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The Stars are Falling by Michelle Birbeck Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal

for

The Stars are Falling

by

​Michelle Birbeck

 




Release Date: July 3, 2014


Published by The Writers Coffee Shop



Summary: 
 

Jenny is content trying to survive university and sneaking glances at her housemate, Dale, in between hours spent watching the night sky. When the first meteor streaks through the night, landing close enough to shake the house, however, everything changes.

What’s left in the crater isn’t a lump of rock from outer space, but something that looks like a man. Soon after, the killing begins. Anyone who gets in their way is disintegrated with an all-consuming light so hot nothing remains.

Hundreds more descend from the heavens, bleaching the night sky, shaking the ground. They want to eliminate all threats to Earth, starting with the biggest one: the human race.

Jenny and Dale know a way to do both: save Earth and stop the human race from being wiped out. They just have to stay alive long enough to convince the falling stars to spare the human race.

 

Excerpt:

“Some of the stars are special,” my mother said, and she leaned in close. “Some of the stars aren’t distant worlds in the sky filled with different lands and places we’ve never been. Some of them are there for a reason.” Her voice dipped down into a whisper, as though she was sharing some great secret that only we were allowed to know. I leaned up to listen closer. “Those stars are our protectors. They shine down on us as they watch the world below, looking like the ones we know, but hiding what they are. When they light up the night, they’re smiling on us, happy with how things are. They love nothing more than to see everyone happy and taking care of each other. But sometimes, when the world is sad, the stars stop shining.”

Back up to the ceiling she stared, sitting up so straight it was like she was rising to be with them. I wriggled out of the blankets when she didn’t continue. Up onto her lap I clambered, settling in her arms and gazing up at my night sky. Her arms were warm when they wound around my waist, holding me close.

“What happens when they stop shining?” I asked, desperate to hear the rest of the story.

“When they stop shining, they fall,” she said. “If the stars are sad, they come to Earth. They fall and fall, so very far, and they come here to fix things. It hasn’t happened in a very long time, but when they come, they fix what’s gone wrong. And then, when the world is happy again, they rise, rocketing up into the sky, back to their place in the stars, where they watch and smile on us once more.”

Excited by thoughts of meeting the stars, I asked, “How do they fix things?”

My mother smiled again and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. She ushered me off her knee and back under the blankets before she continued. “The same way anyone fixes a problem. By finding out what’s wrong and making it go away.”

With a deep breath, she finished the story and turned her gaze back to me. Tucking in the blankets around me, she wished me sweet dreams and told me to go to sleep.

When she reached the door and turned back to me, a last goodnight on her lips, I asked, “Mummy, will I ever see the stars fall?”

Her smile disappeared, turning into a deep frown, and when she spoke, a desperate edge tinted each word. “I hope not.”

 

Author Bio:

Michelle has been reading and writing her whole life. Her earliest memory of books was when she was five and decided to try and teach her fish how to read, by putting her Beatrix Potter books in the fish tank with them. Since then her love of books has grown, and now she is writing her own and  looking forward to seeing them on her shelves, though they won’t be going anywhere near the fish tank.

Connect with Michelle Birbeck on: ​

 

Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Website and Goodreads

 

Other novels by Michelle Birbeck:

 

The Last Keeper

 

Last Chance


 
 
 
 

Flashing is for the Cool Kids. (week 12)

Hello Flashers! Welcome to another week of flashing!

Our judge this week is Melissa M Gardener!

Here’s a little about her:

As a teenager, I dreamed of being a writer. As an adult, I am slowly making those dreams come true. These days, when I’m not busy working a full time job or taking care if my family, I like to spend my spare time with my eyes on my Kindle while reading or my fingers on my keyboard while writing. I am always busy, but love the challenges these prompts inspire. Now it’s your turn to flash me!

 

 

Well, have at it!

100-200 words. You MUST use both the picture AND word prompt. Please leave your flash, along with your twitter handle/website, in the comments.

The winner or runner-up will be the next judge. :)

 

Happy Flashing!

You have until Thursday night at 11:59 PM (MST) to get your flash in!

Flashfic Results Are In! (week 11)

The Results are in, and here’s what our judge had to say:

bond
[ bond ]
noun
1. something that binds, fastens, confines, or holds together.
2. a cord, rope, band, or ligament.
3. something that binds a person or persons to a certain circumstance or line of behavior: the bond of matrimony.

This picture brought me back to sunkissed toes and Bubble Yum. Y’alls little stories warmed this Southern Gal’s heart.

I appreciate Madi for hosting and TBGMcCray for choosing me(even if it was second place :P). Thanks to y’all for flashing me I appreciate it very much. Glad these two spoke to everyone as much as they did me. I loved doing this because I have a hard time drawing a story out or writing a lot of “words”.

Let’s get to it…

Cecily B.

This reminds me of young love. Some words were a little overused, but the effect was still the same. (Madi’s note: I loved the sweetness, and the ending. Gah!)

cullenstwimistress

“Maybe I was jealous.” Maybe I’m jealous too. I really enjoyed this. I felt like I was on the lake. I felt like I had just had a huge blowout with my BFF that I want more with that doesn’t know I exist. I want more.

TBGMcCray

I love the nickname “Grins”. I wanna melt on off of that dock into the water with this little diddy.

Miamadisonauthor

I want to know why…. I feel like a teenager again. I feel her pain, but I want to know what makes her so sad. She needs to know to carry on.

Dusty Britches

Summers at the lake. This is how this feels. Young love reunited (I kind of want to start singing here, but I will refrain…)

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner:

Cullenstwimistress. I needed more. Still need more. Give me more.

Runner up:

Miamadisonauthor

Runner up’s runner up:

Dusty Britches

Cullenstwimistress: PM me on Twitter or Facebook and we’ll get the next one rolling. :)

CHASING SPARROWS is COMPLETE!

 

Chasing Sparrows is COMPLETE

I’ve finished Chasing Sparrows and posted it on my actual website.

 

Click on any of the pictures or the “Chasing Sparrows” title.

Enjoy.

QuinnLark/Madi

Chasing Sparrows COMPLETE

I’ve finished Chasing Sparrows and posted it on my actual website.

 

Follow the link. ^

Enjoy.

 

QuinnLark/Madi

Flashing the Beauty of Words (week 11)

bond
[ bond ]
noun
1. something that binds, fastens, confines, or holds together.
2. a cord, rope, band, or ligament.
3. something that binds a person or persons to a certain circumstance or line of behavior: the bond of matrimony.

 

 

Hello Flashers!

We had to find a runner-up since LittleLovely had already won before, so our runner-up and judge this week is

Nicole D

Above are the two prompts she chose. Make sure to use both the photo and word prompt, use between 100-200 words, and leave your twitter handle/website with your word count in the comments.

 

You have until Wednesday night at 11:59 PM (MST) to get your flash in.

Good luck!

 

FlashFiction Results (Week 10)

We ride along to the rhythm of beating hearts and shared breaths, strangers no longer. 

The people in these pictures didn’t feel like strangers to me, but then I was already trying to write them into being before I sent them off to Madi. When I picked these prompts, “strangers on a train” you might say, I couldn’t wait to see how you all felt the movement of the pictures and the relationships of their subjects. You delivered. Damn, did you deliver.

I want to thank Madi for hosting this every week. It’s a wonderful exercise in creativity and gives us all a sounding board for our ideas. Thank you so much! And thanks to all of you who flashed me. * winks I enjoyed every minute of it!

On to the judging notes:

Nicole I want your lady in the night to know love. I want her to see that the addiction she worships is a cold and brutal lover. You made me want to see her claw her way above it and still hope that someday she actually might. I enjoyed the lilt of the alliteration in the first graph as well – “she shimmies…sequins swish…sway.” Bravo!

Packy Pie, oh, Packy. “I fear the moment I let her go will be the moment I detonate.” You had me in the opening lines and by the time I got to that one, I was a goner. You’ve managed to give me just enough here to have me salivating for more. It’s a complete story, maybe the oldest story, about trust and love and personal demons. I neeeeed more.

Dusty Britches, you beautifully illustrated the word prompt and the first photo prompt. I feel like I’m there, back then, and the use of certain cue words, like “lamb” and “bulletin” help put me there. Salinger would approve, because this guy is obviously no phony.

Jdifrans, you really outdid yourself here, dearest. Two stories! Count ‘em, two! I love them, but it’s the second one that shines to me. From that first graph that pulls me in to the web of this woman’s messed up past, to the last line that helps me believe she will rise above, it sings. There’s a rhythm to it that sticks hard and tough like her, almost like poetry. LOVE.

Sarah Elizabeth, I really like your wordplay here. It reads like sunshine, warm and constant. I had some difficulty with the dropping of all capital letters. I had to go back and reread and sort of force myself to ignore that, but I’m glad I did because Aldous and his girl are worth it. I don’t know how they found one another, but I’d love to find out!

This was tough, really tough. There’s not a bad one in the bunch, but I’m going to have to call it for Packy Pie!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t let your characters go either – him or her. That makes you twice a winner now, right? You may have to start giving us all lessons!

From Madi:

Thank you so much for judging this week! It was a lot of fun!



Since Packy Pie has judged before, we’ll need a runner up.

After our judge gives me a runner up, I’ll get in touch with them to get the ball rolling for the next flash fic!

A Quote from Yours Truly – Madi

– Madi Merek

The “Code Name: Pearl” $14

madimerek:

Gorgeous necklace inspired by MESSAGE TO NEW YORK!

Originally posted on :

The “Code Name: Pearl” necklace is based on MESSAGE TO NEW YORK, of Messages – a series by Madi Merek. Pearl is the code name New York gives Ginny.
The necklace is on black satin, featuring white lace, a pearly, rhinestone pendant, and two peeping owls. Suggested donation: $14 + S/H.
http://madimerekbooks.wordpress.com/message-to-new-york/
Created by Madi Merek – Author.

Flashing . . . Strangers (Week 10)

Hello Flashy-flashers!

Welcome to Week 10! Our judge this week is

TGBMcCray

and here’s what she has to say:

 

About me: TGBMcCray
@TGBMcCray on twitter. tgbmccray.wordpress.com

A lifelong writer and editor, I’ve finally gotten serious about writing for me and not just for work. I’m a mama, a career woman, and an iced tea addict. I am a lover of Ben, shoes, wine, Papa, and Salinger. Find me fangirling or writing OF about flawed people you probably know.




She gave me a choice of two different picture prompts, but I want to offer them both to you. Make sure to keep your flash between 100-200 words, use both the Picture AND the Word prompt, and leave your word count with your twitter handle/website in the comments.

Stranger.
Noun:
a (1) : foreigner (2) : a resident alien
b : one in the house of another as a guest, visitor, or intruder
c : a person or thing that is unknown or with whom one is unacquainted
d : one who does not belong to or is kept from the activities of a group
e : one not privy or party to an act, contract, or title : one that interferes without right
Adjective:
a archaic : of, relating to, or characteristic of another country : foreign
b : not native to or naturally belonging in a place : of external origin, kind, or character
2
a : not before known, heard, or seen : unfamiliar
b : exciting wonder or awe : extraordinary
3
a : discouraging familiarities : reserved, distant
b : ill at ease
4
: unaccustomed 2

 

You have until Saturday night at 11:59 PM (MST) to get your flash in. Good luck!