50 Underwear Questions

I’ve gotta say, 50 Underwear Questions delivers in a big way. Awesome illustrations, humor-clad history and fun underwear facts—what else could one want?! The illustrated asides are at least as awesome as the main text. Not sure it would hold the attention of the younger set—but it definitely held mine. ☺

arc provided by publisher

The Expanded Bible by Thomas Nelson

At times I find the additional information the Expanded Bible provides (smack dab in the middle of the text) to add to the reading experience, placing additional details right where they belong. At others, the asides seem intrusive. Mostly, I like that it makes me pause and give extra attention to what I’ve just read.

Is the Expanded Bible the only bible you’ll want to own? Probably not. Is it a nice addition to your bible study arsenal? I think so. Does it deliver as promised? Definitely.

Arc provided by publisher

Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett

As many of you know, I’m an action/adventure/thriller reader (with a penchant for bodily function humor—but I digress). I’m not typically drawn toward the love/romance/social issues side of the literary spectrum. I like fresh, high-concept stories and, let’s face it, Geek Girl‘s premise of Girl Makes a Boy-Bet With Her Friends and Then Falls for Said Boy—well… it’s been done a time or two. But, everywhere I turned someone raved about Geek Girl, so I decided to give it a try. In short: the someones were right. I loved it.

I’d like to label Geek Girl as a light, quick read, but unlike most books it hooked me fast and had me cracking up and crying the whole way through. I guess what made me fall so hard were the characters. Jen’s lousy start in life was so identifiable. As was her struggle to find herself, and love. Trevor was definitely my idea of a leading man (somebody give me a hubba hubba!).

I love the playful banter between many of the characters. I love that while there are hard topics, they don’t become the point of the book. I especially love that the story stirs feelings of hope, making the reader believe that their future can be different than they, or anyone else, thought. In fact, Geek Girl changed my future. It made me realize reading doesn’t always have to be about a high body count or even a good booger joke.

And—for the first time ever, I’m posing the question: What are some of your favorite romantic reads?

arc provided by publisher. Releases December 2011.

I have a new favorite! Grave Mercy: His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers

Rescued from a lifetime of abuses, Ismae Rienne escapes to the convent of St. Mortain. There she is accepted. There she is admired. There they know she was sired by Death himself and will train her to do his bidding. To kill at his command. A task she’s perfectly suited for—until she meets Duval.

A YA romantic historical fantasy set in medieval France—with teen girl assassins. Could there be a more idyllic book for me?! No. No there couldn’t. Perfect prose that hooked me fast, a cast of characters so real I couldn’t leave them, action, mystery, dollops of humor and ROMANCE. Oh my… the romance. Grave Mercy now sits on my list of all-time favorites.

Read Grave Mercy’s first chapter and see for yourself. I’ll try not to say I Told You So.

arc provided by publisher. Releases Spring 2012.

…probably the funniest adult novel I’ve read—ever!

Meet Mallory Caine. Attorney at law. Zombie at large.

Mallory Caine, attorney-at-law, woke up in the morgue—as a zombie. Now she just has to keep her skin from falling off, figure out whose mind-controlling voice is in her head, stop the sword-wielding nutjob who has her in his sights, and avoid eternity in hell. Oh, and then there’s the little challenge of procuring an occasional cranium of brain soup. Ivy League educated, please.

Neither Zombie Legal Thriller nor Horror does justice in describing this book. Sure, it’s chock-full of all manner of creatures of the night, centers on crime and corruption, and there are some descriptive passages (though IMO none are gratuitous or… overkill) but it’s the delightfully-unabashed, twisted sense of humor that makes PAY ME IN FLESH by K. Bennett, a total stand-out and an unputdownable read. Freaking hilarious and highly recommended.

arc provided by publisher

ASHES by Ilsa Bick: Young Adult Fiction

Seventeen-year-old Alex abandons her life, chemo treatments and only living relative to head for the hills where she’s hit by a blast that fries electronics—and brains. It kills some, heals others and makes cannibals of the rest—but which is she? Strapped with an orphaned eight-year-old and rescued by a mysterious hottie, Alex worries about the effect of the blast on her brain tumor. But mostly? She’s just trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic zombie-eats-everyone-and-anyone world.

ASHES (by Ilsa J. Bick) is loaded with action, disaster and dead bodies—my favorite combo! And a nice little love triangle to boot. My biggest complaint is the ending. At about ¾ of the way through I realized there just wasn’t enough time to answer some core plot concerns. Issues I wanted answered. While this type of ending has become more popular these days, and it does leave me dying for closure, ultimately it left me unsatisfied and keeps me from giving it five stars.

arc provided by publisher

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS: a must-read!

Lucero-Elisa de Rigqueza, Elisa, is Orovalle’s second-born princess, the spare. Useless and floundering—until, at sixteen years old, a bargain for troops in an impending war foists her into marriage with a widowed king she’s never met, thrusts her into a foreign land and forces her to fight for life, love and country. Not to mention the fact that there are those would kill her—or worse—for the Godstone living in her navel.

The balance of life-and-death stakes and Elisa’s every-girl worries, fears and hurts kept me reading THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS at a pace I feared would burn out my Kindle. Chock full of characters to love, hate and suspect of every kind of treachery, prose that seriously had me drooling on my screen, a world I didn’t want to leave, and just the right amount of romance—this book has something for everyone. Including a perfect ending! One that’s completely satisfying and has me DYING for more.

arc provided by publisher

Want a chance to win a free copy?!

The author, Rae Carson, is hosting an arc giveaway of THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS (deadline 8.22).

AND–Sarah Prineas (of MAGIC THIEF fame) is giving THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS away too!

In Review: Ashfall by Mike Mullin

Fifteen-year-old Alex revels in the prospect of a family-free weekend, until a volcano chunk decimates his home, ash destroys the atmosphere, and the town he grew up in becomes a warzone. To find his parents and sister he embarks on a 140 mile journey, on foot. Traveling alone in a posteruption-world wrought with deprivation and decay quickly gives him a new life’s goal—survival.

Full of action, teeth-gritting suspense, a dollop of romance, and a proper attention to bodily functions that few books give (wahoo!). Days later, I’m still thinking about ASHFALL. It fuh-reaked me out in that deliciously creepy way every thriller-reader loves. I can’t wait to read the sequel!

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arc provided by publisher

Papa Murphy's Saves the Day!

When you’re recovering from back-to-back writers conferences, Hubby’s just given five consecutive messages to 649 kids, your living room furniture is in your dining room, and your dining room furniture is in the garage—what’s a girl to do?

Serve her fam Papa Murphy’s Herb Chicken Mediterranean deLite for Easter Sunday dinner—that’s what!

And you eat in your lap (like at all the best parties), connect without being drained by meal prep you didn’t have in you, and look forward to watching Amazing Race without a pile of dishes in the sink.

Degeneration: Passing from the complex to the simple.

To my way of thinking, that’s not a bad thing at all. Today, in fact, it’s a good thing. A very good thing.

Happy Easter to all my celebrating friends. And a day of not beating your head against the wall to all!

Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference Director, Rachel Williams, embraces the booger.

Walls Come Down and Fingers Go Up—In Church!

Just hours after returning home from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference I’m still in awe of last week’s events. Most notably: I inspired Conference Host, Dave Talbot, to say booger—from the pulpit—in one of the oldest, most heralded and prestigious West Coast chapels! (Note: Dave’s injuries were minor and he’s recovering well).

Conference Host, Dave He-Said-Booger-From-the-Pulpit Talbot and Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference 2011 Most Promising New Writer, Cheri Williams.

Cheri Williams Named 2011 Most Promising New Writer

When the announcement was made, my first thought was, “But… I write for kids. About… boogers. Have they lost their minds?!” Then, of course, I bawled. For every pouring-their-heart-onto-the-page unpublished writer. For every seen-as-less-than kidlit writer. For every scoffed-at aficionado of bodily functions.

My second thought came quickly: “Thank goodness I came to the general session and am not hanging out in the lounge!” *coughs* It’s happened. *waves at James Scott Bell, Randy Ingermanson, Steve Laube, Thomas Umstattd and Mary DeMuth* *gives a BIG nod to Bill Meyers and his unmissable messages*

I’m honored and humbled to be this year’s winner. Not because of the title, the very handsome certificate, or even the cash prize (although they’re AWESOME!). But because it means publishing industry giants think I have what it takes to do this writing thing.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who sat in that room and said, “Cheri Williams for Most Promising New Writer.”

Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference 2011 Most Promising New Writer, Cheri Williams, with mentors Randy Ingermanson and James Scott Bell.

Perhaps The Greatest Miracle of All

Mount Hermon is world renown for its unending putting-out of delicious and abundant meals and round-the-clock snacks. Seriously, most attendees pack unrestricted clothing for the final days of the conference. But I came away losing a pound!

If booger-talk in church and my award aren’t proof of a gracious God with one heck of a sense of humor—weight loss at Mount Hermon most definitely is!

*cues music*

An Offering Will Now Be Taken

Please—share your (or better yet, hehe, someone else’s) most awesome bodily function or mildly-inappropriate moment (I’m counting on you Lisha Cauthen and Mike Jung).