tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50182358413653604262024-03-13T12:17:01.893-06:00Author Bethany WigginsSHIFTING/STUNG/CUREDSuzette Saxtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06401538008029407734noreply@blogger.comBlogger252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-60486487252576202422014-03-22T21:43:00.004-06:002018-12-02T21:30:38.031-07:00Top Two QuestionsEvery time I talk to readers who have read and loved my books, I am, without fail, asked two things.<br />
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1. <i>Will I ever write SHIFTING 2?</i><br />
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The answer is . . . maybe. I won't say no. I actually wrote it years ago, right after I wrote SHIFTING 1, but then when I got a publisher I changed SHIFTING 1 up a bit so part one and two don't quite mesh. But you never know maybe one day I'll fix SHIFTING 2.<br />
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2. <i>When will STUNG be a movie?</i><br />
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Well, I honestly have no say in this. If I knew a movie producer and could get him to read the book, the chances of it becoming a movie would go up drastically. So for now, it is just going to be a book. But thanks for liking it so well that you want it to be a movie!Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-42848739586970045332013-12-14T08:27:00.000-07:002018-12-02T21:31:19.620-07:00Vote For STUNG!Hi there cyber buddies! So, a lot has happened since I last posted. Like, I had a baby. Sigh. He is adorable! (And he's the reason I've been MIA on here for a while--when you have a new baby, and four other little kids you're already the mother of, there is no such thing as FREE TIME! As for the photo, that was actually taken when baby number four was born, so just imagine one more pair of baby feet!)<br />
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ANYway, I have some other cool news, almost as cool as a new baby. So, here it is:<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">STUNG is in the running to receive a teen choice book of the year award!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, if you think it is vote-worthy, GO VOTE <a href="http://www.teenreads.com/features/teen-choice-book-of-the-year/nominate-your-favorite-books-of-2013">here</a>!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-35397337743347703882013-08-09T08:11:00.001-06:002018-12-02T21:31:50.107-07:00TIME Magazine Talks a World Without BeesYou know my book, STUNG, is all about a world where the honeybees die off, right? Well, TIME Magazine has something to say about that. Click <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2149141,00.html">here </a>for a link to the article.<br />
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<br />Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-44796437462855447132013-05-01T20:52:00.002-06:002013-08-09T08:13:06.012-06:00STUNG 2 aka CUREDSTUNG 2 has a title (CURED), a release date (March 2014), and is on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17874904-cured">Goodreads</a>! Here's the blurb:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">Fiona Tarsis is a legend. Her world was ravaged by a lethal virus, her family separated. Her friends were turned into ferocious beasts by an even deadlier vaccine. Mindless monsters now raid the streets. But Fiona has survived. Jacqui Bloom needs Fiona's help. Two years ago, Jacqui's brother, Dean, left the safety of his home to guide Fiona's mother to a safe haven. He never returned. Jacqui has been hiding away in the family house, disguised as a boy, and hoping Dean will come back. But she can no longer live like this. She has to find him. Even with the two men Fiona loves most by their side, leading Jacqui into the desert will be risky. Raiders are everywhere - they will do anything to prevent the beast-cure her group are carrying from being spread - and knowing who to trust is near impossible. Lone traveller Kevin is sexy and self-assured, and has caught Jacqui's attention, but he is hiding his past. Is he also hiding the truth about what he really wants from them? This dramatic dystopian thriller is the perfect cure for addicts of </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">The Hunger Games</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; line-height: 17.27272605895996px;">SQUEEEEE!!! </span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-74921649411054649062013-03-25T20:19:00.001-06:002013-03-25T20:19:32.815-06:00STUNG Blog Tour KickoffIt's time! Time for the STUNG blog tour. So go <a href="http://read-a-holicz.blogspot.com/2013/03/stung-blog-tour-starts-introduction.html?spref=fb">here </a>if you want to follow the fun!Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-11463355979266689292013-03-21T20:46:00.002-06:002013-03-21T20:46:40.570-06:00STUNG AwesomenessSome STUNG awesomeness!<br />
<br />
First, do you want to read the first chapter of STUNG? (The correct answer is yes!) It is being featured on <a href="http://www.tor.com/stories/2013/03/stung-excerpt">Tor.com</a>.<br />
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Also, the trailer is out! The trailer is out! <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ublGWuM38R4">HERE </a>is the link.Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-83491471839241578272013-03-18T14:37:00.001-06:002013-03-18T14:37:21.631-06:00Fifteen Days!Only fifteen days until STUNG comes out! What have I been up to to get ready for this huge event? Here's what:<br />
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Blogging (for other people's blogs).<br />
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Planning an awesome party complete with tons of fresh-baked bread, flavored honey, and books.<br />
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Author interviews.<br />
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Making a stamp of the "mark."<br />
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Blogging (for other people's blogs). Wait--I already said that.<br />
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And, that is about it. Most boring blog post ever? Probably. :)<br />
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<br />Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-25729189916474545912013-01-25T11:10:00.002-07:002013-01-25T11:10:26.659-07:00STUNG Blog TourMy dear friends, Hannah and Lisseth from <a href="http://bookpaparazzi.blogspot.com/2013/01/announcing-stung-blog-tour.html" target="_blank">The Book Paparazzi Blog</a>, are hosting a STUNG blog tour! If you want to be a part of the fun, click <a href="http://bookpaparazzi.blogspot.com/2013/01/announcing-stung-blog-tour.html" target="_blank">here</a>!<br />
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XOXO, BethanyBethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-68467640065312365692013-01-12T12:27:00.000-07:002013-01-12T12:32:02.342-07:00Nightmare Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can hardly believe it! <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517444-stung" target="_blank">STUNG </a>comes out in less that three months (April 2). I still remember the day in November 2011 when I found out it wouldn't come out clear until April 2013. And now that is just around the corner! So, I though it would be fun to tell you how the idea for STUNG came about.<br />
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Sometime in 2010, at 4:40 a.m., I sat up in bed and gasped. I stumbled to the computer and typed one paragraph. And then I went back to sleep. When I got up at 7:00, I vaguely remembered waking from a horrifying nightmare in the wee hours and typing it up on the computer. When I sat down and read what I'd written, my heart started beating a little faster as I remembered the nightmare. Here it is (though this is not the awkward paragraph I wrote at 4:40 a.m. This is the nightmare with a little more detail).<br />
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I was in the house I grew up in, the house house beside the elementary school. But it was all wrong--dilapidated, falling apart, empty. And someone was in the house with me. When I turned to see who it was, I froze, because this person wasn't really a person. He was feral, and looked at me like he wanted to eat me. So I forced myself to unfreeze and ran. But he was fast. As I threw myself through an open window, his nails dug into my skin and tried to pull me back in.<br />
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The nightmare jumped. I was in the sewer, watching groups of people huddled together and eating food from cans. They wore rags, spoke in whispers, and had eyes that shifted toward every sound. And then I woke up.<br />
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And that is how the idea for <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517444-stung" target="_blank">STUNG </a>was born.<br />
<br />
Here's the blurb from the cover:<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">There is no cure for being stung.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Where do you get your inspiration?</span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-65043080979503314132012-12-11T03:30:00.000-07:002012-12-11T03:30:00.372-07:00Awesomeness In ThreesThis is a pretty awesome day for three reasons. First of all,<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELANA JOHNSON!!!</span><br />
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If you don't know Elana Johnson, you should. She is the author of <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8337087-possession" target="_blank">Possession</a>, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11700071-surrender" target="_blank">Surrender</a>, and the upcoming <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16032249-abandon" target="_blank">Abandon</a> (Simon Pulse, June 4 2013). She also has one of the <a href="http://elanajohnson.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">best blogs ever</a>!<br />
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Next, my cousin's wife, Angela Felsted, has a book coming out! It is called <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16141098-chaste" target="_blank">Chaste</a>, and here is the blurb:<br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">When he steps into his physics class on the first day of senior year, Quinn Walker is too exhausted from staying up all night with his three-month-old nephew to deal with moral dilemmas. As a devout Mormon who has vowed to wait until marriage for sex, the last thing he needs is a very hot and very sexy Katarina Jackson as his physics partner. Regrettably, he has no choice.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Kat feels invisible in her mansion of a home six months after losing her older brother in a fatal car crash and will do anything to get her parents’ attention. Since her pastor father has no love for Quinn’s “fake” religion and her ex-boyfriend refuses to leave her alone, she makes an impulsive bet with her friends to seduce her holier-than-thou lab partner by Christmas.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now, Quinn Walker is not your average boy. He makes cookies. (Side note: my husband makes the best chocolate chip cookies EVER!) So to celebrate the release of Chaste, I am putting my husband's famous cookie recipe on here for you. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">RECIPE</span><br />
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<ul style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #828282; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 1/4</span> cups all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span> teaspoon baking soda</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span> teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span> cup <span class="type" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(2 sticks)</span></span> butter, softened</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3/4</span> cup granulated sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3/4</span> cup packed brown sugar</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span> large eggs</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="amount" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="value" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span> cups Guittard or Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Soften butter in microwave, and then stir it all by hand. That's the secret. ROLL into balls and bake at 375 f for 9 min.</li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Third thing, in honor of these two amazing ladies, I am giving away a signed copy of my book, SHIFTING. All you have to do is leave a comment and you are entered. So, leave a comment, and happy baking/reading/eating!</span></li>
<li class="ingredient" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></li>
</ul>
Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-9596501149374863672012-12-05T13:22:00.000-07:002012-12-05T13:22:09.715-07:00The Final Twilight Movie. Thoughts?Warning! Spoilers.<br />
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All right, I will admit I was not a big fan of the final Twilight book--Breaking Dawn. Here's my biggest complaint:<br />
<br />
They had all the evil vampires gathered together in one place, Alice foresaw the future, and guess what? IF THE GOOD VAMPIRES AND WOLVES FOUGHT AGAINST THE BAD VAMPIRES, THE GOOD VAMPS WOULD HAVE ...<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">WON!!!</span><br />
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Instead, all the vampires stand on a snowy field and talk out their problems, and everyone goes home.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">The end.</span><br />
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Well, I was thinking (hoping) the movie people would have actually let the bad guys have justice dealt to them. WRONG! The good and bad vampires talk, and then the evil, murdering, controlling, cruel vampires walk away.<br />
<br />
The End.<br />
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So, do you agree that this is possibly the least satisfying ending to a book/movie series, or am I alone here?<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-25303876806886640012012-10-05T22:48:00.001-06:002012-10-05T22:48:36.591-06:00Sneak Peek!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3G3RtVWgXYM/UG-1XzcWT5I/AAAAAAAAASM/OwuofrGoQyE/s1600/41FRn04wXBL+(500x500)+(500x500).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3G3RtVWgXYM/UG-1XzcWT5I/AAAAAAAAASM/OwuofrGoQyE/s320/41FRn04wXBL+(500x500)+(500x500).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;">There are only six months left until STUNG comes out! (STUNG is my new book in case you didn't know, LOL.) </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">So to celebrate, here's the blurb, plus the first page. I hope you like it! Let me know what you think.</span><br />
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<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">There is no cure for being stung.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.</span><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.</span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: white;"><br style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">CHAPTER 1</span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;">I don’t remember
going to sleep. All I remember is waking up here—a place as familiar as my own
face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;">At least, it
should be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;">But there’s a
problem. The once green carpet is gray. The classical music posters lining the
walls are bleached, their brittle corners curling where the tacks are missing.
My first place ribbons are pale blue instead of royal. My sundresses are
drained of color. And my bed. I sit on the edge of a bare, sun-bleached
mattress, a mattress covered with dirt and twigs and mouse droppings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;">I turn my head and
the room swims, faded posters wavering and swirling against grimy walls. My
head fills with fuzz and I try to remember when my room got so filthy, since I
vacuum and dust it once a week. And why is the mattress bare when I change the
sheets every Saturday? And where did my pillows go? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background-color: white;">My stomach growls
and I push on the concave space beneath my ribs, against the shirt
sweat-plastered to my skin, and try to remember the last time I ate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">STUNG on <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517444-stung" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">STUNG on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stung-Bethany-Wiggins/dp/0802734189/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1349498407&sr=1-3&keywords=stung" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-54904273947444648222012-09-21T13:30:00.001-06:002012-09-21T13:30:31.559-06:00The Life of a Writer--Roald Dahl's Insight<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px;">I got an email from a friend the other day. She's reading the autobiography of Roald Dahl and sent me a quote from the book, asking me if this is what writing is like for ME. The answer? I'll tell you after you read the quote.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px;"><br /></span>
<i><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px;">"The life of a writer is absolute hell compared with the life of a businessman. The writer has to force himself to work. He has to make his own hours and if he doesn't go to his desk at all there is nobody to scold him. If he is a writer of fiction he lives in a world of fear. Each new day demands new ideas and he can never be sure whether he is going to come up with them or not. Two hours of writing fiction leaves this particular writer drained. For those two hours he has been miles away, he has been somewhere else, in a different place with totally different people, and the effort of swimming back into normal surroundings is very great. It is almost a shock. The writer walks out of his workroom in a daze. He wants a drink. He needs it. It happens to be a fact that nearly every writer of fiction in the world drinks more whiskey than is good for him. He does it to give himself faith, hope and courage. A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom. He has no master except his own soul, and that, I am sure, is why he does it."</span>
</b></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: small;">Oh my GOSH! Yes, this is how life is for me (minus the </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">whiskey</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: small;">). I got chills reading this because Mr. Dahl might have been writing it about me. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16.363636016845703px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif;">If you write, is this how it is for you? And you readers, do you ever feel dazed after reading a really good book?</span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-87755147183949702962012-08-31T22:47:00.001-06:002012-08-31T22:47:45.418-06:00The Creative Writing Toolbox: Interview with Bethany WigginsIn which I answer questions like:<br />
<br />
Have you ever fallen asleep while writing?<br />
<br />
And . . .<br />
<br />
Do you really believe in Skinwalkers? (Doesn't everyone?)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://cwtoolbox.blogspot.com/2012/08/interview-with-bethany-wiggins.html?spref=bl">The Creative Writing Toolbox: Interview with Bethany Wiggins</a>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-412521998645604372012-08-28T20:58:00.001-06:002012-08-28T20:58:07.002-06:00Shifting on FacebookIn some things, I am a SLACKER. Like blogging about the fact that Shifting has a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shifting-by-Bethany-Wiggins/174879792596935" target="_blank">facebook </a>page.<br />
<br />
It does. Now you know.<br />
<br />
So, if you liked the book, check it out!<br />
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On another note, we are almost at the <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">seven months to release</span> of my newest book, <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">STUNG!</span> Be looking for a sneak peak of it on here in the next few days!Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-91317890710311756432012-08-18T20:57:00.000-06:002012-08-18T20:57:40.563-06:00The Real MeI have been asked a few questions as an "official" writer lately. People want to know more about the REAL me (which is the only me). Here are the answers.<br />
<br />
<i>Where did you grow up?</i><br />
Denver, CO.<br />
SLC, UT.<br />
Silver City, NM.<br />
SLC, UT.<br />
Croton-On-Hudson, NY.<br />
SLC, UT.<br />
Fontanna Resort, NC.<br />
Utah.<br />
<br />
<i>What did your parents do?</i><br />
My dad was/is a worldwide renowned oil exploration geologist. My mother was a school teacher--but she taught school after I was an adult.<br />
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<i>Did you always want to be a writer?</i><br />
Nope. I had no aspirations to be a writer when I was a kid, or even a young adult. I often dreamed of being a writer, but never actually did anything to become one until I was in my late twenties. And then I just decided to start writing books (with a little push from my sister). BUT on that note, I always LOVED storytelling. I had ghost-story-telling parties at Halloween. When we visited family, I always asked for stories about my parents when they were kids. I have always sought out stories.<br />
<br />
<i>Have you always had a huge imagination?</i><br />
Yes. In fact, my imagination was so big as a teenager that I was dubbed "odd." I liked strange things--like antique-looking jewelry that everyone else thought was ugly. I read big fantasy novels. I watched shows like <i>Star Trek</i> and <i>Legend</i>.<br />
<br />
And . . . I won't bore you any longer! But if you want to ask me something else, post it in the comments and I will do another blog post.Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-37472368894057872192012-06-01T21:06:00.000-06:002012-06-01T21:07:44.899-06:00Auction With Agent Critiques and HOBBIT Movie Loot!I just found out about <a href="https://helpbabyjayden.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">this auction</a>. It is for a REALLY good cause! And it has some amazing prizes, like:<br />
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Agent and author critiques.<br />
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Signed books.<br />
<br />
Jewelry.<br />
<br />
Original art.<br />
<br />
Customized portraits.<br />
<br />
And . . . <b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">a special little something from the new HOBBIT movie! </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Go on. <a href="https://helpbabyjayden.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Check it out</a>. It starts at 4 a.m. EST. It's easy to spend money for a good cause. :)</span>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-77165416732638357132012-05-31T15:23:00.000-06:002012-05-31T15:24:02.422-06:00Corndogs and StungWow. So, I actually have more than five seconds to sit down at my computer, which has not happened for a long time! (If you don't believe me, ask my facebook friends. I'm not even on there much lately.)
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w172/mattamudra/corndogs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="274" width="250" src="http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w172/mattamudra/corndogs.jpg" /></a></div>
So, here's what's new with me.
I got a kitten! She looks like a black and white cotton ball with legs and a tail.
I am running again. Nothing huge. Just two miles, three days a week (which is HUGE for me).
STUNG is going to the typesetter! (All right, in all fairness, it has probably <i>already</i> gone there. I just haven't blogged about it in a while.)
STUNG 2 is almost finished (as in written and ready for editing--so not really almost <i>finished</i>, more like almost <b>begun</b>).
I love corndogs. Yes, that sounds like an odd "new" thing, but I hadn't had them since elementary school lunch! My husband brought a box of them home from the grocery store a few weeks ago(he does all the grocery shopping, bless him!)and my corndog love was rekindled. :)
And that's all for now. I can't wait to share STUNG with you guys. I almost get weepy just thinking about it. If you want to sign up to read it on goodreads, click <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13517444-stung">HERE</a>.
Enjoy your summer vacation!!! Unless of course you live in Australia.
XOXO,
BethanyBethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-53941082398604405822012-03-06T13:54:00.002-07:002012-03-06T14:50:03.656-07:00True Confessions of a YA Writer Part Two<a href="http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx318/UnderHTwoOh/Craigslist/CuttingBoard.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 640px;" src="http://i767.photobucket.com/albums/xx318/UnderHTwoOh/Craigslist/CuttingBoard.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />My seventh grade English teacher (we'll call her Mrs. B.) probably ate a cup of staples for breakfast every day. That would explain the constant look of misery etched into her manly face. She also wore men's clothes, had pictures of tigers all over her classroom, and was so quick to drop punishments that no one dared talk in her class. She also had strong beliefs about cheating, which copying someone else's homework fit into.<br /><br />I couldn't help the fact that as a kid I was terrified of punishment. My dad was pretty quick to crack the whip--if I so much as accidentally bumped his glasses, all H-E-double-hockey-sticks broke loose. My mom's favorite kitchen accessory? The small wooden cutting board with a handle--aptly renamed The Paddle-board*. <br /><br />So, the day when Mrs. B. stood in front of the class and stared us down with her staple-sharp glare, I sank low in my chair and started to sweat. "It has been brought to my attention that some of you have been cheating on your homework," she said, gaze sweeping over the classroom. "I know who you are. All of you!" <br /><br />I could hardly breathe. Just that morning I had copied ONE answer from my best friend's assignment. ONE ANSWER! <br /><br />"Raise your hand if you're guilty of cheating!" No one did. The whole class was dead silent. Mrs. B. tightened her glare, making one of her eyes go all squinty. And then, one by one, hands started going up until everyone in that room except me, a boy with no friends, and a girl with no friends, had their hands held limply up over their heads.<br /><br />My two best friends, sitting on either side of me, turned and glared at me. "Raise your hand!" one of them hissed. I clasped my sweaty hands in my lap and stared at Mrs. B., too terrified to even move.<br /><br />Mrs. B. crossed her arms over her flannel men's shirt and nodded. "I thought so. You're all a bunch of cheaters. The students with their hands up will take the final exam with no notes!"<br /><br />That whole class period I wanted to barf. Every time my best friends looked at me, glared at me, I felt the bile rise a little higher up my throat. After class they approached me. "You are such a liar," one said. "If you don't tell Mrs. B. that you cheated too, we're never going to talk to you again." <br /><br />I sat alone at lunch that day.<br /><br />The next day my two best friends ignored me when I walked into class. Instead of going to my seat I dragged my feet up to Mrs. B's desk, hugged my books to my chest, and blurted, "I cheated! I'm a cheater!"<br /><br />She studied me over a pair of manly reading glasses. "Your friends put you up to this didn't they? You're too nice of a girl to cheat."<br /><br />I shook my head. "I cheated," I said again--which was the sad truth, even if I was a nice girl.<br /><br />Mrs. B. shrugged. "Fine. You take the test with no notes like everybody else."<br /><br />With the whole class staring at me, I made my way to my desk and looked at my friends for approval. They both turned their backs to me. When I talked to them, they played deaf. When the dismissal bell rang, they put their noses in the air and walked out of the room before I had my books in my bag.<br /><br />The boy on my left, the boy who didn't cheat, looked at me and said, "It's kinda hard to cheat when you don't have any friends." I figured that one out for myself. <br /><br />If you want to read more about my turbulent teen years, go <a href="http://suzettesaxton.blogspot.com/2012/02/true-confessions-of-ya-writer-part-one.html">here</a>.<br /> <br />*Author's note: My mom rarely used The Paddle-board, mainly because I hid it every time I found it (and she'll probably read this). Best hiding place ever? Under the fluffy toilet-seat cover.Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-264381648403623872012-02-27T14:24:00.002-07:002012-02-27T15:09:50.660-07:00True Confessions of a YA Writer Part One<a href="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/_itscourtney/beautifulinside.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 497px; height: 332px;" src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h367/_itscourtney/beautifulinside.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Does anyone really think they're pretty in high school? Okay--I knew a lot of girls who didn't think they were pretty. They KNEW it. But I wasn't one of them. And I didn't know them as in share a bond of friendship with them. I watched them walk down the hall, flipping their hair over their shoulders while applying lip gloss.<br /><br />So, junior year I thought (hoped?) I was pretty, but judging by the amount of dates I was asked on, I was starting to seriously doubt my own personal allure to the male half of the school. Dates=0. Honestly, boys didn't even really talk to me. And unfortunately my self esteem quotient was a whole lot lower than my intelligence quotient back in those days. <br /><br />The one ray of sunshine on many of those drab high school days was my cousin Bryce: popular, good-looking, a year older, and one of my best (only) friends. On a particularly bad day, I got up the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing me for some time.<br /><br />"Am I pretty or not, Bryce?"<br /><br />His lips thinned, he got an intense look of concentration on his face, and his eyes slowly moved from my face, down to my feet, and back up to my face again. "I don't know. I'm related to you so I never really thought of you as pretty."<br /><br />Throat constricting. Face burning. Eyeballs trying to water. I forced myself to breath. "Oh. All right." Totally not the answer I was hoping (expecting?) to get. I mean, the least he could have done was lie. (Yes, you're beautiful, dear cousin of mine!)<br /><br />Still wearing that look of painful concentration, he said, "Hold on," and walked ten feet away to a group of junior guys, leaving me standing alone in the hall. He tapped a guy on the shoulder, said something, and pointed at me. This guy, we'll call him Mr. X, looked at me. His eyes grew wide. He paled. He took a step backward and his mouth puckered up to the size of a grape. <br /><br />I felt faint. My face started to throb with heat. Whirling around, I ducked my head, stared at the ground, and started walking away as fast as I could, but not before I heard Mr. X's response to what Bryce asked him.<br /><br />"Oh, Man. Please don't tell me your cousin has a crush on me!"<br /><br />I avoided Mr. X like the plague for the next year and a half. It wasn't hard. He avoided me too. <br /><br />I never did get a real answer to my question that day, but I learned a valuable lesson. If you can't handle a bad answer to a question, don't ask the question!Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-653050796254680162012-02-06T20:40:00.003-07:002012-02-07T08:51:53.535-07:00Behind the Scenes With Maggie Mae and Bridger<a href="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz118/gokourtneyg/BoyKissingGirl.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 357px; height: 400px;" src="http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz118/gokourtneyg/BoyKissingGirl.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Did you read SHIFTING? Yes? No*? Well, if you did, and you want a glimpse of what Maggie Mae and Bridger are up to post book, you've got to check out my guest post on Amber in Blunder's blog. So go . . . (dang. Blogger is acting up, it won't let me do the link the way I want). So go here:<br /><br />http://amberinblunderland.blogspot.com/2012/01/character-interview-and-giveaway-maggie.html<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br />*Warning: If you haven't read the book, there are some spoilers!<br /><br />P.S. There is also a contest on Amber's blog to win SHIFTING.Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-64498155771188019902011-12-23T09:40:00.003-07:002011-12-23T09:44:17.918-07:00The Final Countdown (to win my book)So, wanna win SHIFTING? You have until midnight!<br /><div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget17525"><!-- Show static html as a placeholder in case js is not enabled --><div style="margin: 10px auto; padding: 10px 15px; border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(235, 232, 213); max-width: 350px;" class="goodreadsGiveawayWidget"> <style> .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; -moz-border-radius: 5px; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(>http://goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_button4.gif>); background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(>http://goodreads.com/images/layout/gr_button4_hover.gif>); color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; } </style> <h2 style="margin: 0px 0px 10px !important; padding: 0px !important; text-align: center; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); line-height: 20px; font-size: 20px; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway </h2> <div style="float: left;"> </div></div></div>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-80312166493526081472011-12-19T22:40:00.001-07:002011-12-20T09:15:12.040-07:00Shifting (my book) Preview<div>So a lot of you know I've written a book. And maybe some of you don't. </div><div> </div><div>Well, if you're curious about it--my book (SHIFTING)--and want to see if you might like it, follow <a href="http://issuu.com/bloomsbury/docs/shifting_wiggins/16">this link</a>. </div><div> </div><div>You can take a peek at the first two chapters and see what you think! Here's the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802722806/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=10SEVMHGDZSSS3BR3PNZ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">Amazon link </a>. . . you know . . . just in case. ;D</div><div> </div><div>Enjoy!</div><div> </div>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-24188662658844737952011-12-14T05:11:00.000-07:002011-12-14T05:11:00.234-07:00Writer On the Side<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll159/joanamae_01/girl-thinking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 590px; height: 352px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" border="0" alt="" src="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll159/joanamae_01/girl-thinking.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll159/joanamae_01/girl-thinking.jpg"></a>Mom in the middle. That's me. Writer on the side, but Mom in the middle, where it really counts. <div> </div><div>Don't get me wrong. I love writing. LOVE it! In fact, I recently sold two books to my publisher, Walker Books, and I am so excited for the world to read them! </div><div> </div><div>But for me, being a mom is my number one priority. Because when I write a book, I have all the tries I need to get it "just right." But with kids? If I mess up, I can't go back and fix something by tweaking a scene, or changing the ending. With kids, every single day matters. </div><div> </div><div>I had this epiphany a while back. Childhood is fleeting! It goes by so quickly. Time seems to be speeding up on me and before I know it my kids will be grown and I'll be all alone wondering where time went.</div><div> </div><div>Therefore, my kids come before my writing. Always. I don't think I could instill morals and values into my writing if I didn't first live them in my daily life. So in essence, the fact that I have children, these tiny beings whom I love with all my heart and soul, is what gives me the overwhelming emotional power to write stories that touch other people.</div><div> </div><div>So here are a few things that I have learned along the way:</div><div> </div><div>--Always put your kids first because if they are happy and content, so are you. And if you are happy and content, then you can write beautiful stories.</div><div> </div><div>--Put pieces of what you learn from your kids into your writing--they teach unconditional love, after all, and isn't that what makes life worth living? And books worth reading?</div><div> </div><div>--Revel in the fact that you are lucky enough to be blessed with kids, because the people who dearly want children but can't have them wish more than ANYTHING (even more than you wish you were published, or you wish you were on the NY Times bestseller list) that they were in your shoes. </div><div> </div><div>--Be content with what you have. Want what you already own/have accomplished, and you'll find joy in life. Don't look at other people's grass and marvel at how green it looks from where you are. I guarantee you that they will have grubs at one time or another!</div><div> </div><div>I guarantee you that when you're on your deathbed you won't think, Man, I wish I wrote one more book. But you might think, Man, I wish I spent more time with my kids.</div><div> </div><div>So, what have you learned from life? </div></div>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5018235841365360426.post-76572145303153382012011-12-07T06:39:00.001-07:002011-12-07T09:01:59.963-07:00Mom or Author?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll282/happygirl4u/flower.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 87px; height: 127px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" border="0" alt="" src="http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll282/happygirl4u/flower.jpg" /></a>How about both? Of those two things, being a mom is my top priority. That is why, sadly, I haven't blogged since October. Life got tough for a little while. And now it is back to normal (which means only slightly insane). In lieu of that, I decided to do a few blog posts over the next few weeks about how to achieve your goals as a writer while also being the mom (or dad) that your kids deserve. Because they deserve the best. And so do you! (Check out this amazing article, <a href="http://momshomeroom.msn.com/articles/2/31257816/?WT.mc_id=msn">"What We Wish We Knew Then.")</a><div><div> </div><div>I am the proud mother of four small kids, and they take up a whole lot of my time. All of my time, actually, between the hours of seven a.m. and 8 p.m. So how do I write and yet raise a healthy, balanced family (because even my husband needs some raising)?</div><div> </div><div>It is all about time. You ABSOLUTELY have to manage your time. Make every single moment count and don't waste a single second on useless stuff like . . . watching television. Or playing bejeweled. Or (cringe) Solitaire (guilty). Or, dare I say, Facebook and Twitter.</div><div> </div><div>Here are a few totally random time-saving tips:</div><div> </div><div>1. Learn to chop vegetables like a pro. I am not kidding! Do you know how fast I can make a salad now that I can chop a carrot in less than 30 seconds? A bell pepper in 60 seconds? When I can whip up a healthy meal in minutes, I have time to spare for other things.</div><div> </div><div>2. Be organized! Everything should have a place, and never put something down! Put it away. (Or be like me and follow your kids from room to room picking up their toys--or make them do it.)</div><div> </div><div>3. Make your kids accountable for their own messes--especially their bedrooms. In my house? NO TV until kids are dressed (the older ones do it by themselves), bedrooms are spotless, and beds are made. If they clean up after themselves, that makes a lot less for me to do.</div><div> </div><div>4. Have a set bedtime for your kids and enforce it every single day. As soon as all kids are in bed, focus on writing.</div><div> </div><div>5. Every evening put a load or two of laundry in to wash/dry so that it is ready to fold first thing in the morning. Do this every day!</div><div> </div><div>And then, when the kids are in bed, it just so happens that the house is more-or-less clean, the laundry is folded and (if I'm really on the ball) put away, the husband is happily watching television, and you are free to do whatever you want (which is write novels in my case). </div><div> </div><div>Now, tell me what you do to make writing possible (even if you don't have kids because you're all probably just as busy as me).</div></div>Bethany Wigginshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.com11