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So Many Books, So Little Time!
An Eclectic Blog Reviewing Many Different Genres: Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Clean Romance, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Christian, LDS and anything else that is clean, uplifting or entertaining.
Juvenile, Middle Grade, Young Adult & Adult Book Reviews that include Content Information for Parents and Conservative Reader.
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How do you heal your heart after tragedy leaves you broken? When the person you loved didn’t deserve it and they can’t earn your forgiveness because they’re already dead? How do you move on, and heal, and love?
If you’re Princess Lorraina, you paint. A year ago Lorraina watched Tobias die, and she still doesn't know how she's supposed to heal—or forgive. How can she when she’s still running away? In an attempt to reinvent herself, she steps outside her comfortable life as princess and seeks the tutelage of a master painter—a man who is not at all impressed by her pedigree, and demands not just talent, but emotional honesty. Struggling to learn what’s being taught, she finds herself drawn to someone who not only knows her secrets, but who she once considered far below her notice. Now she is compelled to seek him out despite knowing their relationship would be forbidden if discovered. Staying away from him doesn’t seem possible when discovering him may be the key to healing her heart and rediscovering herself.
I was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and St. Louis, Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University, where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children. I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
My website was moved to a new server yesterday and it is not currently loading. I'm simply using blogger to create a HTML for a couple of blog posts.
If We Were a Movie by Kelly Oram (Power of the Matchmaker #3) Music meets Movies in this sweet college romance from the bestselling author of Cinder & Ella. NYU freshman Nate Anderson is a triplet who is desperate to escape his wild and crazy brothers. After they screw things up for him one too many times, Nate flees his housing situation and takes the first available room for rent as far from his brothers as he can get. Enter his new roommate Jordan--a quirky LA girl who believes that everything in life has already been done in the movies. In this heartfelt tale of love, friendship and family, Nate learns how to deal with his new adult life using Hollywood films as a guide.
What readers just like you are saying about If We Were a Movie:
"WOW! This book is great! The concept is so inventive, and the writing is brilliant."
"I thought Cinder & Ella jerked with my emotions too much but this one might have it beat."
"I finished reading If We Were a Movie yesterday. I loved it! I fell hard for Nate. Jordan was amazing! And Pearl's timing was perfect! "
"Amazing concept with movies as chapters, and fantastic storyline." "I loved this story and was humming along to the songs from the book whilst reading. I can see this book becoming the movie it was written to be." "If We Were a Movie made me want to binge watch movies, listen to old playlists and re-read it all at once."
TEASER:“So this is what a Pearl-approved guy looks like.” She shook her head once and cracked a smile. “She’s got good taste, I’ll give her that. You’re an odd mix of sexy and adorable. Don’t see that often.”
I was a little taken aback by the compliment, if that’s even what it was. She may have just been stating what she considered to be fact. She laughed at my surprise and held out her hand to me. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jordan Kramer.”
I’d been afraid of that. “You’re a girl.”
Jordan laughed. “That’s what it says on my birth certificate, but I’m really glad you were able to figure it out without needing to read it.”
Nope. I definitely didn’t need that.
TEASER: I handed Jordan the electric guitar that I’ve had since I was twelve, and laughed when her eyes got really big. “You play the electric guitar, too?” “Music major,” I teased, picking up my keyboard. “I play this, too. A little. And the bass guitar.” “Awesome.” She examined the electric guitar with awe. “Why do you seem so surprised?” She looked at me as if the answer to that question should be obvious. “Hello. Have you met yourself? You with an acoustic guitar singing soft songs around a campfire or in a coffee house makes perfect sense. But I can’t picture you up on a stage, jamming on your electric guitar like a rock star.” She studied me a moment, then shook her head. “You’ll have to play for me, or I’m not going to believe it.”
Author Kelly Oram
Kelly Oram wrote her first novel at age fifteen--a fan fiction about her favorite music group, The Backstreet Boys, for which her family and friends still tease her. She's obsessed with reading, talks way too much, and likes to eat frosting by the spoonful. She lives outside of Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, four children, and her cat, Mr. Darcy.
Don't miss the latest news from Kelly Oram! Sign up for her newsletter to receive e-mail notifications for all of her new releases, events, sales, & giveaways. This is a monthly newsletter often with exclusive giveaways and freebies from some of her favorite authors.
Giveaway
Signed copies of V is for Virgin & A is for Abstinence (1 winner, 2 books)
Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it’s up to the viewers–not her–to decide which bachelors stay or go.
Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke’s an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she’s up to, it means revenge.
:( Um...disregard the previous. I'm not sure how this was the first post to pop up when I opened your blog. Needless to say, I thought this free book was coming up next Monday! Lol!
The cover for Rachael Anderson's newest book has just been released. To celebrate enter to win a $25 gift card or paypal cash!!
Author Rachael Renee Anderson
Rachael Anderson is the author of four books: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
Working It Out A chance encounter . . . Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.
A chance for love . . . Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, she immediately recognizes him. Unfortunately, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.
Giveaway Details Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/31/13
I'm still getting used to Wordpress but overall I'm glad I made the switch. Be sure to visit the new site as that is where all new posts are now at. http://www.iamareader.com
1 Comments on 4 Weeks After the Move...., last added: 5/16/2013
My transfer to Wordpress is done! 3418 posts were imported to the new blog. However due to the size of the import I opted to leave the 25,000+ comments on this blogger blog and not import them to wordpress. All new comments on the Wordpress site will be approved assuming they are not spam.
I'm not done designing and updating the wordpress blog but I have a good start on it.
From here on out please visit http://www.iamareader.com for new posts. Please be aware it can take up to 72 hours for your internet provider to find the new site. If you get an error message check back because it should be up soon.
Please be aware I still have a lot of work to do when it comes to updating links. Wordpress uses a different permalink system so there will likely be a lot of 404 error pages for a while.
5 Comments on New Wordpress Site is Now Live, last added: 3/30/2013
There used to be a plug in you could run that would fix all your links...I can't remember what it was called though...it has been while since I did my transfer.
Maybe someone else will know. It made it a lot easier to transfer.
Kathy did you DIY the move or did you pay someone to move your blog over from Blogger to WP? I'm looking at doing the same thing but I want to move my design over as well, which it seems will cost me $150 + $50 to move the blog contents over.
