The Return of the Friday Five

So, that thing I promised you guys I wouldn't do again? I did it.  Yup, as you can see from the fact that it's been over two months since my last post, I disappeared on you all.

Again.

So, what have I been doing, you might ask? Since today is Friday, I shall give you five excuses reasons why you haven't seen me in a little while.  And, what better way to do that, than with a Friday Five Picture Parade. (I'm a giver that way)

Hockey Fun Times! Tampa hosted my beloved Red Wings. Yay-ness! My wings lost, tho. Boo-ness

I gave into peer pressure, folks. I am now lost in the Who-verse. I'm still on the fence about this show tho...

Yup, you're seeing that right. I got to be one of the first to read Linda Grimes' newest book. Lookit how pretty!

The time change really wore us out. My boys still haven't recovered.

And then, this happened! My partner in writing crime and I are now repped by the super shiny and oh so fabulous Laura Zats of Red Sofa Literary.  Woot!!!

So, I've been a little busy lately. I apologize for leaving you fun peeps.  Hopefully, that won't happen again.  How have you been getting along in my absence? Everyone playing nice? Anything fun and exciting happen for you? Do share.

Friday Five: Tall, Dark & HolyHawtnessBatman!

Since next week is going to be a Tuesday/Thursday posting week, I figured I'd combine this FridayFive with ManCandyMonday.  So, we get five times the hot guy fun. 

You're welcome.

Adan Canto
He played Paul in The Following, only to be killed off a few episodes in :(

Jared Padalecki aka Sam Wincester

Henry Cavill aka Superman aka #ohHenrymyHenry

Robert Downey Jr aka Ironman aka RDJ

Norman Reedus aka Darryl Dixon of the Walking Dead fame

*fans self*  I don't know about you but I think I need a moment to gather myself here ;)

Friday Five: FREE Edition

I don't know about you fun folks, but I love trolling the #FREE lists on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  A free book is a great way to discover new authors that you might have overlooked, otherwise.  So, I figured that my first Friday Five of 2014 should be all about the F-word.

FREE, that is.

You're welcome :)

In the Young Adult section: SILENCE by Natasha Preston.  It has 280 reviews with an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5.  Blurb: For eleven years, Oakley Farrell has been silent. At the age of five, she stopped talking, and no one seems to know why. Refusing to communicate beyond a few physical actions, Oakley remains in her own little world. 

Bullied at school, she has just one friend, Cole Benson. Cole stands by her, refusing to believe that she is not perfect the way she is. Over the years, they have developed their own version of a normal friendship. However, will it still work as they start to grow even closer? 

When Oakley is forced to face someone from her past, can she hold her secret in any longer?

In the Romantic Comedy section: BEAUTY AND THE FEAST by Julia Barrett.  With 144 reviews list, it has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.  Blurb: Eva Raines is an uncomplicated country girl who’s all about food. Eva moves to the Napa Valley where her culinary skills come to the attention of the owners of a start-up and Eva finds her niche as a personal chef. Now all she needs is a man as perfect as her cooking, but she has serious doubts such a creature exists.

When wealthy entrepreneur, winery owner, and noted lothario, Gabriel Abbott, makes plans to seduce his flavor of the month, his assistant hires All Things to All People to cater a gourmet dinner. Eva expects to use her way with food to showcase the startup. What she unexpectedly discovers is that her culinary skills showcase far more. Gabriel Abbott finds himself seduced by her voice and the sensual flavors and textures of her food and his previous plans are quickly forgotten. He begins to obsess about meeting his little chef in person. He’s not alone. Once Eva hears Gabe’s voice and spends time in his home in the Napa Valley, she begins to wonder about the real man and her dreams of him are so hot they could ignite a barbecue.

When Eva and Gabe finally come face to face, the question is, how hot will their fire burn?

New Adult brings us DEEPER by Blue Ashcroft.  45 reviews net this story a 3.8 average.  Blurb: Lifeguard Rain Wilson can’t afford to get distracted. After a horrible accident at her last park left her emotionally scarred, she’s determined to use her status as supervisor to keep everyone at her new water park safe. 

Her co-supervisor Knight McAllister is the worst kind of distraction. Knight’s as gorgeous as he is stubborn, with electric blue eyes, a tall, muscled swimmer’s body, and the opinion that he doesn’t need a co-supervisor at all. 

But as the season heats up, so does the temperature between the two head lifeguards. But as they find themselves drawn closer together, and their pasts start to surface, Rain and Knight are realizing that maybe too much broken can make a relationship impossible. 

Then again, sometimes it’s the broken parts of us that fit together best. 

Mystery gives us FRY by Lorna Dounaeva.  4.5 star average from a total of 41 reviews. Blurb: When Isabel Anderson nearly runs over mysterious Alicia McBride, she is ridden with guilt. She helps Alicia get a job at the supermarket where she works, and soon, Alicia is acting like her new best friend. But then strange fires start to break out all over the small seaside town of Queensbeach, including at the caravan park where Alicia is staying. Isabel suspects Alicia knows more than she's letting on and grows increasingly nervous when her friend Deacon invites Alicia to stay with him. But it's Isabel the police suspect. 

Determined to confront Alicia, Isabel bursts into her room and sees the word 'FRY' branded across her back in capital letters. From then on, she sees the word "FRY' everywhere she goes: in graffiti, on toilet walls, even on car registration plates. Then her beloved cat, Fluffy, disappears and Isabel is convinced Alicia is behind it. She puts up posters all over her neighbourhood, but as fast as she puts them up, someone takes them down. Soon, a whole spate of fires is breaking out and Isabel must stay one step ahead of the flames and the police. In order to survive, she must question her own innocence, her sanity and the very fabric of her morality. Can she win back Deacon? And will she ever find Fluffy? 

