Girls PWN

BAS RUTTEN FTW: TERA - MMO-FO: Larpers!

2012-03-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

ROFl. Bas Rutten is a beast and now he's promoting MMO's. LOVE IT.

Ode to St. Clair

2012-02-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

Have you read ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS? What about LINGER? Well, I have, and guess what, there's a St. Clair in both of them.In ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, our St. Clair is dubbed Etienne, while LINGER's boy is named Cole. I finished LINGER last year and fell for the broken musician Cole St. Clair. I really loved this character. He was sexy, deep, a complete mess and a hidden genius. Everything a girls needs. About a quarter of the way through ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, I realized the connection of the last names and it completely stumped me.St. Clair is not a common last name, and I already had a St. Clair that I liked.

I went online to see how something like this could happen. Apparently, LINGER released July 2010 while ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS released December 2010. I guess there was no way for either to know, and it's just a random coincidence.

Here's my dilemma.

I'm having a hard time connecting with Etienne because all I can think about is Cole--my bad boy werewolf. I feel like I'm missing out an a great story because of this little issue. I wonder if it would be reversed if I had read about Etienne first...hmmm.

Anyway, makes me want to double check ALL my names. I have this idea for a YA romantic thriller and planned on naming my man Damien Walters...well, it turns out Damien Walters is a real person and he's pretty popular ><Has this ever happened to you, whether in books you've read or stories you've written?

Getting Published

2012-02-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

Getting published is a big deal. Monumental. When my time comes, I shall follow in this one's footsteps. Everyone needs a grand entrance.

Entice Me

2012-02-13T15:49:00.000-08:00

Most people are visual. I tend to be pretty vain in this area...I know that sounds horrible, but it's true. I can't even play a video game without my character looking pretty and perfect. The same goes for book covers. When I walk through a bookstore, my eyes scan the shelves, searching for that special something. Sometimes, I see a beautiful cover, read the book jacket and as long as it doesn't suck..I buy it. Yup. Doesn't take much to entice me.

Here are three books I bought, mostly because of the cover.

A key? To what? Then I read the little blurb. A prison!

I remember seeing this at Target and thinking, wow that's different and artsy. The simplicity of it, really pulled me in. Once I discovered it had some werewolfs, it was an instant buy.

There are lots of books with a girl on the cover, but mix that with pirate flare and it's a new animal. Pirate adventures remind me of The Princess Bride and I LOVE that movie. A girl pirate? What's not to love?

Now for my wish list.

Three gorgeous covers.

What about you? Ever buy a book based on the cover?

Teen Movies

2012-01-29T17:03:00.000-08:00

My generation (I'm an 80's baby) had an amazing collection of teen movies: Pretty in Pink, Footloose, Breakfast Club, Grease ect. I started wondering what teens today have and I'm drawing a blank..forget about Twilight and Harry Potter, what else do they watch?

Below is a list of few films I'd watch a lot. Some of them, I still do (just watched Goonies over vacation).

There are so many more, pretty much anything will Molly Ringwald I watched obsessively.

What movies do you think today's teens watch?

Sparkling Reviews EPIC giveaway

2012-01-25T16:34:00.000-08:00

First, the winner of my Faeries and Fantasy giveaway...drumroll...Fairywhispers! Grats

Now for the massive giveaway happening over at Sparkling Reviews.

In celebration of 2000 followers, Sparkling Reviews is giving away the following:

73in flat screen TV
Sony Home Theater System
$1000 VISA gift card
$1000 AMAZON gift card

Like I said, EPIC. Interested? I know I am. Go here and fill out the form. Also, pay attention to this post. If you purchase any of the items listed, Sparkling Reviews will give you an extra 100 entries. There are lost of great books on that list. Thanks to the giveaway, I found out an item on my wishlist was only .99 for the kindle version!

Win an Alienware

2012-01-19T13:33:00.000-08:00

If you're not familiar with Alienware, just know they are the ultimate gaming computer. I bought my first Alienware over six years ago and the beast still works! Right now Sparkling Reviews is having an epic giveaway, the prize? A brand new Alienware M18X Gaming laptop. Here's a quick spec on it's awesomeness:

Alienware™ M18x: The Most Powerful 18" Laptop in the Universe!

With powerful graphics options, including NVIDIA® SLI™ and AMD CrossFireX™ technologies, the Alienware M18x delivers desktop performance in a mobile chassis.
Put the competition to shame with an optional factory-overclocked Intel® Core™ i7 Extreme processor.
If an 18.4" full HD display isn't big enough, you can wirelessly blast 3D games and HD content to any properly equipped external display. Note: 3D viewing requires additional equipment, sold separately

All you need to do to win this baby is head on over to Sparkling Reviews and fill out the entry form here

Are you a CYOA Fan?

2012-01-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

CYOA: Choose Your Own Adventure Novels. These were the first books that got me excited about reading, back in elementary school, and probably the reason I'm an RPG fanatic. Today, I came across a blog post over at The Story Siren about Coliloquy. I cannot tell you how excited I am about this. Here's a quick bio on them:

Coliloquy is a technology-based publisher of active fiction. We represent the next generation of digital publishing, taking advantage of new technology to reinvent the way authors and their audiences interact with reading and narrative. Our new publishing format enables multiple story lines, serial and episodic story-telling, personalized content, in-book engagement mechanics and the delivery of prompts and special or exclusive extras to create a more fluid and immersive story-telling experience.

WOW. I'm in. Right now they have four titles they're releasing, and guess what, the Story Siren is having an epic giveaway! The prize? A kindle loaded with all the new titles. EECK! Go on over check it out and spread the word! The Story Siren

You've Been Bamboozled

2012-01-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

Merriam-Webster defines the word bamboozle as to confuse, frustrate or throw off completely. Last week Writer's Digest bamboozled me...

Back in November, I entered their YA short story contest. I thought my entry rocked. Emails went out stating winners would be notified by 12/31. Last week I go to the mailbox and find an envelope from <drumroll> WRITER'S DIGEST! WOOT.

Immediately, I started sweating. Could this be it? Could I have really won? Am I going to open this and find a check for $1000???? SQEEAAALLLL

Nope, nothing like that. It was a flyer for a discount off a subscription to Writer's Digest.

Chances are I didn't win and that's okay. I've already started searching out different publications. I know it's good. It's just a matter of finding the perfect home.

What about you? Ever been bamboozled?

YA Faeries and Fantasy Giveaway

2012-01-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

Since I write YA Fantasy you know I had to join this hop. I LOVE FANTASY. I love the idea of mysterious worlds, fantastical creatures and characters with crazy and interesting abilities. Since the giveaway is for faeries and fantasy, I decided to let the winner choose one of the below books:

All you need to do is tweet about the giveaway. If you win and would like another book in the above series, I'd be happy to oblige. Check out the other blogs here: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/11/young-adult-faeries-fantasy-giveaway.html

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Best of 2011 Giveaway WINNER

2012-01-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Chen Chang!! Winner has been notified.

Stay tuned for another giveaway.

RTW: Your Dream Retreat

2012-01-04T05:37:00.000-08:00

This Week's Topic--from yahighway

Describe your dream writing retreat. Where would you go? Who and what would you bring?

There are lots of places I'd love to go to, but only one that's feels other worldly to me: The Galapagos Islands. Here's an island full of exotic creatures and clear blue water. The perfect setting for this fantasy lover.

My friend spent his honeymoon there and sent me these amazing pics.

Now here's a few images I found online

Look at that! Can you imagine all the inspiration there? And look at how close you can be to the animals! I LOVE IT.

What's your dream retreat?

PWN

2012-01-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

Since I have some new followers, I figured I might explain the word PWN, for those who don't game.

PWN is a term I picked up while playing World of Warcraft. The definition can best be described by a few photos.

Dear New Mom

2012-01-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

Being a new mom isn't easy. I spent my entire pregnancy reading everything I could about birth and the first year, but nothing could compare to the real thing. I'd like to introduce you to http://www.dearnewmom.com/ Here you can find helpful, honest advice in the form of letters. If you or anyone you know is expecting, please pass on this link.

Here's a pic of my little one; although, he's 2 1/2 now : (

Best of 2011 Giveaway

2011-12-27T06:56:00.000-08:00

This has been a really great year for me: I went to my first writer's conference where I met a great group of girls; made some amazing connections with other writers who've helped me hone my skills; read a lot; wrote a lot; moved into a new apartment and finally wrote a query I could be proud of.

To finish off the year I joined another great giveaway--The Best of 2011! I have read some amazing books this year and it's hard to just pull out a couple, but I've narrowed my list down to my favorites. The winner will get to choose any book from the list. All I ask is that if you're not already a follower, please follow and leave a comment about your favorite book released or that you read in 2011, below. I'm always interested in what other people have read.
Have a Happy and safe New Year! And check out all the other blogs here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Down with the Sickness

2011-12-23T14:22:00.000-08:00

This is me...

I have been surrounded by fluffs of white since Sunday. I'm sick, the hubby and boy are sick, it's a Holiday sneeze fest. Normally, I would be upset and gloomy but not being able to taste has its upsides.

I'm an eater. Food is my weakness. I filled out a weight watchers quiz about what type of eater I was and it politely told me, environmental. If it's around I'll eat it, and around the holidays there are lots of yummy treats. But since I have had no desire to eat, I've been able to pass on all the baked goods coming into my office and I'm confident I will not pig out over the weekend. Perfect time to start a diet or not..

I hope everyone has a blessed holiday. May 2012 be your best year yet! Mery Christmas!

I'll be participating in two giveaways over the next few weeks. Make sure to stay tuned!

Keeping the Balance

2011-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's not easy working, writing, having kids, blogging, tweeting and having a social life--and those are only a few activities I mentioned, I left out para-sailing and bungee jumping. Everyone is busy. Finding spare time in the day to work on your novel and watch Man vs Food can be daunting. But amidst all the craziness us writers find a way to do it. We write, read, blog, read and comment on other blogs, do contests and still take the time out to critique our friends' work. I give us superstars a lot of credit.

