February 28, 2012

Will You Like My Books?

I think it's high-time I answered this question. My books aren't for everyone, so you shouldn't waste your money if you're not going to like them.

My books are all about a spunky sense of fun. If you like strong, smart heroines (or characters that are so dumb, you laugh at them and wish they'd bite the dust already), you'll probably like my books.

If you like fantasy and magic, but done in a new way, you'll like my books.

You'll like Ivy Thorn (The Fairy Tale Trap, The Fairy Tale Twist) if you're looking for a light, fun read that will keep you rooting for a character in an impossible situation. If you like fairy tales, and modern, relatable characters, Ivy's books are for you. The Ivy Thorn series is quick-paced and funny, with a nice helping of fairy tale magic.

You won't like the Ivy Thorn series if you're looking for great literature with complete grammatical perfection. Also, you should know that the series is written in first-person present, which irks some people (though I have converted a few). If you like stories that take their time and explore various aspects of life, this series isn't for you. Also, you should know that these stories (like fairy tales) don't have many subplots.


Fairy Tales and Zombies (Snow White and Zombies, Cinderella and Zombies) are short novels, with a very different style from Ivy. Since everything takes place in the 16th century, the language is a little more adult. But that's okay, because the themes have more of a grown-up feel to them. These stories have death and zombie slaying with a touch of humor and a dash of fairy dust.
These books are for you if you 1) love zombies 2) Want face-paced action and 3) Want to see a fairy tale in a completely different light.

You won't like my Fairy Tales and Zombies books if you're expecting the constant quick, witty reparte that Ivy brings to the table. There's some humor, and the characters will banter, but that's not the focus of the book. If you hate reading about castles and knights and princesses in ballgowns, you probably won't like these books. (Of course, the princesses will often slay zombies, so that might make things more interesting.)

February 21, 2012

Runners Love Crappy Weather


The sky was overcast, grey, and what most people would call dismal. It was sprinkling rain off and on all morning, and there was a chill breeze. With that much humidity, you could practically drink the air.
I got to the track for a speed workout. Lane 1 had a few puddles. Not a big deal, considering lanes 1-4 are reserved for FSU's track team anyway.
As I set my things down and got my stopwatch ready, a guy walked onto the track. You know the type: shirtless, young, and muscled. Clearly an athlete, a gym rat, or both, but not a runner. He gave an exasperated look, made some comment about the weather, and left!

But I stayed. I'd driven all the way out to the track, someone else was watching the kids, and I only have so much time per week to do what I want.


By the time I finished my warm-up the drizzle felt pretty good. It wasn't even enough to soak my clothes. The wind was refreshing and felt especially nice on my back. I would rank today as one of the top 5 best runs of my life. And this guy went home.

Sometimes Ivy gets thrown into crappy situations. What does she do? Well, she doesn't smile happily and make lemonade and all that stuff. (Does anybody REALLY do that?) She takes that crappy situation and knees it in the groin. She fights back and she enjoys it. Ivy doesn't always make the smartest decisions, but the thing I love about her is her tenacity. And that she makes me laugh in the middle of horrible situations.
So here's to crappy conditions. May you knee the next one right where it counts.

February 13, 2012

Last Stop! (Blog Tour)

This blog tour has been ... fun. Enlightening. Exhausting. And now it's over.

The end of the line is Sally Stephenson's blog. Good times, everyone.

February 12, 2012

Wacky Author Interview

Okay, so some people have a slightly different way of looking at the world. The Sarcasm Goddess is one of these people. It made for a fun, and very wacky, author interview.

February 11, 2012

Cyn Balog likes The Fairy Tale Trap (Cool!) (Blog Tour)

Sorry this one is late coming to the blog, but Cyn Balog has featured The Fairy Tale Trap on her blog! Sorry, I just think this is way cool.

February 10, 2012

Take Your Proper English with You (Blog Tour)

I wrote a guest post for C.L. Roth's blog today. In it, I talk about a very personal experience I had when I was a kid. My sister read the post and asked, "Did that really happen?" Sadly, it did.

Everyone knows they’re smart when they’re little. Mommy says it all the time. Then you go to school and you realize you don’t know everything. Still, I knew I was smart. I always understood what the teacher was saying and I was usually the first kid in the class to finish my work. School was fun, and I thought that was a good thing.

Well, it is. But not everybody sees it that way.

In fifth grade, I had a group of girlfriends—neighborhood kids that went to my school. We went to each other’s houses, played outside all the time, went shopping together (as tweens are wont to do) and maybe even had a sleepover or two.

Somehow, out of the blue, I became the odd one out. As an adult, I realize this happens and that girls change a lot around this age. They can be mean and petty, and all-too-often, they turn cruel.


Read more >>

February 9, 2012

Author Interview with Emily Casey (Blog Tour)

Whew! Another interview! We're winding down this blog tour (which is probably a good thing because I'm exhausted). Lizzie Beth is hosting today with an interview. She had some thoughtful insight on character growth that impressed me.

February 8, 2012

Katie's Book Blog! (Blog Tour)

Okay, folks. The last book review of the tour. I've been waiting for this one for a long time. I love Katie's Book Blog. I met her on Twitter and she graciously agreed to be a part of the tour. (Thanks, Katie!)

February 6, 2012

Breaking Fairy Tales (Blog Tour)

Amy Laurens is a Twitter friend who needs some maternity leave. So today call for a guest post. If you've ever wanted the full story about how I started breaking fairy tales, this is the post.
My main character, Ivy Thorn, was born on my blog. I was suffering from pregnancy brain at the time and didn’t feel like I could write long fiction, so I let Ivy tear apart a few fairy tales.

Of course, Ivy had to put her own spin on things. She’s not the type to sit back and let the fairy tale run its course. The thing I’m most proud of was when (in an early blog draft, not The Fairy Tale Trap) Ivy found herself stuck in the story: Snow White. She suggested that instead of going to all that trouble to kill Snow White, the queen should just use a spell to make Snow White ugly. It just made more sense!

Read more >>

February 5, 2012

Anna's thoughts on The Fairy Tale Trap (Blog Tour)

Another book review today! Let's see what Anna thought of The Fairy Tale Trap at Literary Exploration. (I'll be honest, waiting for these doesn't get any easier.)

February 3, 2012

Emmaline's Library (Blog Tour #20)

Emmaline is possibly the sweetest person ever. Even though she's busy with wedding preparations (Cangrats!!) she's hosting a review!

February 1, 2012

Chocolate Makes Fairy Tales Better (Blog Tour #18)

This seemed like a no-brainer to me...

Death by Chocolate is hosting today's guest post, which I lovingly call:


Why Fairy Tales Need More Chocolate


Most of us grew up with fairy tales, but there’s something missing from most of them. Chocolate.

Of course, if you’re reading this then you probably already know that chocolate makes everything better. If Cinderella had made her stepsisters a chocolate cake every now and then, maybe they would have been nicer to her. If Beauty had asked her father to bring back a piece of chocolate (instead of a rose), he could have easily just plucked a bonbon from the platter of food and avoided the whole death threat thing. And maybe if the evil queen had used poisoned chocolate instead of a poisoned apple, they could have avoided that long scene where the queen tries to convince Snow White to take a bite, because who’s going to say no to free chocolate?

Read more>>



And here's some more information on Suz and the anthology, Death by Chocolate:

Death by Chocolate. The paranormal young adult anthology with a cocoa twist.


Back in Time by Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Nothing in Aurelia Lemon's life is turning out how she'd planned. She's unemployed, unattached, and her family bakery is on the verge of closing. To make matters worse, the guy she dumped in high school is doing well and getting rich off of one of her departed mother's recipes. It would take a miracle to right everything she's done wrong. Or maybe just a phone call and the chance to go Back in Time.


Sweet Witchery by Cheryl J. Carvajal

Catalena is only one of many dreamers in a small medieval town in Romania. When the witch Ramnusia opens her chocolate shoppe, suddenly dreams turn into reality. The chocolates are divine, but their power is greater than their sweetness. Miracles abound, dreams come true, and Ramnusia's magic confections become the talk of the town. But if these chocolates can make dreams come true, will they win for Catalena the deepest dream of her heart?


Spellbound by Nikki Jefford

Two months after dying, Graylee Perez wakes up in her identical twin sister, Charlene’s body.

As the daughter of a witch, can anyone blame her mother for attempting to bring her back to life? Only now Gray’s stuck sharing her sister’s body 50/50 in 24 hour shifts.

 The race is on for Gray to find a way back into her body before Charlene purges her from existence.

Warlock Raj McKenna is rumored to meddle in the black arts, not to mention he’s after Gray’s invisibility spell and worse – her heart. But Raj might be the only one powerful enough to save Gray from fading away forever.

Bloody Valentine by Lucy Swing

 One by one the girls of Hollow High disappear and when Bailey receives a heart-shaped box filled with chocolates she might be next.

 Sweet Torture by Kira Saito

 Sixteen year old Claudia Bernstein is obsessed with two things: chocolate and Dante Torres. However, being an invisible minion to Upper East Side princess Beatrice Wildenbert isn't helping her get anywhere with her dream guy.

Everything changes over Christmas break when Dante actually starts noticing her.

But are Dante's intentions as pure as they seem? When Claudia finds herself in the middle of a cruel prank, she decides to take revenge. But is revenge enough? Or will she finally realize that her own worst enemy is herself?


The Girl with Three Heads by Suz Korb

 Kate wakes up on the morning of the Death by Chocolate fundraiser event to discover she has two extra heads resting upon each of her shoulders. She is not pleased about this. She's even more displeased when she discovers the head on her right shoulder (which looks like Santa Claus, complete with fluffy white beard) is actually Zeus, lord of lightning, or something like that. The head on her left shoulder? Yeah, it's the head of Hera; goddess-of-looking-like-a-blonde-bombshell and getting on Kate's nerves by shouting in her ear all the time.

Will Kate ever rid herself of these two extra heads? Will she ever get to experience an actual kiss from a boy without extra-head-situation interruptions? Join Kate as she struggles to survive being flung into the Underworld, as well as eventually landing upon Mount Olympus.

Just because she's got two extra craniums doesn't mean either head is an extra set of useful brains.



Be sure to check out the Death by Chocolate blog for info on all the Valentine tour stops! http://dbcanthology.blogspot.com
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