"...her secret is patience..." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Welcome to Fall Giveaway!!!!

            Hello everyone! So I decided to include my giveaway as part of the fall giveaway! For one week only Good Choice Reading along with others will be celebrating The Fall with a giveaway of nothing but books!  Celebrating the coming of fall with books, is there anything better? I believe there is not! Make sure you take a look at the list of blogs at the end!
            I will be giving out two prizes. Signed copies of my recent novel “Simplicity."

            ·    Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
·         Must be a follower to enter
            ·    Links must be provided for any extra links
            ·    Contest is US ONLY and ends September 29th.
            ·    Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address                     
            ·    The form must be filled out to enter.
                 Comments are not necessary but appreciated! :)





Happy reading!!!

Much love,

Valia

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Smart Chicks Kick It and...who am I kidding? That's all I want to talk about!

Prepare yourself for a lengthy post.

            Well, it happened. Last night I had the privilege of attending the Smart Chicks Kick It tour in Scottsdale, AZ. I have been waiting for this for a while now, and truth be told I didn’t know what to expect. Apart from this being the first time I was meeting these ladies, it was also a first time I have attended any books signing (apart from my own). Let me just start out and say that these ladies are incredible! To take the time out of their busy lives and put together a tour like this; serious kudos are in order.
Now on to the recap of the evening. I was fortunate enough to go with a friend, who although is not a reader, was sweet to spend an evening like this with me.
Smart Chicks Kick It at Scottsdale, AZ
We arrived at the center around five o’clock (two hours prior to the event) and got our names on the list of attendees. After securing our place, we headed off to Baja Fresh for some delicious dinner and conversation. We arrived back at the Civic Center at precisely six o’clock. There was already a line forming. They were giving out raffle tickets and free tattoos. No, before you ask, I did not get a tattoo. But I did get a front row seating for being there early. When the ladies came out a little after seven, with Holly leading the way (she was stuck at an airport, did her make-up in the cab, and looked gorgeous) and took their positions on top of the table the evening of fun began. Yes, on top instead of behind.  Hey, they can do whatever they want; it’s their tour after all! Introductions and Q&A followed. The ladies at this stop were: Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Kimberly Derting, and Alyson Noel. They were so fun and sweet, even on four hours of sleep. I will not enclose all the questions and answers I can remember, but let me just say entertaining doesn’t even begin to cover it. Yes, Sarah that was a reference to you.
            Then came the book signings. The line formed even before the ladies gave a go ahead, so after purchasing White Cat (I know, I caved and bought a book) we got into the line. We stood behind three girls who were, for the lack of a better word, interesting. An hour and half later we were at the front.
            Now, let me make a little confession. I had no idea how Alyson was going to react when I finally made it to her seat. Yes, we’ve been internet friends for a few months now, but lets be real, she talks to a lot of people. I told myself, and my friend, not to be disappointed if she just greets me with a “Hi, its nice to meet you.” What I didn’t expect was her jumping out of her chair and grabbing me for a hug as soon as she heard my name! She loved how ‘cool’ I was about it, “Ya, I’m Valia; its not like we’re friends!” she said after hugging me. Then turning to Kimberly, who was sitting next to her, said “This is Valia, I know her!” We took a picture together as we talked and she signed.
Alyson Noel and I (Wooohoo!) :)
            I can’t even explain how amazing it felt to be welcomed with open arms, literally, by one of my favorite authors. The encouragement a struggling writer can find in that is indescribable. I can only hope that one day I can be the encouragement and a blessing to someone else the way Alyson has been to me.

           Moving down the line, I had the privilege of meeting the rest of the Smart Chicks and had my picture taken with each one.

Kimberly Derting and I :)
Kelley Armstrong and I :)

Melissa Marr and I :)

Sarah Rees Brennan and I :)

By the way Sarah, I will be looking for that book with my name in it! :)
           When I finally came to the end, where Miss Holly Black sat, I was on cloud nine. Handing over my newly bought book I told her I haven’t read it yet, but since I’m Cassandra Clare’s fan, who is one of Holly’s friends, I’m sure I will enjoy it. Well, Holly took me a bit by surprise when she decided to discuss Clockwork Angel with me. By the way, if you haven’t read that book yet, go get it now! Her exact words were, “That’s it, we have to talk about this!” She was such a sweetie, and I loved our five minute conversation! No, I will not post the exact script here because it does have a bit of a spoiler-y feeling to it.
Holly Black and I :-)
           As you can see, I had a blast! The ladies were amazing, and I loved spending the evening in their company. I just hope one day I can be behind that table, signing books, and meeting fans with the same grace and warmth they showed me.  

Monday, September 6, 2010

Survival...Sunburn...and Laziness


            Hello my dearest readers! I am back! As if you couldn’t tell. I had an amazing time! I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting to have as much fun as I did. Wilderness and I, I’m not sure if they mesh well together. However, they did this time. Yes, I am a big city girl. Give me noise, huge buildings, and of course, Internet and I will be happy. However, the time I had to spend alone while hiking, taking pictures, and writing did me some serious good. Except for the fact that my face is lit up like a ripe tomato. No, I will not be posting pictures of that.
            But if you’ve been following my adventures on twitter, I have posted an awful a lot of scenery and such. And guess what? There is more to come, because instead of describing the beauty I had the privilege to behold, I will show you. 



            Honestly, these picture are nothing compared to the real thing. The stars, oh the stars! When you are standing on that mountain, you are so close; you feel part of the heavens. Its breathtaking.
            Now, I feel lazy. Yes, I actually admit it. Tomorrow my work week starts and all I feel like doing is grabbing one of those amazing books I received in the mail, climb under my covers and read. However, duty calls. I must go check off a few items of my to-do list before the clock strikes midnight.
            So, sweet dreams my darlings! “Life is a beautiful flag, and laughter is the wind that makes it wave.”

Much love,
Valia

Saturday, September 4, 2010

“I’m running away”... some old shirts…and books, of course!

Yes, you’re vision is fine. I am actually blogging twice in the span of two days. Just don’t get used to it.

The reason simply is, ‘I’m running away!’ Where you may ask? To the mountains. I’m planning on living as a hermit in the wilderness of Arizona. The birds and the snakes will be my company by day. The mountain lions and the elk (with random appearances by bobcats and foxes) will be my companions at night. On a more serious note, I really am going to the mountains for a few days. My family owns 80 sq acres on a mountain and I’m spending the weekend there. I haven’t been in more than six years, I think, and I am quite excited. My plan is to hike, read, take pictures, and write, write, write! We’ll see how well that goes.

In light of my trip I had to unearth my winter clothing. I’m not ready for any heavy duty bundling up, but I do need appropriate shoe wear as I hike. While I was going through my things, I have rediscovered my old t-shirts.
This one is from St. Petersburg, Russia. It’s a team shirt for a Russian football (I mean soccer) team.
This one is from my college days. West Coast Baptist College and the “Bird Fever.” Good times!
Do I even need to explain this one? I saw it twice! And still absolutely love it! What's your favorite Broadway musical? :)
Last, but not least, is my Dairy Queen shirt! My first official job in America! I suppose I should stop now :)

Now, guess what arrived a week early and just in time for my trip? Yes, books!!! I’m so excited to read these! However, I am limiting what I bring considering I actually want to get some writing done. Prioritize, I must prioritize!
Well, I probably should go pack now. Farewell the world of technology and my dear readers. If I don’t get eaten by any wild animals, or bitten by any poisonous bugs, I will be back on Tuesday (with quite a few pictures and chapters written). In meantime, happy reading!

Much love,

Valia

Thursday, September 2, 2010

90210…Guys with white beards…Smart Chicks Kick it!


Welcome Autumn! I have to say that I am so excited Summer months are over. Don’t get me wrong, I actually love summer. But considering the fact that I live in Arizona, summer can be a bit hot. Who am I kidding? Scorching is more like it.
            Now, that we got that out of the way, happy 90210 day! How many times have you heard that today? I am not ashamed to say that yes, I watched BH 90210 and loved it! It was one of my favorite shows in Russia, right up there with A-Team and X-files. I also enjoyed this show about a super boat; don’t ask me the name of it. I have been trying, for ten years, to find out what its called with no luck! Maybe I should ask you! The main character had a bandana on and white hair, mustache and a goatee. I’m pretty sure he had a sidekick as well. If any of you can think of what it is, I would greatly appreciate it!
            Alright, now to other matter at hand. How many of you are excited for the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour? I am ecstatic! So many wonderful ladies of the YA world touring together. Three ladies are making every stop: Kelly Armstrong, Melissa Marr, and (my favorite) Alyson Noel. You like how I snuck that in there? Other ladies you may meet depending on the city are Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Sarah Rees Brennan, and many more. Take a look at the official website for more information: http://www.smartchickskickit.com And if you can, come out and support all of these talented ladies.
            Many of you may know that August 31 was a great big day for book birthdays! If you haven’t bought a book recently, then you should! Susan Mallery, Alyson Noel, Cassandra Clare, Alexandra Adornetto, just to name a few, released their long anticipated masterpieces! I, finally, had the opportunity to buy some! Order is shipped today, and I just cant wait till my books get here!
            Well, other responsibilities are calling my name! Have a wonderful night everyone! Go read a book!

Much love,

Valia

Flickr