Rae Lori's Blog, page 34
December 30, 2011
The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour ~ Author P.R. Mason
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AWD is excited to present today's first guest for Day 4 of the tour! Author P.R. Mason's wonderful guest post on villains and her recent release, Entanglements!
A Villain Who Thinks He's a Hero: Playing with History
By
P.R. Mason
Like many people no doubt, my life has been touched by a moment in time I would give anything to change. For me an ordinary day could have continued in its infinite ordinariness if not for the convergence of some relatively innocuous happenings that conspired to create a tragedy. As a result I've been fascinated by the idea of alternate worlds or universes and alternate history. What might have been if but one thread in the tapestry of time had been different. A yellow rather than blue. A coffee break not taken. A stop sign repaired rather than fallen.
ENTANGLEMENTS, my recent release, is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy about a teen who enters a dangerous alternate dimension to rescue her stepsister. In plotting the story, I knew the villain would be the "different" thread. He would be that point in the history of his world where its timeline of events diverged from the world we know. Much of Entanglements takes place in a dimension where history has taken an alternate path to that of our universe. I imagined a place largely frozen in Victorian times. It's a London where paranormal creatures abound.
I wanted to include a villain who's more than just a stock baddie. He had to be dark and evil, of course. But I didn't want him to be like a slasher movie automaton, acting inexplicably except for some psychopathically insane dementia. To me, an evildoer's far more insidious and scary if there's an understandable motive to his actions. So I set out to create a villain who's also a hero...or at least one who thinks he's a hero.
In researching Victorian England to come up with an historical figure that could serve as the basis for my villain, I sought to find someone who could have, if events were slightly different, come into a position of power and authority. The perfect candidate presented himself in the personage of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the son of Britain's Queen. My decision to use Leopold was solidified when I learned he was afflicted with hemophilia, a genetic disease that prevents blood clotting and significantly shortens the life of a sufferer. Even a trip and fall can result in internal bleeding and death...which is what happened to Leopold in real life.
In my alternate history, the Queen, desperate to save her son, employs a wizard to find a cure. But this cure is less than successful and transforms Leopold into a vampire. The prince then sets about fathering a vampire aristocracy and gathering other paranormal creatures into his Empire
As a side note, a bit of unexpected synergy occurred in the selection of Leopold as the villain. One integral part of the Entanglements plot is that heroine, Kizzy, accidentally opens a vortex/portal to the Prince's world. In researching one such alleged vortex located in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia, I discovered that the symbol purportedly drawn to open the portal was a swirling circle. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that a glyph used by Queen Victoria included this same swirl.
As Entanglements begins, the human race is on the verge of extinction in Leopold's world. Even though "free-range" humans are being rounded up and put into a feedlot system, the food supply for Leopold and his subjects is dwindling. He views the heroine, Kizzy, as the key to opening the portal to our world for exploration and plundering. Obviously, Prince Leopold thinks he's the hero of the story.
At one point, Leopold asks: "Am I so very different from you, Kizzy? You do all you can to save your sister and your friends. I merely do all I can to save my people. I wish to prevent them from perishing in unspeakable agony. How can that be wrong?"
And to her surprise, Kizzy sort of understands his logic. She recognizes the morality of monsters feasting on human flesh and using their bones as toothpicks is relative.
I hope I achieved my goal of creating a heroic villain or villainous hero. One the reader can empathize with even as he scares them silly.
Please follow me on twitter @PRMason and visit my website www.prmason.net
AWD is excited to present today's first guest for Day 4 of the tour! Author P.R. Mason's wonderful guest post on villains and her recent release, Entanglements!
A Villain Who Thinks He's a Hero: Playing with History
By
P.R. Mason
Like many people no doubt, my life has been touched by a moment in time I would give anything to change. For me an ordinary day could have continued in its infinite ordinariness if not for the convergence of some relatively innocuous happenings that conspired to create a tragedy. As a result I've been fascinated by the idea of alternate worlds or universes and alternate history. What might have been if but one thread in the tapestry of time had been different. A yellow rather than blue. A coffee break not taken. A stop sign repaired rather than fallen.
ENTANGLEMENTS, my recent release, is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy about a teen who enters a dangerous alternate dimension to rescue her stepsister. In plotting the story, I knew the villain would be the "different" thread. He would be that point in the history of his world where its timeline of events diverged from the world we know. Much of Entanglements takes place in a dimension where history has taken an alternate path to that of our universe. I imagined a place largely frozen in Victorian times. It's a London where paranormal creatures abound.I wanted to include a villain who's more than just a stock baddie. He had to be dark and evil, of course. But I didn't want him to be like a slasher movie automaton, acting inexplicably except for some psychopathically insane dementia. To me, an evildoer's far more insidious and scary if there's an understandable motive to his actions. So I set out to create a villain who's also a hero...or at least one who thinks he's a hero.
In researching Victorian England to come up with an historical figure that could serve as the basis for my villain, I sought to find someone who could have, if events were slightly different, come into a position of power and authority. The perfect candidate presented himself in the personage of His Royal Highness Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the son of Britain's Queen. My decision to use Leopold was solidified when I learned he was afflicted with hemophilia, a genetic disease that prevents blood clotting and significantly shortens the life of a sufferer. Even a trip and fall can result in internal bleeding and death...which is what happened to Leopold in real life.
In my alternate history, the Queen, desperate to save her son, employs a wizard to find a cure. But this cure is less than successful and transforms Leopold into a vampire. The prince then sets about fathering a vampire aristocracy and gathering other paranormal creatures into his Empire
As a side note, a bit of unexpected synergy occurred in the selection of Leopold as the villain. One integral part of the Entanglements plot is that heroine, Kizzy, accidentally opens a vortex/portal to the Prince's world. In researching one such alleged vortex located in my hometown of Savannah, Georgia, I discovered that the symbol purportedly drawn to open the portal was a swirling circle. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that a glyph used by Queen Victoria included this same swirl.
As Entanglements begins, the human race is on the verge of extinction in Leopold's world. Even though "free-range" humans are being rounded up and put into a feedlot system, the food supply for Leopold and his subjects is dwindling. He views the heroine, Kizzy, as the key to opening the portal to our world for exploration and plundering. Obviously, Prince Leopold thinks he's the hero of the story.
At one point, Leopold asks: "Am I so very different from you, Kizzy? You do all you can to save your sister and your friends. I merely do all I can to save my people. I wish to prevent them from perishing in unspeakable agony. How can that be wrong?"
And to her surprise, Kizzy sort of understands his logic. She recognizes the morality of monsters feasting on human flesh and using their bones as toothpicks is relative.
I hope I achieved my goal of creating a heroic villain or villainous hero. One the reader can empathize with even as he scares them silly.
Please follow me on twitter @PRMason and visit my website www.prmason.net
December 29, 2011
The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour ~ Stories of Duality
House Like Stars and Escape From Manor HouseStories of Duality
I wrote these stories about a year ago for a challenge about POVs. Authors were supposed to take a story idea and write it from two different opposing viewpoints. This offered up a ton of different ideas and possibilities. So much that I may try it again in the future while exploring themes in various shades of good and evil.
In these two stories, I explore the opposite side of a robbery in an old, magical house. The intruder discovers sinister forces at work...or are they really trying to escape something themselves?
I hope you guys enjoy both House Like Stars and Escape From Manor House. :-)
Read both stories after the jump
House Like Stars
by
Rae Lori
House like starsWindows like eyes.There's no point in hidingFrom Manor House ties.It was an old rhyme from the locals. Deria Lockwood had heard the stories since she was a child but she never believed in fairytales. Folks used to come to this house seeking help from some old mage to get them through difficulties in life. Whether they were financial troubles, romantic woes or personal issues, they believed the mage who could tap into the supernatural world and become their rescuer. Some surmised that strange magical rituals went on at the top floor of the house. People reported seeing flashing lights that disappeared in the blink of an eye. Deria never saw any lights herself so she paid the claims no mind. She shrugged it off as silly superstition. If this was the Deep South—somewhere like New Orleans where magic and history intertwined like thick vines on an old estate—she'd give it a second thought but this was Central California. Ghosts of the past lived in moving pictures and fictional narratives.Deria made her way across the lawn and toward the large, looming house. She was getting out of the city tonight. What little she knew of her family had roots here but she never felt compelled to visit the house. For some reason, that night the house called to her as an invitation on a deep, ethereal level she couldn't quite understand. As far as she was concerned, it belonged to a dark family legacy she would soon leave behind. Theft had become the only thing she controlled and the people she stole from had no business rubbing their good fortunes in her face. It was time they all paid up what she deserved. Since she was young, she'd had nothing but bad fortune. That would all end tonight when she would leave this town, her history and all the bad things that had happened to her in the past where they belonged. She just had to finish this one last job with the new owner. House like stars.Bright white paint to refurbish the outside shone like a star against the blackened sky. She bet the inside was shiny and new, too.The front door opened with a click. Everyone trusted each other in this little town. Perhaps too much. Deria was fortunate the locals had clued in the new owner about that or else she would have to waste more time trying to slip into the houseBig fancy doctor meant big fancy money and she knew there had to be a nice little stash hiding out somewhere around the house. He'd decided to turn the long abandoned building into something of an office/home, offering healthcare to those who couldn't afford it in the area. A noble cause but eventually he would want something more than just 'thanks' and 'bless you's' for his troubles. In a way, she was helping him and his patients by stopping him before he got to that point. A breeze outside brushed the trees against the window, scratching the clear glass. The swaying shadows on the walls broke the illumination of the muted pale white of the moon's glow all around the room.A creak broke out from one of the rooms upstairs. She chalked it up to the wind. Maybe there was a window open somewhere on the second floor. Yeah, that's it.She ventured deeper into the house searching drawers, nooks and crannies. Sparse amounts of furniture sat in the rooms. Only a few pieces thrown in for show or perhaps the good doctor was still in the process of moving in. Dark chocolate chairs, a matching loveseat, mixed with navy blue wallpaper and lack of decorative accents told her a male definitely owned this house. She dodged the pile of boxes sprinkled throughout the house as another creak broke out upstairs. Then a click interrupted the silence, as if a door had closed.Was someone here?Deria's heart thudded to a pounding beat in her chest. She ran her clammy, warm palms against her jeans. She froze, waiting…listening.Silence.Must've been her imagination. It had to be.She exhaled softly then continued her search.A few five dollar bills sat in one of the downstairs office drawers. She also spotted some change in the unused crystal ash tray in another room which appeared like a second office. Chump change for a doctor, Deria figured. One more check in the bedroom and then she'd chalk it up to most of his money being in the bank. If she didn't find any other dollars stashed away, she'd search for some bank info, grab anything of value. Then she would be out of here.While stuffing her pockets, she started up the stairs. Her hand grazed the sleek wood of the banister. A soft creak emitted with each step beneath her sneakers.Creak. Creak. Creak.Until she stopped at the top step.Tap. Tap. Tap.The sound of footsteps across the wood floor continued long after she froze. That couldn't be her imagination. That was closer, louder than when she was downstairs. From where she stood, she could see the master bedroom bathed in the moonlight that spilled into the hall. The door was slightly ajar, allowing a peek into a sparsely decorated room with a large King sized bed draped in dark blue sheets and a midnight blue comforter. The rest of the rooms—two down the hall from the right of the bedroom and one on the opposite wall—had closed doors. Wait a minute. The lone door on the other wall caught her eye. She didn't know why at first, until she leaned in closer to look. Slowly, the doorknob turned and the door opened with a creak.Something was drawing her inside, a force she couldn't stop but one she felt with every cell inside of her. The room held a familiar presence. There were no lights, no windows and no furniture. The only thing inside that caught her eye was a dome-shaped glass object sitting atop a circular table. Inside the glass were millions of tiny sparkling objects and a large ball of light that darted around its small enclosure.Windows like eyes.Deria knew she should have run but the moment the thought crossed her mind, the door behind her slammed shut. She ran to the door but the small brass painted doorknob came right off when she tried to turn it. It was as if it had aged a hundred years in those mere moments.The sound of thousands upon thousands of tiny rapid whispers made her turn toward the glowing glass. Slowly, the table lifted and began to turn around and around in place."Deria Lockwood," the scores of tiny voices whispered. "H—How," she quickly swallowed to clear her throat which was growing raw. "How do you know my name? What…are you?""Your grandfather's grandfather owned this house," the voices continued, as if she had never spoken. "Captured and imprisoned whatever he wanted."Grandfather's grandfather? Was that why she was drawn to this house? It couldn't be. She didn't believe in such fairytales."All of his descendants have suffered dark and twisted fates."It was true. Deria heard the stories of her family legacy's crumbling hotel fortune and every investment since then; every inheritance or opportunity turned into a bust."Now is the time to end the cursed line."Deria thought she sensed a presence and when a flash of light brightened the entire room up, she thought she saw a man dressed in old period garb standing in the corner with his hands folded in front of him."Come closer," the tiny voices beckoned.Each step she took was not her own. The nerves of her feet, her blood, skin, veins and vessels were commanded by another being that now consumed and guided her.Amidst the high-pitched whispers, Deria thought she heard another voice, deep like that of a male's. And just as soon as it appeared, it disappeared into the back of her mind. All that mattered now was the sparkling lights within the glass before her.Her hands reached up and wrapped around the object, gently raising it in the air. The tiny sparkles grew bright and danced, coming alive with the anticipation of…something.There's no point in hiding.A bright light basked the room in the purest, whitest glow. The cacophony of whispers and voices invaded her ear until it grew into a loud thunderous sound saying one final line:From Manor House ties.She felt light headed and the blood rushed to her head as her knees gave out below her. The sound of coins and paper money crashed to the ground in a chorus of tiny clinks. The crystal ashtray crashed and shattered millions of tiny pieces along with the glass that fell from her grasp.And then she fell backward as unconsciousness consumed her.But she continued to fall…Further and further she went…Past the steps and down the floors of the large house.Beneath the dirt and lawn of the home, beneath the deep Earth, until she fell into a chasm of blackness.She tried to scream but there was no sound left in her. Her momentum finally slowed and she felt the ground beneath her when she landed softly, then floated up like a feather suspended in the air.What was happening? She couldn't feel her feet! Nor could she feel her hands as she tried to reach out to her surroundings. It was just an invisible enclosure that gave a muted tap when she bounced against it.Help! She tried to yell. Her tiny whisper was drowned out by thousands of other similar sounds.Somebody please! The words echoed in her mind but the exterior sounds never came.The curse is lifted, the whispers said. Manor House is free. Manor House is free.Over and over it went.The room lit and as the whispers died out around her, Deria saw her environment from inside the glass dome.That was where she was! Inside the glass structure! The room had somehow grown a hundred times bigger…or perhaps it was she who had shrunk a hundred times smaller than her human size. No hands. No feet. No legs.No longer human.A young woman stepped into her view as if she'd slipped out of thin air. Part of her long, dark hair was wrapped around her head with the rest cascading down her back in thick waves. She had a warm glow about her. Big dark brown eyes stared back at Deria and she noted the woman's attire consisted of a beautiful gold dress with long sleeves, ribbons, laces and a high collar. She looked human but Deria knew she wasn't. The young woman turned slightly and that was when Deria saw it. Her ears were delicately pointed at the tips and long, thin, ethereal wings sprouted from her back. She wasn't human! But…what was she?"And so the curse is lifted," she said. Deria read the woman's lips, for the sound was muted from within her glass enclosure.A large pale hand reached out to rest on the young woman's lower back and she turned to smile at the man outside of Deria's view."Please! Get me out of here!" Deria tried to yell. She tried even harder to move but only ran into the glass."We must hurry before the new owner comes," the male said."Yes. He will be returning soon and it would be a shame to have such a mess lying around." The woman scooped up the glass dome. She froze, peering at it for long moments. Was the woman having second thoughts? Would she help her after all?Deria's hopes were dashed when the woman snapped out of her trance and went to retrieve the fallen clothes and stolen items from the floor."I saw her take those," the male said. "They belong to the new owner.""We should return them to him." The young woman waved her hand and, in response, the millions of tiny shards moved as if time had rewound itself. They assembled themselves, returning back into the shape of the untouched crystal ashtray resting on her open palm.The male put his arm around the woman and Deria wondered if they were lovers. In an instant, their surroundings changed. They appeared downstairs in the office where the young woman slipped the dollars back into one of the office drawers. Then they transported again before appearing in another room where the pointy eared young woman placed the change and the rest of the dollars under the unused ash tray.Each time they stopped, they placed the money and items exactly where Deria had taken them.Then, in another blink of an eye, they were outside in the cool summer California evening."He will be home soon," the young woman said. "The door to the secret room will be open now and he'll have no memory of it being locked."The glass dome ascended into the air and as Deria tipped her gaze, she finally saw the two. A beautiful young woman with warm, dark brown skin and a man with light pinkish pale skin, golden eyes and a shiny yellow mane tied back into a short ponytail. He wore a buttoned up vest and shirt with a high collar and breeches with thick fabric. His ears too were pointed like the female's and he also had wings sprouting from his back. Atop his head sat a crown decorated with tiny jewels hovering and twirling round and round in place."Fireflies," the girl said softly. "He would think they were fireflies in here. Caught by the local children.""Come," the man said, offering his arm to her. "We have preparations for your arrival...my princess-to-be."She took his arm with a smile and off they went walking side by side into the night."No! Wait!" Deria tried to yell. "You can't leave me like this! How do I get back?! Change me back!"The darkness surrounded the two until they disappeared into a soft haze.Deria was alone with the realization that there was no going back. She would never escape this glass prison or have a chance to right her wrongs. In a way, perhaps this was her redemption...and her punishment.There's no point in hiding.From Manor House ties.But she didn't believe in fairytales...She didn't believe in fairytales...She didn't believe...
Escape From Manor House
by
Rae Lori
When a Sprite is summoned by a mortal for help, they would always arrive for assistance. Humans with the ability to contact the supernaturals—named Whisperers—knew this. They also had the gift to bridge the two worlds of communication.
Kyleah trusted this knowledge when she arrived at the large two story mansion near the West Coast of the American continent. The world of Sprites was in an uproar over her upcoming wedding with Prince Talyn. Sure she had a few days, but her duties to help mortals would have to come first.
The house sat in the middle of a large stretch of green land. Its two story structure was carefully designed with an elegance foretelling of its history upon the lands. She remembered when there were no structures of wood, brick and stone to break the vast green landscape. Now there had been a surge of industry since the new inhabitants took over from those who lived off the land.
Outside the house, a bronze sign sat near the dark brown painted French doors: Manor House. She passed through and ventured into the fully furnished home decorated with clean and upscale antiques.
She found the Whisperer upstairs sitting across the table from a man dressed in a long jacket with coattails and loose coffee colored wool breeches. Time had no measurement with Kyleah's people but the mortals measured it as 1,812 years since the son of their creator's death. Or as the mortals call the year: 1812.
The Whisperer was dressed in a long dark blue velvet gown with a collar buttoned up to her neck. Her long grey hair fell in wild waves across her shoulders. Ethereal silver eyes flashed open and looked right at Kyleah once she entered the room.
"She's here," the Whisperer's low, cracked voice announced.
The man, an older pale bald man smiled as he turned to her.
To them, she was just a ball of light floating freely around the air. She swirled about before landing on the floor, ready to take the form of a fully grown human sized young woman.
Kyleah landed but before she could start the change, a whiff of air blew over her and then a glass structure closed around her.
What was happening?
She tilted upward to gaze at the large, pale hand covering the top of the glass. Then the older man's face came into her view. A diabolical smile darkened his face as he watched her with a fascination that nearly turned her stomach. It reminded her of a boy who would find a sick pleasure from plucking the wings off a fly. As she looked into his eyes, his past flashed through her mind. She felt sick. The man not only tortured flies as a child, but animals, even her fellow Sprites.
Kyleah had a sinking feeling that nothing good would come of this meeting. The idea that she was in a place where she couldn't escape--with no knowledge of what she was called here for--scared her like never before.
"I did not believe it was possible to capture one of these creatures," he said holding up Kyleah's glass in admiration. "You can help me get this house and all the riches I desire. I don't want to be poor or want for anything. You hear that, little faerie?"
"Now," the Whisperer said coming up behind him. "You will pay me what you owe me for my services."
The man's smile melted into a frown before he looked over his shoulder at the old woman.
"Pay?"
"My services do not come for free, Mr. Lockwood."
"Oh! Of course. Of course." He set the glass structure down on the table then faced the woman.
Kyleah knew what was coming before it happened. The slow movement of his steps haunted her as he reached into his pocket and stopped mere inches from the woman. In a flash of movement, he grabbed the old woman by the throat and squeezed as tight as he could. Her screams quickly died out to tight breaths struggling for air.
Kyleah flitted around the glass dome. Her movements elicited a tiny tink, tink, tink sound each time she crashed against it. She wanted to scream. She wanted to use her powers to save the Whisperer, but there was nothing she could do from within her glass prison. Nothing but watch the woman's demise. Once she was on the ground, he grabbed a bronze statue bust of the philosopher Aristotle from the table and struck the woman's head.
Once.
Twice.
And one last time before he threw the statute onto the beautifully designed rug stretched out over the wood floor.
It fell with a loud clunk and rolled over to Kyleah. She saw the dark red liquid against the bronze and her heart constricted with sadness from the woman's passing.
Kyleah continued to watch helplessly as the man moved to cover up his tracks. He moved the table off the rug and onto the floor, then used the material to wrap up the broken, dead body. He left for a few moments then returned to the room, stuffing a piece of paper in his side pocket.
The deed to Manor House.
This was the Whisperer's home!
The realization hit Kyleah the moment she saw the contentment on the man's face as he rubbed his hands together. He went to her and picked up the glass prison from the ground. "Now you will grant my every wish, little faerie," he said. "This house and everything within its walls, including you, now belong to me."
Kyleah felt the fire within her. The white hot glow that she now embodied burned brighter and hotter until it burst into thousands of smaller orbs of light around her. She still felt the Whisperer's presence in the room and all throughout the house. She used it to empower her and give her a voice to communicate with the man.
"This house," she said, her voice spreading like a thousand whispers creeping through every inch of the room. "This house may now belong to you and all of your kin.,but you will never have fortune. You will never be free. Until out of this glass prison I am able to flee."
The man frowned. "No. That's not the way it is supposed to go. You listen to me! I own you now!"
No one owns me, Kyleah thought. I must suffer here until I can find a body to escape through. It must be an exchange from a descendent of Lockwood to help free me from this glass prison.
House like stars.
The mansion would now loom against the night sky like a beacon to all the mortals who hold the Lockwood name.
Windows like eyes.
She would watch the visitors come and go, each would suffer the punishment of lifelong misfortune bestowed upon the house and the name of Lockwood.
There's no point in hiding
From Manor House ties.
Dread filled the man's face and he grew white as a ghost, his expression deathly blank. Then, with an angry yell, he raised the glass and hauled it to the floor.
But it didn't break.
The glass structure simply rolled away while the sparkling lights danced around Kyleah.
More tenants moved in thereafter. The man's last remaining family within the Lockwood bloodline brought whatever fortunes they had into the home. The father was a well known businessman in the shipping industry. His children went to the best schools while his wife catered high society. Shortly after moving into Manor House, his business suffered set backs that ended up in his business being shutdown. His wife was cast out of society with a terrible scandal that fell over the family like a cloud. Destitution set in and Kyleah listened to all the spousal arguments that would stay suspended in the house long after the wife took her children and left the man of the house to live out his days in loneliness. One after another, the Lockwoods would die in poverty.
And the years slipped on.
Kyleah thought she would die within these walls. She didn't know how long time passed...until her Prince Talyn found her. The desperation in his eyes and the sorrow in his voice nearly broke her. When he placed his palm against the cool glass as he set her atop a small circular table, she would go to it and rest against the imprint.
"I won't leave or rest until the curse has been fulfilled," he said softly. "Every Lockwood that enters these walls will suffer."
He stayed by her side, watching and waiting in the shadows. He would communicate to their people using a small blue orb of light as a go-between while he remained in the room with her. Time slipped away in a tangled mesh of days and nights.
Each family that moved in the house would call Talyn's presence a 'haunting'. He would move items around, throw books and trinkets across the desk to scare them away. It added to their misfortune and frightened them more. But none would dare go to the top room where she sat in waiting. She sensed each presence: Lockwood after Lockwood. Daughter and son after Mother and Father until the day when one who wasn't in the bloodline moved in.
This man was different. His heart and intentions were pure. Because he didn't carry the Lockwood bloodline, she couldn't quite read him as easily as the others. From what Talyn told her, he was a physician set on helping those who couldn't afford to pay for such services otherwise. She was grateful the man used the house in such a way but part of her was disappointed. Would she never be free of this prison? Many years had passed and they had entered the year 2,010. The time that passed seemed like a lifetime and she was growing mad from the lack of touch from her prince who was only a step away. If only she could be free to hold him, to touch him…
To go home.
And then one night she felt it.
A daughter of Lockwood prowled the green lawn stretched out in front of the house. And she was coming inside.
Could fortune smile upon them so easily? Was it finally time for the curse to be removed?
Talyn had fallen asleep in a chair next to her table. His arm lay outstretched around the glass dome as if to hold an arm around her. He jolted awake as if sensing her feelings.
Kyleah hit the side of the glass with a soft clink, urging Talyn to look towards the door.
Once he caught on, he rushed to his feet and walked over to the door. The weight of his steps elicited a soft creak against the aged wood floor. He opened the door and peeked outside for a moment before gently closing it with soft click. Kyleah felt the woman downstairs freeze and look toward the upstairs. Did she hear Talyn's movements?
The floor reacted again when he returned to her side.
Creak. Creak. Creak.
Talyn stopped and smiled down at her. "She knows we're here. Perhaps she even senses what's about to happen."
Kyleah felt herself grow brighter. It was time.
The tiny sparks of light floating around her grew more animated as the whispers returned.
House like stars.
The daughter of Lockwood was coming closer. Kyleah felt her sense of urgency and the dark aura surrounding her like a gloomy, bitter smoke off a raging fire. A name was coming to her. Angry, fierce emotions mixed with naked fear of the unknown.
Kyleah tapped her body of light against the side of the glass.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
She urged the daughter of Lockwood up the stairs.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Until.
The door opened to the dark room with a low, creaking sound.
Windows like eyes.
She watched the woman run to the door for an escape but the doorknob came right off in her hand. The air grew thick as the Lockwood woman looked at her; dark eyes wide like saucers with the realization that things were now out of her control.
The light that was Kyleah's body brightened as she lifted the table beneath her glass prison, using pure will and the strength of her powers. She felt the Whisperer's spirit give her strength and a voice to communicate.
"Deria Lockwood."
"H—How," the daughter of Lockwood stuttered. "How do you know my name? What…are you?"
"Your grandfather's grandfather owned this house." Kyleah felt her strength grow with each word, helping her to continue on. "Captured and imprisoned whatever he wanted."
"All of his descendants have suffered dark and twisted fates."
"Now is the time to end the cursed line."
Talyn moved beside her and the Lockwood woman turned. Her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed as if she saw him within the shadows.
"Come closer," Kyleah and the whispers said.
"She won't see me," Talyn said softly. "I would be what they call a 'ghost' to her. An apparition of her mind." His jaws tightened. "I should make her pay for the curse brought upon you."
"No." Kyleah's response was softer this time. Her heart constricted as she watched the fearful woman before her. The daughter of Lockwood was now in her control, entranced by the light within the glass. The power of the Sprites. "The Whisperer did not die at her hands."
"But it is her life where the Whisperer's curse ends."
Kyleah nodded. "Her suffering will end tonight."
The lights sparkled and danced within the dome as if to show their agreement.
The woman, Deria, continued to stare at the light in the glass. She then reached up and grabbed it, lifting it high over her head.
After so many years trapped in this small, glass prison, Kyleah would be free again. Free to change her form, to touch Talyn once more and to live with him in his castle and see her family. Free to do anything she wanted.
The lights around her spun in a whirlwind of light.
There's no point in hiding.
Joining together, the lights melted into Kyleah's body. Her heart, her soul and body grew warmer as their strength combined together in a single orb of pure, white light.
The whispers grew together for one final line that would break the curse.
From Manor House ties.
The light burst outward like a star exploding. The warm energy stretched throughout the room and expanded beyond the walls and the mansion itself.
The glass dome crashed to the ground and Kylean felt the cool energy within the air touch her skin. The moment she felt the old wood floor beneath her, she changed. The hot light dimmed to coolness and she felt…She felt!
Hands, arms, legs, feet.
Talyn rushed to her side and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I thought I lost you," he breathed. Material crushed between them, soft silks, ribbon and lace. She broke free from him and saw the 19th century style dress that she had planned to wear that morning when she was called to Manor House.
She was free!
With tears stinging her eyes, Kyleah laughed and cried. She melted into Talyn's arms and grabbed his face to bring him forward for a flurry of kisses and hugs. She couldn't stop touching him and neither could he stop touching her. She wanted to make sure he was real and that she could actually use her senses to reach out and feel him. Knowing she would be safe in his arms.
A loud whoosh behind them caught their attention.
The shards of the broken glass shook violently until it assembled itself piece by piece with one small light remaining within. Then it burst into tiny sparkles of light around a larger orb. Deria Lockwood.
A tiny voice called out but the sound was drowned out by the calmness of the Whisperer's voice, echoing in a thousand murmurs.
The curse is lifted. Manor House is free. Manor House is free.
"We must hurry before the new owner comes," Talyn said.
"Yes. He will be returning soon and it would be a shame to have such a mess lying around."
Kyleah plucked the glass dome off the ground and peered at it, amazed that she was in that prison moments ago for too long. Now she had traded places to balance the mystical covenant brought on by the Lockwood ancestor. She then scooped up the woman's fallen clothes and the items that fell from her pockets.
"I saw her take those," Talyn said. "They belong to the new owner."
"We should return them to him."
Broken glass still lay on the floor to what looked like a priceless heirloom. Kyleah waved her hand and willed the glass to return to its original shape. Then Talyn joined her side, slipped an arm around her shoulders and in an instant, they appeared downstairs.
Kyleah watched Talyn return the items back to their original places. A wad of paper and metal currency. The pretty glass dish. She then looked around the house at the new decoration. Things had changed since she arrived years ago. What kinds of advancements had occurred since then?
"Come," he said with a smile. "I'll tell you all about the changed times and the new 'technology' as the humans call it."
They disappeared and in a flash, they appeared outside in the cool evening night.
Kyleah repressed the urge to run freely along the open grass. She wanted to feel the Earth beneath her feet, the wind at her back and the overall joy of freely moving about in her human form. While her former body of light offered movement, the human form offered so many more nerve endings and combined senses to experience the world around her.
She pushed the thoughts out of her mind and lifted the glass to hang on the limb of a tree.
"Fireflies," Kyleah said softly. "He would think they were fireflies in here. Caught by the local children."
"Come," Talyn said, offering his arm to her. "We have preparations for your arrival...my princess-to-be."
Kyleah took his arm and smiled, noticing the floating crown that now hovered over his head. A soft cry filtered into the night behind them, but she quickly dismissed it the further they got from Manor House.
She felt their surroundings slip away as Talyn wrapped an arm around her waist.
"The world has changed much since our days," he said. "Technology has replaced magic. There are not many believers in us anymore." He turned to her with an assuring smile. "But we will go somewhere where there will always be magic."
Too much time had passed since she last saw her family and her people. Her heart raced beneath her chest as they ventured home.
Soon, all would be right again.
Now that she was finally free from Manor House ties.
December 28, 2011
The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour ~ Author Michelle Franklin
AWD would like to welcome author Michelle Franklin as our guest for today's tour!
Michelle has a wonderful prologue to share from her book The Commander and the Den Asaan Rautu, the first book in the Haanta series. Learn more about the series at Michelle's site.
Blurb: In a desperate attempt to save her homeland, one commander makes an alliance that will change her life and her kingdom forever.
When Frewyn's last line of defense falls, Boudicca MacDaede, leader of the Frewyn armed forces, enlists the assistance of Den Asaan Rautu, one of the Haanta giants from the islands to the far north. After winning a war, spending a year fighting by her side, Rautu is called back to his people but finds it impossible to leave without the woman he has come to love. Now he must find a way to make her his mate while fending off an impending attack against his people that threatens to break them apart forever.
From the prologue:
Original cover lineart by Twisk
At the far end of the garrison, the captain found a peculiar creature lurking within one of the holding cells. She eyed it with circumspection, having little idea what it was, but when she neared, she observed that it was a Haanta, one of the mysterious giants from the islands to the far north. She had never before seen one of the reticent giants, but his violet and black eyes, his mauve-grey skin, his white hair and immense stature suggested that he must be a Haanta. The rings and shells adoring his molded locks, the foreign symbols inked into his forearm, his embroidered war kilt, and the heap of various pelts adorning his back and shoulders gave him an appealing and distinguishing air. Though his expression was stern, his features made him almost handsome, his wide maw, high cheekbones and proud nose balanced his reproachful countenance. His body was a work of exertion: his muscles were large and well-formed, his arms and back were gifted with overpowering might, his skin was scarred, and his hands were thick and calloused. Here was a creature of majesty, and the captain found a consolation in seeing the giant at such a time. She supposed he must be a Haanta of some consequence to be so decorated, but before she could ask his abilities with a weapon, the attentive mountain spoke. "You are holding those incorrectly, woman," the giant said, gesturing toward the blades dangling from her hands. He spoke and the captain felt a ripple of sound resonate through her from his low and commanding voice. "I believe I've been taught well enough to use them effectively," she said to the giant as he turned away. "Do you have some claim to the marks on your arm or are they merely for show?" Her remarks caught his consideration and his violet eyes tapered with growing dislike. He was at least dejected in his solitude, and now she had come to ruin his isolation and compel him to speak when he would otherwise be enjoying silence. He pressed his immense body against the bars of the cell in hopes of intimidating her, but the captain remained complacent and unaffected by his display. "Leave me, woman," he bellowed at her. "I fear a cannot do that just now. I might need your help, should you wish to give it." He groaned and turned aside. "I will not assist you." "It is rather a shame you won't. I was going to offer you your freedom." The giant turned back and looked at her with hesitation. He studied her form and face and her apparent composure despite the battle ensuing beyond the armoury walls. Her wide shoulders, her high carriage, her half-smile all proposed collectedness, but the pleading look in her dark eyes had told him there was much she feared regardless of her outward tranquility. He made her no answer and continued his investigation of the odd woman. "I have little doubt of your eventually freeing yourself, creature," she said. "But by the time you should do so, this outpost will be overrun with Galleisians. If you help us now, I will open that door and give you a weapon." "And if I use the opportunity to kill you and leave?" the giant said in a tone half-serious half-arch. "I have never known warriors to be dishonourable. Should you prove me wrong, we will all be dead anyway. There is nothing so ugly as reneging a promise, wouldn't you agree?" The giant clenched his teeth and looked down. "I would," he murmured. "If you agree to help us maintain our borders, I will disregard the reason for your imprisonment and allow you to return to your home in secrecy." She turned over one of her swords and offered it to him.
The giant gaped at the small blade with a reluctant expression. She had sworn him liberation, but he was tentative to follow or fight for a nation other than his own when he had been a leader once himself. He lifted his hand momentarily to accept, but soon dropped it again to further consider her offer. He could escape if he wished; their meager contrivances could not hold him for long should he truly wish his independence, but the weight of his transgression had plagued him and he hadn't made nor would make an attempt to free himself. He looked at her again, perceiving the determination in her manner, and then looked at the hilt of the blade. His hand ached to hold it and gravitated toward it with unconscious movements. He was silent in his deliberation, but in the work of an instant, the deal was done; the giant conceded, and he would be freed from confinement and armed so that he may save Frewyn's borders. The captain swiped at the lock on the cell door and the rusted bolt fell to the ground, releasing the giant from his cell. He stood out from his cramped confinement, stretched his massive arms, and neared with heavy footfalls. He tightened his clasp around the weapon in his hand, calming at the feeling of his place being reclaimed. "I will win this battle for you," he declared. "I daresay you shall," she said smilingly. They exchanged a look of understanding and rushed out of the garrison, remaining close to one another while lunging toward the rampant assault.
Michelle has a wonderful prologue to share from her book The Commander and the Den Asaan Rautu, the first book in the Haanta series. Learn more about the series at Michelle's site.
Blurb: In a desperate attempt to save her homeland, one commander makes an alliance that will change her life and her kingdom forever.
When Frewyn's last line of defense falls, Boudicca MacDaede, leader of the Frewyn armed forces, enlists the assistance of Den Asaan Rautu, one of the Haanta giants from the islands to the far north. After winning a war, spending a year fighting by her side, Rautu is called back to his people but finds it impossible to leave without the woman he has come to love. Now he must find a way to make her his mate while fending off an impending attack against his people that threatens to break them apart forever.
From the prologue:
Original cover lineart by Twisk
At the far end of the garrison, the captain found a peculiar creature lurking within one of the holding cells. She eyed it with circumspection, having little idea what it was, but when she neared, she observed that it was a Haanta, one of the mysterious giants from the islands to the far north. She had never before seen one of the reticent giants, but his violet and black eyes, his mauve-grey skin, his white hair and immense stature suggested that he must be a Haanta. The rings and shells adoring his molded locks, the foreign symbols inked into his forearm, his embroidered war kilt, and the heap of various pelts adorning his back and shoulders gave him an appealing and distinguishing air. Though his expression was stern, his features made him almost handsome, his wide maw, high cheekbones and proud nose balanced his reproachful countenance. His body was a work of exertion: his muscles were large and well-formed, his arms and back were gifted with overpowering might, his skin was scarred, and his hands were thick and calloused. Here was a creature of majesty, and the captain found a consolation in seeing the giant at such a time. She supposed he must be a Haanta of some consequence to be so decorated, but before she could ask his abilities with a weapon, the attentive mountain spoke. "You are holding those incorrectly, woman," the giant said, gesturing toward the blades dangling from her hands. He spoke and the captain felt a ripple of sound resonate through her from his low and commanding voice. "I believe I've been taught well enough to use them effectively," she said to the giant as he turned away. "Do you have some claim to the marks on your arm or are they merely for show?" Her remarks caught his consideration and his violet eyes tapered with growing dislike. He was at least dejected in his solitude, and now she had come to ruin his isolation and compel him to speak when he would otherwise be enjoying silence. He pressed his immense body against the bars of the cell in hopes of intimidating her, but the captain remained complacent and unaffected by his display. "Leave me, woman," he bellowed at her. "I fear a cannot do that just now. I might need your help, should you wish to give it." He groaned and turned aside. "I will not assist you." "It is rather a shame you won't. I was going to offer you your freedom." The giant turned back and looked at her with hesitation. He studied her form and face and her apparent composure despite the battle ensuing beyond the armoury walls. Her wide shoulders, her high carriage, her half-smile all proposed collectedness, but the pleading look in her dark eyes had told him there was much she feared regardless of her outward tranquility. He made her no answer and continued his investigation of the odd woman. "I have little doubt of your eventually freeing yourself, creature," she said. "But by the time you should do so, this outpost will be overrun with Galleisians. If you help us now, I will open that door and give you a weapon." "And if I use the opportunity to kill you and leave?" the giant said in a tone half-serious half-arch. "I have never known warriors to be dishonourable. Should you prove me wrong, we will all be dead anyway. There is nothing so ugly as reneging a promise, wouldn't you agree?" The giant clenched his teeth and looked down. "I would," he murmured. "If you agree to help us maintain our borders, I will disregard the reason for your imprisonment and allow you to return to your home in secrecy." She turned over one of her swords and offered it to him.
The giant gaped at the small blade with a reluctant expression. She had sworn him liberation, but he was tentative to follow or fight for a nation other than his own when he had been a leader once himself. He lifted his hand momentarily to accept, but soon dropped it again to further consider her offer. He could escape if he wished; their meager contrivances could not hold him for long should he truly wish his independence, but the weight of his transgression had plagued him and he hadn't made nor would make an attempt to free himself. He looked at her again, perceiving the determination in her manner, and then looked at the hilt of the blade. His hand ached to hold it and gravitated toward it with unconscious movements. He was silent in his deliberation, but in the work of an instant, the deal was done; the giant conceded, and he would be freed from confinement and armed so that he may save Frewyn's borders. The captain swiped at the lock on the cell door and the rusted bolt fell to the ground, releasing the giant from his cell. He stood out from his cramped confinement, stretched his massive arms, and neared with heavy footfalls. He tightened his clasp around the weapon in his hand, calming at the feeling of his place being reclaimed. "I will win this battle for you," he declared. "I daresay you shall," she said smilingly. They exchanged a look of understanding and rushed out of the garrison, remaining close to one another while lunging toward the rampant assault.
December 27, 2011
The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour ~ The Girl in the Basement
The Girl in the Basement was a short horror story I wrote way early in my writing venture. It was one of the first short stories I sold as a teen (this one sold to Dark Moon Rising) and later on I updated it to be a more smoother read. I thought it would be perfect for The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour since for one character, the sun no longer shines. Two guesses as to why. ;-)
The girl here was a character I had written about in three other stories that were never published. One day, depending on the workability of the stories, I may release them.
Hope you enjoy the story!
Click to read!
The Girl in the BasementJustin gingerly took the rare morsel off the electric stove. He placed it on a plate then peeked his head out of the kitchen to listen for any signs of his parents wandering the halls. Once the coast was clear, he flipped off the light and headed for the basement. In his mind, he ran back the events of the night: he had dinner, watched television, and then did his homework. But this particular evening, he had heard something down in the downstairs. When he went to investigate, he found the last thing he ever thought would be dwelling in a suburban basement.
He slowly walked past his parents' room and stole a glance at the bottom of the door. The room was dark with no lamp or tv lights on. He figured they must've finally went to bed.
He balanced the large, bloody steak on the plate as he walked by, careful not to make any loud noises. His
smooth, handsome face grimaced as he looked down at it. The thing was repulsive, but it was what she wanted after all.
Slowly, he entered the dark basement. Pale moonlight streamed from a window in the corner. It was the only light in the otherwise darkened room. His hand reached out for the light switch hanging from the wall.
"NO!" a female voice yelled.
He stopped in his tracks, remembering the deal. She would stay as long as she had the food which he carried and the darkness. Always darkness.
Justin continued down the steps as he followed the moon's light shining in the sky. He waited, hearing the soft caress of a velvet robe against the cold, hard floor.
"I have it," he announced. "Just like you wanted."
The air was silent as he waited, wondering what to do next. He braced himself as he heard a slight rustle in the dark corner.
"Put it in the moonlight," the female voice urged.
He approached the light slowly and set the plate down. With a blink of an eye, the plate was snatched into the dark. Justin listened, his ears ready for the sound of chewing, but there was only silence.
An unnerving silence.
A dark, bare foot appeared in the light and then another. His blue eyes followed the outline of the body before him. He barely made out the face of a young woman staring innocently upon him.
She didn't smile. Her wavy, black hair was long and silky, falling past her shoulders in soft waves. Her full lips were glossy and inviting. He watched her shed the cloaked hood draped around her body, revealing a barmaid's dress. He remembered it from one of his history books when he studied the French Revolution in his junior year. He could tell her curvaceous body was perfect beneath the dress. He forced himself not to look down at her pronounced cleavage.
"You didn't eat your dinner," he said softly.
"I will."
Her lips slightly lifted at the corner. "You are not always this...shy, are you? I can tell."
"Yeah." He smiled and shifted his weight. "Just not sure what I should do."
He noticed her slight movement and before he could blink, he felt her soft hands on his face. Her glowing eyes stared at him through the darkness. Gently, she caressed his soft face while slowly moving her hands under his small, thin shirt. He shuddered slightly as her hands lined the muscles in his arms and chest. He flexed and waited for her to sigh out of infatuation like the dreamy-eyed girls at his school.
Instead of sighing, she continued exploring his body as if trying to figure him out.
"I-I didn't catch your name," he said suddenly. Why he was so nervous, he had no idea. He didn't feel nervous over all the girls that fell over themselves for him at school. Then again, they weren't as mysterious as this girl. And she wasn't as naive as them. He could tell that from the look in her eyes.
"Why do you want to know?" she asked breathlessly as she moved her hand across his chest.
"I'll tell you mine. It's Justin."
The girl didn't say a word. Instead, she slowly stepped back, moving away from him and drowning herself in the shadows once more.
"I'm coming!" Justin yelled back.
The plate slid across the floor once more and he heard soft chomping noises and squicky sounds of the meat moving in his hands. He swallowed, trying not to imagine the blood covering her pretty face as she gorged herself.
"Are you going to be ok?"
The silence answered him. Brushing it off, he turned and exited, leaving the girl to herself.
* * *
Justin looked across the field at his fellow teammates as they practiced for the upcoming football game. He ran his hands through his sweaty, honey blond hair. He glanced at the cheerleaders practicing their cheers, some of them looking his way and smiling. He imagined making out with each of them, on different nights of the week. He knew he could do it. He could balance them all so they wouldn't know about each other. Then they would all talk about the man he would become. He smiled briefly to himself.
Then he stopped. Amidst the crowd of blue and white sweaters, skirts and pom poms, there was black. A cloaked figure stood in the background. Not moving. Not doing anything. Just standing there.
Justin rose to his feet. It was the girl in his basement.
"Hey Justin!" He turned and saw one of his teammates, Dominic, heading towards him.
He quickly shook off the eerie feeling and the shiver that claimed him despite the warm weather. "What's up?"
"Oh."
Justin turned to see if the girl was still there, but as quickly as she had appeared, she vanished. He sat down and breathed slowly, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.
"You all right, man?" Dominic asked.
Justin smiled. "I'm more than all right."
Dominic sat down next to Justin on the bleachers. "Oh, do tell."
Justin laughed. Partly out of the eager sound in Dom's voice. Mostly because he needed it to break the growing tension inside of him. Was his mind playing tricks on him?
"It's a girl, I can tell," Dom said with a wide grin. "Who's the lucky cheerleader this time?"
Justin leaned forward on his knees. "She's not a cheerleader, Dom."
Dominic sat up in his seat. "Oh?" He nudged Justin's arm with his elbow. "Come on, more details."
Justin cleared his throat. Should he tell his friend? Of course, he would think he was nuts. Who would believe a girl who looked like she dropped right out of his history books would be living in his basement? He stole a glance at the cheerleaders continuing to practice. He tilted his head slightly as they kicked their legs high in the air.
"I have a girl in my basement."
Dominic moved back. "What? You're joking, man."
He shook his head. "Completely serious. She must've snuck in there somehow. She wanted me last night."
"Oh, man." Dominic laughed. "So, you have your own girl. Weird as that sounds. She look homeless or whatever?"
He shook his head. "Nah, actually pretty hot."
"A runaway?"
Justin shrugged, "Maybe, but not like any I've seen."
Silence filled the air and Justin looked at Dominic who was still staring at him with his mouth open.
"What?"
"Don't tell me you have a girl in your house and your parents don't know about her, I'm assuming. She wanted you and you aren't even taking advantage of that?" Dominic laughed. "She was probably offering herself on a platter and you turned that down? You're joking with me. You probably never had any of those cheerleaders out there."
"Hey, I had just about all of them," Justin said sternly.
Dominic laughed. "Yeah, all right."
Justin stood and stared down into Dominic's eyes.
"Hey! I can have any girl I want. They come to me!"
Dominic stands and holds his hands up as he backs away. "All right, man. All right. I'll believe it when I see, huh?"
The coach called the boys to the field and Dominic was the first to hop off the bleachers. Justin ran over in his head what his so-called friend said. He knew he couldn't pass up this chance. He put his helmet on, taking one last look at the cheerleaders as they began another cheer.
* * *
Night seemed to slowly creep upon the day within hours. The last thing he had on his mind upon coming home was homework. He passed the time watching tv and waiting for dinner, but still he couldn't get Dom's words out of his mind. Who did he think he was not believing him? Justin knew he was a hot guy. Those girls practically threw themselves at him.
All except the one down in his basement. The one he could have with no consequences or questions asked. He knew she wanted him. All he had to do was take it.
Justin returned down to the basement at the first sight of dusk, remembering the girl's wishes not to come down during the day. She had already asked him for food and shelter. It was time she paid up for those comforts.
He looked at the small, circular window and noticed the girl staring outdow into the black, starry sky. He made his way over to her. He ran his pale hands over her soft, caramel shoulders. His warm breath caressed her neck like a tropical wind on a cold sheet of satin.
"I thought about you today," he said.
Silence.
"Tell me how you got here. And why you stayed."
"How," she answered, "the window. Why..." She turned to him and smiled. "Shelter."
"You never told me your name."
"Roslia is my name."
Justin smiled. "So, then you're my own girl," he said.
She turned to him, her eyes burning through the darkness of the room. Her gaze changed in an instant from curiosity to sheer shock. Did she knew what he planned to do?
Slowly he backed up to the hanging light bulb in the middle of the room. He flipped on the light and looked upon her as she blocked the bright light from her eyes. He didn't know what to expect. Either that she would turn into a puff a smoke or perhaps be an invisible voice that only existed inside his head.
Either way, the sight of her was absolutely beautiful. Her skin was dark, yet ghostly pale from the dim, milky light. He watched her closely as he approached her.
"I have to go," Roslia said suddenly. "I have to get out of here before dawn breaks."
"No." Justin stepped in front of her and blocked her from leaving.
"I brought you raw meat ever since you got down here. You can't come in here and get something for nothing."
Her eyes were black. The small sparkle of reflection in her eye from the light was nonexistent. "You're not going to keep me down here," she said.
He grabbed her and pressed his thin lips against her full crimson lips. He pressed his massive body to hers and backed her into the wall. Roslia stared straight into his eyes. He smiled hungrily as he continued, rubbing his sturdy build against her.
"I wouldn't try that if I were you, Justin," Roslia's voice lowered to a warning.
"No woman tells me what to do," he said, breathing heavier. "Not ever."
He raised his hand, aiming it to back hand straight across her face when he felt a force like steel grip his wrist. Looking down, he saw her hand wrapped around his but it looked like she barely held him. His wrist ached and in he knew in one moment she could snap it.
Roslia grabbed Justin's shirt with her free hand, lifted him off the round and pushed him backwards. He hit the adjacent wall with a thud. Quickly scampering to his feet, he filled with rage.
Justin looked around for something, anything to use as a weapon or throw. When he turned to face her, she was standing right in front of her. He didn't stop to think as he backhanded her, the sound of his slap echoing across the quiet room. She fell to he ground with a soft cry and he peered down at the fallen creature, feeling more powerful and manly than he had ever felt in his life. Shaking his warm, red hand, he glared at her.
"How did you get so strong?" he demanded.
She was silent. Unmoving. Never did she meet his gaze in that moment. She just sat there, cradling her hurt cheek in her hand.
"I said, how did you get so strong?!" He said louder.
Roslia turned and slowly rose to her feet. Her red lips rose in a smile.
Justin was unsure why he shuddered as she smiled. Or why his rapidly beating heart almost stopped as she closed in on him. There was something dark that clouded her gaze. Something that said she knew exactly what was going to happen to him in those next few seconds"No more questions."
She pinned him against the wall. Her hand shot out and grabbed his neck.
Justin wondered if she could see his pulse racing. For that moment, she stared down at his neck as if it was the most alluring thing she had ever seen in her life. Slowly she smiled and it was then he finally noticed her pearly, white teeth. Pointed teeth, like fangs.
"What are you?" he breathed, fear consuming him like a growing black, inky liquid in his stomach.
"One rule of thumb, Justin," Roslia said. "Never, ever take advantage of the innocent. You'll never know when it can backfire," she smiled wider and he could see her two sharp frontal cuspids growing, "right in your own basement."
"You're a...a..."
His words were replaced by a scream as Roslia bent down to him. Her hand slowly covered his mouth, silencing him. All he could feel now against the cool darkness was the gouge of sharp teeth tearing into his neck. He felt the life slowly drift from him as he fell limp in her arms. That was what he felt when he saw the knowing darkness in her eyes, the last few moments of his life. He had so much to say but as he fell boneless against the floor, he saw the moonlight piercing the dark room. A pair of bare feet walked in front of him. A dark velvet cloak draped around a body. She bent down to him and he met her with a scream.
* * *
Roslia rose from Justin as she looked down at his lifeless body. She licked her red stained teeth and quietly left the basement through the window from whence she came. It was still night when she slipped out of the house.
Hours later, dawn's thin streaks of light would stream through the small basement window. Dawn would shine upon the pale body of the boy she left behind as she wandered the streets once again. The night's cloak of darkness would thereafter be unveiled to reveal the sun's rays and she would soon have to find a new place for shelter. The times had changed before her eyes. Styles came and went as did people. Buildings appeared where there were none before. She hoped there would be a nice home somewhere to stay.
After all, she always found a place to live in her 400 years of living death. All she needed was one willing person...
* * *
Paul heard a noise down in the basement as he passed by on his way to his room. He pushed his wire rimmed glasses further on his nose and turned toward the sound. What was it?
He headed down the stairs into the dark room. When he flipped on the light, it flickered before turning to a dim, strained beam. In the corner he could barely make out the body of a beautiful girl gazing out the window.
She remained still.
"Paul?" she asked.
"Yes, how did you..."
"I am Roslia." She turned to him and smiled. "I know you what were wondering," she said as she approached him. The sound of soft velvet brushing against the hard wood floor was a strange comfort to him. Then, yet soft, cold hands moved under his shirt and onto his lanky, heaving chest.
"You're beautiful," he breathed, noticing a certain glow around her.
She didn't say a word in that moment. Instead, her hands continued to brush against his thin arms and chest as she leaned in close to him. "Tell me something. Do you like to feed off the weak, Paul?"
"No, I don't," he said. He swallowed deeply, nervously pushing up his glasses. "I-I don't really have many friends."
She smiled at hearing this and he wondered why such a fact would please him. "Would you run upstairs and get me some cold, raw meat? I can already tell we're going to be good friends."
December 26, 2011
The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour ~ Dec 26-31st
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Welcome to the The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour!
We have a den of authors who have been planning for weeks to bring a great blog tour full of giveaways, prizes and book related treats for all the fantasy, paranormal, horror and sci-fi fans out there.
All featuring the awesome web fiction The Day the Sun Stopped Shining by the talented Matthew C. Wood.
So slide a chair right on up, grab a cup of tea, cocoa, coffee or whatever your poison and enjoy the tour!
Don't forget to drop by here so you can enter a special book giveaway by yours truly!
Rules:
1) HAVE FUN!
2) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, December 26, 2011 at Midnight (PST) THIS TOUR ENDS: Saturday, December 31, 2011 at Midnight (PST)
Winners will be drawn and posted after December 31, 2011
3) INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND SPREAD THE WORD!
4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH THE AUTHORS! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY SITE'S CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!
5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL SITES IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. THE MORE SITES YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES.
6) GO ALL OUT!!! WE'RE TALKING END OF THE WORLD AFTERWARDS!
Participating Authors
Johanna K. Pitcairn http://themanicheans.blogspot.com/ Matthew C Wood www.sunstoppedshining.wordpress.com/
Micheal Rivers Blog http://michealrivers.com/blog/
Axel Howerton http://www.axelhowerton.com/
Renee Pawlish http://tobecomeawriter.com/
Andy Holloman www.andyholloman.com/
Tim Ward www.timothycward.com/
Tim Ward podcast www.audiotim.com/
Jason McKinney http://jasonmckinney.wordpress.com/
Keith Weaver http://www.aboutkeithweaver.com/dream-weave-blog.html
Andrew Bell www.flightofman.com
Davida Green-Norris (Dicey Grenor) www.diceyblog.wordpress.com
Rae Lori http://raelori.blogspot.com/
Marie Harbon www.marieharbon.com
Amanda Haulk Taylor http://www.backwoodsauthor.wordpress.com/
Joseph Pinto http://josephpinto.wordpress.com/
Julie Jansen http://juliejansen.blogspot.com/
Kelly DeWitt http://ravencsmccracken.com/
Kim Koning http://kimkoning.wordpress.com
Caitlin Hoppe http://caitlin-thefreelancingwriter.blogspot.com/
Alesha Escobar http://www.aleshaescobar.com
Marissa Farrar http://www.marissa-farrar.blogspot.com
Cecilia Robert http://cecereadandwrite.blogspot.com
Edward Owen http://dangerunfilteredcontent.wordpress.com/
Georgina Kamsika http://www.kamsika.com/
James L. Hatch http://cookinwithmisshavana.blogspot.com/
Lindsay Edmunds http://writersrest.com/2011/12/20/win-a-mxykikker
P.R Mason http://agirlwithacomputer.blogspot.com/
Qwantu Amaruhttp://qwantuamaru.com/ Shelley Workinger http://bookfare.blogspot.com/
Nadina Boun http://nadinaboun.wordpress.com/
Julia Antione http://juephraime1.blogspot.com/
Eileen clemens Granfors http://www.authoreileengranfors.blogspot.com/
Welcome to the The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour!
We have a den of authors who have been planning for weeks to bring a great blog tour full of giveaways, prizes and book related treats for all the fantasy, paranormal, horror and sci-fi fans out there.
All featuring the awesome web fiction The Day the Sun Stopped Shining by the talented Matthew C. Wood.
So slide a chair right on up, grab a cup of tea, cocoa, coffee or whatever your poison and enjoy the tour!
Don't forget to drop by here so you can enter a special book giveaway by yours truly!
Rules:
1) HAVE FUN!
2) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, December 26, 2011 at Midnight (PST) THIS TOUR ENDS: Saturday, December 31, 2011 at Midnight (PST)
Winners will be drawn and posted after December 31, 2011
3) INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND SPREAD THE WORD!
4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH THE AUTHORS! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY SITE'S CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!
5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL SITES IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. THE MORE SITES YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES.
6) GO ALL OUT!!! WE'RE TALKING END OF THE WORLD AFTERWARDS!
Participating Authors
Johanna K. Pitcairn http://themanicheans.blogspot.com/ Matthew C Wood www.sunstoppedshining.wordpress.com/
Micheal Rivers Blog http://michealrivers.com/blog/
Axel Howerton http://www.axelhowerton.com/
Renee Pawlish http://tobecomeawriter.com/
Andy Holloman www.andyholloman.com/
Tim Ward www.timothycward.com/
Tim Ward podcast www.audiotim.com/
Jason McKinney http://jasonmckinney.wordpress.com/
Keith Weaver http://www.aboutkeithweaver.com/dream-weave-blog.html
Andrew Bell www.flightofman.com
Davida Green-Norris (Dicey Grenor) www.diceyblog.wordpress.com
Rae Lori http://raelori.blogspot.com/
Marie Harbon www.marieharbon.com
Amanda Haulk Taylor http://www.backwoodsauthor.wordpress.com/
Joseph Pinto http://josephpinto.wordpress.com/
Julie Jansen http://juliejansen.blogspot.com/
Kelly DeWitt http://ravencsmccracken.com/
Kim Koning http://kimkoning.wordpress.com
Caitlin Hoppe http://caitlin-thefreelancingwriter.blogspot.com/
Alesha Escobar http://www.aleshaescobar.com
Marissa Farrar http://www.marissa-farrar.blogspot.com
Cecilia Robert http://cecereadandwrite.blogspot.com
Edward Owen http://dangerunfilteredcontent.wordpress.com/
Georgina Kamsika http://www.kamsika.com/
James L. Hatch http://cookinwithmisshavana.blogspot.com/
Lindsay Edmunds http://writersrest.com/2011/12/20/win-a-mxykikker
P.R Mason http://agirlwithacomputer.blogspot.com/
Qwantu Amaruhttp://qwantuamaru.com/ Shelley Workinger http://bookfare.blogspot.com/
Nadina Boun http://nadinaboun.wordpress.com/
Julia Antione http://juephraime1.blogspot.com/
Eileen clemens Granfors http://www.authoreileengranfors.blogspot.com/
December 21, 2011
"Waiting On" Wednesday: Living Violet: The Cambion Chronicles#1 by Jaime Reed
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Living Violet: The Cambion Chronicles#1 by Jaime Reed
Publication Date: December 27, 2011
From Amazon: Book 1 of The Cambion Chronicles
He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .
Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.
But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.
"Jaime Reed breathes fresh life into paranormal romance. I loved it!" --Lee Nichols, author of the Haunting Emma series
A BF protagonist in a paranormal YA book? An IR relationship? Squeee! I fell in love with this cover and even more so when I read the blurb, so much that I would scrap together chump change to have a copy of my own on the reader. I've heard some great buzz about this book so I'm looking forward to diving into this when it's available. It's the first in a series a la the Across the Universe, Magic Under, Heist Society and Iron Fey books so I'm really excited to add this as a new favorite. I'm not sure if it will be available in audio book but I hope the publisher puts it out in that format.
Bargain hunters heads up. The cheapest ebook edition I can find at the time of this writing is at Diesel Books
Publication Date: December 27, 2011
From Amazon: Book 1 of The Cambion Chronicles
He's persuasive, charming, and way too mysterious. And for Samara Marshall, her co-worker is everything she wants most--and everything she most fears. . .
Samara Marshall is determined to make the summer before her senior year the best ever. Her plan: enjoy downtime with friends and work to save up cash for her dream car. Summer romance is not on her to-do list, but uncovering the truth about her flirtatious co-worker, Caleb Baker, is. From the peculiar glow to his eyes to the unfortunate events that befall the girls who pine after him, Samara is the only one to sense danger behind his smile.
But Caleb's secrets are drawing Samara into a world where the laws of attraction are a means of survival. And as a sinister power closes in on those she loves, Samara must take a risk that will change her life forever. . .or consume it.
"Jaime Reed breathes fresh life into paranormal romance. I loved it!" --Lee Nichols, author of the Haunting Emma series
A BF protagonist in a paranormal YA book? An IR relationship? Squeee! I fell in love with this cover and even more so when I read the blurb, so much that I would scrap together chump change to have a copy of my own on the reader. I've heard some great buzz about this book so I'm looking forward to diving into this when it's available. It's the first in a series a la the Across the Universe, Magic Under, Heist Society and Iron Fey books so I'm really excited to add this as a new favorite. I'm not sure if it will be available in audio book but I hope the publisher puts it out in that format.
Bargain hunters heads up. The cheapest ebook edition I can find at the time of this writing is at Diesel Books
December 20, 2011
Teaser Tuesdays!
What a fun book meme!
I discovered this over at Mixed Book Blog and thought I would join in the fun.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along! Just do the following:Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.
My teaser is from Geek Love by Mechele Armstrong:
"Like the Tardis from Dr. Who, it's bigger on the inside." She laughed at her own joke. page 20.
I discovered this over at Mixed Book Blog and thought I would join in the fun.
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along! Just do the following:Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.
My teaser is from Geek Love by Mechele Armstrong:
"Like the Tardis from Dr. Who, it's bigger on the inside." She laughed at her own joke. page 20.
6 Days and Counting Until the Day the Sun Stopped Shining!
6 days until the blog tour of The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour 2011!
We've got tons of wonderful authors offering up some great books, gifts and prizes as giveaways. We also have some nice events coming up including character interviews, guest blog posts and freebie shorts.
Here at A Writer's Dream, I'm beefing up the event here with a nice schedule of author visits, round up links and free never before seen short stories here on the blog.
Also look out for special discounts on my books from now until the end of the year. You can also give my books as gifts to the reader buds on your list and also lend out my books via Kindle and BookLending. If you want to check out a book not on the list, let me know and I'll try to make it available for ya!
Happy reading!
We've got tons of wonderful authors offering up some great books, gifts and prizes as giveaways. We also have some nice events coming up including character interviews, guest blog posts and freebie shorts.
Here at A Writer's Dream, I'm beefing up the event here with a nice schedule of author visits, round up links and free never before seen short stories here on the blog.
Also look out for special discounts on my books from now until the end of the year. You can also give my books as gifts to the reader buds on your list and also lend out my books via Kindle and BookLending. If you want to check out a book not on the list, let me know and I'll try to make it available for ya!
Happy reading!
December 15, 2011
Books for Readers & Readers for Authors ~ It's all about the blog hops and giveaways!
It's the season for gift-giving but also the season for buying books. Lots and lots of books.
If' you're like me and still collect books despite the piles that have taken over your house and the folders that have eaten up most of your hard drive, then you will like this post.
I've been checking out my events at Goodreads and hopping around checking out new authors blogs as well seeing what sequels of my favorite books are coming out. I will be a part of the The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour 2011 starting the 26th to the 31st.
I figured I'd gather all the current giveaways for the moment and post them here in case any readers are looking to sign up for some goodies and books.
For folks new to blog hops, hops are linked blogs that all host book giveaways and sometimes more to fit in with the theme of the hop. On the starting day of the event, you can visit the links below to start at one blog and hop around to enter tons and tons of book giveaways. Some may require you to answer a question or follow but it's well worth it for the fun and you may get hooked right away. Authors you can giveaways featuring your books and extra goodies for readers. They will definitely enjoy the chance to win a new addition for their bookshelf. :-)
Above all:
Have fun everyone!
Let the hunts begin!
Nurture Your BOOKS™, 2nd Annual
Celebration of Authors & Readers Worldwide!
~ November 1st to December 31st, 2011, 24/7 ~More information
2011 SFR Holiday BlitzDecember 11th-16th
Ends midnight EST on Friday, December 16, 2011
12 Days of Christmas Blog HopDecember 13th-24st
Visit the participating blogs to enter!Link roundup is here
Midwinter's Eve Giveaway HopDecember 21st to 27th
Sign-up and more information here
The Day The Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour 2011
December 26th to 31st
[image error] Sign-up and more information here
Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop
December 27th to 31st
Sign-up and more information here
The Happy New Year 2012 Giveaway Hop
December 30th to January 3rd
Sign-up and more information here
Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop January 6th to 12th
Sign-up and more information here
For more giveaways all around the year, check out the weekly book giveaway feature at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer's Blog!
If' you're like me and still collect books despite the piles that have taken over your house and the folders that have eaten up most of your hard drive, then you will like this post.
I've been checking out my events at Goodreads and hopping around checking out new authors blogs as well seeing what sequels of my favorite books are coming out. I will be a part of the The Day the Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour 2011 starting the 26th to the 31st.
I figured I'd gather all the current giveaways for the moment and post them here in case any readers are looking to sign up for some goodies and books.
For folks new to blog hops, hops are linked blogs that all host book giveaways and sometimes more to fit in with the theme of the hop. On the starting day of the event, you can visit the links below to start at one blog and hop around to enter tons and tons of book giveaways. Some may require you to answer a question or follow but it's well worth it for the fun and you may get hooked right away. Authors you can giveaways featuring your books and extra goodies for readers. They will definitely enjoy the chance to win a new addition for their bookshelf. :-)
Above all:
Have fun everyone!
Let the hunts begin!
Nurture Your BOOKS™, 2nd Annual
Celebration of Authors & Readers Worldwide!
~ November 1st to December 31st, 2011, 24/7 ~More information
2011 SFR Holiday BlitzDecember 11th-16th
Ends midnight EST on Friday, December 16, 201112 Days of Christmas Blog HopDecember 13th-24st
Visit the participating blogs to enter!Link roundup is hereMidwinter's Eve Giveaway HopDecember 21st to 27th
Sign-up and more information hereThe Day The Sun Stopped Shining Blog Tour 2011
December 26th to 31st
[image error] Sign-up and more information here
Best of 2011 Giveaway Hop
December 27th to 31st
Sign-up and more information hereThe Happy New Year 2012 Giveaway Hop
December 30th to January 3rd
Sign-up and more information hereYoung Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop January 6th to 12th
Sign-up and more information hereFor more giveaways all around the year, check out the weekly book giveaway feature at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer's Blog!
December 14, 2011
Diversity in YA Books (List of Books included)
Time for a do over on book challenges - 2012 here I come!
2011 was a rough year. I went through a lot of personal things that threw a wrench into my writing and is still derailing me a bit. Sadly my reading schedule also suffered so I got behind on a lot of my challenges.
I'm resetting my clocks early and will be joining more challenges for next year. This time I'm going to be realistic so I can balance reading with writing. Sometimes I lean more toward one than the other but reading really helps me to relax and stay grounded. I think that's why I got a bit overwhelmed throughout this year.
For the past few days I've been loading up my Nook Color with books, including excerpts, so it's time for me to get cracking on some serious reading!
I stumbled upon this book challenge for more YA Multicultural books and I am simply ecstatic! YA definitely needs more diversity and I try to scour the titles for anyone who feels the same way. Two awesome titles that fit are Jaclyn Dolamore's Magic Under series and Beth Revis's Universe series, both of which I simply adored. I'm eagerly waiting for the second in both series.
Anyway, I was jazzed to see Magic Under Glass on the list and hope to grab more. If you plan on joining this book challenge, here are some titles to get you started:
Magic Under Glass - Jaclyn Dolamore 4/5 Stars
Magic Under Stone (April 10th 2012) - Jaclyn Dolamore
Across the Universe - Beth Revis 5/5 Stars
A Million Suns (January 10, 2012) - Beth Revis
Noughts & Crosses by Marjorie Blackman 4/5 Stars
Manifest - Artist Arthur
Mystify - Artist Arthur
Winter Haven - Mell McKenzie
Asleep - Wendy Raven McNair
Awake - Wendy Raven McNair
Ascend - Wendy Raven McNair
Living Violet (December 27, 2011) - Jaime Reed
Fading Amber (2012) - Jaime Reed
Burning Emerald (2012) - Jaime Reed
Bleeding Violet - Dia Reeves
Liar - Justine Larbalestier 5/5 Stars
Libyrinth - by Pearl North
Tankborn - Karen Sandler
Cat Girl's Day Off (April 2012) - Kimberly Pauley
KM's blog has more titles but as always, I'm on the lookout for even more!
For more diverse YA titles check out the following blogs:
Reading in Color
Color Online
POC Reading Challenge
American Indians in Children's Literature
Lee and Low Books Blog (Tu Books is their Multicultural YA and MG imprint)
2011 was a rough year. I went through a lot of personal things that threw a wrench into my writing and is still derailing me a bit. Sadly my reading schedule also suffered so I got behind on a lot of my challenges.
I'm resetting my clocks early and will be joining more challenges for next year. This time I'm going to be realistic so I can balance reading with writing. Sometimes I lean more toward one than the other but reading really helps me to relax and stay grounded. I think that's why I got a bit overwhelmed throughout this year.
For the past few days I've been loading up my Nook Color with books, including excerpts, so it's time for me to get cracking on some serious reading!
I stumbled upon this book challenge for more YA Multicultural books and I am simply ecstatic! YA definitely needs more diversity and I try to scour the titles for anyone who feels the same way. Two awesome titles that fit are Jaclyn Dolamore's Magic Under series and Beth Revis's Universe series, both of which I simply adored. I'm eagerly waiting for the second in both series.
Anyway, I was jazzed to see Magic Under Glass on the list and hope to grab more. If you plan on joining this book challenge, here are some titles to get you started:
Magic Under Glass - Jaclyn Dolamore 4/5 Stars
Magic Under Stone (April 10th 2012) - Jaclyn Dolamore
Across the Universe - Beth Revis 5/5 Stars
A Million Suns (January 10, 2012) - Beth Revis
Noughts & Crosses by Marjorie Blackman 4/5 Stars
Manifest - Artist Arthur
Mystify - Artist Arthur
Winter Haven - Mell McKenzie
Asleep - Wendy Raven McNair
Awake - Wendy Raven McNair
Ascend - Wendy Raven McNair
Living Violet (December 27, 2011) - Jaime Reed
Fading Amber (2012) - Jaime Reed
Burning Emerald (2012) - Jaime Reed
Bleeding Violet - Dia Reeves
Liar - Justine Larbalestier 5/5 Stars
Libyrinth - by Pearl North
Tankborn - Karen Sandler
Cat Girl's Day Off (April 2012) - Kimberly Pauley
KM's blog has more titles but as always, I'm on the lookout for even more!
For more diverse YA titles check out the following blogs:
Reading in Color
Color Online
POC Reading Challenge
American Indians in Children's Literature
Lee and Low Books Blog (Tu Books is their Multicultural YA and MG imprint)
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