Protecting Alabama By Susan Stoker Blog Tour!

Title: Protecting Alabama

Author: Susan Stoker

Release Date: Oct 17, 2014

Find on Goodreads

Alabama didn’t have a good start to life. Emotionally and physically abused by her mama, Alabama spent her high school years in foster care. People let her down, time after time, and she’d learned to rely on only herself. 

Christopher “Abe” Powers earned his nickname because he tolerated nothing less than absolute honesty from the people around him. Finding the bar scene stale and having watched his friend and teammate, Wolf, find the woman of his dreams, Abe was determined to find someone to share his life with too. 

Alabama and Abe had no idea their paths would cross and their prayers would be answered, but like most things in life, nothing is ever as easy as it seems at first. Two words would change both their lives and they’d have to fight hard for their happy ever after. 

**Protecting Alabama is the 2nd book in the SEAL of Protection Series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s recommended you read the books in order to get maximum enjoyment out of the series.

Review:

Protecting Alabama was different from Protecting Caroline. It`s not as heavy on physical action, most so emotional action. Which I found unique and while it didn`t necessarily have the same action packed feel, I almost enjoyed the emotional drama more(not sure if that makes me weird or not).

Alabama was a different character than one I usually appreciate. I notice I tend to go for the louder, larger than life characters, more so than the quieter characters. But Alabama was certainly a strong female while not being overly loud. I enjoyed that. I certainly identified more with her because of her quietness and I just enjoyed her character immensely. Especially as I got farther and farther into Protecting Alabama.

We also got a look into a different character on the team and while I appreciate him for his inability to deal well with people who lied, he did annoy me a bit. It was frustrating as I got farther and farther in the book only because of some of his actions.

There were some fun and easy moments. It was also fun to see Alabama come out of her shell. There were numerous times I wanted to smack at least one of the characters(I won’t tell you who), but there were also times you just wished that you could find guys like that.

Protecting Alabama is different from Protecting Caroline but at the same time it was a great read! If you’ve ever read anything by Susan Stoker or enjoy romance, than you will likely enjoy Protecting Alabama.

Amazon | Amazon UK | Paperback

“I want to kiss you sweet. Will you let me?”

Alabama simply nodded. 

The hand at her cheek shifted to the back of her neck. He’d cupped her in a firm but strangely gentle grip and shifted closer to her. He’d rested his forehead against hers and just held her there for a moment. 

“I’ve been wanting to do this since you opened your door to me last week. You have no idea…”

Then he brought his other hand up to her face and cupped it. She was sandwiched between the hand at the back of her neck and the one on her face. She didn’t feel trapped, she felt protected. Christopher tilted her head just so and swooped in for his kiss. For some reason Alabama had thought he’d take it slow. Everything he’d done so far had been easy and gentle, but this kiss wasn’t either of those. 

It was a confident kiss, a kiss that demanded she open and let him in. And she did. Alabama didn’t hold back. Their lips met and immediately parted. She felt his tongue do an initial sweep of her mouth then retreat to tease and caress her lips before plunging back in. Alabama tried to keep up, swirling her tongue around his and at one point taking his tongue and sucking on it. She thought she’d feel awkward and uneasy, but she’d been so aroused she didn’t have time to be embarrassed or uneasy.

At that point Christopher took the hand that had been on her cheek and put it on her back and laid her down against the cushions of the couch. He kept his hand at her neck supporting her head as he eased her down. Alabama didn’t even notice…until she felt his hardness against her. He never stopped his sensual exploration of her mouth, but she could feel his strength over her. He wasn’t crushing her, in fact his body felt good pressing against hers. She could feel his length against her leg; he was hard, all over. 

Alabama breathed in through her nose and pressed her head back, breaking contact with his lips. Without missing a beat Christopher had leaned down and put his mouth against her neck, nipping and sucking lightly. Her breath came out in pants and she tried to get her brain to start working again. 

“Now that was a kiss,” she’d said breathlessly. She heard him chuckle against her throat before he moved up and nipped her earlobe. 

“You make me lose my mind, sweet.” 

One part of Alabama wanted to do nothing more than stand up and lead him to her small bed in the corner, but the other part of her was terrified. She’d trusted before and been let down. She didn’t think he’d break her trust, but she wasn’t certain yet. 

