Below I have made a list of 10 books/series that I highly recommend. These are all books that I read in the year 2013, not necessarily just books published this year. Also, because I am not one to say well this was my absolute favorite and this was my least favorite, these books/series are in no particular order.
Nikki Glass series by Jenna Black (Dark Descendant, Deadly Descendant, and Rogue Descendant)
I stumbled across this series while browsing the shelves at B&N, and the idea drew me in. I am a complete sucker for mythology and this series has all the pantheons which I found to be awesome. You follow Nikki Glass, who is a rare descendant of Artemis, and is rather talented at tracking down people. What I find to be great is that when her abilities kick in, she doesn't really know how to use them or control them and three books in she is still working out the kinks. Also, can I just say Jamaal? Seriously, I love him, and am rather frustrated with him at the same time, something I can see that Nikki fluctuates with as well. I am very much looking forward to the next book.
The Half-Light City series by M.J. Scott (Shadow Kin, Blood Kin, and Iron Kin)
Another series discovered while browsing at B&N, this one has the Fae, and vampires more commonly called the Blood, and werewolves called the Beast-Kind, and humans. It has a really cool world and characters and political wars, and of course, romance. Each book focuses on a different couple, and they have plenty of issues to work through, and secrets that sometimes threaten to destroy them, and there is also a plot that winds through the entire series and builds with each book. When Fire Kin comes out in May 2014, I will be running to grab a copy.
Geekomancy by Michael R. Underwood (Also the sequel Celebromancy)
This is e-book only, but I just have one thing to say about why they are worth a read: Pure Geeky Fun. There are so many references to the many geek fandoms out there and it made me squeal with delight. This book honestly made an ability based on the strength of a communities belief in certain characters or abilities, etc. Ree Reyes, the main character is a Geekomancer, and she can watch something, like say Star Wars, and then she could actually channel the Force and use it in the real world. Amazing...and I would love to have that ability.
The Baskerville Affair trilogy by Emma Jane Holloway (A Study in Silks, A Study in Ashes, and A Study in Darkness)
All three of these books came out in 2013 and they are all hefty books (like around 500 pages each). It was an amazing sort of alternate version of Victorian London, complete with magic and steampunk and a new addition to the Sherlock Holmes family (did you know he had a sister, who then had a daughter?) No, well, you should really introduce yourself to Evelina Cooper, the niece of Sherlock Holmes. Also, Sherlock, Watson, Mycroft, and Moriarty all show up in these books as well, so it is definitely a must-read for fans of Sherlock.
The Souls of the Stones series by Kelly Walker (Cornerstone, Second Stone, and Broken Stone)
I have only listed the main novels of the trilogy but Kelly Walker has also written companion novellas and prequel novellas, including Severed Stone, and Jaded Stone. These are YA books, and I discovered Kelly Walker through using Critique Circle online. I was able to join her group of reviewers while she wrote and edited a couple of these stories and it makes reading them after publication just a bit more rewarding because I feel like I'm doing something to help fellow authors. Plus, the books are good YA fantasy with a dash of romance. They are also easy reads, and she does have the first book available for free in e-book.
The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead (book four of the Bloodlines series)
I counted down the days until this book's release and then when I got my hands on a copy, I couldn't put it down. And now I'm wishing I had waited because it is going to be such a long wait until book 5 comes out around June. Richelle Mead knows how to amp up the tension and the romance and all the feelings in the world. I have been cheering on Sydney and Adrian (aka Sydrian) since the start of this spin-off series, and now I'm almost desperately waiting to see how they will deal with this latest roadblock, because it most certainly won't be easy. Vampires and witches and cult-like organizations and just all around awesomeness...check out this series and its predecessor, the Vampire Academy series.
The Hearts and Thrones novels by Amy Raby (Assassin's Gambit and Spy's Honor)
This is a fantasy novel that sort of feels like a version of the Roman Empire, but with magic. Guys, I seriously love fantasy novels, and I read a whole lot of fantasy romance novels. The first book deals with two characters with issues, one is an amputee and one has PTSD, and that is something you just don't really see in romance novels, which gives it a unique flavor. The second book is more of a prequel, but I still think they should be read in publication order since that introduces the world a bit better. I am eagerly awaiting the third book and hope that there will be many more in the future.
Spirit and Breathless by Brigid Kemmerer (Elemental series, #3 and #2.5)
I've already reviewed these stories, but let me just say that Spirit and Breathless only make me love these books even more. I am very impatiently awaiting the release of book #4 Secret because I need to know what happens next. This is another YA series and deals with people who can control the elements, focusing mostly on a family of four brothers. Just go out and read these, no matter if you are a teenager or an adult. They're so worth it.
Allegiant by Veronica Roth (Divergent #3)
I know there have been a lot of mixed reviews from fans of this dystopian trilogy, but I honestly think if it had ended any other way I would have been disappointed. Considering how the world was built with a dystopian society basically on the brink of war, this trilogy could not have ended without at least a few casualties, and I applaud Veronica Roth for sticking to her guns and doing what was right for the world she had created. Yes, I cried a lot at the end, but at the same time, I was glad that I had spent the time reading the books.
A Warlord's Lady by Nicola E. Sheridan
I absolutely adored her Magic series, which focused on genies, though there were a number of other creatures involved as well, and I had hoped that there would be more set in the same world, and Nicola Sheridan did not disappoint, because her latest also has the Magical Mafia who played a pretty major role in her other novels, but the focus shifts from genies to so many other creatures. You can tell that the author is a fan of mythology and that she takes the time to figure out how some of these beings would fit into the modern world and that research shows in a world that I can honestly believe exists. Plus, the male romantic leads are absolutely yummy.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Farewell 2013 and Hello 2014
Well, this is the end of 2013, and that really means that it is time to focus on 2014 and the goals I have for the upcoming year. But before I really get into my 2014 plans, I should take a moment to look back over the past year and be grateful for everything that has happened.
It was a big year for me. I self-published my first novel, Project Death: Resurrection. Overall I think I've sold about 50 copies since July 1st, which considering I am a new and self-published author, I'll take that as a pretty good number so far. This is especially true since most of what I've sold has been paperback. Oh, but the e-book is on sale for FREE right now at Smashwords. There you can download the e-book in any format, from NOOK and Kindle, to Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, even PDF. This is a great deal that won't last long. I will be moving the price back to $1.99 on Saturday, January 4th.
All things considered, it was also a big year on the reading front for me. I just finished reading book #128 a few minutes ago and I'm debating about whether or not I can squeeze another book or two in before the year is up. This year I discovered some new to me authors who will now be on my auto-buy list and I devoured some new and amazing books from some of my old favorites. I'll probably write up a post about some of my favorite books in 2013 later.
Finally (and very briefly), I don't really talk a lot about my personal life because I consider that to be personal, but everything in my life has improved since August when my best friend in the world asked me to be his girlfriend. He supports my dreams of being an author and was surprisingly okay when I almost completely ignored him through the month of November while working on my NaNovel for NaNoWriMo.
Now, for the 2014 goals. Souls Unknowing will be out in January and I'll have more information about that soon. I am also predicting that it will be June or July when Project Death: Revelation is released. There are a couple of my novels that I set aside a few years ago that have recently begun to beg for attention again, so I may go back and either finish them or re-write them or just edit them, depending on the novel. However, since those side-projects are also usually the start to another series, I most likely won't publish them until after I've finished work with the Souls trilogy and the Project Death series.
I'm thinking that since I have a bit more writing on the schedule for the year that I'm going to have to lighten up a bit on my reading goal. My original goal for 2013 was 100 but then I bumped it up to 120. So, right now, my goal for 2014 is 75. Depending on how the writing goes, that may be increased, so we'll just see what happens.
It was a big year for me. I self-published my first novel, Project Death: Resurrection. Overall I think I've sold about 50 copies since July 1st, which considering I am a new and self-published author, I'll take that as a pretty good number so far. This is especially true since most of what I've sold has been paperback. Oh, but the e-book is on sale for FREE right now at Smashwords. There you can download the e-book in any format, from NOOK and Kindle, to Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, even PDF. This is a great deal that won't last long. I will be moving the price back to $1.99 on Saturday, January 4th.
All things considered, it was also a big year on the reading front for me. I just finished reading book #128 a few minutes ago and I'm debating about whether or not I can squeeze another book or two in before the year is up. This year I discovered some new to me authors who will now be on my auto-buy list and I devoured some new and amazing books from some of my old favorites. I'll probably write up a post about some of my favorite books in 2013 later.
Finally (and very briefly), I don't really talk a lot about my personal life because I consider that to be personal, but everything in my life has improved since August when my best friend in the world asked me to be his girlfriend. He supports my dreams of being an author and was surprisingly okay when I almost completely ignored him through the month of November while working on my NaNovel for NaNoWriMo.
Now, for the 2014 goals. Souls Unknowing will be out in January and I'll have more information about that soon. I am also predicting that it will be June or July when Project Death: Revelation is released. There are a couple of my novels that I set aside a few years ago that have recently begun to beg for attention again, so I may go back and either finish them or re-write them or just edit them, depending on the novel. However, since those side-projects are also usually the start to another series, I most likely won't publish them until after I've finished work with the Souls trilogy and the Project Death series.
I'm thinking that since I have a bit more writing on the schedule for the year that I'm going to have to lighten up a bit on my reading goal. My original goal for 2013 was 100 but then I bumped it up to 120. So, right now, my goal for 2014 is 75. Depending on how the writing goes, that may be increased, so we'll just see what happens.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
My First Ever Book Signing
So, today is a pretty big day for me. I will participate in my first book signing ever of my published life. Have I gone to book signings to meet other authors and buy their books? Absolutely and I have a nice collection of autographed books because of it. But today I get to be one of those authors.
It is a huge step for me, especially considering that I started this journey with a pen name and some scribbled down story ideas, wanting to basically do nothing more than hide behind my computer. Truthfully I wanted to have some separation between my published life and my personal life, but now the more I look at that decision, the more I realize that it was fairly silly. Writing is my life and I love what I do. Yes, I have to hold another full time job to pay the bills because so far it isn't feasible to survive on about $100 every six months or so, but I still dream that someday I'll be able to make it to a part-time job only because writing will be getting me somewhere.
I'm still using my pen name. I love it and answer to it as easily as I do the name I was given at birth. I actually have friends who have gone to introduce me to someone they now and they say "This is Danielle." Trust me, that is perfectly fine with me. Of course, if you know me personally and want to use my birth name, then that's fine too. However, I am still going to try and maintain a slight veil of separation between my author persona and who I am the rest of the time. Right now I still don't feel like putting an author photo in my books, and if I do, you could almost guarantee that I will have my face partially obscured by a copy of my books or something similar. I don't like taking pictures of myself or having my picture taken. I think my smile looks awkward or entirely too goofy and an author photo is a professional thing and having a bad picture could reflect negatively on sales.
I think about these sorts of things all the time. Really, I do. And that might be why I'm a bit nervous for this book signing today. What happens if I get there and nobody wants to buy my book? I know of a few of my mom's friends who are coming there to see me, and the amusing thing is that they've all bought and read my book. The show of support for me and my dream is amazing and I am super grateful for it, but self-publishing (or any route of publication) is not easy and I can admit to still feeling like I've just taken a leap of faith and I'm waiting to see if I'll fly or fall. It's not exactly a pleasant sensation but I'm trying to hold on to my optimism about it all.
Why? Because the readers I have accumulated so far are absolutely amazing people. A few of them have brought me to tears with their words of how much they loved reading my book and how moved they were by the story. Hearing how desperately they want the next book is also extremely touching and motivating.
The doors for the signing open in three and a half hours. Whether this is successful or not, I at least know that I've taken another step forward and had another experience I couldn't have had if I hadn't published my book back in July. Basically, I'm just going to try and enjoy the roller coaster ride of being an author. It's been wild and amazing and difficult and exhilarating so far. Let's see what happens next.
It is a huge step for me, especially considering that I started this journey with a pen name and some scribbled down story ideas, wanting to basically do nothing more than hide behind my computer. Truthfully I wanted to have some separation between my published life and my personal life, but now the more I look at that decision, the more I realize that it was fairly silly. Writing is my life and I love what I do. Yes, I have to hold another full time job to pay the bills because so far it isn't feasible to survive on about $100 every six months or so, but I still dream that someday I'll be able to make it to a part-time job only because writing will be getting me somewhere.
I'm still using my pen name. I love it and answer to it as easily as I do the name I was given at birth. I actually have friends who have gone to introduce me to someone they now and they say "This is Danielle." Trust me, that is perfectly fine with me. Of course, if you know me personally and want to use my birth name, then that's fine too. However, I am still going to try and maintain a slight veil of separation between my author persona and who I am the rest of the time. Right now I still don't feel like putting an author photo in my books, and if I do, you could almost guarantee that I will have my face partially obscured by a copy of my books or something similar. I don't like taking pictures of myself or having my picture taken. I think my smile looks awkward or entirely too goofy and an author photo is a professional thing and having a bad picture could reflect negatively on sales.
I think about these sorts of things all the time. Really, I do. And that might be why I'm a bit nervous for this book signing today. What happens if I get there and nobody wants to buy my book? I know of a few of my mom's friends who are coming there to see me, and the amusing thing is that they've all bought and read my book. The show of support for me and my dream is amazing and I am super grateful for it, but self-publishing (or any route of publication) is not easy and I can admit to still feeling like I've just taken a leap of faith and I'm waiting to see if I'll fly or fall. It's not exactly a pleasant sensation but I'm trying to hold on to my optimism about it all.
Why? Because the readers I have accumulated so far are absolutely amazing people. A few of them have brought me to tears with their words of how much they loved reading my book and how moved they were by the story. Hearing how desperately they want the next book is also extremely touching and motivating.
The doors for the signing open in three and a half hours. Whether this is successful or not, I at least know that I've taken another step forward and had another experience I couldn't have had if I hadn't published my book back in July. Basically, I'm just going to try and enjoy the roller coaster ride of being an author. It's been wild and amazing and difficult and exhilarating so far. Let's see what happens next.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Get Project Death: Resurrection for FREE
Yes, that's right...for a short time only you can get my first book, Project Death: Resurrection absolutely free, and in any e-format you'd like. This deal will go until October 9th via my Smashwords page. You can find Resurrection here. When you go to check out, just use coupon code MJ69X.
That being said, my first book at retail price is only $1.99 and is available in most e-book formats. You can find it for NOOK, Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, etc. The Kindle version is still only available through Smashwords, probably because Amazon is backlogged with cataloging all the new e-books, but it is available for you Kindle owners.
Or, if you'd like a paperback copy, that option is available as well. Amazon has it for $8.96, and you can get it from CreateSpace for $9.95.
Finally, just in case you forgot, or you never knew, here is the cover and synopsis for Project Death: Resurrection.
That being said, my first book at retail price is only $1.99 and is available in most e-book formats. You can find it for NOOK, Kobo, iBooks, Sony Reader, etc. The Kindle version is still only available through Smashwords, probably because Amazon is backlogged with cataloging all the new e-books, but it is available for you Kindle owners.
Or, if you'd like a paperback copy, that option is available as well. Amazon has it for $8.96, and you can get it from CreateSpace for $9.95.
Finally, just in case you forgot, or you never knew, here is the cover and synopsis for Project Death: Resurrection.
Tamesis always thought that she knew her destiny and she was determined to be the absolute best Resurrector there was.
But, Fate had different plans. On her first heal, Tamesis runs into two mysterious men, and one of them changes everything for her.
Tamesis cannot stop thinking and dreaming about him. Then, when the work of the Resurrectors is threatened, the man returns and sets Tamesis on a path that opposes everything she was raised to believe.
Something has twisted the beliefs of the Resurrectors, causing them to stray from their path and become extremists. They were supposed to save those who still had noble work to do, but instead insist that everyone deserves to live until old age.
Now she needs to accept the role she was destined to have, that of the Angel of Death, healing those she can and reaping the souls of those who must die.
Her new position makes her a valuable player in a war that has gone on for centuries, between Resurrectors and those who protect the Balance of Life and Death. It is a dangerous place as the war heats up, threatening to throw everything into chaos.
Have a great day everyone!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Introducing...Project Death: Revelation
After a week of voting, the results are in for your choice of cover for Project Death: Revelation. I can honestly say that I very much love the choice. And, as promised, I will now post the winning cover as well as the back cover summary.
There are so many amazing revelations in this book, and I have learned a lot more about these characters. Right now I do feel that I'm on schedule to have Project Death: Revelation published in Summer 2014. First, though, I will have my attention focused on the editing of another book, Souls Unknowing, which I'm hoping to have out in December 2013. More information on that to come as I get further along in the process. Also, I will be barreling through a new story for NaNoWriMo this year, and hopefully it will be one of my best stories to date.
If I can keep to my own deadlines and such then I will have two books out each year, one in June and one in December, at least through the end of 2019. I know that it sounds crazy to have things planned that far in advance, but the Project Death series is four books, and the Souls trilogy is obviously three. Then, after those, I have a seven book series I'd like to wrap up and publish, so those are my self-publishing plans.
In other news, if the sales of my self-published books do well, then I do have a couple other novels that are set aside for submission to publishing houses. We'll just have to see what happens.
It has been one hundred years since Thanos left the Resurrectors to become Death. That past was one of his most guarded secrets…until now.
He has been ordered to tell Tamesis, his Angel of Death, his whole story, but what it reveals about him is something he continually struggles with.
Every event, every conversation, every relationship is one Thanos vividly recalls. After admitting how he felt for Tamesis even though they could never act on it, Thanos worries that telling her everything will cause her to leave. For Thanos, his tale is not just how he came to be this way, but also how the people in his life affected him.
But even as he tells his story, Thanos worries that something else is happening that will threaten his relationship with Tamesis. Piecing together the clues leads to a revelation that foretells destruction unless Fate chooses to intervene.
Follow Death, his Angel, and the Reapers as tensions with the Resurrectors grow to a boiling point. The revelations will change everything as the line between life and death, and the will of Fate becomes clearer. And if things do not go well, the resulting outbursts could start a ripple effect through the world of humans.
There are so many amazing revelations in this book, and I have learned a lot more about these characters. Right now I do feel that I'm on schedule to have Project Death: Revelation published in Summer 2014. First, though, I will have my attention focused on the editing of another book, Souls Unknowing, which I'm hoping to have out in December 2013. More information on that to come as I get further along in the process. Also, I will be barreling through a new story for NaNoWriMo this year, and hopefully it will be one of my best stories to date.
If I can keep to my own deadlines and such then I will have two books out each year, one in June and one in December, at least through the end of 2019. I know that it sounds crazy to have things planned that far in advance, but the Project Death series is four books, and the Souls trilogy is obviously three. Then, after those, I have a seven book series I'd like to wrap up and publish, so those are my self-publishing plans.
In other news, if the sales of my self-published books do well, then I do have a couple other novels that are set aside for submission to publishing houses. We'll just have to see what happens.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Vote for the Project Death: Revelation Cover
Okay everyone, I said that I would allow you guys to vote for which cover will be on Project Death: Revelation next year. That being said, I think the winner is probably fairly obvious. I know which one I like. The photo editing took a lot of time and I had to change a lot from what I envisioned in my mind so it would look a lot better. Anyway, this post is going up today, August 5th. Post your comments on which cover you prefer by August 9th, and the winner will be officially posted on my Goodreads account and on here, with the full summary, etc.
Here is Option #1:
And here's Option #2:
Well, I guess that is all for now. Remember to comment on this post, telling me Option #1 or Option #2 by August 9th.
Here is Option #1:
And here's Option #2:
Well, I guess that is all for now. Remember to comment on this post, telling me Option #1 or Option #2 by August 9th.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Cover Wars- Project Death: Revelation
Okay so I have spent a lot of time with planning this series, not just the titles, characters, plots, and deadlines, but also with figuring out the covers. It is not an easy process, especially when you are self-publishing and doing everything on your own.
But with some books you just have an idea for what you would like for a cover image. Personally, I try to stay away from having people on the cover, because unless that person is absolutely perfect then someone will complain that they did not picture a character looking that way. I know I have felt that way at times with books I've read.
For the Project Death series I could not stop thinking of cool looking cemetery statues or headstones. If it is the right statue then it has a certain level of...well I don't want to say creepiness but maybe foreboding. And since the series is about Death and his Angel fighting to maintain the balance of life and death, cemetery statues also set the tone for the book.
A couple weeks ago I went to visit my friend Signy Cullen, and while I was in her neck of the woods we went to a couple of cemeteries. I really needed to find the perfect image for Revelation. What is now really amusing is that I may have found two rather good options.
Here's the deal guys. I know this book isn't scheduled for release until 2014, but having the cover finished actually helps to motivate me. I set the image as the background to my phone and my laptop so I see it all the time. I'd like to have the cover ready for you guys too.
I think I am going to make two versions of the cover and then I'll put it to a vote to see which one you guys like better. How does that sound? Then, once the winning cover has been selected, I can release the cover officially as well as the book summary. This would also mean having the book put up on Goodreads as well.
Thanks for all of the support guys, and I will have those covers up soon.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
A Different Camp Experience
In all of my NaNo experiences and even in my normal writing, I have a system for my writing. I have always written in a linear fashion, from start to finish. That is rapidly changing when it comes to Project Death: Revelation.
As I said before about Thanos' story, it is both prequel and sequel thanks to Thanos telling Tamesis about how he came to be Death. It originally led to me being blocked and unable to keep writing. Then I realized that I would have to write the past story line and then head back to work on the present story line.
Unfortunately, the story did not like that option. For the first time in my writing career I am writing scenes/chapters as they come to my mind. It is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. What if I can't piece all these snippets together? Will working this way actually make things easier or more complicated when I get to editing?
I guess the only way to find out is to keep writing and work through issues as they come. It is one of the fun things about being a reader and a writer. I like not knowing what will happen next in a story.
My characters don't always tell me everything right away so all of this is like wandering through a maze figuring out what to do next with each twist and turn. I love it, and I can't wait to share my next novel with all of you.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Camp NaNoWriMo July...Why July?
There is only one thing that I do not like about Camp NaNoWriMo. It changes months every year. The first year it took place in July and August, which I thought was a horrible idea. Trying to do 50,000 words in 31 days two months in a row is really difficult. Then last year it was June and August, which I have to say that I absolutely loved. There was a break in the middle and both sessions took place in wonderful summer months.
This year, Camp NaNoWriMo took place in April (how is that a summer camp option?) and now July. Yes, July has 31 days which gives a little more time to hit the word count goal, and you don't even have to aim for 50K anymore because you can change your goal lower or higher depending on what you want to do.
Okay, really part of my mini-rant here could be because I absolutely loved having Camp NaNo in August. My birthday is August 1st and I can always count on telling people that what I want for my birthday is a day for everyone to leave me alone so I can write. It really does help with the word count...and having a cake doesn't hurt either.
I have participated in both sessions of Camp since it was created. I am a founding donor for Camp. I love having more opportunities to sit down and write while my inner editor is locked up somewhere deep inside. But, what I would love even more is to be able to have a consistency to my Camp planning. I can always count on NaNoWriMo to be in November. Is it so wrong to want Camp to have that same reliability? I vote for June and August. Really, they were they best.
Moving on....to my actual Camp progress. I am working on Project Death: Revelation, the second book in the Project Death series and the sequel to my just released novel (available on Amazon and CreateSpace). This second book delves into Thanos's past, as well as progressing from where the story ended in the first book. It was that dual nature that has made my writing fairly slow for the past week. I kept trying to write it in a linear order, having the story jump from what is happening at that moment with the characters, to then having Thanos tell Tamesis the story of his past.
I hit a realization yesterday and it is making a world of difference. I am going to write all of Thanos's back story, and then weave the rest of the plot around that fact, deciding when it would be best to have Thanos pause in his narration, etc. It should work out a lot better and will hopefully mean a rapidly rising word count.
Oh, and I am going to go visit Signy Cullen this weekend and we have a lot planned, both fun and work. We are going to go to an amusement park and ride some roller coasters on Saturday, and then on Sunday we are going to visit a few cemeteries. I am still searching for the perfect image to use for the cover of Project Death: Revelation. Hopefully I'll find what I need when I'm with her.
I think that's all for now. I need to get back to writing.
This year, Camp NaNoWriMo took place in April (how is that a summer camp option?) and now July. Yes, July has 31 days which gives a little more time to hit the word count goal, and you don't even have to aim for 50K anymore because you can change your goal lower or higher depending on what you want to do.
Okay, really part of my mini-rant here could be because I absolutely loved having Camp NaNo in August. My birthday is August 1st and I can always count on telling people that what I want for my birthday is a day for everyone to leave me alone so I can write. It really does help with the word count...and having a cake doesn't hurt either.
I have participated in both sessions of Camp since it was created. I am a founding donor for Camp. I love having more opportunities to sit down and write while my inner editor is locked up somewhere deep inside. But, what I would love even more is to be able to have a consistency to my Camp planning. I can always count on NaNoWriMo to be in November. Is it so wrong to want Camp to have that same reliability? I vote for June and August. Really, they were they best.
Moving on....to my actual Camp progress. I am working on Project Death: Revelation, the second book in the Project Death series and the sequel to my just released novel (available on Amazon and CreateSpace). This second book delves into Thanos's past, as well as progressing from where the story ended in the first book. It was that dual nature that has made my writing fairly slow for the past week. I kept trying to write it in a linear order, having the story jump from what is happening at that moment with the characters, to then having Thanos tell Tamesis the story of his past.
I hit a realization yesterday and it is making a world of difference. I am going to write all of Thanos's back story, and then weave the rest of the plot around that fact, deciding when it would be best to have Thanos pause in his narration, etc. It should work out a lot better and will hopefully mean a rapidly rising word count.
Oh, and I am going to go visit Signy Cullen this weekend and we have a lot planned, both fun and work. We are going to go to an amusement park and ride some roller coasters on Saturday, and then on Sunday we are going to visit a few cemeteries. I am still searching for the perfect image to use for the cover of Project Death: Revelation. Hopefully I'll find what I need when I'm with her.
I think that's all for now. I need to get back to writing.
Monday, July 8, 2013
My Published Book and Goodreads Author Status
So, Project Death: Resurrection has been out for a week now. I wish I could say that the excitement of holding a copy of my book was diminishing the tiniest bit so I could actually focus on writing the next book, but so far, it is still amazingly surreal to pick up that 5" by 8" bound collection of 276 pages. I probably stare at them more than I should, but hey, it is something I have been dreaming of doing for the past 13-14 years.
I still really love this cover. I took it at one of my local cemeteries and it is a really cool statue, even without me removing the color from the image. I haven't seen it myself, but at night, her eyes glow, which is a really cool creepy factor. For the Project Death series, I plan on all of the covers being cemetery pictures, from the paperback of Resurrection that is currently available on Amazon and CreateSpace, to the ebook version that I am currently working on since I have to reformat everything.
The most exciting announcement about this series, aside from the fact that the first book is available now, is that I am planning on releasing a special edition of the books, which will be available from Barnes & Noble. The special edition of Resurrection will actually have a bonus short story, as well as the first chapter from Revelation, the second book in the series.
I am hoping to be able to reformat the whole manuscript per Smashwords criteria in the next couple of weeks so I can get the ebook out soon. In the past week I have sold one copy of my book, and I am honestly thinking that is mostly because there is not an ebook version available yet.
It will happen soon, I promise.
Okay, so once again, I will say that the book is available on Amazon for $9.45 and on CreateSpace for $9.95. When I have the ebook available, it will be $3.99, and the Barnes & Noble special edition will most likely be $11.95, depending on what costs are taken out by B&N's PubIt! program.
My dream has come true by having my book published, and I am absolutely thrilled to have sold it to one person already. Now I just have to keep spreading the word and hoping that other people find interest in the books.
Oh, and I almost forgot, I am also on Goodreads now (with an author profile and everything). You can add Project Death: Resurrection to your to-read list there. Thanks for following my blog through all of my book reviews, my rambling about my writing process, and my constant talk on the road to publication. If you think that my book sounds interesting, hey, I would be thrilled if you would buy a copy. If it doesn't hit your fancy but you think a friend might like it, then by all means, spread the word. And if you are a book blogger/reviewer and you would like to read/review my book, shoot me a message via Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. I do have PDFs I could send you in exchange for an honest review. That would be awesome.
I still really love this cover. I took it at one of my local cemeteries and it is a really cool statue, even without me removing the color from the image. I haven't seen it myself, but at night, her eyes glow, which is a really cool creepy factor. For the Project Death series, I plan on all of the covers being cemetery pictures, from the paperback of Resurrection that is currently available on Amazon and CreateSpace, to the ebook version that I am currently working on since I have to reformat everything.
The most exciting announcement about this series, aside from the fact that the first book is available now, is that I am planning on releasing a special edition of the books, which will be available from Barnes & Noble. The special edition of Resurrection will actually have a bonus short story, as well as the first chapter from Revelation, the second book in the series.
I am hoping to be able to reformat the whole manuscript per Smashwords criteria in the next couple of weeks so I can get the ebook out soon. In the past week I have sold one copy of my book, and I am honestly thinking that is mostly because there is not an ebook version available yet.
It will happen soon, I promise.
Okay, so once again, I will say that the book is available on Amazon for $9.45 and on CreateSpace for $9.95. When I have the ebook available, it will be $3.99, and the Barnes & Noble special edition will most likely be $11.95, depending on what costs are taken out by B&N's PubIt! program.
My dream has come true by having my book published, and I am absolutely thrilled to have sold it to one person already. Now I just have to keep spreading the word and hoping that other people find interest in the books.
Oh, and I almost forgot, I am also on Goodreads now (with an author profile and everything). You can add Project Death: Resurrection to your to-read list there. Thanks for following my blog through all of my book reviews, my rambling about my writing process, and my constant talk on the road to publication. If you think that my book sounds interesting, hey, I would be thrilled if you would buy a copy. If it doesn't hit your fancy but you think a friend might like it, then by all means, spread the word. And if you are a book blogger/reviewer and you would like to read/review my book, shoot me a message via Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. I do have PDFs I could send you in exchange for an honest review. That would be awesome.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Book Publishing Excitement
Okay, so I have written posts before about my critique partner (CP) and how we have both been helping each other with finishing and editing our respective novels so we can use our CreateSpace coupons from NaNoWriMo to publish. Well, she finished hers before me and her book is now available from the CreateSpace eStore, and Amazon (paperback and Kindle).
I have discussed it with her and we are going to plan some time to have a little interview about the book and her writing process, etc. to be posted here on my blog. In the meantime, I'd just like to say that I am extremely proud of her, and here are the links to the various places you can buy her book, Farther Side of Away.
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4192170?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026
Amazon (paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Side-Away-Signy-Cullen/dp/1484847423/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371755067&sr=8-1&keywords=Farther+Side+of+Away
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Side-of-Away-ebook/dp/B00DHY2UJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371754525&sr=1-1&keywords=Farther+Side+of+Away
I have discussed it with her and we are going to plan some time to have a little interview about the book and her writing process, etc. to be posted here on my blog. In the meantime, I'd just like to say that I am extremely proud of her, and here are the links to the various places you can buy her book, Farther Side of Away.
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4192170?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026
Amazon (paperback): http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Side-Away-Signy-Cullen/dp/1484847423/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371755067&sr=8-1&keywords=Farther+Side+of+Away
Amazon (Kindle): http://www.amazon.com/Farther-Side-of-Away-ebook/dp/B00DHY2UJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371754525&sr=1-1&keywords=Farther+Side+of+Away
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
More Info on Project Death: Resurrection
Okay, so I've talked about my novel, Project Death: Resurrection, on here quite a bit, but it has been a while since I've really been able to give any sort of update. That is mostly because of my currently rather hectic work life and the fact that I spend a lot of time basically helping my parents to babysit my grandmother. Now, I'm not saying that as if I'm complaining because I love my grandmother, but I do feel guilty if I'm sitting with her and I pull out a notebook or my laptop to try and get some writing work done.
Anyway, here we are almost halfway through the month of June. What this means (aside from the start of Camp NaNoWriMo growing steadily nearer) is that my CreateSpace code is close to expiring, which basically means that I need to step up my game just a little bit. I've created a nice schedule and, if everything goes as planned, Project Death: Resurrection will be released at the end of the month.
In light of that fact I have decided to once again tell you all about the book and all the information I've basically been tinkering with behind the scenes these past few weeks/months.
However, when I reformat for ebook, I'm hoping that I can really lower that price for the readers while still being profitable for me. I plan on utilizing Smashwords for the ebook process so I can have my book formatted for NOOK, Kindle, Kobo, Sony Reader, iBooks, etc. because I want as many people as possible to be able to find my book in a format that works for them. I'll have to do a little more research and tinkering, but as of right now I'm thinking that for Project Death: Resurrection the ebook price will most likely be $3.99 or $4.99.
Okay, enough talk of the dollars and cents and all that sort of stuff. I know I've posted it before, but once again, here is the back-cover summary for Project Death: Resurrection:
Oh, and I'm also planning on having a couple of giveaways for my book, most likely on Goodreads. The Goodreads giveaway books will be pretty special because they will be signed, and who knows, but that could be worth something someday. I mean, come on, I can dream, right? I so can't wait to have a copy of my book in my hands. I'll have more information about where you can buy the book if you're interested here in a few weeks.
Anyway, here we are almost halfway through the month of June. What this means (aside from the start of Camp NaNoWriMo growing steadily nearer) is that my CreateSpace code is close to expiring, which basically means that I need to step up my game just a little bit. I've created a nice schedule and, if everything goes as planned, Project Death: Resurrection will be released at the end of the month.
In light of that fact I have decided to once again tell you all about the book and all the information I've basically been tinkering with behind the scenes these past few weeks/months.
This is the front cover of the paperback version and the only cover for what will eventually be the e-book version as well. Once I have the paperback released I'll be focusing most of my attention on Camp NaNoWriMo in July, so it's likely that I won't be able to get around to the novel interior reformatting for the e-book version until August. Which means that for a month to two months my book will only be available in paperback.
Now, I've been doing some playing around with the price point and trying to figure out what would be reasonable for the readers/consumers while also giving me even a tiny profit. CreateSpace has a couple different options when it comes to distribution: standard and expanded. The standard distribution is free to the author and includes having your book available via Amazon.com, the CreateSpace eStore, and the option to go ebook for Kindle. That's nice and all, but I am also a huge supporter of Barnes & Noble and it would be nice to have my book available there too. Looking into the expanded distribution, it is a $25 fee to utilize, but may actually be more beneficial in the long run.
I think this would work a lot better for me, but with expanded distribution and its cost, it makes it a little more difficult to make a profit. I was doing some tinkering and some looking at prices for comparably sized books to mine and originally I thought for the paperback that $9.95 would be reasonable, and it would be a really decent profit margin using standard distribution, but with expanded distribution I would actually be losing roughly $0.50 for every book. I moved the price up to $10.95 and that negative profit on expanded distribution moved up to a loss of about $0.10 for every book, but a price of $11.95 would yield me about $0.33 profit from each book. I really would have preferred to stick with $9.95 but if I go with expanded distribution so my book is available in more places then I have to be mindful of how that affects everything else.What is Expanded Distribution?
Expanded Distribution offers you the opportunity to access a larger audience through more online retailers, bookstores, libraries, academic institutions, and distributors within the United States. Expanded Distribution will also improve discoverability of your book across all the channels. Regardless of whether or not you include your title in Expanded Distribution, all CreateSpace titles can be distributed through the Amazon.com, Amazon Europe and eStore channels.
