The Blog Break is Over, Over

Well.

I took a tad longer than I thought. Finding that balance between working full time {more on the job later}, writing, reading and blogging is tricky. Many do it and do it really well. I'm a still workin' on. But the fact is I love it all. The new job, the writing, the reading, the blogging.

The blogging balance is the trickiest. I sure wish I could do it all. But. I can't.  So am returning with just three features. Two old, Oh MG/YA Canada and MMGM. One new {for me}, Perfect Picture Book Friday.

So-let the blogging begin. Whoa. It. Is. GOOD to be back! Looking forward to some blog reading and writing, I must say.

Random Act of Kindness BLITZ!

A smile. An encouraging word. A thoughtful gesture. Each day people interact with us, help, and make our day a bit brighter and full. This is especially true in the Writing Community. 
Take a second to think about writers you know, like the critique partner who works with you to improve your manuscript. The writing friend who listens, supports and keeps you strong when times are tough. The author who generously offers council, advice and inspiration when asked.
So many people take the time to make us feel special, don't they? They comment on our blogs, re-tweet our posts, chat with us on forums and wish us Happy Birthday on Facebook.

Kindness ROCKS!
To commemorate the release of their book The Emotion Thesaurus, Becca and Angela at The Bookshelf Muse are hosting a TITANIC Random Act Of Kindness BLITZ. And because I think KINDNESS is contagious, I'm participating too!


TODAY I am BLITZING the fabulous G.R. Leblanc who blogs at Berry Blue Haiku. She is a long time friend and writer who has been with me for over ten years! Many a poem and picture book and novel chapters and queries she has critiqued for me. Not only that she has been with me through the ups and downs of writing and life. You da best G!!! My ROAK gift to her is her pick of a book from Amazon. 


Do you know someone special that you'd like to randomly acknowledge? Don't be shy--come join us and celebrate! Send them an email, give them a shout out, or show your appreciation in another way. Kindness makes the world go round. :)
Becca and Angela have a special RAOK gift waiting for you as well, so hop on over to The Bookshelf Muse to pick it up.


Have you ever participated in or been the recipient of a Random Act Of Kindness?  Let me know in the comments!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and Finding Balance in Your Writing Life

Now I know I am on a break, but this is one of the posts I mentioned that I had a pre-commitment to. Danika Dinsmore's sequel to Brigitta of the White Forest is out. It is The Ruins of Noe! This is a fantasy I recommend {highly!} to middle grade and young adult. Not one to be missed in my almost humble opinion. Here is more from Faerie Tales from the White Forest:

Brigitta’s adventures continue when the balance of the White Forest is disturbed and the Elders lose contact with the Ethereals. Against their advice, High Priestess Ondelle asks Brigitta to accompany her to the old faerie ruins of Noe to find a way to reconnect with the Ancients.

What they discover when they arrive is something they never learned from any faerie tale. Why had this dark secret been kept from them? Why in the name of Faweh had the Ancients left some faeries behind?

Brigitta and Ondelle are caught in a dangerous feud between two factions of feral faeries whose leaders will stop at nothing to access what little sorcery Noe has left.

As it happens this is an extra special Marvelous Middle Grade Monday Post. Danika kindly agreed to do a guest post for us on finding balance in your writing life. And let me tell you, it's a gooder. I so appreciate her doing this. Without further ado--take it away Danika!

Writing / Life Balance

Sometimes I wake up and have no idea what day it is. The only reason I do at any given point is because other people are pretty good at keeping regular schedules. My husband is home right now, puttering around in the front yard (yes, we’re old enough to putter now). It must be the weekend.

I think any writer will tell you that keeping life balanced is a challenge. I’ve gotten better at it, over the years. I don’t stay up until 2 am writing any longer, I get out of my pyjamas by 8:30 am on most days, I get food on the dinner table, and I don’t spend 2 hours socializing on facebook.

Not saying this ALWAYS works, but as much as I can, I work 8:30 – 5:30 like a job. I am my boss. So that when my husband comes home, I’m done with work, dinner is at least a plan if not in process, and he and I can have some together time.

Sure, I have unfocused days when I count walking by two of my favourite clothing stores and NOT going in as productive. Then there are deadline days where I can’t snuggle up with my husband and watch 30 Rock or Dr. Who.

But baring these, I do my best to stick to a schedule. Writing first thing in the morning, and then writer admin and biz after my traditionally late breakfast. Stretching exercises or yoga every hour because I have first hand experience of what it’s like to throw out one’s neck from (the clinical diagnosis) chronic computer use.

I tend to schedule errands and appointments on the same days so I don’t lose as much work time. Trust me, if I didn’t have to leave the house for a week, I probably wouldn’t. Outside World Activities = GOOD.

To me, a balanced life means being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. It means feeling productive, excited, and in the flow rather than overwhelmed and exhausted.

(Click HERE to find out why a TIMER is Your Friend)

Here are a few more life balance tips:

1)   STEP AWAY FROM THE INTERNET!

I write first thing in the morning, which I highly recommend for fiction writing. Poetry writing, at least for me, is better later in the day or at night because I need the moments and interactions to inspire me throughout the day. But fiction writing is best without any interference. As soon as the day invades my mind, it’s more challenging to settle into writing.

The most important rule around this is DO NOT log into your email or facebook or any other virtual space before you write. I get up, have coffee, perhaps journal a bit or read some inspirational material, then I write. When I’m in writing mode I must be at my desk no later than 8:30 am.

Here’s what happens if I check my email:  Hey, a Google Alert about a new review for Ruins of Noe, click link and read review. It’s a nice review, I wonder if she posted it on Amazon. Click. There’s the review on Amazon. While here, I might as well update my author bio, it’s old. I should fix that. I wonder if my author bio is current on GoodReads, too? Click. Hey, look Angelica posted a really great review for that new book I was thinking about. Read review. Read subsequent reviews. Send link to book review to friend. While back in email notice note from Deb about my guest blog post. Write a draft of guest post. Wow, it’s 11 AM, where did the time go?

Does this sound familiar?

2)   Study/learn about marketing, organizing, and other important bizniz

All the things that aren’t writing that go into writing can be overwhelming. First you have to figure out what all those things are. Then you have to organize and prioritize them. Not all artists and writers are organized in this way or know anything about marketing. Being overwhelmed is not fun.

Six years ago I went to Guerrilla Business School in Los Angeles (a 4 day seminar) and not only had a blast, I learned a lot about marketing, business skills, and keeping focus. It was inspiring and I made an “accountabilibuddy” who I still check in with to this day. (BTW – having an accountabilibuddy is a great thing, as long as your check-ins are productive, not whiny dumps)

Later, when I was trying to find an organizational system that worked for me, I learned about David Allen’s Getting Things Done program. I listened to his live seminar CD’s 3 times. It was the most natural organizational process I had come across. I combined this program with some things I learned from Christine Comaford-Lynchand created my own organizational system.

You don’t have to go to that particular marketing seminar or use Allen’s organizational system. I’m just saying if the business side of things is making you panic, you can learn to handle it by knowing more. Invest in that side of things and you’ll get more done and feel more in charge.

One of the simple tricks I’ve learned is emailing myself. I kid you not. If there is something I need to get done or an idea that I have, but I don’t want to get distracted from what I’m doing, I email a message to myself. Sometimes I email the next day’s To Do list to myself. Whatever works, right?

3)   Separate your Writer Work from Life and Move Your Body

I am really lucky to have been able to turn an old single detached garage into a “writing cottage.” If you don’t have this, perhaps you have an office, or at least a corner. Someplace you can use to officially step in and out of your writing mode.

Step out once in a while during the day. Go for a walk, move your body, do some stretching and yoga. All this sounds obvious, but even I have to remind myself. I set a timer if I have to.

When I threw my neck out I was incapacitated for about 3 days. When I met with a physical therapist, she said she sees more people with computer injuries than sports injuries these days. Pain also = no fun.

So, when you’re IN writer mode, it’s all about focus. It is a job (a dream job!) and I think you should treat it as such. What would You The Boss say if you caught your employee in her PJ’s eating M&M’s and cruising FaceBook?

When you step away, it’s about enjoying everything else and appreciating your productive day.

(And BTW, on days when you are less productive, be kind to yourself. Adding guilt, shame, stress on top of not having a productive day is a double punishment).

***

If you are looking for more MMGM fabulousness check out the following links:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (a.k.a. Fearless Leader)-Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
Jennifer Rumberger-Children's Author
Joanne Fritz-My Brain on Books
Danika Dinsmore-The Accidental Novelist 
Shannon O'Donnell-Book Dreaming
Myrna Foster-The Night Writer
Natalie Aguirre-Literary Rambles
Brooke Favero-Somewhere in the Middle
Ally Beecher- Kid Lit Frenzy
Barbara Watson-Novel and Nouveau
Anita Laydon Miller-her middle grade blog
Michael G-G-Middle Grade Mafioso
Jessica Lei-her blog  
Pam Torres-So I'm Fifty
Akoss-Nye Louwon – My Spirit | a search for the writer in me
Gabrielle Prendergast-Angelhorn
Gina Carey
T.L. Conway

Enjoy the day all!

Doing the Break "Thing"

Life is crazy busy right now. A good kind of busy, so I am taking a deep breath and announcing a  blogging break.

I love love love blogging. Love. it.

I also love love love writing and reading and working on what I hope becomes a career of promoting my own books, doing school visits and inspiring kids to read and write. To that end, I'll be tucking away the blogging for the month of May, so I can focus on a couple of writing projects and so I can get caught up on my TBR pile. Now, there are two events I am committed to taking part in so I'll be popping back in for those, so will see you all for those.

Until June my friends!

YA Roundtable-The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony

Another sneak peak! And this is a book I've been waiting for since I read RESTORING HARMONY by Joelle Anthony. It is one I have recommended to teens and adults alike and both have loved. I recommend you check it out, as well! Now. On to the reason for this post. The trailer for THE RIGHT AND THE REAL is up and running. And man oh man the guitar in this is amazing. First, though, here is the blurb from IndieBound.Org :


Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right & the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn't just an ordinary spiritual leader but Jesus Christ himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church's disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh was the most popular boy at school, too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad's marriage to the fanatic Mira or getting kicked out or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.

Jamie's life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won't be easy, but when her dad gets himself in serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him?







Yay for this being out on April 26. The wait is almost over!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday-Nikolas and Company: The Merman and the Moon Forgotten by Kevin McGill

Fasten your seat belts for a fast and fascinating ride through time and into space. Well imagined future and past, earth and moon create a memorable setting that kept me reading. Naturally, the cast of characters kept the pages turning, as well. I especially enjoyed the humour. The author mentioned in an interview that he loved the banter and characters in the "Firefly" series and he does a good job of making his characters and banter just as appealing. And to entice you even more, check out the following.

From Goodreads: 

Nick lives in a time when one can extend their life indefinitely through cerebral downloads, zip from country to country in hovercars, and have every whim taken care of by the ever faithful nannydrones.

Nick hates it. 

Aside from the refugee camps, overpopulation, and unchecked consumerism filling every city across the globe, Nick just doesn’t belong. That is when he hears the voice of a woman: 

“The Rones lie about their true intent. They enter the city of Huron at the peril of us all.” 

Shortly after, his slightly crazed grandfather reveals to him:

“All you’ve ever heard about the Moon is a lie, my dear Nikolas. He was not always a mere satellite, a ghost wandering the stars. In an age before our own, Moon was our twin, and in him bore the whole of magical life. The cradle of this magical civilization was a fantastic metropolis filled with fire-breathing winged lions, volcano-born nymphs, automaton-legged mermaids, and so much magic you can smell it. We called this city Huron, and you, Nikolas, are her steward.”

Meanwhile on the moon, the senior stagecoach driver Yeri Willrow thought he was performing a simple drive and drop for his mysterious passengers, until they are attacked by foul-breath red-eyed creatures. He soon learns that his passengers are a family of automaton-legged merfolk, and he is their only hope. Yeri suddenly finds himself tasked with saving the merfolk or they will fall to the peril of the creature most foul.

Website: Nikolas and Co by Kevin McGill
Blog: KEVIN MCGILL | Kevin's Blog (and really, check out this particular vlog, lol...it is made of awesome! All about literally launching this book into space...and CONTEST! Merman and The Moon Forgotten Book Launch Into Space | KEVIN MCGILL
Reviews and Interviews:
Reading Teen: Book Review and Author Interview: Nikolas and Company by Kevin McGill
667B Baker Street: Interview with Author Kevin McGill

Happy MMGM all! Do check out the following:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (a.k.a. Fearless Leader)-Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
Jennifer Rumberger-Children's Author
Joanne Fritz-My Brain on Books
Danika Dinsmore-The Accidental Novelist 
Shannon O'Donnell-Book Dreaming
Myrna Foster-The Night Writer
Natalie Aguirre-Literary Rambles
Brooke Favero-Somewhere in the Middle
Ally Beecher- Kid Lit Frenzy
Barbara Watson-Novel and Nouveau
Anita Laydon Miller-her middle grade blog
Michael G-G-Middle Grade Mafioso
Jessica Lei-her blog  
Pam Torres-So I'm Fifty
Akoss-Nye Louwon – My Spirit | a search for the writer in me
Gabrielle Prendergast-Angelhorn
Gina Carey
T.L. Conway

YA Roundtable, Book Reveal, TASTE by Kate Evangelista

Recently, Kate Evangelista asked if I might be interested in taking part in the cover and book trailer reveal for her upcoming book, TASTE. I said yes and here we are today doing just that! Very often when deciding on which books to read I will decide based on cover and blurb [mostly blurb]. The cover, the trailer and the following blurb, provided by Kate, have me very interested to read her book.

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Further information: 

Author Website: www.kateevangelista.com

Twitter: @KateEvangelista

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Evangelista/165693410143202

Find Taste on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13484226-taste

Crescent Moon Press page for Taste: http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Taste.html

And finally, for your reading pleasure, an excerpt from the book:

***

I mentally stomped on the intimidation their perfection brought into my mind and said, “Excuse me.”

The group froze, startled by my words. The girls had their brows raised and the boys stopped mid-speech, mouths agape. They stared at me with eyes the shade of onyx stones.

I smiled and gave them a little wave.

The boy a step ahead of the rest recovered first. His stunning features went from shocked surprise to intense interest. He reminded me of a hawk eyeing its prey. I gulped.

“A Day Student,” he said, his eyes insolent and excited.

Something about the way he said “Day Student” made my stomach flip. “Excuse me?”

They snickered. The boys looked at each other while the girls continued to stare, muffling their laughter by delicate hands. I seemed to be the butt of some joke. 

“You broke the rule.” The boy’s grin turned predatory.

The students formed a loose semi-circle in front of me. My gaze darted from face to face. Hunger filled their eyes. The image of lions about to chase down a gazelle came to mind. I mentally shook my head. I was in the mountains not the Serengeti for crying out loud.

I took a small step back and cleared my throat. “Can any of you give me a ride back to the dorms?”

The boy wagged his forefinger like a metronome. “Ah, that’s unfortunate for you.”

One of the girls pinched the bridge of her nose. “Eli, you can’t possibly—”

“It’s forbidden, Eli,” another boy interrupted, pronouncing the word “forbidden” like a curse.

The nervous murmur at the pit of my stomach grew louder. Six against one. Not good odds. Instinct told me to cut my losses and run. Bad enough I faced expulsion, now it seemed like weird, beautiful people who’d suddenly appeared on campus wanted to beat me up. No, scratch that. Judging from the way they studied me, beating me up wouldn’t satisfy them. Something more primal prowled behind their looks.

I definitely wasn’t going down without a fight. Years of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat classes had me prepared. While other children from rich and important families got bodyguards, I got defense training. But I think my father meant for my skills to go up against potential kidnappers, not against other students who may or may not be crazy. Oh God! Maybe I stepped into a parallel universe or something when I reentered Barinkoff.

“None of the students are supposed to be on campus,” I said. Then, realizing my mistake, I added, “Okay, I know I’m not supposed to be here either. If one of you gives me a ride back to the dorms, I won’t say anything about all this. Let’s pretend this never happened. I didn’t see you, you didn’t see me.”

“We’re not ordinary students,” Eli answered. “We’re the Night Students.”

He’d said “Night Students” like the words were capitalized. I didn’t know Barinkoff held classes at night. What was going on here?

Eli smiled with just one side of his mouth and said to the group, “She’s right, no one will have to know. We’re the only ones here. And it’s been so long, don’t you agree?”

The rest of them nodded reluctantly.

“What’s been so long?” I challenged. I fisted my hands, ready to put them up if any of them so much as twitched my way.

“Since the taste of real flesh passed through my lips,” Eli said. He came forward and took a whiff of me then laughed when I cringed.

“Flesh.” Yep, parallel universe.

“Yes,” he said. “And yours smells so fresh.”

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and yanked me back before I could wrap my mind around the meaning behind Eli’s words. In a blink, I found myself behind someone tall. Someone reallytall. And quite broad. And very male.

I realized he wore the same clothes Eli and the other boys did. Not good. He was one of them. Although… I cocked my head, raking my gaze over him. He seemed born to wear the uniform, like he was the pattern everyone else was cut from. My eyes wandered to long, layered, blue-black hair tied at the nape by a silk ribbon. Even in dim light, his hair possessed a sheen akin to mercury.

I looked down. The boy’s long fingers were wrapped around my wrist like a cuff. His fevered touch felt hotter than human standards, hot enough to make me sweat like I was standing beside a radiator but not hot enough to burn.

“I must be mistaken, Eli,” the boy who held my arm said in a monotone. “Correct me. Did I hear you say you wanted to taste the flesh of this girl?”

A hush descended on us. It had the hairs at the back of my neck rising. How was it possible for the atmosphere to switch from threatening to dangerous? Unable to help myself, I peeked around the new guy’s bulk. Eli and his friends bowed. They all had their right hands on their chests.

“Demitri, I’m sure you misheard me,” Eli said.

So the guy standing between me and the person who said he’d wanted to taste me was named Demitri. I like the sound of his name. Demitri. So strong, yet rolls off the tongue. Definite yum factor.

“So, you imply I made a mistake?” Demitri demanded.

“No!” Eli lifted his gaze. “I did no such thing. I simply wanted to show the girl the consequences of breaking curfew.”

“Hey!” I yelled. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

Demitri ignored my protest and continued to address Eli. “So, you threatened to taste her flesh.” His fingers tightened their grip around my wrist. “In the interest of investigating this matter further, I invoke the Silence.”

All six students gasped, passing surprised glances at one another.

Before I could ask about what was going on, Demitri yanked me down the hall toward the library. But why there? Oh, maybe we were getting my things. No, wait, he couldn’t have known about that. Everything was too confusing now.

Eli and the others didn’t try to stop us when we passed them. Demitri’s cold command must have carried power. Handsome and powerful, never a bad combination on a guy.

We reached the heavy double doors in seconds. He jerked one open effortlessly. I’d needed all my strength just to squeeze through that same door earlier. To him, the thick wood might as well have been cardboard. I raised an eyebrow and mentally listed the benefits of going to gym class.

“Why are we here?” I asked after my curiosity overpowered my worry. I’d almost forgotten how frightened I’d been right before Demitri showed up. I wasn’t above accepting help from strangers. Especially from gorgeous dark-haired strangers with hot hands and wide shoulders.

Demitri kept going, tugging me along, snaking his way deeper into the library. I had to take two steps for every stride his legs made. I tried to stay directly behind him, praying we didn’t slam into anything.

He stopped suddenly and I collided with him. It felt like slamming into a wall.

“Hey,” I said, momentarily stunned. “A little warning would be nice!”

He faced me, and I gasped. His eyes resembled a starless night, deep and endless. Their intensity drilled through me without pity, seeming to expose all my secrets. I felt naked and flustered beneath his gaze.

“You could have died back there,” he warned.

A lump of panic rebuilt itself in my throat.

***

 Now. I'm curious. How do you pick which books to read. Cover?  Blurb? Reading the first chapter or an excerpt? A combo?