OMG! I Caught FIRE!!

I am officially a NINJA on FIRE ~ CASSA FIRE, that is. And I know this is an official Young Adult Teen Tuesday aka YATT. So don't worry, all you YAers out there. I do have something for you at the end of this post. Just had to help Alex spread his wonderful news!!


Welcome to the Book Birthday of a fabulous blogger and talented writer, Alex Cavanaugh. He's a Sci-Fi writer, major movie buff, and gamer. CASSAFIRE is available TODAY!!


His blog tour runs from February 27 through March 9, so there is plenty of time for you to get in on the action. 


Anyone who comments on his blog posts during this time will be eligable to win a special package from his publisher: copy of CassaFire and CassaStar, a large tote bag, and a mug. Feel free to spread the word about his awesome news; don't forget to use his fiery Twitter hashtag ~ #CatchFire.

Title: CassaFire

Author: Alex J. Cavanaugh

Genre: Science Fiction - soap opera adventure

Pages: 240

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities. 

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

Available for purchase at: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Amazon Kindle. Visit the author's SITE.

NOW, for our YATT obligations. I am in need of more questions for another edition of Q&A with a YA. Please leave me some thought-provoking questions for out panel. They are eager to answer them. Merci!!

For more YA, visit these YATT Meme Supporters:
Margo Berendsen
The Write Game
Julie Musil (not every wk)
Rosewood Pencil Box
Misha Gericke (not every wk)
Fairbetty's World 
Concrete Pieces of Soul 
The B.L.O.G (The Bizzare Life of One Girl) 
Kelly Hashway (on Wednesdays)
If you want to be a part of out team, just shoot me an email! Love to have you!!

Middle Grade Reads

A few weeks back, I was fortunate enough to win yet another book. Only this time, it wasn't a YA book. Nope. It's all about Middle Grade, so I just have to highlight it - NOT review, but give it a shout-out.

Psst...I won this marvelous middle grade book off of Middle Grade Manifesto. Thanks, again!!

Title: Promise the Night
Author: Michaela MacColl
Genre: Middle Grade (ages 8 - 12; grades 3 -6)
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Released: December 2011
Pages: 256

Description: Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace, MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.


Doesn't it sound fabulous? I'm really excited to read it. I have three books to read before this one, though. *sighs* But honestly, those books are awesome, too!! So many good reads; so little time.



Check out Michaela on her Website and Promise the Night on Goodreads.


For more Middle Grade Mania on Monday, hop over to Shannon Whitney Messenger's place. She's got a whole list of folks who heart MGers!!

Land or Ocean Dweller, & a Giveaway!

Normally I don't post on Thursdays. And I did say I was taking this week off to spend with my kids. Both are true. But when a fabulous YA author asked me to be a part of her blog tour, I couldn't resist. So let's call this an addendum to next week's Young Adult Teen Tuesday's post. I'll be featuring a review of her book, anyway.

Meet the wonderfully talented Catherine Stine, Author of FIRESEED ONE, which launched in December to 5-star reviews. Her first YA, Refugees, earned a New York Public Library Best Book and a featured review and interview in Booklist. Middle grade novels include The End of the Race in the Wild at Heart series and A Girl’s Best Friend in the Innerstar University series. More and more, she’s enjoying writing page-turning suspense. She is also a professional illustrator, teacher of creative writing, and she does manuscript consultations.

Catherine's been gracious enough to share her two main characters with us today. 

Welcome, Varik and Marisa!

Hello! Both wave in unison.

Varik, can you explain a bit about your current world? You live in Ocean Dominion. 

Sure. Ocean Dominion’s a system of stationary and floating islands in the Dominion Sea. Years back most of it was icy, and the area was called the Arctic Circle. But everything melted. We don’t fish the sea—too toxic—we grow things up in floating warehouses. My family farm is called Teitur Farms, but there’s also Arctic Wonder, Atlas and Perseus Sea Farm. We mostly grow agar, sea apples, Finnish blue kelp, but also Flyfish—part grape vine, part fish. I’m usually zipping around in my darter with my friend, Audun, and going to the clubs on SnowAngel. I love living on the ocean, but… since my father drowned, under very strange circumstances I might add, I’m suddenly in charge of running the farm. I’m terrible at it. 

Marisa, what can you tell us about living in Land Dominion?

Land Dominion has the best land around. It’s built up, you know, big cities, like Restavik and Baronland, named after my family, but there’s one last wilderness, way over, in what used to be western Canada. We have the best meat, the best simulation clubs and the best clothes. But, I’m past all of that. I support the refugees down below the border. I’m not into fashion any more, or fancy cars. *Snickers* I crashed my little red sports car. It’s not fair that the refs live in reject land that’s broiling hot. Rich farm like Varik’s should stop the hoarding. Share.

Varik: But, Marisa, your father, Melvyn Baron, is the wealthiest land magnate ever!

Marisa: Oh, that. I testified against his corrupt construction company. He exploits the refugees, works them like dogs. He cut me off for that. See, I told you money’s not important to me!

Geez, sounds like your lives have been full of drama.

Varik, what’s an Agar Farm? How important are your father's discs, and his old research to develop FIRESEED?

Agar’s everything! We eat it, build with it and make clothes out of it. It’s a hybrid of algae. It grows fast. We depend on it. And the seed disks that Marisa and her ZWC thugs stole? It’s only the entire geno-bank of emergency seeds to replenish the world’s crops! My father’s cert form on Fireseed One is confusing. It states that he tested the crop, but then he crossed everything out and wrote “Goddamn the refs and their entire universe!” Why would he turn on them? Must have been for a very good reason.

Varik, once you discovered your farm was being robbed and some of your father's discs were missing, how did you feel when you caught the perpetrator and it was a girl?

She was pretty, okay beautiful. I was shocked. But none of that mattered. I wanted to punch her lights out, strangle her! But you can’t do that to a girl. Plus, she knew things that were none of her business, about me, my father’s research, about Fireseed. So, I had to keep her alive in order to question her. But no way she was getting out of my father’s office. Only a water rat could’ve squeezed out of the one tiny porthole in there.

Varik, Marisa, your relationship was definitely a heated one. What do you think was the turning point that convinced you to work together instead of against each other?

*Mutual blush, quick glances at each other* 

Varik: “I needed her to show me the video she claimed she had of my father, talking about his concept plant, Fireseed. I needed her to get me to the head of the ZWC, that psycho creep, Bryan.” 

Marisa: “Turning point… I wanted to prove to Varik that the ZWC did valuable work, and that the refs weren’t all killers and freaks. *Sighs* When we flew to the ZWC hideout, and Bryan told me what he was really up to, well, I almost puked, I mean, god help us all…”

Varik, what exactly are the mimetoliths? And why did you search there for Fireseed?

Rock formations that look like real things: faces, cups, even stars. The ZWC claimed that my father tested his Fireseed concept by the mimetoliths, but no one knows if Fireseed ever really existed off the drawing board. There’s nothing growing out there but sand.

Marisa, what are your hopes for the future of Land Domain and Ocean Dominion?

Us? We’re hopeless competitors in greed. It’s more like what would I like to see for the folks stuck in the Hotzone, the ones burning up in the desert. I’d like to see them have access north through the wall, have food and respect.

Marisa and Varik, where do you see your relationship with Varik going? 

*Marisa coyly brushes back her fiery hair* “Ah, the big mystery! That’s what all the Streamerazzi’s asking us!” 

*Varik pulls his sleeves down as if to hide something* “It’s kind of private. Um, we’ve been on the Stream news so much, we need a moment… I wouldn’t kick her out of my darter.” *Grins*

As you can see, there really is lots of drama between these two!

But WAIT! THERE'S MORE. Click on this tour banner to follow more of the FIRESEED story or check it out at Amazon, on in e-book form on  Nook, Kindle, iTunes and Sony Reader! AND Catherine is offering up a chance for one lucky follower to win a 10-PAGE CRITIQUE!! YES!! Just fill out the form below to ENTER.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Featherbrained Friday: More like Feather-FRIED

Here's a little comedy to get you into the weekend mood.

The Google Search Keywords someone on this planet used; yes, to find me.

• faces on eggs - (Subliminal message, maybe?)
• dr. seuss character boot - (Wow! Writers are a tough crowd. They only use a cane to yank you off the stage in the theater, not kick you.)
• blue demon - (Oh yah! I have a wrestling name. GO MOM!)
• fitness competition events for women over 40 - (Clearly, they were looking for someone else. I've been 29 for 11 years now. Duh.)
• my puberty journal - (Um, I know I chat up MG along with YA here, but there will be no health class lessons in the Alleyway. Just saying....)
• aka ally X - (This is a KidLit site, folks, just a KitLit site.)

Have you ever looked at your Google Search Keywords? 

Sidenote: I completely spaced that next week is school vacation week. I'll be taking the week off from blogging, except for Thursday when I highlight a fabulous YA author and two of her characters. If you don't blog on Thursdays, please stop by on Friday to give her some Alleyway support. Merci!!

So, just because I like weird and strange stuff, and people who are obviously bored, I'm sharing this video with you. I could not stop laughing.

Cat Jump Fail - watch more funny videos

Happy Weekend!!

YA Teen Tuesday: That's YAmore!

Welcome to another edition of our Young Adult Teen Tuesday Meme and the 2nd annual That's YAmore Blogfest hosted by my team blog, Oasis for YA! The participants agreed to post 250 words of their most swooning love scenes. Kid-friendly, of course. Last year, we had some awesome segments. But this year, we've upped the ante. Anyone who posts by today is entered for a chance to win a YA read of their choice!!


If you haven't entered, you still can. Just hop over to Oasis for YA and add your name to the linky, so others will know to stop by and read your work. You'll be entered into our giveaway. Just like that.

Before I move on... HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! Mmwwhhaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I guess I can't let myself off that easy, huh? Here's a segment of one of my scenes. Enjoy!!

(Setup: girl chasing something in the woods she believes she imagined; she's leaning over her knees, her view behind her is upside-down between her legs.)

The ground behind me shifts. My eyes flash open and capture the upside-down image of boots—dark and looking all leather and fancy—from between my legs. I flip my head up, my hair slapping my back, my elbows still denting my knees. An aura illuminates the surrounding trees, bumping off stumps and earthy debris. No shadows, at least that I can see. 

Fingers wrap my upper arms and pull me to stand. A warm body presses against my back. It feels pretty real. I gasp, but inhale nothing.

“Don’t move. I won’t hurt you.” His tone blankets me in softness.

Fear, or in my case, anger should be my first reaction. But his energy is sugar to my veins. I can’t think. Bellyflies—girly nerves as Mem called them when I was six—flutter in my stomach. Strong forearms cross my chest, thick biceps cradling my torso. His heartbeat plays a lullaby against my spine. I melt, slowly. 

With his fingertip, he tilts my chin, exposing my neck and resting my head back on his shoulder. The scent of sweet musk mingles with the musty bark of the forest. It’s soothing, but I want more. Mint and mocha exhales off his breath, taunting my tongue. Mmm, vibrates between my lips. I’m floating and drowning at the same time. Mem’s wordless poetry.

He shushes me and lifts my amulet. The sensation of invisible fingertips massages my mind. My mouth quivers, but I’m too lost in his intoxicating cloud of euphoria to care.

For more YA, visit these YATT Meme Supporters:
Margo Berendsen
The Write Game
Julie Musil (not every wk)
Rosewood Pencil Box
Misha Gericke (not every wk)
Fairbetty's World 
Concrete Pieces of Soul
The B.L.O.G (The Bizzare Life of One Girl)

Here's the other participants!

1.	Jessie Harrell	12.	Angelhorn	23.	Patricia Marques
2.	Catherine Stine	13.	Georgia Summers	24.	Christa Desir
3.	Charity Bradford	14.	Larissa	25.	Susan Rocan
4.	Sheri Larsen	15.	Jessica @ Angels, Demons, and Portals. Oh My.	26.	Taryn
5.	Nikki Katz	16.	Liz Czukas	27.	Stephanie Diaz
6.	Nicole Zoltack	17.	Connie Ann Michael	28.	Cara M
7.	Adrianne Russell @ The Writer's Republic	18.	AE Rought	29.	Sarah Negovetich
8.	Cecilia	19.	Roza Marie	30.	Elizabeth Prats
9.	Commutinggirl	20.	Theresa Paolo	31.	Jamie Ayres
10.	Katy Upperman	21.	LM Preston	32.
11.	Lori M. Lee	22.	B. Pine

Origins to Ignite the Writing Spark

Writing begins with an idea. Playful. Creative. Adventurous. But calling ourselves writers travels beyond the labyrinth of story roads each writer possesses to find that special place inside. It's a place where humble, yet steadfast confidence rests, waiting to grow and spark new inspiration.

I'm proud to be a part of the Origins Blogfest - the brain child of DL Hammons of Cruising Altitude, which is co-sponsored by three of my awesome blogging buds, Alex Cavanaugh, Katie Mills aka Creepy Query Girl, and Matthew MacNish of The QQQE.

My writing origins, or should I say interest in storytelling, began early in my life. As a child, I loved to retell stories that were read to me, old family tales, nursery rhymes, or even the Bible stories told to me at Catholic school. I used to dream in pictures and then wake up, having to act the story out. My best peeps were my stuffed animals, hence one reason I LOVE writing picture books!

Later on, in middle grade and high school, reworking movies I watched was a favorite pastime of mine. I could never resist dissecting a film, scene, or even a character's persona, and try to find my own little movie within that story. I'd ask questions like Why did the writer do that? Would I want that character to act that way? How come that scene came before this one? The questions were basically endless, and I drove my friends crazy with them. I can't tell you how many times I heard Would you just shut-up and watch!

I'd love to tell you that I was an avid reader as a child/tween/teen. Yeah, I wasn't. But I did write. In journals. It was personal therapy for me, a tween/teen growing up in a small mill town filled with way too many French relatives.

For me, that humble yet confident place inside peeked its head above the waves of marriage and motherhood approximately four years ago. My children were still young and needed me, but not as hands-on as in the past. I decided to revive the art of journaling. Then I began to read, everything I could get my hands on. I was addicted.

A year later, I wrote a short story that took 2nd place in a local writing contest. OMGosh....someone liked what I'd written. I had never felt such a surprising jolt of confidence, before. I then wrote my first YA novel--thankfully that work will never see the light of day - met a local writer (Hi Marcy!) who totally inspired me, and then started Writers' Ally. From there, all she wrote!! (And I mean that in the best pun possible.)

My confidence as both a person and writer has taken a personality of its own and I'm proud of that. I'll continue to quietly work on my projects, seeing each to their ends of flourishing.

Just keep swimming....
Just keep swimming....
Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming....

For more origin stories, check out the other participants HERE!! There are at least 188!! Inspiration is all around us, today! And don't forget about Oasis for YA's That's YAmore Blogfest, which began Feb. 11th and runs until tomorrow. You can still join us!! I'll post my ooey-gooey story tomorrow!!

What Puts Confidence, Poise, & Strength in the Title Mrs.?

EXPERIENCE.
This edition of Featherbrained Friday is rather lengthy, but that's because it's quite personal. As most of you know, over the past five months I've been preparing to compete for a State Mrs. title. The pageant was this past weekend. At the onset of my decision to enter, I promised myself I would do this for me, my writing, the issues of reading/writing, to raise awareness for Childhood Apraxia of Speech, all while remaining true to myself. I would not bend who I am for anyone or for any reason. To Thine Own Self Be True...


When researching what this particular pageant was all about, I discover that it's mission is to uphold the lives of married woman and motherhood, what we stand for, and what we've done with our lives. I thought to myself, 'Now that's me. Something I can support.' To Thine Own Self Be True...

My image in the background

Throughout the past five months, using my experience of marriage, motherhood, and career, I have exercised what I stand for, what I've done with my life, and I've shared that with others. I've done it in a respectful and enthusiastic manner, for myself, my family and friends, as well as my amazing sponsors.

I love my school kiddos!!

Participating pushed me out of my comfort zone and out into the world again. I've been on TV, interviewed by newspapers, done some modeling and been a spokeswoman, entered a nation picture book contest, given a writer's workshop for middle grade students who are sending me their work to edit, and gained the respect of my family, friends, and community.

In November, while I was in Cancun celebrating my 20th wedding anniversary, contestant numbers were chosen. I was chosen Contestant #1. To be honest, that didn't bother me. I've been a performer all my life, so I don't have much fear of the stage.

Fast-forward to the weekend before the pageant. We had a workshop to learn our opening number and go over a sequence for the bathing suit number. As our fabulous instructor (and she really is fabulous) taught us, many of the other contestants, not being trained in dance, had questions. Some turned to me for answers. I answered their questions, directing them to be their best. To Thine Own Self Be True...

Rehearsal...

During our pageant weekend rehearsals, I ended up being an intricate part of each group stage performance.  Being Contestant #1, I cued the other contestants on music and when to start steps. I set the stage by entering with force to get the audience's attention. I even counted an 8-count on stage, so the contestants could catch the next step together and had an extra 4-count added to my dance to alert the other ladies when to catch the music. To Thine Own Self Be True... 

On stage rehearsals...me in red skirt.

Rehearsal Day One was a long day. Walking in five-inch heels for ten hours can take it's toll. Once again, because of my vast experience, I expected this so I was prepared. Others were not. One, who ended up being the winner, needed help with blisters on her feet. I helped her pad her shoes with moleskin to keep the shoes from irritating her blisters. I was asked why I would help her. And to that, I asked myself this question: Would I want to win anything in life, knowing that an opponent wasn't up to par? To Thine Own Self Be True...

Some of you may also be thinking 'Why on Earth was she helping the other contestants?' Because that's who I am, and as I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I would not bend my inner self for anyone or for any reason just to get ahead. To Thine Own Self Be True...

That decision exudes the confidence, poise, and strength I feel gives purpose to the title Mrs.

My amazing husband, Artie.

Confidence comes from muscling through life's challenges and disappointments, and coming out the other side more resilient than before.

Poise is a sense of humility, mingling with self-assurance in who you are and the ability to demonstrate that through graceful walking and posture.

Strength must be forged under pressure, steam, and heat. With each of these, new building blocks of strength are cast, giving a woman the strong foundation and ultimately walls with which to support others.

Me in blue with some of the contestants getting
ready for the fitness competition.

Not being awarded the crown was perfectly okay with me. It would possess approximately three-fourths of my weekends during the upcoming year, which would have been detrimental to my large family. However, being snubbed for the top five felt very unfair. I don't hold the three directors, who organized the event responsible. Those three ladies are respectable, full of class, and had absolutely nothing to do with the end result. Also, I mean no disrespect to the amazing ladies who were chosen. I truly heart them all for their talents, strengths, beauty, and resilience.  But collectively, the five didn't possess my experience of marriage for 20 years and motherhood of 18 years. Now, I can see if I wasn't a concise speaker (during my interviews, I had three of the five judges compliment me on that), was unintelligent and ugly, didn't look good in a bathing suit, or couldn't walk in heels. According to audience members other than my family and friends, none of those were the case. They were as confused as I was at the snubbing I received.

Me, leading the other ladies.

Now this is what truly stung. A few of those wonderful ladies had only been married one year, three, or four years; some had no children. How can they exude all that marriage and motherhood stands for, when their experience has been so short? (It's like undergoing heart surgery and being given the choice between a heart surgeon with 20 years of experience or the young surgeon just out of med school.) Then directly after the top five were announced, the pageant awarded me with a Marriage Longevity award. Talk about a slap in the face. That act totally contradicted what this pageant supposedly stood for and nosedived my confidence and support for the pageant. With saying that, I DO believe longevity in marriage should be recognized. It is a feat. For my experience, the timing was simply poor. To Thine Own Self Be True...


But life is not always fair, and things don't always turn out as they should for whatever reasons. People are individuals and have an array of opinions just as subjective as the publishing world. I.E. my writer friends can fully relate. I've taken this and used it as a teaching experience for my children, who span the ages of 18, 15, 13, & 8. To Thine Own Self Be True...


Throughout the two days of rehearsal, many of the contestants shared with me their gratefulness that I was Contestant #1, that I had amazing stage presence which gave them confidence to get out there, and that I was truly a leader. Isn't that what a Mrs. should be: a self-confident yet humble leader, who motivates others to strive for more and better themselves? Maybe that was my true purpose for being a part of this. No need for a pat on the back. To Thine Own Self Be True...

If the judges didn't want, at the very least, to recognize a woman who is self-sacrificing, a humble leader, a commander on stage, a wife and mother with oodles of experience to share and motivate others, an intellect willing to teach yet remain open to continued learning, a writer with the passion to aid our state through her education endeavors, and an Apraxia of Speech advocate who's already hooked up with a national organization willing to back her, then I'm okay with that. They simply decided to highlight Mrs. in a different way. I will still follow my dreams and achieve my goals.

Am I scorned? No. This experience gave me another opportunity to demonstrate how I take life off the chin, let it fuel me to become an even stronger woman and a classy example of what is truly meant by the title Mrs.

After it was all over and despite the confusion threading my family, friends, and some audience members that I didn't even know, my youngest child - CJ, my 8-yr-old with Apraxia of Speech - said, "But Ma, at least we all know and we're all here supporting you."

Yeah...To Thine Own Self Be True...


Here's a little gift from me to you.