What's Up Wednesday

It's time for What's Up Wednesday!

What I'm Reading  I read Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Heist Society this week. Now I'm reading Dark Road Home by Elizabeth Ludwig.  I'm getting back on track with my chapter a day classic and I've started reading Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland. I've been trying to spend 15 minutes a day reading a book on writing.  I'm loving this one!
What I'm Writing  I wanted to revise for five hours this week and.... I totally forgot to keep track how much time I spent.  I think I was a little short of my goal.  I'm going to be revising "Slumber" some more this week, probably a few minutes at a time, seeing that I have company.
What Inspires Me Right Now  Family!  My cousin and sister flew across the country (diagonally!) to visit.  Its been such a long time since I have been able to visit with them or any of my family. 
What Else I've Been Up To  I've been showing my family around Florida. My sister has never been to this part of the country before so its tons of fun!  We spent yesterday swimming in the Gulf.  I also succeeded in getting my sister hooked on the show "Once Upon a Time" so we are watching that after the kiddos are in bed.  (I got my cousin hooked a long time ago...)
     Today is the first homeschool event of the year.  It's a pirate themed event and I'm in charge of assembling a treasure hunt.  Its not just a normal treasure hunt.  My clues will lead the children through a series of games that a friend is putting together, such as Swab the Deck and Cannon Ball Toss (which is basically a water fight).  I am hoping that my clues "work" and that they actually find the treasure...  I've never done such an elaborate treasure hunt before. 
That's pretty much it!
What have you been up to???
     
   

Book Review- Blood Red Road by Moira Young and Celebrate the Small Things

  I read Blood Red Road by Moira Young as part of YA Bucaneer's Reading Mutiny Challenge.  Every month they have a theme and a selection of books to go along with it.  It was hard to pick which one to read first!

    Life is hot, dry and lonely but eighteen year old Saba doesn't really have anything else to compare it to. All that really matters is that she is with her twin brother, Lugh. That is until strangers take him away, kill her father and leave her alone with her the little sister she resents. Saba will let nothing stop her. She sets out to find Lugh.
While looking, she uncovers disturbing clues about why he was taken, forms an alliance with a group of girl warriors and rescues the boy she just might be falling for.

     I'm not completely sure what I think Of this book, however the fact that I finished it a week ago and I'm still mulling it over speaks for itself. I loved the desert setting. The romance was just right and the action was well spaced. Saba herself took a little getting used too. She is as bold of a heroine as you could hope for. I just wish that her compassionate side showed a bit more. It was starting to by the end of the book. I guess I will have to read the sequel to find out if it keeps growing!

And now for VicLit's Celebrate the small things! 

    This week I am celebrating books!  Thanks to winning a few on blog giveaways, netgalley,  paperbackswap.com, friends lending me their favorite reads and the local thrift store, I have a mountain of books that I can't wait to read.  I've been pleased at how many recent releases I have been able to get my hands on with out spending an obscene amount of money.  Maybe next week I will be able to celebrate finding time to read them...

What's Up Wednesday

Its time for What's up Wednesday!

What I'm Reading  Yesterday I received a copy of Nancy LaRonda Johnson's new book Salted with Fire. I won it during her blog tour and I started reading it as soon as I opened the package.  It is a poetry and flash fiction collection.  So far I love it!   My kid's and I have been reading  the Tacky the Penguin books.  Both the illustrations and the text are hilarious.  They have to be some of my favorite books to read aloud.  I sort of burned out on "Two Years Before the Mast".  It's very informative but somewhat dry.  I'm going to do better at it this week.  I'm ready to finish it and move on to a different classic, maybe Anna Karenina.

What I'm Writing  I had two migraines this week so I didn't get nearly as much writing done as I wanted to.  I did figure out solutions to my remaining "plot holes" but that was it.  My Read. Set. Write! goal for this week is to spend five hours on revisions.  This round I am weaving in my plotting solutions and strengthening the scenes and structure.
What Inspires Me Right Now  This week I have been inspired by Susan Kay Quinn's blog.  She is blogging a book called "Indie Author Survival Guide" and it is quite informative.  I am also inspired by fall and all that it offers (not the least of these being a Starbuck's pumpkin spice latte!).
What Else I've Been Up to  I'm getting ready for company.  My baby sister and my cousin are coming to visit!  I haven't seen them, or any of my family, in over a year.  I can't wait to show them around and take them to my favorite beaches and seaside towns.
Oh and I've also been promoting Becca Campbell's latest book, Empath.  I'd recommend checking it out here.  Her giveaway is still open for two more days :)

What have you been up to?

An Exciting New Adult Paranormal Thriller: Empath (Flawed #1) Book Release and Giveaway

  A couple of weeks ago I eluded to an advanced reader's copy that I was reading but I didn't say which one it was. It releases today! I met the author, Becca Campbell through JuNoWriMo and since then I have fallen in love with her writing. I am so pleased to be able to help promote her latest book.  I hope that you enjoy this post and maybe even discover a new favorite author!



I'm very excited to announce the release of my latest New Adult novel Empath, the first book in the Flawed Series. Read on to find out more about this paranormal thriller and be sure to enter the giveaway at the end for an awesome prize package.

The Struggle of an Empath

Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.

Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.

When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.

Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

Empath eBook Now Available

Get your ebook copy now at any of these sites (paperback copies are not yet available, but coming soon!):

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble

Kobo (coming soon!) | iTunes (coming soon!)

Prize Package Giveaway

To celebrate the release, I'm running a giveaway for two lucky winners.

