Quirk Update

I apologize for my absence but can only be honest and let you know that it is going to continue.  

I've been thrown for a loop in more than way and I'm struggling to maintain order.  

Writing/book blogging is a lot of work (as most of you very well know from your own awesome blogs) and I just cannot keep up right now.  Writing in most of its forms is also on the back burner, which makes me sad.


I understand if any of you choose to withdraw follow-ship (only way I could think to put it) but I do plan on returning to the blog when things quiet down on my end of the internet.


Love you all and keep quirkin' it out!

Helen Irene O'Hair McCrary

I don't know if I've mentioned this on here before, 

but I am named after my two grandmothers.  

My father's mother, Eva Lena, was where my first name came from.  My parents chose to name me after her because she died 

two months before I was born.  

My middle name I shared with my mother's mother, Helen Irene.  

Helen Irene O'Hair McCrary, the woman I called Mema,

died just a few hours ago.

As you can probably guess, I will be absent from the blog for a while.  

I have decided not to participate in the Blogfest, 

but please do support the other blogs involved by visiting it when it begins.  

Thank you for your patience and your support of Writer Quirk.

Blogfest!

Blogfest 

is this week so watch out for the 

awesome giveaways 

that I and all the 

blogfest participants have planned!

Click on the banner in the right sidebar for more information!

Bookish Fatty [17]

This is Fatty and one of the books I will be posting a review for soon!

Happy Faturday!

Fleeing Faturday [16]

This is Fatty trying to break into the basement.  

Sydney Bristow he is not.

I love where I live...

Do you?  Love where you live, I mean.  Not where I live.  Though I'm pretty sure you'd like it right now.  Tennessee.  It's great.  The weather, while still on the hot side, is slowly fading into Autumn and I love it.

This very second I am sitting outside, writing this on my sister's laptop.  I've been working on my WIP (mostly while outside) and doing other things recently (like re-watching Alias and reading books about writing) which is why I've been invisible (again).

Sorry about that.  I love blogging and the book/writer blog community.  I'm just really busy.  No excuse, I know, but straight up truth.

I will try to remedy the invisibility by posting some reviews soon.  I think I said that in my last update a couple weeks ago.  Soon doesn't mean the same thing to you that it means to mean.

Back to where I began:

I love where I live.

Tennessee, and my town especially, has a great mix of rural and urban.  Lots and lots and lots of trees, but you don't have to be out in the sticks to see them.  I get to experience every season, for better or worse, and I can see mountains, fields, wildflowers, deer, all within a mile of my house.  Which also happens to be only a few miles from a Wal-Mart. 

I have awesome local coffee shops to get awesome coffee-less drinks, and bigger store chains to shop from. I can get fast food or local food.  I can walk down the street without fearing for my life.  I can catch a demolition derby at the fairgrounds and then catch the latest blockbuster at our twelve screen theater.  I can watch a Shakespearean play at the local park or go beat people in laser tag (I'm a laser tag sniper - which equals awesome).

Did I mention nature yet?  Oh yeah, I did, but I'll mention it again.  I love driving through the twisty back roads barely big enough for a car and right in the middle of a mountain forest.  I love the rivers and lakes that are nearby.  I love the sky and the sunsets I can't see for the trees.  I love the high places where I can see clear across town. 

So really, do you love where you live?  What's the best thing about it?

Giveaway Highlight - Babbling Flow Saradise ARC Extravaganza

Sara over at Babbling Flow is having an awesome ARC giveaway!

Go check it out!

Enter HERE!

 

Giveaway Highlight - Carol's Prints ARCs Galore Giveaway

Carolina over at Carol's Prints is giving away

...you guessed it...

ARCs galore!  

There are more than ten titles up for grabs!  

Go enter HERE!

Fighting Faturday [15]

So this is Fatty trying to take my camera from me via the wrist string:

Happy Faturday!

Teaser Tuesdays [12]

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the TITLE & AUTHOR, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

His pale-blue eyes bore into hers, and for a second she couldn't breathe.  "But it's all up to you," he whispered.

Wings (Wings #1) by Aprilynne Pike, page 101

Happy Tuesday!  ^_^

Who's the lucky quirk??? (Giveaway Winner)

Thank you to all my followers for a great first giveaway!

And now, for the important stuff!

The winner of  

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer 

and the album 
Memento Mori by Flyleaf 

is...

<<<<<<<<<<<Meg @ Fantasy LOL>>>>>>>>>>>

YAY!  Congratulations Meg!

And everyone should definitely go check out Meg's blog, 

Fantasy LOL!

Flapping Faturday [14]

No, I did not get Fatty into a flapper costume, but he seems to like the whole “long-cigarette-holder” prop that usually accompanies such a costume.  Here’s how it happened:  I was waving around a paintbrush handle, trying to get Fatty to play, and like the predator he is, he snatched it, claws and fangs out, all the while I was snapping photos.  Here is the product of that incident:

Happy Faturday!

ONE DAY LEFT!!!

Only one more day til the close of my 

first ever giveaway!

Click HERE to enter!

Teaser Tuesdays [11]

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the TITLE & AUTHOR, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

"I feel the same way about you."

Then he turned around and disappeared inside the black Town Car that was carrying his twin.

Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods #1) by Melissa De La Cruz, page 206

Happy Tuesday!  ^_^

Yay!

As of today I have reached my goal of 50 followers!  

Yay!  Thank you to all my fellow quirks, new and old!  

And don't forget about my 

FAVORITES & FOLLOWERS CONTEST, 

where you can win a copy of 

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer 

and the album 

Memento Mori by the band Flyleaf.  

Thanks again!  

^_^

Faturday in a Box [13]

Fatty in a cardboard box;  need I say more?

Happy Faturday!

Top Ten of the Moment [8]

Top Ten of the Moment is a meme from Swimmer over at Breaking the Bookshelf to be hosted every Thursday.

How this meme works is that Swimmer will choose a topic (food, books, etc.) and will pick her current top ten.  If you want to participate, all you have to do is create your own top ten for Swimmer's selected topic and put your TTotM link in the Mr. Linky on her post.  Easy enough, right?
 
This week's topic is:  Favorite Books of 2010...so far! 
(Choose your favorite books of 2010 up till now. Must have been read in 2010 but could have been published any time.)  (To see Swimmer's top ten, click HERE.)

I've only completed 16 books this year, and some of those are not at all what I would consider "favorites,"  so I'm going to include a couple of the books I am reading that I already like a lot.

My Top Ten:

1.     The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner:  An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer (Quirk Review)

2.     The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I'm only about halfway through the audio book, and I love it!  Can't wait to go to work tomorrow and finish it!)

3.     Midnighters #1: The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld (Quirk Review)

4.     Midnighters #2: Touching Darkness by Scott Westerfeld (Quirk Review)

5.     Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs (Quirk Review)

6.     Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness #1) by Tamora Pierce (This book reminded why I like fantasy and makes me wonder why I don't read more of it!  Expect a review soon.)

7.     Sweetblood by Pete Hautman (I loved reading this book and getting to know the MC as she got to know herself.)

8.     Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, Book 1) by Melissa De La Cruz (I'm not done with it yet, but I like it a lot so far.)

9.     Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (A well-written book I was afraid to read - expect a review soon.)

10.     Infinite Days (Vampire Queen) by Rebecca Maizel (Quirk Review)

Thinking Prohibited Due to Combustible Creative Brain (Just Follow the Bullets)

You may have noticed I haven't been around much in the last several days.  I want to explain as well as do shout outs for a few things going on that I've been meaning to post about but just...haven't.

• I'm a bit blog-invisible because I've been doing some actual writing, like on my WIP writing.  It's going great, really moving along, and I'm excited about where the story is going.
• That said, writing is draining, mentally, physically, everything.  My creative gray matter feels like its dried up and my eyes feel like they're going to fall out by 9pm every night.  Therefore, there is less going on here at the blog.  I'm a little OCD when it comes to how I do a post, and it takes a lot of energy and focus that I'm just not finding at the moment.
• But I knew I should update and let ya'll know what's going on.  You quirkies are awesome for just sticking around this long (it's going on three months, can you believe it?) and I LOVE you for it.
• What is coming up:  WRITE ON CON!!! AUGUST 10-12, 2010!!!  I'm registered on there and am excited about it.  Find out more about it HERE.
• A month later is BLOGFEST 2010!!!  SEPTEMBER 10-12, 2010!!!  I am participating and hope to have some great things to giveaway!  Find out more about it HERE.
• FAVORITES & FOLLOWERS GIVEAWAY ends AUGUST 14!!!!  Only ONE more follower to reach my goal of 50!  Spread the word and enter HERE!

