Choosing Xaverique Blog Tour

I've really been enjoying having the opportunity to discover new stories and meet new authors through Happy Lil' Book Tours. I honestly believe that one of the most important things I can do as an author is to build relationships between both the writing and reading communities.

I have always enjoyed hearing about those powerhouse writing groups of the past that spurred one another on in their pursuits. My favorite of these groups has always been C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, and G.K. Chesterton. How seriously awe inspiring would it have been to sit and just listen to these master story tellers talk about their philosophies, imaginative worlds, and dreams of the future. Iron sharpens iron, and building these connections that can help all of us to encourage one another and push us forward is invaluable.

This week I had the great pleasure of getting to know Karyn Sepulveda, the author of Choosing Xaverique (pronounced Zaver-reek). I enjoyed learning more about her characters, as well as her writing process. I also got her to give me some pronunciation details, because I always want to know how the author intended things to be said. Here are her answers to my interview quesstions:

1.) There is a lot of debate in the writing community over whether to be a planner or a pantser (literally flying by the seat of your pants when writing.). Which camp would you say you typically choose? When it comes to your characters, are you rigid in their development, or do you give them room to evolve on their own throughout the book?
I am definitely a happy medium between the two. I always start a story as a pantser and just see what comes out - but I usually get stuck, so I then go back and plan and plot my storyline and the story evolves from there. I let my characters develop freely throughout my writing - I don't create character profiles for them or anything that planned out. But I do spend a lot of time during my editing process, scrutinising my characters and ensuring that what I have written is true to each character's personality.

2.) If you could meet one of your characters in real life, which one would it be, and what would you do with that character?
I love this question! I would meet Noah. I have no idea how, but I would try to make him realise that he is good at heart, that he deserves and is worthy of Gabby's love.

3.). What is something you can tell us about your characters that is not revealed in the book? (For example favorite food, music style, secret talent, etc?)
Gabby is a very creative person. She loves music and sees the beauty in random things, such as buildings, bridges, trees... Noah loves reading or did as a child but hasn't allowed himself to read for a long time... Mia loves desserts, anything sweet she loves and can be won over with... Zac is an artist, he sketches, usually complicated scenes from video games...

4.) If your main characters were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would they take with them?
Tricky question! Gabby would take her iPod/phone for music, photos of her family and water. Noah would take a book, his wallet (which is the only present he remembers receiving from his mum) and matches.

5.) Do you have plans for a sequel in the future?
Yes! I'm in the final editing stages of the sequel.

Here is more information about the book:

Choosing Xaverique
By: Karyn Sepulveda
Summary from Goodreads:
Reality and fantasy collide when Noah and Gabby meet. Both have secrets: they are not human,
cannot be killed and are falling in love with each other.
Gabby Valis is a regular fifteen year old; her biggest worries in life are friends, boys and her
annoying brother Zac. But her life is shattered the day she finds out she is not human. She had no
idea she belonged to a secret species which has evolved from humans; ‘Xaveriques’. After being hit
by a car, her body is forced to heal itself, and Gabby’s powers are unleashed…
‘I died this morning. At exactly 8.17 am my heart stopped beating and I lay cold and still in the
street. At 8.24 am my heart resumed beating, I jumped up from the dusty pavement and ran home.
Confused? Well, that makes two of us.’
———————————————————————————————————————-

Click the graphic above or the link below to read the first 2 chapters of Choosing Xaverique. You
will be hooked!
www.karynsepulveda.com/#!chapter1/z6jys
———————————————————————————————————————-
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29444742-choosing-xaverique
amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Choosing-Xaverique-Karyn-Sepulveda-
ebook/dp/B01C3CKMWI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467610273&sr=8-
1&keywords=Choosing+Xaverique
————————————————————————————————————————
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Karyn comes from a background in teaching and theatre. Teaching drama, and writing and directing
Theatre in Education productions. She’s always loved creating stories and characters, so completed
a Masters in Creative Writing at Macquarie University.
It was here that her journey of writing Choosing Xaverique began. Now, six years later, she is just a
little bit thrilled it has finally been published! Karyn is currently working on the sequel to Choosing
Xaverique, slated for production later this year.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://www.karynsepulveda.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29444742-choosing-xaverique
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karynmsepulveda/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karyn_sep/
——————————————————————————————————
Blog tour Schedule:

Monday July 4th: Tegan (twrshelton.wix.com/bookdragondreaming)
Tuesday July 5th: Jen (http://www.happylilbooknook.com)
Wednesday July 6th: Abby (http://www.instagram.com/snowydayreviews)
Thursday July 7th: Elizabeth (http://www.instagram.com/throneofshatteredbooks)
Friday July 8th: Jordan (http://www.readbyroe.wordpress.com)
Saturday July 9th: Shivani (http://www.doodlingoverpages.wordpress.com)
Shuani (http://www.nicheofabooknerd.wordpress.com)
Sunday July 10th: Sarah (http://www.transientdrifter.blogspot.com)
Blog Tour Organized by:
Happy Lil Book Tours
Hosts were provided with a copy of the book for review purposes in exchange for their honest
reviews and opinions.

Please be sure to check out the other accounts participating in the tour as well :)

My personal review is up on Goodreads. I gave the book 4 stars. It was a really fun and interesting story. I particularly liked the way she dealt with young teenage love. I have read other reviews that criticized how quickly the romance got started, but my response to them is, clearly you have never been a young teen girl. I thought Karyn very accurately described exactly how silly and ridiculous every little detail can be, from over analyzing every brush of skin on skin, to daydreaming endlessly and obsessing about when the next moment of contact will take place. I'm super curious to see where her story will head in the next installment.

Cut by Emily Duvall Blog Tour

Today I will be sharing an interview with Author Emily Duvall, as well as information about her book, Cut. I am currently in the midst of reading it, so my review isn't fully figured yet, but I've been enjoying it so far. I have been reading so many YA books lately, that it's kind of refreshing to read something more on the adult side of things.

I really enjoyed having a chance to delve into Emily's mind regarding her character building process. I hope you'll enjoy her responses as well :)

When you are developing your characters, do you have plans for how they will behave, or do you let them dictate their actions? I always give my characters one trait that is very "them." For example, I decide that the heroine is going to be impatient or immature, etc., or if the hero is going to be hard-headed or spoiled, and I let that trait dictate his or her actions. Those actions then shape the scenes, responses, and interactions with other characters. If my main character is impatient, I let that guide her behavior and show that through action and example. This helps me to write consistent characters and more important, helps me to shape how that character can change and improve.

Which of your characters do you most identify with, and why? I most identify with Olivia Lawson from my second book, Back to You. She's quiet yet straight-forward. She's surrounded by strong personalities, yet has her own strength in deciding what she wants and who to trust. It's easy to get lost in the opinions of others and I wanted to show the reader that at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you (and trust yourself).

Can you tell us something special about your main characters that will not be directly revealed in the story? (Favorite food, style of music, fashion accessory, story, etc?) I love this question! Makes me wish I had hinted at this in the book. In Cut, Brent Harrison has a weakness for 90's country music and Jessie never wears the color yellow. She always has bad luck whenever she wears that.

If you could meet one of your characters in real life which one would it be, and where would you spend the day with that character? Hands down, I'd meet Brent. I'd demand he take me on a gemstone hunt hopefully somewhere international and non-English speaking, a place where some of the last adventures on the planet are still real. Oh, and I'd hope to get some kind of massive, rare diamond out of the deal.

In general, would you consider yourself a planner - detailed outline follower - or pantser - let the story take you where it will? I'm a pantser all the way! The only thing I know with certainty is how I want the book to end. Whenever I outline I end up doing nothing on the list, so I stopped writing with one. At the end of every chapter I ask myself one question: How can I make this situation worse for my characters? If I haven't done everything to get them set in the wrong direction, I re-write the chapter so they make a lot of mistakes that will come back to bite them. Otherwise, my books would all be over in 10,000 words.

~E


Now here is some more information about her book, as well as the other people who will be sharing their thoughts throughout this tour. I'll be completing my reviews once I get a chance to finish the story. For now, however, it's time for me to get back to my own editing project!



Cut
By: Emily Duvall
Summary from Goodreads:
Jessica Cahill is having one perfect night. In six weeks she’ll walk down the aisle and marry her
long-time boyfriend. But for tonight, she’s celebrating hard at her bachelorette party. It’s the time of
her life until… she takes things too far.
Brent Harrison is having the worst night of his life. Across town, seven rare diamonds are tucked
safely in the vault at his brother’s mansion. These diamonds are special. They hold significance.
They belong to the infamous Abbott Tiara. The task should be easy, he should have them by the
morning. That’s when everything goes wrong. That’s when he runs into her.
One tiara
Seven diamonds
Sometimes beautiful things come at a cost…


About the Author:
My love of reading stories began as a young girl. I read my first romance novel decades ago, and I
was hooked. Seriously. I still am. And although I have not always been a writer, I’ve always been a
reader. I encourage writers everywhere to keep their love of reading during the “process” of
writing.
No matter what genre I read, I always come back to romance stories as my absolute favorite. There's nothing like that one book that stays on your mind long after you’ve read the ending. But that’s
the entire point of writing in this genre I suppose, to create characters that stay on your mind and
your heart, to bring on the falling in part of love and all that comes with it: wrong choices,
complications, miscommunication, and loads of heartbreak.
Advice to you if you’re starting out on your writing journey? Write each day, even if it’s only a
sentence. So much of writing is just doing it. Just write. Just give those characters in your mind a
story to tell. I worked in educational research for the National Assessment of Educational Progress
where I developed training materials for national studies for years before I began writing. Then I
had my children. There was no time for much of anything. However, between the two, I started
writing early in the morning (since I was up anyway) and fed my creative outlet. Motherhood,
careers, college, and whatever life throws at you can coexist if you want to pursue writing. – Emily

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website: http://www.emilyduvall.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/eduvallauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyduvallauthor1/
GIVEAWAY:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/050c6a3b2/
(Code for Giveaway)
a
Rafflecopter giveaway


TOUR SCHEDULE:
Monday June 27th:
Angie (http://www.instagram.com/mywolfs_booktaste)
Sarah (http://www.transientdrifter.blogspot.com)

Tuesday: June 28th:
Laura (http://www.lifeisabookblog.com)
Charlotte (http://www.writingsofa21yearold.wordpress.com)

Wednesday: June 29th:
Kathleen (http://www.www.bookshaul.wordpress.com)
Zeee (http://www.eyeheartromance.com)

Thursday: June 30th:
Tegan (twrshelton.wix.com/bookdragondreaming)
Friday July 1st:
Jordan (http://www.readbyroe.wordpress.com)
Saturday July 2nd:
Jen (http://www.happylilbooknook.com)

Sunday: July 3rd:
Karol (http://www.readwithkarol.wordpress.com)
Hosts were provided with a copy of the book for review purposes in exchange for their honest reviews.

Mist and Whispers Blog Tour

I honestly can't remember the last time I turned on my computer. Funny how technology changes, and those things once indispensable become obsolete. I do pretty much everything on my iPad these days, but there are a few glitches that I can't seem to convince it to overcome. One of the most obnoxious is the fact that it never lets me add photos to my blog. Annoying to say the least. So I'm hoping that my ancient MacBook will concede and let me do this blog tour thing properly tonight.

I was given a free copy of the book "Mist and Whispers," the first book in the Weaver's Riddle series by C.M. Lucas, in exchange for an honest review. I'll share some prepared information I was given about the book and author first, then give my personal thoughts at the end.



The Weaver’s Riddle (Mist & Whispers)
By: C.M. Lucas
Summary from Goodreads: 

Imagine a world in eternal darkness. A world where skeletal beasts lurk in the forest. Where the women are missing, and the men are in need of salvation…
In the West-English town of Little Wolf Green, Scott’s bookshop is about to close down. Convinced the bookshop holds the key to her mother’s identity, sixteen year old Anya Piddling vows to save Scott’s, whatever the cost.
When four books of magic and myth take the world by storm, Anya begins a journey to discover the truth about the author, known only as the Weaver. Followed closely by her friends, and one surly, bitter ex-boyfriend, Anya soon realises a whole new world awaits: a world gone very wrong, with maddening whispers in the forest, magical winged Kings and a dragon-boy that understands her, inside and out. But this world needs a saviour… and everyone is looking at her.

Erimus Hall 
HIS HEART THRASHED against his chest, a prisoner desperate to be freed from this burden. There was no way out. He had a job to do, and if it wasn’t done at that moment, his entire plan would be over before it even began.
The earth was but sludge, encasing his feet as he struggled up the bank. Bullets of rain struck his face as the winds lashed around him, obscuring his view and leaving him helpless in the dark.
Then, as if a divine hand was guiding the way, a flash of lightning revealed his final destination; Erimus Hall. The Hall was only another hundred meters away, run down and deserted, his sanctuary nonetheless.
Resisting the temptation to rest against the stone wall at the top of the bank, he pushed on, clambering across it with the rain-soaked trunk in his hands. Once over and sure of his feet, he took a moment to look around. Any sign of someone following and he’d have to revert to his back up location, as even with his goal in sight, he wouldn’t allow himself the risk of assuming he was home safe.
A clap of thunder quickened his pace and a minute later he’d reached the doorway, where a century’s worth of ivy had claimed the oak as its own. He set on it straight away, teasing back the creeper with a gentle hand, the whole time fighting against the instincts that were screaming inside his head.
Just tear it down – you’re going too slow – someone’s going to see you! 
No. He couldn’t leave a sign that he’d been there. It had to look natural.
Two more bursts of lightning gave him a glimpse of what he needed to allow his unmarked entry into the building. With the trunk safely inside he took one more look around, and with another strike of lightning, he was gone.



Claire Marie Lucas lives in South-East England with her husband and three children. She began writing stories from inside her wardrobe at the tender age of six and hasn’t stopped writing in obscure places since; her current favourite being the cupboard beneath her stairs.
The Weaver’s Riddle – Mist & Whispers is her debut novel.




So now for a few of my personal thoughts. For the most part, I enjoyed the story. It had an interesting premise, and there is a lot of room for it to continue. I liked the fact that, unlike most series that are written these days, the story did come to some sort of conclusion. There is nothing more annoying than investing in a story only to be left totally hanging and feeling like nothing has been tied up in the end. On the down side, there was so much action, that it was often hard to really get a feel for what was taking place. I like to be able to breath every now and then in order to connect more with the characters. I quite liked the main character, and can see where the author can really push her forward in the books to come. Romance flirted around the edges several times, but nothing came to fruition on this book. Hopefully future books will delve deeper into character development and growth.

Overall, I was entertained, and would definitely be willing to follow along with the series in the future. A great read for people who enjoy fantasy, and are prepared to race from action scene to action scene.

I have more of these book reviews coming up, but I'm also hoping to get a little more into my writing process here on the blog. I know it's quite a turn from my classical blogging style, but since I don't get many opportunities to travel anymore, this is what I have to work with for now. :)

Transition Blog Tour

So this is my first time taking place in a blog tour, and it has definitely been an interesting experience thus far. I had the privilege to receive a copy of the book, "Transition," by Paige Walker. It was not a book I would typically have picked out, but I enjoyed the story, and even more appreciated having the chance to get to know a little about the author and her process.

As an indie writer, making connections and supporting other authors is hugely important. In a field that is awash with options, it is always challenging to know how to gain recognition and find an audience. I believe it is important to find ways to get involved in the writing community, and encourage others to keep reaching for their goals. I have really appreciated the NaNoWriMo organization for that as well. As we all strive to make our dreams come true, it is important to remember that this should be about cooperation, not competition. It is also about helping one another to push our art to be the best it can be.

When I came up with questions to ask Paige, I wanted to hear more about her personal connections to the story, and the ways in which she created and grew with her characters. Every writer has their own individual process, and I think learning more about that process is fascinating. Here are the questions I asked and her responses:

Which of your characters would you say that you identify with the most?
I don’t really relate 100% with any one of my characters. I’d like to think there is a little of me in each one. However I can relate to Nichole’s stubbornness, Casey’s quirkiness, and Jade’s addiction to shopping.

Before you started writing did you have a clear picture of where the story would go, or do you like to wait and see what develops after you get things started?
Before I started writing I already knew how the story would end. I wouldn’t say I had a clear picture of the whole story in general. I’d like to think it’s a little bit of both. I knew where it was headed but I also let it develop as I wrote.

What is something about your main character Nichole that you didn’t share in the story? For instance, who is her favorite action hero or what did she dream of becoming when she was a little girl?
Nichole dreamed of becoming a chef simply because she likes to eat. She never gets the chance though and it’s not something that she thinks about after all that’s happened.

When you’re writing do you prefer to listen to music, or have total silence so you can concentrate? If you do listen to music, did you have a particular playlist that helped to inspire you?
I prefer silence when I write. I get distracted if I’m doing something else. Listening to music does inspire ideas but when I’m listening to music I”m usually not writing. I don’t have a particular playlist. I usually just listen to songs that I like at the time.

At the end of the book, you seemed to be opening things up for a sequel, do you have a longer series planned?
Yes! I do! I am currently working on part 2 and part 3 of the Transition Series. Hopefully part 2 will be published in 2016. I don’t currently have a title for part 2.



As far as the story itself goes, I would most likely recommend it to people who enjoy books like Stephanie Myers' Twilight Saga, or Amanda Hocking's My Blood Approves series. While it was not exactly my personal style, it was a fun quick read, and very much in line with the work of these other writers. Paige included some fun twists in her plot, and it was evident that she really had a good time while she was writing her story. If you check out her website, paigewalkerauthor.com, she is currently hosting a giveaway for a free signed copy of her book, as well as a t-shirt.

I would like to thank Paige, and happylittlebooknook.com for giving me the opportunity to take part in this blog tour. I'm really hoping to have the chance to continue making more writerly connections in the months to come.

Stagnation and the Writing Life

Hmmm, well, so much for staying on top of things here. I often find myself feeling like Alice, only rather than giving myself very good advice that I seldom follow I tell myself I'm going to keep up on things and then...well it's all that stagnation business. The whole reason I started this blog was to keep up with people while I traveled. These past four years, things just havne't gone that way. Hard to be a transient drifter when you spend all of your time in one place.

To say that owning your own business is a challenge would be the understatement of the past four years. To say that I have handled it well would also be deceiving. I've learned a lot, but still haven't found myself miraculously transformed into a business woman. Over the past six months, however, I've been pushing myself in another direction, and I actually feel like I've been making progress.

I've wanted to be an author pretty much forever. From "The Case of the Missing Dog" when I was six, to the classes I created for myself in High School to work on my novels, I've been longing to reach the point of publication. While all those glorious years of transience through Hong Kong and the Czech Republic benefited my soul, they also put off my writing, so it wasn't until November 2013 that I finally got that first book in print. Sadly, it's still in some state of disarray, because "the business" has taken up so much of my time and energy. However, in November 2015, I finally forced myself to really get back into the habit. I joined NaNoWriMo, and wrote a 50,000 word novella. I'm in the second round of edits right now, and hoping to have a completed copy available by the end of June. I also managed to join Camp NaNoWriMO in April, which helped me get the first draft of the second book in the Aristonia Chronicles finished. In the midst of this stagnant period hope slowly rises.

Through other creative outlets like Instagram, I have discovered the bookstagram community, as well as a plethora of other indie writers out there. It takes time to make connections, but I seem to be making some inroads. I am scheduled to do a blog hop to help promote the book of another writer, and I have been reading a back log of contemporary YA writers in an attempt to delve into the minds of the current YA reader. The opportunities are out there, now all I have to do is figure out how to make the most of them.

I'm hoping that, throughout this year, I will be able to connect here more often, and to share more about my writing process, as well as shed some light on what other writers are trying to accomplish. It's all in me, now let's just see if I can get it on the page :)

New Year, New Vision

Ah the blog, it has slipped. Mostly fallen off the radar. Life, and all of that, has overtaken, and I have had trouble keeping up, trouble knowing what to say. But, it is a new year, and with that come new challenges, responsibilities, and new hopes.

This year, I have been blessed to be invited to be a part of something very special. I have the privilege to be an ambassador for Gadanke journals. If you've never heard about this incredible undertaking, please check them out: www.gandanke.com. (Note: I'm currently writing this on my iPad, so adding links is not so easy, and I'm not sure if my photos will work, or if I'll eventually have to add them via a computer later.)

Anyhow, as a Gadanke ambassador, my first project is to share a really exciting project designed to reach out to and encourage children to celebrate their stories. The Time Capsule For Kids journal allows kids to record the things that they think about, love, fear, wonder, hope, and so much more. I have had the chance to look over the new book, and I so wish I had had something like this when I was a kid. Of course, as a prolific writer from early childhood, I have an assortment of my thoughts and ideas captured, but their just fragments, and they don't tell the whole story in the voice of the me I used to be.

In this world where kids spend more time staring at screens than climbing trees, where their vocabulary has been reduced from full words and ideas to acronyms and text speech, wouldn't it be great to pull them back to reality, even in some small way, to celebrate the simple things that bring them joy, and to discover the beauty of what they can create with their own hands? The Time Capsule For Kids can help to provide them with that opportunity, and hopefully inspire them to continue to document their lives in the future.

So, what would you put in a time capsule from your childhood? What bits of pieces from your childhood do you wish you could remember with the poignancy they once carried? What do you cherish now that you would like to recall on difficult days in the years to come? This doesn't have to be a journal for children only, it can help anyone who wants to hold on to the precious bits and pieces of life that can so easily slip from our grasp.

(Unfortunately, I have still been unable to convince my iPad and blogger to work together, so you'll have to check out my photos on Instagram :)

Here is a little look into what I might have put into a time capsule as a kid. And think about where you might have gone to write as a child, or where you might want to escape to as an adult...

There are so many possibilities.

Another important part of the Gadanke mission is helping women and children in crisis. They have developed a program where these journals can be purchased at 50% of the retail cost and they will be donated to children who have suffered from domestic violence. Katie Clemons, the creative visionary and journal crafter behind Gadanke, is passionate about helping people celebrate their stories, and live a more intentional life. She is using #shareastory to help promote the way the Time Capsule Journal For Kids can have an impact.

So, in this New Year, I hope I, too, will be able to reach out and help others come to a place where they can celebrate the lives they are living, and discover that we all are important.

Retreat

What a month. After starting to get my feet back under myself in March, April pretty much knocked the wind back out of me. There were highs (a nice visit with my parents), lows (taxes and recent bad news for a friend), and everything in between. The days have spun, whirled, blurred themselves together in a mix of heavenly sunny weather, and the typical cold damp gray of an Oregon spring. I find myself now, at the end of this month, wondering again how childhood time ever seemed to move at a snails pace, because I swear it was just a few days ago that I was taking down the store Christmas tree, and here we are all stocked for Mother's Day and Summer.
This afternoon I am heading off to a retreat with the ladies from the church I currently attend. This will be my first night away from home since Christmas, and my first night away from our silly little dog ever. I find myself a bit of a worried mess about him, even as I'm super excited for this opportunity to get out and do something different. I am under no illusions that having a pet is the same as having a child, but I can't deny the mothering instinct that this separation has given birth to within me. Will he remember to eat and drink while I am away? Will he whine at night when he realizes that I am not coming home. Will he curl up in my spot on the bed beside my husband, or pitifully wait on the couch for my return? I'm sure he'll be just fine, and that I'll be rewarded with lots of dog claw scratches and warm tongued licks when I do get back, but I can't help but feel a little guilty for leaving him behind...
Well, I had no idea all of that would come out. I think one of the most fascinating things about writing is when I just let go and allow whatever is really inside me to reveal itself. All this to say, I'm really looking forward to my little night away, and hoping that I will come back refreshed and ready to better be the person I'm meant to be. Okay, that last line was sorta lame, but you know what I mean ;)