January 2014 – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Sydney Reviews The Replacement by Rachel Wade

Published on January 31, 2014January 30, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle2 Comments

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: My name is Elise Duchamp. I’m twenty-three years old and I’m known as the town whore.No, not the kind who exchanges sexual favors for money. The other kind. The kind who gives it all away for free, whenever and however she likes. I am that girl. The one everyone whispers about and the one none of the girls seem to like, because all of their boyfriends either want to sleep with me or already have. Promiscuity is my thing—the kind that slowly, violently turns my insides black, but gives me something I need.All things considered, I’m not completely reckless. I’m safe, and contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart. I live in a world of careless choices, and with those choices come careless people. I cannot judge them, because I am one of them. I too bow down to the altar of the self-serving. I am not a good friend. I am not and never could be anyone’s girlfriend. I’m convinced any goodness in me shriveled up and died long ago.

But I am a replacement. That is something I know how to be, and this is a story of the lengths I’d go to in order to keep it that way.

Review:

The synopsis captures the tone of this book perfectly. It was a complete book for me. Complete in the sense that you had an amazing story, with a smart and sympathetic main character, combined with group of secondary characters who each had complexity and depth and it was topped off with a great setting.The Replacement encompassed all of that and more.

From page one you are smacked in the face with Elise’s life, her reality, and you want to weep for her, but shake her, too. Rachel Wade captures how Elise’s childhood trauma shaped her present life in a way that makes you love Elise. Even when she’s doing bad things, when she’s given up on herself, and even when she looses hope, you hoped for her.

I enjoyed the relationship dynamics in the story. Elise and all the men in her life brought different traits out of her, from her disgusting relationship with her bosses married brother, to the sweet, yet sexy relationship between her and Ryder.

I’ve been reading a lot of books about damaged characters over coming lately and the element shared by all of them is the ability the author has to make you see the good in the character even before the character does. Wade does a masterful job at doing this and if it ended any other way, I would have been really upset.

Allow me to introduce to you one of these complex secondary Characters.

Nate, it’s nice to meet you, since you’re new to town, I wanted to know more about you. Can you tell me a little more about yourself. Where your from, what brought you to Gig Harbor how you and Natalie meet?

Hey, nice to meet you. I’m from Phoenix, AZ. I actually moved to Gig Harbor to be close to my grandfather. He’s getting up there in age and he doesn’t really have anyone around to help him out. I figured I could go to school and find work anywhere, so I just decided on a change of scenery.

You seem like a sweet, kind pretty together young man. So maybe you can tell me, why do men cheat? I hope that question doesn’t make you uncomfortable.

Wow, isn’t that a loaded question. Uh…I have no idea why men cheat. Sometimes I think guys just want to break the rules. Sometimes there’s too much pressure, too many expectations in a relationship. Sometimes things are too perfect, or there’s no excitement. Or sometimes they’re just curious, I guess. That’s all I’ve got, sorry.

Obviously, you’ve heard about Elise’s reputation, why do you think there is such a double standard about women who sleep around versus men who sleep around?

I’ve never understood that, to be honest. I think chicks are really harsh on each other over that stuff. It seems like people just expect guys to screw up or something. When we cheat, no one’s surprised. But when a chick cheats, we’re ready to burn them at the stake. It’s kinda messed up.

Now that you’ve had time to reflect, how do you feel about your actions?

How do I feel? Man, I don’t know. No comment. Can I say that? Yeah, no comment.

A few of my favorite things

Tattoo References: Elise and Ryder have tattoo’s and get more tattoos in the book. Elise has a birdcage with a bird flying out of the open door. The bird carries a heart that says “Quand on veut, on peut.” Means “When one wants, on can.” in French. She gets another tattoo on her other hip which is a nest on a tree with a pile of hearts. “My has a home,”

Movie References: None

Favorite Line: “This is my kind of romance, Art and ink and blood. It’s damn sexy, and the gesture has rendered me speechless.” Elise says this after Ryder takes her to get a tattoo as a gift. For anyone listening, this would be my perfect gift.

*Just a few of my favorite things.

The Replacement Purchase Links

Author Bio: Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of THE PRESERVATION SERIES, LOVE AND RELATIVITY, and the upcoming New Adult sci-fi series, THE KEEPERS TRILOGY. When she’s not writing, she’s busy going to concerts, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. She’s an avid Brandi Carlile fan and loves all things Tim Burton.

