Unusual Suspects: Offbeat Fairy Tales in Random Magic from Sasha Soren

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by Sasha Soren
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All the world loves a story, and fairy tales are some of the greatest stories of all. There are a few fairy tale characters referenced in Random Magic (Sasha Soren) - they might just be a little different than the ones you expect.

Here we have a few of the unusual suspects from the book:

Name: Baba Yaga
Story: Appears in Slavic fairy tales, a cunning and tricky old woman,
with a gift for magic.

In Random Magic: Actually, our Baba Yaga in Random Magic is a bit like the traditional Baba Yaga in character - shrewd, powerful, and tricky - only a little more spiffy and possibly a lot more dangerous, depending on her mood. In the novel, she’s an old age pensioner with a dark sense of humor and a love for playing games of chance.

Quote from Random Magic:

Her face floated uncannily in the spiral of green smog. She sniffed the air, nostrils twitching. Her eyes narrowed, and she stared over her shades at Winnie.

“I smell magic, witch girl,” she said.

~*~

Name: Rapunzel
Story: A young maiden is locked in a tower until she’s rescued by a prince.

In Random Magic: Well, in the novel, she’s still locked in the tower. And she still has massive amounts of golden hair. But the heroine of Random Magic, Winnie, proposes a solution for Rapunzel to rescue herself, if only she’d use a bit of resourcefulness and common sense.

Quote from Random Magic:

“Come back!” yelled the girl in the tower. “I can’t leave until Prince Charming comes to rescue me. You must tell me if you’ve seen him.”

Winnie squinted an eye and sized up the situation.

“Not to be nosy, but…”

“Yes?”

“Seems to me,” Winnie said reasonably, “that your hair’s long enough there that you could climb down all by yourself.”

~*~

Name: Calliope
Story: In Greek mythology, Calliope is one of the Nine Muses, celestial sisters who inspire great works of art among mortal men.

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, all the Muses have nicknames, because their given names are a bit of a handful - Efterpe (Effie), Melpomene (Mellie), and Calliope (Callie), etc. Callie is still the chief of the Nine Muses, and inspires writers to great works, however, she’s also genial and hospitable, and loves a good party almost more than anything. She’s good-natured and helpful, but has almost no attention span. She’s fond of naps and is always running late - although, after all, she’s never running late, really, because her lifespan is …eternity.

Quote from Random Magic:

The sound of murmuring voices drifted in from another room. Winnie, Henry and Effie stuck their heads cautiously through the doorway of the brightly lit room, and took a peek.

“That’s her,” Effie whispered. “There she is.”

“Where?” said Winnie. “Never mind. I see her.”

She was hard to miss. Callie was hanging upside down from a chandelier, laughing.

Her fiery red hair didn’t hang down, and never really came to rest, but floated around her like a nimbus.

~*~

Nevermore shown as a raven at :37 in Random Magic book trailer

Name: Nevermore
Story: Nevermore is a line from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, the poem can be read here: The Raven

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, Nevermore is a shapeshifting raven, and possibly the most well-read and most serious of Callie’s companions, as he knows all but says very little.

Quote from Random Magic:

With a last flap of dark wings, the raven alighted on the balcony. It scanned the room with sharp black eyes, decided all was well, then hopped down.

The raven changed into a tall young man with long dark hair, wearing a glossy black coat. He stepped over Mojo, slithered across the salon and into the bathroom.

~*~

Name: Hansel and Gretel
Story: Poor little Hansel and Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their evil stepmother, outwit a witch who’d like to eat them, and make their way home following a trail of breadcrumbs.

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, Hansel and Gretel are quite capable of taking care of themselves, and more than a little spoiled. They still meet a witch in the middle of the woods, and they still leave breadcrumbs in the forest, but the story turns out a little different from the traditional fairy tale.

Quote from Random Magic:

“Hello, harmless old woman living by herself in the woods,” said snack food number one. “We’re little lost innocent precious lambs of children abandoned by our wicked witch of a stepmother.”

“Wicked witch, is she? Has she got a guild badge?”

They stared at her blankly.

“Never mind, I’ll take your word for it. So, you were saying, about this charming young--”

“Old.”

“Old, was it?”

“Yes,” swore Hansel. “Old and ugly.”

