Wishlist Wednesday

  

Welcome to my first Wishilist Wednesday, a meme by Pen to Paper! It's a blog hop where we all post about a book in our TBR pile or that we're dying to get onto our bookshelves. Here is one I've been wanting to read for a long time:

 Book Description: 

   Richelle Mead, Lisa McMann, Michael Grant, Meg Cabot, Laini Taylor, and nine more of the hottest YA authors to hit the shelves explore the concepts of prophecy and prediction in this story collection edited by NYT bestselling author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Carrie Ryan.

Have you ever been tempted to look into the future? To challenge predictions? To question fate? It's human nature to wonder about life's twists and turns. But is the future already written—or do you have the power to alter it?

From fantastical prophecies to predictions of how the future will transpire, Foretold is a collection of stories about our universal fascination with life's unknowns and of what is yet to come as interpreted by 14 of young adult fiction's brightest stars.

This collection includes works from:
Malinda Lo (Ash)
Lisa McMann (Wake)
Kami Garcia (Beautiful Creatures)
Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures)
Laini Taylor (The Daughter of Smoke and Bone)
Michael Grant (Gone)
Saundra Mitchell (The Vespertine)
Richelle Mead (the Vampire Academy)
Matt de la Pena (I Will Save You)
Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries)
Heather Brewer (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod)
Diana Peterfreund (Rampant)
Simone Elkeles (Perfect Chemistry)
Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth) 

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K, first off, this cover looks sweet. It has the perfect spooky, haunted feel to it which matches the title perfectly.  Also, a big reason for my initial interest in the book is the fact that one of my fav authors Laini Taylor contributed to it. Here is the opening line from her contribution "Gentlemen Send Phantoms" (which you can read on Amazon preview. Do NOT read if you are in the drafting process or you will be cast into the pit of despair unable to lift head or limb.  You'll also have visions where being a garbage worker or an accountant in April might be better suited to your skills because obviously you'll never be able to write anything comparable to Laini. Not that I've ever felt this way. Ahem.)

 "Once, when the moon was younger than tonight and not as plump, three girls gathered by the hearth to bake a dreamcake"

 Ahh. That is great writing in the way only Laini Taylor knows how to do. And how awesome is that title? And the boy is totally swoon worthy.. which, they always are. (DofSandB?!) There are so many other stellar authors contributing to this book it's a must-have for my bookshelf.

What books are on your wishlist?

Your own bookshelf looking a little thin? Find more wish-list books at our host blog Pen to Paper!

Back in the Saddle

 
 
     Ah it's good to be back. ::Leans back in buttery leather chair, sips tea and commences to write:: Having a baby and a cross country move have really shook life upside-down but it's all been good things. I'm loving the midwest atmosphere..it's chilly, the moon lights up everything in an eery blue-ish light and there is the scent of fall slowing creeping in. A perfect atmosphere for writing.

   Work on my story is going really well. A lot of the times when I'm up pacing the floor with the babus, I get time to plot. The hard part is, that the writing itself suffers for lack of time. But, just last night I conversed with the Husband and we have come up with a tentative schedule to allow me more time to write.

   I was looking up PW articles online yesterday (why is an annual subscription $240!? Why!?) and my heart burned with excitement. I love the publishing industry. I love the writing world. I belong in it. There is a high I get whenever I read interesting articles about anything on these topics. In fact, yesterday also bore great news that had me passed out on the bed with excitement. My good friend Veronica had an agent request a full of her latest manuscript. And she's had her ms out there for only a few days! It's going to get picked up. I've read it and it's fantastic. Really well done. So of course I practically pass out from excitement.

         For some history, Veronica and I used to work at a hospital together and every Friday we'd meet up for lunch and discuss our WIPs and our dreams of publishing. That was just over three years ago. Now, it looks like she'll be published. I feel like it is my own manuscript that has been requested. We're part of a super-secret club of closeted novelists and she's the first to "go beyond". I really thought I was sick..my stomach as all excited and I was jittery ha! Imagine what will happen when I publish! haha I don't know if I'll be able to handle it!

   Anyway, there's the good news and it feels so good to be writing and blogging again. More to come!

The Importance of Book Clubs *Updated

    Tonight I went to my first book club meeting. Needless to say, it totally rocked. Now that I'm home basking in the glow of a well spent evening I'm wondering why I haven't joined or started a book club earlier? The only down side is that until tonight I considered myself a well-read person..boy was I far off! I've gotten into this niche of reading YA novels because my WIP is YA and I had few adult books come to mind when we went around with suggestions. (I was pleased when someone said "The Book Thief because seriously, that book transcends categorization. READ IT.).
   Anyway, my point of this post is that it was such a well spent night discussing literature, hearing others' insights of how the book applied to their lives and feeling like I was actually gaining something from the conversation that I had to come home and write about it and urge you to get involved. If you like books AT ALL.
    The highlight was good conversation. It is something that has become so rare in my life. There are few girlfriends I can talk to where the conversation doesn't revolve around shopping, something on Pinterest, yet another _______ (insert with: personal work-out schedule, cleaning schedule, kids' schedule etc). It's fine to talk about those things but lately I've been craving the kinds of conversation where I leave with more than I came with. It also helped that most of the other attendees were older than me, I love any situation where I can gather up bits of wisdom since they are so much wiser than I.

 So..if you're lonely or feeling like all anyone cares about is Jersey Shore and the latest hyped whatever this might be the outlet you need..

**Update: Today I saw on Fantasy-Faction a NEW Sci-Fi book club! Right on the heels of my post last night...I'll admit, I love a wide spectrum of genres but I've never really gotten into Sci-fi. But this book was chosen by readers who know their Sci-Fi so I feel confident it's got to be pretty good. Fantasy-Faction also has a fantasy book club @ 1 book per month. I discovered their site not too long ago and have really enjoyed their articles and author interviews. They have an anthology coming out and there is a contest for your work to be included. So if you're looking for a way to get your footprint out there in the writing world... check it out here!**