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Tattoo Tuesday – Jen Greyson

Published on January 28, 2014January 27, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle5 Comments

Jen, welcome to Tattoo Tuesday. Your five questions start now:

How old were you when you got your first tattoo? I was 18
How many tattoos do you have? If only one, do you want more? I only have one, and I’ve always thought I’d get more. I’m a big scuba diver, so I’ve wanted to get a dive flag on my hip….but I kept waiting for my hips to get to that “perfect” size. I need to just do it!
What inspired you to get your first tattoo or favorite tattoo? Tell me your tattoo story. I was very into dragons and I found this wicked image of one. (Fantasy writer, you know 😉 Unfortunately, the parlor I went to had just hired a new artist and instead of getting the guy I wanted, I ended up as this chick’s guinea pig….it’s always looked like a jail tat (nothing against jail tats) but it could have been such a great tat (it looks pretty much nothing like the original image!). Now it’s twenty something years old, and looks awful. I’m secretly hoping someone will hear my story on your blog and want to do a tat makeover *laugh* I learned a very valuable lesson about speaking up for what I want though.
Tattoos on a significant other, like or dislike? Explain why? I wouldn’t mind if he had one. Maybe a nice tribal around his arm (how cliche, I know, but so hot). Funnily enough, out of the four married couples we hang out with, all the girls are tatted, but none of the guys.
Do the character’s in your books have tattoos? If so, pick a character and tell me his or her tattoo story? Why was this story incorporated in the book? Always! I love ink. Love everything about why someone gets one… Because like you said, there’s always a story. My time traveler, Evy, was a custom bike builder before she started fixing history so she had tats before the story started. Now she gets them at the beginning and end of every history alteration. They mark her time since time no longer has meaning for her. The last one she got was from a tattoo artist in ancient Spain.

About Jen:

From the moment she decided on a degree in Equestrian Studies, Jen Greyson’s life has been one unscripted adventure after another. Leaving the cowboy state of Wyoming to train show horses in France, Switzerland, and Germany, she’s lived life without much of a plan, but always a book in her suitcase. Now a wife and mom to two young boys, she relies on her adventurous, passionate characters to be the risk- takers.

Her newest release, SHADOW BOXER, was featured in the USA TODAY.

Jen is also a professional ghost and writes everything from billionaire legacies to romance novellas when she’s not enjoying the wilds of the west via wakeboard or snowmobile. She’s a mama writer, unleashing stories.

To learn more about Jen, connect with her on her blog, Twitter, Facebook and on Goodreads.

If you have a book coming out or just want to tell your tattoo story and want to be featured on Tattoo Tuesday, let me know by leaving me a message in the comments.

Life, Love and the Movies Blogathon

Published on January 26, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle6 Comments

Last year, I participated in three of 5 stages in the 5 Obsturction Blogathon created by Nostra of myfilmviews.com. I enjoyed the blogathon because it made me look at movies and movie reviews in a different way. Unfortunately, I couldn’t finished it because life got in the way, but I promised myself if he hosted another blogathon, I would be all in. MyFilmViews.com along with Karamel Kinema have created the Life, Love and the Movies Blogathon.

The rules are simple, answer the following 16 questions.

Life

1. What was the first movie you saw in the cinema and what do you remember about that visit? The first movie I remember seeing in the movie theater was 1977 Smokey and the Bandit. The movie stared Burt Reynolds, Sally Field and Jackie Gleason. I remember not really understanding it. I was really young.

2. Are there any movies you have very strong memories of which are not because of the movie (for example something which happened at the time you were watching it)? Smokey and the Bandit holds a strong memory. The story: “The Bandit is hired to run a tractor trailer full of beer over county lines in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.” That trailer of beer was Coors beer and my father worked for Coors at the time in the marketing department and it was shameless marketing how often they showed that truck full of Coors beer.

3. Which movies had a big impact on you and changed a (small) part of your view on life? 1980 Urban Cowboy because it took place in Houston and that’s were I was living at the time. It was cool to have a movie set in your own city. We got to share it with the word. Although the movie didn’t do much to dispel any of the Texas stereotypes.

4. Do you have any comfort movies which you return to because you are in a specific mood (for example if you are feeling down/nursing a heartbreak)? Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is my go to movie to put myself in a good mood. Not only is it southern and sexy it has some amazing dialogue.

5. If a movie would be made about your life, what type of movie would it be and who would you like to portray you? It would be some type of chick lit movie with a lot of humor, but at the center, it would be my journey to find my passion. Thandie Newton could play me. Although we look nothing alike.

6. Which existing movie best represents you? The Matrix – I spent most of my life doing what was expected of me. I wasn’t unhappy, but I always thought I was supposed to be doing something else. I feel like I had been asleep for a long time, but two years ago, I finally woke up.

7. If you knew you would die tomorrow, what would be the last movie you would want to see? The Avengers. It is my favorite movie with my favorite movie character (Tony Stark/Ironman) and the dialogue is brilliant.

8. If you can spend your life working in the film industry, what would you be and why? (you know, director, producer, actor, cinematographer, costume designer, sound designer etc?) I would like to be a studio executive/executive producer. I would have the opportunity to make decisions on what movies got made and help to raise funding for those movies. If I did have this job, trust me, there would be a new Avenger movie out every six months for the rest of my life.

Love

1. Did you ever have a first kiss with someone while at the cinema and if so which movie was playing? I haven’t, but how cool would that be.

2. What is your favorite movie relationship and why? Anna Scott & William Thacker – not only is it the regular person with the famous person, but the movie doesn’t just stop when they finally get together, you get to find out what happens after that. That movie had the most satisfying ending.

3. When did your love for movies start and how has it grown? I have loved movies as long as I can remember. A movie a week was normal for my family growing up. Often we had a movie day on Monday holidays, we would spend the whole day at the movies watching one after the other. We got in four one time. It’s my favorite escape.

4. If you have to choose one film to watch with your loved one, what would it be and why? I have two depending on where we were in our relationship. He’s Just Not that Into You if I needed him to think differently about relationships and Titantic if I wanted him to see what never dying love is all about. (I know, most of them die, but it’s a feeling)

5. If you can choose one character from a movie to be your significant other who would it be and why? Legolas from LOTR and The Hobbit. Not only is he beautiful in the most masculine sort of way for an Elf, but he is loyal, understands tradition, spiritual and he will fight and die for you.

6. What was the first movie that made you fall in in love with film and cinema? I had an early love of movies, but I think The Breakfast Club made me recognize and fall in love with a perfect movie. It was the first moment I realize what an amazing script, amazing cast and an amazing director could create.

7. How did your passion for movies turn you into a movie blogger? My friends used to play the movie quote game and I would pick the most obscure dialogue or line and stump them every time. On a trip to London when I was 15, I got home sick and the thing that made me feel better was reciting the entire script of The Breakfast Club. My love of quotes is where Sydney Quotes the Movies come from.

8. What is your favorite date from a movie? I don’t know if this actually qualifies as a date, but my favorite couple moment is from Notting Hill when Anna gives William the Chagall painting and says my favorite movie line of all time, “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”

Where did your love of movies come from? Join the blogathon and tell us.

Tattoo Tuesday – Pk Hrezo

Published on January 21, 2014January 20, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle16 Comments

Today on Tattoo Tuesday, I would like to welcome Pk. I got to know Pk when she let me beta reading her book, Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. It was my first beta read that turned into a published work of fiction and I even got my name in the Acknowledgements. How cool it that? haha. She is my indie published/writer/amazing person role model.

Pk, welcome to Tattoo Tuesday. Tell us your tattoo story:

When I was twenty—way back in ’93, I got my first and only tat. Here it is:

Not very big, about the size of a silver dollar, right on the back of my neck. So this particular era was when the tattoo and piercing craze began. I was in college, and some friends had started getting tats, and I knew I wanted one, but wasn’t sure what. I knew I’d know it when I saw it.

This was also when I discovered I was artsy-phartsy, and drawing all the time. I also had friends who drew all the time. We’d do murals on our apartment walls and pretty much exploded with art anytime and anywhere. We had a distinct underground tribal style and were all about making creative statements.

Romantic relationships back then were a dime a dozen. We had such a vast group of friends, and were always meeting new people. I had heard through the grapevine there was this one guy who was into me. He was known for the tats all over his back. He was into bats, which I thought was cool and different, and had a bat on his back. Anyway, he finally asked me out, and coincidentally I’d just discovered the tattoo I wanted from my friend’s sketch book.

So where did we go on our first date? To get my tat.

Oddly enough, the woman who did my tat wouldn’t put it on the back of my left shoulder where I wanted it. I’m not sure why, but I’m really glad she didn’t. I like it much better on the back of my lower neck.

As for the relationship with “bat guy,” we dated for about a month and then moved on. Just wasn’t in the stars, I guess. But it was still the coolest, most unique first date I ever had. Over the years my tattoo has been a nice reminder of that time in my life when the world was my oyster. I used to get asked what it means and I’d say “Freedom of youth,” which is totally made up, but in a sense, it does mean that to me. Later I got my nose pierced and I’m pretty sure gave my parents some gray hairs with my newfound freedom. Lol

I wanted to get a tattoo this year since I just turned forty, and also because I published my first book, but I decided to wait til my trip to New Zealand and get something warrior-ish over there. Or maybe elvish? Haven’t fully decided yet. But I’ll be sure to share when I do.

Thanks so much for featuring me and my ink here today, Sydney!

Connect with Pk and pick up her latest release, Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc.

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*Adventure through fearless creativity *

If you have a book coming out or just want to tell your tattoo story and want to be featured on Tattoo Tuesday, let me know by leaving me a message in the comments.

“What Works” Marketing Symposium 2014

Published on January 19, 2014 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle25 Comments

what_works_III

Welcome to the Online Marketing Symposium. Another cool creation for the community from Arlee Bird, and hosted by Yolanda Renee, Jeremy Hawkins, and Alex J. Cavanaugh.

The rules are to share a marketing campaign that worked or didn’t work. Well, I haven’t published a novel, yet (hopefully I won’t have to stay that after April (nudge nudge wink wink)). There a few places I go as a reader to find books to read and I can only hope that other readers do the same.

If I need to find like minded people eager to help with anything from a blog post to spreading the word about a new release, I think Facebook Groups & Goodreads Books Clubs are great marketing outlets.

I would love to hear if engaging your audience in these two forums translate into book sales.

Also, as someone who host blog tour stops in the form of book reviews, do they translate into book sales and how can you tell?

Well, as you can see, I’m not much help.

So, when it comes to marketing, “What Works” for you? Write clearly, I’ll be taking notes. 🙂

Quick shout out and Congrats to Peyton Manning and the Denver Bronco’s – Super Bowl Bound. I named my dog after Peyton Manning, so we are quite excited!!!!!