Today is the Release day of OBUMBRATE by Alivia Anders

Today is the release of Obumbrate the second book in Alivia Anders YA series! To celebrate enjoy my fun interview with the author! Does she like vampires or werwolves, is she a Twilight or a Hunger Games fan! You can find all that and more fun questions in my interview with the author below! Don't forget to get your copy of Obumbrate today!

Here is a little about Obumbrate:

Obumbrate is the sequel to Illumine, and it continues almost immediately where the first book left off. Essallie is still coming to terms with her newfound power, that's she is half-human half-angel. She's beginning to discover that things have been set up for her so far down the road, it's almost as if fate is playing the deck against her; Kayden's hand is unknown, newcomer Ari's hand is unknown, so much is left in the air and no one is telling her anything. It looks like this time it'll be up to her to step up to the plate and take action.
You can buy Obumbrate at Barnes & Noble (ebook, paperback, and hardback) or Amazon (ebook, paperback, and hardback) or grab signed copies from my website, theillumineseries.com!

Now for some fun Bookie Questions:


Favourite book as a child and why?

Three way tie of Harry Potter, The Bartimaeus Trilogy, and the SWEEP Series. All of them had heroes I could relate to in some fashion, and all of them had an essence of magic about them that blended beautifully with a sense of realism.

Favourite YA release of 2012 so far?
The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe. However, I am DYING to get my hands on A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink. Read two pages and was hooked.

Favourite genre and why?

YA, easily. Specifically in the YA genre, Fantasy and Paranormal. I'm a sucker for faeries, vampires, werewolves, angels, demons, you name it.

Thoughts on book covers, do you judge a book by its cover, what do you like to see in a cover?



I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I do. It's probably why I haven't picked up Anna and the French Kiss even though EVERYONE says it's a kick butt book.


If you could have written any book what would it be and why?


A hybrid of Libba Bray's A Great & Terrible Beauty and Jonathan Stroud's The Amulet of Samarkand. Bartimaeus' wit and sarcasm still give me giddy goosebumps to this day, and Gemma Doyle's world within her magic still captures my heart.

If you could have dinner with two authors who would they be and why?

JK Rowling and Cassandra Clare! Rowling for obvious reasons (a woman who started with nothing and rose to ultimate levels of power? Love it!) and Clare because she seems like a very approachable, fun woman who I could joke with all night over dinner.

Quick fire book questions:

Werewolf or vampire?

Vampire! I'm a fang lover. Just watch my Twitter feed during True Blood season.


Witch or Zombie?


Witch! Potions galore!


Hunger Games or Twilight?


Twilight, but I can't give an accurate answer seeing as I've seen all the Twilight movies/read all the books, but haven't seen or read anything of the Hunger Games.


YA or adult?


YA! Long live drama and strife and hormones and tortured love!


Romance or paranormal?

Paranormal! I love romance, but paranormal is the way to my heart

 
Some other quick fire questions:

Beach or Lake?

Beach! Sand, salty air, and a nice breeze. That would be the life.

Ice cream or Forzen Yougurt?

Ice cream! Did you know they make a sea salt ice cream recipe like the one used in Kingdom Hearts? I nearly jumped for joy when I saw that!


Corverse or High heels?

Converse! I have a Coach pair of converse I scored for $30 at Macy's once. Best deal ever!


Austrailia or Calafornia?

Australia! Why? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney. I need say no more.


Swimming or surfing?


Swimming! I'm too chicken to surf. I'll keep thinking a shark is watching me, waiting to chomp off a leg.


Why should we read your book in one sentence?

Obumbrate is a book full of adventure, love, mystery, and magic, and should be on your 2012 Must Read list!

Alivia Anders, Author

http://aliviaanders.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/aliviaanders

YA Feature: Janice Grove & #Giveaway

This weeks YA feature author is Janice Grove. I hope you enjoy the interview with Janice. And don't forget to check out the international giveaway at the end, where you could win the first two books in the series in paperback! Happy Reading!

Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

Well, that’s a tough one. Oh, not about how I got into writing, that’s easy – I’ve always had a story and/or different characters running through my head. It’s the telling about myself that’s hard since I’m just… well…me.

Can you tell us a little bit about your novel The Rain Song, the first in a series of books?

