Life's Sweet Journey: Book
Showing posts with label Book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Great Reads of the Month October Link Up

Happy Wednesday!
It's starting to "feel a little cooler" here in Florida (and by cooler I mean low 90s as opposed to high), but I am not letting the heat stop me from pretending its fall which is my favorite time to cozy up with good book. With the stack I made it through this month I feel like I may as well have been holed up in a cabin with its own personal library. I am considering starting a reading round up, because I would love to see what everyone else is reading. Want to link up what you've been reading lately? Join in using the "add link" button at the bottom of this post for any book related blog posts you have and let's read together!


Books To Read One of Us is Lying


Saint Anything

I had forgotten how much I loved Sarah Dessen books when I was in high school. I had read her well into my early 20s as well and at some point fell away from it, completely on accident. When a friend mentioned one of her books the other day I decided to see if there was anything I hadn't read from her available when I went to the library. Saint Anything reminded me of everything I enjoy about Sarah Dessen and her writing. Not only that but Saint Anything is a book that hits very close to home for me...

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Sketchy Tacos Author Interview// Meg D. Gonzalez

Happy Wednesday! 
I am super excited to have share today's post with you! 
I just got done reading Sketchy Tacos and, for a travel lover like myself, it was absolutely perfect! If you love travel and want to be "whisked away" to Mexico, you should definitely check it out. It's a lovely coming of age story about a girl named Mila, who spends a beautiful (and sometimes blunderous) summer in Mexico, learning about the culture and even more about herself. I won't give too much away, but you can get a little glimpse of what's in-store by watching the book trailer over on YouTube. One of you will also get the chance to win a digital copy of your own to read. What I am most excited about though, is today's interview with the author herself, Meg D. Gonzalez! Here is a little more about Meg and her new novel, Sketchy Tacos... 
What do you love most about writing YA travel novels?
Oh, wow! Where to begin? I guess one of the things I love most about writing YA travel novels is that to write a travel novel, you have to travel! I've been traveling internationally since I was 13, and I fell in love with it even then. Luckily, my husband has that same love of travel. We use our vacations to check out new cities and countries whenever possible. Traveling has inspired several novels (which I hope you'll see soon)!
Another thing I love most about YA travel novels, is the adventure/discovery aspect. I can't travel nearly as much as I'd like, so I turn to travel novels to vicariously go on the adventures I long to have. When you're on an international adventure--whether in life or on the page--you discover all new cultures and customs, and you get the chance to view the world in a whole new way.
And why YA? Because YA novels are awesome! Young adults are still figuring out who they are and what they want to be. There's so much potential for growth and change. That's a lot of fun to work with as a writer, and a ton of fun to experience as a reader.
What are some of your favorite places to visit?
My #1 favorite city I've ever been to is Berlin. (Book 2 of the International Adventures series will be set in Germany.) There was so much history packed into one city and it lived comfortably, side-by-side with present-day Berlin. We took a long walking tour, which was an incredible way to discover the city, and our guide said, "The Germans are very upfront with their history. They don't try to sweep it under the rug. Their attitude is: 'This happened, and we will keep it here for everyone to see. That way it cannot happen again.'" We visited back in 2013 and that quote has stuck with me ever since.
Another favorite place to visit is, of course, Mexico! It's got a rich, vibrant culture that draws you in from the start. The food is amazing. My mouth is watering just thinking of costras--my favorite kind of taco (you can get a free guide to Mexican food here). And the people... There aren't words. They burn bright. They're loud and full of life. And they welcomed me with open arms. I will never forget my year in Mexico.
How do you feel you relate to your main character, Mila?
Like Mila, I moved to Mexico without knowing enough Spanish to get by. Unlike Mila, I moved in my twenties after marrying my husband who was born and raised in Mexico. Even though I had my wonderful husband there for support, I was a lot more alone than Mila, who's constantly surrounded by her host family, because I was stayed in an empty house for 10-13 hours a day while my hubby was at work. So those feelings of loneliness she struggles with totally come from me!
Also, Mila doesn't have a lot of confidence in her body image or fashion. I totally get that. The girls in Mexico are super fashionable, and I felt like my wardrobe never quite added up no matter what the circumstances were. And so many of the girls literally never had a hair out of place. As a young woman who was still growing out her hair that falls somewhere wavy and straight and refuses to go up without a halo of frizz, this was super intimidating.
The one thing that I wish I related to? Mila's skills as an artist. I love art supplies. The colors and textures are fabulous. I have more colored pencils and crayons than I could ever use. I walk into art supply stores just to admire the brushes, paints, and canvases, but I have no skill. I get these beautiful pictures in my head but I cannot get them to appear on the page. It's utterly frustrating. So I became a painter with words. And it allowed me to have a ton of fun with Sketchy Tacos. Read it and you'll see how!

Meg D. Gonzalez Author Headshot
Who knew that one night of salsa dancing could change the course of a life? When Meg D. Gonzalez accepted Alan’s offer of a dance, she began on a journey that pulled her out of her sheltered life and into a big and beautiful world. Living in Mexico for a year showed her a rich culture and varied landscape that captured her imagination, and she just knew she had to share. Meg would love to connect! You can email her at meg (at) megdgonzalez.com or connect with her on FacebookTwitter, or Instagram. Check out Meg D. Gonzalez’s new teen travel novel, Sketchy Tacos, now only $3.99 on Amazon.



Sketchy Tacos Cover Image



"Mila’s summer in Mexico is going to be perfect. She has a plan. If only life would stick to it. After facing everything from a flash flood to Moctezuma’s revenge, from a romantic date for two to a gaggle of snide girls, teenage artist Mila Gulick finds the biggest challenge comes from the war within herself. Her heart, her art, and even her safety are at risk as she struggles to find a balance between cultural differences, old assumptions, and strange romance. Will her trip end in disaster or will she find the strength for which she’s been searching?"  To get the latest updates, the first two chapters of Sketchy Tacos, and instant access to the adventurers’ and writers’ resource libraries, click here now!




Sketchy Tacos really is a beautiful story, in a vibrant setting!
I love getting to "travel", while sitting at home, with the help of a good book!
Enter the giveaway below to for the change to take a little trip to Mexico with Mila!  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Albus Dumbledore, Oprah and the Dalai Lama

I knew that Jenni's topic from day 4, your favorite quote and what you love about it, was going to be a tough one for me when it came to making a decision.  So... I decided not to.  Rebel, I know!  I have two books full of quotes and while there are some I love more than others it could take me hours upon hours to figure out which ones I really wanted to share. I am excited to read others posts and add great finds to my books.  

While these aren't necessarily my favorite quotes I thought an easy place to start would be with one from my favorite books first (or book series anyways).



Albus Dumbledore is one smart man!
I love the above quote but I think I love this one more, 
"The truth.  It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution." -Albus Dumbledore, via J.K. Rowling
This one speaks to me on so many levels.  I am a firm believer in what I don't know can't hurt me.  If the truth is something that won't do anything (change the situation, help the situation, or change my viewpoint) but bring hurt in the moment, then I would prefer to just be left in the dark.  The truth can be freeing but it can also be damaging and destructive.  It should never be treated with anything but caution.  The truth is words and words have power; be careful with them.

In skimming my books for more Harry Potter wisdom (which I couldn't decide between and thus decided to save for a later date), I stumbled across this one that jumped out at me.  It is fitting for my current state of mind.  

"Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck." - Dalai Lama
At this time in my life I have been trying not to focus on the what-ifs.  I am where I am in my life and there is a reason for it.  When I think back on some of the things I had wanted, or even the things I still want but had wanted at the wrong time, I can't help but be in awe at how blessed I am that I didn't get them.  My entire life would be completely different.

Here are some more snippets of wisdom from others that I found while scrolling my time away on Pinterest (which I enjoy, wholeheartedly).  I have also gone ahead and attached my Pinterest account.  It is still a pretty unorganized mess of all my mind comes across (most things are just liked not pinned) but I am working on making it a little more spiffy~ Enjoy!



And I just had to share this because it is oh so perfectly me...