Colleen Houck's Blog, page 14

Recreated Teaser Tuesday- Beyond the Curtain

An Up Close and Personal Interview with Colleen Houck

 So typically you get a little behind the scenes, a sneak peek, learn more about a  character, and so on, but today I thought it’d be fun to go even beyond that of the book itself and see the author behind the curtain, the  creator of the Tiger’s Curse series and Reawakened series, Colleen Houck.

Here’s an up close and personal interview with the author:

What superpower do you wish you had?

Speed because I’d like to be able to check off that many more items on my never ending to do list.

What are three things on your bucket list?

Cruise to the Mediterranean, going zip lining and completing a marathon.

What is the most romantic memory you have from your personal life?

My most romantic memories are actually writing romantic scenes in my books.

 

What food could you not live without?

Chocolate

What is one strange habit that you have?

I religiously eat cottage cheese in the morning.

Name three of the happiest moments in your life.

My wedding day, going to Romantic Times Book Conventions with my sisters and going to New York with my parents.

What’s your best piece of writing advice?

 I always recommend that you read, read, and then read some more.

 

What is your favorite word?

Scrumdiddlyumptious

 

What is your least favorite word?

Urinal

 

What turns you on?

A man who looks good in a suit

 

What sound or noise do you love?

Giggling babies

 

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt?

Drawing artist

 

What’s your favorite starburst flavor?

Cherry red

 

If you could sing one song on American Idol, which song would you choose?

“I will always love you” by Whitney Houston

 

If you were a new addition to the Crayola box, what color would you be?

 Dill Pickle Green

 

What’s the last gift you gave someone?

 New clothes for my niece.

 

How do you handle negative criticism?

I mentally block it out if I can.

How would your best friend describe you?

Productive and bossy.

(FYI, Colleen’s waaay off on this one)

Which book villain are you most like?

We put together a fun “Which book villain are you most like?” quiz for those of you who’ve read the Tiger’s Curse and Reawakened series.

Enjoy! When you’re done, leave a comment to see which villain you got!

Ready . . .

Set . . .

Go!

August Contest of the Month Winner!

August marked the exciting new release of RECREATED, the sequel to REAWAKENED, and we held a contest in honor of this release.

A huge thank you to all who participated in the contest!

And the winner is . . .

Stephanie L Tullis

Congrats Stephanie!!!!

The lucky winner will receive a copy of Reawakened and Recreated, a breathtaking adventure book filled with magic, love, tragedy, tension and sacrifice and that’s not all!

September Book Club and August Chat Winner

A huge thanks to all who participated in the Goodreads chat with author Jessica Brody during the month of August.

As promised, one lucky participant is randomly chosen to win each month. What is in this month’s prize package? The winner will receive THREE novels by Jessica Brody and a book of choice from Colleen Houck (Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, Tiger’s Destiny, Tiger’s Promise, Reawakened or Recreated).  

  

And. . . the winner is

Natalie Arroyo

Congrats!

Now, it’s time to announce our Septemer featured book of the month!

Welcome to …

If you’re just tuning in, or are new to this online book club, it’s super easy to join. I host the club on Goodreads and each month you get the chance to ask authors questions. You can ask anything from what they like to eat to what they’re writing right now. You don’t have to read the book to participate and every month I choose one lucky person from the chat to win a prize! The prize includes the book or books I’ve read from that author that month as well as your pick of any one of my books as well and some extra fun stuff I throw in! What’s the catch? There is none, this is just a great way for us authors to network and for you, the readers, to branch out and have fun! So, for our next book pick,  I’m excited to feature . . .

Trial by Fire

by author Josephine Angelini

A little teaser

This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying many of the experiences that other teenagers take for granted…which is why she is determined to enjoy her first (and perhaps only) high-school party. But Lily’s life never goes according to plan, and after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly Lily is in a different Salem – one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of all the Crucibles is Lillian . . . Lily’s identical other self in this alternate universe. This new version of her world is terrifyingly sensual, and Lily is soon overwhelmed by new experiences.

Lily realizes that what makes her weak at home is exactly what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. It also puts her life in danger. Thrown into a world she doesn’t understand, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can’t hope to shoulder alone, and a love she never expected.

But how can Lily be the saviour of this world when she is literally her own worst enemy?

Learn more about this author and her books at josephineangelini.com  to get your hands on your own copy, click here.

I’m very excited to check out this author and her novel!  Also, you can participate in an ongoing chat with Colleen and Josephine asking just about anything you’d like on Goodreads throughout September!

Also, remember that you don’t need to read the book to participate. It’s a GREAT opportunity to get to know the authors and ask any questions you’d like!

For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY for one lucky participant! 

Happy reading everyone!

Recreated Teaser Tuesday- Sneak Peek #2

Recreated Sneak Peek #2

 

As she sipped her tea and rocked, her twinkling eyes studied me in the dim room. “What’s bothering you, Lilypad?” she asked.

A stream of words crossed my tongue but melted away like chocolate over a flame. “I…it’s hard to talk about,” I said finally.

“Is it your parents? College?”

“No.”

“Ah…it’s a young man then.” I grimaced and then nodded once. “Tell me about him,” she encouraged.

Could I? If anyone would understand or believe me, it would be her. Anubis hadn’t said I couldn’t tell anyone. He probably just assumed that no one would accept what I said anyway and it wasn’t like sharing my story could change anything.

“Did he have a strong chin?” she asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“A…a what?” I replied.

“A strong chin. You can always tell a good man by the cut of his chin.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “Nana, what are you talking about?”

“No, I mean it. A weak chinned man is a man you walk away from.” She slashed her hand in front of her as if karate chopping the weak man down.

“Are you sure you aren’t talking about horses or cows?” I teased.

Grandma leaned forward, “Your grandpa, rest his soul, had a rugged chin. He was a strong man. A good one. Never seen the like of him since.”

I folded my arms across my chest and regarded her with a smile. “Is that how you picked him? Based on his chin?”

“Well, there was that and the steamed windows.”

“Steamed windows?”

“Every time we got to kissing we steamed up the windows.”

I choked on my tea and set down the cup. “I did not need to know that about grandpa.”

Poetry Contest 2016

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

For those of you who love to read and also have a passion for writing, this contest is designed with you in mind. Or, if perhaps writing isn’t your thing but you are interested in winning an AWESOME prize package, then lend your ear for this month’s contest.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So, we’d like to put it to the test (well, so to speak). Here’s how the contest will work. I will post a couple pictures (shown below) and you will use those pictures as your inspiration to write a short poem. The range and interpretation of your poem is only limited by your imagination, I only ask that somehow it is relate-able to the picture. Here are the rules for the contest entry:

*Must have a title

*Must be a minimum of 25 words but no longer than 100 words

*Must be a poem, not a story or essay

*Must be submitted by September 28th, 2016 by midnight PST

*Must submit writing to colleenhouckcontest@gmail.com

*Must provide your name and should you win, your mailing address for prize (only via email so your information remains private)

*Must be your own work and cannot be submitted on behalf of another

*Only ONE entry per person

OK, here’s a couple pictures from which to draw your inspiration,

 

*Have fun!!!!

You won’t want to miss out on this month’s prize giveaway, it will be AMAZING!

Winner will be announced first week of October so stay tuned!!

~ by Shara Lane

 

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Recreated Teaser Tuesday- Interview with Amon

Interview with the Egyptian Prince, Amon

For those of you who would love an up close and personal with Colleen Houck’s character in the Reawakened series, the gorgeous Egyptian Prince Amon, this blog is intended for you! If  you like what you read, leave a comment and let us know and maybe we can get an up close and personal with some of Houck’s other book characters.

Q: What was your first impression of Lilliana Young?

Amon: I assumed she was a devotee who had been prepared to serve me at my rising. I had learned a long time before not to be surprised at the differences in attire but this was my first time seeing a woman wearing a man’s trouser. I remember her hair most of all. She had a lot of hair and I wanted to touch it.

Q: How does it feel when you are Reawakened?

Amon: You might think it’s painful but it is not. We do not experience pain of body until we reside in our new forms. I miss the sense of taste and touch when in the Afterlife and my new body is always hungry which is why the first thing I seek out is food. Awakening in a new healthy form is a pleasant experience.

Q: Do you feel time in the same way a mortal experiences it when you are in the Afterlife?

Amon: The Afterlife is incredibly dull. When our duties are completed we spend our time exploring the cosmos using our various abilities–Asten peers into dreams, Ahmose seeks undiscovered pathways, and I use the Eye of Horus. Time moves slowly there and we always look forward to the brief time we are allowed to exist on the mortal plane. Having my brothers close by has been a blessing of the gods.

Q: Were you able to see loved ones in the afterlife such as your family?

Amon: We were allowed to escort our family members after they died but our time with them was too brief. Sadly, they did not see us as their sons any longer but as gods to worship. It wasn’t until I met Young Lily that I was treated like a person rather than a god.

Q: Was there ever another girl in your life?

Amon: No. I did not pursue relationships like Asten or Ahmose. Even when I met Young Lily I was resistant to the idea, but she slowly melted my resolve. It was not because I was not interested in romance, but to pursue the heart of a young woman when I was trapped in between worlds felt cruel to both her and myself.

Q: Did you ever have jealous feelings towards Asten or Ahmose?

Amon: Possessing the Eye of Horus gave me insight into many things including Lily’s heart. I knew she loved me in truth and would not pursue another under normal circumstances. I was never jealous of my brothers for I know them as I know myself and they are noble. Horus, on the other hand, I wanted to resign to the blackest pit of the Netherworld.

Q: Do you ever miss your mortal life?

Amon: There are many things I miss about the mortal realm. The taste of Danishes, for example. The softness of Lily’s hair. But I am glad that I was preserved until Lily’s time. If I had lived and died in the time I was born, there was much I never would have seen. How could I explain the height of the buildings in Lily’s city? Or the taste of the red dogs sold on the street? My brothers thought I was inventing stories. But more importantly than these, I wanted to experience a life with someone I could love, no matter the enticements future centuries might bring.

Q: What is your favorite color?

Amon: My favorite color is the shade of gold in Lily’s hair after I touch it.

Q: What is your favorite food?

Amon: Cherry Danishes and brunch

Q: What were your last thoughts as you said your goodbyes to Lily at the end of book one, Reawakened?

Amon: My last thoughts when I left Lily were about her safety. Anubis promised he would watch over her and yet I knew there was information he kept to himself. My own life meant nothing. I had long ago relegated myself to the fate of death and rebirth so the pain that came with my death did not occupy my mind.

 

I don’t know about the rest of you but Amon is quite the catch! Who would you like to hear from next? Leave a comment and thanks for stopping by!

Recreated Teaser Tuesday- Sneak Peek

Recreated Sneak Peek #1

If you haven’t picked up the Recreated book yet or perhaps you’re not sure if this book is for you, here is a little teaser from the sequel to Reawakened, Recreated.

“Lily?” I heard his familiar voice and squelched a sob.

“Amon? Can you hear me?” I asked the ethereal darkness.

“Yes. I can hear you, Nehabet.”

“Is this real?”

He didn’t answer right away but then eventually said, “I wish it were not.”

“What’s happening to you?” I asked desperately. “Why are you suffering?” I thought you were in the Afterlife. I thought you were at peace. Why are you tormented night after night?”

“I am no longer under the protection of the gods. I have relinquished my station.”

“I don’t understand. What does that mean?”

“It means that I would rather suffer than continue to do their bidding.”

“But, if you don’t save the world, who will?”

“They will find another to replace me.”

“I still don’t understand. Are they punishing you?”

I felt his sigh as much as I heard it. “They did not choose this for me. I am the one who decided to walk this path.”

“It’s a pretty difficult path, Amon. Can’t your brothers help you?”

“We are separated. There is nothing they can do for me now.”

“I hate seeing you like this.”

“I know. I am sorry for causing you pain. I didn’t think our connection would be this strong.” He paused for a moment before adding. “You are in pain too, Young Lily.”

Bitterly, I said in a shaky voice, “Not like you.”

“No. Not like me. But you are hurting nonetheless. It is my fault. My loneliness has caused this.”

“Your desire for human connection didn’t cause this. The gods did. They don’t understand. Everyone needs to be loved. It’s completely natural.”

He laughed sardonically. “I was human, Lily, once. But I am something altogether different now. I gave my humanity up for the greater good.”

Thunder boomed in the sky above Amon’s still form, roiling clouds shifting like a churning ocean. Lightning struck and his body jerked awake. I felt the loss of his presence, as if a warm blanket had been ripped away from me. As the ground shook, he staggered tiredly to his feet and summoned his armor made of sand to strap onto his form. Amon lifted his face to the wind, closed his eyes, and said, “I love you, Lily. But it is time for you to wake up.”

 

Recreated Teaser Tuesday- Official Book Trailer

Top Ten Things You’ll See in Recreated

This short video shows a sneak peek into my book, RECREATED, the sequel to REAWAKENED. As you watch you will be introduced to some of the creepy creatures and mysterious monsters Lily will encounter along the way. You will also get a glimpse into the villainous monster that instantly makes you crawl in your skin.  I hope you enjoy!

–         Colleen Houck

 

Check out the book trailer!

 

Reawakened Blog Tour Winners Announced!

Colleen was recently the featured author on several blogger websites where she was promoting her newest book, Recreated.

During the blog tour she revealed 5 SNEAK PEEKS , a Top 10 Video , fun trivia , up close and personal interviews and generously offered a PRIZE GIVEAWAY for 5 lucky participants to win the Reawakened and Recreated book set !

If you didn’t get the chance to see some of the blog reveals, then you are in luck because we will be featuring one each week for the next several weeks.

 

Now it’s time to announce the 5 lucky winners and they are (drum roll) . . .

Kristy Petree

Nicole Smolinski

Alicia

Holly Biggs

Ana Barrios

Congrats! You will receive an email for details on how to receive your prize package!

Thanks to all who participated and happy reading!

~ Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti