Blog Tour: Romance in the Rain + Extras

Today, I've got a post that is packed with good stuff! And, fair warning, it's quite possibly the longest post I've ever posted -- but it's worth it. As part of Romantic Maidens' blog tour for a new anthology Romance in the Rain, I've got a review, a guest post, and some pretty neat tour-wide giveaways for you. See? Perfect way to start a Monday!

Since there's so much going on, I'd suggest sitting back and getting comfy, maybe even grab a hot drink, and reading your way through. I'm not going to feature summaries of the stories in my review, since the official media kit does such an amazing job ((and includes excerpts!)), so make sure you read everything. And don't forget to enter the giveaways!

Title: Romance in the Rain (A Seattle Anthology)

Authors: Kristine Cayne, Dawn Kravagna, Charlotte Russell, Sherri Shaw, Clare Tisdale, Marianne Stillings

Publisher: Kristine Cayne

Release Date: October 15, 2012

Pages: 360

Buy Link: Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | B&N | Kobo | ARe | Smashwords

Blurb:

From the pioneer days of Seattle through the smoke-filled clouds of WWII and into the present, Romance in The Rain takes readers on a journey with four generations of the strong-willed and passionate Caldwell family. The anthology of six novellas is a collaboration of the Seattle-based Rainy Day Writers group.

Splendor in the Moss by Charlotte Russell—By the spring of 1853 Englishman James Caldwell has traveled thousands of miles in a quest to find a place to call home. Newly settled Seattle isn’t that place and he’s ready to move on again when widowed Mattie Jensen marches into his life as somber as a cloudy day. But James can see through the solemn haze to Mattie’s strength and passion. Now he has a reason to stay, if he can just convince Mattie to take a second chance on love—and him. (22,000 words)

Final Approach by Marianne Stillings—With the world at war, Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Service pilot Lt. Charlene (Charlie) Thompson faces personal battles as well. Pearl Harbor left her a widowed bride, certain love would never come again – but battle-scarred Capt. Joe Caldwell has other ideas for the beautiful lady flyer, if he can just keep her safe from the secret saboteur who's already taken the life of Charlie's best friend. (17,000 words)

Love Phantom by Dawn Kravagna—University of Washington, 1983: A great place to get an education and meet single men. Drama major Kara Caldwell prefers to hide behind the characters in her plays, yet feels pressure to live up to the example set by her brave and witty grandmother, a veteran of WWII. Can she learn to overcome her reticence and prejudices to discover which guy truly cares for her--and who is just putting on an act? (17,000 words)

What’s Wrong with Mr. Perfect? by Sherri Shaw—No sooner did Chef Ivy Turin wish to meet the perfect man than Sam Rockney walked into her restaurant. But is the sexy Seattle quarterback for real or is there something wrong with Mr. Perfect? (17,000 words)

Shelter from the Storm by Clare Tisdale—Seven years and one broken heart later, JD Caldwell returns to Seattle to pick up the pieces of his old life, never imagining he will fall for Maya—the mysterious woman who lets him into her house and bed but keeps the door to her heart tightly closed. When their summer fling takes an unexpectedly serious turn and Maya gives him his walking papers, JD has to decide whether their love—and his legacy—is worth fighting for. (21,000 words)

Aftershocks by Kristine Cayne—When Seattle is struck by a devastating earthquake, technical rescue firefighter Jamie Caldwell must save his estranged wife and daughter from the wreckage of a collapsed building. He's defied the odds hundreds of times, but will his luck finally run out for good? (24, 000 words)

RAINY DAY WRITERS

Writing fiction is difficult and lonely and more often than not, the "normal" people in your life don't understand the writing process and can't fathom why you are possessed and obsessed with finding the perfect word or phrase that says exactly what you want to say right where you want to say it. Only other writers comprehend and accept that kind of torment.

To fill this need to surround herself with like-minded obsessive-compulsive self-doubting lunatics, in 2005, Marianne Stillings, who writes Romantic Suspense, established what came to be known as The Rainy Day Writers.

There were only two requirements for joining the group: You must be serious about writing and getting published, and any criticisms of co-members' work be honest, gentle, and kind.

Over the years, the membership has changed; some people moved on, others joined. The group we have now has been stable and constant since 2009. The Rainy Day Writers are a family.

Charlotte Russell joined the group in 2006 at the suggestion of a former member. Charlotte writes Historical Romance.

Dawn Kravagna became a member in the spring of 2007 because of a writers' list where Marianne had posted looking for new members. Dawn writes Comedy and Mystery.

In the Autumn of 2007, Sherri Shaw found her way to the group because she and Marianne happened to sit at the same table at the Emerald City Writer's Conference that year. Sherri writes Historical Romance and Paranormal Historical Romance.

Clare Tisdale joined in 2008 as the result of an email Marianne posted on the Greater Seattle Chapter Romance Writer's list seeking new members. Clare writes Contemporary Romance.

Kristine Cayne found the group in 2009 because she won Marianne's raffle basket at the Emerald City Writer's Conference that year. The basket included an offer to critique the winner's manuscript—an evaluation that resulted in an invitation to join. Kristine writes Romantic Suspense.

For more information on Romance in the Rain and the Rainy Day Writers, visit them at www.seattlerainydaywriters.com

Romance in the Rain Excerpts

Splendor in the Moss by Charlotte Russell

After telling the dog to stay, he steered her away from the Jensens’ cabin, towards the woods to the south. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Giving me the time of day. You were gone for such a long while, I wasn’t certain you’d come back.”

“I had to fight my better judgment.”

