TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini

Way back when being an author seemed like an impossible dream (January 2009), I ventured to NYC to attend the winter SCBWI conference.  My first day there I participated in the novel intensive, where we were seated at tables of about 9 authors with 1 agent or publisher.  As we each took turns reading our first few pages aloud, one opening took my breath away.  The writing was beautiful; the story compelling.  I admit I was a little jealous.  But mostly, I was in awe because I knew I was meeting a person who would undoubtedly be published one day.  To my great delight, this author was as sweet as she was talented, and she went out of her way to befriend me and invite me out with her group that evening.  This author was none other than Kimberly Sabatini.

(That's us there in the middle.)

When I went back home, Kimberly served as my very first critique partner.  She let me bounce ideas off of her and answered my late-night e-mails.  She was a champion for Destined when I decided to self-publish it, even taking a copy to her dance studio and making sure everyone knew about it.  So I couldn't be happier to tell you that her debut novel, TOUCHING THE SURFACE, celebrates it's book birthday TODAY.

So without further ado, I give you, TOUCHING THE SURFACE!

Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring.When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.

Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

Kimberly was nice enough to answer a few short questions for me too - even though Simon Pulse has her loaded to the gills with pre-launch activities, I'm sure!

Name three reasons readers are going to love Elliot. #1 She's a little snarky and less than perfect. #2 She loves pizza--yum! And #3 she learns that there is a difference between flying away and taking flight. <3 span="span">

If you could pick an actress to play Elliot, who would it be? I'd totally pick Ellen Page. If you want a sneak peek, here is my TOUCHING THE SURFACE Pinterest Board. https://pinterest.com/kimsabatini/touching-the-surface/

I know it's hard to compartmentalize your story, but the synopsis says it's paranormal.  When I read it (long ago), it felt more like a contemporary.  How do you feel the story reads? I consider SURFACE an accidental paranormal LOL! In my mind it's a contemporary, that by circumstance, has a little zing. 

Readers who loved _______________ will love Touching the Surface. IF I STAY by Gayle Forman and BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver.

 What song best represents Touching the Surface? LITTLE BIRD by Annie Lennox

What's the last book you read for fun? I just got done with MIND GAMES by Kiersten White--it was fabulous!

I just re-read Touching the Surface again and I loved it SO MUCH.  I hope you'll check it out too. But before you go, tell me why you want to read TTS in the comments (with your e-mail addy) to be entered to WIN an awesome swag pack.  (Similar to this, but minus the book - you'll have to get your own copy because I'm not sharing mine!)

RENEGADE by J.A. Souders (review + contest)

Seriously, I couldn't be more excited to be participating in this blog tour today.  Not only is Jessica (J.A.) a friend and an Oasis sister, but RENEGADE was freaking amazing.  She allowed me to get an advance peek at the novel and I devoured it.

Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

From the very first pages, Evie's world is palpably real.  You can easily imagine living in the darkness of the seas, surrounded by water, never having experienced sunshine or the outside world.  Evie herself is an instantly likable character, and although she is "perfect," you know right away that she's been brainwashed.  Perfection is a forced perception and that perception is slowly shattered.

Which is another thing I loved about the story.  There's not one cataclysmic event that turns Evie's world upside down.  There is a slow building of little events - the clicking in of little puzzle pieces - that leads up to a very dramatic conclusion.  You get to figure out what's happening right along with Evie (and a very delicious Gavin) and live the nightmare right along with her.  And because (as the description tells you), Evie's memories have been altered, the realization of what really happened in Evie's past and what Mother has planned for the future, are just as shocking to Evie as they will be to you.

To sum this story up, it was like a futuristic, underwater Nazi Germany, where a perfect race is being cultivated and anyone who stands in the way meets death at the hands of a crazed dictator.  Only in this case, the dictator is known as Mother.  How creepy is that???

Trust me when I tell you that this book is AMAZING.  There was never a moment when I felt bored.  Instead, I turned the pages as quickly as I could and loved every minute of it.  I'm so happy and proud for my friend, Jessica, and can't wait to see what the next book in the series has in store for Evie and Gavin!

