I have to hand it to Harper Collins. I got a replacement copy of Divergent couriered to the house on Friday. I finished the book today and enjoyed it. It wasn't as exciting as Hunger Games or as momentus but definitely an entertaining read.
I think it had a bit of a slow start or maybe I was just distracted by the defective pages that I couldn't read. Once the action picks up, it's hard to put the book down. I stayed up late reading it not wanting to stop. I bought a digital copy of the sequel and I hope it's as good as the first book.
I write this as my body aches. My hips are killing me as is my foot. I ran 10 miles yesterday and am paying for it. I'm not sure I'm up for doing the half marathon in three weeks. I'm so tired. I don't remember being this exhausted training for my last half.
I love six or seven mile runs. They take more than an hour, but they aren't so long that I feel like the day has disappeared. Yesterday's run took me two hours and four minute. I am so freaking slow now. I was at least 20 minutes faster during my last half. I guess that's what happens when you don't train for a really long time.
While the training schedule has me doing two miles today, I'm blowing it off. I'll do it tomorrow before I go to work.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
I started reading Divergent by Vernonica Roth a few days ago and was confused when I got to page 25. It was all black. I didn't know what to think so I pushed on even though I was missing a page of the book. Then I got to page 48. Beatrice had just cut her palm and picked a new faction and Bang. Black page.
Arrrr. It just ruined my reading momentum.
It didn't even occur to me to return the book to the store because I have no idea where I bought it. I've had it a couple of months and only started reading it this weekend.
So, I decided to write the publisher and ask for pdf files of the missing pages. After an email exchange where I had to impart with personal information, the publisher promised to mail me a new book to replace the defective one.
So, now I am waiting for the new book.
It's Ok because I'm in the middle of reading The Hour I First Believed on audio by Wally Lamb. I tend to read two books simultaneously because I have the two-hour commute and need to occupy my time in the car. I usually alternate between podcasts and books with a bit of music thrown in when I'm thinking about something.
I have a 10-mile run on Saturday to do for my half-marathon training. I'm hoping Wally Lamb will keep me entertained enough for the two hour plus run.
I spend my evenings editing my book. I realized last night, I have some rewrites to do on chapter seven. I still plan a mid to late November e-book launch.
It is super hard to juggle book writing/newspaper career/mother of three-year-old/wife of British husband/running training.
The running, writing and toddler eat up all of my spare time. Actually, my toddler eats up the vast majority of my free time. I can't resist her. She's is so darn cute.
Arrrr. It just ruined my reading momentum.
It didn't even occur to me to return the book to the store because I have no idea where I bought it. I've had it a couple of months and only started reading it this weekend.
So, I decided to write the publisher and ask for pdf files of the missing pages. After an email exchange where I had to impart with personal information, the publisher promised to mail me a new book to replace the defective one.
So, now I am waiting for the new book.
It's Ok because I'm in the middle of reading The Hour I First Believed on audio by Wally Lamb. I tend to read two books simultaneously because I have the two-hour commute and need to occupy my time in the car. I usually alternate between podcasts and books with a bit of music thrown in when I'm thinking about something.
I have a 10-mile run on Saturday to do for my half-marathon training. I'm hoping Wally Lamb will keep me entertained enough for the two hour plus run.
I spend my evenings editing my book. I realized last night, I have some rewrites to do on chapter seven. I still plan a mid to late November e-book launch.
It is super hard to juggle book writing/newspaper career/mother of three-year-old/wife of British husband/running training.
The running, writing and toddler eat up all of my spare time. Actually, my toddler eats up the vast majority of my free time. I can't resist her. She's is so darn cute.
Monday, September 24, 2012
My sister's partial review
One of my two sisters is reading Virus as I edit the book. She lives in California, so it's hard to communicate because of the time difference as I'm in Michigan. I know that sounds weird. It's only three hours you say. Yeah, well, I have a three-year-old daughter. By the time she goes to bed, I'm headed there myself.
Anyway, on the days I work nights I call her while I'm driving home. Last week, she gave me some of her feedback and one comment startled me. Please keep in mind, my sister doesn't read YA books.
Anyway, she said the book was gory. Definitely the book has violence, but no one loses a limb. There's no blood spurting. Ok, there is a beheading, but it's a corpse, not a live person.
