Tag: ya

Author Interview with Francis Moss

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I’ve always written. I remember sitting at my parent’s Underwood and typing out stories, probably about dogs, cats or spacemen. In college, I wrote for the school paper and a couple of local papers, the Berkeley Barb and the San Francisco Express-Times. In 1979, a friend asked me what I wanted to do with my life. “I want to be a writer,” I said. She said: “Write for television. That’s where the money is.”

I took her advice and cranked out a few spec scripts for TV shows I liked. One of them got the attention of the producer of Buck Rogers, and I wound up writing two episodes, which got me into The Writers’ Guild. Then the Guild went on strike, and I, with a family to support, needed work. A local company, Filmation, was looking for writers for a new cartoon show, She-Ra, Princess of Power (cartoon writers were not in the Guild). I got on staff at the show, wrote and edited a bunch, and spent the rest of my TV career writing ‘toons, along with a few non-fiction books for kids.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

This sounds like a line from a bad movie, but it came to me in a dream. I was sitting in an office with – of all people! – Mindy Kalin, who was reading a script I’d written. In my waking life, I’d never have thought of pitching to her. She put it down and turned to me: “This is pretty good. Did you write it?” My dream self was offended, and I replied: “No. I got it from the Story Store.” (it’s a writer’s jokey answer to the question, “where do you get your ideas?”). My book, once called “The Story Store” came to me. Of course pretty much everything including the title, got changed.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I don’t think much about messages. I mostly write things I’d like to read. A reviewer pointed out a theme in Losing Normal  of “screen addiction.” So let’s go with that.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I’ve always written for kids. I am a twelve-year old boy in an old man’s body.

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5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

My first thought was, I’d like to ask Sophie how she could think that adoration from mind-numbed people had anything to do with ‘perfection.’ That seems pretty tongue-in-cheeky, though. I ought to have a more serious answer.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

None of them so far. I have some Facebook friends, a few Twitter followers. But I’m lousy at it.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Read a lot. Write a lot. Don’t wait for ’inspiration.’ Find other writers, either IRL on online, and share your stories. Do something for your writing life every day.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

My current project is promoting the hell out of Losing Normal (hence this prompt reply to your questions).
Books: I’ve got more stories to tell than I have time to write. KillGirl  is my next one (currently 50K+ words in a 2nd draft): a teenage girl seeks revenge for the murders of her grandparents. After that, a middle-grade adventure (maybe a series), about a young boy in WW II England; and a science-fiction story about the multiverse.

Losing Normal is available at Amazon.com:
https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Normal-Francis-Moss/dp/1732791023/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42746625

I am available (more or less) at: https://www.francismoss.com
https://facebook.com/fcmoss
https://twitter.com/fcmoss

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About the Author

Francis Moss has written and story-edited hundreds of hours of scripts on many of the top animated shows of the 90s and 00s. Beginning his television work in live-action with Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, he soon starting writing cartoons on She-Ra, Princess of Power, Iron Man, Ducktales, and a four-year stint on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, writing and story-editing more episodes than you can swing a nuchaku at. 

One of his TMNT scripts, “The Fifth Turtle,” was the top-rated script among all the 193 episodes in a fan poll on IGN.COM. A list of his television credits is at IMDB.COM.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Normal-Francis-Moss/dp/1732791023/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42746625

www.francismoss.com

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Interview with Author P.A. Kane

  1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

I grew up in a small three bedroom/one bathroom house with my parents and nine siblings in Buffalo, New York. Presently, I live in a suburb of Buffalo with my wife and three college age children, who don’t seem to want to leave.

As far as how I started to write. I went through a pretty aimless period after high school where I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do and was in and out of college.  Finally, in my early twenties I started read in a pretty serious way—stuff like Kerouac, Philip Roth, the poetry of Anne Sexton—which led me to want to give writing a shot. Problem was by the time I was all read up I was in my late twenties and had the pressure of trying to keep a roof over my head and a pretty serious girlfriend, whom I would eventually marry and have children with, so I had to shelve the writing thing. But when the kids got older and needed me less, I started to get up before work (really the middle of the night) make some coffee and write for a few hours. Few years later I have two published novels and a book of essays on the way, plus a million other ideas for books.

 

2) What inspired you to write your book?

Leaving Jackson Wolf was intended to be a novella about Jackson’s friend McDougal. But as I got into it I realized the book was more about Jackson and his relationship with his father which was fraught with so much anger and dysfunction. This compelled me to explore how a fifteen-year-old kid would not only survive the violent dysfunction of his home life, but the possible outcomes on the other side of it. I also wanted to talk about male relationships and tried to portray Jackson and McDougal without all the tough guy underpinnings of traditional male relationships. Both boys are pretty tough, but they aren’t afraid to be vulnerable with each other and to care for each other in a way you don’t see much, but I think healthy. I’m pretty sick of the toxic way guys measure themselves with each other.   

 

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I would hope when people read this they find value in owning up and being accountable for your life. Jackson makes his share of mistakes, but rather than wallow in his failures, he is persistent and moves forward trying to do better, always trying to find his power. Additionally, the boys love indie music and in dark times not only is it a friend that helps them feel less alone, but it also provides great perspective on life. So I would hope people might look into some of the fifty plus artists mentioned in the book and give them a good listen or just listen to good music in general. I feel sad for people who don’t have music or think good music is Coldplay.

  

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

I’m not really drawn to a genre. I just wanted to tell a story about two boys trying to make their way through a complicated world. The writing world seems to be genre and series driven, but all I really want to do is write stories about real people in real life situations regardless of their age or whatever.

 

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

Though she wasn’t in the book much I would like to sit with Jackson’s mom and get a update on where she was and what happened to her. Maybe this is a little voyeuristic and creepy, but I also would like to sit off to the side back at The Spot with Jackson and McDougal and just listen to them and talk music and the wonders of the female persuasion with a couple of beers. I’d like to hear the excitement in their voices as they talk about all the possibilities still ahead for them.

  

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Boy, this social media thing is so overwhelming and so competitive. Too much for the one-man operation I run. I mostly use Facebook and I mostly do a bad job with it. Going forward as I gather more resources I’m going to invest in some outside help.

 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Don’t be afraid to start small. With the recent baseball playoffs I was reminded of being in a school lavatory back in the day and some older boys had a transistor radio and were listening to the World Series. From that single image of the boys with the radio in the lavatory I got this pretty cool story Knox, O’Malley, Sheena and The Miracle Mets. From little seeds a tree can grow.

 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

Presently editing a book of essays that I hope to publish in the spring/summer of 2019.

I have this new charter O’Malley that I’ve been sketching on my blog and a couple chapters of another novel.

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About the Author

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Growing up in a three bed/one bath house with nine siblings in Buffalo, New York was a just the facts, assembly-line type of childhood. However, one day in the late seventies, well into my clamorous teen years, that all changed when my exhausted mom uncharacteristically asked several probing questions about how I was doing, what I wanted of life and how I was going to get there… totally confounding me.  She was supposed to dish out commands and make declarative statements: …take out the trash …don’t come home unless you’re bleeding; …every time you masterbate it’s a hundred-years in purgatory. Not ask me to articulate inward looking, reflective questions about myself. Self-examination and contemplation, was light years beyond my transactional existence.

 Eventually, though, due to a certain amount of aimlessness and failure I did come to consider my mom’s questions and many more of people, time, place and heritage, which have become the basis of the novel “Written In The Stars: The Book Of Molly.” Seen through the eyes of young Molly Shea it is an exploration of the ways and means of 1979 Irish-Catholic, South Buffalo and an evolving girl’s place in that world.

Presently I am one neighborhood removed from South Buffalo in West Seneca, New York where I live with my wife, three college age children and a cat that hates me. I have a State University of New York background in English and I love trade paperbacks, quiet black mornings and The Ramones.

https://www.facebook.com/pakane14220/

https://twitter.com/PAKane14220

http://www.pakane.net/

http://buffalomud.com/

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Interview with Author Colm Dowd

1)Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Most of my writing has been in the form of song lyrics. I am the founder of the indie folk/rock group, The Last Hope Road Show. This is why I am dying to get the audio book narration done so I can finish what I hope to be an OC type soundtrack for the finished version. Some of the music I produce is theatrical in nature and I have been working the story and soundtrack for a couple of musicals. So  writing a novel was not really a big stretch.

2) What inspired you to write your book?

