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26.2.14

Guest Review - Junk Miles by Liz Reinhardt

This review is written by my friend, Lisa.

Junk Miles By Liz Reinhardt
Series : #1 Brenna Blixen

Released : 2nd January 2014

Publisher: Random House

Format : Paperback

Source : Publisher

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)

Overall rating

.................................... The Blurb ....................................

When Brenna Blixen is offered a trip to Paris for the winter break, she jumps at the chance.
After a tearful goodbye with her gorgeous boyfriend, Jake Kelly, Brenna is shocked to discover that Saxon Maclean is also headed to the City of Love.
He’s trouble and irritating as hell. But also seriously hot.
Can Brenna resist her animal urges, or is good girl Brenna about to turn bad . . . ?

.................................... Lisa's Thoughts ....................................

In Short

- Junk Miles kept me interested throughout the whole book.

- The characters were very likable.

- The book was very interested and I never wanted to put it down.

In Long

As this was my first book I’d read in a few years I felt keeping an interest in the book was essential. When starting to read the book I was hooked straight away. Chapter after chapter I wanted to know what was going to happen next.

The characters throughout the book shown a large diverse of personalities and backgrounds, as a reader I found this made the story line particularly interesting which made me feel many different emotions when reading, this was created due to the different lives Saxon, Jake and Brennan lived. The characters in the book became very likable as the book entailed each one of the characters lives and allowed the reader to get a overall picture of the Breenan, Jake and Saxons.

As I kept reading the book I found the story line very interesting and always wanted to pick the book back up for “5 more minutes”. The book had a significant twist which really made you as a reader engrossed and wondering what will happen next between the characters, the relationships and everyone else who was involved in the book.

Final Thoughts
As a reader i would recommend this book to anyone who loves young teenage relationship storylines.

Find Liz

Website
Goodreads

24.2.14

Cover Crazy #115

Cover Crazy is a meme I enjoy taking part in as a book lover because for me, although they say don't judge a book by it's cover, covers have a big influence over whether I pick a book up or not!

Sacrifice - Jennifer Quintenz
See the rest of the covers in the series here.
Love how these covers have progressed throughout the series. This is probably my favourite, love the post and background.

Blog Tour - Zombie Incorporated by Jill Elaine Hughes

Zombie Incorporated by Jill Elaine Hughes

ZOMBIE, INCORPORATED

Twilight. With zombies.

Eighteen-year-old Katie Allred is socially awkward and unpopular at school. The only child of parents who had her right out of high school, Katie is herself about to leave the nest, even though she hardly feels ready.

Katie’s new after-school job at the Zimble Box Corporation draws her into the complex social strata of high school cliques and backstabbing friends in ways she never imagined. Katie soon discovers there’s something very strange about the “in” crowd at school---and about her employer, too. Shortly after starting her new job, the Contagion breaks out, plunging her town and the entire nation into chaos as zombie shadow forces come out into the open, ravaging the streets. Katie goes into hiding and her parents disappear, along with almost everyone else she knows.

But Katie soon discovers she has special powers that help her survive. She’s a Beacon, someone with the innate ability to help zombies produce children. It’s a power her employer — and what little remains of the U.S. government — both want to exploit for their own ends. Not only that, it runs in her family---which has a secret past Katie never knew about until now.

Getting to Know Jill

1. I love pizza with black olives and sausage.

2. I'm always ready for a new episode of Breaking Bad.

3. When I'm alone, I read.

4. You'd never be able to tell, but I have a tattoo in a secret spot.

5. If I had a halo it would be orange.

6. If I could speak Swahili I'd move to Africa.

7. I can never be a beekeeper because I’m allergic to bee stings. (They can kill me!)

8. I wrote and illustrated my first horror story when I was in fifth grade.
Click here to continue reading!

Guest Post - Rebecca Finlayson

Importance of The Opening Pages

By Rebecca Finlayson

Nailing the opening of a book is always going to be a bit tricky. I wrote and re-wrote the opening of “X&Y” four or five times before I was happy with it. How much do you give away, how do you foreshadow without being completely obvious, how do you reveal something interesting about the story without displaying the whole plot in the first few lines? I almost wish I had kept the original first draft opening so I could compare it with the final, just because it would have been interesting.
I wrote the first draft of “X&Y” in about two months but it was another eight or so before I was completely happy with it and ready to release it to the world via Kindle. During that time I was reading a lot – good writers read, after all – and through each book I read I was more able to pick out the flaws in my own writing and hopefully smooth them over. As a debut novel, I am really proud of this work and hope my readers do as well. Here is the opening chapter to get your mental taste buds tingling. (If you like it, head on over to Amazon Kindle to find the full novel with a free seven-chapter sample).

First Chapter of X&Y
1.
Thunder rumbles in the early hours of this morning and when I wake I think of Lily and what we’re going to do today. We’re meeting before school so we can post off our university applications together. To anyone who does not know who we are it seems such a little thing, but in this day and age it is not. My Ambition means I’m guaranteed a place at a prestigious institution, but Lily’s venture is a little more uncertain. Her portfolio, given to her parents when she was still in her mother’s womb, states that her Ambition is to be a waitress, which I’ve always thought was some kind of mix-up, as I’ve never thought she was right for the Service Industry. Very clumsy, and perpetually distracted by “higher things”, as she calls them, her different Preparation Experiences in cafes and restaurants have always ended spectacularly badly, though I will give her current boss come credit; she is unremittingly patient with her.

Lily is also extraordinarily clever, which is why I persuaded her to fill in a university application in the first place. Strange, I think, considering her family’s Ambitions, that her Tag gave her the chance to advance as much as she has. I know that Lily thinks this is too risky, bordering on dangerous – especially when the admissions boards find out about her humble family background. What harm is there in trying, though? Despite her reluctance, I know when she gets offered an opportunity to study Philosophy and Poetry she’ll be ecstatic and all the fear will have been worth it.

My own Ambition is very different. I will be following my father down the Designer route. First, six years of medical school followed by three more years of theoretical and practical study at the School of Human Design. I will learn how to create Tags with which to start unborn babies off on their uniquely selected paths, learn to further the research that reduces – and, hopefully, eventually eradicates – glitches in the System, and such like. My father is the most renowned Designer in the country, the head of the Triad – the Triad comprises of the country’s top three Designers – and one day I will take his place. It is a huge responsibility, but it is one for which I have specifically been Designed. I have no need to doubt myself.

“Good morning, father,” I chime, kissing him on the cheek as I bounce down to the dining room for breakfast, schoolbag and big brown envelope at the ready. I fling them down untidily on a chair and fix myself some cereal. “Where’s mother?”

“Still in bed; she’s a little under the weather this morning. Not to worry though, she’ll be up and about in no time,” he says while sipping his coffee and reading the newspaper.

“What is the news like this morning?”

“Calm, as usual,” he smiles, and my curious doubts are quieted. Why do I harbour them? Our Society is near perfect. While other nations are constantly embroiled in bitter civil struggles, slowly destroying themselves from within, our country enjoys peace and prosperity. The “Utopia”, that the old writers dreamt of, is being achieved at last. I just wonder what the other countries are doing so wrong. Father soon breaks me out of my reverie.

“Is that what I think it is?” he asks, indicating the brown envelope.

“Yes,” I say proudly. “I wonder which school will want me.”

“All of them, I expect. Look how strong your application is, after all.”

“It doesn’t hurt that I have your name on it, though,” I say slyly.

“True,” he says, winking at me. “But if your Ambition was not to follow in my footsteps, they would turn you down as any other school would turn down an applicant whose Ambition did not meet with their requirements.”

“There’s something I wanted to ask you related to that,” I say. “You know Lily, my best friend?”

“Yes?” His tone is careful. He has never met Lily and there’s something about his wariness whenever I mention her that makes me uneasy, like he doesn’t think we should be friends.

“Do you know if her Tag and her Ambition portfolio got mixed up somehow before she was born?” I ask.

“I don’t know; I wasn’t assigned to her case. You would have to find that out from her hospital. Why?”

“Well, her Ambition is for her to be a waitress, but she’s not suited to that at all.”

“Waitressing is a perfectly good and sturdy profession,” my father says, his tone reprimanding.

“I know; I’m not being high and mighty. It’s just that, Lily doesn’t seem to enjoy it at all. She seems much more interested in pursuing Academia after Mandatory Education is over. I just wondered whether her original Portfolio was along the lines of some kind of Higher Educator, and the folder got mixed up in the hospital.”

“That’s impossible,” he says, though his dark eyebrows narrow a little over his thick-rimmed black glasses. “Are you sure this isn’t just some Secondary Interest that she is feeling quite strongly about at the moment?”

“I don’t think so,” I say, although my instincts tell me to shut up. “Even in between her work breaks she’s always reading a book of some poet or another. She excels at school – really, she would do much better at my school – and it crushes me to think she can’t do what she really wants.”

“She wants to be a waitress,” my father says quietly. “If her portfolio says so, then that is what her Tag has prepared her for, and that is what she will do. I think you might be seeing more in this situation than there is.”

“But-” I start to argue, about to reveal that I’ve helped her fill in university application, but something in his voice tells me that would be dangerous. His mobile phone rings and he frowns when he sees who is calling him.

“What is it?” he snaps into the phone. His eyes widen as the speaker on the other end rapidly relays information, though I can’t hear what he is saying. “I’ll come immediately.” He clicks off, his expression a mixture of annoyance and something else. Dismay?

“We’ll talk about this later,” he says quickly as he dons his suit jacket and picks up his briefcase and I assume he means our earlier conversation. “I have to go. I’ll see you for dinner. We’re going out to The Glade tonight.” He kisses my head and leaves. Soon I hear the car rev up and speed away, gravel flying everywhere.

“Sure,” I murmur, wondering what on earth that was about.

About Rebecca

Rebecca Finlayson was born in Blackburn, Lancashire and raised in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. She studied Classical Civilisation at Warwick University and works as a Teaching Assistant. She lives in Coventry with her husband. You can find her online at @finlaysonauthor on Twitter, and http://rebeccafinlaysonbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

X&Y is her first novel.

Find Rebecca

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Buy X&Y

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20.2.14

Review - The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson By Paige Toon

The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson (Jessie Jefferson #1)

The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson - Paige Toon
Series : #1 Jessie Jefferson

Released : 30th January 2014

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Format : Paperback

Source : Publisher

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)

Overall rating

.................................... The Blurb ....................................

The first YA fiction novel, from the bestselling adult author Paige Toon.
Meet Jessie, the daughter of Johnny Jefferson, as featured in Johnny Be Good and Baby Be Mine…
My fifteenth birthday was the worst day of my life, and it's inconceivable to think that any single day in my future will ever be as bad. My mum was killed in a freak accident on her way to pick up my cake. Even when there was still no sign of her after two hours later, and my friends started to arrive at our house, it never occurred to me that she wouldn't be coming back.
That was six months ago. My mum died without telling me who my real dad was. And for a while I hated her for it. I thought she's taken the secret of my father's identity with her forever. But she didn't. Holy hell, she didn't. Because three weeks ago I found out the truth. And I'm still reeling from the shock of it. My dad is none other than Johnny Jefferson, mega famous rock star and one-time serial womaniser. And now I'm on my way to LA to meet him and his family.
My tiny little world has just got a whole lot bigger…

.................................... My Thoughts ....................................

In Short

- This is an addictive and well paced book.

- Paige Toon really went above my exceptions with her writing charm.

- I really didn't want to have to leave Jessie's world when I finished reading.

In Long

I have heard many great things about Paige Toon and have since wanted to read a book by her. After finishing and adoring The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson I couldn't believe I had left it so long to read a book by her.

Paige's style of writing is one which makes you relax into the book really easily and quickly. It's one which makes you, as the reader, really feel like your there with the characters. So many times I found myself completely lost in Jessie's world, I never wanted to put the book down. I once even woke up to find I had fallen asleep reading because, despite having been so tired, I didn't want to put it down.

There is a sort of charm about Toon's writing and characters which drew me in right from the beginning. Jessie is really likeable despite her attitude; I mean what teenage isn't like her at some point? I actually admired how she handled the situation and different things she had to overcome.

I can't compare Paige's chick lit books to this YA book as I haven't read any of her other books. However I can tell you,without a doubt, that Paige has written an addictive YA book which is well paced and addictive not just at the end but throughout the book.

Final Thoughts

I finished The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson with mixed emotions. The lovely satisfied feeling after finishing an amazing book but also closed the book with a feeling of disappointment that I had finished and had to leave Jessie's world. FOR NOW!

Find Paige

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I used Grammarly to check my Grammar

18.2.14

Guest Post - Elizabeth LaBan

Check out my review here

The Tragedy Paper

by Elizabeth LaBan

Thank you Elizabeth for the awesome guest post. I really like an inside view into how you develop your characters, especially Tim as I found him an amazing character.

Elizabeth on Tim, the main character.

The first thing I knew about Tim MacBeth was his name, which I guess is pretty typical of meeting someone. Now that I think about it, that seems fitting because for me writing a character really is about getting to know him or her. Characters form and come to life as I write. For that reason, I always find the first few drafts of my novels to be a little lonely – I don’t really know the people I’m hanging out with very well yet. As they grow and develop I look forward to being with them more and more. By the time I went through the last draft of The Tragedy Paper, I knew without question what the characters would all say and do in a given situation. I felt like I knew them the way I know people in my real life.

Beyond his name, though, I knew also that Tim was an outsider, and not just because he was new to The Irving School. I wanted him to have an affliction of some sort that he dealt with every day, but not something that made it hard for him to live his daily life. I also liked the idea that his issue was one you could see the minute you were with him. I have a 14-year-old, and I remember being that age, and I think most teenagers feel exposed, like everyone is looking at them and can see everything about them, even if they don’t have something that necessarily makes them stand out in an obvious way. Tim’s being an albino just highlights that feeling even more. At the beginning of the book Tim explains, “Sometimes I feel like I have a spotlight shining on me as I walk in a crowd – that’s how washed-out I think I look. Even in the airport, with tons of people around, you still can’t miss me.” Sure, Tim is talking specifically about his lack of pigment in that passage, but don’t all teens feel that way to some extent? It gave me a way to amplify the insecurities that are present in most adolescents.

I’m sure I could have come up with another “difference,” but as Tim came to life in my head, this characteristic really stuck. I didn’t want to make him disfigured or have a big scar, and I didn’t want him to feel sick or have a hard time getting around, because that wasn’t what this is about for me. Also, I didn’t want to choose something that was a definite, clear negative. For Tim it is, and of course everyone wants or thinks they want to be “normal.” But even though Tim struggles with how he looks, who is to say he isn’t very handsome in his own way? Being an albino also moved the story along, and offered so many possibilities for the choices Tim makes in the book. Ultimately that is what leads to his tragic downfall – an error in his judgment – not only about how the world perceives him, but also by making a choice related to being an albino that leads directly to the tragic event.

Find Elizabeth LaBan

Buy The Tragedy Paper

Amazon (UK/USA)

Book Depository

14.2.14

Cover Reveal - Ignited by Julie Kenner

Ignited by J. Kennfer

You can view the other covers in the series here.

The Men

Evan Black. Tyler Sharp. Cole August.

Brilliant, fierce, determined. Sexy as hell. And utterly dangerous.

They make their own rules, find their own way, and to hell with anyone or anything who tells them otherwise, be it a cop, a court, or a woman.

They’ve spent over a decade watching each others’ backs, protecting each others’ secrets, and relying on each others’ talents.

They’ve taken risks, said “fuck you” to the law, and made a tidy profit in the process.

There’s not a scheme they’ve concocted that they haven’t pulled off, not a desire they haven’t achieved.

And there sure as hell isn’t a woman they’ve pursued that they haven’t caught.

None, however, have captured their hearts.

None, until now.

The Women

Angelina Raine. Sloane Watson. Katrina Laron.

Three completely different women, each with a unique way of looking at the world.

Each with secrets and ambitions she holds close to her heart.

And each more than capable of standing on her own two feet.

None are looking for a man. But whether because of lust, greed or duty, each woman finds herself in a forbidden bed with the one man

capable of crashing through her defenses and taking her—both physically and emotionally—to her breaking point and beyond.

It’s a dangerous game—and what’s at stake is everything.

Find Julie

Forever Consumed by Skyla Madi

Blog Tour - The Seacrest Blast

Thank you for the guest post Aaron, your writing room looks so cosy!

I think I deserved this room, back in 2011. Now it’s been a few years, and my room has just been changed over to a “romantic” baby room for daughter number three, who’s coming home soon to raise her almost-born baby as a single mom. But here’s a fun story about how this came to be. Hope you enjoy it!
***
After a year of giving up my newly renovated antique house to my dear daughter, beloved-but-unemployed son-in-law, grandkids, pregnant mother cat, one hormonally challenged male dog, and a still-chewing everything puppy… (while being unemployed myself during much of that time..)

After looking the other way when antiques were scratched, lamp cords were chewed off, couch skirts were peed on, satin fabric was clawed apart, our new Oriental rug was destroyed…

After having to search for a single fork in a sink full of dishes almost every day (“We’ll do them in the morning, Dad!”), dealing with a sore back from bending over a thousand times a day to pick up casually tossed cheese stick wrappers and toys, and wondering if I’d ever get into the laundry room to do laundry for my wife and me…

After all that – I think I deserve this new room of mine.

Okay, those of you who know me realize I’m exaggerating, because I adore my daughter, grandchildren, and animals. Since they moved out to their own place just a few miles down the road a month ago, I’ve been filled with conflicting with feelings of terrible longings for their company... mixed with blessed relief. I call them constantly, with any little excuse. And I ache to see the kids every second of every day.

But there is a bright side to all this, and it’s the reclaiming of our home. It’s clean. Oh, is it clean. Organized. Tidy. Polished. Shiny. Dust-free.
This is the 200th anniversary of our 1811 house, and in the spirit of giving ourselves a little reward, I decided to redo the boys’ bedroom. We gave the kids all the furniture, anyway, so it made sense to change things around a bit.
I’ve never had a writing room. I’ve never had a home office. I never even had a corner of a room that could be mine, where I could write in quiet and focus on getting my characters into trouble, and finagle the plot so they could be saved again. I always had to clamp headphones over my ears to drown out the television, or get up at 4 AM to find some quiet time to write.

Continue Reading, Click here

DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE PREVIOUS TWO BOOKS

This is it.

My revenge.

I can taste it on my tongue, it's sweet and it's addictive.

I've worked way too hard to settle for second best and I will come out on top.

------

Seth Marc is back and training harder than ever before to redeem his loss to Don Russell. Tensions are high but stakes are higher as MMAC founder, Matt Somers, forces Seth and Don to train under the same roof.

Though Matt Somers believes it's only good fun to provoke the two for publicity, he doesn't realize just how serious the situation is.

With Olivia by his side, Seth Marc pushes himself to his limits and struggles to keep opponent, Don Russell, out of his head as they fight it out one last time.

Previous Two Books in the Consumed Series

Find Skyla

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11.2.14

Review Find Me By Romily Bernard

Find Me By Romily Bernard

Series : #1 Find Me

Released : 16th January 2013

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Format : Paperback

Source : Publisher

Buy : Amazon (UK/USA)

Overall rating

.................................... The Blurb ....................................

A girl is dead…

A killer’s closing in…

And two little words are the only clue…

“Find Me”.

These are the words that Wick Tate finds in Tessa Wayne’s diary. And now Tessa has been found … dead. Does someone out there really expect Wick to uncover the truth about her death?
An expert computer hacker, Wick has the skills for the job, but with the threat of her ex-con dad returning, the detective hunting him sniffing around and new foster parents to keep happy, getting involved with a murder case is the last thing she wants to do. Until her little sister, Lily, is the next target.
Foster child. Daughter of a felon. Loner hacker-girl. Wick has a bad attitude and sarcasm to spare. And now she’s going to find this killer, no matter what it takes. Because it just got personal.

.................................... My Thoughts ....................................

In Short

- Wick is a brilliant main character who I liked from the beginning.

- The storyline is a bit slow to get going but once it does I couldn't put the book down.

- I was kept guessing right until the end!

In Long

Let me start off this review by admitting that I am a big wimp when it comes to scary things. Honestly, even just the sound of the intense music which are usually played in horror movies is enough to freak me out! But I am pleased to say that although Find Me does have some intense moments it is not going to give you the creeps. I can't promise that it isn't going to have you on the edge of your seat though. Because it did me!

I like Wick from the beginning, she is very close to her sister you can clearly see that from how she loves and protects her. This made me warm to her quickly because I am also very close to my family and would do anything to protect them. Throughout the book a Wick's character grew and you really start to see glimpses of what a strong character she is, and I totally admire her for it.

The storyline is a bit slow to get going, the first half doesn't really have too much going on although there is constantly questions being planted in your head about what's going on which definitely kept me reading. I was so glad I did because things quickly spiced up and I couldn't put it down.

Final Thoughts

Find Me will have you on the edge of your seat and in the dark right up until the end.

Find Romily

Website
Goodreads
Twitter

I used Grammarly to check my Grammar

10.2.14

Cover Crazy #114

Cover Crazy is a meme I enjoy taking part in as a book lover because for me, although they say don't judge a book by it's cover, covers have a big influence over whether I pick a book up or not!

Third Degree - Julie Cross
I really love how simple this is. The red really brings the cover and image out. If I was wanting a romantic read I would definitely pick this up!

8.2.14

UK Giveaway - The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson

The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson by Paige Toon

My first Paige Toon book and I adored it! - Look out for my review.

Simon and Schuster are giving me the chance to give 3 lucky UK people to win a copy, Enter below for your chance to win a copy!

Rules :

UK Only

Ends 24th January

Prizes supplied by S&S (Thank You)

<a Rafflecopter giveaway Find Paige

7.2.14

Blog Tour - If I Speak True Playlist

Thank you Jessica for stopping by Books for Company on your book tour! I always love a playlist post.

If I Speak True Playlist

By Jessica L. Brooks

Hello, Jodie! Thanks so much for featuring If I Speak True!

Over the past couple of years, If I Speak True went through quite a few revisions. Because of that, I depended on music to help me get in, stay in, and feel specific moods for many scenes. Mayday Parade’s A Lesson in Romantics is one of my all time *favorite* albums, actually, and I would have loved to have been able to include a few of their songs in the book. But alas, that was not a possibility due to copyright issues, so in both scenes where songs were mentioned I decided to write my own lyrics instead.

The first one is by Twice Antiquated, Dahlia and her best friend Eva’s favorite (fictional) band:

Across the hall
You’re where you always are
I find the strength to speak your name
For the first time
You look up
With a smile
We sit beneath the royal sky later that night
Your voice is velvet and light
I reach for your hand and you hold it so tight
And it’s time, time to reach for the stars, burn our memories into them, and hold them to our hearts
It’s time, time to speak what we’ve never spoken before tonight
It’s the time, time to pour out our souls to whom we love the most
It’s the time, time to search each other’s eyes for what seems right
There is nothing truer than this moment right here right now
So let’s vow to keep it going somehow
Promise never means never and together we’ll always fight because
What if all we have is tonight

And here’s the second song, listened to by David as he has a conversation with Dahlia on the phone, by Antonio Levi (a fictional indie singer David listens to):

Where’d you go
I thought we’d agreed to forget the past
What happened to finding us?
Don’t you know
It was a yes when I asked, I heard you say it myself
Don’t slip away

The me I am is missing when you’re gone.
Can’t stop now, look around,
Don’t you feel the sparks flying, burning in our hearts?
Pick me now, pick this feeling and the words and what we’ve shared.
Choose me now, just hold out your hand…
Just hold out your hand
We both know
It all happened because you cared
Why turn around
Reality is just as real anyway
You agreed; I felt it in my bones

Hold my hand
Hold my hand
Can’t stop now, look around,
Don’t you feel the sparks flying, burning in our hearts?
Pick me now, pick this feeling and the words and what we’ve shared
There’s nothing compared to you
Make a wish I’ll beg it true
Hold my hand before he gets to you
The me I am is perfect when you’re around

The awesome Jenna from Avid Reader Musings made this link to playlist for If I Speak True

Find Jessica

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Guest Post - SnowPocalypse 2014 - Survival Tactics

SnowPocalypse 2014 - Survival Tactics

By Heather Fleener

I have absolutely nothing profound to share today. The reason? Snow Day. Those two words together prompt a vile stream of (silent) cursing from me these days. Today was yet another one and my wonderful children were home…again. The Monkey-twins are wonderful…really they are…but I am a much better mother when they spend a few hours (7 to be exact) away from me on a regular basis.

I have begun to joke with my friends about kicking-starting my day with wine. Another month of this and it is likely to become a reality, so courtesy of SnowPocalypse 2014, we will revisit one of my favorite topics...

Witch’s Brew

In Forsaken, Kaitriana introduced Ella to this fantastic stuff. Fans wanted that recipe then, and I am going to share with you all again today.

First, you will need a shaker and a martini glass. After a few too many days with kids, I have found that you can get away with using a sippy-cup, if needed.

So what is in this yummy stuff?

Kat’s Recipe for Witch’s Brew

Ribbon your fabulous martini-glass with some chocolate drizzle and then combine in your shaker –

3/4 oz Kahlua liqueur

3/4 oz Amaretto

3/4 oz Bailey's Irish Cream

1-1/4 oz Toasted Marshmallow Syrup

2 oz Vanilla Ice Cream

Shake, shake, shake and then dump this wonderful concoction into your pretty glass.
(On Snow Days, I find it useful to triple this recipe)

If original Witch’s Brew is not doing it for you, Ella’s version of Witch’s brew, referred to by Nicholas as the Schnockerdoodle, just might.

Ella’s Recipe for the Schnockerdoodle

1-3/4 oz of Rumchata

1-3/4 oz of Butterscotch Schnapps

1 oz Kahlua

4 oz of milk

(Skim works great, because some of us Witches prefer to get our calories from chocolate. If you want super-creamy, use half and half)
Shake with ice, strain into your glass and sprinkle the top with a little bitty bit of cinnamon sugar.

Now, if you are more like Crazykins, aka Kylie, and prefer your yumminess without all that ridiculous girlie-fluff – this recipe will do it for you:

Crazykins’Loves Chocolate Cake Recipe

1 oz Hazelnut liqueur

½ oz Vodka

Easy, simple, no fuss, right? You will also understand why this is drink has the Kylie-stamp-of-approval if you read on…

Sprinkle some sugar on anything that you don’t mind licking (See… Kylie-Approved)
Lick the sugar
Do your shot
Then bite your lemon wedge

It tastes just like a piece of chocolate cake! Sounds crazy, right? That is probably why it is Kylie’s favorite.

Some people recommend putting the sugar on the lemon wedge, taking your shot, and sucking the sugar from the lemon wedge. It eliminates the licking-fun, but you might try both ways and see what works best for you.

Thank you so much to Jodie for letting me share the misery of SnowPocalypse 2014 with you today.

If you follow the Ancients series, you know that Alia and Maeve are coming up next. Because of all this lovely snow, I promise there are more yummy cocktails coming along with them.

I have had plenty of reason to taste test.

A final reminder –

One drink is one too many to hop onto your broomstick or in a vehicle. Please be responsible. If you are under the legal drinking age in your Realm, don't even think about trying these recipes. Magic doesn't sparkle behind bars.

Find Heather Fleener

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4.2.14

Blog Tour - The Dark Inside Interview

The Dark Inside Blog Tour Questions

Bookbabblers
What was your journey to publication like?

I would say that the journey was split into two discernible parts: the great amount of time it took for a manuscript of mine to sell and then the actual publication process itself. As regards the former then I’m a very good illustration of the cliché that it takes years to become an overnight success. I have always written because it has felt like a vocation. I like to play around with words and create characters. Initially, I started out writing poetry, then screenplays and now novels. I have taken classes on writing, studied it by reading other people’s fiction, and discussed the mechanics of it with my peers. But, ultimately, the best lesson has always been to sit down and write consistently. I have been somewhat belligerent, not giving up on my hope that I will one day be published and always believing that I was ‘good’ enough. Throughout the process I have honed my voice, developing a means of expression for my stories. I have had some near misses at success along the way at and I have learnt that whilst a writer can be committed and diligent above all they need a healthy dose of luck as well, combined with the right timing, I.e. that the right person reads your work at the right time. I think the need for luck applies throughout a writing career. I won’t be able to evaluate my career as a writer until the end of it because I know there will be many ‘downs’ as well as ‘ups’.
In terms of publication of ‘The Dark Inside’ then the journey has been really enjoyable and fairly smooth. Over the years I have learnt how to analyse my work and know what feels right, figuring out how to judge good notes from the bad ones by learning from comments received. It was great to work with my editor, Jane, on ‘The Dark Inside’ because she generated questions for me and gave me a different point of view on some elements of the story. I have learnt that it is important for a writer, when challenged about something they have written, to be able to justify why they have written it.
Ultimately, one has to be objective not only about one’s writing but about the manuscript as an entity in itself because eventually it’s going to be handed on to other people in the publishing chain - sales staff, cover design, marketing, PR people etc. Hopefully, if you’re with the right publisher then you feel that everyone is working hard, pulling in the same direction, to make the book the best it can be. This has certainly been the case with Simon & Schuster and I am very grateful indeed for that.

Writing From The Tub

The landscapes are so rich in The Dark Inside it really feels as though you’ve been inspired by some real life places. What sort of impact did your own location have on your writing?

I wouldn’t say the landscapes for ‘The Dark Inside’ were inspired by particular places I have visited or by the location in which I was writing the manuscript but more by all the various places I have been in my life, filtering them through my imagination. I wrote the manuscript in my study looking out on to the garden so I was ‘dreaming’ up places where the story was happening. Landscape can definitely be a character in its own right in fiction so I certainly wanted to give it a sense of rich imagery in ‘The Dark Inside’ contributing to the mood. I really enjoy writing descriptively and finding the right words to describe what I see in my mind’s eye. I also enjoy writing about nature and the world at large as well as reading about it.

Book Angel Booktopia

Why did you decide to keep the paranormal element of the novel so muted? It really worked for me as I’m not a huge fan of the paranormal genre either.

As I wrote the first draft I realised I was interested in exploring the notion of believing in something wholeheartedly, why it’s not always so clear cut because there are usually competing arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’. Therefore, I tried to leave it open for readers to decide for themselves what is supernatural and what is not in ‘The Dark Inside’ by keeping certain paranormal elements muted, allowing ambiguity. I imagine that people will reach different conclusions about what is real and what is not in the context of the book - about what they want to believe - and that’s great because, as in life, nothing is ever really cut and dried since everyone has a point of view.
To be honest I haven’t read much paranormal at all, it’s not something I would naturally gravitate towards reading, so because of that perhaps I wasn’t interested in writing a standard, overtly paranormal book either.

Books for Company

Which part of The Dark Inside was the hardest to write?

I think it was quite hard to know how ‘dark’ to make the book. There are some sad moments and it was difficult to know how far to go with them particularly because the book has a 13 yr old boy as the main character. I had to rely on feedback. Some of the sadder, darker and more vicious moments were edited out initially and then gradually revised and reinserted at various stages as I was rewriting.

In some ways the whole book was hard to write in the sense that although I was writing a story I was enjoying I had no idea whether anyone else would like it. I think self-doubt about one’s work is a very real emotion for any writer to wrestle with and it never really goes away, at least not for me.

Book Angel Booktopia

Were you inspired by David Almond’s Skellig?

I read the book a number of years ago and enjoyed it, and it certainly made an impression on me, but it didn’t provide any direct inspiration as such. The books are quite different in many respects although I think their tone is comparable, as well as their inherent magical realism and some of the themes. As a writer I think you absorb lots of things whether it’s through reading, seeing films and theatre, listening to music or even just watching everyday life. It’s important to keep your creativity topped up because writing does drain you.

I think the idea of pinning down where inspiration comes from is a difficult one and to analyse it too hard is dangerous, running the risk of turning creativity into something functional. It’s an odd, mysterious alchemy that operates within the subconscious as much as in the conscious and looking for it can make it dysfunctional, forcing it to flee and hide away.

Two quotes from a couple of my favourite writers have always stuck with me about the nature of writing and inspiration because they seem very truthful to me. The first is from Dennis Potter who said "…any writer really has a very small field to keep ploughing, and eventually you turn up the coins or the treasure..." The second is from Cormac McCarthy - “The ugly fact is that books are made out of books...The novel depends for its life on the novels that have been written.”

Naomi’s Book Reviews

The chapters in the book are grouped by date - starting 8th June. Why did you decide to write the book in this way, and why start on 8th June?

Without giving too much away, the structure of the book requires a ‘ticking clock’ and the two main characters are trying to achieve something by a certain date for the majority of the story. Using the dates gives a sense of time ticking away and increases the dramatic content…or at least that’s what I was hoping for! Because the book is effectively a ‘road trip’ then it was nice to have the date as a constant as the two characters travel, it provides a ‘spine’ to the story.
The start date of the book was pretty random although I wanted the book to take place in the summer. In earlier drafts the book started at a slightly earlier date but as I rewrote it I realised that time span needed to be more compressed to fit with the logic of the plotting and to increase the tension of the story.

Find Rupert

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