"Waiting On" Wednesday - Everything Leads to You

"Waiting On"  Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on...  

Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

* Book will be released May 15, 2014

Check out the description from Barnes & Noble:

"A love letter to the craft and romance of film and fate in front of—and behind—the camera from the award-winning author of Hold Still. 

A wunderkind young set designer, Emi has already started to find her way in the competitive Hollywood film world.  

Emi is a film buff and a true romantic, but her real-life relationships are a mess. She has desperately gone back to the same girl too many times to mention. But then a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend leads Emi to Ava. Ava is unlike anyone Emi has ever met. She has a tumultuous, not-so-glamorous past, and lives an unconventional life. She’s enigmatic…. She’s beautiful. And she is about to expand Emi’s understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance."

I’m learning to love Contemporary YA books and I’ve heard great things about LaCour’s other books. It looks like this will be an interesting read with some intriguing characters.

Tuesday - Haiku Time

Bibliognome:

Blank page staring out

Where are the words that I need

Review write thyself

Mama Gnome:

Um what can I say

The things you do are super

They make me smile big

Tiny Reverse Vampire:

Farm trip was such fun

What a shame it is now done

To work I must go.

This has been me, my mom, and sister's haikus. What haikus can you all think of today?

Happy Monday - Don't Forget

Check out this post if you would like to be a reviewer for Bibliognome.

Don't forget to enter the Alien Collective giveaway here.

Top 5 Sundays - Most Intimidating Series/Books {Read or Not}

This feature was thought up by the awesome Larissa & Friends’ Bookish Life

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.

2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.

3 - Feel free to use the Features image

4 - After you've finished your post, add your link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

5 – If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)   
Top 5 Sundays - Most Intimidating Series/Books {Read or Not}

I think the book is intimidating because I waited so long for it to be published and it looks like a really long book.

This book/series is intimidating because it feels like everybody has already read it.

This book is intimidating because it’s 860 pages long…

Anything by Jane Austen is intimidating because I never got the appeal of these books/could never get into the writing style.

I hear nothing but good things about this book but with the topic I know it's going to be full of really sad parts and I can just guess at the ending. Sometimes I don't want a book that's going to make me cry.

Weekend Read - Penumbra eMag: Volume III, Issue 8

I knew I had to check out this magazine after seeing that it had a prequel from the Alien series of Reader's story (my favorite character from the series.) I'm glad I checked it out and I've already bought a subscription to it now too. I'm about half done with this issue but all the stories have been so good and it's great to see all the different takes on the superhero theme.

Alien Collective Blog Tour - Interview/Giveaway (Now Closed)

Check out my review here.

Today I'm thrilled to be part of the Alien Collective Blog Tour. I adore this series because of its plethora of actual laugh out loud moments and because the characters (all of them) just draw you right into the story.

My interview with Gini Koch:

 

Q. What word is your favorite to say or write?

A. LOL, I curse like a longshoreman, so I know what word the hubs would say is my favorite. However, I don’t really have a favorite word to say – though I used to. “Cosmic” was “my word” in the 80’s (yeah, I started that craze), and “epic” was in the 90’s. Now, I’m most focused on saying “deadline” LOL.

To write? I truly enjoy writing my name on the back of checks. However and otherwise, “Kitty” is probably my favorite word to write, because that word gave me my writing career.

Q. What would your poof or peregrine pair be named?

A. For the Peregrines, Jeff and Jane (from Undercover Blues) or Dolly and Horace (from Hello, Dolly!). As for Poofs, I consider every Poof already created to be “mine”, so every time I name a new one, I’m naming a new one. LOL

Q. Can you share anything about what will happen next in the world of your Alien series?

A. You’re so sneaky with all this! You know I live spoiler free, babe. LOL But I can share that something that’s been building since the start of the series, but especially since Book 3/Alien in the Family, will take place in Book 10/Universal Alien. And yes, we’ll have a clear view of the Mastermind soon, very soon…

Q. As novellas seem to be gaining popularity is there any chance we’ll see you write any set in the Alien series?

A. Anything is possible. Right now, I have three short stories coming out in Penumbra eMagazine (http://penumbra.musapublishing.com/index.php) – one is available right now, and it’s one everyone’s been asking for: when Reader met Gower. “Alien on the Runway” is in the Penumbra May issue. I’ll have two more Alien series shorts in upcoming Penumbra issues this year as well. Also, because they’re givers, Penumbra has a special deal – a year’s subscription at half price AND two Best Of issues, if you use this code when you race over to order: 2014Gini

As for novellas, it will just depend. I’m on a two book a year schedule with DAW, already have two other series whose second novels are due, and I have contracts for novellas, novelettes, and short stories outstanding. So, while a novella in this series is always a possibility – I never say never and, per many, I rarely say no – it’ll just depend on what, when, and if I think I can fit it in.

And, as you can see by looking at the books, writing long is very easy for me. Writing short, now, that’s a peregrine of a different color. The shorter it is, the harder it is for me, so I don’t enter into shorter works lightly. But I do love writing them. So, again, one never knows, do one?

Author Bio

Gini Koch lives in Hell’s Orientation Area (aka Phoenix, AZ), works her butt off (sadly, not literally) by day, and writes by night with the rest of the beautiful people. She writes the fast, fresh and funny Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books, the Necropolis Enforcement Files series, and the Martian Alliance Chronicles series for Musa Publishing. As G.J. Koch she writes the Alexander Outland series. She also writes under a variety of other pen names including Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton, and J.C. Koch. She speaks frequently on what it takes to become a successful author and other aspects of writing and the publishing business. She is also the Lead Editor at Raphael’s Village, an online, nonpaying ’zine. Because she wasn’t busy enough, Gini’s added on featured guest columnist, reviewer, and webcaster for Slice of SciFi and It’s Comic Book Day. She can be reached through her website at www.ginikoch.com.

Haiku Contest - Contest is open internationally -- one winner gets their choice of one of the first 8 books in the Alien series (Touched through Research), signed, and personalized, along with magnets and postcards.

To enter the contest write a haiku about a book series or character that you love.

Example of an entry:

One ring to rule them

A hobbit stands in the way

Watch out for Gollum

Rules

1.) Haikus must be in 5-7-5 form.

2.) One entry per person

3.) Write your haiku along with your name email address in the comments.  If you don't want to leave your email address leave your Twitter, or Facebook details.  Just make sure I'm able to contact you to let you know that you've won.

4.) You don't have to follow my blog to win, but feel free to follow if you like what you see and leave any comments on reviews or posts that you find interesting.  :)

5.) The contest will run from May 2-15th and the winner will be announced on May 16th.

Review - Alien Collective

Alien Collective by Gini Koch

* Book read via the publisher for review.

5 gnomes out of 5 gnomes

First of all, I love the cover for this one, especially after reading the scene where it takes place. I had to rate this book so high because so much happens and I really am looking forward to what happens next in the series. Let’s just say that the book ends in a very interesting place.

Some Questions I have after reading Alien Collective that I hope are answered ASAP:

1.) Is the Mastermind an AC or human?

2.) How many androids are there?

I’m very thankful that there were a lot of near deaths this time and no actual deaths like the last book.

There’s an ominous feeling throughout as you wonder who the Mastermind could be because whoever it is, their plans keep getting more crazy and you know potentially murdery.

Kitty continues to have an awesome talent for recruiting people and boy does she find some special characters this time. Squeaky I think will be interesting if she sticks around and I am very curious to whether Sandy will be featured in future books.

Overall this was an exciting read that ultimately puts these characters in one heck of an interesting position. If you're looking for a series that's full of LOL moments and characters that you'll really care about than this is the series for you.