Author Spotlight: Francesca Lia Block & Giveaway!

Please Welcome Francesca Lia Block

Author of The Frenzy

1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.

Francesca: I"ve been publishing since 1989. I write fiction, short stories, poetry, non-fiction with a penchant for urban fairy tales set in L.A. where I live and teach writing workshops that are also offered online.

2) What was the inspiration for writing The Frenzy?

 Francesca: The Frenzy is my female Werewolf story. . I am currently interested in monsters as metaphor for female coming of age,sexuality/creative force.

3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing The Frenzy?

Francesca: Yes. Two people in my life inspired it in particular and the town is based on a small town in Ohio I have visited. THe mom is based on a certain female politician...LIv's character was loosely based on someone I know.

4) Was Liv's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character? What is she like?

Francesca: Liv is powerful but needs to learn how to use her power and channel her energy. She loves animals and nature and needs her freedom and to find who she really is.

5) What was your inspiration in the cover art for The Frenzy?

Francesca: The cover art came mostly from my wonderful editor,Tara Weikum. We are working with close ups on the last few covers. I made a few suggestions regarding the intesne green of the eye etc.

6) Do you plan to have The Frenzy as a stand alone novel or part of a series? 

Francesca: It is a stand alone novel but it, Pretty Dead and my new book are all connected and I may write something that joins the characters together in the future.

7) Do you write to music? If so, what is your favorite?

Francesca: I can't write to music but i Love music, all kinds. It inspires me a great deal.

 8) What do you plan on doing in the future?

Francesca: Just finished an adult novel THE LEMENNTALS that I am very excited about!

9) What are you reading right now?

Francesca: I want to get Tana French's latest. I am reading my students' manuscripts.

 10) Who are a few of your favorite authors?

Francesca: Garcia Marquez, Angela Carter, Emily Dickenson, Keats, YEats, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, collette, Salinger...

11) Anything you would like to add?

Francesca: I love my readers. They have been so supportive and I feel very grateful! flb

Thank you so much Francesca for stopping by!

Make sure to stop by Francesca's website HERE!

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Love is a werewolf, influenced by the moon and terror, and always about to change.

Liv has a secret.

Something happened to her when she was thirteen. Something that changed everything. Liv knows she doesn’t belong anymore—not in her own skin, not in her family . . . not anywhere. The only time she truly feels like herself is when she’s with her boyfriend, Corey, and in the woods that surround her town.

But in the woods, a mysterious woman watches Liv. In the woods, a pack of wild boys lurks. In the woods, Liv learns about the curse that will haunt her forever. The curse that caused the frenzy four years ago. And that may cause it again, all too soon.

While Corey and Liv’s love binds them together, Liv’s dark secret threatens to tear them apart as she struggles to understand who—or what—she really is. And by the light of the full moon, the most dangerous secrets bare their claws. . . .

***************

PEOPLE PITY ME, BUT MOSTLY THEY FEEL ENVY. I HAVE ALL THE LUXURY AND FREEDOM A GIRL MY AGE COULD WANT.

Something is happening to Charlotte Emerson. Like the fires that are ravaging the hills of Los Angeles, it consumes her from the inside out. But whether it is her eternal loneliness, the memory of her brother, the return of her first love, or the brooding, magnetic Jared-she cannot say. What if it's something more...

Something to do with the sudden tear in her perfect nails. The heat she feels when she's with Jared. The blood rushing once again to her cheeks and throughout her veins.

For Charlotte is a vampire, witness to almost a century's worth of death and destruction. But not since she was a human girl has mortality touched her.

****************

Wanna win one of these books by Francesca Lia Block? Well here's your chance!

1 winner will receive there their choice of either The Frenzy or Pretty Dead!

Open Internationally

Ends 1-1-11

Contest Closed!

Waiting on Wednesday: Burn Bright

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by

Jill @ Breaking The Spine

that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating!

This week I am waiting for:

Into a world of wild secrets and deadly pleasures comes a girl whose innocence may be her greatest strength.

In Ixion music and party are our only beliefs. Darkness is our comfort. We have few rules but they are absolute . . .

Retra doesn’t want to go to Ixion, the island of ever-night, ever-youth and never-sleep. Retra is a Seal – sealed minds, sealed community. She doesn’t crave parties and pleasure, experience and freedom.

But her brother Joel left for Ixion two years ago, and Retra is determined to find him. Braving the intense pain of her obedience strip to escape the only home she’s ever known, Retra stows away on the barge that will take her to her brother.

When she can’t find Joel, Retra finds herself drawn deeper into the intoxicating world of Ixion. Come to me, whispers a voice in her head. Who are the Ripers, the mysterious guardians of Ixion? What are the Night Creatures Retra can see in the shadows? And what happens to those who grow too old for Ixion?

Retra will find that Ixion has its pleasures, but its secrets are deadly. Will friendship, and the creation of an eternal bond with a Riper, be enough to save her from the darkness?

Listen well, baby bats. Burn bright, but do not stray from the paths. Remember, when you live in a place of darkness you also live with creatures of the dark.

What are you waiting for?

Winners!!!

Hey guys, we have quite a few winners today!!

Winner of Everlasting Poster:

Ashley

Winners of Gratitude Giveaway:

Jenna P.

&

Monica J.

Winners of Cover vs. Cover Giveaway:

Misha

&

Rusted

Thank you to everyone who entered!!

Daily Dose!!!

So I found some really great pics this week and thought I would share them with you. This is a great little Meme hosted at Good Golly Miss Holly. Make sure to check out her great blog.. 

and maybe share some of your inspirational pics with us!

What Inspires you?

Gratitude Giveaway!!!!!!

Its time for another Giveaway Hop!!!

This is my second one of these hops and the Spooktacular hop was a blast! 

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for putting together such a great Hop!

ALSO WANTED TO SAY THANKS TO ALL MY WONDERFUL FOLLOWERS!! 

I LOVE YOU GUYS!

OK on to my giveaway... Thats why your here right.

Last giveaway killed me on shipping so I thought this time I would do an Amazon.com  giveaway.

So here's how it's going to work:

There will be 2 winners

Both winners will receive: 

A book of their choice from Amazon.com

( $15 limit please!)

Open International 

It can be an old book, a new book or a pre- order. Your Choice!

So there you go! Fill out the form and cross your fingers and make sure to

 check out all the other great blogs participating!

Note: Don'y forget to enter The Cover vs. Cover giveaway and the Signed everlasting poster giveaway while your here! (you can find the links at the top, under contests!!)

Contest Closed!

Author Spotlight: Angie Frazier & Giveaway!

Please Welcome Angie Frazier

Author of Everlasting!

1) Could you tell us a bit about yourself.

Angie: Let’s see…I’m a writer, a mom, a movie buff, a Jane Austen and Edith Wharton lover, history geek, and a wannbe world traveler.


2) What was the inspiration for writing Everlasting?

Angie: I’ve always loved stories of adventure and romance, and after I graduated from college where I’d spent four years writing news articles, essays, papers and reading next to nothing other than school texts, I was craving something adventurous and as far from reality as possible. I decided to just go ahead and write it myself.



3) Were there any personal experiences that went in to writing Everlasting?

Angie: If anything at all, I tried to work in the wonder of traveling to new places. I always feel so small and insignificant when I travel—the world is huge and it will revolve with or without me in it. I wanted to bring that feeling to the forefront with Camille, when she realizes the same thing.


4) Was Camille's character based on anyone or was she a purely made up character?

Angie: She is mostly a made up character. I am sure that I took qualities of people I know and blended them into the characters somewhere, but it wasn’t an intentional thing. I think when someone writes, they subconsciously draw from what their mind already knows.


5) Do you plan to have Everlasting as a series or a stand alone novel?

Angie: I initially wrote it as a stand alone, but I didn’t want to leave Camille or Oscar just yet. I am excited to have a second Everlasting book coming out in June 2011! It picks up right where Everlasting left off.

6) What was your inspiration for the cover of Everlasting? 

Angie: I actually didn’t have anything to do with the creation of the cover. That aspect of the book was totally up to Scholastic’s design team, and sales and marketing teams. I feel they did a great job making the cover stand out the way it does, and from what I’ve seen so far the cover for the sequel is even more beautiful!

7) What do you plan on doing in the future?

Angie: I plan to keep writing, both YA and middle grade novels and perhaps branching into other genres as well. I never seem to have a dry spell when it comes to story ideas. And next up in March 2011 my middle grade mystery THE MIDNIGHT TUNNEL: A SUZANNA SNOW MYSTERY will be hitting the shelves!

8) Do you write with music? Whats your favorite?

Angie: I actually cannot write with music playing, but I do find that music is inspirational during the “pre-writing” phase of nearly every story. I tend to go for music without lyrics, which for me tend to get in the way. So I stick with classical music and instrumental soundtracks from movies like Braveheart and Gladiator, Cider House Rules and the new adaptation of Emma. 

9) What are you reading right now? 

Angie: At the moment I’m reading a non-YA romance by Sarah MacLean called TEN WAYS TO BE ADORED WHEN LANDING A LORD. It’s fantastic! Sarah is talented author, and she does have a YA title called THE SEASON.

10) Who are a few of your favorite authors?

Angie: Edith Wharton, Jane Austen, Sarah MacLean, MM Kaye, Libba Bray, and Cassandra Clare are some of my favorites.

Thank you so much Angie for stopping by!

Make sure to check out Angie's website: http://angiefrazier.com/

*************

Wanna win a SIGNED Everlasting poster?

Well thanks to Angie, you can! 

She will be giving one signed poster to a lucky person.

All you have to do to enter is Fill out this Form:
Open International
Ends: 11-26

Extra entries:
+1 Comment on interview
+1 Follow Book Junky


Contest Closed!

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Forget Me Not! New Meme

This is the first post of what I hope to be many!

So this is my new Meme:

Forget Me Not

Its all about books that are not brand new.

Lately I have noticed that there are so many great books coming out that I can't keep up with the ones on my shelf. I am constantly reading the new ones that come out that my previously bought books are going unread. 

Thus, Forget Me Not was born. Here you can share your slightly older, but still great books!

Hopefully this will inspire you to get to your older books out, wipe off the dust and get reading!

If you want to join in ( and I strongly urge you too) Just grab the Meme pick, link back here ( so others can read all about FMN) and put your post on the Mr. Linky so everyone can check out your post!

This week my pick is:

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

Have you read it yet? Let me know what you think and make sure to join in on Forget Me Not!

Happy Reading!