Amy Durham's Blog: Amy Durham, page 18

#SixSunday: A Lot to Teach Him

Happy Sunday Sixers! Thanks for stopping by! I always appreciate the comments and encouragement. I look forward to hopping around to other blogs and reading what other talented authors have shared!


Last week we saw Phoebe's initial reaction to being paired with Todd Miller for a big art project. Since this situation is the impetus that fuels the rest of the story and gives their relationship a place to grow, I thought I'd continue in that same scene today. Here we see Phoebe, after class is over, trying to convince Miss Stockton, the art teacher who is Phoebe's mentor, that she needs a new partner. Miss Stockton's response is that someone's got to work with him, but Phoebe is persistent!


"Come on, Miss Stockton," I said, lowering my voice so I wouldn't be heard by any students loitering outside the door. "He's only in this class because he thinks it'll be an easy A."


"You don't know that," she replied, peeking at me over the top rim of her glasses.


"Have you ever known of Todd MIller to take anything besides football and his social status seriously? He always take the easy way out."


She looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Then it sounds like he has a lot to learn, and you, my brightest student have a lot to teach him... and not just about art."




Be sure to visit the official Six Sentence Sunday site to find the list of great authors.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

A Teen's Advice on Choosing Books

Most of my regular readers know that I teach middle school. Today, I'm really excited to feature one of my very own students, Zoe V., on my blog!

Every so often a student comes along who possesses that natural ability to put words together in a pleasing, sensible, and creative way. Zoe is one of those students. From the moment I first graded one of her papers, I could tell that she had the gift of words. (It's also obvious when you hear her talk!) Everything she writes for me, whether it's a one-sentence answer on a test or a summary of the plot of a Broadway Musical, she writes with skill and technique. She has her own unique voice, which shines through even in normal, every day middle school assignments.

So... when she jokingly asked me the other day if she could write something for my blog, I said YES! I think she was a little surprised, but knowing how she writes, I knew she'd put together something good!  I asked her to think about how she chooses a book at the library or the bookstore, and to write an article giving instructions to other teens/tweens on how best to pick a book.  What follows is what she wrote for me.  (It only took her less than 20 minutes to complete!)

Choosing the Right Book
by: Zoe V.

For every kid in school, reading is a big part of every day life, whether it's reading out of a social Studies textbook or a simple every day story. But how do most people choose what to read?

Some people take the easy route. They choose a random book and read. this seems like the best way to go about choosing a book, but it's actually one of the worst.  This is because it lacks thought and consideration. so, how can we effectively choose a suitable book?

The answer is simple, but requires more thinking. first of all you need to find out whether you want to read nonfiction, fiction, sci-fi, or another genre. then find where the genres are available.  You will then do the same thing as the "easy route". Choose a random book, but this time you'll need to complete the following steps:

- read the title and look at teh cover
- check the size (pages)
- read the summary and/or reviews
- decide

This is the most effective way to choose an appropriate book to enjoy. By following these simple steps, you can enhance your reading experience!

So with that, I wish you happy reading and a wonderful day!

Middle School Literacy Expo

Monday night I had the pleasure of being a part of the 2012 "Literacy Expo" at my son's school. There were lots of student displays on various topics relating to literacy... books they'd read, various forms/styles of writing, poetry, songwriting, etc. It was such a lovely event, and it was the first time I was a part of a "book" event that involved the exact demographic of my target audience - teens and tweens!

My son's English teacher bought my book when it was first released in eBook format, and encouraged her 8th grade students to read it. Soon after, she asked me to help create an Accelerated Reader test for the book, so it could be entered into the program and students could earn points for reading it. Several students talked to me at the "Literacy Expo" and told me they'd read the book and loved it. So gratifying to hear that from the very age group the book was written for!

I also talked to several adults about the writing process and the publishing process. Most were really intrigued by what I told them about independent publishing. Many people were aware of the revolution that's taken place in the book industry with the onset of digital reading, but it was eye-opening to them how that has changed things for authors.

I sold/signed several books and generally had a lovely time. Hopefully more of these types of events are in my future!

#SixSunday: Paired Together

Happy Sunday Sixers! Thanks for stopping by! I always appreciate the comments and encouragement. I look forward to hopping around to other blogs and reading what other talented authors have shared!

Today, I'm continuing with my YA Paranormal, ONCE AND FOR ALL, which will be released later this year.  The story centers around Phoebe Campbell and Todd Miller, and the reincarnation drama and ancient curse that wreak havoc on their senior year in high school. Phoebe and Todd don't exactly get along at the beginning of the story, and Phoebe, a talented art student (and social outcast) is mortified when Todd, the typical school jock, shows up in her art class the second semester of the school year. It gets worse when Miss Stockton, the art teacher, announces that their next assignment will require working in pairs. Something in Phoebe's gut tells her this is not going to go well.

The following excerpt shows Miss Stockton having the art students draw names to establish partners. As she approaches Phoebe, Phoebe dreads pulling a name out of the bowl.

She held the bowl out to me. I stared at it with hatred, as if the moment my hand reached in I would be infected with a nasty, flesh-eating bacteria.


With no other choice, I took a slip of paper, and was overwhelmed with a ridiculous feeling that something irrevocable and life-changing had just happened.


I don't know why I even bothered to look. But when I did, I was not surprised.


Todd Miller.

Be sure to visit the official Six Sentence Sunday site to find the list of great authors.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.

Taryn Raye - Guest Post

Today I'm very happy to introduce Taryn Raye, fellow Kentucky author, and a good friend as well! She's recently published her first novel, Castaway Hearts, with Turquoise Morning Press.  She's here today to tell us a little about herself and her new book!
Welcome!  To start off, please tell us a little about yourself!     Born in a small town in Kentucky, I had a typical, rather normal childhood. My dad still works in construction and does woodworking and my mom is a homemaker.  I also have one younger sister. Though I’ve moved away from where I grew up, I haven’t strayed far from my roots and visit as often as I possibly can. It’s my hope that the sense of family, friendship and hometown warmth I grew up with radiates from every story I pen. To me, one of the most important things in our lives is the love, support and time spent with our loved ones, which builds a strong foundation for who we grow up to become. I do believe that all my relationships and life experiences have shaped who I am and helps keep me grounded.
Give us a little information about your genre. What types of books do you write?     My debut novel, Castaway Hearts, is a historical romance set in coastal Virginia in the 1790’s, but the majority of what I’ve written or plan to write, is contemporary romance. I do have ideas for various other genres floating about in my head, including other historical romances that might tie back in with Castaway Hearts, somewhere down the road. I love such a variety, I would like to try my hand at writing family sagas, paranormals or urban fantasy, young adult or even women’s fiction. I believe most writers tend to lean toward specific genres, but sometimes there are still stories we “need” to write, even if they are outside what we consider our “norm.”
Since I write Young Adult fiction, I focus a lot of my blog posts on what reading and writing can mean to not only a young person, but to people of all ages.  I believe it’s absolutely true that books can change someone’s life for the better!  Can you tell us what books (both reading AND writing them) have meant in your life?     Oh, wow. I totally agree with you on this. As a youth, I know I found a lot of comfort and joy and understanding from books that gave me a world to escape to when I felt no one else understood me or cared. I read many books, not just for enjoyment, but to sink into a world where my problems were not as important. Yes, it was escapism, but as young adults, as well as grown-ups, we need moments like that to step back from our own troubles and just “breathe.”     As a writer I find that same rule applies, because writing someone else’s life, experiences and troubles or joys gives me a moment to step back from myself, to solve someone else’s problems, fictional though they may be, and sometimes in the process, I find answers or solutions to things going on in my own life. Other times, it simply gives me that “pause” in my life to catch my breath.
Do you have a favorite quote, or maybe a wise piece of advice for writers who are just starting out and wondering if this journey is one they should take?     One of my all-time favorite quotes- Red Smith claimed writing was easy, "Just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein."     Given most people don’t use typewriters these days, I still find it applies to sitting down with a pen and paper or in front of your computer or what have you, and opening yourself up in a very raw and real way. Writing really isn’t as easy as some might believe and even when the story flows out, it is a painful process, just like cutting open and bleeding the story out, but it’s necessary. To me, this is an especially important thought for writers, whether starting out or who have been at this for as long as they can remember- You do have to include your blood, sweat, and tears and give a great deal of what is within you over to the story.
And for my “younger readers”… knowing all that you know now, if you could go back in time and tell your teenage-self something, what would it bAnd now for some “fun stuff”!Chocolate or Vanilla: Definitely chocolate!Movies or TV: MoviesDogs or Cats: CatsFlip Flops or Boots: Boots. (I can wear sandals but not flip-flops- they hurt my toes and feet!)Early Mornings or Late Nights: Early MorningsBrains or Brawn: BrainsCoffee or Tea: TeaSummer or Winter: I love both, for different reasons. Summer because it’s more relaxed. Winter for the holidays- the warmth of hearth and home.
Finally, tell us about your latest release! Feel free to include the “book blurb” and any other information you want to share!     My debut novel, Castaway Hearts is available now from my Publisher, Turquoise Morning Press, as well as the following links:  Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords.

More about the book...
     Twice orphaned, Catherine Barrett arrives in Virginia a stranger to her closest kin and secretly engaged to the one man her family would disapprove of- her seafaring grandfather’s apprentice. Add to her troubles, the rich and intriguing older brother of her secret betrothed, Dawson Randolph, a plantation owner who is as heartless as he is handsome. Heartbroken when her intended sets sail for his maiden voyage, Catherine finds it difficult to adjust to her new life, hoping to befriend the one man who is, undoubtedly, the match her grandparents wish for her. Dawson’s distaste for her secret engagement to his brother makes it clear he has no designs for marriage to anyone. Especially her.
     Ten years since the tragic loss of his young wife and infant son, Dawson Randolph is convinced love and marriage is a fool’s game and resents being pardon to his brother’s hidden engagement. Damned by his instant attraction and his own growing desire, Dawson vows to befriend her against his better judgment. Determined to bring her happiness in a time of fear and uncertainty, Dawson puts aside his animosity to become her confidant, only to realize Catherine holds the key to his heart. When tragedy strikes at sea, Catherine’s guilt pushes Dawson to the fringes of her life as madness consumes her.
     Can his love save her before she drowns in her own grief? Or is he doomed to love her from a distance, always in the shadow of her love for his dead brother?

Find Taryn online at:TwitterFacebookWebpageBlog
Thanks Taryn, for stopping by today! I wish you the BEST of luck on your new release, and keep us posted on when we can expect the next book from you!
Happy reading and writing!

The Paranormal Element - With an Excerpt

The Sky Cove series revolves around reincarnation, which is a really fun paranormal element to play around with. In ONCE AGAIN, Layla and Lucas have to solve the mystery of the tragedy that happened to them in their past life and finally bring the evil-doing-madman to justice.  Phoebe and Todd also deal with a reincarnation drama, but with a twist.

Rather than a mystery, they have to break an ancient curse. I won't get into the details of the curse... you'll have to read the book to find that out!  But I will divulge this: Generations before them have had the opportunity to break the curse, and all of them have failed.

The curse manifests itself in Todd in an interesting manner:  Skinwalking... which is a bit like shapeshifting, but not quite. See, he can't change forms at his will.  He changes forms at PHOEBE'S will. And given that Phoebe doesn't realize she holds this power, or that it's tied to her artistic creations, it's a recipe for confusion and disaster!

The excerpt below is from Chapter 4. It's in first person, Phoebe's point of view, as she's carving a small animal for an art display. This is the second time she's experienced a strange trance-like state while carving, and it's just as disturbing as the first, but this time she's somewhat less startled.