To me, it's all about balance.

And with the holidays here, balancing becomes an art.

I'll share a few of my techniques and I'd love to hear some of yours! And any time savers you might have.

I edit/write during lunch. In one hour I can get a lot done!
While driving home from work and during cooking dinner, I think about scenes I want to write. Then as soon as I can, I get them on paper.
Always carry paper and pen with me. That way if I'm waiting at the doctor's or get an idea before I go shopping, I can write it.
When I come home from work, I spend time with my son--no laptop!
I don't watch TV. And if I do, it's usually in bed right before I fall asleep.
Instead of sleeping in every Saturday, I'll get up before everyone else and put in a good 4hrs of writing. Then, I have the whole day to hang with my family.
If my son wants to watch a movie, I'll join him, laptop with me, but use that time to check tweets, blogs ect
I don't spend more than 10 minutes a day on facebook.
having twitter on my cellphone, means during breaks I can quickly read tweets.
Prioritize! Use lists for Twitter, and read through your favorite blogs once a week.
I try to incorporate research into reading and when I play video games. A game like Dragon Age 2 can teach you a heck of a lot about worldbuilding.
Learn to love your crockpot. You can save yourself some time by coming home to an already cooked dinner. Some days, depending on the meal, I could spend over two hours preparing, cooking, eating and washing dishes. Think of all that time saved with a crockpot!

Sweet Child Of Mine

2011-11-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. The past two weeks have been pretty crazy with me--moved into a new apartment--so it was nice to relax and pig out.The Giveaway hop winners have been notified and prizes e-mailed! Thanks for participating and keep posted for another end of the year giveaway.While I go back to eating and lounging, I leave you with a funny video of me singing karaoke with a live band in Cancun. There's lots of off key notes, air guitars and laughs. I am not a singer, but I have no shame when it comes to embarrassing acts.Enjoy the rest of the Holiday weekend!

Giveaway Hop

2011-11-07T19:17:00.000-08:00

****UPDATE****

The hop is official closed! I hope you enjoyed all the great blogs that participated. Winners will be notified by the end of the week.

***********************

Every year, when we're sitting around the table waiting to stuff our face with turkey, the same question is always asked: What are you thankful for.

I'm thankful for a lot; my husband, son, a great job, my health, the small apartment we stuff into, the food I'm blessed to have and the wonderful friends and family I'm surrounded with. But most of all I'm thankful that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I never would have made it this far without his love, grace and mercy.

To celebrate the season of giving, I'm giving away two prizes. Each winner will get a $10 Amazon gift card. All you need to do is be a follower of this blog. If you'd like an additional entry you can tweet the giveaway. Check out the other blogs (list after form) there are lots of great prizes. May you all have a safe and blessed holiday!
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class="goog-spellcheck-word"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;lt&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;Here's the link to the post with all the participating blogs PS..I'm not sure how all those links (not the hop ones) popped up on the bottom, please ignore.november-giveaway-hop

So it begins

2011-11-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today officially kicks off NaNoWro! I almost didn't write...I was on a plane flying back home and in the middle of reading an amazing romantic fairytale of a book--The Amaranth Enchantment--and only a few chapters away from the end. I really, really debated not writing, but then what way is that to start off NaNoWro? I begrudgingly put the book down and wrote 191 words, not huge, but at least I started.

What about you?

For those of you doing NaNoWro, yalitchat is holding a fun contest with three great prizes.

oh, and can someone PLEASE explain how to search for a person and buddy them on NaNoWro...I can't figure it out ><

Blogs to follow

2011-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

There are so many wonderful blogs out there, it's hard to figure out which ones you should be following constantly. For the sake of space, I've listed a few essentials. Since I write YA, you'll see a theme, but overall these are gems and if you already follow all of these, well, great minds think alike.

http://thedisgruntledbear.blogspot.com/ is the first blog I followed. Kate Kaynak is the author of Minder ( a Ganzfield novel). Her blog is witty, sweet, full of great advice and she does lots of contests--first query contest I ever entered!

http://www.yahighway.com/ A blog run by six YA authors, full of fun insight, roadtrips and industry news.

http://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/ This would be the second blog I followed! This blog is known for its monthly Mystery Agent contest. Every month is a new agent which means a new chance of winning! You can read through old contests (lots of pitch/loglines and first words) and see what stories caught the agents attention and why. VERY HELPFUL.

http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/ This is a treasured resource among writers. Need help describing a specific setting? Or need some sensory words to liven up that scene? Tired of always using the word angry? This blog has it all. BRILLIANT

http://queryshark.blogspot.com/ Even if you think you are uberly awesome at writing a query, you still need to follow Janet Reid's advice. She dissects query after query, and considering she's a super agent, I suggest you listen : )

http://confessionsofawanderingheart.blogspot.com/ Run by Suzie Townsend and Joanna Stampfel-Volpe. Early this year they started First Page shooter where they give you their advice/thoughts on the first 250 words of your MS. Follow their guidelines on the site to submit.

http://www.querytracker.blogspot.com/ I love Query Tracker. I've met some wonderful writers from the forums, use the tracker for submissions and follow the blog for all the advice I desperately need. Remember the plot post I linked? Yup, that's from them. Told you they rock.

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/ mused by agent Kristin Nelson. I had the pleasure of doing one of her first pages workshops. She's blunt and honest. I often go here to read through the archives on everything from writing pitch's to what-not-to-do writing tactics.

http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/ Literary Rambles--another gem. When you're ready to start searching for an agent Casey has done a wonderful job of collecting all the info you need.

http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/ Inspired Kathy is the queen of blog hops and giveaways. If you need to gain more followers or meet some other writers, join one of the hops she posts.

http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/ I just recently found this one, run by the Authoress. She also runs a secret agent contest : ) And the famous Baker's Dozen where agents actually bid on your ms!

And that's it! There are so many more out there. I didn't even dive into the writer blogs. If you have any great blogs you follow that aren't listed, please share!

Slappin Da Bass - I Love You, Man FULL High Quality

2011-10-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Watched this last night.Love this movie about brolove...hope you're enjoying the weekend!

Let's talk NaNoWriMo

2011-10-18T16:01:00.000-07:00

For those of you not in the know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It's when a ton of people decide to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. I failed last year, but this year I have a plan!

First, if you are doing NaNoWriMo you should add me as a writing buddy. Here's me : )

Awhile ago I did a post on outlines, which by the way I only recently started appreciating. I found this plotting guide on Query tracker---changed my whole world. It takes the whole cumbersome process of planning and whittles it down into nine steps, critical for NaNoWriMo.

To simplify things, here's what I suggest. Create a hook, concept, idea whatever it may be--An alien invades the body of a fifteen-year-old boy's mother and forces him to eat massive amounts of brussel sprouts until he morphs into one of them--no, that's not mine but you can totally steal it!

Now that you have your fantastic idea write a query. I know, you probably just rolled your eyes at me, but it will help. Ever hear the advice that if your query is muddled the book is? No, okay, maybe that was just me....moving on!

Once you have an idea start plotting. If you use the one I linked above, it will force you to focus on the mc while developing the main conflict.

Next, read all these posts on storyfix.com PURE BRILLIANCE. Reading all of them may be too time consuming, if that's true just pick a few that really spark your interest.

November 1st is the start date, think you're up for the challenge?

Blogiversary WINNER

2011-10-08T15:51:00.000-07:00

UPDATE

Zoey passed due to already receiving the book as an ARK, which means...our new winner is Madison Louise!

And the winner is...ZOEY TALBON! Congratulations! I'll be sending you an e-mail to get your address.

Blogiversary

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's official. My blog is over a year old. This time last year, I had no clue what a blog was. My first post was Oh-My-Darling-Alistair and it had one page view which was probably me...lol

I've been thinking about what to give away and deciding on THE IRON KNIGHT by Julie Kagawa. It doesn't come out on until October 25th, but I'll pre-order it for you. I'm a big fan of supporting books and authors I love.

If you've never read the Fey Series, and are into Fantasy, you must read her books. They are pure awesome sprinkled with fairy dust.

Below is THE IRON KNIGHT trailer (I hope it plays, I grabbed the code from FB). If you're interested in entering the contest all you need to do is leave a comment on this post with your email.

Thanks to all my followers, it'd be pretty lonely without you ; )

Second Campaigner Challenge

2011-09-27T16:13:00.000-07:00

It's time for the second challenge! Here are the rules according to our beloved host Rachel

Write a blog post in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should:

include the word "imago" in the title
include the following 4 random words: "miasma," "lacuna," "oscitate," "synchronicity,"

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional and included in the word count), make reference to a mirror in your post.

For those who want an even greater challenge (optional), make your post 200 words

EXACTLY!

HERE'S MINE!
A bit of flash fiction

Lucid Imago

Her absence is a lacuna on my reality, leaving a miasma ofpain in its wake. If I could oscitate her shimmering skin and ethereal wingsonce more, I’d imprint that vision of beauty onto my lids; never forgetting thepink of her lips or curl of her hair. Instead, these shattered moments pass byin a synchronicity of sorrow, flickering death and despair. My summer queen whobloomed with vivacious fever disappeared with the wilting rose of winter.

Blogging...

2011-09-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

I knew it had been awhile since I last blogged but September 9th!!! WOW. My mom came to visit and life has just been hectic. I'm super busy with everything, and I've been slacking on my social media. For over the past year, I've spent a good portion of my free time, tweeting, blogging, reading blogs, hanging out in writing forums, working on my MS, critiquing...well, I'm not actually posting a rant, although it seems to be going in that direction. lol

Point is, I've been distracted with life. The nerve... ; )

I don't have much to say tonight. Instead of blabbing on about absolutely nothing, here are some funny pics!

And this one is for my gaming pals ; )

First Campaign Challenge

2011-09-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

wow. I almost missed it! So, here's the deal, straight from the Queen B herself:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut." (also included in the word count)

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

Because I'm a show off, lol, I did everything above, included the exact word count. What do you think?
*************************************************************************************************************

The door swung open, and there he was, drenched in blood. “Lucas!” I ran to his limping form, slipping my arm around his waist before he fell. “What happened?”

He winced and took two steps forward. “I killed one of them, boy those beasts are fast.”

This wasn’t happening. It was all a sick, twisted dream. “Lucas…are you going to be alright?” I choked on the words, hoping he would say yes.

“I’ll be fine, sunshine,” he said in that hushed, dark voice that gave me chills.

Screams from somewhere in the mansion permeated through the hidden room. I clung to Lucas tighter, pretending I didn’t hear a thing.

“I have to go back.”

“What? You can’t, Lucas, we’ll find another way!”

He leaned into my curls, his lips brushing my hair. “I came back to give you this.” He handed me the keys to the Jag.

I shook my head. “No.”

He kissed my face and wiped away a tear. “I won’t let them hurt you. I couldn’t live with myself if you died.” Then, before I could beg him to stay, he shuffled to the door.

“Lucas!”

“I love you Meg.” He winked, and the door swung shut.

****************************************************************************************************

make sure you go vote for your favorites!! http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-campaigner-challenge.html

We are the girls/boys of rock n roll

2011-09-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite 80's movies--The Chipmunks Adventure. Need some inspiration? Or a good throwback? Check out this vid.

Have a safe and happy Labor day XOXO

Hating and Loving Your MS

2011-08-31T20:08:00.000-07:00

There comes a point during the editing/revising period where you hate your novel. Then you tweak it, get a sense of accomplishment and query--only to be rejected. You go back to hating your ms, thinking you're a terrible writer, and decided to shelve the novel. A few day pass, you pick the story back up and fall back in love. Now, you've really fixed it, get excited and send it back out...

It's a crazy cycle, but in the end it's worth it. I think my feelings can best be described in a short scene by Rapunzel.

Third Writer's Building Campaign

2011-08-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

Rachael Harrie is having a writer's building campaign. This is my first one and it seems like a great way to meet other bloggers. For all the details check out her site. I joined a YA group and can't wait to meet everyone.

This is a short post because Irene is barreling her way to Long Island and I'm obsessing over hurricane news, lol. Hi to my fellow campaigners and if you're in the storm's path, be safe!

What to do When an Agent Calls

2011-08-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

Lazy Writer

2011-08-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

This is my pup, Achilles. I often feel like he does in this pic.

I'll admit it. I'm lazy. It's not a redeeming quality, but everyone has to know their weaknesses. The worst is I can see it in my writing. I can actually tell when I'm being lazy about a sentence. I'll give you an example and you tell me what you think.

eg. 1 There’s a certain stale quality about a hospital that unnerves me.

eg 2. I stepped up to him and wrapped my arms around him, hugging him as tight as my injury would let me.

Everyone talks about the importance of every word in a sentence. In the first example, I feel something. It's tight and concise. Can you hear the voice in the second one? Because I can't. Let's see if I can rewrite it and actually think about what I want to say.

I crushed into him, ignoring the spike of pain in my chest.

Little better : ) When that lazy bug seeps into my writing it kills my talent.

So, how does a lazy person like myself get over this hurdle? I get EXCITED and INSPIRED (and maybe drink a little caffeine). I love reading and writing, and if I feel myself getting into one of those 'I don't want to' moods. I change things up. Read a book on my TBR pile. Listen to Foreigner and dance like a fool in my living room. Watch LOTR or some other spectacular film. Play some Final Fantasy XII. Then I write.

I feel refreshed and ready to take on my ms. Now, I know I'm not the only lazy girl out there. If you've got any suggestions to combat the lazy bug, please share!

The Iron King Trailer

2011-08-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

I spent this past Saturday ripping through The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I LOVED it! It has everything a great fantasy needs; beautiful and well crafted world building, funny and quirky sidekicks, romance, action and lots of fairies. Books like this inspire me to write. If you love fantasy and haven't read this, go and buy it!

For those of you who know the story, here's a fan vid I found. It's pretty good too. I am definitely an Ash fan.

Dragon age 2: I would have given you everything - Fenris/Hawke/Anders

2011-08-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have a thing for romance in video games. I LOVE IT. I just wish they made more. Fenris is my all time favorite RPG heartthrob. Here's a new youtube fan video.

spoilers*****I'll list them after the video in case you've played the game and are confused about some of the banter*****

*** spoilers*** If you start a romance with Anders after you've slept with Fenris, they will have an awesome banter sequence.

Summer Giveaway Hop WINNERS!!!

2011-08-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

Can you believe we are in AUGUST?? Pretty soon we'll be chowing on turkey and then all panicking over Christmas shopping. My internet has been down for a few days and I feel so disconnected from social media. It's a strange yet relaxing feeling. Anywho...who's ready for winners!

drumroll......

Kiery
Juana Esparza
Gloria Schumann

GRATS!!!! I'll be sending you three e-mails : )

Summer Giveaway Hop

2011-07-31T18:34:00.000-07:00

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just went over 100 followers! SQUEAL! Because you all rock, I'm giving away TWO copies of IF I STAY, and if I go over 150, I'll give away another, and another, and another...woot!

I love giveaways. It gives us bloggers a chance to send out some awesome gifts and for you to get free stuff! This giveaway is hosted by I am Reader, Not a Writer & Bookhounds. There are are over 300 blogs participating, make sure you stop by them all!

So, what am I giving away? IF I STAY by Gayle Forman--one of my favorite books!

If you've never heard of this beautiful, gut-wrenching story that portrays the power of love, family and music, read the blurb:

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces - to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heart-wrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time.

I read this in one sitting. It's that good! If you want a brand new copy of this amazing tale all you need to do is be a follower and fill out the form. Very simple!

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Forever

2011-07-27T16:52:00.000-07:00

I read during my lunch break. Today, I picked up my copy of FOREVER and had to stop on pg 115...for those of you how have read/ are reading the book go look at it. Do you feel my pain???? I really contemplated being late back, but that wouldn't be very ethical.

ps. Anyone else in love with Cole St.Clair???

Debunking the Myth: You Can't Make Money as a Writer

2011-07-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered how to make a real living as a fiction writer, or why most people believe you can't, read this! The man is pure genius.

Dean Wesley Smith

Spread The Love Contest: The Sky is Everywhere

2011-07-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

And the winner is.......

Regina Linton!

Congratulations! I'll be sending you an e-mail : )

THE ELECTRIC COMPANY: Wyclef Jean Music Video "Electric City"

2011-07-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

My son started watching the Electric Company. It has a ton of fun counting, skits and hip hop! For a children's TV show, this is pretty hot.

Auntie B's Book Club Contest

2011-07-17T06:16:00.000-07:00

Brenda Drake is having another awesome contest and the judges are four teens. How cool is that! I'm pretty excited about having my target audience checking out my material. I just had a teen finish reading my ms and she loved it, such a good feeling. Anyway, rules for this one are simple. On July 17th, post your pitch and first 250 words, go visit the other entries,give/get feedback and then post your final version on the site. The girls will pick three winners on July 20th.

Prizes? One winner will receive a 10 pg and synopsis critique and two runners up will receive either a 10pg or a synopsis critique.

Here's my entry:

Title: BROKEN FOREST: A KEENING BLADE NOVEL
Genre: YA Fantasy

pitch: Avikar always dreamed of exploring Tarrtainya; he never imagined it would be in search of his sister.

first 250 words:

Avikar slid his feet into the worn leather boots. The rooster crowed again, reminding him he was late, but he didn’t care. He was tired of shoveling manure.

His father shouted about dumping a water bucket on his head if he didn’t wake.

“I am up,” he mumbled. He would have loved to yell back, but he found that a snide retort only took away his supper.

The wooden floorboards creaked under his steps. Some days he wondered if his little loft would crash down into his sisters’ room. He grinned and imagined his prissy sister, Jeslyn, wailing for days about how he ruined her frilly garments. He grabbed the small ladder and climbed down.

In the common room, his mother kneaded dough while his five-year-old sister, Calli, ate at the table. He slumped into the chair across from her and grabbed a bowl of rue.

“Where’s Father?” he asked, noticing the empty seats, especially the one his brother used to sit in.

“Poppa’s outside. You’re late, again.” Calli replied in between bites. She swung her legs back and forth, underneath the table. It was too early for Avikar to care. Sleep tugged at his eyelids, enticing him back into his feathered bed.

His mother poured him a cup of fresh milk. “You all right, honey?”

“Just tired,” he replied and dunked a piece of fanna into the bowl. The dense bread soaked up the onion-flavored liquid, and he shoved it in his mouth.

***if you haven't already, enter in my Spread The Love Contest: The Sky is Everywhere here

Reckoning E3 Trailer

2011-07-16T03:36:00.000-07:00

When people ask me what's my writing goal, I say "To be the YA version of RA Salvatore." I know huge shoes to fill. Being a huge RA fan, you can imagine how excited I get when he works on video game projects. In 2004 he worked on Demon Stone. To this day, I still have a save on my PS2 card right before you get to play Drizzt--swoon. If you were a fan of BG2, you run into his party who pretty much kicks the crap out of you. His latest project is Kingdoms of Amalur an epic, open world RPG, coming out for the PC, PS3 and 360 in 2012.

Here's a taste of what we can expect, and it looks pretty sick. You a fan of RA? If you are, what's your favorite book? Mine is STREAMS OF SILVER--the trollmoors scene gives me goosebumps every time I read it.

Spread The Love Contest: The Sky is Everywhere

2011-07-14T18:08:00.000-07:00

I just finished THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson. It was poetic, romantic and full of raw emotion. Here's the blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life - and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.

