James Morris Interview

Posted on July 15, 2015 by The Page Unbound

James Morris

James Morris is a former television writer with produced credits including episodes of “Smallville,” “Crossing Jordan” and “The 4400.” Born in Chicago, he now calls Los Angeles home. He lives with his wife and dog, and when not writing you can find him experimenting in the kitchen.

Author Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Author Interview:

How did you begin writing? What inspires you to write?

I’ve been writing stories here and there ever since grade school. I followed my passion, went to college and studied English Literature and film, and then moved to Los Angeles to break into the entertainment industry. Hollywood is its own story – I ended up writing for a few shows with my writing partner – but after we broke up, I turned to novels. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, that’s for sure. Some scary dips, indeed!

Who is your intended audience and why should they read the book?

You know, I’m not a fan of labels, of calling something Young Adult or New Adult or something else because it seems exclusionary. I’m a grown man, and I read young adult! But having said that, the audience is really geared towards readers of the thriller genre and less about contemporary YA. This is certainly not your John Greene-type YA novel (and I love some John Greene). It’s more of a thrill-ride geared toward older teens and adults-who-are-forever-young (like me). For readers who want a bit of escapism with a fast pace that hopefully raises some interesting questions, then WHAT LIES WITHIN is for them!

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?

I liked the dual meanings of the word “lies.” It could mean something that’s inside of something, or it’s the lies that we believe about ourselves, so WHAT LIES WITHIN seemed a natural fit. I can tell you if I ended up writing a sequel, it would be titled WHAT LIES BEYOND.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art.

My friend Lani Rich of StoryWonk designed it, and I liked it because it’s a stark image that captures the tone of the book. I loved the red hair that represents Shelley, as well as the tears of blood.

Who is your favorite character?

That’s a tough one! I like them all! Maybe it’s a cop-out, but I have to get inside and understand all of them – even the villains – to bring them to life. Winston was probably the easiest to write, though, simply because he’s the most like me.

If I could change ONE thing about your novel, what would it be? Why?

You know, I do have thoughts on this. There might be a couple things I would change, but I’ll keep them secret. I learn on every project I do, and yet, no project is ever perfect (much to my frustration!) I try my best, giving the story and characters a lot of time – I’ve been over that draft hundreds of times – and at the end of the day, I’ve made it as good as I could during the time I worked on it. It’s a bit like thinking about previous relationships: the coulda-woulda-shoulda, and yet, you can’t go back and change things; you can only learn from them.

Give us an interesting fun fact.

WHAT LIES WITHIN is actually the 3^rd book I wrote, but the first that landed me an agent, and the first to get published. Two others, and the years they took to write, but the act of writing them taught me a tremendous amount.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I’m currently working on a couple projects, and mulling over a sequel to WHAT LIES WITHIN. But sequels are tricky – you want to make sure the sequel is worthy – and better – than the original, and not just done because you can.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?

First, any reader who even appreciates a bit of it is a superstar. I’m not one of those writers who is like, “I am an artiste – you will like what I give you!” Not at all. I write for an audience. I write knowing someone is going to sit down and choose this book over another book, reading instead of watching TV or calling friends or doing a million other things. You have to respect that level of commitment. A reader is sitting down with me, basically. And I don’t want to disappoint. If a reader likes it, of course, share the experience and tell your friends!

Do I have any tips for other writers trying to get published?

First, writers write because they love it; they write because they have to. There are so many other ways to try and make money, that if that’s the goal, I say cut your losses. But if you’re an addict, and hopelessly addicted to stories, then the advice is simple: keep going. Second, have elephant skin with the soul of a poet, and expect rejection. Learn from it. Learn from criticism. Be open to it. Tell stories that are important to you. Don’t try to catch a trend. Worry less about getting an agent and getting published and doing the much, much harder thing, which is getting down a solid draft.

Anything else I’d like to say?

