Bare Apple Trees & Belly Buttons

I’m taking a break from the blogging world of books and writing to share a smidge about … well, me. Or rather my life.

I think I’m a pretty private person – I keep my fb private anyway. (HERE is my author page if you’re interested.) But anyhoo … back to my post title. Two unrelatable things, both of which I’m looking at on this fine September day.

An old decrepit apple tree hunches over a bit of my back yard with leaves aplenty but no juicy fruit. ‘Too old’ I hear its leaves whisper in the blowing breeze. Soon it’ll be chopped down, its trunk ripped from the ground so new sod can be laid for my two daughters’ little feet.

And here’s where we get to the 2^nd object - belly buttons.

Unlike this fully clothed child, my 2 ½ & 4 yr old girls love to run around naked. I have NO idea where they get that from.

Covered in sand and dirt, they traipse from swing to slide to sandbox sprinkling ‘glitter’ across the backyard. Like our lawn needs more sand.

Oh the innocence of childhood. To be so free - to see the world as they do and not be concerned about the mortgage or car payments - to not know how hard some dreams are to fulfill. (Still waiting on that first royalty payment!!)

Would you give up your knowledge - the wisdom you’ve gained - for just a taste of their world once more? Or are you looking forward to the days you get to say, ‘Too old’ and just rest your tired feet and mind?

#BookReview : Bridesmaid Lotto

Chicklit / Contemporary Romance

by Rachel Astor

From Goodreads:

Josephine McMaster is pretty and smart, but very much a klutzy mess. Finally, at 26, she may have actually lost the dreaded ‘McMaster the Disaster’ nickname that has followed her around her whole life.

Josie’s quite content to be single, much to her mother’s disappointment. So when a bizarre contest is announced where a socialite is holding a lottery to pick her bridesmaids (and rake in a little extra cash), she can’t roll her eyes fast enough, even if it does mean meeting Jake Hall, her one and only movie star crush. Obviously, Josie doesn’t enter the bridesmaid lottery, so you can imagine her surprise when her picture pops up among the winners, thanks to Mom. With a little prodding -- okay bribing -- Josie agrees to participate.

The wedding turns into the event of the year, and Josie finds herself in the middle of a paparazzi feeding frenzy, which gets even crazier after Jake Hall takes a special interest in her.

Can Josie handle the pressure in the spotlight? Is it possible she might really have a chance with Jake Hall? And if she’s busy worrying about all that, how in the heck is she going to keep ‘McMaster the Disaster’ from showing up in front of the entire world?


 

My Review:



Society goes nuts when a well-known socialite announces she'll be choosing bridesmaids from a lotto that the public can purchase a ticket for & cross their fingers to win. Her brother-in-law to be, Jack Hall, is one of Hollywood's most sought after bachelors AND a groomsman.

Josie, the MC, is unknowingly entered into the drawing by her mother. She wins.

Yummies: The MC is totally believable & likeable, flawed to a T. I really enjoyed joining her on this unwanted but exciting trip. The flamboyant side-kick is a riot. I had fun as he drug her from place to place picking out clothing & accressories for each event she had to attend.

I liked too that it was an easy read, not needing too many brain cells or emotions. The pacing and tiny bits of tension evolved in perfect timing.

Yuckies: I'm a sucker for description. I don't need info dumps, but cleverly entwined bits here & there go a long way. Well description really lacked in this book. From setting to how people looked just a smidge more would have helped with that star rating.

There was also a lack of emotional responses which hindered my empathy from becoming engaged. Take for example the *SPOILER ALERT* first kiss between Josie & Jack. There is no emotional reponse from the MC. None. The scene fell flat & I was disappointed.


Recommend: As long as you're not looking for an in depth read, one to stir the senses, then this book is for you. I certainly wasn't jumping out of my skin and screaming, 'OMG this freakin' rocked!' It was good, though.

Kick back - especially if your brain isn't functioning all that well and prepare yourself to be entertained.

Whatcha think? Read it? Gunna read it?