I loved Lennie, and I really connected to her. I know that if you read this, you will not be disappointed.

Now, on to the fun part! Casey Mccormick @ Literary Rambles started this contest back in February and it is still going strong! I won my lucky copy from Alison Miller (waves) and now it's time for one of my followers to win thiers.

Here are the rules:

Since this is a pay-it-forward contest the winner must agree to hold the same contest on their blog, preferably within two weeks. All you need to do is fill out the form, extra points for tweets and all that jazz, and leave a comment below. Deadline is next Friday, 7/22. USA only.

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YA Highway RTW: Pictures That Inspire

2011-07-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

This week's topic is a personal favorite, pictures that inspire your current WIP.

I always download images that remind me of my book, whether it's to get a vivid idea for my descriptions, or just for plain fun. The images below are for my ms, BROKEN FOREST: A KEENING BLADE NOVEL.

I always have scenery pics, this one represents the jungle at the end of the book.

A picture of my mc's horse, Brushfire.

I found this one while looking up hairstyles.

When it comes to 16th century clothes, I'm a bit lost, thank God for the internet!

Last, my mc, Avikar. It took awhile to find him : )

Backspace: Part 1 The Query

2011-07-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Backspace Writer's Conference was at the end of May. This post is long overdue but life gets busy.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Backspace go here. If you can swing it, do it. The conference changed me as a writer, plus I met some pretty awesome writer buddies. You get the chance to meet agents, authors, editors and other writers. I loved every second of it.

I'll break these Backspace posts up into different aspects of writing and things I learned. Now on to part one!

For starters, this was me.

I had triple checked my bag, fifteen copies of my query letter and first two pages. I live on Long Island. The conference was in the city, only an hour away. I decided to take the train, great idea, but shame on me for being late and wearing heels--terrible to run in. I got onto the train just as the doors were closing, literally.

I was so afraid of being late, I ended up being the first one there >< I sat, drank hotel coffee and wigged out some more.

By the time the query letter workshop came up, I was practically hyperventilating.

I sat at a table with at least eight other writers and two agents. I was blessed to have Roseanne Wells and Kathleen Ortiz in my group, squeal! We passed around our query and each person read theirs out loud. I was a little excited. After months and months of re-writing, I thought I had the perfect query. Here is what I brought.

Dear Agent:

Eden is a fabled land, a fairytale. At least that’s what seventeen-year-old Avikar always believed and for the Reptilian Prince, Lucino, that lie is the perfect cover.

But Eden isn’t some old story told in taverns.

It’s real, and Avikar’s kidnapped sister has been taken there. So he does what any good brother would do—he chases after her. With his trusted bow and best friend, he’s confident they’ll succeed. Until, they’re ambushed and almost killed, put under a spell, and attacked again. Suddenly, the journey he thought would be simple turns out to be more than he can bear and things only worsen when his sister falls in love with her captor.

In a land flowing with mystical poppies and exquisite creatures, two races will come face to face. One fights for those he loves and one fights for the world he needs. There can only be one victor, and Avikar doesn’t know if he has the strength to be it.

BROKEN FOREST: A KEENING BLADE NOVEL is a 60,000 word YA Fantasy. This is a stand-alone novel with series potential.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

You know how agents always say this business is subjective? Well, it's true. They have different tastes in the query format they like AND on stories they're looking for. I thought I had a nice query. It even received good feedback on Query Tracker, but it didn't work.

Two agents, two different suggestions. One thought to cut out the last paragraph while the other suggested to add more back in (My original query started with Avikar's grueling guilt over his brother's death). They also suggested, very strongly, that I change the name Eden which surprised me because no one ever commented on it before, but these two are well known agents and I should listen, maybe ; )

My query lacked setting and voice and at the end you had no idea who Avikar is, except that he may be a bit cocky, but not really, lol.

Both had great advice, but it boiled down to what they thought worked best. Oh, and if your ms has series potential, say it. The agents said the way I stated that fact worked perfectly.

You can tell when a query works, and I don't think it has to do with a specific format, but on how the story grabs you. Based on that morning with the agents, I understood each one's suggestions because I got a feel for them. Everyone has personal tastes, find an agent that matches yours.

Final Fantasy 8 -- Unused Opening

2011-06-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

FFVIII is such a classic. This opening came with FFVII on a demo diss.

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem ft. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock

2011-06-27T21:15:00.000-07:00

cheetah print, check; gold robot, check; absurd amounts of running man, check; LOVE THIS.

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma book trailer

2011-06-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

I love how this trailer fits all the story descriptions, haunting, beautiful, surreal.

Maria V. Synder Workshop

2011-06-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of my writing buddies contacted me about an upcoming writer's workshop.It sounds great. If you happen to be in that area, definitely check it out.

Okay, Jordan, say hi to our blogger buddies and give us the details : )

My name is Jordan Mierek, and I am the vice president of the Utica Writers Club. This July, we are hosting a writing workshop with guest speaker, Maria V. Snyder.

A few years ago, I read Maria’s novel POISON STUDY, and fell in love with it. The characters are realistic and captivating, and the storyline is unique. The back of the book included Maria’s author biography, as well as her email address. Whenever I read a book I enjoy, I make sure to tell the author. I emailed Maria and she actually wrote back. Her reply was personal, not a form, which I usually received from authors. Since then, we have kept up our correspondence and she has proven very helpful in my own writing endeavors. When the Utica Writers Club was discussing which author they wanted to host a writing workshop, I knew Maria would be a great candidate.

Maria V. Snyder was originally a meteorologist before she became a novelist. She is the author of the New York Times best-selling Study series (POISON STUDY, MAGIC STUDY, and FIRE STUDY), the award winning Glass series (STORM GLASS, SEA GLASS, and SPY GLASS), and the Insider books (INSIDE OUT and OUTSIDE IN). She has also written numerous short stories for anthologies. She is currently working on a new fantasy series and the first book, TOUCH OF POWER, is to be published January 2012.

The writing workshop will be held on July 16, 2011 at the Kirkland Town Library in Clinton, New York. It will run from 1 pm to 4 pm. The cost is $25, and the registration form is located here: http://uticawritersclub.org/workshop.html. Maria will also have signed copies of her books available for purchase.

The itinerary for the event is the following:
1 pm-1:45 pm - Writing Fiction, Tips, Techniques, Rules and Breaking the Rules
<Break>
2:00-2:45 - How to Get Published
<Break>
3:00-3:30 - Question/Answer Session
3:30 – Door Prizes/Thank You/Autograph

Redesign a Book Cover Blogfest

2011-06-20T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Lovely Brenda Drake is holding a book cover contest. I thought this was a really cool idea and had to join in. Make sure you check out all the other blogs!

It's late and I'm too shot for long posts...Here is my Entry!

I only have one thing to say today...

2011-06-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Read-a-thon UPDATE

2011-06-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

I am so far behind it's depressing...The read-a-thon started hours ago and I'm just sitting down now, to read.

Here's where I'm at

Total books read: ZERO!
Total pages read: 2 ><
Books read since last update: ZERO!
Pages read since last update: 2
Total time read: 5 minutes...
How I am currently feeling: Agitated. My 2yr old keeps jumping on me...

For this min-challenge you need to create a puzzle that consists of about three images which describe a book.

Let's see if you guys get this.

********************************************************************
update and mini challenge #5

ugh, between youtube and my current WIP, I am extremely distracted...I haven't read a thing!

Total books read: ZERO!

Total pages read: 2 ><

Books read since last update: ZERO!

Pages read since last update: 2

Total time read: 5 minutes...

How I am currently feeling: Happy--2yr old is asleep!

Okay! This challenge is to take three book titles and make a sentence.

here's mine.

Falling under you, the iron king.

Sometimes I Feel like a...?

2011-06-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I spend over 70 hours a week on a laptop, trust me I did the math! Between my real job and writing, I'm ALWAYS on the computer. This past weekend I was tired of twitter, blogging and pretty much anything social media related. So, how did I spend my free time?

Planted in my recliner, glued to my 46in flat screen, playing FFXIII. IT. WAS. AWESOME

I didn't write or do anything remotely productive, well I did clean, a little ; )

I'm a writer and a gamer, and even when I'm playing ten straight hours (which is nothing compared to what I did on WOW) I pay attention to characterization, setting, story ect.

Oh, and how is FFXIII you ask? It's friggin fabtabulous.

What do you during your breaks?

YA Highway RTW: Plotter or Pantser?

2011-06-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...let's ask good old George what he thinks.

:crickets chirping:

Okay, thank you, George!

I used to be a full-blown pantser, but not anymore. On my first novel, I created extra work by not outlining and really thinking about the story. I found myself changing world rules, or a plot point, and then having to make sure that change filtered through the rest of the book--not fun.

Plotting is important. Yes, I still have scenes pop into my head that I scribble down, but now I outline and
research everything.

I found this fantastical way to plot on the Query Tracker Blog. For someone who is a fan of the quick and easy, this is gold. I love it. I used it for my current WIP, and I am hooked!

What about you? Got any great plotting ideas?

Spring into summer read-a-thon

2011-06-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

There's no better way to start off summer then with a read-a-thon! Enna Isilee at Squeaky Books is hosting this fabulous event. The read-a-thon starts Friday June 17th @ 8am MST Saturday June 18th @ 8pm MST. That's thirty-six hours of non-stop reading! LOVE IT.

Every few hours there will be mini-challenges, and a giveaway. You can win a bunch of books, and just for signing up, you're entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card!

I have a few books on my bookcase that I've been waiting to read. Here's my list:

Minder by Kate Kaynak
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger (I read this in ninth grade--don't remember any of it!)

I might add more, but this is my starting list. I have a few books I plan to pick up at the library this week. We'll see if I add more.

If you want to join in the fun, sign up here.

