Emma Michaels's Blog, page 24

Steamcon V feature/overview!

I am back from Steamcon and already missing the crazy excitement!

Soooo as much as I would love to just keep posting about all of the amazing fun I will go ahead and do an overview of the full convention.

First off let me say it is totally worth your money to go and I would suggest going ahead and going above and beyond to pay for the special events like concerts and tea. There is a lot that goes into them and you really do get your money’s worth.

First off, for all of the photos stop by my flickr stream (Thank you Michael Cross for letting my high-jack you as my camera man!): http://www.flickr.com/photos/105396424@N02/

Now on to the fun!

This is the kind of convention where you look at the panels and end up having to pick and choose because there are so many interesting topics on hand. I ended up enjoying Rise of Aester, which was my first intro to LARPing:

I fell in love with Unwoman’s music:

http://www.youtube.com/user/unwoman

She plays the cello in her performances and the way she performs really sucks you in. You end up being swept off your feet by her style and her sweet personality really reels you the rest of the way in. She was such a sweetheart and her spoken tidbits in-between her performances are so freaking adorable. I seriously could have spent hours listening to her play and sing.

I ended up meeting a few really wonderful novelist as well, among them Lisa Mantchev who I featured a few days ago and Ren Cummins who is hysterical:

There were some crazy amazing vendors there with items I was absolutely crazy for. Here are my favorites!

http://www.altered-history.com/

http://bfullers.com/

http://cultplanet.daportfolio.com/

http://emipaige.com/

http://www.foxfires.com/

http://hourglass1875.com/

http://www.thegorgonist.com/

http://www.steambaby.net/

http://echochernik.com/pages/the-art

http://www.velvetmechanism.com/

http://www.otherworldsstore.com/

http://www.pendragoncostumes.com/

I was in the fashion show which was an amazing experience! Here are a few images from the show and the full selection is in the flickr stream at the top of the post.

  

and this is the amazing outfit Laura from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Taken-By-the-Sky/132526245128 put me in:

Btw award for best panel ever goes to Choose-your-own-steampunk-adventure which was moderated by Lisa Mantchev and J. Cunningham!

Overall the entire weekend was a blast! I had an amazing time and met so many absolutely amazing people!

I leave you with an awesome photo and the knowledge that I will be further featuring a few of the awesome people I met and hope to return to Steamcon next year!

Claiming Jeremiah Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Claiming Jeremiah by Missy B. Salick
Published by JJ Autumn Publishing on April 4th 2013
Pages: 240
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads

On the same night that twenty four-year-old Jordyn Sims has a miscarriage, her sister-in-law Tori Sims conceives a child. Nine months later, Tori, a long term heroin addict, abandons her two-hour-old drug addicted newborn Jeremiah, in a hospital stairwell. Jordyn receives the news and pursues foster adoption. However, Oscar, Tori's possessive drug-addicted boyfriend, is not about to give Jeremiah up so easily. While in confrontation with Tori and Oscar, Jordyn seeks help from the Administration of Children Services (ACS), only to discover she is faced with a maze of departments, regulations, legalities and overworked social workers. Jordyn, however, remains strong and continues to push through the uphill battle, even after she discovers she's pregnant.

With all odds against her adoption of Jeremiah, and her pregnancy at high risk from increasing stress, will Jordyn win this tough battle, or will her world crumble before her?

Claiming Jeremiah is a fictional memoir on foster adoption. It gives you an informative experience on what it is like to adopt from foster care while showing you the point of view of the birth parents.

Welcome, Missy, I know this isn’t my normal genre spectrum (wait, do I even have one? I suppose I can be a bit random. >.>) but I heard a bit about why you wrote the novel and it really caught my attention. So to start out, what inspired you to write Claiming Jeremiah?

My personal experience of foster adopting my son was the inspiration to write Claiming Jeremiah. Through the foster adoption process I realized how many children are in similar situations and need a place to call home. It is such an untouched topic that I decided to raise awareness about the Foster Care system, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Giving every child a home has become my passion and mission.

What would you like for readers to take away from your novel/novels?

I enjoy writing novels around social issues we are facing in our day-to-day lives. There are so many issues we do not directly pay attention too. I would like my readers to walk away from reading my novel(s) and say they not only learned something, but they have a better working knowledge of the subject and cause.

Was there ever a moment when you wouldn’t trade what you do as an author for the world? What was that moment for you?

As of today, I am still a working author with a full-time job, family and other business ventures.. I never knew planned to write Claiming Jeremiah, I was mostly venting in my journal and to family. However, as time moved on and the phone calls continued to the foster care agency requesting more information or about when my son would come home, I knew I had to share the full story and experience with others. Writing will always be a part of my life, even though it may not always be front and center.

If you could live in one book for a day, what would it be?

One book I would live in forever is Twilight. I love the story concept of forbidden love, mystery and eternity.

Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?

Outside of writing I enjoy spending time with family and friends, bowling, writing the next story, travelling or doing something spontaneous and out-of-the-box.  I also dedicate my free time to my other project- iJournalNow, which is an outreach program geared towards increasing knowledge of creativity, leadership and goals to underprivileged children through journal writing.

Tell us something about your book that we wouldn’t know just by reading the blurb.

By reading the blurb of the book you may think this is another story which speaks about the downfalls of the foster care system and issues surrounding around red tape democracies. When in the fact this is a story around hope, survival and a woman’s determination to not give up. You also get an inside look of the birth parents struggles and the answers to those unknown questions society often has.

Is there one book that has had an impact on not only your writing, but on you personally?

There are plenty of authors who have inspired me as far as writing; Alice Walker, Terry McMillian, John Grisham just to name a few. However, there is not one book in particular. I take lessons from each author

Thank you for stopping by!





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Missy B. Salick is a writer, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Literary and Start-up Business Consultant. When she’s not writing or promoting foster adoption, Missy can be found volunteering at Junior Achievement, being a Big Sister and counseling young girls through the iJournalNow Project or helping to save the Polar Bears with WWF.

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Brian Kesinger (Steamcon feature)

So I wanted to talk to you about an artist I am watching speak. His name is Brian Kesinger and he just happens to be awesome and amazingly talented!

Check out the bio from his website:

“I have been a long time fan and supporter of the world of steam punk.  I am inspired daily by the creations, contraptions and costumes that make up the genre.

Having worn many hats within the animation industry, my artistic travels have lead me to my current position as a story artist at Walt Disney animation studios.  I hope to share my learning experience with you and maybe even offer some inspiration as a way of giving back to the community of artists who have given so much to me.”

This amazing artist has worked on Tarzan, Atlantis, Bolt and more. But what caught my attention you may ask (or not care in which case I will tell you anyhow)?

THIS ADORABLE IMAGE! HOW FREAKING CUTE!!!!

So I kept looking and he has more! He has an entire series and is even  speaking at the Why Are Cephalopods Steampunk? Steamcon panel currently!

and I had to share one more because these are just so amazing.

Stop by his website and check out his other works and prints!
http://www.bkartonline.com/

Lisa Mantchev (Steamcon feature)

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev
Series: Théâtre Illuminata #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on July 7th 2009
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 352
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads

All her world’s a stage.
Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.

That is, until now.


Enter Stage Right


NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.

ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE. Our heroine.


Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.


Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.
Open Curtain

While walking around Steamcon V, watching panels and enjoying this crazy steampunk adventure I keep running into a very creative and absolutely wonderful author, Lisa Mantchev. So I figured, this being first and foremost a book blog, that I would give a shout out to her novel! Some of the panels she is a part of this weekend include Steampunk Reimagines Fairy Tales, Traditional vs. Self-publishing Death Match, From Page to Shelf and Choose-Your-Own Steampunk Adventure.

Here is a bit more about Lisa!

Facebook | Twitter | Website/Blog | Tumblr

I started writing short stories in the first grade and stored them in a pink and purple unicorn Trapper Keeper.

About the same time I started writing, I also started performing in community theater.

I was seven the first time we dyed my hair (black, for a production of South Pacific) and the

combination of writing, theater, and hair color fundamentally altered my  brain chemistry.

By the time I hit high school, I’d performed in more than a dozen productions.

Then I wrote, directed, and produced my own children’s play at the local community theater

when I was sixteen. That won me two scholarships to University of CA, Irvine, where I continued

to study theater and playwriting. After graduation, I taught English at a French-American

elementary school, started their Drama After School Program, and continued to write short

stories. The summer of 2006, a friend dared me to write a novel, so I did. Originally

titled SCRIMSHAW, it was published as EYES LIKE STARS.

With the theater trilogy complete, I have a new series in development.

I get up at five in the morning to write and edit.

Don’t get between me and the coffee if you value your fingers.

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking the beautiful covers:

 

Rise of Aester (Steamcon feature)

My first experience with LARPing! For those of you who don’t know, L.A.R.P.ing is Live Action Role Playing.

AND for those of you who watch Supernatural, lets see if you remember this:

Yes, that. It can be just about any type of live action role playing from the most popular renaissance and medieval to what I decided to try out today: Steampunk!

So the group local to Steamcon is Rise of Aester and they have a really well developed steampunk world they use as their setting for their LARPs.

Here is a tidbit from their website:

“Imagine a steampunk world of adventure, an alternate history that never was…

80 years ago, the skies filled with a mysterious substance called “Æster”, blocking the sun’s light and destroying nearly all the green growing things on Earth. Enduring terrible hardships of the Rise, Mankind nearly perished, but now stands on the brink of a bright future.

Cities of Light with titanic Aeroplexes stand as bastions of civilization in permanent darkness under the Æster’s glowering, corrosive clouds. Above 10,000 feet, shielded æsterships ply the caustic skies suspended by the Draw, one of æster’s many strange properties. Below the æster floor, airships connect far-flung towns and villages to the cities of light. The flickering flame of civilization has finally kindled once again.

Although Mankind stands poised to enter a new age of prosperity, most of the world remains dark and filled with danger. Gigantic animals occupy the lands and seas, forever altered by the power of the Æster. Savage Nightmen prowl the dark lands beyond the cities; raiders and pirates prey upon shipping vessels in the air and the Æster.

But nothing is so dangerous as the Æster itself…

Powerfully corrosive, Æster can destroy the strongest structures or render a body to dust within minutes. It has transformed normal animals into monsters, and even changed some human minds into the feared, raving killers called Æster Mad.

For all the challenges and the dangers, a Golden Age stands right around the corner…

If we are bright enough,

If we are brave enough,

If we are bold enough…

..to seize it.

Who will you be after the Rise of Æster?”

After hearing about Rise of Aester my curiosity got the best of me. I decided to join in on a demo and see what LARPing is really like. I knew there were a lot of preconceived notions about it but used to do Shakespearian acting and really missed getting to immerse myself in a character. As an author I love writing and creating characters so it really seemed like it might end up being a great fit.

Well, it turns out R.o.A. is not only filled with amazingly kind people and a ton of fun but has really well developed world building. Sadly I can add pictures because my camera cord doesn’t like me right now but I will add photos or maybe even do a second more in depth post!

So far I am loving Steamcon V and
will be updating you as events unfold!

Steamcon V – Day 1 P.o.A.

The day has finally come!

I am about to leave to get my day started and meet up with some lovely people before the big convention but figure first I will share my P.o.A. (plan of attack) for the day! My plans so far include my first attempt at LARPing with the Rise of Aester group, learning to brave the ballroom and dance (good luck to the teachers in those…), checking out a panel that looks crazy amazing called ‘Steampunk Reimagines Fairytales’ and then dancing the rest of the night away at the masquerade ball!

Let’s see how well I manage to conquer day one!

Wish me luck!

What? You kept scrolling? Well, I may as well reward you.

 As for days two and three?

I will get to be a mad scientist and share theories with other mad scientists to decide how we would take over the world (don’t worry, I am sure the majority of our attempts will fail) in the Mad Scientists Theory Workshop, I will be learning about Tesla Coils, Will most likely be heading to the ‘From Page to Shelf’ panel, Will be walking the runway in a fashion show during tea time (both Sat & Sun for designer Laura Sinclair McShane), learning about steampunk cocktails (whaaa? yes, I am serious.),  trying out a few new weapons with un-sharp shooting, will stop by a choose your own adventure panel, see a few live performances and more! I am hoping to cover as much of it as I can on the blog and on my facebook page so that I can share the experience and any helpful knowledge I manage to garner while staring like a star-struck child at all of the amazing outfits.

If there is anything in particular you want to make sure I catch a few snapshots of to feature let me know in the comments and I will check throughout the day!

Until then… I guess I better get moving!

Blog ya’ soon!

 

 

Cover Love 33

I am crushing on these covers MAJOR LEAGUE! Read one, reading two more and these other three are totally going on my wish list.

Destiny Book Tour!

Destiny by P.T. Michelle  (Brightest Kind of Darkness #3)

Publication date: October, 2013

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

When destiny is on the line, will love be enough to light the way?

In order to save Ethan, Nara gets pulled deeper into his dark world, where everything she thought she knew about Ethan and herself turns on its head. Ethan and Nara turn up the heat with bone-melting seduction and heart-rending moments, but surprising revelations, lies, treachery, betrayal, and unimaginable evil will challenge their relationship and their future together. As the stakes rise, encompassing more than just her relationship with Ethan, will Nara make the ultimate sacrifice?

Destiny:
GoodReads | Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo
Brightest Kind of Darkness:
Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo





 Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Newsletter
P.T. Michelle is the author of the young adult series BRIGHTEST KIND OF DARKNESS. She keeps a spiral notepad with her at all times, even on her nightstand. When P.T. isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.

Ethan leans against the sanctuary’s doorway, shaking his head. “I don’t understand, Nara. How did you get all these ravens to follow you here?”

I hold my hand out to Patch, who pecks at it. “Hey, be nice,” I say softly. The raven dips his head and puffs up his neck feathers, making me laugh. “Show off.”

As soon as I turn to address Ethan, he pushes off the doorway, alarm in his gaze. “Nara, watch out!”

A flutter of black appears in my periphery right before Patch lands on my shoulder, his bird feet gripping my jacket. I smirk and fold my arms. “It’s all right. He would never hurt me.”

Ethan’s forehead crinkles. “Ravens can be unpredictable.”

“Not as much as you might think.” I gesture toward Patch, who’s currently swaying back and forth on my shoulder. “Think of Patch…of all those like him as an extension of you.”

He crosses his arms and shakes his head. “I know I have a connection to ravens, but they’re just birds.”

“Oh really?” The one way I know we’ve connected in the past was when Ethan thought about me. I bite my lip and tell myself this is to help him remember. “Think about touching me.”

A sensual smile tilts his lips. “I’d rather do that than think.”

Okay, maybe this isn’t the best idea, considering I’m supposed to be keeping my distance from him. Then again, it’s the only one I’ve got. I purse my lips. “Just do it.”

“Fine.” His lips quirk, and as I see all kinds of sexy thoughts scrolling across his face, the birds begin to titter and hop around as if agitated, but nothing else happens.

“Concentrate.” I huff, setting my hands on my hips. “Walk outside the sanctuary behind the wire.”

Ethan grunts, but does as I ask. “Why am I out here?”

I nod to the fence between us. “Pretend you can see me but you’re unable to reach me.”

“How is this any different from reality?”

“Ethan. Now, think about what you’d do if nothing stood between us.”

I ignore the scowl on his face. “Close your eyes.”

As Ethan let’s his eyes slowly close, I do the same.

“I don’t like this.”

The hurt in his voice pulls at my heart. I can tell he’s talking about more than this exercise.

“Just…think about me, about us,” I say. “Imagine what you’d think about if we could only talk on the phone. What would you wish for?”

“You. With nothing between us.”

His wish, full of heat and want, carries on the sharp cold wind whipping through the bare trees. The longing wraps me in a layer of warmth, tugging at my heart, making my body tingle.

Cover Love Affair 32

This week’s theme is… STEAMPUNK!
In honor of Steamcon!

 

Deadly Little Lessons Book Recommendation!

Deadly Little Lessons by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Series: Touch #5
on December 18, 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Goodreads

Camelia Hammond's trying junior year of high school is finally over...but her troubles aren't. After she discovers a painful truth about her family, she escapes to a summer arts program in Rhode Island. Determined to put family - and boyfriend - drama behind her, she throws herself into her artwork.


At the arts school, she gets caught up in the case of Sasha Beckerman, a local girl who is missing. Even though all signs suggest that the teen ran away, Camelia senses otherwise. Eager to help the girl, she launches her own investigation. She finds a blog by someone named Neal Moche, a psychometric who might have clues to Sasha's whereabouts. There is something familiar about Neal, and Camelia realizes how much she misses Ben, despite being committed to Adam.


But time is running out for Sasha, and Camelia will have to trust her powers if she's to save her. Will the lessons Camelia has learned in the past give her the strength to do so?

Sad to see this wonderful series end but as endings go this one was both entertaining and satisfying. The character arc throughout the series was both believable and relatable. I have loved the overall concept throughout the series but it gets more fleshed out in the final novel as all of the puzzle pieces come together. A 5 star finally to a 5 star series.

Throughout the series I have always had a fairly easy time relating to Camelia. I love her friends and how quirky they are. I had a group of friends growing up and we were always called the four musketeers, each with our own unusual interests. The friendship between the three best friends in this novel made me miss them and I love that Wes is always there for her and all three of them are reaching for their goals and dreams while still managing to stay friends. I know a lot of people focus on the love triangle but for me it really is all about Camelia’s journey and the other characters are simply the people she cares about.

I feel like a lot of YA novels today don’t have enough character growth but throughout this series we have gotten to watch Camelia grow as a person and learn to accept herself for who she is. She realized she is more than she ever thought she could be and finally learns to accept the things about herself that might be controversial to others or cause others to judge her but are still a part of who she is. In the end, I was really proud of Camelia. I was sad to see the series end but I was happy to see the way it ended. It really responded with me because it was the type of ending where you know her life and her story are just beginning.

A wonderful novel and an amazing series. I would highly recommend it!

Laurie Faria Stolarz (Massachusetts) has a great interest in young adult culture,

and admires young adults for their passion, energy, and creativity.

Blue is for Nightmares is the product of her desire to write a novel that would

have appealed to herself at that age, namely one that has a blending of

suspense, romance, and the art of keeping secrets.

Stolarz has an MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Young Adult Literature

and a graduate certificate in Screenwriting, both from Emerson College in Boston.

She currently teaches writing and is a member of the SCBWI as well as several

professional writing groups. She has also written and edited

numerous middle school and high schools texts.