Monday I will be posting my review of "Source of Miracles," and thanks to Julie at FSB Associates, I am able to post the introduction to the book as a sort of teaser for my review.
Introduction — The Lord's Prayer
Kathleen McGowan
Author of The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer
On Easter Sunday in the year 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported that two billion people worldwide were united by one powerful common denominator: the Lord's Prayer. On that date, nearly one third of the planet's population
While Christianity has been divided since its inception into factions with theological differences, this single prayer unifies all of them. The content of the Lord's Prayer cannot be affected by dogma or politics. Even while different denominations may make minor variations, the essential words and the teachings they impart remain unchanged since the day that Jesus first taught them to his followers. The two billion souls who call themselves Christians often differ in more ways than they are alike, yet this single prayer is the common ground for all of them. Jesus gave us a prayer so universal and impactful that it would endure for thousands of years and against the harshest odds. It is not only indelible, it is eternal.
The Lord's Prayer is now, as it was when Jesus lived, the incorruptible formula for personal and global transformation.
Most Christians learn the Lord's Prayer in early childhood and can recite it by rote and without effort. It is so ingrained in our memories that we don't even have to think about it.
And therein lies the problem. We don't even have to think about it.
While most of us can rattle off this greatest of prayers and know that it is a cornerstone of Christianity, the full extent of our understanding often ends right about there. Many of us have forgotten the extraordinary power and meaning behind the words, if we ever thought about them to begin with. I learned the Lord's Prayer when I was three years old, in preschool, many years before I would ever know what words like hallowed, trespasses, or temptation mean recited that prayer in their native languages as an expression of faith.t. There wasn't a child in my class who could have told you the meaning behind the prayer, and yet we were all able to recite it flawlessly on Parents' Night. We were taught to speak it on cue, like obedient little parrots who could make the appropriate sounds come out after endless repetitions but had no ability to understand the somewhat exotic-sounding syllables.
I can assure you that we were not taught the origins of the prayer as children, and even if someone had tried to explain it to us, we were far too young to understand it as a dynamic spiritual practice and a fool-proof recipe for creating a joyous and fulfilled life.
So we grow up never knowing that, with the Lord's Prayer, Jesus was giving us the formula for manifesting miracles — not only when we most need them, but on a very regular basis.
While interviewing a random selection of Christians from different denominations, I was stunned to find how few of them even knew that this prayer came directly from Jesus. "Wait a minute — Jesus created the Lord's Prayer?" was the shocked question I heard over and over again. Even some truly devout churchgoers looked at me in surprise when I said this prayer was the work of Jesus. Some didn't believe me, even when I cited the gospel accounts that attest to this origin. One replied, "But they didn't teach us that in school," as if such an omission in our spiritual education were unusual!
But Jesus was, in fact, the author of this most perfectly constructed blueprint for spiritual change. In the New Testament, the Lord's Prayer can be found in the Gospel of Matthew in chapter 6, verses 9-13, as a component of his Sermon on the Mount, and then again in Luke, chapter 11, verses 1-4, when one of the disciples asks Jesus to "teach us to pray." And teach us he did. In doing so, he gave us this priceless treasure: a set of simple and unchangeable directions, in the form of a prayer, for discovering the real secret of how to have the life you truly desire — a life filled with love, happiness, and yes, even wealth. The prayer shows us that all these wonderful gifts come about through an increase in faith: faith in God, faith in ourselves, and faith in our fellow humans — in that order.
The Lord's Prayer addresses the issues that hurt us, confound us, and impede our progress, and illuminates the way in which we can overcome these obstacles. The prayer is our guide to purifying our spirit of anything that troubles it and holds us back from being "fully realized" human beings — which is to say, human beings functioning at our highest potential, a potential that leads directly to happiness and abundance. Using this prayer regularly as a spiritual practice creates real and lasting change at the soul level, change which becomes manifest in very earthly, visible ways.
When spoken with faith and intention, these are literally magic words.
On the eve of my thirtieth birthday in the spring of 1993, I became an ordained minister as an expression of my commitment to studying and understanding the teachings of Jesus. Fifteen years, thousands of pages of reading, and hundreds of hours of spirited discussions later, I have come to what some may consider a simplistic, and therefore perhaps controversial, view of Christian teachings. I believe that if you study and hold tight to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, a handful of parables, and what Jesus tells us in Matthew 22, verses 37-39 — love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and love thy neighbor as thyself — then you pretty much have everything you need to live a perfect life and encourage peace on earth. But foremost of these gifts, the center from which all blessings spring, is the Lord's Prayer. While the other elements teach us valuable spiritual lessons, this great prayer is the tool that connects us immediately and directly to the source that is within each of us: the source of faith, the source of love, the source of forgiveness. And in combination, those things are the source of very real miracles.
My own life has been transformed dramatically by utilizing the Lord's Prayer as a regular spiritual practice. As a result, I have witnessed the most miraculous events, including wonders of life and death. I have been blessed with extraordinary abundance and joy. But this was not always the case.
To show you how I came to truly know the Lord's Prayer as the perfect formula for dramatic transformation — and how you can do the same — I must first take you with me into the past, through the once locked doors of a secret society and into the heart of a medieval mystery school.
I must first introduce you to the Mystery of the Rose with Six Petals.
The above is an excerpt from the book The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer by Kathleen McGowan. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.
Kathleen McGowan, author of The Source of Miracles: 7 Steps to Transforming Your Life through the Lord's Prayer, is an internationally published writer whose work has appeared on five continents and in at least fifteen languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three sons. Kathleen is a dedicated activist, and commits a portion of her time and royalties to causes that protect women and children from the horrors of human trafficking and sexual slavery. She has teamed with The Emancipation Network and Made by Survivors to fund and participate in programs which provide shelter and safety for victims of abuse, and raise awareness of this global epidemic.
For more information about the book, please visit www.KathleenMcGowan.com.
According to local lore, an old butcher once lived in the woods off Holland Road in Western New York, near the railroad tracks. He liked his privacy, and to frighten would-be tormentors, he cut off the heads of pigs and put them around his property on stakes — that's how he earned his nickname. Well, one night, a few boys decided to ignore the warning and give old Pigman a scare. Instead, the butcher caught them, decapitated them, and put their heads on stakes, jammed into the ground near the old covered bridge.
And Pigman was never seen again… at least, not while he was alive.
Don don don don… don!
Fast forward 60 years. I was 19 years old, and I just got my license. My first car was a 1985 Celica GT 5-speed with 130,000 miles on it, a rusted bumper, and a hole in the gas tank that prevented you from filing it more than 1/4 up. Not bad for $500, right? It took me a while to master the art of stick shift, but I didn't let a little bucking and stalling stop me from escaping my parents' house any chance I got. And rusty or not, that car could MOVE.
One summer night, my friends and I decided to investigate the notorious legend of Pigman for ourselves. We didn't have any high-tech ghost-hunting gear or infa-red goggles, but we did have that 1985 Celica GT, a full (well, as full as it could be with that hole) tank of gas, and the kind of courage you usually find in a group of bored suburban teens with lots of free time and some major Superman complexes.
The rules of Pigman Road, as it was then called, went something like this: You drive down Pigman Road, stop your car under the covered bridge, and turn off the engine. Then, in the pitch black night, you're supposed to call out the name"Pigman" three times, and try to start your car. If your car doesn't start, you die. It's that simple. Party time, right?!
(What can I say? We didn't have the Internet back then. We had to make our own fun.)
We all piled into a couple of cars and headed out toward the tracks. My best friend, her boyfriend, her brother, and I were in the Celica with me behind the wheel. Everyone else was ahead of us in the other cars. We all drove onto the middle of the dark bridge. Killed the engines and removed the keys. Sat in silence for a few minutes to amp up the dramatic tension. And then, the chanting began.
"Pigman," we called in one voice."Pigman. PIGMAN!"
The other two cars started up and took off. From behind the wheel of that old Celica, my whole body shook as I jammed the key back into the ignition. Pushed in the clutch. Turned the key, praying it would start, praying we'd survive this ridiculous rite. The car started, and the four of us let out a collective nervous giggle as we started to roll. And then, poof. The car bucked and stalled. I tried to start it again, but it wouldn't turn over.
"Go! Get the hell out of here!" My friend screamed in my ear. My hands were slippery and shaky. My legs didn't work. I couldn't get the car to start — I just couldn't do it. Four young people in the prime of our lives were all going to die at the hands of some age-old legendary psycho butcher ghost, and it was all my fault. Seconds-that-felt-like-hours later, my friend's boyfriend crawled over to the front seat and shoved me out of the way. He pushed in the clutch, started up the engine, and squealed out of there as fast as we could possibly go in the ol' rustbucket, which, as it turns out, was over 110 miles per hour (kids, do NOT try this at home). None of us could speak. We kept waiting for a train to hit us, the car to skid and careen down the embankment, or a half-man half-pig monster to appear in the back seat with a big meat cleaver, sharpened for the kill.
Minutes passed, the tires rolling down the old dark road, finally slowing to a safer speed. Certain we were out of immediate danger, we pulled over and met up with the rest of our friends at the other, non-Pigman end the railroad tracks. We tried to laugh with them at our own expense, but it's hard to laugh when you're not even sure your heart's still beating. Eventually, encouraged by the friendly taunts and the safety-in-numbers thing, we relaxed. It looked like we might just survive the night after all. Pigman? What a silly little game for silly little kids! Eat me, Pigman! Ha. Ha. Ha.
Ha!
That's when we saw the flashlights bouncing out of the woods. Faster. There were footsteps. Shouts.
"Don't move," a deep voice ordered. A tall man approached the tracks, bright white flashlight blinding us to his appearance."IDs. All of you. Get 'em out."
Another man joined him, bathing us in light. It was one of the few times in our short, trouble-making careers that we were thrilled to be harassed by cops. We tried to explain what the hell we were doing out on the railroad tracks on Pigman Road in the middle of the night, alternately screaming and laughing. We tried to tell them about the legendary butcher and the stalled car and how we almost died, just moments before. It didn't look like they were buying it. But we weren't drinking or anything, and fortunately they hadn't clocked us speeding out of there, so the cops just returned our IDs and shooed us away. I figured they were used to that sort of things — chasing away stupid kids who come to test the Pigman legend for themselves.
Later, I learned that Pigman Road was not only the supposed property of the murderous butcher, but the actual site of a heinous train wreck in the 1860s in which 50 people were burned alive in a flaming train car. Apparently, police monitor the area constantly, many claiming that supernatural activity is rampant under the old bridge. Some think it's the ghosts of the people who died in the train accident. Others — perhaps the officers that tracked us down — believe that the legend of Pigman is real.
Pigman or train passenger ghosts, we survived the night. And the one after that and the one after that. We went back to college, back to work. On to marriages and kids and jobs and real life. And soon the legend of Pigman faded into our collective memories of the best of times, the worst of times, the creepiest of times.
As for the old Celica GT? Well, Pigman's curse or not, that car finally did die a painful death a year later when my friend tried to race it up the side of a mountain to impress a girl.
And now I drive an automatic, just in case.: -)
Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (December 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 320 pages Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her"boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (June 1st, 2009) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 290 pages "Don't worry, Anna. I'll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it." "Okay." "Promise me? Promise you won't say anything?" "Don't worry." I laughed."It's our secret, right?"
According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there's a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there's something she hasn't told Frankie---she's already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie's older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.
Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed copy of Fixing Delilah OR Twenty Boy Summer. Winner picks!
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US ONLY and ends November 13th.
Once contacted the winner will have 48 hours to respond with their mailing address.
The form must be filled out to enter.
- Thanks so much Sarah for the book donation and story! Find Sarah Ockler Sarah Ockler / Twitter / Blog / Goodreads
Pre-Order Fixing Delilah Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Purchase Twenty Boy Summer Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
* Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post.
*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
This is another hard list for me. There are so many amazing books coming out next year. Here are j ust a few o f the ones I am looking forw ard to.
Title: Sweet Peril Author: Wendy Higgins Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads Anna Whitt, the daughter of a guardian angel and a demon, promised herself she’d never do the work of her father—polluting souls. She’d been naive to make such a vow. She’d been naive about a lot of things.
Haunted by demon whisperers, Anna does whatever she can to survive, even if it means embracing her dark side and earning an unwanted reputation as her school’s party girl. Her life has never looked more bleak. And all the while there’s Kaidan Rowe, son of the Duke of Lust, plaguing her heart and mind.
When an unexpected lost message from the angels surfaces, Anna finds herself traveling the globe with Kopano, son of Wrath, in an attempt to gain support of fellow Nephilim and give them hope for the first time. It soon becomes clear that whatever freedoms Anna and the rest of the Neph are hoping to win will not be gained without a fight. Until then, Anna and Kaidan must put aside the issues between them, overcome the steamiest of temptations yet, and face the ultimate question: is loving someone worth risking their life?
Title: Taken Author: Erin Bowman Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends… and he’s gone.
They call it the Heist.
Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.
Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?
Title: Things I Can't Forget Author: Miranda Kenneally Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire Add to Goodreads Companion to Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker.
Kate has always been the good girl. Too good, according to some people at school—although they have no idea the guilty secret she carries. But this summer, everything is different…
This summer she’s a counselor at Cumberland Creek summer camp, and she wants to put the past behind her. This summer Matt is back as a counselor too. He’s the first guy she ever kissed, and he’s gone from a geeky songwriter who loved The Hardy Boys to a buff lifeguard who loves to flirt… with her.
Kate used to think the world was black and white, right and wrong. Turns out, life isn’t that easy…
Title: Level 2 Author: Lenore Appelhans Publisher: Simon & Schuster Add to Goodreads Three levels. Two loves. One choice. Debut novelist, Lenore Appelhans has written a thrilling otherworldly young adult novel about a place that exists between our world (Level 1) and what comes after life (Level 2).
'I pause to look around the hive — all the podlike chambers are lit up as the drones shoot up on memories … I've wanted to get out of here before, but now the tight quarters start to choke me. There has to be more to death than this.'
Felicia Ward is dead. Trapped in a stark white afterlife limbo, she spends endless days replaying memories, of her family, friends, boyfriend … and of the guy who broke her heart. The guy who has just broken into Level 2 to find her.
Felicia learns that a rebellion is brewing, and it seems she is the key. Suspended between heaven and earth, she must make a choice. Between two worlds, two lives and two loves.
Title: Boundless Author: Cynthia Hand Publisher: HarperTeen Add to Goodreads The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.
Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her.. even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California — and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.
As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one.. With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfil her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.
Title: The Forever of Ella & Micha Author: Jessica Sorensen Add to Goodreads It's the kind of love that owns you, the kind that last forever.
Ella and Micha have been through tragedy, heartbreak, and love. When they are with each other, anything seems possible. But the days of racing cars and passionate kisses are gone now that they are thousands of miles apart.
Ella continues going to school and tries to deal with her irrevocable mistakes. She constantly worries about how her life will end up, and with her father in and out of rehab, she’s having a hard time making it through the days. All she wants is Micha by her side, but she refuses to let her problems get in the way of his dreams.
Micha spends his days traveling the country with the band, but he knows something is missing from his life. Being away from Ella is harder than he thought. He wants her closer to him—needs her with him. But he won’t ask her to leave college, just to be with him.
The few moments they do spend together are fleeting, intense, and filled with passion, but it only makes it more difficult when they have to part. They quickly learn that a long-distance relationship is challenging and it tests their love.
They know they want to be together, but is wanting something enough to get them to their forever?
Title: If You Stay Author: Courtney Cole Add to Goodreads 24-year old Pax Tate is an asshole. Seriously.
He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad-boy with a bad attitude to match.
But he’s got his reasons.
His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with guilt although he doesn’t understand why. What he does know is that he and his dad are left alone and with more issues than they can count.
As Pax grew up, he tried to be the kid his father always wanted; the perfect golden boy, but it didn’t work. His dad couldn’t overcome his grief long enough to notice and Pax couldn’t keep up the impossible perfect façade. So he slipped far, far from it.
Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the ugliness, the black void that he doesn’t want to deal with. If he pretends that the emptiness isn’t there, then it isn’t, right? Wrong.
And it’s never more apparent than when he meets Mila. Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air to his hardened frown, the beauty to his ugly heart. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her, but he quickly realizes that he’s got to figure it out because he needs her to breathe.
When memories of his mother’s death resurface from where he’s repressed them for so long, Mila is there to catch him when the guilt starts making sense. Mila is the one… the one who can save him from his broken troubled heart; from his issues, from the emptiness.
But only if he can stop being an asshole long enough to allow it.
He knows that. And he’s working on it.
But is that enough to make her stay?
Title: Date You To Author: Katie McGarry Publisher: Harlequin Teen Add to Goodreads"I dare you… "
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does…
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all…
Title: Fragments Author: Dan Wells Publisher: Balzer + Bray Add to Goodreads Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence--it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that involves Kira, a plan that could save both races. Her companions are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?
Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what's left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira's journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and Kira and Marcus both will discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn't even know existed.
The second installment in the pulse-pounding Partials saga is the story of the eleventh hour of humanity's time on Earth, a journey deep into places unknown to discover the means--and even more important, a reason--for our survival .
Title: Apollyon Author: Janenifer L. Armentrout Publisher: Spencer Hill Press Add to Goodreads Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.
Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.
The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.
Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself. Don't forget to share YOUR list in the Linky below!Today's giveaway is hosted by Mindy from Magical Urban Fantasy Reads NOTE: This is the same Linky on ALL Co-Hosts Blogs.
This year we have 23 authors that I'll be featuring over 7 days and each day you'll have a chance to enter to win! There's also a scavenger hunt going on, so be sure to check out The Crossroads Tour Post to see what questions will be asked, what blog you'll be able to find the answer on and enter to win! Today I am featuring Kelly Hashway, Molly Cochran, and Elizabeth Holloway. Be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveaway, too!
1. Can you tell us a little about the Ophi line from your Touch of Death series?
The Ophi are descendents of Medusa and they are all born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. Medusa’s blood had both the power to restore life and the power to kill, so each of the Ophi in the Touch of Death series has those abilities as well. Their blood, sweat, and tears are poisonous to humans, which means they can’t be around humans without posing a danger to them. The Ophi are also feuding with Hades, the god of the underworld, because the Ophi raise the dead. So life’s not easy if you’re an Ophi.
2. There is a bit of a love triangle in Stalked by Death. Can you share with us what makes Alex and Chase different?
Alex and Chase couldn’t be more different. Other than being Ophi and both being hot, the only thing they have in common is their interest in Jodi. Though even that is different. Alex truly cares about Jodi, while Chase has other motives. (No spoilers.) Alex is what I’d call a good Ophi. He doesn’t abuse his powers, and he trains hard to learn how to use them. Chase abuses his powers every chance he gets. He’s constantly pushing his abilities to the limit and trying to make Jodi do the same. Both guys can offer Jodi something she wants, while costing her something in return.
1. The Legacy series deals with a lot of magic. What magical spell would you want to try out and would you be a good witch or a bad witch?
ANSWER: I would most definitely be a good witch. I believe that the purpose of magic is to improve the lot of living beings. That being said, the spell I wish I could do is from SEDUCTION, the third—and not yet published—book of the series, in which Katy uses magic to wash dishes after a dinner for twenty. It wouldn’t improve the lot of living beings, but it’d surely come in handy!
2. Can you tell us a little about the boarding school life Katy has to deal with in your books?
ANSWER: Boarding school kids are generally sophisticated beyond their years, so there are cliques and intrigues everywhere. I’ve tried to simplify these demarcations into two main groups: the Muffies, who are rich, spoiled, and used to getting their own way, and the witches, or townies, who have magical powers that they’ve learned to keep secret. There’s always tension when the two groups come together.
1. Can you tell us a little about the main characters in Call Me Grim?
Libbi Piper is a high school junior, an aspiring artist, and not the greatest student. She’s snarky and stubborn, but full of heart and humor. In Call Me Grim, all of those qualities combine to get Libbi into a ton of trouble.
Aaron Shepherd is the local Grim Reaper. He’s handsome, mysterious, and looking for a replacement. He hopes Libbi will accept his offer to become the next Grim Reaper, but Libbi isn’t easy to convince.
2. What is your favorite line from the book?
“A chill runs through me and my teeth chatter together. Something strange is about to happen, more strange than a crazy guy miraculously predicting my death and saving my life. I can feel the strangeness seeping through the closed door.”
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Nothing makes you look over your shoulder more than talk of a hag in your house. The laundry room, the piano room, any space that would normally be dark at night would stay fully lit this evening. It would be hard to fall asleep with all the lights on, but honestly, it wasn’t not like we’d be all that relaxed anyway. Adalia was no slouch. She suspected more was happening than we’d let on. She only had to look at the facts. We’d known something had followed her here from the very first night she’d arrived, yet now we were sounding the alarms?
“How come we can’t turn the lights off?” Adalia observed, staring at the floor lamp in the corner. “We’re just playing it safe, honey. Just in case,” I said. “In case what?” I sighed. This kid was persistent. “In case our visitor is feeling mischievous.” “Like how? Are we talking blanket stealing mischievous? Cuz I’ve had that happen already.” “Well, let’s not worry about it too much. Just try and get some sleep, okay?” “Okay.” She rolled over on the couch, pulling the blanket closer around her. I looked at Gil, and he shared my worried expression. We’d already spent two nights with a hag in the house and she hadn’t done anything yet, but she’d decided to show herself to Adalia tonight, so she’d probably been biding time, maybe to feel out the competition. We took turns nodding off, me two hours, Gil two hours, and after Gil woke me from my first round of sleep, I dragged myself up from the air mattress and blinked blearily. The DVD player read 2:46 a.m. “I need to use the bathroom,” I said. “Spot me two minutes?” “No prob.” Shuffling across the kitchen and into the laundry room, I rounded the corner to the half-bath and shut the door behind me. There was a poorly insulated window to the right of the toilet, and the room’s position in the house always made it so damned cold compared to the rest of the downstairs—especially the toilet seat. Pleasant. After I’d completed the task, I glared at the mirror on the wall. Any time you watched a movie with ghosts in it, they always appeared in a mirror, and that wasn’t so far from the truth. Ghosts did love mirrors, but not because of the added dramatic effect. Actually, Laura said that spirits were attracted to reflective surfaces, mainly because they couldn’t see themselves in it, and the phenomenon fascinated them. Humans could sometimes spot a spirit in glass or water, but the spirit itself could not, because the very definition of a lingering astral meant that they never fully acknowledged what they were. So I approached the mirror with some trepidation, half-scolding myself for being a sissy. Standing bravely in front of it, I was met with the most horrific vision mankind could ever behold—myself. My hair was insane, my eyes were droopy, my skin washed out. Good grief, I needed to start using facial cream, pronto. But other than that and the window behind me, the coast was clear. I snorted, turning around to leave, and was immediately nailed to the floor in frigid shock at the sight of a face—the menacing, nearly lunatic expression of a haggard old woman smiling at me from outside the window. My words caught in my throat as I tried to call for Gil. The look of her was grotesque, with absolutely corpse-like skin, deep gray, sunken flesh beneath her eyes, filthy teeth. The worst were those eyes. They glowed a putrid green, with tendrils of red that spidered along their whites. As I stood there she laughed, low and sinister, and though she was outside of the window, I knew she could be beside me, before me, behind me, at any moment she wished. Finally, I said the first thing that came to me. “Get the hell away from us, you bitch!” Redirecting one’s feelings into anger wasn’t always a healthy way to deal with fear, but it worked just dandy this time, thank you very much. I had no idea if the tactic had made the tiniest difference to the hag, but it had given me the clarity to run the hell out of the bathroom and call for Gil. I was grateful that I’d been breathless with fear when I did, since the sound wasn’t likely to wake the others while still getting Gil’s attention. Flying into the kitchen, he caught me as my knees gave way. “Hey, Nicky. What the hell?” “She was outside the bathroom,” I said, still unable to control the full body trembling. “She was outside the window. The bathroom… ” “Jesus.” He pulled a chair out from the table and led me to it, then darted off to the bathroom to have a look. I steadied my breaths, still fast in tandem with the beating of my heart. I was more terrified than I’d been in years. I’d never seen anything so creepy before, and I was praying to every deity known to man that I’d never see it again.
Circle of Light by Janenifer DeLucy Publisher: Omnific Publishing (October 9th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback Series: Light, #3 Empath and Pathcrosser to the dead, Lillian Hunt has finally come into her own as a Sentient being. All seems well in her brave new world… that is, until a tragic turn sends her tight knit Sentient group on a rescue mission through lore-infested Europe. Their goal is to save the love of Lily's life—vampire Sentient, William Maddox — from both the prejudice of their own society and the dark intentions of ancient vampires. But how will they keep hope alive, even as time runs out?
Prize:
1 winner will receive a signed copy of Seers of Light and a $25 Gift Card to Amazon!
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US Only and ends November 17th.
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1. What are the biggest differences now that you are promoting the second book, Purpose, from when you were promoting Promise? Releasing Promise was one of the most exciting times of my life because it was my debut. My first in everything. That also made it a lot more stressful, because I was scared to death people would hate it. Fortunately, they didn’t. J And now they’re looking forward to Purpose. Combine that with my own feeling that Purpose is a better story and I’m not quite as worried about that part of the equation. Of course, I’m still anxious – maybe it’s not what readers are expecting, maybe the change in Alexis turns them off, maybe it takes a direction fans don’t like, etc. – but this is the book I started out writing, the one that grabbed my heart and soul. So whether people like it or not, I personally feel a lot better about it than I did Promise.
2. I do know that you have had a few major events and awards since you were last on here, would you like to share some of those? Hehe Yes, Promise has exceeded my expectations in the big world. It won the 1st Place Fantasy (Published) Royal Palm Literary Award for the Florida Writers Association. That is a huge honor that I don’t take lightly. It’s also received some great reviews, including a “highly recommended” by the prestigious Midwest Book Review. MBR may not mean a lot to the average reader, but it has a strong influence on booksellers and librarians. It’s a feather in the industry cap. Promise is also (finally!) available at all major and indie retailers (though you may have to request it), including for international delivery through The Book Depository. I’ve also done some appearances, like at the Miami Book Fair International, and have some signings and presentations coming up in January.
3. Can you share with us some of what we can expect for the continuation of this story? In Promise, Alexis starts out as a young woman just barely getting started in this world she had no idea existed. Purpose really initiates her into the world, giving her (and the reader) a taste of what’s to come. She has many challenges ahead of her as she fulfills her destiny of being the fierce protector of human souls and, eventually, taking her leadership role of the Angels’ army on earth. She transforms from vulnerable, pretty naïve and nearly human in the first book to kickass warrior in the books to come. The love story of Promise evolves into stories about the various forms of love we all experience, from love of our soul-mates to our children to complete strangers and people we never thought we could love.
4. Will any other books be featuring these characters? The rest of this part of the series – 5 or 6 books – is Alexis’s story, so, yeah, there’s a lot more coming. Some of the major-minor characters have been sharing more of their stories with me, too. I don’t know if they’ll be full series or even books, but at least some short stories or novellas.
5. Do you have any other books in the works? We NEED more from you!: ) I’ve started book three, but it’s been back-burnered for quite a while, so I don’t know where I’m really at with it. I’m really looking forward to getting back to it, however, I’m also excited to work on some of these other stories. So many ideas, so little time…
6. What is the main thing you have learned from the entire process of getting a book out to the public? Patience. That goes for any writer, regardless of where you are in the process. You need patience to produce the best story possible; patience in seeking publication; patience with the publishing process; and patience on the other side, as well. The word has been spreading, but it takes time to build buzz and momentum. Just because someone wants to read a book doesn’t mean they go out and buy it right away. Or even if they do, they don’t necessarily read it right away. I’m the same way. My TBR pile is a mile high. And I know most readers are that way. So we just have to have patience while the snowball grows.
7. Did you have to take out any scenes that you wish you could have kept in the story? What were the biggest changes in the story from the time you first wrote it, to the finished version? Promise and Purpose started out as one story. Now, ending up as two books, they are, in some ways, quite a bit different than when I wrote that first draft. There are many scenes that didn’t make it and many new ones that have been added. I’m happy with the final results, but there were some sweet scenes originally in Promise with Alexis and her mother Sophia and others with Alexis and Tristan that just didn’t do enough to move the story along so they had to be cut. Probably the biggest change from that very first draft, however… something I didn’t see at first while focused on just this one book… something that has added a whole new twist to the entire series… originally, Dorian wasn’t born alone.
8. You've had quite a roll in the promoting of Promise and Purpose and you have done a fabulous job! Is that part more stressful than the writing? Marketing is my background and I mostly enjoy it, but writing is my passion. The most stressful part, really, is not having enough time to do everything.
9. Do you have any recent events planned that you would like to share? Of course, there’s the virtual release party for Purpose going until 12/18. After the holidays, I’ll be doing some local signings and by spring, I should be expanding the tour into other states, including Virginia, Arizona and Minnesota.
10. Can you give us a little excerpt from Purpose?
A shadow shifted in the corner. Two small, red lights glowed from about two-thirds up the wall. I realized they were eyes. It can’t really be Daemoni—can it? We hadn’t been bothered for over seven years. Not a single visit or even a threat. Nothing at all. They had what they wanted. “Don’t you know?” The shadow moved forward, just enough for the light from my clock to slightly illuminate a face—pale, bluish-white in the clock’s glare, glowing eyes and… fangs. The light reflected off his glimmering teeth, bared in an evil grin, if that’s what you could call it, and I knew for sure those were fangs. And I knew immediately what he was. From what I could see, he favored some of my characters, as if he’d stepped out of the pages of the books I wrote. Such a strange feeling—to feel as though I’d awakened in my usual way but know I was dreaming again. I had to be. Monsters were real, but vampires were not. “C-Claudius?” My voice shook. I knew this dream was about to become a terrible nightmare. With his dark hair floating around the sides of his face, this visitor looked similar to my Claudius, leader of the evilest vampire nest in my make-believe world. “Ha!” the shadow barked. “So you do see the resemblance.”
Purpose by Kristie Cook Publisher: Ang'dora Productions (December 15th, 2010) Reading Level: 17 and up Paperback: 377 pages Series: Soul Savers, book #2 Lost in despair, Alexis teeters on the edge of an abyss, her lifeline of hope fraying into a thin thread. If it snaps, she’ll plunge into complete darkness. With the help of her son and her writing, she’s been able to hold on. Until now. Erratic impulses, disturbing delusions and her own demonic blood threaten her sanity. When she’s forced to choose between hanging onto hope or letting go to serve her Amadis purposes, she faces a decision with inconceivable sacrifices.
Alexis runs to the one place she thinks will provide answers, only to find herself at the center of another battle of good versus evil, not only with the Daemoni, not only within herself… but also against the worst opponent imaginable. But even if she wins, what will she lose?
Don't forget to check out the Re-Cover contest of Promise and Purpose. Entries must be in 12/18.
Find Kristie Cook Kristie Cook / Promise / Goodreads Purchase Signed Copies of Purpose
"The audiobook didn't work for me. Everything else is dystopian greatness!" — Miss Remmers
Release Date: October 2009 Publisher: Random House Challenges: Dystopia Challenge, Audiobook Challenge, Top YA Challenge, 100+ Reading Challenge "Imagine waking up one day in total darkness, unsure of where you are and unable to remember anything about yourself except your first name. You're in a bizarre place devoid of adults called the Glade. The Glade is an enclosed structure with a jail, a graveyard, a slaughterhouse, living quarters, and gardens. And no way out. Outside the Glade is the Maze, and every day some of the kids — the Runners — venture into the labyrinth, trying to map the ever-changing pattern of walls in an attempt to find an exit from this hellish place. So far, no one has figured it out. And not all of the Runners return from their daily exertions, victims of the maniacal Grievers, part animal, part mechanical killing machines.Thomas is the newest arrival to the Glade in this Truman -meets-Lord of the Flies tale. A motley crew of half a dozen kids is all he has to guide him in this strange world. As soon as he arrives, unusual things begin to happen, and the others grow suspicious of him. Though the Maze seems somehow familiar to Thomas, he's unable to make sense of the place, despite his extraordinary abilities as a Runner. What is this place, and does Thomas hold the key to finding a way out?" Subsequent Books: "The Scorch Trials" — October 2010 "The Death Cure" — October 11, 2011 I began "The Maze Runner" completely confused — I mean, calling my mom and saying, "Did I miss something?" I listened to this book while walking the dog and as I complete more and more audiobooks I realize that sometimes beginnings are so ambiguous that I need to call or text someone who I know has read the book to make sure that I'm on the right "disc" (although the best word is track as I upload it to my iPhone). "The Maze Runner" was like that — I was just sure I had accidentally pressed "shuffle."
Once I realized that "No, this is really how it starts," I let go of my confusion and attempted to acclimate to the story. It didn't really work for me. It's a longer audiobook and with three walks a day (about an hour a day) it still took me weeks to finish. This may be the first instance of my audiobook adventure that the audiobook didn't work in the books favor. I just didn't connect with the plot, the characters, or the setting.
I know, you're thinking right now that you've heard TONS of great things about this book and that you are so disappointed. I am too. But I'm not blaming the book at all and I'm not disagreeing with all of those fantastic reviews. I'm just saying that the audiobook (for me) didn't work. Everything else is dystopian greatness!
Two things that I can think of that hindered me were that the narrator was sounded like a thirty or forty year old and the boys were teenagers at best and that I had a hard time visualizing the setting. Again, this may not be the books fault but my own. My mind wanders when I listen and walk (and pick up Pip's business all at the same time). This, with the longer audiobook, could be a catalyst in my inability to connect. I'm not sure.
With all the series out today, I'm not sure if I'll continue this journey with Thomas in "The Scorch Trials." If I decide to, I'll definitely be reading and not listening. Have you read the second novel? Do you recommend it? Why?
Did I make a reference to my dog's feces in this post? That's a first! -Visit James around the web here: Blog | Goodreads | Twitter -BUY THE BOOK: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Nook To the FTC, with love: Audiobook from Library
Well now hold up! If we’re talking about THE UNDERTAKERS, then don’t call ‘em zombies! Zombies are slow and stupid, while Corpses – the villainous invaders who animate the dead and wear them like suits of clothing – are fast, smart and well organized. They project an illusion of normalcy around themselves, so that 99.999% of the world see ordinary men and women. Only kids, and only a few kids, are “lucky” enough to be able to penetrate these masks, and spot the rotting cadavers underneath.
So, to answer the question: you don’t.
Not unless you’re an Undertaker.
2. Can you give us a teaser from Queen of the Dead?
Thirteen-year-old Will Ritter and the rest of the Undertakers have won their first victory, but the celebration is cut short when a new threat emerges through the Void between worlds. Lilith Cavanugh, the Queen of the Dead, is even more ruthless and dangerous than her predecessor, and her ambitions are even more sinister.
To defeat her, the Undertakers will need to prevent an assassination, rescue Will’s family, and somehow convince a skeptical F.B.I. agent that their cause is just. But how to you convince a grown-up that monsters are real?
3. Are you addicted to any TV shows? What do you watch in your spare time?
I am a crazed Doctor Who fan and have been since I was a teenager. When it’s on, it’s my favorite show. When it’s not, I mourn it and wait for my other favorite shows: Fringe, The Walking Dead, How I Met Your Mother and NCIS!
4. What are some of your favorite Young Adult novels?
I enjoyed the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series. I loved Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Trilogy. But my favorites in YA have to Jackie Kessler, A. S. King and Heather Brewer! YA has come a long way since I was a kid, when Nancy Drew the Hardy Boys were about the only games in town. It’s edgier now, more challenging, and I think that’s being reflected in the number of young readers we’re picking up out there.
The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead by Ty Drago Publisher: Sourcebooks (October 1st, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult/Middle Grade Paperback: 432 pages Series: The Undertakers, #2 Twelve -year old Will Ritter and his rag-tag army of teenage resistance fighters may have triumphed over the Zombies last time, but that's the thing about the dead: they keep coming back.
A new Corpse leader has crossed the rift and taken command of the invasion: The Queen of the Dead is even more brilliant and ruthless than her predecessor, and her ambitions are even deadlier. Will and the crew must somehow rescue his mother, prevent an assassination, and show FBI Agent Ramirez the truth about the Corpses-and the danger the world faces.
But how do a bunch of kids prove to a grown-up that monsters are real?
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HOW THE TOUR WORKS Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page: http://judithgraves.com/events/the-crossroads-tour/crossroads-2012/ and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour. Answers are to be emailed to judithgraves @ ymail dot com by October 28th at MIDNIGHT. Winner of the grand prize will be announced on OCTOBER 31st – HALLOWEEN. The GRAND PRIZE you’re vying for? A brand new KINDLE, preloaded with a title from each of the participating Crossroads Blog Tour Authors. That’s right folks, a free KINDLE and 13 free EBOOKS!
Janice Gable Bashman is the author of WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil. She also has written for THE BIG THRILL, NOVEL & SHORT STORY WRITER’S MARKET, THE WRITER, WILD RIVER REVIEW, and many others. She can be reached at www.janicegablebashman.com. Jonathan Maberry is a NY Times bestseller, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winner and a writer for Marvel Comics. He has written a number of award-winning nonfiction books and novels on the paranormal and supernatural, including WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE, THE CRYPTOPEDIA, VAMPIRE UNIVERSE, THEY BITE, ZOMBIE CSU and PATIENT ZERO. He can be reached at www.jonathanmaberry.com.
Writers Who Changed Our Worlds by Janice Gable Bashman and Jonathan Maberry
Readers. Writers. We all love a good book. Whether it’s a mystery, thriller, horror, fantasy, science fiction, etc. And we can all remember our favorites. Those books that kept us reading long after we should have stopped to do something else, the books that kept us up late into the night when we had school or work the next day. As authors we strive to be the one who does that to readers, whose work is so compelling it keeps readers from doing anything else but reading. Because, let’s face it. We all love a good book. For our book WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil, we interviewed tons of authors (and screenwriters, filmmakers, actors, and others) about their favorite good vs. evil book, movie, and comic, so we thought we’d discuss the writers that have influenced us over the years. JANICE GABLE BASHMAN: There are so many writers I could list, but these are three that have influenced me tremendously.
SHIRLEY JACKSON—When I read Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery,” first published in 1948, I couldn’t believe the horror and the shock she elicited in only a few pages. It’s been at least 20 years since I first read the story and the memory of it still sends chills down my spine and makes me cringe. It’s a perfect blend of horror, suspense and ancient ritual. Characters so real you can’t help but relate to them and be thankful you aren’t them.
Jackson also wrote the incredible horror novel HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, published in 1959.
Jackson’s work has affected me both as a reader and a writer.
JAMES ROLLINS—The thriller lover in me admires how James Rollins (DEEP FATHOM, ICE HUNT, ALTER OF EDEN, DOOMSDAY KEY, etc.) combines action-adventure with science, exploration, mystery, fear, horror, archeology, etc. to create a story that always keeps me turning the pages. As a writer, I look at his work and am amazed at how he pulls it off, how he combines so many factors to create a plausible and enjoyable read. But he does… and that’s the beauty of it.
WALTER MOSLEY—I’m a big fan of Walter Mosley’s stories featuring Socrates Fortlow (ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED, ALWAYS OUTGUNNED; WALKIN’ THE DOG; THE RIGHT MISTAKE). How he describes his characters. The language he uses to create his tales. How every sentence, every word, is chosen for its precise meaning. How the spot-on dialogue makes the characters so vivid. How he tells the story of real people in real situations doing real things but fills those stories with so much meaning. To study Walter Mosley’s stories is a great lesson in writing.
JONATHAN MABERRY:
RICHARD MATHESON: I met Matheson when I was fourteen, and he took some time to have a few long chats with me about writing, creativity, the business of publishing, and about developing an analytical mind. Matheson’s novels are always different, always hard to classify, and often cross-genre. His 1954 classic, I AM LEGEND, is the first real blend of hard science and true horror; and the underlying metaphors of xenophobia, classicism and societal perception are as dead on-target now as they were then. Shame the filmmakers seem to miss Matheson’s whole point, which is alluded to in the title! His other works are equally layered and compelling: THE SHRINKING MAN, THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, STIR OF ECHOES… the list goes on and on.
