Self-Publishing

I am working on a marvelously long short story.  So far, I haven't really finished a short story that I'm proud of, and technically, this one isn't finished either... but I'm proud of it - and that stands for something.

Over the next month, I hope to finish the short story, get beta readers, line edits, and critiques back from people.  By the end of the month, I hope to have the editing completely, with a perfectly polished (or to the best of my capability) piece in my hands.

Sometime in October, I want to publish it.

It's going to sit a little over 10k, or so I imagine with the number of words I have and how much of the plot I have yet to write.  And I'm going to publish it for a small fee of .99.  I figure I'll go by the standard of .99 for every 10k.  It seems reasonable.

Now, I'm still seeking the traditional publishing route for the rest of my novels, and I still have to get them polished and send them out there into the world.  This isn't a novel, and I feel like it will be a steal for .99, but we'll see how that goes.

Over the next two months, I hope to keep my blog updated with specifics about self-publishing.  I understand the concepts, but I have yet to put them into practice.

And the lovely cover is above - and probably isn't changing (unless someone has some super awesome amazing idea that I haven't thought of yet).

Stay tuned for more information on "My Summer Vacation by Terrance Wade" by RADesilets (I know, it's a total mouthful).

My TBR Pile is Growing

I started receiving request for reviews (woohoo!)  I love reading, beta reading, and being part of critique groups.  I think it only makes my own writing stronger, but I also love helping other people.  And when I like a book, I love to spread the word about it.

But I think I really outdid myself.  I swear, I have to make a syllabus for my life or something - with due dates and the whole messy lot.

I'm behind on examiner.com posts (I still have to post my review of The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness and Hunt by Patti Larsen - but at least I just got The Between review up!).  Which were all fun books, and recommended...  And to top it all off - September approaches!  Meaning that I have to read the next book in the "Books that made me love reading" challenge.

And I'm completely behind on my TBR Pile Challenge.  Okay, not behind really.  I set out to read 10 books on my TBR list.  I've definitely done that, but I haven't actually submitted any posts about them (I'm super lame, I know!)

You can see the picture for the list of books.  They were all sitting on the shelves.  Which, let me tell you something:  My library is awesome.  If they don't have a book, they can get it for me - they can order it on loan from another library in the Los Angeles county area, and poof!  Like magic, I get an e-mail saying it's in.  How's that for awesome?

Here's the thing I hate:  They never really have books that I want on their shelves.

Not today!  The library got a total YA revamping - and these four books that have been on my to-be-read list for entirely too long magically appeared on the shelves!  I couldn't believe it!

So, I'll be reading/reviewing for the next few weeks... and hopefully I'll find some time to finish my third draft of RUHE so that my beta readers can finish beta reading.

Also, I should mention how much I adore Patrick Ness's interview on YA books getting age ratings (he's against, for various reasons).  And I agree with him, but he's very articulate about it.  You should check it out!  I already loved his writing, but now I also like his style.

Giveaway Winners!

Congratulations to the two winners from the Blog Hop!

Winner of the paperback copy of Falling Under by Gwen Hayes is:

Dana C.!

And winner of the ebook copy of The Between by LJ Cohen is:

Lona S.!

I sent you both e-mails.  If I do not receive a response in 48 hours, I will choose a different winner.

Congratulations again!  And thanks everyone who entered the contest!

I have more YA books to give away this year, so please stay tuned :)  And there will be news and excerpts from my person writing, occasional flash fiction, and some book recommendations.

For those of you that didn't win, I do highly recommend checking out The Between by LJ Cohen.  You can check out the first five chapters on Goodreads before you choose to buy (definitely worth it though!)

YA Giveaway Hop

Another giveaway hop hosted by the fabulous blog, I'm a Reader, Not a Writer.

This one will be open from August 8 - 14!

I am hosting two winners.  The first prize winner will receive a paperback copy of Falling Under by Gwen Hayes.  It's a YA Paranormal Romance.  While their romance is a bit intense, they only steal innocent (okay, maybe not the most innocent) kisses.  It is the first in the series by Hayes, so if you enjoy this book, there's more where that came from!

The second winner will receive an e-book copy of The Between by L.J.Cohen.  It is my pleasure to host a giveaway for her, because she's a truly incredible woman.  Her story, The Between, starts off in a miraculous way.  Cohen throws us right into the action.  There's Lydia, the main character who refuses to believe that she is anything but human.  And her two, sort of, stalkers - Clive and Aileen.  They represent Bright and Shadow, respectively.  The interesting thing in the beginning of this novel?  Both sides - Bright and Shadow - seem to have valid arguments.  And I'll be honest, I haven't finished the book yet, but I'm excited to continue reading it (just started it on Monday).  It's fast-paced, well-written, and it definitely deserves a spot on your to-be-read shelf.  I'll confirm this again on my Monthly Recommendations when I finish reading the book! But whoever wins this is definitely in for a treat!  Read more about The Between on Goodreads!

Enter on the Rafflecopter below - U.S. entries only!  While I'm sure LJ Cohen wouldn't mind international - I cannot ship internationally (without spending a significant amount of money -- silly post).  The Rafflecopter opens at midnight EST, 8/8!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Harriet the Spy - Books that made me love reading challenge

When I was younger...
I think I read the book after I had seen the movie.  I think seeing the movie first really altered my perception of the characters. While I loved the movie as a kid, and I loved book, I actually disliked the book this time around.

My perception of Harriet has changed a lot. I used to think she was curious and fun loving, this time around was very different.


Now...
Harriet's voice sounds a lot older than she is, which I give her credit for. But is her snarky attitude that is pretty poor.  She claims to want to learn everything, but she is unwilling to put herself in someone else's shoes.  She thinks she has all the answers and tends to put other people down.  Because of this, she has some major realizations and has to grow up fast when everyone turns against her.  Though, Harriet's story is still kind of fun and interesting.

Why I loved this book...
This book made me want to journal.  While I didn't really want to be a spy, I wanted to people watch and observe.  I wanted to be the fly on the wall when I was in public places, overhearing private conversations when I could.  But not breaking and entering, or anything to that extreme.

This book had a huge impact on my life.  I find it interesting that Harriet's voice no longer resonates with me.  Some of the things she says are a little too young.  And yes, it is a kid's book so maybe that's why I find her a little stuck up now.

For anyone that wants to read this, I do highly recommend it for younger readers. And I still love the movie, which I watched after the book.