Monday, September 3, 2012

Gearing Up To Get an Agent--Meet and Greet


If this is your first visit to this blog and you don't know me--WELCOME! To all others--WELCOME BACK!
I'm one of the #GUTGAA judges. My life is mostly about books--reading and writing them. Fiction addiction. I love hearing from my readers, so please let me know you've been by and come back anytime. ^_^

-Where do you write?
Mostly from bed, but occasionally I get my butt out of it and move to the couch. My favorite place to write is from the passenger seat on a road trip. No Internet. No distractions. Makes the time pass quicker. 

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
An empty spot on the bed. Wait! Who stole my husband?

-Favorite time to write?
Early morning. The earlier, the better.

-Drink of choice while writing?
Earl Grey or a latté

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
I used to write to baroque music. Now I need complete silence. Miss the music, though.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
My latest manuscript was inspired by a TV commercial for breath mints I saw as a kid. 

-What's your most valuable writing tip?
Writers write!

Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can. Now tell me one thing: What's the best book you've read this summer? For me there are many, but I'll say IN HONOR by Jessi Kirby. 



90 comments:

  1. Haha, excellent inspiration for an MS! :D

    I could never write on a road trip, it would make me feel sick - but I am so jealous that you can do it!

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    1. I am gearing up for 20 hours on the road next week. And I have loads of revision and critiquing to do. ^_^

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  2. Too funny about that missing husband. Yeah, same here, could never write in the car - that's a skill!

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  3. Hi, Angelina! Excited about GUTGAA. I didn't think I'd actually do it, but here I am. Since finishing NaNo this summer, it's time to get my rear in gear. I'm tired of sitting around and writing, and not getting anything out there. Maybe this will force me to. :)

    I love writing in the car, too. I don't like driving, but riding is the best.

    Last book read this summer, hmm. There were 3 craft books, which I posted about Saturday, but as far as fiction goes, I read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. Simply fabulous.

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    1. Good to see you and best wishes with #GUTGAA, m'dear. ^_^

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  4. Green with envy on you being able to write in a moving vehicle! One of the best reads this summer? Hmmmm-WONDER by R.J. Polacio.

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  5. Hi Angelina =) Wow, a breath mint commercial?! Awesome. Inspiration really is everywhere, isn't it?!
    I've read so many great books this summer, but if I have to pick a favorite, I'll say Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill.

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  6. Great tip! Writers DO write. Great getting to know you better, Angelina.

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    1. I have to say that to myself whenever I start slacking off.

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  7. I quite enjoy the passenger seat of a car as well!

    As for my favorite book of the summer, I haven't read that many. Finally read The Hunger Games trilogy and enjoyed those. But I'll be receiving an ARC of Anita Grace Howard's SPLINTERED any day now and I just know that will jump right into my number one slot!

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  8. A breath mint TV commercial? I'm intrigued! I also love that you write while on a road trip. I wonder if I could manage that. I used to be able to read in the car but now I feel queasy when I do.

    Also, I LOVED In Honor! What a great summer read with a lot of depth. I really liked her debut Moonglass, too. My other favorite read from the summer is Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard.

    Here's my GUTGAA Meet & Greet: A Girl and Her Diary"

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    1. I can't wait to read WANDERLOVE. Top of my list. ^_^

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  9. Nice to meet you, Angelina. Great writing tip! I think the most difficult part of being a writer is making sure to make writing time a priority.

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  10. Favorite book this summer would probably have to be Hemmingway's For whom the bell tolls. I know it's old, but I haven't read it in forever and had the urge to. It's just as great as I remember.

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    1. It's been a while since I've ventured back to my favorite classic reads. Must revisit some of my old friends. . .

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  11. You know, you are the second person to mention Earl Grey as your drink of choice today. I'm definitely having a cup tonight because I can't stop thinking about it now!

    Huge thanks for helping out with GUTGAA and offering a leg-up to aspiring authors. Very much appreciated!

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  12. Breath mints? Hah, awesome. And thanks for visiting my blog! I'm very jealous that you're moving close to Dinosaur, CO. I'm going to start following this blog, so I expect pictures of Dinosaur National Monument soon. I've only gotten to visit there once, but it was awesome. ;)

    And best book of the summer? I really enjoyed A CRACK IN THE SKY by Mark Peter Hughes. Can't wait for the sequel.

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    1. My husband is a photographer, so I'm sure you'll get your request. ^_^

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  13. I've never thought of writing on a road trip before...I might have to try it!

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  14. I love this post, you made me laugh :) It's nice to meet you, enjoy GUTGAA!

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  15. Wow, a road trip writer and inspired by breath mints? You are pretty awesome, clearly.

    And best book I read this summer, hmm... I'd say FIRE by Kristin Cashore. Loved that one--I cried and laughed and was so sad when it was over.

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  16. Hi Angelina,

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love that your inspiration was a breath mint commercial, makes me want to read the story. Glad to see your an early morning writer as well.

    The best book I read this summer was Oppression by Jessica Therrien (mythology = heaven).
    Patrice

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    1. Thanks for the rec. I'll have to check that out. ^_^

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  17. Breath mints! Get out. I must read this. And I do love me an Earl Grey. In London they make and Earl Grey latte and call it a London Fog. How awesome is that?

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    1. I wonder if I can order one here? Thanks for the suggestion. ^_^

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  18. LOL. So funny. It's great getting to know you as well. I also love long road trips. They're perfect for inspiration.

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  19. Wow cool inspiration for your ms! Just goes to show we can find it anywhere!
    Great to meet you! :D

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  20. Oh goodness, you're hilarious. I definitely didn't steal your husband. I have my hands full enough with my bf as is ;)

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    1. I hope whoever took him brings him back. He does the dishes, laundry and brings me breakfast and a latté in bed!

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  21. Unfortunately I haven't read anything new this summer--I've been too busy writing.

    Lauren
    Lauren-ritz.blogspot.com

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  22. Ooooh, hope you have a lot of fun as a #GUTGAA first round judge! I'm not participating in the contest but it looks like I'll have a good time cheering others on. I loved IN HONOR too--probably my favorite contemp I read this year. So moving. But my absolute favorite so far this summer was unbelievably a book for ADULTS. Only the second book for grownups I've read this year (as opposed to a kazillion YA and fair amount of MG books) but the writing was just SO BEAUTIFUL. Anyway, it was RULES OF CIVILITY by Amor Towles. I know you like historical too, so check it out!

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    1. I think I read RULES OF CIVILITY. ***scratches head*** I read WAY too many books. ^_^

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  23. I like baroque music, too. :)

    Best book? Hmm . . . probably the non-fiction The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene. Though fiction-wise, I really liked Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré.

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    1. It's good to see you, GE. I've been lurking your blog lately. I should let you know I'm there. ^_^

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  24. OMG, so glad you are making the move! My favorite book of the summer was probably WANDERLOVE, a travel YA by Kirsten Hubbard. Made me want to pack my bags and head to South America!

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  25. Ooh, love it that you asked us a question! But first, I used to love to write on road trips, but only if I could be in the back seat with no one talking to me. And a commercial for breath mints -- I love how this intrigues me (where as I went on and on and on) yours leaves me hanging. Cool.

    Favorite book this summer...I have two. Kitty Goes to Washington by Carrie Vaughn and Endlessly by Kiersten White. I love both these authors.

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    1. I'll have to look these up. Thanks for the recs. ^_^

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  26. Hi Angelina! Happy judging! :)

    Best books I've read this summer (you think I can pick just one?!) are EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS by A.S. King, and SHADOWS CAST BY STARS by Catherine Knutsson.

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  27. LOL. I used to write to silence too, then I found Two Steps to Hell. (Sounds great right?) Get's my fingers moving though. Hm. Best book this summer? I'm going to say Entwined by Heather Dixon.

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    1. So happy to be getting so many book recs. Thank you! ^_^

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  28. Great post, and I'm DYING to know what commercial inspired your ms! :)

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    1. It's a super-secret project. I'd tell you, but then. . .

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  29. Haha. Breath mints? That is awesome!

    So nice to meet you! :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Now I must hop over to your place.

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  30. Ooh...we have similar answers! Glad to meet you Angelina and thanks for visiting my blog.

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  31. LOL. I'm reading The Daughter of Smoke and Bone, when you mentioned writing on your bed, I visualized her bed piled with sketchbooks. Guess that proves how into the book I am :)

    Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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    1. My bed is piled with books. It's an interesting sort of office. ^_^

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  32. I'm so curious to see how this breath mint commercial influences your novel! Crazy how the most trivial things can inspire us. I love it!

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    1. I'd love to tell you all about it someday. It'll make a great blog post. ^_^

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  33. Nice to meet you Angelina. I tried writing during on a recent roadtrip but got so motion-sick... It was devastating because I only agreed to go on the roadtrip because of that huge block of writing time (but shhh, don't tell my husband that writing was my motivation... it was quality family time all the way, wink).

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    1. We're moving five states over next week and I've got very ambitious plans. As a kid, I read from the back of a truck up a winding switchback road every weekend. Maybe I was conditioned?

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  34. I was a bad blogger this summer. Everything got hectic. I'm excited about GUTGAA because it's all well-and-good writing but now it's time to get out there and query. I'm feeling all inspired.
    The last thing I read this summer apart from things in shades of grey was Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling.

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    1. Best wishes. Querying is hard, but it yields good results. ^_^

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  35. I'm fascinated by the idea of inspiration coming from a breath mint commercial :)

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  36. Oh my gosh, I don't think I could write in bed. I'd fall asleep hehehe.

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  37. Great to meet you, too, Angelina! So happy to have you as a judge... don't be too harsh on us :)

    My favourite read this summer was a surprise: "The Spy Who Loved Me" by Ian Fleming. Yes, it's a Bond book, but not at all like the movie. And it has the honour of being the only Fleming Bond novel written in first person, and get this: from the perspective of the Bond girl! You would love it.

    Cheers,

    John
    http://www.johnkrissilas.com/

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation. I love Bond, so I'm sure I'd enjoy it.

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  38. I really enjoyed reading "Poison Study" by Maria Snyder and "The Lost Hero" by Rick Riordan.

    That's awesome that you can write from bed. I can write from bed when I'm desperate and trying to make a deadline, but I usually have to be somewhere where I'm not tempted to go back to sleep.

    Good luck with GUTGAA!

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    1. It's the most comfortable place to be. ^_^ Thanks for the book recs.

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  39. TV commercial for breath mints? Cool.

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  40. I love road trips just for that reason too. My husband always prefers to drive, so as long as the kids are fighting... I can get a lot done.

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  41. My favorite book, always and forever, is THE ALLIANCE by Gerald Lund. :) Thanks for connecting and may your muse be ever willing to talk.

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    1. Thank you. So many great books to add to my TBR list. ^_^

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  42. The less distractions, the better. Isn't it wonderful to write without the internet handy?

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  43. Nice meeting you, Angelina. Thanks for stopping by my blog. It's great that you found your inspiration from a TV commercial. They sure have funny ones, especially around Superbowl! Hmm..maybe I should start paying attention to these commercials for inspiration too.

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  44. I used to love writing in the car on long road trips (and reading) and then I suddenly wasn't able to anymore. Boy did it make a trip more bearable! The best book I've read this summer? Erm Fahrenheit 451 or Blackout, I think. Thank you for stopping by!

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse, visiting my fellow GUTGAA participants!

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