Fact vs. Fiction - Day #2 Prisoners in the Palace

I'm excited to have Michaela on the blog today talking about the fact vs. fiction and how her debut, Prisoners in the Palace came to be. Please give a warm welcome to Michaela :)

When I began writing Prisoners in the Palace, I started with biographies. Victoria is one of the most heavily biographed women in the world (!!!) so there are a lot to choose from. But my task is easier because I concentrate on her childhood, usually only a chapter or two in most biographies. Within those chapters, I looked for nuggets to start me thinking… and that’s where the story comes from. The nuggets in this case were the restrictions on her childhood and the dreaded Kensington System which was what her education regimen was called. Since I’m a parent of teenage girls myself, I knew that the life Victoria led would be intolerable to my kids. But the everyday details of her life were fascinating too because they are at once so similar and so different to our lives today. The way I described her schooling, the music she studied, the tutors she had, what she ate, her daily toilette, etc. are all based on fact.

Another nugget was about broadsheets. It turns out in the 1830’s you could print anything you wanted on broad sheets of paper and sell them on the street. They were often used to promote political agendas. When Victoria was Queen, more than one was addressed to her and designed to influence her thinking – much like we might see a full page ad in the New York Times today. I began to think about how dangerous this kind of publicity could be… and my plot emerged.

The challenge writing about a public figure is that you cannot alter the known facts just because it would improve the story. I can’t make Victoria 20 just because I feel like it. Although one of my critique partners insisted it would be amazing if Victoria snuck out of Kensington Palace and had adventures in London, I had to (regretfully) hold my ground. There was no way that someone as protected as she was could ever have slipped away for any length of time. So I created a character, Liza, who could be close to Victoria but who had the freedom to leave the palace. Liza is a ladies’ maid, and I portrayed her life as accurately as I could, based on my research about servants to the aristocracy. The fate of poor Annie, the maid whose place Liza takes, was also based on research about the working poor of London at the time.

It’s ironic that some of the most useful research about this time in London can be found in literature. Dickens and Thackeray were great sources for language and social mores. One of my favorite research tools was a book called What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool. Another amazing tool is a website called www.victorianlondon.org run by Lee Jackson (an author of Victorian mysteries). He has assembled a massive full-text indexed amount of literature and commentary about Victorian London.

Thanks so much Michaela! Don't forget you have a chance to win a copy of Prisoners in the Palace or one of 5 bookmarks:) Click here to enter!

About the book:

London, 1836. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery and treason above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?

Meticulously based on new interpretations of history, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

Interested in reading the first chapter? That's easy, click here!

You can find out more about Michaela on her: website, blog, Facebook, Twitter

It's PRISONERS IN THE PALACE week on the blog! (Giveaway)

It is my pleasure to have a week of Prisoners in the Palace on the blog. I really enjoyed Michaela's story of Liza, a maid to Princess Victoria in London, 1838 especially since I have recently been sucked into the world of historical fiction. Each day this week we will have something devoted to the book: character interviews, an author interview and more!

About the book:

London, 1836. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery and treason above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?

Meticulously based on new interpretations of history, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

Interested in reading the first chapter? That's easy, click here!

About the author:

Michaela attended Vassar College and Yale University. She earned degrees in multi-disciplinary history. Unfortunately, it took her 20 years before she realized she was learning how to write historical fiction. Her favorite stories are the ones she finds about the childhood experiences of famous people. What happened that helped them to be great? Michaela has two daughters so she's hoping to identify those moments firsthand. She and her family live in Connecticut, but she will travel at the drop of hat to do local research. So far her travels have taken her to London and Florence and Amherst, Massachussetts. A trip to Shanghai, China is in the works. Prisoners in the Palace (Chronicle, October 2010) is her first book.

You can find out more about Michaela on her: website, blog, Facebook, Twitter

...and thanks to Michaela & her publisher, Chronicle, you have a chance to win a copy of Prisoners in the Palace or one of 5 bookmarks:) Please leave a comment and fill out the form below!

Fun Friday...and winners!

I hope you enjoyed your week of Claire de Lune! A big thank you to Christine for making this possible. For the Friday's posts, we discussed making a playlist as I always like to do something fun...

So after much agonizing, I finally did a playlist just of the arc
of Claire's story - a Claire playlist, rather than a CLAIRE DE LUNE
playlist, if that makes sense. Originally, I tried to pick one song for
each character, but I was getting into WAY too many spoilers and getting
all twisted up with it. Instead, I tried to find really great songs that
matched Claire at each point in her journey, both with their lyrics and
also the general feel of the music. This is what I ended up with!

Thanks to everyone who played along.

And the winners are.....

Signed copy of Claire de Lune: Jessica

Bookplates: Katelyn, Jenny N, Grace Gorski, Natasha, Elie N and Okapi

Please check you emails, you have until Sunday to claim your prize :)

Learning More About Matthew

It wasn't a surprise that when I went to interview Claire, Matthew was close by. Being the main character and all, we know a lot more about Claire so my questions for Matthew (who by the way is a total sweetheart!)were a little more deep. Again, not to worry these are spoiler-free!


What was it about Claire that made you fall head over heels for her?

She’s so *herself.* I was so tired of dating girls that spend all their time playing games, trying to be whatever they thought I wanted them to be. And Claire was so smart and funny and quiet without being shy. I just never thought she’d be interested in dating someone like me - that she’d think I was just another jock. She’s so strong and amazing, and not just because she’s a werewolf. It’s just *her.*

Will your scientist Dad would ever understand if you told him about you and Claire?

My dad is really...focused. He’s spent practically his whole life trying to perfect his cure for lycanthropy. I don’t think he would be able to get over that - to see Claire for the amazing person that she is. I wish he could see past her werewolf side. That he could think of her as something other than a dangerous test subject. But I just don’t think he’d be able to do that. And I’d never, ever want to risk Claire’s life by trying to find out for sure!

Do you think more people could be like you and accept werewolves for who they are as humans and not just see them as animals?

I wouldn’t be surprised - I think if people knew that these nice, normal women that they see everyday are werewolves, maybe they could get past all the stereotypes. I know that everyone’s scared of attacks, but humans kill each other, too, and we’re not terrified of every person we pass on the street. It’s not fair that people like Claire and Marie and Beatrice have to spend their whole lives hiding. Maybe someday, they’ll be able to live in the open. I hope so.

Doesn't the thought of your girlfriend turning into a wolf kinda freak you out?

Yes and no. I mean, the wolf world is really intense and there’s not a lot of room for humans - especially human guys - there. So that’s a little hard sometimes. But Claire’s wolf side is half of who she is - with out that, she wouldn’t be *her.* And I love the person that she is - strong, smart, wild and contained at the same time. So, no, the thought of her transforming doesn’t make me want to run away and hide or anything, but figuring out the wolf part of her world has been kind of hard at times. Worth it though. Hard, but totally worth it.


This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughtful comment :)

Chatting it up with Claire

At 16, the main character in Claire de Lune finds out that she's...well a little bit different! I had a chance to ask her a few questions, don't worry it's spolier-free :)

Did you ever think, growing up, that your family was a little odd?

Not really. I mean, I knew my family was different than, say, Emily’s family, but it just seemed NORMAL to me. Plus, once Lisbeth came, it actually seemed easier than having my mom around all the time, breathing down my neck about stuff. I was so happy that she wasn’t prying into my secrets that I didn’t really think she might have one of her own!

How long had Matthew been on your radar?

Um, since the first day I walked into school? No, seriously. He was a sophomore when I was a freshman, but we’d gone to different middle schools, so I’d never seen him before. His locker was sort of near mine that year, and he was so gorgeous, I couldn’t NOT notice him. But I never thought he’d actually pay any attention to me...

What is your favorite part of being a were?

I love the hunt. Really. I mean, I love so many parts of it - the heightened senses (even though that took awhile to adjust to!) and the running and the way we can communicate with one another without talking. But hunting rolls all that up together and adds the excitement of chasing something. Of course, at the end of the hunt, there’s always the killing part, which took some time to get used to, but it’s no different than eating a steak you buy in the grocery - and it’s a lot fairer to catch it yourself!

What do you think your BFF Emily would do if she knew the truth?

It’s so hard - I know that she would really, really *want* to keep it a secret, but she’s pretty much the worst secret keeper I know. I mean, it’s like the words just leap out of her mouth. I really want to tell her, but it’s just too big a risk, for everyone. When I can’t stand it anymore, I always remind myself that I can tell her tomorrow. That makes it sort of bearable, knowing that I always *could* tell her. Just not today.

(awww, love this answer!)

This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughtful comment :)

An Interview with Christine Johnson

I recently had a chance to talk to Christine Johnson about her debut, Claire de Lune. Please give a warm welcome to Christine. This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form here. Don't forget you get an extra entry for each thoughful comment (see her answer to my last question today!)

In your own words, tell us about the book

This is a much harder thing to do than it seems like, but here goes: CLAIRE DE LUNE is about a girl who discovers, on her sixteenth birthday, that she’s the latest in a long line of female werewolves. With a rogue wolf on the loose, her boyfriend’s dad leading the werewolf hunt, and her new identity to adjust to, Claire has to overcome huge challenges if she’s going to save her new-found pack . . . and herself.

In Claire de Lune, you have created an interesting take on the werewolf. What was your inspiration?

I thought it would be really interesting to write a book about a girl who was a werewolf, and it really all grew pretty organically from there. I thought it would be *more* interesting if all the werewolves were women - if there *couldn’t* be a male of the species. I spent a long time reading everything I could find about traditional werewolf mythology and then I turned a lot of it on its head, which was really fun. So much of the traditional lore is very male-centric - I wanted to come at it from a different (female) perspective.

My favorite scene to read was when Claire is in the forest, checking out her new skills. What was your favorite to write?

It’s REEEEAaally hard to talk about my favorite scene without being spoiler-y. But there’s a part near the end, when Claire has a big fight with someone who has been very important to her, and that fight has HUGE ramifications for Claire. It was a hard scene to write, because so much hinged on it, but when it finally came together, it was the *most* satisfying.

Did you ever have a boyfriend but kept him a secret from your family/friends?

Not that I can remember . . . but in high school, my serious boyfriends were always older guys who either didn’t go to my school or were in college. Honestly, they were all great guys (not that there was a huge roster of them or anything,) but I remember being sort of jealous of the girls who could slip notes to their boyfriends in between classes, or sit together in the caf at lunch. So I do know that feeling of having a boyfriend who’s sort of absent from one part of your life, even if none of mine were ever a secret.

What are you working on now?

I juuuuust handed in the first draft of the sequel for Claire de Lune, which will be out sometime next summer. It’s untitled . . . I’m working on that. I hate titles. I think they’re HARD. If anyone has any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear them!

To learn more about Christine & Claire de Lune, visit www.christinejohnsonbooks.com

Claire de Lune week (and giveaway!)

I am excited to share with you a week of Christine Johnson's debut, Claire de Lune. Throughout the week you will find an interview with Christine, the main character Claire and Matthew. I hope you enjoy!

About the book:
Torn between two destinies…

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and her crush keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she’s the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: She’s a werewolf.

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she finds her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart. Burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, she will be forced to make a choice that will change her life forever...

Praise:

“Johnson spins out an engaging and provocative riff on the werewolf tradition….Smooth writing and engaging main characters make for an easy read, while a feminist focus offers just a bit more for thoughtful readers….A good summer read for the romantically concerned or and monster-obsessed midteen girl.” - Booklist

"Johnson weaves a page-turning tale of forbidden love, loyalty, friendship, and deception that will leave readers eager for more. Strong characters and major plot twists coupled with a new twist on werewolf mythology make this a fun and entertaining read." - School Library Journal

“Johnson’s debut . . . glimmers with mystery and a budding romance amid Romeo and Juliet-like complications . . . her struggle to adjust and integrate the two sides of her life rounds out a satisfying story.” - Publisher’s Weekly

Book Trailer:


About the author:
I grew up in, moved away from, and finally came home to Indianapolis, Indiana. Now I live in an old house in an old neighborhood with my husband and kids. I have too many books and a weakness for anything sweet. I love yoga and cooking, but I'm not much of a movie person. I like watching soccer, and always look forward to the first sweater-worthy days in the fall. But mostly, I like making things up and writing them down and having people read them. So that's what I do, and I'm very, very lucky to be doing it!

www.christinejohnsonbooks.com


...and a big thanks to Christine for the great giveaways! This week you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Claire de Lune (CAN/US only), OR one of six signed bookplates (open internationally!) by filling out the form below. For each thoughtful comment you leave during the week, I will also add an extra entry.

My Interview with Jeri Smith-Ready & your chance to ask too!

For those that don't know yet (gasp!), can you tell us what Shade is about?

Okay, here’s my amateur short version (not the extended magical marketing remix):
16-year-old Aura can see ghosts. Then again, so can everyone around the world who was born after her. In fact, they have a word for the moment of her birth: the Shift. Aura suspects that the Shift might be connected to her missing mystery dad and an event that happened at Newgrange tomb in Ireland a year before her birth.

Ghosts can be annoying at their best. At their worst, as dark, powerful "shades," they can be deadly. So Aura's major goal in life is to undo the Shift and make the ghosts go away.

And then, her boyfriend dies and becomes a ghost.

You have written many amazing adult fiction books with Shade being your first foray into YA. Was Shade started as YA or did it evolve that way?

It originally started as an idea for a world where the existence of ghosts had been proven, and a law firm that specialized in wrongful death suits. As tickled as I was by my cheesy tagline, “I sue dead people,” the idea went nowhere without a main character or a compelling story to give it life. (Besides, I know zilch about law, so it wouldn’t have gotten far. It wasn’t until the main character of 16-year-old Aura Salvatore came into the picture that the story took off. I thought hey, what if all people her age and younger could see ghosts? And then the biggest part of the story of all: what if her boyfriend died and become a ghost?

SHADE wasn’t my first attempt at writing YA, though. I wrote another YA (about the daughters of fallen angels Lucifer and Beelzebub as high school seniors) in between my other books, in bits and pieces from 2003 to 2006. But when it came time to revise it for submission in 2008, I realized it pretty much sucked (well, the first half of it, anyway). By that point, I already had the idea for SHADE and was really excited about it, so I decided to do that instead. Sometimes you just have to know when to drop a project and move on.

Having written for both adult & YA audiences, what was the hardest/easiest about writing YA?

In some ways, writing YA is easier. I get to focus on the elements of storytelling I enjoy most and that I think I’m best at: character development and voice, especially dialogue. Writing for teens usually requires a faster pace, and I’m all for that. Whether I’m writing for adults or teens, I believe in following Elmore Leonard’s #1 rule of writing: leave out the boring parts.

The hardest part of writing YA for me is cutting down on the plot digressions. Especially with a book like SHADE where the whole society has changed because of ghosts, it’s so tempting to geek out and explore all the different world-building aspects. My editor does a great job of telling me when I’m losing focus from the main characters and their conflicts. Also when I’m getting too James Bond-ish.

In Shade, the colors purple & red are significant, why were these colours chosen?

The color concept is based on the visible light spectrum—though I don't specifically mention it in the book—where violet and red lie at opposite ends. Red corresponds with the first “chakra” (or energy center, in traditional Indian medicine), located at the base of the spine, where it represents life and the physical world. Violet is associated with the seventh chakra, at the top of the head, representing pure thought. Though I’d chosen obsidian because of its use by ghost hunters, I later discovered that the rock corresponds to the color red and the first chakra. Score one happy world-building accident!

How many books are planned for this series?

There will be at least two (SHIFT is coming out next May). I hope there’ll be three or four ultimately, but of course that depends on my publisher wanting more, which of course depends on readers supporting the series. This doesn’t just apply to my books—if you love an author, buy their books and tell all your friends! Otherwise the publishers won’t know how loved they are, and next thing you know, no more books. :-(

Can you give us a sneak peak at what to expect in book #2, Shift?

SHIFT picks up right after SHADE finishes, and you won’t believe how Chapter One ends! Aura faces a whole new unimaginable dilemma in her choice between Logan and Zachary. As Zachary puts it, “We need to redefine the word ‘impossible.’”

But Aura does find out all about her mom and dad and the mystery of the Shift. The question is, what does she do with that information? And that leads us into a possible third and fourth book.

Ahhh, as if I wasn't already dying to read Shift!

Thanks so much for having me on your blogs! I love to hear from readers, so come visit me at www.jerismithready.com, or better yet on twitter @jsmithready or http://www.facebook.com/jerismithready, where I spend way too much time.

And thanks for writing amazing books & sharing them with us!
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I hope you have enjoyed the week so far. Today is the last day to enter the contest for a SIGNED copy of Shade courtesy of Jeri! (Click here to enter)

Now for the fun interactive part...Jeri will be checking in with us today so if you have any questions for her, just type it up in a comment below!

Learning More About Logan

When I had the chance to interview Aura, wouldn't you know it Logan was there too...I just couldn't see or hear him! Aura acted as a mediator for me, I had so many questions for him (but as you can see we had to cut it short). In case you haven't read Shade yet, there are two guys in Aura's life: Logan & Zachary. I must admit I was leaning more towards team Zachary when reading the book, but Logan just may have have won me over, I'm not so sure anymore!


If you could go back in time and change one thing (besides your death) what would it be?

I wish I’d played that song for Aura, the one I wrote for her. I thought there’d be another chance. I thought there’d be lots more chances for lots more things.

God, sorry, that sounds pathetic. I’m not really like that. Mostly I don’t bother with regrets. Life’s too short, y’know? Especially mine. Jeez, I’m getting worse, aren’t I? Next question?

Now that you are a spirit, what do you miss most?

Well, obviously the big loss is not being able to touch Aura. Sometimes I sit and close my eyes, try to relive what that was like. It’s like if I could just concentrate hard enough, I could conjure up the feel of her skin and hair and put that feeling back into my fingertips. I can almost get there, but not quite.

I also miss holding a guitar—in my head I still know all the chords and how to play, but so much of that is muscle memory. And I miss being able to reach everyone with my voice instead of just a few people.

And this is going to sound weird, but I miss sleep. It’s driving me crazy, never being able to turn off my brain. Well, not my brain, since that’s dead. My mind, I guess. Anyway, it’s exhausting. And boring.

What is the coolest thing you've discovered?

Once when I was a kid, my family went to Ireland on vacation. Since ghosts can go anywhere they went during their lives, I can be back in Dublin in less than a second. Watch.

*disappears, then reappears*

Freaking awesome, right? I was way too starry-eyed when I went as a kid to really notice much—a place that incredible, you just can’t take it all in, not in one measly week. So now when I go back, I check out all the little things, like the ducks in the ponds at St. Stephen’s Green. When you’re a ghost, you can sit right next to them and they don’t care. It’s pretty cool.

Another cool thing is that I can get into shows for free and listen to any band I want, as long as I’ve been to that club or whatever before, and if it’s not BlackBoxed to keep out ghosts. But any place worth going wouldn’t be able to afford BlackBoxing.

Who is your favorite band/song?

Definitely “Devil’s Dance Floor” by Flogging Molly. It’s got this insane energy—I was never so alive as when that song was playing. Our band practiced it for months before we got it right. Now when we do it onstage, I feel like a god.

I mean, I felt like a god. Sorry, I still slip up my past and present tenses sometimes. Not on purpose, swear.

What do you think of Zachary?

I thought these were all gonna be easy questions. I really have to answer this?

OK, fine. I try not to think of that guy. I can’t see him and he can’t see me, and even if we could see each other, I couldn’t pound his head into the wall like I want to. So what’s the point of thinking of him?

But I guess if Aura likes him, he can’t be a total waste. She’s a good judge of people. And if I really loved her, I should want her to move on, right? We obviously have no future. Maybe it would even help me pass on if I knew she’d be okay, if I knew she’d find happiness with a good guy, like he probably is. Right?

No. Screw that. I want to kill him.

Oops, sorry Logan! Calm down, don't go Shade on us... think of Aura!
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Along with my interview tomorrow, you will also have a chance to ask Jeri some questions!

Also, just a reminder there's a few days left to enter to win a SIGNED copy of Shade (click here)!

A Chat with Aura from SHADE

Aura is the main character in Shade. Her life right now has gotten a bit weird, even for her! Not only does she lose her boyfriend to an accidental overdose & continue seeing him, she meets Zachary who has his own secrets & possibly answers about the Shift that she is eager to uncover. I had the opportunity to ask Aura a few questions, so sit back, grab your coffe & enjoy!

How long have you know you were 'special'?

It’s funny, when I was really young I didn’t know I was special. My whole life, the world has had two kinds of people: the living—who are solid and come in all colors—and ghosts, who glow in violet and are completely untouchable. In nursery school, most of my friends could see ghosts, too. I thought it was something kids could do and grownups couldn’t, like ride a tricycle or do a somersault without hurting themselves.

It wasn’t until I started playing with some of the older kids in the neighborhood (like Logan, who’s two months older) that I realized it wasn’t just grownups who couldn’t see ghosts. I think I was in kindergarten when I found out that my birthday was the same day as the Shift. Eventually I found out that it happened the minute I was born. Which was pretty freaky.

Do you believe in fate?

No. That’s depressing.

Do you appreciate being born post-Shift since it means you are able to spend more time with Logan?

Definitely. I think Logan’s death has been even harder on his older brother and sister who can’t see him—and of course on his parents. Pre-Shifters have a totally different view of ghosthood than we do. To them it’s a curse. They think it means the person’s soul is suffering, or that they’re in purgatory or something. But not all ghosts are miserable. Just ask Logan.

Now the flip side of the coin, is it harder to accept Logan is gone as he is still able to visit you in spirit?

Yes! Because he’s still him. It’s not like ghosts in books or movies where they just float around moaning (not that real ghosts don’t moan—they do, A LOT). Logan is really here, every way but physically. We still have normal conversations. In some ways we’re closer than when he was alive.

So it’s like, am I still his girlfriend? How long can we make this work? Am I the weirdest girl ever? I mean, I know he’s not coming back to life. But he still feels so real. No—he IS real, because who he is, is much more than just a body.

What's up with you and Zachary?

Good question, and honestly, I don’t know. In a lot of ways, he’s the perfect guy for me, but right now is so not the perfect time. I don’t know how long I can expect him to wait around, though, before he gives up. Because Becca’s always lurking, and even though she’s a monster, she’s a really hot, rich monster. Most guys would kill to be with her.

Thanks Aura!
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Don't forget there's a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Shade courtesy of Jeri Smith-Ready! (click here)

Also, just a heads up as Thursday's post will be an interview I had with Jeri. She also offered to pop in during the day giving you, the readers, an opportunity to ask her some questions. I'm going to make this easy-peasy: when the Thursday post is up, all you need to do is ask your questions in the comments :)

It's SHADE week on the blog! (and a contest)

I am very honored to run a week of Shade by Jeri Smith-ready! If you haven't already read my rave review, click here. This is an amazing paranormal story that really stuck with me long after reading it.

About the book (from Jeri's blog):

Love ties them together.
Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Look for the sequel, SHIFT, coming May 2011!

Book Trailer:


About the author:
Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound.

Jeri's plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that.

When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.


...and thanks to Jeri, you have a chance to win a SIGNED copy of Shade, please fill out the form below!

Witchy Worries #2 Deleted Scene & Giveaway Winner!

I hope you have enjoyed the week of The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams! To end the week here is a deleted scene from Rhonda's work on book two. Don't worry, if you follow my blog you will know that I do not add spoliers so even if you haven't read book one, this will not ruin anything for you - just give you a taste for the Adam's family adventures! Thanks to Rhonda for the fun week, I look forward to sharing many more adventures with Abbie. And thanks to all those who entered the contest, the winner is announced below!

This is actually a deleted scene from Abbie 2, in which Abbie’s parents and Mrs. Drake are removing a spell from Abbie that prevents her from sharing the secret of magic with anyone. I can’t tell you why they’re doing it though...because it will ruin a big surprise.


“Okay, Abs,” said my dad, snapping open his medical bag. “I wish we could say we knew exactly how removing this spell will affect you, but since none of us, even Mrs. Drake, has ever seen it done before, we can’t really tell for sure. Don’t worry though, honey. Mrs. Drake and I went into the time warp together and did a lot of research. So, we figure we’re as up to speed as we can get, on the correct removal technique. Your old dad’s on the case here, don’t you worry.”

“I’m not worried, Daddy,” I said.

But I was.

Munch’s eyes were big and round and he wiggled behind the cushion in the easy chair.

“Good job, buddy,” said my dad, stepping over to ruffle his curls. “You stay right there till this is all over.”

“Now Abbie. We’ll need you to close your eyes and empty your mind as much as possible,” said Mrs. Drake in a soft, soothing voice.

I closed my eyes but it was hard to clear my mind because way too many things were rushing through it right then, like worrying whether it was going to hurt… and...and worrying whether it was going to hurt!!…. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly like I do in drama club when we’re doing our relaxation exercises.

“That’s good sweetheart,” whispered my mom, still stroking my hand. “Just take another deep breath like that and on the exhale, let your whole body sink into the couch.”

My dad and Mrs. Drake started to mutter then, quiet words that I couldn’t make out. It sounded like they had a lot of syllables in them. The air thickened up around me, as it if were a muggy, summer night, just before a big thunderstorm. From somewhere in the walls, a deep hum began to throb. It got louder and louder and I felt myself start to shake. A lot.

“Marley?” my mom asked worriedly, her voice trembling.

It’s okay, Tildy,” answered my dad. “We expected some physical reaction. I’ve got my eye on it.”

I shook harder and harder and then…WHAM…my head slammed back… my eyes shot open….And I discovered that I wasn’t in my own homey living room, surrounded by people who loved me.

Uh uh.

I was somewhere dark, and cold, and SCARY!!!

There were huge, creepy shadows moving toward me, and the ground where I was lying was full of jagged, sharp edges and points.

Fear shot through me.

I pushed myself up with my hands, jumped to my feet, and screamed, “Daddy!!!??”

There was a terrible, shrieking ROAR behind me, and I screamed again and leapt forward… into the arms of my dad, who came slamming out of nowhere, right in front of me. He snatched me up and swung me around the other way. A storm of blue sparkles eddied around us.

And there I was… back in our living room, standing in front of the easy chair, with a white-faced Munch staring at me, clutching his pillow to his chest.

....and the winner is......
Jennifer G.!!!!

Congrats Jen, I'm sending you an email now :)

Surprise guest, meet Tom!

I had a chance to talk to Tom before he....well, you'll have to read the story ;)

What did it feel like when Abbie looked in your eyes and realized what you really were?

I don’t mind saying I was powerful lonely right up to that moment but then it was as if the front door had opened and Abbie invited me in. Crikey! That Abbie’s a grand girl. Just grand.

While living with the Adams you read many books, which book was your favorite?

By Jings, it’s a bully high school textbook Doctor Adams secured for me, called Physics: Principles with Applications. I stayed up all night with that one and learned a powerful amount. I tried and tried to tell Abbie all about it but she kept pretending she was snoring.

Being transported from the 19th century, what was the strangest thing you saw?

It gave me a terrible turn but when I first arrived in the 21st century, I got lost in a parking lot. It scared the dickens out of me because I had a hard time figuring what all those big metal things with wheels were. But I quickly deduced that they were rolling conveyances of some sort. I was just desperate to study on what made them move but since I happened to be fleeing for my life just then, I didn’t get much of a chance. And I love a microwave. Just love it. To see those cheesy, bready things Abbie calls pizza turn round and round like that. The way they start bubbling up and steaming. I’m so glad the fella who invented the microwave thought to put a window in it. That was a great notion. Wish I’d had it.

Of all your inventions, what is your favorite?

Well of course I’m only thirteen, so I haven’t invented too much of anything just yet, and blame it all, when I get back to the past, I’ll forget everything that happened to me in the 21st century so I’ll have no idea what I’m going to invent. But I’ve been doing some Google-searches on myself and it seems my assistants in my lab and I will tackle inventing a Kinetograph and a Kinetoscope. That’s the first motion picture camera and a box to view the moving pictures in! I love the movies. Did you know you can see them in all three dimensions now?! That’s some bully inventing right there.

What do you wish you invented?

Since everybody’s always clapping me on the back about inventing the light bulb, I sure enough wish I truly had! The truth is, in 1840, a British fella named Warren de la Rue invented the first electric light bulb but he used platinum coil in it so it was too costly to manufacture. In 1879, I came along and got the notion of using a long-burning carbon filament. Well, after getting the notion for about a thousand things that didn’t work so well first. I sorry to say I didn’t invent the light bulb, I only perfected it.

Who knew, I learned something new today! Thanks for popping in Tom.

(Just a reminder that the draw for a signed copy of The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams ends tomorrow morning at 8 AM EST!)

An Interview with Rhonda Hayter

I hope you have enjoyed the week of Witchy Worries so far! Today we have an interview with the author, Rhonda Hayter.


Tell us about the book

It’s a middle-grade novel about a fifth-grade girl who has all the same problems as any girl with a strict teacher, too much homework and a little brother who can make life difficult. But Abbie and her family all happen to be witches and so there are a lot of magical complications to her life too. And because there are certain shenanigans involving time travel, she gets to meet someone very famous from the past. So although the book is funny, I’ve snuck in a little education as well.

What was the inspiration for The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams?

When my younger son was little, he was the most cherubic, adorable, curly-headed little sweetheart you’ve ever met...except when he wasn’t. He had a very hard time managing big feelings and he’d just melt down so that you’d hardly even recognize him. During one of these major tempests, I turned to my poor stressed husband and said, “My God. It’s like he turns into a werewolf.” And that gave me the idea for a little boy who really did turn into a werewolf when he couldn’t manage his anger. And for a sister who might have to cope with it. That was really the seed for the whole book. Oh, my son eventually grew out of the meltdowns I’m happy to say.

What was your favorite scene to write?

There’s a scene when Abbie does something she shouldn’t do and she has to face her parents when they find out. And what she learns is that even if she makes poor decisions, they’re still on her side. It doesn’t mean there won’t be consequences for her misbehavior, it just means that they love, support and understand her no matter what. It’s how I try to parent my own kids and I’m kind of embarrassed to say I wept when I wrote it and I tear up every time I read it.

You did a great job capturing the spunk, curiosity & energy of a 5th grader. How hard it was to get back into a 10 yr olds frame of mind? (It's so long ago for me!)

It’s plenty long ago for me too, believe me. But I have to confess I was able to cheat because at the time I first wrote it, I had a fifth-grader coming home telling me about what was going on at school, talking a mile a minute and sharing fifth-grade concerns with me.

If you could travel in time, where would you go?

Ah but I do travel in time—in books. And I love going back to Jane Austen’s time, and Charles Dickens...with all that elaborate, beautiful language. I’ve been trying to turn my kids onto them...but they ain’t havin’ it. Not yet anyway.

What are you working on next? Are there any plans to make this into a series?

Well I have very big plans for it. I’m on revisions for the second one, in which Abbie encounters Harriet Tubman and I’ve made a good start on the third, in which Susan B Anthony drops by. No contracts are signed yet though, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

(Don't forget there's a chance to win a signed copy - click here to enter!)

Meet Abbie Adams!

Abbie Adams is the main character in The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams. She is in the 5th grade and one curious little girl. Without further ado, here's my interview with Abbie! (Don't forget there's a chance to win a signed copy - click here to enter!)

What is the hardest part about being a witch?

Well, gee, I don’t want to get all poor me or anything because... well sure, I can do stuff like zap myself onto a beach in Hawaii any old time I feel like it. But just try never being able to tell your best friend about who you really are. Sometimes I even have to lie about it. To my best friend!!

Of all the spells you know, which is your favorite & what does it do?

I’ll tell you the truth, it’s one my mom hardly ever lets me use...but it’s a really sweet one that involves a little wiggling of the fingers and thinking about a dish towel. In two seconds flat, all the dishes are done and completely put away, counters cleaned and all. Am I right? Sweet? Mom only lets us use it on special occasions though. Since it’s a non-witch world we live in, she’s a big stickler about my brother and I learning to do things without magic. Sigh.
Oh. I bet you were thinking about something a little more glamorous weren’t you? But come on! Getting out of doing the dishes? You gotta admit, that’s a good one.

Can you tell us about your most embarrassing moment?

My dad says it’s not that unusual in a young witch but I have a little problem sometimes with buildup of excess magic charge in my fingertips. It drives me crazy! Just to make it extra horrible it always gets worse when I’m nervous. And I happened to be kind of nervous one day at school, when I was about to deliver my oral report on Betsy Ross...because the truth is, I didn’t really have a lot of time to do any research because all week long my brother Munch had been...well...that’s another story.
Anyway, while I was in the middle of a sweeping gesture showing how big the first flag was, a HUGE bolt of magic charge suddenly discharged from my fingertips—and it zapped my teacher Miss Linegar right on the rear end. She jumped about a mile and was looking around to see what had stung her...and I had to pretend I had no idea what had happened. That’s while I was right in the middle of trying to pretend that I had plenty of ideas about Betsy Ross..., which I unfortunately didn’t. I’m hoping I grow out of that one soon.

If you were allowed to use magic to turn yourself into anything for just one day, what would it be?

Um...I hate to seem braggy, but..well...I kinda can turn myself into anything any old time. It’s always fun but I think the most fun I ever had was when Munch and I turned ourselves into wild mustangs in Montana and joined a herd there. We spent the whole day running races against each other through the canyons.
Will you ever go back in time to visit Tom?

You know I’d like to, but I’m afraid it would make me really sad. You see when we go back in time, we’re not allowed to talk to anyone there because it would change the past. We always have to disguise ourselves as pillars or something and just watch. And just watching somebody you’re dying to hang out with...it would be awfully disappointing I think.

What would you like to be/do when you grow up?

That’s an easy one. I’m going to be an actress like my Aunt Sophie. She’s really famous and gets to be in all kinds of movies. And well... I mean here I go getting braggy again, but after Aunt Sophie saw me in my play...um, you don’t have to go telling everyone this or anything, but she said I was a born actress.

Thanks for stoppong by Abbie!

The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams + Giveaway

I am excited to host a week of The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams by Rhonda Hayter. This is a super cute, middle grade book which I reviewed last week. I hope you enjoy what we have planned. To start it off, I thought you'd like to know a bit about the book & author plus a chance to win your own copy :)


The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams

By Rhonda Hayter

Dial Books for Young Readers

Released: April 1, 2010


Synopsis

Abbie Adams is a regular eleven-year old girl with normal problems like a really strict fifth-grade teacher. (Meet Miss Linegar. Rhymes with vinegar.) She’s chronically behind in homework, forced to keep a big secret from her very best friend and hoping like heck she can remember all her lines in the drama club play. But Abbie also happens to be a witch and in addition to everything else, she has to cope with stuff like her little brother morphing into a werewolf and trying to eat his first-grade teacher...not to mention figuring out what exactly is up with her very, very peculiar cat.


About the author:

Rhonda Hayter was born in St. Jean, Quebec. She was an actress for some time, appearing in plays on tour and in New York and Los Angeles. Now, she works as a story analyst for a famous movie producer. When she and her husband found themselves with two little boys, one of whom morphed into a werewolf one day, The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams was born. Rhonda now lives in Los Angeles with her family. This is her first book.

To learn more visit: rhondahayter.com

Just for "You"

I had read somewhere (Judith's blog maybe?) that she liked to write songs about her characters..how cool is this!!! (note: you may need to turn up the volume & I have included the lyrics below).



Lyrics:

YOU

G C Am C
You said I was something else - well, it made me nervous

Lackluster lifetimes I have danced around this circus

You were hoping I would stay so I made my escape

Rattled off a few trite words and ya put it down to fate

CHORUS:

You made me high / You, you made me high / You….you….


I guess we’ll have no more weekend warrior adventures
Not in this sorrow till I get myself together
You were hoping I’d come clean, I’d admit to nothing
Rather bite off my own tongue than eat my heart out when you’re gone


CHORUS

F G
Well it’s on and on and on we go
Well it’s on and on and on we go
Well it’s on and on and on…we….go….

You said I was something else, well, it made me nervous
What if your hands can do more than scratch beneath my surface…

CHORUS
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Thanks to everyone who entered the contest...and asked a question :)  Sorry we couldn't get to all the questions, but this month Judith has a blog tour going on as well! Judith was such a sport and answered  many more questions asked by you guys - here are her answers...

• The Skinned series is made up of 3 books. UMS, Second Skin and Skin of My Teeth. I have other projects in the works – some with paranormal creatures and some without.
• I didn’t actually dedicate the book to any one person (there are many important people in my life and I didn’t want to choose between them). I thanked my family and friends and all the folks who worked hard to bring UMS to life. Thanks guys!
• When I found out UMS was going to get published I celebrated for about five minutes, then I started on edits.
• Kids at my school know that I have a book coming out. They’re elementary students though and most of them probably won’t be reading UMS. But I do pop into classes and talk about the writing process or editing or story beginnings, etc. That’s always a blast for me.
• How much influence did Willow have? HA! If she had her way, UMS would be one line from start to finish and I’d never write again. We’d spend all day swimming at the lake, or fetching sticks or hiking in the woods, or sleeping by the fireplace...hmm…maybe she’s got the right idea.
• What do I get up to at lunch time at school? Lol…..I think I know who asked that question. I write, of course! I usually hide in the back of the staff room with my laptop and iPod – the rest of the world does not exist.
• How does it feel to be a debut author? Like I ate too many of those little cinnamon donuts at the Fair and then went ten rounds on the Tilt-A-Whirl. A pukefest is imminent.
• What is the one comment I’d like to hear after someone has read UMS? “When’s book 2 coming out?”
• Writer’s block. I don’t believe in it – I do however, admit there are times when writing is the last thing I feel like doing. Like when I have edits for example – and I’m not in that “first draft / first love” excitement faze. The writing is actually work. To get out of this slump, I have one main technique (besides eating chocolate – which threatens my skinny jeans love, and leads to extra treadmill time – AKA…not really worth it). I either watch a great movie or read a great book. That’s all I need to get inspired and get my ass back in the chair.
• Love that I got kicked out of book clubs, do ya? Lol…yeah, I get myself in trouble sometimes. ;) UMS started with a “What if?”. What if paranormal creatures converged on a small town? What if there was this girl stuck in the middle of it all? What if the girl wasn’t quite human? What if yadda, yadda, yadda…..  For me, my stories come from “What if? or And then what happened?

....AND THE WINNER OF THE PRIZE PACK IS Elaine Gauthier

Thanks to everyone who participated, I hope you had a fun week with Judith & Under My Skin!

Under My Skin - Mini Guide to Beasties

Judith sure loves her beasties.. the poor town of Redgrave is overcome with them! I thought it would be fun to have her give you a little taste of what you'll find in Under My Skin....

Redgrave’s Beasties

As you’ve mentioned, Mel, Under My Skin (UMS) features a smorgasbord of paranormal beasties converging on one small northern Alberta town, Redgrave. Here’s the quick and dirty lowdown on the key creatures that roam the pages of my little gothic tale.

Wolven

In UMS, my main character, Eryn is a shapeshifter, part-wolven/part-human. They are born, not made. Wolven is a term I created for her species, but it’s basically the same as lycan, which is more familiar – humans shifting to wolf form. The difference between wolven and lycan is pretty great. Most wolven (with the exception of those like Eryn’s mother – those who feel more human than wolf) live the majority of their lives as wolves. That has huge impact on their human interactions; it affects their motivations and lifestyles.

I wanted to emphasise this fact, so wolven they became.

Eryn doesn’t know much about wolven strengths/weaknesses and therefore neither does the reader. But Eryn’s learning fast. ;)

Werewolves

Werewolves are very different from wolven. In the Skinned world, they are forged with dark magicks and ruled by their creator (usually a demon, vampire, or other strong supernatural being). They’re hell hounds, creatures without thought – acting on command and ruled by both their master and lunar cycles. When not killing, they rest in stasis, hiding in underground dens until the next full moon. At that time they awaken and serve the violent needs of their masters. They are filled with bloodlust. Bites do not themselves cause a human to turn. This can only be accomplished if the human is marked according to paranorm law, and then bitten. Without the mark, the bite only wounds or kills – it doesn’t spark the change.

And poor Redgrave is overrun with these nasty creatures. Yikes!

Vampires

No paranormal story is complete without a resident vamp, and Redgrave has a few in high places. Logan Gervais, the town’s chief of police, and his progeny, Wade, are taking the town, and Eryn, by storm. In the Redgrave world, vampires have the same rules as most vamp lore – they can’t be in direct sunlight, they drink human blood, and they can influence people with mind control.

Witches

There are several key witch characters in UMS. They work positive magic; their power isn’t used to harm. There are no warlocks – a witch is a witch – either male or female. However, witches rarely birth sons and when they do…look out – those boys have more than their share of power. Witches and wolven don’t get along (some pesky servitude thing from way back), so sparks are sure to fly if they’re left alone together. Maybe that’s why Wade and Eryn have such chemistry.

However, Wade is an oddity as far as vamps go. He’s the male child of a witch, and he inherited her power after he was turned. He has special abilities. He can walk in the sun, and Logan exploits this to his advantage. He thinks he has Wade under his black-nailed thumb. Humph. Too bad Wade’s developing a mind of his own.

Windigo

This creature of aboriginal lore is a shapeshifting, man-eating giant that lives in the North because its heart is made of ice. Legend has it that windigo were once human hunters who became lost in the snow and resorted to cannibalism to survive. Once they’d had a taste of human flesh, they became ravenous beasts. The more humans they eat, the bigger they get.

Luckily Alec Delacroix comes from a long line of shamans and hunters. He and his brother, Matt, manage to take down the windigo who killed their father. But will Alec be able to trust Eryn – to accept her ability to shapeshift like these crazed beasts?

Wolves

While not paranormal in any way, I did research wolf behaviour to incorporate their traits into Eryn’s character. There are many reasons my girl’s got attitude, hates authority figures, is competitive, etc. It’s in her genes, man!

Luckily, my husband’s cousin, Joe, is a Ranger working in Jasper National Park. He took this pic of a wolf he encountered while on a hike in the mountains.

 Joe was also kind enough to provide me with some stats on wolves in Alberta:

•  Wolves in Canada, particularly in Alberta, have it pretty good compared to wolves in the U.S. They don’t have to live in sanctuaries. We have plenty of wilderness for our wolves to explore.
•  The largest wolves are found in the northwest (Yukon, Northern British Columbia, and Alberta). Historic range is/was all of Canada and most of North America.
•  Average weight is about 45kg but can get up to 80kg.
•  They’re believed to mate for life and have an average of 6 young.
•  It’s believed that the species does not have an inborn tendency to kill but rather is born with certain behaviour patterns that allow it to learn to kill (i.e. they learn to kill from their parents.)
•  They hunt for prey through direct scent, chance encounter, and tracking. They are quite coordinated in their attack. I recall watching a pack hunt elk. One wolf acted as a decoy and essentially chased a bunch of elk into an ambush. Others were waiting in a series of thickets.

So there you have it. A bit of “real” info on wolves and some lore behind UMS. I hope this intro into the creatures of the Skinned series was of interest. NOTE: There are still lots of creatures to make themselves known.
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Now that you've had a glimpse into her world, what do you think?

Under My Skin - The Prequel and Pics!

I love the opportunity to read bits not written into the book. In this scene, you'll get a glimpse of the main character, Eryn. She is such a fun, sarcastic character and the ending of the prequel really captures this.

Judith worked with the amazing illustrator and graphic designer, Val Cox. Below I've included her stunning pictures - meet Eryn, Alec and Wade!



The Prequel....

Mom and I stood in the clearing, a fine mist of fog hovered a foot off the ground, snaking through the tall grasses. The damp ground smelled fresh and inviting. A gentle breeze brought the savoury scents of the forest to us. One scent stood out above the others. In synchronism we turned our heads. A deer pranced at the edge of the woods.

Shooting me a mischievous glance, Mom raised her arms, embracing the change. Her elegant form shimmered before me. Her hair whipped around in a wind of paranorm making. Energy crackled in the air. An instant later a sleek black wolf stood in my mother’s place.

The change took me then too.

Together we charged through the grass. Black wolf and grey wolf. Mother and daughter. Wolven.

The deer bolted.

We separated, flanking the panicked creature. In wolf form the complications of my human life slipped away. No more questions, just the thrill of the hunt. I was strong.

Invincible.

A different scent lit the air. Ignoring the black wolf’s sharp cry, I darted after the more intense lure.

A snarl. A lunge. A bite.

I feasted as if I’d never had a fresh kill before.

“Eryn, what have you done?” Mom, returned to her human form, stared down at me, horrified. Her beautiful porcelain skin paled to a chalky white, her delicate features twisted into a grimace. The revulsion in her eyes gutted me as if she’d swiped a claw across my belly.

I glanced down at the earth. At the bloodstained shoe that remained. A human. I had attacked a human. My stomach rolled.

“Help me!” I tried to scream, but in wolf form I couldn’t sound out the words.

Mom backed away, shaking her head.

I ran to her, not fast enough to reach her side.

She slipped into the mist.

Leaving me and the beast that had slipped over me like a second skin.

I woke on a strangled sob. My teeth throbbed in my mouth. The coppery taste of blood lingered. The hum of an old-fashioned slide projector brought me back to the present.

Someone had flicked on the lights.

“That was must have been some daydream,” Mrs. Stantial said over the snickers of the entire art history class. “Are you alright, Eryn?”

I stared blankly into her concerned, I-bet-this-kid-needs-therapy eyes and let out a jerky breath.

“Oh, I’m just peachy.”

Don't forget to enter the contest for an Under My Skin Prize Pack - open internationally & closes Friday.

Welcome to Redgrave! A chance to win a great prize pack

I am excited to host a week of Under My Skin by Judith Graves. I've had so much fun working with Judith on this and am so excited for her and her debut which is released later this month, March 27th. I hope you enjoy what we have planned.

About the book: 

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

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

But Eryn can't help falling for one of the Delacroix boys, dark, brooding, human Alec. And then it all goes bad.

A normal life? That's the real fairytale.


Book Trailer:



About the author:

Judith reads as much as she writes, devouring at least two books a week. She loves heated debates over character motives...she's been kicked out of several book clubs for just this reason. With her faithful sidekick at her feet--that'd be, Willow, a yellow lab--Judith remains unfazed by book club drama and is furiously writing more paranormal stories. Which hopefully, you'll read.

Working in a school library, Judith is surrounded by children's and young adult literature (there's no escape!). She fosters the joy of reading in students and staff at her school. She helps out with the school choir and drama club. If it has to do with words or music, Judith is around. A singer/songwriter for more than 10 years, Judith often writes songs about her characters--since they are beasties of the night, this makes for interesting listening.

www.judithgraves.com/

And now for the fun part. Thanks to the great people at Leap Books and Judith, one winner has the chance to win a cool prize pack:

• an ARC of Under My Skin
• a bookmark
• a set of character cards
• necklace