“And mean,” added his sister.

“And she’s got a wart,” he said. “Right on the end of her nose.”

“Ah, a real looker, then.”

~*~

Name: The Wolf (and Little Red Riding Hood)
Story: In the traditional story, Little Red Riding Hood is on the way to visit her grandmother and she’s intercepted by a big bad wolf, who’d like to eat her up for lunch.

In Random Magic: In Random Magic, the wolf is called Brute, and he’s a far less evil sort; he helps the hero and heroine of the story (Henry and Winnie) because Winnie saved his life, once.

Quote from Random Magic:

Brute edged cautiously up to the big black door of a huge gate. In the distance, Henry could just make out the twinkling lights of something large, dark, and spooky. With turrets.

They dismounted.

Brute stretched, then shook out his wobbly legs, spattering Henry with mud.

“That’s as far as I go, sorry,” he growled gently. He shivered suddenly, his fur bristling like a nervous cat. “They give me the creeps.”

~end

Guest post created by Sasha Soren, author of Random Magic
© 2012. All rights reserved.

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by Sasha Soren
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Explore more topsy-turvy tales in Random Magic!

You might also enjoy: The Top 10 Characters in Random Magic.

More Random Magic:
Print // Kindle // Twitter // YouTube

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 13, 2012 --> extended to May 31

TO DO: (2 parts)

1. TELL ME which fairy tale twist was the most amusing to you or which offbeat fairy tale character from ABOVE would you most like to meet and why

2. WATCH the Random Magic book trailer above and tell me which part of the trailer you most enjoyed or were surprised by.

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

EARN an extra point: watch the book trailer on youtube and leave a comment there

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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* image sources: fairy tales gift, Baba Yaga, Rapunzel, Calliope, Hansel and Gretel, wolf

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Lily from Christine Schulze

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by Christine Schulze
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Chasmira Eriz (as seen in The Hero Chronicles) interviews Lily from Lily in the Snow.

I sit with the young Earth Elemental maiden, each of us in too comfy armchairs beside a cozy fireplace inside my castle at Loz. I have invited her here to interview her about her life’s story, for although she has hardly lived sixteen years, her story has been told throughout many worlds, including my own, quickly becoming a classic tale of how love conquers all.

Her emerald eyes glance about the room with a serene curiosity, and I, in turn, watch her with my own curiosity. She is a lovely thing, long, lithe, graceful, limbs, and every inch of her, from her hair to her skin to those jewel eyes, is green. Many different hues and shades of green, as though someone painted her beauty into existence. A perfect portrait sitting before me.

“So, tell me, Lily,” I begin, “if it doesn’t offend you, why you look as you do? We don’t really see many Elementals in these parts, and I can’t help but be intrigued by your lovely emerald skin, hair, and eyes.”

A soft smile lights her face. “I am an Elemental, yes. I am an Earth Elemental, to be exact. One with the earth, easily able to grow new plants, to help make the forests and gardens of my world flourish, and I can also speak freely with the trees and their spirits, understanding their pains and needs.

“It wasn’t always so though, I used to be a Rock Elemental, as I am sure you’re aware.”

I nod, trying not to stare too hard at her, already fascinated. Fingering the small bit of green crystal I held in my palm, a gift she’d sent me before coming to meet me, I said, “Yes, that is a great part of what makes your story so renowned amongst our world and others. What was it like before, being a Rock Elemental?”

“In some ways, much like being an Earth Elemental, save that I was one with stone instead of earth. I could easily latch on to the walls of the caves I lived in, scurrying along the ceiling like an insect, exploring and hiding in the smallest crevices. The minerals and crystals were my sustenance, and they and the caves which housed them and the bats and Pierson, my guardian, were all I knew of the world.

“That is because then, as a Rock Elemental, I was a very rare sort. A fragile sort. My body was covered in delicate crystals which made going into the outside world dangerous for me. Touching against the bark of a tree might cause me to lose many crystals. And while I felt no pain in this, if I lost all my crystals, it would mean my life…

“So my life was a lonely one…til I met Jewett…”

A reverent smile lit her face, and her gaze shifted to the book lying on the small table between us. My gaze followed hers, and I couldn’t help smiling myself. I’d looked the book over many a time; it was full of the most wondrous drawings and paintings of every kind of flower imaginable, many of which I had never even seen in my own world.

