tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71674165877241534272024-03-13T09:52:53.999-07:00BREATHING FIREEmma Kinna's BlogEmma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-50809474605160348092011-04-01T02:01:00.000-07:002011-04-01T02:12:50.865-07:00(facepalm) Why?So I'm in Paris right now and haven't been blogging about books (although I've read about ten since coming here, it's been really great- Shakespeare and Co, man). I might review Low Red Moon and Rosebush pretty soon, since I did read them both after buying them in the Belfast airport. (Rosebush was pretty great, and Low Red Moon isn't bad, but admittedly there were times that I asked myself "Why THIS book?")<br /><br />But after my friend showed me THIS post- <a href="http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html">http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html</a> in which a self-published author behaves VERY improperly (and I'm sure plenty of you have seen it...in fact, it's probably old news) I had to say something. I'll keep it brief-<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">PLEASE</span>, please, I beseech you bloggers, do not take this woman's remarks to be the way that ALL self-published or "indie" authors feel and behave. Authors DO want fair reviews. Obviously we love to see good reviews, but FAIRNESS is what's important. This review was fair, constructive, honest, and all negative comments were justified. That's all we as authors can asked (whether self-published or not!). So please don't write off indie or self-published authors just because of one person who behaved badly. I love even the bad reviews I've gotten just because they've helped me see my writing from another perspective and also to FIX things that admittedly, needed fixing. Fair, honest reviews people. That's what's important. This lady doesn't represent the majority. </span><br /><br />If you see this post, let me know what you think! Also, let me know what you thought of Low Red Moon because I know there's been some debate. I'll eventually post a review and what not.<br /><br />And if you're interested in my Paris blog here's a link- <a href="http://paris-site.blogspot.com/">http://paris-site.blogspot.com/</a>Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-26470222805836172432010-12-04T16:44:00.001-08:002010-12-04T17:48:21.411-08:00Crescendo!(This review might be especially appropriate for those who have already read this book or Hush, Hush; some of my frustration may not make complete sense otherwise. If you want to skip my personal complaints and just scroll to the bottom line, be my guest.)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uu55yGt0iu0/TLd1v7wdsbI/AAAAAAAAFaU/8fnYI5hIx7k/s1600/Crescendo.jpg"> <img style="cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 475px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uu55yGt0iu0/TLd1v7wdsbI/AAAAAAAAFaU/8fnYI5hIx7k/s1600/Crescendo.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />What a great cover, isn't it?<br /><br />A few days back, instead of delving into my Oceanography book, I read "Crescendo" because it was staring me in the face at the library. All I could hear in my mind was "Go on, read it. It's right there. Think of all those great reviews of Hush, Hush. Think of how relaxing it'll be to read something that's NOT about picoplankton or the photic zone."<br /><br />So I grabbed it and ended up checking it out, and MAN was it a page turner! I couldn't stop. I had to finish it before I could study for my exam. Obviously it really got to me. I wanted to know what happened, I wanted to know more about how the angel stuff worked and about the characters. Given that I hadn't read Hush, Hush I'm sure there are things that didn't quite click while I was reading, but for the most part I understood what was happening. The characters were pretty well defined, and Nora's voice especially was very strongly her own. There weren't any moments where I was like "This doesn't make sense for HER to do." I loved the exchanges between Nora and Vee, especially during their "detective" work; sometimes it almost reminded me of the antics of Lula and Stephanie from Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. A lot of the imagery really struck me. There was one scene, if I'm remembering correctly, where the lights were going on and off as Nora was pursuing someone (or maybe it was vice versa). Whatever it was, I remember it working really well, helping me see it all more clearly in my mind. Some really great fight scenes. And the kissing scenes between Patch and Nora? Very hot. The last couple paragraphs of the book even threw me for a loop!<br /><br />THAT said...<br /><br />Okay, so maybe I didn't have moments where I thought Nora's actions didn't make sense for her...but there were plenty where I thought they didn't make sense. And maybe I didn't have a ton of trouble understanding the story, but I sure had some questions. My biggest question throughout the book seemed to be, "WHY can't she just ASK him?!"<br /> But it was soon clear to me that Nora is incapable of truly asking anyone anything, especially not male characters. She instead has to follow them, search their houses, go through their rooms, or ask everyone else about them. Sure, it made the story more exciting and it certainly made for more suspenseful scenes, but it made it challenging for me to suspend my disbelief because before the scene even began I was thinking "What? Why does she have to follow him in her car?" or "Why is she searching his apartment?!"<br /> The other part of the story that made me REALLY frustrated was her relationship with Patch, or more specifically, her confusion and distrust where he was concerned. Every time they fought, it seemed to me that a great deal of the angry words or final decisions were declared by Nora, and yet immediately after she would behave as though all of it were Patch's fault. For those of you who haven't read "Crescendo" yet, Nora breaks up with Patch not long into the book because of an inconvenience that has to do with nosy, meddling archangels who have it in for Patch (to find out why you'll just have to read the books) as well as some odd events surrounding Nora's arch-nemesis, Marcie Millar. I could certainly understand Nora's anger where Marcie and Patch were concerned; that would have bothered me to death if it were my guardian/boyfriend. But Nora almost breaks up with Patch instantly once he tells her that the archangels are watching (and why).<br /> Once I got to this point in the book, I almost shut it because I was having "New Moon" deja vu. I couldn't STAND the book New Moon. I'm ashamed to admit that I skipped through almost the entire second half. (I liked the movie, though. Good fight scenes in Italy.)<br /> At another point, Nora yells out that Patch is no longer to be her guardian angel, and doesn't seem to understand it when this actually becomes the case. She was so quick to be cruel to Patch at times.