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Showing posts with label Maggi Myers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maggi Myers. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2012
Celebrating 2012 Books & The Princess Bride
Sometimes, when I'm reading a book that I'm really into, I MAY have been known to assign characters from a book to a series or movie. I decided that for my year-end post that I would create a cast list for a 25th Anniversary edition of The Princess Bride. One of my all-time FAVORITE movies. If you've NOT seen this awesome flick, check out the IMDB link and rent it, buy it or find it for download somewhere!
Here is the cast of the Princess Bride retooled with characters from some of the books I read in 2012:
Westley – Florent, from The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley
Westley, much like Florent, is giving. He is willing to be seen as the bad guy as long as people leave him alone, and they allow him to live his life.
Inigo Montoya – Tohrment, from Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward
Seriously. If Ward had used, “My name is Tohrment. You killed my shellan. Prepare to die,” when he was killing those pale dudes, I may or may not have reacted, as I said this phrase over & over while reading the book.
Prince Humperdinck – Julian, from Redlisted by Sarah Beaman
Julian seems to run the show. He's not disobeyed openly, and it appears as though he is the man. Not sure if I believe this...but thereyago.
Count Tyrone Rugen – Harvey McLeod, from Every Breath She Takes by Norah Wilson
Harvey is a jerk, and wants the main character to sell his ranch to him. He'll do (practically) whatever it takes to make himself successful.
Vizzini – Nico, from City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte
Nico and Vizzini both have the tenacity of a pit bull once they lock-on to a target. Their creativity is phenomenal, and they seem to work well with certain others. Also, they're both small-of-stature. Probably helps the Napoleon complex.
Fezzik – Tommy, from The Final Piece by Maggi Myers
Seemingly larger-than-life, Tommy is Beth's great protector, much like Fezzik protected Buttercup and Wesley.
The Princess Bride (Buttercup) – Raina, In the Company of Witches by Joey W. Hill
Raina has the perfect blend of 'let it happen' and 'control the situation', much like Buttercup.
Valerie – Hilde, Provoked by Rebecca Zanetti
This sassy granny wasn't afraid to contradict others, standing up for what was right or things in which she believed. Including pulling people that thought they were all that & a bag-o-chips down a couple pegs.
Miracle Max – Garrett, Heart Secret by Robin D. Owens
Max was able to tinker with spells and potions. Garrett, however, was a skilled investigator. He was able to tinker with the lives of others that might be in trouble, and be able to clear their names...or further incriminate them.
So. If you've read these titles, the following is going to be HILARIOUS! If you've NOT read them, but seen the movie, you may be persuaded to pick up a book or two. If you've not read the books nor seen the movie, you may be lost...but the dialogue is epic anyway! I picked up the Princess Bride script from: http://www.princessbride.8m.com/script.htm … because it's tedious to type out a script from a movie (not that I've ever done that... **sideeye**).
Garrett: Hoo hoo hoo! Look who knows so much, heh? Well, it just so happens that your friend here is only mostly dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Please, open his mouth. Puts the bellows to Florent’s mouth, and blows air in. Now, mostly dead is slightly alive. Now, all dead... well, with all dead, there's usually only one thing that you can do.
Tohrment: What's that?
Garrett: Go through his clothes and look for loose change. Removes the bellows. Hey! Hello in there! Hey! What's so important? What you got here that's worth living for? Pushes on Florent’s abdomen.
Florent: t-r-u-e l-o-v-e.
Tohrment: "True Love," you heard him? You could not ask for a more noble cause than that.
Garrett: Sonny, True Love is the greatest thing in the world
…
Tohrment: This is Raina’s True Love. If you heal him, he will stop Julian’s wedding. Garrett: Shah! Wait, wait. I make him better, Julian suffers?
Tohrment: Humiliations galore.
Garrett: Ha ha ha! Hi dah lig dah lah nay juh! That is a noble cause. Gimme the sixty-five. I'm on the job.
Hilde: Woo-woo!
…
Harvey: Kill the dark one and the giant, but leave the third for questioning.
Tohrment: Kills charging guards. Hello. My name is Tohrment. You killed my father. Prepare to die.
