Writers Central: The Story of My Best Friend by Jastine Yap

Hello there Misfit Booknerds! If you've read one of my features from the previous week, you know I have invited you to join my story sharing project! I have received positive comments from friends and other readers, although I have yet to receive more submissions, but I was sooo happy when I received one and you are gonna read it now!!! Please check it out.

THE STORY OF MY BEST FRIEND

(photo courtesy of Heatherlee Chan)

Authors I Wish Were My Best Friends

I think I've stalking authors way too much on Twitter, trying very hard to get their attention by tweeting them... Do cat videos actually work to lure them in? Maybe? I wish I've tried that. Anyway, we've all wanted authors, most especially if they are our favorites, to be our best friends and it seems fun to imagine strolling around parks, maybe suggesting to them a few character deaths or two or a good way to hook up. Having authors as best friends could be a ton of fun! And I have the perfect list of authors I wish were my best friends. Please don't hate me if they seem sooo mainstream either.

WARNING: Let this be a note to authors that I am not an insane fangirl, I just really, really love your work... and of course you. OH MY GOD, JAYVEE! >.<

Review: Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

Title: Liars, Inc.
Author: Paula Stokes
Publication: March 24th 2015, HarperTeen
Format: e-ARC
Source: From the publisher! (Thank you HarperTeen!)
Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | The Book Depository | Kobo | National Book Store / Fully Booked (PH)

SYNOPSIS:

It all starts with one little lie…

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell lies to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts a business providing forged permission slips and cover stories for the students of Vista Palisades High. Liars, Inc. they call it. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit?

Misfit Review:

Have you ever thought you can get out of a lie? Of course you have. I believe everyone has. But a lie so huge, that it could send you into a federal chase, hiding from people and ultimately shading the truth, can lead into some pretty dirty business.

If YOU Share Your Stories

Hello there Misfit Booknerds! How's it hangin'? Are you writing anything or in the midst of it? Well, I have this little project that I am setting up and it's not exactly something important or anything. Let's say that this is a test run. A prototype.

So, I've been sharing my stories with you guys, short stories that have been swimming in my head for a very long time and you've all been very supportive about them, giving me constructive criticism and feedback, and I am truly grateful! Anyway, I want to set up this project where short story writers and poets can share their stories with my readers and hopefully share them with others they know. 

It'd be great if they have a platform in which they are writing their short stories like Blogger, Wordpress or Tumblr, so it'll easier to promote their page and won't require me to set up a post on my blog itself. It'll be more of a link. But other than that, there'll be an introduction of you as a writer. Maybe questions will be asked, like a mini-interview :)

Again, this is a prototype or a test project and will bear fruit if people actually want to participate or not. Writers that have not shared any of their stories are very welcome to share them here, where you will feel comfortable and not judged.

If you are actually comfortable sharing your stories with everyone, then please, shoot me an email at jayveedecastro27 (at) gmail (dot) com. You can attach a document of your story to share or the link of the story you want to share. It can either be a short or a poem.

The document must include:

1. Title of the piece
2. Name of writer/author and a little background of yourself. If you want to keep yourself anonymous, please use like a pen name so I could include it on the post's title :)
3. If you have a writing blog or book blog, I could promote that through links :)

Be sure that it's an original piece! Please, don't make it hard on any of us. I will check your document for any plagiarism :)

I don't expect this at all to be a big thing or will blow up from the beginning but I am hopeful still. LOL. I look forward to you submissions!

LGBTQIA+ Novels At Your Bookstores

I was blog surfing (I dunno if I've coined this term), and stumbled upon my newest blogger and cat/dog enthusiast friend, Chiara Sullivan, who happens to have her own book blog and writing blog! A writing blog!!! So awesome! Anyway, ahem! Let's get back to the topic at hand. In Chiara's GORGEOUS writing blog, she recently posted something about LGBTQIA+ books not being represented properly in bookstores or in certain sections. And I feel it's pretty much the same in where I'm living at.

Those Days and Nights

Hello!!! It's been a while since I've actually shared a short story. It may be my lack of focus or will to write anything lately or I felt somewhat embarrassed with my stories. Good thing Germ Magazine gave me an outlet for my frustrations but also getting some tips from one of the editors. FYI: I'm actually a staff member of Germ Magazine. If you don't know what Germ Magazine is, then I suggest you read All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven or just go to the website.

Anyway, I was given the chance to share my stories to a more diverse set of readers. It was also a good opportunity for me to challenge myself. So, I made this story for Germ, in line with it's February Writing Challenge. Unfortunately, this piece wasn't chosen but it gave me a confidence boost to know that the editor liked it still. I, however, would like to share this story with you lot! Tell me what you think about it in the comments or maybe tweet me :) Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Rachel Kertz for Germ Magazine

Thank You!!! (#JenniferESmithMonth)

Yo Misfit Booknerds! It has been a fantastic run for the extended #JenniferESmithMonth event! I would love to thank a ton of people who have been really supportive of this fun blog activity I had. It's the first, so I thought it would be tedious (it was) but it was all very worth it!

Jennifer E. Smith Books You Probably Haven't Tried Reading Yet (#JenniferESmithMonth)

Hello there Misfit Booknerds! The extended #JenniferESmithMonth event has been going on a full rev and even if it is ending, there are still a few post left before it does come to a close.

One of which is a list of Jennifer E. Smith books that you and I have possibly not read yet. We all know Jennifer E. Smith's fluffy novels such as The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, This Is What Happy Looks Like, The Geography and You and Me and the anticipated, Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between. Now before these very long book titles reached the shelves, there are some Jennifer E. Smith novels you might've missed or haven't exactly read.

