Road Trip Wednesday

This Week's YA Highway Road Trip Topic:
Some audiobooks are read by celebrities. Most recently, Cassandra Clare's CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS was partly read by Ed Westwick of Gossip Girl.

So, if you got to choose a celebrity narrator for the audio book of your WIP or your favorite novel, who would it be and why?

You would think this week's audiobook related topic would be perfect for me, the self-proclaimed audiobook addict, but not so. I've had friends who've tried audiobooks say they love a certain narrator or find some of them annoying, but, honestly, I rarely notice.

Things I do notice:

-Multi-voice recordings- It feels like a play, not a book

-Sound effects (storms, doors creaking, etc)- I want to imagine these things, not hear them

-When the author is the narrator- I LOVE this (as long as their voice can fit the age of the characters) as I feel like I'm getting to hear how the sentences sounded in their head as they wrote them and/or as they intended them to be read. (Stephen King does a great job reading his own books)

So, my dream narrator for my WIP would be someone (celebrity or otherwise) who has a young-sounding female voice, can do male voices in a realistic but not overdone way, and who has a feel for my characters, story and writing voice.

I know, boring answer, but there you have it.

What about you? If you listen to audio, are there any favorite narrators?

Narration styles that annoy you?

Would you be more likely to listen to a book (or audiobooks in general) if a certain celebrity narrates it (or them)?

Monday Motivation

Life begins at the end of your comfort Zone 
-Neale Donald Walsh

 I have a magnet with this saying on my refrigerator. I bought it last summer as I was contemplating starting another book, a safer book, instead of my WIP. I'd already written my first two books in my comfort zone then two more since getting the idea for my WIP. In fact, the last two were written specifically to avoid writing my WIP.

I love my other books. They're fun and real and (I dare say) have some depth to them, but my WIP is so much  broader in scope. So different than the rest of my books and so much closer to the heart of how I feel about the world. 


But it's moving so slow. Life is crazier than it was during the writing of my other books, but that can't be the only reason. Could it be I'm butting up against the edge of my comfort zone, afraid to fall? Afraid to fail?







What about you? Are there times when your comfort zone holds you back? In writing? Elsewhere?

 Picture of La Quebrada Cliff Divers

Happy Mother's DAY?

I've planted three lilac bushes in my life, two of them as mother's day presents to myself. Anyone else who has tried this knows that it usually takes years for them to bloom. Well, I have flowers this year. I've finally lived someplace long enough to get flowers. Happy Mother's Day to me.


Still, despite all the flowers, hugs and handmade cards we love to get on this holiday, let's just acknowledge for a moment that Mother's day is probably the biggest understatement of all time.

A day. Really? Sure, the restaurants love it because while no one can justify asking the mom of the house to cook a big meal that day, most men of the house aren't willing to do it. And while husbands and children express their gratefulness and try to remain on their best behavior for one day, that doesn't come close to encompassing the thousands of tasks, toleration of behavior, and hours of worrying and caring most moms do without their families noticing.

Being a mom isn't about a day. It's something that takes over every moment of your life, every fiber of your being.

The Peace Corps have it wrong. Motherhood is the toughest job you'll ever love.


So, Happy Mother's Day all, from one who knows how little one day means compared to all that being a mom can be.

Help Write Now

No Road Trip Wednesday this week. Instead, Kate Hart of YA Highway is spearheading Help Write Now, an auction to raise funds for Tornado/Storm relief in the Southern states.


   The auctions are starting soon. You can also donate directly or donate items/services for the auction. So go check it out. I'm heading to my basement to see if I have any signed books that might be of worth to them.

A-Z How Many Have You Read/Heard Contest PRIZES!!!

A to Z is over. Thanks so much to our hosts:  Arlee Bird, Alex J Cavanaugh, Jen Daiker and Talli Rolland.

Wow. What a ride it has been. Having my mother-in-law visit for spring break made keeping up with everyone's blogs difficult toward the end, but thanks everyone for joining me for my posts. 

I had so much fun trying to find books I'd listened to for each letter. It brought up great memories and gave me an excuse to highlight older and less-hyped books. I've also decided to use this format for my monthly giveaways, using the audiobooks I've listened to each month.

I ended up with seven name-filled pages worth of entries for my How Many Have You Read/Heard Contest. It was a lot of cutting, but also way cool!

Book Expo is at the end of this month, which means I have a handful of books and now-published ARCs left from last year to give away before I load up on all new goodies. 

So, in first place, and winner of a $10 Barnes & Noble gift certificate and an ARC if she wants one:

***Karla Nellenbach***

The winners of a book and an ARC if they want one:

Carrie
Laura Pauling
Kate
Alison Miller
Mendy

The winners of a bookmark and an ARC if they want one:

Alicia Gregoire
Jemi Fraser
Kulsuma
Nichole Ducleroir

The books I have to giveaway are:

                                  
I'll be contacting people to get book/ARC preferences. If you don't have an email available on your bio, please send it to me via my email or as a comment on this post. 

Finally, anyone who requested a query crit on "Q" day will get one. I'll be contacting all of you also. 

Thanks again, everyone, for following last month. It's been a blast!