Debbie Viguié's Blog, page 28

Happy December 4th! The Kindle contest is still underway. In case this is your first time hearing about it, here's how it works: you nominate a friend/family member/coworker/etc. who you think needs a Kindle (tell us why they need/deserve one!) I'll be collecting entries until December 21st and then a winner will be chosen and the person nominated and the one who nominated them will both receive a Kindle! All you have to do to enter is comment on one of the Advent Calendar posts between now and then. But there are also daily giveaways of cool stuff too! Daily winners will be selected from that day's comments.

Yesterday's winner of a signed copy of the Chicks in Capes anthology is Tina. Congratulations! To enter today's giveaway, just comment below. Today's goodie is an excerpt from my novel, Scarlet Moon, which is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Today's winning comment will receive an autographed copy of Scarlet Moon! Good luck, everyone, and here's your goodie:

Scarlet Moon

Chapter One

The woods were changing. The cycle of death had begun yet again. Once proud, green trees now stood, half-naked and clothed only in hues of fire and gold. Their gnarled branches stretched downward toward the faint path that wound below. Upon it a young girl with pale skin and black hair walked hand-in-hand with her older brother, unaware of the wolf that was stalking them. The trees saw, though, and whispered a warning as the wind rattled their remaining leaves.

The little girl was skipping along, her bright red cloak fluttering in the chill air. It was the color of blood and it drew the wolf in closer. Flitting like a grey ghost, it slunk along behind the trees, just steps from them and watched. The children were close to the village, a few minutes more and they would be out of the forest. The girl turned as though she heard what the trees were whispering and shivered a little. Feeling her movement, the boy glanced back as well. The wolf circled around warily until he stood on the path before them.

When the children turned back the wolf was there. He lunged forward, fangs and claws sinking into the girl's legs. She screamed as it knocked her down and her own blood sprayed up into her face. She struggled to sit and came face to face with the monster.

Beside her the boy raised his dagger high into the air before plunging it into the wolf's chest. The creature cried out in pain and let go of her. It jumped back, blood gushing from the wound and stared at them for a moment before turning and staggering off into the trees.

The trees shook sympathetically, showering down leaves upon the children, covering both them and the trail left by the injured wolf. The skies grew darker as night drew near and the trees continued to shiver, urging the children to run home and whispering another warning.

It wasn't safe in the woods after dark.

Ruth clung to Stephen as he carried her, staggering out of the forest. With every step she screamed as a fresh wave of pain washed over her. He stumbled toward the village, shouting. From their tiny homes the villagers spilled forth, drawn by his cries.

"Help! Wolf!" he continued to shout.

From the nearest hut their father came running, fear straining at his features. "Children!" he shouted, the panic in his voice clear to Ruth even through the roaring sound in her ears. She felt his arms reaching out for her.

"My legs are on fire, Daddy," she whimpered, her throat raw from crying. "Put it out."

"You're not on fire, child."

"But I can feel it, it's burning me," she sobbed. Slowly her vision faded, but she could still hear him calling her name. She tried to answer but couldn't. In the distance she could hear the howl of a wolf and it filled her with a fear she had never known before. In her mind she pictured once again the wolf that had attacked her, from the silken gray of his fur to the piercing green of his eyes.

I never knew wolves had green eyes, she thought before darkness claimed her.

The wolf staggered away from the children, hurt and confused. It could barely breathe, and the wound felt as though it were on fire. It knew a place where it would be safe, though, a place where it could lick its wounds and wait for the dawn. Somehow it knew that things would be better with the dawn, but it didn't know why.

When Ruth awoke sun was streaming into her eyes and her legs still felt as though they were on fire. Her first sense was one of fear and she cried out.

"Hush, little one, you are safe," a familiar voice soothed. Her brother stood over her, his face twisted as though in pain.

"What is wrong, Stephen?" she asked.

He picked her up, hugging her to him. "Thank God you're awake," he whispered against her cheek.

"You're tickling me," she protested.

He laughed and laid her back down. "You had us all frightened, little one."

"Am I going to die?" she asked, the fear still tugging at her heart.

"No, God be praised," her father said from the doorway.

She turned to look at him and saw tears streaming down his cheeks. The sight frightened her more than the pain she felt or the memory of the wolf that had inflicted it.

