Suzy Turner

Top 4 Ways to Get Kids Excited About Reading

2012-02-26T09:00:00.004Z

This post was written by Ella Davidson of consumer awareness and savings site, Coupons.org. Coupons.org offers book coupons for top retailers like Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.

Reading is an important aspect of growth and development. Not only are basic reading skills almost essential to function in society later in life, but reading also helps to stimulate imagination, to develop excellence in education and to increase logic and thinking skills. With the technology becoming increasingly available, such as video games and television, it is often difficult to get children interested in reading. Here are four effective ways to get children excited about reading.

1. Get them hooked on a popular book series

One of the most effective ways to get kids interested in reading, especially older children is to get them hooked on a book series. The children develop an interest in the way that the story progresses and the characters. This encourages them to read more to find out what happens next, and the enjoyment they gain from the series is often enough to spur their interest and excitement in reading. The Harry Potter book series is a fantastic example of this, and it served to introduce many children to the joys of reading. Although many of the later books in the series are very long, children around the world read them anxiously. Other book series that can be effective at this are the Maximum Ride and Alex Cross series, both written by James Patterson, and the Percy Jackson series.

2. Introduce them to visually interesting and entertaining books

For younger children, particularly those who are just beginning to learn to read, books that are visually stimulating and amusing can be a way of securing a life-long enthusiasm for reading. Many such books have such an impact that parents still remember with fondness books that they were introduced to when they were young. One such book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. This book is relatively famous and is filled with interesting information. Another book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This book captures young readers attention both through the rhyming language and the animal illustrations prevalent throughout the book.

3. Use of reward programs

Some schools, families and libraries introduce rewards-based programs that aim to encourage children to read. This often requires children to keep a journal of the books that they have read, or to read certain books on a list. At the end of a certain period, the children are then rewarded for their progress, with the value of the reward being related to the number of books that they read. This strategy can stir excitement in children, giving them a tangible reward and a specific goal to work towards.

4. Get them involved in the library

Libraries are fantastic locations to develop children’s interest and excitement in reading. There are many different activities for children of all ages, such as visits by authors and reading sessions. The process of getting a child a reading card and helping them to pick out a few books to take home each week can be an effective way of making them interested. There are so many books to choose from at the library that children can spend hours getting lost in the shelves, finding what is interesting to them.

No matter how you approach it, reading is an important aspect of a child’s development and plays a crucial role in their later life. While it may sometimes be hard to get a child excited about reading, it is well worthwhile, as they gain much from it. The four tips suggested in this article are good ways to spark children’s interest and excitement in reading.

OUT NOW: Dead Radiance by T.G Ayer

2012-02-25T08:00:00.001Z

Book 1 in the Valkyrie Novels is OUT NOW

For as long as she can recall Bryn Halbrook has seen a golden aura around certain people, and it is only when her new best friend Joshua dies that she understands the glow means death. Bryn struggles to adapt to a new town and a new foster home while trying to deal with the guilt of being unable to save her friend. Until mysterious biker-boy, Aidan Lee arrives.
When Aidan unexpectedly takes off he leaves behind a shattered heart, a tonne of unanswered questions and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn is a Valkyrie. Bryn is faced with questions about Aidan’s real identity, the real reason he came to Craven, and that Odin, Freya and Valhalla just might be real.
As if accepting her new wings, new life and new home in Asgard isn’t difficult enough, Bryn is forced to find and return the precious necklace of the Goddess Freya. The only problem is – if she fails, Aidan will die.
The mystery of a Mythology is easy to enjoy. The reality is much harder to accept.

DEAD RADIANCE excerpt:
“My fingers uncurled their desperate grip on the rose and it fell, tilting, to drop head first onto the casket, twirling as it descended into the eerie depths. It hit the lid and shattered.. Petals flew in all directions and everywhere yellow scraps of the dismembered flower reflected Joshua’s iridescent light.”

T.G Ayer:
I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognise that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practise given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each others loves – it works wonderfully…
My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain crosseyed.

Amazon link : http://amzn.to/yqRmMa
Website: https://tgayer.wordpress.com/

YA Indie Carnival: Name That Tune

2012-02-24T08:51:00.000Z

Music. Does it inspire you to write? It certainly does me. I'm a sucker for a good dark and eerie tune, especially if I'm writing something a bit on the creepy side. When I was writing Raven I had a few firm favourites, mostly from movie soundtracks like The Lost Boys (Cry Little Sister) and Twilight (Possibility). There's also a beautiful song that is actually mentioned in the book. Cancao do Mar (yes, it's Portuguese) is a haunting fado song and is Rose's favourite kind of music. When Lilly first happens upon her aunt, this is what she's listening to outside her cottage. Have a listen... it really is gorgeous:

I've recently discovered a new musician and I've totally fallen in love with her music. Its just so me, you know? Lana Del Rey's music is dark and haunting and I just can't get enough of it. My husband, on the other hand, thinks she sounds like she's drunk!
Here, have a listen to one of her songs.... I know I'll be listening to this when I write my next book!

To read more about Name That Tune, go visit my awesome fellow Carnis, click the links below...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

Click here for more Indie News:

Pazuzu's Girl by Rachel Coles

2012-02-22T09:52:00.000Z

Hi Suzy! Thank you for hosting me on your blog today. I'm currently transmitting from the security area of the Underworld, where I'm waiting to pass the first gate. I've been invited to give the first ever interview of Pazuzu, Demon of Plague and the Southwest Wind. Okay, the line is moving now. Uh, now we know where TSA got their training. The couple in front of me was just ordered to strip. I don't mean just their shoes. The couple asked if there was a scanner option, but it looks like your choice of scanning device is a fire-breathing amphibian thing that burns through whatever you don't want to take off, or the razor-sharp teeth of this tyrannosaur-bull creature, that seems to be getting limbs along with clothes...Oh, well, yay for the couple ahead of me. They've discovered that bribes work. Apparently, the amphibian Chthulu look-alike has a preference for Gucci handbags to keep his/her/its gory snacks in, and the tyrannosaur-bull prefers Old Navy cardigans and knit caps. I guess it might be hard for a cold-blooded creature to keep warm in a place with no sun. It looks a little silly in pink knitted flowers though, but I don't think it would appreciate commentary, and I'm no fashionista. I'm poor, so I'll just have to pray that the guards appreciate my pea coat and scarf, the ARC thrift store special.
Whew, I'm through the gate, and have been shuffled to Pazuzu's quarters, since he's on a temporary visa here. Huh, wow, this isn't what I expected. It looks like I'm back on earth, except there's nothing here but sand and sun. And when I say sand, I mean like Arrakis from Dune. Nothing but sand. He's sitting in the middle of the dune about ten yards from me. Let me find out where we are.

Me: Hi, Sir, can you spare a few minutes to talk to me?

Pazuzu (dripping sand through his claw-tipped fingers): I currently have nothing but time.

Me: About that, where are we? We're not in the Underworld now, are we?

Pazuzu: Of course we are, don't you know how to read a compass? Oh, that's right, nothing like that works down here. (He pulls out his phone, looks at the bars and then bares his sharp teeth and crunches it up between his jaws) Piece of garbage didn't work all that well before I came down here either.

Me (swallowing hard and backing up a step): Uh, I don't understand. There's sun and sand.

Pazuzu: ...And more sun and more sand. It's a desert, the desert I lived in for a few thousand years. The Queen of the Dead's interior decorating job. It's Ereshkigal's little joke on me. She thinks she's hilarious.

Me: Oh, so this isn't real. Well, if you lived in a place like this before, why does it bother you?

Pazuzu: I moved. Do you want to move back to your momma's house? Why did you move to Denver?

Me: Because it's a wicked cool place, with lots of stuff to do.

Pazuzu (puts his finger on his canine nose, looks down at the sand and then snarls): By Inanna's Tits, I was enjoying Denver too. I've developed a fondness for the barbecue and beer. Honestly, it has some of the best beer I've tasted since leaving home, without this blasted heat. We invented beer, in case you Westerners have forgotten. My favorite is Left Hand Brewery. Guess why. Don't your people say 'left-hand of the devil'? I started in the mountains, you know. We didn't have snowboarding, back then. Most people in that age thought it was insanity to strap your feet to a board and hurtle down a mountain. On purpose.

Me: I agree. I'll strap my feet to two separate boards, just not the same board. I prefer skiing.

Pazuzu (squints at me, snorts, and then looks morose)

Me: What's wrong now? Denver's got great beer and all, but---

Pazuzu: I miss them.

Me: I could maybe smuggle some bottles in. I wouldn't have thought of the Underworld as a teetotaling kind of--

Pazuzu: My children, you idiot. No place Ereshkigal could put me, paradise or dismal torment, matters without them. Are you a parent?

Me: Oh...I have a girl.

Pazuzu: Then you understand.

Me: Yeah...I do. I hope everything works out for you. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

He nods and waves a finger, ushering me out.

That's all our time today, visiting hours are over, so I'm heading back to earth before their border patrol decides that my passport to re-enter earth isn't good anymore. If you want to know more about Pazuzu in the Underworld, and learn about his situation, check out Pazuzu's Girl at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Journalstone website. Here is an excerpt:

Morpho shook out her brilliant blue hair in front of the mirror behind the door of her pink room. She threw on her torn leather jacket over a ruffled pink sock that passed for a mini-dress. She flounced down the stairs, grabbed her Tinker Bell backpack and the peanut butter toast her father’s servant had left, and plopped her skateboard on the tiles of the front porch. One of them dislodged as she jumped the board down the steps.
A loud chatter emerged from the thousands of grasshoppers that hid throughout the partially eaten lawn and manicured bushes. She heard them as though they spoke in English.
I know you’re mad at me, but was that really necessary? Lugal just fixed those. Are you angry with him as well? A couple of grasshoppers fluttered after her and hitched a bumpy ride on the strap of her pack before crawling up to her shoulder.
She rolled her eyes and did a rattling jump just for their benefit. “No, Dad. I’m not mad at him. And not everything I do is just to piss you off.” Her lips set in a grim line and she rode in silence.
The grasshoppers twittered and hung on as she took the curbs as hard as possible. Then to what do we owe your sunny mood?
She glowered. “I’m a freak. We are freaks.” She whirled her finger in a circle to include everyone around her in freak-dom.
You dyed your hair blue. That’s generally not what people do when they are trying to avoid attention, her dad gently reminded her.
“I’m laying my cards on the table. We have to replace the lawn and shrubs every couple days because you eat everything in the yard. And everyone thinks Lugal is your love slave. Our differences aren't exactly ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ By the way, we got another fine from the stupid housing association. They’re threatening to send pest control.”The grasshoppers chirped. “I’ll deal with them. And I thought you liked Lugal.”
“I do like him. But you might want to let him know everyone thinks he’s your boyfriend, partner...whatever.” She flipped her board up and stormed into the school hall, late for class, as the grasshoppers flitted away.

* * *

Thousands of grasshoppers emerged from nooks and crannies throughout the denuded sod in front of 248 Rowan Street, Ken Caryl, Colorado. As they flooded into the hallway of the house from the moist April breeze outside, the swarm of glittering wings and golden-brown bodies condensed into the figure of a tall thin man with golden eyes, black hair and slightly canine features around the mouth. Pazuzu, Demon of the Air and the Southwest Wind, stalked into his suburban home to deal with the four-hundredth letter from his homeowner's association and ruminate on how to handle an angsty teenage daughter.
Lugal, an equally tall, sturdy man with dark features and a hawk's nose, dropped to his knees and bowed his face to the floor as Pazuzu entered. His palms flattened on the ground in obeisance. His right hand was marred by rough white scar tissue across the palm and wrist. “Lord, what is your will?”
Pazuzu motioned the man to his feet. “I accept your loyalty,” he nodded, “but you have not bowed to me since the first time we met, except when you have done something you knew would displease me. What have you done?” He glowered.
Lugal raised a carefully-groomed eyebrow and his eyelid twitched for a moment. “I have not seen such a look on your face for many years. I thought you might benefit from an old formality.”
Pazuzu's lips curled up in a smile that looked like a grimace. “Did you see Morpho's attire? We are supposed to maintain a low profile!”
Lugal's white teeth flashed and the other eyebrow rose. “Forgive my impudence, Lord, but have you seen some of the other children at the high school? She is fitting in.”
Pazuzu met the dark man’s eyes and they both burst into deep rolling laughter. Pazuzu sank down into the tasteful but nondescript kitchen chair and picked up the HOA letter. He took the content in at a glance and tossed it back on the table. “She told me about this.”
“What will you do?” Lugal brought pungent-smelling cardamom tea to the table.
“I will be the indignant homeowner at one of their silly meetings. They have been fining us since we arrived more than a year ago. It gives them something to do and makes them feel important, happy with their power. Happy neighbors are quiet neighbors.”
“But they have threatened to hire extermination services.” Lugal sipped his tea, watching Pazuzu warily.
Pazuzu leaned forward slightly, and his golden irises lit from within, then faded. “I will dissuade them.”
Lugal was silent for a moment. “Has there been any sign of her? Of the Scourge? My spies have detected nothing yet.”
Agitation distorted Pazuzu’s lips into a snarl, making him look more canine than ever. “No. Not aside from the usual events in the news lately. The bombings, the shootings, in many of the nations near the old kingdom, near Uruk. I see nothing direct, only her influence.”
“She is subtle. That is how she gained her power before you left her. What will you do should she find Morpho?”
Pazuzu’s eyes flashed and a rasping breeze lifted in the room. Lugal quietly placed his scarred hand on the napkins to keep them from skittering off the table. Pazuzu’s voice was like the sound of a million furious, buzzing insects as he answered, “I will protect my child.”

It is available in both paperback and e-book. In addition, there's an e-book giveaway today. If you get the book for the giveaway it would be really terrific to hear what you think! Please review it on any of the above sites or Goodreads .

And I want to thank Suzy for graciously hosting me today! You should also check out her books, if you haven't already. The Raven Saga is an engaging read, for full-grown adults as well as our kids. And her newest, The Lost Soul is coming out!

Thank you, Rachel! Pazuzu's Girl sounds absolutely incredible!

WIN WIN WIN

The first ten people to comment below will WINa copy of Pazuzu's Girl...

so get commenting people (don't forget to leave your email address so I can send you the link)!!

The Lost Soul: my dream cast

2012-02-20T15:38:00.000Z

I've talked before about my dream cast for both Raven and December Moon. Well, now with the third and final book in the series (The Lost Soul) about to come out, I figured I'd look into some of the newer members of the cast.

Here are the additional stars I'd love to feature in The Lost Soul: The Movie (one can dream, no??!)

Millicent Roberts played by Jayme Mays

Tiffanimelicomelea played by Zooey Deschanel

Image of Zooey Deschanel by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/breezy421/2812354593/

Sheharazalea played by Ksenia Solo

Jemima Dickson played by Emma Roberts

Image courtesy of: http://flickr.com/photos/gdcgraphics/

Crystal played by Annie Ilonzeh

Meredith played by Melissa McCarthy

Calliope played by Liv Tyler

Image courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/people/brajeshwar/

Jack Tuluqag by James Franco

Image courtesy of: Charlotte Badalucco

Nick Pryce by Simon Baker

Walter by Rade Šerbedžija

Image courtesy of: http://www.lukeford.net/Images/photos4/071216/29.htm

Christoph by Josh Hutcherson

Do you like the sound of my cast? If you'd like to see who I'd choose for the other main characters, check out my previous post right here.

The Raven Saga Part III: The Lost Soul is out March 2012. Watch this space!

