Feathermore Trilogy Giveaway

Hello and Welcome!

With all the excitement that is swirling around lately about the Indie BookFest, I thought I'd do a killer giveaway on my website for those that won't be able to make it Florida to visit and hang out with us.
I will be giving away a Feathermore Trilogy basket which contains: A Feathermore paperback, a Fallenmore paperback, Feathermore and Fallenmore bookmarks and 3 different Forevermore postcards from the upcoming final book in the trilogy with each of our favorite characters quotes, Jade, Blake and Avan.

Enter below for your chance to win all these goodies!
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why I write YA

WHY I WRITE YA

As an avid reader, I will pretty much read any genre that comes my way. I don't discriminate against genres.

When I started reading as a child, I was obsessed with R.L. Stine. My parents had a clothing store at the mall and I would spend hours at the bookstore, sprawled all over the floor reading Goosebumps. Whenever I came across any kind of money at all, it would go toward a book, which at that age felt like such a mature thing to do. As I started growing up, and although I kept reading Stine’s books, my taste became a little bit broader. Now, however, whenever I had money I spent it on clothes or going out with my friends, and that is why I began reading my Mom’s books. She, like I, has to go to sleep with a book in hand. And so there were plenty for me to choose from, however her genre was a little different that mine, she loved romance novels. Think Nora Roberts and Danielle Steele. And so I began daydreaming of handsome and romantic men that would come sweep me off my feet; that's when the romantic in me was born. I went on, for years reading anything my mom purchased. The DaVinci code drove me wild!

But it wasn’t until I was told about Twilight that I became a DIE HARD reader. I was working at the hospital at the time. I had taken a very lunch break and so I was completely alone in our break room. On the table was a paperback of Twilight. The TV wasn’t working and so I picked it up, after all, I had half an hour to kill. OH MY GOD, the half an hour disappeared. I don’t know how it is possible, but time fast forwarded! I had gotten so into the story that by the time I came up for air it had been an hour! I was so busted. Reluctantly I put it down and headed back to work. I couldn’t concentrate, I had Meyer’s story engraved in my mind. 7pm came around and I bolted to my car. I didn’t go home, I told my Mom I would pick up the kids a little bit later and drove like a maniac to the bookstore. By then, the first three were already out, so I bought them all. It might have taken me a week before I had read them all. I was ADDICTED. Since then I have read all four about 10 times each, and every time, it’s like the very first.

It was because of the Twilight saga that I decided to become a writer. I wanted readers to feel the way Meyers had made me feel. To become the character and have a break from our everyday lives. I wanted to create an escape that readers would want to escape to.
And so my genre of choice was easy, Young Adult. It is the genre I like reading most.
How many of you were told by a parent, aunt, grandmother how we would one day miss our teenage years? How we would one day want to turn back time and be in high school again? Everything my Mom has ever said to me and was brushed off as “Yeah, right. Whatever” has come true. And so, what better way to re-live those days than by creating my own?

The Young Adult genre is not just for teenagers, it is for everybody that misses those days and wants to, even if for a few hours a day, go back and reminisce. YA is also for the teenagers dealing with the realistic issues sometimes mingled in the stories, in the case of Feathermore, bullying. I was bullied when I was younger and I completely stand against it. It breaks people and scars them for life in one way or another. For adults, as I said before, YA is a getaway to times already passed.

What is your genre and why?

Book Review and Giveaway- "Bound" by Kira Saito

"Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined."

When I saw the cover of Bound I was completely intrigued by it. It consists of everything I love in a cover. It is dark, eerie and you can see certain sadness exude from the woman. Then, I proceeded to read the blurb and I was in. I wanted to know what it was all about.
Mind you, I have absolutely no idea of anything voodoo and was a little scared of being put off by any of it. After all, voodoo to me was making weird looking dolls and stabbing them with needles. But what I came to learn was far more magical than I had expected.
It took me a little bit to get into it, and mostly I think it was because of Arelia's obnoxious best friend, Sabrina. But that is not necessarily a bad thing, some of my favorite books it took me a few tries until I really got into them. Eg: "The Unquiet" by John Connolly and "Marked" (book #1 from House of Night) and was so hooked  once i got into it I read the first six books in a span of a week. True Story.
Sabrina, you will come to see is a rich princess and what I get most from her is that she honestly feels she is entitled to things and people. She just struck a nerve with me.


Anyway, the story follows Arelia, a sixteen year old that lives with her grand-mere Bea and struggles to get by, money wise. During summer, Sabrina tells her about tan invitation she has gotten for a job at the Darkwood Plantation. Although Sabrina is rich, she finds this could be the perfect place to meet a rich LePlante man and eventually marry. Sort of like a stepford wife. For Arelia the pay is great, more than she could have ever hoped for and so, against her Grand-mere Bea's pleads, she sets off to her new job.
Here she meets some obnoxcious guests and a handsome boy named Lucus. He is mysterious and a total gentleman. Not the type of boy she has grown accustomed to.
Spirits have always talked to Arelia but she never paid them any attention, but now, here at the Darkwood Plantation she is faced with the truth about her past and her destiny. But will she stick around to see it fullfill or will she ran away, like her parents did?


Ah! See that is the question.. And you will need to read Bound to find out. I have laughed, I have cried and most than anything, have wanted to punch Sabrina square in the face multiple times. Kira has done an amazing job with this story, not only is it greatly entertaining but also, very educational! I have learnt a lot about voodoo and voodoo queens and I cannot wait to read more. It is all so interesting!


Now come on Kira, get going with book #2 of the Arelia LaRue Stories! I am dying to know what happens next!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Kira is a Canadian who currently resides in Brazil, with her Husband. She is also a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Jasmine, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza. Hopes one day her books will be made into movies.


** That is my dream too Kira! For yours and mines to be made into movies!**

**BIG NEWS**

Hola mis amigos!

I’ve got some great news that I have been keeping under wraps for a week or so, but, I am now at liberty to share with you all!

I have been asked to participate in the upcoming “Death by Chocolate” Y.A. Paranormal/ Romance Anthology. I am one of six writers. The Anthology will be published in February 2012 and it will be FREE. Nothing better than free, right? Scratch that, THIS book will be better than that.  I am also happy to reveal the cover! (See below)

Are you all as excited as I am? You should be.

My story, at least for the moment being, is called “Bloody Valentine.” I will be posting the blurb for it, along with the other five blurbs.

XOXO,

Love you all!

Book Review "The Willows: Haven"

“The Willows: Haven… Wow. WOW. Wo-wa-wee-wa WOW.

Yes, that is EXACTLY how I feel right now. I had family over my house this weekend and it was impossible to be on the computer when I was never at home. Lucky for me, I was able to read the entire book on my phone. I could not put it down and I got a dozen dirty looks from my mom which was all very much worth it.

I am the type of person that either gets sucked into a book on the first page and am not able to put it down, or I don’t get into it at all. Sometimes it can be a struggle fighting to try to find a spark, something that will ignite some interest. With Hope Colliers “The Willows: Haven” was instantaneous. The same way a spark creates a fire and spreads steadily over the land, I was all over the story. I craved it and needed it.

“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 finders 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?”

Hope you kicked YA butt!! I can only wish, when I finish my book, it will be as incredible as this one. This is what reading is all about. Immersing yourself in a different dimension, forgetting about your own world, forgetting to even breathe when the main characters find themselves sharing a very private moment.

In the first paragraph alone there is already mystery and action; you will be one hundred percent mesmerized (at least I was.) I was captivated by the amazing flow of her words and how easy it was to connect with each and every single character. Hope Collier has an amazing way of storytelling. I cannot even remember how many times I fell in love throughout the story, well- it was two actually. My husband should really be jealous right about now! All joking aside, I love all these characters so much now, except for one.. ugh! Kevin, you will forever be in my doo-doo list. It feels as if we have all been acquaintances for a really long time.
I am not one to give anything away, therefore I try to speak about what happens in the story as little as possible. But after tragedy hits Ashton she finds herself driving across country and meeting some special people along the way, especially gorgeous Gabe. Their story evolves into a beautifully written romance that keeps you itching for more. But, if you have one heart to give, one chance to give it.. can you live with yourself if you give it to the wrong person? That is what Ashton must find in her quest for the truth. The truth of who she really is and what exactly she is as well.

Hope Collier gave an amazing spin to mythology and, even though I am not very familiar with it all, it was easy to follow and in the end all made sense. The moment I finished the book I really, really, REALLY *desperate voice* needed more. I certainly hope this is book #1 of many. I already told the hubby I want the paperback for my birthday coming up.. yeah, it is THAT good.

This book gets 5 golden stars!

I was fortunate enough that Hope agreed to do a brief interview!! Please find it below as well as the links to “The Willows: Haven.”

Hope Collier was born in Harlan County, Kentucky. Growing up in the Appalachia, she quickly learned that a good imagination — along with the ability to outrun the neighbor’s cantankerous dog — was essential to survival. Hope wrote and illustrated her first book at the age of six and never stopped writing. She now lives in central Kentucky with her husband, two daughters, and a menagerie of pets. When not spending time with her imaginary friends, you’re likely to find her stalking other writers on Twitter or searching out new ways of fitting square pegs into round holes.

 

1- I know you have been writing for quite some time, you actually wrote your first book at six years of age. What was it that got you to writing and made you keep going?

Making up stories is something I've always done. I lived in southeastern Kentucky until I was six. Living in the mountains was a breeding ground for my imagination. Everything from the stories my uncles would tell around the campfire to making up my own adventures with my cousins … everything had potential to grow into something more. We moved to "the big city" right after I turned six. My 1st grade teacher told us to put pen to paper, and write our stories down. After that, I just never quit.

2- What or who inspires you?

The thing that inspire me most is music. I admire anyone who can take what's essentially an entire story and squeeze into four minutes worth of rhyming words and a melody. I like the deeper meaning in the lyrics. I like how each instrument sets the scene as if it's a character in and of itself. Music moves me like nothing else.

3- Which authors do you admire and why?

First would be Elizabeth Isaacs. She's my mentor and personal Yoda! Her ability to make the reader truly feel is just mind boggling. I've never really *experienced* a story like I did with The Light of Asteria.

Second is Lisa Kleypas. Her characters in the Hathaway series are flawless in a flawed sort of way. I hope to one day write such distinct ones.

Third would be Janet Evanovich. No one writes relatable like Janet. She can take any situation in a story and make you feel like you're not the only one who bumbles through life. 


4- How was "The Willows: Haven" created?

Haven came about, as cliché as it sounds, after I had a dream. Honestly though, 99% of what I write comes from my dreams. Gabe was the first character to really have a voice. He wasn't doing anything in particular in my dream. I just knew he was this inherently good person, and I got to thinking about him more. Who was he really? What purpose did he serve? Who could he affect with his life? Thus, Ashton was born followed by the rest. I'm not a planner, so the story came to me in pieces as the characters began speaking up.

5-  a) I, personally, fell in love with two of the male characters: Gabe and Kyle. Were they written in reference to anyone you know? And if so, where can I find them? (DM me their number haha)

Haha! They weren't written in their entirety from anyone one person. I think bits and pieces have come from people and experiences I've had with others, but mostly they created themselves. Gabe, of course, came to me in the dream. I didn't have much say in his personality. He's actually quite hard to capture. As for Kyle, when I started the story, he wasn't even a main character. It wasn't until later I realized how important he truly was. At that point, he did the writing for me, letting me in on a need-to-know basis ;)  

b) Have you ever or will you ever, use any personal experiences?

For me, just about everything is personal in some way, even if not in the obvious. A little bit of me or my life goes into most characters whether they have a trait or habit or weakness. Names, features, hobbies … most things in my story have purpose. As far as it goes for being non-human, well, that one is just a fantasy!

6- Will there be a second, third, fourth, fifth... installment? I NEED more!!!!

Without a doubt! I'm currently working on the sequel now. Expected publication is Fall 2012. My plans are for a trilogy, but seeing as I fly by the seat of my pants and follow the characters, that may change. 

7- What can we expect next?

In Book 2, we'll get to explore the world Ashton, Gabe and the others live in. It's a more in-depth look at their origins, history, and abilities. Plus, some of those unanswered questions come to light leaving more mysteries to unravel.

Hope Collier’s Information:

Website: http://www.hopecollier.com/

Twitter: @hopecollier

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.hope.collier

To buy the paperback go to:  http://soulfirepress.com/the-willows-haven

Amazon Kindle purchase here.

Barnes & Noble Nook purchase here

 Smashwords purchase here.