Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Winners!

I know, no one really likes to read these post besides whether or not they won, so I'll get right to it, but first, HAPPY FRIDAY!

The winner of Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White is:

Erinberry

The winner of The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard is:

Holly

The winner of The Kingdom by Jennifer M. Barry is:

Andreat78

The winner of The Demon Trapper's Daughter is:

heather

The winner of Haven by Kristi Cook is:

Erinberry

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Congratulations to all the winners! Thank you to everyone who entered! But if you didn't win this time, don't worry, there will be plenty more coming from BOB!

All winners have been emailed and notified!



Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend! Fill it up with lots of reading!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 12

WOW! My two weeks are up! My 17th birthday bash is coming to a close! Ah! Well, it surely was a lot of fun! I enjoyed every single author guest post that I recieved, all the comments, all the birthday wishes! All of it was very exciting! My first two weeks being a seventeen year old was awesome to share with you all! So, you all know that when something comes to an end you gotta go out with a bang right? Well, I don't really know how a bang should go - so my version of a bang is answering everyone's questions that I did not answer! Eek! Hopefully that doesn't make for an extremely boring post.
Question from Lexus Salvatore: How can you possibly befriend Akasha Hale?Answer from Momo: Better question - how can you possibly NOT befriend Akasha Hale?
Question from Ivy: Joke: How do you wake up Lady Gaga?   Answer from Momo: Otay, so I'm super bad with jokes; whenever someone tells me a joke, I don't ever guess unless I know the answer for sure. So, same goes with this one - I don't know. But since Ivy can't respond back and give me an answer, I'll try google lol! *googles* AHAHA! OMG! The answer is HI larious! → Poke her face! WOW!
Question from Gina: I want to know what your first favorite book was? What did you like about it?Answer from Momo: My first favorite book? Making my brain work! Hmm, well I'm going to cheat a bit and include quite a few books only because I'm not sure if they're my first favorite book! I mean, yeah easily I can say Twilight, but if I think and dig further back, The Charlie Bones Series by Jenny Nimmo was pretty amazing, same with the A Series of Unfortunate Event books by Lemony Snicket. I enjoyed The Charlie Bones series because it had so much adventure and it had me hooked on the series! As of now, I don't think the series is even complete yet, which means I need to continue reading it! The latter series I enjoyed a lot too although at times I felt like the story line for each book was becoming repetitive! Now, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer - just that book alone - I love it for so many reasons! I think the number one reason is because it's the first book in a long time that I read and enjoyed very much that made me want to read and devour every book in my path. Honestly, just the emotions, the torture-brooding Edward, just everything - I loved every single inch of the book! And even to this day, it remains as my number one favorite book!
 Question from Riv Re: I want to ask...what is your most memorable experience in the past 17 years? And, what's your greatest achievement, in your opinion, from the past 17 years?Answer from Momo: I mean, obviously my most memorable experience in the past 17 years of my whole entire existense was when I got to see The Maine live! It totally made me hungry for more of that kind of excitement in life! As for greatest achievement, in my opinion, from the past 17 years - hmm. . . *cricket cricket* Lol, kidding, I'd have to say when I made it to the Spelling Bee in my 6th year of school. I made it up to the top 6 out of I don't know how many people, lol! You wanna know one of the words I mispelled? Medicine. Yeah! I know, right?! How could I have possibly spelled that wrong?! I'll tell you just how I spelled it. Medecine. *jaw-drop!* I know! #MomoFail
Question from Sasha S: What was the first book you ever read? Or remember reading?

Answer from Momo: The first book I ever remember reading? Ack, can't remember that one. But as for the first question, again, I'm going to have to cheat and include about two books in here. One would have to be Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault and the other one is The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. Yep! Grade school books! I still remember them! Especially The Rainbow Fish book - the shiny scales on the pictures of the fish, oh man! 

  

Alrighty! Those are all the questions! So, was that a bang or no? Eh, otay, fine I guess not! ;) Onto the last guest post of my totally awesome birthday bash! This is one of my most favorite guest post, everything that I was looking for! Stick around and read through it all! I know, I know, I know! I already made you stick through reading all the awesome questions and my boring responses but this guest post should make up for it!

So remember how I posted a while back about how I was feeling bittersweet about turning 17 and leaving 16 behind? Well, surely after reading this post, I felt extremely better and I felt happy and excited to be 17! So, without further delay!
 The In-betweenBy: Sang Kromah, Author of ConcealedFor: Books over Boys
                We commonly acknowledge the importance of becoming sweet at sixteen. I mean, it gets no better than the year you can finally forego the dependency of being dropped off by some adult or hoping you call shot gun fast enough, so you won’t have to ride back seat. Or wait, maybe it does get better at eighteen, the year you finally reach the finality of adulthood, vote, and make your own decisions. But what about the transitional period in-between the sweetness of sixteen and the inevitability of adulthood? What about seventeen?
Isn’t there some cute adjective for seventeen or something cool about it, besides the fact that you can finally see R-rated films without being embarrassingly handheld by an adult?
I’m going to let you all in on a little secret that the creators of the sweet sixteen and the eighteenth birthday have been keeping from you. Your seventeenth is your most important birthday, because it begins your year of transition…your in-between.
Rarely can we grow or make a move without going through a transitional space or time. Around the world, there are myths and legends about in-betweens—you know, the transitional times and places.  When asked, most people list shorelines, twilight, the edges of forests, or even doorways as the most common in-betweens, forgetting an in-between that every person encounters, their seventeen year. These are the most magical times and places. They’re unstable…unpredictable. Let’s think of them as doorways to the extraordinary.
             Seventeen is an age of discovery. An age where you are not quite a child, yet not quite an adult either. I can’t speak for any other writers of YA, but the magic behind the number seventeen is what prompted me to create a character, whose saga begins at the edge of seventeen—her year of enlightenment. Its importance may not be rammed down our throats like the sixteenth and eighteenth year, but its importance is all around us. So instead of it being the bitter-sweet year before you have to put childish things away, let’s think of it in these terms:

• For an entire year, there will be an entire magazine devoted to your seventeenth year
• In the Harry Potter universe, seventeen is the coming of age for wizards
• In the first book of the Twilight Saga, the protagonist, Bella is seventeen when her life truly begins in Forks
• There's even a movie about being 17 Again, because let's face it, I wouldn't want to be 16 again
• Kid Rock - in his own twisted way - alludes to the importance of seventeen when he sings, 'She was 17 but she was far from in between' in his song "All Summer Long."

               The coolness factor of seventeen could go on forever, but the fact is, seventeen is a year of remembrance, discovery, and magic. You remember the importance of your childhood (not anyone else’s), discover who you are or what you aspire to be, and hold on to that magic in order to be the kind of adult that YOU want to be, without letting anyone else define YOU. So, let’s coin the seventeenth birthday, the year of the in-between.

               

                All in all, I guess I’m trying to say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMO!

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I love that post! Whenever I feel down in my 365 days of being seventeen then all I need to do is read this! :) Well, this is it! I hope every single one of you enjoyed all the author guest posts, all the giveaways, and all my weirdness! *___*

The entire schedule for all the greatness that occurred over these two weeks can be found here! Don't forget to enter the giveaways if you haven't already!

REMINDER: tomorrow author Savita Kalhan will be stopping by the blog for an interview and a giveaway so tune back in for that load of awesomeness!

And if you're still here, reading to the very end of this post, then seriously, pat yourself on the back! YOU ROCK! :) iloveyou!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 11

Okay, so you are probably wonderiny why I have this picture here. You're also probably thinking that it has nothing to do with celebrating or birthdays whatsoever! BUT, let me explain - I was googling pictures and I decided to look up ballons, cause you know, balloons...birthdays...celebrations - it just goes together! Anyway, I googled images and this one popped up and I just had to share! Love it! And the clouds → Gorgeous!

OMG! Another thing! Hot-air balloons! Yesterday in my chemistry class we were taking notes about gases and my chem teacher had this one picture of a hot-air balloon as the background image in his powerpoint and the same thing came to mind when I saw this picture! Okay, remember that Barney movie - the one about the egg? → → → → → →

Remember that scene where they're at the field of all the hot-air balloons? OMG! It looked exactly like this picture! AAAHH! Don't laugh! I loved Barney when I was growing up! That was definitely one of my most favorite Barney movies! :)

Today I have an awesome guest post! One that made me smile from ear to ear! You'll definitely want to stick around for this one! And you'll want to read the whole post, I mean you'd want to anyway without an incentive! #justsayin :)

A letter to my 17-year-old self…..

Hey, this is older-you here (cue the creepy music….).  I thought I’d pop in and tell you some stuff that you might find helpful.  Of course, knowing you (or should I say me?), I’m sure you won’t listen, but I’ll give it a try anyway—‘cause I’m like that, you know.  Persistent.  Which turns out to be a good thing, actually. 



Kristi Cook at 17 years old :)

Anyway, I know seventeen seems like a pretty “forgettable” birthday—I mean, it isn’t the “sweet sixteen” and it’s not the “big eighteen,” but hey, eighteen pretty much turns out to be not such a big deal, anyway.  Okay, you get to vote at eighteen (which is way cool!), but other than that?  Not such a biggie.  But seventeen means senior year, and trust me, being a senior is way better than not being a senior. 

But here’s the important stuff—you know that guy you’re dating?  The one you think is so awesome and amazing, the one you spend pretty much every spare minute of your time with?  Well, in twenty years, you won’t even remember his name.  Seriously.  Which is kinda funny, actually, because you’re going to read a historical romance novel this year—Whitney, My Love—and in twenty years, you will remember the name of that book’s hero (Clayton Westmoreland—see?).  And you know your current all-time favorite book, Gone With the Wind?  It’s still your favorite book, twenty years later.  Which kinda proves the saying “Books over Boys,” doesn’t it?!

You’ve got a lot of big decisions coming up—where to go to college, what to study, what career path you follow.  Here’s a little secret: don’t stress too much about it!  Twenty years from now, nobody will care where you went to college.  And what you studied?  It pretty much has nothing to do with any of the careers you’ve had.  And yeah, I said “careers,” plural, because you’re going to have a few.  You’re going to reinvent yourself, over and over again.  And you know what? There’s nothing wrong with that.  You are not defined by one career—you are the sum of all your experiences put together. 

What’s most important is that you spend the next few years enjoying the freedom you have to discover yourself, to try out as many different paths as you’d like, to discover who you are and who you want to be.  In college, make sure you learn to think critically, to write well, to manage your time wisely.  Because those are the skills that are going to matter the most a few years down the road. 

So slow down, take more time to enjoy the scenery.  Know that the decisions you make now (even those that feel as if your entire future hangs in the balance) aren’t really that big a deal in the long run.  Spend more time with your friends, and not with the guy-who-will-be-forgotten (yes, I realize he’s hot—just trust me on this!).  Read more.  Play more.  Listen to music more.  Test yourself more.  And relax!  I promise it all works out perfectly in the end (seriously—an awesome husband and two amazing daughters!).

I’ll leave you with this—you know that secret desire of yours, the one you hold close to your heart and don’t tell a soul because it seems like such a crazy pipe dream?  Well, luckily you never let that dream die, and thanks to that persistence I mentioned earlier, you do achieve it.  Here’s a hint: Simon & Schuster (you know, the same folks who, coincidentally enough, published Whitney, My Love all those years ago?).  How cool is that?!

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Okay, so I went a little crazy with all the balloon pictures - but I was so inspired by them at the moment, lol! But yeah, so....? Awesome post or what?! I L.O.V.E. it! Thanks Kristi for the great post and another huge thanks for the picture! I didn't laugh! Promise! *__* Now, my fantabulous ← in case you were wondering, that's fantastic and fabulous combined! I know! I'm a genius! ;) Anyway, my fantabulous readers now get the incredible chance to win a copy of Haven! SQUEE! Remember,

#TeamAide(a)ns! :)

Click on image for goodreads link

Giveaway Guidelines:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter
• Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 31st
• Don't have to be a follower of my blog, but it would be appreciated
• INTERNATIONAL - make sure the Book Depository ships to where you live before entering   
• To enter, fill out this FORM

Good luck and happy reading!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 10 - Part Two

Isn't that picture so cute? I love it! :) So, as I mentioned in the post below here is guest post #2! I'll be answering a couple more questions before you get to it though! :)

Questions from Lauren (365 Days of Reading):

What is the best birthday present you've ever received?
What's the story behind your nickname (Momo)?

Happy Birthday, girl! :)

Answers from Momo:

Eh, I don't want to work my brain too hard by trying to recall the best birthday present of all time so I'll just go with the most recent, which would be my 17th birthday presents, lol! I received a copy of The Crescent and Half Moon by Jordan Deen from my sister (Kiki) and she finished them a couple of weeks earlier and she gushed about them all over my face so when I received them, later that night I got all cozy in bed and started them and by the end of the weekend I had finished both! They're totally amazing...awesome! I'll always remember reading them when I think about my 17th birthday!

Ah! The story behind my nickname! LOL, I knew I'd get questioned about this one day, aha! So like, all my sisters have nicknames - all this happened through emails one day, by the way! My real name is Molly - so we took the first two letters of my name and doubled it...TADA! Momo! LOL! My sister that I mentioned earlier, Kiki - her's is a little tweaked BUT it still works! :) That's basically it, the story behind my nickname! But now, mostly everyone in my fambam calls me Momo, which is pretty awesome because I have a nickname that actually sticks!

Thanks Lauren for asking the questions - you're a totally awesome person! ;)

Question from Books for Company:

What is your biggest childhood memory that you can remember? (10 or younger)

Answer from Momo:

The biggest childhood memory that I can remember? Hmm, I'm not sure if I was ten years old or younger but one memory or rather memories I remember is when my older brother taught my older sister, my nephew, and I to swim! Aha! :) It was during the summer time, I think, and I remember that I always looked forward to when my brother got off work and then all three of us would change into swim gear and get into the 3 ft. pool with our floaters and wait for his instructions, lol! I distinctly remember how he taught us how to hold our breaths under the water and he would hold little contests to see who would last the longest under the water, haha! Good times!

Awh! Thanks for asking the question! Made me nostalgic for a moment! *__*

Sweet 16?

by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Is “Sweet 16” really sweet?

Yes. No.

I remember having a definite sense of crossing the threshold toward adulthood when I was sixteen. I got a job and my driver’s license. I took the SATs and did tons of homework and researched colleges. Since I was seventeen when I started college, sixteen was the preparation year: a time of big decisions and responsibility.

But it was also fun. The nice thing about the high-school (and college) years is that you spend so much time with people your own age. That’s not always true of the post-college working world. In high school I had a group of friends with whom I went to parties and dances. We ate lunch together; we had inside jokes. Sometimes we had laughing fits over nothing.

I was also writing. I had already been writing poems and short stories for years; in high school, I made my first (bad) attempts at novel-length manuscripts. I began sending out stories to try to get them published. (I sold my first one when I was seventeen—but it would be years before I sold the next.)

Sixteen was a mix for me, of incredibly hard work and fun. I don’t buy into that adult nostalgia about teenagers having “no real problems” or “freedom from responsibility.” Working and driving, studying, picking colleges or a post-school career path, choosing the people with whom you spend time, and how you spend that time—those are all huge responsibilities with major consequences. And yet, there is something delicious about knowing that, for most sixteen-year-olds, this is also a time of great possibility. There is so much in front of you, and anything can happen.

Bio: Jennifer R. Hubbard is the author of the young-adult novel, The Secret Year, and the forthcoming Try Not to Breathe. She blogs at http://jenniferrhubbard.blogspot.com/ and http://writerjenn.livejournal.com/

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Thanks Jennifer for the awesome guest post! Now for my fellow readers, here's your chance to win a signed paperback copy of The Secret Year!





Click on image for goodreads link



Giveaway Guidelines:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter
• Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 31st
• Don't have to be a follower of my blog, but it would be appreciated       
• US and Canada Only
• To enter, fill out this FORM

Good luck and happy reading!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 10

Okay, so as you know, I didn't have a post up on Sunday or Monday because my internet went all wacko on me so today I will be posting two separate guest post. I was thinking whether or not I should combine the two but then I figured it might be a little too much to read all at once so the second guest post will come to you a little later in the day! :)

Today, in both posts I'll be answering some more questions that I was asked. I've looked at them over and over again and some of them I really don't know how to answer, but I'll do my best, lol! If I can't answer them, I'll leave it up to you! ;)

Question from Ecey:

How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

Answer from Momo:

Ahah! I love saying this! When I was younger, I used to get so messed up with the words and even til this very day I still don't know if this question has an answer! So....how much wood guys? :)

Question from Loni @ ACasualReader:

What made you get into book blogging?

Answer from Momo:

Hmm, good question! Honestly, what made me get into book blogging - I don't even remember running across the first few blogs that reviewed books. After seeing them, I guess I started to think, "Hey! I would love to share all my thoughts about books after I finished reading them!" Also, even before when I finished a book, I would gush and squeal about them to my sister and sister-in-law and so this blog was created as another outlet for me to gush and squeal and squee about all the awesomeness that comes with reading! I know that there are lots and lots of book blogs out there today that all review books and share their thoughts about them but we're all readers just expressing our love and passion for books! :)

Awesome questions you guys! They made me really think for a second, lol!

I probably shouldn’t admit to most of the things I did at seventeen. I’m what your parents would call “a bad influence.” But, the fact is, I had a lot of fun at seventeen and never crossed the line into illegal, so, really, I don’t think I was that bad. :p

The thing about seventeen is, it’s kind of that transition between childhood and adulthood. It’s when you really start to become who you’re going to be. Seventeen-year-olds are allowed to drive, so society trusts them with a lethal weapon, but not allowed to drink (which is probably a good thing, because, me behind the wheel of a car at seventeen was scary enough without involving alcohol). A lot of life decisions are made at seventeen. Will you go to college? What will you study? Or, will you get a job after high school instead? Doing what? A lot of people graduate high school at seventeen, and many go off to college or out on their own before they turn eighteen. But, what you definitely NEED to do is take time to enjoy being seventeen. You only get to be there once, at that place where responsibility is rushing up to bite you in the butt. It may be your last real chance to be a kid, and you don’t want to miss it.

Happy Seventeenth, Momo! Go PD Mafia!

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Thank you Lisa! PD Mafia - you know it! All the way, baby!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 9

Ahah! Okay, the huge Twilight fan that I am just had to post this picture! It's sooo awesome! :) No Twilight bashing! *___*

Today I want to know a few random things about you...and me in return! :)

First off, what's your current music obsession?

- I usually just go through what's in my ipod. But current obsessions would have to be Natasha Bedingfield's A Little Too Much, and anything by Satellite! I suggest you check out all of their songs! Some of them for example are, Turning On My Own, Saving Us Tonight, Silhouette, and Say the Words!

Also, how's the weather where you are?

- The weather where I am right now is insane! The weather forecast says that it's supposed to rain but as I go throughout my day, it gets hotter and hotter. Towards the evening it begins to get chilly and colder and clouds roll in like it's almost going to rain! Aye! Weather where I am - crazy, indecisive! ;)

And lastly, name 1-3 things you are absolutely looking forward to this year! (3 events -MAXimum!)

- Three events that I am looking forward to the most this year that I'm aware of are 1.) The Script's tour in May! Woot woot! 2.) The Hot Boys with Wings tour coming up in early June with Lisa Desrochers, Leah Clifford, and Courtney Allison Moulton! And 3.) THE MAINE's tour in June! AAAAH! I'm sooo excited for these events! CanNOT wait!

BTW, this is one heckuva guest post! SO awesome!



Speaking the Language of Flowers

By Amy Brecount White

Most people think of giving flowers for romance or for moms on Mother’s Day.  But giving flowers to a good friend is a wonderful gift.  The language of flowers is amazingly rich, particularly if you include herbs in your bouquet.

In my novel, Forget-Her-Nots, my main character Laurel has the gift of flower magic.  Whenever she makes someone a bouquet of flowers and herbs, whatever those plants mean in the language of flowers comes true.  For example, if she gives someone rosemary that will make her remember something important.  If she gives someone snowdrops (which are blooming now!), that will make him feel hopeful.

In the Victorian period, these small, symbolic bouquets were called “tussie-mussies.”  It’s a funny name, but they’re a wonderful gift to give a friend for a birthday, to express sorry, or to boost someone’s confidence.  If things didn’t go according to plan, you could even ask for forgiveness with flowers.  (White tulips are for forgiveness.)  They’re simple to make, and you can often find wonderful fresh flowers and herbs at your local grocery store, including tulips, sweet basil, oregano, and roses.  Florists are also willing to work with you if you explain what you’re doing and why you want only one of several flowers.

Here’s how to make one: 

First, find a language of flowers list.  (There’s one on my website, www.amybrecountwhite.com, and in the back of my novel.)  Choose the flowers and herbs that best express what you want to say and that you can find at the store or in your own garden.  You’ll want six or seven different flowers and herbs.  Arrange them together and tie them up with a rubber band or with floral tape.  I always add a doily or a ribbon at the end, because it really sets off the flowers.  Here’s a shot of a tussie-mussie I made at a presentation last fall.

Be sure to include a card that “translates” your messages in the language.  For example this tussie-mussie includes fern, which means fascination.  You could say something like, “I always find you fascinating” or “Looking forward to fascinating times ahead with you!” 

Recent studies at Rutgers University have demonstrated that receiving flowers can boost your mood for days.  I love seeing the happiness on other people’s faces when I give them flowers, too.  It’s a win-win situation. ;-)

So look around this spring and think about how you can add a few more flowers or blooming herbs to your life.  And to the lives of those you love.

White bellflowers (gratitude) for having me, Momo!!

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Thank you Amy for taking the time to write up such an interesting and awesome post! Now that we understand the language of flowers, here's your chance to win a copy of Forget-Her-Nots!



Click on image for goodreads link



Giveaway Guidelines:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter                                                              
• Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 31st     
• Don't have to be a follower of my blog, but it would be appreciated   
• US Only    
• To enter, fill out this FORM

Good luck and happy reading!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 8

I know, I know, I know! This post is two days overdue! But my lame-o internet's been down. I had no clue why since it said that I had the connection but it just wouldn't let me get anywhere! It's been kind of nice without the internet but I need it back! Hence, here I am! I was being super nice and sweet to my laptop to get it to work! *Shh! Pets laptop!*

Well fellow readers, today I want to know what you do when you get stuck in a reading slump? :) (HEY! That rhymes - or wait, does it?! *__*) In other words, what do you do when you just can't seem to pick up any book and read? Also, why do you think that occurs?

So. . . what can/do you do to remedy that?

About Leaving Sixteen Behind, and Why These Aren't the Best Years of Your Life

You asked me to write a guest blog about turning seventeen and what it means and how it will change your life. So, here goes... There is no permanent record, not that anyone in the outside world cares about at
least. I mean, even if you're convicted of something in court, the records are sealed if you're a juvenile (sidenote: If you're doing stuff that can get you tried as an adult, might wanna reexamine your life choices, just saying.) so don't worry too too much about one little slip up wrecking your life. Another thing you should know is that I'm the very very worst person to go to for advice on being a productive member of society. And lastly, I can't remember a single thing that I specifically think "Oh, that happened when I was _____ years old!" High school for me was kind of hellish, and then I stopped caring what other people thought so much and it got a bit better, but that wasn't until senior year.

Sixteen and seventeen are weird years, because you're old enough to know what you want. Doesn't matter if the thing you want is your college choice, or your future career choice or even moving away from the town you were born in. You know what you want, what will make you happy, what you need. The problem is, unless your plan matches Their Plan, the people in charge of getting you to adulthood usually won't let you do it. You're not allowed to make your own decisions. I hated being told no, especially when I couldn't get Them to see what something meant to me. Nothing made me want something more than having it forbidden.

Keep. That. Feeling. That's my lesson, my advice. Get stubborn.

See, in a few years, months even, someone is going to tell you no. Someone is going to say you're not good enough, smart enough, brave enough to do something you know is the right decision for you. People are going to tell you no and that you can't and they are going to be wrong. Sixteen and seventeen are the years you learn to fight for what you want and who you'll be and right around the corner is eighteen where you get to BE that person. When no one can stop you.

Know that what's the right decision for you, won't always the easy one, and won't always be the one others would want for you. Don't be afraid to make what other people consider mistakes. Me? I took a bunch of "silly electives" my first year of college. My second year I dropped out and moved to Colorado. To this day, they're two of my best decisions. One of those silly electives was a creative writing course where I wrote the short story that turned into A Touch Mortal. When I got to Colorado, I climbed mountains, swam in hot springs, caved and hiked and had more adventures than most people have in their whole lives.

Here's the thing. These aren't the best years of your life. At least, they won't be if you do it right. They're brutal, but they can't be any other way. Of course, you can feel free to prove me wrong. ;)

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 7

Another day! Woot woot! Today I'll be answering a couple of questions!

Question from Farrah (I Eat Words):

Happy birthday!
How many states have you traveled to? :)

Answer from Momo:

Thanks Farrah! How many states? Hmm, I think in my whole lifetime, I've only been to two! And they would be Oregon (when I was young, well younger than I am now) and Nevada (you know, Lake Tahoe and such!).

Question from Akasha Hale:

Do you enjoy eating Tacos? I happen to love and desire Tacos.

Answer from Momo:

Yes, I enjoy eating Tacos very much, BUT only when I haven't had them in a long while, lol! #TacoParty2011

Thanks you two for asking the questions!

Sixteen is a magical age. At least it was for me. My whole life I was excited to be sixteen. There is even an expression about being Sweet Sixteen, like any sixteen year old girl is considered a princess. My mom raised me on musicals and one of her favorites was The Sound of Music. There was that romantic musical number by the oldest daughter singing to her boyfriend about being sixteen going on seventeen. (Incidentally, that scene also inspired my love of gazebos, one of which is placed in my favorite setting in the book.) At sixteen, I had my license and a car. My friends and I could go anywhere we wanted without our parents having to drive us (in theory at least). My parents allowed me to date when I turned sixteen. I thought I'd be dating all the time. I had visions of being all dressed up and waiting to go to school dances with the guy I had a crush on. I was sure that when I was finally of dating age he'd notice me and beg to go out with me. Life didn't really turn out that way but when I was fifteen that's how I imagined it. And even though I now know the reality of being sixteen, it's still a romantic notion in my head. It's a time in life where you are just starting to spread your wings and the world has no limitations yet. You're just starting to really figure out who you are.

In Intrinsical, sixteen-year-old Yara is just starting to develop her 'Waker' abilities, the gift that allows her to see and talk with ghosts. The women in Yara's family have this ability and it's not something she wants to deal with. She wants to think about boys and dances and just hang out with her friend Cherie, but life doesn't always work out that way and her Waker talent develops. She's trying to grapple with being a Waker while still being a normal teenager. Until Yara's first day at Pendrell she had never seen a ghost, let alone tried to communicate with one. When she does encounter one she's been thrown into the deep end of the world of disembodied spirits. Yara is learning and growing right in front of our eyes like any normal teen, while also dealing with a whole slew of supernatural challenges. Whether you see ghosts or not, sixteen can be a magical and scary age.

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OMg! I love The Sound of Music! I totally know which part you're talking about! Thanks for this incredible guest post!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 6



It's been five days since my birthday and I feel no different. Like they say, age is nothing but a number . . .  right?

Welcome Jana Oliver, author of The Demon Trapper's Daughter!

Turning seventeen is a truly a new chapter in one’s life and I think that’s why authors often choose that age for their characters. Seventeen-year-olds come with some truly great personal armor: they are sure they are immortal and that fearlessness allows a character to take on situations that would scare an older person out of their mind. There might be some personal insecurities, but those are often overcome by sheer guts. Teens have a drive, an intensity, a zest for learning how life really works and dealing with it in their own terms.

Looking back in my own life, seventeen is that that final deep breath before taking on the adult world. At that age you’re not good at reading the tea leaves. Will your future be awesome or sucky? (I’ll give you a hint: it’ll be a mixture of both. Some of it will be so amazing you can’t believe it’s your life. Other parts make you wish it was someone else’s.) Some days you think you own the world. Other days, not so much. That’s the basis for great story – a character taking on life while learning who he or she really is.

So Happy Birthday and welcome to another year in your life. May it be truly incredible!

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Thank you Jana Oliver for that amazing post! I enjoyed it very much! :) And now for all my awesome *big smile* readers! I have another giveaway for you! A signed copy of The Demon Trapper's Daughter! SQUEE!



Click on image for goodreads link



Giveaway Guidelines:

• Must be 13 years or older to enter
• Giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 31st
• Don't have to be a follower of my blog, but it would be appreciated
• US Only 
• To enter, fill out this FORM

Good luck and happy reading!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 5

Today is day 5 of my birthday bash - it's almost like celebrating my birthday straight for two weeks! LOL! How awesome is that?! Alrighty, so today I'll be answering a couple more questions that I was asked.

Question from Aleetha:

How long does it take for you to write for one review?

Answer from Momo:

Hmm, not long. I usually hesitate when it comes to writing my reviews because I just want to gush all about the book but then I have to put all my jumble thoughts into coherent words and make sense so . . . maybe an hour at the most. If I start to get stuck then I save it and come back to it when I have my mind back in one piece! ;)

Question from Hannah:

What got you started on reading?

Answer from Momo:

Well, I've always been a reader at heart - especially in the fifth grade; I was reading books like crazy. When I reached middle school my thirst for reading went away. I was never in this kind of reading craze like how I am now until, yes, you guessed it, until I picked up Twilight :) Twilight reminded me why I love reading! The joy, the emotions, the rush, the adrenaline - gawh! Everything about reading - it's my own personal high!

Thanks Hannah and Aleetha for asking me those awesome questions! I had a lot of fun answering them! *__* (Sidenote: Do I say AWESOME too much?! Oh well, I love that word! HA!)

And now, I'd like to present to you all, Leanna Renee Hieber!

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Thinking of my sixteenth year, I’m filled with memories of both happiness and failure. Happiness because I was finally coming into my own at school, coming out of my awkward shell, I was noticed as a theatrical talent and cast in leading roles in my drama department. (At the time I was also passionately writing a novel in secret, but my love for acting was what I shared publicly). Failure because I was utterly terrified of the people at the Department of Motor Vehicles. I was a good driver on the road, but the titanic-huge beast that was the Dodge Intrepid my parents insisted I drive was difficult to pass through the cones for the maneuverability portion of my driver’s test, so I failed several times. I was an A+ student. Failing was not in my repertoire. It really shook me up and gave me a complex. I believe the fourth time I finally passed, thank God, but it was a good and humbling lesson. Of my teen years, 17 was my favorite, so look forward to it, Momo, happy birthday!!!

- Leanna Renee Hieber, author of the Historical Paranormal YA series; Magic Most Foul, releasing 11/11 from Sourcebooks Fire, and author of the award winning Strangely Beautiful series. http://leannareneehieber.com  – FB: http://tinyurl.com/lrhfbfan Twitter: @LeannaRenee

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Also, today I'd like to wish my niece, Shyla, a very, very, VEEERY HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY! I know, it's huge! It's kind of a big thing! :) She's a whatchamallcallit - a PREteen now - WHAT THE! SCRATCH that, she's OFFICIALLY a teen now! AAH! Go crazy! I hope you have an awesome day! Make every second last, make it all count - seriously, 13 is like another one of those birthdays - the Sweet Sixteen or the Legal Eighteen, or the B I G Two-One! Today is YOUR day, bask in it! I love ya!

Momo's 17th Birthday Bash: Day 4

First of all, isn't this ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ image super cute? I love the colors and it just . . . brightens up my day! LOL :)

Today I want to ask you all one question before we continue on with another author guest post!

Question: In 17 words or less, describe what reading means to you! *__*

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I Still Suck at Journaling

Last year, after five years of living in a apartment with sunflower walls and a series of rotating roommates, I decided to move.  This entailed me packing up a drawer of things that I hadn’t even looked at since I first moved to New York with dreams of hanging out on fire escapes (scary!) and finding a job in publishing (also scary, but with free books!) What I found was a mishmash of forgotten memorabilia from high school, some welcome—a script of Anything Goes with my old part of Evangeline Harcourt highlighted—and some hideously embarrassing, like a stash of Lisa Frank rainbow leopard stickers that I had decided to keep for reasons that can only be linked to latent insanity.

And then there were the journals. Oh, the journals.

I always had dreams of being a writer, even when I had dreams of being a marine biologist and/or a forensic anthropologist who somehow didn’t actually have to mess around with skeletons. (“Hey! There are bones over there!” I would say, and let my hardy crew handle the rest). Because I wanted to be fully informed about the process of writing before I dove right in, I inhaled writing guides. One of my favorites was Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, which stressed the need for daily journal writing. In fact, all of the writing guides stressed the need for daily journal writing.

So I bought a journal, a purple psychedelic looking ringed number that I was sure would be the beginning of an illustrious writing career. There was only one problem: I had about a day’s worth of journaling in me before I ran out of things to write about, and would then bore myself trying to write multiple paragraphs about various things in my room. A part of me thinks this is because I had too many ideas about being a “serious writer”, so I would try to force myself to write about subjects I thought were poetic and literarily minded. What I should have done is let myself write about what my sixteen-year-old self really wanted to write about, which in many cases was trouble with friends, feelings of insecurity, and yeah okay, the occasional boy who was wonderful but also sight deficient, because he wasn’t in love with me or my non-starting journaling habit.

Every time I would fail to keep up with one journal, I would wait a few months and then buy a new one. I bought a shimmery gold one. I bought one entirely covered in fake leopard fur. I bought a more “mature” blue one with nice white flowers, but the result was always the same. Still, I kept them just in case, resulting in a sunny afternoon where I put all the boxes aside and spent some time catching up with sixteen-year-old me, overeager to be a “real writer” and skipping around all the things she really wanted to say.

It kills me a little now to think that if I had trusted her a little, I might have a memory teenage me rather than five labored paragraphs about the ivy that was growing on my bedroom window.  But it did give me a very valuable reminder that it’s always better to write what you want to write rather than what you think you should be writing. And that has to be worth something, even if it’s just a Lisa Frank rainbow leopard sticker that I held onto. You know, just in case.

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Ah! I keep a journal too! I just got one for my 17th birthday! This is my third journal, btw! My goal for this one is to write in it for the next 365 days of my life as a seventeen year old whether the entries are short, pointless, or whatever - I'm going to try and accomplish that! Anyway, awesome post A. M. Robinson!