Tuesday, July 31, 2012

TBR Tuesday: ONYX by Jennifer L. Armentrout

My TBR Tuesday this week is ONYX by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13047090-onyx





Description:
Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarre connection. I’ve sworn him off even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But against all common sense, I’m falling for him. Hard.

Our relationship issues aren’t out biggest problem…

The Department of Defense is here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And when a new boy shows up a school with a secret of his own, things get complicated fast. I need to choose between my own instincts and Daemon’s.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. Daemon’s never going to stop searching until gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies.


I've read the first book in this series, OBSIDIAN, and LOVED it.  I also got to attend a signing here in Orlando and meet the cover models, Pepe and Sztella.  They're a real couple, and SO CUTE.  



I can't wait to read ONYX.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Whoseywhatsit Thursday: Writing prompt

OMG After last week, and the sudden rash of edits I've brought on myself, I'm feeling pretty tapped out. Do you ever get like that? You know our brain is there, because your body is functioning, you're thinking about stuff, but no matter how much poking, prodding, or pleading it doesn't brings about anything useful.

This happened right in the middle of me deciding Screw it, I'm going to write what I want. I had one of those moments at the inception of BROKEN. I was having it again, and it was glorious! I had files open for research, for character names, quotes I liked... *sigh*

Then reality came crashing in. And then I got up this morning and realized today's my day on the Oasis. So... with my brain kinda scrambled, I'm taking the coward's way out and giving y'all a writing prompt, and my take on it.


If y'all want to play, please play nicely. Constructive comments to help each other out!

My take:
Dust whisks up with each hesitant step. Dry, raspy whispers drift through the room, loosed by paint peeling from the ceiling. Even with the pitted walls, broken furniture and window panes, it's beautiful. Memories hidden in my blood rise, images of this place in its height of glamor. My heart clenches, fingers drift down to feel the silk of the gown I am not wearing in this life. The moments are so similar--except for decades in between. Then, and now, I wait for Aidan to appear.

He did. I know he will. Hunters never fail. 

God. I never thought, at the beginning of the school year, that I would end up here, so many memories unlocked, with Aidan chasing me, trying to save me from the inevitable.

I thread on creaking floors past the toppled piano, to the hole in the plaster, led by the knowing that sings in my soul. Anticipation rushes through me, a heady mix with the adrenaline of the chase, of knowing Aidan is bound by oath and by blood to stop me, or end my life. The small hole in my jeans rips when I bend down, and red falls to muddy the dust. The box is here, as I knew it would be, the rosewood gleaming through a fine silty layer.

I ache to have that life back, to be what I once was. It only takes opening that box, and using the vial inside.

A crash echoes through the theater, and Aidan's presence races my nerves.

It's now or never. So why am I hesitating?

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Whoseywhatsit Thursday: BROKEN cover and first chapter


Wow! Yesterday was awesome!! HUGE THANKS to all the lovely blogger ladies who got involved in BROKEN's cover reveal. I nver knew when I started on this book that I would be so incredibly blessed. *wipes tears*

To recap yesterday's events, we revealed my cover for Broken, created by the artist Steven Wood. We also revealed the first chapter to blog visitors piece by piece, alongside some review blogs who had ARC giveaways. So, for our faithful Oasis friends, I'm giving you the cover here, and the entire first chapter!
Chapter One


Cold seeps through my jacket while I lean on the wrought iron fence, staring at the rows of headstones parading across the lawn of Memorial Gardens cemetery. Lanes of crushed gravel snake in white paths through the deepening twilight. Moonlight spills down an angel’s robe, collects in a puddle at the foot of a chipped urn, and glances from headstone engravings. At night, when I’m alone, it’s easier to fantasize about who’s buried there.

I drift along the sidewalk skirting the graveyard toward the mausoleums, chain link fence clinking beneath my dragging fingers. I’ve haunted this place, lingering on the border between the living and the dead, wishing for a grave that will never exist. Two yards from the gate, a broken link cuts my finger. Same spot’s been cut three times already. Thank God I had my tetanus shot recently.

Absentmindedly sucking my finger, I wander until I’m even with the tomb farthest from the gate. The bones of some of the area’s wealthiest residents are interred within its gleaming white walls—self-important snobs who even have a wrap-around porch on their mausoleum. Daniel and I used to sit there, cracking inappropriate jokes, facing the trees and drinking the whiskey he stole from his parent’s liquor cabinet.

Not anymore.

Echoes of us fill our seats now, Daniel’s long legs whole, not broken, and stretched across the polished stone. One of his hands holds the pint, the other hand curls over my shoulder. My profile is clear, aimed at him, beaming love brighter than the moonlight. Curls muss his nearly black hair and cast his face into shadow. A chill October breeze stirs the trees. Branches clack above my head, brittle as old bones. Goosebumps coat my skin, my pulse jumps. When Daniel’s echo turns to me, his face is broken and bleeding, red shiny trails streaming from the crack in his skull, coursing into his hazel eyes.

My breath escapes in a rush. The same loss tears through me. And here I am again, living the hurt over and over, like constantly ripping off a Band-aid to feel the sting.
Hurting is better than forgetting.

Daniel wouldn’t want me living in this limbo. He would’ve screwed up his face into a comical mask long ago and shooed me away from here. I’m so weak without him. I struggle to keep my chin up, and lose the sudden battle with my tears.

After backhanding moisture from my cheeks, I jam my hands into my pockets and turn from the fence. We’ll never sit together again, and someday I’m going to have to accept it. He would want me to move on, not haunt the graveside his parents will never give his ashes. Heart heavy and somehow empty at the same time, I drift toward home. Fall leaves whisper beneath my steps. Jack-o’-lanterns leer from porches, glowing faces following my every step, as if they see the hollow space in me and find it familiar. The Wendell’s pumpkin is particularly vicious looking, narrow pointy teeth and angular flaming eyes, squatting like a gargoyle on the front step. Jason, a junior at Shelley High like me, really went all out with the carving this year. He’s always had a flair for dark and drama.

The front porch door opens with a screech of hinges. Mrs. Wendell shuffles out, flowered house coat catching the breeze and showing her corpulent, pasty white legs. She gives me a wave and sympathetic smile when she stoops in her housecoat to blow the candle out.

Shrinking deeper into my coat, I keep my eyes forward and hurry toward home. My loss bleeds out a little at a time through the mesh of the Memorial Garden’s fence, but it doesn’t mean I like walking by myself in the dark. I’m skilled at scaring myself with what I think might be watching me. Even now, I feel the weight of a stare on my back. At least, I think I do. Of course, when I was five I’d convinced myself there were monsters, too.

A ring from my pocket shatters the silent laughter of carved pumpkins and tacky plastic Halloween lawn ornaments. Letting out a little groan, I fish out my cell phone, and then squint at the screen.

Bree Ransom.

I click to accept the call, then hold it to my ear and try walking and talking without the tripping in the dark. “Hey, Bree, wassup?”

“Loitering is against the law you know.” I can almost hear her eye roll. Bree’s one of the few people who understands why I spend so much time outside of the cemetery.

“Only if I get caught.”

“Well, that’ll never happen. That neighborhood you hang out by is dead quiet.” Okay. So Daniel and I aren’t the only ones to crack inappropriate jokes. The snap of a pop can opening punctuates her sentence. “Those people aren’t going to tattle on you.”

“You won’t either.” I hop a pile of leaves on the sidewalk.

“Who am I to breakup your mournfest? Just tell me you’re willing to wear a costume to the dance Saturday and I’ll quit pestering you.” The papery sound of flipping pages comes through the phone. Knowing Bree, she’s paging through the sale flyer for the pop-up Halloween store in downtown. “We can coordinate if you give me enough time.”

Which is exactly why I hadn’t said anything. Bree might be a genius in the costume and makeup department—comes with the territory for a theater major—but she’s not a miracle worker. The longer I hedge, the less time she has to force me into being a Zombie Twin, or Bad Faery Twin, or Whateverelse Twin she’s plotting on subjecting me too. With us both being 5’5”-ish, with blond hair—mine natural, hers what my mom calls Bottle Blonde—and average curves, Bree has a lot to work with in the Twins department.

“I’ll let you know.”

“Dying of anticipation,” she says, dragging out the last word like Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

“Can we discuss this tomorrow? I’m walking and talking and can’t hardly see the sidewalk…”

“Say no more.” She takes a swig from her pop, then says, “See ya in the morning, Em.”

“Bye, B.”

Bree may be my best friend, but she will never let me forget my walking, talking, tripping over a fire hydrant incident of last year. To return the favor, I often remind her of her Orange Kool-aid hair dying event.

A branch swings in a sudden breeze and knocks the phone out of my hand. Spitting swear words, I squint at the ground, covered with a layer of gold, browns and red. It didn’t hit the sidewalk—no horrid crack followed the fall. My backpack slides to the ground when I bend down, scoping the yard to either side. Then, I see the faint glow of the screen display reflecting from the underside of an oak leaf.

The screen goes dark before I can grab it, and I fumble in the leaf litter through another string of cuss words before wrapping my fingers around the hard plastic case.

Standing, I feel the same heavy stare wash across my face like a warm damp cloth. Prickles crawl over my skin, my scalp tightens, and I’m sure if I could see myself, the blue of my eyes would be swallowed by my pupils. I spin slowly, taking in every inch of Seventh Street and its shadows. Comfortable two-story houses, some with open porches, most with narrow siding and painted trim. Grinning pumpkins, a skeleton in the Miller’s yard, Mrs. Jones’ witch-in-a-tree…

As far as I can tell, I’m alone. The feeling of being watched isn’t easy to shrug. I square my shoulders, tuck my aching loss away where my mom won’t see it, and trudge the last two yards worth of sidewalk to my house.

My trio of jack-o’-lanterns sits on the steps of our two-story, the candlelight welcoming me home.  Under the moonlight the house has a morose quality, the dove grey siding and black trim and shutters making it look almost emo. Through the big living room window I can see Mom curled up on the sofa, nose buried in a book. I’m sure Dad’s in the basement, tinkering on some project. Renfield’s sinuous white cat body is curled in the window, crammed behind the loveseat.

Burnt pumpkin stink rises with each lid as I lift them from the jack-o’-lanterns to blow out the candles. Porch boards creak beneath my Converse sneakers when I walk across to the door. Dad’s been forever planning to fix them, but never has. He’d much rather make picture frames and cabinets in his downstairs workshop. Carpentry is his escape, like Mom’s is the next best romance novel on the shelves, and mine used to be my bedroom and the Internet. Hand on the handle, I pause and cast one last look at Seventh Street.

Still vacant, though a presence seems to thicken the shadows.

The door opens onto the smell of bread and pot roast. Gray and black carpet anchors the rooms. White walls, and white trim hold up whiter ceilings. Varying shades of burgundy furniture squat around the room, a conclave of fat, bloody trolls. Mom’s evening show chatters to itself in the wavering light of the TV. She looks up from her novel, a smile softening her brown eyes and deepening the wrinkles around them.

“How was the library?” she asks.

“Silent as the grave.” I pull Renfield into my arms. He squirms, skewers me with a cat glare of discontent at his upside-down position. One gold eye has a black freckle in the iris, like Daniel’s hazel eyes did. Kind of ironic. Other than me, Daniel was Renfield’s favorite person. The cat’s purr matches the rumble of my stomach, finally growling to life under the smell of food. “Any leftovers from dinner?”

“Of course.” Mom scans her page, then points in a general kitchenly direction. “There’s a warm plate in the oven for you.”

At home, with normalcy crashing in, it’s easy to shut out my loneliness and let the reality of the weight of my backpack press against my spine. A heavy backpack equals lots of homework. Trig, Social Studies and an essay on Machiavelli and the Humanist movement are not going to do themselves. Resigning myself to a night of hitting the books, I grab an oven mitt and pull my dinner from the oven.

Instead of settling in the living room and watching Mom read while I ignore the TV, I sit in my normal seat at the dining room table. It’s quieter here, and the faint smell of fresh cut wood from Dad’s latest project drifts up the basement stairs. A wide, dark window gapes across the table from me, a nighttime scene of the side yard and the skeletal trees reaching skyward. The branches jerk back and forth in a sharp wind, a limb cracking and plummeting to the ground—a macabre combination with the scent of wood death curling in my nose.

My cell comes to life, the vibrate setting making the pink thing look like it has legs. It jitters across the table, the screen flashing green. I don’t need to look at the display to know it’s Bree calling again. Shoveling in a forkful of potatoes and gravy, I let the call go to voice mail.
Hopefully I’ll dodge her Zombie Twins bullet tomorrow morning. Homework is on my dance card for tonight, then shower and sleep.



You can add BROKEN to your Goodreads HERE
You can preorder BROKEN from Baarnes and Nobel HERE
You can preorder BROKEN fro AMAZON HERE 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Writer's Wednesday: Inspiration



As writers, we find inspiration everywhere--experiences, images, T.V., movies, music, images, art, etc.  I have a Pinterest board with images that inspire me, and I find that I'll get almost obsessed with certain music or T.V. shows when I'm writing.

Right now, I'm into Maroon 5, Adam Lambert, and I can't stop watching Criminal Minds. LOL.

So, let's share with each other! Maybe we can get some new inspirations.  In the comments, let us know what inspires you, and if you have an inspiration Pinterest board, share the link.

Also, today is Oasis Sister A.E. Rought's cover reveal for BROKEN.  I'm participating in the reveal at Larissa's World, so stop by and take a look at the gorgeousness!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

TBR Tuesday: THE UNQUIET

THE UNQUIET by Jeannine Garsee

The title alone kind of creeps me out.  And then you read the description...

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother. 

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists. 

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

So yeah, I want to read it.  And as luck would have it, it releases today. #win  To get your own copy, here's the Amazon link.  What do you think?

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

“Spellbound Series Trivia & eBook Giveaway!!”


This giveaway is open internationally! So let’s tell the blogging world!
*SPELLBOUND SERIES TRIVIA QUIZ*

Hi everybody, I’m author, Sherry Soule—waving from the SF Bay Area, where it can get pretty foggy. And I can’t believe that summer’s finally here, and even with the fog burning off by afternoon, I’m cranking the air conditioner and chatting on Twitter about my love of reading.
Thanks for letting me visit today as part of my epic Moonlight Mayhem Blog Tour. It’s an honor to be a guest and meet all of these awesome booklovers—like me!
Thus far, my tour has been a blast for me and the readers that participated. It is nice seeing familiar names in the comments at each stop. For those of you who haven’t heard of my super fun blog tour it’s not too late to join!
 
To celebrate the release of author, Sherry Soule’s new paranormal novel, MOONLIGHT MAYHEM, take this super fun quiz to see how savvy you are about the first two books in this unforgettable YA series, and score a Kindle or Nook version of the first book in the series, BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN! (Hint: you can most of these answers on the Spellbound Universe blog and Sherry’s blog.)

Now, let’s see how well you think you know this series (even if you’ve never read the books, you can find all the answers online) and be sure to check the bottom of the post for the details regarding this random giveaway.

1.     In the Moonlight Mayhem book trailer what is Shiloh’s epic problem?

a.      Ferocious wolves
b.      Deadly necromancers
c.      Shambling zombies
d.      Fear of the dark

2.    Where did Shiloh and Trent first see each other?

a.      At school
b.      In the gym
c.      Luna Pizza
d.      At church

3.    What remote coastal town is the series located?

a.      Castro Valley
b.      Larkspur
c.      Madrone Woodlands
d.      Whispering Pines

4.    Which paranormal(s) tormented Shiloh in the first book?

a.      Wraith
b.      Shades
c.      Shadow People (demon)
d.      a, b, and c

5.    What is Shiloh’s freakishness?

a.      She has a severe limp
b.      She is missing an ear
c.      She has six toes on her right foot
d.      She has a jagged scar on her wrist

6.   Which fictional demon hunter(s) does Shiloh must admire?

a.     Sam Winchester
b.     Salvatore brothers
c.      Buffy
d.     Charmed Ones

7.    What is Shiloh’s heritage?

a.      Heritage Witch
b.      Half Asian and Half Caucasian
c.      Hispanic
d.      Half American Indian and half French

8.    What type of magick does Shiloh’s mother, Jillian practice?

a.      White Magick
b.      Voodoo
c.      Wiccan
d.      Dark Arts

9.   What is a Sheol ? (*Hint: Google Sheol for the answer)

a.      A ride at Disneyland
b.      A town in Marin County
c.      A contagious rash
d.      A gateway to the Underworld

10. What are Shiloh’s supernatural pet(s)?

a.      Phoenix (exotic bird)
b.      Siamese cat (familiar)
c.      Fairies
d.      Shades

11.  What type of paranormal is Mrs. Baylock?

a.     Vampire
b.     Necromancer
c.     Witch
d.     Ghost

12.  Who was the first owner of Ravenhurst Manor? (*Hint: Google Owner of Ravenhurst for the answer)

a.      Michele Broussard
b.      Wealthy unknown family
c.      Maxwell Donavon
d.      Rowan Broussard

13.  What significance does the number “13” have in the series?

a.      Nothing it’s just a stupid number
b.      It’s the number of rooms in Ravenhurst Manor
c.      It’s the number of times that Shiloh sees a ghost
d.      It is part of an ancient prophecy foretelling of a girl who will break a curse


If you answered...

Mostly a's: You need to reread BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN and MOONLIGHT MAYHEM
Mostly b's: You should become a follower of the Spellbound Universe blog
Mostly c's: You need to recheck your facts, and then retake this quiz
Mostly d's: Congrats! You’re an impressive expert on all things Spellbound!

 MOONLIGHT MAYHEM Synopsis:

Otherworldly Creatures. Dazzling Magic. Fiery Romance.
Shiloh Ravenwolf thought she was getting used to the strange events in Whispering Pines, until the full moon brings another surge of supernatural threats to her coastal town. Ferocious wolves, deadly necromancers, and shambling zombies have descended upon the neighborhood, so Shiloh needs to gain control of her magical abilities—fast!
It sucks that she has a crippling fear of the dark, which for a demon hunter can be an epic problem.
When her classmates are attacked by a mysterious creature and her father is murdered, Shiloh vows vengeance. Forcing her phobias aside, she forms an unlikely coven of supernaturally gifted teens to help her eradicate this menace. Except that's not all Shiloh has to worry about. She’s battling a different monster within herself and struggling not to become the very thing she fights: evil.
But with demon blood inside her—anything can happen…
Twitter hashtag #MMBlogTour

Places you can cyberstalk Sherry Soule:

Official Website: http://sherrysoule.com
Official Spellbound Series Universe: http://thespellboundseries.blogspot.com
Twitter @WriterSherry: http://twitter.com/writersherry
Awesome Book Trailers/YouTube: http://youtu.be/5uqVXKygvUs


A random US winner will be picked on [Aug. 2nd] and be posted at the top of this quiz, please check back on that day to find out if you’re the lucky winner.

Giveaway details for an eBook of BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN:
1.) You must comment with your quiz results
2.) Be a follower of the Spellbound Series Universe Blog
3.) Be a follower of this blog
4.) Follow us both on Twitter - @WriterSherry & @OasisforYA
5.) Tweet about this giveaway and include link in the comment
Good luck!

The Silver Lining with Flaws

There's definitely a difference between unfinished business at the end of a scene, chapter, or novel and a cliffhanger with no closure.


Life doesn't come complete with smooth edges. The events of our lives that mold and change us (and our characters as realistic and relatable) don't have neat endings. But life does come with balance. There are always new questions and answers forming in each event, bringing some closure, filling a void, or motivating changes - the silver lining. 


That's what we as writers need to do.

We all want to write an un-put-downable story, want the reader to ache at the thought of putting our books down. Leaving the reader with a sense of desire at the end of each scene and chapter is key, all with keeping it plausible - sometimes subtle, sometimes dramatic. How do we create such a draw within a reader that makes them peek ahead into the next chapter even though it's 2:00 AM? What makes that step irresistible?


Each scene and chapter must end on a note of character intrigue; whether physical or emotional, it does not matter. Accomplishing this from the end of the first scene will slowly create that inner desire in a reader to know your character and care. This will influence a more natural forward movement of your story, creating escalating tension - almost like mini climaxes. Now, that doesn't mean dragging the reader through tiny information dumps, because that's just boring. Show (don't tell) your creation by actively sprinkling important elements about your plot and subplots, your story world and characters to close out scenes and chapters. 


Present the reader with tidbits of new information, peeling the flawed layers of your characters' and their world in interesting ways. Your readers will become part of the silver lining of your story. Your characters' desires will become theirs. The world you create will slowly become real.  


In Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl, they use a subtle way to end the initial chapter.


That's what actually happened this summer.
We'd seen the last of hamburger soup and peach pie and tire swings. But we'd seen the start of something, too.
The beginning of the End of Days.

Now, that could mean anything. Just anything. So I had to read ahead. I could give more examples, ones containing more drama, but I think you understand my meaning here.

Use the spices of your overall story at the end of each scene and chapter to flavor the silver lining, flaws and all. 

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

TBR Tuesday: The Raven Boys


I'm cheating here, because I actually already read the ARC, but I still can't wait to get a hard copy of The Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater! This book is absolutely amazing. As always Maggie immerses you in a book with nuanced character, original world-building, and a plot that keeps you always guessing.

Definitely add it to your TBR list if you haven't already!

Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: Sept 18, 2012

Goodreads Synopsis:
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Thursday, July 05, 2012

Whoseywhatsit Thursday: A Writing Prompt Contest!

Hello Oasis Seekers!

I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day if you are American, and if you're not, I hope the slowness of the internets allowed you to get extra writing done yesterday. :)

I thought it would be fun to have a little writing contest today.  Comment with your story of 500 words or less inspired by one of the two pictures below.  I will choose my favorite to win either a $5 order from The Book Depository, OR a 25-page critique from me.






Post your 500-word-or-less story by next Thursday, July 12, and I will post the winners on my next scheduled post on Wednesday, July 18.

Have fun!

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

Happy Fourth of July!

I'm going out on a limb and guessing that most of you have big plans for today and won't be taking time to read this (or any other blog).  But if you do have time to pause from your festivities, we at the Oasis hope you'll join us in wishing America a very happy birthday!
To celebrate, I thought I'd share a great quote with you ~

You have to love a nation that celebrates its Independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.
Erma Bombeck 

Also, if you haven't seen the posts going on since Monday, I invite you to swing into the INDIEpendence Day Blog Fest -- where more than 70 bloggers recognize their favorite (non-Indelible) Indie authors.  If you've been looking to read some top-quality Indie novels, then here's your chance to find what interests you.


We hope you have a safe and happy holiday!  Happy Birthday, America!

Tuesday, July 03, 2012

TBR Tuesday: SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY






Generally, I would say I'm not a fan of zombie stories, but I am a fan of historicals, so when I saw this one, I know I needed to know more. I'm really excited about this one. It sounds like it adds a nice twist to fairly glutted market, so I'm expecting great things.


Book back cover blurb:



The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance

About Susan:

Susan Dennard is a reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies.

She is a writer turned marine biologist turned writer again. Among the traits she shares with her heroine Eleanor are a weakness for Shakespeare quotes, a healthy appetite for baked goods, and an insatiable curiosity. Sadly, Susan does not get to wear a corset or wave a parasol on a daily basis.
She lives in Germany with her French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about her crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on her blogtwitterfacebook, or GoodreadsSomething Strange and Deadly is her debut novel.
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