tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45493932921436081952024-03-25T07:06:35.834-07:00The Oubliette"We're all mad here" - Mad HatterDawn Iushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01546425873531022196noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-20147503154148269362014-10-16T06:15:00.001-07:002014-10-16T06:15:45.812-07:00Books 25 & 26 — Gone Girl & Black Ice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 25</b>: <i>Gone Girl</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://gillian-flynn.com/" target="_blank">Gillian Flynn</a><br />
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Up until recently, <i>Gone Girl</i> was the book I recommended most—without ever having read a single page. I admit, I got caught up in the hype, trusting reviewers and word-of-mouth buzz to steer my book gift purchases. In fairness, everyone I'd gifted the book enjoyed it.<br />
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I did, too.<br />
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But perhaps not in the way I expected. <i>Gone Girl</i> is a twisted mystery/thriller, told in alternating points of view by two characters I didn't particularly like. Not even in the beginning.<br />
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The fact that I read every single word, suffering deep writer envy throughout each page, is a true testament to Gillian Flynn's talent. I have put down books for far less a crime that unlikeable characters. But it is perhaps these incomprehensible character flaws that kept me turning pages—and of course, the author's impeccable command of the craft. Gillian Flynn could write the phone book and I'd be trying to suck up a fraction of her talent by osmosis.<br />
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In the end, I liked <i>Gone Girl</i> very much, even if both characters left a sour taste in the back of my mouth.<br />
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<b>Book 26</b>: <i>Black Ice</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://www.beccafitzpatrick.com/" target="_blank">Becca Fitzpatrick</a><br />
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I loved Becca Fitzpatrick's <i>Hush, Hush </i>saga—the romantic paranormal series about a smoking hot fallen angel who goes from bad guy, to pretty much the love of my life. Seriously, though, Patch's reign as my book boyfriend is second only to Jamie from Diana Gabaldon's <i>Outlander</i> series. There's no question Fitzpatrick does brooding, dangerous boys exceptionally well.<br />
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It's been a long time since I've seen anything new from Fitzpatrick, and so when <i>Black Ice</i> hit bookstores last week, I pounced.<br />
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While this is a tamer book than I expected—almost safe in terms of most recent YA out there—I loved every word of this thrilling adventure of danger and romance. Britt is a strong, heroic protagonist, flawed and inspiring. Mason is a hot, dangerous and potentially criminal love interest. The two are pitted against some formidable obstacles, and while it might be easy to dismiss them as unbelievable, Fitzpatrick handles the story with fully capable hands.<br />
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There is nothing paranormal about this story—but that shouldn't deter fans of the <i>Hush, Hush</i> saga. Fitzpatrick is one of the most skilled YA authors on the market, and <i>Black Ice</i> is another testament to her amazing talent. You're unlikely to forget this story...or Mason...anytime soon.<br />
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<i>— Dawn</i><br />
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<br />Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-66949748654649771512014-08-30T07:30:00.001-07:002014-08-30T07:30:54.136-07:00Book 24: The Geography of You and Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 24</b>: <i>The Geography of You and Me</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://www.jenniferesmith.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer E. Smith</a><br />
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Jennifer E. Smith knows exactly which heartstrings to tug.<br />
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She has mastered the art of swoon-worthy love, relying on raw emotion, an authentic teen voice, and envy-inducing prose to carry the prose.<br />
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In some ways, she's become the Queen of "safe" YA romance, never falling back on common tropes. There's no harsh language, no explicit sex — and yet, each kiss, subtle touch, or longing gaze between characters draws you deeper and deeper into love.<br />
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In <i>The Geography of You and Me</i>, the characters are separated by hundreds of thousands of miles having spent only one night together, staring at the stars from the rooftop of an apartment building while all of New York city waits out an electrical blackout. This isn't insta-love but a believable connection between two young characters that grows even as they set off in different directions.<br />
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Everything about this book makes me smile. Which is common when I read one of Smith's novels. <i>The Geography of You and Me</i> is a tender romance that tugs on ALL of the right heart strings.<br />
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<i>— Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-71128898356221584122014-08-19T13:37:00.004-07:002014-08-30T07:16:30.664-07:00Book 23: Perfect Chemistry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 23</b>: <i>Perfect Chemistry</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://simoneelkeles.com/" target="_blank">Simone</a><a href="http://simoneelkeles.com/" target="_blank"> Elkeles</a><br />
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I love the description of this book on Simone Elkeles' website: <i>A modern tale of star-crossed lovers with a fresh urban twist.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>The official blurb:</b><br />
At Fairfield High School, on the outskirts of Chicago, everyone knows that south-siders mixing with north-siders can be explosive. So when Brittany Ellis and Alejandro “Alex” Fuentes are forced to be lab partners in chemistry class, this human experiment leads to unexpected revelations – that Brittany ’s flawless reputation is a cover for her troubled home life, that Alex’s bad-boy persona hides his desire to break free from gang ties, and that when they’re together, life somehow makes more sense. Breaking through the stereotypes and expectations that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart, <i>Perfect Chemistry</i> takes readers to both sides of the tracks in a passionate love story about looking beneath the surface.<br />
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As a fan of stories like <i>The Outsiders</i>, I was immediately drawn into this book, and Elkeles' compelling writing kept me turning pages long into the night. I read this is (almost) one sitting. Alternating first-person POVs can be tricky, but Elkeles balances the voices with professional ease — so well done.<br />
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While the concept of "insta-love" can be prevalent in contemporary YA romance, <i>Perfect Chemistry</i> is well paced, with enough believable conflict to keep you rooting for this couple right to the not-quite-but-close fairytale ending.<br />
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Once you turn over the cover, be prepared to settle in for a great read, filled with hot hot hot romance!<br />
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<i>— Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-6821944809871201542014-08-01T06:39:00.000-07:002014-08-01T06:39:01.618-07:00New Ownership, New Management, and a LEAP into E-Novellas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<h3>
<span style="color: red;">WOW! Some BIG news from the Publishers of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15731897-killer-s-instinct?from_search=true" target="_blank">KILLER'S INSTINCT!</a></span></h3>
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Established by Laurie Edwards in 2009, Leap Books LLC has earned its place in the world of small publishing with nods from the Green Earth Books Award program, the Young Adult Library Services Association Popular Paperbacks program, and have received recommended reading status from authoritative review sources, such as, Kirkus Reviews, the Midwest Book Review, and CM Magazine.<br />
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But less than a month ago Edwards turned the reins over to longtime Leap author <a href="http://judithgraves.com/" target="_blank">Judith Graves</a> and St. Martin's Press author <a href="http://www.shannondelany.com/joomla/" target="_blank">Shannon Delany</a>. Delany became owner and publisher with Graves taking the role of co-publisher. The third piece needed to appropriately puzzle together their management team was author <a href="http://jennifermurgia.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Murgia</a>. Three popular young adult authors with diverse origins in the industry came together to breathe new life into Leap and gather a capable team of authors, editors, illustrators, and marketing assistants beneath them.<br />
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"From the very beginning Leap has been about taking chances...taking leaps of faith..." Graves says, "I'm hopeful we'll retain the original crew of Leap authors and, now that we have a full management team - spring into action!" <br />
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Not only will the new and larger management team be able to focus on their particular strengths, but with the addition of the SHINE e-novella line initiated and overseen by Graves, Leap is re-examining the importance of digital publishing for small presses.<br />
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Graves points out an important benefit of e-books and e-novellas, "From a publishing point of view there are less costs involved in the initial launch of a title, which means we have more resources available for great cover design, snappy layouts, and extensive publicity."<br />
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"Laurie Edwards gave Leap a lot of love and built a great foundation for us," Delany says, "and with the things we'll be doing, especially in the case of SHINE, we can build a strong house on that foundation."<br />
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Shine has acquired some very promising stories already, including two-time RITA Young adult Finalist Tina Ferraro’s HALF-LIFE following Trisha in the days before her 15th birthday, as her long deceased identical twin appears in mirrors to help prevent her similarly early demise and Laura Lascarso's series about a pair of star-crossed lovers in her modern-day Romeo & Juliet set in the world of competitive car racing.<br />
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"SHINE is not the only Leap line to be seeing worthwhile submissions," Delany says. "We regularly field queries from agents for our YA/NA novel-length line SURGE and the middle grade line, too. With strong stories, great covers, and the attention of Jen Murgia's marketing team, I see great things ahead for Leap."<br />
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Murgia, who will lead the promotion and marketing campaigns for Leap authors, says she's "excited to relaunch such a fabulous backlist of titles and is looking forward to the new list." No stranger to choreographing large scale book events (<a href="http://yafest.org/">YAFest.org</a>), Murgia and her team plan to reach outlets that will give Leap titles the recognition and attention they deserve.<br />
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"That's why you need experienced authors leading publishing houses--we know what our fellow authors and their books--their babies--need. And we're most likely to do our best to provide that."<br />
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Have a killer story you want to submit? Leap generally only takes agented queries except (currently) for its SHINE e-novella line and, in October, it will open its doors briefly to all unagented works. Go <a href="http://leapbks.net/about/submissions/" target="_blank">HERE</a> for submission details.<br />
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For now Delany suggests readers and writers alike leap into the contest running until August 8th at <a href="http://leapbks.blogspot.ca/">http://leapbks.blogspot.ca/</a> and says if you're serious about writing for a publisher, first give a few of their books a read.<br />
<br />
Find Leap Books at major online retailers and:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://leapbks.net/">http://leapbks.net/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Leapbks">http://www.Twitter.com/Leapbks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/LeapBooks-Owner/">http://www.FaceBook.com/people/LeapBooks-Owner/</a><br />
<br />
Enter the Rafflecopter contest here--one lucky winner will receive three Leap e-books of their choice:<br />
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<br /></div>
<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1d75e57c1/" id="rc-1d75e57c1" rel="nofollow">aRafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"></script>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-46056337992851461152014-07-29T11:56:00.003-07:002014-07-29T11:56:43.131-07:00Books 21 & 22: SINNER and ONE KICKJuly was the busiest month of the 2014 so far. Between launching a new website for the day job, hanging out signing <a href="http://www.fieldsofhome.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chase Duffy</a> comics at the Calgary Stampede for 10 days on behalf of the <a href="http://www.learncanola.com/" target="_blank">Alberta Canola Producers' Commissio</a>n, and completing revisions for several projects, including my 2015 Fall release from Simon Pulse, reading took a serious back seat to...well, pretty much everything.<br />
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But as I gear up for a much-needed and highly-anticipated vacation in BC, I'm packing a pile of TBR books that have been neglected for so long they're * gasp * collecting dust.<br />
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Excuses aside, I did manage to speed through two novels this month, admittedly because fire breathing dragons couldn't have kept me away from new releases by Maggie Stiefvater and Chelsea Cain — two of my writing idols and favourite authors.<br />
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<b>Book 21</b>: <i>Sinner</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://maggiestiefvater.com/" target="_blank">Maggie Stiefvater</a><br />
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Isabelle and Cole.<br />
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Need I say more?<br />
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Okay. Maybe a little more.<br />
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I fell in love with Cole a few books back, and while SINNER is not part of the SHIVER, LINGER, FOREVER trilogy, it is set in the same world. I loved those books and those characters but...I've always wanted MORE Cole, the rocker, bad-boy werewolf — oy, who wouldn't?<br />
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I loved everything about SINNER, from the brilliant writing, to the build-up romance between Cole and Isabelle, to the amazing ending. But I admit, I kinda want more Cole. I MAY have read this a little too fast.<br />
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You don't have to read the other books before tackling SINNER if you're new to this world, but I'd advise it...the more Cole the better. Trust me ;-)<br />
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<b>Book 22</b>: <i>One Kick</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://www.chelseacain.com/" target="_blank">Chelsea Cain</a><br />
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I read Chelsea Cain's book HEARTSICK once a year, without fail. And every time I read it, I learn something new about writing. It's not because her craft is impeccable (though, it's pretty damn close), but Cain creates kick-ass characters that trigger real emotional responses — admittedly, most of the time, fear. (She writes some scary stuff.)<br />
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I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a bit obsessed with Gretchen Lowell, the beautiful, but deadly, serial killer in Cain's HEARTSICK novels. With Gretchen, Cain pretty much wrote the book on creating evil characters that people can sympathize with — Gretchen has a real-life cult following. (I own a RUN GRETCHEN T-shirt!)<br />
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ONE KICK is not HEARTSICK and Kick Lannigan is not Gretchen Lowell, but it doesn't matter, because Cain kicks off her new series with a powerful first book. Kick is kick-ass — truly. At 21, she's like a ninja master (she even knows how to use throwing stars!) Sadly, the necessity for this stems from her tragic backstory. Kick was kidnapped at the age of 6 and forced into a child pornography ring. Rescued at 12, Kick vowed to never be a victim again.<br />
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If the topic makes you queasy, rest assured, Kick's story is one of survival and any child pornography references are implied. Despite Kick's tragic past, she emerges as a credible crusader for abducted youth.<br />
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While the macabre is dialled WAY down from the HEARTSICK books, Cain still delivers a nail-biting story with deeply flawed characters that will keep you turning pages well into the night.<br />
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<i>- Dawn</i><br />
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Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-25191649713704798712014-07-02T15:13:00.001-07:002014-07-29T10:44:05.556-07:00Books 19 & 20: Take Me On and We Were Liars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 19</b>: <i>Take Me On</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://katielmcgarry.com/" target="_blank">Katie McGarry</a><br />
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Katie McGarry has an uncanny way of taking me back to high school and first loves. The boys are always a little bit bad, and the "love" is fast and all-consuming.<br />
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TAKE ME ON was no exception, though I admit, my interest in this book was heightened by the topic. As a former kick boxer, I related to the characters and their world.<br />
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<i>Championship kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night — but then a guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is is everything she promised herself she'd stay away from. </i><br />
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That's a pretty succinct summary of this book. It's packed with teenage angst, steamy romance, believable characters (and a believable love story), all wrapped up in trademark McGarry style — you know, the kind that induces serious writer envy.<br />
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Katie McGarry has definitely got it going on.<br />
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<b>Book 20</b>: <i>We Were Liars</i><br />
<b>Author: </b><a href="http://www.emilylockhart.com/" target="_blank">E</a><a href="http://www.emilylockhart.com/" target="_blank">. lockhart</a><br />
<br />
So much hype around this book.<br />
<br />
So much.<br />
<br />
I admit, I caved to the peer pressure.<br />
<br />
With so much hype, and an enviable front cover blurb from John Green, I expected great things from <i>We Were Liars</i>.<br />
<br />
I wasn't disappointed — though, I guessed the twist ending about half-way through the book (without reading the inevitable spoilers on the website).<br />
<br />
E. Lockhart has a unique, totally mesmerizing writing style, and while I wanted to throw the book against the wall when I finished reading it (for various reasons I can't say without spoilers), I also wanted to hand it to ALL OF MY FRIENDS so I could have someone to talk with about it.<br />
<br />
If you've read it, send me an email and let's talk! It's a tough one to shake, long after you've turned the last page.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-69906019273535837432014-06-13T14:19:00.001-07:002014-06-13T14:19:29.998-07:00Book 18: Killer Instinct by S.E. Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 18</b>: <i>Killer Instinct</i><br />
<b>Author:</b><a href="http://segreen.net/" target="_blank"> S.E. Green</a><br />
<br />
I admit, I read the first two chapters of <i>Killer Instinct</i> with Dexter's voice in my head. If you haven't watched the show DEXTER, Dexter is a blood splatter specialist — and a serial killer who murders...serial killers.<br />
<br />
Take out the "murder" part, and you have the loose premise behind Green's <i>Killer Instinct — </i>but for YA. In fact, even the tagline, "Everyone's got a dark side" is reminiscent of Dexter's infamous "dark passenger."<br />
<br />
Lane is a typical teenager. She gets good grades, she has a loving family, and an after school job at a local veterinary. But she also has an unnatural obsession with serial killers that goes beyond the scrapbook diary she keeps on some of them. She's not evil — she just gets urges....<br />
<br />
There's no question this book is <b>dark</b>.<br />
<br />
But while I may have started out thinking too much about the parallels between<i> </i>Lane and Dexter, by the fifth chapter, Lane's voice cut through and took control. I read this book in almost one sitting (finished early in the morning after a binge evening read), teased by clever cliffhanger chapter endings and Green's no-nonsense writing style.<br />
<br />
I'm still digesting the end, but I assure you, Lane does not go off in a boat to live a Lumberjack's life.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-45479384766495704822014-06-11T08:19:00.000-07:002014-06-13T14:02:10.165-07:00Book 17: The Fault in Our Stars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 17</b>: <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://johngreenbooks.com/" target="_blank">John Green</a><br />
<br />
Yes, I know, I FINALLY jumped on the proverbial bandwagon and read the highly-acclaimed and overwhelmingly successful <i>The Fault in Our Stars </i>by John Green<i>.</i> And yes, I DID cry.<br />
<br />
The tragic love story between Augustus and Hazel is compelling, sad, and...believable. I admit, some of Augustus' lines made me roll my eyes. Others made me swoon. Which is one of the reasons I think this works — young love can be passionate and torrid and tragic, but it can also be a bit cheesy. I love that Green captured that.<br />
<br />
Sometimes Green's writing mirrors his blog posts — fast-paced, almost random. And yet, I get the sense there's nothing random about that. This is an author who knows his audience and that fast pace is synonymous with what makes him quirky and fun. But at the crux of it all — behind the marketing hype, the movie madness, and the sometimes controversial bestselling status — there is one undeniable fact: John Green is an <b><u>amazing</u></b> writer.<br />
<br />
<i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> is worth the hype. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie this weekend!<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-81748146195365170912014-06-04T08:43:00.001-07:002014-06-04T08:43:42.113-07:00Book 16: Concealed in Death<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 16</b>: <i>Concealed in Death</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://jdrobb.com/" target="_blank">JD Robb</a><br />
<br />
Reading a JD Robb is like coming home — familiar characters I love, solid stories, a great mystery, and no-nonsense writing.<br />
<br />
<i>Concealed in Death</i> is no exception. Twelve bodies of young girls are found concealed in the walls of an old building, a building of course owned by Roarke.<br />
<br />
And so begins Eve's quest for justice.<br />
<br />
As with all <i>In Death</i> stories, I was drawn in from the first page, and while I admit, it took me longer to read this book than what is normal, it had more to do with the distractions of my life rather than the story itself.<br />
<br />
Peppered with red herrings, typical Eve snark, and the occasional steamy scene with one of the fiction world's most notorious couples, <i>Concealed in Death</i> was everything a great JD Robb should be.<br />
<br />
<i>— Dawn</i><br />
<div>
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Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-41675532579333022252014-05-28T08:58:00.002-07:002014-05-28T08:58:38.809-07:00Book 15 - The Sixes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 15</b>: <i>The Sixes</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://katewhite.com/" target="_blank">Kate White</a><br />
<br />
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing NY Times Bestselling author Kate White for the International Thriller Writers Organization newsletter, THE BIG THRILL. The article posts June 1, and maybe I should have saved this review for then.<br />
<br />
But, I couldn't wait.<br />
<br />
In Journalism school, I idolized Kate. She was the Editor-in-Chief at <i>Cosmopolitan</i> for 14 years, and was responsible for the magazine's turning point, firmly establishing it as the #1 selling monthly magazine on the newsstands. I wanted to BE her.<br />
<br />
Like many journalists, though, Kate had the itch to write fiction, turning to the crime genre after reading Nancy Drew books as a youth. Kate has now published nine novels — six mystery titles with lead protagonist, tabloid reporter Bailey Weggins, and three psychological suspense novels, including <i>Eyes on You</i>, which launches this June.<br />
<br />
I scooped up two of Kate's novels at my local bookstore (poor selection of her titles!) — a Bailey Weggins mystery and <i>The Sixes.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>The Sixes</i> is a fast read, set at a small college with BIG problems — including an elite circle of nasty "mean girls." The book overflows with cliffhanger chapters that lead you from one red herring to the next until you reach a truly surprising end. (I guessed wrong!) While the horror aspect is not graphic, I shivered on more than one occasion, feeling genuine fear for the protagonist — the true mark of a great psychological thriller. One particular scene actually had me grateful I <i>don't </i>have a dishwasher.<br />
<br />
* shudder *<br />
<br />
This story is a wonderful blend of suspense and romance (though certainly not the main thread), infused with a couple of pop culture references that remind you that Kate isn't just a great writer, she remains entrenched in a fascinating industry *I* (for one) definitely want to read about.<br />
<br />
Loved it!<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-6705132573324060102014-04-05T17:08:00.002-07:002014-04-05T17:08:43.208-07:00Book 14: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell<b>Book 14</b>: <i>Fangirl</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://rainbowrowell.com/blog/" target="_blank">Rainbow Rowell</a><br />
<br />
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There are some authors that could re-write the dictionary and I would drool with writer envy — Rainbow Rowell is one of those authors. Her writing isn't just brilliant, it's unique. Not an easy task in today's saturated market. Some of her metaphors simply blew me away.<br />
<br />
I really enjoyed <i>Eleanor and Park</i>, and was eager for <i>Fangirl.</i> In truth, I liked <i>Fangirl</i>, but felt it lacked...something. It sure wasn't the writing—Rainbow is a wordsmith through and through—and I liked the characters well enough...but I just didn't connect with the story as much as I'd hoped.<br />
<br />
And part of that COULD be because I don't truly understand fan fiction. I haven't written any, and I haven't read any. In <i>Fangirl</i>, I found myself wanting to skip through the fan fic readings and excerpts at the start of each chapter. I didn't, afraid that would mean I'd miss something vital to the story.<br />
<br />
The romance was believable and fun, and Cath felt authentic. I enjoyed watching Cath and Levi's relationship bloom. And I LOVED that they connected via fan fiction — I just don't totally get it.<br />
<br />
That said, I will read anything Rainbow Rowell writes. She's truly an incredible writer.<br />
<br />
<i>— Dawn</i><br />
<br />
<br />Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-65519307210946599042014-03-23T13:52:00.000-07:002014-03-23T13:52:19.661-07:00Book 13: Unhinged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 13</b>: <i>Unhinged</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://aghoward.com/" target="_blank">AG Howard</a><br />
<br />
AG Howard's writing gives me serious envy. She has this ability to string together words in a way that is unique and beautiful and moving — and yet, doesn't come off as being overwritten. And if that wasn't enough, she's taken my favourite childhood story — <i>Alice in Wonderland </i>— and given it a dark spin that is sexy and haunting and brilliant.<br />
<br />
I loved SPLINTERED, the first book in this series, devouring it in only a day or two. UNHINGED took me a bit longer, not because it isn't great (it is), but because I've been a bit lax in carving out time to read. The majority of this book takes place in the human realm versus the dark and magical Wonderland, but the story is peppered with a healthy dose of Mopheus (swoon) and cameo appearances from several of the Wonderland characters.<br />
<br />
Though there are enough loose ends to warrant a third book, and of course I'll be standing in line on release day, I am satisfied with the ending. Mostly. My heart is still torn between Alyssa's two love interests—even I might have a tough time choosing if push came to shove.<br />
<br />
While I wait to read the conclusion of this brilliant (sort-of) retelling, I'm diving into some Rainbow Rowell. <i>Eleanor and Park</i> was brilliant. I have high hopes for <i>Fangirl</i>.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-38710162322938610012014-03-10T09:33:00.002-07:002014-03-23T13:41:45.863-07:00Book 12: Eleanor & Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 12</b>: <i>Eleanor & Park</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://rainbowrowell.com/blog/" target="_blank">Rainbow Rowell</a><br />
<br />
I really enjoyed this book. It's adorable.<br />
<br />
And if you've experienced that first love — that heart-squeezing, holy-hell-there-is-no-one-else-for-me kind of love — then chances are, you'll think so, too.<br />
<br />
Eleanor and Park are misfits who bond over comic books and music, and eventually, fall in love. Their story isn't wildly unique or action packed — but the way the story is written, is clever and cute. Rainbow Rowell has a brilliant way with words, and I fast fell in love with the characters and (most of) their journey.<br />
<br />
While I admit the finale gave me a bit of a jolt (I didn't quite understand some of the decisions at the end), the book overall tugged all the right heart strings. I'm excited to dive into <i>Fangirl</i>.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i><br />
<br />
<br />Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-47692575530675224112014-02-28T11:01:00.000-08:002014-03-10T08:56:59.829-07:00Book 11: Deadline<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 11</b>: <i>DEADLINE</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://sandrabrown.net/" target="_blank">Sandra Brown</a><br />
<br />
Sandra Brown <i>never</i> steers me wrong.<br />
<br />
Whether I'm looking for a quick romance, a great whodunnit, or just a wonderful page turner, I can always count on Sandra Brown to come through. She's been one of my favorite authors for...well, for as long as I can remember and I power through her books. They're all SO good.<br />
<br />
<i>DEADLINE</i> is no exception.<br />
<br />
The story centres on a journalist (Dawson) who is chasing a story that is more an obsession for his Godfather, a retired FBI agent. Of course, there's a love interest—Amelia—which results in some hot, hot romance. There's murder. There's conflict. And there's a happily ever after, though the road is rocky.<br />
<br />
Sandra Brown knows how to keep the pages turning. And turning.<br />
<br />
Once I got into this book (which I admit, took a few chapters because I was on holidays), I couldn't put it down. The number of twists and turns is mind boggling.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-36203864727834462572014-02-28T10:38:00.002-08:002014-02-28T10:48:25.789-08:00Book 10 - Unravel Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 10</b>: <i>UNRAVEL ME</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.taherehbooks.com/" target="_blank">Tahereh Mafi</a><br />
<br />
Tahereh Mafi is one of the most beautiful writers I have ever read. Every paragraph sucks you in, wraps itself around your heart and squeezes until you're left feeling raw, craving more—it's truly mesmerizing, lyrical, <u>brilliant</u> prose.<br />
<br />
In <i>Shatter Me</i>, the first book of this series, Mafi introduces Juliette, a 17-year-old girl trapped in a "prison" because she is dangerous. Anyone that touches her—dies. Except Adam, the young soldier who wins her heart. I first fell in love with Mafi's writing in this debut, envious of how seemingly easily she draws <i>emotion</i> from the reader.<br />
<br />
<i>Unravel Me</i> is the second book in the trilogy, Juliette and Adam have escaped from "prison" (The Reestablishment) and are free to be together. Except, Adam is no longer able to touch Juliette without feeling pain, and Warner is back, not as her captor but to profess his love for her.<br />
<br />
Okay, maybe the guy's done some questionable things in his past, but I am unabashedly on Team Warner. Just saying. I'm always drawn to the bad boy, but Warner is a different kind of bad.<br />
<br />
Mafi expertly navigates Juliette through some tough decisions and enough inner turmoil that would turn a lesser protagonist to mush.<br />
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My only criticism is that sometimes Mafi's fantastic prose can detract from the actual story. With some authors, this might be a deterrent. Mafi makes it easy to keep turning the pages.<br />
<br />
<i>— Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-47433737053896193402014-02-16T10:12:00.004-08:002014-02-16T10:12:41.161-08:00Book 9: Splintered<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 9</b>: <i>SPLINTERED</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://aghoward.com/" target="_blank">A. G. Howard</a><br />
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When I was a kid, my mother nicknamed me "Alice" — her little dreamer. Of course, the nickname came from my favourite book, <i>Alice in Wonderland. </i>I've maybe read Lewis Caroll's classic a dozen or more times in my youth, have amassed a few collector's copies of the book, and have watched and re-watched Tim Burton's ingenious adaptation. Yeah, a bit obsessive. (Don't even get me started on my <i>Princess Bride</i> collection...)<br />
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So when I read the blurb copy for SPLINTERED and realized it was a re-envisioning of <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>, I was both excited, and terrified. Sometimes, re-tellings don't work our so well.<br />
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I needn't have worried. A.G. Howard's SPLINTERED ranks as one of my favourite books in recent memory. It's a perfect blend of action, romance and Lewis Carroll parallels. And the writing! Good grief — the author's prose is as magical (if not more) as the story. I devoured every. single. word.<br />
<br />
I have UNHINGED (the second book of the trilogy) at the top of my TBR pile, but I think I'm going to take some time and savour this story before reading the next instalment — something tells me when I finish UNHINGED, it's going to be a painful, long wait for the third book, January 2015.<br />
<br />
Of course, you don't have to love <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> to love UNHINGED. It is magical and beautiful and brilliant, even without the parallels. Coming from a HUGE <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> fan, that's saying a lot.<br />
<br />
Read this. Now.<br />
<br />
No, seriously. You won't be disappointed.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-4375661213404004052014-02-12T14:57:00.000-08:002014-02-12T15:08:15.547-08:00Killer's Instinct is ALIVE (and in my hands)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm still trembling a bit from what could be described as one of the coolest experiences of my writing career so far — if not my entire life.<br />
<br />
A box of <i>Killer's Instinct</i>, the creeptastic zombie tale I co-wrote with <a href="http://www.judithgraves.com/">Judith Graves</a> arrived at my house Monday, and it was with much excitement and shell-shock that I tore open the box and held the first copy in my hand.<br />
<br />
The past few months have been a blur of cool creative career news, and while I'm looking at 2014 to be THE year for it all to come together, there is something special about holding your first published novel in your hand.<br />
<br />
But this book is special for a few reasons. Not only did I have the opportunity to co-write with Judith Graves, who writes arguably some of the best YA I've ever read (seriously, check out her SKINNED series), and work with Leap Books' talented (and tough!) super editor Kat O'Shea, but my talented (and humble) husband drew some of the artwork for <i>Killer's Instinct</i>, and along with my adoration, he received published credit.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShACpIkq2x3pb8KXtDGzwnqNoIRnFFqWoKIBOi2eLEISh5qE5zQQ0kzv5elgNuoWA-Q9DDnPwOkqhpbmn1t7Mjul6rAva8SLGV0CE-OQj0MSTKihDew9bm6ar8X9LfO6byw9vTo7kf6Y/s1600/1499572_828864360462290_1311383388_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShACpIkq2x3pb8KXtDGzwnqNoIRnFFqWoKIBOi2eLEISh5qE5zQQ0kzv5elgNuoWA-Q9DDnPwOkqhpbmn1t7Mjul6rAva8SLGV0CE-OQj0MSTKihDew9bm6ar8X9LfO6byw9vTo7kf6Y/s1600/1499572_828864360462290_1311383388_n.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>Cool, right?<br />
<br />
I thought so—so I made him sign my copy of the book.<br />
<br />
Then, I bounced around the house, wrote status updates, posted pictures. Finally, hubs and I celebrated with a bottle of Italian champagne.<br />
<br />
It's back to the grind, with many personal and professional deadlines looming. But I'm still riding the high of this week's career first — opening the first box of my very first novel. Not an experience I can ever recreate, and nor would I want to.<br />
<br />
To learn more about <i>Killer's Instinct</i>, you can check out this <a href="http://www.mwmnovels.blogspot.ca/">blog</a>, and to get your hands on a copy, you can buy it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Killers-Instinct-Dawn-Dalton/dp/1616030240/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392245130&sr=1-3&keywords=killer%27s+instinct">here</a>. To my friends, family and (new) fans, thank you so much for your love and support and for making THIS such an amazing experience.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-61593846751938685002014-02-09T14:36:00.004-08:002014-02-16T09:58:05.187-08:00Book 8: This is What Happy Looks Like<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 7</b>: <i>This is What Happy Looks Like</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.jenniferesmith.com/">Jennifer E Smith</a><br />
Genre: Contemporary romance (YA)<br />
<br />
I'm a little in love with Jennifer E. Smith's writing. There is something so effortless about it, as though I'm not reading a book at all, but living it through her characters instead. I was invested in this story right from the first page.<br />
<br />
I admit, "young me" is a little jealous of Ellie—the protagonist of <i>This Is What Happy Looks Like.</i> She receives an accidental email from a movie star, who is pretty much one of the sweetest, most swoon-worthy guys I've read about in a long time. And he's not even a "bad boy." I know, I'm shocked, too.<br />
<br />
When their email correspondence turns into a face-to-face meeting, the reactions, the <i>feelings,</i> are authentic. Their "romance" isn't easy, marred by their personal demons and public obstacles. But when it works—wow. It works!<br />
<br />
I read this book in a day and a half, putting aside a whole bunch of stuff I should be doing, including my own writing. It's not a thin novel—more than 400 pages—but I read it quickly, and with a giant, goofy smile on my face until the last chapter when I was bawling my eyes out. Yeah, I'm a sucker for a well-written romance.<br />
<br />
Despite a somewhat short timeframe (the story takes place over a summer), this isn't insta-love. There's no true love triangle to muddy the waters. It's just a really sweet, fun story about two people figuring out the meaning of happiness.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i><br />
<br />
<br />Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-80310584157367492122014-02-07T17:57:00.003-08:002014-02-07T17:57:40.618-08:00Book 7: The Madman's Daughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 7</b>: <i>The Madman's Daughter</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://meganshepherd.com/">Megan Shepherd</a><br />
<br />
After reading the first five chapters of <i>The Madman's Daughter</i>, my Facebook status read this:<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">How to feel inadequate as a writer. Step 1 - read The Madman's Daughter. Step 2 - bow down to author Megan Shepard. Step 3 - wipe the drool of writer envy off your face. Wow. A deliciously creepy tale.</span><br />
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<i><br /></i></div>
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My assessment may have been a little knee-jerk. While there is no doubt Megan Shepherd can induce writer envy, the actual story left me feeling a little disappointed. Based on the infamous novella, <i>The Island of Dr. Moreau</i>, the novel promised a deliciously gothic tale. I expected chills—and though, Shepherd's writing did give me goosebumps, the story's creep factor was spoiled by a strange love triangle.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong, I love a good love triangle.<br />
<br />
But there was so much other great stuff in this book, including a crazy mad man, an island of "creatures" and a love interest for Juliet I began rooting for the moment they met. I didn't need the other guy, and in some ways, that storyline detracted from the overall gothic atmosphere of the book.<br />
<br />
To add salt to the wound, the end left me unsatisfied. I'm not one of those readers that expects the loose ends tied up in a bow, I know there's a sequel (it's near the top of my TBR pile despite my thoughts on this story), and I love a great twist. I just didn't feel THIS twist was necessary.<br />
<br />
The main character Juliet started out <i>so</i> strong. I couldn't wait to learn more about her, practically salivating at her courage, her determination, her boldness in the first one third of the book. But perhaps the love triangle also weakened her a little, because by the end of the novel, I'd fallen out of like with her—which may prove interesting heading into the sequel, <i>Her Dark Curiosity.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Even though the ending wasn't what I wanted, I admire the author's cleverness throughout the story. And when some of those loose ends <i>are</i> tied up, it was fun to think back to the beginning pages and question if I'd missed clues, or should have "seen it coming."<br />
<br />
I'm taking a break from this trilogy to read something lighter, but I'm looking forward to reading more of Shepherd's work. <i>The Madman's Daughter</i> is her debut novel and where the story lacked, she more than made up for in spectacular command of the craft.<br />
<br />
<i>— Dawn</i></div>
Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-28528815055146355682014-02-01T08:32:00.002-08:002014-02-01T08:32:21.004-08:00Books 5 and 6 - one day reads!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 5</b>: <i>The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.jenniferesmith.com/">Jennifer E. Smith</a><br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA Contemporary Romance<br />
<br />
It's been a while since a book kept me up reading all night long, but <i>The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight</i> had me at the prologue. Once I started, I couldn't stop until I had devoured every delicious last word.<br />
<br />
The blurb: <i>Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a swoon-to-be-stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Set over a 24-hour period, this is a cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves.</i><br />
<br />
This is not a thick book but it says everything it needs to at such a fast pace, you can't help but caught up in the romance of it all. I bought Hadley and Oliver's love — hook, line and sinker. And I fell hard for Smith's refreshing writing style. So much so that I bought another of her books, <i>This is What Happy Looks Like.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<b>Book 6</b>: <i>White Trash Beautiful</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.teresamummert.com/">Teresa Mummert</a><br />
<b>Genre:</b> NA Contemporary Romance<br />
<br />
Intrigued by the premise of <i>White Trash Beautiful (</i>not to mention the great title), I really wanted to love this book. While I read it one night, I can't say as I got totally swept up in the story.<br />
<br />
<i>Cass Daniels isn't waiting for her knight in shining armour. She knows that girls like her don't get a happily ever after. Not if you live in a trailer with your mom, work at a greasy spoon diner, and get leered at by old men. Maybe that's why she puts up with Jackson—her poor excuse for a boyfriend, who treats her like dirt. Cass has learned to accept her lot in life. That is, until </i>he<i> walks into her diner…</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>His name is Tucker White, and he's different from any man Cass has ever known. Tall, tattooed, and bad-ass gorgeous, he's the lead singer of the rock band, Damaged. From the moment they meet, Tucker sees something in Cass he just can't shake. Something beautiful. Something haunted. Something special. And he's determined to find out what it is—if only he can get her to open up and let him in…</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
My issues with book are laid out in the synopsis — Cass has a serious case of "woe is me" and by the last half of the book I just wanted her to do something more, be more proactive, <i>leave</i> her douche bag boyfriend. While there are many reasons for her to stay with the abusive ass (such as the hold he has over her drug-addicted mother), I kept waiting for the inspiring burst of strength. It never really happens.<br />
<br />
Then there's Tucker. I should love him — he drives a motorcycle, sings in a band, has that rebellious look about him. He <i>should</i> be just my kind of guy. But we never <i>really</i> learn enough about him for me to connect, really connect, with him.<br />
<br />
Which is sad, because the author has some serious writing chops. I wanted this book to be longer, to really get into Cass's head, to understand WHY Tucker falls for her insta-fast. There's some obvious <i>Pretty Woman</i> parallels (even a breakfast buffet order with the words "I didn't know what you'd like, so I ordered everything on the menu) that were kind of cute, but overall, I felt the story was too short lacked the kind of depth I needed to buy into their love.<br />
<br />
That said, I love Teresa Mummert's writing style and I'd pick up more of her work.<br />
<i><br /></i><i>- Dawn</i><br />
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Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-23959413547520969222014-01-30T13:35:00.001-08:002014-01-30T13:35:29.269-08:00Book 4: The Replacement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Book 4</b>: <i>The Replacement</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://brennayovanoff.com/">Brenna Yovanoff</a><br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA Paranormal<br />
<br />
I read Brenna's book <i>The Paper Valentine</i> last year, drawn in by the cover, and something I couldn't explain at the time—a feeling that I should know of the author. Well yeah, her book <i>The Replacement</i> had been sitting on my book shelf for more than a year. For some reason, I kept bypassing it, even though the summary AND cover enticed me.<br />
<br />
I'm happy I finally got around to it.<br />
<br />
The Amazon blurb:<br />
<br />
<i>Mackie is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement — left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is slowly dying in the human world. Mackie would give anything to live among us. He just wants to play bass guitar and find out more about an oddly intriguing girl named Tate. But when Tate’s baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the slag heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.</i><br />
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A great plot, sympathetic (and somewhat creepy) characters, steeped with an overriding gothic vibe. I burned through the first half of this book!<br />
<br />
I've started <i>The Coldest Girl in Coldtown</i> by Holly Black this week. Only a few chapters in and I'm hooked. I expect to burn through it as well.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>- Dawn</i><br />
<i><br /></i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-57804802473028834942014-01-24T13:19:00.000-08:002014-01-24T13:19:14.066-08:00Book 3: Dangerous Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdZrg8GPZL1Y5KiVOtO3Nn8QTPpAoy-X1vOyGXxQUgyrbHBuXmz6Dsk9jf1XCXivN4AAwnXTMxW1SQ1Na0O79yDjVbAii3QMskwva01RFjgQTyuxvEL38MXYe38u6rGC0n88cvebrcJE/s1600/13012603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdZrg8GPZL1Y5KiVOtO3Nn8QTPpAoy-X1vOyGXxQUgyrbHBuXmz6Dsk9jf1XCXivN4AAwnXTMxW1SQ1Na0O79yDjVbAii3QMskwva01RFjgQTyuxvEL38MXYe38u6rGC0n88cvebrcJE/s1600/13012603.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<b>Book 3</b>: <i>Dangerous Boy</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://mandyhubbard.com/" target="_blank">Mandy Hubbard</a><br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA Romantic Suspense<br />
<br />
Full disclosure: Mandy Hubbard is my amazing agent. I hadn't heard of "Mandy Hubbard the author" before I signed with D4EO in late November 2013, and admittedly, I hadn't picked up one of her books. But I was pleasantly surprised to find a copy of <i>Dangerous Boy</i> at my local Chapters bookstore and can say with conviction, Mandy is not only Agent Awesome (truly), she's also a fantastic storyteller.<br />
<br />
<i>Dangerous Boy</i> is a modern retelling of a "a classic gothic tale, full of suspense, lies and romance." Sharing <i>which</i> classic might spoil the twist ending, so I'll give you the official blurb, which is this:<br />
<br />
<i>Harper's new boyfriend Logan Townsend is everything she never knew she always wanted--tall, muscular, with tousled brown hair that falls effortlessly around his face. But what's most exciting about Logan is that he's exhilaratingly dangerous, and dating him allows Harper to say, "buh bye" to her good-girl past and "hello" to newfound adventure.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>There's only one problem with Harper's otherwise heart-stopping romance: Logan's twin brother Daemon. Harper knows he's a bad seed, but she tries to look past his dark, icy stare and his chilling demeanor. After all, he and Logan are a package deal.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then cow bones start appearing in people's mailboxes, a flock of birds show up dead, and all of the cars in the senior parking lot are given flat tires--and covered with blood-red handprints. Logan insists that Daemon isn't involved--sure, he's had some trouble in the past, but they moved to Harper's quiet northwest Washington town so that they could both start over.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Harper desperately wants to believe Logan, but the more he tries to protect his brother, the more she wonders what she isn't being told. Now, Harper must unearth the hidden secrets of the mysterious Townsend brothers' history if she and Logan are to have any hope of a future. But learning what brought Logan and Daemon to town won't put just her heart in jeopardy... She's playing with her life.</i><br />
<br />
I <u>really</u> enjoyed this book, but I can see the tough line Mandy had to straddle—figure out the twist too soon, and the rest of the story could come crumbling down. Although I <i>did</i> see a spoiler before I began reading, it didn't deter from my enjoyment. Mandy throws in some clever red herrings that even had me questioning "who's really who."<br />
<br />
I loved Harper. She's a bit more naive than your typical YA protagonist these days, which I found both refreshing and cute. It's been a long time since I've walked the hallowed halls of my own high school, but Mandy brought me back to a time when being with my "boyfriend" was the most important thing in the whole world. Harper is a much "better" student than I ever was, but she's the kind of girl I would have WANTED to hang out with. And clearly, she's popular—her circle of friends is supportive and tight-knit.<br />
<br />
Logan is a fabulous "bad boy"—another character I could relate to, because let's face it, I've dated my share. (Some may argue I married the ultimate bad boy…though he's long left those rebellious days behind…) I didn't fall head over heels for him, but I can see why Harper does. That's not because he wasn't well written, or that their chemistry wasn't good (it was) — it was more of a function of knowing too much about the book and being "wary."<br />
<br />
The story takes place in a small town—the same time in which Mandy lives—and while there were some "small town elements" (and, I suspect, some references to Mandy's real life surroundings: cows!) there is genuine tension. My heart DID race. I did turn the pages FAST.<br />
<br />
<i>Dangerous Boy</i> is a wonderful introduction to a new author I can add to my "favorites" list. I'm now on the hunt for the rest of Mandy's books, some which were written under the pseudo name Amanda Grace.<br />
<br />
This week, I'm reading <i>The Replacement</i> by Brenna Yovanoff. I can't believe how long it's been sitting on my shelf!<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-57651881321088265582014-01-20T14:39:00.000-08:002014-01-20T14:39:39.682-08:00Book 2: Dare You To<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-DdtRdkNIIRwYb5zt6YdLbyi4tK9OYcYAJAupckHQBXzvF9rLuIwIvw19UGtkN7HPiJBh6NYlnJv1ud1gbjH3EQERXslFGmEBHhmaupl5GaQN7us4SJ_wqtj5O8UGZLys07n3Fqlcak/s1600/th.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-DdtRdkNIIRwYb5zt6YdLbyi4tK9OYcYAJAupckHQBXzvF9rLuIwIvw19UGtkN7HPiJBh6NYlnJv1ud1gbjH3EQERXslFGmEBHhmaupl5GaQN7us4SJ_wqtj5O8UGZLys07n3Fqlcak/s1600/th.jpeg" height="320" width="211" /></a></div>
<b>Book 2</b>: <i>Dare You To</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://katielmcgarry.com/" target="_blank">Katie McGarry</a><br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA Contemporary Romance<br />
<br />
I read <i>Crash Into You</i>, the third book in this series before the New Year, not realizing it was a series—which is fine, since each book is a great stand-alone love story. While <i>Crash Into You </i>remains my favourite of the series, <i>Dare You To</i> is a close second.<br />
<br />
Ryan is a baseball player with an overbearing father, and enough family drama to write his own soap opera. Though, he appears more to have an affliction for writing zombie stories—and that is JUST fine by me. Beth is not sports minded. She'd rather have one night stands with bad boys, smoke pot, and <i>try</i> to save her mother, a woman trapped in an abusive relationship.<br />
<br />
Ryan and Beth couldn't be more different—which of course, is what makes them so perfect together. Opposites attract, so the cliche goes.<br />
<br />
While the plot line may seem cliche, the author does a great job of steering it clear from total cliche-dom. McGarry is a skilled writer with the ability to give me that "warm fuzzy falling in love feel." It's written in first person, present tense, which is the style I'm using for my "super secret development project." It's not my natural voice, but I love the versatility, and McGarry's work is worth studying. She has a fabulous voice I have no doubt today's youth can relate to.<br />
<br />
Ryan isn't <i>my</i> kind of guy. But I get why Beth falls for him. Their romance was believable, and the story is filled with all kinds of conflict and emotion to power you through the pages. I actually finished this a few days ago, but haven't had time to write this post.<br />
<br />
Next on my list is <i>Dangerous Boy</i>, written by my agent Mandy Hubbard. Can't wait!<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11319503851702676213noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-75579537044139396592014-01-05T10:11:00.000-08:002014-01-05T10:11:08.608-08:00Book 1: Pushing the Limits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATFd42YFbFhqg00cIqjIzYYmbgNs838iGSPgCloi_YWB5cCNGG3zGKvn2raLWYYY0sxJvbyK5W8RWqABVKdqUB5THZfzaachybgKwm1ZiwwROYU5QW3rWZ7v1N4k0pIAV_Urx4Z6Wd0Y/s1600/th.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATFd42YFbFhqg00cIqjIzYYmbgNs838iGSPgCloi_YWB5cCNGG3zGKvn2raLWYYY0sxJvbyK5W8RWqABVKdqUB5THZfzaachybgKwm1ZiwwROYU5QW3rWZ7v1N4k0pIAV_Urx4Z6Wd0Y/s1600/th.jpeg" /></a></div>
Last year was a bad year for reading—I'm actually embarrassed to admit the LOW number of novels I completed. I didn't keep track, but I can assure you it was WAY below 50.<br />
<br />
So when my friend Karen issued a challenge to read 50 books in 2014, I leapt on it. It's January 5—and I've got one book in the bag! It's best for my accountability if I do a *short* review, so here goes.<br />
<br />
<b>Book 1</b>: <i>Pushing the Limits</i><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://katielmcgarry.com/" target="_blank">Katie McGarry</a><br />
<b>Genre:</b> YA Contemporary Romance<br />
<br />
This book gave me ALL the feels. I admit, it took me until about the half-way point to really fall in love with Echo and Noah, but once I got wrapped up in their story, I fell hard.<br />
<br />
I'm new to the contemporary romance genre for young adults, but one of the few books I did read in 2013 was McGarry's, <i>Crash Into You</i>. At the time I didn't realize it was part of a series, but it stood well on its own. Actually, I loved it— and so was eager to read <i>Pushing the Limits.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
While Echo and Noah's story was more a slow burn, the payoff more than made up for it. The characters are beautifully flawed, the story is authentic, and the romance is hot, hot, hot.<br />
<br />
<i>Dare to You</i>, the second book in the series, is next on my TBR list.<br />
<br />
For my first real foray into YA contemporary romance, I'd say I hit a goldmine.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Iushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01546425873531022196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549393292143608195.post-37573807423665724922014-01-05T09:54:00.003-08:002014-01-05T09:54:23.122-08:002013 recap; 2014 resolutions aplenty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUv7AwLGNZm7nnYao__Tz82gpe7gmg6gPVmXPqutEKtx5TWPlbdQSK0adF60cKQVC9SRz-2mNr0PdCFXqvRjfmsa2CVUTpnrv1Wak57uMuWHJQQIyvnp8YFVCjOjUhB4Ijx71yLahC5w/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhUv7AwLGNZm7nnYao__Tz82gpe7gmg6gPVmXPqutEKtx5TWPlbdQSK0adF60cKQVC9SRz-2mNr0PdCFXqvRjfmsa2CVUTpnrv1Wak57uMuWHJQQIyvnp8YFVCjOjUhB4Ijx71yLahC5w/s1600/th.jpg" /></a></div>
2013 was a bad year for blogging, friends.<br />
<br />
After two years of posting about smoking hot guys every Monday, I abandoned the Muse Avatar feature. How many times can I put up pictures of <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrTcXXqmMlSaBsA_SOJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzY3VpajQxBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAMxZTQwMmMxYzI1NjkzMmExN2E3ZDllZGY3MDU2MTQ1MARncG9zAzMxBGl0A2Jpbmc-?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Djax%2Bteller%26fr%3Dspigot-chr-gcmac%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D31&w=500&h=603&imgurl=vampirediaries.alloyentertainment.com%2Ffiles%2F2012%2F09%2Fjax-teller-shirtless-promo.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvampirediaries.alloyentertainment.com%2Fvampire-bait-of-the-week-jax-teller%2F&size=94.5KB&name=%3Cb%3EJax+Teller%3C%2Fb%3E%3A+Sons+of+Anarchy+Bad+Boy+%7C+Vampire+Diaries+Bait+of+The+Week&p=jax+teller&oid=1e402c1c256932a17a7d9edf70561450&fr2=&fr=spigot-chr-gcmac&tt=%3Cb%3EJax+Teller%3C%2Fb%3E%3A+Sons+of+Anarchy+Bad+Boy+%7C+Vampire+Diaries+Bait+of+The+Week&b=0&ni=128&no=31&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12hincl6b&sigb=13gmhk6ge&sigi=12iqr59lc&.crumb=MfEndDIGQdk&fr=spigot-chr-gcmac" target="_blank">Charlie Hunnam</a> and <a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrTcXIPmclSojwAwcKJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzMDRiZGpsBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAM4ZjVkNmQ3Zjk4NjA3N2ZkYjY5MGQ5MjJjZjBkOGMzMgRncG9zAzQ5BGl0A2Jpbmc-?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dkiefer%2Bsutherland%26fr%3Dspigot-chr-gcmac%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D49&w=439&h=500&imgurl=www.talknerdytomelover.com%2Fstorage%2Fkiefersutherland.jpeg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1362369870485&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talknerdytomelover.com%2Fhome%2F2013%2F3%2F4%2Fthatawkwardmomentwhen-youre-at-a-karaoke-bar-in-koreatown-an.html&size=46.6KB&name=...+and+%3Cb%3EKiefer+Sutherland+%3C%2Fb%3Ewalks+in+...+-+Home+-+Talk+Nerdy+To+Me+Lover&p=kiefer+sutherland&oid=8f5d6d7f986077fdb690d922cf0d8c32&fr2=piv-web&fr=spigot-chr-gcmac&tt=...+and+%3Cb%3EKiefer+Sutherland+%3C%2Fb%3Ewalks+in+...+-+Home+-+Talk+Nerdy+To+Me+Lover&b=0&ni=128&no=49&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=13hu9t02q&sigb=13ijgb72q&sigi=131kovj44&.crumb=MfEndDIGQdk&fr=spigot-chr-gcmac" target="_blank">Kiefer Sutherland</a>, anyway? I cobbled through the rest of the year with random posts about resolution goals, books I'd read, cool stuff going on in my career and then—<br />
<br />
Nothing.<br />
<br />
My last post was back in October. Which is odd, since November and December were pretty damn exciting. More on that, but first—<br />
<br />
2013 was a year of ups and downs, triumphs and defeats, tears and laughs—well, you get the gist. I lost 25 pounds, only to gain back 30. I completed two <a href="http://www.fieldsofhome.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chase Duffy</a> books for the <a href="http://www.learncanola.com/" target="_blank">Alberta Canola Producers</a>, and launched them with thousands of kids. <i><a href="http://mwmnovels.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Killer's Instinct</a></i>—the creeptastic zombie tale I co-wrote with <a href="http://www.judithgraves.com/" target="_blank">Judith Graves</a>—went through extensive edits, and is *this close* to launching from <a href="http://leapbks.net/" target="_blank">Leap Books</a> for realz. <a href="http://www.jessicabellauthor.com/" target="_blank">Jessica Bell</a> and I launched two new blogs as part of <a href="http://www.vineleavesliteraryjournal.com/" target="_blank"><i>Vine Leaves Literary Journal</i></a>—one of which I kinda dropped the <a href="http://www.vineleavesliteraryjournal.com/sowing-the-seeds.html" target="_blank">ball on</a>. The <a href="http://www.vineleavesliteraryjournal.com/sampling-the-wine.html" target="_blank">other one</a> is pretty awesome. I "resolved" to write 500,000 words (ended up with 325,675 which isn't horrible), read 50 books (erm, not even close) and watch 50 movies. I didn't meet that resolution, either.<br />
<br />
But.<br />
<br />
Other cool stuff happened. Major cool stuff.<br />
<br />
Like scoring literary Agent Awesome <a href="http://www.mandyhubbard.com/" target="_blank">Mandy Hubbard</a> at D4EO.<br />
<br />
* waits for reality to set in *<br />
<br />
Okay, this is not you normal "how I got my agent" story—and anyone who knows me won't be surprised. Because I don't do anything "normal."<br />
<br />
But here's the fast version, because if I linger on it too long, I begin questioning whether it really happened at all. In November, Mandy put out a call for submissions. Tired of waiting for someone to query her with one of the books on her <a href="http://www.d4eoliteraryagency.com/p/mandy-hubbard.html" target="_blank">manuscript wishlist</a>, Mandy concocted a plan—audition authors to write the book she wanted, and turn it into an in-house development project. for D4E0. Brilliant!<br />
<br />
I auditioned with 10 pages from my YA psychological thriller and was (gasp!) shortlisted, and tasked with writing two scenes of pretty much the coolest project ever. The plot was developed by Mandy and <a href="http://www.d4eoliteraryagency.com/p/bree-ogden.html" target="_blank">Bree Ogden</a>, another super cool agent. To work with them both? An impossible dream.<br />
<br />
But they liked my submission. They really, really liked it. And I was asked to write one more scene.<br />
<br />
Somehow—and I'm still not sure how— they gave me the job, and though I can't tell you the topic of the book, I can tell you this: It's BRILLIANT.<br />
<br />
But even better, Mandy is now MY agent — for all kinds of writerly things. She'll sort through what I've written, what I wish I'd finished writing, and more than 300 loglines of projects I wish to write. I'll write stuff. I'm so excited to just...write.<br />
<br />
I love Mandy. No, really. (Even though she wavers on her opinion of Charlie Hunnam. Um...that's weird.)<br />
<br />
So.<br />
<br />
* deep breath *<br />
<br />
It's now 2014 and I'm ready to set some goals for the year. I suppose they'd be considered resolutions, but I'm reluctant to label them as such.<br />
<br />
1. My friend Karen has challenged me to read <b>50 books</b> this year. On it.<br />
2. I will finish this amazing and cool development project for Mandy and Bree.<br />
3. I will focus on my health.<br />
4. I will watch 25 movies in the theatre.<br />
5. I will blog more. Here, and <a href="http://www.dawn-ius.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
And I'll write. More than last year, even. I'll aim for 500,000 words, but yeah, that's ambitious.<br />
<br />
Lots of cool stuff on the horizon—but maybe it's best I end this post now. I've already completed the first book of the year and I'm due a review.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year—and wishing you SO MUCH success on YOUR resolutions, and all the best for an exciting, successful and healthy 2014.<br />
<br />
<i>- Dawn</i>Dawn Iushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01546425873531022196noreply@blogger.com0