Editing = UGH

Those of you who follow me on Twitter & Facebook will notice something … I like to complain about editing. It is by far my least favorite part of creating a story. The necessary evil IMO. And I don’t ‘go’ this part alone. Oh no. I’m involved in a critique group over at Scribophile, a workshop for serious-minded writers.

I’ve gotten tons of feedback over the past year and not just grammar related. Plot holes, believability – you name it.

What do I use besides my forum? A biggie list.

Once a WiP is all on paper or in the computer I read for content. This is where I take into consideration all those plot holes or questions forum friends & beta readers bring to attention. I also address three other major items:

#1 Plot. Is it believable? Interesting? Are all my i’s dotted? T’s crossed? It must make sense and have an arc.

#2 Tension. Are there primal stakes every reader can relate to – facing death, fear, hunger, etc? Is the conflict (inner & outward) clear? Granted there will be down times. We all need to breathe and take a potty break. BUT a well-written story will keep those pages turning & e-readers clicking.

#3 Pacing. Is every scene essential to the plot? Does it drive the plot forward? If not then slash it. It’s fluff.  

After these three are mostly ironed out I go onto the finishing touches:

#1 Grammar. Spell check is always first. You’d think ‘well duh!’ but it’s amazing to me how many e-books I’ve come across with misspelled words. Sloppy & sad.

#2 Over used, repeated words. Ever get lazy & use the same verb over & over? Take ‘walk’ for example. How ‘bout spicing up the visual with a different word to convey how they walk? Amble. Hobble. Dart. Sprint. They create much better pictures in your brain, don’t they?

#3 ‘And then’ eliminations. Other than being ‘telly’ they’re boring and create no visuals whatsoever.

#4 Cliches. Gotta be original. Bring something new – something fresh – to entice readers and capture their imaginations.

#5 Vary sentence starts. It’s not pleasing to the eye or mind if every other paragraph starts with the MC’s name followed by a map-out of what they’re doing or have done.

#6 Correct word usage. There, their, they’re. To, too, two. I’m sure you get my drift!

Quite the daunting task isn’t it? Thank God for sites like Scribo & Writer’s Digest for helping with the vast majority of the first checklist.

The finishing is TONS easier when using AutoCrit or Pro Writing Aid. Never heard of them? Check those sites out. You can thank me later.

I know I need to stop complaining about editing. For me it’s just another twenty seconds of procrastination.

How ‘bout you? Have any tried & proven ways? Helpful websites?

#BookReview : Onyx (Lux Series #2) by @JLArmentrout

YA Paranormal

by Jennifer Armentrout

From Goodreads:

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies ...

Sweet. Alien. Babies.

How am I supposed to review this book?? I finished it over 5 hours ago and still can’t get my head screwed on straight. My emotions are still all a-jumble. What star rating to give it, I’ve been wondering? Can’t freakin’ figure it out!

Why ever not? You might holler – especially if you’ve already read it.

Because while I LOVED it, I hated it.

Hated that I’m still affected 5 HOURS LATER! Hate how it ended. Hate what happened to poor momma and she doesn’t. Even. Know it. Yet.

UGH.

Oh, but the love. *insert cheesy dream-like background music here*

Characters – phenomenal. Tension – palatable. Plot – KICK@$$. What else can I say without giving anything away?!?!?!?!?

Ms. Armentrout sure knows how to write a story, let me tell you. She brought characters to life in Obsidian, ones that dwell in your mind FOREVER. To finally have their story continue ….

I’m sorry, but I just don’t have the words. Just call me simple, folks.

Wait. I do have one word. Daemon. Wait. I have another word. YUM.

Yup. Simple.

Smokin’ monitors, ladies. Smokin’. Read it. And read it again.

Need. Opal. Now.

That is all.



So my review??? 5 Stars. Of course.

 Purchase Links (Cuz you WANT to buy this series. Trust me.)

Shadows (Lux #0.5)

 

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

 

Obsidian (Lux #1)

Amazon

Barnes&Noble

Book Depository

Onyx (Lux #2)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Book Depository