lives of real people and events these people went through, makes the story so incredibly important and that much more amazing and beautiful and ugly and heartfelt. Every person and their mother, brother, father, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparents, Mother from another, sister from a mister, and every friend and friend of a friend and their friends should read and experience this book.
It. Is. Phenomenal.
If you are not touched by this story and by the characters, then in the words of Hermione Granger, "You have the emotional range of a teaspoon." As soon as I get to a book store I will not only be buying one copy of this book, but two because I want to give one away. If I could afford it I would buy 50 copies to give away. Maybe one day when I sell one of my books ;-)
Lastly, I have to note that Emily Klein, the woman who did the reading for the audio version of this book, is AMAZING. Truly, truly, truly, AMAZING. She was a huge part of this experience for me and I'd like to thank her and congratulate her on the job she did with this reading. She gave this book true justice and her voice will forever be as important a part of this experience for me as was the story.
When you have time, check out Ruta Sepetys' website for Between Shades of Gray and watch the video. I fell more in love with her and this story after knowing all that she went through to write this amazing book.
Summary for Between Shades of Gray:
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously-and at great risk-documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.
BUT…
I had to come out of my secret cave to rant and rave about a book I've just finished. Okay, so it wasn't the physical form of the book. And no, it wasn't even an electronic version of the book. I experienced this book by audio (my first audio book ever) and I plan on purchasing a hard copy of it as soon as I can because I need to physically hold this book in my hands so I can hug it and caress it and have it on my book shelf forever and ever and EVER INTO ETERNITY.
"Tell me the name of the freaking book already!" you scream.
Okay, okay.
The book I'm talking about is called Between Shades of Gray (please, PLEASE do not confuse this book with 50 Shades of Gray!!!! I'm still so mad that author chose a title that is so closely related to the master piece that is Between Shades of Gray).
The book is written by Ruta Sepetys and she is an absolute genius. Period. I have never been so touched and so moved by a book ever and when I said before that I experienced this book by audio, I specifically chose the word "experience" because that's what this book is. It is an experience like no other. BSoG made me feel and experience every emotion the human soul encompasses including some emotions I didn't even know existed! I laughed, I cried, I smiled so big my cheeks hurt. I was angry, I was appalled, I was educated and enlightened and there were moments where I literally thought I might throw up from the anguish and pain of what I was reading. The fact that it is based on facts from history (and a mostly hidden one at that) and the lives of real people and events these people went through, makes the story so incredibly important and that much more amazing and beautiful and ugly and heartfelt. Every person and their mother, brother, father, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandparents, Mother from another, sister from a mister, and every friend and friend of a friend and their friends should read and experience this book.
It. Is. Phenomenal.
If you are not touched by this story and by the characters, then in the words of Hermione Granger, "You have the emotional range of a teaspoon." As soon as I get to a book store I will not only be buying one copy of this book, but two because I want to give one away. If I could afford it I would buy 50 copies to give away. Maybe one day when I sell one of my books ;-)
Lastly, I have to note that Emily Klein, the woman who did the reading for the audio version of this book, is AMAZING. Truly, truly, truly, AMAZING. She was a huge part of this experience for me and I'd like to thank her and congratulate her on the job she did with this reading. She gave this book true justice and her voice will forever be as important a part of this experience for me as was the story.
When you have time, check out Ruta Sepetys' website for Between Shades of Gray and watch the video. I fell more in love with her and this story after knowing all that she went through to write this amazing book.
Summary for Between Shades of Gray:
Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously-and at great risk-documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Cover Love--My Heart Be Damned by Chanelle Gray
The summary from Goodreads:
If you're a Hunter, there are only three things you must know about the Damned. The Damned can't lie, can't live without a body, and can't leave you alone.
Amerie Carter has the blood of a Hunter, unfortunately. She is one of a rare line of women who, upon her sixteenth birthday, will come into extraordinary powers used to hunt the Damned; escaped souls from Hell who take up residence in human bodies. It's supposed to be her sweet sixteen, but Amerie has never dreaded a day more, and her worst fears are confirmed as the celebration turns tragic when her mother is killed.
