This past week on FYFA (and in my life):
I’m falling behind on NaNo already!! Yikes! Help! I love my book concept, but I’ve finished up the first act, and I’m having trouble figuring out where to go to get me to the third. Plus, I feel like maybe I’m trying to smush too many things into this one? I need inspiration! (Think I need to binge watch some TV—seriously, I think it might help!)
Anyway, besides NaNo, we had a sort of rough week in our household, and I’m kind of glad it’s over. Moving on to happier days…
Here’s what you may have missed on the blog this past week:
- Bite-Sized Reviews of Now Is Everything, The First Kiss Hypothesis, Frost Like Night, The Raven Cycle Series and November 9
- Dear Martin by Nic Stone: 5-Star Review & Giveaway – Last chance to enter to win a copy of the book!
- Haven by Mary Lindsey: Giveaway (& My First Impressions) – Still time to win a swag box including books (or a $15 Amazon gift card for INT winner)
- October Wrap-Up Round-Up Giveaway (With a Make Me Read It Twist) – Still time to enter to win a book from my Make Me Read It Giveaway list!
Next week on FYFA:
- Haven by Mary Lindsey: Review
- The November Girl by Lydia Kang: Review
- Whichwood by Taherah Mafi: Review
- Introducing my NaNoWriMo Novel
Latest FYFA Giveaway Winners!!:
- None this week!
Book Blogger Birthdays and Blogoversaries:
Here are the birthdays and blogoversaries this week! I hope you’ll go wish these bloggers well on their special days! Make sure you check out the calendar to see what you might have just missed or what’s coming up. (If you want to be added to the calendar, you can always fill out the birthday/blogoversary form.)
- November 12th – Geybie @ Geybie’s Book Blog‘s Birthday
For Review:
I received By a Charm & a Curse, Island of Exiles and Sea of Strangers from Entangled, all via NetGalley!
Purchased:
I saw that the ebook of Dramatically Ever After was on sale, and I thought the first book in this series was cute, so I picked it up!
Great Discussions/Goings On Around the Blogosphere:
- AJ @ Read All the Things gives us ten Harry Potter presidential candidates (for when Trump is impeached)
- Karen @ Kissin’ Blue Karen tells us how to Make Our Posts POP with Hovertext
Pre-Order Deals:
Listed in order of release date. Any new deals that I just added to the list this week will be denoted with a *** so you can easily find them!
Please note: Almost all pre-order giveaways run “while supplies last,” so I can’t guarantee that they’ll be open until the date listed. Pre-0rder early for your best chance to get all the goodies!
- Pre-order FLASHTIDE by Jenny Moyer and receive an adjustable climber’s knot wristband HANDMADE by the author, along with a sticker, bookmark, and signed bookplate. (ends 11/13)
- ***Pre-order THE CHAOS OF STANDING STILL by Jessica Brody to receive a bookplate signed by the author, a “boarding pass” bookmark, a special, annotated Denver Airport Map so you can follow along with Ryn and Xander on their adventure through the airport, and a “Stranded Passenger” Bingo Card. (INT) (ends 11/27)
- Pre-order THE REBELS OF GOLD by Elise Kova to get exclusive swag. The more pre-orders that are received, the more swag will be unlocked. (ends 12/4)
- ***Pre-order EVER THE BRAVE by Erin Summerill to receive a 5×7 custom art print, a quote card, a temporary tattoo and signed bookmark and bookplate. (ends 12/4)
- Pre-order MEET CUTE by various authors, including Jennifer L. Armentrout, Dhonielle Clayton and Katie Cotugno, to receive a set of 6 pins based on the cover! (ends 1/1)
- Pre-order YOU’LL MISS ME WHEN I’M GONE by Rachel Lynn Solomon to receive a bookmark, a signed bookplate with evil eye pattern, and an exclusive short story that catches up with the protagonists five years later. You’ll also be entered to win a themed prize pack. (ends 1/1)
- Pre-order NICE TRY, JANE SINNER by Lianne Oelke to receive a signed bookmark, two stickers, and a chance to win much, more more. (ends 11/7)
- Pre-order UNEARTHED by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner to receive an exclusive e-short set before the events of These Broken Stars, an autographed bookplate especially designed to go in your book, and a chance to get your name the sequel to Unearthed! (ends 1/8)
- Pre-order IRON GOLD by Pierce Brown to receive an exclusive art print featuring the book’s characters! (ends 1/16)
- ***Pre-order ZENITH by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings to receive a Zenith necklace. (ends 1/16)
- Pre-order LOLA DUTCH IS A LITTLE BIT MUCH and receive a digital package that includes: Coloring Pages, Paper Puppets, Mini Guided Learning Activities with Lola and much more! (ends 1/29)
- Pre-order REIGN THE EARTH by A.C. Gaughen to receive an exclusive map poster. (ends 1/29)
- ***Pre-order THE HAZEL WOOD by Melissa Albert to receive an exclusive set of 10 “tarot-inspired” character cards. (ends 1/29)
- Pre-order THE CASE FOR JAMIE by Brittany Cavallaro to receive a signed book and exclusive Charlotte Holmes swag. (ends 3/5)
Other Current Giveaways on FYFA:
(Besides the ones listed with this week’s posts)
- October Discussion Challenge Link-Up & Giveaway – Last chance to link up and enter!
Even More Awesome Giveaways on Other Sites:
- You can enter to win a PageHabit Box (which includes a book with annotations!!)
- Riveted is giving away the Complete Collection of Jason Reynolds’ Books!
- Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag is participating the Cash for Christmas Giveaway!
- Enter to win this month’s NOVLbox from @TheNovl!
- Penguin Random House is giving away a Star Wars Prize Pack!
- Read It Forward is giving you the chance to win The Story of Arthur Truluv
- It’s It Starts at Midnight’s four-year blogoversary!! Tell Shannon you love her and then enter her giveaway for (and I quote) “Whatever the Hell You Want (INT)“! (See why I love her so?)
- The Bookkeeper’s Secrets is doing a year-long giveaway!
Lots of good stuff! Have any giveaways or great discussions happening on your site right now? Feel free to share them in the comments!
This just happened to me with NaNo! I got to the end of the first act and I was all, “Okay, great! Now what?” *doh* Anyway, I had to think logically. They just got themselves in a huge mess and now had to get out of the city. What obstacles would they have to overcome to make that happen? And then I started writing again. So look at your turning point at the end of the first act. What new, immediate problems does that create? Then ask some questions and use the “No, but; Yes, and” technique to answer them. Mary Robinette Kowal just put up an infographic on this the other day! https://www.patreon.com/posts/yes-but-no-and-15244550
Oops, that’s Yes, but, No, and. I sometimes write them in reverse!
Ha! I can see how that would be easy to do.
Thanks, Steph! You always have the best writing resources!!
I hope the telly gives you inspiration. I often do that. Binge watch for a while just to stop all the noise in y head. LOL And here’s to a better new week with lots of writing, reading and fun:)
I’m writing a book with magic, so I’m thinking binge-watching old Charmed episodes will inspire me! 🙂
I hope you find your inspiration for your project. Sorry it was a rough week for you but hope next week is better!
Thanks, Grace!
So much yes to all these fun giveaways. I must enter some of them. I’m sorry you had a bit or a rough week – I hope this week is better and you get lots of great inspiration for your work. You’re doing great!! 🙂
-Lauren
Thanks, Lauren! I’m hoping this week is smoother, but I’ve learned not to get my hopes up too high, honestly. Ups and downs are par for the course, I suppose.
OOh nice new reads! They’re new to me ones but look intriguing! Will look forward to your thoughts!
Here’s my STS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
Thanks, Jessica! And thanks for always letting me know when you see new pre-order deals!
I’m sorry you’re stuck with your writing. I actually wrote something the other night that was just going to be a one-pager for one of the HOHOHO Readathon challenges and it turned out much, much longer. I was getting stuck just writing that. I keep saying I want to write my novel, but I think I would be getting stuck a lot, too.
I’m sorry it’s been a rough week at home. I hope this week is better.
I think a lot of my getting stuck had to do with my state of mind last week. I’m hoping things will be easier this week!
Thanks for giving my post a shout out. I think all you NaNo people are crazy. I could never write that much. 🙂 I hope you have a great week and enjoy your new books!
I’ve loved your TTTs lately—they’re so creative!
Sorry it has been a rough week. Hopefully this one will be better. TV is always good for distracting- hope you find some good shows to binge on!
Sometimes TV can actually help get the creative juices flowing—as long as you’re watching the right shows. 🙂
Good luck with your nano adventures, Nicole. And I’m happy you’re not letting a bad week set you back.
Happy reading!
Thanks, Joy!
Aww sorry you feel stuck on the writing, hopefully you will finish inspiration soon <3
I picked up The November Girl and Haven myself because the reviews for them have been amazing, hope to see your reviews of them soon!
I managed to get my second wind. 🙂
I think its cool that you are doing NaNo. I couldn’t even begin to write a novel. I have 0 ideas! Enjoy your books!
NaNo is great for motivation!
You’ll do great with NaNo, there’s still loads of time, I think you just need a breather 🙂 maybe that’s what the TV is for 😀
I did need a bit of a breather. It all worked out!
Good luck with the rest of NaNo. You got this. Breathers are nessecary sometimes. 😀
It all worked out!
Looking forward to your NaNoWriMo novel! Good luck with the rest. I hope you enjoy your new books. Happy reading and have a wonderful week. ?❤️
I still haven’t quite finished that first draft, but I’m working on it!
Sorry to hear about the rough week. Hopefully this week is much better! And I hope you’re getting back on track with NaNo. Or at least doing lots of brainstormimg. 🙂 Love that cover of Dramatically Ever After!
Things did get better, and I got myself back on track! (Now if only I could get back on track with replying to comments.)
Ohhh I can’t wait to see what you think of Island of Exiles. I struggled with it personally. I wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters and the constant rank/names confused the ever living life out of me BUT it was such a unique book and I really have been wanting to see someone love it. Fingers crossed that book works much better for you!
Sorry you didn’t love it. I’m hoping it’s a win for me.