Book Review: Toxic by Vicki V. Lucas

Normally, I only share my book reviews on my publishing blog. I'm making an exception in this case, though, because I wanted to let you know about this special book. In the interest of full disclosure, the author is an online friend. I like to think that doesn't paint my opinion of her writing, but I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Toxic by Vicki V. Lucas

I was given an ebook copy of Toxic for this review. As I neared the end, I asked the author if I could buy signed copies of both this book and its sequel. I have a small collection of signed books and knew this was a set I wanted to add to it.

One of the main things that drew me into the story was the way Lucas introduces the characters. Foehn is a special favorite of mine - I love how the author gave a personality to something normally not seen as sentient.

The main characters are both flawed and virtuous, brave and deceptive, naïve and wise. There is the perfect balance of "good" and "bad" traits, which makes the characters easy to relate to and realistic. (Realistic is my goal as a writer, so that's the highest compliment I know how to give.)

There is less of a balance when it comes to the evil characters - I can't think of many redeeming qualities in them. This works well within the story, though. There is a firm distinction between good and evil; no gray areas. I appreciated this aspect.

That isn't to say that it's always clear who the evil characters are. In some cases, things are revealed to the reader around the same time they're revealed to the characters. More than once I found myself questioning the true motives behind the character's actions and wondering if my first assumptions were incorrect. This was brilliantly done.

The good vs. evil also comes through in the author's use of magic within the story. I'm one of those readers who sometimes objects to magic in a story, but Lucas portrayed it well and made it very clear who the magic was coming from.

The narrative jumps in and out of several different characters' perspectives, which could be confusing if it wasn't handled as well as it is. Between the picture before each switch in narrator (a different picture for each character) and the unique "voice" of each character, it was always clear whose perspective was being shown. Seeing the situations through different eyes added a deeper understanding to the story.

The book is long - over 400 pages - but it never felt like too much. The plot kept me interested till the end, and beyond. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Rancid, and I'm sure will read this book again.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for this unbiased review.

Book Tour: A Year in Prayer with Jesus

Welcome to the sixth stop on Author Marilynn Dawson's virtual book tour for her soon-to-be-released book, “A Year in Prayer With Jesus”.  Today we are interviewing Marilynn about her new book.

What have you written to date?
So far, I've written one series, "Becoming the Bride of Christ: A Personal Journey", a grad gift, "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate", an e-book, "Practical Thoughts on Becoming an Author", and my latest book, "Dressed for Eternity", which was released back in February.

What are you working on now?
My next book in the works is called "A Year in Prayer With Jesus" where the readers joins me in praying The Lord's Prayer as a prayer outline for 365 days.

How does that work?
Well, I've broken the Lord's Prayer down into 7 points in an outline, and have taken each point as a principle of prayer when coming before God the Father in relationship as His child.  As a result, every single point for the entire year has it's own Scripture verse, adding up to 2,555 verses in total, and each point also has it's own prayer prompt, with room for the reader to add their own.

Is each month dated?  As in - Monday, January 15th?
No.  Each day in the guide is numbered, but not dated so that a person can begin the prayer guide at any point in the year and not be bogged down by the realization that they jumped in late.  There is no such thing as late with this guide.  Your 365 days begin whenever you wish them to.  So a reader could begin on September 1st and go for 365 days while someone else could begin in October and go for the full 365 days.

My dream is to get 365 people to pick up the book and have each of them start on a different day.  So one person would start Day One on say September 1st, while the 365th person would start Day One August 30th of the following year.  Doing it this way would mean that various prayer points covering various people groups, missions organizations, nations, etc. would then be covered every single day for an entire year!  The thought gets me a bit excited actually!

Where can people find you online?
I'm all over the place online.  I'm sure I haven't hit everywhere I could be, but this is my current list:

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/songdovebooks/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10989028-marilynn-dawson
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/search/books?Keywords=Marilynn%20Dawson
Freado: http://www.freado.com/users/34318/marilynn-dawson
http://www.bookdaily.com/author/1811135/profile
Twitter: https://twitter.com/songdoveMD
Chapters: http://community.indigo.ca/profile/Marilynn-Dawson/557354.html
Barnes & Noble: http://my.barnesandnoble.com/songdove-profile/?showVisitorView=1
Librarything: https://www.librarything.com/profile/songdove
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/songdove
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marilynn.Dawson.Author?ref=hl
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/songdovemd
Google+: https://www.google.com/+MarilynnDawsonAuthor
Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/MarilynnDawson
linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynndawsonauthor
Authorsdb: http://www.authorsdb.com/authors-directory/3068-marilynn-dawson
http://hubpages.com/profile/Marilynn+Dawson
Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/songdove
http://www.godtube.com/songdove/
https://inkbok.com/users/marilynn-dawson
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/songdove
Deeper Shopping: http://www.deepershopping.com/marilynn-l-dawson/homepage.html

Click this link here to get your twelfth single day prayer guide outline:

http://songdove.fa-ct.com/stuff/YPWJ/YPWJ-day187.pdf

Be sure to stop by Marilynn's blog (http://songdove.fa-ct.com/wordpress-mu/songdovemusing) on July 17th for your next single day prayer guide free download.  Be sure to sign up for her monthly newsletter for yet another free gift!  Don't you just love FREE?