     Rolling my chair from my desk to my worktable, I picked up a piece of scrap maple and went to work.
     It didn’t take long for the small lynx to begin to emerge from the wood.  Though the face of the animal looked similar to a cat, the longer body made it unique.  I spent the most time carving the face, particularly the eyes.  With each action, I could feel the lynx’s gaze on me, as if rather than just making it life-like, I was givingit life.
     The eyes focused, even seemed to move as if glancing around, the expression at first blank, then confused and bewildered.
     I cut my eyes left and right, looking for the source of the animal’s confusion, only to discover I was there again, the edge of a wooded area, seeing everything from what could only be the lynx’s point of view.
     It was crazy, and yet somehow I wasn’t startled by it this time.  As the lynx moved deeper into the trees, I felt its uneasiness, its fear.  The emotions weren’t mine.  I didn’t own them.  I felt them as if they were being transferred to me from someone else.
     A door opening and voices calling didn’t pull me out of the vision this time, because they were a partof the vision.  I heard them through the lynx’s ears, and felt alarm spread through the creature as we hurried further into the woods and concealed ourselves behind a large tree trunk.
     The darkness seemed to close in around us.  Footsteps made their way nearer, and with every moment we cowered behind the tree my heart hammered violently in my chest.
     I tried to reason with myself.  So what if someone saw us?  What would be so out of the ordinary about seeing a wild animal in the forest?
     But there was nothing ordinary about it on my end.  The sense of being in the scene but not being there wreaked havoc on the parameters of what was real in my world.
     I could not believe this was happening again.  This was more than craziness.  What if I dropped into one of these fugue states at school?  Or in front of my dad?   
     The fear of what might happen coursed through me with such force that I trembled.
     The small wooden figure slipped from my hand as I trembled in anticipation or fear or uncertainty or whatever it was.  Thankfully, the sound of the carved lynx hitting the hardwood floor of my studio snapped me back to reality.  
Hope you enjoyed! Happy reading and writing!

Todd Miller, Hero

Todd Miller is anything BUT a hero when he makes his first appearance in ONCE AGAIN. Possibly the most popular guy in school, he's the star of the football team, and has the idea that he can say or do anything he wants without repercussions. He's not only mean, but downright intimidating to Layla (the heroine in ONCE AGAIN) on her first day at Sky Cove Senior High.

Somewhere in the middle of ONCE AGAIN, Todd starts to make a change. We see some redeeming behavior from him, though we don't exactly know why.

When I first created the character of Todd Miller, I meant for him to be a jerk and stay a jerk. But along the way, he grew on me, and I decided to give his character a bit more, well, character. And I'm so glad I did... because he's proving to be a real gem underneath all that "jerkness"!

Todd's family situation is not the greatest. His mom's cool, but his dad's a high-pressure kind of guy, and as we learn early on in ONCE AND FOR ALL, expects Todd to live up to a certain standard. His dad isn't exactly concerned with what Todd wants, but rather how Todd can make him look better. It's all about appearances for him, and unfortunately Todd pays the price for his father's arrogance.

As Todd starts to slowly peel away from his dad's demands, he finds himself drawn closer and closer to to Phoebe, who, for all she's suffered at the hands of the students at Sky Cove Senior High, offers him his first chance ever to be seen and accepted for exactly who he is.

These two have a lot to offer each other. I love writing their story. I can't wait to share it with you.

Happy reading and writing!

(P.S. Tomorrow I'll be discussing the paranormal element of the story!)

Phoebe Cambpell, Heroine

Phoebe Campbell wouldn't be comfortable with the title "heroine". See, she's learned to like invisibility. In her experience, it's far easier to be invisible at school than it is to be noticed. Because when you're noticed, you're critiqued, compared, and raked over the coals.

Phoebe is 5'6", average height for an 18 year old girl. She's got long, blonde hair that is perpetually in a ponytail. She's fond of hoodies and baggy clothes. They allow her to hide.

Phoebe lost her mom in a car accident when she was eight years old. After that, her father moved from New York City to Sky Cove, Maine in order for Phoebe to grow up in a safer place. While the crime rate in Sky Cove may have been lower, so was the chance that Phoebe would find a place to fit in.

Shy and withdrawn after her mother's death, Phoebe found it hard to make friends. Then, at the beginning of 5th grade, she was the first girl in her class to develop breasts. Imagine the attention she got from the boys then! And she didn't enjoy it. She began to hide inside baggy clothes, and the hoodie became a staple in her wardrobe.

And over the years, that girl who hid herself away from everyone slowly became the girl no one wanted to associate with.

Fast forward seven years to her senior year. All she wants is to get the heck out of Dodge... or rather, Sky Cove. A gifted artist, she has plans to win scholarship money with her artistic talents and go away to college. And once she's gone, there's no one she's going to miss.

Or, at least, that's what she thinks.

Then she's paired to work on an art project with Todd Miller - school jock, football star, pompous jerk.

And learns that just as the rest of the student body has always judged her based on preconceived notions, she's been just as guilty when it comes to Todd Miller.

