Guest Post With The Qualities of Wood Author Mary Vensel White

28 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized 5 comments

Fire and Ice is excited to have author Mary Vensel White with us today to write about her road to authonomy and the persistence it takes to become published…
I think it must be very hard to be one of the new young writers who are urged to put themselves forward when it may be the last thing on earth they’d be good at. – Anne Tyler
Writers, you know, are the beggars of Western society. – Octavio Paz
“It’s a difficult fact of the time we live in that writers are expected “to put themselves forward,” to be an artist and businessperson at once. Unless you are well-connected, you must pound the pavement to get your voice heard. On the positive side, modern authors have many choices available. Self-publishing, smaller presses, online communities, writers’ workshops and conferences—all approaches to getting your writing out into the world. Each writer must find her own way. If I had any advice at all, it would be: try everything once, be open to input, and always leave time for reading and writing.
 In my path to getting published, I did most of the things everyone does. I queried agents, attended conferences, considered self-publishing. But let me start at the beginning. I attended college later than most, finishing my MA at the age of 30. I wrote in earnest during that time, finishing three novels and many short stories. I sent some of my work out, even had an agent for a short period of time, but nothing came of it. And then I got distracted with the wonderful job of having and caring for four children. A few years ago, when the dust settled and the kids were in school six hours a day, I pulled out my novels and set to work on one that seemed to rise to the top: The Qualities of Wood.
 In March of 2010, I posted the novel on authonomy.com, a site run by HarperCollins for unpublished authors. Books are rated accorded to member support and at the end of each month, five books are chosen for the “Editor’s Desk” and receive reviews from a genuine HarperCollins editor. What I found on authonomy was a great group of writers who offered intelligent feedback and much-appreciated support. I tried to keep my head down and eyes focused on my goals, not getting involved in the dramas that can occur on any online community. And in January of 2011, I reached the desk and my novel was sent for review. When I received a very positive review in March, I used choice quotes from it in queries and soon had interest from a few agents. Also around that time, I had an offer from a small publisher. And then HarperCollins called. Authonomy had a new boss, publisher Scott Pack, and coincidentally, he was the editor who had read and reviewed my book. He was looking to start a new HC imprint with books from authonomy, he said, and wanted mine to be the first. Obviously, I politely turned down the small publisher (and even one agent, which I enjoyed slightly) and accepted.
Luck played a part for me, but if I hadn’t been putting myself out there, nothing would have happened. Every writer has to determine what her goals are and be prepared to adjust them along the way. Use the resources out there and have faith in your work. Listen to critics but stay true to yourself. And always, above all else, k eep writing! It’s never too late.”- Author Mary Vensel White
The Qualities of Wood Book Summary: When Vivian and her husband Nowell are enlisted to prepare his late grandmother’s country home for sale, they decide to take a break from city life. Nowell leaves before his wife to begin work on his second mystery novel and by the time Vivian joins him, a real mystery has begun. A local girl has died in the woods behind the house. The tall line of trees separating the old white house from the thickets and wildlife beyond attracts Vivian, seems to beckon her within. Details begin to emerge about the victim and Vivian becomes enmeshed in the secrets of the girl’s life and final moments. Nowell’s temperamental brother arrives with his new wife and the house gets crowded. A woman who befriends Vivian relays local gossip, including the questionable legacy of the town’s founder, while a neighbor, a striking man with a buried past of his own, keeps appearing at strange moments. Meanwhile, Vivian’s marriage is unraveling as Nowell loses himself in his work and Vivian seeks purpose and ultimately, truth.
Available now from Harper Collins
About the Author: Mary Vensel White was born in Los Angeles and raised in Lancaster, California. She graduated from the University of Denver and lived for five years in Chicago, where she completed an MA in English at DePaul University. She lives in southern California with her husband, four children and two badly trained dogs in a chaotic but happy home. Her husband is an attorney and she is the mom with a book or laptop at the little league game, soccer field or dance studio. The Qualities of Wood is her first novel but she is currently at work on a second, set again in the Midwest, a place that lives and flourishes in her imagination despite her current sunny surroundings. Vensel White is also working on a collection of interrelated stories, a method of writing which the esteemed women of her book club refuse to acknowledge as a novel. Watch for news about these two projects.
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Targets In Ties Blog Tour and Giveaway

27 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized 3 comments

Targets in Ties
Secret Sister Mystery #4
by Tristi Pinkston
Paperback, 258 pages
Published January 2012
by Walnut Springs Press
ISBN 1599928078
Book Source: author
4 stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: After two long years, Ren’s mission is finally over, and it’s time for Ida Mae, Arlette, and Tansy to travel to Mexico to pick him up. They have their itinerary all planned out—visiting the ruins in the Yucatan, shopping, playing in the sand and surf—and then they’ll head to Ren’s mission home and be reunited with that dear boy. But a wanted antiquities thief crosses their path, and soon the ladies find themselves tangled up in a web of lies, intrigue, and costly jewelry. Held hostage by men desperate for riches, they do what only they can do—keep their heads about them, plan their escape, and discuss the proper making of tortillas. Will they survive their most harrowing adventure yet?
Golden Girls meets Indiana Jones is this cozy mystery set among the ruins of Mexico. As the fourth installment of the Secret Sisters series, it is by far my favorite. I think it was extra fun for me to read because I just returned form a trip of my own to South America to visit my old mission stomping grounds. So, to read about Ren finishing his final days as a full-time missionary in a Spanish speaking land added an extra element of fondness for me. Ida Mae and her crew have headed down to pick him up and bring him home to the U.S. , but of course they meet up with some danger of their own as two age old enemies and antiquity thieves are using the old ladies as pawns in their plot to recover an old stash of precious amber. There is historical Mayan myth, local tradition and fun sleuth elements packed into a clean fun read I would recommend to all. If you enjoy Ally Carter’s Heist Society or Josi Kilpack’s culinary mysteries this one will be your kind of book. And if you haven’t read number one in the series yet, now’s the time to start. Well done Tristi!!
Content: clean, very minor threat of harm at gunpoint
Author Bio: “I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember. After receiving much parental acclaim for my first masterpiece, titled “Sue the Dog,” I tried my hand at poetry. This phase lasted until my early teens, at which point my poems took a decidedly macabre turn and I decided to abandon it in favor of fantasy. That … turned out to be a fantasy. I was taught at home by my parents. After I graduated from high school, I took two correspondence courses from Brigham Young University in creative writing, and also a course in floral design from International Correspondence Schools. After that, I took a job working at a floral shop, which I loved. At the tender age of 18, I met then 34-year-old Matt Pinkston of Eugene, Oregon. We were engaged on our tenth date. This consequently sent my parents into shock. After we revived them, we were married in the Salt Lake Temple. I was 19 by that time, which, as we all know is so much older than 18. We started our family with a baby girl, and then added three boys to the mix. They’re extremely smart, beautiful, talented, spiritual, well-behaved … well, would you expect anything less of my children? When my first son was about 8 months old, I had a strange dream which piqued my interest in World War II. As I hit the Internet and did research at the library, the story of “Nothing to Regret” came to life and was published in 2002. The week after my fourth child joined our family in 2004, my second book “Strength to Endure” was released, written about World War II from the perspective of a German family. It was quite a kick to have a baby boy and a baby book at the same time. March of 2008 saw a new addition to our family. No, not a child … a book. “Season of Sacrifice,” the true story of my Hole-in-the-Rock ancestors and a labor of love, was printed by Golden Wings. To tell the experiences I had while writing this book would take far too long, but I feel blessed to have been able to help preserve the memory of these remarkable pioneers and to feel of their spirit while I told their story. With the release of “Agent in Old Lace” in 2009, I headed out into uncharted territory. Well, uncharted for me. I had never envisioned myself writing contemporary novels—I had always pictured myself sticking with historical fiction. But one day, the idea for “Agent in Old Lace” popped into my head, and I wrote it down. It’s undergone many changes since then, and I’m not sure if those who read the first version would even recognize it, but it’s all been for the better. And what a fun ride it has been! I have to admit, I have just the tiniest little crush on Rick Holden. Most fun of all has been writing “Secret Sisters,” published in 2010. My little ladies bring out my whacky sense of humor, and I know for a fact that they talk to me and put words in my head. I look forward to sitting down to write and seeing what they’ve been up to. The release of “Dearly Departed” in January of 2011 fulfills a dream of mine – having a series published. I’m a stay-at-home mom, a home schooler, a media reviewer, an editor, a regular presenter at the LDStorymakers’ writers conference, a Cubmaster, and a headless chicken. In addition to the novels I write, I maintain a blog which contains tips for aspiring authors and also my own personal ramblings, which sometimes make sense and sometimes do not. I enjoy reading, watching good movies, and making scrapbooks. I enjoy cooking and consider it a minor miracle when I can get all four children to like the same meal. I also enjoy making shopping lists (which I sometimes actually use), spending time with my kids, and taking Sunday afternoon naps, which are so necessary.
The Giveaway: Leave a comment on this blog post, and go visit Tristi’s blog at http://www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/ and become a follower. You will then be entered to win this fun scrapbooking pack, including paper, tags, two decals, and metal tag frames. You have until midnight Mountain time on March 3rd to enter to win.
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Crater Lake Blog Tour

24 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized 2 comments

Fire and Ice is today’s stop on the virtual blog tour for Crater Lake hosted by Cedar Fort books! You can check out all the stops here and read our review below.
Crater Lake: Battle for Wizard Island
by Steve Westover
Hardcover, 256 pages
Expected Publication Date: March 6, 2012
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN 1599559609
Book source: Netgalley
4 1/2 stars

While visiting his crazy Uncle Bart at Crater Lake National Park, thirteen-year-old Ethan’s world collapses when all the adults at Crater Lake disappear, including his parents. Now Ethan must rally his new friends and decipher the legends of Crater Lake to find the key to rescuing his parents from their earthen prison before he’s captured too and their captivity becomes permanent.

Cathy’s Review: Ethan is not quite sure how he’s going to survive the week that his parents are going to leave him with his crazy Uncle Bart at Crater Lake National Park. Uncle Bart is a park ranger there, and there are lots of cool things to see and do, including a cute girl named Ally, but still, crazy Uncle Bart. But Ethan’s parents and his sister Jordan are at least planning to stay for the day, so he’ll try to make the best of that. Ethan, Jordan and Ally and their parents decide to go for a little hike, but when the kids venture down by the lake on a different trail, their parents disappear into the mountain, right before their eyes. They are completely uncertain what to do, when an apparent Native American appears and tells them that everyone over the age of 16 has been trapped in a jail beneath the mountain. It appears that getting their parents back before it’s too late will be up to Jordan, Ethan and Ally. But it will not be easy! I thought that this book was so full of imagination! A world underneath the deepest lake in the US is a pretty crazy idea. I liked the characters and how they all had to learn to get along, both with each other and also on their own with no adults. I thought that several of the kids grew up in just a rapid amount of time and it was kind of fun to see that transformation. This book was written for elementary aged kids and I think they will love it. I can’t wait to let my daughter read it!

Content: Really nothing offensive. There is some peril with the adults being sucked into the mountain and all!

About the author: My wife and I have lived in small town, rural Missouri for 12 years and have 4 entertaining and wonderful children, but I never expected to be living on a farm with chickens, cows, kittens and a dog. I don’t particularly enjoy animals, but I do appreciate them for their utility… and the kids love ’em. 

I’m a banker by trade, but my life revolves around spending time with my family and serving in our church. Being a father and a husband are the most important things I can concentrate my time on and I enjoy it. 

I have always enjoyed writing, but I had never even considered writing a novel until one morning I woke up with the idea for some characters in my mind. I was curious if I could write a book so I thought I’d give it a shot as an experiment. 
Find out more about Steve Westover on Goodreads/ Website/ Blog/ Crater Lake Book Page/

Pre-Order now:

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Guest Post and Giveaway With Author Lori Culwell

23 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized 9 comments

Fire and Ice is pleased to welcome author Lori Culwell to our site today for an exclusive guest post and book giveaway for The Dirt.

Mean Girls Grow Up
 By Lori Culwell, Author of THE DIRT
I went to a high school in Palm Desert, California (it’s near Palm Springs, in case you’re wondering) a town that had a seemingly disproportionate number of pretty girls. People would comment on it all the time, like, “wow, are there any bad-looking people that go to this school?” The cheerleaders were positively supermodel-esque. In fact, speaking of models, I can name three models who actually went there and whose faces can be seen in magazines.
This, as you might imagine, was not the best place for anyone to go through that mandatory “awkward” phase that you’d find in a normal town/ high school. In fact, many of those good looking people seemed to have skipped right over their tween years, going from totally adorable children to beautiful young adults over night. Some of them even got BETTER looking, if you can believe it (we’re all on Facebook, after al!).
Also, life in the desert (especially when you’re in high school) is mostly about being outside in a swimsuit when you’re not being fabulous with your BMW at school. This can start to wear on you after awhile, like you’re living life in Barbie’s Dream World, where you will not be allowed past the gates if you have a zit or your hair doesn’t look good.
Maybe now would be a good time to mention that I had braces until I was something like 15, plus my Irish skin is so glaringly white, I do not own a swimsuit even to this day, because I do not enjoy it when people make jokes where they compare the color of my legs to things like notebook paper, just to see which one is whiter.
I can’t get a tan, ok? It is impossible.
I, as you might imagine, had a hard time finding my niche at Barbie High. That is why my protagonist in my novel “The Dirt” is a frizzy haired science geek. She has mean girls all around her, and she survives by being smart. Eventually being smart is what saves her (though I can’t say much more about that for fear of spoilers!) Fortunately, I liked being smart, I actually enjoyed taking AP classes, and I didn’t mind spending the time doing homework. I still believe in the power of intelligence, and I try to add to mine a little every day.
All this is to say, if you happen to be the one pale person at a Barbie High School of your own, I hope that you will embrace your differences instead of feeling self-conscious about them. And, if you’re getting a hard time from mean girls because you’re not like everyone else, definitely don’t feel like a geek if you’re doing homework while everyone else is at a party. If you’re in high school and you’re not like everyone else, remind yourself of this simple fact: eventually mean girls grow up, then they go out in the world where it is much more useful to be smart than merely attractive.
About THE DIRT: Lucy Whitley cannot wait to get out of Palm Desert. It’s not a place for a frizzy-haired science nerd, particularly when her fashion-obsessed older sister Sloane is the head of a clique of pretty girls who rule the school – and practically the whole town. Fortunately, life is about to change forever. Lucy’s dad is getting re-married, and then she can transfer to a boarding school in Connecticut, escaping all the mean girls and the endless whispers about the Whitley family scandal. Everything is going to be perfect – as long as the wedding goes smoothly.
Lori Culwell Biography: Lori Culwell is the author of five books. Her first novel, Hollywood Car Wash, was originally self published, then was acquired and re-released by Simon & Schuster. She is also the owner of Get Creative Pages, a consulting firm that provides marketing and website services to authors. She has written for the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Salon.com, the Huffington Post, and other publications. She and her husband split time between Los Angeles and New York. You can find her at http://www.loriculwell.com/
The Giveaway: We are giving away one paperback copy of The Dirt to those with a US mailing address. Choose your own entries by filling out the rafflecopter form below. Thanks to Lori for her post as well as the contribution of a copy of her book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review- At Season’s End

22 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

At Season’s End
by Eric Hendershot
Paperback, 176 pages
Expected Publication Date: May 8, 2012 
by Cedar Fort, Inc
ISBN: 1599559951
Book Source, Netgalley
3 stars

Book Summary: Even the river didn’t stop Paw. Clothes and all, he jumped into the whirlin’, swirlin’ waters of the great Columbia. 



At this Maw let out a scream. Mebby she thought Paw was goin’ to end it all. Then Tim yelled, “Oh, no, Paw!” But I was too surprised and scared to say anythin’. 

I suppose it was just a second or two, but it seemed like minutes before he came up again to show us he had two heads and four arms. Then the mighty water turned him over to prove he had four legs. That was when we realized Paw was holdin’ on for dear life to a young drownin’ boy. 

Hit hard by the Great Depression, Sal’s family loads up an old Buick and heads out to find work wherever they can. Driving from place to place, living off the little they can make, they soon realize they’ll never be able to afford to settle down again. 

Then, when tragedy strikes, Sal and her brother must learn to fend for themselves. In a world of harsh realities, there’s no room left for romance. But that can’t stop Sal from dreaming of a life with Ben—a boy from another migrant family—even though she knows she may never see him again. 

This heartwarming story about growing up in a troubled time is sure to resonate with modern readers of all ages.



Cathy’s Review: Sal is the daughter of migrant workers Maw and Paw, that’s what everyone calls them. She and her younger brother, Tim, travel the country during the Great Depression, looking for jobs that no one else wants, things like picking fruit and vegetables and cleaning hen houses and other odd jobs. Their family has an old Buick that holds pretty much everything they own in the world, but what they lack in material possessions, they make up in heart. Paw and Maw are willing to help anyone out, anyone at all. In the beginning of this story the family runs into some people having car trouble, the family could have just kept right on going down the road, but realizing that they were quite far from the nearest town, Paw hooks up the other car to his Buick and takes off almost before the other driver is able go get into his car. When they get to Oregon, completely broke, they are able to help another boy, Ben out of the wild Columbia River which in turn helps them to find a job for their family picking cherries. Not only a job, but a small cabin to stay in for awhile. Sal thinks that Ben is the most handsome boy she’s ever met, but at only 13 she knows that she needs to do some growing and changing. Life can sometimes be a pretty good teacher, but the lessons that you learn aren’t always fun and easy. I enjoyed reading this book, I was a bit confused in the first chapter about the name of the boy that almost drowns, the story called him a couple of different names in a couple of paragraphs, but this was an ARC (advanced readers copy) so hopefully by the time it comes out that will be fixed. The story was pretty short, only about 177 pages, so it’s a pretty quick read. I enjoyed learning a bit about the way life would have been during the Great Depression, especially for kids, you don’t normally see that time period through their eyes. 

Content: Clean


About the Author: Eric Hendershot lives in St. George Utah. He is a writer/director (and sometimes producer) of direct-to-video family friendly feature films and a few documentaries. 


Find out more on Goodreads/ Barnes and Noble

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Book Review- Getting Somewhere

21 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized Leave a comment

Getting Somewhere
by Beth Neff
Paperback, 411 pages
Published January 19th 2012
by Viking Children’s Books
ISBN 0670012556
Book Source: Publisher
5 Stars
Book Summary from Goodreads: Sarah, Jenna, Lauren, and Cassie may look like ordinary girls, but they’re not. They’re delinquents whose lives collide when they’re sent to an experimental juvenile detention program on a farm in the middle of nowhere. As the girls face up to the crimes they committed, three of them will heal the wounds of their pasts and discover strengths they never dreamed they had. And one, driven by a deep secret of her own, will seek to destroy everything they’ve all worked so hard for.

Crystal’s Review: In this gritty teen story four girls, who all have secrets and haunting pasts, are put together when they all choose to go to an alternative detention center instead of jail. This alternative center is actually a farm run by three women, while there the girls are expected to work in the garden and help around the house as well as attend sessions with Ellie, the head of the program. I really enjoyed reading this book. The book address hard but realistic issues that many people will be able to relate to. Parts of the book are graphic and raw, however, I appreciated the author not running from these issues or talking about them in a way that would make them sound less serious. The character building in this story is great, I quickly found myself rooting for different characters. Through out the book the girls learn to accept themselves and not let their pasts define them, all but one that is. While the other girls work to get better one of them is determined to get away, and bring everyone down on her way out.

Content: Heavy Cursing, References to Sexual Assault, Drug Use, Sexuality, Theft, Prostitution, Self mutilation/Cutting, Teen Pregnancy and Suicide.

About the Author: Beth Neff is a former organic vegetable farmer who lives in southwestern Michigan and enjoys setting her novels in the rural and small town environment in which she lives. When she’s not writing, she likes to garden, read, play the guitar and piano, quilt, cook and especially catch up with the busy lives of her four kids (ages 18 to 27.)
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We Have A New Look

20 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized 5 comments

You may have noticed that things look a little different around here. I’ve been working with Dani M of Kismet Book Touring since June to update our page and today is the day we present our new look to you! Take a look around and let us know what you think. I’ve added all of our services for book promotion including blog tours, bookish bling, event and custom photography etc. It will take me a while to completely make the change and update things, but let me know if you have any trouble navigating. And please replace the old Fire and Ice button with our new one. Enjoy!

Out with the old…

In with the new.
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Book Review- Jaguar Sun

20 Feb, 2012 by in martha bourke Leave a comment

Jaguar Sun
by Martha Bourke
Ebook, 268 pages
Published December 23, 2011
by Balam Press
ISBN 0984924019
Book Source: Author
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Book Summary from Author’s Website:  Maya Delaney is just an average sixteen-year-old. She’s busy dealing with exams, her soon to be ex-boyfriend and fitting in.
 
But Maya’s got bigger problems. She’s hiding a major secret from her dad and having strange visions she can’t control.
 
In her struggle to figure out who she is, she learns that she is meant to fulfill an ancient Mayan Prophesy and bring forth a New Age on earth.
 
Will the spirit magic Maya wields be enough to defeat Toltec, an evil society bent on keeping her from her destiny?
 
Or will that destiny destroy her?
Danielle’s Review: I was intrigued with the smart premise behind this Young Adult novel and decided to delve into the shape-shifter genre after reading the blurb.
Maya Delaney has spunk, attitude, and a rather cynical view of the world as most teenagers do. She is tight with her grandmother, and still seems grief-stricken that her mother has passed away. Her relationship with her father is tentative, but it was nice to see them grow together as the story flowered.
The story opens with suggestions that Maya is haunted by some other worldly Amazon predator, although I was a bit unclear on the implications. The story quickly develops and moves on, as she realizes her destiny as shape-shifting Mayan Goddess and the destiny resting upon her shoulders. The pacing is good, and the backstory and culture woven into the plot make for a fascinating tapestry.
The supporting cast of JAGUAR SUN is fun; family, friends, boyfriends, and villains… There were a lot to absorb, but I appreciated how each character fulfilled a role as the story came to an apex. Maya cannot save the world or herself without help from those she loves, and this concept is a comfort, and an important one, in the YA genre.
As a reader, for this genre, I would have preferred to have less language and no adult content, but I was grateful that Maya’s intimate relationship was handled with innuendo. It is a sensitive subject, for teens and for parents according to personal values.
JAGUAR SUN is a well-written, shape-shifting adventure with culture and substance. It’s an enjoyable read, and I do plan to grab a copy of the next in the series.
Content: Due to language and sensual content, some material may be inappropriate or offensive to readers.
About the Author: Martha Bourke grew up in Burlington, Vermont, often considered a hub of “free thinking.” She was encouraged to write and be creative at a very young age. Martha also had her father’s talent for languages, which later became her career. She spent fifteen years creating and teaching in foreign language programs for young children. She continued to write on the side, trying out a variety of fiction genres. Then she discovered YA – specifically, paranormal romance. She was hooked!

Martha and her husband of thirteen years have carved out their own little piece of Vermont in the Massachusetts countryside. When not writing, Martha loves spending time with her animals, good music, thrifting, and adding to her Converse collection. She is currently working on book two of the Jaguar Sun Series, Jaguar Moon

In My Mailbox #25

17 Feb, 2012 by in Uncategorized 4 comments

Today’s In My Mailbox post- a meme started in November of 2008 by The Story Siren inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Click on the book title to see a description or add it to your own Goodreads TBR pile. In my mailbox for the past two weeks:

Adventures Wanted: Albrek’s Tomb by M.L.Forman-from publisher for review

Titanic: Voices From the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson-from publisher for review
Reiyalindis by Cory Poulson- bought
Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer- for blog tour
Vampire’s Kiss by Veronica Wolff- from publisher for review
Banana Split by Josi S. Kilpack- for blog tour
Abandon by Megan Cabot- won from publisher
The List by Melanie Jacobson-bought for Whitney Awards Academy judging
Targets in Ties by Tristi Pinkston-for blog tour

What’s in your pile of fun books to read this week?