Tuesday, March 29, 2011

RT Booklovers Convention: LA

Hey guys! ... For the first time ever, I am going to attend the 28th Annual RT Booklovers Convention in Los Angeles, California!!! And this happens to be my first time going to Cali ... EVER! ***Throwing confetti*** For those of you who are RT Convention virgins" - such as myself - here is a summary about what goes on at this booklover sindig:



What sets the RT BOOK LOVERS CONVENTION apart from any other book industry convention? We mix business and networking with fellowship and fun.


•Begin each morning with a meet and greet mixer hosted by various authors and publishers. •Then choose from a rich variety of over 125 informative workshops for readers, writers and booksellers.•Join Authors, Publishers and Vendors in Club RT, the place to meet for socializing. •Pick up goodies on Promotion Lane to remember your authors. •Cap off the afternoon with a fun-filled stimulating networking party. •At dark, it's time to get ready for our sumptuous evening events. Attendees will receive lots of FREE books and promotional items from authors and publishers.


ON THE AGENDA: •PUBLISHED AUTHORS and ASPIRING WRITERS can attend over 100 workshops to learn how to write and get published, how to network, how to promote and how to increase sales. •READERS will enjoy a special five-day program with games, giveaways, prizes and lots of FREE BOOKS as well as attend bestselling author lectures in an intimate setting. Authors are at the ready to answer all your book-related questions. •BOOKSELLERS will value a special three-day program that will take you into the future of bookselling with tips on how to increase sales and revenues and how to compete with the chains. You will also learn how to use the internet to supplement your income. •BREAK AWAY from your designated track and check out any other workshop that appeals to you. All of the workshops, dinners and events are included in the registration fee. -via RT Book Reviews


On that note, I will be staying in Good Nite Inn located in Sylmar, California from April 8-10 but I won't get back to NYC until the morning of April 11. How about you guys? Are any of y'all RT Booklovers Convention veterans? Any suggestions? Can you give me the scoop on the much anticipated Goody-Bag Room?


Always,


Haysel




Thursday, March 17, 2011

Spread the Word Sunday #1


Spread the Word Sunday is a meme I came up with to announce some sort of news or cause.

Guess what?! Personal Demons author, Lisa Desrochers, is giving two -- yes, TWO!-- ARCs of the anticipated Original Sin - the sequel to Personal Demons. The contest ends noon PST on Friday, March 18th 2011. For more details on how to enter for a chance to win click: HERE



Happy Reading!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Review : Trapped by Michael Northrop


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.


Release Date: January 1, 2011
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Pages: 240
Source: ARC Tour

The Story:

The day the blizzard started, no one knew that it was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive....Scotty and his friends Pete and Jason are among the last seven kids at their high school waiting to get picked up that day, and they soon realize that no one is coming for them. Still, it doesn't seem so bad to spend the night at school, especially when distractingly hot Krista and Julie are sleeping just down the hall. But then the power goes out, then the heat. The pipes freeze, and the roof shudders. As the days add up, the snow piles higher, and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision...

--via Star Book Tours

RatingTHREE Gold Stars!!!

My Review: One word: CHILLING

When Scotty Weems went to school on Tuesday he had no idea that because of fluffy, white snow flakes his life would never be the same. Not even halfway through the school day did Tattawa Regional High School become a speckle in the wrath of a soon to be historic blizzard. "The day the blizzard started, no one knew that is was going to keep snowing for a week. That for those in its path, it would become not just a matter of keeping warm, but of staying alive." Scotty, his two best friends - Jason and Pete -- couldn't have imagined how the snow would bring segregated groups together ... as well as wedge friends apart.

Scotty Weems is an aspiring basketball player who was technically a jock but not quite. He still felt like an outsider. Instead he feels most comfortable with his two best friends, Jason and Pete. Jason Gillispie is a hardcore military buff who wears t-shirts with scary war slogans and has a hobby that consists of created a go-kart he named Flammenwerfer -- which means Flamethrower in German. And Pete Dubois is a just the plain, normal guy of the trio. The highlight of his day is scarfing down pizza rolls and playing video games.

As luck would have it, sophomores Scotty, Jason and Pete weren't the only students to get stuck at their old, arctic high school. Scotty and Pete thought it was a dream come true having a "slumber party" with crushes, freshman girls Krista O'Rea and Julie Anders. Krista is a beautiful, popular girl who was also an athlete that played soccer and basketball. But most importantly, Krista is Scotty's perfect girl - his fantasy. Julie was Krista's best friend, and pretty enough to make Pete reconsider his priorities when it comes to where his allegiance lies.

On that note, being snowed in at school wasn't all meadows, butterflies and couples running towards each other in slow motion. There were three kinks that put a damper on Scotty's and Pete's exclusive time with Krista and Julie. One was Elijah James. He is the weird kid -- the quiet, morbid one who wears ratty old sweaters and spends every free minute in the library. Problem number two, Les - uh, Leslie actually, but don't let him hear you say that - Goddard is that guy. The troublemaker who served semi-permanent detention. The one everyone -- including the teachers -- are afraid of. "Les is bad news, a thug, the kind of guy you just sort of assume is armed in some way." And the third, final and the most serious kink of them all: the snow. The all encompassing double edged sword. The snow that gave Scotty and Pete what they could have only dreamed of -- a week off from school, the girls of their secret fantasies and no adult supervision -- was also the very thing that will most likely kill them all.

Overall, Michael Northrop's novel was a simple read. But there are parts that make you laugh, want to cry and appreciate the simple things in life - like functioning plumbing, a soft bed, and heat. Even when you think you can't read another page somehow the book keeps you ...trapped.


Here is one of my favorite quotes from Trapped: Pete & Scotty: 
"I'm serious, man," said Pete. "I'm turtling." [Pete]
I laughed, just because that's such a nasty word. Turtling: when the turd starts poking its head out.

***Check out Michael Northrop's website for more information about him and Trapped: HERE

Happy Reading!
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