Monday 2 December 2013

A Follow-up With Booker Albert

Last year I interviewed a brand new Agency: Booker Albert who opened their doors a year ago yesterday (December 1st). They have returned to the Writer of Wrongs to check in and let us know how their first year has been going.

Brittany Booker and Jordy Albert

Brittany Booker

    Thank you for following up with us! We’ve had such an amazing year! I’m not even sure where to begin. Jordy and I started The Booker Albert Literary Agency a year ago. I have no idea where this year has gone. This first year has been amazing for both Jordy and myself. Starting your own business is always a big step. I don’t think I could have asked for a better experience with this. I love my job, and I’m thankful to be able to do this for a living. There are so many people that don’t get to do what they love every single day.  I thank God for giving me this opportunity.

   So, I guess I’ll go ahead and say that I’m up to seventeen clients. I love each and every one of them. It’s so amazing to find authors that have such great talent. And I feel every single one of mine has something to bring to the table. I’ve been blessed to sell some of those clients’ books this year. I’m so proud of my deals. It’s an honor to work with the editors that I have so far. I’ve sold to Random House (Flirt), Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star), Month9Books (Swoon Romance), Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing and Penguin (Berkley).

   This first year has been stressful, I won’t lie, but it’s the large to-do lists that keep me going. It’s all about prioritizing your time. On the other hand, it’s about giving yourself time to relax and not let the work consume you. It’s so easy to get sucked in and several hours pass by without you realizing it.
   My genres have definitely changed now that I’m interacting with editors and keeping up with what’s in and what’s out. I’m looking for any genre New Adult (especially contemporary ones with hot heroes. Wink. Wink). I’m looking for clever, witty and fun MG novels. I love any book set in the south with a romantic plot. In fact, most of the novels I represent have romantic elements. I’m a happy-ever-after kind of agent. You can find out more about us, our deals and our wonderful clients on our website!

Jordy Albert
 
Thanks so much for following up with us at the Booker Albert Agency. It has been a really exciting year for both Brittany and I, and our wonderful interns. Our client list has grown and we are definitely looking forward to 2014. We are very happy and thrilled for our clients; we’ve had a number of recent deals and hope the good news keeps coming! My client, Jayne Denker’s third book Down on Love (eKensington) was just released on the twenty-first of November and she has a follow-up that will be released next year. And we’ve recently sold my client, Suzanne van Rooyen’s I Heart Robot to Georgia McBride at Month9Books. Also, some exciting news coming soon from two of my other clients!

I am actively seeking clients. Please check our website for details. I’m pretty much open to all genres, but I am especially looking for YA with a strong romantic element, or New Adult and Adult romance. I hope to hear from you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Thank you ladies for stopping by!
 
Be sure to check out their website for submission guidelines and agent information. READ SUBMISSION GUIDLINES if you are going to query any agency and good luck in the coming year.

Friday 25 October 2013

The Holdout Guest Post by Laurel Osterkamp: Jury Duty

For the Holdout Tour hosted by Itching for Books, I sat down with Author Laurel Osterkamp to talk about her real life experiences which inspired her book. Check it out!

Release date: September 12th 2013
Publisher: PMI Books
Purchase: Amazon


Synopsis via Goodreads:

Robin wanted to win The Holdout, a cutthroat reality TV show, so she gave it her all, challenge after challenge. Then she fell for Grant, with his irresistible eyes and heartbreaking life story.


But Grant was only using Robin as they competed for a million dollars. Once home, Robin wants to hide from the humiliation as episodes of The Holdout are aired, and she worries her family was right all along; she’s not a survivor.


Yet she could surprise everyone, and have the last laugh.



Besides, Robin now has jury duty. And as she forges ahead, confronting her demons about bravery, justice, and romance, Robin will come to decide which is more important: the courage to stand alone, or the strength to love again.

 
About the Author
Laurel Osterkamp’s award winning novels have been hailed as funny, intelligent, snarky and poignant. She is the author of four novels and two novellas, including the November Surprise series, which, like The Holdout, features the Bricker family. Laurel was recently on a federal jury, and she loves watching Survivor.

 



Wednesday 23 October 2013

Review Homecoming

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an Advanced Copy of Homecoming by Cecelia Robert so here is my review (yay):

Homecoming by Cecilia Robert
Release Date: October 25 2013


**Mature Content Warning** 17+ for language and sexual content.

Five years ago, twenty-three-year-old panther shifter Sera Czedar left her home and her newly mated groom in a humiliating position after a mating ceremony gone wrong. She built a new life for herself in Varselles, the City of Outcasts where shifters exiled from their clans in the Seven Kingdoms can go for sanctuary.

Five years ago, panther shifter Levian Grayson was abandoned on the bonding bed by his bride, Sera. After years of tracking her, he arrives in Varselles, intent on staking his claim on her once and for all, even if it means hauling her over his shoulder just to make sure that happens.

Sera has always known her homecoming would eventually catch up with her one day. The one thing she can’t bear to do is hurt Levian, which will happen as soon as he finds out the reason she left him. Is she ready to take that path? Most of all, will Levian still want her
when the truth comes out?


!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!

Friday 4 October 2013

Where I Check With You, My Victims

You guys don't mind being called my victim's right? There are worse ways to go...


How are you guys doing? I feel like it's been forever since we last spoke. I hate that my posts have been getting so impersonal lately and I'm thinking it may be time to step back a little.

At the end of summer I was going into my third year of University with no job, no other commitments except for a few here and there so I thought it would be okay to start making other plans thinking that only some of them would come through.

They all came through. And I have a hard time saying 'no' to people.

So now we're in the first week of October and I have a job (yay), I'm a full-time student, and I'm currently rehearsing two musicals with another one starting in November. It's all a bit overwhelming and I'm really bad at time management.

The thing that's suffering most is my writing: my blog, my stories, the voice in my head screaming at me for release. I've let my commitment - my dream - of writing lapse and I hate it.

I don't like that I can't seem to find the time to write just for fun.

I don't like that I still have no plan of attack for tackling this mountain of work.

I don't like that I didn't get to tell you that I'm a monthly guest blogger on The Peasant's Revolt which is so awesome.

I hate that I didn't get to tell you about #VTtoRT which is one of the most amazing things to come out of this insanity.

I didn't even get to tell you about the fact that I'm going to my first ever writer's convention in May and I'm terrified and excited and I have no idea what to expect but I'm making all these plans and getting ready for total independence even if it's just for a week.

It's weird to say that I miss you guys because we don't really talk but...you're my victims. We're about as close as people can get. And for that I am so grateful. I'm thankful for every single one of you.

As for the fate of this blog...

I'm going to be making some temporary changes until I can get back on my feet a little.

I'm going to continue with the Farewell series (even though I did miss this week's) but the Forensic series is going to take a hiatus for the next two months because October and November are just too crazy to deal with dead bodies.

I've got 5 Books in the coming months that I've agreed to read so I'll be posting those reviews:

  • Heirs of War by Mara Valderran
  • Garden of Eden by Kate Cowan
  • Homecoming by Cecelia Robert
  • Magic Weaved on a Samhain Eve by VJ Chisholm
  • Dead Dreams by Emma Right
Along with a few guest posts and interviews dotted here and there. Into November there will be some weeks where I'll only post once or twice and it's not because I don't love you or have anything to say. It's because I love you too much and I have so much to say that I can't bring myself to slap anymore posts together at 2am when I work at 6am and I'm rehearsing until 10pm. You guys deserve way more than that.

So, in conclusion: I'm busy, I love you, and if you have any unusual or helpful schedule/time management/stress relief advice, please share them in the comments.

Thank you, darlings.

P.S. Donations for the #VTtoRT fund are never closed. We've officially passed Koomkey's goal but if you have some pocket change that you'd be will to donate I would be so grateful.

P.P.S. I'm also looking for any authors willing to donate ebooks or print copies (international shipping) for a giveaway as a thank you for everyone's help with the #VTtoRT fund. So if you or anyone you know is will to help out in that regard please email me at vicki.trask@gmail.com

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Mara Valderran on POV

For the Heirs of War Blog Tour here is Mara Valderran, author of Heirs of War, on writing POV. I think I love her just for her Doctor Who reference...well more than just her DW reference...but it laid the ground work.

Seventeen-year-old Zelene doesn't believe in magic or prophecies. When she's told she is part of the prophecy foretelling five powerful girls bringing peace to the war-torn worlds, she scoffs. The idea of other dimensions layered on top of the world she lives in is almost as ludicrous as the idea that she might be able to save them. After she is attacked by magic-wielding assassins, she finds she can't argue with reality.

As their enemies strike, the girls are taken back to their world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can’t seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in.

Zelene views them all with a distrustful eye, familial bonds or no, and can think of a place or two she’d like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When she learns that her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by the rebels, Zelene’s attitude changes. She doesn’t know how she is supposed to go against an army of magic-wielding rebels when her own ability to manipulate the elements is still locked within her. But can she trust the elders to rescue Ariana when it seems their medieval politics are what brought about the war in the first place? With all that is at stake, the answer becomes clear to Zelene.

Screw the worlds. She’s getting her sister back

Mara ValderranMara Valderran has been coming up with stories pretty almost since she could talk, often commandeering her brother's G.I. Joes to play out her fictional tales alongside her Barbies. Once she hit adolescence and realized playing with dolls wasn't cool anymore, she started putting her ideas to paper. And she hasn’t stopped since.

Mara has worn many different artistic hats throughout her life. She has dabbled in screenwriting, plucked guitars and basses, toyed with singing, retired from acting, and drawn some pretty mean stick figures in her time. However, writing books seems to fit her best as she finds nothing more fulfilling than creating worlds and characters she can lose herself in.

Mara lives in the south with her husband and demanding cat. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or spending time at her favorite local coffee shop.



MaraValderran    
 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday 30 September 2013

Sentient (Mentalist Book 2) Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Way back in January I reviewed Book One of the Mentalist Series: Aversion. Now wer're gearing up for Book Two. Check it out:



From Goodreads:

Mastering her Progressive Empath abilities isn’t going as well as Gemma hoped. In fact, months after finding out what she really is, she still has no clue what this truly means. All she can do is wait to see if any new abilities will eventually manifest. Things aren’t going great with Russ either. Unsure of how to handle her Sentient Link with him, she tries to integrate herself in his busy social life but struggles to adjust to her new circumstances.

When she is plagued by recurring nightmares, Gemma realises things are changing and knows she has to do something, fast. The arrival of two sets of strangers in town, both offering the much needed assistance she needs to unearth her powers, escalates the situation even further. Gemma attempts to decipher whose intentions are genuine, but does she have enough time to figure out who has her best interest at heart?
 
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Expected Release Date: 28th October 2013

Friday 27 September 2013

Interview with Helena Newbury

As part of the In Harmony Tour hosted by Itching for Books, I sat down to talk with author Helena Newbury
 
Everyone expects her to succeed….
Karen plays the cello like an angel, and it’s the only thing that makes her truly feel alive. But her father’s dream—for her to join a prestigious orchestra—leaves no time in her life for anything but music…not even love. Trapped on her path, she doesn’t know how to rebel.
Everyone expects him to fail….
Connor plays rock guitar like the devil himself, and his ability has got him all the way from a dead-end life in Belfast to a scholarship at Fenbrook Academy. But beneath his arrogance and charm, he doesn’t believe he has what it takes. He’s spent his time in New York drinking and partying, and the only future he sees is a return to Ireland as soon as he flunks out.
But what no one expects….
When Karen’s duet partner is injured, the bad boy guitarist and the shy, sheltered cellist are forced to team up. Neither likes the idea, but what begins as anger and distrust slowly spirals into love…and lust. If they can face up to their feelings, they might just have a chance together. If Connor will allow Karen to stop his fall, maybe he can show her a life she never thought possible....
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Helena Newbury is a New Adult Romance author with a love of bakingly hot summer days, strawberry gelato, good coffee and interesting people. Unlike the characters in her books, Helena cannot dance, act or play anything (though she is substantially more flexible since she started writing Dance For Me and tried doing dancer’s stretches, so she's hoping that something will rub off on her from each book).
 
Helena writes in a very noisy, very busy coffee shop which means she sometimes end up mainlining caffeine to keep her seat. You’ll know when this happens because she’ll still be on Twitter that night at 4am.
 
She loves meeting and talking with other authors, traveling to new places and discovering new books. You can find her on:
 
 

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Victoria Dahl is on my blog, holy crap!

That's as clever a title as you're going to get. For those of you that follow Victoria Dahl on twitter you know that she's loud, and she swears and she's opinionated and she loves sharing semi-dirty pictures - basically, she's awesome. Plus her name is Vicki and she writes romance novels. I had to interview her.

So, after some disorganization on my part, I finally got to sit down and talk with Bestselling Romance Writer, Victoria Dahl.



Victoria Dahl lives with her family in a small town high in the Utah mountains. During the summer, she hikes and drinks margaritas (usually not at the same time.) During the winter she likes to curl up with a book and a cup of hot cocoa and think about all those poor, freezing skiers working so hard out in the snow. 
She’s been reading romance since the age of twelve and started her first manuscript at the tender age of twenty. Occasionally, on dark and stormy nights, she bravely posts excerpts of that original story on her blog for the entertainment of her readers.
Her first published novel won the Golden Heart award. Since then, she's published over seventeen books and novellas, including three USA Today bestsellers, and several of her books have been nominated for  the prestigious RITA® Award for excellence in the romance genre. 
 
 
 

1.  How to write sex scenes: Is it something you just sit down and write? What do you think is too much detail - or too little? What kind of language do you not like using (or seeing) versus language that is (maybe) tired?
I know some writers struggle with writing sex scenes -or maybe they struggle with the idea of writing them?- but I love them. In fact, oftentimes when I start a book, I only have an idea for one or two key plot points in the whole book, but I always have an idea for the first sex scene!
I prefer straightforward, somewhat vulgar language. I don’t want to feel like I’m in science class, nor do I want to feel like I’m dancing around the issue with my grandma. I think you have to use the language that people use during intense sex. There’s nothing polite about it. Call a cock a cock, I say.
 
2.  What is one time period/event/character that you really want to write (but haven't yet)?
I have an idea for an alternate history story, but it would involve years of research. I think that might be the book I write when I’m retired! And it’ll probably end up being an unfinished masterpiece.

3.  "So Tough to Tame" just came out, what can you say about it/are there any little bits that you can share?
For me, SO TOUGH TO TAME will always be about the hero, Walker. I fell totally in love with him. He’s big and sexy and naughty and vulnerable. I just love him so much! Here’s a little taste: http://victoriadahl.tumblr.com/post/43413483769/so-tough-to-tame-walker-meets-his-match
God, I hope you guys like him as much as I do.

4.  Why is it important (for you) to write strong female characters (especially in romance) and why you would write a character who is - not weak - but perhaps more indecisive?
I often write strong female characters. I love kick ass women, and some of my heroines push buttons because they don’t want to ask for help or be vulnerable. But I absolutely try to write a variety of women. As a matter of fact, I got some criticism for the heroine in TOO HOT TO HANDLE because she was awkward and not very confident. I don’t understand that reaction. There are lots of women who feel awkward around men they like. And plenty more who aren’t confident about their own sex appeal. Does that mean they don’t deserve love or respect or their own story? Strength comes in all forms, and people who seem weak in one aspect can be so amazingly strong in others. I think these kinds of judgments are another way that women are hard on themselves and fellow women.
 
5.  (Admittedly I borrowed this from an interview with Jeri Smith-Ready because I thought it was really interesting): Do you feel that female characters are held to a higher standard of behavior than their male counterparts in similar situations, i.e., are their transgressions less often forgiven by readers/reviewers/publishers/contest judges? If so, why do you suppose this is the case?
Definitely! See above! Male characters are often allowed to be obstinate, stubborn, rebellious, misguided, etc. all throughout a book, but if they grovel at the end, all is forgiven. When female characters struggle, some readers find it unacceptable. “She doesn’t deserve him.” “He should find someone better.” “She was so mean to him.” “She’s such a slut/bitch/whiner.” I’ve seen all those comments. In fact, sometimes I feel like heroes are relegated to child-like status. They need someone who will take care of them and coddle their feelings even when the men don’t know what they are. Guess who has to do that? It’s the heroine. She has to be noble and worthy and make sure the hero sees that he’s noble and worthy of love also. Frankly, I have enough trouble being responsible for just myself, thank you very much.  
The damaged hero is always popular. The hero who needs reforming. The hero who needs to be shown that despite his past and his scars, he’s worthy of love. Hey, I love him, too! But the damaged heroine? Not so many people want to read about a woman who responded to a rough start in life by making lots of mistakes. But the good news is…some of us want to read that! There’s a growing audience for damaged heroines, and I’m so thankful to the writers who take that on and treat those heroines well.

6.  I have to ask about the cover art. How much control do you have?
Not very much! With my historicals, in fact, I always just got the finished cover with a “Hope you like it!” note. Ha! Actually, with my very first book, TO TEMPT A SCOTSMAN, I almost fell on my butt when I saw it. I opened an envelope from my editor and saw a cover with two totally naked people. They were wrapped in strategically placed red satin, but you could see the hero’s butt crack. That’s not an exaggeration. Even for someone as immodest as I am, that was pretty shocking for a first book.
As for my contemporaries, there’s usually a little back and forth between the editor and me about details, but the idea and layout is pretty set once I get involved. I make suggestions for tweaks or corrections. Sometimes I get my way and sometimes not. I’ve only pitched a real fit once, and they reshot the covers, and I’ll be eternally grateful for that. You should be, too.
 
 7.  How is the transition between contemporary and historical? Pretty easy? Hard? What are the main challenges as a writer?
I haven’t written a historical in a while because my current contracts are for contemporary, but I totally enjoy the experience of switching back and forth. It’s palate cleansing! Historicals can be lush and sensual and a little overwrought and so much fun! But dialogue and jokes are so much easier to write in contemporaries. They flow a little faster. The only challenge is the occasional formal language creeping into a modern hero’s dialogue. My critique partner catches that if I don’t.
 
8.  Finish this sentence: "If I weren't writing I would be..."
Totally vegging out. I can be social, but I’m very much an introvert, hence my career as a writer. If I had any other job, I’d spend all my free time as alone as I could possibly be. At least with writing, 99% of my colleagues are imaginary characters. That’s exactly the way I like it.

Monday 23 September 2013

A Farewell to Maleficent (Part 4)

 
 
Here lies Maleficent,
She was strong and resourceful and one of the most powerful faeries I have ever known.
Not to mention evil.
Hush Merryweather.
I just wanted to point out that she doesn’t deserve a eulogy because she was an evil woman.
But she was our sister, Merryweather, we have to say goodbye.
Alright I’ll say goodbye but I don’t have to like it.
Oh, but I think eulogies are so nice.
Both of you: hush.
Maleficent, we did not always see eye to eye – it was very rare when we did – but you were our sister and we love you. Life was cruel to you, and on behalf of the King and Queen I want to apologize for not affording you the respect you deserved. You may not have earned a kindness from the people but as a faerie you deserved respect and because you did not receive that I apologize. Because I did not say it in life I shall say it in death.
Forgive me.
I’ve never been much with words but I suppose…the thing I’ll miss most about you is the way you were as a girl. When we were growing up you were so carefree; so loving. I looked up to you. But I’m sorry things ended this way. We had to, you see, you were too evil.
Fauna!
It’s true.
Merrywheather!
But it is true, Flora. I don’t know when it happened but she became too evil to live.
Flora, I don’t think that’s our decision to make.
You’re the one who killed her.
I did that to save Phillip.
But you still killed her.
You did. But as much as I miss her, I think you were right. I’m going to miss Maleficent but…
But she wasn’t our sister any longer. She was too evil to live.
Ladies, this is eulogy!
No one else is here, Flora. I don’t think it matters what we say now.
I suppose you’re right. Say your goodbyes, Merrywheather. It’s time to go.
Dear Maleficent,
It’s just us now so I can say what I need to. I’m so sorry for everything that happened to you. I blame myself – and the others. We should have taken care of you long ago. But I couldn’t because you’re my sister and no matter what evils you’ve committed I still love you. That’s the very definition of ‘family’ isn’t it? I didn’t expect to feel anything except satisfaction at your death. But I still have this…this feeling in my heart like maybe I regret what happened.
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Can you ever forgive us for not killing you sooner? The only comfort I have now is that you’re gone from this world and I will never see you again.
Goodbye forever.

Friday 20 September 2013

15 Minutes

As part of the 15 Minutes Tour hosted by Itching for Books, here is a spotlight of 15 Minutes by Jill Cooper

15 MinutesPurchase: Amazon
I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life….
 15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.
 But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.
 The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend. 
 Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.
 15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.

About the Author
Jill  Cooper
Jill loves to blend horror, comedy, the supernatural, and love, through her novels. A fan of genre blending, her work strives to cross boundaries, but most of all strives to entertain. She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances. Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats. 

Thursday 19 September 2013

Katie French's Eyes Ever to the Sky Blitz

Itching for Books is hosting the blitz tour for Katie French's Eyes Ever to the Sky. Check it out:

When Hugh wakes up in a smoldering crater—no memory, no clothes—a single thought echoes in his head…trust no one. Frightened and alone, with no memory of who he is, he stumbles upon a grisly murder scene and is fatally shot. He wakes, only to find he can heal himself. He has superpowers, and he’s going to need them.

Desperate and bleeding, Hugh stumbles upon fifteen-year-old Cece, who’s got enough troubles of her own. Between caring for her bipolar mother and trying not to get evicted from her run-down trailer, Cece may be the only person struggling as much as Hugh. Drawn to Hugh, Cece finds a love she’s never known. But when the real killer—a man-hunting beast—chooses another victim, Hugh and Cece realize they must unlock the clues to their past if they have any chance at a future.


 
 
About the Author
Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher. In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English. Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she's ever done and the most rewarding. In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. 

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Heirs of War

Seventeen-year-old Zelene doesn't believe in magic or prophecies. When she's told she is part of the prophecy foretelling five powerful girls bringing peace to the war-torn worlds, she scoffs. The idea of other dimensions layered on top of the world she lives in is almost as ludicrous as the idea that she might be able to save them. After she is attacked by magic-wielding assassins, she finds she can't argue with reality.

As their enemies strike, the girls are taken back to their world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can’t seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in.

Zelene views them all with a distrustful eye, familial bonds or no, and can think of a place or two she’d like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When she learns that her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by the rebels, Zelene’s attitude changes. She doesn’t know how she is supposed to go against an army of magic-wielding rebels when her own ability to manipulate the elements is still locked within her. But can she trust the elders to rescue Ariana when it seems their medieval politics are what brought about the war in the first place? With all that is at stake, the answer becomes clear to Zelene.

Screw the worlds. She’s getting her sister back


Mara ValderranMara Valderran has been coming up with stories pretty almost since she could talk, often commandeering her brother's G.I. Joes to play out her fictional tales alongside her Barbies. Once she hit adolescence and realized playing with dolls wasn't cool anymore, she started putting her ideas to paper. And she hasn’t stopped since.

Mara has worn many different artistic hats throughout her life. She has dabbled in screenwriting, plucked guitars and basses, toyed with singing, retired from acting, and drawn some pretty mean stick figures in her time. However, writing books seems to fit her best as she finds nothing more fulfilling than creating worlds and characters she can lose herself in.

Mara lives in the south with her husband and demanding cat. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or spending time at her favorite local coffee shop.
MaraValderran    


Monday 16 September 2013

A Farewell to Maurice (Part 3)



Papa,

Please, please don't be sad. I have to leave. That village - that castle - has sucked the life out of me. The villagers have been less than welcoming and Adam is more beast-like than ever. Most nights we can't go to bed without a fight and when I say fight...it's one sided. I'm sorry papa. I'm so very sorry. I can't go back there. It's no longer my home. You are my home, papa, but I know you are too weak to travel now. You'll be safe there. He won't come after you, I've made sure. I'm so sorry.

And there's more. I've met someone else. He's seen the world and he promised to take me with him. He's going to take me away from my beast of a husband. But he's also going to take me away from you. I wish I could bring you with me, papa but I can't risk it. I love you too much.

You were all I ever had, all I've ever needed and now I need to say goodbye. You'll be alright without me. Lefou has agreed to take care of you in my absence and he'll send word if you need me. He's been so good to you these past few years I trust him to care for you when I cannot. And I can't, papa, I can't stay; not a minute longer.

By the time you read this I will be far away. I've made a roast in the oven. You may need to warm it but it will last you several days. There are also pies cooling on the back window sill. Apple. Your favourite.

I'm sorry papa; I'll miss you, so much. Thank you. Thank you for being my everything.

I know things weren't easy after mom died but you were the best. You were an amazing mom, and best friend, and nurse, and teacher, and...you were the best dad. Are the best dad. No matter what happened, no matter what anyone says: you are the most amazing father. I couldn't ask for better - I never would.

And now I'm going to break your heart and tell you that I have to leave. Perhaps forever. I don't want to leave you, papa but I have to. I can't stay here. Not anymore.

Remember to pay the baker 3£ and not a cent more each week when he comes around. He'll try and trick you into paying more but don't let him. You remind him that we made a deal. Hold your ground, papa. Be strong.

I may never see you again. I'm sorry.

Thank you for being my everything.

I love you.

Belle