Moonlight, Lace and MayhemYA Cove

Featured Author - Eden Unger Bowditch! - Part 2

2011-04-14T03:36:00.016-05:00

1. MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:

a.) What area of the country/world are you from?

EDEN: Since we’re living here, let’s say Cairo, Egypt.

b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?

EDEN: You’d be surprised. Cairo is much more temperate, more Mediterranean, than the desert land you’d imagine. Most of the year, it is in the 20s C (in the mid-70s F). It gets warmer starting later May through late September, and can get really hot—like 40ish C and up to 90-100 F. Winters can be chilly, as low as 4-6 C (in the high 40s to low 50s F). When we moved here in August 2006, there was a heave in Baltimore. It was really, REALLY hard to get our heads around packing fleece, moving to Egypt.

c.) What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

EDEN: It’s a mix. Lots of people wear Western clothes, or a simulation—scarves and layers that are not Western over jeans and T-shirts—and traditional clothes like galabayas, the robes we attribute to this region. Funny, though, if it is just a bit chilly, people wear ski jackets and wooly hats.

d.) What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

EDEN: Dress in layers. It can be cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon. Very warm! And dress is more conservative here. In some areas, modesty is the best way to go—no miniskirts or tank tops or shorts.

e.) What would you say is the neatest thing about where you live?

EDEN: The people are amazing. As the world has seen from the revolution, there is a kind of generosity and kindness that is unique to here. Peace may come easier to Egypt than elsewhere. And the history! Besides the obvious (pyramids and mummies and ancient temples), there are petrified forests and desert camping like nowhere else in the world.

As this is tax time for us, we want to know:

2. MLM: Are your taxes done yet, or do you procrastinate until the last day?

EDEN: I am such a turn-it-in-early person!!! I cannot stand waiting until the last minute for anything.

3. MLM: Do you do your taxes yourself or do you have someone do them for you?

EDEN: Since we live abroad, it is complicated. We cannot do them ourselves.

4. MLM: What would you say is the hardest part of your taxes?

EDEN: Sending the papers to the U.S. The post is very complicated.

5. MLM: In recent years, there has been a push to bring back the family dinner. What are your views on family dinners? Do you find them beneficial? Why or why not?

EDEN: Our family is very close. We have dinner together almost every night. Since I’m in grad school and Nate, my husband, is a professor, we are all on the same schedule. Early work days, holidays together. My kids are age 7 to 16! I hear people say that their kids are unresponsive (How was your day? Fine. What did you do? Nothing). With us, there is LOTS of talk.

6. MLM: With families having such busy schedules, many take time out to schedule a “game” night. Is this something that you do, have done or might do in the future? Why or why not?

EDEN: We have busy schedules, but we spend A LOT of time together. We don’t have TV (but we do watch DVDs on the computer), so we have more time than most folks. And we still read as a family. Nate can do AMAZING voices and is the main family aloud reader.

7. MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why? What is it that you like specifically about it being inside or outside the best?

EDEN: Well, probably right in the middle of the living room.

8. MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for the perfect date, where would you choose to go? Why this destination over others? What’s its connection to you? What would that perfect date entail? When during the year would you take this perfect date? Who would your date be?

EDEN: Funny you ask. When the kids are in school and Nate and I don’t have to be on campus, we have romantic afternoons at home. On my birthday, Nate asked what I wanted to do. I said that I wanted one of our regular days together!

MLM: Thank you for joining us today! Please be sure and check back for Part 3 of our feature with Eden Unger Bowditch!

For those of you who don't know this,
Eden sure can jam!

She's currently with The Fuuls!
Visit their facebook page!

Featured Author - Eden Unger Bowditch! - Part 1

2011-04-07T04:35:00.000-05:00

I was born in Chicago, then moved to Paris at age twelve for a year. I moved back to the United States, but continued with a French education. I’ve lived in California, north and south, through high school and university. Playing in bands and writing filled my time. My husband and I lived in London for a semester, and returned to the United States, played in an alternative rock band together, made records, and toured North America with our first child, who was three months old when we hit the road. We moved to Baltimore, where my husband went to graduate school and we had two more children. In 2006, we moved to Cairo, Egypt, and remain there now.

As far as writing, I have always loved to write. - I’ve always been an avid reader. Sharing books with my children and reading as a family has always been a part of life in our house. YA literature is some of the very best writing out there. It is fun and exciting and an amazing challenge to write. Kids don’t care if it’s popular. They will only read what is good. It’s an exciting time to read and write in the YA genre. Readers are excited and there are such amazing books out there to read.

This is too true, and we've [YA Cove] had some great YA authors here, and Eden is our newest addition to that list!

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 4

2011-03-31T15:49:00.025-05:00

BLURB:
I love all my “children,” but my favorite character is Rydl, as I said before. I like the way he develops, from a frightened runaway child in the first book, to a successful and authoritative man in the third (as yet unpublished) book in the series. Rydl is about ten years old when he is introduced in Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure.

EXCERPT:
“The terrified child was trying to bite Zan, and it was a long time before Zan could calm the youngster and convince this intruder that there was no danger. Eventually the child slept, exhausted by the powerful emotions it had experienced, and Zan slept too.

“Zan was awakened the next morning by the sound of the waif searching his sack for food….The child, ugly, ragged and dirty, was hungry to the point of starvation.”

BLURB:
In the sequel, Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, Rydl has become a great friend of Zan-Gah, the book’s hero, and develops an inventive resourcefulness of his own.

EXCERPT:
“When Rydl was nine years old, Styg’s brutalities sent him running. By sheer accident Zan-Gah in his wanderings became the father and brother Rydl so much needed. Zan had found him under the vines, wretched, terrified, and near starvation, and had taken him into his care. Rydl gratefully followed Zan to the point of being an annoyance—trailing his footsteps, singing, talking to himself, and hopping about….His happiness showed itself in an unusual restlessness of spirit. He was continually playing, climbing, jumping from rock to rock, chasing a chipmunk, shouting to hear his echo, or simply babbling to the empty air.

“But as he grew older, Rydl developed a different restlessness, more of the mind than the body. Now he would shout to the cliffs to see how long it took for his echo to return; and he would wait silently for a chipmunk to appear in order to study its habits. He watched the behavior of ants by the hour—how they moved in predictable ways, or how the red ants instinctively fought the black ones. ‘People are like that too,’ he had commented to Zan, and Zan had thought over and remembered Rydl’s words.”

“What Rydl had that his fellows lacked was a creative imagination. He occupied a separate world as lively as theirs was stolid and dull. While others plodded on in the same old way their fathers had, Rydl, who no longer had a father, was constantly inventing new solutions, or at least asking new questions. Little escaped his notice and his wonder.”

“Rydl had learned to take care of himself. He knew a dozen ways to trip up his enemies, and could quickly invent still more—like the time he gave poison mushrooms to the great louts who tried to kidnap him and ran away while they were vomiting.”

BLURB:
In the third book, Rydl is prosperous and attractive, even though he has sustained a crippling wound. Here’s a preview excerpt from the new, unpublished sequel, Dael and the Painted People.

EXCERPT:
“As for his charm, probably ten young women regarded him as a marriage prospect. Had not Sparrow adored him? Everybody was the recipient of, and responded to, his innate graciousness. It was extended to the harshest among them, and even as he was getting the best of a hard bargain, he won over his competitors with his unassuming ways, causing them to feel that if they had not gotten all they wanted, they had not been humiliated either. Rydl was not greedy, and indeed he gave away much of what he had. That too was part of his appeal—not merely that he gave, but that he never allowed himself to become acquisitive or proud. Why are some people charming? It is not a matter of natural beauty, although Rydl had that in abundance too.”

Rydl is only a secondary character, but I really like him. I guess he charmed me too.

To learn more about Allan R. Shickman and his books, check out
his website: www.zan-gah.net
his facebook page: www.facebook.com/people/Allan-Shickman

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 3

2011-03-16T16:11:00.001-05:00

MLM: Why YA Fiction? What was the draw for you?

ALLAN: Well, I have all of these adorable nieces and nephews, and I want to talk to them and leave them a memory of me. They and their friends are the ones I am speaking to—and I am not always as skilled or warm as I could wish when I am in their presence. My young adult audience is a bright-eyed eager crew, not at all like their jaded elders, that wear indifference in one eye and scorn in the other.

MLM: All of us are influenced and impacted by TV, movies, books and/or authors at different times in our lives. Who, what and which TV, movies, books and/or authors influenced you? When in your life did you discover them and why were they so influential for you? (Don’t be afraid to give us more than one of each kind!)

ALLAN: It is truly said that we are what we eat. I try to “eat” good stuff, and I am almost exclusively drawn to the classics, from Shakespeare and Milton to Fielding, Scott, Emily Bronte, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Dostoyevsky, Melville, Twain, and Thomas Mann. I get different things from each one, and sometimes they are very little things, sometimes more general. I am particularly interested in the symbolic or metaphoric detail, and in motifs of imagery. Movies get to me too, but it is mainly novels and plays. I have read some of them so many times that the language sticks in my mind. I am still rereading books that I first read in high school. I also suspect that symphonic music has had an effect on my writing, especially the coming book. A symphony can be like a story, and a story can be like a symphony. Right?

MLM: Considering the TV, movies, books and/or authors mentioned, is there one TV, movie, book and/or author in particular that you try to emulate in your writing? Which one(s) and why? Please be as specific as you can! J

ALLAN: One in particular? No. Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov is my favorite; add Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge, Scott’s Ivanhoe, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Shakespeare’s great tragedies and histories, e.g., Richard II. I’m afraid it’s a rather gloomly list, but I laughed my head off at Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. Melville’s Moby Dick influenced me a lot with its mad hero, Captain Ahab.

MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words like mysterious, suspenseful, creative, unique etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

ALLAN: I want my young readers, and the older ones too, to finish my book feeling moved and changed by the intensity of what they have experienced. I want them to dream of Zan-Gah at night. Short phrase? “It harrows me with fear and wonder.” (That’s what Horatio said when he saw King Hamlet’s ghost.)

MLM: In Part 2 we asked if you believe in mystical Irish lore such as Leprechauns. Have you ever used any type of Irish lore in one of your stories? If so, which lore and what was the situation?

ALLAN: I can’t claim to have used, or much thought about Irish lore. There was a time when the people of Eire were primitive too, struggling for survival and believing in spirits and numerous gods. Some of that animism survives today in stories of faeries and unseen little critters. Actually, I have been touched by Old Testament lore: David with his sling, twins Jacob and Esau, the Beautiful Country as a “Promised Land” and the object of contention between warring tribes.

MLM: Also in Part 2 we asked you about your views on March. Does this show through in your writing? If so, give some examples how, please!

ALLAN: I think it does. Writing about prehistoric people in the Zan-Gah books, I tried to be as sensitive to weather changes as they would have been. How they would have welcomed March, the first month of spring, having endured and hopefully survived the horrors of winter! What explanation would prehistoric people have given for a tree that remained green all winter, a cave that stayed at 58 degrees the year around, or for March’s miracle of the land’s renewing fertility?

MLM: Who decides what characters/creatures you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over their actions and the plot, or is the muse always the one deciding the journey the characters take?

ALLAN: Milton had a “heavenly muse.” Me, I just dream and collect ideas at random. Then I organize, structure, articulate, and embellish my dreams. In the process, my characters take on lives of their own, and surprise me. The character Rydl was such a surprise. I invented him in the middle of the first Zan-Gah book, and his development through three books thrust itself at me without any planning. It must be a muse, I don’t know.

MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written please tell us:
a.)Which character/creature did you have the most fun creating and why? What about this character/creature makes it stand out above all the others?

ALLAN: I think Rydl also was the most fun in creating. He kept on developing! He was a frightened child when he first appeared, but by the end of the first Zan-Gah book he had begun to take on maturity and stature. In the sequel of the book series, he showed his budding genius, and in the third book, which I will call Dael and the Painted People, he develops even further and becomes a still richer character.

b.)If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters/creatures in real life, who would it be and why?

ALLAN: Zan’s lovely, delicate, and intelligent wife Pax would be nice to talk to.

c.)Which of your characters/creatures would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

ALLAN: I hope there is no such character. My meanest developed character is the shaman in the not yet published third novel. He is a real stinker; I don’t have much good to say on his behalf. But it is an important point of my books that the worst of us has some good in him and is redeemable. Of course there is the man-eating lioness. I would never want to meet her!

d.)If you could choose to visit one setting/world you’ve created which one is it, where is it and why this destination over all the others? What makes it stand out over all the others?

ALLAN: The landscape of the land of the red rocks is described at length in the first book, and more briefly in the other two. It is dramatic and frightening, and stunningly displays nature’s power and vitality—more than any other in the Zan-Gah stories. I’ve seen such places in Utah and Colorado, and was definitely inspired by them. However, the fictional region I describe in the book series is not necessarily meant to be in the United States. It could be in Asia Minor, Europe, or Morocco, for example. I also have to mention the cave of the Na women. It was modeled after Onondaga Cavern in Missouri, to which I made a pilgrimage for research purposes. What a wonder! I strongly recommend a visit. March would be a good time.

MLM: On that note, we’ll end our interview for this week. Thank you so much for joining us this week!

ALLAN: Thank you for allowing me to talk so extensively about myself and my book series.

MLM: Be sure to check back for Part 4 when we take a closer look at Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country!

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 2

2011-03-08T04:14:00.001-06:00

Thanks for joining us this week!

MLM: Mardi Gras is Tuesday March 8th this year. Will you be celebrating it this year? Why or why not? If so, what are your plans this year? Care to share any stories of past Mardi Gras celebrations?

ALLAN: Here in St. Louis, our Mardi Gras parade, which we try to get to every year, is a humdinger. We’ll go if the weather isn’t just awful, and if our out-of-town guests don’t say that they want to go to our zoo—also a humdinger. I can’t think of any special Mardi Gras stories of my own, so I will mention one of my favorite old movies, Black Orpheus. It is set in Rio in the midst of the riotous Mardi Gras celebration—a story of love and death. Not especially Irish, but a great movie.

MLM: Are you Irish? Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day…why or why not?

ALLAN: Of course I’m Irish, but only on St. Patrick’s Day. I love ethnic celebrations. If the Czechs sponsor a kolache day, I’ll be there. I like Irish plays. Playboy of the Western World is a marvelous, witty one. Wit and fancy combine in Irish literature in a unique, characteristically Irish way. On St. Patrick’s day, I try to think Irish.

MLM: In some areas, St. Patty’s Day is celebrated with green beer and all sorts of other green things, like green eggs and ham, have even been given a spotlight this time of year. What kind of activities will be going on in your area?

ALLAN: Mobs of people go to the parade. It’s in an area with lots of pub restaurants, and the green beer flows. Far from getting the spotlight, I delight in getting lost in the crowd, so I wear green like everybody else.

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:
a.)What area of the country/world are you from?

ALLAN: St. Louis, MO is now my home. I grew up here before I went to Iowa for a few years.

b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?

ALLAN: On Mardi Gras, we have known freezing rain on some occasions, and 75 degree delightful weather on others. Usually it is in the early 50s. St. Louis has nice, moderate weather most of the time.

c.)What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

ALLAN: T-shirts, shorts, and open shirts that show the hair, or lack of it, on their chests. Those of us who have any sense wear our heavy coats, hats, and gloves.

d.)What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

ALLAN: Dress warm. You can always loosen (or remove) your garments. On the whole, it is better to be a little warm than a little cold.

MLM: March has strong connections with Ireland, which is steeped in mysticism. What about you, are you steeped in mysticism? Do you believe in leprechauns and the like, or at least enjoy the tales of them? Why or why not? Are there any mystical beings with ties to Ireland that you really enjoy?

ALLAN: I suspect that leprechauns may be an English invention. My understanding is that the Irish believe in faeries. Me, I’m not much of a mystic. I observe the mystery of life, and that’s about it. Life is a mystery, you know. We are nothing but atoms and molecules. Out of hundreds of billions of years, and infinite space, how is it that our molecules—yours and mine—happened to be meeting? Cool!

MLM: What is your view on March? Does it come in like a lion and exit like a lamb? Do you feel that March is really the time of rebirth, even though many flowers and trees might not start budding until April in northern parts of the world? Why or why not?

ALLAN: Here in St. Louis March does indeed come in like a lion and go out like a lamb. My daffodils are already sprouting mightily, and may be blooming in two weeks. That means spring to me—that and the blooming of the forsythias. Those things really signal rebirth and a new start to me. There is one other harbinger of spring worth mentioning because I think it is the first. That is when the weeping willows take on a yellowish tinge even before budding. But it is spring because I want it to be spring. I really, really want it to be spring!

MLM: If you could go anywhere in Ireland, where would you go and why?

ALLAN: Trinity College, Dublin. I’m a city man, although the Irish countryside is 100 shades of lovely. The Book of Kells and a number of other Hiberno-Saxon manuscripts are in their library. And everybody talks with that lovely Irish accent.

MLM: On that note, we’ll end our interview for this week. Thank you so much for joining us this week!

ALLAN: Thank you too. Once the old word processor gets going, it is hard to stop it. Happy March.

Readers, thanks for joining us!
Any questions? Please ask!
Don't forget to check back for Part 3!

Featured Author - Allan R. Shickman! - Part 1

2011-03-01T00:29:00.026-06:00

Please help me welcome Allan Shickman!

What makes a writer anyway? From what I can see, writers are coming in the windows. Any time I mention my Zan-Gahbooks, the person I’m talking to is apt to say “I’m writing a book too.” Armed with a word processor (I’m old enough to remember when typewriter ribbons and grit erasers made writing difficult.), we all envision ourselves receiving the accolades of an admiring and richly rewarding book-reading world. Besides, which of us does not have something to say, or long to be listened to? Love of words, a surplus of creative energy, and constantly goading dreams of outrageous success lead us to the fatal step of writing that first paragraph.

I was born to a lower middle class family, went to the public schools, and was encouraged by my teachers (curse them!) to become an artist. Eventually I became an art historian, taught for three decades at the University of Northern Iowa, and took the early retirement deal. Along the way, I published in some very distinguished art history and English literature journals. So upon retirement I took the next step upward and began writing prehistoric adventure books for young adults. I have written two, and have just about finished the third—all part of the same book series.

When I hit it big, I plan to buy the castle next door to Ms. Rowling’s. Will you visit me once I get moved in?

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 4

2011-02-22T01:30:00.028-06:00

Today we take a closer look at Moon Watchers!

BLURB: Some people think being a Were hunter is weird. For me it’s perfectly normal. What I see as odd is my attraction to the hunkalicious Braden Knight. Why? I think he’s a vampire.

EXCERPT: Braden had been attracted to the luscious Jolene since the first moment he’d set eyes on her. She reminded him of the old song by Dolly Parton, the one about a sensuous siren. That’s Jolene, in a very earthy kick-ass fashion.

He stared at said siren. He could smell her fear, sharp and tangy, and fought back the urge to taste that always lived with him. Like a recovering alcoholic he beat back the craving for hot sweet blood. He’d taken a vow. One he refused to break. If there were a Vampires Anonymous, I’d probably be president, he thought wryly.

And if the blood craving wasn’t bad enough, his nineteen year old body responded with a kick of desire just as acute as his lust for the warm red liquid that flowed through her. It would be so easy to give in and satisfy both.

He could do it in a heartbeat…her heartbeat. He could hear it thump, thump, thumping against her ribs. It stirred him unbelievably. She might fight him at first but it would be temporary. Women could never resist him.

He took a deep breath and thought of all the misery he’d caused in his long and checkered past. His desire cooled. And while her blood still smelled sweet, it no longer tempted him.

Not familiar with the Hunter series? Check out this trailer for Vampire Island:

To see what other books Sandra Cox has written, or to learn more about her Hunter series, check out:
her website: sandracox1.com
Class Act Books: www.classactbooks.com/Sandra-Cox

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 3

2011-02-15T05:35:00.083-06:00

Hey there readers! Sorry I haven't posted sooner, but I've been out with migraines. Cupid would have posted himself, but I kind of wouldn't give him the map to the cove. Telling Cupid where everything in the blog is would be like letting the patients run the asylum. Hopefully you enjoy the interview!

My guests today are, Braden Knight and Jolene Sayer – Please, have a seat on our lovely couch! – from Moon Watchers, a small town in Minnesota. Their tale can be found in Moon Watchers, a novel creation by Sandra Cox.

Before we begin, I must remind everyone to please try and keep your responses to a PG13 atmosphere – the Moonlight Mistresses rules, not mine *eye roll*. Double entendres are acceptable and widely encouraged for events and phrases we don’t want our young readers to really know about. Oooh, it will be so much fun trying to guess what you’re really saying!

*Settling comfortably onto the sofa, draping his arm over the back and sipping his bubbly* That Miss Havana in Reaper’s Domain is one hot teacher and boy would I love to get into her…class! I might actually learn something…oh…did I say that out loud? *Clears throat* Sorry. Let’s get back to the interview.

You two make one fine pair! I did a wonderful job pairing you two up if I do say so myself! Then, I just love all of my matches!

Cupid: Please, Braden, tell our readers how you two first met. Was it by your design, or hers?

Braden: Mine of course. I first met her while she was visiting her cousin Zoe Tempest on Vampire Island.

Cupid: Oooh! Vampire Island. Sounds very interesting and spooky! Jolene, would you say it was love at first sight or did you find him repulsive?

Jolene: Cupid, I’m afraid you are laboring under a terrible misapprehension and possibly shot the wrong person in the bum. I’m a werewolf hunter and Braden is a…*She lowers her voice and whispers* vampire. We couldn’t possibly have a relationship.

Cupid: Eh, every relationship has its obstacles, just accept them and see where this plays out. FYI – I aim for the heart, and I never miss! You’re just trying to resist what you already know is in your heart. This one’s for both of you. Since chaotic happenstance tends to put characters like yourselves in situations where they must work together or live together for one reason or another, tell us what chaotic happenstance “forced” the two of you to work or live together. How did you feel about this?

Jolene: I’m still trying to figure out why Braden showed up in Moon Watchers.

Braden: This is the month of the crimson moon. I knew Jolene would be in trouble and would need all the help she could get.

Cupid: Think about this Jolene – Why would Braden show up on your doorstep if he didn't care about you? This one is also for both of you. How long did it take you to know your true feelings for the other? At what point did you know, “this is the one”?

Jolene: *Taps her fingers restlessly on her thighs.* I told you, there can never be a relationship between a werewolf hunter and a vampire. And can you imagine what my cousin and her uncle, who both hunt vampires would say. *She shudders.*

Braden: *Just gives her an enigmatic look.*

Cupid: Jolene, in matters of love, it only matters what's in your heart and no one else's opinion but yours should matter. Braden, what would you say was your biggest obstacle to overcome before you could settle into a relationship with Jolene?

Braden: Well now it seems to be the werewolf hunter, vampire thing doesn’t it?

Cupid: That's not as big an obstacle as she's making it out to be. The old saying, "making a mountain out of a mole hill" comes to mind. This is for either of you. Would you like to thank anyone – other than me, of course – for getting you two together?

Jolene: Oh for goodness sake. How many times do I have to tell you we’re not together.

Braden: Well, Zoe Tempest did introduce us.

Cupid: Jolene, anyone listening to you can tell that you’re in complete denial. I know our readers have enjoyed learning about you two so far, but I’m getting a little bored, so I’m going to heat things up. Jolene, how would you end this sentence, "I wish Braden would _____?" *leans forward to eagerly hear your response*

Jolene: Go away!

Cupid: Me thinks the lady doth protest too much. Braden, would you prefer to give Jolene a bubble bath or a back massage? Why?

Braden: Well Cupid, what I’d really like to do is run my teeth along her neck.

Cupid: Oooh! That's got oodles of fun possibilities. Are you sure it wouldn't be too tempting to take more than a tiny nibble?

Braden: I’m a vampire with super human, for lack of a better word, restraint. Would you like me to demonstrate on your neck, Cupid?

Cupid: How many of you remember that old show, The Newlywed Game? Well, these next questions are going to help us play a similar game. Braden, what would Jolene say is your aphrodisiac? *waggles eyebrows*

Braden: I’m a vampire. There’s nothing about me she can resist, my breath, my scent, my voice.

Cupid: Jolene, is he right? How would you have answered that question?

Jolene: *Jolene crosses her arms and stares at Cupid in stony silence.*

Cupid: *grin*That sure indicates agreement in my book! *crosses ankles and rubs his chin* Braden, what would Jolene say is a spot guaranteed to drive you crazy with passion? Is she correct in that assumption?

Braden: Her mouthwatering neck pressed against my lips.

Jolene: In your dreams, Vamp.

Cupid: Tsk, tsk, Jolene, I thought you'd have figured out by now that Braden is a special breed. I wouldn't have matched him up with you if I thought it wouldn't work. Now, Jolene, as far as you know, what is Braden’s idea of a perfect date?

Jolene: If we were dating—which we aren’t—he’d no doubt drag me to see Twilight and then take me out to dinner and order a steak so rare blood pooled in the plate.

Cupid: Braden, is she correct? If not, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Braden: No, she’s not correct. *He turns toward Jolene and looks deep into her eyes.* On our first date, we’ll walk along the beach on a clear night and run barefoot through the sand. Then we’ll go to an outdoor café and slow dance while the local band plays in the background.

Cupid: Braden, your turn in the hot seat. What is Jolene’s idea of a perfect date?

Braden: No doubt hunting Weres. * He says dryly.*

Cupid: Jolene, is he correct? If not, what is your idea of a perfect date?

Jolene: Well it doesn’t involve werewolves or full moons. * She crosses her arms and taps her toes.*

Cupid:Oooh! She's a feisty one! The next two questions are for both of you. What's the most romantic thing your lover has ever done for you?

Jolene: Turned into a bat *Jolene says sarcastically.*

Braden: Jolene’s not much given to anything she considers romantic or sappy, but I caught her looking at me once, when she thought I wasn’t watching. It took my breath away.

Cupid: If you could change one thing about your relationship, what would it be?

Jolene: I keep telling you, Cupid, we don’t have a relationship.

Braden: I wouldn’t change a thing.

Cupid: Jolene may be rolling her eyes and denying the relationship, but the sparks coming off these two is...well...darn close to a fourth of July fireworks grand finale! So, have the two of you had time to settle into any Valentine's Day traditions?

Jolene: *Rolls eyes.* No.

Braden: I would say our first tradition will be avoiding full moons.

Cupid: That sounds like a good idea, Braden. On that note, I think will end our interview. Thanks to Braden and Jolene for joining us today. We hope you’ll check out their story, Moon Watchers. After reading it, I think you'll come to the same conclusion - the lady doth protest too much! :)

To learn more about their author, Sandra Cox, visit:
Her website: sandracox1.com
Her blog: downtownya.blogspot.com

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 2

2011-02-08T02:46:00.001-06:00

Thanks to our readers for your patience. It took me a bit to post this as I've been dealing with a sinus infection induced migraine again this past week.

We hope you enjoy Part 2 of our Sandra Cox feature!

MLM: We'd like to start our interview with some questions about your life outside of writing.As February is Valentine season, we want to know - Who is that special someone you consider your valentine?

SANDRA: The happy hubby

MLM: Will you two be doing anything special for Valentine’s Day this year? Care to share the details?

SANDRA: Nothing huge. We’ll go out to eat and exchange valentines. One year we inadvertently gave each other the exact same cardJ

MLM: If you could choose your ultimate Valentine’s Day gift, what would it be? Have you ever received this as a gift?

SANDRA: A surprise get away weekend.
Uh, no.

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:

a.)What area of the country/world are you from?

SANDRA: I’m from North Carolina.

b.)What are the average temperatures of your area?

SANDRA: At this time of year, normally it would be 40s and 50s, though this year has been unusually cold.

c.)What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

SANDRA: A lot of people wear shorts this time of year, but again, not this yearJ

d.)What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

SANDRA: Buy a winter coat instead of wearing a jacket.

MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why? What is it that you like specifically about it being inside or outside the best?

SANDRA: I’d want it inside near a fireplace and window where I could watch it snow. It’s nice to be cozy inside when it’s cold outside.

MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for Valentine’s Day, where would you choose to go? Why this destination over others? What’s its connection to you?

SANDRA: Seattle. I’ve never been there and I’ve always wanted to go, plus maybe I’d run into Edward CullenJ

MLM: You've given us some great answers so far, but let's move on to your life inside of writing. Why did you choose the Paranormal Genre of YA Fiction? What was the draw for you?

SANDRA: I love paranormal in any genre. It just adds a kick. There’s something about mysticism and magical powers that’s a draw. Don’t you think?

MLM: Definitely! All of us are influenced and impacted by TV, movies, books and/or authors at different times in our lives. Who, what and which TV, movies, books and/or authors influenced you? When in your life did you discover them and why were they so influential for you? (Don’t be afraid to give us more than one of each kind!)

SANDRA: Twilight, of course, sucked me right in. Also Nora Robert’s Circle Trilogy. I followed Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody’s exploits for many years. Bottom line, I love a well-written book with characters that leap off the page and insist I accompany them to their world.

SANDRA: I really like the way Nora Roberts (JD Robb) and Stephanie Meyer create such enthralling stories. They build a world you can conceptualize without giving us more information than we want. And they give us such a strong connect with their characters. True art in my opinion.

SANDRA: Ooh you’ve got some challenging questions. Since you won’t let me use the above words. Grin. I would like readers to think they’ve read ‘a well told tale.’

MLM: In Part 2 we asked you about your ultimate Valentine’s Day gift. Have you ever used that as a gift in one of your stories? If so, which one and what was the situation?

SANDRA: No, but now you’ve planted the seedJ

MLM: Also in Part 2 we asked you about where you’d put the hot tub and why. Does this show through in your writing? If so, give some examples how, please!

SANDRA: No, actually the opposite. A lot of my stories take place outside under a full moon……

SANDRA: We have an understanding. I create the characters. My muse handles the storyline.

SANDRA: You know every book I write, I connect with my characters so I can’t really put one above another. I will say I’ve had a lot of fun with cousins Jolene and Zoe. They are such opposites. Zoe is such a girlie-girl and Jo is in your face and doesn’t take anything from anybody.

b.)If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters/creatures in real life, who would it be and why?

SANDRA: Again, it would be hard to nail it down, but at this very moment. Braden Knight of Vampire Island and Moon Watchers. For a vamp, he’s pretty sexy.

c.)Which of your characters/creatures would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why

SANDRA: The werewolf queen or her pack in Moon Watchers. They’re pure evil.

d.)If you could choose to visit one setting/world you’ve created which one is it, where is it and why this destination over all the others? What makes it stand out over all the others?

SANDRA: Well, since the vamps have been cleared out, I’d like to go to Vampire Island. Warm sun, tropical breezes, and white sandy beaches sound pretty good about now.

MLM: Sandra, thanks so much for a wonderful interview!

I sure know that I want to return to Vampire Island! I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I need to see more of Zoe's Uncle Julian! He's a hottie that doesn't make me feel like a cougar, lol!

Featured Author - Sandra Cox! - Part 1

2011-02-01T17:22:00.001-06:00

Whew! I managed to duck past Cupid. I sure hope he hasn't seen me or we're toast! It's bad enough he's taken over the main blog, but who knows what kind of havoc he'd create here!

I just had to bring Sandra Cox back here because Vampire Island was so good that I really had some trouble waiting to read the next installment to the story. I'll admit that I was hoping to read more about Uncle Julian - perhaps an adult romance book with him as the main character might happen? I hope so! :)

This week, Sandra tells us a little about what brought her to the world of writing:

Reading has always been an integral part of my life. Even from a young age, when my world was less than perfect, I would slip into the pages of a book and embark upon great adventures filled with animals, fairies and magical creatures. It was a natural progression, for me, to go from reading about other worlds to creating them. Worlds of the paranormal where anything is possible; where instead of punching a clock you hunt vampires or werewolves; where magical stones are given to the worthy by the gods; and where you can go back in time when you touch a sundial. Even though, I spend a great deal of my time writing, I still enjoy reading a well-told tale.

Featured Author - Sandra J. Gerencher

2011-01-22T18:03:00.001-06:00

Exploring the Animal/Autism Connection
by Sandra J. Gerencher

Children with disabilities are my inspiration. It's real life. It's what goes on every day. The people in my life inspire me such as my adopted son with autism and my special education students at school. I was once told my son, Terry, would never speak in full sentences. Yet he speaks to our dog, Chance, as if he can understand him.

We don't know what's going on inside an autistic child's brain, but there's something different in my son’s thought processes when he’s talking to the dog. When I stand outside his room, I hear him asking the dog, “Are you hungry? Do you want to play?” It helps him cope with some of the issues he's dealing with.

I think animals can sense the good in people. He is more animated with the dog. They play together constantly. When Terry misbehaves I tell him, '”Chance is sad.” Then I ask, 'What would Chance want you to do?'' He always wants to make Chance happy. When I put it in terms of the dog, he responds right away.

My goal is to make children aware that there are kids with special needs. Kids nowadays aren't exposed to people with disabilities. Being naturally inquisitive, they need to be taught why others are different. As an educator and mother, if I've accomplished that goal with one child, then that more than satisfies me.

**********

Sandra J. Gerencher is the author of the children’s book, Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog. She is a special education teacher in Pennsylvania's Bangor Area public school system. For over 20 years, she has worked with children and adults with special needs in such areas as counseling, behavioral research, crisis intervention and abuse therapy.

For more information or visual images, check her myspace page

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-09-11T15:21:00.000-05:00

Alyson Noel!!!

If you haven't figured out by now, she's one of my favorite authors and I feel compelled to bring her back with every new release she has and right now is no exception.

This visit introduces her latest book, Radiance, a new series spun-off from her Immortals series focusing on Ever's sister, Riley and her adventures in Summerland. As I'd been without a real computer since the beginning of August, I've had this interview stalled since then. I finally have my laptop back and feel completely reconnected to the world - yay! - and can share this interview with you.

ME: August has few holidays and observances, but one stands out as interesting – Friendship Day. As the 1st is Friendship Day, what will you do (have you done) to celebrate the friendships in your life? Anyone special you’d like to recognize here and now?

ALYSON: My best friend just happens to be my husband, so here’s a shout out to him: Thanks for everything, babe—I couldn’t do it without you! J [That's the best way to go, marrying the man who happens to be your best friend!]

ME: Speaking of friends, not all of our friends are human. Many of us have furry friends that enrich our lives in ways we don’t always notice. These friends don’t have to have fur, either, but scales or feathers. We’re talking about our pets, and writers tend to have pets. How many pets do you have, what kinds of pets are they and what are their names?

ALYSON: No pets at this time—though maybe a dog in the future! [Perhaps it will be a golden retriever named Buttercup?]

ME: Before the Dog Whisperer, there was Geena Davis in, The Accidental Tourist, teaching a dog owner how to use positive and negative reinforcement to train his dog. How would you classify your animal handling skills? Are you the whisperer, the challenged animal handler in need of help or are you somewhere in between?

ALYSON: It’s been a while since I’ve had a pet so I’d have to say somewhere in between!

ME: They’re everywhere, on the Internet, in stores and in catalogues – costumes and pet clothing. How fanatical are you when it comes to clothing your pet? Do you dress your pet in clothing? How about kitty wigs (yes, these apparently do exist)? Any fun or interesting pet accessory or amenity you’d like to share with us?

ALYSON: Animals dressed as humans is always amusing, but I don’t see myself doing it—I like my pets the way nature intended! J [me too!]

ME: With all the different types of pet foods out there, it’s hard to know what’s really good for your pet or not. Purina has been around forever and continues to produce feed for all kinds of pets and livestock for roughly 100 years. Hill’s Science Diet came along a bit later and others have been popping up ever since. What brand do you use, and how did you come to that decision? (If you don’t have pets, what brand would you feed your pet and why?)

ALYSON: I’m not sure which brand I’d pick, but I’d probably go for whatever healthy, organic, gourmet, good-mojo food I could find—same way I try to eat! [no offense meant, but the "organic food" industry really needs to find a more accurate term because as any chemistry teacher will tell you, all food is organic. We wouldn't be able to eat it otherwise, lol!:)]

ME: What is the oddest pet you’ve ever had? Why did you choose that pet?

ALSYON: When I was little we had rabbits, birds, turtles, lizards, snakes, dogs, horses, and even tarantulas! The tarantula was the weirdest, and it belonged to my sister. [now that, I wasn't expecting!]

ME: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing. While there are many types of fiction to choose from, what specifically brought you to YA? What does YA offer that other fiction doesn’t?

ALYSON: The YA voice is the one that comes most naturally to me, so it’s the one I feel most comfortable writing. Adolescence is so ripe for storytelling—it’s a time of self-discovery and experimentation—it’s a time when you really start to define an identity for yourself outside of your family, and to carve out a place for yourself in the world. It’s also a time full of great possibility, which is what makes it so interesting to both write and read about.

ME: Even though the popularity of the romance genre continues to grow with the YA population, it’s still not always a highly respected genre or element in fiction. In fact, some posters commented that the Twilight Saga boiled down to just another romance novel and asked, “what’s the big deal?” What, in your opinion, is the reason for the continued interest in romance by our younger generation and lack of respect it receives?

ALYSON: Commercial fiction in general gets a lack of respect and romance always seems to bear the brunt of that. But honestly, I don’t have time for negativity, naysayers, or haters, I just write what I like to write, read what I like to read, and shut out all that noise.

As for our continued interest in romance, well, I think it really boils down to the universality of the love story. Love is magical, and healing, and the most powerful emotion we can share with each other. Many of us long to find that one person who truly and totally gets us—that one person who will always be there for us—and romance novels celebrate that particular journey like no other genre can!

ME: A holiday mentioned above is Women’s Equality Day. While it took some tough ladies to endure some pretty crappy situations to get us here, there is still some work to go as women still struggle with equality in the work place. Do these struggles find their ways into your stories, or is equality something that just exists and is accepted? Give us some examples, please!

ALYSON: Because I write about teens, my characters were lucky to be born into a time where the rights their grandmothers fought so hard for are now part of their birthright. They see no limitations on what they can accomplish, they see no limitations to what their gender will allow them to do, the only limits they have are the ones they place on themselves, and because of it, the vast scope of their choices can sometimes be difficult to navigate—but that just makes it all the more exciting!

Riley Bloom, the protagonist of RADIANCE, is definitely part of a generation of young girls where the sky is the limit (in her case, literally!), and sometimes she gets a bit carried away with her power—sometimes she takes issue with authority and boundaries. But she’s intent on learning how to navigate her strange new world, and in some cases, she finds that doing the opposite of what she’s been told ends up saving the day.

ME: For a writer, inspiration can be found everywhere and in almost anyone, but sometimes specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits, events or situations that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, Radiance, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

ALYSON: It wasn’t really any one person or event that inspired me to write about the afterlife, it was more a series of events, or more accurately, losses that got me thinking intensely about the soul’s journey, what an afterlife might consist of, and Riley’s story was born from there.

The Here & Now where Riley lives is an afterlife full of love and magick and duty and growth and learning and challenges and friendship—it’s the way I’d like it to be!

ME: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, please tell us about Riley. What does she look like? What's her personality – comical cut-up, serious or a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

ALYSON: Riley Bloom is a blond haired, blue eyed, stubby nosed, flat-chested (much to her chagrin!), wisp of a twelve-year old girl, with a sassy manner, an overabundance of confidence, but also a deeply compassionate, vulnerable soul.

Here’s an excerpt that might explain better:

The first thing I saw when I entered that room was—

No, scratch that. First let me say what it wasn’t.

It wasn’t the Radiant Boy.

It also wasn’t the blue room.

In fact, nothing in that room came anywhere near a color that anyone would ever refer to as blue.

If anything, what I’d entered was the yellow room.

A room so incredibly bright and yellow, just looking at it made my eyes hurt.

“Back so soon?” Bohdi called, lounging on the banister in that slouchy way of his, chewing on a long, green straw, like the kind they give you at Starbucks, instead of his bottom lip which he was chewing on just a few moments earlier. Looking me over carefully and seemingly not the least bit surprised to see that I’d caved so early in the game.

Only I hadn’t caved.

Not even close.

If anything, I was totally onto him.

He was still trying to mind-game me. Going so far as to send me to the wrong room.

Some coach he was turning out to be.

But no biggie. It’s not like I actually needed Bodhi’s guidance anyway. I mean, what kind of help could he possibly provide when it was so painfully clear he was actually trying to sabotage me?

So afraid I’d succeed at where he so miserably failed, he’d stop at nothing to doom me.

That’s it, I’d decided. As soon as I got back, the first thing I would do was find Aurora, or even one of the other Council members if she wasn’t available, and I’d demand a new guide. Or, better yet, I’d become Bodhi’s guide. And the first thing on my agenda would be to give him a head-to-toe makeover. Insist he ditch the glasses, the clothes, start over with the hair—and that was just for starters. Then, once that was settled, once he wasn’t so completely embarrassing to be seen with, well, then we’d see . . .

ME: In many romance novels, there's usually a hero and heroine. In fact, the Immortals series has Damen and Ever. Which leaves us wondering, does Riley have anyone she'll be sharing her spotlight with? If so, who is he/she, what does he/she look like and how/where do they meet (or “did” if this is not the first book with these same characters)? What’s unique about this character? What is his/her connection to Riley? What is your favorite scene with these two characters (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

ALYSON: The main characters of RADIANCE are Riley, her dog Buttercup, and Bodhi, a mysterious fourteen-year old boy who acts as her teacher/guidance counselor/coach/boss all rolled into one, and though she initially resists everything about him, their relationship really grows in the course of their journey and they share a good bit of chemistry between them.

Here’s a snippet from the book that might better explain how she feels about him at the beginning:

“Listen, all you need to know is that I’m your guide. I’m the one you’ve been looking for. Think of me as your teacher, guidance counselor, coach, and boss, all rolled into one. Which means you cannot continue to talk to me like that, or to call me that. There will be consequences for that sort of insubordination. Serious consequences. So just stop—okay? My name is Bodhi, and I expect you to use it. You need to—” He hesitated, his eyes darting all around in the most paranoid way, his voice lowered to a whisper when he said, “You need to respect me, okay?”

I squinted, alerted to the undercurrent of begging that rang loud and clear, with just a pinch of paranoia thrown in for good measure.

So this is my guide, I thought, sucking in a mouthful of air, wondering what other punishments might be in store. I mean, he had no wings, no shimmering robe, no halo, nothing that indicated he should in any way be the boss of me, and yet, there it was. He was the boss of me. And despite my wanting to believe otherwise, somehow I just knew it was real. Somehow I just knew he wasn’t lying about this.

ME: With many of our authors, we ask about tertiary characters, but since Riley is a secondary character now in her own spotlight, we're curious about some of your tertiary characters. Will we be seeing more of the twins, Romy and Rayne? They have an interesting journey ahead of them as they try to fit in with the modern day. Will they have their own chronicles or will they continue to play an important role in Damen and Ever's saga? What's the favorite scene you've written with Romy and Rayne so far? Please share it with us!

ALYSON: Romy and Rayne are really fun to write, and while they definitely have an interesting journey ahead of them, I doubt they’ll end up with their own chronicles—still, never say never, right? Meanwhile, they are adapting amazingly well to the modern world of shopping malls and MTV, and my favorite scenes with them are the ones where Romy is being nice to Ever and Rayne is being, well, Rayne! Though they do have a scene coming up in NIGHT STAR that shows some real growth on Rayne’s part especially, but I’d prefer to keep that spoiler free, so that’s all I can say about that!

Want to read more? Then check out the blurb and excerpt below!

BLURB: Welcome to the Here & Now

Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she's summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can't quite figure out.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley...

EXCERPT: Chapter 1

Most people think that death is the end.

The end of life—of good times—the end of, well, pretty much everything.

But those people are wrong.

Dead wrong.

And I should know. I died almost a year ago.

Chapter 2

The weirdest part about dying is that nothing really changed.

I mean, you'd expect a big change, right? Because dying—well, let's face it, it's pretty dramatic stuff. They write songs about it, books and screenplays too. Heck, it's even a major theme on Saturday morning cartoons. But the thing is, it's nothing like you see on TV.

Nothing at all.

Take me for instance. I'm living, er, make that dead proof that it really isn't so different. Or at least not at first. And at least not in a bad way like you probably think.

Because the truth is, the moment I died I actually felt more alive than ever. I could jump higher—run faster—I could even walk through walls if I wanted. And that's pretty much what gave it away.

The walking-through-walls part.

Since it's not like I could do that sort of thing before, so that's how I knew something was up.

Something serious.

But up until then, it all just seemed like a really cool side trip. Like my dad just decided to take a sudden turn none of us were expecting.

One moment he was cruising down a curving highway, while I was singing along to my iPod with my dog Buttercup resting his head on my lap, doing my best to tune out my bossy older sister Ever who practically lived to torment me. And the next thing I knew, we were somewhere else entirely.

No longer on the highway, no longer in Oregon, we'd somehow landed smack dab in the middle of this beautiful shimmering field full of pulsating trees and flowers that shivered. And when my parents went one way and my sister went another, I just stood there, head swiveling like crazy, unsure who to follow.

Part of me urging, "Cross the bridge with Mom and Dad and Buttercup—they know what's best!"

While the other part insisted, "Don't be such a goody-good— if Ever sees something awesome and you miss out, you'll regret it forever!"

And by the time I finally decided to go after my sister, I'd taken so long she was already gone.

Just—disappeared.

Straight into the shimmering mist.

Right back to the earth plane.

And that's how I ended up stuck. Stuck between worlds.

Until I found my way Here.

That's what they call it, "Here."

And if you're dumb enough to ask what time it is, they'll say, "Now."

Probably because there's no time Here, which means everything happens, well, in the moment it happens, which is always just—now.

So, I guess you could say I live in the Here & Now. Which, strangely, isn't so different from where I lived before back in Eugene, Oregon.

Aside from there being no time. And of course, that bit about being able to walk through walls and stuff.

But other than that, and the fact that I can manifest anything I want—stuff like houses and cars and clothes, even animals and beaches, simply by imagining it—it's all pretty much the same.

My parents are Here. My grandparents too. Even my sweet yellow Lab Buttercup made it. And even though we can live anywhere we could ever conceivably want, in any kind of house we could ever truly desire, the funny thing is that my new neighborhood is pretty much an exact replica of my old neighborhood back in Oregon.

Everything identical, all the way down to the clothes that hang in my closet, the socks that are stuffed in my drawers, and the posters that are taped to my walls. The only thing that's different, the only thing that kind of bugs me, is all the other houses around us are empty. Mostly due to the fact that all my old neighbors and friends are alive and well and back in the earth plane (well, for now anyway!). But still, other than that, it's exactly like I remember it.

Exactly like I wished it.

I just wish I had some friends to enjoy it with.

Want to know more about Alyson and all of her books? Then check out her website!!!

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-06-19T14:05:00.004-05:00

Alyson Noel!!!
Ever and Damen are fated to be together...or are they? Their journey began with Evermore, where some pretty interesting developments happen to Ever. Even though she loses her entire family, including the family dog, Buttercup, Ever talks to her younger sister's ghost, Riley, and if that wasn't enough, she now lives with her aunt Sabine whom she hardly knows, lives in a new place and starting high school in a new city. As if that wasn't enough trauma for a teenager to deal with, she discovers a neat little flaw...that she's immortal. Everything was going fine, until she meets someone Damen forgot to mention, Drina, Damen's longtime lover and another immortal - and she's jealous and on a rampage to have Damen all to herself! During this journey, Ever learns things about herself she never knew, and makes some startling revelations that lead to events that will forever alter her and Damen's destiny.

Blue Moon continues the saga of Damen and Ever, introducing another person from Damen's past, a past he neglected to tell Ever and one he'd prefer remained closed. Unfortunately, Roman plows into their lives, forcing the door wide open - showing Ever the truth of what Damen has done, forcing her to make decisions she's not ready to make, and puts her into situations where she's not capable of truly understanding the depth of the consequences to her actions. But it's not all Roman's fault. The situation they find themselves in teaches Ever some lessons she's not wise enough to comprehend and Damen a truth he's not ready to face.

The events of Blue Moon lead Damen and Ever on quest for answers. The arrival of Jude in Shadowland causes Damen to close off from Ever, yet again, and he begins to doubt himself, the choices he made, and if what's happened is fated or a perversion of it. As he doubts himself and drives Ever away in an attempt to balance the karma he believes to be unbalanced, Ever begins to question things too, even though she keeps insisting that she loves Damen, she cannot deny the pull Jude has on her, especially when she realizes how her fate has been connected to him throughout her past lifetimes.

Is Jude the innocent he appears to be or does his connection to Ava indicate more than he admits or knows? What role does he play in Roman's sick, twisted little game? I'm hoping that's what Dark Flame will reveal!

In my opinion, this is one terrific series! I could prattle on about these books all day, but let's get to the reason we're here - Alyson's interview!

ME: When you stop to consider trends and traditions, June marks a time of beginnings (marriages, commencements). What about you, any weddings, anniversaries or graduations to attend this month?

ALYSON: Nope, not a one—though I will be going on my very first book tour for Dark Flame beginning June 22, so that’s a beginning of sorts!

ME: While April 22nd marks Earth Day, June 5th is World Environment Day. What will you do to celebrate our environment?

ALYSON: Not to sound too hokey, but I try to celebrate the environment everyday by recycling, conserving water and energy, and by taking time to appreciate the lovely Laguna Beach views!

ME: Speaking of the environment, do you strive to be more energy efficient or more environmentally conscious? How do you accomplish this goal?

ALYSON: I try to do both, and I like to think that the small things like turning off the taps while I brush my teeth, doing only full loads of laundry, hanging clothes to dry, and recycling, can make a difference.

ME: What traits make the men in your life good father figures? Will you do anything special to celebrate these men? If so, what will it be?

ALYSON: While my husband and I don’t have kids of our own, when he lost his twin brother five years ago this past April, I was so awed by the way he jumped into the role of looking after the son and daughter his brother left behind. Even though we live in different states, he’s totally there for them in so many ways—they stay with us for 5-6 weeks every summer, they visit for a week in the winter, and the rest of the year, my husband makes frequent trips to their neck of the woods to visit them. He’s built a really wonderful relationship with them, and it’s been a pleasure to watch it blossom and grow!

ME: While the summer solstice occurs on June 21st, warmer weather usually arrives earlier than that, encouraging people to get out and enjoy the weather. What activities do you usually start in June?

ALYSON: Since I spend all day cooped up in my office writing, my favorite part of June is when the days get longer. Wrapping up my work while it’s still light out makes me feel like I didn’t really miss out all that much, and as the weather gets warmer and warmer, I try to sneak in as much pool time as possible. I may not be much for swimming laps, but I’m pretty good at floating around with a drink in my hand!

ME: While people generally clean in spring, they need to do something with all the stuff they find they do not need. If it isn’t given away or donated, many people have rummage or estate sales. What about you, do you like to hit the rummage sales on a nice warm morning? Do you go alone or with someone else? Is it a family tradition?

ALYSON: I’ve never been one for garage sales or rummage sales—mostly because it requires one to wake up early in order to get a shot at the good stuff, and I’m just not a morning person—I don’t really peak until mid-afternoon!

ME: In many areas, private community schools tend to schedule festivals and bazaars as fundraisers throughout the summer. What about your area? What kind of festivals and bazaars can be found and when will they occur? Do you make appearances at them, or do you avoid them? If so, why?

ALYSON: There’s a blues fest near my town, the next beach over, and I used to look forward to that every year as they’ve always get a great line up. And, of course, anything to do with food and/or art—I’m so there!

ME: The weather in June seems to be a great mix in almost every state, and most people tend to plan vacations in June. What about you, are you a June traveler? If so, where will you be going? If not, when do you prefer to travel and why? Where have you gone or will you be going this year?

ALYSON: Actually, I always try to avoid the crowds, so I’m really more of a May or September traveler. But, like I said earlier, I will be going on my first tour this June, so I’m looking forward to spending time at my stops in MN, IL, TX, FL, & CA!

ME: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing. While there are many genres to choose from, what specifically brought you to YA? Why this genre over the others?

ALYSON: I didn’t intentionally set out to write YA. With my debut novel, Faking 19, I just really wanted to tell a particular story that happened to have a teenaged protagonist. It wasn’t until I started my second book, Art Geeks & Prom Queens, that I realized just how much I connected with this age group. Despite the number of birthdays I accumulate, I never really feel like a grown-up, so writing YA is a natural fit!

ME: YA novels have always been popular with teens, but not always so much with adults, yet recent years have shown an explosion of the YA genre marked by an increase in YA Authors and interest by adults into the YA genre. What, in your opinion, is the reason for the explosion of the YA genre and for the strong interest and appreciation for the genre by adults?

ALYSON: Well, for one, I think the variety of really well-written stories in a wide range of subjects is a huge draw, and, for another, YA books tend to get to the meat of a story right from the start. They draw you in early and take you for an amazing ride all the way to the end. There’s not much meandering, no room for page after page of idle description—they’re very story centric. And besides, were else can you go back in time and re-experience all those wonderful firsts?

ME: Earlier, we asked about what traits make the men in your life good father figures. Now, we want to know, have any of these men, or their traits, been inspiration for characters in your stories? If so, which men, what characters and/or traits and why?

ALYSON: While I’ve never had a close relationship with my father, I suppose in a sense that the absence of that has informed all of my books. Though I did get really luck in the husband department—I married a man who’s good at every single thing he sets his mind too—and he’s served as my inspiration for a few of my male characters—Jas in Art Geeks, Dane in Fly Me to the Moon, and more recently, Damen in The Immortals!

ME: For a writer, inspiration can be found everywhere and in almost anyone, but sometimes specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits, events or situations that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, Dark Flame, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

ALYSON: I steal from my own life all the time, and the entire Immortals series was inspired by grief—something I probably talked about last time I was here, but in brief, a few years back I lost several loved ones in a short time and then almost lost my husband to leukemia (he’s in full remission now). Going through that got me thinking a lot about life & death, immortality & mortality, and the soul’s purpose and journey—all of which are subjects I explore in the books.

Also, during that time, I began to read a lot of metaphysical books, and was very much taken by the idea that our thoughts actually shape our experiences—a theme that is definitely at the core of Dark Flame.

ME: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, tell us about the hero and heroine (s) of your story. What do they look like? How do they meet (or “did” if this is not the first book with these same characters)? What are their personalities – Are they comical cut-ups, are they serious or are they a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

ALYSON: Ever & Damen first met in Paris on August 8, 1608, when Damen was, well, his charming, dreamy, immortal self and Ever was a servant named Evaline. Then they met again when Ever reincarnated as a spoiled, London society girl, and again when she came back an artist’s muse living in Amsterdam, and again when she was living as a Puritan’s daughter in New England. Each time they met and fell in love, and each time their love ended tragically soon, which is why Damen wasted no time in feeding Ever the elixir of eternal life when he found her again in this lifetime—he couldn’t bear to lose her again.

They are far more serious than comical, for two seventeen year olds they are burdened with secrets, challenges, enemies, and a huge, life changing destiny for Ever that is only beginning to reveal itself . . .

As for an excerpt, here’s a bit from Dark Flame, Chapter 19, that explains the way Ever views him:

“The air has changed, ignited by his presence, his gaze sending a delicious warm tingle over my skin. And when I open my eyes to meet his—it’s like the first time we met in the parking lot at school—mesmerizing, magical, a moment of complete and total surrender. The sun at his back, enveloping him in a blaze of bold orange, golds, and reds so brilliant, it’s as though they’re emanating from him. And I hold on to the moment, hold it for as long as I can. All too aware that it’s just a matter of time before it dulls and I become numb to him again.

He takes the swing alongside me, gliding high into the sky and instantly matching my pace. The two of us swooping to such deliriously, wonderful heights, only to plummet right back down again—an analogy of our relationship for the last four hundred years.”

ME: The main characters are usually great, but sometimes, secondary and tertiary characters are known to steal the scenes, even if the author did not intend this to happen. Who are the secondary/tertiary characters in your story and what do they look like? What’s unique about them? What is their relationship to the hero/heroine? Have any of these characters gone on to become scene-stealers? If so, who and how did they do it? Is there the possibility for them to get their own story? (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

ALYSON: Well, Riley, Ever’s ghostly sister, definitely turned out to be a scene stealer in Evermore as she ended up walking away with far more page time than I originally intended, so I suppose it’s only fair to her that she ended up with her own series, beginning with Radiance on 08.31.10!

I think Riley really spoke to me as a character because she’s so spunky and snarky yet also very poignant. The only thing she ever really wanted was to be thirteen, but as fate would have it, she was struck down at twelve. Yet, she’s making the most of her ghostly form, and enjoying unrestricted access to Ever’s life, as illustrated from this scene in Chapter 14 of Evermore:

“What’s your problem? Why so grumpy?” Riley asks, perched on the edge of my bed, dressed in a Zorro costume identical to the one Eric wore to the party.

“Halloween’s over,” I say, staring pointedly at the black leather whip she slaps against the floor.”

“Duh.” She makes a face and continues to punish the carpet. “So I like the costume, big deal. I’m thinking about dressing up every day.”

I lean toward the mirror, insert my tiny diamond-chip studs, and scrape my hair into a ponytail.

“I can’t believe you’re still dressing like that,” she says, her nose crinkling in disgust. “I thought you bagged yourself a boyfriend?” She drops the whip and grabs my iPod, her fingers sliding around the wheel as she scrolls through my playlist.

I turn, wondering exactly what she saw.

“Hel-lo? At the party? By the pool? Or was that just a hookup?”

I stare at her, my face flushing crimson. “What do you know about hookups? You’re only twelve! And why the heck are you spying on me?”

She rolls her eyes. “Please, like I’d waste my time spying on you when there’s way better stuff I can see. For your information, I just so happened to go outside at the exact same moment you shoved your tongue down that Damen guy’s throat. And trust me, I wish I hadn’t seen it.”

BLURB: Their love has burned bright for countless centuries—now their journey may be coming to a dark end . . .

In Alyson Noël’s most darkly seductive Immortals novel yet, Ever fights for control of her body, her soul—and the timeless true love she’s been chasing for centuries.

Excerpt from Dark Flame, Chapter 3 - (not formatted yet, sorry!)

“How’d it go?”

Damen opens the door before I can knock. His gaze deep and intense as he follows me into the den where I drop onto his plush velour couch and kick off my flip-flops. Careful to avoid his eyes as he lands on the cushion beside me, usually all too eager to spend the rest of eternity just gazing at him—taking in the fine planes of his face—his high sculpted cheekbones, lush inviting lips, the slant of his brow, his dark wavy hair, and thick fringe of lashes—but not today.

Today I’d prefer to look just about anywhere else.

“So, you told her?” His fingers trail along the side of my cheek, the curve of my ear, his touch filling me with tingle and heat despite the ever-present energy veil that hovers between us. “Did the cupcake provide the distraction you hoped it would?” His lips nip at my lobe before working their way down my neck.

I lean back against the cushions, closing my eyes in a feigned bout of fatigue. But the truth is, I don’t want him to see me, to observe me too closely. Don’t want him to sense my thoughts, my essence, my energy—that strange, foreign pulse that’s been stirring inside me for the last several days.

“Hardly.” I sigh. “She pretty much ignored it—guess she’s like us now—in more ways than one.” Feeling the weight of his gaze as he studies me intensely.

“Care to elaborate?”

I scrunch down even lower and toss my leg over his, my breath slowing as I settle into the warmth of his energy. “She’s just—so far advanced. I mean, she has the whole look, you know? That eerie, flawless, immortal look. She even heard my thoughts—until I blocked them.” I frown and shake my head.

“Eerie? Is that how you see it—see us?” Clearly distressed by my words.

“Well—not really—eerie,” I pause, wondering why I phrased it like that. “More like—not normal. I mean, I doubt even supermodels look that perfect all the time. Not to mention, what are we gonna do if she grows four inches practically overnight like I did? How do we possibly explain that?”

“Same way we did with you,” he says, eyes narrowed, cautious, more interested in the words I’m not saying than the ones that I am. “We’ll call it a growth spurt. They’re not that uncommon among mortals, you know.” His voice lifts in a weak attempt at levity that doesn’t quite work.

I avert my gaze, taking in the crowded bookshelves filled with leather-bound first editions, the abstract oil paintings, most of them priceless originals, knowing he’s onto me. He knows something’s up, but I’m hoping he can’t sense just how far it goes. That I’m just saying the words, going through the motions, not really invested in any of this.

“And so—does she hate you like you feared?” he asks, voice steady, deep, the slightest bit probing.

I peer at him, this wonderful glorious creature who’s loved me for the last four hundred years and continues to do so no matter how many blunders I make, no matter how many lives I mess up. Sighing as I close my eyes and manifest a single red tulip that I promptly hand over. Serving not just as the symbol of our undying love, but also the winning wager in the bet that we made.

“You were right—you win.” I shake my head, remembering how she reacted just like he said. “She’s thrilled beyond belief. Can’t thank me enough. Feels just like a rock star. No—scratch that, better than a rock star. She feels like a vampire rock star. But you know, the new and improved kind—without all that nasty bloodsucking and coffin sleeping.” I shake my head and smile in spite of myself.

“A member of the mythical undead?” Damen cringes, not liking the analogy one bit. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s just a side effect of her recent goth phase. The thrill will die down eventually. You know, once the reality sinks in.”

“Is that how it is for you?” he asks, finger just under my chin, making me look at him again. “Is the thrill dying down—or perhaps even—gone?” His gaze deep, knowing, attuned to every shift of my mood. “Is that why you find it so hard to look at me now?”

“No!” I shake my head, fully aware that I’ve been caught and desperate to refute it. “I’m just—tired. I’ve been feeling a little—on edge lately, that’s all.” I nuzzle closer, burying my face in the hollow of his neck, right next to where the cord for his amulet rests. That edgy prickly feeling I’ve been carrying for days, tempering, melting, as I inhale his warm musky scent over and over again. “Why can’t every moment be like this?” I murmur, knowing what I really mean is: why can’t I always be like this—feel like this?

Why is everything changing?

“It can.” He shrugs. “There’s really no reason why it can’t.”

I pull away and meet his gaze. “Oh, I can think of at least two very good reasons.”

Nodding toward Romy and Rayne, the twin terrors we’re now responsible for as they bound down the stairs. Identical in their straight dark hair with razor-slashed bangs, pale skin, and large dark eyes—but complete opposites in their dress. Romy wearing a pink terry cloth sundress with matching flip-flops, while Rayne’s barefoot and dressed in all black, with Luna, their tiny black kitten, riding high on her shoulder. The two of them shooting Damen a happy, warm smile and glaring at me—business as usual, and pretty much the only thing that hasn’t changed around here.

“They’ll come around,” he says, wanting to believe it and wishing I would too.

“No they won’t.” I sigh, fumbling for my flip-flops. “But then, it’s not like they don’t have their reasons.” I slip on my shoes and look at him.

“Leaving so soon?”

I nod, avoiding his gaze. “Sabine’s making dinner, Munoz is coming over—it’s a whole—bonding thing. She wants us to get to know each other better. You know, less student teacher, more future nonblood relations.” I shrug, realizing the instant it’s out that I should’ve invited him. It’s incredibly rude not to include him. But Damen’s presence will only mess with my other evening plans. The ones he may suspect, but can’t possibly witness. Especially after making his feelings on my foray into magick so abundantly clear. Tacking on an awkward, “So—you know . . .” and leaving it to hang there, dangling between us, since I’ve no idea where to take it from there.

“And Roman?”

I take a deep breath as my eyes meet his. The moment I’ve been avoiding is now here.

“Did you warn Haven? Tell her what he did?”

I nod. Recalling the speech I practiced in the car all the way over, about how Haven could be our best chance to get what we need from Roman. Hoping it’ll sound better to his ears than it did mine.

“And?”

I clear my throat, allowing myself that, but nothing more.

He waits for me to continue, the patience of six hundred years stamped on his face, as I open my mouth to launch into my speech, but I can’t. He knows me too well. So Instead, I just lift my shoulders and sigh, knowing words are unnecessary, the answer’s displayed in my gaze.

“I see.” He nods, his tone smooth, even, without a trace of judgment, which kind of disappoints me. I mean, I’m judging me, so why isn’t he?

“But—it’s really not like you think,” I say. “It’s not like I didn’t try to warn her, but she wouldn’t listen. So I figured, what the heck. If she’s going to insist on hanging with Roman, then what’s the harm in her trying to snag the antidote while she’s at it? And I know you think it’s wrong, believe me, we’ve been over that, but I still don’t think it’s all that big a deal.”

He looks at me, face calm, still, betraying nothing.

“Besides, it’s not like we actually have any real proof that he would’ve let her die. I mean, he had the antidote all along, he knew what I’d choose. But even if I did prove him wrong, how do we know he wouldn’t have given her the elixir himself?” I take a deep breath, hardly believing I’m borrowing Haven’s argument, the same one I balked at just a few moments earlier. “And then—maybe he even would’ve tried to turn the whole thing around! You know, tell her we were prepared to let her die and end up turning her against us! Did you ever think of that?”

“No. I suppose I didn’t,” he says, lids narrowed, concern clouding his face.

“And it’s not like I’m not gonna monitor the situation cuz I totally am. I’ll make sure she’s safe. But she does have free will, you know, it’s not like we can choose her friends for her, so, I figured, you know, when in Rome . . .and all . . .so to speak . . .”

“And what about the romantic feelings Haven holds toward Roman? Did you consider that?”

I shrug, my words containing a conviction I don’t really feel when I say, “She used to have feelings for you too if you’ll remember. She seemed to get over that pretty quickly. And don’t forget about Josh, the guy she was convinced was her soul mate who got booted over a kitten. And now that she’s in a position to have pretty much whatever or whoever she wants—” I pause, but only for a moment, not long enough for him to interject. “I’m sure Roman will lose his allure and slide way down on her list. I mean, I know she can seem kind of fragile, but she’s actually a lot tougher than you think.”

I stand, signaling an end to this conversation. What’s done is done and I don’t want him to do or say anything that’ll make me doubt my stance on Haven and Roman’s relationship any more than I already do.

He hesitates, gaze moving over me, taking me in, then rising in one, quick, languid move as he grasps my hand and leads me to the door where he presses his lips against mine. Lingering, fusing, pushing, melding, the two of us drawing this kiss out for as long as we can, neither one willing to break away first.

I press hard against him, the contours of his body barely dimmed by that ever-present energy veil that hovers between us. The broad expanse of his chest, the valley of his torso—every inch of him conforming so tightly to me it’s nearly impossible to tell where he ends and I begin. Wishing this kiss could do the impossible—banish my mistakes—this strange way I feel—chase away the dark angry cloud that follows me everywhere these days.

“I should go,” I whisper, the first to break the spell, aware of the heat rising between us, that incendiary pull, a painful reminder that, for now anyway, this is as far as it goes.

And just as I’ve settled into my car and Damen’s gone back inside, Rayne appears, Luna still perched on her shoulder, twin sister Romy at her side.

“Tonight’s the night. Moon’s moving into a new phase,” she says, eyes narrowed, lips grim. No other words necessary, we all know what that means.

I nod and shift into reverse, ready to back down the drive, when she adds, “You know what to do, right? You remember our plan?”

I nod again, hating the fact that I’m in this position, knowing that as far as they’re concerned, I’ll never live this one down.

Backing out of the drive and onto the street, their thoughts chasing behind me, burrowing into my mind, as they think: It’s wrong to use magick for selfish, nefarious reasons. There’s karma to pay, and it’ll come back times three.

Want to learn more about Alyson and her books?

Check out:

her previous interviews with us - October 10th, 2009 and December 12th, 2009

Her Website - www.alysonnoel.com

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-06-05T04:25:00.001-05:00

Rachel Vincent!!!

Rachel returns to the spotlight with the release of her newest addition to the Soul Screamers series, My Soul to Keep. This book continues to follow Kaylee Cavanaugh and her attempt at balancing her desired life as a normal teenager and her unavoidable life as a banshee (bean sidhe).

ME: June is another month loaded with special holidays. Here are a few: 1st – Atlantic Hurricane Season; 5th – World Environment Day; 14th – Flag Day; 19th – Juneteenth Day (Freedom/Emancipation Day); 20th – Father’s Day, 21st – Summer Solstice; 24th – St. Baptiste Day; 27th – Helen Keller Day. When you stop to consider trends and traditions, June marks a time of beginnings (marriages, commencements). What about you, any weddings, anniversaries or graduations to attend this month?

RACHEL: No, actually, I don’t have any of those this month.

ME: While April 22nd marks Earth Day, June 5th is World Environment Day. What will you do to celebrate our environment?

RACHEL: I don’t have any specific plans on either of those dates. These days, I mostly celebrate our world by staring out at it from behind my office window. ;-)

ME: Speaking of the environment, do you strive to be more energy efficient or more environmentally conscious? How do you accomplish this goal?

RACHEL: Yes, I turn off lights in empty rooms, keep the air conditioner set for a reasonable temperature, and I use reusable water bottles, rather than burning through disposable ones. And, of course, I recycle.

ME: What traits make the men in your life good father figures? Will you do anything special to celebrate these men? If so, what will it be?

RACHEL: A willingness to listen, even when there’s no advice to be given. My father is proud of me and of my accomplishments, even if he doesn’t really understand my fondness for dark fantasy. ;-) And yes, of course, I’ll call him on Father’s Day. ;-)

ME: While the summer solstice occurs on June 21st, warmer weather usually arrives earlier than that, encouraging people to get out and enjoy the weather. What activities do you usually start in June?

RACHEL: I don’t start anything specific in June. I’m not much of an outdoorsy kind of person, because I’m very pale, and I sunburn (complete with blisters) very, very easily. Also, I live in San Antonio, so it’s been hot here for quite a while now.

RACHEL: No. I don’t do the garage sale circuit. I’ve never enjoyed that. But I do donate my unneeded things to Goodwill.

RACHEL: I don’t know. This will be my first summer in the area. But I’d be open to something held at night, when it’s not quite as hot.

RACHEL: I’m doing a group bus tour with four other authors for several days during late June, and that’ll be the extent of my travels this month.

ME: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing. While there are many genres to choose from, what specifically brought you to YA? Why this genre over the others?

RACHEL: Well, YA isn’t really a genre. It’s a targeted age range. But even that is very flexible. Young adult books are available in many, many genres, including fantasy, romance, literary, science fiction, dystopian, urban fantasy, etc… But what drew me to young adult fiction was the passion and immediacy with which things are felt in adolescence. I remember that feeling, and I love recapturing it.

RACHEL: I think people are just now starting to realize how much good young adult literature is really out there. It’s a renaissance, of sorts. And I hope it lasts a long, long time.

As for why adults are so interested in YA fiction, I think that’s because we can all remember what it felt like to be discovering so many things in life for the first time. Some of us want to recapture that feeling. Some of us what to read about people who had a better/more interesting/more fantastic adolescence than we did.

RACHEL: No, not really. None of my characters are based on real people. They’re all fictional. Some are obviously idealized versions of what some of the people I know look for in a father/lover/brother relationship. But none of them are real.

ME: For a writer, inspiration can be found everywhere and in almost anyone, but sometimes specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits, events or situations that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, My Soul To Keep, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

RACHEL: Nothing specific in this story was inspired from any real events or people. I would never do that to someone I know. But the range of emotions Kaylee goes through—those feelings of frustration, and anger, and betrayal—are things that I know well, because I know someone in real life who’s going through something similar to what Kaylee is suffering.

RACHEL: Kaylee and Nash have been dating for about four months at the start of MY SOUL TO KEEP, and while there are some light moments, theirs is not a cut-up kind of relationship. Not in this book, anyway. They’re dealing with some serious issues. Here’re a few lines from the book:

-----

“Kaylee…” he began, and I could already hear the protest forming. He sat up and I let one leg hang off the bed. “Whatever Fuller’s into is none of our business.”

“He’s taking Demon’s Breath,” I whispered with a nervous glance at the closed door, hoping his mother was still in the kitchen. “How is that none of our business?”

“It has nothing to do with us.” He stood and snatched a shirt from the back of his desk chair.

“Don’t you want to know where he got it? He could have killed someone last night. And if he takes any more of it, he’ll probably kill himself.”

Nash sank into his desk chair. “You’re overreacting, Kaylee.”

“No, you’re underreacting.” I scooted to the edge of his bed. “What happened to looking out for your friends?”

“What am I supposed to do?” He shrugged, frustration clear in the tense line of his shoulders. “Go up to Fuller and say, ‘Hey, man, I’m not sure where you’re getting secondhand air from a demon you don’t even know exists, but you need to lay off it before you kill yourself’? That’s not gonna sound weird.” He kicked a shoe across the room to punctuate his sarcasm.

I crossed my arms over my chest, struggling to keep my voice low. “You’re worried about sounding weird in front of a guy who’s getting high off someone else’s breath?”

-----

RACHEL: Emma, Kaylee’s human best friend, and Tod, Nash’s grim reaper brother, are the most dynamic secondary characters in the series so far. And yes, they’re both scene stealers, from time to time. Here’s a little snipped with Tod, as he and Kaylee leave the hospital where he works, reaping the souls of the dead:

----

Tod’s footsteps went silent as he circled the car toward the passenger’s side, and I knew that no one else could see him. Still, I was grateful that he hadn’t simply blinked into Emma’s bedroom, leaving me to drive back alone.

“So, you’re not going to get in trouble for leaving now?” I asked as I settled into the driver’s seat.

He shrugged, unconcerned. “It’s a slow night. No one’s scheduled to tumble into the abyss for another hour and a half, and if I’m not back by then, I’ll get someone else to cover for me.”

-----

Interested in reading more My Soul to Keep? Then read on!

BLURB: WHEN KAYLEE CAVANAUGH SCREAMS, SOMEONE DIES

AND KAYLEE IS ABOUT TO SCREAM HER HEAD OFF...

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.

Until something does.

Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.

And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

EXCERPT: “You know I’m not interested in Sophie,” he whispered. “I wouldn’t do that to you or Scott.” He leaned down and kissed me again. “There’s only you, Kaylee.”

My entire body tingled in wave after wave of warm, exhilarating shivers, and I let my lips trail over the rough stubble on his chin, delighting in the coarse texture.

“Oh, blah, blah, blah,” a jaded voice said, drenching our privacy with a cold dose of sarcasm. “You love him, he loves you, and we’re all one big, happy, sloppy, dorky family.”

“Damn it, Tod!” Nash stiffened. I closed my eyes and sighed. The couch creaked beneath us as we sat up to see Nash’s undead brother—fully corporeal for once—sitting backward in Mr. Carter’s desk chair, arms crossed over the top as he watched us in boredom barely softened by the slight upturn of his cherubic lips. “If you don’t quit it with the Peeping Tom routine, I’m going to tell your boss you get off watching other people make out.”

“He knows,” Tod and I said in unison. I straightened my shirt, scowling at the intruder, though my irritation was already fading.

Unlike Nash, I had trouble staying mad at Tod lately because I considered his recent reappearance a good sign. We hadn’t seen him for nearly a month after his ex-girlfriend died in October—without her soul. And when I say we’d not seen him, I mean that literally. As a grim reaper, Tod could choose when and where he wanted to be seen, and by whom.

But now he was back, and up to his old tricks. Which seemed to consist entirely of preventing me and Nash from having any quality alone time. He was almost as bad as my dad.

“Shouldn’t you be at work?” I ran one hand through my long brown hair to smooth it.

Tod shrugged. “I’m on my lunch break.”

I lifted both brows. “You don’t eat.”

He only shrugged again and smiled.

“Get out,” Nash growled, tossing his head toward the door. Like Tod would actually have to use it. One of the other perks of being dead, technically speaking, was the ability to walk through things. Or simply disappear, then reappear somewhere else. That’s right. I got swirling eyes and the capacity to shatter windows with my bare voice. Tod got teleportation and invisibility.

The supernatural world is so far from fair.

Tod stood and kicked the chair aside, running one hand through short blond curls that not even the afterlife could tame. “I’m not here to watch you two, anyway.”

Great. I scowled at the reaper, my eyes narrowed in true irritation now. “I told you to stay away from her.” Emma had met him once, briefly, and we’d made the mistake of telling her what he really was. He’d been watching her covertly before, but after Addison’s death and his obvious heartbreak, I’d assumed that had stopped.

Tod mirrored his brother with his arms crossed over his chest. “So you won’t let me go near her, but you’ll let her get in the car with some drunk jock? That doesn’t even kinda make sense.”

“Damn it.” Nash was off the couch in an instant and I followed, whispering a thank-you to Tod as I passed him. But he’d already blinked out of the office.

I trailed Nash down the hall and through the packed living room, accidentally bumping a beer from a cheerleader’s hand on the way. We ran out the front door and I wished I’d stopped to find my jacket when the frigid air raised goose bumps all over my skin.

We paused at the end of the walkway, and I spotted Emma near the mouth of the cul-de-sac, a brief glimpse of long blond hair. “There.” I pointed and we took off again. We got there just as Doug pulled his passenger’s side door open. He had Em pressed against the side of the car, his tongue in her mouth, his free hand up her shirt.

Emma was totally into it, and though I didn’t think she’d have gone so far in public if not for the beer, that was her business. But getting in the car with a drunk crossed the line from stupid into dangerous.

Em,” I said as Nash slapped one hand on Doug’s shoulder and pulled him backward.

“What the hell, man!” Doug slurred as his hand pulled free from Emma’s bra hard enough that the elastic slapped her skin.

“Kaylee!” Emma smiled and fell against me, and I glared at Doug. She didn’t know what she was doing, and he was being a complete asshole.

“Em, you know how it goes.” I wrapped one arm around her waist when she stumbled. “Come together, stay together…”

“…leave together,” she finished with a wide-eyed, pseudo-serious expression. “But we didn’t come together, Kay…”

“I know, but the last part still applies.”

“Fuller, she’s drunk.” Nash angled him so that Doug fell into his own passenger’s seat. “And so are you.”

“Noooo…” Emma giggled, blowing beer breath at me. “He’s not drinking, so he gets to drive.”

“Em, he’s wasted,” Nash insisted, then glanced at me and tossed his head toward the house. “Take her back in.”

I started walking Emma up the sidewalk, trying to keep her quiet as she told me how nice Doug was. She wasn’t just drunk, she was gone. I should have watched her more closely.

A minute later, Nash caught up to us as I was lowering Emma onto the porch. “Did you get his keys?” I asked, and Nash frowned. Then, as he turned to head back toward Doug’s car, an engine growled to life and a sick feeling settled into the pit of my stomach. Nash took off running and I leaned Emma against the top step. “Tod?” I called, glancing around the dark yard, grateful there was no one around to see me talking to myself.

“What?” the reaper said at my back, and I whirled around, wondering why he always appeared behind me.

“Can you sit with her for a minute?”

He scowled and glanced at Emma, who stared up at us, blinking her big blue eyes in intoxicated innocence. “You told me to stay away from her.”

“Hey, I remember you,” Emma slurred, loud enough to make me wince. “You’re dead.”

We both ignored Em. “I know. Just watch her for a minute, and don’t let her get into any cars. Please.” Then I raced after Nash past the entrance to the cul-de-sac, confident Tod would watch Emma. That he’d probably been doing it all night, though he’d catch hell for missing work.

Ahead, streetlights shined on the glossy surface of Doug’s car, gliding past like a slice of the night itself. Then, as I caught up to Nash, Doug leaned suddenly to one side, and his car lurched forward and to the right.

There was a loud pop, followed by the crunch of metal. Then the crash of something more substantial.

“Shit!” Nash took off running again and I followed as that sick feeling in my stomach enveloped the rest of me. “Oh, no, Kaylee…”

I knew before I even saw it. The street was lined with expensive, highly insured cars belonging to people who could easily afford to replace them. But the drunk jock had hit mine. When I got closer, I saw that he’d not only hit it, he’d rammed it up onto the sidewalk and through a neighbor’s brick mailbox.

My car was crunched. The driver’s side door was buckled. Bricks and chunks of mortar lay everywhere.

Behind us, Scott’s front door squealed opened and voices erupted into the dark behind me. I glanced back to find Tod—now fully corporeal—ushering Emma away from the crowd pouring into the yard. When I was sure she was okay, I turned to my poor, dead car.

Until I noticed that Doug Fuller had yet to emerge from his.

Crap.

“Help me with him,” Nash called, and I rounded the car as he pulled open the completely unscathed driver’s side door of the Mustang. Doug’s head lolled on his shoulders, and he was mumbling drunk nonsense under his breath. “…with me. Somebody else in my car, dude…”

Nash leaned inside to unlatch the seat belt—what kind of drunk remembers to buckle up?—but he couldn’t fit between his friend and the steering wheel, which had been shoved way too close to Doug’s chest. “Kay, could you get the belt?”

I sighed and crawled across his lap, wedging my torso between the wheel and his chest as I felt around for the button. “Scared the shit out of me…” he mumbled into the hair that had fallen over my ear. “He was just there, outta nowhere!”

“Shut up, Doug,” I snapped, seriously considering leaving him in the car until the cops arrived. “You’re drunk.” When I had the belt unlatched, I backed out of the linebacker’s lap and he exhaled right into my face.

I froze, one hand braced against his thigh, and that sick feeling in my stomach became a full-body cramp. Ice-cold fingers of horror clenched my heart and shot through my veins. Emma was right. Doug hadn’t been drinking.

Somehow, Eastlake High School’s completely human first-string linebacker had gotten his big, dumb hands on the most dangerous controlled substance in the Netherworld.

Doug Fuller absolutely reeked of Demon’s Breath.

Want to learn more about Rachel and her other books? Then check out her:

website: rachelvincent.com

blog: www.urbanfantasy.blogspot.com

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-05-30T06:38:00.001-05:00

C.K. Green!!!

First, I must apologize to readers for the sporadic nature of this blog this past couple months. Life intervened, plain and simple. I'll do my best to correct the issue.

I'd like to introduce a fellow YA Enthusiast and YA Author CK Green. She's pretty new to the scene, and knows how life can intervene when you're trying to keep a writer's life on track.

ME: Let's get to the good stuff! May is loaded with all kinds of interesting holidays (Cinco de Mayo (5th), Mother’s Day (9th), Armed Forces Day (15th), Memorial Day (24th)). May 5th marks a unique voluntarily celebrated holiday recognizing the Mexican efforts against the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1962 under General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin. This battle is legendary because since that time, not one country in the Americas has been invaded by another continent. Do you and/or your friends celebrate this holiday? Why or why not? If so, how do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

CK: Fiesta! Cinco de Mayo! Actually, I have to admit we really don’t celebrate this holiday these days. I suppose when my husband and I were younger we’d go out with friends. I’m originally from California so there were things going on for Cinco de Mayo—parades and festivals, etc…But now that I’m in NC…not so much.

ME: Mother’s Day has become as commercialized as other holidays, but, as far as I can tell, no one seems to mind. Some mothers prefer flowers, some a nice meal, while others prefer gifts like time alone. If you are a mother or wish you were one, what would be your ultimate gift on Mother’s Day? Do (would) you prefer your gifts bought or handmade?

CK: I tell my kids what mothers really want on Mother’s Day is to be remembered. I hope as they get older that they will remember that. For now they make me homemade cards and gifts and I love that. My husband will usually buy me something I really want. This year it was one of those small video cameras (which I love). And what do I use it for? Mostly recording my kids. So, it’s a great Mother’s Day gift. ;)

ME: With the situation in the Middle East, more and more people feel the need to demonstrate their support for the troops. Are you among them? Why or why not? If so, what do you, or have you done to show your support? (If you’re not, that’s okay!) Will you be doing anything special on Armed Forces Day?

CK: We are definitely supporters of the troops. My husband was in the army during the first Middle East action back in the ‘90’s. It’s important no matter what your politics are to support those guys. They need to know they are appreciated for putting their lives on the line. We do send packages and write letters to those serving overseas.

ME: Many people make a point to care for the graves of loved ones on Memorial Day, or have parties and picnics to celebrate them. What about you? What, if any, Memorial Day traditions do you have?

CK: Well, we really don’t have any family graves to take care of since we moved to the East Coast five years ago. I do talk with my children about the meaning behind the holiday and our family members come over and we have a bar-b-que. Babies, crying, hamburgers. Great fun all around.

ME: There are several games on Facebook (and maybe other social networking sites) that advertise about turning your image into a cartoon avatar, and these next questions find their roots there, but character has been substituted for avatar. If you wrote yourself as a character, who would you be if someone other than yourself? Would you have the same name, physical attributes, anatomy or would everything change? What would your name be and what would your character-self look like? Would you be the heroine or the hero? Why?

CK: Oh, wow, let me see. Not that I don’t like myself or anything…but…it’s fun to create and imagine, isn’t it? I’d love to make myself taller, thinner and have lovely brunette hair. My name, hmm, I like using initials. It makes me seem much more mysterious. Definitely Heroine. Well, it’s quite depressing to think you aren’t the heroine of your own story, now wouldn’t it?

ME: What about your personality and traits? What would you change and what would you keep? What new traits would you give your character-self and why those traits?

CK: I love my sense of humor. I’d have to keep that just to stay sane. Maybe I’d be more outgoing—not annoyingly so—but I tend to be more reserved among new acquaintances.

ME: When would you exist? Would you go back in time, stay in the present, or jump into the future? What time period would you pick and why?

CK: This is a great question. I love historical time periods. Hey, that’s why I have the history degree, right? Time travel is a fun idea. It’s better than jumping to a new period and being stuck. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I like indoor plumbing and the idea that everyone washes daily. I’m such a Jane Austen fan and love all things British that I’d probably love to visit 19th century England.

ME: What type of story would it be (other than historical, contemporary or futuristic)?

CK: An adventure/romantic suspense. Oh, and it would be funny. I got to have the humor.

ME: Would you have companions (family, friends, pets, children) or would you be the loner-type? What companions would you have and what would they be like? What, if any, special qualities would your pet have if your character-self had one?

CK: I like being alone as much as the next guy. Must be due to growing up the oldest of five kids. In this story, I’d need at least an animal side kick. Maybe a horse. We could work well together. And this horse would have a strong personality of his own.

ME: What about a love interest(s)? What type of relationship(s) would it (they) be? Would it (they) be anything similar to what you have now (or want to have), or would you be radical and change things up? What would he/she (they) look/be like? What would it be about him/her (they) that attracts you? Would he/she (they) have any traits you don’t like or would you make him/her (they) completely perfect? What traits and why?

CK: Definitely! The love interest and I would be going after the same thing. This would bring in the comedy and the physical attraction which would drive us both crazy. I’d be more of a rogue/thief character and he’d be the uptight noble. He’d be tall and handsome of course but with some kind a flaw. Hmm, like he wears an eye patch. It was from a tragic duel over a lady. When he lost his eye, she lost interest in him so now he trusts no women.

ME: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing. What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

CK: As C. K. Green I write Young Adult with a romantic twist. I write with humor and like to say it’s something akin to Meg Cabot (I wish). I write sweet romance under the name Cindy K. Green in several subgenres (romantic suspense, Inspirational, historical, western, fantasy). I read so many different genres so it just made sense to write in them. I taught middle school for several years and love YA Lit.

ME: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others? Any elements you would never use? Why or why not?

CK: I suppose my favorite element is humor but I already mentioned that. I did just mention that, didn’t I? Yeah, I did. I may incorporate other elements in my different stories but humor is always there in differing degrees.

ME: In your opinion, what author or story had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing or that story did you find so influential and why?

CK: It may seem cliché these days to mention Jane Austen, but I grew up loving her books and she’s been influencing my writing since I was twelve and started writing my own stories. She taught me about writing characters. She created characters to love, to laugh at and even to hate. Lots of good stuff in her books. L.M. Montgomery who wrote the Anne of Green Gables series (and many other books and stories) is another great influence on my writing. She taught me to use my imagination and create beautiful writing.

ME: While authors and stories can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but sometimes specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, Struck by Conscience, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

CK: There really was no particular story, event or person which inspired this story. I was actually cleaning my kitchen (I know how mundane) and an idea popped into my head. There are so many stories and movies about the average girl and the evil popular girl who treats her with distain. So, I decided to write one about a popular girl who didn’t want to be popular anymore. Oh and she has a fairy with her too.

CK: Charisma is the blonde, blue-eyed cheerleader type (though she gave up the cheer leading for student council). She’s smart, a great leader and she really cares about people (most of the time) and her school. Heath is dark skinned (Greek by ethnicity) and dark in personality. Think of Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. They grew up next door to each other and were good friends until junior high. Then Charisma gets in the popular crowd while Heath was still playing with Star Wars figures. But sometime between 7th and 12th grade he morphed into some kind of Greek god.

“Heath, stop being like this.” I was a bit breathless as I caught up to him.

“Like what?”

“Like…frustrating.”

A small smile swam across his mouth. A cute smile. Despite that, I was still perturbed with him and couldn’t let the fact of his cuteness sidetrack me.

“Just let me tell you thanks…again.”

His smile dropped and the glare took its place.

“That’s two times in a row you’ve helped me out. I’m going to have to call you my personal superhero pretty soon.” Now I tried to smile.

Heath angled his face closer to mine and the nearness zapped my smile far, far away. “I’m no superhero. I care about you, and I don’t like seeing you around that guy.”

“Well, good because we broke up.” I nudged my closed fists onto my hips

“You did?” His eyebrows furrowed close together.

“That’s what we were arguing about. He didn’t want to let it go.”

“Can’t blame him there.”

“What?” Did he say what I thought he said? No, it couldn’t be.

ME: The main characters are usually great, but sometimes, secondary and tertiary characters are known to steal the scenes. Who are the secondary/tertiary characters in your story and what do they look like? What’s unique about them? What is their relationship to the hero/heroine? Have any of these gone on to become scene-stealers? If so, who and how did they do it? (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

CK: The main secondary character of the story is Dahlia. She is a faery guardian. You see all children have faery guardians assigned to them. It’s just that Charisma has been able to interact with hers all these years while most other children stop believing around the time they lose their belief in Santa.

Dahlia is hilarious. She has a way of telling Charisma what to do but in the end she has a knack of usually being right. She represents the parental unit in all teens’ lives. Kids in a sense have their parents’ words and ideas rambling around in their heads. In Charisma’s case, she has a faery whispering into her head 24/7.

“Risa, what are you up to now?”

“I have to speak to him, Dahlia.”

“And what are you going to say.”

“No idea.”

“Well, at least you have a plan.”

A plan? No, I didn’t have a plan but for some reason I knew I was on the right course. Dahlia would have told me otherwise. I suppose she was like my conscience. If she lectured or guided me in another direction, I knew I was going the wrong way. This time she only joked with me. Therefore, she must not disapprove. She did always like Heath and it had saddened her when the two of us parted ways in seventh grade.

The other secondaries are Charisma’s friends, Deena and Avril, who will each get their own story eventually.

“Okay enough talk about your near death experience,” proclaimed my friend, Deena Walker, at lunch the next day. “Although, how romantic was Heath to jump in and save you.” She let out a dramatic sigh.

“Not romantic,” I corrected her. Combining Heath and romantic in the same sentence seemed—I don’t know—weird…wrong.

“Whatever, Chrissy. It seemed awfully romantic to me.” A second later Deena was back to business. “So, Charisma, it’s your turn. If you could pick anyone to go out on a date—not restricted to Stanbridge boys—who would it be?”

How did Deena’s mind always return to boys and the imaginary dates we would never have? Did she not realize the dangerous ramifications of the previous day? I almost died! But on another note, how pathetic was it that no one came to mind in regards to her question. I mean NO ONE!

ME: Let's keep it going and go straight to the blurb and excerpt...

BLURB: I, Charisma Mansfield, do solemnly swear that... I never asked to be popular. I never asked to be voted Prom Queen. I definitely never asked to have an invisible pixie perched on my shoulder whispering her opinions into my ear 24/7. But of all the things I never asked for, this is the worst one yet—when brooding but gorgeous Heath Ruvelas (my next door neighbor and the guy I used to be best friends with before jr. high) rescued me from drowning in the school pool. My already bizarre life would never be the same.

EXCERPT: They say before you die your entire life flashes before your eyes. In my experience with this particular phenomenon, I wish I’d seen something more worthwhile in the teleplay of my earthly days. But no—my life had declined into an empty existence filled with visits to the mall, dances, and high school basketball games in the greater area of upstate New York. And what did all that popularity add up to now? Nothing. I was still going to die.

Wait! I didn’t want to die. Help! I splashed through the water while my lungs clogged with chlorine. Someone help me!

I knew even before walking through the pool gates of Stanbridge Academy on this warm, May afternoon that I’d regret it. I’d like to say it was the still, small voice in all of us, but for me it’s different. Okay, who am I to judge. Maybe everyone has a little pixie or sprite sitting on their shoulder whispering to them day in and day out like I do. Maybe not. But I hadn’t heeded Dahlia’s warning and as punishment now I was going to die.

Brett Dorsey, my boyfriend, had been the one to bring me here. He needed something from the gym and so we’d cut through the pool area. Then I slipped on the slick pavement and ended up in the water. But I couldn’t swim! Brett knew that. Why wasn’t he coming in for me?

I paddled through the water as best I could. My head sunk underneath, and I struggled to reach the surface. A scream escaped me as I broke through. My water soaked eyes latched onto Brett’s form, kneeling near the edge. He would save me. Yes, it would be okay. And then, everything went dark.

I gasped for breath and coughed, all the while trying to sit up. Water leaked out of my mouth. In all honesty, water leaked out of me everywhere. I think I started to cry, but it was hard to tell because I was absolutely saturated.

“It’s okay, Laney. You’re going to be fine.” Someone whispered the words near to my face and then gently pulled me closer to their body.

My eyes flashed open. Had it been Brett? Had he saved me? Wait—he called me Laney. No one called me Laney except…Heath. Finally I focused on his face, his curly brown hair dripping at a constant pace onto the pavement beside me. Heath Ruvelas had saved me. Heath, who I hadn’t had a decent conversation with since the 7th grade. Heath, who I’d lived next door to since we were six. Heath, who’d gotten awfully gorgeous in the last year.

ME: If you're interested in learning more about CK or keeping up with what's going on, you can find her at her blog: ckgreenauthor.blogspot.com or at her Google website (currently under construction): www.ckgreenauthor.com.

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-05-22T20:32:00.000-05:00

Author

Roxane T. Sanford

Okay, I know I've been playing musical dates with the authors lately, but I've been having a difficult time finding a posting date that works out best, especially since I've been bitten by the writing bug recently and have been writing up a storm these past couple of days.

Today's guest is another one of the authors I stumbled onto because of Goodreads! I love that site - even though I haven't been that great about updating things recently - because it provides a window to authors and stories I might not otherwise have known about.

Roxane and her book, The Girl in the Lighthouse. While this definitely isn't the typical teen romance novel - but there is some romance in it - this story contains a tale of heartache, betrayal, mystery and, from the look of things, suspense. I'm excited to get my hands on this book. It also happens to be the first in what Roxane hopes is a long running series.

Before we get any farther into the book, let's get to Roxanne's interview. As May is loaded with all kinds of interesting holidays (Cinco de Mayo (5th), Mother’s Day (9th), Armed Forces Day (15th), Memorial Day (24th)), we thought we'd gear our questions to find out just how special these holidays may or may not be to our visiting authors and where they live.

ME: May 5th marks a unique voluntarily celebrated holiday recognizing the Mexican efforts against the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1962 under General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin. This battle is legendary because since that time, not one country in the Americas has been invaded by another continent. Do you and/or your friends celebrate this holiday? Why or why not? If so, how do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

ROXANE: I recently learned about Cinco De Mayo after moving from New York to Arizona. It is a major celebration here in the west. Most of my friends set out to celebrate in the evening. I did not grow up with this tradition, but maybe next year I will celebrate.

ROXANE: I’m the mother of six wonderful children…four boys and two girls. Mothers Day is very special to me because I always wanted to be a mom and have many kids. They are my life, and I love to celebrate with a dinner out together (usually Red Lobster!). Homemade presents are very special gifts to me, which I will always treasure.

ROXANE: My husband was in the Navy and we are strong supporters of our troops! I can never say enough about how appreciative I am to have these brave, dedicated, men and women protecting our great country.

ME: Many people make a point to care for the graves of loved ones on Memorial Day, or have parties and picnics to celebrate them. What about you? What, if any, Memorial Day traditions do you have?

ROXANE: We fly out American flags proudly! And not only for Memorial Day, but for Veterans Day as well, and of course, the fourth of July. We usually go camping on Memorial Day weekend and celebrate the holiday with our kids.

ROXANE: I don’t play games on Facebook. I am a member of the Facebook community and enjoy it, but no extra time for games, sorry.

ME: If you wrote yourself as a character, who would you be if someone other than yourself? Would you have the same name, physical attributes, anatomy or would everything change? What would your name be and what would your character-self look like? Would you be the heroine or the hero? Why?

ROXANE: I would be a heroine with a different name. Tall and beautiful, because who wouldn’t want to look like a gorgeous movie star?

ME: What about your personality and traits? What would you change and what would you keep? What new traits would you give your character-self and why those traits?

ROXANE: I would be smart yet innocent, with features similar to me, but different enough to make myself better than reality.

ME: When would you exist? Would you go back in time, stay in the present, or jump into the future? What time period would you pick and why?

ROXANE: I would go back in time! I write historical faction because I love imagining myself there. One of my favorite time periods is during the Civil War in the 1860’s. There was such intimate, deep country and family issues that took place all over the nation. I love the fashion of the period as well.

ME: What type of story would it be (other than historical, contemporary or futuristic)?

ROXANE: A romance. Who doesn’t love a good romance!?

ROXANE: I enjoy the loner-type. Supporting family and friends would be included, but only to add a bit of drama, as most families and friends do.

ROXANE: A character that is exceptionally handsome, similar to my husband. Blonde hair, blue eyes and very intelligent are my preferences. I’ve always seemed to be attracted to those types of men.

ME: We’ve had our fun now, so let’s put the focus on your writing. What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

ROXANE: Historical fiction is my main genre. I love history!

ME: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others? Any elements you would never use? Why or why not?

ROXANE: I enjoy adding some romance and writing a story that is very unpredictable. No one likes to predict the ending long before the story is over. I try to stay away from typical story lines. In general I don’t enjoy fantasy or science fiction. Doesn’t appeal to me, unless in a movie.

ME: In your opinion, what author or story had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing or that story did you find so influential and why?

ROXANE: That would be V.C. Andrews! Her novels such as, Flowers in the Attic and Heaven, stood out and inspired me to be a writer. I was drawn to her writing style, as it was so descriptive and sensitive, and feel mine is similar. I hadn’t been able to find a writer like her since she passed away, so I figured I would write novels that I wished she wrote. Growing up I also enjoyed Judy Blume books.

ME: While authors and stories can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but sometimes-specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits, or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, The Girl in the Lighthouse, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

ROXANE: Unbelievably, Warren Kimble’s folk artwork inspired me to write a novel in a lighthouse station setting. I was decorating my bathroom with lighthouse wallpaper and thought about what it must have been like to live at a lighthouse. Not long after I began writing, The Girl in the Lighthouse. Three months later the story was complete.

ROXANE: Lillian Arrington is the heroine of my novel. Born a beautiful daughter of the lighthouse keeper of Jasper Island in Maine. Lillian is a sensitive girl, an old soul type, with wishes and dreams far beyond her years.

“I couldn’t help but notice you,” Richard said. He was a dapper man, just like the men in the photograph I took from the attic. Richard was tall and slender; his hair was thick, dark brown with unmistakable red highlights, and his eyes were a deep copper color.

“I know,” I said, and shifted my eyes to the floor of the carriage. “The dress. It’s the only one I have.”

He gave a light chuckle and patted me on the knee, then said, “It has nothing to do with your dress. I noticed your timeless beauty.”

My eyes lifted, and I stared at him.

He was amused by my gullibility and innocence. “You don’t even realize how stunning you are, do you?”

“Well, my Momma was a beautiful woman, and I was told I look like her,” I replied.

“Then there you have it.” He gave me a long gaze, then said, “I don’t know your name.”

“Lillian.”

“Lillian what?”

“Just Lillian.”

ROXANE: I don’t usually create characters that steal the limelight from the heroine. They are supporting characters, apart of the main characters life, who either help or hinder her world, to create deep, plot intriguing relationships. In this novel, Lillian has two best friends whom she livies with on the lighthouse station. Heath and Ayden are brothers but very different. Ayden is close to Lillian’s age and somewhat shy. He has jet-black hair and midnight blue eyes. Heath is the oldest of the three, with widely curly blonde hair and sky blue eyes. The three characters have a deep connection and a love triangle is destined to happen as they grow into adults. I included a small bit of dialog …

The boys from below hurried to greet me as I waited to enter the house.

“Hello, there,” said the tall boy with wildly curly hair, greeting me with a warm smile. “My name is Heath Dalton, and this is my younger brother, Ayden Dalton.”

Ayden was years younger, with glossy, jet-black hair and big, dark, midnight-blue eyes. He stayed almost hidden behind his older brother, peered around him, and then rudely stuck his tongue out at me.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Lillian Arrington.”

BLURB: Roxane Tepfer Sanford writes both contemporary and historical fiction. She is the mother of six children. Roxane was raised in Long Beach, New York, and has a natural-born love of the ocean. Currently, Roxane resides in Arizona with her family, where the weather is perfect year round.

ABOUT: THE GIRL IN THE LIGHTHOUSE

From the time Lillian Arrington was born in 1862, she lived an isolated life on a remote lighthouse station with her father Garrett and her young mother Amelia. But Lillian has wishes and dreams far beyond her years.

When her father is transferred to a new station, Lillian is anxious to meet the assistant keepers and their two sons, Heath and Ayden. She had never met children her own age, had playmates, or made a friend.

Heath, the handsome teenage boy who desires to become a doctor someday, welcomes Lillian. However, his younger brother, Ayden, doesn’t like her and she struggles to win him over. Before long, a secret bond between the three is forged and to Lillian’s delight, they become close friends.

After so many years, Lillian’s childhood is beginning to resemble that of a normal girl. No longer is she lonely and isolated from the rest of the world by over-protective parents. Instead, she experiences new adventures, attends school, and falls in love for the first time.

However, her glorious days on Jasper Island are short-lived as her beautiful young mother begins a tragic descent into insanity and passes away. Lillian is left in the care of her sinister grandmother Eugenia Arrington, who, since the end of the Civil War, continues to steadfastly hold onto the once glorious Georgia plantation known as Sutton Hall. It is there that the immoral secrets of Lillian’s parents are revealed, and she is left to pick up the pieces of her scandalous past, and somehow, find her long way home.

ABOUT: ALL THAT IS BEAUTIFUL

From author Roxane Tepfer Sanford comes the second novel in the spellbinding Arrington series. Even more riveting than her debut novel, the Girl in the Lighthouse. Expect to be captivated in Lillian's grown up world of unspeakable love, lies, betrayal and bitter revenge.

It is the year 1878, and at last, Lillian, now a young woman, is free from the prison called Sutton Hall and the evil grandmother who ruled. Years locked away and far from her beloved lighthouse on Jasper Island, she finds her only escape through sheer luck and the generosity of one man, Richard Parker; an aspiring commercial illustrator. Though Lillian is shamed by the sins of her parents, and the unspeakable act committed by Warren Stone, Lillian entrusts her life to the charismatic, married, Richard Parker, until it is safe to return home.

However life, as unpredictable as the sea, has other plans for Lillian.

Not long after, Lillian is caught up in an adult world of money, greed, drugs, and sinful pleasures, turning her life upside down once again.

It is only when Lillian discovers the shocking truth to Richards cruel years of deception that she finally returns to her lighthouse, desperate to recapture her lost years, and most of all, lost love.

But fate has one more devastating surprise in store. What remains will leave Lillian with incomprehensible choices, and ultimately, tear her beautiful new world apart.

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-05-12T03:34:00.000-05:00

Linda Palmer!!!

If the name Linda Palmer sounds familiar, it should, because she wrote several romances for Silhouette as Linda Varner. Now, if you're thinking, "Hmmm...there's a Linda Palmer that writes mysteries, could they be the same author?" I'm here to tell you no, they are two different Linda Palmers.

She wrote many romance novels but, as many great romance writers do, became seduced by the dark side! For a time, sci-fi, fantasy and paranormal romance stories weren't as popular as they are now, so it wasn't until recently that she's been able to return to story telling!

Yep, storytelling with a paranormal twist! With the popularity of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Vampire Diaries and the Twilight series, Linda fits right in!

She's had releases with Uncial Press, Sugar and Spice Press and now Wild Horse Press. She's had a few releases with Wild Horse Press, and they look something like this:

Like to try before you buy? Well, Sister Golden Hair is free read available through Wild Horse Press - Click here to check out Sister Golden Hair and other free reads suitable for young adults.

NOTE: Getting to what you're here for, let's get this interview started. I have to tell you, I've had this interview since April, so it's April's questions and not May's - so, so sorry about that! As I sent these out prior to April, tax time had yet rolled around, so imagine that you're back in the past, and it's about April 7th...

ME: Are you’re taxes finished, or do you procrastinate with them? Do you do them yourself or do you have a taxman do them for you?

LINDA: I'm the gal who does hers online as soon as I have everything I need. I hate tax time!!

ME: As it says, “April showers bring May flowers”. What flowers do you hope to see the first thing in spring?

LINDA: Arkansas is blessed with many beautiful flowers. My favorites are azaleas, tulips, yellow roses, and dogwood blossoms.

ME: Do you plant your own garden? Why or why not and where is it (are they) located? What type(s) will it (they) be and where is it (are they) located on your property?

LINDA: I leave the gardening to my husband, who has a major green thumb and has both vegetable and flower gardens.

ME: If you could have a garden, what kind of garden would it be, how big would it be and what would you plant in it?

LINDA: I'd love a garden all jumbled together with every flower imaginable. My favorite bouquet is a wildflower bundle just popped into any old vase.

ME: Have you ever considered getting involved with a local community garden? Why or why not?

LINDA: My big sister got the gardening gene. I did not. She says that it's therapeutic. My keyboard does that for me.

ME: For your produce, is the local grocery store just fine, or do you like to hit your local farmer’s market? What is your favorite fruit or vegetable that you do like to get?

LINDA: We get all we need from my husband's vegetable garden when it's up and growing (tomatoes, okra, squash, zucchini, watermelons, cantaloupe).

ME: Now that we've learned a bit about you, let’s focus on your writing. What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

LINDA: My genre is young adult paranormal romance. Meg Cabot's 1-800-Where-R-You? series got me started, and all her other books, plus the books of Stephenie Meyer and Charlaine Harris have kept me going. I want my books to be unique, which is quite a challenge these days.

ME: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others?

LINDA: All of my books have certain things that I love to read, myself: a feisty heroine, an inappropriate boyfriend, messy families, a hint of mystery and danger, and a paranormal twist.

ME: Do you prefer red roses or black roses? If so, does that show in your writing? If so, how? If roses aren’t your style, what flowers are? Do they influence your writing? If so, how?

LINDA: Red roses work just fine for me, though yellow are my favorite. The perfection of nature is hard to improve upon, so I fall back on nature in my use of the moon, the forest, the mountains, and especially the elements, with rain being my favorite.

ME: The jury’s still out on this question, so we’re still asking it! - Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one planting the seeds? How do you cultivate those seeds regardless of who plants them?

LINDA: I think my muse (bless her!) provides me with ideas. Once I'm given an idea and decide to work with it, I immediately start getting affirmations if I've made the right decision. For example, if I'm writing about a werewolf, I'll see the word wolf everywhere—Wolf Lane, Wolf the movie on TV, someone's last name Wolfe, etc. That's how I know to run with it.

ME: In your opinion, what author had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing did you find so influential and why?

LINDA: I've already mentioned Charlaine Harris, Stephenie Meyer, and Meg Cabot. Another author who has profoundly affected me is JK Rowling. These women are simply geniuses.

ME: While authors can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, My-Wolf, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

LINDA: A fictional character named Jacob Black definitely inspired me in the writing of My-Wolf. I loved the way Bella Swan accepted who/what he was, and I loved how he embraced his destiny and used it to protect her. Nothing is more romantic than that, though things are way different in My-Wolf, i.e., Jonah is bitten against his will, but once he shifts, he is determined to save the heroine, Andee Rivera.

ME: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, tell us about the hero and heroine (s) of your story. What do they look like? How do they meet (or “did” if this is a second book with these same characters)? What are their personalities – Are they comical cut-ups, are they serious or are they a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

LINDA: My characters Andee and Jonah meet when she saves him from drowning after he has been bitten by wild animals. Andee is Hispanic and petite. Jonah is Caucasian and a good-sized guy. After Jonah recovers (but before they actually talk) he runs away. This is how their second meeting at night at her apartment goes when he comes to her for help:

“Andee, wait!”

I froze.

He knows my name?

Glancing back, I saw the guy limping toward me. I couldn’t see well enough to identify him. Somehow my key found the hole.

“Wait! Please.”

Ignoring that, I threw myself inside and slammed the door, immediately pushing the lock down. By then he stood next to the window. He ducked his head to look at me. The interior light stayed on just long enough to reveal his features.

I gasped. “You?”

He nodded and motioned for me to roll down the window.

I gave him a scant inch.

“You remember me?”

“How could I forget?” I hesitated, then rolled up the window and got out of the car.

He followed me to where my groceries lay scattered on the ground.

I sighed my irritation. “If my eggs are broken, you are so dead.”

“Sorry. I was trying to keep you from screaming.”

I gave him a look. “You grabbed me from behind to keep me from screaming? Don’t you think that a simple ‘Hi, Andee, thanks for saving my ass,’ might’ve worked better?”

LINDA: TK McLeod is an interesting secondary character. He rescued Andee from a helicopter crash when she was young, then kept in touch through the years since both her parents died in the crash. It's to him that Andee runs when she needs help hiding Jonah-wolf. That meeting goes like this:

I ignored that. "As for why I need help, my story's going to sound really weird."

"I'm good at weird. I've lived it, remember?"

"Yeah, but there's weird and there's weird." I took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes. I have a new pet, and I was hoping I could leave him in your back yard today."

He frowned. "Pet as in...?"

"Dog."

"What's weird about that?"

"He's not just any dog."

"O-kay. Where is he now?"

"In the back seat of my car."

TK lit a fire under the skillet and glanced out his kitchen window. "I don't see him."

"I told him to keep his head down."

"You told him to keep his head down."

"Yes."

"And he obeyed."

"Uh-huh. He's very, um, intelligent." I think TK must've stared at me without speaking for two solid minutes. I decided to go with the truth. "Actually, he isn't a dog. He's a wolf."

"What?"

"A Werewolf."

TK burst out laughing. "Yeah, right." He slapped some bacon in the skillet.

"I'm telling you the truth, TK. My new boyfriend Jonah turned into a Werewolf Monday night, and I'm afraid my landlord, who's a Palatine, will find out and shoot him."

TK turned to face me. "What in the hell are you talking about?"

Two other characters, Brody and Rhyan, have minor roles in My-Wolf, but books of their own in the future. Brody is the hero of Wolf-Run. Rhyan will be the hero of Wolf-Spell (working title). The series is called Wolf of My Heart.

For fun, and as a little teaser before we give you the excerpt, here's the trailer:

BLURB: Andee Rivera has no idea what she's getting into when she saves Jonah Killebrew from drowning in a chilly mountain lake. He's badly injured--wild animal bites from the look of his wounds--and as a fledgling healer, she wants to help. But his bites are more than they seem, and all the potions and salves in the world may not be enough to save him.

EXCERPT:

“I need help, and you’re the only person I can trust,” Jonah said.

“But you don’t even know me.”

“You saved my life. That’s all the reference I need.”

I gave him a closer look, noticing his flushed cheeks and trembling hands. I frowned. “What happened to you Friday night?”

“I was hoping you could tell me that.”

“Me? All I know is that you fell in the lake, and I pulled you out.”

His eyes narrowed. “And what about this?” He stood and grasped the neck of his T-shirt to pull it over his head. Then he turned his muscled back to me. I saw bloodstained bandages, peeling up from the edges and badly in need of changing.

“Oh yeah. I took care of the bites, too, which were nasty, by the way.”

He went rigid and whipped back around to stare at me. “Did you say…’bites’?”

“Yeah.”

“Bites.”

“Yeah.”

“What kind? Bug? Snake?”

"Animal, I think.”

He actually laughed.

“I’m totally serious, dude. I heard a bunch of growls and snarls just before you hit the water, then you showed up with all these bites. Clearly something attacked you.” I could tell he didn't buy my theory, which sort of ticked me off. "You're food's getting cold."

He hesitated, then sat abruptly and began eating again.

I waited until he'd finished every bite. “What, exactly, do you remember about that night?”

“Not much. I drove my car to Overlook Park and set up my tent. I made a fire, cooked myself a few hotdogs—“

A few hotdogs? That was my cue. I went to the kitchen and got more Raman noodles, which I watered down and popped into the microwave. “You did this on Christmas Eve?"

"Had to get away."

"Hm. Go on.”

“I watched the sun set and the moon rise. I heard something approaching through the woods. Three guys stepped into the clearing. Two of them didn’t look much older than me. They all had guns.”

Whoa! I handed him the noodles.

“Thanks.”

"What kind of guns?"

"The kind that kill."

Like what you've read and want to learn more? Click here to learn find it and other YA books by Wild Horse Press.

Want to learn more about the author and her other books? Visit her website: www.lvpalmer.com.

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-04-20T18:54:00.000-05:00

Shannon Delaney!!!
First off, since Margay has not been doing well as of late - Get well soon!

Shannon is an author Margay booked, so I have to apologize for the lack of a good intro! I know I usually try to have something witty to say about the author or her books, but this time, I really don't sorry! Hopefully Margay will be feeling better later this week and can offer something up in a comment!

MARGAY: So, let's get to the interview! As you may already know, in honor of April 15th being tax day, we’re asking our authors 15 questions this month. Speaking of taxes, are you’re taxes finished, or do you procrastinate with them? Do you do them yourself or do you have a taxman do them for you?

SHANNON: My husband does them. Math and I—we don’t play nice together. ;-)

MARGAY: As it says, “April showers bring May flowers”. What flowers do you hope to see the first thing in spring?

SHANNON: I love crocuses (and really should plant some of my own rather than staring lustfully at my neighbors’ lawns). I really get the sense it’s finally spring, though, when the local apple and cherry trees start to blossom.

MARGAY: Do you plant your own garden? Why or why not and where is it (are they) located? What type(s) will it (they) be and where is it (are they) located on your property?

SHANNON: Yes, I plant my own gardens. My husband builds the raised beds and tills the soil, but I decide what goes where and I’m the one getting my hands dirty doing the planting (it’s good for brainstorming stories). My main veggie garden is broken into multiple raised beds (companion planted) which surround (at a healthy distance, of course) our fire pit. My fruit trees, berry bushes and flower gardens (all of which are either medicinal or for food) are zero-/xeri-scaped with the fieldstone that’s so prevalent here and scattered around the main “lawn.”

MARGAY: Do you prefer plants or seeds? Does it matter where you get them, or do you have a favorite place to go? What’s the name of the place and why do you prefer there over other places?

SHANNON: I prefer plants (we have a very short growing season so I need many things started) but often have to start things myself with seeds. I try to buy from the smaller local nurseries (there’s one that’s not far from where our Highland cattle currently graze) but sometimes I get seedlings at the bigger chain markets and home stores. It depends on who has what and what they’ll charge me. I’ll pay a little more to buy local, but I have to watch the wallet, too.

MARGAY: What will you plant (or have already planted) this year and why?

SHANNON: I always plant the Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash—and together). They do well together and give us a bunch of options. I’m also a fan of Danvers carrots (they produced like crazy for us last year!), Roma tomatoes (we dry lots of them), basil, any type of mint you can think of (lots of sweet tea’s consumed around here in the summer), red potatoes, garlic, onions, peas, parsnips, strawberries, eggplant, asparagus (I hated it as a kid but can’t get enough of it now), zucchini and pumpkins.

MARGAY: Do you have any plants that are must haves for your garden, ones that it just won’t be complete without?

SHANNON: I have to have tomatoes. My mother encouraged my strong love of them—summer’s not really summer without tomato sandwiches. Yum!

MARGAY: Now that we some more about you, let’s get to your writing. What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

SHANNON: Currently I have to say paranormal aimed at a YA audience. There wasn’t a particular draw to the genre, it’s just sort of what the characters demanded. Their voices were definitely teen voices and (since some are werewolves) paranormal was necessary.

MARGAY: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others?

SHANNON: I like to throw in paranormal elements and traditional literary influences. Shakespeare and different classical books and plays are alluded to in 13 to Life...for a variety of reasons.

MARGAY: Do you prefer red roses or black roses? If so, does that show in your writing? If so, how? If roses aren’t your style, what flowers are? Do they influence your writing? If so, how?

SHANNON: Red roses. Traditionally they were viewed as a symbol of love and for me, love equates frequently with hope. Even when my characters are in dire straits (which happens often) there’s still hope.

MARGAY: The jury’s still out on this question, so we’re still asking it! - Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one planting the seeds? How do you cultivate those seeds regardless of who plants them?

SHANNON: My characters, who step in to play muse whenever they like, determine what I write about. The seeds that grow into those characters (and the tangle of their lives) are definitely planted by me—what I read, the music I listen to, the people I observe. I cultivate those tender beginnings by getting waist-deep in research of all sorts of strange things.

MARGAY: In your opinion, what author had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing did you find so influential and why?

SHANNON: Every time I’m asked this question I think I wind up giving a different answer. Every book I finish reading influences me in some small way—makes me rethink things in character, plot or setting based on what I think worked and didn’t work in that particular book. So, I guess, the most influential authors (for me) would be the ones I’ve read the most of... Orson Scott Card, Robin McKinley, Anne McCaffrey, CJ Cherryh, Mercedes Lackey, Andre Norton, Philippa Gregory and Eloisa James spring to mind based on how many books of theirs I’ve consumed. Oh. And Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe. Do I write things that distinctly feel like anything of theirs? I doubt it, but I know their creativity and their unique voices and settings make me hungry to grow my own.

MARGAY: While authors can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, 13 to Life, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

SHANNON: The early death of my mother definitely influenced my character Jessie. Although my frustrations and struggles with my mother’s loss don’t (hopefully) come across obviously in the book, it was definitely a life-changing event that wound up pouring onto the page when Jessie’s dealing with the loss of her mom. My mother was very supportive of my writing and art and losing her to cancer was a huge blow.

MARGAY: Without giving away anything pertinent to the story, tell us about the hero and heroine (s) of your story. What do they look like? How do they meet (or “did” if this is a second book with these same characters)? What are their personalities – Are they comical cut-ups, are they serious or are they a mix of the two? Please give us a little bit of dialogue from the story that can illustrate this. (Not much, but just a few lines and from a different section than the main excerpt – Thanks!)

SHANNON: Jessie’s my main heroine (and the narrator, so everything readers experience is through Jessie’s eyes). She’d describe herself as average (but, like so many young women, she doesn’t give herself enough credit). She’s lost some faith in people and life in general since the death of her mother, but she’s trying to do what her mother would want: forgive. Jessie wants to be a writer but she often struggles with finding the right word.

Pietr’s my main hero for the trilogy (at least in my eyes—and Jessie’s). He’s tall, dark-haired and built of lean muscle. He has a gift for stating the obvious and Jessie and he have some definite issues.

“So what do we do here?” Pietr asked. He looked at the face of his cell phone. Another clock.
I blinked at him. “Help improve people’s quality of life.”
“Is that on some brochure?” he asked. “It’s catchy, but what do we really do? How long do we have to stay? There are things I’d rather be doing…”
“I hope one of them is shutting your mouth and realizing we don’t just… Ugh!” I exclaimed in frustration, “We don’t just live our lives for ourselves,” I retorted.
Hascal wrapped an arm around my shoulders, dragging me forward. “That’s Jessie’s new motto,” he explained.
I immediately understood that to Hascal “new” equated with “since the accident.”
“What was your old motto?” Pietr asked.
Annoying Pietr. “I didn’t have one,” I admitted.

MARGAY: The main characters are usually great, but sometimes, secondary and tertiary characters are known to steal the scenes. Who are the secondary/tertiary characters in your story and what do they look like? What’s unique about them? What is their relationship to the hero/heroine? Have any of these gone on to become scene-stealers? If so, who and how did they do it? (Again, please give us a small bit of dialogue to illustrate this – thanks!)

SHANNON: The one who jumps to mind in this first book in the series is definitely Maximilian Rusakova. “Max” (as he prefers) is one of Pietr’s older brothers and he’s definitely my “hot boy.” Girls definitely like the look of Max (and his self-assured attitude) and Max isn’t shy about showing how much he likes girls, too. He’s a flirt (and a bit of an embarrassment to Pietr).

I was digging in my locker when Pietr leaned toward me and spoke again.
“You look really nice today.”
My breath caught. Probably because I’d stirred some dust up in the bottom of my locker. I really needed to clean it out soon.
“That’s a pretty lame compliment,” a deeper male voice rumbled behind me.
I turned around to see Pietr’s brother—was his name Maximilian? I tried to remember the name tag he’d been labeled with in the Guidance Office that first day.
“Max,” he introduced himself with a bold grin.
He had Pietr’s attention. And Amy’s. Giving myself a moment to look at him, I could understand why. He was tall and broad across the shoulders with a mop of hair so dark it was nearly black. Certainly not hard to look at. I had to give Stella credit. The Rusakova boys were pretty hot.
“The proper way to hit on a girl,” Max was saying to Pietr (who looked like he would sink into the floor, he was so embarrassed), “is like this.”
Max turned all his focus to Amy. “Hey,” he said with a nod of his head.
She froze like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming car.

Let's check out the blurb and excerpt:
BLURB: Everything about Jessie Gillmansen’s life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown is changing. Wolves and newcomers with a dark agenda prowl Junction. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change.

But showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she’s about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent—he’s a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is about to bring big trouble to Jessie’s small town.

It seems change is the one thing Jessie can’t avoid.

EXCERPT: (Set-up: The students at Junction High are required to do service-learning assignments and Jessie and Pietr both help out at the local nursing home by taking animals from a shelter to visit the residents. Pietr’s carrying a kitten named Victoria and Jessie’s got Tag, the pug).

Once inside, we boarded the elevator to begin our rounds. My boys got the first two floors; Pietr and I got the third and fourth. As the elevator doors opened, he wrinkled his nose.
“It reminds me of a hospital,” I confessed.
“I hate hospitals,” he replied.
“As much as you hate Romeo and Juliet?”
He smiled at the comparison. “Almost exactly.”
“Let’s start at Mrs. Feldman’s,” I said, leading the way. I knocked on her door.
“Come in, come in!”
I ran my hand across the chimes that hung from her doorjamb, enjoying their sparkling sound. “I just don’t understand why you hate Romeo and Juliet,” I said as we entered.
Mrs. Feldman’s eyes were wide. “Who hates Romeo and Juliet?” she asked, her gaping mouth accentuated by the stretched and ghostly wrinkles of laugh lines. She set aside the strange cards she was shuffling, tucking them into one of the folds of her voluminous and colorful skirt.
I looked at Pietr accusingly, then moved a small, wheeled table covered with a variety of sparkling stones and colorful crystals out of my way to stand beside Mrs. Feldman so she could pet Tag. “He hates Romeo and Juliet.”
“Well, finally!” she exclaimed. “A sensible young man!”
Pietr beamed.
“Close your mouth,” she instructed me, “You’ll only catch flies that way.”
I obeyed.
“Why anyone finds that play romantic is beyond me. Both Romeo and Juliet are so--” her jaw worked silently, pushing her expression around until she found the word, “--naïve! Instead of enlisting their friends’ help, they go behind everyone’s backs, lying.” She snorted.
“The cat, please,” she said, her fingers twinkling with gaudy rings set with chunky stones. “Why you must always bring cats and dogs eludes me,” she whispered as Pietr stepped to her other side. “Why not a little bunny? They’re so cute and innocent. Cats always seem to be thinking up trouble.” But she petted Victoria, her hands relaxing at the feel of plush fur. Victoria purred so loudly Tag wiggled around so he could watch.
“Hmph. Romeo and Juliet. The boy — Romeo!” Mrs. Feldman shook her head. “Hardly a romantic hero. He was head over heels for Rosaline and then — poof! She’s out-of-sight-out-of-mind as soon as Juliet comes into view.” She grimaced. “And why does he really want Juliet?” She looked at me, waiting for an answer. “Why?” she prompted.
“He thinks she’s beautiful,” I said softly.
“Pah! She’s unattainable! He knows he can’t truly have her so he wants her even more! They’re so blinded by hormones — hormones!” she set Victoria on her lap and petted her. “They think love will be easy.” She put her lips together and blew, reminding me of my horses. “Pah! They wouldn’t know love if it — if it--” she held Victoria out, giving her a little shake in emphasis “— bit them.”

(I will be formatting this a little later...sorry!)

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-04-14T11:27:00.000-05:00

Jessica Colter!!!

Jessica isn't a stranger to writing, but this is her debut foray into the YA genre. Since I usually try to offer a teaser review of the book being promoted, I sat down last night with the intention of read no more than half of the book - it's short, clocking in at 158 pages, not including the excerpt to The Demon's Princess at the back. While I'm not a fan of the shorter stories, I found myself pleasantly surprised by Heart's Desire. While the storyline felt familiar, I found myself flipping pages to see what would happen next. Because I'm used to getting more about the characters (the short story format doesn't always allow for as much exposition as a full length novel), it did manage to bring old memories of early relationships to the surface, and how it feels the first time you discover a deeper connection with someone. Life is so different when you're a teen.

But we're here to do more than just talk about the book, we've got an author to interview, so let's get to it!

ME: Speaking of taxes, are you’re taxes finished, or do you procrastinate with them? Do you do them yourself or do you have a taxman do them for you?

JESSIE: Normally I have them done before mid-February, but this year I’ve procrastinated. Occasionally I have someone else do them, but the past few years I’ve done them myself.

ME: As it says, “April showers bring May flowers”. What flowers do you hope to see the first thing in spring?

JESSIE: None in my garden. I have a brown thumb. But roses are my favorite and I would love to plant some rose bushes one of these days.

ME: Do you plant your own garden? Why or why not and where is it (are they) located? What type(s) will it (they) be and where is it (are they) located on your property?

JESSIE: No garden for me. The house came with some evergreen shrubs that partially died in an ice storm. I hope to have them removed this spring and maybe plant box hedges or rose bushes to replace them, but that’s it.

ME: If you could have a garden, what kind of garden would it be, how big would it be and what would you plant in it?

JESSIE: I would love to have a large flower garden, but I hate working in the yard so that’s never going to happen. I’d rather muck out a stall than weed a flower bed.

ME: Have you ever considered getting involved with a local community garden? Why or why not?

JESSIE: Absolutely not.

ME: For your produce, is the local grocery store just fine, or do you like to hit your local farmer’s market? What is your favorite fruit or vegetable that you do like to get?

JESSIE: I just go to the local grocery store. The farmer’s market isn’t exactly convenient to where I live.

ME: Now that we've learned a little bit about you, let's change the focus to your writing. What is your main genre (erotica, erotic romance, romantic suspense, etc.)? What was the draw for you?

JESSIE: I recently started writing paranormal YA’s. After reading Twilight, House of Night, and the Morganville Vampires, I was inspired to try my hand at Young Adult novel writing. I have to say it’s much harder than writing an adult romance.

ME: Besides your main genre we just discussed, what elements do you prefer to use in a story and why those elements over others?

JESSIE: I try to add a bit of suspense and a lot of romance, mostly because those are the elements I enjoy. I’ve found it’s easier to write about something you like than to write a sub-genre you don’t normally read.

ME: Do you prefer red roses or black roses? If so, does that show in your writing? If so, how? If roses aren’t your style, what flowers are? Do they influence your writing? If so, how?

JESSIE: I love roses, but I actually prefer hybrids (the ones that are two different colors) or blue roses. But if I had to choose between red and black, I’d say it would depend on my mood. J

JESSIE: I’d have to say my muse, who usually comes to me through dreams. I’d like to take complete credit, but I think the muse definitely plants seeds. But once I get going, I think instinct and creativity just take over.

ME: In your opinion, what author had the most influence on your writing? What about their writing did you find so influential and why?

JESSIE: That’s a hard one. I can’t really say that it was any one writer. I was reading a lot of Charlaine Harris and Katie MacAlister books when I first started writing. I love Katie Mac’s creativity and snappy dialogue! And Charlaine Harris has a way of creating a world that is easy to fall into, vampires and all.

ME: While authors can definitely influence us, inspiration can be everywhere for a writer, but specific people, places and events can inspire certain characters, personality traits or things that happen in our stories. In your current story that we’re promoting here today, Heart’s Desire, did any one particular person, place or event inspire you? If so who/what was it (were they), how did it/they inspire you and how is this inspiration reflected in your story?

JESSIE: Actually, Heart’s Desire was re-worked from a story I started when I was 13. It’s been so long since it began that I honestly don’t remember what prompted me to start writing it. I ran across a disk (yes, I said disk – dating myself for sure!) [You're not the only one! I have a box of floppies waiting to be put onto my thumbdrive!] not too long ago that had Heart’s Desire and another unfinished novel on it. I read through them and started tweaking things here and there … next thing I knew, I had two new novels completed.

JESSIE: Morgan is the hero of the story. Tall, athletic build, with brown hair that has golden highlights – and he has a secret. The heroine, Skye, first meets Morgan when he rescues her from her ex-boyfriend. Coming from an abusive family, Skye tends to be quiet and shy. Morgan is her exact opposite, proving that opposites attract. The sparks fly between them from the first moment they meet, but Morgan tries to be the perfect gentleman with Skye.

This excerpt (unedited) happens in the middle of the book…

“Morgan, where are we?”

“Madison County.”

Her brow furrowed. “Isn’t that the Big Black River?” she asked pointing toward the flowing water.

He nodded.

“So why did we have to leave our county to see it?”

“We didn’t. I just wanted some privacy.”

“Privacy? More private than your apartment?”

He grinned at her and unbuckled her seatbelt. “Yeah, more private than my apartment.”

Skye’s breath hitched in her throat, but she didn’t stop him. Once her seatbelt was undone, she let Morgan pull her closer. The armrest and cup holders were in the way, but she leaned across them, hoping he was going to kiss her.

She felt his fingers caress her cheek and slide around the back of her neck. Closing her eyes, she leaned even closer.

His lips nearly touching hers, he whispered, “Let’s climb in the back.”

Skye’s eyes flew open. “The backseat?”

He nodded. “I want to be able to hold you.”

She swallowed hard. “Um, okay.”

JESSIE: Lindsay is Skye’s best friend, but she doesn’t have many parts. Chris, Skye’s ex-boyfriend, has a lot of scenes, but I can’t go into details without giving the story away. Suffice it to say, he’s angry that he lost Skye and plans on tricking her into thinking he’s a nice guy, hoping she’ll give him another chance.

This excerpt is from a scene at Chris’s house:

A half asleep Chris answered the door, slowly rubbing sleep from his eyes. When he focused on the person standing on his porch, he was surprised to find Skye in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, unable to believe she was really at his house.

“I, um… I kind of needed a place to stay tonight.”

“I thought you went home earlier,” he said, still trying to sweep the cobwebs from his brain.

“I did. Mom and Dad were fighting. I had to leave before…” she trailed off, blushing and looking at her feet. She’d never told Chris about her problems at home and didn’t really want to tell him now either.

“Before your Dad decided to hit you instead of your Mom?”

She looked up, surprised. “You know?”

He shrugged. “Most of the school knows. You do a pretty good job of hiding the bruises, but sometimes you can still see them through the makeup.”

Her shoulders drooped as if the weight of the world had just landed on them. So much for my home life being a secret, she thought.

“If you need a place to stay, you’re welcome to stay here,” he said softly.

ME: Oooh! These are some pretty interesting scenes. Now let's check out the excerpt!

BLURB: Morgan Raines transferred to a new high school his senior year. Starting over doesn't bother him, but finding his mate pinned to her locker by her Neanderthal ex-boyfriend does... From day one, Morgan and Skye are inseperable, despite the fact her ex keeps getting in the way. But will Skye's feelings change when she realizes he turns into a panther every time the moon is full? Or can true love conquer all?

EXCERPT: (unedited – haven’t received the final copy back yet)

“Who said that we were friends? I remember telling you that I never wanted to see your face again. So, why are you in front of my locker?” she asked. Why wouldn’t he go away? Where was a teacher when you needed one? she thought as she glanced down the hall.

“Okay, I tried to be nice, but maybe you prefer guys who just take what they want,” he all but growled at her.

Chris advanced on Skye until her back was against the locker. He put an arm on either side of her, pinning her in place. She had no way of escaping. Just as he started to lean in to kiss her, he felt someone tap him on his shoulder.

“What?” he asked turning to face the interloper. He pierced the intruder with a glare.

“I believe she said no,” Morgan answered quietly.

“And just who the hell are you?” Chris sneered, eyeing the new guy from head to toe. “In case you weren’t aware, Skye and I are an item.”

Morgan grinned. “Are you sure about that?”

Skye used the distraction to slip under Chris’s arm. She quickly put some distance between them, moving to stand beside the new guy. She didn’t know who he was, but he had excellent timing. If he hadn’t come along right then, Chris would no doubt be pawing her at this very moment.

Morgan reached out and took Skye’s hand, a current running through both of them at the contact. If Morgan was surprised, he hid it well.

“Come on, I’ll walk you to your class,” he said, giving her hand a gentle tug.

Skye smiled her thanks and walked off with him, leaving an angry Chris glaring after them.

****

“Thanks… for what you did back there,” she said after they were a few feet away.

“No problem,” Morgan murmured.

“I’m Skye by the way. And the jerk back there was Chris,” she jabbered, trying to fill the silence. Her body was hyper aware of the hot guy holding her hand, more so than it had ever been of any other guy before.

Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she almost stopped breathing. He was easily the most gorgeous guy she’d ever seen. He topped her five-foot-one inches by over a foot. He was tanned with sandy brown hair shot through with golden highlights. His chiseled features made her mouth water.

“I take it you used to date,” Morgan commented.

Skye nodded, pulling her gaze from his face before she was caught staring. “Until I caught him making out with one of the cheerleaders. I told him it was over, but he refuses to listen. He thinks he’s god’s gift, or something along those lines.”

Morgan grunted in response.

“He wasn’t like that when we first started dating,” Skye said, trying to explain away Chris’s behavior.

Morgan gave her a skeptical look. It was his experience that guys didn’t change. She could delude herself all she wanted, but Morgan would bet money that Chris was the same guy he’d always been. She’d just been blind to his faults.

“Where exactly are we going anyway?” Morgan asked, looking around the hall.

“Oh, um, two doors down on the right. I have English next,” Skye answered.

Morgan grinned. “That makes two of us.”

He continued holding her hand all the way to the classroom. While he might have seemed impervious to the contact, he felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. He’d been warned that it would feel like this, but it had still taken him by surprise – she had taken him by surprise. Her fiery red hair, pale complexion, and bright blue eyes drew him in. He wanted to run his hands through her hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. Her scent beckoned to him, making him want to breathe her in.

As they approached the door, he dropped her hand and motioned for her to go in ahead of him, her scent teasing him again as she passed. Morgan fought the urge to pull her back into the hall, pull her into his arms, and kiss her senseless. The moment he’d caught her scent he had wanted to claim her as his mate. Seeing her pushed against her locker by her Neanderthal ex-boyfriend had made Morgan see red. He’d wanted to rip the guy to shreds and had barely contained his anger, holding back a feral growl he had barely contained the animal lurking within him.

Following Skye into the classroom, he grabbed the empty seat next to her. Setting his books down on the desk, he glanced her way and caught her watching him – again. He’d been hyper aware of her during their walk to the classroom, had seen every glance, every smile. It was flattering that she was as drawn to him as he was to her. Did she feel the pull too? Or was he just an oddity – the new guy in school?

He flashed her a grin and faced forward as the teacher stepped into the room.

***

Want to learn more about Jessie? Check out her website www.jessiecolter.webs.com

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-03-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

Dana Davis!!!

Author Sandra Cox brought Dana to my attention and I am so glad that she did because her books are very intriguing and I was excited to have her here!

I recently got new glasses (progressive bifocals - eek!) and I have been getting used to them ever since I got them.

Why am I telling you this?

Because, the adjustment period is sort of messing with my reading because I'm still trying to figure out which parts of the lenses I'm looking through the most.

Why does that matter?

Because I wanted to have Dana's book read by today. Unfortunately, that's not happening! (While I did get this posted today, my eyes need rest, so I will finish the formatting later, after some sleep. Am I too honest? Is that really more than you wanted to know?) My eyes are rested now (11:33pm Tuesday night) and I am now going to properly format this feature! Thanks for being such a trooper Dana!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

DANA: I celebrate both, since they’re connected to my family lineage. I come from Irish, Scottish and British stock and my husband has a line that goes back to Celtic times in Wales. As a young child, I remember hunting leprechauns at my great-grandmother’s house one spring. She told me she saw one in the bushes in her yard, and I spent hours crawling around her hedges in an attempt to lure him out. Now, I hunt ghosts with a paranormal investigative team.

ME: Because of its Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl busses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

DANA: It’s a pretty big deal here too, since there’s a large population of Irish-American descendants living in the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix, AZ). Our local Irish Cultural Center has a festival and parade every year for St. Paddy’s Day. Hubby and I have attended them in the past and they’re a lot of fun. Many other festivals go on around the valley too.

We also have several Irish pubs that offer Irish song and dance entertainment on St. Paddy’s Day and throughout the year. And you can find green sweets in grocery stores and bakeries. I just love a chocolate cupcake with green butter cream frosting. Yummy!

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

DANA: Well, we don’t decorate too much, but the past couple of years I’ve been looking for some shamrock LED lights to hang on our saguaro cactus in the front yard. I finally found some in a local store. And I sometimes buy cut spring flowers to put out on our table. We recently had fresh cut tulips in the house. That’s about it for decorations.

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

DANA: Oh, yes. One of my favorites is the legend of Boudica, the warrior queen who led her army and fought the Romans when they invaded Briton and slaughtered many Celtic Natives. The Romans actually wrote about her battles. Otherwise, we might not have even known she existed, since the Celts didn’t have a written language. Boudicca at unrv.com

Also, I love the faery lore and tales that come from Ireland. Who couldn’t resist a half-human, half-faery helper like the grogoch? I sure could use one of him around my place. Grogoch at Irelandseye.com

ME: Spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

DANA: We don’t have seasons like those who live in cold-weather places, but we do plant heat-hardy shrubs and flowers and prune others in March and April to prepare for our long, hot summers. Arizonans love the outdoors, so hubby and I take nature hikes and do what we can to help the environment. Cleaning out closets to donate stuff we no longer use is sometimes part of my springtime ritual.

ME: Magic is often tied into Celtic myths and legends, or at least we like to think it is. Why do you think that is? Why, in your opinion, does Ireland carry so much mystery and magic for the rest of us?

DANA: If you look at many Native cultures around the world, magic is an integral part of their legends. A way to explain things they didn’t understand or had no control over. Irish Celts were no different. The creation of the world, diseases, births, deaths, natural disasters, celestial bodies, and other mysteries were woven into magical tales to make them understandable to humans.

At various times throughout history, invaders tried to annihilate Celtic cultures. Ireland had its share of invaders. It must have been terrifying to think that your people’s entire history could be wiped out and lost forever. I think that’s why today’s decedents continue to foster those original beliefs. At least in part.

ME: If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

DANA: Actually, I would have loved to see Boudica kicking the Romans’ butts! And I think it would be fun to be a Moruadh (an Irish sea faery) for a while and explore the oceans up close and personal. merrows at Irelandseye.com

ME: Please tell us some of the favorite/best books you’ve read with Celtic myths/legends or ties in them. (They can be fact or fiction, just be sure to indicate what type of books they are in case our readers might want to check them out.)

DANA: For fiction reading I loved the Boudica series by Manda Scott and the Cloudmages series by A. L. Farrell. A non-fiction book that I use for my own research is Women in Celtic Myth by Moyra Caldecott. And a really fun, illustrated book that includes Celtic faeries is The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries: Secrets Revealed by Pierre Dubois - illustrated by Claudine and Roland Sabatier.

ME: Oooh, some great reading there! However, it's time to switch gears and now and focus on your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

DANA: Speculative fiction is my genre. That’s a term that covers science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, post-apocalyptic, horror, and other similar genres. I grew up hearing stories about my great-great-aunt who worked as a medium back in the early 1900s, along with other paranormal family legends. And my grandfather worked for NASA, so science was part of my childhood as well. I was drawn to sci-fi and fantasy TV shows and movies even as a small child. And I fell in love with books in these genres in elementary school when I read The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien and The Forgotten Door by Alexander Key.

ME: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

DANA: Escapism! I write fiction to entertain because I read fiction to be entertained. I want readers to forget their problems for a while and just enjoy the ride.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

DANA: I wanted to be Tabitha from Bewitched when I was little. Does that count? As for my books, it depends on what I’m writing at the time. When I have magic in a book, the characters use a mix of magic and human ingenuity in various levels, depending on the situation. Those who use magic without thinking to much usually end up in a heap of trouble. But then, that can be lots of fun too.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

DANA: Haha, good one! I have several muses actually. Characters stomp around in my head, giving me direction on where they would like the story to go. If anyone ever got inside my head, they’d probably come out screaming. Sometimes I have an internal struggle with a character when I want something different to happen, but I listen to my subconscious, because it’s usually right. So, I’d have to say my muses lead me where they want me to go.

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

DANA: I have a great time with all my characters. They’re like family to me. But if I had to pick just one from my young adult books, I would have to go with Master Prag in Breach of Worlds. He’s a blustery old man with endearing qualities, who enjoys teasing the main character Nara. The Master bullied his way into my thoughts one day, and I had great fun watching him take shape as I was writing.

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

DANA: Ooh, this is a tough one because I’m not sure I would want to meet any of them. I do an awful lot of nasty things to my characters during the course of a book, and they’d probably be very upset with me. But if I were to meet a character, I would choose Janai from my teen sci-fi Quest for Freedom. She tends to have compassion for those who “done her wrong” and I might actually survive an encounter with her.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

DANA: Haha, see previous answer. There are so many. Okay, I’m going to go with the Morgee from Quest for Freedom here. These aliens have no compassion for anybody, are relentless in their pursuit of slave labor, and can’t be reasoned with. I wouldn’t last very long in their hands.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

DANA: I have fun with them all. Otherwise, I would never write them. I have to say The Mask of Tamirella has a special place in my heart, though. This post-apocalyptic teen novel wasn’t the first book I had ever written, but it was the first one published. The main character, Caitlanna Mullen, came to me during a writing exercise and just wouldn’t let go. She hounded me for days before I finally gave in and wrote her story.

Writing that book was an adventure for me, as well, and I had great fun discovering Cait’s world with her, danger and all. And the book has won three awards since publication.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your books, the ones we’re promoting here today?

DANA: Yes, I do get inspiration from everywhere. There is always that active little part in the back of my mind that latches onto things and causes me to think, Hey, I better write that down. It might make a good story.

Quest for Freedom got its start from a disturbing dream I had years ago and couldn’t get out of my head. As I stated previously, The Mask of Tamirella got its spark from a writing exercise. And I got the idea for Breach of Worlds from a painting I came across one day. The girl in that painting haunted my thoughts and I had to write her story.

BLURB: Quest for Freedom

Kidnapped. Enslaved. Trapped on an unforgiving world far from home.

Fifteen-year-old Janai, a healer's apprentice from a planet called Kritine, volunteers to lead others to freedom. Along the journey, she finds she’s attracted to a boy from her homeworld, but now is not the time to choose a life-mate. She must remain strong as she fights to overcome old and new enemies that don’t want her to find freedom.

Will she succeed? Or is the free-zone merely a fanciful story spread by desperate children? Janai risks her life to find out.

Breach of Worlds

How can a destitute orphan get an ordinary life? Seek out the valley sorceress, of course, a woman rumored to ride dragons and eat young men.

Armed with only her wits and a stolen map, Nara goes in search of the famed sorceress. At age fourteen, when her own powers begin to manifest, she becomes a target for evil. This adolescent girl must help defeat the shadow ones before they destroy everything she has come to love. Orphanage life was difficult, but her future terrifies her as she embarks on a harrowing journey fraught with magic and peril.

Nara's life will be anything but ordinary.

The Mask of Tamirella

Sixteen-year-old Caitlanna Mullen lives in a harsh world where technology no longer exists. In her post-apocalyptic society, she salvages priceless artifacts for trade. One artifact is especially desired. The Mask of Tamirella. Cait steals the Mask from another sanction, putting her own at risk. As punishment, the Elders send her to a hazardous dig. She must travel through a mutant forest without becoming a sacrifice and into Rotted City, where toxic ruins hoard an ancient disease. To complicate matters, the man she loves accompanies her group. Because of their age differences, an intimate relationship with him is strictly forbidden and would bring severe punishment, perhaps even exile. Cait’s life takes an unexpected turn when she uncovers secrets she never imagined.

Will this sixteen-year-old survive in a place where death and injury are daily concerns? Can she quell her feelings for a man forbidden to touch her until she’s older? Or will her confrontations with mutants and toxic ruins cause her demise? One thing is certain - the secrets Caitlanna uncovers will change her world forever.

EXCERPT: Breach of Worlds

It would take several days to reach the valley where the sorceress lived, less if she could catch a ride on some wagon or other. Many people were afraid of the valley woman, afraid to venture there. Not Nara. She’d had her share of beatings. She was anxious to meet this mysterious woman who struck fear in the biggest of men, and wondered what it was like to have such power.

Suddenly, the hairs on her neck stood on end. Someone watched her. She tugged her hat down and peered around. At first, she didn’t see anyone. Finally, she noticed a girl standing near a dress shop across the street. The girl wore a long, blue dress with a high bodice. Jewels sparkled around her neck and lace decorated her cuffs and collar. Her dark hair hung in deliberate curls around her shoulders, creating quite a contrast to her pale skin. She smiled in Nara’s direction.

Nara slipped into the adjacent alley and flattened herself against the wall. She swallowed hard and cursed. This girl would surely tell someone about her. High ladies were like that, always putting their noses in a stranger’s business.

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-03-23T14:30:00.005-05:00

Glen Quarry!!!

I'd like to welcome a new author this week - Glen Quarry! He is so new he doesn't even have a photo yet! Anyway, he's here promoting his debut release, Thyme in a Flask. I just love that name, don't you? It's a nice play on words...

The Prologue of this book is enough to hook me in and get me to want to read more. However, because of my current demands of manuscript editing and contest entry judging, I wasn't able to read it all by today, so I opted to set it aside until after my other responsibilities were met because I can tell that once I sit down with this one, I won't want to put it down. After all, I love adventure books!

Are you frustrated because I haven't told you what is meant by play on words? Well, I give you this little tidbit...no, I won't because I don't want to give anything crucial away!

Oh, okay, I'll tell you!

The story begins with the Prologue, which, as most adventure seekers know, provides some important clue into what will happen to the heroes and heroines of the story, what we don't always know is how this clue comes into play or when! That's the fun of the adventure though, isn't it? Anyway, Joanna enters the scene and goes looking for her father, a king. She eventually finds him in his library, but he looks strange to her. Then, in the blink of an eye, he's back to his normal self.

What's so important about this? Well, if we read on to the end of the prologue, we find that, while Joanna doesn't understand this, she found her father just as he returned from...

drum roll please...

"the land of no time"

This has all sorts of fun connotations to it, don't you think? Does it mean that time doesn't exist where he is? Or does it mean that when he goes there, none of the people have "time" to do anything and are always in a hurry? Or do they have "thyme" as the title suggests?

That brings to mind the song by Jim Croce, Time in a Bottle. In looking for a version on youtube, I stumbled upon this very cool version that I do recall seeing when I was very young...lol:

Notice the flask is his hand...hmmm...I wonder...oh, sorry, my mind wandered as I wondered, wasn't that a Barbara Streisand song? Oh wait, that was, I Wonder as I Wander.

Enough play, let's get to why you're here, the interview. You almost forgot about that, didn't you? Hehe, good thing I didn't! again. Oh wait, did I just write that? I did didn't I. Well, the cat's out of the bag, or should I say thyme is out of the flask! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, I almost forgot to post this today! it's a good thing Glen kept me on my toes today!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

GLEN: First of all, I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be on your blog, Carrie. It’s been fun to do this!

Since I come from an area where winters can be quite harsh, I always look forward to the first day of spring, although it isn’t always spring-like. I enjoy the greening of the grass and trees, and some of the spring wildflowers that pop up are sensational. My youngest daughter and I often take wildflower walks in the spring and see if we can put names to the early blooms.

GLEN: St. Patrick’s Day is a nice time to get together with family and friends.

A local Irish restaurant offers corned beef, cabbage and green beer all day on St. Patrick’s day, but I’ve never been there on the holiday.

I was born and raised a Mennonite and drinking and smoking was not looked on kindly. I remember a certain traveling salesman when I was a youngster, and he talked a lot and left several cigarette butts on the ground. Well, my brothers and I thought we’d found a bonanza, and we gathered some of them and found a supposedly secluded place where we could light them and see what they tasted like. Somehow we were found out, and our father was quite put out!

Values you learn in childhood usually stay with you, and for me at least, they did.

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

GLEN: I usually clean the garage in the spring, but that doesn’t quite qualify as decorating. I always hope to bring some spring atmosphere into the house, and I hope that this year brings a little luck o’ the Irish to our home.

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

GLEN: There is an old Irish proverb that goes like this: you can put a silk dress on a goat but he is still a goat. I’ve heard a couple of variations of it. This could apply to people too, that no matter how fancy a person dresses his personality is still the same as if he was wearing rags. I try to incorporate these ideas into my writing as well; that our true colors will always win out.

GLEN: We usually plant flowers in front of our house in the spring, and then we’ll head for the local nursery to find pretty potted plants to hang under the deck in the back yard.

One of my favorite spring activities is watching the back yard bird feeders to see when the “summer season” birds show up. The orioles are a particular favorite, and they often nest in one of our trees. The humming birds and blue birds are also exciting. I built a blue bird house for the front yard that has raised one or more nests every spring since I put it there, which is at least eight years. Indeed, some of my best writing occurred as I watched the feathered critters feed.

GLEN: Before I began writing, I knew little about Celtic legends or mythical creatures. However, the genre I write in demanded that I acquire at least a cursory knowledge of such things, and as I began to read about them, I became more and more interested.

Celtic legends actually stem from the polytheistic religion of the early Celts (people of Iron Age Europe that spoke the Celtic language). Their Gods, in effect, became these legendary mythical creatures. Irish mythology is among the earliest known of these religions, and as these pagan beliefs were replaced by Christianity, they faded into the realm of mythology.

My own personal belief is that J. R. R. Tolkien preserved much of what we call mythology when he wrote his book of lost tales, a collection of early myths that made up much of the Silmarillion, and eventually became an integral part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

ME: If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

GLEN: I have always been interested in the mythical folk called fairies, and I would like to be one for a day. Fairies in Irish folklore are often called Daoine maite, or the “good people”. These fairies will usually treat people well unless they are mistreated themselves. Fairies have supernatural abilities and will use them on occasion.

Mythic Celtic Creatures - Wiki listing

In Thyme in a Flask, Soliah was a sprite, which is a type of fairy, and one of her strengths was her ability to find her way through a tangled woods. She was a tiny creature with wings on her back, and she lived in a “tree hole.”

GLEN: The Hobbit and ensuing Lord of the Rings Trilogy are some of my favorite reads of all time. These are filled with legendary creatures. Tolkien hoped to fabricate a mythology for England, and he succeeded in inspiring the world.

ME: Now, let’s switch the focus to your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

GLEN: I write in the fantasy genre because it is where my interest lies. When I go to the book store I’ll head for the fantasy section first. I like the idea that the author can build his own world and create his own rules.

When a person reads fantasy stories, the background has already been created by the author. Writing it, however, can require a very active imagination. I found that the act of creating these worlds was even more enjoyable than reading about them.

Fantasy is the chance to escape for a little while from the harsh realities of the world into a more “magical” place. I find this to be a refreshing challenge as an author, to create characters that people can relate to and want to share their time with.

GLEN: I believe my readers can find both humor and mystery in my writing. Lighthearted apprehension might be a good description of it.

I find as a reader that I respond well to humor in stories. It is an important aspect of writing, but very difficult to pull off well in a drama. Since my story is basically an adventure at heart, I actively look for ways to lighten the mood with a well-placed bit of humor.

When a reader has finished my story, I want him or her to feel like they’ve been a part of something exciting, and have been entertained.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

GLEN: I prefer human ingenuity as a way to solve problems. In my writing, most of the problems solved with magic are confrontations between wizards and others that are blessed with the gift of force-fire. I think that we non-magic folks will respond better to some good, old-fashioned human ingenuity to solve problems in the stories. Magic is the icing on the cake; the cake itself is just the story of how average people overcome great odds.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

GLEN: When I began writing, I largely let my muse take an idea and run, but I found I got into trouble that way. I usually had to back up and start over with a better thought out plan. I put down a sequence of events dictating the direction of the story that I wanted, and my muse fleshed out the story within those parameters. It’s a friendly partnership between me and my muse.

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

GLEN: I enjoyed creating Samuel, a gentle giant. His character is both fainthearted and courageous; it’s hard to explain how this could be but I think I made it work. It was fun to give him a voice, with deliberately misspelled words to show how he pronounced things in an uncommon manner. In fantasy, it can be a challenge to take a character that is inherently different from humans today and make him relevant to us. Seeing a giant who fears the world but overcomes his fear shows traits that all of us can relate to. We all have to face our fears in life, just like Samuel.

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

GLEN: The obvious choice here would be Jon, the main character, but he is patterned after me in my younger days, and there is little mystery to me there.

I would really like to meet Joanna. Her story begins when she is very young, and she would be a remarkable and interesting woman to meet. She is a mysterious character, and it plays that way in the story.

I think the challenge for an author is to create characters a reader wants to get to know. Joanna is one of those types because it is hard to initially understand what really makes her tick. You want to meet and appreciate her.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

GLEN: I would not want to meet the Searcher at all. At one time, he was a good man, but tragic circumstances changed him utterly. He is a demon with tremendous power, and he is also heartless and without fear. I prefer to view him from behind the book.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

GLEN: I think my favorite story line would be the confrontation between Jon and the Searcher in the way of the gates. Without giving too much away, let’s just say there were several problems I had to solve here, and I believe it turned out well.

I also enjoyed writing the part where Samuel meets the sprite. Samuel is an eight foot tall giant, and Soliah is tiny as a butterfly. Their time together turns out to be a crucial part of the story. That is one part where my muse definitely took over, and I wrote that whole chapter in a couple of hours. That is fast for me, believe it or not. I like the idea of totally different characters interacting and cooperating for the good of the story.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, the one we’re promoting here today?

GLEN: I am a dreamer of sorts, and the plot for Thyme in a Flask came in part from ideas that came up while I was doing mundane things, like mowing the grass. There were many changes to the original story as I came to grips with how each scene must interact with the others in timing and influence.

Some writers that I pattern myself after are Tolkien, David Eddings, Terry Brooks and Robert Jordan, and they greatly influenced the way my story progressed.

ME: Now that you know Glen's influences, are you excited to read an excerpt? Well, he's given us a special excerpt! The section with the gentle giant, Samuel!

BLURB:

There is a parallel universe that exists in the dramatic tale “Thyme in a Flask. The story is of Jon Chandler, a reserved young man, who suddenly finds himself enmeshed in a role which he doesn't understand. It tells of his personal journey to discover a magical flask and destroy it, and the quest takes him far away from home, all the way into this strange, parallel world.

EXCERPT:

“You’re huge,” said the tiny girl. “How did you ever grow so big?”

“An’ yore leeutle,” said Samuel. “Why’se you so itty bitty?”

“I’m a sprite,” said the girl. “All sprites are little.”

“And I’se Pagranese,” Samuel replied. “We’se all big lak me.”

“Why are you in these woods?” asked the sprite.

“I’se lookin’ fer a mare that was stold.” He brightened. “Hay, d’ju

know whar the lake is?”

She nodded. “I don’t go there because it’s a bad lake.”

“I know it’s bayud,” said Samuel, “but I gotta go thar. That’s whar

the mare is.”

She was puzzled. “What’s a mare?”

“You know, a lookin’ glayuss.”

“Oh, a mirror,” she said. “You talk funny.”

“I done heard that befower.”

Click here to learn more about Glen Quarry or his book, Thyme in a Flask

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-03-15T21:17:00.002-05:00

Sandra Cox!!!
Hi everyone! Sorry this post is a bit late in the day, but I honestly hadn't been feeling well earlier today and I had a massive headache, so I spent most of the day in bed. My head hurts no more, so I am able to bring to you our featured guest this week - Sandra Cox! Yeah, we've had her here before promoting Vampire Island, but that's not what brings her back here. She's here today to kick off her latest release, Grounded!

This is a very unique and interesting premise. Gillian Stone, is a well-off girl with not much holding her back, except for one flaw in her genetics - she's a marble statue from dawn to dusk! Yeah, she's not too happy about it either, and she's off to find someway to end this stony existence of hers. [Don't you just love the play on words here? Gillian Stone. -> Jill E. in Stone! HAHAHAHAHA!]

I haven't had a chance to read this one yet, but it sure sounds pretty good, and I'm darned excited about it, so let's get to the interview!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

SANDRA: St. Patrick's is fun, but Spring is magic. It’s like coming out of hibernation after sleeping through the winter.

ME: I agree with you, but because of it’s Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl buses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

SANDRA: We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day but not with as much enthusiasm as there is up north. Nothing can top WI for celebrating St. Pattie’s unless it’s Chicago, with its parades and green river. Though, we do wear green. And the stores and bakery sell green sweets and treats.

ME: You know, green food sounds neat, but I just can't seem to bring myself to eat any, not even any noodles and don't get me started on green eggs (it may go with the ham Sam I am, but I would not eat it anywhere - we still miss you Dr. Seuss). Decorations, on the other hand, I like them green, especially because the Milwaukee Bucks are red and green and we have a few decorations up. What about you, do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

SANDRA: I don't decorate for St Pat's, but when spring hits, I haul out the Easter Decorations, get ready for the Easter Bunny and seriously hope he brings me Fannie Mae chocolates. You know people in the South aren't familiar with Fannie Mae Chocolate? (Shaking head) I have the Fannie Mae catalog displayed in a prominent position to make sure the Easter Bunny doesn’t miss it. (g)

ME: We used to have a Fanny Mae shop (Chicago-based company) in West Allis, but it's since closed it's doors, but I don't think we noticed it too much because we still had The Chocolate House at the time, but whose product has disappeared from store shelves (very sad but I have called the number and it seems they are still in business, so I'll have to check that out!). As much I could sit here all day and talk about chocolate, I'd like to ask you about Ireland. Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

SANDRA: To me the best legend, especially around St. Patrick’s Day is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Didn’t you just love that legend as a child and desperately want to find that pot of gold? It would still come in mighty handy (g).

Leprechauns - real or blarney? Click here for the answer!

ME: I never found gold, but gold coated chocolate coins, yes. Ah, to be a kid again! Speaking of renewal...spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

SANDRA: I’m a flower girl. When spring comes, I have to be in the garden and I can’t pass a nursery without buying a new variety of daffodil or Iris to put in it.

I must admit, I also get this insane desire to clean, something that I manage to ignore the rest of the year. I wait patiently for the cleaning fairies that never show up.

ME: I know, I wish I had some cleaning fairies too! Speaking of magic, it is often tied into Celtic myths and legends, or at least we like to think it is. Why do you think that is? Why, in your opinion, does Ireland carry so much mystery and magic for the rest of us?

SANDRA: That is a tough question. But you are right. When mysticism and magic is mentioned, the first place most of us think of is Ireland. Maybe, it’s because the land seems so ancient and mystical or maybe because its people keep the legend alive, maybe both.

ME: I like that answer! People need to keep the magic alive, and if not Ireland, where? If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

SANDRA: I’ve always had a yen to be a fairy. To have wings and magic would be outstanding.

ME: Ooh, I like fairies, but they're always so small. I think I'd rather be a dragon. However, I don't see how it would be possible to be a dragon and still read. One good hiccup and poof, there goes your best book up in flames...hehehe. Speaking of books, please tell us some of the favorite/best books you’ve read with Celtic myths/legends or ties in them. (They can be fact or fiction, just be sure to indicate what type of books they are in case our readers might want to check them out.)

SANDRA: One of my favorites is THE CIRCLE Trilogy by Norma Roberts, one of her paranormal romances.

ME: Those are on my TBR list! Before we get to part two of today's interview, let's take a break and watch the trailer for Grounded. Be sure to come back as there are more questions and an excerpt to follow:

ME: Cool cover, isn't? Now, let’s get back to the interview. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

SANDRA: Paranormal and fantasy.

I love fantasy. The idea that fairy tales can come true, that anything we believe is possible is a wonderful high. I think we all find the idea appealing of stepping out of our day to day, sometimes mundane, existence into a world of magic, adventure and happy ever after.

ME: "Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you. If you're young at heart." Oh, sorry, got a little carried away there. Always seems to happen with a Bing Crosby song. All it takes is a little phrase and I'm singing away... Speaking of phrases, if you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

SANDRA: That the improbable is possible.

ME: That's a great message, that no problem is unsolvable. This leads me to my next question, do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

SANDRA: I don’t think you can have one without the other. It takes human ingenuity to decide how best to use the magic. My heroines don’t randomly toss their magic around but use it judicially when they really need it to save themselves or someone else. Though, there is one exception to my rule, Bella Tremaine of Rose Quartz is always giving herself or someone close to her a beauty glam.

ME: Ooh, she sounds like quite the trouble maker and must have been very fun to write! With Rose Quartz as well your others, who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

SANDRA: Definitely, my muse. I try to outline, but the obstinate creature usually heads in a different direction entirely. I shrug my shoulders and follow her lead.

ME: Outlines, never work for me either because thins constantly change and you find yourself redoing everything you just did, lol! To coin an old phrase, "inquiring minds want to know," what was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

SANDRA: A lot of my characters have been fun to create, especially the aforementioned Bella Tremaine. But as far as creature/character, I’ve had a lot of fun with Merrick, Gillian Stone’s cat (Grounded). The first daughter of each generation has a wish-cat, a cat that is born when she is and will die when she does. Merrick is that cat, tough and surly, but would lay down his life for his mistress.

ME: That would be cool, but not if you were allergic to it! But I digress yet again. As readers, many of the characters can feel real to us. If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

SANDRA: That changes for me from book to book (grin). But at this moment, I’d like to meet Merrick. He fascinates me. He’s a testy creature and smarter than a lot of people I know.

ME: A good way not to offend any previous characters! Tell us, which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

SANDRA: I’m conflicted over this question. I wouldn’t want to meet the Prices (father and daughter) from The Amulet series. These two are insanely evil. Just the thought of meeting up with them sends chills down my spine.

Conversely, I wouldn’t want to meet the villain from Grounded but I don’t want to say too much and give the plot away. Let me just say, this person is someone to avoid at all costs.

ME: Oooh, you've got me intrigued! Where's my copy? Oops, did I just write that? Sorry, let's continue with the interview. Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

SANDRA: That’s another tough one. You have a gift for asking the tough questions! I usually enjoy whatever story I’m working on. Grounded was fun, because the storyline challenged me. Would it be possible to break Gillian free of her wish-spell? If so, how?

ME: That does sound like a challenge! As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, Grounded the one we’re promoting here today?

SANDRA: Funny you should ask. I usually find that a hard question to answer but for this story I know exactly what nudged the muse. I was out walking and spied a gazing ball with a ceramic fairy on top. I stopped and stared at it thinking wouldn't it be amazing if a person was trapped in that ceramic figure and could only come out at night. And from that seed Grounded germinated!

ME: Oh that sounds very cool and I can't wait to read it because I want to know how this is possible! I hope we find this out in the book! Intrigued yet? I know I am! Let's go to the excerpt now and see what you think:

BLURB:

On the surface, Gillian Stone has it all: wealth, beauty, and the freedom to come and go as she pleases…at least from sunset to dawn. Unfortunately, from dawn to dusk, she’s grounded in several hundred pounds of marble. And if that’s not bad enough, her life expectancy is preordained to be short…unless, she can find a certain genie and reverse the wish-spell.

EXCERPT:

Be careful what you wish for.

While I’m dropping pearls of wisdom let me add, read the fine print.

Why am I wasting my time offering warnings that no one is going to listen to?

Because as humans we have this unconquerable urge to try to help others learn from our mistakes. Or in this case my great, great, great, great grandmother’s mistakes.

She came from a very poor background and consequently wanted it all, riches beyond measure, beauty. Need I say more?

Great-great-plus Grams stumbled onto a genie’s lamp and made her wish.

You don’t believe in genies?

Trust me. They’re real all right. Unfortunately, when my ancient relative made her wish she didn’t bother to listen to the genie’s warning of strings attached. This lack of foresight has a direct bearing on the first born daughter of each generation, i.e. me.

To put it mildly, my life is complicated. I am literally grounded forever.

I live on a lavish estate in the mountains of North Carolina. Between sunset and dawn, my life is my own. But during the day I’m grounded in several hundred pounds of marble. If you happen to wander by the Stone estate and peep through the fence, you’ll hear the rippling sounds of water from a lovely manmade pool surrounded by lush fragrant flowers. Beside it stands a life size statue of a young woman, with long flowing hair and classic bone structure, draped in a Greek toga, a cat at her feet.

The cat is Merrick.

The young woman is me.

ME: Oh, that does sound intriguing, and I got my question answered! This sounds really cool to me, so I hope you'll check it out!

For more info on Sandra and her books, visit her website: sandracox1.com. Don't forget to leave a comment or ask our author questions! We'd love to hear from you!

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-03-08T08:14:00.001-06:00

Sara Zarr!!!

We are proud to bring back Sara Zarr, author of Sweethearts and Story of a Girl to promote her latest release, Once Was Lost! Some of you may remember Sara from her first visit, but if not, you can find it by clicking here.

While I haven't had a chance to read Once Was Lost yet, I am looking forward to it as I can tell it will be a good story because I found both of her other books well-written, entertaining and rewarding. Whether a novel or short story, Sara creates deep, complex characters with credible dynamics and reactions. She puts you in the lives of her characters so that you feel what they feel when they feel it. Even if the ends aren't always considered "happily ever after," there are very emotionally rewarding. Her books are a real treat!

Enough of my prattling, let's get on to the interview!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

SARA: I have to say that I've never been a big fan of St. Patrick's Day, as I hate getting mocked or pinched if I forget to wear green. Spring is probably my favorite season, especially now that I live in a state with a real (and long) winter, so I'd have to go with that.

ME: Because of it’s Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl busses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

SARA: Well, I live in Salt Lake City, which is not the biggest drinking town, but people here do love to decorate. If there is any occasion that involves special decoration, Utahns are all over it. So I expect to see lots of clover-themed decorations and plenty of green. We also have a St. Pat's parade, and the Saturday before the 17th there's a big bagpipe band concert put on by the Salt Lake Scots Pipe Band. (Which isn't exactly Irish, I guess, but close enough?)

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

SARA: I am very, very, very uncrafty and have no eye for decoration, so my house is pretty much undecorated year-round except for a Christmas tree at the appropriate time (but not every year).

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

SARA: As I am woefully unschooled on myth, legends, and lore, can food traditions count? I just love the names of traditional Irish dishes. I mean, with names like Potato Champ, Dublin Coddle, and Skink, how can you not? Whether or not any of that stuff tastes good is another story, I guess...

SARA: I do love spring cleaning, and celebrate warmer weather by clearing out junk and keeping the windows open as much as possible. I also like to walk through the neighborhood and see the bulbs that have come up.

ME: Let’s switch our focus to your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

SARA: I write young adult fiction, which simply means that the characters are teenagers and seeing the world and their experiences from a teenage perspective. It's not a genre I consciously chose---it's just that every story idea I ever had when I first started writing involved characters in high school, and high school experiences. The genre chose me.

SARA: I'm going to cheat, with the chorus from Leonard Cohen's "Anthem":

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

SARA: Human, and that definitely shows in my writing as none of my books have any magical or paranormal element to them. The closest I've come to the supernatural is having a character pray, and then get back a sense of peace.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

SARA: Me. I've never gotten much into the idea of a muse. The muse---from what I've heard of her---is notoriously fickle. If I rely on inspiration from some outside (or apparent outside) source, what happens when this source doesn't come through? Sometimes I think it would be nice to rationalize missing a deadline by saying, "The Muse ate my homework," but that's not going to fly with my editor.

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

SARA: I think the character of Tommy in my first book, STORY OF A GIRL, was the most fun to create. He's a guy who's done some bad things but is not a bad guy, and has a real knack for saying the wrong thing without realizing it's the wrong thing. Clueless characters like that can be fun because they say the kind of things someone like me never would (even if I think them).

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

SARA: I would say Cameron Quick from SWEETHEARTS, because so many of my readers love him, but I already know the real Cameron so that's a bit of a cheat (and I've already cheated here!). Right now I still have a bit of a crush on Nick Shaw from ONCE WAS LOST---the older brother of a missing girl. He's exactly the kind of boy I would have fallen hard for at 15: cute, sincerely nice, but with a streak of danger and mystery.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

SARA: Cameron Quick's father because he finds it entertaining to terrorize children.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

SARA: Honestly, it's hard for me to associate the word "fun" with wrestling a plot to the ground. That said, the book I'm working on now (which I can't say too much about) has been as close to fun as it's gotten so far.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, the one we’re promoting here today?

SARA: ONCE WAS LOST was very specifically inspired by the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart back in 2002. I lived here in Salt Lake City when it happened, and the case affected me deeply. I think anyone who lived in Utah during the nine months she was missing felt like it was something that happened to them. I thought, "What would it be like to be a teen in this community where another teen has gone missing? How would the ensuing media obsession affect me? What if I were already sort of depressed and in the midst of a family crisis?" The story went from there.

Oooh, are you intrigued yet? Let's take a peek inside the book:

BLURB: Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles.

She used to believe in a lot of things.

But where there was once faith...

there are now only questions.

EXCERPT Once Was Lost

I walk through the yard, making a mental checklist of what needs fixing. The two butterfly bushes have grown into each other and taken over the spot where my mom once had an herb garden, back when she still cared about things like cooking. The Mexican sage has completely run amok. The hollyhock plant that looked okay a few weeks ago has fallen over from its own weight, and lies across the flagstone path like a corpse. I step over it, sweat trickling down the inside of my tank top and to the waistband of my pajama shorts. I try to get the hollyhock to stand up and stay up, but it flops back down over my bare feet.

I'm glad my mother isn't around to see this.

Instead, she's got the residents' garden of New Beginnings Recovery Center, neatly xeriscaped with drought-resistant plants that never ask for more than you can give them. Her room is neat. The cafeteria is neat. The visiting area is neat. She's been lifted, as if by the hand of God but in truth by the long arm of the law, out if this messy life.

I could make this yard look like the one at New Beginnings. All it would take are some supplies and time and maybe a book from the library telling me how to do it. Then, when she comes home, she won't have to see the same dead and dying things that were here when she left.

To learn more about Sara, you can find her at her website, www.sarazarr.com and at Teen Fiction Cafe

YA Author Spotlight Presents...

2010-03-01T03:31:00.001-06:00

Rachel Vincent!!!
I am pleased to bring you Rachel Vincent, author of the Soul Screamers (for YA readers) and Shifters (for adults) series. I had heard her name mentioned in other circles and became curious about her. Then, I discovered that I could get her eBook novella, My Soul to Lose, for free from the Sony Digital Editions library, so I signed up to get the free software, just so I could get something of hers to read. I read enough of this story to know that I liked the writing style and that I wanted to read more of her work and I knew that our readers would love her stories (as many of us do love the paranormal here), so I decided to shine our spotlight on Rachel this week.

Kaylee Cavanaugh is a normal girl with normal wants and needs. And like many of the other young female heroines (Zoe Tempest of Vampire Island, Janie Hannagan of the Dream Catcher series, Ever of the Immortals series, Cass McKenna of Give Up the Ghost) mentioned here is this room, she's completely normal except for one thing. In Kaylee's case, that one thing is knowing when someone's about to die.

Yeah, sure, it might seem like it would be good to be able to know when someone's about to die, but it's hard to do something about it when you're screaming bloody murder. That's what happens when Kaylee is near someone who is just about to die, she screams and she doesn't always know who it will be if there are too many people about her. She's so embarassed about her condition, that at the beginning of My Soul to Lose, she hadn't told her best friend Emma yet. Emma seems to think they're just panick attacks. If you've read Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe, you can understand why Kaylee would be more than just a tad hesitant to tell her friend what's going on. Cass' best friend freaked and practically turned the entire school against her.

How would Emma react if she found out the truth about Kaylee's panick attacks? Does she find out or is Kaylee sly enough to continue hiding the truth? You'll have to read My Soul to Lose if you want to find out the answers! What would be the fun in me telling you before you've had a chance to read the book?

Now, on to what you've all be waiting for, my interview with Rachel Vincent! Be sure to stay tuned because after the interview, we have an excerpt of My Soul to Save!

ME: Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions like watching a Lifetime Channel movie marathon, spending the day with your significant other, writing, etc.? Do you have a favorite movie that you love to watch or a book you like to read on Valentine’s Day? Is there any movie or book that you’ve saved for this time of year? If so, what’s the title?

RACHEL: No, we don’t have any specific traditions for Valentines Day. This year, my husband and I went to our favorite pizza place (they have these awesome weird pizzas, like chicken and pine nuts, and Mediterranean with lamb, feta, and olives, and stuff like that). It was really cold, so we were the only ones in the outside seating, with a heater under a big tent, and it was just generally awesome! Then we came home and watched Zombieland on BluRay. It was a great night. My favorite Valentine’s Day ever, which is saying something, considering that we’ve been together for 13 years!

ME: Many of us feel that Valentine’s Day is just one more day that has been overly commercialized and isn’t something that should only be celebrated once a year, but at least once a day. What was the most romantic gift you’ve ever received, when did you receive it and who was it from?

RACHEL: Um… I’m not an overtly romantic gift giver or receiver. I don’t wear jewelry, other than my wedding ring, and I’d much rather have plants I can put in the ground than cut flowers. But my husband is a very thoughtful man. He often comes home with things I’ve mentioned liking or wanting, but would never have thought to actually buy for myself, because they don’t seem practical. Like, a couple of years ago, I saw these tiny clear glass mugs with short wine glass stems. They were intended for hot chocolate, and I love hot chocolate. I just stopped and looked at them at the store. He must have noticed, because he came home with them a couple of days later, when I was having a bad day. So we had hot chocolate in these tiny glass mugs. Stuff like that, that he does just to make me smile. I think those are the most romantic, heart-felt things ever. [Awww! Rachel's got herself a keeper, that's for sure!]

ME: Since this is the time of year when many people (teens included) feel the need to find a significant other, what suggestion(s) do you have for our readers as to what trait(s) should be added to their list?

RACHEL: You know, rather than looking for specific traits, I’d probably make a list of traits to avoid. You’re never going to find the “perfect” guy or girl, and you can drive yourself (and everyone else) nuts trying. So make a list of traits you don’t want. Like cruelty, aggression, derision, etc… That way you leave yourself open to liking people you might never have considered, if you automatically discount everyone who doesn’t open doors (or whatever is on your list).

ME: There are many relationship superstitions out there such as, “rain on your wedding day is bad luck,” are you superstitious when it comes to love or relationships? Why or why not? If so, what superstitions do you believe have merit?

RACHEL: No, I’m not superstitious at all, actually. It did rain on my wedding day, and I did see my husband before the service. And we’ve been married for almost thirteen years now. And no, I don’t think our thirteenth year will be bad luck. ;-)

ME: Do you believe in ghosts? Do you believe in the power of love? If so, do you think that love can exist beyond this life and carry over into the next or has the power to keep a soul attached to the mortal coil never to cross over? Do you believe that ghosts have the ability to effect humans in a sexual manner?

RACHEL: I don’t believe in ghosts. I do believe in love, but I don’t believe in “meant to be” or “love at first sight.” Love is hard work. It’s never perfect, because people are never perfect. But for the sake of fiction and movies, I love ghost stories and stories about love so powerful it can affect the afterlife. I love writing (and reading) about things that should be impossible (or nearly impossible) in the real world. That’s the whole point of fantasy and romance, right? ;-)

ME: Please tell us, if you have any, 3 funny, strange or silly things that happened to you, or someone you know, on past Valentine’s Days. Any rendezvous fiascos that you now find humorous to tell? Have they ever been inspiration for some hi-jinks in your stories? Which ones? (Sharing may help others not feel so bad if it happened to them, as the saying goes, “misery loves company”)

RACHEL: Um… I only have one. When I was a young, intemperate, impulsive high school senior, Valentine’s Day happened to fall on national safe sex day (not sure if that’s always the case or not). So my best friend and I hatched a plan. She went to a public clinic and got a bunch of condoms, and we glued them to pink hearts, and glued the hearts to safety pins. Then handed them out at school.

Needless to say, we were told, in no uncertain terms, to cease and desist. ;-)

[Lol! I love this story! Such great hi-jinks!]

ME: Now, let’s switch gears and focus on your writing: What genre is your work considered to be (besides YA Fiction)? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

RACHEL: I write urban fantasy, for both adults and young adults. I love urban fantasy because it combines a real-world setting with elements of the fantastic. Monsters, mythology, folklore, etc… Writing fantasy lets me explore real-world issues dressed up as fantasy. So I can write about sexism and discrimination as it applies to stray and Pride-born werecats (in my adult Shifters series), without sounding preachy or being labeled an “issues” book. And I can write about mental illness, addiction, and “selling out” in terms of bean sidhes, grim reapers, and hellions, in my Soul Screamers series. That way, if you’re interested in social satire and “statements,” you can find them. And if you’re not, you can read just for adventure and entertainment, which is the whole point of a good book anyway.

RACHEL: Fantasy, action, and romance, centering around strong female protagonists. I like to put my characters in situations that provide no easy way out, no good choices. That’s the true test of character. What does a truly good person do, when all of the options will hurt someone else?

ME: Do you prefer romantic gifts (flowers, chocolate, jewelry, etc.) or romantic acts (massages, dinners, fun night out, etc.)? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

RACHEL: While I do love chocolate, I typically buy it for myself, and I don’t wear jewelry. So I’d say I’m more of a dinner out, movie in (or out) kind of girl. I want people I love to spend time with me, not money on me. And yeah, I think that comes through in my writing. My protagonists (Faythe, from the adult Shifters series, and Kaylee from the Soul Screamers books) both have strong feminine sides, but they would never be described as “girlie.”

ME: What school of thought are you when it comes to romance, love at first sight or that love takes time? Does this show through in your writing? If so, how?

RACHEL: Love takes time. The initial attraction is almost always physical, but things are never perfect after that. Love is hard work, and that’s definitely reflected in my writing. Though Kaylee and Nash do have a decent “honeymoon” period in the first couple of Soul Screamers novels.

ME: When reading stories, many of us find secondary characters to be as interesting as or more interesting than the main characters. Are there any secondary characters that you plan on giving their own story? Or any that readers have requested have their own story? Are any of them your favorites? Why?

RACHEL: Yeah, everyone wants to see more of Tod and Emma. Possibly together. We’ll have to see about that. I’d love to write a story about Tod. Probably not a novel, though, because the thing about secondary characters is that they’re fun because we see what they do and hear what they say, but we’re not inside their heads. That funny magic would be very hard to sustain if we actually felt Tod’s trauma.

ME: Of all of your heroes, who would you say is the most romantic and why?

RACHEL: Um… In the Soul Screamers series, I’d say it’s Tod. But in an offbeat kind of way. What he’s willing to do for love in My Soul To Save (Book 2 of the series) and My Soul To Keep (Book 3) is…well, staggering, in my own opinion. Even if it causes serious fallout.

ME: Of all of your heroes, who would you say is the least romantic and why?

RACHEL: I don’t think I have any unromantic heroes, but if you’re judging them based on outward appearances, I’d have to say Marc. He doesn’t do roses and candy (Not that she’s ever asked for them), and he’s very possessive and temperamental. But he loves Faythe with every single cell in his body, and he’d do anything for her. Which is probably why he’s a big reader-favorite from my books. ;-)

EXCERPT My Soul to Save, now available everywhere.

When the door closed behind us, I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other on the slick, marbled floor. Step-ow! Step-ow! Over and over again, breathing through the pain and doggedly avoiding eye contact with any of the creatures in the room. At least, any of them who actually had eyes.

Regan’s breathing sped up until she was practically panting, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw her hand shaking. I wrapped my hand around hers and squeezed to tell her she was fine. Everything was okay. Then I made myself look up, though not at anything in particular, when I realized that walking with my eyes down practically advertized my status as prey.

And I would not be prey.

Near the fountain in the center of the room, two headless human-ish forms stood with their backs to us. One was male and one female, and she was bent to let her hand dangle in the flow of water that looked thick and smelled foul. When and if they turned, we’d find their facial features imbedded in their chests, as if they’d swallowed their own heads, and the lost parts were trying to break free from the inside. I knew that because I’d glimpsed this species briefly the day Emma died.

But what I hadn’t known—since peeking renders everything in shades of gray—was that their skin tone would be a smooth, delicate pink, as if they’d never lost the soft flush of the birthing process. If creatures like that were even birthed in the first place.

“Just keep walking,” Nash whispered, and I glanced quickly at his profile to find his jaw tense, his hands in his pockets. “Tod’s waiting for us by the elevators. We’re almost there.”

I followed his line of sight. Tod was indeed waiting for us by a bank of very normal-looking elevators, his arms crossed over his chest. His expression was strong, closed-off, and arrogant, as if to say he might not belong there, but neither was he afraid.

But we were not almost there. We’d gone less than a quarter of the way—just far enough to attract attention.

As we crossed the room, oddly lilted, strangely pitched snippets of conversation began to fade into silence as one creature after another noticed our presence. Then, as we passed an arrangement of formal, burgundy-colored couches, that conversation started back up, as if I’d just yawned to pop my ears and could suddenly hear again. This time I caught actual words here and there.

“Overworlders…”

“…taste their fear…”

“…used-up husks…”

“…plump, soft flesh…”

“…beacons of energy…”

“…swimming in pain…”

“…strong, young hearts…”

Chills traveled up my arms and down my spine. I became aware of a steady movement toward us, as the creatures slowly converged, slinking, slithering, lurching, and gliding in our direction from every corner of the room. I caught glimpses of extra arms, coiling tails, and flashing eyes in all manner of wrong colors. Whispered hisses followed us. Outstretched appendages welcomed us.

Something brushed a strand of hair from my shoulder, then trailed lightly down my back. I swallowed a shudder of revulsion and forced myself to face forward. To keep walking.

“This one smells like warm rot….” a female voice whispered into my ear, though as near as I could tell, the speaker was all the way across the lobby, beside the reception desk. Skeletal hands peeked from beneath long, wide sleeves, but she stood on nothing that I could see. No feet. No paws. No flippers. She simply hung on the air, sunken eyes glowing a dark, eerie blue.

As we moved forward, the crowd parted reluctantly, some beings moving so slowly we had to wait for them to vacate our path. Oddly textured hems brushed my jeans. Scalding fingers tugged on mine. And something cold and airy, like a breeze somehow made solid, wound around my ankles, forming an almost physical resistance to my forward motion and introducing a new, prickly cold pain to the agony still throbbing in my leg.

When we finally reached Tod and the bank of elevators—I’d come to view them as salvation itself—my sigh of relief was audible. Without a word, he pressed a button on the wall, and a set of doors slid open. We stepped inside, and Addy jabbed the “close door” button repeatedly with one trembling finger.

When the door closed, she turned on us, tears welling in her oddly blank eyes. “What the hell was that?”

“Hell’s about right,” I mumbled, and she whirled on me, fierce anger overwhelming her fear for the first time.

I was glad to see it. Leaking fear in the Netherworld was like leaking blood in a shark tank.

“You could have warned us!”

“What did you think you were getting into when you sold your soul?” Nash demanded, and I glanced at him in surprise. Contempt shone in his eyes. “These creatures live off the human life-force that bleeds through from our world to theirs. Some of them eat souls. Some of them eat flesh. Some of them just like new toys. Either way, walking through that lobby was like dangling a bloody stake in front of a tiger, and Kaylee and I did that for you two, even though she’s in horrible pain and huge trouble with her father. And neither of us have a thing to gain from this. So if you have any further complaints, you can lodge them right up your own ass, pop star, because nobody here gives a damn who you are or how much you’re worth. Without us, you’re meat, pure and simple. Got it?”

Addison blinked her big, empty eyes. Then she nodded, still trembling, and I couldn’t resist a smile.

***

Are you interested in the Soul Screamers but want to start from the beginning? You can still get My Soul to Lose for free from Rachel's website. Click here to get your own free copy of My Soul to Lose. Just click on the book. It's the one with the green cover.