Crystal Collier's Blog, page 26
October 25, 2013
Fire! Yeah, Yeah!
Are you a Pyro?
If you don't know what that means, the answer is "no." What is a Pyro? A pyromaniac, or someone who plays with fire.
I'm a Pyro.
My dad dragged us kids up, through, and into the heart of the outdoors. Knowing how to build a fire was MANDATORY. (Like knowing how to tie your shoes.) I spent way to much time poking at the flames, learning the fine art of marshmallow roasting, and warming myself, mesmerized by the flickers of light. BUT, I also learned to be cautious of this hungry beauty. Part of our education included knowing where it was safe to build a fire so we didn't accidentally set the forest aflame, the proper tools to use, how to douse the coals so it would die, and recognizing when it was safe to walk away.
I think relationships are like a fire. They have to be built, and when first started, the flame is tenuous and needs to be sheltered. The fire grows only if it's fed, and you can't feed it too much an once, or you'll smother it. Eventually you'll have a roaring bonfire, but it too will die if not continuously fed. It provides incredible warmth, beauty and can be utilized to help you survive. Unlike a physical fire, there may never be a need to walk away, but if there is, those coals stay warm long after the flame has disappeared.
With that said, today I have the privilege of sharing my good friend, Julie Musil's brand spakin' new cover!
Manny O’Donnell revels in his status at the top of his high school food chain. He and his friends party in the mountains on a blustery night, sharing liquor and lame ghost stories around a campfire. The next morning, as a wild fire rages in those same mountains, Manny experiences doubt. He was the last of the drunken crew to leave the cave, and he’s uncertain if he extinguished the flames. Within hours, he becomes the number one arson suspect.
Santa Ana winds + matches = disaster. You’d think he would've learned that the first time he started a fire.
As he evades a determined arson investigator, Manny, a modern-day Scrooge, is visited by ghosts of the past, present, and future. He’s forced to witness the fate of his inadvertent victims, including Abigail, the scarred beauty who softens his heart. Manny must choose between turning around his callous, self-centered attitude, or protecting his own skin at the expense of anyone who gets in his way.
Julie Musil, author of YA fiction, is a chocoholic and obsessive reader. As the mother of three teen boys, she’s immersed in teen speak, drama, and gym socks. She loves to chat! Connect with her on her blog, Twitter, or Facebook.
Awesome, right? I'm looking forward to this book sometime in early 2014. So are you a Pyro? Do you spaz out about flames? Have you ever accidentally set something on fire?
If you don't know what that means, the answer is "no." What is a Pyro? A pyromaniac, or someone who plays with fire.
I'm a Pyro.
My dad dragged us kids up, through, and into the heart of the outdoors. Knowing how to build a fire was MANDATORY. (Like knowing how to tie your shoes.) I spent way to much time poking at the flames, learning the fine art of marshmallow roasting, and warming myself, mesmerized by the flickers of light. BUT, I also learned to be cautious of this hungry beauty. Part of our education included knowing where it was safe to build a fire so we didn't accidentally set the forest aflame, the proper tools to use, how to douse the coals so it would die, and recognizing when it was safe to walk away.
I think relationships are like a fire. They have to be built, and when first started, the flame is tenuous and needs to be sheltered. The fire grows only if it's fed, and you can't feed it too much an once, or you'll smother it. Eventually you'll have a roaring bonfire, but it too will die if not continuously fed. It provides incredible warmth, beauty and can be utilized to help you survive. Unlike a physical fire, there may never be a need to walk away, but if there is, those coals stay warm long after the flame has disappeared.
With that said, today I have the privilege of sharing my good friend, Julie Musil's brand spakin' new cover!
Manny O’Donnell revels in his status at the top of his high school food chain. He and his friends party in the mountains on a blustery night, sharing liquor and lame ghost stories around a campfire. The next morning, as a wild fire rages in those same mountains, Manny experiences doubt. He was the last of the drunken crew to leave the cave, and he’s uncertain if he extinguished the flames. Within hours, he becomes the number one arson suspect.Santa Ana winds + matches = disaster. You’d think he would've learned that the first time he started a fire.
As he evades a determined arson investigator, Manny, a modern-day Scrooge, is visited by ghosts of the past, present, and future. He’s forced to witness the fate of his inadvertent victims, including Abigail, the scarred beauty who softens his heart. Manny must choose between turning around his callous, self-centered attitude, or protecting his own skin at the expense of anyone who gets in his way.
Julie Musil, author of YA fiction, is a chocoholic and obsessive reader. As the mother of three teen boys, she’s immersed in teen speak, drama, and gym socks. She loves to chat! Connect with her on her blog, Twitter, or Facebook.
Awesome, right? I'm looking forward to this book sometime in early 2014. So are you a Pyro? Do you spaz out about flames? Have you ever accidentally set something on fire?
October 23, 2013
It's time for Writerly Wednesday! Yay!Writerly Wedne...
It's time for Writerly Wednesday! Yay!
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of last week's game. Last week The Prosers shared two truths and one lie about the process of writing their collaborative book. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for a copy Alchemy.
The options were:
1. These three authors have written over 8000 facebook messages to each other about this book.
2. They mailed the original chapters to each other the old-fashioned way--via snail mail.
3. The school originally had a different name of a real institution for rich, troubled youth, a name they totally fell in love with--but had to change so they wouldn't get sued.
And the lie is:
#2, they did mail the chapters to each other for a while, but eventually that became way too difficult, and they switched to doing it the regular way--via the computer.
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are officially human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Milo James Fowler!!
Congrats, Milo!
And now for this week's special feature...
Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance... hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.
This book was released YESTERDAY, and I for one can't wait to read it. Carrie is a fabulous author!
So who wants to meet her?
Carrie Butler daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.
Her passion for New Adult fiction led her to co-found NA Alley—a widely recognized informational hub for the category. She is the author of STRENGTH (Mark of Nexus #1) and COURAGE (Mark of Nexus #2).
Carrie gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Can you figure out the lie? Those who do will go into my magic hat for a chance to win an ecopy of COURAGE. Eek! How cool is that? You have until Tuesday, October 22nd at 1 p.m. to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 23rd to view the winner!
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Over 50 exotic animals (lions, tigers, bears etc.) were once set loose on Carrie's hometown.
2. Her level 80 thief on Guild Wars 2 was named after a Firefly character.
3. To win a bet, she once hugged a stranger for thirty-seven minutes.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
AND today you have one more chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of last week's game. Last week The Prosers shared two truths and one lie about the process of writing their collaborative book. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for a copy Alchemy.
The options were:
1. These three authors have written over 8000 facebook messages to each other about this book.
2. They mailed the original chapters to each other the old-fashioned way--via snail mail.
3. The school originally had a different name of a real institution for rich, troubled youth, a name they totally fell in love with--but had to change so they wouldn't get sued.
And the lie is:
#2, they did mail the chapters to each other for a while, but eventually that became way too difficult, and they switched to doing it the regular way--via the computer.
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are officially human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Milo James Fowler!!
Congrats, Milo!
And now for this week's special feature...
Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance... hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.This book was released YESTERDAY, and I for one can't wait to read it. Carrie is a fabulous author!
So who wants to meet her?
Carrie Butler daydreamed her way through college—until they thrust a marketing degree into her hands, slapped a summa cum laude seal on the corner, and booted her out into a less-than-stellar job market. Instead of panicking at the prospect of unemployment, she used her Midwestern logic to steer into the skid and point her life in the direction she really wanted to go: writing out those daydreams.Her passion for New Adult fiction led her to co-found NA Alley—a widely recognized informational hub for the category. She is the author of STRENGTH (Mark of Nexus #1) and COURAGE (Mark of Nexus #2).
Carrie gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Can you figure out the lie? Those who do will go into my magic hat for a chance to win an ecopy of COURAGE. Eek! How cool is that? You have until Tuesday, October 22nd at 1 p.m. to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 23rd to view the winner!
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Over 50 exotic animals (lions, tigers, bears etc.) were once set loose on Carrie's hometown.
2. Her level 80 thief on Guild Wars 2 was named after a Firefly character.
3. To win a bet, she once hugged a stranger for thirty-seven minutes.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
AND today you have one more chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 21, 2013
BIG Mistakes
Do you ever wish you could go back in time and change things?I'm a vocal performer. Lots of us get stage fright. Some of us have nerves. I learned long ago all you had to do was channel that nervous energy into your performance. So yesterday I stood in front of somewhere between 150 and 200 people on steady legs, ready to do what I've done 1000000000000+ times before.
One minute into the song my mind went completely blank. After the first three seconds of utter shock--when I realized that blank wasn't going to clear--I glanced down at the "safety" sheet music in front of me (the copy I always use just in case). My accompanist trundled on, trusting that as a skilled performer I'd be able to hop right back in.
But I couldn't. My eyes glazed over the music. I couldn't comprehend what I was reading.Have you read the Michael Vey series? I felt like Taylor Ridley had rebooted my brain. This was truly and honestly the first time I had ever completely lost it in the middle of a performance!
My accompanist looped the measures and came back to where I dropped into a mental abyss, but I still couldn't crunch the words. Finally--miraculously--(someone must have been praying for me) on his third loop my brain reset and the words just came out of my mouth.
After thirty second of bewildered silence.
But what happened next is what really surprised me. I recovered. Blunder over, I hopped back in and finished the number with gusto, drawing tears and heartfelt gratitude from the audience.
As I've thought back over this experience, I decided this was a teaching one. We may make mistakes, but they're not what counts. What really matters is that we press forward and finish with all we've got.
So if I could go back in time, would I change this experience?
No.
But if you could go back in time, where and when would you go? My buddy Pk Hrezo just unveiled the cover of her NA debut novel, and I've been dying to share it.
We are a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. Family-owned and operated, we offer clients one hundred years of time travel experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.
Anxious to attend a special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?
You’ve come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply
Conference us directly from our Website. Our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.
We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.
Buttterman Time Travel, Inc. releases November 12, 2013--one day before MOONLESS.
So ladies and gentlemen, have you made a mistake you wish you could change? If you could go back in time, when and where would you go?
October 16, 2013
It's time for Writerly Wednesday! Yay!Writerly Wedne...
It's time for Writerly Wednesday! Yay!
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of last week's game. Last week Sandra Cox shared two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for a copy of Sandra's VAMPIRE BAY.
The options were:
1. Sandra has a black belt in Thai Quan Do.
2. She's been a vegetarian for 15 years.
3. She once ran a cat rescue and is still involved in rescues and occasionally foster care.
And the lie is:
#1, Sandra does not actually have a black belt, at least not in the martial arts variety. She's pretty kick trash as a writer.
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are officially human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Christine Rains!!!
Congrats, Christine!
And now for this week's special feature...
"Do you want me to be dangerous?" he asked, his voice husky and low.
I gulped, and for a moment I was incapable of speech. But he was quiet, waiting. "No. I don't."
"Then I'm not dangerous at all," he murmured. His gaze moved from my eyes to my mouth. "You've never been safer than you are at this moment." I shivered as his breath tickled my skin. Our lips were mere millimeters apart when the sky shattered in a kaleidoscope of colored light.#We didn’t know how much we had to lose until we were infected with magic. Sam was in love, Juliette was the main caretaker for her siblings, and Ana and her dad planned the best parties in New York. But we lost it all when we were shipped to Chebeague, an exclusive school for newly infected mages.
Everyone knows about the mages, those who survive the infection and end up with magical abilities. We’ve seen the power of magic, the high-paying jobs, and the world fame. But we never saw the cost. We didn’t know we’d be forced to give up everything: sanity, family, even the right to talk on the phone.
We didn’t know mage was just another word for prisoner.
Doesn't that sound totally awesome? You can pick up a copy of the book HERE. I'm crushing on this book and can't wait to get my hands on it. Shall we meet the authors?
Sheena Boekweg (writing as Sam) is the author of the award winning novel Funny Tragic Crazy Magic. Look for her next novel, Waxling in 2014. She is a mom of three living in West Jordan, Utah. She can be found eating a cheese she describes as stretchy and creamy and fried manna from heaven dipped in a raspberry sauce on the Monte Cristo sandwich at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland.
Melanie Crouse (writing as Ana) lives in the gorgeous state of Maine with her (usually) delightful family. She wishes with all her heart that her teenage children weren't so embarassed that their mom writes "kissing scenes". With any luck, her first solo book, Hidden Magic, will be out in early January, 2015. She adores swiss cheese fondue.
Sabrina West (writing as Juliette) is a writer and wildlife biologist living in San Diego, California. There, she wanders the streets searching for rare shorebirds, quality espresso, and elusive snippets of dialogue and imagery. Her short fiction has appeared in markets such as the Santa Clara Review, Cover of Darkness, and Strange, Weird and Wonderful Magazine. She also has a story upcoming in Kayelle Press's Night Terrors Anthology. She flips for Gruyere melted over French onion soup. Mmm.
You can find these lovely ladies at theprosers.blogspot.com.
They gave me two truths and one lie about the way they wrote this book to test your "lie detector" skills. Can you figure out the lie? Those who do will go into my magic hat for a chance to win an ecopy of ALCHEMY. Eek! How cool is that? You have until Tuesday, October 22nd at 1 p.m. to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 23rd to view the winner!
TRUTH OR LIE
1. These three authors have written over 8000 facebook messages to each other about this book.
2. They mailed the original chapters to each other the old-fashioned way--via snail mail.
3. The school originally had a different name of a real institution for rich, troubled youth, a name they totally fell in love with--but had to change so they wouldn't get sued.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
AND today you have one more chance to win--but enter fast!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of last week's game. Last week Sandra Cox shared two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for a copy of Sandra's VAMPIRE BAY.
The options were:
1. Sandra has a black belt in Thai Quan Do.
2. She's been a vegetarian for 15 years.
3. She once ran a cat rescue and is still involved in rescues and occasionally foster care.
And the lie is:
#1, Sandra does not actually have a black belt, at least not in the martial arts variety. She's pretty kick trash as a writer.
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are officially human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Christine Rains!!!
Congrats, Christine!
And now for this week's special feature...
"Do you want me to be dangerous?" he asked, his voice husky and low.I gulped, and for a moment I was incapable of speech. But he was quiet, waiting. "No. I don't."
"Then I'm not dangerous at all," he murmured. His gaze moved from my eyes to my mouth. "You've never been safer than you are at this moment." I shivered as his breath tickled my skin. Our lips were mere millimeters apart when the sky shattered in a kaleidoscope of colored light.#We didn’t know how much we had to lose until we were infected with magic. Sam was in love, Juliette was the main caretaker for her siblings, and Ana and her dad planned the best parties in New York. But we lost it all when we were shipped to Chebeague, an exclusive school for newly infected mages.
Everyone knows about the mages, those who survive the infection and end up with magical abilities. We’ve seen the power of magic, the high-paying jobs, and the world fame. But we never saw the cost. We didn’t know we’d be forced to give up everything: sanity, family, even the right to talk on the phone.
We didn’t know mage was just another word for prisoner.
Doesn't that sound totally awesome? You can pick up a copy of the book HERE. I'm crushing on this book and can't wait to get my hands on it. Shall we meet the authors?
Sheena Boekweg (writing as Sam) is the author of the award winning novel Funny Tragic Crazy Magic. Look for her next novel, Waxling in 2014. She is a mom of three living in West Jordan, Utah. She can be found eating a cheese she describes as stretchy and creamy and fried manna from heaven dipped in a raspberry sauce on the Monte Cristo sandwich at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland.
Melanie Crouse (writing as Ana) lives in the gorgeous state of Maine with her (usually) delightful family. She wishes with all her heart that her teenage children weren't so embarassed that their mom writes "kissing scenes". With any luck, her first solo book, Hidden Magic, will be out in early January, 2015. She adores swiss cheese fondue.
Sabrina West (writing as Juliette) is a writer and wildlife biologist living in San Diego, California. There, she wanders the streets searching for rare shorebirds, quality espresso, and elusive snippets of dialogue and imagery. Her short fiction has appeared in markets such as the Santa Clara Review, Cover of Darkness, and Strange, Weird and Wonderful Magazine. She also has a story upcoming in Kayelle Press's Night Terrors Anthology. She flips for Gruyere melted over French onion soup. Mmm.
You can find these lovely ladies at theprosers.blogspot.com.
They gave me two truths and one lie about the way they wrote this book to test your "lie detector" skills. Can you figure out the lie? Those who do will go into my magic hat for a chance to win an ecopy of ALCHEMY. Eek! How cool is that? You have until Tuesday, October 22nd at 1 p.m. to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 23rd to view the winner!
TRUTH OR LIE
1. These three authors have written over 8000 facebook messages to each other about this book.
2. They mailed the original chapters to each other the old-fashioned way--via snail mail.
3. The school originally had a different name of a real institution for rich, troubled youth, a name they totally fell in love with--but had to change so they wouldn't get sued.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
AND today you have one more chance to win--but enter fast!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 14, 2013
What are YOU Growing?
It seems the most profound lessons come while working in the garden. Have you had that experience?
While trimming the hedges, I started thinking about the little kids giggling and weeding behind me--comparing them to these bushes. I'd let the garden go a little, and the weeds had taken full license. The hedges had overgrown their boundaries and were invading other plant's space. I imagined the bushes response to my clippers, how they would cry out in pain if they had a voice and ask, "Why are you doing this to me?" As I yanked the weeds free from around them, they might shriek, "Those are part of me!" They couldn't possibly see my vision for them--how they might bloom in their respective space and make the garden complete, or how the removal of weeds would ensure their continued prosperity.
I thought about how if I, as caretaker, had really cared about them, I would have trimmed them back before the pain was so great, before the stray branches were so thick, before they'd taken so powerfully to growing one direction, or before the weeds were so thick around them.
It's much the same with raising children, or better yet, raising ourselves. We have the power to shape ourselves into what we want to become, but occasionally that will mean painful trimming is required. It will require that weeds choking our time and energy be removed--and the sooner, the better. If we truly love ourselves, or those littles we're blessed with, we'll correct erroneous behavior or weed out dangerous elements right at the onset, rather than waiting until they've nearly destroyed the plant's true potential. We'll be vigilant, and regularly reevaluate our hedges needs, and we'll do our part--even when it's painful--to cut off that which keeps us from reaching our true potential.
Have you weeded your life lately?
While trimming the hedges, I started thinking about the little kids giggling and weeding behind me--comparing them to these bushes. I'd let the garden go a little, and the weeds had taken full license. The hedges had overgrown their boundaries and were invading other plant's space. I imagined the bushes response to my clippers, how they would cry out in pain if they had a voice and ask, "Why are you doing this to me?" As I yanked the weeds free from around them, they might shriek, "Those are part of me!" They couldn't possibly see my vision for them--how they might bloom in their respective space and make the garden complete, or how the removal of weeds would ensure their continued prosperity.I thought about how if I, as caretaker, had really cared about them, I would have trimmed them back before the pain was so great, before the stray branches were so thick, before they'd taken so powerfully to growing one direction, or before the weeds were so thick around them.
It's much the same with raising children, or better yet, raising ourselves. We have the power to shape ourselves into what we want to become, but occasionally that will mean painful trimming is required. It will require that weeds choking our time and energy be removed--and the sooner, the better. If we truly love ourselves, or those littles we're blessed with, we'll correct erroneous behavior or weed out dangerous elements right at the onset, rather than waiting until they've nearly destroyed the plant's true potential. We'll be vigilant, and regularly reevaluate our hedges needs, and we'll do our part--even when it's painful--to cut off that which keeps us from reaching our true potential.
Have you weeded your life lately?
October 11, 2013
Funny Friday with M. Gerrick
Hi friends! Today's Funny Friday goes out to you word nerds and is brought to you by M. Gerrick, who is celebrating the release of her brand spankin' new fantasy, The Vanished Knight. (I can't wait to read it!)
And now on to the ha-ha. Take it away, M. Gerrick!
My feeling while editing:
Enough said.
Short and sweet, thank you!
M. Gerrick (AKA Misha Gericke) has basically created stories since before she could write. Many of those stories grew up with her and can be seen in her current projects.
She lives close to Cape Town, with a view over False Bay and Table Mountain.
If you’d like to contact her, feel free to mail her at warofsixcrowns(AT)gmail(DOT)com, Circle her on Google Plus or follow her on Twitter. If you'd like to see her writer-side (beware, it's pretty insane), please feel free to check out her blog.
And now her awesome book--which I'm headed off to buy right now--how about you?
Since the death of her parents, Callan Blair has been shunted from one foster family to another, her dangerous secret forcing the move each time. Her latest foster family quickly ships her off to an exclusive boarding school in the Cumbrian countryside. While her foster-brother James makes it his mission to get Callan expelled, a nearby ancient castle holds the secret doorway to another land...
When Callan is forced through the doorway, she finds herself in the magical continent of Tardith, where she’s shocked to learn her schoolmates Gawain and Darrion are respected soldiers in service to the king of Nordaine, one of Tardith's realms. More than that, the two are potential heirs to the Black Knight—Nordaine's crown prince.
But when the Black Knight fails to return from a mysterious trip, the realm teeters on the brink of war. Darrion and Gawain set out to find him, while Callan discovers there is more to her family history than she thought. The elves are claiming she is their princess.
Now with Darrion growing ever more antagonistic and her friendship with Gawain blossoming, Callan must decide whether to stay in Nordaine—where her secret grows ever more threatening—or go to the elves and uncover the truth about her family before war sets the realms afire.
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
And now on to the ha-ha. Take it away, M. Gerrick!
My feeling while editing:
Enough said.
Short and sweet, thank you!
M. Gerrick (AKA Misha Gericke) has basically created stories since before she could write. Many of those stories grew up with her and can be seen in her current projects.
She lives close to Cape Town, with a view over False Bay and Table Mountain.
If you’d like to contact her, feel free to mail her at warofsixcrowns(AT)gmail(DOT)com, Circle her on Google Plus or follow her on Twitter. If you'd like to see her writer-side (beware, it's pretty insane), please feel free to check out her blog.
And now her awesome book--which I'm headed off to buy right now--how about you?
Since the death of her parents, Callan Blair has been shunted from one foster family to another, her dangerous secret forcing the move each time. Her latest foster family quickly ships her off to an exclusive boarding school in the Cumbrian countryside. While her foster-brother James makes it his mission to get Callan expelled, a nearby ancient castle holds the secret doorway to another land...When Callan is forced through the doorway, she finds herself in the magical continent of Tardith, where she’s shocked to learn her schoolmates Gawain and Darrion are respected soldiers in service to the king of Nordaine, one of Tardith's realms. More than that, the two are potential heirs to the Black Knight—Nordaine's crown prince.
But when the Black Knight fails to return from a mysterious trip, the realm teeters on the brink of war. Darrion and Gawain set out to find him, while Callan discovers there is more to her family history than she thought. The elves are claiming she is their princess.
Now with Darrion growing ever more antagonistic and her friendship with Gawain blossoming, Callan must decide whether to stay in Nordaine—where her secret grows ever more threatening—or go to the elves and uncover the truth about her family before war sets the realms afire.
Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
October 9, 2013
The Lie Revealed: Win a Book
Friendlies! First of all, thank you everyone who participated (and continue to participate) in my cover reveal. You are awesomesauce! And now it's time for...
Writerly Wednesday!
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of MOONLESS, yes, my beautiful baby. Last week I shared two truths and one lie. Those who guessed correctly were entered into a random drawing for the win.
The options were:
1. I have repelled into, crawled through or camped overnight in several different caves.
2. I helped build a raft to float across a glacier lake in the Wind River Mountains.
3. I hiked Zions National Park with my new husband while two months pregnant.
Now, almost everyone guessed #2. Is that really so strange a thing? BECAUSE IT'S TRUE! A glacier on the peek above us ran off into this lake. (And you thought you knew the meaning of cold.) As a family we spent a week high above civilization camped on the shore, and while searching for entertainment, we gathered small logs and other driftwood and lashed together a raft that could carry about 130 pounds.
So the lie is:
#3, I was actually 4 months pregnant when we hiked Zions. Hey, no one told me a pregnant woman is supposed to be off-balance, but OH did I learn!
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are amazing human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Marian!!
Congrats, Marian!
And now for this week's special feature...
Aurora Valente is an average
teenager...except for a disturbing
tendency to purr and chase the
wildlife.
MINDER was released at MuseItUp Publishing May 2012, and you can pick it up HERE.
Shall we meet the author?
Multi-published author Sandra Cox writes Crossover YA, YA Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Time Travel Romance and Metaphysical Nonfiction. She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters and an occasional foster cat.
She laments that there are so many cheeses, and so little time--but won't say no to feta on a salad at Panara's. You can find her on the web HERE.
Sandra gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Can you figure out the lie? Those who do will go into my magic hat for a chance to win a paper copy of Vampire Bay. Eek! How cool is that? You have until Tuesday, October 15th at 1 p.m. to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 16th to view the answer!
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Sandra has a black belt in Thai Quan Do.
2. She's been a vegetarian for 15 years.
3. She once ran a cat rescue and is still involved in rescues and occasionally, foster care.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
Writerly Wednesday!
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of MOONLESS, yes, my beautiful baby. Last week I shared two truths and one lie. Those who guessed correctly were entered into a random drawing for the win.
The options were:
1. I have repelled into, crawled through or camped overnight in several different caves.
2. I helped build a raft to float across a glacier lake in the Wind River Mountains.
3. I hiked Zions National Park with my new husband while two months pregnant.
Now, almost everyone guessed #2. Is that really so strange a thing? BECAUSE IT'S TRUE! A glacier on the peek above us ran off into this lake. (And you thought you knew the meaning of cold.) As a family we spent a week high above civilization camped on the shore, and while searching for entertainment, we gathered small logs and other driftwood and lashed together a raft that could carry about 130 pounds.
So the lie is:
#3, I was actually 4 months pregnant when we hiked Zions. Hey, no one told me a pregnant woman is supposed to be off-balance, but OH did I learn!
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are amazing human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Marian!!
Congrats, Marian!
And now for this week's special feature...
Aurora Valente is an average
teenager...except for a disturbing
tendency to purr and chase the
wildlife.
MINDER was released at MuseItUp Publishing May 2012, and you can pick it up HERE.
Shall we meet the author?
Multi-published author Sandra Cox writes Crossover YA, YA Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Time Travel Romance and Metaphysical Nonfiction. She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters and an occasional foster cat.She laments that there are so many cheeses, and so little time--but won't say no to feta on a salad at Panara's. You can find her on the web HERE.
Sandra gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Can you figure out the lie? Those who do will go into my magic hat for a chance to win a paper copy of Vampire Bay. Eek! How cool is that? You have until Tuesday, October 15th at 1 p.m. to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 16th to view the answer!
TRUTH OR LIE
1. Sandra has a black belt in Thai Quan Do.
2. She's been a vegetarian for 15 years.
3. She once ran a cat rescue and is still involved in rescues and occasionally, foster care.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
October 7, 2013
The Heart of the Matter
It's been a crazy month for me, how about you?While reading Christine Rains' The 13th Floor series this week, something really struck me. Every member of the human family has a story deep inside--whether it's theirs, or something fictitious they're dreaming up with elements of reality.
So what sets amazing stories apart from the crowd?
It's heart.
That's one thing Christine has done especially well. She really pulled the reader into the heart of the character's desires and fears. (You rock, Christine!)
Okay, for non writers, how does that apply?
What sets a person apart from the crowd?
It's heart. It's a willingness to share who we are from our very gooey centers.As I was answering interview questions for my upcoming blog tour, I realized that 95% of what we allow other people to see about ourselves is fluff. It's the safe exterior shell. It's a socially acceptable persona. We build those facades to keep from getting hurt based on past experiences. It can be scary to expose those precious parts of yourself, and it really takes focused effort to peel back that shell and write from your core.
But have you ever met someone who was willing to open their whole heart up to you right from the get go?
I have. I work with them every week, teaching three of them school, and guiding a beautiful organization that facilitates lessons and activities for more than 70 of them. Is there anything so honest or amazing as a child?
What about you, are you willing to share with people what's in your heart?
October 4, 2013
BACON!
I'm taking up a new diet this week. What do you think?
Happy Funny Friday!
Happy Funny Friday!
October 2, 2013
MOONLESS COVER REVEAL and Giveaway
Friendlies! It's that time again.
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of Mara Valderran's Heirs of War. She shared with us two truths and one lie. Those who guessed correctly were entered into a random drawing for the win.
The options were:
1. If she could go back in time, she would meet Audrey Hepburn.
2. There's something weird growing in the back of her car.
3. Her name is actually Mara Valderran.
And the lie is:
#3, Mara Valderran is actually a pen name. Dun, dun dun!
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are officially human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Michelle, also know as Remember Grace!!
Congrats, Michelle!
And now for my big reveal...
*bouncing up and down*
Squee!!!!
Idn't it beee-u-tee-ful?
And because I'm in a particularly giddy mood, I'm going to give one pre-release ebook to the lucky winner of this week's game. As usual, those who guess the lie in the comments below will be entered into a random drawing for the win.
The blurb: Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless.
MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. I have repelled into, crawled through or camped overnight in several different caves.
2. I helped build a raft to float a glacier lake in the Wind River Mountains.
3. I hiked Zions National Park with my new husband while two months pregnant.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
And LASTLY (because that wasn't nearly enough awesome in one post...) M. Pax is hosting a
SUPERSTUPENDOUSAWESOMESAUCE
event. (And if you could read that, you deserve a prize. Here's your badge of cheese.)
Sign up now for these special events to WIN amazing prizes:
Jousting TournamentMasquerade ParadeArtists Way (for illustrators/graphic artists)Stage PerformanceDragon HuntStockade BrigadeCastle JumbleDrench-a-Wench/Soak-a-Blokeand Phasers
Sponsors are welcome, and the events are going to be EPIC. Go reserve your place now, and mark your calendars!
NOW, who can guess my fib-let?
Writerly Wednesdays here are dedicated to readers and writers. If you've published anything for Young Adults, check out the tab up there.
And now, it's time to announce the winner of Mara Valderran's Heirs of War. She shared with us two truths and one lie. Those who guessed correctly were entered into a random drawing for the win.
The options were:
1. If she could go back in time, she would meet Audrey Hepburn.
2. There's something weird growing in the back of her car.
3. Her name is actually Mara Valderran.
And the lie is:
#3, Mara Valderran is actually a pen name. Dun, dun dun!
Way to guess those of you who got it right! You are officially human lie detectors. And the winner is:
...DRUM ROLL...
Michelle, also know as Remember Grace!!
Congrats, Michelle!
And now for my big reveal...
*bouncing up and down*
Squee!!!!
Idn't it beee-u-tee-ful?
And because I'm in a particularly giddy mood, I'm going to give one pre-release ebook to the lucky winner of this week's game. As usual, those who guess the lie in the comments below will be entered into a random drawing for the win.
The blurb: Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless.
MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.
TRUTH OR LIE
1. I have repelled into, crawled through or camped overnight in several different caves.
2. I helped build a raft to float a glacier lake in the Wind River Mountains.
3. I hiked Zions National Park with my new husband while two months pregnant.
Okay human lie detectors, which is the lie?
And LASTLY (because that wasn't nearly enough awesome in one post...) M. Pax is hosting a
SUPERSTUPENDOUSAWESOMESAUCE
event. (And if you could read that, you deserve a prize. Here's your badge of cheese.)
Sign up now for these special events to WIN amazing prizes:
Jousting TournamentMasquerade ParadeArtists Way (for illustrators/graphic artists)Stage PerformanceDragon HuntStockade BrigadeCastle JumbleDrench-a-Wench/Soak-a-Blokeand Phasers
Sponsors are welcome, and the events are going to be EPIC. Go reserve your place now, and mark your calendars!
NOW, who can guess my fib-let?
