Interviewed by S.L. Schmitz

Today, I'm quite excited, about two things, no three. First, that I'm alive, and on my seventh cup of hot steaming tea.

I got interviewed by the awesome S.L. Schmitz of Charlotte Books Examiner on the Soul Collector series. S.L. Schmitz is the author of  'Let it Bleed' and 'Mina's Daughter: The Harker Chronicles'.  If you would like to read about it, please click HERE and it will take you to the website.

The first two books in The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa came in today from Amazon, and I am reallyyyy eager to read them. (I think I'm the only person on earth who hasn't read them). Not that I didn't want to, but my TBR pile was wayyyyy to humongous. Excited about this.

IMMORTALISED IN INK AND WORDS

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to see yourself as a character in a book? To be immortalised in words and ink, and not with fangs or bites?

An author, and also a friend of mine, Victoria Watson, the author of two published wonderfully written short stories 'I should have seen it coming' and 'Keeping Quiet'  is holding a competition on her blog for her next story 'Inside'. 

Please follow this link http://elementaryvwatson.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/its-competition-time/ .There you will find the instructions on what to do to be considered for the entry.

Good luck!

Why I love YA - A Guest post by Emlyn Chand

Today I'm glad, no, delirious (in a good way) to have Emlyn Chand the author of the brilliantly written and addictive YA paranormal novel Farsighted guest post in my blog. I have to say this is one of the best creatively written books, spellbinding in its originality and awesomeness, I've read this year. Therefore, I'm a HUGE fan.

If you haven't had a chance to get a copy of this book, please read on. There is a chance of winning an autographed copy and/or other prizes.

This is a guest post by Emlyn Chand, author of Farsighted

For years, I focused on reading classic literature with the occasional YA novel thrown in as a fun change. But you know what? I'm done moving back and forth between what I think I need to be reading and what I know I want to read. I'm making YA my official genre du jour. And what's not to love?


Let's take a quick journey back to the beginning of it all...


The 1930s were the decade when Juvenile Literature first asserted itself as a genre with books such as Boylston’s Sue Barton series and Rose Wilder Lane’s Let the Hurricane Roar. In the 1950s, JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye further defined the protagonists of this genre —those who are not quite grown-ups, but aren’t kids either, those who are in the process of discovering who they are and how they fit into the world around them.


It’s clear that the success of a certain boy wizard (does he even need to be named?) brought readers to YA in droves. And from there, literature for a young adult audience is absolutely everywhere.


Of all the great material that is available, YA may have the widest readership — with middle grade children wanting to read a step ahead, adults wanting to remember what it was like to be young and, of course, with the teenage audience for which the books are primarily focused.


I am 26, and I love YA literature.


It, like other genres, allows for an escape from your own reality, as you become enmeshed in an exciting, fictional world. It features characters who are malleable and who grow into themselves during the course of the novel. It’s often fast-paced and exciting, using a style of prose that is engaging and easy-to-read. If a YA book strikes a chord with you, you may be able to pick up with its adventures again, if the novel has been turned into a series, trilogy or saga. And guess what, there are actual happy ending sometimes, woo hoo!


So which YA books have I read and enjoyed? I’m a Harry Potter nut, of course. I'm also coo coo for Hunger Games and most recently, Matched. I’ve enjoyed series such as: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The City of Ember, Twilight, and His Dark Materials. Louis Sachar’s Holes also kicked butt, and I look forward to reading The Tiger Series by Colleen Houck.


The truth is, I’ve only avowed my devotion to this genre quite recently--about a year-and-a-half ago, actually. Just six short months before I decided that YA was so happenin', so exciting, I just had to write it myself!


Much of what I’ve read has been multi-book series, which means I haven’t yet discovered all of the great literature that’s out there, just waiting for me to pick it up and enter its compelling world of adventure, excitement, and intrigue.


Please, humble book-blog reader, which YA novels are your favorites? Let's generate a go-to list of reading gems and discover the favorite books we haven't gotten the chance to read yet.

Blog Tour Notes

THE BOOK:  Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t.  When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Get your copy today by visiting Amazon.com’s Kindle store or the eBook retailer of your choice. The paperback edition will be available on November 24 (for the author’s birthday).


THE CASH PRIZES:  Guess what? You could win a $100 Amazon gift card as part of this special blog tour. That’s right! Just leave a comment below saying something about the post you just read, and you’ll be entered into the raffle. I could win $100 too! Please help by voting for my blog in the traffic-breaker poll. To cast your vote, visit the official Farsighted blog tour page and scroll all the way to the bottom. Thank you for your help with that.


THE GIVEAWAYS:  Win 1 of 10 autographed copies of Farsighted before its paperback release by entering the giveaway on GoodReads. Perhaps you’d like an autographed postcard from the author; you can request one on her site.


THE AUTHOR:  Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit www.emlynchand.com for more info. Don’t forget to say “hi” to her sun conure Ducky!


MORE FUN: There's more fun below. Watch the live action Farsighted book trailer and take the quiz to find out which character is most like you!

SAVE A TURKEY, GOBBLE A BOOK BLOG HOP TOUR (NOV 14-21)

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, DREAM, EAT, LOVE, HOP ON THE TOUR

 

 

SAVE A TURKEY, GOBBLE A BOOK BLOG HOP TOUR (NOV 14-21)

HERE ARE THE RULES

1) HAVE FUN!!!

2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, November 14, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
    THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, November 21, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
    Winners will be drawn and posted November 22nd! ***

4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS & BOOK PAGES! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!
  

5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR & BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!

 

6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules*** 

 

Follow my blog, follow me on twitter @ CeCeMR, and leave a comment with your email address so I can contact the winner.  You’ll be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift certificate. 
(Five winners will be chosen.)

Good luck! 

Cecilia M. Robert 

HAVE A BLESSED THANKSGIVING.


Click  HERE  to return to the Blog Hop Linky List.
              

Flashes of Revenge By Darren Sant

Author: Darren Sant
Book Title: Flashes of Revenge (6 short stories)
Source: from Author


Revenge is one of the most powerful motivating forces we can experience. A wild justice that seeks no counsel or consults no jury. People have written films about it such as Quentin Tarantino's epic two-film extravaganza Kill Bill. There have been classic novels such as Carrie by Stephen King.

Flashes of Revenge is Darren Sant's take on the idea of revenge. It's not all blood and guts. He takes a humorous sideways glance at the idea in one or two stories. Revenge can come in many forms. It can be as brutal as a stiletto to the kidneys or as cruel as a rabbit in a pot.

Are you ready to look below the surface at the dark heart of revenge? Flashes of Revenge is a collection of six short sharp tales that will leave you looking over your shoulder and wonder who might be after you.

A man walks the streets on a rainy night with just one sinister goal in mind.

A cynical hard drinking rock journalist has a surprise in store back stage at a gig.

An arranged rendezvous in a smoky dive on the wrong side of town.

A man awakes to find he is bound to a chair and with no idea why.

Two bitter rivals in a show down in a New Orleans alleyway.

Two old guys meet in a pub but is all as innocent as it seems to onlookers?

My Review:
Revenge is bittersweet.Darren Sant's Flashes of Revenge is a collection of 6 short story, where revenge is served fast,mercilessly and without warning.



In just a few words the author manages to tell a complete story, capture its mood with descriptive writing that is wonderfully done,the character traits and thoughts and the motivating factor for revenge. It was a fast, entertaining read and I enjoyed the stories, particularly 'The Ungrateful Dead'.


If you are a fan of intense stories that don't shy away from the human nature and give you a visual of the character's surroundings and thoughts, short stories that give you a full story in just a few words, I would recommend Darren Sant's Flashes of Revenge. Totally looking forward to reading other written works from the author. 

5/5 stars

Beg for Mercy Review

Title:     Beg for Mercy

Author: Shannon Dermott

Soure:  Goodreads Read to Review

Everyone dreams of that first kiss. Of that magic moment when your lips finally meet those of that special person you’ve waited your whole life for. A little awkward, a little scary, a little hot and every bit amazing. We speculate that the whole world will shake and time will just stop. No one, however, ever imagines that kiss to bring Death himself knocking.

Sixteen year old Mercy Moore's life just got more complicated. The kiss that originally could have meant she would finally have a boyfriend now was the kiss that could have very nearly ended his life. A small detail her mother conveniently never told her will take her life for an abrupt u-turn. Dating, no love, was now completely and utterly impossible. And the boy well, that boy would never be the same.

But life, however cruel, goes on. Far too soon for her taste, Mercy finds herself at a senior party with the elite students of her school and her best friend. And of all things, playing a stupid game that could very well mean the death of someone in that small room. If it were not for her best friend, the hottest guys in school, and a small need to fit in, she may have been able to escape the disaster that was to come. Her worst nightmare, her personal curse, her very life, only gets dangerously worse.

From Goodreads.com

My Review:
 
This is one of those books if you start reading, make sure you have enough time to read it in one sitting. If it's possible. I didn't know how good this was, so I had a hard time putting it aside to do other stuff. I loved reading it.

Mercy is a half demon. She discovers how deadly her kiss is for the first time when she kisses her human best friend, Paul. And since then she keeps her distance to avoid hurting or kill anyone. One night at a party, with just a single kiss from one one of the boys from her school, the interest in her skyrockets. Suddenly she's attracting boys like moths to a flame. The description is so well done, I could just see their faces in my mind.

Mercy's character was well drawn out, and it was super-fun seeing the world through her eyes and the conflicts she was facing (on top of her being a teen). The other characters were also very well drawn out.The book is written in a style that is uniquely the author's. I liked the idea the author used of using Mercy's SAT words at the begining to every chapter, which made the book even more enjoyable for me

It does need some editing, but that did not stop me from enjoying this novel. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading good YA paranormal novel.
Rating: 5 stars

Character, character!

Sometimes when I look back and think on my life as a pre-adolescent. Life was good, nothing to stress about. (well, other my homework. And that used to give me headaches on so many levels.)
I was stubborn, rebellious, loved the members of my family (when they weren't getting in my way) and had average grades in school, conflicted, loved challenges even if they included fighting. My interests were more in gymnastics and whenever I found an interesting book to keep my plotting mind occupied, I was happy. Otherwise, I'd head out and play with the boys and girls in the estate where we lived back then which is not something you get to see these days.
Coming from a family of five children, I definitely had to wedge myself in there to find a place just for myself.
I wasn't the kind to take insults either.  One time, a boy in primary school insulted a girl I knew. The girl shrunk back, but I jumped on my feet and confronted him. My mouth was always faster than my mind which always landed my in trouble. The boy didn't back down either, and called for a challenge. A fight, sort of a duel of which I readily agreed with so much enthusiasm. How dare he insult the girl species! The 'duel' was set to be the next day on Friday in a small field close to where I lived.
Later, I wondered what was wrong with me. Trouble didn't follow me, I always seem to follow trouble.
Come Friday, I was a trembling bag of adolescent rebelliousness, but I put on a brave face, accepting hugs from my girl friends, and ignoring the snickers from the boys.
By four pm, the small field was full of spectators, no single cloud in the sky. At least if it rained, the fight would have been scheduled for another day. Or never. 

Apparently my younger brother, being so proud of me, had advertised to all his friends, and there's nothing as mouth-watering as a fight, especially when one of the fighters is a girl. Someone slapped a whip in my clammy hands, and I almost dropped it. Taunting from the boys permeated the air, making me sweat even more.  I made a resolve and glared hard at the crowd of onlookers. And my duel partner arrived with an entourage. (I didn't have any, just my brother.The girls who were supposed to be my cheerleaders glided away and merged with the  crowd, and became inconspicuous)
So, all in all, we fought, and emerged almost a winner, if it wasn't for the whip that tripped me.
That evening, I received an earfull from my mom, which involved a long, long lecture and her throwing hands up in exasperation. Then tended to my numerous wounds. I laid low for a week or so, before bouncing back to my old self.Being otherwise was just not exciting for me.


This is a character I would like to create for a story sometime.


What's your dream character, or a character you'd like to create for a story?