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  • Teaser Tuesday – Love Remains

    teaser_tuesdays1MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

    Here are the rules:
    * Grab your current read
    * Let the book fall open to a random page
    * Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
    *You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
    * Please avoid spoilers!

    This week’s teaser is:
    ” Zarah hoped her expression showed her friend just how insane she thought Flannery was. She could count the number of dates she’d had since moving to Nashville on two hands, with a couple of fingers left over.”
    pg. 62  – Love Remains by Kaye Dacus

    – Last week my friend Kaye brought me a treat, an early copy of her upcoming book, Love Remains, the first in her Matchmakers series. Now the book doesn’t come out until August, but it’s well-worth your wait! This contemporary romance is mingled with lots of comedy, as Zarah comes face to face with her teenage love Bobby, who she hasn’t seen in years. Of course their grandparents are determined to get them together, so the Matchmakers set to work. I’m really loving Kaye’s wit and zing, and her sense of setting in Nashville. Don’t miss out on this book!

    love-remains

    Friday Favorite – My birthday is a month away!!!

    In case you didn’t pick it up from the headline, my birthday is just a month away! And while I’m not as young as I once was (who is?), I’m still in the mood to celebrate. And to kick this party off, I thought that I could give you a gift!

    So we’re going to do an impromptu giveaway of my new book, Vanishing Act–before it’s available to purchase!

    Here’s the deal. Leave a comment on this post with your favorite birthday gift (to give or get), and I’ll pick one winner on Monday, June 28 (so make sure you leave your comment by Sunday night). I’ll even personalize and sign it for you, or someone you want to give it to as a gift!

    So get ready for a little pre-Liz’s birthday celebration!

    Friday Favorite – Beating the Deadline Dance

    It feels so good to get a new book in the mail. As I’m sure you noted in my previous post about the arrival of final copies of Vanishing Act. It really is an excellent feeling.

    But do you know what else is an amazing feeling?

    Finishing your book a month ahead of schedule. 🙂 Yup. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, I finished my manuscript this week, 30 days ahead of my deadline.

    Of course, finishing the story doesn’t exactly mean, I’m done. It’s certainly not ready for me to ship it off to my editor, but there’s something ridiculously wonderful about knowing that everything left to do on the new book–tentatively titled Code of Justice–is tweaking what’s already there. Sure, maybe there’s a scene or two to add. Maybe there’s a whole chapter to rewrite.

    And I have 30 days to get it done!

    I’m taking a week off to clear my mind before I dig back in, so I’m going to enjoy this week without any other writing I have to do. I’m going to celebrate–pedicures with the girls and a night out to see Letters to Juliet again. And then I’ll dive back in, knowing that when I do finish, I’ll have to wait another 8 months before it arrives on my doorstep.

    Deadlines are a dance that seem to never end, but when you meet one, it gives you enough encouragement to just keep going. To keep waiting for the final book. Then seeing it on the store shelves.

    But right now, there’s not much sweeter in this life than watching that deadling approaching closer and closer. And knowing that somehow God gave me enough strength to meet it, and even beat it–even in one of the most chaotic times of my life.

    So just to be clear–I’m elated. I certainly could not have done this on my own, so God gets the glory. And finishing doesn’t mean I’m really done. 🙂

    Teaser Tuesday – Pride and Prejudice

    teaser_tuesdays1MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

    Here are the rules:
    * Grab your current read
    * Let the book fall open to a random page
    * Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
    *You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
    * Please avoid spoilers!

    This week’s teaser is:
    ” She was at least free from the offence of Mr. Darcy’s further notice; though often standing within a very short distance of her, quite disengaged, he never came near enough to speak. She felt it to be the probable consequence of her allusions to Mr. Wickham, and rejoiced in it.”
    pg. 102  – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

    – I recently joined a bookclub with some girls at work. Every Tuesday we get together at lunch to talk about the book we’re reading. Right now, that would be Pride and Prejudice. If you can believe it, I’ve never finished this book, so I’m super-excited to get all the way through it. Oh, that Mr. Darcy!

    pride-and-prejudice

    Monday Movie – More from our favorite Jane

    emma-kate-beckinsaleAfter my recent move, I was looking for someone to share my affection for Jane Austen. I needed a friend to watch the most romantic movies ever with. So last weekend I invited a new friend over, and she brought her collection of Jane Austen movies. We watched an older version of Emma, staring Kate Beckinsale in the title role. I’d never seen it before, so I was eager to watch it.

    Apparently my enthusiasm was misguided. In this 1996 version of the story that I have enjoyed in every other version I’ve seen it, neither Emma or our hero Mr. Knightley are likable characters. Knightley is played with such intensity, that every time we see him, he’s either brooding or lecturing Emma. We miss all the humor and playfulness of Knightley in the other versions of Emma. And the actor playing Knightley isn’t what I would picture as an Austen hero. He’s got nothing on Jeremy Northam amr-knightleynd Jonny Lee Miller.

    And Emma wasn’t any better. Always so serious, her intentions seemed self-serving, never for the best for her friends.

    Don’t get me started on the creepy lines in the movie either, like at the end when Knightley says to Emma, “I held you when you were 3 weeks old.” And she responds, “Do you like me as well now as you did then?”

    And the continued brother/sister comments. We know that they grew up close, but there’s no need to keep the comments coming. Just plain creepy.

    sense-and-sensibility-2008Oh, and the close of the movie … it just w o u l d n ‘  t  e n d. The scenes just kept coming. And coming.

    If you’re looking for a good version of Emma, check out the one with Gwenyth Paltrow or the new one with Jonny Lee Miller and Romola Garai. Those are both much more enjoyable.

    So then this weekend, I invited my friend over again, this time to watch Sense and Sensibility, a 2008 version I hadn’t seen yet. This one was really excellent. Nearly three hours of beautiful landscapes and coast shots and a very, very handsome Edward. Well-acted and well-filmed, it was fun to watch.

    And while the actresses who played Eleanor and Marianne were really great in the roles, there were moments when I felt like they were playing Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, who stared in those roles in the quintessential Sense and Sensibility directed by Ang Lee. I quite enjoyed this one, and I think you might too.

    Time for a BHeath Moment

    I figure it’s about time for a Brandon Heath moment. Seriously … it’s been far too long, and now that I live in the same city as him, it seems like we should have these more often. And since Vanishing Act appeared this weekend, I thought it was the perfect time for just such a moment.

    What does Brandon Heath have to do with my new book?

    More than you might think. No, he hasn’t endorsed it yet. (Amy, that’s a nudge to you, to help Brandon with that little task.) 🙂 But he is the model for my hero, Special Agent in Charge Nate Andersen.

    And wouldn’t you know it, I’ve had a BHeath song going through my mind. All week. The only problem is that it’s not been released yet. I’ve heard him perform it twice, and I LOVE it. I’m hoping it’ll be on his new album this fall. But for now my only option is to look it up on YouTube. So here’s the only video I can find of “Only Water.” Enjoy!

    Teaser Tuesday – Sleepaway Girls

    teaser_tuesdays1MizB of Should Be Reading hosts the Teaser Tuesdays weekly event

    Here are the rules:
    * Grab your current read
    * Let the book fall open to a random page
    * Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12
    *You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
    * Please avoid spoilers!

    This week’s teaser is:
    ” Since it was a special occasion, we were eating outisde on the picnic tables by the lake. Someone had hung up  twinkling white Christmas lights on the trees surrounding the tables, and it looked like thousands of fireflights lighting up the sky.”
    pg. 112  – Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

    – I picked up this book after trying to read another YA, which happened to be riddled with angst and when I jumped to the back, proved to have a not-so-happily-ever-after ending. So I picked up Sleepaway Girls, hoping for a sweet, light read that would put a smile on my face. I wasn’t disappointed. 🙂 While not perfect, this book was just as sweet and predictable as I was hoping for. I highly recommend for lightweight beach read.

    sleepaway-girls

    Vanishing Act Appears!

    It’s like a mixed-up magic show! 🙂 (Sorry, inside joke.)

    This weekend, I had a thrilling experience! Friday evening I was watching some TV (Big Time Rush to be exact) and I got a knock on my door, and there was a dude in brown shorts, delivering four boxes of my new book!!! Yay!

    I called my mom right away, and we talked for almost an hour. (Not just about my book.) And I’ve finally downloaded the pictures, so you can share in my joy! Let the celebrations begin.

    Friday Favorite – Watching dreams become reality

    For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to visit Prince Edward Island. Not familiar with PEI?

    It’s a little island on the Atlantic shore of Canada, which holds some of the most beautiful shores in the world.

    prince-edward-island

    And it’s where one of my favorite books/movies is set. Anne of Green Gables may be the most famous export from the island, and it’s the reason that I’ve always wanted to visit.

    And now I am!!!

    Years ago I promised my mom that I’d take her to Prince Edward Island when I sold my first book. Well, it turns out that I didn’t make much on my first book. So then my promise turned into “after the second book.” Well, guess what’s coming out this August? My second book!

    This spring we both renewed are passports, and this week, I bought us tickets! We’re going to PEI!!!! I even reserved us a suite at a beautiful Victorian bed and breakfast, and we’re going to have a ball! I can’t wait!

    I mean, I have to. We’re not going for several months, but still … I’m so excited! I promise there will be pictures and general joyous celebrations. Watch out, Anne! Here we come!

    There’s a hole in my bucket … er … pocket!

    I’m in need of some serious advice!

    You see some amazingly cool friends of mine gave me a gift card to Amazon before I left Colorado. And I haven’t been able to spend it. It’s burning a hole in my pocket!  But I can’t decide what to buy with it. It’s a terrible problem to have … I know. I just don’t know what to get!

    So can you help me decide?

    Here’s what I’m thinking about getting. What’s your vote?

    When In Rome

    The Great Mouse Detective (Mystery in the Mist Edition)

    Burn Notice: Season Three

    How to Train Your Dragon (Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III)

    Emma (2009)

    Robin Hood: Season Three

    Too many options, and I can’t seem to make a decision to save my life this week. 🙂 So what do you think?