I love TV. I do; I freely admit it. As my time is limited, though, I try to restrict my viewing pleasure to shows I really enjoy. (The same can't be said for my father who will sit through every cop show, even the ones made in Canada, every season of Survivor, and the various shows now featuring junk collectors.) I recently tried Suits and Grimm but gave up after two and three episodes, respectively. Suits was ludicrous and the two leads interchangeable. Grimm's lead was too bland and the oddball wolf frenemy needed waaay more screen time than he got. That guy made the show. I still like True Blood, Glee, Modern Family, am loving Game of Thrones, but the one show that really brings home the bacon week after week has to be The Vampire Diaries.
I haven't read the books so I'm not sure how faithful the show is, but I am surprised and delighted by each episode. I eat up Damon's constantly wiggly eyebrows, the never-ending uncertainty involving uber-compassionate Elena and the Salvatore bros doesn't get stale, and the budding relationship between sassy Caroline and evil Klaus. Even the exceedingly long cast of characters fails to annoy me. I keep 'em all straight. Not too difficult when they all are so easy on the eyes. Only rarely do I pause to wonder whether Alaric pays the mortgage on Elena's house and in which season Mrs. Lockwood will finally become interesting. So thank you, VD, for bringing it every episode for the past three seasons. Keep those dreamboats, er, I mean awesome storylines, coming!
Quote of My Week: "Dear Diary, a chipmunk asked me my name today. I told him it was Joe. That lie, will haunt me, forever." - Damon, mocking Stefan's penchant for broody journaling
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
I Am Elsewhere
I'm guest posting today over on Supernatural Snark and revealing some character inspiration for Ravenstoke. Please head over there and check it out. Thanks so much to Jenny for having me. Hers is one of the most thoughtful YA blogs out there!
Thursday, 8 March 2012
This Blog, It Is A-Changin'
To coincide with the launch of my latest book this week, I'm a doing a bit of housekeeping that includes this blog. You see, my new book is a middle grade fantasy adventure entitled In the Land of the Sapphire Sea. (I've added the cover and links in the sidebar.) This book is aimed at 9-12 year olds and is available in print and ebook format. I don't know how many 9-12 year olds are reading ebooks yet, research suggests not very many. Despite this, I've decided to separate my 'brands' and move my more adult content to another blog under the Keeley Bates pen name. http://keeleybates.blogspot.com. As a result, I've moved some old content from this blog and will be posting it on the other blog.
Rest assured, this blog will continue to cater to the YA/MG crowd while Keeley Bates will be for the 'dults. In the event that internet savvy 12 year olds start clicking onto my blog, I wanted to remove some potentially offensive content.
And now here's the blurb for my latest offering --
Twelve-year-old Emily Timmons is tired of being upstaged by her confident and capable younger sister. Charlotte Amelia, on the other hand, idolizes her big sister and follows her everywhere, including to Emily’s special treehouse. When a freak earthquake transports the girls from the treehouse to a magical land, Charlotte Amelia is captured by an evil Imp queen. To save her sister from the queen’s cruel clutches, Emily must swallow her fear and perform nine treacherous tasks, one task for each year of her sister’s life. As Emily’s quest progresses, however, she and her new friends begin to suspect that the Imp queen may only be using the girls as part of a larger, wicked plan. Emily must find courage within as she braves sea serpents, dragons, giants, and other creatures in exchange for her sister’s freedom.
Rest assured, this blog will continue to cater to the YA/MG crowd while Keeley Bates will be for the 'dults. In the event that internet savvy 12 year olds start clicking onto my blog, I wanted to remove some potentially offensive content.
And now here's the blurb for my latest offering --
Twelve-year-old Emily Timmons is tired of being upstaged by her confident and capable younger sister. Charlotte Amelia, on the other hand, idolizes her big sister and follows her everywhere, including to Emily’s special treehouse. When a freak earthquake transports the girls from the treehouse to a magical land, Charlotte Amelia is captured by an evil Imp queen. To save her sister from the queen’s cruel clutches, Emily must swallow her fear and perform nine treacherous tasks, one task for each year of her sister’s life. As Emily’s quest progresses, however, she and her new friends begin to suspect that the Imp queen may only be using the girls as part of a larger, wicked plan. Emily must find courage within as she braves sea serpents, dragons, giants, and other creatures in exchange for her sister’s freedom.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
It is Better to Give...
First order of business -- I'm following on from my last post to let you know that Ravenstoke is also now available in paperback on Amazon and CreateSpace.
Now on to the giving -- I have several giveaways on various blogs at the moment including Candace's Book Blog, Paranormal Wastelands, and I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read. Next Thursday, Rachel down in Oz will host a giveaway on her blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten. On Feb 20, a giveaway begins over on One A Day YA. Stay tuned for more updates or you can always check my Facebook fan page (click on FB on the side of this blog) or my Twitter for more timely deets.
Quote of My Week: Me to 7 year old son - "What kind of fool do you take me for?" Son - "Um, Daddy?"
Now on to the giving -- I have several giveaways on various blogs at the moment including Candace's Book Blog, Paranormal Wastelands, and I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read. Next Thursday, Rachel down in Oz will host a giveaway on her blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten. On Feb 20, a giveaway begins over on One A Day YA. Stay tuned for more updates or you can always check my Facebook fan page (click on FB on the side of this blog) or my Twitter for more timely deets.
Quote of My Week: Me to 7 year old son - "What kind of fool do you take me for?" Son - "Um, Daddy?"
Friday, 27 January 2012
Winterborne Now In Paperback
Yes, I realize I'm going a little backwards with the whole ebook to paperback thing, but there it is. Winterborne is now available in beautiful, smell-the-pages paperback on CreateSpace and Amazon.
Ravenstoke will be next up. Just waiting for the proof to approve it!
Also, please keep an eye out for my middle grade novel in the next few weeks. If you know any kids ages 9 and up who like themselves a little unicorn and adventure, this will be the book for them. More to come on that.
Quote of My Week: "I love the book! I would buy it if it was published. It was truly was one of the best books I have ever read and I was honored to read it." - Abby, middle grade beta reader
Ravenstoke will be next up. Just waiting for the proof to approve it!
Also, please keep an eye out for my middle grade novel in the next few weeks. If you know any kids ages 9 and up who like themselves a little unicorn and adventure, this will be the book for them. More to come on that.
Quote of My Week: "I love the book! I would buy it if it was published. It was truly was one of the best books I have ever read and I was honored to read it." - Abby, middle grade beta reader
Friday, 13 January 2012
Keep Those Reviews Coming
I am very excited to see positive reviews coming for Ravenstoke. Please check out the latest at The Caffeinated Diva.
Thursday, 5 January 2012
The Routine
Happy New Year to all! Right off the bat, I'd like to thank Nicole over at Book Nook Club for a great review of Ravenstoke. Please spare a few minutes to check out her blog. A welcome way to kickstart the new year.
Now that I am officially back into the routine (not to be confused with 'the routine' performed by Ross and Monica on Friends, although that would be awesome), I aim to be a better, more consistent blogger. This is not a resolution, merely an aim. I refuse to resolve to do anything, other than ensure that my children are bathed and fed on a semi-regular basis.
We had a busy Christmas at home with my in-laws to start, and then my parents flew in from the US for a week. Swapping from one set of parents to the next is always difficult because it means at least one of us (me or my husband) is perpetually, albeit mildly, annoyed for the duration. There is a lot of jostling for the remote control and begrudgingly watching episodes of shows you didn't even know existed. There is apparently a woman on TV who is like Supernanny for dogs. Aside from the absence of the ubiquitous naughty step, the shows are identical in format. Interestingly, the woman on the dog show kicked off the episode by declaring that dogs should not be treated like people, then proceeded to 'train' the dogs in a style similar to the way that Supernanny 'trains' children. They really should get their stories straight before shadowing each other on international television. She also rocks the British accent, a prerequisite for any show that modifies human or animal behavior (or should that be 'behaviour'?). We then watched an endless loop of Escape to the Country where English home buyers seem to have limitless bank accounts and lots of free time for clarinet playing, painting, and dog walking. The show basically serves as an ad for the lottery because I immediately bought several tickets for the enormous Euromillions pot so that I, too, may grab my slice of idyllic English life (insert here - the old coach house, the fisherman's cottage, the converted barn with a high spec interior, the country estate, etc.). I also indulged in a little house porn, flipping through page after page of luxury homes with Farrow & Ball-painted bathtubs and large country kitchens complete with colorful Agas.
Today, however, the kids are back in school, meals are expected in a timely fashion, and the kitchen ceiling requires painting after my husband struggled with a cork in a bottle of red wine. (Newsflash - he lost.) Back to the routine, indeed.
Quote of My Week: "Hey, Jane Austen has a new book out!" - Anonymous (I refuse to divulge the name of this misinformed person, but I can safely reveal that it was not one of my children.)
Now that I am officially back into the routine (not to be confused with 'the routine' performed by Ross and Monica on Friends, although that would be awesome), I aim to be a better, more consistent blogger. This is not a resolution, merely an aim. I refuse to resolve to do anything, other than ensure that my children are bathed and fed on a semi-regular basis.
We had a busy Christmas at home with my in-laws to start, and then my parents flew in from the US for a week. Swapping from one set of parents to the next is always difficult because it means at least one of us (me or my husband) is perpetually, albeit mildly, annoyed for the duration. There is a lot of jostling for the remote control and begrudgingly watching episodes of shows you didn't even know existed. There is apparently a woman on TV who is like Supernanny for dogs. Aside from the absence of the ubiquitous naughty step, the shows are identical in format. Interestingly, the woman on the dog show kicked off the episode by declaring that dogs should not be treated like people, then proceeded to 'train' the dogs in a style similar to the way that Supernanny 'trains' children. They really should get their stories straight before shadowing each other on international television. She also rocks the British accent, a prerequisite for any show that modifies human or animal behavior (or should that be 'behaviour'?). We then watched an endless loop of Escape to the Country where English home buyers seem to have limitless bank accounts and lots of free time for clarinet playing, painting, and dog walking. The show basically serves as an ad for the lottery because I immediately bought several tickets for the enormous Euromillions pot so that I, too, may grab my slice of idyllic English life (insert here - the old coach house, the fisherman's cottage, the converted barn with a high spec interior, the country estate, etc.). I also indulged in a little house porn, flipping through page after page of luxury homes with Farrow & Ball-painted bathtubs and large country kitchens complete with colorful Agas.
Today, however, the kids are back in school, meals are expected in a timely fashion, and the kitchen ceiling requires painting after my husband struggled with a cork in a bottle of red wine. (Newsflash - he lost.) Back to the routine, indeed.
Quote of My Week: "Hey, Jane Austen has a new book out!" - Anonymous (I refuse to divulge the name of this misinformed person, but I can safely reveal that it was not one of my children.)
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