I'M PARTICIPATING - Fiction Freak: Fall Into Summer Giveaway

I'M PARTICIPATING - Fiction Freak: Fall Into Summer Giveaway:  


So I was going to do something similar to this when I reached 300 followers, but I decided that if I waited too long then it wouldn't be techincally the start of Summer anymore, would it? Think of this as my giant giveaway of the year. Who knows? I might do one next year too.

What's Up for Grabs:
Any book that's released from August 16 to November 31. Techincally August isn't a Fall month, but a lot of awesome books are being released. I wouldn't want you to miss out on that! I'm not that mean.

Rules:

13+ or must have parent's permission
One set of entries per household! I'll be chacking IP Addresses
One winner at 300 followers, and another winner every 100 followers from there.
The book MUST be released from Aug. 16-Nov. 31 if you didn't see it earlier.
This giveaway ends on the first day of Winter. Which is a loooonnnngggg ways off so that should give you a lot of time to get extra entries is you want!
Please keep the price under 15$. I'm not rich
INTERNATIONAL if the Book Depository ships to you. Remember, under 15$ people.

The Body Finder #3 The Last Echo

It gets deadlier by the second for Violet.....can she save herself before it is too late.... Presenting The Body Finder #3 The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting.

Here is the summary of the book:

In the end, all that’s left is an echo. Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye....

After the events of the second book, it seems that Violet Ambrose has finally found a level ground, a rag-tag group of people with abilities just like her own. And this time its another psychopath on the horizon......called the girlfriend collector.....Violet has caught his eye....the situation doesn't look good at all.....it is upto Violet to keep her abilities in check, keep her secret work and school apart and keep her feelings in order all the while keeping herself safe.

Violet plays a major part in this book since here it is about her adjusting to the work and more knowledge of and about her strange abilities. We don't see much of Jay in here and while we only see him here and there, he forms a firm rock or the pillar of support for Violet which she strictly needs (*swoons* wouldn't it be wonderful if all of them were just like that *swoons*) ..... and every character who brings a new spice to this book were also a pleasure to read about.

Another masterpiece by Kimberly Derting. The Last Echo perfectly captures the mood of a teenager facing the major decision of her own, a psychotic loner looking for love in the wrong way and the mind set of his victims all the while making sure to keep it all grounded in reality. She keeps the pattern of her chapters as before, incorporating short chapters in the antagonist's point of view after four or five chapters. The writing is again very simple, easy to understand and very engrosssing. So looking forward to the next book of the series.

"Thrilling and very engaging - un-put-down-able till the end"  

Genre :       Young Adult, Paranormal


Publisher: Harper Collins


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR: Saving Mary: The Possession

I'm pleased to say that I'm hosting the author of SAVING MARY: THE POSSESSION by DEIDRE HAVRELOCK, as her book goes on a virtual tour with Tourz de Codex.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deidre D Havrelock grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where she eventually met her husband to be, DJ. It was DJ who initially noticed Deidre’s dark state and worked to seek out someone willing to perform her exorcism. Eventually, the newlyweds found their way to the southern hot spot of Brooks, AB where Deidre began writing. From there the family trekked across eastern Canada to Moncton, NB where they learned to love French fries with cheese curds and gravy. Currently nestled in the hills of Kennewick, Washington, Deidre has two horses, one dog, three cats and too many rabbits…and let’s not forget her wonderful husband and three energetic daughters. Her memoir, Saving Mary: The Possession chronicles her dark childhood and the path that led to her demonic possession. She is currently working to finish book two of her spiritual memoir, Saving Mary: The Deliverance.

ABOUT THE BOOK

If you’re a fan of supernatural fiction then you will be captivated by this true story about a spiritually sensitive girl and the path that led to her possession. Part one of a two-part series, Saving Mary is the story of a modern-day Mary Magdalene—the woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.