“Jewett,” I whispered. “And how did he save you from your loneliness?”

“He loved me,” she returned, softly but not without a deep love and admiration; she almost sang the words. “He loved me for who I was. He showed me freedom, a choice to live in the outside world. I was only fourteen when I met him, but I think, deep down, that I knew from the start he was the one who would love me forever, and I him.”

“Yes, that is why I was so interested in meeting you. Because my love story shares some similar links with yours. Is that what you would have others learn from your story? That Jewett’s love for you is what saved you?”

“Yes,” she said, “I think so. And that loving another for who they are is one of the greatest kinds of love. It wasn’t easy for either of us, the sacrifices we had to made. But, now that our trials are past, here I am.”

“Yes,” I agree with a smile. “Here you are.”

~end

Guest post created by Christine Schulze, author of Lily in the Snow and Other Elemental Tales
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Christine:
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari

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by Christine Schulze
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READ more about Lily here...

Lily in the Snow and Other Elemental Tales
by Christine E. Schulze
- fantasy, YA
Jewett ran.

He and the earth carried her, the earth granting a gracious speed, as if it could feel through his arms, the rarity of the gem he held, the urgency of its protection...

Mica Schist, a rock Elemental, has always felt secure in her caves high in the snowy mountains. Protected by her adoptive older brother, Pearson, and befriended by the bats of her cave, it is the only life she has ever known.

Until an outsider, Jewett, an earth Elemental, arrives, illuminating Mica not only to the possibility of a whole new world outside hers, but of a life with the young man who opens that world to her.

When Jewett unmeaningly brings great danger to Mica, her only chance of being saved is to escape with him into the woods he loves so much; it is a dream any girl would have, to flee danger with her newfound love.

But upon entering his world, she realizes how fragile she truly is, why Pearson always seemed too obsessed with protecting her. Jewett's world, though beautiful, is harmful; no longer connected to her rocks, their security and oneness with her, she finds that the smallest things in his earthern world hurts her. The simple scraping of her skin against the bark of a tree, her falling on the forest floor--even Jewett's touch. All of these, so harmless to anyone else, make the soft mica crystals covering her from head to toe shed away too easily.

And when an Elemental loses all of her crystals, it can only mean one thing: death.

How can Mica choose between saving her life and saving her new life with Jewett?

Four Elemental novellas and two short stories weave magic, romance, and adventure into a brilliant new collection of coming-of-age tales in Schulze's debut YA anthology with Old Line Publishing.

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 6, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. ONE of these:

ADD this book to your Goodreads

or

ADD this book to your Shelfari

or

TWEET this: (or click the twitter button on this post)
Giveaway: Lily in the Snow by Christine Schulze

2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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* image source Lily girl

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Fairy Tale HOP

FAIRY TALE HOP
April 26 - May 1, 2012
hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
and vvb32 reads
complete HOP list
For this HOP, I wanted to share my current favorite fairy tale character...

Snow White
from Snow White and the Huntsman
directed by Rupert Sanders
film to be released: June 1, 2012
In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.



Yessssss, the tough girl version. This is one of those films definitely on the to watch list for the year.

How about you?

~*~
AND now for the HOP giveaway...

Another tough gal...

Cloaked
by Alex Flinn
I’m not your average hero. I actually wasn’t your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with the curse. And the frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn’t a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I’ve ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don’t believe me? I didn’t believe it either. But you’ll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got CLOAKED.

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 1, 2012

TO DO:

VISIT Alex's site and tell me something of interest you found there.

AND include your email (if I don't already have it)

ALSO, feel free to signup for more of my Fairy Tale related giveaways on the sidebar!

NOW, on to some hopping...


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Contest has ended - winner is here

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Interview with Isadora Rivers from Ashley S. Morgan

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by Ashley S. Morgan
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When my car pulled up to the imposing iron gates, my breath caught in my throat. Rising high on the hill before me was a medieval castle. I smiled to myself and shook my head. Only in Los Angeles could you find a Gothic chateau, a Streamline Moderne masterpiece, a Spanish Colonial mansion, and a Medieval Castle situated only a couple of streets apart.