She’d brought her hands down from his back where she’d been clutching at him and put them on his chest. He’d immediately reared up so he could see her face. Of course that pushed his erection harder into her thigh, making her blush. He’d laughed and kissed her lightly on the nose. He sat them both up and brought her into his side. 

“Thank you Alabama, that was the best kiss I’ve ever had.”

Protecting Caroline (#1) – Amazon | Amazon UK | Paperback

Protecting Fiona (#3) – Coming Dec 29 – Amazon | Amazon UK

Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Texas where she lives but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana. She is quite the romantic and even met the love of her life on "Hotmail classified" before online dating and sites like match.com even existed!

Susan has been reading romance novels since middle school and once crossed out the names of the main characters in a book and changed them to her own and to the name of her crush. She's been writing scenes for years, developing her unique writing style.

Susan loves writing but her true passion is adopting dogs from rescue groups and shelters. Susan and her husband have had a total of nine "rescued" dogs since 2000 including a variety of basset hounds and bloodhounds. She has recently branched out and adopted a basset/terrier mix who acts more like a terrier than a basset (i.e. digging, eating a couch and being hyper).

If you enjoyed this book, or any book, please consider leaving a review.

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

Read more...

Black Moon Draw by Lizzy Ford

(Image found on Goodreads)

"Opening my eyes, I’m not surprised to see I haven’t been magically transported back to

my home." -Lizzy Ford, Black Moon Draw

A reader brought into a book world-literally. And when she arrives, it's to find that the book world isn't always the best world. Especially when that world becomes more and more real while it seems her world falls away. Naia finds herself in a world where everything is very different from her world. Fighting wars and falling in love weren't in her plan when she awoke in this world but she find herself doing both anyway. But will she give up her world for his? Or will the choice be taken from her? Find the official description on Goodreads.

I really connected with Naia and her love of books. Especially how she uses them to escape and she was a really good character even if you felt like shaking her and telling her to wake up and stop being in denial. 

I don't tend to read a lot of fantasy but I enjoyed the world that Lizzy Ford created. It was interesting and learning all the little things about it was a wonderful experience. But I do have to admit that I hate the politics of the thing. But that's just my personal opinion, I'm not a big fan of politics and plots.

Then there was the fact that we get different perspectives, from the two main characters. This allowed readers to get a glimpse at both ways of thinking and find out that maybe everyone isn't always how they seemed. It was invigorating and an amazing journey.

This book had me in pain(all emotional) and also smiling largely. I enjoyed reading it and found myself sneaking away every chance I could to read it.

I liked Black Moon Draw a lot and it had an intriguing plot that sometimes I wish was real. So take a chance and read this fantasy book!

Read more...

Double Major by Catherine Gayle

(Image found on Goodreads)

"He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, and a rush of peace washed through me." -Catherine Gayle, Double Major

It's Draft Day for the NHL but for the Portland Storm team, it's something much more. It's time to see two of their own married. But with the possibility of teammates getting traded, new players being drafted and so much more, can they come together as a team to celebrate the nuptials? Find the official description on Goodreads.

So, the first thing I'm going to point out is that we get to hear things from the perspectives of all our favorite characters, some newer than others but all loved just the same(especially Babs). I loved that it wasn't just focused on two characters as it seems to fit this book the best. It's meant to be a sort of epilogue from the other books and I'm really glad that Catherine Gayle chose to write from different perspectives. I definitely enjoyed the depth it gave to the story.

There's also this feeling of happiness but underlying that is a sense of dread. After all with it being draft day, players could get traded. So, I almost didn't want to read more just because of that possibility, but while reading Double Major I suffered, there were also happy moments. So, I felt like it made things worth it to just experience and see the joy the couples are experiencing for the most part.

It was also a chance to see that even after the couples of previous books are together, it's not always perfect, and it's not always a fairy tale. This made the characters seem even more real to me as I read along and I felt that it was marvelous to see the troubles that they were going through but also to see that they work things out. Not to mention we got updates on how everyone was doing and where everyone was.

Throughout Double Major there were a mixture of emotions. And I felt all of the emotions that the characters were. And without going into too much depth, I was proud of the characters. I feel like they, especially two of them, made the right decision even if it was hard and my inner fangirl was crying, one that will hopefully affect the future positively. 

And we also got some more time with Nicky. I've kind of felt like he's sort of been on the outskirts of my notice many times because we don't get to see him a whole lot in the books but I'm glad that he was brought forward in this novella. I'm really hopeful that someday we'll get his story and get to learn even more about him than we did in Double Major.

Once more Catherine Gayle has created an emotional, amazing hockey romance and I am so excited to see where she goes from here. I can't wait to see more of the Portland Storm either.

Read more...

This is Sarah by Ally Malinenko

(Image found on Goodreads)

"In a single moment, Sarah vanished, and the world shifted forever on its axis."-Ally Malinenko, This is Sarah

Colin is struggling. Struggling with the fact that his girlfriend has disappeared. Struggling with the fact that he quickly becomes a suspect. Struggling with the fact that everyone is moving on and he can't. But when her voice mail turns on a year after her disappearance, he can't help but feel as if holding onto her was the right thing to do. Then there's Claire, Sarah's sister. She struggles to adjust to being an only child, dealing with all of the frustration, and pain that comes with not knowing what happens. Find the official description on Goodreads.

This is Sarah was really well written, it wasn't hard to hear Colin's voice and I found that the writing really kept the reader interested and emotionally involved. Ally Malinenko also included different forms of storytelling including the transcripts from some of Colin's interrogations and several other forms that are different from the narration that is typical. The only thing that I found was that if you didn't pay attention to the names at the beginning of the chapters it could be difficult to tell when Claire was the narrator. I was halfway through a chapter and had all these questions before going back and realizing that Claire was narrating. But other than that it was really well written.

There were lots of rough scenes,and while it was emotional, it was emotional in the way that you felt sadness, anger, or despair with or on behalf of the characters. There were few scenes that were actually happy but it was still very emotional. Dealing with Colin's refusal to grieve, anger, then Mrs. Evan's denial and Mr. Evans attempts to grieve, and many more was draining as if the reader was experiencing each and every emotion. It was amazing to get that deep into a book.

This is Sarah is an emotionally touching story, and it was well written. It's not a hard book to read and you really should give it a chance!

Read more...

The Mirror by John A. Heldt

(Image found on Goodreads)

“Ginny knew she’d had a good life and probably had a better life coming up, but she wondered whether she deserved that life and would be able to cope with the many demands of adulthood.” -John A. Heldt, The Mirror

Ginny and Katie Smith have heard the old family stories but are understandably skeptical. But when they travel back to 1941 from 2020, it’s hard not to believe their parents. Especially when they run into a great grandmother that they never had the chance to meet, or at least a chance to meet that they could remember. But when both find themselves hopelessly entangled in the past will they take their one chance to the future? Or will they have to learn how to live in the past? Find the official description on Goodreads.

I have to say that I almost wanted to not open this book. Not because I wasn’t looking forward to it but because I knew that this was the last book that had been published. I didn’t want to read it and then find myself wishing it could go on forever when it came to an end. But I couldn’t help it. I just had to know what happened.

Like the previous books things are different in The Mirror. Nothing is really the same except that some of the characters remain as old friends. While they’re not the focus they are in the periphery. And it’s comforting. It’s like they’re a comforting blanket for readers who have read the whole series. Even while the emotional scenes are taking place you take comfort in the fact that there are familiar characters mixed in with the new characters. It was nice.

What was even more interesting about this book is not that two characters travel in time as that has happened before but two sisters, and more specifically the twin daughters of Joel Smith. I’m not going to name their mother because that would mean spoilers for the first book. But it was interesting to see the problems that can come from two people travelling back who are related and especially when there is someone who knows about one of the previous time travel adventures. It presented new problems of its own.

I found this series intriguing as John A. Heldt was able to recreate the adventure and emotional turmoil in every book. There wasn’t really anything familiar except for a few characters. It was refreshing and I enjoyed it.

If you love time travel, series’ and romance than this is an amazing series, one that I was sad to finish. Have you ever read the Northwest Passage Series? Did you enjoy it? What did you think about the different time travel scenarios?

Read more...

A Native's Tongue by Michael D. Dennis

(Images provided by author)

In Michael D. Dennis’s touching new novel, A Native’s Tongue, a young man, torn between two women, struggles to find his way in the world.

As I walked out under the Los Angeles sky, the possibility of becoming something more than a short order cook, living in the valley, and resenting my dysfunctional family occurred to me…

Charlie Winters has never been an overachiever. He is used to just getting by while living with his single mother and working a dead-end job at a cheesesteak stand. Meanwhile, he’s constantly grappling with the voice of his sister, who died in a tragic car accident years earlier, echoing in his head.

So when Violet, an older woman, sets her sights on Charlie and refuses to let go, he follows along. He soon finds himself immersed in a destructive relationship that still fails to fill the void within him.

But then he meets Jennifer, a mystical young woman whose energy and life convinces Charlie to pursue her, even through the darkest corners of Los Angeles, and sets their lives upon a path that can’t be stopped.

Escaping to the California coast, Charlie and Jennifer finally find what they’ve always needed. But a sudden illness quickly pulls them both back to LA. It is there, amid the sex, drugs, and split-second decisions that pulse through the city, that tragedy strikes—threatening to tear Charlie and Jennifer apart forever.

Love and tragedy collide in Michael D. Dennis’s poignant new novel, A Native’s Tongue.

About the Author: Michael D. Dennis is an author and playwright who earned a degree in English literature from Loyola Marymount University. Winner of a LMU Playwriting Award for his play Death of a Watchdog, Michael also had his play, Hen in the Field, produced at the Whitefire Theatre in 2012. His highly anticipated debut novel, A Native’s Tongue, will be released in June 2014. Michael currently lives in Santa Monica, California with his girlfriend and two dogs, Jack and Aurora. To learn more, go to http://www.michaelddennis.com/ or connect with Michael on Facebook and Twitter. Goodreads

Review

"Did the endless portrayals of love and romance in novels really exist?" -Michael D. Dennis, A Native's Tongue

First, a little warning. This book isn't about happily ever afters, the bad guys get caught and the good guys get married. It's different. In fact, it seems to be a realistic although pessimistic outlook on life. And I can see that occasionally it's necessary to read books like this, not only because they're interesting in their uniqueness but also because it lets you appreciate the other books you read a lot more.

The book starts with a preview of the ending. But we have no knowledge of the characters, previous actions, anything really. I think this help jumpstart my interest in reading this book. It caught and held my attention, making me ask all of these questions that I simply had to continue reading to answer. Not to mention the whole book was really well written. It flowed smoothly, and it was clear to hear the character's voices. It also kept things jumping and kept the readers interest.

The style of writing changed occasionally. Sometimes it was third person in which case we could expect to be seeing something from Victoria or Jennifer's perspective. And those were interesting chapters. It seemed both women weren't entirely normal(not that anyone really is normal but let's just use the word for now). It was disturbing and upsetting to see their interactions and witness their actions. Then there were some chapters written in first person, from the viewpoint of Charlie. For most of the book I wasn't sure how to feel about Charlie. It seemed that he was almost the teenager that never really grew up. Honestly I didn't really feel much beyond sympathy for him for much of the book, instead preferring the chapters with Victoria or Jennifer.

A Native's Tongue is all about a man whose life has gone downhill and he's trying to get by the best way he can. It seems as if many of the characters are on a path of destruction. We also were given a unique look into a situation that most people see from the outside as disgusting or less than the ideal. It was eye-opening and I was constantly found remembering the old lesson, never judge a book by it's cover.

A Native's Tongue is unique and gives the reader a unique look at several difficult situations. It almost seemed as if a movie was playing through my head the entire time and it gave me a fresh outlook on how good my life actually is.

Excerpt

CHAPTER 1.

Jennifer Bannister’s footsteps echoed down the hall. The uniforms of the inmates dampened the sound. Her ears tried to follow the faint sound, if only to affirm that she was still moving forward. There wasn’t anyone to hold her hand. She just trusted that each sign would guide her in the right direction.

I’ll get there at some point, Jennifer thought, trying to convince herself that she was doing the right thing. You can’t get lost in here; they don’t let you go off course. Her words slipped away. She felt the cold air settle over her skin. She glanced at a placard marked Visitors Only.

In the cool air, her skin tightened. Jennifer shivered and wished she were somewhere warmer. Seeing Violet for the first time was going to be hard enough. She was going to look the woman she hated most in the world in the eye. She didn’t want to be shaking from the cold and covered in goose bumps.

Jennifer peered through the bulletproof glass at Violet. There were markings embedded in the glass, swirls that made it harder to look directly into Violet’s eyes. Jennifer picked up the phone and listened. Violet grabbed it and began to speak, “It was never you that he loved. You know that right?” Violet’s voice was raspy.

Her expressions and mannerisms changed from static to fully engaged. She stood up and waved her hands maniacally at Jennifer, and then she slammed her fist against the glass.

Jennifer hung up the phone. Her blonde hair got caught in between her hand and the receiver as she placed it back on the black hook. Turning, she slid out of the red plastic chair and down the corridor, guided by the exit sign’s green light. In the stale air of the prison, she searched for a pack of cigarettes, unsheathed a Parliament, lit it, and smoked nervously.

Two overweight guards carrying guns in nylon hip holsters directed her to the parking lot, where they offered her matching robotic waves good-bye. The midnight blue 2005 Jaguar xk8, which her parents loaned her for this visit, was the only vehicle in the parking lot row. Her parents thought she would feel safer in their car rather than her own bright red Honda.

In either case, she seemed to fit this car, or the car fit her a lot more. Her lean physique matched the lines on the Jag, and it made her feel more mature. She was constantly trying to act older than she was. Jennifer went around to the passenger side of the car and opened the rear door. She set her oversized black leather purse on the back seat and took out a translucent orange bottle filled with tiny white pills. She slung her head back, popped two, shut the door and walked around to the driver’s seat.

The heat had melted the surface of the Jaguar’s leather seats, reducing the fabric to a buttery texture. Jennifer’s blonde hair clung to the sides of her shoulders, heavy with sweat. She retrieved her car key from the passenger seat, pressed the key into the slot, and burst into tears, suddenly unable to move.

Jennifer hadn’t eaten all day. The heavy dose of Xanax caused her to feel excessively nauseous. She blacked out and fell forward, hitting her forehead on the steering wheel. The car increased in temperature with the late afternoon heat. Her powder-white skin grew red.

“Miss. Are you alright? Miss?” A young guard, Bill Marsh, had spotted the car, and decided to go in for a closer look.

When Jennifer didn’t move, he took out his club and smashed the window. She woke up from her temporary coma and lashed out.

"You Fuck!" Her voice was barely audible, even with the window smashed. Her energy was gone.

"Miss--I, I’m sorry you didn't look okay."

"I am! What business do you have involving yourself in my business? Do you know what you did? You just fucked up my car, you moron.”

“Look, I just saw you from my station.”

To Bill, her face looked familiar, though he couldn’t place where he had seen her before.

"You have no idea. Sitting in your stupid box, behind that intercom.

"I’m sorry, I know we’ll pay for the window. Hell, if the prison won't, I personally will." Bill said.

Giveaway!

I have been given one kindle copy of A Native's Tongue to giveaway! Please enter below and make sure to share with your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Read more...

The Fire by John A. Heldt

(Image Found on Goodreads)

“He would do something different and perhaps have an adventure, though probably not the kind his mother had in mind.” -John A. Heldt, The Fire

Kevin Johnson finds something that he did not expect under the floorboards of his grandfather’s guest bedroom. But when he finds that he can travel back in time, when will he go? And when he meets Sarah, can he leave for the future without at least trying to convince her to join him? Or will everything go up in flames as the Great Fire destroys the town? Find the official description on Goodreads.

Another marvellous addition to the Northwest Passage Series, The Fire follows the pattern of the last several books...for the most part. There is time travel but Kevin does not travel back to the same time periods as the previous travellers nor does he travel in the exact same method. Then there is the fact that Kevin actually knows that he is travelling back in time and can prepare for the trip whereas the others did not know that they had travelled in time or prepared. This presents some unique situations.

But John A. Heldt continues creating touching, moving and emotional scenes, as well as moral dilemmas than are not so easily solved. The Fire is meant to keep readers interested and it does. It brings to life a previous time period that may have been very dry even to those who are interested in history.

Not to mention he brings to life characters that we also gives us a glimpse into the character’s lives from previous books while not dedicating a lot of time to them. He doesn’t lose the focus of Kevin even as we find out the fates of the previous time travellers. It was an interesting blend and one that I enjoyed. Even while we were learning about new characters we still had the comfort of the old and discovering what has taken place in the years since they have travelled in time. It felt amazing to do that.

The Fire is a welcome addition to a wonderfully written series. If you enjoy time travel, romance and emotionally charged books than this is one series that you must read. What do you think about books that bring the past to life? Have you read any of the Northwest Passage Series books?

Read more...

Dragon Lights Part One by Dusty Lynn Holloway

(Image found on Goodreads)

“There will always be bad, dear heart. But there is much that is good as well.” -Dusty Lynn Holloway, Dragon Light Part One

Auri is trying desperately to prepare for the battle she knows is coming. But things seem to just keep coming and she’s not so sure that she and Liren, not to mention all of the other people she loves will make it out alive. But will she give up or will that make her fight all the harder? Find the official description on Goodreads.

I’ll admit that at first I found it hard to connect and re-enter the world that Dusty has created. But I slowly was able to jump back in and once I did I once more found myself reading with bated breath. I was cheering for Auri at all times, watching things happen and wishing I could somehow influence them. Not to mention silently watching and realizing how much that all the characters but especially Auri has changed. It was interesting to see the changes from how she was in the beginning to how she is now and yet still seem some things that are the same. We also see more about Liren, his priorities and character. (Dusty, can you get me one of him? I would love that. Thanks!!) But seriously, it was amazing and awe-inspiring to see how completely devoted he is to Auri and the things he is willing to do as well as his fears. It blew me away.

While Dragon Lights is very much a grim book, it also has it’s hilarious moments. Those moments that give you glimpses into why they are fighting and what for. It makes everything worth it - the pain, the grieving, everything. Even as you know that you aren’t in the book, you experience everything as if you are a part of the book.

There is also a bit of a surprise that I wasn’t really expecting, but it was a happy one. It made the book that much less grim and more a joyous book. But it only helped relieved some of the grimness not all of it.

The ending ended the book well, but it also left readers with plenty of questions. It also leaves the reader anticipating the next part of Dragon Lights with excitement!

So what did you think about the third installment of the series? Did you think it lived up to the previous books?

Read more...

Minty By Christina Banach and an Interview!

(Image found on Goodreads)

“No, this is real all right - no mistaking.” -Christina Banach, Minty

Teenage twins Minty and Jess are attached at the hip. But Jess is tired of being a pair and says words that she comes to regret. Especially when Minty finds herself a ghost. Jess takes her death hard and Minty has a hard time watching her mourn. But will Minty be able to control her ghostly powers enough to help her family heal? Or will this family be torn to pieces? Find the official description on Goodreads.

Christina Banach creates a paranormal world with her own spin on things. Minty has no clue of what she can or cannot do as a ghost. Which is where her ghostly mentor comes in. But he’s not assigned to her or anything. He stumbles upon her and teaches her what he can. I found that this relationship was sometimes strained but many times humorous. This relationship meant that while the book itself was sad and emotional, it also wasn’t only sad or miserable. There were moments that could make you chuckle. It helped balance Minty a bit.

Then there are the different ways that grief is expressed throughout the book. It’s different for everyone and everyone experiences some form of survivor’s guilt. It was interesting to get that look into the ways that different people grieve a loss. It allowed me to view things through other people’s perspectives and not just my own.

Minty is also told from Minty’s perspective. I enjoyed that. It allowed readers to catch a glimpse of the ghosts perspective and not solely the still alive people. It was something new. Something that people don’t always see.

The relationships between the sisters and their parents was also fun to glimpse. I have a brother and I could see parallels with the two sisters but I also saw things that were different(and honestly I’m hoping for in the future, haha). But it was great to be able to connect with them in that way.

Minty is an great read, one that for those who enjoy the more emotional books and ghosts will find themselves soaring right through. What do you think about ghosts? Do you enjoy them in books you read? Would you like to see more books from their perspective?

Not only was I able to review Minty but I also got the chance to interview the author, Christina Banach. Here's my interview: 

Hello, Thank you for answering my questions today!

1. First off, let's get to know a little about you. Tell us something that might seem strange or odd to a lot of people as well as a little bit of info on yourself.

What might seem odd is the pronunciation of my name. My Christian name is Christina but very few people manage to pronounce it correctly (I don’t blame them!). I’ve been called Christine, Christiana, Kirstine and even Charisma! So how do you pronounce Christina? The ‘ina’ rhymes with China! As for my surname – hey, maybe we shouldn’t go there. Even I have difficulty in getting my tongue round that one! Now I come to think of it, maybe I should change my name by deed poll. How does Sally Smith sound to you?

So who am I? I’m a former head teacher who resigned from my post several years ago to become a full-time writer. Minty is my first published novel. I live in Scotland, UK, with my husband and our two rescue dogs. I love to read, go for long walks on the beach, listen to music, walk, travel, and eat delicious food. Sometimes I spend too much time on Twitter.

2. Now, can you tell us more about your young adult novel, Minty?

Minty is a contemporary young adult (YA) ghost story told from the point of view of the ghost. It’s a cross between The Lovely Bones (without the grim murder!) and Ghost and is a real weepy with heart and warmth at its core. It tells the story of fourteen-year-old twins Minty and Jess. They do everything together and, although they sometimes bicker, are completely inseparable. But then a day trip to the coast puts their bond in jeopardy. As Minty tries to rescue her dog from drowning she ends up fighting for her life. Will she survive? If she doesn’t, how will Jess cope without her?

It’s about friendship, loss, and coming to terms with consequences. Above all it’s about love and hope.

The idea for the book appeared early one summer morning in 2006, just as the sun came up. During the night I thought I sensed my late father's presence, so, unable to get back to sleep, I sat in the sunroom contemplating what had actually happened. While doing this I heard my dog panting and put out my hand to stroke her. Until I remembered – my pet had died the month before. That's when Minty's story came to me. 

3. Did you have difficulty writing some of the scenes?

Not difficulty as such, although I did find some of the scenes very emotional to write – even eight drafts later, when it came to the final proofread.

4   Did you do extensive research on Roman history in order to include the information or was it something that you had an interest in before?

I touched upon ancient Roman culture when I was at university. I’ve also visited Rome, and various Roman sites in Europe, throughout the years. However, I never set out to add a Roman element to the book. The twins’ Roman obsession became apparent once their characters began to evolve.

5. Do you work using an outline or just write what comes to mind?

Am I a plotter or a pantser? Good question! I’m a bit of both, I reckon. Once I decide to run with an idea, and the characters have entered the stage, I plunge into the research – surfing the Net, reading books, going on field trips etc – taking copious notes as I go along. Once I have enough material I do a lot of brainstorming on character and plot: thinking of scenes, exploring character arc, considering the structure and so on. I always know how the book will start and how it will end. Or so I think…that’s when the pantser part of me comes to the fore, because once I actually begin the first draft anything could happen. The important thing for me is to get that first draft written, and if it deviates from all my carefully thought-out plans, so be it. It’s all about telling the story that demands to be told.

6. What can we expect from you in the future?

Lots, I hope. I have several stories on the back burner but my next project is another contemporary YA novel. It’s a ghost story-come-psychological thriller and, so far, has been a blast to write.

Thanks for letting me stop by your blog, Aly! It was fun!

Thank you for your time! I look forward to seeing what you come out with in the future!

Read more...

The Show by John A. Heldt

(Image found on Goodreads)

“...she had crossed a line and there was no going back.” -John A. Heldt, The Show

Grace has found herself her piece of happiness. But when she finds herself further back in history, she’s not sure what to do. Does she forget the life she had, and move on? Or does she find herself alone, forever stuck in the past? Find the official description on Goodreads.

Having read The Mine, I was really excited to find that Grace was the main character in this book. And to find out things from her perspective. While there were times in the first book that we got her perspective it just wasn’t the same not to mention there were times we didn’t get her perspective. So to get that now it was perfect! Not to mention that you get to learn more about what happened after Joel leaves in The Mine. I was so excited to do so as I hadn’t expected to find out anymore about the couple.

Then there was also the fact that I already had a connection with Grace so I enjoyed it so much to find out more about her and get into her head a bit more. But then there’s the fact that it feels as if you’re reconnecting with old friends. John A. Heldt doesn’t make you feel like you missed anything or if you did than it’s not something that can’t be retold. It was a great story.

As a reader you also find yourself finding new perspectives on characters that you’ve previously met. Sometimes you change your opinions or just learn more about them and develop a more concrete opinion. It was a great chance, one that I appreciated. And may I just say that I sighed over the ending. Actually sighed.

But if you’re a fan of time travel and/or romance, than you should definitely give the Northwest Passage Series a look!

Read more...