Lisa Loves Literature: 2013 Debut Authors Bash: A Few Words from A.G. Howard and a Giveaway

Dear Followers,
I was so excited that I got picked to host someone who I feel had the best debut novel of 2013, A.G. Howard. You can read my review of the first book in her series, Splintered, HERE. I was lucky enough to get an ARC of it and read it back in December before it was published. So now of course, the wait for it for me is even longer! Now, I am such a huge fan of this book that at the end of the post I am sponsoring a giveaway of it. That's right, anyone that lives where The Book Depository ships is eligible to win a copy of this awesome debut book. First I'll share a bit about the author from her website, and then I'll let you see the post she sent for me to share with you. After you fill out the Rafflecopter, I've listed the dates of the other stops below that so you can go check out some more awesome debut authors!

About A.G. Howard

Anita Grace Howard lives in the Texas panhandle, and is most at home weaving the melancholy and macabre into settings and scenes, twisting the expected into the unexpected. She’s inspired by all things flawed, utilizing the complex loveliness of human conditions and raw emotions to give her characters life, then turning their world upside down so the reader’s blood will race.

Married and mother of two teens (as well as surrogate mom to two Labrador retrievers), Anita divides her days between spending time with her family and plodding along or plotting on her next book.

When she’s not writing, Anita enjoys rollerblading, biking, snow skiing, gardening, and family vacations that at any given time might include an impromptu side trip to an 18th century graveyard or a condemned schoolhouse for photo ops.

Be sure to drop by her Twitter or Face Book Author Page and say "Hi." She's always up for meeting new friends!

In the Absence of Words…

A typical work week for me is sitting in front of the computer for 8 to 10 hours a day, no weekends off (with small breaks in between to chauffeur kids around, make meals, or do laundry and occasionally but rarely housework--ha!). The majority of this time, I'm either writing words on my latest project or an interview, fixing words for my editor, or exchanging words (fun and amicable ones, of course) online via social media.

So much time spent with text can be mind-numbing. And sometimes I need a break from all the letters of the alphabet running tangents through my head. One of my favorite escapes is music. Even better if I can find music that tells a story ... because at my heart I'm a storyteller, and that's something I never tire of.

So, for any of you who've been slaving over sentences and scenes or even just typing up things for your boss or your business, I offer this hiatus via a beautiful heartbreaking story set in a post-apocalyptic setting, told only through song and computer animation. A feast for the ears and eyes, and an escape for the weary mind.

Enjoy.

Note: I am not the creator of this video. I found it on Youtube and fell madly in love. It's actually a clip from a short movie that has words spoken throughout. Here's the link for anyone interested in watching the original.

Thank you for indulging my tribute to the muse of music, and have a lovely week. :)