Tag: reading

THREE..., What´s Up Wednesday, writing

What´s Up Wednesday? The cover reveal happy hangover edition

Elodie

WUW7

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

I’m half way through WISH YOU WERE ITALIAN and it is the perfect beach read…
Romance, friendship, Italy, self discovery…I’m loving it so far!

What I’m Writing

I currently should be working on ALWAYS SECOND BEST and I will…especially since I’ve just added it on Goodreads (publication should be end of October), but a SNI grabbed my attention for the past two days, a NA thriller (which includes community college, stalking, romance, a blog called The Flying Piggy Insider, a dual POV…)

What else I´ve been up to

Discovering Malaysia.
Enjoying the beach.
Relaxing.
Crocodile Malaysia
During a night river cruise, we came across this fella…
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Reading on the beach…
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Coconuts on the side of the road…

What inspires me right now

The amount of love I’ve received for my cover reveal (you can still enter the giveaway :-))

Seriously, I was tearing up yesterday reading all your comments, and the tweets, RT…

I’m so GRATEFUL!!!

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The Cover Reveal preparations edition…

Elodie

WUW7

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

Still beta reading and still loving it.

What I’m Writing

I´m working on perfecting one very emotional (and key) scene in ONE, TWO, THREE…and it´s tough.
But…once I have this one down, the rest will be much easier.

What else I´ve been up to

As explained on Friday, my great-aunt passed away and it´s been difficult.I spent a few days in France to be with my family. While it was not easy, it was also good to be home and to be with my family.
And…preparing my cover reveal. Different topic, yes, but I find that focusing on a goal close to my heart and what I want to achieve is definitely helpful in times like these.

3DCoverXBT2

My cover will be revealed on April 8th and you can be part of the fun by signing up here. Xpresso Book Tours is organizing the reveal and let me tell you, Giselle has been very helpful and answers emails SUPER fast 🙂

I seriously cannot wait for you all to see it.

It´s gorgeous and fits the story oh so well! Derek Murphy  really captured it and working on the cover with him has been great!

What inspires me right now

My parents. My husband. My family. ❤

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The smiling edition…

Elodie

WUW7

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

I’m beta reading TWO amazing manuscripts. Did I mention they were AMAZING?
I’m one lucky reader, let me tell you!

What I’m Writing

I’ve received my notes from my editor and am currently incorporating some changes. I’m pretty much excited now about ALL my scenes. I’m not saying they’re easy to polish. Some of them are HARD, but falling in love all over again with your story is priceless.
Here’s a part I shared on Twitter. I love this scene!

What else I´ve been up to

Jogging with the hubby. Helps balancing everything.
Jogging
Enjoying the unofficial beginning of Spring.
Spring
Creating my UNNAMED but YET AWESOME Team. Really, so thankful for the ladies who joined. And yes, I already shared some super duper secret information with them, as well as a very awkward video 😛

What inspires me right now

The amazing ladies who have joined my team already and all the support I keep on receiving during this adventure ❤

My cover. My designer sent me samples which I shared with my team and I think we all agree on THE ONE. It captures the heart of my story so much, it’s amazing. And I love it. And I can’t believe it.

And Christa. Yes, I know Christa is a constant inspiration (despite her not realizing it) but this week, she announced something extra special. I know I´ll be buying a few more copies to donate.

This is what she said:

“I’m going to give all the income I make from Fault Line book sales during Lent to the Voices and Faces Project in order to help fund more testimonial writing workshops for survivors.”  ❤

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The wonderful Valentine´s Day edition

Elodie


WUW Winter Holly 1

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

And I´m really enjoying it!

What I’m Writing

I’m still revising my YA thriller and drafting my YA contemporary romance novel. I´ve been sick a bit so unfortunately this had an impact on my productivity, but I think I can catch up to my weekly goals.
What else I´ve been up to
The Chemical Engineer–aka my amazing husband–organized a Valentine´s Day weekend. By the Rhine. In a gorgeous hotel. With yummy food.
And fun excursions just the two of us.
Basically, it was amazing!
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What inspires me right now

So many things…but I´ll focus on this quote

(even though I posted it last week on my brand new Facebook page :-))

This conversation with my husband. I think it might deserve an entire post at some point. He´s very encouraging and was mainly joking but it got me thinking, hence future post

And this wonderful wonderful package received on Monday.

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The “So many awesome books out” edition…

Elodie

WUW Winter Holly 1

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

I’m halfway through THE PIPER’S SON by Melina Marchetta and I fell hard for this book.
“She misses him more now than when he was away”
― Melina Marchetta, The Piper’s Son
Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca – but five years have passed, and now it’s Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can’t forget. Shooting for oblivion, he’s hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom’s in no shape to mend what’s broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper’s Son redefines what it means to go home again.

What I’m Writing

Thanks #WriterRecharge (more info here if you want to join), I’ve been quite productive these past days:
  • I have 1000 words of my new WiP ALWAYS SECOND BEST and I’m in love with the characters already
  • I revised one chapter of DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL.
  • And on Sunday, I finished a round of revision for ONE TWO THREE, and sent it off to a certain someone 🙂

What else I´ve been up to

  • So many things. Some of which I still cannot say. I thought I might be able to announce it on Friday but it looks like it’s going to be next week. Stay tuned.
  • I’ve helped celebrating the launch of ALIENATED by Melissa Landers yesterday and you can still win a NOOK here 🙂

What inspires me right now

My friends who also happen to be writers 🙂 and who I have been pestering with emails these past two weeks. Thank you! ❤

#WriterRecharge  which comes really at a perfect moment of time.

And then…the release of Rebecca’s book!

And the release of Erin Bowman’s novella STOLEN...and Melissa’s ALIENATED.

This oh-so-honest blog post by Dahlia about how she “does it all” and putting a bit of perspective into that very particular concept.

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The “I can’t wait to tell you” edition…

Elodie

WUW Winter Holly 1

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

I just started SAVING FRANCESCA by Melina Marchetta. Her book JELLICOE ROAD is one of my favorites (Really, pick it up if you haven´t already read it)
Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastians, a boys’ school that’s pretends it’s coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can’t seem to stop thinking about.Then there’s Francesca’s mother, who always thinks she knows what’s best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

What I’m Writing

I’ve been looking again at ONE TWO THREE, writing a new story and revising DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL.
So busy busy.
Here´s an excerpt – I just added it so it´s not yet edited – from ONE TWO THREE (my YA contemporary romance)

My pointes show wear and tear of the years I’ve used them and no matter how much I scrub, there’s one smudge that doesn’t want to go away. Memories flash back when I slip them on: my father handing me  a bouquet of lilies after each of my recitals, the crew from the School of Performing Arts sneaking out to get ice cream, the summers I spent here with my best friend Becca and my Nana, the hours at the barre, my piano lessons. Everything’s gone. 

The pain in my knee is latent, reminding me of what I lost, but I clench my teeth and face the bench using it as my own personal barre.  I slowly bend my knees, keeping them over my toes. Grounding my heels on the floor, I stretch down as much as I can but I don´t make it past a demi-plié.  I warm up for ten minutes, losing myself in the familiar movements. Maybe the doctors got it wrong, maybe I´ll be able to dance on stage again. The stars reflect on the water,  it could be the perfect backdrop for a production of the Swan Lake.

I try a grand jeté, but my foot isn’t angled properly, my knee isn’t used to carrying all my weight. Instead of gracefully landing with my left leg still in the air, I fall on my ass. Air leaves my lungs and the tears I’ve been fighting fall steadily on my face. 

What else I´ve been up to

I redesigned my website…and have been working on a few things behind the scenes.
I cannot wait to let you all know what those are.
Stay tuned.
Oh and my hubby decided to grill shashlik in T-shit in January, as one does (they were yummy!)
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What inspires me right now

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

Books, reading, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten 2014 Debuts I’m excited for…

Elodie

It’s been forever since my last Top Ten Tuesday. FOREVER. But I’ve been browsing the topics and since planning blog posts seems to be one way for me to make sure this blog doesn’t soon resemble an abandoned house. The type someone asks you to enter on a dare or that has fueled campfires stories for decades. The moon reflects on the broken window and even spiders think twice before entering. Anyways…You get what I mean.

This Top Ten Tuesday feature is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and I first came across it on Jaime´s blog.

Top Ten 2014 Debuts I’m excited for

I am very excited about a lot of 2014 Debuts but some of them are especially close to my hearts because those are by people I know. And I CANNOT WAIT TO HOLD THEIR BOOKS IN MY HANDS…

The list below is organized in publication order. Because you know organizing lists is an important task 😛

Out on February 4th 2014

  • WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE by Rebecca Behrens: First Daughter Audrey Rhodes is convinced that living in the White House is like being permanently grounded. Except with better security. What good is having your own bowling alley if you don’t have anyone to play with? After the Secret Service cancels the party she’d spent forever planning, Audrey is ready to give up and spend the next four years totally friendless–until she discovers Alice Roosevelt’s hidden diary. Alice was a White House wild child, and her diary tells all about her outrageous turn-of-the-century exploits, like shocking State visitors with her pet snake and racking up speeding tickets in her runabout. Audrey starts asking herself: What Would Alice Do? The former First Daughter’s outrageous antics give Audrey a ton of ideas for having fun . . . and get her into more trouble than she can handle!

Out on March 18th, 2014

Out on April 8th 2014

Out on April 29th, 2014

Out on May 6th, 2014

  • The Eighth Guardian by Meredith McCardle: Amanda Obermann. Code name Iris. It’s Testing Day. The day that comes without warning, the day when all juniors and seniors at The Peel Academy undergo a series of intense physical and psychological tests to see if they’re ready to graduate and become government operatives. Amanda and her boyfriend Abe are top students, and they’ve just endured thirty-six hours of testing. But they’re juniors and don’t expect to graduate. That’ll happen next year, when they plan to join the CIA—together. But when the graduates are announced, the results are shocking. Amanda has been chosen—the first junior in decades. And she receives the opportunity of a lifetime: to join a secret government organization called the Annum Guard and travel through time to change the course of history. But in order to become the Eighth Guardian in this exclusive group, Amanda must say good-bye to everything—her name, her family, and even Abe—forever. Who is really behind the Annum Guard? And can she trust them with her life?
Out on June 3rd
  • PUSH GIRLS by Jessica Love and Chelsie Hill: An inspiring, real, and fresh young adult novel about how life can change in an instant by Chelsie Hill, one of the stars Sundance Channel’s unscripted series Push Girls, based on her own life.

Out on June 24th, 2014

  • BEHIND THE SCENES by Dahlia Adler: High school senior Ally Duncan’s best friend may be the Vanessa Park – star of TV’s hottest new teen drama – but Ally’s not interested in following in her BFF’s Hollywood footsteps. In fact, the only thing Ally’s ever really wanted is to go to Columbia and study abroad in Paris. But when her father’s mounting medical bills threaten to stop her dream in its tracks, Ally nabs a position as Van’s on-set assistant to get the cash she needs. Spending the extra time with Van turns out to be fun, and getting to know her sexy co-star Liam is an added bonus. But when the actors’ publicist arranges for Van and Liam to “date” for the tabloids just after he and Ally share their first kiss, Ally will have to decide exactly what role she’s capable of playing in their world of make believe. If she can’t play by Hollywood’s rules, she may lose her best friend, her dream future, and her first shot at love.

Out on August 5th, 2014

  • THE GIRL FROM THE WELL by Rin Chupeco: You may think me biased, being murdered myself. But my state of being has nothing to do with the curiosity toward my own species, if we can be called such. We do not go gentle, as your poet encourages, into that good night.

Out on August 26th, 2014

  • AT YOUR SERVICE by Jen Malone: Thirteen-year-old Chloe Turner wants nothing more than to follow in Dad’s footsteps as a respected concierge in a posh NYC hotel. After all, living at a hotel is heaven, and perks like free concert tickets and all-access passes to boutiques, restaurants, and attractions aren’t too shabby either. When the spoiled brat child of an important guest is only placated by some quick thinking on Chloe’s part, Chloe is awarded the role of Junior Concierge. But she might be in over her head when tasked with tending to the every whim of three royal guests: a twelve-year-old princess who can’t stand Chloe, a cute fourteen year-old prince(!), and their ten-year-old sister, who has a nasty knack for getting herself lost. After the youngest princess slips Chloe’s care, Chloe and the remaining royals must embark on an event-filled hunt for her through NYC’s best tourist spots.

Out in October 2014

  • DAMSEL DISTRESSED by Kelsey Macke: Kelsey Macke’s DAMSEL DISTRESSED, about 17-year-old Imogen Keegan and her struggle with obesity, self-harm, and the infuriatingly perfect stepsister who makes her want to drown herself in a vat of Nutella, with accompanying soundtrack of original songs written and performed by the author’s band, Wedding Day Rain, in an innovative mash-up of prose, technology, drawings, and music, to Danielle Ellison at Spencer Hill Contemporary, for October 2014, by Jessica Sinsheimer at The Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency

No exact release date yet but coming to bookstores near you in 2014 too

Let’s face it I’m also excited for many more than just 10 Debut Books. My current Goodreads Debut list has  If you want to see more amazing MG/YA debuting this year, don’t hesitate to check OneFour KidLit 

So tell me which books do you want to get your hands this year?

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The first edition of 2014

Elodie

WUW Winter Holly 1

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

 I am reading two wonderful books at the moment:
One about to be published this year.

The writing is gorgeous and the story captivating. I´m half-way through the story and have a hard time putting it down.

In parallel, I´m beta-reading an AMAZING YA novel by Jen Malone. I cannot tell you how much I´m enjoying the story. Loving it! (and you guys she has an MG coming out during the summer – it sounds great!)

