Four Houses by Victoria Scott Available on Amazon + Awesome Giveaway (International)

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You guys know who Victoria Scott is, she wrote the AH-MAZING and intensely suspenseful Fire & Blood and the awesome Dante Walker trilogy that I saw everyone talking heaps about. She's written a new YA short story, Four Houses, that sounds like it's going to be uber suspenseful and lots of fun to read. It's pretty much dark short story told in an unusual format that'll to leave you thinking, WTF?! 

It's now available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and iBooks for purchase. 

Four Houses
Victoria Scott

Four Houses

Victoria Scott

Published: July 26, 2014

Publisher: Self

Age Demographic: YA Suspense Novella

A frightened girl. An empty field. Four houses. Which house would you choose?

FOUR HOUSES is a dark short story told in an unusual format that leaves readers wondering how they'd react if found in the same situation as seventeen-year-old Maddy.

Victoria Scott, is also hosting a pretty awesome giveaway that's open internationally. So, if you're a fan of her novels, then I wouldn't miss out on this if I were you. It's pretty cool, these are the things that you could possibly win...a digital copy of Four Houses and a signed copy of The Warrior.  Just fill out the Rafflecopter below and cross your fingers!

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Victoria Scott

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Victoria Scott is a teen fiction writer represented by Sara Crowe. She's the author of the FIRE & FLOOD series published by Scholastic, and the DANTE WALKER trilogy published by Entangled Teen. Her books have been bought and translated in eleven foreign markets including the UK, Turkey, China, Poland, Germany, Australia, Israel, Taiwan, Brazil, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

Victoria lives in Dallas with her husband and hearts cotton candy something fierce.

Cover Reveal for Fatal Abduction (IFICS #3) by Julia Crane

  

Hosted by Mark My Words Book Publicity

I am excited to bring you a Cover Reveal for a series that I've had sitting on my Kindle for quite a while now, it's the IFICS series by Julia Crane. I don't want to make a habit of doing a ton of cover reveals, but I did definitely want to share this one with you guys because this looks like it's going to be an awesome Sci-Fi Dystopian series that would definitely be worth sinking into. I've actually heard some pretty good things about this series, had even planned on reading the first book, but other things had come up or I wasn't quite able to get to it. I am hoping, by the end of this year I will have read the first one at least. 

Anyway, let me tell you a little bit more about the third book in the series. :)

Fatal Abduction

by Julia Crane

Book 3 - IFICS Series

Young Adult Sci-Fi Dystopian

There’s a serial killer at large. His victims just happen to resemble Kaitlyn—dark haired, pale skin and athletic build. Kaitlyn goes undercover, attending a prestigious high school to try to lure the killer into a trap and save the lives of other potential victims. Will she be able to catch the killer before his body count rises? Or will she become the next victim?

Check out the Cover below!

Check out the other books in the series!

Freak of Nature - Book 1

Freak of Nature (IFICS #1)
Julia Crane

Donate Body to Science. Check.

When seventeen-year-old Kaitlyn checked the box, she never suspected she’d have her life–and her body–stolen from her. She awakens one day in a secret laboratory to discover that her body is now half-robot and is forced to hide her own secret: that she still has human emotions and a human mind. If the scientists who made her find out, they’ll erase what remains of who she was.

Kaitlyn finds an unlikely ally in Lucas, a handsome, brilliant scientist who can’t get over the guilt he feels knowing she was once a vibrant, beautiful young woman. He never expected a science project to affect him the way she does. As he tries to help her rediscover her past, he finds himself falling for the brave girl struggling to find her place and acceptance between the human and computer worlds.

Goodreads Amazon B&N

Fractured Innocence  - Book 2

Fractured Innocence (IFICS #2)
Julia Crane

Kaitlyn and Erik are sent on a mission to track down Vance Dasvoik, a ruthless monster. His latest thrill—abducting and selling young women.

Vance's current victim: Aaliyah, a seventeen-year-old who never imagined walking her brother home from school one evening would change her life forever.

The mission quickly turns personal for Kaitlyn when she finds Aaliyah beaten, her mind and soul fractured from abuse of the worst kind. Kaitlyn knows firsthand what it's like to be haunted by the past and resolves to bring justice to the elusive Dasvoik.

*Warning 17+ due to sexual gritty topic and language. 

Goodreads Amazon B&N

Check out the trailer for the IFICS Series below!

About the Author

Julia Crane

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Julia Crane is the author of the Keegan’s Chronicles, IFICS. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination. 

Book Review: Not Until Tonight (Not Until Tonight #1) by Jessica Sankiewicz

Not Until Tonight
Jessica Sankiewicz
Published: May 26, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Age Demographic: New Adult Novella
Pages: 61

Every day after work, Haley goes to the bar across the street from her apartment to get a drink. It's the only time she gets to see Skylar, her bartender and crush. She would like to get to know him as more than a friend but she's afraid he won't be interested and she'll have to go elsewhere for her after work drink.

When Skylar asks Haley to pretend to be his girlfriend for a night, she is more than happy to oblige. She finally has the chance to make something happen without risking anything. But pretending proves to be more difficult than she thought. She's not sure she can resist the pull any longer with her feelings growing stronger, and it seems like Skylar is feeling the same way.

At the end of the night, will they be willing to turn a fake relationship into a real one?

To Purchase your own copy of Not Until Tonight by 

Jessica Sankiewicz please visit: Amazon & B&N

(Note: I received an ARC of this novella for beta reading from Jessica Sankiewicz, in exchange for an honest review. No money exchanged hands and these are my own honest and real thoughts.)

Not Until Tonight is a charmingly sweet and fun read, filled with wonderful romantic chemistry and sizzling appeal. The characters are interesting and realistically portrayed and the narration makes it easy to get wrapped up in the novella easily. If you enjoy reading New Adult books, then you will enjoy this short and sassy novella. Written by a beautifully talented and amazing author, Not Until Tonight, will knock your socks off and ignite the night on fire!

Right off, I love that the synopsis is completely enough to draw you in, but also doesn't give too much of the story away. Like, there's a little room left for you to get to enjoy the few little surprise elements that Jessica Sankiewicz so cleverly managed to pull off. Like I said once already, Not Until Tonight, was just a really fun, quick, and sassy read that I totally enjoyed. Haley and Skylar were too cute, although, I was more proud of Tyler for literally slapping Skylar's head at the end because dude what a douche move man! lol. 

The friendship between Angie and Haley was written really well and I totally love how fun and easy to get along with Haley seems. Even though it was an awkward situation for her to be in and she kind of had a hand in putting herself in it, she was awesome enough to just strap on a pair and take on night no matter where it ended up or just ended. 

One tiny little small thing, is that it would have been nice if there could have been a little bit more background build up for both Haley and Skylar would have been nice.Maybe instead of "one night" it could have been a week because A LOT can happen in a week. But, I think that's what Sankiewicz is already saying with the just one night thing, A LOT can happen in one night. So, it's a very tiny little minor thing and it can easily be overlooked in the sense that the whole novella was a lot of fun to read and I absolutely could not put it down until I finished it and then I wanted to go back and re-read my favorite parts again, which would probably be everything Tyler/Angie, Tyler, and the Tyler/Skylar head slapping because he was being an idiot. lol.

The emotion was pitch perfect and spot on, the being unafraid to take the night into your own hands no matter where it ends up was also awesome too, but it was the characters and the little unexpected bits that was the most entertaining.

So, yes, in short I'm telling you that it was an

AH-MAZING read, so go out and buy it now!

Website Twitter Facebook 

Jessica Sankiewicz is the author of the New Adult novella series, This Night. You can often find her either reading or marathon watching TV on DVD, her favorites being Castle and Veronica Mars. She frequently mismatches her clothes and giggles uncontrollably. She knows almost every Billy Joel song by heart. She collects books and toys, and she has an intense love of cats and lemurs. Jessica decided when she turned 27 that she would remain 27 forever. Currently in the midst of her quarter-life-crisis, she is still takin' names and getting very close to reaching an epiphany.

Special Cover Reveal for After the Storm by Marie Landry and Giveaway

TODAY WE'RE HAVING A VERY SPECIAL  COVER REVEAL ON THE BLOG
FEATURING THE AH-MAZINGLY TALENTED MARIE LANDRY

I'm kind of super excited about this particular cover reveal, because it's for a companion novel to a book that I absolutely fell head over feet in love with over the holiday season and it's also a book that I've been anticipating like crazy. The best thing about this book, is that it focuses on my very favorite character from the Angel Island series, Ella O'Dell. SRSLY, GIVE ME ALL THE ELLA NOW! I really ended up connecting with her A LOT in Waiting for the Storm, because I could understand her pain, anger, and frustration. The grief that she went through and the anger that she kept locked up inside, I sort of know what that feels like, and it's so incredibly unhealthy to have to try and live with that type of resentment festering and eating away at you. I find myself really incredibly protective of this character, because she's on a hard journey of self-discovery and I believe that along the way to finding herself, she can also find love, hope, and faith in those she holds close to her heart.

(Marie, I so heart you and your incredibly complicated characters that touch me in ways unimaginable!)

If you have no read Waiting for the Storm and experienced Charlotte and Ezra's beautifully written story, then do it now! I promise that you will NOT be disappointed in the least little bit. Usually, I don't ask or request that you take my word for it, but this time I am making an exception because I know that you will love this story as much as I did and fall in love with the characters, ache with them, cheer for them when their hopes and wishes come true, and just really enjoy the beautiful writing.

I WILL READ THIS BOOK THIS YEAR AND  SHARE THIS BOOK WITH EVERYONE!

(There will be a few random giveaway's for an eCopy of both of these beautiful books throughout the year! So, definitely be keeping an eye out for those.)
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND DRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOLL!
After the Storm
Standalone Companion to Waiting for the Storm
By Marie Landry
Self-Published
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Coming April 2014

For most people, starting senior year at a new high school would be a nightmare, but for Ella O’Dell it’s the new beginning she desperately needs. Two months after her mother’s death, she’s ready to leave behind the rebellious, unhappy person she became when she found out her mom was dying.

When Ella meets River Maracle and Sadie Fitzgerald, she begins to learn it’s okay to be herself, even if that means being different. River and Sadie aren’t ashamed of their misfit status—River grew up on a reservation, and his mother is the school counselor; Sadie stands out with her funky homemade clothes, and is a master at ignoring the whispered rumors that have plagued her since the beginning of high school.

Ella finds a kindred spirit in Sadie, and something more in River. After almost a year of pretending to be someone she’s not, she finally embraces life and allows herself to have fun without constant guilt. But despite her budding happiness, something is off with her new life. She doesn’t want to dwell on the past, but Angel Island is a small place, and she soon realizes her demons are harder to outrun than she thought…

After the Storm is a standalone companion novel to Waiting for the Storm.

Okay, so you guys have heard and seen me rave wonders about Waiting for the Storm, well Marie is so incredibly awesome that she's offering a SUPER FANTASTIC deal on an eCopy of this book for practically a steal! Yep, you heard me, from February 10th to the 15th you'll be able to snag a copy of it only $0.99 cents. Really, how could you not, with that kind of price. GO.GET.IT.NOW! I'm just sayin'...

To purchase a copy of Waiting for the Storm by Marie Landry visit: Amazon B&N Kobo & Smashwords

Since, I'm dying to show off how amazingly talented Marie Landry truly is, she has so graciously and generously offered up an excerpt from After the Storm.

After the Storm Book Excerpt
By Marie Landry

Meltdown

When I see Sadie waiting for me at my locker at the beginning of our free period, I know my luck has run out. She always waits for me so we can study together, but today something about her demeanor tells me it’s time to take a trip to the school counselor.

“Do I have to go?” I whine when she hands me the slip of yellow paper with the words ‘Please come to my office during your free period’ written in small, neat script.

“She’s not so bad, I promise.” She links her arm through mine and walks me to Mrs. Maracle’s office. I don’t even have time to collect myself before she knocks on the door, gives me a little salute, and disappears down the hall.

Mrs. Maracle opens the door and steps back to let me in. “Welcome, Ella. I’m glad you could make it.”

As if I have a choice. But of course I can’t say that, so I give her a lame “Thank you” instead. She leads me to the comfy chairs we sat on last time, and I sink down into one.

“Tea?” she asks.

“Sure. Thanks.” I don’t know why she bothers going to the effort of doing something that’s supposedly meant to put me at ease, when I’d be much more relaxed if she just acted like a human being instead of a robot.

A few minutes later she brings two cups of tea to the table and sits down across from me. She blows on the steaming liquid in her cup, looking at me over the rim before taking a sip. “So. I apologize for not meeting with you sooner. I intended to have you into the office on Tuesday, but I got called away unexpectedly. I think from now on we should make a set schedule so you’re not wondering when I’ll be calling you in.” She almost smiles, and the muscles in my shoulders loosen slightly. “How are you finding your first week and a bit at AISS?”

“Good. Really good. I’m enjoying my classes, and my teachers are all really nice.”

“Good.” She nods and takes another sip of her tea. “And you’re making friends?”

“Mmhmm.” I take a gulp of my tea to avoid saying anything else, scalding my tongue and throat.

“Sadie has wonderful things to say about you.”

My eyebrows wing up. “Oh. Well. She’s been great to me. Made me feel really welcome. I-I didn’t have many friends back home, so it’s nice to meet someone like Sadie.”

“Have you made any other friends?” Her dark eyes remind me of a hawk: sharp and keen. She must know by now that I’m friends with River. Has he talked about me? Has she seen us together at lunch and between classes?

“Well, I’ve talked to Kyla Winters a few times. She’s asked me to hang out with her and her friends, but…”

“But?”

I shrug one shoulder. “I’m not really interested in being part of the popular crowd. That was what started my issues last year.”

“Your issues,” she says slowly. She sets her cup on the table and crosses one leg over the other, resting her elbow on her knee and cupping her chin in one hand. “Why don’t you tell me about your issues.”

“I thought you already knew about my issues from my file.” I regret the words instantly, knowing they sound hostile. But this is exactly what I don’t want to do—talk about last year. I want to forget those ten or eleven months ever happened; it’s bad enough that my mind won’t stop dredging up those thoughts and images, but talking about it makes me feel worse.

Mrs. Maracle’s eyes narrow slightly. “A file can only tell me so much. But…if you’re not ready to talk about that just yet, we can talk about other things.”

I don’t relax just yet. I’m sure there’s more to come.

“How are you doing with the journal? Have you written in it?”

“Yes.” It’s not a lie, I have written in it…just not much, and not since the few crossed out lines I wrote Saturday night before Sadie came.

“May I see it?” She holds out her hand. “Not to read it, of course, but just to see how you’re coming along.”

I freeze in panic. Even if all she does is flip through, she’ll see that I’ve only written on the first page. I consider telling her I left it at home, but I can see the notebook peeking out from the side pocket of my bag. I glance at Mrs. Maracle from under my lashes and see her eyeing the book. I pull it out and cradle it in my hands for a moment before thrusting it toward her.

She opens it in the middle and flips through to the beginning, her brows drawing together until she reaches the first page. Her eyes flick up to meet mine, and then she closes the notebook, handing it back to me. She doesn’t say anything, and I begin to fidget in my seat.

“I didn’t know what to write,” I blurt. “Everything seemed wrong. I felt stupid writing my thoughts in a book, and I didn’t know where to begin or what to include.”

Mrs. Maracle leans back in her seat and crosses her legs again. “I like the idea you had of starting it as a letter to your mother. That doesn’t seem like it should be too hard.”

I scoff. “It obviously was, or I would have kept going.”

She purses her lips. “Then maybe talking to me will be easier than writing down your feelings, hmm? What would you say to your mother if she were here right now?”

“What does it matter? She’s not here.” I know I’m being rude, but I don’t care. I don’t want to talk about my mom with this woman who doesn’t seem to have a motherly bone in her body.

My attitude doesn’t seem to faze her. “Pretend she is. Pretend she can hear you right now. What would you say? What would you want to tell her?”

My heart starts to race and my hands begin to shake. I tuck them under my legs so she won’t see. “I would…I…I…” There are too many thoughts in my head. It feels like they’re crowding in, swelling in size and volume until my temples pound from the pressure. “I can’t do this.”

“You need to, Ella. You need to talk to me.”

“Why?” I snap. “What do you care? You don’t know anything about me, but you’ve made all these assumptions based on a stupid record that couldn’t possibly tell you anything important about what happened last year. What does it say anyway? That my mom got sick? That my sister left school to take care of her? That I started hanging out with the popular kids, and then the smokers, and then the kids who were into drugs and alcohol? Does it tell you that I spent months avoiding my mother as much as possible? That I made my sister’s life a living hell because I thought our mother loved her more and I wanted to punish them both for that?”

Her eyes are wide, stunned. I’ve shown more emotion in the last minute than she’s shown in all three of our meetings, and for some reason that pisses me off even more. I scan the wall, looking at her university degrees, the proof that she’s supposedly suitable for this job. But her coldness, her bluntness, the way I feel like she’s judging every word that comes out of my mouth, makes me want to rip each frame from the wall and smash it.

“Do you feel better?” she asks quietly.

I gape at her in disbelief. That’s it? If someone had lost it on a teacher like I just did at my old school they would have had detention for a month, or been suspended. A month of detention would almost be preferable to having to meet with Mrs. Maracle two or three times a week.

Finally I say, “No. What would make me feel better is not having to talk about this at all. It’s over. I don’t know why you can’t just let it go. Let me move on.”

She slides to the edge of her seat and waits until I meet her gaze. “Because you’re never going to truly move on until you address your feelings, Ella. You’re trying so hard to bury all your hurt and anger and guilt, but instead of actually forgetting about it, it’s eating you alive.”

This is exactly what drew me to Ella's character, her issues and so many other things about her. Words cannot express just how much I heart this broken open and raw inside look at Ella, I picked this particular excerpt out of ten that Marie offered those of us who are participating in the Cover Reveal, because it spoke to me emotionally on so many levels. It just touched me, that's why I wanted to share it with you. I hope that it makes you want to pick up Waiting for the Storm and then read After the Storm, because Marie isn't just one of my close friends but she's an incredible author who deserves all the recognition that she can get and I want everyone to know that.

And, if the excerpt from After the Storm doesn't make you want to check out Marie's books or the amazing price for Waiting for the Storm, then maybe the giveaway that she's offering will do the trick because EVERYBODY LOVES ALL THE GIVEAWAYS right?! :)

Thought so, here's your chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash. Just fill out the Raffelcopter below and good luck! May the odds be ever in your favor. *g*

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Marie has always been a daydreamer; since early childhood she's had a passion for words and a desire to create imaginary worlds, so it only seemed natural for her to become a writer. She resides in Ontario, Canada, and most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging about writing and reading, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece. She's a hopeless romantic, an unapologetic eavesdropper (occupational hazard), an equally unapologetic squeeing fangirl, and a lover of swoonworthy book and TV characters.

Don't forget to visit her blog and find out how you can become a member of her Angel Island Street Team You can also visit her Pinterest page, follow her on Bloglovin', and subscribe to her Youtube Channel Also, subscribe to her author newsletter.

Author Interview & Giveaway: The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder

I loved everything about The Unloved by Jennifer Snyder. It was a five star read for me, because it was so real, emotional, and I just fell in love with the characters and the story they had to tell. The deep bond of friendship and trust that ran deep and wide between between Nick and Julie, absolutely made my heartache with joy and sadness for the situations they found themselves in. They were truly fortunate to have one another. It's just a gorgeous story of friendship, love, loss, heartache, and so much more. You guys definitely don't want to miss out on this one for sure. Which, is why I'm so excited to be interviewing Jennifer on the blog today and sharing a giveaway for an e-copy of The Unloved with you guys.

For those of you who might have missed out on yesterday's awesome interview with the incredible Angela Corbett and my WoW of the Week featuring Eternal Echoes

the next book in the Emblem of Eternity saga by Angela Corbett, click the two links above and they will take you right to both of the posts.

Now, how about I entice you a little bit more and share with you, some insight into this beautiful story of friendship and so much more that Jennifer Snyder has written?!

The Unloved
By Jennifer Snyder

Published: July 29, 2012

Publisher: Independent Publishing

Pages: 264

Age Demographic: New Adult Contemporary

Sometimes the love our heart needs to heal can be found in the familiar eyes of a childhood friend...

Julie Porter learned the hard way that trust is something which must be earned and not something to be given out lightly, those who say they love you are those who hold the power to hurt you most, and best friends can help you survive anything—until they move away.

Nick Owen knows a thing or two about a hard life. At a young age Nick learned how to take a hit and to make lemonade out of the lemons life tossed his way. Returning home after nearly two years of being away, all Nick cares about now is protecting his mom from the abusive hands of his father and catching up with his best friend—the girl who lived across the street, the girl he can’t seem to stop thinking about.

Finally reunited after two years apart, Nick and Julie are about to learn that age does nothing to protect you from life’s trials and tribulations, heartache and loss, but maybe together they’ll find a way to survive.

To Purchase The Unloved visit: 

Amazon & Barnes&Noble

A Fun & Insightful Chat With
Jennifer Snyder

I find myself craving more of the YA novels written by authors that are really pushing the envelope on what they can put in their books (those that are right on the cusp of being mature YA or even New Adult) without exactly crossing the line, is there a line that New Adult author's have to flesh out and adhere to as well? Or are they open to a great deal more and have a much more free reign on what they can and can't include in their novels than YA?

This is an interesting question. Personally, I don’t think there is a very distinctive line drawn when it comes to New Adult novels as there is with Young Adult. In my experience with writing Young Adult novels, I think there was always a hesitancy to take the storyline deeper or make it more gritty like I might have wanted to for certain areas. I’m not talking about just sexual situations either; I’m also talking about language, violence, and even emotions. There always seemed to be moments where I had to remind myself of the age of my characters and rein in certain things. In New Adult novels authors are allowed a little more freedom I think with expressing emotions, sexual situations, and even the situations we place our characters in during their day to day lives.

What inspired you to want to write for the New Adult genre, versus writing for either YA or Adult in general? Were there any authors or books that might have lured you into this genre?

For me, I think it was the ability to shed the fear that I always bore of crossing the invisible line when writing a novel that might make it come off as being too much for the Young Adult crowd. I’m also a twenty-something author, so the appeal to write for those in my own age group was motivating.

What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing New Adult?

The same thing with every novel in ever genre out there...coming up with either a fresh take on a storyline or coming up with something uniquely original.

There have been some pretty disparaging remarks made recently in light of the New Adult genre, I've even heard it referred to as "YA with more sex" and I was wondering what your thoughts might be on pushing the limits of the stereotyping that New Adult has fallen prey to?

While there is the ability to write more sexually explicit scenes in the New Adult genre due to the age range of the main characters, I don’t think that is all these books have going for them. Not even by a long shot. There are also many situations readers of this specific age group can easily relate to—first real world jobs, moving out on their own, and college lifestyle just to name a few.

What would you consider to be your biggest strength in writing? Your weakest?

I’m going out on a limb here and saying writing emotions is my biggest strength. I really try to pull from life situations of my own to make sure the readers can ‘feel’ even a glimmer of the emotion I’m using. My weakest...being descriptive. As a reader I don’t enjoy when an author describes things overly, so as an author I tend to shy away from too much description in my novels. Sometimes this gets me in trouble with readers who prefer more description when reading, but that’s just how my stories come to me.

Some author's like to write in fist person pov, third, or dual pov's. Is there any particular writing style that you find, you either like or feel more comfortable writing in?

I really enjoy writing and reading dual POV novels. I feel as though you get the whole story. ;)

If you had to describe yourself in three words or less, what would those three words be?

Spiritual. Reserved. Passionate.

If you could only choose one book in the universe to attach yourself to, which book would it be and why?

Last year I read On the Island by Tracy Garvis-Graves. That book hands down is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time. The characters and storyline really stuck with me.

What was the most interesting thing you discovered while writing The Unloved?

How easily Nick’s voice and entire life came to me. He was stuck in my head in a big way while writing this novel!

Was it difficult to write for one character, than it was for another?

I don’t think so. I enjoyed writing them both!

What or whom inspired you to become a writer?

Growing up, I always had a love for books. To name one person who inspired me to become a writer or even a ‘what’ would be unfair. There were so many stories I read growing up, and even recently in my life, that helped to move me in this direction.

Is there a book or series that you would read over and over? What is it?

The Slammed Series by Colleen Hoover. Incredible reads! The amount of depth and emotion she puts into her characters is astounding.

What are some of your writer quirks or habits?

Post-it notes keep me organized. I have a rainbow of them attached to my desk as I’m typing this. I write my best work around 2:00 in the afternoon for some reason. I save my blurbs for dead last. Having a cover early on for a novel really provokes story ideas for me. I jot down dreams I feel could be scenes or even entire novels one day. I feel as though chocolate can sometimes be a great motivator to get chapters done!

Is there anything new, in the way of novels that you may have in the works?

At the time of answering these questions I’m hard at work on my New Adult Paranormal Romance series. The first novel is titled CATALYST. I’m also jotting down ideas for a New Adult Contemporary I’m hoping to release late 2013.

SOUL BLAST
EBook or Hardcopy/Paper? Both
Night or Day? Day
Chaotic or Organized? Organized
White or Dark Chocolate? White
Tea or Coffee? Tea
Black, White, or Gray? White
Dog or Cat? I’m gonna say cat, but I do have a dog. ;)
The Walking Dead or The Hunger Games? I’ve never seen The Walking Dead. Gasp, I know! So, Hunger Games.
Downton Abbey or Doctor Who? Never seen either!

If you had a spirit animal (can symbolize certain aspects or quality of your personality, skills, traits, or emotion), what do you think it would be and why?

Cat, because they’re independent and cuddly. 

Is there anything else that you would like to mention?

Those were some amazing questions. Thank you so much for having me today it was a blast!

Jennifer Snyder has been so incredibly generous enough to offer an ecopy of The Unloved to one lucky winner. Just fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter the giveaway. Good luck! :)

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Jennifer Snyder lives in a small town nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her husband and two small children. Growing up, she was always an avid reader. Her mother spent way too much money on R. L. Stine and Christopher Pike books! Writing a novel of her own wasn't something she'd ever given much thought to. It seemed like an unobtainable, far-fetched dream. Then, in late 2007, she attempted to put pen to paper for the first time. What came out wasn't pure gold. And what came out next wasn't either. Things didn't work that way for her. She had to write and rewrite and learn more about her 'voice' as an author first. SHATTERED SOUL was her debut novel and no, you haven't seen the end of me yet....

Author Interview & Giveaway with Alycia Linwood featuring Element Preserver's Series

Guys! I'm incredibly excited and super exhilirated to have the amazingly fun and talented Alycia Linwood on the blog today, talking about her New Adult paranormal series, Elemental Preserver's. This is such a super fantastic series that I discovered a few months back and I couldn't help but gobble up the first book in this captivating series, Dangerous. Plus, the fact that it's free for those who have a Kindle on Amazon.

So, for those of you who might want to check it out and see what this totally awesome series has in store for you, you don't have to pay anything for the first book. Just check it out on Amazon and give it a shot. Guys! This is paranormal New Adult, not contemporary romance. I think it's definitely worth a shot! I'm just sayin'...but, don't mind my lunacy over such a compelling series. Hahaha.

For those of you who might have missed out on yesterday's awesome interview with the incredible S.C. Stephens, click the link and it'll take you right to the post.

Now, how about I entice you a little bit more and share with you, some insight into this wow-worthy paranormal world that Alycia Linwood has so creatively come up with?! Don't ya wanna know, come on...you know you do! Come to the dark side of NA...we have cookies! (Possibly Darth Vader shaped! lol.)

Element Preserver's Series
Dangerous, Runaway, Divided, No One, & Restless
By Alycia Linwood

Publisher: Self Published

Age Demographic: New Adult Paranormal

In Dangerous, Ria is an 18-year-old girl who has just started going to the University of Magic, a special university for those who have one of the four elements: fire, water, air and earth. There she meets Michael, a boy whose element is different from hers, which makes their romantic involvement seem impossible because mixing of elements can have horrible consequences. She also feels threatened by Adrian, a very dangerous magic disease carrier. Magic disease, which surged as a result of bad mixing of elements, turns people into cold-hearted killers, who have a strong desire to take someone's element as they do not have their own. Ria's best friend, Paula, is fascinated by Adrian like most of the girls at the University and wants him to help her with her research about the disease. All Ria's beliefs are put to test when she starts having the symptoms of the disease and the only person she can turn to is Adrian.

Following Dangerous in Runaway, surprised by Adrian's sudden disappearance, Ria is determined to find him, even if that means she has to trust her brother and go to her father's party. However, soon she realizes that her father, as the president of the newly founded Element Preservers Organization, plays a big role in the future of not only magic disease carriers, but also everyone with an element. As the secrets surrounding the magic disease and elements are revealed, Ria doesn't know who she can trust. But when an ex-lover turns into an enemy and a tragic accident changes everything, you can't just run away.

Moving along with Divided, after spending some time on her own, Ria thinks she is ready to meet Oliver's group of magic disease carriers and find out what her brother really wants. But when her father reveals the secret that affects the whole world, she will have to make a series of decisions that could change her life forever.

And in No One a novella told from Adrian's pov, aware that Ria's condition is getting worse, Adrian is determined to do whatever it takes so he can touch her again without weakening her, and the only ones who might be able to help him are his greatest enemies. Haunted by the memories, he has to get the information he needs without putting his live in danger, but that is easier said than done... Especially if there is no one you can trust.

Restless the forth novel in the Elemental Preserver's series, will be released in June of 2013.

To Purchase the Element Preserver's Series visit: 

Amazon & Barnes&Noble

A Fun-tastic Interview With
Alycia Linwood

What inspired you to want to write for the New Adult genre, versus writing for either YA or Adult in general? Were there any authors or books that might have you lured you into this genre?


Actually, when I started writing my first book, I didn't really care about the genre. I only wanted to tell a story that I couldn't get out of my mind. It turned out that the book was Mature YA or New Adult. At the time that I wrote the book, I didn't even know New Adult existed since it wasn't popular as it is now. I decided to write about characters who go to college/university mainly because all the books I read were set in high school and I wanted my characters to deal with different situations.

What is the most challenging aspect of writing New Adult?


The most challenging right now seems to be figuring out what exactly New Adult is and how to explore its possibilities.

What was the first New Adult novel that you read and what did you find so inspiring about it?


I've read some books that could be classified as New Adult but that are marketed as YA, so I'm not quite sure which one was the first.

If you could go back in time and tell the "young writer" in yourself anything, what would it be and why?

Probably to start writing sooner and actually finish a story or two. When I was younger, I used to start many stories, but I rarely finished them. I'd certainly have more books written and less ideas flying around in my head now. Or maybe not. I have way too many book ideas.


If you could pick any character from your book(s) to be your favorite, who would it be and why? Which character was the most fun or was there a character that sort of resembles who you are as an individual?


Can a mother choose her favorite child? I can't, and I feel like I'm the mother of my characters since I created them. I always have a lot of fun when I write from Ria's perspective (the protagonist of Element Preservers) because she's my opposite in many things and she sometimes drives me crazy, especially when she goes shopping and spends hours searching for a perfect outfit. I could never go shopping with her without losing my mind.

What was the most interesting thing you discovered while writing the Element Preservers series?


I discovered that I can actually write a series! When I finished the first draft of Dangerous, it was a standalone book, not a series. But then I realized the book couldn't end where it did because I had so much more to tell.


Dangerous is available for free on Amazon right now. If you had to one chance only to encourage people to read this book, what would you say to them to convince them this is a book they should be reading?



If you like books with a bit of magic, romance and action, Dangerous is the right book for you.

Did you have a favorite character while writing this series? If so, who was it and why?


As I already mentioned, I don't really have favorites since I've created all of my characters and there is always something I love about them.

Was it difficult to write for one character, than it was for another?


I always find it easier to write for characters that are different from me because I love to put myself in their position and see how they think. When a character has a lot in common with me I'm always afraid that they won't have their own personalities but be a projection of me and my own beliefs. That's why I have to be very careful when I write that type of characters.

Where do you draw your inspiration from, in terms of creating the world for the Element Preservers, the characters, and the plot?


It would be easier to find what doesn't inspire me. I mostly find inspiration in music, music videos, everyday life, TV shows and books. The world of the Element Preservers has a lot in common with our world, so the inspiration for creating it came mostly from everyday life. I love to use fantasy worlds and characters to comment on or twist certain aspects of our world.

Adrian or Michael? Who would you choose?


Neither. :D

Do you plan on writing any more for the Element Preserver's series, can we expect a novella or something in between some of the books featuring some of the other character's or are you finished with it?


I'm working on the next book in the series and I already have a novella, No One, which is written from Adrian's point of view and it follows the events after book 3 and before book 4.

It is so awesome to see that there is more to the New Adult category/genre, than contemporary romance with steamy smoldering scenes. How do you hope to see this category/genre, expand and grow?


I really hope it will expand and that there will be New Adult books of various genres. Even though contemporary romances with steamy scenes are the most popular, New Adult is much more than that and I hope other books will get their deserved attention.

Are there any cliche's or tropes that you feel are overused in YA or New Adult novels that you've come across?


There are certainly cliches and tropes that are overused in YA and New Adult, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I love certain tropes and I could devour any book with them, so if authors started to avoid them just because it has been used in almost every book, I'd be really unhappy. It's very easy to add a twist to a cliche and turn it into something amazing.

Is there anything new, in the way of novels, that you may have in the works?


I've started another New Adult Paranormal Romance series and a Post-Apocalyptic New Adult or something like that. Sometimes it's impossibly hard to categorize a novel since it could belong to more genres, but we'll see. If I had time to turn all of my ideas into books, I'd have thousands of books. The biggest problem is how to decide what to write and what to let go.

SOUL BLAST

Ebook or Hardcopy/Paper? Ebook.
Night or Day? Night.
Chaotic or Organized? Chaotically organized.
White or Dark Chocolate? Dark Chocolate.
Tea or Coffee? Neither. I'm probably the only person in the world who dislikes both coffee and tea.
Black, White, or Gray? Black.
Dog or Cat? Dog.
The Walking Dead or The Hunger Games? The Hunger Games.
Downton Abbey or Doctor Who? Don't know. Never watched any of it.

If you had a spirit animal (can symbolize certain aspects or quality of your personality, skills, traits, or emotion), what do you think it would be and why?


A horse. I don't know why. Probably because wild horses are free, they can run anywhere they want and jump over any obstacles.

Is there anything else that you would like to mention?


Never give up on your dreams, and happy reading!

Alycia has been sweet enough to offer a digital giveaway bundle of the rest of the available books in the Elemental Preserver's series to one lucky winner. Since Dangerous is available for free on Amazon, if you are the lucky winner you will be receiving a digital copy of Runaway, Divided, and the novella No One that is from Adrian's point of view. Trust me, you guys are gonna LOVE that for sure! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Alycia Linwood is the author of the Element Preservers series (Dangerous, Runaway, Divided, No One, Restless - coming out June 2013) and Human. She's a big fan of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, dystopian and young adult fiction. Writing is her biggest passion, closely followed by reading and listening to music.