The second post for my Pretty Darn Funny video blog tour today is on "The Pinterest Plot". You can watch it below.
My thoughts: This one was pretty darn hilarious because seriously, who among us hasn't tried one (or sixteen) of the "easy" things we find on Pinterest, and then feel like epic failures when it doesn't even vaguely resemble the picture? Created by Martha Stewart and mothers-in-law indeed. Plus, the mom with the baby blues, who has the exact same affect during the blues and when she's happy made me laugh.
You can watch last week's videos and read my thoughts on them here.
An unhealthy addiction to sugar cubes, a deep-seated fear of water, and universal luxury—these are the simple things that make up 18-year-old Brynn's Utopian existence. Why, then, is her perfect life also plagued with unanswered questions?
Like every other resident of the planet Halcyon, Brynn's home provides everything she needs, money is unheard of, and life is perfect. But unlike the rest of Seaside's residents, Brynn has questions. Why can't people leave the city? Why does the ocean fill everyone with terror? Who are the Workers? Not only is Brynn curious where others are compliant, but she suffers from chronic nightmares of an angelic woman torturing her for information she doesn’t possess. But these are more than just figments of her imagination; they're memories of things that never happened.
When Brynn meets Jonah, a brilliant, library-dwelling boy who shares her questions and her curiosity, they formulate a plan to find answers. Somewhere, the perfect veneer of Halcyon's instant gratification hides a city that only Brynn knows about—a city she and Jonah are determined to find. But will finding the city give them answers, or simply uncover the horrific truth behind the perfection?
My Review:
I’m a fan of Shannen Crane Camp, so when I read the
blurb for this book I was pretty excited that it’s both a book in a genre I
love and written by an author I love. It didn’t disappoint.
Sugar Coated
is the story of Brynn, addicted to sugar cubes, living a life where everything
is handed to you simply for the asking. (I really want her house!) However,
unlike her complacent friends who don’t question their existence, Brynn is very
curious. She’s been looking for the unknown city of Aywon since she was a girl
and heard about if from one of the “Angels”, who are about the creepiest
characters I’ve read in a while. Everyone thinks she’s crazy, though, for
believing it even exists.
Everyone except Jonah, the boy she meets at the
library where he spends his days also looking for answers. He’s willing to help
Brynn on her quest for the truth in spite of her friends’ objections, including
that of the cute Ty, who, without giving anything away, does something for
Brynn that seriously most guys would never do. I’m a bit of a Ty fan. <3
Shannen has written an exciting first book in a
trilogy that follows Brynn as she seeks answers—and finds some things that
would make even the bravest soul shudder. She’s curious, courageous, and also a
bit of a sugar junkie. I really love her character, and the story. I can hardly
wait for the sequel! So hurry up and write, Shannen. :o)
Sugar Coated Excerpt:
Blinding white lights flashed into life, revealing a room less cavernous and imposing than she had expected. Instead, the room with the white walls, ceilings, and floor was quite small; small enough for her to run from one end to the other without ever breaking a sweat. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust and once they did, she still couldn’t be sure of what she was seeing. There seemed to be a complete lack of color in this small room, as if it had been drained right before her arrival and was shining more brightly because of its recent purge.
Brynn blinked her eyes a few more times, trying to clear the spots that sprang into existence when the less-than-subtle lights had ignited. Now that she had a proper hold on her surroundings, she could see the impossibility of the room. There were no windows. There were no doors. There was no way in or out. So how had she gotten there?
“We apologize for any inconvenience your death may cause you at this time,” said a smooth, soothing female voice over what Brynn could only describe as a loudspeaker. If the woman’s voice hadn’t been so calm and collected, it may have taken her less time to understand exactly what she was saying before the sickly sweet smell of sugar hit her nose; like cookies right out of the oven.
This wasn’t just a room. It was a death chamber.
“We appreciate your cooperation and would like to take this opportunity to remind you that the best thing to do in this situation is enjoy this smell, generated for your pleasure,” the voice told her, never losing that deep, rich timbre.
Brynn thought that if she hadn’t been in an obviously dire situation, she would have loved nothing more than to listen to the beautiful voice and smell the sweet sugar all day long. But as it turned out, there wasn’t much time left in her day right at that moment.
Listening to the woman’s instructions against her better judgment, Brynn took one deep breath, enjoying the smell of the unnaturally rich sugar before her cheek made contact with the hard white floor with a sickening thud.
Author bio:
Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide.
Shannen loves to hear from readers, so feel free to contact her at Shannencbooks@hotmail.com or visit her website for more information: http://shannencbooks.blogspot.com
Blog Stops:
August 24th: Elizabeth Anne Lance (http://madameelizabethsmusings.blogspot.com/)
August 25th: Kayla’s Reads and Reviews (http://kaylasreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/)
August 26th: Young Adult and Teen Readers (http://yesterdayandtomorrowsreads.blogspot.com/)
August 27th: Cindy Bennett (http://cindybennett.blogspot.com/)
August 28th: I Read Indie (http://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/)
August 29th: YA Book Addict (http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot.com.au/)
August 30th: Kathryn Cooper (http://cleanteenfiction.blogspot.com/)
August 31st: Jolene Perry (http://www.jolenesbeenwriting.blogspot.com/)
This is an awesome giveaway for me, as a lover of both books and movies. Sometimes they get it right when they make a book into a movie (Hunger Games) and sometimes they completely screw it up (Twilight). Then there's the rare occasion when the movie is actually better than the book. That's why for this giveaway I'm giving one lucky winner a copy of one of my favorite movies, which was based on a book, in which I love the movie more than the book. That movie is Stardust, based on the book by Neil Gaiman. If you haven't seen this movie, it's truly amazing.
The transformation of Tristan (Charlie Cox) from average, overeager dude into swoon-worthy heartthrob is so fantastic that I had to look it up and see if it was the same actor playing both parts. Add to that the perfectly devious Septimus (Mark Strong) and the witchiest of witches Lamia (Michelle Pfeifer) and you can't go wrong.
Then they added an unbelievable supporting cast with Humphrey (Henry Cavill - yes, that Henry Cavill who you won't recognize at all), King (Peter O'Toole), fallen star - literally - Yvaine (Claire Danes), Una (Kate Magowen), Young Dunstan (Ben Barnes), Ditchwater Sal (the hilarious Melanie Hill), snotty Victoria (Sienna Miller), Primus (Jason Fleming), and Secundus (played with perfect humor and a smashed face by Rupert Everett). The rest of the brothers, all ghosts, are so great I almost wish they'd had bigger parts. But maybe it was perfect having them in there for the amount of time they were - you know, sometimes less is more. Oh, and how can I forget Billy (Mark Williams). Make sure you watch every move, every twitch, every facial expression and foot movement made during his short screen time.
Also, don't miss the exchange between Captain Shakespeare (played with utter abandon by Robert DeNiro) and Ferdy (the uber-funny Ricky Gervais). I seriously don't know how they got through the scene without cracking up. Fifty takes, maybe?
Romance trumps all in the movie (which makes it one of my faves of all time), plus humor, thrills and chills. I've watched this movie more times than I can count, and now that I'm writing this post, I think I'll go watch it again!
Beneath the video you can sign up to win on Rafflecopter, where you can choose whether you want the book, DVD, or Blu-Ray. Then jump beneath that to find the list of other blogs on the hop for the chance to win more prizes! Good luck, everyone.
Thanks to Stacy Lynn Carroll for asking me to be apart of this awesome blog tour! By following the links, it’s a great way to discover new authors for children and young adults. Feel free to browse and get to know them. As part of the tour, Stacy asked me to answer these four questions.
1. What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a contemporary YA called The End of Feeling about Benjamin, who doesn't feel anything anymore since being abandoned by his mother, and Charlie, who has her own secrets to protect. Can she break through Benjamin's icy heart?
I'm also writing a short story for a Christmas-themed book. My story is as-yet untitled, but it's about a South Pole elf who is banished to the North Pole when her shameful secret is discovered. There, she's teamed up with a gorgeous but angry elf named Seb.
Sherry Gammon and I are also working together on a step-by-step guide for authors who'd like to self-publish. It will include screen shots so if you're computer illiterate, you can still follow it and succeed.
2. How does it differ from other works in its genre?
The End of Feeling is different in that it's really Benjamin's story, and that he's managed to created a life that's a mirage. His reality is much darker than anyone can guess because he hides so well behind his popular, A-student, captain of the football team persona.
My elf story is different in that it's an elf story (think Legolas, not short, cutsey elves). My heroine has a secret that already had her banned from the South Pole to the North Pole though everyone perceives that as a good thing. And Seb, my hero, is angry because he hordes a secret of his own.
3. Why do you write what you do?
I fell in love with young adult book a few years ago as my daughters came into the age to be reading them. I read them as well because I wanted to know what they were reading, and it was like a light bulb exploded over my head! I knew then my long search for genre to write was over, and the rest is history.
4. How does your writing process work?
I'm pretty unstructured. I have an idea for a story, some idea of the conflict, maybe a vague idea of where it will all end, and I just start writing. Most of the time my story ends up in places I never imagined it would go, and my characters constantly surprise me with what the say and do.
Now look for these authors next week: Monday, August 26 as they continue the blog tour and answer the same questions. Enjoy!
Welcome to this
week’s Friday Five. If you haven’t been here before, this is nothing more than
my random rambling about something that interests me, with a list of five, in
no particular order. This week’s list is Five Book Series I Could Read Over and Over. Hope you enjoy!
Five
Book Series I Could Read Over and Over (Part I: Traditionally Published)
I
wanted to talk about my favorite series of books, but realized 5 just wasn’t a
high enough number. Therefore I decided to go with two different lists: one of
traditionally published (Big Six) and one of indie authors (small press or
self-published). This week I’ll give you the traditionally published list, and
next week the indie list, so be sure to come back next Friday!
The
Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson: This YA series by Patterson about a
group of kids who have wings due to some genetic engineering is really
fascinating. The “flock” of kids are led by Max, a girl with sarcasm to spare,
and Fang, the hottie that really belongs with Max. The characters are well
fleshed out, the storyline frustrating (which is good, means good suspense),
and completely intriguing. Love this series of books.
The
Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon: The first book in the series is the best,
which isn’t a good thing for an ongoing series, but luckily the following books
are still good enough to keep your interest. The second book is probably my
least favorite because there’s just waaay too much boring history and not
enough Jamie. Overall, though, a really good series. If nothing else, read the
first book, which is one of the most amazing books ever written.
The
Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer: Make fun if you want, I don’t care. I
happen to think these four books are good, interesting, fast reads. There are a
lot of haters out there, but for every one of those haters there must be like
ten lovers if the numbers of book and movie ticket sales are any indication.
Bella is a fairly boring heroine, I admit, but Edward and the rest of the
Cullen clan make up for it. So yes, these are books I’ll read again.
The
Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins: Love these books so much I was
seriously worried they’d screw up the movie (much as they did with Twilight). I
was beyond pleased when I discovered they’d actually done the book justice.
These books are panned a lot for being too violent, but I’d like to remind
people that not only are they fiction, they’re set in a pretty unrealistic
setting, so I don’t think we have to worry about actual Hunger Games happening
anytime soon.
The
Odd Thomas Series by Dean Koontz: This series is a bit of a departure for
Koontz from his usual horror—not to say these aren’t creepy books. I mean, Odd
Thomas (the MC’s name) can see dead people, both good and evil, and has a
creepy/sweet love story with a particular dead waitress. You can’t help but
love Odd, and wish he would just stay out of danger rather than feeling his
gifts require him to help the living by getting mixed up with the dead.
Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in either California or Utah... they still can't decide. 
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The
Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson: This YA series by Patterson about a
group of kids who have wings due to some genetic engineering is really
fascinating. The “flock” of kids are led by Max, a girl with sarcasm to spare,
and Fang, the hottie that really belongs with Max. The characters are well
fleshed out, the storyline frustrating (which is good, means good suspense),
and completely intriguing. Love this series of books.
The
Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon: The first book in the series is the best,
which isn’t a good thing for an ongoing series, but luckily the following books
are still good enough to keep your interest. The second book is probably my
least favorite because there’s just waaay too much boring history and not
enough Jamie. Overall, though, a really good series. If nothing else, read the
first book, which is one of the most amazing books ever written.
