Dear Beth,
I seriously hope you got that tooth taken care of and that you've shed some pounds by the time you're reading this. Otherwsie, I'm not sure what we've been doing.
Congrats on the magazine. I can only assume you're published now. Either way, we still write the words that rock the world. (You know, provided the world ever sees them).
Just keep writing...And I hope you got a decent score on the GRE.
Regards,
Beth
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Blah.
Blah. That about covers it.
I slept 3 hours last night. I've been a chronic insomniac most of my life but the past few years have been a lot better. I slept four or more hours on a regular basis, so getting back to this days of "up" at a time is a drag.
I got up to write. I accomplished 104 words before my body wanted sleep. I attempted to sleep. Not happening. I went to the gym and worked so hard I was sick, literally. When I came home, my body screamed for sleep. Not happening, and that's probably for the best because I want to sleep tonight!
I decided I didn't have time for naps. I really want to finish writing CE by June 1. To do that, I have to write. I drug myself out of bed and decided to write. I don't want to. I kinda know what I want to say, but not really. And I feel antsy. I get to this point with every ms, where the end is in sight if I can just push through. I will. And hopefully I'll do so by June 1, but it's driving me crazy.
I think I feel better now. I find when I'm down to the wire, near end of a novel I blog more. It takes the nerve racking edge off.
I slept 3 hours last night. I've been a chronic insomniac most of my life but the past few years have been a lot better. I slept four or more hours on a regular basis, so getting back to this days of "up" at a time is a drag.
I got up to write. I accomplished 104 words before my body wanted sleep. I attempted to sleep. Not happening. I went to the gym and worked so hard I was sick, literally. When I came home, my body screamed for sleep. Not happening, and that's probably for the best because I want to sleep tonight!
I decided I didn't have time for naps. I really want to finish writing CE by June 1. To do that, I have to write. I drug myself out of bed and decided to write. I don't want to. I kinda know what I want to say, but not really. And I feel antsy. I get to this point with every ms, where the end is in sight if I can just push through. I will. And hopefully I'll do so by June 1, but it's driving me crazy.
I think I feel better now. I find when I'm down to the wire, near end of a novel I blog more. It takes the nerve racking edge off.
Monday, May 23, 2011
SCBWI
So this is a short post, or maybe it's a lack of a post. I don't know, but what I want to know is are any of you going to SCBWI nationals in LA this year? I know it's still a couple of months out, but I'd just like to know who's going to be there, because it's my first big conference. And in truth, I'm a little bit nervous and want o know who's going to be there with me. But also, because it would be a great opportunity to meet you in the real world. So, are you going?
...oh, and I promise to post the winners of the Delirium contest sometime this week, though I can't promise what day.
...oh, and I promise to post the winners of the Delirium contest sometime this week, though I can't promise what day.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Rules of Attraction Book 3
Even though I loved Perfect Chemistry, I did not go into this book with high expectations. I read it to find out what happened next, but I wasn't sure I'd like it. I actually really loathe sequels that are not about the MCs in the previous book. However, I loved Rules of Attraction.
Even after I started reading it, I really didn't think I would. Kiara is a white girl from an upper middle class family, and Alex's little brother is in gang/drug trouble. Reminiscent of the first one, anyone? But even from the beginning I liked Kiara better than I liked Brittany, and it becomes obvious pretty quickly that they aren't the same girl. The other thing is I became as interested in Kiara and Carlos as I was in Brittany and Alex. Also, Brittany and Alex pop in and out, so that was interesting.
The story really takes on a life of it's own, and it's not a repeat of the first book. It's a great book with similar alternating povs and cultural issues to the first. I give this book 5 stars.
Even after I started reading it, I really didn't think I would. Kiara is a white girl from an upper middle class family, and Alex's little brother is in gang/drug trouble. Reminiscent of the first one, anyone? But even from the beginning I liked Kiara better than I liked Brittany, and it becomes obvious pretty quickly that they aren't the same girl. The other thing is I became as interested in Kiara and Carlos as I was in Brittany and Alex. Also, Brittany and Alex pop in and out, so that was interesting.
The story really takes on a life of it's own, and it's not a repeat of the first book. It's a great book with similar alternating povs and cultural issues to the first. I give this book 5 stars.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Raised By Wolves Book 2
Barnes' debut novel, Raised by Wolves, has an intriguing storyline and puts some interesting twists in were mythology. Fresh story lines in the world of YA paranormal romance are becoming rare especially when vamps or wolves are concerned, so I'm happy to point this one out.
It's about a girl Bryn, whose parents were killed by a rabid werewolf when she was very young, so a pack of Weres kill the rabid and take her in. She's assigned a guardian who acts as her mother and is the only other human in the pack. But Bryn is kind of the alpha's pet. Of course, she doesn't like that her parents died or that she's the only human teenage girl in a pack of mostly male Weres, but things go well until a new threat arrives.--Except Bryn doesn't know what the knew threat is. Neither do we for a couple of hundred pages, and this is what I didn't like. Honestly, the book was too slow for me. We're privy to this info that there seems to be a threat, but nothing threatening is happening and we don't know what the threat is for 200 pages.
As the idea of the threat develops Bryn meets Chase, a recently turned Wolf who's being stashed in a cage in the Alpha's basement. He's our lead guy. Yep. Just like that. --Threat we don't know what is, look for a threat, find a hot guy instead. And the romance is pretty much thrown together. Due to Bryn's wolf like instincts, and Chase's status as a were the author relies primarily on animalistic instincts to set up the romance. And for me at least, it didn't work. It felt rushed or thrown together. I had no idea what they saw in each other, other than physical attraction and some primate bond they thought they had.
It eventually all comes together and we're led to a satisfying ending. The writing style is interesting and the plot was good. I think the primary problems with the book were that it was often repetitive, there were some awkward phrasings and mechanical errors (though there were only a handful in 400 page book), but I think the threat could have come in sooner and the romance developed better. I'm not sure that I'll read the sequel. It will most likely depend on what's on my bookshelf at the time ;).
It's about a girl Bryn, whose parents were killed by a rabid werewolf when she was very young, so a pack of Weres kill the rabid and take her in. She's assigned a guardian who acts as her mother and is the only other human in the pack. But Bryn is kind of the alpha's pet. Of course, she doesn't like that her parents died or that she's the only human teenage girl in a pack of mostly male Weres, but things go well until a new threat arrives.--Except Bryn doesn't know what the knew threat is. Neither do we for a couple of hundred pages, and this is what I didn't like. Honestly, the book was too slow for me. We're privy to this info that there seems to be a threat, but nothing threatening is happening and we don't know what the threat is for 200 pages.
As the idea of the threat develops Bryn meets Chase, a recently turned Wolf who's being stashed in a cage in the Alpha's basement. He's our lead guy. Yep. Just like that. --Threat we don't know what is, look for a threat, find a hot guy instead. And the romance is pretty much thrown together. Due to Bryn's wolf like instincts, and Chase's status as a were the author relies primarily on animalistic instincts to set up the romance. And for me at least, it didn't work. It felt rushed or thrown together. I had no idea what they saw in each other, other than physical attraction and some primate bond they thought they had.
It eventually all comes together and we're led to a satisfying ending. The writing style is interesting and the plot was good. I think the primary problems with the book were that it was often repetitive, there were some awkward phrasings and mechanical errors (though there were only a handful in 400 page book), but I think the threat could have come in sooner and the romance developed better. I'm not sure that I'll read the sequel. It will most likely depend on what's on my bookshelf at the time ;).
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Delirium Contest Update
Okay, so you can still win Delirium until May 20th, and there are other prizes as well. I originally said the contest would be open only to people who live in the US/Canada due to the cost of postage. However, I didn't realize how many international followers I had. I'm now opening the autographed copy of Delirium up internationally. The 2-4 prizes are still only in the US/Canada. Sorry, guys. There is just no way I can ship four books abroad.
I'm also giving bonus entries for following me on twitter at bethfred08 or facebook, there I'm Beth Fred ;).
Also, if I reach 200 followers before the 20th, I will give away a fifth book. I will announce the fifth book the day I reach 200 followers.
I'm also giving bonus entries for following me on twitter at bethfred08 or facebook, there I'm Beth Fred ;).
Also, if I reach 200 followers before the 20th, I will give away a fifth book. I will announce the fifth book the day I reach 200 followers.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
WOW
REMINDER YOU CAN WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF DIVERGENT HERE.Waiting on Wed. (WOW) is hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine.
My pick this
week is Chain Reaction, the third book in the Perfect Chemistry series.
Goodreads Synop: "Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?"
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