Shellie Neumeier's Blog, page 6

Fall Blog Blitz visit with Meradeth Houston

Today's Blog Blitz guest is Meradeth Houston. She is finishing her degree-to-end-all-degrees in anthropology. Don't ask her how long she's been in school . She is also an instructor at her university, and spends most of her time working in a laboratory. Please drop by her blog or website! She can be found at http://meradethhouston.blogspot.com/ & www.MeradethHouston.com. She's also on facebook and google+, links for both can be found on her website!

Now, let's check in with Meradeth…

Meradeth, tell us about your book.

Colors Like Memories is set to release in May of 2012 (I know this is a ways off, but I'm already getting excited!). It's a story of love, loss, and learning how to live. I had a blast writing this story, so I hope people enjoy reading it! (Here's the blurb if you're curious: Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of. In order to save her best friend's life, she's going to have to face her past, but her ghosts won't make it easy. Especially his.)

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?

In my "other" life, I am a scientist, which is what I do full time. I love it . My writing life does balancing things nicely, allowing for more creativity, which I think is healthy. Or, well, I hope it healthy. Sometimes I wonder…

What is your working environment like?

I'm looking around at my desk and realizing it's pretty crazy at the moment. Maybe I should use this as a good excuse to clean it off. I probably won't though. I just have a lot of things going on, so things are organized (to an extent), I just have a lot of things!

(That's my desk—yikes!)

What are you reading right now?

Right now, I'm reading and enjoying PossessionPossession by Elana Johnson. I have a stack of books to read that is a mile high though—there's nothing better than a good book to curl up with!

Are you working on anything now?

I am! I'm actually kind of excited about it, though I've yet to finish the first draft completely. At the moment I'm calling it the Buffy meets the Shadow Monster from Lost (but really, the bad guys are more like the creepy oily alien things on the X-files). Anyhow, it's been fun, and I hope to get it polished up soon!

Thanks so much for hosting me on your blog! It's been fun!

I'm glad you could join us. Now for some fun. If you're interested in a copy of Colors Like Memories when it comes out, please leave a comment here or any of the other blogs Meradeth will be visiting this month. Or leave a comment at each of the blogs for more entry chances! Meradeth will draw a winner from the comments and announce it on her blog at the end of the month. Please leave a way to get in contact with you in the comments below! Good Luck.

 

Couple Quick Announcements

Happy Friday! Hope you are enjoying MuseItYoung's Fall Blogathon. The Blogathon will continue throughout the month of September, so stop back. If you'd like to see who's up next, click here.

On to the first announcement, tonight is the query critique event over at NextGenWriters, 9pm EDT. Come chat with editor, Chila Woychik, live, as she reads shares with you an editor's insight into reviewing a query. Check it out.

A Summer in Oakville, co-authored with Lisa Lickel, is visiting the Agatha Remembered blog. Stop by and say 'hi.' A Summer in Oakville is available in A Summer in Oakvilleebook format as well as paper backA Summer in Oakville. Click through for your preferred format. Hope you enjoy!

A Visit with Barbara Bockman

Hi Shellie,

Thanks for having me on your blog today. I'm happy to say the MuseItUp Publishing young adult and middle grade authors are getting lots of exposure on each other's blogs this month.

 

My novel, Wounds, falls into the middle grade category. I think this book will be of interest to youngsters who have ever done anything they have felt guilty about and didn't know how to go about rectifying things. And doesn't that cover just about all of us?

 

My main character, Craig, tries to cut down an old oak tree that is venerated by the greater community. And this is where other readers might find this book of interest. The harm done to the tree brings the community together. Various people who become involved are the newspaper,  the police, the school principal, teachers, a Juvenile Court Judge, a state officer of the Department of Children and Families, a doctor, a kid's club, and the city arborist.

 

It makes Craig realize how connected everything and everyone are, but he has a hard time seeing this fact apply to himself.

 

I personally like the arborist who comes to take care of the wounded tree. Craig is ordered by the judge to assist in the care of the tree. We get to see some natural science that pertains to trees in general and to grafting in particular as it applies to this tree. I kept the details to a minimum so as not to get bogged down. But teachers could use this as a starting point to teach students some science out in the field. My arborist is described as "a big man with a big love of big trees." He is enthusiastic, optimistic, and a hard worker.

 

I would not presume to compare my book to anything by Eve Bunting. But her book, Blackwater, also deals with guilt and influenced me.

 

If my book were turned into a movie, I think the boy on the cover would be good to play the part. He has a brooding expression that seems to hide the hurt inside. Don't know who he is, though.

 

I have many, many favorite fiction books. (Don't know if that's possible, but it's hard to pick just one). But one in particular that stands out for  me is Who Really Killed Cock Robin? by Jean Craighead George. And another, non-fiction, is Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. They share a common theme of pesticides. I guess that shows you where my greatest concern is.

 

I recall that my favorite book in the third grade was Pegeen by Hilda van Stockum. I think I identified with Pegeen because she was a country girl who loved storytelling and she was an orphan. I wasn't an orphan but I had lost my dad in the War and I was a country girl. Now I'm a storyteller.

 

Shellie, it's been fun for me to share some info about Wounds. You have an interesting bunch of questions—sorry I couldn't get to all of them.

 

Thanks for inviting me to talk about Wounds, my upcoming Muse middle grade e-novel. It is going to be available starting September 16 on these sites:

http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/

And this is my buy page: https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=206&category_id=10&keyword=wounds&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

 

Amazon.com, for download to computer or Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/books-used-books-textbooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=283155

 **Barbara will give away a PDF copy of Wounds at the end of the tour. So please leave a comment.**

Blog Blitz Visit with Pembroke Sinclair

Our Blog Blitz journey continues with an interview of Pembroke Sinclair today. Welcome, Pembroke, tell us about your book.

The world has come to an end. It doesn't go out with a bang, or even a whimper. It goes out in an blood bath and the dead rising from their graves to feast on living flesh. As democracy crumples and the world melts into anarchy, five families in the U.S. rise to protect the survivors. The undead hate a humid environment, so they are migrating westward to escape its deteriorating effects. The survivors are constructing a wall in North Platte to keep the zombie threat to the west, while tyranny rules among the humans to the east. Capable but naïve Krista is 15 when the first attacks occur, and she loses her family and barely escapes with her life. She makes her way to the wall and begins a new life. But, as the undead threat grows and dictators brainwash those she cares about, Krista must fight not only to survive but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedom, and ultimately those she loves.

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?

An editor.  I love the mechanics of language and writing and helping authors become the best they can be.

Are you working on anything now?

I'm always working on something!  Currently, I doing edits to my nonfiction book, as well as a novella.  I have some ideas for short stories in my head, and I'm waiting for the chance to continue working on the sequel to Life After the Undead.

How does your spouse feel about your writing career?

My spouse is incredibly supportive of my career.  He reads my rough drafts and makes suggestions of how to make them better.  Sometimes, he even gives me ideas for stories!

Thank you for visiting with us, Pembroke. Best wishes on your writing journey.

 

Next up…Kim Baccelli

Author Kim Baccelli, author of Crossed Out, is joining us today on September's Fall Blog Blitz. Here's a taste of her new release…

Following the light can't be that hard, right? So why don't the dead just do it and leave Stephanie Stewart alone?

However nothing is ever as simple as it should be, as Stephanie learns when her hidden 'gift' becomes more than a nuisance, quickly turning unto a liability.

If she can't learn to trust someone with her secret, the world as she knows it will go to hell. Literally. But if she doesn't choose wisely, she might just end up learning firsthand how hard it is to follow that light.

Because she's next on the list to be crossed out.

Excerpt:

I couldn't deal with Mom and her holier-than-thou attitude about decorating crosses. If she had any clue why I needed to do this, maybe she'd back off. I pushed my hair aside and looked down at the wooden beams. My box of paints and Sharpie pens lay close to my side. I had to get the design just right. Roses, or something plainer? It didn't help that it was so cold in the garage.

Why was it so hard to help the dead go to the other side? It'd be a whole lot easier if they told me what they wanted on their crosses. Dead girl comes, asks for help, and tells me she's into pink roses. Yes, that would make my job a lot easier.

But one thing I've learned is, life isn't easy. Cliché, but true.

Figures, this was how I'd spend my time on a Saturday – sitting cross-legged on the floor in our garage, worrying about finishing a cross for some dead girl. In a few hours, Mom would drag me to Mrs. Swanson's house for a sleepover. I didn't really have time to decorate a cross.

And each time I tried to sketch, thoughts of the meeting drove any thought of the design out of my mind. I mean, how could I even think of helping others – albeit dead ones – when my own life was such a disaster?

I didn't want to go. But Mom was using the whole sleepover as a way to get me to be around Hillary, whom she thought would be such a good example for me. But I couldn't tell my mother the truth – I hated Hillary. Yes, we'd once been close, but it wasn't as if we were BFF anymore. No, Hillary made sure of that when I'd been stupid enough to trust her with my secret. A secret that was better left hidden. No one believed the dead could talk to you.

According to my last counselor, the only way that could happen is through serious Steven Spielberg special effects.

When I admitted to seeing one of my dead friends, he didn't freak. No, he did something worse. He ended up suggesting to my parents that I needed to see a counselor – for serious psychological help. I mean, only crazy people see the dead.

And, I hate to say this, but his anti-anxiety and antidepressants don't keep them away. Sometimes I wished the drug cocktail could just erase them. It sure would make my life a lot easier.

Sighing, I decided to go with pink roses. What girl didn't like pink?

A sudden coldness permeated the garage. Jeez, did Dad forget to close the back door again?

I pulled my hoodie tighter. Working in near darkness was bad enough without the drop in temperature.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

I dropped my black Sharpie.

Over in the corner of the garage loose papers and dust whirled around – a funnel growing larger and larger.

A light shone next to Mom's holiday plastic boxes, illuminating some Christmas ornaments, tinsel, and wrapping paper.

"Stephanie…careful…."

The childish voice grew louder. A chill went up my back. I know that voice!

I blinked once and when I opened my eyes I saw the girl. Her long dirty blond hair was clumped into two pigtails, and her bikini top and cut-off Levis brought back memories of the YMCA pool three years ago where I'd spent my summers.

Allison!

Omigod! I pushed the wooden cross aside. A tingling sensation burned through my whole body. Once I helped a dead person cross over, that was supposed to end the whole rescue scenario. The bright light appeared and poof! Well, not this time.

I scooted away, over the rough, cold pavement. This didn't make sense. Though I was used to visits from the "other" side, having Allison reappear scared me. I didn't know what to do.

"Allison, why are you here?" My voice broke.

She took a step toward me. Her lips trembled.

"Careful…danger…."

Danger? Did that mean her murderer was out of prison? Just the thought of that perv touching or killing someone else made me want to hurl.

"No… another…."

Someone else?

"Allison, what are you trying to tell me?" I slowly got up off the ground. "Is the guy who killed you, out?"

Allison shook her head. It still freaked me out how much the dead looked like us, not fuzzy or semi-transparent like they show on TV. The ones I helped still looked the way they had when they'd been killed, complete with all the blood and stuff.

Yet here was Allison. She should be in Heaven singing in one of those heavenly choirs Mom always talked about.

I bit my hangnail, ripping it off. I couldn't deal with this. Not now.

"Careful…."

The wind picked up, tossing loose papers everywhere. None of this affected Allison.

I had so many questions to ask her. I missed her. I knew she'd understand me, even when others – including my mom – were clueless.

"Allison, what's it like to be…?"

The wind howled drowning out her answer.

And just as quickly, Allison left.

I felt as if something had punched me in the stomach. I pushed back the sickness threatening to escape. What was going on? But even worse, I didn't know what to do. One thing had been made perfectly clear. The rules had all changed and no one bothered to give me the new players' guide.

About the author:

Kim Baccellia has always been a sucker for the paranormal. She blames it on her families' love for such things such as having picnics at cemeteries, visiting psychics, and reading her mother's copies of the daily horoscope. She even had her own horoscope column in middle school, which was a big hit!

Kim's other works include the poem, "My Father", which appears in the anthology Mind Mutations, published by The Sun Rising Press. Her essay about the adoption of her son, Finally, Our Turn, appeared in Adoptive Families magazine. Her YA multicultural fantasy, Earrings of Ixtumea, is published by Virtual Tales and available now at Amazon.

A member of SCBWI, Kim is currently writing the sequel to CROSSED OUT. She's also putting the finishing touches on an upper MG fantasy No Goddesses Allowed. She lives in Southern California with her husband and son.

Starsong's Magazine Character Contest

Have you read the fall edition of Starsongs Magazine, yet? Well, grab your copy and read the article on creating fabulous characters. Then, come on back and add your character descriptions  to the comments section of the "Starsongs Character" tab (above) between September 1st and December 1st 2011 and Patti Shene, editor of Starsongs magazine, will choose the most unique one. The winner will receive a cash prize of $15.00 from Starsongs magazine. Start preparing your entry and post it today!

A Special Kinda Blog Blitz

During the month of September, Driven and I will be participating in a Fall Blog Blitz organized by The Wishing Ring's Publising house, MuseItYoung. The Participants will in turn, visit my blog and post articles and interviews about their upcoming releases. Please understand this is a ABA not a CBA publisher. All the titles will be YA or middle grade, but they will not be Christian fiction as a general rule of thumb. Please see this as an opportunity to visit with a handful of new authors as they share their writing journey and their fiction with us and I hope you enjoy the many contests the authors are hosting.

Here's the schedule…

9/1

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on C.K. Volnek

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Barbara Bockman

9/2

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Kim Baccellia

Kim Bacellia – "Crossed Out" on Shellie Neumeier

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Pembroke Sinclair

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on C.K. Volnek

9/3

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Lawna Mackie

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Meradeth Houston

9/4

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Marva Dasef

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Rebecca Ryals Russell

9/5

Barbara Ehrentreu – "If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" on Kim Baccellia

Pembroke Sinclair – "Life After the Undead" on Barbara Ehrentreu

9/6

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Marva Dasef

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Lawna Mackie

Chris Verstraete – "Killer Valentine Ball" on C.K. Volnek

9/7

Kim Baccellia – "Crossed Out" on Barbara Bockman

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Kim Baccellia

Pembroke Sinclair – "Life After the Undead" on Shellie Neumeier

Barbara Ehrentreu – "If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" on Rebecca Ryals Russell

9/8

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Kim Baccellia

Kim Baccellia – "Crossed Out" on Barbara Ehrentreu

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Shellie Neumeier

Chris Verstraete – "Killer Valentine Ball" on Marva Dasef

9/9

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Barbara Bockman

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Sue Perkins

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Rebecca Ryals Russell

Pembroke Sinclair – "Life After the Undead" on C.K. Volnek

9/10

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Shellie Neumeier

Kim Baccellia – "Crossed Out" on Rebecca Ryals Russell

Barbara Ehrentreu – "If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" on Chris Verstraete

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Pembroke Sinclair

9/11

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Kim Baccellia

9/12

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Barbara Ehrentreu

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Shellie Neumeier

Barbara Ehrentreu – "If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" on Lawna Mackie

Pembroke Sinclair – "Life After the Undead" on Sue Perkins

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Rebecca Ryals Russell

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Pembroke Sinclair

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on

9/15

Shellie Neumeier – "Driven" on Marva Dasef

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Lawna Mackie

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Sue Perkins

9/16

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Barbara Bockman

Shellie Neumeier – "Driven" on Barbara Ehrentreu

Chris Verstraete – "Killer Valentine Ball" on Rebecca Ryals Russell

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Pembroke Sinclair

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on C.K. Volnek

9/21

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Barbara Bockman

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Marva Dasef

Shellie Neumeier – "Driven" on Pembroke Sinclair

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Chris Verstraete

9/22

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Barbara Ehrentreu

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Shellie Neumeier

Shellie Neumeier – "Driven" on Sue Perkins

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on

Barbara Ehrentreu – "If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" on C.K. Volnek

9/25

Pembroke Sinclair – "Life After the Undead" on Marva Dasef

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Barbara Ehrentreu

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Lawna Mackie

Chris Verstraete – "Killer Valentine Ball" on Shellie Neumeier

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Meradeth Houston

9/26

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Kim Baccellia

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Barbara Bockman

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Marva Dasef

Shellie Neumeier – "Driven" on Lawna Mackie

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on Chris Verstraete

9/27

Chris Verstraete – "Killer Valentine Ball" on Barbara Bockman

Lawna Mackie – "Enchantment" on Barbara Ehrentreu

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Shellie Neumeier

Barbara Bockman – "Wounds" on Chris Verstraete

9/28

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Kim Baccellia

Barbara Ehrentreu – "If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor" on Marva Dasef

Pembroke Sinclair – "Life After the Undead" on Lawna Mackie

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Sue Perkins

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Chris Verstraete

Sue Perkins – "Spirit Stealer" on C.K. Volnek

9/29

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Barbara Bockman

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Meradeth Houston

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on C.K. Volnek

9/30

Meradeth Houston – "Colors Like Memories" on Kim Baccellia

Rebecca Ryals Russell – "Prophecy" on Marva Dasef

Marva Dasef – "Bad Spelling" on Barbara Ehrentreu

C.K. Volnek – "Ghost Dog of Roanoke" on Lawna Mackie

Teen Dating with K. Dawn Byrd

Today, we'll talk about Christian teen dating and I'll use some examples from my debut young adult novel, Mistaken IdentityMistaken Identity, to illustrate a few points. In Mistaken IdentityMistaken Identity, my debut young adult romance, Eden Morgan is a sixteen year old Christian trying her best to live for Jesus. She grew up in a Christian home and her father is a Sunday School teacher and her mother a Christian Counselor. Eden is ridiculed by her peers at times because of her faith, but she refuses to compromise even when her feelings are hurt bad enough for her to cry.

Eden makes a goal of several things she wants to accomplish during the summer vacation and believes that if she's successful, she'll have the best summer ever. One of them is landing the guy of her dreams. There's certain criteria that he has to meet…he must be gorgeous, he must be a Christian, and her parents must approve.

Eden made a vow to save herself for marriage, something she feels so strongly about that it's not even open for discussion. She's asked out by a boy who she thinks is cute, but he's known to paw all over the girls he dates and has the reputation for pressuring them to have sex with him. For that reason, Eden refuses to go out with him.

When her best friend, Lexi, who is a wild party girl dumps her boyfriend, Jeremy, he asks Eden to a dance. She says yes because he's hurt and she wants to comfort him. She then begins to think about the fact that some of her peers may think she's trying to get Jeremy to like her so he won't go back to Lexi. She worries about her reputation because she wants to glorify God. After all, one of the goals she made for the summer was to live closer to God.

Eden has invited Lexi to church many times and prays for her salvation constantly. Of course, she's angry when Lexi makes fun of her, but she still loves her. Events in the story unfold and their friendship dissolves. Eden comes to grips with the fact that she can never trust her again, but will still try to be a friend if needed. It's important for Christian to be there for others, including people who have hurt us emotionally, that doesn't mean we have to be their best friend though.

Teenage life can be so hard. We all want to feel like we fit in and we want to be liked and respected by others. Sometimes, it's hard to do the right thing in a world that has gone so wrong. I'll leave you with one thought. My elderly father-in-law has a favorite saying, "For every action, there is a reaction." This is a reminder to me that for every action, there will be consequences for me, good or bad.

K.Dawn can be found on her website, Facebook, and twitter.

What do you think about teens dating?

Robyn's Interviewing her Creator

That's right. Robyn Stanley, main character from DRIVEN is interviewing me on Ralene Burke's Character tour. Come join the fun. See you there…

Interview with a Teen

In honor of all those going back to school (college or otherwise) today's post is a revisit with my own daughter who's off on an adventure of her own.

Welcome to Interview with a Teen.  If you are a parent, this section may shed light on why teens do what they do.  If you are a teen, email me, we want to know why you do what you do.

This week I'd like to introduce our feature teen, Rachael.  Rachael is a seventeen year old Junior who dreams of acquiring a double major in retailing and marketing.  For now she is uncovering a whole new world with her camera and picnik. She was gracious enough to answer a few question about what inspires her and why she loves photography.

Why photography?

I just like being able to capture what I see.

How long have you been taking pictures?

I was thinking about that the other day and I don't remember.  I think it was when I got my camera in 2008.

What do you think is more important a good eye or good equipment?

A good eye.  A good photographer can take good pictures with any camera.  I use a $60 point and shoot.

Do you prefer digital pictures or traditional paper pictures?

I prefer digital because you can retake them right away if you need to.  But I think it's because of the era I grew up in.

What do you like to take pictures of  and why?

A lot of the pictures I take are of nature, flowers, the sky, stuff like that.  I like the colors of nature and its beauty.

What do you want to do with the pictures?

I just take them to take them.  If they go somewhere that's awesome, but I'm fine with just taking them.