Author Interview: Natasha Farrant author of The Things We Did for Love

Hi! I am excited to bring you an interview with author Natasha Farrant. Author of The Things We Did for Love. I really enjoyed her novel, you can check out my review here! I hope you enjoy my interview with Natasha and don't forget to leave some comment love below!

A little about Natasha:

I’ve always wanted to write. I know everyone says that, but it’s true. I could never imagine myself doing anything else. That said, it took me a while to buckle down to it. For ages I just felt that I didn’t have anything to say, so I did the next best thing when I left university and went to work in publishing instead. I still work in publishing, and I love my job but for any aspiring writers out there who are hesitating to put pen to paper, I would just like to quote something I read recently in Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: “I don’t think you have time to waste not writing because you are afraid you won’t be good at it.” In other words – just get on with it!

For all those that don't know what The Things We Did For Love is about. Can you tell us in a few sentences?

It’s a love story set in occupied France towards the end of World War 2. The tagline on the cover is Resistance – Heartbreak – Betrayal which I think tells you all you need about the plot without giving away the story… It’s about heroism and sacrifice and jealousy and war as well as friendship and love and finding your place in the world.



Where did you get the idea for The Things We Did For Love?

The book is inspired by true events which took place in a village close to where my parents live in France. Again, I don’t want to give away the plot, but visiting that was one of the most sobering and moving experiences of my life. You can’t help but feel the ghosts there – and being a writer, you can’t help but want to tell its story.

What has the response so for been for The Things We Did For Love?

Well, I never read reviews unless they are shoved in front of me, and people only tend to do that with good ones… So I know that I have had some lovely reviews, and my publishers tell me that “everything is on track”, which I assume means it’s going well! Seriously, though, I have had wonderful feedback from readers saying the book has been a real eye-opener for them. One told me she just couldn’t read anything else for days afterwards. That was nice.

The Things We Did For Love is your first YA book. How has the writing experenice been compared to writing adult books?

I think I was much more aware of my audience. Teenage readers are demanding – quite rightly so. I wanted to live up to those demands by paring out anything extraneous to the story while delivering a book strong on ideas, pace and emotion. I hope I’ve succeeded. It’s certainly really made me tighten up my writing.

Do you plan on writing any more YA books?

Yes! In fact, I have just delivered my next book. It’s called AFTER IRIS, it’s set in contemporary London and it’s about a family coming together again after the death of one of the siblings has blown it apart. It’s very warm and funny and sad and I love it so much sometimes I recite bits of it to myself to go to sleep… I know that sounds weird, but it’s the truth!

When I was reading The Things We Did for Love I could picture the scenes before me, the devastation of war. Do you think it helps though books, such as your novel, it helps us younger readers understand the horrors of the second world war?

I hope so. We are so exposed to images of war through the media that we have become desensitised to them. Books require us to engage with characters and story on a different level. By making us use our imagination they enable us to project something of ourselves into the narrative, and so the emotional punch can be stronger, especially if we care about the characters. I’ve always been fascinated by war and also by the disparities in the ways we apprehend it – the glamour and heroism so at odds with the miserable, brutal reality. Books can address that much better than a news bulletin ever can. Readers have told me how much they loved the village I’ve described and how they wept at the end because they felt they had lost people they loved – that can only ever be a tiny reflection of what real war feels like, but it’s a start.

Why should we read The Things We Did For Love in one sentence.

Because, to quote the Sunday Times recently, “this small novel packs in the subjects of love, first sex, betrayal, resistance and military atrocity”- it will make you cry, it will make you dream and it will make you think.

Stalk Natasha ;)


www.natashafarrant.com

Twitter: @natashafarrant1


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Natasha-Farrant/236532149774119



Books can be bought on amazon.co.uk

Author Interview: Jennifer E. Smith author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Hi! I was really happy when Jennifer agreed to an interview on my blog. I loved The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight her recent YA release. You can check out my review here! Enjoy the interview and be sure to leave a comment for Jennifer and don't forget to check out The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight!   



A little about Jennifer:

I’ve wanted to be a writer for what feels like forever, though I guess I never quite dared to believe that I might someday be published. In many ways, they’re two different things entirely – writing and publishing – and even now, the writing is the thing that’s most important. The rest is all just icing on the cake.

Can you tell us a little about your lastest YA release The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight?

It’s a love story about two teenagers who meet on a flight from New York to London, and the whole book takes place over the course of twenty-four hours.

Where did you get the idea for The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight?

I really wanted to explore the idea of fate. In the book, Hadley misses her flight by just four minutes, and that ends up changing everything for her. If she hadn’t been running late, she wouldn’t have missed the plane. And if she hadn’t missed the plane, she wouldn’t have been sitting next to Oliver. And if she hadn’t met Oliver, her life – or at the very least that day – would have been completely different. It’s so interesting to me how the littlest things can have such enormous ripple effect, and I wanted to play that out over the course of a single day in the life of these characters.

I really enjoyed the story of Hadley and Oliver. What has the response been from fellow readers?

It’s been wonderful – just really, really exciting. This isn’t my first book, and while I’m very proud of my two previous ones, the response to Statistical Probability has been so incredible. I’m thrilled that readers are responding to this story, and it’s been so much fun to hear from so many of them about it. There’s nothing more gratifying for a writer.

 

Why should we read The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight in one sentence?

Because if four minutes can change your life, imagine what a whole book could do!

Any new projects in the works?

My first middle grade novel, The Storm Makers, just came out this month, and I’m currently finishing up my next YA book, another love story called This Is What Happy Looks Like, which will be out in 2013.

Finally do you believe in love at first sight?

I do! I mean, it’s never happened to me, but I’m both an optimist and a romantic, so I’d like to believe it’s possible. You never know…

 

You can buy the book here:

Indiebound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780316122382

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/statistical-probability-of-love-at-first-sight-jennifer-e-smith/1102212870?ean=9780316122382&itm=1&usri=the+statistical+probability+of+love+at+first+sight

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Statistical-Probability-Love-First-Sight/dp/0316122386/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324508819&sr=8-1

Stalk Jennifer:

www.jenniferesmith.com

Facebook fanpage is here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-E-Smith/302060123163512

Twitter @ JenESmith

YA Feature: Kathleen Peacock author of forthcoming release Deadly Hemlock

Hi! I am excited to bring back my feature introducing new/upcoming YA Authors every Friday. I haven't posted many in a while as I had been  busy, so its great to start it up again. To start us of I want you to all met Kathleen Peacock author of upcoming release Hemlock or Deadly Hemlock for all us in the UK. Hemlock is Kathleen's debut novel and will be released on May 8th by Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins in the US and on July 5th by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books in the UK. Enjoy the interview and leave some comment love for Kathleen below!

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

I’m Canadian. I like The Smiths and Doctor Who. I have a diploma in graphic design.
As a teen, I spent all of my spare time reading, writing, or watching anime. I stopped writing just before going to college but rediscovered my love of it when I began blogging.



Can you tell us a little about your debut novel HEMLOCK. (DEADLY HEMLOCK IN THE UK)

Hemlock is part murder mystery and part werewolf tale. With kissing. And the hint of a ghost story.

Here’s the back cover copy from the UK edition which will be released in the UK on July 5th by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books (because they summed it up better than I can):

                                                                                                               

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s Killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine Syndrome ­- the werewolf virus – is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control and the Trackers are determined to stop those with Lupine Syndrome, at any cost.

Unwilling to work with the brutal Trackers, but desperately wanting to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. But the deeper she delves into the mystery behind Amy’s death, the more secrets she discovers lurking in the shadows of Hemlock. Secrets that should have been left untold. Secrets that will change her life forever.

Where did you get the idea for Hemlock?

A scene popped into my head while I was walking to work one day. I didn’t have all of the details figured out, but I knew Mac, Jason, and Kyle were friends and that they were being torn apart by secrets. I also knew that werewolves were commonplace and that there was a group dedicated to hunting them down.

How does it feel to be releasing your debut novel?

Equal parts thrilling and terrifying. It’s like an emotional rollercoaster. It helps that Hemlock is the first in the trilogy—having the other two books to focus on is a nice distraction.

Why should we read Hemlock in one sentence?

Because, to borrow a line from Doctor Who, “It’s bigger on the inside.”

Stalk Heather:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4124788.Kathleen_Peacock
Twitter: @kathleenpeacock


Head to Katherines website for more details on where to pre-order:


Website: www.kathleenpeacock.com
http://kathleenpeacock.com/deadly-hemlock-uk-edition/

Guest Post: UK Connections by Karly Kirkpatrick & #Giveaway

UK Connections

Okay, I’m gonna go ahead and say it, if I could live anywhere in the world, I would LOVE to live in the UK . I am a completely hopeless Anglophile in every sense of the word. To me it has great people, great books, great beer and the coolest towns on the planet. I’ve loved it since I was little, and it’s only grown over time. My family traces its ancestry to Ireland and the UK, representing England and Scotland. In fact, my last name is Scottish and we still have a castle there. Okay, it’s not technically *mine*, but it does sound cool and some Kirkpatricks do live there.

