Saturday, July 31, 2010

Once Upon A Time Project G3 Deadline

Okay we've hit the deadline for OUAT's Giveaway 3.  Thank you to everyone that has entered, and thanks for those of you that have been spreading the word.  Muchly Appreciated!!

I will be posting the winners up hopefully in a couple of days time once myself and another judge decide the top 3.

So Stay Tuned.  Keep an eye out on Thursday for the second last Giveaway for Once Upon a Time.  If anyone has any ideas they'd love to throw my way for a prize for this one, feel free to email me at melissa@spellboundbybooks.com or use the contact form on here!!

Have a good night all.

Ninth Grade Slays by Heather Brewer

Title:  Ninth Grade Slays
Author:  Heather Brewer
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Penguin Group
Publication Date:  2nd August 2010 
ISBN:  978-0-14-320515-9
Stand alone or series:  Series (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod) 
Pages:  288   
Book Received from:  Penguin Group
First Lines:  Jasik gripped the photograph in his hand and scanned the face of the boy. 

Spoilers if you haven't read the first book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod
Synopsis
If middle school stunk for Vladimir Tod, high school is a real drain. Besides being a punching bag for bullies, he's still stalled with dream-girl Meredith, and he's being tailed by a photographer from the school newspaper. Needless to say, practising his vampire skills hasn't exactly been a priority for Vlad - until now. A monumental trip to Siberia with Uncle Otis is Vlad's crash course in Vampire 101. Training alongside the most gifted vampires is exactly what Vlad needs to sharpen those mind control skills he's been avoiding. And he'd better get it right, because the battle brewing back home with the slayer who's been hunting him could be Vlad's last.

My Thoughts
After an eventful year last year in Eighth Grade Bites, things don't get any easier for him in this one.

Eighth Grade Bites left us with finding out that his substitute teacher Otis is really his Uncle and there are alot more vampires than he thought, good and bad.  Vladimir has finally begun to feel a little less lonely, but Vampire 101 through Otis's letters can only get him so far. 

In Ninth Grade Slays he begins his first year in highschool, and if that's not a big enough deal, his guilt weighes him down over the deaths of his parents that happened four years earlier.  Tom and Bill are getting progressively worse, and someone at his school is determined to find out what Vlad's secret is.  Only to add to that is the mysterious vampire Slayer.   

I really enjoy reading about Vladimir and his life.  He's got strong morals when it comes to his own kind and he's a caring and genuine character.  I can't wait to find out what else Vladimir is capable.  Being half vamp, half human leaves him on unknown ground since he's not exactly got solid footing in either side. 

I really like Heather Brewer's writing style and will be keeping my eye out on her future book releases.  I think most people will enjoy reading about Vladimir Tod. 

Friday, July 30, 2010

Whisper of a Witch Winner!!

I want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who entered the Whisper of a Witch Giveaway.  I've used Random.org to pick the winner!

So without further ado  the winner of a copy of Whisper of a Witch is
*
*
*
*
Eva SB

Congratulations Eva, please email me within the next 48 hours with your details and I'll have that book posted to you as soon as I can.

Thanks Everyone, and be sure to keep an eye out for future giveaways :)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Once Upon A Time Project G3 Week Four Check In


Hey Everyone!  Hows the writing going??
  There are only 2 more days to get your stories in so don't miss out.  For this Giveaway all stories will be going into the book!!!

Cover and Title Contest

Here's the Rules
Cover to be in portrait (5"x8" or 13x20cm)
Type: JPG or PNG 
(If using your camera, 3 megapixel or higher)
Deadline: 30 September 2010
The Theme/Design can be whatever you like.
Please consider the stories that have been posted so far when designing your cover. 
Judging: Will be done by visitors of the blog.  I will post the covers up (with their titles) and you will get a chance to decide.  The person with the most votes will be chosen and the cover and title will be used on the book.
If using other people's images, you must have their permission before doing so.

The Winner of the Cover and Title Contest will receive a copy of the book when it's published.

