Saturday, July 30, 2011

The Winner of Heart on a Chain is

The winner of the ebook copy of Heart on a Chain is anaavu.. I am about to email you  about it and thanks everyone who entered there will be plenty for giveaways soon.

Congrats Anaavu

Friday, July 29, 2011

Look What I Just Bought :)

                                       
The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell
by Laraine Despres

Sister Chicas
by Lisa Alvarado, Ann Cardinal Jane Coralin

Jericho Walls by Kristi Collier

Skinny-Dipping by Melissa de la Cruz

A Girl Like Moi by Lisa Barham

Indie Girl by Kavita Daswani




I bought these for future giveaways :) ......  I grabbed random books and I was thinking, 1 giveaway ever 2 weeks ? and this should do good for  us. What do you think of the books? 
 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Spellbound Review

      Title : Spellbound 
     Author: Cara Lynn Shutlz
    Publication:  Harlequin TEEN 
   Source: Net galley
       Pages:  324
   Format:  ARC or Ebook


     I honestly lovede this story.Although at times it did get a little bit too clique for my taste in stayed interesting and kept me reading for 4 hours.

    The characters were well developed and they grew as the weeks went on. I am glad of that. I can not stand a book where the characters are not developed , but Cara did Develop her characters , especially Emma and Brendan.
 
   Although it did have to do with paranormal, like most books now er days. This one is a little bit different. I really enjoyed the story and the little mid-evil fariytale which it revolved around ... It was a very exciting book that I didnt want to lay down. I finished it in one day and it was worth every second...
   Even though people usually do not make tht big deal out of gossip. It was very good and had me laughing my head off at the right times.

  Brendan : Who couldn't help but fall in love with him? He was the handsome bad boy with the beautiful ink black hair and shocking green eyes,yet never had a girlfriend. He was selfless and he really had me falling for him but not as fast as Emma was but I sure did fall for him.

   It is a perfect read a few time and keep on the shelf forever and pass onto your children... I am going to buy this in paperback ASAP because

1) Who doesn't love the cover?
2) It was great read and I really liked it
3) If the author comes out with anymore. It will be on my bookshelf the day it's published.  


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Interview with Tess Oliver

   Here's my Interview with Tess Oliver.... The giveaway will be later and it may be an ebook instead so don't be mad at me. Here it goes.


1) You have 3 books published right now if I am not mistaken; Safe Landing,  Camille, Bitterroot Crossing. Which was your favorite to write? 

 I actually just released a new book titled Blood Tide. It is a YA paranormal romance set in 1880. My favorite? Hmm, I guess it would be Camille because it is set in 19th century England, my favorite book setting.

  2)  Your books tend to have Paranormal Romance. Is that what you usually read or is it just your given writing genre?

 I love everything romance. My newest project is realistic fiction but there is always a romance. Paranormal is great to write because you can go in so many directions.

3) Have you ever thought of writing a sequel to any of your books? 

The sequel to Camille is nearly finished but my agent has it right now.

4) How long does it usually take you to write a book?

 It depends on my time. I teach full time during the school year so it takes longer but in summer I can usually write all day and finish a book in three months.

5) All of your covers are gorgeous. Do you get them specially made?

 My covers are designed and made by the most wonderful cover artist I know, my daughter, Nikki. She’s brilliant, beautiful and has a great eye for detail. That was my mom brag moment.

6) You have wrote both Historical Fiction and Modern. Which is your favorite to write in?

 You’re the first blog to ask this- great question. I love, love, love historical, but it is much harder to write. I’m constantly stopping to look at my research to make sure I haven’t messed up on something. I do love to write modern although some readers don’t appreciate the stronger language I use in the modern. But I think it’s impossible to write a great alpha-male hero who uses words like darn and gosh.

7)  What age did you start writing?

 I think I got really serious into writing in my late twenties.

8) What is your tip to the young and old alike writers of the world? (This is so I can add to my archive )

Write what you love. I could never write a detective murder mystery because I don’t love them. Romance has always been my genre and I have a blast creating the characters. If it is truly a passion then stick with it
.
9) Are you working on a story right now?