What I’m Writing

I have the feeling I´ve been revising for months. Oh, wait. I have 🙂 My goal is to finish revising in January but this new twist I introduced requires major rewriting. I really think it´s making my story much stronger, so I need to power through!
Here´s a little bit I´m not sure I´ll keep but which gives a bit more insight into Erin´s past.

My shoulders slouch. I remember how everything changed after I testified. The way my best friend Summer was no longer allowed to play with me. We had promised to be BFFs and Summer snuck around to meet me but when her parents found out, she got into so much trouble that she stopped talking to me. One morning, some kids threw chewing gum in my hair and they taunted Summer to do it too. Tears sprung to her eyes but she did take the bubblegum from her mouth and in one swift movement it landed in my ponytail.  I sobbed in the corner after class, trying to get the bits out with the help of the teacher who apologized over and over again for not seeing anything. Summer passed by me without saying a word.  Mama had to cut  my hair super short that night. I don’t want that for my little brother.

What else I´ve been up to

I spent the holiday season at home in France and at my in-laws in the south of Germany, enjoying family time and celebrating my husband´s birthday.
For Christmas, I received my first slow cooker and I have been enjoying some yummy meals out of it.
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What inspires me right now

My word for 2014: Balance.

and everyone else´s goals and resolutions and thoughts about the new year. So. Much. Inspiration. ❤

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂

Book Review, Books

Five reasons to fall in love with ALIENATED by Melissa Landers…

Elodie

Get ready for a book that won’t let you go even after you turned the last page! Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for allowing me to read an advanced copy!

Summary from Goodreads.com: Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them.

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket. Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara’s classmates get swept up by anti-L’eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn’t safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara’s locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class.

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she’s fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet.

Before even getting into the five reasons to fall in love with ALIENATED, let me take a second to say that I’m still giddy about this book, I’m still thinking about it even though I’ve read it weeks ago.

As a writer, yes it does make me go through moments like OMG I JUST CANNOT…to those realizations…

I can totally do it!

So, why fall in love with ALIENATED?

  1. The. Voice. This is one example where I would follow the character everywhere because I have the feeling I know them so well. Because their voices leap through the pages, despite being in third-person. It flows naturally and finds a spot by your heart.
  2. Cara and Aelyx—and the entire cast of characters. All of them individually and together. Their interaction and how they were all their own individuals. I could see them hanging out outside of the pages, because they had their own hobbies, their own interests. And I wanted to spend more time with them.
  3. The plot. The idea of an exchange between aliens and humans and everything that it implies: fear of the unknown, of the “other”, learning about oneself, the adventure for both teenagers but also the weight they carried on their shoulders.
  4. The blogging element: It’s not the most important element of the novel but I have to say as soon as Cara mentioned she was going to blog about the exchange and about everything she learns about Aelyx and L’eihr traditions, a little part of me just connected with her even more.
  5. The romance. There are some serious swoony moments in this book. But there’s more than that. Just like the voice and all the rest of this book: nothing feels forced. It doesn’t feel like Melissa tried to put romance into the plot because it would help the intensity of it all. Nope, the romance develops and becomes part of the characters.

Please, please, please read it as soon as it comes out, because I need to talk to someone about it 🙂

You can add it on Goodreads here:

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter, #4)

 And should you wish to pre-order a copy, all links are on Melissa’s website.

Tell me, what is the last book you read?

revising, What´s Up Wednesday

What´s Up Wednesday? The busy bee edition…

Elodie

WUW Winter Holly 1

What´s up Wednesday is the brainchild of Jaime and Erin. It´s a weekly meme geared toward readers and writers, allowing us to touch base with blog friends and let them know what’s up. Should you wish to join, make sure to leave a link to your What’s Up Wednesday post in the widget on Jaime´s blog.

What I´m reading

 Well…I forgot my Kindle and to bring a book with me today. Which means of course that I have to go to the bookstore to buy one during my lunch break. Because as my husband correctly pointed out (he knows me well), not having a book with me is dramatic.

What I’m Writing

 Revising. Revising. Revising.

What else I´ve been up to

Working a lot. I was in the US last week for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful! but work is taking a LOT of my time right now.

What inspires me right now

Dahlia had her cover reveal. You can check it out here and even enter to win an ARC.

Rebecca is the sweetest and agreed to sign a copy of her book for my niece when it comes out. You can pre-order your book here.

And the mentors of Pitch Wars selected their mentees, did you know that Erin has been chosen as an alternate? You should definitely go and congratulate her…

I can’t wait to check all your posts and see what you’ve been up to 🙂