While I had always wanted to write, the catalyst for this book came from my son, who was nine at the time. He expressed interest in writing a book so I joined in, and the friendly competition helped us both to continue on. He has gone on to become a very good writer. So in that sense, this book has already become a success for me.

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

While  I think that story telling can be a powerful medium to get important messages out there that need to be told, sometimes it’s just about entertainment. Fantasy books can get a little bit deep and involved, this is not one of those, not at this point in the series. That said, a couple of serious issues are brushed over in the book and they will have to be addressed later in the series.

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

My books are of the middle grade/young adult fantasy genre. I suppose you can blame Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings for this, but that would probably be simplistic. Way back in the day I used to stay up to watch the old 50’s science fiction movies being played late Saturday nights with my mom. I came up with some bizarre fantasy land short stories in my early teenage years, but nothing I ever pursued. In the end though, do we really need more real life?

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

By far the most interesting character in the book is the villain Salazon. While he seems to pretty much hate everybody. H especially seems to hold a grudge against his own people, the Northfighters. What really went down with him to get to where he is right now? While being very intelligent and cavalier in his attitude, he still seems to be holding on to a very deep grudge that will have to be explained somewhere down the line.

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Facebook and Goodreads are probably the most useful sites when it comes to starting out with your book. As I have quite a few illustrations within the book I will be pushing a big Instagram campaign, which will include T-shirts.

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

Getting into anything is tough these days. It’s pretty easy to self-publish your book. This is great when you get it done, not so great when it gets drowned in the other thousands of books in your genre. But if you have joined in some author groups and build up your network before your release, I’m sure you’ll get there.

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

I am currently working on the second book in the series, which is a lot of fun to write. It’s a big advantage with a series, most of the setup is already in place and you can get to all the fun storylines a lot quicker. The fantasy world holds a dozen different ways the story can go. Unfortunately for me, the storyline in the real world was going to be including a lot of political humor. The idea is Salazon, a raving lunatic, takes over as mayor of New York and thinks of himself as a king. Uh…yeah I know. Saying it out loud, it does sound a bit too far-fetched, even for fantasy.

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Northfighters.com

ColmDowd

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You can read my official review of the author’s book here!

Interview with Author Bo Wu

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?

 

I was born and raised in North Carolina. I’m not really into Astrology, but my sign is Pisces, so that may explain the book about the ocean and all the wonderful creatures who call it home.

 

I fell into the same routine my friends did after graduating university. I joined in the workforce and tried to convince everyone I had “it” figured out as much as they did, but I never really felt like I fit in. It all felt like such a charade at that time.

 

As my friends all started getting married and settling down, I decided to do the opposite. I picked up and moved overseas. I took a TEFL ( Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course in Prague, then ended up in Taiwan. When I left the States, I really started searching for myself and experiencing life. I ended up all over Southeast Asia, tried Europe once more, and gave Mexico a go, as well.

 

I’ve always been praised for my writing, but I never did anything with it. That changed a few years ago when the book popped into my head.

 

 

2) What inspired you to write your book?

 

I came up with the idea in December/January 2015-2016 while meditating. I was going through a difficult time in life. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I was dealing with multiple failed attempts at other ventures, and I was searching, really searching for something.

 

The final scene just popped into my head. That idea caught fire, spread, and Mermaids Are Real became the next venture to focus my energy on. I moved twice so I could put myself in a better position to finish the book. Every decision I made was for the book. It turned into my obsession.

 

3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?

 

There are several messages in the book. The largest would be ocean conservation.

 

I’ve traveled all over the world. I’ve lived in six different countries. Living someplace really opens your eyes to things. When you’re traveling, you’re jaded by the newness. Having said that, there are certain areas on this planet where people really have no clue about trash and what to do with it. Most of it’s an educational problem. That’s where I want Benji and his pals come in to save the day.

 

My ultimate goal is to be able to use this book as a platform to help raise awareness, to use the characters and scenes as an incentive for people to be more mindful of their actions. I have a feeling there’s going to be a time in the future where the younger generations won’t be able to see or experience these aquatic creatures in real life. That’s a shame.

 

There are some other underlying messages regarding family, success, and life in general, but I’ll refrain from divulging much about those and let the readers discover them on their own.

 

 

4) What drew you into this particular genre?

 

I’m a kid at heart. I grew up on Disney movies and Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner Saturday morning cartoons. I think I have a lot to pass on to the next generation, too. I might not have a Ferrari in my garage (I don’t even have a garage), but I’ve seen a lot more and done a lot more than a good majority of people on this planet. I don’t have any children, so this is my way of playing dad. Hopefully, on a much grander scale.

 

5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?

 

That’d be a tough choice. If I could cheat on that question, which I’m going to do, I’d prefer a town hall-style meeting where I get to talk to all of them. Or maybe a party where they’d all be there, and I’d get to bounce around the room chatting with each one of them at my leisure.

 

6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?

Goodreads has been good so far. I’ve relied on it the heaviest. I’ve used Facebook sparingly, but I don’t have an author page set up. I’ve been pumping out reviews and news through my personal page which is the only thing I use it for. I told myself when I started out, I wouldn’t get drawn into the whole social media scene.

 

Aside from writing a book people want to read, marketing is the most important. However, I don’t believe I have to be everywhere or everything to everyone. If you’re looking for a place to focus on readers, Goodreads makes the most sense to me.

 

 

7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?

 

Read. A lot. Figure out what you like, then write a book that you would want to read. After that, get others to help you develop it. Get feedback. A lot. But in the end, remember that you’re the captain of the ship.

 

You can find beta readers on Goodreads, too. That’s something I wish I had done more of. I used a group of friends, family, and their friends and family. If I could go back and do it again, I would have begun using Goodreads much earlier in the process.

 

8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?

 

The biggest thing I’ve been praised for about the book is the detail. I built such an immersive world with the first book. I have plenty of room to expand on with another. I’ve laid the foundation. Once I slow down with the marketing, and I feel like I’m ready, I’ll dive into the next one. I see myself getting to that point before the end of the year.

 

Extra Info:

kenteng2

Goodreads Author Profile –

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18267464.Bo_Wu

 

Goodreads Book page –

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40966179-mermaids-are-real?ac=1&from_search=true

 

Amazon Author Profile – https://www.amazon.com/Bo-Wu/e/B07G3C8P1K/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

 

Amazon Book page –

https://www.amazon.com/Mermaids-Are-Real-Mystiq-Prong-ebook/dp/B07FTMLGQS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541335981&sr=8-2&keywords=mermaids+are+real

 

Facebook page – (feel free to add me as a friend)

https://www.facebook.com/mebowu

 

Leaving Jackson Wolf by P.A. Kane Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

One young man’s chaotic journey through high school, a troubled home life and racial bias on the rise make this coming of age story not only relevant, but important and emotional in author P.A. Kane’s novel, Leaving Jackson Wolf. Here is the synopsis.

The Synopsis

Passing through the transition hallway at South Park High School was as mundane a task as passing along a text message. But not for Jackson Wolf and James McDougal. One spring day bullies randomly target them—teenage fists are thrown and suspensions are issued.

After school, Jackson is indifferent to McDougal’s overtures of friendship until the whiz-kid proposes they jam the security cameras of a local drug store with his iPhone and steal some beer. From there the two fringe boys, biracial Jackson and undersized McDougal, become fast friends. Together they combat bullies, their alcoholic fathers and bond over the beautiful—Syd and Lexi, indie music and extreme biking.

But as the boys grow in strength people start to exit from Jackson’s life, leading to him to question his choices and believe forces in the universe are conspiring against him. With the help of McDougal and the stunningly competent Jessica Lee, Jackson learns that he must draw on his own power and goodness as he confronts the possibility of his greatest loss yet.

The Review

This was an incredible read. Set against the backdrop of the 2016 US Presidential Election, the author explores what it’s like for a biracial young man living in an age where people feel empowered to showcase their darkest, most biased opinions, whether they be racist, sexist, or anything else in that realm. When your alcoholic and abusive father is also racist and a Trump supporter, what kind of mental state would that leave a teenage kid in that setting?

The story also explores themes of abandonment, friendship and the discovery of who we are as people and what we are capable of becoming. While the racial bias and election are the backdrop, the true story lies in the unlikely friendship that develops between Jackson and McDougal. These two unlikely friends fine common ground and push each other to be the best versions of themselves they can be. In that journey they not only discover true friendship, but a bond of brotherhood and family neither one of them knew they needed in their lives.

