A Reader's Adventure!

Okay. Elephant in the room. I write about topics that some would call controversial. In Becoming Chloe, for example, I share a story about a friendship between a girl who’s been the victim of repeated sexual abuse and a young gay man who hustles for their survival. In The Year of my Miraculous Reappearance, I tell the story of a 13-year-old alcoholic who’s raising herself, her Down Syndrome brother, and her alcoholic mom. In this most recent book, Jumpstart the World, my protagonist falls in love with an older man who, she later learns, is transgender.

And, yeah, I guess that’s controversial.
Yet time and time again people read these books and tell me it’s clear that I’m not exploiting or sensationalizing these topics in any way.

So, what are we really saying when we say the subject of a book is controversial? In my opinion, we just mean it makes people a little uncomfortable. And that’s okay with me. Because I really don’t feel it’s my job as an author to help people remain safely within their comfort zones. I think good books should change people. Shake them up a bit. Make them look at the world in a new way. Make them look at the people around them with different eyes.

Now, how are you going to do that without ever experiencing the discomfort of something new?
It reminds me of the André Gide quote, “In order to discover new lands, one must consent to lose sight of the shore.” In real life, with real lands, this requires extraordinary courage. As words on a page, I trust my readers to handle it.

So that’s why I choose the tough subjects. That, and this: For every character I write, thousands, even millions of young people are out there living the same issue. The world is full of gay and transgender people. And teenage alcoholics. And girls (and boys) who have been sexually abused. What happens to them if they can’t find themselves in literature? How much harder is it to be yourself if nobody else’s self seems anything like you?

And for those who are not living the issue, familiarity equals normalcy. When you are unfamiliar with something, it seems frightening. But if you find out that someone you know very well is going through one of these issues, it begins to feel…well…normal.

Fiction can foster normalcy, which can increase acceptance. It really can. I’m not giving it too much power. I don’t think it’s possible to give too much power to words. Communication is the most powerful tool we have. It’s the way we learn to live with each other.

So I write about things that may feel strange to you, but in time they won’t. And, in a very small way, that’s changing the world through books. And that’s what I want to do.

Thanks Catherine! It is really cool to see authors with such deep conviction!

I have a copy of Jumpstart the World to giveaway as well! So leave a comment with your email by Nov 15 to be entered. U.S. only sorry!

October 25, 2010

CSN Review Coming Soon, plus other cool links!

Hey guys! I am going to be doing another review with CSN stores! I love the bookshelf I got last time and I cannot wait to deside what I am going to get this time! Just as a reminder CSN stores has hundreds of things from nesting tables to bookshelves, there is something for everyone, so look out for my review and check it out yourself!

In other news:
I recieved this email today:

E-Book of The Dark Divine Priced at $2.99 f or a Limited Time

Promotion Leads Up to the Highly-Anticipated Sequel,

THE LOST SAINT

New Y or k , October 25, 2010—Egmont USA announced today that the e-book of THE DARK DIVINE by Bree Despain will be available f or $2.99, from October 25 through November 22—wherever e-books are sold.

Cool right!

Also there is a really cool post on 5 ways to Jumpstart the world by Catherine Ryan Hyde the author of Jumpstart the World here

So go check all these things out and have a great day!

October 24, 2010

Random Magic Halloween Musical Blog Hop!

Music is a strong theme in Random Magic -- so strong, in fact, that one of the celestial characters Winnie and Henry meet is Efterpe, the Muse of music.

In celebration of music, Halloween and all things spooky, here’s a fun blog hop to check out. You’ll find tidbits about creepy characters from the book -- and some great music picks.

Come enjoy a musical Halloween blog hop with us, we’ve got tunes for ghouls…

Songs for: Werewolves

Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon

Random Magic excerpt: “Brute edged cautiously up to the big black door of a huge gate. In the distance, Henry could just make out the twinkling lights of something large, dark, and spooky. With turrets.
They dismounted.
Brute stretched, then shook out his wobbly legs, spattering Henry with mud. ‘That’s as far as I go, sorry,’ he growled gently. He shivered suddenly, his fur bristling like a nervous cat. ‘They give me the creeps.’” (To buy the book, or find out more, go here)

Check out music stop #5 of 8: Take me there

(If you enjoy a particular music pick, please consider buying the track to help support the person or group that created it for everyone’s enjoyment. Across The Sky (http://tinyurl.com/ld2drr) is the unofficial soundtrack for the Random Magic Halloween Tour (2010). Happy listening – and Happy Halloween!)

here are all the blogs on the hop so you can check them all out:

Well-Read Reviews
http://wellreadreviews.com/

Elbit Blog
http://merigreenleaf.blogspot.com/

Cerebrate’s Contemplations
http://weblog.siliconcerebrate.com/cerebrate/

A Reader’s Adventure
h ttp://mariah-readingadventure.blogspot.com/

La Femme Readers
http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/

StoryWings
http://storywings.blogspot.com/

Diary of a Bookworm
http://www.thediaryofabookworm.com/

What Book Is That?
http://www.whatbookisthat.com/

Random Magic Halloween Tour Schedule

Random Magic Halloween Tour

Oct. 24 – Nov. 2, 2010

About: Random Magic

Tour organization: Lyrika Publicis

Tour prizes coordinator: @LaFemmeReaders

Contact the tour: @RandomMagicTour

If you want to win something wicked:

Gift-wrapped first edition, Random Magic

Cute wicked witch rag doll (Mme. Alexander collectible)

Order of events!

Oct. 24

Halloween Musical Blog Hop!

Come along for a fun, musical blog hop,

featuring creepy characters and tunes for ghouls:

Check out the hop schedule here (coming soon)

Oct. 25

Diary of a Bookworm

http://www.thediaryofabookworm.com/

Review

Feature (incl. excerpt): ‘Crafty Dames: Famous Witches’

Oct. 26

Daisy Chain Book Reviews

http://daisychainbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @daisychainbooks

Feature (incl. excerpt): ‘Haunting Places: Ireland’s Spookiest Castles’

Oct. 27

Escape Between the Pages

http://escapebetweenthepages.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @LoriAtEBTP

Review

Feature (incl. excerpt): ‘Bell, Book and Candle: A Modern Witch’s Toolkit’

Oct. 28

La Femme Readers

http://lafemmereaders.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @LaFemmeReaders

Feature (incl. pix gallery): ‘Casting Random Magic’

Tour treasures: Win something wicked!

Oct. 29

Spellbound by Books

http://www.spellboundbybooks.com/

Twitter: @Meeka_21

Review

Related event: Spellbound by Books’ Spookfest (‘Here Be Vampires,’ incl. excerpt)

Related event: WORD for Teens’ Book Spooks (‘Haunted Places,’ incl. excerpt)

Oct. 30

Bewitched Bookworms

http://www.bewitchedbookworms.com/

Twitter: @BwitchedBkworms

Review (dual review): 'Chatting Over The Cauldron: Random Magic'

Oct. 31

StoryWings

http://storywings.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @storywings

Review

Feature: A love spell!

Related event: vvb32’s Trix-‘n’Treatz (‘Vamps!,’ incl. excerpt, feature film)

Nov. 2 (All Souls’ Day)

Electrifying Reviews

http://www.electrifyingreviews.com/

Twitter: @ABennettBooks

Review (vlog): Video review of Random Magic

Feature: November's Unearthly Rites: Day of the Dead

Related content: Electrifying Reviews' video channel

Make sure to check out all the fun!

October 22, 2010

The Karma Club

Title: The Karma Club

Author: Jessica Brody

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Release Date: April 22, 2010

Received From: ATWT

Madison Kasparkova always thought she understood how Karma works. It’s that mysterious, powerful force that brings harmony to the universe. You know—do good things and you will be rewarded, do something bad and Karma will make sure you get what’s coming to you. A sort of cosmic balancing act.
But when Mason Brooks, Maddy’s boyfriend of two years, gets caught tongue-wrestling with Miss Perfect Body Heather Campbell, and absolutely nothing happens to either of them—except that they wind up the hot new couple of Colonial High School, it seems like Karma has officially left Maddy in the lurch. That’s why Maddy and her best friends, Angie and Jade, decide to start the Karma Club—a secret, members-only organization whose sole purpose is to clean up the messes that the universe has been leaving behind. Whether they’re modifying Heather Campbell’s acne cream as part of “Operation Butterface,” or righting a few wrongs when it comes to Angie and Jade’s own slimy exes, they know they’re just doing what Karma should have done in the first place. They’re taking care of one another.
Sometimes, though, it isn’t wise to meddle with the universe. Because it turns out, when you mess with Karma, Karma messes back. Now Maddy must find a way to balance her life for good, even as everything around her seems to be toppling to the ground.

I was really excited about this book based on the book trailer, but I am sorry to say that it fell short for me.
The characters were really shallow and dull, and the story did not make any sense.

Maddy and her friends act like it is karma's fault when bad things happen to them but in most cases it was their own fault, and if they had not done certain things their lives, for the most part, would have been perfectly fine.

The good thing about this book was that it had a good lesson. Don't mess with other people! It will only get you hurt, otherwise I did not like this book.

Here is the book trailer so you can make your own assumptions:

October 18, 2010

Forever pre-order

You know that really cool werewolf trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater? The one with the different colored font? Well, you can pre-order a signed copy of the final book in the series FOREVER! Pre-Order it Here!

October 11, 2010

Everlasting

Title: Everlasting

Author: Angie Frazier

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: June 1, 2010

Received From: ATWT

Sailing aboard her father’s trade ship is all seventeen-year-old Camille Rowen has ever wanted. But as a girl of society in 1855 San Francisco, her future is set: marry a man she doesn’t love, or condemn herself and her father to poverty.
On her final voyage before the wedding, the stormy arms of the Tasman Sea claim her father, and a terrible family secret is revealed. A secret intertwined with a fabled map, the mother Camille has long believed dead, and an ancient stone that wields a dangerous—and alluring—magic.
The only person Camille can depend on is Oscar, a handsome young sailor whom she is undeniably drawn to. Torn between trusting her instincts and keeping her promises to her father, Camille embarks on a perilous quest into the Australian wilderness to find the enchanted stone. As she and Oscar elude murderous bushrangers and unravel Camille’s father’s lies, they come closer to making the ultimate decision of who—and what—matters most.

I was really surprised by this book! I originally picked it up because I thought it was historical fiction, which it kind of was but it was a much different story than I originally expected.

I really liked the overall feel of the book, I felt like I was there or at least hearing the story first hand. The characters were also really well developed. I loved Oscar even though I did not think I was going to like him in the beginning. Camille was an awesome protagonist, she was very take charge and unstopping, even when faced with all the hurdles placed in her way.

For me the best part about this book was the characters, they were all so different and unforgettable. But the plot was not bad, Fraizer keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what is going to happen. One of the problems with this book was the fact that it was too short, so there was not enough plot development for my taste. I think the storyline could have been more drawn out and longer, which I guess is a complement!

Overall a really good debut and I cannot wait for more from Angie!

October 2, 2010

Winners

I have some contest winners to announce! All winners have been contacted and have claimed their prizes!

CSN stores gift code:

Martha Lawson!

BlogFest:

Reena!

The Rise of Renegade X:

Heather

Congrats to all the winners! If you did not win make sure to check out my giveaway for Knight Angels.

October 1, 2010

Knight Angels Character Interview

Today I have an interview with Jane from the Kinght Angels series by Abra Ebner

Describe Max in 5 words or less.

Swanky. Confusing. Forbidden. Secretive. And just plain Sexy.

Do you think your life would have been better if you had never gotten caught up in the Shoel drama?

Growing up, I didn't really understand what it was that was wrong with me. It only got a title when I met Max, and by then things were so in La-la Land for me that it was the only thing that made it all make sense. I honestly have no idea what life would be like without the Seoul bit, so I guess I have nothing to compare it to. All I know now is that life without it definitely has some greener pastures, but then I would have never known Max, at least not in the way he is now. It's a necessary means to my current life.

Out of all the things you discovered, what was the most surprising?

That beings like Max really exist. When he first told me, two things came to mind: First shock, and then the realization that my father could still be out there. Finding myself in the state I am now really gave me that answer... I need Max.

What is your most admirable quality?

That's easy. I'm painfully honest and by the book. (Laughs) Most people are surprised to hear me admit to it, but it's true. I know I'm a stick in the mud, but I take pride in my stubborn ways. For the most part, it keeps me away from harm... at least sometimes.

What was your first impression of Max?

Being that we don't get a lot of new students up here in the mountains, I was definitely taken right away. When I first saw him I felt like a rebel because of it. We were all alone in the hall at school, and for a moment I actually thought I was in one of my dreams, and that he couldn't see me staring like the idiot that I was. It was such a private moment, a hazy interaction with a stranger that felt like an answer to me. Love was only the second thought, but now my only thought. I wish I had been more understanding.

Thanks Jane!

Doesn't that book sound amazing! Well I have a copy of the book to giveaway!

Rules:

Must be 13 or older

Must have a U.S. mailing address
Must leave a comment with your email in it by 10/15
Good Luck!

December 8, 2010

Winterlong Blog Hop!

November 1, 2010

Catherine Ryan Hyde guest post! + giveaway