JAMES LEE BURKE: Burke is probably my favorite living author. His writing is lush, descriptive, subtle, gritty, and always compelling. His Dave Robicheaux novels in particular are filled with sensual phrasing and visceral scenes that make all five of your senses come alive while reading. I particularly love BLACK CHERRY BLUES for its insights into corruption, heroism and redemption; THE TIN-ROOF BLOWDOWN, for the unflinching way Burke presents the social and cultural devastation that resulted from the government’s mishandling of Katrina; and THE GLASS RAINBOW, for showing that even eighteen books into a series that has unfolded over 23 years, Burke still manages to surprise his readers.
JOHN D. MacDONALD: MacDonald’s most celebrated creation was the intellectual boat bum, Travis McGee. Irascible, occasionally antisocial, charming, charismatic, and frequently anti-establishment, Travis is the model for the ‘thinking person’s hero’. The stories were meticulously plotted and laid out along devious pathways that not only made the books a thrill to read for the first time, but a pleasure to re-read. No one has tried to out-MacDonald MacDonald, and that’s a good thing. He was the sharpest knife in the literary drawer. And the books are just so damn much fun! WANTED UNDEAD OR ALIVE deals with the struggle of good vs evil in film, comics, pop culture, world myth, literature, and the real world. Everything from ghosts to vampire slayers to paranormal investigators to FBI serial-killer profilers. It includes interviews with folks like Stan Lee, Mike Mignola, Jason Aaron, Fred Van Lente, Peter Straub, Charlaine Harris and many more; and the book is fully illustrated by top horror, comics & fantasy artists. In stores everywhere.
Wanted Undead or Alive: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil by Jonathan Maberry & Janice Gable Bashman Publisher: Citadel (September 1st, 2010) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 320 pages Discover the nature of Evil- and how to kick its butt!
These days you can-t swing an undead lycanthrope without hitting a Minion of Evil. They-re everywhere-TV, film, the basement-right behind you! It-s never been more important to know what you can do to keep them at bay. Garlic? silver bullets? holy water? torch-wielding mob?
From today-s foremost experts on nightmares-come-to-life, this indispensible guide identifies and describes mankind-s enemies-supernatural beasts, ghosts, vampires, serial killers, etc.-and unearths effective time-proven responses to each horrific threat.
Separate fact from fiction, the deadly from the merely creepy. Learn when to stand your ground and when to run screaming for your life. Determine which monster-specific heroes to call and their likelihood of success. Consider your own potential as a Champion for Good, Conqueror of the Damned.
Whether we-re talking ancient vampire hunters or modern-day FBI profilers, it-s good to know someone-s got your back in the eternal struggle between Good and Evil. And this book, with over fifty illustrations, as well as commentary from luminaries like filmmaker John Carpenter, author Peter Straub, and the legendary Stan Lee, provides all the information and reassurance you need to sleep soundly at night.
Just not too soundly.
Thank you so much Janice and Jonathan for being on my blog today! For more information Janice Gable Bashman / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads Jonathan Maberry / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
With the release of New Moon, so many young adult (and adult) readers are getting excited and having a great time. Unfortunately, the "nay-sayers" (as I like to call them) are being more negative than ever. I recently wrote an article about it for the University's newspaper and I thought now would be the ideal time to share it with you.
Literary Snobs Beware
On November 20th, thousands of ‘tweens’ will flood the cinemas to see New Moon, the highly anticipated sequel to Twilight. The Twilight franchise, both the books and the movies, is the newest fad – even Walmart would agree. But with any new fad, there are always the nay-sayers; as easy as it is to find someone reading one of the four Twilight books, it seems it is even easier to find someone bashing these books. Personally, I’ve read the books and have seen the first movie. I don’t own any stickers, shirts, or other Robert Pattinson merchandise, but I did enjoy reading the books. And while I am not in complete support of Twilight’s Walmart domination, I can’t argue with it.
The Twilight phenomenon has put good books in students’ hands (by choice), much like what Harry Potter accomplished while I was in high school. You can argue that the writing is less than perfect, the heroine is slightly ridiculous, and that Edward Cullen is a little “too” brooding and may, in fact, be a stalker. You can’t, however, argue with the fact that both young adults and adults are reading recreationally. Those who have read the books, generally speaking, like them. It is the people who haven’t read the books that are making all the ruckus.
With the release of the new movie, ‘Twilighters’ are glowing with excitement – and why shouldn’t they be? I’ll be the first to point out the flaws of the novels (and the movie), but who am I to judge someone else’s reading preferences? It is extremely detrimental to society to have all these Anti-Twilight people laughing at, humiliating, and pointing fingers at those who have read, liked, and even became obsessed with the novels. To publically criticize another’s choice of literature instills in the recreational reader the idea that reading a particular book, Twilight in this case, is “uncool.” Then the reader begins to question what else they’ve read, and liked, that was, according to society, ridiculous. At this point, the reader is humiliated and ready to give up recreational reading entirely. This, of course, applies to other genres that are labeled as less than ‘popular’ or acceptable by literary snobs such as graphic novels, comic books, the Harlequin Romance novels (and others as such), chick-lit, fantasy, or sci-fi. I have personally witnessed on several occasions, as have most people, the verbal abuse that occurs once the Twilight topic is raised amongst peers. Ironically, these abusive nay-sayers, stereotypically, don’t read their homework assignments, much less for recreation.
To those who publicly humiliate anyone who has read and enjoyed the Twilight series or any of the other ‘unpopular’ genres: who do you think you are? What gives you the right to judge what others read to the point of embarrassing them? Who gives you the authority to say such hurtful things? Yes, Twilight has seemingly taken over the world, but at least people are reading. Please think twice before you even joke about how ridiculous Twilight is, reading has already become an almost taboo subject. Those who read recreationally are, occasionally, ashamed of this behavior (why, I don’t know) – but they definitely don’t need your discouragement.
To those who are self-proclaimed Twilight (obsessed) fans or book lovers in general, do not be afraid of reading recreationally and displaying your love of literature. If anything else, come up with a witty comeback using big words, after all, you are the literate one. Either way, I'll see you in the theaters.
I think ghosts have given up on me. Scary things too. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve seen a fair number of horrifying things. I shop in Wal-Mart on Saturdays. I think I may be too stupid to scare.
Okay, I’m actually here today because I have a crush on Jessica. Isn’t she adorable? I picture her walking around in real life but as her AV. The voluptuous cartoon on her header up there? I picture her walking into Starbucks all animated like Roger Rabbit in our boring world.
Anyway, none of that’s scary. And I’m here to talk about scary. What are you afraid of? Spiders, vampires? Ghosts? I’m here to give you a new bone-chilling fear.
Me.
That’s right. This blonde-headed, minivan-driving nimrod is the scariest thing to hit the planet. I’m a freaking nightmare. The fact that anyone ever lets me interact with the world is a statement to how little we control in this life.
I know what you’re thinking, she’s not scarier than a zombie. Oh yes, yes I am. Here’s a good example of how I torture unsuspecting people:
Our porch is being built by a nice, sweet builder guy. Well, yesterday I cranked a few windows open and proceeded to sift through our nonsense. (Long story longer: Our house was demolished by a huge oak one year ago, we’re moving into the rebuild now. Hence I‘m sifting through things that were salvaged by other people from my buckling old house, this includes years worth of paperwork I had ignored.) I came upon my colonoscopy results from about ten years ago. To joke with my long-suffering husband I called out, “Hey! Do you wanna see the inside of my colon?”
He looked at me with his handsome face and his gaze slide just over my right shoulder. His eyes grew wide and he shook his head.
I get a sinking feeling. That’s right, I shouted this with my builder guy standing just behind me with the window open. Actually, he was physically closer to me than the man I was trying to torment.
What do you say to fix that? I mean, really? I slid down in my chair into a puddle on the floor. I still blush thinking about it.
Scary. Right?
If that was the only story I had we could all have a nice chuckle and move on. But no, that’s one of hundreds. I’ve plodded through this life with no sense and no filter for over 38 years. I’ve procreated. Now granted, the son takes after the husband (lucky you) but the daughter? She’s a carbon copy. Actually she might be worse. So proud of those kids.
Anyway, back to scary. If seeing the inside of my colon doesn’t give you night terrors, I’ve got more where that came from. A few years back a poor, unfortunate soul sat next to me at a soccer game. She decided to make small talk. With me. You can already tell how this encounter was circling the drain, right?
The lady began telling me about a fancy restaurant she used to work in. She went on and on claiming it was super fancy, leave-the-kids-home-and-get-dressed-up kind of fancy. I nodded and tried to make some noise out of my mouth to show that I was paying attention.
I said,"So it’s real Ritsy Titsy?"
My brain had stalled. I couldn’t believe I’d just made up a word like “Titsy” and tried to pass it off in an adult conversation. So of course this has sent me into a fit of inappropriate giggles that --to my horror—became an all-out crying laughter, while slapping my knees and fart heckling. I could hardly breathe at my own embarrassment. For Pete's sakes. It's bad enough I’d said it. No need for the spectacle of me dissolving in to hysterics.
The poor lady just waited me out with a polite smile.
I’m not sure what’s worse, that I say the wrong thing at the wrong time or that I find my own embarrassment so damn funny.
How about we end today with this bone chiller:
I was cashing a check at the bank. Well, we have two banks. One’s not fancy. One is fancy. I was at the ritzy titsy one. It has high, luxurious ceilings. The tellers are separated from the customers by a thick, bulletproof plastic. Well, I’m assuming it’s bullet proof. It has air holes for the tellers. So this combination of things always makes me talk louder. I can’t help it. I feel that the barrier between us can only be over come by my outdoor voice.
It was a crowded line, full of rushing holiday shoppers who were ready to lubricate their wallets with some cash. I stepped up to the teller that was waiting for me. She smiled. And then she started chit-chatting about the holidays.
She was what I call a soft-to-softer talker. Well, she’s the first one I’ve met, but if I meet another, that’s what I’ll call them.
She started out soft volume speaking, and when she would get to the real point of her sentence her volume would drop off.
Until she was, as much as I can tell, just moving her lips.
I can’t read lips. Let’s be honest, most of us are amazed I can read at all. So I did what any blonde would do --I overcompensated. I also tried to emulate the behavior I wanted her to copy. Hence me cheerleading scream answers.
Me: “YES, I’M GOING SHOPPING!!!”
Soft talk teller: ”Are you going to Target? ”
Me: ”YES!”
Soft talker: ”I got mumble mumble for $5.00 at Target mumble mumble.”
Now, I love Target. I love a good sale there. As a matter a fact, I watch the Christmas markdowns like a highly skilled guerilla surveillance team member.
So I don’t care what she got for $5.00. If it was on sale, I wanted it.
Now, maybe I can blame my exhaustion. Or my own inability to be social through a wall of plastic but I said in my loudest voice;
Me: ”MAYBE I’LL POOP IN THERE LATER!!”
Oh my dog. Did I just scream, “poop?” The Bank was as silent as a smoke detector without batteries that might have gotten disemboweled by an angry mother witnessing her kids heading to the dinning room table after it went off.
I realize I can’t fix my faux pas without making it worse.
I had to just leave the poop out there. I’d just told a complete stranger and a line full of people in a really loud voice where I *might * be planning on having a bowel movement in the future instead of what I had intended. (Me: “Maybe I'll POP in there later!")
So what do I do? Do I pretend like it wasn’t said? (Which I’m sure was soft talker's dire wish!)
Oh no, that would be too simple. I start to laugh. I start cry-laughing at my own self. I laugh all the way out of the bank. Like an idiot.
So, I think in this month of scary, zombie babies hanging from swings in people’s yards (Holy crap! What’s up with those horror movie quality decorations in the strip malls?) we need to remember that I, Debra Anastasia, am the scariest thing ever. Well, except for spiders, hands (they look like spiders), mannequins (they have hands that look like spiders), and not having your foot under the blankets at night.
Boo!
Author Bio: Debra Anastasia is busy, just like every other mom. There’s dinner, the dogs, the kids, and their homework. The laundry pile turns into a big, heaping monster. When the clothes finally make it into the washer, it gets unbalanced and puts on an elaborate show before it cuts out. This crazy job that never ends is her first love and her crowning achievement.
Her writing started a decent handful of years ago when along with the dogs, cat, kids, and husband, the voices of characters started whispering stories in Debra’s ear. Insomnia was the gateway for the plots that wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t let go. In the shower, a twist would take hold and–dripping and frenzied–she’d find somewhere, anywhere to write it down.
Debra grew up in New York and got a bachelor’s degree in political science at SUNY New Paltz. At the start of her marriage, she moved to southern Maryland with her husband. She still doesn’t trust crabs and all their legs, though everyone else in her family thinks they’re delicious. Her favorite hobbies include knitting, painting furniture and wall murals, and slapping clowns.
Bittersweet Seraphim, the sequel to her debut novel, Crushed Seraphim will be released Nov. 20th, 2012 and she’s currently working on Return to Poughkeepsie, the sequel to Poughkeepsie. You can visit her website at DebraAnastasia.com and find her on twitter @Debra_Anastasia.
Crushed Seraphim by Debra Anastasia Published: Omnific Publishing (May 27th, 2011) Reading Level: 17+ Paperback: 194 pages How does a foul-mouthed angel end up as the last hope for all of Heaven and Earth?
When Seraph Emma is maimed and tossed from Heaven by a rogue angel who's taken charge, she fears she'll never be allowed to return. Tasked with the impossible job of showing the self-loathing (and not even human!) Jason his worth, Emma is sure she's doomed to fail.
Meanwhile, having wormed his way into Heaven, the corrupt Everett has trapped God in Hell and has designs on unleashing evil everywhere. Fortunately, if there's one thing Emma can't do (in addition to minding her language), it's give up. Determined to save Jason and get back to Heaven-even if it means going to Hell-Emma's plan is simple yet impossible: trick the Devil to save God.
What she doesn't count on is the devotion and, well, humanity she finds in Jason; the spirit, hidden compassion, and raw sex appeal within the Devil; and the vulnerability of her own heart. With the help of two unlikely allies, she'll wage the battle for Heaven. But will Emma be sidetracked by a new sort of heaven along the way?
What's truly more dangerous?
Falling from Heaven, or falling in love?
Prize:
1 winner will receive everything above! Books, cards, tattoos and the cutest bracelets EVER!
Rules:
You must be at least 13 to enter.
Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
Contest is US Only and ends November 1st.
Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
The form must be filled out to enter.
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This year we have 23 authors that I'll be featuring over 7 days and each day you'll have a chance to enter to win! There's also a scavenger hunt going on, so be sure to check out The Crossroads Tour Post to see what questions will be asked, what blog you'll be able to find the answer on and enter to win! Today I am featuring P.J. Hoover, Lucienne Diver, Carrie Harris, and Patrice Lyle. Be sure to check out the rafflecopter giveaway, too!
1. Solstice is your first YA novel. What is the biggest thing you learned by writing YA and what was the hardest part of the journey?
The list of things I learned while writing YA could fill an entire blog post, but I’ll stick with this one. Make your characters relatable. The characters in your story should be people that your reader can relate to. It’s as simple as that. The more the reader can relate to the characters, the more they will be able to see bits and pieces of themselves in those same characters. And the more they see of themselves in those characters, the more real the story will feel. Hardest part of the journey? Developing patience because everything takes so long. When I finally develop it, I’ll let you know.
2. For those who don’t know, can you tell us a little about the world we jump into in Solstice?
Sure! Solstice is a mash-up of dystopia and mythology, two of my favorite genres. It’s set in Austin, TX in the future when global warming is destroying the earth. For the main character, Piper, this is her world until, on her 18th birthday, she opens a mysterious present and all of a sudden this parallel world of mythology starts to explode around her. Her best friend almost dies. Piper has to travel to the Underworld to save her. And there are lots of Greek gods.
1. Of all the characters you have written, which one has been the most challenging for you to
write?
Challenging, hmm. The main character in the super secret project I’ve just sent off to my agent. It’s dark, angsty and suspenseful, not paranormal at all… a departure for me. The main character is going through some really serious stuff. If you’ve read my Vamped and Latter-Day Olympians series, you’ll know that I write very tongue-in-cheek. There’s a lot of suspense, but it’s tempered with humor. But this novel called for a serious approach, and getting that voice down, writing a character who doesn’t take things in stride but is buffeted by the deep darkness of what’s going on around her, was very challenging.
2. You have contributed to a few anthologies. Do you find those easier, or harder, to write than a full length novel?
Infinitely harder! All of my short stories want to be novels, so to condense a storyline into a smaller space and still make it rich and satisfying… that’s a talent all its own. My Vamped series actually started as a short story called “Unlife Style,” but it didn’t stay that way. The first short story I ever had published, “The Problem with Piskies,” didn’t become a novel series, but it did get a sequel, “Imaginary Fiend” in the Strip-Mauled anthology published by Baen Books.
1. In Demon Derby, Casey is into Roller Derby. Have you ever tried that?
I WISH! I do own roller skates, and I have secret (or not so much now that I told you publicly) aspirations to skate at some point. But a few years ago, I was taking a wilderness rescue course and learning to save people who fall off cliffs, and I fell off the cliff. Rolled, mostly, but the end result is the same. I just finished a second round of physical therapy on my knee and hip, and I’m slowly but surely trying to build up my endurance. I have a few friends who skate, and they’re good at motivating me. If by “motivating,” you mean constantly giving me friendly crap about it. Which I find really funny. I think the best friends are the ones who can give you a hard time and make it hilarious. Is it just me?
2. What are 5 words you would use to describe Michael? Inhuman, awkward, lovable, determined, and HOT.
1. Can you give us a little teaser from your upcoming book?
The Case of the Invisible Witch is the first book in the Poison Ivy Charm School Series, about a young teen witch who runs a private investigation business. It’s like a paranormal Nancy Drew!
Tulip Bonnaire has only 72 hours to figure out her latest case, or her classmate, Missy, will never be seen again. Literally. When Missy shows up in Tulip’s dorm room around midnight, she’s invisible. As in not even x-ray vision could spot her. The mean triplets who call themselves The Belles have cast an invisibility spell on poor Missy. But if Tulip can’t break the spell in 72 hours, Missy will remain invisible forever.It’s a case Tulip can’t resist — between her mom’s annoying new boyfriend and her own secret crush at school, Tulip understands how much it stinks to feel invisible. Luckily for Tulip, her two best friends and her cute, techy guy friend help dig up clues on a case that turns out to be her freakiest one ever.
2. Tell us 5 words you’d use to describe your main characters in the book?
Tulip Bonaire, the main character in The Case of the Invisible Witch, can be described as: 1) Witch PI – Tulip has to be an awesome Witch PI to keep earning her $20 retainer fee, or her discounted retainer of a cup of hot chocolate with tons of whipped cream. 2) Loyal – Tulip is loyal to her best witch friends, Soili and Alexandria, as well as her best warlock friend, Dexter. She throws pizza and root beer float parties after every case they solve. 3) Bug-lover – Tulip loves Monk the Third, her pet praying mantis. She always keeps fruit flies on hand for him. 4) Inquisitive – Tulip loves a good mystery, and the freakier the better! 5) Polite – Tulip goes to a school for polite witches and warlocks, and has to abide by “Queen Withania’s Rules of Refinement.” Tulip thinks the rules are stodgy and lame, but she does her best to follow them.
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Ghost Orphans By Julie Chibbaro We were poor, living on pasta and potatoes, when the call came. A miracle job, my husband hired as caretaker for a decrepit estate on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. The rich, absentee owners let us live in the old carriage house, one of eight buildings that made up the complex. Except for us, the vast, decayed estate was abandoned. New to town, we heard rumors about the estate: once a Catholic missonary, once owned by a Civil War general, once bought by an alcoholic turkey hunter, once an orphan home for boys. Some boys didn’t do well, we heard. Their bodies buried under slabs of concrete, burned in the firepit, their bones thrown to coyotes in the hills. They disappeared without a trace. Through dark walkways that led off into shadowy rooms, our little carriage house connected to other buildings. We heard they were dormitories, school rooms, changing stations. We heard motherless sons slept here. One afternoon, the wind off the bluff echoing through the untended rooms, I heard the sound of laughter. Small children’s voices? Was it just wind? Or was there someone outside? I got up from my desk and listened.
I took hold of my fear, unlocked the connecting door to the outer walkway with all its dark passages, and crept down the hall. Numbers still painted on doors, I wondered about the boys. Were they really torn limb from limb, as one neighbor said? I entered a room and slowly opened the door to a closet. Fully dressed bodies of children lay on the floor. I jumped back, stifling a scream. I turned and ran for my husband, working on the property. When we came back, he went straight to the closet and picked up a body, its limp limbs hanging over his arms. Suddenly I felt foolish, looking at it all floppy. “It’s a doll,” he said. He tried very hard not to smirk. The ‘bodies’ were only well-dressed, children-sized dolls, left by some lonely orphans who might have been thinking of their lost parents as they lay alone in their cold beds.
Deadly by Julie Chibbaro Publisher: Atheneum (February 22nd, 2011) Hardcover: 304 pages A mysterious outbreak of typhoid fever is sweeping New York. Could the city’s future rest with its most unlikely scientist? If Prudence Galewski is ever going to get out of Mrs. Browning’s esteemed School for Girls, she must demonstrate her refinement and charm by securing a job appropriate for a young lady. But Prudence isn’t like the other girls. She is fascinated by how the human body works and why it fails. With a stroke of luck, she lands a position in a laboratory, where she is swept into an investigation of the fever bound to change medical history. Prudence quickly learns that an inquiry of this proportion is not confined to the lab. From ritzy mansions to shady bars and rundown tenements, she explores every potential cause of the disease. But there’s no answer in sight—until the volatile Mary Mallon emerges. Dubbed “Typhoid Mary” by the press, Mary is an Irish immigrant who has worked as a cook in every home the fever has ravaged. Strangely, though, she hasn’t been sick a day in her life. Is the accusation against her an act of discrimination? Or is she the first clue in a new scientific discovery? Prudence is determined to find out. In a time when science is for men, she’ll have to prove to the city, and to herself, that she can help solve one of the greatest medical mysteries of the twentieth century.
Thank you so much Julie for the amazing story and for the artwork! * This incredible drawing above was created by Julie's husband Jean-Marc who also does illustrations in Deadly. To see more of his work USE GOOGLE. Find out more about Julie Chibbaro Julie Chibbaro / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads
Pre-order Deadly Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
*Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post with Shaun David Hutchinson and a giveaway for a copy of The Deathday Letter and swag.
*Reminder: If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please read full entry rules here.
The post you are about to read is 100 % **Role Play
All the characters represented here (please see the list of all Role Players provided below ) with the exception of Lisa and myself are **Role Players from a group on twitter. They have agreed to role play with us to help celebrate not only our Halloween Event, but also to help share our love for the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by author J.R. Ward, as these Role Players are also huge fans of J.R. Ward's works.
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT NO ONE with this site/blog, Lisa’s site/blog nor the role-playing group — which you can find with the list of twitter accounts provided — is in any way, shape or form connected to or affiliated with J.R. Ward. No one present or represented here is J.R. Ward, nor is the role playing intended for any purpose other than the personal enjoyment of the Role Players involved.
Warning: This story contains mature and adult themes.
L/J: *nervously speaking* Wrath, Beth… everyone – thanks so much for having us. We’re excited that you agreed to let us visit with you. We hope you don’t mind us just throwing out questions while we’re here?
@FritzDoggen_BDB: Would you care for some refreshments? *holds out tray of wine and crepes*
L: Thank you @FritzDoggen_BDB *takes a glass of wine* J: *takes a crepe* Wow, Fritz these are amazing. You are a wonderful chef. Thank you.
@FritzDoggen_BDB: *smiles brightly* You are too kind. @Wrath_BDB: *studying the Monopoly board, but briefly stopping to nod once at the humans, then taking a crepe.* @BethR_BDB: We’re happy to have you. @Rhage_BDB: *smiles* We love to talk about ourselves. @Phury_BDB: *laughing* Well, @Rhage_BDB loves talking about himself, anyway. @Butch_BDB: *shakes head* Nah, babe. Have at it. @Rehvenge_BDB: *glances up from Monopoly board which I am pulling a Trump on and nods briefly, not wanting to miss @Zsadist_BDB’s trip to jail* @Zsadist_BDB: * gives a quick nod, directs attention back down to board, eyes turning black, growling at @Rehvenge_BDB, before moving thimble to jail* @DocJaneW_BDB: *Looking up from the plans, smiling* It's good to have you. @Vishous_BDB: *pulls down Red Sox cap and nods* @Tohrment_BDB: *taking a deep breath* Ready as I'm ever gonna be. @BellaR_BDB: *glances up from Nalla, who is playing with her hair and smiles* Not at all! Ask away. @MarissaH_BDB: *smiles warmly* We’re happy to have you here. @CormiaC_BDB: Yes, it’s lovely to meet some new people. @Lassiter_BDB: *glowing* Ask away. I know how fascinating I can be. @Vishous_BDB: Oh great, who invited the loud mouth? @Wrath_BDB: *groans* Sure as hell wasn’t me. @Blaylock_BDB: *smiles* I would be happy to answer your questions, thank you for coming. @Qhuinn_BDB: *gives L and J a lingering up-and-down look and a smile* The pleasure is all mine ladies… ask away.
L: *smiles* so, how is everyone?
@Wrath_BDB: *forgetting all about @Lassiter_BDB being here and glancing over at @BethR_BDB on the floor, playing with Nalla* We’re great. @BethR_BDB: We are doing great, thanks for asking. @Butch_BDB: Great thanks. @Rhage_BDB: *looks at @MaryL_BDB* Great. @Vishous_BDB: *lights up a hand rolled* @Lassiter_BDB: I’m great. There’s a Mary Tyler Moore marathon on. @Phury_BDB: *looks around at everyone, smiling* I’m with the Cop. Doing great. @Tohrment_BDB: *running my hand over my head* Just getting my bearings again, but better than I've been in a long while. @MarissaH_BDB: I’m quite well this evening. Thank you. @CormiaC_BDB: *looking up from plans for the medical center* Very well, thank you. I hope you are both well, also. @BellaR_BDB: *smiling warmly* Very good, thank you. How are the two of you? *glances at both of you* @DocJaneW_BDB: *beaming* I'm great, excited about the new plans. I apologize if I'm a bit preoccupied. @Blaylock_BDB: *pausing our xbox game* I am doing great! Kicking @Qhuinn_BDB’s butt at the moment. *laughs and ducks away from Qhuinn as he tries to punch me, but only grazes my arm* @Qhuinn_BDB: I’ll be a helluva lot better after a few shots of Herradurra. Hey, @FritzDoggen_BDB, would you mind bringing me some limes and salt? @FritzDoggen_BDB: *nods and leaves to find limes and salt*
L: I’m great thanks – really excited to be here with everyone. *looks up at everyone around the room* J: Yeah, we’re both really excited to be here. We’ve been so busy planning this Halloween event that it’s great to take this time away to hang out with everyone. *small smile* Oh, I know something that I’ve wanted to know… What’s the hardest part about living so close together?
@Wrath_BDB: The lack of privacy. *grins towards @BethR_BDB* @Rehvenge_BDB: *feels overwhelming gratitude to NOT live here* @Zsadist_BDB: Keeping people out of your shi.I mean biz. @Butch_BDB: *laughs* I take it you haven’t smelled the gym. You’d never ask that if you have. These bastards stink.
L: *wrinkles my nose*
@Butch_BDB: *laughs* Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ about. @Vishous_BDB: Getting to the food before Rhage eats it all. *nods head to Butch* His snoring. Wondering why the sin eater and that one *points @Lassiter_BDB* are always here. @Butch_BDB: Hey man, you can’t possibly hear me snoring through the walls. @Vishous_BDB: I have vampire hearing. I hear everything. @Rhage_BDB: *glares at V* Hey there is plenty of food left for you. Sometimes. @Phury_BDB: It’s not really a problem for me anymore. *looks over at @CormiaC_BDB, smiles* But I’d agree with @Vishous_BDB — trying to wrangle the food away from @Rhage_BDB was always a challenge. @MaryL_BDB: I don’t mind the closeness, though sometimes the wild games of football make it tough for us to get alone time with our boys. @Tohrment_BDB: *Doesn't answer* @BellaR_BDB: *rolling eyes at @Zsadist_BDB’s answer* I think privacy is the biggest challenge. You have none living together. @BethR_BDB: Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but it’s a large place so it isn’t too hard to find a private space. *smiles @Wrath_BDB* @MarissaH_BDB: *smiling* I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I found friends and family here and a new purpose. *meets @Butch_BDB’s eyes, seeing his pride in me* @DocJaneW_BDB: I love it here but I'm looking forward to all the time I'll be spending at the clinic once it opens. @CormiaC_BDB: *smiles@Phury_BDB* Everyone was wonderful to me when I stayed here. @Lassiter_BDB: *points @Vishous_BDB* Him. @Blaylock_BDB: I really enjoy having @John_MatthewBDB and @Qhuinn_BDB so close, but at times it is hard to live with Qhuinn, if you know what I mean. *blushes* @Qhuinn_BDB: I guess it can be a pain if I want some privacy. Sure, we can go to the gym and hit the treadmill, but the house is pretty full. There’s always someone around.
L: But, really would any of you have it any other way?
@Butch_BDB: Nope. @Zsadist_BDB: No. @Vishous_BDB: S’all good. @Butch_BDB: Even with my snoring, man? @Vishous_BDB: Yeah. Even with. @Rhage_BDB: Not at all. @Phury_BDB: I sometimes miss being here every day with the Brothers, but I wouldn’t trade my life with Cormia and having the Chosen with us… @CormiaC_BDB: I think I’m right where I am meant to be… @Tohrment_BDB: *Thinks back to when it was just me with Wellsie, in our house and I decide not to answer, again* @Wrath_BDB: *watching Tohr’s internal turmoil shine in his eyes, then glancing around to all the brothers and their shellans* This is how it should be. @MaryL_BDB: I wouldn’t change it. I grew up an only child. I enjoy the company. @MarissaH_BDB: *shakes head* Absolutely not. @FritzDoggen_BDB: *smiles, pleased the house is full. Wishing @DariusBDB could see it* @BethR_BDB: At first I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, to be honest. But, I also knew that it was the right decision. Don’t get me wrong, it can be frustrating, and I don’t always have @Wrath_BDB’s undivided attention as often as I’d like… but it feels right to have everyone here. @Lassiter_BDB: PFFFT Hell yeah. *But really likes it here*
J: @Lassiter_BDB – Well, what has been the biggest difference for you since being around all the brothers and their shellans?
@Lassiter_BDB: I’m used to being alone so this many people is a huge difference. And having to put up with his mouth *points at @Vishous_BDB* @Blaylock_BDB: I would not change a thing! @Qhuinn_BDB: *nods at @Blaylock_BDB* I’m with him. Wouldn’t change it!
J: And how about With Halloween coming up, any plans for the holiday?
@Vishous_BDB: I am trying to get Jane to wear a hot nurse outfit. *winks @DocJaneW_BDB* @Rhage_BDB: I may let the beast out and take all the tootsie pops from kids that are too old to be trick or treating.
L: *thinking how I’ve never been able to look at a tootsie pop the same since reading their stories*
@MaryL_BDB: @Rhage_BDB! You wouldn’t! I guess I’ll be spending Halloween keeping @Rhage_BDB too busy to steal candy. *blushes* @Tohrment_BDB: *shakes head* Can't say I've thought about it. @Wrath_BDB: Beth wants to hand candy out, so we’ll head back to the house in town for Halloween night. @BethR_BDB: I look forward to handing out candy… and trying not to eat all of it myself. *laughs* @Lassiter_BDB: I’m with @Tohrment_BDB on this one. @Qhuinn_BDB: *cocks head to the side* Am I too old to dress up and go trick-or-treating?
J: @Qhuinn_BDB — No, not at all! What would you dress up as??
@Blaylock_BDB: Well, Q, you could go as Frankenstein with all that metal, but you might scare all the kids. @Qhuinn_BDB: The last thing @Wrath_BDB needs is a flock of hysterical human females following us home.
L: Yes, but a more important question… Will any of you be helping Fritz carve pumpkins?
@Vishous_BDB: Yeah. For Nalla. @Wrath_BDB: *nods in agreement, and shaking the dice for my turn* @Rhage_BDB: Yeah, for Nalla. *smiles at Nalla* @Tohrment_BDB: Of course, for Nalla. *Reflects on difficult memories before shaking it off* @BellaR_BDB: *laughs* Nalla’s going to have several pumpkins carved for her by these males! *looks at Nalla, smiles* @MaryL_BDB: I better be included in the pumpkin carving. @DocJaneW_BDB: I'm pretty wicked with a knife, it would be a shame not to. And of course I will add to the Nalla collection *laughs* @FritzDoggen_BDB: *smiles* @BethR_BDB: I can’t wait! I even made sure to get little Nalla-sized pumpkins to decorate. *smiling warmly* @Blaylock_BDB: *laughs* I will give anything a go for Nalla. @Qhuinn_BDB: I think pumpkin carving sounds like fun! Maybe I could pierce it, or give it a few tats? *smiles*
L: I mean come on, you each have skills with knives, I’m sure you’d come up with something creative when it comes to carving pumpkins! What about you @Phury_BDB? You’re extremely artistic from what I’ve read… I think you’d have a knack for carving?
@Vishous_BDB: I know I do, true? @Rhage_BDB: Not as good as mine. @Phury_BDB: And neither of your skills are actually as good as your egos lead you to believe. *laughs* But, yes, I’m sure I’ll be trying to carve some pumpkins for Nalla. And I’m sure @CormiaC_BDB will design something as well… and the Chosen will probably want to help… *cringes, thinking of the mess* @Wrath_BDB: *rolls snake eyes which lands me on Marvin Gardens and I buy it* @Tohrment_BDB: Not gonna lie, I'm better when I'm aiming a gun, but my knife skills are on point.
J: @BellaR_BDB and @Zsadist_BDB, any plans for Halloween for Nalla?
@Rehvenge_BDB: *an uncharacteristic smile lighting my face at the mere mention of my niece* @Zsadist_BDB: *looks over at @BellaR_BDB* @BellaR_BDB: *grins and glances at @Zsadist_BDB* I want to dress her up. I’m trying to decide between a princess and a punk rocker. @Vishous_BDB: I vote for punk rocker. @Lassiter_BDB: Oh you should dress her up like a little Mary Tyler Moore! @Rhage_BDB: We could get her a little dragon costume and she can look like me. @MarissaH_BDB: I think Nalla would make a wonderful princess.
L: Well, if I had a vote, I’d say Punk Rocker, because Nalla sounds like she’s a princess everyday. *smiling while looking at Nalla and feeling the love swell in the room*
@BellaR_BDB: *grin widening* I’m leaning toward the punk rocker, too. Maybe with a little mohawk like her Uncle. *glancing at @Zsadist_BDB and @Rehvenge_BDB, seeing matching expressions of disapproval… and laughing*
J: Well, if I had a vote I’d say the best of both worlds – a Punk Rock Princess. *giggles* Maybe we could set up a play date sometime for Nalla and my little girl? *laughs* M already thinks she’s a vampire, and I have no idea where she got that idea from! *smiling*
@BellaR_BDB: That would be nice! Nalla needs to be around other young.
L: Okay… I’m sorry, enough with the Halloween talk… can I ask about scary movies at least? I know your movie watchers, so you have to have a favorite? For me, I’ll never be able to watch Poltergeist again ever since I saw it when I was I think 11 or 12. Nor will I ever be able to sleep with the closet door open again… *trails off and looks up for answers*
@Vishous_BDB: I love that sh- stuff. I love the Halloween, the Freddy were pretty imaginative, true? @DocJaneW_BDB: *smiling at @Vishous_BDB* I'm with him, blood doesn't scare me. Though I like comedy based “horror” too – like Beetlejuice. @Rehvenge_BDB: *shudders* Any movie with spiders or scorpions creeps me the fu… I really can’t stomach those movies anymore. @Rhage_BDB: Yeah I love all of it. @MaryL_BDB hates it. @Tohrment_BDB: That Buried movie that's coming out looks pretty intense. Might have to check it. I like to watch people fleeing the likes of Godzilla the best, though *chuckles*
L: @Tohrment_BDB – yeah, that Buried movie is one I really want to see. As for Godzilla, we’re talking Godzilla vs. Mothra originals right? What did you think of the remake?
@Tohrment_BDB: *Furrows brow*Remakes are for people with no original ideas, know what I'm sayin? There's no excuse for messing with perfection. @BethR_BDB: *laughs along with @Tohrment_BDB* I always cheer for the monster. @Wrath_BDB: *raises a brow* Tohr, how many times have you seen Godzilla? Seriously, man. I’m going to send you to Bad Horror Flicks Anonymous soon. @Tohrment_BDB: Hey, it's a good flick. Besides, Bad Horror Flicks Anonymous shut down for lack of membership *grins @Wrath_BDB*.
L: @Wrath_BDB actually, bad horror movies are the best! I’m all about those horrible B movies *says a little too excitedly*
@Wrath_BDB: *shakes head* To each his own. You and Tohr should have a movie night sometime. *Nods towards the hallway* We have a movie theater in here. He’d be a lot less cranky with Lassy off his ass. @BellaR_BDB: *shudders* I’m not a scary movie fan. Comedies are more my style. @Lassiter_BDB: I like movies with more style. @Butch_BDB: Seems like Twilight would be right up your alley. They sparkle, you glow… you’re kinda like cousins. *glances over at @Vishous_BDB winking* @Phury_BDB: *looks @Lassiter_BDB* Is that what you call the Lifetime Women’s movies you and @Rhage_BDB watch?
J: Hey, nothing wrong with Lifetime. They have some good stuff! L: *trying to picture @Rhage_BDB and @Lassiter_BDB passing a tissue box back and forth. Nope, can't see it.*
@Rhage_BDB: I do not watch that crap! @MaryL_BDB: Scary movies aren’t my thing, though I did see a great foreign vampire film, Let the Right One In. Subtitles and everything. A little too cerebral for @Rhage_BDB. Love you baby. *winks* @CormiaC_BDB: I’ve not really watched any of the scary movies, but I have found I rather like some of the movies with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn.
L: @CormiaC_BDB – Have you seen Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
@CormiaC_BDB: No I haven’t seen that movie yet. Is it an enjoyable film? If so, we’ll have to watch it.
L: Speaking of movies, did any of you see Twilight? Or what about that other movie… what’s it called Jessica? J: Vampires Suck? L: Yeah… *laughing* that one?
@Rehvenge_BDB: *shaking head in disgust* @Zsadist_BDB: *growls* @Wrath_BDB: I’m not a big movie watcher, but I hear the Cop likes that Twilight one. @Butch_BDB: *groans* Oh man, I knew that would come up… @Vishous_BDB: *grins* Oh yeah, the cop here loves to watch Twilight. Caught him watching one day when he thought I was asleep. And we all know @Rhage_BDB wishes he would sparkle. @Rhage_BDB: *rolls eyes* Says the vampire that doubles as a night light. @Phury_BDB: V, Did the t-shirts not arrive yet for @Butch_BDB and @Rhage_BDB? The ones that say “I love sparkly vamps”? @Lassiter_BDB: Nothing wrong with a little sparkle. *smiles* @Butch_BDB: *laughs* You’d fit right in with the Veggie Vamps, Lassy. @Tohrment_BDB: *shrugs* Never even heard of it. @MaryL_BDB: Oh no. I’ve heard the jokes, got to hear all about the kitchen fight, but Twilight not my cup of tea. @DocJaneW_BDB: *sarcastically* Fate… destiny… who believes in that? *laughs* Either way, I think I'd lose my bad ass bitch card, if I watched that one. @Qhuinn_BDB: Twi-what? *shakes head, laughing* No way, not happening. @BethR_BDB: I found a t-shirt that said “I <3 Boys who sparkle” but @Wrath_BDB didn’t see the humor in it. *chuckling at the memory* @Wrath_BDB: That’s because I’m not a boy nor do I sparkle, leelan. *smirks* @BellaR_BDB: *laughing* I’ve seen Twilight. I’m a vamp girl! @Blaylock_BDB: *Dropping my head and blushing* I have seen the Twilight movies and really liked them.
J: Um, is this the wrong time to say that I’m ummm… Team Werewolf??
@Tohrment_BDB: *grins*No worries, can't be jealous of something that only exists on the big screen and in fairytales. @Butch_BDB: *shaking my head* Team Werewolf? *laughs and then remembers I used to laugh at the thought of vampires… * @DocJaneW_BDB: *Thinking to myself that it would be a fascinating species to study, if they were real, before refocusing on the plans*
Check back in tomorrow night for part two!
If you would like to follow along with the all the Black Dagger Brotherhood Twitter Role Players is part of this group, please USE GOOGLE to easily follow each character. And trust me, you don't know what your missing! So hurry and follow today!
@FritzDoggen_BDB Online: (updates, notes and information on the Twitter Role Playing Group)
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Thank you so much to all the characters from the Black Dagger Brotherhood Twitter Role Play group for all the time and effort they have been putting in to help us celebrate not only Halloween and our event, but also our love for all that is the Brotherhood and J.R. Ward.
Reference:
**Role Play
–verb (used with object) 1. to assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of (another), esp. in a make-believe situation in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction: Management trainees were given a chance to role-play labor negotiators. 2. to experiment with or experience (a situation or viewpoint) by playing a role: trainees role-playing management positions. –verb (used without object) 3. to engage in role-playing.
Interview by Lisa (L) & Jessica (J)
All who are attending?
Playing Pool are Vishous_BDB & @Tohrment_BDB with @Butch_BDB and @Rhage_BDB playing next. Playing Monopoly are @Rehvenge_BDB, @Zsadist_BDB, @Wrath_BDB, @Phury_BDB, and Jessica and I. @BellaR_BDB and @BethR_BDB are playing with Nalla. @DocJaneW_BDB, @MaryL_BDB, @CormiaC_BDB, @EhlenaA_BDB, and @MarissaH_BDB are looking over more plans for the medical facility while waiting for a shellan monopoly. It is much calmer. No daggers. @John_MatthewBDB and @Xhex_BDB come in later, still in honeymoon phase they are… looking happy. @Qhuinn_BDB and @Blaylock_BDB are playing Xbox. @Lassiter_BDB flutters from group to group inputting his two cents. @FritzDoggen_BDB serving crepes and drinks.
Check out Lisa's Haunted Halloween post!NOTE: This post will be the same on both of our blogs.
REMINDER: *If you are interested in the COMMENT CONTEST, remember to include your email address with your comment for an extra entry! Please ready full entry rules HERE.
Some thoughts on my childhood swing set… by Erin Bowman
I'll be honest upfront: I am the biggest wuss alive.
I jump at the drop of a pin, clowns scare me to death, and I absolutely despise horror movies.
I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that my cousin told me The Exorcist was a comedy and made me watch it with her when I was about ten years old. It was the first"scary movie" I'd ever seen, and it scarred me for life. Halfway through the film my cousin fell asleep on the couch. I was so terrified at this point that I had a blanket over my head and was watching through the breaks in the knitting. Sure, I could have turned the movie off, but I forced myself to finish it. I needed to know that everything would turn out okay.
I saw this face every time I closed my eyes for the next several months:
<caption: I regret googling this photo. The image results page was downright terrifying.
As a result of this childhood trauma, I made a habit of avoiding horror movies as I grew up. To this day I've seen only a handful, and all because I foolishly believed someone who said,"This one's really not that scary. You'll be fine." (Fast-forward to me with my head on their shoulder, asking them to tell me when it was safe to look again.) I'm shockingly a huge fan of TV's Supernatural, although I truly don't know how I got through the first several seasons; something scary seems to jump out every other minute. And let's not talk about that"Everybody Loves a Clown" episode. (I may or may not have almost cried.)
So why I am telling you all this? Because while I don't have my own real-life ghost story to share, I think this look at my past will better help you understand why I find the following so terrifying:
I grew up in rural Connecticut, on a mountain street that was part of a historic district. Connecticut seems to have more ghost stories per acre than should be possible for a single state. For example: the house next to us was supposedly haunted. No family ever lived there longer than a year or two, and when they moved out, they'd always say the same thing:"The place is small… We want something bigger… I always got a strange vibe when I was home alone--like there was someone else in the house with me."
Yeah. Creepy.
My parent's house is this old cape, set right into the mountain and surrounded by woods. The backyard was great for sledding, but absolutely nothing else because it was so darn steep. It had only one level section in the lower corner of the property, and that's where my childhood swing set stood.
(In hindsight, a level portion of land among an otherwise drastic incline sounds terribly unnatural, but as a child, and even as a teen, the thought never once crossed my mind.)
A few years ago I was home for the holidays, and everyone was sitting around the dining room table. We somehow got to talking about local ghost stories. I said something about how it would be creepy to buy an old house if you knew someone died in it, let alone haunted it.
And my mom goes:"Oh, someone died here."
To which I practically screamed:"In this house?! MOM! OMG!"
And she just calmly looked at me and said,"There used to be a pool in the backyard. Right where the swing set is. Some girl drowned in it."
Cue a million visuals of this, haunting me for forever:
<caption: If I stare at this photo long enough, I can psych myself into believing she's about to crawl out of the computer exactly like she crawls out of the TV in the film.>
I have not ventured down to that swing set since my mom revealed this lovely, historic detail. I can't look at it the same way, let alone stand where that swimming pool used to be. The thought that for years I merrily pumped my legs on swing that was hovering over the same exact spot some poor girl drowned makes me sick. And these days, if I step outside at my parents house at night, I have to almost immediately scurry inside because of that feeling. You know the one-- the sensation that someone is watching you.
The house itself has never shown any signs of being haunted, but who knows about the backyard. And I don't care to find out. Ever.
Taken by Erin Bowman Published: HarperTeen (April 18th, 2012) Reading Level: Young Adult Hardcover: 352 pages Series: Taken, #1 There are no men in Claysoot. There are boys—but every one of them vanishes at midnight on his eighteenth birthday. The ground shakes, the wind howls, a blinding light descends… and he’s gone.
They call it the Heist.
Gray Weathersby’s eighteenth birthday is mere months away, and he’s prepared to meet his fate–until he finds a strange note from his mother and starts to question everything he’s been raised to accept: the Council leaders and their obvious secrets. The Heist itself. And what lies beyond the Wall that surrounds Claysoot–a structure that no one can cross and survive.
Climbing the Wall is suicide, but what comes after the Heist could be worse. Should he sit back and wait to be taken–or risk everything on the hope of the other side?
Prize:
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I've finished the third of the House of Night books — Chosen — by P.C. and Kristin Cast. This is going to be kind of a different review, mostly because I'm not completely sure how I feel about it.
From Amazon.com
"Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn. Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies. And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends. So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before. Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity. Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of having three boyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster. Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres. But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…"
First of all, I was absolutely mortified and bored for the first 2/3rds of the book. Every page, it seemed, recounted what had happened in the first two books, Betrayed and Marked. While I understand why it's necessary, I think it was over done. The repetitive information, not only the vital information but the tidbits as well, was insufferable. My biggest problem with Zoey is that I cannot relate to her. She's gotten to be 'too' big of a person. People might argue that Harry is 'too' big a person, but because he's got such a humble attitude and great friends — it works. Zoey, however, in my opinion is a failure of a character. Her endless boyfriends and whore-ish actions (I mean, my God!) drive me to hate the character. How can one person have it all — one, two, three boyfriends (all of whom are amazingly attractive), affinities for one, two, three, four, five (all) the elements, visions blessed by Nyx, I mean the list just goes on. I think that characters need to be believable — and Zoey has hit the jack pots of all things unbelievable. How can one, seemingly normal, character get so lucky! I honestly feel bad for all her boy toys. Ridiculous! Another thing — she needs to stop kidding herself about being all innocent and what not — really! Read the book and you'll understand. Her inability to be decisive is maddening! At the end of the book — she gets what she deserves.
It may be a bit too quick in ordinary standards (the ending I mean), but because of her whorish actions she kind of deserves it to end quick. I know I sound like a heartless reviewer, I'm just extremely disappointed.
What did I like about the book?
Well — the ending was different, which is a nice change up from the previous two. I felt like the ending was justified — a bit harsh, but justified. The part about Blake and Neferet (don't worry I won't give anything away) is extremely gripping and exciting. I had to put the book down I was so excited — isn't that weird. When I get really excited about a book I have to put it down for a minute before I continue reading — anyone else?
Aphrodite is my new favorite character — I mean, wow. Her character is so developed, funny, and there's just a slight sense of... let's call it edginess... that keeps readers riveted. And besides all my aparent problems with the book — I was still clutching the pages for the last third of the book. Gasping out loud, turning the page feverishly, even skimming the bulk of paragraphs because I just had to find out what was going to happen (I know that this is an awful habit, I usually have to go back to read because I've missed something — go figure).
So really, I have no idea what I think about this book or this series, for that matter. When reading them — they drive me crazy! Maddeningly crazy! But as soon as I've finished, I can't wait to pick up the next book — so they can't be all that bad can they? Or maybe it's just because they get good towards the end? I don't know. But I do know that I'm going to skip The Man Who Loved Jane Austen for Untamed. I should have known that I wasn't going to get anything read until after I finished the series.
So tell me, what do you think about the series? Are you running into the same frustrations that I am?
Here are my reviews for Marked and Betrayed.
*Alright, so I understand that this is a pretty 'rough' review. But you wanted honesty, right? And you have to know that the book is somewhat good if it's moved me to such an irritation!
Continuing today's unofficial theme, here is another holiday article from the author of "I Used to Know That," which I will be reading/reviewing in the very near future. Thanks to Caitlin from FSB Associates for providing me with this article.
12 Days and 12 Facts for This Holiday Season — Caroline Taggart Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School
Ever catch yourself saying I Used to Know That?
Each holiday season brings another round of cocktail parties, family get-togethers, and corporate gatherings — and invariably, lots of small talk. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when discussing politics, literature, and other intellectual "stuff," especially when what is thought to be general knowledge is often long-forgotten. Enter I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School. From English and Literature to Math and Science, from History and Geography to Religion and Other-Worldly Topics, this book leaves you equipped to handle any topic of conversation.
Here we've cherry-picked twelve fun facts for the holiday season — one for every day of Christmas (or whatever holiday you prefer!) Quiz yourself to see how much "stuff" you need to brush up on before hobnobbing with the boss or office crush.
1. On building sentences: Just what is a "clause"?(Not to be confused with Santa Claus.)
Answer: A clause contains a subject and a verb and may stand alone as a sentence or as part of a sentence (when it is often called a subordinate clause): Santa Claus loves cookies but can't eat them without milk.
2. How many bones is the spine made up of?
Answer: 26 small bones called vertebrae (Be careful lifting all those heavy holiday boxes.)
3.Acclaimed author Charles Dickens (1812-70) wrote which Christmas classic?
Answer: A Christmas Carol. The miserly Ebenezer Scrooge tries to ignore Christmas and is haunted by the ghost of his former partner, Marley, and by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, who show him the error of his ways.
4. The fist chapter of this famous book opens with "Call me Ishmael." Name the book and author. (Hint: it makes a whale of a gift!)
Answer: Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Melville is also the author of Pierre and the unfinished Billy Budd.
5. There's a name for the process of watering your Christmas tree? Who knew?
Answer: Grab the kids and give them this science factoid as they nurture the family tree: Osmosis is a form of diffusion that is specific to the movement of water. Water moves through a selectively permeable membrane (that is, one that lets some types of molecules through but not others) from a place where there is a higher concentration of water to one where it is lower.
6. Can you name all 6 wives of Henry VIII, father of the Church of England?
Answer: (Listed in order) Catherine, Anne, Jane, Anne, Catherine, Catherine. They are often remembered as divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. Sure makes you think twice when complaining about bad relatives.
7. Who was the 7th President of theUnited States?
Answer: Abraham Lincoln (R, 1861-65) and yes — he really was born in a log cabin on a winter's day. Notably famous for many reasons including his Gettysburg Address: "Four Score and Seven Years ago our fathers brought fourth upon this continent a new nation conceived in Liberty... "
8. 'Tis the season to be jolly giving! Don’t forget to tip well this season — etiquette coaches will tell you that means no less than 18%. So just how much should you tip on a bill of $50?
Answer: Percent means by a hundred, so anything expressed as a percentage is a fraction (or part, if you prefer) of 100. So 18% is 18 parts of 100, or 18/100 or. 18. If your bill is $50, multiply 50 by. 18 to get your tip total of $9. If you're feeling generous, a 20% tip would require you to multiply 50 by. 20, for a total of $10.00
50.00 x. 18 = 9.00
50.00 x. 20 = 10.00
Percentages can also be holiday-relevant when it comes to figuring out in-store sales. In this case, you want to multiply by the inverse of the percentage listed. So if you have a $50 sweater that's on sale for 25% off, multiply 50 by. 75 for your total of $37.50. That same $50 sweater on sale for 40% off would equate to $30, or $50 multiplied by. 60.
50.00 x. 75 = 37.50
50.00 x. 60 = 30.00
9. Brr, it's cold outside. But just how cold does it have to be to get some snow around here?
Answer: Did you know that the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit? Keep an eye on the temperature and watch your footing for ice on the ground. (See previous fact about those treasured vertebrae!)
10.Everyone knows Santa and his elves live in the North Pole. But what about the South Pole (akaAntarctica)?
Answer: The South Pole was discovered by Roald Amundsen (1872-1928, Norwegian), who was also the first to sail though the Northwest passage, the sea route from Pacific to Atlantic along the north coast of North America. Antarctica is the only continent that contains no countries — instead, it is a stateless territory protected from exploitation by an international treaty. A good place for the elves to protest low wages?
11. Which Ocean is bigger: the Pacific or theAtlantic?
Answer: The Pacific Ocean is larger at 69,374 square miles — that's almost double the Atlantic, which comes in at 35,665 square miles. Making it evenmore astonishing that St. Nick can cross the globe in just one night.
12. Remember the reason for the Season!Can you name a few things that both Judaism and Christianity have in common?
Answer: Both are monotheistic religions that share the first five books of the Christian Old Testament. Both religions view Jerusalem as a sacred site, the former for the Wailing Wall (contains the remains of the temple that was thought to be the place where God resides on earth) and the latter for Christ's burial and resurrection site.