The writing here is amazing. A quick read, the story flows smoothly as we explore Jackson’s life at home and with his friends. We see young love blossom, tension rise as terrible parental figures weigh heavily on the minds of these young people, and the author’s use of setting really helps bring the characters to life in a real and profound way, making the situation feel like it could easily be non-fiction rather than the coming of age fiction that it truly is.

The Verdict

Overall this was a phenomenal, must read novel. This coming of age YA read was relatable and impactful as we live in a post-election era of Trump and the violent and racist upheaval that has followed that election. The author captures the raw emotions of both sides of the political divide while also showcasing the mindset of young people today and how they are often caught up in the sins of their fathers, both literally and figuratively. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of Leaving Jackson Wolf by P.A. Kane today!

Rating: 10/10

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HSM5V32/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07HSM5V32&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

About the Author

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Growing up in a three bed/one bath house with nine siblings in Buffalo, New York was a just the facts, assembly-line type of childhood. However, one day in the late seventies, well into my clamorous teen years, that all changed when my exhausted mom uncharacteristically asked several probing questions about how I was doing, what I wanted of life and how I was going to get there… totally confounding me.  She was supposed to dish out commands and make declarative statements: …take out the trash …don’t come home unless you’re bleeding; …every time you masterbate it’s a hundred-years in purgatory. Not ask me to articulate inward looking, reflective questions about myself. Self-examination and contemplation, was light years beyond my transactional existence.

 Eventually, though, due to a certain amount of aimlessness and failure I did come to consider my mom’s questions and many more of people, time, place and heritage, which have become the basis of the novel “Written In The Stars: The Book Of Molly.” Seen through the eyes of young Molly Shea it is an exploration of the ways and means of 1979 Irish-Catholic, South Buffalo and an evolving girl’s place in that world.

Presently I am one neighborhood removed from South Buffalo in West Seneca, New York where I live with my wife, three college age children and a cat that hates me. I have a State University of New York background in English and I love trade paperbacks, quiet black mornings and The Ramones.

https://www.facebook.com/pakane14220/

https://twitter.com/PAKane14220

http://www.pakane.net/

http://buffalomud.com/

Book Release Day Blitz: Not So Wicked by T.A. Moorman

 

Not So Wicked by T. A. Moorman

Published October 30, 2018 by GothicMoms Studios

YA Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

Caught in a realm they know next to nothing about, in a time
where they’re hated for not what they are but how they look, these supernatural
teens may find it harder to curve their bloodlust than they thought.

 

Like most teens, even those with supernatural powers and
abilities, Elvira thinks that her days at Be Prepared High are a colossal waste
of time. Especially Feeding 101, since she’s a cursed vampire that was born
without fangs. She and her friends view most of the classes as useless since
they never plan on venturing to the human realm. Why would they when Underlayes
was made specifically for every factions’ safety, where they could roam free
day or night with not a care in the worlds.
But just like her parents always told her, sometimes you’re
put into situations you can’t control.
Elvira’s life takes an unexpected turn when a wizard hell
bent on misplaced revenge kidnaps her and several of her friends. Not only does
she send them with a one-way ticket to Detroit, Michigan, she sends them to a
time when the tension amongst the races is at its highest. And having to deal
with race issues is the one thing that has never even been so much as a thought
to any of them and is the one course not on the roster.
But will everything they’ve learned in school be enough to
keep them alive? What will they all do when racism stares them in the face?
Most importantly, how will they get back home?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G8XJNDP
https://www.books2read.com/u/38rWpO

 

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41559413-not-so-wicked
#Vampires #NotSoWicked #YoungAdult #ComingSoon
#YoungAdultParanormal #Paranormal #Rasputin #BePrepared #Supernatural
#Only99Cents

 

Chapter
1

Once
upon a time… Really? I’m not starting my story off with that lame ass cliché. Fat chance. Not when my story is anything but
classic. You can think of this as the life and times of a teenage vampire. A
real one, not one that sparkles as though we were sprinkled with some type of
fairy dust. Oh! And we’re born, not made by just being bitten, consuming blood
from another vampire, or any other legend you may have researched somewhere. The
bitten one is the most ridiculous theory any of us have ever heard of. I mean
really, think about it, if everyone ever bitten by a vampire were to turn into
one how could they ever go back for seconds on the same victim, er donor? Could
you imagine how large the vampire population would be? Anyway, you wanna hear
my story? Just sit back, grab a pint of blood, or milk, and have a listen.
First
off, I don’t live in your dimension, I live in a separate one called
Underlayes. Where the things that go bump in the night – werewolves, vampires,
mermaids, sirens, witches, and so much more – truly are real. Underlayes has
regular neighborhoods just like Earth does, we don’t live in a ton of dug out
caves, or cryptic looking castles; besides the royals anyway. We used to live
amongst you guys, but that was way before my time, and a story way too long and
boring for me to bother with repeating. Just know that we all truly do exist
and a very few of our number walk alongside you still. So, you may want to
think about that before you lay down at night after bullying the school nerd or
your shy co-worker. If they’re the silent and quiet type they’re more than
possibly plotting your untimely demise and deciding what side-dish you’d go
best with. Or what curse to place on you. Something my Mom should have thought
about a long, long time ago.
Me?
The names Elvira, yea, Mom and Pops have a sick and twisted sense of humor.
Which when you come to think of it is actually a very good thing, since Mom was
dumb enough to piss off a witch when she was preggers with me and my brother,
Dracula (yup, again with the humor), Drake for short. During one of her many
mood swings dear old Mom went completely off on an already pissed off witch;
something about the witch crossing in front of her, and Mom thinking that would
make us come out cross eyed (and you thought your mom was superstitious, Ha!).
Miss Witch decided to do her one better and really did curse us both. I was
granted with the gift of being the only vampire known of with NO FANGS! Since
Underlayes doesn’t have hospitals bagged blood isn’t exactly just lying around.
Why not just bite down extra hard you say? Probably because that leaves a big
chunk of meat in my mouth and vampires can’t digest meat; we have a strictly
all liquid diet. Why not just slit someone’s wrist and pour it in a cup you
ask? If you were on an all liquid diet, would one glass a day keep your hunger
pains at bay? NO! And draining someone completely dry doesn’t work either,
unlike how they portray things in your human movies, blood clots up pretty
quickly when it hits air; unless pumped up with nasty anti-coagulants which
leave a horrible aftertaste and makes the blood nearly impossible to digest. So
the blood shortage on your neck of the veil? Feel free to blame that on us, Mom
and Dad had to feed us somehow during the experimental processes of properly
bagging and storing the blood the way humans do. But no worries, they haven’t
had to raid your neck of the realms in a long time now. The alchemist’s studied
the components your scientists used and now have it down pact.
I’m
not really sure if Drake’s curse is worst or pretty much just as bad. Him? He
goes into a full-blown shock at the very sight of blood; fainting spells,
seizures, black outs, the works. Though lucky for him rarely all of those at
once. Lucky for Mom and Dad, he could still at least savor the taste and smell
of it. But talk about being seriously dependent upon someone else, hard to
nourish yourself when you can’t even look at your food. And as a baby? You try
putting a blindfold on an infant, especially one with fangs, and let me know
how well that works out for you. Ah, but it made for some fangtastic pranks
when I was thirteen, which also ended in a lot of punishments. But they were so
worth it!
So
that’s us, Elvie and Drake, two of the only known vampires forced to live on
bagged blood. Though Drake may get lucky one day and be able to savor a neck or
two, as long as he keeps his eyes shut tight and doesn’t dribble.
Can’t
we just break the curse you ask? Ask Aunt Flo that one. Did I fail to mention
the witch in question was, and still is Mom’s best friend? She’s also a witch
with more power than she can handle who needs to watch what she says at ALL
times. The curse was supposedly never intentional and trying to undo it has
proven pretty much impossible.
 Mom, Trinity Alkaev, is a beautiful creature
with a body neither skinny nor large, but what one describes as buxom
perfection. Also, one of the most patient females you will ever meet, and a
truly ferocious beast, fangs and all, when pissed. Dad, Borya Alkaev, is the
strong not so silent type, with a chiseled chin and sculpted cheekbones in
which I heard would give Michaelangelo a run for his money. Born after the
creation of Underlayes, he’s only two hundred years old, so I never understood
how he ended up with such a thick accent as if he just left the great
Motherland of Russia. The exact opposite of Mom when it comes to patience, but
the best dad any set of unorthodox twins could ask for. Neither of them were an
only child, but both are the youngest and only surviving children from both of
their respective lines. Many died before the dimension of Underlayes was made,
some during the move. And Aunt Flo, I’m not even getting into that one. And as
far as looks go Drake and I are a perfect combination of the two, with the
exception of the fact that I have no fangs.
THUD. CRASH. SCREAM.
What
in Hel’s name was that?
“Elvira
Esfir Alkaev!” Moms blood-curling screams vibrated through the floorboards,
“How many times do I need to tell you not
to leave your blood bags lying around? Get down here and help me clean up this
mess. And carry your brother to his room!”
Well
there you have it, the usual beginning of a day in the house of Alkaev.
“Now
young lady!”



About the Author:
When you become a Mom, you begin to put yourself last, and your
combat boots begin to collect dust. Going to your child’s PTA meetings in full
Gothic, especially industrial, regalia is pretty much frowned upon. Especially
by your own children, and your teens would die of a heart attack. But, one
should not have to completely stop being themselves, uniqueness is greatness.
So all of that darkness is put into words in her books, and designs in her
jewelry sold in her Gothic Moms Dark Charms shop on Etsy and Rebels Market.
Single mother of five beautiful children, but by
far more than just that. T. A. Moorman is an artist, a former violinist, a
seamstress, a crafter, a writer, a blogger, a reviewer, a dark confidant and a
darkly dangerous, fiercely protective friend. She still hopes to one day find
her Dark Knight in shining armor, since Prince Charming would never be able to
handle her. And currently broke, so go buy something of hers and tell everyone
you know how much you love this book.
Author Links:
https://www.facebook.com/MoormanTA
https://www.facebook.com/GothicMomsGraphics
https://www.facebook.com/GothicMoms
https://www.facebook.com/GothicMomsDarkCharms/
https://www.pinterest.com/gothicmoms/
http://gothicmoms.blogspot.com/ 
https://twitter.com/GothicMoms
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14851642.T_A_Moorman
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DementedDivas/
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/t-a-moorman

 

http://eepurl.com/cELB79




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Mermaids Are Real: The Mystiq Prong by Bo Wu Review

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A phenomenal new YA adventure begins in author Bo Wu’s novel Mermaids Are Real: The Mystiq Prong. Here is the synopsis.

The Synopsis

“’Crabs talk?’ asked Benji. 

‘Everything in nature speaks. Not everything in nature listens,’ said Octavius nodding Topside.” 

Benji Fisher has spent the first twelve years of his life growing up in a small fishing town, Topside. He’s gotten used to the gang of dolphins who follow him on his surfboard and the voices he hears under the water; odd things that have, in their repetition, become part of normal everyday life. 

However, none of that prepares him for the recruitment speech he gets from an octopus named Octavius and three of the dolphins the night before his thirteenth birthday. 

What would you do if your ‘calling’ in life required you to take a leap/dive of faith? Would you take the plunge? 

The Review

This was an incredibly original and unique take on the YA genre. Mermaids have been a constant source of mystery and intrigue in pop culture. Author Bo Wu has created a fabulous mythology not only for mermaids but for the entire ocean world. A world often taken for granted or ignored by humanity as a whole, the author did a wonderful job highlighting the beauty of the natural ocean world and the danger of our carelessness and ignorance of our impact on that world.

The characters drew you in immediately. From the bond between father and son duo Joe and protagonist Benji, to the mermaids and ocean life that Benji bonds with as he gets accustomed to his home world. This story played heavily on the fantasy/mythological side of the YA genre, and the result was a thrilling journey filled with untold danger, a mysterious new world and one of the most original settings in a YA novel this year.

The Verdict

Overall I loved this book. The story was filled with intricate details and characters that kept the reader pulled in the entire read, and made for an evenly paced read at that. The story does a marvelous job of creating a memorable villain and shocking twists that will change the narrative of the story several times. With a satisfying conclusion that leaves the possibility for future books open without leaving readers on a cliffhanger, I certainly hope we get to return to Aquari and explore Benji’s story more in future installments. If you haven’t yet be sure to grab your copy of Mermaids Are Real: The Mystiq Prong by Bo Wu today!

Rating: 10/10

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FTMLGQS/ref=x_gr_w_glide_ku_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_ku_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07FTMLGQS&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Learn More About the Author At The Links Below

https://mermaidsarereal.co/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40966179-mermaids-are-real