Kai McCarthy's Blog, page 2

YA Scavenger Hunt

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!



Go to the YA Scavenger Huntpage to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the INDIE TEAM--but there is also a red team, a gold team, an orange team, a blue team, and an green team for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.


SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE
Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the indie team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 
Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by October 5, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.


SCAVENGER HUNT POST


Today, I am hosting Matthew Phillion on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! He finished his novel in 13 weeks! Phew! Talk about knocking it out of the park! 
Matthew Phillion is a writer, actor, and film director based in Salem, Massachusetts. An award-winning journalist by trade, he has also appeared in feature films including the sci-fi romance Harvest Moon and the independent horror flick Livestock. His screenwriting and directing debut, the romantic comedy Certainly Never, premiered in 2013 at the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival, where it was nominated for five awards including best screenplay and best New England film. An active freelance writer and journalist, Phillion continues to write about both local issues and the medical industry.
Find out more information by checking out the author website or find more about the author's book here!Author Website: http://www.theindestructiblesbook.comAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Indestructibles-Matthew-Phillion/dp/0991427521EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
A solar powered girl. A ballerina vigilante. A boy with an alien living inside his brain. A werewolf with confidence issues. A girl with a black hole for a heart. Five teenagers, each with their own unique abilities, are gathered by veteran hero Doc Silence to become their generation's super-team. But when they find out someone else is building their own monsters to change the world, will the Indestructibles be ready in time? Or will their inexperience be their downfall?
Doc Silence: Monsters
You never forget the first time you see a real monster.
When you start out in this business--either business, heroics or private investigations--you start out on the pavement. You stop liquor store robberies. You prevent assaults. It's like a game. Look at me, watch me overpower these terrible people, ta-da, abracadabra. But one thing leads to another and next you're up against folks who really want to hurt people. Who know how to hurt people. You run into bad men who aren't afraid of you and your shiny costume and flashy powers. Maybe they have some powers of their own. Or maybe, instead, they just don't care, and those are the truly frightening ones, the ones who aren't afraid of anything at all, and have no reason or basis for that courage.
I know a few heroes who have that look in their eyes too, and it isn't pretty, regardless of what side of the coin you spin on.
But these aren't the monsters I'm thinking of. I mean monsters, in the literal sense. The day you realize that there is something under your bed and it will try to eat you, when you actually bump into the thing that goes bump in the night.
Back in the old days when I was running around the City I never saw those monsters. I saw some bad men, yes, but they were men like me. Some of them where the generic beasts displaying the worst the human mind has to offer. Some of them wielded black magic, and these held a special place in my heart, not because they were more awful than anyone else, but because I considered myself a magician as well, and I wanted to prove I was better than they were. I loved breaking up Dagonite rituals on rooftops. It was a hobby. It was a sport.
Then I went on walkabout and met a few real monsters. I didn't challenge them. I didn't fight them. I would not be standing here right now if I had. But I saw them, shuffling off, as Yeats might say, to be born. Monsters are real.
My first case back in the City took me into the sewers. Isn't that always the way? I left town because I was sick of sewers, sick to death of them, sewers and those green-hued caves that run like a honeycomb beneath our streets. I should have known I'd be back in the sewers an hour after returning to town.
Only this time, it wasn't men who greeted me as I stepped into the darkness. Some winged thing, all teeth and limbs with too many bones, drifting on non-existent winds as it floated above the human waste that ran green and black at our feet.
This monster, though, this monster I could fight. And we did, and I sent him shuffling back to where he came from. Him and others like him, one after another.
But of course, where there are monsters there are always men. The Dagonites still hold a special place in my heart. I no longer take pleasure in beating them at their own game. In part because their game is not mine anymore--they truck in much darker materials than I ever will again--but because they are willfully working towards some dark purpose I don't fully comprehend, but know must be put down at every opportunity.
Which is why, at the end of the tunnel, when I see a man--a man like you or I, flesh and blood and will and intent--dressed in green and gold, swelling like a fattened pig with power he should not possess, I know there will be no arrest tonight. We fight. It is an easier battle than I expected it would be. He falls easily, too confident in his own power, and too reliant on the monsters I have put down one at a time on my way to find him.
There is a moment when he could be subdued, or he could be ended, and the choice is easier than it sounds. The act is not as simple as the choice though, and I can still hear the wet thump his skull makes when he crashes to the concrete ten feet below us.
I check his pockets, like a graverobber. Several items I destroy on the spot, trinkets that would be dangerous in the wrong hands; one I pocket for myself, which will be useful against more of his kind in the future; and one I take to bring to someone more powerful than I am to hide or destroy. It's not something I want in my hands. I might be tempted to use it myself some day.
It is dawn when I step out of the sewers and into an alley in King's Corner. I take flight not because it is something a hero would do, but because I stink of refuse and sewer water and I don't want to offend anyone I might walk past on my way home. And as I take to the sky, I wonder, not for the first time, how many more monsters wait below us, every moment of every day.

Doc Silence: Monsters—Author’s note
By the time we meet Doc Silence in the first Indestructibles novel, he’s already past his prime as a superhero, the last man standing from the previous generation of heroes. But Doc has a long and storied past. He’s seen things, as Batty from Blade Runner might say, you wouldn’t believe.
Doc also existed as a fully-realized character for me long before any of the other Indestructibles. Several early adventures are hidden away for what I hope will eventually be a prequel about young Doc Silence as he explores how magic works in the world of the Indestructibles, and how he came to be one of the most powerful heroes on Earth.
The following is a short story about an encounter he has after he returns to the City from his globe-spanning walkabout, in which he expresses the early signs of the world-weariness that have overtaken him when he first appears in Book 1.
Thanks for reading… I hope you enjoy this early adventure in Doc’s career. 


And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Matthew Phillion, and more! To enter, you need to know my favorite number. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the indie team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

CONTINUE THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, L.H. Nicole! 
 http://lhnicoleauthor.blogspot.com/

YA Scavenger Hunt - Announcing the Authors!

Let's be honest: Never in a million years did I think I would actually be in the Young Adult Scavenger Hunt, as I tried the last two years, but I actually got in this year! I was so stoked when I saw my name in the list of authors I think I may have stopped breathing for a minute. Now I just have to figure out what being an author in this hunt means, as I've never participated as a reader either.

But enough about me, let's meet the others, shall we? I know I'm excited! But first, a word from our host:

This year we have 120 authors participating. Yes, you read that right. One hundred and twenty! We've made six teams which we have never had before. This is fantastic! I've met many of these authors and am super excited to see many new-to-the-hunt authors as well as many regulars back.

Squee!!!! No really, you're going to love this. LOVE THIS!

TEAM RED INCLUDES:  TEAM GOLD INCLUDES: TEAM GREEN INCLUDES:TEAM ORANGE INCLUDES:TEAM INDIE INCLUDES:TEAM BLUE INCLUDES:So come back and join us on October 2-5 for the thrill of the hunt. So many chances for prizes! And get your Goodreads up because you're going to be adding some more authors and their books to your MUST READ list!!

Trying Something New

Okay, so I know I haven't been doing this whole blog thing really well but a friend of mine actually started one, which reminded me I even had one. Lame, right? But anyway, life has been chaotic (when is it not?) and yet I've still tried to squeeze some writing in, even if it is only ten words at a time. The inspiration for my new novel comes from reading Nicholas Sparks' "The Longest Ride" and my recent trip to South Dakota, which fanned the embers into flames. I had been going mute but while in SD, all sorts of ideas were coming to me. Let me introduce to you my new novel-in-progress, "The Pleasure of Serendipity" (title likely to change).

Synopsis:
Rhys Pembroke never understood women. They always wanted the same thing: a good looking man who would treat them right. He was both of those things yet they continued to shy away from him. But, when his father gets too sick to work on the farm, Rhys immediately steps up and lends a helping hand, putting finding a suitable woman to live his life with on the back burner. As his father's health deteriorates, Rhys is left to manage the entire farm as well as attempt to console his grieving mother. When it becomes too much, he's forced to ask for help.
Maisy Connors swore off men after her last encounter nearly drove her to suicide. She had fallen too hard too quickly and he had left her like the previous week's Sunday morning paper. They had everything planned down to the wedding date when he got cold feet and fled across the country. When Maisy sees the Help Wanted ad in assisting taking care of an elderly woman grieving, she sees the perfect opportunity. She believes the woman's grief will distract her from her own. 


Upon seeing Rhys, feelings stir within Maisy she herself can't believe still exist. Could this sweet, loving, funny guy convince her not all men are the same? Will she be able to find it in herself to love another even though her heart is still shattered? Then again, the past never stays in the past, does it?
Keep in mind, I'm only 13,000 words in, so it may be a while. No need to get excited. It's a romance book, in case you didn't catch that while reading the synopsis, and it gets kind of heated, in all the good ways. I used to have it up on a site called Figment, but I decided I no longer wanted juvenile reviews of "Wow, it's really good! Keep writing!" or "I like it. :)" anymore. I want legit reviewers when the time is right, not as I'm writing the story. Negative feedback tends to make me quit and I don't intend to stop writing this one, so it isn't getting reviewed until finished to my liking.

Until next time,

Kai

|Book Review| 'Ten Tiny Breaths', by K.A. Tucker

Ten Tiny Breaths
Summary:
Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

Review:
Oh, where to begin. How about how easily I connected with Kacey? How I would do the exact same thing were I in her shoes. Not to mention, she's from Michigan (which is my home state, wow!) and moved away (which I plan on doing as well, for different reasons than hers) and started a new life, made friends, and found the guy of her dreams. Sorta, about the guy. 
Trent is kind of a bad-boy meets good-guy-who-will-do-anything-to-see-his-girl-smile. He's got the biker thing going on (Let's be honest, ladies, bikes are always hotter) and he's super sweet. Who could ask for more in a guy? He even comes to Kacey's rescue within the first day of meeting her because he could hear her screaming from next door. And, oh my, is that scene luscious! And those blue eyes you could just fall into repeatedly were quite descriptive. I could see them clearly. But Trent isn't the only main concern here.
Olivia, aka Livie, moved with Kacey to get away from their creepy uncle. She's the one who convinces her sister to play nice with the neighbor, Storm, who finds Kacey a job and offers to cook for them on multiple occasions because Livie helps with her daughter Mia. The whole bond between these four is comical, yet serious, and very natural. They become friends immediately.
But, of course, with every good story there's an equally good climax. And this one is good. I definitely didn't expect it, and I had to actually go back and re-read it several times just to get it through my shocked system. I couldn't believe it! (Maybe because I haven't read much of these books, but I think it's also just Tucker's writing style.) I found myself feeling everything with Kacey in the final parts of this novel, and I relished it. It was simply amazing. I found myself taking ten tiny breaths.
Overall, this book is fantastic! I can definitely see myself reading it over and over again. Anyone even slightly interested in romance should read this book. 

Why I Write

Many people claim writing as a hobby. Which, in a way, I suppose it is. But to me, writing as a hobby is journaling, expressing your feelings and ideas so no one can see. Like when you draw for a hobby, you don't go out and show the world your pictures (prime example: me).

No, writing is not my hobby. Writing is my passion, my release, my escape, my own little separate world where I can just be me but not really. My characters most definitely are not me. If anyone has read Unpredictable Prophecies, I am nothing like Acadia. I made some of my experiences hers but she's a thousand times stronger than I am, and a lot more vocal. I would never be able to do 90% of what she does in the book, same for the next one (that I am currently working on). Several of my characters range throughout the entire spectrum of personalities.

I say writing is a passion because it is. If I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it. If I can't put my whole mind and soul into doing something, why should I continue to do it? Because that's what writing is. It's the soul. The thousands of tiny, microscopic pieces of your soul which you share with the world. When you give up a book for publishing, it's as if you've just ripped your whole arm off and placed it on a silver platter. Will they like it? you wonder. Will they love it? There's so much pressure; if you don't write as a passion, you'll soon quit. Which is where it also becomes a release.

Writing is a release because there's so much stuff going on in my head, so many voices demanding to be expressed, it's nice to finally let it out, whether by typing or hand writing. I have so many different ideas stuck in my head, it's nearly impossible to keep up with my trilogy (which is why it's taking so long for me to finish it). I seriously offer kudos to those authors who can stay on track with their series.

My favorite part is creating my own world with its own rules, where nothing has to make sense but it somehow does when it's all done. It helps me think maybe this world, the one we all live in, will somehow become better if only it were like mine more. There have been so many occasions where I've caught myself wishing either my world was real or I could just get sucked into it. I guess that's my problem. I'm stuck in a fantasy. But what other way would I have it? It's how I live. I'm not going to change my way of life to accommodate the peace of mind of others. I'm a writer. I'm supposed to be a little 'out there'.

If I couldn't write, I don't know what I would do instead. I'd feel too empty, too normal. And no one wants to be classified as 'normal' so they blend with the crowd. Be individual, be unique.

Sneak Preview!

So, I talked myself in and out of this for the last year and a half, and I finally did it! I ... wait for it ... remade a Figment account!... So, if you want to check out an idea of what my work is like, there's the place to check it out. And look! I even have this handy-dandy link to give you easy access!  :D
http://figment.com/users/325917-Kai-Mccarthy

Argh! It be Captain Slackeye, ye Land Lubbers!

In case you want to know Captain Slackeye a little better, here's what some fellas are sayin' about him. (Most of these Rivera doesn't agree with.) [I've started a new book called Rivera Windslayer, about a female pirate, and Slackeye is the assistant main character.]

"During a storm, I saw Slackeye man the whole ship by heself. He ran from the wheel to the sails, pulling each one of the strings all on his own. It was a feat of muscle and determination. When the men asked him if he’d like help, he denied them all, insisting he could do it hi’self. And he did! He navigated that ship outa the troubled waters and settled it back by mornin’. I ain’t never seen anything like it since!”~Davis Bocker, crew member of the Penguin’s Revenge
~~~
“Captain Slackeye of the Mother’s Burden, you say? Yeah, I heard of that rogue. Did ye hear he once fought off a pack of rabid sea turtles with only a stone and his left hand? I shoulda liked to see that fer meself, I tell ye what.”~Lawrence Shaver,Gossiper of Bullhead Tavern
~~~
“The last time I heard that was so many years ago. He’s about as crazy as his old man, that one. Slackeye. ‘Tis a good name fer such a young’un. I hear he saw the Kraken comin’ toward his ship and just an evil stink eye look from the lad sent that giant fish swimmin’ away in terror. Could ye imagine that? The boy scared a Kraken!”~Alabastor Finch, A hatter 

Again with the Blogging

Sorry I haven't been on lately, but, let's be honest, it's not like this blog is that popular right now. Life's gotten in the way, me being as young as I am and having to work full time as well as care for my new puppy. Y'all wanna see his picture? He's adorable.


This is Rowen. He's a pure-bred Aussie and he's my world. He was ten weeks when this was taken but now he's thirteen. I've been away from him for a few weeks, sadly, and this is the most recent I currently have.

Anyway, I've published Unpredictable Prophecies again, through a new publisher! Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Unpredictable-Prophecies-Worlds-End-Volume/dp/148485277X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373249035&sr=8-1&keywords=unpredictable+prophecies

It's so pretty, and I love the cover! Much better than the original one, in my honest opinion.

Also, it's prequel, Unimaginable Prospects, is for sale as well. (Jeez, it really has been a long time since I've written. My apologies.) http://www.amazon.com/Unimaginable-Prospects-Worlds-End-Novella/dp/1478125586/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1373249140&sr=1-2

I was so excited when I got them published, it was like the first time all over again. And now I'm working on book two of the trilogy, Unexpected Happenings. It's taking me a while to get back in with the characters, as it's been almost a year since I wrote the first book. I've been re-reading it to get back in the world as well, as I've been working on several projects since then.

Well, until next time.  Dueces.