Tanya Contois's Blog, page 10

Owlet Dream Cast by Emma Michaels

Out of my entire dream cast for the Society of Feathers series there has always been one character where I knew exactly which actor I feel would be able to embody him perfectly. I think Terrence Mann would make a phenomenal Nathaniel. Nathaniel is Iris grandfather and has a strange mix of being both a ‘tender old soul’ and extremely young at heart. He is so vibrant and always thinking one step ahead of everyone else around him, making his place *cough no spoilers – but if you have read it you know what I am hinting :p* the perfect standing for him.
Of all of the characters his aves is the most unique in terms of its creation. With many of the bird-type souls I used theoretical reasoning to decide what traits might cross over - but with Nathaniel’s I used a more literal idea. The idea of his aves is transfixed on his always ending up in a position of power but always refusing to use the power he is given because he feels it would be abusive towards others. If it weren’t in his core nature to be who he is, as all others before him with his aves, it more than likely would have ended up being another aves that was considered for deathborns.
Terrence Mann always has a way of capturing your attention and your heart. He has done both television and theater acting and can do that immense intensity that reels you in until all you want to do is hear the words he speaks and feel what he is feeling even without realizing it. He really is one of my favorite actors; even if he isn’t wildly well known I feel that he should be. When he is acting, all it takes is one look in his eyes and you don’t see Terrence Mann, you see the character he is playing, the emotions he wants you to feel, and more than that, the rich history he has woven into his heart to make the character come alive.
Truly, if I was given one thing I could choose if Owlet was ever made into a movie, it would be casting Terrence Mann as Nathaniel.

Excerpt of ShadowLove--Stalkers by Claudy Conn

ShadowLove—Stalkers
He had to interfere with Shawna’s future …
The alternative was, for him, unthinkable. “Excuse me.” Shawna sidestepped the big hunk of a man, who seemed to purposely get in her way, and started across the street.Chadwick MacFare fell into a clipped walk beside her, and his voice was low but intense. “Listen to me, Shawna Wellsly—you are in terrible danger, and you know it. I know it. They might not know where you are yet, but eventually they will find you.”“You’re nuts,” Shawna scoffed as she kept on walking—faster then before.He didn’t miss a step. “You know otherwise.”“Get away from me before I call the cops.”“You won’t do that. It would draw attention to yourself—and you can’t afford that.” Suddenly he had her shoulders in his large hands. His green eyes stared hard into her silver pools. “Just stop!”“Stop! You are a total stranger, talking nonsense, and I am warning you …” Shawna grimaced at him. “Get your hands off me.”* * *He gave it up. The way he saw it, at least for the moment she was not in any immediate danger, even though he had seen more than the ordinary numbers of vampires since he had arrived last night. He could try again later, but not too much later, not with the vision he had still taunting him.This time he had to succeed. He had to interfere with Shawna’s future.The alternative was, for him, unthinkable.  http://www.amazon.com/SHADOWLOVE-STALKERS-Shadow-vampire-series-ebook/dp/B0053DLC74/ref=pd_sim_kstore_6
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadowlove-stalkers-claudy-conn/1103428119?ean=2940013055735



Claudy Conn
Paranormal Romance author
http://www.claudyconn.com

Interview with Joselyn Vaughn, author of The Warden's Lantern

1. If someone looked at your browsing history right now, what kind of things would we find? They’d probably fall asleep. I like to read about the weather, so I pop between the National Weather Service and a local meteorologist’s blog. I’ve also been researching thyroid conditions, and torn ACLs and their recovery. You never know what you will end up writing about.  2. If you could write about any subject that is near and dear to your heart, what would it be and why?  3. Do you have a favorite song, album, or playlist to write to?  I usually don’t listen to music while I am actually writing, but I will make up playlists to go along with each book. I’ll listen to the songs at other times during the day and try to let the ideas about the characters simmer for a while. If I listen to any music with lyrics while I’m writing, I get too distracted singing along.  4. What was the first thing you did after the debut of the first book you wrote? I visited my OB and confirmed that I was not having twins. After my first set, I was convinced I was pregnant with twins again. We were quite relieved to hear only one heartbeat. Optional questions :) Favorite Meal:  Anything that I don’t have to cook. Favorite Drink (alcoholic/non-alcoholic)  Chai Tea Sweet or Salty snacks?  Sweet All time favorite movie  You’ve Got Mail Best book to movie adaption  Just watched Hunger Games and it was really good. I thought they did a fantastic job with most of the Harry Potter movies too. There was one or two that I thought would be difficult to follow if you hadn’t read the book first.  Worst book to movie adaption  I won’t names names, but just because you are undead, does not mean you don’t need to shower. Draw your own conclusions.:-)  Buy Links:Astraea: http://astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=11635129 Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Wardens-Lantern-ebook/dp/B0081X2TES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336654727&sr=8-1Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wardens-lantern-joselyn-vaughn/1110719135?ean=2940014408172 Contact Links:Email: joselynvaughn@gmail.comWebsite: http://joselynvaughn.comBlog: http://joselynvaughn.wordpress.com Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/joselynvaughnTwitter: @joselynvaughn

Review of "Growing Disenchantments" by K.D. Berry

Author synopsis/summary: 
Just when he'd been looking forward to another quiet night delving into mind-bending arcane lore and mentally wrestling with the deepest magicks, along came this mysterious thief to disturb him. Why was it no
thing in Ragonnard's life ever went to plan? Rather than turn her in to the law (or into something else), the young sorcerer offers Ganfrey a deal – steal a portrait from the palace for him. But it's no ordinary portrait. For 500 years it's been a magical prison for Syranax, the most powerful sorcerer in history. His enchanted Amulet was entombed with him, and Ragonnard wants it. More than anything. In releasing the Amulet, Ragonnard unleashes a devastating sequence of sorcerous events, the like of which has not been seen for hundreds of years. And, no, things definitely don't go to plan. 
 Review: 
I found Growing Disenchantments both funny and pun-ny. (Fans of Piers Anthony's Xanth series may appreciate.) This is definitely a story with a sense of humor, but the drama is still well-balanced. It has everything from talking appliances, imp familiars, Illusionists, a Head Palace Guardsmen who would give Javert a run for his money, as well as animated gargoyles who argue about philosophy. (Oh, and the magic mirror requires a password before you can use it.) 
I liked the thief Ganfrey the most, and how can you complain about a king who had the dungeons of the palace turned into a gymnasium and fitness center? Ned the "chronie (time-cop)" was a nice touch. And, of course there's the Evil Wizard imprisoned in the painting who gets out and causes havoc and regime-change (not to mention the aforementioned animated gargoyles.) While I didn't entirely like how some of the story's romance turned out, I enjoyed the read and look forward to more Ganfrey in the future.

Interview with Merrie Destefano, author of Fathom

1. If someone looked at your browsing history right now, what kind of things would we find.

I spent most of the day looking up images of classic science fiction movies and books for posts on my Tumblr page. It reminded me how much I love that genre, and have loved it since I was a teenager.



3. Do you have a favorite song, album, or playlist to write to?

I usually like to purchase new music while writing and listen to it exclusively during that project. But one favorite I always go back to is Coldplay. They seem to hit all the right notes for my writing. However, when I was writing FATHOM, my debut YA that just released, I subconsciously put together a playlist of songs that I listened to when I was about 16 (the age of the main character.) I was unknowingly tapping into all the angst and emotions of my teen self to create a believable character. Songs on that list included: Badge by Cream, Rock N Roll Woman by Buffalo Springfield, and Dark-Eyed Woman by Spirit. These are all songs that rip out my heart and leave me breathless, for they conjure so many memories.



6. Do you have any guilty pleasures?

I adore chocolate. And movies. So if I put those together, I’m in heaven. I especially love sci-fi movies.





7. What was your favorite book as a teen?

It’s hard to narrow it down to one book, since I loved so many different authors like Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Edgar Allan Poe and J.R.R. Tolkien. But if I had to pick one, it would be either The Red Planet by Heinlein or The Hobbit by Tolkien. I loved the world-building in both of those books.





8. If an aspiring writer asked for advice what would you tell them?

Don’t give up. It’s a long road, but as long as you love writing—the actual act of writing—then that passion will be your fuel. Make sure you continue to study the craft, no matter how many books you have published.



Optional questions :)



Favorite Meal:

Almost anything with fish. Fish is my favorite food for either dinner or lunch. It’s been my favorite every since I was a little girl and used to go fishing with my father.



Favorite Drink (alcoholic/non-alcoholic)

Chocolate banana smoothie made with soy milk and blue agave. Yum and double yum!



Sweet or Salty snacks?

Both, please. I used to prefer salty snacks, but lately my sweet tooth has been taking over.



All time favorite movie

Tough question! First one that came to mind was Enemy Mine. It’s quite possibly my all-time favorite movie. Besides the fact that this is a sci-fi classic, this was the first movie I saw where the "romance" was actually a self-sacrificial love that develops between two enemies, trapped on an isolated planet. It spoke to my heart and my soul about how love can transform us and make us more than we are as individuals. The last scene in the movie is incredibly inspirational—it gives me chills every time I watch it.



Best book to movie adaption

Not a movie, but a TV series: Dexter. I’ve never seen the author’s voice or character captured so well. Even though some of the situations have changed, the texture of the books is almost identical.



Worst book to movie adaption

It’s probably no surprise, but my answer is Twilight. In my opinion neither the acting, the directing, the writing or the special effects did do the book justice. All of these factors combined turned the book into an accidental comedy.

FATHOM SYNOPSIS:

Everything is changing . . .

Turning sixteen can be hell, especially if everyone in town thinks your mother killed herself and your sister. All Kira Callahan wants to do is swim, hang out with her best friend, Sean, and ignore the kids who torment her at school. That is, until one day when she gets invited to a party. For three minutes her life is wonderful—she even kisses Sean. Then somebody spikes her drink and some girls from out of town lure her into the ocean and hold her underwater.

Kira soon discovers that the group of wild teenagers who have come to visit Crescent Moon Bay are not as innocent as they seem. In fact, nothing is as it seems—not the mysterious deaths of her sister or her mother, not her heritage, not even her best friend. And everything seems to hinge on the ancient Celtic legends that her mother used to tell her as a child.



With twenty years’ experience in publishing, Merrie Destefano left a 9-to-5 desk job as the editor of Victorian Homes magazine to become a full-time novelist. Her first two novels, Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles and Feast: Harvest of Dreams were published by HarperVoyager. Fathom is both her first YA novel and her first indie published novel. When not writing, she loves to camp in the mountains, walk on the beach, watch old movies and listen to alternative music—although rarely all at the same time. Born in the Midwest, she now lives in Southern California with her husband, their two German shepherds and a Siamese cat.
FATHOM for sale on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Fathom-ebook/dp/B009GJBGVS/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1348615989&sr=8-9&keywords=merrie+destefano





Fathom excerpt:

http://www.merriedestefano.com/fathom.html



Author website:

http://www.merriedestefano.com/



Author blog:

http://merrie-destefano.blogspot.com/



Twitter:

http://twitter.com/MerrieDestefano



Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1205132688



Author’s HarperCollins micro author site

http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/36854/Merrie_Destefano/index.aspx

Bradbury Inn Cosmic Blast & Giveaway

    Bradbury Inn   The town is filled with rumors claiming that Bradbury Inn is haunted by the spirits of Claire and Matilda Bradbury along with a man named George Walker after a fire destroyed it eighty years ago. Jillian Levy came to Bradbury Inn to discover the truth. Shortly after she arrives the other person who was at the Inn all those years ago returns. Mathew Nixen has returned to find his true love, Matilda. He believes the only way to break the curse the inn is under is to find her. He knows that George used voodoo to protect the woman he loved and now they must use voodoo to protect Jillian. They must get Jillian out of the inn before Death comes to take the souls he was denied so long ago. Can they save her in time? Buy on Smashwords Follow K.J. Dahlen Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads Meet K.J. Dahlen: I live in a small town (population 495) in Wisconsin. From my deck I can see the Mississippi River on one side and the bluffs, where eagles live and nest on the other side. I live with my husband Dave and dog Sammy. My two children are grown and I have two grandchildren. I love to watch people and that has helped me with my writing. I often use people I watch as characters in my books and I always try to give my characters some of my own values and habits. I love to create characters and put them in a troubling situation then sit back and let them do all the work. My characters surprise even me at times. At some point in the book they take on a life of their own and the twists and turns they create becomes the story. Of all the stories I could write I found I like mystery/thrillers the best. I like to keep my readers guessing until the very end of the book. My book titles are: Bones, The Darkness Within, Meghan’s Legacy, Shadow Chaser, Witness, Secrets and Lies, Legacy of Murder, The Unknown Son, The Prophet, No One to Hear You Scream, Bradbury Inn, Murderous Intent, Wrong Number, Fall from Grace, The House on Berkley Street. Open to World Wide Residents 18+. Ends November 5th. a Rafflecopter giveaway If you would like a Cosmic Blast book promotion visit www.charismamedianetwork.com

Emma Michaels Dream Movie Cast - Iris

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.
Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.



Emma Michaels’ Dream Movie Cast!

Iris lived her life without a mother and without memories of her past, trusting her father to lead her and teach her anything she might need to know through his homeschooling and rarely leaving the confines of her home until the start of Owlet. Some challenges any actors might face while try to play her characters would more than likely be acting out an asthma attack (realistically), capturing the current stage of her maturity because while she has grown up in an innocent setting she has devoured all knowledge that has come her way making her a bit of an old soul and the bond between the Stryx side of her soul and the human side.

I am a big fan of new actresses playing leading roles like the young actress who was feature in The Golden Compass and would love to have someone completely undiscovered play Iris if Owlet were ever turned into a movie but based off of the actresses I love to watch my top three picks for Iris would be:

First dream choice: I love the show Fringe and one of the episodes really struck me: The Day We Died. There was a young actress in it, Emily Meade, and something about her really caught my attention. While her physical appearance doesn’t fit Iris perfectly (since Iris hair is very light blonde) something about the emotional depth to her acting makes her feel like she would be a great choice. She is able to pull off the strange mix of innocents while still having a haunted quality to her.

Second dream choice: Lily Collins had an impact on me when I was watching Priest.

Third dream choice: I absolutely adore the tv show Castle. In it the main character Castle has a very intelligent and ever so slightly quirky daughter played by Molly C Quinn.



YOUNG IRIS

There are also many scenes where Iris is much younger in her dreams and memories as she slowly starts to uncover the past. I think Morgan Lily from X-men: First Class (young Raven) would be a wonderful fit. Not only is she a versatile young actress but she is fearless in her choice of roles and could play any number of ages from Iris memories without having to ever switch actresses.



Thank you so much for reading and to Tanya for hosting me!!!

Character interview with Gavin McLeod from Last Call by Alannah Lynne

Today, All Things Books welcomes Gavin McLeod, one of the main characters from Alannah Lynne’s new release, LAST CALL.

ATB: Hi Gavin, welcome.
Gavin: Hi. Thanks for having me.
ATB: At the beginning of “Last Call,” you’re not in a very happy place.
Gavin: I didn’t hear a question in there, but that’s correct. I’d known for a while I wasn’t happy, but I didn’t realize how far into the dark side I’d travelled until I met Sunny.
ATB: But now you’re in a better place?
Gavin: *Laughs* Have you met Sunny? Her dad sure got it right with that nickname. It’s hard to imagine what life would’ve been like had she not come along. Put her and my grandfather together… it’s a party every day with those two.
ATB: We can’t give away too many details, because we don’t want to ruin the story for those who haven’t read it. But can you tell us what the future holds for you and Sunny? What about kids?
Gavin: I don’t really know right now, we’re just taking it a day at a time. I would like to have kids, and even though Sunny spent the majority of her life raising Robby, she would too. But for now, we’re just enjoying getting to know each other better. *a mischievous grin crosses his face and his blue eyes twinkle*
ATB: *clears throat* I bet you are. *shifts in chair* Moving on… You mentioned Robby. Has he gotten used to having you around?
Gavin: Oh, yeah. Things with Robby are great. *a big grin splits his face and softens his harsh features* He called me last night to tell me about a girl he’s met. *chuckles* Sunny’s still pouting this morning because he called me instead of her. *shrugs* Hey, it’s a guy thing, you know? I’m glad I’m around for him to talk to.
ATB: I hear Alannah Lynne has plans for Robby to have his own story at some point.
Gavin: That’s good. Robby deserves a happy ending like Sunny and I have found. I’m sure Alannah will put him through hell, just like she did us, getting him to the happily ever after. But it’s worth it in the end.
ATB: There were a lot of not so great times for you and Sunny throughout your story. What’s one of your favorite, happier times?
Gavin: You want the Rated G version, or the adult version?
ATB: We better stick with the G version.
Gavin: Okay. *reaches into his pocket, pulls out his wallet, then pulls out a folded piece of paper* The day Sunny stormed into her kitchen, ripped off a corner of a brown paper bag, and wrote this note. *Holds up a piece of paper with the words “NOT. FOR. SALE.” written in big, black letters* She made me read it out loud. And then, to drive the point further home, she made me read it once more… with feeling. *Laughs* And that’s where the G version ends, because after that, things got very adult.
ATB: If someone wanted to read more about those adult scenes, or to read your whole story, where should they go?
Gavin: Alannah’s website http://alannahlynne.com/books has excerpts and the links to the bookstores. You can also sign up for her newsletter there. She posts excerpts on Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/AlannahLynne. She also has a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlannahLynne
ATB: Thanks for being here with us today, Gavin.
Gavin: Thank you for having me. I always enjoy talking

My review of Night Marchers by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckles from Julie Newberry

Ebook: Night MarchersAuthor: Rebecca Gober and Courtney NucklesPublished 2011 Fiction, YAThis review may contain spoilersThis was given to me in ebook form from Confessions of a Bookaholic for reviewSummary: NEVER, EVER lock eyes with a Night Marcher! Everyone in Hawaii has heard this warning, except for seventeen-year-old Emma Townsend that is. For most Hawaiians know that looking into the eyes of Night Marcher can strike a curse that will end in death or eternal servitude. Even though her father, who is a paranormal investigator, solely raised Emma, she has little experience in the realm of the supernatural. When she is forced to move with her father to Hawaii, only months before her graduation, Emma finds that her world as she knows it, is shaken when she starts seeing the unexplainable: fire balls in the distance, beating drums in the middle of nowhere and strangers who vanish into thin air. Then one day when she has a run in with a procession of Night Marchers, ancient Hawaiian spirits wandering from their burial grounds to their locations of battles past, Emma has no choice but to believe that the unbelievable does exist. Now Emma must go on the run with the help of a mysterious stranger, as they seek out how to free Emma from the curse of a Night Marcher, who will stop at nothing to get her soul.
I got so emotional reading this book, I love a good love story, who doesn’t? I really enjoyed this book, this one had so many twists and turns, that I laughed, I got freaked out by the Night Marchers, I even cried, well to be honest with you I cried quite a-bit,  The ending was not the ending I wanted, I know we don’t always get the ending we want but I really expected a different one, I cannot wait to read the second book Redemption, Our story revolves around our heroine Emma, She is just like any regular teenager, except her dad is a paranormal investigator, who gets invited all over the globe to, well, investigate, this is what moves them to Hawaii, he is there to investigate the Night Marchers, this is where Emma meets Tristan, who she gets very close to, This is also where Kai finds her, I don’t want to give too much away so can’t really say anything more, but the characters were wonderfully described, the clothes were a bit overly described but that kind of added to the appeal of this book, in a weird way, I love the Menehunes, a breed of people who are in the book, the fact that they all are named after book characters is great, they lived in a place away from everybody else, the detail about there land was very clever, the descriptions of the views made me want to go there, big time, This is a well written book and I think my daughter would love this, there is no sex in the book, so I would be happy to let her read this, I give this book 4.5/5.

My review of New Blood by Donna Ansari from Julie Newberry

Ebook: New Blood (Vampire in the city)Author : Donna AnsariFiction, Paranormal,This review may contain spoilersSummary: Emma Hammond is a normal young woman living in New York City whose life changes forever when one misstep brings her very close to death. Luckily, Alex Thompson, a handsome stranger (who also happens to be a vampire), jumps in to save her, turning Emma into a vampire. She quickly discovers the numerous advantages (no more allergies, glasses, or acne) and slight drawbacks (wanting to eat her boyfriend) of joining the ranks of the creatures of the night. But Emma soon finds out her new undead life isn't all it's cracked up to be when she gets pulled in to an age-old dispute between two feuding vampire clans.
The ReviewWow, I loved this book, Donna pulled me in from the beginning, the characters were ones that will stick in my mind for a while, Emma had balls, there is no other way of saying it, I thought that being changed would make her more, well, like a vampire, but no, she tried very hard to keep her humanity in as much as she could, this book goes against the grain where vampires are concerned, firstly she has a friend who is a werewolf, that does not happen much, well not in anything I have read, secondly, her best friend could not be put under a compulsion, which was funny, and her friend stood by her too, which was nice to see, thirdly, there was no major Vampire love story, there was some romance in this book, but not loved til the end of time kind. I didn’t like Alex towards the end, I might be wrong but he seemed a little weird to me, I can’t wait to read the second book Wild Blood, I hope we see more of David in that one, I loved David, won’t say no more, I had one small issue which I can’t really discuss in a review, it’s not a bad thing, I just wanted more of a back story on Alex and Michael especially after the revelation ¾ of the way through the book, can’t say too much, spoilers ruin it for some people, You will know what I mean when you read it, so go on and get yourself a copy, Would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes their vampires slightly different, 4.5/5