and XLaCrimax who won the Hardback of Sunny Bunnies
Loading…
PaperbackEnter Caleb Wallace, the devilishly handsome man who has recently moved to Triona’s small town. While their attraction to each other is instantaneous, it also proves to be dangerous…and deadly.
When tragedy strikes, Triona flees to London for solace and to start her life anew. It’s there she discovers from an unlikely source that her family has been keeping secrets from her – secrets about not only her birthright, but her ultimate destiny as well. Armed with this knowledge, Triona finds herself thrown into a whole new world and into a battle to save the lives of everyone she loves.
Carol has generously donated one free ebook of Shades of Atlantis for our readers.
What books or legends did you pull from that inspired Shades of Atlantis?
Because I’m Irish I’ve been immersed in the Celtic legends mentioned in Shades of Atlantis my whole life, we learned about this stuff in school. It’s part of my history and identity. Shades in terms of the book can be colors but it can also mean ghosts, in this case ghosts of the past or history. For centuries books have mentioned Ireland as a possible location for Atlantis. Where I live the local park is built on land that was once under water and was reclaimed from the sea.
Have you visited or lived in any of the settings in the book? Why did you pick the places you wrote about?
The only setting I’ve never been to is Camden, Maine. The Hill of Tara in County Meath, my first inspiration, is one of my favorite places in the entire world. The site was built circa 3200 B.C. Tara is said to be 600 years older than the pyramids of Giza and 1000 years more ancient than Stonehenge. Camden, Maine, in America, Triona’s hometown, is a beautiful town that had the perfect look and feel I wanted for Triona. It is south of a town called Belfast. Dublin, Ireland, which is another location, is also south of Belfast. Clerkenwell, London, in England, was chosen because it is located near Camden in London. Oxford, England, is northeast of London as The Hill of Tara is northeast of Dublin.
Where did the idea for your book first originate?
I started writing Shades of Atlantis years ago. My brother moved to County Cavan and I started travelling past the Hill of Tara on a regular basis to visit. It’s always been one of the fascinating places in the world to me. At the time construction work was getting underway for a new motorway that would eventually cut into the ancient site. I was saddened by the fact future generations would never get to experience Tara in the same way I had as a child and decided to revisit with some of the old histories I learned about in school. The story seemed to take on a life of it’s own soon after.
Any books you consider a must read?
Far too many, Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman is my all time favorite, The curious incident of the dog in the night time by Mark Haddon and The Princess Bride.
Favorite movies?
The Princess Bride, I could watch it over and over.
What music do you imagine playing through the story?
There is a playlist on my website and Youtube site. They are mostly songs I found much later as I was editing.
Create a playlist at MixPod.com
Highlight the differences and strengths of Caleb and John your two main male characters
I think Caleb comes off as being very confident, but he’s really not. He’s terribly unsure of himself and his path in life. He is a little jaded at the beginning of the story. He is rules by his passions and it’s a constant struggle for him to remain in control, but there is nothing he wouldn’t do for Triona.
Right from the beginning John is unwavering in what he wants and he is more mature despite Caleb being older. He is not as inclined to panic when things go wrong as Caleb is and like Triona finds it hard to believe in the supernatural.
Any plans for a sequel or upcoming books in the works?
Book two is well under way with a working title, Shades of Avalon. I am constantly writing and have several projects in the works. It’s a case of watch this space at the moment.
Is there meaning behind any of the names you chose for your characters?
Triona’s name is explained in SoA but I can’t give it away without dropping a big spoiler. Eila is a variation of my mum’s name since like Eila she was a strong woman and it was impossible to lie to her.
If readers want to learn more about the legends and faery lore in your book where would you recommend they look?
The Celtic mythology from Shades of Atlantis is all freely and widely available on the internet or your local Library and is very easy to find. I have barely scratched the surface.
Who would you cast for your characters? Or do you have photos/ links of what you think they look like?
My blog has pictures for Caleb, John, Triona and Ben. Although I was watching The Hole recently and the lead actor in that would make a pretty perfect Ben too.
Thank you so much to Carol for joining us and answering our interview questions!
You can find her website at http://www.caroloates.com/ and her Goodreads profile at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3988619.Carol_Oates If you would like to read another interview with the author check her Publisher’s page at Omnific.
Paperback, 382 pages
Published May 7th 2010
by Granite Publishing & Distribution
ISBN 159936056X
3.5 stars
For ten years, a secret society has risen to power. They have infiltrated every facet of the federal government. They are powerful. They have extraordinary access to public funds. They have incredible technologies. And freedom is their nemesis.
They have sought to destroy economic freedom, amass power to the federal government, and create mass dependency. They call themselves THE THREAD. And now, they are poised to destroy the Constitution and rise to power. But, on the eve of their burst into power, a copy of their plan falls into the hands of a young man in the Utah State Capitol building. A small group forms and comes to understand the plan of The Thread. And now, the race is on. Time is short and the group must struggle to preserve their lives, their nation, and freedom itself.
It also contains a fantastic lecture series that powerfully conveys the principles of freedom. Hanging By The Thread is a freedom thriller that educates.
Hanging By The Thread is an action packed page turner, perfect for those who read Tom Clancey. Mr. Anderson teaches important lessons in freedom and the Constitution. He also offers readers a tension building interesting plot. His style reminds me of a book ready to be made into movie- with the story a cross between Mission Impossible and Air Force One. An uncovered conspiracy threatens those who find it. It’s a race against the clock to get “The Thread” out into the open before someone else’s life is forfeit. Fans of financial independence and students of American politics will especially enjoy the lecture series in the final pages…interesting and intelligent writing with teachings that may change the course of America as we know it.
Read the first three chapters and learn more about Hanging by The Thread at Donald’s blog http://donaldbanderson.blogspot.com/p/story_25.html
We are giving away an author signed copy to our readers! Simply comment below to be entered. Contest ends December 29, 2010
And, Congrats AlouyMartinez who won our Beautiful Darkness swag pack from the shop, Kami Garcia and M Stohl http://fireandicereads.com/2010/10/beautiful-darkness-signing-at-kings.html. Email us your snail mail addresses and we’ll send off your prizes.
An Old Fashioned Christmas by warmnfuzzie http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ce13a92adf56d9192fa3ce2/an-old-fashioned-christmas#4ce13b9338588eefa6910886
Black Christmas: Gifts for Him & Her by bittybaby on @Etsy http://etsy.me/i1jiDb
Snow angels to make you smile http://etsy.me/ewJCgv
Spreading some ~Red Christmas magic~ treasury by wavame http://etsy.me/d2Z8H8
Show them some love by clicking and commenting on their collections. Have a wonderful weekend!
The Mima Journals
Volume#1:
The Water is Wide
by Marianne Monson
Published Oct. 5, 2010
by Deseret Book
Paperback
231 pages
ISBN-13:978-1-60641-841-3
4.5 stars
When Mima’s mother meets a pair of LDS missionaries in the small English town of Wood Box in 1844, Mima prays that the townspeople wont’ treat them any differently. But when her mother chooses to be baptized, Mima’s worst fears are recognized. Even her best friend refused to stand by her. So when her mother decides to leave for America, Mima is faced with some hard decisions. Should she stay in London with her brother, or face the journey to America with her mother and her strange new religion? Book one of three, The Water is Wide, begins the beautifully written adventure of a teenage girl who experiences the life of a pioneer as an outsider.
The Mima Journals Book One is an incredible historical fiction piece based on the author’s great great great Grandmother, Jemima (Mima). It begins in Wooden Box, Leicestershire England in January 1845 as Mima’s mother has decided to accept the Mormon faith and be baptized. Mima and her mother are at odds with each other because Mima cannot comprehend how their Anglican roots could so easily be left behind. Soon after her mother’s conversion the family is forced to leave their home, Providence House. Both board the Parthenon a ship headed for Nauvoo, leaving behind all they have ever known to join the Mormon settlement in the United States.
Aboard the ship Mima meets and befriends a young mother who herself is not a Mormon, traveling with her husband and they strike up a deep relationship. Questions of belief and loyalty are out in the open and Mima grapples with the weight of her mother’s decision to join the Saints. She also meets a handsome fiddler named Will Fardon. Mima must find her voice while sailing the treacherous seas and learn to sing again though she feels an outsider. The scenes with Will are my favorite tidbits of the story as he and Mima make harmony amidst unrest.
Part Two of The Water Is Wide is set in Nauvoo, Illinois in May 1845. Tension in the area is high when Mima and her mother arrive in “Zion.” Camps and towns are burned, mobs descend and homes are lost. Ultimately, the duo is uprooted and leave behind business, a promising singing career and the few friends they have made to travel West as pioneers. There are a few more stops along the way in parts 2 and 3, plus a certain someone who joins in their travels.
Marianne Monson’s writing is immersing and beautiful. Years of research and stories give life to the main character Mima and the trials she and her mother must endure. I really like that this novel was written from the daughter’s point of view as she is not a member of the new faith. We see the questions and persecutions converts and family members faced in England and on the Frontier. Mima’s singing and passion for music is a strong undercurrent, and her beginnings of belief are inspiring.
“Music is like water,” I said, drawing close to him.
How so?”
“The melody is like the surface of the water, easily seen. The notes and rhythm are like the hidden currents, the sandbars, and the murky depths below. But the whole thing pulls you forward in one direction leading you on a journey.” p. 210
Poetic passages with bits of actual songs made the story so much more alive for me. I will treasure it as an example of how family history meets fiction to create an ancestor’s masterpiece. Book One will be enjoyed by both members of the Mormon church and those not of the Mormon faith. Anyone intrigued by vocal music, or family history will be swept away in The Water is Wide. It’s foundation is solid and beautifully laid out. I am anxiously awaiting book two and thank Deseret Book for forwarding this one one to me. You’ll want to be introduced to Marianne Monson’s Mima and her fiddler friend Will.
To learn more visit http://www.mariannemonson.com/
I am a believer in the handmade community. I try to buy handmade over mass produced as often as possible. Which is one reason I fell in love with the Etsy community. Every article of clothing you find in my shop is one of a kind. And each one is made from recycled vintage linens and fabrics. You will find similar styles, but no two are exactly alike.”
She will be giving away a Sailor’s necklace similar to the one above, made especially for our blog.
Hardcover, 293 pages
Published May 19th 2010
by Katherine Tegen Books
ISBN 0061914665
5 stars
Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.
Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.
When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.
A couple of months ago I got deep into a stack of YA books for review and one after the other was depressing. I asked my Twitter followers for suggestions of a light funny read to break it up. Forgive My Fins came highly recommended and I ordered it on Amazon. I’m a gigantic mermaid fan, so diving into the book head first was not difficult. This is the first book I’ve read by Tera Lynn Childs but it won’t be the last. Her conversations between characters was witty, hilarious, and splashtastic. The main character Lily is full of funny fish phrases like “beat the carp out of him” and “son of a swordfish” that had me giggling. Lily was kind of clueless but I still liked her and could relate. (I mean, really, how many of us never obsessed over some uber popular guy who was way out of our reach?) Then along comes Quince. Ah, Quince…the tough motorcycle boy who likes to tease. Underneath his rough exterior he has some pretty deep wisdom to impart about love.
I really enjoyed Lily’s relationship with her father, the King of The Sea. What little time they had together in Thalassinia, you could tell they respected and cared for one another. It’s so nice to see functional, loving family bonds in YA fiction. The concept of the Mermaid bond was such a fun twist. My only wish was that some of the side characters were more fully developed. Overall, Forgive My Fins was just delightful. A great gift for adults and teens looking for a quick and fun page turner.
The epilogue hinted at a sequel and ta-da…book number two titled Fins Are Forever is coming out in June 2011. Woot Woot!!
For more information see her website at http://www.teralynnchilds.com/
And be sure to enter our two related Etsy shop giveaways below!
Description: This bookmark is a lovely bali silver mermaid in the act of diving. From her tail hangs a strand of wire-wrapped blue crystals and at the end dangles a silver sea turtle. 8mm x 6mm blue glass faceted crystals ,6mm x 4mm blue glass faceted crystals ,10mm x 8mm silver sea turtle charm Bookmark is just under 5 inches (12.7 cm) long. http://www.etsy.com/listing/62385097/mermaid-bookmark-blue-crystals-sea
To Enter To Win: leave a comment below
+1 for picking your favorite item in her shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/waterwaif
