Tantalizing Tuesday

Embracing the Shadow

by

Christine Fonseca

“The shadow is very much a part of human nature, and it is only at night that no shadows exist.”
~Carl Jung, Psychology and Religion: West and East (page 286)


I am so happy to be on the Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem blog today. In honor of all things dark, I thought I’d write about Embracing the Shadow – or, “why I write the dark stuff”.

Probably the most common question I get from readers and writers alike is why do I like to write dark stories. For me, the answer is simple—I write the dark stuff as a way of understanding that aspect of humanity, and in doing so allow others to understand it too. It is sort of my version of being some great exploring on a quest. As a writer, I get to excavate all of human emotion, take it apart, and look at it. In doing so, I no longer fear those elements of humanity, at least not in the same way.

So, how do I achieve this lofty goal of looking at all aspects of humanity and writing about that experience? How do I embrace my own shadow and enable myself to write about the dark stuff? The answer for me is in the question—I embrace my shadow. Literally. So I create dark characters, complex characters, tortured characters. I try to see the world through their eyes, understand the motivation behind their crimes. I let their voices seep into my thoughts. And then, I write their stories. For me, it is the only way to stay authentic in my writing. And every time I get scared to “go there”, every time I pull myself back, I smile because I know I am getting to the good stuff…the root of human nature. So I jump back into the story. And keep writing.

Before I end, I want to share one more quote from Jung:


“If you imagine someone who is brave enough to withdraw all his projections, then you get an individual who is conscious of a pretty thick shadow. Such a man has saddled himself with new problems and conflicts. He has become a serious problem to himself, as he is now unable to say that they do this or they do that, they are wrong, and they must be fought against. He lives in the “House of Gathering.” Such a man knows that whatever is wrong with the world is in himself, and if he only learns to deal with his own shadow, he has done something real for the world. He has succeeded in shouldering at least an infinitesimal part of the gigantic, unsolved social problems of our day.”
~Carl Jung, Psychology and Religion: West and East, page 140


How do you embrace your shadow?

Short Blurb for LACRIMOSA:

As if casting out demons isn’t hard enough, five-hundred-year-old Nesy has to masquerade as a teenage girl to do it. Nesy is the best of the warrior angels called Sentinals. She never makes mistakes, never hesitates, never gets emotionally involved. Until she meets Aydan.

He is evil incarnate; a fallen angel that feeds off the souls of others. Everything Nesy is supposed to hate.  But she can’t, because he’s also the love of her former life as a human girl—a life that ended too soon, tying her to emotions she was never supposed to feel.

Now Nesy must choose between doing her duty—damning Aydan to the fiery depths of hell—or saving him, and condemning herself.



Author Endorcement(s):

“LACRIMOSA reaches out, grabs readers by the heart, and takes them on an emotional journey from the first page to the last. The last novel you’ll need to read to understand true sacrifice.”
~Elana Johnson, Author of POSSESSION

Availability:

Publisher: COMPASS PRESS
ISBN: 0984786368 (ISBN 13: 9780984786367)
Hardback and Digital formats from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and fine retailers.
Hardcopy buy link, Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Lacrimosa-Christine-Fonseca/dp/0984786368/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0
Hardcopy buy link, Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lacrimosa-christine-fonseca/1109329729?ean=9780984786367
Kindle buy link– http://www.amazon.com/Lacrimosa-Requiem-Series-ebook/dp/B007HEVTS4
Nook buy link -  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lacrimosa-christine-fonseca/1109329729?ean=2940013923256

Additional Titles in the series include DIES IRAE (a Requiem Novella), LIBERA ME (Oct 2012) and REQUIEM (March 2013).


About Christine Fonseca

School psychologist by day, critically acclaimed YA and nonfiction author by night, Christine Fonseca believes that writing is a great way to explore humanity. Her debut YA Gothic series, The Requiem Series, including DIES IRAE and LACRIMOSA, examines the role of redemption, sacrifice and love. Her nonfiction titles include 101 SUCCESS SECRETS FOR GIFTED KIDS and EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS.

When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can be sipping too many skinny vanilla lattes at her favorite coffee house or playing around on Facebook and Twitter. Catch her daily thoughts about writing and life on her blog.

For more information about Christine Fonseca or the series, visit her website – http://christinefonseca.com or her blog http://christinefonseca.blogspot.com.

Watch for my review of Lacrimosa, coming soon!

Tantalizing Tuesday

Finding Time To Write

(When You're a Working Mom)

by

Stephanie Keyes

Hello to everyone at Moonlight, Lace, and Mayhem! I wanted to thank you for letting me stop over for a visit today. It’s always wonderful to make new friends in the writing community. Today I’m here on the blog tour for my debut novel, The Star Child.

Some questions that I get asked a lot, particularly by other working moms is: “How on earth did you find time to write a novel?” This is usually followed, almost immediately by the statement, “I’ve always wanted to write but I don’t know where to begin.” So I thought I’d address these two items in today’s guest post, based on my own experience. If you don’t have these same concerns, then let’s use this as an opportunity to get to know one another, shall we?

Where To Begin?

Initially, I started writing for two reasons. One, because it was a great emotional outlet. And two, because I was reading a popular series and I was furious that it ended. That meant that I had to wait for the author to write another book! Waiting for a new book or CD to come out is always one of the most frustrating things to me. I keep checking the calendar, wondering when it will be released. Although I am general patient, this is one area where I don’t like to be kept waiting.

When I got the idea for The Star Child, I’d written some newspaper articles and short stories, but mostly focused on technical writing which was miles away from Young Adult Fantasy. So I took out the laptop, opened up a word document, and started typing. I had no idea what I was doing; I just knew that a story was pouring out of me so quickly that I couldn’t type the words fast enough to match the running dialogue in my mind.

I wrote the first three chapters and then realized that I had no idea where the story was going. So out to the local pharmacy I went to go and buy index cards. I bought a 100 multi-colored pack and used them to outline the entire book. Though the subplots changed slightly as the book was written, that framework was the one that I followed throughout the creation of the book.

Tips:

• When you first start writing, get your ideas down in any format that you can. Whether you use my approach of typing them out or use a journal or sketch book, the only requirement is that you are comfortable with the format that you choose in the short term.

• In the long-term, you’ll need to consider if you’d like to have your work published. If you do then you’ll eventually have to enter your work into a software solution such as Microsoft Word or Scrivener.

• My motto in the beginning was: don’t think, just write. It’s important during this initial phase to get your ideas down. You can worry about what everything looks like later on. Just capture your thoughts in the moment.

Finding Time To Write

Finding the time to write was so difficult for me. Every moment that I wasn’t with my son, left me feeling guilty for not being with him. The first step that I had to take was to check my baggage. I was walking around, interacting with others, and carrying this enormous weight on my shoulders. Then as a mother, I began to realize that my son got the best version of me when I allowed myself a little “me” time. So when Guilt came knocking at the door, I didn’t answer.

I also picked a time when I was at my best. Rather than trying to cram in writing late at night when I was wiped out, I would write during the weekends within the confines of my son’s nap times. Normally, I could carve out at least two hours of uninterrupted time and that made the writing that I did do all the more meaningful. Then I didn’t have additional guilt to pile on later because he was asleep that entire time. I wrote The Star Child in nine months of (mostly) guilt-free nap times.

Tips:

• Let go of the guilt! You deserve some time for yourself. Start with ten minutes every day and see where it goes from there.

• If you’re considering writing, be sure to pick a time when you are at your best, if possible. For me that does not include anytime prior to 10am.

• Put your writing time on the calendar and mark it as your own.

• Keep all of your materials and resources handy so that you can easily access them when it’s time to write.


Editing, Editing, Editing

After the book was written I wanted to get as much feedback on it as possible, so I reached out to every teenager I knew. Coworkers children, family members, it didn’t matter. I joined a book group and asked my friends, mother, aunts, and my husband to edit it. While they edited, so did I, and slowly, the initial version started to become more solid.

After about a year and a half of editing (also during my son’s the nap times) I was asked to join the Love a Happy Ending group. It’s a wonderful team that brings readers and authors together. It was there that I met Kit Domino.

Kit thoroughly edited The Star Child twice, finding things that I missed and providing me with advice on how to avoid common mistakes that writers make. The experience overall was invaluable to me. By the time The Star Child went to print on December 15th, 2011, it had undergone fifteen rounds of editing.

Tips:

• Seek as much feedback as possible. You can’t create in a vacuum, so the more you get input from others, the more you can flesh out your ideas.

• Don’t worry that they won’t like it. Writing is a lot like music: it’s highly subjective. If someone doesn’t like your work then it’s possible that your book just wasn’t for them instead of worry about it, ask them open-ended questions to get to the heart of their comments. There could be some wonderful data points there.

• Get a professional editor. No matter how detailed you are, you can’t edit it all yourself. A third party can find mistakes in your work but also give you suggestions on continuity issued in the book.


About the Book:

Stephanie Keyes is the author of The Star Child, the young adult, epic fantasy about Kellen St. James, a seventeen-year-old prodigy and Calienta, a Celtic goddess. The novel blends fantasy and modern reality in a book that has received several four and five star reviews and spent nearly two weeks in the #3 slot in Epic Fantasy in the UK and #5 in the same category in the US. It is described as a “fabulous and engaging fantasy debut”.


The Star Child is available on:

Amazon
US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006GADZ1Y
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Star-Child-ebook/dp/B006GADZ1Y




About the Author:

When Stephanie isn’t writing, she works full time as a Corporate Educator and Curriculum Designer. She holds a M.Ed. from Duquesne University and an undergraduate degree in Management information Systems from Robert Morris University. Stephanie is a clarinetist, saxophonist, and vocalist, and is always making music somewhere at sometime. She credits her loving husband of ten years and her two sons for all things writing. The Star Child is Ms. Keyes’ debut novel.

Find out more about Stephanie at the new http://www.stephaniekeyes.com.

Friend her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Keyes/150860604966160

Follow her On Twitter: http://bit.ly/jjneXg

Wistful Wednesday

A Review: Stolen Away

by Alyxandra Harvey

Alyxandra Harvey brings her trademark romance and adventure to the world of Faery

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife ... Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric—who may or may not betray them.

My Thoughts:

All I can say about this book is that the title is not misleading - and it is the reader who will be Stolen Away by this story. I have read quite a few books with this same theme in the past and they were really hit or miss with me. Some lived up to the hype, others made me wonder what the hype was all about. Not so Stolen Away. This has to be one of the best Faery books I have read in a long time.

I was caught from the very first pages and happily strung along until the thrilling conclusion - and I wasn't disappointed by it. The characters were amazing and so well drawn out, it was like I was reading the diary of a friend. I found myself rooting for the characters and wishing them well, cringing when they ran into trouble, and breathing a sigh of relief when things worked out. I found myself drooling over Lucas and Eldric, laughing out loud with Devin, and secretly wishing I was either Eloise or Jo.

The descriptions of the faeries and their world were detailed to the point that I felt like I was there with them, experiencing everything they did. I actually believed this world could exist. And I almost wanted to live there! But not everything is beautiful in the faery world and that is where the real intrigue lies.

If you enjoy stories about faeries and the faery world, then you will definitely want to b Stolen Away.

Mystic Monday

Hey there!

It's been awhile since I've posted here. That was for many reasons, the biggest being all the migraines I suffered with last year. It just felt like it never ended. Then, when I was easing myself back into real life, I spent a lot of time over in the Anime Alcove, adding reviews on the different anime programs I've watched. Still have a few more to enter, but I'm beginning to branch out and plan on starting back with this site regularly as well as our:

YA Cove
Mystery Isle

Sci-Fi Coffers 

Fantasy Files and 

Horror House 

- links to all of which can be found in our Causeway, or the tabs above! 

Also, I finally had the chance to get my newest online writing endeavor organized today. It's called Unbound Soul Network. The world and characters are still pretty basic right now, but the idea is not only to get an idea of my writing, but to see how this world will unfold as I come up with it.

We also have Twitter: Just type in Unbound Soul Network! (1 Tweet so far!)

We have a brand-spanking new Facebook page too under Unbound Soul Network! Stop by and like the page! When it gets to 25, I'll be able to create give it it's own link! :D 

I hope you'll stop by, check it out, and follow it!

Wistful Wednesday

 Book Description (From the Author's website)

16 year old Grace was reared in the wilderness. Her first pet was a bear named Simon. Her first potty, an oak tree. And, her first swing, a forest vine. Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her everything he knew about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. 

When Grace's dad goes missing on a routine patrol, unlike everyone in her sleepy mountain town, she refuses to believe he’s dead. After finding a Cheetos bag and stolen government file, Grace is convinced she’s one step closer to proving all the non-believers wrong.

One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from imminent danger by Mo, a hot guy who has an intoxicating accent and a secret. Grace has never felt a connection like this before, certainly not with her ex-boyfriend, the adoring, but decidedly unrugged, Wyn. 

After a few run-ins with the town's police chief, her father's partner, and some new evidence, Grace travels deeper into the wilderness that has always been her refuge only to learn that her father's disappearance is not a mere coincidence. 

Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to emerge from an epidemic that’s spreading like wild fire, threatening everything and everyone she’s ever loved.

My Thoughts:

Let me just say if I'm ever lost in the woods or need to find someone, Grace Wells is the girl I'd want by my side. For one thing, she knows the woods like nobody's business and for another, she never gives up. Even when it seems that everyone's against her, she just keeps pushing on to what she thinks is right. She won't let anyone stand in her way - even her own mother. And when the chips are down, she'd have your back. What more could you ask for?

Even though the protagonist of this story is a girl, I think this is the type of story that will appeal to boys as well as girls. Partly due to the way it's written - it's very straightforward, no flowery prose here - and partly due to the premise of the story. At times, Grace is all tomboy, hiking in the woods, fly fishing, tracking down clues to her father's disappearance, but when she meets a cute, mysterious boy in the woods, she's reminded that she is, indeed, a girl. Not a sappy, I'll-wait-for-the-guy-to-rescue-me kind of girl, but the kind who can go a little weak in the knees when kissed by someone she's attracted to without losing her ability to kick ass and take names when the moment calls for it. And believe me, she does, Not that she's superwoman and doesn't have any faults, because she does - the number one being that she tends to push people away from her, especially when they get too close.

Which brings us to Mo and Wyn. Sigh. Mo is the cute guy from the woods who turns Grace's world upside down and reminds her that it can kind of be fun being a girl. He's good-looking, mysterious, and tends to keep secrets - number one being what he's doing out in the woods all the time. He's there when Grace needs him, which she can only say about one other person in her life at present - Wyn. Grace and Wyn have known each other their whole lives, they have a history, and she may or may not still have feelings for her. And oh, yeah, he just might share them. But the path to happiness is never clear and this one has a fork in the road, one marked Wyn, the other marked Mo. Not a bad place to be, actually. How can she choose between them when each one gives her what she needs when she needs it?

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book that snake through it in the same deceptively calm way as the river that plays a powerful role in the story. Just when you think you have it figured it out, you will be proven wrong. It kept me guessing all the way to the end and even then, I was taken by surprise. I won't spoil it here, but let's just say, it sets up nicely for a sequel. Although some major questions are answered, other aren't and they will keep you wondering what will happen next long after the book is done.

Final verdict: A unique story told with skill that will appeal to anyone who enjoys mystery, adventure and a kickass heroine.

(ebook provided by author for review)

Wistful Wednesday

Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

In a striking debut, readers will be spellbound by this unforgettable story of life and death ... and beyond.

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

What I Tought:

I'm not sure how I feel about this story. From the blurb above, I expected a story wioth more of a paranormal twist, but that aspect of the story was played down to the point of virtual nonexistence. I also expected more action, but there was very little to speak of. Instead, this was a study of human nature and how that drives the characters actions. Now thiere's nothing wrong with that - I enjoy a good character study - but this was just...depressing.

The overpowering theme of this story is death. It begins with the main character, Delaney, nearly dying in an accident on a frozen lake and when she awakes from a coma no one beleived she'd survive, she is obsessed with death. She is drawn to the rooms of other patients who are dying and when she leaves the hospital, she is drawn to the homes of people who are dying. And the way it is described is kind of creepy, but it's part of Delaney's new existence, so I went with it. Now here I thought more could be done with this aspect of the story, but it isn't. (Spoiler Alert) This new "ability" is never really explained or utilized. it just kind of...is, which left me unsastisfied. I like to know the why of things and since I didn't get an answer in this case, I was left feeling empty.

Still, I kept reading because I hoped maybe some of my questions would be answered. Like what was the purpose of Delaney's new abilities? What is going on between her and her best friend Decker - who happened to be the one who saved her from the lake - why is he so devoted to her, but she's ambivalent to him? And why is she obsessed with death? Rather than get these answers, I only got more questions.

To complicate matters more, in comes a character named Troy, who has the same abilities as Delaney. In fact, whenever she shows up where someone's dying, he's there first. Now from the blurb, I kind of expected more from the relationship between delaney and Troy, but once again, I was disappointed. I won't give it away, but their relationship was not what I thought it was going to be. And I think that sums up my entire opinion of this book: It was not what I expected it to be. The writing was fine, the premise unique, but I think it failed to deliver on its promise - at least for me.

Wistful Wednesday

Revision: How Do I Make

This Better?

I thought I’d do something a little differently today. I thought I’d show you a little glimpse into the process of revision. Below is the latest of many incantations for the opening of a YA novel I’ve been working on for some time. But, like all of the openings before it, it just lacked the punch I was looking for. After weeks of trying to come up with a better opening, I submitted this portion of the opening to an online contest for the feedback and in so doing, had a breakthrough. I finally came up with something that I think packs the punch I was looking for, as well as conveying the information I wanted to convey in this section. Following this version is the new version. I invite you to read both and tell me what you think. Which one does the better job of conveying the information? Or do I still need to work on it? All suggestions are welcome.

Version #1:

I don’t ask for a lot. Really. In my family, there’s not much to ask for, anyway. I guess you could say that demand out-weighs supply. But even if there was anything to ask for, I wouldn’t. It’s just not me. I’m kind of happy with what I’ve got so why ask for more when I don’t need it? Still, it would be nice if, just once, I could ask for this: To get through the day without someone making fun of my name.

Just once.

Please?

No, of course not. That never seems to be the case. Inevitably, someone, some time, is struck by the urge to make fun of my name. And how could they resist? With an unfortunate moniker like Irene Goode, they have a lot to work with.

Yes, that’s right.

Irene.

Goode.

That’s me. A born punchline for all the budding comedians of Amory High. Or wanna-be mean girls.

Today, it was Bridget Taylor stepping up to the mike for her shot at school fame. And me. One thing about Bridget: She lacks imagination. So rather than dazzling her classmates with her stunning wit, she fell short with a dull pun. A variation of which she’d been slinging at me since our first encounter in grade school.

“Can you pass this to the Goode girl?”

Version #2:

I always knew my name would get me into trouble one day. Seriously, with a name like Irene Goode, the probability for trouble ranked pretty high, if you know what I mean. Well, I guess Irene’s not too bad – unless you’re like a certain someone who shall remain nameless (Bridget Taylor), who once told me, “We had a cow named Irene once. We ate it for dinner.” Seriously twisted. Even in grade school. Yeah, so tell me something like that and you make an issue out of the first name. But most of the time, it’s not so bad. Not great. But not bad. Oh, no. The problem is the last name.

Goode.

Do you know how hard it is to live up to a name like that?

I do.

Or how about Version #3, which adds more detail:

I always knew my name would get me into trouble one day. I just didn’t think it would take this long. Maybe I just have a long fuse. Or a short attention span. Something. But, anyway. It finally happened. I snapped. And my name got me in trouble.

Seriously, with a name like Irene Goode, the probability ranked pretty high, if you know what I mean. Well, I guess Irene’s not too bad – unless you’re like a certain someone who shall remain nameless (Bridget Taylor), who once told me, “We had a cow named Irene once. We ate it for dinner.”

But she was one twisted sister. I mean seriously twisted. Even in grade school. Who would name something and then eat it? Or even say they did? That’s a demented thing for anyone to say, but really disturbing coming from a seven-year old.

Yeah, so tell me something like that and you make an issue out of the first name. But most of the time, it’s not so bad. Not great. (Like Maxie or Roxie, my idols!) But not bad. Oh, no. The problem is the last name.

Goode.

Do you know how hard it is to live up to a name like that?

I do.

So what do you think? Which version do you like better? And do you have any revision tips for other aspiring writers out there?

Starlight Saturday

Weekly Book Review

I received this book a short while ago and while a quick and easy read, I found myself dawdling with finishing it.

Please, please, please do not take this the wrong way here. I was dawdling not because it was hard to get into, but because this one is the last of the trilogy and I just didn't want it to end.

How can I put this in a way that you'll truly understand? By using another book as an example. Okay, not the book, but the story. Have you ever read, The Monster at the End of this Book? If not, here's a brief overview of what's going on in this fun and playful children's book. Grover is scared because he knows there's a monster at the end of the book and he doesn't want to meet it, so he does everything he can to keep you from turning the page from using paper clips and staple to building a wall. Every time you turn the page, you destroy his efforts and he gets more and more scared.(clever idea to get a kid to read a book, huh?)

Anyway, that's me in this scenario. I'm Grover and I'm afraid to get to the end of this book because I know that there's no more Janie and Cabel to read about after this book is done. I like Janie, Cabel and all of her friends, so I stalled the book as long as I could.

But, like one of the dreams Janie encounters in this novel, I got sucked in and I couldn't stop reading and before I knew it, I had finished the novel. That's it, the end of the trilogy. Whaaaaaa! But I don't want it to end! I want there to be more about these characters! It's too soon to end!

Okay, enough of my whining...for now.

This book is full of drama, intrigue and mystery. From the beginning you keep wondering what Janie will do. Will she stay working at the police force? Will she stay with Cabel? Who is the man that Janie's mother was so desperate to see? Not just who is he to Janey, but who is he and why does he need Janie's help? How will she help him? Will she be able to help him?

This book is a fast-paced page-turner that is perfect for readers of all ages, including the Reluctant Reader. This book while having a paranormal feel to it, seems more mystery with some moderate suspense and light intrigue to me. It's also very romance light. Oh, it's there, it's just not the focal point, even though some of the mystery and suspense involve the status of the relationship. My one knock against this book is that it isn't as crime driven as the other two, so there's no crime case to solve, but there are plenty of questions that need answering.

I can't say anymore without giving anything away, so I'll just get on with the ratings. Now, the first images will rate how strong the element is in the book in an X out of 5 style, with 5 being the strongest. Elements not present in the book, are not mentioned:

Romance:

Mystery:

Intrigue:

Suspense:

Light on romance but I gave it two hearts? Well, there's not much heat in terms of the romance, and not much time on it, since the relationship has been well established, but Cabel's actions are so sweet and thoughtful at times that you keep wanting to tell her, "You've got a keeper Janie, don't let him go!" But as much as I like this aspect, there could have been so much more done with this aspect, but I understand why the author didn't go into more detail here. If she had delved even further into the romance side of things, the book would have been so much bigger and sometimes, certain elements just have to take a backseat to make a story that much better!

My overall rating for this book is very much like the others, which I haven't posted here at Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem yet, but they're located on Goodreads.

Want to belong to our Goodreads groups? Just click here.

Wistful Wednesday

Ups and Downs

If you stay in this business we call writing long enough, you will soon discover that it has more ups and downs than a roller coaster. Some are thrilling as you achieve heights you never thought you could and others are disheartening, causing you to plunge into despair when it appears things will never work out for you.

Just last week (as evidenced in my last post), I was contemplating getting off the wild ride and going back to a tamer one wherein I wrote only for myself and forgot about trying to become a successful author. But then I rode the coaster to another swell as I received some encouraging news: My entry into the YA section of the Amazon Breakthrough Novelist Award, "The Goode Girl," made the first cut. Now this may not seem like a big deal at first because there's still a long way to go in this competition, but for me, it is a big deal. This is the third (or is it the fourth now?) time I have entered this contest and this is the only time that I made the first cut (wherein they whittle down 5,000 entrants to just 1,000). For the first time, I am an actual contender. Sure, I might not make it through the next cut, but that doesn't matter as much to me now because l just by making this one, more people are going to read my writing. And that's what this is all about, after all: Getting people to read your writing.

So, now I must play the waiting game again until March 23rd when the 500 finalists from each category are announced, at which point the public will get the chance to download and rate the entries. Up and down, flow and ebb. Such is the life of the writer.

Mystic Monday

Welcome Author

Rachel Vincent!!!

Some of you may recognize her from her visit the YA Room last week, but for those of you who don't know her, she is one of the leading authors of the creepy and scary. If you don't believe me, check out her free YA novella, My Soul to Lose. In fact, I'd have to call her the Queen of Creep! Okay, maybe Queen of Scream too! Lol! [That last one's a play on words as her YA series is about Soul Screamers! HAHAHAHAHA!]

Sure, I know I gave high praises to YA Author Alexandra Sokoloff, but Rachel Vincent is in a different class. While Sokoloff focuses on the ghosts and unseen worlds that many of us believe exists within our own realm, Vincent delves into macabre myths and legends and brings them to life in truly scary, creepy and downright tingly tales of urban fantasy fiction.

What is urban fantasy? 

Well, for those of you who do not know, urban fantasy is when the fantasy realm collides with the real, everyday realm. Examples you might recognize: Charmed, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Supernatural, Lori Handeland's Phoenix Chronicles, Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, Stephen King's Salem's Lot.  I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

So, why is Rachel Vincent being featured here? Well, because she also has her Shifters series targeted for adults. It started with Stray, then went on with Rogue, Pride, and Prey, and continues with her latest one Shift, which is released today, but some places were nice and put it out early! This series isn't ending yet! There's also a new one on the horizon, Alpha, due out in October of this year! Oooh, in time for Halloween! Very Cool!

Before we get to the excerpt for Shift, let's get to why you're here, her interview!

ME: March has a few popular dates to celebrate. Which one are you more apt to celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day, or the First Day of Spring, or both and why?

RACHEL: Actually, I don’t know that I actually celebrate either one. Though I’m always happy for the few mild days of spring. I live in southern Texas. It’s hot most of the time.

ME: Because of it’s Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day is a big party day in Wisconsin (and many other areas) in which everyone gets in on the action from free pub crawl busses to breweries making green beer/spirits and some stores selling green colored/decorated food and sweets. Does anything similar occur in your area? Even if you do not participate, please tell us what activities are going on around you. Anything you feel is unique or especially interesting?

RACHEL: I’m not sure, actually. I’ve only lived here since October, so this will be my first St. Patrick’s day in the area.

ME: Do you like to decorate for spring/St. Pat’s Day or is this the time of the year where your house has a break from special décor?

RACHEL: No, we don’t really decorate for spring.

ME: Ireland is steeped in myth, legends and lore. Do you have any favorites? Please briefly share them with us (include links to other information for interested readers).

RACHEL: Obviously, I enjoy the bean sidhe lore (I write a YA series about a teenage bean sidhe) and some of the other Gaelic folklore I’ve read about the sidhe. (Faeries)

ME: Spring is considered a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. Do you do anything “special” to commemorate this idea such as planting flowers or cleaning out your house? Please share with us your way of celebrating this time of rebirth.

RACHEL: I do plant flowers in the spring, because that’s when you plant most flowers, but I’ve never really thought of it as commemorating spring. Although I guess you could call it that. I do like to grow things. ;-)

ME: Magic is often tied into Celtic myths and legends, or at least we like to think it is. Why do you think that is? Why, in your opinion, does Ireland carry so much mystery and magic for the rest of us?

RACHEL: I think it feels mysterious and magical because there’s so much about Celtic legends and culture that we don’t know. There’s plenty of room for our imaginations to fill in the blanks.

ME: If you could be any mythical or legendary Celtic creature or character, what/who would it be and why?

RACHEL: Oh, I don’t know! There aren’t a lot of happy endings in Celtic lore, which pleases me as a writer, but I don’t know that I’d want to live through them! People get drowned by kelpies and die when they hear bean sidhes wail. They get seduced, then abandoned in the immortal lover legends, they have their children replaced by changelings. I think I’d much rather read about or write about Celtic lore than live it. ;-)

ME: Please tell us some of the favorite/best books you’ve read with Celtic myths/legends or ties in them. (They can be fact or fiction, just be sure to indicate what type of books they are in case our readers might want to check them out.)

RACHEL: Holly Black’s Tithe, and Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely and sequels.

Me: Now, let’s switch the focus to your writing. What genre is your writing considered to be? Why this genre? What was the draw for you?

RACHEL: I write urban fantasy, because I love to read it. Nothing’s impossible in urban fantasy. You can base your stories on established myths and legends, or you can make it up entirely. I love the creative freedom.

ME: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please be creative and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

RACHEL: Action, angst, and drama. I like to put my characters in tough positions and watch them dig themselves out—mostly. But honestly, the digging out part usually leads to more tough situations.

ME: Do you prefer magical or human ingenuity for problem solutions? Does that show through in your writing? If so, how?

RACHEL: Human ingenuity. My characters use their brains to figure things out, then back up their smarts with super-human strength/abilities. But the thing is, there are no easy outs. My characters lives are made harder thanks to their supernatural abilities, not easier. That’s what keeps things interesting.

ME: Who decides what you write about, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one strumming the harp?

RACHEL: I’m not a big believer in muses. In reality, at least. (I do have a YA short story out about a leanan sidhe—a sort of vampiric muse.) I spend hours and hours and days and days researching and brainstorming for new plot and character ideas. Rarely (if ever) do these things just drop into my lap, via some unseen brain-behind-the-writer. Writing is very, very hard work, and I do it whether I feel like it or not, because it’s my job. I don’t have time to wait around for some intangible creative partner to decide to show up. If I had a muse, she got left behind years ago. ;-)

ME: What was the character or creature that you had the most fun creating and why?

RACHEL: There are two: Andi the siren and Mallory the leanan sidhe (a muse who feeds from those she inspires) from “Binge,” my short story in the Immortal anthology (YA). These girls fascinated me, quite simply. They’re both very, very dangerous, but still young and kind of stumbling their way through life. They have urges and appetites they can’t quite control, and this really brutal, twisted-sister kind of co-dependant relationship. I would love to write more about them.

ME: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your character/creature creations in real life, who would it be and why?

RACHEL: Probably Faythe. I’m in awe of her. She’s grown so much since the beginning of the Shifter series, and she’s so strong.

ME: Which of your character/creature creations would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

RACHEL: Colin Dean, from the Shifters series. That man is a monster. In many ways, he’s worse than the series big-bad he works for, because he actually does the dirty work. And enjoys it. He’s brutal, vengeful, and probably psychotic.

And Avari, one of the hellions from my (YA) Soul Screamers series. Avari is a hellion of avarice, and he pulls no punches. The only thing keeping him (and his kind) from completely destroying civilization is the fact that hellions can’t cross into the human world. But he still causes a good bit of murder, mayhem, and some serious angst even from the Netherworld.

ME: Of all the stories you wrote, which was the storyline that you had the most fun fleshing out? Why?

RACHEL: Probably My Soul To Keep (the third Soul Screamers book). That one let me explore addiction, insanity, betrayal, agony, and action. It was really hard to write, but the creepy moments that came out of that book were totally worth it.

ME: As writers, inspiration comes from everywhere. What, specifically, inspired your latest story, the one we’re promoting here today?

RACHEL: So far in the Shifters world (books 1-4) we’ve seen the werecats fight one another. Humans are no match for them, and for the most part, my shifters leave humans alone. They exist in completely different spheres. But for Shift, I decided to see what would happen if I threw in another element—another species of shifters—that the cats weren’t prepared for. That species is my thunderbirds.

The thunderbirds are vicious fighters, and they have a significant advantage: the ability to take off into the air, to avoid confrontations they think they can’t win. The werecats don’t know how to fight them, and they find themselves completely outmatched and on the defensive for the first time. Which means Faythe has to use her brain instead of relying on her brawn. But that’s not as easy as it sounds

The thunderbirds have a completely different social system than anything the werecats have ever seen, and while they’re fanatically honorable, their idea of honor doesn’t overlap much with the werecat (or the human) understanding of the word.

So, I guess my inspiration for this one was the idea of throwing something completely new at my characters. Or… maybe one too many Sylvester vs. Tweety cartoons. ;-)

Now let's take a look at her newest release, Shift:

TROUBLE IS IN THE AIR...

Being the first female werecat enforcer isn’t easy.

Scars accumulate, but I’m stronger in so many ways.

As for my personal life? It’s complicated. Choices worth

making always are. Ever since my brother’s death and my

father’s impeachment, it’s all I can do to prevent more blood

from spilling. Now our Pride is under attack by a flight of

vicious thunderbirds. And making peace with our new

enemies may be the only way to get the best of our old foe.

With the body count rising and treachery everywhere,

my instincts tell me to look before I leap. But sometimes

a leap of faith is the only real option.…

EXCERPT: Excerpt from ch. 1 (edited for one major spoiler from Prey)

----

I turned to glance at Kaci—halfway to the apple tree, and loping at her own pace—and idly noticed a pair of hawks circling overhead.

“How is your arm?” Manx asked, recapturing my attention.

I held up my cast, frowning good-naturedly at the small doodles Kaci had drawn between the enforcers’ perfunctory signatures. A flower with purple petals and X-shaped eyes in the center. A pink skull and crossbones. I’d sat still for several of her masterpieces. Anything to make her smile. Though, I threatened to paint over them with black nail polish if she plastered any more pink on my arm.

Still, I had to admit that thinking of Kaci when I looked at my cast was much better than thinking about how I’d broken it. About the bastards who’d stolen Marc and beaten him to get information out of me—when beating me hadn’t worked.

“It’s fine. Dr. Carver says I can try Shifting in a couple of weeks.” I was already itching for the transformation—and from the cast, which somehow made my arm sweat, even in the middle of February.

“She really misses him.” Owen nodded at something over my shoulder, and I twisted in my seat to see Kaci on the ground beside [character deleted]’s headstone, one knee brushing the freshly overturned earth.

“Yeah, she—”

“What the hell?” Owen demanded, and I leaned to the side to peer over the porch railing. “Have you ever seen hawks that big? They must have their eyes on something, from the way they’re circling.…”

I followed his gaze and was on my feet in an instant, a sick feeling of dread churning in my stomach. “Those aren’t hawks.…” They were too big, for one thing. And their wings were all wrong. Especially the tips. Even from a distance, the ends looked…weird. The birds must have been really high up before, because now that they’d flown lower, swooping in from over the woods behind the eastern field, they looked huge.

My heartbeat suddenly felt sluggish, as if it couldn’t keep up with my body’s natural rhythm. The birds were too huge. And too low. And too fast…

Oh, shit… “Kaci!” I screamed as the first bird dove toward her. She looked up and screeched, and I was already halfway across the yard.

Kaci leaped to her feet, then ducked as the first bird swooped, huge talons grasping perilously close to her head. She screamed again, and when the bird rose effortlessly into the air, beating giant wings so hard I could hear the air whoosh from two hundred feet away, she stood and took off toward me.

Kaci raced across the dead grass, screaming at the top of her lungs.

I kept moving toward her, unwilling to waste energy on screams of my own. But in human form, neither of us was fast enough. I was a heartbreaking fifteen feet away when the second bird swooped, his powerful wings displacing so much air I was actually blown back a step. His talons opened wide, then closed instantly around her upper arms.

For a moment, as he regained his balance with his new burden, I had a breathtaking view of the magnificent creature. Smooth, brown wings. Terrible, curved beak. Powerful, horrifying talons. And long, sharp wing claws, protruding from beneath the feathers on the tips of his wings.

An instant later, the bird was aloft again, and I came to a stop with my fingertips grasping air three feet beneath Kaci’s dangling sneaker.

My heart raced along with my feet as I followed them, knowing my chase was futile. I couldn’t fly, and I couldn’t run fast enough to keep up. Because Kaci hadn’t been picked up by hawks. Our new tabby—my own beloved charge—had just been kidnapped by the first thunderbirds seen by werecats in nearly a quarter of a century.

Intrigued yet? I know I am! Don't forget to look for these previous releases in the series:

YA Author Spotlight Saturday Presents... Jeannine Garsee!!!

Hi there everyone!

I never imagined how interesting this foray into YA books would be. I never expected to find interwoven storylines and complex characters. The most complicated books I read in grade school were Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt and Go Ask Alice. Yeah, I was about 12 when I read Go Ask Alice. I was an advanced reader, sort of. I had a mind that needed challenging but a school filled with people not willing enough to challenge me. If Before, After and Somebody in Between and Say the Word, or books just like them, were available back in the 80s, I probably would have gobbled them up. But enough about me and my early teen reading habits. Let's get to our guest!

Jeannine Garsee has lived in Ohio all her life, grew up to be a psych nurse and lives with her family. She also writes books.

Before, After and Somebody in Between and Say the Word are two fabulous books that will stand the test of time. Because of the content and themes, there will always be an audience for these books, and not just among the young adult readers. These are novels that most adults can appreciate. They are well written and gritty with complex characters.

Before, After and Somebody in Between was published in 2007, which means it was accepted about 2 years before that and Say the Word published in 2009.

Q. Was BASB the first manuscript you submitted for publication? If not, what happened to that first one? Do you plan on reworking it to get it published or will you be giving up on it all together?

A. BASB was the first manuscript I’d ever submitted to an agent or publisher. I’d written 4 previous novels—3 while still in high school and then a gothic thriller when I was in my twenties. I call them my “practice” novels, and no, none of them will ever see the light of day. Writing them was a great learning experience, but when I read them over now I realize I had no idea what I was doing. But it was fun, and, as a teen, writing kept me out of trouble (well, for the most part J). I always knew I wanted to write to be published, not simply as a hobby. It just took me a lot longer to do this than I ever expected.

Q. How long in the making was BASB? How much research did you do and how did you do it?

A. It took me about 8 years to write BASB because I was working full-time, raising two kids, and also taking college courses. Then it took another two and a half years to find an agent because I hadn’t written BASB as a YA, but as more of a mainstream coming-of-age novel and I couldn’t understand why agents kept sending me rejections saying, “We don’t represent YA.”

Then I spoke to agent Andrea Brown at a writers’ conference who suggested that if the story was about a teen I should probably try to market it as a YA. After reworking the entire manuscript, and then querying the agents who did handle YA, Tina Wexler of ICM agreed to represent me. After the manuscript was acquired by Bloomsbury USA, I spent several more months working with an editor. When the book was released the following year, I figured it out: it took me roughly twelve years from beginning to end.

As for the research, because BASB takes place in Cleveland, Ohio, the city I grew up in, I had little research to do as far as the setting is concerned. I did need to learn a few details about the foster care system, and for that I relied on a good friend who’s had experience with this. I did enjoy running around the city taking photographs of many of the places Martha refers to in her story. These can be seen in my “Martha’s Cleveland” album on my Facebook page:

Q. What inspired you to write Martha’s story?

A. Well, my “real” job is that of an RN in an inner-city hospital. One of my patients, an African American lady named Judith, adopted a white baby girl named Tabitha after the baby’s mother, Judith’s friend, died. Judith was in and out of the hospital for years and Tabitha would often visit, along with her many adoptive brothers and sisters. You often hear of white families adopting black children, but as it rarely the other way around, BASB originally was going to be a story about that. However, “Martha” had other ideas (as characters often do when you’re writing) and BASB evolved into a completely different kind of story.

Q. The events of Martha’s life seem so real that it’s as if they are being told from someone with experience. So, I have to ask, are there any parts of Martha and her life that you can identify with? If so, which ones and why?

A. Although the majority of Martha’s story is pure fiction, I did slip in a few scenes based on my own experiences, particularly the bullying scenes. Several characters are based on people I either knew or met, like Wayne, for example (yes, that scumbag really exists) and Grandma Daisy. Also, growing up with two close family members who were alcoholics, I knew from experience what this does to kids and how they go to incredible lengths to protect their loved one. I understand how they feel roped into that endless enabling behavior, to say nothing of the guilt and shame that accompanies it. Some of these experiences will haunt them their whole lives. They need to know that they’re not totally alone even if it very often feels that way.

Q. I really would like to follow Martha’s story, find out what happens to her after Zelda picks her up at the phone booth. Is there any chance that you’ll continue her story? What about Danny, Nikki and Shavonne? Will you ever tell their stories? Why or why not?

A. People ask me this a lot. I still get e-mails from readers saying how much they cared about Martha, and asking if I plan to write a sequel. I’m not sure I can answer this one way or another. I doubt I’ll continue Martha’s story, only because she’s been through so much I’m afraid anything else I write will send her right over the edge. I’ve toyed with the idea of giving Nikki her own story (and haven’t completely ruled it out) but with so many other projects brewing, I doubt it’ll happen any time soon.

Q. As far as themes go, what made you choose alcohol, abuse, underage sex and addiction as themes in BASB? Did you have any particular purpose behind using them in your book?

A. I didn’t want to write about your average teenager from a nice middle-class family. But neither did I want to write a total downer of a story about a girl trapped in a bad situation with no way out. There are so many Marthas out there who are stuck with less than perfect families, many with abusive and addicted parents. They know what it feels like to step into their schools every morning knowing they’re pretty much helpless against the bullies who terrorize them daily. Teens who just want to feel loved even if it means having sex at a too-young age and who experiment with drugs or alcohol to help escape their reality. These teens need to know that they’re not alone; that they’re not responsible for their parents’ drinking and drugging, and to understand that making mistakes doesn’t make you a bad person. Most importantly, they need to find their own passion, something—like Martha’s love for the cello—that’ll keep them whole, and focused, and determined to succeed in spite of all odds.

Q. Continuing with themes, teens dealing with at least one gay parental unit seem to be a popular theme in teen fiction today, why did you choose it as a theme in Say the Word? What inspired you to write this story?

A. Like BASB, STW started out as a different kind of book. Originally it was to be about a girl with a gay best friend and how it affected their relationship. This idea was loosely based on my own experience as a teen with a lesbian best friend.

About the same time I started writing this novel, the gay marriage controversy hit the media. I was interested in this subject because I’d written a paper for a sociology class about the children of gay parents and what happens to them when their parents split up; how, in most cases, the non-biological parent has no legal right to the son or daughter they’ve loved and cared for since birth and may [never] see that child again. Again, this story evolved into something else, which meant I was able to create Schmule, one of my favorite characters.

Q. I thought that your themes in BASB were deep, but in Say the Word, you delve even deeper then I would have expected for YA fiction. Shawna has some definite issues to deal with considering all she has seen by accident. You put the reader right into Shawna’s head in these instances. How much research did you have to do to determine these reactions? What kind of research did you have to do? Did any of your own life experiences come into play here?

A. I did a bit of research into the effects of gay parents on their children. Some of Shawna’s reticence at accepting her mother’s lifestyle came from this research, but also from my own experiences as teen growing up in the Midwest. She has friends, for example, who think having a gay parent is either “funny” or “disgusting.” In the scene at her mother’s funeral, several guests make some very nasty remarks about the openly gay mourners. As much as we’d like to pretend it isn’t so, homophobia still exists in less liberal areas of the country. Gay-bashing is not uncommon, even among teens who’ve otherwise been taught to be accepting of those who don’t share the same lifestyles or beliefs.

Q. Who or what inspired the character of Schmule/Sam? Why did you decide to take his story the way you did (ha, trying really hard not to give away a key point in the story!)?

A. Schmule pretty much “wrote” himself (and chose his own name, too). Characters who write themselves usually turn out to be my favorites; their words and actions come so naturally to me, very little is changed during the editing process.

However, some of Schmule’s actions are based on those of the young son of a very close friend (the scene, for example, when Schmule cuts his face out of the photos). My friend’s son suffered from serious depression, and I’m sorry to say it ended in suicide. Writing about this was very difficult for me, plus I was also concerned that this particular scene might upset my friend.

Me: You did it again, you made me care about a bunch of characters I never expected to, so here are some questions I would really like to know the answers to:

Q. LeeLee and Tovah are a couple I didn’t expect to want to know more about, but you made me want to know more about them. Do you plan on writing their story, what happens when they both get to New York? Why or why not?

A. I actually started a sequel, with LeeLee playing a bigger role, for my NaNoWriMo project last year, but I’m not sure if it’ll go anywhere. With LeeLee and Tovah older now, and in college, I may be pushing it as far as a YA audience is concerned.

Q. What about Shawna and Nabil? Will you tell what happens to them? Why or why not?

A. Same answer as above, although…can you imagine Shawna’s father’s reaction if Shawna and Nabil became involved in a serious relationship? I wouldn’t want to be within a ten-mile radius. Their cultural differences alone would be fun to write about, so say nothing of their basic personality clashes.

Q. Last but not least, Arye, Schmule and Fran. Will you ever continue their story? Why or why not?

A. I’d love to do a story from Schmule’s perspective—partly because I’ve never written from a boy’s point of view, and also because it’d give me a chance to explore what happens to the other characters, including Fran. Once I finish the projects I’m working on now, I seriously may revisit this idea.

Q. If none of these is on your plate at the moment, what is? What can you tell us about your latest manuscript?

A. I’m working on two right now—another contemporary YA that I’m revising now, and a YA paranormal that’s currently out to my beta readers. I hope to finish them both within the next couple months, with a possible sequel planned for the paranormal.

Q. How do you manage to find time to write between your work (which must keep you on your toes) and your family?

A. Luckily I have a very understanding family who doesn’t mind living in squalor. Housekeeping is always the first thing to go, and second is any kind of a social life. I work 4 days a week as a psych nurse, so on my three days off I generally try to spend 5 to 8 hrs writing. I also have a highly energetic puppy who takes up so much of my attention, I’m springing for doggie day care services to give me more time to write.

Q. What do you do to recharge your soul in between writing your novels?

A. Truthfully, I rarely need to recharge; writing is such a passion for me that even when I’m working on something, it doesn’t feel like “work.” Nothing relaxes me more than spending hours at my computer, obsessively playing around in the lives of my characters. I’m actually more tense when I’m not writing—does that make sense? No? I thought not. J When I do take an infrequent break, it’s usually to blog, or read, or watch some bad TV.

Q. Do you foresee writing becoming your main profession one day? Why or why not?

A. I would LOVE to be able to write full-time, but very few writers can afford this luxury. Publishing is a volatile, highly competitive business and there’s no way to predict who’ll be successful and who won’t. Because I’m not able at this time to quit my job and write full-time, I’m definitely at a huge disadvantage. Still, I have hope.

Me: Thank you for guest blogging with us and for writing two really terrific stories!

Thank you so much for having me!
xox Jeannine