Release Date: 2 April 2013 Publisher: Entangled Teen Format: eARC Source: Publisher
Grab the first book, Chosen Ones, or Naturals for only $4.99 for your Kindle!
Ripped away from those she loves most, Tess is heartbroken as her small band of travelers reaches the Isolationist camp in the mysterious and barren Middlelands. Desperate to be reunited with James, the forbidden chosen one who stole her heart, she wants nothing to do with the rough Isolationists, who are without allegiance in the war between the Westerners and Easterners. But having their protection, especially for someone as powerful as Tess, may come at a cost.
When James returns, Tess’s world once again feels complete—until she discovers her sister, Louisa, has taken up her old post at Templeton, the dangerous chosen ones training center and the site of Tess’s loss of innocence. Tess will do anything to protect her loved ones—but will the price be more than she can give?
This second book in Tiffany Truitt’s dystopian series is a thought-provoking, thrilling story that asks who the true enemy really is—the chosen ones who are different, or the naturals…who are just like us.
Today I am SUPER lucky to have the opportunity to share with you an interview that I had the pleasure of doing with none other than Briar, the leading lady in Kelley York's fabulous new vampire novel!
Welcome to Reading in the Corner, Briar!
I’m so excited to have you here today.
Hi. Hey. How's it going?
Great! Let’s start with the basics. Tell us a
little bit about yourself (before “the event.”)
I like that. "The Event." Uh,
let's see. I worked at a family bar, which is a job I totally never would've
gotten if my roomie's brother didn't own the joint. I totally blow at
interviews. I visited my parents a couple times a month and I kinda, sorta,
maybe flunked out of community college. Which is something I hadn't gotten up
the nerve to admit to Mom and Dad yet.
What do you remember about the night you
and Sherry were attacked? Anything?
The memories were fuzzy at first. Now I
can remember pretty much all of it. I remember thinking it was my fault we were
there, and thinking the entire thing had to be some nightmare. I kept waiting
to wake up from it.
I also remember it being really cold and
wet and icky. But I guess you don't hear much about people being murdered on a
bright, sunshiney day.
What was the biggest adjustment after you
first changed?
Not being able to see my family. Someday,
maybe I will. But I have some work to do before then so I don't scare my
parents senseless. Having a life, no matter how stagnant it might be, then
having it ripped out from under you is kind of a big thing. You lose your whole
sense of self and have to rebuild it all.
What’s your favorite part of being a
vampire, now that you’ve had a little time to adjust? Least favorite part?
There are some cool things about it. Our
senses aren't, like, super-human, but they're kind of...tuned better than a
human's, if that makes sense? I see and hear and feel the world with more
clarity than I did before.
My least favorite part? The food.
Ohmygod. Sometimes I get the worst cravings for something, like a huge
cheeseburger, but when I eat it, it tastes like cardboard. So disappointing.
Yeah, THAT would not make me happy. I had the BEST bacon cheeseburger this past weekend...but I guess you don't really want to hear about that.
If you could go back and do one thing
before becoming a vampire, what would it be?
If I were capable of changing something,
I'd make sure Sherry survived. If changing something was out of the question,
I'd at least make sure she knew how much I loved her, and how I still think
about her every day.
And I gotta ask—do/can vampires drink
coffee? I think I’d be lost without it. ;)
I was never much of a coffee drinker, to
be honest, but I was a complete soda junkie. You can drink it—Cole sometimes does—but the caffeine effect is lost on
us. It moves through our systems too quickly. Same goes for alcohol. You might
feel it for a few minutes, but then it's gone.
This was awesome. Thanks for having me!
Get your copy of Hollowed TODAY! It was a fabulous read and worth every penny!
All 18-year-old Briar Greyson wanted was to figure out this whole living-away-from-your-parents thing. Apartment, steady job, cool roommate? Check. Noah, her adorable (albeit elusive) boyfriend? Check. Everything in the life of Briar was pretty good.
Then she and her roommate are attacked on their way home one night. Briar wasn’t supposed to survive.
Instead, according to the two guys who saved her, she’s turning into the things that attacked her: a vampire. Totally crazy and Not Okay. Now Noah’s secrets are coming to light, and he wants Briar dead. Then there are the vampires who attacked Briar to lure out her sister.
Her sister…who died years ago.
(Didn’t she?)
