Kim Baccellia's Blog, page 12

Friday Five

1. So yeah, mother in law is here...again. Hoping this time around she'll find a condo.

2. Busy, crazy again. Last Saturday I went to SCBWI OC Editor's Day and had fun. My post on the top five things I learned while there:

http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2011/10/five-things-i-learned-from-scbwi-oc.html

3. Finished reading SPELLBOUND


My YA Books Central review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/10666-spellbound

4. Read ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS



Really love the voice in this story of a girl who is sent to a Paris boarding school her senior year.

5. Ooh, also I'm a panelist again with the Cybils. Only this time I'm on the second panel and will help judge the MG Sci-fi/fantasy catagory. I'm very excited! If you haven't done so, go over there and nominate your favorite MG/YA book of this year!

http://www.cybils.com/

**Guilty pleasure:

To just get by this week and next week will schedule a relaxation massage.

Also a fun TV series I've been watching is Terra Nova:

Playlist for CROSSED OUT sequel

I can't believe I haven't found Adele till now. Love this one song:



This song reflects the confusion Stephanie feels at Dylan's turning tables on her in act 2 of the sequel. She realizes she has to do this all on her own.

Haunted by Taylor Swift:



Another one on the confusion/struggle Stephanie has with Dylan.


I also love this one by Foo Fighters:



Stephanie making the decision to do what she does best: rescuing even though it seems everyone turns their backs on her.

Numb by Linkin Park is perfect for how she feels with her mother, who just can't accept her daughter embraces helping the dead:

http://youtu.be/kXYiU_JCYtU

Muse It Up MG/YA Blog-A-Thon

Today I'm hosting author Meradeth Snow










Thanks so much for hosting me, Kim! This is my last interview in this month of awesomeness, and I also wanted to say a big thanks to all of the wonderful ladies that have worked together to pull this off! It's been great getting to know you all!
Okay, so during the past month, I've been able to not only met some fun and interesting new authors, but hosted my first interviews, and answered some questions about myself. One of the things I've enjoyed the most is getting to see what these awesome authors do other than write. (I mean, books first, of course, but I love getting to know about the lives of authors, too!) If you haven't seen some of the other interviews, do go check them out! See, here's the thing: I love seeing how people balance it all. Because, really, it's an art in and of itself. We all have lives, jobs of one sort of another, hobbies, crafts, things we love. How all of these come together (and still allow for time to write, edit, and publish a book) is totally amazing.
For myself, this balancing act always reminds me plate-spinning. I've made this analogy before on my blog, but some days it feels like I'm rushing around like mad, trying to keep way too many plates spinning on their narrow sticks. Invariably, one of them crashes to the floor now and then. I hate it when that "plate" is my writing, and it slips through the cracks for days or weeks when life becomes too hectic.
So, how do people still manage to write and be creative? I've learned from some of the other interviews that this involves a dedicated time after everyone else is in bed (or before they get up—but I'll be honest and say this'll never happen for me!). Or they have an awesome place to retreat to in the mountains that allows them some dedicated writing time away from it all. So many different ways to eek out those precious moments at the keyboard, and so many stories that get told because we take that time and have stories to tell.
And really, what I want to say, is that it is SO worth it. Maybe sometimes it means letting another "plate" fall during a day, but when it comes down to it, taking that time to be creative, to tell a story, it's precious, and awesome, and awe inspiring. Keep up the good fight!

Title: Colors Like Memories by Meradeth Houston

Cover: (TBA)

Tagline: Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of. In order to save her best friend's life, she's going to have to face her past, but her ghosts won't make it easy. Especially his.

Bio: Meradeth Houston is finishing her degree-to-end-all-degrees in anthropology. Don't ask her how long she's been in school . She is also an instructor at her university, and spends most of her time working in a laboratory. Please drop by her blog (http://meradethhouston.blogspot.com/) or website (www.MeradethHouston.com). She's also on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MeradethSnow) and Google+, and always interested in meeting new people.
Contest: If you're interested in a copy of Colors Like Memories when it comes out, please leave a comment here or any of the other blogs I'll be visiting this month. Or leave a comment at each of the blogs, for more entry chances! I'll draw a winner from comments and announce it on my blog at the end of the month. Please leave me a way to get in contact with you!

Muse It Up MG/YA Blog-a-thon

Today I'm hosting author C.K. Volnek!







The Musings of C.K. Volnek

(CONTEST: Leave me a comment as there will be prizes! I'm offering a free copy of my e-book or a free t-shirt!)

There was a time when I was a second grader when all I wanted to do was draw bunnies. Bunnies eating, bunnies sleeping, hopping, smiling. Why? Because of a book. The Velveteen Rabbit.

Then my passion matured to horse stories. I read all the Black Stallion books, Black Beauty, Misty, etc., reading so many books I won the coveted reader award at our local library.

And today, my passion for middle-grade, tween and young adult fiction is still strong. I love a good story that weaves around a young protagonist, watching him or her grow, whether it be emotionally, in maturity, or humanity.

My first fiction novel, Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island, became available September 23rd, 2011, by MIU Publishing.

GHOST DOG OF ROANOKE ISLAND





In 1587, 117 colonists disappeared from Roanoke Island without a trace, leaving behind not only unanswered questions, but a terrifying evil.

Now it's up to twelve year-old Jack Dahlgren to unravel the age-old mystery and save his family from the hateful beast that haunts the island.

With the help of newfound friend, Manny, a Native American shaman, and an elusive Giant Mastiff, Jack must piece together the clues of the Lost Colony to discover what really happened. Shrouded in ancient Native American folklore, it's up to Jack to uncover what the evil is and why it haunts his island. But can he destroy it...before it destroys him?

But, enough about me, there's someone else here who would like to introduce himself…

Hi, my name is Jack Dahlgren. I'm the main character from C.K. Volnek's Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island, a ghost story for tweens.

I'm almost 13 years-old. I like to remind my dad of that. He treats me like such a baby.

My dad moved us to this beach house on Roanoke Island about two months ago from Ohio. I wasn't too happy about leaving the only home I'd ever known. But Dad had been out of work for over a year there. So when Great-grandma Ellis left us the house on Roanoke Island, Dad went to scope it out. He found a job in nearby Manteo and that was all she wrote. He up and moved us, not even asking if it was okay by me.

I can't say I like Roanoke Island. None of the kids at school want to have much to do with me, always teasing me about the creepy Ellis house. They say it's haunted. The beach house is pretty run down and Dad is either at work or working on the house. Never has any time for me. He won't even let me go exploring the woods or the bluff ... not since Kimmy's accident.

Kimmy's my little sister. She's six. She's in the hospital after falling off the bluff and hitting her head three weeks ago. Dad blames me for her accident. I'd do anything to take it back. I didn't know she'd followed me up there! But Dad blames me for it. Guess he's right, because I wasn't supposed to be up there in the first place.

Mom has been with Kimmy since she fell. I wish she would come home. Seems like I'm always in trouble with Dad. He's so mad at me. He promised I could get a dog when we moved to the island. But he hasn't mentioned it since the accident. But I've got to find a way to make him let me keep that big Mastiff I seen on the bluff. That Mastiff must need a good home and he'll be a great dog to have around. He already saved me from whatever that thing was I came across in the cave.

The kids don't seem to want to know me, but I did meet Manny, a 30-something Native American Indian. He's really cool. He's going to teach me how to whittle. He also seems to know what this creature is from the cave and said he'll help me figure out how to stop it.

Manny says that thing is an evil creature conjured up a long time ago, from when the first colonists landed on Roanoke Island in 1587. I learned that 117 colonists disappeared back then...disappeared without a trace. I think this creature has something to do with it.

Manny says I am the only one who can stop this thing. I have to find out why. But first I have to figure out what it is and why it's here. It's pretty scary but if I don't stop it, it will continue to haunt the island and kill more people.

Maybe if I can stop it, Dad won't be so mad at me about Kimmy's accident anymore. It could show him I'm responsible and grown up. I've got to stop it...before it stops me.

I hope you stop by and read Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island to see if I survive.
Jack Dahlgren

Thanks Jack. And thanks to Kim for having me today. I'd love to have my readers contact me at ckvolnek (at) yahoo (dot) com. They can join me on my web page: www.ckvolnek.com, or visit me at my blog: www.ckvolnek.com/blog.html. They can also find me on Facebook (C.K. Volnek) or Twitter (CKVolnek), Good Reads and Jacket Flap.
My book trailer is on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbJEF9TjZzo
My book is available at the MuseItUp Book Store: http://tinyurl.com/3pgwul2
as well as Amazon and many other fine book locations on-line.

Thanks for stopping by! Jack and I hope to see you all soon.
(CONTEST: Leave me a comment as there will be prizes! I'm offering a free copy of my e-book or a free t-shirt!)

C.K. Volnek

MG/YA Blog-a-thon

Today I'm hosting author Rebecca Ryals Russell:







BIO:
Rebecca Ryals Russell writes MG and YA Dark Fantasy and Horror while living with her family in a Victorian house on five acres of North Florida countryside. She also runs a Vacation Rental Log House on the property: Florida Black Bear Cabin. ( http://flablackbearcabin.com )
She is a fourth generation Floridian. She was born in Gainesville, grew up in Sunrise, lived in Orlando and Jacksonville before moving outside Lake City to care for ailing parents.
The daughter of an Elementary-school principal and secretary, for fourteen years she taught Middle Grades, preferring English and Creative Writing. She had several students' works published in anthologies as well as her own poetry, photography and stories. Her main interests are her four children ages 22, 19, 16, 11 and Irish hubby of 35 years. She enjoys spending her time writing, drawing, going to movies, reading, discussing philosophy with her 17-year-old son.
Over the course of the next few years she has several books being published.
Be sure to check out the special interactive Middle Grade Reader website http://tweenwordquest.com for tons of information about Stardust Warriors as well as the other projects Rebecca has in the works.






Zarena Blurb: 105 words
14-year old Zarena spends time with a Holy Order of Clerics on their hidden world of Revrum Natura, while she receives training in Martial Arts, Herbology, Astronomy, Weaponry and Mind Control. Destined to become the leader of the Vigorios, child warriors, who will assist the Seraphym in the war against the demon-dragons of Dracwald, Zarena grows up in a hurry. Lonely and homesick, she meets a Mermaid who encourages her to talk about her training. Is this new friend too good to be true? Zarena learns a valuable lesson about trust and betrayal—a lesson that will serve her well as leader of the Vigorios.





Prophecy Blurb 151 words
For centuries the residents of Solsyl lived in peace and harmony with the planet. Then the dragon-demons arrived, causing the Great Shuddering. Majikals from everywhere scurried to find shelter from the evil while humans hid. Laud regretted his rash decision of exiling the demons on Solsyl and asked one of his advisors, a member of The Conscientia, to protect his people. Jeremiah Holyfield agreed to leave the peaceful world of Revrum Natura for a life of constant strife and fear on the newly renamed planet of Dracwald. But Narciss, ruler of Tartarus and King of the demons, desperately wants what Jeremiah has sworn to protect—a Prophecy of Narciss's future doom. And Narciss refuses to take no for an answer. But Jeremiah discovers allies along his path and even true love, which he never dreamed possible.
But forever is a long time to protect something without ever letting down one's guard.




Odessa Blurb 190 words
17-year-old Myrna is drawn into the middle of an epic battle between Seraphym and Demons. An average High School student from Florida, struggling with inner demons resulting from an attack when she was 15, she wakes one morning on the Steampunk planet of Dracwald, home of the demon-dragons responsible for her brother's recent murder as well as many other atrocities in the news. She meets sweet and sensitive Michael, who explains that according to prophecy, Myrna must gather the remaining six Vigorios (teen warriors with special talents) then train with the Majikals on an enchanted island. He accompanies her on the quest, but harbors a secret past that ironically would destroy all the faith she has placed in him. A handsomely roguish Scientist with suspect motives haunts her dreams and makes sudden appearances in unlikely places, while a sensual dragon warrior defends her against her will.
Will love and lust, jealousy, greed, deceit and distrust break the delicate tie that binds these teen warriors called The Vigorios? Can a troupe of teens help the Seraphym finally defeat the massive empire of evil dominated for eons by the demon-dragons of Dracwald?

LINKS



BOOK RELEASE INFO:
April 2011-Odessa, Seraphym Wars YA Series-available at Amazon
July 2011-Zarena, Stardust Warriors MG Series
September 2011-Prophecy, Seraphym Wars
October 2011-Don't Make Marty Mad (adult Horror story)
November 2011-Jeremiah, Stardust Warriors
January 2012-Harpies, Seraphym Wars
February 2012-Laman, Stardust Warriors
April 2012-Mercy, Stardust Warriors
June 2012-Magaelbash, Stardust Warriors

Have you ever thought about what books you read as a child and how they formed your current reading likes and dislikes, habits and such? I was recently asked what books I read between ages 7-20. This is really difficult. You have no idea how long ago ages 7-20 are for me. I barely remember being 20, much less 7. Okay, here goes:
Age 7-There weren't a lot of children's books that I can remember at that age. I think I read the Little Golden books. They had a hard cardboard cover with a golden spine. They covered all sorts of topics.
Age 12-I won a Library contest at school that year, for my diorama depicting the Cabin Faced West out of toothpicks. The book I won was Freckles. The Librarian wrote a message in the front of it and I still have the book.
Age 16-I had just finished reading the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I bought and put together a puzzle of Middle Earth which my Daddy mounted on wood and we hung over my bedroom door. It was there the day I moved out to get married. Wish I had it now. I'm sure I read other stuff, but I remember doing more writing then reading at that age.
Age 20-College Books! I was in my third year of college for Elementary Ed and just married on Valentine's Day. I didn't do a lot of reading. Although this was about the time I discovered David Eddings's and Terry Brooks's books, which I devoured. They were the inspiration for my own series, the first book of which we are celebrating: Odessa of The Seraphym Wars Series and now Prophecy, which comes out this month. The first book of my MG series, Stardust Warriors, came out in July. It was called Zarena.
I guess I did it after all. And it wasn't as painful as I thought. I enjoyed reaching down through 48 years of memories to see my seven-year old self sitting in the grass reading Little Golden books. Thanks for the memories.

Friday Five

1. PERFECT



What can I say? This book is raw, honest, and very gripping. I love Ellen Hopkin's books. This story is a companion novel to IMPULSE and follows four teens with their own issues. Cara struggles with her sexuality and afraid to admit she isn't attracted to Sean but rather Dani. Sean uses steroids to help him get a baseball scholarship to Stanford to be close to Cara. Kendra is beautiful but it's not enough. She'll do anything to be a size 2 and be a top model even if that means sleeping with middle-aged men. Andre wants to be a dancer but his perfect parents expect him to get a degree in a financially rewarding career. This book deals with rape, suicide, racism, bullying, anorexia , sexual identity, just to name a few. Hopkin does a great job digging deep and peeling back the layers of her characters that can be uncomfortable at times but very honest and real.

Love, love her books!

2. DRINK, SLAY, LOVE



Ooh, this is a fun twist on the vampire premise. Pearl is a vampire and one day is speared by an unicorn that ends up changing her in an unexpected way. Now she feels for her victims which isn't good considering the King of vampires has just asked her parents to host a festive and needs lots of people for snacks.

Love the voice which is quirky and very fun!

3.ENTHRALLED

When Jackson Pearce sent me a signed postcard of this anthology, I looked it up and had to order. It's an anthology of short paranormal tales edited by Melissa Marr.



4.Watching THE SECRET CIRCLE and so far enjoying it. It comes on right after VAMPIRE DIARIES.



5. I want this book:





Love Shel Silverstein books and can't wait to add this one to our collection.

**Guilty pleasure will be on Saturday which will include a pedicure:




Which color should I go for this time? I'm thinking black with orange dots for a whole Halloween theme.

And I'm also getting hair cut and color so I'll look fab for next Saturday's SCBWI Editor's Day. Curious what editor's think of my sekrit project. I plan on using comments/feedback to work on yet another revision this November. My goal is to get it in shape for Beta readers then querying agents...again.


**Oh, also check out my guest blog at Diversity and YA:

http://www.diversityinya.com/2011/09/books-for-national-hispanic-heritage-month/

Let's just say my sekrit project reflects my love of multicultural books.

Muse It Up MG/YA Blogthon

Today I'm hosting YA author Shellie Neumeier. Her book DRIVEN looks very intriguing!




Bio:


Shellie Neumeier holds a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a minor in Psychology, Sociology and Social Studies. A devoted mother of four, Shellie previously worked on staff with Northbrook Church as the King's Kids ministry assistant (serving children in grades 2nd through 5th). Shellie's YA novel, Driven, is available from Risen Fiction and her middle grade chapter book The Wishing Ring will release February 2012. She is an active member of SCBWI and ACFW as well as a contributing author for various blogs. Shellie is located in southeastern Wisconsin.









Book Blurb:

Robyn can't help but notice the handsome new guy at her school. She ignores, however, the arrival of another being at Brookfield Central High School—a demon assigned to destroy her…
Robyn loves her friends, enjoys her youth group, and looks forward to meeting cute Caleb Montague. But when a caustic news reporter challenges her school's prayer team, Robyn must choose: defend their right to meet on campus and pray for whomever they wish or back down at the principal's request.

Now she must learn what God wants her to do. And she had better learn fast, because there's a supernatural enemy in town whose sole mission is to stop her—no matter the cost.

Diversity in YA

I'm really excited I was asked to be a guest blogger at Diversity and YA. Multicultural books are a subject dear to my heart.

http://www.diversityinya.com/2011/09/books-for-national-hispanic-heritage-month/

Friday Five

Wow, I can't believe the month's half over!

This week I received some awesome books. Here, I'll share:

1. HOW TO SAVE A LIFE





I've loved Sara Zarr's writing from day one and was lucky enough to take a writing class with her a while back. In HOW TO SAVE A LIFE, Jill MacSweeney is having a hard time adjusting to life without her father. Then her mother springs a huge announcement on her--she's adopting a baby. In enters Mandy Kalinowski, who's pregnant and looking for someone to take her unborn baby. This story reminds me of our own adoption process though we ended up having a semi-closed one. Still, our birthmother was fourteen at the time. I love this book which uses both the POV of Jill and Mandy. Zarr does a beautiful job conveying how a teen feels about her mother's decision to adopt and the emotions that go through a birthmother's head when she makes the ultimate decision.

2. DEAR BULLY



All I can say is wowza. I read over half of this anthology in one sitting. The stories are amazing and sad. Marlene Perez's SLAMMED really hit me about her finding a slam book with people slamming her and a so-called friend, that really wasn't. R.L. Stein's way of dealing with bullying ended up helping him with his later scary stories, as is Heather Brewer's recollections of how it felt to be an outsider in her school years and how one HS newspaper's comment to her, touched a nerve. So many great stories. A must read!

3. PERFECT





This sequel to IMPULSE grabs you and won't let you go. I love Ellen Hopkin's writing as she's not afraid to show the pain and hurt. I know I've said this before, but how I wished she'd been around when I was a teen. Her writing is awe inspiring with it's raw descriptions that dig deep without holding back.

Here's an excerpt from the audio book:



4. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER season 9 issue 1



Yay! Buffy's back for a new season. I couldn't wait to go to Comic Quest and grab the first issue!

Speaking of Buffy, I also watched the first episode of Sarah Michele Gellar's new series RINGER. So far it's intriguing and I know I'll watch more. Premise is about Bridget, who's a former stripper who witnesses a murder and is going to testify against the mob guy behind it. She ends up fleeing back East to be with Siohban, her idenical twin, who has some secrets of her own. Then Siohban, disappears, and Bridget takes over her life.



5. Ooh, VAMPIRE DIARIES is back!




***I'm being interviewed here today:
http://www.ckvolnek.com/blog.html


**Guilty pleasure:



I got to be good as I'm weighing in on Saturday. So on Saturday I plan to take advantage of this:






If you're a teacher, faculty, or staff member of any school and have an ID, Chick Fil A is giving away free meals! Yay!

