Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Genre Fiction - it's my thing

Back to Armchair BEA and today we are talking about genre fiction.  Not sure what they mean?  Here is what the site says for today:

Genre fiction is kind of wide category. Science fiction, fantasy, horror, crime, romance. Though often dismissed or ridiculed by the more “literary” minded, these novels often deal with complex themes and issues and some of the world’s most beloved authors write in these categories. Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Anne Rice, Deborah Harkness, Douglas Adams, P D James, J R Ward and George R R Martin to name a few. Genre fiction can take us to places we never imagine, experience scenarios we’ve always dreamed of and open up new worlds to explore. 

 If you’re a reader of genre fiction do you have a favourite author or series? And what keeps bringing you back for more fantasy/sci fi/horror etc? And if you don’t read one (or more) of these genres what is it that deters you from those sections of the bookstore? I’m also curious to hear why you think these genres often don’t get the recognition they deserve.

I am a HUGE reader of genre fiction, huge I tell you.  Many years ago (and no, I won't say how many), I was enlightened after reading 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King.  My favorite author to this day, this wonderful writer opened my eyes to genre fiction.  Would I classify him as horror?  I would sometimes, but while reading his books you realize that it is about so much more.  The depth of character is to be rivaled.  For instance, in IT, as scary as the book itself is, the bond between the friends is what always leaves me in awe.  And let's be real, The Stand?  Hard to beat as an all around book if you ask me - thankfully I'm not alone.

I've also read the entire Interview with a Vampire series by Anne Rice, many of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward, The Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz, I will read just about anything paranormal, Mary Higgins Clark again is one of my fav's, and so is Suzanne Collins.  Diana Gabaldon...absolutely!  So, genre fiction?  It is certainly my thing.  I guess I would ask, what isn't genre fiction?  I am maybe a little confused because it seems like they try to shove everything into some kind of genre, I am not sure what non-genre fiction would be.  I'd love to know.

Thanks so much for visiting my site, I look forward to reading what some of you have to say!


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Paths to Becoming a Better Blogger - Armchair BEA Day 2

Here we are - Day 2 of Armchair BEA.  Here is today's discussion:

Today, we're inviting you to talk about approach. Have you branched out into your community? Do you partner with other bloggers? Have you gone "pro" or tried generating some income through your blog? If you're a long-term blogger, how has your online personality developed over the years? 

Tell us about things you've done to expand your blogging horizons, and the things you'd like to do but haven't managed (or figured out) yet. Come back here to link up your post, and then go see what other participants have to say. Let's foster our development as bloggers and learn from each other!

9 years ago I started blogging about books.  It all started after I had my oldest daughter and decided I needed to start documenting the books that I have read.  While I was pregnant and on bed rest I re-read a few books that I had no intention of re-reading.  I just didn't remember that I had read them. So, it was then I knew it was time.

I also joined sites such as Shelfari and Goodreads (as I became aware of them) and quickly made other bookie friends.  I was so excited.  So, I hung out in the blogging community, kinda like I do now, and started to follow lots of bookie blogs.  Not only did I get book recommendations, but I made some great friends.

This lasted a few years and I was getting ARC's from publishers, and just loving life in general. That is when I was contacted to participate in my first virtual book tour.  I wasn't really sure what this was (remember, this is almost 7 years ago) but I thought it sounded like fun so I said sure thing.  And I participated in more with this company and really enjoyed it.  5 1/2 years ago the owner of the company asked if I wanted to join them and I said yes, yes, yes.  So, that is when I started working for Pump Up Your Book  To this day I absolutely LOVE what I do, and after doing it so long (we have been around a LONG time), I have learned so much.  It is great to see how much things have changed.

My blogging personality hasn't changed much, except I do have more than one book blog.  This is my newest 'creation' because I wanted a place where I could just talk a little more.  One of my sites is going to start being for reviews only (although those reviews will be mirrored here as well).  I just hope to continue to find new blogs to read and keep enjoying the old ones I already to.
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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

The Classics Club - time to join

So, after some interesting posts today I saw a few people who belonged to a site called The Classics Club.  What is the Classics Club?  Well, for more information click on the link.  But, I know that there are quite a few classics out there I haven't read and I thought this might be the kick in the butt I need.

As far as an end date, I'll set it for 5 years from today, hoping to finish much sooner.  So that's 5/29/2018.

Well, I thought it was fair to start with this list and please note - these are subject to change.  And here they are (in no particular order):

A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (I think I may have read this but want to reread)
Wuthering Height by Emily Bronte
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas
Middlemarch by George Eliot
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Howard's End by E.M. Forster
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The Alchemist by Ben Jonson
Beloved by Toni Morrison
1984 by George Orwell
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jayne Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (again, I may have read this years ago but if I can't remember it means it's time to read it again)
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Atonement by Ian McEwan
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
The Wasp Factory by Ian Banks
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Brave New World by Aldous Hudley
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
The Stranger by Albert Casmus
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Ulysses by James Joyce
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
Blindness by Jose Saramago
Watchmen by Alan Moore
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski



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Top Ten Tuesday Freebie - Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

So, this week on Top Ten Tuesday it's a freebie - I took this as an opportunity to go back and play catch up because there are quite a few lists I wasn't around to participate in.  This one sounded like all sorts of fun.
1. Harry Potter
I know, can you even believe it?  Am I the only human being in the world who hasn't read any of these?  And, don't get me wrong, it isn't even that I don't think I would like them.  I just haven't read them.  If you want, try and convince me why this book or series should be next on my reading list.






2. Gone with the Wind
I have seen this movie numerous times and just have never picked up the book.  I love the movie, and almost always the book is better.  So, I have no reason for explaining why I haven't read this one.








3. The Time Traveler's Wife
This book has been on my bookshelf for years and I just haven't picked it up.  I really need to, because everyone I know that has read it loves it.












4. Water for Elephants
Another book sitting on my bookshelf staring at me...wow, I really have to start reading some of these, lol!












5. Catch-22
I am going to make a vow to read classics every third or fourth book.  There are quite a few of them I want to read and I think it might be the only way to get it done.









6. The Bell Jar
This rapidly jumped to the top of my list a few weeks back - I am hoping to get to it by early next week.












7. Rebecca
This one has been haunting me for quite some time - maybe after The Bell Jar it will be next.













8. A Game of Thrones
Seeing as I love the series on tv so much, and that I own all of these, I'm not sure what the delay is.  Maybe the immense size of them?












9. The Fault in Our Stars
This is another one that jumped to the top of my list - I don't own it yet but hope to soon as I REALLY want to read it.










10. Delirium
Another one I don't own (yet) but is high on my list of books to read.
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The Classics Courtesy of Armchair BEA

So, since I am participating in Armchair BEA I will be blogging about all different things this week.  How fun!  Today the discussion focuses on classic literature.  I have to admit, there is so much classic literature I have yet to read.  But, let's see if I can't discuss some of my favorites.

I was always in advanced English classes, and when I was a Sophmore in High School we had to pick a classic author and read much of their work (it was the first semester of the class) and then we had to write a thesis on them and their writing.  To be honest, I wasn't sure who to pick but I decided to choose Kurt Vonnegut.  Up until that point I hadn't read anything by him, and I wanted to expose myself to his work, some of which I had been told was really out there.

To pick a favorite book by him is almost an impossible task.  I wasn't prepared when I picked up Slaughterhouse Five (the first book of his I read) to fall in love with an author's work like I did with his.  Have you read Slaughterhouse Five? If not, here is some information:

Adapted for a magnificent George Roy Hill film three years later (perhaps the only film adaptation of a masterpiece which exceeds its source), Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) is the now famous parable of Billy Pilgrim, a World War II veteran and POW, who has in the later stage of his life become ""unstuck in time"" and who experiences at will (or unwillingly) all known events of his chronology out of order and sometimes simultaneously. 

Traumatized by the bombing of Dresden at the time he had been imprisoned, Pilgrim drifts through all events and history, sometimes deeply implicated, sometimes a witness. He is surrounded by Vonnegut's usual large cast of continuing characters (notably here the hack science fiction writer Kilgore Trout and the alien Tralmafadorians who oversee his life and remind him constantly that there is no causation, no order, no motive to existence). 

The ""unstuck"" nature of Pilgrim's experience may constitute an early novelistic use of what we now call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; then again, Pilgrim's aliens may be as ""real"" as Dresden is real to him. Struggling to find some purpose, order or meaning to his existence and humanity's, Pilgrim meets the beauteous and mysterious Montana Wildhack (certainly the author's best character name), has a child with her and drifts on some supernal plane, finally, in which Kilgore Trout, the Tralmafadorians, Montana Wildhack and the ruins of Dresden do not merge but rather disperse through all planes of existence. 

Slaughterhouse-Five was hugely successful, brought Vonnegut an enormous audience, was a finalist for the National Book Award and a bestseller and remains four decades later as timeless and shattering a war fiction as Catch-22, with which it stands as the two signal novels of their riotous and furious decade.

This is not the only Vonnegut book that really caught me off guard.  As much as I love Slaughterhouse Five, it does have some competition.  Welcome to the Monkey House has a few stories in it that I would rank as some of my favorite reading of my lifetime (and I have read A LOT).

Do you know the story Harrison Bergeron?  If not, I strongly encourage you to read this one, as it will really blow your mind.  If you do know the story, what do you think about it?  Do you think that in the future the government might try to control us in this way?  You already see some evidence of things like this, just in a different way: cloning, lasik surgery, plastic surgery...will we all be 'equal' in the future, none better than the other?  Here is the information on the book as listed on Amazon:

This short-story collection Welcome to the Monkey House (1968) incorporates almost completely Vonnegut's 1961 "Canary in a Cathouse," which appeared within a few months of Slaughterhouse-Five and capitalized upon that breakthrough novel and the enormous attention it suddenly brought.

Drawn from both specialized science fiction magazines and the big-circulation general magazines (Saturday Evening Post, Colliers, etc.) which Vonnegut had been one of the few science writers to sell, the collection includes some of his most accomplished work. The title story may be his most famous--a diabolical government asserts control through compulsory technology removing orgasm from sex--but Vonnegut's bitterness and wit, not in his earlier work as poisonous or unshielded as it later became, is well demonstrated.

Two early stories from Galaxy science fiction magazine and one from Fantasy & Science Fiction (the famous "Harrison Bergeron") show Vonnegut's careful command of a genre about which he was always ambivalent, stories like "More Stately Mansions" or "The Foster Portfolio" the confines and formula of a popular fiction of which he was always suspicious. Vonnegut's affection for humanity and bewilderment as its corruption are manifest in these early works.

Several of these stories (those which appeared in Collier's) were commissioned by Vonnegut’s Cornell classmate and great supporter Knox Burger, also born in 1922.

There are so many classic books out there I could and would recommend, here is just a partial list (as I could go on and on):

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (quite possibly my favorite book of all time)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (really need to re-read before I see the movie)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - how can you go wrong?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
last but not least, ANYTHING by Edgar Allen Poe, lol!

I can't wait to see what you say your favorite classics are.  There are so many out there, and many I have yet to read.  Maybe it's time to make a pact, when I was younger, every third book I read was a classic.  Seeing as how I have read many, maybe I'll weave them in every fifth or so.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
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A little about me

So, as part of Armchair BEA we are asked to share a little about ourselves...a get to know you of sorts.  So, here is some info about me: 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging? 

My name is Tracee and I have been part of the book blogging community for many years.  I started as a reviewer and now I am the Vice President of Pump Up Your Book.  I have been blogging in some form for over 9 years and it all started as a way to keep track of the books that I had read so I didn't re-read them, lol!

Have you previously participated in Armchair BEA? What brought you back for another year? If you have not previously participated, what drew you to the event?

This is my first year participating.  I have wanted to go to BEA for quite a few years but never had anyone to go with.  So, I had been sitting home pouting when I came across Armchair BEA halfway through last year.  I knew this would be for me and am so happy I am here!

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?


I am reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone.  I have read so many fantastic reviews of it, I knew I just had to pick it up.  Loving it so far!

Tell us one non-book related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

I am an advocate for helping raise awareness for Congenital Heart Defects.  My oldest daughter (who is 9) had open heart surgery as a baby to fix a heart defect she was born with that wasn't detected until after she was born.  She actually has 5 defects and will probably need additional surgery at some point.  1 in 100 children are born with a heart defect, and they kill more children than all forms of childhood cancer combined.  Yet, most people don't know much about the.  I certainly hope this changes in the very near future, as it is really necessary.

I also LOVE to cook and collect recipes.

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

I am going to answer this question by choosing one of each.  As far as author is concerned, this one is easy for me.  It would be Stephen King.  He has been my favorite author for over 25 years and each time I pick up a book I his I am in awe of his writing.  Don't get me wrong, I don't love every book of his, and some I haven't even really liked.  But, I don't believe anyone can weave a story quite like he can.

As far as characters are concerned, I think I would choose one of two.  Either Jericho Barrons from Karen Marie Moning's Fae series, or Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series.  Do I really have to choose just one? Lol!

Well, I guess that's all for now.  Can't wait to see what the rest of you choose to answser.


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Friday, May 24, 2013

Looking for Tour Hosts for Vampire Vic by Harris Gray

Vampire Vic banner
As some of you may or may not know, I am the Vice President of Pump Up Your Book.  So, you will see posts on here occasionally about the tours that I am coordinating.  I am currently looking for tour hosts for Vampire Vic by Harris Gray.  What does it take to be a tour host?  A love of books!  Here is how you can participate:

Reviews - a copy of the book will be mailed or provided as an ebook

Self- Interviews - the author fills out questions and answers and you cut and paste

Interviews - the bloggers sends the questions

Guest post - the author writes a guest post for your blog

First Chapter Reveal - we send you the first chapter, bio and book information and you cut and paste

First Chapter Review - we send you the first chapter for you to read and review

Book Trailer Reveal - the book trailer is the main focus but will include the author's bio and book information following it

Book Spotlight - this one is the easiest for the blogger.  I will send you the book info, author bio, book trailer, and Rafflecopter form all in a handy dandy html doc.  All you have to do is cut and paste into your blog in html mode, hit compose and whammo bammo there's the post.

If interested, please email me at tgleichner(at)outlook.com
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Vampire VicABOUT VAMPIRE VIC

Would you give up donuts…for blood? Fat, balding accountant Victor Thetherson hoped becoming a vampire would turn his life around. But Victor can’t stomach confrontation and gets queasy at the sight of blood. Instead he gets it from the blood bank, diluted in bloody Bloody Marys. The result: a vampire who doesn’t bite, and a man who gets no respect. Victor’s slacking staff mockingly calls him Vampire Vic. Victor’s boss amuses his wife by intimidating Victor on video. His ex makes him stay out late while she entertains boyfriends in the house she insists they continue to share. One night it finally boils over, and Victor bites someone. And then another…and very soon, he’s no longer visiting the blood bank. Muscle replaces fat, and his comb-forward widow’s peak takes root. Victor basks in newfound attention and respect, at the office and at home. But real vampires get hunted, and as the transformation reaches the tipping point, Victor must decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice for the power of the vampire. Purchase at: amazon     Add on: goodreads
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ABOUT HARRIS GRAY

Harris Gray finish their third pint and mull over their next writing project, simultaneously deciding on a vampire book. Because the women in their lives eat up every vampire story on the shelves. And for the gratuitous T&A. But hunky, smoldering vampires are beyond their grasp; and dammit, T&A should mean something. Deciding to write what they know, Harris Gray return to their wheelhouse: An aging, uncomfortable man, not so happy with his lot in life. A man bitten by a vampire, unsure what to do with his new…skillset. Vampire Vic – VV – is born. Perfect. The latest book is Vampire Vic.
   
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Pump Up Your Book and Harris Gray are teaming up to give you a chance to win a new Kindle Fire HD!

Here's how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. If your blog isn't set up to accept the form, we offer another way for you to participate by having people comment on your blog then directing them to where they can fill out the form to gain more entries. This promotion will run from May 6 - July 26. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email and announced on July 27, 2013. Each blogger who participates in the Vampire Vic virtual book tour is eligible to enter and win. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog for the duration of the tour. If you would like to participate, email Tracee at tgleichner(at)gmail.com.  What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments too! Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Vampire Vic Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

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Monday, May 6 - Book featured at Margay Leah Justice
Thursday, May 9 - Book featured at Review From Here
Monday, May 13 - Interviewed at Digital Journal
Wednesday, May 15 - Interviewed at Pump Up Your Book
Friday, May 17 - 1st Chapter Reveal at Book Him Danno
Tuesday, May 21 - 1st Chapter Reveal at As the Pages Turn
Thursday, May 23 - Guest blogging at Literarily Speaking
Monday, May 27 - Up Close and Personal at Between the Covers
Wednesday, May 29 - Interviewed at Literal Exposure
Friday, May 31 - Book featured at Plug Your Book
Wednesday, June 5 - First Chapter review at Sapphyria's Book Reviews
Friday, June 7 - Book Featured at Mary's Cup of Tea
Monday, June 10 - 1st Chapter Reveal at Literary Winner
Wednesday, June 12 - Guest blogging at The Paperback Pursuer
Friday, June 14 - Interviewed at Review From Here
Wednesday, June 19 - Book Featured at Miki's Hope
Friday, June 21 - Guest blogging at My Book Addiction and More
Tuesday, June 25 - Book Featured at Moonlight, Lace, and Mayhem
Thursday, June 27 - Guest blogging at You Gotta Read
Monday, July 1 - Book Featured at Authors and Readers Book Corner
Wednesday, July 3 - Interviewed at The Top Shelf
Thursday, July 4 - Guest blogging at A Little Bit of R & R
Monday, July 8 - Interviewed at Janna Shay
Tuesday, July 9 - Guest blogging at Review From Here
Thursday, July 11 - Book featured at 
Friday, July 12 - Book reviewed at The Top Shelf
Monday, July 15 - 1st Chapter Reveal at CelticLady's Reviews
Tuesday, July 16 - Book reviewed at My Cozie Corner
Wednesday, July 17 - Book reviewed at Inside BJ's Head
Thursday, July 18 - Book featured at Cheryl's Book Nook
Monday, July 22 - Book reviewed at I'm Shelf-ish
Tuesday, July 23 - Book reviewed at Gina's Library
Wednesday, July 24 - Book reviewed at Mary's Cup of Tea
Friday, July 26 - Book reviewed at 
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Pump Up Your Book
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Feature and Follow #2

 Gain New Blog Followers


 I love this blog hop - Week 2 for me! Here is the question of the day:

Q: The #FF is 150 weeks old! And we want to hear from you! What would you change about the hop? What do you like about it? Or just suggest a question to be used for next week!


Being fairly new to this hop, I am really enjoying it and can't really see anything that I would change. It is one of my favorites, and I love finding other new blogs to follow, as there are so many out there!
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Armchair BEA

So, as you can probably deduce from the title of this post, I will not be going to BEA this year.  Each year I say I am going to go, but it never seems to happen.  Life just gets in the way, as do expenses.  But, I'm ok with that.  As much as I would love to go, I found a site that will make my heart break a little less:

Armchair BEA

Really, you should head over and check this site out because it sure looks like it is going to be a lot of fun, with tons of other cool sites/people participating.  Hope to see you there and Happy Friday!
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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite Covers of Books I've Read



For the future Top Ten schedule and how to participate go HERE!

After some digging and perusing on Goodreads, these are the book covers that caught my eye:

Every time I see the Dalai Lama on the cover I will pick up the book.  This was no exception.


You know - I think I may have to re-read this one.  I didn't give it a good rating, but maybe with other books out now I could read them in order.  What do you think, is it worth my time?
Boy, I do love this cover.  Did not love the book...at all.  

The colors on this one I think are beautiful.  
Sometimes, well all the time, I wish there was more time in the day.  I would really like to re-read this one as well.


This one will always be one of my all time favorite books...love it!

I love the imagery on this one - really great!


All I can say is - WOW!

I think I am starting to see a pattern in the book covers I like....hmmm...
The beauty of this cover will always catch my eye.
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Friday, May 17, 2013

Book Blogger Hop #1


 Can you tell I love participating in memes and hops? I love it because it is such a great way to learn more about yourself and other book lovers.

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer hosts this hop. Today's question is:

What is your guilty pleasure read?
Well, anyone that knows me knows that the books I read are usually either dark, scary, suspenseful, or lend themselves to be about topics that many may not want to read about. True crime, suicide, bullying, etc...My favorite authors are Stephen King, Karen Marie Moning, Anne Rice, Jodi Picoult, Anne Rule...you get the general idea. But, what many people might not know is that I will read anything and everything. And, another one of my favorite authors, and someone I consider my guilty pleasure read is Debbie Macomber. Why do I consider her my guilty pleasure? She is so easy to read and I love her character and plot development. It is outside of my norm a little, but I really love her books. Don't get me wrong, I'm not all dark and dreary, lol! I can't wait to see what you say your guilty read is!
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Feature and Follow #1

 Gain New Blog Followers


 So, this is my first time participating in the Feature and Follow - here is the question of the day:

School is out! What is your favorite Summer Reading book??
To be honest, I am not sure if I have a favorite summer reading book - I do like to throw a classic in during my summer reading, especially now that my girls are getting older.  I think the summer read I will pick is going to be 'The Great Gatsby' - it's been years and years since I have read it, and I want to make sure I am clear on the book before I watch the movie.
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Let's Talk at I Swim for Oceans - May 16

This has been a site I have followed for some time, and she has started a new weekly feature - here are the details:
Let's Talk is a new weekly feature here at i swim for oceans. I think it's important that we all have our say, and there's something to be said for raising our voices. Simply put, here on the little old blog, I like to host some of my very own discussion posts because, well, I like to converse with you all. And so, Let's Talk will feature questions or prompts, which I will answer, too. Love it or hate it, weigh in or don't, it's my hope that Let's Talk will at least get you thinking...and maybe even get you discussing with the rest of us!
 What, or where is your absolute favourite place to read?

This question is interesting, because it really depends on my mood.  Now that the weather is getting nicer, there is nothing I enjoy more than grabbing a cool drink and going outside to sit near the garden in the backyard.  I also have a favorite chair in our living room that I like to read in.  But, I think my absolute favorite place to read is in bed.  I am all comfy and warm, relaxed with no distractions.  The rest of the house falls asleep pretty early so it is nice and quiet and I am left to read my book, and get lost in the words.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Tackling My TBR Thursday - May 16

Tackling My TBR Thursday is a new weekly feature at Once Upon a Chapter. I’ve used a feature before to highlight books in my TBR pile. The difference with this feature is that once a week I am going to highlight a book from my TBR “pile” (any book listed in my GoodReads profile before 2/7/13; clearly preorders do not count) that is going to be an upcoming read. I have a goal to get my TBR down. Even if it isn’t a drastic amount, down in general would be good. To meet that goal, I’m hoping to read at least one TBR book a week.

I saw this feature and thought - wow, that is something that I should really be doing as well.  I mean, come on.  Which one of us does not have a HUGE TBR pile, just screaming at us.  I wanted to join in, so here is my pick for the week:

The Bell Jar has been on my TBR pile for a very long time. I was participating in another meme this week, and after reading a lot of other sites that listed this book I decided it was time to find it and pick it up. That's right, I said find it. We recently moved and I have to see if I can dig it out of the bookcases somewhere. I know it's here, really it is, lol!
Here is the info on the book:

Sylvia Plath's shocking, realistic, and intensely emotional novel about a woman falling into the grip of insanity Esther Greenwood is brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under—maybe for the last time. In her acclaimed and enduring masterwork, Sylvia Plath brilliantly draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that her insanity becomes palpably real, even rational—as accessible an experience as going to the movies. A deep penetration into the darkest and most harrowing corners of the human psyche,is an extraordinary accomplishment and a haunting American classic.

Have you read it?  If so, what did you think?
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Booking Through Thursday - May 16


What book(s) do you find yourself going back to? Beloved children’s classics? Favorites from college? Something that touched you and just makes you long to visit? (Because, doesn’t everybody have at least one book they would like to curl up with, even if they don’t make a habit of rereading books? Even if they maybe don’t even have the time to visit and just think back longingly?)

Well, many years ago I ran across an author and from that point forward he has been my favorite.  Not every book of his has been a winner for me, but if I am looking for great writing, elite story telling, and more often than not a story that grabs hold and won't let go, I turn to Stephen King.

Do I have a favorite book of his?  This is always a tough question because so many of them have brought me to a literary high.  But, if I had to pick a favorite I think it would be 'It'.

For you King fans out there, do you have a favorite? If so, what is it, and why?

Thanks again for stopping by!
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Tomes of Taria: Kaylen's Rising by Yves Robichaud Book Feature



Tomes of TariaABOUT TOMES OF TARIA: KAYLEN’S RISING

Kaylen Amdir has been living in the dark for fourteen years – in every sense. His people are hunted on the surface world, so they must struggle to survive within underground caves. His community hates his family but no one will say why. Unlike most teens, his parents keep him housebound, and forbid him from wielding weapons or learning magic. But when his parents finally change their mind and send him to school, Kaylen is suddenly exposed to the harsh truth. He has much to learn and understand all at once – including a mysterious magical ability.
With the threat of war with the surface-dwellers ever present, Kaylen will need to make new friends, and to stay true to himself if he is to survive what is to come…while something frightening stirs inside him.
Purchase:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE


Yves RobichaudABOUT YVES ROBICHAUD

Yves Robichaud is originally from the small Acadian community of Grand-Barachois, New Brunswick, Canada. He has studied Business Administration and Information Technology, currently works for the federal government, and is the proud father of one son: Jeremy. Inspired by a love of fantastical, magical tales, Kaylen’s Rising is Yves’ first attempt to share this literary passion with his son and the rest of the world.
You can view his website athttp://www.yvesrobichaud.com.
His latest book is the Middle Grade Fantasy, Tomes of Taria: Kaylen’s Rising.
Connect with Yves:
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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday - Top 10 Books Dealing with Tough Subjects



For the future Top Ten schedule and how to participate go HERE!

There are quite a few of these books out there, so let's see if I can share a few with you.  I can't wait to see what some of the rest of you choose!


  1. Crank by Ellen Hopkins - When I first picked up this book I wasn't sure what to think.  But, after reading it my heart broke.  So easy to see how something like this could happen, I really enjoyed this entire series.
  2. A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer - If you haven't read this, I strongly recommend it.  But, be warned.  This horrific account of child abuse will leave you shaken to your core. 
  3. Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi - I think most people know who Charles Manson is.  What you might not know is exactly how the cult and murders that happened because of it worked and were led by him.  Another great book - highly recommended!
  4. Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews - I read this book many years ago, and still remember the ins and outs.  A mother who agrees to pretend she doesn't have kids and locks them in an attic after their father died, and abusive Grandmother, and four children left to fend for themselves.  
  5. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - A high school shooting, in this book you get to see a little more about the victims and their assailant, and what might have pushed him to do the unthinkable.
  6. Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber - Multiple Personality Disorder used as an escape from a mother whose abuse will turn your stomach - another book that lets you see a closer look.
  7. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson - I remember picking up this book because everyone else was reading it.  What I didn't expect was to be able to relate to it, knowing that things like this happen all the time.
  8. Carrie by Stephen King - Many might not feel that this fits into this list but I do.  Carrie comes from an extremely religious household and her mother is really nuts.  She is an outcast and the story is as much about her life as it is about her powers.  One of my favorites by him as it is truly believable...if you are open to it:)
Ok, I'll have to think of a few more...I know I have read TONS of them, like any by Ann Rule would qualify as well.

Thanks for visiting!
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Monday, May 13, 2013

Romance Book Club by Michelle Hughes Book Blast

Join Michelle Hughes, author of the contemporary romance novel, Romance Book Club, as she tours the blogosphere May 10 through May 15 on her first Book Blast with Pump Up Your Book!  Michelle will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC/Paypal Cash to one lucky reader! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form on the participating blogs below anytime during the tour and good luck!
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Romance Book Club RevisedABOUT ROMANCE BOOK CLUB

A book club, a romance novel, and a group of professional women in Atlanta, Georgia. That might bring to mind a nice enjoyable evening of companionship and fun, but what if the women in question wanted to take things just a step further than the safety of a cozy living room meeting? When Jessie's book club decided to put some real-time research into the background of their latest reading topic, she had no idea it would land her right in the middle of Sensation's Dungeon! Chase Davenport had seen dozens of women walk into his dungeon, curious about what his lifestyle entailed. Never had one ran for the door and looked on in abject horror like a certain petite little brunette. Challenge, that's what he considered when he stared into eyes the color of a Caribbean sea at sunset filled with fear. The sexy club owner fit the description of a sexy alpha male romance character to a tee, and to Jessie that wasn't a compliment. When he offered to give her a tour of his dungeon, and discuss the reality of his lifestyle, she should have ignored the temptation. But how did anyone resist a chance to talk with a man that had a body built for sin and a smile that made her knees tremble? Determined to give the tempting beauty just a little education about his world, he had no idea unlocking her mind would result in his own need to stake his claim. He was a man accustomed to having women beg for his attention, but there was something about Jessie that called out the true alpha in him. Would she be able to accept what he really wanted from her, or walk out his dungeon never to return? It began with a love of reading romance behind the pages of a book... but in the end, reality would show a different world awaited if either of them were willing to take the chance.
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ABOUT MICHELLE HUGHES

