Mindee Arnett Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the 23th, and final day of Christmahanakwanzika. Today I have a fantastic interview with author of AVALON, Mindee Arnett. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.


Avalon (Avalon #1)
Young Adult Science Fiction
Publication Date: January 21st, 2014

A ragtag group of teenage mercenaries who crew the spaceship Avalon stumble upon a conspiracy that could threaten the entire galaxy in this fascinating and fast-paced sci-fi adventure from author Mindee Arnett.

Of the various star systems that make up the Confederation, most lie thousands of light-years from First Earth-and out here, no one is free. The agencies that govern the Confederation are as corrupt as the crime bosses who patrol it, and power is held by anyone with enough greed and ruthlessness to claim it. That power is derived from one thing: metatech, the devices that allow people to travel great distances faster than the speed of light.

Jeth Seagrave and his crew of teenage mercenaries have survived in this world by stealing unsecured metatech, and they're damn good at it. Jeth doesn't care about the politics or the law; all he cares about is earning enough money to buy back his parents' ship, Avalon, from his crime-boss employer and getting himself and his sister, Lizzie, the heck out of Dodge. But when Jeth finds himself in possession of information that both the crime bosses and the government are willing to kill for, he is going to have to ask himself how far he'll go to get the freedom he's wanted for so long.

Avalon is the perfect fit for teens new to sci-fi as well as seasoned sci-fi readers looking for more books in the YA space-and a great match for fans of Joss Whedon's cult hit show Firefly.
 

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release of AVALON.

 

Nice and warm. Especially since we’ve got six inches of snow on the ground here in Ohio. Very happy to be here!

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

 

We definitely celebrate Christmas. This year, I’m most excited for getting to spend it with my sister and her family for the first time in forever. My brother-in-law is in the army, and they’ve been overseas the last couple of years.

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

 

I can’t name a specific charity, but I would give most of it to a children’s charity. Nothing bothers me more than the idea of kids in need. I would also want to put a little of it toward an animal shelter as well. Both kids and animals can’t fend for themselves. I feel they need help the most.
 

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

 

Tough question. I would love to be Jeth from Avalon, because what could be cooler than gallivanting across galaxy in a spaceship? But then again, Jeth has it pretty rough. I think instead I would have to go with Dusty from The Nightmare Affair. She gets to do magic and to visit dreams. I would have a lot of fun with that.

Do you have any favorite quotes from your novel, AVALON?

 

I tend have favorite scenes more than quotes, but here’s a snippet of one. It’s the first time the characters travel through metaspace, which is my version of faster-than-light speed travel:  

Jeth engaged the metadrive. A moment later, a brilliant light like a raw, living energy enveloped the Montrose. It burned so brightly Jeth had to shut his eyes too, despite the tinted goggles. Even still, he could see the light through the skin of his eyelids as if his eyes remained open. Weightlessness came over his body. Not like being in zero gravity, but as if he had no body at all, his existence blinking out. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe. His heart no longer beat and his mind no longer thought.

A fraction of a second later, they came through the other side, traveling thousands of light-years in an instant.

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

 

There is a message, but I think if I have to tell you what it is then I’ve failed as a writer. Instead I’d rather the reader discover it on their own. Or not. Once the book is out there, it belongs to the reader all the way.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

 

I just completed the initial draft of the Avalon sequel. Up next I’ll be starting the third book in my Arwell Academy series. I’m also in the initial planning stages of a YA fantasy I hope to work on after that.

Happy Christmahanakwanzika! 

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About the Author
Mindee Arnett

YA Author of THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR, a contemporary fantasy coming March 5, 2013 from Tor Teen (Macmillan) and AVALON, a YA sci-fi thriller coming Winter 2014 from Balzer+Bray (HarperCollins). Represented by the fabulous Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary. Addicted to jumping horses and telling tales of magic, the macabre, and outer space.

 

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***Giveaway*** 

Three (3) swag packs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika

See the schedule here

Joanna Wiebe - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the 19th day of Christmahanakwanzika. Today I have a fantastic interview with author of THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MARCHANT, Joanna Wiebe. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.


The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant (The V Trilogy #1)
Young Adult
Publication Date: January, 14, 2014

So many secrets for such a small island. From the moment Anne Merchant arrives at Cania Christy, a boarding school for the world’s wealthiest teens, the hushed truths of this strange, unfamiliar land begin calling to her—sometimes as lulling drumbeats in the night, sometimes as piercing shrieks.

One by one, unanswered questions rise. No one will tell her why a line is painted across the island or why she is forbidden to cross it. Her every move—even her performance at the school dance—is graded as part of a competition to become valedictorian, a title that brings rewards no one will talk about. And Anne discovers that the parents of her peers surrender million-dollar possessions to enroll their kids in Cania Christy, leaving her to wonder what her lowly funeral director father could have paid to get her in… and why.

As a beautiful senior struggles to help Anne make sense of this cloak-and-dagger world without breaking the rules that bind him, she must summon the courage to face the impossible truth—and change it—before she and everyone she loves is destroyed by it.
 

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release of THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT.

 

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

 

I celebrate Christmas, and I'm super-stoked to decorate the house and watch Christmas movies, like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Elf. Wrapping gifts is also big on my list -- I totally dig fab wrapping, so I like to make a craft project out of each gift I wrap.

