Follow Friday #6

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

Follow Friday is asking: 

Circle time! Time to share. What character in a book would you most like to be, what character in a book would you most like to date?

Whom I'd like to date? whom.... I would say Will from Clockwork Angel or Patch from Hush Hush but, to be honest, I don't like guys that act like jerks for whatever reason they do it. I'M the one who's sarcastic all the time so, when other people is, we just clash xD

I'd like to date Adam from If I Stay by Gaile Foreman :))

and as to whom I would want to be, would you believe if I say I can't think of anyone? I LOVE so many characters and Love whom they are, Love the situations they are in and LOVE that I can completley connect with them but, as to actually BEING them, I wouln't even think of changin myself?

The only character I can think of is Jena from Tangled by Carolyn Mackler and we're practically The Same. Like Literary. we even have the same eye color o.O

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy For Books.

Our Hop Question:

"Which book blogger would you most like to meet in real life?"

Lisa from Read Me, Book Mark Me Love Me! She sees so sweet and she's soo good at comeback O.O I'd just really like to meet her xD


I'd also really like to meet Heather from Nightly Reading!!!

actually, I'd like to meet any Blogger xD! We all need to stick together! :D

TGIF, hosted by GReads

TGIF:

What occupies your time when you are not reading and/or blogging?

 

In Between Reading and Blogging? Writing! xD

Well, My serious answer will be really weird. But here I go:

Cleaning My Room.

I can't help it. I just love it. and remodeling it. I have my bookshelf organized by colors sizes and titles ^^. I just really like my room xD

and then playing with my dogs, and sleeping with them. I could sleep ALL day long. :D


This was all for Blessed Fridays, thanks for following ;)

Indie Spotlight

The more and more I got into the Reading/Reviewing/Writing World, the more the word Indie Books came across me. And I wondered, what the heck are Indie Books? They turned out to be self-published books. Oh-oh… beware of Self-published books. Things like  “They are bad and just plain trash.” And “Don’t EVER read self-published works” usually come along when talking about Indie Books. And for those of you who write and seek to be published, I’m sure you’ve also come across with “Don’t EVER EVER EVER go self-published. It’s the worst thing you could do!”

And you get your mind wrapped up around the fact that Indie Books are works published by people that didn’t knew how to write and just wanted to get published. And that Indie Authors are just people that “think” they can write.

So when I got my first offer you review and Indie Book, I was more than hesitant, but finally gave in. The book blew my mind off!. I wasn’t expecting at all what I read. It was a REALLY great book that even became one of my favorites. Slowly I began to enter the world of Indie Books, and I have encountered Amazing, talented and brilliant authors, with stories that deserve to be known. And I wonder, why is it that this books don’t get “Officially published” why can’t people see just how much they are worth? It’s frustrating.

This is why the Indie Spotlight was created, because we want to let everyone know about Indie Authors and their value. Most of them just weren’t given the chance, for this or for that, or because it was just the wrong time – I say most because I don’t doubt there are bad Indie book out there but, so far I’ve only encountered good ones :))

Indie Authors are mostly just like any other Published Author, just waiting to be fully discovered and come out. Most of them have the talent and the stories, they just need a chance.

The In Between Blog supports Indie Writers.


Interview with an Indie Writer - K.C. Blake

1.- I’ve seen a lot of talent in the Indie World. In general, why do you think that these pieces get rejected? Bad timing or rotten luck?

K.C. B.: It's hard to say what goes wrong when there are good books not being published and some stuff that is awful hitting the bestseller list.  I imagine it is bad luck in part, but I can only truly speak for myself.  Although I had the idea for Vampires Rule years ago, I didn't finish it until after the release of Twilight.  I found an agent who loved the book, but she couldn't find a publisher.  A few editors told us they didn't want to risk putting out another 'vampire book' in a market already saturated with them.

2.- What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered being an Indie Author?

K.C. B.: There's the marketing for one.  I hate it.  On some sites people refer to it as 'pimping your novel,' and that's exactly what it feels like.  Talking about my work does not come naturally to me.  It's been hard.  Also, I've had problems with people online and off who think self-published books have to be garbage because otherwise they would have a 'real' publisher.  Sometimes I'm talking to someone and they seem excited about my book until I mention that it's at Smashwords.  Once they learn it is a self-published book, their eyes glaze over and they seem less than happy to be talking to me.

3.- In your Blog you mentioned you had preconceived Ideas about Indie Writers. What were they?

K.C. B.: I guess I felt the same way about them.  The fact is that a lot of self-published authors (at least in the past) had horrible books with little to no editing, plots that didn't make sense, and covers that looked like a five-year-old slapped it together.  They don't call them 'vanity presses' for nothing.  I think the problem was a lot of those people wrote books on a whim.  They didn't want to dedicate their lives to writing, take the time to learn their craft, or pay their dues.  Because of a few bad examples, I thought all self-published books were junk.  Now I know different.

4.- What made you take the final jump to go Indie?

Like I said above, I had an agent and she tried her best to find a home for Vampires Rule.  Unfortunately my timing was off.  One editor even told me she would have been happy to publish the book had I sent it to her a couple years earlier.  Becoming an Indie Writer seemed the best way to go.

5.- Now you are immersed in this world, what is your conclusion about Indie Authors and their work?

K.C. B.: Now I see that writers and their books need to be judged on a case by case basis.  There are some good books on the shelves and some terrible ones.  The same can be said about self-published works.  There are some good and some bad.  Individual readers need to be the judge of what they think is good.  Hopefully more and more people will start giving self-published books a shot.

6.- What words would you like to say to other Indie Writers, any advice?

K.C. B.: Take your time.  Don't just throw the book together and upload it.  Edit it over and over again.  Have other people look for mistakes, and start marketing early.

7.- And to the bloggers, how can we know when to trust in Indie Books?

K.C. B.: Fortunately Smashwords usually allows a person to download a sample of the book.  In my case, you can try five or six chapters, read them, and then decide if you want to buy it.  I wouldn't just blindly trust an Indie book, but I would be willing to read a sampling before making a decision.

8.- Last but Not Least, are you proud to be a YA Urban Fantasy writer?

K.C. B.: Yes, I am.  I have loved YA for years and if I can give back even a fraction of the joy these books have brought to my life, then my work is done.

Check Out this Posts by K.C. Blake!

Indie Writer

It's All About Control

Vampires Rule

Vampires Rule by K.C. Blake:

Humans turn into vampires; vampires don't turn mortal again... until now. Jack has to deal with normal life again, but how normal can it be with a hunter girlfriend, a brother who wants to stake him just to be safe, and a psychotic werewolf on the loose?
 

They don't call him Jackpot for nothing.

Seventeen-year-old Jack always beats the odds... at least until now. When a werewolf tried to kill him ten years ago, vampires saved his life. At first he was grateful. Then he realized he couldn't go home to his brother, couldn't return to his old life. Humans can become vampires; vampires can't become mortal again, but somehow Jack gets lucky. Like a cat, he always lands on his feet. He wakes up one morning without fangs, and the sunlight doesn't set him on fire. This is it, his dream, only it's real this time. What could possibly go wrong?

Enter a pretty hunter with dark secrets, a brother who wants to stake him just to be on the safe side, and a psychotic werewolf. Now we have a party. 

Vampires Rule souds like a great book! I'll be reading it this week and hope to have my review ready by Next Week!! So, stay tunned ;)


Read the First Chapter of Vampires Rule Here!

Watch the Trailer Here

You can get Vampires Rule on Amazon Here

You can get Vampires Rule on Smashwords Here

K.C. Blake

K.C. Blake.

Author of Vampires Rule
K.C. Blake's Page HERE.

I Personally LOVE K.C. Blake's Blog! she has soo many good tips for writers and she has a really unique voice.


Are you and aspiring writer? GO!

Blogger Lift 2.0

Blogger Lift 2.0:



Blogger Lift Is Hosted Here. and in Goodreads on YABC.

Blogger Lift is a new feature in which I'll promote blogs I follow and that I recommenced you.

I am filled 'till July. If you don;t mind being featured in a few months in The Blogger Lift, contact me :)
JudeHnd@Gmail.com or message me on Goodreads Jude.

As Promised a special Blogger Lift 2.0 for a special Blogger ;)

Deliriously Falling. 

Blog: Deliriously Falling

Blogger: Ella
Tags: Lauren Oliver, Fan Page

Wow, you had “The Clock Monkey” and “Mi Café Litarario” already, and then you go and make “Deliriously Falling”! What were you thinking? O.O How do you make time for all of those!?

