I have officially finished writing Chasing the Witch, book 2 in my Boston Witches series! This book has truly been a labor of love. I've been working on it since October (well, on and off, book 1 kept pushing it's way to the front of the line), and I'm so happy to say that I'm done. I feel such a sense of accomplishment to finally put this part in the series to bed.
When I started writing the book, I would just write, and not worry about spelling or punctuation, figuring that spell check would take care of all of that. It's true, spell check does take care of it, but you still have to sit in front of your computer clicking the change or ignore button a million times before you actually get through the whole book. I really need to not wait until the end to fix all that crap next time lol. I'm not even halfway through and I needed a break. I really want to finish it so I can pass it on to some of my favorite crit partners, but it probably won't happen tonight. Although, I say that, and I'll probably end up staying up way too late to do it. I'm crazy like that lol.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Kinley Baker Interview
We are lucky enough to be joined by author Kinley Baker. She's been kind enough to answer a few questions for us, and give us an excerpt from her book Ruined.
1. I love Jessa’s spark, did you model her after someone you know, or is she a character
who lived in your head?
That is a lovely compliment, thank you. Jessa is a character who lived in my head. And
she had to live there for a long time before I could finally write her correctly. It took me a
lot of drafts and soul searching to give her the spark that balances out the other sides of
her personality.
2. What is your favorite genre to read when you have downtime?
I love romance! Give me a happy ending, and I am a fan. My favorite romance to read is
usually category romances. But I also follow paranormal romance closely.
3. What is something that your fans don’t know about you?
Hmm… good question. I would say that they probably don’t know that I think I’m
hilarious. But if you follow me on Twitter, you probably know that. Lol. But what you
might not know is that I get my sense of humor from my father, and all growing up he
told me he wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
4. How did you get started writing?
I graduated with a degree in Creative Writing, but it wasn’t until I started reading a lot of
romances that I realized I needed to write. I wrote my first book in 2008, and I’ve been
writing ever since. Once I joined Romance Writers of America in 2010, I hit the ground
running trying to learn as much as I could about the craft. It was also a great way to
meet other writers, which definitely helped me continue on this journey.
5. Any advice for aspiring author’s?
Keep writing, keep reading, keep believing. Learn about the craft. There are so many
different paths to travel. Find one that works for you.
6. What’s next for you?
Book Two in the Shadowed Love Series. Right now the working title is Denied. I am SO
excited about this book. Caleb is the hero, and I can hardly wait until we finalize the title
and blurb so I can share more.
As promised, here's the excerpt from Ruined, enjoy :)
"You." Fury burned hot under Jessa's skin as she glared at Vale. "Who do you think you are, demanding
I come live in this castle? You can't just order your guards to enter a woman's home and pack up her
things."
"Well, I did." Vale came around the desk and propped one hip against it, more of a threatening than
casual movement.
"Someone tried to kill me. It makes sense that I have my Healer close by."
She released a pent-up breath. "Why couldn't you have explained that instead of mandating?" Silly. Her
imagination had run away with her. The king needed his Healer. But the realization he didn't want her
made her angrier.
"Because I didn't want to give you the option of saying no."
She most definitely would have said no.
"If you would have explained your reasoning, I would have complied. Your safety and health come first,
even if I-"
"Even if you what?"
"Loathe you." She bunched her fingers into two fists, seriously tempted to hit him. For all the nonexistent
pain it would inflict upon him.
"Do you?" His tone deadened with calm. "Because I can't stop thinking about you."
"That's normal." She brushed off the claim. "I saved your life."
He moved in a blur. A true Shadow Shifter. One second he stood near his desk, the next he had her in his
arms, one locked around her waist and one hand tangled in her hair. Their lips almost brushed.
"I can't stop thinking about you." His murmur played down her spine, leaving a tingling trail. His scent
invaded her. His voice embraced her like bare skin against satin sheets.
Her heart beat fast, her pulse jumped.
She disliked him, but didn't want him to let her go.
"Have you been thinking about me?" His soft tone feathered over her flesh.
"Only how much I dislike you." Lust pulsed in her belly.
He pulled her head back gently by her hair, so they looked straight into each other's eyes. Their bodies
pressed tightly together. "Liar."
Well, that sounds amazing right?? I'm so excited to read it.
About the Author:
Kinley Baker is the author of the fantasy
romance novel, Ruined. She read her first
romance at the age of thirteen and
immediately fell in love with the hero and
the genre. She lives with her husband and
her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. As
a firm supporter of all supernatural
lifestyles, she writes fantasy romance,
paranormal romance, and urban fantasy.
You can find Kinley at
www.kinleybaker.com
http://authorkinleybaker.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/kinleybaker
www.facebook.com/kinleybaker
http://www.goodreads.com/kinleybaker
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinley-Baker/196649877015210
Purchase links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ruined-ebook/dp/B005D9J6L2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332964783&sr=8-1
B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ruined-kinley-baker/1104429885
1. I love Jessa’s spark, did you model her after someone you know, or is she a character
who lived in your head?
That is a lovely compliment, thank you. Jessa is a character who lived in my head. And
she had to live there for a long time before I could finally write her correctly. It took me a
lot of drafts and soul searching to give her the spark that balances out the other sides of
her personality.
2. What is your favorite genre to read when you have downtime?
I love romance! Give me a happy ending, and I am a fan. My favorite romance to read is
usually category romances. But I also follow paranormal romance closely.
3. What is something that your fans don’t know about you?
Hmm… good question. I would say that they probably don’t know that I think I’m
hilarious. But if you follow me on Twitter, you probably know that. Lol. But what you
might not know is that I get my sense of humor from my father, and all growing up he
told me he wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
4. How did you get started writing?
I graduated with a degree in Creative Writing, but it wasn’t until I started reading a lot of
romances that I realized I needed to write. I wrote my first book in 2008, and I’ve been
writing ever since. Once I joined Romance Writers of America in 2010, I hit the ground
running trying to learn as much as I could about the craft. It was also a great way to
meet other writers, which definitely helped me continue on this journey.
5. Any advice for aspiring author’s?
Keep writing, keep reading, keep believing. Learn about the craft. There are so many
different paths to travel. Find one that works for you.
6. What’s next for you?
Book Two in the Shadowed Love Series. Right now the working title is Denied. I am SO
excited about this book. Caleb is the hero, and I can hardly wait until we finalize the title
and blurb so I can share more.
As promised, here's the excerpt from Ruined, enjoy :)
"You." Fury burned hot under Jessa's skin as she glared at Vale. "Who do you think you are, demanding
I come live in this castle? You can't just order your guards to enter a woman's home and pack up her
things."
"Well, I did." Vale came around the desk and propped one hip against it, more of a threatening than
casual movement.
"Someone tried to kill me. It makes sense that I have my Healer close by."
She released a pent-up breath. "Why couldn't you have explained that instead of mandating?" Silly. Her
imagination had run away with her. The king needed his Healer. But the realization he didn't want her
made her angrier.