Here are three of them and they are adorable!

Waiting on Wednesday #17: Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are just waiting to have our hands on!

Title: Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publication: Poppy
Expected Release Date: September 1, 2015
Pre-order or buy on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks  | The Book Depository | Kobo

SYNOPSIS:

On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan only have one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. Over the course of twelve hours, they'll retrace the steps of their relationship, trying to find something in their past that might help them decide what their future should be. The night will lead them to friends and family, familiar landmarks and unexpected places, hard truths and surprising revelations. But as the clock winds down and morning approaches, so does their inevitable goodbye. The question is, will it be goodbye for now or goodbye forever?

About The Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, The Storm Makers, You Are Here, and The Comeback Season. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and currently works as an editor in New York City. Her writing has been translated into 28 languages.

1st Year BLOGVERSARY SPECIAL: Chatting with Mitchii of Kyaa! + SURPRISE

Hello there Misfit booknerds! It's my book blog's first year anniversary! WOOOHOOO!!! It's actually a lot older but then I converted to a full fledged book blog last April 8 and it's probably one of the best decisions I've ever made, because it makes me happy!! Thank you for sticking with me throughout this past year and understanding my shortcomings and whatnot. Okay, enough with the tears.

Anyway, to celebrate my fantastic 1st blogversary, I decided to do it in a completely different fashion. Since I'm not exactly rich enough to provide a giveaway, and since this feels a little too abrupt to have actually planned it, I decided to just have a little chat about what I also love most in the world, 2nd to books... And that is, ANIME!

Now, I've never exactly talked about anything ANIME on this blog, maybe because it's a book blog, 2nd is, why would I? But since my blog is for misfits, then why exactly am I limiting myself to just that? So, for my blogversary, I decided to chat with a friend, who is equally crazy about anime, Mitchii of Kyaa!, an anime and manga blog!

P.S. I know it's not the most conventional thing to do for a blogversary, but what the heck? HAHAHA! さぁ、始めよう (Let's begin)

Jayvee: Hi there Mitchii! How's the anime binge? LOL

Mitchii: Still catching up to my spring watch-list! I’m looking forward to couple of anime premiering this season! xD

J: I'm am soooo freaking excited about Gintama!

(source)

#JenniferESmithMonth: This Is What Happy Looks Like Nail Art Tutorial by The Unicolenicorn

Why hello there Misfit booknerds! The blog has been on a roll this past few days and I'm glad to include this little feature!

So if you guys have read my post on The Novel Nails Designs, where Nicole featured her amazing nail art skills, then you'd know that one of them is on This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith. She actually has one for The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight and The Geography of You and Me. She has a nail art blog called The Unicolenicorn, which includes all of her amazing nail art designs and of course, to the service of you lot, nail art tutorials!

#JenniferESmithMonth: Happy Thoughts Gift Shop

Hello there Misfit Booknerds! So I recently posted my review of This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith for #JenniferESmithMonth,which has been extended for 2 more weeks because of circumstances (school). Anyway, as much as I enjoyed the book, I kind of enjoyed Maggie's Happy Thoughts Gift Shop. And with this feature, I would like to talk about it and what I would really love to find in that messy treasure trove!

(SOURCE)

So, Happy Thoughts Gift Shop, as Ellie advertised it in the novel, is a shop filled with all kinds of stuff you might end up finding at other specialty catered stores. There are books, picture frames, LOBSTER-THEMED ITEMS, the works! It used to be quite neat, but from what I read, it seemed like an episode of Hoarders. But also from reading small bits in the story where the shop is involved, I kinda got sucked in by its charm and thought, maybe if I end up at Henley, Maine, I could get some souvenirs from the shop. *winks* And they might actually have one that I'll like!

1. Vintage books

I've pointed out already that the shop has books but maybe they have those really huge ones that are like a few pounds and are being eaten away by termites. They can be good additions to old collections, house decorations to make you look intellectual or for safety purposes--door stoppers.

2. Music boxes

(SOURCE)

Review: This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: This Is What Happy Looks Like
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publication: December 24th 2013, Poppy
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Own Copy from NBS
Buy it on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | The Book Depository | Kobo | National Book Store / Fully Booked (PH)

SYNOPSIS:

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Misfit Review:

Have you ever had one e-mail sent to a person you have no idea who and end up getting to know them after through those exchanges? I've never but with the strings of fate working their magic on Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill, one would wish they could've been as lucky as these two with finding each other.

The Misfit Interviews: Fun Facts with Jennifer E. Smith

Hi there Misfit Booknerds! Sorry I have been under the radar lately. I have been on both a blogging and reading slump, however, I have found a way to get back on the groove when Jennifer E. Smith replied to my interview for #JenniferESmithMonth! YAAAY! 

Anyway, here are some of the questions I asked Jennifer, and maybe this will allow you guys to know her better! 

If you end up stuck in an island, all alone, what 5 things would you probably have on your bag when it happens?

• Well, if I were packing for such an occasion, I'd probably have all sorts of practical things like food and water and sunscreen and books. But if I were to get whisked away out of the blue and had only the things I'm usually carrying around in my bag, I'd end up with stuff like bubblegum and a phone and loose change and cherry chapstick and a broken comb. But the good news is that I'd still have books. I never leave home without them!

What TV show or movie do you want to be warped into?

• Friday Night Lights, because Coach Taylor.