Deliriously Falling: Yeah, I had both blogs, but the idea for having a Lauren Oliver Fanpage was very insistent, it wouldn't leave me alone. I was thinking I'd get help! And I did. Reg and Lori are contributors to the site, and I'm about to choose three more, as I want the site to evolve into something more like Mundie Moms and Late Bloomer Online: a fansite/YA review blog. I think we'd be more of a community that way. I'm a witch, and Hermione lends me her Time Turner, that's how I make time for everything. ;)

Deliriously Falling is a fan page for Lauren Oliver, I assume the main idea for this blog was your love for the book Delirium and Before I Fall – by the same author. Book bloggers naturally love books. What made Delirium and Before I Fall so special that you created a fan page for them – and Lauren Oliver Of Course?

DF: Before I Fall left me feeling like someone had punched me in the chest. It's amazing how Lauren makes Sam go from an unsympathetic character to one I'm rooting for at the end of the book. I can't think of any other author who's ever done that before, other than J. K. Rowling, but she's in a different league all together.

BIF made me think of everything we give for granted, and look back on them, analising them better: the way we approach our families, our friendships, our love. It's the best book of 2010 for me.

Reading Delirium was similar. It knocked the breath right out of me. I was left crying and feeling despaired... until I learned it was the first in a series and that there was hope for Alex.

Starting DF was an impulse. I wanted -and still do- to reach out to other fans. In fact, I'm thinking of starting a Forum, but I'm gonna wait until I have my three new contributors, because I'm really busy with uni stuff!

BIF and Delirium are two of my all time favourite books, and Lauren Oliver, my favourite author (again, JKR is not an author; she's a writing goddess). Lauren's writing style seeped into my bones and doesn't want to leave.

How does it feel like to get a thank you video from Lauren Oliver?

DF: It felt OH. MY. GOD. SO amazing. My favourite author was speaking to me! And that was just the beginning! Lauren is a great person, I've grown to build a relationship with her, and that made me love her all the more. She's super modest and genuine, and I love that about her.

What stuff do you do in Deliriously Falling? Aside from stalking Lauren Oliver of course ^^?

DF: We're about to launch our Book of the Month feature, and take a turn, to make it more of a general YA site, with of course, a focus on Lauren and her literary life.

All of this at 19. Proud of yourself? You Must be! :D

DF: I'd never thought of it like that. When you put it like this, then yeah! I'm super happy.

Ella Press Studio.

This is the last straw! xD!

How did you got yourself into Blog Design?

Ella Press Studio: You know how it is: you want a unique layout, but you just can't find one that suits your blog.

So I started reading tutorials on how to make some changes to your blog yourself, and then, I started playing with the HTML codes of various test themes, until I figured out what changing something would do, or if I put something like this or that, I'd have a different result. Design tutorials are everywhere nowadays, you just need a little basic knowledge, and you're all set!

You always wanted to do this? Blogging, Desing, Reviewing? Or did it just unraveled on its own?

EPS: It definitely unraveled on its own. I started blogging because I wanted to, which led me to the book blogging world, and reviewing; and then, designing.

And your Blogs? Did you said “I want to make 4 blog minimum!” or where they all spontaneous?

EPS: Spontaneous! I pay more attention to TCM, DF and MCL, EPS is barely starting out, and I *just* opened a Romance review blog, TCM's Love Shack, because I didn't feel it was right to put my more Mature reviews on the same place where I review YA.

I also have a Facebook page for TCM, MCL and DF, a Twitter for myself (TCM/MCL) and another for DF; a Tumblr, and a personal blog, where I post now and then.

And you still have a life right? xD

EPS: LOL. I do! Although, lately I barely have time to read and write. My WIP is feeling abandoned! But I love the city I'm living in now, I love my university, and my friends.

You are definitely a Blogger that deserves praise, and one that has worked hard to get where she’s now. Thank You for being part of Blogger Lift. Ever need a Blogger Friend? I’ll be here :)

EPS: THANK YOU! And I love making new friends, you can count on me too :) 

The Next Interview is not in English to fit the Blog that's being Interviewed.




Mi Cafe Literario

Cuando empezaste tu Blog “Mi Café Literario” ya tenías tu otro blog “The Clock Monkey.” Definitivamente no es sencillo manejar un Blog, mucho menos dos! Que fue lo que te hizo decidir hacer “Mi Café Literario”?

Mi Cafe Literario: Cuando empecé TCM sólo conocía book blogs en inglés, pero luego empecé a encontrar blogs en español (mayormente de España), y quise tener un "espejo" de mi blog en inglés, porque no hay tantos blogs Argentinos, y quería conocer book bloggers de mi país!

Tipo de Café Favorito?

MCL: Expresso!

Me gusta mucho el nombre de tu blog, de donde vino la idea? A caso hay algún café especial donde te gusta leer?