Another from the Young Adult category: INVISIBLE by Cecily Anne Paterson.  462 reviews giving us an average of 4.5.  Blurb: Jazmine Crawford doesn’t make decisions. She doesn’t make choices. She doesn’t make friends. Jazmine Crawford only wants one thing: to be invisible. For Jazmine, it’s a lot easier to take out her hearing aid and drift along pretending that nothing’s wrong than it is to admit that she’s heartbroken about her dad dying. She’s been drifting and ignoring her over-worried mum for four years now. 

When bad girl Shalini and her mates adopt Jazmine, she quickly finds herself involved in more than she can handle. Sitting in disgrace in the principal’s office, Jazmine is offered a choice: help drama teacher Miss Fraser in the upcoming production of The Secret Garden or face a four week suspension. 

It’s Miss Fraser who clinches the decision. “I believe in you Jazmine,” she says. “I know you can do this.” And Jazmine, terrified, disbelieving and elated all at the same time, joins the play. 

For a while it’s all good. Drama star and chocolate lover Liam is friendly and Jazmine realises that making friends, talking to her mother and feeling her emotions isn’t as scary as she thought. In a final happy twist of fate, acting diva Angela quits the play and with only a week to go, Miss Fraser asks Jazmine to take on the main role of Mary. But then Shalini returns from her suspension. She’s out for payback, and she has just the ammunition she needs to force Jazmine to quit the play and go back to her old ways. 

Will Jazmine be confident enough to stand up for herself against Shalini? Will Liam still like her if he finds out who she really is? And does she have the strength to face the truth about her father’s suicide?

Now, I haven't read any of these books myself...YET.  How about you fun folks? Have you enjoyed these reads?  How would you rate them?  Do share :)

Friday Five: Just Gimme One...BOOK

It seems that every time I ask peeps for a book recommendation, I end up getting hooked on yet another series.  I feel like I'm drowning in duets, trilogies, sagas, and the epic 17,000 book series.

I'm not complaining.  Really.  I'm not.  Because I know how hard it is to let some characters go.  As both a reader and a writer, there are just some stories that cannot be contained with the covers of one measly little book.  Not only do you need that second, third, fourth, sixty-eighth book to do justice to your characters' lives, but you CRAVE those extra moments with them.

So, I understand why there are so freaking many multi-book story-lines out there.  Really.  I do. 

BUT!

Just once, I'd like to someone to offer up a great book for my reading pile that is NOT part of an epic saga.

So, where does the Friday Five come in, you ask?  Simple.  First, I will give you five books I've read that are not part of a series, and all I ask in return is that you fun folks do the same in the comments. 

Sounds easy, right?  Yeah, you'd think that...but not so much.

Five STAND-ALONE Books I Highly Recommend

BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys  ...  I read this a couple of years ago, and I still can't stop thinking about it.  It's the first book I think of when someone asks me what they should read.  Beautiful, gripping, gut-wrenching and HAUNTING.  I also have her second novel OUT OF THE EASY on my TBR pile, just haven't read it yet...

JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen ... Contemporary YA at its best.  I love Dessen's writing style, her characters, and her love interests are always swoon-worthy.  I just love Owen in this one.  The only LI better than him would have to be Wes in THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER

GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley ... Aussie YA dual perspective contemp.  great romance.

RAW BLUE by Kirsty Eagar ... Aussie YA  LOVED THIS ONE.  Seriously.  If you haven't read it. You simply must!  NIGHT BEACH was amazeballs as well, but if you're going to choose just one, RAW BLUE gets top honors.  (in which I cannon thank Angie over at Addicted to Books enough for introducing me to this awesome writer)

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green ... Did you really think I'd have a list without Mr. Green on it?  This is his most recent, and probably the most heart-breaking of all.  If you haven't read Green before, you should really check out LOOKING FOR ALASKA, PAPER TOWNS, WILL GRAYSON WILL GRAYSON, and/or AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES.  They're all great.

Now, you have my Friday Five: STAND-ALONE books.  What're yours?  Do share :)

Friday Five: The Skinny on Operation Skinny Bitch

As many of you peeps know by now, Karla has been involved in a little mission called Operation Skinny Bitch for a little over seven months now.

It all started because Karla was at her breaking point.  She didn't feel good.  About herself.  About her body.  About her life.  So a change had to be made.  And with any goal one makes, Karla knew that she had to make herself more accountable in order to meet said goal.

Thus, Operation Skinny Bitch was born.

It started innocently enough.  A Facebook status update along the lines of:  Day One of diet, four hours in and I haven't gnawed off my arm yet. I think that's a good start.  Right?  And, do you know what happened?  SOOO MANY 'Likes' and tons of comments, all cheering Karla on and congratulating her on making this change.

ON THE FIRST DAY.

It bolstered her so much that she started updating her status more and more with little things about her diet plan.  Updates on how many miles she made it through with Norm the NordicTrack on her walks to nowhere.  There were good times and bad.  Who can forget her update one night:  Disaster struck, peeps. On tonight's run to nowhere, I lost my balance and fell off the treadmill.  But, it's okay. The elliptical broke my fall :(  Suffice it to say, that was not a good night.

