Meeting Mr. Terupt

Chi here,
As you know, I'm a teacher by day, writer by night. This year I've had the opportunity to start a blog program with our fourth grade students. Not only have I gotten to know them outside the music classroom, I've also had a chance to read some of their favorite works as well. We started the blogs with basic book, movie, TV show reviews. The idea was that they just take 100-400 words to tell what they did or did not like, etc. What started out as a just-for-fun assignment quickly snowballed into an educational-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Take for example one student who read and reviewed Rob Buyea's book, "Because of Mr. Terupt".  Rob's my kind of guy. An elementary teacher turned indie author, he tells his story through the eyes of five fifth grade students. I loved the book because the voicing of each character is so unique, but my student loved it because it touched him, made him think about the kiddo's that sat next to him everyday.

And so I contacted Rob via his facebook page and asked if he would like to do an interview for our blog. He said he'd love to, and I told the kiddo's that following morning. You should have heard the room explode in squeals and screams. Anyone walking past would have thought Justin Bieber was in the building. By now, several other students were reading the book, and the fact that an author of something they new actually would take time to answer their questions made them feel important and special.

Several students are now requesting that I contact JK Rowling, Rick Riordan, and Beverly Cleary just to name a few. I smiled, assuring them that I would try. The author in me though wondered if Rob knew he, in the eyes of his readers, held such high esteem. :-) 

So here's a hat's off and kudo's to you, Rob Buyea. Thanks so much for taking time to enrich the lives of your readers!

As my kiddo's would say ... YOU ROCK! ;-)

Wordsmith Wednesday #2

Welcome one and all to the next greatest meme on the face of the planet!  Well, at least to us! :-) It started as the brain child of the great Hope Collier.  Thanks, Izzie, for such a great idea!

The objective:

Show us a scene from your current project. It can be creepy, adventurous, romantic, etc. Just a snippet to let readers see what they're in for!

The guidelines:

 * Must be from a current work-in-progress (WIP). Nothing already published.
 * You may choose from any section of the manuscript, but be mindful not to include spoilers.
 * Keep it clean and YA audience friendly, please. No erotica.
 * Stay under 300 words or about one page. It can be as little as a few lines if you prefer. We just want to give readers a chance to see everyone's selection. 
 * Link back to Chirenjenzie so we can enjoy others' work as well!
 * Include the guidelines in your post. 

 Please leave a comment with a link to your Wordsmith Wednesday so we can hop on over to your site!

Author Interview: Lucy Swing

Today's Author Spotlight shines on Lucy Swing! I first met Lucy on Twitter when she was in the process of writing her debut YA novel, Feathermore. Since Feathermore's March debut, rave reviews have been filing in. I’d like to thank you for joining us and begin by having you share a little information about yourself with our readers, Lucy!

Lucy Swing lives in sunny Florida with her husband and two children. She is a YA Paranormal/ Romance writer, whose works include: Feathermore (Feathermore Trilogy, #1), Bloody Valentine, a novella, and is currently working on Fallenmore (Feathemore Trilogy, #2.)
She is an absolute book hoarder and must always have a book at arms distance. Music is her muse, and there is always a soundtrack that plays along her life.
For more information on Lucy Swing please visit her website: http://www.LucySwing.com

* What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

LS: Spending time with my family. My husband works a lot and, well, the kids go to school, but I truly enjoy the few days we all get to be together and maybe go out on the boat. Although my kids spend most of their time fighting, I remind myself this will be over soon; they grow up way too fast!

* What are your favorite and least favorite parts about being a published author?

LS: Favorite: Being a published author! Hahaha, no, seriously, how cool is that? Every time I walk by the bookcase that displays the paperback copy of Feathermore I can’t believe it is MY name on the cover. But most importantly, whenever you find someone that really enjoys your work, nothing tops that. I have gotten a few fan emails and I literally squeal as I read them.

Least favorite: Worrying about sales. Ugh! It’s not fun. Luckily April has been treating me well, so I can’t complain this time!

 

* What was the inspiration behind Feathermore?

LS: It was a collection of things that got me to sit down and get started with Feathermore. I know the whole Twilight thing has been played out, but reading the saga is what got me into writing. I wanted to make people feel the way Meyer made me feel, the way she gave me that little escape from my own life. I hope to one day be able to do that.

Same thing with your book, The Willows:Haven, well, you know how obsessed I got! But one sentence just made me fall even deeper in love with your story: “You only have one heart, one chance to give it.” I love it!

* Can you tell us a little bit about your protagonist, Jade?

LS: Jade is for all intents and purposes a very typical girl, of course, until the paranormal kicks in. She is at the bottom of the social ladder and gets bullied for no apparent reason. I think a lot of girls will be able to sympathize with her, as many have to go through the same issues.

* What is the most important lesson you’ve learned on the road to publication?

LS: Never give up! You can do anything you set your pretty little heart on. Visualize your goal and go for it.

* What authors inspire you and why?

LS: As I mentioned before, Stephenie Meyer has been a huge influence. She is the one that got me where I am today. But honestly, every single author inspires me. Amanda Hockings story is just amazing, there is a girl with heart that never took no for an answer and is now where she always wanted to be. My dear friend Kira Saito, I remember when she was about to publish her debut novel, Bound, and was too afraid that no one would enjoy it, and look at her now, she is doing amazing and has an incredibly supportive fan base. But every author, whether it is by their personal story of how they got to where they are, their stories or their characters, they all have something for all of us to appreciate and be inspired by.

* Some authors gear up with a run or guzzle large quantities of caffeine before tackling a writing session. What, if anything, does your ritual consist of?

LS: Ah, coffee always helps, but the one thing I do without fail is, get ready because this is going to make me sound crazy, is clean the house. I know, I know, very OCD of me. But the beds must be made, clothes put away and kitchen cleaned before I can sit down and truly give in to the story.

* Why did you choose YA?

LS: It’s by far my favorite genre. Unfortunately we all grow up, but writing and reading YA keeps part of those days alive. It gives you a second, third, fourth, etc chance to re-do your teenage years in so many different ways. It’s just too much fun!

* What are you currently working on, and what can you tell us about it?

LS: I am working on the sequel to Feathermore, Fallenmore. It is the second book of the trilogy and I am hoping (crosses her fingers) to publish by late May, early June.

*  What advice would you offer others who want to be authors?

LS: Don’t give up; when the going gets tough, keep going! And I always say, there is nothing like B.I.C (Butt In Chair). Just write and read, it will help you broaden your horizon.

Rapid fire questions:

* Favorite book character – Jade! Lol, no? Okay, Zoey Redbird.

* Plotter or Pantser -  Pantser all the way baby!

* Choice of superpower – Is immortality a superpower? Didn’t think so, invisibility.

* Your life's theme song – It changes constantly and I probably can tell you Jade’s life theme song better than my own!

Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss your novel and share your experiences. Here's to a long and successful road in publishing! For more information about Lucy and her work, check out:

Website/ Blog:  http://www.LucySwing.com

Follow Lucy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Luceduceswing

Find Lucy on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/writerlucyswing

Where to buy the book:

AMAZON (Paperback and eBook): http://amzn.to/HQXiFa

Barnes&Noble: http://bit.ly/HhVvYV

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/HNUxWs

** Paperback copies are also available on my website (signed copy), Createspace and The Book Depository.

Happy Reading!

Hope (AKA Izzie ;)

Wordsmith Wednesday #1

Welcome one and all to the next greatest meme on the face of the planet!  Well, at least to us! :-) It started as the brain child of the great Hope Collier.  Thanks, Izzie, for such a great idea!

The objective:

Show us a scene from your current project. It can be creepy, adventurous, romantic, etc. Just a snippet to let readers see what they're in for!

The guidelines:

 * Must be from a current work-in-progress (WIP). Nothing already published.
 * You may choose from any section of the manuscript, but be mindful not to include spoilers.
 * Keep it clean and YA audience friendly, please. No erotica.
 * Stay under 300 words or about one page. It can be as little as a few lines if you prefer. We just want to give readers a chance to see everyone's selection. 
 * Link back to Chirenjenzie so we can enjoy others' work as well!
 * Include the guidelines in your post. 

 Please leave a comment with a link to your Wordsmith Wednesday so we can hop on over to your site!

Review: Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.
 
Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 from Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, she’s flying back to New Jersey solo, and someone who sounds like Sasquatch is snoring in row 22. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. The FBI, the fake FBI, and guns-for-hire are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.

Only one other person has seen the missing photograph—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.

Over at the Bail Bonds Agency it’s business as usual—until the bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke, Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their “largest” FTA yet, lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment, and everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?!
 
Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii.  And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.

I'm a HUGE fan of Janet Evanovich and the Plum series. I love Janet's quirky style and relatable characters. I love getting lost in Trenton, New Jersey and spending time with inimitable Grandma Mazur ... not to mention the yumminess that is Joe Morelli and Ranger!


With that said, Explosive Eighteen really didn't live up to my expectations. As with Smokin' Seventeen, this book had a different feel to it ... but not in a good way. It was almost like someone ghost writing for Evanovich. The characters are still there, but I found myself thinking, "Morelli would never do that," or "Stephie doesn't say those things." Some reactions were over the top, others missed the mark. It was just off somehow.


It also really bothered me that after a long running tension between Stephanie and Ranger, they now share a quick second and it's done. Where's the mystery? Where's the guilt for having feelings for Ranger? Where's the conflict?!


The plot really dragged for me as well. It just felt like meandering. There wasn't a purpose for everything. Just a lot of black on white to pass the time, which is so not like Evanovich. Yet another reason I question the "feel" of the story. Up to this point, there's been more depth, more subplots and exciting conundrums. Eighteen simply fell flat.


I'm still the biggest Evanovich fan ever, but I can only commend Explosive Eighteen as mediocre. Here's hoping there's something bigger in store for Stephanie and the gang in the future. 

Happy Friday the 13th!

For ONE DAY ONLY, The Light of Asteria and The Willows: Haven will be FREE on Amazon. you have until midnight tonight, pacific time, to pick up your copy, so hurry on over! Just click on the pic and download! :-)

If Nora Johnson hadn't been on campus that day she would have never known her true destiny. Helping her friends move into the dorm that she wanted to call home, Nora accidentally collides with mysterious stranger, Gavin Frey. His very first touch sends flames through her heart. The world seems different-something within her has changed. She tries to resume her mundane life, but she is now consumed with the one whose very presence ignited her soul, the one with eyes of emerald. Nora soon learns that an energy buried deep within has been unleashed. She now wields unimaginable power and has become Gavin's source, his strength. Her newfound joy is shaken when she discovers that Gavin is not who he appears to be and she has been thrust in the middle of a war of mythical proportions. Negativity allows all things evil to flourish, the earth is under siege. The fate of creation hinges on the power within her heart. Will she be strong enough to survive? A gripping tale of unbounded love and ancient power, The Light of Asteria will take you on an epic adventure filled with war, treachery, and demons, as well as unimaginable delights.

 

 

 

 When tragedy strikes, seventeen year-old Ashton Blake sets out on a cross-country road trip, leaving the comforts of Malibu for the mountains of Kentucky. Along the way, she encounters Gabe Willoughby--the mysterious drifter with eyes like the sea and a knowing smile. Getting to know Gabe raises questions about her past. But no secret can be buried forever, and Ashton soon finds herself in a world where water is air and myth becomes reality.

Just as Ashton comes to accept her newfound heritage, she's summoned to fulfill a treaty laid down centuries before -- a treaty that will divide her love and test her loyalty. In the end, her future isn't her biggest concern, her humanity is. To run may mean war, but is she strong enough to stay?

 

 

 

Blkosiner's YA and Teen Book Blog: Cover Reveal: Astarte's Wrath by Trisha Wolfe

Blkosiner's YA and Teen Book Blog: Cover Reveal: Astarte's Wrath by Trisha Wolfe: Isn't is lovely?? Can't wait to read!!! Astarte’s Wrath by Trisha Wolfe Expected publication: July 2012 A Kythan Guardians Novel...

Because Your Mine

Hi all, Catherine here.
By now I'm sure everyone has come to the conclusion that I'm a bit of a Lisa Kleypas nut. I've read every historical romance the woman has written, and I've enjoyed watching her grow as a writer with every passing book. 

Synopsis

Because the Dream...

Young, high-spirited Lady Madeline Matthews is expected to wed an aging, lecherous lord. But she would rather shame herself in the eyes of society than sacrifice her freedom, and resolves to render herself unmarriageable by indulging in a torrid affair with Britain's most acclaimed actor and notorious womanizer, Logan Scott.

Because the Heart...

He is legend in the footlights and in the bedchamber. But when the curtain falls, Logan is an intensely private, guarded man still tormented by past betrayals that cut deep into his pride and his heart. Now a forward little minx who seems completely out of place in the bright, sophisticated world of the London stage is disrupting his orderly existence with her constant presence, her unspoiled beauty and vibrant charm. And what begins with an onstage kiss threatens to blossom into something more rapturous and real. But first Logan and Madeline both must drop the masks they hide behind...and reveal their true selves in the golden glorious light of love.

 Because You're Mine is considered a stand-alone, although there are some characters we have seen in other books. Kleypas has a way of weaving her characters throughout books. She claims the loves them too much to let them go. :-)

Loved:
I love that she does an excellent job of showing the different class structures. She also seems to be meticulous about accurate details, which add authenticity to the storyline. I also like the fact that all the women in her book have a backbone. They dare to go outside the social norms to do what is best for them. This book is a perfect example. Madeline Matthews runs away from boarding school after she is forced into a betrothal with a disgusting older man. She decides to ruin herself by allowing the famous actor, Logan Scott to take her virginity. Little does she know that he is a complex man who is extremely private. (We get a better glimpse of his character in Kleypas' Somewhere I'll find you, and so I'd recommend reading that one first.) Love Logan's characters, his understanding of the world, and his willingness to fight for what he's worked for. Kleypas has extremely well-rounded characters in everything she writes. She has a way of giving each one unique mannerisms or speech patterns that set them apart from the rest.

Didn't Love:
I struggled with the conflict in this one. Small spoiler alert here, (though not major). Logan knows that Maddy has a secret. He knows there's someone else and that she was so unhappy she left everything and ran. He states over and over that he doesn't care. And when he finally realizes that he loves her, he says he'll fight for her, he'll help her if she'll only confide in him and trust him ... which, of course, she doesn't. She tries to leave, and he's all "what's the matter sweetheart", but then her father shows up and tells him that she has run away and that she is betrothed to the old, smelly guy. After all that, Logan suddenly says something to the effect of "take her, I don't want to see her again." I'm like whaaaat? Really?! After all they've been through he's not going to fight for her? He's just going to hate her for something he's said the entire book didn't matter?

While it seems a minor point compared to other books, I've gotten spoiled with Kleypas and her tight story lines (especially the Wallflower and the Hathaway series), and so this is a major plot hole that should have been filled. Logan would never finally give his heart to someone and then cast her aside because daddy came to his house and said she had to go. It reeked of insincerity.

Loved again:
Once I got over that part, the rest of the book unfolds in an amazing way (if you can overlook Scott's sudden hatred of our lovely Maddy, and the way he ruthlessly treats her). I did like the way Maddy grows throughout the book while never losing her kind spirit. She is one of those characters that is strong yet kind and vulnerable, which drives Scott crazy!

Well done, Kleypas. Well done.

Overall I'd give this book 3.5 stars. If you like all things romance, this one's a keeper!
Posted by: Chi