Emma Michaels's Blog, page 55

L M Preston Tour hostess Nadege Richards

Have you heard the latest L M Preston buzz? Well I have!  There will be a twitter party on (Friday) September 28th at 7pm-9pm EST just use the hashtag #ThePackRetributionPartyandA facebook part on (Saturday) September 29th from 11am-10pm EST here:http://www.facebook.com/events/337549946331607/
Time to meet another one of the amazing hosts for the upcoming L M Preston release partyNadege Richards!
I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, I was going to die tonight. There was no escaping it or any way around it. I couldn’t run from my destiny this time; I couldn’t hide. No, tonight I faced my fate in the chambers of death. The screams of the crowd in the arena filled my ears, the shouts of excitement and laughter boiling my heart down to nothing but untainted sorrow. I refused to open my eyes, but I could sense where I was by that rusty smell of metal and dried blood Father brought home with him every day. The shackles that bound my ankles and wrists to the wall confirmed it. I was a prisoner in my own home, my own Haven. I couldn’t fathom how in forty-eight hours my life had taken a complete three-sixty spin, but here I was, locked in the dungeon of my father’s kingdom, hidden from the world until it was my time to surface.
Author Nadege Richards[Nah-dej]
Born in New York and raised in Pennsylvania, Nadège has traveled to five other states and two countries, but aspires to travel the world some day. Her name is of French origin, though she's never been to France (she's actually West Indian-American!). Forever a lover of art and all things pertaining to Literature, she hopes to obtain knowledge from her writing career, rather than popularity or fame. She wrote her first novel about aliens and goats in the 8th grade and has had a passion for story-telling ever since. Her friends and family are her biggest inspiration, and the occasional cup of coffee. She enjoys being part of the Indie community and sharing her stories with the world.
When not reading, writing, and blogging obsessively, she's usually found hiking, studying, camping, or at home with her family. She's been a martial artist for two years, a singer for three, and always seeks a common ground in everything. She considers her writing very personal, as she's always been a private person. She enjoys writing about what could or should happen, rather than what did happen--she's a dreamer and a procrastinator.
Her debut novel, Burning Bridges, is her first completed novel. It isn't her first try in the writing world, but it's a tale about two lovers she hopes will change the way people view one another. She loves getting email so feel free to stalk her and ask questions!

Blog Link: http://www.authornadegerichards.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-bleeding-heart-trilogy.html
About her books: http://www.authornadegerichards.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-bleeding-heart-trilogy.html
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LM Preston Tour Giveaway!

Have you heard the latest L M Preston buzz? Well I have!  There will be a twitter party on (Friday) September 28th at 7pm-9pm EST just use the hashtag #ThePackRetributionPartyandA facebook part on (Saturday) September 29th from 11am-10pm EST here:http://www.facebook.com/events/337549946331607/

Don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!
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Stop by the other hostesses blogs to find out more about the party today and see my guest posts!LM Preston
KaSonndra LeighNagede
Lindsey Sablowski
Bryna Butler
Christina Leigh Pritchard

You can also find out more about The Pack - Retribution by following the tour:
9/23/2012 – The Paperback Princesses- www.allaboutyabooks.blogspot.com
9/23/2012 – Black Words White Pages - http://blackwords-whitepages.blogspot.com/
9/24/2012 – Eva’s Sanctuary - http://vampirekiss1967.blogspot.com/
9/24/2012 – My Home Away From Home - http://www.officialmhafh.blogspot.com/
9/25/2012 – Writer’s Ally - http://writersally.blogspot.com/
9/25/2012 – Mpax Author – http://mpaxauthor.com/
9/25/2012 – My Four Monkeys - www.MyFourMonkeys.com
9/25/2012 – Insatiable Readers - http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/
9/25/2012 – The Magic Reads – www.themagicatticreads.com
9/25/2012 – The Curiosity Key - http://www.curiositykey.blogspot.com/
9/26/2012 – PanDragon Dan - http://www.pandragondan.co.uk/apps/blog/submitting-books-to-pandragon-reviews
9/26/2012 – Reviewer Rachel - http://www.rachelsbookreviews.com/
9/26/2012 – Escape Through The Pages - http://thekams.wordpress.com/
9/27/2012 – I Want to Read That - http://www.iwanttoreadthat.com/
9/28/2012 – YA Book Central – www.yabookscentral.com
9/29/2012 – Comfort Books - http://paigebradish1996.blogspot.com/
9/29/2012 – A Little Bit Of Reviews – www.alittlebitofrnrreviews.com 

The Pack - Retribution (Host): KaSonndra Leigh

Have you heard the latest L M Preston buzz? Well I have!  There will be a twitter party on (Friday) September 28th at 7pm-9pm EST just use the hashtag #ThePackRetributionPartyandA facebook part on (Saturday) September 29th from 11am-10pm EST here:http://www.facebook.com/events/337549946331607/

Here is a tour stop from on of an amazing hostesses and a fellow The Writers Voice author:

KaSonndra Leigh!

The Lost Immortals Book One: When Copper Suns Fall By KaSonndra Leigh Faris Toulan InterviewThe interview works like this: I’m inviting Faris to the present (2012).
Can you introduce yourself to us? Name’s Faris. Faris Toulan. I’m a Caducean, a demon slayer. There isn’t really much else to say. **Glances at me with a set of intense gray eyes that shimmer inside the irises. I wonder if they’re really gray, or could they be silver** People around you might not understand why my skills are necessary in this day and time, but they will. You’ll be glad you had this interview with me.

In what way are you connected to Chela? Hmm. **massages the back of his neck as he thinks about this**  Our connection is, well…difficult to explain. You see, if I tell you about it, then you’d be at risk. **I’m dying to know what he means. Before I can say anything, he continues.** That means I’d have to take a part of your memories. I can do that, you know. **I suck my breath. Did he just read my mind?** I’ll do anything to protect Chela. Our connection is beyond words. What can you say about your life?  I told you, there isn’t really much I can say. But I will tell you to be happy with what you’ve got today. Your blue skies, clean air. **he glances toward the window beside us, staring at it a long moment** Are those birds outside? 55 years in the future, that would be in this world after the Tidal Years, there are no birds. They’re gone. Poof. Vanished. You have robots. Big, black, ugly crows with cameras for eyes. They’re looking for me. Or rather, people like me. I’m an outcast according to the new leaders. They blame the Caduceans for what happened in the past: wars, earthquakes, hurricanes.  **A distant look clouds his eyes. I want to know what they’re seeing** What do you think of the present world?  (2012) You’re lucky. Very lucky. See my last answer if you need proof of that.What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen here so far? Why?Everything about this world seems strange since the last time I was here. In my world, you get used to seeing dark stuff everywhere. Black waters, black beaches, gray skies.  **I wonder what he means, but I’ve learned to be patient with him.** I’ve been here before, you know. How is that possible? I can hear your thoughts so easily. **He smiles, a drop-down-dead-gorgeous smile with one dimple on the left cheek. My cheeks are probably blushing tomato red**  You’ll have to read about my story to see how I got here. And your outdated cellereaders crack me up. **He means my cell phone lying on the desk beside us. He’s giving it a look of pure pity. I tell him this is the 4G version of the latest Droid. And I’m kinda mad because I used six months worth of my wages to buy it.**  The screen doesn’t have enough pixels. You can’t even read thumb imprints with that thing. Anybody could steal it and use it. **again, he has a point. Sigh sigh**What’s the most surprising thing you’ve seen here? Why?As I said, I’ve been here before. But I don’t remember hearing so much laughter.  What surprises me is all the happy-smiley people you have here. In the future, smiles are an endangered species. Enjoy them while they last. If you had a chance to choose between living in our world and in yours, which one would you choose? Why? The Mirrorlands, that’s what we call your world, and it can’t touch mine. Ours is older than yours. I don’t mean to sound conceited. But it’s true. My world Bardonia is on the other side of the doorway. It’s parallel to this world. The skies are clear. The waters are sapphire blue and jade green in some places. There’s even this island where the waterfalls flow toward the sky. No pollution. No disease from contaminated waters. So tell me. Which one would you choose? **Does he even need to ask?**Can you name one thing, event or custom that reminds you of your world?Bonding. That type of connection Chela has with me, it’s the same way at home. But the thing is I’m not at home. I can’t go back to Bardonia. I’m exiled, cursed to live in the mirrorlands. And not a pretty little place like your 2012 world. In the future, I’m hunted like an animal by the humans. And targeted by our enemies, the Tainted. I guess the answer could be violence, too. That really hasn’t changed much over time. **he sighs deeply, lowers his head, and stays quiet**Author website:  http://www.kasonndraleigh.comBook Trailer: (Lost Immortals) http://kasonndraleigh.com/id14.htmlTwitter:  http://twitter.com/kasonndraleighFacebook 1:  http://facebook.com/kasonndraleighbooksFacebook2:  http://facebook.com/kasonndraleighbookspagePinterest:  http://pinterest.com/alestasia/the-lost-immortals/Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/When-Copper-Suns-Fall-ebook/dp/B0065QYXQA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333063304&sr=8-1Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-copper-suns-fall-kasonndra-leigh/1107876579?ean=2940013469693
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The Pack: Retribution tour and parties!

Have you heard the latest L M Preston buzz? Well I have!  There will be a twitter party on (Friday) September 28th at 7pm-9pm EST just use the hashtag #ThePackRetributionPartyandA facebook part on (Saturday) September 29th from 11am-10pm EST here:http://www.facebook.com/events/337549946331607/
I will be one of the hosts featured during the facebook party! My hour will start at 3pm!Now to meet the other amazing authors and bloggers who will be hosting:
11am - LM Preston Opens Party
12pm - KaSonndra Leigh
1pm - Nicole Olea
2pm - LM Preston
3pm - Emma Michaels
4pm - Nicole Langan
5pm - Nicole Langan
 6pm - Nagede
7pm - Lindsey Sablowski
8pm - Bryna Butler
9pm - Christina Leigh Pritchard
10pm - LM Preston Closing Party
  
L M Preston The woman behind the tour L.M. Preston was born and raised in Washington, DC. An avid reader, she loved to create poetry and short-stories as a young girl. With a thirst for knowledge she attended college at Bowie State University, and worked in the IT field as a Techie and Educator for over sixteen years. She started writing science fiction under the encouragement of her husband who was a Sci-Fi buff and her four kids. Her first published novel, Explorer X - Alpha was the beginning of her obsessive desire to write and create stories of young people who overcome unbelievable odds. She loves to write while on the porch watching her kids play or when she is traveling, which is another passion that encouraged her writing.
WEBSITE: www.lmpreston.com
BLOG: http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/
PARTY BLOG: http://bookpartylmpreston.blogspot.com
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/LM_Preston
FACEBOOK:http://tinyurl.com/2fev6qc
KaSonndra Leigh  KaSonndra Leigh was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She now lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to write about people of all ages doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.She loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora's Box (good writer's block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.
KaSonndra is a fellow The Writers Voice author with an amazing website and blog! http://www.kasonndraleigh.com/
Nicole Olea "The obscure ramblings of a writer mom not on the edge...usually."
  Blogger at two amazing blogs: http://www.nicoleolea.com/ and http://www.writespell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleOleaAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nicky_olea

Nicole Langan
 President of Tribute Books, book blogger and marketing extraordinaire! 
http://www.tribute-books.com/about.html
http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com/
 
Nagede Richards  Born in New York and raised in Pennsylvania, Nadege has traveled to five other states and two countries, but aspires to travel the world some day. Her name is of French origin, though she's never been to France. Forever a lover of art and all things pertaining to Literature, she hopes to obtain knowledge from her writing career, rather than popularity or fame. She wrote her first story about aliens and goats in the 8th grade and has had a passion for story-telling ever since. Her friends and family are her biggest inspiration, and the occasional cup of coffee. She enjoys being part of the Indie community and sharing her stories with the world.
When not reading, writing, and blogging obsessively, she's usually found hiking, studying, camping, or at home with her family. She's been a martial artist for two years, a singer for three, and always seeks a common ground in everything. She considers her writing very personal, as she's always been a private person. She enjoys writing about what could or should happen, rather than what did happen--she's a dreamer and a procrastinator.
Her Blog: http://authornadegerichards.blogspot.com/
Lindsey Sablowski Lindsey R. Sablowski is a YA fantasy author. She lives in Maryland with her family, friends, and boyfriend. She plans to attend Notre Dame University of Maryland to major in English Language and Literature. Lindsey has always adored reading and writing. Some of her favorite works have been written by Tamora Pierce, Philippa Gregory, Mary Stewart, and Michael J. Sullivan. Cursed With Power is the first book in the Magicians series, consisting of five books. Though this is not the first book she has written, it is her first published book. Her page on Amazon
Bryna Butler  Indie author Bryna Butler pens an engrossing and refreshingly original take on the paranormal in her debut Midnight Guardian series. Butler's young adult paranormal novels feature strong female leads and are woven from elements of horror, suspense, comedy, and mystery, all in a modern, small town setting.Butler is inspired by authors like Rachel Caine, Charlaine Harris, Lauren Kate, Joss Whedon, Neil Gaiman, Stephenie Meyer, and MaryJanice Davidson. Her work contains no profanity or explicit scenes, making it appropriate for pre-teen as well as teen readerhttp://brynabutler.com/
Christina Pritchard Christina Leigh Pritchard was born and raised in South Florida. Her first stories were written at the age of nine in $0.15 wide ruled spiral notebooks (which were supposed to be used for class) ;o)~ and in the various diaries she kept. Stories she wrote from age nine to twelve fill about four storage boxes!
Since she's upgraded to a computer, she's completed over fifty books and still going strong. Her genre's include dark fantasy, young adult, drama, suspense, historical romance, multicultural, comedy, poetry and many more.
Her main aspirations in life are: her dog, Teacup; the beach, writing and well, writing! The author says, "I breathe novels. Is there really anything else worthwhile besides writing and of course faith?"
What she says:
The most rewarding thing a person can do:
1. "Give all of your excess. You don't need it so why store it and allow it to collect dust?"
2. Listen to the stranger next to you whether on a bus, plane, park bench-whatever. Learn all you can about them and then notice how in such a short amount of time they had the ability to teach and/or change you!
Visit her Blog and subscribe for free upcoming novel excerpts: http://teeny120.wordpress.com/
and a shout out to C Lee McKenzie  who won't be able to make it but has wonderful books out including a short story featured in the upcoming anthology Two and Twenty Dark Tales! stop by these links to find out more about her!AmazonHer Blog: http://writegame.blogspot.com/Twitter
Stop by throughout the week to find out more about these amazing hostesses and the tour!




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'Owlet' Blog Tour Schedule & Giveaway Entries

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'Owlet' Blog Tour Schedule

Sharing Happiness

Sharing happiness is something that is very important to me. I think one of the best feelings in the world is that moment when you know you have made a difference for another person and somehow made their life a happier one whether it is in a small way or a larger one. That can mean doing favors, being there for someone, sharing your own happy news or even just giving someone a pick me up when they are down.
I try my best to always do any of the above whenever the chance arises. That is why I do what I do, everything from my writing to my covers are for other people and hoping I can make a difference in the only ways I know how. 

I love to do pro-bono work and in my everyday work get to make a difference through writing, hosting authors on my other blog The Writers Voice and spreading the word, blogging here on my website and doing my covers!

I love getting e-mails back from authors who are in love with their covers. I would literally slave for those e-mails because that moment of happiness for them is the very best feeling in the world to me because I know I was able to make a difference for someone and that is all I want.

With Owlet, I wrote it for girls like my 10-17 year old self who don't have anyone they can look up to who shares their limitations. Being an asthmatic felt like a curse at times until I learned to realize the ways it changes my perspective and somehow managed to make me a better person. I think every rewrite and every day I spent reading and rereading Owlet to try and get it right since I was 17, what kept me going was that if Owlet can help even one girl out there, it will all have been worth it.

I know it all seems very career oriented but there are also so many other ways to spread happiness! I help friends or neighbors with DIY projects and for some reason was given a talent for... plumbing... yeah, I don't understand how that managed to happen. Plumbing, wood work, cleaning and organizing, etc. even though I have never taken a class having to do with any of it in my life other than my solar electronics classes that I took because it worked well with my classes to help me reach my goals of naturally powers A. I.s for children in hospitals. (if I hadn't gone into the literary field I probably would have been an A. I. specialist - or at least I would like to think so :-p My goal as a child was to create highly intelligent animal A. I.s who could be emotional support for children in the hospitals since after my own time in the hospital and my fears after my family left, I figured I couldn't have been the only one who was so afraid of being left alone). Helping others can be anything from being the person at the other end of the couch moving furniture in to the neighbor's house to being the person who critiques work for someone before they send it in. It all depending on what spreading happiness means to you.

So here is a question: What does spreading happiness mean to you?

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My (Blogger) Community Photo!

Pre-Book Blogger Con party!
I went to New York in 2011 for Book Expo America and the Book Blogger Convention and it was probably one of the top five experiences of my life. I am such a recluse most of the time that upon touching down in New York it took me about ten minute to lose my voice because I normally am a very quiet person with maybe five people I speak to on a regular basis and suddenly I was surrounded by people from friends to family who all wanted to catch up.

Most of the trip I probably sounded like a frog thanks to my asthma mixing with losing my voice but I LOVED it because I finally had a chance to meet so many people I had interacted with online and was thrilled that my best friend, turned out to be even cooler than I had ever imagined, and all of the book bloggers I met, really were the representatives of community that they had always felt like to me. It was like a family reunion filled with people who had never met in person before but all knew each other and unlike reunions with my own family they understood what I was saying when I started talking about YA books and the most recent releases!

It was absolutely fantastic and the most at home I have felt with a group of people. Everyone had similar interests even if they may have had different genres or sub genres and everyone was so amazingly welcoming. I finally got to meet the people who were on the other side of all of the amazing blogs I love! 

It was a fantastic week I will never forget filled with amazing people from the community I am so proud to be a part of. The literary bloggers community filled with amazing readers, writers and publishers who come together to make magic happen.


^ P.S. Chocolate fondue rocks!!! ^ If you ever go to New York go to Max Brenner! ^BEA floor room^
 ^My two favorite bloggers/besties from Quill Cafe!^

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What Community Means to Me

I learned what community togetherness meant when I made the transition from book blogger to author. I had never truly gotten to be a part of a community and having so much support from my peers was such an amazing blessing. I think many of my strongest relationships have come from getting to be a part of the literary community or have ties to it in some way including meeting my best friend during the The Thirteenth Chime release when an interview turned into a chat which never ended. :-p

The book blogging community had continued to show me more and more what it means to be there for each other and what community means to me. We all have our ups and down but no matter what happens, we are rooting for each other and do our best to help each other out. My life would be completely different if it hadn't been for book bloggers welcoming me and showing me that my love for books was completely normal and I should share it. Now, I blog, I write novels and I even work as a cover artist for numerous publishers thanks to them.

So here is a toast to you book bloggers, authors and all people literary *clinks water glasses* I don't know where I would be without you but each of you has contributed to making me the happier more fulfilled person I am today.


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Celebrate Community Blog Hop - My Recipe

I will have to share this posts with my family because until today, this recipe had been a very well kept secret. We have a unique mix of cultures in my family. It seems like everyone comes from somewhere else but there is one thing we all always enjoy no matter what side of the family you may be from. Chocolate cake. 
My grandmother taught me to make them when I was probably about 4. First she would have me mix them and stir them around and she would put them in the oven for me, then after a few years I was allowed to make them on my own and we normally did it anywhere from once a month to every weekend until I was about 16 depending on our moods and who might be having a birthday. 
You are going to need the following but no matter what you do, make your own little change to the recipe. I do it every time to switch it up a little (just don't add too much salt or take away the baking soda or you will end up with a mess). I will secretly slip a melted chocolate bar in or shave off some extremely dark chocolate into the frosting and stir it around so that it still looks as it always has but with a completely new flavor. Its a tradition! Go for it! I even sneak strawberry or raspberry preserves in between the layers on occasion, though if you do that make sure you use preserves and not jam, the flavor keeps much better in the oven than it does with jam.
2 cups cake flour1 3/4 cups sugar3/4 cup cocoa1 1/4 cups milk (use dried milk and rehydrate it. It is part of the trick :-p)3/4 cup shortening (or 1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil)2 or 3 eggs (the more eggs the more moist it will be)1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit and use olive oil or vegetable oil to grease the pan or cake mold you will be using (you can also do cupcakes). Here is part of the trick. You know where most recipes tell you to mix all of the ingredients into a bowl together? Yeah. This part I try to never stray on. Add the eggs and start mixing, make sure the yoke break and that it looked mixed enough that if you were making scrambled eggs you wouldn't end up with white spots. Then add the milk and shortening. Mix is well and then add in all of the powders starting with the cocoa and going from there. If I ever change this up, it is normally just me doing the same thing but in reverse and for longer but it is much harder to do that way since I mix it by hand. If you have a mixer you can easily pull it off.
You can split it into two layers so that you can frost in between them and because two layers it much easier to cook evenly than the larger one layer pans. You bake for about 32 minutes in my oven but if you have one that tends to get a little too hot, then about 25-30 and if yours tends to be slow to heat up then give it anywhere from 35-40 minutes. 
After it is done cooking go ahead and remove it from the pans and onto cooling racks after cooling for a little less than 10 minutes. You want it to still be warm enough that it comes out smoothly. Then after letting it cool down the rest of the way you can frost them with your favorite frosting and you are good to go! I tend to go with chocolate or mocha frosting but the frosting if half the fun and there are so many different types to try! Think of your favorite fruit or berry if you don't want to go with a chocolate, coffee or vanilla and go from there (don't forget you can also add fresh fruit into the mix or as a garnish)! 
As for toppings/garnish. Don't forget, you can top a cake with just about anything. Most of my family like for me to do these cakes for their birthdays if we are spending them together and I try to incorporate their favorite things into the base recipe. Take my fiance's father. He LOVES snickers. My plan for his next birthday includes dices snickers in the center and as a topping if I can pull it off! Or my fiance loves peanut butter so I am going to try out getting some organic freshly made peanut butter from the market and adding that into the chocolate frosting! 
So go forth and create!Go out and try it! Tell me what you think or what variations you would like to try!What is your favorite flavor you might be able to incorporate?



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