Day 30- of 31 books in 31 days- Book giveaway by Claudia Gray & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 28th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.


Recap of Rules Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.


How to participate
a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
b) Like the author of the day on facebook
c) Follow the author on Twitter
d) Read any of the author's books
e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)


That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!


All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.


Today's featured author is Claudia Gray. Sheis the best selling author of the Evernight series, a series with one of the largest twists I have ever read. The series is worth a read. Her newest book A thousand Pieces of You is extremely well-written. I read it in one sitting, and can't wait to see if their is a sequel.


Featured book
A darkly enchanting series from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a teenage witch who battles dark forces in her small town, perfect for fans of the Beautiful Creatures and Hex Hall series. A boy cursed with visions that lead to madness. A girl granted the powers to save him. As soon as Nadia arrives in Captive's Sound, she knows something is seriously wrong. The town is shrouded in dark magic, more powerful and complex than she has ever seen. Mateo has lived in Captive's Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is "cursed" with insanity. When the mysterious girl he has been dreaming of every night appears (Nadia), he fears the curse may be true. But danger is coming, and Nadia and Mateo must work together to stop this unknown force before it destroys everything in its path.




                                                  


                                             Interview with Claudia Gray






                                               


Hello Claudia,
Thank you so much for participating in 31 books in 31 days. We are so happy to have you.


When you were a child, who was your favorite author? Why?


I had no one favorite author - I was, and remain, such an avid reader that I could never narrow my top picks to just one or two people! A few writers I definitely sought out & adored were Judy Blume, Madeline L'Engle, C.S. Lewis and E.B. White.


How often do you get to read? How has reading over the year affected your writing?


I read every day, at least for a few minutes. When I'm in the heart of writing, I have less time and tend to stick to nonfiction; when I've got spare time, I read everything I can get my hands on! While I rarely consciously transfer lessons from my reading to my writing, the types of stories and settings that most fascinate me have all come clear through the books I've enjoyed most. I read in another interview that you liked the book Ultraviolet ( I did too).


 What made that book stand out for you? What makes any book memorable for you?


The main thing I love about ULTRAVIOLET is the sheer originality of the premise. Science fiction turns out to mix well with the psychological thriller! And I also think RJ Anderson writes some of the most lyrical, memorable prose in YA today.


What was the last book that had an impact on your life? What was significant about it?


Hmm. Probably JONESTOWN, a book about the survivors of the infamous Jonestown massacre in the 1970s. Leigh Fondakowski - one of the creators behind "The Laramie Project" - worked with them over a long period of time to learn more about what it was like inside that cult, why people stayed, and the forces that led to the mass suicide/murder of nearly 1000 people. We tend to write these people off as mindless sheep, but this book made it clear that the reality was far more complex. I was strongly affected by the recognition of how people's best motives can lead them to do evil things.


What has been the most amazing point in your writing career?


The moment you will remember for a lifetime. Oh, gosh, I'm not sure anything tops the first sale! My agent called on what was, quite literally, the day I had given up. I left her a phone message saying EVERNIGHT was never going to sell, and we should move on to the next thing. She returned the call a few hours later to say, Guess what?


  I feel as though your writing from the Evernight series is a bit different than A Thousand Pieces of You. How has your writing evolved over the years? To what do you attribute this evolution?


Certainly it's different - for the better, I hope. Probably I'm the last person to give specifics on how my style has changed; I try not to overanalyze myself, because I think it would make me self-conscious. But I know my writing is tighter now, and I feel like I'm able to handle more complex plotting. I've also gotten more used to writing in the first person - something I definitely struggled with on EVERNIGHT and STARGAZER.


Tell us a little about your latest novel. What makes your book different from other YA books in its genre?


The Firebird lets Marguerite, Paul & Theo travel to infinite dimensions - and they go to SO many new worlds, see so many radically different lives. New countries, new technologies, new emotional ties: you name it, they deal with it. In all honesty, I'm disappointed this is only a trilogy. I wish the series could go on forever! Also, the heroine and definitely the guys are older than the YA norm. I kept waiting for someone to say, hey, you can't have a 22-year-old character in a YA novel! But nobody ever did.


  Books by Claudia Gray



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Day 27 of 31 books in 31 days- Chris Grabenstein book giveaway and qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 27th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

 Recap of Rules

 Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle. 

How to participate
 a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
 b) Like the author of the day on facebook
 c) Follow the author on Twitter
 d) Read any of the author's books
 e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
 f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

 That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

 All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

 Today's featured author is Chris Grabenstein. He is the author of our featured boo, The Island of Dr.Libris. He is also the coauthor of a series of books with James Patterson,I Funny: A Middle School Story. If you haven't read a book by this New York Times Best Seller yet, you are seriously missing out.

 Featured book
  What if your favorite characters came to life? Billy’s spending the summer in a lakeside cabin that belongs to the mysterious Dr. Libris. But something strange is going on. Besides the security cameras everywhere, there’s Dr. Libris’s private bookcase. Whenever Billy opens the books inside, he can hear sounds coming from the island in the middle of the lake. The clash of swords. The twang of arrows. Sometimes he can even feel the ground shaking. It’s almost as if the stories he’s reading are coming to life! But that’s impossible . . . isn’t it?

                                                Interview with Chris Grabenstein
                               
                               

 Hello Chris, Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions.

 1) Firstly, what role does reading play in your life? 

 A very important one. First thing in the morning, I'm checking the weather report so I know what to wear on my first dog walk of the day. When we get home I read the newspaper and emails and Facebook posts and my Twitter feed. Ah-hah! You thought I was just going to talk about books. But this is what makes writing books that young readers want to read so important: You can't do anything if you can't read. You can't even waste your time playing mindless video game if you can't read the instructions that tell you how to turn your X-box on. But, once you know how to read, you are forever free.

 I, of course, also read a lot of books. Usually in the afternoon after I'm done writing. I like to keep up with what my friends and favorite authors are up to. I like to learn new things – non-fiction is a constant companion. I like to be swept away on page-turning journeys and explore new worlds that have to be imagined before they can be seen.

 2) What was your favorite book as a child? Why was it your favorite?

 Mad's Snappy Answers To Stupid Questions. When I was ten, I bought my first subscription to Mad magazine. Every summer, I would save up my money and buy a half dozen Mad Books. More than any other piece of "literature," MAD taught me the power of words and language. A sense of humor became my best defense against the bullies who tried to terrorize me in middle school. I learned that a punch line is often more powerful than a punch.

 3) Is there a book you wish you wrote? What is it and why?

 TO KILL A MOCKNGBIRD. Who wouldn't want to be the author of a book that good?

 4) What prompted you to write a story about a library? Why did this theme speak to you?

 Ever since my first book was published for middle grades readers in 2008, I have spent a lot of time visiting schools. My day usually starts in the Media Center (what we used to call the Library) and I was impressed by the new breed of fun-loving, smart, eager librarians I met. Gone were the tweed-coated shooshers of my youth. These librarians excelled at matching kids with books the kids would love. It made me wonder, "Where were these librarians when I was growing up?" Maybe I would've read some of the exciting books that were around in my youth (instead of all those Mad magazines). Maybe I would've discovered Edward Eager and HALF MAGIC before two years ago. So, I wrote the book as a tribute to the librarians and teachers who make learning and reading fun for kids.

 5) What makes your latest book special? Why is it different?

 My next book THE ISLAND OF DR. LIBRIS, pubbing on March 24th, is all about the power of imagination to shape our world. In a way, it celebrates one boy's discovery of the power of writing. When characters from books he's reading start coming to life on an island in the middle of the lake where he is spending his summer, Billy must take on the role of writer and try to fashion a happy ending for Hercules, Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Pollyanna, Tom Sawyer, and the Three Musketeers -- as well as his own friends and family.


 Other books by Chris

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Day 26 of 31 books in 31 days- Jeff Strand book giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 26th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Jeff Strand. He is the author of way to many books to mention, but if you are looking for a funny author with innovative plot lines, you have found him. His stories will keep you laughing well into the night. Check out his featured book, Wolf Hunt today.

Featured Book
Meet George and Lou, thugs for hire. The kind of intimidating-yet-friendly guys who will break your thumbs, but be nice about it. Their latest assignment is to drive across Florida to deliver some precious cargo to a crime lord. The cargo: a man in a cage. Though Ivan seems perfectly human, they're warned that he is, in fact, a bloodthirsty werewolf. George and Lou don't believe in the supernatural, but even if they did, it's daytime and tonight isn't the full moon. It's just a simple transport job, albeit one that carries severe consequences if they screw it up. Their instructions are straightforward: Do not open the cage. Do not reach into the cage. Do not throw anything into the cage. And they don't. Unfortunately, Ivan doesn't play by the usual werewolf rules, and the thugs find themselves suddenly responsible for a vicious escaped beast. One who can transform at will. One who enjoys killing in human form as much as he enjoys killing as a monster. If George and Lou want to save their careers, dozens of people, and their own lives, they need to recapture him. Because Ivan the werewolf is in the mood for a murder spree...

                                                     Interview with Jeff Strand

Hello Jeff, 

What was your favorite book to read as a child?

My favorite book changed constantly, and was often just the last one I'd read. I probably re-read Beverly 

Cleary's Ramona series more than anything else...but your question asked about a book, not a series. If 

I'm going to truly narrow it down to one book, I'll go with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy 

Blume. I read that book literally (using the new, not-improved definition of "literally") eight million 

times.

What do you enjoy about reading?

These days, I've moved away a bit from the "Just tell me a story!" attitude and I spend more time 

appreciating the craft of other writers. So it's mostly the small things; a clever turn of phrase, or a 

perfect character detail. I don't really read for escape. That's what cute animal videos are for.

You write a genre I like to call humor-horror. What motivated you to write in this genre? What authors inspired you?

The humor/horror combination that I became known for was really more of an accident, so I don't think 

anybody really inspired it. I was a guy who wanted to write humor but liked to read horror. My writing 

inspirations were very much on the humor side, people like Douglas Adams and Dave Barry. I think you 

can still see both of their influences in my work. Also R.L. Stine, but not because of his horror stuff (I pre-

date Goosebumps and Fear Street) but because of a humor magazine he did called Bananas.

If you could be any YA hero or heroine who would it be?

I'd be the hero in one of my own books, after all of the bad stuff has happened. Because then I could 

write a sequel where they get to hang out on a private island sipping delicious carbonated beverages 

with an unlimited library and a full Netflix queue. It would be a terrible book, but I wouldn't care.

What is the best thing to happen to you as an author?

Jeez, that's a tough one. There really haven't been any "Hooray! This changes everything!" moments in 

my career. It has been a long, slow, steady stream of baby steps that, over fifteen years, built into 

something pretty cool. So I'm going to have to give the obvious answer and go with my very first short 

story acceptance, "The Private Diary of Leonard Parr," by Twisted Magazine. I think the e-mail was 

basically just, "Thanks, we want to publish this," but it was probably the most concentrated burst of joy 

I've felt in my writing life.

Tell us about Wolf Hunt. What inspired this series and how does it differ from other books in its 

genre?

The inspiration was really as simple as, "Okay, Leisure wants another horror novel from me. Do I want to 

do vampires? Mummies? Werewolves? Werewolves sound good. What can I do with werewolves? 

Maybe combine it with a crime novel? That works. Now, what's my story...?" There have been other 

werewolf novels, obviously, and there have been other werewolf novels combined with crime novels, 

but have there been other werewolf novels combined with crime novels combined with comedies? 

Maybe. I'm not sure. If so, Wolf Hunt is still different from them, somehow.

Thank you so much for participating.

Thank you! Should I admit to your readers that it took me until the very last minute to send you these 

answers? Probably not. Forget I said anything.


Other Books by Jeff Strand
 
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Day 25 of 31 books in 31 days- Lizzy Ford book giveaway & qualify to win a kindle.

Welcome to the 25th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Lizzy Ford. She is the author of our featured book, Alessandra. Alessandra is the first book in the Omega series. The series is about a young girl with the power to animate her toys a power that puts her in danger. Below is the synopsis.

Featured book (currently free on amazon)
Five-year-old Alessandra is obsessed with Disney movies, tea parties and just wants a real birthday party for once in her life. But normal kids don’t bring their toys to life for afternoon tea or see the colorful threads of magic and energy clinging to everything around them. Normal kids don’t know that gargoyles feel pain, either, or invite one to live in their closet. On her sixth birthday, Alessandra begins to learn the truth. She’s special, and the men in the black van are coming for her.
                                             
                                                       Interview with Lizzy Ford

                                                 

 Hello Lizzy,

 What was your favorite book as a child? Why did it leave such a lasting impression?

One of my favorites was “The Black Stallion” by Walter Farley. Actually, I loved the entire series! I’ve always been an animal lover, so I think the depth of the relationship between the hero and his horse was what drew me in initially. I also loved “The Dark Is Rising” by Susan Cooper probably because it kind of scared me at first. It was the first fantasy book I ever read. It was dark, gritty – and absolutely fascinating. I love any kind of book that lets me use my imagination. Fantasy is my favorite genre to read and has been since around that time. 

 What does reading mean to you? Do you read any YA books as an adult? Why or why not?

 Reading is an escape and also a way to exercise my imagination. When I’m not making up stories, I love to get lost in the worlds created by others. I love the interaction between characters, even though I’m sort of an introvert in real life. I love leaving my world and life behind for a short time and experiencing the world someone else created. I don’t have a chance to read much of anything anymore. The only YA books I’ve read in recent times are those by Julia Crane (“Freak of Nature,” “Keegan’s Chronicles,” etc.) mainly because she’s my best friend and we read each other’s books! I haven’t read any of the super popular YA books from the past several years. Part of the reason is that I like to keep my ideas fresh and original, so I rely more on my imagination than taking tropes from existing novels to build my worlds. Basically, I like to keep my story palate as pure and original as possible!

 If you could be a hero or heroine from a YA series or stand-alone who would you be?Why is this character so dynamic to you?

Hmmm … I’m actually not sure! I love deeply flawed characters who have a chance of redemption and rich worlds. I’m not at all interested in contemporary fiction unless there’s a supernatural spin of some sort.

 Who is your favorite author, now that you’re an adult? Why?

 Jane Austen. I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice in my early twenties. I absolutely love how she mixes gentle humor into her works, and how she gives her characters a chance to change – or not. Her stories are entertaining, even without any fantastical element. I think her storytelling ability is amazing, and such an ability is an art form that’s been largely lost. 

What has been your greatest accomplishment as an author?

 It’s hard to say for sure. Every time I receive an email or message from a fan saying something I wrote inspired them or impacted their life, I feel like the luckiest person alive for having the gift to speak to people about real issues in fictional settings. I’m also extremely grateful for the ability to write like I do and for every book I finish. Writing is an amazing and extremely personal journey, and I learn something new about myself with each book.

 I read an article about your desire to be a full time writer, has your dream been realized? If not, how close are you to realizing your dream?

Yes! I am a full time writer and have been for about three and a half years! I can’t tell you how happy this makes me whenever I realize I can make my living while following my dreams! I was put on this earth to write, and the fact I can do that now full time is nothing sort of incredible. 

Tell us a little about your Witchling series. What makes the series different than other series in its genre?

 The Witchling Series features a boarding school in Northern Idaho where students born with elemental magick (earth, air, fire, water, spirit) go to learn to use their magick and also to face a trial. When they turn seventeen, they must choose to be Light or Dark. The Light and Dark are managed by twin teenage boys who must find their counterbalances in order to fulfill their duties and help stave off the growth of the Dark and feed the Light. Their counterbalances, in turn, face their own challenges, and make their own choices that impact them and all the other Witchlings for the rest of their lives. What makes the series unique is both the level of responsibility each main character has in the story as well as the ongoing discussion throughout all four books about what it means to be good and evil, what it means to have a soul and what happens when love isn’t enough. These are pretty heavy, deep topics at any age! The Master of Dark, for example, is charged with killing other witchlings who stray while his counterbalance must find a way to come between him and the Dark inherent in him. If either of them fails, they not only condemn their own souls but those of everyone they love as well. How does an eighteen year old boy face murder in the name of doing what’s right? These books are quick but intense, and I didn’t shy away from giving normal teenage kids horrifically difficult decisions and obstacles to overcome.

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Day 24 of 31 books in 31 days- Chloe Jacobs and kindle giveaway

Welcome to the 24th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Chloe Jacobs. She is the author of the Greta and the Goblin series. Her series about a human bounty hunter will keep you riveted. If you haven't read our featured book of the day yet, you should and enter to write a review.



Interview with Chloe Jacobs

Hello Chloe, 

Thank you for joining us.

What role does reading play in your life? How often do you read?

Hi everyone! I love to read. I learned to read really early in life and was reading way above my age level.

Like, if everyone else was reading Curious George, I was on to Nancy Drew, and when they got to Nancy

Drew, I’d moved on to Stephen King LOL

These days my reading time has been limited, but no matter how busy I get or what’s going on in my life,

I always take time to read before I turn out the light, so that those fantastic new worlds are what follow

me to sleep instead of whatever hard moments I experienced earlier in the day.

What is the last book you read that impacted your life? How did it impact you and why?

The last book I read that really made me look at life differently was The Fault in Our Stars. The message

was so pure and positive, despite the harsh reality of the story. It challenges you to be just as brave

when things get tough, to start making YOUR mark on the world as soon as you can with positivity,

friendship, and heart.

What makes a book you’ve read standout in your mind?

A really great book needs to make me feel deeply on all levels of the spectrum. That’s what will make

me remember it for a long time, and go back to it when I need to tap into those feelings again. I recently

finished the first three Throne of Glass books by Sarah J. Maas and they made me feel like that.

 They were deep and dark and magical, and full of characters whose struggle felt so real that it made

me laugh and cry and imagine myself right there with them.

If you could be any YA character, which character would you be?

That’s a really tough question, because I’ve read so many characters in hundreds (thousands) of books,

and they all have something great, from the shy ones who struggle to show the world their strength, to

the larger-than-life ones that need to reach deep inside for moments of quiet reflection.

I think if I had to choose, I still couldn’t pick just one character, but the ones who have more to lose and

more to learn always resonate the hardest with me.

In another interview you mentioned Tinderbox was your favorite obscure fairy tale. What about the 

Tinderbox did you enjoy?

LOL it’s not the most succinctly told fairy tale, but I liked it because it’s Hans Christian Andersen’s

first, and it isn’t one you hear very often. Another one I really liked (and it happened to be published

together with The Tinderbox) was The Princess and the Pea. The reason I like them is because I can

easily see what changes I would make to them and how I would twist them up if I decided to write a

version of my own.

Tell us about your latest release. What makes it different from other books in its genre?

Greta and the Glass Kingdom (and by extension, Greta and the Goblin King) are different from other

young adult books because they combine the magic of a fairy tale re-telling with the curiosity of

exploring a fantasy world, with the excitement of a true adventure tale. It’s dark without being

devastating, and it’s hopeful without being presumptuous. Maybe that’s why I love writing them so

much!

Thank you so much for joining us.

No, thank YOU! I am honored and grateful to be a part of your day! I’d love to answer questions anyone

might have in the future so feel free to email me at any time.

Chloe

www.chloejacobs.com


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Day 23 of 31 books in 31 days- Dora Mochado Book Giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 23rd day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Dora Mochado. Dora Mochado has created a riveting story about runes that will grip audiences of all ages.

 Featured Book
  Between truth and deception, between justice and abuse, a stonewiser stands alone with the stones... Or so begins the Stonewiser's oath. But what happens when a rebellious stonewiser discovers that lies have tainted the stone tales? Like her fellow stonewisers, Sariah always expected to spend her life wising truth from the stones. But when she discovers lies in the sacred stones, she is forced into a pit of intrigue with only her stone pledge and her wits””along with her bitterest enemy””to protect her in a desperate quest to restore justice and prevent her world's destruction .
                                                           


 Hi Folami. It’s a pleasure to celebrate National Reading Month with you and your readers.

 Folami: What role does reading play in your life?

Reading is a fundamental part of my life. It’s my primary source of entertainment, that’s true, but

it’s also an important tool of my trade and an awesome source of learning. I love traveling,

exploring and learning. Reading is an awesome way of doing all of those things.

Folami: Who were some of your favorite authors as a child? What was your favorite book?

Oh, my gosh, that’s a really hard question! I had many favorite authors as a child and to this day

I can’t settle on a favorite book. As a young woman growing up in the Dominican Republic, I

was exposed to many different influences. I thrived on young adult novels from Louisa May

Alcott. I loved Enid Blyton and blazed through The Famous Five, The Seven Secrets and The

Malory Towers series. I think I wanted to be a student at Malory Towers as much as my kids

wanted to go to school at Hogwarts!

But, talk about being a hybrid of many worlds. At the same time I was reading Louisa May

Alcott and Enid Blyton, I was also reading the Latin American classics. Books such as A

Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario

Vargas Llosas, and the House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende left lasting impressions. I also got

to enjoy the Russians (I favored Tolstoy), the French (Victor Hugo), the Germans (Eric Maria

Remarque), the Spanish (Jose Maria Gironella), and the Americans (Hemingway, always

Later, when I came to the States, I discovered fantasy and was dazzled by J.R.R. Tolkien,

Stephen Donaldson, Frank Herbert, Robert Jordan, and George R.R. Martin—way before he

became as popular as he is now. I also fell in love with commercial fiction. Diana Gabaldon,

Bernard Cornwell and Anne Rice are some of my all-time favorites.

Folami: What makes a book you read exceptional to you? What about a book you write?

I like a book with a complex plot and lots of twists, a read that challenges my brain, heart and

imagination, a novel that surprises at many levels. I want characters that are complex and

engaging, who grow, change and evolve before our eyes.

I also like flawed characters who have a lot of baggage, heroes and heroines who struggle, not

just against evil and injustice, but also with their flaws, insecurities, self-doubts and limitations. I

love characters who are invested in meaningful relationships and adventures that matter. Because

I write fantasy, I want rich worlds that explore humanity’s realities in new and imaginative

settings. And I want rich writing too, authors who are not afraid to dazzle with a balance of

descriptive brilliance and witty dialogue. This is what I like in the novels I read and also what I

strive to accomplish in the novels I write.

 Folami: If you could escape into any book, what book would that be? Why?

Another really hard question! My usual escape is the novel that I’m reading right now. I’m likely

to obsess about an author and his or her works for a few weeks at a time, then move on. It’s rare

for me to return to the same book once I’ve read it. I love finding new authors and coming across

great and unexpected reads.

Folami: If you could be any YA hero or heroine, who would it be?

Katniss from The Hunger Games.

Folami: In another interview you mentioned having redefined your definition of success as 

an author, by how you connect with readers. What was the last comment a reader gave you 

that really made your author journey feel worthwhile?

My readers have been very generous and kind with their praise. I feel very blessed. I hear from

readers all the time and I treasure each contact. Whether it’s a short five star review on Amazon

that says “I couldn’t put this book down,” or a longer, personal contact through e-mail, Facebook

or Twitter, every time I hear from a reader my author journey feels worthwhile.

Recently a reader posted that my novel kept her up all night and she read it in less than twenty-

four hours. It’s something I hear often and I love it! It means that I’ve successfully conveyed the

passion I feel when I write. Another reader just wrote this:  Riveting to finally read a book and it

takes whole day, and it keeps you entranced the whole time. This book was everything I've been

looking for in a standalone story that had depth and humor, love and courage. It was completely

A few days ago, another reader mentioned I’m on her favorite list of authors. How’s that for an

author boost? Yet another reader said he was going to buy all of my books. Last week, a lady

wrote to ask if the Stonewiser series had been made into a movie and yet another reader

contacted me through FB to ask if there’s a sequel to The Curse Giver. Talk about making an

author giddy with praise.

Folami: Tell us about your latest novel. How does it differ from other books in its genre?

My latest fantasy is The Curse Giver, from Twilight Times Books, an epic fantasy with brawn,

brains and heart, about an innocent healer, Lusielle, who is betrayed and condemned to die for a

crime she didn't commit. When she's about to be executed, Lusielle is rescued from the pyre by

an angry, embittered lord doomed by a mysterious curse. You might think that Bren, Lord of

Laonia, is Lusielle's savior, but he isn't. On the contrary, Bren is pledged to kill Lusielle himself,

because her murder is his people's only salvation.

What ensues is a dangerous journey, where Lusielle and Bren have to escape their ruthless

enemies and unravel the mystery of the terrible curse that ails the Lord of Laonia. They also have

to overcome the distrust they have for each other, struggle with the forbidden attraction between

them, and defy the boundaries between love and hate and good and evil to defeat the curse giver

who has already conjured their ends.

The Curse Giver's Amazon's Link: http://amzn.to/1szECCn

I'm really proud of The Curse Giver. It's gotten some wonderful reviews, which you can check

out at http://www.doramachado.com/cursegiver.php. It also won the 2013 Silver IndieFab Book

of the Year Award in the Fantasy category and was a finalist at the 2013 USA Best Book

Awards.  For those readers who prefer to listen to the story, The Curse Giver is also available as

an audiobook from Audible.com, narrated by the talented Melissa Reizian. It's good old

fashioned storytelling at its very best!

There is a lot more going on at www.doramachado.com, including my blog, which I update on a

monthly basis and my quarterly newsletter. If you or any of your readers have any questions,

please don’t hesitate to contact me at dora@doramachado.com. I’d love to hear from you guys.

Thanks, Folami, for all your hard work coordinating this wonderful celebration of reading. I

enjoyed chatting with you.

About Dora Machado:

Dora Machado is the award-winning author of the epic fantasy Stonewiser series and her newest

novel, The Curse Giver, available from Twilight Times Books. She is one only a few Hispanic

women writing fantasy in the United States today. She grew up in the Dominican Republic,

where she developed a fascination for writing and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of

straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories.

When she is not writing fiction, Dora also writes features for the award-winning blog Murder By

Four and Savvy Authors, where writers help writers. She lives in Florida with her indulgent

husband and two very opinionated cats.

To learn more about Dora Machado and her award winning novels, visit her at

www.doramachado.com , email her at Dora@doramachado.com, find her on Facebook, or follow

her on Twitter.


Other Books by Dora Mochado



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Day 22 of 31 books in 31 days- Caitlyn Duffy Book Giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 22nd day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Caitlyn Duffy. Caitly Duffy sets her series in the fictitious world of the Treadwell academy, a school for the super elite. Each school delves further and further in to the lives of these girls, who seemingly have it all. The Rockstar's daughter is the first in the series. With over a 1000 five star reviews, this is not the book to miss.

Featured Book 0.99$
  At the age of 15, Taylor Beauforte has only met her father twice in person. After all, he is the lead singer of a world-famous rock band, constantly on the cover of music magazines and giving interviews on MTV. He pays for Taylor to attend the Treadwell Academy, a prestigious boarding school in Massachusetts, and provides her mother with monthly checks to cover her basic needs, but has never made much of an effort to play an active part in Taylor’s life. Taylor's mom Dawn is the only family she has ever really known, and because of Dawn's hard-partying Hollywood lifestyle, studious Taylor is happiest on the other side of the country in Massachusetts with her nose buried in a book.
                                    When Taylor 's mom unexpectedly dies the summer before Taylor starts her junior year, she receives a crash course in fame. She has no choice but to join her father and his new family on their summer concert tour before she has even had a chance to mourn the loss of her mother. Life as the daughter of a rock star seems like it would be enviable, but Taylor can't figure her dad out. He seems like a supportive authority figure (even if he's kind of a fashion tragedy) , but she is collecting a growing pile of evidence that he's a liar and a cheat. Her stepmother, Jill, can’t seem to decide if she wants to treat Taylor like a girlfriend or a nuisance.
                                     Having had no time to grieve and say goodbye to her childhood before being thrust into the limelight, Taylor is suddenly finding herself in situations she could have never imagined before this summer. With no one else to turn to, Taylor falls head over heels in love with Jake, the teenage son of one of the band's touring groupies. Taylor has growing concerns about Jake's background and the suspicious relationship between his mom and her own father, but is desperate for something real in her life onto which she can build a future. When Jake offers Taylor an opportunity to join him on a whirlwind adventure and leave her problems with her father far behind, Taylor has to decide – should she carve out her own way in the world, or try to repair the relationship she has with her only living parent? Over the course of the summer with the band, Taylor learns the depths of her own strength, the difficulty of overcoming loss, and that the definition of family means much more than shared bloodlines.


                                               Interview with Caitlyn Duffy

                                        

Hello Caitlyn,

           

1) What role does reading play in your life?

When I was growing up, my family moved pretty frequently. Reading was a huge source of comfort for

me because it always took a while for me to make friends at new schools. Certain books, like “And You

Give Me a Pain, Elaine,” by Stella Pevsner, and “Tiger Eyes,” by Judy Blume, helped me to not feel so

alone.

2) If you could be any character in any YA book, who would you be? Why?

Good question!! I like the idea of being Olivia, Grace’s friend in “Shiver,” by Maggie Stiefvater. She’s the one who’s bitten by a werewolf and starts to turn into one. Being the beautiful, popular girl who makes everyone jealous has never really been interesting to me; I’d rather be the girl who turns into the werewolf! And of course, Katniss. Who wouldn’t want to be Katniss? Or Gemma Doyle from the “Gemma Doyle Trilogy,” by Libba Bray. Those books are awesome.

3) Do you read YA books? What is the best YA series you have read recently?

I read a lot of YA books as well as Contemporary Fiction for grown-ups.  I was slow to jump on the

Rainbow Rowell train but I read “Eleanor and Park” over Christmas break and it rocked my world. This

series might be aimed at readers a little older than YA, but the “Starstruck” series by Rachel Shukert

about starlets in classic Hollywood is pretty addicting. It’s really well-researched and steamy, kind of like

if Gossip Girl was set in the 1930’s.

4) What makes a book great in your opinion? 

Whether a book is set in a completely fictional world, or in the past, or even just in a high school I never

attended, what makes a book great and memorable to me is if there’s something in it to which I can

emotionally relate. Books that make my heart puff up or make me cry are the ones that I remember in

detail for longer periods of time.

5) What is the last book you read that had a profound impact on your life?

Neil Gaiman’s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” made me remember exactly what it felt like to be

seven years old. As I’m getting older, it’s increasingly difficult for me to remember childhood with

clarity, but wow – that book did it. A masterpiece.

6) In another interview, you mentioned admiring Lois Lowry. What do you admire about her 

writing? How does it feel to be part of 31 books in 31 days with her? 

Lois Lowry has astonishing range as an author. It overjoys me to see such a forward-thinking, imaginative

book like “The Giver” finding a new audience today even though that was a book I cherished over twenty

years ago when I was a kid! It kind of blows my mind to be part of this 31 Books event with her. I

probably took the “Anastasia Krupnick” series of books out of the Danvers Public Library no fewer than

five thousand times between fifth and sixth grade. Two of Ms. Lowry’s older books, “Autumn Street” and

“A Summer to Die” are both books that make me choke up with emotion even when I simply think about

them. When I write, I can only hope I’m doing a halfway decent job of emulating her magical sense of

pacing. She really draws her readers into the worlds she creates, and for me it’s always wrenching to

reach the last page. No matter what your age, if you haven’t read “Autumn Street” and “A Summer to

Die,” I highly recommend both of them.

7) Tell us about the Treadwell academy Series. What inspired this series and how is it different 

from other YA books in its genre? 

I’m not so sure that the Treadwell Academy series is completely unique from other YA books! There

seem to be a lot of YA books set in worlds of boarding schools, but in those books there’s usually either

some kind of hook (the school is really a training camp for teen spies!) or every plot revolves around

gossip and evil tricks girls play on each other. My series focuses on one girl at a time and on the problems

she’s facing. In Taylor’s book, Taylor’s acclimating to a new family structure and getting to know her

new stepmother. In Betsey’s, she’s hiding a secret about sexual abuse.  Emma, the most popular girl in the

junior class, struggles with anorexia as she tries to prove to her parents that she can make it on her own as

a top model. I try not to integrate too much cattiness between my characters into the stories; I think teen

girls see vicious behavior glamorized by the media too much already. The books all overlap a little,

because I always want the timelines in the girls’ lives to seem realistic.

Other Books by Caitly Duffy


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Day 21 of 31 books in 31 days- Paula Weston Book Giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 21st day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Recap of Rules

Everyday that you participate in the giveaway of the day, you are eligible to win a brand new kindle.

How to participate
  a) Subscribe via email, so you can get the author & prize of the day sent directly to your email.
  b) Like the author of the day on facebook
  c) Follow the author on Twitter
  d) Read any of the author's books
  e) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  f) Scroll to the bottom of each interview and enter the raffle (you'll have to unlock the raffle with your email first)

That's it- then enter the kindle giveaway!

All giveaways will be sent out by the 7th day in April. Good Luck.

Today's featured author is Australian writing sensation Paula Weston. She is the author of our featured book, Shadows. Paula has written a book on angels, that will make you rethink angels. Shadows is the start of a series that you should not miss.

Featured book

   
                                                    The Tukish Cover is so Awesome

 It's almost a year since Gaby Winters watched her twin brother die. In the sunshine of a new town her body has healed, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn't help that every night in her dreams she fights and kills hell-beasts. And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who's been appearing in Gaby's dreams, he tells her things about her brother and her life that cannot be true, things that are dangerous. Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And who is Gaby? The truth lies in the shadows of her nightmares.                                          

                                                   Interview with Paula Weston
                                   

1) Firstly, I must take the moment to gush and tell you that I love your series. It reminds me why I fell in love with reading. So I must ask you, what role does reading play in your life? How often do you get to curl up with a good book?

Thank you so much! I love to hear that readers are connecting with the series. 

Reading plays a huge role in my life. I've been a life-long reader and always have a book on the

go at any given time. I feel a bit adrift if I don't. Mostly I read hard copy novels (which I buy or

borrow from the library), but I always have a good selection of ebooks on my kindle and iPad,

just so I can never get caught short. You never when the chance might arise to sneak in some

reading!

My schedule is pretty full most days, between by day job and my own writing, but I can usually

squeeze in some reading either in my lunch break or before bed (or both, if I'm reading a

particularly addictive novel!), and always on the weekend. It's my favourite way to relax.


2) I read that you have been an avid reader since you were a child. What are your 3 favorite 

young adult books of all time? Who was your favorite character? Why?

When I was a teenager, we didn't have such a clearly defined 'type' of book as YA, so I just read

whatever came my way. In my teens I read an enormous number of Stephen King horror novels

and David Eddings’ fantasy series. I also loved J.R.R Tolkein, and Louisa May Alcott’s Little

Women.

Most of my favourite YA books are actually ones I’ve read more recently, and my three all-time

faves are:

- On The Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

- The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

- Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield

(I’m also still a huge fan of the Harry Potter series, which defies categorisation).

As a teenager, my favourite character was Jim Craig from The Man from Snowy River by Elyne

Mitchell. I was totally obsessed with this book. It was the novelisation of my favourite film at the

time, which was loosely based on a famous Australian poem. Jim is an eighteen-year-old

horseman from the Snowy Mountains who has to prove himself a man before he can return to

his home. He’s thrown together with the spoilt daughter of a wealthy cattleman whose prize

colt has run off and joined the brumby mob. There’s romance, action, adventure and stunning

Australian settings. Jim was my first serious book crush because he was tough and impulsive, but

also sweet and gentle. And he loved his horse.

3) Is there a book you wish you wrote? What is it and why?

I'll answer this in terms of three writers I greatly admire and the books that totally blew me

away (sorry, I can't restrict my answer just one):

- Maggie Stiefvater: The Scorpio Races

This is one of the most beautifully realised, atmospheric and tense stories I’ve ever read. It’s a

master class in creating a sense of place and populating it with perfectly drawn characters facing

impossible choices. It’s a love story, and not just one between a boy and girl, but between a girl

and her horse, a girl and the wild island she lives on, and a boy and his man-eating water horse.

- Melina Marchetta: Finnikin of the Rock/Froi of the Exiles/Charyn of Quintana (Lumatere

Chronicles)

I just love Melina Marchetta’s writing, whether it’s her contemporary YA or this exceptional YA

fantasy series. In this trilogy, she delivers meticulous plotting and world building, layered

characters, plenty of tension, action and humour, and profound insights into the human capacity

for love, forgiveness and hope. I cared deeply for so many characters in this series – fretted for

them even – that I still carry them with me.

- The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

This is an incredibly moving and beautifully written story, which I read within a year of its release

and am currently re-reading (I still haven’t seen the film). Zusak’s writing is so evocative and rich,

and infused with wit, warmth and empathy. It’s a unique story, made even more unique by the

fact it’s narrated by Death. Reading it a second time around I’m remembering why it moved me

so much the first time. A must read.

4)  What prompted you to write a story about angels?  Why did this theme speak to you?

I honestly didn’t set out to write a story about angels and demons. I’d had an idea for a while

(while working on other writing projects) that wouldn’t go away. It involved a guy and girl who

were attracted to each other and who had a complicated history that only he remembered. I

knew they were part of a broader conflict and that they had ended up on different sides. I also

knew there were paranormal elements to how she’d lost her memory.

When I started fleshing out their story and their world, I came across the Book of Enoch, a

2,000-year-old text that recounts the fall of the angel Semyaza and his two hundred of his fellow

angel warriors. The idea of those fallen angels and their lack of self control sparked a rush of

ideas.

For me, the real fascination wasn’t in why Semyaza and the others fell in the first place, but

what the consequences would be for their offspring – particularly if something happened to the

fallen angels to take them out of the picture. I wanted to put their half-angel offspring in a very

modern setting, having already been alive for almost a century and a half, still dealing with the

consequences of their father’s actions.

On one level, the Rephaim series is about Gaby and Rafa’s complicated relationship and the

mystery of what Gaby and her brother, Jude, did a year ago. And on a broader level, it’s about

how the Rephaim see themselves in the world – and the tension created when they disagree on

what their role should be.

Writing this story also gave me the opportunity to explore themes that have always fascinated

me, about identity and responsibility.

5) What can you tell potential readers about the series? What makes it stand out from the other Young adult books on the shelf?

The Rephaim series is contemporary character-driven fantasy that’s equal parts mystery, action

and romance. It’s written first person, present tense and told totally from Gaby’s perspective,

which means readers make discoveries along with Gaby.

As a writer, I enjoy exploring the complexity of relationships between all of my characters – the

things that draw them close and the things that push them apart – as much as I enjoy writing

fight scenes, so there’s a good mix of both throughout the four books.

As for points of difference...the things readers talk about the most are the setting (much of it in

a coastal Australian town), the ages of the characters (older teens/early twenties…although the

Rephaim are actually much older than that), and the slightly different take on fallen angel

mythology.


 Other Books by Paula Weston
 
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