HELP THE ELF: I Found Santa’s Missing Nice List!

Hi everyone! As you may remember, a few weeks ago PETE the Elf had a touch too much Eggnog at the Holiday Christmas Party and as he stumbled home, he lost Santa's NICE LIST.

The North Wind scattered the papers to all four corners of the world, and The Bookshelf Muse put out a call to help find them in order to SAVE CHRISTMAS.

Ever since I read about it, I've been on the lookout. And then today, EUREKA!

Yes that's right...I found part of Santa's missing NICE LIST. There it was, fluttering in the wind, half caught under the corner of my welcome mat. And shock of all shocks, I recognized the name, and I bet you will too.

Here it is below:

NAME: Jennifer Million

LOCATION: A Day Into The Writer

NICE LEVEL: 90%

NAUGHTY LEVEL: 10%

OBSERVATIONS: Jen is one of my first critique partners and fellow YALitchat moderator, and she's awesome: great sense of humor, spunky, and generous with her time. She's never failed me. I love our writerly chats, even when we veer off course and start crabbing about who know's what. Her blog posts are hilarious.

RECOMMENDATION:  a) Coal   b) a digital copy of Jessica Sorensen's the coincidence of Callie & Kayden!!

~ ~ * ~ ~

Because poor Pete is dashing all over the place trying to hunt down the rest of Santa's missing Nice List, I decided to take care of this one myself. Becca, I feel so blessed to know you! Enjoy the gift I sent to your inbox and have a wonderful Christmas! Photo credit: assorted gold baubles (christmasstockimages.com) / CC BY 3.0

HOLIDAY SPLAT: I'll be taking a blogging break from today until January 7th. Have a safe and fun-filled holiday with your family and friends!! 

Many BLESSINGS to all!!

How about you, Readers? Is there someone you'd like to say Happy Holidays to, or tell them how much they mean to you? JOIN US! There's plenty of days left until Christmas, and sometimes a kind word can lift people up in a way that they really need. It's as easy as sending a free ecard or email note, posting on a Facebook wall or sending out a tweet. So go ahead and spread some kindness and cheer!

YA/New Adult Book Spotlight: ROUGE

The Alleyway's segment 'Book Spotlight' is a reoccurring segment to share either my views and recommendations about a story or to simply promote and spread the word about a tale.

Title: ROUGE
Author: Leigh Talbort Moore
Genre: Mature New Adult/Upper YA, light historical/ theater romance
Released: November 11, 2012
Pages: 300

I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review. 

Favorite Line/Passage: Hours passed as I lay in the darkness listening to Teeny breathe. Desperation had me by the throat, making it impossible to sleep. I couldn't stop thinking of how we might escape until finally I gave up and slipped out of bed. 

Description: Trapped in the underground theater world of 1890s New Orleans, Hale Ferrer has only one goal: escape. But not without Teeny, the orphan-girl she rescued from the streets and promised to protect.

Freddie Lovel, Hale's wealthy Parisian suitor, seems to be the easy solution. If only his touch could arouse her interest like Beau's, the penniless stagehand who captures her heart.

Denying her fears, Hale is poised to choose love until an evil lurking in their cabaret-home launches a chain of events that could cost her everything.

COVETED!! MUST HAVE!

My Splats: an unlikely setting of theater and hidden brothel brought to life by romance, self-sacrifice, and the basic human instinct of survival. 

Nineteenth century flare is captured beautifully in both the world created and the prose, tugging the reader along Hale's unsure path. Driven to seek a better life for herself and the young tween she cares for, Hale is willing to do almost anything to escape this world of old, where woman are seen more as objects and sought after for pleasure or expected to have a husband to survive. This is an interesting subject and definitely more mature; Upper YA/New Adult is a good definition. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Hale's character. She's smart, talented, and caring amid a backdrop of self-seekers and dangers she knows are just around the corner as she nears next birthday. Mature for her ripe age of newly eighteen, she can easily be an inspiration to today's teenage girl. Hale is proactive, unwilling to sit back and let life happen to her. 

Dialog is always a clincher for me, and there was no disappointment in that as characters exchanged words. Vocal emotions, opinions, warnings, and directions all sparked with delight and spunk. Living words, I like to call them. 

Sweet romance softens Hale's hard world with forbidden longing and passion through a love triangle that tugs at every heartstring. The dynamics of a guy of lesser means who is totally unexpected and the affluent gentleman who's nice and polite is moving. And when crossed with Hale's living conditions and guardianship to the younger tween, there's plenty of conflict and strife for all. 

Hale needs a way out and she's found a sure thing in Freddie, the gentleman who's totally fallen for her and her amazing singing voice. But her heart pulls her in another direction - toward Beau. She's faced with the gut-wrenching decision of whether to follow her head or her heart. 

As the story moves toward the climax, so much threatens her well-being that her choices seem to be erased. I found myself unable to stop reading, my heart ready to leap from my chest, which swam in an ocean of emotions. At one point, I cried, mainly because of the unique friendship Hale has with one of the male characters in the theater. This relationship added much depth to both character and story. Lastly....

...OMGosh, the ending!! 

I would recommend this read to any older teen reader and adults alike, romance lover, and even a theater buff. Moore really captures the backstage of the theater well. 

As an added surprise for all you precious Alleywalkers, ROUGE is offered for the special holiday price of only $0.99 through Christmas Day. Plus, it's free December 19th & 20th, available as an Amazon Kindle Select!!

So tell me: have you ever read a story with the theater as the setting? Another interesting setting?

YA Author Spotlight: Sarah Fine

GRAFFITI PROMOTIONS is a regular feature on Writer's Alley, where authors and aspiring writers, editors, publishers, and anyone from the publishing world, to share their journeys, valuable wisdom, and to promote their work along a road of humor, encouragement, and inspiration. Features include Author Interviews, Book Promos, and Character Introductions.


Today's feature is YA Author Sarah Fine. Sarah was born on the West Coast, raised in the Midwest, and is now firmly entrenched on the East Coast, where she lives with her husband and two children. When she's not writing, she's working as a child psychologist. No, she is not psychoanalyzing you right now. SANCTUM is her first novel. She is represented by Literary Agent Kathleen Ortiz. Sarah can be found on her Website and blog, The Strangest Situation.

What or who inspired you to start writing?
I started writing pretty abruptly. In November 2009, a few days after my 30-mumble-mumblth birthday, I decided to write a novel. And a month later, I was finished. My family and friends were utterly shocked, because I'd never talked about writing before. I guess I just felt this internal push, and finally it exploded out of me. For a while, I was afraid it would stop, but at this point I've completed something like ten manuscripts (SANCTUM was the second book I ever wrote). I'm pretty confident this writing thing is going to stick.

I love the name of your blog - The Strangest Situation. Tells us a bit about it and how you began blogging. 
I started my blog right after I got my agent, because I knew I needed to enter the social media world. As a psychologist, I thought I might have the opportunity to share some of the stuff I know, and I've truly enjoyed the dialog I have with my extremely smart blog readers. I try to keep the blog focused on questions related to psychology and YA, and I think that's served me well. People know what they're going to get when they visit.

Share what it's like working with your agent and publisher.
My agent, Kathleen Ortiz, is the awesomest. Her work with me goes so far beyond getting me book deals (which she happens to be very good at)--she advises me in all things, from strategizing about social media to planning for my long-term career. I am so so so fortunate in my agent, and I'm extremely grateful to her.

As for publishers--I have three! And each one is different and fantastic in its own way. I'm lucky to have dedicated and talented editors, and they continue to help me improve my writing and storytelling. It's been a great experience so far.

Description: A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos's best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance – hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn't just anyone – she's determined to save her best friend's soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she's captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city's endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn't – the dark city isn't the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate. Available on Amazon & Goodreads.

What do you feel is the most important to successful writing - drive, honing the craft, betas, perseverance, CPs, research, platform, or cyber-presence, and why?
I suppose I'm rather old school--I think writers should focus on the quality of their writing and storytelling first and foremost. I don't believe that one needs an MFA or a library full of craft books or anything like that (though I don't have anything against those things). But I do think that a writer should know her way around the language and should have a good sense of story structure, characterization, etc. Most of my knowledge comes from 1) reading A LOT, 2) writing A LOT,  and 3) feedback from critique partners, editors, and my agent. In other words, nothing formal. But those things alone have allowed me to improve my writing to publishable quality over the last three years.

This is a great answer! Thank you.

Lastly, here's a fun question: How do you name your characters?

I admit to sometimes choosing names based on meaning. The protagonist of Sanctum is Lela Santos. "Lela" means "loyal" in French and "dark-haired beauty" in Persian. And "Santos", of course, means "saint."

I definitely don't make all decisions about names based on meaning, though. For example, I just love the name "Malachi", and chose it only for that reason!

Thank you, Sarah for sharing yourself and your work with us. 

Alleywalkers, for those of you who are writers, how do you name your characters?

Interested in being featured? Just click on one of the three links under Graffiti Promotions Submissions in my left sidebar.

A NUTSHELL of Craft & FREE SOULS Reveal!

Two posts made into one for two SPECIAL ladies and two MORE holiday gift ideas!! Go forth and read!

Bookish Holiday Gift Idea #3: Book on craft....

Click to add me to Goodreads!

Have you been told there's a little too much telling in your novel? Want to remedy it? Then this is the book for you!

In Show & Tell in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Transitions from Telling to Showing you will find sixteen real scenes depicting a variety of situations, emotions, and characteristics which clearly demonstrate how to turn telling into showing. Dispersed throughout, and at the back of the book, are blank pages to take notes as you read. A few short writing prompts are also provided.

Not only is this pocket guide an excellent learning tool for aspiring writers, but it is a light, convenient, and easy solution to honing your craft no matter how broad your writing experience. Keep it in the side pocket of your school bag, throw it in your purse, or even carry it around in the pocket of your jeans or jacket, to enhance your skills, keep notes, and jot down story ideas, anywhere, anytime.

If you purchase the e-book, you will be armed with the convenient hyper-linked Contents Page, where you can toggle backward and forward from different scenes with ease. Use your e-reader's highlighting and note-taking tools to keep notes instead.

The author, Jessica Bell, also welcomes questions via email, concerning the content of this book, or about showing vs. telling in general, at showandtellinanutshell@gmail.com

Reviews:

“Jessica Bell addresses one of the most common yet elusive pieces of writing advice—show, don't tell—in a uniquely user-friendly and effective way: by example. By studying the sixteen scenes she converts from “telling” into “showing,” not only will you clearly understand the difference; you will be inspired by her vivid imagery and dialogue to pour through your drafts and do the same.” ~Jenny Baranick, College English Teacher, Author of Missed Periods and Other Grammar Scares

“A practical, no-nonsense resource that will help new and experienced writers alike deal with that dreaded piece of advice: show, don’t tell. I wish Bell’s book had been around when I started writing!” ~Talli Roland, bestselling author

Purchase the paperback:
$4.40 on Amazon US
£3.99 on Amazon UK

Purchase the e-book:
$1.99 on Amazon US
£1.99 on Amazon UK
$1.99 on Kobo

About the Author:
The Australian-native contemporary fiction author and poet, Jessica Bell, also makes a living as an editor and writer for global ELT publishers (English Language Teaching), such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, Macmillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

She is the Co-Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and co-hosts the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek Isle of Ithaca, with Chuck Sambuchino of Writer’s Digest.

For more information about Jessica Bell, please visit: 
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Bookish Holiday Gift Idea #4: COVER REVEAL for the fabulous Susan Kaye Quinn!!

Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

(Book Three of the Mindjack Trilogy) Now Available!

When your mind is a weapon, freedom comes at a price.

Four months have passed since Kira left home to join Julian’s Jacker Freedom Alliance, but the hole in her heart still whistles empty where her boyfriend Raf used to be. She fills it with weapons training, JFA patrols, and an obsessive hunt for FBI agent Kestrel, ignoring Julian’s worries about her safety and repeated attempts to recruit her for his revolutionary chat-casts. When anti-jacker politician Vellus surrounds Jackertown with the National Guard, Kira discovers there’s more to Julian’s concerns than she knew, but she’s forced to take on a mission that neither want and that might be her last: assassinating Senator Vellus before he can snuff out Julian’s revolution and the jackers she’s come to love.

All Mindjack stories available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes (Note Free Souls is not yet available on iTunes)

Early Praise for Free Souls

“Quinn paints a picture of a not-too-distant America where politicians inflame the hatred of one section of the populace for another—all for their own gain—and you worry that her world is not so far off from our own.”

— Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and the forthcoming The Eighth Day

"Free Souls starts with a bang and doesn't let up. Like a mash-up of all your favorite science-fiction adventures from Star Wars to The Legend of Korra, it blends nonstop action, nail-biting escapes, and great romance. I absolutely loved it! A great series conclusion—a must-read."

— Leigh Talbert Moore, author of Rouge and The Truth About Faking

“Susan did it again. Free Souls was WOW! I expected Kira to step up to her role as heroine but not like this. Surprises kept coming until the very end which tied up more loose ends than I knew existed. Warning: Don't start reading until you have time to finish. I didn't want to put Free Souls down for a second. It's that kind of book.”

— Sher A. Hart, Goodreads Review

Interview Susan's over at Amy Saunder's blog today (12.14.12), answering questions about how she came up with the mages' abilities, what kind of mage she would be, and all about her future works. Digital Box Set Since Free Souls is out, there is now a Digital Box Set of the Mindjack Trilogy for those of you who want the whole series!

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

Mindjack Origins Collection Want more Julian? Wondering how Sasha's ability really works? Looking for EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls? This collection of novellas, scenes, and other goodies is for those craving a bit more of the characters and drama of the Mindjack series.

Includes: Mindjack Novellas Mind Games (Raf's story) The Handler (Julian's story) The Scribe (Sasha's story) TWO EXCLUSIVE DELETED SCENES from Free Souls (published nowhere else!) PLUS Mindjack flash fiction, an (imaginary) conversation between Raf and Julian, and other goodies for readers who want just a little bit more of Kira, Julian, Raf, and the Mindjack crew.

Available on Amazon, Barnes&Noble

ENTER TO WIN one of FIVE ecopies of the Mindjack Origins Collection

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Young Adult Teen Tuesday: Fire Elemental Blog Tour!

Here with another edition of YATT, and what I have for you is pretty cool! 'K, not cool, but hot. Fiery HOT. I'm pleased to be a part of another AToMR Tour, introducing you to FIRE - Elemental #4 in Shauna Granger's series and HERE for full tour schedule. 

GOODREADS

Author: Shauna Granger

Release date: Dec. 18, 2012

Genre: Urban Fantasy, YA/New Adult

Demons, faeries, and mermaids. Claws, teeth, and nightmares. 

They have been beaten and bruised, set on fire, and nearly drowned, but manage to always find their way home.  Over their last Winter Holiday break before college, Shayna, Jodi, and Steven try again to put aside the magic in their lives for a little mundane fun. But Shayna's mother is having dreams of fire and death. A mysterious stranger by the name of Liam has just arrived in town. And Shayna's attempts to manage her new angelic powers are set back by Steven's insistence that the trio intervene in a riot outside of a concert, with disastrous consequences.

In her attempt to stop the riot, a man sees Shayna use her magical abilities – a man driven mad by watching his brother die at the hands of a black witch. He stalks Shayna, plotting to destroy her and her friends. With her mother’s warnings echoing in her mind, Shayna is now in the fight of her life against an unlikely foe: a human man.

Check out the special excerpt given to me to share with you! But PSST...Make sure you read to the end and enter a fabulous giveaway! Plus, I'm FINALLY announcing a splatter of winners from my past few giveaways. 

Excerpt #1 from FIRE: 

We stood there in companionable silence for a while, watching the dancers swaying to the music while the shadows and light flickered between them. I didn’t realize I had started moving to the beat of the music until I accidentally brushed up against Liam.

“Oops,” I said, “sorry.”

“Perfectly all right,” he said. Then he took my hand in his and started forward, pulling me with him.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” I asked, trying in vain to pull against him.

“Oh, lighten up, will you?” he said with a roll of his eyes when he stopped and turned to face me. 

He twirled me suddenly, surprising a yelp out of me before he caught me. My back was to him, shoulders pressed into his chest. His body was already moving to the slow, low beat of the music, and his hands were resting on the swell of my hips, guiding me to follow his lead. Tiny pin pricks were running up my spine and my palms were a little sweaty. I could feel the crowd around us, pressing against my shields and stealing some of the air.

“Relax,” Liam whispered in my ear. 

His breath was hot against the nape of my neck, making me shiver. I closed my eyes and focused on my breath. I could taste the smoke and ash in the air, the spice of lust and abandon, the musk of warm bodies. The music slipped and slid around us. Behind my eyelids, I could see the electricity of the bodies around us again. Liam’s body was warm and firm behind me. His fingers curled into my hips, guiding me into the swish and sway of his body. My head dropped back, resting on his shoulder as my muscles slowly began to unwind, one by one. I settled my hands over Liam’s as we moved, my knees bouncing in time with the music, my hips in time with his.

Liam turned his face towards me so that his cheek brushed against mine. It was smooth and warm and I felt myself turning towards it. I opened my eyes and could see the rich redness of his lips very near to my face. The tip of his tongue darted out to moisten his lips, making me swallow. I lifted my gaze up the length of his jaw, over the cut of his cheekbone until I watched his eyes. Surprisingly, he wasn’t watching me. His eyes were half closed and it seemed as though he wasn’t looking at anything really, he was just lost in the moment.

His head dipped forward and he turned his face towards me again so that his nose and lips were nuzzled in close to the bend of my neck. My heart thudded against my chest and his fingers gripped my hips tighter, pulling me against him so that there wasn’t as much as an inch between the lines of our bodies. I felt a rumble in his chest, rolling through him until his lips vibrated against my neck. I was suddenly very aware of my pulse in my neck, terrifyingly close to his lips. Chills ran up my arms, and just when I thought he might’ve kissed me, the music shifted and Liam pushed me away and spun me around.

He laughed when I gasped in surprise, but he caught my wrists and pulled me into him again, draping my arms around his neck. His hands slid down my arms, over my ribs until he finally took my waist and again he was leading me in a rhythmic swaying dance. Now that we were face to face, I felt less self-conscious looking him in the eye and he stared right back. A corner of his mouth quirked up in a little smile and his eyes held a heat that made me want to swallow again. I brought my hands down to rest against his chest. It was strange not feeling a heartbeat under my fingers, even though I had never thought about that before when dancing with a boy.

Can't help but wonder what happens next!

Giveaway: (5) ebooks of EARTH, AIR, WATER, or FIRE – Open International

• Grand prize: Shayna’s Solstice gift to Deb (a hand knitted scarf) and a signed paperback of the winner’s choosing (Earth, Air, Water or Fire), bookmark, and a $10 Gift Card for either Amazon or B&N. – Open to US/Canada

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Purchase:

• Earth - Amazon, Barnesand Noble, Kobo.
• Air - Amazon, Barnesand Noble, Kobo.
• Water - Amazon, Barnesand Noble, Kobo.

Author Bio:

I don't do well talking about myself. So as basics go, I have recently self-published the first two books in my Elemental Series, Earth and Air, Young Adult Urban Fantasy novels. Look for the third installment, Water, coming in 2012!

I have been working on the Elemental Series for the last four years and plan for it to be a 5 book series. It was a hard decision to self-publish but it's been an exciting and terrifying ride. Shauna Granger | Twitter | Facebook

ALLEYWALKER SPLAT ALERT!! 

I have five, count'em, five giveaways to announce the winners for. I promised not to waste anymore time, so here goes: 

The winner of my TRANSCEND Book & Swag Giveaway is: BEVERLY STOWE MCCLURE!!

The winners of my THANKSGIVING DAY Giveaway:

•  a copy of The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Anthology 2012, which released yesterday is:  LAURA PAULING!!
• an ecopy of my bestie Leigh Moore's ROUGE is: DAWNA NEWMAN!!
• Kindle edition of my bestie Sarah Fine's SANCTUM is: ELIZA TILTON!!
• an ecopy of my besties Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi's EMOTIONAL THESAURUS is: BEVERLY STOWE MCCLURE!

The winner of our PASSION BLUE Giveaway is: KELLY HASHWAY!

The winner of a digital copy of FADE Giveaway is: FIERY NA!

YA Book Spotlight: NIGHTINGALE

As an official participant in the NIGHTINGALE Blog Tour, I posted a Q&A a few weeks ago. I was, however, also supposed to release a book review. But with life as it can be sometimes, I didn't receive the book in time. So I'm releasing it now.

Title: NIGHTINGALE
Author: NYT Bestseller David Farland
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: East India Press
Released: December 2011
Pages: 496

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a hardcopy for review.

Favorite Line/Passage: But it wasn't like pages flashing before his eyes. It was more like little explosions in his head, as if landmines in his brain were going off, and these dark thoughts were just bits of shrapnel. Hundreds of them blossomed like mushroom clouds by the second. Bron was shocked and disgusted by the enormous quantity of them.

Description: Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Because thats what his people do. Raised in foster care, hes kicked from home to home, for being too strange. Because thats how his people are. At age 16, hes the ultimate loner, until hes sent to a new foster home and meets Olivia, a marvelous teacher. She recognizes that Bron is something special, something her people can a Nightingale, a creature that is not quite human. Steel yourself. Youre about to meet Brons people. Suddenly epic forces combine to claim Bron, and he must fight to keep from getting ripped away from the only home, family, and girlfriend that he has ever known. He must risk his life to learn the answers to the mystery of his birth: What am I? Where did I come from?

NIGHTSTAND WORTHY

My Splats: a world within a world and a boy striving to do what was right despite the odds.

Bron was immediately easy to fall for. A victim of the System, he'd been bounced from one foster home to the next with no advocate really watching out for him and his best interests. The story opened with him in one of those less-than-fortunate situations, which sent the images of a male Cinderella to my mind. Emotionally battered, yet a strong will to survive, his plight was one many can connect with. Like most teens, Bron felt different. And he really was.

The mystery of Bron's tale soon took him to yet another 'foster' situation. However, this time was a move of fortune - a window into his real identity and a provided him with a guide to show him the way. The setting was interesting: a school focused on kids with creative talents such as artists or musicians. From this world building, Farland thrust the reader into Bron's first of many threats that could cost him his new found home - which he actually liked.

Another race living among the human race was clean and probable. Good verses Evil bled through the hidden race as well as between that race and humans. Basically, there was plenty of 'bad.' The concept of implanting memories and/or erasing them was intriguing. I won't say that I bought every explanation of the process throughout the book, but it was thought-provoking.  

At one point, the story took a turn, refreshing the reader with a loving and self-examining tone. With all this memory swapping, implanting, and altering, it had to be difficult to figure out what one believed and who could be trusted - just as in real life: What really makes a person behave the way they do? Could more hope, love, or courage change their behavior?

At the climax, Bron was wedged between good and evil again, but more than that, he was forced to confront the inner battle of right and wrong within him. 

As expected, the writing flowed and engaged me. Crumbs of information lay scattered amid the words with each turn of the page. Strategic places, teasing the reader. There was no doubt - Farland could tell a story. Though Bron was surely the main character, I enjoyed seeing his development through Olivia's (his new step-mom) eyes.

I'd have to say my only frown upon the book was the pacing. At times, the story lagged, almost seeming like information dumps, even during a few sections of dialog; felt too convenient. But in Farland's defense, he definitely had a ton of information to feed to the reader. 

I would recommend this book to any tween/teen/adult with a passion for reading longer novels consisting of strong world building and characters. Check it out.

ALLEYWAY ALERT! Something majorly exciting is happening today for me as well as some other amazing writers. The Best of Vine Leaves Anthology 2012 launches today!!! I'm thrilled to be included in such a wonderful collection of work. It would make a fantastic Christmas present for someone in your life. Or why not you?? I'd be forever grateful if you'd check it out and/or spread the word about it's release today. 

Look, I even have a pre-written tweet for you to use, courtesy of Jessica Bell!! 

Out today! @VineLeavesLJ Best of #Anthology, #NewRelease Awesome vignettes, incredible talent. Great 4 #xmasstocking!http://bit.ly/VdvIKj

Scarlet Woods Blog Tour!

Past, future, and love all exist in the door through time.

Modern and independent seventeen year old Morgan Westbrook thought she had seen all there was to her home town of Scarlet, Georgia, but one day while walking in the woods behind her house she discovers a
mysterious door masked behind the trees. After admiring the door’s timeless beauty she walks through its entrance to venture into more woods, but what she doesn’t know is that the door is a gateway through
time that takes her back to the year 1863 during the days of the Civil War in Scarlet.

Without knowing that she had traveled back in time, she stumbles upon Danny Carson, an attractive young man who is appalled to see that Morgan is wearing skimpy modern clothes instead of a nineteenth
century dress. Although they find each other completely different than anyone they’ve ever known, they cannot help but feel drawn to one another. After spending time in another century, she discovers that
she's time traveled back to the year 1863 and that the door took her there. For months she and Danny journey back and forth through the door to experience the joys of traveling to both of their centuries.
When dilemmas of unwanted marriage, slavery, and war are thrown at them, they must face the perils that time travel has delivered them in both the future and the past.



Now, meet Morgan Westbrook from Scarlet Woods.

Morgan, thanks for putting aside some of your time traveling to answer some questions for this interview.
I’m happy to do it, besides Danny was the one time traveling to see me in the future today so I didn’t miss out on anything really.

So, how exactly do you time travel to the year 1863?
I found out about time travel accidentally one day. I came upon this door in the woods behind my house and had no idea that walking through it would take me back to another century. It was a crazy experience and I still don’t know how that door is a portal through time, but hey it works so I take full advantage of time traveling every day.

Is there anyone who knows that you time travel?
Just Danny, no one else knows our secret. We can’t risk telling anyone about the door and have people think we’re crazy.

Now Danny Carson is the boy you met back in 1863 correct?
Yeah, he lives here in Scarlet but I live in the future while he lives in 1863. It’s weird that we both live in the same town but since we live in different centuries it’s like we live on two different planets since our time periods are so opposite.

So speaking of Danny, he is engaged right?
Yeah…

And I’m guessing that you don’t get along with his fiancée?
I would rather jump off a cliff if it meant avoiding her.

What’s the best thing about time traveling back to the nineteenth century?
Oh gosh it’s so much fun! I can’t even describe how incredible it is to be able to time travel. There are so many things I love about it that it’s so hard to choose what’s best. Even though sometimes I don’t like all the layers to the undergarments in the nineteenth century, I really do enjoy parading around in all the luxurious dresses I have. Also, men are much more gentlemanly to women during this time.

What’s the worst thing about the nineteenth century?
I freakin hate slavery. End of story. I could go on and on. Thanks to time travel, I have met this boy named Sam who is a slave and I just hate what all he has to go through at his plantation. Some slaves aren’t treated as bad as him, but still I don’t like it.

Do you have any people in your life right now that you don’t care for?
Well there’s Danny’s fiancée Evelyn Walker, who hates my guts, and then there’s her brother Roy Walker, who also hates my guts. I can’t stand the sight of him. He’s such a douche. The Walkers are the ones who own Sam. Roy is the main one who treats Sam bad. Every time I see Roy I want to punch him in the face.

Is the Civil War a big problem during this time for you and Danny?
The war hasn’t come to Scarlet yet. It will though eventually in 1864. I’ve told Danny about how the Union will come through Scarlet and practically destroy our town to the ground. He is scared of what is to happen to his home.

All this time travel sounds so interesting. It's been great chatting with you, Morgan. Let's meet your creator, Brooke Passmore.

I live in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma and am a 22 year old young woman who
probably will never fully grow up. As a kid I played with Polly Pockets, swam in my swimming pool practically every day during the summer, and went on vacations to Disney World with my family (favorite days of my life). I loved telling stories as a kid by playing with my Polly’s and dressing up like princesses with my friends. Eventually everything that went on in my busy imagination I wrote down on paper
in the late hours of the night.

When I was in sixth grade I moved into a new house with woods directly
behind my backyard. I’d walk about the woods and loved trampling through the creek or getting lost in the trees. These trips through the woods gave me my inspiration for my book trilogy Scarlet Woods. My main character in my book is Morgan who lives in a house where the woods are right behind her backyard. My love for trees and anything woodsy definitely shows in my book and I hope I painted a pretty picture in readers’ heads about what Scarlet Woods looks like.

My favorite candies are Skittles and M&M’s. I put ketchup on practically anything with meat (even with chicken quesadillas). I’m a great fan of Florence and the Machine, The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Birdie, and recently The Civil Wars. My favorite books are The Hunger Games, Shiver, and Wither. My favorite movies are Titanic and Gone with the Wind. The Vampire Diaries is the wonderful TV show I’m obsessed with (I’m a Delena lover!!). I hate ads on youtube that I repeatedly have to skip every single time I want to listen to the newest song from Glee. I love to smile, laugh, and purposefully sing loud and off key whenever my brother is around just to pester him. I have a cat named Phoebe who we named after Phoebe from Friends, a yorkie named Coco who we named because he likes to eat Cocoa Puffs, and a shih tzu maltese we named Indy after Indiana Jones. My favorite princess is Cinderella but I think my personality is a tie between Ariel and Belle so they’re all my ultimate faves. If I could choose a century to time travel to I’d probably choose the Victorian age, the roaring 20’s, the 1950’s, or the 1940’s. I think the Victorian age and the 1940’s were probably the most romantic eras in history and the 20’s and 50’s would probably the most fun! Check Brooke on her Blog, Twitter, and Goodreads.

SPLAT!! I didn't want you Alleywalkers to think I forgot about all the giveaways I've held, lately. I'll announce them all next week!

Blog Lover's Holiday Giveaway & MG Book Spotlight: God Love You, Chester Blue

For the month of December, I'm hosting my very own Bookish Holiday Gift Ideas for 2012, offering up suggestions for you to share as presents with your family and friends.

'Tis the Season to be given, right? What better way to give than to participate in I Am a Reader, Not a Writer's giveaway fest co-hosted by Maryann of Chapter by Chapter?

You're correct. There is no better way for this writer/blogger. AND look at the surprise I have for you: a review of the sweet book I'm offering up! 

Bookish Holiday Gift Idea #2: 
Sweet, innocent, and kind are a few adjectives I'd use to describe my next MG feature.

Title: God Loves You, Chester Blue
Author: Suzanne Anderson
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Harry and George Press
Released: June 24, 2012
Pages: 132

I'd like to thank the author for providing me with a copy of her book for review.

Favorite Line/Passage: Miss Millie stretched out her arms and embraced all the beauty she saw in the sky above her head. She silently thanked God for creating such a beautiful universe where anything was possible even when it seemed impossible. 

Description: What if when you most needed help, a blue bear appeared with a note from God? One night, Miss Millie of Blossom, Ohio turns her face to the stars and asks God for help. The next day, a package arrives on her doorstep containing a blue teddy bear and a special note. Over the course of a year, this remarkable blue bear travels across the country, showing up just when he’s needed most. During his journey, Chester Blue helps a young girl trying to impress her big sisters; saves a sailor caught in a terrible storm; reunites two constantly fighting brothers; helps a cowboy become a rodeo clown; and aids a father and daughter in bonding after divorce. If you ever needed a message from God, it's here.

NIGHTSTAND WORTHY

My Splats: A journey of miracles, hope, and trust that will stay with you long after.

This story is a chronicle of a special teddy bear, who unwittingly travels with family after family, person after person, and somehow finds all in need. He casts light on peoples' troubles, clearing their vision to see through their despair. 

Miss Millie is a sweet elderly woman able to reflect on past blessings, see a void in today, and hope, pray, wish, and dream for a better day. But her small town's hustle and bustle slowly moves away, leaving the town practically lifeless and her Fix It Teddy Bear Shop forced to close, she can't seem to see the light anymore.

Through the mystical appearance of a blue bear, Miss Millie and others are given hope and reason to keep forging ahead, striving for a new day. Chester Blue is a bear of miracles. He shares life lessons with the reader like perseverance, kindness, understanding, and patience.

The writing is simple yet holds a poetic quality - a great read-aloud for younger kids and a wonderful on-my-own read for MG fans. This story would make a wonderful Christmas present, and a perfect time to share Chester Blue!

For more, please visit Chester Blue and Author Suzanne Anderson on their Website. 

Simply ENTER for your chance to WIN a print copy of this wonderful book!! Winner will be announced Dec. 11th.
Good Luck, everyone!

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The NIGHTMARE Collection Tour

Today I'm kicking off my Bookish Holiday Gift Ideas for 2012! For the month of December, I'm going to be offering up suggestions for you to share as presents with your family and friends.

Bookish Holiday Gift Idea #1: Monday Madness brings us some manic and mania with a hint of nightMARE....

A legend is hungry tonight. 

A child monster will get its first taste of blood in Nightmare at the Freak Show. Four friend will enter the forest on December night, but only one can survive in Once Upon a December Nightmare. Almost ten years after Cassie's December nightmare, the monster awakens to hunt again in Nightmare Ever After.

Publication Date: November 17, 2012

Cover art by Nicemonkey at Dreamstime.com. Cover design by Aubrie Dionne. Bookworm logo for Surrounded by Books Publishing created by Cherie Reich.

Please welcome Cherie Reich - self-proclaimed bookworm, writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. Her short stories have appeared in magazines and anthologies. Her e-books include the horror series Nightmare, a short story collection with authors Aubrie Dionne and Lisa Rusczyk titled The Best of Raven and the Writing Desk, the futuristic space fantasy novelette trilogy Gravity, and The Foxwick Chronicles, a series of fantasy stories. She is a member of Valley Writers and the Virginia Writers Club. Visit her on her Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, & Goodreads.

Hi Cherie! It's great to have you on Writer's Alley. How did you begin writing?

I used to role-play and write Harry Potter fan fiction, but a character named Yssa, who was the Phoenix Prophetess, really inspired me to write. She started as a character from a Harry Potter role-playing game and involved into her own character with her own background and story in a fantasy world of her own. After three years of daydreaming about her and the other characters in the story, I had to write it.

The person who kept me writing, though, was Christine Rains. We knew each other on the Harry Potter role-playing games, and each week I would send her a chapter of The Phoenix Prophetess. Without Christine's support, I don't know if I would've kept writing.

What are your thoughts about self-promotion, author platforms, and the ever-changing publishing world?

Self-promotion is like being on Survivor. You don't want to push too hard or you'll make yourself a bigger target, and the tribe will vote you out. You don't want to do too little or the other players will think of you as a weak player and vote you out. You have to find the right balance for you. What do you enjoy doing? How do you want to portray yourself? Writers don't have to be on every single social media outlet. Find what works best for them and run with it. The key is balance and finding your niche for your author platform to work along with your self-promotion.

As for the ever-changing publishing world, it's an exciting time to be an author. We have so many more options to get our work out there in front of readers.

You mentioned social media. Let's focus on one aspect of that arena, your blog. Tell us a bit about your experience with blogging.
I started blogging on May 29, 2009 because I heard that was a good way for an author to network. I mainly blogged about my writing at first and then moved on to talking about books and helping other authors. Right now I blog mainly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and have themed days.

I started blogging for the same reason. Thanks for joining us, Cherie, and best of luck with The Nightmare Collection!


Giveaway:

Cherie is giving away prizes to two lucky people. The prize packages are open internationally and include: a signed copy of The Nightmare Collection, a signed copy of Gravity: The Complete Trilogy, and a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

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The Nightmare Collection is available in ebook format at Smashwords, Amazon US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, JP, Nook, Nook UK, Kobo. Available in print format at Createspace, Amazon US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT.