Juliana Haygert

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Categories: Blog Hop, RTW

RTW: Best Book of August

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic:

What was the best book you read in August?

 

Without a doubt, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.

From GoodReads

 

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her… but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. Then one of the other contestants turns up dead… quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined. 

 

I gotta say though, I prefer the UK cover:

From GoodReads

 

I write UF and PNR and contemporary fantasy and plain contemporary, but my dream is to write high fantasy. I love Kristin Cashore’s books and now I’m in love with Sarah J. Maas’ books too. One of my best friends, my “Megan”, has read everything I wrote. EVERYTHING! Even my very first manuscript (poor girl, I know). Once, I wrote a high fantasy. Accordingly to my “Megan” it is my most creative book so far, the one with a very different story and twists.

Anyway, if you haven’t read Throne of Glass yet, YOU HAVE TO!

What was the best book YOU read in August?

Cheers,

Categories: Blog Hop, RTW, WIP

RTW: My Love List

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic:

Inspired by Stephanie Perkins’ post on Natalie Whipple’s blog, what is your novel’s “Love List”? (link here)

In Stephanie Perkins’ words:

Whenever I begin a new project, I also begin a list called “What I Love About This Story.” I start by writing down those first ideas that sparked the fires of my mind, and then I add more ideas to it as I discover them during my push through early drafts.

My current WIP, Amber Energy, is told from two POVs. First, we have a girl from a realm called Sitara, who was a fugitive. She was captured and to regain her freedom she needs to complete a mission first: go to Earth and train the new Warden. Then we have the human guy who is the Warden and really doesn’t want to get mixed up with things and issues from other realms since his life is already complicated enough.

Here’s my love list for Amber Energy:

  • kickass heroine with purple streaks on her hair
  • hot and cocky hero
  • ninja bike (heroine’s!)
  • violet scent
  • powers
  • portals
  • crystals
  • other realms
  • homemade food
  • family issues (not that it’s good to have one, personally, but it does make a novel more interesting, don’t you think?)
  • friendship
  • trust
  • team work
  • villains with busy agendas
  • betrayal
  • sacrifices

 

Also, you can see my Pinterest board for Amber Energy—though it’s still under construction ;)

Now tell me, what’s your WIP’s love list?

Cheers,

Categories: Blog Hop, RTW, Sports

RTW: On Sports …

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic:

 In honor of the end of the Olympics, share your favorite sports book!

 

Honestly, I couldn’t remember of any book I read that featured sports. I even went to Goodreads and looked through my lists of books, and found none. I have a couple on my TBR list, like Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, and I even have the book on my kindle, but didn’t read it yet.

Then I remembered one: the entire Harry Potter series — hello, Quidditch? Yeah!

Hehe, just kidding! (not really).

Well, I did read one recently, where there Hero fights MMA. It is a sport, BUT the book is adult, and very, very hot. It’s called Seducing Cinderella by Gina L. Maxwell. Other than that, what I have to say about this book is: wow! I loved the characters. It’s told in dual POV, so you get stuck in deep third with the hero and the heroine and I loved their voices, and the guy, for being a fighter, was always talking about the ring, and punching, and throwing the towel as his analogies. It was super fun.

From GoodReads

 

And you? Which sports books did you read and liked?

Cheers,

 

***

On an unrelated note, have you read my short story at Figment.com? It’s only 4000 words and I would love some feedback! It’s called Into the Darkest Fire and you can read it here.

Categories: Blog Hop, Entertainment, Music, RTW

RTW: Don’t stop the music!

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic:

What music has been your summer soundtrack?

Honestly, it’s hard to pinpoint. I’m ecletic and it depends on my mood—or the scene I’m writing ;)

I have over 3000 songs on my itunes and several playlists on youtube: Witchy | Sex Scenes | Country | Gypsies | Pop | Light Rock | Dance | Eastern Goodness | Assassins | Instrumental

But, thanks to Donelle Lacy, another RTW Highwayer, I found out about these guys two or three (or four?) months ago and can’t get enough:

 

 

A sexy one:

 

And then, watching BigBang videos, I found this song. I love running on the gym with it blasting on my ears:

 

Hopefully, Donelle is getting ready to come visit me in November so we can go to NYC together and go to BIGBANG’s concert!!!

How about you guys? What’s you summer soundtrack?

Cheers,

***

Note: NA Alley is hosting a New Adult pitch contest with agent Lauren Hammond today!

 

Categories: Blog Hop, RTW

RTW: Best Book of July

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

This week’s topic:

What was the best book you read in July?

Easy. The answer is easy.

Source: Goodreads

 

A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?

When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.

Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex’s frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night–but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.

When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he’s hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.

 

Guys, this is NEW ADULT! And a great one, I must say!

Do you like contemporary? Do you like romance and sexual tension? Do you like a drama that makes you cry with the heroine? Then Easy is for you!

 

What was the best book you read in July?

Cheers,

Categories: RTW

RTW: My Next Life …

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

 

This week’s topic:

If you could be reincarnated as any fictional character, which would it be?

 

The answer to this question is a hard one. I want to be so many of the characters I read and watch, and the ones I write … I know I was supposed to choose only one, but I’m cheating, because there’s no way I could choose only one. Even five was hard.

In no particular order:

  • Rose Hathaway from Vampire Academy
  • Katsa from Graceling
  • Dez from Touch
  • Korra from Legend of Korra (Hey, nobody specified it had to be from books!)
  • Nikita from Nikita (the new one from CW)

Noticing a pattern? Yes, all of them are STRONG protagonists. I love a kickass girl who isn’t afraid of showing it and who isn’t defined by her love interest, nor needs love to survive. Sure, they suffered through their stories and I would love to skip those parts when I reincarnate into them ;)

Coincidence or not, if you check out my bio, I have a list of strong heroines I would love to be =P

Your turn. Tell me who would you choose to be?

Cheers,

Categories: Blog Hop, RTW

RTW: Inspiring me …

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival,” where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

 

This week’s topic:

 When you need creative inspiration, where do you go?

 

Wow, it’s been three months since I last participated on RTW. I can’t believe it has been that long. Well, I can’t promise I’ll be here every Wednesday from now on, but I’ll try to ;)

Okay, on to the question.

 

I don’t really have a physical place I go to, especially since I just moved to Connecticut and I’m still figuring the place out ;)

1. Reading. Of course, it’s the most inspiring thing ever to me, be it a CP’s manuscript or a good book on my TBR list. I just can’t live without reading as much as I can’t live without writing.

2. Songs. Especially music videos on YouTube ;) I’m one of those people who does everything, and I mean everything, with music on the background. I have about two dozens of playlists reflecting the moods of my scenes and some are separate by WIP, so, if I’m writing, you bet I’m also listening to music.

3. Movies/TV Series. I like to watch things that are “similar” to what I’m writing so I can see what NOT to do. Not because the movies or tv shows are bad, not, they are usually good, but I don’t want to copy them, even if without meaning to.

4. Pinterest. It’s so fun to create storyboards and check everyone’s pictures and add more and more to my Inspiration board ;)

5. History. I haven’t had a history class or read a history book in ages, but I love history. Especially Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Norse and Chinese. It’s so fun and invigorating to learn how they lived, what they wore, their hobbies, their legends! Oh, Egyptian gods and their “powers” … I have a WIP in that line ;) I have a BA in art studio, but always said that I’ll get a degree in history someday, just because I like it so much.

Sometimes, I also talk about my stories to my husband and one of my best friends, though they have some valid ideas and suggestions, they don’t understand a thing about writing and end up mixing up a few things. But that’s okay. The intention is what counts ;)

Now I want to know about YOU. How do you get your creative juices flowing?

Cheers,