Amy Durham's Blog: Amy Durham, page 19

Alisa Jeruconoka - Guest Blog

Today I'm happy to introduce you to fellow-author Alisa Jeruconoka!
Alisa was born in Latvia but moved to London at a young age. Always one who enjoyed school, she eventually went to University to study medicine. However she did not stay in medical studies, but got a job as a professional interpreter/translator for a private multinational corporation.  After working in that position for ten years, Alisa got married and decided to start a family.  A decision to work freelance during this time freed up more time to write!
Today she'll tell us a little about her novel, "Unparallel Worlds", currently available at Amazon!  Welcome Alisa!

Thankyou Amy for this fantastic opportunity to represent my otherworldly YA Fantasynovel "Unparallel Worlds" on your blog. Today I've decided to introduce thecharacters from the Dark side of the multidimensional planet Adriana. I hopethat a dialogue between Zalion, the King of Darkness, and Troian, the Prince ofDarkness, will help the readers just a little bit more to solve the mystery inthe book.

Zalion, the King of Darkness, was fifty years old but still handsomeand fit. The only thing that exposed his true age was his hair, which was thecolour of ash. The corners of his mouth drooped, and he never smiled. He wasfamous for his cruel punishment, exclusive methods of torture and advancedblack magic.
Zalion held a long crooked staff in his left hand. Many livesdepended on this staff, and it was not only those who were found guilty thatreceived punishment. Sometimes a wrong word or gesture was enough.
Today, one of his countless slaves brought the rumours that he, theKing of Darkness, is getting weaker and no longer can control the Dark Army.Zalion decided to call one of his younger sons Troian, the Price of Darkness,to discuss the matter.
Troian: Father, did you call? (Troian kneeled before a jade crystalthrone where Zalion was sitting in the centre of the room. Troian waitedpatiently for Father's permission to join him. It doesn't mater that Troian washis son. If Zalion was angry one strike of the staff and the floor would beripped apart, and Troian would be sent down to the steel mines or, the worstpunishment, to the experiment cells.)
Zalion: My son, come and join me. Did you hear the rumours that …thatI'm loosing my strength?
Troian:Father,who dare to confront you or to say anything against your will?
Zalion:Answerme!
Troian:Ioverheard the warriors of the Dark Army talking...
Zalion:Nonsense. Giant piranhas, monster fish, squids, dragons, harpies, serpents,chimerasCAN'T THINK. In the experiments cells I did create my hybrids carefullycombining the genes of animals, plants, birds and insects. I didn't implant thebrain cells in them. It must be somebody who can analyse the situation. May bethat's why I called YOU. (Zalion's eyes were fixed on his son).
Troian:Father,I'm a hybrid. My younger brothers are hybrids too. Valafar is a cross of a dogand a wolf and he is very happy with his pack wondering in the forest andlooking for a pray. Ammit, in his serpent body, loves to spend all the timeunderground with his co-brothers. But Leonard, our older brother, I wouldconsider him as a threat. Technically speaking we are not brothers. As ahalf-breed vampire I can feel that his heart beats. I can feel only two heartsbeating in the kingdom of Darkness, Leonard's…and yours Father. (Troian addedquietly).
Zalion: Hmm…What do youknow about me?
Troian: Youbrought up four of us as tough warriors and you taught us about the existenceof the Empire of Light and the Golden Ones.  You told us how devious they are and your friends andparents died trying to restore the justice. 
Zalion didn't say a word as he wasthinking of something.
Troian: Father,we all have tattoos on our right hand what does it represent? Or is it justdecoration?
Zalion: It is a phoenix, a symbol ofovercoming adversity, of renewal, physical strength and courage. The tattoo isthe family's royal symbol of resurrection and a long fight against betrayal.
Troian: Howbig do you think the universe is? I have never seen anything apart of Darkness.
Zalion: In eternity I wasn't always the king of monsters, beasts and fabledcreatures. I wasn't always full of envy and wanting revenge. I was the King ofthe lands filled with happiness and joy until my people started mutating. Wehad to find the cure and very fast. My scientists worked days and nights andthe only solution they found; it was that my people was exposed too long to thedarkness and to restore the vital balance we need to find the light essence tosurvive.
Troian: As I can guess you didn't find the cure and your people died that'swhy you did create the loyal allies of the Army of Darkness.
Zalion: Yes and No. The Light Side does exist but it governs by theheartless king whose people were enjoying the life while mine was dying. At themoment my arms are tight. I can't restore the justice without breaking theDominion's treaty. That's why, Troian, I can't afford rebels in the Dark Armybecause the Justice Day is coming even quicker than I thought.

If you enjoy thedialogue between my characters please visit my site at: http://www.unparallelworlds.co.uk/
Or enjoythe video at: http://www.youtube.com/user/unparallelworlds/videos

There's a Story Everywhere

So... this week was my spring break. And I've been in 5 different states. Literally.

My travels began immediately after school on Friday, March 30, when the hubby and I, and another couple took off for Kansas City to watch two of our good friends get married the next day. We drove through Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and FINALLY into Kansas City... at about 3:00 a.m. And yeah, I am waaaaaay too old to travel through the middle of the night.  But it was a really nice trip, despite being in a lack-of-sleep-fog the whole time.  And like I always do, I find potential stories everywhere I go.

For instance, this beautiful mansion where the lovely couple exchanged vows. How atmospheric is this place? Can't you just imagine a historical romance set here?  Or maybe a contemporary romantic suspense? I mean, really... the possibilities here are endless!



Here's another example. Gates BBQ in Overland Park, KS, where you are greeted with their official motto "Hi May I Help You" as soon as you walk through the door! Kansas City barbecue is all the rage, and we ate lunch there before heading home on Sunday. The second picture is the "burned end" sandwiches (a KC staple) hubby and I had for lunch.  I love the way food allows us to experience the culture of a particular place, and I could just imagine weaving such a place into a story!



Later in the week, the hubby and I took the kids to Louisville for a "day out". Thankfully, that drive is only an hour and a half, as opposed to the 10 hour drive to Kansas City we'd done the previous weekend!  We took them to Lynn's Paradise Cafe, which has been featured a number of times on The Food Network. Probably the most notable was Alton Brown choosing Lynn's Paradise Hot Brown on the "All-American" episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate". Again, food allows us to really experience the personality of a place, and no better example exists than the Hot Brown. It was created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, and is truly a regional favorite.  The two pictures below show the exterior of Lynn's Paradise Cafe, a quirky little restaurant that's entertainment for your eyes, as well as your tastebuds... and the famous Hot Brown!



Again, how easy would it be to use these things in a story? The atmosphere at Lynn's made me imagine a story set in an eclectic little cafe with great food and funky personalities within.  An author could insert whatever type story... whatever "regional" flair... or even create a totally imagined setting using the inspiration the brimmed over in this place.

Our drive to Lynn's Paradise Cafe took us through the part of Louisville where "shotgun" houses abound.  I loved looking at these houses, imagining the stories that have taken place there over the years. The neighborhoods had such a "family" feel, and again, potential stories brewed around in my mind as we drove.





It's true.  There are stories everywhere... you just have to open your eyes and your imagination!

A Two Month Celebration: ONCE AGAIN for Only $0.99

Two months ago, my debut YA paranormal novel, ONCE AGAIN, was released in e-Book format.  The experience of seeing my book for sale on various retailers' websites has been a dream come true... and a whirlwind!

In celebration of my first 2 months as a published author, ONCE AGAIN is now discounted!  For a limited time, you can purchase the e-Book for only $0.99! What a bargain!  The discounts are currently available at Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, and Smashwords.  (Links are on the right side of the page.)

My hope is that readers might decide to take a chance on a new author for $0.99, so any help spreading the word is greatly appreciated!  Word-of-mouth is the number one way authors succeed, and I am extremely grateful to those of you who are always so kind in helping pass on information!

Happy reading and writing!

Katniss & Bella: It's NOT a Competition

Much has been bandied about lately comparing The Hunger Games' Katniss Everdeen to Bella Swan, the young heroine of the Twilightseries. The reports usually wind up touting it as some sort of competitionbetween the two… a Katniss vs. Bella competition… with Katniss emerging the"better" heroine, and Bella… well… not.
I'd like to suggest that this is not a competition betweenKatniss and Bella, nor is it a competition between the two series ofbooks.  Both The Hunger Games andTwilight books have a teenage heroine and a "sort of" love triangle, but in myopinion that's pretty much where the similarities end.  And while everyone is entitled to likeor dislike either series, or like one better than the other, the fact of thematter is, they are both imaginative and creative, and there is room for bothon the shelves of young readers.
When kids read, I'm happy.  I've been teaching middle school & high school for thepast 12 years, and in that time I've seen 3 series of books sweep through andcapture the imaginations of the majority of students - Harry Potter, Twilight,and The Hunger Games.  Not all kidsliked all of those books equally, and you know what? That's okay. Reading is asubjective activity that allows for the varying preferences of readers. So toperpetuate a competition between two fictional heroines that don't exist inreality is both silly and counterproductive.

Having read both The Hunger Games and Twilight series, Ifeel even more strongly that a media-driven competition between the twoheroines is colossally stupid. They are two completely different fictionalcharacters, in two completely different fictional worlds, facing two completelydifferent sets of challenges and conflicts. Bella's journey is one of findingherself, overcoming her own insecurities, adapting to changes in a world where her reality has beentotally shifted from everything she's ever known.  Katniss's journey is one of holding onto herself and her ownidentity in a world that insists upon trying to define her, and enacting change in a world that has thrustitself and its burdens onto her since the day she was born. And in the end,both heroines come out stronger – although not unscathed – once their journeysare over.
There are lessons to be learned from both heroines… you arestronger than you think… you are valuable no matter what others say… you canand should expect a boy to treat you with respect… the world may try to defeatyou, but you can stand strong… I could go on and on, but I won't.  You get the point.
So please, I beg of everyone, can we stop the comparisons…the Katniss vs. Bella craziness? Can we stop making fans of the Twilight series feel stupid andintellectually inferior for their enjoyment of those books?  Instead, let's encourage reading,creativity, and imagination in young people... and readers of all ages!
Happy reading and writing!

#SixSunday: Another Piece of the Puzzle

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday! Please take a look at the official site and find lots of other talented authors who share their work on Sundays. You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #sixsunday. Thanks in advance for the encouraging comments. I truly appreciate all of them!




Today's excerpt follows yet another dream, as more and more of Layla and Luke's past is revealed to him. They've long suspected that Luke's ex-girlfriend, Kara, is involved somehow, but the dream they've just experienced confirmed it. Frustrated by the fact that questions still remain, yet happy for another piece of the puzzle, Layla and Luke try to decipher what this latest dream means.



"If we follow the idea that what's going on with us nowparallels what happened in the past, then the woman in the dream must've been aformer girlfriend of his."
"Just like Kara's my ex," he said, and I could hear the wheels turning inLuke's mind. "Then you moved to town and caught my eye, and squashed any chanceshe might've thought existed that the two of us would get back together."
I smiled. I'd caughthis eye. I was also pretty fond of the term squashed.
Happy reading and writing!

Romancing the Book

I'm thrilled to be blogging today at Romancing the Book, a terrific review and promotion site. I'm talking about my book, Once Again, as well as my journey as a writer.  Come by and take a look, and enter the contest to win an Amazon or B&N gift card!

Happy reading and writing!

KY Author Open House

If you live in the Lexington, KY area, you have the opportunity to meet several Kentucky authors THIS Friday night! There will be books to buy, free promo items to pick up, as well as an e-Reader demonstration by a Barnes & Noble representative!

I'll be participating, along with Teresa Reasor, J.M. Madden, Kallypso Masters, Maddie James, and Sondra Allan Carr, just to name a few.  It is open to the public, and, of course, there's NO admission charge! Read on for details!


KENTUCKY ROMANCE WRITERS AUTHOR OPEN HOUSE March 16th, 6-8 p.m. Hyatt Place Lexington (off Man-O-War in Hamburg)
Do you realize you pass local Kentucky Authors every day in real life? The woman with a frown on her face in the grocery line may be plotting out a murder in her head. The receptionist who greets you with an absent smile at the doctor's office may be planning a crazy marketing promotion to boost sales.
Come meet some of the captivating women who write the amazing books you have on your bookshelves and e-readers.
PLUS, there will be a Barnes and Noble Nook representative to answer questions about that digital device you received for the Holidays. Or maybe you've been looking at one to supplement your reading life.
Come join us for a wonderful night of socializing and information. There will also be free promo items!
SPONSORED BY THE KENTUCKY ROMANCE WRITERS

Spring Into Writing With Leigh Michaels

Writing Between The Sexes Presented By Leigh Michaels
March 17th, 20129:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Hyatt Place off Man O' War Blvd. Lexington KY $30 for KYRW Members $40 for non-members 
Leigh Michaels is the award- winning author of nearly 100 books, including 80 contemporary romance novels, three single-title historical romances, and more than a dozen non- fiction books, including "On Writing Romance", which has been called the definitive guide to writing romance novels.
She offers seminars and programs for writers as well as for general audiences. Some of her students are now published with Harlequin, Sourcebooks, Dorchester, Samhain, Ellora's Cave and many others. She also offers a manuscript evaluation service.
More than 35 million copies of her contemporary romance novels have been published. Six of her books have been finalists for Best Traditional Romance novel in the RITA contest sponsored by Romance Writers of America. She has received two Reviewer's Choice awards from Romantic Times.

Lunch is not provided, though many options are available near the hotel. We genuinely hope you can join us for a fantastic presentation!
SPONSORED BY KENTUCKY ROMANCE WRITERS(Please visit the KYRW website for more information and registration information.)

#SixSunday - Lucas Pulls Away

Welcome back to Six Sentence Sunday! Please take a look at the official site and find lots of other talented authors who share their work on Sundays. You can also follow along on Twitter with the hashtag #sixsunday. Thanks in advance for the encouraging comments. I truly appreciate all of them!

For this week's post from ONCE AGAIN, my YA Paranormal Romance that's currently available in eBook and print (links to the right), we're again exploring Layla's doubts about Luke's feelings. While she doesn't believe him to be dishonest, she worries that what he feels is merely a result of what he remembers of their past life. In the following snippet, we've fast-forwarded several chapters from last week's post. The truth of the tragedy they suffered in their previous existence has been revealed to them in a harrowing dream, and the two of them have vastly different reactions.



He withheld himself from me, in a way I couldn't describe orput my finger on, but weighed on my heart nonetheless.
Our reactions to the last dreams could not have been moredifferent. I wanted nothing more than to be closer to him after watching himdie and seeing my own death. I supposed for Lucas, the opposite was true. Hewas pulling away.
As if I needed another reason to wonder if what he felt forme was real or just leftover from the past.
Happy reading and writing!

There ≠ Their ≠ They're

I found inspiration for today's post in the vast reach of Facebook and Twitter, as well as the writing I frequently see from the public school students I teach.

Just a few reminders about good grammar and spelling...

There ≠ Their ≠ They're

Its ≠ It's

Your ≠ You're

a lot ≠ alot

whose ≠ who's


The other night, while trolling Facebook, I noticed a status that my oldest son had commented on. The comment went something like this... "Your in the same grade as me."  We were in the same room, he on the desktop computer, me on the laptop. So, I quietly messaged him via Facebook chat. Our conversation went like this:

Me: "Your is not the same thing as you're."
Him:  "wat?"
Me: "Your comment on that status. You said 'Your in the same grade as me.' It should've been 'YOU'RE in the same grade as me."
Him: "it's FB Mom. no time to use good grammar."
Me: "It was only 2 more characters to type to spell it correctly. It wouldn't have taken that long. Good grammar says something about your character."
Him: "k."

He can write and spell like someone much older than him, so it's not that he CAN'T. He uses the kind of shorthand and lingo that most kids use when using Facebook or texting, abandoning apostrophes and capital letters left and right.  I realize that this sort of communication isn't going away, and that's cool with me. I'm not one of those "anti-tech" people who wishes cell phones and the internet were never invented. I just want to be sure he understands that shorthand is okay sometimes, but when possible, it's best to spell correctly and use proper grammar and punctuation.  I want him to know that the shift key does indeed exist and should be used when appropriate!  I think he gets it, based on the fact that I didn't get a snarky "watever" comment back from him!

Good grammar, spelling, and punctuation... they NEVER go out of style!

Happy reading and writing!