So, my question is, so far from what you've read, do you think it's gory?
Thanks for reading,
Monica
Anyway, on the days I work nights I call her while I'm driving home. Last week, she gave me some of her feedback and one comment startled me. Please keep in mind, my sister doesn't read YA books.
Anyway, she said the book was gory. Definitely the book has violence, but no one loses a limb. There's no blood spurting. Ok, there is a beheading, but it's a corpse, not a live person.
So, my question is, so far from what you've read, do you think it's gory?
Thanks for reading,
Monica
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Virus is almost done
Virus, the young adult book I've been working on for five years, is almost done.
I have some editing to do, some reader feedback to input before I send it off to copy editors. I hope to have it published by mid to late November 2012.
I plan to post the cover and a book blurb on Good Reads to start promoting the book. If you would like an advance copy, post a message here with contact info and I'll be in touch. I will send out 20 advanced copies. The only stipulation is that I need readers to write reviews and post them on e-retail web sites like Amazon and on Good Reads.
I'll be publishing the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other e-book web sites. A complete list will be posted once the book is set to go.
Virus is an end of world type story about a virus that is unleashed on the U.S. The survivors are mostly young adults who were either immune to the virus or got sick and survived and developed "special skills" when the virus altered their DNA. I think of the book as a cross between The Stand and the NBC television show Heroes. Book one is the story of survival and travel to Florida where most of the population is gathering to live out the winter.
There is a bigger broader story about a "big bad" that will stretch out over the three-edition series called Remarkables. Because I work full time, I won't be able to complete book two until late 2013 and book three until 2014. I have most of book two and three outlined and just need to fill in the blanks.
Here is a sample of the cover:
Before I start book two though, I plan to release the first book in my Fairy Tale series called Cursed. It's about a young woman who is cursed to die at 17 by her grandmother. The book is half written and I have a goal of publishing it in late February 2013.
I'm excited about this series. Unlike Remarkables, it's only been percolating in my brain since May. I have a seven-part story to tell. Each book is an independent story, although characters will bleed over from book to book. I think of it more in the vain of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld. She had characters make guest appearances in books, which all revolved around supernatural themes.
All of my young adult books have supernatural, science fiction type elements. I don't write about vampires or werewolves, but my characters have powers, much like in Harry Potter without reciting spells.
Chapters one and two of Virus will be posted here soon. Come back to check it out.
I have some editing to do, some reader feedback to input before I send it off to copy editors. I hope to have it published by mid to late November 2012.
I plan to post the cover and a book blurb on Good Reads to start promoting the book. If you would like an advance copy, post a message here with contact info and I'll be in touch. I will send out 20 advanced copies. The only stipulation is that I need readers to write reviews and post them on e-retail web sites like Amazon and on Good Reads.
I'll be publishing the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other e-book web sites. A complete list will be posted once the book is set to go.
Virus is an end of world type story about a virus that is unleashed on the U.S. The survivors are mostly young adults who were either immune to the virus or got sick and survived and developed "special skills" when the virus altered their DNA. I think of the book as a cross between The Stand and the NBC television show Heroes. Book one is the story of survival and travel to Florida where most of the population is gathering to live out the winter.
There is a bigger broader story about a "big bad" that will stretch out over the three-edition series called Remarkables. Because I work full time, I won't be able to complete book two until late 2013 and book three until 2014. I have most of book two and three outlined and just need to fill in the blanks.
Here is a sample of the cover:
Before I start book two though, I plan to release the first book in my Fairy Tale series called Cursed. It's about a young woman who is cursed to die at 17 by her grandmother. The book is half written and I have a goal of publishing it in late February 2013.
I'm excited about this series. Unlike Remarkables, it's only been percolating in my brain since May. I have a seven-part story to tell. Each book is an independent story, although characters will bleed over from book to book. I think of it more in the vain of Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld. She had characters make guest appearances in books, which all revolved around supernatural themes.
All of my young adult books have supernatural, science fiction type elements. I don't write about vampires or werewolves, but my characters have powers, much like in Harry Potter without reciting spells.
Chapters one and two of Virus will be posted here soon. Come back to check it out.
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