Deidre Daily is drawn to anything seemingly spiritual, desperately seeking a spiritual existence. But inside this vibrant girl hides a terrified child who sincerely believes she has married the devil. Through a series of spiritual encounters her fear turns into reality, and she ends up possessed.

Deidre’s fascinating spiritual memoir relays her story from childhood to adolescence: invisible eyes leering at her from the corner of her bedroom, horrible nightmares tormenting her, and her desperate attempt to find God—only to end up possessed. It is a candid account of possession from a first-person perspective. This dark memoir brings to light an intricate world of deceitful spirits hell-bent on manipulating and damaging an innocent girl’s life, not only through her dreams, but also through seemingly every-day encounters.

Travel with Deidre into the mysterious world of spirits, ghosts and demons. Awaken yourself to a world that isn’t supposed to exist; a world that’s as intriguing as it is sinister. And then emerge as a new person—invigorated, aware and intent on living in the light. Saving Mary; Not just another story about a girl and her exorcist.

Watch for book two, Saving Mary: The Deliverance.

FROM THE WRITER'S DESK:  A Reader or a writer, which would you rather be?

When I first started writing, I went to a weekend writing retreat that was held on the prairies up in the Cypress Hills of Alberta. This workshop was led by a Canadian cowboy writer by the name of Guy Vanderhaeghe. He wrote a book called The Englishman’s Boy (which was later turned into a film). One of the first questions he asked us all was, “Tell me now, how many books have you read this year?” (To which I internally responded, One! Don’t judge me!) The thing is, even though I wanted to be a writer, I hadn’t yet even become a reader. Guy told us, his little herd of wanna-be writers, what we desperately needed to hear, that we simply could not become writers without being readers first. (So I bought his book.) Anyway, this was the year I became a reader. I think I read fifty books that year. (Which is pretty good, considering I had only read a handful of short gothic romances up until this point.) After reading Guy’s book, The Englishman’s  Boy, I exclaimed: “Holy-moly, this guy is a great writer!” (I mean he is super great…Margaret Atwood kind of great, except he writes cowboy type historical fiction). I was over the moon. How did this rather shy guy write this amazing book? I mean, just listen to his voice and syntax…“The other horses trickled down the slope after them, filling the coulee as water fills the bed of a river. One by one they dropped from sight, tails switching, heads bobbing, ghostly gleaming horses running back into the earth like shining, strengthening water.”

I was convinced. I couldn’t be a writer without being a reader. So I read and read and read. I read all kinds of books—every type of genre. And then the inevitable happened. After all, when you’re a reader eventually you start to think, “I really could write something like this.” And when I hit the genre of memoir I knew this was it…this was the type of book I wanted to write. I wanted to write a memoir using the voice of a kid and the voice of a teenager.

So in regards to who I would rather be—writer or reader, my answer is both. Reading is great…escaping into someone’s life, learning about abstract ideas all while being entertained, seeing yourself in someone’s fictional character, learning how to handle tragedy or how to find courage through someone else’s words. All this comes from reading. But writing is great too…pushing yourself to finish a manuscript, editing until you wanna puke, reworking structure, learning to control voice, dreaming up characters, or crafting a real person into a character. This is writing. And it’s great.

SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A NOVEL?

If You enjoyed this then please then please visit the tour page to read some interesting posts in regards to this book and the tour - link

The Mortal Instruments #5 City of Lost Souls

I blame circumstances for making me wait to read this beauty....but goodness me it was worth the wait. Presenting The Mortal Instruments #5 City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare.

Here is the summary of the book:

The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.Can the lost be reclaimed? What price is too high to pay for love? Who can be trusted when sin and salvation collide? Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.


The book begins just where City of Fallen Angels ended. Jace is still connected to Sebastian and all Clary had done had been for naught. But hope is still there that somewhere inside the new Jace the old Jace still lives and Clary will do all she can to get him back even if it means breaking the Clave rules. It is now upto Clary to get to Jace and Sebastian before it is too late....and for Team Good find out a way to severe the unholy connection before it is too late.....because a war is coming upon Raziel's children....a war they simply cannot loose.

My first thoughts after finishing this book was....."OMG! TOTAL AWESOMENESS" and "THANK GOD THIS DOES NOT END IN A CLIFFHANGER". To tell the truth including the gorgeous cover I definitely liked this book better than City of Fallen Angels. That book felt like a bridge between the first three and this where slowly things are getting unveiled and the true stakes are realized.

The characters are as strong as ever. Jace and Clary remain to be the best characters of the lot and it is strange to see the difference in Jace from strong and quick witted one to this someone who follows Sebastian without question. And while his love for Clary still remains the same it is still rather jarrimg to see this all played out. Clary on the other hand is as determined as ever to see her Jace back and literally  goes to the end of the world to do just that(now that is devotion). While Simon, Maia, Jordan, Izzy, Alec and Magus, while secondary characters, deal with problems of their own all the while trying with all their might to prevent apocalypse.

But the most gruesome part? is Sebastian who is point to be noted a great villain (don't flame me its just an observation.....a certain Tom Riddle still occupies the position of the greatest villain)....he is convincing, rather very persuasive and very ruthless. MY GOD!! Ms. Clare sure has some great characters here and maintains the same while positing her chapters with the changes in perspective. Now after finishing this goodness.....I so want to get my hands on the next book and I definitely can't wait to get it (also so excited to see how the movie will come out as!)

"Intense, aggresive and passionate...Ms Clare spins the penultimate story with the utmost perfection as always"

Genre :       Urban Fantasy, Paranormal


Publisher: Margaret K McElderry


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Insignia #1 Insignia

Its a futuristic read and its one of a kind. Presenting Insignia #1 Insignia by S.J. Kincaid.

Here is the summary of the book:

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible. Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him? Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

Its greed, its treachery and its the inevitable war that the world has been waiting for, WWIII. Its in the future and its the machinic-era battle, the only plus point here is that the humans don't do the actual gunning and stuffs but they are the ones controlling the machines that do the fighting. It is in this era that the story is based on. Tom Raines is a young, clever gamer who has the VR simulations managed down to a T and just wants to matter to his father and to everyone around him and then the opportunity raises itself, the US Army comes calling....but what it entails is not something he had envisioned. This war is much more than just the intrasolar battle between nations....its the battle of companies......its the battle of the greedy and only those survive who know what they want and choose right....

I know this summary from me above doesn't really say much but Insignia is so unique and so interesting and exciting and hilarious to read about that it is literally very difficult to summarize in a few sentences.....kudos to S.J. Kincaid for penning such an interesting and innovative tale. The characters here are some of the best I have read so far. Tom is the protagonist and is really one of a kind....the one with the killer instincts. He is immensely loyal to his friends and to all those he cares about and does all he can to prove himself and his worth.....sometimes that leads him to major trouble. His close friends are all but one a kind too.....Vik, Wyatt, Yuri.....they all form this tight knit group that all their interactions in the book are but the best parts of the book.

So all in all an innovative plot, some hugely compelling characters and a coherent and un-put-down-able book with the perfect sequence, with the perfect balance between the plot and the futuristic world building, S.J. Kincaid's story provides for an exciting adventure for the characters and readers alike......GOD so glad that this is just the first book of the trilogy, so excited for what comes next.

I have also heard that the 20th Century Fox is going to turn this into a movie......YAY!! so excited to know how that will come around.....

"Exciting and un-put-down-able .... Insignia proves to be a milestone in the futuristic sci-fi genre"

Genre :      Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopia


Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books


My Copy: Publisher and edelweiss


Rate:              5/5 (It was Awesome)

Ashfall #1 Ashfall

Presenting Ashfall #1 Ashfall by Mike Mullin.