RAK: May Wrap-Up

2011-06-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

I heard about RAK through one of Beth Revis's posts--who by the way, wrote the amazing Across The Universe. What is RAK? Well, it's this amazing idea hosted by the fabulous Book Soulmates. Each month people sign up to give and recieve free books. How awesome is that?

May was my first month. I sent out Divergent to Alyssa Hoffmaster! I've heard great things about that book. I hope she's enjoying it : )

June's RAK is up. If you want to join in the fun, sign up here! Oh, and make sure to hit tab when entering in your links. NOT ENTER. Otherwise, the links won't be active.

Incarceron: Review

2011-05-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

INCARCERON

Finn cannot remember his childhood. He cannot remember his life before Incarceron--a prison that has been sealed for centuries, where inmates live in cells, dilapidated cities, and unbound wilderness. No one has ever escaped. But then he finds a crystal key and a girl named Claudia.

Claudia's father is the Warden of Incarceron. And Claudia is about to become a kind of prisoner herself, doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn in his escape, she will need his help in return.

But they don't realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know...because Incarceron is alive.

Because Incarceron is alive--that's the line on the book jacket that hooked me.

Catherine Fisher does an amazing job of creating this alternate reality where metal forests and half-men live. It's a bit of steampunk and dystopia, all rolled into one edgy, tech tale. At times you're with Finn, in the dark confines of Incarceron, where red eyes watch and record every move. Other times, you're with Claudia, in a Victorian era world.

I loved the ideas, the world building, and the characterizations. I give this one 4.5 out of 5

AW MAY Blog Chain: Relationships

2011-05-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

I love the Absolute Write blog chains. It's a great way to meet other writers and get those creative juices flowing.

This month's prompt: RELATIONSHIPS

Show a character's approach to relationships in a short scene. A harmless exchange between mother and daughter? A submissive character overwhelmed by a dominant partner? A passionate lover's quarrel? A forlorn, unrequited letter?

Use your characters' interaction to show the dynamics of their relationship, show how they're growing together or growing apart, or just have silly fun. Character descriptions at the beginning are forbidden this time around--let them speak or act for themselves!

I decided to use a scene, that was eventually cut, from my current MS.

Please check out the other participants and enjoy!

orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com (link to this month's post)
Proach - http://desstories.blogspot.com/ (link to this month's post)
Yoghurtelf - http://thefarseas.blogspot.com/ (link to this month's post)
AuburnAssassin - http://clairegillian.com (link to this month's post)
aimeelaine - http://www.aimeelaine.com/blog (link to this month's post)
Della Odell - http://dellaodell.wordpress.com/ (link to this month's post)
jkellerford - http://jennykellerford.wordpress.com/ (link to this month's post)
LadyMage - http://www.katherinegilraine.com/ (link to this month's post)
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.com/ (link to this month's post)
xcomplex - http://arielemerald.blogspot.com/ (link to this month's post)
Inkstrokes - http://drlong67.wordpress.com/ (link to this month's post)
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/ (link to this month's post)
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/ (link to this month's post)
juniper - http://www.katjuniper.com (link to this month's post)
Steam&Ink - http://steamandink.blogspot.com/ (link to this month's post)
ME!!

Avikar strolled around to the back of the building with his fishing-pole bouncing against his shoulder. There he spotted Derrick, making out with a brown-haired girl. Avikar grinned. Derrick was shy around girls, and Avikar constantly made fun of him. He was certain that Derrick had never kissed a girl before; this was a cause for celebration. Avikar clapped his hands.

Derrick froze and slowly turned around. His eyes widened with fear when he saw Avikar.
Avikar tilted his head. “What’s wrong? Are you upset that I interrupted?" The devilish grin he wore, faded, when his sixteen-year-old sister came into view.

“Nice boots, Avi,” Jeslyn said.

Avikar glanced down at the black galoshes that went past his knees, then back up at Derrick. His gaze darted from Derrick to Jeslyn and back again.

He threw the pole on the ground and balled his fists. “What are you doing with my sister?” Avikar screamed. His eyebrows straightened into one angry line.

Derrick backed away from Jeslyn, holding his hands up in defense. “Avikar, relax, let me explain.”

“Relax, are you crazy! That’s my sister you were making out with,” Avikar yelled while circling around him.

Jeslyn stayed beside Derrick. “You’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting? Wait until Father hears about this. You know the rules!”

Jeslyn pushed her shoulders back, and crossed her arms. “This is none of your business.”

Avikar’s nostrils flared. “Not only are you not allowed to date, but I catch you with my best friend!”

Derrick ushered Jeslyn to the side. “Let me talk to him.”

The second Jeslyn was out of the way, Avikar threw a right hook with frightening speed at Derrick. The punch landed squarely on his jaw and knocked him flat on his back. He sat on the ground dazed, holding his left eye.

Jeslyn pushed Avikar. “Leave him alone!” she cried.

Avikar grabbed her by the arm. “We’re leaving, right now.”

Jeslyn wrestled to break free from his strong grip. “Let go of me! Why are you acting like this?”

Avikar ignored her and glared at Derrick. “Don’t ever talk to me again.” And he spat on the ground.

“Avi, no! Don’t say that. Derrick didn’t do anything wrong.”

“He betrayed me.”

Jeslyn’s lip quivered. “Please, Avi, he wanted to tell you, but I asked him not to. I knew you would tell Poppa.”

“I don’t care.”

Jeslyn reached for Derrick, who sat on the ground, clutching his face. “Derrick, say something.” He kept his eyes on the dirt, afraid of the emotion that would pour out, if he looked at her.

Avikar grabbed both her arms and pulled her away. She stared up at him with wet eyes.

“Avi, no, please, don’t do this.” She begged him.

Avikar avoided her tearful gaze, and dragged her home, where he hoped his father would deal with this disastrous situation.

The Shadowmask: Stone of Tymora, Book II Review

2011-05-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

This month we celebrate male authors and male protagonists. The Unread Reader and Logan E. Turner are hosting a mega contest with three-super-uber-prize packs. All you need to do is read and write reviews on any book written by a male or containing a male protagonist and post the review link here.

When it comes to my favorite authors, R.A Salvatore is at the top of the list. He's created a world that I desperately wished existed. The Stone of Tymora trilogy is written by his son Geno Salvatore with the occasional tweak by R.A.

Here is the amazon blurb:

Though robbed by a masked spellcaster and left for dead by a demon, twelve-year-old Maimun refuses to give up the magic that rightfully belongs to him. After reuniting with dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden and Captain Deudermont's crew, Maimun sets off on a sea-faring chase that will test both the strength of his spirit and of his friendships. As perilous storms rock Sea Sprite and vicious pirates bombard its decks, a mysterious force gathers in the Moonshaes, determined to bring Deudermont's ship--and Maimun's quest--crashing to an end on its shores.

My thoughts? I liked it. It's a very fast paced read. From the very first chapter, Geno pulls you into the conflict. He nailed the YA male voice. One of my favorite aspects of Maimun is that he is pretty ordinary. He doesn't cast magic, and he's not a super-uber swordsman. I like that.

I LOVED the ravens. What are they? Hmmm, well, they talk, and they use magic, and...you'll just have to read the rest to find out.

Overall, I give this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: YOU

2011-05-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

This month we celebrate male authors and male protagonist. The Unread Reader and Logan E. Turner are hosting a mega contest with three-super-uber-prize packs. All you need to do is read and write reviews on any book written by a male or containing a male protagonist and post the review link here

This week I'll be posting a ton of different books. The first one up is YOU by Charles Benoit.

Other than a Choose Your Own Adventure, I've never read a book written in 2nd person. The story revolves around you, and you are a teenage boy.

You're kind of a loner, miserable, and your entire wardrobe consists of black hoodies. Your unsatisfied with life. There seems to be no point to anything. You could be an A student, if you did the homework, but what's the point? There is one highlight of your grey existence and that's Ashely. She's everything that's right in the world--and she's your friend, although you can't stop thinking about what it would be like to kiss her.

Things get interesting when a new kid comes to town. He's kind of a joker and a jerk, but you end up hanging out with him--against your better judgement. You wonder if you've would've stayed away from him if things would've ended the same. I'm sure people will blame him for it, but then again, you're kind of a distraught kid, so maybe they'll think it was your fault.

Either way you wonder about the what if's...but wondering what change what happened.

My thoughts? A pretty wild read. It's authentic and holds true to the YA voice. I didn't feel like I was reading in 2nd. I loved how different this book is. It gives a unique perspective on all the choices we make and they can have a rippling effect on our life.

4 out of 5 stars!

My First Blog Award!

2011-05-18T15:46:00.000-07:00

I got my first blog award! Lisa over at Kicked, Cornered and Bitten bestowed this lovely thing on me. She's got one of the coolest blogs I've seen. Who doesn't love a blog full of crazy animals?! Plus, I always wanted to work with animals--I live vicariously through her blog >< lol!

.

Apparently, there are rules to getting an award. Don't be a rule breaker!

1. Thank and link the person who nominated you
2. Share seven random facts about yourself (If you've done this one already, list seven of your favorite things)
3. Pass the award on to five buddies
4. Contact the winners to congratulate them

Easy Breezy!

SEVEN THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME!

1: I used to be a Hooter's girl and on my last day, I walked out with a $900 tip.
2: I was obsessed with fairies and have a big one tattooed on my lower back, along with my middle name, butterflies and a really ugly symbol.
3: I like Britney Spears. That's right.
4: I play tabletop Dungeons and Dragons. In my first quest I killed a Beholder single handedly--what a rush.
5: I LOVE fast cars. I used to go to the races in Englishtown NJ, but now I can't find anyone who shares my love...There's nothing hotter than seeing an import do a 1/4 mile in 8 seconds.
6: Remember when Cabbage Patch Kids first came out? Well, my super-uber-grandma took me to the NURSERY in NYC!! I watched my little doll being plucked out of a row of cabbages. I named her Wynoma and we were BFF.
7: I'm a born again Christian and proud of it!

