I’m a great starter.

Really! I can start just about anything. A story, a novel, a script… a course, a craft, a project… a choreography, a game, a cleaning task…

…but finishing?

That’s another story entirely. I’ve recently come to the realization that… I’m terrible at finishing.

I don’t start and then stop on purpose.

I might get bored. Or frustrated. Or confused. Or need help. Or not know what to do next. Or distracted. Or overwhelmed. Or mess it up so badly I don’t even want to continue.

But that’s a terrible way to go through life. If I keep starting and never finish, how will I accomplish anything? Well, I’ll accomplish plenty of small things, but nothing substantial. Half a substantial project is still incomplete.

I’m trying to make a concerted effort to see things through once they’re started, but it’s hard changing one’s lifelong habits.

First on the list? Finishing this A-to-Z Challenge…

Is there anything you’re struggling to finish right now?

The Espressologist

by Nancy Springer

Contemporary YA

Release Date: October 2009

Synopsis (Amazon.com):

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology.

So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

My Thoughts:

What a cute little story! Jane, who works at a Starbucks-esque cafe, is bored one day and decides to start writing down her observations of what customers are like based on the kinds of drinks they order. Out of the blue, she gets the idea that maybe certain types of people (based on their drink orders) would be perfect matches for other people, and starts playing cupid with her customers. In an interesting turn of events, suddenly Jane is matchmaking by the hundreds, while doing her best to juggle school, her own crushes, and her best friend’s unexpected happiness over a new boyfriend.

The premise is simple, the plot predictable, and the characters not as entirely well-rounded as one might find in a longer contemporary YA. But that doesn’t make it any less sweet, fun, or delightful to read. You can see the twists coming a mile away, but because this is a simple romantic comedy of sorts, we know exactly who to root for, and exactly who needs their comeuppance–and it’s still worth it when it happens!

It’s certainly an HEA type of story, but one that provides plenty of smiles and "feel-good" moments along the way. A quick read, but worth it.

About the Author

Kristina Springer is the author of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, and the forthcoming JUST YOUR AVERAGE PRINCESS (fall 2011). She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and she resides in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and children.

“Disenchantment, whether it is a minor disappointment or a major shock, is the signal that things are moving into transition in our lives.”

– Sir William Throsby Bridges

Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges

…just something to think about.

Anyone taking any interesting writing courses this spring / summer?

It’s been awhile since I’ve taken one, but I took the plunge and signed up for “Intensive Creative Writing” with Brian Henry (his website is also linked on the sidebar of this blog). Brian Henry had a big influence on author Kelly Armstrong’s development, and from what I’ve seen she speaks very highly of his courses and ability to help writers think critically about their work.

I’m hoping this course is what I need to re-jumpstart my stalled writing. I did so well for 3/4ths of last year, but then the stress and other commitments kicked into high gear, and writing hit the backburner.

That’s got to change!

So, here’s hoping.

If you’re in Southern Ontario and free on Friday afternoons, come join me!!!

For the past few years, I’ve been piling books in various locations around the house. There are shelves in the basement, but they’ve been double and triple stacked, with more books on the top, and piles on top of those.

Upstairs, there have been books on the coffee table, under the coffee table, inside the hutch (which we bought for appliance storage… oops!), on the kitchen table, in the office, on two different desks, on the floor of the office, in the bedroom, in the bathroom, under the couch… books everywhere!!! I spent my life in fear that one of these days, I’d wake up being smothered under a pile of fallen books, trapped, with no one to hear my screams because I’d probably just read whatever book was closest until I ran out of oxygen… heh…

Anyway, a few weeks ago, El Husbando finally said “ENOUGH!” and we went out and bought five new bookcases from Ikea. FIVE. Those big Billy ones.

And, umm, you know what?

They’re all full.

Oh, crap.

There’s a tiny bit of space on one shelf that we took a few books off of, that’ll fit about… oh, I don’t know… thirty to forty more books. That’s counting the twenty or so I have out on loan to various friends and family members. Plus the five next to me at the kitchen table. And the two that came from the Scholastic book order. And the three I got with a coupon last week.

There is literally nowhere else we can put bookshelves. The house is full. And, uh, I have another gift certificate I need to use…

…solution?

Clearly, I need a bigger house.

Please, share your book storage woes (and solutions) with me!!! I can’t be the only one with this kind of, uh, “issue’”…

I used to hate April 1st. I still do, in some ways.

The problem is that people tend to take “April Fool’s Day” seriously in a way that benefits only the person pulling the prank—not in a way that makes the pranker and the prankee laugh together over the joke, and move on with their day in good spirits.

Mean-spirited pranks often seem “harmless” to the one pulling the prank, because they think their idea is so awesome that if the person being pranked gets upset, they have no sense of humor, or they’re the mean ones, etc..

I’ll be honest, I can’t remember ever being pranked in this way… probably because I made such angry faces at everyone when they mentioned April Fool’s Day, that they feared I might punch them in the nose if they tried anything.

But here’s the kicker: April 1st is the anniversary of the first date I went on with (now) El Husbando (for first-timers to the blog—yes, that’s my husband, it’s just a million times more fun to say it with a terrible Spanish accent… that’s right, a MILLION… I did the math).

Yeah, I wondered that night whether the whole thing was a joke at my expense. Even while on the date, I think I mentioned my hatred of April 1st and threatened bodily harm, should he attempt any stupid jokes only by virtue of the calendar date.

And, aside from giving away the ending to two sci-fi series that I had yet to finish watching (I’m not still bitter, noooo, *ahem*), no pranks were involved and the evening went remarkably well (obviously, I mean, we’re married now… ).

I guess my point is that even crappy days and stupid traditions can be redeemed. If you hate a particular day of the year, it’s never too late to do something FANTASTIC on that day—even if everyone else thinks you’re a little weird for it—because then, from that year forward, it’ll be the anniversary of something happy instead of being a day of anger / disappointment / bitterness.

Yes, that applies to Valentine’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, and whatever other day you just might happen to hate.

Get out there, and make it your own! You never know what random happiness might be around the corner.

In the meantime, anyone have any good April Fool’s Day memories to share?

I just signed up for the A to Z Blogging Challenge.

What the heck was I thinking?!?!

Mostly, that it’s about time to breathe some life back into this blog, and I need some serious motivation to do so.

So, come back here April 1st and, if you like what you see, keep visiting! There’ll be a new post almost every day (not Sundays, with the exception of the first day), for as long as I can keep it  up.

And hey, why not join me? You know you wanna…

*clears throat*

*taps microphone*

      *winces at feedback*

“Welcome, welcome, everyone… grab a coffee, have a cookie or two, and sit right down! Today we have the delight of hosting author Aubrie Dionne on her virtual book tour—some of you may remember her from last August, when she stopped in to promote her first full-length science-fiction novel, Paradise 21.

And guess what? It’s sequel time! And, if that’s not enough for you, we have a prequel novella to celebrate as well! It’s a two-in-one release celebration—something for long-time readers, and something for those of you new to the series.

But that’s enough talk from me, you want to meet the author!

Thanks for joining us today, Aubrie! It’s great to have you back here at Literary Coldcuts on Toasty Buns.

So tell us: a novel and prequel novella both released this month… how does it feel? Do you have an elated sense of accomplishment, or do you just want to lie down and sleep for a month?”

“I’m very excited! I wrote them at different times (thank goodness) But, Entangled thought it would be great to release them at the same time, since they are companion novels following one of the characters in each book. I’m hoping to draw in readers to the series by offering a cheaper ebook as a prequel.”

”I like the way you think! Sneaksy, I say! Plus, everyone loves prequels. That said, in terms of putting together a sequel, when it came to the writing process was there anything you found easier or more difficult when it came to writing the Tundra 37? How did the process compare to writing Paradise 21?”

“I wanted to make it even better than Paradise 21. You know what they say about sequels not being as good. So, I tried to delve deeper and go further with the plot and all of the characters in it. This book is longer and more complex, but still has the action, adventure, and romance that the first one did.”

*sips coffee*

*nods sagely*

“Of course, of course. But let’s cut to the chase: Inquiring minds want to know—which of your heroines do you think you’d get along with best, Aries or Gemme? Or maybe Skye?”

“Gemme, of course, because she’s the tamest one of the bunch. The other two might just dominate my personality or scare me! Gemme is sweet and kind-hearted and would be a great person to take to the mall on a day off!”

“A nice person on an ice planet? That seems almost cruel! Though I haven’t read it yet, I’m looking forward to reading your description of the ice planet, and I’m wondering… are you the kind of author who gets really into character while writing? I guess what I mean is, did you find yourself feeling sympathetically cold during the writing process?”

*shivers just thinking about being cold*

*looks at Faith like she’s crazy because she lives in Canada and is supposed to be used to the cold*

“Living in NH, I’m cold from November until March! I wear pants underneath my dress, long underwear, two sweaters, gloves, a hat…you name it. and I’m still cold. So, I have a lot to draw on for Tundra 37!”

“Well, I’m just glad your fingers haven’t fallen off yet… er, anyway, what’s up next in the New Dawn series? Will we see a return of familiar characters, or meet new faces, or should we just hold our collective breath and be surprised?”

“I’m editing the next novel in the series: Haven 6. This one ties in everything from the first three books. You’ll get to find out what happened to Aries and Striker, meet the bird-alien people that hatched from the eggs, and get answers to the mysterious golden swirls in the orb in Tundra 37. The final battle is epic, and I hope the conclusion is satisfying!”

“Fantastic! Who doesn’t love epic battles???”

*stares around the room*

“Just one more question for today, Aubrie, since I’m curious and like to know these things: What are you reading right now?”

“I just finished an awesome book called Lockdown: Escape from Furnace about a boy who’s incarcerated for a murder he didn’t commit. It’s like the Shawshank Redemption crossed with a horror movie all in one. I loved it.”

”Oooh! I haven’t heard of that one! I’ll have to look it up. Well, thanks so much for joining us today, Aubrie, and best of luck on the rest of the blog tour… and with those edits!”

“Thanks for having me here today, Faith! Great questions!”

*taps mic*

“If anyone here today is interested in obtaining a copy of any of Aubrie’s books, just go ahead and click the links below—and stay tuned for reviews of Tundra 37 and A Hero Rising in the coming weeks!”

Paradise 21 (A New Dawn, Book #1)

Tundra 37 (A New Dawn, Book #2)

A Hero Rising (A New Dawn, Book #3 Prequel)

About Aubrie

Aubrie is an author and flutist in New England. Her stories have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, A Fly in Amber, and several print anthologies including Skulls and Crossbones by Minddancer Press, Rise of the Necromancers, by Pill Hill Press, Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night by Nightbird Publishing, Dragontales and Mertales by Wyvern Publications,A Yuletide Wish by Nightwolf Publications, and Aurora Rising by Aurora Wolf Publications. Her epic fantasy is published with Wyvern Publications, and several of her ebooks are published with Lyrical Press and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. When she’s not writing, she plays in orchestras and teaches flute at Plymouth State University and a community music school.

http://www.authoraubrie.com
http://authoraubrie.blogspot.com

Chasing Mona Lisa

by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey

Historical Fiction

Release Date: January 2012

Synopsis:

One enigmatic smile. Two passionate protectors. And a relentlessly ticking clock.

August 1944. Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country and steal countless pieces of irreplaceable art. In fact, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all—the Mona Lisa—as a postwar bargaining chip.

But the woman with the mysterious smile has some very determined protectors. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action and intrigue, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get your adrenaline pumping as you join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh Swiss chateau, the race is on–and the runners are playing for keeps.

My Thoughts:

I received this book for the purpose of a review, otherwise it’s unlikely I would have picked it up. I don’t typically read books set during either World War (I’m not sure why, but I just don’t find them enjoyable), but I thought this one sounded interesting. It’s a story about the liberation of art from the Germans after the occupation of Paris, specifically the flight of the Mona Lisa ("La Joconde") from Paris to Amsterdam and back to Paris as a team of individuals struggled to keep it out of the hands of a German officer.

The story focuses on two couples — a pair of Swiss spies who get wrapped up into the drama on a medical-supply delivery mission — and a Resistance fighter and a museum curator. They’re likable enough characters, but I can’t say I particularly connected with either couple. I found the Swiss couple much more realistic in their motives and actions, and if I remember correctly, there’s another book by this writing team that continues their story.

The other couple — Bernard and Colette — don’t have quite the expected ending, and things are left a little unresolved (but if I say why, I’ll give away some crucial information, so I’ll let you read that for yourself). As a result, I found the book less compelling than I’d hoped.

Because I don’t have a lot of experience with WWII novels, I don’t have much to compare it to in terms of quality or storytelling. It was a fast read with decent plot & characters, and plenty of historical detail. I think people who look for historical detail in this kind of fiction will be pleased, but I wish the authors had included a note at the end (as some authors do) explaining which parts were based on true events and which were creative license. I know that there were problems with precious pieces of art falling to the Germans (and efforts to keep other pieces out of their hands), but was this book based on a true story? I have no idea.

Either way, not bad. Not wonderful, but probably a fair read for someone interested in the period and the subject matter.

About the Authors

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW’s Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas.

Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courierand the bestselling Every Man’s Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.