Road Trip Wednesday: WIP Playlist!

   Hello lovelies,

   So since I didn't post a teaser yesterday, I decided to participate in Road Trip Wednesday. I know, it's been a while.

   This week's topic is: Share a song from your writing playlist.

   Oh, so many songs to pick from! I love the playlist for this book and I hope you will too. Because I can't pick just one, you get two.




   My friend shared this song with me and I knew, instantly, that this was going on my playlist. I can picture Chance singing this to Dakota. She might punch him in the face for it, but he'd sing it anyway. :)



   This one has more of a Dakota feel about it. She's definitely a stubborn one.

   What do you think? Are you excited for Falling 2?

   If you're writing, let me know what's on your playlist!

   Much love,

   Valia

Road Trip Wednesday: Sister I'm a Poet

Hello lovelies, 

     So I haven't done one of these in a while. I know, bad me. I've been very book review oriented on the blog lately, mostly because I've been trying to restart my MS and focus on that. But I actually do have a couple of writing blog posts planned for the near future, so make sure you come back for those. 
     Anyway, back to Road Trip Wednesday! 
     
     This Week's Topic: April is National Poetry Month! Share your favorite poem(s) or poet.

      This Week's Road Trip Song: Still Into You by Paramore


      
     This is actually a tough question for me because poetry is something that was part of my life for a while and now is a sporadic occurance. I've loved Robert Frost and his poems for ages, but I feel like that would be an easy answer. So I went deeper. Of course, I couldn't pick just one, so I'm sharing two with you. 

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou 

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise. 

I Loved You by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin

I loved you, and I probably still do,
And for a while the feeling may remain...
But let my love no longer trouble you,
I do not wish to cause you any pain.
I loved you; and the hopelessness I knew,
The jealousy, the shyness - though in vain -
Made up a love so tender and so true
As may God grant you to be loved again.


(Translated by Genia Gurarie, 11/10/95) 

What about you? Any poems that stuck with you through the years?

Happy Wednesday,

Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: Check in - Writing/Reading Goals!

Hello lovelies, 

     So I saw the Road Trip topic for this week and I realized, this is a mighty fine question and one that needs to be answered. 

     This Week's Topic: Quarterly check-ins! We're already 1/4 of the way through the year--where are you on your reading and writing goals?

     This Week's Road Trip Song: Tonight I'm Getting Over You by Carly Rae Jepsen (because I'm slightly obsessed with this jewel at the moment). 

     Let's talk writing goals. Seriously, I may need an intervention, or whatnot, when it comes to this particular topic. I need to stop staring projects! My head is just overflowing with ideas and I seemed to have to get them all on paper at the same time. 

     How crazy am I? (Don't answer that.)

     But seriously, I have two distinct WIP's on my plate right now and I decided that I'm going to work on both of them. 

     At the same time. Que the screaming and the hollering. 

     I know I'm probably taking too much on (especially considering my work madness) but I want to give it a try. One is a magical kind of a story and one is an adventure suspense. I'm having too much fun with both of these at the moment and I'm hoping I don't go stark raving mad and actually finish both.

     Now, let's talk about reading goals. Mostly, right now, I just want to make sure I'm reading. I know that's not much of a goal, maybe, but sometimes, when I'm in the middle of a story, I forget the part where I NEED to read. Reading makes me a better writer. Reading makes me think. Reading is just all together a good brain exercise. I have read 19 books to date and I kind of love that. I'm hoping I'll keep up. 

    So what about you? Where are you on your reading/writing goals? 

     I'd love to hear all about it!

     Much love, 

     Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: Favorite Read of February 2013

Hello lovelies, 

It's been a while since I've participated in the Road Trip Wednesday, but today, I just couldn't pass it up. 

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: What's the best book you've read in February?

The best book I've read in February is none other than The Nightmare Affair by 

Mindee Arnett

First of all, look at that cover. I'm a huge fan of the lettering and the shadows and the color. Seriously, Tor Teen did GOOD! 

You know who else did good? Mindee!!! This book is all kinds of AWESOME. Seriously, do you see the caps? Because I'm using caps here. 

I'm seriously in love with this book! Guys, I read it in one big swoop. Couldn't put it down! I love the story, the characters, the EVERYTHING. The story is fun, quirky, and unique. It reminded me a bit of Hex Hall series, which is one of my FAVORITES. I'll be posting a full review in March, but I had to share something about it. It was just that AMAZING ;)

WANT MORE NOW!

Because I'm pretty much feeling like this about this book:

And maybe a bit of this?

And one more for the road.

I'm done for now but there will be a full blown review sometime in March. 

What's the best book you've read in February? 

Much love, 

Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: NaNoWriMo Inspiration

Hello lovelies,
So how you doing there? Freaking out yet? It's day 14 of NaNo and let me tell you, I'm still having a blast! YA Highway has been such an awesome picker-upper during my morning routines with their Carpool emails, I don't even know how to thank them!
Life has been rocky for me with a death in the family, but NaNo has really helped me find a way to focus on something other than grief and I'm kind of thankful for that. And today's topic is kind of perfect:

Topic: Tons of writers are in the midst of NaNoWriMo, trying to stay inspired as we reach the dreaded middle. Share your most inspiring and/or motivational video, book, or quote on writing.

Road Trip Song of the Week: Some Nights by Fun.

So here are some inspiration for you Nanoers:

There is all the goodness on Tumblr:

 

Then there is Youtube:




Or you know, this is always helpful :)

 

I'm kidding. I love Nick! :-)

Basically, anything that's not writing my NaNo words inspires me to write. Is that weird? It's just taking that step away from trying to figure out my character's lives recharges me. How about you?

How's NaNoWriMo treating you?

Happy writing, 
Valia

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Book of October

Hello lovelies, 
So I wasn't going to be participating in blogging as much in the month of November, but for some reason I decided I really wanted to today. I'm out of my NaNo cave for a few and here we are. 

This Week's Topic is: What was the best book you read in October?

Road Trip Song of the Week: I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift 

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….




You guys have already read my raving review of this book, but I really felt like sharing it again. I don't know, I just had so much fun reading this book and I haven't had a lot of fun reading books lately. I'm not sure if I was in a slump or what, but this book definitely got me out of it so I wanted to give it some attention. 

Have you read it? What did you think?

And now, I'm heading back to my NaNo cave to get some words on paper. Anyone else participating? How is it going? 

Much love, 
Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: Writing Goals

Hello darlings,

It's that time again. I have to say that time really goes by super fast. I feel like I just wrote this post, and here it is again. If you guys haven't checked out YA Highway yet, you need to. Now, let's talk about writing.

This Week's Topic: What do you hope to be writing in one year? Three? Five?

Road Trip Song of the Week: Skyfall by Adele 

I have many plans for my writing. Seriously, I make plans all the time. Don't we all? I do have this one project that I want to write, really really want to write. It involves Dragons and mythical worlds and crazy fantasy. 

I'm trying my hand in a little of that now with my new project, but in a few years, I would love to try my hand in high fantasy. I don't know, there is just something about those worlds that I'm fascinated by. 

I also love me some Greek mythology. Maybe in a year or two I'll try my hand in that too. I would enjoy to write one of everything eventually. Yes, high ambitions. We'll see :)

What about you? Any future plans? 

Have a great day!

Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: Autumn & Writing

Hello darlings, 

Can you believe it’s October already? I really feel like it was just July. Anyone else think it was just July? Well, that’s besides the point because I am here to talk about today’s Road Trip Wednesday topic from YA Highway. So, let’s get on with it, right?

Today’s topic: How does your writing (place, time, inspiration, etc) change with the seasons?

Road Trip Song of the Week: Too Close by Alex Clare (I’m slightly in love with the music on this piece)

Autumn. I love the fall season. The colors, the cooler weather, the turkey. Granted, in Arizona we mostly just get the turkey but hey, one out of three ain’t all bad. Maybe a month ago, I would’ve said that the different season doesn’t change my writing, but now I’m not so sure. I feel like I’m looking at pictures of fall a lot more, even though my current book is set in summer. I feel like the season itself, everything fall is, calms me down a bit allowing me to focus my thoughts before starting my daily word goal. I mean, come on. Looking at these pictures, how can you not be transported to another world? 

I also noticed that I like to be outside a little bit more. Especially in the morning. Which is beyond weird if you ask me. First, I’m not a morning person. At all. Second, it’s 100 degrees outside (that’s our cooler weather). No one in their right mind wants to be outside. However, I take my cup of coffee and my trusty iPhone, then walk around in the backyard taking pictures of our roses. And then I write. 

What about you? Does your writing change with seasons? 

Much love, 

Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Book I've Read in September

Hello lovelies, 
So I decided to participate in this weeks theme over at YA Highway. I really do love these Road Trip Wednesdays. Just a quick note or two and I feel like I'm blogging more often. (No, this is not cheating). 
Anyway, on to the topic for today: Best Book You've Read in September.
For me, it's a book I just finished and it's called Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger. 
Road Trip Song of the Week: Bullet by Jesse James (Click the link. Do it)

First of all, look at that cover. No, seriously, look at it. Isn't it gorgeous? I just love how different it is from the frontal close up that's been going around for a while now. Not that I don't adore those covers either, I do, but this one just took my breath away a little. 

Second of all, read the synopsis. Go ahead, I'll wait. 

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

Now take a breath. Or two. It really is as awesome as it sounds. I'll be doing a full blown review within a week, so please come back and gush over the characters with me. 
I'm sad to report that this book is not out until March of 2013, but you MUST add it to your TBR list anyway. You won't be disappointed. Scouts honor (or something). 

What's the best book you've read in September?

Much love, 
Valia 

Road Trip Wednesday: Favorite Required Reading Book

Hello darlings, 

So this week I decided that I'm going to participate in the Road Trip Wednesday over at YA Highway blog. There's some talented people over there, so I highly suggest you head over there and check them out. But wait, you have to read this post first! 

This Week's Topic is: Back to school time! What's your favorite book that you had to read for a class?

My Road Trip Song of the Week: Here With You by Asher Monroe 

Honestly, this is kind of a hard question because I loved many of the books I had to read. While Jane Austen remains my favorite, I have to say that she wasn't the favorite I read in high school. If I had to choose one book I think I have to go with 1984 by George Orwell (either that or Catcher in the Rye). 

Most people wouldn't choose 1984 as a favorite book read, but for me it was definitely an experience. Besides steampunk of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, 1984 was probably the first book I read that had dystopian attributes. I know Verne and Wells are not dystopian, but they wrote about worlds that were different and I read pretty much everything by them. 1984 was a different experience. it was a book that opened up a world that very well could be outside my doors. It's creepy to read about cameras on the streets as Big Brother watching and realize that there are places around here that have that. 
I'm not going to lie, it was a hard book to read. At times, I wanted to put it down and never come back to it. But in the 
end, I was thankful it was part of my reading list. 


Now, what about you? Do you have a favorite book you had to read in class?

Until next time! Have a great day!
Valia