The Books Backlot

Fall for the Fallen

2011-07-12T00:39:00.000-07:00

Lauren Kate the author of the bestselling Fallen series is currently on a worldwide tour promoting her latest book Passion. She will be arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia tomorrow and will be having book signings at these dates and venues:

Tuesday, 12^th July 2011

Kinokuniya bookstore, KLCC at 3.00-4.00 p.m

Popular bookstore, Ikano Power Centre (IPC) at 6.00-7.00p.m

Wednesday, 13^th July 2011

MPH bookstore, Mid Valley at 10.30-11.30 a.m

Dear fellow Malaysians out there, this might be the one and only chance to meet and greet Lauren Kate so doesn’t let this opportunity fly away! If you are living away from the Klang Valley, beg borrow and steal a pair of fluffy angel wings and fly yourself here! You have every reason to do that!

For those of you who are still strangers to this wonderful thrilling series, here’s a review of a Fallen audio book which Lauren Kate has generously popped into my mailbox. I hope this review can give you some insights on the series.

Fallen is the first book of the series. It managed to scale the impossible heights of attaining a place in the top three spot of the New York Times bestselling list and held on to the title by maintaining it for two years!

Basically the book revolves around Lucinda “Luce” Price who is sent to Sword and Cross, a rehabilitation school for troubled teens, after a mysterious fire claims the life of her boyfriend and leaves her miraculously unhurt except for only singed hair. While her parents sent her to the foreboding place with all good intentions - to protect her from further harm and danger; unknown to them, they have just sent their daughter right into the heart of a very old battle between good and bad angels. What’s more, Luce finds herself irrevocably attracted to elusive enigmatic Daniel, a fallen angel. And yes, that’s where the trouble begins. “Get ready to fall …”

I'm sorry but the picture just refuses to load the right way up.

The Fallen audio book by Bolinda Audio is available on Amazon.com for USD 26.00. The length of it is 10 hours and 58 minutes. I think it makes the perfect company to keep a person on a flight from London to New York well entertained especially if you are one of those people who gets a bad migraine while reading on a plane but still want have a nice dose of fiction. You could even probably use the few hours left for loo time and to catch some forty winks before you arrive at your destination. Just sayin…

I also find this audio book extremely convenient as it’s MP3 ready so you can just slide it into your laptop and have it sync to your iPod. It’s much better than lugging a CD player and extra batteries or the wire cord. Also by being able to transfer the audio book into my iPod, I could listen to it anytime and anywhere. To me it was great not having to bring a thick book along with me. Instead I could just tuck my iPod in the pocket of my coat and I was good to go. Plus, I find it extremely handy when it comes to reading while exercising. I used to struggle with balancing a book on the screen of the treadmill and always ended up with the book soaked with yucky sweat instead at the end of my work out.

The audio book is read by Justine Eyre who has quite impressing credits in the film industry. Her voice wasn’t one of those annoyingly shrill or squeaky ones that make you jump right up in your chair each time she was trying to emphasize on something. It’s also not that boring that immediately drifts you to dreamland after 15 minutes of listening to it.

The only Achilles heel in this audio book was the fact that it did not have the comforting additive smell of a paperback book.

For those of you who feel that angels aren’t really your cup of tea, Lauren Kate has a chillingly haunting story of a Southern belle titled The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. The latest cover of the book is absolutely stunning.

Best of all, I have an autograph copy to share with you. Though it’s not the latest edition, this cover’s is still pretty. Don’t you think?

I'll share with you how to get your hands on this autographed on in awhile's time when I figure out the requirements :p

XOXO,

Eibhlin Lim :)

17 Magazine blog book review !

2011-03-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

Hey people,

I know that I didn't post anything in February and I broke my own rule of updating my book blog at least once each month, but things have been getting pretty crazy here. I am still recovering from a nasty bout of bacterial infection. To make up for that 'missing' post, I have something extra special to share with you guys this month !

Recently, I 'visited' SEVENTEEN mag's blog and did a guest book review. The book I reviewed for them was Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn. The book's pretty cool and bound to make you cry and laugh in a single read. So be sure to check out the review over at their site ! Here's the link !

17.com.my Ten Things I Love About You review

Interview with Lauren Kate !

2011-01-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

Lauren Kate is the author of bestselling Fallen and Torment. I had the opportunity to interview her via Skype earlier this year at MPH bookstore in Mid Valley for stuff@school, The Star Newspaper. Today, I host her in my book blog for once another interview ! Let's have a look on what she has to say...

1. Are you on team Cam, Daniel or Miles ? Why?

I’m on Team Daniel for Luce and Team Cam for myself. Daniel and Luce are soul mates and there’s just no messing with that, but personally, I love the bad boys and so Cam (who’s based in part on my husband) holds a special place in my heart. Miles is a wonderful character too, but to me, he’s more of a friend. I really want Michael Cera to play him in the movie.
( Team Bad Boys ! They have this weird thing going on that draws a mostly good girl like me. Guess, a little danger is always tempting ! LOL! )

2. How was the character Arriane born? Was she based on anyone you know personally?

Arriane is the girl I would be if I could get away with it. She’s my favorite character to write because I get to funnel in so much stuff I’d never say aloud into her dialogue.

3. The girls on the cover of the books have really pretty dresses. Do you know where we can get them?

I know, they’re breathtaking, aren’t they? I don’t have exact information about the designer of the dresses yet, but I’ve been told Morgan LeFay makes something similar.

4. Do you have any shout out to your readers ?

Your support keeps me writing—thank you so much for your enthusiasm and kindness!

5. Do you have any advice for budding authors out there?

Live curiously. Make the whole world your muse. Keep it all in a journal until you’re bursting with the story. Write it down. Finish it. Make writing pals with whom you can share you work. Take their suggestions. Revise, revise, revise. Don’t ever give up.
( This is one of the most motivating things I've ever read. It really struck a chord in me !)

6. What is the factor or source of inspiration that keeps you going on even though you face the thing, every authors dread - the blank page monster ?

Right now, it’s the characters who are keeping me inspired. I’m so invested in their story and even I don’t know what’s going to happen in the end. I keep writing so that I can find out!

7. Can you share with us a hint on what to expect and what will take place in the book after Torment, Passion?

Passion is a wild and crazy beast. It spans five thousand years of Luce and Daniel’s past together and will see Luce finally getting to the bottom of her mysterious history with Daniel. There’s tons of action, a change of setting with almost every new chapter, and as always, lot of gorgeous wings. For everyone who’s anxious for answers to so many open questions—this is the book for you!

8. Most of the scenes in the book Torment takes place in San Fransisco. Why did you choose to set the story in San Fransisco ?

I was living in northern California when I started writing Torment. Fort Bragg, the town where the fictional school, Shoreline, is located is the place where my husband proposed to me. It’s a very romantic place for me and perfectly suited for the book.

9. In the book Torment, we were introduced to a newer type of angels - The Outcasts. Can you explain to us a little more on their race and how you got the idea to write about them ? What are important parts or roles The Outcasts play in the storyline in Torment and the coming books ?

The Outcasts are a group of angels who fell with the other fallen angels after the War in Heaven. They’re sort of the angelic equivalent of social climbers. They try to weasel their way in with whoever seems like the most powerful at the time. So when things got challenging on earth for the fallen, the Outcasts tried to go back immediately to Heaven. Heaven rejected them, sensing their insincerity. That’s when they tried to go to Hell, but even Satan didn’t want them—and usually he tries to take everyone. He cast them blind for their impudence, but they can still see the burning of certain angels’ and mortals’ souls. They’ll be back in a big way in the books to follow Torment.

