Monster mash day 7!!

Catina worked her way through college as a TV reporter and a dating game show host. She's a sucker for Young Adult romance stories (both real and make-believe). She has a panache for match-making and loves that many of her "set-ups" have resulted in marriages. 

After spending most of her adult life in Las Vegas, Catina traded in tumbleweeds for earthquakes and now lives with her husband and four children near San Diego, California. If she's not home, chances are you can find her at the beach, Disneyland or In-N-Out Burger.

Angela Larkin writes clean teen romance and is a big fan of kissing (in life and in books). She's been a gold miner, a pool cleaner, a mannequin dresser, and a teacher. She's lived a true romance: meeting her husband in a case of mistaken identity. They recently moved with their four children from the sparkling city of Las Vegas to the shade of the North Carolina Pines. Chances are, she's reading past bedtime.

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True love doesn't always mean a happy ending. Presley and Landon finally have a chance at a real relationship when they travel back in time, but their leap backward to two months before his accident has altered reality: Landon has no memory of Presley. 

Hurt and lonely, Presley is still determined to save his life, even as Landon's death-date looms. He's alive for now, but nothing is like it was . . . Before.

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Q&A with the Author:

Angela’s Answers / Catina’s Answers 

1)     When did you start writing, and was there a specific event or person who influenced you to become an author: 

a)     I've always enjoyed writing in school, but I started writing short stories and bookish things on my own after high school. It was my way of dealing with a huge unrequited crush! Reading the Grapes of Wrath was formative moment for me as a writer. It was the first book that powerfully showed me how incredible writing can be. 

b)     I've loved writing stories my whole life but developed a passion for it in college when I started writing for our university's newspaper and TV station. One morning, the idea for BEYOND came to me and I knew I had to morph my journalism skills into that of an author, because the story had to be told!

2)            Are you currently working on a project, and if so, can you tell us anything about it? 

a)     Right now I'm querying a romance set in rural NV. It's like The Breakfast Club meets Holes. I'm currently working on a romance about a British Prep School boy forced to accompany his father on a business assignment to a tiny Tennessee mountain town. There he meets a girl struggling to support her family. Though total opposites, they have a lot to learn from each other . . . and of course they fall in love!

b)     I am currently working on a middle-grade adventure. Because I have a request for the full manuscript, I can't say much!

3)            What is your favorite writing snack? 

a)     Trader Joe's dips and hummus.

b)     I love to eat flavored popcorn while I write. I can feel like I'm indulging without doing too much damage!

4)          If you could have dinner with any of your characters, which ones would you choose? Why? What food would you serve? 

a)     I'd have dinner with Reese from the Beyond series because I like the funny boys. We'd eat microwave convenience store burritos and Dr. Pepper - his favorite:)

b)     I'd have to have dinner with Reese and Landon together. I lover their brotherly cousin dynamic and their senses of humor. I'm also a little star struck by their awesome skiing skills and ravishing good looks. Ha! They have huge appetites so I'd probably grill piles and piles of rib-eye and serve it with a yummy pasta salad and dessert.

5)           Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

a)      I learned I can do harder things than I thought I could. And that all skills can be improved upon with practice, no matter who you are. 

b)     I've learned to write what's in your heart. Write, write, write and do not edit as you go. Save the editing for after your entire first draft is complete. I've also learned that my writing improves so much when I hit it every day. Big breaks aren't awesome when it comes to writing skills.

6)           How do you relax, or what do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

a)      I eat brownies in bed and watch Netflix shows about food, decorating or kissing. 

b)     I love going to the movies so much. We are an opening night kind of family. I also love to read as much as I can. At any given time, I'm reading a book for book club, one in the genre I'm writing, one for my kids and one off my personal list.

7)           What is your largest unfulfilled dream, and what are you doing to reach it? 

a)     I'd love to get my MFA in creative writing. Currently, I'm researching schools and hyperventilating about taking the math portion of the GRE.

b)     Ooohhhh - that's a tough one - but I'd have to say seeing my work on the big screen. That would be incredible.

  

8)          What do you fear most? 

a)     Betrayal. 

b)     Spiders. Being bitten by a brown recluse in the night.

9)            What was your favorite Halloween Costume? 

a)     Without my mom's permission, I bought a Harem Girl costume when I was nine. As an adult, I see the folly in this, but at the time I LOVED the purple veil and the gold sequins belt and headband. And it even came with brass finger cymbals!

b)     My favorite Halloween costume wasn't really for me - it was one I created for my son. He was Wolverine. We grew his hair out for four months, found an awesome leather jacket at the thrift store and bought him his first pair of jeans. Ha ha! We nailed it and everywhere we went, people wanted a picture.

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Monster mash day 4!!

I have been reading love stories for as long as I can remember and when I ‘met’ the classic authors like Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, Henry James The Brontë sisters, etc. during my Honours studies, I was hooked for life.

I married my college boyfriend and soul mate and after 43 years, 3 interesting and wonderful children and 3 beautiful grandchildren, he still makes me weak in the knees. We are fortunate to live in the picturesque little seaside village of Betty's Bay, South Africa with the ocean a block away and a beautiful mountain right behind us. And although life so far has not always been an easy ride, it has always been an exiting and interesting one!

I like the heroines in my stories to be beautiful, feisty, independent and headstrong.  And the heroes must be strong but possess a generous amount of sensitivity. They are of course, also gorgeous!  My stories typically incorporate the family background of the characters to better understand where they come from and who they are when we meet them in the story.

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"Kalinda Evans works for the Anglo-Boer war foundation in Canada. She's sent to South Africa to make sure everyone who lost their lives in the war will be remembered. On her drive to the guest farm in Kimberley, South Africa, Kalinda picks up a female hitchhiker and is startled when just moments later, the woman vanishes. Kalinda would be convinced she was dreaming…except there’s still a white lace handkerchief on the passenger seat.

Extreme sports enthusiast and computer game designer Zack Carter is always after the next big challenge. He’s far too busy for romance and adheres to a three-date rule, until he meets his parents’ latest guest. When she relays the story of her mysterious experience, Zack’s family shares the local ghost story. Kalinda and Zack work together to solve the puzzle of the ghost and how it all ties in with the war and the work Kalinda is doing.

As their attraction grows, Zack realizes he no longer feels the need to prove anything to himself. He only needs to prove to Kalinda that he’s more than a good time."

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Q&A with the Author:

1.       When did you start writing, and was there a specific event or person who influenced you to become an author?

I started writing in 2008 when I entered an Afrikaans romance wirting competition. I was fortunate enough to win an the prize was that my story was published. I’ve always loved reading romance novels and once I’ve told one story, I couldn’t stop! 

2.       Are you currently working on a project, and if so, can you tell us anything about it?

I’m currently working on another Afrikaans story, but Tule Publishing will be releasing a series of three stories about three brothers and the women they fall in love with in 2019!

3.       What is your favorite writing snack?

Tea and rusks.

4.       If you could have dinner with any of your characters, which ones would you choose? Why? What food would you serve?

I’d love to join Zack and Kalinda for dinner to see first hand the undeniable spark between the two of them! I’d cook them a ‘waterblommetjie' stew. ‘Waterblommetjies’ literally means water flowers, something you find in dams around the countryside this time of year. The taste reminds one of green beans but it has a very unique taste. It was traditionally cooked with ‘suring’ a sour-tasting plant but you can also use use lemons with it and lots of black pepper. 

5.       Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

You have to deal with past hurts so that you can move forward. Both Zach and Kalinda have issues from their pasts they have to deal with and while they are trying to solve Suzie’s past, they also manage to find a way to deal with their own

6.       How do you relax, or what do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

I knit and I crochet - my hands have to stay busy! I also enjoy to cook for the people I love. But when I really have time to relax, I read. Escaping between the pages of a book has been my way of escaping from reality ever since I was a little girl.

7.       What is your largest unfulfilled dream, and what are you doing to reach it?

I married my soul mate, we have three children and have also been blessed with three little grandsons, so most of my dreams have been fulfilled. But if someone wants to use any of the stories I’ve written to write a screen play, I’d be thrilled to bits!

8.       What do you fear most?

I don’t think I’d like to encounter a real-life ghost!

9.       What was your favorite Halloween Costume?

We don’t really celebrate Halloween in South Africa but I’d love a Superwoman outfit!

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Monster mash day 3!!

I am a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, I was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked my new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with my mother and two young nephews. We had a great time and I thought I’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, I had changed careers. I have now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in my MG adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! I also teach online novel writing for aspiring authors and I find that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds me enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. I love doing research for my book series. I love animals and have written two animal rescue stories. I have two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

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A modern day adventure as our protagonists search for Excalibur and the treasures it holds! This is a must-read for Middle Graders keen on action, adventure, and Arthurian stories! 

Continuing the adventure that began in Egypt a few months prior in The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair are hot on the trail of the second Stone of Power, one of seven ancient stones lost centuries ago. This stone might be embedded in the hilt of a newly discovered sword that archeologists believe belonged to King Arthur: Excalibur. 

However, their long-standing enemy, Dr. Khalid, is following them as they travel to Scotland to investigate an old castle. Little do they know there is another deadly force, the Eaters of Poison, who have their own mission to complete. Time is running out as the confluence of the planets draws closer. 

Can Justin and Adam find the second Stone of Power and survive? And why did Aunt Isabel send a girl with them? Join Justin and Adam as they search not only for the second Stone of Power, but also for the Scroll of the Ancients, a mysterious document that holds important clues to the Seven Stones of Power. 

As their adventure unfolds, they learn many things and face dangers that make even their perils in Egypt look tame. And how annoying for them that their tag-along companion, Kim, seems to have such good ideas when they are stumped. 

Book extras include some historical background on King Arthur, the Dark Ages, warfare and weaponry during Arthur's time, and details on Excalibur. A fascinating peek into the life and times of the real King Arthur, perfect for young time travelers and budding archaeologists. For coloring-in enthusiasts, ten original black and white illustrations including 2 maps make for more enjoyment!

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Q&A with the Author:

1.       When did you start writing, and was there a specific event or person who influenced you to become an author?

I have been a storyteller since the age of ten, ever since I made up ghost stories to entertain my younger brothers and their friends. I created an ongoing spooky adventure called Gruesome Gables, in which a group of youngsters (us, of course!) were trapped in a haunted mansion and had to fight off ghosts, vampires, ghouls, werewolves and other popular monsters. I actually became a writer only years later after I went to Egypt with my mother and my two young nephews. That trip inspired the idea of a short story for my nephews. It turned into a full-length book called The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, the first in the adventures of The Chronicles of the Stone.

2.       Are you currently working on a project, and if so, can you tell us anything about it?

I am busy with Book 4 in The Chronicles of the Stone middle grade adventure series. Book 4 is called The Cabal of the Ouroboros and is set in the catacombs of Paris, with the main theme being the treasure of the Templar Knights.

3.       What is your favorite writing snack?

I try not to eat while writing although I have lots of cups of tea. But when I need a break and a pick-me-up, it’s either a cup of tea and a digestive biscuit, or a cup of coffee and a very small piece of chocolate.

4.       If you could have dinner with any of your characters, which ones would you choose? Why? What food would you serve?

I love the characters of Humphrey Biddle (paleographer) and Archibald Curran (historian and expert on King Arthur) in The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, because they are hilariously funny when they are together, being such old friends. Plus, they know so much about history! And instead of dinner, I’d have their favourite meal: a slap-up full English tea with scones, cream and jam, cucumber sandwiches, lots of cake and tarts, and plenty of English Breakfast tea (which can be drunk any time of the day, not just at breakfast!).

5.       Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I always learn so much when writing my books because they are based on historical fact, ancient history, mythology and legend. This time, I learned an incredible amount about King Arthur, whom I had always considered to be a legend. It turns out he was a real person, who united the warring British tribes against the Saxons and pushed them back. His actions kept Britain safe from invaders for the next 50 years.

6.       How do you relax, or what do you enjoy doing when you are not writing?

I love to read, watch movies, take walks with my eager pooch, Pumpkin, visit historical spots, travel…

7.       What is your largest unfulfilled dream, and what are you doing to reach it?

That my books are sold in their millions and billions, that my books bring joy and happiness to readers worldwide, that they are made into bestselling films and I achieve the fame I dream about. To achieve this, I am taking my own advice to others and every day, in a way, I tell people about my books – word of mouth is the best advertising. (Plus, I have a movie agent so that’s a big help and I have had some interest…)

8.       What do you fear most?

Not achieving the above.

9.       What was your favorite Halloween Costume?

A witch, of course…

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Mrs. Murray's ghost

Mary’s family has moved into a huge Victorian mansion. She loves her gigantic new house, especially her room. But then she begins to meet the house’s other residents. 

Mrs. Murray was murdered in Mary’s new house. At first she tries to scare the new residents away, but there seems to be a force connecting the ghost to Mary. 

Even the stranded Brownies, the little people who live between the walls, feel that connection. When Mary becomes deathly ill, the Brownies and the ghost team up to try to rescue her, only to encounter a witch and her evil minions. Time is running out. They must rescue Mary from a fever-induced dream world before she is trapped there forever.

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Emily-Jane Hills Orford is an award-winning author of several books, including Gerlinda (CFA 2016) which received an Honorable Mention in the 2016 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, To Be a Duke (CFA 2014) which was named Finalist and Silver Medalist in the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and received an Honorable Mention in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards. She writes about the extra-ordinary in life and her books, short stories, and articles are receiving considerable attention. For more information on the author, check out her website at: http://emilyjanebooks.ca

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Mrs.  Murray 's ghost is a very fun book with adventure and learning. As you watch a friendship form between a girl, the ghost Mrs. Murray, and brownies. I think it is a very good story with a few exciting twists and turns 

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Raven's eye blitz day

Ever since magic caused his mother's death, Ha-Neul, crown prince of Balhae, hates witches and the magic they wield. He has instituted harsh laws against all magic users.

Lisa is a young witch working undercover as a servant in his palace, hoping to gain freedom for her people. The last thing the two expect is to fall in love. But when Ha-Neul learns that Lisa is not only a witch, but the daughter of the Prince of Vires, land of witches, he banishes her. Distracted by heartbreak, he is caught off-guard by a military coup.

In hiding and on the run, Ha-Neul swallows his pride and travels with his siblings to Vires, planning to beg Lisa's aid, only to learn that she has mysteriously vanished.

Now his only hope in reclaiming his kingdom and reuniting with Lisa lies in the remote Northern Mountains, a country no one has ever penetrated and rumored home of a powerful magic source. There, Ha-Neul learns that a being powerful beyond comprehension has been carefully guiding his destiny. But if Ha-Neul can't let go of his hatred of all things magic, and accept the new path offered to him, it will mean the destruction of his entire world.

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Adam Gowans is the youngest of five Air Force brats, out of which his siblings have voted him the weirdest. He loves anything that deals with stories, including movies, novels, television dramas, music, video games, manga/manhwa, and webtoons.

In his mid-twenties, he lived and taught English in South Korea for four years before returning to the States to live, like many LDS authors, in Utah.

His first novel is On Angelic Wings, which has a planned sequel, but the sequel will be released after two other novels that are calling for his attention.

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Excerpt 4:

 “Follow me. The wang wishes to speak with you.”

Lisa nodded, and they walked as fast as they could without appearing to rush. Neither of them spoke as they entered the palace and made their way to the wang’s suite, adrenaline sweeping through Lisa. When the elevator opened, Evan greeted them. He bowed to them and led the way to the door. He knocked twice and waited for an answer before opening it.

“Please go in, my lady,” he whispered in Common.

She went in and found the wang standing in front of her with a pleasant smile.

“Please sit, Princess,” he said in Common as well, indicating an armchair in the middle of the room while blatantly ignoring the astonishment on her face. They both sat, and he took a few moments to study her. “Do you love him?”

“Wh-what?”

“My oldest son, Geum Ha-Neul. Do you love him?”

“I apologize, Wang-Mama, I—”

“Don’t apologize—you shouldn’t apologize,” he said. “I should be apologizing.”

She looked at him with her mouth slightly agape as he genuinely seemed remorseful.

“I know who you are, Vasilisa Aleksandrsdöttir. I’ve known you your whole life.”

She sucked in a deep breath. He knew, yet he had still allowed her in the palace even though he had banished Rosalina. Lisa remembered her father saying he and the wang had attended school together as teenagers and interacted, but with his words, she now wondered if they had been friends.

“I’ve been hoping you could help change Ha-Neul’s mind about spellcasters,” the use of the correct term for witches surprised her for a moment, then she realized that his family situation would have allowed him to know the correct classifications for magic users, “which is why I personally placed you near my children from the very beginning of your employment and allowed you to become their nain. Then, when I learned about Ha-Neul’s feelings for you, I took full advantage.”

All of her interactions with the wang began to make sense. “That’s why you told me to tell him what I know about Vires, why you had me stay with him during the party.”

He nodded. “I, Geum Dong, Wang of Balhae, have done many things I am not proud of,” he paused, his eyes blinking rapidly, “especially toward my own people—your people—and I fired Rosalina when Ha-Neul found out about her situation.” He took in a ragged breath and slowly let it out. “It was all to appease my tortured son.”

“I assume you mean the incident that killed your wife?” she asked.

The wang nodded and wiped tears from his eyes for a few moments. When he seemed calm, he continued. “Ha-Neul needs to heal, and I believe you are the person to help him.”

“But—”

“No.” He lifted a hand. “No, please listen.” He leaned toward her, touching his fingertips together, pointing them at her. “I know your feelings no matter how hard you try to hide them. You know who sees past all the façade, don’t you? You know who is a clairvoyant.”

She nodded, not daring to speak the secret out loud.

“I want you to love him, and I want him to love you; however,” he became grave, “you must tell him who you really are, and soon.” His whole demeanor became kinder and more empathetic. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she breathed out, tears forming. “Ha-Na and I talked about it last week.”

“Our families have kept your secret from him long enough. It’s time he knows the truth.” He watched her carefully until she nodded. “I know it will be hard for both of you, and I know you know that as well. It will be worse the longer you wait.”

“I know,” she breathed out.

He held out his hand and waited. She placed her hand in his, and he covered it with his other hand.

“No matter what happens, I want you to know that I am grateful for everything you have done for my family, Vasilisa,” he said. He patted her hand and withdrew his. “It is late. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow, so you should go to bed.”

They both stood, and she bowed to him, and he bowed to her in return.

“Sleep well, Wang-Mama.”

She left the room to find Irene waiting, and all of the emotions she had held in check finally overwhelmed her. She collapsed into the outstretched arms of her aunt, who held her tightly and whispered comfort into her ear as her body trembled with silent sobs.

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