From the Stacks: Falling for the Wingman by Crista McHugh

For the final From the Stacks post for the day, we have the newest release by Crista McHugh, set to hit shelves March 3rd. I was given the privilege of reading it early thanks to NetGalley, and I can say that I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series. So, the third book in the Kelly Brothers series is Falling for the Wingman, which follows third brother Caleb.

Air Force pilot Caleb Kelly has come back home with one mission in mind-to propose to the woman whose letters and lucky charm helped him survive his deployment in Afghanistan. But when he finds their apartment empty with a note saying she's left him, he arrives at her mother's house in rural Alabama less than a week before Kourtney is about to marry another man. Now he's out to win her heart again and gets some unexpected assistance from her younger sister, Alex. 

Alex Leadbetter has always thought Caleb was too good for her manipulative, social-climbing sister. She had assumed Kourtney's identity to write letters to him and keep his spirits up until he returned home to the hard truth, never expecting to fall in love with him along the way. After he shows up in town, she convinces him that the best way to get Kourtney back is to make her think he's fallen for someone new - her. But when a fake romance becomes all too real, her deception may leave them both grounded.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Plot: Okay, so these are extremely quick reads. I read Ben's book and Caleb's book in about three hours, and that was with working at the same time. This major chunk of this story probably takes place in a shorter time than the others, about a week or so, but it is so adorable and makes you feel good reading it. This is a fun story where guy thinks he's in love with one sister, when he doesn't even realize that he's been conversing with the other the whole time. It's also fun to see how two people pretending to have a relationship can actually turn into a real relationship. Oh, and we get to see further progression of Adam and Lia's relationship.

Characters: Alex is the best leading lady so far in the series. I relate to her so much more than I have Lia or Hailey. You honestly can't help but fall for Alex, so it's no wonder that Caleb does. She is smart, sincere, laid-back, and just everything Caleb needs in his life, even as he basically pines for Kourtney who is the complete opposite of her sister. It was also great to watch as Caleb starts to realize that first he is having a physical attraction to Alex and then that he is slowly starting to fall for the girl who he has been treating as his wingman to win back her sister. Ben and Hailey may have had the most emotional story so far, but Caleb and Alex have the cutest and most simplistic. It was simply adorable. Now I have to wait until this summer to really dig into the story of Dan, who is apparently a huge geek. I so look forward to that.

Get Your Own Copy: B&N, Amazon, BAM, Kobo

From the Stacks: Breakaway Hearts by Crista McHugh

Okay, here we are for round two, with second brother Ben and his journey in Breakaway Hearts. I'm not going to lie at all. I think this series gets better with each book.

Hockey star Ben Kelly has retreated to his mountain cabin in the ski town of Cascade, BC, to recuperate from a season-ending knee injury and contemplate his future in the NHL. He never expects to run into the one woman who got away. Nine years may have passed, but nothing has dulled the explosive chemistry between them. Now he wants more than just one night. 

Hailey Eriksson had Olympic-sized dreams until an accidental pregnancy from a one-night stand halted her ambitions. Her life was shattered when her son died. Nothing will keep her from fulfilling her promise to him to make the Olympic team, especially not the charming Ben Kelly. Unfortunately, he's out of sweep her off her feet this time, and she finds him harder and harder to resist with each passionate kiss. But when he learns about the child he never knew, will their rekindled romance be on thin ice?

Overall Rating: 5/5

Plot: This may not be the book to read out in public. You'll most likely cry. I did, a bit. The summary alone basically tells you what's going to happen with this one, but still, you can't resist reading it. You already know that Hailey and Ben will end up getting back together and that the main issue they'll have to overcome is this son Ben never knew about and will no longer get to meet. Also, you can tell that this story takes place in 2013-2014, merely by the mention of certain events, like preparing for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. I've watched a bit of hockey and like the first book made me hungry based on the food descriptions, this one had believable details with sports and sports fans.

Characters: So far I think Ben Kelly may be my favorite brother. I really felt for him through this emotional journey and hoped for the best. It's cool because in the first book Adam and Lia were workaholics, and in this one both Ben and Hailey are basically obsessed with hockey. You gotta admire people who so love what they do that they don't need to spend time doing other stuff to figure out what they should be doing with their lives. Hailey, I liked her and her spirit, but I felt like she kept basically dangling this secret over Ben. He could tell that there was something she wasn't saying, but he couldn't get her to open up. That was a bit frustrating. Oh, and you hear more about the Adam and Lia relationship progression in this one, though obviously it isn't at all the main focus of the book, more like a brief scene. I really like having some of the same characters pop up in all of the books, because it helps with all around character development.

