Friday, August 29, 2014

8/30 My UtopYA - unofficial official tips and a blog hop




I was asked by my awesome, beautiful, & talented friend Carlyle Labuschagne (THIS gorgeous girl!)



to participate in some sage advice-giving posts all about how to survive--and thrive!--at the awesome place that is UtopyA con! UtopYA's basically my favorite book place to be in the entire world so I was definitely excited to help out with this fun hop. And, because typed words are not enough to convey the excitement, I did a video.

You're welcome.



Adam Kunz!!!!! Best advice ever.
(UtopYA 2013)

And if you haven't checked out any of the other hoppers, you should read the posts below along with any others they can lead you to. Here's a list of some other #UtopYA shenanigans!

Aug 6 Delphina Reads Too Much, Official UtopYA blogger
Aug 8 Amy Evans, author of Clicks
Aug 28 Chelsea Fine author of amazing stuff like the Archers of Avalon series and The Best Kind of Broken (which gave me the best kind of cry)

And you should DEFINITELY make it a priority to get your pretty ass to UtopYA next year. You won't regret going but you WILL regret not going. I'm just saying.

And, because UtopYA is ALWAYS about free books, here you go...

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, August 15, 2014

My Top 5 Summer Movie/TV Picks ... and 2 crazy moments for charity

It's FUN FRIDAY, which means me and the gang at YA Society of Storytellers are doing a funnish post that we all share and link to so you can get to know us and we can "hang out" with each other for some virtual FRIDAY FUN. This week, I'm bringing you my top faves of summer movies (so far) and/or TV show picks and at the end, a treat of craziness to show you some charity stuff I've done lately. It's silly and ridiculous and those 2 things are always a good time.

(Also check out:)
Bryna Butler's Top 10 Summer Blockbuster quotes of 2014





1. The Fault in our Stars Movie
aka TFioS
I'm a total John Green fan and a #nerdfighter. I loved this book to itty bitty pieces. And the movie was no exception. I wished they'd inserted a little more of the amazing lines from the book into the dialogue (like the whole meaning behind the title, for example) but overall, I thought they did great. I mean, I cried, so yeah. Good job, guys.
Besides, I am officially a die-hard Shailene Woodley fan now. (Thank you, Divergent) Liking this one was inevitable.
the egging scene was one of the best parts of the movie version for sure. 

The thing you should know about my movie list I that I am really lenient when it comes to book-to-movie adaptations and the like. I recognize the boiled-downness of it all is that I'm here to be entertained. So, I don't set a lot of expectations. I know a lot of people who were disappointed by some of these types of movies (Vampire Academy, anyone? Yep, LIKED IT!), but (I think because I look at them as separate pieces of art from the written work), I'm able to enjoy them. What do you guys think?



2. Guardians of the Galaxy Movie



This one was funny and entertaining but without the humor would've just been MEH. Some of the scenes didn't feel like a very smooth transition between the humor and the suspense/seriousness. But I did laugh a lot and it was different and I'm a fan of both of those things.

Now, this would've been a longer movie list but these are the only 2 movies I've seen this summer. Seriously. 
I know, not much of a list but hey, I'm busy writing books for you guys! Cut me some slack!

So, to round it out, I'm throwing in what I've been watching on TV. SO,

3. Meet the Fosters

I definitely cried for like, the first 4 episodes. I've always wanted to be a foster parent and now, after EVERY episode, I turn to Awesome Boyfriend, and am like: Can we get a kid???
Loving this one.

4. Lost Girl

I found this while trolling Netflix 
(The Awesome Boyfriend was away in Thailand and I was banned from watching Meet the Fosters without him. I had to do something!)
And I wasn't too keen on it after episode 1 or even 2 but somewhere between 2 and 3, it good good and I got hooked. (I don't think that was proper grammar. Don't tell anyone.)
Anyway, I love Dyson and Kenzie and the whole gang now so this one is a keeper. If you like adult paranormal (especially Richelle Mead's succubus series!) you will like this one.



5. In the Army Now
I know, this one isn't exactly CURRENT but -- WE just watched it because the Awesome Boyfriend had somehow NEVER SEEN it, so it gets on the list.
(And now he walks around saying he's a "craaazy boy!")
Who else LOVED Pauly Shore in this??
I ordered the DVD from Amazon to keep because I just knew once he saw it, he'd love it. And I wasn't wrong. So that's what I'm watching lately. What are YOU watching?? No, seriously, I need recommendations for once I'm done with all of these TV shows! Leave your answers in the comments!




AND now, because I promised, the 2 silly things for charity ....

1. Eli the Elopus

My writer friend and fellow YA Society member, Bryna Butler, emailed me last week in need of a short story for a charity scavenger hunt she does every year for GISHWHES (Greatest International Scavenger Hunt the World Has Ever Seen) to support the charity Random Acts, whose mission is to "inspire acts of kindness around the world both big and small." The short story had to feature the GISHWHES mascot, an elopus (part-elephant, say what????), Misha Collins (from Supernatural), and the Queen of England. The hard part, it couldn't be more than 140 words (this from the novel writer with always lots of words to say.) Yeah, that part was a challenge. But I did it and here's the proof:


You can Read Bryna's blog post with the FULL deets on her scavenging and the crazy things she did. Looks like fun! maybe I'll have to get in on this next year!


2. The #ALSIceBucketChallenge

Have you heard of this? If not, be ready. because your friends could tag you at ANY. TIME and then you have no choice but to douse yourself with a bucket of ICE COLD WATER. 
It's a charity/awareness campaign for the ALS Foundation. You drench yourself within 24 hours being challenged OR you have to donate $100 to the ALS Foundation. Your choice.
I decided to get drenched. (I also whined about it but that's no longer a point.)

Check me out:


I sent this to my daughter who promptly wrote back "this is the coolest thing you've ever done, Mom."
Huh. I need to get out more.
#minionlove

And let's see what my nominee does .... 
In the meantime, you should go enter some giveaways before they end right here.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Seven 11 blog hop: Whisper teaser!

Every month, on the 11th of the month, I post a teaser from one of my upcoming releases/wip's or whatever strikes me that I think you should read. Some other fantastic authors participate by also posting teasers of their stuff, so you can read some never-before-seen-words by some of the best authors around. The other rockstars you can check out this month are:


AND ENTER TO WIN COOL STUFF, Yo!

Steph Nuss' signed paperback copy of her new book on Goodreads

SM Boyce is giving away a Stacey Marie Brown swag bag

a Rafflecopter giveaway


And now, here are my seven lines from Whisper, a New Adult Paranormal Romance coming on Wed!

(ch 25)
...modesty when he looked at me that way. His gaze consumed me even before he’d touched me. My eyes flickered over the angles and cut of his body.
“So are you,” I said, breathless from meaning it.
Without a word, he shifted sideways and pulled his pants off. There was nothing left underneath them. The firelight flickered over his exposed body, turning his tanned skin different shades of glowing yellow and orange. My breath caught at the sheer beauty of my warrior. Of the love I held for him, centuries-old. Of the thought of our bodies pressed together.
***
What do you think?