10. How many books will there be in the Fallen Saga ? Can you give us a rough sketch of the publishing plans ?

I’m planning on four books. Torment picks up right where Fallen left off and comes out on 9/28. Passion is up next, and traces Luce and Daniel’s history across time. That will come out in the summer of 2011. The final book, Rapture, will tie everything together in January of 2012.

Here's a sneak peak of the cover of Passion :

Pretty, isn't it ? I can't wait to read it too :)

MASSIVE YEAR END GIVEAWAY !!!

2010-12-14T06:56:00.000-08:00

THE CHANGES ARE STATED IN RED :)
Hi everybody!

It has come to the time of year when the Christmas decorations are out once again, the fairy lights twinkling on every building in the city, and the major sales going on in major retailers across the globe. While some of us, we wait for this particular time of the year for the amazing discounts (for those fanatic shopaholics; we all know there is a Becky Bloomwood in all of us!); some of us, marvel at the idea of friends and family from far and near coming together during the holiday season, sharing stories across delectable home-made dinner and of course, those beautifully wrapped presents waiting patiently under the Christmas tree. In association with the holiday spirit of giving and sharing as well as the major discounts and promotions, I decided I wanted to bring that to my blog with a Massive Year End Giveaway!

Yes! You heard right! I am hosting a Massive Year End Giveaway on my book blog! I have a huge hoard of goodies to share! So here is the list of goodies I have! I will be giving out TWO SETS to TWO LUCKY WINNERS in this giveaway! Also before this slips my ageing mind, big thanks to the generous authors who contributed the amazing stuff!

Books

· Evernight by Claudia Gray (autographed)

· Stargazer by Claudia Gray (autographed)

Postcards

· Mistwood by Leah Cypress (autographed)

· Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (autographed)

· Forget Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White

Bookmarks

· Forger Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White (autographed)

· Change of Heart by Shari Maurer (autographed)

· Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt (autographed)

· Mistwood by Leah Cypress (autographed)

· The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berk (autographed)

· The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell (autographed)

· Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (autographed)

· Tell me a Secret by Holly Cupala (autographed)

· Sleepless and Fairytale by Cyn Balog (autographed)

Others

· Clair De Lune by Christine Johnson bookplates (autographed)

· Tell me a Secret by Holly Cupala stickers

· Forget Her-Nots tattoo by Amy Brecount White

Tempting aren’t they? Such a beautiful collection for the holidays. Imagine snuggling down under a comfy blanky reading. And to top it all, the bookmarks surely will keep the pages for you as you party all night long so you don’t have to frantically search for the part you stopped at the next morning. Now, to win all of these goodies which awaits you for a brand new owner, you just have to follow the Instructions, read and agree to the Giveaway Policy and Private Policy.

Instuctions

You need to comply with all of these instructions in order to qualify for this giveaway unless stated optional. You can also maximize the chances for winning by earning extra points (they will be stated).

Follow me on my blog. (If you are already a follower, just state the user name that you used to follow on the blog in your entry).
You need to recommend a minimum of five ( to make life a little easier, I decided to change it to a minimum of 2 followers. The previous participants whom managed to recommend five followers shall get a bonus of three points for the other three ! ) of your family or friends to check out this blog and they must follow this blog. I repeat, they must follow in order for you to qualify! (You cannot recommend existing followers and repeat the name of followers who was recommended already (regardless by you or others). You need to send me the list of people you recommended and whom followed. The more who follows this blog under your recommendation, the better chances of winning! Each additional person who follows this blog under your recommendation earns you additional 5 points. So spread the news!)
.Give me some comments on my book blog and the improvements we can put into works for the coming year! I love hearing from you because you are special! (optional. However this earns you another 10 points!)
Post this giveaway link in two different places – Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and any other social networks. Sent me the links. (Each additional place gets you 5 points!)
Just follow all the instructions above and send everything in an email with the title : ‘MASSIVE YEAR END GIVEAWAY!’ to thebooksbacklot@gmail.com. Remember to add your name, age at time of participating, mailing addy (I need the real one that works in order to sent you the prize if you win!) and of course gender. To be honest, I have problem with names. I get confuse all the time. So that helps! But if you are uncomfortable with that, just write ‘human’. I’ll understand.

GOOD LUCK

Giveaway Policy and Others

You are allowed multiple entries for this contest but please do not repeat any of your previous entries. It doesn’t count! For posting the giveaway link requirement ( number 4), if you are sending in more than one entry, you can repeat the social network as long as the link to this competition doesn’t appear on the same day more than once. Also, you are only entitled to ONE prize per person regardless of number of entries.
You need to be at least 13 years old at the time of participation to qualify for this giveaway. However, please get your parents consent before participating if you are a minor.
Dateline is 10 am on 1 January 2011. ( Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia time) Late entries will not be entertained. Dateline has been extended to the 31st of January 2011, 10pm (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia time).
Open to everyone regardless of the country as long as it exists. Please don’t write Narnia, Andalasia, or Hogwarts. (International level)
The prizes for this giveaway will be sent out directly upon the confirmation of the winners and the completion of this giveaway.
The winners will be notified by email (the same address used for entry). I may or may not post the results on the blog.
I am not responsible for any prizes lost in the mail.
I am not responsible for any consequences, effects or implications caused by this giveaway. Enter at your own risk. Once the participant sent in his/her entry, they clearly read, understood and agreed to the policy and other regulations involved in this giveaway.
I hold the right to end this giveaway before its original deadline without any prior notice.
I hold the right to disqualify any entry as I see fit without any notification. All decisions on the winning entries are final and I will not entertain any disgruntled participants.
Private Policy: I will not personally share any personal information received in any of the entries for this giveaway. I will not use the information received except only for the smooth flow of this giveaway such as announcing the winner and sending the prize. However, under some circumstances like a hacked account (some sick people actually tries to hack this blog for some god-knows-why reason), I cannot guarantee that your information won’t be leaked.
I am not paid to do this giveaway and I won’t receive any monetary prize for hosting it either.

HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY ! I’LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ENTRIES !

If you have any questions on this giveaway please contact me at thebooksbacklot@gmail.com.

Review on Sleepless, Interview with Cyn Balog and autographed bookmarks (soon) !

2010-11-18T07:08:00.000-08:00

I know I have not updated my blog for a very long time now. I have been really busy and caught up with everything that has taken place over the last probably two months. First, I had a major examination so reading anything out of the syllabus was a big no- no. Then, my book blog was hacked. I needed some time to fix it. After that, the drama got bigger – my grand fell and got himself hurt, I was stranded in Bandung Indonesia for a few days due to Mount Merapi’s eruption which caused lots of flights to be cancelled and putting together the newspaper issue which I was supposed to head. That’s lots of work for a fifteen year old. I must say, I am really tired after all of it. Imagine my utter delight, when the school holiday started two days ago.

Today, I am going to share with you my thoughts on the book Sleepless by Cyn Balog, give you insiders knowledge on behind the scenes with an interview with Cyn Balog herself, and of course, a giveaway ! I have autographed bookmarks from the lovely Cyn Balog to share with you! (The bookmarks giveaway is in the following post! So stay tuned! )

Here’s the review and the interview. Bon appetite!

Review on Sleepless

I was sleepless for two entire nights as I read page by page of this book. I must say this is one of those books that keeps a person wide awake until they finish reading it. Even then, some might want to re-read again if you are those who read books over and over again. But for a person like me who rarely read a book twice unless it is my school text-book, I am happy to be done, move on, get some sleep and then write this review!

The story kick starts with Julia saying goodbye to Griffin, her annoying boyfriend. Little does she knows it will be the last time she sees him alive. When the newspaper calls her for a quote on Griffin, she thinks it was one of his silly pranks. It is only when she attends his funeral she realizes his dead. Griffin has died in a freak car accident.

Bret is after Julia. He is Griffin’s best friend. Now that he is dead, Bret thinks he is free to show his true feelings towards Julia. But is Julia comfortable with his overboard advancements?

Eron is a sandman. Julia is his charge. He is responsible to seduce her to sleep each night. However, Eron seems to sense something amiss with Julia. After saving Julia’s life when she was a child, he knows he should not interfere again especially when his chance of finally becoming a human is again is so close. But Julia is in danger… Maybe Eron’s feeling for Julia runs deeper than a sandman’s after all. Will he risk everything again for her?

This book is definitely a page turner with suspense in almost every chapter. The story was so intricately woven that the action of each of the character affected the others. I was at the edge of my seat wanting to know what happens next…

Interview with author of Sleepless, Cyn Balog

1. Describe the live of a YA author in five words.

The job I always wanted!

2. What was the inspiration behind Fairytale?

I was just tired of seeing girls finding out they were fairy princesses. I thought it would be much more interesting to see a macho guy learn that HE was the fairy.

3. What would be your first reaction if you ever found out that you are a fairy swapped as a baby and left in the human world ?

No wonder I'm so weird compared to everyone else!

4. Which was your favorite scene to write in Sleepless ?

Probably the scene at the end of the book, where Julia is realizing that Eron is not from the same time period that she's from. She offers him Oreos and Cheese-its and gets a blank stare. I really loved putting Eron, a Sandman who died in 1910, up against the modern world!

5. Which was the hardest character to build and grow in your books ?

I think it was probably Morgan from FAIRY TALE. She has a psychic power, and I was tired of all the books out there portraying people with psychic powers as outcasts. I knew that if anyone in MY high school had been a psychic, they'd be the most popular girl in school because everyone would want to find out their fortune! Because she has this power and has been hounded by the school constantly, she's jaded and really snarky and self-centered. But deep down, she's not very confident because she realizes that without her power, she's nothing. So whenever you make anyone sarcastic you run the risk of certain people not liking them. And so I really tried to make it so that Morgan softened a lot and learned to put others before her.

6. If you could be a character in any fictitious book, who would you be and why ?

Oooh can I be Bella? I would like to have two really hot guys fighting over me. And then eventually become a really hot vampire myself.

7. Do you have any advice for budding authors out there ?

Everyone told me it was impossible to get published. It's far from impossible. In fact I think it is probable, as long as you don't give up. Keep reading, keep taking the advice of those who have come before you, and don't let rejection or fear stop you.

8. If you could deem your life as a fairytale, how would you describe it ?

I really don't care what comes before, just as long as I get to the Happily Ever After part.

9. Will you be publishing any books soon ? Are you currently working on any novels? What are the publishing plans like ?

Yes, I have two more paranormal romance novels coming up, STARSTRUCK in 2011 and LIVING BACKWARDS (tentative title) in 2012. I've already sent in a proposal for my next book after that to my editor and I'm hoping it gets picked up for 2013. I am obviously on a yearly plan with my paranormal romances. I also have a dystopian novel I'm shaping up and a few more ideas I'm fleshing out.

10. Do you have anything to shout out to your fans and readers ?

I love my readers and fans. They make doing this possible. So thank you!!

Thank you for reading ! I hope you enjoyed them as much as I had fun putting them together. And if you were wondering about the autographed bookmarks, fear not, I did not forget about them ! I will post the giveaway for the bookmarks together with a massive year end giveaway soon ! So keep checking my blog for updates on that one. I think you would definitely want more autographed swags from your favourite YA authors so I think it will be worth the wait. For now, let me catch some sleep...

Interview with Denise Jaden :)

2010-09-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hi there dear readers !

It's been awhile since I last updated. Alas, I have been really caught up. And boy, does time flies when you are most of the time having quite a ball of a time ! This month featured author will be Denise Jaden the author of Losing Faith which not so coincidentally is released this month ! I was lucky enough to be able to contact Denise and have an interview with her ! Look below for more info about that ! Heres the interview ! Have fun !

Denise Jaden

1. Can you tell and explain to us please, a little more detail on your book Losing Faith and what's the story about?

Losing Faith is a story about sixteen year old Brie, whose sister Faith dies in a tragic fall from a cliff. Through the bizarre and devastating mourning process, Brie discovers her sister held some pretty big secrets…some which may put her own life in danger.

2. What inspired you to write the book? When and how the idea and concept for the book came along?

I’ve always been secretly jealous of friends who have close relationships with their sisters. I’ve never had a sister myself, but have always been drawn to the idea of writing about sisters. Also, when I was sixteen, I lost a close friend in a car accident, and the whole idea of experiencing extreme loss at such a vulnerable age has always felt to me like a big area to explore.

3. Share with us the moment you found out your book was accepted and the publishers bought the rights to it. Give it the details on what your were doing, how you found out, anything ! Even the color of the shirt was wearing that day !

Well, to be honest, I was still in my pajamas when I found out! I live on the West Coast, so I’m three hours behind most of the publishing industry. When I opened my email and saw something from my agent, at first I assumed it was a rejection. But then I saw the subject line “Good News!” and let out a little yelp. I went on to read the body of the email, forwarded from the amazing lady who would become my editor: “I love it. I want it. Denise is super-talented.” Yes, I just about died right there. And screamed a lot. And did I mention that I had house-guests at the time? They were nice enough to bring champagne home later that afternoon.

4. When in preschool, your teacher would have asked you to draw the picture of yourself in twenty years from that time, did you ever picture yourself as an author? Or had you always wanted to be one ?

No, in my wildest dreams, I would not have expected to become an author. I never enjoyed writing or reading as a child or teen. It was firmly rooted in my brain as “work” until much later in life when a friend passed on an amazing book to me.

5. Are you a morning bird or an night owl? What time of the day do you prefer to write and work on your projects?

Neither. LOL. I wish I could do one or the other well, and I suspect when my son is older, things may change. But they may not either. I get up fairly early because I have to, but I’m always more than willing to stay in bed. I write in the afternoon while my son has either a quiet time or a nap. I think if I had the choice, I’d love to write first thing in the morning, as that always seems like when my creative juices are really flowing.

6. Is Losing Faith going to be a stand alone title or is there going to be more to continue in the future?

At this point, Losing Faith is a standalone title, but I do have ideas for a companion novel from one of the secondary character’s point of views that I am currently playing with. Tessa Lockbaum has been one of my favorite characters to write, and I’d love to tell more of her story.

7. What is the strangest thing that happened to you in your life?

I don’t know if this is the strangest thing, but it’s up there. When in London a couple of years ago riding a bus, my husband mentioned that a girl on the bus looked just like someone from my Polynesian dance troupe in years past. All of a sudden the girl hopped up, looked over at me, and screamed. Who knew that in a city of 60 million you could run into a friend you hadn’t seen in years!

8. Who's your favorite fictional character from a book? Why ?

I have a really hard time naming an all-time favorite. And to be honest, many of my favorites are the love interests and not the main characters. I love Wes from Sarah Dessen’s THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER and Wesley from Kody Keplinger’s THE DUFF and Dean in Sarra Manning’s GUITAR GIRL. But that’s just today. The books and characters that stand out in my mind are constantly changing.

9. Did anyone you know in real life inspired you to write Losing Faith?

Not really. Like I said, the experience of losing a friend certainly had an influence. And one of my secondary characters is vaguely inspired by a girl I knew in high school. But the book in itself was not inspired by anyone specific.

The cover of Losing Faith !

Thank you. I hope all of you enjoyed this interview and keep reading for next month's featured author !

Interview with Shari Maurer, Author of Change of Heart

2010-08-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hi, how are you doing ?

It's been quite a crazy starting of the month for me. Last week, my blog crashed and I finally got a chance to fix it today. Cross my fingers hope it doesn't happen again.

I am planning to have at least an interview with an author each month on my blog. I would hope to be able to host more than one author on my blog each month but my minimum would be one for now. For this month, I have an interview with Shari Maurer. She ventures into a slightly different yet amazing storyline with lots of heart. I think it is wonderful. To learn more about Shari and the things that inspire her check out the interview below :

Shari Maurer (Author of Change of Heart)

1. Can you share with us a little more on your background ? Have you always wanted to be an author? If no, then how and what inspired you to be one ?

After graduating college, I wound up in an MFA program in Dramatic Writing at NYU. An internship there led me to 6+ years at the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop), working on international versions of Sesame Street and other children's programs, taking me all over the world. I kept working there after my daughter was born, but didn't want to travel and eventually realized I wanted to be home with her full time. During this time, my friend, Gerri Freid Kramer and I put together The Parents' Guide to Children's Congenital Heart Defects. My daughter and her son had heart defects that were repaired and we wanted to create a resource for other parents. I did a little writing here and there, but when my son went to kindergarten, I decided to take a class at the Institute for Children's Literature. This gave me a wonderful push back into writing.

So I guess that was a long way of saying I've always had writing in the back of my mind and only recently pursued it full time.

2. Did the place you grew up in, or the place you're living in right now inspired you to write ?

Change of Heart is set in New City, NY which is where I grew up and where I live now. I thought it would be fun to have a book set there. In fact, I was at both Rockland Lake and Twist N Shake yesterday--two of the places Emmi goes to in the book. That's cool !

3. Do you have a 'thing' you need or 'something' you do before you start writing away like a mug of coffee, nice music, a jog, etc ?

I was never a coffee drinker until I started writing, but now I really need to have it by my side. I've also started writing on a netbook. I found when I was on the regular computer I was too distracted by all the potential things I could do on the internet (Facebook, plan a vacation, check my kids' sports schedules, etc.)

4. When you write the characters in Change of Heart, was anyone of them based on someone you know in your life ?

Not really. But I did have the opportunity to speak to several transplant recipients and I occasionally borrowed something from them. Well, and if I'm confessing "borrowing", I do have a daughter and two younger sons, who like Emmi and her brothers, Jeremy and Eli, have the same beginning initials. And I may have borrowed a detail or two from their lives, but they resemblance ends there.

5. Writing about a girl with an almost perfect charmed life and then everything in her life is suddenly tumbling down so quickly due to a heart problem, was it difficult to picture the pain and the confusion in the characters? Did you experience or faced something like that in real life?

I tried very hard to imagine what it would be like to be a teen and have your life almost come to a halt. Luckily, I have not experienced anything as life altering.

6. Do you have a favorite book? If you do, why do you like it so much ?
To Kill A Mockingbird. Partly because I was always intrigued with all things southern (possibly why I went to college there) and partly because the story and characters are so amazing. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my close second.

7. What works of fiction, authors or books have influenced you in your own writing?

When I was younger it was Judy Blume and Paula Danziger. As an adult, I love Sarah Dessen's books. I have kept them on my desk and will refer to them if I'm trying to figure out something about structure or characterization.

8. What do you enjoy most about writing?

The ability to lose all sense of time as you create a whole other world.

9. So how did the storyline for Change of Heart came about? Did the idea and concept for the story just 'popped up' in your head one day by chance ?

I had been watching a Discovery Health program on heart transplants (my husband is a doctor who cares for people waiting for hearts) and there was a girl on the show who haunted me. She was so brave and strong and probably a little scared, too. I started thinking about all of the "what ifs" of her life and Emmi was born.

10. Why do you choose to write for teens (YA genre) ?

A combination of YA being what I love to read and wanting to write a book for my daughter. My big hope was that my first book would be published while she was still in high school and could appreciate it--and it was!

One more thing I'd like to add. As I wrote this book and started to promote it, I was overwhelmed by the lack of available organs (not just hearts) for people who so desperately need them. My husband and I started working with the New York Organ Donor Network to register as many new organ donors as possible. Please consider registering. For more information go to www.donatelife.net. Thanks!

Thank you Shari for the interview! Thanks to my dear readers for reading this interview ! I hope you enjoyed it !

The Evernight Series by Claudia Gray

2010-08-01T07:42:00.001-07:00

Book Title: Evernight
Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 327
Release date: May 2008
Source: Author/ Publisher
Synopsis
Sixteen year old Bianca is against the idea of moving with her parents to the Evernight Academy from the small town where she was raised. Her parents would be taking jobs as teachers at the academy so naturally Bianca would be a student there.
Evernight is a boarding school with most of its popularity consisting of sleeks, smart and almost predatory students. These students are evidently more than humans. Bianca doesn’t quite fit in with the other students in her school.
Like every other rebellious teen, Bianca plans to run away on the first day of school however she bumps into brooding Lucas who drills some sense into her plans of escaping. She instantly forms a connection with him, the only person in the eerie place who seems decent enough. But sometimes secrets can rip apart the little connections we have with the people we might love.
My thoughts on the book:
I’ve got three words to describe this book: - amazing, brilliant, enchanting.
The storyline is original and yet it is not entirely out from the latest trend of stories that continue to rake in millions of teen readers across the globe in this season of YA genre. This book is the type with the saleable storyline and yet it still retains its own ingenuity. Claudia is truly an amazing story teller. The story was written beautifully and it was captivating.
I especially loved the part where Bianca first met Lucas. It was so cute!

Rating : 4 ½ stars !

Book Title: Stargazer
Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 332
Release date: March 2009
Source: Author/ Publisher
Synopsis
In the second book of the Evernight Series, Bianca and Lucas face the harsh reality of their secrets and pasts.
Bianca has fallen irrevocably in love with Lucas. The only thing standing in between their relationship is the fact that Bianca is a destined vampire while Lucas is a Black Cross member, a cult sworn to slay vampires. When Lucas’s true identity is revealed, he is forced to flee the Evernight Academy.
However the star-struck lovers, Bianca and Lucas would stop at nothing to see each other and be together once again. Bianca sneaks out to meet up with Lucas no matter how dangerous their situation is. Keeping secrets and lies from both equally dangerous parties have their own grave consequences if one of Lucas’s and Bianca’s secrets is revealed to either party.
Soon, Bianca finds out that she isn’t the only keeping secrets in her family. When wraiths starts attacking the Evernight Academy and makes it clear that they are targeting her, Bianca learns the truth behind her existence.
My thoughts on this book:
The most adorably exhilarating modern day Romeo and Juliet tale I’ve ever read! This book was filled with so much suspense that I couldn’t stop reading it and when I was done, I wished I had the third book Hourglass!

Ratings: 5 Stars!

Book Title: Hourglass
Author: Claudia Gray
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 339
Release date: March 2010
Source: Self Bought
Synopsis
Bianca elopes from the Evernight Academy for real this time. After the fire that ravaged the academy, Bianca and Lucas seeks refuge in the Black Cross Camp.
Being a vampire while living with vampire hunters is a treacherous position to be in especially when Bianca has to go through the tough training and boot-camp lifestyle of being a vampire hunter. Bianca has to discreetly satiate her hunger for blood.
But one day her secret was exposed when she was careless. A friend closest to her heart has betrayed her. Once again Lucas and Bianca are on the run.
This time, they have the Black Cross, the members of the Evernight Academy and Charity hunting them down. To make things worse, even the wraiths seems to want their fare share of Bianca.
Will Bianca and Lucas survive the battle or will the last resort to save their lives be ‘changing’ into a being neither of them ever dreamt of being?
My thoughts on the book:
It’s always good to have a wickedly awesome twist at the end of the story when the readers expect it the least. Suspense and action kept me hooked on this series.
Bianca is just an amazing strong girl with perseverance and faith as large as the Pacific Ocean. I believe girls would be able to look up to Bianca and make her a good example of a fighter we all should embody as a part of ourselves in order to survive in this harsh modern day reality.

Ratings : 5 Stars!

(*I do not receive any form of monetary payment for the book reviews/interviews/giveaways done on this blog. Book reviews/interviews/giveaways are done out of my own initiative and willingness as well as those of the corresponding parties involved. Books reviewed are provided out of the kindness and generosity of various sources. To those sources that make the reviews possible I wish to direct my heartiest thanks to.)

Thank you for checking out my latest reviews! You are awesome for a blog reader ! Here's a smiley for you :)

July's book review :)

2010-07-27T07:57:00.001-07:00

Penitence by Jennifer Laurens

Book Title: Penitence

Author: Jennifer Laurens

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing

Pages: 311

Release date: 25 June 2010

Source: Author/ Publisher

Synopsis

In this second book of the YA trilogy, Zoe faces more perils and complications. After saving her from a car accident in the previous book Heavenly, Matthias, Zoe’s guardian angel disappears from her life. Zoe, at a loss of the absence of Matthias soothing presence, believes that the appearance of Albert, Matthias’s father is to replace his son’s place. However what she doesn’t know is, Albert is after her soul. To complicate the situation, Zoe feels the weight of her brother’s worsening drug addiction, the frustration her family feels towards caring for her autistic little sister , and her best friend’s jealousy, bearing down on her shoulders. Will Matthias return to save her soul from his vengeful and sadistic father?

My thoughts on the book

It would be very unfair to compare Penitence to another book or story because this story is just awesome by itself. Penitence has a voice of its own and its difference from the other books out there in the same genre is the strongest point in this book. I believe many of us sympathize with Zoe’s pending situation in the story while some of us can even relate to it in our some part of our lives. It is a very touching story, moving, a simply poignant page turner. I have to admit that this story left me wishing that I too, had a hot and sexy guardian angel looking over me to keep me safe.

Ratings : 5 Stars

Thank you for taking time to read my blog. I hope that you enjoyed reading this review on Penitence by Jennifer Laurens.

(*I do not receive any form of monetary payment for the book reviews/interviews/giveaways done on this blog. Book reviews/interviews/giveaways are done out of my own initiative and willingness as well as those of the corresponding parties involved. Books reviewed are provided out of the kindness and generosity of various sources. To those sources that make the reviews possible I wish to direct my heartiest thanks to.)

Flowers do Talk with Amy Brecount White

2010-07-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

I have never met a person who loves flowers or gardening like Amy Brecount White. I can't possibly imagine sweating in the hot Malaysian weather gardening. But I know i love flowers especially red tulips !

Here's my interview with Amy Brecount white! Enjoy!

1. What inspired you to write a book on “Magic Flowers” ? How did the amazing concept to write on flowers begin?

I found a book on tussie-mussies (Victorian symbolic bouquets) and wanted to write a newspaper article about them. I never did, but I made a bouquet for a friend who had cancer. I wished my flowers messages could come true for her and started thinking, what if they really did?

2. I understand that different flowers signify different meanings. Do you have a favorite one? Why?
I adore gardenias, because they are simple, lovely and smell so wonderful. They mean "ecstasy and transport" in the language of flowers.

3. If you could be a flower which one would you be? Why?

Maybe a petunia because they bloom all summer long. Purple petunias are usually fragrant too! :-)

4. You visited the BEA in New York a few weeks back. How was it? Can you give us a little sneak peak on what goes on behind the scenes in the Author/Book World for those of us who live thousand miles away and unfortunately couldn’t make it for the event?
It was very exciting!!! I got to meet and hang out with lots of fun authors and bloggers, whom I'd met only online. And at the booths, they are passing out free books almost everywhere you turn. Pretty cool. Plus you get to visit NYC. I love the museums and restaurants especially.

5. Did you always want to be an author? If no, can you please share with us on how you realized that you wanted to be one?

I knew I wanted to be one when I was about 19 years old. However, I taught and wrote articles for many years before getting enough courage to write a novel. It's a leap of faith.

6. Is there going to be another book which will pick up from Forget-Her-Nots?

I'm hoping that my editors will be interested in a companion novel. My second novel, STRING THEORIES, has nothing to do with flowers, though.

7. Are we going to get a chance to read any of your latest projects soon? A new book perhaps?
I hope so!! My agent is doing a final review now.

8. Do you have a favorite book/author/movie that somehow inspired you to write Forget-Her-Nots?
I love Jane Austen, Kristin Cashore, and everything about gardens. I spent lots of time in gardens and reading novels that I admired.

9. When you write, what gets you in the writing mode? A comfy chair, a specific music, food?
Absolute silence. I need to be able to hear my characters talk. And some Earl Grey tea with milk. :-)

10. If you could be a character in a book, which character would you be and why ? Hermione Granger. She's so intelligent and a wonderful friend. Anne of Green Gables would be great fun, too.

11. Is the main character for Forget-her-nots somehow a reflection of you/a person you know?

I think all my characters have a part of me in them. Authors have to be able to imagine what it's like to be almost anyone.

Thank you Amy for the interview! To my readers, i hope you enjoyed reading the interview and learning more about the amazing author Amy Brecount White and her writing as much as i did doing it! :)

The Iron Daughter with author Julie Kagawa

2010-06-30T08:17:00.000-07:00

BOOK INFORMATION

Release Date: 1^st August 2010
Published: Harlequin
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 361
Overall: 5 stars
From: publisher (netGalley)

Review on The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

I almost forgot how it felt like to read a book so mesmerizing that it kept you reading until you are far behind the last pages of it and are still flipping through the pages once more reviving your favorite parts of the story once more. The moment I started reading the Iron Daughter, I couldn’t help myself from devouring the entire story in one day! I started reading this book in the morning and I carried my laptop (this book is a digital ARC) with me so I can read it even when I had dinner that night!

I was completely enthralled by the riveting tale and Julie’s amazing storytelling talent. Even though I didn’t get the chance to read the first book The Iron King, I still managed to keep up with the storyline in this book. The vivid flashbacks and explanations helped me a lot in understanding what I missed out in the previous book. This could very well be a standalone title.

In this book, Meghan faces a threat more life-altering than the Iron King attack. The book starts off with Meghan dreaming of herself killing her beloved Winter Court Prince, Ash. She is held in the Winter Court when she made a deal with Ash in the previous book. Ash treats her coldly and denies that he has ever had had feeling s for her before.

Then one day the Scepter of the Seasons is stolen from the Winter Court. As fate has it, Ash and Meghan is thrown on a perilous journey to retrieve the scepter before the war which may destroy both the Winter and Summer Court erupt. Together with help from a few allies, they save the scepter from the misuse of the new Iron King.

But what about Ash and Meghan’s relationship? Summer and Winter was never made for each other. Will their love for each other survive the nature and rules of their courts?

This is a must-read book!

Interview with author JULIE KAGAWA

1.When you were a little girl, have you always harboured the dream of being an author? Was it an ambition you always had in mind?

Well, at first I wanted to be a veterinarian, but then I discovered how much math and science were required to become a vet. And since numbers hate me, I decided then to become an author.

2. Why do you choose to be an author?

Because I can’t not write. Even when I’m doing everyday things, I’m thinking about writing. And since I can’t stop, I might as well do it for a living.

3. Why did you choose to write YA ?

I started off writing for adults, but since all my protagonists were teens, my agent suggested I write for YA. I love it. I don’t think I’d ever go back to writing for adults.

4. Do you have a specific time of the day which puts you at much ease when you write? In other words, do you wake up right at the break of dawn to write or you write on late into the night like a night owl ?

For me, writing is my job, so I start at a specific time in the morning, then write till five pm, everyday except weekends.

5. What inspired the storyline of Iron King? Have you always wanted to write about Faeries?

I’ve always loved fey stories, the dark, creepy kind. When I started Iron King, I wanted a story that would show a different type of faery no one had ever seen before. So, the Iron Fey were born.

6. Can you please share with us what goes on in the coming books?

In The Iron Daughter, Meghan must make several hard decisions, most importantly the choice of who she loves more: Ash or Puck? And in The Iron Queen, the war with the Iron fey finally comes to a head, and Faery will never be the same.

7. What are the publishing plans for the trilogy?

The Iron Daughter will be out August 1^st, 2010. The Iron Queen will be released in the February of 2011. (CAN”T WAIT!)

8. Which character in your novel you favor the most? Which is the easiest character to write about ?

I have to say Ash is my favorite, because I’ve always had a thing for dark, brooding Bad Boys who can wield pointy objects. ( I LOOVE BAD BOYS!) But Grimalkin of course runs a very close second and was by far the most fun to write.

9. Did you face any trouble or being stumped for ideas when you wrote the book? If you did, how did you overcome it ?

I wrote The Iron King for NaNo Wrimo, where you have to write 50,000 words in 30 days, so it all went by very quickly. I usually skip over places I have trouble with, then come back to it when the first draft is done.

Thank you Julie for the interview! Hope you enjoyed reading my review and the interview :)

This post is for the month of JULY !

Interview with Jennifer Laurens !

2010-06-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

I remembered how I first started communicating with Jennifer Laurens. When I accepted her friend request on my Facebook account, I checked out her profile. I was shocked that an author added me instead of vice versa. She was indeed the most strange but in a cool way author I've ever met. It was when I was browsing through her posts that I saw one which said "Message me your address to get Heavenly bookmarks!"

I never got an autographed bookmark before then so I jumped at the chance to get one and immediately messaged her. I received the bookmarks a few weeks later and I was ecstatic; not many authors I knew at that time sent stuff outside of the US.

A few months ago, when I started writing book reviews for a local newspaper, i came up with this idea, I wanted to create a book blog which allowed me to reach a wider international base of readers. I wanted to encourage more teens to read. I wrote to Jennifer Laurens and she sent me a copy of Heavenly. She also agreed to do an interview with me to run together with the book review of Heavenly. So here's my interview with one of the most friendliest and nicest author I know :)

1. Describe what you feel when you write.

When I first started writing seriously ( about 9 years ago ) I literally couldn’t wait to wake up and hit the keyboard, I was so excited to write. Why do I write? I started writing because my teenage girls wanted to read romance without the explicit sex. I write now because I feel like the market needs uplifting stories teens can relate to about life and its challenges. Anytime I can share an experience and get a letter from a reader telling me I helped them somehow, I am pleased.

2. How long did it take you to finish writing your first book including the previous drafts that didn't make it?

I’m working on my very first book right now. I wrote it 9 years ago, and it’s been through countless drafts. COUNTLESS. But I’ve always loved the story and am now re-writing it for the YA audience. Originally, it was a women’s romance.

3. What is it like to be a mother and an author at the same time?

Mother comes first, and feeds the author creative experiences. All of my stories come from real life experiences to some degree or another. Heavenly being the most auto-biographical. Life is busy with six children and a child with autism – and her demands never ease up.

4. Tell us a little more on what inspired your concept and idea to write Heavenly and Penitence? Where were you, what were you doing when you first had that idea?

Heavenly is my family’s story dealing with our child with autism. Each of us has had our own difficulty accepting and learning to live with her, and the challenges impacted us in so many ways, it’s not easy to put it all in a nutshell. But I believe Heavenly gives the perfect glimpse of what life is like with a handicapped child. Also, I felt such a great loss for so long with my daughter who has autism. My journey coming to grips with her life, the meaning of her life and what would become of her both tore me apart and built a foundation for me to deal with her on a daily basis. Heavenly is truly our family story. Penitence is a more fictitious dimension and addition to the story.

5. May i ask who is Cooper? You dedicated Heavenly to him. Share with us, how much and why he means a lot to you ? (if this question is too personnel, go ahead and skip it )

Cooper is my nephew, and you’re the first person to ever ask about him. Thank you. He was four years old when, on the first day of Kindergarten, his mother was walking him to school ( he was riding his bike ) and an underage, 14 year-old driver hit and killed him at the bus stop. Very tragic. Amazingly enough, my brother and sister in law forgave the family of the driver and embraced them into their family. That was a real miracle. Their story touched many lives.

6. Penitence is the continuous of Heavenly am I right? Tell us what goes on in that book?

Penitence is Zoe dealing with mortality. Human, physical love versus the deep spiritual love and connection she has for Matthias. Each character has to pay a price for the choices they make: hence, the name Penitence.

7. Is there going to be another book after Penitence?

Absolution is the final book. It’s due out at the end of this year.

8. What are your publishing plans like?

In 2011 I have the story I mentioned above coming out. More on that later.

9. Would you rather be, a guardian angel or the person guarded by a guardian angel? Please illustrate on the answer of your choice. (Who would you protect if you chose to be a guardian angel and who do you think in your life is your guardian angel?)

I’m absolutely positive guardian angel’s exist and watch over us. My thoughts on this came from years of seeing my daughter ( and other children ) survive things that wouldn’t have ended the way they did without the help of some unseen hand helping out. This idea has given me so much comfort over the years, I wanted to share it. I’ve always been fascinated with life after death, and who to watch over us better than our loved ones who’ve passed on before? If you died tomorrow, you wouldn’t stop loving and caring about the people in your life you love and care about today, right?

10. Why do you choose to write about a troubled kid with parents who look pat her problems? Do you know a person who is/was in the same situation as Zoe?

Zoe is a combination of my two daughters who each learned to accept and love and live with our daughter with autism differently, so , yes, I do know a person like Zoe. My girls are one of the reasons I wrote Heavenly.

Thank you Jennifer for sharing with us on Heavenly and about writing.

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

2010-06-25T05:31:00.000-07:00

Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 280
Overall: 4 1/2 stars
Source: Author

When I read the first few pages of this book, I was instantly drawn towards the story. I was immediately held in Zoe’s world; a world, a far cry from the standards of perfect or even regular which made me felt how lucky I was.

Zoe and her brother are mostly ignored by their parents who pay most of their attention towards Zoe’s youngest sibling who has autism. Zoe and her brother both have their own problems. They are not really perfect. Zoe has a drinking binge while her brother is a pot head.

One day, Zoe meets a strange but undeniably hot guy named Matthias in the park while babysitting her autistic sister Abria. She is instantly attracted to him. She begins to harbor the hope of seeing him again. Zoe doesn’t realize that she and maybe only a handful of people around her can see Matthias. She learns it in the most amusing way that most of the other people around her don’t seem to see him and in their eyes, it looks like she was talking to herself or a tree instead of Matthias who they do not see… But the problem of other people not seeing Matthias is minor compared to the fragile relationship they share. Matthias and Zoe are never made for each for each other. They can never be equal. Matthias was once human but not anymore. He is more than human now.

I totally understand Zoe’s feeling for Matthias. Just like her friend’s Chase stated, it is very easy to fall in love with the person protecting you especially when no other mortal guy can be there twenty-four/seven to watch your back and to keep you out of danger’s way especially if he is hot !

I find this story unique and original in a positive way. The storyline was unexpected. Having read so many other YA books, I honestly thought I had an idea on what was going to happen next in my head. In fact, I had the entire story playing in my head before I even finished the book. But I was wrong. This isn’t one of the almost cliché books I have so frequently found filling most of the shelves in the bookstores. The reader gets drawn into Zoe’s life, the conflicts she faces in it and the star-struck relationship she has with her guardians, the jealously between her and her best friend. It is one of the most amazing books I’ve read so far J

Review by Eibhlin Lim J

Interview with Author of upcoming book Night Shade by Andrea Cremer

2010-06-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

Night Shade by Andrea Cremer is published by Philomel and released on October 19th 2010. To learn more about this wonderful upcoming novel while anticipating to get our hands on it, I have been lucky enough to get a chance to interview author Andrea. Here it goes !

Can you tell us more on Nightshade? Share with us in detail on what's the story about.

Nightshade is the story of Calla Tor - on her upcoming eighteenth birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves who have fought for centuries on the front lines of the Witches’ War. But her predestined path veers off course when she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a human boy. Startled by her own violation of the law she’s sworn to uphold, she hopes the stranger will soon be a distant memory. When the boy turns out to be a new student in her school, Calla’s random act of kindness spirals into a whirlwind of deceit, hidden histories, and forbidden love.

How was the ride to being an published author ?

Surprising! I'd spent my whole life writing, but I never pursued publication. Then two summers ago I was in a horseback riding accident where I ended up with a broken foot. I couldn't walk for eight weeks, so I decided to finally go after my dream of writing a novel. I was hooked instantly and knew there was no going back. I wrote two "practice" novels that will live forever in my desk drawers and then I wrote Nightshade. I knew from the beginning it was "the one," and I began querying agents. Charlie Olsen, my phenomenal agent at InkWell, requested the full manuscript and called me to say he loved it in March 2009. I did more revisions with Charlie and we went on submission in the summer of 2009, receiving a pre-empt from Michael Green at Philomel shortly thereafter. It was amazing - and in the publishing world, it happened at record speed.

What inspired you to write Nightshade?

Nightshade is Calla's story and she was the inspiration for the book. I tend to write from characters and Calla was floating around in my head for a week or two before I started putting her story onto the page. I knew she was a girl who was also a wolf. I knew she was strong, but also in serious trouble. I couldn't figure out how someone so powerful could be in that sort of a fix. That's where Nightshade's world emerged, it was all about building a history and society that explained Calla's predicament.

Why wolves?

Friends who knew I was a vampire girl presumed that meant I love ALL forms of paranormal, so they’d push werewolves at me enthusiastically. I wasn’t interested, and I couldn’t figure out why. After all they were fierce, strong, magical – all things I liked. So what was the problem? And then it hit me – I didn’t like werewolves because I love wolves. That’s right – I’m a wolf girl, but a real wolf girl. I grew up so far North in Wisconsin that it’s practically Canada. Wolves roamed the forests of my homeland. I also loved National Geographic specials even more than cartoons. So by age 9 I could rattle off biological and ecological info like a pro. Wolves to me were beautiful, intelligent, social, and graceful. Werewolves seemed to be none of these things. The werewolves I’d encountered on page and screen were hideous – half man/half beast, usually ugly, often unintelligent, driven only by rage or bloodlust. And worst of all: they didn’t want to be wolves. Lycanthropy occurs as a curse, or a disease. The endgoal of most werewolf tales was to kill the wolf or free the affected person of the wolf curse. I couldn’t come to grips with that idea. If someone asked me – hey wanna turn into a wolf? I’d say “heck, yeah!” Wouldn’t you rather be a wolf? From what I know of wolves, the answer is indisputably YES. Nightshade’s Guardians are my way of coming to terms with my love of wolves and my trouble with classic werewolf tales. Calla – the alpha female who narrates Nightshade – is powerful and revels in her life as a wolf.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

My journey has been an odd, wondrous trip. It started when a horse jumped on my foot in the summer of 2008, setting me on crutches for eight weeks. I couldn't do anything so I decided I'd finally try writing a novel - something I'd always dreamed about doing but had never given myself permission to try. Once I started writing I couldn't stop - and I knew there was no going back. It was terrifying - knowing I had a dream that I wanted so much and yet had no idea how to make it happen. I was a complete publishing "n00b." There's a myth among aspiring writers that you can't get published without connections. It really is a myth. When I made the commitment to publish Nightshade even if it took everything I had, I didn't know anything about that world. I did research. I learned about agents, practiced writing queries. Submitted to the agencies that seemed the best fits for my work. And my ms was pulled out of the slush pile. No connections whatsoever. To get published you need patience, an iron will, and belief in the value of what you've written.

How long did it take you to write Nightshade?

I wrote the first draft between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 2008. I did revisions on my own in January. My agent requested the full manuscript in February and offered representation in March. I did more revisions with my agent that spring and we went on submission in the summer of 2009 and the book sold shortly thereafter.

How many drafts were there before the final product which of course was published came about? Can you tell us the difference between the other drafts and the published one? What was lacking in the first few drafts and was there other characters which isn't in the published Nightshade ? If there was, what became of them?

I did a couple of rounds of revisions with my agent in the spring of 2009 and after Penguin purchased the book I did another couple of rounds with my editor in September. None of the characters changed, but I added more of Calla's internal thoughts and emotions as part of the revision - which was a challenge because Calla likes to keep her feelings to herself!

Did any other authors or books inspired your style of writing ?

Writers who’ve had a major influence on my thinking and writing are Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, Barbara Kingsolver, David Eddings, and Marion Zimmer Bradly. A few of the many YA authors I admire are Cassandra Clare, Maggie Stiefvater, Richelle Mead, Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, and Libba Bray.

Who is your favorite fictional character? Why? Can you relate to her/him in any way?

I really love Anne of Green Gables because she is smart, feisty and constantly imagining fantastic worlds around her.

Why did you name the book Night Shade?

Nightshade (bella donna) is a deadly herb. It's the name of Calla's Guardian pack - the book was originally titled "Guardian" but my editor and I agreed that Nightshade was a more evocative word that fit the story well, so the title changed. I like it much better so I'm really happy we made that switch!

Wow ! Sounds awesome? Yeah, I can't wait to read this book too !

Coming Up Next, I have reviews on Evernight and Hourglass by Claudia Gray as well as an interview with the author herself ! Oops, not to mention another international giveaway ! Yep, you heard me right ! International !

June's Backlot Books Giveaway

2010-06-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

This is the official picture of the goodies in the Backlot Books June's Giveaway. I have received an additional goodie from author Christinne Johnson today in the mail so i will be adding that to the giveaway pile as you can see.

*for additional information on the giveaway please refer to my previous post !

PS: I have already extended the dateline and add in the aim of the giveaway !

My Introduction !

2010-06-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

I find it very awkward each and every time when people say, “You have me at an advantage there, you know my name but I don’t know yours…” or “Nice to meet you. I’m ____. What’s your name?” These sentences are the perfect although very clichéd mould to start a conversation with a new acquaintance or a stranger. They also lead straight right up to the doorsteps of “Self-introduction”.
If it’s already bad enough I find face-to-face introduction a horror, imagine trying to introduce yourself through the computer! I was thinking of skipping my introduction when I started this blog but then again, it was like a taboo not to have one. It has become a custom or a more like a tradition for a blogger to first introduce themselves when they start a blog. Apparently, it helps the readers to feel closer to the writer which also allows the readers to connect and understand the writer better.
So this is where I write my introduction. I don’t usually work very well with introduction essays especially those lengthy ones with the paragraphs that go on and on forever. Hence, I decided to skip the essay and do an interview instead!
Q: What a peculiar name you have!
A: Eibhlin, it’s Gaelic. Actually, there’s a story behind that one. When I was little people seemed to have many variations with my given name Evelyn. Somehow no one could twist their tongue around that name so I often get called in many different ways. I remembered when I was in pre-school, my friends would call me “Apple-lin” instead. There was also people who called me “Evil-lyn”, “Eve-linn”, “Ever-lyn”, Ewel-lin” just to name a few. Then around last year when I was surfing the net for Irish names to use for my debut novel, I came across the Gaelic variation of Evelyn. I checked out the pronunciation and guess what, it’s exactly the way I have been pronouncing my name all along! “Eve-linn” And ever since, I decided to spell my name that way. That’s how my strange came about.
Q: Which college do you go to?
A: Last year when I was touring the States, I went to a few universities like Yale, Howard, MIT to get a little idea on where I wanted to study when I grow up. Well, that’s where the question came from. “So where are you studying?” Let’s be clear about this, I’m fifteen. I’m only fifteen ! I might look tall for my age but seriously come on! Do I even look that old? Not to mention strangers, I get this from my own family friends who haven’t seen me in a long while. Another scenario where people get mixed up on my age: One day while I was browsing through some books in the bookstore, I was chatting with the store assistant while waiting for one of her colleagues to find the book I wanted. Guess, what she said? “You seem to know pretty much about books? Would you like to work here?” My reply : “Would love to, but I’m underage !” When I told that to my editor she had a laugh. She told me I sound old when I write too. Do I sound old? Or maybe I’m just an old soul in a young girl’s body! Beware, I might be a vampire !
Q: Are you even human?
A: Yes. I’m perfectly human. Even though, my hands might be ice cold all the time and I tend to walk without any sound most of the time, I’m still human. I might also be able to read some of my closest companion’s mind but I’m no Edward Cullen. Please be assured, I don’t have fangs and to be honest, I am a Hemaphobic. So I won’t be able to last long even if I was a vampire.
Q: What are you favorite movies?
Let’s see. I can’t seem to make up my mind. But probably this will confirm the fact : Today I just watched The Confession of a Shopaholic for the umpteenth time. I lost count on how many times I watched that movie and drool over Hugh Dancy. If you didn’t know this, know you will; I have a soft spot for British guys! Green eyes and that sexy lit each time they speak, I’ll melt. Also, I like The Proposal.
Q: Besides reading/ writing what else do you do during your free time?
A: I like arts. So when I’m not reading/writing, I will be at my arts table molding away some clay, plaster-of-Paris, eraser clay, painting some wooden trinket boxes, etc. I also enjoy looking up on the latest fashion trends so I will most probably on websites checking out cloths. No wonder I can connect so well to the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic.
Q: If you were a movie character, who will you be?
A: I wanted to say Bella so I’ll get to act beside Robert Pattinson but thinking of being depressed all the time chased the idea away. I am most like Eloise from Eloise at the Plaza as I may be really head-strong and it’s really hard to constraint me back when I want something. I am also a little like Rebecca Bloomwood (not sure if I spelled her name right!) from the Confessions of a Shopaholic. It seems that I have a take on everything in life and the crazy part which sometimes makes me regret is I am totally honest. I will tell that person if their outfits make them look like a clown. It’s like I’m a faerie. I can’t lie.
Guess, that’s enough to know about me for now. Will probably update on my introduction later on.

Love,
Eibhlin Lim :)

Pictures of the goodies i have to share with everyone !

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June's Giveaways !

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Thanks to some really amazing authors, I've managed to gather these goodies to share.

List of goodies in the complete set of JUNE’s BACKLOT BOOK s Giveaway ! :

Books

- Evernight by Claudia Gray (autographed)
- Stargazer by Claudia Gray (autographed)

Bookmarks

1. Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White (Autographed)
2. Mistwood by Leah Cypress (Autographed)
3. The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M. Campbell (Autographed)
4. Change of Heart by Shari Maurer (Autographed )
5. Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt ( Autographed)
6. The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin by Josh Berks (Autographed)
7. Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (Autographed)

Postcards
- Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White
- Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (Autographed)
- Mistwood by Leah Cypress (Autographed)

Others

- Forget-Her-Nots Tattoo by Amy Brecount White

Aim of giveaway: To encourage people of ages mainly teens to love and enjoy reading.

All you need to do to win them is,

1. Follow me on my blog (gives you additional 2 points).
2. Follow me on Twitter. Name, Eibhlin Lim. (gets you additional 2 points)
3. Write to me a review on a book of your choice (main task, will be mainly judged on this!) Min. 300 words for the review. These tips below should give you some help:

a) Choose a book. It must be under YA fiction. Name the author and title of the book above your entry followed by the book review.

Author:
Title:

b) Book review shouldn’t be in point form. It has to be in essay form. How many paragraphs that’s your choice!

c) Tell me why you love, hate, have no feelings for the book or whatsoever feelings that rush through your veins as you read the book. *Who is your favorite character? *What is your favorite part in the book and how you can relate to that! (* Denotes some light examples of questions you can answer to guide you.)

Terms and Conditions

1) Entries sent must be original. The entries of the TEN finalists/favorites I chose will belong to me. That means, I reserve and hold the sole right to do whatsoever I want with them which means I can publish them on this blog (crediting writer by stating writer’s name ) without informing the owner of the entries. I will not be responsible and I will not entertain any complains of copyrights infringements for the entries sent as I trust all entries sent to me is of original work.

2) This competition is open to all residents of Malaysia only. I am sorry to others living outside Malaysia! It’s open to anyone of any age.

3) Decisions made are final.

4) You may sent as many entries you like but please do not spam my account! Although only one prize will be given if you happen to win more than one!

5) I judge based on the substance in entries. So, even if you know me personally, you stand the SAME, EQUAL CHANCE the other participants receive. I do not and will not give you extra credits just because you know me personally ! Therefore, I shall not entertain complains on being unfair and cheating so that the person I know wins.

6) The contest ends on 27th June 2010 (10 a.m Malaysia Peninsular Time) . Any future changes of closing date and timing will be publish on the blog. It’s your duty to find out the closing date. I will not be responsible for entries that arrive late. There will only be a competition if there is more than 25 entries or the competition will be terminated.

7) Joining this competition means you have understood and agreed to the terms and conditions as well as the procedures involved in this competition. I won’t be responsible for any damage incurred by joining this competition.

Prizes

I will short list ten entries I find most attractive and engaging. I will post the ten short listed names on the blog and I will also email the ten short listed participants a task/question which they have to fulfill using the address which the participants used to send their entries. I will pick only a winner from the final task. The winner wins the complete set of JUNE’s Backlot Books. I will post the winner’s name on the blog and it’s the winner’s task to check and see if they have won as well as to respond by emailing me their details I require to send them their prize. I do not CHASE winners for their mailing details. The runner up and the second runner up will receive tokens.

GOOD LUCK !

* Send your entries to thebooksbacklot@gmail.com with the subject June's Backlot Books. Don't forget to also state your name, age and state.

Thanks to all the authors who contributed to the goodies…