Author's Month Celebration 2013

When I first started book blogging back in June of 2012, all I think about doing was write book reviews. I know my first few reviews wasn't the best(I'm still not sure if it is now) but I was so dedicated in promoting books that I didn't even think about it at that time. And then the book blogging world opened up for me and gave me a warm welcome. To say that I was culture-shocked with this new world was an understatement. I discovered that there are a lot of ways to promote books other than reviews. Soon, I started participating in blog tours, book blitz, cover reveal and spotlight but I rarely do interviews and guest post. 

I guess, I was half-shy-half-terrified to ask authors about anything(I still am). But after 1 year and 2 months, I muster up enough courage to ask a few authors(okay, a lot) to do my first ever blog event. So here we are. 

I'm so happy to present to you our first ever Author's Month Celebration! 

What is Author's Month Celebration?

As obvious as the title is, this is the month I dedicated to feature authors and their books on my blog. I invited all kinds of authors from bestsellers, debut authors, upcoming authors and self-published. Along with this event, I will also present to you a new and exclusive author feature on my blog which I called Author's Slambook.

Yes, I am one of those geeky girls who likes to collect slambooks full of fun facts about my high school friends. What can I say, it's fun and informative. So since authors are one of my favorite people in the world I decided to do a slambook just for them.

In this feature, I ask authors a series of questions about their favorite, their writing process and of course, the most fun part in every slambook(or at least in my opinion) the finish the sentence questions. You have to check this feature out everyday because you will not only know more about your favorite authors in here, you will also have the chance to win lots of prizes. 

If you're already a GFC/Linky/NetworkedBlog follower, Bloglovin' follower, Twitter follower and Facebook page liker, that gave you 4 entries already for the upcoming giveaways. And for those new peeps who stumbled upon my humble virtual abode, you're very much welcome to follow me here.

See the schedule for Author's Month at the sidebar. Mark your calendars everyone because tomorrow, our Author's Month Celebration will finally start.

Student Bodies Blog Tour: Interview and Giveaway

Today, we have a special interview with Sean Cummings , the author of the Poltergeek( review here) and Student Bodies(review here) which I totally adore. Also at the end of this interview there's a huge blog-wide giveaway that you should totally enter. Anyway, without further ado, I would like to welcome on our blog, Mr. Sean Cummings! *cue applause*

Q. Can you tell us a little trivia about yourself?

I'm 45, I live in Saskatoon Canada which is sort of in the upper middle of North America. It gets insanely cold here during the winter and I'm a weather grumbler who hates the cold. I write weird stuff that is generally funny, dark, a bit twisted and where things end up bad for everyone involved.

Q. Describe Student Bodies in 5 words.

Dark. Bleak. Frightening. Vivid. Thrilling.

Q. Julie is a really powerful Shadowcull with awesome spells. How did you came up with the names of the spells in this book like Carrion Phage, Hexus, Ostraca Obscondus and Incendia?

Believe it or not, thesaurus.com is a great resource because I can plug a word in that comes to mind and it generates a multitude of synonyms. A lot of Julie's stuff is latin-based. I've used English-Latin word engines online to help and other times I just make the word up because it sounds cool when I say it out loud.

Q. Julie is so realistic I can picture her with flesh and blood. Is Julie based on someone you know or is she entirely a figment of your imagination?

Not anyone I know, but she represents an amalgam of characteristics that I wish I saw more of in young adult fantasy with a female protagonist. She;s the anti-Bella - yes I know Bella doesn't get any special powers until she consummates her relationship with Edward, but she's not, in my view, a sympathetic protagonist that you want to stand up and cheer for, Julie is strong, gutsy, sticks out her chin, she kicks ass, she doesn't suffer fools, she doesn't turn herself into a basket case, she's loyal and utterly fearless. These are qualities I really wanted for her when I set out writing POLTERGEEKS and that I've carried into STUDENT BODIES.

Q. Marcus is the most adorable geek I've ever read. Do you have any similarities with him? If yes, what are they?

Yes and no. I think all boys in high school secretly pine away for a girl they love with all their heart and who are firmly in the "friend zone". That's where I started Marcus's journey - he was the "just a friend" guy who overcame his fear of rejection and threw it out to the universe to declare that he thought Julie was beautiful. For a teenage boy, that's a massively personal and gutsy move because while nobody likes to be rejected, it hurts way more when you're an awkward teen who doesn't yet have the life skills to build up the confidence required to be that intimate with one's feelings.


Q. In Poltergeek and especially here in Student Bodies, I can see a lot of bullying happening, not only to Marcus but also to other characters. What is your take on that subject?

My take on this subject is Marcus's monologue about it in STUDENT BODIES. Bullying has always been there but as my sister who is a high school principal puts it, unlike when we went to school back in the 80's, today's bullied teen doesn't get a break from it. They can't unplug from the bullying because it follows them via social networking sites like Facebook, etc. Short of taking away a teens smart phone and banning the Internet from one's home, teens of today are exposed to it all the time. And what's troubling for me as a parent and also as a writer is the fact that once its out on the Internet ... its there forever. One can conceivably see a bullied teen of today googling their name in forty year's time and seeing the living cyber record of their torments all those decades ago. I don't think our culture knows how to deal with this new frontier of bullying because the speed of technological change is utterly mind-bending. It's bleak ... bullying makes me feel very bleak and helpless inside because I honestly don't know what our culture can do to protect those kids.

Q. What is your favorite scene in Student Bodies?

George Standingready. A dirty cop. A word of power. And showing said cop what happens when you play with fire.

Q. What was the hardest part of writing this book? The easiest?

The hardest part was trying to get the impact of bullying written in a way that sounded genuine - that's why I let Marcus speak for me on the subject. The easiest part was the scene where the Blessed Maven shows the reader that she's just about the most powerful witch anyone has ever seen in their lives.

Q. Aside from witches, what other supernatural being fascinates you and why?

Ghosts fascinate me - I saw one in the UK last fall during my promotional visit for POLTERGEEKS. The thought of a hereafter. That great unanswered question that each of us will one day answer in our own way.

Q. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

Get the romance right. That's hard for me because I really suck at writing it.

Q. What has been the best compliment?

The best compliments are the ones where the reader says that my characters sound like real teenagers. That's important for a middle aged dude because every day that passes by I am further away from the young person I once was and I want so much to hang onto that guy a little bit longer - 15 year old Sean was a fun, hopeful, full of life person. I miss him a lot.

Q. Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

I do get the occasional email that bolsters my reasons for wanting to continue on my journey as a professional writer. I'll get an email from a young lady in Romania in broken English and she'll tell me how much she loved Julie and identified with her. That's kind of life-affirming.

Q. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Hi gang! What's up? I hope you get blown out of your boots by STUDENT BODIES and there's more dark and terrible stuff that will hopefully be coming your way very very soon!

About the Author
Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Sean Cummings is a fantasy author with a penchant for writing quirky, humorous and dark novels featuring characters that are larger than life. His debut was the gritty urban fantasy SHADE FRIGHT published in 2010. He followed up later in the year with the sequel FUNERAL PALLOR. His urban fantasy/superhero thriller UNSEEN WORLD was published in 2011.

2012 saw the publication of Sean’s first urban fantasy for young adults. POLTERGEEKS is a rollicking story about teen witch Julie Richards, her dorky boyfriend and race against time to save her mother’s life. The first sequel, STUDENT BODIES is due for publication in September 2013.

Sean Cummings lives in Saskatoon Canada.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

CANADA/US Prize Pack:

1 Signed Copy of STUDENT BODIES

1 Signed Copy of POLTERGEEKS

1 Signed Copy of FUNERAL PALLOR

1 Signed Copy of SHADE FRIGHT

1 Amazon Kindle

UK Prize Pack

1 Signed Copy of STUDENT BODIES

1 Signed Copy of POLTERGEEKS

1 Signed Copy of FUNERAL PALLOR

1 Signed Copy of SHADE FRIGHT

1 Amazon Kindle

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Student Bodies Blog Tour: ARC Review and Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the Student Bodies blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours. Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule! Also watch out for my interview with Mr. Sean Cummings tomorrow.