NOW...drumroll....my five picks for the Stylish AWARD! These ladies have style, make sure to check them out!

1. LEXCADE
2.SUZANNE
3. HOWLYNN MARTIN
4. KATHARINE OWENS
5. LEIGH

Every Penny Counts-How I Save Money

2011-05-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

These days every penny really does count. I live paycheck to paycheck. It sucks but I consider myself lucky--at least I have a paycheck! Instead of complaining about what I don't have, I figure out ways to save money.

GOODBYE CABLE: I was spending at least thirty dollars a month for basic cable. The hubby and I decided to cancel cable. Instead we pay $13.20 a month for Netflix. We can watch a ton of TV shows/movies for free with their ondemand titles. Granted we might be a bit behind the times but who cares? If you don't have Netflix you can watch TV Episodes on online at Hulu and on some of the network stations.
AMAZON SUBSCRIBE & SAVE: I wish I stumbled across this earlier. I save a TON of money on diapers! If your a mom you can sign up for free for their Mom's club and automatically get 15% off any baby stuff. Then you can sign up for items to be delivered on a month to month basis--subscribe and save. The subscribe and save section has everything from pet food to household cleaners. Pick an item and the delivery frequency and save 15%. The best part? The Mom Club and S&S stack for a total of 30% off! I get a 100 box of Huggies size 5 delivered to my house for only $23.81! You can't beat that. Wipes? 702 Pampers count for $10.23!
GO GREEN: I changed all my incandescent lighting to energy efficient--I immediately saw a $20 a month savings! Also, try and keep all your devices plugged into a power strip and turn the strip off when you leave for work. When you leave your cell charger plugged in--it's leaking electricity. Another weird tip--clean the back of your fridge! I know it sounds strange but my company is on a Go Green initiative and we had a specialist come talk to us.
GAMEFLY: If you've followed me for awhile you know I'm a gamer. I can't afford to spend $60 every time a game releases. I'd rather spend $17.99 a month and try out every game. Every three months you get $5.00 in Gamefly rewards which can be used to buy used games or a month's rental. If you check out the link on my right side bar, you can get one month free!

That's it. If you have any great savings tips post them below!

Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said ft. Skylar Grey [Music Video]

2011-05-11T17:01:00.000-07:00

My latest obsession. I love this beat.

Name that Line: BRAVEHEART

2011-05-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

See the answer to Friday's quote!

Friday Fun: Name that Line

2011-05-06T15:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, folks, it's Friday. Ready to guess? Name this should-be-famous-but-may-not-be line!


                                                          Movie

                      “Every man dies, not every man really lives.”

Giant Forever Trailer Contest!

2011-05-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

On July 12th, 2011 Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, book 3) hits the streets! I'm really excited for this. Maggie Stiefvater has created a beautiful, romantic, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat story. I can't wait to see what happens next with Grace, Sam and the oh-so-hot-and-emotionally-screwed-up Cole St.Clair...sigh

If you pre-order from fountainbookstore your copy will come signed and doodled by Ms. Stiefvater herself!

To celebrate Forever, Maggie is throwing a big contest. For details read here There are a bunch of cool prizes up for grabs, including a Shiver keepsake box stuffed with goodies!

Okay, so now we come to the fun part---video time!

Dragon Age 2: Fenris Romance

2011-05-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting, writing, tweeting or cleaning...because of Dragon Age 2. The first time I played it, I ended up having a romance with Anders which was extremely disappointing. Hence, why I had to play again and romance Fenris--the best video game romance to date.

The romances in DA2 work a little different than in Dragon Age Origins. In order to get a romance going with Fenris start flirting with him early on in the game and don't flirt with anyone else! You can do a rival or friendship romance ( I choose friendship). Besides flirting, make sure to pick up his gifts in acts 2 and 3, the Book of Shartan and the Sword of Mercy. If you want a more detailed explanation you can go to Dragon Age Wiki.

Bioware really came through for us girls on this one. The Fenris romance felt natural and passionate, plus every girl loves a bad boy ; ) I don't know what they were thinking with Anders...You flirt with him twice and then he's confessing his love and moving into your estate. While the relationship with Fenris builds up. It starts in Act 1 as a flirtatious friendship, but by the end of Act 2 he's showing up at your place. This elf comes with some serious baggage, and I think that's why it felt so real. He's hurt, angry and confused and the last thing he's expecting is to fall in love--with you.

Another thing I loved about the Fenris romance was the party banter. Merrill makes a comment about Fenris being in love and showing puppy eyes, Fenris and Anders argue over you, and Isabel has some choice words for you about Fenris.

I really, really enjoyed this game and was highly impressed with Bioware's knack for romances. Although, Thane is Mass Effect 2 was pretty dull...Anyway, five stars for Fenris!

If you follow my blog you should be used to my AMV's. This one is all about my bad boy elf--Fenris

YA HIGHWAY RTW: Sing To Me

2011-04-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday! And time for another road trip from YA Highway This week's prompt is a music one, and yes, I am doing a happy dance.

If your WIP(s) or favorite book(s) were a song, which song would they be?

This took me exactly an hour and half to decided. I have a playlist for my book, but to choose one song, tough! I thought of my MC and came to a decision--step in Weak and Powerless by A Perfect Circle.

A Linger Review

2011-04-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

This Easter I spent the weekend reading Linger, the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater. Another beautiful tale.

LINGER
This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one. Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies...

The story unfolds through four different POVs: Sam, Grace, Isabel and Cole St. Claire. Being able to delve into each of their thoughts pulls you into their world. I felt their confusion, hurt and love. All flowing from scene to scene at a captivating pace.

If you love a dramatic-romance-with-a-paranormal-twist this is for you.

YA Highway: Road Trip Weds: First Kiss

2011-04-21T04:13:00.000-07:00

This week's topic is compare your first kiss to your favorite character's kiss.

Romeo and Juliet, sigh...Since the eighth grade I've been in love with this tragedy. When they remade the movie in the late 90's I was all over it. I remember the anticipation of watching the cat and mouse game unfold. Then the sweet reward of them lip locking in the elevator. I only wish my first kiss was that amazing.

If I ever write a middle grade novel my first kiss would fit right in....

It was back in the fifth grade. I remember the whole grade talked about John and I meeting in the hallway to french kiss. The plan was simple. John would walk past my classroom, and I would excuse myself to the bathroom. We'd meet by the bathrooms and do it.

Well, we met and we kissed. It was not life changing or romantic. Later that day, John told everyone I was a bad kisser and had bad breath...it pretty much sucked. lol.

Using Video Games To Write

2011-04-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

I'm a gamer. Always have been, always will be. My biggest problem today? Fitting gaming into my busy schedule. Sure I could come home from work, not cook and clean, or write and just spend endless hours getting shot in COD, but what kind of mother/wife would I be? And forget ever getting published.

Since I can't give up my love for video games, I've come up with a solution. Any video game I play has to add value to my writing. What does that mean? I'll explain. Below are some recent games I've played and how I use them as a research tool for writing.

Dragon Age 2: I write fantasy and this game is full out of it. In order to create a believable world you need a ton of lore. While playing I paid attention to the game's politics, history, and even architecture. This game is also filled with magic and fighting. You get an amazing visual for big battles, spell attacks and fluid weapon movements.

The Sims: I have always created sims based off of my favorite characters. It's fun to see them interact and you'd be surprised at how real they feel. My WIP is a contemporary romance. I had a hard time visualizing the mc's big fancy house, so I built one in the sims! Now I have a mini model to look back on.

Red Dead Redemption: My favorite part of this game is riding the horses and hog tying bandits. Now if I need to write a scene where my mc has to lasso something, I know how to do it!

Soul Caliber: I haven't played this in awhile, but I wanted to list it. If you're not sure how certain weapons move, or you need to work out a fight scene, this is the game.

And there you have it. It's not a huge list, but you get the idea. Happy gaming!

Glee - Don't stop believing

2011-04-18T05:06:00.000-07:00

I just started watching Glee. I know. I'm late for the party. When I watched this episode, I couldn't help but jump up and join them. I. Love. Journey.

There's no better way to start the day then to blast some old rock tunes.

HAPPY MONDAY!!!!!!

Friday Fun-Name That Line!

2011-04-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of one liners. Whether they be from movies, quotes, or songs. I'm going to post a line and the genre-you guess what it's from. I'll post the answer on Monday, with something entertaining to watch.

SONG

"Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world"

I'll give you a hint: If you've ever been at a bar at 2am, you know this song ; )

April Contests

2011-04-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick list of upcoming contests:

Disgruntledbear Spring Writing Contest deadline: April 15th

Rules: Post a comment with the following: Title, Author, Genre, Awesome line (pitch,logline ect)
Prize: In-depth query critique AND ten page critique.

Iclue deadline: unkown, but read the website

Rules: The idea behind this contest is to discover clues to mini stories and figure out secret passwords that enter you into the contest. It can be a little confuisng, but Beth Revis gives a thorough explanation on her blog (see link above).
Prizes:

Win an iPod Touch by solving mysteries

Win a signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by commenting

Win another signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by commenting

Win SIX SIGNED books by spreading the word

Katy Upperman-Divergent Giveaway Deadline April 15th

Rules: Leave a comment telling me which faction you’d choose if you were a part of Beatrice’s futuristic Chicago: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent).
2. For a second entry, tweet about this contest, including a link to this post. Leave an additional comment letting me know about your tweet.
3. For a third entry, become a friend of this blog by signing up for an email subscription (in the column to the left). Leave an additional comment letting me know. I will verify this through the blog.

Ebyss-pitch-250-word-contest
Deadline: April 17th
Rules: US/Canda citizens only, be a follower of the blog, 140 charcter twitter pitch, 250 first words (don't cut off a sentence), post in comment section (see link for details)
Prizes:
1st Place: Full critique of of manuscript or however much you have completed of WIP in a half-hour one on one session, AND signed copies of Nancy Holzner's DEADTOWN and HELLFORGED and Wayne Simmons' FLU and DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. These will be autographed to you.

Both of these wonderful authors are clients of Gina's. You can visit them here and here.

2nd Place: Critique of first three chapters or the first 50 pages and a synopsis. You also get a book.

3rd Place: Critique of first chapter.

4th Place: Critique of first page and pitch.

I know I'm forgetting some, but there is only so much I can type!

Nobody drink the beer! The beer has gone bad!

2011-04-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

And the answer is "Can't Hardly Wait"---I know, terrible choice. I realized that I may be one of the only people who watched this movie, even though I think it is hilarious. This week's line will be easy!

KBR/Halliburton Named Top Employer For Women in 2011

2011-04-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

The below post is from Meredith Barne's Blog. Up until Saturday, I had never heard of this story. If you've never heard of the Halliburtons, do some research. You won't be surprised that their name is attached to something so wicked. It breaks my heart to hear stuff like this happening. Our world grows darker by the day.

Yesterday, several blogs/news outlets posted outraged reactions to Equal Opportunity Publications' announcement that they would name KBR, a Houston-based energy company, a top employer for women in 2011. Despite the fact that KBR has 9 pending sexual assault lawsuits against them. One of the most grievous and tragic is detailed here. There are also links back to previous reports so you can trace the full story, should you care to. I recommend you only do so if you have a strong stomach.

You can contact EOP's CEO, John Miller III, at

jmiller [at] eop [dot] com

to protest. I hope you do. But come on, don't be crazy yourself. Cussing him out or threatening him will only undermine us.

You can contact KBR directly here. But it's only a generic form. Again, be smart about how you express yourself. Be eloquent. Be outraged. Don't be violent or profane.

I hope you'll add your voice, and I hope you'll share this.

Friday Fun: Name That Line

2011-04-08T10:50:00.000-07:00

I decided that every Friday I'm going to play a game. You're welcome to join, otherwise it'll just be me, which is kinda sad, so I hope you play.

I am a huge fan of one liners. Whether they be from movies, quotes, or songs. I'm going to post a line and the genre-you guess what it's from. I'll post the answer on Monday, with something entertaining to watch. Here's our first one!

                                                           MOVIE

                                                "The beer has gone bad!"

can you guess it?

The Awesome 80's Prom

2011-04-06T18:57:00.000-07:00

For my bachelorette party (back in 2008) we decided to go to the Awesome 80's prom. For those of you who have never heard of it, let me explain.

Imagine you're at the prom, but instead of everyone from HS you can't stand, there's Ducky, Jake and a bunch of hotties from movies like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. The only bad part of the night--wearing an actual 80's prom dress.

At first, my soon to be sis-in-law thought it would be fun to really get into the 80's spirit. Hence, the horrible dresses above (except for far right girl--she boycotted). Well, we got a free train ride in, had tons of people stare at us and almost got into a fight in Penn station because some girl was talking smack about our outfits.

The show is interactive. You'll laugh, dance your butt off and have a super uber time. I highly recommend it to everyone, but don't make the mistake of wearing what I did (ugly pink dress). After the show, Webster Hall opens up and it's a club. You can imagine our surprise. We quickly ran into the bathroom and began ripping out shoulder pads and slicing the lengths of our gowns with a bic razor blade (don't ask).

Shelley Watters: Tweet Pitch Contest

2011-04-01T04:11:00.000-07:00

Cory Alexander Tilton

Shelley Watters is having an amazing blog contest. The prize? A FULL MANUSCRIPT REQUEST from uber agent Suzie Townsend. I can use any/all advice. Here is my 140 twitter pitch.

Title: Broken Forest: A Keening Blade Novel
Genre: YA Epic Fantasy
Word Count: 61,000

V1
Seventeen-year-old Avikar thought he was rescuing his sister from bandits, not a reptilian lord planning his race's annihilation.

V2

17yr old Avikar thought he was rescuing his sister from bandits, not a reptilian lord planning a world invasion.

Make sure to check out the other blogs! Thanks xoxoxo

YA Highway: Road Trip WEDS

2011-03-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

This Week's Topic:

What books were you obsessed with as a kid???

This is a very good topic! The first book I was obsessed with was The Poky Little Puppy. I have no idea why, but I loved this story. Maybe because the pup was bad, and I was always bad...lol At my baby shower my Mom bought me a fresh copy for my son. AWWWWWWWW

As for my books, there's no question. CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!!!! I remember scouring the school library for every possible copy. I'd read to about page five, die, then go back and try again. I still love them, and they're probably the reason I'm an RPG gamer.

One day I'll write my own, and it'll be banging!

Carolina Valdez Miller's Super Uber Blog Party

2011-03-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of her success and landing super agent Vickie Motter, Carolina Valdez Miller is having a massive giveaway. A ton of other bloggers/authors/friends are joining her celebration and offering prizes. You have until April 1st to enter. Make sure to tweet, blog and go to all the sites listed below. Good luck and congratulations Carolina!

PS. The prizes are insanely awesome

Heather McCorkle
Critique Sisters Corner
J. Koyanagi

Simon Larter
LK Gardner-Griffie
Sara McClung
Lola Sharp
Elizabeth Davis
Tracey Neithercott
Kristen Yard
Christine Fonseca
Jonathon Arntson
Eisely Jacobs

Denise Grover Swank

Baby Wipes: The Universal Cleaner

2011-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I knew that baby wipes were useful, but after this Sunday, they surpassed all expectations. Here's a quick on everything I cleaned using only BB wipes:

dresser, TV Cart, bookshelf, leather couch, PS3, Mac G5, Dining table, counter and stovetop (although the really gritty stuff near the burners didn't come out).

I don't know about you, but I think the father in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding had it all wrong. It's not Windex, it's baby wipes!

naruto - This is war - AMV

2011-03-24T16:49:00.000-07:00

I am a huge anime buff, and an even bigger Naruto fan. At first, I couldn't stand Naruto's voice, but I gave it a chance and three years later, I'm still hooked.

Enjoy the vid! Featuring the song This is War by 30 Seconds to Mars

Life of a Blog

2011-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Artist-Cory Alexander Tilton

When I started this blog, it was focused on gaming. It's my first one, and I'm slowly learning the inner workings of it. The more time I spend parading around other people's blogs and tweeting away, I've realized a blog doesn't have to stay constant. It should be changing and evolving, because as humans...that's what we do best.

I'm not sure what else my blog will turn into, but for now it is a reflection of my life. I'm a wife, a mother, full-time worker, writer, gamer and lover of all things covered in chocolate, especially dark.

YA Highway-Road Trip Wednesday

2011-03-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

Which book character would you like most as a next door neighbour?

Definitely a dwarf. I'd love to have Bruenor from my favorite author R.A Salvatore's books, but I'll take Gimli too.

I wouldn't mind having a hot Legalos, or even a Cullen, but I'm thinking practicality. Dwarf's are amazing at building and fixing, they're like having your own personal watch dog, and drinking lemonade and watching passing neighbors, well, you can imagine what comments would come out of a surly dwarf. Tons of fun!

SHOW ME THE VOICE contest with Natalie Fischer

2011-03-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Brenda Drakes is holding an awesome blog contest. Post the first 250 words of your finished manuscript. I've been battling with my first few chapters for months. I'm excited to see what the response is on the below. Enjoy and make sure to check out all the other entries!

Name: Eliza Tilton

Title: Winds of Change

Genre: YA Fantasy

A crowing rooster woke Avikar out of a fitful sleep, reminding him to get up. Soft light slipped through the white curtains that blew with the incoming breeze. He rolled onto his side and stared at the crack moving across the wall in a spiny dance. His father had asked him to paint it, but he didn’t see the point.

It was always the same. Work, eat, work, sleep. And it was enough to drive him mad. As a child, he’d dream of traveling around Tarrtainya’s multi-colored landscapes and discovering all the ancient places from the books he read. Being a stable-boy was never part of the plan. Now he was the only son, a result of his one tragic mistake. It was his duty to stay and work on the farm. He would spend the rest of his days shoveling through his grief.

The rooster crowed again, followed by a yell from his father, Garn. Avikar threw the pillow over his head to drown the noise. His father’s loud voice was like a dagger in his chest, reminding him of his penance. Garn called again, shouting about dumping a water bucket on his head if he didn’t get up.

“Today’s going to be a long day,” Avikar groaned, and with the motivation of a sloth, he dragged himself downstairs to the kitchen.

Dragon Age II: First Impressions

2011-03-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was able to get in a few good hours of game time and man am I psyched! Bioware has done it again. For years, they continue to put out games with immense storylines, full of action. In this sequel, you play as ___ Hawke (you get to choose your own name). You have the ability to change your appearance, but not your race.

The game starts off with you and your family running from the blight. My husband is playing and noticed that my family looked different than his. When we compared toons, his siblings adjusted to his dark skin, and menacing face. I think that's pretty neat.

Bioware improved on battle. They kept the same radial menu and quick selection format, but improved on fluidity. I created a rouge. Normally, I play a warrior, but the moves and back stab make this class a ton of fun. If you know how to set up your stats right (always max out your dexterity for a rouge) then you won't get pummeled.

By 3:30am I had a good feel for the mechanics of the game. Of course, my party wiped on a dragon, but that's what happens when you play for too long...I haven't quite figured out the crafting yet. It's a bit different than the first one, and there doesn't appear to be a block. You can still pause the game by hitting L2 and switch between characters with L1.

So far, I have five people in my party. If you bought the signature edition (or the content online) the hound is now an ability. He doesn't have the same talents like the last game, but you can have him out all the time, which makes up for it.

I'll give updates as the story progresses. I'm curious to see how the world will change, based on my decisions. Oh, and if you're not a fan of gore, you can switch off some of it in the options menu.

Check out the new Dragon Age web series starring Felicia Day, video above.

Dude Where's My Car (And Then?)

2011-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was editing my ms and realized that I say and then, a lot...Which reminded me of a scene from one of my favorite movies. Enjoy!

The Angry Gamer

2011-03-09T15:50:00.000-08:00

After a long day of work, I would love to come home to a quiet household...well, that's not happening. My husband is playing the new Marvel vs Capcom for PS3 and screaming at players that can't hear him (dog ate the headset). It's always the same, either the game is cheating or kids are cheating. Somehow his losing is never based on the fact that he was beaten.

I've been known to yell at the TV during a tough battle, but never lose it, completely. I know that many people get angry when they play video games, especially fighting ones. What I want to know is, why do we punish ourselves with a frustrating activity??

Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain

2011-03-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

I have been playing video games for over twenty years and nothing has ever compared to the experience that is Heavy Rain.

Heavy Rain is a Choose Your Own Adventure type thriller. The game switches between the point of views of four different characters, all investigating the origami serial killer.

Each character has an active role in shaping the story. You play as Ethan, the father of the latest victim, a journalist, a private investigator and an FBI agent. The in game commands are all push buttons. An action pops up, and you hit the corresponding button (square, trigger ect).

What makes this game so amazing is the choices you make. For example, I was attempting to escape from the police and didn't hit the triangle button fast enough. Instead of jumping onto the roof, a cop grabbed my ankle and I was arrested. In another instance, I tried to navigate my way through a power plant. I made a bad move and got shocked. That shock ended up burning the whole left side of my chest. I lost a few hours because I passed out from the pain...

The game itself is short (around 20 hours), depending on how you play. There are various outcomes and possible scenarios. I felt like I was watching a movie. The graphics really push the PS3's capabilities. Quantic Dream used motion capture and real actors to get the lifelike presence. Highly impressive.

This is a five star game and one I recommend.

February AW Blog Chain.

2011-02-28T19:45:00.000-08:00

(Lucino)

I'm really beginning to like these chain things, which is odd because I delete every chain e-mail...

This month's chain is 1) describe your antagonist and 2) write a scene about meeting them : ) in 100 words.

Lucino is a young, reptilian lord, who is obsessed with pretty girls (he has a private collection called the dollhouse), perplexed by poetry, and bent on world domination. Did I mention he is super hot?

“Hello Eliza.” He glided towards me with the subtlety of a snake.

“Hello...Lucino,” I replied while making sure to avoid his intense gaze.

His perfectly shaped brows narrowed. “You will address me as master.”

My chest heaved against the constricting bustier. “I will do no such thing.”

His cold hands grasped my throat. If I had known how fast he was I would have planned this differently.
“Watch your mouth,” he growled.

I slipped out the hidden dagger and held it to his stomach. “Watch your hands.” I smiled. In a few seconds, he would never touch another female again.

Oh, that was so much fun to write! Please make sure to check out the other blogs : )

Proach: http://desstories.blogspot.com direct link to my post
Steam&Ink: http://steamandink.blogspot.com/ direct link to her post
AuburnAssassin: http://clairegillian.com/ direct link to her post
dolores haze: http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/ direct link to her post
xcomplex: www.arielemerald.blogspot.com direct link to her post
LadyMage: http://katherinegilraine.com/ direct link to her post
aimeelain: www.aimeelaine.com/blog direct link to her post
jonbon.benjamin: http://jonbonbenjamin.blogspot.com/ direct link to his post
Ralph Pines: http://ralfast.wordpress.com direct link to his post
orion mk3: http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com/ direct link to his post
knotane: http://knotane.wordpress.com/ direct link to post
JerseyGirl1962: http://writerlystuff.blogspot.com/

Red Dead Redemption

2011-02-20T18:41:00.000-08:00

I can see why it got game of the year, but after about 15 hours, I lost interest.I will say one thing: I learned how to play poker! That at least gives it a few gold stars
Below are my pros and cons.

pros: riding horses, shooting pretty much anything, the challenges (although I failed miserably at killing cougars), duels, poker, liars dice, getting to hogtie bandits

cons: repetitive side quests, storyline loses it's luster, online play is terrible! I logged on, and it was just me chasing after a donkey...

Bas Rutten explains the definition of PWN

2011-02-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

After a lot of inner dialogue, I realized girl gamers unite is a tad cheesy...So, I think Girls PWN is a better term for my true feelings, about girls and gaming (and in general, yea, we rule). For those of you who don't know what that means, watch Mr. Bas Rutten teach a lesson in it.

Final Fantasy Round Up

2011-02-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

I am so far behind on my games. I have a ton that I need to finish, and a few I need to start. I need a focus, and I've chosen Final Fantasy. Below is a list of all my FF titles, that I plan to play and beat this year.

FFX- I played half way through, stopped, deleted the save by accident. Now I'm starting over.
FFX-2- Stopped playing. Doesn't make sense to beat it before X ><
FFVII Crisis core: Love this one, about a 1/4 way through.
FFXII- Me and the hubby started this one together, but didn't get very far.
FFXIII- Need to buy this one

So, there is my list. In honor of my 2011 goal, here's a gut wrenching Final Fantasy AMV, music by 30 Seconds to Mars

Faery: Legends of Avalon

2011-02-07T17:33:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about this game, I can't contain myself. First off, my thing, used to be collecting fairy paraphernalia. I even have a huge tattoo of one on my back. I saw this demo on Playstation Network, and figured I would check it out. Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be good, but it is, and it's really good.

You start off by creating your own fairy. How cool is that! I spent at least fifteen minutes creating mine. The customization has a wide variety, everything from hair color, to eye shape, and you can be male or female. After you create your toon, the game starts off in a colorful fantasy world. The storyline is basic, save the kingdom type stuff, nothing new there. You do get dialogue choices, very similar to Mass Effect, and if you say the right thing, your companion will either love or hate you.

See those pretty wings above? Your skill level includes choosing different style wings with different powers: Butterfly-electricity, Dragonfly-fire and bird-tornado (swoon). The equipment you find can be a cute tiara, or little boots. As the game progresses there are tattoos, horns, so many different aspects that can make your fairy look awesome.

Last is the price, $14.99, it doesn't get better then that! Download the demo, and if you like it, unlock the full game. I plan on buying it, the second my paycheck comes in.

PS. you fly instead of walking!

Final Fantasy IV

2011-02-05T10:19:00.000-08:00

More Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection Videos

I'm a HUGE Final Fantasy fan. Always have been, since FFVII. I'm really excited about the upcoming release for Final Fantasy IV, which includes the additional game-FFIV: The After Years. This may be the single reason I buy a Nintendo DS. I don't understand why this isn't coming out for the PSP. Apparently, the PSP is a dead system these days.

I'm hoping they remake FFVI. I started playing this on my GBA and really loved the storyline.

Oh, and how hot is the dark knight? Or am I the only girl who finds some FF guys (Cloud in Advent Children) super attractive?

You're never too sick to play a video game

2011-01-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

It amazes me that when I'm sick, I have no energy to go to work, but I can still play video games. It gets worse. When I was a WOW addict I saved my personal days to level my undead priest Zincarla...wait, there's more. Now this is real embarrassing, I missed seeing Pearl Jam due to a headache and leveled my Tauren female warrior Gerti...I know, I should be ashamed, but I'm not.

I LOVE VIDEO GAMES and yes, I've saved a vacation day or two for the release day of an expansion or new MMO. I know that I'm not the only dedicated gamer out there, who's with me? Come on people, I know you're out there. Bueller?...Anyone...Bueller?

Text Based Games

2011-01-22T07:34:00.000-08:00

The first books I ever remember reading were Choose Your Own Adventure. I loved the idea of controlling a story, even if I died by page three. That love is probably why I'm a RPG gamer.

I've been spending a lot of time searching through the Android Market for cell phone games. Yesterday I came across Choice Games. These are multiple choice text based games. I played Choice of Romance. The choices are varied and you'll get to choose simple things like hair color, skills and more complex options like deciding on a political issue. I found the story enjoyable and can't wait for chapter two, to see if the King will marry me!

Choice of the Dragon is the second game I tried. My distaste for violence proved to be a hindrance, and I was killed by a wizard and her evil minions. The great thing about Choice Games is that you can replay them again and try a different approach. Next time around, I plan on actually acting like a dragon.

If you love multiple choice text games, Choice Games provides you with a simple script software they developed. You can create your own game and then post it on their site. That game can be downloaded onto iphones, androids or played on an internet browser. If you're like me and could never find the time to create a NWN Module, this may be your chance to create a game.

I'm going to try to create my own game. Got any ideas?

Classic Gaming at its Finest

2011-01-19T12:25:00.001-08:00

The Internet is fixed and I'm back online!

I remember being about six, maybe seven years old and visiting my grandfather at work. He was a sports newscaster for NBC. Normally a day at the office would be boring, but not at his. On a bright fat color monitor was a game called The Perils of Rosella. I had never seen a PC game before and was instantly enthralled. Of course, I made my grandfather buy it for me and for the next seven to ten years, I played it whenever I visited him.

Back in those days games came on hard disks and the security code was a word that the computer asked you to find in the game manual (it's amazing how far we've come in technology since then). Rosella was a hard game and there was no online walk through to help me cheat. I'd spend hours trying to use the arrow keys to climb up a spiral staircase, only to fall every time. A Black and white monitor and large pixels don't mix.

Sadly, I still have not beat Rosella. I have the entire King's Quest series on cd now, and hope to one day conquer that giant.

If you have never played a Sierra game, you're in luck. Sarien Net has a bunch of Sierra games from Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry and King's Quest, that can be played from your browser AND if you have an IPad, the games are getting a makeover for an easier interface. Sierra games are fun and the original RPG's of the 80's, I highly recommend checking them out.