Muse It Up Blog-A-Thon

Today I'm hosting Marva Dasef





BAD SPELLING – Book 1 of the Witches of Galdorheim
A klutzy witch, a shaman's curse, a quest to save her family. Can Kat find her magic in time?

by Marva Dasef http://marvadasef.com
Blog: http://mgddasef.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/MarvaDasef
Twitter Handle: @Gurina

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWgjP4szkh0
Release date: October 14th MuseItUp Buy Link: http://tinyurl.com/3daem4r

Bio: Marva Dasef is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a fat white cat. Retired from thirty-five years in the software industry, she has now turned her energies to writing fiction and finds it a much more satisfying occupation. Marva has published more than forty stories in a number of on-line and print magazines, with several included in Best of anthologies. She has several already published books of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery. A few more are scheduled for 2011 and 2012 from her super duper publisher, MuseItUp.

DESCRIPTION

If you're a witch living on a remote arctic island, and the entire island runs on magic, lacking magical skills is not just an inconvenience, it can be a matter of life and death–or, at least, a darn good reason to run away from home.

Katrina's spells don't just fizzle; they backfire with spectacular results, oftentimes involving green goo. A failure as a witch, Kat decides to run away and find her dead father's non-magical family. But before she can, she stumbles onto why her magic is out of whack: a curse from a Siberian shaman.

The young witch, accompanied by her warlock brother, must travel to the Hall of the Mountain King and the farthest reaches of Siberia to regain her magic, dodging attacks by the shaman along the way. At the Troll Kingdom, a young troll, Andy, joins the siblings in their quest to find the shaman and kill the curse.

Win a free ebook drawn from comments. Select either MG fantasy "Bad Spelling" or adult mystery "Missing, Assumed Dead."

RUNES







Many (most?) fantasy novels based on Euro-centric mythologies use runes in their plots, be it a tattooed rune on the hero's chest, the discovery of a runic tablet that leads a worthy band of heros on a quest for dragon's gold, or a villain who casts his dark spells in the ancient runic language. All very cool stuff.
In the Witches of Galdorheim books, I decided to use runes as the magic language. I call it Old Runish. Kat, in Bad Spelling, just can't get the pronunciation of the runes right. The results are often spectacularly wrong. In other words, she is a really bad speller.
I researched runes and found a few I could use to give some depth to the magical language of the witches. Runes are like hieroglyphics in that each run stands for a word or concept rather than a letter. I found a handy phrase chart and stole what I could. Elder Futhark is the oldest known runic alphabet. Each rune has a name. Each rune is a word of power. The Rune markings in the graphic match the interpreted Elder Futhark (the Runes in spoken form) shown in the excerpt.
Aunt Thordis is the top witch on Galdorheim and a master of Old Runic spells. If magic can be done, she's the one who can do it.

Excerpt: Bell, Book, and Candle

Thordis lit the candle, rang the bell, and prepared herself to chant the spell to wake Boris. She'd never talked to him when he was alive, since he was a mundane, and any non-magical person was simply not worth her time. Now, she had to find out a few things. Specifically, why was her niece so powerful, yet so incompetent as a witch? If her spells just fizzled, she could believe the girl just wasn't trying.
Instead, they failed spectacularly, and often messily, like her recent attempt to transform the rabbit. Perhaps she could get some answers out of Boris, even though she doubted he was intelligent enough to even realize he had them.

When she felt her magic to be at its peak, Thordis opened the book to the chapter titled Speaking to the Dead. The incantation woke the dead, so waking Boris should be a piece of cake. It also provided translation services. After all, why try to speak to the dead if they can't understand what you're saying?

"Þat kann ec iþ tolpta,
ef ec se a tre vppi
vafa virgilná:
sva ec rist oc i rvnom fác,
at sa gengr gvmi
oc melir viþ mic."

But nothing happened. She slowed down and spoke the spell with precision, putting as much magical force as she could into it. Finally, she felt the spell break through the barrier.

"Boris, do you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Your daughter is having…trouble becoming a proper witch. Of course, I believe it's your fault; well, maybe fault is too strong a word. I suspect her poor performance has to do with having a mundane father, but now I feel…something more."