Today I'm very excited as I've got Author Laura DeLuca here with me today to tell us the story on how "Jessica", the story came to life. I'm going to tell you a little story on how I was lucky enough to nab Laura for a Guest Post. I was promoting another of Laura's books; "Morrigan", please click here to view the Author Interview with Laura DeLuca and my review on "Morrigan". Anyhow, I was contacting Laura regarding "Morrigan" and as we got talking I asked if I can add a short Author Interview to this promo post, Laura was much gracious and offered me this wonderful content instead, so thank you so much Laura! 

Jessica is a little Halloween surprise my publisher arranged for my readers. Today, I thought I'd give you a behind the scenes look at how this short story came to be. I usually prefer to write full length novel as opposed to shorts, but this one was sort of thrust upon me. I wrote this story almost two decades ago during my freshman year of college. The story was influenced by two very interesting people--Jessica Pirnik Gittle and James T . Kirk.  

This is a photo of me with Jessica. She was one of my best and closest friends in high school. We did everything together. We were in the chorus, the yearbook staff, the school newsletter (I was editor, of course), the ecology club, and just about every other club that wasn't a sport. I don't do sports. We met when we were freshman in high school because we were seated alphabetically. Her name was Pirnik and my maiden name was Rice. Yes, it was a small school so there wasn't anyone in between us in our homeroom.  So, this is my best friend who I laughed and cried with, who always supported me in my writing and in all my crazy schemes. Yet, she never got a part in one of my books. She doesn't even remember this, but she used to bug me about it all the time. It wasn't until after we graduated from high school and I was in college that I finally put her name in a story. That story, of course, was Jessica.

So this brings me to James T. Kirk. I bet you thought I meant the one from the spaceship. Well, no offense to the captain, but that's not the James. T. Kirk I'm talking about here. I'm referring to a professor at my old college, The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. I was in his creative writing class back in 1994, and one of our projects was to write a Halloween themed story that was set on the college campus.

This is me at Lake Fred - 1994

At first, I wasn't into this project at all. I like inspiration to flow naturally. I don't like trying to force it. I remember sitting in my dorm, chewing he edge of my pen, coming up with nothing, and the deadline was hours away. Then, feeling a homesick moment, I started to flip through an old photo album I had brought with me.  I saw that picture of Jessica and me together. It reminded me that she had asked for her name to be in a story. I thought it would be even better if her name was the title of that story. From that point, the idea flowed pretty flawlessly.

Bringing the campus into the story was even less challenging. It’s truly stunning, especially in the fall, and with its circling trails and lily covered ponds, it’s the perfect setting for all kinds of spooky happenings. I changed the name of the college for the story, but the scenery remains pretty much the same. Stockton is surrounded by acres of woods and there really is a beautiful lake there named Lake Fred. There isn't really a White Lady haunting the lake, at least not that I know of. Still, if I were a guy, I wouldn't want to be wondering around Lake Fred all alone on Halloween night...

So that's the story behind the story.

Wilbur thought he was going to collapse when Jessica wrapped one arm around his waist. He could feel her fingers, soft as silk, touching the nape of his neck with her other hand, and it made his flesh tingle. She even went so far as to lay her head on his shoulder. Her hair brushed against his cheek and the fresh, flowery scent made his vision blur. At first he thought it was just his allergies, but then the whole room and all the people in it seemed to change. The woman all wore full lacy gowns with their hair piled up in fancy up dos, while the men waltzed beside them in tailored suits with long tails and top hats. Even the music had changed from the typical sappy love song to a classical ballad played by a string quartet. He swore he saw the musicians in the corner; their bows sliding effortlessly over the strings of their instruments while their fingers pulsated in perfect vibrato. Even the floor under their feet had changed from the faded gymnasium floor, marked with the lines and circles of the basketball court, to hand laid tile in intricate patterns reminiscent of a Victorian ballroom.

As they circled the dance floor in an oddly quickened pace, the faces of the dancers started to transform even more. The beautiful nineteenth century ballroom aged and decayed, as did the men and women that surrounded him. Grotesque monsters with bloated skin and empty eyes dragged their decaying limbs in slow motion. Wilbur watched them with growing horror, almost forgetting about the girl in his arms. The monsters noticed the stranger among them. They reached for him with fingers green from rot. Catching his breath in fear, Wilbur pulled away from Jessica and very nearly stumbled to the ground.

Hellish Nightmare... 

If seventeen-year-old Seth Bradson were to describe his life in two words, those would be the two he’d choose. Seth prefers to cope with his crappy existence by spending his days in a drug-induced haze. But when Ali Carson steps into his life, Seth finds something he’s subconsciously been seeking—a new drug, one that consumes his mind unlike any other. 

Love.

In a moment of unforgivable weakness, Seth allows Ali to try crystal meth, his most addictive temptation. This single event begins the unraveling of both their lives and forces Seth to learn the definition of regret the hard way.

~ Buy It Now ~

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Book Blogger Spotlight is a weekly feature by Christine at Rainy Day Reads. This week I'm the featured blog!!! I've never been so damn excited, this is definitely one of the highlights for my blog. 

I had a blast, the questions were very thought provoking. I really don't enjoy answering "favourites" when it comes to books as it's just so hard to narrow it down. I would really appreciate it if my Readers could go check it out, just so you can all get to know me a little better. 

Click on the button to go direct to my Book Blogger Spotlight post. If you'd like to be featured at Rainy Day Reads, click on this form. 

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Born and raised in Florida, Jennings spent her early years reading anything she could get her hands on, when she wasn't spending time in and on the water. She won a prize in the 6th grade for her science fiction stories.

Jennings attended the University of Tampa, graduating with a B.A. in Political Science, and almost enough credits for B.A.s in both English and History. She attended graduate school at the University of West Florida, studying Psychology. She spent time over the years doing various kinds of business writing, editing, and teaching writing, but mostly having and raising her family, homeschooling her children, owning and running a business with her husband, and starting a non-profit.

When you were in 6th grade you won an award for your sci-fi story; if you were to write a blurb about it today, what would it be? 

When a fierce group of Martians set their sights on conquering Jupiter, their only hope lies in Project X. Led by the mighty Colonel Marztent and his intrepid second-in-command Xavyesh, the Martians race to war against the ten-foot-tall Jupiterarians. Will Project X work? Will the Martians win? If so, can they defeat Earth, the next planet on their list?

(Wow I really like the sound of that blurb...really want to read it now) 

What was your inspiration for Ixeos? 

My daughter and I were kayaking one day last summer and stopped on a little barrier island in Beaufort, NC called Carrot Island. We walked up over the dunes and there was a perfectly round pond hidden away back there. It was filled with birds, including a flock of mallards. As we were talking, the flock of ducks really just disappeared. We walked all around the pond and couldn't find them! After that, we started texting about possible places the ducks went. After a few weeks of silly ideas, I realized I'd hit on the idea for a novel.

(Did you end up finding out where the ducks went?)

Is Ixeos much different to the other books you have previously written?

Yes, it's completely different! I have published two "cozy" action adventure treasure hunts and a Christian historical romance. I have written a dystopian screenplay, but it didn't have science fiction or fantasy elements; it's more a straight thriller. So other than the dystopian elements, IXEOS was totally new territory for me!

What made you choose Paris as the setting for Ixeos?

I found out about the real-life tunnels under Paris while reading a National Geographic magazine in a doctor's waiting room. There really are almost 200 miles of tunnels under the city! There's even a whole subculture of "cataphiles" that use them (illegally). The whole thing fascinated me, from the graffiti on the walls to the old wine cellars and bank vaults to the large reservoirs and the abandoned bones. When we were playing around with all the stories about "where the ducks went," it occurred to me that they could go to these tunnels and lead the McClellands with them.

(I've never actually heard of these underground tunnels, that sounds very interesting as it'd be filled with history!) 

If you were taken to Ixeos (an alternative world to Earth) and could only take 3 items what would it be and why?

Batteries and a powerful flashlight, because there is no power on Ixeos except where the Firsts live. Snack food! After 35 years of alien rule, there aren't any chips or candy that haven't expired. I think I'd really crave gum, too, and probably soda. That's all one item, right? A photo of my family. All the outsiders are lured to Ixeos (brought by Landon via the ducks), so when they get there they only have the clothes on their back. Having a photo of my family would be priceless!

If you were to be stranded on an island and can only have one of your characters from Ixeos accompany you, who would it be and why?

Landon, definitely, because he has magic and could get us off the island! And even if he couldn't get me off for some reason, he could come and go himself and bring supplies, a radio, a boat, or something helpful.

Do you feel that your degree in Psychology and Political Science has helped with being a writer? If so, how?

I majored in both of those things because at heart I'm a people watcher and I like to know what makes people tick, listen to how they talk, and watch what they do. So it's a bit of a chicken or the egg question, really. The things that interest me led to those majors, but those majors reinforced the things that interest me!

Your husband is also a writer; do you ever bounce ideas or consult each other on your projects? 

He writes political non-fiction, so I help him more than he helps me. We do have an idea for a screenplay that we may write one day, which would be a political thriller. We always say, "In our spare time." You know what that means! All that said, I do tell him my story ideas, and he is a huge cheerleader.

Tell us a little bit about your non-profit organization?

Ten Eighteen works in Uganda. I started it in late 2008, and didn't really know what it would do. I just had some vague ideas. Then I reconnected with an old friend who lives in Uganda and has 13 Ugandan children (plus 4 Ukranian children and 2 natural children!), and that started my visits there. I work mostly with women and children, in the slums of Kampala as well as in Jinja and a tiny village called Bukaleba. We sponsor kids for school fees, do micro-business grants to women, pay a couple of social workers, pay some rents for elderly and disabled children, feed 30 homeless street kids dinner every night, sponsor a few orphans, and are building a primary school We've also done a basketball camp. And we pay all the fuel for Hospice Jinja. Every time we go we have a party for our kids and women in Namuwongo (the slums), which is always a blast - we feed them a good meal, give out candy, find out what they're up to, and give out friendship bracelets made by friends. We tell them that, when they look at the bracelet, they'll know someone made it because they love them, and that they're always thinking about them. I always wear friendship bracelets made by young Ugandan friends for the same reason.

(That's very generous of you Jennings. It seems like your efforts are gratefully received. It sounds like such hard work, but I'm sure the gratification at the end far outweighs the work)

3 Alternative Careers you'd choose if you weren't a writer and why?

I've only been a published writer since July 2012, so I've already had several careers. Obviously, the nonprofit is one. I love to bake, and I make killer cheesecake and key lime pie, so that would be a good choice. Or a charter boat captain. I grew up on boats in Florida and that was actually "what I wanted to be when I grew up."

(Cheesecake and Key Lime Pie...just reading about it is making me hungry. I love cakes and slices and anything sweet really.)

The McClellands are enjoying a lazy summer vacation at the beach when they are lured from our world into Ixeos, an alternate Earth. Finding themselves lost in a maze of tunnels under Paris and surrounded by strangers, they discover that they have been brought to Ixeos for one purpose: to take the planet back from humanoid aliens who have claimed it. With the aid of the tunnels and a mysterious man named Landon, the teens travel the world seeking the key that will allow them to free Darian, the long-imprisoned rebel leader. But the aliens aren't the only problem on Ixeos -- the McClellands have to deal with brutal gangs, desperate junkies, and a world without power, where all the technology is owned by the aliens, and where most of the population has been killed or enslaved. The worst part? There's no way home.

Top 5 Things We Didn't Know About IXEOS

Know Me Better is a new weekly feature hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer. Weekly, Kathy will post 5 questions (from Author Interview Questions) which she will personally answer. Participants can do the same by either commenting on Kathy's Know Me Better post for the week or by doing a blog post like I have and link to it at  the end of this post. 

What is the kindest thing anyone has done for you?

I can't think of anything.

What is most memorable about your high school years?

The times I hung out with my friends. 

Have you ever gotten up early for a "Black Friday Sale"?

We don't have Black Friday Sales here in Australia but I have woken up early to go to our Post Christmas Sales which is the equivalent of Black Friday Sales. 

Were you named after anyone?

No my Mum got my name from a dictionary, it means "Angel of Joy". 

Would you bungee jump, skydive or something similar?

Yes ~ I'd like to think I would and I'd definitely go through the motions but I'm not sure if I'd actually go the final jump LOL

I should not exist. But I do. 

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . . 

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable-hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

I had literally just finished reading the last page of "What's Left of Me" by Kat Zhang and had to take a breather before I wrote this review...a time to reflect upon the story as I devoured this book. 

What's Left of Me is based in a semi-futuristic world where children are born with two souls, but at a certain age the dominant soul takes over and the secondary and weaker soul slowly diminishes till it's completely gone, this is called "settling".  Children are supposed to settle at a certain age, at 15 years of age Addie and Eva are considered hybrids as they still haven't settled. They must keep the fact that they're hybrids a secret as the Government officials think hybrids are a threat to their society so they seek them out and lock them up. Addie tries to pretend to those around her that she has settled, only if they truly knew Eva is still in there, quiet but very much present.

This is the first book in The Hybrid Chronicles by Kat Zhang. I was amazed at the originality of the plot. It made me think of children with imaginary friends and how as they grow older those imaginary friends eventually disappear, it made me curious and thinking, imagine if that was another soul within a child's body as per this story. This story and the theoretical concept within it's pages are unparalleled to other dystopian novels to date and this is where the book really excels.

The Author did well with her characters, I really sympathised with both their situations. I understood Addie is conflicted, despite the fact that she loves Eva, she also wants a bit of privacy in her life, she wants to live her own life without having to worry about Eva's thoughts/wants/needs but at the same time she can't complete let Eva go even if she had wanted to. Eva is more the quiet voice, so I understood why she was the recessive soul, but I also understood her misgivings, I mean, how would I feel if I was within a body I couldn't control, see things I don't want to see and do things I don't want to do!

What's Left of Me is fast-paced, suspenseful and action-packed. It was one of those books that as soon as you cracked it's spine you couldn't put it down till you get to the end. As you can probably tell, I'm biting my nails in anticipation to read the remaining books in the series. There was only one thing that disappointed me in this book and that was the ending, the ending fell slightly flat for me, but I don't know if it's because the rest of the book were so energised that the ending felt a bit bland in comparison. Every chapter within this book was filled with something new, something heart pumping was always around the corner, it was definitely a nail-biting read, so I'm unsure if that's why the ending felt slightly disappointing. Despite this I loved the book and still highly recommend it! My ratings don't give 1/2 stars but I would have given What's Left of Me (4.5 stars).

So I've had my fair share of books arrive in the last two weeks and so I decided to do a standalone Stacking of the Shelves post rather than my usual every two weeks Sunday post. I'll see how I go and whether I will continue to do individual post or not. At this point in time I'm not seeing a huge benefit into the weekly recap, which is saddening to me as I really thought that'd be a fantastic feature for my blog...I suppose not everything will work with everyone. So please stay patient as I try and work out what works for me and my blog. Now to my weekly haul...

Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford Blog Tour Grand Prize Giveaway 

Prize included:

Box of Polar Bear Smooches Chocolates

Eagle Blessing Totemic Scarf

Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter Swag

Signed copy of Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter

Thanks so much Nikki for the fab prizes and for being so patient through all my emails. Please stay tuned for my review of Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter next week as part of a blog tour.

Yay this is my first Bloggiesta and whilst I did not complete all the tasks I set out to do I did get through quite a lot and I wasn't even doing it the whole weekend! To check out my progress and what I got done please view the start of this post where my to do lists are and they are crossed off.

Challenges I participated in are below but the two main challenges I wanted to complete I haven't had the time to do yet, which is Organising My Review by Lauren from Lose Time Reading  and Through a Visitor's Eyes by Amanda from On A Book Bender.

Anyway, I had lots of fun and it was great how much I got done. The challenges are fantastic and they were all really helpful. I'll be referring to the old challenges to just see if there are tips & tricks and other helpful things I can gather from the past Bloggiesta.

For those that participated link to your Finishing post here and there's a feedback survey there too.

Google Reader Alternative Challenge by Jenn from The Picky Girl

After reading Jenn's post I googled Feedly vs BlogLovin, I read this great article  and after reading it I decided to go with Feedly as it was the clear winner. However, I re-read Jenn's post just prior to doing this challenge post and I decided to trial both Feedly and BlogLovin, the only reason that made me change my mind is because on Jenn's post it noted that Feedly is actually powered by Google Reader. 

I'm going to confirm with Jenn, whether it's ran by Google, because if it is, I'm going to go with BlogLovin as I want to eventually move all the apps I'm using by Google elsewhere...I don't like the fact that they just remove things (Google Reader, Google Friend Connect GFC) when they please, not even considering it's users. If it was not generating funds I would understand, but from the outraged cry of most, it seems that their popularity or lack of users is not the reason for their closing. 

So the answer for the purpose of this challenge is that I'm going to trial both Feedly and Bloglovin for maybe a month and make a decision then. I do like the interface of both, I like it's simplicity and I like how it's cluttered-free, I also like the fact that the migration from Google is easy. That's about as much of a decision I'm going to make at this point. I've signed up to both, migrated my Google Reader feeds to both, I'll just trial both.

Another alternative that Jenn didn't mention that I really enjoyed using previously on my iPad was Pulse. It was really user friendly, the interface is clean and easy but I haven't looked into the migration of your feeds from other readers. It has an Android, Mac and web interface. 

Getting To Know You Challenge by Suey from It's All About Books

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What does Anna blog about? Book Related

What attracted me to this blog? 

Design - Anne's design is what originally what made me do a double take. I visited and commented all the Bloggiesta participants, so one had to really stand out for me to take notice. This is why I'm contemplating on moving to Wordpress, there is designs like these that can easily be DIY'd. Wordpress just looks so much tidier, streamlined and polished.

Anyway, Anne's blog has such a beautiful colour scheme, I LOVE it! I also liked her typeface used for her title. I just like the entire blog and all the little stuff; the little blockquotes, the comment form etc.

Books/Genre - Most of Anne's reviews are on YA books, a genre that I personally love and blog about myself.

Fave Reviewers - Some of the fave reviewers she's got are some of my faves too.

• Did the HTML coding for the upcoming blog tours and put it on my sidebar
• Removed Google Friend Connect (GFC)
• Put Networked Blogs and Linky Followers as alternatives to GFC

Cover Designer ~ Claudia McKinney @ Phat Puppy Art Fonts by Catie Crehan

After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale--a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past--reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand. 

Enter the shrouded world of an age old battle between an ancient race known as the Immortals and their bitter enemy Laurent, the so-called Dark Prince, who commands an army of half-breed vampires known as Chorý. Both sides have been desperately searching for the prophesied emergence of the Arc, a clairvoyant with unparalleled power to recall the past and a soothsayer with clear vision into the future. 

The Council of Immortals has sworn to protect the Arc, whom they have identified as young Ella Monroe, a college freshman from Virginia living quietly and unaware of her powers or her past. But a renegade Chorý has other plans for the protection of a girl he has loved through the ages. Can Kale convince Ella of who she is, what she is destined to become, and what he once meant to her? Is he truly the best protector to shield the world from the devastating misuse of her powers that Laurent is bent on controlling? Or will the forbidden love they share and Kale’s cursed condition as a wretched and hated Chorý be used against them both? 

This paranormal romance told from the heroine’s perspective builds in intensity and intrigue

What must he overcome to protect her? 

With no clue of what to do next and the responsibility of looking after Alex and Mia as promised, Kale is up to his ears in problems and no solutions. How will Kale save Ella, keep Alex and Mia safe, control Jace as well as control the Bloodlust that creeps beneath the surface waiting to be released? Will Kale be Ella’s savior or will he convict her to a fate worse than the one Laurent has already promised her? 

What truths will she learn? 

Ella knows that the choices she makes affects not only her but everyone else around her, but what about the choices made to find her? Ella learns the truth about the death of her parents, learns that the ones she thought she could trust aren’t so trustworthy after all. How will Ella handle these betrayals, and will she be able to sacrifice what is necessary to obtain eternal life?

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Today's trailer is for Stephanie Keye's second book, The Fallen Stars. Have a look!