Monday, September 30, 2013

Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop (US Only)



Welcome to our stop on the Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop. If this is your first time visiting then welcome!!!! Snyder and I love Halloween and we always try to put something on the blog halloweeny LOL What better way than to join a blog hop and share our love of paranormal books with you all.  :D Hopefully you’ll enter the giveaway and take a look around. :D but I haven’t told you what you’ll be trying to win have I? Well take a look at the pic below. 

Dead and loving It by Mary Janice Davidson

I may also add some swag and candy. :D It will be a wicked surprise. MUAHAHAHAHA

GO FORTH AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!


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And Don't forget to enter all the other giveaways below!!!!!!!!! Hop Away!


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Sunday, September 29, 2013

Inside the Mind of a Writer- Michelle Muckley

Inside the mind of a writer
Michelle Muckley


When I was asked to write a guest post entitled ‘Inside the Mind of a Writer’, I have got to say I was a bit intrigued.  Whilst I love writing my guest posts about characters, writing technique, and book ideas, nobody before had asked me to write anything about who I am.  What goes on inside my brain?  What makes me tick?  So the novelty of it really got me thinking.

Like all good thoughts in 2013, I decided to start with Google.  Google has
become my best friend for the unanswered questions of my curious mind.  I typed Inside the mind of, but it wasn’t writer that followed in my search results.  Whose brains are we all desperate to riffle through?  Top searches are serial killer, killer, sociopath, and narcissist.  And Google itself.  What a narcissist!

So it seems that what we all really want to discover is what goes on inside the mind of somebody who hangs out in the dark places, the shady corners of life.  The world has gone crazy for the likes of Dexter, CSI, and the many true crime shows on TV.  We want to know what drives these people, why they committed their crimes, and how they could possibly have done the things they did.  We want to understand the things that really we cannot imagine ourselves.  

Well, I am not really any different.  Let me tell you a bit about me.  The basics.  Female, thirty two, married to a Greek guy, two step kids, scientist by trade and qualification.  All sounds pretty normal so far.  And it is.  I am in fact pretty average.  My DVD drawer is full of horror, my bookshelf houses a mixture of thriller and suspense, and as for a good crime show just try and drag me away.  But what drives me to write about such things?  Why do I spend hour upon hour of my time typing up stories, writing about the things most people don’t want to think about after the show has finished and their curiosity has been satisfied?

It was about ten years ago that I first I announced to a very good friend of mine that I was going to write a book.  But the will to do it began a long time
before this initial conversation.  I was still a child when I decided that I wanted to be a writer.  I was holding a copy of Gerald’s Game by Stephen King in my hand, marvelling at his black and white picture on the back cover.  I was nine, I think, and I thought he looked like the coolest guy I had ever seen in my life.  When my parents told me he must be crazy because of the things he writes about, I became convinced that my earlier assumption was correct.  He became cooler than cool in my eyes.  I took that book home, read it in a week, and from that point on decided I would one day be as cool as Stephen King.  My secret desire to be a writer was born.  

It was secret because it seemed to me to be a bit, well, fanciful.  A bit of a woo-hoo-head-in-the-clouds type of idea.  When the careers counsellor asked me what I was going to do with my life, saying I’m going to write a book seemed like the wrong answer.   So instead I came out with something sensible.  I am going to be a scientist in healthcare.  Excellent.  One tick for me.  

But the idea of being a writer was still lurking in the background refusing to go away.  I had ideas, thoughts, all jumbled up in a mixture of stories, floating around in my cloud-dwelling head.  I think that many writers are introverts.  I know I certainly can be at times.  So writing is in some way a form of expression.  A lot of internal thought processes and ideas which only come out on paper, like some sort of catharsis.  That’s not to say my books are therapy, but rather I know when I look at them they are absolutely bursting at the seams full of me.

But understanding why I write goes much deeper than me putting my ideas down on paper in an attempt not to go crazy.  In all honesty, I would be unlikely to go nuts if I never wrote another word in my life.  So it still doesn’t really explain why I write.

Words themselves are one of the earliest things that we are taught.  If we hold a new baby, no more than hours old, we talk to it.  We tell it things,
things it will learn, things we promise it.  It hears these words without any clue of what they really mean, and yet we say them anyway.  We keep doing it as they age until the point when they say their own first word, and then we celebrate it as a milestone in their development.  Whether it’s mum, dad, dog, or pooh, we celebrate the knowledge that comes with the onset of the spoken word.  Afterwards we teach them to write, and from that point on almost everything they learn is associated to words and writing.  Even people who don’t ‘write’ use words every day.  Some of us even keep diaries, which has to be the most personal and private form of writing that there is.


Before we developed language we communicated through sound, from one Neanderthal caveman to another to link them together in thought or action. Ancient civilisations used hieroglyphics, images and symbols to communicate and to spread ideals.  The first scriptures on stone, papyrus, and before that cave walls, all linked the writer or artist to another person.  To the reader.  To their civilizations.  To the people in their time and beyond.  

People do not write because of fame or money.  Most who write never find either of those things through their writing.  Writing itself can be lonely and
tiring.  Writing can stop you doing other things because slowly it takes over. Those two hours of free time at the shopping centre sound good, but when you’ve got a couple thousand more words to write you chose to stay home and get it done.  Writing is a way that we communicate to the world, but writing itself is just the medium.  Words are the true magic, and whether it is written, spoken, a poem or a song, we use them every day to link us to our society and those people within it.  

So inside the mind of the writer is simply to be inside the mind of a person who chooses to communicate.  It is no more complicated than any other mind.  People see it as introverted and closed, but truly it is one of the most open minds there is because the writer shares everything of their thoughts through his or her words.  Our world is one huge society, and we are in some way all linked as a community.   We are a world because we communicate and we all choose our medium.  Be it words, art, knowledge, or cinema.  We all deliver our message.  Perhaps this is why we are Googling our way into the minds of sociopaths and killers.  We want to understand them because they are part of our world.  We want to hear their message because they are in some way linked to us.  But then again, this all sounds a bit woo-hoo-head-in-the-clouds to me.  Maybe I am a writer because I’m crazy after all.




New Release


Ben Stone has one aim; discover the cure for genetic disease. He watched his father die and promised himself that it would never happen again, especially to his own son. After his appointment as lead researcher in Bionics Laboratories he begins his desperate research. It takes four years, but he succeeds. He discovers NEMREC, a serum able to reconstruct DNA and cure the diseases that have driven him. It should be the beginning of a new future, but by changing the face of the world, he has unwittingly destroyed his own.

After arriving at his laboratory to find that it has disappeared, he is sucked into a world of conspiracy and betrayal. The Agency wants NEMREC and will do anything to get it, believing it to be the most powerful scientific discovery in decades. But it wasn't just NEMREC that they wanted. The Agency wanted Ben dead, but somehow he survived. His best friend, his wife, and Ami, the beautiful scientist who he has fallen for at work all offer to help him, but each has a different version of the truth. They all have their own agenda, only one of them wants what he wants, and in a world where you are already dead, how is it that you are supposed to survive?

Friday, September 27, 2013

Jade Eby Guest Post [Giveaway + Tour]



The Right Kind of Wrong

Goodreads | Amazon
Nothing stays hidden forever. 

Kara Pierce has held onto the same dream since she was a little girl: to be the next Katie Couric.
Vince Gage, a budding filmmaker whose I-don't-give-a-shit attitude cancels out his charm, almost ruined it for her once, and now he’s back, threatening to do it again.
When the two of them are paired together for a college competition with a $20,000 prize, the only thing they agree on is winning.

They return to Iowa where Kara grew up to research her grandfather's service in World War II, instead they find themselves in the middle of a family scandal kept quiet for far too long. As Kara and Vince investigate the scandal deeper, they realize the price of uncovering the truth is so much more than they bargained for.





Once upon a time there was a little girl who fell in love with books then she grew up to write her own.
Jade has participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) six times and enjoys copious amounts of coffee. When she's not writing, she enjoys trashy reality T.V. and reading everything she can get her hands on. 
Mommy to two dogs and two naughty kitties, she feels like she might be on her way to having a zoo.







Top 10 Favorite Books
Jade Eby

While I've always been a writer of sort, I've also been a serious reader my entire life. My love of writing was developed through my love of literature and there have been so many novels that have touched my life and made me want to be a better writer.

#1 The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: This book is no doubt the favorite of many readers. For me, I've been a fan of John Green and the Nerdfighters for a long time and I wasn't sure if he could write anything that topped Looking for Alaska, but then TFiOS came out and my life changed. Everything in the novel far surpassed my expectations and I wondered how it was possible for someone to write something so amazing. His characters, the writing, the emotion! It was all done so superbly that I've read the book over and over again. If there was one author I aspire to be like -- it's John Green. Not only are his books amazing, but as an author, he is humble and smart and does amazing things with his fame. He's helped so many kids understand that it's okay to be a little different or a little weird. He celebrates difference and acceptance and for that -- I think the world of him and his novels.

#2 Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: I read Gone with the Wind when I was very young. I think I was at first enticed by the length (I was a bit of an overachiever) and the fact that my grandma loved it. But once I started it, I fell head over heels with the novel. It started my love affair with novels set in the south. But more than anything, it taught me what it means to write a novel that surpasses time, generations and fads. I think Gone with the Wind has the original "bad boy" of literature and I'll tell you -- Rhett Butler is one of my favorite book boyfriends of all time.

#3 Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling: I don't think any "favorites" list is complete without Harry Potter. I'm lumping the entire series in one because in my mind there just isn't any separating them. They come as a package. My love for Harry Potter runs so deeply, it's hard to explain what it means to me. I grew up with Harry and the crew and I remember toward the end of the books, I would wait in lines for the midnight releases of the books (and the movies). Harry Potter taught me how to believe in things even when the outside world and parents were saying "that's not real!" J.K. Rowling is another author I respect so much. She's humble and appreciative of every bit of success she deserves.

#4 The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield: This novel was a sleeper hit for me. I picked it up because it was set in the south and the blurb immediately caught my attention. About five pages in, I fell in love with this novel. It has SO much charm and love in it. It's one of those novels that you read and then immediately want to pick it up and read it again. You really *think* about the message of love, family and forgiveness after reading it and I just think it's incredible how the author was able to take really tough situations and add a bit of comic relief to some parts. I often refer to this book as our generations "To Kill a Mockingbird" in a way. This is a book that doesn't get nearly the attention it should!

#5 The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: I absolutely could not believe this was the author's first book. The imagery and the language of the novel is reminiscent of a writer who has studied and honed their craft to perfection. To say I loved this novel is an understatement. I would find myself reading and rereading the book because certain lines just rolled off the tongue so beautifully, so eloquently they deserve to be savored over and over again.

#6 Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: This is another one that goes without saying. I actually read this book before the craze hit and I remember telling my husband "This is a book that will hit it big. It will be on the level of Harry Potter and Twilight" and I'm so happy I was right because this book and the author deserve every bit of the attention. I love that at the time it seemed SO different from every other YA novel I was reading. And it brought about one of my favorite categories of books to read in -- Dystopian!

#7 Looking for Alaska by John Green: As I mentioned earlier, my love for John Green knows no bounds and Looking for Alaska deserves it's spot on this list because I absolutely identified and felt a kinship to the characters in it. I devoured this book and it's another one I've read over and over again. There's just SO much about this book that spoke to me but I think the general "trying to find who you are and where you fit in" is one that I especially felt touched me. I read it at a time in my life where I was trying to discover who I was as young woman and what I wanted from my life.

#8 On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves: I truly believe that sometimes a book becomes a favorite not only because of the way the book made you feel, but because of the way an author made you feel. Such is the case with On the Island. Tracey is from my state (Go Iowa!) and she is just the most down-to-earth, humble piece of beautiful pie I've ever met. She's honest and she's fricken funny. I followed her blog long before she published and it was amazing to follow her journey from writing the book to publishing it. But more so -- the book is flipping amazing! She took a book theme that hadn't been done in a while, turned it on it's head and made the most compelling love story I've read in a while. I love this book!!

#9 The Help by Kathryn Stockett: This book was AMAZING. There really are no other words. Yet, another book set in the south, I loved the way the author took on an inside look at slaves and society. It was sad, funny, hopeful and beautiful. I was able to see the author in person at a book signing and she was adorable and funny and I can't wait to read whatever she puts out next.

#10 Ashfall by Mike Mullin: Another post-apocalyptic/dystopian on the list! Yay! I read and adored Ashfall so much. Not only is the author amazing (noticing a trend with amazing authors...right?) but Ashfall is set in Iowa, where I live. So throughout the entire novel, I know every place the characters are talking about or discovering. I love how *real* this book feels. Although, that's scary because what if Yellowstone erupted and wiped out half of humanity? What if we all acted liked savages and had to kill to survive? It's extremely terrifying and scary to think about but I think that's what makes this novel so great. He doesn't stray away from the gritty or the dark and that makes it a tough but rewarding read.


Whew. That's a lot of amazing books! Now, I feel like I need to go back and reread them all again! Thank for featuring me on your blog and allowing me to share the books that I love and have influenced me as a reader and writer.


Giveaway

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Review: Wait for You [Armentrout] Blog Tour

Wait For You


Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at that fateful Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. What she never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.
Some things are worth experiencing . . .
Cameron Hamilton is six feet, three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, com-plete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make Avery want things she believed had been irrevocably stolen from her. Getting involved with him is dangerous. Yet ignoring the simmering tension that sparks between them—and brings out a side of her she never knew existed—is impossible.
Some things shouldn’t be kept quiet . . .
But when Avery starts receiving threatening e-mails and phone calls, she’s forced to face a past she wants to keep buried and acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. If the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface with one less scar? And will Cam be there to help her?
And some things are worth fighting for . . .


J. Lynn

 J. Lynn [Jennifer Armentrout]
# 1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes Young Adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.
She also writes Adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
Find out more about Jennifer at her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.


Review

Let me start by saying that I am already a huge fan of this author and her writing style. She manages to capture my interest and blow me away with all of her novels that I have read (now, I have not read all of them. I am just saying the ones I have read have been good. Daemon, anyone?) 

I love Avery! She is so sweet and awkward, but can be feisty if the situation calls for it. And Cameron...oh, Cameron. I don't know how she keeps turning out these sexy-as-hell male characters. He is just all kinds of awesome wrapped up in a sexy, witty, blue- eyed package. (and I am beginning to think that the author has an unhealthy relationship with cookies! ha!)

I loved the interaction between the characters and the romance is HOT. I mean.. whew. I may have blushed a little but- okay, a lot of bit, but I loved it. 

The story did not move to fast or two slow. We found out Avery's "secrets" at a pretty decent pace with the romance. 

The CHEMISTRY, man. Sorry, I am done with that. *sizzle* Okay, I am stopping now. I cannot wait to read the upcoming books in the "Wait For You" series. I need more sexy/steamy, romance and witty/charming characters, please!


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Thursday, September 26, 2013

Kinetic by S.K. Anthony Blog Tour {Review+Giveaway}



Much thanks to Grapevine Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of this tour. :D To follow the rest of the tour, click on the banner above.







Series: The Luminaries #1
Publication: September 20th, 2013
Category: New Adult (NA)
Genre: Urban Fantasy (UF)
Synopsis: 
Being strong is one thing. Being an unlimited source of power is quite another.
Genetically altered by the Organization, Annie Fox takes down criminals CIA-style with her luminary strength. With nothing to mend but her broken heart, she is relentlessly pursued by her boss Derek Lake. Just when Annie is about to give him a chance, her ex-husband unexpectedly comes out of hiding.
A wanted man, Nick Logan is a cold-hearted murderer who is considered enemy number one, and orders are clear: kill on contact. He is more powerful than ever and threatens the lives of those she holds most dear. His plan? Get his hands on Annie and use her Kinetic energy to destroy them all. When Annie finds herself with an opportunity to end him, she pauses, horrified by the scars covering the face she once loved. A split second that will cost her everything …

** Kinetic is a stand-alone novel. All books in series are part of the same world with the characters intertwined. **


 


 My Review


Annie is a Luminary, which means she has power. Hers happens to be strength and later she will find out she has another power. I’m a big fan if X- Men and all things related with supernatural powers. So of course I loved this book. All their powers were different and I loved learning about each one. So we have Annie and her friends who work for the Organization or the Org as they like to call it and they are trying to stop a serial killer. The only is that it’s Annie’s Ex- husband Nick Logan. Talk about a bummer. He leaves her to become evil. Not something a girl wants to think about. Anyways they are trying to find him before he finds them, or just Annie because of her unique power. But some things aren’t what they seem. Something is fishy. I could tell about not quite halfway through that there was something going on behind the scenes. And then they find out the truth and it was….sick. Gosh how do I say this without spoiling the book? Let’s just say that friends will become enemies and enemies will become friends. How twisted Is that I love it! :D Oh and the moments between Annie and a certain someone *swoon* someone call the fire department. This was a fantastic start to what I know will be a great series; I can’t wait to see who the second book will be about, maybe Kevin. I really liked him. :D OH MY GOSH I almost forgot about the ending. Ugh that ending I thought it was going to go one way and I am here crying like a baby and then BAM nope not what I thought. I was like S.K. Anthony- 1 Tiffany- 0 LOL But I did my little happy dance and all was right with the world. :D

Annie was nice and easygoing. You couldn’t help but to like her. She is super strong but a total softy. Gosh I loved her. She has such a dilemma to deal with in the book. She is broken because Nick left her. She didn’t feel love until him and he ripped her heart out. I’ll talk about Nick in a minute.

Derek is a little pushy and possessive but we find out why later in the book. I think he was a swell guy but I knew he wasn’t what Annie needed. Annie likes to break the rules and he likes to follow them, Yeah not a good combo. Other than that he is a pretty stand up guy.

Nick left Annie and didn’t leave a note as to why. Oh and there’s something about him killing people. Does it make me weird that I still love him? He is goofy and sinfully sexy. I don’t care about the scars and his eye patch. It’s easy to see why Annie fell for him. Man the things we learn about him in this book. The suspense killed me!!!!

Beth: I have to mention Beth because she was the bestest friend ever. She has been there for Annie since they were 15 and stood up for her. I have much respect for her. Maybe we can get a story about her and how she met Andrew. :D Just a suggestion.

Kevin: He doesn’t come in until later in the book, but I have a little crush on him. I want to read a book about him, but then he would be taken. L He is goofy just like Nick and has a perverted mind. LOL but he is 17….and a guy. I just loved him. :D

Overall: An interesting read full of mystery and deceit!

4 Stars!!!!!!










Author bio: 

S.K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders…she is convinced they are out to get her!





GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!!!!!!

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ANOTHER GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!

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Then, Now, Forever Release Day Blast!!








Then
 Gia had let Beppe into her life so easily, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She’d held him when he’d hurt so badly he’d thought he might die; she’d talked him down when he’d been so angry he’d considered doing something he’d regret for the rest of his life.
 Gia had saved his life.
At least once he needed to be strong for her.
This right now, this moment, was theirs. It belonged to them, not to abusive or dead fathers, not to guilt, regret or sorrow, not to the past or the future.
But will their love survive when tragedy separates them?
“I have to go, Gia. I’m tired and I feel empty. I know you need me, but I have nothing left to give you. I need to heal.”
“I miss you so much it’s hard to breathe.”
Now
Beppe was still Gia’s closest friend. But they’d never be anything more than that again. Remembering what it felt like to have the person you love most in the world torn away from you still hurt. Gia was determined never to be put into that position again.
There was never lack of love, but can Beppe win Gia’s trust again?

Forever
“When I was broken you gave me pieces of yourself and made me whole again.”




 









Author bio
Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband Ted and my son Jason. I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job in 2010 when I decided that everything else I've tried bores me to death and I have to do what I've always wanted to do, but never had to guts to fully embrace. I've been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among another things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It's the only time that I'm truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time - my son has a bigger attention span than me.
When I'm procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Wii game by a six year old.

Don't be shy and get in touch - I love connecting with my readers. Blog:www.teodorakostova.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Teodora_Kostova
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teodorakostovaauthor
E-mail: t.t.kostova@gmail.com





 I'll be reviewing this book soon!!!! Does this sound like your kind of book? Let me know in the comments!!




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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Ken Murray Guest Post [Inside the Mind of the Author]



Inside the Mind of the Author
Kenneth Murray

You don't want to be inside the mind of this author. My wife says it's a dark place.
She is right. I like the dark side - just read the two opening chapters of my newest
novel, The Second Creation, and you will find that most writers won't go there.
There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. And I
enjoy my mental drift into the vastness of space in search of new ideas.

If I had the ability to be re-born into a new life as a science fiction creature; I
would continue being a male, but have the pheromonal ability of insects that can secrete externally a substance that floats through the air like perfume, but with little or no odor. When breathed in by females, they are overwhelmed with sexual desire
to find me and I can orgasm as often as I wish with multiple females. I could give
them 'tee times' -- like playing golf.  
 
To find mental peace, tranquility, I try to develop the introductory methods of Shamantha, or meditative quiescence. Meditation is very difficult to learn, but I believe that Tibetan Buddhism is the least difficult.

I've found the practice to be calming. I've read that if done daily, one can expand brain power and reduce blood pressure. Some experts concentrate on thinking of a black, round spot, the size of a large coin, in the center of the forehead. It's known in meditation as 'the door.' Advanced practitioners of meditation can open that door and be inside their own mind.

Yes, I know what you readers must be thinking. That would really be a triple scary place. But it is not the real problem with the practice. The real worry is sometimes such a sojourner can't find the way back out through that mental door. You stay inside your mind. Now that's a form of insanity.

I write poetry too. It's much more intense and satisfying. Here's a poem that you
would easily guess that I wrote. To feel and sense what the poet is expressing, you
must read poetry out LOUD.


         Touched

 A Poem by Kenneth S. Murray

Abnormality, paranoia, insanity
I’d prefer to be a savant.
Could I then hear, touch, sense,
The mystical monk’s chant.

Give me the right lobe of
One blessed with a 200 IQ
And I’d shame Shakespeare,
Poe, Mozart, and Montesquieu.

Loan me robotic body parts
Force air beneath my wings
Let me create the vibrancy of symphony,
Of poetry, of vivid canvas paints.

   Feel space and time through black holes
   And understand creation
   As death I must confront
 For God may be just around the corner.


I started writing fifteen years ago out of sheer boredom. I had retired early and had to find something to do besides exercise and golf. One needs to work the brain. I knew I had a good imagination and after I wrote my first novel, I knew I'd found something so special, so wonderful, that I couldn't stop. I'm working on my fifth novel and having fun with poetry, which is such a rush -- intense and satisfying.

I usually write romantic poems, love poems. Here's one I was inspired to write last week when I read a line in a book that used the words, "orchid," and "garden." Remember -- speak the words like your reading the poem to someone else.


    Orchid

A Poem by Kenneth S. Murray

A valley in a mountain rain forest
Forms a never lifting fog,
A timeless mist out of which
You come to me.

An ephemeral ghost, never speaking
But beautiful to behold.
I reach out as you slip away
With a knowing smile that
Hints of warmth, a closeness, that
I never taste or touch.

Through the valley I walk
As I search for you.
Sometimes I hear a whisper,
My head turns, eyes squeezing
To see through the misty veil.

I catch a glimpse of great beauty,
An ethereal spirit floating above me.
A breeze clears the air, the figure
Turns into an orchid, so delicate,
Its white petals -- soft and pure
And cool, like new snow.

In its depth lies the bright promise
As the flower's red center beckons.
I have found my Eden.  









The Second Creation


The Second Creation weaves together two stories; a life ending comet strike on earth, and inter-galactic war within the Realm of the Galaxies. 
Research by Sandia National Laboratories Comet Impact Simulations brings incredible reality, and biosphere life begins a new human story. 
Dunge Katorsay, an Apostle of the Anti-Christ, leads his forces from the Draco Constellation to defeat the realm and become its chairman. 
Brian Hudson and Charlotte Tennyson are introduced as earth embryos. Both are born years later on another planet. 
Charlotte is captured by Draco forces; her memory copied into her physical clone, who returns to Brian to spy on the realm. Charlotte's bisexual tendencies were revealed, and she is kept by Dr. Sorsin, the lesbian bio-engineering genius. 
The ending above the earth, as their forces collide, is a horrific battle between the Anti-Christ and the second coming of a God child.






Bio


Kenneth S. Murray lives with his wife Beth in Winter Park and has sons and daughters and three grandchildren. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he served in a top secret cryptographic unit of the U. S. Army in the Pentagon during the Korean war organizing intelligence from codes deciphered by the National Intelligence Agency. He moved to Florida in 1958, retired early and for the past fifteen years has been writing novels and poetry. www.kennethsmurray.com 




Giveaway:

First Prize: Kindle Paperwhite
 Second Prize: $50 Amazon Giftcard
 Third Prize: $25 Amazon Giftcard

Monday, September 23, 2013

Resilient Tour [Review + Interview] YA Paranormal Romance



Resilient

Goodreads | Amazon
Livia has never felt like she fits in. As normal as it sounds, Livia is anything but ordinary. She can feel every emotion of every single person around her, and it’s maddening. In pursuit of some psychic quiet, she moves with her family from New York City to Whidbey Island in the lush and sleepy Pacific Northwest. But when a horseback riding accident in her new home gives her a broken leg that heals in a day, she finds that another unexplainable ability has manifested, and her life isn’t about to get any easier.
Adam has no problem fitting in and making friends. In fact, he’s the top of the school, the boy everyone knows and loves. However, people only see what he allows them to. No one knows what Adam is truly capable of. After witnessing Livia’s accident, Adam sees something intriguing in her quick recovery, something that gives him hope that he’s not alone.
Adam is the only one whose emotions Livia can’t read. Afraid of not knowing what goes on behind his dark eyes, Livia decides to keep him at a distance. Yet the more she tries to ignore him, the more alluring he becomes, and while their personal quests for identity will inevitably bring them closer together, it is the confirmation of what they really are that threatens to tear them apart.

Resilient, told in alternating point of views, is a gripping story of survival and romance, in which two teenagers face the consequences of being anything but normal.



