In a rut

So, I've been in a rut lately.
Can't get my hands on books, can't even read 20 pages a day.

I don't know if it's because of this that all books I read lately are bad or
it's because of bad books that I feel this way.

Whatever the reason, you won't be seeing much of me for a couple of weeks.
Although, writing this post is saying a lot about how much I've progressed
from just letting go to doing something about it.

Hope YOU all are reading though ! ♥
See you soon.

Book Review - Queen in Exile

Author : Donna Hatch


Paperback : 373 pages
ISBN : 1935217631
(ISBN 13 : 9781935217633)
My Rating : ★★★★★

Book Description : Rumor of war hung over princess Jeniah's peaceful country of Arden. A land that shuns both magic and warfare. Following a lifelong dream, Jeniah forms a telepathic bond with a revered creature called a chayium, who is prophesied to save her kingdom. But when a Darborian knight comes upon Jeniah with her chayium, he sees only a vicious monster about to devour a maiden, and he slays the beast.


Devastated by the lose of her chayium, and fearing her own magic is evil, Jeniah doubts her destiny. When an enemy evades Arden City, they slaughter the people, storm the castle, and execute the entire royal family except the princess. Rescued by the knight who slew her chayium, Jeniah is now heir to the throne of Arden and the only hope of freeing her people from tyranny.


On the run and hunted by enemy soldiers, Jeniah must place her life and fate of her kingdom in the hands of this trained killer. Torn between embracing her destiny as a queen in Arden, and her love for a mere knight, she must ultimately rely on her magic to save her people from death and tyranny.



My Thoughts : Beautiful cover, beautifully written book.
I don't know what it is but this book felt good in my hands.
The first chapter was by far one of the best few pages I've read in some time !
It caught me whole and seized me till I finished the book.

I feel like it's safe to say that this book is mostly about second chance, and believing within yourself that you hold that chance on your own whenever you need it.
Which is why it's unlike most love stories you read on books these days.

It's about different kind of love.
Trusting someone with your whole heart and not really wanting to receive something in return but just wait with patience.
Knowing when to let go and move on with your life does not mean you are cruel or cold hearted, it's just another way to live and cope with your own life.
If you want  something deep and bad, even the universe will line up just for you.
And mostly "a new beginning."

This book is not especially descriptive or violent or excruciatingly heart-breaking but it was  so, so, so, beautiful. 

Friday's Breathtaking Covers # 3 - Witch Child

Since it's Halloween this week, I though I might introduce a cover 

that was slightly scary and eerie. 

My first thought of this book, was "WOW."

I don't know if it's the make up, whether if she is a real person 

or computer generated, but she really seemed like a witch !!

If you look hard and long enough, it feels like she would 

cast a spell on you or something. brrrr

I honestly don't know if I want a cover like that looking at me 

from my book shelf. But it sure does look interesting !

Check out Witch Girl on Goodreads

Teaser Tuesday - Queen in Exile

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB ofShould Be Reading. Anyone can play along ! Just do the following :

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page but be careful not to include spoilers.
* Share the title and author of the book so that others can add it to their TBR list.




I'm so happy to introduce this book I've started reading only today !
I have quite the pile of books on my shelf right now, most of them very highly recommended, 
and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. 
But the first chapter of this book got me hooked !  
Only one other book made me feel this way this year, which was  "Incarceron."
The writing is very articulate, and enchanting. 
I''m loving every sentence of it. 
Which is why it's gosh darn hard to choose just two sentences, so I'm writing a few more. 



  "Queen in Exile" by Donna Hatch


The stranger reached out with his other hand and gently brushed away a tear lingering on Jeniah's cheek. Shocked at the intimacy of his touch, and at the tingles that spiraled outward from it, she caught her breath. No man in Arden would touch her in such a manner. This man dared much. She snatched her hand back and stepped away to disguise the sudden awareness of her own vulnerability, and her elemental awareness of him as a man. 

Giveaway # 2 - Book Release Celebration !

It is my great pleasure to announce that the "Son of Ereubus" will be released in less than 10 days ! Which is why I'm having this giveaway for one lucky winner !
I truly enjoyed this book and would love to share it with my fellow friends.

I'm keeping this giveaway plain and simple as possible.
US only. (sorry my international followers, maybe next time!)
This giveaway ends Novembre 2nd.


- be my follower
- leave a comment on the J.S.Chancellor's Interview post.
- and fill out this form


Comments on this post, while appreciated, does not count as an entry !

Good luck everyone ! ^^

To Be Read, # 6

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

Chocolate Wishes by Trisha Ashley (won @The Secret Writer)

I only got two books this week.
But nonetheless very excited !
Both books has some meanings for me.

Forbidden was highly recommended (I emphasize "highly")
by my friends from Goodreads.
And Chocolate Wishes is the first book I've won from a contest ! ^^
I'll be reading these both very soon.

♥ Happy Reading Everyone ♥

Book Review - Homer's Odyssey

Author : Gwen Cooper

Paperback : 299 pages

ISBN : 0385343981

(ISBN 13 :9780385343985)

My Rating : ★★★☆☆

Book Description : The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen's veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who'd been abandoned. It was love at first sight. 


Everyone warned that Homer would always be an "underachiever." But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen's life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer's unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen's life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most  valuable lesson of all: Love isn't something you see with your eyes.


My Thoughts : I never read an animal based book before.
The reason why is the same as why I don't watch any animal based movies.
They're too damn emotional for me to handle.
But this book looked promising somehow, and I already fell in love with the book just by reading the short description on a website.

Unfortunately, this book had all the elements I don't like when reading a "memoire," I've only read one and that was enough to convince me that it was not my type of book. But I have to say it was just the last few chapters that I could've lived without reading and the rest was pretty fantastic.
If you are a fellow animal lover, I think it's hard not to fall in love with this cat.

It will be more easier for me to explain how I felt by sharing passages from this book.
So, here it goes.


Favorite Quotes and Phrases

It never occurred to me to meet the pet in question first, to see if he was "special" or whether there was some sort of unique bond between  us. My philosophy when it came to pets was much like that of having children: you got what you got, and you loved them unconditionally regardless of whatever their personalities or flaws turned out to be.

(I know this is long, but please take 5 minutes to read this one, you won't regret it.)
     The other thing I realized was that, while he seemed loving, he wasn't scared or desperate to be loved, the way you would expect a kitten-or even a person-who'd experienced nothing but pain, hunger, and fear to be. Nor was he hostile and defensive, a kitten who'd let a hard life stomp all the love right out of him. He was merely curious and affectionate. It was as if there was some innate source of courage within him, some inborn willingness to engage the world openly and joyfully, that even all the suffering and hardship he'd been through hadn't taken away from him.
     It was a staggering concept for me at the time. I had been dumped, forced to move out of my home, and was having financial problems-and I'd consequently developed an unfortunate tendency to approach life as if it were a grim struggle, to allow self-pity to consume me whenever I lost some of those struggles.
     But there were this cat, whose ordeals made my own worst days seem like a week at Disney World, and his attitude upon meeting me appeared to be, Hi! You seem goodhearted and fun. Don't you find that people generally are goodhearted and fun? 
     It probably sounds like I'm about to contradict what I said earlier, that I ended up adopting Homer because I thought there was something special about him. It wasn't that, though. Not exactly.
     What happened was that I caught a glimpse of something I desperately needed to believe in at that point in my life. I wanted to believe there could be something within you that was so essential and so courageous that nothing-no boyfriend, no employer, no trauma-could tarnish or rob you of it. And if you had that unbreakable core, not only would it always be yours, but even in your darkest moments others would see it in you, and help you out before the worst came to the absolute worst.
     Or, as my grandmother used to put it, "God helps those who help themselves." If I recognized all that within this kitten now, and took him home because of it, then I would be proving my own theory right.
     So I didn't adopt Homer because he was cute and little and sweet, or because he was helpless and he needed me. I adopted him because when you think you see something so fundamentally worthwhile in someone else, you don't look for the reasons-like bad timing or a negative bank balance-that might keep it our of your life. You commit to being strong enough to build your life around it, no matter what.
     In doing so, you begin to become the thing you admire.

