Monday Muse: The Art of Dying -- The Best I Can

I have discovered The Art of Dying.

Feature Friday: Stacey Jay

Stacey Jay is the author of numerous books for teens and adults, including "Juliet Immortal" and "Romeo Redeemed." Her latest, "Of Beast and Beauty" will release on July 23rd, 2013. Stacey lives in Northern California with her winemaker husband, two boys, and her beloved sewing machine. Learn more at www.staceyjay.com

Interview: 

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Stacy:
Write because you love writing, write because the day feels incomplete until you've got something down on the page, write because you have stories floating around in your head and you NEED to get them out. Don't write because you want to be famous (even famous writers aren't famous, and from what I can glean from the famous people I know, fame is pretty lame). Don't write because you think it will make you happy to be published (being published will introduce neurosis into your life like you wouldn't believe, almost all the published writers I'm close with are on the verge of a nervous breakdown at least once a year). Don't write because you think you'll get rich doing it (almost NONE of we published writers are rich. Seriously. Even my most successful year is a year when I make less money than my friends who chose to use their brains in more conventional ways). So yeah--write because you are compelled to write and it gives you joy. Other assorted advice: Write every day. Read everything you can get your hands on. Pay attention to the world around you--engaged people make better writers (in my humble opinion).

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Stacy:
I can't pick a favorite, there are just too many amazing books in the world. But today I'm wishing I could pick up my old copy of "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maude Montgomery and spend the afternoon rereading it. It's one of my favorites because it reminds me that even the most down and out and lonesome among us can still find love/family, and I identify with Anne's overabundance of sass. I also suffer from sass-overabundance at times.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for Of Beast and Beauty?

Stacy:
I had a "Beauty and the Beast" themed dream where the roles of Beast and Beauty were reversed (Beauty took the Beast captive) on a terrifying foreign planet. The rest of the story grew from there.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing Of Beast and Beauty?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Stacy:
There was one chapter near the end that I really didn't want to write. I knew it was coming and that I was going to have to do something terrible to one of my characters and I was dreading it, so I kept procrastinating, re-writing the chapters before it. For that entire week, I was a cranky, miserable wreck. So I finally made myself write the chapter in one afternoon, crying on and off the entire time. Aside from that, however, it was a pretty smooth drafting and revising process. I did a lot of brainstorming about the characters and story before I started, so I had a good idea where I was going.

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in Of Beast and Beauty is your favorite and why?

Stacy:
I love Gem and Isra, Beast and Beauty, equally. They are two sides of the same coin, and both very loyal, fierce, and loving people (though in different ways).

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Stacy:
I'm working on copyedits for my 2014 Young Adult book with Delacorte. It's a different spin on the twisted fairy tale, featuring the daughter of a famous fairy tale princess, but I can't say much more about that story at this time. After that, I'm hoping to have a chance to finish a Middle Grade book that's very close to my heart and am drafting a proposal for something scandalous that may get me in trouble if I'm allowed to write it. It's all very exciting stuff, and I'm feeling invigorated about writing in a way I haven't in awhile now!

A.L.:
Out of all the books you've written so far, which was easiest for you to write and why?

Stacy:
"Undead Much?", the second in the Megan Berry, Zombie Settler, series was a really quick write. I already knew the characters well at that point, I had a solid outline before I started, and I was still full of "beginning of career" fire. At that point in my writer's life I could draft an 80,000 word novel in a little over four weeks. I'm much, much slower now. "Of Beast and Beauty" took four months to draft and another two months to revise. It's the only book I wrote last year, which is strange for me. I usually write at least two full length novels a year.

A.L.:
Would you consider Of Beast and Beauty to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast?  Why or why not?

Stacy:
Yes, I would. It contains all the elements of the original fairy tale. You may have to squint hard to see them, but they are there. There are other story lines weaved into the traditional story, but at it's core it is a retelling. (In contrast to my other recent books, "Juliet Immortal" and "Romeo Redeemed," which I consider re-imaginings using familiar characters, not retellings.)

A.L.:
You're written both adult and young adult literature -- which do you prefer?  Why?

Stacy:
Most of the time I prefer writing for young adults because I think that's such an exciting time in life, when a person is figuring out who they are, who they want to be, and who they might like to share all their big adventures with. And from a romance angle, while love is amazing at any age, there's nothing like falling in love for the very first time. It's pretty magical. Still, there are times when I enjoy writing for adults. I especially love writing adult books where jaded/downtrodden/damaged people get a second chance. I love redemption stories.

The Giveaway:
Stacey is giving away one winner's choice of JULIET IMMORTAL or ROMEO REDEEMED signed, plus some fun R&J temporary tattoos.  This giveaway is national only.

Of Beast and Beauty (not the giveaway):  In the beginning was the darkness, and in the darkness was a girl, and in the girl was a secret...

In the domed city of Yuan, the blind Princess Isra, a Smooth Skin, is raised to be a human sacrifice whose death will ensure her city’s vitality. In the desert outside Yuan, Gem, a mutant beast, fights to save his people, the Monstrous, from starvation. Neither dreams that together, they could return balance to both their worlds.

Isra wants to help the city’s Banished people, second-class citizens despised for possessing Monstrous traits. But after she enlists the aid of her prisoner, Gem, who has been captured while trying to steal Yuan’s enchanted roses, she begins to care for him, and to question everything she has been brought up to believe.

As secrets are revealed and Isra’s sight, which vanished during her childhood, returned, Isra will have to choose between duty to her people and the beast she has come to love.

Read Goodreads reviews.
Buy on Amazon.
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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter). I will contact the winner via email. This contest is open to national entrants. 

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FOR YOUR HEART -- Sneaky Peek #1

This is the first sneak peek (teaser) from my new YA novel FOR YOUR HEART.  If you like what you read, please make sure to go check it out here and don't forget to share it with your friends!
-Amanda (A.L. Davroe)

            He bites his lip.  “I would like to allow you that boon, Lovely, I would.  But I can’t wait that long.  I’m sorry.  You've got exactly one year.”  He stands, his expression determined and resolute.  “Until then, you will care for that heart like it is diamond encrusted and I shall make sure of it.”

            I stare at him, unmoving as he goes toward my bed, divests himself of his weapons, and stretches across the side I never sleep on.  He pluffs up my sushi pillow, shifts into a comfortable position, and settles his gaze on me.

            It takes a minute to compute what’s happening and then I push myself up on shaking arms.  “No,” I insist with a shake of my head.  “You are not staying here.”

            “I can't go back to Roxel, she'll want to know about the rose.”

            “Go pawn yourself off on some other chick.  You don't seem to have any problems with that.”

            Tamrin looks around the room.  “No, I like it here.  I'm staying.”

            I feel my jaw drop.  “You can't stay here,” I insist.  “You can't freeload off of my dreams and then steal my heart!”

            He cocks his head, regarding me with thoughtful eyes.  “I can pay, if you like.  I promise you'll be pleased.”  The tone of his voice is far too suggestive.

            I blink, then blush crimson.  “What?  No!”  My voice is too high pitched, scandalized as I am.  “I'm not,” I struggle for words, “I'm not that kind of girl.  I don't do stuff like that.  I'm Catholic.  You know, virgin until marriage.”

            Tamrin frowns and then shrugs.  “Suit yourself.  But, I'm not leaving.”

 

Monday Muse: Icona Pop -- I Love It

This song has dominated me since I heard it in Italy.

Feature Friday: Kelsey Sutton

Kelsey Sutton has done everything from training dogs, making cheeseburgers, selling yellow page ads, and cleaning hotel rooms. Now she divides her time between her college classes and her writing. Kelsey lives in northern Minnesota with her dog and cat, Lewis and Clark.

Interview:

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Kelsey:
One piece of advice I took to heart - still do - is to never give up. Which is something we've all heard before, but it's so important. I queried for two years, and I know some writers who've been trying for much longer. If I had stopped, fed up with all the rejections and dead-ends, think of all I would have missed out on. And it didn't get any easier from there; I was on submission for another year and a half. But eventually we found Brian Farrey-Latz at Flux, and they've embraced SOME QUIET PLACE with an enthusiasm I thought only I was capable of for this story. So even when it looked like my dream wasn't going to happen, I kept going. Call it stubbornness or just plain stupidity. And I'm so glad I did.

A.L.:
 What's your favorite book and why?

Kelsey:
 I would have to say Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier. It's such a beautiful retelling of the Seven Swans fairy tale, and the romance makes your heart ache. I reread it at least once a year, and my copy is so stained and dog-eared that I should have gotten a new copy a long time ago. I'm too attached to it, though, so here's to another stain this year!

A.L.:
 Where did you get the idea for Some Quiet Place?

Kelsey:
 I got the idea for Fear first, actually, and the rest came after. I was sitting at my computer, trying to think of a new idea. So I typed down a random sentence, something like, "Fear rooted me in place." It didn't sit right with me, but I kept staring at that word. Fear. And someone, someway, I erased the other four words and typed, "Fear is coming." The rest is history.

A.L.:
 Did you hit any snags while writing Some Quiet Place?  What were they and how did you fix them?

Kelsey:
 Not during the first draft, no, but the revisions were grueling. I ended up rewriting the last half of the book. See, originally, the personified emotions were fairies! When the manuscript was on submission, however, editors kept saying that the market for fairies is too full and they were looking for something new and different. Eventually we withdrew the book, and I created a mythology all my own. Emotions as, well, emotions. Nothing more. And it worked. It was just a lot of work changing everything and making adjustments so my world made sense.

A.L.:
 Which one of the characters in Some Quiet Place is your favorite and why?

Kelsey:
 Fear. Real shocker, right? Sorry, but he's so delicious and entertaining. For me, it was effortless writing him because he just sort of jumped off the page. I hope it's the same for those reading about him.

A.L.:
 Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

Kelsey:
 Hard-won. As you now know, I was querying for two years, and then on submission for another year and a half. There were many times I wanted to throw in the towel. Those hair-pulling days and nail-biting hours were completely worth it, though.

A.L.:
 What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

Kelsey:
 I just finished the companion to SOME QUIET PLACE, actually! Same world, different characters. It's about a girl who sees Revenge and Forgiveness as personified beings (of course) and has to choose between them when the man who killed her family is released from prison. The tentative release date is next summer, and I can't wait for you guys to read it. My project right now... is top secret. Hopefully I can tell you about it soon.

A.L.:
 How did you go about writing an emotion as a character?

Kelsey:
 Again, it was surprisingly natural. They all have different appearances and quirks. Some really emanate the emotion they represent while others seem entirely human. I just followed my instincts. 

A.L.:
 Some Quite Place has a stunning, haunting cover - is it everything you wanted it to be?  Did you get a say in what it looked like?

Kelsey:
 It really is. I got so, so lucky with this cover. And yes, actually, I did get a say! My publisher presented me with some images they were thinking about using, and I picked this one from the line-up. They just went with it, and the result is amazing. In my opinion. What's great is that it really represents the aspect of the story itself, like the rural setting and how the identity of the girl is unknown and even coming apart.

A.L.:
 What's the most bizarre drink you've ever tried at your local coffee shop?

Kelsey:
 Love this question! I actually once mixed up all the smoothie flavors into one, colorful, giant drink. And it was amazing. Seriously. Dang it, now I need to go get another one...

The Giveaway:
Kelsey is giving away a signed copy of SOME QUIET PLACE!

Some Quiet Place:  I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.

Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.

Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?



Read Goodreads Reviews
Buy on Amazon
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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter). I will contact the winner via email. This contest is open to national entrants. 


 

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Monday Muse: Marco Mengoni -- Pronto a correre

So, this isn't the awesome Italian song I wanted you guys to here. But it's another cool one. And he's kind of cute, so bonus Ladies!

Feature Friday: C.J. Flood

C J Flood is the author of Infinite Sky, which releases in paperback today in the UK, and next summer in the U.S.. She lives in Bristol, England, where she is working on her second novel for Simon and Schuster.

Interview:

A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

C.J.:
Take a notebook and pen everywhere. Read a lot and write a lot. Watch films and television. Eavesdrop on conversations. Try new things. Live a full life. Don't use reading and writing as an excuse not to get involved with life as much.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

C.J.:
My favourite books change all the time, but today I'm going to say it's Northern Lights from Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy. I started re-reading it yesterday, and was amazed by the writing and the imaginative power at work in it. It's an unforgettable book, and one that if I had the time, I would return to again and again.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for Infinite Sky?

C.J.:
I mostly wanted to write about an idyllic part of my childhood, growing up on a farm. I love writing about family so I knew from the start that this would be at the heart of the story. The Travellers turned up quite late, months after I started writing. They were a small thread at first, but I quickly realised that they would bring what the story had so far been lacking: conflict.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing Infinite Sky?  What were they and how did you fix them?

C.J.:
Yes, lots! I couldn't think how to end the story for a long time. Then, once I knew someone was going to have to die, I couldn't decide who. I fixed it by writing a few different endings, and considering them. Probably quite a long-winded approach to solving the problem.

Something else that always slows me down when writing is thinking about what the story is saying. Not a moral as such, but what the book's message is. I think really carefully about how I portray types. I try not to pander to already prominent, damaging stereotypes if I can help it. Not sure I always succeed with this...

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in Infinite Sky is your favorite and why?

C.J.:
All of the characters are very close to my heart. I understand their intentions as well as their actions, and so I love them dearly - they are such well-meaning, messed up people! Hopefully a lot like those you know in real life. Trick, especially, is beloved to me. He has had a hard life, but he has stayed gentle in lots of ways. I love him for trying to look after Iris.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?

C.J.:
I started writing with a view to being published when I was 21, and in the years that followed I had lots of short stories and poems published in literary journals and magazines. When I was 28, I applied for a place on a Creative Writing Masters at the University of East Anglia. It was really lucky that I got a place there, as I didn't apply anywhere else, and I was desperate to go. After this my journey sped up significantly. I signed with an agent who I met on the course a few months after graduating, and got a book deal a year after that.

A.L.:
What are you working on now?  Sequel?  Something new?

C.J.:
My second novel is another stand alone story, along the same lines as Infinite Sky. It is about a thirteen year old girl called Kit, and her quest to find her missing soldier brother, and bring him home. It is about friendship, bravery and appearances. Simon and Schuster will publish it in 2014.

A.L.:
Did you put a lot of work into studying the gypsy culture for this book?  If so, what was your favorite source of information?

C.J.:
I did a lot of research, yes. One of my favourite sources of information was a memoir called Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh. It is about a Romany boy, rather than an Irish Traveller, and the story is about his struggle to face his sexuality and come out in a very traditional family. It was quite different to what I was writing, but the story is so well-written and sad and heartwarming that I can't forget it. I strongly recommend it.

A.L.:
You like fire, the sea, and trees...And your book is titles Infinite Sky...I'm gonna be mean and make you choose:  if you were an elemental faerie, what kind of element would you be and what would your secret power be?

C.J.:
Easy! I would choose water, and my super power would be the ability to turn into water. I would use it to get into off-limits place and eavesdrop. How my writing will improve now I have this gift!

A.L.:
If you were a gypsy, what would your gypsy name be?  Likewise, if you were a pro-boxer, what would it be?

C.J.:
Hmm, I'm not sure what the naming habits are in boxing, don't they just have normal names? So C J Flood, I think. If I was an Irish Traveller, I would be called Nan Delaney, like Trick's mum.

The Giveaway:
C.J. is giving away a hardcover copy of INFINITE SKY.  The contest is open to national entrants only.

Infinite Sky:  Iris Dancy’s free-spirited mum has left for Tunisia, her dad’s rarely sober and her brother’s determined to fight anyone with a pair of fists.

When a family of travellers move into the overgrown paddock overnight, her dad looks set to finally lose it. Gypsies are parasites he says, but Iris is intrigued. As her dad plans to evict the travelling family, Iris makes friends with their teenage son. Trick Deran is a bare knuckle boxer who says he’s done with fighting, but is he telling the truth?

When tools go missing from the shed, the travellers are the first suspects. Iris’s brother, Sam, warns her to stay away from Trick; he’s dangerous, but Iris can no longer blindly follow her brother’s advice. He’s got secrets of his own, and she’s not sure he can be trusted himself.

Infinite Sky is a family story about betrayal and loyalty, and love.

Read Goodreads reviews.
Buy on Amazon.

How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter). I will contact the winner via email. This contest is open to national entrants.

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Freedom to Read Giveaway/Hop

Also, don't forget to enter to win Infinite Sky by C.J. Flood. (begins 7/5)

Another one?  Yeah, 'cause I'm feeling generous.  :D

The Giveaway:
One lucky winner can select any one of the books below.

Dare You To: Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

Shadow of the Mark: Leigh Fallon’s Shadow of the Mark, the sequel to Carrier of the Mark, is a captivating love story set against the lush backdrop of Ireland.

Megan knew she was destined to be with Adam from the first moment she saw him and now they are determined to be together. But Megan and Adam are Marked Ones, and a romance between two Marked Ones is strictly forbidden…and could cause worldwide devastation.

Leigh Fallon’s Shadow of the Mark is a great choice for readers who love Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush.

The Essence: “Danger, dread, mystery, and romance” (Booklist) continue in the second book of The Pledge trilogy, as Charlie’s reign is under siege from the most unusual of enemies.

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

The Elite: The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.

Pivot Point: Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Dualed: You or your Alt? Only one will survive.

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.

Elsie Chapman's suspenseful YA debut weaves unexpected romance into a novel full of fast-paced action and thought-provoking philosophy. When the story ends, discussions will begin about this future society where every adult is a murderer and every child knows there is another out there who just might be better.

Let the Sky Fall: Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

Allegiant: One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth’s #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.





How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter). I will contact the winner via email. This contest is open to international entrants. 



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Monday Muse: Kokia -- With Reflection (Chouwa Oto)

Since I'm in Italy, I was going to post this really fantastic song that I heard on the radio here...But, of course, I can't find it. So, here's one of my favorite Japanese songs instead. Ciao!

Feature Friday: Kady Cross

In her other life Kady Cross is a USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 books. She is lucky enough to have a husband who shares her love for the slightly twisted, and all things geek, and a houseful of cats with whom she shares her darkest secrets.  When she’s not listening to the characters in her head she’s either trying to formulate the perfect lipgloss or teaching herself to solder. She has a weakness for all things girly, sugar skulls, and boots. Her love of books and makeup borders on addiction – from which she never, ever wants to be cured.

Interview:
A.L.:
What piece of advice would you give to a budding author?

Kady:
Read, read, read. Write, write, write. Trite, but true. Study your favorite authors, write until you find your own voice. Listen to your instincts and always keep striving to improve your work.

A.L.:
What's your favorite book and why?

Kady:
Oh, I don't think I could pick a favorite! That's like asking someone to pick their favorite star in the sky, or their favorite snowflake. There are so many beautiful books out there. Maybe I haven't found my favorite yet.

A.L.:
Where did you get the idea for The Girl with the Iron Touch?

Kady:
My husband. He was the one who thought it would be 'cool' to have a group of sentient automatons pop up. I thought it was the perfect way to continue the Machinist story line (and arc of the series) and also give Emily and Sam their time in the spotlight.

A.L.:
Did you hit any snags while writing The Girl with the Iron Touch? What were they and how did you fix them?
 

Kady:
No snags except what to do with Jasper, who is still a little out of sorts after the events in New York. Then, Cat showed up and I sent them off on their own adventure (look for the 'Wild Adentures of Jasper Renn' short storyin a few months)!

A.L.:
Which one of the characters in The Girl with the Iron Touch is your favorite and why?

Kady:
Mila. I think because she was new, and just so odd! lol. She was a lot of fun to write in that book, and it's been interesting watching her evolve.

A.L.:
Can you tell us a little bit about your journey as an author?
 

Kady:
It's not terribly exciting! I've known I wanted to do this since I was 8, which was hundreds of years ago, now. I was 28 when I sold my first book. What I did was look at my favorite authors and check for any repetition of publisher. Turned out about 3/4 of them were at the same house. Then, I compared my style to theirs, picked the ones I thought I was most compatible, and researched if any of them shared the same editor. And what do you know, most of them shared the same editor! I sent that editor my book, which she then gave to her assistant and with permission to buy it if she wanted it. Lucky for me, that editor did indeed want the book!

A.L.:
What are you working on now? Sequel? Something new?

Kady:
I'm working on the last book of the Steampunk Chronicles (insert sad face) and pitching a brand new series (insert manic face) that I think readers will love! It's different from the SC, but I'm really excited about it.

A.L.:
You write both adult and YA in a couple of different genres. What do you prefer writing?

Kady:
It depends on the day! lol. If I'm writing YA I prefer adult and if I'm writing adult I prefer YA. I think it's a weird neurotic thing that most writers have to keep them pushing forward.

A.L.:
Out of all the Steampunk Chronicle books you've written so far (including your novellas) what's your favorite story-line and why?

Kady:
Now you're asking me to pick my favorite child!? lol. Hmm. I think the evolution of Finley and Jack's friendship has been my favorite. Certainly very interesting for me. Also, Griffin's arc from boy afraid of what he is to (spoiler alert!!) embracing his power in book 4.

A.L.:
What's your favorite set of cosmetics right now? (brand, color, etc.)

Kady:
You're killing me. If you could see my makeup collection you would not be asking me this! OK, right now I'm totally in love with Inglot eyeshadows and MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation. Fab for summer. Oh, and Benefit 'Fakeup' concealer. It is amazing!

The Giveaway:
Oh, you guys are so lucky this week.  Kady is giving away the entire series (thus far) of The Steampunk Chronicles -- signed.  AND it's international!  I've read a good chunk of this series and met Kady (she's a CT author like I used to be) and I love both the books and the author a lot, please support her! :D

The Girl in the Steel Corset: In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one...except the "thing" inside her.When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no "normal" Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch....

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of "them." The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits: Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help--and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on--even if it seems no one believes her.

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The Girl in the Clockwork Collar:  In New York City, 1897, life has never been more thrilling-or dangerous Finley Jayne and her "straynge band of mysfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper from the clutches of a devious criminal demanding a trade-the dangerous device Jasper stole from him...for the life of the girl Jasper loves. One false move from Jasper, and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens and tightens. From the rough streets of lower Manhattan to elegant Fifth Avenue, the motley crew of teens follows Jasper's elusive trail. And they're about to discover how far they'll go for friendship. More than ever, Finley must rely on powerful English duke Griffin King to balance her dark magic with her good side. Yet Griffin is at war with himself over his secret attraction to Finley...and will risk his life and reputation to save her. Now, to help those she's come to care for so deeply, Finley must infiltrate the criminal gang. Only problem is, she might like the dark side a little too much....

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The Girl with the Iron Touch:  In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken

When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his consciousness into one of his automatons—or forfeit her friends' lives.

With Griffin being mysteriously tormented by the Aether, the young duke's sanity is close to the breaking point. Seeking help, Finley turns to Jack Dandy, but trusting the master criminal is as dangerous as controlling her dark side. When Jack kisses her, Finley must finally confront her true feelings for him...and for Griffin.

Meanwhile, Sam is searching everywhere for Emily, from Whitechapel's desolate alleyways to Mayfair's elegant mansions. He would walk into hell for her, but the choice she must make will test them more than they could imagine.

To save those she cares about, Emily must confront The Machinist's ultimate creation—an automaton more human than machine. And if she's to have any chance at triumphing, she must summon a strength even she doesn't know she has....

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How to Enter:
Enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter. Hit the arrow buttons, follow the prompts, and hit the enter buttons when you're done. (You may have to log in using Facebook to do this). There will be one winner (selected by Rafflecopter). I will contact the winner via email. This contest is open to international entrants. 


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