Rugen pauses, then turns and runs. Tohrment chases him. Florent and Tommy look at each other.
Tohrment: Tommy!!!!!! I need you!!!!! Rams body against door repeatedly.
Tommy: Gesturing to Florent, who he is supporting. I can't leave him alone.
Tohrment: He's getting away from me, Tommy!!! Please!!! Arr!!! Tommy!!! Aaargh!!
Tommy: Places Florent against a suit of armor. I'll be right back.
Tohrment: Continuing to ram the door. Arr! Arr! Tommy breaks the door down. Thank you.
…
Ever read a book and instantly you think about a character from a movie? What are your favorites?
Happy 2013! Best wishes for a year filled with fabulous plots, strong heroines, and hot heroes!
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Saturday, December 1, 2012
Contest Winner - The Final Piece
I would like to thank everyone for stopping by for the guest post with debut author Maggi Myers. I’d also like to thank Maggi for sponsoring the giveaway of her book, The Final Piece.
The winner as selected by Rafflecopter:
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Winner... please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com with your full name and mailing address so the publisher can send you the books. You have until Friday December 7, 2012 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner.
Thank you and Happy Reading!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Review: The Final Piece by Maggi Myers
The Final Piece
Author: Maggi Myers
Release Date: Nov. 15, 2012
Publisher: self-published
ISBN: 978-1480055544
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Fiction
Format(s): Paperback (312 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Purchased with my own funds
About the book:
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Elizabeth Bradshaw has spent her life picking up the the pieces of her delicate past and hiding them. Her secrecy has worked until the day Beth receives word that her only confidant, Tommy, has been killed. Devastated, she leaves her new life behind to embark on a pilgrimage home for Tommy’s funeral. When faced, yet again, with more pieces to pick up and pack away, Beth begins to question the choice to keep everyone in life at arm’s length. As Beth reconnects with Ryan, Tommy’s nephew, she begins a journey that will unearth her secrecy and teach her grace, love and forgiveness.
What VampBard’s talking about:
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The Final Piece, debut novel by Maggi Myers, contains a little bit of everything. Even though Ms. Myers works with a substantial amount of material, she manages to remain true to her story throughout. As a reader, I was drawn in by the beautiful descriptions provided for and by the main characters. We saw the point-of-view shift between Beth and Ryan a few times throughout the story, and it was neither awkward nor distracting.
I knew before picking up this title that Ms. Myers would be writing about some sensitive topics. She deals with child molestation and rape in a substantial, thoughtful, and compassionate manner. If The Final Piece had only this sensitive material, I would recommend an older young adult audience. Ms. Myers brings to the forefront the process of healing from childhood atrocities. Later in the title, after Beth has graduated college, we see some explicit love-making scenes. This raises the rating to Mature Audiences for me.
The Final Piece needed at least one more editing drive-by to catch a few errors in usage and mechanics. I also noted a couple plot inconsistencies that could use some tidying-up. This would be the H.S. English teacher side piping in, and it did tarnish the reading experience for me a tad, lowering my rating by at least ½ star.
Beth is one of the strongest female main characters that I have read in a long time. Beginning the story when she is a teen, we watch Beth grow up and move on with her life. After being a child of using parents, Beth is forced to reconcile herself with her parents' behavior. Unfortunately, due to her parents' misbegotten attention to their friends and drugs, they ignored the fact that they trusted the wrong people. Beth, challenged with honestly accepting their mistake and not allowing blame to fall upon herself, is pretty much ripped from the safety of her grandparents' home and the only adults she has ever truly trusted with her safety. As Beth grows up, it is evident that she continues to have issues from her childhood abuse. She struggles to have open, meaningful relationships with those around her, leaving this reader with the impression that Beth was going through the motions of life; she was in superficial mode, not ever working on the difficult things life drops in our laps. She sweeps them under the rug and refuses to confront them head-on. Beth also, during her 10-year hiatus from Ryan, Tommy's nephew, mourns 'what could have been', as well as the forceful loss of her innocence during childhood.
Tommy, while not truly a relative of Beth's, is the heart of the novel. I found Tommy to be a trustworthy, endearing character that truly loved young Beth. As a friend of the family – to both her parents – Tommy had always been a part of Beth's life. He was so entrenched in Beth's well-being, happiness and comfort that I suspected that we would learn that Tommy was, in-fact, Beth's father. Not so. Don't worry. The story isn't that convoluted. As Beth grew, Tommy gave her the wings to move on. She knew he would always be there for her, but he didn't hover. Tragically, Tommy died. Beth was a basket-case. She traveled home to pay homage to one of the most influential men in her life. While Beth mourned, she did remember several poignant moments with Tommy, and that seemed to strengthen her resolve to maintain her emotions...occasionally.
Ryan is not only Beth's 'first love', but the one person she trusts with who she truly is, at least superficially. Even through their 10-year separation, Ryan never stops loving Beth. He compares each girl to Beth, and even seriously dated another Elizabeth for a period of time. All things came back to Beth. He also dwelled in the land of 'what if' for 10 years. I thought it was particularly telling that Ryan was the one to comfort Beth when Tommy died. That was, I'll have to admit, a mutual comfort thing. I think of Ryan as a younger version of Tommy, and I think that is initially what allows Beth to open up to him.
Gram and Pops, as well as Aunt Kristin and Uncle Rob are important secondary characters. I found Beth's parents to have a tertiary role, and that they were rather insignificant in the grand scheme. We also meet three of Beth's college friends that superficially appear important, but seem to be 'extras' to assist in moving the plot. I did, however, love how each of Myers' characters were crafted. I want to sit down for Happy Hour with Cyn and Les. My kind of peeps. Uncle Rob – yeah, he can join the party, too. His 'observations on life' seem to be spot-on, as though he were written to be observer when a guest is in the House.
Over-all, I truly enjoyed Maggi Myers' debut novel, The Final Piece. This title is full of heart, soul, emotion, forgiveness, and a little something-something I can't quite name...but I found myself with that warm, fuzzy, book-coma when I was through. That's always a good thing! I look forward to reading more from Ms. Myers, and hopefully hearing more about Beth and Ryan!
VampBard’s Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Purchase Info:
Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Maggi Myers
Hello Readers! Today I bring you debut author, Maggi Myers. Maggi self-published her first title, The Final Piece, earlier this month.
Maggi was born in West Des Moines, Iowa and raised in Miami, Florida. She has a deep love for The Heartland and really good Cuban food. When she isn't writing, you can find her reading or singing into the end of her hairbrush. She's a steel magnolia and a mischief maker, wrapped up and tied with a sarcasm bow.
Currently she resides in Greensboro, NC with her incredible husband and sons. For more about Maggi and future projects, you can follow her on Twitter @Magnolia_B_My and Facebook.
Maggi is here today to share a little about The Final Piece. Keep reading to learn more about her debut title and enter to win a SIGNED copy! GIVEAWAY details are below.
Please help me welcome Maggi to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Thank you for having me here today! I’m so excited about my debut novel The Final Piece. The story follows the tumultuous life of Beth Bradshaw and the cast of characters that come and go throughout the years. Her story is about overcoming a painful past and finding redemption in putting the pieces back together.
Eight years ago the character of Tommy was born out of the grief of losing someone who meant the world to me. I wrote him a letter detailing all of the ways he shaped my life and how grateful I’d always be for his friendship. When I left that letter at his grave, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that my friend was there with me and I immediately heard Tommy’s voice in my head. It comforted me to create a character that possessed all the things I loved and missed about my friend; it still does.
Here is one of my favorite Tommy scenes:
After dinner, Tommy grabs his guitar case and plops in sand by the fire. As he starts tuning the strings, I am unable to resist the pull of the notes and move to sit closer to him. He looks up at my approach, giving me a brilliant smile and begins strumming the chords to “Beth” by Kiss.
I groan in mock misery and throw my hand up to my forehead, “Doesn’t that ever get old?” I whine.
He stops strumming and kicks my foot. “Kiss hater,” he laughs, “have any requests?”
I shake my head and wait for him to start again. This time he chooses an upbeat song, laced with a little reggae.
“I like this,” I encourage as I subconsciously begin swaying to the rhythm. He starts singing about how short life is and how we shouldn’t hesitate to grab it before it goes by. Slick move, tricking me with a carefree island beat that carries hidden philosophical words.
“I’m yours-ah,” he exaggerates the last line and chord. His enthusiasm is charming my suspicious nature into submission. As if he can sense a shift in my demeanor, he starts to play one of my favorite songs.
Brown noser.
I lean back on my elbows and close my eyes as the sound of the notes moving across the fret board flow through me. Tommy starts to sing the first verse and I join him on harmony during the chorus. We drift along, singing in sync together like we have a hundred times before. I open my eyes when the song ends and find Tommy’s eyes swimming with unspoken emotion. “You sound just like your mama.”
The praise makes my heart full. “I do? Thanks, Tommy!” No one has ever said that I remind them of Mom in any way. Mostly I hear about how I’m not like her at all.
“You are more alike than you know, baby girl.” He chuckles.
When I sit up and brush the sand from my elbows, I see Ryan sitting across the fire, watching us. I hold my breath, waiting for him to start making fun of me. One side of his mouth tilts into a lopsided grin that starts my heart tripping again.
“Pretty.” He says.
My mouth drops open in cartoonish fashion at that one word. Tommy’s barking laughter reverberates in my ears and my entire body turns beet red.
“Your voice, Beth!” Ryan stammers, glancing back and forth between Tommy’s amused face and my shocked one.
“I know what you meant,” I lie. For a moment, I had been soaring at the thought of him calling me pretty. I stand and brush the rest of the sand off me, not wanting to stick around for round two of Awkward Conversations With Beth and Ryan.
“No! I mean, you are pretty and all,” he is stuttering now. “I just meant...I mean, you have a great voice but...you’re fourteen!” He’s rambling, which has Tommy howling. This only sends Ryan deeper into his despair when he blurts out, “Knock it off, Tommy! It’s not like that, I am not a pedophile!”
There it is. I can never get too comfortable without something dredging it back to the surface. I picture a neon pink sign flashing bright cursive letters above my head, “Pedophile Plaything.” My subconscious is cruel enough, but Ryan’s words sting like I have been slapped. My eyes blur with my hurt. It is a direct contradiction to the practiced smile I have cemented on my face. Before the tears can spill over, I spin on my heel to scurry out of there.
Within a few quick steps, warm hands grip my shoulders and spin me around. Tommy squeezes me against his chest whispering into my hair so no one else can hear, “He doesn’t know, Beth. He has no idea. He just thinks you’re embarrassed because he said you’re pretty. Shoot, he can hardly see past his own verbal diarrhea. He’s squirming over there.” Tommy’s words rumble deep in his chest, against my ear.
“It doesn’t matter,” I whisper back. Who cares whether he’s figured it out or not, it doesn’t change what I am or what’s been done.
“It does matter because it is your story to tell to whomever, whenever you want to tell it.”
Tommy’s words are reassuring, but I still want to find a big hole to climb inside. I let go of him and peek around his back at Ryan. He is sitting with his arms draped across his bent knees. He is shaking his head at the sand, and I wonder if he is replaying the scene in his head, like I am. He lifts his hand to run his fingers through his hair while he scans the beach.
“It’s better if I just scoot. Pops and Gran are packing up, anyway.” I wipe my face and smile at Tommy’s concerned expression. “I love you, Tommy. What would I do without you?”
“You’ve never got to worry about it, baby girl. I am always here. Always,” he promises with a kiss to the top of my head.
Thanks again for sharing your time with me today! Make sure you check back later for the review.
Thank you, Maggi for stopping by. It is a true delight to have you here!
As Maggi mentioned, stop by later today for Vampbard’s review of The Final Piece.
GIVEAWAY Thank you, Maggi, for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About. Maggi is graciously giving away a SIGNED copy of The Final Piece. To be entered, please use the RAFFLECOPTER form below. As part of your entry, please leave a comment telling Maggi about a favorite music-related memory you may have. You do not need to be a google friends connect follower of my blog, but it is always appreciated. Contest is open from November 27, 2012 until Saturday December 1, 2012 at 12:01 AM EST. Contest is restricted to US mailing addresses only. One (1) winner will be selected from eligible entries. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. If you have problems with the RAFFLECOPTER form, please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com.
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