22 Things You Needed To Know About Me

If you don't follow the wonderful Frankie Diane Mallis, you need to. She is laugh-out-loud funny and cute as can be. I want her to be my friend. Anyway, she was donned the Liebster Award and instead of officially tagging folks in award-forwarding, Miss Frankie tagged anyone who read the blog post. And I read her blog post.

So as to not disappoint, I will now participate. Besides, the rules of 'eleven' appeals to me for reasons I state below. Without further ado, the rules:

1. 11 random facts about me.
I can totally do random. It's like my specialty.

2. 11 questions answered for the person who nominated me.
Okay, questions are good. Improv is not my strongest asset.

3. I nominate 11 picks for the award, and make up another 11 questions for them to answer.
Frankie cheated, so I'm following her bad example. :) If you're reading this, wa-bam! Consider yourself tagged.

4. Nominated peoples will be listed below with their 11 questions of DOOM.
Heh. Again, not good at improv so, my lovely taggees, feel free to answer the awesome questions below.

5. Nominated people do the same; paste the award badge to your blog, give us 11 random facts about yourself, answer my 11 questions, and choose your nominees…but you cannot nominate the blog who nominated you.
And away we go...!

11 completely random facts you may or may not have ever wanted to know:

1. My birthday is on 11/11 so I totally geek out over 11s. It's my fave number. Once doubled my money betting on 11 playing Roulette.

2. As a kid, I didn't like reading because we had to for school. I think I associate reading with oral book reports, which were like kryptonite for shy gals like me. I didn't get bitten by the reading bug until my early 20s.

3. Classic introvert. Many people have thought I was a total beotch when first meeting me because I don't talk much. I'm totally not a beotch, and these people usually ended up being my closest friends. 

4. I'm artistic, but not crafty. There's a BIG difference. I can sketch and stuff, but I can't walk into a Hobby Lobby and come out with a project. I actually envy those people.

5. I didn't go to traditional college. I'm an online graduate.

6. Besides my initial introversion, I'm a complete and utter goofball. I'm waiting for the day my son begins to roll his eyes at me rather than laugh along with me. It will come, I know it.

7. The color pink and I have a hate/hate relationship. I don't like it and it looks horrible on me. Earth tones are more my gig.

8. I prefer 'boy toys' to 'girl toys' and always have. Boy toys are so much cooler. 

9. Kind of a Tom Boy. I own one dress and I got married in it. I own one pair of heels (that are more than an inch high) and I have yet to wear them outside my closet. 

10. I have a nervous tick of biting my lip, or picking at my fingers (I blame my father, he does the same thing) and I'm that person who makes a sarcastic comment when tensions are too high. In other words, not great at handling awkward situations.

11. I can do an uncanny impression of the Sand People from Star Wars. My hubs hates it when I do it. I think I embarrass him. 

That wasn't so bad, now was it? *snortle* And now for the 11 random questions to answer:

1. What do you LOVE? (Not a person, but a thing)

Holy mother of all things addictive! Reese's Peanut Butter cups! I would eat them on a boat. I could eat them with a goat. I would eat them on a train. I could eat them in the rain...

2. What do you HATE? (again, not a person--this could be a pet peeve of grammar or glitter or whatever).

Holy mother of all illiteracy! People who say 'supposebly' instead of supposedly. For the love all things that are green, there's NO 'B' IN SUPPOSEDLY! Okay, whew. I feel better. OH! And people who don't know how to merge into traffic.

3. Favorite Author?

Oy vey. I seriously don't have a favorite. Some of the authors who I totally fangirl are Myra McEntire, Cassandra Clare, Jennifer L. Armentrout and Jeri Smith-Ready.

4. Favorite period in history? why?

It's a toss up between Victorian London and the 1920s. They are both very romantic times to me. The industrial revolution with proper etiquette in one and mobsters, bootlegging and speakeasies in the other. To be honest, the only time I ever paid attention during History class was during the 1920s studies.

5. What's your favorite Myth (or fairy tale)? why?

Oh my... Faeries, will-o-the-wisps... On a completely different path, the Native Skinwalkers have always fascinated me too.

6. What's your favorite god/goddess in mythology?

Demeter. :) Long story there...

7. Which character of your own would you most like to have show up on your doorstep?

I'm not gonna lie. Kennon. He's my fave and I LOVE writing him.

8. For Friendship or Romance? Why?

Um, duh. Romance! I feel like such a cougar. Well, technically he's a lot older than he looks so that would be okay then... I need to stop thinking about it.

9. Which character of someone else's would you most like to have show up on your doorstep?

I think it's because I just read DEFIANCE, but I would love to have Logan McEntire show up. Grrrrrr...

10. For Friendship or Romance? Why?

Definitely romance. And totally a cougar on this one. Rawr.

11. What book have you read the most? Or if you don't reread books, what book do you most remember the experience of reading?

I haven't re-read it...yet, but Clockwork Prince from Cassandra Clare. The pain she inflicts on her characters... I bow to her. After finishing, I was so twisted up with emotions I couldn't speak for like an hour.


So there you go! This was actually kind of fun. And as Frankie did, I pass the torch to anyone who decides to participate in this. Share a bit of yourself, or you can comment on the questions below. It's all about sharing, right?

Trailer Park Tuesday (12): FALLING KINGDOMS

Blood, Sweat and Books hosts the Trailer Tuesday meme and you can check out their awesomeness as well. Since I live in Middle Tennessee, I decided to country-fy my meme and go the trailer park route. *snortle* In my home away from home, I will spotlight some of the awesome book trailers out there in the world.

Okay. I've heard/seen a little bit of buzz about FALLING KINGDOMS by Morgan Rhodes, but not much. This book sounds so amazing I can't wait to read it! It taunts me from my stack-o-books. My reading roots are in high fantasy so I literally squeed when I saw this trailer. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. And the cover!!!! How sweet is that cover?

Have you read FALLING KINGDOMS? Please share your thoughts. All I know is this is a must read for me.

Author: Morgan Rhodes

Publication Date: 12/11/12

Goodreads Connection

In a land where magic has been forgotten but peace has reigned for centuries, a deadly unrest is simmering. Three kingdoms grapple for power--brutally transforming their subjects' lives in the process. Amidst betrayals, bargains, and battles, four young people find their fates forever intertwined:

Cleo: A princess raised in luxury must embark on a rough and treacherous journey into enemy territory in search of a magic long thought extinct.

Jonas: Enraged at injustice, a rebel lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country impoverished--and finds himself the leader of a people's revolution centuries in the making.

Lucia: A girl adopted at birth into a royal family discovers the truth about her past--and the supernatural legacy she is destined to wield.

Magnus: Bred for aggression and trained to conquer, a firstborn son begins to realize that the heart can be more lethal than the sword...

The only outcome that's certain is that kingdoms will fall. Who will emerge triumphant when all they know has collapsed?

My Thoughts: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

First let me just apologize for the uber generic background. Blogger is not my friend right now. Moving on.

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Have you ever read a book and, after closing the cover once you've read the last glorious word, you sit back as a writer and think..."I will never write like that!"

Me too. After almost every awesome book I read.

DEFIANCE was that kind of book. I finally sat down and read this ditty after picking it up at C.J. Redwine's book launch. Yeah, I know, I'm horrible. I am so very glad I did, though. There are so many things that I adored about this book that I'm having difficulty on where to start.

Baalboden is one of several city states in a sort of post-apocolyptic world. The walls are thick, the borders secured by lethal guardsmen, the people are oppressed, women are meek and mild, men are Protectors and worthy of anything more than a tea set, and the whole place is run by Commander Jason Chase; a man who makes Hitler seem warm and fuzzy. Loyalty and fidelity to the Commander are the only things that will keep you alive and all citizens are 'tagged' like sheep in a flock.

I was totally blown away by C.J.'s world building. Details were laid out perfectly as to not overwhelm but provide the reader with a vivid vision of what Baalboden was. The politics of Baalboden were well thought out and positively ruthless. And before you start thinking, "This sounds like Hunger Games" let me just say, there is a super cool fantasy element to DEFIANCE that I didn't expect.

Rachel and Logan... LOVE these characters. Rachel is impulsive, fiery, fierce, determined, and loves her family to the depths of her soul. Logan is logical, intelligent, methodical, unpredictable, lethal, and will do anything to keep those in his life he cares about safe. He's your creeper character, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Where Rachel is very take-her-at-face-value, Logan reveals himself to us slowly, and I sort of love him for that. Don't get me wrong, there are many layers to Rachel-Girl, but like her blunt personality, she doesn't hold punches.

Another thing I admired about DEFIANCE is the slow-to-build love. I think, at its core, DEFIANCE is less a romance than an adventure type of book. It's riddled with conflict that left me in awe. Many writing panels and advice sources say to "punish your characters" and good LORD did C.J. take them seriously. She drags us (willingly) on this horrible journey with Rachel and Logan. Once that we simply cannot see as going well, and then sucker-punches us in the gut every time you think that things will start to work out. And in the middle of all of this, Rachel and Logan find this slow-to-burn type of love that is unwavering. And I have to admit, Logan's initial incompetence in this area is beyond hysterical. Seriously. Well done.

If you haven't picked up Defiance, you seriously need to. C.J. is a wonderful storyteller and she sucked me in with the uniquely independent voices of Rachel and Logan, as well as this tale of heroism and suffering. I have this habit of dog-earing pages that I find epic in their voice, their writing, their descriptions; anything that really blows me away. This is sacrilege to many of you, I know. It's my tick. Let me just say, there are a LOT of dog-ears in my copy of DEFIANCE.

Buy it. Read it. Love it.

The 4th Annual No Kiss Blog Fest

It's a new year and a new round of No Kissing going down! Miss Frankie Diane Mallis hosts the No Kiss Blog Fest (#nokissblogfest over the Twittersphere) and I was crazy enough to sign up. Actually, this should be fun. I do l-o-v-e me some kissy scenes, and the ALMOST kissy scenes....double swoon! Please stop by Frankie's blog to see all of the other attendees and hop around for the 4th Annual No Kiss Blog Fest!

Without further ado... *Disclaimer* This is a rough and unedited excerpt from one of my WIPs, Blood Shift.

My stomach flipped over when I saw Kennon. He leaned against the wall near the various pamphlets on vaccinations, flea treatments, and senior dog dental care. My boring Friday grew infinitely more interesting. “Hey!”

“Bree?” Rebecca forced my attention to her. “You got the front? I need to run in the back for more printer paper.”

I frowned in confusion at her. We didn’t keep printer paper in the back. It was all under the desk for easy access. She knew this.

“I’ll be back in just a sec.” She glanced at Kennon and winked at me.

It all sank in. Love that Rebecca.

Still grinning at Rebecca’s departure, I walked up to the reception counter, fidgeting with my smock hem. “How’d you find me?”

He stepped forward to stand on the other side of the counter, eyes mischievous and smirk rocking. “Cascade Locks is no metropolis. Did you know there’s only one vet office here?”

“I did.” I fought the girl-giggle over the way his British accent curled around the word ‘metropolis.’ A flirty tone crept into my voice. “But that doesn’t answer my question.” I tapped my foot in mock impatience.

“Does it not?”

“So what’re you doing here?”

“What? No ‘Hi, nice to see you?’”

His sexy half smile made my toes want to curl. The late afternoon sun reflected light off the counter, making his green eyes shine. I raised an eyebrow at him, but couldn’t keep the goofy grin off my face.

Kennon chuckled and pulled out a lens from his pant pocket. “In your haste to be rid of me Wednesday, you seemed to have lost this.” He gently placed it on the counter between us. It was the 35 mm I’d taken off my camera before the sunrise shots. “I found it in the floor board yesterday.”

I leaned forward on the counter and idly fingered the lens. “Let me get this straight.” I looked up at him, still failing to keep a silly grin from sliding over my lips. “You drove all the way from Portland to return a camera lens?”

“And why wouldn’t I? I thought you might need it.”

“You could have just returned it in class tomorrow.”

He leaned over the counter across from me. My breath caught. The camera lens was practically the only thing separating us. His arms crossed in front him and I’d swear his body heat radiated to mine. He leaned in so close his sigh stirred the loose curls that had escaped my sloppy knot. I swallowed hard. Kennon’s eyes searched mine, probing in a teasing way.

“What if I said I found myself in the area and felt the need to return the lens as quickly as possible? You never know when you’ll find yourself in dire need of a mere 35 mm lens.”

My heart sputtered around and my stomach tumbled to reside somewhere near my kneecaps. Kennon’s grin still dripped with mischief, matching the playful intensity of his deep mossy eyes.

“I think you’re full of it.” I told him, meeting his gaze. For a brief microsecond, my brain screamed shut up, you don’t know what you’re doing, but I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.

“Is that so?” A corner of his grin quirked higher.

“I think you just couldn’t wait to see me again and had to drive forty-five miles out of your way to do so.”

“Is that what you think?” His eyes blazed back at me, sucking me in.

“Are you going to attempt to deny it?” Without permission, my gaze wandered to his mouth. The subtle pout of his bottom lip and perfect archers bow of an upper lip called to me. Teased. Begged.

“I’m not denying anything at the moment,” he whispered.

Raising my eyes to his, I think I stopped breathing. Kennon’s fiery green eyes were focused on my mouth. Slowly, his eyes raked over every inch of my face. I watched in fascination as his pupils dilated a hair as his gaze traveled over my lips again. The air around us sizzled with an electric charge. Chill-bumps washed over my skin, raising the fine hairs of my arms and the back of my neck. My legs had gone to Jell-O. The fact I leaned on the counter was the only reason I remained vertical. My heart thumped around. The tingle of anticipation swelled in my belly and spread down my thighs. My lips parted, pulling in a shaky breath. Kennon leaned in slightly. My eyes closed, every cell of my body hyper aware of how close his lips were. The feel of his lips consumed me. I wanted to taste them. Needed to.

The vet clinic door chimed and I almost jumped out of my skin. Kennon shot backward, standing a couple feet from the counter. I glanced at him as an elderly gentleman brought a Chihuahua up to the counter. Kennon frowned slightly, but otherwise appeared perfectly composed. Suddenly sort of weak and drained, I turned my attention to the man.

“Hi Mr. Kent.” I cleared my throat. The husky shakiness of my voice brought heat to my cheeks. “What’s going on with Harley?”

“Bree darlin’, he’s got a tick on his backside that won’t budge and I was hoping you could help.”

Oh just fantastic! I shot a look at Kennon. His lips twitched and he ran a hand over his chin, hiding a smile.

“Okay. If you’ll please sign him in, we’ll get him fixed up.”

“Thank you, dear.”

While Mr. Kent filled out the paperwork, I glanced at Kennon. He’d slid over toward the exit door, making his great escape from my torment of humiliation.

“I will see you tomorrow, Bryony.” He winked and walked out the door with the biggest shit-eating grin on his stupid perfect face.

Please — Kill me — NOW.

Adios 2012; 2013... Bring it!

Here we are at the dawn of a new year. Since my son got me up at the ungodly hour of 5am (and then again at 7am), I've had some time to reflect on the last year. Sorry, but Johnny Test marathons can only hold my attention for so long. Heh

The last 365 days have been such an enormous roller-coaster for me on a personal note, as well as a writerly note. I'm not going to focus on the family stuff in this here post, as that was filled with too many negative and conflicting emotions. If you really want to know, we shall share a bottle of wine and chat. 

Instead, I'm going to give my ode to the wonderful people I've met this year who have been so beyond pivotal in my growth as a writer, and a person... 

If you have not had the pleasure, I insist you track down the awesomely sparkly C. Issy. We sort of Twitter-befriended and chatted lots before finally meeting face-to-face at SCBWI in NYC last January. We fangirled, we cried, and we shared mush-brains after an incredible virgin SCBWI conference. Since then, Carli has become an awesome friend and wonderful critique partner. Carli keeps my 'teen voice' in check and inspires me to write super swoony kissy scenes. You can't have her, she's mine. So there.

The fab Cassandra Clare talking love triangles

TOTALLY geeked out when I passed S&S!

Henry Winkler's speech was beyond inspirational to the budding writer.

After a fate-sealing CP request post on AgentQuery Connect, I met the hysterical and insanely talented Alisha Marie Klapheke. As fate would have it, Ish lives literally like a half hour from me. Super weird, I know! It was awkward at first, but soon we realized we had so much in common we might have been sisters in another life. Kinda sappy? Yeah, but I heart my friends. Alisha loves a good edit and has taken the figurative red pen to my work more times than should be legal, but always has great advice and brainstorming. Passive voice be gone! And if you ever need a hot date for some tandoori chicken and naan bread, she's your gal!

Alisha and I often meet here (YUM!) to talk books, fictional boys, and everything else.

Inkpop may no longer be a place for young writers to connect and share, but it's the reason Michelle Warren is on my "awesome people of 2012" list. Michelle is a self-published author who I met through the HarperTeen sub-site. Her books, Wander Dust and Protecting Truth, I reviewed right here on this blog!! We traded a few emails and soon Michelle not only became a fantastic friend, but also an incredible beta reader/critique partner/inspiration/cover artist/ and all around awesome person to have in your arsenal. Michelle pushes me to question everything in my writing (the good/probing kind of questioning) and pointed out my horrible 'was' affliction. Awful. Really.

Last July, I met a budding YA/NA author at utopYA Con right here in Nashville. M.R. Polish came all the way from Nevada to take part in a fledgling Con for paranormal writers. We chatted, laughed, and absorbed all the amazeballs info at utopYA. Ms. Polish has recently debuted her novel WOLF SPELL and I had the pleasure of being a beta. It's a wonderfully magical story full of awesome visuals and imagination. M.R. has helped me as well. She has read for me and, like Ish, is a big fan of the figurative red pen. But her insight and questions, like Michelle, have pushed me to question things myself. 

Abbi Glines, Tiffany King, C.A. Kunz (Adam and Carol), and Michelle Leighton at utopYA 2012

Raine Thomas, L.M. Davis and Willow Cross at utopYA 2012

Linda Foster, K.C. Neal and Myra McEntire at utopYA 2012

Laskey Hall at Scarritt-Bennett where it all went down

Scarritt Hall at Scarritt-Bennett Center

I am so very thankful to have these ladies in my life. In the last two years that I've been actually writing, I have heard many times that finding good people to be part of your writing life is crucial to success. These ladies are my people. They are intelligent, witty, creative, crafty, funny, serious, practical, genius, supportive, encouraging, grounding, and by golly I heart them! Because of their insight, advice, and honesty, I would never be the writer I am today. I'm no where near where I want to be, but these fab ladies have helped me find a starting place. And with a little luck, we will all find that place of awesomeness together!