Today I was interviewing Isadora Rivers, a successful Hollywood actress, who, with her husband Tristan, owned this gorgeous home modeled loosely after the Carlisle Castle. After being admitted through the arched wrought-iron gates, I parked my car next to a circular fountain from which rose a pair of Botticelli-like angels. To get to the ‘house,’ I had to cross a draw bridge, the heavy oak boards creaking under my black suede heels as I passed over a murky pond full of water lilies. Before I even had a chance to lift the heavy brass knocker, the front door, painted a deep red, slowly creaked open, revealing Isadora, the screen goddess herself, wearing a flowing Juicy Couture dress with a funky print and gold ballet flats. Her blue eyes sparkling, she graciously invited me in and proceeded to usher me to ‘the hall.’

I followed her into an airy room with loft ceilings and long, rectangular green-glazed windows set into stone walls. She immediately directed me towards a grand fireplace, with an 11th century iron candelabra sitting on its mantel, and two upholstered 17th century English library chairs set in front it. She directed me toward one of the chairs, and, as I settled in, my eyes swept the room and immediately noted the intricately patterned Turkish carpets on the walls and a Dan Colen original.

As I took out my digital recorder, Isadora looked at me expectantly.

“I’m curious about your decorating choices,” I began. “Why the ancient Turkish carpet AND the modern Dan Colen original?”

Isadora flashed me a brilliant smile and smoothed her long black hair over her shoulder. “The Dan Colen was a gift from my best friend Sarah. Back when we were in high school, we saw the piece together in a gallery, and she promised me that if she ever made money, she’d buy it for me.” Isadora’s smile became sheepish as she added, “Sarah said that all the reds and greens and yellows mingling, colliding, and dripping into one another had this crazed energy about them that was ‘so me.’”

Isadora paused for a moment, and bit her lip. Then her face became dreamy as she added, “As for the Turkish carpets, when I first met Tristan, we had this special place in the woods. One day when we were lying on a blanket, watching the sunlight flickering through the flaming leaves, I noticed all the crazy patterns on the forest floor. To me, the patterns of light and shadow were as intricate as a Turkish carpet. So that’s why I bought the rugs. They remind me our special place – the place I first fell in love with Tristan.”

Nodding and leaning back in my chair, I asked “How would you describe Tristan? How do you complement each other?”

Isadora’s face lit up at the mention of his name. “Even now, Tristan is still a bit of a bad boy. I mean, there’s something deliciously dark about him. He’s rebellious, and he has a mind of his own. That said, he’s also super observant, brilliant, loyal, and he really challenges me to grow, you know? He always has. Back when we were in high school, I was totally reckless, and, well, he kind of saved me from making some fatal mistakes. I’m still a little wild; Tristan’s still a lot steadier than I am, but the combination keeps things interesting.”

“What is the darkest moment from your past?”

Isadora’s face clouded over. “Something horrible happened to me in high school. I don’t want to go into the details, but it almost ruined me. You know, changed me forever. Ripped apart my psyche, so to speak.”

I leaned forward and was ready to probe further, but I could tell by the look on her face that the subject was closed.

“Okay, final question. If you could give one piece of advice to the younger you, what would it be?”

Isadora’s expression became deadly serious. “Stop being so impulsive and melodramatic, because it will cost you dearly.” Her expression darkened and her voice became shaky. “In fact, in some ways, both Tristan and I are still paying for what happened so long ago.”

To find out more about Isadora and Tristan, you can pick up Torn by Ashley S Morgan in the Kindle Store for a mere $2.99. Thanks to vvb for generously allowing me to write a guest post for her blog.

~end

Guest post created by Ashley S. Morgan, author of Torn
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Ashley:
Book Excerpt
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Shelfari

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by Ashley S. Morgan
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READ more about Isadora's world...

Torn
by Ashley S. Morgan
Isadora Rivers feels trapped. Her small town high school is suffocating her.

Another day of wannabe gangsters, dumb jocks, and Barbie clones, and she'll just lose it.

Her keen emotional sensitivity is to blame. She sees through all of the poser behavior to the pain and insecurity simmering just below the surface, and it's overwhelming. She feels like she's literally drowning in other people's emotions.

This same sensitivity, however, makes her a great actress. Suffocating or not, her high school is one of the top arts schools in the country. Acting is not only her passion, but it also looks like her way out. If she can just score the lead role in the school play, she might get herself noticed by a Hollywood agent. But she's got a strong reckless streak, and it keeps getting her in trouble and jeopardizing her chances.

Riding her bike at top speed, she swerves in front of a car and nearly gets hit. The driver, Tristan Blake, turns out to be the mysterious new boy at school. He's rebellious, broody,and wise beyond his years. He's also devastatingly gorgeous. From the moment their eyes meet, Isadora is irresistibly drawn to him. But as soon as he enters her life, things go horribly wrong. She begins having disturbing visions full of unimaginable glamour and unbearable darkness. He knows things about her he shouldn't. And he's somehow so familiar. As he at turns pulls her close, and then pushes her away, Isadora feels like her heart is being twisted and torn.

She soon discovers that her whole future is in jeopardy, and her only hope is to stay away from Tristan. But how can she turn away from the only boy she has ever loved? As a harrowing event looms closer, one that threatens to rip apart her psyche, Isadora must reach deep inside herself and find the strength to change her own destiny. But is she strong enough to do it?

--~ eBook Giveaway courtesy of author ~--
WIN a copy of this ebook!

Open to all.

Offer ends: May 6, 2012

TO DO:

ANSWER me this: Which cover do you prefer for this book and why?

~*~

	- vs -
Cover 1		Cover 2

AND, leave your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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* image source brass door knocker

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Interview with Roman from Shannon Duffy

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by Shannon Duffy
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
“Thanks, Mr. Matteo,” Senora Bianchi says to me as I hold open the cast-iron door to the castle. My eyes cut to the stack of papers she holds in her hands, wondering what drill I’m in for. She smiles tightly, tugs the papers close to her chest, and sashays past me inside. A blast of cold air hits us, lifting the hem of her white dress, and a stale whiff of cigarettes and booze wafts off her. I know Jewel’s waiting for me at the Café Florian and I need to get out of here. Fast. Just answer her questions short and to the point.

Senora Bianchi is a high council member for the Augusti Forza. They don’t want me with Jewel. Nobody wants me with her, especially not Paolo. Now, over the next few days I’m expected to answer a series of questions by different members of the council to decide my punishment.

I follow behind her, hands sunk low in my jean’s pockets, and zone in on the clicking of her shoes against the cobblestone floor. This castle has been the Augusti’s command center for centuries now. Although I’ve been here a million times before, a nervous knot settles in my stomach, unsure of what will happen at this interview. Keeping my head low, I drag in air from behind my leather jacket in a hopeless attempt to drown out her lack of hygiene—not even the musty odor of the castle can mask that.

We pass a set of giant wooden doors and the clanging of swords and shouts from inside causes me to lift my head. I pause and cop a peek. Dozens of the Augusti Forza train here every day, for every imaginable threat. My cousin Stefano catches my gaze just as a lightning bolt is shot through the air. He shifts at in-human speed, barely missing the zinger. It strikes one of the statues fitted with chain mail armor and he watches as the armored knight clatters to the ground in a heap. Stefano laughs haughtily.

My laugh in return is cut short by the clamping of Senora Bianchi’s fingers around my arm like a vice grip. She’s lucky she’s a woman or she’d be toast. Instead, I tug my arm back and fall in line behind her again.

She ushers me into a small, circular brick room and we take a seat across from each other. Flanked beside her chair like bookends are two life-size lion statues, and behind her, four red, gold, and white Camelot style banners hang on the wall. The largest one in the center bears the crest of the Augusti Forza, a huge Andean Condor in flight.

Senora Bianchi rifles through her papers and I shift my attention back to one of the lions. Its head is held high, one enormous paw held out in front.

She clears her throat. “So, Mr. Matteo.”

“It’s Roman.”

She sweeps her gaze over my black, freshly polished boots, up over my blue jeans, and sets her glare back on me. “Roman. Please tell me what it is you see in that girl?”

I want to ask her what she doesn’t see. I want to ask her why she feels I need to answer her dumb questions, or even better, why she doesn’t shower. Instead I shrug. “Jewel’s not what you think.”

