The first rule of Novel-Writing is Don't Write a Novel

I found this post through my personal Facebook page. I think it is an incredible read though and want to share it here also:

http://lithub.com/the-first-rule-of-novel-writing-is-dont-write-a-novel/

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: Color Inspiration

Teaser Tuesdays: Into the Night by Suzanne Brockmann

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 114 of Suzanne Brockmann's Into the Night:

"There are things I can't tell you, no matter how contrite I am. You know this - don't pretend you don't. I cannot answer any questions that are about past, present or future operations."

Musing Mondays - The Summer Before the War

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Make a plea for your favorite book.

Last week I was in Costco and I always have to go through the book aisle and see what is there. The majority of the time I don't buy anything because I love using my library. Also, I tend to buy e-books more than physical books. However, sitting right there in the new hardcovers was one called The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. I literally gave a gasp of delight and grabbed it so quick to read the inside flap.

Helen Simonson wrote a book called Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. It is an amazing book! I loved it and have recommended it many, many times. It was released in 2010. I had looked many times on Helen Simonson's website in hopes of news of a new novel. Apparently I had stopped looking because I knew nothing about this second book of hers. So that's why I was so thrilled to see The Summer Before the War sitting in Costco. Then I read what it's about and I bought it. I have a couple of books from the library that I need to read before they're due but then I am definitely getting into this one. I can't wait. I really hope I like this one as much as Simonson's debut!

Happy Easter

My daughter went outside this morning and picked a bunch of flowers (in secret). Then she brought them inside and loaded them into a bowl with water. She gave them to me, along with one of her gorgeous smiles, and said, "Happy Easter, Mommy!" Needless to say it melted my heart and truly made my day!

I hope all of you have enjoyed a very Happy Easter, as well. And if you don't celebrate Easter then I hope you've had a wonderful Sunday.

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon

The sign-ups are open for the next Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-thon. It takes place on Saturday (and into Sunday) April 23, 2016. The main purpose of the read-a-thon is to READ! If you happen to make some new reader friends along the way then that's an extra element of fun. Speaking of fun - there are a lot of fun things to do during the twenty-four hours if you fancy a break from your book. There are  different events hosted on blogs throughout the world. All are book and reading related, of course.

My kids and I will be participating once again. We love doing this together. They look forward to going to the library or Barnes and Noble with the specific intent of getting books for the Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-thon.

So join in if this sounds like something you think you'd like. I assure you - it is a lot of fun!

Wordless Wednesday: Evening Light

Teaser Tuesdays: Out of Controll by Suzanne Brockmann

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from Nook page 125 of Suzanne Brockmann's Out of Control:

"If they find out I'm... what I am, they'll kill me. Don't even let it slip that I'm in the Navy; do you understand? Or I'm dead."

Musing Mondays: Movie better than the book?

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Have you ever read a book after watching the movie/television version only to find that you don’t like the book as much as the adaptation?

I am one of the people in the world who firmly believes the book is better than the movie. That's not to say I haven't seen movies I liked that were based on the book. It's just that ninety-nine percent of the time I think the book was far superior to the movie.

That being said, one of my all-time favorite movies is The Princess Bride. The movie is based on a book and I didn't know this for many years after falling in love with the book. So when I saw the book in Costco, I literally squealed. My husband and children just looked at me. I was so thrilled. While this book will forever sit on my bookshelf, I didn't like it anywhere near as much as the movie. It still seems like the oddest thing to me but it is true.

Happy spring

Teaser Tuesdays: From Sanctum with Love by Lexi Blake

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Books and a Beat. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from Nook page 212 of Lexi Blake's From Sanctum with Love:

"You don't ever have to put it out in the world if you don't want to, but you should write it down. Every day. A little bit more."

Musing Mondays: How many books...

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme that asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer:

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Approximately how many books do you usually read per week? Per month?

I usually read one to two books per week. So that would mean four to eight books per month. However, there have been times when I've read more and less than these numbers, though.

Wordless Wednesday: The Charlotte square

Teaser Tuesdays: The Witness by Nora Roberts

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 180 of The Witness by Nora Roberts:

She was dating the Chief of Police. "For God's sake. How did he do this? I don't date. I can't date."

Tiptoe through the Tulips

 

We're still recuperating around here from the colds we've had and the fun of my daughter being in The Sound of Music last weekend. Today my kids and I have been hanging out, reading, playing, cleaning their room a bit and watching movies. I also finished a couple of squares for the big blanket I have been making for my husband and I. I feel like it's taking forever to finish this blanket but it will be so worth it once it's done. This particular square is called Tiptoe through the Tulips.

 

How has your weekend been so far?

Teaser Tuesdays: The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from Nook page 187 of Suzanne Brockmann's The Defiant Hero:

"I didn't forget you," he told her quietly. "Not for one minute."

He could see in her eyes that she still didn't quite believe him. And he knew that was his own fault.