Well, you have a small family in small town America who is living out their dream of taking in disadvantaged kids. However, their latest arrival is a bit more on the paranormal side than they even dreamed possible. While trying to adapt to his needs and help him overcome his past, all while learning how to keep him safe, they find out their son (who came to them 6 years previous with no memory of his past… not even his name) and this little boy’s past, present and future are intertwined. Now, they have to learn how keep both boys safe from those determined to either kill them or use them for their own purposes, all while allowing the boys to fulfill their destinies. Also, and this is very, very important, the series is one continuous story broken up in parts… which means you have to start at the beginning and work your way through, otherwise you won’t know what’s going on in the other books.

Where did you get the idea for the series?

Well, I’m a big Supernatural fan and I started thinking about the brothers’ bond and kept wondering ‘what if…?’ The next thing I knew, both David and Micah were having their adventures in my head and wouldn’t leave me alone until I wrote everything down!

In your books there is paranormal/fantasy elements with demons etc, what genre would you class your books as and is this the genre you prefer to write in. If so why. Also is there any other genre you would like to try?

Oh wow… you know, I have such a hard time with trying to fit the story in any one genre. You have family saga, paranormal, a bit of fantasy with the sci-fi element, and I’ve even been told it would fit nicely under urban fantasy. Can I just say it’s a hodge podge of everything fiction and let the reader decide for themselves? As far as any other genre I’d like to try… sure, what do you have listed, I’m willing to give it a go!

There are currently two books released in the series. How many do you plan on releasing?

Well, originally there was to be six in the series, however due to the word count we had to combine the 2^nd and 3^rd books together so now there will be a total of five… each one named after a Led Zeppelin song. And yes… they are already written and just waiting very impatiently to be edited and released!

Why should we read the series in one sentence?

It tugs at you and won’t let go.

Some Bookie Questions:

Name one book you wish you had written and why?

The Stand. It’s an awesome book in my opinion, and one that I’ve read so many times I’ve worn out my paperback copy.

If you could invite two authors past or present to dinner who would they be and why?

Mark Twain because he had such a cunning wit, I’d love to hear what he has to say about changes in the world today. And, I know he’s not an author but, Morgan Freeman because I find him and his views on life fascinating.

If you were trapped on a desert island which two books would you bring with you and why to keep you company while you wait on being rescued? Can't be your own books.

Well I’m assuming that there’s only two books because my tablet didn’t survive the trip – lol! Two books…well, I guess the first one would have to be a new copy of The Stand because…well, my current copy is disturbingly worn out. The other would probably be How to Fix Practically Anything, so I would be able to rescue myself! :)

If you could have any book made into a movie what would it be and why? Not one of your books he he.

Many years ago I read a book called My Sister’s Keeper where a younger sister had to basically step up and protect her older sister and get her to safety after the town they lived in caught fire and was destroyed. It’s always stuck with me because as I was reading it, I could actually see the scenes play out in my head like I was actually there, as well as pulled out a range of emotions throughout the book. I figure if a story can do that… it deserves recognition on the big screen.

Final word from the author....

Yes! I’d like to say Thank You to everyone who has encouraged and supported me this far as well as those who are willing to give me a shot in the future!

Stalk the author:

www.janicegrove.com

j@janicegrove.com

Janices books are available @

http://www.amazon.com

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

http://www.booksamillion.com

as well as your local bookseller!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: Roxanne St Claire

Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

Like so many writers, I’m a lifelong reader. After every great book, I would wistfully wonder if I had it in me...if I could make someone feel the way that author had made me feel. After one particular fabulous novel, I decided it was time to try. I was hooked from page one, sold my first book about two years later (not that manuscript, however -- I sold my second) and haven’t looked back for ten years and thirty books!

Can you tell us a little about your new novel Don't You Wish?

This is my first young adult novel, born (like my writing career) because I am a huge YA reader -- have been for years. Don’t You Wish is the story of Annie Nutter, who thinks of herself as invisible and unremarkable, but gets thrown to an parallel universe where she is anything but invisible --she’s gorgeous, rich, popular, and powerful. It doesn’t take her long to learn that the price for that perfection is very, very high. Will she pay it? Can she not?

Where did you get the idea for Don't You Wish?

This book was truly inspired by real life. Like Annie’s mother, I was once perusing Architectural Digest magazine and came across a 25,000 square foot jaw-dropper of a mansion...owned by my ex-boyfriend. When my teenage daughter saw it, I told her how I knew the owner. Instantly, she imagined what her life would have been like if I’d have married that man instead of the (wonderful but not 25,000-square-foot-house-wonderful) man I did marry. I tried to convince her that she wouldn’t be, well, herif she had a different father. But her questions inspired the whole book.

In your book Don't You Wish, your main character plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dads inventions into a parallel universe where her life becomes perfect. If you could be zapped into a parallel universe what do you think your life would be like there?

Good question! If I learned anything from writing this book, it’s this: no matter how amazing someone’s life looks like from the outside, it might not be the one you want. I’m going to stick with this universe. But, in a perfect world? I would have had at least three more kids! The chauffeur would have been nice, too.

From the description of your book I think it would make an awesome movie. Who could you picture playing your main character Annie and why?

And Don’t You Wish has been optioned for film!!! The script is done (I had a chance to consult, and that was just such a crazy fun experience) and is being read by multiple stars, including my first choice: Selena Gomez to play Annie/Ayla. For Charlie, her love interest? I need a 17 year old Ashton Kutcher. Any suggestions?

Why should we read Don't You Wish in one sentence?

Because it’s a completely fun escape from reality that will make you think and feel and laugh and cry!  And Charlie is hot. 

Final word from the author.....

Just to say thank you so much for inviting me here today! I’m happy to answer more questions in the comments section!

Don't You Wish is released July 10th. You can pre-order it here: Amazon

Stalk the author:

www.roxannestclaire.com

www.facebook.com/roxannestclaire

www.twitter.com/roxannestclaire

Author Interview: Leah Scheier

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got into writing?

I'm a pediatrician by day, writer by night, and mom to my three daughters all around the clock. I've always wanted to be an author for children but sometime during high school, wise adults convinced me that writing was not the smartest career choice, unless I wished to spend my life waiting sadly by my mailbox for the publisher's letter which would never come. So I chose pediatrics. Medical school and residency and three small children filled up every waking moment for many years, but when I was finally done I discovered that I had free time on my hands. So in the evenings after office hours were over and my kids were in bed, I took up writing again. I worked on Secret Letters for a year and a half, and when it was done I wrapped it up and lovingly stowed it under my bed-- which is where it would have stayed, if my husband hadn't fished it out and encouraged me to at least "give it a try."

Can you tell us a little about your debut novel, Secret Letters?

Secret Letters is the story of 16- year -old Dora Joyce, a girl born into a wealthy family who, after her mother's death, discovers that her real father may be Sherlock Holmes. The news, though shocking at first, inspires Dora to study criminal detection in the hope that she may one day meet her new idol and reveal her secret to him. When she finally arrives in London, however, she discovers that Sherlock Holmes has just been killed. Though her dreams are shattered, she is more determined than ever to pursue her goal, and when she meets apprentice investigator Peter Cartwright she jumps at the chance to help him solve the mystery of a kidnapped heiress. Together the two amateur detectives uncover a murder, scandals and a blackmail plot, and discover a whole host of secrets-- about their noble clients and about themselves.

Where did you get the idea for Secret Letters?

As a teen I loved the Sherlock Holmes stories. I couldn't help wondering what the detective's daughter might have been like, if he had had one. Those daydreams became Dora.


  

Secret Letters is YA historical fiction. Is this a genre you like to read yourself, if so what are some of your fave YA historical reads?

I love all historical fiction, both YA and adult. My favorite YA historical would have to be Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief. Adult historicals which could appeal to a YA audience: anything by Tracy Chevalier, especially Falling Angels and Girl with a Pearl Earring, and Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth.

I like the cover of Secret Letters it looks very "old fashioned" if that is the right word, it looks a perfect fit for an historical book set in London. Who designed it and did you have much say in the designing process?

The photo and design was by David De Rossy and L. Lockett. I don't think authors typically get a whole lot of say in their covers. Design isn't my specialty, but obviously judging by the stunning cover, Hyperion has amazing artists working for them! I absolutely loved the cover when I first saw it. My editor sent me the rough copy and said "what do you think?" My reply had a lot of exclamation points!

How are you feeling about releasing your first novel? :)

Terrified and obsessed: not a healthy combination. Also immensely grateful.

Why should we read Secret Letters in one sentence?

Dora is the independent, witty and slightly over-confident heroine you will want to be and Peter is the hot, mysterious tease you will want to flirt with.

Final note from the author....

For my UK readers, a little disclaimer: because the novel is being published by a US publisher the spelling is American English. No offence/offense was intended to our neighbors/neighbours across the pond; I appreciate your sense of humor/ humour about this detail.

Please visit my website www.leahscheier.com and write to me through my contact page if you have a question or a comment about Secret Letters. Teachers, if you would like to set up a skype chat with your classroom send me a message!

