Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Owl Tell You All About It - October 31, 2012


Welcome to the October edition of Owl Tell You All About It!  October has been a month of changes here at Starting the Next Chapter.  I am gearing up to take up writing on a full-time basis and our dear Nikki is hard at work finishing up her next-to-last semester of grad school.  What does this mean?  What else?  We needed more help!  Enter GiGi and Shalena, two very awesome ladies who have both saved my butt and rocked my world.  Thanks to these two, Starting the Next Chapter isn't going anywhere.

You met Nikki last month and GiGi just yesterday.  Soon you will meet Shalena, though if you want a sneak peak, you can head over to her home blog, Writer Quirk, to learn more about her.  Both of these gals are awesome and I think you will like them as much as I do. 

In addition to new bloggers, there is also a new addition in the form of the Goodreads group that the lovely GiGi has put together.  There, you will be able to take part in our monthly reading challenges and watch as GiGi and I challenge each other to read books we would never have considered otherwise.  It should be lots of fun, so we hope you will check it out!

One last bit of news for you.  I will be taking part in NaNoWriMo this year, so the month of November may see me extremely busy as I work to write more than 1660 words per day.  What do I hope to accomplish?  It is my plan to complete the first draft of my work-in-progress so that I may finally get all of these thoughts and ideas in my head to make room for more.  I hope to make it a birthday present to myself since it does so happen to fall on the day after NaNo ends.  Mighty convenient!

Marla's Books Read in October





Marla's Books To Read in November







Reviews Posted



Other Posts






Physical Books


The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
(purchased)
The Archived by Victoria Schwab
(borrowed from Megan at Myth-illogical)
(used book store find)
The Great Encyclopedia of Faeries by Pierre Dubois
(used book store find; writing research/inspiration, baby!)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
(used book store find)
The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins by Terry Jones
(used book store find; writing inspiration)
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
(used book store find; $1!)
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
(used book store find; also $1)

Digital Books


(November 6, 2012 from Little, Brown BFYR; for review via Netgalley)
Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
(July 12, 2011 from Delacorte BFYR; digital library book)
After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel
(September 13, 2011 from Bloomsbury USA Children's; digital library book)
Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr
(September 4, 2012 from HarperCollins; digital library book)
Chaos Walking: The Complete Trilogy by Patrick Ness
(purchased)
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Waiting on Wednesday #46


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

My WoW pick for this week is Dance of the Red Death, the follow-up to Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin, coming April 23, 2013 from Greenwillow Books.  I adored Masque, so I am very eager to get my hands on Dance.



The sequel to Masque of the Red Death, which Melissa Marr called, “Haunting and beautiful.” Araby Worth is poised either to save her city, or to abandon it. In a novel that embodies dark, sexy, tragic, and fearless, Bethany Griffin concludes her incredible, atmospheric reimagining of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic short story.

Araby Worth’s city is on fire. Her brother is dead. Her best friend could be soon. Her mother is a prisoner, her father is in hiding. And the two boys who stole her heart have both betrayed her. But Araby has found herself, and she is going to fight back. Inspired by one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most compelling stories, “The Masque of the Red Death,” Bethany Griffin has spun two sultry and intricate novels about a young woman who finds herself on the brink of despair but refuses to give in. Decadent masquerades, steamy stolen moments, and sweeping action are set in a city crumbling from neglect and tragedy. A city that seeps into your skin. Dance of the Red Death is the riveting conclusion to the dark and fascinating saga of an unforgettable heroine.

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Two and Twenty Dark Tales Blog Tour - Interview w/ Angie Frazier

Welcome old readers and new!  Today I have for you the latest stop on the Two and Twenty Dark Tales Tour.  In case you haven't heard, Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retellings of Mother Goose Rhymes is a collection of short stories by several YA authors we all know and enjoy.  Month9Books is donating proceeds from the sale of the first 5,000 books to YALitChat.org, which "fosters the advancement, reading, writing and acceptance of young adult literature worldwide," (their words, not mine). Be sure to check out my review, which is forthcoming.

For today's stop, Angie Frazier was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us all.  Angie is the author of the Everlasting series and the Susanna Snow series, both published by Scholastic.  Her contribution to the anthology is a take on the rhyme "Boys and Girls Come Out to Play" where the boys and girls are called out to play... by witches!  Definitely one to look out for!


Marla: Hi, Angie! Welcome to Starting the Next Chapter. Thanks for being here today.

For those out there meeting you and your work for the first time, can you tell us all a little about yourself and your books?
Angie: I’ve written two YA novels, EVERLASTING and its sequel, THE ETERNAL SEA. They’re historical fantasy adventure/romance, but one reader called them “Indiana Jones in skirts” and I think that suits them perfectly! I also have two middle grade mystery novels out starring Suzanna Snow, THE MIDNIGHT TUNNEL and THE MASTERMIND PLOT.

Marla: How would you describe your contribution to Two and Twenty Dark Tales?
Angie: It’s a spin on the little known rhyme, Boys and Girls Come Out to Play. It starts out, “Boys and girls come out to play, the moon doth shine as light as day” and I wondered why children would go outside to play in the middle of the night. My imagination went to work and my retelling resulted in a tragic story about two sisters and some dangerous witches that beckon teenagers to their woods for a life or death game of magic.

Marla: What has been the best thing about contributing a story to this anthology?
Angie: I fell in love with this short story and I think I’d like to explore it a little more. It could definitely be a full-length novel someday.

Marla: Where is your favorite place to write?
Angie: very comfortable but ergonomically incorrect couch in my writing cabin!

Marla: Which authors are your biggest influences?
Angie: For contemporaries, I adore Sarah MacLean and Jennifer Donnelly. They make me want to be a better writer. For classics, Edith Wharton and Dodie Smith are close to perfection in my opinion.

Marla: What is your favorite thing about writing?
Angie: When I’m writing, I’m not living one life, but multiple lives. My characters and their stories take me along for the ride. When their story is complete, I can begin a new adventure.

Marla: What is your favorite Mother Goose rhyme and why?
Angie: So many! After reading Leigh Fallon’s Wee Willie Winkie in this anthology, I think that’s the one that most freaks me out now!

Marla: Last question: Which Mother Goose rhyme would you most want to find yourself in the middle of?
Angie: They’re all so messed up, I’m not sure I’d want to find myself in any of them! I know the one I’d most like to avoid though: Little Miss Muffet!


Thanks for the interview, Angie!


About the Author

Angie Frazier is a writer and mom, a good cook, and a horrible housekeeper. Angie’s debut novel, Everlasting, published by Scholastic Press, is a mixture of everything she loves in a good book: history, mystery, adventure, romance, and fantasy. Her middle grade novel, The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow Mystery is a Spring 2011 Kids' Indie Next Pick, and Kirkus has called it "a likely and likable Edwardian Nancy Drew." She lives in southern New Hampshire with her husband and their three daughters.

 

About Two and Twenty Dark Tales

In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.




Useful Links



The Giveaway

One lucky reader will win an ebook copy of Angie Frazier's book, The Eternal Sea!  This giveaway is open internationally.  Good luck, everyone!

The Prize


a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #45



Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event from Jill at Breaking the Spine. To participate, simply share that book(s) you are eagerly awaiting the release of and report back to Breaking the Spine with the link to your post. Clicking the link above will take you straight to her post and widget.

This week I'm waiting on the third book in The Goblin Wars series, When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears by Kersten Hamilton.  It will be released on June 4, 2013 from Clarion Books and I simply can not wait!  I've enjoyed the series more and more as it has progressed, so I am really looking forward to seeing what happens next.



 “People will die.”

Locked doors are opening, and uncanny creatures are tumbling through mysterious portals from Mag Mell, the world-between-worlds, into the streets of Chicago. The Dark Man has marked Aiden with a new song that’s scared him badly, and a frightening new group of sídhe is lurking nearby.

Teagan knows this is war, and she must protect her family. She leaves her flesh and bones behind to join Finn in hunting the evil beings across the city. Meanwhile, their relationship is heating up—almost faster than they can control. But he is still bound to fight goblins his entire life . . . and by blood she is one of them now.

Then the gateway to Mag Mell cracks open again, and the Wylltsons find themselves caught in a trap. As her loved ones begin to die, Teagan realizes that she must destroy the Dark Man and his minions once and for all in order to save those who remain . . .

. . . before it is too late.


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Sunday, October 21, 2012

New to the Nest - October 21, 2012




Physical Books

 Furious by Jill Wolfson
(April 16, 2013 from Henry Holt & Co. BYR; for review from Macmillan)

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
(Bought for Book Panel/Signing at the End of the Month!)

Crewel by Gennifer Albin
(Bought Because It's Awesome!)


Digital Books

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey
(free for Kindle)

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
($1.59 for Kindle)

Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
($1.59 for Kindle)

Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel
(January 29, 2013 from St. Martin's Griffin; for review via Netgalley)
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Friday, October 19, 2012

Crewel Blog Tour - A Special Guest Post from Gennifer Albin


Welcome, readers!  Today's stop on the Crewel Blog Tour features a really fun guest post from the one and only Gennifer Albin.  For those who don't know, the Spinsters are seen as glamorous figures in Arras society.  As such, they are expected to appear flawless and dressed to the nines.  Gennifer has prepared a post to show you just how much of a role fashion plays in Crewel.  It's a lot of fun, so I hope you all will enjoy it as much as I did.



Fashion is key element in Crewel for two reasons. First, it builds the atmosphere of Arras, and second, it’s a lot of fun to write. When I decided to call my girls Spinsters (after a lot of deliberation, see why on my stop at Emily's Reading Room), I wanted to upend expectations, and what better way to do that then to turn them into femme fatales. The girls of Arras are power and dangerous, even if they don’t quite realize it, so I outfitted them like the screen sirens of Old Hollywood.

Spinster Style


Their hair and cosmetics reflected a similar, classic aesthetic.

Cosmetics of Arras


The male population of Arras has a similar sense of style. This is an outfit you might see Erik, or Jost on his best behavior, wearing on a typical day: a pinstripe suit, polished cufflinks, and a fedora. Who could resist that?

Crewel men





About the Author

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. During her student years she served as an editor for Pleaides and The Missouri Review, and since then she’s founded the tremendously popular blog theconnectedmom.com.  She lives in Kansas with her ridiculously supportive husband, two small children, and a Tuesday cat.




About the Book

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.


Add It to Goodreads Crewel (Crewel World, #1)


The Giveaway

One lucky US/Canadian reader will win a copy of Crewel and a Crewel bracelet!  Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

See More Stops on the Tour

Monday 10/15                   http://www.lushbudgetproduction.com/
Tuesday 10/16                   http://birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com/
Wednesday 10/17           http://hobbitsies.net/
Thursday 10/18                 http://cuddlebuggery.com/
Friday 10/19                       http://www.startingthenextchapter.com/
Saturday 10/20                  http://www.bookswithbite.net/
Sunday 10/21                     http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/

Monday 10/22                   http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/
Tuesday 10/23                   http://bookalicious.org/
Wednesday 10/24           http://www.emilysreadingroom.com/
Thursday 10/25                 http://bewitchedbookworms.com/
Friday 10/26                       http://christinareadsya.blogspot.com/
Saturday 10/27                  http://www.twochicksonbooks.com/
Sunday 10/28                     http://www.ibbookblogging.com/
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