vvb32 reads

Firefly Beach by Meira Pentermann

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Excerpt from: Firefly Beach by Meira Pentermann

Later that evening, an exhausted Beth took a long, hot shower. She pulled on her pajamas and prepared to get into bed. As she passed her window, she saw a shimmer of light near the cliff. The firefly.

Beth’s stomach turned over. “Oh no you don’t,” she said, trying to sound courageous.

Grateful that she had not yet taken down the old curtains for a trip to the cleaners, she quickly crossed the room to pull them shut. As she reached up to grab the left curtain, the firefly flew swiftly toward her and stopped less than a foot from the window. Beth’s hand froze. She was terrified, yet fascinated.

“What are you?” she whispered.

As if in response, the firefly swooped and danced. After a moment, it began to repeat a pattern – up to the window slowly, followed by a swift lunge down toward the large boulder near the edge of the forest. Over and over again it dove, as if beckoning Beth.

“No!” Beth said firmly, and she drew the curtains closed violently. Unfortunately, they were several inches too short to cover the windows. “Damn.” Beth shivered as a deep chill went through her body. She grabbed her large blue sweatshirt and climbed into bed, leaving her three-way bedside lamp on its lowest setting of twenty-five watts. For a long time, she stared at the ceiling. She pulled the comforter way up to her chin and grasped it like a security blanket. She glanced at the clock every now and again – 11:16 p.m., 12:01 a.m., 12:48 a.m., and 1:19 a.m. Sometime between 1:30 and 2:00, she fell asleep.

She was beset by disturbing dreams; rapid firing images flashed before her eyes – a car screeching down a country road, a yellow duck, her father’s face. She awoke with a start. Why am I dreaming about my father after all of these years?

~end

Author Bio
On slow, snowy days in her Colorado home, Meira Pentermann enjoys cozying up on the couch with a novel. Naturally, snow is not a requirement; neither is the couch. In fact, she sees no reason not to indulge in reading three-hundred-and-sixty-five days a year. Apocalyptic science fiction, mysteries, and young adult titles top her Kindle list, but legal thrillers and chik-lit make an appearance now and then.

When not absorbed in writing or reading, Meira enjoys life’s little moments with her family – the love and devotion of her black lab, the quiet wisdom of her artistic twenty-one-year-old, the trials and triumphs of her petite sixth grader, and the unlimited encouragement offered by her Dutch husband.

Meira strives to write stories that deliver the unexpected. She prefers down-to-earth characters that look and behave like regular folks. The prom queen and Adonis take a backseat to reclusive, soul-searching heroines and quirky, introverted gentlemen.

Visit Meira:
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

READ more about this world...

Firefly Beach
by Meira Pentermann

Published: 2012
Publisher: self
Genre: Women's Fiction/Paranormal
ebook
Rating: 4

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

When Beth LaMonte rents a cottage on the coast of Maine, she wishes only to withdraw and paint. A mysterious ball of light disturbs her peace and leads her to a secret beach where she finds the diary of a girl who disappeared in 1975. Now Beth is on a mission, not only to bury her own past, but to put to rest the spirit of Firefly Beach.

PeekAbook:

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): creepy critter
Great mystery/paranormal read for the summer. The story leisurely reveals a tale which takes place in a small town that keeps your attention to the end.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 31, 2012

TO DO:

TWEET about this with link to this post.

or

FACEBOOK about this with link to this post.

or

ADD this to your Goodreads.

RETURN here and tell me what you did.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising

* part of Firefly Beach tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies - sponsored by Reading Addiction Blog Tours

Winners for May pt2

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 10 May 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended April 30, 2012
and May 1, 2012
and May 6, 2012
during the Fairy Tales in Bruges III event
which will end later this month

Thanks to all contestants!

Detritus edited by Kate Jonez
Winner for Print: Carl
Winner for Print: Cathie of Life is Odd
Winner for Print: Freda of Freda's Voice

Winner for ebook: Denise Z
Winner for ebook: Dianne
Winner for ebook: Joy - declined
Winner for ebook: Krysykat of Because I Said So!

Gisborne: Book of Pawns by Prue Batten
Winner: Bridget Howard
Winner: Krysykat of Because I Said So!

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Winner: Kimberleigh of All The Lovely Books...

The Kingdom on the Edge of Reality by Gahan Hanmer
Winner: These Paper Wings of Paper Wings
Winner (my ARC): MAD of Mary Ann DeBorde Writes (and Reads!)

Lily in the Snow and Other Elemental Tales by Christine E. Schulze
Winner: Gale Nelson of I won't let you tear me down!

Torn by Ashley S. Morgan
Winner: Stephanie of The Eclectic Girl

Zombie Fairy Tales by Kevin Richey
winner gets to pick the tale
Winner: Doodle of Doodle's Book Blog
Winner: Michelle of The True Book Addict

~*~
* to see the original giveaway offer, click on the prize title links

* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* keep in touch with my giveaways and learn about other book giveaways by subscribing via email on my sidebar (you may want to go digest mode)

* if not this time, maybe next time

--> check out the current giveaways and upcoming events on my sidebar

Winners for May pt1

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:01:00 +0000

Here are the winners for giveaways that
ended April 30, 2012
and May 1, 2012
during the Fairy Tales in Bruges III event
which will end later this month

Thanks to all contestants!

Galahad series by Dom Testa
Winner: Doodle of Doodle's Book Blog

Cloaked by Alex Flinn
Winner: Midnight of Midnight Medley

Wanted: Dead or Undead (The Zombie West Series, #1) by Angela Scott
Winner: Sullivan McPig of Pearls Cast Before a McPig

~*~
* to see the original giveaway offer, click on the prize title links

* I will email winners for mailing addresses within two weeks.
Winners, feel free to contact me with your info if you don't get my email
or if you are just too darn excited and want to let me know -- like NOW ;-D

* contest policy

* keep in touch with my giveaways and learn about other book giveaways by subscribing via email on my sidebar (you may want to go digest mode)

* if not this time, maybe next time

--> check out the current giveaways and upcoming events on my sidebar

Changing My Wardrobe by Deb Hanrahan

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Deb Hanrahan
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
Excerpt from: Changing My Wardrobe

Teeny’s logic made sense to a point. If I wanted my life to be better, I needed to make some changes, and high school was the perfect place for me to do that. But I wasn’t convinced that a makeover was the answer. Changing my life couldn’t be as easy as changing my wardrobe, could it? After all, my face, my body, and my personality would be the same. Avery would still recognize me; she would still see me as the “little mouse.”

My anxiety began to rise as I walked away from my safety net. I knew that I wouldn’t have made it through junior high without Teeny and Grouper; they always had my back. But now things had to change. I couldn’t lean on them as I had done in the past. It was time for me to stand on my own two feet, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that yet.

We walked in silence for a while, trying to shake the negative energy that had engulfed us during our encounter with the devil. I felt as if I had been hit by a bus, and I had only spent a few minutes with that woman. I couldn’t help wondering what it was like to live with her. Did she talk to Avery like that all the time? What about her husband? Was he a victim of hers as well? Or was he her partner in crime, helping his wife strip Avery of any self worth and dignity that she might still possess? No wonder Avery was such a jerk. How could she have a kind view of the world when the people who are supposed to love her the most, treat her so badly?

It was a relief when Avery was with Cal because then she would ignore me. I could only guess that Cal didn’t want to upset Marco, so he kept her in line. For a short time, both Cal and Avery kept to themselves at lunch and outside of school. The mall, the picture, and the accident seemed to have been forgotten. I was starting to think that all the crazy drama was over. But our two groups only had a brief span of peaceful coexistence before our lives grew increasingly intertwined, causing a chain of events that would alter our futures forever.

~end

Guest post created by Deb Hanrahan, author of Changing My Wardrobe
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Author Bio
I live with my husband and three teenagers in the Chicagoland burbs. After graduating from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Chemistry, I worked at a nuclear power plant for five years. I then left my career to stay at home with my three kids.

Seemingly, overnight, I went from being crazy-busy to having way too much time on my hands. With my husband working long hours and my kids pursuing their own lives, I had to reinvent myself. So, I decided to write that book I always wanted to write. Changing My Wardrobe is my first novel.

Visit Deb:
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Deb Hanrahan
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about this world...

Changing My Wardrobe
by Deb Hanrahan

Published: 2011
Publisher: Philyra Publishing
Genre: YA
PDF: 138 pages
Rating: 4

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Lindsey, a high school freshman, views her new school as a place to start over. With the help of her friends, she hopes that a change in her wardrobe will prompt a change in her image. She has some success until her long-time nemesis, Avery, reminds Lindsey of her place. Without asking for help from the adults, the main character and her friends struggle to manage the bullying. Despite their efforts, tensions rise, and people get hurt.

Back cover:
Incoming freshman, Lindsey Ames, wants to take Italian, and she wants to join the National Honor Society.

She wants a new image, and she wants better clothes.

She wants Avery to stop tormenting her, and she wants Marco to ask her out.

She wants Jocelyn to go away, but she wants Grouper to be happy.

She wants to save Teeny's reputation, but she doesn't want to lose everything.

Will Lindsey find the courage to stand up to her enemies before it's too late?

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): garanimals
The storyline follows "A day in the life of a teen..." kind of path that uncovers ugly parts of life and people along the way. The twist at the end of the story packs a punch. boo hoo.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 31, 2012

TO DO:

TWEET about this with link to this post.

or

FACEBOOK about this with link to this post.

or

ADD this to your Goodreads.

RETURN here and tell me what you did.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising

* part of Changing My Wardrobe tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies - sponsored by Reading Addiction Blog Tours

Q&A with Kevin Richey

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Kevin Richey
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

Fredamans: Kevin, where did you get the idea for Zombie Fairy Tales?
Kevin: I had the idea for Zombie Cinderella about five years ago, but never did anything with it. It was one of those random 3 a.m. kind of ideas that just sort of stuck with me. Then last fall I had the urge to write an anthology series, and started coming up with ideas for more fairy tale retellings.

Doodle: How did you go about picking which fairy tales you would zombify first?
Kevin: When I first decided to do the series, I sat down with a few books of fairy tales and made a list of any that might work. Some I had great ideas for right away, and others were stories that I really liked in the original, but wouldn’t fit in with the rules of my universe. (There’s no magic in my stories, beyond the zombie virus itself.)

M.A.D.: Do you plan to zombify Rumpelstiltskin, or is that just wishful thinking on my part?
Kevin: Rumpelstiltskin is one of those stories I really love that I couldn’t make work without magic. I’m not against doing it in the future, if I get an idea for it that feels in line with the original, but at this time it’s not on the list.

Rachel at thejeepdiva: Are you going to be doing twelve fairy tales or more?
Kevin: The original plan was to do twelve fairy tales within the series. But since then, I’ve had a few more ideas, and I’m planning on three additional holiday-themed fairy tales that will come out later this year.

Michelle @ The True Book Addict: What is your favorite thing about zombies? Specifically, it's obvious you love them, but why do you love them?
Kevin: I’ve always been more interested in the villains of the stories, and I really like movies and books that develop sympathy for them by showing things more from their perspective. Zombies are always portrayed as mindless hunters, but what if they had a deeper inner life than that, and simply couldn’t express it? I suppose that’s the fascination: I think of zombies as these creatures that may do these horrible things, but are not horrible people. Frightening, yes, but with a sense of justice.

Dianne: I'd like to ask who did the cover art because all of them are gorgeous!
Kevin: Thank you! My boyfriend David Gardner is a professional photographer, and he has done all of my covers so far. We also have a friend that is a very talented fashion designer, Desiato Khan, who provides us with the creepy costumes. I’m very lucky to have such talented people around me, as it allows me focus pretty much exclusively on writing.

~end

Guest post created by Kevin Richey, author of Zombie Fairy Tales series
based on questions from comments from giveaway post
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Kevin:
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Shelfari

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Kevin Richey
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
READ more about this fairy tale world...

--~ eBook Giveaway ~--

signup to win one of these books

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Henrietta Tilney from David Doub

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by David Doub
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
As I reach for the door handle fear causes me to freeze. I know this interview is a bad idea, but all in the name of promotion right?

So I open the door and I make sure to drop a rock in the door’s path to ensure the door can’t be shut all the way. That way it can’t be potentially locked or barred.

I finally notice the room and its contents. In the center of the room is a simple table and chair. Both are situated in the path of sunlight from the only window. On the table is a Remington Standard Typewriter. Next to the typewriter is a cup of tea with a spoon on the saucer. Seated in the chair was the subject of my interview. She had her hands poised over the typewriter ready to transcribe everything we said. Her face and body language seemed to speak of polite society and decorum, but I knew better.

Considering the hell I’ve put this woman through, I suspect she may have ulterior motives for agreeing to this interview.

H: What the bloody hell are you doing here?

I think I’m the one that’s supposed to be asking the questions.

H: Why do you get to ask the questions?

B/c that’s what I was supposed to do for the blog… but now I have to explain what a blog is. So just go with it.

H: Well, go on with it.

How do you feel about a comic being made about your misadventures?

H: What do you mean a comic is being made about my adventures? They aren’t misadventures, are they? I mean I’m still alive right?

Crap, I mean an illustrated penny dreadful. Well, if you have a positive outlook on things then we can call them adventures.

H: That’s better.

So what do you think of your adventures being made into fiction then?

H: Am I at least proportional in these ones? I’m pretty sure I was a buxom milkmaid in one of Harwood’s versions, which was fairly inappropriate.

Oh, that. Well for the uhm full picture we do have excerpts of Harwood’s text, but it’s mostly accurate as we can get. But you can’t blame me for the things that do happen to you that are less than flattering. I actually feel a tad guilty about all that.

H: I don’t think I believe you… if you really do feel guilty, then why do you keep making things so dreadful, anyway? You have the power to stop this you know.

But I’m trying to appeal the readers first and foremost. And most readers like drama, so in the name of drama you must suffer. So in a way, your sacrifice is helping plenty of readers escape their own lives and woes. So it’s all worthwhile in the end.

H: Maybe for them! At this point, I have to consider surviving a good day.

Okay that is total BS. You suffer for other’s enjoyment. If you want something more out of your life, then you are going to have to make it better. No one else has a vested interest in your happy ending. They want to see a strong woman to prevail over all obstacles in an ever escalating spiral.

H: They’ll at least get the strong woman bit then. With any luck, they’ll get the prevailing part too.

So back to the original question, your only thought about a book about you is that you want the bust size to be correct?

H: No, no (although that would be preferable, please). I just hope that the readers find my suffering to be suitably entertaining for you.

Are you being sarcastic? But oh look we ran out of room/time because of all your digressions so we’ll just have to end the interview here. (/run)

(And with that I quickly get up and leave the room before her benevolent mask drops and I am deep in trouble).

H: Fairly sarcastic, yes. Oh well, good day then? (…bloody coward… can’t even survive an interview with his own character.)

(I hear her words in the background, but I’m already halfway down the stairs, looking for the nearest exit).

~end

Guest post created by David Doub, author of The Trials and Tribulations of Miss Tilney
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit David:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by David Doub
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about this world...

The Trials and Tribulations of Miss Tilney
by David Doub
-comic book
Cub Reporter Henrietta Tilney is sent on her first assignment, to interview accused mass murderer Lord Beowulf Harwood. But young Henrietta quickly finds out there is much more to this story and its subject Lord Harwood. Will this plucky young reporter get her story and survive with her life intact?

A Penny Dreadful in three parts!

Written by David Doub
Art by Sarah Elkins
Colors by Danielle Alexis
Letters by Joamette Gil

PeekAbook:

page 1

page 8

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): feisty
Rating: 5
Great start to the 3 part series! I read the ebook version of this story and loved the colors and illustrations as much as I would have a print copy.

This Victorian Gothic storyline had a paranormal and steampunk feel to it. I am very curious to see how the rest plays out.

--~ Comic Book (digital version) Giveaway courtesy of author ~--

WIN a copy of this Comic eBook!
for 5 winners

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 13, 2012

TO DO:

TELL ME...

What was the last comic book you read?

IF none, which one of these genres would you be interested in experiencing? (pick one)

Comedy
Fantasy
Paranormal
Romance
Steampunk
Superhero
Zombie

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* review copy and images courtesy of author

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Launch Day from Kevin McGill

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:52:00 +0000

*** interrupting Fairy Tales event ***
I loved this idea of a book launch!
AND had to share this with you all...

On April 20th, Kevin McGill launched Nikolas and Company: The Merman and The Moon Forgotten...into space.

