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I‘m officially a quarter of the way through the year. Here’s my monthly progress report:

1. Write 5 days a week: This month was the same as the previous 2 months. I have created a new tracking system, though, which will help me to stay motivated this month.
2. Read 100 books: to date, I have read 18 books. I’m trending about 4-5 books behind schedule. To checkout what I’ve been reading, follow me on Goodreads
3. Read more nonfiction: I read 1.5 nonfiction books this month.
4. Take at least 1 writing class: no progress to report
5. Attend 1 writing conference: no progress to report
6. Write shorter form articles: no progress to report
7. Get at least 1 freelance article published: no progress to report
8. Increase my vocabulary: I’m continuing to try to use a bigger variety of words in my daily interactions. I also started a new job this month editing health content, so this should help keep my vocabulary in tip-top shape.
9. 1 short story a month: My progress is the same as it was last month. I definitely need to work on this one.
10. Finish my WIP: I made a lot of progress on both additional research and getting through some tricky chapters, so I’m feeling very good about my progress this month.

Come back next month for another update.

2015 Reading Challenge

Megan has
read 8 books toward her goal of 100 books.

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8 of 100 (8%)

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I recently finished rereading Megan McCafferty‘s Bumped, and reading Thumped for the first time. The series follows two twins, Melody and Harmony, who are separated at birth. The twins live in a dystopian world where a virus renders humans infertile after their 18th birthday. Teenage females are prized for their ovaries, and teenage males are only as good as their genes.

In reading this series, I couldn’t help but find connections to our own world and the attention the media places on women’s fertility and sexuality. As the He for She movement continues to gain momentum, and as celebrities are increasingly more public about the sexism they encounter from the media (e.g. #askhermore campaign), sexuality and sexism are taking center stage in a big way.

But are we doing enough, or are we headed for a world similar to the one McCafferty has created?

Certainly McCafferty has taken this theme to the extreme, but is she really so far off from where we are today? Naturally, this starts to enter dangerous territory. Who am I to say that teenage girls should not reveal themselves online (snapchat, etc.) or act promiscuous? Ultimately, it is their decision, as it is the decision of any female to show her body in whatever way she wants. But as a society, are we teaching girls that their worth is measured only by their sexuality? Are young girls made to feel that, to be likable, they have to bare it all?

Personal Brands

McCafferty uses the concept of brand to refer to her characters’ clout on social media. Members of this society are constantly looking for ways to improve their brand – for some this involves attending sex-parties. For others, like Melody, remaining a virgin is part of her brand, but only until she is sold off to a compatible “donor.” In a world where we are constantly looking for the next great selfie, or obsessively checking our social sites to see how many like we can get, personal brand is as alive in the real world as it is McCafferty’s world.

Are we losing a part of ourselves in our race for more likes? Have we become nothing more than our social profiles?

I feel like we are at a pivotal point in time – if we do not make a stand about the portrayal of women and the dominance of social media in defining who we are (problems that I see as being interrelated), I fear we are on our way towards making McCafferty’s word a reality.

While Bumped and Thumped are works of fiction, they teach very real, very applicable values.

Two months down, 10 more to go. Here’s my monthly progress report:

1. Write 5 days a week: This month went about the same way January did. This just gives me extra motivation to work harder to meet this goal in March.
2. Read 100 books: to date, I have read 12 books. To checkout what I’ve been reading, follow me on Goodreads
3. Read more nonfiction: this month, I only read half of a nonfiction book, but then, it was a short month.
4. Take at least 1 writing class: no progress to report
5. Attend 1 writing conference: no progress to report
6. Write shorter form articles: no progress to report
7. Get at least 1 freelance article published: no progress to report
8. Increase my vocabulary: I made an effort to read some books with more advanced word choices this month, including The Word Exchange, which made use of a lot of less common usages of words. I noticed an improvement in the words I used in conversation and in my writing this month. I’m attributing it to my reading choices.
9. 1 short story a month: My progress is the same as it was last month. I will need to kick it into overdrive in March.
10. Finish my WIP: no progress to report, though I am feeling good about the progress I made this month.

Come back next month for another update.

2015 Reading Challenge

Megan has
read 8 books toward her goal of 100 books.

hide

8 of 100 (8%)

view books

A month has passed, and I happy to report the progress I’ve made with my goals.

1. Write 5 days a week: Sadly, I fell off the wagon with this one, but I have high hopes that I will be more successful in February
2. Read 100 books: to date, I have read 7 books. To checkout what I’ve been reading, follow me on Goodreads
3. Read more nonfiction: this month, I read 3 nonfiction books.
4. Take at least 1 writing class: no progress to report
5. Attend 1 writing conference: no progress to report
6. Write shorter form articles: no progress to report
7. Get at least 1 freelance article published: no progress to report
8. Increase my vocabulary: checkout my list of new words/phrases I’ve picked up this month
9. 1 short story a month: I’m not quite done with this month’s short story, but I am hoping to finish it within the week.
10. Finish my WIP: no progress to report

Not as great as I was hoping, but all-in-all, not bad progress for my first month. How are your 2015 goals progressing?

2015 Reading Challenge

Megan has
read 8 books toward her goal of 100 books.

hide

8 of 100 (8%)

view books

Today I’m participating in the Echoes of Memories blog tour!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Echoes of Memories is the second book in the Nepherium Novella Series. Set in the year 2452, Echoes of Memories is set in a future where Nepherium and Humans coexist, though the relationship is riddled with distrust and fear. Elsa is still struggling to regain all of the memories she lost in a transporter accident, both as a means of discovering who she is, and in hopes of clearing her name of treason and uncovering the events that led to her accident.

Echoes of Memories picks up where the 1st Novella, Made to Forget, left off. As a whole, this was an enjoyable, quick read that kept me guessing and wanting to know more. This was truly a page turner.

One of my favorite things about the series is the main character, Elsa. Told in 1st person, Elsa maintains a badass persona without coming across as fake or overly tough. Her emotions, actions, and dialogue feel real. Noah is another plus, and makes for a refreshing love interest. He is not overly sappy, nor is too brooding. As we learn more about him through the conversations between Elsa and her team, his is shown to have depth, though for more insight into his character, you have to read the deleted scenes at the end.

The concept is also interesting. I love how the reader uncovers bits of Elsa’s memory right alongside her. That being said, I did feel that some of the revelations were incomplete. There were times that it felt like Elsa uncovered something, but didn’t fully share what she had uncovered – instead she jumped to new thoughts/feelings as though they were second nature to her. I wish the reader had been taken further along this journey of discovery, as this sometimes made me feel momentarily lost.

Another area I would have loved to see more of is the building of the world. LaFantasie gives the reader glimpses into the history and workings of the world, but, as someone who loves world building, there is still more I want to understand. I did enjoy that she didn’t bury the reader in tons of futuristic elements, but I would have liked more information on the Vanguard and the history of the relationship between the Nepherium and Humans. I can only hope that as the series continues and Elsa uncovers more of her memories, the reader will uncover more about the workings of this future world.

If you have not read the first book in the series, being as these are novellas, running just under 100 pages each, it is easy to catch up, and you won’t be sorry you did. Fantasy and paranormal lovers, and readers of Ilona Andrew’s Kate Daniels’ Series, or adult readers who have enjoyed Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments Series should add Echoes of Memories  to their to-read list.

For more on Echoes of Memories, and for details on the blog tour giveaway, please keep reading below.

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Title: Echoes of Memories

Author: Samantha LaFantasie

Series: Nepherium Series #2

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Traitor. Liar. That’s what they call me. No one believes me. Not even my team. I know it’s up to me to get the answers. To stop the corruption and unlock my memories. I’ll do anything to get them back. Even if my hands will be covered in blood.

Elsa’s every move is scrutinized. She’s labeled a traitor by those she sought for protection, and kept from her family and team. Regaining memories has been a slow process. Too slow for the Council’s liking, taking matters into their own hands.

The new captain has history with Elsa and operates with a hidden agenda. Even Elsa’s team reacts differently toward her. If only she could unlock her memories. Everything is playing right into Alexander’s hand, even amassing an army with unconventional methods, designed to annihilate the Nepherium—starting with Noah. Elsa will do anything to stop Alexander … even kill.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You may have noticed that my website recently underwent a bit of an overhaul. While it’s hard saying goodbye (especially since the old template was lovingly designed by me), changing times mean changing designs.

Hope you enjoy look of the new site!

For those of you who miss the old site, here’s a screenshot back from the early days when I was first designing the site.