James laughed. He couldn’t put on airs around Mattie if he tried.

Final Approach by Marianne Stillings

"You were there." Caldwell's voice was quiet as though he were speaking to a timid child. He took a step toward her. "You saw it, didn't you. Didn't you, Charlie?" Another step. And another. Suddenly, he was standing before her and she was standing, too, and his arms came around her as she pressed her head against his strong shoulder and for the first time in a year, she felt safe. Safe enough to relive the agony—and let it go. Safe enough to let someone be strong—so she could be weak. Safe enough—to cry.

And so she did. 

What’s Wrong with Mr. Perfect? by Sherri Shaw

"Somehow I can’t picture you as a nerd.” You’re too perfect, Ivy silently added, fingering the amulet at her throat.  It hummed under her fingertips as the vendor’s words skated across her mind: If you truly want to find the perfect man, and restore your faith in true love, then this necklace will be your good luck talisman.” She dropped her hand, shaking off the crazy notion. It was merely a coincidence that she wished to meet the man of her dreams and Sam showed up. The necklace had nothing to do with it. Right?"

Shelter from the Storm by Clare Tisdale

A shadow crossed the window, and JD looked up in time to see a seagull fly by. Beyond the downtown high rises,  the waters of the Puget Sound lay brooding, glazed by morning mist. Much as JD hated starting over again, he realized that if he had to, he'd rather do it here than anywhere else. Seattle was his home; he belonged here.  Maya and her beach house had helped confirm that for him.

Aftershocks by Kristine Cayne

Adrenaline surging through her system, Erica hung onto the doorjamb as the quake rocked the old courthouse. The building swayed and groaned, windows rattled and shattered as the earth continued to tremble. Cracks raced across the ceiling and plaster dust showered down, covering everything in a thin white film. She’d lived in Seattle all her life but had never experienced a quake as powerful as this one.

And her daughter was all alone.

My Review:
I have a growing affection for anthologies, especially when there's a central connecting thread. Romance in the Rain traces one family as it grows, expands, experiences history and has life-changing encounters with romance. (And the nifty family trees at the end of every story help keep things straight.) From the blurbs and excerpts above, you can tell there's a lot of very different ground covered in the individual stories, but they all link together and are concise stories that explore the deepest - and simplest - facets of human emotions. They'll make you laugh, make you cringe, make you sigh. They may technically be short stories, but there each has a lot of punch on its own -- and when taken together, as part of a "family history" of sorts? Yeah, good stuff. And all of the writing styles work well together, especially since the range of stories are taking place over a span of time, the changes in voice work - adding context and depth to the overall idea. Definitely an anthology that can be viewed as the sum of its parts.

eBook provided by authors for review.

In the spirit of rainy weather, I am now turning the blog over to Marianne Stillings, who is going to share her Top 10 Rainy Day Reads/Movies.

When it comes to rainy days—weather designed for snuggling up with a good book or settling down to a favorite movie—the Northwest offers more than your average share of opportunities. Though I'm an author and I love books, I have to be honest and say that, when it comes to stormy afternoons, I'll invariably choose a movie.
There are two reasons for this: 1) Since I like to crochet, quilt, and embroider, my hands can't hold a book and a needle and thread (or crochet hook and yarn) at the same time; and 2) I love love love old movies—especially British mysteries—and enjoy them even more when I'm cozy and warm inside, while outside, the wind howls and fat raindrops pound the roof and windows.
So without further ado, here are my top ten rainy day movies, in no particular order:

• AND THEN THERE WERE NONE – 1945 – Based on Agatha Christie's novel of the same name. An old-fashioned keeps-you-guessing whodunit!
• THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR – 1947 – Great story and very romantic.
• Any HERCULE POIROT TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's novels, starring the absolutely perfect David Suchet as Poirot. And the period costumes and cars are to die for.
• Any MIDSOMER MURDERS episode – Produced by BBC, these are complicated murder mysteries that'll keep you guessing.
• LOVE ACTUALLY – 2003 – A beautiful examination of every type of love, I love it (actually) more and more every time I see it.
• THE GREAT RACE – 1965 – Fun, funny, feisty, and romantic. I first saw it when I was in high school and have loved it ever since.
• Any FOYLE'S WAR episode – BBC miniseries based on the novels of Caroline Graham. These Brit whodunits take place in WWII England. Love the period clothing, cars, and well-crafted and complex murder mysteries.
• DOWNTON ABBEY – Do I really need to explain this one?
• SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS – 1954 – Energetic musical, fantastic and athletic dance numbers, charming romance(s). Who could ask for more?
• PRIDE & PREJUDICE – Either the 1995 miniseries with Colin Firth or the 2005 movie with Keira Knightly. Each are fabulous in their own way. The 1995 version, being longer, offers more detail, but the 2005 film is well written and beautifully filmed. Both are intelligently done and very romantic.

Thanks, Marianne! Some of those are on my favorites list as well, and others I may have to look into.

And now, here are the necessary links and details for the tour giveaways. Best of luck, and thanks for stopping by today!

All giveaway ends November 22, 2012 at midnight. Make sure to only enter the giveaway you are eligible for.

Giveaway for US residents only.

