Rute Canhoto's Blog, page 88

“Império Terra – O Princípio”, Paulo Fonseca

SINOPSE“Caminharam juntos até ao passeio. Laura deixava para trás a sua mota, com pesar. Aquela mota que acompanhara por tantas vezes, e que sentia como parte de si. Fosse como fosse, teria de a deixar para trás quando partissem. Talvez, devesse fazer o mesmo com aquela nova verdade, que a deixara frustrada.Os seus pais nunca lhe haviam falado de vampiros. Os vampiros faziam parte do imaginário popular, das histórias de terror, do cinema. No fundo era como Gabriel dizia: uma verdade rejeitada pelos eruditos. E os seus pais não eram povo.
Como é que poderia imaginar um mundo maravilhoso com vampiros e lobisomens?!
Se os asquerosos não teriam lugar nesse novo mundo, aqueles também não o teriam. Seria necessário eliminá-los!De repente a iluminação piscou. Os olhos de ambos fixaram-se no horizonte, até onde alcançavam, e começaram a ver a luzes extinguirem-se, umas atrás das outras, como peças de dominó, como se as trevas fossem tragando a luz num gloop-gloop dantesco; anúncios atrás de anúncios, cartazes eletrónicos atrás de cartazes eletrónicos, salas de escritórios atrás de salas de escritórios; e os candeeiros nas ruas...Uma espécie de rastilho correu as ruas de Lisboa apagando tudo o que eram luzes.
Fez-se trevas.Um piscar trémulo e insistente atraiu a atenção de Gabriel. Um dos candeeiros da Av. 5 de Outubro extinguia-se como uma brasa, para logo se reacender como se assoprado, até que desistiu. Lembrou-o, sarcasticamente, da esperança da humanidade...
As trevas desceram sobre Lisboa.”
BLURB“They walked together to the sidewalk. Laura left behind her motorcycle, with regret. That bike had accompanied her so many times that felt like part of her. Anyway, she would have to leave it behind when they left. Maybe she should do the same with that new truth that left her frustrated.Her parents had never spoken of vampires to her. Vampires were part of the popular imagery of horror stories, films. In the end, it was like Gabriel said, a fact rejected by scholars. And her parents were enlightened people.How could she imagine a wonderful world with vampires and werewolves?!
If the nasty beings had no place in this new world, those wouldn’t have too. It would be necessary to remove them!Suddenly, the lights flashed. Their eyes fixed on the horizon, far reach, and began to see the lights extinguishing, one after another like dominoes, as if darkness were inhaling the light in a Dantesque gloop-gloop: adds after adds, billboards after billboards, office rooms after rooms offices, and the lamps in the streets ...A kind of wick ran the streets of Lisbon, erasing every light. There was darkness.A shaking and insistent flash attracted the attention of Gabriel. One of the lamps of the 5 October Avenue extinguished itself like a spark, to soon rekindle as if blown, until it gave up. It reminded him, sarcastically, the hope of mankind...Darkness descended on Lisbon.”


CRÍTICAConcluí a leitura de “Império Terra – O Princípio” a 28 de junho de 2012. Dou-lhe 3 estrelas.É-me um pouco difícil avaliar esta história. Gostei do início, da personagem Gabriel a acordar e a deparar-se com mudanças drásticas que não compreendia. É bom descobrirmos junto com ele o que se está a passar. No entanto, a partir da sua transformação, as coisas atropelam-se um bocado. Os eventos são combinados com reflexões para acalmar o ritmo da história, porém os próprios acontecimentos surgem de forma… estranha? Não sei se esta é a palavra mais indicada… Recomendava-se também uma nova revisão para correção de alguns erros, além de que o discurso por vezes muda subitamente de ponto de vista e de personagens, o que se torna confuso.O que menos gostei foi a parte da vampira. Quero dizer, Laura esforçou-se tanto pela atenção de Gabriel e ela recebe-a logo na noite em que o conhece?! Isto para não falar da sua gravidez.Quanto ao que mais gostei, foi do cenário apocalíptico e da forma como as coisas se desenrolaram no início. Embora por vezes as divagações se tornassem cansativas, também gostei de ler algumas.
REVIEWI finished reading "Império Terra – O Princípio" on June 28, 2012. I rate it 3 stars.
It’s a little difficult to me to evaluate this story. I liked the beginning, when the character Gabriel wakes up and faces drastic changes that he doesn’t understand. It's good to find out with him what is going on. However, after his changing, things run over a bit. The events are combined with thoughts to clam the rhythm of the story, but the events themselves are so... strange? I don’t know if this is the most suitable word...It also recommended a further review to correct some errors; besides, the speech sometimes suddenly changes in viewpoint and characters, which gets confusing.
What I liked least was part of the vampire. I mean, Laura struggled for the attention of Gabriel and she gets it right on the night she gets to know him?! Not to speak of her pregnancy.As for what I liked most, it was the doomsday scenario and the way things unfolded in the beginning. Although sometimes the ramblings were tiring, I also enjoyed reading some of them.
Link: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/269813699[image error]

Livros&Blogues| Books&Blogs

Nome: Danica PageLink: http://danicapage.blogspot.com/ Administradora: Danica



ENTREVISTA A DANICA
OLÁ! QUANDO NASCEU O TEU BLOGUE?O meu blogue nasceu há 2 anos, em janeiro. No entanto, só comecei a publicar coisas mais a sério há um ano atrás.
QUE RAZÕES TE LEVARAM A CRIÁ-LO?Originalmente comecei a “bloggar”, porque adoro escrever. Começou por ser um blogue escrito e transformou-se num de leitura (blogue de críticas a livros). Comecei o blogue, porque adoro falar sobre livros e ligar-me a outras pessoas que gostam de ler tanto quanto eu.
O QUE PODEM OS VISITANTES ENCONTRAR NO BLOGUE?Montes de personalidade, honestidade e integridade. Posts genuínos sobre livros e imensos passatempos. Critico praticamente qualquer coisa.
QUE BALANÇO FAZES DESDE QUE CRIASTE ESTE ESPAÇO ATÉ HOJE?Tem sido uma montanha russa, mas apreciei cada minuto dela. “Bloggar” tem sido uma das atividades mais dignas com que me comprometi. Adoro ligar-me a outras pessoas e ver o que estão a fazer. Tem sido um curso de design, codificação html, e compreensão do mundo editorial. Tem sido incrível.
QUAIS AS MAIORES DIFICULDADES QUE ENCONTRASTE ENQUANTO BLOGGER?Inicialmente foi difícil ligar-me a outros bloggers e entrar no mundo dos blogues. Foi em parte por isto que comecei a patrocinar um blogger sob os holofotes, porque pode ser difícil conseguir que o seu blogue seja reconhecido quando se começa. Outra dificuldade é encontrar tempo para o blogue. Sou estudante universitária a tempo inteiro e trabalho a tempo parcial... e, para além disso, mantenho o blogue em tempo integral. É difícil gerir o meu tempo, mas adoro isto.
QUAL A MAIOR ALEGRIA QUE O TEU BLOGUE TE DEU?Permitiu-me ligar-me a pessoas de várias origens e estabelecer ligações com pessoas que gostam de ler tanto quanto eu. Também me permitiu ler muitos romances que nunca teria lido de outra forma. Tem sido uma jornada incrível e que estou ansiosa por continuar.


INTERVIEW WITH DANICA
HI! WHEN WAS YOUR BLOG BORN?My blog was born 2 years ago on January. However, I didn't start seriously blogging until a year ago. 
WHAT REASONS LED YOU TO CREATE IT?I originally started blogging because I love writing. It started as a writing blog and morphed into a reading (book review blog). I began blogging because I love talking about books and connecting with other people who love to read as much as I do.
WHAT CAN VISITORS FIND IN YOUR BLOG?Loads of personality, honesty, and integrity. Genuine posts about books and lots of giveaways. I review just about anything.
HOW DID THINGS GO SINCE YOU CREATED THIS SPACE UNTIL TODAY?It's been a roller coaster, but I've enjoyed every minute of it. Blogging has been one of the most worthwhile activities I've ever engaged it. I love connecting with other people and seeing what they are up to. It's been a crash course in design, html coding, and understanding of the publishing world. It's been amazing.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTIES YOU FOUND AS A BLOGGER?Initially, it was hard to get connected to other bloggers and to enter the blogging world. This is partly why I started sponsoring a blogger in the spotlight meme because it can be so tough to get your blog recognized when you first start blogging. Another difficulty is finding time to blog. I am a college student who goes full time and works part time...and on top of that I blog full time. It's hard to manage my time, but I love it. 
WHAT’S THE GREATEST JOY YOUR BLOG HAS GIVEN YOU?It has allowed me to connect with people from various backgrounds and make close bonds with people who love reading as much as I do. It has also allowed me to read many novels I never would have read otherwise. It's been an incredible journey and one that I look forward to continuing.[image error]

Guest Post

* by Cera Dubois, author of "A Hunter's Angel" - Bewitching Book Blog Torus

Thank you so much for having me today. I’d like to share the fifth installment of my series of short stories, entitled The Vampire Encounters . As I hop around the internet these next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a part of each story. The story has four parts, with each part broken into two—except the last, it’s broken up into three sections. So, come follow me, as I interview (Ann Rice style) the four vampires from A Hunter’s Angel ...Although all of them could be read separately, if you would like to read them all I will also be putting them on my website. Or, if you’d like to follow along, go to http://ceradubois.wordpress.com/a-hunters-angel-the-book-tour/ for the link to the other parts.

The Vampire Encounters, Part 1—Lucas PomeroyAfter narrowly escaping Shane, I really wasn’t sure I ever wanted to interview another vampire, but I was in way too deep to stop now. I had more questions than answers, and the only way to get them was to pull out the card Ian had given me. I stared at the delicate script. Who would have thought vampires used business cards? Taking a lungful of the cool October air, I headed into the office building I agreed to meet the master vampire. I’d called him three days ago, and he happily agreed to meet with me. Would it have been too much to wish I’d never stumbled into this world?I rounded the corner like a woman stepping up to the electric chair and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of the man—er—vampire in the doorway. Built like a warrior, he was dressed in all black and filled the space. His long hair was the color of mahogany and tied at his nape. His eyes were a black-brown and set in a face more rugged than handsome. He smiled, flashing white teeth against a pale, sharp-angled face and dark beard. “Ms duBois, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”I swallowed and took the hand he held out. But instead of shaking my hand, he bent over it in an old fashioned way. I shivered at the contact. Damn, I could feel the power in him. This was one dude I would never want to mess with. “Ah… I’m glad to meet you, too, Master Pomeroy.”He grinned and gestured into the room. “Shall we get started then?”I nodded but didn’t move. “I will not harm you, child. You do know that, don’t you? I heard about your misfortune with Shane.”“I’m sorry.” I forced a smile and demanded my feet to move into the room. If I could just stop thinking about him being a master vampire, I might be able to get through with this interview without losing my mind. “I know you aren’t like that. I know you don’t kill humans, but, well quite frankly, you all spook the hell out of me a little—actually a lot.”He laughed and the rich, resonant sound somehow calmed my ragged nerves—if only a little.Pomeroy motioned for me to sit at the desk. After I adjusted the ancient tape recorder and flipped to a clean page in my notebook, I cleared my throat and resigned to get this over with. “Today, I’m meeting with master vampire, Lucas Pomeroy,” I said into the recorder and looked up at the vampire.He sat on the chocolate-colored leather couch in front of the desk. Totally relaxed, he stretched his arm out over the top and watched me with ageless eyes. “What do you want to know?”“Tell me about yourself. How old, where you were born, and when were you changed?”“I was born Lucius Pomponius in the Year of Our Lord, 323 in Rome. Constantine the Great was Emperor, and it was a volatile time in Christian history. I was turned in 362.  Physically, I’m thirty-nine. I’ve been a vampire for one-thousand-six-hundred-fifty years.”I stopped writing and looked up, sitting forward, leaning over my arms. I forgot my nervousness. I’d been a student of history, and finally realized exactly what I had before me. This man was all of the modern epoch personified. From the Roman Empire through the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution to modern days. Lucas Pomeroy had seen it all…Had lived it all! With a little shake, I got myself focused on what I wanted to know about his turn. “You were a monk, weren’t you? That had to be a tough time to be a Christian.”He laughed and leaned forward over his legs. “Yes, the times were tough, but faith was easier, I think. Everything didn’t have to be explained by science. But not everything can be explained by human science. Or else I wouldn’t be here. I would have become food for the worms a long time ago if there weren’t a heaven—and a hell. Angels and demons.”“They say you were destined to be a saint.”He shrugged powerful shoulders under the leather trench coat he hadn’t removed. “Who knows such things but God? But I did try to serve the poor, I believed in God’s words, and strived to teach his will. But me, a saint? I highly doubt it. After all, I was turned into a vampire. Doesn’t sound like saint material to me.”I considered what Grace, Ian and even what the scary Shane had told me. Lucas stood and moved slowly around the room. I was so caught up in watching his graceful movements, several moments passed by. He looked over his shoulder at me and smiled. “You are wondering about what the others have said about me, aren’t you?”I shivered with the creepy feeling he’d just read my mind. He lifted an eyebrow and settled back onto the couch again. “You are wondering why I created the code.”“Yes.”“I think part of the reason comes from my vow, my calling, to serve man… And God.”“You believe vampires’ souls can be saved. Is that not correct?”He shrugged and stroked his beard. “I believe we can choose our destiny as mortals can.”I realized he wasn’t going to say more on the matter. After I cleared my throat, I looked back at my notes. “What can you tell me how vampires came about?” He seemed to consider his answer for a moment. “First, you must realize most of the popular myths are dead wrong. About the only thing they have gotten right is vampires first came out of Egypt and that we are undead—not alive, but not dead.”
***
To find out more about A Hunter’s Angel check out my website (http://ceradubois.wordpress.com/a-hunters-angel-the-book-tour/) for a schedule of my blog stops during the book tour. I will be presenting a series of short stories called The Vampire Encounters . Follow me as I interview Ian McHenry, Master Vampire Lucas Pomeroy, Vivian van Dyke Pomeroy, and have a scary run-in with Shane Chamberlain. Hope to see you along the way.
Contest: Please leave a comment and your email address to be eligible. (Sorry, only USA and Canada residents are eligible for any prize that needs to be mailed. Non-residents and residents of USA are eligible for free PDF copy.)
*One Lucky Poster will win either a custom-made pair of angel wing earrings, charm bracelet, or necklace (check out my website for photos).*Two others will get a PDF copy of Bloodwine. (for info on this short story check out my website)*1st Stalker Prize: Every Poster will be entered into a drawing for a chance at a $5 gift certificate from The Wild Rose Press (four to be given away)—drawing to happen on September 1.*2nd Stalker Prize: Every Poster will also be entered into a drawing of a $25 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice)—drawing to happen on September 1.

Blurb for A Hunter’s Angel:The serial killer stalking Clayton, Pennsylvania, isn’t all that has Chief of Police Grace Wallace worried. For a year, she’s tried to forget Special Agent Ian McHenry and now he’s the expert the FBI sent to catch the killer. She can’t stay away from him, but something primal is telling her to run to save much more than just her heart. Despite the strict code of ethics Ian vowed to follow as a vampire hunter, he craves Grace’s blood above all others. If he chooses to stay, Ian risks losing his chance at divine forgiveness. But if he leaves Grace unprotected from the evil he’s hunted for over a century, he loses more than just his soul…
Bio:Cera duBois has a strong belief in never giving up on your dreams…Although Cera was unable to read due to dyslexia and a learning disability until she was in the fourth grade, she always had a story to tell. She wrote her first novel in eleventh grade when she had to keep a journal for her academic English class. Since her life was far from exciting growing up as a farm girl in West Central Pennsylvania, she decided to rely on her imagination to give her something to write about. Over the course of the school year, she wrote a tangled romance set in the Deep South during the Civil War.  Becoming an author was her ultimate dream. Despite holding a BS in secondary social studies education from Penn State University, she currently works full-time as a medical secretary. A mother of a teenage son and pre-teen daughter, she lives near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her husband of nearly 20 years. If she isn’t sitting in a quiet corner with her laptop, warm days will find her in the English garden surrounding her house. Cera loves to read and is interested in history, romance, science fiction and the paranormal. She also writes contemporary Westerns under her real name of Sara Walter Ellwood.
Website Links:Website: http://www.ceradubois.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarawalterellwood.ceradubois/Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sara_w_ellwoodTo Sign up for my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/mVxXf
Buy Links:The Wild Rose Press: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=980Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=cera+dubois
Excerpt:
“I’m in love with the man inside the vampire.” Grace moved her hand to thread through his silky hair. When she rested the other over his heart, a soft sigh escaped his lips. Underneath her palm, the slow beat was barely noticeable.His thumb grazed her cheekbone and slowly trailed down to the hollow of her throat. Her breathing quickened at the zinging anticipation as he caressed the pulse point where he’d claimed to have taken blood from her. He glanced at the spot with eyes as haunted as he sounded. “I’m not a man.”“But you were once.”He met her gaze again. “Yes, once.” His fingers lingered over her pulse. Her heart raced under his touch. She tilted her neck as if his touch awakened some base instinct to offer the sacrifice. “Do you still want my blood?” Ian stepped away and locked his wide-eyed gaze onto hers. At last, he rasped, “No, I don’t want your blood. Oh, God, I still crave it. You have the sweetest I’ve ever had, but I will never hurt you again.”She didn’t know what possessed her to do so, but she whispered, “You can take...some of it.”He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he acidly said, “No, Grace. I can never taste your blood again. It would kill you.”Fear of what she’d wanted him to do tumbled through her. She stepped away, and for a moment, she considered telling him to leave. How did she know any of this was real? She couldn’t imagine she’d ever freely offer a vampire her blood. Did she really believe him? He was sucking her into his insanity. But if this was true and he could make people do things against their will, maybe he could control her feelings.“Maybe I should go?” Ian backed away another step and headed toward the counter where he’d left his dagger. He turned back to her with the sheath in his hand. Her heart shattered with the knowledge that, if he walked out the front door, she’d never see him again. “Goodbye, my sweet angel.”His jagged murmur ripped at her soul as his eyes took on a blazing intensity and snared hers. She felt a pressure in her mind, and she knew what he intended to do. He wanted to erase her memories of him.No!

“A Hunter’s Angel”, Cera Dubois

SINOPSEO serial killer perseguindo Clayton, Pensilvânia, não é tudo o que tem Chefe de Polícia Graça Wallace preocupado. Durante um ano, ela tentou esquecer o agente especial Ian McHenry e agora ele é o especialista do FBI enviado para capturar o assassino. Ela não pode ficar longe dele, mas algo primordial está dizendo a ela que correr para salvar muito mais do que apenas o seu coração. Apesar do rigoroso código de ética Ian prometeu seguir como um caçador de vampiros, ele anseia por sangue de Grace acima de todos os outros. Se ele escolher para ficar, Ian arrisca perder sua chance de perdão divino. Mas se ele deixa Graça desprotegido do mal que ele caçou mais de um século, ele perde mais do que apenas a sua alma...
BLURBThe serial killer stalking Clayton, Pennsylvania, isn’t all that has Chief of Police Grace Wallace worried. For a year, she’s tried to forget Special Agent Ian McHenry and now he’s the expert the FBI sent to catch the killer. She can’t stay away from him, but something primal is telling her to run to save much more than just her heart. Despite the strict code of ethics Ian vowed to follow as a vampire hunter, he craves Grace’s blood above all others. If he chooses to stay, Ian risks losing his chance at divine forgiveness. But if he leaves Grace unprotected from the evil he’s hunted for over a century, he loses more than just his soul…



CRÍTICAAcabei de ler “A Hunter’s Angel” a 20 de junho de 2012. Dou-lhe quatro estrelas.Este é um romance paranormal, em que um vampiro renega a sua natureza e caça os da sua própria espécie. Gostei do facto de ele ser um caçador, pois dá uma certa ironia à história. A narrativa quase que é à media rés, na medida em que, quando tem início, as personagens já se conheciam e já se tinham apaixonado e separado antes. Assim sendo, não temos aquela fase em que se conhecem e os sentimentos começam a despertar. Quando os encontramos, os sentimentos apenas vêm à superfície após algum tempo de recalcamento. Acho que a autora soube transmitir bem a intensidade do que unia as personagens .Quanto ao que menos gostei tem a ver com a credibilidade da cena em que Ian confessa a Grace que é um vampiro. Num segundo ela julga que está ficar maluca e, no outro, já acredita? Foi uma mudança de opinião muito repentina. Também achei demasiado conveniente a atração de Brad por Grace.Para terminar, gostei do final pois ficamos a conhecer o desfecho da narrativa e não precisamos de esperar por um próximo volume.
REVIEW I finished reading "The Hunter's Angel" on June 20, 2012. I rate it four stars.This is a paranormal romance, in which a vampire denies his nature and hunts the ones of his own species. I liked the fact that he's a hunter; it gives a certain irony to the story.The narrative is almost in-media-res; when it begins, the characters already know and love each other, and they separated before. Therefore, we don’t not have that phase in which they get to know each other and feelings begin to awaken. When we meet them, the feelings just come to surface after some time of repression. I think the author knew how to transmit the intensity of what united the characters.As for what I liked least, it has to do with the credibility of the scene where Ian confesses to Grace that he’s a vampire. In one second she thinks she’s going mad and, on the other, she already believes him? It was a very sudden change of opinion. I also found it too convenient the attraction of Brad for Grace.Finally, I liked the end, because we get to know the outcome of the narrative and don’t need to wait for the next volume.

Mais informações| More info:
Website: http://www.ceradubois.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarawalterellwood.ceradubois/ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sara_w_ellwood

3Capas| 3Covers

As sugestões das três capas desta semana ficaram a cargo de Sharon Mamolo. O que acham? E vocês, que capas de livros elegeriam como as vossas três favoritas? Façam-me chegar um e-mail com as mesmas a rutecanhoto1@gmail.com. A vossa opinião é importante!

The suggestions of three covers this week were the responsibility of Sharon Mamolo. What do you think? And you, what book covers would you elect as your favorites three? Send me an email with them to rutecanhoto1@gmail.com. Your opinion is important!

Guest Post de Soraya Lane, autora de “Change”

[image error] Amor Leopardo

No meu livro lançado mais recentemente, “Change”, as personagens são transmutantes de leopardo. Uma das perguntas mais comuns que me fazem é porque escolhi leopardos negros como o animal em que se podem transformar, o que me fez pensar porque adoro tanto felinos!
Admito que, na vida real, tenho algum medo de gatos. Eu sei; que mal me poderia um pequeno gato doméstico fazer? Errado! Eles poderiam cravar-me as garras, perseguir-me e pular-me para cima... o que é mais ou menos ridículo considerando o facto que eu adoro brincar com os meus cães grandes e sair com os meus belos cavalos grandes! Ponham-me num campo com o gado ou cavalos, façam-me confrontar um grande cão - qualquer coisa - mas não me obriguem a fazer algo com um gato assustador. Eu respeito-os e acho que são bonitos, mas sou um pouco cautelosa com os espertos e esclarecidos gatinhos velhos. Não é que eu não afagasse um gatinho ou um gato amigável, mas um olhar de esguelha ou um golpe da sua pata e eu fugiria!
Quando se trata de escrever, porém, os meus medos pessoais são empurradas para longe. Escolhi escrever sobre leopardos, porque são criaturas maravilhosas de ver. Eles também são fortes, elegantes, rápidos e os maiores predadores. No meu 'mundo', os leopardos podem alterar as suas manchas para se misturarem com o ambiente, e podem comunicar silenciosamente via pensamento quando querem.
Se você fosse escrever sobre metamorfos, que animal escolheria? O seu animal favorito na vida real, ou um animal selvagem que o deixaria apavorado se tivesse que o enfrentar na realidade? você fosse escrever sobre metamorfos, que animal escolheria? O seu animal favorito na vida real, ou um animal selvagem que o deixaria apavorado se tivesse que o enfrentar na realidade?


Adoraria dar um ebook edição Kindle de “Change”. Basta deixar um comentário e inscrevê-lo-ei no sorteio para ganhar! A minha única condição é que o vencedor deixe um comentário na Amazon ou no Goodreads assim que leia o livro =)
  [image error]
Guest post by Soraya Lane, author of “Change”
Leopard Love

In my latest release, Change, my characters are leopard shifters. One of the most common questions I’m asked is why I chose black leopards as the animal they could shift into, which got me thinking why I love big cats so much!
I will admit that in real life, I’m kind of scared of cats. I know, what harm could a little domestic cat do? Wrong! They could claw me, chase me and leap at me... which is kind of ridiculous considering the fact that I love rough playing with my big dogs and hanging out with our pretty large horses! Put me in a field with cattle or horses, make me confront a large dog – anything – but don’t make me do anything with a scary cat. I respect them and think they’re beautiful, but I’m a little wary of the smarts and savvy of a plain old pussy cat. It’s not that I wouldn’t cuddle a kitten or a friendly cat, but one mean look or a swipe of his paw and I’d be gone!
When it comes to writing though, my personal fears are pushed away. I chose leopards to write about because they’re gorgeous creatures to look at. They’re also strong, sleek, fast and the ultimate predator. In my ‘world’, the leopards can change their spots to blend with their environment, and they can silently communicate via their thoughts when they want to as well.
If you were going to write about shape shifters, which animal would you chose? Your favorite animal in real life, or a wild animal that you’d be terrified to confront in reality?

I’d love to give away a kindle edition ebook of Change. Just leave a comment and I’ll enter you in the draw to win! My only condition is that the winner place a review on either Amazon or Goodreads once they’ve read it =)

Crítica| Review: “Change”, Soraya Lane

SINOPSEQuando a sua irmã gémea morre de uma doença cardíaca misteriosa, Riley King é enviada para o rancho da avó. Mas em vez do isolamento por que ansiava, ela descobre um segredo de família que tem sido deliberadamente escondido dela - até agora. Como se descobrir que ela é, na verdade, um leopardo não fosse suficiente para um choque de férias, Riley encontra Hunter Logan... o tipo a quem está prometida. Para a vida. No entanto, Riley não tenciona que ninguém lhe diga o que fazer, principalmente um metamorfo teimoso dominante. Mesmo que ele a consiga pôr a ronronar, as garras de Riley são cortantes. Até que ela percebe que não cumprir o seu destino seria condenar a sua irmã a uma vida do outro lado sem ela...
BLURBWhen her twin sister dies of a mysterious heart condition, Riley King is sent to her grandma’s ranch. But instead of the isolation she’s been aching for, she learns of a family secret that’s been deliberately kept from her, until now. As if finding out she’s actually a leopard wasn't enough shock for one vacation, Riley meets Hunter Logan… the guy she’s promised to. For life. But Riley has no intention of being told what to do by anyone, certainly not some stubborn, dominant shifter. Even if he can make her purr, her claws are slicing out. Until Riley realizes that not fulfilling her destiny would commit her sister to a life on the other side without her...  



CRÍTICAAcabei de ler “Change” a 17 de julho de 2012 e achei-a uma boa história: dou-lhe quatro estrelas.Quando comecei a ler este livro, franzi o nariz e vacilei em dar-lhe só duas ou três estrelas. O início é demasiado apressado e as coisas voam. A autora não soube veicular bem os sentimentos nesta fase e as frases soaram-me forçadas e ditas apenas por dizer. O inimigo apresentado também não me pareceu credível e devia ter sido mais trabalhado, pois é algo deveras estranho sobre cuja natureza ainda me interrogo.No entanto, a escrita da autora evoluiu gradualmente ao longo do livro. Foi bom assistir a este crescimento, pois melhorou em muito a narrativa.Assim sendo, e no geral, gostei de “Change”. A minha personagem preferida é o Hunter, pela sua personalidade, embora não me tenha agradado a maluquice que lhe deu perto do final. Mas a Riley mostrou-lhe como era! Estou ansiosa por ler o próximo volume e saber o que acontece, afinal ficaram muitas coisas por resolver =)
REVIEWI finished reading "Change" on July 17, 2012 and found it a good story: I rate it four stars.When I started reading this book, I frowned and wavered between rating it only two or three stars. The beginning is too rushed and things fly. The author was unable to convey the feelings at this stage, and the phrases sounded forced and told just by being said. The enemy also presented didn’t seem credible; it should have been more worked, since it is something quite strange about whose nature I still wonder.However, the author's writing has evolved gradually over the book. It was good to watch this growth, it greatly improved the narrative.Therefore, and in general, I liked "Change." My favorite character is the Hunter, for his personality, although I haven’t been pleased by his craziness near the end. But Riley showed him how it was! I am eager to read the next book and know what happens, after all there were many things unresolved =)
Link: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/369035177

Entrevista e passatempo

O blogue Tertúlias à Lareira publicou hoje na sua rubrica "À Lareira Com..." uma entrevista que me foi feita há pouco tempo. Espero que gostem! Aqui fica o link para acederem a este conteúdo: http://tertuliasalareira.blogspot.pt/2012/08/a-lareira-com-rute-canhoto.html?spref=fb
Mas não é tudo! O Tertúlias, em colaboração com a Corpos Editora , tem para oferecer um exemplar do meu livro "Almira, a Moura Encantada. Para terem a oportunidade de ganhar este livro, basta seguirem as regras e responderem acertadamente às questões que se encontram aqui: http://tertuliasalareira.blogspot.pt/2012/08/passatempo-almira-moura-encantada-de.html?spref=fb 

Agradeço ao Tertúlias tanto a entrevista como o passatempo. Ah! E boa sorte aos participantes! ;-)

Livros&Blogues| Books&Blogs

Nome: D311nh4Link: http://d311nh4.blogspot.com/Administradora: Andreia Ferreira


ENTREVISTA A ANDREIA
OLÁ! QUANDO NASCEU O TEU BLOGUE?O meu blogue nasceu a 26 de Junho de 2010, oficialmente como Blog D311nh4 (lê-se "Deiinha", diminutivo de Andreia). Antes disso, chamava-se "Soberba Escuridão", nome que mais tarde viria a titular o meu primeiro romance.
QUE RAZÕES TE LEVARAM A CRIÁ-LO?No início, criei o blogue para arquivar os meus textinhos antigos e, eventualmente, criar novos. A essa rubrica dei-lhe o nome de "Devaneios da entidade reveladora", que ainda podem encontrar lá, apesar de já não a atualizar há imenso tempo.
Comecei a dar as minhas opiniões literárias e cinematográficas e, só depois de conhecer outros blogues de literatura, percebi que podia requerer parcerias para fins de divulgação, em primeira mão, das novidades. A partir daí, foi sempre a crescer.
O QUE PODEM OS VISITANTES ENCONTRAR NO BLOGUE?Podem encontrar as novidades mensais das editoras parceiras - a dita publicidade. Opiniões sobre as minhas leituras, que tento variar, tanto para benefício do meu próprio crescimento como leitora, como para chegar a mais leitores. Passatempos, auxiliados pelas editoras e autores.Por fim, o mais importante, entrevistas a autores nacionais. Estou a tentar criar um quadro de referência para a literatura de Portugal, sem nunca desdenhar a estrangeira.
QUE BALANÇO FAZES DESDE QUE CRIASTE ESTE ESPAÇO ATÉ HOJE?O blogue tem vindo a crescer a nível de seguidores e de visualizações.
Cresci imenso com esta experiência de partilha de opiniões. Permitiu-me (e permite) alargar a minha visão sobre o que leio, evitando, cada vez mais, que o meu gosto pessoal delimite a minha perceção do que é, ou não, um bom livro dentro do seu género.Recentemente, tenho tentado divulgar mais os conteúdos textuais do espaço, em detrimento da publicidade, para que a essência da ideia aquando da criação não se perca.
QUAIS AS MAIORES DIFICULDADES QUE ENCONTRASTE ENQUANTO BLOGGER?O tempo. A responsabilidade de lançar as opiniões, os passatempos, as divulgações, atempadamente, tem vindo a ser um problema. Mas eu torço-me em duas para manter o blogue vivo e ativo, tanto por mim, como pelos seguidores.
QUAL A MAIOR ALEGRIA QUE O TEU BLOGUE TE DEU?Ver pessoas (cada vez mais) a dizerem que têm em conta aquilo que leem nas minhas opiniões, antes de comprar um determinado livro. É gratificante saber que aquilo que escrevemos é, de facto, visto e tido em consideração.


INTERVIEW WITH ANDREIA
HI! WHEN WAS YOUR BLOG BORN?My blog was born on June 26, 2010, officially as D311nh4 Blog (pronounced "Deiinha", short for Andreia). Before that, it was called "Soberba Escuridão", a name that later became the title of my first novel.
WHAT REASONS LED YOU TO CREATE IT?At the beginning, I created the blog to archive my old little texts and possibly create new ones. I called this area "Daydreams of the revelatory authority," which you can still find there, though I don’t update it for a lot of time. I started giving my opinions on literature and films, and only after finding other literary blogs, I realized that it could require partnerships for purposes of disclosure, first hand, the novelties. Since then, it has always grown.
WHAT CAN VISITORS FIND IN YOUR BLOG?You can find the monthly news of publisher partners - the so-called advertising. Reviews of my readings, that I try to vary both for the benefit of my own growth as a reader, as well as to reach more readers. Giveaways, aided by publishers and authors. Finally, most importantly, interviews with authors. I'm trying to create a framework for the literature of Portugal, never disdaining the foreign one.
HOW DID THINGS GO SINCE YOU CREATED THIS SPACE UNTIL TODAY?The blog has been growing in terms of followers and views.
I grew a lot from this experience of sharing opinions. It allowed me to (and still does) extend my vision of what I read, avoiding increasingly that my personal taste encloses my perception of what is or is not, a good book of its kind.
Recently, I’ve tried to raise awareness of the textual content of the space at the expense of advertising, so that the essence of the idea at the time of creation is not lost.
WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTIES YOU FOUND AS A BLOGGER?The time. The responsibility of launching the reviews, giveaways, the disclosures in a timely manner, has been a problem. But I twist myself into two to keep the blog alive and active, both for me as the followers.
WHAT’S THE GREATEST JOY YOUR BLOG HAS GIVEN YOU?To see people (increasingly) to say they have in mind what they read in my reviews before buying a particular book. It is gratifying to know that what we write is, in fact, seen and taken into consideration.

Entrevista| Interview: Monique O'Connor James

ENGLISH VERSION ALSO IN THIS POST. JUST KEEP SCROLLING DOWN!

[image error] Olá, Monique. Pode falar-nos um pouco de si?Monique é a mãe de dois lindos filhos e vive numa pequena comunidade fora de Baton Rouge, no Louisiana (EUA). Atualmente trabalha em tempo integral como agente de seguros, mas os seus trabalhos favoritos são ser mãe, esposa e autora. No seu oitavo aniversário, a mãe comprou-lhe um diário e disse "escreve o que quiseres, mas escreve". E assim um caso de amor com as palavras nasceu. Escreveu poesia e contos no liceu e na faculdade até 1993, quando cancro da mama foi diagnosticado à sua mãe. Após a morte da mãe em 1998, afundada numa depressão, Monique viu-se incapaz de escrever. Nove anos se passaram, e só em raras ocasiões ela tentou escrever, sem sorte. Finalmente em 2007, sob a insistência dos amigos, ela sentou-se e escreveu o seu primeiro romance. Era bruto e rude, mas o processo tinha sido inquestionavelmente catártico. Os próximos três anos foram passados a encher o seu disco rígido com sete manuscritos completos. No início de 2011 Monique decidiu que estava na hora de editar as obras e compartilhá-las com o mundo. Ela espera que gostemos das divagações de uma profunda menina do sul criada num estado rico, com património e amor.
O que a levou a ingressar no mundo da literatura?Comecei a escrever quando tinha 9 anos depois de a minha mãe me ter comprado um diário. A necessidade de escrever um romance esteve sempre comigo. Falei sobre isso anos antes de realmente me sentar e fazê-lo.
Que livros publicou até agora?“The Keepers” & “The Watchers”, “Jamais Vu” & “Déjà vu”, “Becoming Jolie” e um conto chamado “The Mulligan Man”.
Fale-nos um pouco de "Becoming Jolie", a sua mais recente aposta.Jolie Bourque está a tentar terminar a sua tese e seguir com a sua vida. Ela vagueia por Folette, no Louisiana, um lugar atormentado por visões de fantasmas, convencida de que os moradores são todos loucos. Ninguém quer ajudá-la; ninguém, exceto Hutch Landry e seu irmão, Tucker. Será que ela vai encontrar o monstro que anda a atacar as crianças da cidade? Conseguirá permanecer sã cercada pela loucura? Quais os seus vínculos com a cidade pequena? Como irá ela escolher entre os irmãos? Este é o pesadelo que é a sua vida, e tudo apenas uma parte de se tornar Jolie.
É uma escritora independente ou tem editora? O que a levou a essa opção?Escrevo para algumas editoras, mas de pequena dimensão. Inicialmente, eu queria ser publicada por uma das seis grandes, é claro. No entanto, com o passar do tempo percebi que teria mais input com uma pequena editora. Não tenho tido nada para além de experiências maravilhosas com a Astraea Press, Crushing Hearts e a Black Butterfly Publishing.
No que está a trabalhar de momento? Bem, tenho uma nova série que comecei recentemente e estou a trabalhar na correção do primeiro livro. O nome é “Magia Rising” e é sobre clãs de bruxas em New Orleans: D
Onde podemos encontrá-la?Twitter: mjames13Wordpress: www.moniquejames.wordpress.comWebsite: www.moniqueoconnorjames.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=511255176Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Moniqueoconnorjamesauthor
 
[image error]
Hi, Monique. Can you tell us a little about yourself? 
Monique is the mother of two beautiful children and lives in a small community outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She currently works full time as an insurance agent, but her favorite jobs are mother, wife, and author. On her eighth birthday, her mother bought her a journal and said "write whatever you want, just write." And so, a love affair with words was born. She wrote poetry and short stories in high school and college, until 1993 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. After her mother's death in 1998, deep in depression, she found herself unable to write. Nine years passed, and only on rare occasion did she attempt to write, with no luck. Finally, in 2007, under the urging of friends, she sat down and pecked out her first novel. It was raw and unpolished, but the process had been unquestionably cathartic. The next three years were spent filling her hard drive with seven complete manuscripts. At the beginning of 2011, Monique decided it was time to edit the work and share it with the world. She hopes you enjoy the ramblings of a deeply southern girl raised in a state rich with heritage and love.
What led you to join the literature world?I started writing when I was 9 after my mom bought me a journal.  The NEED to write a novel has always been with me.  I talked about it for years before I actually sat down and went for it.
Which books have you published so far?The Keepers & The Watchers, Jamais Vu & Deja Vu, Becoming Jolie and a short story called The Mulligan Man.
Tell us a little about "Becoming Jolie", your latest bet.Jolie Bourque is trying to finish her thesis and get on with her life. She wanders into Folette, Louisiana, a place plagued by ghost sightings, convinced the residents are all crazy. No one wants to help her, no one except, Hutch Landry and his brother, Tucker. Will she find the monster that is preying on the town's children? Can she stay sane surrounded by madness? What are her ties to the small town? How will she choose between the brothers? This is the nightmare that is her life and all just a part of Becoming Jolie
Are you an indie writer or do you have a publisher? What led you to that option?I write for a couple of publishers, but they are small presses.  Initially, I wanted to be published by one of the big six, of course.  However, as time went on I realized that I would have more input with a smaller publisher.  I've had nothing but wonderful experiences with Astraea Press and Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing.
What are you working on at the moment?  Well, I have a new series I recently started and I'm working on editing the first book.  The name is Magia Rising and it’s about witch clans in New Orleans :D
Where can people find you? Twitter: mjames13Wordpress: www.moniquejames.wordpress.comWebsite: www.moniqueoconnorjames.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=511255176Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Moniqueoconnorjamesauthor[image error]