The city’s body count is rising, and Briar wants to help put a stop to it. But first, she has to figure out who the real enemy is: the vampires, the boy she loves, or the sister she thought she’d lost.
You can join in the fun at YA Bound! Here's the rules (from their site):
It's that time again! We created a HOT meme, and if you're new to the game, here's how to join in the fun:
From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.
Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! We want to know :-)
Fun right?! So, this week, my "Swoon Thursday" come from Kate Hinderer's Emerald Isle as part of her ongoing blog tour! (We had other things planned, but life gets in the way, you know? But this meme really fit PERFECTLY.)
My expression must have conveyed the message loud and clear because in the next moment he wrapped his wet hands into my damp hair and pulled my face towards his. He kissed me so I nearly forgot where we were and why we were there. He kissed me and I kissed him back without a sound except for the pounding of my heart resonating in my ears.
-p83 (eARC)
I've pretty much just started Emerald Isle, but so far, I'm really quite enjoying it! Be sure to check out all of the other stops onthe Emerald Isle blog tour! Kate has some fabulous guest posts and reviews that you can check out! :) Get the blog tour schedule HERE!
Kate is a journalist by profession. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications such as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune special sections, The Milwaukee Business Journal, RelateMag, The SuperMelon, MercatorNet's Tiger Print blog, Sadie Magazine...
She started writing stories and novelettes in 7th grade. Her teachers thought she was copiously taking notes, but really she was penning stories about her classmates. That passion only increased in high school. The stories became longer and the passion for writing was deeply ingrained. As a junior she resurrected her school's student-run newspaper and opted to pursue a journalism career to harness her love for writing into a payable profession. Still the stories never stopped flowing.
Kate also writes a fashion and lifestyle blog called ModlyChic.
Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Michael A. Rothman to the blog as part of the Heirs of Prophecy tour! Today I asked Michael to write on a topic that piqued my interest when reading about him and his writing on his website: In the Heirs of Prophecy series, what role does the family as a whole play and what's your take on family dynamics and depictions in literature of kids and young adults?
Without further ado, welcome, Michael!!
As I’ve mentioned in some previous blog posts, the rule of thumb for most fiction today is that your young protagonist(s) must have a hectic home life. Assume they are either an orphan, have family issues of all varieties, or are otherwise stressed by their day-to-day situation.
My books are written in opposition to such norms, and headline protagonists which are likable, fallible, but otherwise should be very relatable. Everyone knows a brother who is a pain in the butt who you would protect with your own life, or an over-protective mother, etc. I aim to prove that the action and strife need not come from the family, but through the situations and adventures they are put through.
In HEIRS OF PROPHECY I strive to bring the family as a whole "Down the Rabbit Hole" from the modern world into the world of Trimoria. Unlike many novels which insist on depicting the family as an element of strife, I put the reader in a situation that forces them to think, "Well – what if this really happened to me and my family, how would we react and how could we handle it?"
In this tale, I put the two young protagonists into a situation that immediately makes note that they will become the focus of attention. Attention that they might not necessarily care for. Unlike today’s world, where the parents can control many of the elements of their children’s lives, the parents are integral to the process of adapting to this new world.
As a parent, they must try to protect their children, yet they too are embroiled in a miasma of confusion as they must learn to adapt to their surroundings as well.
As it becomes clear that the children are meant for greater things in this world, the parents must maintain guardrails as best they can, while the kids themselves must explore and push their way through this new world.
A child’s world and an adult’s world is very different, and the tale covers elements of both, while ensuring the kids are brought forth as the “main” characters in the story.
I’d point to one review I got from another author when he read the book, and it was his opinion that the approach I was taking was quite different than the norm – and unlike the traditional advocacies of “kill the parents” for Fiction – having a more wholesome traditional tale that involves families (all the good and bad involved with such) was a refreshing change from the norm.
"There is a sweetness and light to this novel that often seems missing in modern fantasy. I think that a wise reader will recognize that this is something the world needs, and has been waiting for."- David Farland, New York Times Bestselling Fantasy Author
Thank you so much for sharing, Michael! I love that the family gets to take the journey "down the rabbit hole" instead of leaving behind the parents and never wondering what they're thinking or up to!
The Riverton family had been enjoying a simple summer vacation when, through a fluke of nature, they found themselves in a strange new land.
The Riverton brothers quickly realize that in this world, they have gained unusual powers. Powers that their parents fear will attract the attention of Azazel himself - the merciless wizard who brutally controls this world.
The two brothers soon learn that an ancient prophecy has finally been initiated by their arrival in Trimoria. As the heirs of this prophecy, they are destined to lead the armies of men, dwarves, elves, and even a misfit ogre against the prophesied demon horde.
Only one thing stands in their way:
The evil wizard who has learned of their presence, and has sent assassins to wipe them from existence.
The TOOLS OF PROPHECY is the second volume in an epic saga which describes a prophecy that has placed the Riverton brothers in the lead roles of a struggle to save their world from being overrun by unspeakable horrors. This destiny requires that they face off with the demons that nearly destroyed their world over five centuries ago.
In the first book, the population of wizards had been practically eradicated by the former tyrant. The Rivertons are now charged with creating an Academy of Magic, recruiting qualified students, and furthering their own training with secrets that have long been held by the reclusive elves.
Despite their youth, a mysterious spirit has engaged them in an epic struggle to gain mastery of their newfound skills, help raise and train two armies, and stay alive long enough for their final showdown with destiny.
The only things that stand in their way are the assassins hired to destroy them and the Demon Lord’s minion who holds a personal grudge and intends to witness the young boys’ deaths.
Meet Michael!
I am an Army brat and the first person in my family to be born in the United States. This heavily influenced my youth by instilling a love of reading and a burning curiosity about the world and all of the things within it. As an adult, my love of travel allowed me to explore many unimaginable locations. I participated in many adventures and documented them in what will be a series of books, the first of which you have just read.
Some might put these books in the Fantasy genre, and I never had issues with this label. After all, the adventures were, without any doubt in my mind, fantastic. I simply quibble with the label of "Fiction" that some might put on these tales. These tales should be viewed as historical records, more along the lines of a documentary.
I've learned one thing over the years. Magic is real. Keep exploring, and you too will find your magic. - Mike Rothman
Today I have the pleasure of hosting an interview with Natalie and Tristan from The Dream Slayer! They're super fun so I hope you'll take a gander and read all the way down for a great e-book giveaway!
Welcome to Reading in the Corner, Natalie and Tristan! It's so great to have you both here today. :) Let's start with the basics--can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
Natalie: Thanks for having us here! It's so much fun to do something different! I'm Natalie, I'm 17. I live with parents and have an older married sister, who I sometimes see. Soon I'm going to be an aunty! Next year is my last of high school. Tristan: Score! This school thing is way more work than I was promised on that first day of Kindergarten. Natalie: *giggle* You thought your mother was waiting right outside. Tristan: Hey, that was supposed to be our secret….I'm Tristan Miller. I'm 17 and I live a few streets from Nat with my parents and our dog, Corky. I have a brother who moved to the big city of Burlington Vermont. He has a job on the news as an anchor or something like that. Hard to know more since he won't return our calls. Natalie: I call him stinky Rick face. Tristan: It's nicer than what I call him.
How long have you been friends? How did you meet?
Tristan: Since as far back as I can remember. Natalie: We met as babies at the park. Tristan followed me around with his shovel and we played in the sandbox. I was just starting to walk so I guess we were around one. Tristan: Hilarity and naptime ensued ever since. Except we stopped taking naps together by the time we were three. Natalie: Otherwise it'd be creepy. We've been in classes together and every summer we'd play and do something every day. Tristan: *smiles* Some things never change.
What do you like to do for fun?
Tristan: I have a popular school blog. Other than that, the normal stuff. Movies, TV. Youtube is a great school work distraction. Natalie: I love videos with kittens. Too bad my parents still have dial up. Tristan: I don't even know how that's possible.
What about you, Natalie?
Natalie: I love to read and sometimes I write poetry and short stories sometimes. When we're together we love to get coffee at the Magic Bean, go to the movies, or just hang out at Tristan's house. Oh, and I daydream *knowing smile*.
What's one random fact about you?
Natalie: I still sleep with my teddy bear from when I was a baby. And I have a pet hamster named Plucky because I wanted him to be a bird instead. Tristan: Hey, you cheated. That's two! Natalie: *giggle* Oops! Tristan: One random fact about me is I can whistle out my nose the Mission Impossible theme while drinking milks. Natalie: He's making that up. Tristan: Hey, get me a glass of milk and I'll prove it.
What makes you unique?
Natalie: Oh, nothing really except my dreams created a thinking, breathing, alternate dimension parallel to ours. Tristan: And I'm supposed to follow that how? Natalie: *shrugs* Tristan: I have the uncanny ability to sense danger and run in the opposite direction.