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Rebecca Ethington has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then in stage with years of theatrical performances. The Imdalind Series is her first stint into the world of literary writing. Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. She was born and raised in the mountains of Salt Lake City, and hasn't found the desire to leave yet. Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her amazing family.
My Grandfather. I have always told stories, mostly to my grandmother who only gave books as presents and owned a bookstore. My granfather lives several states away and when talking to him, he mentioned about how much my grandmother used to enjoy my stories. So, I sat down and wrote Kiss of Fire as a present for his 93rd birthday.
What was your favorite book when you were a child/teen?
Sideways Stories from Wayside School as a child, Angelas Ashes as a teen, and Playing the Jack as an adult. It's weird how each book really mirrors what I was going through in my life at the time. Crazy kid, troubled teen, and self identifying adult.
If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why?
I met my husband when we were both volunteering at a living history museum close to our home. So, we only knew each other as wearing clothing from the 1860's and speaking with weird accents. We only 'dated' at work, so the first time he saw me in regular clothes, I showed up in overalls and his jaw dropped. I guess overalls aren't sexy. But because of that I would gladly go back to the 1860's at least for a little while.
What's the best advice anyone has ever given you?
Do what you love, because you love it.
How do you react to a bad review?
I'm an odd one. I grew up in theatre, performing on stage. So, bad reviews are part of my life. But because I grew up with them when I get one I always look at them critically. How can I fix it? How can I do better next time? With the original cover for Kiss of Fire we only got bad reviews. I don't think anyone liked it. So, I changed it. If you hear a bad review once its not something to worry about, but if you hear it more then 3 times, it something you need repair either now or in the future. It's all part of becoming better at what you are doing.
You have won one million dollars what is the first thing that you would buy?
Pay off debt. Clothes. When the economy dived my family was hit hard, we even lived out of our car for a while. It would be awesome if I could buy nice clothes for myself. But I also worry. If I buy clothes the chances are very VERY high that I would become a clothes snob. But, I am not really sure that would be a bad thing. :)
How did you celebrate the sale of your first book?
I kinda danced around the house for a bit. I think my girls thought I had gone crazy.
Favorite smell?
I performed at the same theatre for about five years, and behind that theatre was a coffee roasters. That 'burnt cookie' smell of coffee roasting will always be one of my favorites. It reminds me of long nights and early morning, of laughter and creativity, and friends. That smell reminds me of everything I grew up loving in my life.
How did you go about publishing your book?
I never actually intended to publish Kiss of Fire. It was really meant only as a gift. My sister actually dared me to do it, so I did. I would have never guessed it would have gotten this kind of response. Even though publishing wasn't my first intent, I am glad I did it.
If you could ask any author (alive or dead) one question, who would it be and what question would you ask? I'm not sure it's a question. But I would like to tell JK Rowling Thank you. The Harry Potter series are the only books my brother has ever read, and my grandmothers favorite series. Sadly, she was never able to finish them. Other then that, I'm not sure. I am probably way to shy to ask them any questions anyway. Do you like the spotlight or lurking in the shadows? Totally lurking in the shadows. Even when I was performing full time I would use a stage name and never go out to meet the audience. I always joked that if this book went crazy I would wear glasses and do my hair all crazy so that people would never know what I really looked like. How do you go about revising/editing? I have a 'team' of nine beta readers and one really amazing editor. I send the book to three beta readers at a time and then make any changes before it goes to the next group. Once it's made it through all the beta's it goes to my editor. Total process takes about 3-4 months. How many books are in your TRB pile? A lot - far too many. When I write I focus on writing so all my TBR books get forgotten. I have a few weeks before I start working on Scorched Treachery - So, I am hoping to get through about 10 of them. What makes your novel standout from the crowd? Personally, I am not sure. But all the reviews have been coming in saying how real the emotion is. I write like I would perform the scenes if they were being enacted on stage. I want my characters motivations to be real, there personalities to be consistent. I have written scripts for stage performance for years, I guess I just elaborated on that skill. Fanfition - Love it or Hate it? Have your ever written it? This is going to be the weirdest answer ever. I am not necasserily a fan... but that being said. I have also written it. Don't judge me. It was ten years ago, I was 19 and I collected Rainbow Brite dolls, so I wrote a terrible Rainbow Brite fan fiction. It's actually pretty embarrassing to admit that. lol Do your friends or enemies ever find themselves in your books? As a writer you draw of what you know. But being a performer I also took notes from characters I have seen my friends, or that I, have performed on stage over the years. I take pieces and mix them up to create individuals that I think would be interesting roles to play, or fascinating characters to watch on stage or screen. So lots of different bits of the characters are taken from people I know... but don't tell them that. About how long does it take to write a book? I wrote Kiss of Fire in 17 days. I thought it was a fluke, but then I wrote Eyes of Ember in about 22... I guess I just write really fast.
This or That
TV or Movies? Movies
Night owl, or early bird? I have kids... so both Print or Ebook? I thought I would hate it, but I love my kindle. Coke or Pepsi? Ew. Horror or Romance? Romance Action or Drama? Action Summer or Winter? Summer City or Country? Country Harry Potter or Twilight? Harry Potter Gum or Breath Mints? Gun PC or Mac? Mac Beach or Pool? Beach Shoes or Sandals? Shoes Cats or Dog?Dog Facebook or Twitter?Facebook Truth or Dare? Dare Text or Talk? Talk
Kiss of Fire
Joclyn Despain has a scar. In fact, it is almost like a brand on her skin. She doesn’t know why it appeared on her neck, but she doesn’t want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won’t let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.
The scar is the reason she is being hunted.
If only she knew that she was.
If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.
Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; but he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.
My Giveaway An autographed print copy of The Waiting Booth, a custom necklace & $10 Amazon Gift Card. Open to US only.
The Waiting Booth by Brinda Berry
A missing boy, government agents, an interdimensional portal... Mia has one goal for her senior year at Whispering Woods High-find her missing older brother. But when her science project reveals a portal into another dimension, she learns that travelers are moving in and out of her woods in the most alarming way and government agents Regulus and Arizona are policing their immigration. Mia's drawn to the mysterious, aloof Regulus, but it's no time for a crush. She needs to find out what they know about her brother, while the agents fight to save the world from viral contamination. But when Regulus reveals that he knows Mia's secrets, she begins to wonder if there's more going on than she thought...and if she was wrong to trust him...
Praise for The Waiting Booth: "The book kept me on the edge of my seat with its perfect balance of teenaged angst, interdimensional portals, and a fractured family." ~ Author Christine Ashworth
"The description was so good I could easily see things as they happened...like a movie playing in my mind as I read. I just love Regulus. He's my kind of hero for sure." ~ Author Lynn Rush
Author Brinda Berry
Brinda Berry lives in the southern US with her family and two spunky cairn terriers. She has a BSE in English and French and a MEd in Learning Systems Technology. She's terribly fond of chocolate, coffee, and books that take her away from reality. She doesn't mind being called a geek or “crazy dog lady”. When she's not working the day job or writing a novel, she's guilty of surfing the internet for no good reason.
I am SO sorry, but I am at Twitter's follow limit and can NOT follow you there. If you know a way I can remedy this, please let me know. Thank you so much for the giveaway! =)
I was thinking it would take me a long time to get this blog transferred to Wordpress and didn't plan to switch for a month or more but it was not that hard so I am going to make the switch this weekend. The only problem is http://iamareader.com will be a dead link until the nameservers change occurs which can take up to 72 hours.
1 Comments on Link to Access I Am A Reader, Not A Writer during transition to Wordpress, last added: 3/28/2013
Hi Kathy. A quick question! I signed up for a spotlight,excerpt post for Lichgates on 4/1. Just checking to see if I was needed as I have not received anything beyond the tour button. http://fuonlyknew.com Laura Thomas [email protected]
Annette Mackey, B.A. Music, Brigham Young University, is an accomplished musician and writer. Her works include three novels, a number of short stories, two full length musical plays, and a vast number of musical compositions. She currently resides in Boise, Idaho with her husband and children.
INTERVIEW 140 Characters or less Tweet about your book.
What if you didn't know your boyfriend was worth millions. CLASS COLLISION, a love story when everything else fails.
Do you write as you go or do you have the book all planned out from page 1?
I almost always have the book completed in my head before I start typing. It's a funny thing though, sometimes I'll hit a spot where I didn't realize I hadn't worked out all the details. That’s when I stop everything and go back to brainstorming for a while. I don’t really mind. To me it's a delicious moment. I absolutely LOVE brainstorming. It's one of my favorite steps in the writing process.
What is your favorite part of the writing/publishing process?
I guess I mentioned the brainstorming already. But another step that I REALLY enjoy is whipping a manuscript into shape. My least favorite step is the first draft. I get so frustrated by the lack of perfection. But I really enjoy going through the manuscript over and over until it's just right. This is where the characters come to life in my mind--the shade of their eyes, the curve of a lip, the emotions that rock them. This stage is seriously so much fun! I've seen some indie authors "skip" this step, and I can't understand it. Maybe they're anxious to be finished with their manuscript, but for me, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of writing.
What's the craziest writing idea you've had?
I'm a Harry Potter fan, through and through. When book five came out, my kids and I had so much fun reading and talking about the book, but it seemed like it was taking FOREVER for book six. So I made up my own version and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, telling "Harry Potter" stories to my children. It was great fun!
Hidden talent?
I am a music teacher and every day hundreds of people get on my website and download my music rhythm worksheets. I guess I should have put them up for sale. But they're free, and apparently, in high demand.
What's your biggest challenge as a writer? How did you overcome it, or how are you working to overcome it?
The biggest challenge for me is marketing. I'd rather be writing another novel. But ... it comes with the territory.
What is you favorite way to spend a rainy day?
I grew up in Seattle where rain is constant. But it's not the kind of rain that most people are used to. There aren't many thunderstorms. Instead, the rain is more like a drizzle. Sometimes it's so fine that an umbrella is useless. The droplets can be small, so tiny that the air currents stir them up until they are beneath umbrella. I guess I never noticed how much it rained until I moved away. Now when it rains I feel at home. It seems like everything is right with the world. I like to watch the it and just be still. Funny thing, in Idaho everyone tries to stay indoors when it's raining. In Seattle, if you don’t go outside when it’s raining, you'll be indoors for months.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
First drafts aren't finished books. Sometimes it takes 50 drafts to get it right.
Finish the sentence - one book I wish I had written is....
Let me rephrase that sentence. "What book do you wish you hadn't thrown away?" I used to chuck everything I wrote. I know it's dumb, and I'm no McFly -- "I just don't know if I can take that kind of rejection," was never the problem. I'm a musician. Rejection comes with the territory. But for me writing is personal. For years I didn't want anyone to know that I was writing. And so I chucked it all. "Class Collision" was a book a chucked and rewrote, and chucked and rewrote three times. Thankfully I was able to remember the details well enough to put it down again. But there was one book I wrote back in college called, "Scarlet Snow," that I really wish I hadn't thrown out. I had written it out in longhand. We were moving and I just tossed it. Sometimes I think about that book and remember just how juicy it was. It makes me pretty mad at myself. If I had that manuscript now, I know I could really whip it into shape.
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I'm always writing. My third novel was just published on Amazon. "The Forgotten Queen" was so much fun to write, that I've actually been a little sad that it's finished. It's my version of Camelot with a twist. Avalon is not a place. She's a person. She is the forgotten queen and the sole bearer of Arthur's heart. I absolutely loved writing that book. It was truly a labor of love. Now that it's published, I'm working on another novel called, "Second," which is about a woman who falls in love with a widower. Needless to say, I'm having a great time.
Class Collision: Fall From Grace
Born to wealth and privilege, ten-year-old David, arguably the most spoiled, obnoxious kid alive, finds his greatest enjoyment tormenting the maid. That is... until he is kidnapped for ransom and left for dead. Thrown into a world he knows nothing about, he spends the next several years in an orphanage where his claims to fame and fortune fuel years of torment. Finally, he escapes, hoping to make it back home. Instead, he meets Linda. Having lived among boys for so long, he doesn’t know how to handle his feelings for her. She is both irritating and intoxicating. Not that it matters. With looks like hers, every boy in the county is chasing her, and David, with his scraggly clothes and long hair doesn’t stand a chance. Then, when circumstances push them together, they both find that sometimes, people aren’t always what they seem. Set during the Great Depression, Class Collision: Fall From Grace will transport you to a simpler time, filled with heartache and unexpected love.
Awards: Gold Award (first place) Readers Favorite 2011, YA Historical Fiction
Giveaway Details 1 copy of Class Collision Paperback available to US only, Ebook available Internationally Ends 4/14/13
Annette Mackey, B.A. Music, Brigham Young University, is an accomplished musician and writer. Her works include three novels, a number of short stories, two full length musical plays, and a vast number of musical compositions. She currently resides in Boise, Idaho with her husband and children.
INTERVIEW 140 Characters or less Tweet about your book.
What if you didn't know your boyfriend was worth millions. CLASS COLLISION, a love story when everything else fails.
Do you write as you go or do you have the book all planned out from page 1?
I almost always have the book completed in my head before I start typing. It's a funny thing though, sometimes I'll hit a spot where I didn't realize I hadn't worked out all the details. That’s when I stop everything and go back to brainstorming for a while. I don’t really mind. To me it's a delicious moment. I absolutely LOVE brainstorming. It's one of my favorite steps in the writing process.
What is your favorite part of the writing/publishing process?
I guess I mentioned the brainstorming already. But another step that I REALLY enjoy is whipping a manuscript into shape. My least favorite step is the first draft. I get so frustrated by the lack of perfection. But I really enjoy going through the manuscript over and over until it's just right. This is where the characters come to life in my mind--the shade of their eyes, the curve of a lip, the emotions that rock them. This stage is seriously so much fun! I've seen some indie authors "skip" this step, and I can't understand it. Maybe they're anxious to be finished with their manuscript, but for me, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of writing.
What's the craziest writing idea you've had?
I'm a Harry Potter fan, through and through. When book five came out, my kids and I had so much fun reading and talking about the book, but it seemed like it was taking FOREVER for book six. So I made up my own version and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning, telling "Harry Potter" stories to my children. It was great fun!
Hidden talent?
I am a music teacher and every day hundreds of people get on my website and download my music rhythm worksheets. I guess I should have put them up for sale. But they're free, and apparently, in high demand.
What's your biggest challenge as a writer? How did you overcome it, or how are you working to overcome it?
The biggest challenge for me is marketing. I'd rather be writing another novel. But ... it comes with the territory.
What is you favorite way to spend a rainy day?
I grew up in Seattle where rain is constant. But it's not the kind of rain that most people are used to. There aren't many thunderstorms. Instead, the rain is more like a drizzle. Sometimes it's so fine that an umbrella is useless. The droplets can be small, so tiny that the air currents stir them up until they are beneath umbrella. I guess I never noticed how much it rained until I moved away. Now when it rains I feel at home. It seems like everything is right with the world. I like to watch the it and just be still. Funny thing, in Idaho everyone tries to stay indoors when it's raining. In Seattle, if you don’t go outside when it’s raining, you'll be indoors for months.
What's one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors?
First drafts aren't finished books. Sometimes it takes 50 drafts to get it right.
Finish the sentence - one book I wish I had written is....
Let me rephrase that sentence. "What book do you wish you hadn't thrown away?" I used to chuck everything I wrote. I know it's dumb, and I'm no McFly -- "I just don't know if I can take that kind of rejection," was never the problem. I'm a musician. Rejection comes with the territory. But for me writing is personal. For years I didn't want anyone to know that I was writing. And so I chucked it all. "Class Collision" was a book a chucked and rewrote, and chucked and rewrote three times. Thankfully I was able to remember the details well enough to put it down again. But there was one book I wrote back in college called, "Scarlet Snow," that I really wish I hadn't thrown out. I had written it out in longhand. We were moving and I just tossed it. Sometimes I think about that book and remember just how juicy it was. It makes me pretty mad at myself. If I had that manuscript now, I know I could really whip it into shape.
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects?
I'm always writing. My third novel was just published on Amazon. "The Forgotten Queen" was so much fun to write, that I've actually been a little sad that it's finished. It's my version of Camelot with a twist. Avalon is not a place. She's a person. She is the forgotten queen and the sole bearer of Arthur's heart. I absolutely loved writing that book. It was truly a labor of love. Now that it's published, I'm working on another novel called, "Second," which is about a woman who falls in love with a widower. Needless to say, I'm having a great time.
Class Collision: Fall From Grace
Born to wealth and privilege, ten-year-old David, arguably the most spoiled, obnoxious kid alive, finds his greatest enjoyment tormenting the maid. That is... until he is kidnapped for ransom and left for dead. Thrown into a world he knows nothing about, he spends the next several years in an orphanage where his claims to fame and fortune fuel years of torment. Finally, he escapes, hoping to make it back home. Instead, he meets Linda. Having lived among boys for so long, he doesn’t know how to handle his feelings for her. She is both irritating and intoxicating. Not that it matters. With looks like hers, every boy in the county is chasing her, and David, with his scraggly clothes and long hair doesn’t stand a chance. Then, when circumstances push them together, they both find that sometimes, people aren’t always what they seem. Set during the Great Depression, Class Collision: Fall From Grace will transport you to a simpler time, filled with heartache and unexpected love.
Awards: Gold Award (first place) Readers Favorite 2011, YA Historical Fiction
Giveaway Details 1 copy of Class Collision Paperback available to US only, Ebook available Internationally Ends 4/14/13
One of the main reasons I have not switched to Wordpress before is because of GFC & Google Reader. I had gained so many followers that switching didn't seem wise. With Google's recent announcement that they are shutting down Google Reader I can only assume GFC is going to be done away with soon too. Do I know this for a fact? No, I haven't been able to confirm it but that is the rumor going around.
We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.
I set up a new blogger blog recently and it was hard to find how to add a Google Friends Connect widget to the blog. GFC was retired for all non-blogger sites last year and now pages on Google that used to deal with GFC redirect to Google + www.google.com/friendconnect/. It seems to be just a matter of time before GFC disappears leaving Google Plus as the only available option Google offers. Since I'm moving to wordpress GFC has to stay behind because it won't transfer. So I just want to say a quick thanks to my current 9,459 followers. Thank you for following me :) I hope some of you will find a new way to follow me other than GFC.
I did add a Linky Followers Widget on my blog last year but it honestly seems like just a way to build numbers. Does anyone actually log onto linky followers and follow blogs there? When I switch to Wordpress I've decided I'm leaving Linky Followers behind to.
Following Options Email Email is by far my favorite way to follow a blog. I follow several dozen blogs that I really enjoy this way because I never miss a post. True it doesn't do anything for their actual blog traffic and I don't comment very often because I'm not actually on their site, but I do at least skim everything they post and if something really interests me I click through to it. Currently the email subscription to my blog is available through Feedburner. This is a service that I can transfer to Wordpress without losing my 2,500 subscribers. However rumor has it that... Feedburner is another service Google is going to be doing away with. *sigh*
Google Plus I'm so new to Google Plus. I don't really get it yet and all too often I forget to hit the share button to have my posts sent to Google Plus. I've read there is a way to automatically have your feed posted on Google Plus but I've yet to learn how to do it. I'll figure it out eventually. Google plus will transfer when I move to Wordpress.
Facebook Facebook is a great place to gain "likes" but honestly how many people actually see the blog posts on facebook? I like tons of different bloggers but when I visit facebook I rarely see their blog posts.
Twitter I don't love twitter. I visit it occasionally and my posts automatically get tweeted but it's not my favorite.
RSS There are lots of different options out their for following a blog via its RSS feed but I have never used any of them.
Blog Roll Most often the blogs I visit are ones on my Blog Roll list in my sidebar. However over time I have subscribed via email to the most of the ones I visited most often.
What was my point in writing this post? Seems like I got sidetracked at little ;) Oh yeah... Followers! If you are currently following by GFC, Linky Followers or Google Reader please find a new way to follow me. Subscribe via email, google +, twitter, facebook or simply bookmark this page or add it to your favorite and stop by to visit.
And for those who are interested in seeing how the new blog is coming along I was able to accomplish several things yesterday. Still have a long way to go but it is coming along: Temporary link: http://69.195.124.118/~iamaread/
8 Comments on GFC & Google Reader - Please find a new way to follow, last added: 3/28/2013
Hey Kathy - have you thought about using bloglovin? I am just switching over and they import all your Google blogs into the new feed. I just signed up yesterday and all the blogs I follow (and that have a bloglovin account) are in my feed now.
I hate this. I hate that it is going away. All that work to build a following and Poof it will be gone. I have a bloglovin' account, so I am thinking I will go to that but it doesn't bring over all my followers. This makes me sad. I am surprised they are not replacing it with something similar.
I also signed up for Bloglovin' a couple of weeks ago and think it is by far my favorite reader. I've tried several recently. It's easy to import your feeds, easy to add a button to your site so people can add your blog easily and best of all, it gives the site the pageviews! I'm reading this post and commenting right now from bloglovin'!
Oh, My!! My daughter and I have been having this exact conversation! We are both on blogger and are wondering how hard it is to switch to WP and does it cost any money? My younger daughter is on WP and loves it.
I can't decide if I like Bloglovin yet. I don't like the email though, because I already get at least 50 emails a day, and that is with no blogs being followed by email! And some blogs, sorry to say this one especially, post so often, that I'm afraid I'd get a ton of emails. I actually like Facebook following. Or Networked Blogs following. I will just have to bookmark your page and go check it out, as I'm going to refuse to do anything that gives me more email. And that stinks. Bloglovin at least gives me one email a day with any updates, so it is kind of nice. I refuse to give up on GFC until I hear for sure it is going to be gone. All this stuff is kinda scary!
Right now, this blog is in my blog roll and I receive the e-mails. I'll look forward to keeping up some other way. Love many of the interviews and reveals.
I've been using Bloglovin lately and it seems like the best option. It's really easy to use and I'm liking it a lot so far. There's just way too many blogs for me to follow by e-mail, but I like that on Bloglovin I can create categories for the blogs that I follow to keep everything organized.
One of the main reasons I have not switched to Wordpress before is because of GFC & Google Reader. I had gained so many followers that switching didn't seem wise. With Google's recent announcement that they are shutting down Google Reader I can only assume GFC is going to be done away with soon too. Do I know this for a fact? No, I haven't been able to confirm it but that is the rumor going around.
We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.
I set up a new blogger blog recently and it was hard to find how to add a Google Friends Connect widget to the blog. GFC was retired for all non-blogger sites last year and now pages on Google that used to deal with GFC redirect to Google + www.google.com/friendconnect/. It seems to be just a matter of time before GFC disappears leaving Google Plus as the only available option Google offers. Since I'm moving to wordpress GFC has to stay behind because it won't transfer. So I just want to say a quick thanks to my current 9,459 followers. Thank you for following me :) I hope some of you will find a new way to follow me other than GFC.
I did add a Linky Followers Widget on my blog last year but it honestly seems like just a way to build numbers. Does anyone actually log onto linky followers and follow blogs there? When I switch to Wordpress I've decided I'm leaving Linky Followers behind to.
Following Options Email Email is by far my favorite way to follow a blog. I follow several dozen blogs that I really enjoy this way because I never miss a post. True it doesn't do anything for their actual blog traffic and I don't comment very often because I'm not actually on their site, but I do at least skim everything they post and if something really interests me I click through to it. Currently the email subscription to my blog is available through Feedburner. This is a service that I can transfer to Wordpress without losing my 2,500 subscribers. However rumor has it that... Feedburner is another service Google is going to be doing away with. *sigh*
Google Plus I'm so new to Google Plus. I don't really get it yet and all too often I forget to hit the share button to have my posts sent to Google Plus. I've read there is a way to automatically have your feed posted on Google Plus but I've yet to learn how to do it. I'll figure it out eventually. Google plus will transfer when I move to Wordpress.
Facebook Facebook is a great place to gain "likes" but honestly how many people actually see the blog posts on facebook? I like tons of different bloggers but when I visit facebook I rarely see their blog posts.
Twitter I don't love twitter. I visit it occasionally and my posts automatically get tweeted but it's not my favorite.
RSS There are lots of different options out their for following a blog via its RSS feed but I have never used any of them.
Blog Roll Most often the blogs I visit are ones on my Blog Roll list in my sidebar. However over time I have subscribed via email to the most of the ones I visited most often.
What was my point in writing this post? Seems like I got sidetracked at little ;) Oh yeah... Followers! If you are currently following by GFC, Linky Followers or Google Reader please find a new way to follow me. Subscribe via email, google +, twitter, facebook or simply bookmark this page or add it to your favorite and stop by to visit.
And for those who are interested in seeing how the new blog is coming along I was able to accomplish several things yesterday. Still have a long way to go but it is coming along: Temporary link: http://69.195.124.118/~iamaread/
0 Comments on GFC & Google Reader - Please find a new way to follow as of 3/28/2013 11:22:00 PM
Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.
Interview If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future? Is the time machine is the Tardis? I hope it is. It is, right? Well, anyway, I don't know if I could stand seeing the future, so I think we'd go back in time. And I've always really wanted to see Lake Bonneville (the ancient lake that used to cover Utah). Plus I love dinosaurs. Need to see them, if I can.
One food you would never eat? Sea cucumber and any of the sea cucumber's friends.
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. Aside from the adventure and romance, there's a really beautiful story about what the soul is, what makes us human, and what we'll do for love.
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? I've always got several projects on my mind, if not in the works. Right now I'm working on a sci-fi novella called the Root, the YA sequel to my Illuminated Universe series, and a project I'm calling my chick-lit novel. The chick-lit story was supposed to just be about a small, fictional town in Utah, but somehow all this romance found its way in. It happens. I love romance, so sue me! I hope to publish all three this year. I believe in making lofty goals. It forces me to work hard.
What inspired you to want to become a writer? I have no idea, at least not specifically. My mom always let me check out forty to fifty books from the library when I was a child--the librarians would get one of those manual counters and click off all the books as they scanned them. I'm pretty sure I read all of them, too (ha ha). It just hit me one day that I could make up my own stories. I tried to write a fantasy book when I was thirteen but never finished it because I didn't really understand world-building. Thinking about it now, I used books to escape, and making up my own stories was a way for me to escape as well. Plus, my mom loves books so much. Some part of me just wants to wow her with an amazing book that I wrote!
Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. People reading and enjoying my books is by far the coolest thing ever. Even having one person read one of my books because they read the description or something is amazing. I mean, I hope they enjoy the books. I'm incredibly grateful for readers. I wish I could personally tell each one thank you or give them a big bear hug or something!
If you could jump into a book and live in that world, which would it be? Harry Potter! I love the idea of an invisible, magical world. There's something innocent about it, despite the sinister qualities of Voldemort and his evil minions. There are steam trains and schools in old castles and flying cars! What more could I want?
What is your dream cast for your book? I love questions like this! For Hemingway, I'd cast Jensen Ackles from Supernatural. Retta would be great done by Jane Levy, from Suburgatory. David Tennant would need to play Retta's teacher, Dr. Craspo. Nathan Fillion would be perfect for Nikodemus, Retta's father. And maybe Zooey Deschanel as Mei, Retta's best friend.
If you were a bird, which one would you be? A Canada goose. They mate for life. And they can fly.
In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with? Brandon Sanderson. There are others, but I'm pretty impressed with his writing, and his ideas are unique and his endings are always mind-blowing.
Favorite quote from a movie? "We read to know we're not alone." It's from The Shadowlands, with Anthony Hopkins as C.S. Lewis. Great film.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? Well, people who know me are usually surprised to find out that I love chicklit, romantic comedies, Jane Austen, and romance stuff. I guess because I'm so brusque and rough. Maybe?
If you could take over the world, would you? Yes, and I'd be a horrible ruler because I want everyone to love me but I have to be the boss. I'd be like the David Brent of dictators. People would starve because I'd try to make everyone and everything equal, which is why I'd never be given the opportunity to run the show.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with music? Usually with music. It helps with transporting me into a scene.
What do you think of book trailers? Some of them are amazing. The bad ones are really just crap. I have one that's borderline. My advice, never watch it. I need to fix it, but I have a million other things I'm trying to get done. :)
Pets? I have three cats.
How did you go about publishing your book? I worked in a publishing house for several years. For a while I thought traditional publishing was the best. But then I researched it more and discovered the benefits of indie-publishing. I hire proofreaders and cover designers myself, and then I format everything for ebooks and paperback copies. I love having control of all these things. I appreciate big publishers, but I also love the freedom to do what I want. Cover approval only has to go through me, not a bunch of different departments. I love it.
Do you have any weird or interesting rituals you do to get into writing mode or while you're writing? I wish! I'm boring. I just sit down and force myself to begin. Generally I read over what I wrote the previous session so I get back into the mood, but I don't do anything weird. Or maybe what I do IS weird, but I can't tell because it's me?
If you were on Death Row what would your last meal be? Eggs over-medium with toast, thick-sliced bacon, pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, a scone from Grannie Annie's in Kaysville (Utah), bistec ranchero and some queso dip from La Hacienda in Nashville (on Nolensville Pike), a hamburger from In-N-Out, and like six things of creme brulee. Too much? Well, it IS my last meal.
Happiest moment in your life so far. When my son was born, a close second was when I married his dad.
Scariest moment in my life? When my son was born. All that anxiety for him and the responsibility! Wow. But the happiness and joy really eclipses the other emotions.
If you weren't a human, what would you be? Either some kind of bird or a blue whale. Or could I be a concept? Like maybe Time? That would be cool.
Do your characters really talk to you? No. But I wish they did! That would make everything much easier.
Are you for or against books being made into movies? I used to be against it, but now I love it. That said, it depends on how well they pull it off. It would be cool if Hollywood learned to make up original screenplays, but I think that died when the studio system died.
Blue Hearts of Mars Playlist: "Strange Attractor," Animal Kingdom "Love to the Test," Niki & The Dove "Called Out In The Dark," Snow Patrol "Our Hell," Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton "Wait For Me," Shiny Toy Guns "Demons," Imagine Dragons "Dreams So Real," Metric "Lights Out, Words Gone," Bombay Bicycle Club "Myth," Beach House "Shuck," Purity Ring "Inch of Dust," Future Islands "Human Being," Cat Power "Hear Me," Imagine Dragons "Walking Through That Door," Future Islands "Hysteric," Yeah Yeah Yeahs "If I Lost You," Shiny Toy Guns "Never Let Me Go," Florence + The Machine "Speed The Collapse," Metric "Cutty Love," Milo Greene
Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas
Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.
If only it were as simple as being in love.
Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.
"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)
"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)
"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)
"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)
"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)
Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!
Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon
Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Internationally) Signed Copy of Cinder & Blue Hearts of Mars (US only) Ends 4/19/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.
Interview If you could travel in a Time Machine would you go back to the past or into the future? Is the time machine is the Tardis? I hope it is. It is, right? Well, anyway, I don't know if I could stand seeing the future, so I think we'd go back in time. And I've always really wanted to see Lake Bonneville (the ancient lake that used to cover Utah). Plus I love dinosaurs. Need to see them, if I can.
One food you would never eat? Sea cucumber and any of the sea cucumber's friends.
Please tell us in one sentence only, why we should read your book. Aside from the adventure and romance, there's a really beautiful story about what the soul is, what makes us human, and what we'll do for love.
Any other books in the works? Goals for future projects? I've always got several projects on my mind, if not in the works. Right now I'm working on a sci-fi novella called the Root, the YA sequel to my Illuminated Universe series, and a project I'm calling my chick-lit novel. The chick-lit story was supposed to just be about a small, fictional town in Utah, but somehow all this romance found its way in. It happens. I love romance, so sue me! I hope to publish all three this year. I believe in making lofty goals. It forces me to work hard.
What inspired you to want to become a writer? I have no idea, at least not specifically. My mom always let me check out forty to fifty books from the library when I was a child--the librarians would get one of those manual counters and click off all the books as they scanned them. I'm pretty sure I read all of them, too (ha ha). It just hit me one day that I could make up my own stories. I tried to write a fantasy book when I was thirteen but never finished it because I didn't really understand world-building. Thinking about it now, I used books to escape, and making up my own stories was a way for me to escape as well. Plus, my mom loves books so much. Some part of me just wants to wow her with an amazing book that I wrote!
Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published. People reading and enjoying my books is by far the coolest thing ever. Even having one person read one of my books because they read the description or something is amazing. I mean, I hope they enjoy the books. I'm incredibly grateful for readers. I wish I could personally tell each one thank you or give them a big bear hug or something!
If you could jump into a book and live in that world, which would it be? Harry Potter! I love the idea of an invisible, magical world. There's something innocent about it, despite the sinister qualities of Voldemort and his evil minions. There are steam trains and schools in old castles and flying cars! What more could I want?
What is your dream cast for your book? I love questions like this! For Hemingway, I'd cast Jensen Ackles from Supernatural. Retta would be great done by Jane Levy, from Suburgatory. David Tennant would need to play Retta's teacher, Dr. Craspo. Nathan Fillion would be perfect for Nikodemus, Retta's father. And maybe Zooey Deschanel as Mei, Retta's best friend.
If you were a bird, which one would you be? A Canada goose. They mate for life. And they can fly.
In your wildest dreams, which author would you love to co-author a book with? Brandon Sanderson. There are others, but I'm pretty impressed with his writing, and his ideas are unique and his endings are always mind-blowing.
Favorite quote from a movie? "We read to know we're not alone." It's from The Shadowlands, with Anthony Hopkins as C.S. Lewis. Great film.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? Well, people who know me are usually surprised to find out that I love chicklit, romantic comedies, Jane Austen, and romance stuff. I guess because I'm so brusque and rough. Maybe?
If you could take over the world, would you? Yes, and I'd be a horrible ruler because I want everyone to love me but I have to be the boss. I'd be like the David Brent of dictators. People would starve because I'd try to make everyone and everything equal, which is why I'd never be given the opportunity to run the show.
Do you prefer to write in silence or with music? Usually with music. It helps with transporting me into a scene.
What do you think of book trailers? Some of them are amazing. The bad ones are really just crap. I have one that's borderline. My advice, never watch it. I need to fix it, but I have a million other things I'm trying to get done. :)
Pets? I have three cats.
How did you go about publishing your book? I worked in a publishing house for several years. For a while I thought traditional publishing was the best. But then I researched it more and discovered the benefits of indie-publishing. I hire proofreaders and cover designers myself, and then I format everything for ebooks and paperback copies. I love having control of all these things. I appreciate big publishers, but I also love the freedom to do what I want. Cover approval only has to go through me, not a bunch of different departments. I love it.
Do you have any weird or interesting rituals you do to get into writing mode or while you're writing? I wish! I'm boring. I just sit down and force myself to begin. Generally I read over what I wrote the previous session so I get back into the mood, but I don't do anything weird. Or maybe what I do IS weird, but I can't tell because it's me?
If you were on Death Row what would your last meal be? Eggs over-medium with toast, thick-sliced bacon, pancakes, French toast, biscuits and gravy, a scone from Grannie Annie's in Kaysville (Utah), bistec ranchero and some queso dip from La Hacienda in Nashville (on Nolensville Pike), a hamburger from In-N-Out, and like six things of creme brulee. Too much? Well, it IS my last meal.
Happiest moment in your life so far. When my son was born, a close second was when I married his dad.
Scariest moment in my life? When my son was born. All that anxiety for him and the responsibility! Wow. But the happiness and joy really eclipses the other emotions.
If you weren't a human, what would you be? Either some kind of bird or a blue whale. Or could I be a concept? Like maybe Time? That would be cool.
Do your characters really talk to you? No. But I wish they did! That would make everything much easier.
Are you for or against books being made into movies? I used to be against it, but now I love it. That said, it depends on how well they pull it off. It would be cool if Hollywood learned to make up original screenplays, but I think that died when the studio system died.
Blue Hearts of Mars Playlist: "Strange Attractor," Animal Kingdom "Love to the Test," Niki & The Dove "Called Out In The Dark," Snow Patrol "Our Hell," Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton "Wait For Me," Shiny Toy Guns "Demons," Imagine Dragons "Dreams So Real," Metric "Lights Out, Words Gone," Bombay Bicycle Club "Myth," Beach House "Shuck," Purity Ring "Inch of Dust," Future Islands "Human Being," Cat Power "Hear Me," Imagine Dragons "Walking Through That Door," Future Islands "Hysteric," Yeah Yeah Yeahs "If I Lost You," Shiny Toy Guns "Never Let Me Go," Florence + The Machine "Speed The Collapse," Metric "Cutty Love," Milo Greene
Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas
Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.
If only it were as simple as being in love.
Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.
"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)
"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)
"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)
"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)
"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)
Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!
Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon
Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Internationally) Signed Copy of Cinder & Blue Hearts of Mars (US only) Ends 4/19/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor. When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her. She's now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.
"This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with." ~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR
"A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick's novel, "Fire and Ash" is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!" ~ Night Owl Reviews
"A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you'll want to read again." ~ Happily Ever After Reviews
"As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator. Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots." ~ Onedesertrose's Christian Book Reviews Blog
"As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn't resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED" ~Review from 'Fireboy' at Christianbook.com
Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!
LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!
'Best Inspirational' 2010 at The Romance Reviews!
#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!
Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!
Author Anne Patrick
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn't working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.
Book Blast Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/10/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor. When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her. She's now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.
"This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with." ~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR
"A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick's novel, "Fire and Ash" is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!" ~ Night Owl Reviews
"A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you'll want to read again." ~ Happily Ever After Reviews
"As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator. Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots." ~ Onedesertrose's Christian Book Reviews Blog
"As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn't resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED" ~Review from 'Fireboy' at Christianbook.com
Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!
LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!
'Best Inspirational' 2010 at The Romance Reviews!
#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!
Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!
Author Anne Patrick
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn't working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas.
Book Blast Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/10/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Release: May 2013 Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Paranormal
Her parents dead, her sister missing, and those she loves branded traitors to the Old Kind... Chloe Masters is on the run.
To fulfill a parent’s dying wish she will do anything to save the sister she has never met. Can she learn the secrets of the Artifacts before it’s too late? Surrounded by her friends; Slade, Edgar, Jess, Val and the man she loves James Nightshade, Chloe has never had so much to live for... but will her enemies let her?
Reviews about The Doorknob Society
“I am SO GLAD that I said I’d review the
book!! It had me interested from the first
chapter, and HOOKED shortly after that!”
Puretextuality.com
“Let me start by saying that I'm a pretty picky
reader. I have to be captured by a story almost
immediately in order to continue reading. Well, I
was captured by The Doorknob Society...and I
am hooked!” Amazon
“I couldn't put it down and read straight
through and was so mad at myself for finishing
it. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. FOR. THE. NEXT.
BOOK!” Goodreads
Other books in the series...
About M.J. Fletcher
MJ Fletcher is the creator of the comic book series Adam Zero: The Last Man of Earth published by Ronin Studios. He’s also been published in Hope: The Hero Initiative and Digital Webbing Presents. The Doorknob Society series is his first book series and he’s thrilled about it. He lives near the beach with his wife, daughter, and dog.
Release: May 2013 Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk, Paranormal
Her parents dead, her sister missing, and those she loves branded traitors to the Old Kind... Chloe Masters is on the run.
To fulfill a parent’s dying wish she will do anything to save the sister she has never met. Can she learn the secrets of the Artifacts before it’s too late? Surrounded by her friends; Slade, Edgar, Jess, Val and the man she loves James Nightshade, Chloe has never had so much to live for... but will her enemies let her?
Reviews about The Doorknob Society
“I am SO GLAD that I said I’d review the
book!! It had me interested from the first
chapter, and HOOKED shortly after that!”
Puretextuality.com
“Let me start by saying that I'm a pretty picky
reader. I have to be captured by a story almost
immediately in order to continue reading. Well, I
was captured by The Doorknob Society...and I
am hooked!” Amazon
“I couldn't put it down and read straight
through and was so mad at myself for finishing
it. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. FOR. THE. NEXT.
BOOK!” Goodreads
Other books in the series...
About M.J. Fletcher
MJ Fletcher is the creator of the comic book series Adam Zero: The Last Man of Earth published by Ronin Studios. He’s also been published in Hope: The Hero Initiative and Digital Webbing Presents. The Doorknob Society series is his first book series and he’s thrilled about it. He lives near the beach with his wife, daughter, and dog.
Got Great Giveaways is a weekly feature hosted here on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. This feature will be posted each week usually on Wednesdays but I'm sometimes early and often late. I love book giveaways. Enter enough book giveaways and you are going to win them. Just be sure to follow the giveaway entry rules so you have a valid entry and don't get disqualified.
To win a giveaway you've got to be able to find it and enter it. Thus I created Got Great Giveaways! If you are hosting a giveaway on your blog or come across a great giveaway you want to share please link it up here.
Got Great Giveaways? Book Giveaway Link Up Rules: Giveaways must be book related (books, gift cards to stores that sell books, swag, etc.) Please do not link up to Blog Hop Giveaways that are hosted on this site. Link directly to your giveaway post. Please include as much info as possible such as the genre, book title & ending date of your giveaway, shipping info, etc.
Example: Young Adult - In The Forests of Night by Kersten Hamilton ends 5/28 (US)
You are welcome to grab the code for this linky and add it to your site, just be sure to mention it is for book related giveaways only so it doesn't get spammed with unrelated giveaways. BOOK & BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS ONLY - others will be deleted.
Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. So whether you are shopping for books, movies, clothes, games, electronics, music, food or any of the myriad of other things amazon sells, simply use my affiliate link to shop. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site. My Affiliate Link: http://www.amazon.com?tag=iaarnaw-20.
Got Great Giveaways is a weekly feature hosted here on I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. This feature will be posted each week usually on Wednesdays but I'm sometimes early and often late. I love book giveaways. Enter enough book giveaways and you are going to win them. Just be sure to follow the giveaway entry rules so you have a valid entry and don't get disqualified.
To win a giveaway you've got to be able to find it and enter it. Thus I created Got Great Giveaways! If you are hosting a giveaway on your blog or come across a great giveaway you want to share please link it up here.
Got Great Giveaways? Book Giveaway Link Up Rules: Giveaways must be book related (books, gift cards to stores that sell books, swag, etc.) Please do not link up to Blog Hop Giveaways that are hosted on this site. Link directly to your giveaway post. Please include as much info as possible such as the genre, book title & ending date of your giveaway, shipping info, etc.
Example: Young Adult - In The Forests of Night by Kersten Hamilton ends 5/28 (US)
You are welcome to grab the code for this linky and add it to your site, just be sure to mention it is for book related giveaways only so it doesn't get spammed with unrelated giveaways. BOOK & BOOK RELATED GIVEAWAYS ONLY - others will be deleted.
Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. So whether you are shopping for books, movies, clothes, games, electronics, music, food or any of the myriad of other things amazon sells, simply use my affiliate link to shop. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site. My Affiliate Link: http://www.amazon.com?tag=iaarnaw-20.
Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.
If only it were as simple as being in love.
Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.
"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)
"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)
"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)
"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)
"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)
Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!
Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon
Author Nicole Grotepas
Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.
Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/14/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.
If only it were as simple as being in love.
Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.
"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)
"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)
"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)
"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)
"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)
Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!
Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon
Author Nicole Grotepas
Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.
Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/14/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Thanks for the heads up! I recently added this novel to my TBR so this is great timing. :) Can't wait!
:( Um...disregard the previous. I'm not sure how this was the first post to pop up when I opened your blog. Needless to say, I thought this free book was coming up next Monday! Lol!