Review

Livia is a normal teenager- except she has the ability to feel other's emotions. She is very active, but is a little bit of an outsider. When her family moves to a lakeside house, she meets the golden boy- Adam. He is sort of an ass at first, but I really warmed up to him. This book was told in my favorite POV. It alternated between the two main characters so I could really get inside their heads and see how they felt about each other. I really enjoyed watching their feelings towards each other progress throughout the book- especially since they were not exactly friendly in the beginning. Nope- not at all. 
There are mystery and paranormal aspects which I loved. Livia has to find out why she is the way she is and she finds someone to relate to in Adam. After all, he has secrets of his own. The romance was nice and the search for her answers kept me on my toes.. but that cliffhanger ending? WHY?! WHY!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!? *sobs* A highly enjoyable read with mystery, romance, and paranormal awesomeness. I mean.. seriously.. a girl with the power to read emotions? How could that not turn out AWESOME. (: 



Patricia Vanasse




Website | Blog | Goodreads
Patricia Vanasse was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Now she lives on Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two adorable children, and two crazy dogs.  She has been trough Culinary Arts, Psychology, Law School, and now has finally found her passion in creative writing.  She also loves traveling, cooking, and is an avid reader.  Her strength- believes that everything is possible.  Her weakness- an obsessive relationship with caffeine.









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First of all, I would like to say Hello! <3 And thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. (:

Ryan, Thank you for having me on your blog! I really enjoyed answering your questions! 

1- What was your favorite part about writing Resilient?

I liked doing all the research about the island and getting to know the teens on my visits to South Whidbey High School. It made the setting come alive in my mind. 

2- Resilient is a great title and I bet it has a great significance to the story. (I have not gotten a chance to read it yet) If you were writing a book about your life and past experiences, what would you title it?

That’s a hard question! I’m not very good with titles, and it takes me months before I’m happy with a title.  Maybe I would go with “The Chameleon.” I move every three years and have no problem adapting to new places, cultures, and languages. 

3-Do you have a favorite character from Resilient? If so, can you tell me who it is?

Ha! I don’t have a favorite one. I love them all the same. 

4-In your bio, you stated that you went through a lot of career options [Culinary Arts, Psychology, and Law School] before finally settling on Writing as your passion.  When did you know that you definitely wanted to become a writer? 

My whole life I created stories in my mind. I’m the type of person that stares at a blank wall as if it was the most interesting place to look at. Well, my eyes might stare there, but my mind is far away in a different world. It took me years to realize that I could put all the stories I created in my mind on paper. In Brazil, the schools don’t encourage arts in general, and I didn’t have contact with creative writing till I got older. 

5-The Cover for Resilient is absolutely Gorgeous! O.O Did you have any say in the cover making process? And Do you feel like it accurately conveys the content of the book?

The artwork was made by Ashraf Shalaby, an Egypt based artist.  I’m happy to say I did have participation with the cover and I love it. Does it covey the story? Um, It’s up to interpretation. I can see the story in it definitely, but just like any piece of art, you have to see beyond what is in front of you.

6- I noticed that in the book, Livia moves from New York to Whidbey Island, the same place you moved to from Brazil. How do you like living there? Is it really an island? (I am operating under the assumption that it is amazing there, since you chose it as the setting of your book.) (:

Whidbey Island a real island. It’s one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been. It’s in-between Seattle and Vancouver B.C, and it’s as green as it can be, with the ocean and beautiful snowed mountaintops in the background. Have you ever watched Practical Magic with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock? Whidbey was the setting of that movie; it was recorded in Coupeville. Beautiful place! 

7-Livia has the super cool- and stifling- ability to read other people’s emotions. If you could have one of the following 2 abilities, which one would you choose and why? The ability to read emotions or the ability to read minds.

Empathy is the ability to feel the emotions, thoughts, hopes, desires, and dreams of others, which is where Livia’s ability starts at. But if you can feel what other people feel, I’d think you’d have a pretty good idea what they are thinking about. Livia’s ability develops stronger with time and eventually she’ll be able to connect emotions to thoughts. If I could have both I’d like that, but if I had to choose one, I’d like to be able to read minds.

8- I would like to end the interview with something fun. Can you tell me something fun/random/wonky/crazy about yourself or your writing habits?

Um, when I was nine years old, my sister dared me to shave my eyebrows, and I did. How crazy is that? I looked awful for months. Haha!






Giveaway:
Kindle Paperwhite (US)
Signed Paperback of Resilient (INT)