Kelly Hashway's Blog, page 84

Friday Feature: Finding Me by Dawn Brazil

Sixteen-year-old Chloe Carmichael’s perfect world is in chaos.
It’s not because she has a vision of her boyfriend murdered. And then he’s found dead exactly as she saw. It’s not because she suddenly has the ability to move objects when she’s upset. It’s kinda cool to close a door without touching it. It’s not her overbearing mother who only cares about appearances. Chloe’s grown accustomed to her family’s distance. 
So what has Chloe cringing in fear? It’s a love that defies reason.  It’s a love that speaks to the heart. It demands attention. But Chloe struggles with a love that exposes the soul. What will her family think? What will her friends think? And is she worthy of his love.
And it’s having to become another person for a new group of people. Chloe knows she’s not perfect but apparently she was when she was Amanda in another life. Her new friends won’t let her forget. It’s the stench of death that hoovers over her every move. It’s the threat of finality as she tries to acclimate to a life of super human proportions. It’s an enemy she can’t see, doesn’t remember, and can be anyone she’s ever known. But her enemy knows her well. She’s the lone person with the knowledge to destroy him. But she doesn’t remember.

And it’s never discovering who she really is before finality meets reality.
Excerpt:
I forced my eyes upward. My mind cascaded over all the things I could say. I knew I shouldn’t allow him to bully me. My thoughts scattered, the right words slipped away. “I…no…you are not–”
My head jerked back suddenly, casting a dozen sparkling stars across my eyes, and a bolt of electricity shot up my spine. The zap was so intense, I stumbled, face-first to the floor. The fall should have thrown me to the smooth, dry surface of the wood floor of the school hallway.
It didn’t.
My hands met moisture. My eyes bulged as I took in what lay beneath them: grass.
I lifted my head to scan the area, stunned to silence. A sea of green enveloped me. The urge to scream overpowered everything, but I fought it. I clasped my hands to my mouth to muffle the sound that escaped anyway.            The football field stretched before me.                                                             How can I be here? This isn’t possible. I scrambled to my feet, spun around, and gazed at the school I’d been in moments ago. I shut my eyes tight. “Please let me be back in the school, about to have the biggest fight with Zack,” I said aloud.  
My heart thrummed at my chest, but my eyes remained shut, afraid of what I might find once I dared a peek. But standing with them closed wasn’t an option. A crow cawed overhead to urge me on. My eyes sprang open. 
Confusion twisted away at my insides. Why was I still on the field? I swallowed back the lump in my throat and ran a shaky hand through my thick hair that continually blew into my face, obstructing my vision.                            Straining against the glare of the midday sun, I tripped, my feet two cinderblocks in my boots. For late August, the Manhattan wind that kicked up seemed to scream winter and not fall. I tucked the unruly strands of hair, tossed about by the rebel wind, behind my ear and took another reluctant step forward. That was when I saw it. The crimson red thrust against the emerald green of the field. The colors blended, reminding me of Freddy Krueger’s sweater in A Nightmare on Elm Street. There was a lot of blood in that movie. And I was pretty certain blood was the red part I saw on the field.
I gasped. My breath caught in my throat and the stench of copper invaded my nostrils. I fought against the urge to vomit, yet couldn’t contain the desire to move closer.
I’d never seen a dead body before.
After a few steps, my feet refused their forward motion. Fear raced slick and hot up my spine. The familiar face taunted me. It should; I knew it well. It belonged to Zack.                         I fell to the ground near his body. Confused, emotions swirled. My heart raced and my stomach flipped. I leaned forward to grasp the rigid turf as a wave of nausea rocked my body. But I refused to look away.
I searched his open eyes, as dark and bleak as night, unable to comprehend what I saw. His gaze was blank. Two holes that lead to nothing but emptiness. I extended my hand to close them. Tears fell over my outstretched arm as I inched my hand toward him. Fear pierced my resolve. I tried to choke back the fear. It lingered.                                                                                   

*Finding Me is free for five days, starting on the official release date, April 2!!!*  About the Author: Dawn Brazil writes books for Young Adults. Her debut novel, Finding Me, is an Urban fantasy and is releasing officially on April 2, 2014. She also writes science fiction and romance but will read anything with great characters. She is currently writing a novella titled, Finding Her, from her character Chris's point of view from Finding Me. She lives in South Texas with her husband, three kids, and her great big imagination. For more useless information about Dawn check out her Blog @ http://dawnbrazil.blogspot.com or Facebook page - www.facebook.com/authordawnbrazil- where she is the most annoyingly random person in America. Or find her on Twitter @dawnbrazil, where her randomness can be quite annoying but thankfully is restrained to 140 characters.
Find Dawn online: Twitter: @dawnbrazilFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDawnBrazilBlog: http://dawnbrazil.blogspot.comGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8049152.Dawn_BrazilAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/dawnbrazil

Writer Wednesday: Author Events Where You Can't Sell Books

I have an author event this Sunday that I've gone to for the past few years. It's not an event where I can sell books. (It's not even an event that focuses on books. The focus is local businesses.) I have a table to display my books, business cards, and SWAG to giveaway, but I am not allowed to sell anything. Why do I do this? Simple. Being an author isn't just about selling books. It's about sharing what we do and making people into readers.
At this event, I talk to people about writing in general—how I went from idea to book, how I found my agent, how I got published, and what I do on a daily basis. The amazing thing is that most of the people in attendance are non-readers, and yet they find authors interesting. I think it's because authors genuinely love what we do. Sharing my writing career with strangers is so much fun for me. Sure, some of these people take my business cards and order my books. I know because they come back the following year and tell me they bought one of my books and what they thought of it. That's great because of course I love getting sales, but it's not why I go to this event.
It's about making connections with readers and/or turning people into readers. I've also gotten invites to other author appearances each year from the people I speak with at this event. 
So marketing isn't just about selling copies of your books. Keep that in mind when you book your next event.

Monday Mishmash 3/31/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:Family Expo  I'll be at the Family Expo on Sunday the 6th from noon to 3pm talking about writing and displaying my books. The Expo is held at East Stroudsburg High School South if you're in the area.Edits  I'm expecting edits this week for Perfect For You , my upcoming Ashelyn Drake YA contemporary romance. I'm excited!Author Events  April is a busy month for me. I have three author events scheduled.Reading  I'm reading Insurgent right now. I loved Divergent, but I'm not as in love Insurgent just yet. I'm enjoying it, but not quite as much as book one.Need To Read  Tomorrow is the first Need To Read post on YA Bound. Need To Read is a new meme, posted on the first Tuesday of each month, that highlights books releasing that month. These are the books we've waited for and now we can read them. Feel free to grab the button and post your Need To Read books.
That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Friday Feature: Divergent

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

My thoughts:
I won this book a long time ago on Medeia Sharif's blog but it's been sitting on my bookshelf. Why? As much as I wanted to read it, I was worried about all the hype. I thought it wouldn't live up to it. But I finally decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. Tris is a character I could identify with from the start because she felt so real. She doesn't fit in with her family or her faction. And when her simulation says she's Divergent and confirms that she doesn't fit in anywhere, she has to make a big decision. Being Divergent is dangerous. If people found out, she would be killed. So Tris makes a big decision and leaves her faction for one she thinks will save her.

I was really glad that Tris struggled a lot in her new faction. Things were tough, yet she'd have small victories along the way. I thought it was the perfect balance. She also develops some great relationships, though not all end well for her. While it's obvious that there's going to be something between Tris and Four, there were plenty of surprises there too, and I loved seeing what was going to happen next.

I wish I didn't put this serious off for so long, and I'm looking forward to the movie adaptation and book two.

Writer Wednesday: The Monster Within ARC and Teaser

On Monday I got a nice surprise in my mailbox. 
My ARC of The Monster Within! Yay! I spent yesterday proofreading it. I never get tired of reading this book because Sam and Ethan are very special to me. And of course I made a teaser video for you. Enjoy!

Monday Mishmash 3/24/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:
1. Touch of Death for $0.99!!! Yes, you read that correctly. Touch of Death is only $0.99 on Kindle. Get it here.
2. Need To Read  I've created a new meme over at YA Bound called Need To Read. On the first Tuesday of each month, I'll feature releases from that month that I'm excited to read. You can join me by grabbing the button and posting your Need To Read list on the first Tuesday of each month.

3. Catching up on my TBR list  I have three books to review this week as I try to catch up on my TBR pile.
4. Drafting  I'm drafting a new idea but I'm doing it between a lot of other stuff, which is not typical for me. I hope this works. lol
5. My Tethered Soul Cover Reveal  Dorothy Dreyer had a cover reveal on Friday. Check out the cover and blurb for My Tethered Soul. (I'm looking forward to this one!)
It’s been months since Zadie faced her sister’s Reaper, months during which she’s been under her mentor’s magical protection. But now that she’s turning seventeen, that protection is about to run out.

When dark forces lure Zadie to wander at night, she’s manipulated into committing unspeakable acts. With her friends and family at risk, Zadie must try to use her powers to break free from the Reaper’s grasp, or surrender to the Reaper’s Rite, which can only lead to death.That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Many Sides of Medusa Blog Hop

Thank you for stopping by the Many Sides of Medusa Blog Hop hosted by Heather Lyons and Kelly Hashway! 
Door Prize: Your door prize for joining us is the short story prequel to the Touch of Death series titled Curse of Death. It's the myth about Medusa and how she was cursed by the goddess Athena. Claim your free gift by clicking here.
Heather and Kelly are teaming up to show you a very different side of Medusa. Forget the monster you might think she was, and check out these excerpts from The Deep End of the Sea and Touch of Death. You just might change your mind about Medusa.

The Deep End of the Sea excerpt:
But there’s no way around it. I am, in fact, a monster. A hideous one, to be precise, but as I don’t have any mirrors on Gorgóna, I can’t verify that one for certain. I rely on the fact that every single person I’ve frozen over the ages boasts abject fear on their face, which makes me believe they find me pretty horrifying. And it sucks. It genuinely, truly, absolutely, unequivocally sucks. I hate stealing lives.

Thus, not only am I a monster, I’m a really lousy one. A lonely, classic Five Stages of Grief following, insecure, shut-in of a pathetic beast who talks to the snakes on her head and the statues on her island.











Find Heather online: 
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Purchase The Deep End of the Sea on Amazon or B&N.

Touch of Death excerpt:
My hair blew up, flying wildly all around me. My blood bubbled in my veins like boiling water, but it didn't hurt. It was the feeling of power. Too much power. My body felt like it was going to burst. Still I held on. My eyes closed, and I threw my head back. An imaged filled my mind. Medusa. Her snakes wriggled their bodies at me, flicking their tongues. Chills ran down the backs of my legs, but I forced my eyes away from the snakes. Lower. To Medusa's face. She smiled at me. Her face and eyes filled with warmth. She looked like…Mom.

"Do not fear me, Jodi. My blood lies in your veins and in your heart. you are one of mine. My children."




Find Kelly online:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Purchase the Touch of Death series on Amazon or B&N.

If you want more Medusa, be sure to check out The Deep End of the Sea and the Touch of Death series. And…Heather and Kelly have a giveaway for you. Enter on the rafflecopter form for your chance to win a $20 gift card to either Amazon or B&N, Medusa Makeup lipgloss, signed bookmarks from both authors, buttons for each book, and Touch of Death stickers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writer Wednesday: Pressure

Pressure is something we all feel from time to time. Pressure to write a great book, to find an agent, to get a good book deal, to make a living from writing. I've seen great writers talk about quitting, and it makes me sad. I know quite a few NY Times Bestsellers. Sometimes that's tough for me because as happy as I am to see my friends succeed, I wonder if I'll ever get there myself. That's when I feel the pressure.
There's one thing I do know for certain, though. I'll never stop writing. I'll never stop trying to become a NY Times Bestseller. But you know what? I'll also never take it for granted that I can write for a living. It's the best job in the world (after being Mom), and I'm so thankful that my husband makes enough money to pay the bills and my income isn't that big of a deal. Sure I make money writing and editing, but I'm no J.K. Rowling or Rick Riordan. For now, I'm okay with that.
I keep reminding myself that it's okay to push toward my dreams, but I have to also enjoy the journey—where I am now. I'll never stop feeling the pressure this industry can place on me, but I won't let it consume me either.
How do you deal with the pressure of the writing industry?

Monday Mishmash 3/17/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:Kiss of Death  I've been working on revisions for a Touch of Death prequel novella told from Alex's point of view. I fell hard for Alex and wanted to tell his story (pre-Jodi) to give readers a little insight as to how he ends up the person we all see in Touch of Death. Stay tuned for more info on when this novella will be available.Idea Overload  Last week I got a bunch of new ideas and jotted them all down. One idea is speaking to me louder than the others so I'm plotting that one and trying to work on it in between edits.5 Books in 2014?  I don't know how I didn't realize this—I think my subconscious wouldn't let me focus on it—but I have 5 books releasing this year. 5! Face of Death, The Monster Within, Perfect For You, Into the Fire, and Curse of the Granville Fortune are all 2014 titles. How on earth did that happen? I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.Reading  I'm trying to work my way through some books that have been on my shelf for years now. I need more time to read.Perfect For You  In case you missed my cover reveal last week, my upcoming Ashelyn Drake YA contemporary romance has a gorgeous cover! Check it out and feel free to add it on Goodreads.
That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Friday Feature: Aire by Lena Goldfinch

Principessa Annalisia is stunned and conscience-stricken when an unknown enemy mistakenly abducts her maidservant. Determined to find the girl, Annalisia disguises herself as plain Anna and slips away from the palace. She tracks down Jovanni, her maidservant's daring older brother, and they soon begin to search together. As they uncover clues, Anna also discovers a kindred spirit in Jovanni. But would he be so free with her if he knew who she really was? Doubtful. Even so, she reveals her secret gift of visions to him, and in so doing disobeys the orders of her beloved grandmother, the queen.With Jovanni, Anna can almost imagine she’s like any other seventeen-year-old girl, free to pursue the longings of her heart. When she learns that he also has a secret—he's a sentinel, an ancient shapeshifter who can take the form of a falcon—it seems as if they were destined to be together, as in the legends of il Sentiro. Though Anna is tempted to wish otherwise, she can’t forget that she’s a princess and it's her duty to marry another. Meanwhile, their hunt leads Anna ever closer to danger, for she herself is being hunted.
Learn more on Goodreads and the author’s website.
My thoughts:
When I started reading this it reminded me of the TV series Reign, which I love, so I eagerly jumped right in. Anna isn't your typical princess. She cares a lot about the people around her and she has visions, which she can use to save those very people. I loved the emotion throughout the story. I felt like I could feel what Anna was feeling every step of the way, and her connection to Jovanni only made that stronger. But the thing I really liked was that this isn't just about a princess finding the man she loves versus the one she's supposed to marry. Anna's special gift lets her do so much more, and she never loses focus of that. 

Overall, this is a fast read filled with tension, action, and lots of emotion.

This blog tour has a giveaway too! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you read Aire or any other books by Lena?