MCL: La idea vino de otra idea. Simplemente me gusta la idea de un café donde podés leer tranquilo, como se hace en muchos lugares, y como vi varias veces en películas. Quería un nombre que dijera más sobre el aspecto Juvenil del blog, pero no se me ocurría otra cosa. Así que quedó MCL.

Amo leer en mi cama!

Brevemente describe tu vida en Argentina.

MCL: Ahora estoy estudiando Cine, empecé este año, y la verdad, me encanta! Los profesores son muy buena onda, y no hacen problemas a que nosotros llevemos mates para tomar mientras ellos dan la clase. Es un ambiente re lindo. Vivir en un lugar tan lejano a las "grandes" editoriales, hace que me sea difícil conseguir libros que yo quisiera leer, porque casi nunca llegan a las editoriales Latinas, y menos Argentinas. Por eso leo más que nada en inglés. Aparte hay algo en el libro en su idioma original que me llama más que su traducción.

Soy de la Patagonia Argentina, y estoy acostumbrada al frío :) Tengo una perrita que se llama Peyton, por Peyton Sawyer de One Tree Hill.

El Sujeto A – Jude - busca un Libro en Español que leer. Sujeto B – Ella - tiene una recomendación. Que libro le sugirió comprar el Sujeto B al Sujeto A?

MCL: Le recomendaría leer algo de Eduardo Galeano. El Libro de los Abrazos es un libro de cuentos cortos, muy lindo, lleno de metáforas políticas que se quedan resonando en tu cabeza. Muy recomendable.

Convénceme de seguir tu blog al estilo Twitter. 140 letras o menos. YA!
MCL: Amo mi blog, y a uds. Siganme que no los voy a defraudar! :P  

Muchas Gracias por la segunda entrevista! Mucha suerte! Y me avisas cuando tengas otros 5 Blogs ;) sera tiempo de otra entrevista de Mexicana a Argentina :) 



Thank You So much for the second Interview! Wish You Luck! and let me know when you have some other 5 Blogs ;) It'll be time for another Interview. 

Going Too Far - Jennifer Echols

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Date Released: March 17th 2009
Publisher: Pocket Books/MTV Books
Pages: 245 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Borders

Summary

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?
 
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

My Review:

I’m going to say a few things before I start my review:

A long while I go I stopped reading. Not completely but, I was reading a book a week instead of one a day, and there were some books that took me three weeks even. I was blaming it all on school and thought that my blog and club where the one consuming my time. I just realized that I was just missing the right book. I started the firsts chapters of this book and then went to doing other stuff, and I just couldn’t keep my mind off from the story, it was all I could think of; but I really was busy that day so I leaved it at that. Yesterday I went back to the book and yesterday I finished it. It had been so long, since I felt that hunger for a book. So long since I had connected so deeply with a character even though we shared nothing in common ^^. So a Big Thank to everyone who insisted that I needed to read Going Too Far and for marking it as their favorites, If it weren’t for all those high ratings and recommendation I would have never discovered Going Too Far, and would have never re-discovered my huge Love for Reading. Thank You :)

Now I’ll start my review:

Going Too Far is a story that circles around the relationship between Meg and John. John is a cop that follows the law strictly and never goes out of line, he takes care of everything and watched closely a haunted bridge. A bridge that holds all his inner demons, to a point where he becomes one himself. And Meg, whom is determined to cross all the lines and break every boundary, if only to prove that she’s living and that she has lived; and also someone who runs and runs. She just wants to get away from everything.

At the beginning of the book Meg breaks some big rules and so Officer John takes control of the situations, punishing Meg by taking away her spring break and forcing her to spend it with him while he’s on duty. Naturally, she hates him. But through the course of her punishment Meg and John start to develop something. Something maybe close to Friendship? Or is it something more…?

And so with this thing going on, they start to push each other, further, further. John wanting Meg inside the lines and Meg wanting to push John outside them. Who wins…?

Going Too Far is one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. What I most Love about it is that it’s not just the girl that has issues. That the guys isn’t 100% fine and it’s going to help her with everything. No, they both help each other out and I just think this is a wonderful book and a must read.

DON’T borrow it! BUY IT! Just BUY IT! I’m already re-reading it :) 

  "I swear, Tiff, if my ass made good grades, you'd want to date my ass."

Blogger Lift #7

Blogger Lift:

Blogger Lift Is Hosted Here. and in Goodreads on YABC.

Blogger Lift is a new feature in which I'll promote blogs I follow and that I recommenced you.

I am filled 'till July. If you don;t mind being featured in a few months in The Blogger Lift, contact me :)
JudeHnd@Gmail.com or message me on Goodreads Jude.

Featured this week:

A Cupcake and a Latte.

Blog: A Cupcake and a Latte

Blogger: Mocha ღ Latte
Tags: Review. YA. Cupcakes and Lattes.

Mocha ღ Latte has replied my questinos with a cuteness and sweetness that can only be compared to cupcakes.

She has charm and a notisable passion that lifts of every post she makes, where it is in her Blog, or answering a few questions. 

Charming and Delightful, are two small ways of describing A Cupcake and a Latte, as well as the Blogger.

Let's learn more about Mocha ღ Latte:

1.- In Between Writing and Reading what do you like to do?

A Cupcake and a Latte: During my spare time away from reading and writing, you can find me fiddling around with photo shop or hanging around my bay window(my personal reading nook) with a sketchbook on my lap and art supplies spread around me. I've always been an artistic person and it's a hobby I delve into often.

2.- Convince me to join your Blog Twitter style, 140 letters or less. GO!

ACAAL: Girly, pink, active, random, friendly, informative, passionate, and deliciously sweet.

3.- A Book, a cupcake and an author

ACAAL: Favorite book: My favorite book tends to change quite often, however, as of this moment it would be Whisper Kiss, the 5th novel in Deborah Cooke's Dragonfire series.

Favorite cupcake: Chocolate that is happily accompanied with bright pink frosting and sprinkles.

Favorite author: Deborah Cooke.

4.- You have the power to recommend one book to all the world. And they will all listen. Which is it?

ACAAL: My recommended book would be Timeless by Alexandra Monir. It's a story about a girl who is forced to leave her home and move in with her grandparents whom she's never met. Throughout the novel she finds herself traveling to the past and back to the present, while at the same time falling in love.

5.- I see you work in a bookstore, have you ever considered opening one yourself? Maybe adding a small café to it? With cupcakes ^^?

ACAAL: Oh boy, I've considered it quite a lot. In fact it's been one of my dreams during the few years that I've been working at a bookstore. I dream of opening a cute shop, stock full of YA and romance novels, and yes it does include a little cafe area where customers could purchase lattes and deliciously decorated cupcakes. I'd most likely hire a drop-dead gorgeous guy to run the cafe,a little eye candy for the ladies who would visit the shop. Added bonus to the wonderful YA and romance reads, no?

6.- Do you know how to bake cupcakes O.o? Personally I suck at cooking xD

ACAAL: Yes I do bake cupcakes but not as often as I hoped. Sometimes my work schedule and other duties won't allow me the time but when I have free time you'll most likely catch me in the kitchen decorating freshly baked cupcakes.

7.- You started blogging not so long ago, what made take the step and start?

ACAAL: Like I mentioned above, I'd been working at a local chain bookstore for a few years, reading and enjoying all the novels I picked up and spreading the love to my friends and family. However, eventually I found that wasn't enough, so I then found Goodreads.com and began posting my reviews and chatting with other readers with similar interests. About 2 months ago a close friend suggested I start a blog, though I was a little skeptical at starting one feeling that it might turn out to be too time consuming. About a month later I asked a few GR friends whether or not I should start one and they enthusiastically encouraged me to do so and thus A Cupcake and a Latte was born. I incorporated all three things that make me exceptionally happy; YA/Romance novels, Cupcakes and Lattes. I'm very happy at how wonderfully things are turning out and have now found a new passion: Blogging.

8.- What do you enjoy most about Blogging?

ACAAL: What I love most about blogging is spreading my love of YA and romance novels to others with similar interests. I love getting comments from other readers who have enjoyed the same novels I have, it's very comforting and reassuring. The book blogging community is filled with enthusiastic, passionate, and extremely friendly people.

You can find me on goodreads.com at www.goodreads.com/mochalatte and my blog at www.mochalattereads.blogspot.com

Once again, thank you very much Jude;

-Wendy - Mocha ღ Latte

You can find Mocha ღ Latte here:

I could have Never describe better this Blog as well as Mocha ღ Latte already did

"Girly, pink, active, random, friendly, informative, passionate, and deliciously sweet."

she only forgot to add Adictive!

and please, PLEASE send us a photo of you little bookstore once you've opened it! 'Cause I'm 100% sure you will someday! and when you do so, don't forget to send also the picture of the drop-dead gorgeous guy that's gonna be there :DD!

Thank you for being part of the Blogger Lift Mocha ღ Latte. It was pure sweetness :D!