Again, the response was overwhelming and most of all, motivating.  And, in that moment, Karla KNEW that she was not alone in this endeavor.  So many friends (both in real life and the ones who live in her computer) were pulling for her to succeed.  I won't lie.  There have been some truly gruesome moments in these past months, but knowing Karla has that support system in place has helped tremendously.

Recently, I've been getting messages online from peeps following Operation Skinny Bitch.  They tell me how this girl *points at self* has inspired them to get into a healthier them.  And, you know what? That feels better than all the other encouraging notes I've received because that means Op Skinny Bitch hasn't just helped me.  It's helping others.  Woot!.

So, here is my Friday Five, friends.  (thought I'd never get to it, huh?)

How to Get the Most out of Operation Skinny Bitch

• Make healthier food choices. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you may have to get on a regimented meal plan like I did.  But, if you don't want to do that or just have a couple pounds to lose, make better choices.  Drink unsweetened tea instead of soda pop.  Use Splenda in lieu of sugar.  Choose grilled chicken over deep fried.  Eat more proteins and veggies, less carbs.
• Get off the couch!  I know we all have our favorite TV shows.  But, you don't have to sprawl out on the couch to watch them.  I have my Norm (the NordicTrack) set up in front of a TV.  I get prime boobtube time every night, WHILE GETTING MY HEART PUMPING!  It's a win-win situation.
• WATER.  Drink it.  At least 8 glasses a day, but try for 10.  You will notice an immediate difference in how you look and feel.  Take it from me.  My skin fairly GLOWED after only two weeks of my diet plan, and I drink about 100 oz of water a day.  Plus, my nails are freaking BEAUTIFUL.  Again, WATER.
• Have your last meal of the day a minimum of THREE hours before you go to bed.  I know.  I know.  We all like to snack while we're watching TV at night.  But, going to bed on an over-full stomach does not help you.  AT ALL.  And, really if you think about it, odds are you're not even hungry when you snack at night.  You just think you need to eat.  Find yourself something to do with your hands while you're unwinding from the day.  When I first started Op Skinny Bitch, I got out all my dusty old crocheting stuff and worked my fingers to the bone.  Not only did I not snack at night, but I made several blankets and scarves for my friends.
• Lean on your friends.  Having a hard time of it? Reach out.  No one can help you thru the tough times if you keep it all in.  They will definitely help pick you up and cheer you on, because they know you'd do the same.  Believe me.  You don't even want to know about the ledge I was on at on freaking point in Op Skinny Bitch.  But quite a few peeps stepped in and told me to leave PityLand behind and rejoin the real world.  And, I did.  I'm not sure how long I would've been wandering in that desert if they hadn't of interceded.

Okay, friends.  That's it for my Friday Five.  What about all you fun folks?  Have any words of wisdom you care to share with the group?

Friday Five: The World According to Karla

This week has been kind of a lazy week (blogging wise) for me.  I wasn't ignoring you fun friends.  I promise!

So, I thought What better way to end this week than to give my peeps a run-down of my trials and tribulations of the past several days?  But, then I was like, Wow, Karla.  They don't want to spend hours upon hours reading your one lone blog post of the week, so maybe you can keep it to just five?

An excellent idea if I do say so myself ;)

1. DirectTV loves Karla sooo much that not only did they give her the gift of Red Wings hockey (being in FL, she doesn't get to see her beloved Wings play all that often), but it was a FREAKING AWESOME GAME.  She was yelling and screaming at the TV, especially at the end with Zetterberg's hat trick.  
2. Karla was down with the sickness.  One that came at her like someone had taken a baseball bat to her head.  NO WARNING.  Middle of the night, stomach curling, body aching, head pounding, zombie making sickness.  Two days were spent SLEEPING, and then another two days were spent staring at my food before opting for cups of chicken broth and pita bread, foods that aren't Op Skinny Bitch approved, but it had to happen.
3. ALWAYS AND FOREVER was had a free download day on Monday.  We got over 10,000 dowloads that day, propelling us all the way up to #8 in the Free Kindle Store(#1 in its subcategory of Teen Lit & Fiction) that day.  Made this girl quite happy *big grin*
4. Karla's car Ruby is still the demon bitch from Hell.  So, she's been using the company truck to get back and forth to work.  Yesterday, she had a flat tire (big ass nail in said tire).  Karla--knowing full well how to change her own tire--sets about getting her tire-changing groove on.  Only to have every damned thing go wrong that can.  Helpful Neighbor (not to be confused with Creepy Neighbor or Needy Neighbor) saw Karla in distress and offered assistance.  Helpful Neighbor to save the day!!  They work together to get the tire changed only to find that the spare tire is flat too.  FML
5. Even with the sickness, lack of exercise, and all that damned pita bread Karla consumed at the beginning of the week, Karla's weigh-in this week was a smashing success.  FOUR more pounds down, which puts this girl *points at self* that much closer to the Happy 100 mark!  Woot!! OPERATION SKINNY BITCH, FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, that was my week.  How about you fun friends?  Anything exciting/earth-shattering/gut-wrenching going on in your neck of the woods? Do share :)

Friday Five: Chaos in Karla-land

So, I haven't been posting in a while.  I know.  I know.  Bad blogger.  Bad!  I will rectify this situation, friends.  I promise.

