Friday Funny….

A little funny this Friday afternoon, provided by the ever hilarious Ellen DeGeneres (who I HEART so very very much)  I can't take the credit for the find though, because I just stole this from Heather (one of my lovely and super invaluable CP's) who just posted this on our WrAHM facebook page!  You can find her here at Thoughts on Writing, Books, and Other Jibberish.    I literally died laughing, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Ellen Reads 50 Shades of Grey

Bloodlines Winner and New Giveaway...

Congratulations to Emily Rencich (you should have received an email from me) for winning the hardcover copy of Bloodlines by Richelle Mead!  I hope you love this book as much as I do!  


For my newest Giveaway (which will run for 2 weeks again this cycle) we have Wildefire by Karsten Knight.

Every flame begins with a spark.Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

So not only is Karsten Knight HOT and hilarious, he also knows how to write a great attention-grabbing-can't-put-this-down type of book!  And I'd have to say that Wildefire has one of my favorite/the best beginnings of any book I've ever read.  If you want to peruse his website for some awesome fun click here or you can follow him on twitter here.   He also has Embers and Echoes (the sequel) coming out August 28th, 2012.  


For your entertainment:  

Same rules apply, You must be at least 18 to enter (13+ with parental permission) and have a U.S. shipping address.

Ways to Enter

+1 for agreeing to the terms and agreements

+5 for leaving a blog comment

+5 for tweeting about the giveaway (you can also earn additional entries by tweeting every day.)

+5 for following me on twitter @amberafterglow

+10 for following my blog (or for already following)

+25 for linking this giveaway to your blog

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Blatant Hero Worship of Crewel and it's Author Gennifer Albin...

I'm not sure if many of you know this, but I happen to be lucky enough to belong (be a minion*) to an AMAZING mom's writing group (WrAHM) led by Gennifer Albin (our Supreme Overlord**).  For those of you who do not recognize her name, she just so happens to be the author of the much anticipated YA novel, CREWEL. Release date October 16th, 2012.


Description:  


"May Arras flourish at her touch."

For generations, girls known as Spinsters have been called by Arras' Manipulation Services to work the looms and control what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die. Gifted with the unusual ability to weave time with matter, sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys is exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But Adelice isn’t interested. Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

She also had an awe-inspiring query that had seven (yes, count them seven) agents offering representation, and then Crewel started a publishing bidding war. (which as we all know, is every writer's dream)


Genn's Query Letter:

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Is that AMAZING or what?

Well back to my story.  The WrAHM's might have been a bit unrelenting (see annoying) in their greedy pursuit to get their hands on a much coveted ARC (but come on what else are good minions supposed to do.)  As it was, a certain WrAHM (cough, me, cough) might have suggested a sharing tree, where we all go on a list and cycle the book between us until it finally ends back into Genn's hands.  Needless to say, she finally relented, and I happened to fall #1 (I actually signed up as Genn was still making the sheet) on the much desired list.  

So friday afternoon came (precisely 2:00pm) and I found a lovely package in my mailbox.  It might have inspired a screeching awkward happy dance, but I'll spare you the details.  And I also may or may not have immediately taken a picture and posted it onto our WrAHM page with the tag line, "Ok not to brag or anything, but look what I found in my mailbox today!"

I managed to finish Crewel by 3:00am, due, in part, to the gentle (see threats) of my fellow minions.  And in short is was incredible!  I loved the MC Adelice! Her spunk, sarcasm, sassiness, and strength won me from the start.  I was immediately invested in the ordeals she must face.  I hurt when she hurt, laughed at her quick wit, and lusted after a certain someone right along with her.  I also hated someone with a fiery passion, and cringed every time another strode into a scene.  The ending killed me in such a good way, and I cannot wait until book 2!  

Genn is a masterful story weaver, and I would greatly recommend that you all preorder or add this to your To Be Read list!  You will not be disappointed!

In fact, I'm a bit sad that I have to give it up, but I could never deny the other minions their chance to bask in our Supreme Overlord's greatness!

   Me clutching Crewel to my Save Ferris clad chest. (And if you don't know what that is in reference to, then I am about to die a slow and painful death.  But before I die there will be so much pity…yes so much pity!)

You can follow Genn at www.genniferalbin.com, and I'm also going to include the link so that you can also add the Crewel countdown widget to your blog here.

And for your listening pleasure, my favorite ear candy at the moment.

*we are highly loved and cherished minions.  

** Genn is an extremely good-natured Supreme Overlord, and has kindly allowed us to keep calling her this.

Ripple Winner and New Giveaway...

Congratulations to Sallie Mazzur (you should have received an email from me) for winning the hardcover copy of Ripple by Mandy Hubbard!  I hope you like this book as much as I did!

Before I move on to the newest giveaway, I need to acknowledge that while I will still be hosting giveaways, I'll be taking a mini break from the blog.  With the invalid (aka the Hubs) still incapacitated, it's just too hard to keep up.  Between critiquing and finishing my own edits, it has proven to be too much.  So for the time being the blog is going to be mostly fluff.  Hope you still continue to follow and bear with me!


Also if you want a really good series, A-Z Blogging on the ins and outs of writing, (seriously I don't miss a single post) check out Daisy's blog at Fresh As A Daisy.  Believe me you won't regret following her…EVER!


And please don't forget to check out Carrie's giveaway of  A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink at Where I Get Wordy.


Ok, now onto my newest giveaway (which will run for 2 weeks this cycle) we have Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.

The first book in Richelle Mead's brand-new teen fiction series - set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.


Same rules apply, You must be at least 18 to enter (13+ with parental permission) and have a U.S. shipping address.

Ways to Enter

+1 for agreeing to the terms and agreements

+5 for leaving a blog comment

+5 for tweeting about the giveaway (you can also earn additional entries by tweeting every day.)

+5 for following me on twitter @amberafterglow

+10 for following my blog (or for already following)

+25 for linking this giveaway to your blog

a Rafflecopter giveaway


P.S. Sorry about the spacing issues, but Blogger is sucking tonight!