If you could do anything after you finish high school, what would it be?
Tristan: I want to go to college and become an investigative reporter that travels the globe. But first I'd like to backpack across Europe. Natalie: That sounds fun. Tristan: You can come with me. Natalie: *smile* I really just want to get through high school without dying! After that I'd love to open a boutique or something downtown. I love downtown.
What's it like living in Meadow Creek?
Natalie: We're really close to ski country, so during the winter I love the rush of people visiting. In the summer, there are some hikers and a lot of shops and restaurants close up, but it feels more intimate. We know everyone and can do normal, everyday stuff without the crowds. Tristan: What she's trying to say is that it's dull. Natalie: That's not true. I love it here. The mountains are gorgeous and we can go hiking whenever we want. Tristan: Except we never do. Natalie: Yeah, but we *could*.
Has it always been so weird?
Tristan: I want to say no, but the people that live here are eccentric and strange. Natalie: That's why he lives here *smirk* Tristan: I think maybe people are drawn to here. When we were kids we used to think that the circus clowns were possessed and we ended up stranded in a tent. Natalie: Mr. Buckle rescued us. Tristan: Right, which just proves, that yes, it is always been strange. That or I have an active imagination. Your guess is as good as mine.
Natalie, let's talk just a little about your dreams. Can you tell us a little about them?
Natalie: Like everyone else, when I dream sometimes I'm someone else. I'm taller, my hair is blond instead of brown and I have these crazy adventures and I always save the day. Sometimes they're campy, but they're always fun. I had no idea they were more than dreams until some of the dreams began to um, manifest in town. Tristan: It sounds creepier every time I hear you talk about it.
When did they start?
Natalie: I don't remember exactly when. I think I've always dreamt of her, even when I was little. I remember being 10 and dreaming I was blond, just like my older sister. But it was 2 years ago where in my dreams I became the slayer and I met Damien. Tristan: Oh, yay, we're talking about him now? Natalie: Just for a second, I'm done now.
And Tristan, has Natalie ever talked to you about her dreams?
Tristan: Only once stuff started getting tough. Now, yeah we've talked about it some. At first I admit I was really freaked out. Another dimension where we all exist and have lives different from this one? It's like having a twin that's you, and you have no control over them.
But then I realized it was kind of cool that another me was living in this world and he has a pretty cool life. I mean, I do. I mean… Natalie: It'll get easier the more you talk about it.
What are your thoughts on her dreams?
Tristan: It's hard to put my thoughts into words. I always thought Natalie was amazing and always felt like I was the only one who knew, you know? Oh , no offense, Nat…
Now our friends know she's amazing and I have to share her. What happens in our dreams affects us and vice versa. Imagine if that got out? Natalie: People would freak. Tristan: There would definitely be freaking.
Release Date: 29 June 2012 Publisher: Self-published Source: SupaGirl Book Tours
Book Description:
When your dreams come true, sometimes you get more than you bargained for...
Natalie Johnson has always dreamed she’s someone else; calm, beautiful, in control. A chosen warrior with a maniacal arch nemesis and a dreamy boyfriend, the type that can make your knees quiver and your heart melt.
Real life is much different. She’s tormented by a bully and endures the sharp tongue of her father, but finds solace in her dreams.
When her bully ends up dead, de ja vu from a dream hits her hard as everything around her begins to fall apart.
Whatever killed Sarah in her dreams is now in reality, hunting her from the shadows. And it wants her dead.
Somehow as the lines between reality and nightmare blur, Natalie must discover hidden strength to pull her friends and family back from the brink of madness.
Thanks for stopping by today! I'm excited to be hosting Emmy Laybourne today as part of the Monument 14 blog tour! She's stopped by today to talk about one of my favorite things about a good book--characters! Emmy's debut has a pretty good size cast, so I asked her to talk a little about how she went about developing them all. Read on to find out more about her characters and Monument 14. :)
On Crafting Good Side Characters
My debut novel Monument 14 has a bunch of characters in it - fourteen kids and a couple of adults thrown in, too! I really needed to be sure that the characters stood out from each other, so the reader would know who was who. But in terms of my writing process, I didn't want to draw up some kind of chart and try to set them all apart from each other in some phony kind of way. Instead I worked in a number of ways to really bring the characters to life.
One technique I used was to look to specific people from my life when envisioning characters. Niko, for example, is absolutely based on the son of a friend of mine. He's this very serious boy with big brown eyes and straight brown hair. He's thin and quiet and moves like he's a part of the f. There is nothing about the kid that is wild or impulsive - even his hair is completely straight.
Chloe, one of the most loud and funny characters in the book, is also based on a kid I know. It helped me, when I was writing her, because I could just focus on this other little kid (actually a boy) and try to imagine what he would say.
There are some characters you need to create, like the ones I just mentioned - others seem to be waiting, right in your imagination. Max was one of those characters. He was just hanging around in my mind, waiting to "get borned," as he might say. To tell you the truth, Max is a character that could kind of take over. In fact, I think I could write a side-novel to Monument 14, written entirely in his voice. It would be one hell of a story. Max has had a more interesting life than most of us, I think!
Another tool I used when creating the characters in Monument 14 were my acting skills. Working on films like Superstar and Nancy Drew, I really had to go deep into character work. I would work on characters for a long time - I would focus on how they walk and talk. I'd do housework in character and go shopping for clothes in character (and boy, did I ever come home with some horrible outfits!) I did the same type of work with my literary characters. Sometimes when I was writing I would speak the dialogue out loud. I'd imagine myself to be Sahalia and bam - something snarky and sarcastic would pop out of my mouth. Or I'd take on Jake's slow drawl to see what he had to say about a development in a scene.
I'll tell you, writing Monument 14 was hard for me, at times, because I came to really love my characters. They came to be real, living and breathing people in my imagination. I hated putting them in so much danger. And man, then I had to write the sequel! Talk about turmoil and despair!
Please read Monument 14 and let me know what you think of the characters! You can leave a message for me here or write to me at emmylaybourne.com. Thanks and safe reading!
Find out more about Monument 14, Emmy, and the Fierce Read tour!
Fourteen kids. One
superstore. A million things that go wrong.
In Emmy Laybourne’s
action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some
not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids
trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves
inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a
monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be
tearing the world—as they know it—apart.
Emmy began her
writing career as a playwright. The first play she wrote and performed
was called, The Miss Alphabet City Beauty Pageant and Spelling Bee. The
New York Post said it, “restores faith in our country’s comedic future.”
The Daily News called it, “hilariously clever.” Her next play,
Smorgas-Bourne, landed Emmy a starring role in the Paramount feature
film, Superstar, opposite Will Ferrel and Molly Shannon.
As an
actress, Emmy went on to have featured roles in the films “Nancy Drew,”
“The In-Laws,” and “Lucky Numbers.” She was a season regular on the NBC
sitcom “DAG,” and performed original comedy on Comedy Central, MTV, and
VH1. She has improvised with the Upright Citizens Brigade, Chicago City
Limits and the Heartless Floozies.
Emmy has performed original
comedy material throughout LA and New York, including the song she sang
with her brother, Sam, “We Can’t Make Love Because We’re Related.” In
addition to writing YA novels, Emmy is currently a Lyricist in the
prestigious BMI Musical Theater Writer’s Advanced Workshop, writing a
musical called "The Midnight Princess" with composer Paul Libman.
Macmillan has been kind enough to provide a copy of Monument 14 for giveaway to one lucky reader! Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance. US/Canada addresses only, please.
Hey, everyone! Welcome to today's Charade: Heven and Hell Tour stop! I'm so excited to have Cambria Hebert stopping by today to share with you a little more insight into her fabulous series and you have the special opportunity to get to know a very special character--Logan! So without further ado, take it away, Cambria! (PS~Be sure to read all the way to the end so you don't miss out on the fabulous giveaway!)
Hi
Everyone!
So
glad to be here today as part of the Charade Heven and Hell Tour!! Charade is
my newest novel in the Heven and Hell Series and is being released on May 18th.
I highly recommend you grab a copy and read it! (Did you think I would tell you
to not buy a copy? Lol)
Here
is a quick glance at the series so far:
Today,
we are going to be talking about one character in particular. This character is
relatively new to the series as he isn’t introduced until the end of
Masquerade. But, when he does enter the series he brings with him a lot of
mystery and suspicion. But, he also brings excitement for Sam. Why Sam? Because
Logan is Sam’s little brother.
Logan
is such an intriguing character that he has an entire novella dedicated to him!
That novella is Between. It really lets you know more about him and about where
Sam came from. It also gets you to raise your eyebrow in anticipation of
Charade to find out more about Logan.
We
are lucky enough that Logan has stopped by briefly to tell us about himself!
And be sure to stick around for the giveaway at the bottom of the post!
Welcome
Logan!
Logan:
Thank you for having me here.
Tell
us what is the best thing about being you?
Logan:
Having Sam for a brother.
What
is the worst thing about being you?
Logan:
*shifts uncomfortably* The lost time. Sometimes when I go to sleep I wake up
somewhere completely different than where I fell asleep. It’s scary and
confusing and I can’t remember anything that happened.
How
do you like your brother’s girlfriend, Heven?
Logan:
She’s all right. She spends a lot of time with Sam and she’s nice to me but I
can tell she doesn’t really like me. She just is nice because she has to be. I
would rather have Sam all to myself.
What
is your favorite thing to do?
Logan:
*smiles* Play video games.
You
live with Sam, now. Do you miss your parents?
Logan:
I miss what our family use to be. After Sam left nothing was the same, my
parents weren’t the same, so, right now? No, I don’t miss them. I miss who they
use to be when I was little.
What
else do you like to do besides play video games?
Logan:
Read comic books!
Thanks
for being here today Logan, it was fun getting to know you!
In
celebration of Between and Charade Logan brought along a short excerpt from
Between. Sit back, relax and get intrigued.
Between
Excerpt
* * *
That
night I dreamed of pain. Of wandering down a country back road that seemed to
cut right through a wooded mountain. It was so dark that I could barely see
three feet in front of me and it was eerily silent.
Then,
from behind, a tree branch snapped.
I
turned, looking over my shoulder, but nothing was there. I kept walking,
looking for something, trying to find my way home. It was cold out and all I
was wearing was a T-shirt. I tried to ignore the way my skin prickled with cold
and I jammed my icy fingers into the front pockets of my jeans.
Suddenly,
headlights flashed behind me, projecting a shadow of me across the ground. It
was long and distorted, far wider than I could ever be. I studied it, imagining
that I really did have those wide shoulders and head, that I looked that
menacing and intimidating. No one would mess with me then.
I
wasn’t concerned about the car closing in on me from behind, and I didn’t turn
around until it stopped right behind me. The driver got out, but was no more
than a dark figure, standing at the hood of the car, the headlight’s glare
making the person impossible to see.
“I
saw your car a few miles back. Did you run out of gas?” His voice was deep and
low and it sent shivers down my spine.
I
felt myself nodding.
“Nearest
gas station is ten miles. Hop in and I will give you a lift.”
Suddenly,
fear slammed into me. I couldn’t accept a ride from a stranger, even if it
meant walking ten miles to civilization. My heart started slamming against my
ribs and sweat prickled my skin.
“No,
thank you,” I told the driver.
I
saw him shrug and then climb back in the car. I heaved a relieved sigh and
began walking again. I waited for the driver to go on by, but he didn’t.
Instead, the engine revved and when I looked over my shoulder, the car was
barreling toward me at an impossible speed. With a great shout, I began to run
and dove off the road and into the trees.
The
trees were close together here; there was no way that car could fit between. I
watched in horror as the car backed up and then sped forward, slamming into one
of the trees. There was a great cracking sound as the tree split and began
falling toward the ground. Toward me.
I
ran. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, ignoring the pull and tugs of the
branches and the burning of my lungs. Then I stumbled.
And
fell.
I
fell forever, it seemed. My scream echoed around me, making it sound like I had
screamed a hundred times.
Suddenly,
I hit the ground and I heard the crunching of my bones. Pain exploded through
my limbs and I lay there, sweating and shaking. A figure floated into my
vision. Once again it was so dark I couldn’t see anything but the outline of
the body.
I
tried to get away, to get up and run. But my broken body wouldn’t move.
The
person standing over me began to laugh. A high-pitched laugh that never ended
and invaded my brain until it was all I heard. Every hair on my body stood on
end.
Abruptly,
the laughing stopped. The silence was so complete it was almost as loud as the
laughing had been. Then the figure—the person—bent closer. I flinched, waiting
for them to do something vile to me and wanting it to just be over.
But
he didn’t touch me.
He
whispered.
Welcome to Hell.
* * *
Thank
you all for being here today!! We hope you enjoyed the excerpt and learning
about Logan. Please stick around and
enter to win some prizes!
The
giveaway: One Ecopy of Between, One Ecopy of Charade, a Bookmark set, signed
and a magnet (featuring Sam) (Continue on for the Rafflecopter form!)
Have
a great day!
About Charade:
Dying at the hands of a psycho was a shock. Having my life returned to me by an angel was incredible. Being named a Supernatural Treasure and being given Sam as my guard was pretty darn awesome. Acquiring a debt for it all—well, I should have seen it coming.
Now here we are, fighting demons from Hell, caring for a boy that I just don’t trust, and traveling to faraway places to return a treasure to its rightful place. Nothing is as it seems. Everyone wears a mask; everyone puts on a charade. It’s up to us to separate the truth from the lies and reality from fiction. A hard task when my new reality involves fallen angels, witches and dragons… and did I mention Hell?
Anchoring me down through it all is Sam. Sam, who must face tragedies of his own and is put to the test again and again.
If we fail in our task, life as we know it—life as you know it—will end. Forever.
Cambria Hebert is an author who wrote her first book at the age of
fifteen. It was terrible. But the passion for writing never went away so
years later when she opened her laptop and started typing she worked
until she wrote a book – Masquerade - that she hopes everyone will be as
excited about as she is.
Cambria is obsessed with werewolves and is terrified of chickens
(they are creepy!) She is an animal lover that would choose coffee over
food and her favorite TV show is the Vampire Diaries (Hell-O Damon!)
When she isn’t writing you can find her stalking the young adult
aisles at Barnes and Noble.
I'm super lucky to be a part of the Pretty Amy blog tour! Today I have the author, the fabulous Ms. Lisa Burstein, stopping by to answer a few of my pressing questions about her awesome book! (Lisa's answers are in italics, questions in bold.)
The first thing that really struck me about Pretty Amy was how FUNNY it was at points. There were so many genuine laugh-out-loud moments! I loved it! If you have to pick one funny/snarky line that's your favorite, what would it be?
There are so many, but I love, "If bitching were karate, my mother would be a black belt."
Bahahahaha. I loved that line too. :)
If Amy had a theme song (like I'm sure many of us have imagined ourselves having at some point), what do you think it would be?
Criminal by Fiona Apple
Oh, I LOVE that song, lol! Perfect choice. :)
I thought Pretty Amy tackled a lot of important issues and themes without hitting you over the head with them, which is great in novels for teens. When you were writing Pretty Amy, what was the one thing (or most important thing) that you really wanted to get across to readers?
That other people feel what they are feeling. I think one of the hardest things about being a teen is how alone you can feel- how you think no one understands you. I want them to know I do.
I always hear about writers having to cut characters during early edits. Now, Pretty Amy has quite the cast and I thought they were all really great. Were there any unique characters in the first drafts of Pretty Amy that didn't make it into the final version?
Actually characters were added in, if you can believe it! Aaron and Joe were not in the original version. You can thank my editor for that. :)
Thank you, kind editor, for giving us the boys. :D
Amy struck me as a very realistic young woman. What would you say was the biggest challenge in crafting her character? (If there was one.)
To make her likeable, or at least someone you would sympathize with. I am good that the snark, the soft stuff is harder for me.
Who is the one person you are MOST nervous about reading your book?
My mom! Glad to report, she read it and loved it and still loves me. Now, it would be my husband (I never let him read drafts).
I don't let my husband read anything I write--even my resume. :)
I read/saw somewhere that you're going to be writing a companion novel about Cassie. Can you tell us anything about that? (I'm excited about it, by the way.)
Thank you. DEAR CASSIE follows Cassie's post-prom arrest to a rehabilitation retreat in the woods, told in Cassie's irreverent voice via her diary entries.
I can't WAIT for DEAR CASSIE! Thanks so much for answering my questions, Lisa!
Lisa
Burstein is a tea seller by day and a writer by night. She received
her MFA in Creative Writing from the Inland Northwest Center for Writers
at
Eastern Washington University and is glad to finally have it be worth
more than the paper it was printed on. She lives in Portland, Oregon
with her very patient husband, a neurotic dog and two cats. Pretty Amy
is her first novel. She never went to her senior prom.
She wrote her first story when she was in second grade. It was a
Thanksgiving tale from the point of view of the turkey from freezer to
oven to plate. It was scandalous.
She was a lot like Amy when she was in high school.
, or Naturals
for only $4.99 for your Kindle!
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