My more recent connections to the UK started in the 9^th grade. We were allowed to purchase pen pals for a dollar from some organization at school. I signed up for a bunch, and received one from a girl in Ulverston, England. We wrote back and forth for years and finally met when my pen pal, Liz, invited me over for a visit. She and her family were the most gracious hosts and we toured around northwest England, visiting not only the cute town of Ulverston, but Barrow-in-Furness, Kendal and the Lakes District, and some farther destinations of Liverpool and Edinburgh, before winding up the trip in London.

Liz and I stayed in touch after that as well, through boyfriends, then engagements, and then marriage. I was invited to hers, and she to mine, but sadly our schedules just didn’t align. We both now have children, and we send presents back and forth a few times a year. I later met her husband, Adrian, through the wonders of Facebook and he is now my proofreader, catching all my mistakes before my books hit the stores.

I returned to London in 2006 (btw, one of my FAVE cities), but our time there was short and I couldn’t make it up to Leeds, where they now live. But we’re planning that for 2013. As for 2012, I’m actually meeting up with Liz, Adrian, and the kids in Rome this summer, and our kids will get to play together amongst the Roman ruins. I also plan to pay Adrian for his proofing services with some wine and/or beer and pizza.

I’m hoping to set one of my future books in the UK. Right now, I’m thinking the sequel to Bloody Little Secrets *might* be the one, I’ll know more when I start writing in the next month or so.

Thanks to Megan for having me on. *waves* And a big hello to all my UK friends out there! *hands out cupcakes* I hope to be back soon!

Karly Kirkpatrick has been writing since 2007 and released her first YA novel, Into the Shadows, in 2010.　In addition to writing YA novels, she blogs about epublishing, is a member of SCBWI, and teaches German and French in the Chicago suburbs.　 She currently lives in Elgin, Illinois with her husband and daughter. You can find her titles Into the Shadows, Bloody Little Secrets, The Green, and EIGHT, at Amazon UK and the Apple iBooks store, and Smashwords. They are also available at Amazon.com, its European affliliates and Barnes & Noble for everybody else.

Giveaway

Three winners will get to pick their choose of an ebook of the following books by Karly Kirkpartrick:

Into the Shadows, Bloody Little Secrets or The Green

To Enter just leave a comment below for Karly and pick which book you would like to win.
Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

-International
-Giveaway sponsered by Karly Kirpatrick
-Giveaway ends 5th May 2012

Review: The Statistical Probability of love at first sight by Jennifer E.Smith

Book: The Statistical Porbability of love at first sight
Author: Jennifer E.Smith
Released: March 2012
Publisher: Headline
Pages: 215
Obtained a copy from my local library

Hadley is flying to London for her dad's wedding.
Oliver is flying home to London.

If Hadley had made her first flight she would have never met Oliver and the events that occured due to them meeting would never have happened. Imagine being four minutes late for a flight. Those four minutes changed eerything for Hadley.

As soon as I saw the title of this book I knew I would love it! I am a typical romantic and believe that love at first sight can really happen. I just loved this story!

Hadley is your typical teenager. Her mother and father are divorced and she is still angry at her father for leaving her and her mother and moving hundred of miles across the world to live in London. Now her father is getting married and she had to fly to London for the wedding, which she doesn't want to do. She has alot of resentment against her father.

Oliver is heading home to London from University to visit family. He's handsome, charming, British and helps Hadley get over her clastophobia during the flight. There is a strong connection between Oliver and Hadley, it seems like they have known each other forever!

The Statistical Probability of love at first sight is a MUST read. It has great pace (its set over 24 hours) it's about forgiveness, regrets, growing up, understanding people and falling in love. A book that makes you think that the probabilty of falling in love at first sight is a high possibilty!

5/5 Butterflies- An MUST read, couldn't put it down!


Check out my interview with Jennifer E.Smith here

Eternal Youth Blog Tour- Interview & #Giveaway

Hi! I am super excited to host the first day of the Eternal Youth Blog Tour! Eternal Youth is a new YA novel from authors Julia Crane & Noila McCarty! Here is a little about the authors:

Julia Crane is the author of the Keegan's Chronicles, as well as co-author of “Mesmerized” with Talia Jager and “Eternal Youth” with Nolia McCarty. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Although she's spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children.

Nolia McCarty is American by birth but Irish by heritage and heart. Her dream is to live on a small cottage in Ireland where she can watch the sheep outside her window and write all day. She'sthe author of paranormal YA, “Heaven Below”, and co-author of “Eternal Youth” with Julia Crane.

Can you tell us a little about your book Eternal Youth?

Eternal Youth is an the story of a 16-year-old girl who has spent her life following her mother around in search of the elusive Fountain of Youth. Callie is certain the fountain doesn’t exist, but an unplanned vacation is about to change everything she knows...

　

Who designed the cover and how much say did you have in the designing of it?

Stephanie Mooney is our cover artist. I don’t think either of us can speak highly enough about her. She is so talented and fun to work with. We picked the girl and gave her the idea of the fountain in the back ground, and she rolled with it. The result (in our humble opinion) is breathtaking.

In Eternal Youth Callie's mom is searching for the Fountain of Youth. What exactly does the Fountain of Youth do?

In our version of the story, the FOY keeps you at the age you are when you begin to drink from it. Not only that, but it makes you feel younger AND it cures all illnesses. It doesn’t turn back the hand of time, but it can give you a second lease on life.



　How have you enjoyed the writing jouney together as friends? Any disagreements on aspects of the books etc?

Writing with Nolia is a pleasure. We definitely have disagreements at times – that’s just basic human nature! – but we quickly sort through them. I don’t think either of us has ever gotten upset with the other. We just talk things through till they make sense to both of us. Sometimes it’s a give and take—which is how co-writing should be.　

　

Is there any more plans to work together?

Yes! We have at least one more book up our sleeves for 2012, and to be honest, we would love to write a book a year together. It’s so much easier to co-write if you have the right partner.

Why should we read Eternal Youth in one sentence?

It’s full of adventure, friendship, love, and possibilities, and not to mention Alaric...


Thanks to Julia & Noila for interview! Make sure you check out there social network pages and also grab a copy of Eternal Youth while your at it!

Buying Links!

Amazon

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/149021

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1109952446?ean=2940014212052



Authors Websites:


http://juliacraneauthor.com/

http://noliamccarty.wordpress.com/author/noliamccarty/


Authors Twitters:

https://twitter.com/#!/hmarieadkins
https://twitter.com/#!/JuliaCrane2



Authors Facebooks:

http://www.facebook.com/heathermarieadkinsauthor
http://www.facebook.com/juliacraneauthor


Giveaway Now Closed -Thanks to all who entered

Win an ebook of Eternal Youth by Julia Crane & Noila McCarty!


To Enter:

Leave a nice comment for Julia & Noila below along with your email address!

-International giveaway
-Ends 30th April 2012

Check out all the other stops on the blog tour:

24th April: Review on http://www.ya-aholic.com/


25th April: Character Profile: Callie on http://readinglittlebitofeverything.blogspot.co.uk/

26th April: Review by Candace on www.wovenmyst.com

27th April: Review & Giveaway on http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co.uk/

28th April: Character Interview by Rebecca on www.wovenmyst.com

28th April: Book excerpt on http://escapingonebookatatime.blogspot.co.uk/

29th April: Guest post & giveaway on http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.co.uk

Sela Blog Tour: Author Interview

Hey Jackie! It's great to have you back on my blog. Redheart, the first book in the Leland Dragon series was a great success. What are your thoughts on last year’s Redheart success?

It’s so heartening to know my work is out there, in the hands of readers! I’ve always had a love affair with books, and to be a part of the process of creating them is an honor.



Sela, the second book in the Leland Dragon Series released last month. Can you tell us a little about Sela?


SELA is the story of the next generation of Leland. In Esra Province, the neighboring realm, Venur Vorham Riddess is still trying to get his hands on the crystals in those Leland Mountains. His plan is nefarious and underhanded, but, unfortunately, legal in the strictest sense – he wants to marry a Leland maiden to join the provinces. Sela finds herself entangled in this political morass, with consequences that stir up the long-held bitterness between humans and dragons.

What has been the response from readers about, Sela?


The response has been so encouraging. I’ve found new readers who enjoy SELA, and go back to read REDHEART as a result, as well as those who have read REDHEART and have found SELA as a satisfying continuation. These early days since SELA’s release have been exciting.


In Redheart, the story surrounds Kallon Redheart (dragon) and Riza Diantus (human). Sela from what I can tell is about Kallon's and Riza daughter, Sela. How does Sela's personality and traits differ or are the same as her mother and father's?


One reader’s comment in reading SELA was "You’ve done a great job of making her a blend of the two personalities." Sela is definitely an adventurous soul, who feels bound up in her human skin. She’s trapped between two worlds, as much on the outside as on the inside.


The artwork for both Redheart and Sela is great! Which cover do you prefer, the Redheart cover or Sela cover?


Trying to choose which cover I prefer is sort of like asking me to sort through a handful of M&Ms for a favorite! I adore them both, but I like them best when they’re next to each other, borrowing colors.


Next summer sees the release of the third book in the Leland series. Will this be the final book in the series?


I’ve definitely envisioned three books for the series; just enough to make sure the whole story has been told. But I do have plenty of world to explore, and I encourage readers and fans to come up with their own "scrolls" from Leland’s history. Stories and artwork can be submitted via the Leland Dragons website.



Why should we read the Leland Series?


You should read the Leland Series because books are antioxidants for the mind! And the Leland Dragons have a unique perspective and a message for anyone that has ever wanted to learn how to fly.


Jackie Gamber is the award-winning author of "Redheart" and "Sela", Books One and Two of the Leland Dragon Series, now available! For more information about Jackie and her mosaic mind, visit http://www.jackiegamber.com


And meet Jackie elsewhere on the world wide web at:

https://www.facebook.com/AllotropeMedia


http://www.amazon.com/author/JackieGamber


http://www.twitter.com/JackieGamber


http://www.facebook.com/jackiegamber


http://www.lelanddragons.com

Blog Tour: Wanted: Dead or Undead (Character Profile)

Character Profile:

Full Name: Elisabeth Story aka RED

Species: Human

Age: 17 years old

Height: 5' 6"

Characteristics: Long red hair, fair skin, green eyes. There are other physical characteristics I can't share--part of the story and her secret.

Likes: She longs for human connection. It's what she really wants, but her fears of watching the people she loves die over and over again, she doesn't want to let anyone too close. She likes honesty and truthful people.

Dislikes: God, the zombie plague, everyone (because she has no idea who she can trust). She hates the act of killing zombies, especially zombie children, that's hard on her. Dishonesty.

Strengths: Tough, strong, smart, can wield a sword like no other and shoot better than most men.

Weaknesses: She's a young girl in a world that favors tough men.

Fears: Losing everyone she loves, watching them die, and being alone.

Dreams: Wants life to be the way it once was, normalcy.

 

 

Author Links:

Website: http://whimsywritingandreading.weebly.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaScottWriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#%21/whimsywriting

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.com/Wanted-Dead-or-Undead-ebook/dp/B007MCHXEU/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332804759&sr=1-1

Formats: Paperback & Ebook

The Happiness Blog Tour & Giveaway

Bryan Cohen here, guest poster and author, promoting my new book The Post-College Guide to Happiness for The Happiness Blog Tour. I'm giving away free digital review copies of the book and doing a giveaway for paperback copies, audio copies and even a Kindle Fire! Read on and check out the info below the post.




“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.”
- Marcel Pagnol Reality Check



Have you ever helped a friend try to recover from a break-up? Here are the stages that I used to go through when I had my heart broken by a high school or college love. First, I would talk about all of the amazing things that I used to do with this wonderful love of my life. I would conveniently and sentimentally skip over all of the bad things that probably led to the break-up in the first place. I would talk about how much worse my life was now that this person would have a reduced or completely absent place in my day-to-day living. I would ignore the fact that other than not spending time with this person, that little would change aside from my temporary emotions. Lastly, I would whine and cry about how my future had now been changed forever to a life of doom and gloom.




Yeah, I was a little bit melodramatic. Then again, a ton of people do this every day when they think about their lives and their levels of happiness.


Haven't you ever looked back and pumped up the past to be a bit more amazing than it truly was? Perhaps you've wished you could go back to high school and date that high school sweetheart or that you could hang out with your gang of friends that would never let you down. Of course, you like to conveniently forget that this person was cheating on you and that your friends made fun of you all the time (or something similar).


Have you ever been over dramatic about how rough you have it? Maybe you talk about not getting a pay raise or having to pay a parking ticket as if it's the worst thing in the world. Of course, plenty of other people don't have jobs or had their cars completely towed or totaled. And even those people would not necessarily call their experiences, "the worst."




Have you ever said "never" when it comes to the future? Perhaps you've said, "I'll never find love," or "I'll never get out of debt," or "I'll never do something I love for a job." The word never has a funny way of being proved wrong.



Instead of talking in wild emotional terms and absolutes, give yourself a reality check. The past was pretty good but it's not nearly as good as the present. The present has way more positives than you usually keep in mind. The future contains endless possibility. Keep your head on straight and push forward and you'll find yourself in a much happier reality.



  -- Bryan Cohen is giving away 61 paperback and audio copies of The Post-College Guide to Happiness and a Kindle Fire between now and May 7th, 2012 on The Happiness Blog Tour. All entrants receive a free digital review copy of The Post-College Guide to Happiness. Bryan hopes to give away at least 1,000 copies during the blog tour.




To enter, post a comment with your e-mail address or send an e-mail to postcollegehappiness (at) gmail.com. Bryan will draw the names at the end of the tour. Entries will be counted through Sunday, May 6th.




Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written nine books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More, 500 Writing Prompts for Kids: First Grade through Fifth Grade, Writer on the Side: How to Write Your Book Around Your 9 to 5 Job and his new book, 1,000 Character Writing Prompts: Villains, Heroes and Hams for Scripts, Stories and More. His website Build Creative Writing Ideas helps over 25,000 visitors a month to push past writer's block and stay motivated. Feel free to follow along with the tour at The Happiness Blog Tour Hub Page or on the book's Facebook Page.

HACKED!

Before you start reading this post please understand I am not Megan. No I am not the hacker I am her sister Kerry-Ann! I have been sending various emails so some of you may have recieved one from me by now.

Recently Megan and I found out her email account was hacked we have since got mostly everything sorted out but she has still lost ALL emails! When I say all? I mean ALL! No more inbox, sent emails, even drafts!

I know my sister plans everything in advance so anyone she has been planning interviews, reviews, blog tours with please email  readingawaythedays@yahoo.co.uk and she will reply within 24 hours.

Also if you could forward any sent emails onto her new email account such as interview questions, guest posts, etc.

You may have recieved an email telling you she was stranded somewhere although that is untrue because she is very much here in our bedroom.... :~/ and she doesn't have a twin!! - Just saying!

I know she would really appreciate anyone emailing and letting her know any details you had planned with her or simply emailing to tell her you have added the new email address.

At this stage please DELETE everything associated with her old email address as it will be deleted very shortly.

Thank you so much to everyone who reads this and sorry for any inconvience caused.

Kerry-Ann xx

Review: Angel Fire by L.A.Weatherly

Book: Angel Fire

Author: L.A. Weatherly
Released: October 2011
Publisher: Osbourne
Second book in the Angel Trilogy
Pages: 708 pages
Copy of book: My own

Check out my review of the first book in the series, Angel here

Angel Fire was one of my most anticipated books of 2011 and am glad to say it lived up to my expectations, however with one minor flaw.

Angel Fire starts a day after the second wave of angels attempt of coming though to our world, once again with Alex and Willow on the run from the Church of Angels. Their journey takes them to Mexico where Alex is going to set up a camp and try and recruit more Angel Killers.

The whole book is thus set in Mexico and not only does Willow have to deal with Angels out to kill her but she has to deal with life in Mexico which is very different to her life in the US.

Once we get to Mexico we are met with an array of new characters. The main ones being Seb ( a half-angel just like Willow, WHAT, who has been looking for her his whole life) and Kara (an Angel Killer plus an old friend of Alex's who just happens to have a thing for him) LOVE SQUARE ALERT!!

The main threat is again the Angels wanting to get rid of Willow and have their plan succeed of taking over the world. However another threat has arrived in the form of the Council. Let's just say these Angels are like the President of the Angels, the Queens and Kings, the Gods of the Angels. And you though Raziel was scary!

Angel Fire is a massive 708 pages long and this was the minor flaw for me. Even though I loved the story I felt it dragged just a little in parts. Saying this I still loved it! I am even more in love with Alex and Seb even grow on me in the end. I can't wait for the last book in the trilogy, Angel Fever, released in October 2012!

5/5 Butterflies -Even though it took FOREVER to read! he he

Learn More about: Woven Myst - Young Adult Magazine

WovenMyst

Young Adult Magazine

A little about the online YA magazine, Wovenmyst.com!


Wovenmyst.com started as a wordpress writing blog by Hebah Abdelqader. Hebah started writing poetry at a young age and slowly found her way into writing flash fiction. As a way to archive her work she created a writing blog.

The blog slowly grew into a book blog, and as she started reading more young adult novels she realized that there is more to a book than the words written on the page.

Hebah wanted to highlight every aspect of creating a young adult novel. With the industry growing, the focus is still solely on the books and their authors (which we love for their imagination, and their commitment to share their worlds with us) But what about the cover art Photographers, the audiobook Narrators, Agents, Publicists, and book Blogger?

Hebah decided they deserve a piece of the spotlight too. She began contacting them and they were all excited for the idea, but a blog wasn’t the place to highlight their work. The idea of a Young Adult Magazine was born then.

Why change from a blog to a YA Magazine?

Owning a book blog is hard work. Blog owners need to prove themselves to publishers. Publishers need to see quality content and commitment before they approach a blog. Approaching publishers with the idea of a magazine, they needed to see that we are serious. We had the experience, excellent content, the commitment, and the ideas. All we needed was their support. The final step was to stand out of the crowd and present our self in a professional manner. Creating WovenMyst.com Young Adult Magazine was the solution.

What can you expect to see on online YA magazine?

Everything. Hebah envisions the magazine growing from one that feature Young Adult books to one that also features Artists, Designers, and Architects. The Key word is “Young.” It’s not a symbol of age; we mean young in experience.

Being a young designer herself, Hebah fears that the world doesn’t acknowledge the brilliance of its fresh experimenting minds.

Experience and time is what usually results in recognition, but young adults have raw talent that should be recognized before it’s tampered with by time and experience.

Wovenmyst.com is currently in the beta stage with the site and are currently looking for some people to join the site. Interested?

We are looking for professionalism first and foremost. We are looking for someone who wants to be apart of our team, someone who wants to grow with us, and help our magazine grow to become successful. Our team is made up of passionate readers, bloggers and writers. We are currently looking for Publicists. Not to publicize the magazine, but to help publicize books. Someone who is willing to go out there and look for the latest Cover arts and book trailers, participate in author chats and write about the events, and conduct their own author chats. If you think you could be part of our team please contact Hebah Abdelqader wovenmyst@gmail.com

Now a little about books with Hebah:
Hebah is a fan of Forbidden Romance whether it’s in a paranormal novel, historical fiction, or a dystopian novel she doesn’t care. She’s a hopeless romantic who feeds her love for love by reading.

A YA author she would highly recommend we read?

Cassandra Clare. But choosing just one is difficult. Have you read Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi? How about Delirium by Lauren Oliver? If you’re looking for some GREAT indie authors check out Abbi Glines author of The Vincent Boys, Kathleen Tucker author of the Casual Enchantment trilogy, and L Caroll author of Destruction from Twins.

Excited for a 2012 release?
We are looking forward reading Julie Kagawas first book THE IMMORTAL RULES in her new series BLOOD OF EDEN! We loved her Iron Fey series and we can’t wait to see how she makes the switch from Fairies to Vampires.

Favourite cover of 2012 so far?

Hebah loves fashion and beautiful dresses, so she favors covers that combine both.

Favorite 2012 Cover Art already released is Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Favorite 2012 Cover Art yet to be Released is Dreamless by Josephine Angelini Favorite 2012 non Girl/Dress related Cover Art is Black Heart by holly Black

What are you waiting for? Head over and check it out www.wovenmyst.com

Book Excerpt - Wanted: Dead or Undead Blog Tour Stop

Today I am apart of the Angela Scott Wanted: Dead or Undead Blog Tour! Hosted by my lovely sister Kerry-Ann @ Reading A Little Bit Of Everything

Check out the full schedule for the blog tour here: http://readinglittlebitofeverything.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/wanted-dead-or-undead-blog-tour.html

Below is the book Excerpt:

The gambler pulled back the hammer on his pistol. "You feel lucky now?"

Before Trace could reply, the saloon doors slammed open against the wooden walls and rattled on their hinges. Everyone's attention turned toward the creature that dragged itself forward on stiff legs, drooling blood. Its milky eyes scanned the room before it threw back its head, raised its arms, and growled toward the ceiling.

"That's Bill Johnson!" Miss Krissee called from the balcony above. She pulled a Derringer pistol from the garter encircling her leg and aimed it over the railing.

Trace looked up at Miss Krissee; dark ringlets fell over her bare shoulders and her lips were the color of cherries. Rumor had it nearly all the men in town had visited her at least once, though few admitted to it. Indeed, she was quite a looker, but Trace disregarded women who shared their wares so easily.

"Someone should go fetch the doc." A cowboy at the bar made the suggestion, but no one moved to do so.

"It's too late for that." Miss Krissee shook her head. "He's already dead. Just look at him."

Sunken features, decaying flesh and teeth that ground and snapped against themselves—Bill was dead all right. Sure, he walked around grunting, but that was only a technicality.

Zombie Bill lunged at the man closest to the door, ripped a chunk of flesh from the screaming man's neck, and howled as warm blood gurgled between his teeth.

"He's got it a'right!" someone yelled.

Beer bottles and whisky jugs exploded from ill-aimed bullets. Wood chips showered down from the rafters and the air filled with the metallic smell of gun smoke. Trace fired a shot or two of his own, but decided his best option was to find some sort of shelter—drunks made horrible shooters. He pushed the poker table over on its side and hunkered down behind it. It was better than nothing.

The old poker player crouched beside him. "Don't go thinking we're through just 'cause a zombie walked in here and stopped me from killing you."

Trace shook his head. "No, sir, I figured we were just having ourselves an intermission." He aimed his gun over the top of the table and watched Zombie Bill continue forward, his body riddled with bullet holes. The dead man wouldn't die.

"God, help us!" Slap Jack yelled from his safe position behind the bar. The bartender pointed his pistol at the zombie, his hands shaking from old age. Even in the best of circumstances, Slap Jack's aim proved dangerous, and Trace became more thankful for the thick wooden table every minute.

The saloon doors swung open once more and the apparition of a fiery angel wielding a sawed-off double-barrel shotgun appeared in the door frame. Her hair glowed in the evening sun, and the smoky room accentuated her ethereal presence. She took a couple of steps inside, spurs clinking against the wooden planks, and anchored two shells to the back of the zombie's skull. Once emptied, she tossed the shotgun aside, removed two pistols from the holsters on her hips, and fired them as well.

Where Bill's head used to be, nothing but fleshy, pink pulp on a broken stem remained. Mangled, he continued to stand on crooked legs, until the red-haired cowgirl lifted her boot and gave him a swift kick in the back. The zombie wobbled and tumbled over, more dead than it had been moments before.

"He bit me!" The poor man Bill had attacked withered on the floor, his hand pressed over his oozing neck and his eyes wild with fear. "He bit me!"

The angel with flaming red hair reloaded, aimed, and shot that man dead as well.

What do yous think?? Interested in reading it?

Make sure yous come back here on Monday 16 April where I will have a Character Profile from 'Red'!!

Interview with Bryony Allen author of OTOLI

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

I am a forty something year old Mum of four. I work as a middle school teacher in Suffolk, teaching mostly English but also being in charge of special needs. I have always enjoyed writing - right from being a child - although I need many more hours in the day to write as much as I want to. It's only in the last three or four years that I have wanted to write for teens. That was because I was fed up of my students, and my own teenage daughters, complaining that there was 'nothing to read'.

Can you tell us a little about your book OTOLI?

OTOLI is a book that combines issues that many teens will relate to (such as bullying, conforming to social expectations and the feeling of not being a part of what is going on), with a touch of the supernatural and mystery to stop it being too miserable and depressing. The meaning of OTOLI is a mystery that the reader has to work out while reading the book - the answer is in there!

Does OTOLI stand or mean anything?

You have to read the book to find out what it means. Some people get it quickly, some don't. I do find that readers who have been bullied work out the meaning quicker than others. The meaning is on the book trailer if you get stuck.

Where did you get the idea for OTOLI?

I got the idea for OTOLI from my experiences as a Mum, a teacher and a teenager (many years ago!). I wanted to show that the effects of bullying are a lot more than just immediate. They can stay with the victim for a long time, and affect how that person gets on in the world. The main character of Alice is based on a culmination of bullying victims I have seen over the years - Jenny is a figment of my over-active imagination!

Bullying is a topic so many of us can relate to. Is this a topic close to your heart?

Bullying is something I absolutely hate! At school, I have a zero-tolerance threshold where bullying is concerned. I feel that children need to be able to distinguish between what constitutes bullying and what is just unpleasant behaviour. I will always give time to children who think they are being bullied, and encourage them to keep talking or possibly keep a diary.

 

 

 

Why should we read OTOLI?

You should read OTOLI because it's entertaining and has a message. I also kept it short to try and keep my readers' attention. That was a reaction to moaning pupils! OTOLI is meant to make you think, but be enjoyable at the same time. You should also read it so you can vote for it in a national competition - the People's Book Prize at this link: http://bit.ly/xLsAUW

Add OTOLI to your Goodreads shelf!

http://www.bryonyallen.co.uk/

Buy OTOLI