Promo Post and Author Interview: We Awaken by Calista Lynne

Book info:
Title:  Awaken  
Author:  Calista Lynne
Publisher:  Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist:  Aaron  Anderson
Published:  July 14th, 2016
Genre:  YA magical realism, LGBQT protagonist

Synopsis:

Victoria Dinham doesn’t have much left to look forward to. Since her father died in a car accident, she lives only to fulfill her dream of being accepted into the Manhattan Dance Conservatory. But soon she finds another reason to look forward to dreams when she encounters an otherworldly girl named Ashlinn, who bears a message from Victoria’s comatose brother. Ashlinn is tasked with conjuring pleasant dreams for humans, and through the course of their nightly meetings in Victoria’s mind, the two become close. Ashlinn also helps Victoria understand asexuality and realize that she, too, is asexual.

But then Victoria needs Ashlinn’s aid outside the realm of dreams, and Ashlinn assumes human form to help Victoria make it to her dance audition. They take the opportunity to explore New York City, their feelings for each other, and the nature of their shared asexuality. But like any dream, it’s too good to last. Ashlinn must shrug off her human guise and resume her duties creating pleasant nighttime visions—or all of humanity will pay the price.

Buy links:
Harmony Ink Press: https://www.harmonyinkpress.com/books/we-awaken-by-calista-lynne-399-b

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/We-Awaken-Calista-Lynne/dp/1634769953/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1466868261&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble:  barnesandnoble.com/w/we-awaken-calista-lynne/1123939010?ean=9781634769952

 
Author Interview:

1.  What does your writing process look like?  Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, note cards, post-it notes, etc.?

I am the outline queen, which is odd because I wasn’t always this way. The most important part of planning is writing up a list of scenes. My theory is that if I plan it all out and make a numbered list of everything that I know happens, I can just move on to the next number if I get stuck. It’s helpful for avoiding procrastination and writer’s block.
 
2.  With your story being about a dancer, are you a dancer yourself?  If not, how did you learn about the dancing world?

I wish I was a dancer! My only trysts into that community are the tap dancing lessons I took for a year in high school and the pathetic moves I break out at weddings. I study Drama & English and have worked in a few theatres. The drama and dancing community are closely intertwined in many ways so I was able to get firsthand experience and hear anecdotes, plus you can learn anything through research these days.
 
3.  What made you want to write about the topic of asexuality?

I wrote the representation I wish I had growing up. So many young people feel broken because they don’t know what asexuality is and my goal was to prove that anyone can have a happy ending regardless of whether or not they feel sexual attraction.
 
4.  Dreams play a big part of your story.  I often have very vivid dreams that I remember.  Do you remember your dreams?  What do you think about dream dictionaries and their "definitions" of different dream topics?

As a child I owned a dream dictionary and while they’re fun, I don’t believe a word of them. They are helpful in thinking up symbolism for novels, though. I tend to remember my nightmares more frequently than other sorts but I don’t have them too frequently. Dreams have just always excited me and I love stories that involve them. My favorite book in elementary school was The BFG and I love the Sandman graphic novels.

5. 
Favorites: 
Books/authors/genres American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Actually, all his books. Also I’m partial to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz.
Movies/TV Shows The Princess and the Frog. My favorite TV programmes are Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Fargo.
Music Broadway show-tunes get me going real good.
Food/writing snack Coffee and tea
Social Media Site Tumblr is a lot of fun for book photography. Twitter confuses me but I use it.

Author Bio:

Calista Lynne grew up on the American East Coast and is currently studying  in London. She  is having difficulty adjusting to the lack of Oxford commas across the pond and writes because it always seemed to make more sense than mathematics. Look for her near the caffeinated beverages.  



Author links:
Tumblr: http://calista-lynne.tumblr.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/calistawrites

Blog:  http://calista-lynne.blogspot.com/

If you stop by the author's blog she's got a giveaway for an e-copy of the book open until the end of July.

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Awaken by Christy Sloat

Awaken by Christy Sloat

Genre: YA Fantasy/Fairytale retelling
Published: November 17th, 2015
Published by: Anchor Group Publishing
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Awaken-Slumber-Duology-Book-2-ebook/dp/B018367WVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447730027&sr=8-1&keywords=Awaken+by+Christy+Sloat

“Happily ever after is hers for the taking.”

Once upon a time I found myself locked away in Spindle Ridge Asylum, punished for a murder I didn’t commit. It was all part of Maleficent’s evil plan. I didn’t remember who I was then … now I do. My name is Aurora, and I am the rightful queen of this realm. Armed with my memories, I’m ready to take charge of my kingdom once more. Happily ever after evades me, yet I long to claim it with my true love, Sawyer, beside me. That fairy tale ending seems impossible with him locked in the thralls of a sleeping curse. As much as I’d love to sit by his bedside and eagerly await a cure, I must first travel into the terrifying Dark Woods to stop Raven from stripping me of all that is rightfully mine. I am not only a queen, but a warrior who will fight for her kingdom. Some may die. Blood will be shed. But when this ending comes, I will settle for nothing less than a blissful ever after.
  
About the Author:  

Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother’s loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor’s Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come.






Check out her website: www.christysloat.com  
Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorchristysloat_writes

Blog: http://christysloat.blogspot.com/

Facebook: Christy Sloat Author www.facebook.com/christysloatauthor

Twitter: @ChristySloat

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Christy-Sloat/e/B0071MMCU6/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1/178-8327298-6454517

The Excerpt:

I took a breath and let all of my energy go to my fingers.

My body still.

My heart beating a mile a minute.

The next breath would be a release.

Focus. Focus.

The next breath came, and with my fingers, where all of my strength remained, I let go. The arrow flew through the air, the only thing moving. I was still as I watched it slam into the target. It hit very center of the target just like I wanted.

“Yes!” I shouted.

Sawyer would have been so proud of me.  And just like that my excitement was gone. My mind now on him as he lay up in a bed, alone.

“Rory, don’t do this to yourself,” Gray said holding my arm. She knew what practicing archery did to me. She knew that I was great at it, but also that every time I did something fantastic, I missed his touch. She knew all of this without me even telling her a word because she knows me best.

“I have to go, Gray. I have to go see him and tell him about this,” I said, fighting the tears.

“No. You don’t have to go, you want to go. You’re running away, and I won’t let you,” she said sternly.

I tried to fight, but she won as she pulled me harder and into her arms.

I cried softly as she assured me we would find a way to wake him.

I pulled away and questioned, “Will we? It’s been two months and Merryweather and Flora have not sent word. They haven’t sent word because they haven’t found anything!”

Gray kept her calm face, even though I was breaking apart inside.

“Merryweather and Flora will find something, Rory. They will. We have to have faith in them. You, above all, should trust that they will not return until they find a cure for him. Look at all they did for you when you were trapped here.” Guilt slammed into me as I thought of Merryweather and how she did protect me when she took my memories away. Flora was always protective and never harsh in any way. Even when the other nurses were awful to me—like Betty or Raven—Flora, Merryweather and Fauna were kind and gentle. Always.

They were the three best fairies I had ever known, besides Gray, and here I was being ungrateful.

“Sorry,” I muttered. “You’re right. I’m just … I’m breaking inside, Gray.”

She smiled kindly and said, “And I break inside for you. But now is not the time to lose it. Now is the time to stand up and fight back, Rory. Do it for him. Because you know if he could he’d tell you to put yourself back together and defeat her.”

A smile formed on my wet lips. I wiped the tears away and picked up my bow.

I looked across the yard to where my arrow had flown. I was growing stronger as each day passed. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that I was going to kill Raven when I had the chance.

The Giveaway:

• 1 eBook copy gifted through Amazon for Kindle of Awaken

                 1 Signed bookmark

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Awaken (Abandon Trilogy #3) by Meg Cabot

First I must say thanks to Netgalley and Scholastic for allowing me to read an e-galley of this book.  I really liked the first book in the series, and the second one kind of had the sophomore slump, but was still good.  This final book in the trilogy started kind of slow, but once we got into the end, it really did get pretty good.  Now be careful about reading on, it is really hard to write my summary of the book without a few spoilers.
Pierce is back, in the Underworld with John, but now her cousin Alex is there, as well as her friend Kayla.  Alex has to be there because John brought him back from the dead in the last book when he was killed by Seth Rector and his friends when he tried to confront them about his dad getting framed.  Only he doesn't understand that he was really dead, and when he wakes up in the Underworld, doesn't quite understand where he is, and rushes to find Pierce and try to rescue her and get them out.  But Pierce is busy helping sort the newly dead so that they can get on the boats that will take them to their final destination.  Only the number of the dead has really kind of piled up.  The belief is that it is because John was up with Pierce for so long helping her cousin.  While they are waiting, Pierce is passing out drinks to the people waiting and trying to keep them calm.  John's friends, Frank, and the other pirates are taking care of the more rowdy crowd, the one that is not going to such a nice place when they get on their boat.  It seems like forever, but finally they can see the two boats coming in the distance.  However there is something funny about how they are coming in.  In fact they are coming too fast, and are going to crash into the docks.  So John must go out and stop them, but there is a possibility he could get hurt, even die.  And the worst happens.  Pierce and the rest carry him back to the castle, as well as bringing all the dead until they can figure out what to do.  While Pierce is trying to imagine what in the world will happen now that John, the "king" of the Underworld, her love, is dead, she is told a story about another death deity, Thanatos.  And she hears that he may have John trapped.  So she figures she must go back and find him, and get John back.  And so she takes Alex and Kayla and Frank and they go to solve the problem.  And it is not just that John is dead.  The Fates seem to have disappeared as well, the food, all of the things that just appeared when needed in the Underworld are gone.  Back on the surface they must deal with the hurricane, as well as the Furies that are still searching for Pierce.  And wow, does it get intense when they get back to Isla Huesos.
I loved how it ended, all the subtle characters that you didn't know would have such a part in the whole scheme of things.  I also love the way the author answered a question that I know I always have with endings like that in the afterwards.  She said that yes, the characters will go on and have more adventures, and maybe some day she'll go back and visit them, but for now, the book has closed for them.  Such a great way to end a series, and for her to add that to the end, because you know how readers, (like me), always want to know what happens next, why don't you keep writing, it is like she knows her readers, (which she obviously does), and keeps them in mind as she writes.  This is the only YA series of Meg Cabot's that I've read, and I'm glad it was the first one I read, as I really enjoyed it, and it will make me more likely to read future YA series by her.  Although I'd really love to have some more of what I called her "chick lit".  I won't bore you with my picture from when I met the author since I put it with my review last month of the 2nd book in the series.