Archive for the 'Life in General' Category

September 1, 2010 | Life in General,Reading is FUNdamental,Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #43: What’s the best book you’ve read last month?

BEDEVILED ANGEL
by Annette Blair

A WORKS LIKE MAGICK NOVEL
Book Two

At the Works Like Magick employment agency in Salem, Massachusetts, matching clients in need with magical temps is a piece of cake, especially when the temp happens to be heaven-sent…

In a building collapse, Chance Godricson is meant to live and Queisha Saint-Denis to die, but he sent her up his escape tunnel before him, and it collapsed behind her. At that moment, he became her guardian angel. Now Queisha’s about to face the most difficult challenge of her life and Chance wants to be there for her. Enter Angus, a fellow angel, who knocks Chance back to earth, and to Queisha, without permission. Will the archangels let Chance stay? For how long? And at what cost?

When Queisha Saint-Denis agreed to be a surrogate mother for a jet-setting–but childless–couple, she never dreamed she’d see a return on her gift. Literally. But now she’s looking at two adorable orphans, who come with a lot of baggage: there’s a battle brewing over who “inherits” them and their huge fortune, plus an unwanted (and alarmingly attractive) guardian, whom she’s sure has been hired by the dueling family members to keep an eye on her more than the children.

Chance Godricson is keeping an eye on Queisha. in fact, he’s her guardian angel. Ever since he gave his life to save hers, Chance has felt an undeniable connection to Queisha. And now that he’s back on Earth, in her house, surrounded by two scene-stealing moppets and a woman he finds irresistible, Chance is about to discover that helping Queisha and still staying angelic is not going to be easy…

For the record, Annette Blair is one of my favorite authors. If she had a blog, it’d be on my blog roll over there. (Hint, Hint, Annette. Get a blog. LOL). I really enjoyed reading the “Witch” Series and even gave her a glowing review for one of the books. BEDEVILED is Book Two in a new series called Works Like Magick. I really enjoyed Book One, NAKED DRAGON, and was hoping to get another dragon book this time, but was pleasantly surprised when the story was about angels instead. Guardian angels.

Totally diggin’ the concept.

I love the idea of having a guardian angel watching over you from the minute you’re born and waiting to meet you on the other side when you die.

I love the idea that if you almost die, it’s not a doctor that brings you back, but your guardian angel.

I love the idea that both humans and animals have guardian angels.

I love the idea that guardian angels have rainbow-colored wings and each layer stands for something (i.e. gold = love)

I love the idea that there are different types of guardian angels, depending on how you died, and that each and every one of them has a special job in Heaven.

I love the idea that someone’s last words to you can become the motto you live by.

I love the idea that my guardian angel could be as gorgeous as Chance Godricson. (Seriously. Take a look at that cover again).

Just like the blurb states, Chance became Quiesha’s guardian angel after he dies in her place. Chance’s last words to her inspired her to become a surrogate mother for a jet-setting couple. When they die in a freak accident, the twin girls she gave birth to end up in her care. And Chance, who’s been in love with her for years (even though it’s forbidden), gets kicked back down to Earth to help her out and deal with a shit-storm of a custody battle.

The world Annette created for these four people (Quiesha, Chance, and the twins, Lace and Skye) just pulled me in and made me want to stay a while. Quiesha is this brave half-Kenyan/half-white soul who has to overcome her insecurities about her parenting abilities. It’s not that she doesn’t want or love the girls—quite the contrary—Quiesha just has this teeny, tiny, itty, bitty, okay, it’s a pretty large, problem: she’s agoraphobic. So much so that she’s secluded herself in a big house. On an island.

To be honest, if I were agoraphobic, I would never want to leave my house if it looked like Queisha’s: multiple bedrooms and each one of them painted a different color. It even had a dance studio. With a disco ball, people. How cool is that?

And then there’s Chance. Mr. Hottie on a Stick who’s really one thing but comes to Queisha in a different capacity: as a cook.

I felt sympathy for the girls, who ended up with parents that spent their time around the world rather than with their children. And I found myself rooting for Quiesha and silently encouraging her as she faced her fears. Agoraphobia is a very real and very crippling disease and although it was a subplot, it never overwhelmed the rest of the story. I think it was a great book and I’m really enjoying this series and am looking forward to the forthcoming books. Maybe you’ll like her books, too. Head on over to her website and check out all her other stories.

JUST A REMINDER: There’s still time to add “your two cents” to Chapter 5 of A Royale Pain: A Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Novel. It’s the final chapter I’ll be posting for my class project and comments close on Sunday.

Technorati Tags: BEDEVILED ANGEL, Annette Blair, A WORKS LIKE MAGICK NOVEL, NAKED DRAGON

August 17, 2010 | "Whoa whoa I gotta go...back to schoooool...again",3rd Semester,Life in General,Mentors,Prescott College,Reading is FUNdamental,School Daze,The 4-1-1 on Me

Romance author Carolyn Brown has a book coming out in October with this same title. I’ve been reading her books in between homework assignments and right about now, this feels appropriate.

I am so tired of school right now it’s not even funny.

Today, I busted out an assignment two hours before I had to meet my mentor. Didn’t give a damn if it sucked or not. She said I did good.

One–or both–of my mentors for my Fall semester may or may not be approved by my core faculty. I was worried about it for, like, a day.

Now, I don’t give a damn. I could probably use the break.

I have a 10-page research paper due on the 5th and I haven’t really started on it. Earlier this month, I had to change topics when I couldn’t find enough academic resources. I stressed about it.

But now, I don’t give a damn.

The summer semester ends Sept 6th. The fall semester starts 10 days after that.

Right now, that little window of Education Freedom is lookin’ like a slice of heaven.

I’ve got stack of 9 books in my TBR pile and I’m gonna spend that free time reading my ASS off.

Technorati Tags: Carolyn Brown

July 27, 2010 | "Whoa whoa I gotta go...back to schoooool...again",3rd Semester,A Whole Latte Trouble,Book Two,Creative Writing II,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,Prescott College,Revision Hell,School Daze,Summer 2010,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment,Writing Movements

Missed two days of writing last week, but I still got 16 handwritten pages in. The rest of it was previously written material. Not too bad. Not sure how many typewritten pages that turned out to be, but I was able to submit the 1st 30 pages for my CWII class. Here’s hoping I have better movement this week

July 14, 2010 | "Whoa whoa I gotta go...back to schoooool...again",3rd Semester,A Whole Latte Trouble,Book Two,Creative Writing II,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,Prescott College,Revision Report,School Daze,Summer 2010,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment,Writing Movements

I’ve started the revision process for Book 2 yesterday for my CWII class. 4 pages yesterday, 3 pages today. I don’t consider that bad. My goal, whenever I’m in Writing Mode, is to write at least a page.

Normally, I would be doing this on my breaks and at lunch. But since I have two other classes, I’m writing during my hr lunch. Not so much at home. Yet.

The 1st 30 pages are due next Thursday. Hoping to have a better day tomorrow.

July 7, 2010 | Life in General,Road Trip Wednesday,The 4-1-1 on Me

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #36: What would your ideal writing desk look like? Right down to the perfect pen or laptop.

I’m going to take Kristin’s lead and say that my ideal writing zone is not just my desk, but the place where I write. Right now, my office is too cluttered and crowded. I write in their under duress.

I guess it’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic because I would freak out every time I go in there. Even when it’s cleaned up, it still looks crowded. My ideal writing zone would look something like this:

In the three-story townhouse we rent, my writing loft sits on the third floor next to the half bath. Light floods the room from three windows covered with organic daisy-patterned curtains. My desk made of natural wood stands sentry between two windows and supports the HP All-in-One desktop. Mid-size drawers lovingly protect mechanical pencils, spiral notebooks, and other writing essentials, while a hidden cabinet keeps my printer from view; a comfy black office chair made of recycled material cushions the body of a creative being. A blue chair and matching ottoman squats in one corner waiting for its contemplative use, and a floor-to-ceiling natural wood bookshelf spanning a whole wall–maintains a writer’s addiction: books.

Blinding white walls are saved from being bland by the splashes of colorful removable stickers containing writing words of wisdom, a 5X11 picture of Sean Connery as James Bond, a few plaques (both funny and inspirational) and some movie posters.

In this idyllic writing zone, my creative Mojo (aka Muse) is allowed free reign because it’s been blessed by my intuitive BF and feng shui’d six ways from Sunday.

*sigh* Like Robin Thicke says “it’s my dream world.”

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, Sean Connery, James Bond, Robin Thicke