Phoebe is a very different character, and she presents some challenges. But I'm finding it all kinds of rewarding to take a girl from the bottom of the social ladder and show her that reverse snobbery is still snobbery (Todd's words to her!), and that she's absolutely, totally, 100% worthy of friendship and love.

ONCE AND FOR ALL - Introduction

I'm so excited to be introducing ONCE AND FOR ALL this week!

ONCE AND FOR ALL is book 2 in the Sky Cove Series, and centers around Phoebe Campbell and Todd Miller, two secondary characters you first meet in book 1, ONCE AGAIN.  Phoebe is a gifted art student who's at the bottom rung of the social ladder at Sky Cove Senior High, and Todd Miller is the football star who sits at the very top of said social ladder. When they wind up paired together for a class art project, they discover that not only were their perceptions about each other way off base, but also an ancient curse is at work through them, and it's up to them to break generations of bad blood.

While writing ONCE AGAIN (book 1), I began crafting ideas for the next story in my head. I knew I wanted to do two characters who were drastically separated by social classes. It's always a big scandal at school when a kid from the "upper" class dates someone from a class "below" them.  Sounds awful, I know, but it's true. Jumping social classes is a difficult thing to do, no matter which way you're jumping. As the character of Phoebe began to take shape in my mind, I went back into ONCE AGAIN, and inserted her into several scenes, so the reader gets a chance to meet her and begins to get a feel for her.  When ONCE AGAIN was finished, I went back and read it through from start to finish. At that point, I was beginning to try and flesh out the boy who would be Phoebe's romantic interest, as well as her "partner" in their own unique reincarnation story. I knew I wanted a popular boy... one who everyone knew... one who thought he had the world on a string with practically no effort. Well, as I read ONCE AGAIN from beginning to end, I realized I'd already created Phoebe's partner.  Todd Miller.

If you've read ONCE AGAIN, you know that Todd has a long way to go. He's not very nice at the beginning of the book, but sort of redeems himself (or makes a start) part of the way through the book. What I didn't realize when I began writing ONCE AND FOR ALL was that Phoebe would have just as far to come as Todd.  Theirs is a tough journey, and they each have to make some hard decisions, but in the end, I think their resolution will be ridiculously satisfying!

I hope you'll join me this week as I introduce you to Phoebe and Todd, and share a few "sneak peaks" at ONCE AND FOR ALL, which will be released later this year.  (Official blurb and book cover are coming soon!)

Happy reading and writing!

#SixSunday: Introducing "Once and For All"

After a two-week hiatus, I'm happy to be back with the Six Sentence Sunday crew! I look forward to hopping around, reading and commenting on the blogs of other spectacularly talented authors! Thanks in advance to those who stop in here. I appreciate all the encouragement and support.

Today, I'm introducing "Once and For All", book 2 in the Sky Cove Series. This week I'll be highlighting the characters and sharing a few teasers from the book, and hopefully soon I'll have an "official" blurb and cover to share with you.  For today, let me give you quick set-up of the premise.

If you read "Once Again" you briefly met Todd Miller and Phoebe Campbell. (And if you haven't read "Once Again", links are to the right!)  Todd was a real jerk at the beginning of the book, and the few times Phoebe appeared, she was a very dark, lonely girl.  Well, things are changing for Todd Miller (affectionately known in "Once Again" as Miller-the-idiot!), and he's figuring out that life's not always all about how popular you are. Phoebe's just counting the days until graduation when she can hightail it out of Sky Cove and never look back.  Then they get paired together for a project in advanced art, and discover that an ancient curse is working it's less-than-awesome magic through the two of them, and it's up to them to break generations of bad-blood.

This scene, from the very beginning of the story, shows Phoebe walking through the parking lot of the hardware store. It's freezing cold (winter in Maine), and she's just about to step in the door when someone else barrels out. And knocks her on her butt.

My center of gravity already off from walking half bent over with my head lowered out of the wind, I lost my balance and tumbled back, right onto my butt.


And even through several layers of clothes and a heavy coat, the ground was wet and cold against my backside.


Great.


But it got worse.


Staring down at me was the dumb jock football star, at whose feet all of Sky Cove Senior High worshipped.


Todd Miller.

Be sure to visit the official Six Sentence Sunday site to find the list of great authors.  You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #SixSunday.