Q&A with Marian Cheatham, author of RUINED

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marian will be awarding an eBook copy of Ruined to a randomly drawn commenter at each stop during the tour. A Grand Prize of a signed paperback copy of Ruined plus a new DVD of Much Ado About Nothing starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson will be awarded to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour (US ONLY). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Welcome to Books in the Hall! What’s your favorite sweet treat?
I LOVE Twinkies. I rarely eat them because they are so darn fattening, but I love them nonetheless. I was devastated when Hostess closed in 2012 and Twinkies were gone. I called my sister and we both cried. Really, yes we cried. We grew up with Twinkies and to think we would never see one or taste one or smell one again was almost too much to bear. But then like a rainbow after a storm, Twinkies magically reappeared. I was so excited. The first time I saw one on the shelf at Walmart, I snapped a photo and posted it on Facebook. The new box read: “The Sweetest Comeback in the History of Ever.” I think that says it all.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?
As a teen, I was painfully, pathetically shy. Though I did very well in school, I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself. Today, I’m totally out-going. Public speaking as a teen would have meant the death of me, but today, I lecture about my books and writing in general to all sorts of group. Public speaking is not a problem for this 2014 woman. If I could address my sixteen-year-old self, I would encourage her to be more confident, more trusting of her abilities. I would dare her to take chances and tell her that she will succeed. She just has to believe in herself.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

This is a fun question. Thank you! I’d love to be able to fly. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to view the world from above? To see things from a radically different perspective? To have the ability to go places my walking self could never go? I’d fly over an ocean searching for whales. I’d soar with an eagle, catch a current and glide with arms outstretched. I’d observe lions on the prowl and join a flock of Canadian geese heading south for the winter. Life as a flying superhero would be truly exciting!

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?
Though I think Hunger Games was better written, I’d like to experience the world of Twilight more than I’d like to live in Panem’s District 12. Both books are extremely imaginative with dynamic, unique characters. A gorgeous vampire that sparkles? A brave teen who volunteers to die in place of her younger sister? Wish I thought of those characters. I enjoyed both series, anxiously anticipating the arrival of each new book. This is a tough call, but I’d have to say I’d choose Twilight for the danger, and fun, and romance of the story. Hunger Games was just too radical for me. Kids killing kids. No thanks. I’ll take my chances with vampires.

What reality show would you love to be on? Why?
This was an easy question. Anyone in my family would have known the answer because I live for “Say Yes to the Dress” on TLC. I want to work in those salons surrounded by hundreds of gorgeous dresses. But more than that, I love the staff in both salons – New York and Atlanta. I can’t seem to get enough of the brides and their bickering families arguing over what dress looks best. It’s crazy fun, and I’m hooked on that show. Bring on the drama! I’m ready for a new season.

Which of your characters would you most like to meet IRL? Why?
Can I count two characters as one for this question? Because I’d like to count Blythe Messina and DB Whitmore as one couple. They have such chemistry, even their arguments are entertaining. Based on Shakespeare’s Beatrice and Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing, Blythe and DB banter back and forth throughout Ruined. Their dialogue was challenging, but fun to write. Both characters are strong-minded, confident, and optimistic. All virtues I admire and appreciate. I know we’d have a great time together. No matter what we did.

What four literary characters would you most like to have over for dinner?

This was fun to think about. I pictured my dining room table set with my best china. Our wine glasses are full and there’s lots of laughter and terribly interesting conversation that goes on all night. Who there? Well, my first thought was to invite Edward Cullen. I know, he’s a vampire and doesn’t eat, but he’s still intriguing and polite. And of course, we can’t forget adorable to look at across the table. To add some mystery and intellect, I’d invite Sherlock Holmes, who would fill us all in on his latest murder case. Fearless Katniss Everdeen could sit next to me in case I get frightened by Sherlock’s stories and need to hold someone’s hand. My last guest would be Harry Potter because he’s the best of all worlds – cute, intelligent, brave, and I’m sure he could use a good home-cooked meal.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?
I’d like to be stranded anywhere with Stratford High’s principal, Dr. Bard. He’s really Shakespeare in disguise and since I’m a huge Shakespeare fan (some might say freak), spending some alone time with the Bard would be a dream come true. My husband would be jealous, so I couldn’t be stranded too long or I’m afraid there’d be some trouble. Maybe just a day or two. Long enough to pick Dr. Bard’s brilliant brain. I wouldn’t want to be endlessly stranded like Gilligan and the Skipper.

Favorite pizza toppings.
I usually behave myself and get a veggie pizza with mushrooms, onions, and extra tomatoes. But if I could make the pizza of my dreams, it would have a thin, crispy crust, spicy sauce, and be smothered in pepperoni and green olives. Oh, great, now I’m getting hungry. I think I’ll check the freezer. Good-bye!

When your life has been ruined by lies, do you seek justice … or revenge?

Blythe Messina spends her senior year focused on her studies and college, and not on her ex, Stratford High's lacrosse star, DB Whitmore. At least, that's what Blythe keeps telling herself. But her younger cousin, Bonni, knows otherwise. Same goes for DB, who swears to be over Blythe and their breakup, but his teammates aren’t fooled.

When scandalous photos of Bonni and the team captain are texted around Stratford, Bonni's virtuous reputation is ruined. She professes her innocence, but no one believes her. No one, except Blythe and DB, who come together to uncover the truth. But, will they stay together?

Ruined is a modern twist on a classic Shakespearean romance.

"Deceit, loyalty, honor, and romance--Ruined has it all! A teen version of Much Ado About Nothing that Shakespeare aficionados are sure to savor!” ~ Kym Brunner, Author of Wanted: Dead or in Love & One Smart Cookie

All books in the Stratford High series will be modern retellings of a Shakespeare classic. Ruined is inspired by Much Ado About Nothing.

Enjoy an excerpt:

POV:BLYTHE MESSINA

I’d been bitchy and on edge ever since that blasted luau last Saturday. Seeing DB, talking to him, being near him again, had taken my life off course. For days now, I’d been ordering my brain to STOP THINKING ABOUT HIM. We were ancient history, two people doomed from the start, like Antony and Cleopatra or Marie Antoinette and King Louis. So why couldn’t I regain control of my world? I snatched up my backpack and my Coach crossbody bag, and did a quick once-over in my bedroom mirror. The hair was tied back in a no-fuss ponytail. The jeans were clean, well, relatively. This faded ASPCA tee was past its expiration date, but good enough for school. I turned off my bedroom light and went in search of Bonni.

She wasn’t in her room or downstairs in the kitchen. So I grabbed a frosted Pop-Up and headed into the garage, where I was blinded by piercing sunlight. Someone had left the outer door open, and my new hybrid was nowhere to be found. I shaded my eyes and peered outside.

Halfway down our long driveway, I spied Bonni and Uncle Leo with their backs to me, their heads together under the opened hood of my car. They were talking, but in this quiet morning air, their voices carried. Even from this distance, I could hear fragments of their conversation. And if I heard them, so could our neighbors. I was hurrying toward the hybrid, anxious to warn my cousin and uncle to keep it down, when I heard something that stopped me in mid-stride.

“… believe what Cory told me … DB and Blythe …”

Had Bonni just mentioned DB and me in the same sentence?

I ducked behind the six-foot-tall hedges lining the drive.

“What else did Cory say?” Uncle Leo asked.

About the Author:

Marian is a full-time writer of contemporary and historical young adult fiction. A native Chicagoan and a graduate of Northern Illinois University, Marian taught special education and worked in the business world before pursuing her dream of becoming a writer. She would rather be at her desk than almost anywhere else, but of course, that isn’t always possible. So when she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, walking the dog, travelling with her husband, and researching new projects. Not necessarily in that order.

She adores anything Shakespeare. An avid reader of Shakespeare biographies, she has travelled the world to see his plays, visiting Stratford, Canada as well as Stratford-Upon-the-Avon, Great Britain, and the new Globe Theater in London. Her latest YA novel, Ruined, Book One in her new Stratford High series – modern retellings of Shakespeare’s plays - is inspired by the Bard’s classic romance, Much Ado About Nothing. Book Two, inspired by the Merchant of Venice, is due out fall 2014.

Her debut YA, Eastland, came out in February 2014. Based on the real-life story of the 1915 Eastland boat disaster in Chicago, Marian lectures about the Eastland to schools, libraries, and book clubs, as well as co-hosting haunted Chicago tours of Eastland disaster sites. She writes a post on the subject on the Tribune’s Chicago Now blog site.

Visit her at:

www.chicagonow.com/everyday-eastland/
www.facebook.com/mariancheatham.author
www.goodreads.com/book/photo/22542534-ruined
@CheathamMarian

www.amazon.com/Ruined-Stratford-High-Marian-Cheatham/dp/1500335444 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Altera Realm: Discovery by Jennifer Collins - Book Review and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Jennifer will be awarding a Grand Prize of a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a Mobi or paperback (paperback US ONLY) copy of Altera Realm: Discovery to a randomly drawn winner at every stop during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Syney Andrews has secrets—she just doesn’t know she has them. She spent the last eighteen years in the human realm with her adoptive parents unaware of her real powers and role in Altera Realm.
,br> Altera Realm has been at war for well over a century and is connected to the Human Realm by a portal and no human knows it exists. It is home to the five old and great races—Magic Users, Lycins, Vampires, Daemons, and Shifters. Each race is an entity of their own with its own life purpose, rulers and guarded secrets.

Syney is the prophesized “chosen one”, the one destined to end the over hundred-year war and become queen of the Magic Users. Not that Syney wants to rule or even knows anything about Altera. Falling in love with her Lycin Protector, a crime punishable by death, only serves to make matters worse and Syney’s new life more complicated.

Review:

This reviewer loves books about portals to another world and was one reason I chose to review this book. Add into that a world populated by some of my favorite paranormal creatures and I was in heaven. And, thank goodness, this book didn't let me down.

Syney made me laugh at times...you can definitely tell this is a character who is part of the post-Buffy generation. A guy turning to wolf? She doesn't take long to accept the reality of the whole situation.

The author does a great job in sharing the history of the Altera Realm without going into an info-dump. It helps that as matters are being explained to Syney, they are also being explained to the reader.

Syney runs into a lot of problems once she is brought back to the Altera Realm...not everyone is happy with the potential change, which sets up the scene for a lot of controversy and intrigue. I could so see this as a movie.. or even a TV series (are you listening, Hollywood?)

4 stars for a book that will keep you wondering what is happening next (ps: not to give any spoilers away, but Ms. Collins--you will fix that situation with Hunter, right??)

Enjoy an excerpt:

Hunter looked back up at her and gave her a curt nod. “We need to go. The more time we spend in this Realm, the more dangerous it gets for us.”

Syney nodded and got up from the bed. She looked at Gabriel. “Thank you, for what you did.”

He stood. “It wasn’t free.”

Syney blinked at him, not understanding.

“I can kill him,” Hunter said quietly behind Syney, causing her to almost laugh from the absurdity of the comment.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“To go with you,” Gabriel said matter-of-factly.

“Why?”

Gabriel eyed her for a moment before cocking his head to the side. “Not all Vampires are fans of the Great War. We all are, however, very opportunistic.” He paused. “I want to be there, to see the new reign. And get in on the ground floor.”

Syney smiled. She liked this Vampire. He was honest, something she hadn’t gotten a lot of in the last couple of days. “Deal.”

Hunter spun to stand in front of Syney and glared at her. “No deal. Vampires aren’t to be trusted. They’re hired killers who care only for themselves. They aren’t allowed in the Village and for good reason. Their blood may have healing properties, but they also need blood to survive, and where do you think they get that from?”

Syney was taken aback by Hunter’s forcefulness. This was another side of him, one she only had seen when he was the wolf and fighting. “He saved my life.”

“Because he wanted something.”

“He saved my life,” she repeated.

“And now he’s charging you for it,” Hunter said.

Syney placed her hand on his chest. “Listen to me. He didn’t hesitate to save me. He even tried before she attacked me. He’s been nothing but honest with us. It was my life he saved, and I want to repay him. If this is what he wants, than then this is what I can do.”

Syney felt Hunter take a deep breath.

“And what if you’re leading a lion into a sheep’s den?”

Syney smiled. “When he starts eating the sheep, you can do what you like with him.” She looked around Hunter’s large frame to Gabriel. “You OK with that?”

Gabriel gave her a sly smile. “I will put up no fight to him.”

Syney looked back at Hunter. “You OK with that?”

After a moment Hunter nodded reluctantly.

About the Author:

Jennifer Collins holds a BA in English with concentration in Creative Writing from Montclair State University and completed a certification program at Kean University for teacher of English K-12 in New Jersey. She enjoys being a high school English teacher at the Plainfield Academy of Arts and Advanced Studies, a public performing arts middle school and high school in the urban inner-city school district of Plainfield, New Jersey.

For more information on the Altera Realm Series visit Jennifercollinsbooks.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Altera-Realm-Trilogy/133256366854276
https://twitter.com/AlteraRealm

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Revelation by Rayna Noire - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

 

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Bewitching Book Tours. Rayna will be awarding a $60 Amazon Gift Card - Tour Wide Giveaway!

Revelation
Pagan Eyes
Book Two
Rayna Noire
Genre: Paranormal YA

Nora’s impending college graduation is a triumph over the dark incident in her past that changed her life and stopped her best friend’s. Balancing school, work and her demented admirer at the diner is tough. All she has is six more months, but it similar to walking a tightrope blindfolded.

Life-like dreams pull her into the 19th century world of Clayton. A man who declares he’s her soul mate. Even though, she’s decided against romance, the young witch finds hers elf drawn to the Irish healer, even hearing his voice in her head.

This would make most people question their sanity. Nora needs to find out if Clayton is real and if she’s crossing over into another w orld in her sleep. If she is, will she end up stuck in the past? Can magick bring them to gether?

Enjoy an Excerpt:

Brandon, the night cook, came in around seven to hang out a nd eat before his shift. The bald- headed cook was a former Marine, sporting several patri otic tattoos. Nora imagined if someone made the mistake of sneaking in the back door when Brandon w as working, he’d leave quickly once he saw the muscle-bound man.

Business had slowed enough that after she fixed him food, she left the kitchen to talk to him.

Oddly, she felt at ease with the intimidating man. Ther e was no aura of evil around him.

“Thanks for the omelet.” Brandon delivered the praise af ter his first bite. “You have a nice light hand with the eggs. Know when to fold before it br owns too much.”

Her face flushed a little. People didn’t normally com pliment her cooking. They only griped when they thought it wasn’t fast enough. “Thanks. It’s just eggs, ya know.”

He shoveled in another mouthful, chewed then swallowed be fore speaking. “Yeah, but you’d be surprised how the average person can’t make a decent egg. Either they break the yolk or end up burning it.”

Nora found herself smiling at his simple praise. In anothe r man, she might have thought he was flirting with her, but this was Brandon. She felt s he’d known him forever, as opposed to just the last three years. “I think you’re just saying it to make me feel good.”

He grinned. The simple gesture made him look younger. How ol d was he? Maybe in his thirties, hard to know with his shaved head. He’s not for you.

Blinking, Nora looked around to see if anyone else had enter ed the diner. Nope, it was still just her, Brandon, and Bonnie. That meant the voice had be en in her head.

About the Author:

 

Rayna Noire is an author and a historian. The desire to uncover the truth behind the original fear of witches led her to the surprising discovery that people believed in magick in some form up to 150 year s ago. A world that believed the impossible could hap pen and often did must have been amazing. With this in mind, Ms. Noire taps into this dimension, shapes it into stories about Pagan families who really aren’t that different from most people. They do go on the occasional time travel adventures and magick happens.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorRaynaNoire
Twitter: www.twitter.com/raynanoire
Website: www.raynanoire.weebly.com
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rayna-Noire/e/B00J8XP14A/ref
Youtube Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWNT-FbyvvA
Smashwords (E-book): http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/422243
Amazon (Paperback): http://amzn.to/P2vwMm
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/1koL5YF

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Seventeen by Mark Diehl - Guest Blog and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Enter the Rafflecopter below to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card. You can see the other stops on the tour by clicking the tour banner.

How I handled the research for the book

The premise of “Seventeen” is that, because of the way we live now, with bigger organizations being better able to provide insurance and other benefits and controlling an increasing share of the world’s resources, eventually non-corporate characteristics like individuality and creativity will be eliminated from the human genome.

That is, I believe we are evolving into a corporate species.

As I became increasingly obsessed with the idea, I followed whatever questions arose. Some I could just figure out, like the fact that Japan is clearly the world’s most corporate society. Corporations are at the heart of everything there. I studied some Japanese history, just trying to get a feel for how the culture developed over time, what made it the way it is.

I looked for other cultures that had similar trajectories, similar patterns of development, and I found some similarities in ancient Rome. I realized that there were patterns that endured, things that all of the world’s most efficient societies shared. It became clear that common to all was a rigid and often brutal hierarchy.

That made a certain degree of sense to me. Every army in the world became an extreme, top-down hierarchy in short order, because those that didn’t were wiped out by their neighbors, who through enforcement of blind obedience had transformed into more efficient killing machines. Murder has always been part of life among the humans, but organized, massive campaigns of murder are the result of mind control and a chain of command. True evil began when one man learned he could control the mind of another.

I saw that if I wanted to show how that trend is now continuing (i.e. how corporations and other entities are building militaristic hierarchies), I would need to write a book set in the future. I did research into food production and genetic engineering, to see how people would eat, and I discovered that it’s likely that all food will soon be engineered. That led me to think about other things that could come from biotech, like medicines and even tangible items like furniture. I read about biochemistry and decided that bacteria were the most likely sources of the future world’s food and medicine, and possibly for most everything else, because they’re easy to reprogram and have little else to them beyond protein manufacturing. Splice a few genes, a strain of bacteria starts producing a new substance, and the corporations profit from every bite you take, not by supplying you with the meal, but by owning your right to consume it.

From there I took the story step by step, imagining what would happen in a certain circumstance and then researching parts that I saw would change over time, then revising the original idea to match what the facts had helped me realize.

Most of the world's seventeen billion people are unconscious, perpetually serving their employers as part of massive brain trusts. The ecosystem has collapsed, and corporations control all of the world's resources and governments. A bedraggled alcoholic known as the Prophet predicts nineteen year-old waitress Eadie will lead a revolution, but how can she prevail when hunted by a giant corporation and the Federal Angels it directs?

About the Author:

Mark D. Diehl writes novels about power dynamics and the way people and organizations influence each other. He believes that obedience and conformity are becoming humanity’s most important survival skills, and that we are thus evolving into a corporate species.

Diehl has: been homeless in Japan, practiced law with a major multinational firm in Chicago, studied in Singapore, fled South Korea as a fugitive, and been stranded in Hong Kong.

After spending most of his youth running around with hoods and thugs, he eventually earned his doctorate in law at the University of Iowa and did graduate work in creative writing at the University of Chicago. He currently lives and writes in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Author’s Website: http://www.markddiehl.com a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Purple Girl by Audrey Kane - Book Blast and Giveaway

Audrey Kane is visiting with us today as part of her Book Blast for her new book Purple Girl.

Audrey will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a $15 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn host.

Click the tour banner above for the tour dates.

CAUTION! Violet lives within the pages of this book. And her purple spreads to everything she touches…

Violet lives behind garden walls. Is she magical? Is she the devil’s child—or simply cursed? When the lonely thirteen-year-old embarks on a dangerous journey to find the one boy that dared to befriend her, she travels at night...in the dark...to keep people from seeing her purple skin. But no one is more surprised than Violet when she unlocks her mysterious gift.



 

Enjoy a small excerpt:

This is how the story was told to me.

When the midwife brought me into the world, she let out a scream. Hands trembling, she swaddled me in a white blanket, leaving only a small opening so I could breathe. She refused to let my mother see me until my father appeared and stood by her side. Purple mist seeped through the white blanket, staining the midwife’s fingers.

“God help us all. This baby is cursed!” the midwife cried, thrusting me into my father’s arms. She grabbed a rag and tried to scrub the stains off her hands.

As my father unwrapped me, the color drained from his face. My mother, weak from the delivery, reached toward him...or perhaps to me.

“What’s wrong?” After a moment, he held me up.

My mother wailed when she saw her purple baby.

My father turned away from her and laid me in the cradle, far from my mother, his fingers shaking as he bundled me in the plum-colored blanket. He remained silent, wiping his purple stained palms on his pants. The stains wouldn’t stay on him forever... only a few moments...but he didn’t know that then.

“Oh, Samuel,” my mother sobbed. “How did this happen?”

My father gazed into my eyes, and when he finally spoke, his voice broke.

“We’ll call her Violet.” He stroked a tuft of my lavender hair and sank to his knees.

About the Author:

As a writer, and also a designer of tapestries with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Georgia, it is only natural for Audrey to weave visual stories. When she is not designing tapestries, she is busy conjuring up characters that find themselves in extraordinary situations. Between carpools and design work, she is plotting, scheming, writing, and revising. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, their three children, and her unruly dog, Rascals. Audrey's favorite time to write is in the early morning while her family sleeps. With Rascals sprawled out snoring beside her, it only takes one oversized cup of coffee to get her mind moving.

Audrey is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. She loves traveling, museums, and blackberry-apple pie. Actually, she loves all kinds of pie. And she especially loves her family. They have put up with Violet and Waxy for a long time. You can visit her at: www.audreykane.com.

Website: www.audreykane.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/audreykaneauthor
Buy link: amzn.com/0991028317

Launching Sisters to Witchcamp by LRS - Bewitching Book Tours

LRS is visiting with us today as part of her virtual book tour for her new book Launching Sisters to WitchCamp.

The author will be awarding two $10 gift cards to MuseItUp Publishing Bookstore and five ebook copies of Launching Sisters to WitchCamp by LRS. Enter below using the rafflecoter at the end of this post.

Why do you write juvenile fiction? What draws you to it?

“You never forget your first love.” The books I read in my childhood are what kindled my reading passion, and my loyalties remains with this genre.

I love reading and writing about children and young adults for the way they live in the moment and invest their all into the story’s conflict. Adults have lost that type of focus; there’s too much other stuff going on in their lives. Neither can adults compete with the authenticity of youths, whose emotions are so raw, and who view the world through glasses clear of the shades of film that accumulate over adults’ throughout the years.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside?

Stand back as J.J. opens his locker; a basketball tumbles out, sending open packages of stale chips, stiff licorice, and a can of coke flying. The coke splatters the NBA posters plastered on the locker door. You grab what looks like a beaten rag from the locker to clean up the mess, but J.J. yells at you for ruining his basketball jersey.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

When I was in middle grade school, my friends and I were into The Baby-sitter’s Club. Claudia inspired me to become the junk food aficionada I still am today. My addiction to candies prevents me from choosing just one. I have designated treats to different activities. For example, I refuse to do carpool without a stash of Jolly Ranchers in my purse. But in case of an apocalypse, I’d pick Jelly Belly’s for the wide variety of authentic flavors.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Why?

It’s a cliché, but I truly did want to become an author, and create more of the magic that enchanted me so. However, in high school, I was a confidant to many a tormented teen, and that’s how I became infatuated with psychology. As it turned out, I did indeed study the field in college and graduate school.

What book is on your nightstand currently?

My books aren’t left lying around. If I haven’t read a book in one sitting, it probably isn’t worth mentioning. I just read Golden Urchin by Madeleine Brent from 2 to 5 a.m. These days my TBR list is almost all YA or MG, so this was a deviation from my usual genre. Though the MC is a teen, I wouldn’t categorize it as YA. Don’t regret I read it though.

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

I was late in the game, as I waited for all three books to be out before I took up Suzanne Collin’s riveting trilogy.

And then I read them all in one night.

The premise gripped me; it was like I was foreseeing the (formidable) future through a crystal globe. And her storytelling drew me in and didn’t let go; I don’t believe there was an unnecessary word there.

Favorite hot beverage. Why?

There was a coffee shop in SoCal that had the best hot chocolate, and when we moved to Canada, I went on a quest to find their match.

My efforts were futile.

Last years, for my b-day, my husband surprised me with a huge tub of the hot chocolate mix that coffee shop uses! He managed to procure it from the store’s supplier and imported it. It ranks as one of the top birthday gifts ever in my book. Now, snow or shine, my day can’t end without a hot chocolate. It’s warm, relaxing, sweet, and never fails to hit the spot.

What four literary characters would you most like to have over for dinner?

First of all, I host a lot, and my experience is that I’m running back and forth from the kitchen, and miss out on all the juicy conversation. So the first character I’d invite is Mrs. Weasley; her magic wand will help me whip up a spread.

Okay, now that I can dine like a queen, I’ll take advantage of living in Canada, and extend invitations to my childhood favorites who live on Prince Edward Island — Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe.

I’d also enjoy having the subtly gusty Ella from Ella Enchanted, but I might forego the pleasure in favor Mr. Willy Wonka. (I trust him to bring along some great dessert).

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

Definitely J.J. I’d be rolling my eyes and have to swallow his attitude, but he’s proven how brave and resourceful he is.

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

Years ago I fell in love with ASIMO, Honda’s household robot.

My best friend (from high school) deserves a home.

If anything is left over, I’d treat myself to a self-parking car (you don’t want to run into my car in the lot), and lifetime passes for my family to Disney’s parks all over the world.

Genre: Middle grade fantasy
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing

Number of pages: 118
Word Count: 31474
Cover Artist: Charlotte Volnek

MuseItUp Publishing

Book Description:

Sixth-grader J.J. learns there are no easy breaks in life.

When J.J. discovers the opportunity to send his maddening sisters off to WitchCamp, he has fantasies of a delightful summer. However, J.J. and his friend are soon off on a ride they didn't anticipate -- one that lands them in a chilling mess of witch hunts and creature feasts.

With his creative ideas, J.J. utilizes their risky escapades to escape. But making deals with superhuman creatures just lands them in hotter water.

Now it’s up to J.J. to save them all from certain death by being more imaginative and daring than ever before.

The video trailer http://youtu.be/rKedRSdpmrQ

An excerpt:

“Crack open your piggy bank and we’re out of here.” I propel DaveyBoy to Main Street, and hit the costume store. Diving in to a pile of wigs, I pull out two that will do the job. My wig is shiny black and the hair hangs down to my elbows. DaveyBoy’s is a brown mop of frizz, which extends halfway down his back.

The manicurist looks like she’s ready to call the crazy house when we saunter in to her salon and ask for fake long nails. Money does the trick, though, and soon enough we exit with long nails polished in black.

DaveyBoy clears his throat. “Um, J.J., what exactly are we doing? Are we going to a costume party?”

“Don’t you get it, dude? Our long hair and nails are tickets to the WitchCamp!”

He walks straight into an electric pole.

“Ouch.” I wince.

He rubs his temple and looks at me with puppy dog eyes. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. But, cheer up, buddy. Think of it as an amazing adventure we can add to our list of summer escapades.”

About the Author:  LRS has a master’s degree in psychology. For more than ten years she pretended to be working while she was on the floor enjoying playtime with kids.

She has lived on the eastern and western coasts of the U.S.A, as well as abroad, and currently resides in Canada with her family. Wherever she is, she can’t pass by a toy store without going inside.

When she's not writing, she can usually be found in her kitchen, where she’s either baking (and sampling) cookies or stirring a pot. (Unfortunately, she has yet to find a magical spoon.)

http://www.launchingsisters.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Launching-Sisters-to-Witchcamp/206550682866388
https://twitter.com/LaunchingSister

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REVIEW: Big Honey Dog Mystery: The Curse of the Scarab by H.Y. Hanna

This review is in conjunction with a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $20 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of Curse of the Scarab to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. (US ONLY) Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Honey the Great Dane enjoyed a pretty peaceful life: walking her human, checking Peemail at the park… until the arrival of a puppy named Bean turns her life upside down. But when Bean goes missing – together with other neighbourhood pups – Honey sets out on a dangerous quest to find them. Joined by her canine friends, Honey tackles mysterious paw prints and sinister hieroglyphics as clues lead them to a deserted cemetery. But an ancient Egyptian curse has awakened and time is running out. Can Honey solve a cryptic riddle in time to save the puppies? And should she trust Max, a Pit Bull with a murky past, who is hiding secrets of his own?

Middle-grade readers and young teens will love this thrilling tale filled with suspense and humour - and adult dog lovers are sure to enjoy it to. An exciting new mystery series full of action and adventure, for dog lovers of all ages!

My review:

It's a dog's life...and you see it from the dog's eye. Welcome to a series told completely from the dog's point of view--from Honey the Great Dane's point of view. She has life pretty good until her human goes away and leaves her with a dog sitter--who has her own puppy, Bean. Life is swiftly turned a lot more exciting--and there's a mystery to solve.

I really enjoyed this short book...for an adult, it's a short read. But, it's good for all ages--and not only is there a mystery, there are some lessons to be learned as well, but the author does a great job of slipping them in seamlessly.

The book reminded me a bit of Lady and the Tramp (without the spaghetti dinner) and, since the author uses recognizable breeds it was easy to picture the action in my brain. Good job, Ms. Hanna. I'm looking forward to future books in the series. My rating? 5 stars.

And, there's exciting news about the series. Not only is Book 1 available, but Ms. Hanna released a Christmas novella featuring the same cast and it's FREE right now, so you can try out the series to see if you like it.:

Big Honey Dog Mysteries: Message in a Bauble
Christmas intrigue. Daring rescue. Serious slobber.

When Honey the Great Dane finds a hidden note inside a strange Christmas bauble, the festive season takes a sinister turn. Was the note from a trapped child? Join Honey and her canine friends as they set off on a Search & Rescue–from snowy playgrounds to eerie libraries–while they race to solve the mystery of the message in the bauble. Kids and adults alike will love this action-packed Christmas mystery filled with suspense and humour – not to mention candy canes, gingerbread cookies and lots of mince pies!

This short novella is part of the Big Honey Dog Mysteries – a fun, action-packed, mystery adventure series for kids and dogs lovers of all ages. So if you’re looking for a little mystery and adventure this holiday season and some fun & laughs with a cast of adorable canines (and maybe even a feline or two! ;-) ) – then don’t miss this heart-warming Christmas “tail”.

You can grab your copy at Amazon, Amazon UK, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo.

About the Author:

H.Y. Hanna is Taiwanese by birth, British by education, pseudo-American by accent and currently Australian by residence! After graduating from Oxford University, she tried a variety of jobs, from advertising in London to English Language teaching in Sydney, before returning to her first love: writing. Always fascinated by dogs, she specialised as a pet writer for magazines in the UK, Australia and NZ, and has been heavily involved in training, behaviour, dog sports and photography. When she's not working on her next novel, she's usually found watching repeats of her favourite TV show, Fringe or wiping Dane slobber off the walls.

You can find out more about her (and the 'real-life Honey' who inspired the series) at: www.bighoneydogmysteries.com, where you'll also find book discussion questions and other parent/teacher resources, plus fun activity sheets and interactive puzzles.

If you'd like to be notified when the next book is released and get sneak previews, please visit www.bighoneydogmysteries.com to sign up for the Big Honey Dog Mysteries newsletter. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

FACEBOOK PAGE
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP (or go to website)

Buy the book at Amazon, Amazon UK, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, or Sony.

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The School of Ministry by Braxton A Cosby - Virtual Tour, Tour Wide Giveaway

Today we're visiting with author Braxton A. Cosby on his tour with Bewitching Book Tours for The School of Ministry.  He'll be giving away a $20 Amazon gift card via the raffle copter at the end of this post.

Why YA (or Middle Grade) fiction? What draws you to it?