That's about it. Continue to comment, email, contact me however. I'll be checking in as much as I can. I'm planning on taking a WIP hiatus soon, so expect some reviews and such in the near future.  Later!

Giveaway Highlight - The Norwegian Book Girl

The Norwegian Book Girl is having a 

100 Followers Giveaway!

Check out the prizes for 3 or more lucky winners!

* Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare ( Paperback)
* Torment by Lauren Kate ( Paperback)
* Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hardback)
* By Midnight by Mia James (Hardback)
* Halo by Alexandra Adornetto ( Hardback)
* Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Paperback)

 

Go HERE to enter!

Giveaway Highlight - Books Obsession: Choose Your Genre Contest!

Ashley from Books Obsession is having 

an awesome giveaway!  

Enter and you could win one of four 

genre-specific prize packs!  

Go HERE to enter!

Faturday Contained [12]

Okay, it’s not a cardboard box, but Fatty likes other types of containers, too.

Happy Faturday!

Friday Fix over at I Swim For Oceans!

Hey quirksters!  

Melissa from I Swim For Oceans has graciously let me participate in her feature, 

Friday Fix!

The interview of five of the most random questions ever (seriously, ya'll, they're random-random) is posted at her blog here.

Go check it out!  

Melissa has an awesome blog, 

so let her know you stopped by!

And thank you to any of her readers who have 

stopped by Writer Quirk to say hi!

Giveaway Highlight - Abby Annis 200 Followers Giveaway

Hey quirksters!  Abby Annis is having a 200 follower giveaway 

on her blog (HERE), and she's offering some great prizes!

The lucky winner will receive a journal, some awesome glowy pens, 

and these books:

 

So go enter HERE for your chance to win!

Teaser Tuesdays [10]

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the TITLE & AUTHOR, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

Ethan stood there, his face blue and wrinkled, his lips pulled into a rictus grin.  In one hand, he clutched a butcher knife.

The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa, page 136

Happy Tuesday!  ^_^

Boxy Faturday [11]

Fatty loves boxes.  Being in them, being on them, he just loves cardboard.  Makes me think if Fatty were human he would break-dance on cardboard.  He’d just be that cool. 

(See the song NUMB by Family Force 5 in the player at the very bottom of the blog).

Happy Faturday!

Top Ten of the Moment [6]

Top Ten of the Moment is a meme from Swimmer over at Breaking the Bookshelf to be hosted every Thursday.

How this meme works is that Swimmer will choose a topic (food, books, etc.) and will pick her current top ten.  If you want to participate, all you have to do is create your own top ten for Swimmer's selected topic and put your TTotM link in the Mr. Linky on her post.  Easy enough, right?

This week's topic is:  Best Covers Ever!
(to see Swimmer's top ten, click HERE)

This is essentially a list of my favorite covers and is not a reflection on how much I liked the book (if I've read it).

My Top Ten:

1.     Fallen & Torment by Lauren Kate - These covers are Gothic and gorgeous!

2.     The Dark Divine and The Lost Saint by Bree Despain - I love the floaty, colorful fabric and the font, even though I don't understand what the legs have to do with the books (anyone know?).

3.     The Luxe Series by Anna Godbersen - Opulent gowns in rich fabrics - need I say more?

4.     The Last Survivors series by Susan Beth Pfeffer - I find the cosmos extremely captivating, and though I've never read these books, I could stare at the covers all day.

5.     Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl - Dark and mysterious with an awesome font!

6.    The Gallagher Girl series by Ally Carter - These covers are so recognizable and I love that they are in different colors each time...I can't wait too see what the next one is going to look like!

7.     Nightshade by Andrea Cremer - I think this is a stunning cover, and from what I hear of the book, the feral female is fitting for the story.  I also like that the main character's name is Calla and they put (bloody) calla lilies on the the front.

8.     Paranormalcy by Kiersten White - I was instantly interested in this book the first time I saw it.  I'm glad that, according to many reviews, the book is just as awesome as its cover.

9.     The Mark by Jen Nadol - I don't know much about this book, but every time I see it I always think it's glowing.  I love that lighting effect.

10.     Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs - This is such a beautiful and whimsical cover that perfectly fits the fun story inside.