I f you have any questions please feel free to ask by either using the Contact Me on here or by emailing me at melissa@spellboundbybooks.com  

Thanks Guys.  Let me know what you think!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Title:  Eighth Grade Bites
Author:  Heather Brewer
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Penguin Group
Publication Date:  2nd August 2010 (Australia)
ISBN:  978-0-14-320514-2
Stand alone or series:  Series (The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd
Pages:  192
Book Received from:  Penguin Group (Publisher)
First Lines:  A tree branch slapped John Craig across the face, scraping his skin,  but he kept on running and ignored the stabbing of pine needles on his bare feet. 

Synopsis (From the Penguin Group)


Vladimir Tod
Normal eighth-grade student?
Or powerful vampire?
If you thought eighth grade was tough, try it with fangs and a fear of garlic.
Junior high really stinks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret. His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers and no one to teach him, Vlad struggles daily with blood cravings and enlarged fangs. When a strange substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. And then he realises he's being hunted by a vampire killer, and suddenly hunger, girls and bullies seem not quite such a problem after all.
My Thoughts
These days there is a lot of vampire fiction popping up in the Young Adult section.  There has been many that I've enjoyed and a few that haven't made my favourites list.  But I must admit Eighth Grade Bites was completely awesome.

Vladimir Tod is just like every other teen trying to get through school.  With the minor fact that he was born a vampire, his diet consists mostly of baggies of blood, and the convenient trick of telepathy, he's quite normal.  

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Vladimir.  His struggle to fit in with school is a subject that most can relate to.  It doesn't help the fact that he has a very big secret to hide from everyone with the exception of his good friend Henry and his 'Aunt" Nelly.  When the substitute teacher Mr Otis makes his appearance I think the story is as good as sold for me. It takes a darker turn when Vladimir begins to learn about his father's history and the very real threat of someone out to get him.

While this story is shorter than some of the books I've read, I was absorbed from start to finish.  Including the puns that are dropped throughout the story this was an amusing and entertaining read.

I look forward to starting Ninth Grade Slays.

Waiting on Wednesday (22)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

This week I've picked Vesper: A Deviants Novel by Jeff Sampson.  This novel will be released in February 2011.
Synopsis
Emily Webb is a geek—and happy that way. She’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for parties. And she definitely doesn’t start fights or flirt with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that … the same night a classmate—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing this. Every night, she gets wilder until it’s not just her personality that changes; she’s also becoming strong, fast, and utterly fearless. Has she been bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely—something not human

What are you waiting on??

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Morpheus Road: The Light by D.J MacHale


Title:  The Light
Author:  D.J. MacHale
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Aladdin  
Publication Date:  April 2010
ISBN:  978-1-4169-6516-9
Stand alone or series:  Series (Morpheus Road) 
Pages: 352 pages
Book Received from:  Bought
First Lines:  I believe in ghosts.  Simple as that.



Synopsis
Marshall Seaver is being haunted. In the first installment of this chillingly compelling trilogy, sixteen-year-old Marshall discovers that something beyond our world is after him. The eerie clues pile up quickly, and when people start dying, it’s clear whatever this isit’s huge.

Marshall has no idea what’s happening to him, but he’s soon convinced that it has something to do with his best friend Cooper, who’s been missing for over a week. Together with Coop’s sister, Marsh searches for the truth about what happened to his friend, ultimately uncovering something bigger than he could ever have imagined.


My Thoughts
I want to start by saying, this was and wasn't what I expected when I read the synopsis.

Marshall is a bit of a loner.  He does have his best friend Cooper who he's know since they were little but that's it.   Although lately, Marshall's noticed that they've been slowly drifting apart.  While he is happy enough just hanging out and doing his sketches, Cooper seems to be looking for their next biggest adventure.  Girls.

When Cooper gets in major trouble with his folks, they decide to take him up to their lake house to help him sort himself out, leaving Marshall on his own for the summer.  Only two days later he's missing and weird stuff has started happening to Marshall.  At first Marshall convinces himself he is hearing things since his father had to go away on business, leaving Marshall in the house by himself.  But things begin to escalate.

I expected there to be more suspense and spookiness to the story.  Don't get me wrong, it had an air of creepiness but for me it lost some of its creep factor about halfway through the book.

The story line at times seemed scattered and while I did like his writing I did find at times I had to reread a few spots just to make sure I didn't miss something.

While this turned out to be not as good as I expected I am still looking forward to reading The Black, the next book in the series.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Sticky Beak (21)



Sticky Beak is all about sharing.  Sometimes we can't all get around to every single blog and website available so that's where Sticky Beak comes in.  By word of mouth (well you get what I mean) we are more likely to get to those blogs that we wouldn't have normally seen without someone pointing them out to us.

The links could be to your own post, a favourite blog post you would love to share, an authors blog/website, book/writing contests, reviews you really enjoyed, tour info or anything you would love to share with others.  Just use the comment section to post up your own links!!

Heres mine:

Cool Stuff to Check out:
WORD For Teen:  Feature Friday: Bookshelves (4)
Destination Elsewhere: Fantasy and Sci-Fi books turned into movies?
Judith Graves: The Crossroads Tour
Even Redheads Have the Blues: Vampire Academy Tattoos
Gale Forman: How books are born.
We Do Write: Interview with Elizabeth Light

For Writers:
Deadline Dames: How Not To Be A Speshul Snowflake In Public


For Bloggers:
Book Faery: Calling All Urban Fantasy Book Review Bloggers


Authors/Characters websites:
Marianne Delacourt: Author of Sharp Shooter.  I really enjoyed reading Sharp Shooter.  She's an Aussie author and Sharp Shooter has the same sort of humour as Janet Evanovich.


So what are yours?

Sunday, July 25, 2010

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie!!

For Review:
From The Penguin Group (totally awesome!)

Bought:



Cruzito's Mailbox
Glow Eyes In The Dark

When I brought this home and showed Cruzito, he spotted the eyes (which move when you shake the book) he was grabbing for it before I even sat down.  I managed to get through reading the whole book but had to hang onto it because he kept trying to take it off me lol.  I was going to let him read it by himself until I found out on the very last page was a pop up bat and thought.... 'nahh.. he will try and rip that out.' Sure enough when I'd turned the last page he tried pulling the wings off lol.  Funny kiddo.  

I have also decided to stop leaving books (the cardboard kind) in his cot.  For starters he doesn't stay in the cot since his new talent is breaking out of jail lol (I used to let him read his books until he fell asleep).  But the main reason I don't let him have them is because when I take the books out, I notice that a certain someone takes great pleasure in chewing off the spines or corners off the books.  And yes I do feed him before I put him to bed LOL.

To date he has ruined about 4 books.  They are still readable but don't look all that good now. 

What did you get in your Mailbox this week??

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman

Title:  Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Earthshaker Books
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN:  978-097903571-5
Stand alone or series:  Series (2nd Book)
Pages: 151 pages
Book Received from:  Earthshaker Books

Spoilers if you haven't read the first book.



First Lines:  When Lissa-Na died, Dael wept real tears. 

Synopsis:
The prehistoric saga continues as Zan-Gah and his disturbed twin brother, Dael, come into conflict. When their clan migrates to a new Beautiful Country, Dael’s furious violence, joined with the magnetic power of his personality, precipitates division and an unwanted, preventable war.  Zan’s task is to restrain his brother’s destructive and self-destructive tendencies, leading him to peace and recovery in the bountiful new land.  But it is not to be, despite Zan’s efforts and those of two strong female characters.  Themes of war and peace, tribal conflict, traumatic stress, gender roles, sibling rivalry, bereavement, redemption.


My Thoughts:
After finishing Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, I quickly grabbed this one to keep reading.  I read through this one twice as quickly as the first.



Zan-Gah succeeded in rescuing his brother Dael, bringing along Rydl from the Wasp men and Lissa-Na from the Noi tribe.  If you have read the first line of this it does give one thing away from the first book.  Lissa-Na's death shatters the already very fragile Dael and one night he comes to Zan-Ga, wakes him up and tells him it's time to find where the river comes from.  Zan-Gah already knows how fragile Dael is and takes  a few of his friends along with him.


This book has a lot more action and darker moments than the first and the story seems to move along at a steady pace.  We get to learn more about Dael and the torment and suffering he endured while enslaved and we get a look in on Pax, Zan-Gah's new wife and Rydl.  Zan-Gah also discovers that the brother he once knew is no longer the same person now.  


Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country is an enjoyable read and a great follow up to the first book Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure.  I'm glad I read both of these books.  





Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman

Title:  Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure
Genre:  Young Adult
Publisher:  Earthshaker Books
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN:  978-0-9790357-0-8
Stand alone or series:  Series
Pages: 148 pages
Book Received from:  Earthshaker Books
First Lines: From a long distance, a traveler, or some wild thing, might see within the deep and absolute blackness of night an intense orange light which looked from afar like a glowing coal.

Synopsis:
The hero, Zan-Gah seeks his lost twin in a savage prehistoric world, encountering suffering, captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes: survival, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, nature's wonders and terrors.

My Thoughts:
Zan-Gah had an unusual synopsis and I was curious about the world in which Zan-Gah lived. It was definitely an eye opener on the books that I've read in the past and how lazy I've gotten in imagining worlds in which are not based on today's society.

Like I said above, I did have trouble at the beginning trying to get into this book and it had nothing to do with the story or writing.  I think it also had to do with Zan-Gah being somewhat alone at the start.  but once I began meeting the other characters it was easy to imagine what life would have been like then.

Zan-Gah suffers the loss of his twin brother who has disappeared with no trace of whether he is alive or dead.  After helping to kill a lioness who had taken another tribesmans child he makes the decision to go look for his brother.  He endures alot in his travels and it is so realistic I couldn't help but silently cheer him on to keep going.

By the end of reading this, I was reaching for book 2 to find out what was going to happen with Zan-Gah and his friends.

This is a fresh perspective on the young adult market and I haven't seen anything like it at all.  

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich


Title:  Sizzling Sixteen
Author:  Janet Evanovich
Genre:  Crime/Mistery
Publisher:  Headline Review
Publication Date: 24 June 2010
ISBN:  978-0-7553-5280-7
Stand alone or series:  Series
Pages: 309
Book Received from:  Bought
First Lines:  My Uncle Pip died and left me his lucky bottle.  I suppose I''m fortunate, because he left my Gradma Mazur his false teeth.

Possible Spoilers if you haven't read the other books.


Synopsis
Trenton, New Jersey, bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a “lucky” bottle from her Uncle Pip. Problem is, Uncle Pip didn’t specify if the bottle brought good luck or bad luck....
BAD LUCK:
Vinnie, of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds, has run up a gambling debt of $786,000 with mobster
Bobby Sunflower and is being held until the cash can be produced. Nobody else will pay to get Vinnie back, leaving it up to Stephanie, office manager Connie, and file clerk Lula to raise the money if they want to save their jobs.
GOOD LUCK:
Being in the business of tracking down people, Stephanie, Lula, and Connie have an advantage in finding Vinnie. If they can rescue him, it will buy them some time to raise the cash.
BAD LUCK:
Finding a safe place to hide Vinnie turns out to be harder than raising $786,000. Vinnie’s messing up local stoner Walter “Moon Man” Dunphy's vibe and making Stephanie question genetics.
GOOD LUCK:
Between a bonds office yard sale that has the entire Burg turning out, a plan that makes Mooner’s Hobbit-Con look sane, and Uncle Pip’s mysterious bottle, they just might raise enough money to save Vinnie and the business from ruin.
BAD LUCK:
Saving Vincent Plum Bail Bonds means Stephanie can keep being a bounty hunter. In Trenton, this involves hunting down a man wanted for polygamy, a Turnpike toilet paper bandit, and a drug dealer with a pet alligator named Mr. Jingles.
GOOD LUCK:
The job of bounty hunter comes with perks in the guise of Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, and the dark and dangerous, Ranger. With any luck at all, Uncle Pip’s lucky bottle will have Stephanie getting lucky---the only question is . . . with whom?

Sizzling Sixteen . . . so hot, the pages might spontaneously combust! 

My Thoughts

Janet Evanovich has done it again with yet another great Stephanie Plum novel.  This time it's up to Stephanie, Lula and Connie to try and find Vinnie and bail him out of a very big hole he has dug himself into.

