Books to Read Before April Camp NaNoWriMo 2014

This April I will be participating in the April Camp NaNoWriMo session. I'll be writing the first draft of a novel I'm calling Beauty of the Dark. But before I do this, there are some steps that I want to take - some preparing and planning. One of these steps (or several depening on how you look at it) is to read certain books before the April Camp NaNoWriMo session. It's already nearly February so I have cut my list down but depending on how fast I read I may be able to get to all of them. I've split my list into two. "Definitely" and "If Time". I thought that it would be interesting to share those books with you. 

Definitely:
Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice

The Productive Writer by Sage Cohen

Write Your Novel in a Month by Jeff Gerke

Writing Great Books for Young Adults by Regina Brooks 

Vampires: The Occult Truth by Konstantinos 

If Time:
Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Witching Hour (Mayfair Witches #1) by Anne Rice

Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1) by Melissa De La Cruz

Getting Things Done by David Allen (I will be reading this before the end of May though, for several reasons). 

So, for those of you who haven't read my rough synopsis for this project yet, what do you think this book is about? ;) I'll be doing more posts about my prepping and planning process for this book in the next couple of months. I want to post more about my writing and thought that this might be of interest. Enjoy! 

<3 Amanda Leigh

Music to Write By

First of all, the title for this post is inspired by the movie Titanic - one of my favorite movies. The Irishman in the movie (I can't remember his name) says "Music to drown by, now I know I'm in first class." That's always been one of my favorite lines. So this post is called Music to Write By. Now, moving on.

I love to listen to music when I write. There are writers that do and there are writers that do not. I am one of those that do. I do so to get myself motivated and to help get set the moods needed for certain scenes. There are certain artists, albums and songs that I do listen to often while I'm writing, though. I also really like listening to scores from movies and/or television shows as well as their soundtracks. Today I am going to share some of that music with you. 

(Images from Bing Image Search).

Artists:

Ed Sheeran. 

Adele.

Paramore. (This is their album Paramore - featured below). 

The Spill Canvas. 

Taylor Swift.

Demi Lovato. 

Breaking Benjamin.

Albums:

 

 

Movie/Television Show Scores and Soundtracks:

Songs:

Holding a Heart by A Girl Named Toby

Poison & Wine by The Civil Wars

A Drop in the Ocean by Ron Pope

Live Like You Were Dying by Kris Allen

Holding On and Letting Go by Ross Copperman

Hammers and Strings (A Lullaby) by Jack's Mannequin

Hate & Love by Jack Savoretti (featuring Sienna Miller)

Airplanes by B.o.B. featuring Hailey Williams 

Battlefield by Jordin Sparks 

The Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin

Rain by Breaking Benjamin

Call Me When You're Sober by Evanescence 

Roadside by Rise Against

The Good Left Undone by Rise Against

Complicated Questions by Finger Eleven

The Tide by The Spill Canvas

Same Love by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert 

Prelude 12/21 by AFI 

What music do you guys like to you listen to while you write? Or just what music do you like to listen to in general? Do you have any recommendations for me? I'm always up for new music! Let me know in the comments! :) 

Cover Reveal ~ The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris

 

Title: The Fine Art of Pretending

Release Date: September 30, 2014
Author: Rachel Harris 

Publisher: Spencer Hill Contemporary 

Blurb:

According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you're friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

Find Rachel Harris Online:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Tumblr

Blog Tour ~ Used & Confused by Kate Lynn - Mature Content Warning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“There’s only one kind of medicine that works for me, sweetheart. Are you sure that you can help?” I ask seriously. I trail my hands up my body until I reach my breasts.

 

USED SYNOPSIS
**Mature Content Warning** Recommended for ages 17+ due to language and sexual content. The name's V... I'm beautiful in every sense of the word physically. But on the inside, I'm a black pit. If you're expecting a happily ever after, a white picket fence and 2.5 kids; then this isn't the story for you. There aren't any happily ever after in the works for me or those whose lives I poison. I hold the key to my pleasure and I'll be damned if I ever give it up again. God forsake those that stand in my way of ultimate gratification. You may regret me, but you'll never forget me. Use or Be Used, there are no other options... *This story contains dirty words, dirty sex and an even dirtier twist.*

 

CONFUSED SYNOPSIS 
 You didn't honestly think you could get rid of me just yet, did you? New town, new faces and by far my biggest conquest yet. I will have him. There is no doubt in my mind. Detective...Breccan...Grant... His name rolls right off my tongue and drips deep down to my core. Tall, dark and undeniably handsome. Seducing is the name of the game, but he's not falling for it... Yet! Of course that doesn't deter me. You should know me better by now. The only thing left to do is up the ante'. My cold, dead heart at the center of the prize table, up for grabs to my next victim. Until it suddenly starts to beat again. Don't panic, I know I'm not. Temporary malfunction, that's all! Nothing more, nothing less. My heart must be confused. Simply. Fucking. Confused. 

COMING SOON: UNDERSTOOD

ABOUT KATE LYNNE

23 Years Young.

Manager for an assisted living program working with mentally challenged adults.

Currently pursuing my degree in Music Therapy.

Loves Music, writing and reading.

Has a cockapoo dog named Jezebella that is closest thing I have to a child. She's a handful, but I love her.

Currently resides in Michigan, USA.

Addicted to Lip Gloss, Oreos and Sleep.

Book Blitz ~ The Skinwalker's Apprentice by Claribel Ortega

 

 

The Skinwalker's Apprentice

by Claribel Ortega

Release Date: 02/24/14

Summary from Goodreads:

New York City 1984: It’s Emerald Kipp’s sixteenth birthday, and nothing has changed. She’s still the biggest loser in school, she’s still trying to find a place for herself and yeah, she’s still a witch. Her last year of high school is turning out to be the worst yet, and Emerald thinks it can’t possibly get any worse. Unfortunately for her, she’s dead wrong.

East Hampton, NY 1658: The Pennyfeathers are the black sheep of their small English settlement. As hard as they try to keep the family secrets just that, the magical bunch just can’t seem to fit in. But when a High Priestess witch chooses 16-year-old Margo Pennyfeather as an apprentice, Margo’s luck finally begins to change. What she doesn’t know, is there’s a lot more to her apprenticeship, and to being a witch, than she could ever imagine

Discover the mysterious beginnings of The Empire Witch Series in "The Skinwalker's Apprentice: An Emerald Kipp Novella."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19250523-the-skinwalker-s-apprentice 

About the Author

Claribel Ortega is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase journalism program, and got her start writing for the school’s Independent Newspaper. There, she quickly rose the ranks from editing the student’s often times hilarious ads and ramblings on the back page of the paper to staff and feature writer.

After graduation, Claribel worked as a reporter for The Rivertowns Enterprise, a local paper in lower Westchester County, New York. As a reporter, she enjoyed going to board of education meetings and texting the town mayors about the line at Starbucks.

Today, Claribel works for The Combined Book Exhibit, a book marketing company in Westchester NY.

She lives in New York with her really awesome boyfriend, her suspiciously intelligent yorkie Pancho Villa and is surrounded by an impenetrable fort of books she gets from her job.

“The Skinwalker’s Apprentice” is her first book, and cheese is her favorite food.

Author Links:

http://claribelortega.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7505050.Claribel_Ortega

http://twitter.com/Vonnegutss

https://www.facebook.com/ClaribelOrtegaAuthor

***GIVEAWAY***

Prize pack: (US only)

Forever 21 Mint green Handbag 

Forever 21 Emerald glitter nail polish 

Forever 21 Cat charm bracelet 

Forever 21 Pink heart gold necklace 

iTunes Playlist of all the songs in "The Riddle of The Timekeeper"  

 

Bookmarks and ebook of The Skinwalker’s Apprentice 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Book Blitz Organized By:

 

Character of the Month! (#3)

Image Source: http://www.victoriascottya.com/introducing-tella-holloway/ 

Image Source: http://www.fireandfloodbooks.com/cast/tella-holloway/ 

No, there are aren't two characters of the month this month. These are two different images of the same character: Tella Holloway from Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood #1) by Victoria Scott. The first image is from Victoria Scott's website; from her blog post "Introducing Tella Holloway". The second is from the Fire & Flood website. 

I received this book for review from Scholastic Press in December. I finished this in early January and absolutely loved it! I will have a full review up. But today, I am going to talk about Tella Holloway: my character of the month. 

I loved Tella's voice. She had this dark humor about her that I really liked. Her voice also seemed very honest to me. It was like you were really seeing her thoughts. The way that they would be if this really happened. She wasn't always thinking about her brother. Sometimes she was just concerned for herself and what would happen to her. One time she thought about how much she could go for some bacon. I appreciated that honesty. 

Also, she wasn't the "hero" type. Or the typical hero type, anyway. She wasn't an extremely capable fighter. She had other people helping her. And the reactions that she sometimes had seemed believable for her character. She didn't always jump right into action. I appreciated that as well; that things seemed true to her character. 

She does step up to the plate though. And she can fight. Tella is capable. She still has people to help her, which is vital, but I believe that she is also more capable than she thinks. 

I would love to say more but I'm trying to save some for the review and also not give too much away. 

Which character are you loving this month? :)

<3 Amanda Leigh 

[New] Cover Reveal + Giveaway ~ Final Life by Rose Garcia

 

Book Blurb:

Nothing sucks more than being forced to move cross country during senior year. And Dominique Wells doesn't think things can get any worse until she's invited to a quirky neighbor's party. When pressured into playing a magical card game, Dominique's world goes from sucky to terrifying. She begins having visions of a red desert and an evil presence--a presence who hints at past lives and promises to kill her.

Plagued by fear and suspicion, and unaware of a family secret kept hidden from her, Dominique is determined to live. Together with a mysterious and gorgeous guy who's moved in while his parents are away, and a hot, popular guy from school, Dominique must seek clues to her past if she's to survive. That, and keep her emotions in check for the two guys she suddenly can't stop thinking about because if she doesn't, she'll be dead. For real.

Author Bio:

Rose Garcia is a lawyer turned writer who's always been fascinated by science fiction and fantasy. From a very young age, she often had her nose buried in books about other-worlds, fantastical creatures, and life and death situations. More recently she's been intrigued by a blend of science fiction and reality, and the idea that some supernatural events are, indeed, very real. Fueled by her imagination, she created The Transhuman Chronicles--a series of books about people who have overcome human limitations.

Rose lives in Houston with her husband and two kids. You can visit Rose at www.rosegarciabooks.com 

Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Final-Life-Transhuman-Chronicles-Volume-ebook/dp/B0083M1QAK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389216825&sr=8-1&keywords=Final+LIfe

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20500032-final-life

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/final-life-a-young-adult-paranormal-romance-rose-garcia/1111098245?ean=2940014388597

Giveaway on Rose Garcia's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRoseGarcia/app_228910107186452 

Sharing a Video ~ novelist

I love this woman's channel. (Ayah Abdul-Rauf). I really like this and thought that I would share it with you. You should check out her channel and her website. www.shethewriter.com 


<3 Amanda Leigh

Blog Tour ~ The Lost Realm Series by K. L. Penington

"Some would call it a twin's intuition."

When sixteen-year-old twins Emma and Evin LeFay are suddenly forced to pack their belongings after the tragic murder of their mother, they soon find that the busy city life of Boston, Massachusetts is more than they could have expected... First are the two mysterious boys that Emma crosses paths with one night, after being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. She thought she escaped them without getting caught, but it soon becomes apparent to her and Evin after a series of strange events that someone--or rather, several people--seem to be following them. It's after a close-run in with a group of menacing creatures, and the sudden aid of the same strange people that have been following them that Emma and Evin quickly realize there is more to Boston than skyscrapers and noisy cars. Left with no other options and seeking the truth behind their mother's murder, Emma and Evin accompany their saviors to a place known as Hawthorne Academy. It's here that the twins soon learn they are part of a supernatural race with rare abilities, known as Dracons, one Otherworld race amongst four other paranormal races that have lived in disguise as humans for centuries. Being part of an Otherworld race has its drawbacks, however, when Emma and Evin are enrolled for training at Hawthorne after a heated meeting with the Otherworld Council and its leaders. It's either sink or swim for these Otherworldly twins as they train at the academy and learn to control their unique gifts. Convinced life couldn't get much more bizarre, Emma and Evin discover a mysterious archway leading to an entirely different realm that has been lost over time. It's in this Lost Realm and the Celestial kingdom of Evmurah that the twins are dubbed the Guardians of the Realms, protectors of both the Mortal and Immortal Realms. It's Emma and Evin's job to protect both realms from the darkness that taints them and the mysterious Precursor that seems to want them dead. 
    

It's been one month since Emma and Evin Lefay's encounter with the vengeful Caine Fletcher, and just as they are beginning to hope things can return to normal--or as normal as the Otherworlders' lives can be--the twins are attacked one night in a graveyard by mysterious, mask-wearing Stiffs... The twins learn the masked Stiffs are known as Venators, and are part of a secret society, whose sole purpose is to extinguish all Otherworld beings. If that's not enough, strange things are beginning to happen to Emma and Evin. Emma begins having preminitions, and Evin discovers he has the sudden, phenomenal ability to supernaturally heal his own wounds. Meanwhile, Tristan's sister is in town, and she's causing more trouble than good--mainly in Evin's love life. With two very different girls vying for his attention and only one girl worth chasing after, how can the Guardian possibly be expected to concentrate on much of anything else? As if they aren't already overwhelmed enough, the leader of the Boston Otherworld Mafia has taken a sudden interest in the Guardians. "Marco Polo," as he is called, promises to help Emma and Evin with the Venators--for an unlisted price. Things are quickly spinning out of control for Emma and Evin... Will they conquer the threats that face them? Or have the Guardians of the Realms finally met their match? 

    

About the Author

K.L. Penington was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, which is what initially inspired the background for characters Emma and Evin. It was at an early age that K.L. discovered she was not whatsoever athletically gifted, an evil genius, or the next Beethoven. One thing she did know, however, was that she loved to read. As a result, growing up, some of her best friends and biggest influences in her life were the characters from her favorite books. The passion behind K.L.’s writing comes from the ability to be anyone and do anything, and because she can share the multiple different personalities living in her head without anyone judging her—much. Her dream has always been to one day see her own books on bookshelves, next to the hundreds of other books she enjoys reading. Currently residing in Wichita Falls, Texas, K.L. attends Midwestern State University, where she is in fierce pursuit of an English degree. When not writing, K.L. can be found haunting the local coffee shop, nurturing an everlasting addiction to chai tea, or spoiling her only child, Lily, the small poodle with the big attitude.