Friday Reads: Gregor the Overlander

You may have noticed that I missed a few Fridays.  I had to take some time off in order to finish a few unusually large projects I had brewing.  Thanks for being patient while I worked through my work.

Anyway, I do a lot of confessing on this blog, and I have another one to share.  Brace yourself.

I have not read Hunger Games yet.

*waiting for you to pick your jaw off the floor*

Truth be told, I haven't felt the urge to read it yet, but I did hear that the author had written a middle-grade series before her HG success.  I did want to read that.  So I picked up the first book.  And here it is.


Shop IndieboundGregor the Overlander (Book 1 in the Underland Chronicles)
by Suzanne Collins

For: 8-12-year-olds

Genre: Fantasy Adventure

Published: 2003

Description: When Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats, cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. A prophecy foretells that Gregor has a role to play in the Underland's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it -- until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland forever.

Why I Liked It: You should know that I really hate cockroaches.  I've lived in Texas once for a few years, so I know what real, big, ten-gallon-hat-wearing cockroaches look like.  But they are nothing compared to the roaches in this book.  So, oddly enough, I liked the roaches in this book.  And any book that can make me like roaches is a winner in my eyes.

Oh, and the adventure in this book sucked me right in.  I suppose that's a good reason to like it, too.


If you know of any other underworld adventures, please share them in the comments below. And happy weekend reading!

Let's Talk Friday: Taking Out The Trash

Let's Talk Friday is a discussion post where I find a topic to discuss and talk about my opinions on the subject. I am in no way an expert, so please, take this with a grain of salt as they say. Don't hesitate to voice your opinion (or advice) in the comments and let's start the discussion!

This week, I want to discuss something that has been a personal issue for a long time: Taking out the trash.

How I grew up...

I grew up in the Philippines in a middle-class family. What that meant was we had a maid that cleaned after us and took care of the chores. Washing the dishes and taking out the trash weren't things that we had to worry about.

When I immigrated to the United States, I had to do the chores that I never needed to learn when I was younger. I don't mind washing the dishes most of the time. What I had issues with was taking out the trash.

Moving to college...

I've lived with roommates ever since I moved out to go to college. I always had a dislike for taking out smelly, overflowing trash. My first job was at a restaurant and one of my jobs was to take out the big bag of trash. Can you believe how spoiled I was growing up? Here's proof: I asked a co-worker to take out the trash for me because I couldn't lift it and was too short to do it myself. Ridiculous, right? The co-worker was not very happy with me. Long story short, I only lasted 2 weeks before they politely told me that they do not want me there anymore...

Anyway, my point is, I don't like trash. However, ever since I moved into the apartment that I am living in now, I've noticed significant changes in myself. I cook more, I wash my dishes right away, and I take out the trash. There is a problem, however. I am not willing to take out my roommates' trash. We only have a really small kitchen trash bin and it is usually full. Even worse, my roommates would have a little party and the whole dining/kitchen area is flooded with trash (okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea). Nonetheless, you won't see me taking out their trash. It would sit there and make the apartment smell for days.

My problem with that is this: the dumpster is right by the parking lot. All of us walk by the dumpster when going to our cars. What is so hard about taking out the trash whenever they leave the apartment? I've even mentioned it to them. But alas, no one listens to me. I just keep my mouth shut and have my own plastic of kitchen trash that I keep in my room.

So, I've rambled on long enough. What's your take on this issue?

The Reunion (2012)

The Reunion (Frasco Mortiz, 2012)

In his episode in Cinco (Five, 2010), Star Cinema’s episodic horror that featured body parts in various morbid tales, Frasco Mortiz has a bunch of neophyte fratmen desperately pulling a severed zombie hand from another teenager’s crotch in slow motion while a popular pop song about the pleasures of romantic hand-holding plays in the background. In a matter of a minute or so, Mortiz displayed a youthful wit and a playful appreciation of pop culture that was strange and unusual within the world of commercial filmmaking for which he decided to eke out a career from. The scene was more than clever, it was actually oddly inspired. It was a sketch that merged genre conventions, generational humor, ridicule on traditional concepts of institutionalized machismo, to form something genuinely watchable.

The Reunion, Mortiz’s first feature length film, makes most of the same wit and pop culture appreciation. In fact, he mostly relies on them. The film is largely composed of jokes and gags strung together by an illogical plot about losers (Enchong Dee, Xian Lim, Enrique Gil, and Kean Cipriano) blaming their unsuccessful high school romances for their present misfortunes. It is entertaining enough, unburdened by any baggage to mean anything other than guiltless and shallow amusement. It is as harmless as morning breeze, light, fleeting, but entirely forgettable.

Perhaps Mortiz overdoes the youth bit, or at least the bit that pertains to that portion of the youth who have spent majority of the years they have lives consuming hyperactive music videos and numbing videogames. The Reunion does not have genre limitations to play around with. Youth is the genre. In diluting the film with rapid images, giddy transitions between scenes, and limitless pop culture references, Mortiz risks being vapid and redundant. The film in fact crosses that thin line between tact and tastelessness so often, it becomes confusing whether the film is nothing more than an overblown joke on the paraded promises of a truly promise-less youth.

As with any film that relies on multiple narratives, the inconsistent quality of the stories becomes a too obvious problem. The Reunion, in tackling the quest of its four losers in winning back their high school loves, exposes its inability to nurture storylines. The bit about wannabe-rocker (Cipriano) who is more than surprised to learn that her former beau has opted to model skimpy bikinis for a living is the weakest of the bunch. The most promising is perhaps the thread on the angst-ridden social climber (Lim) who belatedly finds out that he has a son with his high school sweetheart. The other two stories are largely quick plots that are recycled to frame either funny or syrupy sketches.

It is all forgivable. It fascinates with its pedestrian charms. What it does not need is the tremendous weight of being a tribute to the legendary Eraserheads, whose contribution to the local music transcended social classes and generations. The film’s appreciation of the musicality of the beloved band ranges from something as perfunctory as naming characters from the personalities that populated the lyrics of the group’s most famous anthems to something as misplaced as stolid accompaniment to the film’s many unabashedly cheesy moments.

Mortiz never graduates from the trite popularity and instant pleasures of the melodies. He does not go beyond that, neglecting to explore the depth and the darkness of the sad fate of the sweet girl he once danced the El Bimbo with, to dissect the masked poverty in the seemingly inane lyrics about the want to drive a car that one is unable to afford, to display the warped romanticism of falling deeper in love with a former innocent crush-turned-centerfold model. Simply put, The Reunion barely scraped the surface of what the music is about, what the music means to many who treasure it more for how the songs spoke to them rather than how popular they have become over the years. It is but a paltry tribute.

(Cross-published in Twitch.)

Kristine Cayne Interview/Promo

I'm lucky to have Kristine Cayne stop by today for an interview and promotion of her books. She's an amazing writer and I enjoyed reading one of her books.

Thank you, Arianne! It’s a pleasure to be here with you today. I’ve got my cup of coffee and I’m ready to start. Fire away!

1. How did you pick your character names?

Picking character names is actually very difficult. You want a name that reflects a certain personality, not just for the author, but for the readers as well. There were some names I liked that my writers group thought didn’t sound heroic enough. :D

In general though, I make a list of names that were popular in the birth year of the character and then I look through it, trying on each name for size. Once I pick a name, I let it simmer for a while to be sure I still like it. If I don’t, I change it. I’ll often pick surnames from the phone book.

2. Where did you get your inspiration for the series?

Each book in the Deadly Vices series is quite different so the inspiration comes from different places. I came up with the idea for Deadly Obsession while reading about some of Gerard Butler’s more avid fans. It got me thinking about celebrities and stalkers, and how they managed to have any sort of “normal” relationships given the lack of privacy in lives they lead.

The hero of Deadly Addiction, Rémi Whitedeer, is the best friend of the hero of Deadly Obsession, Nic Lamoureux. He appears in Nic’s book, and is such a great character, that I knew I had to write a book about him. Since he’s native, I had to come up with a storyline where the central conflict arose from that very fact. I did some research and the story took form.

In Deadly Betrayal, the third book in the Deadly Vices series, the hero is Kaden. He’s Nic’s body, so he’s been in each of the previous two books. We find out a little bit about Kaden’s life in the military in the first book. We learn that he was shot in Afghanistan. Based on that, I came up with a story about him and the female Afghani doctor who saved his life.

A lot of the conflicts in my stories are loosely based in reality. I like to learn new things when I research my story, and I really enjoy creating characters and situations that allow the reader to learn as well.

In terms of appearance of the characters, I’m often inspired by actors. Nic was unusual in that way because I’ve always known what he looks like in my head, but I can’t find an photo that matches. Despite that, I’ve found some close approximations.

Rémi Whitedeer.was originally based on a photo I have of Marcus Schenkenberg. Unfortunately, I do not have the means to purchase images of Marcus for use on my book covers. Instead, I found this very attractive gentleman who was more than happy to fill in Marcus’ shoes. In fact, I think the new Rémi’s… feet … are much bigger :)

Kaden is based on Chris Hemsworth. Again, I don’t have the $$ to be able to use a photo of him on my cover, so I’ll have to find someone else. Of course, no one is quite comparable. 

3. Do you ever dream about your characters?

Oh yes. But I won’t elaborate on the kind of dreams :)

Seriously though, it’s not uncommon for me to dream of a scene I’m trying to write. I’ll often resolve plot holes in my sleep. That’s also when I come up with the best dialogue. The problem is that when I wake up, I can rarely remember any of it.

4. What do you do when going through a writer's block?

I’m very much a plotter, so when I get writer’s block, it isn’t because I don’t know what to write, but rather that the words just aren’t coming. In some cases, I force myself to write through it. I might set a timer for a short period of time, or I might go to a coffee shop or the library. I’ve also found that writing longhand helps, especially if I’m starting a new project or a new major part of the story. Perhaps this is because I know that I’ll get a chance to edit it before I put it in black on white.

5. Do you outline your stories

Very much so. I start with a concept, and work my way through the layers. By the time I start to write, I have the scene worked out in bullet form. Now that isn’t to say that I have the entire book in point form before I begin. No, I have a high-level plot and a good idea of the main contents of each chapter. But as I write, I deepen the plot, focusing on the next chapter, the next scene.

6. Do you have a clear picture of the scenes in your head when you're writing them?

Sometimes, and those are the ones that usually turn out the best. There is a scene in Deadly Obsession that came to me one day while I was driving to my critique partner’s house for one of our meetings. When I arrived, my eyes were red and my cheeks tear-stained. My critique partner asked what was wrong. I told her about the scene and we both cried. Naturally, I cried writing the scene, and then I cried again reading it to my critique partner. She cried again too, but then she’s a real softie :)

7. When is the next book coming out and do you have any other things you're working on?

The next book in the Deadly Vices series is Deadly Betrayal. I’m targeting its release for some time next winter/spring. The cover artist and I have started working on some concepts. Hopefully, next time we talk, I’ll have a cover to show you!

I’ve also written a story called “Aftershocks” which will be appearing in the Romance in the Rain anthology put together by my writing group of six authors. The anthology features Marianne Stillings, a romantic suspense author you may have read. Each story in the anthology features a different member of the Caldwell family, beginning in the 1800s and ending in the near future (my story). We’re trying to release the anthology by late September/early October. I can’t wait for all of you to read it.

The biggest news I have is that I’m starting a new series of novella-length erotic romance books. The name of the series will be determined via a contest on my blog. The series features a team of technical rescue firefighters and their adventures both in and out of bed :)  The first book in the series, Under His Command, will be an extended and much, much sexier version of “Aftershocks.” I’m hoping to release it before the Christmas holidays.

8. Anything you would like to ask our readers?

In your opinion, what is the difference or the line between a very sexy romantic suspense or contemporary story, and an erotic romance? I’m curious because I’ve read a couple erotic romances lately where there was a lot of sex, but it was less graphic than what I write in my romantic suspense books.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Arianne. I’ve really enjoyed chatting with you and your readers. Everyone, please feel free to ask me any other questions you may have.
~Kristine

Title: Deadly Obsession
Series: Deadly Vices. #1
Author: Kristine Cayne
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Buy Links: Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle) $0.99 | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple iTunes | Diesel | ARe | Smashwords | Sony

Blurb:

When an Oscar-winning movie star meets a department-store photographer…

Movie star Nic Lamoureux appears to have a playboy’s perfect life. But it’s a part he plays, an act designed to conceal a dark secret he carries on his shoulders. His empty days and nights are a meaningless blur until he meets the woman who fulfills all his dreams. She and her son are the family he’s always wanted—if she can forgive a horrible mistake from his past.

A Hollywood dream…

Lauren James, a widowed single mother, earns barely enough money to support herself and her son. When she wins a photography contest and meets Nic, the man who stars in all her fantasies, her dreams, both professional and personal, are on the verge of becoming real. The attraction between Lauren and Nic is instant—and mutual. Their chemistry burns out of control during a photo shoot that could put Lauren on the fast track to a lucrative career.

Becomes a Hollywood nightmare

But an ill-advised kiss makes front-page news, and the lurid headlines threaten everything Nic and Lauren have hoped for. Before they know what’s happening, their relationship is further rocked by an obsessed and cunning stalker who’ll stop at nothing—not even murder—to have Nic to herself. When Nic falls for Lauren, the stalker zeroes in on her as the competition.

And the competition must be eliminated.

Excerpt Lauren rolled her eyes. “Fine. Do it.” Nic bent down and brushed his lips against hers. For the first few seconds, she didn’t kiss him back, but she didn’t push him away, either. Then, on a sigh, she leaned into him and her arms locked around his neck. His tongue darted out to taste her bottom lip. Mmm… cherry—his new favorite flavor. When her mouth opened, he didn’t hesitate. He dove in. And drowned. He’d meant this to be a quick kiss, only now he just couldn’t stop. His lips traced a path to her throat. Cupping her bottom with his hands, he lifted her up, grinding against her. She moaned. It was a beautiful sound, one he definitely wanted to hear again. A loud noise pierced the fog of his lust. He raised his head from where he’d been nuzzling Lauren’s apple-scented neck to tell whoever it was to fuck off, but as the sexual haze cleared, he swallowed the words. The paparazzi had gathered around, applauding and calling out crude encouragements. Some snapped photos while others rolled film. Shit. He’d pay for this fuck-up and so would she.

Praises:

"Stock up on ice cubes because this is definitely one sizzling debut. Readers will be hooked from the first sentence - on the book and on Nic! As rich as a white chocolate cheesecake, Cayne's entrance into the suspense genre is invigorating, explosive and simply intoxicating." - RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars Top Pick)

Winner for Best Romance – eFestival of Words “Best of the Independent Book Awards”

Title: Deadly Addiction
Series: Deadly Vices, #2
Author: Kristine Cayne
Arianne's Review
Buy Links: Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | ARe | Kobo | Diesel

Blurb:

A proud people. A nation divided.Rémi Whitedeer, police officer turned substance-abuse counselor, dreams of restoring order to his tribe. Violence and crime are rampant throughout the unpoliced Iroquois reserve, and a civil war is brewing between the Guardians, a militant traditionalist group, and other tribal factions. As the mixed-race cousin of the Guardians’ leader, Rémi is caught in a no-man’s land—several groups lay claim to him, but all want him to deny his white blood.

A maverick cop on an anti-drug crusade.When she infiltrated the Vipers to take down the leader of the outlaw biker gang responsible for her brother’s death, police sergeant Alyssa Morgan got her man. But her superiors think she went too far. Her disregard for protocol and her ends-justify-the-means ethics have branded her an unreliable maverick. To salvage her career, she accepts an assignment to set up a squad of native provincial officers on a reserve.
A radical sovereigntist bent on freeing a nation.Decades of government oppression threaten the existence of the Iroquois Nation. But one man, Chaz Whitedeer, is determined to save his people no matter what the price, even if it means delving into the shadowy world of organized crime.

When Rémi and Alyssa uncover the Guardians’ drug-fueled scheme to fund their fight for true autonomy—a scheme involving the Vipers—Rémi must choose between loyalty to family and tribe or his growing love for Alyssa.

Can Rémi and Alyssa leave everything behind—even their very identities—for a future together?

Sexy Excerpt Closing her eyes, Alyssa pressed the glass of water to her neck. “I can do the talking if that makes you feel any better.” Although Rémi heard the words, it would have taken an act of Parliament to get him to respond. The heat of her skin caused the condensation on the glass to liquefy. Like a tractor-beam, his gaze followed a drop of water as it slid down the long pale column of her neck, followed the curve of her right breast and slipped under the collar of her blue cotton T-shirt into the V of her cleavage. Oh fuck. He wanted to be that drop of water. He wanted to be snuggled between her warm ripe breasts. His cock swelled and lengthened, letting him know that it wanted to be there too. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed his hard-on away. This wasn’t the time and certainly not the place for Mr. Happy to make an appearance. But the more he tried not to think about where the drop had gone, the more he did. He’d thought he was a leg man, but he knew the truth now. It had slapped him in the face. He was a breast man. An “Alyssa’s breasts” man, and he fucking wanted to see them, to feel them, to taste them. Right now.

About the Author:

Kristine Cayne is fascinated by the mysteries of human psychology—twisted secrets, deep-seated beliefs, out-of-control desires. Add in high-stakes scenarios and real-world villains, and you have a story worth writing, and reading.

The heroes and heroines of her Deadly Vices series are pitted against each other by their radically opposing life experiences. By overcoming their differences and finding common ground, they triumph over their enemies and find true happiness in each other’s arms.

Today she lives in the Pacific Northwest, thriving on the mix of cultures, languages, religions and ideologies. When she’s not writing, she’s people-watching, imagining entire life stories, and inventing all sorts of danger for the unsuspecting heroes and heroines who cross her path.

New Releases | Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

SCBWI Utah/Southern Idaho Revision Retreat

Just a heads up that the SCBWI Utah/S. Idaho novel revision retreat in Ashton, Idaho still has a few spots left.  I will be there, so this is your chance to meet me in person AND work on a MG or YA novel.  And if you live relatively close to me, I have room for 5 people to head up with me in my vehicle.  That is an irresistible offer, I know.  Many long hours in an enclosed traveling box. With me.  Talking the whole way.

It brings tears to your eyes, I know.

If you're interested in learning more, here are the details from the source, my ever lovable RA:

2012 Novel Revision Retreat

Sponsored by the Utah/Southern Idaho Region of the SCBWI

Join us in beautiful Ashton, Idaho, along the Henry's Fork of the Snake River at Mesa Falls Lodge

October 4, 5, 6, and 7, 2012with
Kendra LevinFacilitating

Kendra is an editor with Viking and a life coach for writers. She will provide sessions about revision, the writing life, and other matters pertinent to novel writing.

Participants will also be paired with three others. You will read all three manuscripts prior to the retreat and provide written critiques. You will also meet with this group regularly throughout the weekend to comment on one another's manuscripts.

There will also be time to write and revise.

Space limitations allow for only 12 participants in this intensive revision retreat.
You MUST have a completed draft of a novel (either middle grade or young adult). A first draft is still a draft. DEADLINE to submit your draft is August 25. (Elissa's note: this has been extended to Sept. 6th.) Send your full manuscript in an attachment to u.i.scbwi@gmail.com. You will then receive three manuscripts by Sept. 1 that you will read before the retreat.

Registration is now open. Cost is $450 for non-members of SCBWI, $400 for members. All lodging, food, and sessions are included in this fee.(If you join SCBWI before registering, you will receive member price.) You may pay using the PayPal buttons here. Or you may mail a check made out to SCBWI Utah/southern Idaho to: 1809 North 7th St., Boise ID 83702.

Please do come!  And pass this on to anyone else who might be interested.  Thanks!

Original Poem: Cessation + Acting Update

Please respect the copyright. Any reproduction without express permission is ILLEGAL.
The image used is from Mikeespage.

On another note after that sad poem, check out my latest update in my Acting Blog!

http://ariannecruzofficial.blogspot.com/2012/08/first-day-of-acting-class-whitecollar.html

eFestival of Words Award Winners: 99c Books!

Readers! Eight award winners in the 2012 eFestival of Words "Best of the Independent eBook Awards" have grouped together to offer you an amazing opportunity. They've reduced the prices of their award-winning novels to 99 cents for August 27 and 28th!

Whether you like to read mysteries, romance, horror, young adult, women's fiction, or fantasy, this group has it. Are you a writer yourself? Do you want to learn all about digitally publishing your next masterpiece? They've got you covered there too.

Get all eight award-winning ebooks for the price of one single paperback!

Award Winners

Best Mystery/Suspense: Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice

Best Non-Fiction: DIY/Self-Help: Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran

Best Horror: 61 A.D. by David McAfee

Best Romance: Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne

Best Young Adult: The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto

Best Fantasy/Urban Fantasy and Best Novel: The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III

Best Chick Lit/Women's Lit: Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes

Award for Best Twist ("I've Been Shyamalaned"): The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A.A. Logan

Here's a one-stop shopping link for your convenience: http://amzn.to/MO7qBY

Book Blurbs

Dead is the New Black by Christine DeMaio-Rice

Laura Carnegie gave up on the man of her dreams a long time ago. He's fashion designer Jeremy St. James, and not only is he her boss, everyone knows he's gay.

When the woman who holds the company purse strings is found dead in the office, and Jeremy's arrested for the murder, everything changes. If Laura can just solve this crime, keep the cops off her tail, break up a counterfeiting ring, and get the show on the runway by Friday, she might stop being Seventh Avenue's perpetual loser.

If you love Project Runway, or enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada, try Dead Is the New Black.

Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran

This guide contains over 60,000 words of essays, articles, and how-to guides, as well as contributions from 33 bestselling indie authors including J Carson Black, Bob Mayer, Victorine Lieske, Mark Edwards, and many more.

It covers everything from how the disruptive power of the internet has changed the publishing business forever to the opportunities this has created for writers. It gives you practical advice on editing, cover design, formatting, and pricing. And it reveals marketing tips from blogging and social networking right through to competitions, discounts, reviews, and giveaways.

If you are considering self-publishing, if you need to breathe life into your flagging sales, or if you want to understand why it's a great time to be a writer, Let's Get Digital: How To Self-Publish, And Why You Should will explain it all.

61 A.D. by David McAfee

61 A.D. For ten years, Taras has lived in the young city of Londinium, feeding off the city’s underbelly. But now Theron, his old enemy, has come looking for revenge, and Taras’ nights of living in relative peace are about to end.

Yet not even Theron can slip into town unnoticed, and the Council of Thirteen sends Ramah to deal with the two renegades once and for all. But unknown to the Council, a much older enemy is also in Londinium, and this time even the great Ramah might not be safe.

Set against the backdrop of the Iceni uprising in Roman-era Britannia, 61 A.D. continues the story of Taras, Theron, and Ramah, as they fight their way through history.

Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne

Nic Lamoureux's perfect movie star life is shattered by a stalker who threatens any woman close to him. When he meets photographer Lauren James, the attraction is instant--and mutual. She's exactly the sort of woman he craves, but the stalker makes deadly clear Lauren is the competition.

And the competition must be eliminated.

"Stock up on ice cubes because this is definitely one sizzling debut. Readers will be hooked from the first sentence- on the book and on Nic! As rich as a white chocolate cheesecake, Cayne's entrance into the suspense genre is invigorating, explosive and simply intoxicating." ~ RT Book Reviews Top Pick

Arianne's Note: I read the second book in this series and it was AMAZING. This book is next in my schedule! I highly recommend it!

The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Worse, someone has used an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers.

Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But first, she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits: the school’s hotter-than-brimstone demon bad boy, Nick Marcelli. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and Ivy soon discovers it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end

The Black God's War by Moses Siregar III

Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One.

Her father-king wants war.

Her messianic brother wants peace.

The black god wants his due.

She suffers all the consequences.

"Moses is a fine writer deserving of success, and I think that it will follow ... I really enjoyed Moses's work." - David Farland, NYT Bestselling Author of The Runelords

Carpe Bead'em by Tonya Kappes

Hallie Mediate was raised by her (slightly) crazy Great Aunt Grace on the wrong side of the tracks in Cincinnati. Hallie escapes her hometown and never looks back.

That is, until she’s transferred back to the hometown. Not wanting her past to cross paths with her future, Hallie puts her life on hold.

Aunt Grace is still up to her old tricks, but Hallie finds some sanity at a local jewelry-making class where she uncovers a hidden talent for beading.

Will she keep searching for the happiness she may already have found?

The Survival of Thomas Ford by John A.A. Logan

Thomas Ford is the only survivor of the car crash which killed his wife. He is also the only witness who would be willing to identify the young, reckless driver who caused the crash. But the driver would sooner see Thomas Ford dead than ever let that happen.

Happy Reading!

Matt Bomer Monday (2) : Conspiracy

Matt Bomer Monday is a weekly meme where I choose an image from Google Images and create a story or a poem from it. This is a weekly tribute on Mondays for the amazing actor.

Today's feature is dedicated to Willie Garson who plays Mozzie in White Collar. Since last week's episode was like a Mozzie episode, I had a dream about Mozzie. I thought it would be a nice tribute to him and Matt to write a story about both of them. Enjoy!

Matt entered the room in his tailored tuxedo, exuding confidence and charm. Willie sat comfortably in the couch across the room. Matt approached the table where Alex sat, looking him over, gauging his intentions.

"Let's get going with this. I have a meeting I can't miss." Matt said.

"Of course. Please, take a seat." He stood up and looked over at Willie.

"Oh, I'll wait outside. You have everything you need, Matt?"

"Yes, I got it. Thanks, Willie."

Alex reached into his jacket and said to Matt, "Wait." A gun appeared in his hand and pointed it to Willie.

"Uh, is that really necessary?"

"It's just a precaution. You understand." He fired the gun as Willie turned around to run.

"Ahh!"

Matt flinched but stayed where he was. He couldn't blow his cover now.

Alex calmly laid his gun on the table and said, "There is a nurse upstairs, Willie. Get yourself cleaned up."

Willie, with his left hand on his lower back, painfully walked out the door. He could feel his warm blood spreading across his back. Dragging his feet to the elevator around the corner, he slumped against the wall. When the door opened again in the second floor, he struggled to stand up and make his way to the "nurse."

The nurse seemed to be expecting him. She was ready with her tools and gloved hands. In what seemed like hours, Willie sat up slowly, grateful for the morphine he was given. He could only feel a tingle now. He hoped that Matt would get the intel he needed quickly so they can both get out of there.

"You can go back downstairs now. Just don't do any strenous activities for the next week. Make sure to get a lot of rest and fluids. I hope you have a wonderful day."

Willie snorted.

The story above is copyrighted to Arianne Cruz. Any reproduction void of permission is illegal.

So, what did you think? Let me know in the comments!
If you missed last week's feature, click the link >> Matt Bomer Monday (1): Reunion

The Healing (2012)

The Healing (Chito Roño, 2012)

Chito Roño’s The Healing is afflicted with a chronic case of indecision. It is viciously a horror film, one that stretches the limits of good taste with very visual and shocking depictions of violence and morbidity. In fact, the film holds the record for being the first Filipino film to be granted two different ratings by local censors, one for the trimmed version that is presumably more suited for teens and another for the version that displays all the acts of depravity Roño’s creative mind can conjure within the limited range of popular cinema.

However, Roño apparently has more ambitions for the film other than trite terror. The film is specifically designed, divided into various parts that are differentiated from one another by color schemes, beginning with white, then blue, then red, and yellow. Such designs are too obscure though. They are more puzzling than elucidating, more annoying than enlightening. The experiments only succeed in diluting the scares, bewildering the sense with what essentially are artsy indulgences that are either infuriatingly empty and shallowly motivated or too inexplicable to matter.

The film opens in a remote village where faith healer Elsa (Daria Ramirez) is busy receiving a crowd of sick people. Seth (Vilma Santos) has brought her father (Robert Arevalo), a stroke victim, for healing. Seth’s father miraculously recovers. Inspired by the miraculous recovery of Seth’s father, her sick friends and neighbors decide to take the trip to Elsa’s house to urge her to also heal them. Cookie (Kim Chiu), the daughter of Seth’s ex-husband who is desperate for a cure for her cancer, also joined the group going to Elsa. They eventually get what they wished for from the faith healer. However, one by one, they become brutal and violent, killing as many as they can before committing suicide.

The Healing spends a great deal of time needlessly attempting to make sense of the plentiful contrivances it filled its plot with. Simplicity is not one of Roño’s priorities. The film indulges in so many points that require tiring explanations and expositions, some of which seem too farfetched to be believed or to be appreciated. While the genre relies heavily on the supernatural and the unexplainable, Roño’s story seems too all over the place, forcing everything to cohere seamlessly like a completed jigsaw puzzle. Unfortunately, the film’s insistence on forcing the details mostly backfires, creating a story that meanders a little bit too much.

The key to good horror is not necessarily what is overtly shown and depicted but the quality and the extent of what is left to the imagination. Roño invests a lot in The Healing’s visual design. Practical effects are abandoned for computer-generated effects, allowing grislier and more deranged sequences to exist with absolute ease. Instead of heightening the tension, the computer-generated effects only deflates it, inviting humor with how closer it resembles cartoons than macabre realism instead of fear. The acting is also unnecessarily pronounced and hysterical, despite the characters’ unnatural reaction to impending amorality and death. There is just too little left for the audience.

The film is just frustratingly cluttered, serving details and elements, motivations and reactions, all of which do not necessarily fit the material they are forced to support. The Healing is commendable only for the fact that it attempted to stray from the inanities of uninspired horror cinema that has occupied Philippine cinema for far too long. It bears ideas and an execution of such ideas that evince an ambition and effort to break away from tired conventions. Sadly, everything ends up in forgettable confusion.

(Cross-published in Twitch.)

Pink Spotlight (10) : Free Books/Swags + 1 Win

I won one book, got 5 free books from Amazon, and received some awesome swags for giveaway.

First off, I won Pushing the Limit by Katie McGarry. I barely tried to enter giveaways for this book. When I got my hardcover copy, of course I loved how beautiful it was. Can't wait to read it!

The next four books were free when I got them. Thanks to Melissa Cutler for posting about it on Facebook :)

Only free until 8/27/12

Finally, Regency Rockstars sent me some more swags. I will do a giveaway next week in honor of Loving Lady Marcia's release by Kieran Kramer. Make sure to watch out for that :)

What did YOU get this week? If you didn't get anything in the mail, did anything exciting happen?

Beauty Product Review: Makeup Forever HD Foundation

I've been using this foundation since June and it is my absolute favorite foundation to date. This is only my second high end foundation and I'm so glad I found my favorite on the second try.

What I like about it:

• It really evens out my skin tone. My face would start uneven with red areas all around. By the time I finish applying this foundation with a brush, my face is even and looks flawless.
• It gives a dewy finish.
• Very light on the face
• Full coverage
• Best applied with a brush - I learned that liquid foundation in general is best applied with a brush - courtesy of Michelle Phan's video.

I can't really think of something that I don't like about it EXCEPT the price. It is $42, but I think it is totally worth it. If I could find the perfect moisturizer, the only concern I would have is making sure that my face has the same shade as my neck. That is one problem I've been seeing lately. I have a tanned face while my neck is yellow. Yikes!

Have you tried this foundation? If not, what are you waiting for?

First Day Of My Last Semester

Today is the first day of my final business project. I really am not looking forward to going to class, but it must be done. The sooner I start, the sooner I can finish. The final project is a group research project that ends in November if I'm not mistaken. One bright side of this is that we finish the class/research earlier than an actual semester. Did I mention the class is almost 5 hours? Good thing we only meet 4 or 5 times total before we start the research itself.

The rest of my classes start next week. The classes I'm taking are:

• California History - I'm not looking forward to this. I don't like history or government classes.
• Acting Class - still not finalized yet. I'm leaning towards Robert Foxworth's class. You know, the voice over actor for Ratchet from the Transformers movies :)
• Independent Study (Acting) - this will also be finalized either next week, or the week after. I will be focusing on mastering two contemporary monologues to prepare myself to audition for films and TV once I graduate. I've already picked out Flipzoids by Ralph B. Pena as my dramatic play. Now I just need to find a comedic play to complete the first phase of the study. Did I mention I have to write my own syllabus? :)

So, did you already start your semester? If not, when do you start? Are you excited?!

Something Exciting!

Something exciting happened to me on Tuesday night. It had something to do with the woman pictured below:

Click the image to find out what it was!

Another exciting moment is when Kieran Kramer, author of Loving Lady Marcia replied to my comment on someone's blog post. I just wanted to chronicle this moment because her message was so meaningful.

My original comment was:

"You can still love them, even if it’s not reciprocated. But you also have to move on."

I really needed that :) Thanks for an amazing interview.

Her amazing reply:

Oh, Arianne!!! I feel for you...it's such a hard lesson to learn that we are not always loved back. But the beautiful thing is, no matter what, you can wish that person all good things, even if they've hurt you. You can even still love them forever! But you also have to move forward in your life and often it's without that person. I'm not only talking romantic love here. I'm talking all kinds of love. Some people love family members desperately who either ignore them, hurt them, or don't deserve their love. But the great thing is, there is always another opportunity to love...always. Never stop believing in its power. And if you keep your heart open, you're going to be so happy and at peace even though you know that hurt can happen at any time. It's okay to cry and pain is part of life. Just don't let that hurt and pain shut you down. Don't let it win. Keep your heart open to love, always, no matter how tough it is to do. Be brave and do it--because it is always worth it. And as I said, no matter what other people do, you know that YOU are a loving person who's courageous and worthy of love. Always think of yourself as a precious gem that anyone would be lucky to love. Because you are!!!

My reply:
Kieran! My day is finally complete. I can think of few things that can top this moment :)

And I was talking about familial love.. Romantic love just doesn't exist for me at the moment - unless you count my super obsessive celebrity crush romantic!

Anyway, I meant to say thank you for the amazing message. It motivates me more to keep on loving, even if I feel like it's not reciprocated. I shouldn't expect anything in return. That seems to be the hardest task ever. 

Finally, her very wise reply:

It iS hard, Arianne. But once you give up your expectations that the person will love you as generously as you love them, the hurt will subside. I promise it will. Just accept that person as he or she is. Don't expect him or her to be like you. Don't expect them to love you the way you love them. Once you give up all these preconceived notions about how things "should" be and simply accept things the way they are, you might be really surprised to find your heart lighter.
And you might find yourself even getting along better with that person because you're not judging or expecting anything from him or her.

BUT...never go back to building false expectations! Enjoy the new freedom you feel from giving up what you thought you wanted and accepting what you're actually getting...finding little blessings where you can. But don't get caught up in that trap again of hoping that person will CHANGE.

No one can change unless they want to themselves. No matter how much you wish they would, or encourage them to, or help them to, they will NOT change unless they want to and make the commitment to change.

So...my point is, love that person, don't judge, accept them because they won't change unless they want to, and make sure you're still getting the love YOU need and want--but it might have to come from a different person.

And if there's not another person? Well, we always have to love ourselves! And loving yourself IS enough...so many people don't love themselves, do they? But those who do are happy people. They don't need someone else to validate their worth. In fact, they usually go out of their way to volunteer, to be kind to others, and to find their own unique ways to spread love to other people. As a result, they get plenty of love back in return! But it takes effort and commitment, and you have to keep your heart open. Always.

I can't believe how much I just said! But it's what I feel, honestly. And if it helps you at all, Arianne, I will be SO glad.

Hugs,

Kieran ;)

My heart was singing after that... I hope her message has touched you all as much as it did me. Such wise words from a wise woman. Thank you :)

Excerpt: ReAwakened by Ada Adams

Excerpt:

“Meeting Razor” - “ReAwakened”

Ada Adams

My two-story fall was cushioned by the intruder’s body. He—a vampire, I realized—groaned as I landed on top of him, forcing his body into the muddy ground. I reached for my dagger, but he was quicker. Before I had a chance to pull it out, he slipped out from underneath me, flipping me over so that he was on top. His firm, muscular body pressed tightly against mine as his hands pinned my wrists to either side of my head. His face was covered by shadows, but I could make out a mischievous smirk dancing across perfectly-shaped full lips.

“You’re quite feisty, aren’t you?” he chuckled, bending forward to examine me. Deep, charcoal eyes overflowed with amusement.

He was actually enjoying this.

“I don’t wanna hurt you,” he whispered in a deep, throaty voice. “I’m gonna release you now. Don’t do anything stupid.”

He lifted his arm, removing his right hand from my left wrist. The moment I felt some freedom, I leaped forward, attempting a left hook at his jaw. He blocked my hand, once again pushing it toward the ground.

“I said I wasn’t going to hurt you!” he growled, pinning me even further into the soft, wet earth.

“Yes, but I never said I wouldn’t hurt you,” I snapped.

He brought his face toward mine. “I’d like to see you try,” he whispered.

Challenge accepted.

I raised my head—the only part of my body that wasn't restrained by the stranger’s body—inching my lips closer to his. He tensed for a moment, his eyes searching mine, as if surprised by my sudden change in behavior. Drops of rainwater slid down his chiseled jaw, pausing briefly on his lips before they plummeted onto mine. Then, a slow, smug smile spread across his face. I felt his body relax and he leaned even closer. His breath caressed my skin as his lips drew near.

It was exactly what I needed. Summoning all my strength, I twisted my hips to the side, shooting them up and out, then launching my legs from the ground. Thrown off-balance, my captor groaned and released one of my arms to brace for the fall, giving me the perfect opportunity to reach for my dagger. In one smooth move I darted behind him, placing him in a secure headlock—the blade of my weapon aimed directly at his heart.

“Who are you?” I demanded when I was certain he couldn’t escape my grip.

“I’m a twenty-four-year-old Taurus who enjoys long walks on the beach.” Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could feel his arrogant grin.

“You have ten seconds to explain yourself,” I ordered. “And then I’m really going to hurt you.”

“Oh, come on! Can’t we get back to kissing? You can’t tease a guy like that.”

“Ten, nine…” I pressed the dagger deeper into him, nicking the leather of his jacket.

“Hey! Watch it!”

“Eight…”

“Oh, alright. You’re no fun,” he sighed. “My name is Razor.”

“What kind of a name is that?”

“It’s a nickname.”

“What kind of a nickname is that?”

“Spike, Blade, Fang—all the good, pointy objects were already taken by fictional characters. It was the best I could do.”

Did you enjoy the excerpt? I sure did! Action-packed in a little piece of the story. Have you read ReVamped yet? Check out my review here.

Teaser Tuesday: Bitter Frost by Kailin Gow

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

page 151-152

"He was just honoring his kingdom!" I said. "He didn't mean it personally. It was...an affair of state."

Logan made a face. "That's just what he said," he said. "I didn't realize affairs of state made it okay to kidnap innocent girls."

"It was just a misunderstanding," I cried.

"You're awfully sympathetic," said Logan, "considering he left this massive gash in my arm." He pointed to where Kian had cut him with the sword."

Have you all read this book? I might not finish it for another couple weeks, especially since the semester is starting again. Any thoughts?

Matt Bomer Monday (1) : Reunion

Matt Bomer Monday is a weekly meme where I choose an image from Google Images and create a story or a poem from it. This is a weekly tribute on Mondays for the amazing actor.

Men broke down the door as they ran to safety. Holding each other's hands, they ran towards a small pond and jumped without hesitation. Beneath the murky waters was a camouflaged tunnel for them to use in their escape. Her father quickly opened the entrance and they entered in a single pile. Matt was the last one to go. He securely latched the tunnel and followed closely behind her and her father. They ended up in the woods where a car was hidden behind a bush. As they got into the car, the men pursuing them caught up and shots were fired. Matt fired back at them, but he couldn't stop a bullet hitting her father in the back. She screamed.

"We have to move, now! Carly, drive this thing now before they get any closer to us! We have to get you both to safety!"

Turning to her father, she said soothingly, "You're gonna be okay, Dad. Stay with me, okay? We're gonna get you out of here."

A year and three months later...

Carly lived on her own in a small cottage where she grew up. Her father suffered internal bleeding and died shortly after they escaped. Matt had since disappeared from her life, claiming that it was for her own safety. She missed him. A day didn't go by where she didn't think of him and wished that he would one day come back to her...

One sunny afternoon, while looking out the window, Carly saw a man on the street. It seemed he was trying to sell a painting to a vacationing couple. The seller was wearing a black fedora covering half of his face. When he turned and smiled, Carly was hit with recognition. Matt. She hurriedly ran out the door to go to him, but when she got there, he was gone.

From a distance, Matt hid in a corner, looking at Carly searching for him. It broke his heart to run from her, but it was for her own good. He was about to walk away when a woman carrying a crying baby approached her. To his surprise, she cradled the baby into her arms and gave it a kiss. Still looking around, she walked away with the woman and entered the cottage. Who was that child? Could it be that... No. It wasn't possible. Shaking his head, he walked away with his head down, vowing never to return again.

A month later...

Carly was walking alone in the market. She was doing her weekly shopping. From nowhere, a man bumped into her and forcefully slid a piece of paper into her hands. Baffled, she opened it and read its contents. Shock and fear shook her body. "We've been watching you. We know about your daughter. Come to the shipping dock tonight at 7 and she will be safe."

Five minutes before the meeting time, Carly arrived at the docks. She wrung her fingers, worried of what was to happen. From the shadows, a man emerged with his hands tucked in his jacket. He stood next to her, looking out into the water.

"I need you to come with me. The boss needs your service."

"I can't. My daughter--"

"It would be best for your daughter if you come with me. As we speak, two men are standing outside your cottage, waiting for my signal if you happen to give me trouble."

Torn between her daughter and the job she left a few months ago, she looked around hoping to find someone who might help her. The man beside her grabbed her elbow and started dragging her into the shadows. She struggled and had a gun pointed against her ribs.

"One more move and I will pull the trigger."

"Do it and I promise you won't see the sunrise tomorrow," said another man behind them. The man holding her elbow froze.

"Who are you?"

Even before the other man could respond, she knew who he was. She knew that voice anywhere.

"Matt Bomer. I'm sure you've heard of me. Now, drop your gun, and step away from her."

The man seemingly worried dropped his gun and started walking backwards with his hands in the air.

"Tell your boss she will never work for him again. If he has a problem with that, tell him to find me."

When the man disappeared again in the shadows, she turned around and looked up into his solemn face. She thought she would never see him again. Those electric blue eyes now looked down upon her, full of love and conflict.

"You're here. How did you know?"

"I've been following you ever since that day you recognized me on the street. I tried to stay away, but-"

"It doesn't matter now. You're here. Will you stay? Please?"

"I-"

"Please."

"I have to know one thing first... Who was that baby you were holding that day?"

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't know where to find you when I found out that I was pregnant. Every night I wished that you would come back. After I saw you that day, I thought we could be together again, but you disappeared. I kept waiting, but I was starting to lose hope. I was only grateful that our daughter was born, if only to be my last memory of you."

His eyes flared with passion as he pulled her closer.

"I'll stay. I won't ever leave you again." With that, he bent down and gave her a gentle kiss, filled with longing.

"Take me to her. I want to meet my daughter."

The story above is copyrighted to Arianne Cruz. Any reproduction void of permission is illegal.

Ahhhh!! What do you think???? This story was actually based on my actual dream of Matt Bomer! I just made it more interesting because some of the images were blurry from my memory.

Pink Spotlight (9) : Books And A New Feature!

This week, I have three books and a feature!

I entered a giveaway but did not win. Or did I? I received an email from Lila DiPasqua saying that she would give me an e-book copy of her book Undone for review. I was ecstatic! I've been wanting to read her books ever since I read a snippet of A Midnight Dance. I can't wait to read the book! Thanks Lila!

I won a giveaway last month from Vicky Dreiling's blog. I was excited to finally get to win a book from her! Along with her book was a book from Anara Bella. I haven't heard of her but I'm also excited to discover her stories!

I have a new feature starting tomorrow! If you missed my intro post, click here. So... How do you like my button? :)

Talk to me in the comments and make sure to come back tomorrow for Matt Bomer Monday!