Hey everyone!
To make it easier for everyone to enter the giveaways, according to your respective areas, I a new Paranormal Summer Fest giveaway list w/ shipping restriction.
Should be easier for you late bloomers to enter all giveaways before July 4th, 2010 =)
This morning I have the great honor to close the Paranormal Summer Fest with the fantastic Cassandra Clare! She’s been very lovely and I’m truly grateful to have her with us today! Make sure to read along to discover more about her, but also about her upcoming release The Clockwork Angel and also a few details about City of Fallen Angels!
The Clockwork Angel synopsis is awesome, from what I gathered, Tessa is a Shapeshifter, is there a reason why we've never seen that kind of Downworlder in the The Mortal Instruments books?
Yes, Tessa is a very unique kind of Downworlder — in fact, the Shadowhunters spend a good deal of the first book trying to figure out what she is, exactly. All warlocks have something that mark them as warlocks — Magnus has cat's eyes, Elias (in City of Ashes) had bat wings, Ragnor has horns. But Tessa has no "warlock's mark" - instead she has this odd power of shapechanging. And not only can she change shape, but she can hear the voice of the person who she's changed into whispering in her head — even if they're dead. It's kind of a creepy power and the Shadowhunters are naturally very curious about this anomaly — I'd say a lot of the second book is "the search for Tessa's origins."
If you had to describe TCA mains characters by a sentence each, what wou
Tessa: Tessa is bookish; she loves to read and compares everything in her life to books.
Jem: Jem is unfailingly thoughtful, unselfish, and philosophical about his situation — but he does have a darker side which we see more of in book 2.
Will: Will was fun to write because he is so utterly self-sabotaging — he spends his life trying to make people think the worst of him.
Charlotte: Charlotte, who runs the Institute, gives off the air of being utterly competent, and she really is, but as a woman, she has to fight for her place in Shadowhunter society.
Henry: Your classic absent-minded mad scientist - in one scene he comes to dinner actually on fire, without noticing.
Jessamine: Jessamine hates Shadowhunters, hates everything about it, won't touch a weapon. She's the anti-Isabelle.
I know you read a lot about Mythology and Demonology to write your books, I was wondering what part is pure Cassandra Clare Imagination?
I think of mythology — of which demonology and angelology are a subset — as a springboard to imagination. I'd go farther and say I don't think there is such a thing as "pure" imagination — what we imagine, what we dream up, is an amalgam of our knowledge, our beliefs, our passions, and our experiences, which is as it should be. It's the way we combine and refine them that makes them unique. To answer your question more specifically, I read a lot of mythology and folklore while researching for TMI, and tried to put my own unique spin on what I learned.
Will TCA have an impact on what's to come in City of Fallen Angels?
Yes, in the sense that the past impacts the future. I don't wind either series to be exclusive of the other - meaning you could pick up and read Clockwork Angel and nothing in it will be inexplicable if you haven't read the Mortal Instruments. You can shun Clockwork entirely and still read City of Fallen Angels (though obviously I hope people won't!) However, reading Clockwork will make CoFA a richer experience — at least one important character is first introduced in Clockwork before appearing in CoFA to stir things up, for instance. Aspects of Magnus's past that have an impact on his character in Angels are also hinted at in Clockwork.
Let's learn a bit more about you ^^
It seems like y
ou travelled a lot while growing up, what's your favorite country?
I have a special affinity for England because we lived there for a few years when I was growing up.
Do you speak other languages?
French, some Italian, some Spanish.
If you could go back in time, when would it be?
Victorian London, of course!
If you had to choose, would you be Downworlder (if so which one) or Shadowhunter?
I'd be a warlock — I like the living forever part of the deal, but the blood drinking bit about being a vampire grosses me out.
Would you share with us three surprising facts about yourself?
I only type with two fingers.
I was born in Teheran, Iran.
I once killed a rattlesnake with a shovel.
Thank you so much Cassie for taking the time to answer my questions. I really enjoyed my correspondence with you and loved you answers! Thanks for your generosity =)
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Cassandra is offering to one lucky winner a signed Clockwork teaser chapter (!!!!) and a piece of rune jewelry from the Mortal Instruments store, if you haven’t been to the shop yet, make sure you do, those jewelry are amazing!
(pendant is just an example of what you can find in the store)
Fabulous as she is, Cassie will ship internationally!
All you have to do is fill the form!
Ends July 4th, 2010.