Her eyes narrow and her fingers tighten around the papers in her hands. “Then please enlighten me. What is it about this girl that’s so special? So special that you thought it was important to betray your coven…your own family?”

I clamp my jaw tight, feel it working, and swallow back the fire burning in my throat. I didn’t sell my family out. “Our coven wasn’t ever in danger,” I say, forcing my voice to remain steady.

She runs her fingers through her red hair, styled in a hairstyle as archaic as this medieval castle. After folding the papers in sharp edges, she places them on her lap, lips tight. “And you would know this, si? Because you’re so mature at age eighteen?” She lifts a ginger brow. “You think you’re so special that you can go around breaking rules that have been around for centuries?” She crosses her arms, shooting daggers at me.

Now she’s just being condescending. My pulse begins to climb, but I sit still and put on my poker face. I imagine Jewel’s beautiful face, and her eyes that are like liquid pools of the sea. I check my watch. I don’t want to make Jewel wait much longer. I promised my girl a gondola ride, and I always deliver. She has this way of making me feel important, needed. And right now, I need to feel her arms wrapped around me, need to kiss her. Just thinking about her makes me feel like the wind got knocked out of me.

I let my eyes wander to the golden statue of the lion again. Its mouth is molded into a proud grin. It’s strong, proud, fearless.

I am that lion.

Glancing back at Senora Bianchi, I twist my lips, mimicking its expression. “Senora Bianchi. I’m sorry I let the Augusti Forza down. I’ll do anything that’s asked to fulfill my punishment.” Her mouth slides up into satisfied smirk and in a calm voice laced with steel I add, “Anything besides leaving the girl I love.”

~end

Guest post created by Shannon Duffy, author of Spectral
© 2012. All rights reserved.


Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release.

Visit Shannon:
Book Excerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

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by Shannon Duffy
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READ more about Roman here...

Spectral
by Shannon Duffy
Just released: April 4, 2012
Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

PeekAbook:



~*~
* image source castle door

* part of Spectral tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies sponsored by Tribute Books



***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

In the crowd: Gisborne

The JOUST tournament has ended and we find ourselves making our way towards Castle Bryggja for the grand feast and mayhaps to explore the rooms.

As we walk into the courtyard we see Sir Guy with...

a chocolate egg?!?

~*~
READ about Sir Guy here...

Gisborne
Book of Pawns
by Prue Batten
Just released: February 2012
- historical fiction
more details here
Twelfth century England – a time when status means power.

Guy of Gisborne – a man of disturbing secrets and subtle skills.

Ysabel of Moncrieff – a woman of status whose life changes with the receipt of a letter.

Two people drawn together by loyalty, lust, and a lost inheritance and whose existence depends on how they move between Church and State; on whom they shall trust…

and on how they play the game.

--~ eBook Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of the Kindle version!

Open to all.

Offer ends: April 30, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. VISIT Prue's site and leave a comment on any of her posts - make sure to tell me which post you commented on.

2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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~*~
* please note: castle guest posts following this one will appear from authors with book giveaways that are not necessarily of the Fairy Tales genre

* image source Gisborne from Prue Batten's site

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Happy Release: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules
by Julie Kagawa
Just released: April 24, 2012
OH, Happy Day!
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
by Julie Kagawa
~-~-~-~-~ guest ~-~-~-~-~
A Q&A with
New York Times Best Selling Author Julie Kagawa

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.

Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?

At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

LOL, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.

~end

Guest post created by Julie Kagawa, author of The Immortal Rules
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Visit Julie:
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter

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by Julie Kagawa
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READ more about this world...

--~ Book Giveaway courtesy of publisher ~--
WIN a copy of this book!

Open to US and CANADA only.

Offer ends: April 30, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. at lease ONE of these...

ADD this book to your Goodreads

or

ADD this book to your Shelfari

or

TWEET this: (or click the twitter button on this post)
Giveaway: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

or

LIKE Julie on Facebook

or

FOLLOW Julie on Twitter: @Jkagawa

or

FOLLOW Julie on her blog

or

FOLLOW Harlequin Teen on Facebook

or

FOLLOW Harlequin on Twitter: @HARLEQUINTEEN


2. AND, let me know in comments what you did along with your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Banquet Hall with Bernadette Walsh

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by Bernadette Walsh
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I am sitting in the banquet hall of a medieval castle with Lord William Conroy. It is a hot summer day and the room is stifling.

“You could really use some central air in here, sweetheart,” the Lord said.

“Lord Conroy, I know not what of you speak.”

“Honey, you sure talk funny. You’re not from Long Island, are you?”

“I am Lady Bernadette, your betrothed.”

“My what? Lady, I think you got me confused with someone else. I’m Billy Conroy from Gold Coast Construction. Some one left me a message, and let me tell you, it was a bitch to get my truck through that moat. God, it’s hot. I’m dying here. And what am I wearing?”

He strips off his tunic and he is soon naked from the waist up. I avert my eyes, as a Lady should, but he is certainly a sight to behold.

“Sir, please put your clothes on. You embarrass me.”

“Aw, come on, lady. It’s nothing you ain’t seen before. Am I right? Now where is my measuring tape? I’ll get you a quote. The economy being what it is, I can get this whole, um, castle, right? Yeah, castle. I’ll get the whole job installed for you by next week and since you claim to be my, what-ya-macaliit? Yeah, my betrothed, I’ll give you my friends-and-family discount.”

“You are very kind, sir. Would you like some ale?”

“Yeah, sure. A cold Bud would be great.”

I pour the clearly confused man a goblet of ale, while still averting my eyes from his bare torso. He lifts my chin and forces my eyes to meet his. His blond hair glistens in the low light of the banquet room. “Thank you, I appreciate it. Listen, you seem like a nice lady and all, but I’m kinda seeing someone right now. So, I, uh, can’t be your betrothed.”

I can’t help but smile into those big blue eyes. “That is all right, kind sir. I am sure my father, the Earl of Sussex, will find someone else for me. Your beloved is a lucky lady.”

“Ellen. That’s her name and believe me, Lady Bernadette, if you saw her you’d know that I’m the lucky one.”

~end

Guest post created by Bernadette Walsh, author of The House on Prospect
© 2012. All rights reserved.

Author Bio
I have always been a bookworm and had always meant to write a novel “someday.” You know, when I won the lottery and could live in beach house and look out onto the water and feel inspired. Four years ago I decided to stop waiting for my winning lottery ticket and sat down and started writing in between work and family obligations. I piled the words on top of each other until they formed sentences, paragraphs, chapters and eventually a book. The House on Prospect is my second novel. My first, a contemporary romance, Gold Coast Wives, was published in November 2011. The first book of my paranormal trilogy, Devil’s Mountain -- Book One of the Devlin Legacy, is due to be published in June 2012. While I’ve hopped around genres, all of my books to date have a common theme: strong women handling what life throws at them the best way they can.

Visit Bernadette:
Book Excerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Goodreads
Shelfari
Twitter: @BWalshWriter

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by Bernadette Walsh
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READ more about Billy...

The House on Prospect
by Bernadette Walsh

Published: January 11, 2012
Publisher: Echelon Press
Genre: Women's Fiction
eBook
Rating: 4

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

Ellen Murphy spent her childhood in an idyllic house by the sea. A house surrounded by flower filled gardens and a white picket fence. A house she fled at eighteen. A house full of secrets.

When Ellen’s mother Rose, an ex-nun, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Ellen reluctantly returns home to care for her and uncovers a clue to the one secret that has haunted Ellen all her life: the identity of her father. But that is just one of the many secrets hidden behind the beautiful facade of the house on Prospect Road. Ellen discovers the high price both her mother and her Irish grandmother paid for the house on Prospect and she realizes that her meek mother is more of stranger to her than her absent father.

My two-bits:
In-a-word(s): mr mystery
Engaging story of three generations of women. As the story revealed the different layers of relationships and character personalities I was left with the question of whether or not some secrets are best not told (in regards to life outside of the book).

~*~
* image source medieval banquet

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising

* part of The House On Prospect tour - check out the other stops for more details on this book and goodies

sponsored by Reading Addiction Blog Tours

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Twist 1 vs. Twist 2

And now, the final JOUST of the day for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between TWISTS of a fairy tale known as Robin Hood.

In comments, answer me this...

WHICH do you prefer?

~*~

	- vs -
TWIST 1		TWIST 2

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

fyi: part of The Class of 2k12.

Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead

After losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for none other than King Raven, whose exploits have already become legendary. After fulfilling his quest—and proving himself a skilled and loyal companion—Will joins the heroic archer and his men.

Now, however, Will is in prison for a crime he did not commit. His sentence is death by hanging—unless he delivers King Raven and his band of cohorts.

That, of course, he will never do.

Wales is slowly falling under the control of the invading Normans, and King William the Red has given his ruthless barons control of the land. In desperation, the people turn to King Raven and his men for justice and survival in the face of the ever-growing onslaught.

From deep in the forest they form a daring plan for deliverance, knowing that failure means death for them all.

Scarlet continues Stephen R. Lawhead's riveting saga that began with the novel Hood, which relocated the legend of Robin Hood to the Welsh countryside and its dark forests. Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medival Britain, Lawhead's trilogy conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Classic vs. Re-telling

And now, the third JOUST for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between CLASSIC and RE-TELLING of a fairy tale known as Hansel and Gretel.

In comments, answer me this...

WHICH do you prefer?

~*~

	- vs -
CLASSIC		RE-TELLING

Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past-- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone-- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen it's next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Cover 1 vs. Cover 2

And now, the second JOUST for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between COVERS of a fairy tale re-telling known as Sleeping Beauty.

In comments, answer me this...

WHICH do you prefer?

~*~

	- vs -
COVER 1		COVER 2

A Long, Long Sleep
by Anna Sheehan

Rosalinda Fitzroy has been asleep for sixty-two years when she is woken by a kiss.

Locked away in the chemically induced slumber of a stasis tube in a forgotten sub-basement, sixteen-year-old Rose slept straight through the Dark Times that killed millions and utterly changed the world she knew. Now her parents and her first love are long dead, and Rose -- hailed upon her awakening as the long-lost heir to an interplanetary empire -- is thrust alone into a future in which she is viewed as either a freak or a threat.

Desperate to put the past behind her and adapt to her new world, Rose finds herself drawn to the boy who kissed her awake, hoping that he can help her to start fresh. But when a deadly danger jeopardizes her fragile new existance, Rose must face the ghosts of her past with open eyes -- or be left without any future at all.

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: Old vs. New

And now, the first JOUST for contestants of the giveaway...

This joust is between OLD and NEW illustrations of a fairy tale known as Rapunzel.

In comments, answer me this...

DO you prefer old illustrations to contemporary versions?

~*~

	- vs -
Rapunzel -old from Household Stories from the Collection of the Brothers Grimm and Lucy Crane		Rapunzel -new by Brothers Grimm and Paul O. Zelinsky

~*~
* part of Joust Book Giveaway

* image source joust

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***

Joust: book giveaway

The games have begun!

Cheers from the crowd fill the air.

Let us settle amongst the guests and folk of Bruges...

--~ Book Giveaway ~--
WIN a copy of ONE of the books participating in the JOUST !
(complete list of books will be listed below once revealed)

Open to all.

Offer ends: April 30, 2012

TO DO: (2-parts)

1. SEND a link to your knight who will represent your kingdom.

2. COMMENT on all the JOUST posts presented.

Intro: The Joust from Imogen Reed

Joust: Old vs. New
- Rapunzel -new by Brothers Grimm and Paul O. Zelinsky

Joust: Cover 1 vs. Cover 2
- A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

Joust: Classic vs. Re-telling
- Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Joust: Twist 1 vs. Twist 2
- Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
- Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead

AND, tell me your email (if I don't already have it)

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Contest has ended - winner is here

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Participant entries:

Here's mine...


Alessandra's knight…

Bridget's knight…

Catie's knight…

Dogsmom's knight…

Doodle's knight...


Evie's knight...

Fairy Whisper's knight…

Freda's knight...


Giada's knight...


MAD's knight...


Margaret's knight...


Marybelle's knight...

Mel's knight…

States of Decay's knight...


sRy's knight…

Vivien's knight...



~*~
* image source knight, vvb's knight, participant knight sources are listed in comments

***~*~* Fairy Tales in Bruges III schedule *~*~***