Young Authors' Faire Flier

If you would like a printable flier for the YAF 2014 this Saturday, here you go! :-)

Upcoming Event: Young Authors' Faire 2014

I'm happy to say that I'll be at the OC Dept of Education Young Authors' Faire again this year!

https://sites.google.com/site/yaf2014/

Where: La Habra Library, La Habra, CA

When: Saturday, May 10, 2014 from 11:00-3:00 p.m.

Who: Local authors and students will be there!

Barnes and Noble will be there selling books, authors will be talking about writing, students will be presenting their work. This celebration of the writing efforts of K-12 students in Orange County Schools will feature performers, authors, games, prizes and more. This event is free of charge.

2013 End of Year Book Survey

I like looking back over the year at what I've read and reflect over my favorite books. I found this survey at "Effortlessly Reading".

1. Best Book You Read In 2013?
Fantasy/Science Fiction: ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill
Fairytale Retelling: ATONE by Jessica Grey
Contemporary: THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE by Jennifer E. Smith
Dystopian: THE SELECTION by Kiera Cass

2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t?

ENDER'S GAME by Orson Scott Card. I really, really didn't like the amount of violence in the book where young children were involved. It disturbed me SO much. I only finished it to see how it would all end up.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013?
THE ELITE was surprising in that for a second book of a trilogy, it was really good! Usually second books have (unfortunately) an issue with plot lags, likeability, etc. But ELITE was just as good as SELECTION.

4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013?
For YA contemp - UNITED WE SPY by Ally Carter. I love the Gallagher Girls series!
For fairy tale re-imagining - ATONE: A FAIRYTALE by Jessica Grey.
For Austen-esque - AGAINST HIS WILL by Nancy Kelley.
YA Fantasy - THE RUNAWAY KING by Jennifer Nielsen.

5. Best series you discovered in 2013?
The "Bailey Flannigan" series by Karen Kingsbury.

6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013?
Gail Carriger of CURTSIES AND CONSPIRACIES

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS is a sci-fi time travel book that will make your head hurt in the best way. Usually time travel is so vaguely explained that it makes me lose interest or so deeply explained it makes my eyes glaze over. This book does neither! It was amazing.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013?
ATTEMPTING ELIZABETH by Jessica Grey. I love Jane Austen and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE so I had to read AE. It was fantastic! I had to keep reading to find out how it would resolve. LOVE.

9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Probably PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I re-read it this year for the 5th? time. I'm planning to read it again for a project for next year. :-)

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013?
LET THE SKY FALL by Shannon Messenger. It's gorgeous!

11. Most memorable character in 2013?
This is hard. I have many characters that stick with me, especially characters from book series. Cammie Morgan from GG is one of my favorite characters ever.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013?
NORTH AND SOUTH by Elizabeth Gaskell. I think some of the most beautifully written books are the old ones.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013?
Again, several answers. ALL OUR YESTERDAYS made me think of time travel for a very long time. THE RUNAWAY KING made me want to be a better writer and tell epic stories. GRAVE CONSEQUENCES by Lisa T. Bergren haunted me for a long time with the amazing story telling and choices characters had to make.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read?
NORTH AND SOUTH. 

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013?
“You should have had the decency to die when you needed to."
“Sorry,” I admitted. “I’ve been going through a bit of a rebellious streak. I swear it’s almost over.”  - UNITED WE SPY by Ally Carter

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Umm...let me check Goodreads...Longest is HOUSE OF HADES by Rick Riordan. Shortest is probably the short story collection VIEWS FROM THE DEPTHS by Jessica Grey.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? Basically ALL of UNITED WE SPY. 

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc).
ATTEMPTING ELIZABETH between Kelsey and Mark. <3

19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Marta Perry and her Amish mystery novels

20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else:
THIS IS WHAT HAPPY LOOKS LIKE. Many people recommended it. When I saw it at the library, I had to check it out. :-)

21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013?
Fantasy and dystopian, primarily. Young Adult contemporary.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013?
No one comes to mind...

23. Best 2013 debut you read?
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS. (I really loved this book!)

24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013?
ATONE and the Fae World.

25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013?
CURTSIES AND CONSPIRACIES was fun.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013?
UNITED WE SPY.

27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out?
BRUISED by Sarah Skilton. A raw YA contemp that is really amazing.

My official Goodreads book count is 83 for the year. I'm pretty happy with that! I know that I've read more than that because I re-read books and Goodreads doesn't like to keep track of re-reads for some reason. I'm thankful for our public library that keeps good books available because I don't have all the money to buy all the books. ;-)

Big Orange Book Festival at Chapman University!

Hey howdy hey!

I'm SO very excited to share the news you all that I'm one of the speakers at the Big Orange Book Festival this year! I'll be there on Saturday, October 12 at 11:00 a.m. Please check the festival schedule at the BOB website for the full list of all speakers and authors that will be there.

I hope to see you there!

ATONE: A FAIRYTALE by Jessica Grey

The second book of the fairy tale trilogy by Jessica Grey is now available!

ATONE: A FAIRYTALE

From Goodreads.com

Becca Ward knows that magic is real...

Two years ago not only had she and her best friend Alex found a real-life Sleeping Beauty in the middle of Los Angeles, they also discovered that they were powerful in their own right. They’ve managed to keep both their fae powers and their friend Lilia’s identity as a medieval princess a secret and live a normal life. Now their normalcy is threatened by the return of their former advisor at the Gem and Mineral Museum—and Becca’s least favorite person, Nicholas Hunt.

...and she’s about to find out that more than one fairy tale is true.

Nicholas has been obsessed with proving Lilia’s identity and the existence of magic. While working on an archeology dig he discovered an ancient fae artifact—a mirror that is imbued with a powerful protection spell that twists his obsession, and his body, until he is more beast than man. In order to protect her friends, Becca is forced to help him, and she is surprised to find that in spite of his outward appearance, Nicholas is no longer the beast she remembers. Will she let herself be the beauty that breaks the curse, or will she let her prejudice against him stop her from discovering true love?

*****

I just finished reading this book and I LOVED it! It's the right mix of fairy tale magic, strong female main character, and brooding man-turned-into-a-beast-with-smoldering-eyes. This story picks up two years after book 1 in the series (AWAKE: A FAIRYTALE). I'd recommend reading AWAKE first but you can read this one on its own. Grey has an amazing way with words and connecting the reader to emotions of the characters. Watching Becca and Nicholas fall in love but resisting it is heartbreaking but also SO great. ("The path of true love never did run smoothly" - Shakespeare) I love that Becca learns more about her magical fae abilities and seeks to use her abilities for good. There are also laugh out loud lines in the book. I really enjoy books that have that mix of fun with seriousness.

If you enjoy fairy tales set in our contemporary world, check out ATONE!

Author Jessica Grey

ATONE on Amazon

ATONE on B&N

ATONE on Kobo

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!)

Mysterious Galaxy LATFB Booth #368!

Saturday, April 20, 2013 Author Signings

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

Book Giveaway of Epic Proportions!

I've spent A LOT of time this summer reading the books I've gotten at BEA and ALA. I've sent some of those books along to Twitter followers, some to friends, some to the summer reading program at the library (as prizes). I still have some books that need reading and reviewing! *puppy dog eyes* Are you the one to give these ARCs a home? Will you read them and love them? And buy finished copies if you like the books? Yes?! Then fill out the form below!

I'll pick out winners (based on which book they would like in order received) and send along the books after the giveaway closes. :)

--GIVEAWAY HAS NOW CLOSED.--

Reading PDF files on E-readers

Hey there!
I've had the question recently (after finally buying a Kindle - it was a *very* discounted refurbished one) about how to read a PDF file on an e-reader. If you've had the same question, I'll spare you the trouble of searching the interwebz to find an answer. (And if you read e-galleys from publishers, you're likely to get a PDF or similar file for a review book.)

KINDLE
Email the PDF file to your Kindle email address. Didn't know your Kindle had an address? Well, it does! :) It is the same amazon.com address associated with your account but instead of @yahoo.com, etc., it is @kindle.com.
Example: If my normal email is:  melissa@yahoo.com, my Kindle email is: melissa@kindle.com
If you want the PDF converted to make it easier to read, you must put "convert" in the subject line when you send the email to yourself. Easy peasy!

