Seize the Tuesday #15: Playing Catch-Up

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by myself and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. 

The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

Super short one today, guys!

I have this really terrible habit of plowing through a stack of books without reviewing them. I read book after book, finishing one and picking another up immediately, and then I forget all about reviewing them until I realize how dormant my blog has been.

Like now...

Which is why today will be spent writing reviews.

Nothing like procrastination, folks.

I know that every blogger approaches things a bit different, so I'd be interested in how you all keep yourselves on track. I know a blogger who won't allow herself to start a new book unless she's written a review for the last one. Self control, major.

So yes, I'm seizing my Tuesday by catching up on some long-overdue reviews, and they shall be posted soon for you all to peruse. Grab some chips and dip and get ready... reviews coming your way!

The Liebster Award

I was nominated by Stephanie from Ohana Reads for the Liebster Award! Those who are nominated are to state 11 facts about themselves, answer 11 questions from the person who nominated them, nominate 11 other bloggers, and ask them 11 questions. So many elevens!

11 Facts About Me

1.) I have an intense love for Juicy Drop Pops.

2.) I received my first two ARCs from a very sweet lady at a book signing, and they were The Taking by Kimberly Derting and Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige. 

3.) One of my best friends in the entire world recently got me obsessed with Avatar: The Last Airbender. It has taken over my life.

4.) Even though I love the way hardbacks look on my shelf, my favorite form of a novel is ARC form. I think there's something special in having a version of a book that may not be exactly the same as the version on everyone's shelves.

5.) I own enough hoodies to be able to wear a different one every day for a month. And the collection grows every time a family member goes somewhere new!

6.) I love going to bookish events, but I'm not a fan of going to them by myself. I'm very thankful that my mom likes to read and doesn't mind accompanying me.

7.) Something I can't live without is music. I'm always listening to something, and I believe that music is meant to be turned up loud or not listened to at all!

8.) I am definitely a foodie, and trying new things is extremely enjoyable for me. I haven't tried too many overly-crazy things, but I have tried alligator and that was an out-of-the-box experience for me. Pickled watermelon is at the top of my list of Things I'd Like to Try.

9.) I will instantly be friends with someone who knows what novel the phrase, "Stay gold, Ponyboy." comes from, and who is willing to sit and talk about it for an hour... uhm, I mean a minute...

10.) Though most people hate the smell of Play-Doh, I quite like it.

11.) I can be a little slow sometimes... It took me until literally last month to figure out that "Omen" and "ominous" were connected. Yeah, don't ask.. 

The 11 Questions Stephanie Asked Me

1.) What book has been on your TBR pile the longest?

. 

I've had Tunnels by Roderick Gordon since I was eight, so that's been on my shelf for nearly ten years now. The version I have is a paperback, and as I was looking at it recently, I realized that it's actually an ARC! I found it supremely ironic that I had an ARC before I even knew what they were. 

2.) What book have you heard a bunch about, but haven't actually read and meant to?

As crazy as you may think I am, I never read the Harry Potter books, even though I love the movies. I want to read them, absolutely I do, I just have so many books on  my shelves right now that haven't been read, that I can't bring myself to buy the HP series when I know they'll just sit on the shelf for a while before I can get to them. 

I have to be honest with you, though... after seeing Deathly Hallows pt 1 in 2010, I bought a copy of the book and read it, because 13 year old me couldn't wait a year to find out what happens. I know, I know. Shame on me. It's one of the rules of fandom never to do it, but hey, I had no clue about said rules. I was an impatient 13 year old!

3.) What's your favorite drink to have while reading?

SPRITEEEEE! I am a Sprite fiend. It's all about the lack of caffeine, folks.

4.) Where's your favorite reading spot?

My favorite reading spot has to be my hammock. Mine is set up right next to our farm's orchard, with a great view of the field, and there's always enough of a breeze to have the hammock constantly swaying. 

5.) What's your favorite book TV/Movie adaptation?

Okay, there are a couple adaptations that tie as my favorites.

I know it's hard for most people to pick a single favorite book, but for me its The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I fell in love with that book in seventh grade and it has been my go-to favorite since then. They did make it into a movie, and I love the adaptation, so it's going to be my first choice!

Also, I'm going to be super cliche and say that The Fault In Our Stars has probably been one of my favorites. I have a deep adoration for that certain story and those specific characters, and seeing them on screen with a near-perfect outcome was fantastic for me.

I will say, though, that I am a mega Twihard, and Twilight was the first YA movie I ever watched, so those movies will always have a piece of my heart, no matter how corny they are now, and no matter how much people make fun of them.

6.) If you were a book character, which would you be?

Hazel Grace Lancaster, without a shadow of a doubt. Everyone notices it, and I cannot tell you how many times we'll be watching TFIOS and someone will say, "That's so you." I have absolutely no qualms with this whatsoever.

7.) What is the oldest book you've read that is your favorite?

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (And the rest of the books in the series) is one of only two classics I've ever read. I don't have much of a desire to read the classic literature, but I have read Little Women, and I enjoyed them immensely. (Fun fact: The other classic I've read is The Pearl by John Steinbeck)

8.) Who is your favorite character, and who would play them in a movie/TV show?

I love Jace from Mortal Instruments, and I wasn't a huge fan of the movie, but if I could choose anyone to play him... I think I'd have to go with Colton Haynes. I've seen him play a sarcastic, angry teenager in Teen Wolf, and I know he could pull the attitude off. Dye his hair and we're good to go!  

9) What is your favorite music to listen to when you read?

I'm one of those people that can read in complete silence, but would rather read in a noisy environment. But I do listen to music when I read, and I love to listen to One Republic's Native. 

10.) Do you own any bookish items besides books? If so, what do you have? (Ex. Phone case, pillow, necklace.)

As I mentioned above, I'm a huge Twilight fan, so I have a ridiculous amount of merch-- messenger bags, dolls, purses-- basically, if they made it, I have it...

But I also have a good friend who makes book pendants as a hobby, the kind that are worn as a necklace, and so I have a couple of them and I LOVE!

Another thing I have is a nightstand that looks like a stack of giant books! They have titles and everything on the spines (All classics... is this a sign?)

11.) If you were a book character, what would your story be about?

If I were a book character, my story would be about what it's like to have a heart condition!

11 Questions For The Bloggers I Nominate

1.) What was the first ARC you received?

2.) Is there a book that doesn't have a street team, but you wish it did so that you could be a part of it?

3.) Are you an emotional reader, or do books not have that affect on you? 

4.) What book did you love at one point, that you've reread recently (Or when you were a bit older) and wondered why you liked it so much?

5.) If you could make a candle for your favorite book, what would the scent be?

6.) If you could pull any fictional creature (Not human, more like the humans' companions) into our world, what/who would you choose?

7.) You're stranded on a desert island, and you find a mystical library that will let you choose only three books. One to read for fun, one to read as a survival handbook, and one to read to encourage you when things get rough on the island. What are your choices?

8.) What book has changed your life the most?

9.) If you had to get the cover of a book tattooed onto your forehead, which would you prefer to have?

10.) What is the single most challenging thing about blogging, for you personally?

11.) You have the chance to have lunch with any author in the world (Alive, dead, etc.). Who would you want to eat with? 

I Nominate...

Alexa from Alexa Catherine Books

Heidi from YA Bibliophile

Alana from The Hopeless Reader

Sara from Winged Reviews

Eli from The Silver Words

Katie from Katie's Book Blog

Josiah from Josiah's Book Blog

Kaitlin from Reading Is My Treasure

The girls over at Dark Faerie Tales

Jon from Bookish Antics

Alexa from Alexa Loves Books

Have fun!

Also, a HUGE thank you to my favorite Canadian blogger for nominating me! <3

Seize the Tuesday #14: Finished Manuscripts

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by myself and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. 

