I'm ALIVE

Haha.

So, Scar-Crossed has been Frankensteined at the request of the agent in question. After two weeks of rewriting to improve and two months of completely badgering my betas to hurry up and read the damned thing, the agent gave me a gentle nudge and I was like forget this, I'm sending it without your input. So, now the MS is in the hands of God and the agent. Who in my world, are pretty much the same thing at the moment. But, the agent's assistant said she really liked my writing, so I hope that's a good sign.

I spend my days neurotically checking email, glancing at my cell phone, obsessing over a continuous selection of audiobooks, and trying not to freak out about my writers block. I'm pretty sure the block is just from frayed nerves and fried editing cells, but no writer likes to feel blank. I'm slowly applying some concepts and slogging through a page here and there.

In book reviews:

Three books into Maxium Ride, and the first in Daniel X. I'm okay with James Patterson writing YA, he's got some out there concepts. But come on man. Wackadoo? What 15 year old in his right mind would refer to his alien foe as a wackadoo? On happier terms I actually like Max, which is new for pretty much every female protag I've been reading lately. She doesn't make me want to shake her silly.

I have to say Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series literally ate my life for five days. Couldn't stop thinking about it. Couldn't stop talking over it. Made my husband read it. Lost sleep over it. And was finally satisfied when Katniss ended up with Peeta instead of Gale and neither of them died. To be honest, I wasn't sure what was going to happen in the end. Collins writes in such a way that you don't know who's going to die next, who's going to come up tortured into craziness, or who is going to betray who. I loved Peeta, hated Gale, wanted to punch Katniss; but somehow that dynamic made me want to keep reading. I'm SO glad there's going to be a movie and that she's writing the screen-play. It's not going to be butchered by Hollywood. Now, we just need the casting director not to flop like they did in Twilight and I'll be all set.

I read Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth in one day and was like WTF? Where's the rest? So, I had to get The Dead-Tossed Waves, just to see what happens to everyone else. I had been operating under the assumption that Gabry was Mary's love child with either Travis or Harry (which I guess Ryan wanted us to think) and was totally thrown when we learned that she was a foundling and Mary is an old woman. But I'm happy she finally went looking for everyone and ended up back with Harry. By the end of the book I decided I love this series and even though the characters frustrate me, they're realistic. Can't wait for the last installment!

Since everyone knows how much I loved Shiver, it's no surprise I picked up Lament and Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater. Both are awesome because they hit close to home with me. (Since Hill Dwellers is also based in Faerie). As guessed, I wasn't a huge fan of Dee, but I loved Luke, James, and Nuala. (Who's name reminds me of Nuada and I have to wonder about any relation to Hell Boy II: The Golden Army.) I'm hoping she writes another book in this series? Cause I think there should be a bit more closure between Dee and Luke. And Dee and the fae in general? And I still want to be Maggie's best friend.

Since I was on a faerie kick...I also picked up Leslie Livingston's Wonderous Strange and Darklight. Again, not a fan of the female protag, Kelley, but I'm curious about Livingston's world building in this series. I want to know more about the politics and what happens to Sonny now that his powers are unleashed. Holy Greenman vs. Hunter.

What else...Started Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series. I'm still trying to decide if I like it or not...but I've gone through two books already, so I guess I must. I guess it's like Twilight in that sense. I can't figure out why I like it, but somehow I do.

I've also eaten through five Orson Scott Card books. Which makes me think he must be one of my favorites.

So, I've decided on some favorite authors. Orson Scott Card, Scott Westerfeld, Maggie Stiefvater, Carrie Ryan, Suzanne Collins, Philip Pullman, and Neil Gaiman.

I'm working through The Fallen series by Thomas Sniegoski. I'm enjoying it a lot, so he's probably on the list too.

There are a couple more since the last post, but I lost count. I have to go check my list.