Guest Post by Katie Carroll, Author of ELIXER BOUND

I'm happy to bring you all Katie Carroll today, with a heart-wrenching post. You might need to break out the tissues, but don't let that scare you--Katie's is a beautiful story. Her novel, ELIXER BOUND is available and you should totally pick it up!

Katie's the one in red, reading to her little sister. Cute!

Thanks for having me on the blog Meradeth. I have to warn your readers, though, this post is sad. However, sharing my journey is important to me, and in the end, there’s always hope.

I’ve always heard stories about people who knew practically from birth what they wanted to be when they grew up. I am not one of those people, but I do know the exact date when I truly became a writer. You’d think a day like that would be a happy day, but for me it was as far from joyful as anything could be.

On April 10^th, 2002 instead of being in class, I was in the driver’s seat of my green Geo Metro in a mall parking lot. Balloons bobbed in the backseat and a Harry Potter doll sat shotgun. They were for my 16-year-old sister, Kylene, who was sick in the hospital. My head rested on the steering wheel as my chest filled with pain. It wasn’t a heart attack; it was the pain of dread.

Just like Beth I thought. I couldn’t help but make the connection to Little Women. Four March sisters, four Carroll sisters. Where the March sisters had Laurie, we had our brother. Paralleling Kylene with Beth brought hot tears to my eyes. Beth dies.

Six days after my epiphany in the car, Kylene too would die. It was only a few weeks after she got sick with what the doctors initially thought was just a bad case of pneumonia, but turned out to be a mystery illness that attacked her lungs. Shocking doesn’t come close to describing how it felt. Devastating doesn’t do it either. Really there are no words adequate enough to express the pain and grief. It split my life in two: a before and an after.

I still can’t quite make sense of what happened. How does a perfectly healthy, vibrant 16-year-old girl fall so sick that doctors and all of modern science can’t figure out what’s wrong with her? What do you do when the world you knew is shattered into a million pieces and one of the most important ones falls through a crack in the floor, never to be seen again?

You shuffle through the leftover pieces as best as you can and reassemble them to form a new world. When you’re 19 and your younger sister has just died, you realize you have to do something with your life that matters. For me that meant telling stories, and suddenly I realized I was a writer.

My dad suggested I write a story for Kylene. About a year later I took a journaling class and started jotting down ideas and came to one about two sisters on a quest. Inspired by The Hobbit, I affectionately called it “There and Back Again: A Sisters’ Tale.” After much labor and many revisions, A Sisters’ Tale morphed into my first published book Elixir Bound.

The 10-year anniversary of Kylene’s death was earlier this year, and today Elixir Bound is officially a book. The dedication reads To Kylene: In life you were a sister, friend, and confidant. In death you are a sister, friend, confidant, and muse. I wrote Elixir Bound in mourning for my sister, but I release it to the world with joy.

Elixir Bound blurb:

Katora Kase is next in line to take over as guardian to a secret and powerful healing Elixir. Now she must journey into the wilds of Faway Forest to find the ingredient that gives the Elixir its potency. Even though she has her sister and brother, an old family friend, and the handsome son of a mapmaker as companions, she feels alone.

For it is her decision alone whether or not to bind herself to the Elixir to serve and protect it until it chooses a new guardian. The forest hosts many dangers, including wicked beings who will stop at nothing to gain power, but the biggest danger Katora may face is whether or not to open up her heart to love.

Elixir Bound is available for your Kindle, Nook, PC, or other device from the MuseItUp Publishing website. Look for it on Amazon, the Barnes and Noble e-book store, and other online e-book retailers soon. For more about Katie visit her website at www.katielcarroll.com.

Interview with Kate Lynd, author of GLADIATOR, and a giveaway!

I'm super happy to bring to you Kate Lynd today, fellow MuseItUp Author, and late-night writer :) She's here to talk to us a little bit about writing, and her steamy and awesome new book, Gladiator!

Ten years ago Tristan Shane had failed to pick sides and he paid with the ultimate price—his family.  Enslaved as a post-apocalyptic gladiator, he is now faced with a similar dilemma, serve the despot  Queen and murder her innocent sister, or face certain death himself. What will he choose?


Tristan Shane was a moderate before the nuclear and economic crisis which plunged the world into darkness. While his sister Aidia ran off to fight the rebel’s war he desperately tried to hang onto normalcy and lost his wife and children in the process. Spending the next ten years as the Crown’s favored and the mob’s favorite Gladiator, he never expects to meet the Queen’s sister, Alexandra, a Healer.
She claims to be the much whispered about Savior sent to heal the wounded Earth and oceans, the one who would bring about her cruel sister’s dethroning. But is she? Or is she just a fraud? But he quickly learns her erotic touch has the power to heal his heart and his to save her life. But as the passion heightens and the danger increases will they have forever or will he have to give up everything to save the planet?

Purchase a copy at the MuseItUp bookstore!

(Q) Thanks for stopping by my blog! Let’s start with the basics: where are you from?Is there any place online you’d like to direct us to learn more about you?

I’m from Louisville, KY and I bleed some serious BLUE.  

http://Ctreative-Chatter.blogspot.com and http://amylmccorklekentuckyauthor.webs.com

(Q) I always love hearing about how the idea for a particular book came about. Please fill us in on how you got the idea for Gladiator. 

It was really a three step process, I was looking for something to write about. I saw the cover of a Harlequin Love Inspired historical with a gladiator on its cover. I heard the music from the movie gladiator, and finally I read about a futuristic YA mystery all of that came together to create my story.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing? 

Not the ones you’d expect. I’d say my favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse Five was just a revelation to me as a high schooler. But there are just too many others to name.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing? 

Eat, drink copious amounts of coffee, and read, and go to the movies.

(Q) If you could describe your ideal writing spot, where would it be? 

A bookstore. 

What music would you listen to (if at all)? Depends on the project. 

What treats would you have on hand? Coffee and sour slices.

(Q) Plotter or pantser? Both? Neither? 