I'm new to twitter: you can follow me at https://twitter.com/#!/LeahScheier

My facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/leahsecret

You can buy my book at :

Book Depository

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Powells.com

Author Interview: Annabel Monaghan

Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into writing?
I always wanted to be a writer, but took the longest possible route to get here. I studied literature and writing in college and dreamed of moving to New York to become a writer, but couldn’t quite figure out how that was going to pay the bills. So instead I took a job at Goldman Sachs, which led me to business school to get an MBA in finance (can you see how off track I am here?!) and then to a few more years in investment banking. I later quit that career to be home with my kids, and it wasn’t until I was 37 that I finally wrote something.

My friend Elisabeth Wolfe and I wrote Click! The Girls Guide to Knowing What You Want and Making it Happen, a non-fiction guide to positive thinking for teenage girls, in 2007. Elisabeth practically dared me to write it with her, and that got me started finally doing what I love to do.

Can you tell us a little about your YA novel A Girl Named Digit?

A Girl Named Digit is the story of a teenage math genius who accidentally cracks the code of a terror network and has to be fake kidnapped for her own protection. While under the care of the FBI, she helps crack more codes to catch the bad guys and falls in love with the dreamiest possible young FBI agent. The story takes place is Los Angeles and New York, the two cities where I have spent most of my life. It’s suspenseful mystery-thriller-comedy combo, but it’s mostly about coming to terms with your gifts and talents rather than hiding from them to fit in.

You got the idea for Digit in 2007 while talking to a friend about a kidnapping in the news, from then how has the process been from writing to publishing?

The process has been slow but fun. I don’t think I actually started writing anything until 2009. I just started by writing a scene about a fake kidnapping, imagining the hysteria at home while Digit watched the whole thing on TV, safe and amused. It evolved from there and was great fun to write. The publishing process was pretty painless. I worked with a great editor who is fun, smart and experienced. The only hiccups were the many many cover design changes and many many title changes. But in the end I think we got it right.

What has the reaction to Digit been so far?

Really great. The reviews have been very positive and plentiful. Every time I read one I want to write the reviewer a thank you note. A couple of reviewers have commented that it made them think about themselves and their own gifts and how they might quit hiding from them. That makes me want to send flowers along with the thank you notes!

There will be a sequel to Digit where shegoes to college, what are your thoughts on the transition Digit will go though from high school to college? What more trouble can she get into?

Oh my, how much trouble she is getting into. Now that Digit’s in the bigger world, she’s faced with more opportunities to get into bigger trouble. As a freshman at MIT, she has an abundance of information at her fingertips and has now become a threat to national security. The sequel takes everything up a notch.

Why should we read A Girl Named Digit in one sentence?

Read it because it is fun, and life’s supposed to be fun. And if you see a little bit of yourself in Digit and learn a little something, then that’s just a bonus. Shoot, that was two sentences.

　

A Girl Named Digit is available to buy now:

 

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

 

Stalk the author:

 

The Offical Website of Annabel Monaghan

 

Annabel Monaghan | Facebook

Twitter: @AnnabelMonaghan

Author Interview: Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Today I would like to welcome author Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick to my blog. Marie- Louise is the author of YA novel Dark Warning. You can check out my review of Dark Warning here . Enjoy the interview!

Also quick note come back next week where I will be giving away some copies of Dark Warning thanks to Orion Books!

Can you tell me a little about yourself and how you got into writing?

I’ve been writing and illustrating picturebooks for years. I never thought I’d write novels but a character called G started chattering in my head and the idea for Timecatcher, my first novel, just wouldn’t go away. I knew a novel was going to need a whole new set of writing skills and take a lot of work but I had to do it!



For all those that haven't heard of your YA novel Dark Warning can you tell us a little about it?

It’s about a young girl, Taney, who realizes she has second sight and struggles to come to terms with it. She also astral projects, only they didn’t call it that back in the late 1700s so I’ve called it ‘floating’.

She’s an outsider and gets together with another outsider, a young boy called Billy-the-bowl , who lives on the streets. Billy is based on a real Dublin character my gran told me about when I was a kid. He’s a handsome charmer but was born with no legs and moves around the city in a little bowl on wheels. He sees the possibilities of Taney’s gift and leads her into gambling dens and seedy places. Meanwhile working at charring with her stepmother allows Taney glimpses into the lives of the 'Quality' – wealthy Dubliners.

