Celebrate THE BODY ELECTRIC and WIN!

Hey quirks!

Beth Revis is not only a YA Author extraordinaire, but she also does some amazingly fantastic giveaways, and to celebrate her book THE BODY ELECTRIC, she's having her biggest giveaway yet!

THE BODY ELECTRIC is a YA sci-fi novel set on Earth, but in the same world as the Across The Universe trilogy. It follows a girl name Ella Shepherd (<---is that a Firefly reference I spy?) who has a gift for dreams and memories of other people thanks to some futuristic technology. She does good, helpful work, BUT, as any Across the Universe fan will tell you, there is always a TWIST when it comes to reading a Beth Revis book!

I'm excited to read this, though I want to finish the ATU trilogy first (I'm way behind on my TBR books). If you find it interesting too, you can purchase the book and a dollar of every purchase will go to charity program that creates beehives in developing nations. You can also enter the huge giveaway and win THE BODY ELECTRIC, along with a bunch of other books! To read up on the book, check out the synopsis below and be sure to visit Beth Revis's blog HERE for more info and to enter the giveaway! Good luck!

From Goodreads:

The future world is at peace.

Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.

But not all is at it seems.

Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…

Someone’s altered her memory.

Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.

So who can she trust?

From Where I'm Standing [11] - Bringing YA 2 You

I am so bad at remembering to do these! Anyway, I recently had the immense pleasure of having five awesome YA authors visit my hometown on April 9th, as we were the grand prize winners of the Bringing YA 2 You contest!

Not only was it great to get to drive a measly five minutes instead of two hours, but I was also ecstatic that every author was one I wanted to see and meet. I'd met a couple already, but that never dampens my excitement.

When I arrived (a bit late, but hey, better late than never) I grabbed a seat by my bestie Caitlyn and listened as the authors answered questions from the audience. Despite having already done an event at the school earlier that day, the place was packed with students, parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, and those YA enthusiasts who are none of the above (yep, me).

The authors present were Victoria (V.E.) Schwab, Marissa Meyer, Beth Revis, Marie Lu, and Megan Shepherd. All of them were hilarious and answered all questions as honestly and gracefully as possible. There was talk of beheading Barbie dolls from Marie, growing up in a bookstore from Megan, writing fan fiction from Marissa, drinking lots of "coffee" to get through rejections from Beth, and stuff about how Neil Gaiman is amazing from Victoria. The authors shared about the books and people that inspired them as well as some about their writing and publishing processes.

Megan Shepherd ~~~ The Madman's Daughter

I loved everything the authors had to say and though the bleachers were uncomfortable and the air was hot and humid, I had a wonderful time. After the hour long Q and A, everyone moved to the library to buy books and have them signed. I got to talk to a lot of people, some of them were teachers from my past (hi Mrs. Flatt!) and others were YA readers from Columbia (hey Elizabeth and Debbie!), and the crowd was excited and it was so much fun getting my books signed. It was almost as much fun as watching some of the students talk to the authors and take pictures. I love seeing the books and authors I enjoy reaching a new readership!

Beth Revis ~~~ Across the Universe / A Million Suns / Shades of Earth

Marissa Meyer ~~~ Cinder / Scarlet

I was also able to get a sneak peek at Victoria Schwab's next book, Vicious. It was sitting on her table and Caitlyn and I were fawning over it and Victoria let us pick it up and look through it (she's lucky we didn't try to run off with it!). Guys, it is SO AMAZING. I cannot wait to get my own copy when it comes out. I don't typically read many books geared toward adults, but just the tiny bit I got to read reminded me why Victoria Schwab is one of my favorite writers. If she wrote her own version of the phone book, I'd read it.

Victoria (V.E.) Schwab ~~~ The Near Witch / The Archived / Vicious

Caitlyn and I hung around talking with Victoria and Courtney C. Stevens, who's book will be out in ARC form in a few months, and then after we left we stood around talking in the parking lot for a while longer, mostly about Adventure Time. Such is the life of nerds.

Marie Lu ~~~ Legend / Prodigy

I hope you quirks enjoyed my event recap! Right now I'm on my way to SOKY in Bowling Green, Kentucky, so look for another FWIS (hopefully) soon! ^_^

Have you read any of the books by these authors?

What did you think?

Let me know in the comments and thanks for reading!

T10T [5] - Top Ten REWIND: Fave Authors

Favority-Fave Reads of 2012 [Part 2]

Welcome to Part 2 of my favorite books of 2012! Below is the second half of the books that left a great impression on me this year. I've included small summaries of why I thought each book was awesome as well as links to any reviews I've done.

To see more info, click the title to go to each novel's Goodreads page. There is only one category in this part and the books are listed in alphabetical order.

Favority-Faves: Books Read in 2012 Published Before 2012

Across the Universe by Beth Revis ~ Released 2011 (full review)

This tense sci-fi mystery kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat. I loved the dual POV and all the secrets aboard the Godspeed. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series!

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin ~ Released 2011

There is so much more to this story than the restrictive future society I expected. I adored Anya, the strong main character, and felt for her through her trials and the mystery she is thrown in to.

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick ~ Released 2011 (full review)

Oh my gosh this book terrified me. I felt like I was living this book with the characters, who must survive the wilderness, desperate people, and things that aren't exactly people anymore.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver ~ Released 2010 (full review)

I love this book. Not only did Oliver's writing sweep me up and the characters make me anxious to know what happened, but the poignant ending sticks with me to this day.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak ~ Released 2006

This historical YA novel with a twist (it is narrated by Death) is intelligent, humorous, and sad. It showed me a different view of the World War II and is definitely a book everyone should read.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain ~ Released 2009 (full review)

When I picked up this book, I was expecting a mushy werewolf romance. What I got was a wonderfully written story full of mystery, unique werewolf lore, and fantastic characters.

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ~ Released 2011 (full review)

This novel is fun, fast-paced, full of action, and I loved every minute of it. It has a nice twist on creatures in the real world battling a rag tag team of quirky characters.

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa ~ Released 2010 (full review)

After not having any success with fey stories, I found this one. It is full of action with fantastic world building and I loved all the different fey creatures and the bravery of the main character, Meghan.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness ~ Released 2008 (full review)

Despite this being one of the most gut-wrenching books I've ever read, it is also one of the best. A uniquely written and excellently told story, this tale of two young people on the run is not one to miss.

The Light by D.J. MacHale ~ Released 2010

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but what I got was a dark, action-packed story. It read like a suspenseful horror movie and was gripping with every dangerous encounter.

Looking for Alaska by John Green ~ Released 2006

Through some unforgettable characters, this great contemporary brings to life the awkward, exciting time of high school and the yearning and searching that often happens there.

Numbers by Rachel Ward ~ Released 2010

This book has a unique and gritty story that had the characters on the run in England. Add in the element of seeing death dates and trying to change fates, and you have one exciting novel.

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler ~ Released 2011 (full review)

I absolutely love this intelligent historical that is wrapped in a ghost story and topped off with mystery. It is well-written and has so many fantastic elements and I cannot wait for what Gensler has in store.

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly ~ Released 2010 (full review)

I had a rocky start with this book, but after giving it another go, I came to adore it. It is beautifully written and chock full of emotion with a fantastic dual narration.

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier ~ Released 2009

I went in to this book not really knowing what to expect and came out amazed. Secret societies, time travel, great characters, and a fight over an artifact and a prophecy were plenty to keep me wanting more.

Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie ~ Released 2011

I was pleasantly surprised when I took a chance on this book and found that I liked it as often werewolf books are not my thing. But this novel is exciting with plenty of action and mystery.

That's it, quirks! I hope you enjoyed my list and take a chance on some (or many) of these if you haven't read them already.

Share your favorites or thoughts on mine in the comments!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From Where I'm Standing [10] - 2012: The Year of Signings and Sadness

I did a Year in Review post for last year that I had a lot of fun with, chronicling the events in my life, but if you have been following WQ this year, you know what the single most important and devastating event was, the loss of my dad.

Despite the hardships of this year, there were good times. One was celebrating my first wedding anniversary with Captain Italian. All the others came in the form of awesome bookish events.

Those special times where I got to meet authors and other book bloggers is what I am going to focus on in this post. I apologize because I have a boat load of stuff from these things that I never shared, so here you get it all a.k.a. this is a long post with a lot of photos.




Way back in April I finally figured out what I wanted to use this feature for, and I did that, but only a couple of times because I got lazy and then things happened and you know the rest of the story. The two posts I did get to were about getting to meet Rachel Hawkins at Parnassus Books in March and getting to go to SOKY Book Fest in April. What follows is all of what I didn't get to (and advanced apologies for my lacking photography skills).

MAY
My trusty friend and traveller, Meg, accompanied me to Parnassus Books to see Myra McEntire and Amy Plum. It was a lovely event that I remember for two main reasons. The first is that there was a guy doing some filming for a piece on independent bookstores for the BBC and at one point Myra looked right at him and basically said she wanted to lick Matt Smith's face. Having not delved into Doctor Who yet, I didn't really get it, but oh how I do now. Second, this was the first time I got to meet some of my bestest blogger friends!

Myra McEntire and Amy Plum

L-R: Hannah (The Book Vortex), Nikki (Books Most Wanted), Marla (Starting the Next Chapter), Lauren (The Housework Can Wait), me, Meg (Myth-illogical)

JUNE
At the last minute I got the opportunity to go to Nashville to see Myra McEntire again at a public library with Marla (STNC). We got there a little late because we were trying to find copies of Timepiece (my review here) and the bookstore we went to was out. But we did get there and it was great fun because we all just sat in a circle and just chatted with Myra about anything and everything. We got to see Lauren (THCW) again and I finally got to meet Shannon of Stalking the Bookshelves. I also ran into reader and bookseller Elizabeth and her mother Debbie, both of whom I had met at the Southern Festival of Books in 2011. After the event, Shannon, Marla, Lauren, and I went to Applebee's and got to meet Paul, the worst server we've ever had the displeasure of knowing (you can read Lauren's hilarious account here).

L-R: Marla, Elizabeth, me, Myra McEntire, Shannon (Stalking the Bookshelves), Lauren

AUGUST

I got to go to my very first book launch for the release of C.J. Redwine's debut novel, Defiance (my review here). Meg and Captain Italian was with me as well as my friend Catilyn (whom I have converted to the YA cult muahaha). Lauren was there again (which is awesome because she is awesome and I love seeing her) and I also got to see Myra McEntire again and she remembered who I was and gave me a hug, which is also awesome. And then I ended up standing in line with Melinda Doolittle of American Idol fame, which was very cool because she is extremely sweet and gorgeous. There was also delicious cake made by C.J.'s husband, and all in all it was an amazing event.

Defiance cake!

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER
There were two events that I went to that sat on the weekend before Labor Day, and those were Dragon*Con and the Decatur Book Festival. Both were amazing but DBF was much more my speed, though I got to meet a lot of great authors at both places. There is too much to even talk about, so suffice it to say if you ever have the chance to go to either, you should go.

Dragon*Con

me and Captain Italian

Boggart Snape and Dumbledore

Debbie Viguie and Nancy Holder

Diana Peterfreund

Decatur Book Festival

David Levithan                                                 Meg Cabot    

   

Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia                                 Erin Morgenstern     

      Barry Lyga                                                   Maureen Johnson

SEPTEMBER

I went to two great events in September. The first happened right in my hometown when Anne Lamott, bestselling writer and author of one of most influential books for writers (Bird by Bird) came to our local university. Meg and I went and listened to her speak and it was amazing and inspirational.

Anne Lamott and me

The second event happened at the end of the month when I want to see C.J. Redwine and Kat Zhang at Parnassus Books. It was another lovely event where I got to see two great authors and meet another awesome blogger, Ang. After the event I went to McKay's and spent three hours filling a cart with books.

Kat Zhang and C.J. Redwine

OCTOBER

The month of falling leaves and spooks also had two events. The first was an Author/Blogger dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Nashville along with the Southern Festival of Books. The dinner was organized by Hannah (TBV) and I had so much fun at the dinner meeting a lot of bloggers I have only known online. I also got to meet and hang out with several amazing YA authors and I must shout out to Amanda Havard who sat next to me and had to deal with my randomness all night. It was great fun and the food was awesome too. Sadly, none of my pictures turned out because we were sitting at a very long table in a dim room.

The next day Meg and I made our way to the Southern Festival of Books. We got to listen to and meet so many great authors and came away with tons of books. We also got to eat lunch with Shannon and it was good to see her again, as well as hang out with Lauren after our last panel.

Siobhan Vivian and Jenny Han                                       Gillian Flynn            

          Bethany Griffin and Amanda Havard                             Sharon Cameron                                      

The second event was YA Trick or Treat at Parnassus Books. There were six authors on the panel and they shared their personal haunted happenings and talked about their books. The featured authors were Myra McEntrire (and if you think I've become a major Myra stalker...you would be correct), Victoria Schwab, Sonia Gensler, Beth Revis, Tessa Gratton, and Stephanie Perkins. Ruta Sepetys (whom I got to meet at SoFest but never got a picture with) and Kat Zhang were also there and we got a great picture with all of the authors together.

Back L-R: Ruta Sepetys, Stephanie Perkins, Sonia Gensler, Victoria Schwab, Myra McEntire, Beth Revis ~ Front L-R: Tessa Gratton, Kat Zhang

I also got the best signature from Myra in my copy of Timepiece which was totally worth not owning a copy until then. The reason I didn't own a copy yet (despite loving the book) is that when we went to the library to see her back in June, I only had one book and I had her sign it for Meg (who couldn't make it). Myra, because she is sweet and amazing and thought it was nice of me to use the only book I had for my friend (Meg is totally worth it ^_^), told me that she would send me a copy, but she forgot, which was no big deal because I thought it was nice of her to offer in the first place.

So when I got up to the table to have my copy signed at the event in October, she looked at me and stared for a second and then said, "I was supposed to have sent you this!" and it was so funny. So now she is supposed to send me the next book to make up for it and I got a great memory from it. Anyone not understanding why Myra is the best ever?

best signature ever

So quirks, that was my year of bookish events! I hope you enjoyed it and I applaud you if you made it to the end. If you can get to any signings or festivals in the coming year, I highly recommend it. And just like last year, my Favority-Fave Reads of 2012 list is coming up, so check back in a few day!

From Where I'm Standing [4] - The First of Many

Thanksgiving has just passed, and like every year, it was accompanied by a lot of, well, thanks. I've read several tweets and blog posts giving thanks for anything and everything. Being that I am a writer, aspiring author, and blogger, the majority that I have seen are from those that fit in one or more of those three categories.

This post isn't about giving thanks (though I have a lot to be thankful for) but relates to the post Beth Revis did called "Thankful for Dreams" on her (very cool) blog.  If you haven't read it, go do so. I'll wait.

I agree with Revis that having a dream is paramount. Dreams, goals, whatever you want to call them, are internal motivators and things we can see and move toward on the horizon. And it is that feeling, that sensation of standing on the peak and seeing ahead in the distance the next point in the journey, that I have come to treasure. I'm standing right now on the the first of many points in my journey to being an author.

While I like to think I am equally reasonable and emotional, always using the best of both worlds, I would be lying if I said those things that speak to me in an intangible, and sometimes reasonless, way, were not what moved me the most. A good argument rarely wins me over unless the argument, almost literally, moves my feelings or thoughts to agree. But a sunrise? A song? A dream? Moved like a mountain into the sea.

Nothing moves me and motivates me to continue my journey to becoming an author more than that feeling of being on the precipice, on the edge of that next step. The step I'm on is rather far from my goal, since I don't yet have anything even close to ready for the querying stage, but just standing and being able to see the general road ahead pushes me to complete the step I'm on now.  That step involves finishing my first draft of my second novel, finishing the second draft of my first novel, the moving on to edit and revise that first novel, which may take who knows how many times to get a polished product.

But I can see that polished manuscript in the distance. I know that if I keep working, keep writing and reading and writing some more, it will get better, and the ebb and flow of working on it will produce the polished rock out of the jagged mess it once was. I don't want to put time limits on this, since the process is the process and it can take as long or as little as it feels like. But if I work, it will get done. And knowing myself and how long it has taken me to get this far, I think I will be able to start querying sometime in 2013. I know that sounds like a long way off, but really it's not. I hope that I can stay motivated so that maybe, something great (who knows what - maybe getting an agent, maybe finishing the series I'm working on - maybe something else altogether) will happen in 2014 (fourteen is my favorite number and this will also be the year of my ten year high school reunion). But only I can make that happen. If I don't work, then it won't happen.

This idea, this fact, that working on it will be the only way to get there is something I knew but was reiterated to my spirit when I went to the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville this past October. On a panel I went to, Myra McEntire (author of Hourglass) was asked by a member of the audience how an aspiring author could get published, like if they had to know someone in the business or what. Myra's answer?

Do. The. Work. 

Myra said she didn't personally know anyone with a book out there who hadn't done the work. No work equaled no book equaled no completion of goal. Dreams require work. If something is really your dream, is really that huge glowing thing in distance you want to run at and realize, you must do the work, whatever that work may be.

For me, the work is writing the same scene fifteen times, hating and loving my story, dreaming about my characters but being unable to remember how to spell the weird names. My work is going to be face-punching self doubt, reading a book on craft because I can always write better, reading as many YA books as I can, supporting my fellow aspiring authors and those who have their books on the shelves, helping others reach their goals, and never forgetting that I am the only one who can make my dream a reality.

So I'm going to use this first of many steps, this feeling of forward motion and of great things to come, of having something so immense and beautiful waiting for me, to walk, run, stumble, and crawl through this journey.

To do the work.