YA Indie Carnival: Kiss & Tell

2012-02-17T15:05:00.000Z

Okay, so my books don't have so much kissing in them... Well a little perhaps but not much. What I want to talk about is the subject of age & kissing. My first book, Raven, got some negative comments about the fact that the main character, Lilly, falls in love with a 17 year old when she is very nearly 14. I was surprised by how disgusted some people were by this. Do they not live in the real world?? Oliver, the boy in question, is totally adorable. He's honest, reliable, faithful, and he would never do anything that Lilly wouldn't want to do. And at no time in my book did I talk about anything other than a mere peck of a kiss.
I started going out with boys when I was 13 and some were much older than me. I met my husband when I was 16 and he was 19. Personally, as long as people are responsible, I don't see a problem! What do you think? Should female characters only have relationships with boys their age? Bear in mind that it is a fact that girls mature much earlier than boys do (so 14 probably equals 17!!!)
For more Kiss & Tells with my fellow Carnis, click the links below...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

Click here for more Indie News:

People In a Place Apart by Len Port

2012-02-15T12:47:00.000Z

Len Port is a journalist based in the Algarve, Portugal, where I have lived for the past 25 (nearly 26!) years. He is also a former boss of mine. Len is one of those writers that keeps you hanging on his every word. I've always loved reading his articles but this is the first time he has written a book for the Kindle. Although I haven't read it, yet, I'm sure this will be a fantastic read for anyone interested in this small part of the world. Here are some details about the book....

The ‘Land Apart’ in the title refers to the Algarve, the most southern province in Portugal and the most southwestern extremity of mainland Europe. In ancient times it was steeped in mysticism because it was thought to be on the very edge of the world. It is still a marginal, alluring and enchanting place. This book, written by a veteran journalist who has lived here for years, focuses not so much on the place but its people. It is full of fascinating insights into the comings and goings of various cultures and remarkable individuals - some famous, some infamous – from the dawn of history to the present day. It's an easy read and sure to be enjoyed by anyone with any interest in Portugal, particular those who live in the region or plan to visit.

You can your copy of the book here.

The Writing of a Tudor Thriller

2012-02-11T08:00:00.000Z

by Nancy Bilyeau

The idea for the novel that became “The Crown” came to me in a fiction writer’s workshop in the West Village, in New York City. I was a magazine editor—my last staff job was as deputy editor of “InStyle”—but I’d wanted to write fiction when I was in high school and university. I kept wondering if I would ever get back to it. Finally I decided to accept an invitation to a small group run a novelist named Rosemarie Santini.
“I want to write a novel set in sixteenth century England.”

That’s what I told the four people sitting in a circle in this 5th-floor walk-up seven years ago. I’d loved Tudor history since I was 11 years old and saw The Six Wives of Henry the Eighth with my parents. Over the years, I kept coming back to biographies and historical fiction set in the 16th century. I enjoyed the drama of the personalities, the wars and the divorces, the excitement of the Renaissance—and I adored the fashion.
I wanted to write a woman’s story, but I felt that plenty had already been written about the queens and princesses and ladies-in-waiting. I settled on a protagonist, Joanna Stafford, who was a nun. Henry VIII destroyed the monasteries when he broke from Rome and I was drawn to that turmoil. While most Tudor historical fiction takes the side of the Reformation, I thought it would be more interesting to explore what happened to the nuns, friars and monks whose lives were upended by this sweeping transformation.
I decided to make my story a thriller. There are murders in The Crown and an urgent search for an object of mystical importance. My kind of book isn’t researched through Google: I spent hours at the New York Public Library, poring through the collections. I started corresponding through emails with historians and curators in England. For inspiration I haunted the rooms and passageways of The Cloisters, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It has a great collection of medieval art, ranging from tapestries to statues and paintings, and re-created arches and tombs from 12th and 13th century European monasteries. One place I was drawn to over and over was the “Chapter House”-- a simple square room with a stone floor and benches against the walls. Every monastery had one—it’s where the nuns would receive “correction” from the prioress. I talked the Cloisters into letting me bring my laptop into the museum in a clear bag, and I’d write in the Chapter House, soaking up the monastic mood. I had to write pretty frantically because the battery in my old computer didn’t last much longer than two hours.
It took five years to write my book. I had to wake up at 5 a.m. on the weekdays and write for two hours until it was time to wake up my kids. Once I finished, I found a literary agent and he managed to put together an auction. He sold it within a month. I’m very lucky. Now when I visit the Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park, I don’t have to beg the guards to let me bring my computer into the collections. I can just enjoy it.
Pictured above: The UK, US and Dutch covers of The Crown

For more information about Nancy and The Crown, visit http://www.nancybilyeau.com/

YA Indie Carnival: Some like it hot!

2012-02-10T09:24:00.000Z

Today at the Indie Carnival we're getting all hot and steamy. Yep, we're talking about steamy excerpts. As my books are aimed at anyone from aged eight upwards, The Raven Saga contains nothing remotely rude as it just wouldn't be appropriate. But I do like to read a good steamy scene as much as the next woman. In fact, when I was growing up I admit that I learned rather a lot from books with scenes like that! Jilly Cooper was a particular favourite, as her novels were hilariously funny too. I also enjoyed a good Jackie Collins (certainly a bit ruder, I might add) but then, didn't we all... perhaps some of you in secret?
I do write chick lit, although I'm yet to finish and publish any in that genre, but they will contain the odd steamy scene. It wouldn't be chick lit without it, would it?
Recently I was given a few books by Gena Rowland. The Atlantis series, I think it was called. I blushed my way through the first. Its not that I'm a prude (although that's exactly what my sister called me afterwards!), it's just that I wasn't expecting it. I was expecting it to be a bit more YA because I'd been reading a lot of YA up to that point... but it wasn't... at all like that. There was an awful lot of, well... you know! (Now I do sound like a prude!) I haven't read the others yet, not because I don't want to, simply because they're in paperback and I love my Kindle too much. Perhaps one of these days I'll get round to downloading them instead.

Click here for more Indie News:

Check out what my fellow carnis think of steamy excerpts:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

FREE books by Patti Larsen

2012-02-08T08:00:00.009Z

Who doesn’t love FREE books?

TWO DAYS ONLY: Wednesday, February 8th and Thursday, February 9th! Come and get ‘em!
For those with a love of YA paranormal: Family Magic (The Hayle Coven novels, #1) Sixteen year old Sydlynn Hayle is the daughter of a powerful witch and a demon lord but she just wants to be ordinary. Find it HERE.
And for those who like a thrill in their YA fiction: Run (The Hunted, #1) Reid thinks life has gone back to normal when his sister rescues him from the foster system. All that changes when he is kidnapped and dumped in the wilderness, forced to run from those who want to kill him. Find it HERE.
Don’t have a Kindle? No problem! Download a FREE app for your computer, iPad, smartphone and more!

Family Magic
Raising the Demon
“Haralthazar,” my mother glided closer to the statue, “we summon you this third night of Power, nine days and nine nights from Samhain Eve, to tighten our bond with you and your realm.” She knelt at the foot of the altar, the picture of the submissive handmaiden. Could she be any more ridiculous? Seriously. “My love, come and be welcome.”
The blinding flash that leapt from her to the statue continued to pour out of her in a deep blue rush of light. I turned my head slightly to the side, squinting in the glare, grateful for the edge of the cowl and the shadow it made. The whole room started to thrum, the floor vibrating with condensed magic as Mom used the energy we had given her to make the doorway that would let my father through.
Sixteen-year-old Sydlynn Hayle is the daughter of a powerful witch and a demon lord of the seventh plane. The trouble is, she just wants to be ordinary. Syd struggles to survive the minefield of her new high school while being torn between her attraction to football hero Brad Peters and the darkly mysterious Quaid Moromond. When her coven comes under attack, Syd is forced to face the fact only her power can save her family’s magic.

What readers are saying about Family Magic:
“This book has everything. Great family drama, hot boys, magic, witches, demons and difficult choices. This is one of my new favorite books of 2011 and I CANNOT WAIT to read the rest of the series.”

“With a fantastic, empathetic heroine, plenty of magic, an intriguing mystery and incorporating themes involving the search of self, familial relationships, duty and free will, Family Magic is an enchanting and enjoyable read.”

“I think Syd is one of my all-time favorite characters. She is funny and snarky but has a fierce love for her family. I am ready to follow Syd's journey through this series. I was hooked from the first paragraph. I thoroughly enjoyed Family Magic, and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys paranormal novels.”
(You can read the full reviews on Amazon.com)
Amazon LINK

Run
Kidnapped
Alone, Reid gasps in one deep breath, another. It hurts his ribs, his lungs. He manages to roll over on his right side and regrets it. His shoulder screams in protest. Still, he is finally able to wriggle his numb hands loose from what holds him and claws at the cloth around his eyes.
Darkness. But not complete. The moon is up. Trees loom over him, the smell of spruce and fresh air so sharp it almost hurts. He jerks at the plastic ties around his ankles while. his vision swims through a veil of pain-laden tears. He manages somehow to force his screaming hands to work the ties loose and he is free.
Sixteen-year-old Reid thinks life is back to normal. His sister Lucy pulls herself together and cuts him free from a year of foster care. She promises to take care of him, that her new boss and her new life are what they both needed to start again. Until Reid is taken in the middle of the night, dumped in a wild stretch of forest far from home with no idea why he is there. Lost and afraid, he learns to run from the hunters who prowl the darkness, their only pleasure chasing down kids like him. And killing them.

What readers are saying about Run:
“The fear, the thrill, the emotion that comes through in the writing is amazing. There is never a dull moment in this story of survival.”

“If you're a fan of YA books that make your heart pound with the unknown and leave you cringing at places (but in a totally cool kinda way) then Run's the book for you.”

“Reid is such a great strong character and when the story ends, we are left begging for what is to come in the next of the series. This story was unique and SUPER fast-paced! It was a great festival of suspense.”
(You can read the full reviews on Amazon.com)
Amazon LINK

Thank you for taking the time to check them out!
Happy reading!

About the Author: Patti Larsen is a middle grade, young adult and adult author with a passion for the paranormal. Her YA thriller series, The Hunted, is available now. The first four books of The Hayle Coven series, Family Magic, Witch Hunt, Demon Child and The Wild are also out now. Her YA paranormal novel, Best Friends Forever, and steampunk series, Blood and Gold, are due early in 2012. She is a full time writer and a part time teacher of her Get Your Book Done program. Patti lives on the East Coast of Canada with her very patient husband and four massive cats.
You can find her:
On her website
On Facebook
Her writing blog
On Twitter
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

YA Indie Carnival: To trailer or not to trailer

2012-02-03T08:00:00.000Z

I'm a HUGE fan of the book trailer. In fact I'm so obsessed with them that last year I created two separate sites for my two loves: YA and Chick Lit. Both sites are exclusively for the promotion of book trailers. The Chick Lit Trailer Park isn't quite so popular as the YA Trailer Park but both have some fabulous trailers on them, and more and more go up regularly. Have a look for yourself:
YA Trailer Park
Chick Lit Trailer Park
So why do I love book trailers so much? Because they help to convey the feel of the book. The essence that doesn't usually come across in a simple description or the blurb that you find on the back of a book (or on screen). You can be so much more creative visually, which is so important for those that have difficulty to visualise what a book is all about (if that makes sense!?).
You can also use music to create an atmosphere. The kind of atmosphere you hope will come across to your readers as they begin to read.
Check out the book trailers I created for my first two books, Raven and December Moon. I think I managed to create a certain 'something' for both of them.... what do you think?

If you have either a Chick Lit (it can be any genre as long as its aimed at female readers), or a YA book trailer and you'd like to submit them to either (or both) of the sites, just follow the instructions on the sites.

Click here for more Indie News:

Check out more about trailers by my fellow Carnis:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

Rafflecopter giveaway

2012-02-02T17:37:00.000Z

Don't you just love Rafflecopter? It makes online competitions so much easier, doesn't it?
Well, they're currently doing a fabulous competition in which they're trying to name their little smiley-faced mascot. If you fancy joining in and to be in with a chance of winning a Kindle Fire or an Apple Ipad, then simply enter the competition below. Easy peasy, right?! Whaddya waitin' for

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: The Lost Soul

2012-02-02T17:03:00.000Z

Over the last few months I've been busy writing The Lost Soul, the final book in The Raven Saga. I'm almost there... I've finished writing it and now I'm busy editing and checking it (again and again) before it goes out to my 'editors' and proofreaders. But... it will be ready just in time for its release in March. I'm so excited!!
I've been tweaking the book cover over the past few days and so I'm delighted to finally be able to show you the final result. Here it is, the cover of The Lost Soul....

So what do you think?

Blood Awakening by Wenona Hulsey

2012-02-02T08:00:00.002Z

Here's a brief post from one of my Facebook buddies, Wenona Hulsey about her book, Blood Awakening...

For a limited time Blood Awakening will be FREE on Amazon. This is the novelette that stared the Blood Burden (Nicole Keenan) series that everyone is talking about so grab it before this free offer is gone.

What are people saying about Blood Awakening?
"An awesome beginning to the series!" -Imaloud
"A Surefire winner by an author to watch!!" -Hotmaja54
"So, do I recommend this story? Darn right, I do!!" -JenniferS

Overview:
Evil starts the clock ticking, leaving Nicole's life changed forever....
Hidden powers, ancient grudges, romance and action that will leave you begging for more....
Now go grab your copy at Amazon

YA Indie Carnival

2012-01-27T12:04:00.001Z

I'm afraid I'm a bad carni this week (Bad Carni, Bad... I'm slapping my hands!). For personal reasons I haven't been able to write this week's Ya Indie Carnival post, which should have been an interview with a villain, but I still want you to head on over to all my wonderful Carni pals and check out their amazing posts:

Click here for more Indie News:

Check out my fellow Carnis:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

YA Indie Carnival: What reading teaches me as a writer

2012-01-20T08:00:00.001Z

I think reading is crucial for anyone wanting to write for a living. We can all learn from other writers. For example, I know I've mentioned it before, but last year I had a fellow author read my first book, Raven. She picked up a few things that could do with improving and also made a few suggestions as to how I could make the story better as a whole. I made notes and made some alterations.
And then, a few months later, she asked me to return the favour and so I read her book. I have to say I was totally blown away. Suddenly, all those things she had talked about seemed to make perfect sense. I could see exactly what she had been trying to tell me (sometimes it's difficult to put these things into words). I felt like I'd had the perfect English Literature lesson. It wouldn't have made as much sense to me if I'd not read her book and seen where I was going wrong and where she was going so right. Her writing is simply amazing, her descriptive passages awe inspiring and her imagination wonderful. But then I believe that all us writers have wonderful imaginations. We wouldn't be writers if not.
Over the past few months I've read quite a lot of books, mainly ebooks by self published authors and I do believe that I've learned so much from each and every one of them. It has also strengthened my belief in myself as a writer and that is incredibly important.
Oh, and if you're wondering, the name of that author is Michelle Isenhoff and the book, The Quill Pen.

Click here for more Indie News:

Check out my fellow Carnis:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

Unfurl Blog Tour with Cidney Swanson

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000Z

Five Q&A’s with The Ripple's Samantha Ruiz

Sam, what one place in the world would you most like to visit and why?
One? Seriously? Just one? Umm, okay. If I could only pick one I think it would be London. For one thing, I could read all the signs and talk to everyone. Also, I think it would be really cool to get British copies of the Harry Potter books. And I want to eat a scone with some tea and figure out what the heck a crumpet is. I don’t know if I want to eat one, though, until I find out what it is. I would like to visit whatever kind of memorial there is to Diana, Princess of Wales. Her sons lost her close to when I lost my mom.

What’s your favorite place you’ve been so far in your life? Is it in France?
Well, the castle of Chenonceau was pretty magical, but there’s actually something higher on my list of beautiful places. Yosemite National Park. If you ever get the chance to go there, run-don’t-walk!!! I visited Yosemite about a bazillion times when I was little, but it never ceased to amaze me how majestic that place is. If you can only see one part of Yosemite, it should be the valley. But if you get a chance, be sure to drive up both sides of it. (Crane Flat to Tenaya Lake to the top of Yosemite Falls on one side/Chinquapin to Glacier Point with a stop at Washburn Point on the other side.) And hike a trail or two.

Why is Will Baker perfect for you?
I’m blushing. Seriously. Umm, well, he just is. He’s gorgeous, at least to me. His eyes are this dark brown that I could seriously drown in. Also, he kind of gets the whole thing about my mom and how losing her changed everything and how time passes but you don’t ever really, truly get past that loss. In some ways. Also, he’s a great running partner!

What’s one thing you Know For Sure?
Oh, good one. Okay, here goes. If you are a loner or even a lonely person, it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you and it needs to be fixed. I mean, maybe you do need to find someone to talk to like a teacher or librarian or your coach (someone you trust), but you shouldn’t feel like being alone makes you wrong or says anything about you. Also, middle school sucks. But you will get past it into better stuff. Actually, high school can kind of suck too. But if I got through middle school, hey, I can get through this too!

What’s one more thing you Know For Sure?
Love is more powerful than hatred. Kindness is stronger than cruelty. I know it doesn’t always look like those things are true, but I know this. For Sure.

Cidney Swanson is the author of The Ripple Series, of which Samantha Ruiz is the main character. If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning a Kindle set of the trilogy, please enter below...
For more information about Cidney and her books, visit:
http://cidneyswanson.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cidneyswanson
http://twitter.com/#!/cidneyswanson
http://www.amazon.com/Cidney-Swanson/e/B005344OTQ/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/cidney-swanson?keyword=cidney+swanson&store=allproducts
http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=cidney+swanson
http://www.goodreads.com/search?query=cidney+swanson
http://www.librarything.com/author/swansoncidney

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I did it! I got it chopped off!

2012-01-16T09:42:00.000Z

It was the big day on Friday 13th, and I had my hair chopped off for charity! Yep, it's all gone... and it feels so weird! Washing it feels even weirder... I hardly need any shampoo and it dries super fast... FAB (I always hated having to blow dry my hair in the winter).

My husband won't leave me alone ;) .... I think he feels like he has a new wife. But that's enough of that! Can you tell that I love it?! lol

I raised over 600 euros in the process, which is totally awesome. The money was raised in aid of Make a Wish Foundation which grants the wishes of seriously ill children all over the world. Plus, the hair that was chopped off is on its way to The Little Princess Trust in England, which makes wigs for children who are very ill and have lost their hair. For more information about both charities, visit Make a Wish and Little Princess Trust.

So, what do you think?

BEFORE

PREPARING FOR THE CHOP

THE FIRST CUT...

TAH DAH..... my new cut!

YA Indie Carnival: Book(s) I'm grateful for

2012-01-13T08:00:00.003Z

It's another new year (where is the time going??) and more exciting times for us Indie Authors. I just love being a writer and one of the things I particularly love is being a part of the YA Indie Carnival, where I have gotten to meet some truly awesome fellow indies. But enough of that... like I said, its a new year and we've got some fab new subjects to write about.

Today we're talking about the books we're grateful for. Well, I'm grateful for ALL books to be honest, but that would make for a rather long post so I have to choose just one that has helped me along the way.

Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale is one which had a powerful effect on me when I first read it during college while I was studying for my A Levels. After reading so many classics like Pride & Prejudice and Jane Eyre, it was a breath of fresh air to read something modern, for a start. But the whole premise of the book just shook me, you know? It strengthened my fondness for Dystopian reads, but it also inspired me.

If you haven't read this book, here is the description from Amazon for you:

In the world of the near future, who will control women's bodies?
Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She may leave the home of the Commander and his wife once a day to walk to food markets whose signs are now pictures instead of words because women are no longer allowed to read. She must lie on her back once a month and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant, because in an age of declining births, Offred and the other Handmaids are only valued if their ovaries are viable.
Offred can remember the days before, when she lived and made love with her husband Luke; when she played with and protected her daughter; when she had a job, money of her own, and access to knowledge. But all of that is gone now....
Funny, unexpected, horrifying, and altogether convincing, The Handmaid's Tale is at once scathing satire, dire warning, and tour de force.

Click here for more Indie News:

To find out more books that have effected us, check out my fellow Carnis:
1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy
7. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog

8. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed
9. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series

10. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
11. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

12. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
13. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

14. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind
15. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

16. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler
17. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

18. TG Ayer
19. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy

20. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga
21. Roots in Myth, PJ Hoover

22. Courtney Cole Writes

What I'm up to!

2012-01-10T15:25:00.002Z

I've not been much of a blogger lately... and I do have reasons, of course. I'm not just lazy (well, sometimes that too!). But I'm busy writing my next novel, which is Part 3 (and the final part) in The Raven Saga. I have to get my first final draft finished for February so I'm busily getting all the words down at the moment. It's going well so far, fingers crossed. The imagination is active and the words are flowing! Hopefully it will continue that way.
The other thing that is on my mind at the moment is the Make a Wish Foundation. An awesome charity that grants the wishes of seriously ill children all over the world. Every time I watch videos about these kids, I cry. I become a bit of a emotional wreck actually. It always amazes me how strong these kids are.
Anyway, I'm doing what I can for them by chopping off my hair for the charity. So far I've raised just short of $400, but I'd love to get that figure over $500.
The big chop is this Friday 13th (yikes!) and actually I'm quite excited about it. My husband tells me that my hair is wearing me at the moment, probably because I've mentally already lost it, so it's just getting in the way now. And if I hate the result, then it'll grow back so I'm pretty chilled about it.
I'm also donating my hair to the Little Princess Trust in the UK, which makes wigs for sick children.
If you have a few dollars / euros / pounds to spare for these amazing children, it would be AWESOME if you could make a small donation. Every little counts, so if you can help, then please visit this page:
http://www.crowdrise.com/SuzyTurner-ChopitOffforCharity/fundraiser/SuzyTurner
THANK YOU!!!

YA Indie Carnival: YA resolutions

2011-12-30T11:23:00.000Z

It's been the most amazing year for me. Not only did I discover the awesomeness that is Smashwords, Amazon KDP / Author Central, etc, which enabled me to go down the indie publishing route, but I also made some exceptional pals all over the world. All through writing and books. Isn't that amazing?
I learned a massive amount about the publishing world in 2011 but, when it comes to writing, there are still resolutions I have for 2012. Here are some of them:

Keep on reading
Reading other people's work is a great way to improve your own writing. This year I was honoured to have fellow writer Michelle Isenhoff read Raven. She made some very valid points on how I could improve it. I took all of her advice, but it wasn't until I read her children's book, The Quill Pen, that I really understood exactly what she meant. My writing has since improved, as a result. I am incredibly grateful to Michelle for this. Oh, and The Quill Pen is currently FREE and it is AMAZING!

Keep on writing
Yes, an obvious resolution but I have to admit to a serious procrastination problem. Basically, I am lazy. I am easily distracted by the TV, the internet, that chocolate in the fridge... and so on. The only way I will ever become a big success (!), is by writing as many books as possible. This is THE year... honest!

Don't dwell on negative criticism
In 2011, I swapped 'reads' with another writer. You'd think if she didn't like my book, she would politely say so and decline to review it but, instead she absolutely trashed it. She was very cruel and in most cases, quite wrong about what she wrote (she even suggested that all my good reviews must have been written by family and friends... which isn't true as very few family and friends have even read my book!). Suffice to say, I have not read her book. I simply cannot bring myself to do it. (My husband and friends said that I should have trashed hers but I refuse to stoop that low!)
The point is, I was so hurt by her words that I almost gave up writing. Ridiculous, I know, but that's how hard I took it. As writers, we need to develop a very thick skin and only take notice of the constructive criticism we receive. This year, I will do exactly that!

Happy New Year everyone. I hope that 2012 brings you all the happiness that you wish for!

For more Indie Resolutions, visit my wonderful fellow Carnis...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

2011-12-24T14:53:00.000Z

Merry Christmas, hiccup!

I've had one helluva year this year... and it's all thanks to the wonderful people who have taken the time to read my books, as well as to everyone who has been a part of my publishing world... from fellow authors, bloggers, twitterers, book reviewers, and more!
I've sold more ebooks than I ever even imagined possible, since I first released my first book, Raven, to the world in May. I've gone from selling just a few copies a month to selling hundreds and I'm gobsmacked at the amazing response I've had to the Raven Saga. Most reviews have been extremely positive, with a few not so nice in between, but that's to be expected, of course!
So, THANK YOU for all your amazing support over the past few months. I can't even put into words how awesome I feel right now because of it.
I'll be pretty busy throughout the next month or so, as I have the third book in the Raven Saga to finish, ready for its release in March! Also, I've got my charitable cause that takes place on Friday 13th January, where I'm having my hair chopped off for Make a Wish Foundation! If you'd like to donate a few dollars / euros / pounds, please visit http://www.crowdrise.com/SuzyTurner-ChopitOffforCharity/fundraiser/SuzyTurner and give what you can. It goes to an extremely worthy charity!
Merry Christmas everyone!! Have a fabulous holiday and I hope 2012 brings all you wish for!!
XXX

YA Indie Carnival: Secret Santa WINNERS

2011-12-23T16:51:00.000Z

CONGRATULATIONS TO Vanessa Eric who is the Grand Prize Winner of the YA Indie Carnival Secret Santa!!
And also to DIANA who has won copies of my three favourite YA books this year (see below). Diana... Shalini, Patti and Johanna will be in touch shortly with your books!

Hidden by Shalini Boland

HIDDEN is a paranormal romance that spans the centuries from modern London to 19th century Paris and ancient Cappadocia.
Sixteen-year-old Madison Greene is in foster care until one day she inherits a fortune, she inherits a house, she inherits a cellar full of danger.
Eighteen-year-old Alexandre lives in 19th century Paris. On an archaeological expedition he discovers a lost underground city where his life changes forever.
For each of them, life is finally starting. Little do they know it is closer to ending. Something lies buried which should have been forgotten. A Pandora’s Box that was meant to stay shut. But Madison and Alexandre have never been any good at following the rules. They are about to find everything they’ve ever desired and everything that could destroy them.
Falling in love has never been so dangerous.

Fairy Circle by Johanna Frappier

Saffron Keller, high school graduate, is terrified to leave the boundaries of her mother's yard.
Creatures that don't exist are about to show her why.

Paradox by Patti Roberts

Nine hundred years ago, I died...
A journey crossing Two Worlds. One Ancient - One New.
How do the heartbreaking visions experienced by a little girl fit into this Ancient World of Angels, Myth & Legend?
Where lives are bound by blood - and nothing is as it seems. This journey will leave you wanting and have you asking... Who, When, Where?
In a World where there are more questions than answers.
Is your Guardian Angel From Heaven or Hell...?

For more Carni news, visit...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

I'm in the press again!

2011-12-21T13:48:00.000Z

My cause, Chop it Off for Charity has been featured in the The Portugal News!
Have a look...

So far, I've raised $250!!! But I'm hoping to raise lots more for the Make a Wish Foundation. To donate, please visit http://www.crowdrise.com/SuzyTurner-ChopitOffforCharity/fundraiser/SuzyTurner

YA Indie Carnival: Secret Santa Giveaway

2011-12-16T08:00:00.003Z

Remember when you were in school and someone decorated your locker with wrapping paper and candy canes and big red bows? Today there’s a note taped to the outside of your locker. It reads:
Enter the Secret Santa Giveaway from Dec. 16 to Dec. 22, 3PM Pacific and on Friday, Dec. 23, Noon Pacific you could find TONS of books inside!
<3 SECRET SANTA
GRAND PRIZE: A Kindle or Nook copy of the books featured on the Grand Prize List!http://yaauthorclub.blogspot.com
To enter the Secret Santa GRAND PRIZE Giveaway just FOLLOW http://yaauthorclub.blogspot.com & comment on a carni’s site telling us why you’ve been naughty or nice this year. Each carni will have individual giveaways too so be sure to visit all the carnis to win as many books as possible!
ALL WINNERS ANNOUNCED 12/23/2011, Noon Pacific.

AND... BE IN WITH A CHANCE TO WIN THREE OF MY FAVOURITE YA EBOOKS THIS YEAR:

Hidden by Shalini Boland

Fairy Circle by Johanna Frappier

Saffron Keller, high school graduate, is terrified to leave the boundaries of her mother's yard.
Creatures that don't exist are about to show her why.

Paradox by Patti Roberts

Leave a comment below to enter and then head on over to my facebook page and click the like button. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!!

And now head on over to my fellow carnis to see what delights they have in store for you this Christmas...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

Going for the chop for The Make a Wish Foundation!

2011-12-14T10:48:00.000Z

I'm chopping my hair off for charity... yes, you read that right, my long locks are going and will be replaced with a super short pixie crop!
Initially I had decided to go for the chop because I'd decided to go completely natural and let my white hair shine through but as I gave it more thought I figured I should make it a charity event. I've chosen to raise funds for the Make a Wish Foundation International, an amazing charity which helps make the wishes come true for children with life threatening illnesses. I'd watched videos of some of these amazing kids and I always balled my eyes out and so it seemed only right to support something that had such an impact on my emotional state (and tear ducts!).
The day of the chop is set for Friday 13th January. Yes, Friday 13th!!! I am brave, aren't I?!

Please, please, please help by donating whatever you possibly can, even if it's just a few dollars / pounds / euros... it will all make a difference to some amazing children around the world. You can visit my charity page, here, to help support my cause.

And yep, if you're wondering about my hair, I am still going white. I've had enough of repeatedly putting all those chemicals on my head and I'm proud of who I am... and that includes my natural hair colour too!
Check out some of these amazing Make a Wish videos...

To help me in my cause, please visit...
http://www.crowdrise.com/SuzyTurner-ChopitOffforCharity/fundraiser/SuzyTurner
... and give what you can. Thank you!

The 25 Day Tour of Bad Aces

2011-12-13T09:33:00.000Z

Hello, folks! I'm Fisher Amelie and I'm here with the main characters of my latest novel, Callum & Harper, soon to hit shelves this Christmas Eve. So, today's post is going to be a bit different. A fan of mine recently detailed the horrors of a recent breakup of theirs and how difficult they find the process of breaking the ice with someone they're interested in. They asked me for some advice and I told them that I'd been out of the game for awhile but I knew a few young people who may be able to help.
So, welcome, Callum and Harper.
Callum: Hi.
Harper: Hello.
Fisher: So, what kind of advice would you give this fan of mine?
Callum: First thing's first, is this fan male or female?
Fisher: Male.
Harper: What does that matter, Callum?
Callum: Because if the fan was a 'she', I'd have no idea where to start. Besides, girls have it easy.
Harper: Ugh! Girls do not have it easy.
Callum: They do too! All you have to do, Harper Bailey, is bat those pretty lashes at a guy and he's all over you like white on rice.
Harper: That is possibly the most sexist thing I've ever heard you say. (Exaggeratedly bats eyes, develops Southern accent) Oh, please, sir. Pay attention to lil' ol' me. I'm in such need of a male's attention. And if you'd be so kind, please marry me, and stick a pregnant barefoot version of myself in your kitchen.
Callum: Ha, ha. That's not what I meant, Harper. All I was trying to say was that it takes a lot more work for a male to approach a female than vice versa.
Harper: No, it doesn't. It takes the same effort, Sir.
Callum: Oh, really?
Harper: Truly.
Callum: And when, pray tell, was the last time you had to approach a guy?
Harper: (Opens mouth. Shuts it) Well, I mean, I can't remember off the top of my head exactly but...
Callum: Ah, ha! See!
Harper: Callum, I just can't remember the last time I had to because I spend most of my time with you, ya' dolt!
Callum: (Turns bright red) Oh, well, um, did-did you want to, you know, go out and, um, start dating?
Harper: No. I mean, yes, I would like to start dating but, well, I don't know, what with everything going on, it's the last thing on my mind.
Callum: (Toes the wood beneath his feet, sticks hands in pocket) Oh, I see. Yeah, I suppose we are a little over our heads and all.
Harper: (Tucks hands beneath folded arms.) Yeah, it's just not a good time.
Callum: Yeah, I certainly won't be dating any time soon. (Looks up expectantly) What about you?
Harper: No, Callum. To be honest, I wouldn't want to date anyone else. I mean anyone at all...right now.
Callum: Yeah? Oh, cool.
Fisher: Uhhhhh, guys?? Can we get back on topic here?
Harper: Oh! Yeah! Sorry, Fisher! (Blushes)
Callum: So, wait, what were we talking about?
Fisher: My fan! He wanted advice on how to break the ice with girls.
Callum: Okay, well tell him that he needs to find an 'in'.
Harper: An 'in'?
Callum: Yeah, like me, for instance? I make it a point to know all the bartenders at each club I frequent, right?
Harper: Yeah?
Callum: Well, there's a reason for this. I have an 'arrangement' with them all. What I do, if I'm interested in a girl, is send the bartender a signal. Henry? At The Bowery? I tap the bar top twice and point to the girl I like and what he does, is brings me the same drink she's drinking. Then, makes a casual reference or joke about how we're drinking the exact same drink. Henry's gotten me an 'in'.
Harper: That is surprisingly pathetic yet sounds equally effective. I don't know whether to dump this bottle of water over your head or applaud.
Callum: I know! Like a charm, baby. Like a charm.
Harper: Let me guess, Charlie taught you this little gem?
Callum: Come on. That move is his signature.
Harper: I should have known. So, then what?
Callum: Well, then she finds out that we have, 'like, so much in common'. Though, I'm not really, usually a fan of soap making, that one has came in handy once or twice. What they don't know won't hurt them.
Harper: So, you're a sociopath.
Callum: No, I'm charming, there's a difference.
Harper: Sure. (Narrows eyes) Hmm.
Callum: What?
Harper: How come you never act different in front of me?
Callum: Because you're Harper, I don't have to pretend with you. You and I think, act, and live exactly the same. Duh. You're my best friend. You're... (Runs hands over mouth)
Harper: Yes?
Callum: You're my Harper. That's it.
Fisher: Well, thank you, guys. You were absolutely no help whatsoever and now the only thing I could possibly tell this fan is that he has two choices, befriend every bartender in the city or marry his best friend.
Callum and Harper: Huh?
Fisher: Never mind.

And there you have it. Totally in love with the other yet totally clueless as to what they should do about it. Yikes. Sounds like a recipe for disaster...or is it?

Thank you so much for having us, Suzy!!!!

It's an absolute pleasure, Fisher!! You are always welcome!

Author Bio:
Fisher Amelie resides in the South with her kick ace husband slash soul mate. She earned her first 'mama' patch in 2009. She also lives with her Weim, 'Jonah', and her Beta, 'Whale'. All these living creatures keep the belly of her life full, sometimes to the point of gluttony, but she doesn't mind all that much because life isn't worth living if it isn't entertaining, right?
Fisher grew up writing. She secretly hid notebooks and notebooks of dribble in a large Tupperware storage container in her closet as a kid. She didn't put two and two together until after college where it suddenly dawned on her,
"Hey, I like writing". She's a bit dense.
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are. Put down that Oreo, your butt can't take any more."
"You're rude."
"Yeah, yeah."
Anyway, she likes to write and has finally beaten her self-esteem into submission enough to allow herself to be scrutinized under the 'other readers' microscope. "No! No! Not a cover slip! Last time it gave me a ra...." (mumbling)

***

Callum & Harper description:
Life sucks for orphans Callum Tate and Harper Bailey.
Kicked out of their foster homes because they suffer the 'eighteen disease' with nothing but a hundred dollar check from the government and a pat on the back, they're forced to rely on a system that failed them miserably.
So they sit. They sit inside Social Services, waiting for their social workers to call their names and offer them the miracle they know will never come but they sit anyway because they have nowhere else to go, no other options on their very literal and figurative empty plates.
But as they sit, they notice the other. Although captivated, they each come to the conclusion that life is complicated enough without throwing in a boiling tension that can't ever be acted upon because they're both too busy thinking about where their next meal will come from but when their names are called and both are placed on a year long waiting list for permanent housing, suddenly relying on each other seems like a very viable plan B.
And, oh, how lovely Plan B's can be.
Well, except for the psycho from Harper's past that haunts her and, oh, yeah, there's the little issue that neither of them knows they're in love with the other.
Needless to say, Callum & Harper's life just got a bit more complicated.
“One day, you and I are gonna’ wake up and be alright. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day. One day. I promise you.” - Callum Tate

***
Links and such:
Fisher is running a contest for the length of her book tour! To win a signed copy of Callum & Harper just click here
Visit Fisher at her website. www.fisheramelie.com
Watch her Book Trailers here
Find Fisher on Goodreads
Find Fisher on Amazon
Find Fisher on Barnes&Noble
Find Fisher on Facebook
Find Fisher on Twitter
Feel like talking to her in private? We don't blame you, she is easily persuaded into doing illegal things. E-mail her at fisher@fisheramelie.com. Don't worry, she's put up a firewall that no government agency could penetrate.

YA Indie Carnival: Cover Love

2011-12-09T16:14:00.000Z

As a writer, getting the cover right is one of the most important decisions you'll have to make. After all, the cover is your very first impression you're going to make on potential readers.
My first cover (for Raven) was a bad one... horrible actually! I designed it myself... it was a photo of myself that I photoshopped to make me look like a teenager (!). It wasn't a bad picture, of course, but it didn't get the right feel across that I wanted. So I opted to buy an image from a stock photography site instead. I added the words in Adobe Photoshop and voila... the cover to Raven was born.
I did the same for December Moon... and I have to say I love it even more than Raven. The picture I found is perfect, the girl looks exactly how I imagined the main character to be. Result!
But when it comes to other people's covers, there are so many beautiful ones out there. Here is a small selection of some of my favourites:

For more Cover Love.... check out my fellow Carnis below.

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

The Raven Saga OUT NOW in PAPERBACK

2011-12-03T08:00:00.001Z

I'm delighted to announce that both Raven and December Moon are now available in paperback!! Priced at just $10.99 each (or £6.88), I reckon they'd make a great Christmas present for both kids and adults alike. Don't you agree? Then why not go grab yourself a copy....
AMAZON UK
AMAZON US

YA Indie Carnival: Fiction Pie

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000Z

So this week's theme is: recipes for plotting your stories. Hmmm? To be honest, I came up blank, totally blank. I had no idea what to write about here... my stories usually take me by surprise, with little planning involved. You could say I am a 'pantster'.... I fly by the seat of my pants when it comes to story telling.
But these stories must come from somewhere, mustn't they? Hmm?
Well, I guess you could say the recipe behind Raven was created in that wonderful land far, far away, called Canada. That and a touch of Twilight inspiration, I suppose.
I'm really not doing very well, here am I? My fellow Carnis are probably writing thoughtful posts on how to come up with perfect plots for your tales and I am most certainly lacking!
I tell you what... why don't you head on over to their fantastic blogs and have a look for yourself. I'll be joining you soon, for sure!

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

Raven reaches TOP 100 in FREE KINDLE CHARTS!!

2011-11-27T22:18:00.001Z

I'm absolutely thrilled to bits at the moment... I had been trying to get Amazon to make my first book, Raven, free on their site but after several weeks of failed attempts, I all bit gave up and didn't even bother looking at Amazon KDP for a few weeks. And then, tonight I opened up my page and nearly fell over!
A couple of days ago, Raven became free and has since shot to the top of the children's fantasy-sci-fi charts... in at NUMBER TWO!! It's also reached the TOP 100 Free in Kindle Store!!
At first glance, I thought they must have made a mistake but nope... it's correct! Raven is a FREE bestseller (if that makes sense?!). Let's hope it stays up there!
To get your copy of Raven, FREE, visit:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

And now, excuse me a moment as I do a happy dance!!

Pauline Barclay – Re publication of Satchfield Hall

2011-11-26T09:00:00.004Z

Before I get too carried away with my excitement of what we are celebrating today, I’d like to say a big thank you to Suzy for inviting me to her fabby Blog so that I can talk about the re-publishing of Satchfield Hall.

Satchfield Hall was re-published on Thursday after being beautifully edited by the amazing Jo Field resplendent with its thought provoking new cover, designed by Cathy Helms at Avalon Graphics.
In the last two years, I have published three novels and Satchfield Hall was the second novel I published. Writing is a passion and one of the areas I love to write about is situations that change the course of people’s lives. It doesn’t necessarily have to be bad, for instance, my latest book Sometimes It Happens… is about a cleaner who won the lottery, it changed her life, but not in the way she had expected. What happened in Satchfield Hall changed the lives of many, but is unlikely to happen today and because of this I needed to set my story in a time where pregnancy outside of marriage was unthinkable, particularly in the privileges classes.

Satchfield Hall is an epic saga than spans over four decades. The reader is introduced to the story in 1942 when the world is in flux and fear. Where the fear of not seeing tomorrow is real and where love can be as easily lost as found. Celia Bryant-Smythe’s disgrace sets in motion events that will affect the lives of many people, taking decades to unravel. Lives will be lost and destroyed and it will take until the death of the one man, the Squire of Satchfield Hall, Henry Bryant-Smythe, who had callously started it all before it will be finally over.
Satchfield Hall is not about the war or gentleness nor is it about tranquillity and privilege. Satchfield Hall it is about fear, power, lies and in the end revenge.
The newly edited version of Satchfield Hall with its beautiful cover is available in Kindle at Amazon UK and Amazon com
The newly edited version will be available in paperback in around 10 days.
You can find out more about Pauline Barclay at
www.paulinebarclay.co.uk
http://paulinembarclay.blogspot.com
Twitter @paulinembarclay

Its always a pleasure having you on my blog, Pauline! Good luck with your re-launch!!

YA Indie Carnival: A Thanksgiving Story

2011-11-25T14:23:00.000Z

Okay, so I don't have any Thanksgiving stories of my own (I'm just an English girl who lives in Portugal!), and there aren't really any Thanksgiving stories within my books either so what do I talk about this week?
I'm going to be very predictable, ultra cheesy and just jot down a few things that I am thankful for...
My husband - He has supported me through thick and thin, particularly after I was made redundant and he suggested I work full time on my writing. I love him to bits!
My brother, sister and father - after my mum died when I was just a kid, we became close and even though I haven't lived in the same country as my siblings for many years, we are still so close and I do miss them terribly.
My friends - They're so very supportive and great fun to be around.
My health - I might complain of frequent aches and pains (sitting in front of a computer for hours every day doesn't do your back much good!), but I am healthy and so thankful for that.
My home - I have a modern beautiful house in the country where it's warm and safe.
My cats and dogs - They make my house dirty and cover the floor with their hairs. My little Podengo Luna has a habit of jumping up at me with dirty paws as I'm leaving the house, but they're great company and I love 'em!
Amazon & Smashwords - For making it possible for me to self-publish my books!
My pink laptop
My Timberland boots
My new black leather jacket
My new Fat Face body warmer.....
I'll shut up now!!!

Check out more Thanksgiving stories over with my fellow Indie Carnies....

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

Q&A with author Scarlett Bailey

2011-11-21T11:53:00.001Z

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Its not a very well known book, but there is a book called The Rose Grower written by Michelle de Krestser that I read a few years ago. It's about post revolutionary France, in the time of The Terror. When I finished it I kissed it, that's how much I loved it. Wonderfully evocative and well written, with a shocking ending that made me cry for days. I don't think I've ever kissed any other book....

Who is your favourite author and why?
I'll stick to contemporary writers and say that I am a huge, HUGE fan of Marion Keyes. She is the master (the mistress?) at balancing humour, romance, reality and darkness with believable characters you care about. I am so pleased that she will have a new book out next years. Hurrah!

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?

Is it wrong to say that I LOVE my own cover for the Night Before Christmas, its black and pink and sparkly? It is wrong, okay...um well the the cover for 'Gone with the Wind' the one with Rhett and Scarlett in a clinch on the cover. Classic.

No, Scarlett, it's not wrong, especially considering how GORGEOUS your cover is!

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Oh, oh, oh. All the Brontes. I am so fascinated with how these little dour yorkshire ladies came up with some of the most imaginative, innovative and exciting fiction in history. Shakespeare, because I'm pretty sure he'd be a terrible flirt, the Poet John Donne, he wrote some of the most sexy poetry ever, lovely, lovely Trisha Ashley, the nicest writer in the world and Charles Dickens who I hear loves to party.

Who, or what, inspires you?
General over excitement about everything, I just love writing, telling stories, hearing stories, writing stories, making stuff up. Its the best fun a girl could hope for.

Where is your favourite place to write?
At my desk, really. I have a nice painting on the wall which I like to look and a fairly serviceable view out of the window which keeps me going when I get a bit stuck.

Check out The Night Before Christmas book trailer:

For more information about Scarlett and her book, Night Before Christmas, visit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scarlett-Bailey/114529108652745
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ScarlettBailey
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Night-Before-Christmas-Scarlett-Bailey/dp/0091943388

YA Indie Carnival: On the rise - YA Fantasy

2011-11-18T07:54:00.001Z

YA fantasy certainly seems to be gaining popularity... fast, doesn't it? And who can we thank for this amazing phenomena? Perhaps Stephenie Meyer? JK Rowling (although HP is more children's fiction)? But there must have been YA fantasy before these gals came onto the scene?

To be completely honest, I never even heard of YA until I picked up my very first copy of Twilight! I know, I know, lame, lame... but all I ever used to read was chick lit. I still read that genre too, but in between the copious amounts of YA fantasy I devour whenever I can (which probably isn't often enough!).

I'm still very behind most of my indie writers pals... I haven't even read The Hunger Games yet, for instance and the movie is looming on the horizon. I need to get my ass into gear!

So why is YA fantasy so popular? Well, that's easy! Because it's freaking awesome, that's why! It's the perfect way to completely lose yourself from the real world. Vampires, werewolves, changelings, ghosts, aliens, alternate realities, shape shifters, time shifters, talking animals, beautiful angels. I mean, do we need anything more? I hope YA fantasy will continue to rise in popularity... because I for one, will never get enough of it!

Check out more on the rise of the popularity of YA fantasy over at my fellow Indie Carnies....

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

Cinderella's Secret Diary by Ron Vitale

2011-11-14T14:21:00.001Z

This weekend, I spent much of my time reading through many of the blogs that took part in the Blog Tour de Troops... a fabulous and worthy cause wherein a large number of authors very generously gave free copies of their books to whoever commented, as well as free copies to members of the forces!

I have been given some books that sound truly amazing but there was one that just captivated me (and I haven't even read it yet!). The cover, the description and the author's blog post all combined to make me desperate to read this book about my all time favourite fairy tale character, Cinderella. I asked Ron why he chose to write this story...........

Why I wrote Cinderella's Secret Diary by Ron Vitale

Back on January 12, 2010, I was reading Disney’s Royal Princess Homes book to my then 2-year-old daughter. She sat next to me on the rocking chair and I turned through a page in the book and read how Cinderella was in her bedroom showing off her scarves and shoes. Yet tucked away in the corner was a desk that had a book on it entitled “Cinderella’s Secret Diary.”
A light went off in my head. I do not know how else to describe it. A thought, like lightning, zapped me and I started wondering what would be in that book. I knew at that instant that I had stumbled upon an amazing idea. I kissed my daughter goodnight, tucked her in and then did a search on Google. I stumbled upon an out-of-print Disney book entitled Disney Princess: My Secret Diary by Cinderella but I could find nothing else online. From what I could tell from eBay and reviews, the Disney diary book is about mice costumes and other such things from the Disney movie. Ideas kept flowing through my mind and I jotted down some notes for a short story idea I had. I kept wondering what Cinderella’s secret diary would really be like. Why was it secret? Is she happily married? Does she have children? I could not stop the flood of ideas.

I have read about writers who talk about being a conduit for their work and now I understand: As I wrote this book, I could see the scenes playing out in my head. On my long runs while training for a half-marathon, I’d envision what the characters were doing and when I sat down to write the words just flowed out of me. Often, I’d sit on the back sofa with the laptop and try desperately to type the scenes out as I could see what was happening—like a movie was playing in my head.
As weird as this might sound, I often felt that I channeled the words of Cinderella or the Silver Fox—that I was their personal medium. I told my wife this and she said, “But you wrote the story. You created the characters.” I agreed, but when I wanted Cinderella to go down one path, she’d often go down another. I couldn’t make her do what I wanted her to do. While writing, her personality crystalized for me and I clearly began to know who she was, what she yearned for and why. I listened to her and wrote her story. I know that I’ll be asked many questions about the Silver Fox and I will simply say this: In the first draft, I didn’t discover his character until more than 2/3 of the way through the book. Once I created him, I realized that I had to re-write the book as he was central to it. My first readers really loved him and wanted more and I couldn’t disagree. He makes the book worth reading.
While writing Cinderella’s Secret Diary, I knew that I wanted the central theme to be about female empowerment. My closest friends know that I am not a fan of Disney and the whole Princess thing. I wanted to write a story about a young woman who was a Princess but then had to overcome many challenges to find out who she truly is. With that said I’ve dedicated the book to my daughter.
I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the book and am already planning on writing the next. I hope you choose to read it and, if you like it, share it with friends and family. I believe it’s a story that needed to be told.
Read my new novel:Cinderella's Secret Diary
Website: www.RonVitale.com
Twitter: @ronvitale

A free book for Thanksgiving

2011-11-13T15:09:00.000Z

My fellow YA Indie Carnies and I received this wonderful email this morning from author T.R Graves (also a YA Indie Carni) and I just had to share with you....

Subject: Thanksgiving Wishes (early)

All,
In the spirit of the season, I’m thankful for lots and lots of things this year. As a mother/wife/friend, the gratitude deeply embedded inside of me specifically carved out for my family and friends will always be first on my lists. As a nurse, I’m thankful to have a job which allows me to give back to the community and make a difference to a cause near and dear to my heart, nonprofit healthcare. As a writer, I’m beyond grateful for every opportunity that I’ve been given during my debut year. The road has been long and arduous, but it has been every bit as rewarding as my healthcare advocacy job. Since the release of Warriors of the Cross, I’ve met dozens of great Indie authors (all phenomenal & special & talented people) and hundreds of friends/fans/followers/commenters/reviewers who are passionate about reading, writing, and blogging. I have learned something from each of them, and their lessons will never be forgotten.
In preparation for December’s release of Guardians of the Cross, I’m sending out aWarriors of the Cross link along with a coupon which will allow the most-recent editionWarriors of the Cross to be downloaded for *FREE*. If you have an older version, please feel free to use the coupon to update your Kindle/Nook/IPAD/etc.
Finally, you are welcome to share this on your blogs…if you like. It will be good until 12/20/11. As with any gift, there are no strings attached. If you download, you are under no obligation to read, review, fan/friend/follow, or comment. All you have to do is sit back andENJOY!
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/44277 - coupon LY87N
From me to you, have a great Thanksgiving!
T. R. Graves, Author

Warriors of the Cross
Guardians of the Cross
Enemies of the Cross

Another 4 star review!

2011-11-13T13:22:00.000Z

Another 4 star review of Raven!!

And then a quick interview with yours truly at the end... what a great day!!

B o o k B a b y: Quick Review: Raven by Suzy Turner: RAVEN (THE RAVEN SAGA PART ONE) by SUZY TURNER REVIEWED BY : Ellen Fritz OVERVIEW Her whole life had been based on a lie. Lilly had...

YA Indie Carnival: 11/11/11

2011-11-11T01:00:00.005Z

YAY... it's 11th November 2011. It sounds exciting doesn't it? Like the kind of big blockbuster disaster movie with big name actors, a huge budget and fantastic special effects?
In that case, the 11 theme I'm going with here is my Top 11 Disaster Movies!
I LOVE disaster movies, not sure why... probably because I love the way people come together and make everything good in the end. No I do not like disaster movies where everyone dies! They just SUCK!
So, here's my list of 11 of my all-time favourite ever disaster movies, in no particular order:

11. Independence Day

Will Smith kicking alien ass. Do we need anything more?

10. Titanic

Leonardo DiCaprio when he was adorably cute with the beautiful English lass Kate Winslet. Yes I know I said I don't like movies where people die but, well... it's just so epic not to include.

9. The Day After Tomorrow

New York in the worst snow storm, biggest flood ever and it has the most gorgeous Jake Gyllenhaal in it.

8. Volcano

Tommy Lee Jones. He just rocks, ya know?

7. Dante's Peak

I can't even count how many times this movie is on TV but it doesn't matter, I just HAVE to watch it, EVERY time! I love it. It helps, of course, that it's got Pierce Brosnan in it!

6. Poseidon

A re-make of the original (The Poseidon Adventure, which was out before I was born), this makes my list purely because it's got Josh Lucas in it. Comprende?

5. Twister

Two people who used to be together that should be together but they're not.

And all that in the face of flying cows and RVs. You just gotta love it!

4. Armageddon

It's all in the song, baby... "I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep, Cause I'd miss you, babe and I don't wanna miss a thing....." That and the' I'm leaving on a jet plane' song scene!

3. Deep Impact

That scene on the beach, where Tea Leoni's character is on the beach with her dad, the massive tsunami appears and she turns to him and goes "daddy". That just gets me, floods of tears... EVERY TIME.

2. The Perfect Storm

Two words: George. Clooney.

1. Deep Blue Sea

Awesomeness of a movie. I'm now terrified of the ocean but I guess it was Jaws and Piranha that did that to me! Oh and another thing... LL Cool J. Swoon.

Have I missed any of your favourites? Leave a comment below and let me know!

To read more about our Number 11 theme today, check out my fellow, fabulous Carnis...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

Q&A with author Pam Richter

2011-11-09T09:27:00.000Z

A very warm welcome to the lovely author, Pam Richter....

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Recently I read The Mill River Recluse by Darcy Chan. It was excellent. The effect was the need for several hankys during the last quarter of the novel. It was beautifully written, describing the life of an emotionally hurt woman who was isolated, but compassionate with the people she viewed from her lonely vigil above a town.

Who is your favourite author and why?
I started reading John Sandford's novels about twenty years ago. If offered a book written by him, in his Prey series, I would probably pick it over any other offering by another author. I like Sandford because he doesn't write down. He expects his readers to get his dry wit and understand the plot. I enjoy following the life of his main character, Lucas Davenport, in the novels.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?

I hope it's okay to give one of my own. When I found the cover picture for The Necromancer I couldn't believe it. In the first scene of the novel The Necromancer is looking into a magic crystal. The heroine, Michelle, is tall with black hair. Wiccans hold ceremonies under a full moom. It was all there. The tall black haired beautiful Michelle, holding a crystal, under a full moon, going through a doorway, depicting the changes she goes through in the novel.

Pam, I think this is a GORGEOUS cover!!

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
I would sit with my chin in my hand and just listen. Super fun to see the following authors interact: Lee Child, John Sandford, Stephen King, Nelson Demille, Kay Kenyon, Nora Roberts, Robert Heinlein, Christian Cantrel, Darcy Chan, Andre Jute.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Novels of course. But many times a situation I imagine will seem to pop into my mind. Then come the characters, and how they react to something unusual in their life. It tends to be involved, and I envy writers who can put out short stories. Mine always turn into novels.

Where is your favourite place to write?
At home. The computer sits on my round glass dining room table. I'll probably never eat there again.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Gone With The Wind. The film is quite old, but I can't remember any movies that reached the quality of the books I have read.

What is your your book about?

I've written three novels, in different genres. The Living Image is a thriller. It was published by New Concepts. Then came The Necromancer, a paranormal. Finally, I wrote Midnight Reflections, a romantic suspense. I guess each book has themes that recur. There is romance in each of them. There are friendship bonds that the main character relies upon. So I suspect that although the novels are in different genres, there are similarities that can be found.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?
I can't even imagine because the characters are so specific in my mind. If they look right, the attitude is all wrong.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I'm an identical twin.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
The biggest Halloween parade in the world is in West Hollywood. 145,000 people attended this year. I live two blocks away. A very wild night last month.

Winter or summer? Summer
Ebook or paperback? Ebook
Favourite food? Ice Cream
Sporty or couch potato? Sporty
Cook or be cooked for? Rather write. Cook for me, please.

Link to your website: http://anauthorsplace.weebly.com/index.html

Time for another giggle...

2011-11-08T10:20:00.000Z

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com

A friend sent me this email this morning and I was literally giggling to myself so I thought I'd share it with you...

Children Writing About the Ocean...

1) -This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly, age 6)

2) - Oysters' balls are called pearls. (Jerry, age 6)

3) - If you are surrounded by ocean, you are an island. If you don't have ocean all round you, you are incontinent. (Melissa, age 7)

4) - Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She's not my friend anymore. (Kylie, age 6)

5) - A dolphin breathes through an asshole on the top of its head. (Billy, age 8)

6) - My uncle goes out in his boat with 2 other men and a woman and comes back with crabs. (Millie, age 6)

7) - When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes when the wind didn't blow the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother Tom said they would have been better off eating beans. (William, age 7)

8) - Mermaids live in the ocean. I like mermaids. They are beautiful and I like their shiny tails, but how on earth do mermaids get pregnant? (Helen, age 6)

9) - I'm not going to write about the ocean. My baby brother is always crying. My dad keeps yelling at my mom, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy, age 6)

10) - Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves into chargers. (Christopher, age 7)

11) - When you go swimming in the ocean, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin, age 6)

12) - Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Divers can't go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. (Becky, age 8)

13) - On vacation my mom went water skiing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water fired right up her big fat ass. (Julie, age 7)

14) - The ocean is made up of water and fish. Why the fish don't drown I don't know.. (Bobby, age 6)

15) - My dad was a sailor on the ocean. He knows all about the ocean. What he doesn't know is why he quit being a sailor and married my mom. (James, age 7)

YA Indie Carnival: Blast from the past

2011-11-04T01:00:00.002Z

I think of Blast from the Past and I think of that awesome movie starring Brendan Frasier... you know, the one here he is born in a bunker, raised on the belief that there was a nuclear war back in the 70s (or was it the 60s?) but when he manages to get out, he has to come to terms with life as it is today. It's a fabulous film, I really ought to watch it again soon!
But the point of this week's YA Indie Carnival is a blast from the past, from high school! Oh dear! Us Carnis were tasked with finding something that we wrote down in high school that we would like to share with our readers. Now, therein lies the problem for me, I never kept anything from school... no school books, no note pads, no stories, nothing, zip, zilch. So, what to do? Well, I could tell you about the notes that I probably wrote down all the time: S hearts M (cheesy, huh?).
S of course stands for Suzy and M stands for Michael... my husband! Yes, I met my husband when I was just a wee lass of 16, still in school, and we stuck together through thick and thin, got engaged on my 21st birthday and married when I was 22 (that was... errrrm, 13 years ago!). He's a fantastic bloke, very supportive and extremely hard working. Yes, he can be a pain in the ass sometimes but then so can I! So, almost 20 years on, and I'm still scribbling down S hearts M. Okay, maybe I'm not physically writing it down but I am mentally!
Now, if you'd like to read about some proper genuine, high school blasts from the past, then check out my fabulous fellow carnis...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

Have a giggle today...

2011-11-03T09:05:00.000Z

I just received this very funny email from a friend and rather than forward it on... I thought I'd share it with all my readers. Enjoy!

Today is International Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman's Day, so please send this message to someone you think fits this description. Please do not send it back to me as I have already received it from a Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman!

And remember this motto to live by: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, totally worn out and screaming 'WOOO HOOOOO what a ride!'

To the Girls !!

Inside every older person is a younger person -- wondering what the hell happened.
~ Cora Harvey Armstrong ~

Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with cookies.
~ Unknown~

The hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy.
~ Helen Hayes (at 73)~

I refuse to think of them as chin hair. I think of them as stray eyebrows.
~ Janette Barber~

Old age ain't no place for sissies.
~Bette Davis~

Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.
~ Caryn Leschen ~

If you can't be a good example ~ then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.
~Catherine~

If someone is talking behind your back they are in a good position to KISS YOUR A....!!!
~Bev MacNeil~

Send this to five bright women you know and make their day. (Five!!! You've got to be kidding.... Every girl on my email list just got this one....)

And when life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!

Steamy sex, scandal & secrets...

2011-10-31T17:00:00.000Z

Strings Attached by Mandy Baggot

1 November is the launch date for Mandy Baggot’s new contemporary romance novel Strings Attached. This is a story full of sex, scandal and secrets with some sandwiches and sauce thrown in for good measure! Here is the blurb:-
Between the past and the future there are always strings attached
Caterer George Fraser has a mission. She’s going to prove everyone wrong. Ambitious owner of catering firm Finger Food and black sheep of her family, she’s determined to succeed in business where she’s so far failed in her personal life. Asked to cater for gorgeous rock star Quinn Blake’s after-show party her life suddenly takes a turn for the dramatic.
Magnetically drawn together, George and Quinn embark on a relationship that no one must know about. But is Quinn everything he seems or is there more to his star life than he’s telling her?
Things hot up when George is invited to the wedding of the millennium and her integrity very soon becomes compromised. With celebrity obsessed colleague Marisa in the mix and her beloved Adam spending more time in her life can George keep her secrets and hold on to her ambition, or will love finally get in the way?
You can take part in the blog tour and find all the dates and websites taking part by visiting Mandy’s website at www.mandybaggot.webs.com
Strings Attached is available to buy from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com on Kindle here Amazon UK and here Amazon US
And also in paperback here Amazon UK and here Amazon US

YA Indie Carnival BE AFRAID: Best Indie Scares

2011-10-28T01:00:00.002+01:00

Be afraid... be very afraid... because this week us Indie Carnis are recommending our scariest indie reads.

I had no difficulty in choosing my spookiest book because this one had me sitting at the very edge of my seat, biting my nails, eyes wide open in fear.... it's Asylum Lake by R.A Evans.

Here's the blurb:

The State’s second largest Psychopathic Hospital opened in 1917 on 600 wooded acres overlooking a small lake near Bedlam Falls, Michigan. Through its doors came the weak and the weary, the disabled and the discarded, the frail and the forgotten. But an open door is an invitation, and some visitors, once invited, are loath to leave. The hospital abruptly closed in 1958 under a cloud of mystery. It has remained empty and silent, save for the memories trapped both within its walls and far below the surface of the nearby lake that bears its name. At the bottom of Asylum Lake, the unremembered are growing restless.
Brady Tanner is trying to outrun memories of his own. After the sudden death of his wife, Brady retreats to the small town where he spent the summers of his youth. But he soon learns small towns can be stained by memories…and secrets, too. As Brady is drawn into unearthing these secrets, as he discovers a new love in an old friend, he is also drawn into the mystery of Asylum Lake and the evil that lies submerged beneath its sparkling surface. What is the source of this evil – and what does it want with Brady Tanner?

And here's my review:

Being a real scaredy cat I usually tend to avoid reading anything that might freak me out a little, but lately I've succumbed to a number of thriller/horror movies (and really enjoyed them!) so I figured I would take the plunge and try to read something within the same genre. When I first read the blurb on Asylum Lake, I decided to give it a go.
The first night I started reading, I woke up in a cold sweat after having a really scary nightmare! It didn't put me off though and I persevered. I am so glad that I did. R.A Evans has a real talent for the written word and, other than the odd minor spelling error, I couldn't fault his beautiful prose. The story flowed brilliantly and I found it to be a real page-turner. Although I was expecting the ending to conclude with more of a bang, it did leave me feeling more than satisfied.
Asylum Lake would make a terrific movie.... are you listening Hollywood? R.A Evans is a name you should be taking notice of!
All in all, a fantastic thriller / horror (still not sure what to call it!). I shall eagerly await Evans' next novel.

For more indie books that will scare your socks off, check out my fabulous fellow carnis...

1. Laura A. H. Elliott author of Winnemucca & 13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series

2. Bryna Butler, author Midnight Guardian series
3. Heather Self

4. T. R. Graves, Author of The Warrior Series
5. Suzy Turner, author of The Raven Saga

6. Darby Karchut, author of GRIFFIN RISING
7. Lexus Luke

8. PJ Hoover, Author of SOLSTICE, Blogging at ROOTS IN MYTH
9. Cheri Schmidt, author of the Fateful Trilogy

10. Rachel Coles, author of Into The Ruins, geek mom blog
11. K. C. Blake, author of Vampires Rule and Crushed

12. Patti Larsen, The Hunted series and The Hayle Coven series
13. Courtney Cole, author of The Bloodstone Saga

14. Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy
15. Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews

16. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey
17. M. Leighton, Blood Like Poison Series, Madly, The Reaping

18. Abbi Glines, author of Breathe and The Vincent Boys
19. Kimberly Kinrade, Bits of You & Pieces of Me, Forbidden Mind

20. Madeline Smoot, Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
21. Cidney Swanson, author of Rippler

22. Nicole Williams, author of Eternal Eden, Falling Eden
23. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter

24. Abbi Glines: Breathe, The Vincent Boys, Existence
25. Ten Things Authors Should Know About Social Media

OUT NOW! Fairy Thief by Johanna Frappier

2011-10-26T15:51:00.000+01:00

I'm so excited to announce the release of Fairy Thief by my great author pal, Johanna Frappier...

http://www.amazon.com/FAIRY-THIEF-paranormal-fantasy-ebook/dp/B005Y5J5MU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1319639799&sr=1-1

*
Hey Suzy! So nice to come over here to your blog and visit you again; thank you soooooo much for having me! I wanted to share a little blurb with you about my new book, FAIRY THIEF, which is Book 2 in The Fairy Circle Series.
*

It has been a year since Saffron Keller traveled to the Fairyrealm. She had no intention of ever mixing with fairy-kind again. When the fairy, Ny, steals the soul of her human love, Markis, she finds herself entangled once more in all that is beautiful and magical and torturous. To find Markis, she must travel through different realms - alternate planes of existence and spaces of time – all before her life in the Earthrealm passes too far into the future. Not wanting the help of the possessive fairy, Li, whom Saffron has shared turbulent past lives with – she is instead paired up with two immature boy fairies, Tai and Wo, who try her patience to the very limits of tolerance. As the three pass through realms they meet others who hinder and help them on their way: Orji - the handsome man with the bad bed-side manner, Deva - the cow who has the twins besotted, a monster of a prince, and the most vile dragon lady in one hundred realms.
*
FAIRY THIEF is currently available as an eBook on Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and other eOutlets. It'll also be available as a paperback in about a week (fingers crossed!).

Thanks for telling us about Fairy Thief, Johanna! I can't wait to get stuck into it!

For the love of England

2011-10-25T10:20:00.000+01:00

I've been back from England a couple of weeks now and I'm still feeling pangs for it. The truth is, I really want to move back there. I've lived in Portugal for 25 years now and I feel ready for a new adventure. I've always held a secret love for the country of my birth and given the chance, I would have moved years ago. But when you have a husband with a successful business in Portugal, it's not really that easy!
Many of our close friends and family are helping me nudge him in the right direction... so we'll see what happens. Watch this space!
In the meantime, if you have a look at some of the photos we took, you'll soon realise why I'm so desperate to go back.... it's a writer's dream! It's the most inspiring country full of beautiful historical buildings and lush, green countryside. Yes I do understand that it has many downsides but then doesn't everywhere? Nowhere is absolutely perfect, is it?
Have a look and let me know what you think...

Q&A with Catherine Stovall

2011-10-24T01:00:00.000+01:00

Please welcome author Catherine Stovall, who is stopping by today as part of her Virtual Book Tour to launch her new book, Stolen. To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Stolen, simply leave a comment below...

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?

Insomnia by Stephen King. The first time I read the book I literally couldn’t put it down. The story is unlike anything I had read before (I was about 15) and the characters were positively captivating. I have since re-read the book many times and am still in love.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Anne Rice is my favorite author and I own even her early works under the name Anne Rambling. Her writing shows her love for her characters and helps to give them a complete three-dimensional existence. She also has the ability many author’s lack to give her works a strong finish.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
I positively adore the Cassandra Clare covers for The Immortal Instrument series. They are well designed and positively beautiful.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Oh, I love this question! I would choose Charles Dickens for his outlook on the hardships of life, Emily Bronte because she represented women in a time where the literary field was not a woman’s profession, Anne Rice because she is the Queen of Horror and my literary idol, Stephen King because of his knowledge of the profession, and Dean Koonts because I would love to learn a few tricks about writing with such suspense.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Everything in life inspires me. Even though I write fiction, I try to tie in reality as much as possible. I am always stopping whatever I am doing to jot down a note or two for later. Music is probably the most inspiring though. Without my iPod, I would be completely lost.

Where is your favourite place to write?
Curled up under the covers is my favorite place to write. My kids, husband, and pets distract me a lot but I write my best when I am in familiar and comfortable setting. Plus, the interruptions remind me not to get to lost in my own world and miss time with them.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I typically will only read the book after I watch the movie if it is one that I haven’t read yet. I do this because the movie is never as good. With The Road, I watched the movie afterwards and I was impressed. They did an excellent job of recreating the story.

What is your book about?

Jenda and Soborgne are best friends and everything they do, they do together. Unfortunately, this time the girls may be joined at the hip in a far more horrible way: by death. The girls are kidnapped and held captive by Belle and Matteo, two vampires with a plan. Belle, a sociopath in life and death, is searching for an heir to her reign as the only vampire to hold the secret to surviving the sun. Matteo is a lost soul who would give anything to be loved and to see the light of day. As the four characters’ worlds collide, blood is spilled, lives are lost, and rules are broken. Disappointment in love and life bring out the worst in humans but, with vampires, it leads to a chilling tale of romance and terror.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of this fabulous book, simply leave a comment below...

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Belle ~ Delta Burke

Jenda ~ Emma Stone

Matteo ~ Alex Pettyfer

Soborgne ~ Selena Gomez

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I have a pet snake. He’s a Ball Python named Berkowitz.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
I just moved to a very small community about 15 minutes from the small college town I did reside in. I don’t know anything interesting about where I live now. We have less than 800 residents and there’s not much that goes on here.

Winter or summer? I really prefer Fall. Winter is way too cold and summer is way too hot. That’s the joy of living in Missouri. The weather is always extreme.

Ebook or paperback? Both. eBooks for when I am on the go or lunch at work and paper back for those times when I just need the comforting feel and smell of an old favorite.

Favourite food? Cheese. I love cheese. I put it on everything.

Sporty or couch potato? Not really sporty but not a couch potato either. I like to get out and go on photo shoots in strange out of the way places, go walking in the historical district and hit all the thrift shops, and hike and rock climb with my best friends.

Cook or be cooked for? Be cooked for. I use to enjoy cooking but now its just so time consuming.

To be in with a chance of winning a copy of Stolen,

simply leave a comment below...

YA Indie Carnival: Halloween or perhaps not?

2011-10-21T01:00:00.000+01:00

Memories of living in England (I'm the little 'un)

This week, us Indie Carnis are talking about our favourite childhood Halloween memories...
Unfortunately, I don't have a single one! Living in England until I was ten, I don't think we ever really celebrated this spooky night. And when we moved to Portugal, there was even less chance as we lived (what I felt to be) right in the middle of nowhere so no trick or treating for me!

I've watched tonnes of (mainly American) movies and TV shows where kids get all dressed up and go out scouring for candy and I used to feel like I missed out a great deal. Especially the dressing up part! I LOVE fancy dress.

The memory I do have is of a special British 'celebration' a few days later, 5th November, Guy Fawkes night. My family and I used to head to the local park where there was a giant bonfire. I remember crisp cold nights, pink cheeks and red noses, woolly gloves and lots and lots of excitement. We would stand around the bonfire eating baked potatoes and toffee apples, there would be sparklers and these strange necklaces that when cracked would glow in the dark. And then, to finish the evening off, there would be fireworks! Just thinking about it gives me goose bumps. Winter was coming and that was always my favourite time of year in England... oooh I've come over all peculiar, I do miss England, I really, really do.

Want to read more Halloween memories? Then take a tour of the other Indie Carnis below...

PS. if you're curious about Guy Fawkes Night, visit Wikipedia to find out more.

The Fuji Mermaid Dani Snell’s Refracted Light Reviews
Leopard Girl Patti Larsen Author of The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House, The Hunted Series and the Hayle Coven Novels
Fire Breather Courtney Cole Author of Every Last Kiss, Fated, Princess, and Guardian. Also a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Strong Woman Nicole Williams Author of Eternal Eden, and Fallen Eden. She is also a contributing author in the Glassheart Chronicles
Champion Sword Swallower Fisher Amelie Author of The Understorey, as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Snake Charmer Amy Maurer Jones Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Pretzel Woman Rachel Coles. Geek Mom. Book Reviewer Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie, Whistles, Beergarden, Plagues, Bees of St. John, and Mushrooms
The Giant T. R. Graves T.R. Graves: Author of Warriors of the Cross
Jungle Woman P.J. Hoover Author of Solstice, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, The Necropolis
Shape Shifter Alicia McCalla Author of the upcoming science-fiction novel Breaking Free
Tarot Card Reader Heather Cashman Author of Perception
Fortune Teller Abbi Glines Author of Breathe, and the upcoming Existence and Vincent Boys
Knife Thrower Cheri Schmidt Author of Fateful, Fractured, and Fair Maiden
Fire Dancer Lexus Luke Author of Manitou, The Sky People Saga
Fire Breather Suzy Turner Author of December Moon and Raven
Dragonslayer K. C. Blake Author of Vampire Rules
Elephant Trainer Gwenn Wright Author of Filter
Ring-Leader Kimberly Kinrade author of Bits of You & Pieces of Me and Forbidden Mind.
Prestidigitator Darby Karchut Author of Griffin Rising and the upcoming Griffin’s Fire
Lion Tamer Madeline Smoot Author of Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
Siren M. Leighton Author of the Blood Like Poison Series, Wiccan, Caterpillar, Madly & Wolfhardt & The Reaping
Horse Whisperer Cidney Swanson Author of Rippler
Flying Trapeeze Artist Heather Self awesome book blogger.

YA Writers' Chat

2011-10-19T01:00:00.001+01:00

YA Literature, Why it Sells and Where it is Going

YA author Claude Nougat

YA literature made headlines in 2011 when the children's books critic for the Wall Street Journal, Ms. Gurdon, accused some YA novels for being too violent and inappropriate for a teen market. More recently an article in the New York Times suggested that modern YA literature had lost the freshness of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland and moved into dark areas. The Harry Potter series was mentioned, referring in particular to Rowling’s “demonders” and her acknowledging that inspiration for them came from a bout of depression she had suffered.
On the other side of the barrier, the Historian Amanda Foreman, author of “Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire,” told a reporter from the NYT (Pamela Paul, August 6, 2010) : “good YA is like good television. There’s a freshness there; it’s engaging. YA authors aren’t writing about middle-aged anomie or disappointed people.”
I met with YA author Claude Nougat to discuss this, and we both felt that the resulting chat could be of interest to both YA readers and authors. The conversation is both here and on her blog (http://claudenougat.blogspot.com/)

YA author Suzy Turner

I recently released DECEMBER MOON, the second book in the Raven Saga, and Claude has come out with RECLAIM THE PRESENT, the second book in her Fear of the Past Trilogy (which, incidentally is a fantastic read!).
Our points of view, as you will see, are somewhat divergent because, while we are both into YA literature, we come to it from widely different angles. I am very much into a fantasy world filled with vampires, changelings and witches, whereas Claude is into a paranormal world filled with historical characters - the forebears of her protagonist. The link to her book can be found above, while my book is about a young girl who discovers she possesses a unique ability inherited from her unusual family, links to which you'll find all over my blog!

Claude: What’s your take in this controversy? Do you think YA authors have moved into forbidden territory for young adults – too dark, too forbidding, too violent? I don’t think everyone has, I know I haven’t but then I’m not into Peter Pan/Alice-in-Wonderland stuff either!
Suzy: Not at all. if you look back to the kinds of stories that were read to us as children, you'll see that they were just as dark and forbidding if not more so than in many of today's YA books. The Grimms Brothers' stories, for instance, were full of dark, terrifying tales!
Claude: What I love about YA literature is that it is such a flexible genre: it contains everything from fantasy to paranormal - like both our books - to all sorts of other things, like dystopian fantasy, science fiction, thrillers. Just about anything goes, all genres are mixed and can even be found within a single novel - like mine which combines paranormal with historical elements. Mind you, I spent a lot of time doing historical research and travelling to the places I describe to ensure accuracy! Do you see that as an attractive feature of YA literature? Is that why - or at least one of the reasons - you wrote your book?
Suzy: Absolutely and I think this is one of the reasons why it is such a popular genre not only for young adults but for older ones too. One of the reasons I wrote my book is because I felt the place in which it was set, had a story to tell. Powell River in British Columbia, Canada, bewitched me into creating a tale of fantasy!
Both of our books have one thing in common though and that is the "search for self" element within. Both of our main characters are trying to discover who they really are, albeit in very different guises.
Claude: Yes, that’s what I liked about the YA classification: it gave me a chance to explore in depth the "search for self". When you are young, there's so much to learn about the world around you, but particularly about yourself. Tony, my protagonist – a computer whiz kid - is learning about himself in a very peculiar way: through his forebears who come back to him as ghosts, explaining to him what their life was like, what work and love meant to them. Normally that is something you learn from your parents and friends - I thought this was a different way of exploring one's roots. Going deep into the past. Your protagonist learns about herself by travelling abroad, from London to British Columbia and meeting family she didn’t even know she had! Isn’t that right?
Suzy: Yes, Lilly actually grew up in London stuck in the confines of a tiny apartment, not allowed to go out and have friends, other than the one she secretly had at school. When her parents disappear and she moves to Canada, it is there that she begins to learn more about herself - through the family she never knew existed. In the beginning, she is so naive because she never had the chance to grow.
Claude: Actually, searching for self is something that concerns us as adults too! We never stop discovering things about ourselves and trying to adjust to new challenges in our lives…Which I suspect is why YA literature has an enduring appeal to all ages! My Fear of the Past Trilogy focuses on the fundamental question: how much of ourselves do we inherit from our family and how much can we call our own? Are we born a virgin slate or do we inherit our character traits from our forebears? Bottom line, is there such a thing as free will? Is this something your books are also concerned with, and in what way?
Suzy: That is an interesting question, Claude, and one that is quite difficult to answer. In the beginning, Lilly is quite obviously born a 'virgin slate' until she discovers the truth about herself and then her true self - and her inherited ability - comes out. She really does discover that she is a different person after that moment. The same can be said of December Moon (Lilly's best friend).
Claude: Overcoming the inheritance from the family can be hard, particularly if it’s a heavy one – like my protagonist who has a family extending back 900 years! But it can happen to anybody who meets the ghosts of his forebears the way he does! This is why the title of the first book in the trilogy suggests the answer: Forget the Past! Go ahead and live freely, without harking back to it! In the second book, Reclaim the Present, the protagonist has another living-in-the past experience that teaches him that whatever he has inherited from his forebears – even if he’s been dealt the same cards in terms of inherited looks and character – it is up to him how he plays his cards! His life is in his own hands! To sum up, in my opinion, what distinguishes YA novels from other genres are coming-of-age experiences.
Suzy: Absolutely, but there are also those YA books filled with violence in them, the kind that shocked Ms. Gurdon and probably turns off quite a few parents.
Claude: Yes, but this is to be expected in a search-for-self kind of literature: not all kids are born with a golden spoon in their mouth! How do you feel about the role of violence in YA novels? Do you think violence should be avoided? Or is there a way to "integrate" it without making it "inappropriate" for teens?
Suzy: I don't like to read violence just for the sake of it. If it is necessary to push the story forward then that's fine or if the main character needs to learn something through violent elements then okay. I just hate violence for violence sake. Raven, for instance, has little violence. There is talk of death but no gruesome scenes. Its sequel, December Moon, however, focusses more on the vampire characters in the story, some of which are evil, and the only way for them to be stopped is to be killed... so it does contain some pretty frightening scenes!
Claude: Don’t scare me! Say, like what? Can you give me an idea of what happens in December Moon? I remember that was the name of your protagonist’s best friend back in London, before she moved out to British Columbia…
Suzy: lol Yes that's right, December is Lilly's best friend and she discovers a family secret too... one which takes her to America, away from her not-so-nice aunt, and back with her mother, not far away from Lilly. That's all I can give away though!
Claude: Thanks Suzy, I enjoyed the chat! Just to sum up: YA literature’s success seems to be due to its versatility. It’s not stuck in a genre, it’s open to all of them! And that means it’s open to innovation and new themes. And it’s focused on themes that are of continuing interest and relevance to all age groups, not just Young Adults! Those two reasons largely explain its enduring success. Would you say that’s right?
Suzy: Oh yes absolutely, Claude. Its versatility is one of the defining facts about YA literature that makes it so appealing, not just to read but to write too. I love writing in this genre and I hope to continue to do so for years to come! Thanks for chatting with me Claude... it’s been a blast!

What's your take on the YA genre? Do you think there's too much violence in today's teen books? Feel free to leave a comment below!

Fear of the Past by Claude Nougat

December Moon by Suzy Turner

The Magical Mystery Tour

2011-10-19T01:00:00.000+01:00

What inspired me to write

The Prodigal’s Foole by RB Wood

I’ve been asked this question quite a bit over the last couple of years. The answer is somewhat complicated.
I’ve loved writing since I was a young adult, but have always had a ‘creative outlet’ of sorts. When I was very young, it was drawing and art. From my yearly teens through college, it was music—and in fact I have a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science, but exited school debt-free due to music performance scholarships.
But reading and telling stories has been a constant through out my life.
When I was younger, I had many start-stop moments. It wasn’t until my children and partner said “Why don’t you write your stories down,” that I started up seriously again. This was in 2008-2009. The funny thing about being in your forties…you tend to finish what you start—at least for me anyway.

The Prodigal’s Foole is the first of The Arcana Chronicles series, and quite frankly came about because all the ‘magic stories’ out there had a similar throw-away comment—something to the effect of “Normal people can’t know about magic” or “Normal people aren’t observant enough to see magic.” The whole premise of the series (along with it being a good old-fashioned “good vs. evil”) is…what would happen if normal folk started paying attention? All that power….who would control it (Religions, in my book) initially? What would the impact of the last 50 years of technology do to a magical world? This will be explored throughout the series.

For more information about RB Wood and the The Prodigal's Foole, visit http://www.rbwood.com/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/rbwoodwriter
Podcast (The Word Count): http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/the-word-count/id392550989

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Co-writing The Apocalypse Tour by Suki Michelle

2011-10-17T01:00:00.000+01:00

Suki Michelle talks about CO-WRITING THE APOCALYPSE GENE, the new YA Urban Fantasy coming out today!

Co-writing The Apocalypse Gene was an intense and ultimately fabulous experience. Carlyle and I have weirdly compatible skill sets. He has a great feel for unwinding a plot and choreographing fight scenes. I love to follow characters in real-time, establish voice, and create settings. We’re both relentless tweakers and our own toughest critics. Like in a courtroom, every concept, every phrase was sentenced (pun intended) to life or death. If undecided, we sent the text to hard labor to see if it would earn the right to live on our pages. During the writing process, we both came up with bizarre ideas and scared each other badly, but we never argued (cough).
When Carlyle wrote scenes with Olivya, a 15-year-old psychic girl with aura-sight and sweet dreads, he made her a bit too aggressive, and I had to remind him she’s not a dude. When I wrote scenes with Mikah, our male protagonist, I made him sweet and sensitive, and Carlyle would scoff and “man him up”.
My day job is in medical transcription. For hours on end, I type reports about disease, disaster, and death - not only depressing but monotonous, so I entertain myself with the what-if game. One day I got an idea for a story but had no clue where to start, so I approached Carlyle.

“Hey Carlyle,” I say, “can you help me write a story?”
“Maybe. What’s it about?”
“The world’s population is dying off from an incurable pandemic. Its origin is linked to vampires.”
“Vampires? Nah. The undead have done to death,” he says. “Think of something else.”
“You’re right. Okay. No vamps. A new kind of Immortal.”
“Cool,” he says and gives me the patented Carlyle-intense-look. “Go on.”
My noggin churns. My brow furrows. “Hmmmm. Let’s think about the Immortals later. First we need characters. How about a boy who feels everything that everyone else feels? His hair is all shiny, and he looks super-hot in a tight black T-shirt.”
Carlyle laughs. “Does he like girls?”
“Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know.”
“Decisive as always, Suki. How about you think up a love interest while I get a snack.” He leaves for the kitchen and returns with a plate of potato chips and hot salsa.
I grimace at his choice of dipping sauce and say, “Okay, I got it. The boy meets this girl in virtual school. She’s amazing, psychic, sees auras.”
“Why virtual school?”
“Duh! They’re rockin’ the apocalypse, remember? The streets are overrun by gangs who worship chaos. Dangerous. Everyone goes to school online.”
Carlyle gets a pensive look as he munches. “It has potential,” he says, then his face breaks out in a huge grin. “Let’s do this!”

For the next three years, we discussed, bantered, and argued until The Apocalypse Gene was complete, a true collaboration that could not have been written by either of us alone. The experience was harrowing, hilarious, and unbelievably fun . . . and we still love each other.

The Apocalypse Gene is available on 10/17/2011. Learn more about the debut Giveaway at www.theapocalypsegene.com

YA Indie Carnival: fan zone

2011-10-14T09:13:00.005+01:00

Welcome to another YA Indie Carnival! This week we are writing about our best fan experience and I can honestly say that to receive any kind of positive comments is simply amazing, so imagine how incredible it is to know you have fans?!
The very first time I hopped around the room like a total nutter (regarding my book, that is) was after a close friend of mine re-posted news about Raven. Immediately, one of her friends (who I don't know) commented that she liked the sound of it. Moments later, she'd bought it!
About a week later, I noticed a post on my facebook page... she'd devoured it and was DESPERATE for the sequel. She wrote to me as well, telling me how much she'd loved my first book and would I 'please, please hurry up and finish December Moon?!' Needless to say, I was so overjoyed (hence the hopping around the room like a complete wacko).

I'd also like to mention my lovely cousin, Lesley, who sadly I don't actually know very well as I left England when I was ten and I guess all us cousins kind of drifted apart. It was only through facebook that we've all become pals again (fab, eh?!). Imagine my surprise then, when she left me a comment telling me she'd bought Raven and absolutely loved it... so much so that she's since since bought the sequel and loved it even more! It means so much to me that she loves my writing and when she wrote a message telling me how proud she is to be my cousin, I was close to tears. Lesley works as a nurse... doing such wonderful work for the sick and needy and I am incredibly proud and honoured to be her cousin.
A few weeks ago, after 20 odd years, I finally met up with her at a family party and she told me she's a huge fan. I just love her! Here's a picture of the two of us.
For more memorable fan moments in the YA Indie Carnival, check out my fellow fabulous indie writers below.

YA Indie Carnival News

Courtney released her Bloodstone Saga finale, My Tattered Bonds.

Check out The Paranormal Plumes Haunted Book Tour in Savannah Halloween Weekend! http://www.theplumessociety.com/

30% of the royalties of Lexus Luke's Manitou The Sky People Saga go to the ASPCA.

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines will release on Oct 21. Here is the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aAp6chU-d6o

For a limited time, Kimberly Kinrade is selling signed copies of her YA paranormal thriller/romance Forbidden Mind. As an All Hallow's Read bonus, she is also including some awesome gifts with each purchase... including a very special bonus to the first 5 lucky people who place an order. Get a copy for yourself and buy one for a friend in celebration of All Hallow's Read. For more details, visit http://bit.ly/qGMQkz

Filter Giveaway on Gwenn Wright's blog!http://hereventuality.blogspot.com/2011/10/von-strassenbergs-giving-it-away.html. When she reaches 100 followers she will give away a signed copy of Filter AND one of her fancy new mugs!

The Fuji Mermaid Dani Snell’s Refracted Light Reviews
Leopard Girl Patti Larsen Author of The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House, The Hunted Series and the Hayle Coven Novels
Fire Breather Courtney Cole Author of Every Last Kiss, Fated, Princess, and Guardian. Also a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Strong Woman Nicole Williams Author of Eternal Eden, and Fallen Eden. She is also a contributing author in the Glassheart Chronicles
Champion Sword Swallower Fisher Amelie Author of The Understorey, as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Snake Charmer Amy Maurer Jones Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Pretzel Woman Rachel Coles. Geek Mom. Book Reviewer Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie, Whistles, Beergarden, Plagues, Bees of St. John, and Mushrooms
The Giant T. R. Graves T.R. Graves: Author of Warriors of the Cross
Jungle Woman P.J. Hoover Author of Solstice, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, The Necropolis
Shape Shifter Alicia McCalla Author of the upcoming science-fiction novel Breaking Free
Tarot Card Reader Heather Cashman Author of Perception
Fortune Teller Abbi Glines Author of Breathe, and the upcoming Existence and Vincent Boys
Knife Thrower Cheri Schmidt Author of Fateful, Fractured, and Fair Maiden
Fire Dancer Lexus Luke Author of Manitou, The Sky People Saga
Fire Breather Suzy Turner Author of December Moon and Raven
Dragonslayer K. C. Blake Author of Vampire Rules
Elephant Trainer Gwenn Wright Author of Filter
Ring-Leader Kimberly Kinrade author of Bits of You & Pieces of Me and Forbidden Mind.
Prestidigitator Darby Karchut Author of Griffin Rising and the upcoming Griffin’s Fire
Lion Tamer Madeline Smoot Author of Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls
Siren M. Leighton Author of the Blood Like Poison Series, Wiccan, Caterpillar, Madly & Wolfhardt & The Reaping
Horse Whisperer Cidney Swanson Author of Rippler
Flying Trapeeze Artist Heather Self awesome book blogger.

Q&A with author Tom Elliott

2011-10-13T10:35:00.001+01:00

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?

“Grapes of Wrath” hands down. John Steinbeck’s characters brought to life a sad chapter in the lives of the Americans affected by circumstances they could not control – the “dust bowl.” His narratives of the 1930s – economic distress of families, prejudice (against the “okies”), people displaced from the land dear to them and forced on the road - ring true today in modern America. I grew up in the Florida Everglades winter farming region, where the lives of the migrant workers parallel the plight of the Joad family of “Grapes.” The great Edward R. Murrow drew this parallel in spectacular fashion with his “Harvest of Shame” telecast on CBS-TV.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Daniel Silva. His stories of Gabriel Allon, an assassin for the Israeli Mossad intelligence service, weave fiction and historical fact into incredible action narratives. And his description of the European settings in which Allon principally operates puts you there by Gabriel’s side as he dispatches the bad guys. Interestingly, this skilled assassin’s day job is as an expert restorer of classic works of art – Van Gogh, Titian, etc. – which adds further texture to the stories.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
Northern Lights by Nora Roberts. The view of a small, red single-engine airplane against a huge mountain captures the grandeur of Alaska. But maybe my selection is influenced by the fact I am a private pilot who would love to fly those routes but cannot because I am no longer medically certified to fly.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Steinbeck (see above), Daniel Silva, Nelson DeMille, David Baldacci, and John Grisham, because I love their novels.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Authors who write with skill and insight.

Where is your favourite place to write?
In my home office, but my computer goes on the road with me.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon. Wonderful acting and an engaging story line. Based on a novel by the great late Robert Ludlam.

What is your book about?

The setting is the winter-farming region of the Florida Everglades on the eastern short of the great Lake Okeechobee. This is a little-known area of Florida, even for those who live nearby on Florida’s Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Charles Lockhart, Chief of Police of the small town of Lakepoint in that Everglades area during the mid-1950s, embarks on a relentless search to solve a 10-year-old crime in which two prominent young men of the community were killed. The case is based on an actual double murder in the Everglades that remains unsolved to this day. In unraveling the case, the Chief reveals the distinctive deep-south culture of a part of Florida that is starkly different from the glamorous societies on both coasts only a short distance away. As the he moves to solve the crime, the Chief must also deal with the murder of a black man, something not considered significant in the segregated society of the time. The plot takes twists and turns through the Everglades, the “gold coast,” the State Capital, and the Big Cypress swamp. The solution to both crimes brings the Chief into searing conflict with the community’s leaders and townspeople. The novel introduces numerous unique characters, including the rugged “Glades pioneers” and Billy Coyote, a Seminole Indian and friend of Chief Lockhart’s since they were teenagers.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Chris Cooper would be ideal as Chief Lockhart.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I spent 40 years as a communications official for Fortune 500 companies. My most interesting assignment was conducting the media relations for RCA’s role in the space program, including the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
My area of Connecticut is both a major ”bedroom community” for the commuters who work in New York City and a significant business center in its own right. At one time, the region ranked third in the number of corporate headquarters located in the U.S, but that might have changed given all the mergers that have occurred.

Ebook or paperback?
Lakepoint is available in paperback from Amazon.com and also in Amazon’s Kindle e-book.

Favourite food?
Being a southerner, barbeque of any kind – beef, pork or chicken.

Sporty or couch potato?
I work out every day, tend our garden, and spend the rest of the time writing so I’m definitely not a couch potato.

Cook or be cooked for?
Cooked for by my wife, Kay, a superb cook, except when we’re having barbeque.

Link to your website:
www.elliottauthor.com

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Tom! You certainly have an interesting background!

Q&A with authors Suki Michelle and Carlyle Clark

2011-10-10T01:00:00.000+01:00

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
Suki: The Poisonwood Bible. Kingsolver’s rich, evocative prose inspired me to take the plunge from writing poetry to writing stories.
Carlyle: Deadwood by Pete Dexter he captured both the similarities and strangeness of the people in the American West as well as the American West itself, a new slant on something that has been done so much was really impressive.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Suki: It varies, but right now I’m loving Guy Gavriel Kay because, let’s face it, he’s a master storyteller.
Carlyle: Oh man, that’s a long list so I just list the few that I have read or will read everything they write, James Lee Burke, Steven Erikson, Brandon Sanderson.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
Suki: Those big shiny Dr. Suess hardcover books. They were so magical when I was a kid.
Carlyle: The cover of Stephen King's The Gunslinger. It was evocative of so many things at once, with the feel of the west but also a folklore and fantasy feel as well as an epic feel.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
Suki: Sylvia Plath because of her wit, intelligence and finely honed sense of irony. Over salad, I’d try hard to cheer her up and hope that by dessert, she’d no longer want to do away with herself.
Carlyle: Charles Dickens, because I love the way he mixed up the horrific living conditions of industrial age London, with humor, and irony.

Who, or what, inspires you?
Suki: Oddballs, those that see the world differently, whether it’s because of their genius, their insanity, their dysfunction, or all of the above.
Carlyle: The challenge of creating something that feels real and worthwhile

Where is your favourite place to write?
Suki: In a hermetically sealed chamber designed to eliminate all extraneous noise.
Carlyle: Anywhere I can be sealed away with only some music and the occasional distraction of a snuzzling dog nose, a cat trying to walk across the keyboard, or a quick peek at Suki's lovely face.
Suki: AWWWWW!!!!

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Suki: The Green Mile - probably one of the few movies I’ve found to be better than the book.
Carlyle: No Country for Old Men. The acting was superb and added so much to the starkness of the piece.

What is your book about?

The Apocalypse Gene takes place in the near future during a time of global pandemic. Olivya, a highly sensitive psychic with aura-sight, lives in Hospice Row with her mother where they care for the dying. Olivya finds that being “sighted” in such dire circumstances is too much to take, and she tries hard to suppress her talent.
In V-school, she meets the gorgeous, charismatic Mikah. an elite Empath in a clan of demon hybrids, The Kindred. Mikah tells Olivya that the Kindred are linked to the pandemic, but without initiation, he is barred from learning their truths. When Olivya’s mother falls ill, Olivya and Mikah embark on a quest to uncover Kindred secrets, and the two kids discover that the pandemic is far more than a mere disease.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?
If Zoe Saldana were 15 and had sweet dreads, she could play Olivya. Logan Lerman would make a great Mikah. Halley Berry (with make-up that makes her appear tired) could be Mama. Lawrence Reddick from Fringe IS Changarai, the Kindred eldest.

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
Suki: I love Sookie Stackhouse even though she both pronounces and spells our name wrong.
Carlyle: I talk to myself out loud, often in the voice of our cat who isn’t really a cat but a demon imp from the seventh ring of hell.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
We live across the street from a brand new 24-hour Walmart. Not inherently interesting, but if we get a hankering for a Snicker’s bar at three a.m., we’re in luck, and that’s a win-win because there’s no better place for people-watching than Walmart at three a.m.

Winter or summer?
Suki: Winter. My ancestors are from Russia, a short trek to Siberia.
Carlyle: Summer. My ancestors are from Mars where it’s twenty-million degrees, even at night.

Ebook or paperback?
Once we swore we’d never abandon our lovely paperbacks and hardcovers. Then we got Kindles and everything changed.

Favourite food?
Suki: I love all foods, as long as they’re chocolate.
Carlyle: Mexican food and medium-rare hamburgers.

Sporty or couch potato?
We are both couch-potatoes, but we’re in denial about our utter couch-potato-ness so we exercise every day and act all sporty and stuff in an effort to perpetuate that self-delusion.

Cook or be cooked for?
Suki cooks, Carlyle is cooked for, but mostly we go out.

www.theapocalypsegene.com (Book Website)
www.theapocalypsegene.com/cy-chi (The Apocalypse Gene Blog)
www.facebook.com/TheApocalypseGene.

Q&A with author Stephen Hazlett

2011-10-03T07:00:00.000+01:00

A warm welcome to author Stephen Hazlett.

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?

It would have to be “From Here to Eternity,” by James Jones. I was a young, 14, and was already a writer without realizing it. I’d always enjoyed my writing assignments at school: English composition, writing essays and such. I’d also done a lot of reading, but nothing very profound. Then I read “Eternity,” and it changed how I looked at books. Jones wrote profoundly of the love one young man can feel for something, an idea or an ideal, even though it might abuse and revile him and eventually kill him, which it did. That fictional character was Robert E Lee Prewitt. He is still, these many years later, my favorite character in fiction.

Who is your favorite author and why?
That’s kind of a hard one, because there are several. If he were still alive I might say John Updike. It might be Philip Roth, whose books I’ve enjoyed for years. But if I have to pick just one it would be Cormac McCarthy for the beauty of his prose, the mesmerizing way its deceiving simplicity draws you into his stories, and his moral view of the world. Whenever I read a book by him I think, “Why can’t I write like that?”

Name one of your all-time favorite book covers?
Another tough one. Of course, there are my own covers. Among them I’d have to choose “A Private War,” because it’s one I designed entirely by myself. Of other authors, it would a toss-up between “From Here to Eternity,” and “The Things They Carried,” by Tim O’Brien.

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
I’d have to start with two of my all-time favorites: James Jones and John Updike. I don’t know what I’d say to them, but I’d probably be wearing a sappy grin, saying, “Gee, you guys were good.” After them, I think James Joyce. I’d ask him, “How did you come up with all that stuff out of whole cloth?” And “What is ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ really about?” And then Hemingway because I’ve always admired his unique style. I’d throw in Shakespeare, just because.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I’m inspired by stories I feel I need to tell, such as love that a man feels for a woman, so strong that he could never believe, against all evidence, she could be capable of doing wrong. Stories of redemption, of dysfunctional families brought together by an event or the will of one of it members. Or mysteries to be solved. Or the kick I get when the writing turns out just right, something I think is really good. You’ll have to read my books to see which of the above fits with which book.

Where is your favorite place to write? I always write in my office, sitting in front of my desktop computer. I use MSWord and do lots and lots or revising. Hemingway, so I’ve read, was a great one for revision after revision, so we have that in common, if nothing else. But I think: how difficult it must have been to write in the days before word processors. Typewriters would be bad enough, but imagine quill pens! God bless the word processor.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book? Another toughie. Too many come to mind, so I’ll just say, Cormac McCarthy’s “No Country For Old Men,” maybe for no other reason that it was recent and fresher in my mind. It was a terrific, though dark, tale that said something profound about the human condition. The movie was also very faithful to the book, which seems to be a rarity.

What is your book about?

“A Private War” tells the story of Thomas Kindred, a young soldier in Vietnam in 1968. Disillusioned by the whole experience, he deserts from the Army and makes his way home under forged orders. Thirty years later, he’s living in Vancouver, Canada, his past seemingly forgotten. Then he receives a surprise call from, Rick Goody, one of his former Army buddies and a Vietnam deserter as well. Rick believes his life is in danger from the militant, anti-war group he joined after leaving Vietnam. Now he’s on the run, and he asks Thomas for his help. Thomas, with a renewed sense of his old fugitive self, enters the U.S. for the first time in years.

Complicating matters, Thomas's girlfriend, Carmen, has a reawakening of her own hidden past, brought about by the events that followed Rick Goody's plea. She too disappears into the lower 48. Thomas now has a new purpose: to find Carmen or face a life without her.
His search leads to what he never expected. On a cross-country trek, he rediscovers the country he left behind thirty years before. He becomes involved in a dangerous mission with the same anti-war group that had Rick running for his life. And finally, Thomas finds a resolution to his own private war.

If your book were made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

The book’s central character is shown in two different eras, thirty years apart. I’d like to say George Clooney, one of my favorite actors, but sadly, he’s too old to play the young Thomas Kindred. Emile Hirsh would be the right age, but I don’t think he could play the older version. So what the heck, I’ll go for the young Thomas being played by Leo DiCaprio. He’s a little old for the twenty-one year old Thomas, but they could make it work. And for the Thomas of thirty years later, just age Leo enough to make him believable. Aside from being a good actor, he’d still look good.

The other major character is Carmen, who is Kindred’s girlfriend. She’s in her late thirties, so that leaves out Meryl Streep, my favorite actress. Susan Sarandon? Geena Davis? Nice, but again too old. So how about Salma Hyack? Sexy enough?

Tell us a random fact about yourself. I’m a sucker for a pretty face, especially if she’s young. No big surprise: most men are attracted to pretty young women. Nature’s attempt at keeping the species going.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live. The Albuquerque area has great natural beauty—also hiking and biking—a short drive away in the Sandia Mountains. Santa Fe is close enough (60 miles) for a quick day trip.

Winter or summer? Fuhgeddaboudit. I like Spring and Fall
Ebook or paperback? Both
Favourite food? Italian, maybe Mexican
Sporty or couch potato? Both at varying times
Cook or be cooked for? Cooked for
Link to your website: http://stephenhazlett.yolasite.com

YA Indie Carnival: my dream cast

2011-09-30T01:00:00.000+01:00

A while ago, I sat down and spent an entire morning playing on Google looking at possible cast members for Raven. I put the list up on my blog and got lots of positive comments. But I've since published December Moon, which has a few more characters! So it's time to update my ideal cast list. The newer actors are at the top of list... What do you think?

Ruby Madison, played by Susan Sullivan

The moment Ruby stepped onto the page, I knew exactly who would play her. It just had to be Susan Sullivan, currently known for her role as Richard Castle's mother in Castle. She IS Ruby Madison!

Carmelo, played by Ben Barnes

Carmelo is a vampire, but not your ordinary vampire. He's really quite charming... a real gentleman and I think Ben Barnes looks perfect for the role.

Tabitha, played by Haydn Panetierre

Tabitha is a feisty young woman who just happens to have a certain affinity with cats (you'll have to read the book to understand what I mean!). Haydn looks simply perfect... she's the right build and she just looks right, you know? Tabitha is also madly in love with a werewolf, Zoltan...

Zoltan, played by Trevor Donovan

Need I say more?

Moira, played by Emily Deschanel

Give Emily red hair and she's just perfect as Ruby's daughter and December's mother. Can ya see it?!

Duran, played by Alex Pettyfer

What do you reckon? Can you imagine Alex as the incredibly handsome, but most evil vampire, Olivier Duran? I sure can!

Lilly Taylor, played by Georgie Henley

You'll recognise Georgie from the Narnia films. In my opinion, she made those films amazing. She was the most adorable little girl. She's grown up a bit since then, of course! But she would be perfect as Lilly with her beautiful eyes and British accent.

December Moon played by Chloe Moretz

I don't know if you've seen the vampire flick Let Me In? It's scary, creepy and a bit disturbing... well, I thought it was, anyway! Chloe played the scary blood sucking vamp girl amazingly well. December is nothing like that but I just thought Chloe looks the part. She has that quirkiness that is completely December. Photo: Angela George, Flickr

Jo played by Alexandra Daddario

Jo is absolutely beautiful, but doesn't really know it. Alexandra has the most stunning huge eyes that are just perfect for Jo. Perfect. You may recognise her from Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief!

Oliver played by Colby Paul

Oliver is Lilly's love interest and is the quintessential handsome boy next door. Need I say more? I mean, just look at the picture! Colby has had small roles in lots of TV shows like Supernatural, Pushing Daisies, Ghost Whisperer, etc.

Ben played by Charlie Cox

Ben is Oliver's brother. Okay, so they don't really look alike but then I don't look much like my brother or my sister! I first saw Charlie in Stardust and I just thought he was adorable. Ben is a veterinarian who cares for everyone and so he needs to be played by someone that has that charisma. Charlie easily has that.

Gabriel played by Gabriel Byrne

I've always loved Gabriel Byrne. I had a huge crush on him when we were both younger. Okay, maybe I still do, a bit. He is rather yummy though isn't he? Gabriel is Lilly's grandfather. Yes, he's native Canadian which doesn't quite fit Byrne's natural Irish looks but hey, he's an actor and he's incredibly versatile. I'm sure he could pull it off!

Rose played by Sally Fields

Although Rose is an older lady, she is one of the most beautiful ladies in Powell River. Sally fits the bill, easily. Plus, she needs to bear a slight resemblance to a certain other character and she does! I believe that Sally is one of the classiest and most amazing actresses of our time, which also helps.

Vivian played by Charlize Theron

Vivian is evil personified. But... she is one of the most beautiful creatures you'll ever see. Dye Charlize's hair red et voila! Photo Peadar O Sullivan

Serena played by Famke Janssen

Although Serena's actual role is a small one, it is incredibly important. I need someone with strong, stunning features, dark hair and olive skin. Famke is perfect. As soon as I saw a picture of her I just thought of Serena.

Neleh played by Michelle Ryan

Made famous in the UK for her role in Eastenders, Michelle went on to have a go at playing the Bionic Woman. I've never seen it myself so can't comment, but I was always impressed by her soap opera acting. Neleh's role, again, is a small one, but crucial. Neleh is Lilly's sister and don't you think these two could pass for sisters? Spooky eh?

Sammy Morton played by Jensen Ackles

Sammy is Neleh's love interest and is an important part of the whole story. Anyone who has seen Supernatural knows he's AWESOME and oh, so HANDSOME. He's perfect to play Sammy Morton!

Ready to take another ride? NEED MORE? Swing by these wonderful YA Indie writers and reviewers for more...
The Fuji Mermaid Dani Snell's Refracted Light Reviews
Leopard Girl Patti Larsen Author of The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House, The Hunted Series and the Hayle Coven Novels
Fire Breather Courtney Cole Author of Every Last Kiss, Fated, Princess, and Guardian. Also a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Strong Woman Nicole Williams Author of Eternal Eden, and Fallen Eden. She is also a contributing author in the Glassheart Chronicles
Champion Sword Swallower Fisher Amelie Author of The Understorey, as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Siren Laura A. H. Elliott Author of Winnemucca and soon to be released 13 on Halloween
Snake Charmer Amy Maurer Jones Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles
Pretzel Woman Rachel Coles. Geek Mom. Book Reviewer Author of Diary of a Duct Tape Zombie, Whistles, Beergarden, Plagues, Bees of St. John, and Mushrooms
The Giant T. R. Graves T.R. Graves: Author of Warriors of the Cross
Jungle Woman P.J. Hoover Author of Solstice, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, The Necropolis
Shape Shifter Alicia McCalla Author of the upcoming science-fiction novel Breaking Free
Tarot Card Reader Heather Cashman Author of Perception
Fortune Teller Abbi Glines Author of Breathe, and the upcoming Existence and Vincent Boys
Knife Thrower Cheri Schmidt Author of Fateful, Fractured, and Fair Maiden
Fire Dancer Lexus Luke Author of Manitou, The Sky People Saga
Fire Breather Suzy Turner Author of December Moon and Raven
Dragonslayer K. C. Blake Author of Vampire Rules
Elephant Trainer Gwenn Wright Author of Filter
Ring-Leader Kimberly Kinrade Author of Bits of You, Pieces of Me and Forbidden

Mind Prestidigitator J.L. Bryan Author of Paranormals series- Jenny Pox. Tommy Nightmare & Alexander Death

Madeline Smoot Author of Missing, Summer Shorts, and The Girls

Q&A with author Ben Manning

2011-09-25T07:00:00.000+01:00

A very warm welcome to author Ben Manning...

Name one book that made you think 'wow'? Why did it have such an effect on you?
I Claudius by Robert Graves
I read it when I was 14 and later saw the BBC adaptation. It is just an incredible account – along with “Claudius the God” - and was both imaginative, dramatic, quiet original and thrilling in its frank portrayal of the worst aspects in human nature. I also think it was and still is a brave piece of work.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Roald Dahl as an author and Samuel Taylor Coleridge as a poet.
Dahl always fascinated me with his short stories for “Tales of the unexpected” on the TV from “someone like you” and “kiss kiss” – but what im most impressed by is that he could write, horror, humour –in a book like “my uncle Oswald” and for children with stories like “Charlie and the chocolate factory”. I think he understood the way people think – in terms of how children feel and react and also the very adult world of intrigue, where there is always a moral twist. A tribute I wrote to both him and Coleridge is at the Roald Dahl museum here in the UK.

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?
“Marilyn” by Norman Mailer

If you could have a dinner party with any authors from any time in history, who would you choose and why?
George Orwell – I would like his views on the internet, the political and sociological world in 2011.
ST Coleridge – I would love to know his theories on the universe and life in general, as well as the subconscious and life after death.
Aldous Huxley – I would ask whether he thinks “Brave new World” is anything like how we have become.
Charles Dickens – I would love to ask how he got his idea for “A Christmas Carol”.
Edgar Allen Poe – I would ask where he derived his influences and his writing process- and how his ideas came to him.
Mary Shelley – I’d like to ask her about Coleridge’s influence and her inspiration for Frankenstein.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I am inspired by artists who are different and unique. I like to be gripped by something I feel is different to drive me to write.

Where is your favourite place to write?
I like to write at home in the living room, alone – usually at night.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Blade Runner (Philip K Dick)

What is your your book about?

I have written the first novel to deal with the Nazi's , UFO's and vril Norse mythology – it is called -The Vril Codex. It is the first in a series called “The Vril Chronicles”.

If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the main characters?

Rufus Sewell as Bob.
Bill Nighy as WarwickRomola Garai as Jane

Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I work at the home of the poet Coleridge and have lectured about him.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
The Quantocks was England’s first designated area of outstanding natural beauty – even though the biggest new nuclear power station Hinkley Point C, sadly is going to be built there.

Winter or summer? Summer
Ebook or paperback? Paperback
Favourite food? Italian
Sporty or couch potato? Both!
Cook or be cooked for? Cooked for!
Links to your website, blog, etc:
http://vrilcodex.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Vril-Codex/151342004886833
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Vril-Codex-Fanpage/192024584186066
Twitter - "@TheVrilCodex"