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

 

Oh, gosh! If it all had to go to one non-profit, I might choose DonorsChoose.org. It'd be so fun to complete the funding of a few thousand classroom projects. :)

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

 

Mr. Darcy. I know that that would require I become a boy, but who wouldn't like to try out life as the opposite sex for a bit? We've been inside the head of Elizabeth Bennett; I'd like to get inside Mr. Darcy's head to understand how he rationalizes the more cruel things he did and said, to be so consumed by love as to completely abandon himself, and to finally come through as the hero.

Do you have any favorite quotes from your novel, THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT?

 

I borrow from Shakespeare at one point: 
"Hell is empty. All the devils are here." So that's a tweetable. :) Perhaps one of my favorite scenes in the book is when Anne is questioning changes in her body and she says something I thought throughout my teen years: "I've built an uncertain existence in the shadow of my most prominent flaws, which are the very qualities that make me different, which is only good on good days." Even the most proudly 'different' people have days where they just want to be exactly the same as everyone else.

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

 

Who you were isn't who you have to be.

I went to high school in a small town where the whole school would comment if you got bangs. (!) You had to move out of town to reinvent yourself, and that was hugely stifling. There's a pressure for us not to change because when you change, you create friction for the people around you and, especially as girls, we're conditioned to care more about keeping others happy than about making ourselves happy. So throughout this series, Anne struggles with shaking her past, whether it be her upbringing as 'death chick' in a funeral home or, as we'll see in the second and third books, her soul's sordid history. 

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

 

Yes! I'm finishing up the second book in the V Trilogy, where Anne's 'education' continues. A few tidbits: Something terrible happens to Ben. We get a new headmaster, who is smokin' hot, to Anne's dismay. And Anne's whole world changes when Teddy tells her why she was accepted to the Cania Christy Preparatory Academy to begin with. Suffice it to say, the uncertain girl in the first book grows up swiftly in the second.

Happy Christmahanakwanzika! 

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About the Author
Joanna Wiebe

Joanna "Jobo" Wiebe is the author of "The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant", which will be released Jan 14, 2014 - a fact she is super-stoked about. (Er, sorry: a fact about which she is super-stoked.) You should totally friend and/or fan her and add "The Unseemly Education..." to your Want to Read list. :) Like her on FB, too

Hailing from Vancouver Island, Canada, J-Dawg does her absolute best to avoid saying the words "eh" and "about", either of which cause Americans, Brits and Kiwis alike to arch an eyebrow, smirk a little, and say, "You're Canadian, eh?" #SlowClap

So why is she writing books for young adults? Well, she earned a BA in Honors English, during which time she studied creative writing and won a few awards. So she likes writing. Plus, she's big on escaping - which is probably 'cos she spent her teen years feeling absolutely trapped in an Alberta oil town. And the concept of transformation is a big one for her - and YA fiction is THE breeding ground for transformative stories. Dig it.

Obligatory Luv It List: espresso, chocolate, chocolate-covered coffee beans, chocolate martinis, espresso martinis, chocolate-espresso martinis, Savannah cats.

 

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***Giveaway*** 

One (1) ARC of THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT

US/CAN only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika

See the schedule here

James John Loftus - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the 13th day of Christmahanakwanzika. Today I have a fantastic interview with author of CELTIC BLOOD, James John Loftus. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.


Celtic Blood
Historical Fiction
Publication Date: July 28, 2011

Set in 13th century Scotland. The son of the murdered Earl of Ross, is a fugitive when his family, rival claimants for Scotland's crown, are declared traitors. Influenced by MacBeth and the writting of Nigel Tranter it is a tale of high drama and suspense.










 

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release of THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT.

 

Thanks for having me. I have never been to Houston but have read about it, most notably in George Foreman’s biography. He grew up in the Fourth Ward I think it was and it sounded tough. He certainly grew to be a fearsome boxer and took part in one of the most famous fights ever, ‘The Rumble In The Jungle’.

KELLY--Yes, the Fourth Ward is on the rougher side of Houston. It's just North of Downtown, in a lower income area. But just around the corner from it is also my favorite brewery, Saint Arnold Brewery.

It is very nice of you to include an obscure writer from Brisbane Australia who is just trying to put his hat in to be noticed and read in a very competitive market place, particularly being Indie (some people associate Indie with second-rate).

Some people try and sink the boot in a bit to us poor Indie writers. I was in a forum the other day over on Amazon, and felt like I was surrounded by a lynch mob. That’s right gang up on the Indie writer.
Close call but I made it out of there in one piece!

I say if you think Indie sucks, look at ‘The Brian Jonestown Massacre’, talent can come from anywhere, look at George Foreman - even the Fourth Ward. Their surroundings don’t limit them sometimes it inspires them.

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

 

Christmas.

I had never heard the term Christmahanakwanzika until you posted your advertisement for writers to participate. Not very many Jewish people in Brisbane and when I was growing up even fewer. I knew one at high school Daniel Schwartz, a typical boy perhaps a bit more Eurocentric than the rest of us who were a bit ‘Ocker’ just lower-socio-economic kids, at a suburban high school. There was the sense about Daniel that he had seen other places, and was connected to the main stream of history, unlike us. There were no African kids, African or Afro American. We saw African Americans on tv and thought they were pretty cool. Some of the Thursday Island kids - a group of Islands in the Torres Straight – who looked a bit like Afro Americans played basket ball and wore what passed for cool American black kids clothes. These blokes were cool and very athletic so were respected and liked.

I remember the first time I saw an Afro American, I was in the Queensland Police Force, I was twenty-one. We were invited on board a visiting US ship and these huge black fellas were waiting outside the dock in naval uniforms for a taxi, my mate and I gave them a lift into town and they had us laughing, they were very good company, I remember they said they were from south central Los Angeles and it was a bit feral there.

I remember seeing these blokes on the ship and they were big and very athletic looking. Obviously many of the very best physical types enter the military in America, as they do here.

I also remember having to make a call long distance to New York, at the time I was trying to get a film script up. I did end up doing this but with a totally different project, ‘Underdog’s Tale’.

Anyway I speaking with the black lady on the phone and she just sounded so very very cool, her accent was like I had heard in some movies. Part of you, when only exposed to a culture by way of film, wonders if things are really like that over there.

So I asked if she was a negro.

She was all over me with – as only Afro Americans can do – outrage, but with a whole retinue of phrases that were witty and unforgettable.

I explained my question, I just could not believe she was an example of those ultra arty dynamic speakers I admired. She was good then … we, ‘Shot the breeze for a while’.

The Americans were here during the Second World War and many of my mother’s generation had fond memories of them. Quite a few romances went on. Tony Curtis the actor was stationed as a sub mariner in Brisbane, and Rock Hudson visited on leave, as did so many other serviceman.

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

 

Good question.

To those, in the most need whoever was actually starving or in need of clothes and fresh water. These things change so quickly with the rate of catastrophic weather events that it would be an on the spot decision.

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

 

I would be Morgund MacAedh, from my book, Celtic Blood, because Morgund overcame the most horrific circumstances where the odds were dramatically stacked against him and he grew wise and accomplished by virtue of his experiences, and he lived to found a family, one that lasted and gained fame and fortune.

Celtic Blood is based on a true story, the rise of clan MacKay (back then they were MacAedh, but of course you knew that).

Do you have any favorite quotes from your novel, THE UNSEEMLY EDUCATION OF ANNE MERCHANT?

 

In my work, be it either a film script, play or in this case a novel, I write a short poem. I will quote my poem, which appears at the start of Celtic Blood.

Celtic Blood

James John Loftus

I felt the wind and heard the rain,

I did feel an ancient hand.

The spirit of my ancestor drove the

pen which touched the page and enabled

me to visualize that which had occurred.

He called out to me from the past with the

voice of long ago.

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

 

Respect those who have gone before you, because there is part of them in you.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

 

Yes, I am working on the sequel to my first novel. It is called The Sword And The Thistle.

I’m trying to keep this interview short and sweet, but if there is anything you are dying to say, please by all means say it. I don’t need anyone dying on my watch.

Not too much just that I admire the American entrepreneurial spirit which has led men and women to be the best they can and to drive humanity onward.

And I thank you for your film industry, so many very very good films.

Happy Christmahanakwanzika! 

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About the Author
James John Loftus

The author has been interested in medieval history since seeing a book with a cover detailing the battle of Agincourt. The book engaged his imagination, and drew him to the period. Unable to read until in grade five some remedial tuition enabled him to commence on the journey from avid book reader to writer. He has one novel to date and a co-credit as a feature film writer, Underdog's Tale.

He was in the Queensland Police Service for ten years reaching the rank of senior constable. A former Karate instructor he is a past Queensland champion.

He lives in Brisbane with his wife and two children.

 

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***Giveaway*** 

One (1) hardcopy of CELTIC BLOOD

US/CAN only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika

See the schedule here

Maria Snyder - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the 15th day of Christmahanakwanzika. Today I have a fantastic interview with author of TASTE OF DARKNESS, Maria Snyder. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.


Taste of Darkness (Healer #3)
Young Adult Fantasy
Publication Date: December 31, 2013

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.
 

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release of TASTE OF DARKNESS.

 

Thank you for inviting me to Read it in Houston. It feels wonderful to be hanging out down south. Texas is one of my favorite places to visit everyone is so friendly and it's a nice break from this cold spell we're having in Pennsylvania.

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

 

Our family celebrates Christmas. One of my favorite parts of the holiday is decorating the house with colored lights, a big x-mas tree and my old fashioned ornaments.

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

 

The National Children Cancer Society - they help children with cancer and are also researching for a cure.

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

 

I would want to be Lessa in Dragonflight, the first book in the Dragonriders of Pern Series by Anne McCaffrey - because she gets to ride a dragon - who doesn't want to ride a dragon? And she also has a telepathic link to the dragon (which is similar to Yelena and Kiki in my Study books).

Do you have any favorite quotes from your novel, TASTE OF DARKNESS?

 

I always have fun with Quain and Loren. They bicker like siblings so this is a favorite quote from TOD:

"Ah, the joys of camping," Quain said. "Waking up in a puddle."
"Yeah, sure it's a puddle," Loren teased.
"Grow up." Quain pulled his hood over his bald head.
"I'm not the one with the puddle."

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

 

I didn't write the books with a message in mind, but after they were written, I see a bigger theme of helping others. My characters make sacrifices and put other people's needs and safety ahead of their own.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

 

I'm working on a new book in my Study series with Yelena and Valek. The book is going to have both character's point of view and a few sections from Janco's point of view. There will also be flashbacks to Valek's past before he met Yelena. My readers have been bugging me for more Valek and Yelena stories since Fire Study was released in 2008, and the couple short stories that I've written about them just hasn't quenched their thirst :) This book is due out in January 2015, and I don't have a title yet - New Study is my working title, but obviously that won't be the final title.

Happy Christmahanakwanzika! 

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About the Author
Maria Snyder
Meteorologist turned novelist, Maria's been writing fantasy and science fiction since she was bored at work and needed something creative to do. A dozen novels and numerous short stories later, Maria's learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a half-dozen awards, and has earned her MA degree in Writing from Seton Hill University where she's been happily sharing her knowledge with the current crop of MFA students. She also enjoys creating new worlds where horses and swords rule, 'cause let's face it, they're cool, although she's been known to trap her poor characters in a giant metal cube and let them figure out how to get out. 

Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com

 

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***Giveaway*** 

One (1) signed copy of TASTE OF DARKNESS

US/CAN only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika

See the schedule here

Amalie Howard - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the 14th day of Christmahanakwanzika. Today I have a fantastic interview with author of THE ALMOST GIRL, Amalie Howard. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.


The Almost Girl
YA Science Fiction
Publication Date: January 7th, 2014

Seventeen-year-old Riven is as tough as they come. Coming from a world ravaged by a devastating android war, she has to be. There’s no room for softness, no room for emotion, no room for mistakes. A Legion General, she is the right hand of the young Prince of Neospes, a parallel universe to Earth. In Neospes, she has everything: rank, responsibility and respect. But when Prince Cale sends her away to find his long-lost brother, Caden, who has been spirited back to modern day Earth, Riven finds herself in uncharted territory.

Thrown out of her comfort zone but with the mindset of a soldier, Riven has to learn how to be a girl in a realm that is the opposite of what she knows. Riven isn’t prepared for the beauty of a world that is unlike her own in so many ways. Nor is she prepared to feel something more than indifference for the very target she seeks. Caden is nothing like Cale, but he makes something in her come alive, igniting a spark deep down that goes against every cell in her body. For the first time in her life, Riven isn’t sure about her purpose, about her calling. Torn between duty and desire, she must decide whether Caden is simply a target or whether he is something more.

Faced with hideous reanimated Vector soldiers from her own world with agendas of their own, as well as an unexpected reunion with a sister who despises her, it is a race against time to bring Caden back to Neospes. But things aren’t always as they seem, and Riven will have to search for truth. Family betrayals and royal coups are only the tip of the iceberg. Will Riven be able to find the strength to defy her very nature? Or will she become the monstrous soldier she was designed to be?

 

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your upcoming release of THE ALMOST GIRL.

 

Thank you so much, and thanks for having me. I am thrilled to be here. I’m a big fan of Houston—it’s always been one of my favorite cities. In fact, I was just there a few weeks ago for a book conference and had a blast meeting so many terrific readers.

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

 

I celebrate Christmas. I am most excited about spending time with my family and watching my children open presents on Christmas morning. There’s nothing that beats the look of delight on their sleepy morning faces once they see the plump stockings, the half-eaten cookies, and everything piled under the tree. It’s magical.

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

 

I would donate it to Save the Children, which helps children around the world where they need it the most—health, education and disaster relief.

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

 

That’s kind of a tie. I’d either be Hermione from Harry Potter and not just because she’s the most badass witch ever (ok, yes, definitely because she’s the most badass witch ever), or I’d be Eowyn from Lord of the Rings because dressing up like a man, heading into battle and slaying the leader of the Nazgul with a hair-raising “No living man am I” declaration is totally something I would do.

Do you have any favorite quotes from your novel, THE ALMOST GIRL?

 

This is one of my favorite quotes from a scene between Riven and her sister, Shae.

“I don’t even notice as she slides her fingers along mine, hooking her little finger into the crook of mine. “Sister-swear,” she whispers, and all I can feel is the hot imprint of her skin against my own with the force of a hundred memories behind it.”

The second is another of my favorites only because it embodies Riven and what she feels about herself. It’s a little heartbreaking because the truth is she’s so much more than the sum of her parts.

“I’m death in a girl’s body.”

Lastly, I have to include a kissing quote because, well, it’s full of the steamy and who doesn’t love the steamy?

“Every thought in my brain fizzles into shocked silence. And then I’m kissing him back, following his lead, with an intensity that has our teeth grinding together. I don’t even know where he begins and I end – my lips are part of his mouth, and his part of mine. My hands, now free, are twining in his hair, and his arms are locked around me. Every living part of me is caught up in him.”

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

 

Be resilient. When life throws you a curveball, don’t be afraid to take a swing. Life’s not going to be easy at the best of times, and it’s about how you respond to those challenges. Face what comes your way with courage, trust yourself to do the best thing you can do, and don’t be afraid to have an open heart. Sometimes, you just have to take the jump without knowing what’s on the other side.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

 

Right now I am working on the sequel to THE ALMOST GIRL, and I can tell you that it’s going to be even more of an adrenaline rush than this one with twists you won’t see coming. I feel like I need a sound byte from Belt the Sloth on The Croods (http://youtu.be/boSmmVxqcW8) after writing that!

I’m trying to keep this interview short and sweet, but if there is anything you are dying to say, please by all means say it. I don’t need anyone dying on my watch.

I think you’ve covered all the bases. Wishing all your readers (and mine) a warm, happy and healthy holiday season! ROCK THE CHRISTMAHANAKWANZIKA!

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About the Author
Amalie Howard

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive. In between writing novels and indulging her love of reading, Amalie is also a books review editor for TheLoopNY, and blogs at amaliehoward.com. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency.

Her debut novel, BLOODSPELL, was selected as a Seventeen Magazine Summer Club Read. She is also the author of The AQUARATHI series from Harlequin TEEN (WATERFELL Nov 2013 and OCEANBORN Aug 2014), THE ALMOST GIRL from Strange Chemistry Jan 2014, and ALPHA GODDESS from Skyhorse/Sky Pony Press Mar 2014.

For tour and upcoming events, check out amaliehoward.com for more information.

 

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***Giveaway*** 

One (1) signed copy of WATERFELL
International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika

See the schedule here

Rita Stradling - Interview & Giveaway

Welcome to the second day of Christmahanakwanzika, and the last day of Hanukkah! Today I have a fantastic interview with author of THE DECEPTION DANCE & THE LIE SPINNERS, Rita Stradling. Don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom.


The Deception Dance (The Deception Dance #1)
YA Paranormal Romance

After a year of preparation, eighteen year old Raven Smith has researched and planned out every detail of her summer vacation in Europe; those plans DO NOT include boys, romance, or falling in love (definitely not the last one). But, even before the plane touches-down her well-laid plans go dreadfully off-course.

While still airborne, Raven finds a letter in her carry-on suitcase that her senile neighbor broke into her house to stash in her bag; the letter tells Raven to turn back, not to go to Europe, that an “evil agent of Hell” is looking for Raven and he will find her if she disregards the letter’s message.

But Raven does disregard the letter…

Almost as soon as Raven steps foot onto Rome’s streets, dark, seductive Andras starts showing up at nearly every site Raven visits; Raven finds herself drawn to Andras in a way she’s never been drawn to anyone, while at the same time… he terrifies her.

Then in comes Nicholas, an impossible-not-to-like Swedish guy, who is determined to keep Raven away from Andras...

The two guys share a dark secret. Both are determined that Raven never learns the truth. She doesn’t know who to trust, or if she can trust anyone.

If Raven frees herself from the deception twined around her… the most horrifying secret she could uncover, might be her own… her past… who she really is…and how the forces of Hell plan to use her to destroy the future…

The Lie Spinners (The Deception Dance #2)
YA Paranormal Romance

Andras is coming back for me. That is pretty much the only certainty I have in this life. Andras will always come back for me...

Last summer, with the help of demon-killer Stephen Tapper, Raven Smith faced Hell on Earth to stop the demon-apocalypse (or more like, put it on hold). Raven made a deal with the Grand Marquis of Hell: he would not open the gates of hell if she promised not to fall in love with anyone until he returned for her.

Almost a year has passed and summer has come again…

Raven is safe. Relatively. She’s protected. Doggedly. She’s away from the demons, the hell, the madness. Until she falls asleep.

When the earth-witch Madeline shows up in Raven’s hometown (aka her prison), calling in Raven’s life-debt, Raven shouldn’t even listen to Madeline’s proposal. But she does.

Madeline tells her that months ago, Stephen travelled to Thailand to track down a magician called The Spider; but within days of arriving, Stephen vanished. Every person (be they witch or demon-killer) Madeline sent to find Stephen was hunted down, overwhelmed and murdered by demons. The message Madeline received after all attempts failed was clear: send in Raven Smith or Stephen dies.

Going to Thailand might possibly be the stupidest decision Raven could ever make… there are a thousand reasons why Raven should stay guarded, protected, safe; only one reason why she shouldn’t.

Stephen.

First off, I would like to welcome you to Read it in Houston. It’s an honor having you here today. Congratulations on your most recent release of THE LIE SPINNERS.

Great! Thanks for having me.

If you don’t mind answering, what part of Christmahanakwanzika do you celebrate? & what are you most excited for?

 

I’m actually already celebrating Christmas; my four year old is convinced there are forty-something days of Christmas and I just don’t have the heart to tell him we shouldn’t be celebrating yet. Unlike my neighbors, I’m not complaining, I love Christmas! As usual, I’m most excited for Christmas dinner! Food, yay, food!

Also, though I’m not Jewish, I often celebrated Hanukkah growing up and it is one of my favorite holidays (I know most of the prayers, stories and traditions—and I love Potato Latkes and Chocolate Gelt with every fiber of my heart).

In the spirit of giving, if you had a million and one dollars to giveaway to any charity, who would get the check?

 

Make-A-Wish Foundation. Go Batkid!

If you could be any character from any book, who would you be and why?

 

That’s a really good question; unfortunately I’m going to give a really trite answer: Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I know everyone probably says this, but Lizzy was my “fairy tale princess” since I first read P & P at age twelve.

Do you have any favorite quotes from your DECEPTION DANCE series?

 

A little Stephen love, both from The Lie Spinners:

“When you’ve crawled through the darkness, the light is so much more glorious.”

“For so many years now, I’ve felt apart, distant from everyone I knew. I suppose that I thought I wanted to be. But whenever you are with me, I don’t feel separate. It’s like I didn’t realize how alone I was until you were there, and I wasn’t anymore.”

Is there a message in the series that you want readers to pick-up on?

 

No one can control love.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? If so can you share any juicy details about the work?

 

Besides The Deception Dance #3, two projects: one is yet to be titled; it’s New Adult/Adult High-Fantasy and is steeped with court intrigue and at times very steamy.

The other project is tentatively titled “Henchgirl” and a YA Urban Fantasy/Contemporary Fantasy novel set in Hawaii. Think Pride and Prejudice if a girl’s social status and marriage prospects are determined by how powerful her demonic blood is. The protagonist, Madison Harris, is barely managing to support her three sisters and carelessly-lavish, alcoholic mother by working as a ‘henchman’ for her mob-boss, half-demon grandfather—but when rich, gorgeous, famous (and totally-psychotic) half-demon Wyvern Manderson takes a Hawaiian holiday with his friends, everything in Madison's life falls apart.
Hopefully out 2015.

I’m trying to keep this interview short and sweet, but if there is anything you are dying to say, please by all means say it. I don’t need anyone dying on my watch. 

 

Oh! Oh! I’m dyslexic too!

Happy Christmahanakwanzika! 

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About the Author
Rita Stradling

I live in Maui. You can find me at all the places the cool four year olds hang out (because I have one, if that isn't obvious). I have a MAJOR book addiction and I live in fear that my family is planning an intervention (I keep books stashed in weird places, just in case). I got my degree in college parties...no...no it was Art History. Ha. That was a joke. Parties? Me? Crazy talk.

I get along with people who don't mind sustaining small injuries to tell a good joke. You should meet my husband, he’s hilarious. We fell in love after I pushed him off my porch. He deserved it… I think (I can’t really remember). 

We keep moving back and forth between Northern California and Hawaii (it’s a grass (…palm tree) is greener thing, don’t ask).

Thanks for checking me out (in a bio way). Happy reading!

 

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***Giveaway*** 

One (1) paperback of THE DECEPTION DANCE and One (1) paperback of THE LIE SPINNERS

US/CAN only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The 23 Days of Christmahanakwanzika

See the schedule here

Fire In The Darkness - Author Interview & Giveaway

 

Thanks to our friends at Rockstar Book Tours, we have this excellent author interview and giveaway for FIRE IN THE DARKNESS (DARKNESS #2) by Stacey Marie Brown. Check it out, and if you've got time, see what the other bloggers are writing about this book (bottom).

Fire in the Darkness (Darkness #2)
Author: Stacey Marie Brown
Publisher: Twisted Fairy Publishing
Published: 8/31/2013
Pages: 328/Paperback or eBook

***This is NOT a YA Series but a New Adult(17+). Sexual Content and Language.***

It's been four weeks since Ember Brycin witnessed what her powers are capable of. The Electrical Current Storm has turned Seattle, Washington into a natural disaster zone. The death toll is in the thousands with countless others homeless and hungry.

And Ember is the one who caused it. Something she will have to live with every day.

Those people who were unable to escape either turned quickly into gangs or live in shelters. Ember, on the other hand, can’t do either. With a price on her head and a Dark Dweller on her ass, she is constantly on the move. Both Light and Dark are hunting her for their own purpose to use her as a weapon or a pawn in the war between the Unseelie King of the Dark and the Seelie Queen of the Light.

Em needs help but doesn’t know who to trust: Lars, the mystery man Torin told her to find? Torin, the Seelie Queen’s personal knight, who has sworn to keep Em safe? Or Eli, who wants to turn her over to the Unseelie King, but whom she has an undeniable, intense connection with?

No matter what she chooses she will probably lose—her life or everything and everyone she loves.

Amazon | Facebook


Darkness of Light (Darkness #1)
Published: 2/13/2013

B&N | Amazon | Smashwords

Author Interview

1. What inspired you to write your Darkness series? 
Reading inspired me. A lot. The more I read, the more my own story came to me. I think other authors will understand this, but the story took over my thoughts. Scenes started coming to me in the shower or when I was about to fall asleep. The characters had strong personalities from the beginning and started coming alive. They wouldn’t let me be till I started to let them out.

2. What has been the hardest part of writing this series? 
Probably trying to continue the intensity, the mystery, keeping the small details and unanswered questions threading through. Also there is a pressure you feel when people start having opinions and thoughts about what the characters should do or say. After a while you have to let it go and just write the story that is in you.

3. Are any of your characters designed around real people in your life? 
All have bits and pieces of people I know or are maybe named. The only two characters that really are named and take are fully inspired from real people are the characters Cal and Simmons. Cal was a family friend we lost recently. His personality and humor comes across in the pixie; and I know, without a doubt, he would LOVE his character. He and Simmons have a very soft spot in my heart and were fun to write.

4. Did you write the complete story that you broke up into books, or do you write each book one book at a time? 
I have written each book as I go. I think people would have been happier with me if I put them all out at once! But I don’t work that way. I have the full story planned out in my head, but write each one as I go.

5. If you found out you were part Fay, what power would you wish you had? 
That would be so awesome! I’d want to teleport so I could travel and see my friends that are dotted around the world or to be able to travel through time. Any kind of magic would be fun. I just want special powers!

6. Who is your favorite author (not you! lol)? 
I always find these questions difficult because there is so many I love and all for different reasons. I would have to say I really enjoy Karen Marie Moning, Jennifer Donnelly, Richelle Mead, Kelley Armstrong . . . The list could go on and on.

7. What is the weirdest thing a fan has ever said or asked of you? 
I haven’t got a strange requests yet. Is this opening me up to them now?!

8. Are you currently working on another book? 
I am working on Dwellers Of Darkness, Book 3 in the series right now. I am also starting to brain storm for my next series. In addition I still want to write a few short stories or Eli POV scenes.

9. Where is your favorite place to write? 
In a café. I can’t work at home. As much as I love staying in my flannel pj bottoms, there are too many distractions at home. I tend to find "sparkly" things everywhere but on what I should be concentrating on.

10. Do you have any advice for your fellow writers/aspiring writers? 
Seek therapy it’s quicker and cheaper . . . Kidding! My advice is, if you enjoy doing it for fun or want to do it as your job, don’t give up. It is a LONG, grueling process. There is a lot of rejection and times you want to give up, but push through and keep writing. You also have to learn that not every word you write is worth keeping. You have to get thick skin and know people’s critiques are to better your book and you as a writer.

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About the Author
Stacey Marie Brown

Stacey Marie Brown by day is an Interior/Set Designer, by night a writer of Paranormal Fantasy, Adventure, and Literary Fiction. She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family’s farm, raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts. Even before she could write, she was creating stories and making up intricate fantasies. Writing came as easy as breathing. She later turned that passion into acting, living and traveling abroad, and designing. Though she had never stopped writing, moving back to San Francisco seemed to have brought it back to the forefront and this time it would not be ignored.

When she’s not writing she’s out hiking, spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music, or designing.

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***Giveaway***

GRAND PRIZE: One (1) signed copies of both DARKNESS OF LIGHT and FIRE IN THE DARKNESS with bookmarks + a $10 Amazon Gift Card (US ONLY)

PRIZES: TWO (2) eBook copies of DARKNESS OF LIGHT and FIRE IN THE DARKNESS. (International)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Other Tour Stops

Week One

Oct. 14th - Taking It One Book At A Time - Review
Oct. 14th - Everything Marie - Interview
Oct. 15th - Book Briefs - Review Darkness of Light (Stop 1/2)
Oct. 16th - Reading In Twilight - Interview
Oct. 16th - WOrkS of FiCTioN<3 - Review of Darkness of Light and Fire in the Darkness
Oct. 17th - Ebook Escapes - Review + Guest Post or Interview
Oct. 17th - Read it in Houston - Interview
Oct. 18th - Mom With A Kindle - Interview

Week Two

Oct. 21st- Curling Up With A Good Book - Interview
Oct. 21st - Fiktshun After Dark - Guest Post
Oct. 22nd - Another World of Books - Review Fire in the Darkness
Oct. 23rd - Book Briefs - Review Fire in the Darkness (Stop 2/2)
Oct. 24th - Paranormal Book Club - Review of DoL and FitD
Oct. 24th - Rose & Beps Blog - Interview
Oct. 25th - Fade Into Fantasy - Guest Post

Author Interview - Holly Barbo

Happy 12³ day, and welcome to the 12th day of the 25 Authors of Christmas Blog Tour organized by Bound2Astound. Today's feature author is Holly Barbo, author of The Founders (Sage Seed Chronicles, #1). 

            The Founders 

             YA Fantasy/Science Fiction
Sage Seed Chronicles, #1
Recruited by an ancient race, a group of people from Earth colonize the lovely planet Ose in a far corner of the galaxy. Thirty-two years after the Founders settle the unanticipated happens. A small asteroid hits on the edge of the continent instantly throwing them into a "nuclear winter" weather pattern. Struggling to survive, the young culture slips ever nearer to a survival of the fittest world.

In this climate of hardship, Marisily comes of age. She flees for her life after watching her mother die. Unexpectedly, she discovers the cave in which she seeks refuge was a hidden Ancient's shelter and the secrets within it reveal that she is a sage: a small group of seemingly unrelated people with heightened extra senses that are strangely linked to the planet itself.

The conditions reach dangerous levels as more citizens become victims of the outlaw bands. Marisily struggles to stay safe when she is targeted for slavery. A clandestine plan is devised to take back the society and reestablish the founding culture. Can they do it in time?


Interview with Holly:

To which holiday to you subscribe? (X-mas, Hanukkah or Kwanza) I prefer Christmahanakwanzika myself.  I personally celebrate Christmas but wish people “Happy Holidays” as I recognize that everybody has their own core beliefs and I respect that.

If you could spend your holidays anywhere in the universe (real or make-believe) where would it be? Why? There is really no place like home. But if I had the magical power to be anywhere I would be on Ose, the planet I created in my Sage Seed Chronicles series and would visit with Ree in her cabin at the bend of the river. The character Ree was created as a close facsimile to my beloved Grandmother Chérie and I would love to see her again. She has been gone thirty years this month.

What is your favorite Holiday movie? My favorite is a Disney one. They don’t show it much but I believe it was called Pluto’s Christmas Tree. It had Chip n Dale in it.

If you could be a character in any holiday movie, who would it be? Why? Because I don’t have a favorite “people” type holiday movie this would be tough to answer..I wouldn’t mind being in the Disney one I just mentioned and watch Chip and Dale in Mickey's home .. or perhaps being at Hogwarts during Christmas break.

What is your favorite Holiday book? When I was little I got a big “golden” book of Christmas stories from many lands and cultures. I still look at it. :D

If you ever decided to write a holiday themed novel, what would it be about? I believe I just came as close as I ever will to writing a holiday themed novel. On Ose they don’t celebrate Christmas (see my answer to your first question) but do gather and exchange Winter Solstice gifts. I just finished “The Lost” (5th book in the series) where Erin, my main character is traveling to spend the holiday with Ree. Is it truly “themed” for holiday? Not exactly but it happens at holiday time. My faith and beliefs are a private thing.. so I probably wouldn’t write one specifically for Christmas.

What is the best gift you ever gave anyone?I have to answer this in a different way. To me it isn’t the physical gift.. a thing that can be wrapped. When my son was seven he was the typical kid who focused on what he wanted and would get for Christmas. I really wanted him to understand that what was behind the wrapped boxes was the spirit of giving..and giving without necessarily getting recognition and a “thank you”. We came up with a variation of a secret santa. All of our family live within a short walk of each other. I made candy cane bundles tied up with ribbon and an anonymous card saying that they were from Santa Claus. Then late in the evening of Christmas Eve my son would deliver the candy canes to the front door knobs or porches of our family’s homes. Our home got them too. We never have let on who delivered the candy canes. It has been a secret tradition for twenty three years.

That is such a cute idea. Do you, then celebrate Christmas like the Germans and Austrians, where Santa comes during Christmas Eve. In my childhood we celebrated on Christmas morning but I married a Norwegian American. They celebrate on Christmas Eve and that has been my pattern for many years. That is why the Candy Cane capers have been tricky. Every family's household is active in their festivities on Christmas Eve and my son would be dashing around surreptitiously trying to stay in the shadows and not leave footprints in the snow...giving without expecting anything from it.


What is the best gift anyone ever gave to you? Again, because my reference point is more on the meaning than the item this is difficult to answer. I have received many thoughtful and lovely gifts over the years..too many to list but is always the love behind the giving that makes them special.

What is your favorite thing to do during the holidays? I love being with family.

What would you do if you and your family were thrown into a nuclear winter? I am a bit fatalistic about stuff like this. We have skills but it would all depend on how much we have stashed away in supplies and things like that. It actually was the theme in my first book: The Founders.
      
Then, do you watch shows like Doomsday Preppers? No I don't watch any of those shows. There have been programs on the History Channel and educational programs. I have listened to disaster preparedness programs but mostly I have a interest in history and the roots of that is there repeatedly. Just look at the Dark Ages feudalism and post Pompeii to hurricanes or tsunami aftermath. Think about the technological changes that have occurred since the invention of the lightbulb. In 130 years our society has become so dependent on all of the wonderful developments. Take away electricity and computers and our world would be drastically changed. It is a concept I use on Ose in my series. They don't have an electricity grid with power lines and such because their sun has frequent, strong sunspots which  act like EM bursts. They do have a great system of green energy (wind, solar, geothermal) and some cool goodies like "glow stones" and a great type of battery that helps them store energy.

What gift would you love to have (real or fictional, i.e. telepathy)? LOL Telepathy is one of six talents my sages have in the series. I would like to have Erin’s skills which is empath/telepathy with a touch of clairvoyance. She can talk to wildlife with this combination. I would adore having that ability.

What types of sleigh does Santa fly on in your dreams? (Regular red one, one with heat seeking missiles…) I see him in his regular red sleigh (sometimes it is a deep midnight blue) but it is saturated with magic.

Marionberry Pie

If calories didn’t matter, and the time to make or effort to find didn’t either… what would your all time favorite (3-course) holiday meal be? I am not a fancy eater and am perfectly content with a lovely salad, spiral ham, mashed potatoes, perhaps sweet potatoes and rolls. Dessert is another matter:Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie and marionberry pie would be a good beginning. :D
     
What is a Marion Berry Pie? Marion berry is a type of blackberry.





Author Bio:
Holly Barbo’s world is shaped by her love of her family, the beauty of the natural world in Northwest Washington State and an irrepressible creative drive.

Living where the scenery is incredible with a rich abundance of wildlife “is so special and soothing that it feels like a quiet kind of magic,” according to Barbo. She is drawn to creating stories where there is just a bit of something unworldly, perhaps it is magic or psychic skills. Her stories are mostly in non-urban settings and usually have some focus on nature, building a discordant drama inside the peaceful frame.

I have finished five books in the Sage Seed Chronicles series. The Founders and Divergent Paths (books 1 & 2) are out. The third:The Unraveling will be out before Christmas. We just got it back from the last editor today!  :D  I have sent the fourth book (Reweaving) into my publisher to start the edits and The Lost is waiting in the queue. I have an author page on Facebook that I keep current with news. :D 

Below is the entry form for the tour-wide giveaway. Be sure to enter!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway