August 2016

Month

August Bookstagram Challenge

In August, I completed my first Bookstagram challenge. Well, completed is a strong word. I participated in my first challenge. I started late and then missed a few days as life got in the way. It really was a ton of fun and gave me a chance to play around with my cameras (which I haven’t done in ages) and look at my books in a whole new manner. Have you ever joined in a bookstagram challenge? If not, you can learn more about them by visiting here.

Here are a few of my challenge photos for this month:

29225554115_7ac8c181a7_z

August 31, 2016 0

August Reads

This month was pretty busy and I spent most of my reading time buried in my Kindle. I did manage to re-read a series that I thought I would take a minute to mention.

29038176370_643e8114d6_z

I really enjoyed the first book Queen of Someday. I read this when it first came out back in 2014. It was later expanded to become the Stolen Empire series. When the second came out, I dutifully read it but found it pretty disappointing. By the time the third was released, I had no interest in the series at all. It started reading like news articles – the writing had turned dry and it seemed like the author just wanted to be done with it. Pity because the characterization and plot in the first book were pretty awesome. I went ahead and read it this month just to complete it (and because it’s too short not to finish off!)

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age: This is a YA title but verges on NA for some sexual content so best reserved for the older/more mature teens.

August 31, 2016 0

Top 10 Tuesday: Back to School

It’s Back to School Time with Top Ten Tuesday, created and hosted by the awesome folks over at Broke and Bookish! This week is a freebie relating to anything school related. So I give you the Top Ten It Could Be Worse (dangerous schools from the pages of books). Continue reading “Top 10 Tuesday: Back to School” →

August 30, 2016 4

Photo Backdrops

I joined a Bookstagram challenge this month (my first!) and will talk about that once the month ends but I wanted to mention the fun I had playing around with my new photo backdrops. I received four backdrops that have coloring to match a wide variety of books. I only had about ten minutes to play around with them before work called, but it made everything look so much different. I’m still quite a newbie at the Bookstagram world but can’t wait for the weekend so I can have more time to practice and play with the backdrops! Do you have any tips or suggestions about taking book photos? I’d love to hear them!

28601599114_91e846630a

August 27, 2016 1

Top 10 Tuesday: Dust Bunny books

It’s Top Ten Tuesday, created and hosted by the awesome folks over at Broke and Bookish! This week we are to list Ten Books That Have Been On Your Shelf (Or TBR) From Before You Started Blogging That You STILL Haven’t Read Yet…which is a super long title 😀

Since I haven’t had this site for very long, I decided to find the oldest books I shelved in my Goodreads account and share those. They date all the way back to 2010. Since I haven’t read them I can’t tell you much but if the cover entices you, you can click on the book title to be taken to the GR page. Have you read any of them? Are they still worth reading (or are some really, really bad? Tell me that too if you know!)

28822107511_f591920b00

“Top 10 Tuesday: Books with the Most Dust Bunnies”

Continue reading “Top 10 Tuesday: Dust Bunny books” →

August 23, 2016 13

WIP Update

I’ve been shifting around several different stories lately so here’s an update for those wondering what’s going on with their favorite characters!

VPK Empire

Ties had it’s initial release date on August 15. The sequel is well over halfway done. The cover was accidentally revealed on Instagram over the summer and I hope you love it as much as I do.

House of Valentine

Two different things going on here. The followup to 28 Seconds was almost complete when the characters decided to go an entirely different direction. So it is currently in a complete rewrite and a little less than halfway done. Also in the Valentine family is Teresa’s story which takes place before 28 Seconds. I’m actually hand writing her story so I’ve no idea the approximately length, but it’s still moving along at a pretty brisk pace.

29021162421_738730fb0e_n

Guardians Series

Look how I sneaked this one in here! This is a new series of shorts and the first title is about 85% complete. It has a title and a cover completed and I’ll be sharing a little more about it in the next couple of months. Occasional quotes are posted on Instagram if you want some sneak peeks! It’s anticipated release date is November 1st and it will be available FREE for a limited time.

28993078292_e002813105_n

August 20, 2016 0

StoryCraft: Pinch Points

If you read a lot, you know all about pinch points. They are those when things are just cruising along and then a story breaks and you stop and mutter “stuff’s getting real now!” You recognize them if you didn’t realize they had a specific name. They are pivotal moments in story structure but, to be honest, I’ve never really investigated them much. I don’t outline (although I’ve decided to give it a whirl in the near future) so my writing is much more organic…when things get slow or calm, I throw something at my characters to make them scurry around again.

Do you use pinch points in your writing? If so, do you plan them at specific times or just as it feels appropriate for your characters?

(If you want more info on pinch points, you can read an excellent article on the topic at Live Write Thrive )

August 18, 2016 0

Top 10 Tuesday: Books Set in Rio

Joining in my first Top Ten Tuesday, created by the awesome folks over at Broke and Bookish . With the Olympics on everyone’s mind, I decided to do a “Top Ten Books in Rio”. I hope you find a few new titles to add to your TBR pile!