Meradeth Houston's Blog, page 89

After Reading: Spectral

By Shannon Duffy

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.


I am happy to take part in the blog tour for Spectral, and was lucky to receive a copy of the book for review. First of all, I really enjoyed the whole witness protection, picking up and moving all over background to this story. It was interesting and engaging, and gave things a little spice to get the book started. (I wish there had been more of this!) I really liked Jewel, too, for her desire to break free, figure out who and what she was, and solve her own problems. She was a great character and brought the story to life. I did feel like the love-triangle thing with Chase & Roman felt a little off, but overall the romance angle was fun and kept the pages turning. I have no idea if there is another book planned, but I hope there is if only because I would have loved to get more insight into the covens, endowments, and other interesting parts of the witches' world! It seems like such an interesting place :) Overall, this was a quick and fun read, with lots of action and a great heroine--do check it out!


***Minor side note here to say that I'm posting today on the awesome David P. King's blog, too, so go check it out, and follow his blog if you aren't already--it rocks!***


A little more about the author: Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release.


Kindle buy link - $2.99
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007RMZYL4?tag=tributebooks-20

Nook buy link - $4.95
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=dcSBhG3Rj8w&subid=&offerid=239662.1&type=10&tmpid=8433&RD_PARM1=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.barnesandnoble.com%252Fw%252Fbooks%252F1109953082
iBookstore buy link - $4.99
Coming Soon
Google buy link - $3.79
http://books.google.com/books?printsec=frontcover&id=Ov0LCe_6RY4C#v=onepage&q&f=false

Smashwords buy link - $4.99
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/145573?ref=tributebooks
PDF buy link - $4.95
https://www.payloadz.com/go/sip?id=1580735

Sunday if for family photos

*** Side note to give a big congrats to Conda Douglass for winning my giveaway! I'll be doing more fun things in the future, so stay tuned :) ***

I don't have anything particularly fun to share today, mainly because we're at a family reunion and I'm having to sneak time away from everything else to post :) Today we're also experiencing the pain fun of taking a family photo with everyone. I have eleven nieces & nephews, so I'm sure you can imagine how this goes. Or not. It's kind of like herding cats. Anyhow, I'm really not a big fan of these shots, but oh well. Does anyone actually like posing for them?

Of course, hopefully we don't end up with any shots that look like these (for your comic amusement!):





(LOL, I may have just spent *way* too much time googling that! Way too funny!)

Car Trips: the survival guide

**Quick reminder: if you want to enter my giveaway, today's the last day! Go here (on my blog), or on facebook, for a simple and easy way to enter--all you have to do is share the entry!***


I don't know about the rest of you, but the prospect of sitting in a car for 10+ hours pretty much makes me shudder. I honestly hate being cooped up for that long, and I have the grimy feeling I always get from the whole process. A couple of hours and I'm okay, but the fact that as I write this, I know I'll be spending all of Saturday in a car doesn't really leave me feeling all that great.

In light of this, I have come up with my little survival kit that keeps me sane. This includes:

Music. Lots and lots of it. Preferably of the singable variety (much to my husband's dismay).Books. I do try to read a lot on car trips, though for some reason it never feels quite the same. It harder to get lost in a story it seems.Snacks. I hate eating lots of junk food, but something to munch on, and drink, is essential.Movies. I love my table for this. I have a season of Supernatural I have every intention of drooling over enjoying during the drive.My computer. I do try to write in the car. I swear. It just never seems to work.I know that when we have kids this will drastically change, but this is my current list. What about you, do you like long trips in the car? What helps you pass the time?
This will probably be us tomorrow... :)

After Reading: Lots of books (and a Giveaway!)

It's back to normal blogging here at Write Stuff, thank heavens! I feel like it's been ages. Okay, maybe not actually *normal* because occasionally I'll share things like this: a giveaway on facebook & here :) Want to enter? Tell me in the comments the name of the author whose short story gave me the idea for Colors Like Memory's title (google makes this way too easy). Extra entries for sharing this link, or the contest post on facebook (leave me an note that you did this so I can find it, okay?).

Prize: a copy of CLM. Already have a copy? Another ebook of your choice. It's open until Saturday :)

Okay, so I've been reading lots of books during my release time and haven't had a chance to share them here yet. Here's my lowdown:

The undead can really screw up your senior year ... 
Marrying a vampire definitely doesn’t fit into Jessica Packwood’s senior year “get-a-life” plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth—and he’s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire’s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war—and save Lucius’s soul from eternal destruction. (Goodreads)


This was a lot of fun to read, and I flat out adored the first 3/4th of the book. Jessica was funny, totally identifiable, and I found the whole premise pretty amusing. (Plus, anthropologist mother=win!) My only quibble was the ending when they (*spoiler alert*) end up in Romania. Things kind of fell apart for me then, with no grounding in the characters, setting, or events. It all felt kind of strange and I wish the book had wrapped up in the US. Anyhow, it was fun though, and I'll definitely be picking up the next book!


Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she must face the evil she despises and the good she always feared.
When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is finding a reason to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. (Goodreads)


I won a copy of this ages ago and have been meaning to read it forever. I'm glad I finally managed to! I loved the originality of the events in this story--the devil having a daughter, the descriptions of heaven & hell, everything. I found Desi interesting and engaging. The only thing was I had a hard time connecting with the writing. I don't know if it was me or what, but I just couldn't get pulled into the story as easily as I normally do. I mean, when I normally sit down to read, it takes me all of a sentence or two to get swallowed by the tale. This took a lot longer. Don't have a clue why, but it left me wanting...


The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. (Goodreads)


OH WOW DID I LOVE THIS! (Okay, caps are actually necessary here!) Juliette's spot-on, and with everything that's happened to her, I really felt the fine line of sanity she's walking on (with what she'd been through, it's a freaking miracle she's not nuts!). I loved that her internal dialogue belied her fear, weaknesses, everything, but on the outside she was tough as nails. And Adam--can I haz him? Please? Can't wait for the next book!


Okay, who has read these? Thoughts? And don't forget to enter my giveaway :)

Blog Tour Winners!

Thank you a million times over to those who participated in my blog tour! I have read each and every comment and they totally warmed my heart :) I'm happy to announce the three winners:
For the $25 giftcard to Amazon or Barnes & Noble: Carole Anne Carr for her comment on Lynda R. Young's blog!
The two winners of copies of Colors Like Memories are: Patt Hatt for his comment on Miranda Hardy's blog, and Faith Hope Cherrytea for her comment on Forever Rewriting!
I'll be shooting the winners an email (though if you see this & haven't heard from me, email me, please!). Thanks again to everyone who entered, and especially to those bloggers who participated in all the fun!

Last day to enter my blog tour giveaway

If you are still hoping to enter my $25 gift-card giveaway, today's your last chance! Stop by any of the blogs I've visited during the past few weeks, and just leave a comment. Super simple, right? Plus, there are some amazing blogs to check out, so that only adds to the fun :)
All commenters are entered in a drawing for a $25 gift-card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble , as well as two additional winners will earn copies of my book. Please make it easy for me to contact you if you win. You can enter multiple times by commenting on each of the different guest blog posts. It will be international, too. Questions? Shout out in the comments!

Now, on to the incredibly awesome people who hosted me in this fun journey:

Kicking things off on May 10th:
-Charlie Volnek (my cover artist) is interviewing me.
-I'm visiting Jessica's blog to talk a little about winged beings in different cultures.

May 11th:
-Rachel's interviewing me and has a little excerpt from CLM.

May 12th:
-Over on Miranda Hardy's blog, I'm talking about what comes first when a story idea hits.
-Daisy Carter is also interviewing me--she has some really fresh questions, too!

May 14th:
-Over on Christie's Book Reviews, I'm talking about my favorite times I'd like to visit in the past.

May 15th:
-On The View from Fairview, I'm talking about sources of inspiration.

May 16th:
-Want to see which movie actor's I'd cast for CLM? Check out Lady Gwen's blog! (New blog here, too!)
-I have some fun with magnetic poetry on Katie's blog :)
-Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy is also hosting me!

May 17th:
-I'm talking about Pinterest as a social media outlet on Lynda's blog.

May 18th:
-Over on Mark Koopman's blog, I'm talking a little about world building.
-I also have a teaser post with an excerpt from CLM on The Daily Harrell.

May 19th:
-I'm talking about Why I Write over on Michell's blog.

May 21st:
-On Pages From My Thoughts, I'm talking about the ideas behind CLM.
-Myra's Secret Bookcase is hosting my thoughts on the themes in CLM.

May 22nd:
-At Forever Rewriting, I'm talking about the fun that is revisions.
-At Ttoria, I'm talking about Carpe Diem and the writing life.
-I'll also be participating in a Book Blast on this day, through I'm A Reader Not A Writer :)

May 23rd:
-Over on Hanging On To Wonder (home of my awesome critique partner), I'm talking me in high school. Prepare to be frightened!
-Like opening lines? I'm talking about them over at Aine's Realm.

May 24th:
-Getting a little serious with a talk about teen depression on Barbara Ehrentreu's blog.

May 25th:
-On Sophia The Writer's blog, I'm talking about my writing journey (so far!).
-A little interview with my main character, Julia, over on Offbeat Vagabond!

Sunday is for Photos (x16)

Hi! It's back to my normal blogging routine now, but just as a reminder, my blog giveaway ($25 giftcard--who doesn't like that?) is still ongoing for one more day. All you need to do is go to this post, and follow the links to the awesome blogs who have hosted me during the past couple of weeks. Leaving a comment on any of the blogs earns you an entry. Super simple, right?

Okay, so back to some pics! This past week, my brother graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. It was a very big event, with the whole fam-damily getting together to celebrate. Lots of fun was had, and we're all very proud of my little brother. He's always (since he was like 6) wanted to fly jets (I think we may have let him see Top Gun at a tender age??), and he's well on his way to achieving that goal. Anyhow, here are some of the fun pics I snapped while in Colorado:


The President spoke at his graduation. How cool is that? It was an interesting talk, and even if you don't particularly care for Obama, he's a fantastic speaker. And, hey, who gets to see the President?? (The security to get in was amazeballs. Snipers included!)
The graduates tossing their hats at being Dismissed for the last time. The jets roared over the stadium right as they threw them up. Very cool! The airshow for the graduation was spectacular. Well, it is the Air Force, so I guess it's expected :)
Don't you just love zoom lenses?
I love that you can see the pilots in this shot. Also, totally reminds me of Top Gun, haha! I had to throw this one in here--me with my brother & sister. We make a cute bunch, dontcha think?Anyone else attending graduations this time of year?

Last Day of the Colors Like Memories Blog Tour!

We have finally reached the last day of my blog tour. *sniff* I'm pretty sad about this! It's been a great ride. I do have two more really fun posts to share with you today. Check them out, and leave a comment for my giveaway (hey, who doesn't want a $25 gift card?):


-On Sophia The Writer's blog, I'm talking about my writing journey (so far!).&-A little interview with my main character, Julia, over on Offbeat Vagabond! (This was the most fun guest post to write, and I hope you like getting to know Julia a little better!)
The Book Blast is still ongoing, so if you want to enter that, go here :)
Thanks a million times over to the awesome bloggers who have made this tour possible! I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate it!!!

Colors Like Memories Blog Tour: day 13

Wow, has it been a whirlwind couple of days! My brother graduated from the Air Force Academy (so proud of him!) and the Book Blast has kept me hopping to keep track of all my new followers (*waves to new followers* I hope you'll join us in some fun here!). My blog tour is winding down a bit--just two more days!

Today I am visiting over on Barbara Ehrentreu's blog, talking about a topic that is central to Colors Like Memories: teen suicide. It's a tough issue, with some staggering statistics, but I've posted some of the best ways to help deal with this issue. Check it out, leave a comment for an entry in my giveaway, and if you get a chance, check out Barbara's book If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor!

Also, another review of CLM has popped by up, written by Rebecca Ryals Russell: "The YA book I just finished reading and found amazingly well-written, well-crafted and couldn’t wait to finish was Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston.  She took the idea of guardian angels and created a fascinating, plausible world and culture around which to weave a story of loss, grief, love and recovery." Click the link to read the rest!

Colors Like Memories Blog Tour: Day 12

Just a couple of more chances to enter my giftcard giveaway for my blog tour! I have some awesome blogs to visit today:

-Over on Hanging On To Wonder (home of my awesome critique partner), I'm talking me in high school. Prepare to be frightened! (And do check out the rest of this series on her blog--it's awesome, fun, and very interesting!)

-Like opening lines? I'm talking about them over at Aine's Realm.

And of course, the book blast is still underway and I highly recommend checking it out!

Also, if you have thought about getting a copy of Colors Like Memories at all during the past weeks, today is the last day it's on sale for $1.99. It goes back up to $5.95 tomorrow, and I know it won't be on sale again until I don't know when! Pick it up on Amazon, or at my publisher for other formats!