Book Review: Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Home Front

Title:  Home Front
Author:  Kristin Hannah
Reading level:  Adult
Genre:  Contemporary
Size: Hard Cover, 388 pages
Release Date:  January 2012 
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Received from publisher in exchange for an honest review

First Lines:  "The way she saw it, some families were like well-tended parks, with pretty daffodil borders and big, sprawling trees that offered respite from the summer sun.  Others—and this she knew firsthand—were battlefields, bloody and dark, littered with shrapnel and body parts."

Summary (from GoodReads):

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, careers, bills, chores---even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a soldier she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own---for everything that matters to his family.

Favorite Quote from the Book:

“He prided himself on his intelligence, but he’d been wrong, blinded by selfishness or politics or intellectualism. For years he’d watched news reported about the local war on terrorism and followed images of soldiers in the desert and he’d thought about the politics of it all, about weapons of mass destruction and George W.’s declaration of war and the wisdom of arming and sending out troops. He’d argued with colleagues about it — while he sat safe and warm and protected in his country. He’d argued about the true cost of the war. He hadn’t known shit.”

My Thoughts:

This was probably the most emotionally taxing novel that I have read in the last six months.  And it was 100% worth it! We are introduced to Jolene, her husband and their children as a family in crisis.  Jolene and Michael are on the brink of divorce, their older daughter acting out as her tween years come upon her and their youngest “escaping” it all by being “invisible.”  Michael tells Jolene “I don’t love you anymore” and the next day she receives the call…she and her unit are being deployed to Iraq.

There is just something about the way that Kristin Hannah writes that manages to evoke a myriad of emotions from me.  Throughout the first 1/4- 1/3 of the novel I absolutely hated Michael. And I do not use the word hate very often. The rage literally burned inside me every time his thoughts or actions were voiced.  And then the tears would well up on behalf of Jolene.  By the middle of the book we see the potential and the growth in Michael and somehow by the end, find ourselves rooting for him as well as Jolene…rooting for “Them.”  I would say that is the epitome of character development…to be able to take the reader on a journey from vitriolic hate to compassion and caring for a character in the course of 300 pages.

The parts of the book depicting Jolene’s experiences in Iraq, her injury and subsequent adjustments upon returning home are nothing short of horrifying and heartbreaking.  I think that we all “know” what war entails but most of us probably do a pretty good job of ignoring those realities…this book will force one to face them head on. It forces one to look at not only the active soldiers, but the veterans who come home and are then facing their own private war every day whether it be due to physical injury or psychological trauma.  And I think that no matter how we may stand politically regarding America’s Foreign Policy, none of us can disregard on a personal level the sacrifices that our military and their families make on a daily basis.

In her latest novel, Kristin Hannah brings home the realities of military life and the incredible sacrifices that our service men and women make on a daily basis.  She explores interpersonal relationships as well if not better than any other author I can think of.  Relationships between friends, between husband and wife, between siblings, and perhaps most importantly she examines what it means to be true to oneself…whatever the cost.

I recommend this book to…Everyone. 

The one caveat?  Make sure that you have plenty of tissues at the ready…I cried like a baby throughout.

Was it worth my Time? 

Teaser Tuesdays - Cycles by Lois Brown

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cycles

Summary from Goodreads:

She remembers things that never happened.
She's a stranger in her own home.
She always knew she was different.
She just didn't know why.
Until now.
Renee Beaumont is about to die . . . again.

Teaser:

"Two gunshots, one right after the other, rang in the trees, and Sam hit the ground. He felt sharp pokes in his calf and was sure he’d taken a bullet there.  He tenderly pulled up his pant leg and saw a handful of sticky burrs stuck to his sock. He swore to himself.  He could never let anyone know about this-especially not Renee.”

 What's your teaser today?

Author Interview: Jennifer White

I am so happy to have the beautiful, witty, and most importantly talented Jennifer White here with me today!!   
Check out my review of her wonderful book  Otherwise Here!!

1) Welcome Jennifer:) Thanks for joining us!


Thanks Melissa! Great to be a guest on your beautiful blog!

2) Please tell us a little bit about yourself.


I enjoy the smell of all sorts of things—fresh herbs, laundry from the dryer, my seven year-old’s hair, especially when he’s sleeping. I love to laugh. I love to make people laugh. Let’s just say there’s a lot of volume that comes out of me, and I don’t particularly care who stares at me when I chuckle, snicker, cackle, chortle or guffaw. I don’t embarrass easily. I think I have the mutated unashamed gene. I eat cereal from the box. I like talking to senior citizens—I find them fascinating. I swear like a road-house bouncer. I’m a huge foodie—I love to cook and I love to eat. I eat more than any man I know. It’s obscene.

I don’t have a Boston accent—unless I’m shouting at a Patriots game. “Wicked awesome!” When I’m not in Boston, I’m in L.A. working on movies. (I’m a Hollywood tagline writer and professional screenwriting.)
I love writing, but mostly, I love storytelling.

3) Can you tell me a little bit about Otherwise and what inspired it?


I like to write what I like to read. I’ve always been drawn to tales of the supernatural. But, it’s not just the fright factor; it’s the juxtaposition of otherworldly things with living people. The fun of writing a book like this is exploring the unknown.

Otherwise launches its main character, Delilah, right into the middle of paranormal occurrences that she can’t, at first, understand. When she finds herself back in the town where she grew up, she tries to understand the motivations of the people that drop into her world, and what connection they have with her and her dead grandmother. She quickly realizes nothing is what it seems. Swirling around her are the unsolved deaths of several people in town—mysteries that have never been explained.

4) What do you hope that readers take way with them after reading Otherwise?


I don’t think I could ever write a story that didn’t have a satisfying ending. My personal belief is that when you close a book, or leave a movie theater, you should feel that you were entertained, satisfied, relieved, and yet—still long for more.

5) I find it interesting to know what environment authors find most productive… Do you use a pen and paper or laptop? Quiet room at home or bustling café? Basically, what gets your creative juices flowing?


My favorite place to work is my home office. I have my laptop with a large monitor on a cherry desk. It’s a lovely space with an upright piano, two cellos and a working fireplace. I always have a little bowl of candy because my kids will come in, grab a handful, then sit in one of the comfy chairs opposite my desk and talk to me.

Although I like my creature comforts, I’m completely portable. I have two laptops—one Toshiba, one Mac. I don’t like writing on airplanes, but I hustle to L.A. a lot, and it’s a 6 hour flight, so I Skype, write and even tweet on a plane.

I always find it fascinating when I see how writers are portrayed in movies (or books). Often times they’re pounding away on an old typewriter, or using a large yellow pad of paper and a pen that’s out of ink. They always look like they’re struggling. I’ve been doing this for decades, and I can’t imagine doing anything else! It’s not a struggle because I love it—even when it’s hard work. And, like an athlete, musician, or anyone who does something every day for hours at a time, I believe you need to have the right tools to work with when you’re mastering your art. (Now… where did I leave my quill?)

6) What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?


If you do this long enough, you grow a thick skin. My toughest criticism has never been from book critics, bloggers, or even Hollywood clients. It was from an editor I had years ago. She had a great command over the English language, but every sentence had to be grammatically correct. She’d analyze sentences, dissect them, and put them back together again. I don’t mind that, because you can grow from that kind of work.
Although, at the end of the day, you need to keep your voice, even if that means writing dialogue that’s not exactly grammatically correct. Sometimes “Gimme that!” is a whole lot better than “Give that to me!”

What I hear writers complain about most is criticism from literary agents or people in the industry who have never read their work. That’s not “critical,” it’s just disparaging and rude.

My best compliments have always come unexpectedly. I recently had a book reviewer say he’d read my book if he had time. (I respect that.) Suddenly, he got my book, read it in one day, and then did the same with my next book. He gave incredibly flattering reviews on both books. That’s a nice compliment!

7) What book is currently on your nightstand? And who are some of your favorite authors?


I’ve been reading Audrey Niffenegger’s Her Fearful Symmetry. I adore her voice. But, I’m forever interrupted. In order to write movie taglines, you have to read movie scripts. So, I often have to put down something I’m reading for pleasure, in order to read for work.

8) What do you like to do when you're not writing?


Wait, you’re telling me there’s something other than writing? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me that before?


I enjoy my kids—it’s always a battle of wit and the element of surprise! When I’m in L.A., I love going to Malibu, Venice and hitting the farmer’s markets. I love the restaurants and night life. In New England, I enjoy the seasons and my pond. I have a broad, eclectic interest in the arts. I like to express my creativity through cooking, gardening, playing piano, interior design, photography, and painting. I believe that a home is more than a dwelling—it’s a place of comfort where there’s laughter, communication, affection, and always the intoxicating aromas of something delicious cooking.

9) Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?


I work with a lot of aspiring writers and screenwriters. I had a writer recently send me a script he’d painstakingly wrote based on a graphic novel. I think I broke his heart when I asked if he received permission from the author before he wrote the screenplay. Aside from writing every day—remember, train like an athlete—I think the best thing a writer can do is understand not just the craft of writing, but the nuances of the industry you want to work in.

10) What can we expect from you next?


I’m working on several things simultaneously. So, we’ll see which one gets their first! I’m writing a new young adult novel; a literary novel based on true events; and editing a novel that’s also a movie script with the film company, Participant. (They made the movie The Help.) Maybe I’ll read Her Fearful Symmetry when my lifeless body is dragged from my computer up to my bed!

      Melissa:  And now for a little bit of fun:)

This or That?

Coffee or Tea?

(Looks up from 5^th cup of Starbucks coffee.) What was the question again?

Beach or Lake?

I live on a pond, but I love Malibu. [Expletive!] These questions are hard! What’s the next one?

Winter or Summer?

Summer, wait—autumn. Oh, that’s not one of the questions.

Cats or Dogs?

Cats that think they’re dogs.

Zombies or Vampires?

Zombie witches. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Country or City?

L.A., then back to the country, then L.A.

Shower or Bath?

If it has claw feet, then a bath!

Morning or Evening?

I used to be morning, but ever since I got that strange bite on my neck, I really like the night.

M&Ms or Skittles?

Mmmm chocolate!

Trains or Planes?

Planes. With movies. And Chardonnay.

Comedy or Drama?

Dramedy. I’m really difficult, aren’t I? 

You always make me laugh Jennifer!! Thanks so much for being here today and sharing a bit of yourself with my readers!

Jennifer B. White has written a boatload of books, a mass of movie scripts, and, from time to time, epic poems that all begin with the words; This is a very long sonnet, so grab a drink. Go on, get on it!

Growing up, her family understood that a certain amount of supernatural phenomena was to be
expected.  Her father foretold his mother’s death and witnessed her ghost. Many years later, Jennifer received a “sign” that her father was dying when her house was filled with the scent of
incense.  She got to her dad in time to hold his hand as he passed away.  It’s okay, she’s made peace with his death.  She’d just prefer if he’d stop playing with the dining room lights.

These experiences, and others like them, left Jennifer with seeds for several good stories like DEAD ASLEEP, OTHERWISE and THE WITCH AND THE DEVIL’S SON—novels that explore intriguing topics like ghosts, witchcraft, dreams, time travel, reincarnation, and the lines between life and death.

As well as penning novels, Jennifer is a screenwriter and Hollywood tagline writer.  She lives and writes in Boston, Massachusetts, when she’s not in Los Angeles, California working on movies. She holds a BA in communication and an M.Ed in psychology. She has three boys—all were born in late October, the youngest on Halloween.

Connect with Jennifer:  Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Check out her books:  Goodreads | BN | Amazon

In My Mailbox 2/19/12

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren to share whatever books and bookish goodies that you've bought, borrowed, won, or been gifted and have thus entered your home the previous week. You can show off books that you are excited about and it's also a great opportunity to showcase books that you may not actually have the time to read or review.

Added to my Bookshelf for Pleasure:

Paperback of Happily Ever After – Harriet Evans
Hardcover of Reign of Madness – Lynn Cullen
Hardcover of Across the Universe – Beth Revis
(Loved this book! Can’t wait to get my hands on A Million Suns!)

 Paperbacks of Vampire Academy, Frostbite, & Shadow Kiss – Richelle Mead(Thank you to Emily from Red House Books for these!  I’ve always been curious about this series!)

 Paperback of  Firelight – Sophie JordanPaperback of The Lover’s Dictionary – David Levithan   Paperback of Planet Wedding: A Nuptialpedia – Sandra Choron, Harry ChoronThe Wedding Planner Organizer – Mindy Weiss 

Added to my Nook for Pleasure:

Hearts at Stake – Alyxandra Harvey

Your Dream Wedding on a Budget – Mindy Weiss

Added to my Nook for Review:

 
  The Replacement Wife – Eileen Goudge
(This one sounds really good...can't wait to start it)

Book Review: Otherwise by Jennifer White

Otherwise


Title:  Otherwise
Author:  Jennifer White
Reading level:  Adult
Genre:  Paranormal
Size: 340 pages 
Release Date:  December 2011 
Publisher: OakIvy Publishing
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Received from publisher for review

First Line:  "Delivered like a witch from a Victorian fairy tale, Delilah arrived on Hermit Meddler’s Way on gusty winds."

Summary:

Reluctantly, Delilah Gray has returned to her childhood home—a ramshackle cottage where her compulsive, hoarding grandmother, Meema, raised her. Meema’s ghostly manifestations refuse to let Delilah clean the filthy house, or to stay there peacefully. And that’s just the beginning of Delilah’s problems.

Lonely, angry, and hiding a painful secret, she tries to find a place for herself in a town that she once discovered was “in-between”—a portal to the worlds of the supernatural. Upon her arrival, Delilah unwittingly gets caught in the middle of important business between The Keeper, whose job it is to keep souls on the physical plane, and The Sender who helps speed the dead on their afterlife journey.

When Delilah discovers that she is connected to Lily Defoe, a woman who leapt to her death many years ago, and to a man who refers to himself as The Gravedigger for Lost Souls, she realizes there is more to her homecoming than she anticipated. Who she is, and who she’s been, crosses the boundaries of life and death. Nothing—not the people she meets, not this very moment in time, not even the tragic death of her daughter—is what it appears to be. Not only does Delilah have her own “soul searching” to do, but she must work with some of Green Lake’s oddest characters to uncover the mysteries of several unsolved deaths that have never been forgotten.

While strange and supernatural occurrences threaten Delilah’s already fragile emotional state, she still has a crucial choice to make that will change everything. She comes to understand that there are some things that are worse than death. There is Otherwise—to be confined to a twilight state between the spiritual and the physical worlds.

OTHERWISE is a chilling tale about lonely spirits, protective forces, and departed loved ones who are never really gone—and a woman who, after wanting to die, finds a reason to live and to love again. Only to discover what it is to be Otherwise.

My Thoughts:

This book captured my interest from the very first line and never released it. It is well written and flows beautifully introducing new characters and delivering new plot developments at exactly the right moments.  Once I jumped in, I couldn’t put it down and I must admit that I was sad when it ended.

The character of Delilah is so multi-dimensional (in fact more multi-dimensional than one even realizes), that one can not help feeling for her from the very beginning.  We are sucked into her world which at first appears to be a classic tale of a small town girl returning home to face her demons and then slowly one comes to realize that all in Green Lake is not what it seems.  All of the secondary characters are equally charming in their own mysterious and puzzling ways…especially Winnie who one can not help but love.

The human and the supernatural meld seamlessly in this novel with elements of romance, mystery, and a healthy dose of Jennifer’s wonderful wit. She explores issues of family, trust, loss, and the real meaning of “undying” love and ultimately what it means to be alive, dead, or Otherwise.

I recommend this book to anyone who seeks a paranormal lens through which to examine some very human issues.

Was it worth my Time? 

Check back on Monday for my interview with Jennifer White!!

2012 Review Copy Cleanup (March Reading Challenge)

Vicky from Books, Biscuits, & Tea and Celine from Nyx Book Reviews are hosting a month long challenge in March with the aim to get caught up on Review Reading.  This sounds like just what I need!!! Click on the image above or HERE to join!


Challenge Guidelines:

• The challenge runs from 1 to 31 March
• To sign up, just fill in the Mister Linky below. Link to your sign up post directly please! The Linky is the same for both our blogs, so you only have to sign up once
• The sign up is open until 15 March 2012. Participation in the challenges and giveaways won't be possible for anyone who hasn't previously signed up
• When you post your sign up post on your blog, either include the challenge button with your post or link it back to this article so that people know where to sign up. Thank you! 
• Every book you received for review counts towards the challenge, both ebooks and hard copies, including all genres and lengths
• You don't need to follow the two hosts in order to be able to sign up for the event (although it's appreciated), but you do have to follow us in order to be able to enter our giveaways. In order to be entered in the giveaway, simply complete the given challenge and add the link to your post in the linky list
• Challenges will be posted every week on Fridays and will last throughout the week until Thursday the next week. Every challenge ends with a giveaway. To enter in the challenges and giveaways, simply add the link to your challenge post in the Linky list in the main challenge post. It will be posted on both blogs.
• At the end of the event we will host our Massive Giveaway. This contains tons of prizes donated by awesome authors. All you'll need to do in order to enter this giveaway is to fill in a Rafflecopter form - as simple as that.
• Most of our giveaways will be open INTERNATIONALLY but you'll find all the relevant info about each giveaway when we post the challenges 
• Feel free to use the #RCCleanup hashtag on Twitter for your RCC related tweets or join in the Twitter party at http://tweetchat.com/room/RCCleanup and meet lots of awesome bloggers (:

Challenge Schedule:March 2 - Show Off Your Pile
March 9 - Cuddle Up With a Book
March 16 -  Don't Be Such a Tease!
March 23 - Mysterious Meet-up
March 30 - Love Will Find a Way

My TBR Review Book List for March-April 2012 

(I hope to read and review at least 6 of these in March):

The Book of Lost Fragrances - MJ Rose (Read & Reviewed)

Switched - Amanda Hocking (Read & Reviewed)

Wanderlove - Kirsten Hubbard (Read Prev. & Reviewed in Mar)

The Replacement Wife - Eileen Goudge (Read & Reviewed)

8 The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf - Mike Mullin (Read -Not Yet Reviewed)

What Happened to Hannah - Mary Kay McComas
Entangled - Nikki Jefford (Read & Reviewed)
Beyond the Misty Shore - Vicki Hinze (Read -Not Yet Reviewed)
Illusion - Frank Peretti (Read & Reviewed)

The Underside of Joy - Sere Prince Halverson

By Fire, By Water - Mitchell James Kaplan
Point, Click, Love - Molly Shapiro (Read -Not Yet Reviewed)

The Familial Witch - Bri Clark

From Beltane Magic - Jacqueline Paige

The Eternal Child - David Wasserman

2012 Review Copy Cleanup Results!


Well! Not too bad!!


READ: 
9 in Total
1-For Pleasure-Audiobook
1-For Review-Short Story
7-For Review-Novels


REVIEWED:
7 in Total
1-For Pleasure-Novella
6-For Review-Novel

Author Guest Post: Kira Saito - Death By Chocolate

Embrace Imperfect Characters in YA

by Kira Saito

I think that more adults read YA than actual teenagers. Given this observation, I believe that many of these readers expect the teens in their books to act adult, be mature and rational. My question is: why read YA if you expect perfect characters that make perfect the choices?

When you’re a teen, you’re allowed to kiss the wrong boy or do things that you could never get away with as an adult. Hell, you should make a few wrong choices as long as you learn from your mistakes.

Think about it, when you were a teenager, didn’t you freak out at the littlest things like getting a huge zit, not being allowed to stay out late or were horribly devastated when you found out your crush liked someone else? 

I did and I still act this way sometimes even though I’m no longer a teen. So anyways, when I write, I allow my characters to make mistakes, be insecure and in the end ultimately grow.  

If you’re looking for a great read that has imperfect characters that are fun, memorable and easy to relate to check out DBC!

The Book:

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

Authors Suz Korb, Cheryl Carvajal, Nikki Jefford, Kira Saito, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, and Lucy Swing 

Buy it here: Amazon | Smashwords

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.

The Authors: 

Stacey Wallace Benefiel is the author of the Zellie Wells trilogy, the Day of Sacrifice series and The Toilet Business, a collection of essays. She lives in an orange house in Beaverton, OR with her husband and their two young children. For more information about Stacey and her other works, please visit her website: http://staceywallacebenefiel.com

Cheryl Carvajal goes by the name Shakespeare at her two blogs: http://creativeartsanonymous.blogspot.com/ and http://notwritinganythinganymore.blogspot.com/ You can also contact her by email at shakespeare824@hotmail.com Over the last decade she has ventured into YA writing. She has three degrees in English, teaches Zumba and works on her writing with help from her husband who is president of Bainbridge College, Georgia.

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan now residing in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands with her husband, Sébastien, and their Westie, Cosmo. She is the author of Entangled. Visit Nikki at www.nikkijefford.blogspot.com

Lucy Swing is a mother of two and a wife to a Firefighter/Paramedic. She is the author of the upcoming paranormal YA romance novel "Feathermore". She is a Goodreads author and you can find out more about her writing endeavours on her website http://www.LucySwing.com

Kira is a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Jasmine, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza. You can email her at kirakatwritingservices@gmail.com and you can find out more about Kira on her website http://kirasaito.blogspot.com/

Suz Korb loves comedy. She also loves magic. She loves, loves to inject these key elements into her paranormal stories. She also loves, loves, loves cereal and eats way too much of it whilst novel writing. She’s an expat of the USA now living in England, a mother of two and the author of The Bedeviled Trilogy. To find out more about Suz Korb’s books visit her website at www.suzkorb.com