ALL THE FEELS

I'm way behind on this, but if you follow me on Twitter then you know I just got done reading ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins.

Now, I read LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR first, which I know is out of order. So in the end I knew what would become of Anna and St. Clair. I thought that would ruin it for me, but it absolutely did not. Since I'd already checked out Lola, I knew that I could expect an amazing story from Anna. And let me tell you, it didn't disappoint.

Have you ever read a book that made you want to hug it close to your chest after you finished it? Yeah, that was Anna. I just got through this amazing journey with this character, and ended up falling in love with St. Clair along with her, that I just didn't want it to end. (Pretty much exactly how I felt after reading Lola.) I sat there staring at the cover, wishing for just a few more pages. A part of me wanted to start reading Lola immediately after, but then I realized my friend is borrowing it and inside I screamed, "NOOOOOO!"

I seriously cannot wait for Stephanie's new book: ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Will she bring Lola and Cricket in for a special appearance along with Anna and St. Clair? I bet she will somehow!

What book gives you ALL THE FEELS?

ORIGIN Giveaway

So I won a signed ARC of ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury last month from the Intergalactic Academy, and I just loved it so much that I have to share it with you guys! It is such a unique story and I loved all the characters, especially Pia and Eio. I just couldn't put it down because I needed to know what happened next. Jessica has such a great writing voice and I am so looking forward to reading her next book.

The Rafflecopter below will enter you into the giveaway. It ends next Sunday, September 16th. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's Almost Fall! Know What That Means?

VAMPIRE DIARIES RETURNS!!!

First of all, can we talk about this trailer? *SPOILER ALERT* Don't watch this if you haven't seen the third season.

When I first heard about Vampire Diaries I was like: "Ugh. Please. It's just another Twilight." I stayed far away for the first two seasons. It's a dumb excuse but it's true. Then I found out that *duh* Vampire Diaries came out in book form way before Twilight and I was being totally ridiculous and needed to jump on the TVD train immediately!

In comes my favorite thing ever: NETFLIX. I kept passing the TVD cover in my suggestions and finally I was like okay, let's do this. The first episode or two were kind of cheesy, but I instantly fell for the Stefan/Elena romance. Who wouldn't?! Of course there was Damon and my life changed when I discovered the hotness of Ian Somerhalder. Bye bye, Edward! (Btw...what happened to the Damon fog?)

Anyway...I got sucked into this show like everyone else, and the third season took us all on this insane roller coaster, leaving us going "WHAT?" I seriously can't wait to see what happens this next season.  A part of me hopes that Jeremy will come back and they'll axe Bonnie because she's just there when it's convenient. I think the biggest question is: Will Elena feed? I'm thinking HECK YES! But they'll probably drag it out way longer than necessary. Overall, I just need more Damon in my life and that wish will be fulfilled the day AFTER my birthday on October 11th. Woo hoo!! Best belated gift ever? I THINK SO!

What do you think will happen this season?

Insomniac Alert

What is it about being a writer that keeps us up at all hours of the night? I often find myself wide awake well after midnight, and whenever I go on Twitter it'll more than likely be filled with my writer friends having the same problem. Sometimes I attempt to go to bed at a decent hour, but all I do is stare up at the ceiling thinking about how I'm going to kill off a character, or if I'll get that long awaited email in the morning. I'm pretty sure we all have those problems.

I think most of you lovely people stay awake because the kids have gone to bed and it's your time to write. Others seem to get those creative juices flowing in the early hours of morning. Me? I suppose it all depends on where I'm at in my manuscript or if I'm brainstorming. Most of the time my mind is filled with all the different possibilities of where my writing will take me. Call it a daydream or whatnot.

It's fun to imagine where I'll be in a year. Heck! Even a month from now. So much has happened from the time I decided to plop myself in front of the computer and actually write something. That was a year ago last month, I do believe. I've learned so much, and I can't help but imagine what else could possibly happen.

There are about a million things that keep me awake at night, but I'm glad I have all of you to keep me company. Being an insomniac isn't too shabby when I've got a ton of Twitter friends to chat with.

What about you? Do you do most of your writing at night? What keeps you up?

My Reading List

Lately I've been in the mood for some dark and creepy reads. As most of you know from Twitter, I've been consuming Kendare Blake's sequel to ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD:

I can honestly say that Cas is one of my favorite male protagonists. He's hilarious. He's believable. He kicks major ass. The minute GIRL OF NIGHTMARES was released I couldn't wait to purchase it. I knew that it was going to be just as amazing as the first book. And let me tell you, it's not only as good, it's twice as freaky and twice as freaking awesome. The first chapter captured my attention instantly, sucking me right back into the story the way a sequel should. I'm not even done with this book and I can tell you that it's gonna be my new favorite. 

The next book on my list is: 

I realize I'm a little behind on this one, but don't judge me! POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil has received a lot of praise and I've been meaning to read this book for months. It takes a lot to scare me as far as books go (movies are entirely different), and I'm really hoping this one gives me the chills like everyone says it will. Not that I'm judging this book solely on that, because I'm sure I'm going to love it! 

I also have my eyes set on: 

Isn't this cover hauntingly beautiful? I was lucky enough to come across THE UNQUIET by Jeannine Garsee on Goodreads, and immediately after reading the premise I added it to my TBR list. The idea that she's a bipolar MC was intriguing to me. I've heard great things about how Jeannine really captures the illness along with throwing the MC into supernatural territory. Those two things mixed together give me all sorts of ideas about what could happen in this book and I'm so anxious to find out! 

These are the books I've got lined up for the next few weeks. What's on YOUR reading list? 

Inspiration

Lately I've been thinking a lot about what inspires me. What is it that makes me sit in front of the computer and write an outrageous number of words? What drives me to spends hours upon hours revising a manuscript over and over again?

Well, we all have our goals. We all want to do something bigger and better that what we are currently doing in our lives. That's not to say that we're unhappy, because I can honestly say that I love my day job. I'm fortunate enough to have a job that revolves around creativity and being my own person. I love that. But there's a part of me that needs so much more. I turned to writing because it was a passion I've had since I was a child. Whether it was a journal or a blog, I always found myself connected to words. Just by the way you can string them together to create some source of emotion or thought. I'd poor my heart out as if I were exposing myself to the world. That's what it feels like, doesn't it? It's like you're opening yourself up and showing everyone who you really are, because everything we say on paper is a piece of you that was created from an event or moment in your life.

It takes a lot for us to work up the courage to show anyone what we write. Handing over your manuscript to be critiqued can sometimes be the toughest thing you ever do. We're basically handing over our work and saying "Rip it apart and tell me how to make it better." And even though you know that's what you're asking these people to do, it still doesn't soften the blow when you receive those critiques with all those bright yellow notes saying "FIX THIS."

So why do we put ourselves through this torture? Because we have a passion for what we do, and we want more than anything to become the best that we can be. Not only does my love for writing drive me to continue, but the support I receive from all of you each and every day inspires me. I'm not just talking about all the positive things you say to me to make me smile. (Though I do love that very much.) I'm talking about the way you all support one another. When I go online and see how everyone gets along, and how we all motivate each other to keep writing ALL THE WORDS throughout the day, it makes me the happiest writer in the world. To be a part of such an awesome community makes all the difference to me. It makes me realize that where I am in life is exactly where I was meant to be.

So tell me, friends. What inspires you?

Ghosts and such

You know what I love about ghosts? I love the idea of them. Weird, right? Hang with me for a second. The thing I find fascinating is the concept that unworldly things like ghosts exist and feed off our energy. That they just sort of linger around causing mischief. I don't think the mischief thing is all they're about, but you get what I'm saying. You can argue that no one knows for certain that they're real, because it honestly depends on what you believe in. It's all a matter of believing, because once you believe you start to experience things on your own.

I've always been a sucker for a good ghost story, mainly because I love to be scared. The idea that these people or things lurk about unnoticed is just chilling and incredible at the same time. Shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures are my absolute favorite! Sure I can't watch them when I'm alone at night, but that's why I love it! They make you "feel" something. Whenever they catch something on camera or an EVP, I get chills. My heart starts racing, my head wants to turn away or I want to cover my ears from hearing its unsettling words, but my brain is like "I have to know!"

When it comes to movies, I tend to enjoy ghost stories like Woman in Black. It has that creep factor, but it's not overly gory. I also felt like it had an older, more classic horror feel to it, which is a big win for me. But then I also enjoy movies like The Eye that was made in Japan. I don't know what it is, but Korean and Japanese horror films are seriously amazing. The plots and effects know how to scare the living hell out of me. They're not always completely predictable like some movies. *eye roll* They know how to deliver an idea without beating you over the head with cliches. I was watching another ghost story on Netflix the other night called White. Holy. Crap.

Where some ghost movies become over-saturated with gore, I rather enjoy the ones that are all about the scare. That's also what I look for in a good book. I want to understand the ghost, get to know them. Not just think: "Wow. That throat slashing was a bit unnecessary." The ghost needs to be three dimensional, it needs a reason to exist.

So tell me, friends. What are some of your favorite books/movies that involve ghosts? What do you think about the idea of them?