But hey like this wasn’t already fantastic enough, scroll down for more goodies!
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Simon & Schuster very generously offered two box set of The Mortal Instruments series (Hardcover!) and posters (14x9)!
How fabulous is that prize? Too bad I can’t enter my own giveaway!
So if you haven’t started this series yet, or want to get your hands on this shiny prize, all you have to do is fill the form below.
Contest is open to US addresses only.
Ends July 4th, 2010.
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Please take note that those are two separate giveaways, and you have to fill each form separately to be entered for both!
I’m not giving extra entries to spread to word, but it’s greatly appreciated =)
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Read an Excerpt of the Clockwork Angel
The big majority of these titles have been featured during the Paranormal Summer Fest, but July is so full of awesomeness that I wouldn’t want you to miss any of them!
Here are the stars of July!
Product description from goodreads.com
Other by Karen Kincy
Release date: July 1st, 2010
Product Description:
Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.
When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.
Twice Bitten by Chloe Neill
Release Date: July 6th, 2010
Product description:
Merit, Chicago’s newest vampire, is learning how to play well with others. Other supernaturals, that is. Shapeshifters from across the country are convening in the Windy City, and as a gesture of peace, Master Vampire Ethan Sullivan has offered their leader a very special bodyguard: Merit. Merit is supposed to protect the Alpha, Gabriel Keene—and to spy for the vamps while she’s at it. Oh, and luckily Ethan’s offering some steamy, one-on-one combat training sessions to help her prepare for the mission.
Merit must accept the assignment, even though she knows that she’ll probably regret it. And she’s not wrong. Someone is gunning for Gabriel Keene, and Merit soon finds herself in the line of fire. She’ll need all the help she can get to track down the would-be assassin, but everywhere she turns, there are rising tensions between supernaturals—not least between her and a certain green-eyed, centuries old master vampire.
Blood Law by Jeannie Holmes
Release Date: July 6th, 2010
Product Description:
To stop a vampire killer, she’ll have to slay her own demons first.
A provocative and savvy vampire, Alexandra Sabian moves to the sleepy hamlet of Jefferson, Mississippi—population 6,000, half vampires—to escape the demons lurking in her past. As an enforcer for the Federal Bureau of Preternatural Investigations (FBPI), Alex must maintain the uneasy peace between her kind and humans, including Jefferson’s bigoted sheriff, who’d be happy to see all vampires banished from town. Then really dead vamps start turning up—beheaded, crucified, and defanged, the same gruesome manner in which Alex’s father was murdered decades ago. For Alex, the professional has become way too personal.
Things get even more complicated when the FBPI sends in some unnervingly sexy backup: Alex’s onetime mentor, lover, and fiancé, Varik Baudelaire. Still stinging from the betrayal that ended their short-lived engagement, Alex is determined not to give in to the temptation that soon threatens to short-circuit her investigation. But as the vamp body count grows and the public panic level rises, Varik may be Alex’s only hope to stop a relentless killer who’s got his own score to settle and his own bloody past to put right.
Unchained by Sharon Ashwood
Release date: July 6th, 2010
Product Description:
Ashe Carver, monster-killer, has the scars to prove it. But faced with a custody battle, she's hung up her stakes and taken a job at the public library, determined to show the courts and her ten-year-old daughter that she's as good a mother as she is a hunter.
Easier said than done. There are lovelorn vampires haunting the library, a slime demon in the shopping mall, and her new-mom sister needs a hand with her ghostbusting biz. Then, after centuries guarding a supernatural prison, Captain Reynard strides into her world like a hero from the library's Must Reads. Smokingly gorgeous, passionate and courageous to a fault, he has only weeks to live unless Ashe finds the thief who took his soul.
Ashe picks up her weapons to save the day—but not every problem can be solved with a stake. With so much tragedy in her past, Ashe fears the disaster she sees ahead—and prays she doesn't fail everyone. Again.
Memories are the hardest monsters to kill.
Unholy Magic by Stacia Kane
Release Date: July 6th, 2010.
Product Description:
ENEMIES DON’T NEED TO BE ALIVE TO BE DEADLY.
For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.
Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.
Sleepless by Cyn Balog
Release date: July 13th, 2010.
Product Description:
Eron De Marchelle isn't supposed to feel a connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce human charges to sleep. While he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn't encouraged to--after all, getting too involved in one human's life would prevent him helping his other charges get their needed rest.
But he can't deny that he feels something for Julia. Julia, with her fiery red hair and her sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. Eron has always felt protective of Julia . . . but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can't seem to reach her . . .
Sandmen are forbidden from communicating with humans outside their dreams. But will Eron be willing to risk everything for a chance to be with the person he loves?
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Release date: July 20th, 2010.
Product Description:
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past...and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves...and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love--the light and the dark, the warm and the cold--in a way you will never forget.
Dark and Stormy Knights – Anthology
Release date: July 20th, 2010.
Production Description:
They’re the last defenders of humanity, the lone wolf bad boys— and girls—who do dark deeds for the right reasons. Modern day knights who are sexy, funny, mad, bad and dangerous to know because they do what most of us only dream about…and get away with it. In this all-star collection, nine of today’s hottest urban fantasy authors bring us original stories of supernatural, modern day knights that will have readers clamoring for more!
City of Ghosts by Stacia Kane
Release Date: July 27th, 2010.
Product description:
IT’S A THIN LINE BETWEEN ALIVE AND UNDEAD.
Chess Putnam has a lot on her plate. Mangled human corpses have started to show up on the streets of Downside, and Chess’s bosses at the Church of Real Truth have ordered her to team up with the ultra-powerful Black Squad agency to crack the grisly case.
Chess is under a binding spell that threatens death if she talks about the investigation, but the city’s most notorious crime boss—and Chess’s drug dealer—gets wind of her new assignment and insists on being kept informed. If that isn’t bad enough, a sinister street vendor appears to have information Chess needs. Only he’s not telling what he knows, or what it all has to do with the vast underground City of Eternity.
Now Chess will have to navigate killer wraiths, First Elders, and a lot of seriously nasty magic—all while coping with some not-so-small issues of her own. And the only man Chess can trust to help her through it all has every reason to want her dead.
Shadow Chase by Seressia Glass
Release date: July 27th, 2010
Product Description:
In a job like this, one mistake can cost you everything.As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her.A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces.And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a powershe can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.
Bring on the Night by Jeri Smith-Ready
Release date: July 27th, 2010
Product Description:
Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin seems to finally have it all. A steady job at WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll. A loving relationship with the idiosyncratic but eternally hot DJ Shane McAllister. A vampire dog who never needs shots or a pooper-scooper. And after nine years, it looks as if she might actually finish her bachelor's degree!
But fate has other plans for Ciara. First she must fulfill her Faustian bargain with the Control, the paranormal paramilitary agency that does its best to keep vampires in line. Turns out the Control wants her for something other than her (nonexistent) ability to kick undead ass. Her anti-holy blood, perhaps?
Ciara's suspicions are confirmed when she's assigned to a special-ops division known as the Immanence Corps, run by the Control's oldest vampire and filled with humans who claim to have special powers. To a confirmed skeptic like Ciara, it sounds like a freak fest. But when a mysterious, fatal virus spreads through Sherwood—and corpses begin to rise from their graves—Ciara will not only get a crash course in zombie-killing, but will be forced to put her faith, and her life itself, in the hands of magic.
Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost
Release Date: July 27th, 2010
Product description:
An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness…and now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.
Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.
At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master Vampire who thought he’d seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful…human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life, yet sending her away is unthinkable.
But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose between the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.
As lie the Dead by Kelly Meding
Release date: July 27th, 2010
Product Description:
Evangeline Stone, a rogue bounty hunter, never asked for a world divided between darkness and light…
…or the power to die and live again in someone else's borrowed body. After a murder plot meant to take her out leaves an entire race of shapeshifters nearly extinct, Evy is gnawed by guilt. So when one of the few survivors of the slaughter enlists her aid, she feels duty-bound to help—even though protecting a frail, pregnant shifter is the last thing Evy needs, especially with the world going to hell around her.
Amid weres, Halfies, gremlins, vamps—and increasingly outgunned humans—a war for supremacy is brewing. With shifters demanding justice, her superiors desperate to control her, and an assassin on her trail, Evy discovers a horrifying conspiracy. And she may be the only person in the world who can stop it—unless, of course, her own side gets her first.
Wait for Dusk by Jocelynn Drake
Release date: July 27th, 2010
Product Description:
There is no sanctuary in the night…
Feared even by her own kind for her mastery of fire, the Nightwalker Mira is summoned by the Coven to take her rightful place as Elder. But with this honor comes grave responsibility—a commitment to the annihilation of the unleashed naturi. For now the foul creatures walk the earth—and neither vampire nor human will survive their horrific onslaught.
A tide of blood is sweeping relentlessly across the European continent, as Mira is dispatched to Budapest for the most devastating test yet of her astonishing powers—and falls into a well-laid trap. With the dark secrets that haunt her growing darker by the hour, she must confront the terrible truth of her past and protect her fragile sanity in the face of unanticipated treachery—a betrayal by her ally, her enemy, her lover…the vampire slayer, Danaus.
Happy Reading!
Morning!
Trisha over at Trisha’s Book Blog announced last week that she would host a new feature, Interviews with fellow bloggers all around the world, on Tuesday.
I was the first to answer her *happy dance* so I got to be the very first to be interviewed =D
You can click here to discover Trisha’s blog and learn more about me !
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While you are all here and paying attention, you all are right? *winks*, I would like to remind you that tomorrow will be the last event-day of the Paranormal Summer Fest, and no other than the fabulous Cassandra Clare (!!!!) will be here!
In the mean time, you still have until July 4th to enter all the fantastic giveaways available in a few clicks!
Today, I have the pleasure to introduce you to the fantastic Cyn Balog! You might know her from her debut novel Fairy Tale, released in June 2009 and she is now getting back to us with her second book, Sleepless.
More about the book (description from Cyn’s website):
Eron De Marchelle isn’t supposed to feel a connection. He is a Sandman, a supernatural being whose purpose is to seduce human charges to sleep. While he can communicate with his charges in their dreams, he isn’t encouraged to–after all, getting too involved in one human’s life would prevent him helping his other charges get their needed rest.
But he can’t deny that he feels something for Julia. Julia, with her fiery red hair and her sad dreams. Just weeks ago, her boyfriend died in a car accident, and Eron can tell that she feels more alone than ever. Eron was human once too, many years ago, and he remembers how it felt to lose the one he loved. Eron has always felt protective of Julia . . . but now, when she seems to need him more than ever, he can’t seem to reach her . . .
Sandmen are forbidden from communicating with humans outside their dreams. But will Eron be willing to risk everything for a chance to be with the person he loves?
Would you like to talk to us about your upcoming release, Sleepless.
Sure! Sleepless comes out July 13. It's about a Sandman who falls in love with a mortal girl whose sleep he controls.
A story about a sandman is quite original, how did you come with that idea *eyebrow raised inquisitively* ?
I was driving home and it suddenly popped into my head that I should write about a Sandman. Maybe because I was sleepy, which, while driving, is probably not a good thing to be thinking about. I had this image in my head of a guy sitting outside a sleeping girl's window, invisible, longing to be a part of her life. Luckily I made it home in one piece and was able to actually write the thing.
What would the favorite song of each of your main characters?
Eron's favorite song is In the Good Old Summertime, Griffin's is You Belong to Me, and Julia has a thing for anything by Boys Like Girls.
Fairy Tale was release in '09, Sleepless will be out next month and there's another title on the way for 2011, they are all stand alone (unless I'm mistaken?), do you have plans to write a series at some point?
I would write a series if that ever came up! I do enjoy writing single titles because I start to feel bored with my characters after awhile and want to kill them off. I am like a character serial killer (if you are fictional, you should be very afraid of me). I think I would feel very claustrophobic being stuck with the same characters over a few books. Though now that FAIRY TALE has been out awhile I find myself missing the characters in there. And not a week goes by that I don't get asked if there will be a sequel, so maybe I will go back and revisit it one day!
Your favorite writing subject when your were only a "young-writer" ?
I didn't write about hurting poor, defenseless fictional animals, but for some reason I loved to write about death and destruction. I wrote a choose your own adventure book when I was 10 called "YOUR BUILDING IS ON FIRE." Most of the endings led the reader to a crispy demise.
Is Cyn your birth name or a pen name?
I was born Cynthia but haven't gone by that... ever. I bet if you said that out loud I wouldn't even turn my head.
Is there anything about you our readers would be surprised to learn? *winks*
I actually don't think anything about me is surprising. If I mention anything weird, since I am weird, people will be like, "I totally expected that from you, weirdo." So I am trying to think of a very normal thing that I do. I wear socks. And they usually match.
Since your book is about dream, what was the silliest dream/nightmare you've ever had?
