Friday, February 24, 2012

Vloggin' it up

You want to see me make a fool of myself on my very first solo vlog ever (a video blog, in case you don't know blogging lingo [hi, mother])?? No? Okay, that's good.

Fine, I'll give you the link. I tackled my first dare on Friday the Thirteeners. I don't know if the dare scared me more or the whole putting myself on video for everyone to see. So maybe technically I faced two fears?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Wednesday Reads--Shifting



I went to LTUE earlier this month and came back with a pile of books. (Shh, don't tell my husband) One of them was SHIFTING by Bethany Wiggins which I've been wanting to read for a while. So seeing her there and getting a signed copy gave me a really good excuse.

I adored this book. If you haven't read it, you should add it to your TBR pile immediately. It was the perfect blend of tension and romance. And it was packed with emotion. My chest was tight with worry or anguish at several points throughout this book. I read it in pretty much one sitting. Loved it.

Here's the goodreads blurb (which by the way, contains spoiler. I just read this blurb for the first time and am actually surprised they included some things in it that were surprises to me well into the book. Huh. So read the blurb at your own risk. :)

"After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal.

Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target.

Full of romance, mysticism, and intrigue, this dark take on Navajo legend will haunt readers to the final page."

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day

So normally I would spend today praising my husband and how awesome he is. Okay, so maybe I should start with that. My husband is the best. He is the most amazing, supportive husband in the world. I couldn't do what I do without him and for that I will forever be grateful.

There is another person I couldn't do what I do without and that is my agent, Michelle Wolfson. One year ago today she signed me as one of her clients. It was one of the happiest days ever and one of the best decisions I've ever made. So in honor of our one year anniversary, she agreed to let me ask her some questions. I posted the interview over at The Lucky 13s. Check it out here. Also, you should check out Michelle's blog because she's funny and smart and today she has an answer to one of the questions posted on her blog only. It's a good one.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Is your MC here for the right reasons?

So I'm about to admit my guilty viewing pleasure. You probably won't be surprised because I've admitted it before. It's not a secret (even if I wish it was). The Bachelor. It's true. I watch it. Every week. Religiously. I talk to my television while doing so (maybe yell or roll my eyes as well). But this week as I was watching, I was thinking about writing. For those of you screaming, "She is not about to compare the Bachelor to writing!" I say, "Why yes, yes I am."

Have you ever noticed there are some girls on the Bachelor who every time they're on a date all they can talk about is how they are there for the right reasons and they really want to be there and they are open to finding love, and blah blah blah? So the Bachelor never gets to know them at all (nor does the viewer). And then there are some girls who go on dates and are just themselves. They laugh and talk and have fun.

Have you ever noticed the same thing can happen in writing? Let's call it the 'I'm here for the right reasons' problem. Where instead of a girl just being herself and hanging out with the boy and the plot happening, she feels the need to constantly let the reader know how much she wants to be with him. How if she could only be with him her life would be complete, etc. etc. Then every time they're together they only talk about why they can or can't be together. Now I'm not saying talking about that on occasion is bad. But it can't replace a plot or a personality. And most of the time, if there's a fun or intense or intriguing plot the romantic tension develops on its own without even needing to draw attention to the fact that they want each other. The reader wants them to be together. We don't constantly need our main character to tell us she is starring in the book for the right reasons--to get the guy (this is, of course, assuming romance is a part of the books plot). We know. Believe me, we know. And if that's all she's ever telling the reader, we don't get to know her (or him) at all. And I want to know them. Let me know them!

Okay, I feel better now. :) (Can you tell I'm really annoyed with some girls on the Bachelor?)

The rest of this week I'll be in Utah for LTUE (Life, the Universe, and Everything). Is anyone else going? I want to meet my virtual friends. Let me know if you'll be there. And if you live in Utah, I highly recommend it. It's super cheap (like 30 bucks a day or something) and there are tons of amazing authors and experts there. Go here to find out more.