Jessica was awesome enough to share a few of her favorite quotes from the novel. I think the second is my FAVORITE!!  :)

"How can you even know who you are, if you can’t remember who you’ve been?”

"A woman’s best weapon is her smile, unless there’s a loaded Beretta 9mm nearby."

"So many memories. So much lost. So much to regain . . . again."

"No matter what cataclysmic event you’re facing, please be sure to double- check the seals on all of your samples and the tamper- proof container before reporting to your designated evacuation area."

AUTHOR BIO:

J.A. Souders lives in Florida with her husband and their two children and is an active member of RWA, DFRW, YARWA, SCBWI, and SFWA. RENEGADE is her first novel.

To get your hands on a copy of RENEGADE or to follow Jessica, check out these links:

http://jasouders.com/ (Website)

http://jasouders.com/blog/ (Blog)

https://www.facebook.com/JASouders (Facebook)

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4880398.J_A_Souders (Goodreads)

http://twitter.com/jasouders (Twitter)

BUY:

Amazon

The Book Depository

Oh, and you want to win something, right?  Here's the Rafflecopter.  :)  (Sorry, open to U.S. Residents only for swag and RENEGADE pre-order copies)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

YA Mythology Giveaway Hop (US only)

Hello fellow mythology lovers and welcome!  If you already know me, then you know I LOVE mythology.  Enough to major in Classics in undergrad.  Enough to write a novel based on Greek myth and a short story based on Egyptian mythology.

Yes, I love mythology THAT MUCH.

To share my love of mythology with you, I'm offering the winner her choice between two prizes. The winner (US only, sorry) can pick from either:
1.  An autographed copy of Destined (my Greek myth novel) or
2.  An e-book copy of Two and Twenty Dark Tales (the anthology containing my Egyptian myth short story)

Just fill out the Rafflecopter and hop on over to the next blog.  Very simple, very easy.  But before you go, scroll down to the last blog entry for a chance to win some more spooky stories from C. Lee McKenzie.  Happy Halloween!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

YA Mythology Hop

1.	~A.L. Davroe (Int)	47.	~Scribbler's Sojourn (US)
2.	~For Those About to Read (Int.)	48.	~Julie Antonovich Reece (Int)
3.	~I Am A Reader Not a Writer (US)	49.	~Magical Manuscripts (INT)
4.	~Live To Read ~Krystal (US)	50.	~Kelsy @ Up in the Bibliosphere (US)
5.	~Lisa Loves Literature (Int)	51.	~Short and Sweet Reviews (Int)
6.	~Michelle Madow (US)	52.	~Book Sake (US)
7.	~Vi @ Confessions of a Vi3tBabe (US)	53.	~Carrie @ Sweet Southern Home (US)
8.	~Rachel Brooks Writes (Int)	54.	~Mary (US)
9.	~DJ Librarian Dishes (US)	55.	~Simply Infatuated (US)
10.	~Merlin, YA Books, And More (Priya Ardis) (US)	56.	~Jess (US)
11.	~Murphys Library (Int)	57.	~Aditi @ That READioactive Book Blog (Int)
12.	~DanaSquare (US)	58.	~Book Crook Reviews (US)
13.	~The YA Dogtown (Int.)	59.	~Reader Girls (Int)
14.	~Walking on Bookshelves (Int)	60.	~Angeline @BerdsFly (INT) Ebook
15.	~I Eat The Books!!! (INT)	61.	~Sophia @ YA Between The Lines (US)
16.	~Flora (US/Canada)	62.	~Stephanie Keyes (US)
17.	~JDP NEWS (USA)	63.	~Emily Rose @ Our Electricity (US)
18.	~The Shadow Realm (Int)	64.	~monique morgan (US)
19.	~Always YA at Heart (INT)	65.	~Diane @ That's What I'm Here For (US)
20.	~The Starry-Eyed Revue (US)	66.	~Karen @ Books Beside My Bed (US)
21.	~Beckys Barmy Book Blog (Int)	67.	~Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books (Int)
22.	~What To Read? (INT)	68.	~The Daily Harrell (US)
23.	~Krazy Book Lady (Int)	69.	~Gabrielle Carolina @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf (US)
24.	~Sarah @ Head Stuck In A Book (US)	70.	~Paige W. Pendleton (US)
25.	~Geo Librarian (Int)	71.	~Shelver @ Bookshelvers Anon (Int)
26.	~Cuzinlogic (Int)	72.	~Book Adventures (US)
27.	~Ketch (US)	73.	~Lisseth @ Read-A-holicZ (INT)
28.	~Crossroads (US)	74.	~Novel Creativity (US)
29.	~LOVE. WITHOUT YOU (US)	75.	~Sheenah Freitas (Int)
30.	~Mystifying Paranormal Reviews (US)	76.	~Scribbles on the Back of January (US)
31.	~Book Nerd Canada (INT)	77.	~S.G. Rogers (INT)
32.	~Joan Holub ~ Goddess Girls (US)	78.	~YA Author Mary Ting (INT)
33.	~Owl Read It (Int)	79.	~Bella Street (US)
34.	~Lisa @ Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Reviews (Int)	80.	~karen Y. bynum (INT)
35.	~Shy @ Doctor (Int)	81.	~Her Fiction Fix (INT)
36.	~In the Mind of Ley Mesina (INT)	82.	~Author Brina Courtney (US)
37.	~The Book Hookup (Int)	83.	~Book Cover Justice (Int)
38.	~A.D. Duling (US)	84.	~BiblioJunkies (US)
39.	~Book Hounds (Int)	85.	~Jessica Scott (US)
40.	~BookHounds YA (Int)	86.	~Bookish Outsider (INT)
41.	~Lizzy Ford books (US)	87.	~Therin Knite (US)
42.	~Claire Reads (Int)	88.	~Addicted to Books (INT)
43.	~Rolling with the Moments (INT)	89.	~Books & Other Creative Adventures (INT)
44.	~Library of a Book Witch (US)	90.	~Night Owl Reads (Int)
45.	~Little Library Muse (INT)	91.	~Waiting on Sunday to Drown (US)
46.	~Emi Gayle (INT)	92.	~ [B.O.O.K.L.I.F.E] (Int)

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Ghost Story Anyone? (+ giveaway!)

Guest post by author C. Lee McKenzie ~

You’re seated around the campfire, light flickering over the faces of those huddled there with you, and one of your friends is telling a story--not just a story--a ghost story.

That prickling at the back of your neck, the way your breathing grows shallow and you wrap your arms around yourself bumps your heart up to high. It’s a cool night, but tiny beads of sweat collect at your hairline. 

It’s fear time, baby, and your body’s reacting to that familiar emotion, the one you experience whenever you’re scared by something and you’d like to pull the covers over your head or--better yet--run!

And you’re thrilled, right? Fear heightens awareness and cancels all the mundane concerns. For this moment you’re transported, you’re “alive” and “tingly.” This is one reason everyone loves a good ghost story. Another is that ghost stories try to demystify death, that one inescapable universal. This is why Halloween with its seasonal creepiness has such appeal and why this ancient Celtic celebration, steeped in ghostly myths, has continued in some form into the present day. 

A few literary facts: 

• + The thirteen stories nominated for the Booker Prize in 2011 were about death. Here’s an interesting link on how to get published by writing about death.

• + Some of the best known and loved classics in literature are ghost stories: The Raven [Poe], A Christmas Carol [Dickens], The Turn of the Screw [James]. 

• + Today ghost stories are among the favorites of young readers. Dead Connection, The Body Finder, The Ghost Sitter, Stonewords: A Ghost Story and on and on. 

• + No Pulitizer for fiction this year, but Train Dreams was a finalist and it was an excellent ghost story.

So I’ve written some ghostly tales. Some have been published in magazines, some are still on my C drive waiting for a publisher to find them :-), and some are still in my head. But this time of year I’m stirred to read and write about ghosts who walk in the night, about restless spirits seeking revenge, about pumpkin-evil stuff. 

And you? Do you love to read ghost stories? Do you love to write them? What are your favorite ones? Want to give us a sample of a ghostly scene? That would be fun and it might help you win some SWAG. Here’s what’s up for grabs while I’m visiting Jessie’s super blog.

2 pdf of my ghostly short stories
2 eBooks of Alligators Overhead (Witch alert here!)
1 signed hardcopy of The Princess of Las Pulgas (It has some small ghostly moments.)
1 signed hardcopy of Sliding on the Edge (This ghost is more like a monster, but haunting in its own way.)
** hard copies are available for U.S. only **

Thanks, Lee! That's so generous of you to offer up so many great prizes! And because Lee is as cool as she is generous, she doesn't even want you to have to work that hard to win.  You don't have to follow her (although you should). You don't have to buy her books (although you should do that too).  All you have to do is tell us a ghost story.  It can be real or made up.  

1.  Leave the story or a link in the comments.

2.  Also include your e-mail address in the comments so we can notify you if you win.

3.  Let us know if you're US or International so we know what contest to enter you for.

4.  Get your stories in by midnight on All Hallows Eve.  When the witching hour arrives, your chance to win will disappear.

And that's it!  Of course, if you win, pretty please with cherries on top review the story somewhere.  It's one of the nicest things you can do for an author.

And before you go, please stalk find Lee on line.  She's an amazing person and author!  And don't forget to check out her new creepy tale, Alligators Overhead. The links are below.

TRAILER: http://youtu.be/YP9I401gWNQ

WEBSITE: http://cleemckenziebooks.com

BLOG: http://writegame.blogspot.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cleemckenziebooks

TWITTER : @cleemckenzie

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0042M1KYW 

GOODREADS

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2809083.C_Lee_McKenzie

ALLIGATORS OVERHEAD:

AMAZON KINDLE 

http://tinyurl.com/7hv8j5a

AMAZON PAPERBACK

http://tinyurl.com/9kvezg5

B & N

http://tinyurl.com/8ywogjt

SMASHWORDS

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204548

Cover Reveal for THE SECOND SIGN + ARC tour sign-up

The Second Sign by Elizabeth Arroyo

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

Genre: Young Adult Dark Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance

Release Date: February 07, 2013

   

Synopsis:

 

Bred to believe in the war between angels and demons, Gabby has come to the conclusion that love is responsible for war, jealousy, and all the other deadly sins she can think of. So when she’s exiled to the middle of nowhere for getting kicked out of her fifth school for fighting, she doesn't expect to meet Jake. Much less fall in love. But Jake is quickly drawn to the eerie beauty of her violet eyes while Gabby is unsettled by their undeniable connection.

When a demon guardian comes to collect her soul, she refuses to give it up. She’s not a demon. She can’t be. Her father and twin brother are angels. The demon gives Gabby twenty-four hours to decide her allegiance, and then starts killing her short list of friends, leaving a message behind: She is the Second Sign.

As Gabby and Jake begin to unravel the mystery behind the Second Sign, she learns Jake may be the key to saving her soul. But it means a sacrifice has to be made that will change their lives forever.

Check out Elizabeth:

Website: www.elizabetharroyo.com

Blog: http://chandarawrites.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EArroyo5

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/elizabetharroyo.author

Interested in reading the ARC?  Here are the details:

Anita Saxena is hosting an ARC Tour of The Second Sign. We would like as many people as possible to read THE SECOND SIGN before the release in February and we'd like the participants to blog about the book after they've read it. 

So the blogger commits to:

1. Reading the book fast
2. Blogging about it
3. Paying to ship the book via priority mail (which typically costs $4.95) at post office. All post offices supply free envelopes so that way the reader doesn't have to pay for envelope/packing material

In addition, you're encouraged to write in the book, not only to sign it, but on any page where you think something is good/cool/whatever. Smiley faces and hearts are always welcome! Due to postage, this is only for US residents. If you are interested, please contact Anita at anita@anitasaxena.com so that she can put you on the list!

TAKING BACK ETERNITY Cover Reveal

Karen Amanda Hooper, author of Tangled Tides and Grasping at Eternity, is sharing her newest cover today. The sequel to Grasping at Eternity, book 2 of The Kindrily series, is titled Taking Back Forever. 

Karen and her cover designer, Alexandra Shostak, have worked side by side to create the Taking Back Forever cover. After lots of hard work (and a lot of love) here it is…

Want to know more? Here’s a summary of Taking Back Forever. 

Forever is worth the fight. 

Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it. 

Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way. 

To celebrate, Karen and Alexandra are giving away signed paperbacks of Grasping at Eternity. (Signed by Karen AND Alexandra!) 

Contest is open internationally!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/YmFlODE0ZTNiYjMwNDdkM2MxZjE1N2VmZjNhYjFjOjA=/

Alexandra Shostak is a writer of dark and fantastical things, mostly meant for teenagers. She is a freelance cover designer, and is available to do covers and interior artwork directly for authors. She is also a former Irish dancer, a guitar player, and the person who can get you through the zombie apocalypse without getting bitten.

If you’re especially worried about the zombie apocalypse, you can find her in one of these places:

www.alexandrashostak.com

www.coversbyalexandra.com

www.yaconfidential.com

or on Twitter as @a_shostak

Karen was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years, and is currently sunning and splashing around Florida with her two beloved dogs. She's addicted to coffee, chocolate, and complicated happily-ever-afters. Due to her strong Disney upbringing, she still believes in fairytales and will forever sprinkle magic throughout all of her novels.

Two and Twenty Dark Tales is Here!

If you haven't heard about the awesome anthology from Month 9 Books, called Two and Twenty Dark Tales, it's time to check it out.  Remember as a kid, that chill you got from things that went bump in the night?  Well, here's the grown up version!

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.

Now, I'm particularly partial to this anthology because one of my stories is in it.  My nursery rhyme?  Hey Diddle, Diddle.  If you've ever wondered why that dog was laughing, the cat was playing a fiddle, and a cow jumped over the moon -- well, all shall be explained in "I Come Bearing Souls."  For more clues and to see some of my inspiration images, check out my Pinterest Board.

In the meantime, please consider picking up your copy now.  These spooky tales are perfect to get you in the Halloween spirit - PLUS, proceeds from the first 5,000 will be donated to charity.  So let's make sure those first 5,000 copies FLY off the shelves, okay?

What was your favorite Mother Goose rhyme?  If you could write your own dark retelling, which rhyme would you choose?

Debut YA Book Birthdays

This Tuesday we celebrate these debut YA book birthdays ~ Who's ready??

MYSTIC CITY by Theo Lawrence

For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.  

VELVETEEN by Danial Marks

Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days. 

It’ll be brutal... and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.

Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT by Colleen Clayton

How can you talk about something you can’t remember?

Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.

Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.

Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens.

TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.

VALKYRIE RISING by Ingrid Paulson

Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there. 

What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.

Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.

Owlet Blog Tour: Excerpt + Play List + Giveaway

Somewhere between falling and flying… there is a girl.

Iris has a secret. She lost her memory eight years ago and never told a living soul. After an asthma attack one night she finds out that her dreams of a strange house on a snowy island may be a memory resurfacing but the more she learns about the past the more she realizes the life she has been living is a lie. As the façade her father has built starts to crumble around her she will have to decide which means more to her; the truth or her life.

Thanks for stopping in to check out OWLET by Emma Michaels (amazing cover, huh?).  If you're looking for an excerpt, look no further:

***

The thought roared loudly in her ears. When her decision was made, Iris felt herself fall forward, letting everything about her life fade away as she began to plummet. Just as the ground came rushing toward her face she felt the wind catch beneath wings she would never have. She leaned into the wind and smiled as the moment between falling and flying consumed her. She was Wendy—with no need for a Peter Pan. She knew the way to her very own Neverland; she called ‘Never-Never.’ She knew how to fly without instruction letting the dreams she held at bay ensnare her soul and push her to new heights.

Only Never-Never was much more aptly named than Peter Pan’s Neverland, because Iris would never get to go there. It simply didn’t exist; it would never be her true Neverland. She wanted the one thing that she could never have, but every night she still trusted the wind to take her there. As she traveled she would feel the chill of the rain turning into snow and freezing her skin through her nightgown. She knew she was close when she passed a towering city and was headed towards the sea.

“The island.
        My island.
                My Never-Never.”

***

Okay, now you ready to hear Emma's playlist for the novel?  Check out these songs via Emma's guest post:

When my first two novels in my other series came out, I was always asked if there was a playlist of the songs that inspired me and sadly, there wasn’t. So while going through and writing Owlet I started writing down the songs I was listening to and compiling a list. 

Here is the Owlet playlist!

Human - Ellie Goulding

(I love the song human by Ellie Goulding because it has such a sense of longing for something a person already has and that is something Iris had a hard time coming to terms with. All she wanted to be was the girl she was when she dreamt but she didn’t even realize, she already was, she just wasn’t letting her out while awake.)

Cut – Plumb

(This song is so bittersweet and fragile while being so raw and having a hidden strength. The longing in her voice when she says ‘I do not want to be afraid’ and ‘I am tired of feeling so numb’ but the line that really played a huge part in writing a scene was ‘I feel alone here and cold here, oh, I don’t want to die’. A hint for those who have read Owlet; the scene involves water ;-)  )

Running up that hill – Placebo

(This song always gets me so I can’t listen to it all that often. This is Falcon’s song. It has his raw nature and the pain of what happened to him but it also has that love and the desperate need he feels almost constantly. He would literally do anything to keep Iris from feeling pain she doesn’t remember feeling, but he does and he knows it broke her.)

Gasoline Rainbows - Amy Kuney

The Wolves (cover) - Ellie Goulding

What the water gave me - Florence and the Machine

Wolf & I - Oh Land

(Oh Land’s music is so unique and interesting. It has that indie feel but with popish/electric beats so you can get the emotions while having the pep. I love using songs like this to type to because I can’t help but type to beats, so fast music helps me get the ideas out as they come instead of slowing myself down for my hands to catch up.)

Let's get lost - Beck and Bat for Lashes

Losing your memory - Ryan Star

(This song is part of what decided for me what happened to Iris. I won’t spoil it since it is revealed fully in book two but this song really hit home when writing the scene where I realized just what happened so long ago. What broke Iris.)

Spell - Marie Digby

Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine

(I just LOVE Florence and the Machine. The main thing that always gets me is that each of her songs has a great beat and a plot. My ultimate fascination, other than my personal beliefs and discovering how true love works with my fiancé, is plots. I love plots and especially character arcs. Something about it will always keep me glued and each of her songs does that to me. Very inspirational.)

Howl - Florence and the Machine

Stripped - Shiny Toy Guns

(This is Caleb’s song. It is how he thinks. You will find out more about him in book two and finally start to understand his actions. Let’s just say, I believe that there are no true villains, just people and there is something that drove him to be what he is.)

Under the stars - Morning Parade

Little Dreams - Ellie Goulding

A thousand years - Christina Perri

Whole wide world - Mindy Gledhill

Everywhere I go - Lissie

All that you give - Kaskade

Like a star - Corinne Bailey Rae

(This song isn’t my normal style but something about Corinne’s voice stops me in my tracks. I was watching Medium at a friend’s house on the tv (I don’t keep a tv in my house, less distractions) when this came on and reminded me of the first time I heard it. I completely forgot what was going on and just wanted to listen to that song over and over again, so I sat down to write and did. :p )

Distance - Christina Perri

Hawk eyes - The Kicks

Echo - Jason Walker

Breath again - Sara Bareillas

Head of heels - Digital daggers

(I used to listen to the original of this song with my mother when I was younger. We both loved eerie songs and I LOVE the Digital Daggers version! )

The man who can't be moved - The Script

I'll hold my breath - Ellie Goulding

Lights - Ellie Goulding

Set fire to the rain - Adele

Don't love - F T Island

(There was a video once posted on YouTube with this song and it featured a few of my favorite scenes from KDramas and JDramas and I am not someone who cries but I did. Of course my fiancé thought I had gotten an e-mail that someone had died with how I was staring at the screen until I showed him the video. Yeah… he didn’t cry. But he understood. Lol. I ended up writing for hours afterwards just to get all of the emotions out.)

I Hope - F T Island

Set fire to the third bar - Snow Patrol

Bizarre love triangle - Frente!

Headlock - Imogen Heap

Pitterpat - Erin McCarley

Beautiful - Mandalay

The call - Regina Spektor

Feel it in my bones - Tiesto featuring Tegan & Sara

(I LOVE this song. I think it will actually end up on three novel playlists since two of my other projects ended up having this be a cross over song. It inspired me during Owlet and then again when working on two of my stand alone novels I was working on as side projects. Eventually I plan on turning to them again and finishing them up. )

Music is a big inspiration for me. I hope you will check out a few of these artists! 

So here is my question for you:

What is your favorite song? What is a song you always wanted to see on an author’s playlist but no one seems to listen to?

***
And last but not least, here's how to enter Emma's big giveaway:

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You can find out all you ever wanted to know about Emma and OWLET below.  And once you're done stalking, er, following her, check out the other stops on the OWLET blog tour to continue reading the fabulous excerpts.

Owlet GoodReads page:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14059271-owlet
Emma Michael's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/emma.michaels.90
Emma Michael's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/emmamichaels
Emma Michael's Website:
http://emmamichaels.com/
Emma Michael's GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4104941.Emma_Michaels
Tribute Books website:
http://www.tribute-books.com

Tribute Books Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176

Tribute Books Twitter:
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'Owlet' Blog Tour
Read Along Excerpt Schedule

1.	October 1 - The Busy Bibliophile (guest post)
2.	October 2 - Reading to Penguins (review)
3.	October 3 (A) - The Daily Harrell (guest post)
4.	October 3 (B) - That Artsy Reader Girl (guest post)
5.	October 4 (A) - BookHounds (review & guest post)
6.	October 4 (B) - Paper Cuts YA (guest post)
7.	October 5 - Nicole Olea (review & guest post)
8.	October 8 - Synchronized Reading (guest post)
9.	October 9 - Book and a Latte (guest post)
10.	October 10 (A) - Fire Star Books (interview)
11.	October 15 (B) - Book Fairy Haven (guest post)
12.	October 10 (B) - Snow Drop Dreams (review & guest post)
13.	October 11 (A) - Becky's Barmy Book Blog (guest post)
14.	October 11 (B) - CeCe's Reading and Writing Safari (guest post)
15.	October 12 (A) - Readinista (interview)
16.	October 12 (B) - Jeanz Book ReadNReview (guest post)
17.	October 12 (C) - A Diary of a Book Addict (review)
18.	October 13 (A) - Krazy Book Lady (guest post)
19.	October 13 (B) - Read-Along Excerpt #18
20.	October 15 (A) - Colorimetry (interview)
21.	October 16 (A) - The Unread Reader
22.	October 16 (B) - Wicked Readings by Tawania (guest post)
23.	October 17 (A) - Pretty in Fiction (guest post)
24.	October 17 (B) - Reading It All (review)
25.	October 18 (A) - Close Encounters with the Night Kind (review)
26.	October 18 (B) - Quill Cafe (guest post)
27.	October 19 (A) - Michael Loring (review)
28.	October 19 (B) - For What It's Worth (guest post)
29.	October 20 (A) - Great Minds Think Aloud (guest post - read-along excerpt in Comments section)
30.	October 20 (B) - Rather Barefoot Than Bookless (review)
31.	October 22 - Book Nerd (review)
32.	October 23 - Read-Along Excerpt #32
33.	October 24 - Mad Hatter Reads (review)
34.	October 25 (A) - We Do Write (guest post)
35.	October 25 (B) - Moonlight Book Reviews (guest post)
36.	October 26 - Read-Along Excerpt #36
37.	October 29 (A) - Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Reviews & Goodies (guest post)
38.	October 29 (B) - Novel d'Tales (review)
39.	October 30 (A) - My Guilty Obsession (review)
40.	October 30 (B) - Nick's Book Blog (interview)
41.	October 31 - One Book at a Time (review & guest post)
42.	November 1 (A) - Tiffany's Bookshelf (review)
43.	November 1 (B) - Fangs, Wands & Fairy Dust (guest post)
44.	November 2 (A) - Splash of Our Worlds (review)
45.	November 2 (B) - I'd So Rather Be Reading (guest post)
46.	November 5 (A) - Radiant Shadows (guest post)
47.	November 5 (B) - Kindle and Me (guest post)
48.	November 6 (A) - Read-Along Excerpt #48
49.	November 6 (B) - Lynn Thompson Books (review)
50.	November 7 (A) - What's on Jen's Bookshelf? (guest post)
51.	November 7 (B) - Jean Book Nerd (review & guest post)
52.	November 8 (A) - Breathe in Books (review & guest post)
53.	November 8 (B) - Fighter Writer (guest post)
54.	November 9 (A) - Cocktails & Books (review)
55.	November 9 (B) - Walking on Bookshelves (review & guest post)
56.	November 9 (C) - Offbeat Vagabond (review)
57.	November 10 - Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer (guest post)
58.	November 12 (A) - Claire Louise Reads (guest post)
59.	November 12 (B) - Mother Gamer Writer (guest post)
60.	November 13 (A) - The Bookworm (guest post)
61.	November 13 (B) - Novels on the Run (review & guest post)
62.	November 13 (C) - A Dream within a Dream (guest post)
63.	November 14 (A) - The Solitary Bookworm (review & guest post)
64.	November 14 (B) - Identity Discovery (review & interview)
65.	November 15 (A) - Reading Challenged (review)
66.	November 15 (B) - Only God Can Make a Tree (review)
67.	November 16 (A) - The Top Shelf (guest post)
68.	November 16 (B) - Andi's Young Adult Books (review & guest post)
69.	November 19 (A) - Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf
70.	November 19 (B) - Chapter by Chapter (guest post)
71.	November 20 - Turning the Pages (review)
72.	November 21 - Flutey Words (guest post)
73.	November 22 - Book Briefs (review)
74.	November 23 - Simply Infatuated (guest post)
75.	November 24 - Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf (interview)
76.	November 26 - Fictional Candy (guest post)
77.	November 27 - Read-Along Excerpt #77
78.	November 28 - Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers (review)
79.	November 29 - Bookworm Lisa (review)
80.	November 30 - Lizzy's Dark Fiction (guest post)
81.	December 3 (A) - Kindred Dreamheart (review)
82.	December 3 (B) - Read-Along Excerpt #82
83.	December 4 - Read-Along Excerpt #83
84.	December 5 - Sara's Organized Chaos (review)
85.	December 6 - Once Upon a Twilight (review)
86.	December 7 - The Bookish Babes (review)
87.	December 10 (A) - A Chick Who Reads
88.	December 10 (B) - Electrifying Reviews (review)
89.	December 11 - Shiirleyy's Bookshelf (guest post)
90.	December 12 - Good Choice Reading (guest post)
91.	December 13 - Christie's Book Reviews (review)
92.	December 14 - Keeping It Real with Lucy (review & interview)
93.	December 17 - What's Beyond Forks? (review)
94.	December 18 - Lynn Thompson Books (guest post)
95.	December 19 - The Character Connection (guest post)
96.	December 20 - Rainy Day Ramblings (review)
97.	December 21 - Leisure Reads (review)
98.	December 27 - Artsy Musings of a Bibliophile
99.	December 28 - The Musings of a Book Addict (review)
100.	December 29 - Jenn Renee Read (review & guest post)
101.	December 30 (A) - Young Adult Book Reviews (guest post)
102.	December 30 (B) - Reader Girls (interview)
103.	December 31 (A) - Little Library Muse (review)
104.	December 31 (B) - Andrea Heltsley Books (review)

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Happy Debut YA Book Birthday

I ran out of time to feature all of the debut authors celebrating today, so I decided to pick one.  This book has a gorgeous cover and a compelling blurb.  So happy Book Birthday to THROUGH TO YOU by Emily Hainsworth.

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.
The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

Purgatory Reign Cover Reveal + Contest

Thanks for joining me today for the cover reveal of my friend, LM Preston's newest YA novel, Purgatory Reign.  Intrigued? Read the back cover for yourself!

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance, Action Adventure
Book Trailer Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atvKA9E4bPI&feature=youtu.be
Read a Sample: http://www.freado.com/book/13273/purgatory-reign

Release Dates:
eBook (March 2013)
Print (May 2013)Pre-Order on Amazon. 

Now that you're all fired up, don't forget to enter LM's contest for some great prizes!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway