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 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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Day 20 of 31 books in 31 days- Maria Snyder Book Giveaway & qualify to win a kindle

Welcome to the 20th 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 Maria Snyder. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Poison Study Trilogy, a gripping tale of a woman who is saved from the death penalty to be food taster of the king. She is the author of today's featured book, Touch of Power.

Featured Book
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos. Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life….


                                                 Interview with Maria Snyder


Hello Maria,

Thank you so much for participating in 31 books in 31 days. We are so happy to have you. I would first like to gush. I loved your poison study series. I found the first one in a bookstore in the airport. Read the whole book on a flight from California to New York. It was incredible. 

MVS:  Hello!  Thank you for inviting me on your blog.  I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my book.

Now that I’ve made myself sound like such a fangirl , let’s get to some questions.

MVS: Nothing wrong with being a fangirl – you should have seen me when I met Barbara Hambly, one of my favorite authors!

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

MVS: When I was little, I enjoyed books by Leo Lionni – Frederick was one of my favorites books since the main character was like me -- a daydreamer.  Then I really enjoyed reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries.  My mother read nothing but mystery novels and I copied her.  Plus I enjoyed the suspenseful element and trying to figure out “whodunit.”

What is your favorite part of reading?

MVS: I think my favorite part is getting to know new characters and getting lost in new worlds.  When I start a new book, I pause around page 30 and ask myself these questions, “Do I care about the main protagonist?  If he/she were to die on page 31, would I be upset?”  If the answer is NO, then I close the book and find another.  If I don’t care about the main protagonist then I’m not going to finish the book no matter how clever the plot or fascinating the world.

I read in another interview that you liked Dick Francis who was a mystery writer. Do you have any 
fantasy or young adult authors that you enjoy? If so, what made their books stand out for you?

MVS: I really enjoyed the Morganville Vampire series written by Rachel Caine.  The reason those books stood out is that the main protagonist, Claire is smart and she’s interested in science (which is rare in YA books).  There is no “insta” love in the books and her roommates are all interesting and engaging characters.  I also liked The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  Again because of the main character.

When you think of the main plot—kids killing kids for entertainment—that’s a horrific idea, yet the book

is more about Katniss and her sacrifice and doing what it takes to survive.  Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy

the next two books as much because the plot moved away from that and focused more on the

revolution.

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

MVS: The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.  What an excellent book!  The writing, the characters, the

subject all so well done!  The significance to me was that it made me realize that the German people

were also victims of Hitler and his terrible politics.  I knew about the concentration camps, ghettos, and

other atrocities, but never thought of those people who were just trying to live their lives and do the

best they could in a horrible situation.  I also recommend I am the Messenger also by Markus Zusak, it’s

completely different than The Book Thief, but also excellent!

If you could jump into the pages of any book, which book would it be? 

MVS: I always wanted to be a dragonrider in one of Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern series.

Riding a dragon and having a mental connection/bond with one just appeals to me .

If you could be any fictitious character from any YA book who would you become?

MVS: I’d be Lessa from Dragonflight (the first Dragonrider book) – she bonds with the Queen of the

dragons.

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

MVS:  My latest novel is Shadow Study and it’s the fourth book in my Study series of books.  I think one

of the reasons my books are unique is that I focus on the characters and the story plots naturally flows

from their choices and wishes.  I also like to end each chapter with a mini-cliffhanger so the books are

hard to put down at the end of a chapter.  I’ve had many readers email me in the middle of the night,

“yelling” at me for doing this and “making” them stay up all night to finish my book.  And I’m not sorry

about that at all!  Another thing is with fantasy some writers build these beautiful complex worlds with a

deep history and many creatures and cultures like Lord of the Rings.  While these fantasy books are

wonderful, they’re not my style.  I’ve told potential readers my books are more like fantasy lite – there’s

magic and a fictional world, but they’re not as dense as those others.

Thank you so much for participating!

MVS: Thanks again for hosting me!  If your readers would like more info about me and my books, I have

the first chapter of all my books on my website as well as a number of free short stories (including ones

with Yelena and Valek) they can read.  Here’s the link: http://www.mariavsnyder.com.  My Facebook

page is where I’m the most active with updates and news.  Here’s the link:

http://www.facebook.com/mvsfans



Other Books By Maria Snyder




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Day 15 of 31 books in 31 days- Mary Elizabeth Summer book giveaway, Qualify to win a kindle & 25$ giftcard!

Welcome to the 15th 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.

                                           
Julep Dupree tells lies. A lot of them. She’s a con artist, a master of disguise, and a sophomore at Chicago’s swanky St. Agatha High, where her father, an old-school grifter with a weakness for the ponies, sends her to so she can learn to mingle with the upper crust. For extra spending money Julep doesn’t rely on her dad—she runs petty scams for her classmates while dodging the dean of students and maintaining an A+ (okay, A-) average. But when she comes home one day to a ransacked apartment and her father gone, Julep’s carefully laid plans for an expenses-paid golden ticket to Yale start to unravel. Even with help from St. Agatha’s resident Prince Charming, Tyler Richland, and her loyal hacker sidekick, Sam, Julep struggles to trace her dad’s trail of clues through a maze of creepy stalkers, hit attempts, family secrets, and worse, the threat of foster care. With everything she has at stake, Julep’s in way over her head . . . but that’s not going to stop her from using every trick in the book to find her dad before his mark finds her. Because that would be criminal.

                                        Interview- Mary Elizabeth Summer

Hello Mary,

Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions. 

1) What do you love about reading? What is the last book you read?

I love how it transports me to another world and someone else’s set of problems. It makes me forget 

my own struggle for a while, and I can focus on reading another person to their happily ever after (or 

at least satisfying resolution ;-)). Fiction just makes so much sense when real life often does not. I 

love connecting with characters on such a deep, personal level by sharing their headspace. If the 

book is particularly good, I’ll actually miss them afterward, as if they really existed and we were 

actually friends.The last book I read was THE CONSPIRACY OF US by Maggie E. Hall.

2) Is there a Young adult book that you wish you had written? If so, what was it and why does it speak to you?

This is a tough one. There are so many amazing books out there that stole my heart and breath away. 

If I have to pick one, I’ll go with RUN TO YOU by Clara Kensie. The emotions that book evoked 

from me were incredible. I haven’t felt that much for a character in a loooong time. 

3) Why do you choose to write young adult books?

I write books for teens, because I was a teen when books were the most magical to me. I still don’t 

find nearly as much magic in adult literature as I do YA. When I open a YA novel, I know I will be 

utterly and completely transported. I’ll face impossible challenges and heroic characters who aren’t 

afraid to leave it all out on the table. Adult books, to me, are too guarded, too self-conscious, and far 

more likely to either bore me or tick me off. YA is where story comes alive. And frankly, I don’t 

have time for books that don’t.

4) Did any one book inspire you to be an author? If so what was it and why?

Every book I’ve ever read has inspired me in one way or another, even the ones I didn’t like (which 

just inspired me to write better). Inspiration is a constant need for me, so I get it from everywhere I 

can. 

5)  Why did you choose to write about the bad girls and boys of fiction? What drew you to the 

theme?

Honestly, I can’t figure out why anyone would not write about them. It’s the perfect character 

mashup of strength and inner conflict PLUS exciting car chases and guns going off. The bad kids are 

always going to wind up in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s easy to put them there, because 

they’d already be there—no awkward plot devices necessary. Also, the bad kids are going to be 

strong and flawed right out of the gate. They have to be strong to be a villain, and clearly they have 

interesting flaws, because they’re a villain. Then you pit them against an even nastier villain, and 

watch the sparks fly—not just in the plot, but in their own hearts and minds as they try to reconcile 

their bad-kid identity with their atypical heroic actions. LOVE. Also, it may have something to do 

with the fact that my favorite He-Man episodes when I was kid were the episodes where He-Man 

and Skeletor had to team up against a common enemy. Those were the BEST. 

6) What can people expect from your debut novel? Romance, humor, action?

I like to say it’s 90% criminal shenanigans, 5% romance, and 5% ouch. There’s definitely a lot of 

snark, because Julep is just that way. But mostly it’s her trying to figure out what happened to her 

dad and avoiding deadly encounters with her nemesis—the horrible dean of students. Well, and the 

Ukrainian mob. ;-) 

Thank you so much for participating. 

Thank you so much for inviting me.

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Day 11 of 31 books in 31 days - Desni Dantone book giveaway & kindle giveaway

Welcome to the 11th day of 31 books in 31 days, where you win prizes for reading.

Hopefully, you enjoyed Ryan Quinn's giveaway. The winner will be announced on Friday. Its not too late too participate.


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 author is the lovely Desni Dantone. She is the author of our featured book, Ignited.  Below is the synopsis, the interview and a rafflecopter.

Remember, the more raffles you enter the better your chance of winning the Kindle in the end.

                                           Synopsis

Featured Book(.99$ on amazon)

Seventeen year old Kris Young is on the run from a throng of superhuman golden-eyed freaks hell-bent on seeing her dead, and she doesn't know why. Good thing she has her guardian angel to protect her…sort of.

Kris is aided by Nathan, the mysterious man that ends up being anything but angelic when he rescues her for the fourth time in fourteen years. Even if the handsome hero illusion is shattered by his harsh treatment of her, he knows how to fight this strange enemy and is determined to keep her safe at all costs. As the body count rises in their wake, Nathan introduces Kris to a world in which not everyone is human and the battle lines between good and evil are clearly drawn. Kris’s piece in the puzzle is something neither is aware of and, as they uncover the truth, neither is prepared for what they find. Overcoming twists and revelations that shatter both of their lives, they discover that nothing is as it seems and nothing, least of all their hearts, are safe.

From debut author, Desni Dantone, Ignited is the first novel in a tale of first love, mystery and adventure that will introduce you to an exciting new world as Kris discovers how she fits in it.


                            Interview with Desni Dantone

From a previous interview, I know you love YA books. What do you love most about them?

             I will read anything but keep coming back to the YA books. I think I enjoy them the most because they give me the ability to throw myself into a book, and live out the story, as a teenager again. A lot of YA books show the main character going through a transition of sorts, discovering herself, finding out who she is, and I like to take that journey with her. It's been 15 years since I've done it myself. Perhaps I'm nostalgic like that. 

 How often do you get to read and what is the last book that you read?

         Right now, writing is my priority as I am trying to finish up book 3 in my series. However, I try to read a book about every week or two. When I'm not working on a project, I can easily read a book every day or two! The last book I read would be Refuge by Karen Lynch. Currently, I've got Jennifer Armentrout's latest, Stone Cold Touch, ready to go when I get a break from writing.

I hear that as a child the author that inspired you to write was Dean Kootz. What was it that stood out the most to you about his books?

                 At the tender age of eleven, I read my first terrifying Dean Koontz book. Reading the "About the Author" segment at the end, I learned that he came from none other than my hometown! I never knew that because once he left for college, he never looked back, and that's what you do when you come from such a small town. Anyway, I was a fan from then. It didn't take much to impress me at eleven, I guess. But really, the guy is a creative genius. He has spun tales that few can ever imagine to come up with, and his style of writing is very unique and perhaps one of the reasons I look up to him so much. I've adopted a little bit of his style into my own writing, probably from reading his work so much growing up--the fragmented sentences and one word paragraphs that are not structurally accurate, but more creatively inspired. I love that style of writing. It's easy to follow because I think it almost feels like the main character is actually talking to you. Those are the easiest kind of reads to me.

 Who is your favorite young adult hero or heroine of all time? What makes him or her so amazing to you?

             Oooh, tough one. There is this series out there called The Vampire Academy, written by Richelle Mead. The heroine is named Rose Hathaway. I love books where the heroine is strong and independent, and not whiney and helpless. Anyway, Rose Hathaway is the picture perfect strong female heroine. She has her moments that might make you want to jump into the book and scream, "What are you thinking?!" But out of all the YA I've read, I don't think I've encountered a stronger female role model. Plus, put a silver stake in her hand and she's a force to be reckoned with!

  What prompted you to write the Ignited series?  What about  this theme spoke to you?

             Loving YA as I do, I wanted to write a YA book that hasn't been done before. Vampires, werewolves, angels, demons... they were saturating the market and people, including myself, were getting a little tired of the same old thing. I wanted to write something that I would want to read myself, and to give people something "new." My book has elements of Greek Mythology in it, which hasn't been done a lot in the YA world. Sure, there are bad guys and good guys, a little love triangle, and a lot of other common themes in YA found in it. But it's still something different. I hadn't even heard about Percy Jackson until AFTER I wrote my first book, Ignited. But even counting that, there's still not much Greek Mythology out there. To be honest, aside from the research I've done for the book, I know squat about Greek Mythology. Maybe by the time this series is over, I'll be an expert! 

 What makes your book special? Why is it different?

             As discussed earlier, I love a strong heroine. I wanted to incorporate that into my own writing, so I think that my heroine, Kris, is a strong character, and from the feedback I've received, many readers feel the same. That makes it a special read, especially for impressionable young girls. The modern day twist I've given to Greek Mythology makes it different from what else is out there.

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10th day of 31 books in 31 days - Ryan Quinn book giveaway & chance to win a kindle

Welcome to the 10th 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.

                                            Author of the Day-Ryan Quinn

Today's interview is with the phenomenal Ryan Quinn. He is the author of the featured book of the day, The Fall, and The End of Secrets which has over 600 four and five star reviews on amazon.

The Fall



                                                      Interview with Ryan Quinn

                                               

Hello Ryan,

Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions.

1) What do you love about reading?

My favorite thing about reading is coming upon a sentence that describes something I’d always

thought but had never been able to describe myself, or never even thought to try. When eloquent

words are put to a particular idea, it completely changes how you think about it. And that’s an

experience unique to books, which allows us to be reading peacefully alone and yet be feeling

something universal.

2) What was your favorite book when you were a teen? Why?

This seems random now, but when I was a teen I remember tearing through pretty much all of Robin

Cook’s medical thrillers. I guess I liked the action and I liked getting an inside view of the medical

field, which was completely foreign to me. That was the first time, outside of required reading for

school, that I really understood what it meant to get lost in a book.

3)  What book have you read that kept you guessing—had you riveted to the very last page?

I don’t have a problem putting a book down if it hasn’t captured my imagination by around page 100. So

I’m riveted by most of the books I finish. If I have to single out one book, though, the last really good

thriller I read was The Fear Index by Robert Harris. It’s about stock market technology that essentially

achieves artificial intelligence and begins to do some sinister things. Not only was I riveted to the last

page—I went back and read it again a year later.

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

This is a strange question for me. It’s almost the same as asking, “Do you wish you could be someone

else?” And I never have. I’ve certainly been envious or admiring of other people’s isolated

experiences, but I’ve never actually wanted to be someone else. It’s the same with writing books. Do

I wish my most recent book would sell like The Da Vinci Code or Fifty Shades of Grey? Yes! Do I

wish I could consistently give readers the experience of human depth that they derive from reading

Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch? Yes! But I don’t actually want to have written any of those books.

I think the only proper answer to this question is to say that I wish I could write a book as rich and

full and perfect as the conception of the book I have in my head when I set out to write it. Because

things always get lost in the journey from the mind to the page.

5) If you had to recommend one book to students what book would that be? Why?

I hope my answer here won’t be seen as ducking the question. The simple answer is that I couldn't

possibly recommend one book that would be a good fit for every student. Just attempting that feels a

little authoritarian. Instead, I’d recommend—I’d even require—that students do a little research or a

little browsing and read a book of their choosing. Because the books we get the most out of are the

ones we approach with our autonomy and curiosity fully engaged. And that, I think, is how you

create book-lovers.

6) In another interview, you mentioned that reading poorly written, successfully published novels

encouraged you to write. Were there any well-written novels that inspired you to be an author?

Oh yes! I love Ian McEwan, Michael Chabon, Ann Patchett, Michael Cunningham, and Zadie Smith.

I consider all of them inspirations too. It’s just that, when I read them, I’m more likely to feel awe or

envy than a feeling of, “I can do that. Where’s my computer?”

7) What prompted you to write a story about a foreign cyber terrorism CIA agent who becomes

entangled in the entertainment world?  Why did this theme speak to you?

I guess I’m always mining current events for real-life situations that present interesting moral or

cultural dilemmas—along with the potential for action and suspense, of course. In the case of End of 

Secrets, I kept getting drawn into news articles about the intelligence industry’s dependence on

private contractors—which seems to me to present a serious conflict. These are for-profit companies

being handed hundreds of millions of dollars to operate in almost total secrecy. What could go

wrong, right?

At the same time, I was also reading more and more about how the NSA’s surveillance capabilities

had essentially outpaced Congress’s ability to regulate them properly. This was even before Edward

Snowden’s leak of classified documents confirmed all of that. And then the third aspect—the

entertainment angle—came into play because large corporations, many of them media companies, not

only have a disproportionate influence in our cultural conversations, but they are using data-mining

technologies that are in many ways more invasive than what the NSA is doing.

This confluence of scenarios sets up complex issues that we, as a society, are going to have to deal

with for decades to come. And because of that, I found that material to be irresistible in setting up

the plot of a thriller that could both entertain and also provide a little cultural criticism about

entertainment and government secrecy.

8) What message would you impart to children who want to turn their love of reading and 

books into a career as an author?

I’d say, “Go write a story!” Because that’s how it has to start. There’s nothing I can tell you about

how to be a writer that is as important as what you’ll learn about yourself when you actually start

writing. Maybe you’ll write a page—or a hundred pages—and decide writing isn’t for you. Or

maybe you’ll find you love it and you’ll write fifty books without running out of things to say. But

you’ll never know unless you sit down and start typing on that blank page. Writers should use their

imaginations for every part of the process—except the actual writing. That part has to actually be

physically done. There are no shortcuts or substitutions.

More Books By Ryan Quinn

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Day 7 of 31 books in 31 days- Book Giveaway by Lois Lowry and Kindle Giveaway

Welcome to the 7th 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) Like the author of the day on facebook
  b) Follow the author on Twitter
  c) Read any of the author's books
  d) Answer the occasional quiz on author's interview
  e) 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!

Today's author of the day is the amazing Lois Lowry, Author of our featured book The Giver (Giver Quartet, Book 1). Additionally, Lois Lowry has 30 children's books to her credit. The giver alone has over 4000 5 star reviews. If you haven't already read this sensational work of fiction, read it today and enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of a different book by this sensational author.


Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pleasure and pain of life.Now it is time for Jonas to learn the truth. There is no turning back.

                                                      Lois Lowry Interview
                                             

Hello Lois,

Thanks for volunteering your time to answer some questions.

1) What do you love about reading? What is the last book you read?

I love that one can enter another world, become another person, through the reading of fiction. (I suppose it is true of non-fiction as well, come to think of it!) and can weigh your own decisions against decisions made by book characters... what would I do in these circumstances? and perhaps even mold your own behavior through reading.

The last book I read was "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins, a British mystery.

2) Why do you write children’s books? What interests you about the genre?

I have become aware that some young people are profoundly affected by what they read. They are changed by what they take away from books. that is less true of adults. To be someone who affects kids in that way is not something I take lightly. It's an enormous responsibility. 

3) I read your FAQ’s on your site and one of your favorite authors as a child was Lois Lenski, what about her books interested you? How do you think reading has impacted your writing over the years?

I was attracted to her books, oddly, because of her name, which was my name as well. And the book of hers I liked the best... Indian Captive... had a protagonist who was my age and who even (I could tell from the illustrations) LOOKED like me.

4) I know you wanted to write since you were a young child. Did any one book or event inspire you 

to be an author? If so, what was it and why?

The book that most inspired me when I was young (about 9) was the Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. The book that seemed the most real, and dealt with tough even heart-breaking issues.

5)  I have read other interviews and biographies about you online. You have experienced quite a
few trials in your life. What were the ones that impacted your writing the most and how?

The loss of people I loved... a sister, and later a son... probably had more impact on me than anything else, making me aware of the impermanence of things, and the importance of our relationships.

6) Which one of your books is your favorite? Why?

"Autumn Street"... because it is about real people. People I loved, most of whom are now gone.

7) If you could be any fictional character from a book that you have written who would it be? Why
does that character resonate with you?

I actually WAS the character Meg in "A Summer to Die" and Elizabeth in "Autumn Street." These were both autobiographical novels.

8) Is there any book by another author that you wish you had written? If so, why does this book standout for you?

No. There are many books and authors whom I admire but I would not presume to wish to have written their books.

9) You mention that it is hard to make a living as a writer, but is it worth it?
Thank you so much for participating.

For me it is worth it, to be able to do what I love, to have the solitude and independence I treasure.



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