This Friday Five is all about what's been up with Karla since we last convened for a Friday Five.  I give you all:

Five Craptastic Adventures in Karla-land

• Karla's lawn maintenance activities ground to a halt when Severus Snake made a surprise re-appearance by leaping* out in front of the lawnmower and thus scaring the poo out of her.
• Creepy Neighbor** exhibited more suspicious behavior.  Karla went on stake-out duty for most of a night, ready to make a citizen's arrest, only to come away empty-handed.  The next morning, CN asked her what she was doing in her lanai (without benefit of lights) for the majority of the night.  Apparently, Karla still has much to learn about remaining inconspicuous during said evidence-gathering missions.
• Karla got her first royalty statement for ALWAYS AND FOREVER!! Yippee!  Just so we all know, though, royalty statements are a bit confusing to read, and Karla spent half that day trading emails with  her book manager as she tried (and mostly failed) to decipher all those damnedable numbers.  Royalty Statement: 5; Karla: -2  *hangs head in shame* Epic fail.
• When asked what Little Bro would want for X-mas, Karla's mother informed her that she should make him an afghan.  Um...yeah.  Karla has less than SIX weeks to make a blanket that would normally take her close to three months.  Suffice it to say, she is now working like she belongs in a yarn sweatshop.
• Karla is still bouncing between two WiPs.  One is her mystery and the other is her epic alien rebellion saga.  She still can't decide which is shinier.

BONUS Friday Five News!!  

• There is a giveaway going on over at Goodreads, in which THREE copies of ALWAYS AND FOREVER are up for grabs.  The contest closes on October 28, so if you haven't entered, you should ;)   
• On Monday, October 29 and Tuesday, October 30, ALWAYS AND FOREVER will be available as a free Kindle download!

So, what about your Friday Five?  Is it full of chaos, snakes, and creepy neighbors or more along the lines of squee-inducing news? Do share :)

*okay. okay. so maybe snakes don't so much as leap as slither, but it felt like the bastard was flying right at me! *shivers*

**you know what I mean.  Don't we all have neighbors who are just a little off and when we look at them we think, "I bet you have sixteen bodies chopped up in your freezer"  Exactly my point.

Friday Five: Hot Nerdy Guys, FTW!

Geekcrushes.  We all have them, me especially.  So, what better way for me to welcome back Friday Fives than to present you fun folks with the five nerdy boys I'd take home in a blink ;)

Matthew Gray Gubler (aka Dr. Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds)

Masi Oka (aka Hiro Nakamura from the short-lived TV show, Heroes)

Johnny Galecki (aka Ira on cult classic movie, Suicide Kings....he also plays Leonard on The Big Bang Theory, but he's the shizz in Suicide Kings, or as Christopher Walken so succinctly put it, "Ira, you are the man")

Anthony Micheal Hall (as Brian in the best teen angst movie EVER, The Breakfast Club)

Jim Parsons (as Dr. Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory)

What about you?  Who are your geekcrushes?  Do share :)

Friday Five: It Was A Dark And Stormy Night...

This Friday Five is going to be a little different, folks.  Instead of regaling you all with a list of five things all with a common thread as per my usual posts, I'm going to share with you the first FIVE words of my current WiP, ZERO. 

Fun, huh? 

Okay, so here we go...

When the first settlers arrived,

There you have it, folks!  What are your first FIVE words?  Do share.  (in which this is my shortest Friday Five.  EVER)

Friday Five: Things That Make You Go, "WTF?"

1. My cousin once turned to me and said, "I hate reality TV."  We were watching Smallville.
2. An old lady in the check out line in front of me was short $2.78 on her bill.  Being in a hurry and not wanting to wait while she pawed through her bags to find something to have taken off her bill, I handed the cashier a five.  The old lady not only didn't say, "Thank you," or even acknowledge the niceness that I was handing out, she TOOK the change, too!  Apparently, she really needed that $2.22
3. A customer didn't understand why we couldn't build him a house with a basement.  In FLORIDA, a state that is mostly at or BELOW sea level.  Yeah, buddy.  I'll build you a basement that holds water all year round.  You can tell your friends you had an indoor pool put in.
4. A friend of mine once told me, "I think you scare some people."  Ummm...thanks?
5. I once told a (completely different) customer, "We build up.  If you dig in Florida, you'll hit water."  He'd asked me how deep we drill our wells.  *facepalm*  Lesson learned: no one is immune from making a jackass of themselves...in case you were wondering.

What about all you fun folks?  What's the craziest thing anyone's ever said to you?  What's the most idiotic thing you've ever told someone...and how long did it take for you to realize your lunacy?

Friday Five: A Wish List for the Past

We all know by now that I love YA.  I read it.  I gush about it.  I write it.  And then, I read it some more. 

BUT!  What you might not have realized from my steady stream of (at times) incoherent ramblings is that this has not always been the case.  Don't believe me?  Exhibit A: In high school, my reading list leaned decided toward adult mysteries and suspense novels.  Dean Koontz.  Jame Patterson.  Erica Spindler.  Mary Higgins Clark.  John Saul.  Just to name a few.  Of course, all that mystery was seasoned liberally with historical romances,* not to mention the undisputed queen of the night and vampire novels everywhere, Anne Rice.

So, where was the YA?  Sadly, in those days, my opinion of young adult novels was pretty low.  Yes, there was RL Stine and Christopher Pike and LJ Smith, but for a reader as voracious as I was even back then, those skinny little 150-200 page books that always always always ended with an HEA (happily ever after) just weren't my cup o' tea.  We all know how I like my tragic, or at the very least, bittersweet endings.

So, what happened to change all that, you might ask?  Simple.  The books.  In my opinion, the young adult genre has grown by leaps upon leaps and bounds upon bounds in the two decades since I myself enjoyed the age that is YA's target audience.  The materials are real and, at times, gritty.  They make you think, whether it's a literary piece commenting on suicide, drug problems, bullying, or any of the myriad issues affecting teens today or even a dystopian about a future society trying to be utopian but failing miserably, the books stay with us.  They speak to us.  They make us look at our own lives even while entertaining us with a unique tale.

There are just so many young adults books about there today that I really wish had been out back in my "young adult" days.  Which brings me to this week's Friday Five (bet you thought I'd never get to it, huh?)

Five Books Today I'd Liked to Have Had 'Yesterday'

JUST LISTEN by Sarah Dessen:  This happened to be the first Dessen book I picked up, and to date, I've read all her books.  She just has a way with shedding light on certain issues without making this a wallowy type of book.  The characters are real and well-defined here, and Owen is definitely swoon-worthy.  Plus, there's music.  A major bonus, as far as I'm concerned.

SOME GIRLS ARE by Courtney Summers: I love how the heroine here is so not a nice girl.  I hate her.  I love her.  She made me keep turning the pages.  I wish I could've had this book back in the day, or a book like it.  One that tells you that you can change, you can become a better person no matter how bad you were to begin with.  You can do the right thing, even if it damn near kills you...or at very least gets your ass kicked by your ex-best-friend.

PAPER TOWNS by John Green:  A fun caper that follows three friends on a quest to find Q's missing crush.  I love the relationships, the snarky comic genius of Ben and Radar.  I just love greatness of having boy MCs in my YA novels.  They're so few and far between, and a downright rarity when done well.

THE HUNGER GAMES (trilogy) by Suzanne Collins:  What did you really think I'd leave this off my list?  Especially after I've been waxing poetic about HG all week?  Also, I really would've liked to have these books in hand when mean ole Mr. H** made us read BRAVE NEW WORLD in 10th grade.  I hated that book, and he said it was simply because I didn't read sci-fi/dystopians so I was biased.  I so could've shoved HG in his face and been like, "Bitch, this is a dystopian society we should dissect...and it'd be a helluva lot more interesting."  Okay, maybe I wouldn't have said those exact words, but you get the drift.

WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson:  Of course, LHA has to be on this list.  SPEAK is another of hers that I tell everyone I know they must read, but considering it first appeared in print only a year after I graduated high school, that one was kind of 'around' back in the day.  But, WINTERGIRLS? guh.  One of the most honest tales of the hell that is an eating disorder.  Plus, LHA's writing is sheer poetry.  It just kills me.

Okay, so that's it for me this Friday Five, folks.  What books do you wish had been around back in your young adult hey-day?  Do share :)

*bet you can't see me as the overly-romantic sort, huh? well, I was...back in the day

**he wasn't really mean.  in fact, Mr H was one of my favorite teachers...but that doesn't mean I forgive him for making us read that crappy ass book. i'm just saying

Friday Five: Meredith Zeitlin

A little minute ago, I reviewed FRESHMAN YEAR & OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS on this little old blog.  Now, Kelsey has arrived in stores and wants you to take her home with you.  In honor of the occasion, FRESHMAN YEAR author, Meredith Zeitlin has decided to visit my corner of the Seventh Circle, and since this is a Friday, she's graciously offered to give us her own Friday Five list.  So, minions, I (and by I, I really mean, Meredith as she wrote this post. yeah, yeah. I'm being lazy today. sue me.) give you...

FRIDAY FIVE: TIPS FOR SURVIVING FRESHMAN YEAR

My freshman year was both really hard and ultimately really rewarding. I started at a brand new school that year, which was nerve-wracking. I missed my friends from middle school and could barely find my way around the place, much less comprehend why I had to bear the additionally heavy cross of braces and awful bangs and a nose I had yet to grow into. But I actually ended up loving it - I did make friends, and figure out where to sit at lunch, and got cast in a lead role in the school play, and somehow ended up on the lacrosse team - a sport I'd never even heard of before. (In a related story, I was TERRIBLE at it. But I had fun!)

Of course, this is me as an adult looking back; at the time I know I was incredibly frustrated much of the time. It's so hard to be new. It's so hard to be fourteen! It took a long time for things to be mostly fun instead of mostly terrifying.

I've been asked a lot during this book tour what I'd say to myself if I could go back in time, and the answer is: PLENTY. Of course, I can't. So here are some tips for those starting on the often horrifying, sometimes awesome journey that is freshman year. Who, if they're anything like I was at fourteen... will probably ignore me. Ah, well. Points for trying?

1) Don't try so hard. Trust that people will like you even if you aren't always "on," or cracking a joke, or proving you're right about everything, or agreeing with the popular opinion, or whatever your go-to self-defense method is. Here's the thing - all the other kids are just as insecure about themselves as you are. Be yourself. Relax. All that energy you're expending working to fit in (or be deliberately different)? No one is noticing. Just do your thing.

2) The guys (or girls) you're agonizing over don't deserve your agony. People used to have to wait for their high school reunions to realize the crushes they lost their minds – and many, many tears, and occasionally even friends – over end up being, well, not nearly as great as they seemed at the time. In the era of Facebook, you don't even have to wait! So have fun, date, hook up, flirt, and do all that stuff. Even get your heart broken – we all have to go through it sooner or later. But try not to take it too seriously if you can. You will look back and think “I liked THAT guy (or girl)?! Whyyyyyyyyyy?” in ten years. I promise.

3) Don't suck up to that junior after the cast list for the fall play goes up - or whatever your corresponding situation is. It's annoying to everyone else and usually backfires. You will be better off earning upperclassmen's respect and admiration for your writing or art or whatever makes you special. Let them come to you, or see if friendships just unfold naturally. (Trust me on this one – that cafeteria scene with Julie Nelson in the beginning of the book? Ripped from the headlines of my life. Nightmare.)

4) Do not to go into Manhattan to stay over at the apartment of a random girl you barely know from camp. She turns out to be really weird and live in what is essentially a room filled with garbage! This will not end up being the cool adventure you think it's going to be – not even close. (Hrm. Maybe this one really only works for me? Sorry 'bout that.)

5) Don't let your parents – or teachers, or anyone - make you think that every single thing you do in high school is going to make or break the rest of your life. My parents had me panicked about my SAT scores the second I set foot in high school. Not to mention grades, extra-curriculars, clubs, leadership positions... the pressure to succeed was incredible. And I'm certainly not saying those things aren't important – of course they are. BUT. One C (or even an F!) on a paper or test is not going to kill your chances at a good school. Your SATs will not determine the kind of person you end up being or the quality of the life you end up having. So yes - study hard. Join clubs and activities that interest and motivate you. But also have fun. Make choices. Make dumb mistakes. Learn from them. Don't let this looming senior-year mission to get accepted to Yale or wherever predicate every move you make in high school. There are just as many important experiences to have that are never going to come up on a college application, and you don't want to miss them.

By the way - the advice I could offer for the next three years after ninth grade? Or college? Well, that list was be too long for this post. It's Friday Five, not Fifty. Don't blame me! It was all Karla's idea... Happy reading!

Friday Five: My Week in Review

So, it's been a CRAY-ZEEE week, peeps.  Which is probably why I've been kind of quiet on the Twitter/Facebook/blog front.  Seriously.  There were many times this week when I was ready to yank my hair out, but of course, I didn't cuz, well, I'm not all the sure I'm the kind of girl that can make bald look beautiful.  Anywho...so on this Friday Five, I give you:

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, and The WOW That Was My Week (a list of FIVE)

1. The baby blanket is done!  I have to admit that I was a little concerned about this endeavor.  It was the first time I actually had to read a pattern for something I'd crocheted, and it actually looks like the picture in the book!  I only had to call my grandma a half-dozen times for help, so I practically did it myself.  Admit it. You're impressed.  (so am I, to be honest)
2. Work has been insane...but, hey! I'm not complaining here. Busy = job security, people. I love it!
3. Time of death has been officially called on the treadmill.  That's right, folks.  The old girl (I've had her for like seven years now) has finally dropped.  I really miss that 45 minutes we spent together every night while drooling over my boys, Sam and Dean.  Here's to hoping I get a new one soon.  I'm starting to go through Supernatural withdrawls.
4. I got a call the other day that pretty much made my month.  But, that's another day's blog post.
5. It's official!  I (and a dozen other authors) will have not one, but FOUR essays published in the upcoming anthology WRITE FOR THE FIGHT, A Collection of Seasonal Essays.  It comes out March 5, 2012, as an exclusive NookBook First book, and a month later will be available in both e-book and print format.  All author proceeds will go to charities supporting breast cancer research. 

So, that was my week, friends.  What was up in your world?  Hopefully, you had more of the Good than the Bad or the Ugly :)

ARC Review: BELIEVE IT OR NOT

The Book: BELIEVE IT OR NOT
The Author: Tawna Fenske
The Publisher: SourceBooks Casablanca
Anticipated Release (hehe. I said RELEASE) Date: March 1, 2012

This is where I'd normally give you a summary of the book, but really, you can get that here or here or here and also pre-order it while you're there, because BELIEVE IT, this book is that freaking AWESOME.  Do it. Do it NOW.  I'll wait right here while you go do that. 

...

...

Done?  Okay, good.  Now, for my real review.  And, since this is a Friday, I'm going to give you the goods in true Friday Five Fashion (say that five times fast).  And so, I give you:

Five Reasons To Fall For BELIEVE IT OR NOT

1. The Characters.  Of course you have your MC, Violet McGinn, and her LI (love interest) Drew Watson (*sigh, swoon* Drew. *sighs again* I love him and kind of wish he was real...and working next door to me. I'm just saying.)  But, in some cases, it was the side characters who stole the show for me, even those who only showed up for a scene or two.  Moonbeam (Violet's hippie dippie psychic mom) was a hoot and a half.  Jamie, sweet kind of dumb and drop-dead gorgeous Jamie, inspired his fair share of "Aw"s and more than once, I just wanted to pat him on the head.  And, then there was Dreadlock Dude.  I freaking loved him!
2. The Music.  Butt Rock.  Glam Rock.  Eighties Hair bands.  Whatever you want to call it, although I think I kind of like calling it Butt Rock now.  It plays a central role in the plot, and has you snickering a bit, especially when Violet has to give a psychic reading for a cop and Drew is blaring Aerosmith in the background. 
3. The Dialogue.  This is perhaps my favorite part of Tawna's writing.  She comes up with such snicker/snort inducing conversations for her characters to have, and still finds a way to make them completely believable as real bantering.  Nothing feels forced, and you just get to sit back and enjoy the sarcastic/silly ride.  The only other author I can think of who can do this so seamlessly (and keep it going throughout the entire book without feeling contrived) is Susan Elizabeth Phillips.
4. The Curse.  That's all I'm going to say.  As soon as the object of the Curse showed his mug on the page and I realized what was actually on his--Oops! almost gave it away there for a second.  Bad Karla!.  Anywho, you'll just have to wait and see for yourself.
5. The Documentary Scene.  Remember the Cheez Doodle scene in MAKING WAVES?  Well, this one is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much funnier, and that's really saying something.  At one point, I laughed so loud, I kind of startled myself. 

Really, I could go on and on and on, folks.  This book was that good.  So, what are you waiting for?  Go pre-order your copy of BELIEVE IT OR NOT, right now.  As for me, I'll just have to wait for Tawna's next one to come out.  When is that again?  Oh, man, such a long wait.

Friday Five: Embrace The Randomness

So, this is going to be a short post today folks as I'm over at Tracey's Tavern sharing my very own Drunken Friday tale.  BUT, before you go, I do have a Friday Five to impart.

Five Randomly Random Observations That Came To Me This Past Week

(perhaps the longest Friday Five title ever, btw)

1. Dieting can be dangerous to your health.  Yes, friends.  I nearly choked on a carrot.  Not once, not twice, but three times whilst eating my salad at lunchtime yesterday. Word to the wise, if you're going to watch what you eat, WATCH what you eat.  It'll help you avoid swallowing wrong...er...that sounded vaguely dirty...but whatevs.
2. Don't make sweeping declarations; they have a way of coming back to bite you.  Earlier this week, I told several people that I was closing to book reviews for indefinite amount of time.  No sooner had the words fell from my lips than I got not one but FOUR requests from authors/editors about books that I would've fallen all over myself to request had I been trolling the review sites that I normally frequent.  Suffice it to say, I'm not closed to reviews.  In fact, I now have more than I can handle, and I LOVE it.
3. I cannot walk and talk at the same time.  As many of you know, I'm an avid treadmill walker, mostly because it gives me a chance to watch Supernatural reruns without feeling guilty about loafing on the couch to do so.  On Sunday, I decided that level 3 on the machine just wasn't cutting it, so I jacked it up to 4.7 and I was keeping up...that is until my mother called me.  Then, I just about took a header off the thing. Lesson learned, minions. Lesson learned.
4. I am really a little old lady trapped inside a (cough!) thirty-two (cough!) year-old's body.  I have a friend soon to have a baby and decided that instead of a store bought gift, I was going to make her something...a crocheted baby blanket.  It's looking pretty damn good so far if I do say so myself.  Just call me Granny Karla.
5. I really kick ass at Jeopardy!  Er...the ones with the little kids.  Pit me against sixth graders (or even celebrities) and I clean up.  Not so much the adults, but I can pass as middle schooler, can't I?

That's it for my list, but what about all you fun friends?  Tell me something random about you.  I'll just be over at Tracey's Tavern getting my drink on...with Your Mom ;)

Friday Five: You Think You Know, But You Have NO Idea

Have you ever had one of those moments when you're tap-tap-tapping away at your keyboard, content to let the words, thoughts, and actions of your characters flow out onto the page computer screen in a haphazard feeding frenzy of plot? 

You don't care that you keep typing in your where a you're should be, or even that your flying fingers are popping in a me when you really mean my, thus making your MC sound like a leprechaun who's "lost me lucky charms".  You just know that you HAVE to get the words out.  You simply must slap this scene into existence or risk losing it forever to the evil trolls who snack on plot twists while villainous laughter echoes throughout the cavern of your mind.  MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Wait? You don't have evil trolls?  It's just me? Aw, dammit! I did NOT want to hear that, minions.

Then, buckle up for this Friday Five list, folks, as I'm going to clue you into a few things regarding my newest Shiny New Idea turned Work in Progress, HATE CRIME, which is a YA mystery that I'm so freaking in love with right now, it's not even funny.  Seriously.

Five Surprises From My Characters

1. Matt is gay.  I didn't know this little tidbit about my MC when the idea for this story first came to me.  I didn't know it when I did the character development, and it sure as hell wasn't common knowledge when I started outlining (why yes, I am one of those outlining freaks).  Matt didn't deign it necessary to clue me in on this fact until I was writing out the first chapter, and a niggling little voice in the back of my head kept telling me that there was something important that I was overlooking.  So, said to him, "Dude, is there something going on with you and Alex that I don't know about?"  To which he replied, "Yeah, we've been together for a couple years now. Everyone knows this. It's no big deal."  Well, of course not, but thanks for telling me.  Limey bastard!
2. The killer's identity.  I'm usually a good detective and can figure out who the killer is within the first few chapters.  So, imagine my surprise when earlier this week, I realized the killer is actually the last person I would've suspected.  Wow, Karla.  Well, played there.
3. Lila is really me.  Um...yeah.  I didn't realize how eerily alike Lila and I really are until my best beta buddy (who is supercool enough to let me send her chapters as I write them) pointed this fact out.  Take away the facial piercings, the blue hair, and the ability to play the drums, and this is me in high school.  Did. Not. See. That. Coming.
4. John Locke (Matt's Dad) is not so bad a guy after all.  When the idea first came to me, John was this terrible, absentee father, but now...well, he's not only growing on me, but I'm kind of rooting for him and Matt to reconcile.  The question now is: Will they?  My characters haven't given me an answer regarding this as of yet.
5. The reason Alex's eyes are so brilliantly green is because he's one jealous bitch.  Peeps, I did not know this about Matt's boyfriend until about 10K in, but it definitely falls in line with his character.  And, let's just say that jealousy he exhibits on a regular basis leads to all kinds of trouble between the two boys.  I'm just saying.

So, there you have it, friends.  Now, you tell me.  Have your characters ever done an about-face on you, leaving you scrambling to maintain control in a world rife with chaos?  Or am I the only one?  I really hope not.

Friday Five: Things That Make Me Smile

Long time, no Friday Five, huh?  I've missed them, too, my lovely little minions.  So, what better way to get back into the Friday Five groove than to share with all you fun friends the things that bring an upside down frown to my face.

Yep, here it is:

Five Things That Make Me Smile

1. 
   A cold, blustery day.  Yes, you heard me right, and yes, I do live in a place where the sun never sleeps.  Also, I originally hail from a place where the sun is usually too scared to make an appearance.  So, when I wake up to find a cool breeze blowing and semi-gray skies surrounding me, I feel like I'm home, sitting on the porch in Michigan, wrapped in a blanket and bitching about the weather.  Ah, such fond memories :)
2. My babies. Yes, I know that I spent my entire blog post yesterday cooing over Sampson's birthday, but all my boys make me smile on a regular basis. Whether it's Quinn's really loud purring, Sampson's half-yelp-half-bark, or Scooter's big dog woof, they are unfailing spirit lifters. Pet owners know exactly what I mean by that.
   
   
   
3. Grossly fascinating cartoons.  South Park.  Family Guy.  I love them both.  But, my fave has always been Beavis and Butthead, which by the way, is back! Yes friends, I giggled nonstop from 10 to 10:30 while watching a NEW episode of the show I was beyond obsessed with as a teenager.  I love those miscreants just as much now as I did back then.  Er...I'm not sure what that says about me.
4. Dunkin Donuts' Iced Carmel Lattes.  We have a love/hate relationship.  I love them, yet I hate to think about how many calories are in one.  Best not to obsess about that.  Let's just concentrate on the love part.  *sigh* So good.
5. 
   Writing.  From the initial over-the-top excitement of a shiny new idea, to the stress of outlining, to the agony of getting stopped up on a particularly difficult scene to powering through and coming out triumphant over said scene, I love it all.  There's nothing better than the thrill of writing, of bringing the friends in your head to life.  (yes, I'm aware of how mental that last bit made me sound, but I'm not sorry.)

So, there you have it, folks.  What are your five things?  Do share :)

ARC Review, Friday Five Style: ULTRAVIOLET

The Book: ULTRAVIOLET
The Author: R.J. Anderson
The Publisher: Carolrhoda LAB (an Imprint of Lerner Publishing Group)
The Release Date: September 1, 2011

Summary:
There is really only one question everyone keeps asking of Allison: What happened to Tori Beaugrand?  The only problem?  Allison--freshly woken after spending the last two weeks in a mental institution--can't remember a thing.  She holds no memories of being the last person to see Tori, or even that moments before the pretty, popular girl disappeared, Allison and Tori fought, quite viciously.  And, she definitely doesn't remember confessing to the other girl's murder.

Now that she's awake, Allison is transferred to a teen-friendly facility where she slowly starts piecing her fragmented memories back together again.  And, she realizes that yes, she and Tori were fighting, and yes, she had told the police and her parents that she'd killed Tori, but that just doesn't ring true to her because she can't really say for sure what happened.  One moment she and Tori were fighting, and then Tori just...disintegrated.

That's crazy talk.  Allison knows it, but how else could she explain the disappearing act that Tori pulled.  And still, the question hangs out there: What happened to Tori?  Allison can't truly believe that she hurt the other girl, but it's clear she knows something about the disappearance.  But what does she know?

My Thoughts:
Since today is Friday, I think I'll break down my take on this very intriguing novel in true Friday Five tradition.  So, I present to you, boys and girls:

Five Reasons You Should Read ULTRAVIOLET

1.  The writing.  This was a fast, easy read that kept me guessing throughout.  From the opening paragraph (which was kind of prologue but not really because it was only a paragraph long), I was hooked.  In fact, I will throw out a couple of lines from said paragraph that just stunned me.  "Once upon a time, there was a girl who was special.  This is not her story.  Unless you count the part where I killed her."  ARGH! Talk about an opener!!! I dare you not to want to keep reading after that. No. No. I triple dog dare you.

2.  The characters.  You can't help but feel for Allison.  She is the kind of MC you want to root for.  Here, she is in the looney bin, thinking she murdered someone, even as she's coping with a life long affliction in which she can see sounds, feel words, taste lies.  Even she's not sure whether she might be a little on the nutty side, but still, you can't help but hope that they find some kind of explanation for everything that happened.  Also, there's Sanjay, a paranoid schizophrenic, who's delusions slide uncomfortably close to some of the things Allison herself has 'seen'.  And, Kirk, who proudly proclaims that he's bi...er, bipolar that is and Micheline who seems like the worst of lot, but is really just battling demons of her own.

3.  The Synesthesia.  Say what?  That's what Allison actually has, a neurological problem in which more than one sense is stimulated at the same time...like seeing a certain number always in a certain color.  Allison's case is quite severe seeing as how she can see sounds and taste words.  In reading ULTRAVIOLET, you learn a lot about the affliction all without feeling as though you're being beaten over the head with it. 

4.  The Descriptions.  This goes in conjunction with the writing and the synesthesia, but I'm making it my own category.  I just loved the imagery in this book.  The way Faraday's chocolate coated velvet voice sounded and the acrid taste of being lied to.  Also, I loved this line: "Grief surged inside me, filling my mouth with the bitterness of unsaid words."  I mean, seriously. Poetry here, folks.

5.  The Twisty, Fringe-esque Ending.  And, that's all I'm going to say about that.  No spoilers here, folks.  But, I will say one thing about this ending.  There is a reason the blurb calls this a "genre-bending paranormal YA".  I'm just saying.