<br /> In a way, I can understand. We all have moments where we're angry, we want to hurt feelings, and we say things we just don't mean. But he kept coming back. She almost took his protection for granted (maybe that's what you're supposed to do with guardian angel's anyway?) and she'd deliberately throw herself into dangerous situations either to SEE Patch or to show him she was okay on her own...and of course, she usually wasn't. This aspect of the book was a little reminiscent of New Moon as well, but I do think that Nora is a little more proactive as a character than Bella Swan is. Her voice was still entertaining, even when she was whining or venting out anger. I didn't skip through any huge chunks of pages with this book, which to me indicates relatively good writing (either that or I've become a more patient person). Point being, Nora Grey is a frustrating character, but not to the point where I had to slam the book shut.<br /><br />Still, all the stuff with Patch bothered me. If he didn't care for Nora, why would he keep coming back? Why couldn't she figure that out? After all he did for her in the first book (er, after all I gather that he did), why would she think he'd just turn around like that? Why would he keep pressing, keep trying to tell her what was going on, etc. For a large part of the book, Nora thinks Patch has killed her father. This was a little hard to swallow, especially when they were like totally making out.<br />Basically, my problems with Nora and her Patch stuff all came to the surface in one scene, when Patch visits Nora in a dream and says he's been trying to tell her the truth in a place where the archangels can't see...and Nora leaves. Nora is DYING to know the truth, but she leaves because she thinks Patch is the killer. Even though she's still, of course, unbelievably attracted to him.<br /><br />What?<br /><br />Why wouldn't she stay and hear what he had to say? If she's so determined to figure everything out, why not at LEAST listen to Patch's side of the story and THEN leave? What Nora does instead is frustrating as all hell. Just thinking about these parts of the book make me want to wring her neck, make me think "what a STUPID main character." But she didn't strike me as a completely stupid person....just extremely mixed up.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">THE BOTTOM LINE:</span><br /><br />So the conundrum for me is, how did I manage to get through this book, like it, and still think the main character's teetering on the edges of ridiculous and idiotic? As annoying as Nora's odd decision-making could be, I couldn't stop reading this book, so I do care for her a little (or maybe I was looking for hot Angel sex?).<br /><br /><br />Another thing about this book...sometimes I can really tell when the writer was really into scenes and having fun writing them, and when she/he wasn't so interested. I know that even in my own work, this comes through, and in that respect I have a long way to go as a writer. (Maybe this is something I notice because I write, but I doubt it.) Anyway, the point is that the great thing about Crescendo is that when you're reading it, you get the sense that Becca Fitzpatrick was having loads of fun writing the whole thing. And that just makes it an even better reading experience.Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-37456674649295245032010-12-01T21:40:00.001-08:002010-12-01T21:41:57.348-08:00UpdateI have a presentation I have to work on for the rest of the week, but on Saturday I'll post my review of Crescendo. Because I kind of just...picked it up...and started reading it and couldn't stop.Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-64994549188063848312010-11-28T16:09:00.000-08:002010-11-28T16:18:42.929-08:00The IvyI made a whole big list of books to read and buy over break, but I'm going to be so very very busy in the two coming weeks that I decided to put most of them on hold.<br />There is one book, though, that from the moment I opened it up at Barnes and Noble, I knew I had to read it right away. And that book is The Ivy.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tMe-OnfVqgo/TCeeIG9eBCI/AAAAAAAAClw/dw29_pMgpec/s1600/The+Ivy.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 347px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tMe-OnfVqgo/TCeeIG9eBCI/AAAAAAAAClw/dw29_pMgpec/s1600/The+Ivy.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Since coming to college myself, it's been my opinion that there just aren't enough YA books that are about college. I've read very few that actually take place AT college. ("Better Than Running At Night" is one book that has a college setting, though.) That's one of the many reasons I am DYING to read this book. I'm only a few pages in, but I'm already hooked. Those Harvard students don't mess around, man.<br /><br />Another reason I'm so interested in YA books with a college setting is because the newest story that I'm working on is set on a college campus. (Set in? Set on?) There's so much you can do with a story within a college environment that it surprises me that this type of setting seems so hard to find.<br /><br />However, it's occurred to me that perhaps I'm mistaken, or looking in the wrong places, or just completely oblivious. Can you think of any great YA titles that take place in a college setting?Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-44110968575417652992010-11-25T19:42:00.000-08:002010-11-25T20:26:05.406-08:00Things Didn't Quite Go As Planned......because it just so happens that my mom is a librarian. And it just so happens that once I got home, she brought home about eight YA books for me to read. And it just so happens that I started reading those instead of the ones on my list.<br />But! There's still hope for Low Red Moon and The Duff, because I will be visiting Barnes and Noble this weekend.<br /><br />So, what DID I end up reading so far? Well, only two books. And those books are...<br /><br /><br />OTHER by Karen Kincy<br /><a href="http://www.karenkincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Other-final-664x1024.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 506px;" src="http://www.karenkincy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Other-final-664x1024.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> This book was pretty awesome. I have to admit, I was excited to read it as soon as I read the back cover. If you haven't already seen this one reviewed, it takes place in a world where "Others" —that would be beings such as werewolves, vampires, animal spirits, dryads, mermaids, pookas (a type of shapeshifter which applies to our heroine), and so on— are known to exist, and some even live out in the open, though they suffer a great deal of prejudice, even from OTHER Others!<br /> Before I get into any symbolism or even political stuff, here's what the story is about, in my own words: Gwen is half-pooka as a result of a fling her mother had with a Welshman (is that even the correct term?). She can shapeshift; in fact, she MUST shapeshift relatively often or she feels discomfort, her "pooka side" acting up. She doesn't reveal her Otherness to many people (not even her boyfriend, Zach). But she does have her best friend, Chloe, who is a dryad, a sort of tree spirit, to share secrets with, and she suspects that Tavian, an attractive Japanese guy she met via the BLOGOSPHERE, might have some Otherness to him as well.<br /> Who knows of Gwen's Otherness isn't so important, however, until someone begins to murder local Others of Gwen's Washington state town, Klikas...Klika..oh man, it's such a cool name, too...(looks it up) Klikamuks! Doesn't that name just remind you of the sounds your rainboots make when you walk through a puddle? Anyway, suddenly Gwen has bigger problems than worrying about how to tell her boyfriend she's a shapeshifter, because she and all of her Other friends are in danger!<br /> I really enjoyed this book. I know it's not exactly a unique premise, what with all the YA authors scrambling to find the latest paranormal gimmick for their novels (myself included), but it was a fun read, and man was it quick! Even if you aren't sure you'd like this one, try it anyway because it won't take a lot of your time and it's a great ride. The characters were pretty well-developed, the dialogue was snappy yet believable. There was action, romance, mystery, paranormal-ness, danger, and politics. Yes, politics. Maybe Karen Kincy didn't purposely do this (I find that unlikely, or maybe it was just unavoidable), but the problems the Others ran into were so similar to those faced of any minority group. There was also mention of Alaskans hunting werewolves by helicopter (Palin, anyone?) and an Other-hatred based group called the White Knights (perhaps a bit like the KKK?). Not to mention the term "other" in general. As in, the way we tend to place people who are different from us in the "other" category? "Other" or maybe "exotic"? (Anybody see that post on the Story Siren?) My point is, not only was there a decent, fast-paced story that I found quite hard to put down, but there were some great messages involved. Kindness, tolerance. Okay, so you don't HAVE to read it that way, but it's in there to find if you want to. Plus it could make for a cool paper! (for those fellow college students out there)<br />You can find out some more about this one here: http://www.karenkincy.com/<br />And I'm sure there are some much more detailed and thoughtful reviews out there in the blogosphere, too. I should probably add that I didn't always take the book as seriously as could have, probably because I have a friend who used to call her boyfriend a "pooka" or "pook."<br /><br /><br /><br />I also read The Mermaid's Mirror by L.K. Madigan.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zICftP8hIok/S72auXFl-mI/AAAAAAAAAig/sB7wO-MN0jI/s1600/mermaid.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 401px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zICftP8hIok/S72auXFl-mI/AAAAAAAAAig/sB7wO-MN0jI/s1600/mermaid.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a> I think that this one was first and foremost, beautifully written. The style was lovely, and the way Lena, the main character's relationship with her family was developed was excellent, very strong. I read this one quickly, too, and didn't want to put it down. The ocean imagery, the eventual mermaid village, even the descriptions of surfing lessons were kind of magical.<br />But it was sad, and I'm not quite sure about the conclusion that was reached at the end. Okay, wait...<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">***SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SCROLL PAST THIS PARAGRAPH TO AVOID SPOILERS***</span><br /><br />Lena's father, once a surfer and ocean-lover, can never again enter the sea. If he does, he will be ripped to pieces by sharks at the command of his former mermaid lover's own mother. So really, the purpose of this story seems to be so that Lena can discover her mermaid heritage and have her father's sea death penalty lifted upon her return to land. But in order to have this lifted, Lena must sacrifice seeing her mermaid mother, Melusina, and the merman boy she grows to love, Nix. She has to promise never to see them again or return to the mermaid village. At the end (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER) Lena returns to land and reunites with her friends, her younger brother, stepmother and father. Finally, she and her father can surf together. I guess that, for Lena, it takes seeing her possible mermaid life and heritage to really appreciate, fully enjoy, and help her land family and life. But what about her mother?! She's just going to forget and absorb happy mermaid thoughts so that her memories don't depress her?! That really bugged me, a lot. Since I just spoiled the ending, I'm going to kind of leave the rest of the book for you to read.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">****OKAY NO MORE SPOILERS NOW. ****</span><br /><br />I suppose it was sort of what had to be done, but it didn't all work for me. Still, it's a very pretty story, and I think anyone who loves mermaids, the ocean, or stories of finding one's self might find enjoyment in this book. (Check out the blog Escape in a Book- pretty sure she has a deeper review of this one as well as some second opinions!)<br />Oh, here it is: http://escapeinabook.blogspot.com/2010/11/book-review-mermaids-mirror-by-lk.html<br /><br />I guess I'd better visit some other blogs and then go to bed before Black Friday comes!<br />Happy shopping, all!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-41057156089590637752010-11-21T19:31:00.000-08:002010-11-21T20:02:45.796-08:00Books...and books....and MORE books!Thanksgiving break is rapidly approaching! And not a moment too soon, thank goodness. (I've been actively procrastinating in preparation for the occasion.) I have even made a list of books that I want to read over the break, just to have a little vacation from the usual textbooks and what not:<br /><br />(I don't know if the pictures will work.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__tKXK20LFdU/TEdtCcxBn0I/AAAAAAAABAw/fdYsi8umBHM/s1600/pic.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 232px; height: 348px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__tKXK20LFdU/TEdtCcxBn0I/AAAAAAAABAw/fdYsi8umBHM/s1600/pic.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />1. You Wish by Mandy Hubbard..because how could I resist a book with a CUPCAKE on the cover? Also the plot sounds like so much fun! Imagine if suddenly you started to receive all of the birthday wishes you've ever made, since you were little. That's what's about to happen to the protagonist of this book. (Also, it's been sitting on my shelf since August!)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.readinasinglesitting.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/annexed-dogar.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 215px;" src="http://www.readinasinglesitting.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/annexed-dogar.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />2. Annexed by Sharon Dogar...the story of Anne Frank's housemate, Peter. An imaginative, heartbreaking, YA story about the Holocaust, all based on true events and the written work of a thirteen-year-old girl. Also I've heard some good stuff about Sharon Dogar. There was no way I could pass this one up at the bookstore!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1271108843l/6931356.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 321px;" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1271108843l/6931356.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />3. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger- Everyone in the book blogosphere has to have heard something about this book by now. DUFF= Designated Ugly Fat Friend, and the main character of this book. Apparently though, when it comes to this girl, there's more than meets the eye. To put it bluntly, this sounds like a book...and a character...that we can all relate to. And I have not read ANY bad reviews.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://img.amazon.ca/images/I/51M8jsbWSkL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 207px;" src="http://img.amazon.ca/images/I/51M8jsbWSkL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>4. Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin...I've read a lot of reviews about this one and the only conclusion I've reached is that I'm going to have to read it. People have said a lot of sh*t about this book, man. Others thought it was, eh, okay. And others still valiantly defend it! I must say, I'm intrigued. If I can track down a copy, I'll definitely be reading this one.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/all-unquiet.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 156px; height: 234px;" src="http://booksonthenightstand.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/all-unquiet.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a> 5. All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab...I bought this one a while back, seduced by that magnificent, unsettling cover. I started it...and something came up. (I have a serious commitment problem when it comes to reading, I think. I got halfway through Dracula a few years ago and just stopped. Same thing with Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca. I should be ashamed!) So the goal is to finish this one. If I keep buying books and not reading them, well, that's not really fair, is it?<br /><br />So that's my list, short and sweet, of books younger and older. There may be some changes, and if I can't find DUFF or LRM in time, well, sadly I won't be able to read them. But I will be letting you know what I think of them soon after the break.<br /><br />I've been reading a lot of different blogs lately, sampling and what not, and I just want to make a promise that I will never expressly say here NOT to read a specific novel. I'm an author. That would be ridiculous, counterproductive, and not fair. Everyone thinks and reads differently. One person's "ugh" is another's "OMG SO GOOD!" (I was going to make that second part "ooo" but then I thought it sounded vaguely sexual. :/ ) We all appreciate an honest, outspoken review, but I would never say anything like "Man, toss this stupid book in the trash!"<br /><br />Anyway, I'll be posting some of my own work up here soon too! Thanks for following.Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-55348583041998772902010-11-10T20:51:00.000-08:002010-11-10T20:56:00.550-08:00MERMAIDS!!!!I was so sure that Angels were going to be the Next Big Thing but now it looks like Mermaids are getting their chance too! And I LOVE Mermaids! I used to want to be one.<br />Yeah, really, I did. I love water, and I love and respect the sea.<br />Anyway, if you haven't already, you should check out the Bloody Bookaholic! http://bloodybookaholic.blogspot.com/ Her latest post is all about some upcoming Mermaid books, and I was so excited to see it that I just had to share.<br />Did I mention how much I love the blogosphere?<br /><br />In other news, I have some stuff for my new work that I might want to post in the near future. Thanks for those who've come and take a look at my blog even after my super long blogging break!<br />For those who see this post, what's your favorite paranormal/supernatural/fantastic/fairy tale creature? Mermaid? Vampire? Werewolf?<br /><br />I don't think I'll ever be able to decide, but that's okay because there are books about all of them!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-83399795277756069832010-11-09T10:02:00.000-08:002010-11-09T10:09:40.889-08:00NewsHi all!<br />Or no one. I haven't been keeping up this blog at all in the past few months, but truth be told it's a little bit of a challenge to be a college student and a YA author.<br /><br />Be that as it may, I have two little bits of news! I'll be updating the blog once a week now, because I am working on some new stuff and I may post some pieces of it here. Also, once the weekends hit I'm going to be looking for some book reviewers (and maybe reviewing some books on here myself). I just read a really adorable, almost magical story called Austenland, by the author of Princess Academy. Also worth mentioning soon is Poison Study (which I read because I saw consistently excellent reviews across the blogosphere).<br /><br />The other news? I'm going to Paris next semester. That will likely lead to this blog getting pushed into some dusty corner for a while. So I'll try and keep up for the next couple months as best I can!<br /><br />I have to say, I miss "being an author" a whole lot right now. It's so much fun, and through the book and the blog I've talked to some really great people and learned about some really great books. I've read more than one piece of advice on authors' websites, saying that it's a good idea to wait to write a book, that it's a good idea to live your life while you're young and write later on. And yeah, it's hard to do both and be consistent (at least, it is for me). But I wouldn't change having had this book published. It's helped me learn so much. So here I am again, for a limited time. If someone happens to take a look and wants to review my book (or know more about it, for that matter), email me or leave a comment!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-79699848138558486052010-08-10T13:22:00.000-07:002010-08-10T13:23:06.257-07:00(also look at this, it's funny and related to another excellent book)http://www.karenhealey.com/2010/06/actual-fan-email-actual-response/Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-69319163300660201712010-08-10T12:46:00.001-07:002010-08-10T13:02:37.506-07:00A Bad Bad Blogger (and a very good book!)I've been the world's worst blogger this summer, but I had to poke my head out of my non-blogging turtle shell (did I ever mention that dialogue, not description, is my strength?) because KIRSTEN MILLER'S NEW BOOK IS OUT!<br />Kirsten Miller is one of my very favorite authors (and the reason I add "very" is because there are so many favorites that I have to classify them) and has just released her book "The Eternal Ones." I read an ARC that she was kind enough to send me in the winter, and I highly, highly recommend it as well as her Kiki Strike books (best read while eating Twizzler's pullnpeels). The tagline?<br /><br /><span style="font-family: courier new;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">What if love refused to die?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></span></span>It's beautiful, isn't it? It's really a great story, about past lives, love and mystery.<br />I have to admit that the idea of reincarnation scares me to no end. I've been pretty happy in this life, I see no reason to have another go around (especially if I come back as, say, an ant). But Kirsten Miller makes it sound so enticing, with a secret society that shows re-incarnates the way to their true selves, with a mysterious lost love guided only by broken memories. Haven goes from the South to New York to Italy and back, meeting a girl who chants a deals with snakes, avoiding mysterious men who are following her, finding out terrible secrets about her family and a man who was supposed to be helping her. She finds Iain Morrow, who's been haunting her mind with visions and dreams her entire life, and discovers that he is her reincarnated love, Ethan. Then she finds out that, in their last life, Ethan may have murdered her.<br />DundunDUNNNN.<br /><br />Look, it's good. Just read the thing.<br /><br />Anyway, I think I'm going to come back to the blogosphere. I'll probably start with some reviews (I'm fighting to finish Beautiful Creatures) because reading has helped me get back into the writing groove. Then I think I'll get back to talking about my own book and what I've been writing for the past few months. Because it's all beginning to come together...<br /><br />Thanks for following!<br /><br />Check out these links to Kiki and The Eternal Ones. Kiki Strike's website is worth it just for the creepy noises that sound when you first enter the site, but there's also an awesome blog of strange and cool things (and of course book/character info).<br />The Eternal Ones site has an excerpt and a trailer (and you've probably seen it all over the blogosphere lately!)<br /><br />http://kikistrike.com/ <br /><span style="font-family: courier new;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span><br />http://www.theeternalones.com/index.php<br /></span></span></span></span>Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-56117241447576961022010-07-19T21:49:00.001-07:002010-07-19T21:50:27.367-07:00Shade.Cough cough.<br />Well.<br />Time to blow the dust off this neglected old blog. Poor little blog, left all by itself (sob).<br /><br />Anyway, I've been gone, and I've also been lazy, so it's been a while! But, now I'm back, hurtling through the blogosphere once again! And there's nothing like a GREAT book to get things started. So before I get to my author-y stuff (translation, I have to get my followers back), I'm going to talk about Shade!<br /><br />SHADE! The book by Jeri Smith-Ready. It was...it was just awesome. It was extremely well-written. It's funny, you'd think good writing alone would be something we could take for granted in the world of published books, but nope, you do come across a few bad ones.<br />Shade was NOT a bad one.<br /><br />The story itself is a really fascinating concept. The main character, Aura, lives in the same universe we do (same shows, same countries and cities, same bands)...except for one thing. Everyone 16 or so and under can see ghosts, because of a Shift that happened just before Aura was born. It's so common to see the dead people, in fact, that there are government procedures meant to keep ghosts out of certain areas. Of course, the ghosts can only visit places they've visited in life...unless they turn to Shade. A Shade is a ghost who loses all control (kind of like turning over to the dark side) and can suddenly manipulate objects and people physically, and go wherever he/she wants...until the government traps it in an obsidian container.<br /><br />Smith-Ready does an AMAZING job blending her eyes into an otherwise normal world. Her writing and weaving seems effortless. That is something I'm still learning to do, and I sure do love to see it in books. By the time you're a few pages into the book, you start thinking "Oh yeah, I know everyone can see ghosts, it's because of the Shift." What's amazing is that Smith-Ready never COMPLETELY explains the Shift, and yet it's perfectly established. She has made this story so real, and also relatable.<br /><br />And Aura? Well, she's with an amazing guy, Logan, who is in an Irish rock band (think Flogging Molly), and he's about to be offered a record deal as well as screw her brains out! (Ahem, sorry for the blunt language.) The problem? Logan gets too smashed to do it, and upon trying to sober up, he accidentally kills himself. I won't explain how, because YOU HAVE TO READ THE BOOK.<br /><br />Not to fret, though. Aura can still see Logan, and so can a lot of his friends. His older siblings and parents, however, cannot, and are torn apart by his death. They plan to file a lawsuit for something like wrongful death, which means Logan's ghost must testify and Logan has to stick around a while. He visits Aura each night, and she's as in love with him as ever...for a little while. But when Aura starts moving on, she faces a unique problem: How do you break up with a ghost?<br /><br />And this isn't even the whole story. There is ANOTHER sexy (Scottish) guy, and confidential information about the Shift, an event shrouded in mystery!<br /><br />The dialogue in this book was another aspect that really struck a chord with me...it flowed so naturally and realistically, as did most of the story (which you'd think would be difficult given the ghostly subject matter).<br /><br />I'm leaving so much stuff out, but I am so excited about this book. I can't wait to read her next one.Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-6854520571124101762010-05-23T21:59:00.000-07:002010-05-23T22:05:48.780-07:00EuropeHello all! In just a couple of days I'm taking off for a big trip. I'll be writing and photographing, but blogging doesn't seem likely. I just wanted to post this so that those of you who ARE looking over my blog don't think that I have deserted it! I'll be back, and I'll have some posts ready!<br />Also, I just started "The Secret Life of Prince Charming" by Deb Caletti. I love discovering great authors, and I'm also looking forward to reading another book by one of my faves, Laurie R. King.<br /><br />Thank you to those bloggers who will be reviewing my book soon! You are absolutely wonderful.<br /><br />My next post will either be concerning one of the afore-mentioned books, or it will be about the two main characters in "A House Afire", Phyllis and Sid. Sid wins some over, but others find him a bit too questionable. My response? Well, I'll be posting it sometime in June.<br /><br />Thanks for following!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-88144071924436909092010-05-21T12:59:00.000-07:002010-05-21T13:29:15.045-07:00How To Say Goodbye In Robot, The Mark, and The Six Rules of MaybeSometimes, the best thing to do to get back in the swing of writing is read. I didn't realize how excited I would be to come back from college and be able to just read recreationally, to read books that weren't, well, text books or ethnographies or filled with math problems.<br /><br />This week I read three books, and all of them were VERY good, very inspiring. I can't say any one was better than the others, more that some things just appealed more to me, I suppose. I think my favorite was "How To Say Goodbye in Robot." "The Six Rules of Maybe" had a much happier ending, but "Robot" was offbeat and somehow completely hilarious even though it was sad and bittersweet.<br />"How to Say Goodbye in Robot" was about a girl dealing with a lot of changes in her life, moving to a new school yet again, and meeting someone of an even higher weirdness caliber. It was about making important friends. It was full of insightful observations and hilariously realistic high school moments and dialogue. I loved it. My favorite thing about the book, I think, was the late night radio show that the main character, Beatrice, found herself listening to before bed each night. Random characters called in to talk, and sort of formed their own little family. My favorite was Don Berman. This book is darkly funny and intelligent, and just painstakingly...real, I suppose. Real about unhappy things, like moving on. I also really love the title, which stems from Beatrice's emotional mother calling her a robot at various times when she doesn't seem to be feeling anything.<br /><br />"The Mark" was the second book I read, about a girl who can see a glow around people who are about to die. It was different than I expected it to be, but still excellently written. If you just find Jen Nadol (it might be Jenn, sorry) reading the first chapter on youtube, you'll be able tell that it's a good book, and what a great idea, too. The end might seem a little hokey, but I think that's really only because of the way the rest of the story is so convincing, and a reader can so easily suspend disbelief. I really enjoyed the mystery of the book, the independence that the main character, Cassandra, learned, and I liked the way that Nadol wrote about philosophy and tied that into the way Cassandra thought about her ability. It really was great food for thought, and I'm quite sure that sequels and threequels are on the way, so that's exciting too!<br /><br />"The Six Rules of Maybe" is the book I finished this afternoon. It was really just...beautiful. There was a lot of time spent inside the main character's mind and heart, but it was never tedious or irritating. It was interesting, and some of it rang very true. The main character is Scarlet, her sister is Juliet. Juliet is older, the one who seems favored by their single mother, the perfect one. Juliet comes home unexpectedly married and pregnant, and that's when the trouble starts. Scarlet falls for Juliet's incredibly good husband, Hayden, while Juliet seems to be falling away from him, further as his baby grows inside her. Scarlet turns out to be a very caring, loving person, who has made it her responsibility to take care of everyone, but she finds out that maybe through caring for others, she's been neglecting herself. She also finds out a lot about her family. It's a long, full book, and a superb read. Parts of it had me laughing out loud for like, five minutes, just little insights Scarlet would have and little things she would say or do. There were a lot of smaller characters who made the book even better. Wacky neighbors and misguided friends, an adorable dog.<br /><br />All of these books are good choices. If you're looking for a more thrilling, mysterious sort of series, go for "The Mark"; if you want something new and eccentric with some biting humor and tears thrown in here and there, go for "How to Say Goodbye in Robot"; and if you want something uplifting, a story about a family who experience some problems and come away from them even stronger and wiser, if you need that happy ending, read "The Six Rules of Maybe."<br /><br />Now that I've finished those, I think it's time for me to do some writing of my own. Before I go, though, I have to add that most of the books I read over the past week, these and the two I reviewed in my last post, were books I saw on blogs. So thanks again, book bloggers. I keep thinking "We need more good books," but then it turns out that a whole bunch of them are already out there!<br /><br />(Also, I mentioned "Demon Princess: Reign or Shine" in my last post, but it was incomplete- I just wanted to say that the book was fast-paced, funny, and, well, fun! I can't wait to read the next one, "Reign Check.")Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-26117156846765528662010-05-16T10:04:00.001-07:002010-05-16T10:30:14.087-07:00More books! More book blogging! I'm back on the radar!Goodness, I've been gone a long time. Hopefully I can coax some people back to reading my blog!<br />I haven't been doing a whole lot of author-type stuff lately, though the Book Pixie was nice enough to let Phyllis post on her blog! http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/2010/05/character-guest-post-phyllis-house.html<br /><br />So, for a while there I was thinking that maybe Angels are becoming the new Vampire, but lately I've noticed that Mermaids are starting to make a comeback! Such cool stuff in the world of books. I think I'm going to stick with my firebreathing girl for the time being, but who knows? Anything could happen.<br /><br />I don't usually do a lot of talking about other books here, but I thought I would talk a little bit about the two latest books I've read/am reading. I just finished "Break" by Hannah Moskowitz, which I'd been wanting to read since January!<br /><br />It was a good book, a quick read, and it inspired a lot of thought. There were parts where I became a little confused, though. I'M POSTING ABOUT THE END OF THE BOOK.<br />SPOILER ALERT AND STUFF.<br />DON'T READ PAST THIS LINE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.<br />Okay, I think I'm covered now.<br /><br />When the main character, Jonah, who's about 17 and has been on a quest to break all the bones in his body, is admitted into a mental facility, well...it seemed like that all happened really fast. I mean, don't get me wrong, it happened really fast in "Girl, Interrupted" too. But is that really all it takes? One talk with a psychiatrist and BAM, institution?<br />Also, would a high school principal really take the time to find a troubled student at a hockey game? Would the staff of a mental facility really accuse a patient of hurting other patients within 1-3 days of being there? The staff of Jonah's mental institution seemed almost eager to accuse him when other patients began to follow his example; wouldn't they investigate it further before throwing him into isolated confinement with what sounded like gusto?<br />That part of the book bothered me, if you can't tell. Also, this was probably implied, but I wish someone had stated outright that going outside or fresh air had gotten Jonah's brother, Will, to stop crying. Maybe I didn't read the book thoroughly enough; that DOES happen, and frequently in my case. Otherwise, I would definitely say it's a worthwhile read, and a very interesting idea. I just felt that at times it went by too quickly, like Jonah suddenly is being called crazy and then he starts to BE crazy? I had a lot of questions, and one of the questions I asked most was "Does this really make sense?"<br /><br />The characters were great, though. Jonah and his brother, Jesse, were both very interesting, and the descriptive language was excellent. I would definitely read more from Hannah Moskowitz.<br /><br />Now onto the book I'm in the middle (well, more like the beginning) of right now. Demon Princess, Reign or Shine. The title is straight and to the point, and so far the pace is fast! I'm loving it; it's fun, smart, cute, and somehow not completely ridiculous. I'm betting it'll be a great read.<br /><br />Okay, so more posts will be coming. I know I made a list of future posts a while back, and all will come to fruition over this summer. Now, on to getting some readers back...Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-20217092329522701772010-04-26T12:22:00.001-07:002010-04-26T12:22:59.516-07:00Check Out The Latest Review!http://yaaddict.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-house-afire-by-emma-kinna.html#comments<br /><br />Thanks Jami!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-28010966251506709452010-04-18T15:35:00.000-07:002010-04-18T15:40:08.457-07:00The Latest.Thank you for following everyone! I'm excited to have 41 followers. My new goal? 45.<br />Whoa.<br /><br />Anyway, since these next 3 weeks are my last of the semester, I don't expect to be bouncing around the blogosphere at all, unless extreme procrastination sets in. But for those lovely people that may be checking out my blog anyway, please feel free to look at some older posts! I talked more about subjects covered in the book earlier on in the blog (I plan to do more of that this summer as well).<br /><br />I also wanted to let you know that Kelsey of The Book Scout was kind enough to interview me! Her blog is beautiful, and she asked me some excellent questions.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"></span><span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://thebookscout.blogspot.com/2010/04/find-out-friday-emma-kinna.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271630570_0"> </span></span></a><br /><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://thebookscout.blogspot.com/2010/04/find-out-friday-emma-kinna.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1271630570_0">http://thebookscout.blogspot.com/2010/04/find-out-friday-emma-kinna.html</span></span></a></span>Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-46815250566360502412010-04-09T23:13:00.001-07:002010-04-09T23:25:39.148-07:00Recent Blog Posts I've Enjoyed (And You Might Too!)Hooray, getting closer to my goal of 40 followers!<br /><br />So, here I am in college with lots of homework and planning and blah blah blah...up at 2 am...not studying or sleeping...<br />Clearly time management has yet to become my most prominent skill, which, if anyone's been checking up here regularly, affects this blog as well as my book's circulation! Nooo!!!<br /><br />Hopefully there will be a couple reviews and interview coming up in the next few weeks. For the time being, however, I wanted to do something to keep up to date on the blogosphere. So here are links to some of my favorite recent posts from bloggers:<br /><br />http://agoodaddiction.blogspot.com/2010/04/on-my-soapbox-author-relations.html<br />A positively excellent post about book reviews.<br /><br />http://bloodybookaholic.blogspot.com/2010/04/bookwormiest-pins-ever.html<br />Some hilarious book-related pins.<br /><br />http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2010/04/book-bloggers-behaving-badly-are-you-on.html<br />A lovely post about book blogger etiquette (yeah, I found this through The Story Siren)<br /><br />http://demonicattractions.blogspot.com/<br />Honestly, all of the posts on this blog seem in some way helpful to writers, which makes me love it even more! I can't pick just one post.<br /><br />That's all for now, mostly because I'm tired and have an exam on Monday. But I highly recommend these posts, whether for laughs or for learning (or both, which is the best way to go).Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-65997156529527679702010-04-02T22:41:00.000-07:002010-04-02T22:42:04.669-07:00Writers.So on Thursday night, I had my very first reading ever! Very exciting.<br /><br />It was also kind of hilarious. Not what I read (although I'd like to hope parts of it were funny) but the event in itself. There were 3 other writers there. Two men who read poems, one woman who read a short story. I read a selection from A House Afire. The book's sort of fun and whimsical, once described as akin to a journal. The journal of a teenage girl with a weird home. So there's me, reading my silly scene full of various characters and dialogue, possibly hard to follow but obviously not very serious at all. I finished reading.<br /><br />And then the next writer read some poems about death. He said that when you're alive, all of your relationships with other people are like balls you're juggling in the air, and when someone close to you dies, it's akin to dropping them all. And that wasn't even in his poem, that's what he said beforehand. And the next writer read about a girl with a troubled home life and a disappearing town, and a story that won't be published. She was witty and sarcastic and talked about her heartbreaking problems with humorous detachment and sarcasm, a matter-of-fact tone. The last writer? He danced around the floor in the front of the room, reading poems about human interaction, and his intricate psychological workings and problems, describing himself as "a dangerous intersection."<br /><br />In short they were all amazing, and deep, and it was kind of hilarious that I opened for them. I have yet to reach the deep end. So to speak. Oh dear, I hope that isn't read and taken badly.<br />But it made me wonder.<br />To be a writer, do you have to be deep? Are all writers sad and complicated with bitter senses of humor and alcohol problems? I joke about that (not old enough to try out the alcoholic thing just yet) all the time. But do you have to have a tortured soul to be a writer? A tragic past?<br />I've heard that all artists of all types are very self-focused, but honestly, that seems to lately be a human trait. What are the traits you need to be a writer? Will pain make you a better writer? Can imagination alone suffice without experience?<br /><br />....<br /><br />Also, I've been a terrible writer and blogger in the last few weeks and must apologize PROFUSELY to those bloggers waiting for interview answers that I've been stumbling over and book copies to review. Just got those today, actually.<br /><br />And thank you followers! I don't know who's still taking a look at this blog but my next stop is the Saturday Network and then perhaps more zooming around the blogosphere.<br />And sorry if this post reflects how tired I am!!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-20972138391450878232010-03-22T13:48:00.001-07:002010-03-22T13:49:38.997-07:00Book on SaleA House Afire will be 7.99 on publishamerica.com for the next two days if anyone's interested (otherwise, it's ridiculously expensive!).Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-41254757329948697062010-03-21T17:13:00.000-07:002010-03-21T17:18:41.849-07:00New Review!Hi all! Just wanted to let you know that Anna from Anna's Book Blog was nice enough to review my book on her blog!<br />See the review here:<br />http://annavivian.blogspot.com/2010/03/reviewgiveaway-house-afire.html<br /><br />I've tried to announce all the reviews of the book here on the blog, so that people can look and maybe get a better idea of the story than I can give.<br />Anna is also doing a giveaway of the book because she's clearly awesome. Thanks Anna!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-24778670902843783142010-03-20T17:55:00.000-07:002010-03-20T19:06:08.381-07:00The BlogosphereThis is what I love about the book-blogosphere. If you really need something, and you reach out for it, you're bound to get help. I've seen teenage girls (sorry, but sadly I've barely come across any male book bloggers...I think I've seen two) doing incredible things for authors and books! There are so many great ideas...I'm so impressed! I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I seem to keep forgetting how incredible the teenage crowd can be. Maybe it's because I'm on my way out?<br />Turning twenty WAS a little weird, and I was kind of sad that I wouldn't be able to call myself a teenager anymore. I know what I'm going to be asking every YA author I ever meet- how do write a convincing teenager?<br /><br />Sometimes, I think it's not that hard. Everyone's different, it's not like teenage essence can be boxed or programmed. But we've all seen movies or read books where writers have gotten it ridiculously wrong, and that's the last thing I'd ever want to do. This is another reason that it's comforting to know that the book-blogosphere is there. And hell, so is the regular blogosphere. Blogs have been a big help to me these past few months, and even though I'll probably be annoyingly busy as this semester ends, I'm going to try and keep my blog going relatively steadily. We'll see what happens. Just wanted to thank everyone, especially my two new followers. :) 36! Hooray! New goal? 40. It'll take a while, and it'll make me do more (and hopefully, better) PR.<br /><br />I know that whether we should be labeling books as YA or not has been up for debate, but honestly? I love that there's a YA section, even though which books go where can be hard to determine.<br /><br />Okay, future posts:<br /><br />My first reading on April first!<br /><br />Sid, the male interest in my book whose character is up for debate.<br /><br />Hopefully more reviews! I might be reviewing a couple of books myself, just for fun.<br /><br />And more excerpts, of course.<br /><br />If there's anything you'd like to see on the blog, let me know. My experience as an author thus far is a tad different from most, given my age and the nature of the publisher, but I'd love to help anyone and share anything I can. And if you want to know more about the book, or you just want to talk about YA stuff, leave me a comment and I'll get in touch with you!<br /><br />Thanks bloggers! Thanks followers!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-89078280047485366962010-03-16T16:00:00.001-07:002010-03-16T16:03:09.867-07:00For bloggers:I've been trying to steal buttons from bloggers left and write to throw onto the side of my blog, but for reasons that I presume have to do with my slowly moving internet, they don't seem to work properly. They show up in awkward places, they don't show at all, I can't move them on the layout settings page, etc. So I think I'm going to give it some time and perhaps wait until I'm in a place with better internet to add more blog-buttons.<br />Also, thanks for following Jami! You have brought me closer to my goal of 35 followers!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-91452471263657641382010-03-14T18:02:00.000-07:002010-03-14T18:07:28.114-07:00Blog News!It's time for me to get back on the blog-wagon!<br /><br />Now there's a fun-looking word. I've distanced myself from the blogosphere in the last two months and now it's time to come back for a bit! Here is my big news:<br /><br />I'm taking part in a reading at The River's End Bookstore in Oswego on April first! It should be interesting, it'll be my first ever (and no, I haven't decided which excerpt I'm going to read yet).<br /><br />My book has had FOUR reviews on some great YA book blogs!<br /><br />I know there are some things in the book that I'm going to have to answer for and explain, and I plan on doing so HERE, but that will likely be after more people read the book!<br /><br />If you're a blogger, and you've taken a look at a review or the description on the side of the blog, well, feel free to leave a comment or contact me some other way if you're interested in talking about the book!<br /><br />Depending on my networking within the next few days, there should be more news on the way. Meanwhile, my new goal is 35 followers. Whoa. It's a little crazy, but if I work hard I just might be able to do it!<br /><br />Thank you all for following!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-67136939915388502202010-03-04T18:41:00.001-08:002010-03-04T18:41:56.069-08:00MORE reviews!http://katiesbookblog-katie.blogspot.com/2010/02/house-afire-by-emma-kinna.html<br /><br />Another review! Thanks Katie!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167416587724153427.post-56724385303298942010-03-04T16:20:00.001-08:002010-03-04T16:23:58.568-08:00Another Review!Amy Jacobs of "My Overstuffed Bookshelf" was also nice enough to review my book!<br />http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2010/03/house-afire-by-emma-kinna.html<br />Take a look! :)<br />More posts in the future, I promise. March 12, perhaps? See you there?<br /><br />And thanks for following everyone!Emma (the Expat)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17174368667951995131noreply@blogger.com0