Dale Ibitz's Blog, page 30

Book Review: Egypt: The Uprising, The Battle for Maat

Egypt: The Uprising, The Battle for Maat
by Amira Aly

Egypt is in the midst of political unrest resulting in a bloody uprising against the pharaoh (based upon real events in Egypt in January, 2011). 16 year-old Aya tries to shield and protect her twin brother, Shedy, from the blood-shed and violence. When he is kidnapped, Aya becomes entangled in the magic and the myths of the ancient Egyption dieties, setting her on a quest to save not only her brother but the world from a mis-guided plot to end the world.

On the whole, the premise is good, and I looked forward to reading this story wrapped in Egyptian mythology. There seemed to be a good amount of science in the author's research, which I admit, much of was lost on me, but that is not the fault of the story or the author. The story intertwines ancient mythology with current events, bringing the reader to historic landmarks such as the Sphynx.

I would have liked the author to spend more time introducing us to the characters, and the story moved quite quickly into the action so that I didn't have time to bond with Aya and didn't get to know her brother at all, who was pivotal in Aya's decisions. Setting is important in a story such as this, but the sights and sounds of Egypt were meager, and didn't quite immerse the reader into the story. For me, the mythology and science were introduced at break-neck speed, which at times was hard for me to digest. I would have preferred the story develop a little more slowly and evenly, taking a little more time so that I could taste, feel, see, and hear one of the most ancient places on Earth.

The author has a solid platform, and riveting historic and mythological wells to draw from, which I hope she brings into the sequel.

Fire in the Blood / Paperback Version

It's been a long road, but Fire in the Blood is not only available on Kindle and Nook, but the paperback version is available on CreateSpace and Amazon.com. It's so different when you hold your book in print. I love touching the cover, and flipping through the pages. I'm excited, and a little nervous. I wish I could credit the person who said, "What's the worst that can happen if no one buys it? No one's reading it anyway if it's just sitting on my computer!" It was that gentleman who convinced me to go indie and get myself out there.

Now, it's time for the dreaded "M" word. (Take a moment to shudder.)

Yes, it's time to market.

So, while I'm preparing my mid-grade novel, Racing the Nightmares, to get ready for print, and final-editing my next YA fantasy, Kiss Me Dead, I need to jump into the marketing game. Procrastination time is over. It's time to get out there.

Hmmm.

Maybe tomorrow.

Paranormal Wastelands: Blog Fest 2011!! Giveaway Hop!!!

Paranormal Wastelands: Blog Fest 2011!! Giveaway Hop!!!: "We're getting hyped up for BlogFest 2011! A fun and exciting blog hop of gigantic proportions, BlogFest is great for anyone looking to ente..."

Book Review: Haunted, by Joy Preble

Haunted, by Joy Preble

Haunted is a sequel to Dreaming Anastasia, and while I didn't read the first book, let me say 2 things. 1) I am SO going back and reading the first book, and 2) I could easily pick up Haunted and follow along without having read the first book.

It's a complex tale that is difficult to summarize in one blurb, but Anne's heritage traces back to the Romanovs, full of magic and deceipt and lies. In Haunted, Anne is being stalked by a Russion mermaid; she's hooked up with a new boyfriend; her old flame, Ethan, returns; and the old witch, Baba Yaga, is haunting her dreams. Everyone seems to want something from Anne, and Anne not only needs to sort out her feelings and riddles, but is forced to extreme lengths to protect her friends and family.

Joy's writing is fluid and a pleasure to read. She immediately draws you in to the story, her characters are well defined, and you care what happens to them. It's even easy to like her shallow best friend, who obviously cares for Anne. The interweaving of the story with Russian folklore and history is seamless and clever. Despite the complexity of the plot, it's easy to follow, and the twists and turns will keep you flipping pages at breakneck speed to see what happens next.

I would definitely put anything written by Joy Preble on my TBR list!

Author Giveaway: Shawn Kristen Maravel

Some terrific news today, my pretties! If you're a fan of Shawn Kristen Maravel, it could be your lucky day. Through Haley's blog, YA-Aholic, you can enter to win one of Shawn's novels: Violition or Severance.

This is a totally cool deal but, of course, as with all giveaways there are a few rules.

So do a little blog hopping today and check out Shawn's blog:
http://shawn-kirsten-maravel.blogspot.com/

Then head on over to YA-Aholic for the deets.
http://shawn-kirsten-maravel.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

Sample Sunday: Fire in the Blood

Something poked my shoulder. I ignored it, wondering why I had a major the-sky's-falling kind of depression in my gut.
"Piss off," I mumbled.
When the poking didn't stop, I cracked open my eyes to find a real life Greek God towering over me. I leaped to my feet, and the rope tightened around my wrist. I flexed my numb fingers, and the events of the night before crashed into me. Tuggin.
"You sleep long," he said.
"Untie me," I said. "My hand is freaking numb."
"You should not have attempted to untie it." He worked on the knot.
I had, with my teeth and my free hand. The rope had gotten so tight I'd thought my hand would turn blue. "I didn't."
"Indeed."
Once free, I backed away from him, rubbing the red ring around my wrist. I sighed, but I wasn't sure if it was because I'd tumbled through some secret gateway to some God-forsaken place, or because I'd been kidnapped by a hall god that was so painfully out of my pathetic league.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"No offense, but I was kind of hoping that last night didn't really happen."
"You are absurd."
Fine, it hadn't been a dream, and apparently the nightmare lived on.
Tuggin went to huddle over a small fire. He poked the coals with a stick, and the little flames sent snuffs of smoke into the air. It was cool, so I kept the blanket wrapped around me. By daylight, I could see the trees' dull, wrinkled leaves. Most were brown, though there were some faded colors of red, gold and orange. Occasionally one twisted loose and fluttered like a stray piece of confetti.
Tuggin nodded toward my legs. "Why do you move that way?"
Now that he wasn't so pissed off, his eyes seemed oddly dull, and I wondered what made them seem so lifeless.
"Haley?"
I blinked. "Huh?"
"Your legs move like sticks."
"My feet hurt. And my legs. And my back."
"Why is this?"
"From all the walking and tripping and having to sleep tied to a freaking tree."
"You are not strong," he declared, handing me a tin plate.
"I'm not hungry."
"You will eat to keep your strength." He jammed the plate into my hands. "I have no desire to carry you."
I had no control over the heat spreading to my cheeks at the thought of Tuggin holding me in his arms. I grabbed the plate. "What's this?"
Tuggin took his plate to a rock and sat down. "A rare treat," he said, scooping a forkful of the disgusting-looking glop into his mouth.
"Yeah, okay, but, what is it?" I sniffed. It was probably rare because people were afraid to eat it.
"Eggs."
"Did you know they're orange?"
Tuggin swallowed another mouthful. "They are eggs of the fire bird."
"Why are they rare?" I asked, hoping they weren't orange because he'd been carrying them around in his backpack for months.
"The fire bird lays eggs only during Quadralune."
Whatever a Quadralune was, I didn't ask, because Tuggin shifted so that his back was toward me. I hunched by the fire, took another sniff, and then a small nibble. They weren't like normal eggs on Earth, from normal chickens, but good. I stared at the fire, ignoring Tuggin and wishing for ketchup.
When I finished eating, Tuggin ordered, "Pack. It is time to depart."
I stuck my tongue out at his back. I rinsed my plate with water from my canteen, and then stuffed them into my pack and tied on the blankets.
I kept quiet, glaring at the ground, aware of his footfalls close behind me. I had no idea how long we'd been walking when Tuggin took the lead so he could hack at bushes that had overpowered the path. I noticed that occasional rays of sunshine had a way of turning strands of his hair a gold color. Tuggin stopped and, momentarily lost in thoughts of running my fingers through that silky gold, I bumped into him. I winced when he turned to glare at me.
"Sorry," I muttered.
One corner of Tuggin's lip curled. "Are you always so awkward?"
"Are you always so rude?"
Tuggin grunted and sat, leaning against a tree. I slipped the pack off my shoulders and sank to the ground. I kicked off my shoes and checked out my heels. Great. The red spots had turned into blisters.
Tuggin pulled a couple apples out of his backpack and tossed one to me. After raising his eyebrows at my bare feet, he ignored me.
I rubbed the apple on my shirt. "How'd you know who I was when I came through that gateway thing?"
Tuggin hesitated, and then he murmured, "I saw it."
"You can see the future?"
Tuggin didn't respond.
Oh, nice, the silent treatment. What was he, like five? "Does your mother know what you're up to?"
He gave me a withering look.
"What about your family? Are they as shady as you?"
Tuggin gazed at me with no expression.
A funny warmth tickled my stomach and his face, even grumpy looking, stalled my thinking. I needed to say something quick before I forgot how to talk completely. I cleared my throat. "You know, family?" The more he stayed silent, the more I babbled. "Brothers? Sisters? Parents? A dog?"
"Jahme!" A muscle in Tuggin's jaw moved when he clenched his teeth. "Death has taken them."
"Oh, sorry."
Tuggin studied the trees. Even though he acted like a tool, I felt kind of bad for him.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Enough! Your mouth rattles like nuts in a wooden bowl."
I rested my head on my knees and pretended I was anywhere but there. I'd rather have the silent treatment than be treated like a useless twit.
"I shall return." He picked up our canteens, hesitated, and then took out the rope.
I turned my head away. "Don't bother. I'm not going anywhere."
After a moment he dropped the rope. "I will hunt you down if you do."
I stuck my tongue out at his back. Vowing to never make the mistake of feeling sorry for him again, I leaned against a tree. Big fat kidnapping meany. I pressed my palms to my eyes so that I wouldn't cry.
Thwump.
My eyes snapped open. A small white bird lay by my leg, four colored plumes sticking out of its head.
"Oh!" I scrambled to my knees and bent over it.
I reached out, and then stopped when its tiny chest heaved. I wanted to help it live, not scare it dead. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."
It blinked.
"Are you hurt?"
Its wing flitted up, and then rested against its side.
"Is it your wing?"
The bird struggled to raise its head. With a small "chirp" it flopped back to the ground.
"I can't leave you here. You'll die." I bit my lip. Tuggin for sure would have a snarky fit if I adopted a hurt bird. "I'll hide you in my backpack."
"You passed the test." Its beak clicked when it spoke.
"Freaking shit!" I reeled back, falling onto my butt. I crab-walked backwards until I hit the tree, and then leaped to my feet.
The bird flitted to a branch near my head. "I can help you, if you want."
I scrambled to the other side of the tree. I rubbed my eyes, and then peeked through my fingers. "You talked!"
"Yes, of course." It dipped its head, shaking the plumes.
"Birds can't talk."
"I do."
The creepy bird hopped closer. I darted back to the other side and peered around the trunk. "Shoo! Go away!"
"That was rude. Do you want my help or not?" it asked.
It wasn't like it could hurt me, well, except for its beak. I'd heard stories of birds pecking people's eyes out and I rather liked the idea of keeping mine. "Help with what?"
"There is a secret. I can tell you what it is."
"How's that going to help me?"
The bird shook its plumes. "Do you want to know or not?" It seemed to take my hesitation as agreement and continued. "Sometimes, when woodpeckers build their nests, they use a magic herb."
"Magic?"
"You will see the minds of gods."
"Gods?"
"You will open gates."
"Gates?" I felt dumb, repeating its words, but—hello!—I was talking to a bird.
"You will gain power if you have this herb."
My heartbeat drummed in my ears. What kind of power? The power to kick Tuggin's ass and escape? Maybe I could go home and make Mom remember me. My heart didn't beat so much as tremble; maybe I could make Ian fall in love with me.
"Power can be deceiving," it said. "Do you accept this gift?"I nodded. "Lead the way, Birdie."

Writer's Block: Show, Don't Tell

An interesting comment was made with respect to one of my books, where the reviewer mentioned that I had done too much telling, and not enough showing. Of course, that comment made me say, "Hmmm."

Ever since I began writing seriously over a decade ago, the first rule of writing "show, don't tell" has been scarred into my brain, so the comment caught me by surprise. I decided that I needed a refresher on the "show, don't tell" rule.

Basically, the "show" rule adds imagery and dimension to your characters, setting and emotion. This can be accomplished best through the senses...sight, sound, taste, touch. If I tell you I'm scared, you'll say, "Okay, I'll take your word for it." If you *see* that my eyes are bulging, you *smell* my sweat, you *hear* the whimpers back in my throat, you're pretty much clued in to my distress.

When you're writing a scene, visualize every detail like it's a movie inside your head. Then write down everything you see, hear, feel, taste. Fear is often described as a metallic taste, so taste can play an important role in showing, and is often overlooked. Use the visual description to really connect your reader to the moment. The end goal here is to have the reader experience the movie inside your head.

Tell Example:
Petrified, I searched for a place to hide.

Show Example:
My breath, escaping in short spurts, matched my heart beats. I clutched my chest with both hands, searching for somewhere to hide.

I will admit, sometimes I use a mixture of showing and telling; mostly this involves adding the character's internalization with what the character is seeing/hearing/feeling:
I tilted my head. For the first time, I noticed she wasn't so put together. One side of her shirt had untucked from her jeans due to her plucking fingers, her hair was falling out of its ponytail, and her gaze shifted criminally.

As a matter of course, I will pay closer attention when writing to make sure I don't fall into the "tell trap" too often. A good lesson for all writers to keep in mind...even experienced ones.

Writer's Corner: Show, Don't Tell

An interesting comment was made with respect to one of my books, where the reviewer mentioned that I had done too much telling, and not enough showing. Of course, that comment made me say, "Hmmm."

Ever since I began writing seriously over a decade ago, the first rule of writing "show, don't tell" has been scarred into my brain, so the comment caught me by surprise. I decided that I needed a refresher on the "show, don't tell" rule.

Basically, the "show" rule adds imagery and dimension to your characters, setting and emotion. This can be accomplished best through the senses...sight, sound, taste, touch. If I tell you I'm scared, you'll say, "Okay, I'll take your word for it." If you *see* that my eyes are bulging, you *smell* my sweat, you *hear* the whimpers back in my throat, you're pretty much clued in to my distress.

When you're writing a scene, visualize every detail like it's a movie inside your head. Then write down everything you see, hear, feel, taste. Fear is often described as a metallic taste, so taste can play an important role in showing, and is often overlooked. Use the visual description to really connect your reader to the moment. The end goal here is to have the reader experience the movie inside your head.

Tell Example:
Petrified, I searched for a place to hide.

Show Example:
My breath, escaping in short spurts, matched my heart beats. I clutched my chest with both hands, searching for somewhere to hide.

I will admit, sometimes I use a mixture of showing and telling; mostly this involves adding the character's internalization with what the character is seeing/hearing/feeling:
I tilted my head. For the first time, I noticed she wasn't so put together. One side of her shirt had untucked from her jeans due to her plucking fingers, her hair was falling out of its ponytail, and her gaze shifted criminally.

As a matter of course, I will pay closer attention when writing to make sure I don't fall into the "tell trap" too often. A good lesson for all writers to keep in mind...even experienced ones.

Giveaway with Guest Author Lena Hillbrand, author of The Superiors

A special treat today! Today, Lena Hillbrand, author of The Superiors, is a guest on my blog which features an inteview. But wait! There's more! If you jump from my blog to hers today, you can enter the giveaway she has posted on her blog. So check out my interview with Lena, and then see the links at the bottom for more information. Enjoy!

How long did it take you to write this book?

About a month for the first draft and a year of editing.
 Are you a more character-driven or plot-driven writer?
My books focus more on characters, their relationships, their journeys.
 What makes your characters unique?
In The Superiors series, I tried to stay away from paranormal tropes. The hero, Draven, isn't supermodel gorgeous with a bulging six-pack. And he's not the reluctant, mysterious hero, since the books are mostly from his point of view.
 Which character do you like best?
I can't really choose a favorite character, since they are all sprung from my imagination and therefore special to me. The most fun character to write was Marisol, but she's only a minor character in the first book. Writing very ambiguous characters is always fun!

If you could be any character from any book for a day, who would it be and why?
 That's a hard question! Most of my favorite characters have difficult, tragic lives. So I don't think I'd want to trade places with them. I'd probably pick someone with a really cool superpower or who could do anything he wanted and he chose to do good in the world. But I can't think of a character like that right now!
What motivated you to write this current novel?
After reading a few fantasy novels involving vampires, I wanted to write something different and more 'realistic,' if you can call a vampire novel realistic. I know it's not the current trend to have flawed heroes, but there you go. I wanted to focus on a very unexceptional person who goes through extraordinary circumstances that test his limits. I've also been bothered by fantasy heroes who seem static and never change throughout the books, while the woman changes to accommodate him. Draven goes through a lot in the series, and he's a changed man at the end. The heroine grows, too, but in different ways.
  Do you plot your novels in advance, or do you write by the seat of your pants?
I'm a 'pantser,' through and through. I've written outlines, but I ended up changing them so much they hardly resembled the story I began. I like to start with an idea (for the beginning or end of a tale, usually accompanied by a character but not always) and then let the characters go and see what happens. The idea for The Superiors started out something like this: "Vampires rule the world and keep human as livestock. One vampire guy meets this human and wants to buy her and goes through all this stuff trying to get her." Then I just started writing. I had no ideas for other characters or any of the challenges they face.
 What is the first book you remember reading that totally took your breath away?
Great question! I'm not sure I could say what took took my breath away, but I remember the book that opened my eyes. I'd been reading a lot of Fear Street and Christopher Pike and Sweet Valley High books in middle school, and then I picked up Tommyknockers by Stephen King at a garage sale for a quarter. I know, it's cliche to pick Stephen King. But going from Sweet Valley High to Stephen King was a definite turning point in my reading life! I can't remember what book first took my breath away, maybe Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Links:
You can find Lena online everywhere, but these are the sites she frequents the most: Lena's blog: http://lenahillbrand.blogspot.comFacebook (www.facebook.com/LenaHillbrand)Twitter (@lenahilbrand)Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4836823.Lena_Hillbrand
You can also find her book here:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZGB2I4

The Great Indie Give Away

Yikes. I've been naughty about not keeping my blog up to date with this great give away! And here we are already on day #20. Shame on me. However, if you check out the link, you will be able to check out the authors and their books included in the giveaway every day so far. Check it out and enter to win! It's easy, and it's free, and who can say no to free stuff?

http://coffeemugged.net/2011/07/04/great-indie-summer-read-giveaway-%e2%80%93-day-20/