I had a dream when I was nine or ten that I was in league with the evil Batman and Robin and we were stirring a big witch's cauldron of body parts and saying Goobledy Goobledy Goo, which obviously makes a lot of sense.
(Batman illustration artist: Wildlifehoodoo)
Is there anything else you would like to mention?
Goobledy goobledy goo?
Thank you very much Cyn for this colorful interview! I had a great time and really appreciate you taking the time to stop by!
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Giveaway time!
Cyn generously offered a Signed Copy of Sleepless!
How awesome is that? Make you you leave a comment to show her some love!
Open to US only
Ends July 4th, 2010.
Please FILL THE FORM to be entered!
That’s right it’s already been a year!
I was posting my very first reviews on June 28th, 2009. And when I look back, I can see that I’ve come far, ‘cause geez they weren’t so good hahaha.
But there is still a lot of room for improvement, and you can count on me to keep going and do my best ^^
You will have to forgive me for not hosting a specific giveaway to celebrate my blog-anniversary, but don’t forget that you still have until July 4th to enter all the Paranormal Summer Fest giveaways!
I would like to thank all of you readers for tagging along =) This blog wouldn’t be the same without you, and how much do I love to log in and see new comments! <3
Hopefully you will stay by my side for another year and more!
If you have any comments/suggestions for the year to come, please let me know =D
A shameless nerd and lover of snark, Karen lives in Olympia, Washington, where she is a senior studying linguistics, literature, and computer science at The Evergreen State College. She ripped off her hometown of Snohomish, WA for the fictional locale of Klikamuks, where Other takes place. When she’s not at her computer, writing, she’s probably out in the forest with her notebook, writing, or on a photography expedition with her trusty digital camera. She likes to imagine werewolves lurking among the trees. (source)
Karen’s first novel Other is about to hit the shelves (July 1st, 2010) and I am really happy to have 2 copies of her book to giveaway! Her story is very original, and reading the following description I am sure you will agree!
I can’t last much longer. It’s been one week, three days, and I forget how many hours.
My belly cramps, and I curl on my bed, staring out at the stars. A delicious breeze glides through my window and cools my sweaty forehead. The air smells of summer–mowed grass, recent rain, lingering barbecue–and tempts me more than I want to admit. Shards of moonlight and shadow shift on the wall. I clench my teeth and toes and try to ride out the pain. My bedroom drifts counterclockwise, and I shut my eyes.
It can’t be good for me, not shapeshifting.
Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves.
When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate–into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and–most importantly–stay alive. (source)
Now I can see all your confused eyes looking at the computer screen...
you gonna ask me, Tynga, what's a pooka?
Here’s how Karen answers the question (source)!
Also known as, “What the bleep is a pooka?”, which may be the reaction of certain people. Anyway. A pooka is, in a nutshell, a shapeshifting spirit of the faerie family from Wales or Ireland. Most commonly, they appear in the form of a shaggy black horse with sulfurous yellow eyes. A pooka’s yellow eyes always give it away, even in human form. Gwen, being half-pooka, can pass her eyes off as hazel, though they glow when she gets excited. Pookas are tricksters who love waylaying innocents, according to lore, though that may just be human propaganda. Pookas also go by the name puca, phouka, pwca, and many other spelling variants.
Now that we all have a better idea what Other is about, Let’s talk giveaway details!
Flux offered 2 copies of Other!!
Open US, Canada & Mexico!
to enter, Please FILL THE FORM
Ends July 4th, 2010.
I am very happy to have the amazing debut author Andrea Cremer by my side today! The first novel of her trilogy, Nightshade, will release in October 2010 and let me tell you, this is one amazing book! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, so you can read my review here if you want more details! Andrea created a rather unique werewolf love in her book, and I asked her to tell us a bit more about it!
Calla Tor has always know her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she’ll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding scared sites for the keepers. But when she violate her masters’ by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might loose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Something Wolfish This Way Comes
Thanks so much, Tynga, for the invitation to share some thoughts about wolves and writing. This post will be part confession, part discussion. First: confession.
I’ve lived long in the realm of paranormal/fantasy proudly bearing my badge of vampire girl. That’s right: I came on board as a fan of vamps, not werewolves. I was Team Edward during Twilight. I prefer Bill and Eric to Sam in Tru Blood. But before you start throwing tomatoes, let me tell you why.
Friends who knew I was a vampire girl presumed that meant I love ALL forms of paranormal, so they’d push werewolves at me enthusiastically. I wasn’t interested, and I couldn’t figure out why. After all they were fierce, strong, magical – all things I liked. So what was the problem? And then it hit me – I didn’t like werewolves because I love wolves.
That’s right – I’m a wolf girl, but a real wolf girl. I grew up so far North in Wisconsin that it’s practically Canada. Wolves roamed the forests of my homeland. I also loved National Geographic specials even more than cartoons. So by age 9 I could rattle off biological and ecological info like a pro. Wolves to me were beautiful, intelligent, social, and graceful.
Werewolves seemed to be none of these things. The werewolves I’d encountered on page and screen were hideous – half man/half beast, usually ugly, often unintelligent, driven only by rage or bloodlust.
And worst of all: they didn’t want to be wolves. Lycanthropy occurs as a curse, or a disease. The endgoal of most werewolf tales was to kill the wolf or free the affected person of the wolf curse.
I couldn’t come to grips with that idea. If someone asked me – hey wanna turn into a wolf? I’d say “heck, yeah!” Wouldn’t you rather be a wolf? From what I know of wolves, the answer is indisputably YES.
Nightshade’s Guardians are my way of coming to terms with my love of wolves and my trouble with classic werewolf tales. Calla – the alpha female who narrates Nightshade – is powerful and revels in her life as a wolf.
Her troubles arise not from her ability to shift, but from the ways in which her masters try to limit her power, to restrain her freedoms.
Wolves also inspire me because of their sociability.
Pack relationships offered a wonderful way to explore a world of friendship, servitude, loyalty, and betrayal. While Nightshade is about Calla’s journey, it’s also the story of her pack. The other wolves in the book play key roles throughout the trilogy. Wolves offered a wonderful framework around which to explore relationships, love, fear, and rivalry.
I still love vampires, but I have to say I think I’m switching teams. Wolves carry a magic and mystery to me that captured my heart and hasn’t let go. It was just a matter of finding my own way to tell their story.
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Thank you very much Andrea for sharing with us =) It’s true that werewolves are offend portrayed as violent and impulsive creatures and the lore you created for Nightshade was quite refreshing!
Now to give you a taste of what you can expect from Nightshade, here are the very first sentences of the book!
I'd always welcomed war, but in battle my passion rose unbidden.
The bear's roar filled my ears. Its hot breath assaulted my nostrils, fueling my bloodlust. Behind me I could hear the boy's ragged breath. The desperate sound made my nails dig into the earth. I snarled at the larger predator again, daring it to try to get past me.
Convinced yet? Yeah, that’s what I thought!
Andrea generously offered and ARC of Nightshade and a wolfish surprise (a calendar, stuffed animal, or postcards, something like that) to a lucky reader!
Why is it a surprise? Well surprises are way cool, but Andrea hasn’t decided yet lol so whoever wins, please let me know what you received lol I’m a curious little think!
Open Worldwide (Thank you Andrea!)
to enter, Please FILL THE FORM
Ends July 4th, 2010.
Calla Tor has always know her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she’ll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding scared sites for the keepers. But when she violate her masters’ by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might loose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
Calla is the alpha of her pack (the Nightshades), and lives in a world where her future has already been spelled out for her. On Samhain, she will be mated to Ren, alpha of the Bane pack and it was decided long before they were born. She never questioned her destiny, until the day a human boy made her doubt. Could she have a choice? Could she draw her own path? Are the truth she always believed in just a bunch of lies?
The Morning Calla saved Shay’s live, the lines of her duties blurred to leave tons of questions in it’s wake. Will she be faithful to her pack or her heart?
Andrea Cremer gratified us with a fantastic lore when writing this book. The actors’ roles aren’t clear at first, but fear not you will understand everything in time. Magical beings such as Keepers, Guardians and Searchers are the main stars (their precise nature is explained in chapter 9, I don’t wanna ruin the fun!), but they are also surrounded by creatures such as wraiths, succubus, incubus and more.
I really, I mean REALLY, loved this book! From the moment Calla saves Shay you think you know how the story will end, but oh could we be more wrong? The story is full of twist and turns and you really have no idea what’s gonna happen next. You just keep on reading because you crave for more the entire time, and trust me, you’re in for quite a ride!
Cremer tailored amazing characters, and even though there are many of them, a whole pack – pun intended –, you feel like you personally know each characters. Some I liked, some annoyed me, others I would’ve smite on sigh lol, but you have an opinion on every single one of them, which makes the story that much more interesting.
Calla, also nicknamed Lily because of her white hair, is incredible. From the very first page until the very last she questions her actions. Torn between a sense of duty and a desire for freedom, every decision she makes will come down to that dilemma, and Cremer keeps you guessing the whole time. I liked how she cared for her packmates and would do anything for them, she has a big heart.
Shay is pretty much the devil’s advocate. He drops in Calla’s life as if falling from the sky and he forces her to question the boundaries she’s always lived with. And of course, he’s got to be good looking right? *winks* He is lovable, attentive, available and faithful. He’s got the whole package going for him, if you ignore the TINY fact that he is human…
Ren, oh Ren. This character has so many layers that even after finishing the book I can’t quite decide if I like him or not. He is promised to Calla, but it didn’t stop him from dating the entire cheerleader team. He is dominant, jealous, unstable and very protective of Calla. He seems to care for her, but his actions are often questionable. One thing is sure, this character will surprise you.
The pack is also awesome, they each have their own personality, hopes and shadows. I liked most of them but Fey Nightshade got under my skin. Geez that girl was annoying me lol. She’s unruly and kept giving Cal The Attitude.
Wow that was a long character’s analysis, well I guess it shows how important the characters are in the book =)
The end really took my breath away, I truly didn’t see it coming and Cremer leaves us with a deadly cliffhanger. How am I suppose to wait for the second book with an end like that? I really don’t know. I can’t wait to see how the characters will get themselves out of the trouble they got into, it promises to be interesting!
Nightshade is a magical world full action, passion, love and treason. The second you open the book you’re in for a rollercoaster ride of emotions and you’ll be left wanting more. Andrea’s debut is a definite success and I strongly suggest you pre-order it now! I know I’ll be ordering myself a finished copy! Oh and how beautiful is that cover? I mean, Come On!
In this series:
Nightshade (Oct 2010)
Book stats:
Book Source: Review copy sent by Penguin Canada
I’ve had the great honor to meet and chat with Tate Hallaway, author of Almost to Die for (Release August 3rd, 2010). Here’s to result of our discussion about her upcoming release =)
(light italic text is Tate and Maroon text is myself )
Hello Tate!
Thank you so much for stopping by Tynga's Review, I am really excited to have you on board =)
Would you mind starting with an introduction of Almost to Die for?
Mind? Well, sort of. I have to tell you that I'm a Minnesotan. We're naturally reserved, so it can be difficult to do this sort of self-promotion. I'm not really wired for it.
So, here's how my publisher describes the book:
Twilight meets The Princess Diaries in the new series from the author of Honeymoon of the Dead.
On her sixteenth birthday, Anastasija Parker learns that her so-called deadbeat dad is actually a vampire king. And he wants Ana to assume her rightful position at his side, in spite of the fact that she has witch's blood running through her veins-from her mother's side.
Too bad witches and vampires are mortal enemies. And now Ana's parents are at each other's throats over her future. It's up to Ana to make a choice, but deciding your eternal destiny is a pretty big deal for a girl who just wants to get through high school.
I'm really curious about witch vs vampires aspect, would you tell us more?
As I'm sure you've noticed, it's really hard to find something NEW to say about vampires. I wanted to give mine a completely different origin story than most, though I will admit to extrapolating on ideas and themes that excited me elsewhere.
For instance, my vampires are demons... sort of. Unlike the Buffy-verse, my vampires existed before Hell, that is to say, before Christianity. In fact, I imply that the First Witch (who is responsible for bringing over the first vampire from "beyond the veil") was a Stone age Goddess worshipper.
Vampires and Witches are at war in my world because the vampires, very recently (like within the last fifty or so years), broke the spell that had kept them enthralled. Witches had been using them like djinn, or more bluntly, as slaves.
In the now of the story, vampires are experiencing some growing pains. They can't return to
beyond the veil, so they're stuck trying to figure out how to survive here on their own, without the aid of their former masters. There's a schism within the vampire community, since some actually would prefer to return to service -- it being the only life they've known for, perhaps, thousands of years (depending on the vampire, of course.) Meanwhile some of the witches have decided to live and let live now that the vampires have won their freedom, but there's a faction of others who miss all the benefits of having supernatural servants.
At lot of this is very subtly in the background of the first book, to be fair, but I've been developing it more for the subsequent novels. The first book is really about our main character Ana finding out who she is and whether she wants to side with the vampires or the Witches... or if she needs to make a choice at all.
Oh wow that really sounds great, I can't wait to see where Ana fits in! I noticed that she has eyes of two different colors on the cover, does it have anything to do with her half-vampire/ half-witch genetic?
It does. Of course that doesn't quite explain David Bowie, does it...? :-)
HAHA Of course not, unless he is hiding more than we think?
Well, he WAS a goblin king... and an alien.
What kind of magic can we expect?
All sorts. In my Garnet Lacey stories I stuck pretty closely to what real Wiccan magic is like, with some Hollywood special effects. In this series, I decided to let myself have full-on fantasy powers for my Witches. One of Ana's friends who is also a "true witch" can do the sort of "Bewitched" nose twitch to make things happen. The vampires also have their own magic although it's much more subtle and naturalistic, and it takes a long time for Ana to get in touch with it. If I say much more, however, I'm in danger of spoilery.
We will avoid spoilers *winks* I hate when someone steals the punch lol
The complete title of the book is Almost to Die For: A Vampire Princess of St. Paul Novel, is the action happening in your hometown, St-Paul Minnesota ?
It is. I'm really excited to feature the town I live in, too. I think urban fantasy benefits if you can add local flavor into the stories, you know? I love my minor league town, and there's a lot of strange here that I think fits well with vampire mythology. Saint Paul, you may know from Garrison Keillor's many monologues on the subject, rolls up its streets after dark. Downtown Saint Paul is pretty much a dead zone after five. My explanation? Because THAT'S when the vampires come up.
Does it mean we don't see you in the streets after five? *winks*
Oh, I'll never tell!
Honestly, I'm so not the goth, vampire type myself. I'm very much a lark, which is the opposite of a night owl. I'm to bed early, and at my best when most people are complaining they need more caffeine.
Well that's good, I'm not into caffeine myself either.
The book description lead me to think there might be a love triangle in the book, can you tell us some more without being spoilery :)
There is a love triangle in ALMOST. I'm having a lot of fun with it, too. Normally, I sort of know which guy my gal is going to ultimately perfer, but not this time. They both have pluses and minuses in a way that makes it really hard for her (and me!) to choose! Luckily, she doesn't have to for a while. :-)
She doesn't have to choose for a while, umm, how many books are planned in the series?
Right now, only three. The first is coming out in August, and I'm currently hard at work on the next one. Fingers crossed, if it does well, the series will continue after that.
Awesome!
I find myself wondering, how do you choose your characters name?
I have a baby book (several actually) by my bedside. Plus, I find the phone books, the paper kind, are actually quite helpful if you're looking for a particular kind of surname. I go by instinct. I put two names together and say them over and over to see if I like how they sound, if I can imagine a mother shouting out that full name in anger, etc.
Names I think are magical. There's a reason you need to know a demon's (or fairy's) true name to bind them. So, I try to pick carefully, though I think naming is one of my favorite parts of writing.
Do you character's name have ulterior meaning?
Not consciously. I suppose, as names all have meanings, you could imagine one. Garnet is a stone, but Lace-y implies something soft and transparent. Perhaps Garnet, unconciously, lives up to her name: she seems soft on the outside, but inside she's hard and cold as stone. However, I didn't do that on purpose. I just liked the sound of the names together. But, you know, writers will take advantage of all that stuff. If it gets someone thinking about that analogy, it totally works for Garnet's personality. Especially since she's carrying a hard, cold dark Goddess on the inside.
:-)
Goddess on the inside hen? Can't wait to learn more about that!
Before I let you go, do you think you could share a tiny little teasing excerpt with us?
Well, anyone who wants to can read an excerpt from Honeymoon of the Dead on my website: www.tatehallaway.com . I don't have one up yet for Almost to Die For, but I will shortly (I'm actually having some technical difficulties with my FTP program, so I haven't been able to update my websites for a while. I do hope to have that corrected in a day or so, though.)
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The only thing I'll add is a thank you. This has been terrific fun!
Thank you very much Tate for this chat, it’s been real great!
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Tate has been very generous and is offering FIVE copies of her new book,
Almost to Die for…
Open INTERNATIONALY (Thank you Tate!)
Books will be shipped when Tate receives her author copies
to enter just FILL THE FORM
Ends July 4th, 2010.
