Showing posts with label Young Adult Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult Fiction. Show all posts

Monday, March 13, 2017

Rana: Teenage Queen Blog Tour



I am so excited about the release of Rana: Teenage Queen by Liza O'Connor. We met because I stupidly signed up for a science fiction thing with her. I don't write science fiction. I had no recollection of even signing up and caused Liza all kinds of problems. She was super cool, though, and wrote a blog post about parallel universes. So yeah, we go way back ;)

This is Liza's newest book baby and I'm so excited for her! Check out all the details below!



Troubles that humans brought to Hope
Not all humans are created equal. In fact, some of us shouldn’t have been created at all. While most of the colonists who traveled to their third planet were good people, a few were pure evil. And what is worse, those evil males’ dominant DNA left no chance of a son or daughter being anything but evil as well. No matter the pairing, their DNA would dominate all offspring.

Had the fairies been aware of their existence among the colonists, they would have destroyed them at once, but many of the evil men hid their dark souls. However, their clever and ruthless nature enabled them to become king of their holds, and others to spread out among other holds and took control of all businesses within a hold. These men called themselves the Black Mafia.


BLURB


Rana is only sixteen when she becomes queen. Her first challenge is to quell an internal coup while a massive army storms the gates of her castle. Her enemies believe her to be a child, but she has powers they’ve never suspected. She also has great dreams for her people, and she will do whatever is necessary to make them happen, even marrying a prince she does not want.

EXCERPT
Rana pushed in. “King Allan, I am only slightly knowledgeable about Firehold. If they lose their army, how will that impact their hold?”
“Can you not get your history lessons later? My father needs his rest!” Seren snapped.
King Allan stopped his son’s rant. “This decision cannot wait, Seren. I have ordered my general to kill them all, but Rana’s question gives me pause. I will tell you more about the hold, but let me talk to my general first.”
The screen went blank.
“What now!” Seren yelled.
“Your father has placed us on pause,” Ditter explained and pressed his hand on Seren’s shoulder. “King Allan is alive. Just relax. All is well.”
He then looked at Rana. “Firehold does not have a separate army. All the men fight, as well as most of the women who are not pregnant or have babies. Their hold began as a prison where the original colonists sent those they felt were damaging their chance of survival. Unfortunately, as the number of inmates grew, the more violent the group became, and in the tenth year of its existence, they broke free.”
Rana was shocked that her history classes mentioned none of this.
“They immediately attacked the closest holds, since they had neither food nor water. None of the holds had soldiers back then. Even their police forces were very small.” His eyes darkened with despair. “Only a few women survived the invasions, and I’m certain they would have preferred to die.”
Seren frowned. “Why was I not taught this in history?”
“Because a truce was made with the prisoners that nothing would be mentioned of their past if they would stop killing. Instead, each hold agreed to accept twenty of the men into their own, find them work, and ‘reform’ them.”
“Then why is there a Firehold?”
“Because these men did not wish to reform. So they created a new hold. They are the reason all holds have armies now. They are also the reason why all holds have corruption within their ranks.” He then smiled at Collins. “Only your general is very determined to purge the cancer from your holds.”
She appreciated the approbation of her general, but remained focused on Ditter. “Has any good person ever come from Firehold?”
“No, genetically, they are programmed to prey on the weak.”
When the King returned, his brow was furrowed. “Since it is your soldiers who prevents the Firehold army from retreating and saving themselves, you should have a part in the decision I’ve made. So I’ve asked my general to stop eliminating the Firehold army until I can explain the reason for my seemingly heartless action.” He closed his eyes a moment and breathed in deep. “Every year we lose about a hundred good, hardworking men who carry our crystals to other holds. We also lose the crystal, but the pointless loss of the men is what angers me the most. Firehold has no reason to kill my drivers. They are told not to resist if they are held up by thieves. But they die all the same, in gruesome and painful manners such as having their skin pulled from their flesh while they are still alive.”
The idea of being alive while someone ripped off her flesh made Rana tremble in horror.
Seren covered her hand as he spoke. “Father, Rana does not need to hear this. She is barely a woman.”
“I agree with you, King Allan” Rana spoke, ignoring Seren’s insulting words. “They should all be eliminated. It will be better for the prosperity of our holds.”

SALES LINK
RANA: TEENAGE QUEEN

About the Author
Liza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.

OTHER BOOKS BY LIZA O’CONNOR
SCIENCE FICTION
Sci-Fi Soap Opera with humor, romance, and science
Sci-Fi/Romance
The SkyRyders Series
Sci-Fi Romance
Scavenger Vanishes-coming 2017
FANTASY


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Saturday, December 6, 2014

My First Vlog Post!

So. Kelly Martin, one of my very bestests friends, does these cute videos where she chatters in her cute accent and everyone loves her. She talked me into doing them, too. So here you go :)
 


So apparently this is a weekly thing. Got any questions you want me to answer? Leave me a comment or send me a message!

Monday, November 3, 2014

Raif and Me: Part 5

It's my turn again! I love the twists and turns this experiment takes, each of us adding our own unique style--Kelly's mystery, Leah's wit, and my super-powerful, paranormal girl :) Every time I get a chance to write, I get more and more excited about this story!

In case you'd like to catch up:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4


It was so dark wherever I was being held that I wouldn’t have been able to tell my eyes were open except for the burning—like someone had set my eyes on fire with overachieving gasoline. Or, you know, something less crazy. My groan echoed, telling me I was somewhere cavernous. And I was freezing. And the smell…inhuman. Intoxicating. It almost lured my eyes closed again.
Yeah. Raif had brought me home—his real home, not the nondescript brownstone townhouse I’d been stalking for the last six years while he pretended to be a regular human with a massive case of OCD. I hadn’t been here since…
My mind revolted. No. The last time I’d been here, I’d almost lost my soul. And I would not let it happen again. He’d been ever so polite when he’d brought me here—apparently thinking I was obedient enough that I didn’t need to be tied up. The only thing stopping me from walking right out was the blasted darkness and my aching head.
My head would require Advil. And Pepsi. Lots of it. But the darkness? That I could do something about.
Raif might be one-of-a-kind, but so was I.  Yeah, I might look human. And act human. But I was a different sort of bird altogether.
Just like Raif.
But also the opposite of Raif. I was good. I was a guardian. Guarding the world from vampires and werewolves and demons.
And Raif.
I closed my eyes, digging around in my own soul until I found the tiny spark way back behind my heart. Wake up, little bird. It’s time to go to work.
Raif thought I wouldn’t try to escape. He thought I was that submissive—that after everything he put me through, I’d still stay like an obedient, furry pet. And six years ago, I would have. But not now. Raif didn’t know it, but in those six years of stalking him, I’d grown a backbone. And no one was going to lock me in the dark and expect me to sit there waiting for him to come home like an overeager puppy. I wasn’t a werewolf, after all.
I was a Phoenix.
I felt the heat consuming me—but not painful. Warm and safe. Strong. I felt my body change, as it had so many times before, felt the wings spread, the bones twisting, lightening.
My burning body lit up the cavern. How nice, he’d even left me dinner. And a blanket. He’d also installed a door since the last time I’d been there, but it didn’t matter. I had tears that healed, a bite that poisoned the soul—
--and wings that shed fire hotter than the sun.
The door and its pathetic little lock didn’t stand a chance.
I knew where Raif was going. I knew the Collection knew. So that’s where I was going, too. I hadn’t decided yet whose side I would be on when I got there. My heart whispered Raif. My mind bellowed Collection. And my soul waited quietly, reserving judgment.
I flew on silent, smoldering wings out of the cavern, through the tunnels that would have been impossible to find my way out of in the pitch blackness. Raif knew what I was. But when we’d been together, on the same side—both fighting for good—I hadn’t had the courage to shift. His kind was my ancient enemy, yet we both had believed in the same thing. Clearly, he thought nothing had changed in all these years.
But to survive him and the devastation he’d caused my heart, I’d had to shift. The first time I’d shifted, I’d sworn never to change back. Being human hurt.
So much.
But I was strong now. And even if I still loved him, I wouldn’t let him win. He’d shattered me once. He wouldn’t do it again.
I shifted as soon as I neared the entrance. Deep, dark caves and winding tunnels were Raif’s thing. He thought they were fun.  I didn’t mind them, but I didn’t have time for his games now. I had a world to save.

The funny thing about destiny? Everything you did to escape it seemed to lead you right to it. Destiny always wins.


 Stay tuned for Part 6 coming next week from Kelly Martin!


Monday, October 13, 2014

Raif and Me: Part 2

So. This happened.
My two favorite friends and I started a pass around writing experiment. Leah Sanders started the story, then passed it on to me. Next week, Kelly Martin will take her turn, and then it will go back to Leah until the story is done. Each week, one of us will post the next section. See how fun?!

For Part ONE, check out Leah's blog post HERE
(Yes. Her blog is way cooler than mine. Mine won't let me change the font. Or the colors. Or...anything. My blog is possessed. And it haunts me.)

"He's moving," I hissed into the darkness. But no, I was not, as I know you assume, talking to myself. I was, in fact, talking to the bosses. The little transmitter attached to my collar made sure they were always listening. Always listening.

And lucky me, the little bug in my ear made sure I could hear them, too. "What? What do you mean, he's moving? He never moves on Friday!"

I rolled my eyes. "No kidding," I muttered. Their sharp intake of breath, simultaneous, as always, told me they had heard that, too. I winced, because I would pay for that little bit of sarcasm. Later.

But not now.

Now, I slid from shadow to shadow, watching Raif do the same. Trick or Treaters were everywhere, little ghosts and super heroes and witches and princesses. And monsters, of course, because what would Halloween be, without monsters?

Little did they know, there was a monster hunter in their midst.

And a real live monster, dressed in black and not carrying his book, set on seeking his own revenge.

"Justice," I heard him saying, over and over, timed with each step. "Justice. Justice. Justice."


Sometime next week, Kelly Martin will post the next installment. Check out her blog at http://www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/


Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Guest Post by Ryan Hunter - YA isn't just for Children!

Ryan Hunter is a YA author who is amazing and you should all check her out. Oh, you're not a teenager, you say? Well, YA isn't just for kids. In fact, that's all I read and I am faaar from being a child, so there!

The YA Market isn’t Just for Children Anymore
Did you know that 55% of all YA books are bought by people over the age of 18? In a market designed for youth ages 12-17, that’s a serious market to consider when promoting your novel.
But why are so many age groups reading YA?
The Atlantic Wire said, “To escape our frantic adult lives, to remind us of who we were and who we want to be … and, put simply, they’re good.”
An intriguing aspect of YA is the ability to merge multiple genres, incorporating elements of the paranormal with history or fantasy with romance, and any number of other combinations.

Jacquelyn Mitchard, journalist, said that YA is becoming more popular because, “young adult is where the action is …” and that it’s a way “to remember when life was so tender …” She also said that adults who read YA better understand where their kids are coming from.
Author Maureen McGowan slated many of the same reasons and added, “There’s plenty of drama, conflict and tension. The teen years are full of heightened emotions. It’s when we experience our first loves, first heartbreaks, first huge setbacks and triumphs.”
Understanding who your readers are and what they’re craving in fiction will help you create a stronger story, to help you write something that appeals to your readers whether they’re children or adults.
While it’s important to understand why others read YA, you should also understand why you do and just as importantly, why you love to write it.
I love to read YA because it usually carries an element of hope. Adult novels often lack the optimism that youth captures and I long for that in a book. I also love to see growth in the characters I'm reading about and I feel, too often, that adults characters have no room left for growth - they're stubborn or cynical, or they get caught up in issues I'd rather forget about ... in short, I thrive on seeing a character's growth throughout a story.
I think that’s also why I also love writing YA.



Ryan Hunter is the author of inDIVISIBLE, a dystopian that’s being hailed as a modern-day 1984; and Premeditated, a YA suspense. She’s a wife and mother of five. She’s an avid runner, blogger and baker.
Website: propertyofoneunited.com
Facebook: facebook.com/authorryanhunter
Twitter: @ryanhunter45
Blog: authorryanhunter.blogspot.com