Here in Ohio, flags are flying on porches, kids have sparklers in hand, and my husband has eaten his weight in watermelon. We’re getting ready to celebrate Independence Day. The YA Indie Carnival is celebrating too with this week’s topic…Fiction Fireworks!
I recall seeing a TV special about the world famous Zambelli family. The Zambelli’s are responsible for some of the most outstanding fireworks displays in the world. On that TV special, they talked about the recipe for creating great fireworks. I wonder if fiction fireworks work the same way.
Let’s take a look at one of the most famous modern fiction couples and talk about what makes them explosive – Edward Cullen & Bella Swan
If I was hungry, I mean super hungry, I couldn’t imagine kissing a Big Mac instead of eating it. Kidding aside, the prospect of impropriety and danger drew legions of fans into Edward and Bella’s romance. Don’t we always want what we can’t have?
This week’s Indie Carnival is all about Kiss and Tell. No doubt, my fellow indies have posted kissing scenes from their brilliant works. They are a very talented bunch, so be sure to check them out.
I posted my kissing scene excerpt too. This is an excerpt from my newest novel, Midnight Child, which releases TODAY!
But you know what? I’m all about the mystery of romance and I’m just a tiny bit mischievous. Therefore, I’ve strategically placed blanks in the excerpt to leave you guessing. Muwahaha!
If you want to make a game of it, put your guesses for the blanks in the comment section for everyone to see. Keep your mind out of the gutter and remember that these books are appropriate for pre-teens as well as teens (as should be anything posted in the comment section or else it will be trashed). If you want a peek at the answers, read the full excerpt. Enjoy!
Excerpt From Midnight Child (Midnight Guardian Series, Book 3)
“You take me back. Take me back,” she screamed.
She pounded against _____’s chest, while he stood calm and still. Her eyes were _______ and her cries more like _______.
“Take me back,” she repeated over and over yet he remained ______.
She grabbed his hand and tried to mimic the motion of opening a threshold. Without his will behind it, her attempts were useless.
“Take me back,” she demanded again.
He turned her around without a ______ and pointed up to the _____ above. Green and blue _____ danced in the sky above the water. It resembled the ________ _______.
Keira wiped a ______ hand across her eyes as her breathing slowed back to normal. The sky was magical and ________ and beautiful. ______ brushed his warm hands over her shoulders and down the _______ of her arms.
He leaned to her ear and whispered, “_____ _____ with me.”
Keira closed her ______ and ________ed.
Brun softly kissed her _______.
She _____ slowly to face him as he put a _______ on the side of her ______. It was ______ and flushed from anger. He closed his eyes and lowered his _____. He could feel the _______ of her breath on his lips. Then, for the second time in her young life, Keira ______ed Brun Gammen, high prince of the Mogdoc Empire.
Wow, that was fun. Now for the rest of the carnival…
This week the YA Indie Carnival is dishing up Thanksgiving stories. Since both sides of the family are headed over the river and through the woods to my house for the holiday, I have a full plate (pun totally intended). Therefore, I decided to post early and to share this “deleted scene” from Midnight Child which will be available in February 2012. It’s a sweet exchange between Keira Ryan and her father, August. It takes place on the Thanksgiving holiday between the end of Whispering Evil and the start of Midnight Child. I really hated cutting it, but had to sacrifice it for the overall pacing of the book. Oh well, at least you can enjoy it as an appetizer. Have a Happy Turkey Day and don’t forget to count your Blessings!
Explaining Thanksgiving
“So let me see if I’ve got this right.”
“Okay,” Keira said.
She was grinning a bit. Thanksgiving seemed like a perfectly simple concept, until she had to explain it to a guardian. Unfortunately for her, her father spent most of his life on the other side of the barrier that separated the human world from the mogdoc threat. He was having some trouble understanding human traditions. Then again, for those like August Ryan, all human traditions were odd.
“The holiday consists an extravagant meal consisting of whole turkey with stale bread shoved inside and orange squash dessert topped with a white icy fluffing,” he grimaced. “That doesn’t sound appetizing.”
“Icy fluffing? You can’t be serious.”
“Right, you called it something else. I believe it was cold fluffing…no, cold whipping!”
“Cool Whip…close enough.” Keira smiled and jumped down from the kitchen countertop on which she was perched. “And, it’s totally awesome. There’s also sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pecans, real mashed potatoes, and this sugary cranberry stuff that’s yum-delicious. Before we dig in, we go around the table and talk about the things that we’re thankful for.”
“Like family?” August asked.
“Like family,” his daughter agreed.
Need a second course? Follow these links to Thanksgiving stories…
Laura A. H. Elliott Interview & Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale giveaway until November 24! Click here to read & enter.
Kimberly Kinrade, author of Forbidden Mind, is hosting an epic Paranormal Turkey Tour this Friday through Sunday! 3 days. 4 YA paranormal novels. 5 chances to win up to $200! Just go to http://KimberlyKinrade.com for details! Forbidden Mind was just awarded the 2011 Forward National Literature Award! Learn more about this YA paranormal thriller/romance here.
Melissa Pearl, YA author of Golden Blood has just started a new blog called YAlicious. It’s a blog to celebrate YA fiction and aimed at teens and readers of YA. Swing on by and check it out!
Books I and II in The Raven Saga (Raven & December Moon) by Suzy Turner, are now available in paperback! Get your copy from Amazon now.The Valkyrie Novels, a series of 3 novels- Dead Radiance, Dead Embers and Dead Chaos, by T.G. Ayer will be published in 2012 by the amazing team at Evolved Publishing. See T.G. Ayer’s announcement here!
Hot off the Press! The new trailers turned out so cool!! You can tell by the sheer number of exclamation points that I’m using!!!! Check’em out on YouTube or below…
The Mogdoc News Network will broadcast an exclusive “live” interview with Empress Broo Gammen this Friday at midnight (eastern) via Twitter @MogdocNews. She’s confident, blond, and in charge. Who knows what the Empress will say?
If you have any questions for Empress Gammen (aka Brooke Banes), please comment on this post with them or on the Bryna Butler, Author Facebook page. Keep in mind that the mogdocs aren’t fond of humans, so they may not use your questions. However, I will forward them to the interviewer. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
It’s sure to be a lot of fun. So, tune in this Friday for this special event to help celebrate the launch of Whispering Evil, Book 2 of the Midnight Guardian ya series.
Here in Ohio, flags are flying on porches, kids have sparklers in hand, and my husband has eaten his weight in watermelon. We’re getting ready to celebrate Independence Day. The YA Indie Carnival is celebrating too with this week’s topic…Fiction Fireworks!