Author Bio Caroline Taggart, author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School, has been an editor of non-fiction books for nearly 30 years and has covered nearly every subject from natural history and business to gardening and astronomy. She has written several books and was the editor of Writer's Market UK 2009.
Last week I conquered the Christmas Stockings on a Curtain Rod project, this week I attempted to conquer conquered the Christmas Card Wreath. Remember I'll leave a link to how to do the project, but this post is more or less meant to show you how it actually turned out for an uncreative, not artistic person.
When I saw this Christmas Card Wreath (link to the Pinterest Page) , I knew I wanted to try it. I had just received two Christmas cards in the mail and wanted to display them but didn't know how. While I did have to purchase most of the supplies for this project, much like the Stockings on the Curtain rod, the supplies were not expensive. I had a wire hanger in my closet but I did have to buy clothes pins, red beads, ribbon, glue, wire cutter (strong pliers), and green spray paint (for a complete list of supplies and the step-by-step instructions, please visit Gwenny Penny) .
The first thing I think you should know (that is left out) is that if you are only making one wreath — a small can of spray paint will do. However, if you are planning on making a wreath for a gift or (as I am) are throwing a "Create a Christmas Card Wreath" Party — you'll need multiple cans of spray paint. I started out with a small can and I ran out and had to purchase more. The clothes pins were easy to find at Walmart and were very inexpensive, as were the rest of the supplies. I did have to purchase a wire cutter (pliers) as my pliers were a flat end and didn't really cut through anything. I also bought Krazy Glue, but I'm wishing I would have just bought fabric glue*.
You should also know that spray paint is sticky. I painted the clothes pins on Thursday night and by Saturday night, while they were dry, they were still a bit sticky and it was very hard to get off. Maybe creative people know that, but as an uncreative person who doesn't deal with spray paint often — this would have been nice to know.
Actually putting together this project was fairly easy: red bead, green clothes pin, red bead, green clothes pin and so on and so forth. When I got to the last few beads and pins it got interesting. The Krazy glue I bought wasn't sticking to the metal clothes hanger. So I ended up manipulating the clothes hanger to wrap around the end (in a very unattractive way) and then wrapping the hanger with the red ribbon. I then used the ribbon to make a make-shift hanger (not like in the original post directions) and used the Krazy glue to put the two pieces of fabric together*.
Here is my project:
I'm not 100% happy with it as my hanger is less circular and more "hot mess." Also, I think I'm going to add a bow to make the wreath a bit more complete — but I haven't figured out how to create a bow yet (something the original post left out or assumed I would know how to do). Some of my pins put pressure on the other pins — I don't know if this is because my hanger is too small or not, but the pins are a bit cramped.
As a person who doesn't deal with clothes pins on a regular basis, I also wish someone would have told me that they won't stay "pin down" on the wire, they constantly need to be manipulated. But once they are hung the pins use the wall as support and stay where I put them. I also wish I would have spent more time painting the pins. But because I had people coming over on Sunday to make the wreaths and I didn't know that the spray paint took so long to dry, I didn't have time to turn my box with the pins on it upside down and get the underside of the pins green as well.
Overall Verdit: This project definitely wasn't as easy as it looked and my finished product is no where near as beautiful and put together as the example. But it doesn't function well and once I figure out how to make a bow, I think this project will come together quite nicely. I'm glad I attempted it, but it was definitely a "figure it out as we go" type of deal in regards to the left out helpful pieces of information.
Also, my ribbon is probably too big.
Edit: I tried my best to add a bow. I'm still not very happy with it and have changed my Verdict to BUST. There are some other great ideas to display Christmas cards and I'm just not feeling it. It's not circular and the bow is and ribbon is complete chaos — you can call me an uncreative perfectionist if you'd like.:) But unless it's perfect and I'm proud of it, I'm just not sure I want to display it in my house as part of the decor haha.
Today I have Leigh Evans here for a guest post. She's here to talk to us about mean writers and to highlight her upcoming release, The Thing About Weres.
Mean Writers—Why We Give our Heroines Such a Hard Time A friend said to me recently that my heroine takes a heck of an emotional battering, and wondered how I could do it. It’s hard to be cruel to your darlings, but it’s a fair point and I wanted to explain just why it was so necessary.
Let me get it right out front—Yes. I am super-crazy-nasty-mean to my characters. I spend hours thinking of ways to torment them. Actually, that’s an understatement. I spend days, sometimes weeks, thinking of ways to put the screws to my main character, Hedi Peacock.
Why?
Because the Mystwalker books chart the coming of age story of one Hedi Peacock, Half Were, half Fae, which means that I (the evil happiness destroyer) must lead my would-be-heroine from where she was in the first book, THE TROUBLE WITH FATE, to where she must be in the fourth and final book of the series.
Talk about mileage. Talk about rough terrain.
Leaping lizards. I never anticipated having to be so cruel. The Mystwalker series was going to be such lighter fare…
That is, until the evening I was the luckless recipient of a gift from my ever-loving muse. It was around 9:40 on a weeknight. Let me state quite firmly that (a) there was absolutely no wine involved and (b) I was neither daydreaming or on the cusp of sleep. As a matter of fact, I was on the couch, fully engaged in one of those true-murder programs. We were finally—finally!—getting to the bad guy reveal.
Then, all of the sudden, my vision clouded and I ‘saw’ something. Like a video clip, except not. I hate to sound all airy-fairy but for want of a better descriptor, it was a vision. Vivid. Real. Impossible to forget.
I remember thinking, “Oh, shit. ”
This was not in the plan. Hedi wasn’t supposed to ‘walk’ in different realms. How could I write that? It was too complicated and dark. Maybe I could forget what I saw? (Go away muse. Go bother some other urban fantasist).
But, unfortunately, I’d witnessed a world-changing event through a tear in a curtain and I couldn’t erase what I’d seen. (No matter how hard I tried). In the three second snippet, Hedi’s hair was down. She was walking barefoot along a mist-shrouded avenue of ancient trees. There was something odd about her gait. I kept replaying it until I finally understood.
Ah. I was seeing Hedi all grown up. The way she was meant to be.
Harder. Tougher. Wiser. And determined to be in control of her destiny.
How on earth would I be able to take my slacker girl to there? We’re talking some significant mileage. Everything she knew, everything she understood about herself and where she fit in life would have to be shook up. I’d have to take her on a ride that would toughen her hide and her heart.
Which brings us here, the second novel in the series—The THING ABOUT WERES. I took a chance here, crossing my fingers that my readers would follow me. Put bluntly, this book is the knee-capper. Every mistake, every seed not planted, will matter.
Because I believe heroes aren’t born; they’re made. And not all of us will pick up our bayonet and run willy-nilly through no man’s land, screaming a warrior’s cry—at least not at first prod. We might need to warm up to the idea. We might falter and make mistakes. Put bluntly, some of us need a damn good reason to scramble out of our foxhole.
Maybe a few of us need a hero’s quest tossed in our lap.
That being said, what’s some dark without some snark? There is comedy in this book and true love—sensual, demanding, provoking—that comes in the shape of a six-foot Were who is just too pretty for words. Also there is family—served two ways—in the form of a long lost brother and an entity trapped inside an amulet.
There is burgeoning hope. There is looming destiny. And ahead… yet another story still to come.
The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans Published: St. Martin's (July 30th, 2013) Reading Level: Young Adult Paperback: 464 pages Series: Mystwalker, #2 Summary: THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER
In the never-ending saga that is my love-hate relationship with Robson Trowbridge, I, half-Were Hedi Peacock, have had a change of heart. Ever since I shoved Trowbridge through the Gates of Merenwyn, I’ve been the leader of the pack—hard to believe, right? The thing is: I’m half-Fae. So even though my Were side is ready to heed the call of the wild, the other part of me is desperate to take flight. And much as it pains me to admit it, life without Trowbridge is really starting to were me down…
I AM WERE, HEAR ME ROAR.
To make matters worse, the wolves of Creemore want my blood—and the North American Council of Weres wants me dead. So I’m just counting the days until Trowbridge returns from the other realm… and comes to my brave rescue… and becomes my alpha mate. Wishful thinking? Of course it is. But given all the mess I’ve been through already, what’s the harm in doing a little bit of daisy-plucking? Besides, Trowbridge owes me bigtime. A girl can dream.
I'd like to welcome this week's guest reviewer — Catherine from Constance Reader's Guide. ************************* About a hundred and fifty years ago, when I was in high school, and dinosaurs roamed around amidst the Model T Fords, I was what you would call, in the parlance, a "theater geek." I spent half my day in my traditional high school setting, and then at noon I was bused over to the Governor's School for the Arts, where my classmates and I learned to dance, sing, "act," swordfight, smoke cigarettes, build flats, paint scenery, and gossip over the loudspeaker without being overheard.
(We all took ourselves so seriously, then. I remember sitting around and talking about the motivations behind the character of the dancehall prostitute in Sweet Charity: had she been abandoned by a father figure? Had she grown up poor, during the Depression--is that why she was so fixated on finding a Big Spender to provide her with financial security?)
I'm laughing about it, now, as I type, but back then it was a big deal. I lived, breathed, and ate theater. I murmured lines from Arthur Miller as I walked to the bus stop and wrote glowing reviews of myself as characters in various Broadway plays in my journal. I read Eugene Ionesco for fun. I snapped to my senses during senior year, sometime after getting a letter of acceptance to a conservatory up north, and realized that a life of dramatics isn't very secure, and renounced My Craft in favor of an English degree from a state school (heaps more secure, duh). But there is a part of me that will always be a theater kid, even if I haven't been in front of an audience in over ten years.
So when I came across this first edition copy of Sinclair Lewis'sBethel Merriday, and read the first line, "That was the first time anyone ever called her an actress--June 1, 1922, Bethel's sixth birthday," I knew I had to have this book, despite the hefty-ish price tag, because I was going to love it. And oh... I did. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Bethel's fledgling career as an actress, from her days of college Dramatics Societies, through her summer stock experience, to her year-long stint as an understudy with a traveling company performing Romeo and Juliet. Plenty of greasepaint and floodlights and lots of 1930s finger waves and gin fizzes to boot. That sounds pretty much like heaven, to me. This book was surprising, coming from Sinclair Lewis. My only other foray into his oevre so far has been Main Street, which I loved, but which I found rather cutting and sarcastic. Bethel, by contrast, is heartbreakingly earnest in tone, sort of like Anne of Green Gables, if Anne of Green Gables had been written by Edna Ferber. Lewis was active in the theater, when he attended Yale University in the nineteen-aughts, and this book isn't a satire or a drama or a sociological critique of modern government: it is a love story, pure and simple. It's a theater geek's love letter to the stage. Bethel is enchanting, but the true stars of this story are her fellow actors in the stage company. Somehow a rag-tag bunch becomes like a family, and it's darling to watch. And Lewis manages to convey in such an authentic way the struggles of an undiscovered actor: [Bethel] walked to the office of Equity, the actors' organization, and, with a milling of other girl crusaders, studied the bulletin board for notices of who was casting, who was organizing a road company. She was not a member and not supposed to intrude there, but as she couldn't join Equity until she had a contract, and as she probably never would get a contract till she was a member of Equity, such trespass as hers was tolerated. The paradox which ruled all young actresses was that you couldn't get a job if you hadn't the experience, and you certainly could not get experience till you had a job, and so you just weren't going toget a job. Pages later, unlucky Bethel is forced to turn to other lines of work to support herself while she searches: Bethel asked of the girl elevator runner, "How do you go about getting a job like yours?""You got to have experience before you can run an elevator," said the operator, as the floors slipped downward past them."How do you get experience running an elevator if you don't get a chance to run an elevator?" sighed Bethel.The young woman looked at her with dark suspicion. "I don't know. But that's the rule." Main Street was acerbically funny, but this is the type of quiet humor you get in Bethel Merriday. It's sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes frustrating, although I rather like that Lewis doesn't have Bethel vaunt to sudden fame. She's not anything special--just a girl who loves the theater, who makes a life for herself on the stage, like thousands of other girls who have some talent, and don't give up on their dreams. It's real, and refreshing and better than it would have been the other way. There's a love story aspect here, and it's perfectly charming, but by far the most wondrous thing about this book--even the kids who aren't theater geeks can appreciate it--are the glimpses of small town America that Lewis offers. He excels in small town America, and is just the best at pointing out its quirks and beauties: Station platforms and cues and shirred eggs with little farm sausages and No. 17 purple lining salve and the 7:47 A.M. and the rhumba on a revolving floor under lights changing from green to fog to crocus... down and across the mighty prairies of the Mississippi Valley: Iowa and South Dakota and Nebraska, where, through today's cornfields and cement roads, move the ghosts of the Mormon pioneers... St. Joseph, only it's really "St. Joe," with its bright hills above the Missouri River that are shrines to Jesse James... when she reached Nebraska, the Bethel who had been coddled in Connecticut as in cotton batting was certain she was practically in California, only a step more from Hawaii and China and Australia--yes, and perhaps really going there. She loved her tight New England as much as ever. But she had had a bath of greatness, and she came out of all this not a Yankee but an American. And an American who, born in 1916, might live to see the fabulous Great Land of the year 2000. (This might be my new favorite book.)
Bethel Merriday is out-of-print, but you can read it here, courtesy of Project Gutenberg. *********************What a fantastic review! I love how Catherine brought her own life into it! Thank you!Big thanks to Catherine for the great review! Please visit her at Constance Reader's Guide and read her original review. Thank you Catherine!