Just thank you. Really. For helping spread your experience of the book. For helping me get my name out there. Writing can be very lonely, but it’s worth it when you actually make an impact. I try not to get too emotionally invested in reviews – reading is so highly subjective – but it’s still great to hear that people enjoyed the read. It makes all the hours very well worth it.

Book Summary (Goodreads):

“You’re going to die”

A single text message and Shelley Marano’s world is upended. A normal high school senior, Shelley discovers she is adopted. She goes on a journey to uncover her past, only to find she was part of a horrific experiment to test the theory of nature versus nurture. In a culture of violence committed by young people, she may be one of these killers. With the lives of her and her friends in the balance, one thing is certain: she will never be the same.

Exclusive Book Excerpt:

The motorcyclist didn’t move, just stared back, and then he looked down at a photo in his hand and slipped it into his back pocket.

Ordinarily, the kid might’ve made some remark, but the motorcyclist looked like a well-armored samurai. Something in the kid’s brain told him to screw the gas–just peel out and don’t look back. Only when the motorcyclist turned away and put in a credit card to unhook the nozzle did the kid relax.

Seconds passed and he sensed something was wrong. He couldn’t discern why until he realized he hand’t heard the normal sounds of a motorcycle gas cap being unscrewed or the clank of the nozzle against metal. In fact, there was no sound at all. He turned–

The motorcyclist held the gas nozzle in his hand.

In the span of a second, as time expanded, the kid’s eyes glanced downward. The motorcyclist’s hand tensed against the handle, unleashing a torrent of gasoline. It sprayed with the force of a fire hose, nearly waterboarding the kid in the mouth. Its unmistakable aroma consumed him, and he fought the urge to gag. His mouth stung, hands held up, blind, eyes burning, the sting, the smell, the fear–

Then it stopped.

The gas dripped from his face, little beads of toxic perspiration, his hair wet, his clothes soaked, face contorted in a rictus of poison. He opened his eyes, the world blurry, grainy, and he caught the glint of something shining in the motorcyclist’s hand followed by a sound: flick, cap, flick, cap.

The kid squinted to try and focus.

Flick, cap. Flick, cap.

He saw then what it was.

–What Lies Within, James Morris

Be sure to check back for the book review of What Lies Within

Synthetica Book Promo

Posted on July 15, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Synthetica (Synthetica #1)
by Rachel Pattinson
Release Date: 04/01/15

Summary from Goodreads:

This city is falling.

Seventeen-year-old Anais Finch lives in a world where everyone is born beautiful, where every dream is a possibility – and where their every move and every piece of personal information is recorded by an ID picochip inserted behind their right ear. When technology giant, Civitas, finally announces the launch of their highly anticipated Scholarly Learning Programs, which allow people to download and learn any subject instantly, Anais can hardly wait.

But not everyone is pleased with society’s progress, and not everyone wants to fit in. When Anais witnesses a brutal murder on an innocent citizen and is implicated in the crime, she becomes determined to uncover the truth, especially when others like it begin to occur all over the city. But it may already be too late for Anais to stop the man who calls himself ‘the Hacker’ before he commits his most appalling crime yet…

Buy Links:
Amazon

Book Excerpt:

She turned to the body of the attacker, who was still staring up at the sky. He, too, looked beyond help. Blood dribbled from his mouth, staining his clothes. But there was something else, something dark on the side of his neck. It didn’t look like blood, but before Anais could move to get a closer look, a scream ripped through the cool night air. She jumped and looked up to see a woman with white hair tied back in a severe ponytail and holding several glossy carrier bags, looking at her in horror. Anais glanced down and saw that the man’s blood was now splattered on her shirt – her jeans were rapidly becoming wet from where the dark puddle was spreading out from the man’s body. She jerked her head back up to look at the woman, who’s eyes were popping. The woman dropped her bags on the floor, and began backing down the walkway, her wide eyes still fixed on the bloody scene in front of her.

“W-wait,” Anais tried to call out, but her throat was suddenly dry, her heart beating far too fast. She could barely get the word out; but even as she spoke, the woman turned and fled back the way she had come.

“Wait,” Anais cried, her voice stronger. “Come back! I need your help!”

But it was too late. The woman had already gone. Anais looked round, panic rising in her gut, and for a brief, crazy moment she wondered if she should simply just run for it. The man in front of her gave a faint groan. She jumped, not expecting him to make a noise, and stared down at him, a fog descending over her brain as she panicked over what to do. It was a few seconds before she realised the man was still making a noise – he was trying to speak. She leant in closer, trying to catch his words, but his voice was now too faint, and he gave a nasty, gargling cough.

“What?” Anais said, her heart pounding as she leant in even closer, her ear almost brushing his dry lips. But he fell silent again, and Anais sat back up, trying to breathe evenly. If she stayed, she’d be implicated in the crime. If she left, the man would surely die – but she couldn’t call for the medics without it being traced back to her RetCom ID. She stared wildly round, praying for someone, anyone, to come and help her.

Luckily, at that moment, any decision-making was taken right out of her hands. Sirens wailed, cutting through the night air; and within seconds a small white medi-cab hummed round the corner towards her. There was a blinding flash, and Anais shielded her eyes with her hand, looking up at the source of the brilliant white light. There a low noise – a sound almost less than sound itself – a deep vibration that made Anais cringe to hear it. A police hovercraft descended from the sky above.

“Suspect,” boomed a loud automated voice, making the air shiver around her. “You are required to stand with your hands in the air. Drop your weapons. If you do not run, you will not be harmed. Suspect – you are required to stand -”

Anais stood up shakily, feeling her jeans sticking uncomfortably to her. She was encased in the blindingly white searchlight, unable to see the scene unfolding around her as she slowly raised her hands into the air.

Blog Tour Schedule

About the Author

So what qualifies me to be a writer? Well, ever since an early age I’ve been more interested in the worlds in my head, than the real one – so I thought it was finally time to do something about it. I went to uni, got a degree in publishing, worked in an office for a while, decided I hated it, went to China, came back…and now I’m a teaching assistant by day and a YA writer by night. Phew! It’s been quite a journey, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter

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They Call Me Alexandra Gastone Review

Posted on July 14, 2015 by The Page Unbound

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They Call Me Alexandra Gastone

by T.A. Maclagan (Goodreads Author)

Book Synopsis(Goodreads):

When your life is a lie, how do you know what’s real?

Alexandra Gastone has a simple plan: graduate high school, get into Princeton, work for the CIA, and serve her great nation.

She was told the plan back when her name was Milena Rokva, back before the real Alexandra and her family were killed in a car crash.

Milena was trained to be a sleeper agent by Perun, a clandestine organization from her true homeland of Olissa. There, Milena learned everything she needed to infiltrate the life of CIA analyst Albert Gastone, Alexandra’s grandfather, and the ranks of America’s top intelligence agency.

For seven years, “Alexandra” has been on standby and life’s been good. Grandpa Albert loves her, and her strategically chosen boyfriend, Grant, is amazing.

But things are about to change. Perun no longer needs her at the CIA in five years’ time. They need her active now.

Between her cover as a high school girl—juggling a homecoming dance, history reports, and an increasingly suspicious boyfriend—and her mission in this high-stakes spy game, the boundaries of her two lives are beginning to blur.

Will she stay true to the country she barely remembers, or has her loyalty shattered along with her identity?

My Review:

This book did a lot of things right. The premise of the story was very interesting and it draws you in. The writing was good and the characters were fairly well developed. In fact, I loved the grandfather, Albert. He was my favorite character in the whole book. I take that back, not just in this book, but he is one of my favorite characters from all the books that I have read. On the other hand, I wasn’t even sure if I liked Alexandra(Milena) until about a third of the way through the book. Even though the book is written from her point of view, you only get little pieces of the real Milena at a time. She spends most of the time hiding behind who she is supposed to be, Alexandra.

There is a small love story in the book, but it wasn’t a main part of the book and to tell the truth, I was never very invested in it. I never cared if she stayed with him or dumped him and it never mattered in the story line either. The relationship was pretty much just a cover for Milena. Every high school girl needs a boyfriend, especially if he is the quarterback of the football team. Although I do believe she had feelings for him, but had a hard time admitting that to herself.

My real problem with this book was the pacing. The first half of the book was very slow. I think that more needed to be happening and sometimes the author was a little too descriptive of unnecessary things. Also I realize that Milena was brainwashed, but I found it hard to believe that she lived with Albert for six years and never once questioned the organization that she worked for. She was a teenager and teenagers question everything.

If you are tired of the YA fantasy genre and like spy thrillers, you might want to check this book out. I would love to hear what you think about the book.

About the author:

T.A. Maclagan

T.A. Maclagan is a Kansas girl by birth but now lives in the bush-clad hills of Wellington, New Zealand with her Kiwi husband, son and four pampered cats. With a bachelor’s degree in biology and a Ph.D. in anthropology, she’s studied poison dart frogs in the rainforests of Costa Rica, howler monkeys in Panama and the very exotic and always elusive American farmer. It was as she was writing her ‘just the facts’ dissertation that T.A. felt the call to pursue something more imaginative and discovered a passion for creative writing. They Call Me Alexandra Gastone is her first novel.

The Heart of Betrayal Teaser

Posted on July 14, 2015 by The Page Unbound

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The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2)

by Mary E. Pearson (Goodreads Author)

Book Synopsis(Goodreads):

Intrigue abounds in this hotly anticipated sequel to The Kiss of Deception!

Held captive in the barbarian kingdom of Venda, Lia and Rafe have little chance of escape. Desperate to save her life, Lia’s erstwhile assassin, Kaden, has told the Vendan Komizar that she has the gift, and the Komizar’s interest in Lia is greater than anyone could have foreseen.

Meanwhile, nothing is straightforward: there’s Rafe, who lied to Lia, but has sacrificed his freedom to protect her; Kaden, who meant to assassinate her but has now saved her life; and the Vendans, whom Lia always believed to be barbarians. Now that she lives amongst them, however, she realizes that may be far from the truth. Wrestling with her upbringing, her gift, and her sense of self, Lia must make powerful choices that will affect her country… and her own destiny.

Quote 1:

“It was worth it, Lia,” He said. “Every mile, every day. I’d do it all again. I’d chase you across three continents if that’s what it took to be with you.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Heart of Betrayal

Quote 2:

“He consumed me in a different way- the way his eyes made everything jump inside of me when I looked into them, his laughter, temper, the way he sometimes struggled for words, the way his jaw twitched when he was angry, the thoughtful way he listened to me, his incredible restraint and resolve in the face of overwhelming odds. When I looked at him, I saw the easygoing farmer he could have been, but I also saw the soldier and prince that he was.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Heart of Betrayal

Quote 3:

“I walked up to Griz and poked him in the chest. “Let me make this perfectly clear to you. Though some might seek to make it appear otherwise, I am not a bride to be bartered away to another kingdom, not a prize of war, not a mouthpiece for your Komizar. I am not a chip in a card game to be mindlessly tossed into the center of the pot, nor one to be kept in the tight fist of a greedy opponent. I am a player seated at the table alongside everyone else, and from this day forward, I will play my own hand as I see fit. Do you understand me? Because the consequences could be ugly if someone thought otherwise.”
― Mary E. Pearson, The Heart of Betrayal

Queen of Tomorrow Release Day Blitz

Posted on July 14, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Queen of Tomorrow (Stolen Empire #2)

by Sherry D. Ficklin

Release Date: 07/14/15

Clean Teen Publishing

280 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Sophie—now Catherine, Grand Duchess of Russia—had a tough first year at Imperial Court. Married at sixteen to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the throne, and settled in their own palace, things are finally looking up. As a new day dawns, she thinks only of securing her future, and the future of their country, during one of the greatest political upheavals of her time. Fighting desperately against forces trying to depose the Empress Elizabeth and put the young Prince Ivan on her throne, Sophie soon finds herself in the middle of a war brewing between her beloved Prussia, and her new empire. But even as she navigates the fragile political landscape, she quickly realizes that she has only begun to discover the tangled web of deceit and infidelity woven over the lavish court of Oranienbaum Palace.

When a strange and delicate alliance forms between the young couple, she glimpses a future of happiness, only to see it lost in a moment at the hands of those who still seek to end her life—and prevent her reign. Out of favor with the empress and running out of options, Sophie will have to sacrifice her own innocence on the altar of Russia if she is to save the nation, and herself. To survive, she will have to do the unthinkable, betray those closest to her and become something greater and more dangerous than she ever imagined she could be… a queen.

Queen-of-Tomorrow

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books

Queen of Someday (Stolen Empire #1) Links:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.

She is the author of several YA novels and in her spare time she co-hosts Curvy Writer Radio.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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They Call Me Alexandra Gastone Book Blitz

Posted on July 13, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Introduction for the contest:

Books can show us visions. Have you ever found your mind beginning to imagine the characters you meet within the pages? Have you experienced a film projector of scenes in your head as you read about the girl who travels to the fifth dimension, or the boy who’s trying to graduate from being a wallflower? When you read, your mind naturally creates images, almost like watching a movie. Why not turn those images into a reality by making a movie poster?

Full Fathom Five and T.A. Maclagan are hosting a movie poster design contest to celebrate the release of T.A.’s debut, They Call Me Alexandra Gastone, a novel heralded by Booklist as “An intricate, debut spy thriller…” The contest will run from July 7th to August 15th.

One winner will receive a $100 gift card to the retailer of their choice, a book from FFF’s list of authors, and Alexandra Gastone swag! All participants will be featured on T.A. Maclagan’s blog and tumblr and the winner will be featured on the Full Fathom Five website! Artists may use any medium from crayon to photoshop.

They Call Me Alexandra Gastone

by T.A. Maclagan

Release Date: 05/20/15

Full Fathom Five Digital

226 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

When your life is a lie, how do you know what’s real?

Alexandra Gastone has a simple plan: graduate high school, get into Princeton, work for the CIA, and serve her great nation.

She was told the plan back when her name was Milena Rokva, back before the real Alexandra and her family were killed in a car crash.

For seven years, “Alexandra” has been on standby and life’s been good. Grandpa Albert loves her, and her strategically chosen boyfriend, Grant, is amazing.

But things are about to change. Perun no longer needs her at the CIA in five years’ time. They need her active now.

Will she stay true to the country she barely remembers, or has her loyalty shattered along with her identity?

Buy Links:

Amazon| Barnes & Nobles| iTunes| Kobo| Goodreads

Praise for They Call Me Alexandra Gastone:

“An intricate, debut spy thriller…readers will keep turning pages, and the surprise ending will have them anxiously awaiting a sequel.” —Booklist

“…the intersection of action, espionage, and drama makes for solid…entertainment: readers will gladly sit back and watch Alexandra navigate the obstacle course that comes with playing her role too well. It’s a strong debut for New Zealand author Maclagan.” —Publisher’s Weekly

“Death-threats, global takeover, double-agents, hidden files and a blown cover—by the time you get to the shocking conclusion of this cliff-hanger, you won’t know who to trust…” —Girls’ Life

About the Author:
T.A. Maclagan is a Kansas girl by birth but now lives in the bush-clad hills of Wellington, New Zealand with her Kiwi husband, son and four pampered cats. With a bachelor’s degree in biology and a Ph.D. in anthropology, she’s studied poison dart frogs in the rainforests of Costa Rica, howler monkeys in Panama and the very exotic and always elusive American farmer. It was as she was writing her ‘just the facts’ dissertation that T.A. felt the call to pursue something more imaginative and discovered a passion for creative writing. They Call Me Alexandra Gastone is her first novel.

You can find her online at:

Website: www.tamaclagan.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamaclagan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tamaclagan

Tumblr: tamaclagan.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/tamaclagan/

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Caroline Patti

Posted on July 10, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are spotlighting

Caroline Patti

author of the upcoming book, Into the Dark,

presented byMonth9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Caroline-Patti-225x300

Twitter or Facebook?
Twitter
Favorite Superhero?
Iron Man
Favorite TV show?
Friends
Sweet or Salty?
Sweet
Coke or Pepsi?
Cherry Coke
Any Phobias?
CLOWNS!!!
Song you can’t get enough of right now?
The Giving Tree by Plain White Tees
Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend?
Gilbert Blythe
What are you reading right now or what’s on your TBR?
Empower by Jessica Shirvington
Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to?
Dark Places

Caroline T Patti is the author of The World Spins Madly On and Too Late To Apologize. When she’s not writing, she’s a school librarian, mother of two, wife, avid reader and Green Bay Packer fan. You can chat with her on Twitter:@carepatti or find her onFacebook.

Connect with the Author: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads

IntoTheDark_eCover1800x2700

A girl’s sweet sixteen party is supposed to be among the most memorable events of her life. But on the night of hers, Mercy Clare wakes in the waiting room of a hospital with no memory of how she got there. To make matters worse, she’s wearing something she’d never be caught dead in: her best friend Lyla’s clothes.

Mercy’s nightmare is just beginning. The doctor arrives to tell her that it’s she who lies in the hospital bed waiting to die. A trip to the bathroom confirms Mercy’s fears, as Lyla’s face stares back at her and Lyla’s curvy figure pokes through her tight clothes.

But finding out what’s really going on won’t be easy. Because if Mercy wants her body back, it might just cost her Lyla’s life.

Giveaway

Complete the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

The book will be sent upon its release.

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How To Be a Mermaid Book Blitz

Posted on July 9, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Book Summary:

All Tara ever wanted was to be a mermaid.

So she takes a year off between high school and college to don a fake tail and tour aquariums across the country in a professional mermaid troupe.

Everything’s great until she meets a gorgeous real-life merman named Finn. Suddenly, what she thought was a dream turns out to be a nightmare — she’s turning into a mermaid herself. For real.

Yet when she returns to the sea to seek out Finn and reverse her transformation, she finds herself in the middle of an impending war between the land and sea. Tara may have always wanted to be a mermaid, but now it’s sink or swim. In order to survive, she has to learn how to be one, too.

How to be a Mermaid by Erin Hayes
(Falling in Deep Collection, #10)
Publication date: July 7th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Purchase Link: Amazon | B&N
Price: $0.99
Available on Kindle Unlimited

Book Excerpt:

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man pulling himself up and over the fence by me. At least, I thought it was a man—he was hidden by the shadows and I couldn’t be sure. Curiosity overtook fear and I straightened from my kneeling position to get a closer look. Maybe it was a cleaner. Or a trespasser, in which case, I should be running.

I walked towards the figure as it began crawling across the ground, recovered from its climb.

It was dark, so I could barely see the outline of a man’s body stop and look at me. Then I saw the impossible, long, single fin on his lower half instead of two feet, and the scales cascading down from the man’s waist.

A mer tail. Not like the silicon kind I used for my performances. Even in the dark, I could see that it writhed and moved with a mind of its own, fully an extension of his body.

Reflexes and survival instinct took over before my mind could react. I backpedaled, trying to get away from the mysterious figure, only I misjudged how far I was from the edge of the water. And how wet the ground was.

My foot slipped and I fell head-over-heels backwards, plunging over the side of the fence and onto the rocky crags below. I screamed for help, but when my head struck solid rock and the rest of my body impacted with the ground, I fell into an unyielding darkness, one that was haunted by merman-shaped shadows emerging from the ocean.

Interview:

 What is your favorite mermaid story or myth?

I’ve always loved Disney’s The Little Mermaid, but when I read the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, I fell in love with it. It’s a dark, sad tale that still gives me chills. If you haven’t read it, you should pick it up and read it! You’ll never watch the animated movie the same way ever again.

 What was the inspiration for How to be a Mermaid?

I stumbled upon the Weeki Wachee mermaids, a professional mermaid troupe based out of Florida. I wondered what would happen if one of those mermaids ever met a real-life merman and the story flourished from there.

 Cast your characters. If How to be a Mermaid was made into a movie, who would play your main characters?

Tara: Katie McGrath is a bit older than Tara in the book, but I think she’d be perfect. I’ve seen her in comedy and I’ve seen her act, and she looks the part too! She’s been in a few things, but I imagine we’re going to see a lot more of Katie McGrath in upcoming movies.

Finn: Liam Hemsworth. Sighs. Imagine him with a mer tail and that’s him!

 What was most challenging thing writing about mermaids?

The most challenging part, actually, was trying to get a behind-the-scenes perspective of professional mermaids. I went to the Georgia Aquarium to see the Weeki Wachee mermaids in action and did a backstage tour to see how the aquarium worked. After that, I was able to incorporate what I saw into the story.

 Ursula or Ariel?

Ursula. Sea witches always have more fun.

 What else should we know about How to be a Mermaid?

Pay attention to the character Jordyn – her character is getting her own story coming up!

About the Author:

Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books, like the fantasy mystery novel Death is but a Dream, the sci-fi middle grade book Jacob Smith is Incredibly Average, and the Her Wolf paranormal series.

She works as an advertising copywriter during the day, and she moonlights as an author. She has lived in New Zealand, Texas, and now in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.

You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

Author Links:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Blitz-Wide Giveaway:

A mermaid care package to help you be the best mermaid:

A signed copy of How to be a Mermaid

Tara’s necklace

Two Mermaid Mix soaks

A mermaid mirror compact

Six starfish hairpins

A mermaid wallet

Mermaid perfume

Mermaid Tail Nail Polish

A mermaid makeup bag

Four Little Mermaid Buttons

And one mermaid handbag to carry all your dinglehoppers

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Encourage a Writer

Posted on July 9, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Have you had a story you desperately wanted to write but couldn’t? Are you lacking inspiration? Do you sit at your desk, ready to write away the story bursting inside of you and all you end up doing is stare at a blank screen? If this is you, then you are suffering from the dreadful Writer’s Block. Something every author faces at one point or another. One thing I absolutely love about authors is when they post encouraging writing tips to other inspiring authors. Julie Kagawa does this almost daily on her Facebook page. Here is a list of inspiring quotes , taken from Julie’s facebook page, to help get those wheels turning!

Writing tip for the day: If you’re agonizing whether or not to start a book, just get started. Ideas will come, just write. – Julie Kagawa, author

Turn off your inner editor when writing the 1st draft. Perfectionism will kill creativity. First drafts are supposed to be messy, so write with joyful abandon. – Julie Kagawa, author

How do books get written? One word at a time. – Julie Kagawa, author

I have 3 methods for handling writer’s block. Method #1: skip the scene you’re stuck on. Come back to it when the book is done. You’ll know the story much better, then. – Julie Kagawa, author

Dealing with writer’s block method #2: Talk to someone about it, a critique partner perhaps. I use my husband for this. Get a new perspective, from someone who knows your writing. They might have a good idea to get you unstuck. – Julie Kagawa, author

Dealing with writer’s block method #3: Plow through it. Put down whatever comes to mind, even if its bad. You can always go back to fix it when the book is done. Don’t dwell on it. Just get through the scene and move on. – Julie Kagawa, author

Write the story you’d want to read. Not the one that’s popular now, or the one that everyone else wants to read. Trends fail, and the world moves on. Write the book YOU want. – Julie Kagawa, author

If you’ve ever looked at your writing and thought “this is such crap,” every writer ever has been there. Every writer ever has thought that at some point. Keep writing. – Julie Kagawa, author

Why write? Because it is your story. No one else can tell it but you. – Julie Kagawa, author

Some will hate your writing. Some will love it. Its okay, we’re all different. Write for the ones who love it. – Julie Kagawa, author

To read more encouraging tips for authors, check out Encourage a Writer on Facebook!

About Julie Kagawa (From Website):

Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.
When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time (okay, at least the illustrations did), but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a
real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, an obnoxious cat, an Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and a hyper-active Papillion.

Author Links:
Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Love In The Gilded Age Book Blitz

Posted on July 8, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Love In The Gilded Age (Fissure Chronicles, #1)
by Saruuh Kelsey
Release Date: 10/28/14

Summary from Goodreads:

Once in a hidden queendom…

There is an ocean: In the infinite distance, between one hidden world and the next, is an unmeasurable expanse of twenty seas. One sprawling edge of the world to another is filled with waters as beautiful as they are deadly, as miraculous as they are fraught. Treasure and treachery litter their ocean beds, sleeping side by side with adventurers whose travels ended abruptly, lives caught and held under a wave until all breaths fled.

There is a land: Tucked into a corner where four oceans fold together, land rises up illustrious in a jagged slash of mountains and forests, with secrets and wonders as plentiful as any water.

There are chronicles: Not of the twenty savage seas but of the fissure of land and the people who sigh life into it.

In an original epic fantasy world, Love In The Gilded Age reimagines the heroes and heroines of Grimm fairy tales as ethnically diverse, LGBT, disabled, and gender flipped.

Purchase Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Book Excerpt:

Xanna drove herself forward, leaning into the run to propel them along. Her mother was trailing behind her but didn’t have an option except to follow as Xanna leapt from the last bit of land and crashed into the pond. She heard Koal’s strangled shout as she broke the surface, gasping and paddling wildly. She fought every bit of tiredness in her muscles as she dragged her mother from the depths of the water; she emerged spluttering and angry. “He will kill you for that,” her mother said without emotion. No fear for her daughter’s life, no regret, no anger, just a blank statement of facts.

“No,” Xanna hissed. “I won’t be the one dying today.”

“Three souls will pass in this last fight.” Her mother dissolved into the senseless chanting of before, only repeated the ominous three souls will pass in this last fight. At least she had the good sense to pump her legs and move her arms to stay afloat.

Xanna had to get the rope off them if her plan was going to work. She pulled at their bound wrists, fearful and frustrated, and the vine uncoiled as if in response to her wish at the same moment the Wolf reached the edge of the pool and leapt in. It loves my mother, Xanna thought, but found she didn’t care. She gripped the rope in a fist as she put three lengths between her mother, watching the Wolf wade sloppily through the water to the woman it loved.
She didn’t have long. Xanna had to act, and she had to be both quick and quiet about it—a impossibility now that her every movement made a splash. Still, she had to try. Koal was shouting at her from the clearing but she blocked out his warnings.

The Wolf only noticed her presence when she wrapped the vine around its neck and pulled it taut. Growling, it fought to face her but couldn’t spin and remain afloat at the same time. Xanna kicked her legs faster, unable to use her arms to keep her from a drowned death as she strangled the animal. She was slipping, on the verge of sinking.

Without warning, the Wolf dipped underwater, testing her grip on the vine. She lost the rope.
Xanna looked around for it desperately. It was her only weapon.
The vine didn’t resurface but the Wolf did.

About the Author

Saruuh Kelsey is the author of several novels for young adults, including the free Lux Guardians series and The Legend Mirror series. Her latest releases include THE BEAST OF CALLAIRE, the first novel of a new YA fantasy series, and a collection of diverse fairy tales in LOVE IN THE GILDED AGE. Find her online at saruuhkelsey.co.uk.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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