Colleen Houck's Blog, page 16

Duat: Tour of the Egyptian Afterlife

Tour of Duat

Welcome to the afterlife, or as us Egyptians like to call it Duat.

The first stop on our tour is the burial grounds. Here you will find what ever treasures you were buried with. This could include some very helpful instruction books to guide you in your afterlife, so keep them close. Duat is the place you go after death and is also home to the gods with its turquoise trees and beautiful landscape. It looks very similar to Egypt with its rivers and sand dunes but, it has a lake of fire and huge imposing walls of iron.

Next on our tour are the trials of the afterlife. I hope you kept your book because this is where you will need it. All along this area horrible creatures are lurking; waiting to strike if you get to close. Your book will tell you how to get passed them safely. If you are lucky maybe one of the gods will come to help you overcome the trials. Look over there! That is one of the creatures you will be facing, the Blood-drinker. Good luck!

Our final stop on this trip is the weighing of hearts. Here Anubis, the god of funerals, will take your heart and weigh it against  the feather representing Ma’at.

 

 

 

Be careful that your heart is not heavier than Ammit, the Devourer for he just might eat your heart or throw it into the lake of fire! If you are found worthy, you pass this trial and join the gods and become immortal.

 

 

Thank you for joining me on this tour of Duat. Stay tuned for the next tour stop across the Nile.

 

 

 

 

 

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July Colleen Houck Book Club & June Chat Winner Announced

A huge thanks to all who participated in the Goodreads chat during the month of June. The topic was with the featured author of the month, Amy Christine Parker.

As promised, one lucky participant is randomly chosen to win each month. What is in this month’s prize package? The winner will receive a copy of Amy Christine Parker’s Smash & Grab upon release as well as one of Colleen Houck’s books of their choice (Tiger’s Curse, Tiger’s Quest, Tiger’s Voyage, Tiger’s Destiny, Tiger’s Promise, or Reawakened).  

 

And. . . the winner is

Kate Pierson

Congrats!

Now, it’s time to announce our July 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 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 . . .

The Rose and the Dagger

by author Renee Ahdieh

A little teaser

A sumptuous and epically told love story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights

Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend.

She discovers that the murderous boy-king is not all that he seems and neither are the deaths of so many girls. Shazi is determined to uncover the reason for the murders and break the cycle once and for all.

Learn more about this author and her books at reneeahdieh.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 Renee asking just about anything you’d like on Goodreads throughout July!

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!

July Contest of the Month, Reveal of Recreated Book Trailer

One more month, just one more month until the official release of RECREATED!

To kick off the month of July with a bang, we are excited to release the Recreated book trailer and to make it even more exciting, we are making a contest out of it!

What’s in it for you? I’m glad you asked. One lucky winner will receive both REAWAKENED and RECREATED signed!

How do you participate? It’s easy. Simply share the book trailer with all your friends on Facebook and Twitter and be sure to TAG COLLEEN HOUCK so she can see it!

Enjoy it then share it!

 

Kids Book Review For Kids By Kids: Greek Mythology

For those of you who are looking for new books appropriate for middle grade that both boys and girls might enjoy, this is the place to look!

Every month, a new book will be added for review right here and they will be reviewed by the best critics, KIDS! That’s right, the one’s who read them will be the judge!

This blog is written by my twelve year old, Aidan Wesley. He’s always had a love of reading insomuch that he would prefer sitting on a couch reading to running around outside. He’s read several chapter books given to him from his AWESOME auntie, Colleen! Right now he’s reading the Last Diamond Sword from the Minecraft series and he finished the book entitled Greek Mythology earlier which is the book he will be reviewing today.

First, if this is the first time you’ve stopped by this blog, may I introduce Aidan Wesley. . .

” Hi. I just finished 6th grade and I like drawing and playing games. For example, Five Nights at Freddie’s, Plants vs. Zombies, Minecraft, and Luigi’s Mansion. I also like building paper crafts and Legos, playing with my brother Lex and baby sister Ashley, and creating animation with my Nintendo 3DS using play dough and action figures. My favorite subjects are science and art. My least favorite is math! I have so many favorite treats I can’t list them all. My favorite books I’ve read include; Diary of a Wimpy Kid novels, the How to Train Your Dragon series, Big Nate books and The Quest for the Diamond Sword (Minecraft novel). When I grow up I’d like to be either an engineer or a scientist.”

And now, introducing our 18th middle grade book review for kids, by kids!
Book Review of Greek Mythology
by Ken Jennings

“My mom picked out this book for me last year for Christmas and at first I wasn’t sure if I’d like it but I was happy to discover that I did like this book a lot. It’s a really great book!

This book is not only filled with stories of the ancient Greek Gods but also has trivia, games and fun illustrations. The author writes the story like he is the “Professor” and the readers are his students. Each chapter is like a class period.  

There aren’t really main characters because each chapter tells different stories from Greek mythology. But some of the bigger mentions are Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Here’s my drawing of these characters.

Zeus- He is the leader of the Greek Gods. He was raised on Mount Ida  and after his caretaker, Amaltheia died, he was taken care of by nymphs. His weapon is the lightning bolt.

Poseidon- The God of all the oceans. His weapon is the trident.

Hades- The God of the Underworld.  His weapon is a helmet that makes him invisible.

One of my favorite stories is when Zeus, Poseidon and Hades (who are all brothers) were in a battle against the Gods including Atlas. Zeus sent Cyclopes and the hundred-handed giants to battle. The forests burned and the sea boiled. When the war ended, the Cyclopes, who are master weapon makers, forged the weapons for Zeus and his brothers, the lightning bolt, the trident and the helmet. When Atlas lost the war they banished him and punished him with the burden of holding the earth and keeping it in the sky. 

If you like learning mythology while being entertained than this is a great book for you! I give it five out of five stars!”

Facts: Lexile Measure: 1060L, ages 8-10, written by Ken Jennings

Stay tuned for more book reviews!

Here’s a list and links to the other books we’ve reviewed:

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

The Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Wednesdays in the Tower by Jessica Day George

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe

A to Z Mysteries: White House White Out by Ron Roy

The Sisters Grimm: The Problem Child by Michael Buckley

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets (In full color) by Dav Pilkey

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Invasion of the Overworld by Mark Cheverton

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis

Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony Di’Terlizzi and Holly Black

Artemis Fowl, book 1 by Eoin Colfer

The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl

How to Train Your Dragon: How to Break a Dragon’s Heart, Book # 8 by Cressida Cowell

~ Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti

Playlist Reveal!

It is time! Introducing the official
RECREATED PLAYLIST

Release of RECREATED is getting closer and closer, August is almost here! Colleen Houck is opening the vault and is ready to share some of the music that helped inspire her story. She also held a contest where YOU, the reader, were able to submit songs you felt fit the story and some of those songs were added to this playlist.

Now, for the first time ever, the RECREATED playlist: (enjoy)

Hope you all enjoy as much as I do!

Modern Ink Society June 2016

FEATURING GUEST

Amy Christine Parker

Exploring the Dark Side

Welcome to the twenty-seventh session of

THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!

“You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny.”

                                                                   — Darth Vader (James Earl Jones)

Introducing Amy


 Her Featured Book is


 

 Exploring the dark side

Right now you’re imagining Darth Vader aren’t you?
 
Heavy breathing.
 
Deep James Earl Jones Voice.
 
Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.
 
Whenever I think of villains, he’s the first one that comes to mind. That’s what happens when you grow up in the seventies and eighties! But, it isn’t bad at all that we’re thinking about him. He’s just the type of character I try to create in my books: bad, but also somehow able to draw you in. Definitely evil with a capital E, but capable of good at unexpected times. There are shades of gray and that is what makes a character—good or bad—special.
 
For me, characters are central. If I don’t get who they are, I can’t get the story right. Probably because I’m fascinated with psychology and trying to understand what makes people tick. Every writer has themes they seem to explore in their writing either consciously or subconsciously and those themes tend to crop up in book after book.
For me, there are two: how and why some people allow themselves to be influenced by other individuals enough to sacrifice their own will and what makes people do bad things. In Gated and Astray, that meant trying to explain why people join cults and what about the leaders who create them draws people in.
 
When I was writing both books, I spent loads of time researching real life cult leaders Jim Jones, Charles Manson, Marshall Applewhite, David Koresh, and Warren Jeffs. The one thing I realized is that none of these men were simple to define or easy to explain away. They weren’t villains in the sense that everything single thing that they did was overtly evil.
Sometimes they could be charming or they could say something that felt like an almost truth (this is why I chose to add quotes from these men at the beginnings of my chapters—it is eerie how what they said is similar to things you might hear from a church pastor or community leader, just a little off-center). Their singular talent was their ability to manipulate situations, their words, and people so that figuring out what the truth really was got harder for their followers. I wanted Pioneer to be the same—someone a reader felt both drawn to and unsettled by.
 
Working on Pioneer taught me a lot about villains and heroes and how I wanted to portray the characters I put in my books. Bad people aren’t bad all the time just as good people aren’t good all the time. Once I really took this to heart, all of the characters in my novels became richer and more complex. There needed to be light and dark in each of them.
 
If Gated and Astray were all about making the villain have shades of gray, Smash & Grab is all about the heroes. Both of the main characters are attempting to rob the same bank and then frame each other for the heist—neither are what you might consider the usual hero, but on closer inspection, they both absolutely are. Each of them are doing some bad things, but for reasons that I hope will make readers empathize with them.
 
The initial idea for this book stemmed from a real life news story about a dad who convinced his teenaged children to start robbing banks with him. What fascinated me most was that there were these two kids who hadn’t gotten in trouble before, but who became criminals within a short period of time. Their father was someone they loved, but also someone who did them real harm and betrayed their trust in him. Smash & Grab grew from there.

What I attempted to do was explain how two inherently good kids could get caught up in a very bad situation and how they might justify that situation to themselves. My characters aren’t from the same family and the story is delivered in a much lighter way than in Gated or Astray, but if readers have read those books as well as Smash & Grab I like to think they will see the themes in all three are similar.
 
Both of my characters, Lexi and Christian, are criminals in the strictest sense of the word. They steal multiple times, and break more than one law. However, they aren’t really bad. When push comes to shove they attempt to do what they feel is the right thing. Up for debate is whether readers will decide that they actually accomplished this. There are moral gray areas for sure, ones I put in on purpose because I like creating situations where the right path isn’t always crystal clear, even in a book as fun and over all lighthearted as Smash & Grab.

My hope is that readers will put the book down and wonder what they might do if they were in the same situation. I don’t want to provide an answer so much as open a discussion. That’s when I love a book the most—when it has me thinking about the characters and how they navigated the story after I’ve put the book down. If you read this book or my other two, my fondest hope is for them 
to resonate with you and that the characters feel like real, memorable people you will think about long after you’ve finished the read.
 
Thank you Colleen and fellow book clubbers for choosing Smash & Grab for June!
 
Happy reading!

REAWAKENED Quiz

Tiger’s Quest Study Guide plus giveaway

June seventh marks the

FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of 

TIGER’S QUEST,

book two in the Tiger’s Curse Series.

To celebrate we’ve put together a study guide with 20 questions to lead in a book club group discussion or you can answer them just for fun.

In honor of those of you who love to read and are part of a reading group, we’d also like to do a GIVEAWAY of autographed copies of Tiger’s Quest! That’s right, you can possibly have FREE BOOKS to giveaway at your next book club! Here’s how it will work:

In the comments below:

Tell us  about your reading group/book club (don’t have one? You can always start one!) such as how many are in your group, who started it, what books you’ve read, what you love about it, etc.
Tell us why you think your reading group deserves free copies of Tiger’s Quest.
Take a picture of your reading group and post on Facebook or Tweet it with #TigersQuest and tag Colleen Houck.

One (or more) book clubs/reading groups may be selected to receive up to TWELVE FREE BOOKS for your reading group members! Awesome right?

This giveaway will run up until the end of August so everyone has a chance to take a pic of your group when you meet.

Study Group Questions for Tiger’s Quest

1)     Why do you believe Kelsey is so afraid of falling in love with Ren? She considers herself a radish. What does this mean?  Do you think this is the real motive for her leaving?

2)      The theme of the Tiger series is that true love requires sacrifice.  What examples can you list from the book that shows this?  What are some examples from your own life that proves this is true?

3)      Do you believe Kelsey was meant to be with Ren or was she truly meant to be with Kishan? Why or why not?

4)      What scene was the most pivotal for the book? How do you think the story would have changed had that scene not taken place?

5)      What can the Divine Weaver’s Scarf do and how would you use it?

6)      What does Ren get Kelsey for Christmas and why does it have special meaning?

7)      What surprised you most about the book?

8)      Do you relate to any of the characters and if so who?

9)      How do you see the characters Ren, Kelsey and Kishan at the end of the book compared to the beginning?

10)   How is this book similar to Gone with the Wind, Beauty and the Beast, Romeo and Juliet, Twilight, or Star Wars?  Can you name other stories with similar ideas?

11)   In Tiger’s Quest, Kelsey thought, “A life with Ren was harder to picture. We didn’t look as if we belonged together. It was like matching up Ken with Strawberry Shortcake. He needed Barbie.”   How does Kelsey’s perception of self make you feel? Why do you think the author wrote this?

12)   What message(s) can you learn from Kelsey’s character and actions?

13)   How do you see the author’s voice in this book (i.e. optimistic, prophetic, cautionary, humorous, cathartic, etc.)? Is her voice the same in her other books?

14)   How did you experience the book? Were you immediately drawn into the story–or did it take you a while? Did the book intrigue, amuse, disturb, alienate, irritate, or frighten you?

15)   Do you find the characters convincing? Are they believable? Compelling? Are they fully developed as complex, emotional human beings–or are they one-dimensional?

16)   Which characters do you particularly admire or dislike? What are their primary characteristics?

17)  Is the story plot or character driven? In other words, do events unfold quickly? Or is more time spent developing characters’ inner lives? Does it make a difference to your enjoyment?

18)   What are Kishan’s weaknesses and strengths?

19)  Consider the ending. Did you expect it or were you surprised? Was it manipulative? Was it forced? Was it neatly wrapped up–too neatly? Or was the story unresolved, ending on an ambiguous note?

20)   If you were to talk with the author, what would you want to know? (Many authors enjoy talking with book clubs. Contact the publisher to see if you can set up a phone chat.)

Have fun everyone and good luck!

Russian

Information on my books in Russian.

Tiger’s Curse

Tiger’s Quest

Tiger’s Voyage

 

Tiger’s Destiny

 

Tiger’s Promise

 

Reawakened

Recreated-No immediate plans to publish

Reawakened Novella-No immediate plans to publish

Reawakened Book 3-No immediate plans to publish

 

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The most romantic getaway in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta

My husband and I recently took a trip to celebrate his 40th birthday and he was given the chance to pick anywhere he wanted to go. At first, he was dead set on going to Las Vegas but I strongly discouraged that choice for various reasons.

With work and life, stresses can easily build up and so we were looking for a place so far removed from our typical day to day life and a place to really unwind.

After much research, we settled on Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Most importantly, Hotel Mousai. We were able to get a great package deal through Costco Travel and save quite a bit.

Our stay was Wednesday through Sunday and travel from the west coast to Mexico made it only a half day of travel so we could spend the other half vacationing.

Before I describe the food, services, and entertainment, I must first disclose that even though my husband had shown me pictures of the hotel room, amenities, and beaches, I was NOT PREPARED for the HEAVENLY EXPERIENCE we had.

To say Hotel Mousai was amazing in every single aspect is a gross understatement. From the first moment our feet touched the property we were treated like royalty. In fact, it is no surprise to learn that Hotel Mousai was awarded the Five Diamond award in 2016.

We were greeted with staff holding hands over their hearts as they welcomed us and bowed their head. They carried silver trays with chilled towels scented with jasmine and lavender to refresh our spirits and bodies. They brought frozen apple and ginger beverages with a sprig of mint to cool us as we took in the magnificent ocean and coast line views.

The building was engineered so that cool breezes wafted through the rooms continually. The hotel front faced the ocean while its back was to the tropical forest and hidden waterfalls. Wildlife was buzzing alongside the waves caressing the beach. Truly we had left our stressful life and checked it at the door.

When the staff led us to our room, I felt my jaw drop open at the sheer beauty and decadence.

Everything from the shades to the music to the lighting was controlled by a single control panel. My hubby had fun playing with that ;-).

When we got settled in we were invited to visit the rooftop where we could eat. We took an elevator to the top where we were unprepared for what we would see on the other side of the door.

The light was so bright and everything was white. The staff greeted us with hand over heart, bowed their head and with a smile welcomed us. Straight ahead was an infinity pool sparkling in the sun surrounded by white tables, chairs and umbrellas. It was as if we’d entered a celestial heaven with angels welcoming us home.

Food and Dining

We met another couple where we dined like kings and queens. The food was ah-maz-ing! We had sushi rolls so different and uniquely mouthwatering I was sad I couldn’t fit the restaurant in my purse and take it home. We ate steak that sliced like butter and melted in your mouth, their coconut ice-cream was easily the best I’d ever had.

Complimentary chocolate for a breakfast dessert? Um… yes!

This pic above is muesli, why have I not ever heard of this before? This is not what you’d consider oatmeal. To compare this dish to oatmeal would be like comparing a Ferrari to a Kia. They’re just different all together. I don’t know if they serve this in the states but I have made it my personal mission to replicate this dish and have it again! 

This dish is called Croque Madam, another delectable dish for breakfast.

Staff

As I said earlier, the service was exceptional. Each and every trained staff member greeted us in the same reverent manner and responded to every request with “my pleasure”. Never, anywhere, have I been treated with such perfect service.

Adventures

There was a complimentary guided hike that involved climbing steep sections of mountain while holding on to a tethered rope. It was a little scary at times but I felt liberated and a bit “Indiana Jonesish”. When everyone was finished with the hike, I secretly wished for more.

We also took a complimentary kayak excursion out to a huge rock about a mile and half off the coast. My husband and I were on the two person kayak and even though it looks rather simple, getting a rhythm together proved slightly more challenging than I thought.

Once we got to the rocks we snorkeled and saw beautiful tropical fish (almost all of the Finding Nemo characters with the exception of sharks thank goodness) including great big schools of fish and even a sting ray. Even though my forearms got a little tired, I was carried through by the mere thrill of being surrounded by nature and not a care in the world.

Even as we finished riding the boats a waiter stood with silver tray in hand and his other hand tucked behind his back offering each of us refreshing cucumber beverages.

We decided to take one day to experience the city of Puerto Vallarta and walked along the beach. Many peddlers approached us with their homemade necklaces and hats but I didn’t mind. I was enjoying the cultural experience as I watched children laughing and splashing in the water.

At sunset we boarded a “Pirate Ship” that was designed as an exact replica of the Mayflower that Christopher Columbus explored on where we enjoyed singing, dancing, dinner and a show. The waiters were in true character and made us laugh often (even though we went on Spanish night). I couldn’t help get carried away in the moment as we were able to roam the ship’s deck.

Even though the day was fun, I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel.

On the next day we took advantage of the spa and I think this was my absolutely favorite place in all of Puerto Vallarta. This wasn’t just any spa. This was a completely rejuvenating, relaxing, and refreshing retreat. They have “spa stations” for you to enjoy before or after your body massage and so we showed up an hour before our scheduled massage to enjoy the benefits of the facility.

There were 6 stations which started with 5 minutes in the sauna, then 5 minutes in the steam room, a “shower” which is where you sit on a chair inside a glass shower and a waterfall like rush of water beats on your head/back/shoulders giving you a nice massage and refreshes you. Next is the hot tub that has high pressured jets. When you are ready to get out you are led to an ice bath where you are instructed to submerge your whole body from head to toe and then get out. That was REFRESHING;-)! The last station is a spa pool with various types of water jets to massage different body parts. Oh my goodness I could live here!

Once our pre-massage treatment was completed we showered off and experience a very Zen-like couples massage.

In the gym and spa there was chilled chlorophyll water which I’ve also fallen in love with!

There is not enough I can say about this place. It was simply put, the best, most romantic getaway we’ve found to date. We give this an absolute 5 out of 5 star rating.

 

I hope you enjoyed this blog and if you found this blog helpful feel free to leave a comment! Also, if you’ve got a great getaway place you recommend, please share that too! I’m always looking for the next spot to explore.

~Till next time,

Linda Louise Lotti