Holly Schindler Writes...

Holly Schindler is the author of A Blue So Dark.

Sypnosis of A Blue So Dark:

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that “creative” equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears.

Today, I have a guest blog, on a very fitting topic, by Holly.

Getting Out Of A (Reading OR Writing) Slump

It can happen to any of us…our once-insatiable appetite for literature drops, with no explanation. Whether it’s a reading or writing passion, if it disappears, it can leave you feeling…kind of…guilty. Like you’re completely slacking.

I say, get RID of the guilt. In my book, a slump is a sign that you’ve grown.

Yup, that’s right. You’ve grown—because you’re no longer challenged. You’re stagnating. A slump means it’s time to expand those borders.

Do not—I repeat—do NOT decide you need a break. Instead, get yourself to the library. And head STRAIGHT for the genre section you never approached before. Maybe romance. Or sci-fi. Or literary classics. Whatever you once avoided like the plague, ATTACK it. Immerse yourself. You’ll soon find yourself rejuvenated. I promise. Because a new genre means you’ve been thrown into a brand-new world.

And if you’re a writer, the same applies—finding it hard to get motivated? Put aside your current project—not for forever, just for a while. Again, do NOT take a break. Stay in the rhythm of writing…but write something (say, a short story) in a genre you once thought you’d never master. (Even try your hand at poetry!) Once you’ve written a short piece—just for fun—you’ll find yourself ready to head back to tackle your current WIP.

This bit of advice actually helped me find my way to the subject of my sophomore novel, PLAYING HURT, due out in 2011…My debut (A BLUE SO DARK) is a literary problem novel. PLAYING HURT is a romance.

Yep, genre hopping. I’m pretty sure it’s the spice of life…

If you would like to find out more about Holly or her books, you can visit her website or her blog!

In My Mailbox July 25-31

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi of The Story Siren.

Outcasts United - Warren St. John
The extraordinary tale of a refugee youth soccer team and the transformation of a small American town

Clarkston, Georgia, was a typical Southern town until it was designated a refugee settlement center in the 1990s, becoming the first American home for scores of families in flight from the world’s war zones—from Liberia and Sudan to Iraq and Afghanistan. Suddenly Clarkston’s streets were filled with women wearing the hijab, the smells of cumin and curry, and kids of all colors playing soccer in any open space they could find. The town also became home to Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman who founded a youth soccer team to unify Clarkston’s refugee children and keep them off the streets. These kids named themselves the Fugees.

Set against the backdrop of an American town that without its consent had become a vast social experiment, Outcasts United follows a pivotal season in the life of the Fugees and their charismatic coach....

Outcasts United is actually my required reading for freshman seminar. I read the introduction, and I look forward to reading the rest. :P

Update

I just wanted to give a small update. I've already got in touch with the To Kill a Mockingbird winners. If you didn't win, then there will always be more chances to win. :P

Last week, I went on vacation to Washington D.C. and New York City. The trip was exhausting, but fun. In NYC, I went to The Strand, which is a HUUUGE bookstore. I fell in love with it. :P I highly recommend anyone visiting NYC and love books to check it out.

My cousins from Canada are coming over today and are staying for about two weeks, so my posts will probably be minimal. Afterwards, I plan on posting more. I still need to write my reveiw for Forget You by Jennifer Echols. I also will try to schedule some posts because I know once my college starts, I will be super busy! If you're wondering, I'm going to be a freshman at Georgia Tech. Go Jackets! :D

Oh, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment below or email me at towerofbooks(at)gmail(dot)com. I like getting to know my readers. ;)

To Kill a Mockingbird 50th Anniversary/Giveaway

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.

The 50th anniversary edition of one of the best-loved books in American history: Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Featuring some of the most memorable characters in literary history—attorney Atticus Finch, his children Scout and Jem, and of course Boo Radley—To Kill a Mockingbird is the indelible story of race, class, and growing up in the Deep South of the 1930s.

To commemorate the Golden Anniversary of the “Best Novel of the 20th Century” (Library Journal poll of American librarians), filmmaker Mary Murphy has interviewed prominent figures—including Oprah, Anna Quindlen, and Tom Brokaw—on how the book has impacted their lives, and compiled the interviews in Scout, Atticus, and Boo: the perfect companion to one of the most important American books of the 20th Century. Additionally, Scout, Atticus, and Boo features a foreword from acclaimed writer Wally Lamb.

July 11th marks the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To celebrate the occasion, I was given the opportunity to give away 2 sets of To Kill a Mockingbird and a book companion, Scout, Atticus, and Boo: A Celebration of 50 Years of To Kill A Mockingbird. Also, many bookstores across the country are throwing parties for the book. You can find dates and participating stores here: http://tokillamockingbird50year.com/.

To enter this giveaway, complete the form below! USA only, and the deadline is July 17 at 12 p.m. :)

CSN Gift Card Winner

The winner of the $40 CSN gift card is...

Jillian!

Congratulations, and thanks to all that entered!

Reading Slump

Lately, I have been a reading slump. I'm just never in the mood to read. As a result, updating this blog has been hard. I have a few reviews I still need to write and post, but after that I'm just going to have to wait for this slump to pass.

So, my question to you, how do you get yourself out of a reading slump?

Wishlust 5

Wishlust is where I will post a few books that are on my infinitely long wishlist. By infinitely long, I mean almost 600 books! Hopefully, you will find a book or two that seem interesting. =)

Peak - Roland Smith
After Peak Marcello is arrested for scaling a New York City skyscraper, he’s left with two choices: wither away in Juvenile Detention or to go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand. But Peak quickly learns that his father’s renewed interest in him has strings attached. Big strings. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to reach the Everest summit—and his motives are selfish at best. Even so, for a climbing addict like Peak, tackling Everest is the challenge of a lifetime. But it’s also one that could cost him his life.

Geek Magnet - Kieran Scott
Everybody loves KJ. Especially the geeks. See, KJ Miller is super nice, smart, pretty, the stage manager of her high school’s spring musical . . . and a total geek magnet. She’s like the geek pied piper of Washington High, drawing every socially clueless guy in a five-mile radius. If only Cameron, the hottest guy in school, would follow her around and worship her the way her entourage of dorks do. Enter Tama Gold, queen of the popular crowd, and solution to all of KJ’s problems. KJ is too nice, and the nice girl never gets the guy. Tama’s ready to help KJ get cruel, ditch the dorks, and win Cameron’s heart. But is KJ?

Band Geek Love - Josie Bloss
All band, all the time. That's how trumpet goddess Ellie Snow has made it to senior year. No drama, no dating. Just keeping lock-step within the safe precision of the Winslow Marching Band. She's a fierce section leader now, and so over the heart-crushing social disaster of her freshman year. No boy is going to ruin Ellie's shining moment-her senior solo performance at the homecoming game.

And then Connor Higgins shows up. Not even Ellie can resist the trumpet player who could be a model for Abercrombie & Fitch. It's a hook-up made in band-geek heaven! But Ellie's not ready to publicize their romance, not even to her best friends. After all, Connor's just a sophomore. What would everyone say? Breaking formation and revealing her true self would be like . . . marching on the field completely naked!

Then Ellie discovers the flipside of secrets and how it feels to be shut out by the ones she loves.