Grande Prize:

A rare, autographed proof copy of the paperback

A 12" X 18" poster of the cover art

Empath notebook

Empath collector's button

Second Prize:

An autographed paperback copy

a Rafflecopter giveaway Becca J. Campbell is the author of the New Adult Romantic Science Fiction novels Foreign Identity and Gateway to Reality, and Sub-Normal, a series of short stories. An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity. You can find her on her Author Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Amazon

Celebrate the Small Things

  It's time for Viclit's Celebrate the Small Things!

  This week I am celebrating that I have come up with solutions to three of the six "plot holes" I discovered in my WIP.  These weren't small inconsistencies either.  They were big enough to get lost in and never be seen again.  I am very pleased with the way the story is unfolding and I can't wait to get the big problems out of the way so I can start polishing instead of mending ( or filling...).
  Oh and I'm also celebrating all of the blog awards my readers have been so kind to give me.  I haven't had time to celebrate them properly but I want you all to know that I appreciated every one of them and thank you for thinking of me!
Have a great weekend!

What's Up Wednesday

 Its time for What's Up Wednesday!


What I'm reading  I'm still reading the same classic and I'm still slowly working my way through "A Prayer for Owen Meany".  I keep getting distracted by YA books, like Paranormalcy by Kiersten White.  I read it in a day and I loved it!  I didn't think I was going to but the characters felt so alive to me.  I'm also reading Blood Red Road by Moira Young.  So far I love it but I'm mad at Saba for the way she treats her little sister.  I'm hoping she reforms!
 
What I'm writing  I'm working on my revisions for Slumber.  I finished my initial go through and am now staring at a list of "plot holes" that need plugging.  Hmmm.  
I did well with my Ready. Set. Write goal of working on revisions for an hour a day.  Some of that was me staring at the a fore mentioned list of "holes" but it was still constructive.
This week my goal is the same. 
What inspires me right now  I found the article Writing and Walking from WriteOnCon to be very inspiring.
 
What else I've been up to  I have been going through my books and filling up my new book case.  A friend gave it to me when I was least expecting it so now I have a place to put the mound of books that was sitting by my bed!  It was such an unexpected blessing.
    My exercising is going well.  I have been faithful to it for three weeks now.  The stubborn "book weight"  is slow to disappear but I am feeling stronger and more energetic, so that's a good thing.
    Our school curriculum for the year arrived (more books!) and I have been going through it and working on lesson ideas for the year.  I love back to school time!  My children are slightly less enthused by the huge box of school books but I'm hoping they will come around :)
What have you been up to?

WriteOnCon

  I am still hiding out in my revision cave (its a bit crowded because my kids and my massive  Great Dane/Lab puppy found me...) but I wanted to share the link for WriteOnCon.  It is a free online writing conference and it starts... in an hour.  Yes, I am last minute, I know.  I almost forgot about it myself.  I wish that I had my WIP ready to pitch but I don't.  I'm hoping to learn lots of useful info that I can apply to my novels so they will be pitch worthy soon!
   So, just in case you are like me and you forgot or didn't here about this, click here :)

Revision Cave

 I'm going into the revision cave for the weekend and maybe part of next week too.  I need to focus on my WIP for a few days.  See you guys in a few days!

What's Up Wednesday! and IWSG

 This is late but here it is!
What's up Wednesday
What I'm Reading  Um, I'm in over my head in books right now...  I'm still working through my chapter a day classic and a Prayer for Owen Meany (which I like but in small doses).  I've also started reading an advanced reading copy of a book by an amazing author.  I will reveal who and what in a later post :)  Oh and I started Paranormalcy by Kiersten White even though I told myself I really should wait.  Oh well.  What I don't list on my Wednesday posts is that I also have an inspirational non-fiction book and a book on writing going at all times.  So.... lots of reading!
What I'm Writing  I am revising my first book.  I was going to call it Awaken but I have changed the name to Slumber, for now anyway. (Yes, I know the titles are opposite of each other but both of them really do fit!)   I didn't do well on my goals this week but I made progress in spite of that. 
My goal for this week is to spend an hour a day on revisions.  This may or may not be done all at once. 
What Inspires Me Right Now  Today I am inspired by like minded friends. 
What Else I've Been Up To  Where do I start?  My son got his cast off today.  He still has a decent limp but the doctor thinks it is healing well.  We celebrated by going to the beach.  It was raining but after being stuck inside for three weeks we were not going to let that stop us!  The beach is a magical place in the rain.
  I had an amazing time at the homeschooling moms retreat I attended.  It also involved the beach.  Since I didn't have any little people with me I was able to go out past the surf and swim.  I love being eye level with the waves.
  School is starting soon whether I am ready or not so I am trying to get everything in place for that. I'm also getting ready for company. The guest room doubles as a toy room so I'm sure you can guess what shape its in! 
Besides those things I have been faithful to my workout plan for another week.  I'm hoping I can stick to it when my company arrives.

Now for Alex Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group.

 I am surprisingly not insecure this month.  I know I have a lot of work to do to get where I want to be with my writing but I can see myself slowly heading in the right direction and it is extremely motivating.  I'm sure insecurities will sneak up on me eventually but for now I'm going to pretend that they are gone for good and just enjoy writing.

Celebrate the Small Things

It's time for Viclit's Celebrate the Small Things!

  This week I am celebrating the homeschool mom's retreat that I actually get to go too!!!!!!   I never do anything with out my kids so when I told them I wasn't going to be here this weekend I was greeted by shocked expressions and gaping mouths.  I can't wait!  It's only one night but its right on the beach and I will get to talk to grown ups.  Woohoo!
 
  I'm also celebrating that I lived through my first week of getting back into working out.  I have been alternating Jillian Michael's and Ellen Barrett workout DVDs.  The Ellen Barrett ones have tons of stretching and it has helped release the tension in my back and shoulders.  I get such horrible muscle knots when I type for extended periods so this is a welcome relief.  That alone is worth the effort of working out.

Have a great weekend everyone!