Always a pantster. (Yay for Pansters!)

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on? 

I’m about to start work on the third book in the Gladiator Chronicles. 

(Q) What kinds of marketing do you think are the most successful in terms of getting your name/book out there? 

Wow I think if you’re talking ebooks you have to do different things. You have to have an online presence. Yahoo groups, FB writing groups, Fan pages, personal profiles, Twitter and at least an author website.  Maybe some advertising and reviews.

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so.

Leave a comment for a chance to win an ARC of GLADIATOR

(Q) How about an excerpt to tantalize the readers? 

“What is it you want, Veronica?”

She leaned in close and whispered seductively, “Why, you know I only want you, Tristan.”

He snatched her up by her throat, pinned her against the wall and kissed her passionately, brutally, and without clemency. When he pulled away she was smiling with a darkness that made him angry. She was a power-hungry mongrel who played on her husband’s weaknesses and jealousies. Tristan hated her. And he hated himself for f***ing her. But this was his life. He let go of her and walked away.

“Is my poor Gladiator jealous? There’s really no need for that, is there? You know you’re my favorite.”

“What is it you really want, Veronica?”

She came up behind him and seductively began to ease off his armor. He was covered in sweat and blood and he felt her shiver against his body. And as always there was a twinge of nausea that would precede the raw animal aggression.

She turned him around. He looked at her. There was no doubt about it; she was beautiful. But she was poisonous—a rattlesnake with crystal green eyes and flaming red hair. Her father had promised peace and a return to normalcy and democracy in the wake of economic and nuclear disaster, and instead this was what had become of the world. And she was no doubt always enjoining her father to maintain her life in this fashion. He loathed her. He detested her. And every time he had sex with her his intense hatred for himself deepened a little bit more.

Guest post by the fabulous Chef, Juliana Neumann: Zucchini and Corn Pizza

I have a truly special treat for everyone today! One of my friends, Juliana Neumann, is a wonderful chef. How wonderful? She has her second cookbook coming out shortly! Seriously, you must take a look at her blog--not only does she have some amazing recipes to try, but her photography makes me wish I were, well, all the awesome places she is always visiting :) If you're curious to learn a little more about Juliana, you really should! Catch up with her on twitter too (she's a twitter newbie--go follow her :)!

Now, check out this recipe--doesn't it make you hungry?

Zucchini and Corn Pizza

Every Spring I think I'm going to plant zucchini, but I never do. I end up planing some other kind of summer squash and I'm actually glad I do. Our neighbors plant zucchini and when they go one summer vacation, we are kindly asked to pick them so they don't turn into baseball bats. Every day I go down and pick between one and three. I'm glad I don't have my own! This year they have green and yellow zucchini, and they've been growing faster than we can eat them.

 

We've had them sautéed and served with pasta, roasted and in quesadillas, as zucchini muffins (link: http://www.marthastewart.com/317832/sweet-zucchini-cupcakes ), grilled and marinated (recipe in my cookbook (link: http://www.thorbecke.de/jahreszeitenkueche-frisch-vom-markt-p-1583.html?cPath=316_396), and stuffed. A couple of years ago I started making a zucchini pizza, and it's become a summer favorite.

This recipe is very easy and I can even put together a pizza with homemade dough after I get home from work. While the dough is rising I prepare the topping and make an heirloom tomato salad to go with it. Drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the sliced tomatoes, grind some pepper and add a sprinkle of sea salt over the top. Right before serving, add some torn basil. I hope you enjoy this easy dinner as much as I do.

Have a happy summern and thank you Meradeth for having me!

Zucchini and Corn Pizza

Pizza dough:

-        3/4 cup lukewarm water

-        1 Tbs dry yeast

-        2 cups flour

-        1 tsp salt

-        1.5 Tbs olive oil

-        olive oil

Topping:

-        2 ears of corn

-        5 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

-        1 zucchini

-        6 oz feta chesse, crumbled

-        small handful of basil, torn

Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let sit for 5 minutes. Put the flour and salt in a stand mixer. Add the water and yeast mixture and the olive oil. Mix until the dough comes together. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface to form a ball. Lightly brush a medium sized bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Carefully turn the dough in the bowl to cover with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the corn kernels off the ears of corn and place in a skillet. Cover the corn with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until corn is tender. Drain. Cut the zucchini in rounds.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and place the dough on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Scatter the mozzarella over the dough. Carefully add the corn kernels and zucchini rounds. Top with the feta and torn basil.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes until the dough is golden.

After Reading: My Name Is Memory

By Ann Brashares (of The Traveling Pants variety)

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. For all the times that he and Sophia have been connected throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart.

But just when Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally awakens to the secret of their shared past, the mysterious force that has always separated them reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

Honestly, it's been a while since I've had a book that I want to get out on my roof and scream READ THIS BOOK!!! But this one really, really made me want to do this. I stumbled across it at a library book sale and knew I had to have it. It jumped right to the top of my tbr stack, too, because I knew it was going to be something I'd enjoy. The premise sounds awesome, right? Recurring lives, love, and a guy who can remember all the fun historical stuff (honestly, these rank at the top of the Drag Meradeth Into A Book list). Anyhow, I was worried it would disappoint, but really, it didn't. I stayed up way, way too late reading, and just didn't want it to end when I turned the last page. It was written to have a sequel, but that may or may not happen (though, really, it better!!!), so I really hope I can enjoy more of this story later. Haven't seen or heard of this one? Do check it out! Amazing writing, heartfelt characters, a timeless love story, and lots of fun historical stuff!

Read it? Liked it? Never heard of it? Shout it out in the comments!

Introducing Science Sundays: talking about Darwin and Natural Selection

SCIENCE SUNDAYS

Okay, so if you've been a follower here for a while, you probably have heard me rant here or there about the poor science in a book. And honestly, there are few things that turn me off from a book more than some crummy science. I frustrates the bejebers out of me. Okay, okay, I know most writers don't have a graduate degree in whatever topic they're writing about, and there is some allowance for suspended belief, but still. Blatant disregard for how things work? GRRR! So, yeah, I was thinking, "wait, I do have one of those advanced degrees in science!" (For whatever it's worth--and I'll be honest, it's not a whole lot.) But, maybe a fun little segment on Sundays that talks about something science related with a writerly bent. Who knows, maybe it'll be useful. Maybe not. We'll see.

Have any particular topics you'd like me to cover? Shout it out in the comments and I'll either post one (if I know enough about it) or I'll use my network to come up with a post!

So, today, I thought I'd touch on what we're going to go over this week in my class (this might happen a lot...). And what might that be? Oh, just the introduction to Darwin and Natural Selection. Yay! Some of my favorite topics :) (Avert your eyes if you don't like this kind of stuff, or read on and realize how it really works!)

Darwin. The man. The Legend. 

Where to start? There's so much! Darwin wrote ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES in 1859, after sitting on his research for decades. It wasn't until Alfred Russell Wallace contacted him, noting that he had similar conclusions, that Darwin got off his butt and published. (I'll admit, I have a penchant for all the crazy personal stories that go on behind the scenes for some of these theories--they are so interesting! Wallace is a totally interesting character.)

Darwin's theory of Natural Selection is based on three basic principles that all have to be functioning for it to work:

1. Over Reproduction. 
• A species will reproduce exponentially. Their resources won't (like food). Eventually a species will hit the limit for their habitat, and unless they're able to come up with another source, there will individuals who don't survive. This creates competition.
2. Individuals Must Vary. 
• When environmental crunch time comes, there will be some individuals who do better than other because of some trait they carry. They will be the ones who survive over those who don't carry whatever trait it is. There has to be some variation, or those who survive will just be due to chance, and then no long-term changes will occur.
3. Variation Must Be Inherited. 
• Or inheritable. Nothing that is non-heritable is going to work--so a trait that someone picks up during their lifetime will not be passed along (unless it's epigenetic...). No Lamarkian evolution here (or the inheritance of acquired characteristics, which really doesn't work)! 

So, in a lot of writings, the thing that I see messed up the most is point #3. The trait that is passed down must be genetic (unless it's behavioral, and then it's a whole other ball of wax). All three points have to come into play if Natural Selection is going to work.

One last point on this massive post: Natural Selection is NOT the same thing as Evolution. Many people mess this up, because they are totally related, but NS is a form of evolution, but they are not equivalent. Evolution is simple change over time. It can occur through NS, or through a variety of other means, like sexual selection (a very interesting concept!). But they are not the same. Good thing to keep in mind!

So, what do you think? Helpful? Other things you'd like me to elaborate on? Shout it out in the comments!

Guest Post by Marva Dasef, author of Setara's Genie

I'm pleased to bring you all Marva Dasef, author of Setara's Genie! Take it away, Marva!

SETARA’S GENIE

A girl, a genie, a few demons. Would could go wrong?

by Marva Dasef 

MuseItUp Buy Link: http://tinyurl.com/SetarasGenie 

Amazon Buy Link: coming soon

* * * Leave a comment with contact info to be in the draw for prizes * * *

DEMONOLOGY

Demons are horrible, ugly, and cruel, right? Minions of Satan (or Shaitan since we’re talking middle-eastern mythology here), they’re purpose is to create havoc and torture souls. Pitchforks, red skin, fangs, and other nasty features depending on a person’s cultural background. Also, according to Islamic tradition, Shaitan employs jinn to do his dirty deeds. Well, I couldn’t have that since one of the heroic figures of Setara’s Genie happens to be a jinn. I turned that traditional view on its head, so why shouldn’t I also mess with the concept of demons?

Two of Setara’s best friends happen to be demons. Azizah and Kairav are blue demons, which are generally nice beings who go about their business and don’t harm humans. Azizah is a cave demon, and spends her time (yes, demons have gender) tending to caves. She keeps the caves neat (in her own manner) and even builds new caverns using her magic with rock. Kairav is a water demon who cares for all types of water—pools, rivers, lakes, and streams.

They don’t usually buddy up with people either, so old tales paint all demons as evil. There are bad demons, true. For example, the blue demons are enemies with the purple demons.

In another of my middle-eastern books, a character points out that blue demons are good and purple demons are bad, so I’ve maintained a consistent view of demons within my tales, even if I’m at odds with the rest of humanity in that regard.

Blurb

Abu Nuwas sits in the bazaar on his threadbare rug; a cup and sign proclaim him a teller of tales. For one small coin, he bids passers by to listen. A poor girl, Najda, sells spices from a tray. Would he, she asks, trade a tale for a packet of spice? Abu Nuwas agrees and begins the epic adventures of a girl and her genie.

As did Scheherazade before him, Abu leaves Najda hanging in the middle of each yarn to keep her coming back. Between stories, he questions the girl about her life. He discovers that she’s been promised in marriage to an old man whom she hates, but she must wed him to save her sick mother’s life. The rich bridegroom will pay for the doctors the mother needs. Meanwhile, Najda sells spices in the market to earn enough money to keep her mother alive.

He relates the adventures of the bored daughter of a rich merchant, Setara, and her genie, Basit, as they encounter the creatures of legend and folklore: a lonely cave demon seeking a home; a flying, fire-breathing horse who has lost his mate; a dragon searching for his family; an evil genie hunting for the man who put him in a lamp; and a merboy prince cast out of his undersea kingdom.

Excerpt
Setara is traveling with Azizah as they search for a home for the demoness. Along the way, they chance upon a beautiful pool in a forest glade. This excerpt shows the introduction of the two demons, Azizah and Kairav, to each other.

Basit frowned when he heard the voice and then snapped his fingers. “Kairav, is that you?”

The water dropped back to the surface, and an enormous form stood up out of the pool in place of the towering water. Clearly, this was another demon, although a lovely shade of light blue, almost a match for his pool if the sun were shining. The figure rapidly shrank to a more reasonable size, no larger than Basit.

With a booming voice, the figure cried, “Basit, you old dog! What have you been up to?” Then, more subdued, the demon continued, “Why I haven’t seen you since, when was it? Oh, yes, when old Shairan got tricked into the lamp by that Aladdin boy.”

Kairav stepped out of the pond and gave Basit a big hug, lifting him off his feet. Basit laughed and pounded Kairav on the back, which swooshed a wave of water over Setara, Azizah, and Sheik. “Oh, sorry!” Kairav said with a laugh. Sheik shook from head to tail tip, splashing even more water on Setara. Despite the soaking, she couldn’t help but grin at the happy reunion.

Finally, they broke apart, and Basit gestured to his comrades. “This is my mistress, Setara the Fair.” Setara felt her cheeks glow at Basit’s compliment. “Her fine dog, Sheik.” Sheik woofed a greeting when he heard his name mentioned. “And lastly, but certainly not least, the lovely cave demon, Azizah. We’re helping her find a new cave.”

“Ah, Azizah, eh? Are you not the mate of Petros? A fine demon, him.”

Azizah sniffled. “Yes, but I’m sad to say he passed on to the great cave in the sky a few seasons back.”

“I’m sorry to hear it. He was a good demon. Took care of his cave and never blocked up the streamlets running through it. That’s important to us water demons. Too many thoughtless demons blocking up the waterways. Should be a law against it.”

“Pardon my rudeness.” Kairav rubbed his hands together. “Please, take your ease.” With a flip of his hand, the water ran back into the pool, leaving the rocks around it perfectly dry.

Basit looked around the pool with more interest than he’d shown before. “Nice place you’ve got here, Kairav. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a more lovely setting for a demon pool. The waterfall is a nice touch.”

The demon puffed out his chest. “Thank you. I’m rather proud of it.”

Basit rubbed his chin. “Say, Kairav, what’s under the waterfall?”

“Nothing. It’s just a rock wall. I diverted quite a few small streams to get the waterfall flowing. I worked for a couple of months on that alone.” Kairav surveyed his little realm with a satisfied look.

The genie and the demon continued to chat about past experiences and common friends. Setara listened closely, fascinated by the accounts of the private lives of magical beings. She noticed Azizah looking glum, so she went to the side of the she-demon and touched her arm. “Are you all right, Azizah? You look a little blue. Oh, I mean, sad. Of course, you look blue.”

“Kairav reminded me of how much I miss Petros, that’s all. It’s the past now, so I need to move on, but it still makes me sad to think of him.” The dark blue she-demon smiled bravely, which, if one didn’t know her, could be quite frightening.

Setara noticed something else. Kairav kept glancing in Azizah’s direction. Setara wondered if there were rules about demon relationships. Could a cave demon and a pool demon get along? They were both shades of blue, if it mattered.

* * *

About Marva

Website: http://tinyurl.com/DasefAuthor
Book trailer: http://youtu.be/psQIC7vnCIU 
MuseItUp Author Page: http://tinyurl.com/MIU-MarvaDasef 
Blog: http://mgddasef.blogspot.com 

Bio: Marva Dasef is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a fat white cat.  Retired from thirty-five years in the software industry, she has now turned her energies to writing fiction and finds it a much more satisfying occupation.  Marva has published more than forty stories in a number of on-line and print magazines, with several included in Best of anthologies. She has several already published books and the Witches of Galdorheim Series from her super duper publisher, MuseItUp.

UPRISING by Jessica Therrien Cover Reveal

Oh man, am I excited to share this today! I totally loved OPPRESSION by Jessica, and I can't wait for the second book, UPRISING!!

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Sounds awesome, right? If you haven't read it, you seriously need to check it out!

Okay, on to the reveal:

Release Date: February 19, 2013
Publisher: ZOVA Books
Paperback & Ebook
Author Links:
Website
GoodReads
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
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Book Links:
GoodReads
Facebook



And Jessica has given us a little teaser to make things more fun:

We left everything but the weapons. Clothes, food, toothpaste. There wasn’t time for things that weren’t essential to escape. The five of us went on foot in a direction that was meaningless to me. I had never seen what was outside of the edges of the safe haven, not since I’d been here.

When Mac stopped abruptly after our fifteen-minute trek into the woods, we all froze at once, bodies poised and ready to attack, eyes searching for threats.

“We’re here,” Mac announced. “What should we expect Marcus?”

I had never heard Dr. Nickel called by his first name, and it made me realize he wasn’t as untouchable as I had imagined. Just because he was here, didn’t mean we were safe.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Maybe an army, maybe nothing. Depends on where they are.”

“Everyone best get down on the ground just in case,” Mac decided with a nod. “Weapons ready.”

As I lay belly down in the dirt, I noticed Dr. Nickel pull a gun from his belt, and my stomach gave a heave.

“When I remove the haven walls, there will be a van. Everyone get in back. If anything goes wrong…” Mac paused, uncomfortable at the thought. “It’s been nice knowin’ ya.”

Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book one in the series, Oppression, was published by ZOVA Books in February of 2012 and became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release. The second book in the series, Uprising, will be available in February of 2013.

Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011.Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Saved, is also available as part of the anthology.

Jessica spent most of her life in the small town of Chilcoot, California, high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this town of nearly 100 residents, with no street lights or grocery stores, there was little to do but find ways to be creative. Her mother, the local English teacher, inspired her to do all things artistic, and ultimately instilled in her a love for language.

In 2003, Jessica attended California State University Long Beach where her passion for language found her studying Chinese, and in 2005 she moved to Taiwan to study abroad. From 2005 to 2006 Jessica was fully immersed in the Chinese language as she attended National Taiwan University, and in 2008 she graduated from San Diego State University magna cum laude.

Jessica currently lives in Chula Vista with her husband and is working on book three in her Children of the Godsseries.

After Reading: The Color of Snow

Can a troubled young girl reenter society after living in isolation?

When a beautiful 16-year-old girl named Sophie is found sequestered in a cage-like room in a rundown house in the desolate hills of Arbon Valley, Idaho, the entire community is shocked to learn she is the legendary Callidora--a baby girl who was kidnapped from her crib almost seventeen years ago and canonized in missing posters with portraits of what the fabled girl might resemble. Authorities soon learn that the cage was there to protect people from Sophie, because her biological father believes she is cursed.

Sophie is discovered after the man she knows as Papa, shoots and injures Damien, a young man who is trying to rescue her. Now, unsocialized and thrust into the world, and into a family she has never met, Sophie must decide whether she should accept her Papa’s claims that she is cursed and he was only trying to protect others, or trust the new people in her life who have their own agendas. Guided by a wise cousin, Sophie realizes that her most heartbreaking challenge is to decide if her love for Damien will destroy him like her Papa claims, or free her from past demons that haunt her mind.

I was given a copy of this book to review for the blog tour, and honestly, I had a hard time getting into it. I really think it just wasn't to my taste. The concept was great--a child who'd been kidnapped and raised in near-isolation, then having to re-enter the world? Sounds pretty interesting! It's just, well, I had a hard time getting into the voice of the novel. And I found myself wanting to cajole the characters to get Sophie some hard-core counseling. No one goes through that and then is just left with their family without having some serious therapy.... I also struggled with the religious aspect of the book, as I have a large portion of family from a small, LDS community, and I didn't feel like they were portrayed very accurately. Anyhow, interesting concept, and definitely some tough issues to tackle, but just not my cup-o-tea.

Brenda Stanley's Bio:

Brenda Stanley is the former news anchor at her NBC affiliate KPVI in Eastern Iadho. Her writing has been recognized by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, the Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Brenda lived for two years in Ballard, Utah, within the Fort Duchesne reservation where the novel is set. She and her husband live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.


The Color of Snow web site: http://the-color-of-snow.blogspot.com/
The Color of Snow Twitter hashtag: #TheColorOfSnow
The Color of Snow GoodReads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13456512-the-color-of-snow
Brenda Stanley's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.baumgartnerstanley
Brenda Stanley's Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/myauthorlife
Brenda Stanley's Website: http://www.brendastanleybooks.net/
Brenda Stanley's GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4086376.Brenda_Stanley
Tribute Books website: http://www.tribute-books.com
Tribute Books Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Archbald-PA/Tribute-Books/171628704176
Tribute Books Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TributeBooks
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186


Kindle buy link - $2.99
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After Reading: Hybrid

by Anita E. Viljoen (Book can be found here)

Author Anita E. Viljoen continues the McKay vampire saga in Hybrid, the sequel to her book, Feeders.

Gemma Anne O’ Sullivan, also known as Gem, is the daughter of a human mother, Megan McKay, and a vampire father, Michael O Sullivan. She is a hybrid and the first female of her kind, a secret kept by the McKay council for two and a half decades. The reappearance of Sire Raymond Pitout in Canada threatens and compromises her secret, as the International Vampire Council sends out its head of security, Lord Malcolm Murphy (the first hybrid), to protect Gem and destroy Sire Pitout.

Malcolm finds things becoming complicated, especially when he falls in love with Gem. He meets Gem’s friend, Deidre Wolff, who turns out to be an alter-seer (an oracle/vampire hunter), and also her human sister, Grace O’ Sullivan, who has the same unique trait as her aunt, Mia O’ Sullivan, Michael’s twin sister. With all of these unique personalities under one roof, Malcolm has his work cut out for him.

It has been ages since I did a book review on here! I promise I have a few up my sleeve :) So, I've been in the mood for something other than YA of late, and have been reading a few "adult" books, such as Hybrid. I won a copy of this quite a while ago, and it was finally cropping up close to the top of my tbr stack! Anyhow, there was lots going on this book--and by lots, I mean LOTS. It was a fun romp, with some delightful *ahem* steamy scenes (hey, I may write YA, but I am an adult...). I did find myself wanting to get to the action toward the end sooner, as it felt a little drawn out, but overall, it was a fun book!

Quotes from Colors Like Memories

I've been wanting to mess around with this a little for a while now, and yesterday evening (while baking some incredible tasty peanut butter cookies) I threw a few together. (Images are from http://www.sxc.hu/home--lovely site with lots of royalty free pics!)

Click to make bigger :)

So, yeah, it was a lot of fun! Hoping to share these around a bit!

What were you up to this weekend?

Interview with Michelle K. Pickett, author of CONCILIUM (and a giveaway!!)

Hi everyone! I'm super stoked to bring to you all today, Michelle Pickett, fellow MuseItUp author and all around awesome writer! Her novel, Concilium, is available now!!


(Q) Thanks for stopping by my blog! Let’s start with the basics: where are you from? Is there
any place online you’d like to direct us to learn more about you? 

I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. Now I live in a small city just outside Houston, Texas.
Michigan and Texas are like two totally different worlds!

Yes, there are a few places you can find me on the web and I'd love to hear from you! I love
comments on my blog and emails in my inbox. Whether you have good things to say, or
constructive (that means nice) criticism, or even if you just want to say "Hi," I want to hear from
you. Here's where you can find me on the web:

Website: www.michelle-pickett.com
Blog: www.michelle-pickett.com/blog
Email: michelle@michelle-pickett.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Michelle_kp
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michellepickettauthor
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/michelle-pickett
Book Webpage: www.conciliumbooks.com
PODs Webpage: http://www.site.spencerhillpress.com/PODs.html
KindleGraph: http://www.kindlegraph.com/

(Q) I always love hearing about how the idea for a particular book came about. Please fill us in
on how you got the idea for Concilium.

I wish I could. I've heard some authors say their ideas came to them in a dream (Stephenie
Meyer of Twilight fame…wish I had that dream!). Some authors can pinpoint the exact moment
the lightbulb went off in their head and the idea was born. I can't. Concilium just came to me
slowly.

One day while I was cleaning up files on my computer, I found a chapter of Concilium—it was
called Moon then—I had written a year or so before. I didn't even remember writing it until I
came across it that afternoon. I read it and filed it away in a junk folder I keep on my computer
for things I don't want to delete but really should. I thought I'd just stick it away and that'd bethe end of it. But I couldn't stop thinking about it and wondering what I had intended to write
next. It became a guessing game of what if this happened…then this…and then this could
happen…and then I could kill this guy off…and then this would have to happen…and on and on
until the plot was rolling around in my brain.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

You know, this is a really hard question to answer and it shouldn't be because I'm a huge reader.
But I write in a different genre than I read. In fact, I write in a genre I never read. Strange, I
know. But Sandra Brown, Tami Hoag, Lisa Jackson, Wendy Corsi-Staub are just a few of the
authors I read regularly. I'm sure they've influenced my writing style regardless of the difference
in genre.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing?

Oh, I have the most amazing family. I love spending time with them. My husband is the most
wonderful man—he's the peanut butter to my jelly. We have four kids, three girls and a boy.
They keep us busy and we enjoy (almost) every minute of it. We play board games, cards, swim,
take day trips exploring our new home state of Texas.

I also love photography. I don't get to spend as much time playing around with it as I'd like, but I
get my fair share of torture in with my family. My favorite thing to shoot are close-ups of faces,
especially eyes.

(Q) If you could describe your ideal writing spot, where would it be? What music would you
listen to (if at all)? What treats would you have on hand?

On a white sandy beach with a hot cabana boy bringing me fruity drinks with tiny umbrellas
in them. Okay, maybe not. My ideal writing spot is at home. Sometimes I go to the library,
but generally I write at home where I can curl up on the couch with my cat and my laptop. My
music player is filled with everything from Mozart to Linkin Park – it depends on my mood and
the scene I'm writing what I listen to.

Treats…oh, that's a sore subject. I used to eat Reese's peanut butter cups but I wasn't limiting
my intake very well and my pants started to shrink. So I switched to Twizzlers. They're low-
fat, right? They have to be better than chocolate. Well, low-fat does not mean low calorie so my
pants shrunk some more.

I had to quit the Twizzlers. Withdrawal was brutal, but I've been off the Twizzlers for three
months now. Now my writing time is snack free, other than some fruit now and then. I still
crave Twizzlers.

(Q) Plotter or pantser? Both? Neither?

A little of both, I think. I don't sit down and write out a plot, but I do have an outline laid out in
my head. I know where I want to start and where I want to end and I just let the characters guide
me through the journey from beginning to end.

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on? Care to share? 

I'm editing the sequel to Concilium. Concilium: The Departure is scheduled to release in
November. It will answer the questions readers might have after reading Concilium. It will also
tie up some loose ends between Leslee and Miller.

I also have a young adult science/fiction romance titled, PODs. It is scheduled to release in
paperback June 4, 2013 – my son's 12th birthday.

(Q) What kinds of marketing do you think are the most successful in terms of getting your name/
book out there? (Curious minds are taking notes!)

Oh, gosh, I wish I had a magic formula for marketing. I think marketing is the hardest part of
this business. First, know your audience. You can't market effectively until you know who to
market to. Then find your target audience. Goodreads is a good place to get a lot of attention.
Blog tours like this one is another way. Nothing beats word of mouth and with the Internet, word
of mouth travels faster than ever before.

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so. 

Be sure to enter to win a copy of Concilium and a gift card to Amazon. I promise you don't have
to jump through a lot of hoops to enter.

(Q) How about an excerpt to tantalize the readers? 

Concilium is an Urban Fantasy with a big dose of romance and little touch of horror. But rather than tell you what the book is about, I'm going to give you a small glimpse at one of my favorite scenes. Leslee is, for the first time, realizing she may not survive the obstacle facing her:

The rain made dusk fall earlier. I watched as the team grabbed their equipment. I knew they weren't as confident as they wanted me to believe. They expected a bad night. “I want a gun.”

Miller looked at me and nodded. “It’s there in the hall. I want you to stay there. With the front windows covered and the bedroom doors closed, they won’t be able to see you. Stay on the floor. Here, put this in your pocket.” He handed me his car key. “If anything happens, Leslee, if any window breaks, if any of us tells you to go, get in the car and drive to the lake. Don’t think. Don’t ask questions. Just go. One of us will be there to get you as soon as it’s safe.”

“And if you aren't?” I asked.

“We will,” he said, his eyes intense. “We will,” he repeated emphatically.

“Okay.” I tried to manage a smile, tried to look as self-assured as he seemed. I couldn’t.

“Les, if you need to use the gun, shoot them in the neck. Right here where a man’s Adam’s apple is. Don’t waste a shot on the head or anywhere on the body. Just aim for the throat.”

“Okay. Why?”

“Their bodies aren’t built like ours. Their brains and spinal columns are in slightly different spots because of their, um, different look,” Brooks said, looking at Miller. “The throat is the kill shot. Like a shot to the back of the head would be for a human.”

“Okay, the throat,” I said, my voice wavering. My hands were already shaking. I prayed I could aim the gun if the time came. I hoped I’d be able to control my fear if I had to face one of the Imbibo alone.

One by one, the guys hugged me before they left, the same way they had every night at my house. Why did it feel so different? Why was I more worried than before? I didn’t have any answers, but the air felt ominous, the house felt threatening, and a thought slammed into me.

I could die here.

Doesn't that totally suck you in!?! Here's some more info on the author and Concilium, as well as ways to enter the giveaway for a copy of Michelle's book and a $10 giftcard!!



Leslee hit a strange animal with her car. Now she’s marked for death.


It was a simple car accident – the animal didn’t even die – but it drew the attention of the Cruor Imbibo. Driven by their insatiable need to feed, the secret society of Imbibo has devoured the dregs of civilization for centuries. Afraid Leslee will expose them, and put an end to their meal ticket, the Imbibo want her dead.


The Concilium is Leslee's only protection. Guardian of the ancient secret and the protector of humans, the Concilium fights to control the Imbibo and end their feeding frenzy. Miller works for the Concilium. Keeping Leslee alive is his next assignment.


Now Leslee is on the run, and the only thing between her flesh and the snapping jaws of the Imbibo is Miller. He and Leslee quickly form a bond, but will falling in love make Miller’s job more difficult? Because if he fails, Leslee will be next on the Imbibo menu.


Available from MuseItUp bookstore, and Amazon!



Michelle's Bio:

Michelle has been an avid reader since a young child. She began writing for personal enjoyment in college, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Deciding
sitting in a cubical all day was her form of cruel and unusual punishment, she decided to do what she really wanted to—share her passion for reading and writing with others.


She wrote her debut novel Concilium in 2010. The sequel, Concilium: The Departure soon followed. Both will be published by Muse It Up Publishing with scheduled released dates of July
27th and November 2012 respectively. Her Debut young adult novel, PODs, will be published by
Spencer Hill Press and is scheduled for release in paperback June 4th, 2013.


Michelle was born and raised in Michigan. She now resides in a small community outside Houston, Texas with her husband, four children, a 125-pound lap dog, a very grumpy cockatiel and a cat that thinks she's queen.


Michelle writes adult and young adult Sci/Fi and urban fantasy romance.






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Guest Post by Hildred Billings, author of DAISUKI

I have a seriously fun guest post today! The hilarious Hildred Billings is here to talk to us about writing in foreign places (and Japan, which is making me miss being over there sooo much!). Take it away, Hildred!

Trains, Plains, and Rising Suns: Adapting the Writing Life to Foreign Lands

When I was a kid I prided myself on my ability to do my homework anywhere. This usually meant on the school bus, since I had an hour ride both to and from school each day. And as somebody who always claimed that tiny one person seat in the back, where every bump in the road meant a literal lift, I had to learn how to keep handwriting legible while writing on the back of my history textbook. (Huh. Maybe this is why I failed math a few times.)

This ability to adapt to my work environments meant I learned a crucial skill at an early age:  how to block out distracting sounds and feelings in order to plow through my work. I had no idea at the time how beneficial this would become in my later years, such as when I went to college and was surrounded by neighbors who didn’t know stereo volume could go below “11”. Or how to sit in the campus bistro and study Japanese kanji while a surprise open mic night exploded a few feet away. Or, my personal favorite, how to adapt to a literally foreign environment when those times came.

Thus far in my life I have lived in Japan on a total of three occasions:  for a summer in high school, a semester in university, and a year after graduation. Each time I’ve lived in a different place as well, from the low-paced life of Shikoku Island, to the Tokyo suburbs of Saitama, and the Japanese Alps cutting through the Heart of Gifu. But whenever you live abroad like that, you’re going to get hit by the same bouts of homesickness, culture shock (which for me was always blessedly minimal), and a sheer sense of “when will I have the time for writing?”

Pretty rural, right?

My first time in Japan, in high school, was in the times before netbooks and even cell phones in my literal neck of the woods. The only time I had for writing was when I sat in a stifling classroom, and instead of writing down the notes I could not understand for the life of me (note: I wasn’t a student. I was technically just a “cultural visitor”, so I wasn’t actually expected to do anything in the class other than sit there and be a foreigner) I wrote scenes and character bios. The teacher, who didn’t know any English besides “nice to meet you”, praised me in front of the class as somebody working hard in a foreign environment. Joke was completely on him, of course.

The second time I lived in Japan I was a student. A university student, to be exact. I had host family and real friend woes, the usual 20yo angst, mountains of homework I didn’t understand, and the budding blooms of a bout of depression that would haunt me for years to come. This time, however, I did have a laptop. Two, in fact! I would hole myself up in my room on Sundays when I had a little breathing time and just type. Type type type. Woefully angsty stuff. I’m the type of person who makes her characters suffer as much as she is. Real suffering!

The third time was a different story (ha!), however. This time I lived completely on my own in Japan, with a (legally) part-time job to cover the expenses and save on the side. I had free time in which I could do anything I wanted. No homework! No host family squabbles! Just me and embittered loneliness out in the middle of Nowhere, Japan. So I returned to my writing again to fill that void, and it was amazing.

I was very fortunate to live in the Nagoya City area, which was home to a thriving (foreigner) writing life. While I never joined any of the actual writing circles or critique groups (Nagoya was over an hour away from where I lived, so not exactly time or economically feasible), I did have the great privilege of discovering the local NaNoWriMo group when that time came. The ML was even from Nagoya! For the first time ever I had a support group of some kind in Japan – well, for writing, anyway! I became casual friends with many of the people in that group, and even took up the ML’s hospitality on one occasion. Progress!

Of course, I’m ignoring one of the big question-elephants in the room. I mean, I lived in Japan! There are distractions living in a foreign country you’re just not going to have in your own home. Worrying about a cultural faux pas, wondering if that weird thing you ate is what’s making you sick or if it’s that kid in your class hocking up death…oh! And of course wanting to travel and see concerts and convince yourself everyone loves you and isn’t just being polite…well, you see. It’s easy to think “No, I’m just too stressed here in this foreign environment! There’s just too much to do! No, I need to wallow in my homesickness today!” but I just thought back to all those times I did (crappy, incorrect) proofs in the back of a school bus, or when I read The Scarlet Letter while careening from seat to seat, or curling up in that little tiny seat sleeping because I stayed up all night writing. If I could write a term paper in the back of a school bus, I could write anywhere in the world.

Well, maybe not on the top of Mt. Everest. But I’d be lucky to survive to the top so writing would be moot, anyway!

Have you ever lived abroad for extended periods of time? How has it affected your writing habits and drive?

A bit about Hildred: Hildred Billings is a full-time author and freelancer from the southern Oregon coast. Although she has a degree in Japanese Studies and has lived and worked in Japan on numerous occasions, her true home is Oregon and her true career is writing. She makes up for the lack of Japan in her current life by writing about it whenever she can. Her debut F/F romance novella, "DAISUKI", will release this September! 

You can also find her on her website, blog, twitter, or facebook!

It's Tuesday and I really don't have a blog title.

Hi! A break from the boxes to say that I have a interview up on Mindy Hardwick's blog (author of Weaving Magic), which if you want to stop by and leave some comment love, that would be awesome :)

Also, I want to share this, because it totally cracks me up:

Which one is your favorite??

This is all!

Interview with Margay Leah Justice, author of SLOANE WOLF

I'm pleased to bring you Margay Leah Justice today, talking about her books and other fun things! 

(Q) Thanks for stopping by my blog! Let’s start with the basics: where are you from? Is there any place online you’d like to direct us to learn more about you? 

Born and bred in Massachusetts! You can read more about me and my writing here: http://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com

(Q) I always love hearing about how the idea for a particular book came about. Please fill us in on how you got the idea for Sloane Wolf.

It actually started out as just some scenes that popped into my head while reading (then watching the movie version) of a popular paranormal series a couple of years ago. I never intended to do anything with it until I saw a contest with the theme of wolves and I thought, why not? I had those scenes kicking around in my head and then I happened across some news stories about gray wolves returning to Massachusetts after a 150-year absence and before I knew it, I had a story. Problem was, the guidelines called for a novella and, well, I’m not very good at writing short! I over shot the word count, but I loved the story so much as it was, I couldn’t conceive of cutting it down to fit the word count. Instead, I shopped it elsewhere.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

I think every author I read has some influence on my writing or, more precisely, on my ideas of what it means to be a writer. I learn by example and there are so many good ones out there, I don’t think I could whittle it down to just one.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing?

Lots of reading and knitting. I am a knitting fanatic! As a matter of fact, I am so far gone in the knitting realm, I am actually designing my own patterns now.

(Q) If you could describe your ideal writing spot, where would it be? What music would you listen to (if at all)? What treats would you have on hand?

My ideal writing spot is anywhere that allows the words to flow. Music isn’t really a necessity for me while writing, but it’s always nice to have some chocolate on hand.

(Q) Plotter or pantser? Both? Neither?

I’m a little bit of both. Sometimes, I go to great lengths to plot out a story (especially if it has an intricate plot), so much so that I refer to this outline as my first draft! Other times, the story just flows from the fingers as if of its own volition. Sloane Wolf was more the latter than the former. I sketched out a few ideas, but most of the story just flowed organically from my mind to the keyboard.

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on? Care to share?

I always have way too many things in the works! I am working on a sequel to Sloane Wolf right now, among other things.

(Q) What kinds of marketing do you think are the most successful in terms of getting your name/book out there? (Curious minds are taking notes!)

I’m always looking for that answer myself! I think one thing that I tried out that seems to be successful is participating in blog hops.

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so. 

I would love to give away one e-copy of Sloane Wolf to a reader!

(Q) How about an excerpt to tantalize the readers? 

           A slight shift in the wind was Shiloh Beck’s only indication that something was out of the ordinary. So slight, in fact, it was nearly indiscernible. A whisper of air across her cheek, fanning over the skin in a manner that scarcely ruffled the loose tendril resting there. Nor did it elicit a reaction from the people who milled about in front of the country store, she noticed upon casting a surreptitious glance their way. Oh, no, only she would notice something monumental had just happened. Shiloh Beck. The sensitive.

            Lifting a hand to her right cheek under the guise of brushing the hair from her face, Shiloh scanned the surrounding area with a critical eye. The place had its charm with the abundant woodlands as far as the eye could see in either direction, the "highway" cutting a swathe through it and running parallel to a river that snaked behind the house—store. Quaint. A welcoming sight with the porch that wrapped around it like a warm embrace, dotted with strategically placed loveseats and rockers. Intentional? It worked.

            But that wasn't the origin of the shift. 

For more than a hundred and fifty years, the gray wolf has failed to roam the hills of Massachusetts, leading to the belief that they are extinct. But with a spattering of sightings across the Berkshires, the legend of the gray wolf comes to fruition. The product of that legend, Micah Sloane will go to great lengths to protect his kind from the threat of outsiders, who seek to exploit the legend for their own interests. One thing he didn’t count on, however, was finding his soul mate in the company of such men.

From the first time she predicted a stranger’s imminent death when she was little more than a child, Shiloh Beck knew she was different. Wishing to cultivate her gift, her parents made the fateful decision to enroll her in a private school for paranormally gifted children. Unbeknownst to them, the school was just a front for a research facility simply called the Institute, whose secret board members weaned gifted children from their families to exploit their gifts. Shiloh has spent the better part of her life trying to escape the Institute and reunite with the family she was told had abandoned her.

From their first meeting, Micah and Shiloh share a connection that goes beyond the normal to bond them in a way that love alone cannot. But before they can build a life together, they must deal with the fall-out when the legend of the wolves collides with the men behind the Institute. 

You can find out more, or purchase a copy on Amazon!

Descended from the same bloodline that spawned the likes of James Russell, Amy and Robert Lowell, Margay Leah Justice was fated to be a writer herself from a young age. But even before she knew that there was a name for what she was doing, she knew one thing: She had a deep and unconditional love for the written word. A love that would challenge her in times of need, abandon her in times of distress, and rediscover her in times of hope. Through her writing, Margay has learned to cope with every curve ball life has thrown her, including the challenges of single parenting, the harsh realities of living in a shelter, coping with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, and the roller coaster ride of dealing with a child who suffers from bipolar disorder. But along the way she has rediscovered the amazing power of words. 

Margay currently lives in Massachusetts with her two daughters, two cats, and a myriad of characters who vie for her attention and demand that their own stories be told. In her spare time, she is an avid knitter, knitting her way through a stash of yarn that almost rivals her tbr pile!