Meandering Monday- Lauren Myracle book signing!

So last Thursday, I went to go see Lauren Myracle in person because she was in the area and we've been chatting on and off for about 3 years now (starting around the time How to Be Bad came out). I have loved Lauren and her books ever since I bought TTYL as a hardcover back in 2004/5 as a freshman in college. I was amazed that she told the story completely through instant messaging. So it was huge that a few years after that, I was exchanging emails with her and now finally, we've gotten to meet!

Side note: When I arrived at the library, the whole parking lot was metered (meaning there were meters you had to put a quarter or two into for three hours of parking). I had no change, but I came at JUST the right time. There's library employee parking there which is not metered (obviously) and there's a No Parking sign at each of those spots, but there's also a timeline. You can't park in those spots from 8am-6pm. I checked my cell phone and it was 5:58pm. JACKPOT! I went back to my car and parked in a non-metered spot. YAY! I BEAT THE SYSTEM!

I arrived at the event early and also hungry as there was nowhere really to eat around the area (like no McDs or Burger King- cheapie fast food). I found a chair to sit in at the library and read a bit before going to find the event. I was the first one there and was immediately asked if I knew anything about technology. The reason for this was because they couldn't get connected to the internet to show off the Shine trailer, which Lauren really wanted to show. Lauren actually also private messaged me on Twitter a few hours before the event and asked if I could bring a laptop or PC, but I was already on the road by then and couldn't access Twitter. The trailer was not shown, so Lauren urged people to go find it on Youtube after the event.

I read a bit more until the event started and as soon as Lauren got to the front, she saw me, pointed, and said "Are you James?" I said yes and she said hi then told everyone in the room to say hi to me, and then talked about my blog for a minute. I blushed and was also regretting not bringing my business cards (it turned out to be okay because no one asked me about my blog, lol). After that, she talked about the book, read a passage (then had her uncle (?) and aunt each read a passage; the aunt's passage had to stop early because Lauren had forgotten about some risque sentences in the middle of it- pages if you're curious, lol), and answered some questions from the audience. It was fairly well-attended, about 20 people or so.

During her talk and QnA, Lauren would occasionally ask me questions, like if I thought Shine had a hopeful ending (which it does). At one point, when talking about censorship and the things she gets complaints about, she said that there was a parent out there who had been upset and offended that tampons had been brought up in one of her books. Lauren then looked at me and asked "James, are you offended by tampons?" I laughed and said no, because who can be offended by tampons? What did they ever do to you? Then an older lady who was sitting a few chairs away from me asked "Does he even know what a tampon is?" We all laughed about that and I said that yes, I did know what a tampon was. My roommate/best friend is a girl, I have an older sister, and a lot of my friends over the years have been girls. It's hard to get away from that, lol.

About an hour after the event had started, the signing commenced. I was toward the end of the line because I wanted to spend some time chatting with Lauren but we didn't get to chat too much because there was still a couple people behind me and her escort was showing up in 15 minutes to pick her up. But we did get to hug, have a picture taken (thank you Lauren's aunt Pat!), and chat for a few minutes while she signed my TTYL hardcover (I would've brought Shine but I got sent a signed ARC from the publisher). Then I walked to my car and went home. It was an AWESOME evening! Lauren is a wonderful, funny speaker and I hope that next time we meet, we'll have more time to hang out and chat.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for an interview with Lauren!

Pic 1- Lauren and myself!
Pic 2- Lauren with her Uncle Jerry and Aunt Pat- isn't Lauren's dress so pretty?! I loved it.

Mercy by Rebecca Lim

Mercy by Rebecca Lim
"Mercy has lost herself. She can’t count how many times she’s “woken up” in a new body, and assumed a new life, only to move on again and again. During the day she survives in the human world on instinct and at night her dreams are haunted by him. Mercy’s heart would know him anywhere. But her memory refuses to cooperate.

But this time is different. When Mercy wakes up she meets Ryan, an eighteen year old reeling from the loss of his twin sister who was kidnapped two years ago. Everyone else has given up hope, but Ryan believes his sister is still alive. Using a power she doesn’t fully comprehend, Mercy realizes that Ryan is right. His sister is alive and together they can find her. For the first time since she can remember, Mercy has a purpose; she can help. So she doesn’t understand why the man in her dreams cautions her not to interfere. But as Ryan and Mercy come closer to solving the dark mystery of his sister’s disappearance, danger looms just one step behind.

Will Mercy be able to harness her true self and extraordinary power in time?"- summary from Amazon

This was an interesting read. It's different from other paranormal books that I've read and I'm really curious to see where it goes from here. I loved the emphasis too on the musical aspect because it seems like real life things seem to fall by the wayside in most paranormal books.

However, it was a book that took a while for me to get into. Not a whole lot happens for most of the book and then there's an action-packed last hundred pages. Because of this, I didn't really go through the book quickly; I didn't feel any compulsion to read on.

I enjoyed the way Lim presented her characters though and everyone acted pretty realistically. There was a good handle on teenage dynamics, particularly between girls who share a bit of a rivalry. I also liked Ryan- he's a good kid.

Overall, a slightly above average book that starts off a trilogy. I am eager for the next book but mainly because I want answers (and, ok, because I like Mercy too).

FTC: Received eGalley from NetGalley. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

Fresh New Voice of YA- The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski

The Sweetest Thing by Christina Mandelski
"In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she’s decorating a cake. Unfortunately, everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable.

But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems—only her dad’s about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed."- summary from Amazon

This was such a fun, compelling read. I loved the cake decorating angle, though it did make me REALLY want cakes whenever I would pick up the book, lol. Mandelski has written a wonderful debut filled with memorable characters, a realistic town setting, and a fascinating plot that mixes regular teen issues with the more rare issue of being in a reality show.

Sheridan was a great main character who is really realistic and flawed. Mandelski also changed some things up that I really enjoyed. There were a couple characters and situations that could have been total cliches, but I felt that she did a good job making them not so much of a cliche.

Overall, this is a great read and I think that fans of Sarah Dessen would really enjoy it. It's a great summer read.

FTC: Received hardcover from publisher. Link above is an Amazon Associate link; any profit goes toward funding contests.

FNV Excerpt Vlog + Fragment Friday- Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

Fragment Friday is a monthly meme hosted here on this blog where you read an excerpt from either your current read or one of your favorite books and post it on your blog to share with others! It's a fun way to learn about new books or to hear a sample from a book you're dying to read. I only participate once a month and host the Mr. Linky, but other bloggers and readers can make vlogs every Friday as part of it. Please put all your Fragment Friday links from the last few weeks in the Mr Linky below. Next month, the Fragment Friday date will be June 3.

Here it is: Fragment Friday again! The Mr. Linky is below the video. Can't wait to see everyone's fragments! Today, I'm reading from Moonglass by Jessi Kirby, which is out in stores now.



Hope you all enjoyed my fragment! Now link to yours!

Fresh New Voice of YA- Interview with Christina Mandelski

1) How did you get the idea for The Sweetest Thing?

Honestly, the initial idea came from watching the TV show Ace of Cakes. My family loves that show and I’m so impressed by the cakes they make. They are truly works of art. I started to wonder what it would be like to be a teenager who had a talent for cake decorating. And that was the beginning of The Sweetest Thing.


2) Tell us all about The Call/The Email! Where were you when you got it? Did you do anything to celebrate the sale?

When “the call” came from my agent I was in the chair at the hair salon. I had my phone in my lap (b/c I knew news was imminent) but turns out that salon was in the deadest of dead zones. When I left, a voicemail message popped up. It was my agent saying “Where are you? I’ve got news!” So although it came a little late, of course I was no less excited. And my family was thrilled too – we went out for a nice dinner and of course, there was cake!


3) I absolutely love cats and own quite a few. Your bio mentions your "half-housecat, half-cheetah named Spencer". With a description like that, I can tell there must be some fun stories. Can you share some with us?

Ah, Spencer. He’s typical – only wants attention when he’s good and ready, which is often during a pivotal point in my writing/revising. He’ll hop up on my desk, position himself between me and the monitor, and stare at me until I pet him. Really, though, writing can be quite lonely at times, so it’s nice to have a warm furry friend for random snuggling.


4) What is your favorite Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor (or flavors, if you're so inclined)?

I’m a purist. Cherry, please. Unless they’re sour, and then I’ll eat almost any flavor!


5) You received a degree in Creative Writing but say it took you many years before sitting down to write a novel. What were you doing in the meantime? Any interesting jobs?

Right out of college I worked in the production department of a dental trade (back in the old days when everything was still laid out on paper with rubber cement). Let me just say, I’ve seen enough photos of bloody gums to last me a lifetime. A few years later, I got married and had two daughters, and they became my full time job. It was when they started preschool that I began to write seriously. Now they are in middle school and here I am, finally published!

 
6) What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

I try to encourage all people who are writers at heart to never give up. People will tell you the odds are not good, they’ll tell you discouraging things like you have more chance of getting struck by lightning than getting a book published. But I don’t buy that, and neither should you. I recently went to an SCBWI conference in Houston where one of the guest speakers was Ruth McNally Barnshaw, author/illustrator of the Ellie McDoodle series. She said something that I wrote down and underlined. She said, “If you do every part of the job well, you will sell a book.” In other words, it’s not an easy road -- practice, diligence, facing rejection and doing your homework are absolutely required. But it can happen. It does happen – it happened to me!


7) What book(s) are you reading right now, or are about to start?

I’m in the middle of two. I’m almost finished with Ruta Sepetys’ Between Shades of Grey, which is a hard book to read, but poignant and beautifully written. And the other book is Amy Holder’s The Lipstick Laws – definitely lighter fare than Ruta’s, but still so engagingly written. These are two debut authors to watch out for! Right now I’m so busy planning the launch of The Sweetest Thing that I’m not reading as much as usual. But I’m planning to read all summer long (my tbr pile reaches up to the ceiling). I can’t wait!