If you haven't read this series, you're missing out on a good laugh!  With a cast of characters like Stephanie a terrible Bounty Hunter, Lula who's Stephanie's sidekick and sometimes file clerk for the bailsbonds office and Connie, office manager with a family connected with the mafia you will be laughing out loud at the trouble they get themselves into.

While the main plotline is kind of lacking, I still enjoyed the antics these characters get up to.  AND if there is a diet like Lula's out there that actually works.  Sign me up :)

One question on my mind though.  Who Stephanie will eventually pick..  Joe Morelli or Ranger?  I prefer the man of mystery with the never ending supply of Black Cars. 

Friday, July 23, 2010

Interview with Suza Kates and Giveaway

Spellbound By Books would love to introduce Suza Kates, Author of Whisper of a Witch!

Thank you so much Suza, for taking the time out to answer my questions.  Here we go.


1. How would you describe Whisper of a Witch?
Whisper of a Witch is a paranormal romance that focuses on the challenges faced by its hero and heroine while also introducing us to the rest of the characters we’ll be seeing in the series. One of the things I love about the The Savannah Coven Series is the interaction of the women as they get to know each other and the camaraderie between them. They are all struggling with the fact that they are witches with a dangerous prophecy to fulfill, and this creates plenty of drama for them to deal with.

2. What was the easiest/hardest part of writing Whisper of a Witch?
The easiest part is the dialogue of the women. The characters are all so different that I enjoy experimenting with their personalities and styles.
The hardest part is keeping the overall story of the series intertwined with each witch’s book. There’s a balance between giving away enough to keep the story moving, but not so much that I give it all away. Suspense is always a challenge!


3. Where do you do most of your writing?
Most of my writing occurs in my office, where I get plenty of help from my 5 cats. : ) It’s my comfort zone. I often plot and sketch out story lines in the middle of my living room floor where I can spread out my research and guides. I also keep a voice recorder handy at all times. A scene or dialogue can come to me any moment.

4. What routines/quirky habits do you have for when and how you write?
I like to buy a brand new coffee cup for every book that I write, and a candle that matches must be burning at all times. With the Savannah series, every witch has a color, so I feel inclined to make the cup and candle match. It sets the mood, and now that I write it out, it definitely sounds quirky!

5. What keeps you writing?
I love it. Once I realized writing a book is as much of an escape as reading one, I became hooked on creating the places I wanted to go and the people I wanted to know about.

6. Finish this sentence 'When I'm not writing....'
I’m thinking about it! Everything becomes an inspiration whether it’s a movie, vacation, or another book. The dreaming is almost as much fun as the writing.

7. Any future projects you would like to share with us?
I have another book coming out this fall called She Who is Hidden. It’s a romantic suspense that includes traveling to foreign lands and solving ancient riddles. I’m a real Dan Brown fan, and I thought it might be interesting to combine the clues and adventure with a little more romance. It’s the first of three books that make up The She trilogy.

8. Is there a question you've always wanted to be asked but haven't?  What would your answer be?
What was the first book to influence me as a writer?  Little Women. Again, I was enthralled by the female relationships and the desire Jo had to be a writer in a man’s world. What a challenge!

9. Are there any tips and advice you would like to pass on to aspiring writers?
It might sound simple, but if you’ve never been to a writer’s conference you must go to one of your genre. When I first attended an RWA conference, it was like someone shined a bright light on everything I had done wrong or had forgotten to do in my book. Aside from the contacts you’ll make, it’s a wonderful learning experience.

10. And last, your stuck on deserted island which character from your books would you take with you and why?
At first I wanted to say Anna from The Savannah Coven Series, because she’s a very talented witch. I think instead I’ll take Karen from the second book in The She trilogy. It’s called She of the Dragon, and the character Karen is not only a tough US Marshall, but she’s so witty, I think she would keep me entertained!

Thanks for a great interview!

Giveaway Time

If you haven't read my review of Whisper of a Witch you can see it here.
To win a copy of Suza Kates' Whisper of a Witch all you need to do is fill in the form at the bottom of the interview.  

Rules: 
Giveaway closes on 30 July 2010 (11:59pm AEST)
Open international!

Optional Extra Points:
Leave a comment on Interview.
Blog Follower

CLOSED!
  

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Once Upon A Time Project G3 Week Three Check In


Welcome back everyone.  We are at Week 3 of OUAT G3 and only have 9 more days until deadline time!  The journal for the First prize turned up this afternoon in the mail.  Exciting!!  

We have a few stories in so far and while I've been really dying to read them I've been good in waiting for deadline!

With only 2 more Giveaways to enter your stories into I've decided to get the Cover and Title Contest up and running next week.  There will be more details next week but I've decided to have this ongoing until the deadline of the very last giveaway to let everyone have enough time to enter their covers. 

 Remember to have fun with your stories and ideas.  That's the reason I started Once Upon A Time!  What better way to get writing and be in the running to win prizes?

While I haven't actually finished any of the writing I've started I will leave you with two stories I've written a little while ago.  They are not perfect but I had loads of fun with these.

This first one was written for the Deadline DamesReaders on Deadline 11. The photos they post to create the stories from are really cool.  Check out all the Readers on Deadline.

Soul suckers.  That’s what they were.  All it took was one of their hands raised towards you, fingers splayed and you were paralyzed.  A moment later a wispy thin thread would float from your mouth as you began to turn cold, and nothing could be done. 
They would swallow your soul whole then use your empty shell of a body and manipulate and torture it into doing unthinkable things.  Just because a person lost their soul didn’t mean they were dead.  Close to it but still breathing and thinking but without purpose or control anymore.  When they were done, they would kill you and discard your body in the trench with the other soul less shells.
The absolute terror in their eyes was seared into my brain.  I would jolt awake every night with sweat coating my skin from the vivid nightmares.  They prayed on the innocent and naïve that roamed the streets at night.  Lucky for me my own soul was tainted.  That made me untouchable. 
If you had taken a life you were labeled damaged goods and they would move on.  This wasn’t well known but that’s where I came in.  I was a messenger.  The only way to guarantee your soul to be saved was to kill another.  I managed to persuade a handful and in turn saved their souls.  Those that resisted, well, we all knew where to find them.  Now you know your options.
So tell me, would you kill another to save yourself?
(c) Melissa Freeman 2010

This second story was written from a dream.. well ok it was a nightmare lol. Could be upsetting to others.. posting this warning just in case..

“Erin!  Hurry up we’re going to be late!”
I jumped into her Barina and threw my bag on the floor.  Her car was reversing down the driveway so I made a grab for the door before it hit the fence.
“In a hurry are we?” I asked.
“Yeah, I got a surprise for you.  You trust me right?”
“Yeah…” I said reluctantly.  I waited for more but she wasn’t giving in. 

An hour later we pulled up in front of a small cottage.  A large sign hung above the entrance ; in old English writing it read ‘Imprinted with Magick.  I felt a little uneasy at the thought of what was in store for me.  I did trust Carol so I shouldn’t have been worried.  Carol opened the door dragging me behind.  The cottage was packed full of books, candles, incense and all sorts of things.
A small round woman met us at the counter and after a brief conversation with Carol, led us both to a room in the back.
“You must be Erin,” she said looking at me.  “I’m Edwina.  Carol has told me so much about you.  I can tell Carol hasn’t told you why you’re here, love.  I can assure you that you will need to make a choice before anything is to happen.”
She asked me to place my hands over hers.  Once Edwina closed her eyes I snuck a look at Carol, my eyebrows raised in question.  She just shook her head, her gaze still fixed on Edwina. 
“I feel you spent a lot of time wanting to be different.  I can change that for you but think hard before you decide.  This has to be what you want.  What will it be?”
I nodded uncertainly.  Carol jumped up from her seat excitedly and disappeared behind the heavy curtain, only to appear a few minutes later with some candles, crystals and incense.
Edwina moved the table to the side and drew a circle around the three of us.  A Witch?  But they couldn’t possibly exist.  We joined hands.  Carol helped Edwina in some kind of cleansing ritual while I stood still not knowing what to do.
We moved around the circle slowly, all the while both Carol and Edwina chanted a beautiful song.  Faster and faster we spun around until everything around us was a blur.  I was starting to get dizzy and my stomach threatened to empty its contents, but as soon as I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, we stopped abruptly.  Both Carol and Edwina threw up their hands, so I mimicked them.  Feeling both warm and exhausted, I sat cross-legged on the floor trying to collect my thoughts.  I felt calm and peaceful in a way I’d never felt before.  Whatever we just did, I liked it.
Edwina blew out the candles and came over to sit by my side.  “How do you feel, love?” She asked.  Her unsure smile reached up to her eyes so I knew then she was genuinely concerned.  I waved Carol over but froze mid-wave.
On my arm was a brilliant blue crescent moon, little vines the colour of ruby red decorated around it.  “What the…” I started to say.  Edwina gasped at the sight of it.
“My goodness, you have been marked!  In all these years, I’ve never seen one this decorative.

We eventually left, thanking Edwina for her time.  The drive home was strange.  Carol hadn’t said a word to me at all.  I felt warm all over and extremely light.  There were so many questions I wanted to ask Carol but I didn’t know what to start with first.

I said goodbye to Carol and collapsed on the sofa inside.  Pepper padded in and jumped on my lap happy to see me.  The only noise I could hear in the house was his purring.  I guess Kayla had gone out with friends.

The Mark on my arm began to tingle and glow.  That’s weird I thought.  I pushed Pepper off my lap and got up.  I took two steps before I froze.  The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.  Outside on the footpath stood a young girl no older than seven.  Her back was to me so I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t next doors child.  As if sensing me, she spun around.  Our eyes met briefly, then she was gone.  Just faded away like an illusion.  I blinked a few times.  Ok I’m losing it I thought.  Pepper wrapped his tail around my legs purring.  Today’s events had finally caught up with me.  “Come on Pepper, it’s time for bed. “  My head hit the pillow and it took less than a minute before I drifted off to sleep.

I jolted awoke the next morning with a sense of urgency as the memory of my dream floated back to me.  The little girl I thought I saw last night was playing in a peaceful garden I didn’t recognize.  Bright Gerberas, daisies and pansies brought the garden to life.  I was there too of course but it seemed that I was looking in on the dream.  A few minutes went by before the girl was approached by two older boys.  I could only guess their ages; maybe 16 or 17.  The taller one had scruffy brown hair that badly needed a haircut.  He seemed to be the more dominant one, strutting over and peering down at her while the other boy stood back a little.  The feeling of peace vanished instantly and it was replaced with fear.  The scruffy haired one grabbed the girls’ ponytail fast while the other boy grabbed her feet and they dragged her into some bushes.  Panic set in.  I tried to run after her but I couldn’t move.  Or breathe.  My chest felt weighed down as I tried to gasp for air.  The pain came after.  It was horrible.  The smell of something metallic and salty assaulted my senses.  I managed to look down to see my shirt soaked through with my blood.  The last thing I remember before I woke up was looking out at that peaceful garden, watching the colour drain away to a dull gray.
(c) Melissa Freeman 2010

It's scary  posting my own stories on here for all to read.  I hope by putting myself out there, it will give others a boost in doing so with their own work!!  

Enjoy...

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

This week I've chosen Eighth Grade Bites: The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd by Heather Brewer.  While this has been released elsewhere this will be released on the 28th July 2010 in Australia.


Synopsis




Vladimir Tod
Normal eighth-grade student?
Or powerful vampire?
If you thought eighth grade was tough, try it with fangs and a fear of garlic.
Junior high really stinks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret. His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers and no one to teach him, Vlad struggles daily with blood cravings and enlarged fangs. When a strange substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. And then he realises he's being hunted by a vampire killer, and suddenly hunger, girls and bullies seem not quite such a problem after all.


I've also picked The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels. This will be released in the U.S on the 13th August 2010 (Friday)
Synopsis
No one knew of its existence until it was removed from the attic upstairs.

In a beautiful house that overlooks the sea, an antique clock has the power to change the course of their lives.

The power the clock resonates will not only force Destiny and ex-boyfriend David on a journey into the depths of one man's mind long dead, but into the mind of a man filled with hatred and bent on revenge.

With the only clues to the nature of the clock having disappeared into the sea, Destiny and David must retrace the steps the man had taken into the darkness, before they fall prey to the trap he had set in motion over half a century ago.

Hatred never dies.




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