Grief-stricken, Amerie vows to never hunt a day in her life. She's determined to hide behind normalcy, attending school, hanging out with her friends and working an after-school job at The Hut. All Amerie wants is to be left alone. But try telling the Damned that. The harder Amerie tries to ignore her powers, the more the Damned come looking for her.
When an attack leaves one of Amerie's friends in the hospital, and endangers the lives of her fellow students, she knows she has no choice: Hunt or Be Hunted. Thankfully, the gorgeous, secretive, and so-off-limits Marshall offers to train Amerie to take out her supernatural enemies. But training with Marshall means leading lying to her friends, her family, and confronting the mysterious circumstances surrounding her mother’s death.
Amerie soon discovers she’s not the only one with something to hide, Marshall's secrets might kill her before the Damned get the chance.
I love this cover! And I'm not just saying that because she's one of my good writing buddies. But as someone who knows how hard it is to make it in the writing industry and all you have to go through, seeing your first cover (or a friend's first cover) is so SOOOOOOO exciting. I love the feel of this cover. I love the model and the creepy fog with a girl in a gorgeous dress standing in a cemetery with a dagger in her hand. It's just made of awesome all around.
Most of all, I love seeing Chanelle's name on the cover! I'm incredibly excited for her! This is a BIG DEAL people! The book is set to release on July 15th and I for one cannot wait to have my very own copy of this book! And I'm not just saying that because she's my friend. I'm saying it because the story sounds awesome. The cover is awesome and it's totally my kind of story!
Friday, February 17, 2012
A LESSON LEARNED REGARDING EMAIL AND QUERYING...
I always thought the spam folder was the best thing ever created for email. I hate all those stupid emails that are obvious scams and have the potential to deliver a bug to my computer system. For a while, I would look through the folder, curious to see what was in there. But after a while, it was the same old stuff, sooooooooo....I started just hitting that little trash can button and deleting them without looking because it was filtering the bad stuff quite well.
Today, for some odd reason, I saw there were 2 emails in the Spam folder and decided to just take a look. And guess what? There was a response letter from an agent re: my query!!!!! W.T.F.??? Okay so it was a Rejection letter and you probably think, meh, could have done w/out seeing that one, but nooooooooo. I love to receive back a letter even if it is a form R because I like having some sort of closure with that agent to file away from my project being queried.
Obviously, my concern now is, what if I have deleted other letters? WHAT IF ONE OF THOSE LETTERS REQUESTED A PARTIAL OR FULL???? GAAAAAHHHHHHH! Such a horrible feeling.
So, my advice. If you are in the process of querying, check that spam folder before deleting and when an agent tells you that it may have accidentally gotten into their spam folder...THEY AINT LYIN'
Damn. :(
Lesson learned.
Carry on.
Today, for some odd reason, I saw there were 2 emails in the Spam folder and decided to just take a look. And guess what? There was a response letter from an agent re: my query!!!!! W.T.F.??? Okay so it was a Rejection letter and you probably think, meh, could have done w/out seeing that one, but nooooooooo. I love to receive back a letter even if it is a form R because I like having some sort of closure with that agent to file away from my project being queried.
Obviously, my concern now is, what if I have deleted other letters? WHAT IF ONE OF THOSE LETTERS REQUESTED A PARTIAL OR FULL???? GAAAAAHHHHHHH! Such a horrible feeling.
So, my advice. If you are in the process of querying, check that spam folder before deleting and when an agent tells you that it may have accidentally gotten into their spam folder...THEY AINT LYIN'
Damn. :(
Lesson learned.
Carry on.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Melanie is MIA
Yes, I have been MIA for the last few weeks because I have been doing a ton of beta reading and working hard to finish up my own revisions based off of beta reader feedback. Well, I have FINALLY finished all revisions and edits to my novel, UCDs, and I am now on the Query Highway, riding it fast and hard.
I will be back soon and hopefully with some amazing news. A couple of crossed fingers would be cool if you can spare them. Oh, and maybe some crossed legs and crossed eyes, too. :D
Thanks!
Hugs to you all!
I will be back soon and hopefully with some amazing news. A couple of crossed fingers would be cool if you can spare them. Oh, and maybe some crossed legs and crossed eyes, too. :D
Thanks!
Hugs to you all!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
First book on an e-reader?
