#YAIndieCarnival: Books worth voting for

 

This week, in honour of the US elections, we're talking about books worth voting for. How cool is that? Obviously I'm a massive book lover and I adore sharing the love where books are concerned. So here are a few of my all time favourite books, ones that are perhaps a little lesser known that had a powerful effect on me... YA books that I would vote for any day of the week!

Hidden & Thicker Than Blood (Books 1 and 2 in the Marchwood Vampire series) by Shalini Boland

 The Forsaken by Lisa M Stasse

Winnemucca, a Small Town Fairytale by Laura A.H Elliott

The Quill Pen by Michelle Isenhoff

The Ghost of Josiah Grimshaw by moi (I couldn't resist!)

For more books worth voting for, visit my awesome 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. 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. Fisher Amelie, author of The Understorey

12. Gwenn Wright, author of Filter  

13. Melissa Pearl, Author of The Time Spirit Trilogy
14. Heather M. White, author of The Destiny Saga

15. Courtney Cole Writes
16. Liz Long | Just another writer on the loose.

17. Ella James
18. Maureen Murrish

19. Valerie Sloan
20. YA Sci Fi Author's Ramblings
21. Terah Edun, author of Red Madrassa and An Amlah's Diary

Click here for more Indie News:

Vampires... what's your take?

I'm so excited to be on one of my favourite indie authors' blogs today, Shalini Boland! It's part of my December Moon Virtual Book Tour and I'm talking about vampires... why we love em, why we hate em... so come along and leave a comment, explaining what's your take on vampires!

Click on the link below...

http://someonewotwrites.blogspot.com/2011/09/december-moon-virtual-book-tour.html

Q&A with author Shalini Boland

A very warm welcome to my favourite indie author, Shalini!

Have you ever read a book that made you think 'wow'? If so, what book was it and why did it have such an effect on you?
My favourite book ever is The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. It’s a love story set in Russia during WW2 when the Germans blocked off all routes to Leningrad, trying to starve its inhabitants. Everything about the novel is beautiful and devastating and I lived every page.

Who is your favourite author and why?
Erm, see above. But I’m also in awe of Jean M. Auel and her magnificent Clan of the Cave Bear series.

Who, or what, inspires you?
I get inspired by all sorts of things: childhood memories, books, music, acts of kindness.
Writing-wise, I take my inspiration from authors like Anne Rice for her darkness, Audrey Niffeneger for her quirkiness and Suzanne Collins for her kick-ass-ness.

Where is your favourite place to write?
On the sofa in the lounge with my laptop, a cup of coffee and some chocolate – bliss.

What is your book about?
Hidden is the first book in the Marchwood Vampire Series. It’s part urban fantasy and part historical romance, and tells the stories of Madison Greene and Alexandre Chevalier who are both rebels in their own way. Fate takes each of them on a dark adventure and their lives eventually entwine, but this is only just the beginning.

What is your favourite film that was based on a book?
Sorry to be predictable but it’s probably the Twilight movies. I loved the novels and I think the films really captured their essence. I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed them so much if I hadn’t read the books though.

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

I’d like to cast complete unknowns into the leading roles. An eighteen-year-old version of Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian/Dorian Gray) would make a great Alexandre. And Madison would be played by someone raw and feisty, like a young Emily Lloyd (Wish You Were Here).
I can't think of any well-known actor or actress out there at the moment who fits the bill.

Tell us a random fact about yourself. I once sang with Basement Jaxx at The Brixton Academy.

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.
Mary Shelley is buried here, along with Percy Shelley’s heart!
Percy Shelley drowned in 1822 while boating off Livorno; his body washed ashore and was cremated on the beach. His friend Edward Trelawny somehow grabbed the heart from the flames and presented it to his wife, Mary Shelley, who kept it with her.

Thanks so much for having me, Suzy! It’s been fun xx
Always a pleasure, Shalini! And I have to agree that a young Ben Barnes would be absolutely perfect!! For more details about Shalini and her books, visit http://shaliniboland.co.uk 

Guest Author: Shalini Boland

Books and music are my passion and I’ve always been a writer in some shape or form. Before children, I was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter. I had the opportunity to collaborate with some amazing musicians and songwriters and was lucky enough to sing with Basement Jaxx on their album Rooty and live on stage. But that all seems like several lifetimes ago now.

Since the arrival of my little monsters, I combine motherhood with writing Teen Fiction. I write the kinds of books I love to read - gripping young adult adventures with a spattering of romance and a sprinkling of horror.

HIDDEN, the first book in The Marchwood Vampire Series, is a romantic paranormal adventure that spans the centuries from modern England to 19th century Paris. It starts off in gritty urban reality but soon ramps up into historical adventure, archaeological digs, ancient legends and romance across time: On Madison Greene’s sixteenth birthday, her life in foster care ends when she becomes the heir to a fortune. But she also inherits something else along with the money, something secret and hidden that shouldn’t be disturbed … DUN DUN DU-U-UNN!!!

HIDDEN: The book trailer

I’m stupendously excited about the next two in the series. I have them all mapped out – I just need to get on and finish them. THICKER THAN BLOOD, the second book in the series, should be finished by the end of 2011 and it focuses on the chilling 8th century Byzantine vampires, as well as more from my main characters, Maddy and Alexandre.

July 2011 sees the release of my post-apocalyptic romantic teen thriller, OUTSIDE. The story follows Riley who lives in the near future, behind the safety of the perimeter fence. She’s always been shielded from the dangers facing those on the outside. But when her younger sister is murdered, she ventures out beyond the perimeter, into the wilderness of a very different Britain, to track down the killer.

HIDDEN is selling well so far and seems to be getting great reviews. I’ll probably cry when I get my first rubbish one, but that’s the way it is with this creative life and I wouldn’t change it. Thanks, Suzy, for giving me the chance to waffle on. You’re a star! Here are my links:
http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk http://www.facebook.com/Hidden.MarchwoodVampireSeries
HIDDEN on Kindle: http://amzn.to/k63SdY
HIDDEN on Smashwords: http://bit.ly/iNGSny
HIDDEN on Barnes&Noble: http://bit.ly/k2mIiI

Suzy: HIDDEN is my favourite YA fantasy book EVER. I highly recommend it... you certainly won't be disappointed!