Then young servant girls begin to be attacked on the streets at night and Taney is a reluctant witness.


What I really liked about Dark Warning is that it is set in Georgian Dublin. I personally don't like to read books set in a "historical" back round as such but I LOVED it I think it is an amazing setting for the book. How much research did you have to do to get the setting right etc?

Loads! I need to be able to see my story inside my head in order to write it so I had to know what Dublin looked like then and how people from different classes lived. I love history but I hate when I read novels and the research is plonked in big heavy wodges on the page; it interrupts the flow of the story for me. When I'm writing I really want the reader to see what I’m seeing, but the characters and story have to come first so I try to do so much research that it just weaves its way in there without my really doing it consciously.

I loved the dialect of the book with the irish phasing and sayings. Do you think that using the dialect may be hard for some readers to understand if they aren't familar with it?

The story is told in first person through Taney. She’s a young girl from the mean streets of Dublin so I had to give her an accent! I loved writing her; her voice was really strong inside my head. I’ve
kept her accent pretty light though, so I think/hope it will take readers just a few pages to get the hang of it. Billy and some of the other characters have stronger accents.
The cover of Dark Warning is striking. It is one of the things that made me pick it up and see what it was about. How much say did you have in the cover design and what are your thoughts on it?

Not much! I did ask the publishers to take out a fence along the field – there wouldn’t have been wooden fences in Ireland back then. I think it’s a great cover but if I’m honest I’d have liked something urban – Taney running up a narrow street, maybe, preferably at night!


Would you ever consider writing another book about the character Taney from Dark Warning?

I’d love to spend some time with her again and see what she gets up to next. Her second sight would allow her to get involved in all sorts of adventures...
Are you currently working on any new projects?

I’m in the middle of editing my next novel. It may be called Hagwitch Summer, I'm not sure yet. It’s set in London, present day and Tudor, and there’s a creepy puppet at its centre. I’m also working on a new picturebook called Ellie.
Why should we read Dark Warning in one sentence?

It’s part coming of age story, part psychic adventure, part historical tear-jerker - if you like any of those you'll like this!


Last word from the author.....

The first chapter is available to read on the Dark Warning page of my website, and thanks a million for inviting me to visit your blog!


Stalk the author:

www.marielouisefitzpatrick.com

The FB page for Marie-Louise's YA novels is called Timecatcher, the novel:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Timecatcher-the-novel/125645057461347


Buy Dark Warning:

Amazon

Dubray Books

Waterstones

Review: Dark Warning by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Book: Dark Warning
Author: Marie- Louise Fitzpatrick
Publisher: Orion Books ( www.orionbooks.co.uk )
Pages: 248 pages
Obtained copy from library

Dark Warning is a great read from author Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick. From page one I was intrigued by protagonist Taney Tyrell. Taney is a young girl growing up in Dublin in the late 1700's. Taney from a young age noticed she was different. She saw things before they happened, she has the gift of second sight.

Taney doesn't know what to make of her second sight. Her father is scared of her abilities and tells her they are wrong and her stepmother thinks its the work of the Devil. Only her new friend Billy the Bowl thinks its a great and wonderful gift to have and she should embrace it and use it.

When servant girls start to be strangled and robbed and Taney bares witness to this when she floats (She leaves her body behind) she must decide if her second sight is a gift or a curse.

Dark Warning is an intriguing read. It's not only about the mystery of the strangler but of a young girl growing up and trying to find herself, wanting to better herself and overall about a friendship between two people. In Billy, Taney see's someone who is liked by everyone, he is fun and he doesn't judge her ability or be scared of it. He is her friend.

Billy has had a hard life, being brought up by nuns who then sent him to the House of Industry, an awful place where the poorest of the poor live and work. They are virtually "owned" by the House of Industry and Billy has survived it and is making the most out of life. All this would be hard for anyone but for Billy it was harder, he had no legs. Thus his name was Billy the Bowl as he travels around in a special bowl made for him. Billy really cares for Taney as does Taney for Billy. Even when Taney finds out that Billy used her in a way, she still cares for him and wants to help him. Taney is a really likeable character.

Overall Dark Warning is full of great characters from all walks of life, from the poor to the rich. They all play a part in the story. The writing takes you back to the old streets of Dublin which seems like a world away and immerses you into the lifes of the characters. The mystery of the Strangler kept me wanting to turn the pages and Taney as the main protagonist kept me hooked. Dark Warning is a book I would highly recommend!

5/5 STARS