Contest: Win a Nevermore Prize Pack by Kelly Creagh

Win a NEVERMORE Prize Pack!

Includes signed copy of the book & other goodies

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

*This contest is now closed*

CONTEST RULES:  
ENTER: leave a comment answering the following question. Have you read any Edgar Allen Poe? What did you think and do you have a favorite of his combined works? Mine is the Pit & The Pendulum---scary!!!

*Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you're the winner. Or you can email me with it at bookbutterfly9(at)gmail(dot)com. 

ENTRANTS must be 13 years of age or older.
CONTEST DEADLINE is September 10, 2010
OPEN to U.S. entrants only (Sorry International readers)

Ten Tantalizing Questions for Kelly Creagh, Author of Nevermore

Do you want to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Ten Tantalizing Questions is designed not only to showcase exciting books on the horizon, but to also provide a glimpse into the interesting personalities of the authors behind them.

"There are thousands of thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen and writes. ~William Makepeace Thackeray

NEVERMORE BY KELLY CREAGH

August 31st 2010 by Antheneum

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

Read an excerpt of Chapter 1.

Nevermore is a story centering around Isobel Lanley, a cheerleader who finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into a dream world where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allen Poe come to life. Can you tell us a little more about Nevermore and share with us a favorite line, scene or passage from the book?

Nevermore is a multi-layered story. In true Poe fashion, it is a bit like a story within a story, which is one of the aspects which I feel makes it a unique read. On the surface, I have this modern-day story about a goth and a cheerleader being paired together for an English project. But Underneath that, I have all of these allusions to Poe and what really befell him during his final days. Scholars and Poe enthusiasts still have no idea what happened to Poe during the days he went missing before being found delirious in Baltimore. There are theories ranging everywhere from rabies to a brain tumor. And when I first learned about the details surrounding Poe’s demise, that’s when all of my big ‘what ifs’ began to pop up in my head. It was fun doing the research and getting the facts. Then, once I had everything laid out, that’s when I started to wiggle in my own ideas and basically make things up! Creepy and otherworldly beings and events began to pour out of my mind until I was even psyching myself out.

One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Isobel and Varen actually get have to present their project. There is a lot happening in this scene and I think it is one is the best examples of what I mean by the story being ‘layered.’ Each character in this scene has an underlying conflict. And tied in with one big revelation, there is yet more mystery as well. It was one of the most entertaining scenes to write!

Do you remember the first words you ever wrote for Nevermore, and are they still in the novel today?

I do remember the first words that I wrote for Nevermore! I actually have the first version of the novel tucked away somewhere on my laptop because I tend to save drafts of what I’m working on in their various stages, just in case. I began writing Nevermore on a whim and most of what came out was free-form writing. The first scene that I wrote stands as the current first chapter and, though the structure of the scene itself has changed quite a bit, the main action and outcome of the scene remains unchanged.

What three words do you think best describe your novel?

Creepy, Subtle, Layered.

What do you think Edgar Allan Poe would think about Nevermore if he was alive today? Out of all his collective works, is there one in particular that is your favorite? If so, why?

I’m so glad you asked this question! The truth is that I often find myself wondering about what Eddie would have thought about Nevermore. In the story, I do take many liberties with some of the events in his life and, in particular, the events surrounding his death. My hope has always been that, at the very least, he wouldn’t mind. I don’t think I should worry too much, though, because Poe always enjoyed a good ruse. He was a bit of a trickster in his own right and so I also like to think he would wink with amusement and wave me on. He himself was responsible for a few literary hoaxes, publishing fiction tales under the guise of non-fiction, such as The Balloon Hoax and The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.

Now, unlike Poe, I’m not attempting to present my otherworldly tale as true. However, I do like to flatter myself that that the trickster Poe and the detective writer Poe might have, at the very least, appreciated my way of filling in the blanks.

In terms of my favorite work of Poe’s, I would have to say William Wilson. I love good doppelganger tale. The theme of duality is one that I find in so many of my own stories. The ending of William Wilson especially is shudder-inducing. I don’t think it’s one of his most widely read stories so, if you haven’t had a chance to read it, you should definitely check it
out!

If you found yourself drawn into Varen's chilling world like Isobel, what do you think would be the most terrifying work of Edgar Allan Poe’s to be pulled into?

Without hesitation I would have to say The Masque of the Red Death. I think that if there is one story of Poe’s you certainly would not want to find yourself in, it would be that one—especially if you’d already read the story and knew what would happen once the ebony clock struck twelve.

If you had to attach a musical score to your novel, what songs do you imagine playing during prominent scenes?

I listen to a lot of music while I write. I find that different music helps me get into the mood of a particular story, setting or scene. For Nevermore, I listened to a lot of My Chemical Romance and Muse. I also like to listen to spooky movie soundtracks for action scenes or for the really quiet but creepy moments. Another band that I discovered while writing Nevermore was I Am Ghost. Nox Arcana is also great for writing and it was kind of cool to discover that they even had an entire album devoted to Poe! In addition to music, I listened to a lot of Poe’s works recorded on audio. I feel like this helped tremendously with giving most of the subtle nuances and tiny nods to Poe sprinkled throughout. I feel like it was the best way to get Eddie’s work ingrained into my subconscious. In particular, I loved listening to the renditions of Poe’s works by Norman George, a Poe performer. He employs a southern dialect which I feel brings so much character, nuance and vivacity to the stories. Aside from that, his inflection and acting is wonderful! Check him out on iTunes!

Can you share with us some of the challenges you faced to publish Nevermore? Is there anything about the process that you would do differently, knowing what you do now?

In all honesty, I would have to say that my greatest difficulty with Nevermore did not come at the publishing stage, but rather at the creation stage. I suffered some major discouragement when nearing completion of the first draft. In the face of some pretty harsh criticism, I began another project and set Nevermore temporarily aside. Then, when I met my agent and
pitched Nevermore to her, her response was immediate and very excited. So when I returned home from the conference, I dusted off Nevermore and finished the draft. After that, I did some polishing and sent it her way and she offered me representation! So really, I only faltered when I let myself doubt.

If you could inhabit the life of one literary character and dive into their world for just one day, who would you choose and why?

Oh, I like this question. My first instinct is to say Severus Snape. But then I start to worry about myself because, if there was one character who was put through the ringer in the Harry Potter series, it was Snape! And considering all that happened, (especially to Harry!) that’s really saying something! I love Snape so much, though. I’d love to spend a day in his shoes just to experience what he went through. I’m such a sucker for redemptive characters and anti-heroes and I think Snape sort of takes the trophy in that arena. Another character whose shoes I would like to
inhabit for a day would be Christine from the Phantom of the Opera. Of course, I’m an Erik fan and so I would have loved to have helped the girl out and chosen the right guy. She would have thanked me in the end.

If Nevermore was to be made into a movie, do you have certain actors you envision in the lead roles or do you think unknowns would be best suited to play them?

This is a fun one to think about. If Nevermore ever made it to the movies, I think I would like to see Dakota Fanning in the role of Isobel. She’s a very talented young lady and I enjoy her work. I also hear that she is a real-life cheerleader! For Varen, I feel like I would love to see an unknown take the stage—someone to give him a fresh face. I think that when you first meet Varen, it’s kind of a jarring moment. At least it is for Izzy. So for audiences to have a similar reaction, I think it would be the most fun to have someone utterly unfamiliar sitting in that seat in Mr.
Swanson’s English class.

What can we look forward to reading from you next? Any upcoming projects or new series in the works?

I am currently hard at work on the sequel to Nevermore. I also have another novel that I started a few years ago which I think about often and am waiting to spend more time on. It is outside of the realm of supernatural fiction (though not totally) but not in the genre of realistic
fiction either. For right now, I won’t say any more than that! :X

Kelly Creagh is a 2008 graduate of Spalding University's MFA in Creative Writing program. She works for the Louisville Free Public Library, specializing in teen services. When not writing, haunting bookstore coffee shops, or obsessively studying Poe, Kelly's passions include the ancient art of bellydance. She lives with her squirrely, attitude-infused terrier, Annabel, in the heart of Old Louisville, Kentucky's largest and spookiest Victorian neighborhood. Nevermore is her first novel.

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Guest Post with Christy Trujillo, Author of Emmy's Song and I-Tunes Giveaway!

Hello all!

First, I would like to thank the lovely BookButterfly herself, Kim, for allowing me to have some space in her world to chat with you all. I’m very excited to be here! A little about me: Christy Trujillo, author of The Maldito Series, a YA paranormal romance about a race of half-human, half-vampires called ‘El Maldito (that’s ‘the cursed’ for you non-Spanish speaking folks) based on an old Spanish legend. My books are about a girl named Emmy who works towards a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, and things get thrown off track when a handsome boy with a secret comes to town.

Music is a very large part of the trilogy. Emmy has music playing in her head all of the time, which changes based on her mood or the situation in which she finds herself. Some of the songs in the first book in the series include “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel, “At Last” by Etta James and “Bring Him Home” from the musical La Miserables. These songs are woven through the story, allowing the reader to immerse in Emmy’s world, both though the written word and the beautiful melodies of the music.

As with Emmy, music is an enormous part of my life. I always listen to music when I write, and have even had a song (“Cosmic Love” by Florence + The Machine) actually affect the entire outcome of a story. I know many authors who make playlists for their books and think of specific bands as the voice of their character. I often wonder if songwriters write the lyrics or the melody first because to me, as they are inextricably intertwined.

Music can bring people together and give them common ground no matter race, age, or creed. Music can lift you when you’re feeling down and give you a soft place to lie in when you are wallowing in self-pity. Music can help you find your calling in this world. Sometimes, all you have to do is listen.


“Words can change your mood but add a little music and they can move your very soul.” ~ Me

Books by Christy Trujillo

Christy Trujillo was born and raised in a small town in Northeast Florida near Jacksonville and the Florida-Georgia line. As a child she loved books on vampires and the paranormal and has been heavily influenced by the writings of L.J. Smith. Christy currently works for a major staffing company, and dreams of becoming a full-time author. She resides in Jacksonville, FL with her husband, son, and two black cats that turned out to be anything but unlucky. Visit the author's Official Website

GIVEAWAY: $10 I-TUNES GIFTCARD

Official Contest information:

TO ENTER, leave a comment for Christy including your email address so I can contact you if you are the winner (or you can email me at bookbutterfly9(at)gmail (dot) com if you do not wish to have your email published).

ENTRANTS must be 13 years of age or older

CONTEST DEADLINE is September 10, 2010

CONTEST OPEN Internationally!

Book Beginnings Friday: Demon Princess: Reign Check by Michelle Rowen

"Act normal, I told myself as I pushed through the doors of Erin Heights High School. Everything's going to be just fine.

That thought lasted exactly thirty seconds. "

-DEMON PRINCESS: REIGN CHECK BY MICHELLE ROWEN

Enter the world of Nikki Donovan, a demon princess hell-bent on living a normal teenage life!

Nikki Donovan has had a lot to deal with since learning she was half human, half demon. But things take a darker turn when Rhys, a gorgeous — but potentially dangerous — faery king enrolls at her high school to investigate Nikki’s potential for fulfilling an apocalyptic prophesy. Nikki knows she’d never turn violent, and she certainly couldn’t destroy the world…could she?

Of course, all Nikki really wants is to be reunited with Michael, a Shadow creature whose status as her personal servant is further complicated by their undeniable attraction to each other. Even though the rules of the Shadowlands strictly forbid their romance, Nikki is determined not to let Michael go. But when she is summoned to the Underworld to appear before a demon council, it will take all her courage — and perhaps a bit of demon-level strength — to get herself out again.

Click HERE to read an excerpt of DEMON PRINCESS: REIGN CHECK

Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

Book Review: Other by Karen Kincy

OTHER BY KAREN KINCY

Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Flux (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
1/2

Feathers unfurl from my skin. My plummet curves into a swoop, and I tuck my talons beneath my body. From girl to great horned owl in about a second. Pretty good, huh?

Gwen Williams is like any other modern teenager with one exception: she's a shapeshifter. Never having known her Pooka-spirit father, Gwen must struggle with the wild, wonderful magic inside of her alone—and in secret. While society may tolerate vampires, centaurs, and "Others" like Gwen, there are plenty of folks in Klikamuks, Washington, who don't care for her kind.

Now there's a new werewolf pack in town, and Others are getting killed, including Gwen's dryad friend. The police are doing zilch. In the midst of terrible loss and danger, Gwen meets a cute Japanese fox spirit who's refreshingly comfortable with his Otherness. Can Gwen find the courage to embrace her true self and find the killer—before she becomes the next victim?

OPENING LINE:

“I can't last much longer. It's been one week, three days and I can't remember how many hours. ”

NOTABLE SCENE:

“Whatever. I've earned this. I'll be careful. I've been a good little girl for long enough. It's easy to transform again, I'm so giddy with the lingering magic. Back to girl I go. I climb through the window and onto the roof. Naked, I curl my bare toes around shingles and grin nervously in the moonlight. I hope nobody's awake.

Wind tosses my curls. I clench my hands and stir the magic inside me. Power boils through my veins, dizzying me. Concentrate. The night snaps into sharper focus. I jump. My arms, my wings, strain upward. Feathers unfurl from my skin. My plummet curves into a swoop, and I tuck my talons beneath my body.

From girl to great horned owl in about a second. Pretty good, huh?” -Page 3

What is a pooka you ask? According to Gwen's old textbooks, pookas were described as mythical creatures that "show up as a dark horse with glowing golden eyes, stalking travelers on murky nights, inviting them on wild rides, throwing them into bogs, over cliffs"…you get the picture right?

The world building of OTHER ended up being the strongest component for me. It was intriguing to immerse myself into a novel with leprechauns, dryads, water sprites and pookas. Most seemed to be trying to live out quiet lives in normal towns when they were not-so-normal people themselves. I also appreciated the issues of tolerance and prejudice that the "Others" had to deal with, particularly the werewolves of Winema's pack who were literally forced out of Canada before settling outside of Gwen's town. The scene when Gwen met Winema was well written and the wolf pups nearly broke my heart. Just like in any society, some Others were regarded as a higher class and certain Others, like vampires and werewolves were viewed with fear and hatred. I found that interesting and was intrigued by the class distinctions, as well as the unique magical abilities of the Others themselves.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time really connecting to Gwen. I also thought the pacing was rather slow, especially in the beginning. I knew straightaway who the killer would target next, and that predictability took away a lot of the emotional punch when that event occurred down the line. However, when Gwen began interacting with Tavian, a Japanese fox kitsune spirit (how cool is that?), I thought the pacing accelerated and I began to appreciate Gwen a lot more. She proved herself to be a loyal friend and showed tremendous courage when it came to solving the the murders.

An unusual mix of magic and mystery, OTHER was chocked full of interesting characters and an intriguing plot line. Though slow to start, it is a series with a lot of potential. The next book entitled BLOODBORN releases in 2011.

*SIDE NOTE: I was in Ireland a few months back and went to a dinner hosted by a professional folklorist called "Food, Folklore & Fairies". I remember him referencing pookas as they related to 18th century peasant life. He joked that men would blame the pooka as the reason why they were coming home late from the local pubs. The man would tell his wife, "I left the pub with every intention of coming home to you but that "darn pooka" got me—it's not my fault." (Apparently pookas seemed to enjoy waiting for intoxicated men to exit pubs, only to sidle under their legs while they stumbled drunkenly about. The man would insist the last thing he remembered was being taken on a wild ride through the night and then thrown off the back of the pooka into a ditch! I wonder if that excuse really worked?)

A shameless nerd and lover of snark, Karen lives in western Washington, where she recently graduated from The Evergreen State College. She ripped off her hometown of Snohomish, WA for the fictional locale of Klikamuks, where Other takes place. When she’s not at her computer, writing, she’s probably out in the forest with her notebook, writing, or on a photography expedition with her trusty digital camera. She likes to imagine werewolves lurking among the trees.

Karen is represented by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger, Inc. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Visit Karen Kincy's Official Website.

Waiting on Wednesday: Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer

WILDCAT FIREFLIES BY AMBER KIZER
July 11, 2011 (Delecourt Press/Random House)

I couldn't find any synopsis for this one yet.
I am a huge fan of Meridian and can't wait for Wildcat Fireflies. But July '11? That's so far away!

Here's some info about the first book in case you aren't familiar with it-

Life. Death. And the in between.

My name is Meridian Sozu. I am a Fenestra. I have always shared my world with the dead and the dying. But I really didn't understand what that meant until I turned sixteen and glimpsed my own mortality. . .

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has always been surrounded by death. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders burrowed into her bedclothes to die. As she grew, the animals got bigger, and soon they were finding her at school to die in her presence. Meridian became an outcast, labeled by her classmates as Reaper, Gravedigger, and Witch. Each death she witnesses weakens her body, and loneliness weakens her spirit.

On her sixteenth birthday, she witnesses a deadly car crash. Though she’s untouched, Meridian's body explodes with the victims’ pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she's a danger to her family and rushed to her great-aunt's house in Revelation, Colorado. It's there that she learns the secret her mother has been hiding her entire life: that she is a Fenestra, the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. It's crucial that she learn how to transition human souls to the afterlife and preserve the balance between good and evil on earth. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos. Dark, lovely, and lushly romantic, MERIDIAN introduces a powerful heroine who will entrance readers.

Read an excerpt of Meridian.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event spotlighting upcoming releases we are highly anticipating. It is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. What are you waiting on?

Blindsided by Books: Review of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk

Has anyone ever sent you a book to read and for whatever reason, you thought it just wouldn't be a good fit for you? But then you decided to give it a shot and ended up really enjoying it? Well this feature is dedicated to those books. They come along when you least expect it and end up blindsiding you with their awesomeness!

Today's pick-

THE DARK DAYS OF HAMBURGER HALPIN BY JOSH BERK

Reading level: Young Adult
Library Binding: 256 pages
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 9, 2010)
Language: English
Purchase: Amazon|Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Being a hefty, deaf newcomer almost makes Will Halpin the least popular guy at Coaler High. But when he befriends the only guy less popular than him, the dork-namic duo has the smarts and guts to figure out who knocked off the star quarterback. Will can’t hear what’s going on, but he’s a great observer. So, who did it? And why does that guy talk to his fingers? And will the beautiful girl ever notice him? (Okay, so Will’s interested in more than just murder . . .)

Those who prefer their heroes to be not-so-usual and with a side of wiseguy will gobble up this witty, geeks-rule debut.

Can an overweight, deaf sixteen-year old and a Hardy Boys aficionado help solve a murder mystery? You bet they can! The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin was a rip roaring good time. Filled with sarcastic humor, entertaining characters and a surprising amount of insight into deaf culture, politics and issues, this novel struck me with its refreshing perspective and kooky characters.

“Two choices. I can turn to the right into the dark and unknown or to the left into the dark and unknown. Of course, I can scamper back to safety. But instead, I sit, hunched, looking from right to left, from left to right. To the left there seems to be the tiniest sliver of light above an incline, while the right is pure blackness. And, just because that’s the kind of guy I am, I go for the black.”- page 204

Josh Berk infused an a great deal of humor into the story and I really appreciated his wry wit and hilarious one liners. Time and time again Will made me laugh. I love the way he nicknamed everyone who crossed his path, like “Jimmy Porkrinds” or the substitute teacher, “Mr. Tough Guy.”

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin really opened my eyes to the challenges that people with disabilities face. For instance, I never thought about the bell being “sound discriminatory” or how lip reading was something you couldn’t shut off when you wanted. This explanation really stuck with me in particular –

“It’s like watching TV while someone else works the remote. No, better yet: imagine yourself sitting in a room with a hundred TVs turned up loud while you whirl around on a Sit & Spin at a dizzying speed, trying to follow the plot.” – page 16

Though The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin did seem to slightly toe the line between middle-grade and YA for me, it definitely kept me entertained as an adult. Normally I don’t like text chat in books, but Will’s snarky sense of humor and Devon’s personality had me rapidly turning the pages with glee. The way this dynamic duo teamed up together as a ragtag “Chet” and “Frank” team from the Hardy Boys was priceless. As for Devon, he was by far my favorite character. How can you not love a kid who orchestrates elaborate sleuthing missions with fake glasses, beards and old-timey pistols! I never got tired of his manner of speaking either, especially when he would say things like “How does the day find you, my good man?”

I have to admit that initially I didn’t think this book would be a good fit for me at all. The combination of the somewhat awkward title and juvenile cover threw me off. When I found out that that The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin had won the YALSA Best Fiction Nominee for Young Adults (2010), well, I knew then I had to give it a real chance. Turns out, this was a classic case of don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover. I ended up reading all 250 pages in one sitting!

I’m excited to have discovered a new author with a unique voice and look forward to checking out Josh Berk’s future works.

Josh Berk is the author of The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin (Knopf 2010) and a second comedy/mystery teen novel coming from Knopf in 2011. He has previously been a journalist, a poet, a playwright, and a guitarist (mostly in bands known for things other than fine guitar-playing). He is a librarian and lives in a cornfield in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with his family.
Visit the author's Official Website & Blog.

Ten Tantalizing Questions for Inara Scott, Author of Delcroix Academy: The Candidates and Giveaway!

Do you want to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Ten Tantalizing Questions is designed not only to showcase exciting books on the horizon, but to also provide a glimpse into the interesting personalities of the authors behind them.

"There are thousands of thoughts lying within a man that he does not know till he takes up the pen and writes. ~William Makepeace Thackeray

Delcroix Academy (Book 1: The Candidates) by Inara Scott
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (August 24, 2010)

Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that's not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia's mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just...happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden.

But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia's days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats' kids and child geniuses--not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she's special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome.

And then there's her mysterious new friend Jack, who can't stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn't convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her "gift" than they're letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it...But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

Delcroix Academy centers around Dancia Lewis, a teenager with unusual and dangerous abilities who attends a new school harboring a few secrets of its own. Do you have a favorite line, scene or passage from the book that you can share with us today?

I didn’t see the kid running toward me until we were about to collide. He was looking over his shoulder and scowling at the road behind him, eyebrows knit together like a dark smear across his forehead. He had long legs and arms, black hair and pale skin. I thought I saw the scrawl of a tattoo across one bicep.

“Hey!” I yelled, ducking out of the way just in time to avoid being flattened.

He stopped and spun around. His gaze darted wildly from my face to the road and back. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He brushed it off with an impatient, trembling hand.

I saw panic in his eyes, and fear in the rigid, jerky way he kept moving, as if he couldn’t afford to stand still.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He looked over his shoulder again, and then took a step closer to me. Grabbing my shoulders, he peered right into my face. “If a man asks if you’ve seen me, say no, okay?”

Beautiful silvery-grey eyes stared out from spiky black eyelashes. I froze, unable to tear my gaze from his.

“Okay?” he repeated, shaking my shoulders. His voice cracked.

I gulped, my heart pounding in my chest. Suddenly, I had a taste of the fear that seemed to consume him. “Should I call the police?”

“No!” His voice cracked again. “No,” he repeated. “Just say you haven’t seen me.”

He let me go and started running down the block.

Do you remember the first words you ever wrote for Delcroix Academy and are they still in the novel today?

"On my twelfth birthday, I discovered I could Make Things Happen."

And no. That was the first line of the first draft of the book, and like most first chapters I write, it ended up in the trash.

What three words do you think best describe Dancia?

Ooo, that's a great questions -- tough, funny, and deeply protective of those she loves. (Hey, I'm a writer -- three words isn't enough!)

Can you share with us some of the challenges you faced to publish Delcroix Academy? Is there anything about the process that you would do differently, knowing what you do now?

Challenges? Let's see. Delcroix Academy was the third book I wrote (the other two will never see the light of day) and I received well over a hundred rejections in my search for publication. The book was originally scheduled to release in Fall of 2009, but when the economy collapsed at the end of 2008 it was pushed back until August 2010. But I don't really think of these as challenges. I actually feel like I got really lucky with Delcroix. I found a great agent who wanted to see Delcroix succeed, and she found an editor who loved the book enough to buy it and a sequel. Many fantastic novels never get that far.

If you had to attach a musical score to your novel, what songs do you imagine playing during prominent scenes?

I should have a great answer to this question, but the truth is that I'm not very musically inclined. If anyone out there has suggestions, please send them my way!

If your novel was to be made into a movie, do you have certain actors you envision in the lead roles or do you think unknowns would be best suited to play them?

I had Zac Efron in mind when I first envisioned Cam, but Jenny from the Forever Young Adult blog did a fabulous job casting the book, and she suggested William Moseley. I think that might be even better than Zac! I don't know who could bring Dancia or Jack to life. Jenny suggested Richard Madden, who looks really hot, but I haven't actually seen him act so I can't say for sure. Jack's got a really raw, untouched quality to him, and Dancia's so beautiful in an insecure, unsure of herself sort of way -- it might be hard for a well-known actor to capture those qualities.

Really, my only request is that the actor not be a thirty year-old trying to play a freshman in high school. I hate when they do that.

Dancia has powers she tries to control and keep hidden. What do you think would be the best and worst thing about having her capabilities?

The best and worst part would be the same -- knowing you could change the course of events, and having to take responsibility for what might result.

Did you model aspects of Delcroix Academy after any school in particular? If so, can you tell us about it?

I went to an amazing high school that definitely provided some inspiration -- City Honors, in Buffalo NY. City Honors is a college prep magnet school and it's really small, and there weren't big athletics, and no cheerleaders or football players. In my memory (which is admittedly rosy!) there were all sort of cliques, but everyone pretty much got along, and everyone seemed to have some exceptional talent.

If you could inhabit the life of one literary character and dive into their world for just one day, who would you choose and why?

I think Rose, from Louisa May Alcott's Rose in Bloom. Rose is adorable, wealthy, and surrounded by men fighting for her affection. What could be more fun?

Can you give us any inside scoop as to what we can look forward to in the next installment in the series?

All I can say is there will be more romance, action, and dangerous secrets unfolding at Delcroix Academy...

I grew up in winter wonderland of Buffalo, NY. Consequently, I spent much of my childhood complaining about being cold. To spare the world my whining, I fled the cold climate and eventually wound up in the Pacific NW. I love it here — we get occasional snow, tons of rain in the winter, and lots of sun in the summer. The forests are huge, and the old Douglas Fir trees and thick ferns make you think you’ve wandered into a fairy tale. I would be surprised if there weren’t fairies and elves living here. Seriously.

I love to hike, canoe, and play outside. I am addicted to yoga. I have a deep affinity for water (I used to believe I could learn to breathe underwater, if I stayed down there long enough).

I’m a geek through and through. I fear deep, intellectual books and love romance and fantasies. I listen to cheesy, happy music. When I was in high school, my friends considered having a clothing
intervention for me because I insisted on making my own clothes and shopping at thrift stores. Somehow, I survived.

Visit Inara Scott's Official Website & Blog.

Purchase Delcroix Academy at Amazon.com

Giveaway

Prizes:

*2 winners will receive a signed copy of Delcroix Academy: The Candidates

Rules:
*You must be 13 year or older to enter.
*Contest is for entrants with a valid U.S. address only and ends September 6th.
*Once contacted, winners have 72 hours to respond with their mailing address.
*The form must be filled out to enter.

Fab Five Questions with Judith Graves, Author of Under My Skin

All her parents wanted was for Eryn to live a normal life...

Redgrave had its share of monsters before Eryn moved to town. Mauled pets, missing children. The Delacroix family is taking the blame, but Eryn knows the truth. Something stalks the night. Wade, the police chief's son and Redgrave High's resident hottie, warns her the Delacroix are dangerous. But then so is Eryn--in fact, she's lethal.

But she can't help falling for one of the Delacroix boys, dark, brooding--human Alec. And then her world falls apart.

A normal life? Now that's the real fairytale.

Under My Skin is about Eryn, a teenage girl dealing with not only the shock of missing parents, but a town full of things that go bump in the night. Can you tell us a little bit more about the book and give us a favorite line, scene or passage?

Well, it’s not your typical teen angst novel. ‘Cause Eryn isn’t your typical emo kid. She’s troubled, sure, with a messed up home life. And, yeah, she used to cut herself. But not because she was depressed or wanted attention. Eryn discovered blood. Warm. Alive. For a while she gave into its pull. Cutting was a release for the beast waiting under her skin. But she has that under control; she’s reined in her wolven side. Or so she thinks. When her parents disappear and are likely dead, Eryn has to find new ways to cope with the increasing strength of her wolven half. She doesn’t have access to the drug her father had been feeding her since birth—the only thing that stifled her abilities. To top it off, all this has made her dangerously unpredictable—–even to herself. Eryn is beginning the change—but thanks to her father’s chemical manipulations—she’s doesn’t know for sure what she’s changing into. Not exactly the best time to strike up a friendship with a crew of teen hunters tracking her kind…no matter how hot their tall, dark, and dead-wrong-for-her leader, Alec Delacroix, might be.

I do have a favourite line, I made it the tagline for the whole series: A normal life? Now that’s the real fairytale. My favourite scene is with Eryn and a werewolf in the Polly’s Pet Emporium…and all the bunny blood.

Under My Skin introduces a new supernatural world which includes werewolves, whose appearance and lives are explained through some interesting folk lore. With so many novels on the market with paranormal themes, what do you think separates your novel from the rest?

Good to hear you think the lore is interesting. ;) In UMS there are werewolves (soulless beasts acting on the will of their master), and wolven (humans with the ability to shapeshift into human form – although it’s often more like wolves who assume human form when it suits them). These are opposites in many ways, one is a pawn and the other has free will. Yet both can be destroyed with silver and are at their strongest on the full moon.

UMS is unusual in that Eryn, the main character, is the female lead role, and SHE’S the paranormal creature who just might take a bite out of anyone who gets too close. Eryn is a strong character, yet she’s fragile as well. She has love interests, sure, but she’s more than the girlfriend – she’s the hero.

What three words best describe Under My Skin?

Temptation. Blood. Hunger.

Can you share with us some of the challenges you faced to publish Under My Skin? Is there anything about the process that you would do differently, knowing what you do now?

UMS is the first book I wrote. It was my etcha-sketch, learning bit of fiction. I re-wrote the novel seven times, and I understood more about the craft of writing with each draft. I fleshed out two more books in the series during those re-writes, rounding the series out to three stories.

I could have given up on UMS and moved on to other tales, but I loved the characters and was determined to get the plot / motivations just right. I still have tons to learn and am amazed at some of the fabulous debut novels out there. Being a member of the Class of 2k10 (www.classof2k10.com), I’ve discovered the debut author experience is different for everyone. Some authors wrote several books before getting published. Some landed a contract with their first (and with little revision).

I don’t think I’d do anything differently. The process of writing, rewriting, hacking, slashing, crying, bitching, and starting over again the next morning was necessary.
I guess what I’m saying is….if you want to write – you will. If the story is meant to be told – you’ll find your voice and tell it.

When Eryn moves to Redgrave, she quickly learns it's a town full of its share of monsters. If you had to pick one type of supernatural creature to be for a day, which one would you pick and why?

I’d love to be any creature that can fly….a sprite, one of the fey, whatever. I hate planes, but perhaps if I had control and could soar under my own power – I’d never come down from the sky.

Thanks for having me, Kim!

Books
by Judith Graves

Under My Skin (Leap Books (March 5, 2010))
Second Skin (Leap Books 2011)

Learn more about Judith Graves
Official Website
Twitter

Residing in a northern Alberta community, similar to the fictional town of Redgrave, where Under My Skin is set - Judith unhappily endures snow in the winter, and runs away from bees in the summer.

A firm believer that Canadian teen fiction can be sexy, action packed and snarky as hell - Judith writes paranormal stories with attitude.

Contest Winners

The winners of Lost for Words by Alice Kuipers are:

Froggy (Claimed)
Bridget H. of Readaholic (Claimed)
Ashley of Book Obsessions(Claimed)

The winner of the What's Your Status and Top 8 Prize Pack is:
(Claimed)

Sarah L. from Limerick's blogspot *claimed

The five winners of Almost to Die For by Tate Hallaway are:

1. Eleni at la femme readers! *claimed
2. Eva at Evasblackspot! *claimed
3. Jeff *claimed
4. Fiona Chann *claimed
5. Juju at Tales of Whimsy! *claimed