What was your Childhood Monster Blogfest?

I'm so glad to be taking part in this blogfest hosted by Christine the author of FEARLESS.
Childhood monsters. I believe each one of us had something that scared in our childhood years. Whether it is monsters under the bed, or being run down by a car, or a rabid dog chasing you...
Mine was a humongous rabid dog all fang-y with slobber trickling down from the sides of its mouth, (picture the 3 headed dog in Harry Potter) tongue lolling and crimson eyes ridden with insatiable hunger for my ten year old bony body. I'd wake up in the middle of the night certain it was peeping through the closet, or just waiting for me to slide my legs out of bed so it could snatch me and pull me under.

I still shudder at that image.

I did get over that though. My dearest house pet is our dog Mellie.

 So what was yours?

Six Sentence Sunday

Hi! Thank you for stopping by. Today's Six sentences are the continuation of the dinner scene I posted last week. To read the previous one, please click HERE 

Here we go:.

My hand clutches my chest to ease the needles stabbing my heart, while the other hand grips my fork, poking at my dinner, long gone cold.

For the last hour, Mom and Dad have glared at each other to the point that the air snaps with tiny sparks of their anger. The tension in the room gains momentum, looming like a black hideous cloud, its content potently toxic.I should leave them alone, take my brother and sister, go upstairs, lock the door, and shut out their voices. My eyes zoom in on the cutlery scattered on the checkered white and green table runner, glinting slyly under the four-bulb dining room chandelier, inviting and lethal. The thought of leaving the room flees my mind. 

I would love to know your thoughts, comments, anything.... 

To visit the other participants, check out www.sixsunday.com

My Friday Fantastic Feature: Kelly Hashway - Heroes and Villains Guest Post

 Another Friday, yay! Thanks for stopping by, hope you had a great week. :) Today I have the pleasure of hosting Kelly Hashway, my forever patient and awesome editor and the talented author of  Touch Of Death to be released in January 15th, 2013. I, for one, look forward to reading TOD. :) Before I hand the reins over to Kelly, here's a bit about her.

About the author: 

I write young adult and middle grade novels and am proudly repped by Lauren Hammond of ADA Management. Look for my upcoming YA novels, TOUCH OF DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, 1/15/13) and STALKED BY DEATH (Spencer Hill Press, 7/23/13), and my debut MG series CURSE OF THE GRANVILLE FORTUNE (Month9Books, 1/21/14)

  

Creating Complex and Memorable Heroes and Villains

Every writer wants to create the next big character, and every reader wants to dive into a book with a great MC who they're willing to follow anywhere. But how does that happen? How does a character, good or evil, become memorable?

I think there are a few key elements to every great character. First, they have to be real. Readers can spot stereotypes and flat characters in seconds. And that book will go back on the shelf, unpurchased. So make sure your character is someone you'd want as a friend or someone you'd never want as an enemy. Every character has to have good and bad traits. Yes, even your villain has to have some likability, some justification for why he/she is evil. A redeeming quality might not make the reader cheer for your villain, but it will make your reader understand him/her better. 

But the biggest thing you need to do when creating your characters is to make them evoke feeling in the reader. If the reader cares about your character or feels strongly in some way about them, they'll follow the character willingly through the entire story. I love to hate characters. Why? Because hate is a very strong emotion. If I hate a villain, I keep reading and hope for their downfall. In the same token, when I fall in love with an MC, I cheer him/her on to victory. It doesn't matter what kind of emotion your characters create—as long as it's a strong emotion. Readers don't care about characters that give them luke warm feelings. 

So give your heroes and villains dimension, make them real, and have them evoke emotion (good or bad) in your readers, and you'll have memorable characters.

 

 Touch of Death Description:

 Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.

To link up with Kelly on her blog @ http://kellyhashway.blogspot.co.at/ 

Goodreads: Goodreads

Brenda Stanley's The Color Of Snow blog tour

Author: Brenda Stanley
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: June 1, 2012

Rating: 4/5 stars

Author Website: Brenda Stanley
Click  HERE to go to The Color Of Snow website.

eBook
ISBN: 9780983741893
ISBN: 9781476172309
Pages: 413





BUY LINKS: Kindle - $2.99  Nook $4.95 iBookstore - $4.99  Google $3.79 

The Color of Snow Summary

Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?

When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.

Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.

 Review:

I'd like to thank Tribute Tours for giving me a chance to read this wonderful story.

The title of this book plays a significant part in this story. The beginning starts with "It had snowed over five inches the day I was born, and it wasn't until the day I was saved that the snow was as deep or as blue." 

The end: As I stood taking in the view lie a rebirth, I couldn't help but  notice the snow. I marveled at how deep it was, how endless it seemed... and how blue." 

Absolutely beautiful. 

After Sophie is found by the police after 16 years living with her father, she is taken to live with her grandparents. Not only is she gawked at, but there are people who are waiting just to take advantage of her innocence. In the course of the two years she learns to trust her instincts, and learns who to trust. 

It was really great to read how the writer alternated different POVs. The main views were Sophie and her father's, but in between sparsed with other characters. Just when I read,thinking I knew what the story was all about, it took a sudden twist left me wondering why I hadn't seen that coming.

Every one of the character thought what they were doing was to protect their loved ones, and like a chain reaction each of those reasons ended up unknowingly hurting them, or other people they cared or didn't care about.  It was good to read about Sophie's journey, finally discovering everything about her life. I enjoyed reading about the characters in the story, but the ones who touched my heart most - other than Sophie - was Stephanie, and of course, Sophie's father. Stephanie is a survivor despite what happened to her. Her friendship, advice and encouragment wowed me. So wise for a girl so young. Luke, Sophie's father. He'd lost so much, survived it all despite everything else that stood in his way. I really liked his stubborn nature. I was shocked at his twisted logic about his idea of protecting everyone against his daughter. As I said, lots unexpected turn of events in this great story. Ms Stanley did a good job of creating characters with individual flaws, pasts, and problems just like every other person.

If you enjoy stories which the author doesn't shy away from subjects as real as the air we breathe, I recommend this book.

 

 Brenda Stanley's Bio:

Brenda Stanley is the former news anchor at her NBC affiliate KPVI in Eastern Iadho. Her writing has been recognized by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, the Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Brenda lived for two years in Ballard, Utah, within the Fort Duchesne reservation where the novel is set. She and her husband live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.

Links:

The Color of Snow Twitter hashtag:
#TheColorOfSnow

The Color of Snow GoodReads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13456512-the-color-of-snow

Brenda Stanley's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/brenda.baumgartnerstanley

Brenda Stanley's Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/myauthorlife

Brenda Stanley's Website:
http://www.brendastanleybooks.net/

Brenda Stanley's GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4086376.Brenda_Stanley

Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com

Tribute Books Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

Tribute Books Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Fantastic news and Mid-week catching up

Heya friends,

Good news first. :)

I got the final draft of my Reaper's novice cover art done by the talented Renu @ http://www.thedarkrayne.com/. All I can say, it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL, and between now and when I received her email yesterday evening I've had a thousand squee moments. Reaper's cover reveal is on September 4th, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

Other mid-week news... my kids left for Turkey for a week so I'm home alone with Mellie (our dog) who looks so lost without the kids around. A week! I'm already missing them. Yesterday I spoke to my daughter and she sounded thoroughly annoyed because everything on TV is in Turkish language. She whined how much she missed Phineas and Ferb. Yep. TV generation. The good thing - I think it's good - I have more time to complete  editing my story and send it to the awesome Kelly Hashway *Hiya Kelly* I'd really, really like to finish everything before leaving for my cruise on 18th August. **glances up every few seconds at the clock nervously**.

That's all from me for now. What's happening on your end of the pool? 

Six Sentence Sunday

Thanks for taking time to stop by to read my Six. Wow, it's been a while since I took part in Six Sentences Sunday. Glad to be here.
Today I'll be sharing with you the opening  lines from my upcoming YA Urban Fantasy - Reaper's Novice - to be released in December. The MC's name is Ana. She is having dinner with her parents and siblings, and it isn't going very well. Here we go:

 

If anyone would have asked me if I preferred having my heart ripped out, artery by artery, or having multiple swift kicks directed to both my stomach and head, I’d have blinked stupidly and muttered, “Huh?”

That had been two years ago, when life had been heaven—roses and rainbows. Before everything spiralled and plunged into hell. Before Dad and Mom’s fights strayed from their bedroom to enhance the quality of our family dinners. Before thorns threatened to puncture the bubble that had cushioned us safely in its embrace.

 Now, looking at them, I’m weighing the two choices.

Thanks again for visiting. Please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you. To visit other participatants, visit: http://sixsunday.com/ 

KaSonndra Leigh's Hacienda Moon Release Day Blitz

I'm so excited to be part of KaSonndra's Hacienda Moon book release blitz. She is a wonderful friend whose encourangement in both my writing and personal life has gone a long way to make things super-wonderful. I'm so proud of you. KaSonndra, and I can't wait to read Hacienda Moon.  All I can say is go, Kay go! :)

Publication Date:

July 28, 2012

  

List Price: $2.99/$12.99

 ISBN:

Specs:  ebook, paperback 284 pps.

Wholesale Orders:

Direct from the author

Retail Orders: Amazon  B&N Direct from the author

Contact: 

kleigh@kasonndraleigh.com

Website: www.kasonndraleigh.com

Facebook: kasonndraleighbookspage

Hacienda Moon

A Pathseekers Novel

Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful human emotions, are spun together in this gothic novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves New York City to start a new life near her hometown, she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose, and falls for its enigmatic caretaker, Eric Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a century old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit, and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s journey to confront the demons of her past and find the courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and the characters will hold and haunt you long after you have read the final chapter.

Praise for When Copper Suns Fall

“The author's style was fluid and there were lovely passages and lines throughout that I simply loved. The pacing flowed so well I felt like I was on a boat ride, grabbing onto the railings at times when the waves got too rocky until I was able to settle back and begin the ride all over again.”

—The Reader Girls Blog spot 

 

About the Author

KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of Alchemy, North Carolina. She recently completed her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and is now looking forward to playing CLUE with her two sons more often. She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother and where she has also created a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.