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Thursday, February 27, 2014

STEADFAST Chapter reveal! Chapter 3 and a Giveaway!


I am so excited to take part in the reveal of chapters 1-4 of Steadfast for Claudia Gray! Each day this week a different blog will have a chapter from the book! Check out the schedule below and also there will be giveaways on each site!

Haven't heard of STEADFAST? Check it out!


STEADFAST
Author: Claudia Gray
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
The second book in the dazzling Spellcaster series from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray is perfect for fans of the Beautiful Creatures and Hex Hall series.

Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine saved Captive's Sound from the dark sorceress Elizabeth . . . or so they thought. But despite their best efforts, a crack opened and a new, greater evil seeped through. With Mateo as her Steadfast, Nadia's magic is magnified but her training is still incomplete. And a darker magic has begun to call Nadia. . . .

With her Steadfast, Mateo, and her best friend, Verlaine, Nadia must fight the black magic that tempts her and stop the One Beneath before he comes to claim what is his.

And here's Chapter 3!!! Enjoy!






About Claudia:

Claudia Gray is a pseudonym. I would like to say that I chose another name so that no one would ever learn the links between my shadowy, dramatic past and the explosive secrets revealed through my characters. This would be a lie. In truth, I took a pseudonym simply because I thought it would be fun to choose my own name. (And it is.)
I write novels full-time, absolutely love it, and hope to be able to do this forever. My home is in New Orleans, is more than 100 years old, and is painted purple. In my free time I read, travel, hike, cook and listen to music. You can keep up with my latest releases, thoughts on writing and various pop-culture musings via TwitterTumblrPinterestGoodReads or (of course) my own home page.

If you want to contact me, you can email me, but your best bet is probably to Tweet me. I don’t do follows on Twitter, but I follow everyone back on Tumblr, Pinterest and GoodReads.



Giveaway Details

1 finished copy of STEADFAST and a bookmark. International
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Here's the Schedule!!!!!

Week One:
 2/25/2014- Mundie Moms- Chapter 1       
2/26/2014- Jean Book Nerd- Chapter 2
2/27/2014- HERE!!!Chapter 3
2/28/2014- Novel NoviceChapter 4


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Blog Tour- NIL by Lynne Matson Author Interview and a Giveaway!


I am so excited to have Lynne Matson here with an interview for the NIL Blog Tour! I loved this book and am lucky enough to be able to help spread the word about it! Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a copy of the book!

Haven't heard of NIL? Check it out!


NIL
Author: Lynne Matson
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 384
Publisher: Henry Holt (Macmillan)
On the island of Nil, the rules are set. You have one year. Exactly 365 days--to escape, or you die.
Seventeen-year-old Charley doesn’t know the rules. She doesn’t even know where she is. The last thing Charley remembers is blacking out in an Atlanta parking lot, and when she wakes up, she’s naked in an empty rock field.
Lost and alone, Charley hunts for a way out. She discovers desolate beaches and human remains, but no sign of civilization--until she meets Thad, the gorgeous leader of a clan of teenage refugees. Soon Charley learns that leaving the island is harder than she thought . . . and so is falling in love. With Thad’s time running out, Charley realizes that to save their future, Charley must first save him. And on an island rife with hidden dangers, their greatest threat is time.

They can’t stop the clock. They can only hope to beat it. 

Now on to the interview!

Hi Lynne! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! I absolutely loved NIL!! Thanks for stopping by to answer my questions!

Thank for having me Jamie! And I’m SOOO glad you loved NIL! It makes my author heart happy.:)

Where did the idea for NIL come from?

My husband had won a trip to Hawaii with his company, and it was our first real getaway from our four boys, EVER. (And it was HAWAII!! *still counts my blessings on that one* :D) We landed on the big island, and as we left the airport after landing, we drove through miles of ancient lava fields. Broken red rock stretched endlessly on each side, gorgeous and desolate. There were no roads, no buildings, no people–just the sound of wind blowing over the barren rocks. The surrounding silence was powerful, and eerie, like it had a presence all its own. I remember thinking how creepy it would be to wake up there, all alone, and I remember thinking how much it all looked like an alien planet (think DUNE). And I remember thinking how scary it would be as a teen, to wake up by yourself, not having a clue where you were or how you how got there, and what if–because isn’t this every person’s worst nightmare?!–what if you woke up naked? NIL was born in that moment. 

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

Actually, no. But I see bit and pieces of lots of people I know --or have met-- in all of my characters, which is so fun!

How long did it take you to write NIL?

About six months for the first draft, then longer ( much longer!) to edit and revise to make it the story it is today.

I love that you told this story in dual POV’s why did you decide to do that?

Aw, thanks Jamie! It just felt right. I started writing from Charley’s POV right away. I wanted her to discover NIL with fresh eyes, but I also had this vision of a guy already there…mentally in a different place after fighting to survive and escape for nine months, with inside knowledge of the island. So I started writing Thad the same day that I started writing Charley.

What is for favorite passage/scene in NIL?

Ooooo…tough question.:) I love the scene when Charley and Thad first meet. And I also love the very last chapter of the book! *seals lips to prevent spoilers* And, while it may sound weird, I love the funeral scene of one of the characters you meet early on…it was very moving to write, and felt necessary even though I loved that character.

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

Oh my gosh—fun, and sometimes creepy, stuff. I researched snowboard cross in Canada, warthog behavior and aggressive tendencies, tropical plants, solar storms, knife wounds, and more. Being a writer gives you license to research very strange things in the name of “work.” :)

Is there any hope for a second book? I loved the secondary characters so much! I’d love to 
see something about Rives or Dex.

Oh, I love Rives and Dex too! Right now there aren’t any plans for another book, but I’ll admit to having ideas for Rives floating around in my head. If there were to be another book, it would pick up with Rives.

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

I just finished Anne Blankman’s PRISONER OR NIGHT AND FOG. It was AMAZING!!! Lucky for me, I’m a member of OneFourKidLit and the YA Valentines, so I’m dying to ALL THE BOOKS. But to name a few, I’m dying to read Paula Stokes THE ART OF LAINEY, Kasie West’s SPLIT SECOND, and Lindsay Currie & Trisha Leaver’s CREED.

Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend?

Oooo…another tough one. I’m picking Trevor from PIVOT POINT. Honorable mentions to Adam from WHERE SHE WENT, Po from Graceling, and Jace from The Mortal Instruments series. :)

What inspired you to write YA?

All the feels! Seriously, YA is THE BEST because everything is so fresh, so raw, and SO REAL. I can’t imagine writing anything else.

Lightening Round Questions

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter. Hello…my name is Lynne and I’m a Twitter addict.:)

Favorite Superhero?

Spiderman

Favorite TV show?

Off-air? A tie between Friends & LOST.
On air? I barely watch tv these days so I’m going to punt. It might be Scooby-Doo, because it’s getting heavy play in my house right now.

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet all the way.

Any Phobias?

Spiders. I can’t stand them. YOU CAN’T FEEL THEM WHEN THEY’RE ON YOU…*shudders*

Favorite Music?

Alt-rock, with mellow singer/songwriter’s (like Jack Johnson or Hannah Trigwell) as a close second.


This was so much fun Jaime! Thank you for having me!!!!!! 

Thank you Lynne! That was awesome!!



About Lynne:


Lynne Matson grew up in Georgia in a house full of books and a backyard full of gnarly pines. Back then, Lynne would stay up late, reading Nancy Drew books under the covers (with a flashlight . . . a weak attempt at ninja stealth). Now she still stays up late reading books and writing them. When she doesn't have a book in her hand, you'll find her listening to music, messing around with paint, or hanging out with her husband and their four boys . . . or all of the above. 




Giveaway Details:

US/Can prizes: Two sets of Nil prize packs including swag and a hardback of Nil



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule

Feb 17: Dana Square Interview
Feb 18: Book Loving Mom Review
Feb 19: Jenna Does Books Guest Post
Feb 20: Word Spelunking Review 
Feb 21: Book Addict's Guide Interview
Feb 24: Great Imaginations Review 
Feb 25: A Backwards Story Guest Post
Feb 26: Two Chicks on Books Interview 
Feb 27: As Told by Rachel Review 
Feb 28: Paperback Princess Interview 
Mar 3: The Best Books Ever Review
Mar 4: Wastepaper Prose Review 
Mar 5: Book Haven Extraordinaire Review
Mar 6: Good Choice Reading Interview 



Blog Tour- TIN STAR by Cecil Cataslleucci and a Giveaway!


I am so excited to have Cecil Cataslleucci here shes got a kick ass playlist for us today! I'll of course be posting YouTube clips of my favorites :D

 Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a copy of the book!

Haven't heard of TIN STAR? Check it out!


TIN STAR
Author: Cecil Cataslleucci 
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Pages: 240
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan)
On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.


When three humans crash land onto the station, Tula's desire for escape becomes irresistible, and her desire for companionship becomes unavoidable. But just as Tula begins to concoct a plan to get off the space station and kill Brother Blue, everything goes awry, and suddenly romance is the farthest thing from her mind.

Now on to the  post!

I chose a song for each of the characters that would be their sort of anthem.  A song they could sing to sum up who they really are and how they move through the galaxy.  You'll see that while the songs go together, interacting like the characters do, it's an eclectic mix. Some might even be a little disconnecting,  and that's a good thing, because most of these characters are aliens. .

Enjoy!

Tula Bane - Tula Bane is the star of my novel!  She's a human colonist from Earth who was abandoned on the Yertina Feray.  She is resourceful, smart and savvy.  She's had to work hard to survive as the only human living on the space station.  She holds a big grudge against Brother Blue, the cult leader who left her there.


Tournour is an alien called Loor.  The Loor are long limbed with antenna on their head.  They have no eyebrows and a triangular colored patch between their eyes before their hairline starts.  He is the assistant constable on the Yertina Feray.  He is aloof and quiet and a tough nut but there are cracks in his armor and on occasion he is capable of showing quiet acts of kindness.  He has a strong moral code that he lives by.  He always errs on the side of justice. 

Alingual by Karate



Heckleck is Hort.  The Hort are a insect like species.  They have a hard exo-skeleton.  A barbed tongue which can be poisonous to some species.  Heckleck is cunning and manipulative.  He looks out for number one.  He is a master barterer and he deals in favors. He is the alien to go to if you have anything you need that is unsavory, dark or to trade.  He is the mentor of Tula Bane and he lives in the underguts. 

Almost Always is Nearly Enough by Tortoise



Els is a human girl that arrives on the space station.  I won't say much about her or the other humans to not spoil how they fit in to the galactic politics.  But let's just say that Els is not afraid to do what ever it takes to get what she wants.  She is extremely charming. 

Bad Reputation by Joan Jett



Reza is also a human who arrives on the Yertina Feray.  He's got an easy laugh, a good spirit and really cares about Earth.  He looks like he could win any fight.


Caleb is the third human who arrives on the Yertina Feray.  Everything about him is soft. 

The Sky is in Love by Dallas Don

Brother Blue is the leader of the Children of Earth, a group that seeks to expand the human presence in the galaxy thought colonization.  He is extremely charasmatic and like all cult leaders, will do anything to fulfill his vision.

Anarchy in the UK by The Sex Pistols




Thado -  is a Dolmav, a species who look as though they belong underwater.  He has some tentacles and also a blowhole.   But with the nanites and on their own planet, they are perfectly capable of living above or under water.   He is in charge of the arboretum.  He is calm and slow and has a deep voice.

All is Calm by the Rachel's

Thanks Cecil! That was awesome! Love the Sex Pistols!!!



About Cecil:
Cecil Castellucci is the author of books and graphic novels for young adults including Boy Proof, The Plain Janes, First Day on Earth, The Year of the Beasts and Odd Duck. Her picture book, Grandma’s Gloves, won the California Book Award Gold Medal. Her short stories have been published in Strange Horizons, YARN, Tor.com, and various anthologies including, Teeth, After and Interfictions 2. She is the YA editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books, Children’s Correspondence Coordinator for The Rumpus and a two time Macdowell Fellow. She lives in Los Angeles.


Giveaway Details:
1 copy of TIN STAR US/Canada Only


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tin Star Blog Tour Schedule

Monday February 17

Tuesday February 18

Wednesday February 19

Thursday February 20

Friday February 21

Monday February 24

Tuesday February 25

Wednesday February 26

Thursday February 27

Friday February 28




Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Blog Tour- STEADFAST by Claudia Gray and a Giveaway!


I am so excited to have Claudia Gray here she's an amazing writer and the Batman to my Robin (inside joke lol) I have a sweet post on the magic used in the SPELLCASTER series! I loved this book  and am dying to get my hands on book 3! Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a copy of the book!

Haven't heard of STEADFAST? Check it out!


STEADFAST
Author: Claudia Gray
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Pages: 352
Publisher: HarperTeen
The second book in the dazzling Spellcaster series from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray is perfect for fans of the Beautiful Creatures and Hex Hall series.

Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine saved Captive's Sound from the dark sorceress Elizabeth . . . or so they thought. But despite their best efforts, a crack opened and a new, greater evil seeped through. With Mateo as her Steadfast, Nadia's magic is magnified but her training is still incomplete. And a darker magic has begun to call Nadia. . . .

With her Steadfast, Mateo, and her best friend, Verlaine, Nadia must fight the black magic that tempts her and stop the One Beneath before he comes to claim what is his.

Now on to the  post!

The system of magic in the SPELLCASTER trilogy doesn’t come from medieval witchcraft lore, the modern practice of Wicca, or any other real-life source. To me it felt important to create something from scratch, so the spells, the ingredients, all of it – complete fiction.

(Though I always joke – if you try one of the spells and it works, please let me know.)

Witchcraft in the SPELLCASTER world is only practiced by women; apparently one very, very angry sorceress back in the day cast a curse that would keep men from possessing magic. (Though there are some interesting wrinkles in that curse, as Nadia finds out in the first book.) The Craft is kept secret from all men, and from all outsiders. The ability to wield magic tends to run in certain bloodlines, so a young witch is most often taught by her mother, grandmother, an aunt, someone like that. They do this clandestinely, so much so that a student witch may have no contact with a larger coven until she reaches her full powers.

Different witches have different levels of potential; however, any witch can strengthen her spells if she’s able to find a Steadfast. A Steadfast is a person who – while not a witch herself – makes a witch’s magical power greater just by being nearby. There’s a specific spell to cast that makes someone a Steadfast, but you can’t pick just anyone. The bond between a witch and her Steadfast is intense and enduring. To some extent they will be connected their whole lives.

How do the spells work? You need two things: One, a mineral or material to “ground” the spell. That can be as rare as a gemstone or as simple as quartz; different materials ground different kinds of spells. The trickier part of the spells: the ingredients. Each spell is made up of memories – moments personal to each witch that fulfill the criteria for a spell. For instance, a spell might ask for “a final farewell,” “sorrow at midnight,” and “rushing water.” The witch would think of memories that fit those categories, and call them up in her mind as vividly as possible (When I broke up with my boyfriend just before we moved – when I found out Grandpa died late that night – when I went whitewater rafting) while she touched the grounding element. As much as possible, she should try to almost relive the moment. That’s when the spell is cast.

Memories allow witches to determine how strong or weak a spell will be – more emotionally powerful memories will strengthen the spell. Of course, this also means that the older a witch becomes, the more memories she has – so she has more to choose from and can cast spells with more finesse and often more strength. This is bad news for Nadia, because her enemy in the SPELLCASTER series has cast spells to extend her life and is now about 400 years old, give or take? But Nadia goes through some intense experiences in this series, so she’s making new memories. Powerful ones. And everything she goes through has the power to become a weapon she can use.



Thanks Batman! That was awesome!!



About Claudia:

Claudia Gray is a pseudonym. I would like to say that I chose another name so that no one would ever learn the links between my shadowy, dramatic past and the explosive secrets revealed through my characters. This would be a lie. In truth, I took a pseudonym simply because I thought it would be fun to choose my own name. (And it is.)
I write novels full-time, absolutely love it, and hope to be able to do this forever. My home is in New Orleans, is more than 100 years old, and is painted purple. In my free time I read, travel, hike, cook and listen to music. You can keep up with my latest releases, thoughts on writing and various pop-culture musings via TwitterTumblrPinterestGoodReads or (of course) my own home page.

If you want to contact me, you can email me, but your best bet is probably to Tweet me. I don’t do follows on Twitter, but I follow everyone back on Tumblr, Pinterest and GoodReads.



Giveaway Details:
3 signed STEADFASTs, with swag bookmarks. International



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule

Week One:
2/24/2014- FiktshunGuest Post   
 2/25/2014- Two Chicks on BooksGuest Post          
2/26/2014- Fantasy Book AddictInterview
2/27/2014- Magical Urban Fantasy ReadsCharacter interview with Verlaine
2/28/2014- Jenna Does BooksAuthor interview

Week Two:
3/3/2014- Mundie MomsReview and an excerpt
3/4/2014- ParajunkeeInterview
3/5/2014- BookaliciousGuest Post         
3/6/2014- Tales of a Ravenous ReaderGuest Post
3/7/2014- YA SisterhoodGuest Post      https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/images/cleardot.gif


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