Michelle Hughes is an international bestselling independent author. She currently resides in Alabama with her husband and her five children. Hughes began her career in entertainment as a singer and host for a nationally televised satellite talent program and continued to perform across the United States until she decided to move home and start her family.
Hughes owns Tears of Crimson. The website began as role-play and fan fiction base and has since become the home of Tears of Crimson Books. Hughes states her love of writing comes from her muse Rafe, who has given her dreams of fantasy worlds since she was a young girl.
Hughes started reading Harlequin romance books at eight years old, sneaking them from her grandmother. It instilled in her a love of romance that is still with her today. Her grandmother was raised on a cotton farm and only completed a sixth grade education, it was through watching her struggles with reading that Hughes states gave her the love of the written word.

Connect with Michelle!

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Pump Up Your Book and Michelle Hughes are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash!

Here's how it works:

Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. This promotion will run from May 10 through May 15. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter and announced on May 16. Each blogger who participates is eligible to enter and win. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog. If you would like to participate, email Tracee at tgleichner(at)gmail.com. What a great way to not only win this fabulous prize, but to gain followers and comments for your blog, too! Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Romance Book Club Book Blast

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Participating Blogs:
Friday, May 10
Saturday, May 11
Sunday, May 12
Monday, May 13
Tuesday, May 14
Wednesday, May 15
If you would like to join this book blast, leave a comment below with email information or email Tracee directly at tgleichner (at) gmail.com.
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Pump Up Your Book
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Sunday, May 5, 2013

Bloglovin Post

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/7804427/?claim=jwx4z98fe6d">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
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Thursday, May 2, 2013

Jade Lee and her alter ego

Have you ever met someone and totally clicked with them?  This has happened a few times in my life, and one of those times was with author Jade Lee.  If any of you have ever met Jade, you will know her as a vibrant, exuberant, wildly funny woman.  She is such a firecracker, I don't believe I have ever met anyone like her.  I count myself extremely lucky to be able to call her a friend.

I was at Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation luncheon this last weekend and knew I was going to see her. I was pretty excited, and even though I wasn't able to sit at her table, we did get a chance to chat for some time.  I bought two of her books (what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help support her) and she gave me an awesome gift!


Dang sun - hard to see but the books above are:


For his whole life, Robert Percy, Viscount Redhill, has worked hard to maintain a sterling reputation. And while it's socially acceptable to seduce delectable dress designer Mrs. Mortimer, Robert learns too late the heartbreaking truth about who she used to be. No one would fault him for taking Mrs. Mortimer as his lover, but Robert knows that she should be the wife of a peer of the realm, not a mistress in hiding...



The dazzling wedding fashions of A Lady’s Favor dress shop are guaranteed to make any girl the talk of the ton. But the brides aren’t the only ones falling in love… With her parents murdered and her inheritance stolen, all Penny Shoemaker has left is her job designing handcrafted shoes for A Lady’s Favor dress shop. But that’s not enough for her to support herself or her young brother. Her only chance to regain what is rightfully hers rests with a strange but brilliant gent with a weakness for damsels in distress.
Samuel Morrison is a dispossessed younger son searching for his place in the world. When Penny’s predicament literally lands at his feet, he sets his keen detective skills to solving her mystery. But she fills more than his time—she fills his heart. How can a lost man solve the mystery, win the girl, and create a life not only for himself, but for her as well? The answer may be just a favor away...


If you haven't read anything by her, you really should.  You can find her books on Amazon, or visit her webpage at http://jadeleeauthor.com for more information. But, the title of the post is Jade Lee and her alter ego and you are probably wondering why.

Jade also writes under the name Kathy Lyons. She has a new book coming out at the end of the month, Dream Nights with the CEO - you can pre-order it on Amazon....go on, do it!  I have also created a countdown widget that is in my sidebar, if you want to help support a fabulous author and amazing lady, please grab it and add it to yours.  And let me know what you think - have you ever met someone who amazed you, right from the minute they started talking?  I'd love to hear more!



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