Clare C. Marshall's Blog, page 22
March 24, 2012
Review: A Stiff Kiss
A Stiff Kiss, by Avery Olive
Who knew kissing a corpse would change everything?
Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves.
But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia's arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up?
With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has new meaning. But what Xylia doesn't realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she's thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia's this time.
I'm part of Avery's blog tour–she and I are Twitter friends and I'm happy to be part of her book publicity. Also, Avery, I know you're reading this, but you just have a fantastic name. AVERY OLIVE. It sounds like something out of the comic book world, and I mean that in a good way. I feel like maybe I've told you this before. Anyway…
Writing: 4 wings
I would use the world "light" to describe Olive's writing style. It's easy to read, and you can get caught up in the prose. I was able to read this in about two days, and I only cut up my reading time because I had to work.
There is a dark side to light writing, however. Too light means that the darker parts of the novel–like Xylia needing closure on a certain event that I will not spoil–don't get explored in a satisfying way. That's not to say that her character wasn't fully explored–it was, see below–but I felt more like an observer in this rather than actually empathizing with her sorrow.
I did enjoy the carefree, sarcastic wit in other areas of the narrative, like the character descriptions: they really painted a picture for me.
Plot: 3.5 wings
From reading the plot description, I thought it would be more of a cat-and-mouse situation: the big bad death eaters chasing Xylia and Landon all over town, trying to kill one or the other or both. Because of this expectation, during the read, I didn't feel like there was any real danger in this story. There is a subplot about the unbalancing of the universe going on, but it is only hinted at and really only surfaces toward the end. The tension in the novel comes from the characters' internal demons, and how they console one another and face reality. I did, however, enjoy the climax/twist at the end. Even though it wasn't what I expected, the story did flow and there weren't any jarring "why is this happening?" moments. Overall, I think I was expecting more of a punch and instead got a little nudge.
Characters: 4 wings
The names were convenient to say the least (Morana=death, and Phoenix=rebirth), but Xylia's character in particular was quite strong. She had a unique internal dilemna that was slowly revealed through the story. In a way, it was like unwrapping an old butterscotch candy. The plastic sticks to the gooey butterscotch because it's old and potentially flattened, and doesn't look particularly appealing. But inside, she there is something delicious and sweet that has not been marred by time. To equate this to the story: on the outside, Xylia dressing in goth attire and attending funerals for fun and sleeping in cemeteries sounds weird and a little cheesy in a way, but once you discover the reason for this, it puts it in perspective.
Sometimes the POV switching was a little confusing–especially when it switched in the middle of the scene, from Xylia to Landon. But I did appreciate the multiple POVs because it created more depth for both characters. Plus, it's always fun to know things the characters don't!
Overall: 4 wings
A quick, entertaining read. Recommended if you have an free afternoon with no commitments!
See my interview with her here, where you can win some swag! You can also enter to win a hard copy on Goodreads.
Interview with Avery Olive!
Avery Olive is the author of A Stiff Kiss, newly released from Crescent Moon Press. She's currently rocking her blog tour and decided to stop here for a few questions.
Clare: Your book is set in the States, and yet you are Canadian! What made you decide to make your characters American?
Avery: I know! I feel a little bad that I sort of well, turned my back on my Canadian Heritage… but after long talks with my editor, and the fact that we do things quite differently here, we thought it would be less confusing to just make everything American. Also, the USA is a much bigger audience, so we chose to cater to them. And it also makes things just less confusing.
Clare: What was it like working with Crescent Moon Press?
Avery: The experience so far has been really great. They are very welcoming, it sort of feels like a second family. My editor was amazing to work with. She really took all my thoughts and opinions into consideration and it made A Stiff Kiss great. The cover artist did a great job too. I think all these things make CMP a great company to be a part of.
Clare: If there was one thing you would change or do differently throughout your entire publishing experience, what would that be?
Avery: So far… Nothing. I think I've done the best I can, and have used the resources around me to my benefit. I think timing is everything, and of course not giving up. A Stiff Kiss was actually my third novel written and though I'd have liked the other two in print, I can look back a see that over the course of my journey my skills have vastly improved and it just took those two other novels to hone my craft.
Clare: Half of the book is written from Landon's perspective. How was it different (or difficult) to get into his head as opposed to Xylia's?
Avery: It was hard, for sure. I tried to just think of all the men in my life, previous boyfriends and what not and tried to roll that into my character. I think the hardest thing… is remembering that guys don't have huge, heartfelt conversations. They like things short and sweet. But Landon of course is a gentlemen So he definitely has a softer side which made it easier.