How does it work?
Most online retailers, bookstores, and libraries find books through purchasing relationships with large distributors. If your book is not listed with these distributors, some retailers may not be able to buy your book, even if a customer specifically requests your title. Through Expanded Distribution you can distribute and make your title available for order (this does not guarantee that your book will actually be ordered) through the following channels:
- Bookstores and Online Retailers - make your book available to online and offline retailers such as Barnes & Noble and to distributors such as Ingram and NACSCORP.
- Libraries and Academic Institutions - make your book available through Baker & Taylor to libraries and academic institutions.
- CreateSpace Direct - make your book available to certified resellers through our wholesale website.
However, when I reformat for ebook, I'm hoping that I can really lower that price for the readers while still being profitable for me. I plan on utilizing Smashwords for the ebook process so I can have my book formatted for NOOK, Kindle, Kobo, Sony Reader, iBooks, etc. because I want as many people as possible to be able to find my book in a format that works for them. I'll have to do a little more research and tinkering, but as of right now I'm thinking that for Project Death: Resurrection the ebook price will most likely be $3.99 or $4.99.
Okay, enough talk of the dollars and cents and all that sort of stuff. I know I've posted it before, but once again, here is the back-cover summary for Project Death: Resurrection:
Tamesis always thought that she knew her destiny and she was determined to be the absolute best Resurrector there was.
But, Fate had different plans. On her first heal, Tamesis runs into two mysterious men, and one of them changes everything for her.
Tamesis cannot stop thinking and dreaming about him. Then, when the work of the Resurrectors is threatened, the man returns and sets Tamesis on a path that opposes everything she was raised to believe.
Something has twisted the beliefs of the Resurrectors, causing them to stray from their path and become extremists. They were supposed to save those who still had noble work to do, but instead insist that everyone deserves to live until old age.
Now she needs to accept the role she was destined to have, that of the Angel of Death, healing those she can and reaping the souls of those who must die.
Her new position makes her a valuable player in a war that has gone on for centuries, between Resurrectors and those who protect the Balance of Life and Death. It is a dangerous place as the war heats up, threatening to throw everything into chaos.
Oh, and I'm also planning on having a couple of giveaways for my book, most likely on Goodreads. The Goodreads giveaway books will be pretty special because they will be signed, and who knows, but that could be worth something someday. I mean, come on, I can dream, right? I so can't wait to have a copy of my book in my hands. I'll have more information about where you can buy the book if you're interested here in a few weeks.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
So Many Books to Read
Okay, so I read a lot of books. So many that sometimes I have a hard time remembering all the books I've read. Really, I should have predicted this problem back in my youth and kept a list of everything I've read. In my first semester of grad school I was required to join Goodreads. Yes, that's right, one of my first assignments for one of my librarian classes was to join Goodreads and/or LibraryThing. Since then I have been trying to input all the books I can remember reading. Just including the ones I read from Junior High to about midway through college, I accumulated over 1,000 books. The problem is that I know there are so many others I don't have listed there.
Thankfully though, thanks to Goodreads, I don't have to worry about forgetting those books any longer. Now I like to keep track of the books I am currently reading, the ones I want to read, and the ones that I have read. What is really funny to me is that my to-read list is almost as long as my read list...and the to-read list just keeps growing and growing. It is over 850 books long so far. I want to try and read as many of them as I possibly can, but I know that there is no way I could read them all...unless I had a job where all I did was read books and then review them.
Not only do I have my to-read list on Goodreads, but I also have an actual physical TBR pile in my room and then I have my virtual TBR pile on my NOOK. Just in case people don't want to believe me on this, here is a picture of my current physical TBR pile:
Most of these are books I've purchased the last couple times I went to B&N, but there are about five that I won in giveaways. Not surprisingly, my NOOK TBR pile is bigger, but it would be extremely difficult to try and take a picture of that considering my TBR pile actually takes up all three of my home screens on my NOOK.
Yes, I've already read over 80 books this year, and clearly I am going to probably read about 80 more. Books are my addiction and it is an addiction I never plan to give up. Thankfully books are not as hazardous to my health as other vices such as drinking or smoking or drugs. I know I get weird looks from some people when I talk about books as much and as passionately as I do, but I am not going to change for anyone.
I am a bibliophile. I am a librarian. If I do not have books with me then I am not happy. Through the books I've read over the years I have traveled to so many different countries and worlds and planets. I have made some amazing friends, swooned over some extremely crushworthy men, and faced down terrifying villains and monsters. I have experienced love and loss, friendship, triumph, failure, adventure, and have collected enormous amounts of knowledge.
When the rest of the world seems to be falling down around me and when reality is just too depressing to face, I have my books. They are always there for me, very dependable, and for that I have always been grateful.
How about you guys? What is your feeling/relationship with books? Are you reading anything that you think I should add to my ever-growing to-read list?
Oh, and I should probably say that I'm thinking of changing the review format a little for my From the Stacks reviews. It'll still have a picture of the book, the summary, and of course links to purchase the book, but in the My Thoughts section, I'm thinking of breaking it down and going over my feelings about the cover, whether or not the summary pulled me in, and then discussing my feelings of the characters, the relationships, and the plot.
For the month of June I'm busy with some final edits for Project Death: Resurrection and then in July I will be dealing with the second session of Camp NaNoWriMo, but I'm thinking that I'll start the new From the Stacks format at the beginning of August.
Thankfully though, thanks to Goodreads, I don't have to worry about forgetting those books any longer. Now I like to keep track of the books I am currently reading, the ones I want to read, and the ones that I have read. What is really funny to me is that my to-read list is almost as long as my read list...and the to-read list just keeps growing and growing. It is over 850 books long so far. I want to try and read as many of them as I possibly can, but I know that there is no way I could read them all...unless I had a job where all I did was read books and then review them.
Not only do I have my to-read list on Goodreads, but I also have an actual physical TBR pile in my room and then I have my virtual TBR pile on my NOOK. Just in case people don't want to believe me on this, here is a picture of my current physical TBR pile:
Most of these are books I've purchased the last couple times I went to B&N, but there are about five that I won in giveaways. Not surprisingly, my NOOK TBR pile is bigger, but it would be extremely difficult to try and take a picture of that considering my TBR pile actually takes up all three of my home screens on my NOOK.
Yes, I've already read over 80 books this year, and clearly I am going to probably read about 80 more. Books are my addiction and it is an addiction I never plan to give up. Thankfully books are not as hazardous to my health as other vices such as drinking or smoking or drugs. I know I get weird looks from some people when I talk about books as much and as passionately as I do, but I am not going to change for anyone.
I am a bibliophile. I am a librarian. If I do not have books with me then I am not happy. Through the books I've read over the years I have traveled to so many different countries and worlds and planets. I have made some amazing friends, swooned over some extremely crushworthy men, and faced down terrifying villains and monsters. I have experienced love and loss, friendship, triumph, failure, adventure, and have collected enormous amounts of knowledge.
When the rest of the world seems to be falling down around me and when reality is just too depressing to face, I have my books. They are always there for me, very dependable, and for that I have always been grateful.
How about you guys? What is your feeling/relationship with books? Are you reading anything that you think I should add to my ever-growing to-read list?
Oh, and I should probably say that I'm thinking of changing the review format a little for my From the Stacks reviews. It'll still have a picture of the book, the summary, and of course links to purchase the book, but in the My Thoughts section, I'm thinking of breaking it down and going over my feelings about the cover, whether or not the summary pulled me in, and then discussing my feelings of the characters, the relationships, and the plot.
For the month of June I'm busy with some final edits for Project Death: Resurrection and then in July I will be dealing with the second session of Camp NaNoWriMo, but I'm thinking that I'll start the new From the Stacks format at the beginning of August.
Monday, June 3, 2013
From the Stacks: Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead
I will read anything and everything published by Richelle Mead and that is the honest truth. I love the blend of drama and humor in her books and the incredible world and character building, and Gameboard of the Gods is no exception.
Summary:
The truth is, when you banish the gods from the world, they eventually come back—with a vengeance.
In the near future, Justin March lives in exile from the Republic of United North America. After failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims, Justin is surprised when he is sent back with a peculiar assignment—to solve a string of ritualistic murders steeped in seemingly unexplainable phenomena.
Justin’s return comes with an even bigger shock: His new partner and bodyguard, Mae Koskinen, is a prætorian, one of the Republic’s technologically enhanced supersoldiers. Mae’s inexplicable beauty and aristocratic upbringing attract Justin’s curiosity and desire, but her true nature holds more danger than anyone realizes.
As their investigation unfolds, Justin and Mae find themselves in the crosshairs of mysterious enemies. Powers greater than they can imagine have started to assemble in the shadows, preparing to reclaim a world that has renounced religion and where humans are merely gamepieces on their board.
My Thoughts:
I really like that Richelle Mead can simultaneously work on a YA series and an adult series. She is incredibly versatile and I'm obsessed with all of her books. When I heard about her new adult series, the Age of X, I impatiently waited as more information trickled in and once the ARC showed up on NetGalley, I requested it immediately, all the while thinking that I'd probably be denied, but I wasn't. So, I put aside whatever else I was reading and dove into Gameboard of the Gods at once.
I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. The relationship between Justin and Mae to me, in some ways anyway, seems as if it is a wonderful hybrid of some of Mead's other great characters.Mae is as kick-ass as Dimitri from Vampire Academy but with the cool detachment of Rose's mother. Then there is Justin, who honestly does seem like a perfect Sydrian (that is Sydney and Adrian mash-up). These characters completely embody both studious habits and badassery.
Plus, can I just say, the whole concept of a society that has basically renounced all religion and what denominations have survived are heavily monitored and limited, and yet the Gods of the world are now coming back and are using people in this shadowy war is incredibly intriguing. When I started to piece together some of the Gods who were in play already in the first book, I'm not going to lie...I geeked out.
The world is complex and yet I sincerely hope our future does not end up this way because as much as I enjoy reading about it, I really would not want to live in that kind of world. The characters draw you in. I love Justin and Mae and Tessa, and I am very much looking forward to the next installment. Read this book. You won't be disappointed. 5/5.
I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. The relationship between Justin and Mae to me, in some ways anyway, seems as if it is a wonderful hybrid of some of Mead's other great characters.Mae is as kick-ass as Dimitri from Vampire Academy but with the cool detachment of Rose's mother. Then there is Justin, who honestly does seem like a perfect Sydrian (that is Sydney and Adrian mash-up). These characters completely embody both studious habits and badassery.
Plus, can I just say, the whole concept of a society that has basically renounced all religion and what denominations have survived are heavily monitored and limited, and yet the Gods of the world are now coming back and are using people in this shadowy war is incredibly intriguing. When I started to piece together some of the Gods who were in play already in the first book, I'm not going to lie...I geeked out.
The world is complex and yet I sincerely hope our future does not end up this way because as much as I enjoy reading about it, I really would not want to live in that kind of world. The characters draw you in. I love Justin and Mae and Tessa, and I am very much looking forward to the next installment. Read this book. You won't be disappointed. 5/5.
Gameboard of the Gods at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gameboard-of-the-gods-richelle-mead/1113599176?ean=9780525953685
Gameboard of the Gods at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Gameboard-Gods-Age-Richelle-Mead/dp/052595368X/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1386503811&sr=8-1
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Editing Process and Making NaNoWriMo Plans
Okay, so work has been completely exhausting and I now understand why my mom complained about her job for so long, even when I didn't exactly believe her. I never imagined that I would be working in a factory assembling laundry dryers, especially not when I have both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, but in this economy, I guess you take whatever you can get. The pay is pretty decent, but after a typical day (where I usually work between 9 and 14 hours), I am tired.
I have been falling behind on practically everything in my life. My DVR is about 2/3 filled with shows I have yet to watch, my physical TBR pile reaches my navel area (so, roughly 2.5 feet tall) and my digital TBR pile is even larger, and trying to work on writing and/or editing...my brain doesn't even want to function when I get home from work so that seems impossible. But I know I have to do it if I want to achieve my goal of being a published author.
The other huge issue was with my laptop. It was the one I bought before I entered college seven years ago, and it was close to dying on me, again. I saved up for the past two months and just now bought a new laptop...and it is wonderful so far. What is not wonderful...having to transfer all of my files and music, etc over so I can get back to work. For now I just have the music I listen to most and the manuscript files I actually need to be focusing on at this moment. So, with any luck, I'll be back to making progress on that front again.
I had my best friend from college, who is also an aspiring author, up for Memorial Day weekend and we had a blast. We went and saw Fast & Furious 6 and then saw Iron Man 3 (for a second time), and we also went to the local zoo, which was a blast. On Memorial Day the weather took a turn for the yucky, all cold and rainy, so we stayed at home and tried to work on doing more editing for our novels. Her editing is just a clean-up run through since she's already gone through the major editing issues. For my novel, on the other hand, there are a number of scenes that I need to elaborate on or clean up so it all makes more sense. So, I am doing a lot more writing.
She made it through somewhere between 20-30 pages...and I managed to add close to a 1,000 words to mine. It was not even close to what I was hoping to achieve, but it is also more than I've done in the past couple months. Also...this new computer is still in the stage of me trying to learn all of its features, and that makes it a pretty huge distraction.
Aside from adding to my novel, I did also manage to write out the summaries for the four book saga I plan to start writing this year for NaNoWriMo. I am really looking forward to it.
Which brings me to my NaNoWriMo plans for the remainder of 2013...or rather my writing plans that include NaNoWriMo. Anyway, I hope to be able to finish my edits for Project Death: Resurrection by mid-June. I have to finish it before the month is up, since my CreateSpace coupon expires then. Then, for Camp NaNoWriMo in July I will be working on the sequel, Project Death: Revelation. I need to have it basically written so I can work on editing it in the beginning of 2014 so it will be ready for publication next summer. Finally, for NaNoWriMo in November, I plan on writing the first book in my four book saga, The Life and Death of a Seer.
As I usually do leading up to a NaNo event, I will have a post that talks about the novel, perhaps a brief summary, and maybe even some discussion of the characters, and through the month of Camp or NaNo, I will have updates on the writing progress and process.
I hope to be able to post the good news at the end of June about the publication of Project Death: Resurrection. It is a story that came to me almost a decade ago and has been a great labor of love for me. To be able to see it available in both print and e-book will definitely be an amazing moment.
I have been falling behind on practically everything in my life. My DVR is about 2/3 filled with shows I have yet to watch, my physical TBR pile reaches my navel area (so, roughly 2.5 feet tall) and my digital TBR pile is even larger, and trying to work on writing and/or editing...my brain doesn't even want to function when I get home from work so that seems impossible. But I know I have to do it if I want to achieve my goal of being a published author.
The other huge issue was with my laptop. It was the one I bought before I entered college seven years ago, and it was close to dying on me, again. I saved up for the past two months and just now bought a new laptop...and it is wonderful so far. What is not wonderful...having to transfer all of my files and music, etc over so I can get back to work. For now I just have the music I listen to most and the manuscript files I actually need to be focusing on at this moment. So, with any luck, I'll be back to making progress on that front again.
I had my best friend from college, who is also an aspiring author, up for Memorial Day weekend and we had a blast. We went and saw Fast & Furious 6 and then saw Iron Man 3 (for a second time), and we also went to the local zoo, which was a blast. On Memorial Day the weather took a turn for the yucky, all cold and rainy, so we stayed at home and tried to work on doing more editing for our novels. Her editing is just a clean-up run through since she's already gone through the major editing issues. For my novel, on the other hand, there are a number of scenes that I need to elaborate on or clean up so it all makes more sense. So, I am doing a lot more writing.
She made it through somewhere between 20-30 pages...and I managed to add close to a 1,000 words to mine. It was not even close to what I was hoping to achieve, but it is also more than I've done in the past couple months. Also...this new computer is still in the stage of me trying to learn all of its features, and that makes it a pretty huge distraction.
Aside from adding to my novel, I did also manage to write out the summaries for the four book saga I plan to start writing this year for NaNoWriMo. I am really looking forward to it.
Which brings me to my NaNoWriMo plans for the remainder of 2013...or rather my writing plans that include NaNoWriMo. Anyway, I hope to be able to finish my edits for Project Death: Resurrection by mid-June. I have to finish it before the month is up, since my CreateSpace coupon expires then. Then, for Camp NaNoWriMo in July I will be working on the sequel, Project Death: Revelation. I need to have it basically written so I can work on editing it in the beginning of 2014 so it will be ready for publication next summer. Finally, for NaNoWriMo in November, I plan on writing the first book in my four book saga, The Life and Death of a Seer.
As I usually do leading up to a NaNo event, I will have a post that talks about the novel, perhaps a brief summary, and maybe even some discussion of the characters, and through the month of Camp or NaNo, I will have updates on the writing progress and process.
I hope to be able to post the good news at the end of June about the publication of Project Death: Resurrection. It is a story that came to me almost a decade ago and has been a great labor of love for me. To be able to see it available in both print and e-book will definitely be an amazing moment.
Monday, May 27, 2013
From the Stacks: Spirit by Brigid Kemmerer
The newest book in the Elemental series is just as good as the previous ones. I can't even say enough how amazing this series is.
Summary:
With power comes enemies. Lots of them.
Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He's learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can't seem to afford any allies.
He's up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.
Then there's Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She's not hostile. She's bold. Funny. Hot. But she's got an agenda, too.
With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he'll have to find someone he can trust. . .
My Thoughts:
Anyone who has followed my reviews and Tweets while I'm reading this series knows that I flip back and forth amongst the Merrick brothers when deciding which is my favorite, because whatever novella or novel I'm reading, I tend to like that brother best. The lone ranger who doesn't fit into that category is Hunter as he isn't a Merrick, but this book did finally solidify my order on the Merrick list of favorites.