The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

I've come to realize that there are so many of us readers who double as writers, and I've been blessed to become good friends with a few. One of my closest friends (Who happens to be my bloggy intern, so give a nice, warm welcome to Wishes and follow him on twitter @Veriticas) finished his first manuscript recently, and I finished my second a couple weeks ago, so I thought that it would be a good time to write a post about actually finishing a manuscript.

For my first manuscript, it was an Urban YA Fantasy, and it took me well over a year to finish. At one point, I was up to about 80k and cut out around 30k because it just didn't feel right, and though I wanted to complete the story, I wasn't too incredibly motivated. Ended up around 85k.

This time around, it was a YA contemporary. I started it last summer, and finished it early this month, because I felt like this story really needed to be done. I needed to just get the characters and their journey onto the page and see where it went. Ended up around 57k

Wishes started his novel, which is like a mash-up of dystopia and sci-fi with a side of adventure, late last spring/early summer, and finished it roughly ten days ago. He wrote in spurts, and once left me a FOUR MONTH GAP between chapters, but he got it done in less than a year. Ended up around 35k.

And then there's my best friend, who is basically my critique partner, and he wrote a freaking fantastic sci-fi (I don't normally like sci-fi, so that ought to tell you something) in four months. Yeah. I'm leaving that one where it is. I got nothing. Four months... Four... Motivation to the max with that boy. Ended around 80k.

Writing for me is easy once I get an idea. It flows and flows until I hit 30k, and that's where I get stuck. It's my slump number, right in the middle of the story, and it takes me a month sometimes to get past it, but I surround myself with friends who support my writing endeavors, and who can help me through those sticky spots so that they don't last as long. We encourage each other and use each other as sounding boards or vents when we need it, and we manage to finish our manuscripts.

I once met an author who asked me about my writing, and I mentioned that I had two or three manuscripts started, and she told me to just finish one. Finish it, write it, and focus only on that story line. I took her advice, and it led me here. I've finished two of the three stories I spoke to her about, and when I met her for the second time at NTTBF, I told her what I'd done. She was right, and it didn't matter that it had taken me a year or longer. What mattered was that I completed a novel.

And you can do it, too. Don't give up. Keep writing, even when you get stumped. Find a friend, or a critique partner that's always going to be there for you (Though I have to say, I have the best crit partner in the history of crit partners) and WRITE. Finish that story, because one day, if you keep at it, you could see your book out there on the shelves.

That's what I'm hoping to accomplish.

BLOG TOUR: Fingers in the Mist

*Eerie music plays*

Welcome to stop number The Next One on the blog tour for FINGERS IN THE MIST by O'dell Hutchison!

About the Book:

Title: Fingers in the Mist

Publication date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: O’Dell Hutchison

      Sixteen-year-old Caitlyn Foster never believed in the legend of the Redeemers. That was before the trees started to whisper her name. Before a murder of crows attacked the town. Before she and her family came home to find a bloody handprint on their front door, marking one of them as a sacrifice. As Caitlyn’s friends are ripped from their homes, she knows it’s only a matter of time before the Redeemers come for her. Caitlyn has the power to stop the terror, but she’ll have to decide if she’s willing to sacrifice herself to save those she loves.

Add Fingers in the Mist to your Goodreads shelf HERE   

 Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | TBD

About the Author:

    O’Dell was born in a small rural town in Idaho. There were no Redeemers living there (that he knows of). After attending college in the Pacific Northwest, he found his way to the Houston area. By day, he is a Business Systems Analyst and at night you can either find him sitting at home, dreaming of random super powers he wishes he had, or directing plays and musicals at various theaters around Houston.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

An Interview with O'Dell:

1.) What was the most challenging thing about writing FINGERS IN THE MIST?

I’d have to say the opening chapters. After all was said and done, there were three completely different versions. The current one is definitely the tightest and serves the story best, but it took me a while to get there.

2.) If you could pull one character from your book, and bring them to life for a day, who would you choose and what would you do?

While Cait is pretty bad-ass, I’d have to go with Chastity. She’s totally the type of person I like hanging out with. No nonsense, fun, and tells it like it is.

3.) What other YA world do you think Caitlyn would best survive in, OR which YA world do you think would be the most interesting to see her in?

I’d like to see Cait pair up with Ridley from the Caster Chronicles. I think the two of them together could get into a lot of trouble (and kick a lot of ass in the process).

4.) What was your most favorite chapter or scene to write in FINGERS IN THE MIST?

Hands down, chapter eight. This is where it all starts to unfold. We’ve been warned about The Redeemers and it’s been creepy, but this is when they finally arrive. I did several edits, and cut a lot from the book, but, aside from a few grammatical tweaks, this chapter never changed.

5.) Are there any authors you look up to?

So many. Honestly, I admire anyone who has the guts to sit down and craft a story and then put themselves out there the way authors do. It’s a tough business. That being said, the horror authors I read when I was younger are the ones who inspire me today:  Stephen King, John Saul and Dean Koontz. I devoured their books in high school and college.

6.) Was becoming an author always part of your life goals?

Since about second grade. I was always a voracious reader. I was always crafting stories and even studied writing in college. It just took me a while to find the confidence, and the time, to finally attempt writing a book.

7.) Who was your favorite character to write? Least favorite?

I don’t know that I really had a favorite. I definitely enjoy Cait; I love the connection she has with Mitch. He’s her rock. I also really enjoyed writing Monique. She’s a little “b”, but writing her was so much fun. I ended up cutting all of my least favorite characters. I kind of figure if I don’t enjoy writing them, why put them in the book at all, right?

8.) Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Stick with it. I went through many, many rejections. I self-published The Weeping, and was considering doing the same for Fingers in the Mist. I was told by several agents that the premise was overdone and it would never sell. When I pitched to Month9Books, I had decided that if it didn’t get picked up, I’d shelve it and come back to it later. Lucky for me, they all loved it.

9.) Can you tell us a bit about your writing process?

It’s kind of all over the place. I tend to put together a very loose outline of the overall story to start out. I have certain plot points that I know are important to the work and I use them somewhat like mile markers in the overall map. When I’m in the zone, I can pound out several chapters with no issues. Sadly, that doesn’t always happen. I struggle with overthinking things and this causes writer’s block. To combat that, I tend to write in random scenes. When I see a scene in my head, I just sit and write it out and worry about how I got there and how to connect them later. It’s messy, but it works for me.

10.) Gummy Bears: love or hate?

I’m a gummy bear fiend. Love them. Even better? Sour Patch Kids.

Thanks for having me on the blog today!

Giveaway Time!:

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Fingers in the Mist by O’Dell Hutchison (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Seize the Tuesday #13: Book Hangovers

Seize the Tuesday is a book blogger meme created by myself and the Let’s Get Lost Buddies Street Team, to share stories about how we’ve seized the Tuesday, with a special focus on the particular book we’re reading. We’ll share our posts online with the hashtag: #LetsAllGetLost. 

The idea is to share little ways in which you may have embraced Bree’s motto of seizing the Tuesday. To relate it to books, you can talk about what book you’re reading, and how you stole some moments from the day to enjoy reading. It doesn’t have to be about reading, but we all know that a well-read day is a day seized. The idea is not just to help spread the word on LGL, but also to remind people to live fully, even/especially if that means spending a part of your day reading.

Occasionally, you read a book and you just love it so much that you don't want it to end. Or maybe this book was a specifically emotional read. Or maybe it just wasn't for you, but you decided to finish it anyway. Whatever it was, you feel like you can't possibly read another book until you've had enough time to get over this one. 

Sometimes these hangovers last just a few days, and sometimes they take over your life for a good month *cough* Allegiant *cough cough* but no matter how many times you get yourself a book hangover, it doesn't get any better. 

I recently experienced a hangover after reading Ensnared by A.G. Howard, and I was lucky enough for it to only last about five hours, but it was there, and it still sucked just as badly. I managed to get over it though, and started a new book later that evening (No hangover from that one, thank the Lord!).

What's the hardest part about a book hangover for you?