Juliana Haygert

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Categories: Blog Hop, RTW

RTW: My inspiration …

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 images inspire/ represent your WIP or favorite book?

 

Hey guys and gals! It’s been a while! I was busy, you know, moving from Brazil to the US, but now I’m here and things are settling down, so I’m able to rejoin the RTW fun ;)

On to the week’s topic.

My problem to this question is that I have no defined WIP at the moment.

I’m revising Destiny Gift, I’m drafting Energy, and my mind wanders off to other nameless two ideas. Yes, you could day Energy is the one I’m writing now, but I only chose it because I needed to get my creative juices flowing since I didn’t write for almost two months (because of the move).

The ideal schedule would be finish revising Destiny Gift, but I thought that writing something new would be more helpful ;)

So, yeah, let’s stay with Energy—by the way, that’s how I’m calling the manuscript since it has no title yet.

Here are the images I like to look through when writing it:

(because we need a hot guy daily dose, right?)

 

Yeah, Energy is a mix of Mayan stuff and aliens and technology  ;)

And, because I love to bend the rules, I’m adding the song I like to associate my WIP with:

Did you like it? Do my images and song inspire you too?

Cheers,

Categories: Blog Hop, RTW

RTW: Words we can’t live without

 

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 words do you absolutely hate? Which ones do you adore?”

 

HATE: nevertheless, just (though I use it A LOT), babe, slime, fart, hubris, alas, mishap, jealousy, moist

ADORE: adore, scarlet, starstruck, mythology, believe, dream, dance, ocean, light, butterfly, euphoria

 

I confess I’m not sure I chose those words for their spelling or their meaning … probably both. And I found out it’s way easier to come up with words I love than remember words I hate lol I’m sure both are ever growing lists, though.

What I hate is when people abbreviate every single word they type on social media. Okay, if you gotta do it once or twice to fit your thought into a tweet, but don’t make it a habit, please! It’s so annoying …

PS: I trolled a few posts from my fellow RTW’s participants before concluding mine and picked one or two words from them to add to my lists ;)

 

Your turn. What are the words you love and hate?

Cheers,

Categories: Reading, RTW

RTW: Best Book of January

 

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 January?

 

I’ve read 5 books this month and had post showing them off yesterday.

I tried to catch up with some amazing books of 2011. But to choose only one? Kinda of hard.

So I chose two.

On DYSTOPIAN/FANTASY/PARANORMAL  side:

From Goodreads:

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue–Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is–she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are–and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series–dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

 

And on the CONTEMPORARY side:

From Goodreads:

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far…and almost doesn’t make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won’t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won’t be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge — and over….

 

Did you read these? Did you like them?

What was the best book YOU read in January?

Cheers,

***

Changing subjects, my query is up from critique on Michelle Krys’ blog. You guys are welcome to come and comment ;)

Thanks!

Categories: Blogging, Me, RTW

RTW: It’s secret …

 

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 couldn’t use your own name, what would your pseudonym or penname be?

My real name is Juliana Grutzmacher Haygert Molina (here in Brazil we use two last names, then three when you’re married—it’s the law, what can I do?), but, for styling purpose, I decided to drop Grutzmacher and Molina and go with only Juliana Haygert.

Since Grutzmacher is too complicated, I dropped it at once. Actually, I rarely use it nowadays, only when I have to fill government forms and such lol

I could have gone with Juliana Molina, but I think Haygert is fancier than Molina, at least here in Brazil (my husband, from whom I got Molina, doesn’t think so lol). 

However, if I had to chose a real pseudonym, I would try to pick some really, really catchy, like Dark, Night, Knight, Star, Black, Silver …

Oh, I know, TWILIGHT SPARKLE from My Little Pony! (Come on, I have a 4yo daughter. Of course, I know the names of the ponies … Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna).

Hehehe, I’m kidding. About Twilight Sparkle.

But I would choose something cheesy like Julie Dark, or Julie Night. More important than cheesy, it’s easy to remember, it’s catchy ;)

 

What do you think?

And you? What pseudonym would you chose if you couldn’t use your own name?

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, RTW

RTW: Writing Paradise

 

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:

 

Describe your dream writing retreat. Where would you go? Who and what would you bring?

 

At this moment, I’m on my chair and desk, with my laptop hooked up on a larger screen (because I like BIG screens lol), on a corner of the living room. I tried distancing myself and having my own office room, but this way I can still be with my daughter when she is watching a movie and with my hubby when he is playing video-games.

Not an ideal place to write, but it’s working so far.

 

First, my dream place to visit would not be my dream writing retreat.

This is my dream place to visit:

A little hard to sit down on the sand and write under the hot sun the Egyptian desert, don’t you think?

Alright, then I would choose this place as my writing retreat:

Maldives

The perfect Paradise.

I confess I’m not a sand-and-beach kinda of gal, though I love the ocean. Instead of laying in the sand and sun-bathing, I’m the girl who never gets out of the water ;)

There are many resorts over the crystal-like ocean in Maldives.

Nice, uh?

And I could write on isolated places like this one:

Perfect!

 

I would bring my laptop and my notebooks and pencils (sometimes I just need to brainstorm on paper), chocolate and wine, and maybe some seafood at times (love seafood!), and I would invite my family to come with me on one condition: if I was allowed to have a few hours each day for myself, alone, to write ;)

I bet these resorts cost a fortune though, so I’m better off on my little corner lol

 

Your turn. Tell me about your perfect writing retreat? Or dream vacation?

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, Reading, RTW

RTW: Fave reads of 2011

 

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 were your top five favorite books of 2011?

I didn’t read many books that were published in 2011 because I was trying to catch up with a few goodies that released on previous years, but, since the question leaves that end open, I chose five books that I read in 2011, regardless of when they were published.

But only 5? That’s gonna be hard … I could choose 10 titles easily, but 5 is going to a be problem. Well, here they are (in no particular order):

 

Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

I know, it’s not YA, but again, the question didn’t clarify that end, and I love Richelle Mead’s books. All of them. Besides, this was the last one of the series. Perfect.

 

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Love the world-building and the Graces idea. I have Fire loaded into my kindle. Soon, I’ll get to it!

 

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Oh, such a sweetheart story! I hear Lola is even better. That one is also on my kindle.

 

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Such nice way of dealing with sex during teenager years. Plus, truly engaging ;)

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Wow, such a soul-shattering love story, and a great created world and creatures. Just wow!

 

Honorable Mentions (sorry, I couldn’t leave them out):

 

Touch by Jus Accardo

I’m in love with Kale. Period.

 

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

And I’m in love with Daemon. Period.

 

How about you? What were YOUR top five reads of the year?

Btw, Happy New Year everyone!

Cheers,

Categories: Blogging, E-books, RTW

RTW: The only shopping I like

 

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:

 

Where do you buy most of your books? No one is judging!

 

I buy e-books at Amazon.com.

 

 

*The title of the post refers to buying books as the only shopping I like, cause I hate, HATE shopping. Even clothes, shoes, anything. I love having them, hate going to the mall to shop. 

 

I have a good explanation, though.

When I used to live in the US, I went to Books A Million, which was the bookstore nearest to my house.

When I came back to Brazil, I brought a lot of books, but, within a few months, I had read them all. I wanted to keep reading in English (so I would not lose my English and because I was writing in English). There are a few bookstores here in Brazil who carry a dozen of titles in English, the “original” book, but they charge a lot for it (you know, it’s foreign …).

So each time my husband went to US for work, I ordered 10+ books. Can you imagine the weight of 10+ books on a suitcase? More than once he paid for overweight on his baggage and wanted my neck for it lol

Then the e-books exploded and I saw a solution for my reading … my husband bought a Kindle for me and I started buying books online. Pretty simple, pretty neat.

I do miss the smell and the feel of print books, but at least now I can keep reading without having to wait for my husband’s rare US-trips ;)

When and if I go back to US (to live again!) next year, I’ll probably buy half of the books on a bookstore near to my house (luckily a local one) and the other half on Kindle. You gotta admit that having a hundred books on a small device is kinda of neat for traveling and such.

 

Anyway …

Where do you guys buy books?

Cheers,