He turned his face away from her, and his voice was muffled as he continued. "You will be alright, you will even walk again, though the scars will remain."

His words frightened her still more and she struggled to sit up. Stephen pushed against her shoulders, trying to hold her down, but she fought him. Her fingers clawed at his hands and she scratched him. At last she rose up on her elbows just as her blanket slid to the floor.

She stared in horror at what was left of her legs. They were crisscrossed with angry red wounds. Whole chunks of flesh were missing and the marks of the wolf's teeth were clearly seen.

She dimly heard Stephen's voice, telling her that everything was going to be fine. How can it be? she thought, her horror mounting with each passing second.

"I am hideous!"

"No! Listen to me. You are still beautiful and you will heal in time."

Ruth nodded for his sake, because she could hear the pain and the fear in his voice and it broke her heart. She would be strong for him. In her heart, though, she didn't believe him.

A movement in the corner of the room caught her eye and she turned to glance at a cloaked figure standing in the shadows. Grandmother? she wondered for one wild moment. It couldn't be, though, her grandmother lived in the forest and wasn't allowed to come into the village – ever.

Outside she heard a commotion, many voices mingled together in excited shouting. She turned away from the cloaked figure as her father strode to the door and flung it open. He stood for a moment, before turning with a satisfied nod. "They have the wolf."

"I want to see it," Ruth quavered, fear and hatred filling her.

"So you shall," Stephen said, swooping her up in his arms. He carried her outside. There, coming up the path was a group of men who wore tired yet triumphant looks.

"We followed the trail of blood," her cousin, Peter, shouted from the head of the troupe. "We lost it but when we searched the area, we found this wolf, already dead. He died of the wound you gave him, Stephen."

Ruth tightened her grip around Stephen's neck, her heart beginning to pound in fear as she caught sight of the monstrous gray brute. They dropped the wolf at Stephen's feet with great ceremony.

Peter reached out to touch her hand. A year younger than her brother, he was still several years older than her. His parents had died a year before and he had been living with them since. He had grown much in that time, his body beginning to make the transition from boy to man as evidenced by his expanding shoulders and increasing confidence.

"I cut off the wolf's paw for you to keep," Peter told her.

"I don't want it," she whispered. "You keep it."

Slowly she looked down at the body of the wolf. It was ugly, its fur splattered with streaks of dried blood and its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth. Its fangs were covered with bits of flesh. At last Ruth looked into its eyes, which were wide open and staring. They were lifeless, like two little pieces of round yellow glass.

Yellow.

A chill went through her and she buried her head against Stephen's shoulder. "It's not the same wolf."

Something was wrong; she could feel it. Two weeks had passed since the wolf had attacked and in that time she had felt closer to her brother than ever before. He had been by her side constantly, warm and caring. The last few hours, though, he had seemed cold and aloof.

"Again," he commanded, sitting by the hearth and extending his arms toward her.

She struggled up from the edge of her bed, trying to stand. At last she gained her feet. With pain shooting through her legs, she tried to hobble using the crutch he had made for her. Since before the dawn he had had her up, trying to get her to move around using only the crutch. She was getting tired and angry.

Halfway to the hearth she began to lose her footing and she fell onto a chair.

"I can't do it!" she exclaimed as her crutch fell to the ground.

"You can and you must!"

"I'm tired, I'll work on it more tomorrow."

"No, you'll work on it today."

"Why? Why today?" she demanded.

"Because tomorrow will be too late," he said, standing so suddenly he knocked over his chair.

"Why?"

He sighed and dropped his eyes to the floor. After a moment he crossed over and knelt beside her. "Ruth, the duke has sent a call for men to join him as he marches with the prince to the Holy Land. They need men to fight in a crusade against the infidels holding Jerusalem."

"What has this to do with you?" she whispered, though in her heart she already feared the truth.

"Peter and I are going. We have heard the call and it has resonated in our hearts. We will join the duke and the prince."

"But you are blacksmiths not knights."

"And they need those more desperately than even warriors. We will help build and repair weapons and armor, shoe horses, and if need be, we will fight as well."

"You're leaving tomorrow, aren't you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"The army leaves at first light. We are traveling to the castle tonight to join it."

Ruth threw her arms around his neck and clung to him, terror filling her. "Don't go," she begged.

"I have to," he said. "They need me."

"I need you," she countered.

"No, you are strong. You do not need me to look after you any more. But father will need you now more than ever. You must promise me that you will help him."

Her tears spilled out freely, running down her cheeks and soaking his shirt. "I can't."

"You can, Ruth," he said, pulling away and staring into her eyes. "You are strong and brave. Not even the wolf could beat you."

She shivered at the mention of the creature and began to cry even harder. "But you were there to protect me."

He pulled his dagger from his belt, the very one he had used upon the wolf. He placed it in her palm and wrapped her fingers around its hilt. "I will still protect you, so long as you carry this with you."

She stared from it to him, praying to find the words that would make him stay. A shadow fell across the room and she turned. Peter stood in the doorway, a sack on his back.

"I will miss you, Ruth," her cousin said, his voice trembling.

She held out her arms to him and he came to her, hugging her tightly. Then the three of them hugged, all of them crying.

Finally Peter pulled away. "It's time to go," he said softly, and Stephen nodded.

"But father-"

"We said our goodbyes this morning," Stephen assured her.

"He knew and he did not tell me!"

"We agreed it would be better this way. Nothing is to be gained by lengthy goodbyes."

Stephen stood to his feet. He crossed to a corner and picked up a sack that Ruth hadn't noticed sitting there earlier. He threw it across his back before bending to kiss the top of her head.

"Be strong," he whispered. He turned to Peter and without another word the two of them left.

Ruth sat, shaking and staring at nothing for several moments. When she could no longer hear the sound of their footsteps, she stood slowly, using the chair for support.

She picked up her crutch and began to hobble painfully. Every step sent pain up her legs and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. A few steps and she made it through the door. Outside the road was a river of mud winding between the houses and scattered shops. Smoke curled from all the chimneys and people walked by quickly, heads bowed and spirits dampened by the recent rains.

The thick brown ooze clutched at her boots and each time she pulled them free it was accompanied by a loud sucking sound. Slowly, step by painful step she made her way toward her father's blacksmith shop. He was already there before her. She could hear his hammer ringing out against steel, strong, angry sounding strokes.

He glanced up at her as she entered, but said not a word. Slowly she made her way over to the forge. A steel blade sat in the fire, the metal becoming soft and pliable. With tongs she pulled it out and placed it upon an anvil.

She leaned her body against a stone pillar, and propped her crutch up against the back of it. She reached down and picked up her brother's hammer. The feel of it, smooth and cool in her hand brought the tears again to her eyes. It was heavy, but she lifted it high into the air. As she slammed it down upon the glowing steel she met her father's eyes. He nodded slowly and then turned back to his own blade. Together they hammered far into the night.

Welcome to my stop on the Holiday Blog Hop! This Christmas on the Blog Hop we're talking about books we've given or received as a gift that made a huge impact. When I was about twelve my father gave me The Lone Star Ranger by Zane Grey and it changed my life.

Zane Grey was a western writer who died decades before I was born and yet his book about a young man turned outlaw turned Texas Ranger gripped me, moving me as no book had before. When I finished the last page I knew that I wanted to be a writer and to make people feel the way I felt just then. It was magic. Before then I had done some writing, but had never really been serious about it. That book changed everything and put me on the path to being the writer (and the woman) that I am today. When I met my husband in college and we began to date I gave him a copy of The Lone Star Ranger and told him that it would explain a lot about me.

The book has remained precious to me and I read it whenever I need inspiration or encouragement. I'm still grateful to my father for sharing the wonder of that book and the words of Zane Grey with me. I have since read almost all of his other books and they've made me laugh and cry and feel a hundred different feelings. But none will ever hold a candle to my favorite.

I'll be giving away a copy of my newest novel Unleashed to a local library and another one to a reader. To enter to win the novel simply leave a comment here. Tweeting about it will get you an additional entry.

While you're here you might as well check out my Advent Calendar and enter my Advent contest to win free prizes including a free Kindle! Merry Christmas to you all and may books continue to be an inspiration in your life. After your finished make sure you continue the blog hop by clicking below!

Happy December 3rd! The Kindle contest is underway. In case this is your first time hearing about it, here's how it works: you nominate a friend/family member/coworker/etc. who you think needs a Kindle (tell us why they need/deserve one!) I'll be collecting entries until December 21st and then a winner will be chosen and the person nominated and the one who nominated them will both receive a Kindle! All you have to do to enter is comment on one of the Advent Calendar posts between now and then. But there are also daily giveaways of cool stuff too! Daily winners will be selected from that day's comments.