Here is the summary of the book:

Under the bubbling hot springs and geysers of Yellowstone National Park is a supervolcano. Most people don't know it's there. The caldera is so large that it can only be seen from a plane or satellite. It just could be overdue for an eruption, which would change the landscape and climate of our planet. Ashfall is the story of Alex, a teenage boy left alone for the weekend while his parents visit relatives. When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts unexpectedly, Alex is determined to reach his parents. He must travel over a hundred miles in a landscape transformed by a foot of ash and the destruction of every modern convenience that he has ever known, and through a new world in which disaster has brought out both the best and worst in people desperate for food, water, and warmth. With a combination of nonstop action, a little romance, and very real science, this is a story that is difficult to stop reading and even more difficult to forget.

Ashfall is definitely different from the ones I have read before. Its contemporary, its sci-fi and its very much post apocalyptic. A very big and massive volcanic explosion and its definitely not pretty. The volcano under the yellow stone park exploded with massive consequences....destroying everything in its wake, spewing ashes far and wide and destroying life. It is in this ashfall that our protagonist Alex sets out to find his family.....skiing all th away to Warren, Illinois. This is one journey that Alex will never forget, meeting friends and foes alike, fighting for survival and for what is right, walking miles into the ashfall....a soul jarring experience. Maybe its true that it is our experiences that make us who we are not how and where we are born.

Ashfall is definitely a wonder.... an easy and an engrossing read. Mike Mullin cleverly weaves the story of a scared and alone teenager as he braves the volcanic ash in search for his family and the geographic  setting of the eruption and the post eruption proverbial ashfall. Alex is the typical American teenager whose life takes on a new turn with the resulting disaster and he chooses to brave it in search for his family. Mike Mullin paces the story nicely giving us and the characters a chance to breathe and the situation to play out on its own. I'm definitely attacking the netgalley a-arc of the second book as soon as possible.

"Drastic and scaringly adventurous, Ashfall gives us a haunting glimpse of a psot volcanic eruption world and its so not pretty"

Genre :      Young Adult, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic


Publisher: Tanglewood Press


My Copy: Publisher


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Goddess Test #2.5 The Goddess Legacy

Greek Mythology is always a treat and miss Aimee Carter is always a pleasure. Presenting Goddess Test #2.5 The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimé e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows. Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness... Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal... Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another... James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before... Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope... Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.

After reading about all the exploits of Kate Winters as Hades/Henry's new wife in the underworld and an ending that horrible and tantalizing cliffhanger, its time to get some background on the Gods. So enters this anthology of novellas, The Goddess Legacy, giving us explicit knowledge as to how the Gods came to the position as we see them in The Goddess Test and in Goddess Interrupted.

The book consists of five novellas focussing on Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James and Henry. Showcasing how Calliope does what she does, how Persephone repeatedly breaks Henry's heart, how Ava decides commitment does not come easily when your the Goddess of love, how James learns what true loss really means and what Henry felt after Persephone decides to forgo immortality for Adonis. Wherever we are and whatever we do, be it for a human or a God there is only one thing that matters and only one thing that decides what our future us going to be like - its the choices we make in the present that decides it all.

Calliope's situation arose because of her own pride and her inability to let go of a love that was never meant to be (for Henry). For Ava's story, it gives us the understanding of how her mind works, how she learns to commit herself to Hephaestus/Nicholas and is honest about her affairs to her husband even if they are so wrong... which we definitely we can't say about Persephone who thinks she is far above from Ava. For Persephone and her loveless marriage to Henry - it can be seen that her mother only wanted Henry's and her happiness but she (Persephone) was never bold enough to voice her thoughts in regards to her betrothal. Maybe then the centuries long disaster would have been avoided. Here again the point of choices appears. Persephone made some bad decisions regarding Henry, regarding the way she conducted her life. Because in Demeter/Diana's words both Happiness and Misery are a choice and Persephone chose misery......Sorry i'm rambling right now but I have this constant tiff with Persephone for causing Henry so much pain and to Calliope for poking her nose where it is not needed.

Overall, The Goddess Legacy us a rare treat into the history of the Greek Gods and explicitly and beautifully written by Miss Carter also the gorgeous setting of the God's life centuries ago. I am ready for The Goddess Inheritance now..... GOD april, 2013 is so far away....

"Its a rare and intricate look to the life of the Gods before Kate came into into their lives"   

Genre :      Young Adult, Romance, Mythology


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy: Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

The Darkening Dream - PROMO, INTERVIEW and GIVEAWAY

A Vampire Novel with Actual Bite!

  As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back. The Darkening Dream is a chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter. The book has received rave reviews and is on sale for only 99 cents on Amazon Kindle from June 25th-29th! Download your copy here. In addition, Andy is doing a big giveaway, including a $100 gift certificate to Amazon, signed copies of his books, video games, posters, and more!

The Darkening Dream Rafflecopter Giveaway Tweet, like, follow, share, blog and grab a copy of his book to enter.

Get your 99 cent copy of The Darkening Dream today on Amazon only.

Long-time readers of dark historical fantasy (Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz) will appreciate the weaving together of mythology, occult, and religion, while younger readers and fans of HBO dramas (True Blood, Carnivàle) or urban fantasy (Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher) will be drawn to the twisted imagination, graphic action, and romantic tension.

  About The Darkening Dream Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs. 1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand. With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal? No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be her very soul.

  The Reviews Are In "A vampire novel with actual bite." ~The Kirkus Reviews "A gorgeously creepy, strangely humorous, and sincerely terrifying tale." ~Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "Mr. Gavin has brought something refreshingly new to a genre now suffused with poorly-concealed bodice-rippers which have more in common with Fabio than Bram Stoker: depth. His big baddies are scary, not romantic interests, and the added religious lore is complex and engaging. Don't expect another Twilight -- the story can get downright creepy, so be prepared for a return to the old horror sensibilities of supernatural fiction." ~Amazon Review "With Mr. Gavin's video-game pedigree, I was expecting something aimed squarely at the 18-25 year old fanboy contingent; what I got in The Darkening Dream was something wholly unexpected: A period novel with a female protagonist, a crash-course on Judaism in the colonial years, and multi-layered series of plot arcs featuring a crazy cast of natural and supernatural characters populating turn of the century America." ~Amazon Review "…A perfect blend of mystery, magic and myth. A grown-up Grimm's fairy tale... emphasis on grim." ~Amazon Review

Read the first two sample chapters here.

Get your 99 cent copy of The Darkening Dream today on Amazon only.

About the Author

Andy Gavin is an unstoppable storyteller who studied for his Ph.D. at M.I.T. and founded video game developer Naughty Dog, Inc. at the age of fifteen, serving as co-president for two decades. There he created, produced, and directed over a dozen video games, including the award winning and best selling Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter franchises, selling over 40 million units worldwide. He sleeps little, reads novels and histories, watches media obsessively, travels, and of course, writes. Find out more here.

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

Q. Tell us something about yourself.

I’m a lifelong creator and explorer of worlds. As far back as first grade I remember spending most of the school day in one day dream or another. I had a huge notebook stuffed with drawings, story bits, and concepts for an elaborate Sci-Fi/Fantasy world I cobbled together from bits of Star Wars, Narnia, and BattlestarGalactica. By fourth or fifth grade not only was I loosing myself in every fantasy or Sci-Fi novel I could, but I was building Dungeons & Dragons castles and caverns on paper. Then from 1980 on the computer.

Over the following decades I wrote dozens of stories and created and published over a dozen video games all set in alternative universes. And as an avid reader (over 10,000 novels and who knows how many non-fiction volumes) it was no surprise that I eventually decided to write some books of my own.

Q: It is often said that if you can write a short story you can write anything. How true do you think this is and what have you written that either proves or disproves this POV?

I’m not a short story fan. I rarely read them and haven’t written them since my college creative writing classes. I appreciate the concept, and truth be told, it’s very challenging to structure an idea with a beginning, middle, and end that fits into a few pages, but I like more meat on the bones. I don’t order small sized beverages either, I’m more the big gulp kind of guy.

Q: How to you research for a book before you begin the writing process?

I write, research, write, research and so on. I started the book and then found that I needed to read dozens of books to fill in certain aspects of the story.

Q: What is the best part of writing for you?

Bringing scenes that I have in my head to life is my favorite part of writing. This can apply to first draft stuff or to substantial revision once I've done the planning. With publishing, getting art back from my artists is my favorite part. Nothing like seeing a new cover!

Q: Did you always have in mind to be a writer or it just happened?

From at least high school on I always intended to write a bunch of novels. Work just got in the way.

And the thing about making games is that you can no longer do it mostly by yourself. These days, most games are big teams of over a hundred people, with budgets over 50 million dollars. It’s no longer about your creative expression (most of the time), but about getting it done well, on time, and on budget. And the roll of team lead is largely about fire fighting and resource (achem… people) wrangling.

So, I really wanted to focus directly on the creative aspects. Dozens of story ideas have been bouncing around in my head for years, and I felt it was time to let a couple of them out.

Q: Now since this Q&A is based on your latest book THE DARKENING DREAM, so the questions will be based on that book only. How would you describe THE DARKENING DREAM in a sentence?

As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

An ominous vision and the discovery of a gruesome corpse lead Sarah and her friends into a terrifying encounter with a fledgling vampire in 1913 Salem, Massachusetts. Eager to prove themselves, the young heroes set out to track the evil to its source, never guessing that they will take on a conspiracy involving not only a 900-year vampire but also a demon-loving Puritan warlock, disgruntled Egyptian gods, and an immortal sorcerer, all on a quest to recover the holy trumpet of the Archangel Gabriel. Relying on the wisdom of a Greek vampire hunter, Sarah’s rabbi father, and her own disturbing visions, Sarah must fight a millennia-old battle between unspeakable forces, where the ultimate prize might be Sarah herself.

Q: How did the idea of writing THE DARKENING DREAM sprang up in your mind?

It was a combination of the visceral and the cerebral. The visceral part was this image I had – and some might consider me disturbed – of a dead tree silhouetted against an orange sky, a naked body bound to it, disembowelled, and bleeding out. The sound of a colossal horn or gong blares. The blood glistens black in the sunset light. Bats circle the sky and wolves bay in the distance.

But sacrifice isn’t just about killing. It’s a contract. Someone is bargaining with the gods.

And on the cerebral side, I've always been a huge vampire fan and I've read and watched a large percentage of the oeuvre. But also as a history buff I wanted to write a supernatural story that was more grounded in real history and legend. I'm always thinking, "that could have been so much better if they didn't make up the historical backstory" so I started with the villains. What kind of ancient evil creatures might still be around? What do they want? And what legitimate human reason would they have to destroy the world (Buffy-style)? I don't exactly answer the question in TDD, because the motives of 5,000 year old baddies should be mysterious. But trust me, they have a plan, and the sheer audacity of it will literally shake the foundations of the heavens.

Q: When you sit down and write do you know how the story will end or do you just let the pen take you? ie Do you develop character profiles and outlines for your novels before writing them or do you let your idea's develop as you write?

I’m a pantser who wants to be a plotter. I hate to outline, yet I must have a scene or chapter fleshed out before I can write it. If I do, it pops out at 750-1000 words an hour. If not, it doesn’t come at all. But I can only really outline a few chapters ahead. I have a detailed discussion of that here.

Q: What is your guiltiest pleasure that few know about?

Spicettes, the funny flavored gumdrops. And Skittles. I love Skittles.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best and worst aspects of writing for a living?

The best part is as Stephen King once said, writing is a magic in of itself, being a form of telepathy. You attempt to paint the story as you see it into the reader’s brain.

The worst is the waiting. You wait on story editors, on agents, on editors, on proofreaders, on artists, on reviewers… on everyone J And the worst bit about that is that the waits are often infinite.

Q: How similar to its principle protagonist and the main cast are you?

I have certain qualities in common with Sarah, Alex, Joseph, and perhaps even Constantine. Virtually none with al Nasir and Parris. At least I hope not.

Now some simple questions and more fun^^

-Your favourite books and author?

I can’t pick just one. A Game of Thrones, Hyperion, Carrion Comfort, Dune, TheAnubis Gates, A Fire Upon the Deep, Consider Phlebas, The City and the Stars, Time Enough for Love, Great Sky River, Wizard and Glass, To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Wyvern, Assassin’s Apprentice, A Horse and His Boy, The Silmarillion, and many more.

-Your favourite band/singer?

Pink Floyd.

-Twitter or Facebook?

Both. A lot of both.

-Favourite place in the world?

Italy. I’ve spent perhaps 8-9 cumulative months there.

-Last movie you watched at the cinemas?

Snow White and the Huntsman. My review is here.

-The last book you’ve read?

A Princess of Mars. Again, review here.

-Have you ever googled yourself?

Certainly. I used to lose out to a heavy metal guitarist with the same name. Now, because of my popular website, I win by a large margin.

-If you wouldn’t be a writer, what you would be?

Besides being a video game creator and computer programmer, I’m a certified Sommelier. Haha.

-And last one....print or ebooks?

Both. But I usually read on my iPad.

Q: The cover of THE DARKENING DREAM is really awesome. Did you have any inputs in it?

The cover photo-illustration is by award winning fantasy artist Cliff Nielsen. In deciding what to do about the cover I combed through the more recent books in my 10,000 novel collection and put aside ones with covers I liked. Going through those I found like eight (including the new edition of Narnia!) with covers by Cliff. But it was really the Map of Time cover that totally sold me. I had to have him do mine. So I called.

I produced the cover. Cliff did all the hard work.

Q: If it ever gets turned into a movie then who would you like to see on the cast?

I don’t actually spend much time thinking about that as I see them as their own people. But… The girl we cast for the cover nails Sarah’s look. A young Rachel Wiess would’ve been perfect. Failing the time warp, perhaps Nina Dobrev, but she’s too tall and by the time it got made too old. Constantine: Christopher Lee for sure, but we can only hope he’ll still be around J. And while we’re going for dream cast, I think George Clooney could actually carry al-Nasir. He has the intensity and Nasir sees himself as charming. Steve Buscemi might make a great Parris. Paul Giamatti as Joseph. Chloe Grace Moretz as Emily. And last, but not least, perhaps Anton Yelchin as Alex.

Q: What next after this?

I have a second finished novel (it’s been through four major drafts and a full line edit). It’s calledUntimedand is a YA time travel novelthat chronicles the crazy adventures of a boy no one remembers, who falls through a hole in time and finds himself lost in the past. It’s very different with an extremely immediate first person present voice (in this book the only thing anyone can hold on to is the present). It rocks. Seriously rocks.

Right now (as of mid June) it’s out on submission to New York and London publisher’s via my agent, Eddie Schneider of JABberwocky. I’m very interested to see what the publishers have to say about it and if they can make an offer that is overall more compelling than publishing it myself.

Q: What advice would you like to give budding authors or those who want to start writing?

Read, read, write, write, edit, edit, edit. And hire good professional help too. Friends and family can give you a sense of how the book reads, but they can't usually tell you how to fix anything serious. I've read a lot of half-decent Indie books on my Kindle that are at their core good, but just need some serious tightening and polish. Hell, I've read plenty of big-six bestsellers you can say this about.