In addition to these free downloads, Marilynn is giving away a complete one-month sample of her next book via the rafflecopter app below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

30 Little Celebrations

1. Going out to eat with my grandma.
2. Quiet time.
3. Friends who show up at the perfect time.
4. Spending time with my family.
5. Movies.
6. Laughing so hard my face hurts.
7. Re-reading good books.
8. Discovering new favorite stories.
9. Feeling "inspired." (There's nothing better - and sometimes nothing worse! - than that itch to write.)
10. Learning a new dance.
11. 10 pounds lost! Slow, but steady.
12. Budgeting. (Yes, this is a celebration.)
13. More books than I have time to read.
14. Growing up Fisher. (Haven't seen it yet? Go watch it! Some of the episodes are free on Hulu. There's also a petition you could sign to try to get it back on TV... http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/nbc-nbc-renew-growing-up-fisher)
15. My job.
16. Hanging out with my brother.
17. An empty notebook.
18. Finding a forgotten box of pens - right as my supply was dwindling.
19. Books with impeccable grammar.
20. The unconditional love of family.
21. Long nails. (This is new for a recovering nail-picker like me!)
22. Gummy vitamins. Getting nutrients while eating candy? I'm in.
23. Comfy pillows.
24. Feedback from readers.
25. Knowing that my books even have readers.
26. Nice, long emails.
27. A freshly-made bed.
28. Flowers.
29. A new dress.
30. Summer!

How to Get Healthy (On a Budget)

As a follow-up to one of the recent posts here (How to Get Healthy), I thought it would be helpful to acknowledge that not everyone will choose to invest in a gym membership or expensive step tracker. There are definitely budget-friendly ways to stay in shape, so I'll share the ones I know of here. I'd love your input for the rest!

1. On sunny days, walk, bike, jog, or run outside.
2. If you don't have a treadmill or other exercise machine, you can get a desk bike like I have for about $20 on Amazon - it's likely cheaper from a thrift store or Craigslist.
3. Thrift stores, garage sales, and Craigslist are great places to look for larger equipment if you'd like that.
4. Walk around your house/apartment. Walk up/down the stairs. This can get repetitive, but it does get you moving.
5. Look on Hulu for exercise videos. Last I checked, there were some yoga, dancing, and strength training routines to choose from - all free.
6. DailyBurn offers a 30 day free trial of their exercise videos. (After the trial it's $10/month - cheaper than most gym memberships but still over $100 for a year. You'll have to decide if it's worth that to you.)
7. If you enjoy swimming, look for a pool in your area. There are a couple community pools here that charge about $3 each time. Some hotels will let you swim for a small charge, too.
8. Invest in some weights. There's no need to go all out...you can get dumbbells from Amazon for about $5 each. If you're looking for a set, I'd suggest used.
9. Recognize that while exercising is an excellent way to keep you healthy and is certainly important, if your goal is to lose weight, the main way to do that is to reduce your calorie intake. SparkPeople is free and a great way to keep track of what you're eating. (There are other calorie counting websites, of course, I just haven't used them.)
10. Meat, fruits, and veggies are still important. I often shop at Aldi, since things tend to be cheaper there. The quality is sometimes not as good, but for the most part I've been happy with what I've gotten there. (And if there's a problem, their double guarantee is awesome.) Sales are good, too - and buying in bulk when it makes sense.

What else has worked for you?

Author Interview: Jaye L. Knight

I was recently given the opportunity to interview recently-published author, Jaye L. Knight, as part of her blog tour for her book, Resistance. You can read more about her book on my publishing blog, Rivershore Books.

Thilly is its own word, and it means “sillier than silly.” With that in mind, what thilly thing do you do regularly? Have you done it today? (If not, why not?)

Sadly, I had to sit and think about this for a while and came to the conclusion that I don’t really have a thilly thing I do currently. I think it’s the way my life has been for the past few years. Trials seem to keep coming one right after the other (many health related), and when I’m not thinking about that, my focus is on my writing and work. I guess there’s not much room for thilly things right now. But I wish there was, and I hope and pray things will settle a bit soon. :)

What is your writing fuel?

Definitely tea. I make a cup of English Breakfast Tea with sugar and plenty of French vanilla creamer every morning. (And by cup, I usually mean giant mug.) Before I started drinking tea a few years ago, I couldn’t understand how people were so addicted to coffee. Now I do understand. I NEED my tea, especially when I’m writing. I also keep a jar of Nutella handy.

How much time do you spend writing each day?

If I’m actually able to write (and not bogged down by writer’s block or needing to edit instead), probably 4-6 hours on average depending on the day and what else needs to be done. But if my inspiration is really flowing, I can easily go 8-10 hours or more. Especially when I’m close to finishing a book. If it’s the last chapter, I’ll go as long as I need in order to finish it. I’ve been up pretty late a couple times doing that, but I’m most productive in the morning.

What is your biggest distraction, and how do you move past it?

The internet. Things like Pinterest, while they are helpful writing tools for me, are also very big distractions. I write all my first drafts on paper, so that helps with internet distractions, however, I usually have my iPod Touch nearby and can get sucked into my Pinterest and social apps on there. Still, not actually being on the computer while I’m writing does help. I’ve just got to keep myself focused and disciplined.

And finally, what is the most rewarding part about writing for you?

Seeing all the pieces of a story fit together, especially when it happens in a way I’m not expecting. That’s happened quite a lot while writing Resistance and the other Ilyon Chronicles books. It’s so satisfying and amazing because I know it’s God working in my story.

Thanks, Jaye!

About the Author

JAYE L. KNIGHT is a 25-year-old independent author with a passion for writing Christian fantasy and clean NA (New Adult) fiction. Armed with an active imagination and love for adventure, Jaye weaves stories of truth, faith, and courage with the message that even in the deepest darkness, God's love shines as a light to offer hope.

Jaye is a homeschool graduate and has been penning stories since the age of eight. She was previously published as Molly Evangeline. You can learn about her latest writing projects at www.jayelknight.com.

Social Media Links

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Series Page

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+ Author Page

Google+ Series Page

YouTube

Author Blog

Series Blog

How to Get Healthy (In 5 Not-So-Easy Steps)

Speaking of posts with lists...

Every so often I come to a realization that I'm unhealthy. I do something about it (exercise and eat less) for about a month...

...until this thing tells me it's not having enough of an effect and I give in to my craving of the day.

With that in mind, I have come up with a short list to help us get healthy.

1.) Join a gym - with a friend. "Do you want to go to the gym today?" can be a big motivator on the days when you really don't want to.

(If there are no friends in your area, join it anyway. Paying the monthly fee is a pretty good motivator, too.)

2.) Create an account on SparkPeople (or any calorie-counting site). Input every food and drink you have. Repeat daily.

3.) Invest in a SparkPeople tracker (other trackers work, too, but for the features it has this is the best value I know of). This counts your steps and how often you're active (moving for 10+ minutes) throughout the day. It gives you an initial goal of 6,000 steps (~3 miles), but you can tweak that to your own goals. I was surprised at how little I moved throughout the day, and have made a conscious effort to walk more - even on "non-exercise" days.

This helps me get my steps in when I'm working at my desk.

4.) Fill your fridge with fruits, veggies, and lean meats (turkey and chicken are filled with protein and few calories). If most of what you see when you open the door is healthy, you're more likely to reach for it. (That's my theory, anyway.)

But don't completely cut out those unhealthy foods you love! I have something yummy and unhealthy just about every day...sometimes multiple unhealthy foods in a day. As long as it's a small portion, I'm within my calorie range, and I've had enough protein and fruits/veggies, why not? (It also saves me from craving-binges.)

5.) Find something fun that still gets you to move. For me, that's swimming, biking, and (a recent discovery) yoga. I also love to dance.

I started getting serious in March this year, and I have done each of these steps. My results on the scale haven't been great. I keep trying to hide the dumb machine and not think about it, but there isn't a hiding place in my room I don't already know about. (I suppose it would help if I asked someone else to hide the thing.)

But it's not about the scale right now. I can tell I've gotten stronger. My endurance is up. My pants are looser. Everything but the scale says this is working. That thilly scale doesn't know what it's talking about.

Do I want to go to the gym today? Not particularly - but I will. My friend is meeting me there.

Workspaces

Where do you do your writing (or working or creating)?

I have this great desk, so you'd think I would use it. And I do - sometimes.

  

But sometimes I use this: a blanket fort...

...created from chairs, a sheet, and lots of pillows and blankets.

Right now I'm sitting up in bed and writing. Often I'll be in the living room, in my mom's comfortable chair. When the weather is nice, I sit on the deck (or, when I'm feeling extra outdoorsy, on the grass).

What is your workspace like? Do you move as much as I do?