YA Author Event: Books to Bond Over

In Santa Monica Public Library on July 8th 2014, I attended my very first Author Panel Event.

I had been invited to the event through internet blogging friends, and was incredibly excited about the prospect of attending, especially when I discovered which authors would be there!

Melissa De La Cruz, Margaret Stohl, Andrew Smith, Ava Dellaira, Holly Goldberg Sloan and John Corey Whaley were the 6 incredible authors who would take part in the panel, with signings to follow. 

I am ashamed to admit that before tonight I had never heard of Ava Dellaira, Holly Goldberg Sloan or John Corey Whaley, however after tonight I am so eager to read their books, post reviews and have 3 new authors to fangirl over! *squeal*!

I had however heard of Andrew Smith, Margaret Stohl and Melissa De La Cruz.

Andrew Smith has been raved about all over the world, especially in my part of the country in England. I have not read any of his works, however I am eager to read Grasshopper Jungle. It sounds like an incredibly CRAZY and whacky concept for a book - I'm not even sure I can describe it as a concept - and it just makes me all the more excited to read it. I have a copy at home, so as soon as I get back to England, which is July 22nd, I will be taking a long shower-bath (showers are too short, baths make me feel dirty) and reading the book in one glorious sitting. 

Margaret Stohl, co-author of Beautiful Creatures and author of Icons and Idols, is a beautiful person inside and out. With such a star-studded reputation under her belt, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from her on the panel, but she was definitely the life and soul of the party. I HAVE read Beautiful Creatures, and whilst it took me a little time to get into, the concept and writing was beautiful and I am determined to eventually finish the series (at some point haha!). I will however be reading Icons very shortly, because it's about aliens in a sort of post apocalyptic world (ohmygosh I love aliens and dystopian style books), and a review will shortly follow.

Melissa De La Cruz was the author I was most excited to meet and hear speak. I have followed her career ever since picking up Blue Bloods many years ago. I still feel such an emotional attachment to Schuyler, Jack, Mimi, Ollie, Kingsley, Bliss, and everyone else in the series. They evolved with me as characters, and so when I discovered I was able to meet one of the most perfectly genius authors to have ever existed - more genius than J K Rowling - I had to jump at the chance. I was not disappointed.

Holly and Ava

Andrew and John

I fangirled so hard over Melissa and Margaret's relationship. SO AWESOME.

Melissa De La Cruz is currently working on a book; the prequel to the upcoming Disney movie Descendants. It sounds like such an awesome concept, however she said she is already receiving some preeeetty crazy fan mail from hardcore Disney fanatics, with one demanding to know "what are you doing with Mulan? Mulan is MINE!". Not sure how i'd cope with that, but it sounds pretty funny.

John Corey Whaley is the author of Noggin and Where Things Come Back which won the 2012 Printz Award - the YA literature equivalent of the Oscar's! Such a prestigious honor, and he definitely deserves it.
The introduction of "Mad Scientist" Andrew Smith, author of Grasshopper Jungle included the opinion that Andrew also deserves a Printz award for the crazy writings that somehow came together in one book. Margaret Stohl swiftly pitted Whaley and Smith against each other, forwarding the question of which novel deserves the Printz award more. It must be said that if Margaret ever feels like a career change, she has a knack for Stand Up Comedy!


During the discussion, Margaret managed to squeeze in that her ambition used to be to be an Astronaut. When she accidentally moved to Las Vegas (as you do) she freaked out that she couldn't be anything she used to be - not a ballerina, or a violinist or an astronaut. She fixated her efforts on becoming an astronaut once and for all, and obsessively called NASA (totally normal right?).


SOMEHOW she got from that to being a successful author and an amazing writer, which I am pretty glad for. Her topic of discussion then settled into something slightly less crazy; her new book.
Aside from Beautiful Creatures - which is the book that I knew her for - she wrote Icons and the sequel Idols. Icons is a love-hate story, set in dystopian post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, and follows 4 teenagers during an alien occupation. Sounds awesome right? Discussing the second book was incredible. Idols is set in South East Asia, as part of the book contract states that Stohl will write each book of the trilogy in a different country. Most of Idols was written in a jungle in Thailand. Stohl is an avid traveler, and discussed her experiences, saying she learnt how to give elephants a bath, feed them bananas, and visited the places within her book. Stohl went through most of the experiences except the obvious alien invasion.
"I have never had the experience where the book just manifested itself. Everything is a smell and a taste and a color and a breeze. You don't have to work. It was incredible"
Growing up, Margaret was intrigued by the concept of what we worship, people constantly looking for hope, and the idea of false idols.

Ava, a debut author, is the writer of Love Letters To The Dead. When describing the book and what it was all about, it dawned on me how original and incredible the concept was. I have never read nor heard of anything like it. A big theme of the night was "elements" within the story. Ava explained that she has an avid interest in pop culture, and how it can be a safe place for people who feel alone or isolated or have had difficult experiences. In sharing something you are able to connect with people around the world, despite your obvious differences. Another important concept to Ava was how you can go on living without the person who matters the most to you. She described this element as being a personal journey, as she wrote the book a couple of years after losing her Mum. Within the book, Laurel - the main character - writes letters to deceased artists and musicians of pop culture, such as Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse, and feels a strong emotional connection to each of them and discovers that everyone has some sort of lesson to teach. Laurel is able to recover from her loss in the book, the same way writing the book helped Ava to move on from her loss.

From the concepts revealed in Ava's explanation sparked a discussion about Taylor Swift and her recent article in the Wall Street Journal, with this paragraph drawing a comparison to Ava's conceptual book and what Taylor is writing about:

"The way I see it, fans view music the way they view their relationships. Some music is just for fun, a passing fling (the ones they dance to at clubs and parties for a month while the song is a huge radio hit, that they will soon forget they ever danced to). Some songs and albums represent seasons of our lives, like relationships that we hold dear in our memories but had their time and place in the past." - Taylor Swift, Wall Street Journal

Margaret then suggested that we send a copy of Ava's incredible book to Taylor Swift, however the conclusion was drawn that Taylor would probably take it as a threat: 

Love Letters To The Almost Dead

Seriously, I can not put in to words how hilarious this group of authors were.

Holly's explanation of her book was brief but touching. She discussed how hers was a book about California, and it was a metaphor for a time and a place and a change in American culture. Her book contains serious themes, however she was hoping that it comes across as a comedy. I have never before read Holly's books, however I won an ARC of her newest release last night, titled Just Call My Name, and I will definitely be reading and reviewing this incredibly soon!


Melissa De La Cruz, one of my top three authors of all time, spoke about her book and I just wanted to run to the nearest store and buy it, despite having no money!
Her new book, Ring and The Crown, came about when she was reading the Ambassadors (i think that was the name), which is a book all about rich girls wanting to marry British Lords. Melissa wanted to write about how being a Princess isn't all it's cracked up to be, and had the original setting in an alternate history of the war of Independence, however she decided against it, and created a Franco-British Empire. This book contains magic, wonder and all round amazing literature, and is currently top of my TBR shelf! She continued the discussion by saying the book follows 4 girls, all eager to win the ring and the crown in the Court of St James. Melissa apparently gets her kicks and giggles from torturing and tormenting her characters, which is her element and spark. Sounds creepy, but with the way she writes, who cares!

John Corey Whaley discussed his newest book Noggin, which is all about a dying teenager who volunteers to have his head frozen, and then have his head reattached to a different body in 5 years. The punch line is that this teenager doesn't believe it will happen in 5 short years, however it does. The world is not much different from the one we live in today, however to someone who goes to sleep in one year and wakes up in another, the small changes are shocking. The book came about from Whaley's combination of complete desperation and needing something to write after the first book. His first book won several prestigious awards, thus Whaley felt the need to write something worthy of capturing his audiences attention a second time round. This book sounds absurd but wonderfully written, and the concept is so crazy it just might work.

Andrew Smith's book on the other hand is just a collaboration of one insane idea after the other. When asked what his book, Grasshopper Jungle, is all about and the concepts behind his idea, he said with complete sincerity and seriousness that he honestly had no idea what his book is about. Smith lives in a very rural remote area, where he can't even get mail, and he admitted that he goes running every day (probably because there is not much else to do!). The title is, I am assuming, in reference to all the grasshoppers that he hears when he runs; Grasshopper Jungle. According to Andrew Smith, the title of his book has drawn people to the conclusion that he loves bugs, when in reality he hates them! I can't blame him, bugs are gross, however I can see the reasons why people would make that assumptions. Fun fact: Grasshopper Jungle was never intended to be published. Smith quit writing and fired his agent, planning to never publish another work, and thus created Grasshopper Jungle for himself. I believe that this is truly the best way to do anything - because you love your own work, not because you want the money or attention. If that is what you want from writing, or any other job, in the end it's not worth it.

At the end of the discussion, there was the option to ask questions, and I put forward something I was honestly curious about.
I am 19, I write a YA book blog and I'm an avid reader of YA books, more so than any other genre. From this, I have received a fair bit of backlash, with people assuming that I am dumb or stupid or just downright ridiculous for reading books intended for teenagers. I was curious to see whether authors have received similar treatment in their writing of YA.

Their responses were incredible, and I will be dedicating an entire blog post to that subject, as I feel it is something that shouldn't just be thrown on the end of a post.
Stay tuned for that post to follow.

Ultimately, this event was one of the best nights of my life. I have never before experienced such an honest, open and in depth panel of authors who wanted to be there and truly loved their work.

Hats off to all of you, and I wish you luck in your future works,

Jessica

Review of The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Title: The Testing

Author: Joelle Charbonneau

Release Date: August 1st 2013

 

Synopsis

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? 

The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. 

Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one. 

But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

My Review

I want to start by saying that it has been a while since I read a dystopian fiction book.

After the hype of Hunger Games, YA dystopian books blew up in the world of Hollywood and the lives of readers everywhere. For a while, I was caught up in the whirlwind of books that was Divergent, Enders Game, The Maze Runner and every other book that is, in reality, just a variation on the same concept. I became quickly bored and thus moved into the world of paranormal romance, vampires, Gods and Goddesses, aliens, and of course, cheesy chick-lit.

However I have recently overwhelmed my brain with too much of the same and decided to read something else. Currently being in California, I have enjoyed being outside with my kindle and just binge-reading anything and everything I find that seems remotely interesting.

A few months ago I spent a fair amount of money on books (I will not say how much because although I loved getting all those new books, the number is slightly too large to be deemed appropriate to spend in one go), and in my one-click-spree I purchased a book called The Testing.

Being a dystopian book, I quickly put it on my "to read at a later date definitely not soon" pile along with the Legends series and Article 5. 

THAT was my first mistake.

So, in my binge-read fest I decided to try another dystopian book. "Maybe this one will prove me wrong" I thought.

Firstly, congratulations to Joelle Charbonneau for writing a book that instantly made my Top 3 books of ALL time, and secondly; THANK YOU for proving me wrong.

As soon as I started reading, I was hooked. I read the entire thing in one sitting, taking me just over 3 hours (my standard reading time if I am in love with the book). Once it was over, I had a serious lust and deep burning desire for the second book in the trilogy, Independent Study, and spent what little money I had on purchasing the sequel. I must say that I am pretty hard-up at the moment, however the book was so incredible that I couldn't imagine going another day let alone 3 weeks until I read it. 

Many of the quotes from reviews, articles and other bloggers stated that this is a must-read for fans of the Hunger Games, whilst others said things such as "Hunger Games meets Divergent in this fast-paced, thrilling story". That is true. If you enjoyed the Hunger Games, Divergent or any other dystopian book, the chances are you will like this novel too. If you didn't, you will probably still enjoy this book due to it's unbelievably genius writing, creativity and originality. 

This book is the best dystopian that I have ever read. It knocks the Hunger Games out of the park. There is no "hype" or build-up surrounding this book, meaning that I was able to form my own opinions without those of others clouding my judgement. 

It became clear quickly that Joelle Charbonneau was indeed influenced by the writings of Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth, as there were aspects of the Hunger Games within the book, set in the classic "dystopian" themed setting. The main character is a female, there is a love story but it is not the main aspect of the book, The Hunger Games districts are called the colonies - the students are brought to Tosu City for The Testing, the same way the Hunger Games competitors are brought to the Capitol, and ultimately you either succeed or you die.

However, for me, that is where I draw the line at similarities.

I loved that the protagonist of the story was female, similar to the HG and Divergent, however in both those books I connected more with the male characters than the females. I also find that in real life, I seem to make friends more easily with men than women. The Testing presented Cia in a way that made me want to be her friend. It made me want to be a better person, seek her approval and gain her trust. I have never before felt that in any book I have ever read, and thus instantly Charbonneau sets the stage for a flawless performance.

Similar to the Hunger Games, there was a love story that was prominent however it was not essential. I was expecting the "love triangle" - 2 boys after 1 girl, and was pleasantly surprised when this was not the case. There was absolutely no romance in the first half of the book, bar some mediocre flirting between Cia and Tomas, and when romance did develop, I had seen the characters relationships develop as friends who trust each other, into romance and finally love. These were characters who had not just met at the Testing, but had grown up as children, studied together, danced, been in the same classes and had always been "friendly" but had never realised the potential for more until they were sent together for the Testing. The way the love story develops instantly makes me like Charbonneau's writing, as it steps outside of the conventional box into a class all of its own.

Whether intended or not, Joelle Charbonneau's book also passed The Bechdel Test - normally used to rate films however I am applying it to a novel within this context (obviously). The Bechdel Test requires that two females must talk to each other about something OTHER than a boy/man. A lot of novels do pass this test, however only by a few lines. The Testing passes with flying colours! There are huge passages where Cia talks to her mother, Zandri, Annalise, Ryme and other female characters about education, hopes, dreams - nothing romantic or male orientated. 

My main love of this book is that the competition was intellectual. Smart people for the win! To me, High School and University has always felt a bit like a competition, however the consequences of The Testing are much more severe. One of my favourite quotes from the book is by Dr Barnes: "Wrong answers will be penalised". This could simply sound like marks would be deducted however when you read the book you quickly discover that they mean something far more sinister. Some people have said in their reviews that they believe Cia is too smart - I do not agree. She simply works hard but obviously had an originally high level of intellect and logic reasoning skills. There are many people similar to Cia's intellect within the real world, and I for one find it refreshing that a female character is portrayed in a book to be smarter than the men around her, despite how they may have been brought up. Hermione Granger is really the only other female character that I feel can match Cia's intellect, however she is the sidekick to Harry who always seems to get the credit, whilst Cia is permitted to work independently and prove her worth to everyone around her who may have underestimated her abilities.

This book also promoted the underdogs - Cia, a young, smart, independent female from a colony which is often overlooked is given the chance to prove herself in a battle of the wits with 108 other students. They are told early on that only 20 will progress to the University to study to become the future leaders of their country. Her father was one of those who passed his tests, however when Cia was chosen he informed her of the horrors he suspected took place when he was there - all memories are wiped clean following the testing. I loved watching Cia progress and evolve as a character, and show that just because she wasn't from a big city didn't mean that she wasn't as well educated or intellectually talented.

Cia quickly became one of my female characters of all time. I loved her genuine kind heartedness. There was no malicious intentions within any of her actions, despite the cruelty of those around her. She proves time after time that she was raised well and simply wanted to help others; that she did not seek leadership for the attention, but to change the world in a positive manner. Cia was also one of the few who did not lose herself or her values within the competition. When forced into dealing with unpleasant things that put her life in danger, Cia acted upon common sense and instinct won out, however Charbonneau managed to show Cia's guilt and pain at having to do things she never wanted to or believed herself capable of, and thus showed that Cia is only human, and flawed like the rest of us. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I want to strive to be more like Cia. Charbonneau does not focus at all on her looks, in fact I am not 100% certain what Cia actually looks like. It is more about her personality - her intellect, hard working nature with honest, genuine and kind intentions in all that she does. Within the book she alerts Brick, another character, to possible danger in the team working round. This was not something that she had to do, or was encouraged to do, however she obviously has a conscience and was not comfortable with the weight of someone's death on her shoulders, whether she was directly responsible for the consequences or not.
Cia is cunning and wise, without being bragging. To me, she is the definition of a character truly defined by inner beauty. 

I raise my glass and my literary praise to Joelle Charbonneau on creating the perfect representation of what a young woman in todays society should really be. 

Cover Reveal: The Perfect Imperfection by Melissa Rolka

  **EXPECTED RELEASE EARLY SUMMER 2014**

 

  The Perfect Imperfection is a standalone in the Perfect Series, it’s a novella about Matt and Quinn, who we first meet in The Perfect Distraction, Book One in The Perfect Series and continue to read about in The Perfect Emotion, Book Two in The Perfect Series.

Quinn Danner always appeared to have the perfect life full of big dreams, high expectations and popularity.  Living in perfection has always been harder than she ever made it appear.  Throughout her life she always found ways to rebel against the pressures she felt from friends, teachers and most of all her parents.  Unfortunately, these actions never benefited her and left her feeling empty.  She never experienced a first love until college when she met Matt Preston.

Matt came into Quinn’s life sweeping her off her feet and opening her eyes to possibilities she never dreamt of.  Both looked beyond their pasts and imperfections.  Soon their love was filled with only perfection.  While at college they were in a bubble that no one could burst, but when the realities of life away from college hit they separated.  Soon thereafter, they fall to their old ways, neither ever really letting go of their love or moving forward.

Now almost two years later, after avoiding each other at all costs and numerous failed attempts to move on, they reunite in the most unexpected way.  Matt’s determined to reconnect and show Quinn their love still exists, but Quinn’s life is filled with complications that may not align them to be together.

Matt and Quinn found love once, bonded and unbreakable until the strains and pressures of life broke them.  Can they find each other again and reunite their love?

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22008362-the-perfect-imperfection

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Melissa Rolka grew up in the Chicagoland area all of her childhood and has always had a love of writing. She started by keeping a journal at a young age and then in high school she started writing poetry. A couple poems were published anonymously. Then in college she majored in Philosophy, which required lots and lots of writing. After graduating from Marquette University she traveled west to Los Angeles. There she worked for the Writers Guild of America and found herself submerged in the writers world. She worked on small writings, but never pursued them. On the side she became involved with a small theater group. Eventually she made her way back to the Midwest, where her heart belongs, and worked in business for several years. She found love, got married and has two beautiful children. Being at home has allowed her to keep following her love of reading and writing. The Perfect Distraction is her first full length novel. A second continuation of this story is in the works with hopes for a third. When Melissa is not writing she is caring for, playing with and loving her two kids. In between taking care of her family and writing she almost always has her nose buried in her Kindle.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.rolkaauthor

Amazon Authors Page: http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Rolka/e/B00FP6QKYE/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1390391017&sr=1-2-ent

   

My Mechanical Angel Cover Reveal

Title: My Mechanical Angel

Author: Harmony Lawson 

Genre: Young Adult Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Synopsis: The small Wild West farming community of Whitcomb was afraid of Seraphton, the shining metropolis that lies along the horizon. Reverend Archibald preached that the city was forbidden, an abomination to the world, and evil demons lurk inside despite the celestial name. Emmaline had a feeling there was more to Seraphton than the Reverend let on. Emmaline Fortenbury had always felt out of place in Whitcomb and wondered if Seraphton was really like he said. He preached like he held a grudge. What were the secrets of Seraphton and how did it connect with Reverend Archibald?

Then a stranger comes to town and the meeting changes her life. Aleksander Galloway was feared by the townspeople, but she found him fascinating. She wanted more out of life for herself. She wanted the chance to explore the world, and he seemed to be the man to help her. He had silver metal wings and a mechanical eye. He was handsome in a way that wasn’t like the townspeople of Whitcomb. He was sophisticated, educated, and very interesting. How can their love grow when their two towns collide? Can their love bring everyone together for peace?

Harmony Lawson was born on a naval base in San Diego, California. Currently, she and her family live in Northern California in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her education is in drawing, painting, and writing. When she read her first romance novel at age 16, she became a hopeless romantic.  Harmony is fascinated by angels, and she incorporates research in angels, the Nephilim, and fallen angels into her fictional stories. Many of the descriptions in her books reflect actual documentation found in religious documents.  While she has endured many hardships in life, she believes life will be better tomorrow. Life has its ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and Heaven and Hell. She believes the bad times are a test to prove a person's worth. Her books reflect on that concept. 

A little something extra about me:

I write fantasy/romance for young adults...seems to be the voice that fits me the best. My first book "Apocalypse of Angels: Seeing Angels" was published January 2013 (It was published under a different name in 2009 through iUniverse-the company wasn't working for me)...and I'm told I'm doing well for a first time published author---but I'm still learning the industry. I'm currently halfway finished with the first draft my 3rd novel (8 novels planned all together: not all are in the series: and my ideas keep growing). I've also dabbled a little with children's fiction, I've written and illustrated 3 stories, they aren't published as of yet. I've been writing since I was 16 (poems mainly) and dabbling in art since I was 4. I started writing seriously when I was 20. Most of my experience is self-taught but I have taken correspondence courses for writing children's fiction and I've taken several classes for art. My series was mentioned in the Sacramento Bee in May 2013 and I've been interviewed on our local radio station, KNCO.

Links: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17249232-apocalypse-of-angels http://www.amazon.com/dp/1938634012 http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00AZCNXNE https://www.facebook.com/MyMechanicalAngel https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harmony-Lawson/1416616748587656

“Who’s there?” I say trying to keep my voice calm.

No answer.

“If someone’s there, you’d better let me know,” I call out in a warning tone. I almost sound like Ma for a minute. I can’t help but smile at the thought. “I’ll go get my Pa’s gun!”

Still there is no answer. Maybe it is all in my head, and it is just the wind of the storm blowing things around. I turn to leave, but I’m stopped by an unknown voice that sends a shiver up my spine.

“Good evening, miss, and please don’t get your Pa’s gun,” his voice is soft and calming. I am not afraid of this voice. I grab a pitchfork just in case. I’m not dumb. A girl needs to be cautious. I turn around to see where the voice was coming from.

“You just come out of the darkness, and we shall see.” My voice wavers a little bit, but I hold the pitchfork and try to keep it steady. I don’t want him to see me shaking. I’m not sure if I’m shaking from fear or from being chilled. He is a stranger, after all. I’m not used to having strangers around.

He steps out of the shadows and into the light of the lantern. His dark features are beautiful and instantly has me enthralled, and I know where he comes from. His skin is pale and seems to glow in the lantern light. The light is casting strange shadows on his face. He definitely isn’t from anywhere around here. I’ve been raised to believe the inhabitants of Seraphton are devils, but this tall gentleman looks anything but normal. His dark brown hair is styled in a short spiky way. He is wearing a blue shirt, a shiny black vest with black pants with silver zippers all over, and black leather boots. He looks quite soaked from the rain. One glance from his dark eyes makes my heart do a flip-flop. There is something different about his eyes. And his silver metal wings on his back certainly interest me. How intriguing. I wonder if the wings are attached to his back. Who is this man?

Is this a coincidence or what? Here I am tossing and turning about Seraphton all night, and now one of its inhabitants is standing in front of me. Is this fate?

He steps closer, and I hold the pitchfork tightly. He stops and holds up his hands. “It’s ok, Miss. I’m not going to hurt you. I just crashed into your field, and with the strength of the storm, I had to seek shelter. My name is Aleksander Galloway.”

Set Me Free Cover Reveal!

Cover Reveal!

Release Day May 18th!

Hunted by a crooked FBI agent who killed her parents, Lucy has taken on one disguise after the next.

But Zach knows exactly who she is and in spite of mounting evidence indicating her guilt in her parents’ death, he knows she’s innocent. Convinced that it’s time to put her years on the run behind her, Zach and Lucy vow to fight back, clear her name, and take down the real killer. With support from Zach’s loyal friends and his uncle, an investigative reporter, they set out on a dangerous mission hoping that the truth...will set them free.

Pre Order Set Me Free!  

( Releases May 18th 2014 ) 

 

Haven't read book #1 yet?! Grab it today!

Lucy Tate is on the run. After witnessing the brutal murder of her parents, she's spent five years in hiding -- taking on different personas and faking her way through life. The authorities can't be trusted, so she remains in the shadows, always one beat ahead of the man who is forever hunting her. That is, until she meets Zach Schultz, a senior at Monte Vista High and the one guy she can’t bear to leave. Suddenly her natural instincts to lie, steal, and run are overshadowed by something else...the desire to stay. It’s her one shot at a normal life. Curious by nature, Zach is immediately drawn to the new girl at school. How can a person look both confident and vulnerable all in the same moment? Determined to learn more about her, he tries to get close, but is thrown into a world of lies and confusion. The only thing that becomes apparent is that discovering the truth may get him killed.

 

About the Author

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Author Blog / Book Blog / Pinterest

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Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She now lives in China with her husband and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books. Recently she signed with Evatopia Press and her first Evatopia book is coming out in February 2014 - True Colors, The Masks Series #1. She is very excited to be trying out new things this year while continuing to publish under her own name as well. She has six books planned for 2014 and is excited about writing each and every one of them. "I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."

Surrender the Sky Release Day Kit!

 

"I wish I didn't know. I wish my heart hadn't been seared black in my chest. I wish everything were different." - Surrender the Sky

 

Surrender the Sky by Meradeth Houston

Gabby lives by two unbreakable rules: don’t expose her kind, the Sary, and don’t fall in love—too bad some rules are made to be broken.

When Gabby’s most difficult charge accidentally shoots her in front of a class full of students, the event exposes her carefully hidden identity. She shifts from looking like a normal teen to her secret Sary form, revealing her wings and the existence of her kind—immortals who try to keep people from committing suicide. Her incident attracts the attention of the next leader of the Sary, Jassen, who offers her an impossible bargain: she can keep her wings if she makes amends with those who know the truth. Things get more complicated when a rebel Sary, intent on exposing them to the world, starts interfering with Gabby’s work. And there’s no denying her attraction to Jassen, who is torn between his duties and his heart. With threats at every turn and her immortality on the line, Gabby has to find a way to save the Sary or surrender the sky forever.

 

Surrender the Sky is Available Now for only .99 Cents!

Excerpt

" I knew the day was not going to end well as soon as I saw the gun. It bulged in the outside pocket of his backpack, hidden unless someone looked for it. Of course, I had to be the one looking for it.

Chad kept his head down in class, his pen scratching dark lines of some doodle across his paper. I couldn’t drag my gaze away from him.

He’d brought a gun. Damn it. He was going to follow through with his plan.

I was focusing so hard on the knot of guilt in my stomach and the tangle of plans to stop Chad that Bea had to kick my chair to alert me class had started. Of course, Bea had to be in this class with the homicidal kid who was my responsibility.

I did a quick head count. It was Friday, half-day schedule, last period, with spring break starting next week. Most everyone had ditched already, and only thirteen people remained, including our teacher.

Unfortunately, just enough of the students on Chad’s list stayed for the last class. "

 

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About the Author, Meradeth Houston

I've never been a big fan of talking about myself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about me:

>I'm a California girl. This generally means I talk too fast and use "like" a lot.

>I have my doctorate in molecular anthropology. Translation: I sequence dead people's DNA and spend a whole lot of time in a lab, which I love.

>I've been writing since I was 11 years old. It's my hobby, my passion, and I'm so happy to get to share my work!

>My other passion is teaching. There's nothing more fun than getting a classroom of college kids fired up about anthropology!

>If I could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because I'm terrified of heights.

Website / Faceboook / Twitter / Goodreads / Tumblr / Google +<

Birksanna's Sacrifice Release Day Blitz!

Title: Birksanna’s Sacrifice

Author: Sabrina Rawson

Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance

Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Synopsis: Briksanna’s Sacrifice is a character-driven fantasy romance novel, the first book within a series called A Novel of the Four Realms, about men and women of different realms on a quest to fulfill a prophesy.

Prologue       Captured, physically and emotionally exhausted, Briksanna Akmond, High Princess of Skaldanna has no idea where she is or how long she is going to be kept prisoner.  The Prophesy speaks of her having a starring role in the downfall of Lord Drakkoon.  She escapes her prison draining her persecutor of life.

Two thousand years hiding in the Earth Realm, Briksanna heads a mercenary group called Lightning Strike where every member is part of her adopted family.  Her secret love, Nathanial, openly declares his promise to cherish her forever despite his own reservations.  They are visited by the Goddess Merridian who explains The Prophesy and the importance of their roles.  She reveals Lord Drakkoon is her twin brother and the history of his role in the Under Realm.

In a dream sequence, Briksanna recalls her prison tormentor was actually her betrothed.  Thinking he was dead, she grieved her lost love during her imprisonment.  She does not want to feel the vulnerability of love, and prays for healing from her pain; when her prayers go unanswered she uses her energy to destroy the prison.  Waking, Briksanna is reassured by Nathanial of their growing relationship while giving her space to build their relationship in trust.  Nathanial’s brother, Stark, sits with the rest of the family explaining the importance of solidarity regarding The Prophesy.

In the Under Realm, Lord Drakkoon interrogates his most trusted warrior why he failed his latest mission, in the Earth Realm.  The warrior explains his encounter with Briksanna’s family, and how he lost all of his soldiers.  Lord Drakkoon uses his power to alter the warrior forever changing him.  Merridian is in Lord Drakkoon’s castle when her energy is drained barely escaping the Under Realm with her life.  Briksanna is drained of energy in the Earth Realm.  She contacts her friend, Katerina, who confirms the same had been felt in the Second Realm resulting in the death of her lands.  Briksanna promises to bring help right before fainting in Nathanial’s arms.  In a dream sequence, Briksanna recalls believing she is a victim of tragedy and embraces the desire for vengeance.  Nathanial takes Briksanna to their room to have a surprise visit by Skaldanna’s seer Vakgdona.  She informs him of a quest they will need to embark on in order to gain the weapon needed for The Prophesy.  Stark brings Briksanna’s twin daughters, who are healers, to the room.  Stark reminisces on his past relationship with Nathanial while heading to get something to eat.  Nathanial feels unsure of his capabilities of being a king and shares it with Stark.  Intent on forgetting Nathanial and Briksanna explore their love, embrace their heated desire allowing their emotions free reign.

Stark is surprised when the Goddess Merridian appears out of nowhere seeking shelter before passing out in his arms.  He takes her to the infirmary turning her over to the twins.  The twins explain, to the rest of the family, the dynamics of energy and High Royalty distribution of energy on Skaldanna.  Briksanna doesn’t believe she can trust Merridian and she offers a truce allowing Briksanna to access her memories.  Briksanna explains what is to be expected while on Skaldanna as royalty and how energy is the sole source of life in all the realms.  The warrior interacts with Lord Drakkoon, further acknowledging his hatred for him.  He reflects on The Mistress as his protector while he cherishes the medallion she gave him and together they will destroy Lord Drakkoon.

The next day, all family members prepare to leave for Skaldanna.  Nathanial reflects on his own personal trust issues while Briksanna and Katerina form a portal successfully transporting everyone.  Briksanna is surprised to find, Hawk, the general of her father’s royal guards waiting for her.  Mistakenly reacting to aggression from Hawk, the twins threaten Hawk at sword point until Briksanna forces them to release him.  They go to the castle and engage in heated discussions forcing Merridian to reveal herself as a Goddess.  Everyone agrees to survey the damage to the Second Realm.  Briksanna speculates on the possibility of a different villain acting out these attacks.

In the west wing of the castle two guards assigned to the wing disrespect Briksanna and Nathanial.  Suddenly the lovers fight viciously, attempting to kill one another.  Merridian sees an evil spell weaving around them and she breaks the spell rendering Nathanial and Briksanna unconscious.  Katerina says she witnessed the day Briksanna’s family had been killed by the same magic.  Nathanial and Briksanna awaken horrified by their memories and reassure themselves of their love.  Nathanial leaves to survey the land with the men and Briksanna seeks Katerina and one of the twins to view the grounds outside.  

Appalled at the destruction within the land, Briksanna embraces the core energy from Skaldanna collaborating with one of the twins, they sing the land back to life.  Briksanna embraces her role as High Queen understanding The Prophesy more clearly.  Nathanial worries when the lightning begins, only to be caught up in the energy tsunami flying through the realm, effectively erasing his insecurities, strengthening his resolve to be the leader he wants to be.  Racing back to where the women were, Nathanial orders everyone to the castle.

Heading to their rooms, Briksanna gets violently ill revealing she is pregnant with their first child dictated by The Prophesy.  She expresses her fears for their child and the children they have fostered together along with the impact being pregnant will have on their reign in the near future.  Nathanial replaces all her doubts with his love.  She accepts his love, trusting him with everything she has.  He accepts his role as High King knowing she will forever stand beside him never in front of him.  Together they accept their roles within The Prophesy.

Although I have only been physically writing for two years the ideas that conceived my first novel have been percolating in my mind for many years. In many ways I found life experiences influencing my story although written in fantasy format. Nelson Mandela's words inspired me: "There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." No truer words could have been said. After my first cancer battle three years ago, I was in the frame of mind of surviving trying to get back to my swing of things. Problem was I couldn't. I wasn't the same person anymore. Then I relapsed by the end of the first year. Came through that experience exhausted and have had multiple tumors pop up ever since. To say my health being a mental/physical challenge is putting it mild. I realize what I left behind in that operating room in 2010 was my passion. Cancer can't take that away, I put it away along with my drive and ambition. My creative muse happily skipped right along with the rest of them. I had to discover myself. Well here I am three years post my first surgery and even if I have to do it again in a few months, so what! I refuse to settle for a life less than what I can create for myself. I live in Sonoma County heart of the wine country of California enjoying life in the rural land happily married to a wonderful supportive husband. You can always find me reading a book, cooking a meal for our multitude of children or playing with our dog, Taylor.

Links: 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsabrinarawson Follow for photos, history and book tour information: www.sabrinarawson.com Email me at: sabrina.rawson@outlook.com Follow: Twitter@SabrinaRawson

Buy Links are at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Briksanna's+Sacrifice&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ABriksanna's+Sacrifice

“I mean it, Bri, I’m going to take care of you first then you and I can talk, deal?  That is the best I can offer after all we have been through tonight.”  Sounding very serious he was putting all his mental effort to block her from his thoughts so she was unable to ascertain if he was lying or not.  He wanted her to trust him.

Looking at her mate her grin managed to reach her eyes for the first time in many years, “Deal Mate.”  Two can play at that game.

He stilled his body, eyes turning a molten green, like an animal ready to pounce before shaking it off knowing he needed to put her needs before his allowing the cool Nate to come to the forefront.  Smiling he picked her up, “Mrs. Angelo, you have made me a very proud man.  I swear I will do all that I can to keep my promise to both you and the Goddess.  Now let’s get you showered, some food in you and a clean change of clothes.  With the way I am feeling right now not necessarily in that order.”

“Warm or hot?” he asked walking into the large bathroom.

“What?”  Licking her lips he wondered what it would feel like to have his arms wrapped around her all night long.  She seemed distracted by his touch before, but now she couldn’t keep her thoughts in the present tense.  She kept projecting her own fantasies of them together under the running water, he was afraid he would lose his cool and jump her.  If she didn’t get her head out of the gutter soon he was going to combust from his own desires boiling inside of him.

He smiled at her knowing she was distracted with her own private thoughts and this touched his heart knowing he excited her with just a thought.  They were the same reasons he was struggling with by putting her basic needs first.  He did not need her attacking him like an animal clearly as her mind was demanding her to do because if she did he wouldn’t last a second.

“Water, warm or hot?”  He repeated poised by the head of the shower stall.

“Warm, please.”  Shaking her head slightly trying to clear her thoughts he figured she should try deep breathing if focusing on the present moment continued to fail her.  Goodness sakes, she was acting like a crazed teenager around him and he liked it.

Suddenly feeling doubtful of her worth to him sobered up her libido real quick.  She stole a quick glance at him hoping to reassure herself of his commitment towards her but he saw her looking at him from the corner of his eyes anyway.

I have got to let go of this self-doubt.  Those thoughts have no place between us in this moment.  If I say that enough times maybe I will believe it?

Setting her down carefully on the bathroom counter, holding her around the waist with one arm he leaned into the shower stall to turn on the water.  She was too quiet for his liking, because after turning the water on he turned back and stared at her.  After a couple of debatable seconds he went with his gut pulling her into a hug wrapping his massive arms around her filling his senses with her scent.  She had endured so much.  He wanted to give her so much and not frighten her with his presence in her life in the process.  He knew he was the man for her and she was the woman for him but she still had a hard time with trusting despite what her heart and mind were saying.  There was still a piece of her she kept hidden.  Some things were just hard for her to let go of.  That he could defiantly understand.

Will she ever trust him enough so they could endure The Prophesy and defeat Lord Drakkoon?  More importantly could he trust her to endure the upcoming battle for the sake for the universe?  What a complete mess this was.  When he dreamed of confronting Bri with the truth of his feelings for her he didn’t count on all of this drama to go with it.  Frowning he thought about where his thoughts were heading.  He would lay down his life for her no matter what, so what the hell was he worried about?  For him there was no one else in the world he would rather spend his days with.  She was the one for him and there was nothing anyone could do or say that would cause him to betray her trust.

He let go of her, turned around and adjusted the water temperature.  She heard a stray thought from him float by her like a breeze in the bathroom.

I don’t know if I can trust her not to forget me.  She has been alive longer than I can imagine.  I don’t even know if there is someone else on Skaldanna waiting for her to come back to.  She could have someone who’s been waiting for her all this time and I show up.  She deserves someone who has more knowledge in all of this prophesy stuff than me.  What can I bring to the table that I have gained in my whopping thirty six years of life?

He was frightened he would not measure up to the man she needed him to be in order for her to succeed with her role in The Prophesy.  She understood, in that moment, he had always been in the present tense with her.  What was going on in that very moment, between the both of them, was the most important thing in his world and he knew it.  He had not been keeping the truth of his commitment to her hidden, she had chosen not to look into his heart seeing what was right in front of her.  This man was her chosen mate and she believed she had chosen well.  Her father would be proud of her choice.

“You are my purpose now, Nathanial.” she said quietly from behind, placing her hand on the small of his back to reassure him of her presence.  “I will do the will of the Gods for the sake of the universe but never lose sight that I do this for the sake of the life of our future son.”

Turning around slowly, Nate looked at her for just a few moments, and then gave a clipped nod.  “Let me help you get out of these clothes.”  Keeping his eyes trained on her beautiful lips he pulled her t-shirt over her head.  He looked like a man who was staring at the world’s greatest problem and she was the answer.

He reached around her and unclasped her bra careful not to frighten her with his actions.  “You are beautiful to me.”  Pulling the bra away slowly gazing at her making her feel like the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.  “You are so beautiful to me.”  Bringing his eyes up to her face she recognized the aroused expression on his face mirrored hers.

“Baby, I want you more than I want to breathe, right now, but what kind of husband would I be to you if I start this relationship off being selfish?”  His voice sounded deeper, gravely like he was straining to get the words out.  His voice sent chills up her spine despite her warmth and she was getting hotter by the second.

Knowing how exhausted she was, he bent on one knee to unlace her boots.  Lifting her right leg he pulled off one boot repeating the action with her other foot.  Still in a kneeling he reached up to unbutton her pants and pulled the zipper down holding his breath until the zipper went as far as it could go.  Chancing a look at her face before he continued with pulling her pants down, he wanted to make sure she was ok with him helping her undress.  She stopped him mid motion with a slight touch of her hands.

“I can hear your thoughts as if they are my own.  I want you to know before we go any further, I have never laid with a man.”  Not waiting for his response, she straightened her shoulders hoping down from the counter pulling her pants down in front of him while he remained kneeling in front of her.

What was he going to say?  Here I am old enough to be his grandmother, more than several times removed, and I am just a plain virgin.

Grabbing her hand before she could step into the shower, he said “There is nothing plain about you.  I am both humbled and honored that you have chosen me to share your love, no don’t look away, that’s right, I said love.  Bri, I will not turn away from this thing we have to go through.  I love you more than I want to breathe.  I may have doubts now and then, but in the end I will always do the right thing.  Now get in there and wash up.  The sooner you do that the sooner we can eat.”

Eyes glistening listening to his declaration of love for her, she felt another crack in the armor she had built around her soul.  “I love you.  I have wanted to say that for a long time.  I did not know how or if you felt the same way.  I was afraid to tell you before, but am no longer.”  Sounding more confidant she pleaded with her eyes for him to believe her.  “Thank you for being here with me.  I do not know what I would have done if you were not here with me.  Truly, I do love you.”

Not hesitating when he spoke next, “I love you forever”

Appearing as if it was the hardest thing in the world to do, he closed his eyes, kissed her lightly on the forehead then turned around and walked right out the bathroom, closing the door, allowing her the privacy of a warm shower.