"Because I didn't want to give you the option of saying no."
She most definitely would have said no.
"If you would have explained your reasoning, I would have complied. Your safety and health come first,
even if I-"
"Even if you what?"
"Loathe you." She bunched her fingers into two fists, seriously tempted to hit him. For all the nonexistent
pain it would inflict upon him.
"Do you?" His tone deadened with calm. "Because I can't stop thinking about you."
"That's normal." She brushed off the claim. "I saved your life."
He moved in a blur. A true Shadow Shifter. One second he stood near his desk, the next he had her in his
arms, one locked around her waist and one hand tangled in her hair. Their lips almost brushed.
"I can't stop thinking about you." His murmur played down her spine, leaving a tingling trail. His scent
invaded her. His voice embraced her like bare skin against satin sheets.
Her heart beat fast, her pulse jumped.
She disliked him, but didn't want him to let her go.
"Have you been thinking about me?" His soft tone feathered over her flesh.
"Only how much I dislike you." Lust pulsed in her belly.
He pulled her head back gently by her hair, so they looked straight into each other's eyes. Their bodies
pressed tightly together. "Liar."
Well, that sounds amazing right?? I'm so excited to read it.
About the Author:
Kinley Baker is the author of the fantasy
romance novel, Ruined. She read her first
romance at the age of thirteen and
immediately fell in love with the hero and
the genre. She lives with her husband and
her dog, Joker, in the Pacific Northwest. As
a firm supporter of all supernatural
lifestyles, she writes fantasy romance,
paranormal romance, and urban fantasy.
You can find Kinley at
www.kinleybaker.com
http://authorkinleybaker.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/kinleybaker
www.facebook.com/kinleybaker
http://www.goodreads.com/kinleybaker
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kinley-Baker/196649877015210
Purchase links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ruined-ebook/dp/B005D9J6L2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332964783&sr=8-1
B&N:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ruined-kinley-baker/1104429885
Monday, April 2, 2012
Monday Madness
I have a case of Monday Madness, I have entirely too many things to do, but I think I'm not going to do any of them. I think what I'm really going to do is take my little monster to the water park. My character's are yelling at me, because they have things they want to say, but it's way too nice out to be chained to my computer.
Because I'm feeling nice today, I'm going to post a sneak peak from Mark of the Witch.....happy reading. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think.
Jilly woke up to the smell of coffee and pancakes wafting up the stairs. She rolled over and glanced at the clock, 8:30 A.M., too early to be up, she thought as she pushed herself out of bed. Snagging her robe from the hook next to the door, she walked out into the hall. By the time she was in the kitchen, she was a little more alert.
Caroline was sitting at the table with a plate of bacon, eggs, and pancakes in front of her, and a steaming cup of coffee in her hand as she read the paper. When she heard Jilly come in, she glanced up and smiled. “Thanks for last night Jill, I really needed to just let it out. Did you want me to make you a plate?”
“No, I’ll get it, you enjoy your breakfast,” She said as she was walking over to the stove. She grabbed a plate out of the cupboard and loaded up her plate. As she headed to the table she grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee and cream, and sat next to her sister. “So how did you sleep?” She asked her between bites.
“Like the dead,” Caroline said with a laugh. “I think I was just so emotionally spent, it’s been a long few days for me.”
“I bet, I don’t know how I would deal with that if I were in your shoes. So what’s your plan for today? Do you want to go to the shop and get your hair done?”
“Yeah, I think I would actually, I think I’m ready for a change.” Caroline said as she ran her fingers through her long auburn hair. “Maybe I’ll go shorter, what do you think?”
Jilly sat back in her chair and studied her sister’s face for a minute before saying “yeah, I think shorter would be really cute, maybe shoulder length with a ton of layers? And put in some chunky blonde highlights too, that would look amazing with your blue eyes.”
“Ok, can you call and set it up for me for maybe 2:30? I have a few errands to run before I go over. Is there anything you need while I’m out? I can stop by the store and grab stuff for dinner before I come home if you want.”
“Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about William coming over tonight. He’s supposed to be over around six,” Jilly said in a rush of words.
“Who’s William?” she asked with an eyebrow raised in question and a knowing smile.
“It’s not what you think,” Jilly said quickly obviously flustered, “or maybe it is, I’m not sure yet. Do you mind if he joins us for dinner, or should I meet him somewhere?”
“No, don’t change your plans on my account, I don’t want to disrupt your life any more then I have to,” she said as she cleaned off her plate and stuck it in the dishwasher. “Do you have any preferences for dinner? Or should I just pick up whatever?”
“Just get what you want, I’m sure whatever you make will be fine.” Jilly said absently.
“Ok, well, I’m going to go out for a run, I should be back in an hour or so,” she said as she tied her shoelaces and headed out the door.
Jilly was sitting at her desk in the den, she had just set up her sister’s appointment at the salon, and she was contemplating calling William. She hadn’t heard back from him after she texted him last night, and she was unsure if she should call or not. She must have dialed his number five times before actually getting the nerve to let the call go through.
He answered on the second ring “good morning Jilly,” he said before she could say hello.
“Good morning to you too,” she blurted. ” Did you get my text last night?”
He was quiet for a moment, “yes, but I was not sure how I wanted to handle it. Sabine is a very complicated person. Why did you ask about her? I am sure I have never mentioned her to you, or anyone for that matter.” His tone wary.
“I had a dream about her last night, or rather I was her in a dream and Sabine is the name you called me. We were in London, I’m not sure of the year, but I’m guessing late 1700’s by the fashion of the clothing.”
“Yes, it was London; I was there in the 1790’s for a decade or so before Sabine found me again. There are those of my kind who would use their power to hurt or enslave the human race. Sabine is one such person. We met in France in the early 1700’s; we were at a ball held for the king’s cousin. She knew me for what I was the second she laid eyes on me. I was younger than her by about five hundred years, and I was enraptured by her. She was the first of my kind I had met and she captivated me by the sheer novelty of being with another like myself. I had many questions for her, but she had few answers to give me. She only knew that there were more of us scattered around the world.
“I stayed with her for two years, more out of need for companionship then actual feeling for her. After the first six months, I began to see her for what she was, a monster. She was truly an evil person, and she liked to inflict pain and suffering on others around her. Her servants lived in fear of her, and her house had an air of darkness surrounding it. I guess you become a bit jaded, and lose your humanity after being alive for so long, and I vowed I would never become what she was no matter how long I lived. I stayed far longer then I should have, I was afraid of being alone. I thought I loved her, but that was a young man’s foolish fantasy. Sabine is not capable of love, or kindness. She only knows cruelty and possession, that’s all I was to her, another thing she thought she owned. I had been alone for ten years before I met Sabine, and her company however dark was still a comfort to me. But, my conscience got the better of me, so I fled France and traveled around Europe for nearly eighty years before I returned to England. That is where she found me, sitting in the back room of a small tavern I owned. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. We went outside in the street and argued until we started to draw a crowd. She was trying to convince me to join with her and a few others of our kind in an endeavor to gain power in France. I refused of course, and she was livid. She told me that I would regret defying her one day. I’m not sure if they succeeded or not, we tend to not make ourselves known too often in history, if we were to take credit for our accomplishments, there would be too many questions about us raised. So we stay in the background of history.
