Friday, April 26, 2013

Book Signing in June!

I'll be traveling up to Northern CA for a signing at Copperfield's Books in Petaluma, CA.

June 7
at 7 p.m.



Eat drink and be literary at Copperfield's Books! Celebrate the start of summer with a slew of great YA authors: Marissa Meyer, Suzanne WinnackerDebra Driza, SJ KincaidShannon Messenger, Daisy Whitney, and Melissa Buell will present their latest books. Re-imagined fairy tales, tech-y science fiction,razor-sharp real life, naughty fairies: WOW! There's something for everybody. And there's pizza! Feed your body and your mind and start the summer off right with these bestselling YA authors!


Please join us! 
There will be pizza and gummy bears and laughter 
and book speaking and fun!!

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013

Bookish Weekend!

This weekend was filled with activities of the bookish sort!

On Saturday, my family and I headed out to the LA Times Festival of Books on the USC campus. It's a HUGE event! I signed at the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore booth. My kids enjoyed the childrens' stage and authors present. I was able to hang out with my friend Gretchen and meet up with old family friends who brought their girls to the MG booth to meet Ridley Pearson.






With the "Tumbler" (Batmobile)

On Sunday, we went to the Young Authors' Faire after church. The YAF was held at the MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana. It is put on by the OC Dept. of Education. I presented with Sarah Skilton at the YA Author Panel. Sarah is so sweet and fun to hang out with! Her YA contemporary novel is about a girl, Imogen, who is a black belt in Tai Kwon Do. Barnes and Noble hosted us and they have autographed copies of my books and Sarah's books at their location across the street from the MainPlace Mall!

Sarah Skilton, author of BRUISED
Me, talking about writing

Reading from THE SEVENTH BLESSING

Presenting at the YA Author Panel with Sarah Skilton, author of BRUISED

We read excerpts from our books and then we had volunteers from the audience perform in a "Readers' Theatre" from a scene from THE HIDDEN BLESSING. The kids did a wonderful job!




Signing at the Barnes and Noble table in the mall


Representing TLT Publishing!
(Bookmarks for TLT, CONSUMED, DARTBOARD, THE CHOSEN HISTORIAN)

Crowd at the Young Authors' Faire


It was a busy weekend but also filled with fun. Thank you to everyone who came out to these events!





Tuesday, April 16, 2013

LA Times FOB - Mysterious Galaxy Schedule

At the LA Times Festival of Books, Mysterious Galaxy bookstore will be hosting many awesome authors at their booth! Come on by and meet some wonderful authors. (And I'll be there, too!)



10:30 AM: Terri Nolan signs Burden of Truth
Michael Robertson signs The Baker Street Translation

11:00 AM: Robin Benway signs Also Known As
Sherri L. Smith signs Orleans

noon: Avery Aames signs To Brie or Not to Brie
Gennifer Albin signs Crewel
Gustavo Arellano signs Taco USA
Stuart Woods signs Unintended Consequences

1:00 PM: Joanne Fluke signs Red Velvet Cupcake Murder
Laura Levine signs Death of a Neighborhood Witch

1:30 PM: Reyna Grande signs The Distance Between Us
A.S. King signs Ask the Passengers
Ed Kovacs signs Good Junk

2:00 PM: Stephen Blackmoore signs Dead Things
Cindy Pon signs Fury of the Phoenix

2:30 PM: Connie Archer signs A Spoonful of Murder
Melissa Buell signs The Hidden Blessing

3:00 PM: Leslie Margolis signs One Tough Chick
Rochelle Staab signs Bruja Brouhaha

4:00 PM: Orson Scott Card signs Ruins * see staff for restrictions and questions
Orson Scott Card & Aaron Johnston sign Earth Unaware * see staff for restrictions and questions
Wendy Lawless signs Chanel Bonfire

4:30 PM: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl sign Beautiful Redemption
Meredith Maran signs Why We Write

5:00 PM: Ridley Pearson signs Kingdom Keepers VI: Dark Passage * see staff for restrictions and questions

*Authors will sign and visit with fans for approximately 30 minutes.
Signing etiquette: Please, no more than three books at a time per author, and no more than six books
per author total. Some authors may have less availability – see staff for details. Please purchase your
books prior to author signature.
Giveaways: We have some great gifts with purchase available during the Los Angeles Times Festival of
Books. Ask a staff member for details.

www.mystgalaxy.com
Great Customer Service and an Out of this World Staff!Mysterious Galaxy LATFB Booth #36

Monday, April 15, 2013

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches

Homemade Treats!
Ice Cream Sandwiches

My boys and I were at the market last week and they asked for ice cream sandwiches. The price of a box of 6 sandwiches was high in my opinion. Lightbulb! I decided to make ice cream sandwiches at home.

Step 1
Mix up chocolate chip cookies. I used a mix because I was going the simple route.





Step 2
Pour cookie mix into pans to form cookie bars (the sandwich portion of the ice cream sandwiches).


Step 3
Bake for approximately 15 minutes (depending on your oven - mine is crazy so it might take you more or less than it did me). Cookie bars should be firm and golden. Soft and gooey is not good for the sandwiches. Allow to cool after baking.


Step 4
While bars are baking, scoop ice cream into Pyrex dish or deep sided cookie pan. Press ice cream down and smooth the top surface of ice cream. Put entire pan back into freezer to get ice cream firm.


Step 5
Cut cookie bars into equal pieces.


Step 6
Cut ice cream into corresponding equal pieces to cookie bars. (I wish we had used more ice cream to make the sandwiches REALLY thick.)  Use a spatula to lift ice cream rectangles onto cookie bars. Add top cookie bar to make an ice cream sandwich. Refreeze if ice cream is starting to melt.




Step 7
Serve and enjoy!

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Movies and TV Shows I Like

So...things I like:

     

Basically, I'm a fairy tale / adventure / fantasy / mystery / sci-fi kind of girl. Yeah. That about sums it up. What are your favorite movies and TV shows?

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Book Review: A Corner of White

Book Review



A CORNER OF WHITE 
(The Colors of Madeleine, #1)
by Jaclyn Moriarty


From Goodreads.com: 
Madeleine Tully lives in Cambridge, England, the World – a city of spires, Isaac Newton and Auntie’s Tea Shop.

Elliot Baranski lives in Bonfire, the Farms, the Kingdom of Cello – where seasons roam, the Butterfly Child sleeps in a glass jar, and bells warn of attacks from dangerous Colours.

They are worlds apart – until a crack opens up between them; a corner of white – the slim seam of a letter.

A mesmerising story of two worlds; the cracks between them, the science that binds them and the colours that infuse them.


Review:
This book confused me for the first 75 pages. I was trying to figure out the whole two universe storylines/how does this possibly relate/what is happening here?? I just kept reading and I got more into the book as the storylines finally merged. 

Madeleine lives in the World (our world) with her mother. They both "ran away from home" and live in a tiny flat. Madeleine makes friends but always thinks about her old life as a spoiled rich girl. She longs for her father to come find her and bring her back home. She finds a letter that comes from "The Kingdom of Cello" - the other world in the parallel universe (I guess that's how to explain it??). She first believes it's from a weirdo in Cambridge but keeps writing to this unknown person, Elliot.

I don't want to spoil the story for you so I won't give away what the letters talk about. I really enjoyed the story after I got over the initial "what's happening" confusion. Madeleine is a sad girl who really needs a friend. Elliot is a strong, smart hero. I really liked his story more than Madeleine's. The whole idea of this other world and the possibilities that come up with traveling from world to world are awesome. I'd say this is a younger YA rating. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I received a review copy of this book from Scholastic for an honest review.



Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Writerly Wednesday: Memorable Lines

Writerly Wednesday

"Memorable Lines"



There are some lines from books that live on and are quoted daily. How do these lines get to be immortalized this way? Does the author of these lines slave away to make sure the prose is perfect? Or does it just happen to fall into place?

Some of the favorite things I've written are almost accidental. It seems like when I am really struggling with the words for a character, I end up not liking that scene/that character very much. But when I re-read what I've written, and I laugh, or I cry, it makes me feel really good! (It's probably dorky to cry over my own words but...yeah. I do it.)

I love it when readers tell me their favorite lines from my books, especially when it's one of my favorite parts, too! Here's an example from a recent conversation with a reader.

Her: "I was laughing to myself in my room and was thinking, 'I am such a nerd for laughing over a book!'"
Me: "What part was it?"
Her: "Where Nolan says, 'Walking? Is that what you kids are calling it now?'"
Me: *laughs* "I love that part, too! I'm nerdy with you." :)


So, let authors know that you've read their books and share the parts that you like. It's heartwarming and validating. And we all need validation, right?



Here's the part in THE HIDDEN BLESSING that my reader was talking about. :)



Thad spoke up. “Will is my best friend and I’m telling you this in the strictest confidence. He doesn’t . . . er . . . walk with many girls out in the garden.” Thad raised his eyebrows up at Emma meaningfully.
            Nolan slapped his knee as he laughed. “Walk? Is that what the kids are calling it now?”
            Emma could feel her face turn beet red, and she awkwardly stood up. “Please excuse me, I need to walk back . . . I mean, really walk to the castle now.”
            Thad and Nolan both began to laugh at her embarrassment good-naturedly. “Come, Emma. I’ll escort you back,” Thad said, handing the pole back to his father. “Good luck with your fishing, Father.”

Monday, April 1, 2013

Melissa-ish Monday: Signing in San Diego

Melissa-ish Monday

Signing in San Diego

My husband and I went down to San Diego on Saturday for my signing at Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore. I was able to meet the lovely Stacey Jay, author of JULIET IMMORTAL and ROMEO REDEEMED. We were able to talk about books and writing, which is always wonderful. I signed copies of THE SEVENTH BLESSING and THE HIDDEN BLESSING and there are copies available at Mysterious Galaxy for purchase! (Order online here or call them at  (858) 268-4747 )



I'll also be at the Mysterious Galaxy booth (#368) at the LA Times Festival of Books on Saturday, April 20 at 2:30 p.m.