Don't get me wrong; Hunter is a great character, and I like the struggle that he faces with attempting to figure out who exactly he trusts and what he wants to fight for in what is basically becoming a war on so many different fronts. And as the summary of the book says, he has people and issues converging on him from all sides. But that's where my favorite Merrick brother really steps in. Seeing how Michael acts towards Hunter in this book and sort of tries to take Hunter in and treat him much in the same way he does his own younger brothers is wonderful and endearing and I think it is just what Hunter needs, even if it takes him a while to see that.
The one issue, and I guess it isn't a big issue, with this book, and with Hunter's romantic story lines is that he seems to go from girl to girl...and you know, I can totally blame that on him being a Spirit user because much like the Merricks seem to be drawn to their individual elements, Hunter is drawn towards people, who basically embody Spirit. In Storm, Hunter is interested in Becca, and in Fearless he's interested in a different girl (which takes place pre-Storm), and here in Spirit, there's now Kate. I hope that after this book Hunter starts to settle down a bit on all of this, because I think underneath all of his issues and tough exterior, he is a good guy.
I devour these books so incredibly quickly that it makes waiting for the next one even longer and feel too far away for my liking, but they are so amazing that I also want Brigid Kemmerer to be able to have the time to write these books properly. I am so excited to read both Nick's book and Michael's book. Obviously, like every other book in this series, I give Spirit a 5/5. If you haven't started reading this series yet, now is definitely the time to do so. They are amazing.
Don't get me wrong; Hunter is a great character, and I like the struggle that he faces with attempting to figure out who exactly he trusts and what he wants to fight for in what is basically becoming a war on so many different fronts. And as the summary of the book says, he has people and issues converging on him from all sides. But that's where my favorite Merrick brother really steps in. Seeing how Michael acts towards Hunter in this book and sort of tries to take Hunter in and treat him much in the same way he does his own younger brothers is wonderful and endearing and I think it is just what Hunter needs, even if it takes him a while to see that.
The one issue, and I guess it isn't a big issue, with this book, and with Hunter's romantic story lines is that he seems to go from girl to girl...and you know, I can totally blame that on him being a Spirit user because much like the Merricks seem to be drawn to their individual elements, Hunter is drawn towards people, who basically embody Spirit. In Storm, Hunter is interested in Becca, and in Fearless he's interested in a different girl (which takes place pre-Storm), and here in Spirit, there's now Kate. I hope that after this book Hunter starts to settle down a bit on all of this, because I think underneath all of his issues and tough exterior, he is a good guy.
I devour these books so incredibly quickly that it makes waiting for the next one even longer and feel too far away for my liking, but they are so amazing that I also want Brigid Kemmerer to be able to have the time to write these books properly. I am so excited to read both Nick's book and Michael's book. Obviously, like every other book in this series, I give Spirit a 5/5. If you haven't started reading this series yet, now is definitely the time to do so. They are amazing.
Spirit at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spirit-brigid-kemmerer/1113944369?ean=9780758272836
Monday, May 6, 2013
From the Stacks: Kept by Shawntelle Madison
Okay, so this time I am once again reading a sequel to a book I have already read and reviewed on this blog. This is Kept, a Coveted novel by Shawntelle Madison and I very much enjoyed it.
Summary:
"Fresh from defending her pack in battle, Natalya Stravinsky, a whip-smart werewolf with a lovable neurotic streak, wants a little rest and relaxation. Once an outcast, she’s now eager to rejoin the ranks of her New Jersey pack, and has even gotten a handle on her obsessive urge to hoard holiday ornaments. Yet Nat barely has time to revel in her progress before the next crisis comes howling at her door.
Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything."
Nat’s father has suddenly gone missing, captured by the Russian werewolf mafia. And as Nat steps up to save her dad from a mob boss’s deadly game, two men step in to play another round for her heart: her gorgeous alpha ex-boyfriend, Thorn, and her new flame, the sweetly sensitive wizard Nick. With her life growing more harried by the minute, Nat must stay cool, calm, and collected . . . or else risk losing everything."
My Thoughts:
Okay, so I read this at a point when I did not have a job and therefore couldn't afford to buy books. However, libraries have really evolved with the times and not only can you actually go into the library and borrow books, but a number of them have even started to purchase special e-book licenses and then a patron can go to the e-book library web site and borrow books from there. For my library that means a loan period of only two weeks, and for some of the more popular books, there could be a wait for a couple of months, but still...the book is delivered via e-mail so I never have to leave the house.
Anyway, I love this series. Having the neurotic and lovable Nat as the main character is just fun. She is incredibly realistic to me and watching her deal with her compulsion to buy holiday ornaments and decorations, as well as trying to fit back into her pack and home makes this a wonderfully complex tale.
Also, can I just say that I adore the covers? The cover for Kept is better than the cover for Coveted, but they are still both really cool.
Just like a number of paranormal books/movies/TV shows nowadays, Nat struggles with her feelings for both her ex Thorn and Nick, but at least to me, I see no contest...I am a fan of Nat and Nick. He understands her in a way I don't think Thorn can just yet, since Nick struggles with a similar compulsive condition. Yes, Thorn is quite protective of Nat and does tend to sometimes go all alpha mode on people, but I don't know...maybe I'm starting to lean more towards the guys who are more Beta than Alpha. They seem to be a little more kind and caring.
Nat has grown since I first met her at the start of Coveted, and I really look forward to seeing how she grows further with the next book. Now, if only I did not have to wait so long to get the next book. A 5/5.
Anyway, I love this series. Having the neurotic and lovable Nat as the main character is just fun. She is incredibly realistic to me and watching her deal with her compulsion to buy holiday ornaments and decorations, as well as trying to fit back into her pack and home makes this a wonderfully complex tale.
Also, can I just say that I adore the covers? The cover for Kept is better than the cover for Coveted, but they are still both really cool.
Just like a number of paranormal books/movies/TV shows nowadays, Nat struggles with her feelings for both her ex Thorn and Nick, but at least to me, I see no contest...I am a fan of Nat and Nick. He understands her in a way I don't think Thorn can just yet, since Nick struggles with a similar compulsive condition. Yes, Thorn is quite protective of Nat and does tend to sometimes go all alpha mode on people, but I don't know...maybe I'm starting to lean more towards the guys who are more Beta than Alpha. They seem to be a little more kind and caring.
Nat has grown since I first met her at the start of Coveted, and I really look forward to seeing how she grows further with the next book. Now, if only I did not have to wait so long to get the next book. A 5/5.
Kept at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kept-shawntelle-madison/1111326036?ean=9780345529176
Kept at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kept-A-Coveted-Novel-ebook/dp/B008AI77F0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1363304701&sr=1-1&keywords=shawntelle+madison+kept
Friday, May 3, 2013
From the Stacks: Bloodspell by Amalie Howard
This is a book I was able to read from NetGalley and was released in 2011, with the sequel expected sometime in 2014. Hopefully that happens because it seems like Amalie Howard will be quite busy the end of this year and next year, with four books being released. I guess she's making up for that two year gap where she published nothing.
Summary:
"The spell was simple...
Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)
But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?
Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.
What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...
Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?"
Cruentus Protectum (Defend the Blood)
But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?
Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds -- much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.
What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...
Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?"
My Thoughts:
Overall I decided to give this book a 4.5/5, because it was really good, but I did find some minor spelling and grammatical errors throughout.
I saw some other reviews on Goodreads and such that tried to say that this was yet another book that was basically a Twilight re-write, but I disagree. Yes there is a mortal girl and a vampire boy involved in a romance. Whatever. That happens in so many books, and did for a great number of years before Twilight came out.
But my main issue with people trying to compare this to that other book is that Victoria is--in my mind--a much stronger female character than Bella was in the whole series. When Christian tries to basically become controlling, telling her where she can go and what she can do, Victoria is quick to stand up for herself and tell him that he does not control her and cannot make her decisions for her. Granted, in that particular scenario where she lashed out at him, Christian was actually right, and Victoria's decision got her into trouble, but still...the point is that she is the one who made that decision and so she now can deal with the consequences of that.
Also, Victoria is far more active than Bella is. Looking at the whole saga, Bella spends most of the time sitting around thinking, or listening to people talk, and she is mostly a very passive person with only a few exceptions (punching Jacob, going to Italy to save Edward, and of course fighting against her enemies after she herself becomes a vampire), but Victoria doesn't just sit around and let stuff happen to her. She researches, and let's also not forget the fact that she is not a normal mortal...she is a witch, so how could people honestly try and compare her to Bella? If anything, I would think they would compare this more to the stories and romances in L.J. Smith's Night World series.
Anyway, this book really did intrigue me. I enjoyed the characters, even though it always bothers me when male characters try to control the females in whom they are romantically interested. I don't care if you are a several hundred year old vampire or if you are the alpha of your wolf pack or whatever...this is 2013 buddy and guess what? Females can take care of themselves. If she asks for help fine, or if she is honestly in way over her head then you can step in to help. Otherwise let her make her own decisions. How is that still such a foreign concept?
Okay, so I think this review may be starting to turn into a tangent, so I'm going to wrap it up now, but I will say that I look forward to reading the sequel to Bloodspell whenever it does come out, and I will be checking out Amalie Howard's other books as well.
Bloodspell at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bloodspell-amalie-howard/1031212244?ean=9781936782116
Friday, April 26, 2013
From the Stacks: Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Sorry for the picture guys...it is a library book and is covered with that plastic covering that makes it nearly impossible to get a good picture. There is always a glare or reflection of some sort.
Summary:
"Kami Glass loves someone she's never met...a boy she's talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn't silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn't suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.
But all that changes when the Lynburns return.
The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not the only one to shy away from the unknown--in fact, she's determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him?
Sarah Rees Brennan brings Gothic romance kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century with a heroine who can take care of herself, a boy who needs to be saved, and the magical forces that bring them together and tear them apart."
My Thoughts:
Okay, so I had been hearing about this book for months from people on Twitter and based on the buzz and the people discussing the amazing cliffhanger ending, I had to pick it up. And...I wasn't disappointed.
The concept of having an imaginary friend who doesn't go away and you talk to all the time, only to one day discover that that person is actually properly real is pretty awesome. The tangled web of the relationships between all the characters was fascinating and I was drawn into the world completely. With the arrival of the Lynburns and their mysterious actions, I admit that I was really curious as to what they were and that made it to where I didn't want to stop reading.
Kami and Jared and Ash and the whole twisted plot was wonderful. Having a Gothic style romance that is actually set in modern times was great, especially as I have enjoyed reading books such as Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, Northanger Abbey, and The Mysteries of Udolpho.
While I don't necessarily agree with the multitudes of people saying that it was an incredibly shocking cliffhanger ending, I do agree that it is enough of a cliffhanger to make the wait for the next book feel like it is far too long. Oh, and I'll just say that I saw the book cover for the paperback version, and I don't know exactly but I may like it better than the hardcover. It seems to fit in more with the cover for the second book.
So yeah, this book was definitely a 5/5 for me and I look forward to reading more by Sarah Rees Brennan.
Unspoken at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unspoken-sarah-rees-brennan/1112860089?ean=9780375870415
Friday, April 19, 2013
From the Stacks: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
Summary:
"Now that Gemma Fisher has inherited Penn, Lexi, and Thea's curse-and all the strange new powers that come along with it-she has no choice but to run away with them. Devastated that she has to leave everyone she loves behind, she's still determined not to give in to the unspeakable hungers that plague her. Unfortunately, they're growing stronger every day, and she's not sure how much longer she can resist.
Harper won't give up on finding her sister Gemma, vowing to get her back no matter what the cost. The search draws her closer to too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good Daniel, and tests her fiercely guarded independence like never before. She's always been the strong one who everyone else depends on...Can she let herself depend on Daniel?
As Gemma and Harper plunge deeper into a magical world they barely understand, it becomes painfully clear that Gemma's old life may be lost forever. But can she still hold on to her humanity?"
My Thoughts:
I find all of Amanda Hocking's books to be incredibly quick reads. It could be the way they're written, or it could be because the stories usually draw you in, much like a siren song, and you have to finish reading them as quickly as possible. It is quite nice that not a long time passes between books, because if she were a one book per series per year author, it might get quite a bit frustrating.
I really love Daniel, and honestly I relate to how Harper feels about being the strong one and not really allowing herself to fall for someone or to let herself depend on someone else. It is difficult to admit that you are not strong enough to handle something on your own, but this whole situation with Gemma is one that cannot be resolved by working alone.
I have to admire that Gemma leaves home in order to save the people she cares about and then to see how hard she works to not turn into the same kind of monster as the other girls. It doesn't matter how absolutely hungry she is; Gemma wants to retain her humanity.
Seeing the strength of the sibling bond was great, and I also liked seeing how the relationship between Gemma and Alex strained with the separation but he was determined not to give up on her. Of course, my favorite relationship is that of Daniel and Harper, and hopefully there will be happy endings all around by the time the series is finished.
The mythology of the sirens is woven well into the story, and I don't know whether to hate Penn, Lexi, and Thea, or to feel sorry for them...maybe it's really a combination of the two. I realize the struggles they have with this curse, and how they have to do things a certain way, but they seem to take things too far a lot of the time. Perhaps living for so long and killing for so long has destroyed basically all of their humanity. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how the last two books play out.
There isn't too much longer until Tidal is released, but I'll have to wait a while before I can buy my copy since I have the paperback versions. Oh well, that's why we have libraries. Another 5/5 for Amanda Hocking.
I really love Daniel, and honestly I relate to how Harper feels about being the strong one and not really allowing herself to fall for someone or to let herself depend on someone else. It is difficult to admit that you are not strong enough to handle something on your own, but this whole situation with Gemma is one that cannot be resolved by working alone.
I have to admire that Gemma leaves home in order to save the people she cares about and then to see how hard she works to not turn into the same kind of monster as the other girls. It doesn't matter how absolutely hungry she is; Gemma wants to retain her humanity.
Seeing the strength of the sibling bond was great, and I also liked seeing how the relationship between Gemma and Alex strained with the separation but he was determined not to give up on her. Of course, my favorite relationship is that of Daniel and Harper, and hopefully there will be happy endings all around by the time the series is finished.
The mythology of the sirens is woven well into the story, and I don't know whether to hate Penn, Lexi, and Thea, or to feel sorry for them...maybe it's really a combination of the two. I realize the struggles they have with this curse, and how they have to do things a certain way, but they seem to take things too far a lot of the time. Perhaps living for so long and killing for so long has destroyed basically all of their humanity. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how the last two books play out.
There isn't too much longer until Tidal is released, but I'll have to wait a while before I can buy my copy since I have the paperback versions. Oh well, that's why we have libraries. Another 5/5 for Amanda Hocking.
Lullaby at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lullaby-amanda-hocking/1111298381?ean=9781250005656
Lullaby at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lullaby-Watersong-Amanda-Hocking/dp/1250005655/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358823153&sr=1-1&keywords=Lullaby+Amanda+Hocking
Monday, April 15, 2013
From the Stacks: Origin by Jessica Khoury
This was an absolutely outstanding read. I don't think there's anything to which I can really compare it.
Summary:
"Pia has always known her destiny. She is meant to start a new race, a line of descendants who will bring an end to death. She has been bred for no other purpose, genetically engineered to be immortal and raised by a team of scientists in a secret compound hidden deep in the Amazon rainforest. Now those scientists have begun to challenge her, with the goal of training her to carry on their dangerous work.
For as long as she can remember, Pia's greatest desire has been to fulfill their expectations. But on the night she turns seventeen, she finds a hole in the seemingly impenetrable fence that surrounds her sterile home. Free in the jungle for the first time in her life, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Unable to resist, she continues sneaking out to see him. As they fall in love, they begin to piece together the truth about Pia's origin--a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.
Origin is a beautifully told, electric new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever. But is eternal life worth living if you can't spend it with the one you love?"
My Thoughts:
Okay, so, before I get into most of my thoughts, there was one quote from the book that really stood out to me and I feel that I have to share it here. I think it really sums up the book in a nutshell.
"They don't see things as we do here, Pia. They would put you in a box and never let you out, don't you see?" - Uncle Paolo, pg 30
Uncle Paolo is talking about how other people would perceive the livelihoods of the scientists who live in the
compound and what experiments they perform, and how they would react to
discovering that Pia is immortal, and how they would want to put her in a box
and study her and she could never truly be free. What is ironic about all of
this is that her whole life Pia has been kept solely in the compound, unable to
leave or to learn about the rest of the world. Anything that doesn't have to do
with her particular science projects or life outside of the compound has been
redacted. So, all of these scientists are already keeping her in a box and not
letting her out.
It's interesting to see how a scientific idea can start off as so
pure, so innocent, so hopeful, but then the longer attempts are made and
the longer they spend in such an isolated area, and the more success they start
to see, the more everything starts to become twisted into something almost
unrecognizable. They develop sort of a superiority complex bordering on a God
complex.
The descriptions of the tropical rain forest were so vivid and it
is remarkable that Jessica Khoury hadn't actually been to a rain forest until
after she wrote this book. It is amazing that such realism can be achieved even
with never having been to a region before.
In some ways this reminded me of stories like Pocahontas or the
Jungle Book or Tarzan or something, with Pia finding a way out of the
scientific compound and then learning more about the world and herself by
meeting the native peoples of the area.
Origin is
like nothing else I have read and I absolutely cannot wait to read more by
Jessica Khoury. It had a romance, a mystery, was sort of like a thriller, and
definitely about life and nature and science and progress, and the benefits and
consequences of pursuing certain paths. Sometimes it is difficult to list all
the reasons why you love a book or believe it to be amazing, so all I am going
to say here is that it is a definite 5/5 and I highly recommend that you go out
and read it for yourself.
I definitely plan on buying my own copy sometime soon.
Origin at
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/origin-jessica-khoury/1108931150?ean=9781595145956
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