Details below:

GET THE MERMAN AND THE MOON FORGOTTEN EBOOK FOR FREE!!
http://bit.ly/freemerman

Check out more details and behind-the-scene pics here.

Space Book Contest: Guess where it landed and win a Kindle Fire

Aero Studios is hosting a Space-Book contest. How far away from the launch site do you think the book landed? 20 miles? 40? 180? You and your readers can participate in the contest and win a free copy of The Merman and The Moon Forgotten and a Kindle Fire here. (offer ends May 5)

The Library from Dave Becker

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Dave Becker
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
Wandering the dark hallways of the medieval castle, I find myself face to face with a stone sphinx. Its teeth are bared, its claws are raised, and its wings arch ten feet above its head, seemingly pointing to a large wooden door. I press my shoulder against the heavy door and it opens with a loud creak.

Rows of books line all but one of the walls from ceiling to floor. To my right, a 60-foot mosaic of stained glass windows tells a tale of plagues and monsters and curses. Sitting at a long table under the windows, almost hidden behind a huge stack of books, is a boy with dark hair and dark eyes, maybe fourteen years old. He doesn't acknowledge me.

I slowly trace the shelves of books, brushing my fingers over the brittle spines, some so old and worn that no text remains. Those that I can make out have bizarre titles that center around the occult, prophecies, and mythical creatures. I pause in front of the boy.

"Hi, I'm Dave." I offer my hand.

"Tony," he grunts, and still doesn't look up.

He's studying the pages of a dusty tome entitled The Modern Curse of the Ancient Monster. Illustrations of rampaging beasts and falling stars destroying villages are interspersed with faded text that is barely legible. Tony scrunches his face in focused frustration.

I lean forward until my head is almost touching his, and peer at the upside-down pages.

"Can I help?"

Tony lifts his eyes for the first time. A cold terror fills them.

"Can you take away a curse?"

I stumble backward and stammer, "You…you think you're cursed?"

He raises his hands, showing me his palms, which look perfectly normal.

"I've made scrolls burn, walls collapse, and rocks bleed."

I feel the weight of the bookshelves pressing hard into my back. Suddenly I wish I was in any room of the castle but this one. Tony calmly returns to his studies.

"I need to figure out how to stop it before things get worse."

My hands are trembling. I take two cautious steps toward the door with the sphinx when I notice a strange shadow moving up the colorful windows behind Tony. The glass explodes in a violent rainbow, and a terrifying roar shakes the entire room.

~end

Guest post created by Dave Becker, author of The Faustian Host
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Dave Becker is the author of The Faustian Host, a new young adult, paranormal thriller. After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony Marino is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

Visit Dave:
Book Excerpt
Website
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Dave Becker
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
READ more about this world...

The Faustian Host
Apocalypse Signs
by Dave Becker
Plymouth Rock is bleeding. Day has turned to night. Hundred-pound hailstones level buildings. The small town of Clement seems cursed, and the residents know who's to blame: the new kid, Tony Marino.

After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of a signed, paperback copy!
The novel is only available for purchase as an ebook.
ONLY 10 PROMOTIONAL PAPERBACKS EXIST, SO THIS IS A WONDERFULLY RARE OPPORTUNITY.

Open to US only.

Offer ends: May 13, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ONE of these:

ADD this book to your Goodreads

or

BECOME A FAN of Dave's author page on Facebook.

2. TELL me what you did.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* image source stone sphinx

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Q&A with Wendy Delsol

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Wendy Delsol
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

@Doodle
“What gave you the idea to write Stork?”

Years ago, on the TV show Unsolved Mysteries, there was a story about a boy who claimed to have a pre-birth memory of choosing his mother. It gave me the willies and stuck with me! When brainstorming for a fresh paranormal angle, I decided to weave this with the cultural symbol of childbirth, the stork, and invent a clan of white witches charged with pairing souls and mothers.

@Vivien
“Which character is the most frustrating to write?”

Hmm. Possibly Kat’s dad. He’s a good guy but self-centered and immature (he’d cheated on his wife, after all). Still, Kat loves him unconditionally. It was, therefore, a tough balance to show him flaws and all but still have Kat adore him. My intent was for his character to have an arc that spans all three books. He’s not perfect at the end of book three, but he has grown. (And his character allowed me to explore the concept of old soul versus new soul.)

@Stephanie
“How hard was it to choose your titles?”

STORK was my original title, and I still love it. It also serves as the name for the trilogy. FROST was my title for book two all along. Had I known that two other YA books entitled FROST would be released around the same period, I would have changed it. Titles are not copyrighted, by the way. FLOCK was more difficult to encapsulate in a single word (ideally five letter or at least one syllable). It had the working title TIDE for quite a while. Originally, Candlewick had the idea of putting a guy (Marik) on the cover. TIDE, therefore, made sense for a hunky merman. When it was decided to go with Penny (Kat’s best friend) on the cover, we needed a new title. We batted around a few things before settling on FLOCK, which I love, by the way.

@Carl
“Now that you’ve used a blonde, a brunette and a redhead as your cover images, will your next cover model have green hair?

Love the question, but the answer is no. For several reasons. First off, there is no book four planned for the series. I think Kat and her friends are tired of my snooping around. Secondly, authors don’t have control over cover art. This is an area that is contractually signed away to the publisher (unless you’re J.K., Stephanie, Suzanne, or someone with their clout).

@Giada
“What made you decide to write a retelling of Pride and Prejudice?”

It’s my small homage to my favorite novel. Plus, we need a contemporary Mr. Darcy. Sigh.

@M.A.D.
“Do you decide on what your book title will be before you begin to write, or do you leave it until later?”

I almost always have a working title. So far, of my four published books, two titles have made it to publication. STORK and FROST are unchanged. FLOCK was originally TIDE (see my reply to Stephanie for more details), and THE MCCLOUD HOME FOR WAYWARD GIRLS was originally WAYWARD.

@ThesePaperWings
“I saw that Jane Austin is really what brought the reader out in her. I don't know much about Jane Austin, but I never really thought of her as a supernatural writer, in fact none of the books she listed in her bio section really seemed to have any supernatural elements in them, so I was just wondering what made her want to write Stork, a supernatural book?”

I’m not sure there was a paranormal genre back in Jane Austen’s day. Anyway, no, Jane Austen did not write about the supernatural; she wrote contemporary (to her, of course) fiction with a touch of satire. My adult novels are in this same genre. For my YA stuff, I tap into my more spiritual side. I believe in it all, by the way: ghosts, angels, UFOs, Big Foot.

@Llehn
“What is your writing mantra in 15 words or less?”

Write what you like to read.

@Enbrethiliel
“Can you recommend some titles or authors that your teen sons love to read?”

I have two teen sons (almost fifteen and seventeen). They’ve both recently read MOCKINGJAY and CATCHING FIRE (and really enjoyed them. It wasn’t assigned reading).

My fifteen year old likes anything by Darren Shan, the I AM NUMBER FOUR series by Pittacus Lore, and Anthony Horowitz.

My seventeen year old likes his reads a little darker: Stephen King,

@marybelle
“Is there a genre you would not contemplate writing?”

A bunch, actually. I don’t read enough mysteries or thrillers to tackle those genres. Horror, forget it. I like to sleep at night.

@Sarah Elizabeth
“How did Wendy come up with this unique idea?”

See first question (from @Doodle).

@Bridget
“I have never read any books that have storks in them. How did you come up with the idea for this series?”

The stork angle was a product of my imagination. Once I wanted to explore unborn souls, the cultural symbol of childbirth, the bundle-bearing bird, came to mind. This is partly why my main character’s hair is white blonde. Her hair color also symbolizes her status as a white (or good) witch and is consistent with a Scandinavian background.

@Avry15
“Where does Wendy get ideas on the book’s title? Does it have something to do with words that connects to the main theme?”

Titles are so important yet so subjective. Personally, I think there should be a word that encapsulates the story and is memorable. Not easy to do or describe, I know. LIKE WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a good example. The word “elephant” in the title captures the circus theme, and it’s different, thus easy to remember. For me, ambiguous or

@Suz
“How did you decide what would be on the cover for Stork?”

I didn’t. Candlewick Press did. Contractually they own the book jacket, image and copy. I have liked all my covers so no complaints from me.

@Disincentive
“Favourite cover of your books?”

That’s kind of like asking me to pick a favorite child. That I couldn’t do, but I think FLOCK is my favorite. Possibly because it’s my shiny new toy, but I think it’s very dramatic.

@Veronica W
“Favorite series?”

Harry Potter. It changed literature for children and young adults forever. And it’s just plain old bloody brilliant.

~end

Guest post created by Wendy Delsol, author of Stork
based on questions from comments from giveaway post
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Wendy:
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Wendy Delsol
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
READ one of Wendy's books...

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
signup to win ONE of these books
Wendy has thrown in a signed copy of Stork
! HUZZAH !
so there will be 2 winners for this giveaway
- one for a signed copy of Stork from the author
- one for winner's pick

~*~
* image source steampunk stork

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Sister Wolf from Greta Maloney

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Greta Maloney
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
Greta: Wow! What a big boss ass castle this is! It's so nice of you Sister Wolf to come here with me tonight.

Sister Wolf: Growwwwwwwwl

Greta: Well, that was an unpleasant thing to say! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Oh right... I'm kinda your mother considering I invented you and all.

Sister Wolf: Grrrrrrr

Greta: Gah! You're such the conservationist! So, vvb said we were suppose to meet her in the Banquet Hall for a moonlit feast and since you're in wolf form at the moment would you mind if I asked you a few questions?

Sister Wolf: Grrgrrgrrowl.... I suppose I can comply.

Greta: Most awesome! Well, I've always wondered where it is you live.

Sister Wolf: Inside the Girl's head.

Greta: Yeah yeah yeah, I get that you live inside Piper's head and all but where exactly do you stay when you're locked inside there?

Sister Wolf: Deep embedded in the thick forest of the darkest bits of her mind.

Greta: Wow! That's pretty deep. Can you get cell phone reception in there?

Sister Wolf: Grrowwwwwllllrrrr!

Greta: Ok ok !! No need to get snippy! I was just curios. Alright, we just need to take a left by the suit of armor. Almost there. I hope your hungry. Speaking of hunger, why are you so obsessed with eating Ryder?

Sister Wolf: The boy, his blood speaks to me. It makes me want to dig my teeth into his supple flesh.

Greta: Don't you worry about getting hoodie between your fangs?

Sister Wolf: *sizes Greta up and drools

Greta: Hey now! You put those big eyes away. Oh look! We made it! Yo vvb! Thanks for inviting us to your most awesome digs! I hope you don't mind but I brought my character bud with me like you asked.... just put down some newspaper cuz she's totally not housebroken.

Sister Wolf: Hooooooowwwwl!

~end

Guest post created with images provided by Greta Maloney, author of Ryder
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Greta:
Ryder Blog
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Greta Maloney
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about Sister Wolf here...

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--

Everyone has a secret.
You're lying if you don't.
Fourteen year old Piper has tried to keep her secret hidden.

Everyone who finds out always winds up dead.

Only the man in the dark suit knows the truth.
A man she only met once.
The man who made her what she is today.
The man who bit her.
But that's all about to change.

Piper Glendale is on the run from the moon as her secret Sister Wolf wars with her. Fighting for control, Piper tries to keep her buried deep inside. But sometimes her sister breaks free.

Escaping from an institution, The Sister Wolf claws her way out. On the run her powerful body runs dry. The sun has finally risen. Piper has regained control.

Waking up in a cemetery, she prowls through the grave stones in search for food and shelter. Overlooking a hill, Piper sees a boy. A boy who is about to change her life. A boy in a faded red hood.

Based on the beloved children's classic Little Red Riding Hood, "Ryder" is a modern retelling with a twist.

WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 31, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ONE of these:

ADD this book to your Goodreads

or

ADD this book to your Shelfari

or

TWEET this: (or click the twitter button on this post)
Giveaway: Ryder by Greta Maloney

2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Princess Petunia of Westfalin from Jessica Day George

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Jessica Day George
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
So I sat down this weekend with Princess Petunia in a room at the Old Fortress, high in the Westfalian Mountains. The room is furnished in older style, with much heavy, dark wood, and stiff embroidery, but it’s very clean and the spring sunlight is pouring through the windows.

The princess was wearing a charming gown of blue muslin which goes well with her blue eyes, and had a thick white shawl over her shoulders, a necessary precaution in the ancient, drafty fortress. Folded over a chair nearby is a red velvet cloak with silver bullion embroidery around the edges of the hood. It caught my attention because the hem of the cloak looked rather singed, and there was a black-edged hole about the size of a walnut in the middle of it.

Tearing my eyes off the cloak, I begin.

JDG: “So tell me, your Highness, what brings you this far from Bruch?”

P: “Oh, some of my sisters and I needed a bit of a rest, so we came here to get away from it all for a while. Jonquil hasn’t been well, and Pansy, Lilac, and Orchid definitely needed . . . some quiet.”

JDG: “May I ask what that is you’re knitting?”

P: “It’s a scarf for a friend of mine.” She holds up the long, green strip of wool.

JDG: “A gentleman friend?”

P: smiles demurely, but does not answer.

JDG: “I was wondering if you would care to elaborate on rumors that—Good heavens, what is that?”

P: “What?”

JDG: “Over there, on the table.”

P: “Oh, it’s a wolf mask made of leather.” She shrugs and returns to her knitting.

JDG: “Where did it come from? Why do you have such at thing?”

P: “It’s just a little something I picked up on my recent journey through the Westfalian Forest.”

JDG: “Speaking of which, are the rumors about the Grand Duchess Volenskaya true?”

P: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She gives me a cold look.

JDG: (distracted once again by the red cloak) “That is a lovely cloak, but is that a bullet hole in it?”

P: “Yes, I’ve been meaning to patch it. My sister Lily shot it.”

JDG: “She shot your cloak?”

P: “Yes, but don’t worry. I wasn’t the one wearing it at the time.”

JDG: “I have more questions, but will you answer them?”

P: with a faint smile. “Probably not.”

~end

Guest post created by Jessica Day George, author of Princess of the Silver Woods
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Jessica:
Website
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Jessica Day George
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about this world...

--~ Book Giveaway ~--

signup to win this book

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Unusual Suspects: Offbeat Fairy Tales in Random Magic from Sasha Soren

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:30:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Sasha Soren
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
All the world loves a story, and fairy tales are some of the greatest stories of all. There are a few fairy tale characters referenced in Random Magic (Sasha Soren) - they might just be a little different than the ones you expect.

Here we have a few of the unusual suspects from the book:

Name: Baba Yaga
Story: Appears in Slavic fairy tales, a cunning and tricky old woman,
with a gift for magic.

In Random Magic: Actually, our Baba Yaga in Random Magic is a bit like the traditional Baba Yaga in character - shrewd, powerful, and tricky - only a little more spiffy and possibly a lot more dangerous, depending on her mood. In the novel, she’s an old age pensioner with a dark sense of humor and a love for playing games of chance.

Quote from Random Magic:

Her face floated uncannily in the spiral of green smog. She sniffed the air, nostrils twitching. Her eyes narrowed, and she stared over her shades at Winnie.

“I smell magic, witch girl,” she said.

~*~

Name: Rapunzel
Story: A young maiden is locked in a tower until she’s rescued by a prince.

In Random Magic: Well, in the novel, she’s still locked in the tower. And she still has massive amounts of golden hair. But the heroine of Random Magic, Winnie, proposes a solution for Rapunzel to rescue herself, if only she’d use a bit of resourcefulness and common sense.

Quote from Random Magic:

“Come back!” yelled the girl in the tower. “I can’t leave until Prince Charming comes to rescue me. You must tell me if you’ve seen him.”

Winnie squinted an eye and sized up the situation.

“Not to be nosy, but…”

“Yes?”

“Seems to me,” Winnie said reasonably, “that your hair’s long enough there that you could climb down all by yourself.”

~*~

Name: Calliope
Story: In Greek mythology, Calliope is one of the Nine Muses, celestial sisters who inspire great works of art among mortal men.

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, all the Muses have nicknames, because their given names are a bit of a handful - Efterpe (Effie), Melpomene (Mellie), and Calliope (Callie), etc. Callie is still the chief of the Nine Muses, and inspires writers to great works, however, she’s also genial and hospitable, and loves a good party almost more than anything. She’s good-natured and helpful, but has almost no attention span. She’s fond of naps and is always running late - although, after all, she’s never running late, really, because her lifespan is …eternity.

Quote from Random Magic:

The sound of murmuring voices drifted in from another room. Winnie, Henry and Effie stuck their heads cautiously through the doorway of the brightly lit room, and took a peek.

“That’s her,” Effie whispered. “There she is.”

“Where?” said Winnie. “Never mind. I see her.”

She was hard to miss. Callie was hanging upside down from a chandelier, laughing.

Her fiery red hair didn’t hang down, and never really came to rest, but floated around her like a nimbus.

~*~

Nevermore shown as a raven at :37 in Random Magic book trailer

Name: Nevermore
Story: Nevermore is a line from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, the poem can be read here: The Raven

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, Nevermore is a shapeshifting raven, and possibly the most well-read and most serious of Callie’s companions, as he knows all but says very little.

Quote from Random Magic:

With a last flap of dark wings, the raven alighted on the balcony. It scanned the room with sharp black eyes, decided all was well, then hopped down.

The raven changed into a tall young man with long dark hair, wearing a glossy black coat. He stepped over Mojo, slithered across the salon and into the bathroom.

~*~

Name: Hansel and Gretel
Story: Poor little Hansel and Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their evil stepmother, outwit a witch who’d like to eat them, and make their way home following a trail of breadcrumbs.

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, Hansel and Gretel are quite capable of taking care of themselves, and more than a little spoiled. They still meet a witch in the middle of the woods, and they still leave breadcrumbs in the forest, but the story turns out a little different from the traditional fairy tale.

Quote from Random Magic:

“Hello, harmless old woman living by herself in the woods,” said snack food number one. “We’re little lost innocent precious lambs of children abandoned by our wicked witch of a stepmother.”

“Wicked witch, is she? Has she got a guild badge?”

They stared at her blankly.

“Never mind, I’ll take your word for it. So, you were saying, about this charming young--”

“Old.”

“Old, was it?”

“Yes,” swore Hansel. “Old and ugly.”

“And mean,” added his sister.

“And she’s got a wart,” he said. “Right on the end of her nose.”

“Ah, a real looker, then.”

~*~

Name: The Wolf (and Little Red Riding Hood)
Story: In the traditional story, Little Red Riding Hood is on the way to visit her grandmother and she’s intercepted by a big bad wolf, who’d like to eat her up for lunch.

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, the wolf is called Brute, and he’s a far less evil sort; he helps the hero and heroine of the story (Henry and Winnie) because Winnie saved his life, once.

Quote from Random Magic:

Brute edged cautiously up to the big black door of a huge gate. In the distance, Henry could just make out the twinkling lights of something large, dark, and spooky. With turrets.

They dismounted.

Brute stretched, then shook out his wobbly legs, spattering Henry with mud.

“That’s as far as I go, sorry,” he growled gently. He shivered suddenly, his fur bristling like a nervous cat. “They give me the creeps.”

~end

Guest post created by Sasha Soren, author of Random Magic
© 2012. All rights reserved.

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Sasha Soren
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

Explore more topsy-turvy tales in Random Magic!

You might also enjoy: The Top 10 Characters in Random Magic.

More Random Magic:
Print // Kindle // Twitter // YouTube

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 13, 2012

TO DO: (2 parts)

1. TELL ME which fairy tale twist was the most amusing to you or which offbeat fairy tale character from ABOVE would you most like to meet and why

2. WATCH the Random Magic book trailer above and tell me which part of the trailer you most enjoyed or were surprised by.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

EARN an extra point: watch the book trailer on youtube and leave a comment there

~*~
* image sources: fairy tales gift, Baba Yaga, Rapunzel, Calliope, Hansel and Gretel, wolf

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Lily from Christine Schulze

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Christine Schulze
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
Chasmira Eriz (as seen in The Hero Chronicles) interviews Lily from Lily in the Snow.

I sit with the young Earth Elemental maiden, each of us in too comfy armchairs beside a cozy fireplace inside my castle at Loz. I have invited her here to interview her about her life’s story, for although she has hardly lived sixteen years, her story has been told throughout many worlds, including my own, quickly becoming a classic tale of how love conquers all.

Her emerald eyes glance about the room with a serene curiosity, and I, in turn, watch her with my own curiosity. She is a lovely thing, long, lithe, graceful, limbs, and every inch of her, from her hair to her skin to those jewel eyes, is green. Many different hues and shades of green, as though someone painted her beauty into existence. A perfect portrait sitting before me.

“So, tell me, Lily,” I begin, “if it doesn’t offend you, why you look as you do? We don’t really see many Elementals in these parts, and I can’t help but be intrigued by your lovely emerald skin, hair, and eyes.”

A soft smile lights her face. “I am an Elemental, yes. I am an Earth Elemental, to be exact. One with the earth, easily able to grow new plants, to help make the forests and gardens of my world flourish, and I can also speak freely with the trees and their spirits, understanding their pains and needs.

“It wasn’t always so though, I used to be a Rock Elemental, as I am sure you’re aware.”

I nod, trying not to stare too hard at her, already fascinated. Fingering the small bit of green crystal I held in my palm, a gift she’d sent me before coming to meet me, I said, “Yes, that is a great part of what makes your story so renowned amongst our world and others. What was it like before, being a Rock Elemental?”

“In some ways, much like being an Earth Elemental, save that I was one with stone instead of earth. I could easily latch on to the walls of the caves I lived in, scurrying along the ceiling like an insect, exploring and hiding in the smallest crevices. The minerals and crystals were my sustenance, and they and the caves which housed them and the bats and Pierson, my guardian, were all I knew of the world.

“That is because then, as a Rock Elemental, I was a very rare sort. A fragile sort. My body was covered in delicate crystals which made going into the outside world dangerous for me. Touching against the bark of a tree might cause me to lose many crystals. And while I felt no pain in this, if I lost all my crystals, it would mean my life…

“So my life was a lonely one…til I met Jewett…”

A reverent smile lit her face, and her gaze shifted to the book lying on the small table between us. My gaze followed hers, and I couldn’t help smiling myself. I’d looked the book over many a time; it was full of the most wondrous drawings and paintings of every kind of flower imaginable, many of which I had never even seen in my own world.

“Jewett,” I whispered. “And how did he save you from your loneliness?”

“He loved me,” she returned, softly but not without a deep love and admiration; she almost sang the words. “He loved me for who I was. He showed me freedom, a choice to live in the outside world. I was only fourteen when I met him, but I think, deep down, that I knew from the start he was the one who would love me forever, and I him.”

“Yes, that is why I was so interested in meeting you. Because my love story shares some similar links with yours. Is that what you would have others learn from your story? That Jewett’s love for you is what saved you?”

“Yes,” she said, “I think so. And that loving another for who they are is one of the greatest kinds of love. It wasn’t easy for either of us, the sacrifices we had to made. But, now that our trials are past, here I am.”

“Yes,” I agree with a smile. “Here you are.”

~end

Guest post created by Christine Schulze, author of Lily in the Snow and Other Elemental Tales
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Christine:
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Christine Schulze
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about Lily here...

Lily in the Snow and Other Elemental Tales
by Christine E. Schulze
- fantasy, YA
Jewett ran.

He and the earth carried her, the earth granting a gracious speed, as if it could feel through his arms, the rarity of the gem he held, the urgency of its protection...

Mica Schist, a rock Elemental, has always felt secure in her caves high in the snowy mountains. Protected by her adoptive older brother, Pearson, and befriended by the bats of her cave, it is the only life she has ever known.

Until an outsider, Jewett, an earth Elemental, arrives, illuminating Mica not only to the possibility of a whole new world outside hers, but of a life with the young man who opens that world to her.

When Jewett unmeaningly brings great danger to Mica, her only chance of being saved is to escape with him into the woods he loves so much; it is a dream any girl would have, to flee danger with her newfound love.

But upon entering his world, she realizes how fragile she truly is, why Pearson always seemed too obsessed with protecting her. Jewett's world, though beautiful, is harmful; no longer connected to her rocks, their security and oneness with her, she finds that the smallest things in his earthern world hurts her. The simple scraping of her skin against the bark of a tree, her falling on the forest floor--even Jewett's touch. All of these, so harmless to anyone else, make the soft mica crystals covering her from head to toe shed away too easily.

And when an Elemental loses all of her crystals, it can only mean one thing: death.

How can Mica choose between saving her life and saving her new life with Jewett?

Four Elemental novellas and two short stories weave magic, romance, and adventure into a brilliant new collection of coming-of-age tales in Schulze's debut YA anthology with Old Line Publishing.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 6, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ONE of these:

ADD this book to your Goodreads

or

ADD this book to your Shelfari

or

TWEET this: (or click the twitter button on this post)
Giveaway: Lily in the Snow by Christine Schulze

2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* image source Lily girl

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Fairy Tale HOP

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

FAIRY TALE HOP
April 26 - May 1, 2012
hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
and vvb32 reads
complete HOP list
For this HOP, I wanted to share my current favorite fairy tale character...

Snow White
from Snow White and the Huntsman
directed by Rupert Sanders
film to be released: June 1, 2012
In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.

Yessssss, the tough girl version. This is one of those films definitely on the to watch list for the year.

How about you?

~*~
AND now for the HOP giveaway...

Another tough gal...

Cloaked
by Alex Flinn
I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 1, 2012

TO DO:

VISIT Alex's site and tell me something of interest you found there.

AND include your email (if I don't already have it)

ALSO, feel free to signup for more of my Fairy Tale related giveaways on the sidebar!

NOW, on to some hopping...

Interview with Isadora Rivers from Ashley S. Morgan

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:00:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Ashley S. Morgan
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
When my car pulled up to the imposing iron gates, my breath caught in my throat. Rising high on the hill before me was a medieval castle. I smiled to myself and shook my head. Only in Los Angeles could you find a Gothic chateau, a Streamline Moderne masterpiece, a Spanish Colonial mansion, and a Medieval Castle situated only a couple of streets apart.

Today I was interviewing Isadora Rivers, a successful Hollywood actress, who, with her husband Tristan, owned this gorgeous home modeled loosely after the Carlisle Castle. After being admitted through the arched wrought-iron gates, I parked my car next to a circular fountain from which rose a pair of Botticelli-like angels. To get to the ‘house,’ I had to cross a draw bridge, the heavy oak boards creaking under my black suede heels as I passed over a murky pond full of water lilies. Before I even had a chance to lift the heavy brass knocker, the front door, painted a deep red, slowly creaked open, revealing Isadora, the screen goddess herself, wearing a flowing Juicy Couture dress with a funky print and gold ballet flats. Her blue eyes sparkling, she graciously invited me in and proceeded to usher me to ‘the hall.’

I followed her into an airy room with loft ceilings and long, rectangular green-glazed windows set into stone walls. She immediately directed me towards a grand fireplace, with an 11th century iron candelabra sitting on its mantel, and two upholstered 17th century English library chairs set in front it. She directed me toward one of the chairs, and, as I settled in, my eyes swept the room and immediately noted the intricately patterned Turkish carpets on the walls and a Dan Colen original.

As I took out my digital recorder, Isadora looked at me expectantly.

“I’m curious about your decorating choices,” I began. “Why the ancient Turkish carpet AND the modern Dan Colen original?”

Isadora flashed me a brilliant smile and smoothed her long black hair over her shoulder. “The Dan Colen was a gift from my best friend Sarah. Back when we were in high school, we saw the piece together in a gallery, and she promised me that if she ever made money, she’d buy it for me.” Isadora’s smile became sheepish as she added, “Sarah said that all the reds and greens and yellows mingling, colliding, and dripping into one another had this crazed energy about them that was ‘so me.’”

Isadora paused for a moment, and bit her lip. Then her face became dreamy as she added, “As for the Turkish carpets, when I first met Tristan, we had this special place in the woods. One day when we were lying on a blanket, watching the sunlight flickering through the flaming leaves, I noticed all the crazy patterns on the forest floor. To me, the patterns of light and shadow were as intricate as a Turkish carpet. So that’s why I bought the rugs. They remind me our special place – the place I first fell in love with Tristan.”

Nodding and leaning back in my chair, I asked “How would you describe Tristan? How do you complement each other?”

Isadora’s face lit up at the mention of his name. “Even now, Tristan is still a bit of a bad boy. I mean, there’s something deliciously dark about him. He’s rebellious, and he has a mind of his own. That said, he’s also super observant, brilliant, loyal, and he really challenges me to grow, you know? He always has. Back when we were in high school, I was totally reckless, and, well, he kind of saved me from making some fatal mistakes. I’m still a little wild; Tristan’s still a lot steadier than I am, but the combination keeps things interesting.”

“What is the darkest moment from your past?”

Isadora’s face clouded over. “Something horrible happened to me in high school. I don’t want to go into the details, but it almost ruined me. You know, changed me forever. Ripped apart my psyche, so to speak.”

I leaned forward and was ready to probe further, but I could tell by the look on her face that the subject was closed.

“Okay, final question. If you could give one piece of advice to the younger you, what would it be?”

Isadora’s expression became deadly serious. “Stop being so impulsive and melodramatic, because it will cost you dearly.” Her expression darkened and her voice became shaky. “In fact, in some ways, both Tristan and I are still paying for what happened so long ago.”

To find out more about Isadora and Tristan, you can pick up Torn by Ashley S Morgan in the Kindle Store for a mere $2.99. Thanks to vvb for generously allowing me to write a guest post for her blog.

~end

Guest post created by Ashley S. Morgan, author of Torn
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Ashley:
Book Excerpt
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Shelfari

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Ashley S. Morgan
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about Isadora's world...

Torn
by Ashley S. Morgan
Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her.

Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it.

Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver, Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody,and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 6, 2012

TO DO:

ANSWER me this: Which cover do you prefer for this book and why?

~*~

	- vs -
Cover 1		Cover 2

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* image source brass door knocker

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Roman from Shannon Duffy

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Shannon Duffy
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
“Thanks, Mr. Matteo,” Senora Bianchi says to me as I hold open the cast-iron door to the castle. My eyes cut to the stack of papers she holds in her hands, wondering what drill I’m in for. She smiles tightly, tugs the papers close to her chest, and sashays past me inside. A blast of cold air hits us, lifting the hem of her white dress, and a stale whiff of cigarettes and booze wafts off her. I know Jewel’s waiting for me at the Café Florian and I need to get out of here. Fast. Just answer her questions short and to the point.

Senora Bianchi is a high council member for the Augusti Forza. They don’t want me with Jewel. Nobody wants me with her, especially not Paolo. Now, over the next few days I’m expected to answer a series of questions by different members of the council to decide my punishment.

I follow behind her, hands sunk low in my jean’s pockets, and zone in on the clicking of her shoes against the cobblestone floor. This castle has been the Augusti’s command center for centuries now. Although I’ve been here a million times before, a nervous knot settles in my stomach, unsure of what will happen at this interview. Keeping my head low, I drag in air from behind my leather jacket in a hopeless attempt to drown out her lack of hygiene—not even the musty odor of the castle can mask that.

We pass a set of giant wooden doors and the clanging of swords and shouts from inside causes me to lift my head. I pause and cop a peek. Dozens of the Augusti Forza train here every day, for every imaginable threat. My cousin Stefano catches my gaze just as a lightning bolt is shot through the air. He shifts at in-human speed, barely missing the zinger. It strikes one of the statues fitted with chain mail armor and he watches as the armored knight clatters to the ground in a heap. Stefano laughs haughtily.

My laugh in return is cut short by the clamping of Senora Bianchi’s fingers around my arm like a vice grip. She’s lucky she’s a woman or she’d be toast. Instead, I tug my arm back and fall in line behind her again.

She ushers me into a small, circular brick room and we take a seat across from each other. Flanked beside her chair like bookends are two life-size lion statues, and behind her, four red, gold, and white Camelot style banners hang on the wall. The largest one in the center bears the crest of the Augusti Forza, a huge Andean Condor in flight.

Senora Bianchi rifles through her papers and I shift my attention back to one of the lions. Its head is held high, one enormous paw held out in front.

She clears her throat. “So, Mr. Matteo.”

“It’s Roman.”

She sweeps her gaze over my black, freshly polished boots, up over my blue jeans, and sets her glare back on me. “Roman. Please tell me what it is you see in that girl?”

I want to ask her what she doesn’t see. I want to ask her why she feels I need to answer her dumb questions, or even better, why she doesn’t shower. Instead I shrug. “Jewel’s not what you think.”

Her eyes narrow and her fingers tighten around the papers in her hands. “Then please enlighten me. What is it about this girl that’s so special? So special that you thought it was important to betray your coven…your own family?”

I clamp my jaw tight, feel it working, and swallow back the fire burning in my throat. I didn’t sell my family out. “Our coven wasn’t ever in danger,” I say, forcing my voice to remain steady.

She runs her fingers through her red hair, styled in a hairstyle as archaic as this medieval castle. After folding the papers in sharp edges, she places them on her lap, lips tight. “And you would know this, si? Because you’re so mature at age eighteen?” She lifts a ginger brow. “You think you’re so special that you can go around breaking rules that have been around for centuries?” She crosses her arms, shooting daggers at me.

Now she’s just being condescending. My pulse begins to climb, but I sit still and put on my poker face. I imagine Jewel’s beautiful face, and her eyes that are like liquid pools of the sea. I check my watch. I don’t want to make Jewel wait much longer. I promised my girl a gondola ride, and I always deliver. She has this way of making me feel important, needed. And right now, I need to feel her arms wrapped around me, need to kiss her. Just thinking about her makes me feel like the wind got knocked out of me.

I let my eyes wander to the golden statue of the lion again. Its mouth is molded into a proud grin. It’s strong, proud, fearless.

I am that lion.

Glancing back at Senora Bianchi, I twist my lips, mimicking its expression. “Senora Bianchi. I’m sorry I let the Augusti Forza down. I’ll do anything that’s asked to fulfill my punishment.” Her mouth slides up into satisfied smirk and in a calm voice laced with steel I add, “Anything besides leaving the girl I love.”

~end

Guest post created by Shannon Duffy, author of Spectral
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release.

Visit Shannon:
Book Excerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Shannon Duffy
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about Roman here...

Spectral
by Shannon Duffy
Just released: April 4, 2012
Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

PeekAbook:

~*~
* image source castle door

* part of Spectral tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies sponsored by Tribute Books

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

In the crowd: Gisborne

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:15:00 +0000

The JOUST tournament has ended and we find ourselves making our way towards Castle Bryggja for the grand feast and mayhaps to explore the rooms.

As we walk into the courtyard we see Sir Guy with...

a chocolate egg?!?

~*~
READ about Sir Guy here...

Gisborne
Book of Pawns
by Prue Batten
Just released: February 2012
- historical fiction
more details here
Twelfth century England – a time when status means power.

Guy of Gisborne – a man of disturbing secrets and subtle skills.

Ysabel of Moncrieff – a woman of status whose life changes with the receipt of a letter.

Two people drawn together by loyalty, lust, and a lost inheritance and whose existence depends on how they move between Church and State; on whom they shall trust…

and on how they play the game.

--~ eBook Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of the Kindle version!

Open to all.

Offer ends: April 30, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. VISIT Prue's site and leave a comment on any of her posts - make sure to tell me which post you commented on.

2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

~*~
* please note: castle guest posts following this one will appear from authors with book giveaways that are not necessarily of the Fairy Tales genre

* image source Gisborne from Prue Batten's site

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Happy Release: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

The Immortal Rules
by Julie Kagawa
Just released: April 24, 2012
OH, Happy Day!
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Julie Kagawa
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
A Q&A with
New York Times Best Selling Author Julie Kagawa

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.

Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?

At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

LOL, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.

~end

Guest post created by Julie Kagawa, author of The Immortal Rules
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Julie:
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Julie Kagawa
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about this world...

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of publisher ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to US and CANADA only.

Offer ends: April 30, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. at lease ONE of these...

ADD this book to your Goodreads

or

ADD this book to your Shelfari

or

TWEET this: (or click the twitter button on this post)
Giveaway: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

or

LIKE Julie on Facebook

or

FOLLOW Julie on Twitter: @Jkagawa

or

FOLLOW Julie on her blog

or

FOLLOW Harlequin Teen on Facebook

or

FOLLOW Harlequin on Twitter: @HARLEQUINTEEN

2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Banquet Hall with Bernadette Walsh

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Bernadette Walsh
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
I am sitting in the banquet hall of a medieval castle with Lord William Conroy. It is a hot summer day and the room is stifling.

“You could really use some central air in here, sweetheart,” the Lord said.

“Lord Conroy, I know not what of you speak.”

“Honey, you sure talk funny. You’re not from Long Island, are you?”

“I am Lady Bernadette, your betrothed.”

“My what? Lady, I think you got me confused with someone else. I’m Billy Conroy from Gold Coast Construction. Some one left me a message, and let me tell you, it was a bitch to get my truck through that moat. God, it’s hot. I’m dying here. And what am I wearing?”

He strips off his tunic and he is soon naked from the waist up. I avert my eyes, as a Lady should, but he is certainly a sight to behold.

“Sir, please put your clothes on. You embarrass me.”

“Aw, come on, lady. It’s nothing you ain’t seen before. Am I right? Now where is my measuring tape? I’ll get you a quote. The economy being what it is, I can get this whole, um, castle, right? Yeah, castle. I’ll get the whole job installed for you by next week and since you claim to be my, what-ya-macaliit? Yeah, my betrothed, I’ll give you my friends-and-family discount.”

“You are very kind, sir. Would you like some ale?”

“Yeah, sure. A cold Bud would be great.”

I pour the clearly confused man a goblet of ale, while still averting my eyes from his bare torso. He lifts my chin and forces my eyes to meet his. His blond hair glistens in the low light of the banquet room. “Thank you, I appreciate it. Listen, you seem like a nice lady and all, but I’m kinda seeing someone right now. So, I, uh, can’t be your betrothed.”

I can’t help but smile into those big blue eyes. “That is all right, kind sir. I am sure my father, the Earl of Sussex, will find someone else for me. Your beloved is a lucky lady.”

“Ellen. That’s her name and believe me, Lady Bernadette, if you saw her you’d know that I’m the lucky one.”

~end

Guest post created by Bernadette Walsh, author of The House on Prospect
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Author Bio
I have always been a bookworm and had always meant to write a novel “someday.” You know, when I won the lottery and could live in beach house and look out onto the water and feel inspired. Four years ago I decided to stop waiting for my winning lottery ticket and sat down and started writing in between work and family obligations. I piled the words on top of each other until they formed sentences, paragraphs, chapters and eventually a book. The House on Prospect is my second novel. My first, a contemporary romance, Gold Coast Wives, was published in November 2011. The first book of my paranormal trilogy, Devil’s Mountain -- Book One of the Devlin Legacy, is due to be published in June 2012. While I’ve hopped around genres, all of my books to date have a common theme: strong women handling what life throws at them the best way they can.

Visit Bernadette:
Book Excerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter: @BWalshWriter

~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Bernadette Walsh
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~

READ more about Billy...

The House on Prospect
by Bernadette Walsh

Published: January 11, 2012
Publisher: Echelon Press
Genre: Women's Fiction
eBook
Rating: 4

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

Ellen Murphy spent her childhood in an idyllic house by the sea. A house surrounded by flower filled gardens and a white picket fence. A house she fled at eighteen. A house full of secrets.

When Ellen’s mother Rose, an ex-nun, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Ellen reluctantly returns home to care for her and uncovers a clue to the one secret that has haunted Ellen all her life: the identity of her father. But that is just one of the many secrets hidden behind the beautiful facade of the house on Prospect Road. Ellen discovers the high price both her mother and her Irish grandmother paid for the house on Prospect and she realizes that her meek mother is more of stranger to her than her absent father.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): mr mystery
Engaging story of three generations of women. As the story revealed the different layers of relationships and character personalities I was left with the question of whether or not some secrets are best not told (in regards to life outside of the book).

~*~
* image source medieval banquet

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising

* part of The House On Prospect tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

sponsored by Reading Addiction Blog Tours

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Twist 1 vs. Twist 2

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:00:00 +0000

And now, the final JOUST of the day for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between TWISTS of a fairy tale known as Robin Hood.

In comments, answer me this...

WHICH do you prefer?

~*~

	- vs -
TWIST 1		TWIST 2

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

fyi: part of The Class of 2k12.

Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead

After losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for none other than King Raven, whose exploits have already become legendary. After fulfilling his quest—and proving himself a skilled and loyal companion—Will joins the heroic archer and his men.

Now, however, Will is in prison for a crime he did not commit. His sentence is death by hanging—unless he delivers King Raven and his band of cohorts.

That, of course, he will never do.

Wales is slowly falling under the control of the invading Normans, and King William the Red has given his ruthless barons control of the land. In desperation, the people turn to King Raven and his men for justice and survival in the face of the ever-growing onslaught.

From deep in the forest they form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all.

Scarlet continues Stephen R. Lawhead's riveting saga that began with the novel Hood, which relocated the legend of Robin Hood to the Welsh countryside and its dark forests. Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medival Britain, Lawhead's trilogy conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Classic vs. Re-telling

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

And now, the third JOUST for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between CLASSIC and RE-TELLING of a fairy tale known as Hansel and Gretel.

In comments, answer me this...

WHICH do you prefer?

~*~

	- vs -
CLASSIC		RE-TELLING

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past-- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone-- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen it's next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Cover 1 vs. Cover 2

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:15:00 +0000

And now, the second JOUST for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between COVERS of a fairy tale re-telling known as Sleeping Beauty.

In comments, answer me this...

WHICH do you prefer?

~*~

	- vs -
COVER 1		COVER 2

A Long, Long Sleep
by Anna Sheehan

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss.

Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose -- hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire -- is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.

Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existance, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes -- or be left without any future at all.

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Old vs. New

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:15:00 +0000

And now, the first JOUST for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between OLD and NEW illustrations of a fairy tale known as Rapunzel.

In comments, answer me this...

DO you prefer old illustrations to contemporary versions?

~*~

	- vs -
Rapunzel -old from Household Stories from the Collection of the Brothers Grimm and Lucy Crane		Rapunzel -new by Brothers Grimm and Paul O. Zelinsky

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: book giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:00 +0000

The games have begun!

Cheers from the crowd fill the air.

Let us settle amongst the guests and folk of Bruges...

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of ONE of the books participating in the JOUST !
(complete list of books will be listed below once revealed)

Open to all.

Offer ends: April 30, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. SEND a link to your knight who will represent your kingdom.

2. COMMENT on all the JOUST posts presented.

Intro: The Joust from Imogen Reed

Joust: Old vs. New
- Rapunzel -new by Brothers Grimm and Paul O. Zelinsky

Joust: Cover 1 vs. Cover 2
- A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Joust: Classic vs. Re-telling
- Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Joust: Twist 1 vs. Twist 2
- Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
- Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead

AND, tell me your email (if I don't already have it)

Participant entries:

Here's mine...

Alessandra's knight…

Bridget's knight…

Catie's knight…

Dogsmom's knight…

Doodle's knight...

Evie's knight...

Fairy Whisper's knight…

Freda's knight...

Giada's knight...

MAD's knight...

Margaret's knight...

Marybelle's knight...

Mel's knight…

States of Decay's knight...

sRy's knight…

Vivien's knight...

who's next?

~*~
* image source knight, vvb's knight, participant knight sources are listed in comments

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

The Joust from Imogen Reed

noreply@blogger.com (vvb32 reads) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:01:00 +0000

We have arrived in the heart of Bruges.

Just in time for the joust tournament.

Our knights await their turn in the contestant tents.

But first a word on this matter...

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by Imogen Reed
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To Run Through or Not to Run Through…

The origins and history of jousting can be traced back to the Middle Ages. A joust was set up as a public event in which one or more knights would do battle in order to show off their ability to fight in military combat. Very often, these colourful events were only one step away from the reality of war – albeit slightly more sanitised. Put simply, a joust is just a form of combat which takes place between knights in armour. These knights can be either on horseback or in some cases on foot.

The Origins

Jousting is mentioned for the very first time in written literature by the Frenchman Geoffroi de Purelli, in 1066. He is credited with being the first person to have set down the rules and regulations of a tournament. He was unlucky though, as he was killed during the joust for the tournament he had written the rules for!

During mediaeval times, in which the notion of jousting and tournaments really became popular, it was generally expected that Knights of the realm had to provide their King or Liege with military service. As you can imagine this was going to be an incredibly horrible experience; dangerous, deathly – and if you were lucky enough to survive in the first place you may come back wounded, very ill or malnourished. But the more you fought for your King and country, the more kudos you gained from leasing your skills out in this way.

What was the main point of a joust?

The lance? Joking apart, the idea of a joust was simply to unhorse your opponent. This was, in the early years of tournaments and trials (they came to real prominence during the 12th and 13th centuries) a very bloody and harmful experience. It was very often just one long charge with weapons such as axes, maces and broadswords used to maim or kill the opponent. First hand accounts of such experiences are related in the Chronicles of Froissart written just before the heyday in Renaissance Jousts.

Renaissance Jousting – The Heyday

It wasn’t until the 15th and 16th centuries that jousting became a perfected sport and more of a public spectacle. Indeed, this is the time when the pageant aspect of the tournament came more to the forefront, with as much emphasis on chivalry and pomp as there was on the actual tourney itself. There was very often an element of romance in it too. Women would sit in the assembled throng with, for example, the handkerchief of the man they loved who was fighting. During the reign of Elizabeth I, when jousting was declining but not yet defunct, the Earl of Cumberland went into a tournament with the Queen’s glove pinned atop the flap of his hat. Little gestures like this could sometimes be scandalous but more often than not were harmless expressions of love.

Renaissance Jousts and Pageantry

During the renaissance period of jousting they were very often included as part of state occasions rather than just as an entertainment on their own. As an example of this, one was arranged to celebrate the marriage of King Henry VIII to his first Queen, Catherine of Aragon as part of the marriage ceremony, feasting and general revelry that took place.

King Henry VIII was himself actually one of the most renowned jousters of the period, and was almost killed during one particular tournament which took place during his ill-fated second marriage to Anne Boleyn. She blamed the shock of his near death on her subsequent miscarriage. It ultimately wasn’t enough to save her.

It was said that on more than one occasion the King was “allowed” to win rather than actually winning outright, though there is substantial evidence to back up the fact he was indeed a skilled jouster. During this period, special armour was created for combatants – though strictly speaking this was more than just a suit of armour designed for going into war with. It was specially strengthened and heavier than traditional suits (sometimes they could weigh as much as 100 pounds). As a matter of course the left hand sides of these suits were especially strengthened as this was the side of the body most susceptible to attack and injury.

How did they do it?

Jousting Knights had to make sure that as well as wearing suitable armour, they had a horse which could manage the sheer weight of both the man and the substantial amount of metal they were wearing. Once this was done, the animal would be fitted with a saddle and bridle. The Knight would then spend a little time practising, by mounting up and riding round, carrying a lance in their right hand and a breastplate in their left.

It is now time to joust properly

Two stakes would be tied, usually at a distance of 180 feet apart. A lane is made for each jouster (this is called the tilt). Both Knights mount their horses at opposite ends of the stakes (one on the left hand side, one on the right). A signal is given. At this signal, both Knights drop the reins of their horses and charge forward. Once you are within reaching distance of your opponent, you must swing your lance to the left and try to thrust the tip of it towards your opponent’s shield. Points are awarded for how much damage you can do to your opponent and their shields/lances. You must stay in your saddle until the end of the tilt, otherwise you lose. Once you reach the opposite end of the tilt, points are recorded and the process begins again. If your accoutrements are broken during your foray, now is the time to replace them before a second charge.

It’s worth noting that jousting was more or less brought to an end in the year of 1559, when the French King Henry II was killed after the shattered pieces of his opponents lance were lodged into his skull during a particularly fierce bout. Amazingly, he was the first and only monarch to ever have been killed during combat. Though it hastened the end of this particular sport once and for all…

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Claire Jenkins aka Imogen is a freelance writer from England who specialises in writing for finance and insurance sites and is a particular expert in leasing. However, history and castles are her true love and she often visits the beautiful Warwick Castle to watch some medieval themed shows.

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by Imogen Reed
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* image source joust

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