Writerly Wednesday on a Tuesday

For those of us in the US of A, it's Thanksgiving week, which means I'll be frantically cleaning or cooking tomorrow, so you get WW a day early. 

So what better way to show thanks than to accept a blogging award and pass it on? 

Huge thanks to my pal and poet, Fifi Islaih for the award. In order to accept it, I have to list 7 facts about myself and nominate others. 

1. My love for cheese is no secret, but there are some French cheeses I don't much care for. (I know, the shock!)

2. The last time I was expecting, I was living in NYC--in an 850 square foot apartment (with 3 other family members.) 

Yes, it felt like this. (source)

3. Although I have consistently taught kids ages 18 months 18 years (not counting my own) for the last 20+ years, I have a hard time calling myself an educator. 

4. I leave reviews for 90% of the books I read. (Which is typically 2 books a week.)

5. I miss hobby writing.

6. My greatest fear is playing the piano in front of people...and I still do it on occasion. (You should see my hands shake while playing. It's awesome.)

Source

7. My first REAL masterpiece was a drawing of either a horse, or a unicorn (maybe both) at the happy age of 3.

NOW, because it's gratitude time, if you take a moment to comment on this post, you are officially nominated for the award. There are so many of you I want to give the award to, and it seems no matter how many people I do nominate, I miss at least fifty others. So that's it. You've been nominated. =)

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, M.J. Fifield shared EFFIGY with us, along with two lies and one truth. Those who guessed the truth correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook.  

M.J.'s game: 

1. Once, M.J. ran into famous New Hampshire author Jodi Picoult at the vet’s office and proceeded to make her (and everyone else around) question her ability to speak in complete sentences, as she attempted to tell Jodi how much she enjoys her novels.   
2. In high school, she sang back-up vocals for Kenny Rodgers. It is, however, not the only reason why she knows all the words to “The Gambler.”
3. In college, she worked as a stagehand and once tried to throw comedian Carrot Top out because she had no idea who he was or how he had gotten backstage.

And the lie is:

#1. Yes, M.J. has had some interesting run-ins with real, live celebrities. Awesome, right?

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

M. Pax!

Congrats Mary! 

And now to today's feature...

When her protective older brother disappears, sixteen-year-old Melody loses control of her orderly life. Her stuttering flares up, her parents are shrouded in a grief-induced fog, and she clings to the last shreds of her confidence. 

The only lead to her brother’s disappearance is a 30-second call from his cell phone to Rex, the leader of a crime ring. Frustrated by a slow investigation with too many obstacles, and desperate to mend her broken family, Melody crosses the line from wallflower to amateur spy. She infiltrates Rex’s group and is partnered with Drew, a handsome pickpocket whose kindness doesn’t fit her perception of a criminal. He doesn’t need to steal her heart—she hands it to him.

With each law Melody breaks, details of her brother’s secret life emerge until she’s on the cusp of finding him. But at what point does truth justify the crime?

Get your copy HERE.

Julie Musil writes from her rural home in Southern California, where she lives with her husband and three sons. She’s an obsessive reader who loves stories that grab the heart and won’t let go. Her YA novels The Summer of Crossing Lines and The Boy Who Loved Fire are available now. For more information, or to stop by and say Hi, please visit Julie HERE.

She especially loves cheese when it’s piled on a pizza.

Julie gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of THE SUMMER OF CROSSING LINES. How awesome is that?

You have until Tuesday, December 2 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on December 3.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Julie knows almost all the words to the GREASE soundtrack.
2. She used to wear a bow in her hair—Madonna Material Girl style.
3. She loves country music, but doesn’t know any country line dances.

So which is the lie? What is one unique fact about you? Are you celebrating Thanksgiving? If so, how? 

Seven Deadly Sins... And a Deadly Queen

Last month, the amazing Michelle Wallace tagged me in the Seven Deadly Sins Tag. (Thanks Michelle!) Instead of letting these things stack up, I decided to jump on the train. Are you ready for this awesomeness?

So here it is, the SEVEN DEADLY SINS of the LITERARY WORLD.

The questions and answers:

Greed – What is your most inexpensive book? Truthfully, I review quite a few books for people and receive many of them free. I think it's a fair trade to the authors, but I also spend way too much time at the library and initially got Amazon Prime so I could use the lenders library. (Yes, I am cheap, but I give back.)

Wrath – Who’s the author with whom you have a love/hate relationship? Lauren Kate and her Fallen series. My hubby would come into the room and ask me what I was reading. "A stupid book," I'd reply. Then he'd ask the obvious, "So why are you reading it?" "BECAUSE I HAVE TO FINISH THE SERIES!"

Gluttony – What book have you devoured over and over again with no shame? Erm, I don't read books more than once because I remember them too well, but I did read Barbara Hambly's Silicone Mage series twice, because I do absolutely love it.

Sloth – Which book have you neglected reading due to laziness? ... Laziness? Hah! Nope. None of that here. 

Pride – What books do you talk about most in order to sound like an intellectual reader? Probably all my classics--Les Miserables (BEST BOOK EVER), Jane Eyre, SO many Dickens books...

Lust – What attributes do you find attractive in a male or female character? It's all about how the character treats his love interest. Seriously. I've never been one to swoon over amazing looks, but if a guy opens the door for a girl and puts her happiness before his own, I'm in love. (Which is why I married the stud of the universe, btw.)

Envy – What book would you like to receive most as a gift? Anything on my Amazon wish list. (Although I've got about 70 books waiting around here for me to get to them...)

There is no limit to the people you can tag for THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS TAG. So, I’ve decided to tag…

S.A. Larsen, Robyn Campbell, M.J. Fifield, Madeline Mora-Summonte, D.L. Hammons, Stephanie Faris, & Beth Ellyn Summer

(I know that everybody is super-busy, so if you decide not to play along, you can just miss out on the cheese. That's okay.)

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, Nata Romeo (aka ArtistaDonna) shared ALPHABET WILDLIFE A-Z with us, along with two lies and one truth. Those who guessed the truth correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win an eBook.  

Nata's game: 

1. Nata has traveled to Mars to study Alientology, she now speaks fluent Alien languages.
2. Thanks to the Aliens, Nata is now a prodigy in Polyglotism.
3. Nata enjoys writing and illustrating. She has conversations with her characters on a daily basis.

And the truth is:

#3. Although Nata may be considered an expert in Alientology (and fabulous lies), she has never been to Mars. Sorry to disappoint. 

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Murees Dupé!

Congrats Murees! 

And now to today's feature...

 

The survival of a once-mighty kingdom rests in the hands of its young queen, Haleine Coileáin, as it slowly succumbs to an ancient evil fueled by her husband’s cruelty.

A sadistic man with a talent for torture and a taste for murder, he is determined to burn the land and all souls within. Haleine is determined to save her kingdom and, after a chance encounter, joins forces with the leader of the people’s rebellion. She gives him her support, soon followed by her heart.

Loving him is inadvertent but becomes as natural and necessary as breathing. She lies and steals on his behalf, doing anything she can to further their cause. She compromises beliefs held all her life, for what life will exist if evil prevails?

Her journey leads to a deceiving world of magic, monsters, and gods she never believed existed outside of myth. The deeper she goes, the more her soul is stripped away, but she continues on, desperate to see her quest complete. If she can bring her husband to ruin and save her people, any sacrifice is worth the price—even if it means her life.

Get your copy HERE.

Armed with a deep and lasting love of chocolate, purple pens, and medieval weaponry, M.J. Fifield is nothing if not a uniquely supplied insomniac. When she isn’t writing, she’s on the hunt for oversized baked goods or shiny new daggers. M.J. lives with a variety of furry creatures—mostly pets—in New Hampshire.

M.J. might be found at work spreading Laughing Cow spreadable Swiss cheese on crackers.

M.J. gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of EFFIGY. How awesome is that?

You have until Sunday, November 23, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on November 24.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. Once, M.J. ran into famous New Hampshire author Jodi Picoult at the vet’s office and proceeded to make her (and everyone else around) question her ability to speak in complete sentences, as her attempted to tell Jodi how much she enjoy her novels.   
2. In high school, she sang back-up vocals for Kenny Rodgers. It is, however, not the only reason why she knows all the words to “The Gambler.”
3. In college, she worked as a stagehand and once tried to throw comedian Carrot Top out because she had no idea who he was or how he had gotten backstage.

So which is the lie? Any reading/book confessions you'd like to share? What's your greatest literary sin? 

Top Five 80's Ghost Stories

(See Below)

Do you love ghost stories? I totally flip over them, always have. I remember in 5th grade I read a book about the ghost of a slave kid who became best friends with a boy. Somehow he managed dragged his friend from the present into the past to try and prevent his tragic death. I remember wanting the story to be true with all my heart because it was so amazing! 

Then there were creepy stories like Behind the Attic Wall where the kids went into the past through a magic doll house and met the people who lived on an ancient English estate right before each of their tragic deaths. LOVED IT.

Then there was the Blossom Culp Series. (Thank you Richard Peck.)







And who didn't love the scaries stories series? I still dwell on these from time to time.








Last, (although this is kind of an exception to ghosts, but it is
Halloweeny...)

Ready to guess the lie and win a book? 

Last week, Lyndsay Johnson shared FIRE OF THE SEA with us, along with two truths and one lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win her  eBook.  

Lyndsay's game: 

1. Lyndsay was in training to be on the US Olympic Equestrian team, but was thrown from a horse and broke her wrist before the qualifying rounds.
2. She once spray-painted the concrete wall behind her house with what she envisioned to be a gorgeous mural. Turns out fluorescent orange isn’t the best color for a budding graffiti artist… Also, who knew you could buy spray paint remover?
3. She used to drive a 1986 Volvo Station wagon. Teal with tan interior. She hated it, but now wishes she’d kept it.  

And the lie is:

#1. Lyndsay actually rode horses for ten years and competed in lots of show jumping. While she never broke a bone or even came close to being an Olympian, she was overheard saying, “I don’t have time for the Olympics…I have to go to COLLEGE!” 

Way to guess those of you who got it right! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Carol Kilgore!

Congrats Carol!

And now to today's feature:

Who knew a knock at the door could tear your world apart? They don’t demand money or possessions…they want much more than that, they want your life. 

Maverick is preparing for senior year: he’s no longer stuck in the “friend-zone” with the girl of his dreams, he’s looking forward to choosing the right college and being on his own, and he plans to have a blast along the way.

But a knock on the door changes all of that forever. 

Maverick begins a mind-altering, life-changing journey to discover the truth—a truth that certain individuals will do anything to keep hidden.

Get your copy HERE.

Miranda Hardy writes children’s literature to keep the voices in her head appeased. When she’s not in her fantasy world, she’s canoeing in alligator infested waters, or rescuing homeless animals. She goes to coffee shops to do most of her writing while drinking tea. Unable to reveal too much, she has the most boring superpower ever (hint: you have to be a close relative for it to work). She resides in south Florida with her two wonderful children, and too many animals to mention. 

Miranda's favorite cheese: Mozzarella. She loves it in lasagna or eating it in by itself, usually when no ones around to watch her. She's a closet cheese eater. 

Jay Noel was born on an uncharted island somewhere in the pacific and raised by elves and fairies. Okay, maybe not, but Jay was always known to be one for daydreaming. Jay was actually born in New York, but currently lives in St. Louis with his family. He had a pretty normal childhood, except for that one incident where he gave Jeff Glass a bloody nose and lip in the second grade. But the jerk deserved it! He also attended Southeast Missouri State University where he played NCAA Division I tennis and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Jay has a degree in English and Education.

Jay's favorite cheese: Colby, and he eats it in his sunroom. 

They gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of DEATH KNOCKS just in time for Halloween! How awesome is that?

You have until Tuesday, October 28, at 1 p.m. EDT to guess--and be sure to come back for the answer on October 29.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. They scrapped an entire manuscript and started over. 
2. They both exploited their children in the making of this book. 
3. One of them had a BEK experience while the other is a total non-believer. 

   

The blog tour is making some awesome stops today:

Julie Musil asks me about sequels, and there may even be chainsaw juggling involved

M.J. Fifield at My Pet Blog shares a super awesome excerpt

Kimber Leigh Wheaton at Once Upon a YA Book gives her review of SOULLESS

Sher A Hart: Ask no Questions, Tell no Lies

Patricia Lynne shares the cast of Soulless: Villains and Outcasts

And be sure to enter the 

Rafflecopter

for your chance to win some amazing prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now trot along and enjoy the awesomeness of the tour. 

Which is the lie? Do you have a favorite ghost book from your childhood? Of all time? What are you reading for Halloween?