 Besides the sequel to Camille, I’m finishing a realistic fiction YA book called A Little Less Girl.

10) Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 I’m a mom, a wife, a pet lover and a teacher. I love horses but don’t have any at the moment. Although I am bottle feeding two baby goats at the moment and they are adorable and fun. I have four dogs that follow my every step. We live in beautiful California so we’re an outdoor family.

 11) Who is your favorite author?

 I have a lot I love but Jane Austen always rises to the top of my list.

  12) Have you ever tried to get your stories published through a publisher like Scholastic, Harperteen, Ceder Fort, Ect..?

 I have an agent who is attempting it right now. We’ll see. I do like the freedom of self-publishing though.

 13) (Last one)  If you had to pick a favorite character from your books. Which one would it be?

I’m sure most people would think that I’d pick Camille or Nathaniel for that matter, but I love Zedekiah Crush in Bitterroot Crossing. He’s the ultimate bad boy with a broken heart. My favorite female is Trixie Starfire Muldoon from my newest book, Blood Tide. She’s beautiful, smart and she has a pet pelican.


Maya and Camille 
  Thank you so much Tess for stopping bby and letting me interview you. I really Appreciate it and I loved all your books  .. Now everyone the giveaway is not going to begin til the 31st officially but you can drop an entry on this interview and it will still count. 


Read more  about Tess at her website . 

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Giveaway for Heart On A Chain Going on til' 7-30

Heart on a Chain by Cindy C Bennett

 I decided to do the giveaway until the 30th.... Only 4 people enter and I thought maybe more will  enter if I had it going for longer. Please enter on this comment or the interview with your email. I would love to have more followers too: ) 
 

Monday, July 25, 2011

Twelve Long Months Review....

       



I thought I would finally write a review on one of my favorite books. Yes the pereson in the picture is me without makeup....*Run the other way... i know I am ugly but I just got back from Basketball practice (:  *

    Yes I am sad to say I bought it for 1.99 at a reduced price store but it was worth every penny and I would have paid 50.00 for the book anyday. It was one of my favorites.

   Summary taken from the back of the book.

   Molly Swain is hopelessly in love. Mark is broody, mysterious, funny, attractive , artistic - basically, the only interesting in her small Minnesota town. She wonders to herself  if they'll ever be more than lab partners ...... until the fateful day that she discovers they'll both be moving to New York City, after they graduate. Clearly they're meant to be together. Right?
   Wrong. In Minnesota, Mark had a secret. And in New York, Molly discovers it. Not only is she not his type, she's not even the right gender. But does she immediately fall out of  love with hum? If only it were that easy.......
    This is one that I fell in love with the characters. I loved Molly for believing and being her. For being in Love even though she knows it won't work out... She is one of my favorite character from a book. She has claimed my heart as my favorite girl character of a novel for the past year.
   Mark also has a spot in my reading heart... I loved him but I cant give you a reason why. He was just there for me and Molly. He is also a favorite character even though I had times where I hated him and others when I wanted to kiss him.
  Brian has  a way of making readers to get lost in his works. One of my favorite Modern day fictions.
  I agree with the last few words of this book

 I guess you could call this a love story. Not the one I wanted or imagined , but a love story, all the  same.
 
  It was a love story. One that captivated me  and the 13 friends I hesitantly lended to because it was one of my favorites. The loves story was not your typical they end up together happily ever after. It was far from that but a heck of a lot of good. This will always be on eo f my favorites and if you would try it. Rather from the library if you don't want to go out and buy it but it was worth every penny if you buy it.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Heart on a Chain ending tonight

Today is the last day to enter the Heart on a Chain giveaway. Entries  will be closed at  11:59 central US time..

10 Followers :)

 I am so Happy...... We finally hit 10 followers. I Know its not much but its better than nothing 

Thursday, July 21, 2011

What do you think of my hand writing

  This is for my story My First Love Gone which I am currently working on and right now I am writing the letter John wrote to Elizabeth.... If you want to win a copy of it written by me plus the whole story as soon as i finish just leave a comment with your email

My book List ( Including my nook)

     Color Coated Guide
Sweet Dream Series 
Pirate Era 
Harry Potter Era 
Fairytale era 
Quick Summer Read 
Everyone else is reading it so I'll try it 
Quick Winter Reads 
I have no idea how or why it got on my shelf 
Just Grabbed it off the sale shelf somewhere 
I Had to buy it.. It was calling my name 
Signed Copy 
   *The Most Evil Pirates in History by Shelly Klein.
    * Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by Joanne K Rowling 
    * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
    *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J K Rowling 
    * Harry Potter and the  Prisoner of Azkaban by J K Rowling 
    * The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine
    * Ever by Gail Carson Levine  
    * Fairest by Gail Carson Levine 
    *  Wish I Might  by Coleen Paratore
    * Twilight by Stephanie Meyer   
    * The Wake of The Lorelie  Lee by L. A. Meyer 
    * Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison  
    * Princess Mia by Meg Cabot 
    *  The Blonde of the Joke by Bennett Madison
    * Dear John by Nicholas Sparks ( 2 Copys) 
    * Twelve Long Months by Brian Malloy 
    * Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg 
    * The Tales of Beetle the Bard by J K Rowling 
    * Heidi by Johanna Spyri 
    * Black Beauty by Anna Sewell 
    * Pulling Princes by Tyne o' Connell 
    * Sister Slam and the Poetic Motormouth Road Trip by Linda High
    * The Case of the Phantom Friend by Angela Hunt 
    * Mostly Ghostly: Freaks and Shrieks  by R.L.Stine  
    * Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery 
    * Snaggle Doodle (I have no idea why it is on my shelf) 
   * The Double Jinx Mystery by Carolyn Keene
   * The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene 
   * The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene 
   * The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket  


   * The Yearling   
   * A Sterkarn Kiss by Susan Price
   * Childrens True Adventures by Arther Maxwell
  * Gulivers Travels by Jonathan Swift 
  *  America's Victories by Larry Schweikart  (American Love :) ) 
  * Our Country's Founders by William J Bennett 
  * Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll 
  * The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain 
  * City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare ( I had to buy it. It was calling me) 
  * Geek Girl by Cindy C Bennett ( Signed Copy) 
  * Benjamin Franklin edited by Tanja Lee
  * Fateful by Cheri Schmidt 
  * City of Glass by Cassandra Clare 
  * The Geography of Girlhood by Kristen Smith 
  * Klepto by Jenny Pallock 
  * Honey Blonde Chica by Michele Serros 
  * Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer 
  * Shirt and Shoes not required by Todd Strasser 
  * Skinny Dipping by Melissa de la cruz 
  * Vampire Academy by Rachelle Mead   
  * Mia tells it Like it is by Meg Cabot 
  * Becky the Bluebird by Eddie Bowman ( 2 copys) 
  * 52 ways to stretch a Buck by Kenny Luck 
  * The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks 
  * The Coral Island by R,M, Ballantyne 
  * The Dungeon by Lynn Reid Banks 
  * Harry Potter and the Half- blood Prince by J K Rowling 
  * Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J K Rowling
  * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 
  * The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan  
  * Ralph S Mouse by Beverly Clearly 
  * Chicaro by  Francis Kalnay 
  * Listen by Stephanie S Tolan 
  * Missing May by Cynthia Rylant 
  * Amber Brown goes Fourth by Paula Danziger
  * Alicia the Clique Summer Collection by Lisa Harrison 
  * Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary 
  * Civil War Ghosts by Daniel Cohen 
  * Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary 
  * Allie Finkles Rules for Girls Moving Day by Meg Cabot 
  * Just Ella by Margret Peterson Haddix
  * The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
  * The Special Guest by Lee and Donna Allen 
  * Hold on Tight (Hannah Montana Novel) BY Lori Mcelroie 
  * Lily's Ghosts by Laura Ruby 
  * Dangerous Plays by Carolyn Keene 
  *Action! by Carolyn Keene 
  * The Raven Masters Secret: Escape from the tower of London by Elvira  Woodruff 
  * The Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine 
  * Ella Enchanted
  * Forget Me Not by Coleen Paratore 
  * Hoot by Carl Hiassen 
  * Little White Lies by lois F Fisher
  * It Must Be Mauc by Manan Woodruff 





 MORE SOON TO COME I AM JUST GETTING LAZY
  


  *  

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Tess Oliver coming soon....

  Our next guest Author will be the lovely Tess Oliver who agreed to let me interview her

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

My Interview with Diane Tolley


 
   Here is my Interview with the wonderful Diane Tolley who took the time to let me interview her and answer all of my questions.. Here are 4 of her books you can purchase from Smashwords and I am thinking of doing a giveaway if I do good on the one for Heart On A Chain  .  By do good I mean get about 15 entries on it I will personally buy a copy of any of these you want.  Well here we go on the interview:

  1) When did you first take an interest in writing ?
I really got interested when I was in grade six. I had always liked making up stories (ask my Mom, she’ll tell you . . .) but I realized that other people liked my stories when my teacher, Mrs. H (shame on me, I can’t remember her full name!!) handed back a story I had written and told me that writing was something I should take very seriously because I had a lot of talent. Whether or not she was right, her encouragement got me going. I’ve never looked back.
2) In your book The Babysitter. You write in 3rd person. Is it a personal preference or is it how you write better?  
Truth to tell, I much prefer writing in the first person. Many of my books are written thusly (is that a word?). Recently (as in sometime in the past five years) I was told that most people prefer third person, so I was trying to please them. (Go ahead, say it – I should write to please myself, right?) So, personal preference? First person. It’s so much more . . . ummm . . . personal!
3) Also in your book The Babysitter you never specified the age of J' amie. Was that intentional ? 
I actually intended for her to be in her late 20’s.  Or even early 30’s. I have a hard time with writers who feel that their heroines need to be really young. Romance happens at any age. It’s funny, though. I didn’t realize until you pointed this out that I hadn’t actually said how old she was. (Oops!)
4)  When you write, where is your favorite spot? 
I love to write downstairs in my little cubbyhole. I have a little heater under the desk for my perpetually cold feet. My cubby, my heater, my computer and I have all gotten to be really good friends.
5) How long does it take you to write a book, like The Babysitter  and Melissa ? 
Usually, I can hammer out a book in a month. Making it readable for humans takes a little longer.
6) What advice would you give to the young writing people of the world?
Write, write and write some more! Start with what you know – your experiences, your wishes and dreams and go on from there. Make things up. Create worlds. There are no rules, you make those up as well. Let your imagination go. It can take you ANYWHERE!
7) You have a new book published by Cedar Fort called Carving Angels. Are you excited about it ? 
I am so much more than excited! This is my greatest dream and I am black and blue from pinching myself to make sure it is really happening. With every different part of the process, I get more excited. My publisher writes to me and I say, ”Yay, my publisher wants to talk to me! Fantastic!” She sends me proofs and I say, “Hey, proofs! Fantastic!” She tells me I need to do a rewrite and I say, “Hey, a re . . .!” . . . you get the picture. I am absolutely in love with the entire process. You should have seen me when I first saw the cover. (For an old lady, I can sure turn great handflips!) It is, really, my greatest dream come true. I am the princess! I am the hero! Sorry, but it’s your fault. You got me started!!! 


  Thank you so much for taking the time to read the interview and a big cyber hug to Diane  who took the time and let me interview her :) 


You can find some of her works smashwords  for sale and thank you so much everyone who stops by this blog and how they let me interview them on there stories. If you are an author and would let me interview you just drop a comment off in the comment box. I love doing them and every little bit of publicity helps for you and me... 


  Diane, we cant wait til your book comes through with Cedar Fort and defiantly buying it from a local store. I cant thank you enough for the interview you are a great writer and lets say your story The Babysitter got me into some trouble because I stayed up til 3 reading it and I had basketball pracctice at 6 but it was worth it . 

Monday, July 18, 2011

Soon to come....

 My interview with the wonderful Diane Tolley will be on tomorrow. Author of The Babysitter, Melissa, and Devon

My Interview with Cindy C Bennett

 *Doing a little happy dance in my room*
1) In your book Heart on a Chain you write in 3rd person, while in Geek
Girl 
you write in first person. What is your personal preference?
I prefer first person, just because I like getting inside my characters
heads, see what makes them tick, why they make the decisions they do.
Sometimes they surprise me. I know it seems strange to say that as they
are a product of my imagination, but genuinely, when I'm writing,
sometimes what I had intended them to do or say is not at all what comes
out. There are many times when I go back to reread what I wrote, and I
honestly can't remember why I wrote what I did, but it feels right, more
so than what I had originally intended. I have actually been surprised by
what I've written, and those usually end up being my favorite scenes, or
parts of the book.

2) We hear that Geek Girl  is getting published by Cedar Fort publishing.
Are you excited?
I'm very excited. As a self-published author, you retain complete control
over the final product, which is amazing. But it is also impossible to get
your book onto a store shelf. That means there is one less venue for me to
reach readers. With Cedar Fort, I will be able to get the books out there
into brick and mortar stores, which will hopefully help me find those who
either don't have easy access to the internet, or maybe aren't
particularly internet savvy. I'm also excited to see what they do with the
cover! I'm very, very fond of the old cover, so I really hope they find
something that I will love just as much. I've seen some of the covers they
do, and so far I've thought they were all fantastic. And, I admit, to a
certain degree I like the validation that comes with having been accepted
by a traditional publisher. However, having said that, I get far more
validation from the amazing emails I receive from my readers. There isn't
anything better than that!

3) While in  both of your books they both involve child abuse. What is your
inspiration for writing about child abuse?
My mom said to me, "I never abused you. Why do you write about it so
much?" Lol. And it's true, I had a great childhood. My inspiration for
that comes from always having admired the indomitable human spirit, the
ability to rise above and overcome things that are thrust upon us against
our will. As a young teen, I read a book called "One Child" by Torey
Hayden. That was the beginning of my love affair with children who are
able to be more that a victim, even though a victim is exactly what they
are. "A Child Called It" by Dave Pelzer is another book that completely
inspires me. I think when someone is put into a situation beyond their
control, and either abused, beaten down, told they are worthless, whatever
it is they are subjected to, and then become a remarkable person in spite
of it, well, there isn't anything greater to me. It happens far more often
in real life than we realize. I personally know several people who were
either abused as children or as adults by a spouse, who are some of the
most amazing people I know.

4)  I am lucky enough to own a copy of Geek Girl as an ebook and a
signed copy. Will the one you are getting published through Cedar Fort be
any different?
I think it will be basically the same. The cover will be different, and
there might be some edits that will make the writing tighter, more
polished, but overall the story will be almost exactly the same. Several
people have read it and liked it, so don't fix what isn't broken, right?

5) For the writers of the world what advise would you give them so I can
add it to my archive.
Just keep on writing. Every time you write, you are improving your craft.
I can't tell you how many unfinished manuscripts I have hidden around my
house. Most of them are truly awful. Keep writing if that is your passion,
write all the time, make up stories in your head either for your own
entertainment, or maybe as bedtime stories for your kids. And when you're
ready to publish, make sure you have someone edit your work before
submitting it, whether to an agent, publisher, or as a self-published
work. There isn't anything more important than good editing - except a
really entertaining, well-written story, I guess. (Even well-written
stories need editing. Well-written doesn't equal correctly written!)
6) If you had a choice between Geek Girl and Heart on a Chain which one

did you like writing more?
I love them both, really. It's like trying to choose a favorite child -
it's impossible. But, like with children, there are days when I might like
dealing with one more than the other. I suppose it was easier to write
Geek Girl just because it's a little more light-hearted, has a lot of
humor in it. Heart on a Chain has a heavier subject matter, so it was a
little harder to write. My mood tends to reflect the mood of my characters
as I write, because I need to be in their mind set, since I write in first
person.

7) Did you edit your own story?
No, I have a fantastic group of writers that I exchange chapters with. We
edit one anothers works, give suggestions for improvements, tell each
other when something doesn't make sense. Can I mention them here? They
definitely deserve a shout-out. Jeffrey Moore writes speculative fiction,
Camelia Miron Skiba writes romance, and Kimberley Patterson writes YA
historical fiction. As you can see, we all have completely different
writing styles and we all bring different strengths to the table. I could
not have written what I have without their help. We are always kind, but
absolutely honest. That's why it works. If I asked a friend, mother,
sister to edit for me, it wouldn't work because they would not want to
hurt my feelings, would tell me how wonderful it all is, and then I'd put
out an inferior product. But I do want to pint out that any mistakes that
remain in the books are mine, and mine alone.

8) What age did you start writing ?
I was pretty young when I first started writing, maybe 12 or 13. It was in
high school when I really began to love writing, and to learn how to write
well. I had an English teacher for 9th & 10th grades, Mr. Bickmore, who
taught me an all-consuming love of the written word. He would have us
spend the first 10 minutes of class each day writing on a specific
subject. I couldn't wait to get to his class each day to do this. It was
such a flow of creativity, and I haven't stopped writing since.

9) Can you give us the name of your main character of the story you are
working on?
Her name is Niahm (pronounced like Neeve), which is an old Irish name.
She's a small town girl, who loves her horse, dog, chickens, all the
animals she takes care of. Then Sam moves to town, and turns her world
upside down - for reasons that are completely different than anything I've
written before. Is that mysterious enough? :o)

10) Can I thank you enough for  doing an interview?
I can't thank you enough for offering. You are one of my favorite people
in the world, and I mean that seriously. I look forward to emails from
you, and reading anything you write on Goodreads, more than you know. I
tell my friends and family about my sweet cyber-friend Courtney. I have no
doubt the day will come when you will be a famous writer, and I can say I
knew you when. You have such a distinct writing voice that is going to get
so much better with experience. My hope is that you retain that same voice
and style that you employ now. It brings to mind some of the great writers
of the 20th century, and probably even some from the 19th century. I'm
going to suggest here that your readers look your work up on Goodreads to
see what you have to offer.


And I am posting this from my trampoline you fans of Geek Girl.  I really cant think Mrs. Cindy Enough for letting me do the  interview. I really love this author and I hope you will to. To enter for the ebook copy of Heart on a Chain just leave a comment with your email and if you would follow Courtneys book nook on GFC. 


Everyone I ask you to go to Cindy's  website and learn more about her book and herself. I would also love to thank her once again for the opportunity to interview her on her self and her novels.
   

Review : Heart On A Chain

    Another one of my favorites.  By one of my favorite authors who I am so excited to tell y'all will be interviewed and up ASAP.. Mrs. Cindy has even volunteered to do a giveaway. Well I guess I need to stop typing the gossip but continue with the review so here it goes :
   Henry and Kate were best friends through childhood. Then one day Henry moves and Kate is left with her abusive - Mother, of all things.  When her baby brother died when she was younger her Mother never got over the event and started to beat Kate, do drugs, and not feed her only child.

   I first bought this book while flipping through the teen section and clicked on it. begged my Dad and then I was reading it. This is one I bragged about to my Aunt, Mother, Cousins,Sisters,and Anyone who would listen to me. It got me started writing so you see why it is one of my favorites. The plot is good and for once in a story the relationship took time to grow. Which it really does in real life.  I really did enjoy Kate and Henry along with Grandpa Henry and all of his sisters.
   A beautiful novel in and out.  I suggest you buy an ebook copy of it but I am telling you will want to buy a signed copy of it from Cindy C Bennetts website  and if you are like me and love your t shirts she also has a Geek Girl one after her Novel, Geek Girl . I am proud to say I wear it everywhere  and if Mrs. Cindy makes Heart on a Chain  t shirts another wear at least once a week shirt.

                                 STAY TUNED FOR INTERVIEW WITH CINDY C BENNETT AND DIANE TOLLEY