I love YA for the simple fact that I have never lost the joy of being young and the power of youth. I love to dream of places never seen before, characters that are interesting, and action that screams frenetic. And that’s just from a television or movie perspective. I grew up watching cartoons like He-Man, Johnny Quest, GI Joe and transformers. As much as those shows carried a cool factor with them, I really fell in love with the characters and the relationships they built amongst one another. That gave them life and that life, made me connect with them. With YA, more than other genres of writing, connection between the reader and the characters (especially the main ones) is critical and that has to be built early on or you will lose the reader. The richness of the storytelling compels you to dive into the worlds. There’s a sweet elegance to Young Adult storytelling that you have to be aware of wherein the reader is constantly wanting to see something new and fresh. Whenever I write, I’m conscious of this and if my stories ever begin to sound cliché, I immediately switch gears.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

I love chocolate, mainly dark chocolate for health reasons, but I find it almost impossible to pass up on a good brownie, covered in ice cream and hot fudge.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?

Self, get it together. Stop wondering or worrying what other people think about you and focus on you being the best you that you can be. Imagine, dream, visualize and establish your dreams. You are unique, and that makes you powerful because what you have to offer the world cannot be duplicated in any form or fashion.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

If I could turn invisible I would not be a very good boy I’m afraid. Not that I’d steal or break the law. But because I’d probably disappear from my family so that I could get some me time. Then there’d be the occasional sneaking into the movies to screen it before I lay down my hard earned money. After the first thirty minutes, I’d know for sure if it’s a worthy investment. I have to do something a little devious with my powers, why not?

What book is on your nightstand currently?

My Lenovo touchscreen tablet/laptop. I usually fall asleep listening to some YA audiobook or jotting down and idea for a story that comes to me in my sleep.

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

That’s easy, Hunger Games. Not that I discount Twilight by any means, I love what Stephanie Myer did with it from a creative standpoint. The characters, the storyline, the vision, all very cool. But there’s something about Suzanne Collins’ writing that is ridiculously amazing. She teleports you into her world within seconds of reading. Her words become a part of you and you are Katnis. She can take a seemingly simple scene and stretch it out to 3-5 pages of glorious substance that makes you sad that it comes to an end .Her dialogues are brilliant and you understand each character inside and out. TO do such a thing from a first person perspective from a writer’s standpoint is incredible.

Favorite TV show from your childhood?

The Cosby show….I know, shameless Uncle plug, but really. Who didn’t love The Cosby Show. In a day and age where reality television sells more on sex and filth, it was nice to recall how Bill had a knack for making you fall in love with simple family issues that we all live with on a day to day basis. Comedy is the best medicine for most woes. Yet, nowadays, we turn other things to medicate. Simple television, like reading, leaves an opportunity for you to use your own mind.

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less.

A desperate struggle for identity, built on perseverance, love and faith. Action packed, character driven storytelling.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

I’m bringing Francis with me. He slowly became one of my favorite characters, although admittedly, Ziv is probably my alto ego. Francis is cool, slick, and tough as nails while dripping with endless ‘swag’. Plus, I have a feeling that he’d easily figure out how to live on a deserted island and still manage a decent hair style. LOL.

Create an ice cream flavor. What’s it called?

Tootsie roll, Irish cream. I want to love Tootsie rolls, but it’s something about the after taste that kills it for me. If I were to add one of my favorite flavors, like cream soda and Irish cream, I think that would kill the after taste and completely make it amazing. I’d also have to add some pecans to it, being from Georgia!

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

Marketing my books, retirement and babysitting. You can never have enough of either when you are trying to create an empire of good stories.

Who was your teenaged crush? Why?

And still is, Jessica Alba. I love her on Dark Angel. *sigh*

The School of Ministry
The Windgate
Book 1
Braxton A Cosby

Genre: YA Paranormal
Publisher: Keith Publications
Number of pages: 367

Book Description:

TO CHOOSE, IS FATE!

A young man named Ziv struggles to find his place in life after both of his parents are murdered. Orphaned and alone by the age of six, he bounces in and out of foster homes hopeless and afraid, wondering if he will ever find a path to happiness. He resolves to accept a life of depravity, until one day he discovers he possesses the gift of sight: to see creatures from the afterlife, but not angels...demons!

Ziv is recruited by The School of Ministry, a secret society that promises to help him find his best friend Stephanie, who has gone missing. But there is one catch: he must agree to join them in their quest to eradicate evil and protect the weak. Ziv learns that he is a "Conduit," which allows him to cross over into the spirit world and transcend time itself.

When he is partnered with two other young men who have similar gifts, the unlikely trio is trained in the mastery of weapons and the art of Shouting, during treacherous challenges of the tortuous Quad in preparation for their mission: to secure the Windgate. Ziv becomes entrenched in a quest of identity, love, and will, until he comes face to face with pure evil itself--Akabod, the spiritual prodigal son to the School of Ministry and a master of talents.

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/jIuB6zXCnY4

Now, enjoy an excerpt:

It's Miss Evans!

I approach the tank and investigate it, looking for signs of movement from Miss Evans. She floats lifelessly in the water. Her hair flows, carried by the waves and her face appears angelic. I notice the softness of her eyelids and the elegant curve of her mouth as she floats. But the beautiful view is interrupted by a dramatic jolt of her body as her eyes open and a cluster of bubbles escape her mouth and nose. She stares at me and thrashes, eyes bloodshot as she slaps at the glass. I gaze back at her powerless, examining the tank for locks or levers; some way to release her from the watery prison.

I'm helpless as she continues to struggle for air. Then, an image flickers from the corner of my eye as a side door opens and Maxwell walks out, holding a staff of his own.

"Maxwell," I plead. "It's Miss Evans. Please help her!"

He shakes his head and lifts his staff in his hands, twirling it in a circle as he begins to slowly walk sideways, circling me like a predator, encasing me in a hedge of danger.

"Hold your ground. Make a choice: fight or flight," Maxwell bellows.

Miss Evans' banging on the glass behind me blends with the pounding of my heart. I lift my staff and spread my feet, turning my attention to Maxwell. As much as I'm afraid for my own safety, I find it impossible not to focus on Miss Evans. Her muffled scream comes from the tank and I look away from Maxwell to check on her. Her hands clutch her neck. Her face is bright red with a tinge of blue around her lips.

"No," I scream, stepping back away from the tank.

Raising my staff above my head, I crank back and rip it down, slamming it into the side of the tank, as I yell. The water explodes from the crack in the tank and glass shards crash to the floor below. I swing once more and this time the entire tank shatters, launching Miss Evans into the air toward me. I catch her in my arms and the force of the water propels us backward onto the floor. She coughs, gasping for air. I hold her in my arms and caress her head. Her sobbing brittles me and I'm relieved to see her skin color returning to its natural tanned shade.

We're here, an odd place, an unfamiliar place. But as I hold her delicately in my arms, it makes me feel like I'm heading back home. Not the place where I live now, but the place where I used to live, when mom and dad were still alive. The way she rests in my arms beckons me to a time when I used to hold my kitten, Priceless. She'd climb into my lap during the thunder storms. I was her comforter. Priceless would purr when I did it. And now, so many years later, I find myself feeling the same way as I hold Miss Evans. Her soft body pressing into my skin—warming me—calls me to hug her even closer with each passing second. The times when I needed someone to hold me reflect in my mind like a mirror as I stare at her. Her chest rises as her heart beat quickens, mixing evenly with her breaths. As warmth returns to her body, a subtle tremor comes over her; like a purr.

I can't resist. I have to do it. I must do it. I hug deeply, ignoring the senseless urge to pull away.

"Bravo!" praises Maxwell, exiting the room as the lights come back on.

Miss Evans resting in my arms and I comfort her, caressing her hair. She finally looks up at me and mouths, "Thank you."

About the Author:

A graduate of the University of Miami, Cosby earned his bachelors, masters and doctorate in physical therapy. He also is certified by the American Physical Therapists and is a Certified Sports Nutritionist.

And now he’s getting you in shape. “I feel that God has given me a calling to help people,” said Cosby. It was through his own injury that taught Cosby about “getting people back to their prior level of function.” He said he want to motivate “people to stay on the course” so they can meet their own individual goals.

Cosby is a personal trainer, nutritionist and physical therapist and is using his talents and knowledge to help bring attention to the health issues and disparities such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

He was the featured keynote speaker at the 2012 Atlanta CARES STEMFest for Children and Young Adults event. He also was a presenter for Mercer College School of Medicine and the Louisiana Medical Society’s Focus on Exercise and Fitness. He has partnered with Emory University as a clinical instructor and worked with a major rehabilitation company in geriatrics.

The host of a weekly radio show – Ask the Fat Doctors, Cosby also is an award-winning author and has been seen on CBS, Fox and Atlanta Live. He’s teamed up with retired offensive lineman and NFL analyst Jamie Dukes to create a workout video for men called Chachersize (C_4).

Ask the Fat Doctors is where Cosby, Dukes and radio personality Tee Foxx where they cover a variety of topics from current events to obesity to disease prevention. Cosby also shares tips on how to lose pounds.

Cosby’s goal is to share information on how to create healthy habits and how they can counteract serious health ailments. His articles can be found in “OMTimes Magazine” and “Skinny Limits”. Cosby also posted regular workout tips on his YouTube page.

As the nephew of actor and comedian Bill Cosby, Dr. Braxton A. Cosby has charted his own path, but embodies his uncle’s creativity and vision for a healthier America. “Of course” he was an influence, the younger Cosby said. “He taught me how to develop a passion for what you do.”

And Dr. Braxton A. Cosby has a passion for fitness.

Find me online at:

@Cosbykid_fatdoc

www.facebook.com/DrBraxtonCosby

www.cosbyscorner.com

www.braxtoncosby.com

www.theschoolofminsitry.com

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The Strings of the Violin by Alisse Lee Goldenberg - Tour Wide Giveaway

Alisse Lee Goldenberg is being hosted by Bewitching Book Tours today. She's giving away 4 beaded bookmarks made by Custom Creations by Clarabelle Bewitching Book Swag (open to international shipping).


Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside?

If you were to open Carrie’s locker at school, you would find her school books, a purple lunchbox with a homemade lunch, several pictures of her and her friends Lindsay and Rebecca stuck to the inside of the door with stickers. She would have several fantasy novels piled haphazardly amongst her binders and several sweaters that she keeps meaning to take home, but forgets each day.

What books were your favorite as a youth and why?

My favourite books were The Faerie Chronicles by O.R. Melling, It by Stephen King, Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo. I had (and still do) a very eclectic taste in what I read. I was always bouncing around from fantasy to horror to sci fi and back again, with some of the literary classics thrown in for good measure.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

I have an obsession with kettle corn. I can eat it by the pound! There’s just something about the salty/ sweet flavor that I can’t get enough of.

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less.

Three average girls are ask to save a magical world from the dybbuk king.

What four literary characters would you most like to have over for dinner?

I would love to have the gentleman burglar Arsene Lupin from Maurice Leblanc’s books (they’re hard to find, but if you can I suggest you read them.), Mary Russell from Laurie R King’s Sherlock Holmes series, Finvarra the king of Faerie from The Hunter’s Moon, and Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire over for dinner. The conversation would be anything but dull at that party!

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why?

I’m torn. I would want Emilia on the island with me due to the fact that she is knowledgeable about survival and edible plant life, yet for entertainment, I think I would like Lindsay for conversation and her musical knowledge. I think I would have to go with Lindsay and trust we don’t eat anything too poisonous. At least we wouldn’t get bored. Maybe I’ll make the stipulation that she’d have her suitcase with her. At least we’d have some supplies…

Playlist for your current book.

I had the album Sea of No Cares by Great Big Sea on repeat as well as the original cast recording of Into the Woods starring Bernadette Peters as the witch. I also listened to a lot of Barenaked Ladies particularly the album Gordon.

The Strings of the Violin
Hadariah Chronicles
Book One by Alisse Lee Goldenberg
Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Prizm Books
Date of Publication: June 26, 2013
Number of pages: 212
Word Count: 55,000

Seventeen-year-old Carrie is lying in her backyard ignoring all the looming responsibilities in her life, when a fox makes a mad dash across the grass in front of her. After she manages to keep her dog from attacking the frightened animal, the fox turns to Carrie and seems to bow in gratitude before he disappears into the bushes. All Carrie knows in that moment is that something has unexpectedly changed in her life.

Carrie has been best friends with Lindsay Smith and Rebecca Campbell for years. During a summer when they should focus on choosing colleges, the girls suddenly find themselves swept away on the adventure of their lives.

The fox reappears three days later and reveals to Carrie that he is Adom, emissary to the king of Hadariah. With his land of music and magic in peril, Adom has been sent to seek help from Carrie and her friends. In the blink of an eye, the three teenage girls go from living an average suburban life to being the champions of a world where they must contend with giants, witches, and magical beings. Will they ever make it home once more?

Now, enjoy an excerpt:

Carrie Eisen lay in the grass, knees bent, a sweatshirt pillowed under her head. The sun felt warm on her body as she drifted off to sleep. She had gone outside intending to read the new fantasy novel she had bought. She had read a few chapters and put it aside, just soaking up the sun. In the backyard, her cocker spaniel, Finnigan, was hunting flies. So far, he had caught none. But he refused to give up, leaping about in the grass and futilely pouncing on the buzzing insects.

There was one month left in summer vacation, and come September, Carrie would start the twelfth grade. This was something she did not want to think about until it was absolutely necessary. To her, her final year of high school meant she would ultimately have to make decisions about her future, decide a path, and begin to grow up -- something she dreaded with all her heart and soul. She wished she could just run away and have an adventure like the characters in the books she loved.

Already her parents were on her case, encouraging her to research universities and pick out programs she liked. She was finding the entire thing overwhelming. At the age of seventeen, how was she supposed to decide these things? It was hard enough some days to figure out what she wanted to eat for breakfast. But they were pressuring her to start now. She would have to do her applications this year. Her mind swam with choices and questions. What if she was rejected from the programs she wanted? What if a school looked good on paper but was horrible when she actually got there? She knew she could always change her mind, but it might mean a wasted year. And what were her friends doing? She knew they were as confused as she was, and Carrie was thankful she was not alone. She dreaded going to a large university and knowing no one. She had this vision in her head of being a lost first-year student dwarfed by a cold and massive campus. She did not want this but feared it was inevitable.

Carrie was a tiny girl in all respects, except her eyes. She had huge green-blue eyes that seemed to take up a full third of her heart-shaped face. They peered out from behind a sandy fringe of bangs, always drinking in every aspect of her surroundings. She wore her hair in a shaggy pixie cut that she never let get any longer than chin length, but it was constantly out of control.

She had been lying in her backyard for over an hour. The idea of just being lazy and ignoring all responsibility had appealed to her, and she had indulged this whim with a vengeance. Barefoot, in a pair of raggedy cutoff jean shorts and an old T-shirt, Carrie had run outside and flung herself out onto the grass, prepared not to move until she absolutely had to. Finnigan had followed, leaping at her ankles, begging to play, but Carrie had turned away, resolving not to use a single ounce of energy on anything other than soaking up the sun on that hot summer’s day.

Now, after some time had passed, Carrie lay contented, her mind deliciously blank. She heard, as if through a fog, the barking of her dog and the buzzing of the flies. She could hear the happy panting as Finnigan occasionally walked up to her and left a present of an unfortunate insect. Silently, a new sensation crept over her body. Her blue eyes flew open, and she glanced around. Despite the sun’s warmth, Carrie felt goose bumps prickling up and down her skin. She felt a distinct feeling that someone, somewhere, was watching her. She sat up and quickly spotted Finnigan. She opened her mouth to call to her dog but could not find the voice to do it. The words caught in her throat. Finnigan was standing and staring at a small bush that grew in a corner of the yard. He was growling, a low rumble that Carrie could feel vibrating in the air around her. The guttural sound caused the hairs to stand up along the nape of her neck.

“Finn?” Carrie managed to get out. She could not believe how hoarse her voice sounded. Her pet’s behavior was giving her the creeps. “Finn, what is it?”

Upon hearing his name, Finnigan turned to Carrie and cocked his head to the side, as if asking if she saw what he did in the bush. When he got no answer, he turned back and continued to stare fixedly.

Carrie squinted at the leaves, wondering what it was that had so enthralled him and so spooked her. She peered intently and let out a small gasp when she spotted two coal-black eyes staring right back at her.

Carrie scrambled to her feet, never taking her eyes off the bush. A black, button nose appeared below the eyes. A long red snout. Two large ears, a face, a small body. Carrie made a grab for Finnigan as the fox sauntered out from within the branches.

“Oh no,” Carrie breathed. She knew not to make any sudden movements around a wild animal. Unfortunately, Finnigan did not seem aware of this bit of advice, and he lunged at the fox. He snarled, gnashing his teeth at this creature who dared to invade his yard.

Carrie let out a cry of alarm as her dog escaped her. “Finnigan!” she yelled and propelled herself forward as dog and fox made a mad dash across the lawn. Carrie ran, her bare feet skidding across the ground, arms reaching, desperate to get a hold of her pet. Finnigan leapt ahead, just out of reach.

The fox ran at the head of the chaseeither bolder than Carrie had first thought or spurred on by fear. Finnigan was merely a few steps behind him. Carrie made a leap for the spaniel and just missed him, falling face-first on the grass, staining her shirt and chin green. She quickly picked herself back up and tried to cut the animals off from a different angle, but again she was unsuccessful. Her mind filled with frightening ideas about what would happen if the fox turned on her dog. What if it was rabid? What if it bit Finnigan? A whole list of horrible scenarios filled her mind. She was panicking, not just for her dog but for the fox as well. She did not know what would happen if Finnigan got a hold of the animal. There was always a chance that he was not chasing it to play, but to hunt and hurt.

Carrie tried again to make a grab for Finnigan. This time she managed to get a hold of him, eliciting a yelp of surprise. He tried to bolt out of her arms, upset at the indignity of being kept from his prey. She held on for dear life as he squirmed and struggled to get back to the chase. She held tighter, and he finally gave up, panting against her chest.

Carrie stood and surveyed the yard, trying to see where the fox had gone. She finally spotted him sitting calmly by the same bush from which he had first emerged. He peered back at her with intelligent, thoughtful, almost curious black eyes, his red fur stark against the green of the bush. Carrie could not understand how he could have hidden so successfully inside it. The fox looked directly at her, bowed his head low in what seemed a gesture of gratitude, and disappeared the same way he had come.

Carrie sat down on the grass and stared long and hard at the bush. Had that fox somehow thanked her? What had just happened? All she knew was that something had changed. The air around her was uncommonly still. She stood up on legs that seemed to be made of jelly, hugged Finnigan to her, and was rewarded with a lick. Then she turned and entered the house, her day of laziness forgotten.

About the Author:

Alisse Lee Goldenberg is an author of Horror and Young Adult fantasy fiction. She has her Bachelors of Education and a Fine Arts degree, and has studied fantasy and folk lore since she was a child. Alisse lives in Toronto with her husband Brian, their triplets Joseph, Phillip, and Hailey, and their rambunctious Goldendoodle Sebastian.

Find me online at:

www.alisseleegoldenberg.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alisse-Lee-Goldenberg/254397934598975

@AliLGoldenberg

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