The Cat's Meow: Playin Hide & Seek

Well this is my version of peeking from a corner like a Cat, as you can see my post today is about the fact that I'm playing Hide & Seek. Really I am in my own way, so I'm still hungover from UtopYA Con. The books haven't found a place on my bookshelves (they still remains in the bags) and I'm still sorting all the swags stuff.

Part of my reasons for not being active on my blog is simply LIFE, there's a few things going on.

• One is helping my friend plan her wedding or give her tips anyways. Her wedding is in One month from now and I'm also a bridesmaid!

• Two I had relatives in town when I had return from my trip and was spending as much time as I could with them before they left. 

• Thirdly as many don't know this and I have no problem sharing the fact but its hard for anyone to understand or grasp the concept of the fact. I have a medical condition and while I've been pretty healthy, my platelets are acting up so right now my doctors are trying to figure out why they're being this way and this problem just occur the week before I was leaving for my big trip. So everything had to be dealt and figure out after I came back and so I did. Now it's just a waiting game. 

• Fouth I need to start job hunting, like really I have to . . . it's time and I'll be focusing on that and cross fingers that I find one. 

• Fifth I'm still a student, my semester starts up at the end of august and August is pretty busy for me where I have my friend's wedding, (still Debating) attending a JLA Oppression Book Tour nearby, and whatever else comes up.

I have like a gallion things to do related to blogging and you can say I'm overwhelm . . . I'm lacking creativity and writing when it comes to blogging.

• But I am making a goal to have SassyCat's Books Review as a Facebook page but I'm still figuring that out.

• I have three books that I plan on reading before school starts up, so as far review requests go I will be posting it on my Review Policy about if I can review or not which I still have to work on.  

• Anything else like Reviews I'm just slow and late on just because I got myself hooked on reading series books which now I find lacking and ultimately failing at that goal. 

I can't think of anything else right now but just know that my lack of blogging is because of what's going on in LIFE. 

~ MEOW

UtopYA Con: The Awards

This was my first year attending UtopYA but I was rather curious about the Awards, it's like a mini MTV Awards that you see on TV but a lot smaller and more focused on books, the authors, the editors, photographers, categories/genre of the books, and the cover models!

Inside the Awards

The Models & Katie Cook

Yes there were some dancing involve but I do not dance

Recap on UtopYA Awards Winners!

Best Dystopian Book of the Year ~  
Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

 

Best Sci-Fi Book of the Year ~  
Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Best Fantasy Book of the Year ~ 
Rapture by Quinn Loftis

 

Best Paranormal Book of the Year ~ 
White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Best Contemporary Book of the Year ~  
Crash Into You by Katie McGarry 

Best Contemporary Book Cover ~  
Into the Deep by Samantha Young

 

Best Supernatural Book Cover ~  
Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Book Cover Model of the Year ~  
Jesse Daniels

Best Book Trailer ~  
Few Are Angels by Inger Iverson (produced by Timid Monster)

Best Edited Book of the Year ~ 
Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol (edited by Gloria Lutz)

Most Innovative Marketing ~   
Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Best Contemporary Lead ~  
Cameron Hamilton – Trust in Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Best Supernatural Hero/Shero ~  
Tristan Knight – Soul Savers series by Kristie Cook

Best Supernatural Villain ~  
Cameron – Cinder by Jessica Sorensen

 

Best Couple ~ 
Daemon & Kat – Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Best Kiss ~ 
Skyla & Gage – Celestra Forever by Addison Moore

Best Bestie/Buddy ~   
Elora – Rapture by Quinn Loftis

Best Book Hangover ~ 
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

 

Best Debut Novel ~   
Lucky Number Four by Amanda Jason

 

Best Book to Screen ~    
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

 

Best Blog of the Year ~   
My Book Addiction

Blogger of the Year ~ 
Toni Lesatz – My Book Addiction

Best Companion Novella ~  
Consequence (A Significance Novella) by Shelly Crane

Best Serial Series ~ 
 
Starwalkers by Julia Crane & Lizzy Ford

Best Contemporary Series ~ 
Sea Breeze by Abbi Glines

 

Book of the Year ~ 
Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Fan of the Year ~  
Tammie Ross Zimmerman

Utopian of the year ~   
Raine Thomas

Raine Thomas and Me

Author of the Year ~  Jennifer L. Armentrout

Adam Kunz was kind enough to accept the awards for Jennifer L Armentrout's behalf since she wasn't able to be there herself. He rocked the stage with multiple awards acceptance and wore the Owl hat.

This was copied off JLA's FB page, I do not own this picture

The Donor Blog Tour

MEEOOWW! Guess who I have on the blog today? Nikki Rae the author the the Sunshine series and her upcoming novels, The Donor Part One and The Animal . 


Today I interview Nikki once again, but this time let's learn something about her and a little bit about The Donor. 

What your favorite snack to snack on while writing or at any time of the day?
You know those lifesaver's mints? The individually wrapped ones? On a good day, you'll find those little clear wrappers EVERYWHERE.

What's your favorite color(s)?

It's not a color, but black.

What qualities would best describe you?

Loving, creative, hardworking, worrisome, strange, pale...lol. The list goes on.

Favorite drink?
Tea!

What do you like to do on your spare time?

I love to read. I also love to just...hang out. It's sounds boring, but I'm so busy all the time that when I have a spare moment, I like to watch a movie or play a board game with my boyfriend or friends or go to the diner with my sisters. That's when I'm most relaxed and happiest, so I'll take it.

 
Now the big question!
If you were stranded on a desert Island, there's water and food provided . . . what are your top three things must have and one of those three has to be a book.

A notebook, a pen that never dies, and probably some sort of (very BIG) short story anthology, just so I can read something different when I get bored.

Then here's my question about The Donor,
What made you decide to write in three parts?

I wanted to see if I could do it, basically. I think the structure(s) work well in three separate parts, and I think it will be interesting to see how people react to shorter parts released closer together.

How does writing in parts help you tell the story?

Casey and Jonah are two characters that are going through life the best ways they know how. I wanted each part to tell the reader what was going on and how they decided to deal with it. It's also going to show how quickly ideas, decisions, and lives can change as well.

Was this planned to write in three parts or you decided to go a different route on getting this story out?

The Donor was originally a short story I wrote for creative writing class. I didn't have anything and it was due the next day so that's what I wrote. I didn't expect anyone to like it AT ALL, but everyone responded very positively to the story. By the time I was done revising it, I had ideas for the rest of the story, but I wanted to tell it differently than I would a novel. The parts were something I always wanted to try, and it just sort of fit for this project.

Check out the giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

UtopYA Con: Day two

We got more panels today and tonight is the UtopYA Awards! I slept in a little just because I didn't need to get up early to buy books.

Since the two keynotes speakers switch places, Friday was Syliva Day and today was Gennifer Albin. It always nice when authors share their struggles, their ups and downs. Gennifer probably shared one of her hardest moment in life for her and her husband.

Gennifer and I

After that I went to check out more of the exhibitors, since some were still setting up when I walked around yesterday but I was early as well but with how the panels started I didn't have much time to linger around.

The Blog Your Face off was interesting, Toni of My Book Addiction was one of the speakers and I found that it was really important that bloggers are able to pass on advices to other bloggers.

The Stellar Swag that had Carol Kunz, Heather Hildenbrand, Amy Miles, and Sarah M Ross. They shared about their thoughts and their honest on creating swags. While some had someone else do the design and swag works even Heather spent hours writing on rocks for swags and people seems to love them even though she thought that would never draw interest.

If I had to create swags, I love bookplates, bookmarks, some other sizes of books swags. I've collected many of those things so I know what I like and don't particularity care for. There are great sites to make your own swags as for me with my business cards I did that all on my own.

The best panel I like the most was the Future of YA & NA Trends, this is where I got to meet Kelly of Ink Slinger PR. I think a lot of new authors/writers worry about trends, you know vampires and werewolves were a thing and they still are but not in that big attention like Twilight was.

Kelly and I

I've told myself even when I had doubts, don't worry about trends you will drive yourself out of your mind. My characters are what they are and who they are even if something is consider DEAD. As long you love what your writing it doesn't matter, you have to have the passion to push yourself.

Well Check back for the UtopYA Awards because that needs a post all on its own,

UtopYA: Day One

It the offical Day One of UtopYA, full of panels, check out the exhibitors, and the Fan Invasion signing!

I had no idea what to do or where to start, except avoid the ICE room at all cost (if I can) BRRRR there was one or maybe it was two conference room that were ICE cold.

But My favorite conference room was on the 10th floor there was an whole view of the city! You could get so inspired by the view (now I'm not planning to send my characters off to Nashville but you never know in the future)

The view from the 10th floor

But then attending a panel about clumping (not in the way it sounds) clumping as find your book buddies, what Megan Curd pointed out is that we already past the ice breaker by having something in common . . . We all love books. So I reminded myself that we were or I was here because of the books and the authors that I've connected over the past four years or so. 

Then as the day went along I was ready to meet new authors that I've never heard of and meet authors that I I have heard of. Taking pictures was a challenge for me but I got them or at least I got what I could get. 

Then I needed to practice handing out my business cards, and they were a hit! Everyone love the name and the design which made it easier for author to remember who I am because of my name Kat and my card has a picture of a cat (not Buddy the cat who I miss like crazy!)

Fan Invasion Signing!
I meet so many authors, my feet didn't hurt from standing . . . the lines weren't long and I snagged a few books just before the Fan Invasion all thanks to Mom who pointed it out in interest for her as well.

I carry my brag book and got just as many and more authors to sign it! I put a lot of hard work into it and I had two authors signed on the two black pages because I ran out of time to design each pages of the book so a Silver Sharpie really turns out well when I was doubtful.



Crazy packed! And photo bombs with heavy, heavy books and swags to carry. I didn't know that swags could get that heavy!

Some authors that set up a preorder went above and beyond for those that preorder, which was awesome we got a few more goodies!

The one sad thing on Day one panels and the Fan Invasion signing, Jennifer Armentrout
As you know/heard she couldn't make it due to flights being delayed, overbooked, just beyond impatient trying to wait for an available plane and such. But she also said that with her eye condition/disease that flying isn't that good for her so she also have to place her eyes first before her fans.

I had all of the Lux books (not the volumes), Wait for Me and Trust in Me, Half Blood, & Frigid. Why did I bring that many? Well because I'm crazy about authors signing my books and she a big time author and my town or even the next state over deem to have very little interest of having BIG TIME Authors come do signing events and such.

Hopefully one day I will meet JLA, take a picture with her and possibly hug her for just being there at whatever event I'm at/she's at.

Plus I want some swag from her as well, which I'll be getting bookplates eventually from her as a gift for all of us readers/fan that had hoped she be at UtopYA.

Cover Reveal: Unleashed

It's Friday! and today I'm happy to spread the love of Sophie Jordan's Uninvited series, Unleashed Cover Reveal!

I love love Uninvited! It was one of the best thriller/Science-fiction/Dystopia book I have ever read and the concept and theme of the book was actually fresh for the YA readers community. 

Here's my review of Uninvited

So first here's an mini-teaser

 

I thought being labeled a killer and losing everything—my future, family, boyfriend, friends—was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. It’s not. Finding out they were right. Finding out that’s exactly what I am?

That’s worse.

Now for the Cover and Synopsis 

What if the worst thing you ever did was unforgivable?

Davy’s world fell apart after she tested positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome. She was expelled from her school, dumped by her boyfriend, abandoned by friends, and shipped off to a camp that turns HTS carriers into soldiers. Davy may have escaped, but the damage has already been done. The unthinkable has happened. Now, even worse than having everyone else see her as a monster is the knowledge that they may have been right about her all along. Because Davy has killed.

On the run from government agents, Davy is rescued by Caden, the charismatic leader of an underground group of rebels. Despite Caden’s assurances that the Resistance is made up of carriers like her, Davy isn’t sure she can trust them. Then again, she doesn’t even know if she can trust herself . . . or her growing feelings for Caden. But if she doesn’t belong with Caden and his followers, is there anywhere she can call home?

UTopYA Con: Day 0.5

Meow! I know it been forever since I've done a post! I'm not hiding I swear, I just got a lot of life things going one that I'm going in a million different direction. 

First off I like to say that I visited my really good friend in North Carolina after 5 years meeting her so long ago. 

Tuesday/Wednesday, she and her finace took my mom and I out to dinner then the very next day her doctor said that it was time to go to the hospital (she was expecting) so instead of spending time with her I visited her at the hospital during her early stages of labor.

You can say I cross off a bucket list or something, visiting a friend at labor & Delivery, She had a boy (she knew she was having a boy) he was born June 18th 11:36pm, weight 6lbs 13oz and 19inches. Completely healthy and they were send home Friday.

Anyway to start off I'm at UTopYA Con, 


it's been awesome so far although Thursday night and early Friday I went to my shyish self, I haven't been this shy in a long time but as I warn people earlier that I am shy when meeting new people (a lot) of new people. 

Thursday night was kind of a bust, the Reader Abduction party wasn't as great as I thought it would be. There had to have been 100 people in one small conference room, you could barely walk around. Now I'm not always claustrophobic, but small rooms and way more people that the room can tolerate makes me feel that way. 

The entertainment of games were fun from what I'd played,  the little prizes that I won were cool. I wish that they had held it in a bigger room and be more set up in a sense. I guess I was expecting more out of it rather than getting that feeling of being confined in a small room. 

If they do plan to do another Reader Abduction party, hopefully they might consider a bigger room and more games or activities instead of people just standing around (especially for some that are shy and don't know anyone)

I did meet Megan of Paperbook Princess, no I didn't get a pic of me and her we had our own plans that it just didn't fold over. But it was great meeting her! 

My next post will be all about Day one then so on with the next couple posts.