Doing the Break "Thing"

Life is crazy busy right now. A good kind of busy, so I am taking a deep breath and announcing a  blogging break.

I love love love blogging. Love. it.

I also love love love writing and reading and working on what I hope becomes a career of promoting my own books, doing school visits and inspiring kids to read and write. To that end, I'll be tucking away the blogging for the month of May, so I can focus on a couple of writing projects and so I can get caught up on my TBR pile. Now, there are two events I am committed to taking part in so I'll be popping back in for those, so will see you all for those.

Until June my friends!

YA Roundtable-The Right and the Real by Joelle Anthony

Another sneak peak! And this is a book I've been waiting for since I read RESTORING HARMONY by Joelle Anthony. It is one I have recommended to teens and adults alike and both have loved. I recommend you check it out, as well! Now. On to the reason for this post. The trailer for THE RIGHT AND THE REAL is up and running. And man oh man the guitar in this is amazing. First, though, here is the blurb from IndieBound.Org :


Jamie should have known something was off about the church of the Right & the Real from the start, especially when the Teacher claimed he wasn't just an ordinary spiritual leader but Jesus Christ himself. But she was too taken by Josh, the eldest son of one of the church's disciples, and his all-American good looks. Josh was the most popular boy at school, too, and the first boy outside the drama geeks to give Jamie a second look. But getting her dad involved in a cult was not part of the plan when she started dating Josh. Neither was her dad's marriage to the fanatic Mira or getting kicked out or seeing Josh in secret because the church has deemed her persona non grata.

Jamie's life has completely fallen apart. Finding her way back won't be easy, but when her dad gets himself in serious trouble, will Jamie be ready to rescue him, and maybe even forgive him?







Yay for this being out on April 26. The wait is almost over!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday-Nikolas and Company: The Merman and the Moon Forgotten by Kevin McGill

Fasten your seat belts for a fast and fascinating ride through time and into space. Well imagined future and past, earth and moon create a memorable setting that kept me reading. Naturally, the cast of characters kept the pages turning, as well. I especially enjoyed the humour. The author mentioned in an interview that he loved the banter and characters in the "Firefly" series and he does a good job of making his characters and banter just as appealing. And to entice you even more, check out the following.

From Goodreads: 

Nick lives in a time when one can extend their life indefinitely through cerebral downloads, zip from country to country in hovercars, and have every whim taken care of by the ever faithful nannydrones.

Nick hates it. 

Aside from the refugee camps, overpopulation, and unchecked consumerism filling every city across the globe, Nick just doesn’t belong. That is when he hears the voice of a woman: 

“The Rones lie about their true intent. They enter the city of Huron at the peril of us all.” 

Shortly after, his slightly crazed grandfather reveals to him:

“All you’ve ever heard about the Moon is a lie, my dear Nikolas. He was not always a mere satellite, a ghost wandering the stars. In an age before our own, Moon was our twin, and in him bore the whole of magical life. The cradle of this magical civilization was a fantastic metropolis filled with fire-breathing winged lions, volcano-born nymphs, automaton-legged mermaids, and so much magic you can smell it. We called this city Huron, and you, Nikolas, are her steward.”

Meanwhile on the moon, the senior stagecoach driver Yeri Willrow thought he was performing a simple drive and drop for his mysterious passengers, until they are attacked by foul-breath red-eyed creatures. He soon learns that his passengers are a family of automaton-legged merfolk, and he is their only hope. Yeri suddenly finds himself tasked with saving the merfolk or they will fall to the peril of the creature most foul.

Website: Nikolas and Co by Kevin McGill
Blog: KEVIN MCGILL | Kevin's Blog (and really, check out this particular vlog, lol...it is made of awesome! All about literally launching this book into space...and CONTEST! Merman and The Moon Forgotten Book Launch Into Space | KEVIN MCGILL
Reviews and Interviews:
Reading Teen: Book Review and Author Interview: Nikolas and Company by Kevin McGill
667B Baker Street: Interview with Author Kevin McGill

Happy MMGM all! Do check out the following:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (a.k.a. Fearless Leader)-Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
Jennifer Rumberger-Children's Author
Joanne Fritz-My Brain on Books
Danika Dinsmore-The Accidental Novelist 
Shannon O'Donnell-Book Dreaming
Myrna Foster-The Night Writer
Natalie Aguirre-Literary Rambles
Brooke Favero-Somewhere in the Middle
Ally Beecher- Kid Lit Frenzy
Barbara Watson-Novel and Nouveau
Anita Laydon Miller-her middle grade blog
Michael G-G-Middle Grade Mafioso
Jessica Lei-her blog  
Pam Torres-So I'm Fifty
Akoss-Nye Louwon – My Spirit | a search for the writer in me
Gabrielle Prendergast-Angelhorn
Gina Carey
T.L. Conway

YA Roundtable, Book Reveal, TASTE by Kate Evangelista

Recently, Kate Evangelista asked if I might be interested in taking part in the cover and book trailer reveal for her upcoming book, TASTE. I said yes and here we are today doing just that! Very often when deciding on which books to read I will decide based on cover and blurb [mostly blurb]. The cover, the trailer and the following blurb, provided by Kate, have me very interested to read her book.

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

Further information: 

Author Website: www.kateevangelista.com

Twitter: @KateEvangelista

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kate-Evangelista/165693410143202

Find Taste on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13484226-taste

Crescent Moon Press page for Taste: http://crescentmoonpress.com/books/Taste.html

And finally, for your reading pleasure, an excerpt from the book:

***

I mentally stomped on the intimidation their perfection brought into my mind and said, “Excuse me.”

The group froze, startled by my words. The girls had their brows raised and the boys stopped mid-speech, mouths agape. They stared at me with eyes the shade of onyx stones.

I smiled and gave them a little wave.

The boy a step ahead of the rest recovered first. His stunning features went from shocked surprise to intense interest. He reminded me of a hawk eyeing its prey. I gulped.

“A Day Student,” he said, his eyes insolent and excited.

Something about the way he said “Day Student” made my stomach flip. “Excuse me?”

They snickered. The boys looked at each other while the girls continued to stare, muffling their laughter by delicate hands. I seemed to be the butt of some joke. 

“You broke the rule.” The boy’s grin turned predatory.

The students formed a loose semi-circle in front of me. My gaze darted from face to face. Hunger filled their eyes. The image of lions about to chase down a gazelle came to mind. I mentally shook my head. I was in the mountains not the Serengeti for crying out loud.

I took a small step back and cleared my throat. “Can any of you give me a ride back to the dorms?”

The boy wagged his forefinger like a metronome. “Ah, that’s unfortunate for you.”

One of the girls pinched the bridge of her nose. “Eli, you can’t possibly—”

“It’s forbidden, Eli,” another boy interrupted, pronouncing the word “forbidden” like a curse.

The nervous murmur at the pit of my stomach grew louder. Six against one. Not good odds. Instinct told me to cut my losses and run. Bad enough I faced expulsion, now it seemed like weird, beautiful people who’d suddenly appeared on campus wanted to beat me up. No, scratch that. Judging from the way they studied me, beating me up wouldn’t satisfy them. Something more primal prowled behind their looks.

I definitely wasn’t going down without a fight. Years of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat classes had me prepared. While other children from rich and important families got bodyguards, I got defense training. But I think my father meant for my skills to go up against potential kidnappers, not against other students who may or may not be crazy. Oh God! Maybe I stepped into a parallel universe or something when I reentered Barinkoff.

“None of the students are supposed to be on campus,” I said. Then, realizing my mistake, I added, “Okay, I know I’m not supposed to be here either. If one of you gives me a ride back to the dorms, I won’t say anything about all this. Let’s pretend this never happened. I didn’t see you, you didn’t see me.”

“We’re not ordinary students,” Eli answered. “We’re the Night Students.”

He’d said “Night Students” like the words were capitalized. I didn’t know Barinkoff held classes at night. What was going on here?

Eli smiled with just one side of his mouth and said to the group, “She’s right, no one will have to know. We’re the only ones here. And it’s been so long, don’t you agree?”

The rest of them nodded reluctantly.

“What’s been so long?” I challenged. I fisted my hands, ready to put them up if any of them so much as twitched my way.

“Since the taste of real flesh passed through my lips,” Eli said. He came forward and took a whiff of me then laughed when I cringed.

“Flesh.” Yep, parallel universe.

“Yes,” he said. “And yours smells so fresh.”

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and yanked me back before I could wrap my mind around the meaning behind Eli’s words. In a blink, I found myself behind someone tall. Someone reallytall. And quite broad. And very male.

I realized he wore the same clothes Eli and the other boys did. Not good. He was one of them. Although… I cocked my head, raking my gaze over him. He seemed born to wear the uniform, like he was the pattern everyone else was cut from. My eyes wandered to long, layered, blue-black hair tied at the nape by a silk ribbon. Even in dim light, his hair possessed a sheen akin to mercury.

I looked down. The boy’s long fingers were wrapped around my wrist like a cuff. His fevered touch felt hotter than human standards, hot enough to make me sweat like I was standing beside a radiator but not hot enough to burn.

“I must be mistaken, Eli,” the boy who held my arm said in a monotone. “Correct me. Did I hear you say you wanted to taste the flesh of this girl?”

A hush descended on us. It had the hairs at the back of my neck rising. How was it possible for the atmosphere to switch from threatening to dangerous? Unable to help myself, I peeked around the new guy’s bulk. Eli and his friends bowed. They all had their right hands on their chests.

“Demitri, I’m sure you misheard me,” Eli said.

So the guy standing between me and the person who said he’d wanted to taste me was named Demitri. I like the sound of his name. Demitri. So strong, yet rolls off the tongue. Definite yum factor.

“So, you imply I made a mistake?” Demitri demanded.

“No!” Eli lifted his gaze. “I did no such thing. I simply wanted to show the girl the consequences of breaking curfew.”

“Hey!” I yelled. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

Demitri ignored my protest and continued to address Eli. “So, you threatened to taste her flesh.” His fingers tightened their grip around my wrist. “In the interest of investigating this matter further, I invoke the Silence.”

All six students gasped, passing surprised glances at one another.

Before I could ask about what was going on, Demitri yanked me down the hall toward the library. But why there? Oh, maybe we were getting my things. No, wait, he couldn’t have known about that. Everything was too confusing now.

Eli and the others didn’t try to stop us when we passed them. Demitri’s cold command must have carried power. Handsome and powerful, never a bad combination on a guy.

We reached the heavy double doors in seconds. He jerked one open effortlessly. I’d needed all my strength just to squeeze through that same door earlier. To him, the thick wood might as well have been cardboard. I raised an eyebrow and mentally listed the benefits of going to gym class.

“Why are we here?” I asked after my curiosity overpowered my worry. I’d almost forgotten how frightened I’d been right before Demitri showed up. I wasn’t above accepting help from strangers. Especially from gorgeous dark-haired strangers with hot hands and wide shoulders.

Demitri kept going, tugging me along, snaking his way deeper into the library. I had to take two steps for every stride his legs made. I tried to stay directly behind him, praying we didn’t slam into anything.

He stopped suddenly and I collided with him. It felt like slamming into a wall.

“Hey,” I said, momentarily stunned. “A little warning would be nice!”

He faced me, and I gasped. His eyes resembled a starless night, deep and endless. Their intensity drilled through me without pity, seeming to expose all my secrets. I felt naked and flustered beneath his gaze.

“You could have died back there,” he warned.

A lump of panic rebuilt itself in my throat.

***

 Now. I'm curious. How do you pick which books to read. Cover?  Blurb? Reading the first chapter or an excerpt? A combo?

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday-An Author Talks Genre and School Visits

Welcome to another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.  And today's post is doing double duty for me as the latest addition to Oh MG/YA Canada. 

Jane Buttery is visiting. She kindly sent me a copy of her book and also agreed to answer some questions I had for her for MMGM Authors Talk Genre & School Visits.

Before we get to the questions, here is a little bit more about her book from her website:

Can you guess what happens in a small town in 1846 when a Black schoolboy Josh befriends a poor Irish immigrant, Seamus? It is not surprising when the locals don’t approve. It was in fact a time of growing prejudice and led to the Separate Schools Act of 1850. 

Josh, who is a dedicated student, suffers bullying by the others who don’t want him at their inter-racial school. The school boys even gang up on Seamus when he sticks up for Josh. But throughout the experiences the two boys become strong friends; they discover a common love of music and, towards the end of the story, they have quite a journey together.

The author seeks to bring you a slice of life in Upper Canada, relating it to real facts about the town as it becomes an important small port and a refuge for those fleeing from slavery or from starvation in Ireland. 

This is certainly a book that will spark an interest in history (I know it peaked mine!), filled with stories from the time...and all tied together in the friendship of two boys.

My questions:

1. Your book was clearly well researched. When writing historical fiction how do you plot out your story and use history to pull it all together. The research involved must be massive and daunting while satisfying?
2. You do school visits with your book. What has the response of the kids been like. Any favorite moments you'd like to share?
3. Any advice for those embarking school visits and those who might be quite nervous about it?

Jane's answers: 

 1.Research: I have a degree in history and love doing research. I used a local source called HEIRS to which I belong as well as the internet and various books. If you look at the back page117, the references  there, reveal the variety.

The plot came from a story I heard a HEIRS(Harrow Early Immigrant Research Society) about an inter-racial school. I was intrigued. I also knew James Alexander was a black grocer on Bathurst Street next to the church.

THE PLOT: As I like 'backing' the underdog, I was happy to use a black boy (who did exist but I made him a bit older) who may have gone to the school. I knew his father was Peter Stokes who got land in the new settlement (Harrow). We know that Mr. Fry's son probably went there.  I also wanted to show how prejudice grew and how some people felt when new immigrants came. The year 1846 was a good point for this as the Irish were forced to seek help in Canada.

As I wrote, it seemed good to give equal weigh to Seamus and Josh so I planned a chapter for each and a time when they got together. I also wanted to show a little earlier history and that's why chapter 5 is about the 1838 rebellion and chapter 10 about the family's escape in the 1830's.

2. INTEREST: On school visits, teachers have asked me to talk about the background history as this fits into the curriculum so I do a Power point presentation and then read passages. 

Students find the 1838 rebellion chapter interesting told from Mr Fry's view about the capture of the schooner Anne on Jan 8th 1838. At school, they said there was still prejudice and bullying. 

I discussed the book in depth with home schoolers who asked all kinds of questions. They were white but identified with Josh easily. Someone asked me about writing a sequel about Josh. I'm glad they liked him. They also found the fire story interesting and asked how true it might be. We really don't know how the fire began.

3.ADVICE:a) I wish I'd started with the home group as they were most involved. The school children had had the book read to them at first and then, those interested continued reading it...so they weren't as familiar with it.

b) I was a teacher so approaching a school was easier for me and the book involved some of grade 6/7curriculum which interested the teachers at that level .NO NEED to be nervous. Tell yourself 'I know more about this than they do!'

c) I may go initially for a Readathon and be asked to come back. This has happened in 2 schools.

d) I suppose I try to sell a visit but showing how I can help them encourage interest in history and historical fiction. I send out a newsletter to schools once a year about my workshops a all levels.They love visitors during education week.

I also offer a book at a big discount or give away a book . Sometimes I do a follow up, asking students to say what they think might happen to Josh or Seamus next and then I offer a book for one good entry. I read the entries! I hope this is not too wordy . Nowadays I find it more exhausting to go to students for a day ( I do a variety when I go) so I go to outside group and sell quite well that way.

Not too wordy, Jane! I appreciate you taking time to answer my questions. All best with the continued success of your book and thanks to all those who've stopped by for a read!

Happy MMGM all and for those of you with today off...enjoy! Here is some more marvelous for y'all to check out:

Shannon Whitney Messenger (a.k.a. Fearless Leader)-Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe
Jennifer Rumberger-Children's Author
Joanne Fritz-My Brain on Books
Danika Dinsmore-The Accidental Novelist 
Shannon O'Donnell-Book Dreaming
Myrna Foster-The Night Writer
Natalie Aguirre-Literary Rambles
Brooke Favero-Somewhere in the Middle
Ally Beecher- Kid Lit Frenzy
Barbara Watson-Novel and Nouveau
Anita Laydon Miller-her middle grade blog
Michael G-G-Middle Grade Mafioso
Jessica Lei-her blog  
Pam Torres-So I'm Fifty
Akoss-Nye Louwon – My Spirit | a search for the writer in me
Gabrielle Prendergast-Angelhorn
Gina Carey
T.L. Conway

Keeping it Simple {ish}

You know.

You can't do it all. I try to, then have to remind myself I can't.

So here I go again emptying my plate.

Again!

I. Swear.

You will notice no more A-Z Blogging Challenge. Time there will go to reading and writing.

You won't notice I weeded out google reader. Got so carried away with adding blogs over time that I am missing out on reading and commenting on some of my favorites and, really, the time spent was getting a wee bit out of hand.

Blogging is for Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays, by definition on Mondays and YA Roundtable. Oh MG/YA Canada will be incorporated into them.

Rest of time...reading and writing. Writing and reading.

Do any of you have to regularly take stock and clean off the plate?

Indira Ghandi and Gum #atozchallenge

The quote (and this is a favorite):


Have a bias toward action - let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.
Indira Gandhi


One step at a time. One word, sentence, paragraph. One blog post and so on. It helps to break it down so it doesn't overwhelm. Then, when you look back you see the road you built! 

The food (okay, not really a food):

GUM to chew on while you develop that plan. And make it bubble gum so the inner child can blow a few bubbles and add fuel to that imaginative fire!

Hope you all are enjoy your Easter weekend with family and friends!

Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy and Fudge for #atozchallenge

Today's quote is from Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. My I loved that book and book talking it to kids. And my...I love this quote!

 "You can't be too old to spy except if you were fifty you might fall off the fire escape, but you could spy around the ground alot."― Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy (for more wisdom from Fitzhugh and Harriet head over to GoodReads)


Now that I am over fifty, I laugh out loud even louder when I read this! I say, pursue those dreams, do what you love and don't let your age stop you.

And if you needing a little burst of energy to keep you going why not chow down on some Fudge. This is my all time favorite sweet. All. time. Whenever I travel, I always seek out a place to buy it. My favorite is Maple Sugar. Do you have a favorite fudge or sweet to nibble for that burst of energy? Or just because?

A-Z-Thomas Edison and Eggplant

Welcome to A-Z and special guest E. 

The quote:

I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun.
Thomas A. Edison (fr. Brainy Quotes)

Imagine yourself at the point of being paid to do what you love. Sure, they will the hard bits-but even that will feel fun! For me it's writing and doing school visits to talk about my books and promote the love of reading! What about you?

The food:

An odd food popped into my head for today's A-Z. Eggplant. Can't get it out of my head now that I've thought of it. Never eaten it. Have you? Must look it up, find some recipes.


Speaking of looking up-do, click on the icon and check out more A-Z bloggers-there is a wealth of material and fun out there to fill your writEr's wEll! 

An A-D for A-Z

As I laid about battling the stomach flu/cold/flu (er, super bug?) my thoughts on what I wanted to do changed from quotes on creativity, pursuing your passion to thoughts of food?

Yep.

You know how you think you will never eat again. How food is the last thing that will ever pass your mouth? Funny how that changes and all your favorite snacks and eats and drinks and, and... come flooding back into your head as you start to feel better.

SO.

The purpose of this ramble on is to say that I thought for my first time participating in A-Z Blogging Challenge I would combine...food for the mind in the forms of quotes and food for the bod whilst pursuing creative endeavours-reading, writing, blogging, in particular.  Of course, need to come up with some sort of cool title-an A-Z of Foods for Thought? Need to think on that.

******

Aa

A-Apple Pie, Danish, Crisp!


A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value. Asimov, Issac

Bb

B-Banana Chocolate Chip  Muffins and while on the topic of Banana's if you have never experienced a banana boat. Go. Experience it.

Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things. Bradbury, Ray

Cc

C-Carrots/Celery/Chips-good crunchies to get those endorphins snapping and a working. And yeah...you could skip those crazy chips.

Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either. Cabot, Meg

Dd

D-Donuts-Old Fashioned Plain with Coffee from Tim Hortons!

I'm not sure I'm adult yet. Depp, Johnny I am adding in here that I think it is important to stay in touch with the kid within-that is whole lot of imagination to tap into!

********

Thanks to Brainy Quotes~! where I found all of these. 


What about you? Any favorite A-D quotes or food come to mind? Or even...fave quote and or snack in general? 


Enjoy the day all!

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, A-Z Blogging Event and More

Had big plans for today.

Big plans for yesterday.

Big,

big plans for Saturday.

BUT.

I was a wee bit sick with the flu. I have determined you should never ever ever (and I say ever!) announce to people that you hardly ever get the stomach flu anymore and then joke about it must a perk of getting older. The flu swooped in, took me down and said take that, nobody jokes on my watch.

Anyhow, that is my long windy way of saying no Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reading recommend that has a little bit of meat on it. Just a quick--I am reading Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone and setting and character pulled me into the story and is keeping me there. More later on it and the sequel! In the meantime here is link back to Shannon's post for today and here is my list of participants.

Needless to day I also have nothing for A-Z which I was going to start. Will follow up on that today, see if I should carry on and catch up with it or take it off the blogging plate.


AND-for all you carrying on with #wipmadness or joining in for the first time...April is here and we are hanging out on Haunting the Broken Tree (how is that for a seriously cool blog name for a writer?)

Finally, it is National Poetry Month in the States. One of my all time favorite blogs to follow during this time is Gotta Book because Greg does this:

Happy Monday all!