MY EXPANDING TO-BE-READ PILE

I'm working on getting through my to be read pile. This picture is of the books I have waiting on my dresser: ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury, THE GOLDEN LILLY and THE INDIGO SPELL from the BLOODLINES series by Richelle Mead, BITTER BLOOD and BLACK DAWN from the MORGANVILLE VAMPIRE series by Rachel Caine.

I have ten e-books in my Kindle. I can't stop buying books, even when I know I don't have time read them because writing comes first.

Total addict behavior, I know.

There is something comforting about having a book I really want to read waiting for me. It inspires me to get my work done so I can relax. I'm not an indepth reviewer. You won't see me picking apart a book or movie. Taste is so subjective in my opinion. What one person loves another might hate.

Much like my husband's aborted attempt to finish GRRM's GAME OF THRONES, and my refusal to touch his history books unless it's for research purposes. We do come together for other books. You know the saying, "Try it. You might like it." Well, that's all anyone can ask for.

So if I like something I'll tell you. If I don't, well, I also follow the wise advice my mom gave me, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

My opinions are my own. I'll leave you to make your own decisions.

REVIEW: THE FALL: TALES FROM THE APOCALYPSE

SOURCE: JEAN ORAM'S BLOG


 

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this book. I had been hearing about it for months over at Agent Query Connect, and I couldn't wait for it to come out. Then the opportunity came to receive a free copy of The Fall: Tales From The Apocalypse in exchange for a fair review.
 
Hell, yeah! SIGN ME UP.
 
The book came at the right time. I was sick, bored out of my mind from being in bed, so what better time to delve into to the concept of mortality via the various tales devoted to the destruction of civilization.
 
I'm a sucker for zombies. What? That can't be surprise... hello, Walking Dead fanatic here. But, this book didn't just have zombies. Oh no, there's angels and baseball. Cat's and corn. There were tales that left me sniffling into my pillow because a character dies leaving behind a devastated loved one. And others which left me thinking about them for days ... okay, months later.
 
It's taken me a while to finish this book. I've been tied up with my crazy revision, so it's been nice to curl up and get the pants scared off me when I need to relax. I'm not a fan of every story in the book. There were a few that weren't to my taste ... mmm, brains, but this book is edited well. Even the stories I wasn't a fan of were well written. I can tell the authors had a blast writing this anthology.
 
 
On the whole, I think this was a fun read.
 
BOOK DESCRIPTION from Amazon:
An anthology of short stories, The Fall explores different visions of the apocalypse. Ancient prophecies, technological Armageddon, failures of government, a distracted deity, and yes, zombies all have their moments in this collection, but so do love, yearning, hope, and humor. In the end, the apocalypse offers a path to new beginnings, even if it requires a trek through death, despair, and destruction to find them.

The latest anthology from Elephant’s Bookshelf Press, LLC, tackles an array of challenges presented by thirteen authors (it just worked out that way, I swear.) Authors include P.S. Carrillo, Judy Croome, Ryan Graudin, R.C. Lewis, J. Lea Lopez, Mindy McGinnis, R.S. Mellette, Alexandra Tys O’Connor, Jean Oram, Matt Sinclair, A.M. Supinger, Amy Trueblood, and Cat Woods.

The Fall was edited by Mindy McGinnis, Matt Sinclair, and Cat Woods and copy-edited by Jean Oram, with cover design by Calista Taylor, and book design by R.C. Lewis.

For permission to reprint a story, please send a request to permissions@elephantsbookshelfpress.com.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

HAPPY MONDAY

I know I’ve been lax on posting lately. I’m still in the midst of my major revision. The light at the end of the tunnel still seems pretty distant, but it’s closer than before. My amazing critique partners and awesome agent sent back their critiques and I’ve revised. I added two new chapters from Landry’s point-of-view. He’s got an amazing voice and a weird sense of humor. Plus, he’s totally in love with Mala (poor guy).

With the current round of revisions finished, I’m waiting for my line edits. I decided now would be the best time to finish up the sequel to this book. I started BAD MOJO during NaNo, but I put it on hold to complete this revision with only about five more chapters left to the end.

 

Thank goodness I didn’t finish it. The revision of the first book means revising this one. A lot has changed. A revised plot, loss of key characters. It's a challenge I'm enjoying.

So that’s my writing life.

What is everyone else up to? Fill me in so I don’t feel like an outcast.

 

I miss you all.

UNEXPECTED MORAL DILEMMA

Morals? Yeah, I've got them. I may put them on hold when writing a nice death scene. But what almost buried my revision... SEX!

It's been over two years since I've written an adult novel. I forgot what words to use to describe the anatomy without sounding like a genecologist: Member, throbbing, pulsing, shaft, heat ... ack!
Gag me with a spoon.

Uh huh, I took it 80's style since that's the last time I read a romance novel. I'm sure things have changed over the years. I had to do some research. *grin* I also forgot how much I enjoy romance novels. Not so much for the sex, but the romantic tension. I love falling in love through the characters.

Romance is key. I don't like having a gratuitous sex scene with no real reason for it being there. I want sex to be a logical extension of the character's relationship. Anyway, the revision has an increase in sexual tension and exploration based on the needs of the character's relationship.

Whether I did it right ... meaning made it HOT! God, I hope so. Who wants tepid. As a reader you want to live vicariously through the characters, right? Steamy, heart racing, hide the book in a file so you can read it at work, spicy. Only, not so spicy that I feel like I'm corrupting innocent minds with it since it's New Adult. Hence the dilemma I spoke about earlier.

I sent the story off to my critique partners, and I didn't feel a twinge of guilt. They're adults. The problem came from the one beta reader I have who is under 18. Grief.

I don't and didn't write erotica, but I still couldn't reconcile myself with sending it to him with the sexualized scenes intact. Maybe because he's a boy.

No, that's not altogether accurate. I'm not letting my daughter read it either.

I don't have a problem with teens reading about sex. Heck, like I mentioned, I was reading romance novels in 9th grade. My mom gave me the "talk" when I was six. I did the same with my kids. I want them educated.

I'll even be fine with Kiwi reading my book when she's older, but I think thirteen is still too young. Fifteen or sixteen seems like an age where I'll feel okay with it. However, if I'm keeping it real, she's had a library card for years. She's probably read books exploring burgeoning sexuality and she hasn't been mentally scarred by what she's read.

I guess letting her read my book feels different because I'm the one who wrote it. I know it's not something I feel comfortable allowing her to read at her age.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I trimmed those more adult scenes to PG-13 before I sent it to my young beta.

Why did I freak out over a 17-year-old reading the revision? Maybe because I'm not his parent. To me, buying the book in the store gives an implied consent. Sure kids will buy things their parents don't approve of, but it's the parents responsiblity to monitor what their child purchases if they choose to.

Still, I can also see why some of the New Adult books are being rewritten without the sexual content for Young Adults. I think it's easier for a parent to make an informed choice that way.

My reaction probably doesn't even make a whole lot of sense. I know I'm confused. I think it's because of the duality of my dilemma. Which is why I'm having a hard time reconciling it within myself. I'll keep thinking on it.

Maybe you can give me your opinions?

 

ANGIE SANDRO'S A ZOMBIE?

 I haven't done any writing for two weeks. I don't feel up to tackling the new story wiggling in my brain like a maggot after rotting meat. Too gross? Sorry, but it's the truth. I'm still brain dead from the revision. I want to start a new WIP, but I still haven't fleshed out all of the details.

The major one being whether I want to set this in the 1970's. It feels like I should because it has a dark edge that the modern world wouldn't support as easily. Cell phones, internet, computers ... these sorts of conveniences make the story I want to tell less plausible. It does mean I have to do a lot of research on the era. I also wonder whether there’s even a market for this book. Another area of research (I love research, lol).

Since I haven't made up my mind, I've put the story on hold. Which means its grip will get tighter and tighter. In a couple of weeks, I'll be walking around with this dazed look on my face and I'll be at risk of a head shot.

Angie Sandro after a night of editing.

 

 

I’ll probably end up writing it the way the story wants to be told. I don't have much control once the characters start talking in my head. I just go with the flow, then edit like crazy.

 

On Sunday, I'll watch The Walking Dead to see if my favorite character survives. *crosses fingers* because nobody is safe on this show.

 

I hope you all have a happy weekend.