My friend, Dawn Rae Miller, has just come out with her debut novel, Larkstorm. It was released on the 6th and she's been having some amazing success and wonderful reviews all over the place. Yay Dawn!
Another friend of ours JUST got her first e-reader (a Kindle) and she was very excited to be downloading Dawn's book as her very first. I remember that excitement of getting my e-reader and was trying to remember what the very first book I purchased was. It was Courtney Summers' newly released Fall For Anything. Nothing for me will replace the feel of a real book with pages and bookmarks and covers that I can lay on my night table and fall asleep staring at, but there is a real excitement about having any book you want at your finger tips, without having to go anywhere or do a whole lot to get it (actually, that would be the "dangerous" part of e-readers: not getting carried away and downloading EVERYTHING you want to read).
So, for those of you who have an e-reader, what was the very first book you downloaded? If you don't have one and you were going to get one for this holiday season or sometime in the near future, what would be the first book you would want to download?
Another friend of ours JUST got her first e-reader (a Kindle) and she was very excited to be downloading Dawn's book as her very first. I remember that excitement of getting my e-reader and was trying to remember what the very first book I purchased was. It was Courtney Summers' newly released Fall For Anything. Nothing for me will replace the feel of a real book with pages and bookmarks and covers that I can lay on my night table and fall asleep staring at, but there is a real excitement about having any book you want at your finger tips, without having to go anywhere or do a whole lot to get it (actually, that would be the "dangerous" part of e-readers: not getting carried away and downloading EVERYTHING you want to read).
So, for those of you who have an e-reader, what was the very first book you downloaded? If you don't have one and you were going to get one for this holiday season or sometime in the near future, what would be the first book you would want to download?
Friday, December 2, 2011
Win a Kindle and a copy of Larkstorm!!!
My buddy Dawn Rae Miller's self-published book, Larkstorm (the first in a series), is set to release on December 6th. Anyone in this industry (or trying to make it in this this industry) knows that this is the BIG payoff. For some of you it might be the dream of money and glory and fame and MORE MONEY, but once you come off that cloud and step into reality of what the biz is really about, just being able to say you're a published author is a huge, GINORMOUS accomplishment and the one true payoff.
So, to celebrate this accomplishment and the release date of Larkstorm, YA Highway is generously giving away a kindle and a copy of her novel. Can you believe it??? I'm so insanely excited that I'm going to shove another Peppermint Oreo in my mouth and take a huge swig of my yummy cold milk because it's too damn early for wine!
Here's the summary of Larkstorm:
In the years following the destructive Long Winter, when half the world’s population perished, the State remains locked in battle against the Sensitives: humans born with extra abilities.
As one of the last descendants of the State’s Founders, seventeen-year-old Lark Greene knows her place: study hard and be a model citizen so she can follow in her family’s footsteps. Her life’s been set since birth, and she’s looking forward to graduating and settling down with Beck, the boy she’s loved longer than she can remember.
However, after Beck is accused of being Sensitive and organizing an attack against Lark, he disappears. Heartbroken and convinced the State made a mistake, Lark sets out to find him and clear his name.
But what she discovers is more dangerous and frightening than Sensitives: She must kill the boy she loves, unless he kills her first.
Tell me that doesn't sound ridiculously awesome?!?
And for another peek at her story, check out the very cool book trailer:
Now get over to YA Highway and enter to win! You only have until Monday night, December 5th, so HURRY!!!!!
So, to celebrate this accomplishment and the release date of Larkstorm, YA Highway is generously giving away a kindle and a copy of her novel. Can you believe it??? I'm so insanely excited that I'm going to shove another Peppermint Oreo in my mouth and take a huge swig of my yummy cold milk because it's too damn early for wine!
Here's the summary of Larkstorm:
In the years following the destructive Long Winter, when half the world’s population perished, the State remains locked in battle against the Sensitives: humans born with extra abilities.
As one of the last descendants of the State’s Founders, seventeen-year-old Lark Greene knows her place: study hard and be a model citizen so she can follow in her family’s footsteps. Her life’s been set since birth, and she’s looking forward to graduating and settling down with Beck, the boy she’s loved longer than she can remember.
However, after Beck is accused of being Sensitive and organizing an attack against Lark, he disappears. Heartbroken and convinced the State made a mistake, Lark sets out to find him and clear his name.
But what she discovers is more dangerous and frightening than Sensitives: She must kill the boy she loves, unless he kills her first.
Tell me that doesn't sound ridiculously awesome?!?
And for another peek at her story, check out the very cool book trailer:
Now get over to YA Highway and enter to win! You only have until Monday night, December 5th, so HURRY!!!!!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
CONTEST!!
no, not mine, but i promise you i will be doing one VERY soon!
in the meantime, my buddy, Bethany Griffin, author of Handcuffs (f you haven't read it, shame!) is having a contest over on her blog for an ARC of her book, Masque of the Red Death.
all you have to do is mention a book you are thankful for and you could be a winner! it's that easy. so get over there, join her awesome blog and give yourself an opportunity to win a book of AWESOME PROPORTIONS!
Have a great rest of the week!
in the meantime, my buddy, Bethany Griffin, author of Handcuffs (f you haven't read it, shame!) is having a contest over on her blog for an ARC of her book, Masque of the Red Death.
all you have to do is mention a book you are thankful for and you could be a winner! it's that easy. so get over there, join her awesome blog and give yourself an opportunity to win a book of AWESOME PROPORTIONS!
Have a great rest of the week!
Monday, November 7, 2011
The Blogger Blues
Just checkin' in. I have not been blogging lately because, well, because I didn't think I have anything that you would be interested in hearing. And honestly...I still don't. ha. But, I didn't want anyone to think I dropped off the face of the Earth, though I don't know if anyone is really paying all that much attention. In any event, this post is to prove to MYSELF that I did not fall off the face of the Earth. Are you still here, Me?
Yes! Yes! I'm here! Hello *waves at self enthusiastically*
I gots me the blogger blues.
I don't have anything all that interesting to report except that I finished my dystop novel, UCDs, which I'm extremely proud of and excited to query even though I'm scared shitless since Dystopian is out and whatever genre I'm NOT writing is in. I have this tendency to just write the stories that come to me and Dystop it was. I wasn't even sure what genre it was when I started, but alas, Dystop is what I ended up with. Next, I have a SNI for a Vamp horror story. Isn't that funny? A VAMPIRE story? Oy. Will I never learn?
Oh, and I'm extremely annoyed that the comma on my keyboard is not working well.
Okay, yeah, that was super random. But that is the mode I seem to be in.
What have you been up to?
Yes! Yes! I'm here! Hello *waves at self enthusiastically*
I gots me the blogger blues.
I don't have anything all that interesting to report except that I finished my dystop novel, UCDs, which I'm extremely proud of and excited to query even though I'm scared shitless since Dystopian is out and whatever genre I'm NOT writing is in. I have this tendency to just write the stories that come to me and Dystop it was. I wasn't even sure what genre it was when I started, but alas, Dystop is what I ended up with. Next, I have a SNI for a Vamp horror story. Isn't that funny? A VAMPIRE story? Oy. Will I never learn?
Oh, and I'm extremely annoyed that the comma on my keyboard is not working well.
Okay, yeah, that was super random. But that is the mode I seem to be in.
What have you been up to?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Vampire Academy, A 30-Word Review
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Goodreads summary:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.
My 30-word review:
Holy ass-kicking MC! Literally.
LOVE ROSE SO HARD! Tough, gorgeous, snarky,
yet vulnerable and flawed.
Brilliantly incorporated dual POV.
Great story. Great world-building. Great characters.
Very addictive reading!
#2? YES PLEASE!!!!!!
Thoughts?
Goodreads summary:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.
My 30-word review:
Holy ass-kicking MC! Literally.
LOVE ROSE SO HARD! Tough, gorgeous, snarky,
yet vulnerable and flawed.
Brilliantly incorporated dual POV.
Great story. Great world-building. Great characters.
Very addictive reading!
#2? YES PLEASE!!!!!!
Thoughts?
Friday, September 2, 2011
Courtney Summers and...Zombies? HELL YEAH!