Get Your Own Copy: B&N, Amazon, BAM, Kobo

From the Stacks: The Sweetest Seduction by Crista McHugh

Okay, so today I'm going to be doing something a little different...and it includes bonus posts. I'm going for a hat trick, with three smaller reviews on the Kelly Brothers series by Crista McHugh. The first two books have been released already and the third book will be out March 3rd. This series is a modern take on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and I am really enjoying them all so far.

First up: eldest brother Adam in The Sweetest Seduction

Lia Mantovani has created one of the hottest restaurants on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, but all that could disappear if she loses her lease with Kelly Properties. Having had her dreams ripped away from her before, she'll do everything in her power to keep her restaurant. Her fate hangs on the whims of the frustratingly handsome Adam Kelly. 

Adam has spent years trying to convince world famous chef Amadeus Schlittler to open a restaurant in Chicago, but he wants the prime location held by Lia. Business has always come first... until sparks fly when Adam meets her. When things get hot outside the kitchen, though, they're both in danger of getting burned.

Overall Review: 5/5

Plot: This series seems to be shorter novels and they are easy, quick reads, which is nice when you are used to reading epic fantasy length books. Honestly I think this one was about 130 pages or so on my NOOK. The Sweetest Seduction plays out like your typical romance. Guy and girl meet and there is an almost immediate physical reaction. After the initial meeting they have a bit of a rocky start, but together Adam and Lia start to work through their issues, and then there's that moment (much like in a rom-com movie) where it seems like there is an argument or a break-up or some sort of mini disaster so there couldn't possibly be a happy ending...and yet there is anyway. It's cute, it wraps up nicely, and the descriptions of food made me hungry. I really enjoyed it. The story line itself takes place over about a month or so, which means that there can be some relationship development and it isn't insta-love, which is great.

Characters: Obviously Lia and Adam are the main characters, but the important thing to note here is that Adam is the eldest of seven boys...meaning we can look forward to reading seven books. Yay. Adam and Lia are both obviously obsessed with their work and spend so much time working that they don't seem to go out and date much. Hence the reason why their mothers (who think they are matchmakers) set up a way for Lia and Adam to meet. Hey, you know, since this relationship worked out fairly well, maybe Mrs. Kelly should work on some of her other boys. Based on some of the brief interactions with some of the other brothers, I can honestly say that I am looking forward to the future books. We get enough information and interaction with characters to feel drawn into their lives, but as I said, these are short so don't expect to learn every minute detail of each character's past, present, future dreams, or emotions about everything under the sun. You get just enough to whet your whistle and leave you satisfied that the story has a happily for now ending. And, you know, you might just see Adam and Lia pop up in the future books, because it is clear that the Kelly brothers are part of a fairly close-knit family. It's really nice.

Get Your Own Copy: B&N, Amazon, BAM, Kobo

It's Not Too Early to Plan for NaNoWriMo

I know, it seems crazy to be planning for NaNoWriMo when it's only the end of February, but for those who don't realize it, the insanity of NaNo does not just take place in November. No, this will be the fourth year of Camp NaNoWriMo, which adds two more month long writing sessions to the year. This year, for the first time since its inception, Camp NaNo will be utilizing the same months as the previous year. So, yeah, that means April and July.

I get the reasoning behind April. Really, I do. It is a way for them to sort of honor the now defunct ScriptFrenzy. But, when I think of April I do not think of camping. The first year Camp NaNo did July and August--and I do not recommend back-to-back months. Then they did June and August, which honestly was my personal favorite setup. Now it seems like they will be sticking with April and July. Grr.

Oh well. I've already planned out what projects I'll be working on for these wonderful NaNo sessions, so now it's just a matter of any planning, plotting, or other shenanigans I want to finish up before it is time to buckle down and write.

For Camp NaNoWriMo session #1 in April, I will be finishing up my work on Project Death: Revelation because I need to have it all pretty and edited for its summer release. So, for those following these writing posts and such, you can expect me to do a lot more chatting about the Project Death series in my updates during the month of April.

Camp NaNoWriMo session #2 in July will be used to do a complete overhaul on a story that has been occupying my mind quite a bit lately. Bounty: A Hunter's Tale is the first in a seven book series that I'd like to really get a jump on. Bounty follows a supernatural hunter who is incredibly skilled at her job, because she is hiding a secret from practically everyone she knows; she is supernatural herself. My plan is to have the first two or three books finished before I start publishing, so that way I don't have to worry about such chaotic deadlines.

Then, in November for NaNoWriMo, I will most likely be working on Project Death: Redemption, the third book in the series. I'd like for the NaNo session to at least get me through about half of the book, or possibly a full really rough draft. The third book follows Julianne, who we discover has died but her soul was never claimed by the Reapers. Basically this book will give us yet another view of the war between the Resurrectors and Death, highlighting one of the consequences possible within the system. Redemption will also take readers even deeper into the role Fate plays in the series. I think it will be a lot of fun, and Julianne will likely be a lot easier to write than Thanos. I love him but it is difficult to stay in his mind for long.

From the Stacks: Secret by Brigid Kemmerer

Okay, it should be obvious based on the fact that I have reviewed every book and novella in this series, but I absolutely love these books and Brigid Kemmerer is one of my favorite YA authors right now. I own the Elemental series in both e-book and paperback so that I can get my friends addicted as well without being able to enjoy the Merrick brothers myself at any time. Today on From the Stacks I am taking a look at the penultimate book of the series, Secret.

 Keep his brother's business going or the Merricks will be out on the street.

Keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his own twin--or he'll lose his family. 

Keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who's supposed to be his "girlfriend's" partner. 

Of course there's also the homicidal freak Quinn has taken to hanging around, and the Elemental Guide counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. 

There's a storm coming. From all sides. And then some. 

Nick Merrick, can you keep it together?

Overall Rating: 5/5 (duh...they are just that good. If I could grant them a 10/5 then I would)

Plot: Man, throughout the whole story you can just feel how much pressure Nick is feeling from all sides and all parts of his life. There is so much going on with this book, from family issues, to financial ones, and even issues on acceptance (your own acceptance as well as the acceptance of friends and family). Of course there is also the threat of the Guides, which didn't seem to be all that prevalent during the first half of the book or so, but then...man, it led to one of the most intense encounters between the Merricks and the Guides yet. There was one point in the book where I honestly thought my heart stopped working and I truly thought I was going to cry.

The pace of this book, much like the others, kept me hooked and if I had to put it down all I did was fantasize about what would happen next. The Merrick boys stick with you and I can't help but ponder their situation and think up as many scenarios as possible for what could happen next...I'm not usually anywhere close to right, but it keeps my day from becoming too dull.

There were a number of surprises in this book and in the end I'm glad that things worked out (this time). The title, Secret, was really applicable in how many secrets were being kept by all of the characters. Now I am extremely scared for Michael's book, which is Sacrifice. Really?! That title does not give me good feelings about the book. There had better be a happy ending for the Merricks. And I know I've mentioned it before, but come on, Michael is my favorite brother. Be nice to him.

Characters: Nick is my second favorite Merrick (I'd probably put Chris and Gabriel in a tie for third, honestly). Hearing the revelation in his novella, Breathless, that he was gay was a bit of a surprise but it clicked a lot of other things into place and completely made sense. I hoped and prayed that his relationship would work out just as much as I have for all the other boys. Besides, he picked a great guy because Adam is awesome.

This book also focused on Quinn a lot as well, and for the first time I wasn't really anti-Quinn. She brought me around with how she handled the truth about Nick in Breathless, and offering to cover for him. It was the first time I saw her as something more than an annoying side character. But I understand her a lot better now and I am cheering for her to get a happy ending too...possibly even with Tyler, who really surprised me in this book.

Michael continues to be awesome. The way he handles all of the situations is absolutely amazing, and I knew Nick should have just been honest and told his big brother about his sexuality earlier, because, as I've said, Michael is just the most understanding and solid guy. Chris also handled that revelation really well, in a kind of, okay, whatever, as long as you're happy way, which was nice.

Hunter's discovery of Nick's big secret was both awkward and amusing at the same time. Since Spirit, Hunter has been living with the Merricks and has been sleeping on an air mattress in...of course, Nick's room. But, once again proving he's actually a decent guy, Hunter handled everything rather well and was on board to keep Nick's secret until he was ready to out himself.