A friend once asked me why it was that stories about animals and their heroism-a cat that pulls her kitten from a burning building, say, or a dog that walks across fifty miles of Iraqi desert to reunite with the soldier who fed him-are so compelling.
I didn't have an immediate answer, beyond observing that I also loved those stories. A few days later, though, it occurred to me that we love them because they're the closest thing we have to material evidence of an objective moral order-or, to put it another way, they're the closest thing we have to proof of the existence of God. They seem to prove that the things that matter to and move us the most-things like love, courage, loyalty, altruism-aren't just ideas we made up from nothing. To see them demonstrated in other animals proves they're real things, that they exist in the world independently of what humans invent and tell each other in the form of myth or fable.

Book Review - Spirit Bound

Author : Richelle Mead

Series : Vampire Academy, # 5

Hardcover : 489 pages

ISBN : 1595142509

(ISBN 13 : 9781595142504)

My Rating : ★★★★☆

Book Description : Rose's life will never be her own. 
She has been outrunning death ever since the accident that forever bonded her to her best friend, Lissa - whom she's sworn to protect no matter what.
But with Dimitri stalking her, Rose can only run so far. (from Hardcover edition)




My Thoughts : Well, my thoughts on this one is hard to explain...
Although, there's still no doubt that this is one of the few favorite series I claim it has to be read, this fifth installment was a bit hurried.

Maybe it's because I've grown a little too tired of "Vampires," but still the last and the sixth book is coming out this December and I though, I could wait for two months until that time comes. And to be honest, I think I can actually wait, without making myself think too much about Dimitry, Rose, and Adrian.

First of all, I'd like to say that this book still deserves all the fuss and support from medias and admirers. It took longer than I expected to read half the book but once I was there, there was no stopping me from finishing this book at 4 am.

Okay, so we all knew that Dimitry had to somehow re-become a dhampir.
I mean there is no way that the author has gone through all this if it wouldn't occur.
What I had not expected was the time when it was going to happen.
I thought that this, Dimitry's transformation and salvation was going to be the finale on the last book. But no, it happened so fast and sudden it didn't even feel like it was a big deal.
And the part where Lissa learns to stake a strigoi was pretty awesome which is why I'd like to have read about it more.
All this happened within a few chapters and I thought it progressed in a super speed.
Dimitry's behavior, while understandable, was disturbing for me.
Clearly I am not happy about this.

But all in all, I am more than intrigued with what the story the sixth and the last book of the Vampire Academy series will bring. Aren't you ?? 

Friday's Breathtaking Covers # 2 - The Tear Collector

I thought this cover is quite beautiful. 

Not only because of the "boy," but also it's in sync with the title.

If this book were to be on a book shelf, in a book store, 

I would definitely pick it up and look through the description.

I was surprised to find out what this book was about. 

And to be honest, a little weirded out. 

I guess you have to read for yourself to decide. 

Check out The Tear Collector on Goodreads

My Top 7 - Fictional Love Triangle

Life is full of "triangles."
But there is nothing more than a love triangle that attracts my attention.
There is something sinful and amusing about it.
And I'm always curious about who is going to "win."
Here are my top 7 most memorable and complicated love triangle list. Enjoy ! ^^



1. Mrs. Robinson / Elaine Robinson / Ben Braddock from The Graduate

I first saw this movie when I was in high school with my dad.
Apparently he thought I might enjoy it.
But to this day, it's kinda unnerving...
I mean how is it possible for a woman to run away with a man who slept with her mother?
Albeit she might be in love but COME ON ! how can you live with that?
This movie, for me became what first comes to mind when thinking of love triangle.
And a quite disgusting one at that.



2. Rafe / Danny / Nurse Evelyn from Pearl Harbor

One of the saddest love triangle ever !
I was really upset how nurse Evelyn found her next love in the comfort her former boyfriend's best friend ! Well, I guess it happens more often than we think.
But it was tragic with the death and the baby and all...
Most importantly, I was so moved by the friendship of Rafe and Danny.



3. Julianne / Kimberly(Kim) / Michael from My Best Friend's Wedding

This is something that happened to me.
Not to the extreme of breaking a marriage but it relates to the "if I can't have it you can't either" or "is it just me, or has he gotten hotter now that we're broken up?" thoughts.
Julianne's actions were so desperate it kinda was sad.
I think I'd also feel betrayed when my best friend who claimed to love me since I can remember, suddenly introduced me to the woman he was going to marry.
Ahhhhh, the drama.



4. Kathryn / Annette / Sebastian from Cruel Intentions

I enjoyed this movie so much !
And I actually was cheering for Kathryn / Sebastian couple.
They were both twisted and mean, I thought they deserved each other.
I also secretly hoped that they were in "love," and not just screwing around.
Of course, that wouldn't have been a love triangle now would it !



5. Stefan / Damon / Elena from Vampire Diaries

There so many awesome pictures to choose from !!!

I've read the first book of Vampire Diaries and gave up on it.
It was a terrible book. To be honest, I can't even remember what it was that made me stop. But I know it was just weird.
But the TV show is a different matter.
I would drool all day just looking at these pictures.
This is somehow more tempting because it's between two brothers !!
I don't know about you, but I would't hold it against Elena if she chose to love both. *sigh*



6. Mark / Daniel / Bridget from Bridget Jones's Diary

This is my favorite holiday movie, along with "Love Actually" and "The Holiday."

I mean, I still feel giddy whenever I think about Mark Darcy.
There was no question that Bridget had to choose Mark over Daniel but like most insecure women, Bridget makes herself look ridiculous in front the man she loves.
But in the most sweetest ways. ^^
Besides, don't they look cute together? they actually look.... normal !



7. Ally / Billy / Georgia from Ally McBeal

This is yet another love triangle that I find absolutely disturbing.

The fact that Billy was still in love with Ally while married to Georgia.
He dies of a sudden heart attack in the middle of the series.
Ally being the last person he talks to, and he whispers that he loves her.
What is that? What about his wife?
You'll have to see the series to understand but I thought it was... weird.
Nonetheless one of my favorite series ever !!!


Extra Thoughts
I know that a lot of people would first think of Edward / Jacob / Bella.
I personally didn't think there were any wiggle room for Jacob to come between Edward and Bella. And I hated the thought of Jacob imprinting on Edward and Bella's daughter.
So, to avoid obvious, I have decided to exclude them. ^^



What is your favorite love triangle? 

Book Review - Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris

Author : R.L. LaFevers

Series : Theodosia Throckmorton, #2

Paperback : 400 pages

ISBN : 0547248199

(ISBN 13 : 9780547248196)

My Rating : ★★★★★

Book Description : Theodosia Throckmorton is in a fix. Scores of missing mummies have turned up at the museum of Legends and Antiquities, and her father has fallen under suspicion. Now, not only must Theodosia keep him out of jail, but she has unwanted mummies to take care of  - and the Serpents of Chaos are back ! What could they be up to? And there are all those bothersome governesses to deal with. It really is a bit much for one girl to handle. At least she has Sticky Will as her ally. Or does she? He seems to be keeping secrets of his own. (from Paperback edition)

My Thoughts : I am officially in love with this series. 

As expected, it didn't fail to be humorous, witty and full of adventure !

I'd prefer not to mention Harry Potter but in this case I have to. 

When "Harry Potter" was finished, I felt really sad and was desperately looking for another series that could fill my void. A book that's filled with magic, a fight of good against evil without cheesy romance that will clog the whole story ! which is why "Vampires" and "Ware wolves" don't count ! LoL

Although this book might not be filled with the "same" kind, it was definitely enough to stop be obsessing to find another series just like it. 

Some might think this book too childlike, but wasn't Harry Potter suppose to be for children? I think my age has given me a chance to appreciate these books more than as I was a child. Theodosia is whimsical, clever and brave. I laughed and smiled at her comments more than I can recall. 

I so badly want to read more !! 

Favorite Quotes 

The lace on my party frock itched horribly. I don't understand how they can make things as complex as motorcars or machines that fly but can't invent itchless lace. 

Sopcoate held out his arm for Gradmother.

"Do watch your step, Lavinia." He advised.

"I've got it. I'm not infirm you know."

He winked at her.

"I know that very well, madam," he said, his words causing her to blush slightly.

And may I just say that old, wrinkled cheeks aren't made for blushing? 

Teaser Tuesday, 19/Oct/2010

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB ofShould Be Reading. Anyone can play along ! Just do the following :

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share 2 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page but be careful not to include spoilers.
* Share the title and author of the book so that others can add it to their TBR list.




I've been sort of prolonging my " book break" for two weeks now, and I thought I might just relax with something simple and humorous.  That's when I pick this book out. 
I normally don't read animal books, they're too damn emotional for me. 
But this, I just had to find out. 
It's about a cat who lost both his eyes when he was only a week old. 
You can't really tell by the picture below, but seriously, he is blind. 
But he's the most perkiest, happiest and affectionate cat I've ever read ! 
I'm only reading like three chapters a day to savour every detail, and it's good !


  "Homer's Odyssey" by Gwen Cooper


Every leap Homer took was a leap of faith.
Homer was living proof of the adage that fortune favors the brave, that just because you couldn't see that light at the end of the tunnel didn't mean it wasn't there. 

Cover Critique - Study series

I haven't seen a series that has more covers than this one ! 

On top, are the paperback ones I own. These two books are fantastic ! 

The only problem I have is the third one, and a huge one at that.

(Read my review of Poison Study and my opinion on all three books)


Hardcover Edition

I don't know what to think of these... It's just not my style.
For some reason they haven't printed the third book.
Which adds up to my theory of the book being painful.

And finally, there are these other editions.
There are far too many editions for me to keep track of !!
I don't know about you all, but I'm LOVING these !
I'd actually consider purchasing them again if it came to it.
And since my third book is on Kindle, I might.

What do you prefer? 

Book Review - The Body Finder

Author : Kimberly Derting

Series : The Body Finder, #1

Hardcover : 336 pages

ISBN : 00661779814

(ISBN 13 : 9780061779817)

My Rating : ★★★★★

Book Description : Violet strained to see into the lake below. Multihued light seemed to be radiating up from beneath the water, centered among the reeds, and then diffusing outward as it reached the surface. Violet had never seen anything like it, and she knew that the spectrum of light was defying its very nature by behaving in that way.

t could be only one thing.

There was something dead down there. (from Harcover edition)

My Thoughts : This book, as expected, was very good. 
It's more like a thriller genre with a hint of a teenage romance.
Although, I have a feeling that this so called "romance" is so much more than a fling between a two love struck teenage kids looking for a first time experiences.


I have learned to LOVE the going back and forth with two POV writings. 
It's just that much more exciting and easier to know not just one side of the story but the whole one. In this book, it's even more exciting because the other person is the evil character !
There isn't much of him, to be honest, it could've brought the story way down but still I would've like to have read more about him.

Which reminds me, I was having a hard time coping with Violet's (female character) one way narration. It wasn't that she was nagging, snobby or girly in any way but just difficult to read only her side of the story since it was an intense one. But there were times where I was shocked, amused and even laughed by myself.

I would've been content if the story ended here, just like this.
But apparently the second book is coming out next year and I'm not complaining. 

Book Review - Don't Die, Dragonfly

Author : Linda Joy Singleton

Series : The Seer, # 1

Paperback : 240 pages

ISBN : 0738705269

(ISBN 13 : 9780738705262)

My Rating : ★★★★☆

Book Description : After getting kicked out of school and sent to live with her grandmother, Sabine Rose is determined to become a "normal" teenage girl. She hides her psychic powers from everyone, even from her grandmother Nona, who also has "the gift." Having a job at the school newspaper and friends like Penny Love, a popular cheerleader, have helped Sabine fit in at her new school. She has even managed to catch the eye of the adorable Josh DeMarco. Yet, Sabine can't seem to get the bossy voice of Opal, her spirit guide, out of her head... or the disturbing images of a girl with a dragonfly tattoo. Suspected of a crime she didn't commit, Sabine must fine the strength to defend herself and, later, save a friend from certain danger. (from Goodreads)

My Thoughts : You know how sometimes, you can't help  yourself but compare books? not necessarily because it has many similar details but you just have something at the back of your head that tells you it reminds of you of a certain book? 

This book reminded me of "Marked" series by P.C. Cast. 

There is no similarities, not even the same number of people or the plot. 

But somehow I couldn't stop myself from thinking that it's somehow the same. 

Needless to say that this book was pretty good. 

Actually I prefer this to the "Marked" series. 

At least there was no awkwardness at the beginning of the book. (if you know what I mean)
This book has some serious twists and turns that I didn't expect. 

It totally caught me off guard ! I felt like the story had so many potentials and I guess I'll find out sooner or later when I read the second book. 

This book is not to die for, but certainly is a memorable one. 

Friday's Breathtaking Covers #1 - So Shelly

This is a weekly meme I came up with a few days ago. 

I know I already have something similar, "cover critique"

where I compare US/UK and Paperback/Hardback covers. 

But this is basically different. 

a) Choose a book that immediately caught your eyes, 

whether if it's because it's beautiful, scary or plain ridiculous. 

b) Write about what the story could be just by looking at it's cover.

c) Check out the book, and tell us if you're going to actually read it.

I  chose this book because it is the one which made me think of this meme. 

I couldn't stop myself from staring at this cover. 

It looked a little like a horror genre yet so beautiful

I had to find out what the story was about !

She looks so vulnerable on the edge of the world, 

the water is not making a sound and it looks so dark and lonely. 

I checked out the story on "Goodreads" and it fits the cover perfectly. 

I'm so going to read this soon. 

What about you? 

Check out So Shelly on Goodreads 

To Be Read, # 5

Queen In Exile by Donna Hatch

The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon by Sara Beitia

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

I am extra excited today ! 

And I'm sure I'll be burying myself in these books shortly. 

To be honest, I have only read one book this week ! 

Which is very slow for me. 

I guess after Perfect Chemistry, I needed a break from books.
But look at my TBR pile this week !
Just by looking at it is enough to fuel my energy to read again. ^_^
So, watch out everyone ! I'm back !

♥ Happy Reading Everyone ♥

Author Interview - Jessica Park

Today, I would like to introduce to you, Jessica Park.
Author of Relatively Famous, her first stand alone novel.

I stumbled upon her novel accidentally and I'm so glad I have. As I was browsing through first novel debut authors, although she isn't one, I found this book with an interesting book cover.
After reading the book description I thought I might give this book a try. At this time, I was very sick of reading a series. So I started this book without expecting to like it that much.
But that's what I love about reading a book, it surprises you when you are least expected ! I found myself pulled by the story.
I don't know about you all, but I don't read tabloids or any type of gossip magazines. I mean things get around without you actually having to pay for a certain news. But this book was different. I found myself clinging to every detail just like everybody else. LOL
When asked for an interview, she was very kind and thorough. After reading the interview myself, I like her even more !
You will see what I mean. So, enjoy this and please check out her book and my review here.


Author's Blog 
http://yaauthorjessicapark.blogspot.com/

Author on Goodreads 
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22159

Author's Books 
─ Relatively Famous  (Available in paperback and Kindle)

─ Steamed, A Gourmet Girl Mystery, #1  (4 more books in the series)



♠ Interview ♠


You've written the "Gourmet Girl Mysteries" before but "Relatively Famous" is your first young adult novel. Why did you change your genre? 


─ I loved writing the Gourmet Girl books, but after writing five, I was getting itchy to do something else. Writing a series has its advantages; it can be easier in many ways because you have your characters, setting, writing style, and other general guidelines all in place, and then you get to just play with the plot. But it can also feel constraining, especially when writing a cozy mystery, where there are a lot of “rules” about what you can and can’t do. RELATIVELY FAMOUS was a chance for me to explore other sides of my creativity, invent new characters and new relationships, and take on a completely different style from my other books. Plus, I love all that teenage angst stuff.

How did you come up with the idea of this story? I read your bio, and it doesn't seem like you've lived anywhere near Hollywood.


─ True, I don’t have any Hollywood experience. Sometimes writers write what we know, and other times we write what we might like to know…! There are a lot of TV shows, for instance, that play up the young-rich-and-stupid angle, and I wanted to write a book in that sort of setting but that had more heart. So even though the book has the backdrop of wealth and fame, at its heart, this is a book about relationships and coming-of-age struggles. The dichotomy between the superficial setting and the deep, meaningful relationship struggles is immense, so in many ways the Hollywood world heightened the intensity of the story.

Which character has most of your affection and why? 

─ Ah, that’s an easy one. Mark. I sort of fell in love with him by the end of the book. When we first meet him, he is such a self-serving, narcissistic jerk. He has no real emotional connections to anyone, and it appears that there is nothing redeeming about him. But, once his daughter, Dani, comes into his life, we slowly see him start to change. What I really love about his character is that it’s not that finding out that he is a father simply changes him. Rather, it awakens an old part of himself. We learn that he wasn’t always such a smarmy, career-hungry power-player, but that he used to be a man who was capable of loving others, and who came into the acting business out of a true passion for theater. Being with Dani reminds him of who he really is, and watching the shift in his character completely endeared him to me.

Which part of this book would you like to see on screen? (because I totally see this book becoming a motion picture !)

─ I really did picture this book as a movie while I was writing, so much of it does read like a screenplay, and there are a few I’d love to see! There is a scene in which Mark takes Dani camping and the two of them walk a short trail to reach a beautiful view. They sit together on old Adirondack chairs, and Mark is suddenly struck by how much he genuinely cares for her. Not much is said between the two, but it’s a major moment for Mark. Sniff, sniff. He’s a big ol’ sap inside.

Another scene that would be fun to see is when Dani goes to one of those totally over-the-top, extravagant birthday parties. She’s managed to get herself into a bit of a romantic mess, and things get heated and intense when she catches the guy she’s been dating with another girl. But that’s when she realizes… Well, I don’t want to ruin the scene for anyone who hasn’t read the book, but it would be awesome on film. J

What is the first sentence you wrote for this book?  Did you happen to keep it intact or did you rewrite it? 

─ First of all, let me say that writing the first sentence of a book is about as fun and scrubbing the toilet. There is nothing more wretched than staring at that taunting blinking cursor at the top of a blank page. I’ve learned to tell myself that I should just go ahead and write anything at all, and it doesn’t matter; I’ll go back and change it later. That takes the pressure off. And so funny enough, because the pressure is off, I can sometimes write a not so terrible first sentence, which is what happened with RELATIVELY FAMOUS.

What type of a writer are you? Do you schedule yourself to write everyday? And tell me one of you most compulsive book fetishes. (Like underlining, breaking spine etc.)

─ I used to be very disciplined when my son was younger and more demanding. When he was in preschool and kindergarten, I would start writing the second that he was out of the house and stop for the day when he came home. I’d often have a ton written by ten in the morning. And I certainly never wrote at night. Now that my son is nine, and more self-sufficient, I actually do my best writing in the afternoon and late evening.

I call myself a “snowball writer.” It can take me a while now to get going, but then once I hit my stride, it’s hard to get me to stop writing. The last manuscript that I wrote, I started in January. I think it took me three months to write a hundred pages, and it felt like I was never going to make it to the end. Then I finally “got it,” and I wrote another two hundred and fifty in the next three months. I was often up until midnight or one in the morning writing, my fingers totally cramped up from typing, and my vision swirling from having been staring at the glare of the laptop screen. I feel badly for anyone who tried to pull me out of the imaginary world that I was creating, because there were times that I practically dissociated from reality.

Look, if people are reading and they want to fold over pages and write in 'em and wreck books... fine by me. The more beaten up a book is, the more loved it is. Some people think that marking up a book is disrespectful, but I think that it shows a wonderful level of comfort. I will tell you that what does irk the daylights out of me, is when I buy a book on Kindle and it comes with millions of sections "highlighted." It feels like a used book, I don't care what other people highlighted. Really. It's distracting. There seem to be lots of complaints about this on the web, so I'm hoping this practice will be laid to rest very soon.

I gotta ask, is the main character "Dani/Danielle" anything like you when you were a teenager? If so in what way? 

─ Probably in some ways. She is compassionate and caring, the way I was, and easily swept up in romance. And I think that we can all relate to getting momentarily lured into behaving badly (cough, cough). But Dani is more level-headed and pragmatic than I was. She is pretty well composed for a teenager, so that makes it all the more fun when she breaks out of that composure.

What do you hope readers will get from reading this book? 

─ I think that RELATIVELY FAMOUS is a great reminder of our ability to change, to forgive, and to allow relationships to go through ups and downs. Dani and Mark both struggle to figure out their father/daughter relationship and bring different issues and personalities to the situation. The capacity to move on from the past and open your heart is something that we should always be open to. 

If you would like to add anything else, please feel free. ^_^ 

And once again, thanks for agreeing to do this interview ! 

─ Thank you so much for having me! I really want to acknowledge here how grateful authors are to bloggers. Whether going through a big publishers or self-publishing, our marketing funds are stretched pretty thin. Bloggers bring word-of-mouth to a whole new level. As I’ve been getting more involved with YA bloggers, I am continually astounded at the level of professionalism! Authors know how seriously you all take your blogs, and we appreciate your time and generosity more than we can say. Thank you!