Grand Prize:

- 1 autographed copy of Deadly Obsession + SWAG

- 1 autographed copy of Deadly Addiction + SWAG

- The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, by Julia Quinn (autographed copy)

- Blood Trinity, by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love

- 1 e-book copy of “Falling Angel” by Clare Tisdale

- 1 handmade shell necklace by Clare Tisdale

- A handmade afghan crocheted by Marianne Stillings

- 1 autographed copy of AROUSING SUSPICIONS

- 1 autographed copy of SATISFACTION

- 1 autographed copy of KILLER CHARMS

- 1 bag of truffles from Seattle Chocolates

- 3 chocolate bars from Seattle Chocolates

- $15 Starbucks gift card

- 1 autographed copy of Cattle Capers: Search For The MooMoo Pearl by Dawn Kravagna

Prize #5: 

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne

- 1 print copy Accidental Cinderella, by Nancy Robards Thompson

- 1 print copy Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels, by Sarah Wendell

Prize #6: 

- 1 ecopy Deadly Addiction by Kristine Cayne

- 1 print copy The Angel in My Arms, by Stephanie Sloane

- 1 print copy The Naughty List, by Donna Kauffman, Cynthia Eden and Susan Fox (autographed by Susan Fox)

Prize #7: 

- 1 ecopy Deadly Addiction by Kristine Cayne

- 1 print copy Tsunami Blue, by Gayle Ann Williams

- 1 print copy A Tale of Two Demon Slayers, by Angie Fox (autographed copy)

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Giveaway for both US and International residents.
Prize #1:

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession

- 1 ecopy of A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare

- 1 ecopy of The Sergeant's Lady by Susanna Fraser

Prize #2:

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession

 - 1 ecopy of Unraveled by Courtney Milan

- 1 ecopy of Unlocked, a novella by Courtney Milan

Prize #3:

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession

- 1 ecopy of One Night in London by Caroline Linden

- 1 ecopy of Ruined by Rumor by Alyssa Everett

Prize #4:

- 1 ecopy Deadly Obsession

- 1 ecopy of Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase

Prize #8-10:

- 1 ecopy Deadly Addiction

- $10 Amazon or B&N giftcard

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Prize #11 US and International Giveaway

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Blog Tour: The Hidden Blessing + Character Interview

I am totally excited to be a stop along Melissa Buell's blog tour for The Hidden Blessing, Book 2 of the Gymandrol series (clicking the banner above will take you to Melissa's blog, and links to all the other stops as they go live). You may remember when I interviewed Melissa and reviewed her first book, The Seventh Blessing, which I loved, so I was more than happy to help promote the next installment of the story. And, I got to sit down with the devastatingly handsome prince and ask some questions. What more could a girl ask for? I'm running my review first, and then I'll let you see how my conversation with Will went ((you might find this hard to believe, but Nolan just might have competition! Melissa totally knows how to write a hero)).

The Hidden Blessing
Melissa Buell
The Little Things Publishing, 2012

The Hidden Blessing picks up not far after The Seventh Blessing leaves off: with Princess Emmalyn Meredith's blessing ceremony and a trick-and-twist of the fairy blessing. Emma is the daughter of our beloved Samantha and Nolan, and as such, inherits a certain secret blessing of her mother's -- a blessing that will play an unexpected key role later in the story. But first, things must be fast forwarded to a peaceful afternoon in Conti Wayo, where things suddenly go horribly awry. The Princess disappears, and all fear her dead. And yet ...

... In a neighboring kingdom, there is a beautiful, intelligent girl who lives with a fairy - her adopted grandmother - and remembers nothing of her past. The story goes that her parents were killed in a recent war, and a kindly traveler rescued her and brought her to a safe home. Emma grows in grace and beauty, and earns the respect of the Lord whose manor she works in. This is where she meets Will and Allessia, who are traveling to Mittra for Prince Thad's birthday celebration. Allessia needs a new lady's maid, and Emma needs a safe home after a dangerous encounter with the Lord's son, so Emma joins the party -- finding out along the way that her Lord has named her his heir, with Will acting as guardian along the journey. This is only the first of many startling revelations for Emma though, and once in Mittra, she finds herself sucked into a whirlwind of mystery and discovery. The missing Princess is rumored to be alive, and Thad's birthday ball quickly becomes a "Princess Test" to sift through all the girls in the kingdom (and even neighboring kingdoms) to see if one of them is the missing Emmalyn Meredith. Emma assists with the testing, and finds herself drawn into closer and closer relationships with all the royal family -- including Will, who she is shocked to discover is in fact Crown Prince.

As the Princess tests get more and more intense, Emma is confused by disturbing memories -- or half-memories -- that begin to break through the fog of her past. So much seems familiar, with no reason at all. It all comes to a dramatic climax of dizzying awesomeness, when old enemies return seeking vengeance and new alliances are formed. Discoveries are made, hearts and bonded, and all things become clear. The journey is one of bungling miscommunications and oh-so-human interactions between characters who struggle to make sense of the confusing waters of life's journey.

I loved this just as much as the first installment, and Will is every bit as amazing and root-able a Prince as Nolan was. Emma has spunk and a decidedly human streak in her, and all the characters have a fullness of life to them. Old favorites Sam, Nolan (oh, Nolan...) and Talia return, and are the better for age and experience. All in all? A fantastic follow-up offering by someone I love to consider a virtual long-lost sister.

eARC provided by author for review.

Now then ... Ready for that interview with Will? I had so much fun with my first character interview, and am so honored that Will agreed to join me.

Prince Fitzwilliam -- may I call you Will? I've been calling you Will in my head, and I feel like we're *thisclose* now after reading The Hidden Blessing, but since you're a Prince I figured I should ask permission. Many thanks for joining me today, and for letting me ask impertinent questions.

It’s a pleasure to join you, Miss Rebecca. You may call me Will. I much prefer it over Fitzwilliam, an unfortunate name chosen by my mother to appease a family member.

Fitzwilliam's a family name then? Quite interesting -- why do I never meet any guys with this name, I wonder ... Well then, Will, I'm going to start with the question that popped into my mind as soon as I saw your name on the page. Fitzwilliam -- it's a name that stirs the hearts of countless women. Are you familiar with The Other Fitzwilliam, meaning Fitzwilliam Darcy, of course? Do you think you will become the Next Fitzwilliam to steal hearts?

I have not met Mr. Darcy, I regret to say. Perhaps he feels his mother also saddled him with an unfortunate name. I’m not certain how many girls’ hearts I have stolen but I am certain that the only girl whose heart I desire is Emma’s.

Will, that is a swoon-worthy answer. And as for Mr. Darcy, I think you may be on to something: he has a cousin with the name also! Again, a plethora of Fitzwilliams, and nary a one to meet. Most strange. But moving on from the topic of names, you told Emma that you like fairy tales. So do I! What's your favorite?

I have to admit my embarrassment at such a comment to Emma. I was referring to the prince who seems to be on hand to save the day when the damsel is in distress. As I’m sure you know, Emma is not a helpless damsel.  It reminds me of my favorite fairy tale, The Six Swans, which tells about a girl who has to save her six brothers.

That is a wonderful fairy tale, to be sure. And I would definitely not make the mistake of calling Emma a damsel in distress. Speaking of Emma ... Did you ever have an inkling that there was more to her story? Did you want there to be more to her story?

When I met Emma, I was very surprised to find that she was a maid being raised by a fairy. I could tell from first speaking to her in the library that she was intelligent and well-read. I wanted to know more about her but I also knew that if I wasn’t careful, I might risk falling in love with her.

Your story has all the makings of a fantastic novel. I'm sure it was difficult, walking the fine line between getting to know someone intriguing and falling head over heels. What was it like to have such a mysterious girl telling you so many hard, challenging truths about yourself? Do you think she helped you understand things better because she was so far removed from the "normal" picture?

Emma is incredibly honest and I had to listen to her tell me things that I didn’t particularly care to hear about myself. I can see that it made me into a better man but it’s still rather humbling. I’ve never had a young lady challenge me that way before. Most girls simply throw themselves at princes, hoping for a marriage proposals. But not Emma. I think her being away from courtly life helping her to be the honest, amazing lady she is today.

Her honest take on life is wonderfully refreshing. I love that she's not afraid to tell it straight, especially during the whole crazy process of the Princess testing. Was it strange for you to be part of/witness to the Princess testing? Did it bring up a lot of memories?

It was odd to see so many girls there simply to parade themselves in front of my friend, Thad. It reminded me of being back home in Personti and the many girls my mother would invite to stay with us to see if any of them would be a proper fit into our family. Of course, my mother’s view of a “proper fit” and mine are worlds apart.

Heh, yeah. Your mother is quite decided in her opinions. I'm not sure she'd approve of all my decisions either. You and Thad clearly have a close relationship, from boyhood, what is your favorite memory from when you were growing up and would spend time in Conti Wayo?

I loved being outside with all of the other children. Thad, Oakley and I were great pals. We would swim, climb trees, and convince the cook to give us extra sweets. All of that changed after Emmalyn Meredith was gone, though. I’m glad to still have those happy memories before the dark days came and we didn’t visit anymore.

Will, thank you so much for letting me poke my nose in affairs that are probably none of my business. Your story was just so -- wonderful -- that I had to take advantage of this opportunity to get to know you a little better.

Thank you for inviting me to share this time with you, Miss Rebecca. I must go. Emma is waiting down by the garden gate.

Blog Tour: Return of the Library Dragon

In case you haven't noticed, I love Peachtree Publishers, and am always happy to be a stop along their blog tours. Today is no different! Emily has set up another wonderful tour, which you can check out here, and there's even a way-too-fun costume contest going on that you should really check out! But first, I have a review + excerpt + a giveaway! Yes, another awesome Peachtree giveaway! ((In case you missed it, check out my guest post by Leslie Bulion for another Peachtree blog tour and a chance to win a copy of The Universe of Fair -- there are super low entries, so your chances are great, but it closes soon!)) Now then ...

Return of the Library Dragon
Carmen Agra Deedy & Michael P White (Illustrator)
Peachtree, 2012

You guys. I'm a huge fan of picture books. And I have a Master of Library Science. So what's not to love about a picture book about libraries?! Also, it features a dragon - and I'm developing a bit of a soft spot for dragons.

Miss Lotty, faithful and beloved librarian of Sunrise Elementary, has decided it is time to retire. She makes this decision with a sense of peace and anticipation (minus the concern that a computer would enter her library!), which is totally apparent in this gorgeous excerpt:

When she walks into her library, for her last day of work, Miss Lotty discovers her replacement -- Mike Krochip -- has kidnapped all the books. Well, that doesn't set well with Miss Lotty, and her old friend Miss Lotta Scales shows up to take care of things. Which saves the library, but who's going to take Miss Lotty's place now? Enter a girl whose job I envy -- as well as the nameplate on her desk. Molly has spunk and is fearless in defense of all things library-y! She's a lot like Miss Lotty, actually, without any of those dragonish tendencies ...

Return of the Library Dragon is fun and quirky, and makes my book-loving heart skip a beat. I'm all for advances in technology, I even have a Kindle, but in my heart of hearts? Nothing will replace the feel and smell of a physical book. With a easy-reading story and bright, colorful illustrations, I think Return of the Library Dragon just might help others remember that wonderful feeling too.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Are you curious? Do you love those illustrations? Would you like your own copy? I'll make it really, really, really easy to enter: Just leave me a comment with your thoughts on libraries (and/or librarians, dragons, or cookies) -- and make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner! The contest is open until 12:00am on Friday, November 2nd -- a winner will be selected randomly from all eligible comments and emailed, they will have 48 hours to reply to my email, or I'll have to select another winner.
Also, please note: This giveaway is for US addresses only. Comment away, and good luck!

Sisters of Glass

Sisters of Glass
Stephanie Hemphill
Knopf, 2012

I confess to being captured by the cover of this one. Well, the cover and the fact it is about a family of Venetian glassblowers. (I love Venetian glass, and stories of Italy in general in general, but especially glassblowing - ever since I took a glassblowing workshop a few summers ago. Fell. In. Love! I digress...) What I didn't realize when I requested the book on NetGalley was that it's a novel in verse -- talk about a happy surprise.

The story is simple: Maria, the youngest daughter, has been selected to marry into the nobility instead of her older (and the expected and socially accepted choice) sister Giovanna. Maria's love is the fornica, she loves the entire process of her family's glassblowing business and takes great pride in mixing the recipes to perfection. Giovanna on the other hand is perfectly suited to life among the nobility, and finds it very difficult to adjust to her sister taking her place. The family dynamics and sisterly love-and-tension are beautifully depicted, and it's easy to get a sense of the state of things. And then, the family hires a new glassblower to assist them in the fornicas. Luca is rough and sometimes rude, an orphan with no idea of his family, and incredibly gifted. Without realizing it, Maria falls for him -- just as her family arranges for a nobleman to marry her. What happens next is a testament to the bond of sisterhood, and proof that "love conquers all."

A note about the format of the book: the verses are not very structured. It actually took me a bit to realize that it was actually written in verse, as opposed to strange formatting on my Kindle. They're free verse, which I pretty much expect of a verse novel, but a bit prose-y at times. Some of them are fractured, or seem random out-of-the-sky, but it does work within the larger context of the novel. It helps build a contextual depth that would be missing otherwise: glimpses and tidbits of the family dynamics and Maria's personal struggles to balance who she really is with who her family expects her to be. It won't work for everyone, but it is a sweet story. And now I really want to be back at a fornica myself ...

eARC provided by publisher for review.

Blog Tour: Guest Post with Leslie Bulion

Hello, hello! If you're here following the Peachtree blog tour of The Universe of Fair, then welcome! Feel free to make yourself and home and poke around the corners of this blog - I hope they're not dusty, and that you find something to make you come by again.

Tuesday, I posted my review of The Universe of Fair, Leslie Bulion's fun middle grades read. Today, I'm happy to hand over the reins to Leslie herself, who has taken a trip down Memory Lane and is sharing a bit of her science-y past with us ...

The Science of Encouragement

Like Miller in The Universe of Fair, I’ve loved science as a kid, and I still do. Early on I had engaging and creative science teachers who egged me on, beginning with our elementary school science-on-a-cart, which in my memory was mostly field biology—thanks, Mr. Beaver! Fast forward a bit to ninth grade biology, a class that became the stuff of legend when our brave soul science teachers carted twenty-some-odd fourteen year olds to Fire Island National Seashore for a week. We arrived by boat, slept dorm-style in the ranger station, and lived in and studied the marine ecosystem, hands-on, all day long.

One of our teachers offered crack-of-dawn bird-watching. Each morning as the sun rose over the ocean, Mr. Soviero would introduce new friends: the red-winged blackbird, the rufous-sided towhee (drink-some-teeeeea!), the brown thrasher. While I was falling in love with birding, I also fell heartlong into a peer group of kindred spirits in a way I never had in school before—a joyful week on every level.

When we returned to civilization we were required to present an individual study project. I still (mostly) remember a particular group’s Dr. Pepper jingle take-off: Poison ivy, so misunderstood. If anyone would try you, they would sure itch good! During those years and many beyond, I never imagined myself a writer. So funny to me now that this bit of personal history connects me with the inimitable Anne Lamott’s beloved
book of writing advice, Bird By Bird. Unlike Anne’s night-before brother, I spent weeks rendering each Fire Island bird I’d seen in colored pencil drawings on four-by-six cards. My science teacher had already created a devoted birder, but he wasn’t finished encouraging me. He took my bird cards to the Fire Island ranger station, where the rangers hung them in their nature center for visitors to see. Bird by bird, card by card, my drawings ringed the inner perimeter of the small building, igniting in me a life-long enthusiasm for sharing science with others.

Thanks, Leslie, for a great post. And I love that you had a science teacher named "Beaver" -- that. is. awesome! You've now got me drifting down Memory Lane, remembering the patient science experts who indulged my so-very-bookish queries about stuff ...

And now, if you've read my review, you know I hinted about a giveaway ... Well, here it is! Just fill out the Rafflecopter form, and you're good to go. I try to keep things nice and easy, but I would like to point out that this giveaway is for US residents only. Also, if the randomly selected winner does not return the announcing email within 48hrs, a new winner will be drawn. I'd hate to have to do that, but gotta keep things fair. Good luck!
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Guest Post: Phillipa Ashley

I'm taking a slight detour from the Peachtree blog tour for The Universe of Fair today to play host to Phillipa Ashley, who is in the midst of celebrating the launch of her latest novel Miranda's Mount. Phillipa, who I've gotten to know a little via facebook, tells a great story -- I reviewed Just Say Yes over the summer, and thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. I'm also crazy intrigued by the newest novel (isn't that cover so much fun? I heart British novels, I really do!), and Phillipa's guest post just whets my appetite more ...

... Without further ado, grab a cookie (or two), sit back and see what Phillipa has to say on the topic of "New Love vs. Old Love" ...

You could argue that romance novels have two basic premises. New lovers meet or old ones rediscover their passion for each other e.g. P&P vs Persuasion.

I’ve tackled both scenarios in my 7 novels to date and I’ve found there are distinct challenges of when you’re writing about lovers reunited or strangers meeting.

My first novel, Decent Exposure, was about Emma, who flees to the Lake District to start a new life and there she persuades a mountain rescue team to pose nude for a fundraising calendar. She also comes up against opposition from the gorgeous but combative Will who disagrees with her ideas.

Emma and Will are strangers when they meet so you have all the fun of two people, with opposing ideas and personalities, sparking off each other – with the spark of sexual attraction right from the start. Gradually, they start to uncover and understand the issues that are keeping them apart. But you have to work hard to create that powerful sense of attraction and gradual falling from lust to love throughout the book. It has to be paced properly so that the reader really believes in the couple’s bumpy path to love.

With my second novel, Wish You Were Here, I deliberately set out to explore what would happen when two people who had been deeply in love, were reunited many years later. With this scenario, you have the deep and poignant emotion there on the page from the first page. The reader knows the couple once loved each other – and your task as a writer is to show why they split up and also get them back together eventually. I think it’s probably more of a challenge to have old loves reunited, as you have to dig deep to have a strong and credible reason for them splitting up and staying apart.

But no book is easy to write and romance is so character driven that emotions and motivation are everything.

Since then I’ve written both types of romance but my new one, out now from Piatkus Entice is the Strangers Meet premise – although the heroine, Miranda, has heard a little about the hero, Jago, before the book starts, his arrival is a shock and he proceeds to turn her whole world upside down – her home, her work and her emotions. Jago is Miranda’s biggest ever challenge but perhaps, it’s he who really needs to examine his life choices, rather than her.

Phillipa Ashley

I’ve also just finished the manuscript of a new novel, which is most definitely old lovers reunited and is probably my most intense and emotional novel so far. It was challenging in a different way, but has been incredibly satisfying to write. The relationships in it are very tangled and at times it has seemed impossible to me that the couple will ever get together...

We’ll have to see what happens.

Thank you for having me on the blog Rebecca. I’d love to know what readers and writers think about the two different scenarios .

Thank you, Phillipa, for agreeing to discuss love with us! I know I personally love both scenarios, and it's hard to pick a favorite. New Love romances offer hope that out there, somewhere, is still Someone New To Meet -- but Old Love? Ah, now there's a promise for you: a shared past, a love tested and strained - but not broken ... They both present such compelling storylines, and real-life encouragements.

Blog Tour: The Universe of Fair

Hello, hello! I'm happy to be a stop along the way of Peachtree Publishing's blog tour for the entirely-too-fun middle grades novel The Universe of Fair! Today I'll be featuring my review, and on Friday, swing back by to catch a guest post by Leslie Bulion. And you never know, there just may be a giveaway too. Also, for more blog tour fun, make sure you visit the main page over on Peachtree's blog. Emily has done a wonderful job lining up great bloggers and posts, and you don't want to miss any of the adventures.

The Universe of Fair
Leslie Bulion & Frank Dormer (illustrator)
Peachtree, 2012

Miller Sanford is eleven-and-a-half, and has been waiting on this day for a long, long time. What day? Why, Fair Friday of course! The day all schools and businesses close, and everyone in his little town of Holmsbury flock to the fairgrounds and enjoy a day "alone" before all the neighboring towns come. This year, Miller is striving to prove he is reliable and responsible enough to be on his own at the fair -- even going so far as to be nice to his little sister Penelope and her friends Andrew and Lou Ann. (And that should tell you something, ha!) Funny thing about being eleven-and-a-half though, things don't always work out the way you plan. Soon, Miller's fair plans are one big, huge, giant, tangled mess. Who knew that so much could go wrong in one day? Miller definitely gets a chance to show off his new, older, more responsible side.

Miller's day of misadventures is told in an easy, humorous, and oh-so-very realistic style. Miller's a bit of a science nut (physics, to be exact), and he spends a lot of time breaking down his surroundings and decisions into scientific parts. (It's actually eerily like the way my brother would look at life from a more naturalistic/biological perspective, so Bulion got the science-boy aspect spot-on!) And the loose black and white illustrations are perfect accents to the story. There's a little mystery, a lot of dramatic build-up, and some wonderful miscommunications. I loved the little kids too, and Miller's best friend Lewish -- who is glued to his video camera. All in all, The Universe of Fair definitely made me want to go spend a day at the Fair ... only, without quite so many mishaps -- even though everything worked out, I'd rather read the (admittedly comic) drama than live it.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Psst, see the pretty?

Okay, so I normally put new books in the New Book posts, but this is just too pretty not to share. Plus, by blogging about it, I sort of earn some more points in the contest to win an ARC of Stacey Jay's upcoming retake on Beauty and the Beast (just being honest here). And we all know how I feel about Beauty and the Beast ...

Isn't it pretty??? I had to go on and include my copy of Juliet Immortal in the picture, because it's such a nice little matched set. (I do so love when my books match each other). I am totally excited to dig into the reading -- I have high hopes it will be as pretty as the books are on the outside. And that sweet swag along the bottom? Totally a perk of pre-ordering a signed copy of Romeo Redeemed from Hicklebee's.

If you think it's as pretty as I do, go to the bookstore! Romeo Redeemed is totally available every where now!

Finnikin of the Rock

Finnikin of the Rock
Melina Marchetta
Candlewick, 2010 (originally published 2008)

As you may have noticed, I have a slight penchant for fantasy. Even excluding fairy tales from the mix, I am happy to willingly suspend my disbelief and embark on a reading adventure into impossible worlds populated by impossible beings. One of my blogging buddies - the wonderful Jen of Jen Ryland YA Romantics - however, is not a fan of fantasy. At all. So when she starts telling me how good something was, I know I need to read it. Case in point: Finnikin of the Rock. Let me sum up this read in one, succinct word: Wow.

It's fantasy. So it's set in a strange world. But it's not too strange. And people are people, regardless of their world -- with thoughts and dreams and fears and passions. Finnikin grew up with Prince Balthazar and his cousin Lucian (as well as all the princesses of Lumatere), and their bond was a tight one. So tight that as young children they made a blood pact to protect the Kingdom. A pact that would haunt Finnikin in years to come as his beloved kingdom was rocked to its core - the entire royal family assassinated, and the kingdom cast into a darkness-shrouded captivity. The content of Finnikin of the Rock takes place years later, as Finnikin and his mentor - Sir Topher (the King's Man) - travel around the neighboring kingdoms, checking on their exiled countrymen and trying to make sense of things. When a young novice named Evanjalin claims the heir of the Lumatere throne is alive, and she alone can lead them, Finnikin and Sir Topher start a new journey. A journey home.

Their journey is fraught with misadventures and horrifying experiences for all parties. It also holds surprises of a happier nature, and challenges Finnikin to look past the way he's always seen things, forcing him to look not only deep inside himself, but also reexamine everything he's always known. It's a sweeping, forceful tale. Hard to read at times, because of the rawness of the events, but I couldn't put it down. I confess, I figured out the major plot twists pretty early on, but that didn't detract from my reading -- I wanted to find out how it'd all play out and prove my suspicions correct. Definitely an impressive fantasy read, and I'm intrigued to know how Marchetta will pick up and continue the story in Froi of the Exiles.

Book provided by my local library.

New Books!

Hello, hello! It's early October, football season is in full swing (and I am giddy), and it's time for me to show off my September book haul. I got a lot of wonderful Peachtree titles for review this month, and can't wait to show off some of the fun stuff in the works ... Blog tours, giveaways, zany posts galore await you, my readers, as the nights get longer and the days colder.

Without further ado ... The Books of September ...

Won:

I won a 75th anniversary addition of The Hobbit, complete with a tote bag with the book cover on it. So awesome!

For Review:

NetGalley:

Is there any question that I am seriously excited about the SEC book? Love my SEC football!

Swap/Purchase/Otherwise Received:

 Even though my To Read list (translate: pile) is growing really, really, really fast - faster than I can read right now, actually - I'm A-OK with this, because winter is coming and I need reading material for dark nights and dreary days ... But for now, I'm going to enjoy the amazingness of fall!

A Path Toward Love

A Path Toward Love
Cara Lynn James
Thomas Nelson, 2012

Readers, I have learned something about myself. I would have totally been okay with spending my summers in the Adirondacks, wearing more-relaxed-but-still-beautiful dresses and spending my days enjoying the fresh air and country solitude (with all the comforts of home). Shoot, I'd *still* be okay summering in the Adirondacks, and it's my goal - one day - to find a pretty lodge and have a vacation. But I digress ... I love reading about the socialites and their rustic summers. Parties, expansive lodges, private piers. Yeah, that's my kind of rustic all right. But it's not just the atmosphere - I love reading about the people. Not just the glamour, but getting a peek inside the characters. A Path Toward Love gave me a wonderful look inside the hearts and minds of the members of this tantalizing and fascinating segment of historical society.

Katherine Osborne married young, against her parents' wishes, and has been paying the price for the last eight years. When her father arrives at her orange plantation in Florida (inherited upon her husband's untimely death), with longtime best friend Andrew in tow, Katherine knows things are fixing to change. Convinced to return and spend the summer at her family's lodge in the Adirondacks, Katherine finds surprising strength and comfort in being reunited with Andrew. He helps her sift through the baggage of her past and the surprising revelations and events still unfolding, showing her that God's Hand is on all things and He is willing to speak to His children's hearts and lives. Katherine's mother on the other hand is less willing to let God speak and is quick to point out the new plans she's made for Katherine's life, since her past decisions indicate the girl is clearly unable to make wise choices on her own.

Through a summer of struggling to find herself again, let alone figure out where her future is leading her, Katherine grows as a woman and as a Christian. Katherine finds herself torn between the leaning of her heart and the socially accepted norms she's always known. And the mom-guilt complicates her own confused sorting out of life. Her journey is realistic, and doesn't feel forced, and the supporting characters add much color and depth to the story itself. There's enough historical and social context to build the elite (but rustic!) world of summering in the Adirondacks, but not so much that the setting becomes the story. The characters - particularly Andrew and Katherine - are allowed to shine. And shine they do.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities
Shannon Messenger
Aladdin, 2012

Oh. My. Goodness. I loved this book! I cannot thank Melissa Buell enough for sending her extra ARC my way -- I've passed it along to another blogger, sharing the love, because I quickly realized I must have a finished copy of this in my library. It's really that awesome, you guys.

Sophie always knew she was different. Aside from being a genius (or possibly even smarter than a genius), she hears voices. Actually, not "voices" so much as thoughts. Sophie can read people's minds. Everyone's mind. There is no off-switch. She has told nobody about it, but when she stumbles into a mysterious - and handsome - boy on a field trip, she discovers that he can read minds also. And that's only the start of an incredible journey of discovery. See, Sophie - and this new dude, Fitz - are elves. Yup. Elves. (Be still my beating heart!) Fitz takes Sophie home, to this semi-alternate world, which is comprised greatly of "mythic cities" in human history (there's a wonderful history to all this, but I won't paraphrase - you need to experience this yourself) - and so begins Sophie's strange and wonderful transition from weird human to extremely talented elf.

There are so many awesome elements to this story. Between refraining from complete fangirling and not wanting to totally spoil the reading experience, this review is tricky to write, ha. Let's talk about characters. Sophie is a trooper. She keeps getting thrown curveball after curveball, and keeps finding ways to rise above the obstacles. She's crazy smart too, and adjusts to being an elf in an elven world beautifully. For the most part. She also meets some amazing people, making a surprising circle of friends. Like Dex - goofy, clutzy, somewhat untalented Dex. He's adorable, very much like a long-legged puppy trying to adjust to growing up. And Keefe - the resident Bad Boy of the Academy. He's such a smart alecky charmer too - I can definitely understand why "Team Keefe" has a huge following. I was tempted myself, but had to be true to my heart's first instinct: Fitz. Oh, Fitz. The honorable, trustworthy, also-crazy-smart-and-talented Fitz. He not only finds Sophie, but he plays a huge role in helping Sophie survive. He's swoony.

All the characters are well-rounded and intriguing. There's a lot of backstory that you know is going to come into the open sooner or later, affecting character dynamics and explaining the mysteries surrounding Sophie's very existence. There's history and depth and believability to Keeper of the Lost Cities - something sort of hard to achieve in fantasy, but Shannon manages. I could almost fancy myself meeting a handsome elf who could whisk me away on a beam of light to a wonderful world of tasty desserts and fantastic animals... but I digress. For all the fun, quirky details in Keepers, there's a darker thread too - a bit of a mystery, a taste of danger, an element of the Unknown. It keeps the story moving, it helps grow the characters - especially Sophie - and it makes this book kick butt. I inhaled the ARC, staying up way too late, and cannot WAIT for the next installment! Read it people, just read it. You won't regret it! ((Oh, and just because it's technically "middle grade" - don't let that throw you. It's a story anyone can read and enjoy, regardless of how long ago middle school was.))

ARC provided by my personal library.

Challenge Update

With the year spinning faster and faster to a close, I decided to take a look at my progress on the various reading challenges I signed up for ...

The Fairy Tale Challenge:
I've got 6 of my 12 reviews posted, with a few others needing to be finished. This one is way fun, and I have no worries about completing it.

Historical Fiction Challenge:
How about 16 of 15 reviews completed, with the potential for several more between now and Dec 31st? Yeah, I'm awesome.

The Many Genres of Jane Austen Spin-Off Challenge:
2 genres of 8 completed. I need to put my hate-hate relationship with Mansfield Park into coherent words, and then I'll have a 3 genre complete. I do actually have books in my possession to complete this challenge, I just need to remember to read the ones that fit!

Completely Contemp Challenge:
Okay, for this one I wanted to read a total of 15 books -- 5 each from publication years 2010, 2011 and 2012. I've read 9 that count toward 2012, 1 for 2011 and 2 from 2010. Clearly I got excited about new contemp YA releases. Thankfully, there are still "old" releases that I want to read.

Victorian Challenge:
No reviews. The goal is 2-6, and they can be classics written during the reign of Queen Victoria, or fiction pertaining to ... I want to reread Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys. I also have The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott. I recently won a copy of Silver - so I may go back and reread Treasure Island, as a refresher. I can do this one, I just need to make a conscious effort to do it.

There's my current challenge standing ... How many of you are doing challenges? Do you stop and take stock of your progress during the course, or do you just wait until Decemeber 31st and see what you've done?

Chomp

Chomp
Carl Hiaasen
Knopf, 2012

Wahoo Cray (yup, that's his real name) has an interesting life. His father is a wildlife wrangler, specializing in Florida's wildest: reptiles. And most of the animals live in the Crays' backyard. We're talking alligators, snakes, even raccoons and other "iffy" mammals. Critters, y'all. But things have been a little tough since a frozen iguana fell on his dad's head, and with his mom working a job in China for the extra income, Wahoo decides that it's worth the gamble when reality t.v. survivalist Derek Badger needs to use the Crays' animals for an Everglades episode. What he doesn't count on is Badger's crazy idea to go all natural. In the Everglades. With wild animals.

As mishap after mishap occurs during the filming attempts, some of them at the hand of Mr Cray's frustration for the stupidity to the so-called survivalist, Wahoo realizes this is a bigger adventure than he counted on. Plus, he's got a new shadow - and friend - in Tuna, the girl from school who has run away from her drunken, mildly abusive father. Badger is convinced that he really can survive on his own in the Everglades, and keeps pushing the crew to change their normally uber-scripted ways. Things really go off-script when he's bit by a bat, and vanishes into the night. What happens next is a swamp-wide manhunt, complicated by the arrival of Tuna's gun-toting father. It's a time that tests the stamina and merit of all involved, and produces one heck of a send-off for Badger's show Expedition: Survival!

Highly entertaining and more than a little ridiculous, Chomp is a fun, fast read. The characters are colorful, and the antics are ... well, totally worthy of a "behind the scenes" look at reality t.v. The Everglades details ring true, and having spent a lot of time in rural Florida, I enjoyed the atmosphere.

ARC provided by publisher for review.