A lot of the tension in this book comes from our lovely twins. Obviously Nick is terrified to tell Gabriel the truth, because he knows how his brother behaves, and keeping such a huge secret from his other half is tearing him apart more than anything. They have been a dynamic duo and best friends their whole lives. The love between all the brothers is obvious in each book, but even more so with this one. I highly recommend that if you haven't picked up this series yet, you drop what you're reading right now and go get the Elemental series. You won't regret it.

Get Your Own Copy: B&N, Amazon, BAM, Kobo

A New Writing Space = More Productivity?

Almost I year ago, I wrote a post about my writing space in my room. When I was in college and then newly graduated, that space still worked quite well for me and the words continued to flow. However, starting several months ago I noticed that more and more when I was at my desk, I just kept gazing at my bookshelves or glancing over at my rapidly filling DVR and ended up closing my laptop for other activities.

With the deadlines I have set for myself when it comes to finishing and publishing books, and the fact that I actually do have people expecting my next book, I can't keep allowing that to happen...which makes it all the more amazing that I was finally given the space to turn into an office at home.

My brother moved out about a year ago and the two small adjoining rooms that had been his bedroom had been left to collect junk and dust. Talking with my mom, I was finally able to move forward with plans I have had for months. While leaving the actual bedroom available for if we ever need a guest room, I took the other room and moved a lot of boxes around and now I have a working office. Yes, I still have quite a bit of work to do, but it is functional and that is what is important.

I need to go through all of my papers and folders and notebooks so I can organize everything, but so far I am really liking the new space. The only books I have are textbooks and other reference materials and there isn't a television in sight. Not to mention, I think the Internet is stronger in the office too, which is really nice.

This of course, also means that I have so more cleaning and organizing to do in my bedroom, namely getting in the closet and pulling out my college textbooks that might come in handy (you know, Forensic Science, Espionage, History, Religion, Library Science, Museum and Archival Studies, languages, etc.). They will go on this bookshelf after it has been cleaned off of all my notebooks and binders.

I'm also thinking that I need to get a dry erase board to hang up on the wall, in case I need it for plotting and such. Oooh...and a calendar to mark important dates (book deadlines, release days, blog posts, book signings, etc.). These things are important, especially considering that the wall is pretty bare right now, aside from the duck wall stickers behind the desk.

I will probably move my NaNo posters to the wall, and then add in the calendar and dry erase board.

Yeah, this is what is right behind my laptop on the wall. It's clear evidence that my brother used to live here.

It might take a little time to fully transition into my new writing space, but for now, I am really liking it and hopefully having an actual office will help me to feel more like a professional author and keep the books coming.

UPDATE: Since originally writing this post, I have done some more organizing and rearranging and now even more progress can be seen in the office. I still have to go through a bunch of my files and folders but if I work on it a little at a time, I think everything will work out just fine.

Here's my bookshelf, now loaded up with a bunch of textbooks. They aren't organized exactly how I'd like them but the height of a few of the books made it impossible to place them on anything but the bottom shelf.

The wall now has my NaNoWriMo posters that used to hang on the back of my bedroom door, a calendar to keep track of important dates, and a huge dry erase board, which will come in handy if I need to visually plot something.

So, here' the overall view of the office space right now. As you can tell I have a lot of folders and such to still get through, but I'm thinking maybe a filing cabinet or something similar will be necessary. I am also thinking of getting more desk organizing equipment so I can maintain a clean work space. 

From the Stacks: Queen of Hearts, Volume 1: The Crown by Colleen Oakes

Happy Valentine's Day. I guess I'm just in the mood for re-imaginings of stories, plays, etc. that I've been fond of in the past. Last week it was Shakespeare, and this week it is a fascinating take on Alice in Wonderland, more specifically focused on the young woman who is to become the Queen of Hearts.

As Princess of Wonderland Palace and the future Queen of Hearts, Dinah's days are an endless monotony of tea, tarts, and a stream of vicious humiliations at the hands of her father, the King of Hearts. The only highlight of her days is visiting Wardley, her childhood best friend, the future Knave of Hearts--and the love of her life.  

When an enchanting stranger arrives at the Palace, Dinah watches as everything she's ever wanted threatens to crumble. As her coronation date approaches, a series of suspicious and bloody events suggests that something sinister stirs in the whimsical halls of Wonderland. It's up to Dinah to unravel the mysteries that lurk both inside and under the Palace before she loses her own head to a clever and faceless foe.  

Part epic fantasy, part twisted fairy tale, this dazzling saga will have readers shivering as Dinah's furious nature sweeps Wonderland up in the maelstrom of her wrath. Familiar characters such as Cheshire, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter make their appearance, enchanting readers with this new, dark take on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. But be warned...not every fairy tale has a happy ending. This is the story of a princess who became a villain.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Plot: For the most part I thought this book was far more character driven than plot driven. Yes, we deal with Dinah, the Princess of Hearts, as she goes through her lessons and prepares for her eighteenth birthday where she will join her father on the throne as Queen of Hearts until the day she marries and her father will have to step aside to let the couple rule Wonderland. The beginning of the story starts when Dinah is only a child, her mother has not been dead for very long, and her father brings a bastard daughter to the Palace and bestows upon her all of the affection he doesn't show to his other two children, Dinah and her brother Charles. This obviously creates a great deal of tension between Dinah and her father as well as Dinah and her half-sister. Throughout the story it seems that everything is becoming more difficult for Dinah and that there may be plots to keep her from taking her place on the throne. As she pieces together the clues she sees the villainy of certain people, and after a great tragedy that is used to try and convict Dinah of treason, she has no choice but to run away from her home. But we know she will become the Queen of Hearts, so really, now it is just a matter of seeing how she does it.

Characters: We all know the big characters within the canon of Alice in Wonderland, and a great many of them make appearances in this book. Cheshire, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter are actually fairly large roles, but I also recall Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum being mentioned in a scene. I very much enjoyed the twists of these characters. Cheshire was a character I did not like at all, because I could tell that he was scheming and plotting and that he was not on Dinah's side. I imagine he will continue to play a role in the next two books as well. Though never called the White Rabbit, it is obvious that Dinah's teacher has certainly filled that role. He is constantly mentioning how Dinah is going to be late for practically every event in the Palace, but he was a good-natured caring man and I adored him as much as Dinah does.

The Mad Hatter was a twist I hadn't expected but I absolutely loved it. In this book The Mad Hatter is the Prince of Wonderland, but madness will forever keep him from taking the throne. Charles is still basically a child and is tended by two servants at all times. The reason for his moniker of Mad Hatter is firstly because he is quite insane, but also because his madness leads to the most wild and beautiful hat creations in Wonderland. People go to extreme lengths to own a Mad Hatter creation. I also found Charles to be sweet when he wasn't rambling on about hats and such. It is clear that Dinah loves him very much, and I would kind of like a short story from his point of view. I think it would be quite interesting.

Then we have the Knave of Hearts, Wardley, with whom Dinah is in love and often dreams of one day ruling Wonderland with him as her King of Hearts. Wardley is being trained to lead the Heart Cards and has proven to be quite capable at his tasks. The King of Hearts approves of Wardley, even if he does not care for Dinah at all. The romance between Wardley and Dinah is cute and you can tell that they've been friends and companions for most of their lives. It will be nice to see how their relationship progresses and changes through this trilogy.

Okay, I guess I've talked about Dinah a little, but I was drawn into the story quite quickly by our protagonist and narrator. After the story jumped ahead a few years I felt like everything slowed down a bit and was a little dragged down by description and exposition and of course character development, but Dinah was still an intriguing character. She had an inner strength to her while at the same time being vulnerable. She cares about her brother and her servants and Wardley, and wants to be a good Queen of Hearts for Wonderland. When everything starts to happen, even when she doesn't have all the pieces together, Dinah tries to fight back, and though she doesn't completely win and is currently on the run, I know she will be able to find the strength and courage she needs to take back her rightful place in Wonderland and remove her father from power. I look forward to her journey. It'll be bumpy and possibly bloody, but I think everything will become more intense now that the plot and characters have been laid out.

Get Your Own Copy: Amazon

The Tools of the Trade AKA Writer Resources

A common question I have found from hanging out with others who also happen to be writers is what they use for writing. Among my friends we use a wide range of tools, from books and blogs, to paper/pen and computer, and then there's the question of software. Much like last week when I spoke of the various opinions on writing to music, there is an insanely diverse response to what a person will use for writing.

Me, I am quite eclectic in what I use. I typically always have some sort of notebook or something with me, just in case an idea strikes when I am nowhere near my laptop. I also am not really picky about what writing utensil I use. Sometimes I prefer a pencil, while other times I really want to use a purple gel pen. A lot of times it really depends on the story.

For example, in the case of my Bound duology (Soul-Bound and Free-Born), the story starts in a 6" x 9" notebook being written in pencil. Then, after writing each chapter or two, I will transfer it to my laptop. Then, with my Cursed Gifts Saga (starting with The Life and Death of a Seer) each book is written utilizing a different color of gel pen--Seer is green, Healer is blue, Empath is red, and Witch is purple.

Most of the time, when it comes to using notebooks, I prefer the ones that flip up rather than open sideways. This is so I don't end up having my hand run into the rings along the spine. Mostly I don't care about the size of the notebook, but I do seem to lean towards something that is about a 5" x 7" or a 6" by 9" because they fit quite well into my inner jacket pocket or my purse. I like travel size.

With the Souls Trilogy and the Project Death series, most of the work is done on the computer, with the occasional scene or chapter being written in a notebook. For a great many years I wrote in Microsoft Word, and it works quite well. I still use it when I'm formatting my books for publication, using a template I got from CreateSpace. But, now, I typically use Scrivener for all of my offline writing needs. Scrivener makes it easy for me to have my background research open and ready to go while working on chapters. I can look up character bio information, check my story board to make sure I am getting everything I need in a scene, and I can even set goals for a writing session or the book word count and see how well I am progressing with the novel. Plus, and this is probably the most important part of the Scrivener process, when I close Scrivener it automatically saves a backup of my files just in case something happens. Trust me, I did have a problem with my USB and my external hard drive which both contained copies of my novels and if it hadn't been for Scrivener I would have lost years of work.

One of my absolute favorite tools for writing can be found online, or you can purchase a desktop edition, and it really does help me with productivity by forcing me to focus on writing. I started using it several years ago during NaNoWriMo and it pushed me way over the top during word wars and write-ins. Write or Die is an online writing lab that prods you along by basically punishing you for stopping. You can set the grace period and the punishment, which can be as mild as a reminder that you need to be writing, to having to listen to an annoying sound until you start typing again, all the way up to kamikaze mode, which begins to delete your words if you pause for too long. I don't recommend kamikaze mode when trying to write a novel. That's a bit evil. But you can set either a time limit or a word count goal and then you just start writing. It's great. However, if you mute your computer then the negative punishment of sound effects really isn't all that effective. Also, you can exit out at any time, so there still is the possibility of procrastination. Write or Die also allows you to buy a desktop edition, for I believe $10. Oh, and I just checked the site and there have been a number of updates recently which changes the punishments and actually has given a reward system too that you can set yourself (such as getting a picture of a cute puppy after achieving a word count goal, etc.)

Speaking of Write or Die, there is a pseudo-similar online program that only uses positive reinforcement called Written? Kitten. You set a target like 100 words or 500 words, and after every 100/500 words you write, you get to see a new picture of a kitten. You know, if cute and cuddly is your thing. I personally prefer the threat of punishments via Write or Die.

There is also a really cool site that I've used a bit called 750words. It's pretty self-explanatory. The goal is to write 750 words a day. It will keep track of how quickly you write the words and how many times you pause. And you achieve a "score" similar to bowling (aka spares and strikes). Writing for so many days in a row or completing challenges, etc. earns you what is basically an online merit badge. It's a pretty cool system and is nice when I need a change from my typical writing patterns.

Have you had enough yet, lol? No? Okay, well another online resource I use is Yarny. Right now I am only using it for this librarian superhero novel idea that I only tend to work on when I encounter a serious block on another story. But, it is pretty cool. It has a few similarities to Scrivener, with the people/place/thing area, and you can divide what you're working on into snippets, whether for you that is chapters or scenes, whatever. You can also set a word count goal for the overall project and watch your progress bar increase as you write. I like it, but you have to be connected to the Internet to utilize it, so I prefer Scrivener or my Write or Die Desktop App.

One of my absolute favorite resources as a writer is one that I rely on a lot more after the failings of my USB drive and external hard drive three years ago. Dropbox is a cloud storage system, so as long as you can get yourself to a computer or a phone with access to the internet, you can open up your files. I have Dropbox on both of my laptops and on my cell phone, so I know that I have my files. Because of the technology crash, I also have a tendency to e-mail myself copies of my chapters and/or novels so I have extra backups. Call me paranoid, but I would rather not lose all of my hard work.

Sometimes I just want to get feedback on a story and I'd rather it not be from people I know, so I like to use Critique Circle. Many years ago I spent an incredible number of hours on fictionpress.com, both publishing and updating some of my novels, as well as reading and reviewing the works of others. But after FP got forums and people started doing more RPing than reviewing, the site stopped being as worthwhile for me. CC gets around that issue in a very simple way. To post a short story, a chapter of a novel, etc. it will cost you 3 credits. You earn credits by reviewing the writings of other people. The length of that person's chapter along with the length of your review will determine how many credits you earn. I love that, and have no problem spending time looking for things to read and review. I have actually found an author whose books I have gone on to purchase, and I read a couple of them first on CC.

The best digital writing resource I have ever used will always be and will continue to be NaNoWriMo. I discovered NaNo in November 2005 and started participating in 2006. Since then I have been able to focus on writing so many different novels and I always end the month with at least 50,000 words that I might not have been able to write otherwise. NaNo is amazing and I am so glad to be a part of the organization as an ML for my local region. I look forward to millions more words and countless more years of participating and honing my craft further as I continue to write, edit, and publish.

Well, there you go. It's sort of a long post, and it doesn't even begin to cover every writer resource out there (I didn't even get into the writing guide books I own), but hopefully it gives you an idea of some of the options out there, and gives you a little more insight into my crazy writing process.

From the Stacks: Such Sweet Sorrow by Jenny Trout

For those who don't know this already, I have a B.A. in English Literature and a M.L.I.S., meaning that books are basically my life blood. Also, I really enjoyed Shakespeare. So, to find a new story that decides to wonder what would have happened had Romeo survived and discovered a way to be reunited with Juliet by traveling up to Denmark and working with Hamlet...yeah, basically a genius concept that had me drooling and begging for an advanced copy. So, thank you NetGalley, for this great opportunity.

Never was there a tale of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo... 

But true love never dies. Though they're parted by the veil between the world of mortals and the land of the dead, Romeo believes he can restore Juliet to life, but he'll have to travel to the underworld with a thoroughly infuriating guide. 

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, may not have inherited his father's crown, but the murdered king left his son a much more important responsibility—-a portal to the Afterjord, where the souls of the dead reside. When the determined Romeo asks for help traversing the treacherous Afterjord, Hamlet sees an opportunity for adventure and the chance to avenge his father's death. 

In an underworld filled with leviathan monsters, ghoulish shades, fire giants, and fierce Valkyrie warriors, Hamlet and Romeo must battle their way through jealousy, despair, and their darkest fears to rescue the fair damsel. Yet finding Juliet is only the beginning, and the Afterjord doesn't surrender souls without a price...

Overall Rating: 4/5

Plot: The idea for this book immediately grabbed my attention, as it should for any fan of Shakespeare. I know while studying the various plays, it was often pondered what could have happened if certain events had occurred differently, and this book tackles that concept head-on. Plus, hey, on top of all the awesomeness of Shakespeare, let's also throw in the epic idea of Norse mythology, because it wasn't an amazing idea already. Seriously, I thought it was great. As Romeo and Hamlet trek through the Afterjord they run into so many creatures and issues and questions about what they're doing, how they'll get Juliet back to Midgard, and how they'll get home as well  The Afterjord helps us to run into characters/creatures such as the Norns...oh, and Valkyries. I thought the voice and tone of the novel captured the characters and the time period quite well, and I liked how it incorporated the occasional phrase from the Shakespearean plays too, as sort of a memory or as an homage to the works that serve as inspiration for this particular novel. Based on where it all ends, with Romeo and Hamlet still together in Denmark, I honestly think there can and will be a sequel, and I look forward to reading it.

Characters: Here is why my overall rating was a 4 instead of a 5. Honestly, through the first 70% of the book I found myself thinking that Such Sweet Sorrow was going to earn a 3 star rating, but the final 30% really intensified everything and made the characters grow enough that I had to give it an extra star. As much as I love Shakespeare, I have always found Juliet and Romeo to be quite rash, and Romeo's feelings seem to swing from one extreme to the other quite rapidly. Plus he always seemed like such a wimp to me, despite apparently being a great swordsman. Well, true to form, Romeo was still sort of a mopey whiny guy, but he does still feel such an intense...love...for his now deceased wife.

Then there's Hamlet, who converses with the ghost of his murdered father, and drinks a lot, and doesn't throw himself into fights like the rash Italian Romeo. There is great growth from Hamlet as he is dragged into the Afterjord with Romeo and finds himself needing to handle a great deal more responsibility than he originally imagined. With everything he learned throughout the book, I think he actually has become a prince worthy of his father's crown and throne, and it will be interesting to watch him take it away from his uncle.

The character who wins the award for most growth and biggest badass in this book is Juliet, hands down. As those who have read Shakespeare know, Juliet is incredibly young when she dies, and therefore is still quite naive about so many worldly matters. In the Afterjord she holds much more strength and ability than either of her male counterparts, and to see her go from scared young girl to someone who is able to fight to save herself, her husband, and her friends, is an incredible transformation. Juliet is even the one who grows to understand how things work much better than the boys would and finds a way to get the boys home safely while still leaving a possibility that she and Romeo can eventually be together again. It was really her strength and courage and growth that made this book completely worthwhile, so if for no other reason, you should pick this up for Juliet. I was not disappointed by her at all.

Get Your Own Copy: B&N, Amazon, BAM, Kobo

*Oh, and as of writing this (Feb 4, 2014...Amazon has the Kindle version for only $0.99.

Finding the Right Groove

There are so many different opinions on practically every facet of writing: write alone holed up in a room or in a crowded place like Starbucks, write in silence or write to music, write longhand or type on computer, planner or pantser, edit as you go or just write like the wind...etc. etc.

I like to write to music, and it doesn't matter whether I am alone, with a small group of fellow writers, or surrounded by strangers. My ability to multi-task comes in handy quite a bit...particularly when I am hosting a write-in for NaNoWriMo, since as the ML I can't just ignore everyone else. Anyway, the music I listen to while writing tends to vary a bit based on the story and on the characters.

I listen to a broad range of music, from classical to metal, pop/rock to country, whatever. What is fairly standard with any soundtrack created for a novel is that it is music I have listened to enough that I no longer find myself focusing on the lyrics. Now, I admit that typically a lot of the same artists and songs crop up over and over again, but that is because I can feel so many emotions and connect to so many different parts of the song that they work for a variety of moods.

Some of my favorite artists/bands to listen to while writing include: Epica, Paramore, Florence + the Machine, Leaves' Eyes, Kamelot, Nightwish, Blake Shelton, The Band Perry, Evanescence, Within Temptation, and Carrie Underwood.

For the Souls Trilogy, I found during the rewriting stage that I wanted to try something I had never done before. Instead of having a mixed soundtrack with a bunch of different artists and genres, what if I tried to focus on one band and use just their songs. With the progress it inspired for Souls Unknowing, I was glad for that idea to use as a focus.

Souls Unknowing finds a soundtrack consisting of nothing but songs by Paramore. I own all of their albums and have seen them in concert twice, with a planned third experience this summer. I love the energy of the songs, the way that a lot of the lyrics seemed to connect with my already planned plot and character re-writing, and...did I mention that Paramore actually has a song called "Misguided Ghosts" and the Souls trilogy is about ghosts? It really just seemed like a match made in heaven.

I have already figured out which band to use for Souls Abandoned and it will be more of a Rock/Metal feel with Within Temptation as my band of choice, so now I just have to decide which direction to go for the final book, Souls Crossing--currently it seems to be leaning towards country, and I may be using The Band Perry.

So, for anyone who might be curious as to which wonderful Paramore songs made the cut for my Souls Unknowing playlist, I shall list them below.

"Let the Flames Begin"
"Still Into You"
"Let This Go"
"Fast in My Car"
"Misguided Ghosts"
"Emergency"
"My Heart"
"The Only Exception"
"Decoy"
"Fences"
"Turn it Off"
"Ignorance"
"Looking Up"
"That's What You Get"
"Pressure"
"Hallelujah"
"Brick by Boring Brick"
"Last Hope"
"Brighter"
"Hate to See Your Heart Break"
"All We Know"
"Future"

It is a great mix of some of their early songs and newer ones and each song has a string of lyrics that fits nicely to plot and character events within the novel (at least in my mind). The music of Paramore so greatly helped to direct the re-write that I've actually even mentioned them in the acknowledgments. The fangirl in me honestly hopes that perhaps someday Hayley Williams (lead singer of Paramore) might read my book. It would basically be the greatest thing in the whole world.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy Souls Unknowing when it is released and that this soundtrack gives you a greater insight into both my writing process in general, and this novel specifically.