Okay, so most writer friends who know me, know how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE Courtney Summers books. I've read all three of her published novels:
Cracked Up to Be
Some Girls Are
Fall for Anything
Since the moment I read the last word of Fall for Anything (which I will admit, I downloaded onto my iPad and then also purchased 'cause I HAD to have a copy of it to add to my others to put on my bookshelf), I have been eagerly anticipating her 4th novel. I had NO idea what it was about, but it didn't matter. I knew if she was writing it, I was going to love it. And I'm excited to have just learned (though I'm ashamed to call myself a fan since this info was posted on her blog on Aug. 26th. Doh!), that she has revealed the cover of her new book titled THIS IS NOT A TEST. Here is the summary/plot as written on Courtney Summers blog.
It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up.
As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–inside.
When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?
And here is the COVER!!!!!!
I follow CS on Twitter and I've seen her talk often about zombies. From video games to random thoughts about them, her fascination regarding zombies is so apparent that I don't know why I find myself surprised that she's written a book about them. I guess it's just something so different from her other stories and it really excites me because I lover her writing style, and I love how well she develops and delves into such depth with her MCs. She is the master of "voice" and I have read that she still manages to maintain those wonderful skills and now applies them into a terrifying, heart racing, nail biting plot.
All I need to know now is...WHEN THE HELL DOES THIS BOOK COME OUT????
Cracked Up to Be
Some Girls Are
Fall for Anything
Since the moment I read the last word of Fall for Anything (which I will admit, I downloaded onto my iPad and then also purchased 'cause I HAD to have a copy of it to add to my others to put on my bookshelf), I have been eagerly anticipating her 4th novel. I had NO idea what it was about, but it didn't matter. I knew if she was writing it, I was going to love it. And I'm excited to have just learned (though I'm ashamed to call myself a fan since this info was posted on her blog on Aug. 26th. Doh!), that she has revealed the cover of her new book titled THIS IS NOT A TEST. Here is the summary/plot as written on Courtney Summers blog.
It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up.
As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–inside.
When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?
And here is the COVER!!!!!!
I follow CS on Twitter and I've seen her talk often about zombies. From video games to random thoughts about them, her fascination regarding zombies is so apparent that I don't know why I find myself surprised that she's written a book about them. I guess it's just something so different from her other stories and it really excites me because I lover her writing style, and I love how well she develops and delves into such depth with her MCs. She is the master of "voice" and I have read that she still manages to maintain those wonderful skills and now applies them into a terrifying, heart racing, nail biting plot.
All I need to know now is...WHEN THE HELL DOES THIS BOOK COME OUT????
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz-A 30-Word Review
Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz
Goodreads summary: Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss?
Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive....
My 30-word review:
Fun, quirky writing style.
Amazingly realistic familial relationships.
LOVE how the story spans over several years.
Brilliantly incorporated deaf character- a
wonderful new experience.
IS runs the gamut of emotions.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
My Keys are Disappearing!
I'm looking at my laptop keys and some of the letters have almost completely faded off. Thanks goodness I can type without looking at where the letter keys are, but the other day my husband was all like, "Where the hell is the letter A?" haha. Yes. My A has pretty much vanished. And all that's left of the letter E is the bottom line. Other letters that are fading are the S, D, C, B, N, M, L and, the... > key? Okay, do NOT know what that one is about cause I seriously...Oh, wait. dur. That key also holds the period. Okay. Now THAT makes sense. And, now that I think about it, the A, N, M, L, and E keys are all in my name. Do I type my name that often?? I don't think I do. Hmm...
What about you? Which of your computer/laptop keys are disappearing on you?
What about you? Which of your computer/laptop keys are disappearing on you?
Monday, August 8, 2011
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers-A 30 Word Review
Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
Goodread's summary:
Perfect Parker Fadley isn’t so perfect anymore. She’s quit the cheerleading squad, she’s dumped her perfect boyfriend, and she’s failing school. Her parents are on a constant suicide watch and her counselors think she’s playing games…but what they don’t know, the real reason for this whole mess, isn’t something she can say out loud. It isn’t even something she can say to herself. A horrible thing has happened and it just might be her fault. If she can just remove herself from everybody--be totally alone--then everything will be okay...The problem is, nobody will let her.
My 30-Word Review:
LOVED being inside Parker's head--sad, angry, painful, scary.
3-dimensional characters with seamlessly interwoven subplots.
Character's reactions to MC, questionable at times.
Slightly bummed with rushed-felt ending.
Overall? AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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