Yesterday's winner of a free book is Yun-A. Congratulations! To enter today's giveaway, just comment below. Today's goodie is an excerpt from my superhero short story called A Touch of Glamour which can be found in the Chicks in Capes anthology. Today's winning comment will receive an autographed copy of the anthology! Good luck, everyone, and here's your goodie:

A Touch of Glamour

By Debbie Viguié

"Matthews! Make sure you get a good close up on the face," Luke called, turning briefly from interviewing a man wearing a priest's collar.

"Sure thing, Detective," Miranda said, squatting down low to get a good angle with her camera. The blood splattered on the pavement stood out sharply against the sea of gray buildings and people dressed in dark, dull colors.

"What have we got here?" she heard a familiar voice ask. Detective David Vaughn was standing nearby talking to two of the firefighters who had been first responders.

The firefighters were twins and Miranda swore they made it to every murder, suicide, and heart attack faster than ambulance and police. Before they could answer David, Luke called over, "Suicide. Maybe."

"There's no way it was suicide," the priest Luke had been talking to insisted. "Not Stan, no way."

"Who are you?" David asked.

"Father Gary. Stan was my friend and my neighbor. His daughter took my Religious Studies classes at the university."

Miranda listened as she took photos of the body and the scene. Finally she was finished and nodded to the coroner as she began to pack up her gear. Luke and David were standing nearby.

"We got another Glamour spotting last night," Luke said. "Apparently she swooped in and saved a family from a mugging, you know, real superhero stuff," he added admiringly.

David shook his head. "Chicks in capes are such a pain."

"What? Are you crazy? Chicks in capes are totally hot," Luke countered. "Mugger swears she had magic powers."

"Great," David snorted. "Just what we need."

"She is! Someone who fights for life, liberty, and…"

"And what?" David prompted him.

Luke smiled. "Style."

"Guys, I'm done here," Miranda interrupted, putting her camera back in its case.

"I'll walk you to your car," David said.

They walked down the street and stopped in front of her car. She put her equipment in the trunk and closed it. David spun her around and she was in his arms with his lips inches away. A devil danced in his eyes and for just a moment she wanted to give in. Instead she pushed him away.

"David, you know it's against the rules. If anyone caught us kissing we'd be in big trouble. We could both get fired."

"No office romances, I know, I got the memo. But, I'm a detective and you're a crime scene photographer, I mean, it's not like we're partners."

"David-"

"I know, Miranda, but why do you always have to color inside the lines?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

She bit her lip. "I'm dating you, aren't I? That's outside the lines. I just don't care to advertise," she said.

"Okay, but we're still on for dinner Friday, right?"

"Yes."

"And you're actually going to cook this time?"

"Just you wait," she teased.

"I guess I'll have to. Now I get to go on the Glamour hunt with Luke and watch him drool on himself."

"What about you?" she asked, watching his eyes.

"Are you kidding? You're steak and she'd just be the inadequate tofu substitute."

She could have kissed him, rules be hanged, but Luke came jogging up. "Let's go," he said.

Miranda breathed a sigh of relief and got into her car. She drove to work where she found herself distracted the rest of the day thinking about the crime scene. Something about it didn't feel right to her. She studied the pictures she had taken, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It had supposedly been a suicide, guy jumped from a fifth story balcony. She had heard the police interviewing neighbors, though, and they all agreed he had been a cheerful guy, always eager to help others out. No one believed he could have jumped. In fact, it was originally called in as a homicide, guy pushed off a balcony, which was why she, David, and Luke had ended up there.

By the time three o'clock rolled around she realized there was no help for it. She was just going to have to take another look at the scene. She left work distracted and made her way to an alley not far from her home. She parked her car a block away and walked. Once there she slipped into a doorway to watch and wait.

Slowly cars arrived, driving down the alley and parking until they lined both sides. At precisely four twenty a handful of people emerged from them. They glanced around anxiously and then scurried to their trunks, threw them open and began pulling out boxes heaped high with food.

Contraband food. Within five minutes the shoppers arrived, moving quickly and quietly, barely speaking, not looking each other in the eyes. Miranda stepped from the doorway and walked up to an old woman whose hands shook as she pulled trays of beef out of a large cooler in her trunk. Her grandson, a giant of a man with the gentlest eyes Miranda had ever seen sporting a university sweatshirt, quickly joined her and began shifting the heavier trays, allowing the woman to deal with her customers.

Miranda laid hold of a package with two sirloins in it. The woman looked up at her and smiled. "Glad to see our good luck charm is here," she said. "Since you began showing up we haven't been raided once. I found something special for you," the woman confided. Out of the ample pocket of her apron she pulled out a small cube wrapped in wax paper.

"Real butter," she confided with a smile. "No charge."

"You're an angel," Miranda said. "Thank you."

Miranda turned away quickly to allow the other shoppers a chance to grab the things they needed. She walked down the alleyway. Cartons of eggs, caffeinated beverages imported from China, packages of bacon, mayonnaise, and tubs of homemade ice cream disappeared into shopper's purses, pockets, and clothes as soon as they were pulled out of the vehicles. One woman wearing a long black trench coat with pockets sewn into it was stuffing them with loaves of white bread.

At four fifty the customers went scurrying in all directions and the drivers hopped into their vehicles and cleared the alley. Miranda was left standing alone. She heaved a sigh and headed home. Same time next week, place to be determined, she thought.

She often wondered where things had gone so wrong. She felt the packet of butter in her coat. She remembered the day the government had made it illegal. They had given stores twenty-four hours to destroy their stock and then the police had started making arrests under the guise of safeguarding the health of the public. Protestors had twisted an old slogan to the occasion. This time, though, my body my choice had carried little weight and within a few weeks it had become a dead issue.

It hadn't ended there. The government soon declared many foods that were viewed as unhealthy illegal. It was a short step from there to regulating what each person was allowed to eat through the health system. It made grocery shopping a lot simpler, something they proudly touted even as they stripped people of their freedoms. And just like alcohol during Prohibition, the illegal food distribution went underground.

Mad with power the government had continued unchecked until little was left of the color and variety of her childhood. Clothing could only be made out of natural fibers in colors that didn't require excessive use of dyes that were considered dangerous. Reds and greens were lost and other colors soon followed.

And one day we woke up and all the world was gray, she thought grimly. Told what to eat, what to wear, what to drive, how to think. She sighed and thought of David and his impish smile. Even who we can't date.

The story continues… check out A Touch of Glamour in the Chicks in Capes anthology or buy it here.

Happy December 2nd! I was thrilled with the entries yesterday for the Kindle contest. Just to refresh everyone, you nominate a friend/family member/coworker/etc. who you think needs a Kindle (tell us why they need/deserve one!) I'll be collecting entries until December 21st and then a winner will be chosen and the person nominated and the one who nominated them will both receive a Kindle! All you have to do to enter is comment on one of the Advent Calendar posts between now and then. But there are also daily giveaways of cool stuff too! Daily winners will be selected from that day's comments. And our first winner from yesterday is Yvonne Spinola! Yvonne wins a selection of some of my favorite Christmas music by my favorite artists!! Congratulations, Yvonne!

Now make sure to comment today for your chance to win a signed copy of one of my books! And for today's goodie for everyone, enjoy listening to some more Christmas music that I picked. These are some of my favorite Christmas songs (though not always by my favorite artists).

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Merry Christmas and welcome to my online Advent Calendar. Each day leading up to Christmas you can stop by here to find goodies and enter to win a chance at fun prizes. Today's goodie is a poem written by me as part of a dare from a friend. (We dare each other to write poetry, choosing topics or keywords and then each writing a poem. She's an amazing poet and you can check out some of her work on her blog by clicking here.) Leave a comment for a chance to win some of my favorite Christmas music! In addition I will be giving away two Kindles this Christmas season. Here's how you enter. Leave a comment and tell my why a friend/relative/coworker of yours needs a Kindle more than anyone else. That's right, it's the season of giving and I want you to nominate someone to win a Kindle. One entry will be selected as the winner. For the winning entry both the person nominated and the person who nominated them will each win a Kindle! So, it's a way to give and receive all at the same time! So, good luck everyone and here's your poem!

Poetry on a Dare #6

Music

By Debbie Viguié

There's music in the air

Music all around

Music to soothe my fears

Music without a sound

Music moving through me

Music far and wide

Music from another

And music from deep inside

Music captured in a whisper

Music echoing from a shout

Music tames the savage beast

But what's it all about?

Music of the composers

Music of a child

Music orderly, proper

Music uncontrolled, wild

Music that moves to laughter

Music that burns and sears

Music that moves mountains

Music that causes then dries your tears

Music I hear everywhere

Though no song have I to sing

Music touches everyone

Music fills everything

What the music tells us

Is all the world's a song

Each life a separate note

Just struggling to belong

But together we are the orchestra

More than just notes and chords

For we are musicians together

Under the Great Conductor, our Lord

And the YA Scavenger Hunt begins! It's a great chance to win some amazing prizes (including UNLEASHED) as well as meeting lots of new authors. The hunt begins on December 1st at Noon and ends on Sunday at Noon (Pacific time). The hunt includes DOZENS of authors and access to some really terrific bonus material–as well a some exclusive giveaways that you're sure to love. This is truly a unique sneak peek into what's coming up in YA literature!

Each author who is participating in the YA Scavenger Hunt will host one of the other participating authors, by providing you with his or her bio, book(s), and special bonus material! In addition, you will also have the chance to enter the contest for the Grand Prize as well as to enter the individual contests some authors are hosting. So, be sure to check out everyone's page in The Hunt!

Remember, keep an eye out for the special keywords (written in red), which you will find on each author's website. These key words are important for unscrambling the Grand Prize Puzzle. See below for the Puzzle and the contest rules.

Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Nancy Holder and I are thrilled to host Stacey Wallace Benefiel for the YA Scavenger Hunt. Be sure to check out her bio, books, and bonus material!

About Stacey: Stacey Wallace Benefiel is the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy, The Day of Sacrifice series and The Toilet Business, a book of essays. She lives in an orange house in Beaverton, OR with her husband and their two young children.

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Book description: Zellie Wells Trilogy

Glimpse – Zellie Wells has a devastating crush on Avery Adams, the son of her mom's high school sweetheart. At her sixteenth birthday party, held in the basement of her dad's church, she finally finds the courage to talk to him. Turns out, the devastating crush is mutual. As Avery takes her hand and leads her out onto the makeshift dance floor, Zellie is overwhelmed by her first vision of his death; shocking because not only are they both covered in his blood, but they're old, like 35, and she is pregnant. Afraid to tell anyone about the vision, (she'd just be labeled a freaky black magic witch, right?) Zellie keeps the knowledge of Avery's future to herself and tries to act like any other teenager in love. When they get caught on their way to a secret rendezvous by her mom and his dad, they are forbidden to see each other. Convinced that their parents are freaking out unnecessarily, Avery and Zellie vow to be together no matter what. They continue their relationship in secret until Zellie learns that their parents are just trying to prevent her and Avery from suffering like they did. The visions are hereditary, they're dangerous, and if they stay together the visions will come true. Now Zellie must choose between severing all ties with Avery, like her mom did to prevent his father's death, and finding a way to change Avery's future.

Glimmer – Zellie Wells' life is changing. Her relationship with Avery is growing stronger every day, but their parents are still giving them ultimatums and trying to keep them apart. Her newly discovered powers have all but disappeared. Benjamin, another young Retroact, is back and has brought with him a painful shared vision and a troubled past. While working together to figure out what the vision means, Zellie discovers that Benjamin is a worthy friend and mentor. If only he could keep his hands off of her – if only she wanted him to…

Glow – Zellie Wells has mastered her powers and gotten the guy. She's lived through her parents' divorce and being separated from Avery. She's come back from the dead. What else is there? Oh, yeah. REVENGE.

Discover how it all ends when Zellie and the gang finally track down Mildred and fight to right the wrongs of The Society's past, present and future.

Here are some more fun tidbits for your to explore and learn more about Stacey Wallace Benefiel and the Zellie Wells Trilogy:

Visit Stacey's website
Purchase the Zellie Wlls Trilogy on Amazon.
Bonus Material: What if it were a movie? Check out Stacey's hand picked collection of photos and locations for the Zellie Wells Trilogy.

YA SCAVENGER HUNT CONTEST

As an extra bonus we've put together a word scramble puzzle that features one keyword found on each author's website (37 in all). Complete the puzzle, submit it via the Entry Form, and you will be eligible for a chance to win a fantastic GRAND PRIZE that includes signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and much more! The Grand Prize winner will receive at least one exclusive gift from EVERY participating author!

Rules: To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit this filled in puzzle before noon on Dec 4th (Pacific Time). All the keywords must be in the correct place and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered.

Directions: Complete the puzzle listed below by unscrambling the words (hint, look for the words in red text) on each author's web site, and then complete the Entry Form to enter the Grand Prize contest. It's probably easier to copy and past the scrambled words into a Word document, unscramble them, and then copy & paste the answers into the Grand Prize entry form. Once you submit your entry, you will be eligible to win a fantastic GRAND PRIZE. Good luck!

Please unscramble the 37 key words below:

NVSEIURE
MLTSIPIE
PEMETKIREE
IIHEDOMC
FMERLOAHTWER
DLENGO
IRDEEDEWLB
RSUERNEDR
AOCATTINA
AHNCEDNTE
GURENDOHY
GAUINDAR
RETECSS
EMCREAB
LORNDDWURE
AIRSFCCEI
RIASSMHCT
RWTHACES
RTAAENTNRSP
DETLGAN
YFNASAT
NTOAPHWYP
SLLESUOS
ECNNEOIP
LOENIOASTD
EORFWLWE
AREEHTFS
AAAOLRPMNR
HSIGDNA
DOBANADNE
LIECSHORCN
SPSESNEU
OTMYHLGYO
ELWLHAENO
TTOAINRTAC
UAUTFLBIE
BTRSUTEFEIL

My very own UNLEASHED Contest!

Enter up to win a copy of UNLEASHED and a signed bookplate. The entry with the most points wins! If there is a tie, those contestants will be entered into a random drawing to determine the winner. This contest is open internationally. If you are under 14 years old, please be sure to get your parent's permission to enter.

How to get your points (one point per item):

follow Nancy on Twitter at @nancyholder
follow Debbie on Twitter at @debbieviguie
like Nancy Holder on Facebook
like Debbie Viguie on Facebook
like Wolf Springs Chronicles on Facebook
Submit your entry to the YA Scavenger Hunt Grand Prize
Leave me a comment here (under this blog post) telling me how many points to give you. Leaving a comment counts as 1 point.

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Merry Christmas and welcome to my online Advent Calendar. Each day leading up to Christmas you can stop by here to find goodies and enter to win a chance at fun prizes. Today's goodie is a poem written by me as part of a dare from a friend. (We dare each other to write poetry, choosing topics or keywords and then each writing a poem. She's an amazing poet and you can check out some of her work on her blog by clicking here.) Leave a comment for a chance to win some of my favorite Christmas music! Here's the poem:

Poetry on a Dare #6

Music

By Debbie Viguié

There's music in the air

Music all around

Music to soothe my fears

Music without a sound

Music moving through me

Music far and wide

Music from another

And music from deep inside

Music captured in a whisper

Music echoing from a shout

Music tames the savage beast

But what's it all about?

Music of the composers

Music of a child

Music orderly, proper

Music uncontrolled, wild

Music that moves to laughter

Music that burns and sears

Music that moves mountains

Music that causes then dries your tears

Music I hear everywhere

Though no song have I to sing

Music touches everyone

Music fills everything

What the music tells us

Is all the world's a song

Each life a separate note

Just struggling to belong

But together we are the orchestra

More than just notes and chords

For we are musicians together

Under the Great Conductor, our Lord

To celebrate Christmas I'm going to be doing something special December 1-25. Every day I'm going to post here special content which could range from deleted scenes from books to fun facts and trivia about a variety of things. Also each day I will be giving away one prize to someone who comments on that day's post. As a grand prize I will also be giving away a Kindle! Check this spot on December 1st for details about how to enter and win the Kindle.

Information Coming Soon!

I'm thrilled to let you know about our Unleashed Blog Tour and the Unleashed Scavenger Hunt!

Blog Tour - Make sure and stop by the different sites for interviews, giveaways, and more! Check out the list of stops on the official Wolf Springs Chronicles website here!

Scavenger Hunt - Participate for the chance to win amazing prizes including a $250 gift card! Check out all the details here.