Clare: If you were suddenly rich beyond your wildest dreams, what would you spend your money on?
Avery: Who says I'm not already rich? Haha Just kidding. I would really like a bigger house. I have an office, but it's a little cramped. I also have my eye on a very sleek Lincoln Navigator. I'd probably also take my family—my ENTIRE family—on an amazing vacation.
Clare: Tell me about your future projects! What are you working on?
Avery: A few things actually. I have about three projects on the go (which is all new to me, since I usually stick to one thing at a time) because I'm being pulled—by characters—into several different directions.
I've got something to do with A Stiff Kiss on the go… but that's all I can say about that. It may be a sequel, it may not… It may be published, it may not… It's really too early to tell *wink* I've got a ghost story on the go… and I've got a short story on the go too! I like to keep things in the dark as much as I can. I don't want to jinx myself
Clare: Thank you Avery for the interview!
Avery: Thanks so much for having me!!!
Stay tuned for my review of A Stiff Kiss a little later today. She's also giving away a whole bunch of goodies over at her blog!
You can get Avery's book from the following places:
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Book Depository
She's also giving away a coaster, a bookmark, and a signed collector's card! Leave a comment below with your email address to enter to win. Because you don't want your water glasses staining your desk, do you? And bend the pages in your nice books? No, no you don't. Enter now!
March 22, 2012
Interviewed!
It's always exciting to be interviewed.
Last week I sat down with Colin Chisholm from the HalifaxNewsNet.ca and we talked about books and the challenges of publishing.
March 19, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part Nineteen
Skyla had almost forgotten what it was like to be around Junior Ladies.
"There was like, this big flash of light, and then I couldn't see anything! I thought I went blind! Can you imagine, your highness, if you were never allowed to read the Lady's Charter ever again? Or see anything at all. Like the view of Earth from the observation deck. That's one of the most beautiful sights ever," Lady Kristen babbled. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. "We're not in trouble are we? It was entirely my fault. It really was. I'm really sorry, I made up a rule that convinced the nurse to let us see Lady Harmony. I know it's wrong, your highness, but I really, really don't want to be sent back to Earth! Please, don't send me back there. I promise I'll only quote real rules from the Charter from now on!"
Massaging her temples, trying to stay awake, Skyla's mind felt like it had been covered by a heavy fog. They were no further ahead than they were an hour ago. Lady Kristen, while eager to help once she and her friend Lady Méline calmed down, only gave them more confusing information. Lady Harmony had apparently opened her eyes and touched Lady Dominique's arm, and then Lady Dominique immediately fell unconscious. The security feed would have to verify their story, but this combined with the strange seizure and the mysterious mineral in the First Lady's bloodstream and brain, Skyla wouldn't be surprised if Lady Kristen's account was accurate.
The two Juniors sat on the other side of a sealed glass panel in what had been converted into an interrogation room. The entire medical bay had been quarantined, at least until the blood tests from the two Ladies' returned from the lab, so they were stuck in the bay for the moment. Skyla and Darian sat on the supposedly uncontaminated half of the room, communicating through a primitive radio system Darian had set up before the glass panel was installed. Darian thumbed a button on his radio to speak.
"My Lady, all transports have been suspended as part of the Dome-wide basic quarantine," Darian explained, drumming his fingers on the brass table before them. "No one will be leaving the Dome until Lady Harmony's condition is more certain."
"I 'ave family visiting next week," Lady Méline said, leaning to share the radio that Lady Kristen gripped fervently.
"I'm afraid all leisure visits will be cancelled," Darian said. He looked up at Skyla, who stood near the entrance, and removed his thumb from the talk button. "Anything else you wanted to ask them?"
Skyla picked absently at the band-aid on her arm and shook her head. "I just want to know the results from the blood tests." The nurses had taken samples from them, too, and everyone else in the medical bay.
He gave her an encouraging half-smile. "Me too, your highness. I can finish up here, if you'd like to take a moment."
"Yes, thank you, Captain."
She felt a wave of gratitude as she turned to leave. Then again, it could've been exhaustion. She shut the door promptly behind her and leaned against the corridor wall, shutting her eyes and taking in the silence. Ambassador Conrod was probably looking for her. Dropping his call was probably a mistake, and every choice she'd made in the last twenty-four hours weighed heavily on her shoulders.
Stepping down and walking away from her crown duties would be easy. Then maybe…maybe…
Darian.
Even thinking about him in that way felt like a stab wound through the heart. Through Sebastian's heart. As if she'd killed him herself.
But as queen she wouldn't dare risk jeopardizing her relationship with Darian. No matter how soft his eyes were when he gazed at her when he thought she wasn't looking, no matter how he had held her when she had fallen, no matter–
"Your highness?"
Skyla opened her eyes. A timid orderly—fortunately not one dressed in a containment suit—was staring up at her cautiously.
"I'm sorry if I woke you, your majesty."
"No, it's…it's fine." Her tongue felt heavy. How much time had passed? The door to the makeshift interrogation room was still closed. Was Darian still in there?
"There's something you should see," the orderly said.
Skyla followed her back into the observation room for Lady Harmony and Lady Dominique. This couldn't be good. Behind the thick glass and invisible containment fields, the two ladies lay side by side, unmoving. Their chests rose in tandem as they breathed deeply. In…out. In…out.
"What's the matter?" Skyla asked.
The orderly leaned over the computer controls. She tapped a few keys before a black-and-white security monitor, and the camera feed shifted. A top-down view of the ladies was presented on the screen and when she saw what was wrong, Skyla's eyes widened and her stomach churned with unease.
It wasn't that Lady Dominique and Lady Harmony were now holding hands.
It wasn't that their dry, cracked lips opened and closed randomly, as if speaking a silent language not heard on the feed.
Like a silent pendulum hung on an invisible thread, a blinking light rolled rhythmically across the two women. Unstopping. Unrelenting. And even though it was only the size of her fist, there was something about it that filled her with dread.
Something that told her that she'd seen this light before.
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March 18, 2012
Selling Physical Copies? It's Happening!
Yep, finally.
I will be offering physical copies of WITHIN for sale through my website. Finally, those who wish to buy a physical copy of my book but don't want to pay American dollars for it, can spend their hard earned loonies and toonies on my website.
Unfortunately, I'm only offering this to Canadian peeps only–sorry Europe! Americans (and other International customers) can still buy a physical copy through Amazon.com.
Shipping costs are actually not too unreasonable, as long as you don't mind waiting a week or more for your book to arrive. There will be two shipping options: the regular mail, which is around $5 anywhere in Canada, and expedited mail, which is $10 for the Atlantic provinces and about $16 for everywhere else in Canada. Like I said, it could take more than a week to arrive by regular mail, but for expedited packages, it should only take 1-3 days. Note that because I'm probably going to move out west (Calgary) in the coming months, these shipping prices may change.
Stay tuned in the next couple of days while I set this up!
March 12, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part Eighteen
Skyla and Darian arrived just as chaos erupted outside the medical bay. Later, I will deal with it all later, she promised herself silently as curious citizens and determined reporters and guards and medical professionals created a human wall around the entrance to the hospital. Darian squeezed her through and instructed his men to create a perimeter around the area. No one would get in and see what was going on. There would be no more surprise headlines this time.
Two nurses dressed in dark containment suits were in the now-quarantined room, positioning Lady Dominique's unconscious body on an empty bed next to Lady Harmony. The two juniors were huddled together in the corner, unblinking, clutching each other frantically as if they were struggling to keep afloat in plain air. When the nurses were finished with Lady Dominique, they tried to approach the girls but they hid their faces in each other's shoulders and burst into tears. Skyla didn't blame them; the containment suits, while sleek, had a robotic air to them. As the nurses marched into the connecting surveillance room, where Skyla and Darian waited, Skyla had an overwhelming sense of déja vu…
(…something was coming to get her, faceless death in the mist…)
…but it was probably that dream again.
Skyla eyed the two nurses suspiciously. Their faces were difficult to see, as they were hidden behind the dark helmet. It was a little unnerving talking to the faceless women, even though rationally she knew there was nothing to be afraid of. "Who let the Ladies in here?"
"A nurse at the front desk," one of them replied. Her voice was tinny from the helmet. "Do not worry, your majesty, she's been dismissed from the service."
Worry? Skyla was past worrying. She needed answers. "Where is Doctor Leeland?"
"Here, 'majesty." Leeland's expression was grim as he shuffled into the increasingly crowded room. He handed her a datapad. On it was a series of numbers and graphs zigzagging over the screen, accompanied by a CT scan of what looked like a brain.
Skyla rubbed the rest of the sleep from her eyes. "Explain this to me, Doctor."
"You're lookin' at Lady Harmony's brain, your majesty."
"And the long and the short of it is…?"
"Long and the short, she's in some sort of high-intensity REM-sleep state."
"I take it that's not normal?" Darian asked.
"Normal? Definitely not," Leeland scoffed. "People in comas have little to no brain activity, but her scans are lighting up like a Christmas tree on the Fourth of July, if you get my meanin'. And there's somthin' swimmin' around in her brain soup that's messin' with my instruments."
"Something?" Darian prompted.
"Well, that's one way to put it." Leeland waved dismissively. "That unidentified mineral I found in her bloodstream? Well, it's in her brain too."
"It showed up on the CT scan," Skyla said.
"Not at first, it didn't. Like I said, it's messin' with our equipment, so I can't get a clear read on what it is, other than what the computer has told me it's not. And it's not organic matter. So I reconfigured the equipment—something I hate doin', your majesty, but I figured under the circumstances—anyway, see these black clusters? Smack dab in the center of the frontal lobe, and another little cluster in the temporal lobe? And the ol' king of the clusters seems to be surrounding her hypothalamus."
"What does all this mean, Doctor?"
"Short of it?" Leeland shrugged. "No clue. The long? Could mean that she's dreamin' up a storm, but unless we can wake her up, we won't have a clue what's going on inside her brain til she's ready and willing to tell us."
"Can't we wake her?"
"Wouldn't recommend it, not until I can do some more tests. Opportunity for science and all that nonsense, your highness. I'd like to run a similar scan on Lady Dominique, and see if she's also infected with our mystery mineral."
"Do it. And see if you can't run a similar scan on the junior ladies as well."
"Yes, your majesty."
"I'd like to question the junior ladies myself, your highness," Darian said. "Before Doctor Leeland's tests, at least, so we can get a clear understanding on what happened here."
Skyla nodded. "I'd like to sit in on that."
Darian opened his mouth to protest, but seemed to think better of it. "Very well, your majesty."
Anything to keep her from returning Ambassador Conrod's call, and anything to get her closer to discovering the true cause of this epidemic—if it could even be called that.
Skyla turned and the nurses were still there, still as stone and as silent as space itself. She breathed in sharply and suppressed a scream.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" she snapped.
The nurses whirred to life and shuffled out of the room.
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March 11, 2012
Lil writing update
After a little hiatus, Faces in the Mist will be back tomorrow with a brand new episode. I'm pushing Sparkstone, my new serial, ahead a few weeks–okay, maybe two weeks. I've been pretty busy with my new job and also another somewhat-secret project that you will all find out about soon!
February 20, 2012
Faces in the Mist, Part Seventeen
Yellow mist swirled around Skyla and once again, her head rested on the wooden chopping block.
I am dreaming, she thought, but the man who lorded over her grabbed her hair and pressed her cheek against the splintery wood—and that felt real. Perhaps being a queen was the dream, and the ax blade that glinted and cut thin trails through the mist was part of her true life.
The ax swung.
Skyla bolted up, her blankets a tangled mess around her legs. She was still in her dress clothes, and now they were wrinkled. The stimulant she'd taken had worn off hours ago, but she still felt foolish for allowing herself to slip into sleep before 01800 hours.
She thought about changing her clothes when the intruding sound of an incoming transmission on the com drilled through the air.
Maybe it would go away.
But no, it persisted. She would have to face the world sometime.
Padding across the room and brushing a stray hair from her eyes, she tapped the enter key to receive the transmission. "This is Queen Skyla."
The monitor flickered and Ambassador Conrod's face appeared on the screen. "Greetings, Queen Skyla."
"You'll forgive me if I'm audio only, Ambassador," Skyla said, stifling a yawn. "I'm not looking my best at the moment."
A note of concern crossed his face. "Have you ordered a station-wide check for the Virus, your highness?"
"No. It's not–" She stopped herself, breathing deeply to calm her rage. "I was trying to catch up on my sleep."
"Ah. I see. So your First Lady being incapacitated by a known contagious virus doesn't concern you, then?
"Of course it concerns me. But there is no clear evidence that points to the Moon Flash Virus as the cause of Lady Harmony's coma."
"It's being touted in the Lunar Herald and the Daily Dome as the most likely cause."
"Hype sells more copies, Ambassador."
"Is you fainting under the pressure of the situation hype, your highness?"
Skyla inhaled sharply through her teeth.
"We got special editions of both newspapers piped down here," Conrod continued, gesturing off-screen. "They say that after you cut communication with Earth, you almost collapsed in front of nearly five hundred people. If this situation is too stressful for you, then perhaps the Dome would benefit under different leadership."
Skyla slammed her hand down on the desk, rattling the monitor. "I am NOT–"
The door to her chambers flew open and Skyla couldn't have been happier to see Darian bursting into her room. Her relief and surprise faded as she saw the alarm painted on his face and radio in one hand. One of his lieutenants shouting inaudible panicked orders on the other end.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"The hospital. Lady Harmony's awake. There were Ladies there, visiting, and there's been…"
He trailed off as his eyes flickered to the screen. "Ambassador."
"There's been an outbreak? Others have been infect–"
The monitor went dead when Skyla flipped the power switch on the side of her computer. She'd have more to explain later but if there was another incident, then Conrod's opinion of her was the least of her worries.
"Take me there," she commanded.
"Your highness, I don't think–"
"Darian." She went to grasp him, to shake sense into him, but instead her fingers rolled into fists, as if her body had suddenly become the rational voice that forbade her from crossing the line. "Take me to the medical bay."
Darian hesitated, and then nodded. He brought the radio to his lips and barked orders to the men under his command to secure the perimeter. Whatever had happened to Lady Harmony and her visitors, Skyla would prove that she was the rightful, elected ruler of the Dome, both to Conrod, to Darian, to herself…and to Sebastian's memory.
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February 15, 2012
Moon Nazis? Indie Sci/Fi Comedy Film: Iron Sky
Got this from a Reddit AMA today. This looks awesome. I hope there'll be some way for us Canadians to get a legal downloadable copy of this.
From Reddit:
"Iron Sky is a scifi comedy about Nazis from the Dark Side of the Moon, an English-language film with 10 million euro budget (of which 1 million was crowdfunded through Internet)."
One million euros funded through the internet? That's an insane amount, like, $1.3 million CAD. Their website is here. Show some support for indie film making!
February 14, 2012
Staying Relaxed: Tips for Writers and Freelancers
Photo credit: Just2shutter, from Freedigitalphotos.net
I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well. Working at home, I do set my own hours and choose the projects I take on, but I set a high standard for everything I do—it's good for business and it makes me feel good when clients praise me for the work I've done for them.
Unfortunately, dealing with this kind of pressure every day is stressful! And because my home is also my workplace, it can feel like I'm always at work, or that I always should be working.
As a writer or a freelancer—whether you're a professional or just doing it as a hobby—sometimes you have to force yourself to sit down and write to deadline. That can be extremely stressful for some people, no matter how much experience or training you have. Here are some ways to stay relaxed so you can still look at your writing as fun!
Create a Relaxing Music Playlist
I'm listening to mine right now. I've found YouTube to have a plethora of relaxing videos, with everything from nature sounds to Reiki music to meditation videos. One not-so-good habit I have is that I tend to listen to the same songs over and over again, so try to add in a few new songs in from time to time. Listening to the playlist on random helps as well. The music doesn't have to be meditative or instrumental—listen to whatever helps you feel at ease. I find that lyrics often distract me when I'm writing, so that's why I prefer instrumental music.
Currently, this is one of my favourite tracks:
Take a Short, Productive Break
I'm on my computer all day—it's both my workstation and my source of fun. Once I start working on something, I find it hard to stop, so I really only take breaks to Tweet, or to eat a meal.
Taking a break away from your computer is probably the best thing you could do, if possible. But I'm the type of person that once I leave a place behind, I tend to not come back to it after a while. Example: once I get up from my computer, I will eat, but then I might have to do laundry, clean something…and one thing leads to another, and suddenly, it's time to eat another meal again.
If you're going to take a fifteen minute break but you don't want to leave your chair and lose your focus, there are still other things you can do. Browsing Reddit can be rewarding, as long as you don't get sucked in (believe me, you can spend hours on this website and not realize it). Updating other social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook can still be viewed as productive. Looking up a topic that interests you or that you stumbled across earlier can enrich your day, leaving you feeling like you've learned something rather than wasting time dicking around on the internet. Just as long as you remind yourself—by alarm clock or just by continuous checking of the time on your computer screen—that you should get back to work soon.
Have a Hobby that has NOTHING to do with your work.
And I mean nothing to do with it. Editing is my profession, writing is my higher calling, reading is a study of like-minds and their techniques, but playing games is a hobby. When I'm playing Skyrim or KOTOR or Sims 2, I don't have to think about work. And at the end of the day, that's usually what I feel like doing, because when I'm writing, I do end up thinking about work because they're related, and then my personal writing really does feel like work! This is why keeping an active blog is difficult for me—it's hard to think of it as fun when my brain is telling me that I'm still on the clock.
Playing games usually requires sitting at a computer too (unless we're talking about board games or table-top games!) so you might want to take up an outdoor hobby or something that doesn't involve looking at a screen. Your eyes will thank you later.
These are just three things that work for me—you might find others. Feel free to share yours below!
