TGIF - Feature & Follow Friday #171

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY is a blog hop that is designed to provide as much exposure towards other bloggers as well as yourself, and to expand following. It's hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each whom feature a chosen blog for a week, it's also an interesting way to get to know one another bloggers.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
What are some of your favourite magazines? 

This is hard... I don't read magazines. Really!  So nada... I don't really read them at all XD

Cover Reveal: Waiting for Romeo by Diane Mannino

Hi I'm so excited to do a cover reveal for a sequel to a book I absolutely adored!

I loved the first book, Running from Romeo but that cliffhanger in the end was especially heart breaking and ended with lots of tears...

But back to the cover. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. IT'S DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS. I literally swooned when I saw it. It's absolutely amazing. I really thing the cover artist is a genius.

I also want to thank Diane Mannino, the author for letting me share this with you. Hopefully this will bring more attention to the series, which is worthwhile reading!

Title:Waiting for Romeo

Author: Diane Mannino

Release Date: 8th November 2013

Genre: Young Adult/ Romance

Description:

Heartbroken by the one guy she simply couldn’t resist, Emilia King is determined to move on. But Logan Prescott is also determined…determined to win her back. He lost the only person who truly mattered to him and now he’ll do whatever it takes to convince Emilia to give him a second chance.

While their attraction to each other is undeniable, the obstacles they’re forced to confront may be too much. And just when it seems their love for each other is a bond that knows no bounds, Emilia faces her worst nightmare.

With her newfound inner strength, Emilia realizes fighting to be with Logan is her only hope…and waiting for him may ultimately determine not only their future together, but her own destiny.

Check out the first book in the series, Running from Romeo!

My Review

Goodreads

Amazon: only 99 cents!

MEET THE AUTHOR!

DIANE MANNINO graduated from University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in English Literature. She is a former writer for Museum and Arts Washington and Star Magazine as well as several television shows, including, Inside Edition, American Journal, and E! News Daily. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two beautiful daughters. Running from Romeo is her first novel and she is currently working on the sequel.

 Website     Facebook     Twitter

Waiting on Wednesday: And We Stay by Jenny Hubbard

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by us, that highlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication 'can't-wait-to-read' selection is:

Title: And We Stay
Author: Jenny Hubbard
Release Date: 28th January 2014
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Find on: Goodreads

When high school senior Paul Wagoner walks into his school library with a stolen gun, he threatens his girlfriend Emily Beam, then takes his own life. In the wake of the tragedy, an angry and guilt-ridden Emily is shipped off to boarding school in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she encounters a ghostly presence who shares her name. The spirit of Emily Dickinson and two quirky girls offer helping hands, but it is up to Emily to heal her own damaged self.

This inventive story, told in verse and in prose, paints the aftermath of tragedy as a landscape where there is good behind the bad, hope inside the despair, and springtime under the snow.

The cover was very nicely done. I love the muse's pose, where she's shivering, which makes the story seem more intriguing. And trust me the story already sounds pretty compelling to me. Cover judgers will buy this book off the shelves, including me.

TGIF - Feature & Follow Friday #170

FEATURE & FOLLOW FRIDAY is a blog hop that is designed to provide as much exposure towards other bloggers as well as yourself, and to expand following. It's hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each whom feature a chosen blog for a week, it's also an interesting way to get to know one another bloggers.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Feature your own favourite blogger, have it be a surprise. 

Hmm... my favourite blogger? Well... I picked Nova's blog, 'Musings of A Blogder'. Check out her site, it's really nice :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Ask Me by Kimberly Pauley

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by us, that highlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication 'can't-wait-to-read' selection is:

Title: Ask Me
Author: Kimberly Pauley
Release Date: 8th April 2014
Publisher: Soho Teen
Find on: Goodreads

Ask Aria Morse anything, and she must answer with the truth. Yet she rarely understands the cryptic words she‘s compelled to utter. Blessed—or cursed—with the power of an Oracle who cannot decipher her own predictions, she does her best to avoid anyone and everyone. 
 
But Aria can no longer hide when Jade, one of the few girls at school who ever showed her any kindness, disappears. Any time Aria overhears a question about Jade, she inadvertently reveals something new, a clue or hint as to why Jade vanished. But like stray pieces from different puzzles, her words never present a clear picture.
 
Then there’s Alex, damaged and dangerous, but the first person other than Jade to stand up for her. And Will, who offers a bond that seems impossible for a girl who’s always been alone. Both were involved with Jade. Aria may be the only one who can find out what happened, but the closer she gets to solving the crime, the more she becomes a target. Not everyone wants the truth to come out.

First, it was the title which caught my eye since it was so compelling, then the cover since it was so eye-catching and impossible to look away from, then the story. And when you mix in fantasy/paranormal with realistic fiction: THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!! No other words need to be said about this!

Review: Blood of Ancient Kings by V.J.O. Gardner

Title: Blood of Ancient Kings
Author: V.J.O. Gardner
Release Date: 10th April 2013
Publisher: V&E Enterprises
Find on:  Goodreads

Quick Review: A medieval story of love, honor, and courage. As a young prince grows up and advances through the military ranks, with his true identity unknown to his friends, he meets a young girl and they become friends. As the years pass their friendship blossoms into true love, knowing that she already has an arranged marriage and he being royalty most certainly has one as well, they still continue with their relationship. As their friendship progresses he must be courageous as he goes through many trials, testing his love for her, his loyalty to the kingdom, and in doing what’s right as an officer and a gentleman. 

The story spans multiple generations, their families deal with many problems, going from the pain of death, to the joy of birth as they feel the blood of the ancient kings running through their veins. 

The book was written with young adults in mind, however with no foul language, graphic sex or violence they are appropriate for reader’s as young as ten. The author allows the reader’s imagination to fill in between the lines with their own experience, so even parents and grandparents will enjoy them. 

Detailed Review:  My first impressions of this book was, to be honest, quite good. I'm not a cover judger, so I just basically ignored it, but it could do with some more work and details because not ALL readers are like me and usually good and beautiful covers attract the crowd.

The characters were what made the story enjoyable most of all. They were obviously well-planned characters with consistent personalities with no sudden changes. 

The story was fine too, it seemed very original to me since I've not read a plot as good as this. This story was well-planned with some subtle twists. It's not those twists which will give you a heart attack or a sudden crying fit but it will do well as well. It's good to not have to recuperate after a heart attack for once, you know? That's why I liked it.

BUT...

It didn't stand out. Among the books I've read, it wasn't the most memorable book. It didn't stick in my mind after I read it, like some books tend to. And if there were just a little more detailed and well-written descriptions, I would have liked it more. (plus some extravagant twists at least once to give me a heart attack!)

The story spans over three generations but it's altogether not too overwhelming. Instead, I felt really comfortable (no sudden twists/no heart attacks) while reading it. I doubt I'd get that feeling in a very long time when reading a book.

The story starts with two men swapping places. one of them becoming a leader and the other reduced to being a commoner. Then they each have children. whom they want to marry to each other, without their knowledge. Then when they fall in love and then marry each other, they have two sons, who have completely different personalities, resulting in a conflict which their parents cannot intervene, but only fate can resolve. And...

THE END. (There is a cliffhanger but don't worry I won't be ranting about it)

Brief Review: Altogether, Blood of Ancient Kings was an enjoyable debut and I'd love to see some development in terms of Gardner's writing skills in the next book, Quest of The King! Hopefully a better cover next time as well! But I could find no other faults so it will certainly get a well-deserved rating.

Final Rating: 4/5 'Really Liked It!'

QUOTE:

To the kings, princes, princesses and queens in this book and all around the world,

'In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do.'---Gianni Versace

Your Reviewer: 

Guest Post: Eight Productive Self-Editing Tips by Sandra Miller

Eight Productive Self-Editing Tips

If you are a writer and you want to separate yourself from the mediocre talents in your industry, you have to work on your self-editing skills. All writers know how to write, but only great ones know how to edit.

Editing someone else’s work is difficult enough, but writers find it nearly impossible to edit their own writing. The reason is simple – they are too personally attached to it and don’t want to change it, so many of them decide to skip the whole editing process altogether. However, getting your piece right and making it better for your readers is your ultimate goal, so we recommend you to start developing your editing skills through our eight simple tips.

Sandra Miller is a freelance writer at editing service Help. Plagtracker. She is extremely passionate about latest trends in education technology. Keeps developing her writing style and exploring the different types of fiction. Currently takes her first steps toward writing her first YA novel. 

1. Finish writing, then start editing

You have probably heard this advice many times by now, but it is very important: do not stop to edit while you are still in the process of writing. Many writers find it difficult to implement this advice into practice, so they go back to delete entire paragraphs or sentences before they finish the chapter.

It is completely okay to take a break from writing to correct some obvious error, or restart a sentence that doesn’t sound right. This can be done while you are working on your first draft, but you have to keep writing when your creative inspiration is in its full potential.

2. Put the work aside before editing

Before you start editing your work, it would be wise to let it sit for few days, or even a few hours if it’s a short piece, such as a blog post. However, take more time if you have just finished writing a novel. You need to stop obsessing over it for at least one or two weeks before you come back to it and start editing it.

This will help you see your work with a fresh mind, and it will be easy for you to spot the inconsistencies in the characters, the holes in the plot, and the chapters that don’t fit well in the big picture.

3. Change the format

If you physically turn the words into a different format, you will easily spot the mistakes. This is a trick for your mind: you will change the things it is used to seeing, and you’ll start noticing problems that didn’t stand out before.

4. Structure and content needs to be edited first

The greatest mistake most writers make is starting their editing on sentence level – they polish up every single sentence, and then they start cutting out the useless parts of the material. Your work will be much more efficient if you focus on the big picture first. Start looking for useless sections and chapters that should be left out for some reason. Maybe you will think of some missing information that needs to be added, or some sections that require radical revisions.

These major adjustments should be done before you start working on the individual words and sentences.

5. The ‘10% of the word count rule”

Your editing work isn’t done when you’re broadly happy with the flow and shape of your peace. Now is the time to cut on the word count. If you are like most writers, you probably use more words than necessary. That weakens the argument, so you need to cut 10% of the entire word count. 

Get rid of sentences and paragraphs that repeat a point that has already been elaborated. Cut out the wishy-washy phrases and unnecessary adjectives, and you will have a much cleaner piece that will leave stronger impressions.

6. Spell-Check is great, but don’t avoid reading

Your work should be always checked with spell-check, but you should be aware of the fact that some errors go by unnoticed by this tool. Only your careful editing eye can catch homophones and missing words.

7. Read backwards

This is a strange, but effective technique: read the piece starting from the end towards the beginning. If that’s too unusual for you, then increase the font size and read the piece very slowly. At the final stage of editing, everything is so familiar to you that even the most obvious mistakes seem completely natural. These two tricks will help you catch the errors that were sliding past you.

8. Finally: Let it go!

Don’t fall into the trap of endless editing. You need to eventually stop and put your work out in the world. Even if you don’t feel entirely confident, you should publish the work when you catch yourself rewriting a paragraph and then changing it back, or putting commas in and then taking them out. Even if some imperfections remain unedited, you will still have more use from a published piece than from the one that sits on your computer for ages.