You can also plug in your Kindle to your computer via USB and transfer files to it. Open "Computer", "Kindle", "Documents". You can typically click and drag files into this folder. Check the home screen to be sure the file is there before you leave the computer.


NOOK
You first need to download Adobe Digital Editions for free on your computer.
Plug in your Nook, authorize the ADE to view your Nook. This *should* then allow you to add the PDF to your Nook for reading.
However, it has been stated that reading PDF on the Nook is annoying. Sometimes the formatting is off. You can turn the PDF into an ePUB format. Wondershare is supposed to be a good conversion tool.
All that to say - the Nook isn't the best at PDF reading. (Sorry!)


COMPUTER
You can also just read the PDF on your computer. I know this is difficult for a lot of people with a desktop computer. I like to read PDF on my laptop because I can go sit on the couch with it, you know, actually on my lap. ;)  If you don't enjoy reading on the computer, be sure to get up and take breaks for your eyes and your body. Otherwise, you're going to put your angst of sitting for hours on the book you're reading. :)

Reading Challenge Update 1

Updated "Reading Challenge 2012" post. (I've read a lot of books so far and I need to see where they fit in to the challenge..if they do!) :)  To see the whole list of books I've read, you can check out my Goodreads page.

So far I have:

2012 Fairy Tale Challenge

I'm doing the "happily ever after" level (Level 4).  :)
"Read/watch any combination of original tales, modern tales, or films, resulting in 12 total selections."  

-THE ROYAL TREATMENT by Lindsey Leavitt (Book 2 of the PRINCESS FOR HIRE series)
-FAREWELL TO CHARMS by Lindsey Leavitt (Book 3 of the PRINCESS FOR HIRE series)
-UNENCHANTED by Chanda Hahn (Book 1 in the Unfortunate Fairy Tale series)
-FAIREST by Chanda Hahn (Book 2 in the Unfortunate Fairy Tale series)
-ONCE UPON A TOAD by Heather Vogel Frederick
-FATHOMLESS by Jackson Pierce
-PALACE OF STONE by Shannon Hale
-AWAKE, A FAIRYTALE by Jessica Grey

---------------------

I'm attempting to do the Historical Fiction challenge from Historical Tapestry. (I love historical fiction but I've read so many books that it'll be hard to find something I haven't read yet that I want to read.)

I'm going with "Daring and Curious: 5 books" right now.

BOOKS I'VE READ (so far)

1.) "I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend" by Cora Harrison
2.) ECHOES OF TITANIC by Mindy Starns Clark (both historical and modern)
3.) SCARLET by A.C. Gaughen 
4.) LOVE FINDS YOU IN LAST CHANCE, CALIFORNIA by Miralee Ferrell

----------------------

I'm trying to find a "Classics" challenge. I found a challenge!

Classics Reading Challenge

I'm challenging myself to read those classics that (for some reason) we never read in school. I know that I want to read a few books that I've had on my bookshelf for a very long time. (Last year I finally read The Great Gatsby and The Count of Monte Cristo!)

I'll do Level Two: 4-6 books

MY LIST TO READ (so far)

-A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (I've started this one...)

-Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

-Alice in Wonderland

-----------------------
Contemporary Reading Challenge

I do read a lot of YA contemps so this will be pretty easy.
I'm going to do the second option - "mix it up" with different genres in YA contemp.
Books - 10 (at least!)

MY LIST OF BOOKS I'VE READ (so far)
1.) Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
2.) What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
3.) SUMMER OF NO REGRETS by Katherine Grace Bond
4.) THE NATURE OF JADE by Deb Caletti
5.) CONFECTIONATELY YOURS #1: SAVE THE CUPCAKE! by Lisa Papademetriou
6.) THE LIAR SOCIETY by Lisa and Laura Roecker
7.) TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone
8.) MOONGLASS by Jessi Kirby
9.) IN HONOR by Jessi Kirby
10.) SECOND CHANCE SUMMER by Morgan Matson
11.) OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF TIME by Ally Carter


------------------------

Eclectic Reader Challenge

I love the idea of this challenge!

Choose a book in each genre. Pretty easy, right? But we don't normally like to move out of our "norm" in reading. (And in life, too.)

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction -- "Stork Raving Mad" by Donna Andrews
3. Romantic Fiction -- 
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult -- "I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend" by Cora Harrison
6. Fantasy - THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas
7. Science Fiction - MATCHED and CROSSED by Ally Condie
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favourite genre
13. Poetry - THE DAY BEFORE by Lisa Schroeder

TGIF - Familiar Books

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads!

This Friday's Question:

Comfort Reads: Which books do you go to for comfort & familiarity?  

Is there a type of book you seek out when you're needing that extra bit of comfort in your life?

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I read those books that I've had for a long time: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES by L.M. Montgomery, anything written by Robin Jones Gunn. All of these books make me feel better. I feel like I've returned to old friends when I re-read these books. <3

What do you read?

Recommend A . . . {2}

From Shanyn at Chick Loves Lit comes "Recommend A . . . "

This week's prompt: "Recommend A Book With A Green Cover."

My book is MATCHED by Ally Condie.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I just bought it last week at the Scholastic warehouse store and I finished it super fast. A really great dystopian novel but without the violence or bedroom scenes. A very good read for a younger YA reader. :) (And my husband is reading it now!)

Teaser Tuesday - May 22

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!



RED GLOVE by Holly Black (the second book of The Curse Workers series)


"Barron walks to the front and begins telling a story . . . about climbing a mountain and the various meaningful things they learned about each other along the way. It's touching. It's also completely plagiarized from a book we had when we were kids."

O is for Obsession

A to Z Blogging Challenge

O is for Obsession

Everyone has an obsession about something: gardening, driving, shopping, gaming. You name it, it's out there. My obsession is...reading. Yep. I'm a reader! I read WAY more often than I watch TV or movies. I usually take a book with me when I'm out because you never know when you might have to wait for something or someone. Or because you're obsessed with a book and NEED to know What Happens Next. My reading obsession has not made me poor because we have an amazingly well stocked public library in our fine city. Yay! Be thankful for libraries and free (to us) books! :)

What are your (lawful) obsessions? (And if you don't want people to know, um, don't share.) ;)

E is for Extra Fun Reading Challenges!

A to Z Blogging Challenge

E is for Extra Fun Reading Challenge!

(Okay, so this might be cheating but I couldn't think of anything for "E" and I wanted to do this post...)

I haven't posted any of my "Reading Challenges" updates to my blog. I've been reading LOTS of books but have been busy doing other things. I'm correcting this error right now!

So, for this first quarter of 2012, I've read:

"Tif Talks Books" Fairy Tale Challenge

1. "Just Ella" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
2. "Awake: A Fairytale" by Jessica Grey
3. "Dragon Slippers" by Jessica Day George
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

"Historical Tapestry" Historical Fiction Challenge

1. "I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend" by Cora Harrison
2. "Love Finds You In Last Chance, California" by Miralee Ferrell
3.
4.
5.

Classics Reading Challenge

1.
2.
3.
4.

"Basically Amazing Books" YA Contemporary Challenge


1. "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
2. "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
3. "The Future of Us" by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler
4. "The Mother Daughter Book Club" by Heather Vogel Frederick
5. "Much Ado About Anne" by Heather Vogel Frederick
6. "Love Finds You In Sunset Beach, Hawaii" by Robin Jones Gunn
7. "Thwonk" by Joan Bauer
8. "Sass and Serendipity" by Jennifer Ziegler
9. "The Teashop Girls" by Laura Schaefer
10. "What Happened to Goodbye" by Sarah Dessen
11. "Along For the Ride" by Sarah Dessen
12.


"Bookdout" Eclectic Reader Challenge

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction -- "Stork Raving Mad" by Donna Andrews
3. Romantic Fiction -- 
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult -- "I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend" by Cora Harrison
6. Fantasy - "Disney in Shadow" by Ridley Pearson
7. Science Fiction (I'm picking dystopian) - "Pandemonium" by Lauren Oliver
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favourite genre

Vlog: Reading and Funny Faces

A new vlog post in which I read part of Chapter One of THE SEVENTH BLESSING while my son Wyatt makes odd faces and gives valuable input. He is five, after all. ;) And he knows stuff.

2012 Book Challenges

I've never really done "reading challenges" before last year. I just read whatever books I want to read. :) But, I joined goodreads.com and they had a "challenge" button asking how many books I would read that year. I guessed about 100.

I enjoyed the challenge and reading other book bloggers different challenges. I decided to find a few different challenges at the beginning of this year and join in!

So far I have:

2012 Fairy Tale Challenge

I'm doing the "happily ever after" level (Level 4).  :)  
"Read/watch any combination of original tales, modern tales, or films, resulting in 12 total selections."  


---------------------

I'm attempting to do the Historical Fiction challenge from Historical Tapestry. (I love historical fiction but I've read so many books that it'll be hard to find something I haven't read yet that I want to read.)

I'm going with "Daring and Curious: 5 books" right now.

BOOKS I'VE READ (so far)

1.) "I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend" by Cora Harrison

----------------------

I'm trying to find a "Classics" challenge. I found a challenge!

Classics Reading Challenge

I'm challenging myself to read those classics that (for some reason) we never read in school. I know that I want to read a few books that I've had on my bookshelf for a very long time. (Last year I finally read The Great Gatsby and The Count of Monte Cristo!)

I'll do Level Two: 4-6 books

MY LIST TO READ (so far)

-A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

-Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

-Alice in Wonderland

-----------------------
Contemporary Reading Challenge

I do read a lot of YA contemps so this will be pretty easy.
I'm going to do the second option - "mix it up" with different genres in YA contemp.
Books - 10 (at least!)

MY LIST OF BOOKS I'VE READ (so far)
1.) Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen
2.) What Happened To Goodbye by Sarah Dessen



------------------------

Eclectic Reader Challenge

I love the idea of this challenge!

Choose a book in each genre. Pretty easy, right? But we don't normally like to move out of our "norm" in reading. (And in life, too.)

Genres

1. Literary Fiction
2. Crime/Mystery Fiction -- "Stork Raving Mad" by Donna Andrews
3. Romantic Fiction -- 
4. Historical Fiction
5. Young Adult -- "I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend" by Cora Harrison
6. Fantasy
7. Science Fiction
8. Non Fiction
9. Horror
10. Thriller /Suspense
11. Classic
12. Your favourite genre

End of Year Book Survey

This end of the year bookish survey is hosted by The Perpetual Pageturner!

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?

I have several favorites from this year.

YA contemporary- Heist Society, Uncommon Criminals, Only The Good Spy Young

Dystopian- Divergent, The Hunger Games trilogy, Delirium

YA paranormal/supernatural: Unearthly

Adult Fiction: Austenland, Reaching Riverdale

MG/YA Fantasy: Ranger’s Apprentice series

MG/YA Contemporary - The Cupcake Queen

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?

Purposely not answering this question out of fear of much anger. ;)

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?

I was surprised at how much I liked The Hunger Games trilogy. The premise is SO dark and bleak. But the books. Wow. So, so good.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?

The Hunger Games trilogy, The Cupcake Queen, Heist Society, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, Austenland, Divergent, Wither, Forgive My Fins, The Uglies series.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?

Hunger Games wins again!! J

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?

Scott Westerfeld, Suzanne Collins, Lauren Oliver, Mary Pearson, Veronica Roth

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?

Unearthly and Paranormalcy. I don’t usually (as in, ever) read paranormal sorta books. Both of these were good.

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?

Hunger Games!! Divergent, Wither, Delirium. (This was the year of the dystopian novel for me!)

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?

Only the Good Spy Young, Heist Society

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

Can I include my own book?? Because I really love the cover. J

11. Most memorable character in 2011?

 Katniss.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?

I can’t really pick one.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?

Speak. Oh, man. SUCH a powerful book. I cried.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?

Austenland. How did I not know about this book??

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011?

“Seriously, a thirty-something woman shouldn't be daydreaming about a fictional character in a two-hundred-year-old world to the point where it interfered with her very real and much more important life and relationships. Of course she shouldn't. ” —Austenland

“Here’s some advice. Stay alive.” —Hunger Games

“In the clandestine services, nothing ever happens quickly (except when it does). Nothing is ever, ever easy (except when it is). And, most of all, nothing ever goes perfectly according to plan (except in the movies).” —Only The Good Spy Young

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012?

Austenland, All of the Gallagher Girls books

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? Be careful of spoilers!

AHHH! The end of Delirium! Catching Fire!

Book Blogging/Reading Life in 2011 (optional)

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2011?

 I Eat Words (Farrah and Britney!)

2. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

YA Day at the RT in Los Angeles was really awesome. I met Ally Carter!

3. Best moment of book blogging in 2011?

 All of the hits I got on my blog from my post about the Taylor Swift concert I went to. Best night ever!

4. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

Taylor Swift concert and book reviews (for my book)

5. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

Some of the “Photo Friday” posts I did.

6. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

Using my husband’s iPad (that he won!) for eBooks. Yay!

7.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

I did a Goodreads.com challenge for 100 books. I read at least 124 books this year. J

Looking Ahead...

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2011 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2012?

A Tale of Two Cities

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2012?

Gallagher Girls #5, Midnight at Austenland

3. Goals for 2012?

Reading lots of books again.
Writing more books.
Blogging about books more often.

2011: Year in Review

2011. Wow. This has been a terrific year. I'll display it in pictures! (A picture is worth a thousand words, right?) ;)

January
I started the year posting about query letters. (I don't like query letters. I haven't met any authors who does.) But!! The good thing is that one of those query letters ended up with some very awesome people at The Little Things Publishing! Which led to...

February
Winter Camp with the youth group. Came home to find a message on the machine from TLT Publishing. Danced around the kitchen like a maniac. Full post here.

March
Signed official contract! Woohoo! AMAZING feeling. I was finally able to tell everyone about it!

I went to the first book signing I've ever been to and met a "real life" author! ;)  Patrick Rothfuss!

Went to my first ever writer's conference through SCBWI. Met some super cool authors and writers! (No photos, unfortunately.) 

April

Attended the Renaissance Faire for the first time with my awesome friends who also like to dress up.

Got some GREAT ideas for a book I'm working on. Plus, archery! Horses! Epicness! Twas a great day.

Went to the Young Adult book day at the RT conference in Los Angeles and met Farrah Penn, my fantastic editor!

Also met Ally Carter, one of my very favorite authors.

I had a lot of fun walking around, meeting book bloggers (Diana!), other authors (saw Patrick Rothfuss again!), and just being with fellow book people.

May

Saw my cover art for the first time!! Matt Maniscalco is so very talented and I'm so grateful to be with a publishing company that allows the author to have input about the cover. 

June

Galley edits were done on THE SEVENTH BLESSING. Yay! Farrah is the best editor I could have wished for.

July

Fun times with the family. Photo shoot with sister. Beach Camp with youth group. Great summertime!

August

Held my book for the first time!!

Lots of interviews, blog posts, book reviews happened because MY BOOK WAS RELEASED!! August 15, 2011. Yep. Super happiness was flying about. :)

Book Signing on August 20. That was super cool. :)

September

Pride and Prejudice themed birthday party for my dear friend Maxie!

October

Finished edits for Book Two in the series. Yay!! again for Farrah as my editor. (Truly, people, she's wonderful.) Renamed the book. (Ugghh!!) It is now named THE HIDDEN BLESSING.

November

My husband and I celebrated our ten year anniversary!! 

I wrote a children's book and entered it into a contest. (Wait and see about that.)

Did an "Author Day" at a local middle school and received fan mail!

December

Christmastime! Did a lot of things, just like everyone else. ;)

-In short-

I read a lot of books this year, edited two books, started writing three other books (none finished!), finished writing a children's book, did multiple sewing projects and craft projects, volunteered at my son's school, served as a youth group leader and Sunday School teacher...and did lots of laundry, too. :)  Took lots of photos of my kids, played Lego Star Wars with them, read them books, cleaned their room, all that stuff moms do. ;)  Went to Santa Barbara twice with the hubs, to Temecula, to Idylwild, and to the beach. (And thankful for family for watching the kids when we were able to get away to S.B. and Idylwild!)

I have to say that I think my life is rather awesome. Busy, yes. Hard at times, yes. But! I know that all things work out perfectly to His purpose. And that's what is truly amazing.

Happy New Year to all of you!

End of the Year Book Survey

Books Read in 2011

According to Goodreads.com, I've read 123 books this year. I know that I've read more than that, actually. (Some I don't remember to add to Goodreads, some I purposely don't add.) If I start a book and it is HORRIBLE, I don't add it. I have a separate Word document for "DNF" (Did Not Finish) books.
There are books that I've read a few chapters of at pertinent times but I haven't read the entire book yet (mostly theology books/Bible study books).

This also doesn't count the books that I've re-read this year, unfortunately. I do re-read many of my favorite books.

So, the novels/books I've read this year, from newest to oldest, are as follows:

Title	Author
Elementary, My Dear Watkins (A Smart Chick Mystery)	Mindy Starns Clark
The Quillan Games (Pendragon, #7)	D.J. MacHale
Brilliant (Avery Sisters Trilogy, #3)	Rachel Vail
How Not to Be Popular	Jennifer Ziegler
On the Jellicoe Road	Melina Marchetta
Halt's Peril (Ranger's Apprentice, #9)	John Flanagan
Amy and Roger's Epic Detour	Morgan Matson
Airman	Eoin Colfer
Becoming a Woman of Simplicity	Cynthia Heald
Gorgeous (Avery Sisters Trilogy, #2)	Rachel Vail
Unearthly (Unearthly #1)	Cynthia Hand
Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1)	Kiersten White
The Homeschool Liberation League	Lucy Frank
Inheritance (Inheritance, #4)	Christopher Paolini
Blind Dates Can Be Murder (A Smart Chick Mystery)	Mindy Starns Clark
Disney at Dawn (Kingdom Keepers, #2)	Ridley Pearson
The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus, #2)	Rick Riordan
A Tale Dark and Grimm	Adam Gidwitz
Flip	David Lubar
Disney after Dark (Kingdom Keepers, #1)	Ridley Pearson
The Kings of Clonmel (Ranger's Apprentice, #8)	John Flanagan
Once Was Lost	Sara Zarr
The Homework Machine	Dan Gutman
Gamer Girl	Mari Mancusi
Divergent (Divergent, #1)	Veronica Roth
Forget Me Not (Wedding Planner's Daughter, #4)	Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Palace of Mirrors	Margaret Peterson Haddix
Just One Wish	Janette Rallison
Superior Saturday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #6)	Garth Nix
Perfect You	Elizabeth Scott
Erak's Ransom (Ranger's Apprentice, #7)	John Flanagan
Delirium (Delirium, #1)	Lauren Oliver
Drowned Wednesday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #3)	Garth Nix
Austenland	Shannon Hale
Princess of Glass (Princess #2)	Jessica Day George
Wither (The Chemical Garden, #1)	Lauren DeStefano
Multiple Choice	Janet Tashjian
Golden (Golden, #1)	Jennifer Lynn Barnes
You Wish	Mandy Hubbard
Grim Tuesday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #2)	Garth Nix
Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #1)	Garth Nix
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life	Rachel R. Russell
The Espressologist	Kristina Springer
The Truth about Forever	Sarah Dessen
This Lullaby	Sarah Dessen
If I Stay (If I Stay, #1)	Gayle Forman
Once Upon a Marigold (Upon a Marigold, #1)	Jean Ferris
The Girl Who Invented Romance	Caroline B. Cooney
How to Be Popular	Meg Cabot
Born to Rule (Camp Princess, #1)	Kathryn Lasky
Dream Factory	Brad Barkley
Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1)	Melissa Marr
Runaway (Airhead, #3)	Meg Cabot
Scrambled Eggs at Midnight	Brad Barkley
Uncommon Criminals (Heist Society, #2)	Ally Carter
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks	E. Lockhart
Claim to Fame	Margaret Peterson Haddix
A Pearl Among Princes	Coleen Murtagh Paratore
The Dashwood Sisters' Secrets of Love	Rosie Rushton
Artichoke's Heart	Suzanne Supplee
Forgive My Fins (Fins, #1)	Tera Lynn Childs
Someone Like You	Sarah Dessen
Being Nikki (Airhead, #2)	Meg Cabot
Enna Burning (The Books of Bayern, #2)	Shannon Hale
It's Raining Cupcakes	Lisa Schroeder
Heist Society (Heist Society, #1)	Ally Carter
The Reluctant Heiress	Eva Ibbotson
Reaching Riverdale	Geeta Schrayter
Victoria and the Rogue	Meg Cabot
Lock and Key	Sarah Dessen
Just Listen	Sarah Dessen
The Siege of Macindaw (Ranger's Apprentice, #6)	John Flanagan
The Sorcerer of the North (Ranger's Apprentice #5)	John Flanagan
The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles, #2)	Rick Riordan
The Battle for Skandia (Ranger's Apprentice, #4)	John Flanagan
The Rivers of Zadaa (Pendragon, #6)	D.J. MacHale
Black Water (Pendragon, #5)	D.J. MacHale
The Cupcake Queen	Heather Hepler
Prairie Storm (A Town Called Hope) (Book 3)	Catherine Palmer
Airhead (Airhead, #1)	Meg Cabot
The Dowry of Miss Lydia Clark (Gresham Chronicles; Book 3)	Lawana Blackwell
Finders Keepers (Finders Keepers #1)	Catherine Palmer
Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)	Suzanne Collins
Learning to Play Gin (Cheating at Solitaire, #2)	Ally Carter
Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)	Suzanne Collins
Only the Good Spy Young (Gallagher Girls, #4)	Ally Carter
The Reality Bug (Pendragon, #4)	D.J. MacHale
The Never War (Pendragon, #3)	D.J. MacHale
Specials (Uglies, #3)	Scott Westerfeld
Snap	Carol Snow
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls, #1)	Ally Carter
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Summer, #1)	Jenny Han
Switch	Carol Snow
The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)	Suzanne Collins
Jinx	Meg Cabot
Invasion of the Boy Snatchers (The Clique, #4)	Lisi Harrison
The Wise Man's Fear (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #2)	Patrick Rothfuss
The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice, #3)	John Flanagan
Cheating at Solitaire (Cheating at Solitaire, #1)	Ally Carter
Enchanted Glass	Diana Wynne Jones
Goose Chase	Patrice Kindl
Best Friends for Never (The Clique, #2)	Lisi Harrison
Revenge of the Wannabes (The Clique, #3)	Lisi Harrison
The Clique (The Clique, #1)	Lisi Harrison
The Lost City of Faar (Pendragon, #2)	D.J. MacHale
Pretties (Uglies, #2)	Scott Westerfeld
The Courtship of the Vicar's Daughter (Gresham Chronicles, Book 2)	Lawana Blackwell
The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice, #2)	John Flanagan
Dead Is the New Black (Dead Is, #1)	Marlene Perez
The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Jenna Fox Chronicles, #1)	Mary E. Pearson
Prom	Laurie Halse Anderson
The Off Season (Dairy Queen, #2)	Catherine Gilbert Murdock
If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?	Melissa Kantor
A Wish for Christmas (Cape Light)	Thomas Kinkade
The Princess Test (Princess Tales)	Gail Carson Levine
Jet Set	Carrie Karasyov
Dairy Queen (Dairy Queen, #1)	Catherine Gilbert Murdock
The Merchant of Death (Pendragon, #1)	D.J. MacHale
Uglies (Uglies, #1)	Scott Westerfeld
The Widow of Larkspur Inn (Gresham Chronicles #1)	Lawana Blackwell
The Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl, #7)	Eoin Colfer
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (Gallagher Girls, #2)	Ally Carter

This probably shows you that 1.) I read A LOT of books. (I pick reading over watching T.V.) 2.) I read many different types of books. That's how you get to be a better writer, in my opinion. Read lots of different things!!
So, what did you read this year? What were your favorites?