Midsummers Eve Giveaway Winners

I first want to say thank you to everyone who participated in the Midsummers Eve Giveaway Hop. Secondly, thank you all for entering. Now, for the winners.

I have another surprise. The winner of CAMP gets a signed copy from the author!

That winner is:
Christi the Teen Librarian












The winner of WHILE HE WAS AWAY is:
Gale Nelson

These books need new homes

I have these books sitting on my shelves and I really need to get them in the hands of someone that I KNOW is going to make use of them. I am done with them and ready to pass them along. I am only looking for shipping here and only included US shipping prices. If you want me to find out prices for where you are located, please email me. Here is the list of books that must go. Please help me to find good homes for them. They are all like new. Check them out.

Author Interview w/ Ciye Cho

Please give a warm welcome to the author of FLORENCE. Ciye Cho lives in Australia. He writes fantasy novels for young adults and works as a graphic designer. His head is usually stuck in the clouds, or below the waves... or somewhere far from reality.

1. Did you have any other names chosen for the title?

I originally wanted to call it Niemela.

2. How did you come up with the characters names?

I've always wanted to write a YA book with a redheaded girl named Florence. Beyond that, I tried to come up with names that were fantasy-imbued but not impossible to pronounce.

3. In four words, how would you describe your book?

Merpeople living amid darkness.

4. Who are your favorite authors?

That changes all the time. My current fave is Ricardo Pinto.

5. Is there anything that helps you, to get your story ideas?

I love watching nature documentaries. I find them inspiring because nature is often far more bizarre, outlandish, and remarkable than any fictional tale.

6. Favorite movie?

The Fifth Element by Luc Besson. Muuuultipass, please...

7. What is something about you that would surprise people if they found out?

That I'm a guy. Most people think I'm a girl.

Guest Post

8 Things to Do After You've Been Kidnapped by a Merman

So... you've just been kidnapped by a merman and brought down to the underwater world of Niemela. Don't worry. Things like this happen all the time. Well, not really... but relax. I'm here to help. Take a deep breath. Oh, wait! Stop! Forgot to ask: have you attached a breathing polyp to the back of your neck? You have? Okay... good, then let's get started.

I'm here to help you get the most out of your deep-sea adventure in Niemela. Just as danger and beauty go hand in hand in Niemela, so can sightseeing and self-preservation. Here are some things you should do in Niemela:

1) Meet the locals. The Niemelans speak a language called Meridian, which is highly similar to English. Therein, the mer are perfectly able to communicate with you. Whether they choose to do so is another matter, but why not say hi to a mermaid? No one ever forgets their first encounter with a mermaid. (She may or may not try to drown you, but this is normal behavior with regard to humans. Don't worry. You are not being singled out.)

2) Take a tour. The Niemelans will want to imprison you, for their Rules of Concord prohibit human and mer interaction. However, if you can wrangle your way out of prison, make sure to see the sights. Niemela is a giant coral dome surrounded by deep-sea volcanoes. Inside this dome are many caverns. Be sure to visit the Oceanarium, with its balconies of coral, and the Grove with its towers made from woven kelp.

3) Have dinner on a whale. I recommend having a meal on the back of a whale. The royal family frequently do so, seated on brain coral chairs positioned around a carved coral table. This meal will consist of kelp noodles, but you might want to practice eating sticky kelp before coming to dinner. Sea slugs may be used to secrete 'condiment rings' around the table. Make sure never to touch the slugs for they are poisonous and will induce psychedelic visions.

4) "Talk" with the animals. All animals in Niemela have been trained to respond to thought commands. This is how the Niemelans control the giant sea snails that plough the inner kelp fields. It would be useful if you learned how to use your brain to project thought commands. Get an animal to swim with you, guard you, and if possible... ask it not to eat you.

5) Watch the warriors fight a starfish. The Niemelans are at war with a force known as the Darkness. The Darkness is composed of hundreds of different monsters, from killer narwhals to giant serpents. One common threat are the Borgamont--giant starfish with poison darts and superfast reflexes. Peek outside the coral dome and watch the mermen fight a starfish. The mer tend to favor bone spears, but some warriors have special powers.

6) Go native. The Niemelans are a practical bunch. Money doesn't exist in their world, and merpeople rarely have bedrooms. To this end, Niemelans sleep amid the corals of the Grove. Sea ferns are planted here, and these ferns tie themselves around the mer while they sleep. Try not to fight the "binding", for these plants will only tighten whenever you struggle. (Which may or may not kill you).

7) Ride a stingray. Once you are skilled enough to project thought commands, ask a ray to swim next to you and climb atop its back. Bend your elbows, rest your belly over its back, and hook your fingers over the front edge of the ray. It's like riding a bodyboard, but please don't touch a ray's tail. Startling a stingray will often cause it to shoot its tail-spear at you. This will hurt. A lot. (And it just might kill you.)

8) Stay alive. Take in the wonder... but never forget that danger and beauty are synonyms in the world of Niemela. No one is truly who they seem to be, and nothing is what it seems like on the outside.

Take care,

Ciye Cho

--- Copyright (c) 2012 by Ciye Cho ---

Book blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Florence is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems in the war between the mer and the Darkness--a conflict that will push Florence between two brothers... and force her to find out where she belongs.

Book website: http://www.florence-books.com

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent
by Veronica Roth

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Released on: May 3rd, 2011
Hardcover
496 Pages
Rating: 4/5








   Veronica Roth has created a completely new level of amazing in the pages of Divergent. She has captured a world like no other and has enraptured our attention and held it throughout the entire journey of learning about Beatrice and her heart wrenching story. As she battles to find out where she fits in this world, she will also struggle far beyond lengths she ever expected to prove how brave she can be. Tris isn't left with a choice. It all becomes life or death for her.
   Tris made her decision. She chose her faction. Where she wanted to be. I can't help but wonder, after it was all said and done, if she would go the same route again. I wouldn't have cared what faction she would have chose, but for some reason, I didn't want her to choose the one that she did. Yet, that's exactly what she chose. Small and petite, she proved herself worthy but it certainly wasn't easy and yes, she did have friends within the faction. But in all reality, having to compete and fight for a place on your own faction to earn your spot, the true answer is no. You really don't have any friends. They are all enemies. You are competing against people who could potentially leave you to have a hard life for the rest of your life. Maybe I sound bitter and harsh, but it's a fight for first place here. Where you rank is what matters and Tris had to fight hard to prove herself.
  When she was first screened, she was tested and the results didn't show anything. Therefore, they couldn't classify her to any certain category. This could potentially cause problems if found out by the wrong people. They call this Divergent. To be known as Divergent isn't good. You could kind of consider it as free spirited. It is highly frowned upon and if found out by certain people, death could even occur. Tris has so many secrets that must be kept in the closet. It seems like the end, but it's just the beginning for her. It's just getting started. The other factions have tricks up their sleeves. The only person she has to trust is Four. Luckily, that's all she needs.


Purchased from Barnes & Noble.

Review: Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

Heavenly
by Jennifer Laurens

Published by: Grove Creek Publishing
Released on: August 15th, 2009
Hardcover
280 Pages
Rating: 4/5








   Heavenly is a bit different than many other young adult novels I have read. I loved the main character and how she lived in a 'real' world. Her world was not perfect and she actually struggled with real things that you or I might deal with. The biggest issue at hand wasn't that Zoe's lipstick wasn't on sale or that she was going to fail a test. It was that she struggled with a brother who was a pothead and had a sister with autism. Their family couldn't be normal all because of her younger sister and her behavior in public (and everywhere else for that matter). Zoe hated this, and even more, she hated knowing that she was a terrible sister for feeling that way.
  As time went on, and I began to learn more about Zoe, I learned that she cared more for her sister Abria, than she ever realized. She was always there for Abria, and it caught someone else's attention too.
  To better explain it all, it's best to start with Abria. Because her soul is pure, she has been blessed with a guardian angel. Only pure souls can see them. Zoe struggles with her own inner battles, but because of her caring nature towards her brother and sister, her heart is pure. She now has the ability to see them. When she first meets Matthias, she can't help but be protective of Abria. Over time, Zoe and Matthias form bonds, but is it just for Abria? Can it be more? Heavenly definitely leaves readers full of anticipation , hope, and tenderheartedness.

Winners of many...

Because I don't follow up and do what I try so hard on doing...Because I vow to make new changes and slack off....
Here I am with a new batch of winners because of my slacking....

The winners are...















Bleed goes to:
Amy @ Book Loving Mom

Choice of Into the End or Barely Alive goes to:
Tore
and
Megan @ Books and Teacups

Three ebook copies of Crashing Eden go to:
Natalie Cleary
Carina Olsen
Heather Stewart


Two paperback copies of Crashing Eden go to:
Rachael L
Vivien

Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop featuring two great books

Welcome, and thank you for stopping by. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and myself are hosts for the
Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop. I have two great books I am giving away. I am thrilled that you have stopped by and would love for you to follow, but is certainly NOT a requirement by any means.




The first book I am giving away is the best I have read this year. It was just released this month.

Camp
by Elaine Wolf

Open to EVERYONE 13+ (Intl)

 While he was Away
by Karen Schreck

Open to everyone 13+ (intl)



                                     Enter both giveaways HERE




Now, go visit all the other participants!!!!

Author Interview w/ Lloyd Poast

Today at Uniquely Moi Books I have had the great opportunity to interview the author of BLINK.

Lloyd Poast is a former staff writer for Consequence of Sound and Hockey Future, as well as the author of several short stories that have appeared both online and in print. Blink is his first novelette. He lives in Canada with his wife and two young boys.

1.)What drives you towards your ambitions? Anything in particular?

 I’ve always admired artists in everything from painting to music to acting, and I’ve always wanted to be involved in something creative. Writing just happens to be what comes most natural to me, and ever since I took my first writing class about five years ago, I’ve been lucky to have a family that supports and encourages my dream.

2.) What was your favorite part of Blink?

I really like Lance’s first encounter with Amaisia. It really showcases the more charismatic and playful side of her.  I also have a soft spot for the ending, since it’s one of the few things that hasn’t changed from the first time I wrote it.

3.) Who is your favorite author?

 Probably Neil Gaiman. I love pretty much everything he’s done in both comics and novels. His Sandman series really forced critics to view comics in a much more artistic light and his portrayal of Death as pretty Goth girl with a big heart was brilliant. I also like Ray Bradbury, Joe Hill, and Dan Simmons.

4.) Growing up, what books do you remember reading?

 The only two books I really remember loving as a kid were The Hobbitt and Otis Adelbert Kline’s Planet of Peril. I read them both a couple of times when I was ten or eleven and I actually just realized there’s a sequel to Planet of Peril called Prince of Peril. I found an old copy on EBay, but haven’t got around to reading it yet. Comics and magazines were actually my preferred reading material when I was growing up, though.

5.) When did you first have the idea for Blink?

Blink was originally going to be a horror story that combined a few of my child hood fears and nightmares. I remember my childhood as this magical time where anything could happen and sometimes my brother, sister, and I would end up scaring ourselves, especially when we got together with our cousins (we loved to go ghost hunting).  I had a lot of crazy dreams back then and one of the most memorable was a very vivid and frightening encounter with a man in a suit and top hat. When I finally saw his face, it was that of a cat.  The first few drafts of Blink actually had him as the villain. His name was Raylan and he never talked in the story. The only thing anyone heard from him was the scream, which also had a more pronounced role in the original draft. Over time, the story just seemed to transform from a horror story into a more lighthearted fantasy and I eventually replaced Raylan with the more charismatic, Amaisia Moon.

6.) Was there anything you wish you had added or could change to Blink?

There are a couple of minor style issues that I can’t believe I missed, but other than that, I don’t think I’d change anything about the story’s more important elements such as the plot or the character.

7.) Did you have any other titles picked out besides Blink?

Actually, the very first draft of the story was called Shortcut. I had actually almost forgotten that. It didn’t last long, though, and it’s been Blink ever since.

Mail Confessions (4)

I have had a busy mail week this week and have been incredibly busy today. I'm also taking the easy way out since I received so many and won't be posting the publisher or release date. I do want to issue a big shout out to Sky Pony Press, Little, Brown Books, and Sourcebooks for part of my incredible mailweek.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson

Twisted by Sara Shepard

While he was Away by Karen Schreck

The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide by Stacey Graham

Real Mermaids Don't Hold Their Breath by Helen Boudreau

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

Summer of No Regrets Katherine Grace Bond

Nothing Special by Geoff Herbach

Rapture by Lauren Kate

The Golden Lily by Rachelle Mead

Camp by Elaine Wolf





Review: Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Unleashed
by Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie

Published by: Delacorte Press
Released on: November 22, 2011
Hardcover
385 Pages
Rating: 4/5








  I found it a bit hard to get into the beginning stages of Unleashed. I believe it was because of the drastic changes taking place with the main character so I wasn't able to learn as much about her as I would have liked. I did get to learn about her background, I just wanted to know more about her.
  Katelyn had a great life living with her mother until her sudden death, and was sadly ripped away from it all, only to realize that she had to move into a small town with a grandfather she knew nothing about and her whole life was about to change. This was not good. I did take pity on her. I just couldn't help but wonder why she never seemed to talk much about her mom to anyone. Being in Arkansas, and having odd and strange rules such as having to be home and in the house before night falls, I would think she would get lonely. I know she did. Wolf Springs had to be strange to her and I know it had to be hard, being from Cali, and trying to find something to do in a no-town ghost town.
  Katelyn did happen to find two great people to find amazing friendships with. Trick and Cordelia. They were both always there for her and looking out for her, teaching her all the ropes of the country ways. But Katelyn knew something wasn't right. The whole having to be in by dark thing wasn't right. She begged for answers and everyone played dumb. I knew something big was about to happen. I just didn't know it was going to create such a mess...


Purchased from Amazon.

Gearing up for Dark Days Tour St. Louis!

I am thrilled to announce (if you haven't heard yet) that the Pitch Dark: Dark Days Tour is coming to St. Louis! I would love to meet you there! Along for this stop, we will be getting to meet four of the six wonderful authors that are participating on this tour. It will take place at Left Bank Books on July 9th at 7pm.



We will be getting to meet:

Aprilynne Pike
DESTINED

Tamani looked at her gravely, and reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear.

He hesitated for an instant, then his hands found the sides of her face, pulling her to him. He didn't kiss her, just held her face close to his, their foreheads resting together, their noses almost touching.

She hated how much it felt like good-bye.

Laurel now knows the truth: Yuki is a rare Winter faerie, the most powerful—and deadly—of all, and Klea plans to use her to help conquer and destroy Avalon. But Klea's reach extends far beyond one wild Winter faerie. With Tamani, David, and Chelsea by her side, Laurel prepares to face what may be Avalon's final days, in the stunning conclusion to the Wings series.




S.J. Kincaid
INSIGNIA

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.



Veronica Roth
INSURGENT

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

 Dan Wells
 PARTIALS

 Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out.

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask.

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.






I can't wait and would LOVE to see you there! Even if your in the St. Louis area and can't make it, I would still love to hear from you. I'm counting down the days....

You can also stay up to date on Facebook with all the Dark Days Books here: facebook.com/PitchDarkBooks

And follow them on twitter to stay informed here:
@pitchdarkbooks

Review: My Heart be Damned by Chanelle Gray

My Heart be Damned
by Chanelle Gray

Published by: Knight Romance Publishing
Released on: September 15th, 2012
Paperback
356 Pages
Rating: 4/5




*Please note this review was based from an ARC*


  Chanelle Gray has written a very different and very unique novel that I have fell deeply in love with. I connected deeply with the main character, Amerie. She was strong and didn't back down for nothing and nobody. She stayed strong through it all. After her mother had past away a year ago, her life is nothing as it used to be, and she is stronger than ever. She really has no choice. The only thing different now, is that she has decided to no longer hunt. I can't say that I don't blame her. I couldn't help but wonder if her mother would want her to continue even if it is what killed her. It's what they are meant to do. The Sisterhood will come for her eventually. The Sisterhood watches over all the hunters. Amerie is meant to kill the Damned. She isn't just some ordinary girl. Though, she plays it off well to everyone around her.
  It's when a stranger enters Amerie's life and insists that he needs her attention that things start changing over time. Marshall is determined to get her to like him and I must admit that he won me over long before Amerie fell for him. She has some great friends looking out for her too, but in Amerie's case it just complicates things even more. The Damned start coming after her. She is supposed to attack them, not her. Furthermore, she lives with her father and brother and can't live anything close to a normal life whatsoever anymore. She has a great set of friends, and an even better set of skills. It's the secrets that are tucked away that'll blow everyone away.
  The ending not only surprised be, but left my jaw stuck on the floor. There's so much action, so much excitement! A very busy read that'll leave you highly entertained.



Received for review purposes from the author.



Guest Post featuring Diana Peterfreund

I am honored today to introduce to you, author Diana Peterfreund. Diana has stopped by to share with us, her take on short stories. ETERNAL SPRING has just recently been released in April of 2012 and has Diana as well as twelve other wonderful authors featured as well. Not to mention, well, I'll just let Diana tell you all about it!

How I Came To Love the Short Story

"On a Field, Sable" in the FREE anthology Eternal Spring is my fifth published short story and my third (of five) in 2012, but I kind of went backwards in my publishing career. Most people in speculative fiction start out writing short stories and progress to novels. I did it the opposite way, publishing seven novels before a single short story hit print.

But I love them! In fact, if this were still the golden age of shorts and I could make my living writing them (as F. Scott Fitzgerald once did, charging up to $4000 for a single short story in the Saturday Evening Post) I might leave the realm of novels altogether. There's something so satisfying to me about writing short stories. I can experiment with format, style, and voice in a way that isn't always sustainable for an entire novel. I can explore other facets of a world I develop in a longer series, as I did in the "Secret Stories" on my website that show the perspective of other characters in my Secret Society Girl series, or all the "killer unicorn" shorts I've been publishing in anthologies, that either show some of the long history of unicorn hunting (as in "Errant", another free online short, or "The Hammer of Artemis" in the anthology Cast of Characters).

"On a Field, Sable" is one of the latter. It's a story about Melissende, who is a very unlikeable character in my novels Rampant and Ascendant. But though she and the novel heroine, Astrid, constantly butt heads (and occasionally cross swords), Melissende has her own reasons for doing things. She's fiercely loyal to her sister, and more than a little afraid that their mission will end up killing them. What drives a person like Melissende, who isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, a "nice girl?" What would it take for us to understand where she's coming from? Those are the questions I tackle in this story. Writing it actually made me like Melissende a whole lot more, which surprised me because she's usually such an antagonist to my poor heroine Astrid. But, as they say, once you walk a mile in someone's shoes...

And I'm not the only one who chose to explore a longer series in this free anthology. There are several other authors who are giving us a taste of what you can get in our longer works, like Stephanie Dray with her ancient-Egyptian tale about Queen Arsinoe, and Amanda Brice, who returns to her dancer Dani Spevak. If you're curious about our works or just looking for a bunch of great short reads to entertain you between dips in the pool this summer, you can't beat this free read!

And, I feel I would be remiss if I didn't mention my other free short story out there: "Among the Nameless Stars" is a free online prequel to my brand-new book, a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion entitled For Darkness Shows the Stars. Check it out!

Review: The Awakening-In the Shadow of the Moonlight

The Awakening
In the Shadow of the Moonlight
by J.J. Bidell
Published by: Elke Becker
Released: April 2011
210 Pages
Rating: 3/5







   I was very excited to start this one, as I have a huge passion for big kitties. Learning the background of Naomi, I was even more eager to know what was going to happen because I just knew it was going to be good. It runs in her family to 'turn' if I dare say, into a panther. Naomi has never been informed of this simply because it's a hit and miss type of thing. The last known member of the family that it actually happened to was her great-grandmother and Naomi never knew her.
  The commotion starts when Naomi gets a scholarship to go to a school in Maine, and since it's halfway around the country, her grandmother is more than just freaking out. Naomi is at that prime age as to whether or not she will end up being a panther on a full moon. But of course, if your grandma told you a story that you might be a panther, I'm sure you would think her just as crazy as Naomi started thinking her grandma was. Luckily her mother was there to intervene, and see her safely to the plane.
  Upon arriving, she absolutely love it even though she's just on campus. The fog is a tad bothersome at times, but hey, let's not complain. At least she got to go! She ends up doing great at school, and meeting some really, really great people. Naomi even grows quite fond of Roman. Now here's where it slows waaayyy down. The beginning was just fab, but the middle got hung up focusing around her friends a little too much with not really any action. It does pick back up with a great ending.
  As Naomi's bond with Roman grows closer, she unknowingly endangers his life. Her friends aren't who she thought they were at all. One of them knows all about her and is watching her every move.



Received from the author for review.

Giveaway~Crashing Eden by Micheal Sussman

Today I have a bit of a BIG giveaway that the author has offered up for me to host here. I'm very excited and unfortunately, I've been a little busy and delayed it a bit. Yes, I know it's a huge bummer on my part. I've just been so overwhelmed lately. So.... here's what we have for you...

International:
Three ebook copies up for grabs in any format of your choice

US Only:
Two Paperback Copies are available

 Must be 13+
Winners must respond within 48 hours
Ends June 15th
There are two forms to fill out.

Fill out this form if you are in the US ONLY for the paperbacks-Paperback Form

Fill out this form if you are interested in an ebook copy for the international giveaway.-Ebook Form


A huge thank you to Micheal Sussman for allowing me to share this with all of you.

Insanity Blog Tour -Interview w/ Lauren Hammond

Welcome to the Insanity Blog Tour stop for today. I have had the chance to interview the lovely  Lauren Hammond. Before we get to that, let's find out a little more about Insanity and just what it's about. Insanity is the first novel in the Asylum series. First released on May 8th, 2012. You can find Insanity on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.

Sometimes love...can drive you crazy.

Adelaide Carmichael and Damien Allen couldn't be more opposite.

Adelaide's mother abandoned her when she was ten years old, leaving her to be raised by her abusive and alcoholic father.

Damien on the other hand came from a wealthy family, was a local celebrity, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of him.

Despite their differences, Adelaide and Damien were young, wild, and fiercely in love.

And they had a plan.

They were going to run away.

Be together forever.

And their plan was set in motion, until tragedy struck and for some reason, Adelaide wound up in The Oakhill Institution for the insane.

Adelaide has no idea what she did to wind up at Oakhill, but she knows one thing for sure...

She wants out.

And after Damien follows her there to aid her in escaping, Adelaide slowly begins putting together the pieces of her memory that are missing.

And it doesn't take Adelaide long to figure out that sometimes...

That one true love never dies.

Excerpt~

Shoving my feet off the side of the bed, new surroundings burn my eyes. Tan plaster walls instead of thick white padded ones. One oblong barred window. Two dressers. Two closets. Two beds.

They've moved me to a different room.

A gentle squeaking noise bounces off the walls and my eyes avert to my right. Oh crap. They put me in a room with a nut job.

They say I'm a nut job.

But not like this.

Not even close.

She rocks back and forth on her cot, knees to her chest, twisting a piece of her wiry, red hair between her fingertips. Her freckled arms are trembling. She sings with vibrato.

I am slowly going crazy. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Switch.

Crazy going slowly am I. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.

Switch.

I think about screaming again. I think about plugging my ears. Somebody turn her off.

She lifts her head slowly, a maddening look in her big, brown eyes, an eerie smile crawling across her pale, freckled lips. “Shh,” she whispers. “They're coming for us.”

“Who's they?”

She shakes her head and lets out a cackle laced with the deepest kind of crazy. I think they put her in here with me purposely. They're trying to break me. They think if they put me around truly insane people that I'll accept my place here.

Well...They are wrong.

The Interview

1.  What was the first book that you remember reading as a pre-teen or teen?

Well, this is a tough one because I’ve been reading since before my pre-teen years. The first book I ever read aside from school books was Little Women. I was seven or eight years old. Pre-teen years, hmm, I was in the Accelerated Reader program at school in the 7^th grade. I read Gone With The Wind. It’s one of my all-time favorites.

 

2.  Is there anyone that inspires you?

Most of my books revolve around characters that are in love and I think that roots from the fact that true love is out there. It’s real. I’ve witnessed it my whole life. My grandparents inspire me in that aspect. They only knew each other three weeks and have been married over sixty years. My grandfather can’t even say my grandmother’s name without getting emotional.

3.  How did you choose the names of the characters for INSANITY?

Honestly, they just kind of came to me out of the blue, lol. I can’t really explain it. But…I will say that Adelaide kind of stemmed from my niece’s name which is Addison.

4. How would you describe INSANITY in three words?

 

Mind-blowing, heart-wrenching, and beautiful.

Thanks again for having me!

If you get a chance check out Insanity!

About Lauren:

It all began with a dinosaur, a T-Rex to be exact. He was the main character in my very first short story. Me and T, well, we went places. He is the reason I won my first essay contest at age ten. And he is probably one of the number one reasons, I pursued a career in writing.

Throughout highschool, I was what you would call a rebel. Someone who had convinced herself that she had life figured out at age sixteen. Still, writing was my only safe-haven during that time. I wrote notebooks full of poetry, even writing fellow classmates papers for them.

Unbeknowest to me, creative writing, seemed to be my one, true calling, my passion in life.

At age twenty, I began writing my first novel. After that, everything seemed to fall into place.

I won Best Poets and Poems of 2007, and The Editor's Choice award for my poem, Summer Days.

Also, during that time I wrote or co-wrote fifteen different screenplays, some which earned me finalist spot in various screenplay competitions.

In 2010, I've come full force, with my novel Love Sucks, that was released by Punkin House Press, in August of 2010. On top of Love Sucks, I have six novels that are slated to be released through the next five years. Also, doing some various marketing work for authors and publishers.

I pride myself in telling fellow writers to always follow their dreams. Who knows where I would be if I would have given up.

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Review: Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen

Beautiful Days
by Anna Godbersen

Published by: Harper Collins
Released on: September 20th, 2011
Hardcover
358 Pages
Rating: 4/5







  Beautiful Days takes place just a few months after the death of Cordelia's loved one.The man she just met and hoped to get to know better. I do wish that we could've looked into their lives through those missing months, but that just isn't going to happen. She has reunited with Letty and things seem to be looking up for all three ladies. Astrid is now engaged to Charlie and all is well at Dogwood. But Anna has plans for these three girls. Plans that kept me dying to find out. Things never remain perfect.
  Charlie must get revenge on the people that attacked his family and this puts Cord and Astrid in danger. Astrid, being the social butterfly, can't seem to sit still and I knew this was going to get her in trouble. Maybe if Charlie wouldn't tell her what to do all the time with no explanation as to why, then maybe the girl would listen. Cordelia has unfortunately learned the hard way and unfortunately Astrid might end up following in her footsteps.
  In high spirits, Cordelia is as happy as can be. She has taken interest in Max, the famous pilot. The club is about to open and the Hale's are out of sight. She has went out with Max on a number of occasions, until she finds out what has been said about her. This isn't what she really needs to worry about. It's the Hale's.
  As for Letty, well, the poor girl gets knocked down every time she seems to be making progress. Will she ever be able to hold her own in New York? Can the three girls stay strong enough to make it out alive?

Guest Post & Giveaway Featuring Bonnie Paulson

Today on the blog, we have Bonnie Paulson. Bonnie is here today to share with us just what truth has to offer. After reading what Bonnie had to say, I just wanted to hug her. It's great to hear that or reviews matter. I don't think that I can say anything as fulfilling as Bonnie so let's see what she has to say.

When Brutal Honesty Has a Taste All Its Own…

I’ve thought and thought about this post for the last few days. What to say? What to say? And I keep coming back to how reviewers help authors more than they know (at least this author).

No, I’m not talking about getting the book attention, although, let’s face it, that helps. What I’m talking about is helping the AUTHOR who is a WRITER first and foremost.

What’s the difference?

Let me explain. A writer is someone who is worried about the story. They work their butts off to learn the craft, get closer to their characters, learn to take critiques, learn to take compliments, learn to write and the difference between character arcs and plot twists. A writer is ALL about the story.

Now an author worries about that stuff, too. But an author has to don multiple hats once they’re published (even a bit before). And yes the distinction IS published – this includes self, indie, trad, or printing that sucker up at Kinko’s – published is published and once it’s done, the writer becomes the author who has to format, edit, revise, market, promote (yes, two different things), get out on social media, and wait for the “reviews”. All this on top of what a writer has to do.

Headache, right?

Let’s add to this, that not everyone has a completely honest critique partner, or first time readers, the people that help by saying “this needs work” or “this doesn’t work”, or “heaven’s to Betsy, no one says Heaven’s to Betsy anymore”.

Reviewers tell it like it is. They don’t sugar coat. They don’t worry about the authors’ feelings because they have a responsibility to their own readers who look to them for guidance on who and what to read. On my first book, Breathe Again (Carina Press, 2011) I had some middle of the road reviews – 3 stars – a lot of them, but the consensus on nearly all of the less favorable reviews wasn’t that the story sucked, it was that it was too deep for what they wanted in a romance – read suicide doesn’t belong in romances (past incident, not one that occurs in the actual story line). Every single one said they enjoyed my writing style, voice, etc. even how the story was executed, just that it wasn’t their topic of choice.

I got that. So much so, that I realized I write dark, not light which was what I was shooting for with my romance. Those reviewers pointed me in the direction of writing urban fantasy which just happened to turn out to be YA (Barely Alive, zombie romance with genetic makeup) and also adult Apocalyptic thriller (Into the End, end of the world with survivors who find out that natural disasters aren’t the worst thing that can happen).

I still love romances and will continue to write them, but I can do so now without fighting the dark twists and plots that always want to come out. Now I can just let my writing do what it wants.

What’s your favorite thing about reviewers? I’m grateful for their honesty. I could use more of it in my life.

Giveaway! Leave a comment and two lucky winners get to choose an ebook from Into the End or Barely Alive. I’ll leave the details to Jodie, hostess on Uniquely Moi Books, to decide how that works.

And thank you, Jodie, so much for having me! I love this site and use it myself for who to read and who not to read.  We seem to have much the same reading tastes.

Thanks!

Bonnie R. Paulson mixes her science and medical background with reality and possibilities to make even myths seem likely and gives every romance the genetic strength to survive. Barely Alive is the first in a YA zombie romance where fighting the virus might be easier than fighting attraction. (Falling Apart, #2 comes out late summer 2012). Into the End introduces the scary realism of what happens when nature and other countries seek to defeat America. (Through the Flames, #2 due out early summer 2012).  Visit her at www.bonnierpaulson.com and see what she thinks about science flavored with romaction.

Bonnie's Books:

Barely Alive

Into the End

Breathe Again

I just want to give a huge thanks to Bonnie for stopping by today!

The giveaway...

Open to everyone

13+

Ends June 12th