Reading Recommends - September 26, 2011

First a quick note to say that my latest novel, A Howl in the Night has been accepted by Rogue Phoenix Press.  Yay!  That means that all my struggling over shape-shifters was worth it and you will have the opportunity to read the results (in ebook format and print book).  This is late breaking news so that’s all I have to share at the moment.  I will give updates on release dates and such when I have them.  Since I know you will all be waiting with baited breath. 

Now on to my weekly blog:  What have I been reading lately:

1.                  The Pact, by Jodi Picoult.  Need a good cry?  Well then this is the book for you.  Two families, neighbors, and friends are torn apart when their children both 17 are found shot.  One dead;  One alive.  Was it a murder?  Was it a murder suicide gone wrong?  Was it a suicide pact that one took the life of one of the children?  Well you will have to read the story to find out.  Have a box of tissues ready.  The emotions this book takes you through from the parents agony, to the survivors gilt, to the confusion and anger of a small town. 

2.                  Shine, by Lauren Myracle.  Apparently I have been in the mood for teen murder mysteries.  This story begins with a hate crime against a gay teen or does it?.  But the story focuses on his friend, a girl.  Her desperate need to find out who and why this crime happened.  The journey takes you to small poor town America, where sex, drugs, and violence take on a whole new perspective.  Although it does have a “happy” ending, this is a sad story. 

3.                  Vampire Kisses, by Ellen Schreiber.  This is a series.  I read the first 3 of them and was enchanted.  It’s Twilight-esq except the girl is a goth.  A real goth, not a fake pretty goth.  The guy is a bit on the weenie side at times but all in all a decent love story of vampire meets goth-girl and love ignites. 

4.                  Ice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor.  This is a short quick read for early teens.  A coming of age story about accepting who you are and growing up the best you can.  Not a WOW read but a decent one.  I read right through it.

5.                  Mum on the Run, by Fiona Gibson.  Oh my.  This is a hysterical book of reality.  The passage of time on our life and our body and our self confidence.  I have to say, this was a good book. 

That’s it for now.  What have you been reading?  Any recommendations you can give me?  I need a good read.

Leg, arm, or side.

So as usual I am over thinking myself.  In my up coming book, I have a scene where my MC gets shot with an arrow.  Now, this is all fine, except now I am worried that maybe I have chosen the wrong location to have her skewered.  I chose the thigh.  The reason being for this was because of the activities she would have to perform after being shot, like riding a horse, climbing trees, and the like. 

Why am I suddenly re-thinking?  Because I read another book where a character has been shot and guess where?  Yup, the thigh.  This makes about three books now that I have seen with this same injury.  It must be a good spot to aim for.  When I was thinking about where and how, I talked generally with a pediatrician about the best location for what I was looking for.  Her response was the thigh, you could make it hit so it was more in the fatty upper outside area (no comment….) or even the muscle and it would still function relatively well.  So I worked my story around that.  Seems like a good idea to me. 

Other locations for possibilities were the arm and the side.  The arm was my second choice as there are not any main organs to worry about “just” missing.  But the issue with horse riding would be a real problem as my MC is not a horse person.  Holding on for dear life with a bum arm didn’t seem believable to me. 

The side (at the waist) was a slim maybe.  There are just too many main organs and such right there.  You have kidneys, and the pancreas, and the intestines all in that area.  It just didn’t seem believable to me that you could get shot in the side and not hit anything major. 

So the question is:  Is the thigh too used?  I didn’t think it was until this weekend, but again, I am over thinking today.  Maybe it’s too much caffeine and I need to focus my energy on other things.  New things. 

Any thoughts?

Negative vs. Positive

Today, I am not going to write about 9/11 and the reason being is because everyone else is.  I look over at my blog list and see tons of 9/11 blogs going on.  So instead I am writing about negativity and how it affects our everyday life.  Or my everyday life I guess.    

Negativity is defined as: 

1.         The characteristic of having a negative charge.

2.         The characteristic of being pessimistic or contrarian.

I’m not talking about “charges” here.  I’m talking about the negativity surrounding us by people.  People everywhere.  Anymore you can’t walk into a store without being overwhelmed by the negative energy.  The complaining shopper in isle 3 that can’t find the 6 oz can of tuna that she has a $.15 coupon for.  The bagger person is shooting vibes into the air because he would rather be with his girlfriend than putting your stupid groceries in the stupid crap bags.  Or the person with the pair of shoes that they only wore one time (for like 12 hours) and decided they just don’t fit right and would like to return them.  Yes the soles are worn and there is grass and dirt in the toe of the shoe but they insist on the return and why is the customer service person giving them a hard time about it?

I am very sensitive to negative vibes.  I get antsy and clumsy around them.  It affects my mood.  I can be in a wonderful mood and the moment the bad vibes wiggle my way, my day is shot. 

Why is the world filled with such negative people?  Can’t you find something to be happy about?  I know that I am a Pollyanna and it makes people crazy but why must you see the glass as half empty ALL THE TIME.  Why can’t you see it is as half full?  Yes, it’s raining, but that is just the perfect opportunity to dance in it.  Yes, maybe it wasn’t very nice to get shoved from the people behind you in line, but that is just the perfect opportunity to lighten someone’s day, by smiling at them, laughing and letting them know that its no big deal.  Was it really a big deal?  No.  Did they intentional run into you…most likely no.  Why do so many people seem to enjoy being grouchy?  Maybe some of you are the ones that wallow in the negative.  Maybe you like it that way.  Do you even realize you are doing it? 

For me, I like to live in the positive.  I feel better with that “charge”.  I will happily continue on being Courtney/Pollyanna any day over the negative.  For example:  It’s Monday after all, the hardest day of the week, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to see what all I can accomplish this week.  I see I am out of coffee at the office, but that will save me about 120 calories this morning so I can have a Hershey bar later this afternoon.  Woo Hoo!  It’s dance class tonight, which means I have an hour of time to read without interruption.  I could go on but I think you get the gist.   

One a writer’s note, I love to watch the negative types while out and about.  They make great funny characters in my stories.  Shoe lady above….oh yeah.  She’s a good one.  Ha!

Have a great week everyone!