I’ve only seen her one other time since then, in 1978, she was boarding a plane as I was exiting one on the same tarmac. She looked the same of course, and when she saw me, she smiled that same horrible smile that sucks all the warmth out of your bones, and she was gone. I had not thought of her since then until you asked who she was. It makes me wonder, since I know it was not myself who sent you back, was it her?”
Jilly could hear him pacing around wherever he was, and it made her nervous. “Ok” she said, “well, I’m not sure where to go from here, do we look for Sabine? Or was it maybe Liza and Mary who sent me?”
“I don’t think it could have been Liza or Mary for that matter, since neither of them were there to have that memory. It had to be Sabine, which begs the question of how close she is to you, and what does she want?”
“We can talk more about this tonight when you come over. My sister is in town, she just came in last night and surprised me, and so she’ll be joining us for dinner. We can talk afterwards in my office if you like.”
“I shall see you at 6:00 then Jilly. Be careful,” he said before he said good-bye.
Jilly hung up the phone and sat back in the chair. She still had a few hours to kill before Emily came over, so she decided to go for a quick run. Apparently a passion for running in the outdoors was a family trait. Just as she was leaving, Caroline was coming back from her run, her face flushed red, and her hair flying wildly around her face.
“Its cold out there, so don’t stay out too long,” she said as Jilly passed her on the stairs.
After a quick five minutes of stretching Jilly took off through the small wooded area between her house and the house about five miles from her. It felt great to be outdoors in the wind, with her ponytail streaming behind her like a red flag. She cleared her mind of everything and just ran. She stopped and turned around when she had run two miles and made it back to the house without incident. She climbed the stairs in the back of the house that led to the porch and made her way into the kitchen. She found Caroline there getting ready to leave.
“Oh good.” Caroline said, “I’m glad you got back before I left. I’m going to go run my errands, and then get my hair done, I’ll see you around 5:30. Thanks again for treating me to a makeover.” She waved good-bye on her way out and Jilly was once again alone with her thoughts.
Because I'm feeling nice today, I'm going to post a sneak peak from Mark of the Witch.....happy reading. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think.
Jilly woke up to the smell of coffee and pancakes wafting up the stairs. She rolled over and glanced at the clock, 8:30 A.M., too early to be up, she thought as she pushed herself out of bed. Snagging her robe from the hook next to the door, she walked out into the hall. By the time she was in the kitchen, she was a little more alert.
Caroline was sitting at the table with a plate of bacon, eggs, and pancakes in front of her, and a steaming cup of coffee in her hand as she read the paper. When she heard Jilly come in, she glanced up and smiled. “Thanks for last night Jill, I really needed to just let it out. Did you want me to make you a plate?”
“No, I’ll get it, you enjoy your breakfast,” She said as she was walking over to the stove. She grabbed a plate out of the cupboard and loaded up her plate. As she headed to the table she grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee and cream, and sat next to her sister. “So how did you sleep?” She asked her between bites.
“Like the dead,” Caroline said with a laugh. “I think I was just so emotionally spent, it’s been a long few days for me.”
“I bet, I don’t know how I would deal with that if I were in your shoes. So what’s your plan for today? Do you want to go to the shop and get your hair done?”
“Yeah, I think I would actually, I think I’m ready for a change.” Caroline said as she ran her fingers through her long auburn hair. “Maybe I’ll go shorter, what do you think?”
Jilly sat back in her chair and studied her sister’s face for a minute before saying “yeah, I think shorter would be really cute, maybe shoulder length with a ton of layers? And put in some chunky blonde highlights too, that would look amazing with your blue eyes.”
“Ok, can you call and set it up for me for maybe 2:30? I have a few errands to run before I go over. Is there anything you need while I’m out? I can stop by the store and grab stuff for dinner before I come home if you want.”
“Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about William coming over tonight. He’s supposed to be over around six,” Jilly said in a rush of words.
“Who’s William?” she asked with an eyebrow raised in question and a knowing smile.
“It’s not what you think,” Jilly said quickly obviously flustered, “or maybe it is, I’m not sure yet. Do you mind if he joins us for dinner, or should I meet him somewhere?”
“No, don’t change your plans on my account, I don’t want to disrupt your life any more then I have to,” she said as she cleaned off her plate and stuck it in the dishwasher. “Do you have any preferences for dinner? Or should I just pick up whatever?”
“Just get what you want, I’m sure whatever you make will be fine.” Jilly said absently.
“Ok, well, I’m going to go out for a run, I should be back in an hour or so,” she said as she tied her shoelaces and headed out the door.
Jilly was sitting at her desk in the den, she had just set up her sister’s appointment at the salon, and she was contemplating calling William. She hadn’t heard back from him after she texted him last night, and she was unsure if she should call or not. She must have dialed his number five times before actually getting the nerve to let the call go through.
He answered on the second ring “good morning Jilly,” he said before she could say hello.
“Good morning to you too,” she blurted. ” Did you get my text last night?”
He was quiet for a moment, “yes, but I was not sure how I wanted to handle it. Sabine is a very complicated person. Why did you ask about her? I am sure I have never mentioned her to you, or anyone for that matter.” His tone wary.
“I had a dream about her last night, or rather I was her in a dream and Sabine is the name you called me. We were in London, I’m not sure of the year, but I’m guessing late 1700’s by the fashion of the clothing.”
“Yes, it was London; I was there in the 1790’s for a decade or so before Sabine found me again. There are those of my kind who would use their power to hurt or enslave the human race. Sabine is one such person. We met in France in the early 1700’s; we were at a ball held for the king’s cousin. She knew me for what I was the second she laid eyes on me. I was younger than her by about five hundred years, and I was enraptured by her. She was the first of my kind I had met and she captivated me by the sheer novelty of being with another like myself. I had many questions for her, but she had few answers to give me. She only knew that there were more of us scattered around the world.
“I stayed with her for two years, more out of need for companionship then actual feeling for her. After the first six months, I began to see her for what she was, a monster. She was truly an evil person, and she liked to inflict pain and suffering on others around her. Her servants lived in fear of her, and her house had an air of darkness surrounding it. I guess you become a bit jaded, and lose your humanity after being alive for so long, and I vowed I would never become what she was no matter how long I lived. I stayed far longer then I should have, I was afraid of being alone. I thought I loved her, but that was a young man’s foolish fantasy. Sabine is not capable of love, or kindness. She only knows cruelty and possession, that’s all I was to her, another thing she thought she owned. I had been alone for ten years before I met Sabine, and her company however dark was still a comfort to me. But, my conscience got the better of me, so I fled France and traveled around Europe for nearly eighty years before I returned to England. That is where she found me, sitting in the back room of a small tavern I owned. To say I was shocked would be an understatement. We went outside in the street and argued until we started to draw a crowd. She was trying to convince me to join with her and a few others of our kind in an endeavor to gain power in France. I refused of course, and she was livid. She told me that I would regret defying her one day. I’m not sure if they succeeded or not, we tend to not make ourselves known too often in history, if we were to take credit for our accomplishments, there would be too many questions about us raised. So we stay in the background of history.
I’ve only seen her one other time since then, in 1978, she was boarding a plane as I was exiting one on the same tarmac. She looked the same of course, and when she saw me, she smiled that same horrible smile that sucks all the warmth out of your bones, and she was gone. I had not thought of her since then until you asked who she was. It makes me wonder, since I know it was not myself who sent you back, was it her?”
Jilly could hear him pacing around wherever he was, and it made her nervous. “Ok” she said, “well, I’m not sure where to go from here, do we look for Sabine? Or was it maybe Liza and Mary who sent me?”
“I don’t think it could have been Liza or Mary for that matter, since neither of them were there to have that memory. It had to be Sabine, which begs the question of how close she is to you, and what does she want?”
“We can talk more about this tonight when you come over. My sister is in town, she just came in last night and surprised me, and so she’ll be joining us for dinner. We can talk afterwards in my office if you like.”
“I shall see you at 6:00 then Jilly. Be careful,” he said before he said good-bye.
Jilly hung up the phone and sat back in the chair. She still had a few hours to kill before Emily came over, so she decided to go for a quick run. Apparently a passion for running in the outdoors was a family trait. Just as she was leaving, Caroline was coming back from her run, her face flushed red, and her hair flying wildly around her face.
“Its cold out there, so don’t stay out too long,” she said as Jilly passed her on the stairs.
After a quick five minutes of stretching Jilly took off through the small wooded area between her house and the house about five miles from her. It felt great to be outdoors in the wind, with her ponytail streaming behind her like a red flag. She cleared her mind of everything and just ran. She stopped and turned around when she had run two miles and made it back to the house without incident. She climbed the stairs in the back of the house that led to the porch and made her way into the kitchen. She found Caroline there getting ready to leave.
“Oh good.” Caroline said, “I’m glad you got back before I left. I’m going to go run my errands, and then get my hair done, I’ll see you around 5:30. Thanks again for treating me to a makeover.” She waved good-bye on her way out and Jilly was once again alone with her thoughts.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Lucky 7's
I was tagged in the Lucky 7's game by the always awesome M.R. Polish.
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy down the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them as they’re written.
I'm going to play along with Mark of the Witch....enjoy
Once the spell was complete, Jilly opened her eyes and saw the light. “I guess we should see where they go right?” They all got up quickly and followed the golden footsteps upstairs. They led towards the back of the house and stopped at what looked like a dead end. Jilly placed both hands on the wall and said a quick release spell, her hands flashing white against the wall. There was a soft click, and a door materialized where the wall had been. William opened the door, and they saw more footsteps leading back into the room. Both girls were surprised, they had never discovered this room before, and Jilly would wager no one since Mary had set foot in here, there was a layer of dust covering everything in the room.
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy down the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them as they’re written.
I'm going to play along with Mark of the Witch....enjoy
Once the spell was complete, Jilly opened her eyes and saw the light. “I guess we should see where they go right?” They all got up quickly and followed the golden footsteps upstairs. They led towards the back of the house and stopped at what looked like a dead end. Jilly placed both hands on the wall and said a quick release spell, her hands flashing white against the wall. There was a soft click, and a door materialized where the wall had been. William opened the door, and they saw more footsteps leading back into the room. Both girls were surprised, they had never discovered this room before, and Jilly would wager no one since Mary had set foot in here, there was a layer of dust covering everything in the room.
Friday, March 30, 2012
The ongoing saga that is my life
This has been a very non productive week for me. I know it's bad, and I know that next week will be just as bad lol. My husband and I will be going on a 4 day vacation to Vegas in a little over a week, so getting all the stuff we need has been my project. I've been trying to find some clothes for myself, but I'm having the worst luck. I've lost a ton of weight, and I'm in between sizes, so everything fits weird. But, maybe it's all in my head, I am a chick, and chick's do tend to have crappy self images. Oh well, I'm sure I'll find something eventually.......hopefully.
On a happier note, I got a glowing review of Mark of the Witch from one of my beta readers. It totally made all of the crappy rewrite days worth it. It's nice hearing that all of your hard work has made a difference. It's also fun to bounce ideas off someone and know that they really get it. I've also been trying to get all my pre edits done before I send it off to the editor in May. I'm hoping that I can still have a June release, but we may need to push it back if I can't turn it around fast enough. I'm going to be running a few contests for ARC's of Mark of the Witch in May, so keep an eye out for those.
I guess I should probably get back to editing, either my book, or the one I'm reading for a friend. So, back to work I go. Hope you all have a fantastic day and a wonderful weekend :)
On a happier note, I got a glowing review of Mark of the Witch from one of my beta readers. It totally made all of the crappy rewrite days worth it. It's nice hearing that all of your hard work has made a difference. It's also fun to bounce ideas off someone and know that they really get it. I've also been trying to get all my pre edits done before I send it off to the editor in May. I'm hoping that I can still have a June release, but we may need to push it back if I can't turn it around fast enough. I'm going to be running a few contests for ARC's of Mark of the Witch in May, so keep an eye out for those.
I guess I should probably get back to editing, either my book, or the one I'm reading for a friend. So, back to work I go. Hope you all have a fantastic day and a wonderful weekend :)
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Author Spotlight: David S. Grant
Blood: The new Red begins at an after party where Mickey, and ex-adult movie star turned supermodel, is aligning himself with one of top Designers of Seventh Avenue. While trying to land a job on the runway Mickey is thrown into the center of a scene where sex is often the motivation, the wine is served by year, and cocaine is back in full force. Juanita, Mickey’s girlfriend is having difficulties staying sober, fully clothed, and off of her famous boyfriend.
Mickey goes to work for Fashion icon Paul Johnson, one of the two top Designers in NYC. The other is Sandy Johnson, another Designer who will stop at nothing including murder to guarantee victory. A runway exhibition has been scheduled for the two to compete in and find out who truly is the best Johnson. Mickey will be Paul’s top model, and Sandy has found a homeless person nicknamed Kung Fu Master to show his line.
In addition to getting his new line in place, Paul Johnson is also buying chain saws, the louder the better, to put the special in this special event.
Did you know that you can’t be sentenced to prison if actively seeking help at a mental facility? Paul Johnson knows this.
Somewhere between the girls, counting Vicodin pills, and show preparation Mickey has grown a conscience and no longer likes what he sees. He believes (and his psychiatrist agrees) that he has the power to change what’s happening around him.
Days before the show Kung Fu Master turns up dead and there is an attempt on Mickey’s life. After a brief period of unconsciousness Mickey is back, is told that Juanita and brother Cheeks are now also dead and that he must continue with the show. After all, what would Steven Tyler do?
The night of the show is laced with celebrities and models on the runway as well as one particular popular day-time talk show host that may or may not be murdered on the runway.
In the end only one Johnson will walk away, although this is temporary as Mickey has the last word.
Right before he pops his last Vicodin.
Excerpt from the Blood: The New Red
Always look like a rock star. This is the number one secret on how to be famous. I’m wearing chains, lots of chains. Eye shadow, lots of eye shadow. I wouldn’t say my pants are tight, but then again, my balls might disagree with you at the moment.
I’m standing on the second level of the Grand Hotel, overlooking the bar area. My manager tells me this is where I need to be standing. In five minutes I will move across the room and stand next to a long mirror where one of the Hiltons will walk by and notice my reflection. A photographer will be close by and be sure to get the picture. This mirror has been placed here for this sole purpose. My manager tells me not to stare at the mirror. If you asked me to list my weaknesses, this may be my number one fault.
DJ Shingles, the newest (which means hottest) DJ, is playing on a middle level between the first and second floors. There is barely enough room for him let alone the overflowing ashtray and oversized stocking cap. Rumor has it this is his last show, despite this being his first. There is talk that he is moving into production and will be working with a major player in the hip hop industry, depending on who is hot at the time. DJ Shingles is wearing an Armani black button-down shirt with the sleeves ripped off. Very last year, but this is more a statement than a miscalculation on his part. Last season is the new season.
My manager signals for me to make my way across toward the mirror. A reporter from GQ is following me and asking me questions about who I’m going to sign with and whether or not my past will affect my future. I get her number, tell her I’ll call her later, and then blow her off as I approach the mirror. Always leak your press, never tell. This is secret number three on how to be famous.
Four widescreen televisions are fastened to the wall behind the bar. All are showing TMZ. An orange haired girl wearing a Betsey Johnson dress sees me staring at the television sets. She walks over and whispers in my ear, “It’s the new CNN.”
A waiter carrying a tray of wine from 1980 is walking by. Every 15 minutes another waiter, another tray, another year will walk by. Welcome to the world of fashion parties. Ten percent content, ninety percent presentation.
A man who goes by the name Dontay hands me a coffee cup that is full of scotch. My manager tells me to sip it and not cheers anyone. Any buzz that insinuates I’ve been in rehab and have put my porn career in the past is good press and can only help my modeling career. As scheduled, I’m approached by someone with the last name Hilton.
The Hilton is wearing a blouse that is considered the color Ocean, the new blue, but since Aquamarine blue was in fact the new blue for last season and last season is in this season, no one should be caught dead in Ocean. Unless of course she is being ironic. If so, she will have to mention this to at least three people during the course of the evening.
“Mickey, you’re back! I mean, uh…” Hilton looks at the coffee cup. “Welcome back!” She tips her coffee cup to me.
I glance around at the guest list, wondering who has the most juice at the party, but am distracted by the waiter walking through with wines from 1990.
“Good year for cabernets,” Hilton says, then grabs her blouse. “Last season is the new season, huh? Fuck that.” She laughs and looks fidgety as lights pop around us. At one point Hilton puts her arm around me and kisses me on the cheek. FLASH. Mission accomplished.
“I miss you, Mickey. We should get together sometime, you know, have a cup of coffee, fuck, or something.”
Sure, I tell her and then she leaves because she has a rule about spending over forty hours a week on the Lower East Side and this season many Fashion Week parties have been in LES, the new SoHo.
According to my manager, I need to make my way to a reserved table next to the bar where Paul Johnson is sitting. My manager also says to ignore the temptation of champagne. I have a job to do tonight.
Author BIO:
David S. Grant is the author of ten books including “Corporate Porn”, “Bleach|Blackout”, “Hollywood Ending”, and “Rock Stars”. His latest novel, “Blood: The New Red”, is now available. David lives and writes his weekly rock, travel, and NBA columns from New York City.
Websites:
Silverthought: http://www.silverthought.com/blood/
David S. Grant: http://www.davidsgrant.com
BLOOD: The New Red: http://www.bloodthenewred.com
Twitter: @david_s_grant
Purchase Links:
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-New-David-S-Grant/dp/0984173854/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327246788&sr=8-2
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-The-New-Red-ebook/dp/B006NZRWLG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1327246788&sr=8-3
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Kassondra Leigh Character Interview
I'm so excited, today on the blog, we're having Kassondra Leigh on to do a character interview with one of the character's from her book When Copper Suns Fall. Hope you guys enjoy it :)
Character Interview Questions: Chela
1. Welcome Chela to Mother/Gamer/Writer. For those readers who are not familiar with your
story, can you give us a little background about yourself?
Thank you, Diayll. I’m so excited to be here. And I love your name, btw. It’s so cool. Okay, now
the background stuff. Well, um I’m fifteen. But I’ll turn sixteen on October 21st. I’m pretty
average, I guess. I have two best best friends: a girl named Lexa and a guy named Jalen. We
call ourselves the Bermuda Threes. I go to a third-tier school called Ashley George. It’s kind of
like what you would call high school. But I won’t get the chance to go this year because I’ve
been assigned to Minders Camp. That’s where kids who get carded for misbehaving go. Kind
of like detention, I guess. But I’ll talk about that in a bit. I live with my father, stepmother,
and her daughter, Audrina. I have a twin brother, too. But…well, he’s sick. So he hasn’t been
with us for over a year now. He has a virus that doesn’t usually affect people in Castle Hayne.
Only outcasts usually get sick, the people that live in the Dim Cities outside the Great Wall.
2. What is it like growing up in Castle Hayne? What do you like most and least about the city?
Castle Hayne is probably the strangest city you’ll ever travel to. There are no birds. The
beaches are covered in soot. The oceans have a dark red tint to the water. The clouds are
mostly gray all the time. Our governing body, the Tribunal, has these robotic spies that look
like crows. They’re always watching, waiting to see us screw up, I guess. There’s a 50-foot
fence that surrounds the city. We call it the Great Wall. Every day and night I have to take this
medicine to help keep my immune system strong enough to fight off viruses. They’re called
ale-meds. I hate that medicine. Micah hated taking it too. And now we know why, don’t we?
My house is a restored plantation called Cornice. It’s outside the city limits. Mostly gardens
and forests surround it. That’s what I love most about my life, the gardens that my mother
used to take care of. And there’s a cemetery in the backyard. For years, Micah and I played
around it. We pretended to be guardians of the monster gate. And then one day we got inside
it. But now you know what’s really behind the gate, don’t you?
3. The Tribunal, the governing body, assigns kids to different tasks once they are 15. How many
different classes are there and what are their specialties?
In Castle Hayne, kids have jobs. Yes, that’s right. We work. It’s a way the Tribunal makes sure
we can contribute to society when we turn eighteen. We have to earn our keep, be the model
citizens. You see, there’s people that live outside the Great Wall surrounding our city. They
don’t have special gifts like those of us who live inside the city. Most of them are infected,
dying, mutilated. Those of us living inside the Great Wall have gifts. Or either we live with
someone in the family who has a gift. There are five classes that match the five types of gifts:
Trackers, Healers, Thoughtmasters, Illusionists, and Historians like my father. Common names
for those groups are: ground soldiers, doctors, physical trainers, magicians, and teachers.
Most of us are born with a gene enhanced by radiation. It has been passed down throughout
the decades since the Tidal Years ended fifty-five years ago. By 16, we usually know which
gene we’ve inherited. And then we’re recommended to the appropriate leader of each class.
4. Your city is rich in history and traditions such as the Falling Lights Festival. I found Costing
Week to be the most intriguing and the most dangerous. Can you explain to our readers what
it is and why it is so important?
Yeah sure. Costing week is a time when families from all eight of Corunum’s Hill Boroughs
come to have a chance to be entered into a lottery. Good deeds mean more points, more
chances to win extra food, medicine, traveling privileges, protection from the Beast, you
name it. You can earn five slots, or five entries. On the fifth day, names are drawn and the
winners of the various prizes are identified. For kids outside the city, it means competing in a
brutal competition for one slot on their scorecard. They get one chance to change their lives
by winning citizenship in Castle Hayne. The first day of costing week always begins with a
showdown between Castle Hayne’s champion and his/her challenger. So, you know this year’s
challenger was me. I’m glad it’s over. But at the same time, I’m glad it happened too.
Now that we have the background questions out of the way, let’s talk boys.
5. Seth and Faris, night and day. Tell me how you could even decide?
Well, um, hm. They are the poster boys for opposites, right? Until my brother got sick, I never
thought I’d care about anyone, least of all another guy. With my other half being gone, my
twin brother, Micah, I felt like only part of me had been living. Enter Faris, the guy who
appeals to my hopeful side, my girl-in-floppy-stomach-love side. And then there’s Seth, the
guy who I never saw coming. The one who makes me feel powerful. But in the end, I know I’ll
make the right decision. I hope I make the right decision.
6. What is it like to be bonded with Faris?
In a few letters…asdfghkl;!!! No, but seriously, I don’t want to go all puppy-girl in the
interview here. The bond thing is amazing. It’s incredible to be tied with someone who can
understand how I feel inside without me saying a word. Someone odd like me. Someone who
can protect me from this storm called life.
7. I had a sneaking suspicion that your BFF, Jalen, wanted to be more than just friends. Could you
ever see yourself falling for him?
Jalen is like a big brother to me. I know, I know. I hear you saying that’s what all girls say
about the good guy hiding his huge crush. Things are already pretty complicated as you know.
I think it would ruin our friendship if we tried to go there. Only time will tell. And time is like a
ferris wheel. You never know where it’ll stop or which couple will get to hop off first.
8. Why did you decide to take Jalen to your secret spot you shared with Faris?
Well, partly because he kind of already knew about it. But mostly because I didn’t want to
go back there alone. I had to go back, though. To remember that what I saw was real. And
I wanted somebody I cared about to share it with me. It couldn’t be Micah, so it had to be
Jalen.
9. If you can, can you give us a tiny hint about what adventures and/or trouble you will be
getting into in the next book? Will there still be a steamy…man triangle?
Sure, I can give you a few hints. What’s even better? You’ll get the chance to hear from Faris
more often. I’ll be anxious to make up for lost time with my brother. He’s still recovering, but
the doctors think he’ll be fine once he gets his strength back up. I can tell you all one exciting
thing, though. I will be traveling to Cairona in what used to be old Egypt. I get to learn more
about my mother’s history. But we have to be careful. The Tribunal suspects something is
odd about me, and they don’t trust Micah’s sudden recovery. They think there has to be
something supernatural going on with us. A very bad thing. That’s going to be a huge problem
in book 2. As for the steamy triangle, or maybe even quadrangle…lol, you’ll have to come see
for yourself. :-D
10. Lastly, what side do you think you will chose? Or are you any closer to making a decision?
I don’t know. It’s hard to say. I know that probably sounds awful, but I’m just being real. I
have this power now. It’ll get stronger by the time I turn 16. I get scared when it happens.
Not because I’m afraid of it, but because I like how it makes me feel. I hear there’s a powerful
priestess in Cairona. I’ll be going to see her. I guess I’m a bit confused.
So much fun:) Makes me really excited to read the book. Here is the blurb for the book
When Copper Suns Fall
YA Dark Urban Fantasy
By KaSonndra Leigh
In fifteen-year-old Chela Prizeon’s city,
alchemy is forbidden, and angels hide
among the mortal. With a deadly virus
ravaging the globe, Chela’s nightmarish
memories compels her to experience a
past riddled with gloom, and now her
brother is infected. Chela’s only hope is
the Caduceans, slayers sworn to protect
the last seven Light Keepers and the
ancient memories they share. A group
led by the sometimes elusive, sometimes
infuriating boy who intrigues Chela. But
can she trust this boy with the
mysterious past, someone who can influence her memories? With the Caduceans
aid, Chela races to defeat her rivals, to unearth dark family secrets, desperate to
find a cure…only to discover the glutovirus is far more than a simple disease. In
this haunting debut, KaSonndra Leigh offers an escape into a world as intriguing
as The Mortal Instruments and a story as chilling as Enclave. Full of celestial
creatures, fascinating villainy, high-stake choices, and a secret romance, When
Copper Suns Fall, is a fresh and original urban fantasy—with a dystopian twist—
that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure.
Here is an excerpt from the book
Forcing my eyes to open, I found myself outside the Cradlehack. I was standing in
Faris’s arms, my head against his chest, my fingers entwined in his black vest. It was a smooth
fabric that felt like silk. A cloth no one had worn outside of ceremonies since before the Tidal
Years. This boy was no common citizen. His earthy-sweet smell made me feel hypnotically safe,
as we stood among the crowd fleeing down the hillside. He lifted my chin, stared in my eyes.
But this wasn’t some dumb player’s move.
No, a mysterious thing stirred behind his silvery-gray eyes.
“Feel better, Chela?” he asked. I nodded.
“Thanks for helping me,” I said, still fighting a light head. Still afraid the dreaded black
blobs lingered somewhere around us. Somewhat ashamed I’d spoken so horribly to him
moments ago.
“You probably shouldn’t do that,” he said.
“Do what?”
“Thank me.”
“Why? Because I caught you using alchemy? That’s what your kind does. Make magic in
the shadows, right?” I said.
His left eye ticked. The girl in the hoodie had called him a Caducean. Could it be
possible? Father told me Caduceans were a mythical group—demon slayers from a time long
gone. Yet, here I stood with a boy who didn’t deny my claim.
Around us, fewer people were leaving the Shack. They paid no attention to the two idiots
standing and staring at each other. Did Jalen and Lexa make it out safely? They were taking
forever to reach me.
Did I really want them to find me?
“They’ll call me, now, and make me a witness against you. I’m sorry, but I already have
too many problems. So I—I have to tell the truth,” I said.
“That won’t be a problem.” Faris smiled, a catchy one that lit his face up. I couldn’t
decide whether it was angelic or downright wicked. Just like I couldn’t remember where I’d ever
heard an accent like his. What kind was it? Old southern? Old English? Irish? It sounded like a
mix of all three, but with a deep timbre, making him sound god like. “In a few minutes, you
won’t remember me or any of this.”
“Really? How do you figure that?” I asked, heart racing.
“Because my gift to you…” He moved his face closer to mine, pulling me into whatever
was happening in his head. “My gift is to remove memories that cause you pain.”
“Okay, um, right.” Had I lost my mind? It probably wouldn’t have hurt to scream.
He held my gaze, locking me into something I couldn’t explain. A tear puckered up in his
left eye, and slid down his cheek where it stopped on his top lip. Then he blinked, snapping us
out of whatever place he’d taken us to, and glanced behind my head. “Here comes your dark
knight,” he said, easing his arms away from me.
He strolled off into the last group of stragglers hanging around the Shack. How did he
know my nickname for Jalen?
I wiped away a tear rolling down my right cheek.
“Chela, there you are. You scared me, girl.” Jalen’s voice cut into the moment. He spun
me around to face him. I blinked, clearing my eyes. “What’s wrong? Did you get hurt?”
I glanced around us. The boy was gone. A dull headache joined the fuzziness in my head.
Lost inside a clouded mind, I forgot what I wanted to say. The entire night’s events were hazy.
I fumbled with my thoughts.
What happened to me in there?
About the Author:
KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of
Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina.
She likes to write about teens doing
fantastical things in magical worlds. Her
two sons have made her promise to
write a boy book next.
She holds the MFA in creative writing,
and loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the
Indiana Jones version), and Pandora’s
Box (good writer’s block therapy). She
lives in an L-shaped house with a
garden dedicated to her grandmother. It
has a secret library complete with
fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a
desk made out of clear blue glass. When
Copper Suns Fall is her debut novel.
www.kasonndraleigh.com
http://twitter.com/#!/kasonndraleigh
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5137209.KaSonndra_Leigh
http://www.facebook.com/pages/When-Copper-Suns-Fall-by-KaSonndra-Leigh/111665822268673
Character Interview Questions: Chela
1. Welcome Chela to Mother/Gamer/Writer. For those readers who are not familiar with your
story, can you give us a little background about yourself?
Thank you, Diayll. I’m so excited to be here. And I love your name, btw. It’s so cool. Okay, now
the background stuff. Well, um I’m fifteen. But I’ll turn sixteen on October 21st. I’m pretty
average, I guess. I have two best best friends: a girl named Lexa and a guy named Jalen. We
call ourselves the Bermuda Threes. I go to a third-tier school called Ashley George. It’s kind of
like what you would call high school. But I won’t get the chance to go this year because I’ve
been assigned to Minders Camp. That’s where kids who get carded for misbehaving go. Kind
of like detention, I guess. But I’ll talk about that in a bit. I live with my father, stepmother,
and her daughter, Audrina. I have a twin brother, too. But…well, he’s sick. So he hasn’t been
with us for over a year now. He has a virus that doesn’t usually affect people in Castle Hayne.
Only outcasts usually get sick, the people that live in the Dim Cities outside the Great Wall.
2. What is it like growing up in Castle Hayne? What do you like most and least about the city?
Castle Hayne is probably the strangest city you’ll ever travel to. There are no birds. The
beaches are covered in soot. The oceans have a dark red tint to the water. The clouds are
mostly gray all the time. Our governing body, the Tribunal, has these robotic spies that look
like crows. They’re always watching, waiting to see us screw up, I guess. There’s a 50-foot
fence that surrounds the city. We call it the Great Wall. Every day and night I have to take this
medicine to help keep my immune system strong enough to fight off viruses. They’re called
ale-meds. I hate that medicine. Micah hated taking it too. And now we know why, don’t we?
My house is a restored plantation called Cornice. It’s outside the city limits. Mostly gardens
and forests surround it. That’s what I love most about my life, the gardens that my mother
used to take care of. And there’s a cemetery in the backyard. For years, Micah and I played
around it. We pretended to be guardians of the monster gate. And then one day we got inside
it. But now you know what’s really behind the gate, don’t you?
3. The Tribunal, the governing body, assigns kids to different tasks once they are 15. How many
different classes are there and what are their specialties?
In Castle Hayne, kids have jobs. Yes, that’s right. We work. It’s a way the Tribunal makes sure
we can contribute to society when we turn eighteen. We have to earn our keep, be the model
citizens. You see, there’s people that live outside the Great Wall surrounding our city. They
don’t have special gifts like those of us who live inside the city. Most of them are infected,
dying, mutilated. Those of us living inside the Great Wall have gifts. Or either we live with
someone in the family who has a gift. There are five classes that match the five types of gifts:
Trackers, Healers, Thoughtmasters, Illusionists, and Historians like my father. Common names
for those groups are: ground soldiers, doctors, physical trainers, magicians, and teachers.
Most of us are born with a gene enhanced by radiation. It has been passed down throughout
the decades since the Tidal Years ended fifty-five years ago. By 16, we usually know which
gene we’ve inherited. And then we’re recommended to the appropriate leader of each class.
4. Your city is rich in history and traditions such as the Falling Lights Festival. I found Costing
Week to be the most intriguing and the most dangerous. Can you explain to our readers what
it is and why it is so important?
Yeah sure. Costing week is a time when families from all eight of Corunum’s Hill Boroughs
come to have a chance to be entered into a lottery. Good deeds mean more points, more
chances to win extra food, medicine, traveling privileges, protection from the Beast, you
name it. You can earn five slots, or five entries. On the fifth day, names are drawn and the
winners of the various prizes are identified. For kids outside the city, it means competing in a
brutal competition for one slot on their scorecard. They get one chance to change their lives
by winning citizenship in Castle Hayne. The first day of costing week always begins with a
showdown between Castle Hayne’s champion and his/her challenger. So, you know this year’s
challenger was me. I’m glad it’s over. But at the same time, I’m glad it happened too.
Now that we have the background questions out of the way, let’s talk boys.
5. Seth and Faris, night and day. Tell me how you could even decide?
Well, um, hm. They are the poster boys for opposites, right? Until my brother got sick, I never
thought I’d care about anyone, least of all another guy. With my other half being gone, my
twin brother, Micah, I felt like only part of me had been living. Enter Faris, the guy who
appeals to my hopeful side, my girl-in-floppy-stomach-love side. And then there’s Seth, the
guy who I never saw coming. The one who makes me feel powerful. But in the end, I know I’ll
make the right decision. I hope I make the right decision.
6. What is it like to be bonded with Faris?
In a few letters…asdfghkl;!!! No, but seriously, I don’t want to go all puppy-girl in the
interview here. The bond thing is amazing. It’s incredible to be tied with someone who can
understand how I feel inside without me saying a word. Someone odd like me. Someone who
can protect me from this storm called life.
7. I had a sneaking suspicion that your BFF, Jalen, wanted to be more than just friends. Could you
ever see yourself falling for him?
Jalen is like a big brother to me. I know, I know. I hear you saying that’s what all girls say
about the good guy hiding his huge crush. Things are already pretty complicated as you know.
I think it would ruin our friendship if we tried to go there. Only time will tell. And time is like a
ferris wheel. You never know where it’ll stop or which couple will get to hop off first.
8. Why did you decide to take Jalen to your secret spot you shared with Faris?
Well, partly because he kind of already knew about it. But mostly because I didn’t want to
go back there alone. I had to go back, though. To remember that what I saw was real. And
I wanted somebody I cared about to share it with me. It couldn’t be Micah, so it had to be
Jalen.
9. If you can, can you give us a tiny hint about what adventures and/or trouble you will be
getting into in the next book? Will there still be a steamy…man triangle?
Sure, I can give you a few hints. What’s even better? You’ll get the chance to hear from Faris
more often. I’ll be anxious to make up for lost time with my brother. He’s still recovering, but
the doctors think he’ll be fine once he gets his strength back up. I can tell you all one exciting
thing, though. I will be traveling to Cairona in what used to be old Egypt. I get to learn more
about my mother’s history. But we have to be careful. The Tribunal suspects something is
odd about me, and they don’t trust Micah’s sudden recovery. They think there has to be
something supernatural going on with us. A very bad thing. That’s going to be a huge problem
in book 2. As for the steamy triangle, or maybe even quadrangle…lol, you’ll have to come see
for yourself. :-D
10. Lastly, what side do you think you will chose? Or are you any closer to making a decision?
I don’t know. It’s hard to say. I know that probably sounds awful, but I’m just being real. I
have this power now. It’ll get stronger by the time I turn 16. I get scared when it happens.
Not because I’m afraid of it, but because I like how it makes me feel. I hear there’s a powerful
priestess in Cairona. I’ll be going to see her. I guess I’m a bit confused.
So much fun:) Makes me really excited to read the book. Here is the blurb for the book
When Copper Suns Fall
YA Dark Urban Fantasy
By KaSonndra Leigh
In fifteen-year-old Chela Prizeon’s city,
alchemy is forbidden, and angels hide
among the mortal. With a deadly virus
ravaging the globe, Chela’s nightmarish
memories compels her to experience a
past riddled with gloom, and now her
brother is infected. Chela’s only hope is
the Caduceans, slayers sworn to protect
the last seven Light Keepers and the
ancient memories they share. A group
led by the sometimes elusive, sometimes
infuriating boy who intrigues Chela. But
can she trust this boy with the
mysterious past, someone who can influence her memories? With the Caduceans
aid, Chela races to defeat her rivals, to unearth dark family secrets, desperate to
find a cure…only to discover the glutovirus is far more than a simple disease. In
this haunting debut, KaSonndra Leigh offers an escape into a world as intriguing
as The Mortal Instruments and a story as chilling as Enclave. Full of celestial
creatures, fascinating villainy, high-stake choices, and a secret romance, When
Copper Suns Fall, is a fresh and original urban fantasy—with a dystopian twist—
that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure.
Here is an excerpt from the book
Forcing my eyes to open, I found myself outside the Cradlehack. I was standing in
Faris’s arms, my head against his chest, my fingers entwined in his black vest. It was a smooth
fabric that felt like silk. A cloth no one had worn outside of ceremonies since before the Tidal
Years. This boy was no common citizen. His earthy-sweet smell made me feel hypnotically safe,
as we stood among the crowd fleeing down the hillside. He lifted my chin, stared in my eyes.
But this wasn’t some dumb player’s move.
No, a mysterious thing stirred behind his silvery-gray eyes.
“Feel better, Chela?” he asked. I nodded.
“Thanks for helping me,” I said, still fighting a light head. Still afraid the dreaded black
blobs lingered somewhere around us. Somewhat ashamed I’d spoken so horribly to him
moments ago.
“You probably shouldn’t do that,” he said.
“Do what?”
“Thank me.”
“Why? Because I caught you using alchemy? That’s what your kind does. Make magic in
the shadows, right?” I said.
His left eye ticked. The girl in the hoodie had called him a Caducean. Could it be
possible? Father told me Caduceans were a mythical group—demon slayers from a time long
gone. Yet, here I stood with a boy who didn’t deny my claim.
Around us, fewer people were leaving the Shack. They paid no attention to the two idiots
standing and staring at each other. Did Jalen and Lexa make it out safely? They were taking
forever to reach me.
Did I really want them to find me?
“They’ll call me, now, and make me a witness against you. I’m sorry, but I already have
too many problems. So I—I have to tell the truth,” I said.
“That won’t be a problem.” Faris smiled, a catchy one that lit his face up. I couldn’t
decide whether it was angelic or downright wicked. Just like I couldn’t remember where I’d ever
heard an accent like his. What kind was it? Old southern? Old English? Irish? It sounded like a
mix of all three, but with a deep timbre, making him sound god like. “In a few minutes, you
won’t remember me or any of this.”
“Really? How do you figure that?” I asked, heart racing.
“Because my gift to you…” He moved his face closer to mine, pulling me into whatever
was happening in his head. “My gift is to remove memories that cause you pain.”
“Okay, um, right.” Had I lost my mind? It probably wouldn’t have hurt to scream.
He held my gaze, locking me into something I couldn’t explain. A tear puckered up in his
left eye, and slid down his cheek where it stopped on his top lip. Then he blinked, snapping us
out of whatever place he’d taken us to, and glanced behind my head. “Here comes your dark
knight,” he said, easing his arms away from me.
He strolled off into the last group of stragglers hanging around the Shack. How did he
know my nickname for Jalen?
I wiped away a tear rolling down my right cheek.
“Chela, there you are. You scared me, girl.” Jalen’s voice cut into the moment. He spun
me around to face him. I blinked, clearing my eyes. “What’s wrong? Did you get hurt?”
I glanced around us. The boy was gone. A dull headache joined the fuzziness in my head.
Lost inside a clouded mind, I forgot what I wanted to say. The entire night’s events were hazy.
I fumbled with my thoughts.
What happened to me in there?
About the Author:
KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of
Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina.
She likes to write about teens doing
fantastical things in magical worlds. Her
two sons have made her promise to
write a boy book next.
She holds the MFA in creative writing,
and loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the
Indiana Jones version), and Pandora’s
Box (good writer’s block therapy). She
lives in an L-shaped house with a
garden dedicated to her grandmother. It
has a secret library complete with
fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a
desk made out of clear blue glass. When
Copper Suns Fall is her debut novel.
www.kasonndraleigh.com
http://twitter.com/#!/kasonndraleigh
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5137209.KaSonndra_Leigh
http://www.facebook.com/pages/When-Copper-Suns-Fall-by-KaSonndra-Leigh/111665822268673
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