I've moved!
You can check out the new blog and website here.
See you there :)
Friday, September 6, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Ten Random Facts About Me
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| NY NY to NP NZ :) |
3. I’ve never been drunk.
4. I was signed by a New York literary agent – and she found my book in the slush pile. #itcanhappen :)
5. I completed my degree extramurally.
6. I spent a year as a video shop clerk with a six-a-day movie habit.
7. I was asked to be an expert for Girlfriend Magazine Australia after the editor read my book Total Blueprint for World Domination.8. Fruit (eating / smelling / looking at etc.) makes me sick.
9. I’ve had laser eye surgery to correct myopia (no more glasses!)
10. This month, my book The Jelly Bean Crisis will be in bookshops all over New Zealand. OMG.
Everything is possible!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Playlist
I have a book playlist!
For an author, a book playlist is a kind of soundtrack to their book - it could be songs that they listen to while writing, songs that inspire particular scenes, or songs with themes or lyrics that resonate with the book.
One of my current projects is a young adult urban fantasy fiction. I'm trying a new working style for this book (pantster* as opposed to plotster**) and I'm noticing lots of differences - characters doing whatever they want, twists jumping out of nowhere, book dreams, and yep, for the first time, a book playlist!
* Pantster: Finding out what happens as you go, writing "by the seat of your pants."
** Plotster: Planning / plotting the book out before writing.
So, here are five of the songs from the playlist for my current work-in-progress:
1. Yep, the MC's a bit of a badass:
2. And cute-guy-with-a-secret needs a theme song, right?
3. Here comes the fantasy element:
4. And talk about your romantic melancholy:
5. Save the world? Get revenge? Fall in love? Hey, I'm a pantster this time: I have no idea!
May is New Zealand Music Month, so I'm going to round off my five song book playlist with this from Kiwi band The Peasants:
It's very cool to be able to add a new dimension to the work with music, and I'll definitely aim to be back to update the playlist as the book takes shape :)
Keep kicking ass!
For an author, a book playlist is a kind of soundtrack to their book - it could be songs that they listen to while writing, songs that inspire particular scenes, or songs with themes or lyrics that resonate with the book.
One of my current projects is a young adult urban fantasy fiction. I'm trying a new working style for this book (pantster* as opposed to plotster**) and I'm noticing lots of differences - characters doing whatever they want, twists jumping out of nowhere, book dreams, and yep, for the first time, a book playlist!
* Pantster: Finding out what happens as you go, writing "by the seat of your pants."
** Plotster: Planning / plotting the book out before writing.
So, here are five of the songs from the playlist for my current work-in-progress:
1. Yep, the MC's a bit of a badass:
2. And cute-guy-with-a-secret needs a theme song, right?
3. Here comes the fantasy element:
4. And talk about your romantic melancholy:
5. Save the world? Get revenge? Fall in love? Hey, I'm a pantster this time: I have no idea!
May is New Zealand Music Month, so I'm going to round off my five song book playlist with this from Kiwi band The Peasants:
It's very cool to be able to add a new dimension to the work with music, and I'll definitely aim to be back to update the playlist as the book takes shape :)
Keep kicking ass!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Pick a Pencil (x2)
Okay, so I've disappeared into the Book Cave again :) I'm editing the sequel to Total Blueprint for World Domination (Unlock the (U)niverse - squeeeal!) and it is super exciting to know that it's so close to being with you! (The plan is to launch quietly around August 2013, so beta readers, start your engines!!!)
Meanwhile, I wanted to remind you (and myself!) of a previous blog post:
***
You know that book you want to write? It's inside you. I promise.
It already exists - you just have to start!
Those words will become sentences. Those sentences will become paragraphs. Then chapters.
One hundred words a day? It's a book in a year.
You are the best person to write that book. (You totally are.) Pick a pencil. Open a document. Start!
Why not? What if?
***
Gather supplies, open a file, type two-fingered - whatever it takes! This is your life, your legacy, your mark on the world! Pull your undies on over your pants, and head into your Book Cave! 2013 is totally the year to make it happen!
Everything is possible!
Meanwhile, I wanted to remind you (and myself!) of a previous blog post:
***
You know that book you want to write? It's inside you. I promise.
It already exists - you just have to start!
Those words will become sentences. Those sentences will become paragraphs. Then chapters.
One hundred words a day? It's a book in a year.
You are the best person to write that book. (You totally are.) Pick a pencil. Open a document. Start!
Why not? What if?
***
Gather supplies, open a file, type two-fingered - whatever it takes! This is your life, your legacy, your mark on the world! Pull your undies on over your pants, and head into your Book Cave! 2013 is totally the year to make it happen!
Everything is possible!
Monday, December 31, 2012
2012 Fireworks!
Thank you all for making 2012 such an amazing year :)
Thank you to the beta-readers (Sian Young, Alyssa Young, and Jane Linsdell) for their support and enthusiasm (plus plus plus!), agent Jessica Regel for her persistence – and the emails that always give me goose bumps, Vladimir Nikulin and Vera Simon for gorgeousness inside and out (you’ll see their work more and more!)...
...the magical Claudia McKinney from PhatPuppy for taking gorgeous to the next level, the tour hosts, sponsors, and management team for the launch of The Jelly Bean Crisis (particularly Charlotte Russell and Susie Barber for their incredible support)...
...thank you to the reviewing teams at LitPick and Readers Favorite, the dedicated (and super scary!) Goodreads community, the organizers and participants of the Book Blast, the librarians, the tweeters, the Likers, the Frienders and the bloggers, and all of the readers and reviewers, who not only read my books, but also took the time to share their thoughts with the world (and sometimes just with me :)). Thank you all so, so much!
So, what’s next? It’s definitely the perfect time of year to start thinking big and going for those red jelly beans! And while my plan is to disappear into new drafts and edits for a while, there has already been a suspiciously exciting email that might change that…! My advice? Make the big, delicious plans – and then be completely open for even bigger ones to jump out!
“The universe will give you so much more than anything you can dream of!”
- Total Blueprint for World Domination
Everything is possible!
 |
| Photo by Vlad & Vera |
...the magical Claudia McKinney from PhatPuppy for taking gorgeous to the next level, the tour hosts, sponsors, and management team for the launch of The Jelly Bean Crisis (particularly Charlotte Russell and Susie Barber for their incredible support)...
 |
| A tour prize winner |
...thank you to the reviewing teams at LitPick and Readers Favorite, the dedicated (and super scary!) Goodreads community, the organizers and participants of the Book Blast, the librarians, the tweeters, the Likers, the Frienders and the bloggers, and all of the readers and reviewers, who not only read my books, but also took the time to share their thoughts with the world (and sometimes just with me :)). Thank you all so, so much!
So, what’s next? It’s definitely the perfect time of year to start thinking big and going for those red jelly beans! And while my plan is to disappear into new drafts and edits for a while, there has already been a suspiciously exciting email that might change that…! My advice? Make the big, delicious plans – and then be completely open for even bigger ones to jump out!
“The universe will give you so much more than anything you can dream of!”
- Total Blueprint for World Domination
 |
| Art by Niobe Carter |
Bring it on, 2013!
Everything is possible!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
12/12/12 Announcement: $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!
Giveaway time! 12/12/12 - 12/21/12
Over the next week, book bloggers from all over the web will be hosting The Jelly Bean Crisis book blast with a $100 prize in time for Christmas!
It's super simple - use the Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
A huge thank you to Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not a Writer - she is a passionate reader, a dedicated blogger, and her sites are just gorgeous! Kathy has been amazing in supporting my books, and organizing this giveaway.
Good luck and I'll see you back here on the 18th for the winner!
Over the next week, book bloggers from all over the web will be hosting The Jelly Bean Crisis book blast with a $100 prize in time for Christmas!
It's super simple - use the Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
A huge thank you to Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not a Writer - she is a passionate reader, a dedicated blogger, and her sites are just gorgeous! Kathy has been amazing in supporting my books, and organizing this giveaway.
Good luck and I'll see you back here on the 18th for the winner!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Free books!
There is a place where you can get free books right now. Paperback, hardcover, actual hold-in-your-hands books! (Along with ebooks, audio books, DVDs, CDs, great advice, and snuggly corners!)
Free books! As many as you can hold, as any as you can read. Libraries change lives. I know it.
As a kid I was sure that if I could just live at the library, my life would be perfect. I could work my way through the shelves, learn everything about everything, read every single book, and live a thousand lives.
Even though I don't live at the library (yet!), I still love staggering home with a stack of books, or curling up in a secret corner that I'm sure no one knows about but me.
A library is a place you can find the world - but better than that, it's a place you can find yourself.
So of all the awesomeness that comes with my books existing in the real world, for me, knowing that they are in libraries is THE BEST.
The Jelly Bean Crisis will be heading for libraries before Christmas, and I just visited Total Blueprint for World Domination at the Garden Place Library in Hamilton. SO COOL!
Free books! As many as you can hold, as many as you can read - new books, classics, banned books, secret finds, - and now mine!
*squeal*
Everything is possible!
 |
| A giant brain on the doors? LOVE! |
As a kid I was sure that if I could just live at the library, my life would be perfect. I could work my way through the shelves, learn everything about everything, read every single book, and live a thousand lives.
Even though I don't live at the library (yet!), I still love staggering home with a stack of books, or curling up in a secret corner that I'm sure no one knows about but me.
A library is a place you can find the world - but better than that, it's a place you can find yourself.
So of all the awesomeness that comes with my books existing in the real world, for me, knowing that they are in libraries is THE BEST.
 |
| Why, fancy seeing you here! |
That my spine might jump out at a reader? That my book could be in someone's pile of library jewels? That my words could make a difference to someone I'll never meet? Pfooooar! I can’t tell you how much pride and awe I feel that my books live in libraries.
The Jelly Bean Crisis will be heading for libraries before Christmas, and I just visited Total Blueprint for World Domination at the Garden Place Library in Hamilton. SO COOL!
Free books! As many as you can hold, as many as you can read - new books, classics, banned books, secret finds, - and now mine!
*squeal*
Everything is possible!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Bake That Book (That Teenage Feeling)
A huge thank you to Sarah from That Teenage Feeling. For her meme "Bake That Book" she takes her inspiration from YA, and this week? It's The Jelly Bean Crisis!
Everything is possible!
Everything is possible!
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Molly Brown London Giveaway Winner
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| Her daughter blowing a thank you kiss. |
The winner of the Strawberry Jelly Bean Necklace from Molly Brown London has sent through a photo of her adorable daughter (and fan of pink!) wearing the necklace.
<< It is so lovely to see the necklace's new home!
A huge thank you to Molly Brown London for the international giveaway, and for being so incredibly supportive and fun to work with!
And thank you so much Jolene from Washington for sending through the gorgeous photo :)
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Jelly Bean Crisis Blog Tour Map
This is the The Jelly Bean Crisis Blog Tour Map! It's clickable and includes links to all of the review sites and gorgeous people involved in the tour. I LOVE that the whole world really is just a few clicks away!
(I've had such an awesome response to The Jelly Bean Crisis Blog Tour Map that I'm going to keep an updated one on the website for reviewers - if you want to be involved, contact me :))
Everything is possible!
(I've had such an awesome response to The Jelly Bean Crisis Blog Tour Map that I'm going to keep an updated one on the website for reviewers - if you want to be involved, contact me :))
Everything is possible!
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Jelly Bean Crisis Tour Winners
First up: Thank you so much to everyone who made The Jelly Bean Crisis blog tour so amazing :) A massive thank you to the incredible reviewers and tour hosts, all of the readers, commenters, Tweeters and behind the scenes supporters - you made those six days some of the best of my life :)
And now... the tour prize winners!
The Strawberry Jelly Bean Necklace from Molly Brown London:
Jolene A – Bothell, Washington.
The Monster Jar with thousands of jelly beans:
Alicia E – Birmingham, Alabama.
Print copies of The Jelly Bean Crisis:
Jaime H – Sturgis, Michigan.
Denise Z – Medford, Oregon.
EBook copies of The Jelly Bean Crisis:
Nora, Natasha, Eileen, Emily, Sangita, Alison, Melissa, Jaime, Dale, Christy, Abby, Holly, Mandee, Carlla, and Alicia.
Congratulations!!!!!! Your prizes are on the way!
Tomorrow I'll post up The Jelly Bean Crisis Blog Tour Map so you can see how much of the world jumped in for the fun :)
And now... the tour prize winners!
The Strawberry Jelly Bean Necklace from Molly Brown London:
Jolene A – Bothell, Washington.
The Monster Jar with thousands of jelly beans:
Alicia E – Birmingham, Alabama.
Print copies of The Jelly Bean Crisis:
Jaime H – Sturgis, Michigan.
Denise Z – Medford, Oregon.
EBook copies of The Jelly Bean Crisis:
Nora, Natasha, Eileen, Emily, Sangita, Alison, Melissa, Jaime, Dale, Christy, Abby, Holly, Mandee, Carlla, and Alicia.
Congratulations!!!!!! Your prizes are on the way!
Tomorrow I'll post up The Jelly Bean Crisis Blog Tour Map so you can see how much of the world jumped in for the fun :)
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Jelly Bean Crisis Tour Update
Did you win the Molly Brown London strawberry jelly bean necklace? The monster jar of 4.2kg if jelly beans? You own copy of The Jelly Bean Crisis? Keep an eye on your email! The winners will be contacted the winners in the next few days :)
Squeeeeeeeeal!!!!!
Everything is possible!
Monday, August 6, 2012
The Jelly Bean Crisis Book Blog Tour Schedule
The tour schedule is here!!! *squeeeeal*
Already today there have been amazing reviews, favorite quotes, and a kitten - and we're only just getting started! (When you're checking out the posts, remember to enter the Rafflecopter and be in to win!)
Everything is possible!
Already today there have been amazing reviews, favorite quotes, and a kitten - and we're only just getting started! (When you're checking out the posts, remember to enter the Rafflecopter and be in to win!)
Win a
gorgeous Strawberry
Jelly Bean Necklace from
Molly Brown London's award winning Jelly Bean Collection. |
Everything is possible!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
The Jelly Bean Crisis Book Blog Tour
This is it! The Jelly Bean Crisis Book Blog Tour is here!!!!!
There will be bloggers from all over the world, and giveaways of gorgeous jewellery from Molly Brown London, thousands of jelly beans, plus paperbacks and ebooks!
I'll be back with a list of the bloggers for each day - check out their blogs and enter to win :)
Everything is possible!
Monday, July 2, 2012
ARCs out, chocolate in!
The ARCs (Advance Review Copies) are being sent out to readers and reviewers.
It's real! It's real!
The Jelly Bean Crisis will be published in just under a month, and it is super cool to see the book appearing on so many cool book blog sites this week :)
Moments of unfathomable awesome like these call for one thing: chocolate!
Tonight's chocolate is a block of the newest Cadbury creation - chocolate with jelly beans (of course!), chocolate candy, and pop rocks. Wooohoooooo!
Ooh, and I'll be posting the tour schedule this week - thanks AToMR!
Everything is possible!
It's real! It's real!
The Jelly Bean Crisis will be published in just under a month, and it is super cool to see the book appearing on so many cool book blog sites this week :)
Moments of unfathomable awesome like these call for one thing: chocolate!
Tonight's chocolate is a block of the newest Cadbury creation - chocolate with jelly beans (of course!), chocolate candy, and pop rocks. Wooohoooooo!
Ooh, and I'll be posting the tour schedule this week - thanks AToMR!
Everything is possible!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Bacon Taco Shell
http://www.neatorama.com/2012/04/06/bacon-taco-shell/
Just add chicken. And cheese. And sour cream.
And fizzy drink (to dissolve it all!).
Everything is possible!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Goodreads Giveaway
Enter to win a paperback of The Jelly Bean Crisis before the official release!
Everything is possible!
Everything is possible!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Changing Teams
Zombies Vs. Unicorns by Holly Black, Justine Larbalestier, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Maureen Johnson, Carrie Ryan, Scott Westerfeld, Meg Cabot, Garth Nix, Kathleen Duey, Margo Lanagan, Naomi Novik.My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I went into this book as a reader with boxfuls of MLPs. Sure, I’m scared of horses, and pretty sure my parents’ Shetland is trying to kill me. But unicorns? Sign me up! Team Unicorn all the way.
Now, I don’t know whether it’s the love-story-heavy Team Zombie, or the high-ick-factor on Team Unicorn, but somewhere early on in this book, I realized that I have grown up, moved on... and changed teams. I’m now a Zombieland, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Hollowland kind of girl.
Between the gorgeous undead love stories, heart-breaking end-of-days dramas and skull-cracking comedies, I’m sold. (But I think I’ll hang on to that box of MLPs, just in case ;)).
My favourite stories? Love Will Tear Us Apart by Alaya Dawn Johnson, Bougainvillea by Carrie Ryan, The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn by Diana Peterfreund, Inoculata by Scott Westerfeld.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Cover: The Jelly Bean Crisis
A huge thank you to all the bloggers, readers, tweeters, and absolute sweethearts who made Cover Reveal Day so awesome! I am grinning like a mad thing from all the AMAZING things people have said about the cover :).
(Some of my favourite quotes?
"HOLY SMOKES! That cover is gorgeous!" "It’s RAINING jelly beans!!! Come ON! *dies*" "Wow, I fell in love with the synopsis and I pretty much knew that the cover would rock." "Definitely my favourite cover (and title!) so far this year."... Actually, my favorite quotes might have to become a whole blog post!!! :P)
The book launch is August 1, and the blog tour is August 6-11. Sign up now!
Everything is possible!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Cover Reveal Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*happy dance*
Over the next 24 hours, you'll be able to check out the cover for The Jelly Bean Crisis here:
The Bookish Brunette
A Pocket Full of Books
Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews
Moonlight Book Reviews
Chapter by Chapter
So Simply Sara
Artsy Musings of a Bibliophile
A Diary Of A Book Addict
StuckInBooks
The Magic Attic
Storybook Escape
The Bookish Babe
Hackaroo's Reviews
Kindred Dreamheart
YA-Aholic
A Written Rhapsody
Unabridged Bookshelf
The Book Barbies
Froggarita's Bookcase
The Reading Housewives
Kindred Dreamheart
There is a Book in my Bag
Sim Sational Books
Book Loving Mom
My Cute Bookshelf
Totally Bookalicious
Thank you so much to my amazing tour manager Julie Brazeal, and to the super sweet bloggers who have jumped in to be part of the reveal!
Everything is possible!
Over the next 24 hours, you'll be able to check out the cover for The Jelly Bean Crisis here:
The Bookish Brunette
A Pocket Full of Books
Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews
Moonlight Book Reviews
Chapter by Chapter
So Simply Sara
Artsy Musings of a Bibliophile
A Diary Of A Book Addict
StuckInBooks
The Magic Attic
Storybook Escape
The Bookish Babe
Hackaroo's Reviews
Kindred Dreamheart
YA-Aholic
A Written Rhapsody
Unabridged Bookshelf
The Book Barbies
Froggarita's Bookcase
The Reading Housewives
Kindred Dreamheart
There is a Book in my Bag
Sim Sational Books
Book Loving Mom
My Cute Bookshelf
Totally Bookalicious
Thank you so much to my amazing tour manager Julie Brazeal, and to the super sweet bloggers who have jumped in to be part of the reveal!
Everything is possible!
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