I'M PARTICIPATING - Pages From My Thoughts: Exclusive Interview with Jennifer Bosworth, Author...

GO HERE TO ENTER - Pages From My Thoughts: Exclusive Interview with Jennifer Bosworth, Author...:

Now, here is you chance to win a signed copy of Struck, and the giveaway is open internationally. Feel free to enter and spread the word.
Giveaway ends : July 20, 2012
The winner will be notified within 48 hours of giveaway ends, also be announced on announcement page.

Still On My Mind #6

"Still on Mind" is a weekly event, hosted at Ya-Aholic, every thursday to feature a book that you read months or even YEARS ago that was so good (or so scary/unique/funny..etc) that it is 'Still on my (your) Mind!'

This week the book that is still on my mind is...(sorry I didn't post last thursday..)

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1)

by R.L. LaFevers

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Why this is still on my mind?

"You'd be mad if you didn't read this book....its marvelous....and definitely very different. Case in point an assassin bad-ass nun battling sinners in the eye of St.Mortain, death personified....oh Ismae is definitely my favorite book heroine"

-

Oh and be sure to enter my 1st blogoversary giveaway here

The Iron Druid Chronicles #4 Tricked

Oh I have been waiting to read this book since that gorgeous and hunky cover released. Presenting The Iron Druid Chronicles #4 Tricked by Kevin Hearne.

Here is the summary of the book:

Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert. But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shapeshifters called skinwalkers. Just when the Druid thinks he’s got a handle on all the duplicity, betrayal comes from an unlikely source. If Atticus survives this time, he vows he won’t be fooled again. Famous last words.

Tricked, is more or less the post Hammered novel. We all know what had happened in there, Atticus had traveled to Asgard to assist in the murder of the Norse Thunder God, Thor and help his associates get the revenge they desired despite the warnings he had received from the other Gods. But not without consequences and here in this book all of them tumble full force upon him and he has to do all he can to get out unscathed, complete all of his debts and somehow train his apprentice freely...all at once.

This is definitely one hell of a jam-packed novel. While yes it is actually sort of a part two for the previous book but still it is strong enough to make a stand of its own. Atticus and his wolf-hound, Oberon as well as his apprentice, Granuile are again in a tangle and this time its the Navajos. While I'm not particularly very knowledgeable about this particular mythos but got to commend Mr. Hearne, for the extensive level of details clearly visible in here. The narrative is well placed and the plot well maintained. The climax was well hair-raising and exciting to read through and not to mention the numerous main stream trivia references....to quote the Matrix, Transformers, Steve Perry or Freddie Mercury produced the perfect comic relief to boot ....I'm definitely excited to know about the next adventures of the last Druid of Mother Earth, his hound and his apprentice in the next book.

"Exciting and hair-raising Atticus, Oberon & Granuile get schooled in the Navajo Ways .... its trickery .... its a tangle "

Genre :       Urban Fantasy, Mythology 


Publisher: Random House Publishing Group


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

I'm Participating - Hippies, Beauty, and Books Oh My!: Our Summer Reading 2012 Ginormous INT Giveaway Ext...

GO HERE TO ENTER - Hippies, Beauty, and Books Oh My!: Our Summer Reading 2012 Ginormous INT Giveaway Ext...: 

You've asked and we are answering! Last year we held a massive international giveaway for a TON of books! 10 people were very happy! This year, our giveaway is even larger and a bit more diverse. Here are the rules (they are quite simple!):

Rules:

1.) Must be 13 or older to enter
2.) Contest is open INT. If you can receive packages at your house, we will ship to you!
3.) Contest ends on 7/05/2012
4.) There are lots of entries you can earn, but only your name and email are required. The more entries you complete, the more likely you are to win!
5.) Winners will be chosen randomly by Random.org upon completion of contest. Prize Packs will also be chosen randomly!


Here are the prize packs you have a chance of winning: