Rainy Day Ramblings

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has apurpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy. Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side. As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny? Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Hardcover, 435 pagesPublished January 4th 2011 by HarperTeen (first published January 1st 2011)

Four stars: A wonderful debut book! I highly recommend this one!

This was my first book about angels and what a pleasant surprise it was!  As intriguing as the whole angel aspect was, I admit I was more enamored with the setting, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It is the absolute best part of this novel. Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons, are an excellent backdrop, to this beautiful story about a young lady, plagued by visions of a forest fire and a handsome, young stranger. Clara is not your average girl. She is part angel and she is trying to determine her purpose on this earth.  Her journey of self discovery and growth leads to a great love and a fateful decision.  Will she choose her destined path or follow her heart?  

 What I Liked:

• Clara, our heroine, she is quarter angel blood. Even though she is part angel, the rest is human.  As a sixteen year old, she suffers all the normal angst of any teenage girl.  That is what I admired about her; she is beautiful and ethereal but she sees herself as gawky, with big eyes and horrible hair.  She has all the insecurities of a typical teenager. The story follows her exploration and revelation of who she is and her purpose. I loved the fact that Clara learns to listen to heart. 
• Tucker, the affable cowboy, with the rusty pickup truck and sharp wit.  He is fun, sweet and charming.  A handsome guy, that every girl would love to introduce to her parents.  He is a  gentleman, with excellent manners.  I delighted in his antagonistic behavior towards Clara.  I also enjoyed his character development.
• The angel concept was unique and interesting.  I liked the idea that angels live among us as normal humans.  I was fascinated by the color of their wings.  The whiter the wings, the more pure and good the angel.  I also liked the introduction of good and bad angels, white and dark wings. 
• I was charmed with how the romance unfolds in the book.  In the beginning you are led to believe that Clara will fall in love with one boy, but then another comes along and snatches her heart.  I liked how there were subtle hints along the way and then when the relationship blossoms, it is so sweet and pure. One of my favorite parts was the summer days of young love, involving row boats on the lake, rafting, swimming, jumping in the river, huckleberry picking, hiking and fishing; it was just perfect!
• The setting; absolutely my favorite part of the novel.  Ok, I admit it, I grew up in Idaho Falls, so to have the story take place in Jackson Hole was awesome.  I reveled in all of the descriptions of the magnificent scenery, especially because I knew every destination in the book, having had the pleasure to visit all of them.  The vivid pictures that Ms. Hand paints made me nostalgic and homesick.  This book makes you want to visit Jackson Hole.

 And The Not So Much:

• Several characters lacked development and depth.  Christian, he is such an essential part of the story but I felt that I barely glimpsed the extent of his character.  I definitely want to know him better.  Clara's mother Meg, her character begins the story as a loving, supportive mother.  She is there to guide Clara as she discovers her purpose.  Then she becomes distant and mysterious.  She refuses to answer Clara's questions, she disappears and becomes aloof.  This was a big disappointment to me because I thought she was fascinating and I wanted to know her secrets.  I am hoping that in future books she will take us into her confidence.  Jeffrey, Clara's younger brother, I really wanted more of him in the story. Especially at the end when he shows his wings.  What is going with him? I hope we learn more about him in the next book.  Then finally, Angela, she is supposedly one of Clara's best friends but something was so off with her.  I did not like her, I felt she was hiding something insidious.  
• I was slightly confused about the angel's wing color.  It changed color dependent upon the angel's actions, if they made a poor decision, their wings darkened.  I wondered does the color remain this way or can they lighten again?  I wanted further clarification on this topic.
• The story is a little slow.  The book focuses on Clara's repeated vision of her purpose; you see this theme repeated over and over throughout the book, it gets somewhat repetitive.  The majority of the book follows Clara, attending school and engaging in typical teenage activities.  Not a lot happens, luckily the writing is smooth and the story is interesting enough to keep your attention, until you get to the dramatic climax and then it is an electrifying finish.  Well worth the wait!
• This is a nit picky point but I enjoyed the wonderful descriptions and I was so excited when Clara was going to visit Yellowstone, I couldn't wait to read all the details. I was so disappointed when the story completely glosses over Yellowstone and all we get is a mention of a lost Korean tourist.  I think the reader misses out on the beauty and wonder of Yellowstone.  I hope that Ms. Hand will take us on a tour of Yellowstone in her next book, as well as a stop at the General Store in Swan Valley for a square ice cream cone.

Unearthly, is a charming book; I highly recommend it. I was blown away by the climatic ending and Clara's final choice.  I also loved the slow unfurling of the teenage romance.  It was innocent and tender.  The scenic backdrop of the Tetons made me so happy. I loved fly fishing, and huckleberry picking and the breathtaking beauty of the sunrise over the Tetons.  A great debut novel.  I am eager for the release of the second book, Hallowed, on January 17, 2012.  I hope we are treated to a tour of Jackson Hole in the fall.

 

Favorite Quotations:

"The full moon overhead spills a dreamy silver light onto the forest.  Crickets chirp.  A cool, pine-scented breeze rustles the leaves.  A perfect night."

"The sky's bathed in a mix of gray and pale yellow, with a tangle of bright pink clouds hanging right above where the Tetons jut into the sky, pure purple mountain majesty, standing like kings on the edge of the horizon."

 

Right now, this wonderful book is available on Amazon for $.99, Kindle version.  All of you who received a new e reader for Christmas, get a copy of this now why the price is so low. Trust me, you will be thrilled that you got it, especially with Hallowed being released on January 17, 2012. 

Speaking of Hallowed, you might want to stop back by the blog on Friday, January 6th.  See you there!

Challenges for 2012

12 DYSTOPIAN/POST-APOCALYPTIC IN 12 MONTHS

Hosted by Rosey's Review

Date: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Goal: To read 12 dystopian/apocalyptic themed novels during 2012

2012 DEBUT AUTHOR CHALLENGE

 Hosted by Story Siren

Date:  January 1, 2012 – January 31, 2013.

Goal: To read & review a minimum of twelve young adult or middle grade debut novels.

2012 TBR PILE READING CHALLENGE

Hosted by Bookish

Date: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Goal: Choose between 5 levels (1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40 or 41-50 books)

2012 SENSATIONAL SECONDS CHALLENGE

Hosted by Reading in the Corner

Date: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Goal: Choose between 4 levels (1-4, 5-8, 8-12 or 13+ books)

BOOK CHICK CITY’S MYSTERY & SUSPENSE READING CHALLENGE 2012

Hosted by Book Chick City

Date: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Goal: Choose between 2 levels (12 or 24 books)

YABLISS HISTORICAL FICTION CHALLENGE 2012

Hosted by YA Bliss

Date: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Goal: Choose between 3 levels (5 books, 10 books or 15 books)

2012 AUDIO BOOK CHALLENGE

Hosted by Teresa’s Reading Corner

Date: January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2012

Goal: 4 levels (Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio BooksGoing Steady- Listen to 12 Audio BooksLover- Listen to 25 Audio BooksMarried-Listen to +++  Audio Books)

 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her. Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
Hardcover, 487 pages
Published May 3rd 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books

Five Stars: This is a book that you need to read immediately! One of the best books of 2011! 

I always hesitate reading a dystopian novel. I think it is because I know that I will be in for a heart pounding, thrilling journey; fraught with struggles and hardship. I am always anxious for the characters whom I care for, because inevitably in this type of book people die. I also anticipate finding some strange, new world abundant with obstacles but will their be monsters? sickness? war? What awaits me in this novel Divergent? So after giving pause, I finally dove into the strange society based upon five Factions. People are segregated into these sects based on their dispositions. Each of these Factions is based on the ideals that are believed to prevent war and conflict. Reading this book you will ask yourself am I selfless like Abnegation; truthful as in Candor; a knowledge loving Erudite; do I jump without fear into Dauntless; or am I peaceful, thus suited for Amity? If you fail to meet the requirements, then you find yourself homeless and living on the edge of society; you are factionless. Then there are the rare few that defy the categorization process, they are Divergent. Despite the best intentions to form a utopian society we know, because history has taught us, that there are always those with a heart of darkness, bent on twisting and perverting the virtues to suit their own megalomaniacal desires. 

What I Liked: 

• This story lives up to the hype! It is a book that will have your heart pounding with anxiety. You will flip the pages as fast as you can to soak up the adventure. It is an adrenaline fueled thrill ride. If you are a dystopian junky this novel will satiate your hunger. Yet, you will also do some self introspection as you ponder over the hard choices that this book presents. Is that why people love dystopia? 
• The heroes in this book are superb. Tris and Four are daring and courageous, yet vulnerable when they tackle their darkest fears. I especially admired Tris' brave choice to choose a new life instead of remaining in the safety and comfort of familiar confines, knowing she would be miserable. I asked myself could I make the same great sacrifice or would I continue to be a square peg that is repeatedly thrust into the alienating round hole? What would you do? Then there is Tris' mother, so selfless, sacrificing and supportive. I wondered would I have the courage to let my daughter go? These characters tug at your heart strings. I loved living vicariously through Tris as she fought, jumped and climbed to find her place in the world. She is a tenacious, admirable young lady. Her growth and maturation in this book is a wondrous accomplishment. 
• The villains in this novel are malicious and spiteful. I truly detested them. You know it is a well written character when you encounter them your pulse races and you want nothing more than to punch them in the face! Peter, Eric, Molly, Drew and Jeanine do just that. I hated them but I appreciated that Ms. Roth could create characters that illicit such a strong aversion. 

And The Not So Much: 

• This book immediately grasped me and thrust me into this new world of Factions. When I came up gasping for air, I had a few questions. Where am I? When am I? What kind of War happened to precipitate this new society? What is on the other side of the locked gates? Unfortunately, I found few answers to my ponderings. I was frustrated by the lack of information. I personally feel, that more background information regarding the formation of the Factions would have enriched the story. Perhaps, I will get more answers in the next installment. 
• The cliffhanger ending. While the end of this book was not as blatant and cruel as some; it still left me hanging. At least the characters I loved are safe for now, that is comfort while I endure the long wait for book two, Insurgent set to release May 2012. 

You need to read Divergent, whether you are a fan of the dystopian genre or not. This is a book with an intriguing story line and tremendous characters. Just make sure you set aside plenty of time because once you immerse yourself into Ms. Roth's world you will find it difficult to leave. I was blown away by this author's debut book. It is a story with thrills and chills, it will leave you gasping for more. You will ask yourself what am I most afraid of? For me it is being alone and losing the ones, I hold closest to my heart. What about you? The pages of Divergent will force you to face your darkest fear. Upon completion, you may find the contents of this book rattling around in your head for days to come. Do not hesitate grab a copy of Divergent today! 

This book landed on my top ten list of 2011 and it won Goodreads Best Book of the Year Reader's Choice Award. 

Favorite Quotations: 
"It will be difficult to break the habits of thinking Abnegation instilled in me, like tugging a single thread from a complex work of embroidery. But I will find new habits, new thoughts, new rules. I will become something else." 

"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another." 

"But becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it, that's the point." 

"Human beings as a whole cannot be good for long before the bad creeps back in and poisons us again." 

Rainy Day Rambling's Best Books of 2011 Giveaway

I am participating in my first Blog Hop Giveaway and it is a good one!  To celebrate my favorite books of 2011, I am going to award one lucky winner their choice of one book from my top ten list.  This contest is open to International and U.S. residents anywhere The Book Depository ships.  Please see Contest Policies before entering.  Now the List!

 

 

The Bungalow: A Novel by Sarah Jio

 

 

 

 

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

 

 

 

 

Masquerade by Cambria Hebert

 

 

 

 

Divergent by Veronica Roth

 

 

 

 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

 

 

 

 

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

 

 

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Chaos by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia

 

 

 

 

Flat Out Love by Jessica Park

 

 

 

 

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

 

 

 

There are my picks for favorite reads of 2011! What were your favorite books this year?

Now for the Giveaway!

Please fill out the raffle copter form below to enter.  Contest runs from December 27, 2011 thru January 2, 2012!  Good Luck and Happy New Year!

The Bungalow: A Novel by Sarah Jio

A sweeping World War II saga of thwarted love, murder, and a long-lost painting.

 In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war. A timeless story of enduring passion, The Bungalow chronicles Anne's determination to discover the truth about the twin losses-of life, and of love-that have haunted her for seventy years.

Paperback, 320 pages 
Published December 27th 2011 by Plume

Five Big Stars! This is a poignant love story set during World War II.

Summer of 1942 finds Anne Calloway living a quiet, sheltered life in an upper class neighborhood of Seattle.  She recently graduated from nursing school and is newly engaged to the wealthy and handsome Gerard, someone she has known her entire life.   Parental expectations gently prodded her into the engagement.  The comfortable childhood friendship between Anne and Gerard has evolved into a warm, loving relationship but Anne finds little niggles of doubt in her mind.  Is there something more to love?  She chastises herself for questioning, yet she longs for passion and spark.  The day of her ritzy engagement party, her best friend Kitty shows hours late in tears.  She signed up for the nursing corps and will soon be headed to Bora Bora.  Anne hastily agrees to go with her.  On the tiny island Anne meets Westry.  Soon, she is sneaking away to see him in an abandoned bungalow.  Their relationship blossoms into a passionate romance.  Caught in a time of war, they know they can't afford to waste a moment, for tomorrow they could be torn apart.   In the small, sequestered bungalow, the two carve out a little piece of paradise.  A place where they can hide from the turmoil of war.  Inevitably, Anne loses her heart to Westry.  As the tides of war sweep to the island, the men are called away to fight and Anne is set to return home.  At their parting, a misconception sparks between them and then they are separated by an ocean of time and misunderstanding.  Anne clings to the one memento of her life on the island, a gold locket worn around her neck.  Seventy years later a letter arrives for Anne in Seattle.  An inquiry into a murder that occurred while Anne was on the island.  The fingers of fate pull a reluctant Anne back to the past.  Old secrets and memories come flooding back.  Can a lost love reignite?

 What I Liked:

• This is an excellent historical fiction book set during World War II.  I loved being swept back to those turbulent years of war, the time of my grandparents youth.  The story takes you to the sun drenched shores of Bora Bora, where battles rage in the Pacific.  It is a time of heated love affairs, fueled by the need for the here and now, for there may not be another meeting.  It is interesting and heartbreaking to see how war ravages through everyone's lives.  If you appreciate historical fiction, then you will love this book.  I personally enjoyed getting a clearer picture of what the world was like for my grandparents in their youth.  I found myself wishing that I could have heard all of their stories.
• I enjoyed the many facets of this book.  There is Anne and Westry's affair, the war, the floundering of Anne and Kitty's friendship, a murder mystery and numerous other little tales.  The author skillfully weaves all of these stories into a neat, cohesive plot, that is interesting, entertaining and throughly engaging.
• I am not a big romance novelist enthusiast, especially when it comes to pages of steamy love acts, that often overtake the story.  To me, The Bungalow, is exactly how a good romance should be written.  It is poignant, tender and passionate but it is done in a subtle manner.  The love scenes have just the right amount of heat and passion, without delving into pages of lurid detail.  Ms. Jio gives you a nice basis and then lets your imagination do the rest.  I have to say, Wow when it comes to a bar of soap and tropical rain!
• I loved that I became completely absorbed into the lives of the characters.  They felt like real people.  I found by the end of the story that I cared very deeply for all of them.   Ms. Jio does an amazing job with the characters and the story.  Make sure you set aside time to read this one because once you start you will be completely drawn into Anne and Westry's world and you will hesitate to leave.  A fabulous read with an ending that is well worth the journey.  

 And The Not So Much:

• Sarah Jio creates many memorable characters, but I felt that a couple of them lacked development.  For instance, Gerard, the other man who holds a piece of Anne's heart.  There is very little information on him and I wish that I had a little more detail on his life.  Anne's mother is another person that was puzzling.  I wanted to understand her a little better especially after Anne's visit to New York.  The scene of Anne's encounter with her in the apartment was jarring and lacked any type of resolution.  
• I appreciated that the story had many sub plots and most of them wrapped up neatly.  At the end of the book though, I was left with a couple of nagging questions.  I longed to know Mary's entire story.  What happened with Edward and what led her to her final painful choice?  I was not clear on all the motives behind Kitty's behavior.  Why did she almost immediately begin to push Anne way on their arrival?  Kitty had so many secrets and some of them were not fully revealed.  Finally, I would love a little more insight into Anne's life and marriage after the war.

The Bungalow, is a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend.  It is a World War II romance with a captivating story of love and loss.  This is a book that will grab you and won't let go until the final pages.  Even after reading this story, my mind is still lingering back in the bungalow with Anne and Westry.  You don't want to miss this one.  I was enthralled with Sarah Jio's book and I look forward to reading her other works.  This novel will end up on my best reads of 2011 list! 

Favorite Quotations:

"He was there, of course--in uniform, shyly smiling at me as the waves fell into the shore.  I could hear them--their violent crash, followed by the fizz of a million bubbles kissing the  sand."

"An old lady.  I saw her every day, this woman, but her reflection never ceased to surprise  me.  When did I become her?  

"You be yourself," she said.  "And never ignore what your heart is telling you, even when  it hurts, even when it seems like following it will be very difficult or untidy."

"I watched as the island grew smaller, until it appeared a mere dot on a map.  A dot where  so much had happened, and so much had been left behind."

A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Plume Publishing via NetGalley.

Happy Holidays

Wishing you A Joyous Holiday Season!

I will be taking  a few days off to enjoy the holidays with my family. See you back next week.  I hope that each and every one of you will celebrate the day surrounded by family, friends and good books! 

A Clockwork Christmas by Stacy Gail, PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz and JK Coi

Changed forever after tragedy, a woman must draw strength from her husband's love. A man learns that love isn't always what you expect. A thief steals the heart of a vengeful professor. And an American inventor finds love Down Under. Enjoy Victorian Christmas with a clockwork twist in these four steampunk novellas. Anthology includes: Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail This Winter Heart by PG Forte Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz Far From Broken by JK Coi 
ebook, 1st EditionPublished December 5th 2011 by Carina Press

Two Stars: This book is not a Christmas themed book.

I requested A Clockwork Christmas from NetGalley, hoping to find a book with a Christmas theme and Steampunk elements.  While this anthology did deliver with the futuristic, automated inventions, i.e, there are clockwork automatons, steam powered inventions, flying ships, humans with robotic technology, to mention a few, it fell short with the Christmas topic. Only the first story, Crime Wave in a Corset by Stacy Gail, actually exhibits a Christmas message.  The other three stories make a few tiny mentions of Christmas but it is not a main theme or focus.  Normally, this is not a big issue but when the book is marketed as a Christmas novel, then it should focus on Christmas aspects.  It did at least deliver on the Steampunk portion.  In fact, that was my favorite part of the book.  There are numerous clever infusions of the steampunk staples.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Steampunk genre, it usually takes place  in the Wild West or Victorian England.  What makes this genre unique is it features futuristic inventions, usually airships and clockwork gadgets and anachronistic items as well.  The stories, often have a divergent history or alternate universe. One of the favorite components for the ladies, is the Victorian era fashion, corsets, lace, handkerchiefs etc. I admit I am drawn to the style of Steampunk, it is lovely.  Then practicality smacks me in the head and reminds me of the uncomfortable part, tight constricting bindings, heavy skirts and being demure.  If you love the fun, imaginative ideas of a good Steampunk book, Clockwork Christmas does provide a strong dose of Steampunk components.

My biggest complaint with this novel is the false labeling.  As I said, I planned on reading a Christmas themed Steampunk novel.  I was happily reading the first story, Crime Wave in a Corset, there were fashionable dresses, Christmas tidbits and a seething standoff between the two main characters, they literally despised each other.  The simmering tension was a high point in the story. I was at a loss for words when a few pages in the relationship abruptly turns from spite to erotica.  Seriously!? It moved into pages of explicit sexual euphemisms.  I was certainly surprised.  Did I miss something was this supposed to be a romance novel? To make sure I went back and checked the synopsis.  Nope. No mention of this being a romance book.  Well, maybe I was wrong in my understanding of Steampunk. So, I looked up the Steampunk definition.  There is no mention of romance being a mainstay.  I was just duped. Now,  a couple of my Goodreads friends (Bonnie and Wendy) pointed out that the publisher, Carina Press, deals in romance novels.  I felt dumb, thinking I should have checked out the publisher beforehand. On second thought, no this isn't my fault, they packaged their book under false pretenses. It should say in the description, that this is four romance novellas. 

So, fair warning, if you are looking for a romantic anthology with some clockwork flair and a "bare" hint of Christmas (double innuendo intended), then you will enjoy A Clockwork Christmas.  As for me, after I glossed over pages of sex scenes, ( I am not prudish but steamy romance is so not my thing) I found for the most part I did enjoy the stories. The third story, Wanted: One Scoundrel by Jenny Schwartz, does not have the numerous, pages of "sexy time".  But, I can't recommend this book to you unless you are a romance enthusiast.  I wanted to feature a unique, Christmas book for the holidays and instead I got a mislabeled, romance novel.  Hopefully I will have better luck in my search next time around for a great holiday book.  At least I read Christmas Lites. Did any of you find a good Christmas book? 

Happy Holidays!

Favorite Quotations:

"The questions collided into each other like cars on a derailed freight train, one right after another."

"For a sweet moment stolen from the stream of time, she wallowed in the possibility he might be as overwhelmed by the seductive retribution."

"Waiting is for those who have time to waste."

"When he was gone, her thoughts sailed off in pursuit."

"Now, come on.  There's no sense in borrowing trouble from tomorrow, is there?"

"The real issue was trust and courage--two far less hardy blooms."

"Her mouth made him think of cotton candy and kisses."

 

Christmas Lites Guest Post by C.S. Splitter

Last week I had the pleasure of reviewing Christmas Lites here on the blog.  In case you missed it, you can see my review here. Basically, a bunch of great authors, who can be found in the Creative Reviews group on Goodreads came up with an idea to write a book for charity. So, this talented group of people got together and collaborated on a short story anthology called, Christmas Lites. All the proceeds are going to the NCADV(National Coaliton Against Domestic Violence) charity.  I feel that this is such a fabulous project, that I again wanted to do a feature on this book.  I am sure you all don't want me to ramble on and on again, so I called in some help. I asked one of the people involved in the project to write up a little piece telling about all the time, effort and obstacles the group had to overcome to get this book to market.  Here to share with us the story of the creation of Christmas Lites, is the one and only C.S. Splitter, author of The Willing and The Reluctant.

What with the blog tour coming up, website changes, my editor sending me more changes, new banners, new buttons, cover designs, and my day job, I was up pretty late last night. I got hungry and went to the fridge to see what might be in the offing. Nothing caught my attention except the discovery that my wife had made two hard-boiled eggs when she made the salad for dinner. Let’s be honest, a dinner salad is not going to keep a guy going for a whole night.  It was no wonder I was hungry. Those extra hard-boiled eggs called to me, “Make a sandwich out of us! We won’t mind. It’ll taste good if you add just a little salt.”

Yes, food talks to me sometimes. Food cannot be trusted because sometimes it outright lies (like cauliflower which looks good, but tastes bad) and other times, it does not tell me the whole truth. The eggs did not bother to tell me about heartburn. I blame Mrs. Splitter for thinking that a salad was going to satisfy my manly hunger.

By 2AM, I was awakened from my sleep by the heartburn. It was a long night. The hard-boiled egg sandwich seemed like a good idea at the time. There were consequences that should have been anticipated, but went overlooked until later.

Christmas Lites was like that sandwich.

“Let’s do something for the holidays as a group,” Amy said. Everyone thought that was a splendid idea. But what should we do? 

“Let’s put together a book of short stories and donate the proceeds to charity,” someone else said.

“Cool!” we all shouted (er…typed) in unison. “But what charity?”

“The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence,” yet another someone said.

“Yay!” we cheered.

There was much rejoicing. (Insert Monty Python celebratory cartoon scene here.)

It just made sense, like eating hard-boiled eggs at 11:30PM because they are tasty and convenient. Our GoodReads group, Creative Reviews, has a bunch of writers in it. It was no big deal to turn out a short story in a month for each of us. We also had editors, proofreaders, cover artists, and every other specialty we thought we needed to turn out a book in a record period of time. We came up with a timeline, got our volunteers, and Amy started divvying up assignments.

There was much backslapping and enthusiasm.

Honestly, my thought was, “Great! I write one short story and get it published, which lets me add another title to my author pages. Oh, and the charity rocks, plus they decided to make the book available to the troops through Operation eBook Drop.” Simple! All I had to do was write the story, which I did in one sitting. One very painful sitting, like when I bit my tongue while eating that sandwich last night.

It all seemed like such a good idea at the time. With the work being shared, no one would get inundated. This thing was on rails. Just like making a hard-boiled egg sandwich. The stories rolled in and the proofreaders and editors did their thing. The cover artist did her thing. Amy put it all together in a nice, neat little package to turn into a book.

It was done! Heck, I had long since sent in my story. The Creative Reviews forums went eerily quiet as the deadline approached.

 “Call me!” Amy shouted at me in that email way we all know so well. Me? I gave my story. Why did she need me?

 She needed to get the file uploaded to Smashwords and I had worked with that site’s aptly named ‘MeatGrinder’ before. Seriously, the first time you work with it, just go beat your head against a brick wall ahead of time. It is a wonderful, but quirky service. After you do it once, however, it’s not that bad.

 Sure, I could help. Anything for Amy, our mega-moderator who doesn’t (normally) yell at me on the forums for my double-entendres and pseudo-sexual, pseudo-humorous remarks. Anything for the cause, right? I had already published a couple of books through Smashwords and still had fresh bruises on my cranium. No problem.

 That’s when I first started hearing about the problems. Some people like to call obstacles “challenges.” I hate those people. A challenge is trying to open up a new level on Mario Cart. When you are on a deadline and all of the pieces are not in place, and you don’t even know where the pieces are, you have PROBLEMS. Amy and the crew had problems. Those problems were things none of us had really thought through ahead of time. We were all too busy creating our little piece of the Christmas Lites puzzle.

 I started getting copied in on their email group and, let me tell you, these women were busy. They were climbing this monumental publishing mountain while playing whack-a-mole with unexpected problems. Amy was their quarterback running a two-minute drill out of her own end zone and needing a touchdown to win. For those of you not familiar with my sports analogies—she was calmly calling the shots to get the project out of deep doodoo (can I say doodoo on here? Oops).

 I had not fully appreciated the size and scope of the project. As a typical guy, I don’t put much thought into how the sausage gets made; I just know it tastes good with hashbrowns. My job to write a short story was easy even though I had never written one before. Even my new assignment to get the files onto Smashwords was no big deal. Amy and the others were busy fighting valiantly to get the book out, and none of the rest of us even knew it.

Here is what they faced:

Bank account: Sure, we could publish the book and have the proceeds go to someone’s bank account, but the government would see those proceeds as income even though that person was going to turn around and write a check to the NCADV charity.

Taxes: If it’s seen as income, it gets taxed. Uncle Sam wants his share and that would cut down on the money going to NCADV.

Someone would have to administer the bank account on an ongoing basis. Who has time for that? Oh, and that would mean filing more tax paperwork too.

Copyrights: They needed releases from the authors to avoid any hint of plagiarism.

ISBN numbers: They did not have them.

Smashwords: It screwed up the table of contents (TOC). And didn’t like the copyright page.  And it made random text look like it came from an old IBM daisy-wheel typewriter. And the auto-vetter would not approve the file for the Premium Distribution Catalog. 

 Everyone says, “Don’t panic.” They usually say that at just the time panic becomes a perfectly appropriate reaction. Post hard-boiled egg/initial-enthusiasm heartburn had set in for everyone involved. We were belching failure.

 Amy met the panic like John Wayne walking through the swinging doors of a saloon in goggles and toe socks…you would just have to know Amy to get that last part. Everyone got their last minute re-assignments and Amy batted her editing eyes coyly at the MeatGrinder to get it to drop its guard and cooperate willingly with our publishing scheme.

 NCADV solved the banking problems by letting us assign the proceeds of the book directly to their bank account. Bye-bye tax problems because they are a tax-exempt organization (bite that, Uncle Sam!). Amy put out the copyright release and the authors got them back to her in record time…for authors at least: we tend to be slow people.

 Yeah, those solutions sound easy now, but at the time, we didn’t even know what all the problems were!

 I wrote all of that just to give people some idea of what went into this project. For most of us, our roles were limited and easy to accomplish. But pulling it all together at the end fell on just a few women who had never done anything like this before. That it got done, and on time to boot, was only possible through a lot of hard work and a few minor miracles. One might even call them Miracle Lites…or Christmas Lites.

 I have recovered from my heartburn, even though I still have that little tickle and weird taste in the back of my throat today. Amy and the gang have recovered from Christmas Lites, too. We should all know better, but I am sure they will put out another anthology some day, and I am equally sure, that won’t be my last hard-boiled egg sandwich.

 Yeah, I only mentioned Amy in this post, but kudos have been given in other posts by other people. I just wanted to let people in on how much had to happen right at the end to make this fabulous book happen. And most of that fell on her.

 Splitter

Thanks so much to C.S. Splitter for stopping by today. I appreciate you taking the time to recount for us the many hours put into Christmas Lites.  Splitter will be returning to Rainy Day Ramblings on March 14th, for his blog tour, featuring his new novel, The Willing. I hope you will stop by again for another witty post. In the meantime if you want to hear more you can find him on his blog, Splitter's World or lurking around the Creative Reviews group.  If you would like to host him on his tour, there are still a few slots available. 

Finally, a big thank you is in order for the wonderful Amy Eye, who spent countless hours editing Christmas Lites. If you are in need of a great editor, she can be found on her website: The Eyes For Editing. Thank you to Amy and everyone else involved in this project. Please support the NCADV and purchase your copy today, ebooks are available on Barnes and Noble and Smashwords for $3.99. 

 

Alexandra Lanc Guest Post

Today is December 21st.  The holidays are almost here.   Are you ready? Still looking for a couple of last minute gifts? Here on the blog, I am pleased to have Alexandra Lanc , the author of the Christmas book, Clara Claus. It is the delightful tale of Jack Frost on his quest to destroy Christmas.  Will he succeed or can a young girl, named Clara show him the true meaning of Christmas? You will have to read this fun, little, holiday book to find out.  

It is a story that you can share with others during this wonderul time of year.  To celebrate her book, Alexandra, has graciously agreed to stop by Rainy Day Ramblings and do a guest post on what Christmas means to her.  

Here is Ms. Lanc to tell us a little about snowflakes.

My Snowflake Obsession by Alexandra Lanc

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year -- the lights, the tree, the family time, the Christmas carols, and of course, the giving of presents. In fact, I love Christmas so much that I decided to write a story about it. That story, which you may be familiar with, was Clara Claus. 

Recently, I participated in a wonderful interview about Clara Claus over at Dreamland Teen Fantasy, and in the interview I was asked why one of the main characters in the novel (Clara herself) is obsessed with snow. 

Since then, I've been thinking a lot about snow, and why I (and Clara) love it so much -- because of course, Clara loves it because I do. I've never actually seen snow, but there is something so magical about the thought of it -- the fact that millions upon millions of tiny flakes, each with their own respective shape, flit down from the sky to create snowbanks. 

Christmas reminds me of giving, because that is what it is all about, and giving to an extent reminds me of snowflakes. Snowflakes might not seem like much, but they are beautiful in their own unique way, and without them, we wouldn't have snow days and sledding and snowball fights (and we wouldn't be able to dream of snow if we've never even seen it). 

I hope that this year, wherever you are, you'll sit back and think about the tiny snowflakes which have such a big impact on the world, piling up to make snow, and in turn, piling up to make people smile. And I also hope that, as you think about the snowflakes, you'll think about the others gifts that you've been given -- family, friends, a home, food, and all of the other things we sometimes take for granted -- and remember that giving can make someone else's Christmas shine. 

And now, my gift to you: my Christmas novel, Clara Claus, is free now through Christmas at Smashwords. 

I'd like to say thank you to Heidi for having me, and to everyone: Merry Christmas! 

Thanks Alexandra for your wonderful thoughts on Christmas and snow.

I hope someday you can experience the magic of Christmas snow firsthand.  I can attest that snow during December is wonderful and beautiful but by January it piles up and you began to hate shoveling it and then you start wishing for spring.  Enjoy, the season everyone.  

Don't forget to go to Smashwords and download your free ebook while you can.  Maybe even share this book with someone else.  It does make a great holiday gift, especially for everyone out there, lucky enough to get a new e-reader for Christmas.  Please take the time once you finish, if you could to leave Ms. Lanc some feedback.  Your comments, reviews and emails are greatly appreciated it.  

Thanks again for stopping by Alexandra.  Happy Holidays out there to all of you and your families.  Hope you all get a dusting of those magical, frosty Christmas snowflakes!

Snowflake images courtesy of SnowCrystals.com.

Masquerade Tour Stop with Cambria Hebert and Giveaway

At last I am so excited that it is finally here. This event has been in the works for over two months.  It all began in October when I was browsing my favorite Goodreads Group called Bookspark  hosted by my friend Ana.  I ran across a post by an author, Cambria Hebert looking for some bloggers to review her book and host her on her tour for her upcoming debut novel Masquerade.  


 

At the time I was busy planning my blog and I already had a mounting TBR pile and several commitments so I thought I would pass.  For some reason the notion kept niggling in my brain.  A couple of days later I answered her and a friendship was born.  We began exchanging emails.  She told me about her upcoming short stories I recounted my efforts to build my blog and baking my failed Martha Stewart chocolate cookies.  Many emails flew back and forth and here we are a few months later.  My blog is finally a reality and her debut novel is now in print! I am pleased and proud to host her here on my blog and the best part of all, is that I consider her to be a good friend.  Congratulations Cambria! You are an amazing person and I couldn't be happier for you.  Here is to your continued success and many more novels.  Many of you may already know Cambria since you have been following the tour but for you new comers let me tell you  a little bit about her! This is Cambria opening her box and seeing her book in print for the very first time. The sheer joy on her face is priceless! 

Now a few tidbits about her. First she suffers from:

Alektorophobia -Fear of Chickens

Yes you heard it correctly.  She is horrified by those cute little feathered birds that lay eggs! 

She also has an insatiable thirst for lattes. Anything carmel flavored and you can count her in.  She claims that Starbucks is the best coffee around but I think if I got her to visit the Pacific Northwest, I would change her mind. Since we have some amazing coffee out here, such as Dutch Brothers and Stumptown!  She spends her days sipping lattes and typing away at her novels.  Not! She is a wife and mother. So cooking, cleaning, shopping, hauling kids around, answering emails comes first and then she might have a few moments to sneak in some time to write! 

She is married to a marine and is the mother of two adorable kids. When she isn't busy writing and drinking coffee she blogs; you can find her at her newly redesigned website cambriahebert.com 

Please pop by and check out her site. She is running an awesome contest for a skeleton key pendant.  Wait no scratch that,  stop by and visit her site but don't enter that contest.... I have my heart set on that necklace! It is gorgeous! (no I am not inserting a picture here of that necklace).

You can also find her chatting with members of her Goodreads group, that she moderates called Creative Reviews. Feel free to head over there and meet many of her friends.

In the near future she will bring us three more books in the Heven and Hell series.  The next will hopefully be out Spring of 2012.  After that she hopes to publish a novel about her other favorite topic werewolves! 

Ok you are probably wondering when I am going to be done rambling and want me to get to the good stuff,i.e. Cambria and the giveaway right?

Well I have a treat for you folks today.  Instead of an interview or post about Masquerade,  I decided to pick Cambria's brain and make her do something outside the box.  

You are in for a surprise! Mrs. Hebert agreed to my request and she is going to come by and tell us a little tale.  So welcome Cambria! Please have a seat.  Just move Smokey Joe aside, he shouldn't be sitting on my nice, white blanket.  I left you some coffee and cookies make yourself at home and tell us your little story.

Zombie Chickens by Cambria Hebert

I awoke to an odd sound. I didn’t want to get up lying beneath the sheets and burrowed under the comforter. My body’s internal clock was telling me it was so early that it wasn’t even natural for me to be awake.

But the sound was so odd that I couldn’t ignore it and drift back to sleep. I turned my head toward the single window in the room, it was still so early no light from the morning sun shone around the edges of the blind. 

The sound was for sure coming from outside – in the dark – not really the dark of night but not yet of morning. It was that odd time of day – the transition from night to day. 

The sound was constant – a sort of moaning whine. It changed in pitch off and it was going from loud to low but it sounded kind of lazy. It kind of sounded like crowing… a muffled, drawn out – drugged out – kind of crowing the rooster did in the morning when the sun was beginning to rise…

But that was crazy because rosters didn’t crow in the dark. 

Unable to shake off the sound and the uneasy feeling it gave me I tossed off the covers and rolled out of bed pointing my sleep heavy body toward the bathroom. I was awake (sort of) and I had to pee. I shuffled into the bathroom not bothering with the light – I had been in here a thousand times before and knew what to navigate around. 

I was only wearing a nightshirt so I pulled down my panties and sat down, flinching at the coldness of the hard toilet seat. I thought nothing of the splash I heard in the bowl beneath me – I was peeing after all. 

Something sharp sunk into the flesh of my buttocks and I screeched and jumped off the seat. Something came with me and slapped the back of my thigh. I screamed again and flicked on the light.

There was a giant green snake hanging from my butt! I screamed again and this time the snaked hissed and unlatched its fangs from my behind. I took the chance and sprang away tripping because my panties were around my ankles. I looked back as I yanked up the pink and red cloth and noted the green snake slithering on the floor, a wet trail behind it. It had to be a good 3 feet long…

I thought toilet snakes were a joke.

I reached around, shoving my hand down where I had bitten and felt a stab of pain. I held my fingers up in front of my eyes – they were bloody. Were toilet snakes poisonous??

The snake hissed and I noted it was closing the distance between us.

I screamed and raced from the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I stared warily at the crack beneath the door wondering if the snake would squeeze beneath it. 

“Go back to the toilet!” I hollered. As far as I was concerned I was never using that potty again. 

The odd moaning sound distracted me and I went to the window and lifted the blind. I stared down into the yard – which was barely lightening with the first morning rays. 

Every single chicken from the coop was out and wandering around in the yard. It was an odd sight because they stared straight ahead as they moved. They didn’t peck at the ground or look for food. They didn’t even look at one another. They stared off making that odd sound…

I raced down the stairs, sparing a quick look at the bathroom door. No sign of the toilet snake. I pushed open the kitchen door and ran out into the yard, the wet grass sticking to my bare feet. I slowed as I reached the chickens who were still staring off and making that not quite crowing sound. 

Suddenly they all stopped. Silence reigned for mere seconds then all hell broke loose.

The spindly brown legs they stood on seemed to stretch and spin, their feathered, dirty wings reached out and they all turned toward me. That’s when I noticed their beady eyes. Hungry. 

They let out a cawwwwww and then charged. I screamed. I had no idea that chickens moved so fast.

They came racing at me, snapping their beaks and scratching their pointy toes. Feathers began flying and my heart began hammering in my chest. I raced toward the bag of corn hoping to distract them with a snack. 

They pecked at my feet and ankles as I reached into the bag, one tried to fly and hit me in the back, ripping my shirt with its nasty beak. I cried out and flung the corn onto the ground.

I had one moment of relief – a moment that was only me thinking I was safe. The chickens didn’t care about the corn. They ignored it. They kept pecking away at the fragile skin of my legs and feet. They didn’t seem to know what they were doing – only trying to satisfy their hunger.

They were hungry but not for feed. For me.

They were zombie chickens. I was going to get pecked to death by these nasty little creatures. I had a vision of myself falling to the earth and them pecking out my eyes and scratching away my skin. The warm trickle of blood on my legs seemed to shake me out of my paralyzing fear.

 I looked around. 

I found a weapon.

It was a metal rake with a long wooden handle. I began swinging it. The chickens began flying.

“Take that you feathered freaks!” 

I kept flinging them as I moved toward the door of the house. I would take my chances with the toilet snake over a pack of crazed zombie chickens any day.

I ran into the house taking the rake (now covered in feathers) with me. I slammed the door and sagged against it. 

A hissing sound brought my head up. There was no longer one toilet snake…. There were ten. And with them was an angry Emu that was growling….

I screamed. And screamed. And screamed.

My eyes flew open and I sat up with force. I was in bed. The sheets were sticking to my sweat soaked skin. It had been a dream.

Just a dream. A nightmare.

I shivered. 

That was the last time I eat a meatball sub before bed. After my heart rate returned to normal I climbed out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. Once there I stood for a nano - second before switching on the light and staring down into the empty toilet. It was safe to pee.

Once my task was complete I left the bathroom, going back out into the bedroom… I would just peek outside to see what the chickens were doing…

I never made it to the window. 

An emu taller than me was in the center of the bedroom and it was growling.

It charged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now wasn't that a charming little story folks? 

Okay now what you all have been waiting for and the reason many of you came to my blog today. The Giveaway!

I am lucky to be able to offer you fine people a spectacular prize pack.  You can enter to win a signed copy of Masquerade, a bookmark and key chain.  Sound good? Wait there is more. Cambria also brought along a whistle necklace, for those of you who have read the book you will understand the meaning of the whistle.  Here is a picture of the loot! 

Pretty good stuff right? Well now you have to enter to win! So fill out the rafflecopter form make sure to follow the directions! Contest ends December 28,2011.  I will email the winning entrant within 48 hours at the end of the contest.  Contest open to U.S. residents 13 and older (international followers and I am so sorry there will hopefully be one more international giveaway at the end of the tour) see Contest Policies for all the details. 

Thanks again to Cambria Hebert for stopping by.  Make sure you check her blog (click the tour banner) for the next stop on her tour! Good luck!

One final shout out to the ladies in the Bookspark Masquerade buddy read. You girls, (Lila, Veronica, Ana, Ali, Danielle, Becca, Michele, Alexandra and Stephanie)are amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book with you! Veronica thanks for helping me with the zombie chicken!

You can read my reviews for all of Cambria's current works: Whiteout, Christmas Lites, Before and Masquerade.  Happy Reading everyone and thanks so much for stopping by! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway