Monday, October 28, 2013

Fire! Yeah, Yeah!

Are you a Pyro?

If you don't know what that means, the answer is "no." What is a Pyro? A pyromaniac, or someone who plays with fire.

I'm a Pyro.

My dad dragged us kids up, through, and into the heart of the outdoors. Knowing how to build a fire was MANDATORY. (Like knowing how to tie your shoes.) I spent way too much time poking at the flames, learning the fine art of marshmallow roasting, and warming myself, mesmerized by the flickers of light. BUT, I also learned to be cautious of this hungry beauty. Part of our education included knowing where it was safe to build a fire so we didn't accidentally set the forest aflame, the proper tools to use, how to douse the coals so it would die, and recognizing when it was safe to walk away.

I think relationships are like a fire. They have to be built, and when first started, the flame is tenuous and needs to be sheltered. The fire grows only if it's fed, and you can't feed it too much an once, or you'll smother it. Eventually you'll have a roaring bonfire, but it too will die if not continuously fed. It provides incredible warmth, beauty and can be utilized to help you survive. Unlike a physical fire, there may never be a need to walk away, but if there is, those coals stay warm long after the flame has disappeared.

With that said, today I have the privilege of sharing my good friend, Julie Musil's brand spakin' new cover!

Manny O’Donnell revels in his status at the top of his high school food chain. He and his friends party in the mountains on a blustery night, sharing liquor and lame ghost stories around a campfire. The next morning, as a wild fire rages in those same mountains, Manny experiences doubt. He was the last of the drunken crew to leave the cave, and he’s uncertain if he extinguished the flames. Within hours, he becomes the number one arson suspect.

Santa Ana winds + matches = disaster. You’d think he would've learned that the first time he started a fire.

As he evades a determined arson investigator, Manny, a modern-day Scrooge, is visited by ghosts of the past, present, and future. He’s forced to witness the fate of his inadvertent victims, including Abigail, the scarred beauty who softens his heart. Manny must choose between turning around his callous, self-centered attitude, or protecting his own skin at the expense of anyone who gets in his way.

Julie Musil, author of YA fiction, is a chocoholic and obsessive reader. As the mother of three teen boys, she’s immersed in teen speak, drama, and gym socks. She loves to chat! Connect with her on her blog, Twitter, or Facebook

Awesome, right? I'm looking forward to this book sometime in early 2014. So are you a Pyro? Do you spaz out about flames? Have you ever accidentally set something on fire? 

47 comments:

  1. LOVE your analogy having to do with relationship.

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    1. Optimist, some relationships are truly like that, yes? Crystal was spot on.

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  2. Oh,can't wait to read the book, 2014 seems a long way away!

    My brother was the pyro in the family. He set the couch on fire when he was six. At seventeen, he accidentally set off fireworks in his room that caught his mattress and curtains on fire. He's managed to survive to forty-five and two kids now without further mishap, and contains his pyro leanings to 4th of July, when he puts on the pyrotechnics display for the whole street.

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    1. Yikes! I was never that bad--did work at a fireworks stand though. Ah, the nightly shows we put on...those were awesome. =)

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    2. Remembering Grace, your brother must tell the best stories around the...campfire!

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  3. LOL. My brother loved fire. And so did my lab partner in Chemistry. We nicknamed him "Flaming Bob the Pyro Pirate" as a result. Oh, High School! The book sounds awesome, too!

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    1. Thanks, Ashley. Guess what? I'm noticing a pattern here. The pyros are guys. Hmmm.

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  4. Cool, er hot cover! Nice post - cover tie in.

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  5. I love watching a fire burn, but I'm usually too lazy to make one. :-P

    Sort of where I am relationship-wise as well.

    Love the cover and the story sounds amazing.

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    1. LOL! You just need to get to the point where fire-making to be second nature, like it is for me. ;)

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    2. Thanks, Misha! I'm not a good fire starter. My sputter and die. Good thing my hubby is good at it.

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  6. Hey Crystal,

    I had this burning desire to come over and see what's happening on your site. And you site is alight with the glowing embers of hope that inspire and roast marshmallows. Yes, we must be cautious with fire and maybe an old flame.

    Delighted to note Julie's cover here. I'm sure she will get glowing reviews.

    Gary :)

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    1. Whew! Gary, you are alight with inspiration today.

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    2. Gary, you crack me up! Crack, as in crackling fire :)

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  7. Congrats to Julie! This is such great news, and I've had me share of fun with camping fires, too.

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    1. And marshmallows? Mmm. Or roasted apples.

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    2. Thanks, Miranda!

      Oh, another fun thing...when we're camping, our sons like jamming hot dogs on the the end of metal rods and roasting those over the fire too. Win/win since I don't have to cook dinner!

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  8. I love the relationship analogy! Well said. :)

    And congratulations, Julie!

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  9. An exciting story! Congrats to Julie! One of my cousins once burned part of his family's house down. He was about 10. Felt bad for the kid. Don't play with matches.

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    1. LOL! Unless you know what you're doing. ;)

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    2. M Pax, I live out in the sticks, and let me tell you, our house has come way too close to burning. *shudder*

      Big thanks to you!

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  10. Crystal, thank you SO much for sharing the cover! And OMG, your analogy is awesome.

    By the way, I have four boys in my house--three teen sons and a hubby/firefighter. Can you imagine the stuff they've lit on fire? The coolest was when they held a magnifying glass over a crayon and melted it. Way less dangerous than a match!

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    1. Julie, it's been a pleasure! --And thank you.

      Whew! I have 5 brothers, so YES, I can imagine. I remember my brothers melting a barbie doll that hung from the chimney on a string. Thankfully we were outside over a non-flammable cement pad. These boys, eh?

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  11. I realised I was a pyro when I managed to set a lemon on fire. Yes, a whole lemon. Using nothing but a candle flame. Took a while.

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    1. OMG, Lynda, that took some work. At least it smelled good???

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    2. LOL!! Where was youtube when this happened, eh?

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  12. Julie's book sounds really good.

    I love a good fire - we used to have a real one at home, until we realised the smoke was leaking into the next door house and we didn't have the money to fix it. Now we have radiators and it's not the same :-(

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    1. Yikes! Leaking smoke = bad. Sorry to hear that.

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    2. =( So sad. In upstate NY we had a 200 yr old house with gorgeous mantles, but we couldn't use the fireplaces either. I feel your pain.

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  13. The book sounds awesome! As for me, I have trouble lighting birthday candles because fire freaks me out. I use those long lighters designed for outdoor fires on the candles because I'm afraid of burning my fingers on matches. :-)

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  14. I like how you relate building a fire to a relationship :) That's pretty accurate.
    Yes. I'm a pyro ;)

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  15. That's a great cover and blurb! Congrats to Julie. I spent lots of time outdoors as a kid too. The fire is mesmerizing and now I'm craving a roasted marshmallow.

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  16. I like the sound of that book! I don't like fire...I think I burned up in another life. :) I also grew up in SoCal with Santa Ana winds so I've seen the destruction up close and personal. Will be looking for this read!

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    1. Dangerous when not controlled. Any beautiful thing can be dangerous, eh?

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  17. Barbara, Thanks!!

    Juliette, I agree with Crystal's connection to relationships. Ouch.

    Christine, thanks so much! Yes, Crystal is to blame for the cravings. Shame on you, Crystal!

    River, I know what you mean about the Santa Ana winds. In 2007 we almost lost our home to fire because of them. Actually, there's a connection between that fire and the book! Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. Shame on me? *bats eyes innocently* You must have missed my diet post. =)

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  18. No, I'm not a Pyro. But my husband is. I really have to keep an eye on him especially on the 4th of July!

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    1. LOL... "Honey, just put down the matches...please?"

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  19. I'm not a Pyro. When I was younger I was fascinated with flames, but not so much now.

    I love Julie's cover.

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    1. Aw. You lost the flame... That's okay. We love you anyway. ;)

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Hit me with your cheese!