Title: Student Bodies (Poltergeek #2)
Author: Sean Cummings
Genre/s: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Suspense, Romance
Published Date: September 3, 20123

Synopsis:

Whoever said being a teenage witch would be easy? For fifteen-year-old Julie Richardson and the city’s resident protector from supernatural evil, the Left Hand Path doesn't give a damn if you've found true love for the first time in your life. There’s someone lurking the halls of Crescent Ridge High School with enough malice to unleash an epidemic of Soul Worms – supernatural larvae that feed on the very fabric of a victim’s humanity.

After witnessing the death of one of the most popular kids at school, Julie and über genius boyfriend Marcus are in a race against time to find out who is behind the attacks. All the evidence points to a horrifying plot at the City Weir during the Winter Solstice; the place where icy waters of the Bow River and a thunderous spillway will mean the deaths of more than a hundred of Julie’s classmates.

If she has any hope of saving their lives, she’ll need a little help from a coven of white witches and an Aboriginal mage whose snarky attitude is matched only by her magical prowess.

IGoL Blog Tour: Icon of the Indecisive Review and Giveaway

Title: Icon of the Indecisive (Interim Goddess of Love #3)
Author: Mina V. Esguerra
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Philippine Mythology

Synopsis:

College student Hannah Maquiling, also temporarily working as the Goddess of Love, has had enough of everyone asking for her help when it comes to relationships. It's her turn to find romance! She deserves it, after serving as matchmaker and confidant to everyone else in Ford River College for the past year. She's had a crush on handsome senior (and God of the Sun) Quin forever, but he's destined to fall in love with an extraordinary mortal woman, so she's figured her chances with him have pretty much dropped to zero.

It's not like she doesn't have any options for a classic college romance though. There's Diego, God of the Sea and Quin's best friend/enemy. And regular guy Robbie is stepping up, making sure she knows how he feels about her. How hard can it be for a goddess to find someone to love, and be loved in return?

IGoL Blog Tour: Queen of the Clueless Review and Giveaway

Title: Queen of the Clueless (Interim Goddess of Love #2)
Author: Mina V. Esguerra
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Philippine Mythology

Synopsis:

If you've been feeling neglected by the Goddess of Love lately, don't worry -- Hannah Maquiling, college sophomore, is in training to take over. The Original Goddess is missing, but Hannah is Interim Goddess now, and she should figure out how to solve humanity's love problems soon. Quin (God of the Sun) is still her mentor, still really hot, but apparently isn't as honest about his other earthly relationships as she thought. It's frustrating, and enough to make her check out possibilities with Diego (God of the Sea) and Robbie (Cute Human).

In the meantime, she's decided to spend some of her precious training time helping to break up a relationship, instead of putting one together. Why? Because the girl in question happens to be her best friend Sol, whose boyfriend is stealing not just from her, but from other people on campus. Sol didn't exactly summon the Goddess, but this is what power over Love is for, right? Surely it's not just about matchmaking, but ending doomed relationships too. (Even when it's not what people want.)

IGoL Blog Tour: Interim Goddess of Love Review and Giveaway

Title: Interim Goddess of Love (Interim Goddess of Love #1)
Author: Mina V. Esguerra
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Philippine Mythology

Synopsis:

College sophomore Hannah Maquiling doesn't know why everyone tells her their love problems. She's never even had a boyfriend, but that doesn't stop people from spilling their guts to her, and asking for advice. So maybe it shouldn't be a surprise when the cutest guy in school tells her that she's going to have to take on this responsibility -- but for all humanity.

The Goddess of Love has gone AWOL. It's a problem, because her job is to keep in check this world's obsession with love (and lack of it). The God of the Sun, for now an impossibly handsome senior at an exclusive college just outside of Metro Manila, thinks Hannah has what it takes to (temporarily) do the job.

While she's learning to do this goddess thing, she practices on the love troubles of shy Kathy, who's got a secret admirer on campus. Hannah's mission, should she choose to accept it, is to make sure that he's not a creepy stalker and they find their happily ever after -- or at least something that'll last until next semester. (As if she could refuse! The Sun God asked so nicely. And he's so, well, hot.)

Book Review: Splintered (Splintered #1)

Title: Splintered (Splintered #1)
Author: A.G. Howard
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retelling, Romance

Synopsis:

This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.

Book Review: Truly, Madly, Deadly

Title: Truly, Madly, Deadly
Author: Hannah Jayne
Genre/s: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller

Synopsis:

They Said It Was An Accident...

Sawyer Dodd is a star athlete, a straight-A student, and the envy of every other girl who wants to date Kevin Anderson. When Kevin dies in a tragic car crash, Sawyer is stunned. Then she opens her locker to find a note:

You're welcome.
Someone saw what he did to her. Someone knows that Sawyer and Kevin weren't the perfect couple they seemed to be. And that someone—a killer—is now shadowing Sawyer's every move...

Steel Lily Blog Tour: ARC Review

Title: Steel Lily (The Periodic Series #1)
Author: Megan Curd
Genre/s: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Romance
Published Date: August 20, 2013

Synopsis:

AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

Stacking the Shelves #2/GWIMM #17

Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

I only received two books for review this week. Here they are:

The Ridge by Nick Hupton

Skulk by Rosie Best (ARC)

Thanks to Strange Chemistry and Mr. Nick Hupton for this books.

What did you get this week? Leave your links here! I'd love to see them too.

ARC Review: All Our Pretty Songs

Title: All Our Pretty Songs
Author: Sarah McCarry
Genre/s: Young Adult, Paranormal Fantasy, Mythology

Synopsis:

The first book in an exciting YA trilogy, this is the story of two best friends on the verge of a terrifying divide when they begin to encounter a cast of strange and mythical characters.

Set against the lush, magical backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, two inseparable best friends who have grown up like sisters—the charismatic, mercurial, and beautiful Aurora and the devoted, soulful, watchful narrator—find their bond challenged for the first time ever when a mysterious and gifted musician named Jack comes between them. Suddenly, each girl must decide what matters most: friendship, or love. What both girls don’t know is that the stakes are even higher than either of them could have imagined. They’re not the only ones who have noticed Jack’s gift; his music has awakened an ancient evil—and a world both above and below which may not be mythical at all. The real and the mystical; the romantic and the heartbreaking all begin to swirl together, carrying the two on journey that is both enthralling and terrifying.

And it’s up to the narrator to protect the people she loves—if she can.

Book Review: 34 Pieces of You

Title: 34 Pieces of You
Author: Carmen Rodrigues
Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

A dark and moving novel about the mystery surrounding a teenage girl’s fatal overdose.

There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.

Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they begin to confront the darkest truths about themselves, they will also find out what Ellie herself had been hiding all along....

Book Review: Girl's Day Out

Title: Girl's Day Out
Author: Jeanette Battista
Genre/s: Paranormal, Fantasy, Mystery,

Synopsis:

All T wants is a break from her day job. After months of fighting angry demons and keeping humans oblivious to the Underworld, she needs some time off. Her solution is brilliant: A girls’ day out, full of shopping, massages, and mani-pedis. Luckily, she has a friend to bring along—her business partner, J. Unluckily, J wants nothing to do with T’s plan.

T manages to drag J along, promising a day full of pampering and relaxation. But the Underworld has different plans. When T and J are attacked by a pack of demons, their girls’ day is ruined and replaced by something much more sinister: A life-or-death investigation into the person—or demon—who wants them dead.

Book Review: Persephone (The Daughter of Zeus #1)

Title: Persephone (The Daughter of Zeus #1)
Author: Kaitlin Bevis
Genre/s: Young Adult, Paranormal Fantasy, Mythology, Retelling

Synopsis:

There are worse things than death, worse people too

The “talk” was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they’re a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn’t until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

Book Review: Fire (Elements of Powers #1)

Title: Fire (Elements of Powers #1)
Author: Heather James
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis

Is control over the elements a gift, or a curse?

Roxy thinks that she is in control of everything: with flames flaring at her fingertips and an equally fiery attitude, what more could she need? But then she meets Brae, a prince from a rival Realm, who turns her assumptions of superiority upside down.

Jasmine has none of Roxy’s confidence or intensity. But she does have a secret - and Brae - and she’s not going to give either up willingly.

A Tale of Two Centuries Release Day!!!

This is the date we’ve all been waiting for, the release date of A Tale of Two Centuries by Rachel Harris! If you read my review here, you would probably know why I’m so excited right now! This book is AMAZING and I can’t wait for all of you to finally read it.

Anyway, for now we CELEBRATE! Here’s an EXCERPT from the book and a GIVEAWAY! Enjoy!

Title: A Tale of Two Centuries (My Super Sweet SixteenthCentury #2)

Author: Rachel Harris

Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Romance,

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Synopsis:

Alessandra D’Angeli is in need of an adventure. Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, who visited her for a magical week and dazzled her with tales of the future, Alessandra is lost. Until the stars hear her plea.

One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility.

With the clock ticking, Less knows she must live every moment of her modern life while she still can. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?

A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES EXCERPT:

Without stopping or even slowing his stride, he grabs a map from a vendor and flips it open. “So Lethal Xperience is at the back of the park. We’ll hit that first and then make our way up to the front.”

He seems unaware that the length of his legs far exceeds my own. As I frantically attempt to match his stride, I must pant or wheeze because he finally looks down at me, no doubt pink-faced and wide-eyed both from the sensory overload surrounding us and my huffing at a near

jog to stay beside him. He grins. “Try to keep up, Short Stuff.”

I grit my teeth with determination and somehow keep myself from muttering, Yes, Master. But the thought still makes me smile. Cat must be rubbing off.

We pass a circular ride filled with fake horses going up and down. Giggling and drooling children clap their adorable hands from their belted saddles while a spirited tune blares overhead. Just pass that is a miniature roller coaster made to look like a giant, happy centipede. The child in the front seat waves to his mother as the cart dips, and his squeal of joy tails behind him. It’s too bad that not all roller coasters can be five feet tall.

Then I get a wicked idea.

Austin believes I am a child, naive and boring, and, it would seem, without any humor. This second challenge is supposed to be about fun, and nothing—not even the lead role in a prestigious play with a crowd of a thousand—will give me more joy than turning the tables on him, even if

only for a moment.

Looking back at the children’s ride, I grab Austin’s elbow and say innocently, “Is this not the roller coaster you are looking for?”

He stops rather abruptly and peers at me through squinted eyes. “You know, it’s like you look normal…”He trails off and shakes his head. He points a long tan finger at the centipede ride and in a tone dripping with condescension explains,“Less, Arthropod Picnic is a kiddie ride. It’s made for pint-size ankle-biters ages three and under.”

I try my best to look disappointed. I do everything I can to contain my mounting delight. But after no more than a few brief moments, I let forth a victorious giggle.

Realization dawns on his face. “You think you’re funny, huh?”

When I nod, he chuckles. He leans back on his heels and lets his gaze travel over my body. Humor dissipates as my skin prickles to life. On Austin’s slow ascent back up, he pauses to look me in the eye and an emotion crosses his face. It’s so fleeting—gone and there in an instant— that I cannot catch it.

“So, you think you’re ready to play at the big girl table now.” The left side of his mouth kicks up in a grin. “We’ll just have to see about that.”

The apparent taunt and Austin’s added wink spur me on.

This is my chance to prove to him that I’m not the timid girl I once was. To prove to myself that I’m no longer the child of my youth but a woman ready for the future.

I sashay toward a person dressed as a shiny nugget of gold posing for pictures with children, feeling Austin watching me, his gaze on my every step like a physical touch. My legs feel wobbly under my skirt, but an energizing spark ignites in my blood. I glance over my shoulder, confirming I have his complete attention, and then with an outward shrug (and an inner dance), I reply with every ounce of confidence I can muster, “Yes. We will.”

Austin’s smile widens. The sounds and patrons of the park fade away, and it is as if we are the only two around. I don’t know what is happening…I scarcely even recognize myself in this moment. Being with Austin does that. It turns me into someone else.

And I like who I become.

I watch his slow saunter, my body poised with tension. I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I wouldn’t trade the delicious expectation for anything. Austin doesn’t stop until he is right in front of me, close enough that I have to look up to meet his demanding blue gaze, and so close that warmth fans across my face as he says in a low voice, “Careful, girl. You’re playing with fire.”

“I’ve been careful my whole life,” I tell him, surprising myself with the resentment ringing in my tone. But it’s the truth. “And you know, I think it’s about time for me to be a little…” I bite the corner of my bottom lip, searching for exactly the right word to describe the emotions and thoughts that have surfaced the last few days. When I find it, I smile and wiggle my eyebrows suggestively“Wild.”

Austin sucks in a breath. He searches my eyes and I boldly stare back, praying that he cannot see my knees shaking. Then, obviously concluding that I meant every word, he flashes his devilish grin. “I can work with that.”

About RACHEL HARRIS:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Rachel Harris grew up in New Orleans, where she watched soap operas with her grandmother and stayed up late sneak reading her mama’s favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up way too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life’s problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.

When not typing furiously or flipping pages in an enthralling romance, she homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches reality television with her amazing husband. Taste The Heat is her adult romance debut. She’s the author of MY SUPER SWEET SIXTEENTH CENTURY and A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES. She loves hearing from readers! Find her at www.RachelHarrisWrites.com.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview: Heather James, author of Fire

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am Heather James, a young-adult author in my twenties, currently working on a trilogy of fantasy novels based around the four classical elements. I love reading everything I can get my hands on and dream of having my own library one day (by which I mean a room in my house dedicated solely to books, even if it's only tiny!). Until I have a house with a spare room and have bought enough books to fill it, I'm content being a school librarian because it means that I get to spend every day surrounded by books.

2. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Do you wanted to become a writer ever since?

I have always wanted to be a writer or, at the very least, work with books in some way. If I wasn't writing stories, I wanted to be publishing or reading them.

3. What inspired you to write Fire?

I loved the idea of characters who could control the elements; particularly producing and manipulating fire. I also wanted to write about a love triangle from a very different perspective and hopefully produce a story where it is difficult to pick a side.

4. Where did the idea of this fantasy world comes from?

I'm not really sure! I created characters who could do extraordinary things and then needed a fantasy setting for them to inhabit. The world was created as I needed it.

5. If you're going to be an inhabitant of this world with elemental ability, which realm do you think you belong?

As much as I would love to be able to shoot flames from my fingertips, I would definitely be a Brizan. I haven't tried to create my own ideal world, or any characters who reflected me, but I think I would fit in very well amongst the Brizans.

6. What was the hardest part of writing your book? What was the easiest?

The hardest part (besides seeing it through to the end) was a scene between Roxy and Cinaer towards the end of the book. I completely scrapped a few versions before I felt like I got it right. It is now one of my favourite chapters. The easiest part was creating the powers - I loved defining what the Protectors could do, exploring their strengths and their limitations.

7. What's your favourite scene or part in your book?

The Roxy/Cinaer chapter I mentioned above! Although I also love a lot of the arguments between Roxy and Brae and Jasmine's reunion with Brae at the beginning of the book is another moment I really love.

8. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating this books?

That I could do it! And also that the first reaction I had to it was really positive.

9. Which of your characters would you say you're more similar with? And why?

I'm not sure that I would say that I am like any individual character. Im definitely not as forceful and confident as Roxy, but I'm not like Jasmine either. Neither character reacts to situations in the same way I would - that's one of the most exciting things about writing though - exploring different personalities and outlooks on life.

10. If you could talk to one of your characters, who would it be and what will you say to them?

That's a hard question - I couldn't choose between getting to speak to only one of Roxy or Jasmine! I would have to speak to them both and I would want to tell each to be nice to the other!

11. Give 3 reasons why people should buy and read Fire?

Because:
It is different - Fire isn't a Twlight-esque love triangle; picking a side isn't easy.
It's really, really cheep, which I think makes it worth a try!
I really hope that you will enjoy it. I put a lot of work into creating something not only for myself, but something which other people will hopefully be drawn into and love.

12. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

Thank you so very, very much for being willing to give Fire a chance. I really hope you are looking forward to Water!

Author Bio: 
Website | Twitter | Goodreads 

Heather James is a young-adult author who writes about heroines with amazing powers, heroes who will break your heart and fantasy realms that you will want to move to.

She works in a secondary school library and spends her school holidays writing, reading, playing flag-American football and baking cakes.

Title: Fire (Elements of Power #1)
Genre/s: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Synopsis:

Is control over the elements a gift, or a curse?

Roxy thinks that she is in control of everything: with flames flaring at her fingertips and an equally fiery attitude, what more could she need? But then she meets Brae, a prince from a rival Realm, who turns her assumptions of superiority upside down.

Jasmine has none of Roxy’s confidence or intensity. But she does have a secret - and Brae - and she’s not going to give either up willingly.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!! 

Le Rules:

• Open Internationally 
• Must be 13+ to enter
• Winners will be notified via email
• A new winner will be chosen if a response is not received within 48 hours
• Use the Rafflecopter to enter.  I'm going to check the entries so please follow the directions correctly.
• Contest ends August 19, 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves #1/GWIMM #16

Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual.

It's been a while since I post a GWIMM here and it's not because I don't have anything to post, it's just that I'm lazy most of the time. But today is different because I received two new books that are so awesome I needed to share them. I will also include here the other books I received in the past few months, some of which were already reviewed. I also decided to do my first ever Stacking the Shelves post and I'm really excited to participate here. So without further ado, here's my May-August haul.

May 

Towering by Alex Flinn
The School of Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
(Thanks, Sarah from HarperCollins!)

June

This Is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith
(Thanks, Louisse from The Soul Sisters!)

July

signed Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine
signed Ravenous by Heidi Loney
(Thanks, Catherine and Heidi!)

August

Blackbird by Chuck Wendig

Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig
(Thanks, Jessica from Jessabella Reads!)

And some swags too!
(Thanks to Rachel Harris and Liz deJesus!)

What did you get this week? Leave your links here! I'd love to see them too.

Book Review: The Catastrophic History of You and Me

Title: The Catastrophic History of You and Me
Author: Jess Rothenberg
Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Afterlife

Synopsis:

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever. 

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

Author Interview: Dawn Husted, author of SAFE

Today, is the release of SAFE, a post-apocalyptic novel and to celebrate this momentous day, we have Dawn Husted here to ask her a few questions regarding about her book and about herself. And at the end of this interview, you have an opportunity to win an ecopy of this book. Isn't that amazing! So without further ado, here's Dawn Husted! *cue applause

1. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I love pizza, because I don’t have to cook anything. I started drinking coffee when I became a mom and a writer. And I have a fondness for animals.

2. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? Did you want to become a writer ever since? 

My passion for writing didn’t begin until 2008. Before that, I focused on school and graduating. I can’t say that I’ve ever truly known what I wanted to do as I grew up, but I’ve always had a passion for helping people. In 2000, I went overseas for a summer and helped build an orphanage. That event changed my life, and I hope to go back one day. For now, writing fulfills an area in my life giving me an outlet for my thoughts. And there are a lot of thoughts! 

3. What inspired you to write SAFE? 

I loved the idea of a teenager discovering the reality of their world to be faulty; each one of our lives is what we are taught. When these truths are found to be a lie, a person’s reality changes dramatically. I wanted to write a science fiction book and was obsessed with the notion of a post-apocalyptic time period. These concepts sum up SAFE.

4. Where did the idea of this post-apocalyptic world come from? 

Post apocalyptic books are fun to read, because it gives the reader a glimpse into a possible reality. Yes, SAFE is science-fiction, but I wanted it to be believable. And writing a post-apocalyptic book opened up a lot of doors; I didn’t have to stick to the perimeters the world has made up to the year 2013. I was able to decide what normal was like for people that had survived the apocalypse in the future. 

 

5. What was the hardest part of writing your book? What was the easiest? 

The hardest part was taking my time. I had all of these ideas and scenes I wanted to write, but I also needed to explain situations leading up to them. I had to carefully weave the smaller plots into the larger one, and tie up all the loose ends. 

The easiest part was choosing Penny as the main character. 

6. What's your favorite scene or part in your book? 

My favorite scene is a fight that takes place towards the beginning. I can’t give away too much detail, but it happens in a car between multiple guards, one being Penny’s boyfriend. 

7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating this book? 

Editors and beta readers are worth the wait. Having both helped the story in more ways than I can count. And I think the readers will appreciate the changes, even though they’ll never see the unedited manuscript. And I’m eternally grateful to have had them read the story prior to publishing. 

 

8. Which of your characters would you say you're more similar with?

And why? I don’t think any character in particular. There might be pieces of me, here and there, in the story. That’s hard to get away from when you’re the one writing it. But I did my best to have each character be uniquely their own.

9. If you could talk to one of your characters, who would it be and what would you say to them? 

I would like to talk to Camara. She’s a character in the book that the reader sees briefly, but not in depth. She has a lot of wisdom behind her thinking and her decisions. I would love to ask her how she got to where she is now. I bet the conversation would be interesting!

10. Give 3 reasons why people should read SAFE?

1. It doesn’t get better than young-adult fiction. 

2. It has a heroine tale. 

3. The book follows a boy and a girl, and their journey is one to read! 

11. Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? 

You’re amazing and I hope this will be one of those books you can’t put down!

Author Bio:

Dawn Husted started writing in the fall of 2008, but she didn't began publishing her work until 2011; After marrying her husband, Dawngraduated with a Bachelor degree from Texas A&M University and spent the next couple of years trying to figure out what she wanted to do. In 2008, she dabbled with writing a book intended for her eldest child and soon published it three years later. Since then, the Windor Series was published (available for free on her website). In 2012, another book became available titled Silently Screaming, a literary fictional work geared towards the young adult genre. Currently she just released her newest novel, SAFE. A young-adult (post apocalyptic science fiction) book.

Author Site: http://dawnhusted.weebly.com/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TheDawnHusted
Facebook: https://facebook.com/DawnHusted 

Title: SAFE
Published Date: August 1, 2013
Genre/s: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Post Apocalyptic,
Synopsis:

A science fiction novel in a post-apocalyptic setting; Penny, a teenage girl, has been genetically mutated along with other inhabitants by a vaccine given to their great-grandparents who settled the Land, an island. This particular serum caused everyone to develop vine like marks all over their bodies, along with enhanced abilities passed down through the generations. Penny finds a shift in her reality that causes her to fight for survival as she searches for the truth, even if it puts her at odds with the only person she can trust.

56,000 words and approximately 220 print pages.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Le Rules:

• Open Internationally 
• Must be 13+ to enter
• Winners will be notified via email
• A new winner will be chosen if a response is not received within 48 hours
• Use the Rafflecopter to enter.  I'm going to check the entries so please follow the directions correctly.
• Contest ends August 14, 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway