» Young Adult

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire {#Book Review}

The Book Faery — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:15:47 +0000

Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.

Here lies a most precious treasure,

Awaiting one Chosen to deliver.

Seek out the red cousins in the East,

For on this your greed mustn’t feast.

The wealth of a species now in your hands,

Do with it as the light demands.

Give them your gift to unite,

For it is the darkness we all must fight.

List Price: $17.99
Paperback: 482 pages
Publisher: FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615530222
ISBN-13: 978-0615530222

BUY THE BOOK… Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…M. C. Pearson graduated from San Jose State University with a B. A. in art, served as a multi-media illustrator in the United States Army, earning the rank of sergeant, and spent four years as a house parent for at-risk youth. Now married over 20 years, she homeschools her two children, volunteers with her church youth group, and runs a book review blog alliance (FIRST Wild Card Tours) while writing and drawing. F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire is her first novel.

Visit the author’s website.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire was a fun read that placed me into a magical world of fairies, gremlins, Yeti’s, gnomes, talking trees, nymphs, and others. The pages are filled with excitement as Mellie, a chosen F.A.I.R.I.E. squadmember from the human world, prepares for the big fight in their version of schooling. Pearson draws delightful illustrations throughout the novel to reinforce her magical world. My favorites included the the talking redwood tree that let Regnans & Mellie through to the other world, the Yeti’s foot about to stomp a Gremlin, and Mellie under water getting accustomed to talking and breathing. This is a book I know my 12 year old would enjoy reading and escape into a magical place. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fun youthful fantasy world.

My Book Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Four thousand seasons shall pass while our swords grow rusty.

Where once one chose to divide, another shall be chosen to unite.

One changed the past, the other shall change the future.

One must emancipate the other to allow the light its dominion.

The realm, now torn, allows the shadow to abide, as humanity lies blind to its peril.

The bond of friendship must endure, for the army of shadows awaits another tear.

Dust off your swords.

Unite the realm.

Destroy the strongholds.

Foretelling of Didasko Gnome Digdeep

†

PART ONE

MANY ARE CALLED

BUT

FEW ARE CHOSEN

†

CHAPTER ONE

Off and Running

t was an accident!” Mellie yelled, not caring who heard or stared. Tears streaked her face as she fled down the Santa Cruz coastline, away from her family.

You don’t need them, a voice hissed in her ear, Escape. Run away.

Scorching sand burned at her feet and bitterness ate at her heart. Mellie pumped her legs as fast as they would go. Her feet pounded with the rhythm of her emotions, beating a tempo with the crashing waves. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, quickening her step.

Why did I have to be the youngest? Only 12 years old. Never smart enough. Never athletic enough. I just wish they loved me.

Once, just once, she wanted to do something that would make her sisters see that she wasn’t the stupid, awkward, ugly, little baby sister.

As she ran, she wiped away some tears with the palm of her hand. Her fingers settled on her large nose, a gift from her dad’s Hungarian ancestry.

Chelsea got the ski-slope shaped nose. I had to get Half-Dome. It just isn’t fair.

Her hand dropped to her side and she pinched at her stomach. It still had some of its baby fat.

Ugh, why are my sisters so perfect? What happened to me?

Pushing her short bangs from her forehead in disgust, she mumbled, “Maybe I’ll find treasure. I’ll be the rich one, and then they’ll have to accept me.” But she knew better. California didn’t hold any more undiscovered treasures.

The sand, hot and coarse, cut at her feet. I wish I had remembered my shoes. She wore only a black, one-piece swimsuit and a San Jose Sharks sweatshirt tied tightly around her waist.

Breathing rapidly, she began to tire. She slowed her pace to a walk and looked back across the beach. The sand was so hot that waves of heat rose from it and blurred her view. A lone seagull screeched overhead.

Her sisters were nowhere in sight.

Man, I thought for sure that Chelsea was going to chase me down and kill me.

She had to admit that it was a little gratifying to see the sand fly from her foot, covering Chelsea’s sub-sandwich and freshly oiled stomach. Grinning slightly, the tears stopped flowing. She rubbed her eyes.

Mellie looked in the direction of her sisters. “You guys can never take a joke.” Flipping her golden hair, she turned her head back toward her chosen path. She no longer smiled as she stomped her feet in the cold surf, remembering the hateful words that had been said.

“Oh, waa waa, you stupid cry baby! Go tell mommy! Maybe she’ll feel sorry for her ugly, fat baby. Why don’t you grow up? We don’t want you near us. Can’t you understand English? You are so dumb. Look at her mouth open. Oh wait, here she goes…come on, baby…cry!”

Mellie knew she couldn’t go back. They would only ridicule and torment her further. Her mom would never believe it was Chelsea’s fault. No, the evidence was on Chelsea’s side. Who was the one with the sand all over her oily, coconut-smelling body? Who was the one who had a sandwich full of sand? Mellie walked on.

After her temper finally cooled, it occurred to her that she had never walked so far alone.

How far have I gone?

A shadow passed over her, and she looked up. Nothing was there. A cool breeze from the ocean created a stark contrast to the scalding sand. She shivered but kept walking, lost in her loneliness.

Not until she stubbed her toe on a large broken clamshell did she look at the beach. A chill snaked up her back. Nothing appeared familiar. The sounds of the surf were still there, yet something was decidedly different. She felt dizzy. Looking around, she could not quite pinpoint the change. Then it struck her.

No people.

Where did everybody go?

Even though she could see no one, Mellie could swear that she felt eyes staring at her.

She looked inland across the sand, saw movement near some eucalyptus trees, but decided that the wind must have caused it.

Trees? So close to the beach?

Something shook the trees again, causing goosebumps to stand out on Mellie’s arms. Alarmed, she checked the skyline. The sun was close to setting. She hoped that the police weren’t out looking for her.

Suddenly cold, she pulled at the arms of the sweatshirt still tied around her waist. It fell to the sand. Bending to pick it up, she once again saw a blur of movement, except this time it came from a rocky outcrop by the waves. She shook the sand out of the sweatshirt and hurriedly tugged it over her head.

“Okay, I’m seeing things.” Mellie yanked at her hair, pulling it out of the sweatshirt. She stared at the sinister rocks. “Hel-lo?” Her voice cracked as she spoke louder. “Is someone the-ere? Hello?” No answer. The shadowy rocks seemed to quiver with excitement, beckoning her closer.

Hmm…probably just a seagull.

Even if it was a bird, she did not want to see it.

There’s no way I’m going over there.

The wind picked up and blew her hair into her eyes. The sand spun with the wind.

Yes, definitely time to move. I need to find a road.

She turned back toward the sweet smelling, oddly placed trees.

Mellie arrived at the base of the first, colossal eucalyptus tree. Without warning, one of the branches fell in front of her, then seemed to get up from the ground and pose its bottom stems in a military-like stance.

Mellie screamed and jumped back. “Branches don’t stand.”

“They do if they are walking sticks.” The eucalyptus branch chuckled, stretching to its full height, considerably taller than Mellie’s meager five feet.
She gasped, grabbed the branch, and threw it like a javelin, as hard as she could.

As she took off running, she heard a bark and halted. Turning, she saw a golden retriever bounding toward her with the stick in his mouth. The dog dropped it at her feet. She watched the dog run into the grove of trees and disappear before she fearfully turned back to the possessed stick.

It had already gained its footing again and stood over her. Mellie was too frightened to move this time.

A face emerged from the skinny twig and took on the characteristics of a male human, but none like Mellie had ever seen. He had hair made up in rolls as if it were a powdered, green-silver wig, the same color as the leaves that grew all around his skinny body. His face was long and his forehead high. The twiggy man smiled and said in a distinctly British, albeit breezy, accent, “Do not worry, you are safe.”

Mellie couldn’t answer.

“Ahh…I love new recruits. They are so easily addled.”

Feeling more confused than threatened, Mellie found her voice. “What? What do you mean, new recruits?” She rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. “Okay, I’m talking to a stick now. Yes, I have lost it. I have gone totally mental.”

“Oh, I say, am I to understand that I am the first to be revealed to you?” With round, leathery leaves, the branch resembled a toddler toy with rings stacked on one another.

She dropped open her mouth and nodded.

“Well, let me do this properly, then. Ahem. Mortal, made of clay, you have been Chosen to join the Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads.”

“What? What are you? You look like a stick…but you can talk.”

“Yes, child,” the stick replied with a sigh. “But, I think we are quite past that by now. Have you not heard me? You have been Chosen.”

Mellie opened her mouth wider, closed it, frowned, and opened it once more. “Chosen? For what?”

“You did wish to be different? To change who you were? ’Twas an especially strong desire, yes?” The branch crossed its arms and tapped its twiggy foot.

“Umm…”

“Dear me, this is highly unusual. You made a choice to run away from a miserable life and asked to be set free? Correct?”

“Well, I, ah…yeah. I guess so. What did you say about recruit for some squad?”

“Humph. I see that I was not understood. Yes? Let me elucidate. The Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads , or shall I say F.A.I.R.I.E.S.? have accepted you into their organization. You asked. You were answered.” The branch attempted a smile, but looked impatient instead.

“Fairies? I don’t believe in fairies.” Mellie winced, half expecting him to fall down and writhe in pain until she clapped her hands.

“Quite right. You are not supposed to. If humans truly believed we existed, we would never get anything accomplished.”

Mellie laughed and looked around for a hidden camera, thinking this must be a joke. “Right. Ah…heh…okay, bud, brilliant costume,” she said, imitating the branch’s accent. “Where’s the zipper?” She reached toward him and touched a soft leaf.

The branch slapped her hand away and stamped its foot with a loud cracking noise. “I beg your pardon. I have not been a bud for over 800 springs!” He paced, his leaves crumpling, mumbling to himself about humans and why, in the One’s name, did he listen to that confounded gnome who told him that he needed to stand gate duty. With his rank!

“I’m sorry I upset you. Please, I’m very confused. I’m lost, and I just want to go home.” Mellie bit her lip.

The branch stopped mid-pace. “Home? Earlier, did you not wish for a new life? And riches? I know you wished for treasure, hmm?”

“How do you know that?” Mellie furrowed her brow. “Have you been reading my mind?”

The twig man didn’t answer her questions, asking his own instead. “Ahh, so, you admit this, yes?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, but…well, this really isn’t what I had in mind.”

The branch threw up its twiggy fingers. “Oh, well, of course you did not have this in mind. After all, we are reasonably inconspicuous, especially to humans. How could you have this in mind? However, is it not superior of the One to think that this is what you would have chosen had you known about us? Anyway, ’tis irrevocable now. So, if you would just follow me, we shall get you signed in and enrolled for training.”

The branch marched off between the trunks of two large eucalyptus trees.

Mellie slid uncontrollably after the walking stick. She planted her feet firmly, refusing to budge, but she slid after him anyway. Grasping at branches of nearby trees, she panted heavily as she struggled to resist following the branch. Some kind of invisible tie connected her to him. He seemed to pull her along with his every step.

Mellie thought about her sisters and how mad they were at her. I’m dead meat if they find me. Mellie quickly gave up her battle and ran after the eucalyptus branch, barely keeping up with his stride.

†

The sand changed to coarse dirt, with pebbles and sticks. More and more trees filled Mellie’s vision. Bushes scraped against her bare legs and slapped her face as she moved deeper inside a forest of eucalyptus and redwood trees. She winced in pain as a razor-sharp rock sliced her foot. Stopping to nurse it, she wished once again for her forgotten shoes.

“Excuse me, sir?” Mellie looked around. She could not see the branch anywhere.

“Do not call me ‘sir’, I work for a living.” The branch peeked out from around one of the gigantic trees. “And please, try to keep up. We need to reach the gateway.”

Mellie limped up to him. “Sorry, sir…I mean…umm, what should I call you then?”

“Oh, well, we did skip that. Did we not? Yes, all right, an introduction then.” The branch man seemed to enjoy formal etiquette for he gave an elaborate wave and bowed. “My name is Regnans, family of Myrtaceae, born member of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S., Britannia Wing, rank of Master Nymph Dryad.”

“Nice to meet you, Reg…Reg?” Mellie chewed on the inside of her mouth. Never good at remembering names, she knew she would offend him with her lack of manners.

Sure enough, the dryad raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. “Regnans.” He gave a hurt sniff, then drolly sneered. “If you find that a difficult name, you should meet the rest of my family, all seven-hundred thirty-four of them.”

“Sorry, I just…well, it is a lot to remember. It’s a nice name, though. My name is Maryellen Goodwin of Bret Harte Middle School, San Jose, California. But everyone calls me Mellie.” She stuck out her hand, intending to shake. Regnans stared at her.

“That is a strange curtsy. However, I guess ’twill do. We must get moving now. The shadows abound, you know.” Regnans made an about face and marched off faster than before.

Another hour passed, and still they strode along the forest floor. Mellie’s feet were now cut, blistered, and bleeding. She kept up as best she could with Regnans’s long stride. Whenever she tried to stop, he would pull her on with that invisible force of his.

Stupid, pompous, magical Star Wars freak.

She whimpered as she limped. Darkness and mist now covered the woods. As she was about to plead for a break, Regnans stopped. Except for her heavy gulps of air, all seemed quiet.

Regnans stiffened even more than usual. Nothing on him moved, apart from his eyes, which darted around quickly.

“All is safe, we may proceed.” He held up a twiggy finger to his woody mouth. “Please do not speak, and try not to breathe so abominably loud.”

Mellie nodded with a disgusted frown. Sweat dripped from her bangs. She tried to calm her breathing, even though her vision blurred, and her legs wobbled. Her blisters had popped by now and oozed wetness.

Regnans moved again, yet this time he took slow, deliberate steps, all the while scanning his surroundings. He walked up to a massive redwood tree and stroked its bark.

A breeze stirred up, rattling the leaves, sounding almost like spoken words. Mellie thought herself crazy again. However, the longer she stood there, the more she sensed that it really was the tree’s language, as if she had never listened to trees properly before. It said, “If you love, you will say the one true love that leads the way.”

Regnans whispered in a leaf rustling voice, “Ah-gaw-pay.”

A loud grumbling sound, as if someone awakened after a long sleep, shook the grove. The redwood tree opened two eyes, each the size of Mellie’s head, and blinked. A great fissure erupted below the eyes in the shape of a crescent, and redish-brown wooden teeth emerged. A long, knobby branch pushed its way out above the mouth and inhaled deeply.

The tree chuckled. Instead of the whispering leaves, a low, rumbling utterance of human speech came from the redwood tree. “Regnans? What brings you to my neck of the woods?” He blinked again. “And who is this? A new recruit? A human? A Chosen?”

Mellie knew she looked silly, standing there with her mouth in an ‘O’ shape, but she couldn’t move. This was simply impossible. There is no such thing as fairies!

“Yes, yes. Please open the gate, we must not dawdle here…they may be watching.” Regnans looked agitated.

A deep laugh resounded from the redwood. “Oh, Regnans. There are none who watch here.”

Regnans mumbled something about hamadryads and their pride, then proclaimed in a slightly louder voice to the tree, “We must be sober, be vigilant, because the shadow walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom it may devour.”

The hamadryad looked chagrined. “You speak true, dryad. Forgive me for acting like an arrogant seedling.” He glanced at Mellie, and with a lowered voice asked, “And what is your name, little human?”

Mellie managed to squeak out, “Mellie Goodwin.”

“Ah, ’tis always nice to have a Good Wind.” The hamadryad laughed heartily.

“Sorry to interrupt this lovely tete-a-tete,” Regnans said, “but would you please open the gate? I left Westside completely unguarded.”

An annoyed creak came from the base of the redwood, followed by a sigh. “Yes, Regnans. Agape you said, and agape it is. Go with the light, my friends.” The large, joyous eyes closed, and the hamadryad whispered in his leaf rustling voice, “Until we meet again, Good Wind.” His face disappeared, and his roots lifted and pulled apart, exposing a tunnel within his trunk.

Regnans grabbed Mellie’s hand with his rough, wooden one, and pulled her inside the opening. The tree closed itself abruptly and left them in total darkness.

Regnans cleared his throat and said, “Let there be light.”

A burst of dazzling brightness sparkled from the tunnel’s wall. Mellie glanced around and noticed a long, winding stairwell leading down into the ground.

“Shall we, then?” Not waiting for a reply, Regnans started down the steps.

Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

“Imagination runs wild in F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Pearson brings young readers through a looking glass and into a world bursting with adventure, heroism, and fascinating creatures. Readers will be inspired to be true to the One and left with anticipation of more to come.”

–Jill Williamson, award-winning author of

By Darkness Hid, and other books

“Sprinkled with delightful illustrations, and brimming with a full bestiary of magical creatures, F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is a fun, clever romp through the alternate landscape of the most magical world of all, our own. Read, and take up the call: ‘Defend and Emancipate!’”

– D. Barkley Briggs, author of

The Book of Names, and other books

“F.A.I.R.I.E.S. will appeal to readers who love the interplay of fantasy and reality. A rich cast of eccentric characters and exotic settings make this a fun addition to the folklore of the battle between good and evil.”

–Mike Hamel, author of

YA fantasy series: MATTERHORN THE BRAVE

“F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is one of those rare gems I want to tell everyone about. It’s highly imaginative, packed with adventure, and full of hope. A must read for kids and for kids at heart. Even better than Narnia! I was thinking about Pearson’s wonderfully memorable characters for days.”

–C.J. Darlington, author of

Thicker than Blood

“Ms. Pearson’s extravagant and imaginative F.A.I.R.I.E. kingdom will surely delight the young and the young-at-heart in this tale of good and evil, light vs. darkness. The fantasy-loving reader will not be disappointed!”

–Linore Rose Burkard, award winning author of

Before the Season Ends, and other books

***Special thanks to M. C. Pearson of FIRST Wild Card Press for sending me a review copy.***

Good Monsters and Evil People {Guest #Author: Melanie Card +Giveaway}

The Book Faery — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:32:29 +0000

Thank you Farrah for inviting me to your blog today. I’m excited to be here. With Halloween just around the corner, many children (young and old) will dress up as goblins, ghouls, and monsters. They will romp through the darkness, their disguises hiding them from evil spirits (depending on which lore your follow) and gather treats from strangers to take back to the warm security of their homes.

This strange mixture of fear and fun, the blurring between good and evil, monster and not monster is something I often think about, and as such is probably why I’m drawn to writing fantasy stories.

Literary theory states that monsters are representations of the “other” and historically the “other” was anyone who was physically different, a stranger. Stories were told about “others” who were evil, and threatened the lives and way of life of the good characters in the story. Fantasy fiction drew the “difference” even more strongly. These “others” really were monsters, demons and vampires, and terrifying creatures of darkness. They terrorized the good people of the story until the monsters were defeated (usually killed) or the good people were killed (making the tale a tragedy).

As fantasy fiction developed and people gained more experience with their real “other” storytellers started to question the assumed definition that all “others” were monsters. Which brings me back to Halloween, with the “good” kids dressing up as “evil” monsters and the assumption that the “strangers” handing out candy are good. These assumptions go against these long standing beliefs, making a one night only event where monsters are good and strangers are good.

In fantasy, for me, questioning the assumptions isn’t a one night event. Monsters aren’t just creatures of darkness or strangers. They are human and beautiful and sometimes your best friend. Good people, “humans” aren’t just those who look like us or are our friends, they are terrifying monsters in disguise.

In my debut YA fantasy novel, Ward Against Death, the definitions of good and evil and monster or not monster is blurred.

My heroine, Celia, starts off human. By traditional definition this would make her not a monster. But someone has murdered her and when the story opens she’s been risen from the dead by the hero, Ward, and begs him to help her solve her murder. So what does this now make Celia? She’s not alive but she isn’t dead, either. Is she still human? Is she now a monster? And does this change how we perceive her?

As well, my hero, Ward, is a necromancer. Because necromancy is magic over death, necromancers are often portrayed as evil, and usually cast as the villain of the story. Ward, however, is just a normal guy who wants to make enough of living so he doesn’t have to move back in with his parents. Necromancy isn’t evil, but it’s not good either. How each person uses it determines what it is.

And that’s what it comes down to for me: how each person behaves. Just like on Halloween, you never know if the child in the devil costume really is a devil or actually an angel. In fantasy the undead girl may not be a monster, and the boy with the ability to raise the dead might not be evil.

Thanks Farrah for having me today. There are tons of examples in fantasy and paranormal romance fiction of good monsters and evil people. Who are your favorites?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Melanie has always been drawn to story telling and can’t remember a time when
she wasn’t creating a story in her head. Her early stories were adventures with fairies and dragons and sword swinging princesses.

Today she continues to spin tales of magic in lands near and far, while her cat sits on the edge of her desk and supervises. When she’s not writing, you can find her pretending to be other people with her local community theatre groups.

Connect with Melanie: Facebook | Twitter @melaniecard | Goodreads | MelanieCard.com

Twenty-year-old Ward de’Ath expected this to be a simple job—bring a nobleman’s daughter back from the dead for fifteen minutes, let her family say good-bye, and launch his fledgling career as a necromancer. Goddess knows he can’t be a surgeon—the Quayestri already branded him a criminal for trying—so bringing people back from the dead it is.

But when Ward wakes the beautiful Celia Carlyle, he gets more than he bargained for. Insistent that she’s been murdered, Celia begs Ward to keep her alive and help her find justice. By the time she drags him out her bedroom window and into the sewers, Ward can’t bring himself to break his damned physician’s Oath and desert her.

However, nothing is as it seems—including Celia. One second, she’s treating Ward like sewage, the next she’s kissing him. And for a nobleman’s daughter, she sure has a lot of enemies. If he could just convince his heart to give up on the infuriating beauty, he might get out of this alive…

Read an Excerpt

Genre: New Adult/Upper YA Fantasy

Length: Novel – 285 pgs

Release Date: August 2, 2011

ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-08-4

Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-09-1

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Thanks to Entangled Publishing and the author, we’re giving away ONE e-copy of Ward Against Death to a lucky reader of The Book Faery Reviewers. This giveaway is open internationally and runs only until 11:59pm on Halloween, Monday, October 31st.

Just leave a comment for the author to enter!

Of course we’d LOVE it if you (for extra entries but not a requirement):

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Living the Obsession {Guest #Author: Shea Berkley + #Giveaway}

The Book Faery — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:12:28 +0000

Obsessions are a fact of life. Okay, not a terribly unique observation, but it’s one we try to overlook because, let’s face it, we can get a little testy when one of our obsessions is pointed out to us. Like the other day. This guy, we’ll call him Dude-who-insists-on-pointing-out-my-obsessions-until-I-want-to-smack-him-in-the-face (ahem, or maybe just Dude), decided to point out an obsession I have.

I love Coca Cola. Not Pepsi or RC or any other specialty cola. I love Regular Coca Cola. None of that sissy diet stuff or the caffeine free caramelized water they pass for cola. I want the stuff that burns going down my throat and kick-starts my heart with an artificial substance that is totally legal. (Amen) Why? I like it… nay, I need it in a totally non-addictive way. (I can quit any time I want to. I can. Really.)

I’ve tried to deny my need, but it’s no use. How can I when the first thing I do when I wake up is head downstairs, load up the ice and listen to the fizz and pop as I pour myself a coke? Mercy! It’s happiness in a glass. The Coca Cola ad executives guarantee it. Seriously. Commercials don’t lie.

On the obsession scale, coke (the drink) isn’t that life altering. Yet, there are some obsessions that can change the course of your life in ways you could never imagine. Sometimes for the good, many times for the bad. In my book, The Marked Son, Dylan (my hero) finds his own addiction in the form of love.

Here’s a quick excerpt from The Marked Son

Nothing feels better than touching Kera. I hold her close, feeling her heart beat behind her ribs. The heat of her hands on my chest is impossible to ignore as I kiss her, teasing her lips, and ultimately torturing myself until my control is almost gone. I pull away, putting my forehead to hers, and silently count to ten. Counting to a hundred wouldn’t help. Holding her intensifies my feelings of recklessness.

I can’t let go.

I pick her up. You’d think her dress, with its yards of material would be a problem, but it isn’t. Not for her. She wraps her legs around my waist and rakes her hands through my hair. I place my head on her chest and close my eyes. The rapid beat of her heart matches my own. The scent that engulfs her is as heady as the feel of her in my arms.

“You smell like summer and—” I search for the word that describes the scent pulsing under her skin. It teases me with every breath and touch. Naming it is driving me insane. It’s one I haven’t smelled on her before, yet it’s a scent that’s all too familiar to me, like summer and… “—sadness.”

She captures my lips with hers and slowly slides down my body until her feet touch the floor. Our kiss deepens, her embrace turns desperate. Her kiss fills with misery. The room turns hot, too claustrophobic. I can’t think. I try pushing her away, but she clings to me. Her breathing quickens, and she shivers within my arms. I sense real fear in her. Though she protests, I finally manage to step free. One, two, three steps back, separate but still connected. I can’t stop staring at her, wanting her. She’s like…

A drug.

Dylan loves Kera–not just loves, but completely-unequivocally-adores-and-must-be-around-her-at-all-times loves Kera. He’s obsessed. It’s his nature, one he never understood fully until he met Kera, and now that he knows, it’s almost impossible for him to deny his need. He fights with it all the time, knowing in his heart that his obsession, if left unchecked, will cause more harm than good.

And it does, because Dylan isn’t perfect. His obsession to be with Kera, to possess her love and be loved by her, upends the realm of Teag and changes the lives of nearly everyone around him. He causes a mess on an apocalyptic scale, something he never intended. So what’s a guy who’s in love with the girl of his dreams supposed to do?

Easy. He has to learn to control his out-of-control nature and fix the disasters that are starting to seep into the human realm. Yeah, right. Maybe not so easy, but it’s a challenge Dylan takes on.

The thing I love about Dylan is his solid core of goodness. He takes responsibility for what he’s done and tries to make amends.

Obsession is rarely healthy. I should know. My cola and I go waaay back. Dude-who-shall-not-be-named kinda has a point. It’s time I started weaning myself from the happy juice’s seductive grasp. I’ll be a healthier person for it. And though it’s hard to believe, I’ll probably be a happier person for it too. Wish me luck.

I’d like to thank the Book Faery (aka Farrah) for inviting me here today. I had fun. I hope you did too.

Want to know more about Shea and her righteously-awesome stories? Connect with her at: Facebook / SheaBerkley.com / Goodreads / RubySlipperedSisterhood.com / Twitter

Seventeen‐year‐old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he’s never met, he had no idea what.

When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents’ farm, he knows he’s seen her before…in his dreams. He’s felt her fear– Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power.

Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he’s completely insane or he’s about to have the adventure of his life, because where they’re going is full of creatures he’s only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death…

Title: The Marked Son (Keepers of Life, #1)

Author: Shea Berkley

Genre: Young Adult

Length: Novel – 334 pages

Release Date: August 2011

ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-00-8

Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-01-5

THE LOST PRINCE coming August 2012, and THE BASTARD KING coming August 2013!

THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Thanks to Entangled Publishing and Shea Berkley, we’re giving away ONE e-copy of the book The Marked Son. Open internationally now through November 31st!

Just leave a comment for the author to enter!

Of course we’d LOVE it if you (for extra entries but not a requirement):

Read our review of The Marked Son
Like The Book Faery Reviews Facebook Fan Page (see right sidebar)
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The Marked Son {#Book Review}

The Book Faery — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:55:50 +0000

Seventeen‐year‐old Dylan Kennedy always knew something was different about him, but until his mother abandoned him in the middle of Oregon with grandparents he’s never met, he had no idea what.

When Dylan sees a girl in white in the woods behind his grandparents’ farm, he knows he’s seen her before…in his dreams. He’s felt her fear– Heard her insistence that only he can save her world from an evil lord who uses magic and fear to feed his greed for power.

Unable to shake the unearthly pull to Kera, Dylan takes her hand. Either he’s completely insane or he’s about to have the adventure of his life, because where they’re going is full of creatures he’s only read about in horror stories. Worse, the human blood in his veins has Dylan marked for death…

Title: The Marked Son (Keepers of Life, #1)
Author: Shea Berkley
Genre: Young Adult
Length: Novel – 334 pages
Release Date: August 2011
ePub ISBN: 978-1-937044-00-8
Print ISBN: 978-1-937044-01-5

THE LOST PRINCE coming August 2012, and THE BASTARD KING coming August 2013!

FROM THE REVIEWER…The Marked Son is the story of Dylan and Kera. Both from two different worlds but magnetized to each other by unseen forces and destiny. Dylan is your average recluse teenager, coping with a life that is less than stable. His mother constantly moves them around the country, running from ex lovers without any real direction or reason. Dylan has been adjusting as best he can to his neglectful mother and the constant moving when his mother unexpectedly dumps him into the laps off his grandparents, whom he has never met before, and abandons him there.

Here in a farmhouse near the woods, he discovers that the woods are full of magic, a girl in white whom he has dreamt about since he was really young is actually very real. Kera, a girl from another dimension is seeking help for her home of Teag, a land across a barrier wall that separates the two worlds. When he follows her into this world, he discovers bloodthirsty creatures and a cold ruthless ruler named Navar who is bent on wiping out any half-blood beings, like Dylan. Only him and Kera can save this world which nothing is what it seems and the would-be ruler Navar has set his sights on killing them both.

I enjoyed reading this story, the point of view starts by bouncing back and forth between the main characters Dylan and Kera. It was a bit confusing at first, things took a while to be explained in the first half of the book, leaving me feeling a bit clueless and lost with all the world building on each side of the wall and vague backgrounds. The second half of the book more than made up for it. The point of view was laced together tight at this point and the story smoothed out to give you answers to the many questions that have built up to this point. The town of Teag seems stuck in a sort of medieval time where men have more power and woman are betrothed to men. They also have to wear big beautiful dresses and behave a certain way. It seemed to clash with the modern world that Dylan lived in. I do love his Grandparents, probably two of the most colorful characters in the story. His grandmother especially seems to know a lot more of what is going on than she lets on. His human friends Jason and Leo are great additions to the story but I would have liked to get into their heads a little more. Overall the ending was amazing and kept me on the edge of my seat. It left me wanting more and I definitely want to see where these characters will be going, see what kind of trouble they can get into in the future. I highly recommend it and will be reading more by this author.

My Book Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

MEET THE REVIEWER…Alexia Purdy resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. She spends every free moment writing or playing with her 4 rambunctious kids (living the dream!). She devours books daily, especially paranormal urban fantasies and finds genre books to be irresistible. She has been writing since she can remember and loves creating paranormal urban fantasy and poetry. She also enjoys watching movies, dancing, singing loudly in the car and Italian food. She is the author of Interim Blue (The Teleen Trilogy) and is currently working on the second book of the Teleen Trilogy: Ash and Embers. Projects for 2012 include: The Reign of Blood (Book #1 in a post-apocalyptic vampire hunter trilogy) and a poem anthology. She currently blogs at Alexia Purdy.

We received a copy for an honest review. No money was given as compensation.

The Sanction Chronicles {Guest Post}

The Book Faery — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:27:36 +0000

The Serial Novel RETURNS…

Not Dickens this time and this one is YA with a twist. The Sanction Chronicles is a Young Adult Series that follows the Vampires, Witches, Werewolves, and one human through the school year at Wind Haven High School.

So what does that mean? Every month September – June readers get to catch up with what has happened to the characters throughout the month, or what is about to happen to them as the month unfolds.

What makes this project really different is not just the installment structure. We are MULTI-Author. Every month three of the characters step up and tell their story. In some cases each of those characters is written by a different author. It makes things interesting. Almost like creating a TV Series.

This is a new kind of book, and the great part is that there is always something to read. Either a book or the support material on the blog. Instead of waiting for a year, there is another book the next month. You can keep up with your favorites and enjoy them all year, check out the authors and more. So check out The Sanction Chronicles and meet the September characters below.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books on Board * Smashwords

The three stars of September?

Hope

Wow, he’s hot.

Too hot.

Hope’s skin was uncomfortably warm, the heat getting worse every minute. She smelled smoke, or was that part of the dream? He’s smoking hot, that’s it. Hope settled back to admire his dark hair and bright eyes. At least I dreamed up someone worth looking at.

She sighed. Life in Sanction was good.

Not was, is—is good.

So what if awake she missed Dream Guy. Missing Dream Guy, a.k.a. DG, did not make the rest of her life lonely. She never got to see him for very long anyway. These dreams didn’t last. Now he was here, but for how long? She wanted to enjoy the time, but it was just so damn hot!

His voice broke into her thoughts. “Hope. Hope. You need to wake up.”

Like hell I do. Just minutes after getting here he wants me to leave? No way. She was staying asleep and right here. He was free to do whatever he wanted.

Jessie

Bored with watching another five fir trees go by, Jessie turned to study Marcus. He was six-one, blond, and an asshole with a wicked set of fangs. He flashed them with every word out of his mouth. “You have to think about what people will say. We aren’t kids anymore. Everything we do reflects on the Vittori name.”

Jessie took great joy from pointing out the obvious. “I am not a Vittori.” She wasn’t a vampire, born, or made. She was human.

After a pause he continued, “You live with the family.”

“In the servant’s quarters. I think everyone gets the picture.”

“You and your mother are not servants.”

“We are not part of the family either.”

Nate

Nate closed the front door quietly. He glanced around for his father. So far no sign. Nate let out a breath and shrugged his backpack from his shoulder. He’d been walking on eggshells ever since he got back a few weeks ago. Eight years away wasn’t enough to wipe the slate clean between them. Nate’s jaw tightened.

Nobody gets a clean slate.

He’d made it to the stairs when the voice hit him from behind.

“What the hell are you doing home?”

Nate turned to face his father’s frown as the older werewolf walked out of the kitchen.

“School’s over,” Nate mumbled, trying not to cringe.

“Don’t be a smart ass,” his father growled, moving closer step by step.“What about football practice?”

“Cancelled.” Nate licked his lips. “It’s the full moon.”

- END -

Welcome To Sanction – The Sanction Chronicles – Year One Volume One

Blog * Twitter * Facebook

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books on Board * Smashwords

Are Books Really Dead? {Guest #Author: T.M. Wallace}

The Book Faery — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:28:03 +0000

There are nasty rumours floating around the web these days about the demise of the book. Some people in the industry are afraid that the rise of the e-book means that the printed copy of a book will soon be extinct. Many tie the future of the book to the baby boomer generation: that is to say, the book will die out after that generation leaves. As a writer and educator, I like to believe that there is room for both e-books and the printed copy in our complicated modern world.

As a writer who loves to read and write printed books, I can’t help getting a little nervous when people say that the printed book is on the verge of extinction. Yet, there is a place for different kinds of books, just as there is room for many different kinds of art. In fact, saying that there is no place in the world for the printed book is a bit like saying there is no room for paintings, that all the visual arts will be replaced by the electronic versions of themselves. At the extreme end, it is like saying that our lives in this physical world will be replaced by lives in a digital one – and that is simply not going to happen.

As an educator, I can see that the printed book is still very much alive and well. While the new generation is reading more electronic versions of both fiction and non-fiction books in the classroom, the majority of students still read the printed versions of books. Younger children are still absorbed by picture books and that early experience with paper. Even though children are at the same time exposed to all kinds of computer learning games, the experience of reading a paper book remains an important and primary way of learning about the world. The library is still a favourite place for students of all ages and book fairs are still popular, especially as a fund-raising activity.

There is room for both printed books and e-books in the modern world, but that necessitates a lot of change within the book industry. There is no doubt that publishing is becoming a complicated business. It used to be enough to print and publish the paper copy of a book and distribute that book via physical bookstores and libraries. Now, the same book has to be published simultaneously in many different e-book formats such as; mobi, epub, azw, ereader and pdf, just to name a few. This plethora of ebook formats has aptly been referred to as the “Tower of eBabel.” Yet, this confusing variety of ebook platforms only highlights what is driving ebook pubishing in the first place: the fact that people like choice.

Now you can choose whether to read a paper book or an ebook of the same novel. Right now my husband is reading a paperback novel. However, he will at various times also read on his ipad or his kindle – this depending entirely on the situation. When he reads in bed at night, he reads on his ipad, which is back-lit. In his sunny backyard, he reads on his kindle. (The kindle has E-ink which, like the printed book requires bright light for optimal reading.) When having a bath or when going to the park, he takes along the paperback version, which is much more forgiving of moisture and sudden falls.

Happily, the end result of all this choice is that people can read more, and more often. Literacy is even more important (and more accessible) with the rise of the internet than it has ever been in the past, and the future is brighter for authors and readers alike. No one really knows what the future holds for the printed book, but there is no reason to assume that a new technology must completely supplant the old way of doing things. Like many thousands of others, I have elected to enjoy the choices that technology offers. I am happy to read an e-book or a paper version of a book as the mood strikes me. In my world, both paper and E-ink peacefully co-exist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…T. M. Wallace lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and four children. At eight years old, she won a short story contest and was published in a local newspaper. She wrote her first book at ten years old called The Adventures of Pinkstar, about a stuffed rabbit who magically comes to life. T. M. Wallace received her Master’s degree in English Literature from Carleton University and a degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. In 2010 her latest book, Under A Fairy Moon, was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel awards.

You can visit her website at www.tmwallace.com. Follow her on Twitter (@TMWallace1).

Addy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour’s beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

Paperback: 222 pages

Publisher: Brownridge Publishing (July 19, 2011)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0986865702

ISBN-13: 978-0986865701

Under a Fairy Moon, T.M. Wallace {#Book Review}

The Book Faery — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:17:16 +0000

Addy Marten sets out to explore her new neighbour’s beautiful garden, and especially the rows of mysterious stone statues that she has glimpsed through her bedroom window. Instead of the enticing hideaway she has imagined, however, she finds herself trapped in the Median Realms, and an unwilling pawn in a game of Fairy Chess. She must use all her courage and wits to win the game and free herself from malicious fairy creatures and their twisted fairy-tale world.

Paperback: 222 pages
Publisher: Brownridge Publishing (July 19, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0986865702
ISBN-13: 978-0986865701

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…T. M. Wallace lives in Ontario, Canada. She received her Masters degree in English Literature from Carleton University and has a degree in Education from the University of Ottawa. Writing for children is a passion that began early in her youth when she started writing stories for the local paper. Her first novel, “Under A Fairy Moon” was a quarter-finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…First, you know that I HAD to get a copy of this book since I absolutely LOVE fairies, bad and nice, (as if it’s not obvious…haha). Second, I LOVE this cover. I’m honestly drawn to this cover whenever I see it. To me it evokes secrets, magic, and adventure in a hidden world. GORGEOUS! And that is exactly how the book was. It was a delight to read Under a Fairy Moon with the kids. Each night they looked forward to the next adventurous scene. When I asked my 10 year old son what he thought about the book he said…

UNDER A FAIRY MOON was so descriptive that I could envision myself as Connor fighting a skeleton to save Addy. (side-note: Hearing my kids use words like “envision” just absolutely blow my mind…you can tell they read a lot and/or pay attention to how others speak when describing something.) I very much enjoyed all the different magical creatures and people in the story. I recommend this book to other kids like me who like to pretend to be in other worlds filled with magical things and adventures.

Our book Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

I received a copy to review for the book tour with Pump Up Your Book in exchange for my honest opinion. No monies were given for this review. I am however a LinkShare/B&N affiliate.

Simple? Or Not So Much? {Guest #Author: Richard Blunt}

The Book Faery — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:23:20 +0000

Since I published “Lucas Trent – Guardian in Magic” about eight months ago I wrote quite a number of blog posts about many different topics, like consistency, writing style or magic, but it just now occurred to me that I never actually wrote a post about my book. I am sorry Lucas Trent, let me make it up to you by starting right now.

If you read the excerpt at my “Pump up your book” tour-page, or took a “look inside the book” at Amazon and read through the very first pages, you should know by now what the story is about: Magic. But is this what the book is all about? Well, it wouldn’t be me if it were… There is of course much about magic in there, and if you are looking for a fantasy story full of magic you still make a good choice reading “Guardian in Magic”. But behind the very blunt words of the magic is a story of friendship and loyalty. A story of adventure and danger, battles, great victories and great losses, and a story that is placed so close to reality in most aspects that you could easily forget that it is fantasy at all. (If it weren’t for the magic of course.) And it is one thing more: A story that will with a close to brutal directness show you that things are not as simple as they seem to be, and well, that’s one more thing where “Guardian in Magic” quite directly resembles the real world, because even if things look simple here, you can be almost certain that there will be a catch somewhere.

So… Now some might ask: “Do I really need to dive that deeply into the story to like it?” Well,… No, of course not. I did my very best to make the story easy to read and the feedback I got so far seems to confirm that I succeeded with that. And still, even those who only read the book with “brains switched off” came back to me later on and told me about some “AHA”-effects and deja vous they had while reading it.

OK, now I am again near to the end of a blog post and once again have not told too much about Lucas Trent and his companions. Well, there are a couple more posts coming up on my virtual book tour, so maybe I make it to that point next time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Richard Blunt is the author of the fantasy novel, Lucas Trent: Guardian in Magic. He is currently working on his second book in the Lucas Trent series. You can visit his website at www.lucastrent.com and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/lucas_trent and Facebook at www.facebook.com/people/richard-blunt.

“Guardian in Magic” is a fantasy novel located in a world very similar to the one we live in. It tells the story of 16 year old Lucas Trent, an IT student living in Luton, England. His fascination for the supernatural leads him to take a glimpse at the world from an angle only few others look at. An angle that teaches him the true meaning of friendship, loyalty and trust in ways he had never experienced before.

Journeying through a secret community, that is hidden in plain sight, he suddenly finds himself forced into living two lives at once, keeping his true identity even from his close family. In a struggle to handle this situation, he gets pulled deeper and deeper into a swamp of conspiracies and coincidences surrounding a young girl and the very truth about magic in the real world…

Paperback: 268 pages
Publisher: AuthorHouse (January 21, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1456773119
ISBN-13: 978-1456773113

Mailbox Monday…08.29.11

The Book Faery — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:05:22 +0000

Mailbox Monday is where other bloggers write about the books they received the previous week. The Mailbox Monday is now going on a blog tour with the host for the month of August being Life In The Thumb. Visit her blog to see what books made it her way and check out the others who are participating like me in the Monday Mailbox Meme.

Under the Fairy Moon by T.M. Wallace (YA Fiction) - Fourteen-year-old Addyson Martin just moved next door to a witch, or at least that’s what everyone calls the strange old woman who is now her neighbor. Addy watches the old woman’s garden from her bedroom window, studying the large, curious statues that sit amongst the beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees. Addy has a very active imagination, and one day finds the courage to venture next door to explore the vast garden. She imagines a magical land within the garden walls, a land that Addy rules over. One day Addy notices a young boy in a yellow rain slicker speaking to the old woman in the garden. She gets jealous, for this boy is a stranger and is on her turf. Addy sets out to find the boy, but when she arrives in the garden, he is nowhere to be found. As Addy goes deeper into the garden, she soon becomes disoriented. She eventually finds the boy in the yellow rain coat and he tells her he has been trapped there for days, maybe even weeks. How can that be when she just saw him from her window? Soon, Addy realizes they are trapped in a magical space between their world and a magical world of faeries. The problem is, it’s not the fun and beautiful world Addy always imagined. It’s a dangerous world, and if Addy ever wants to get back home she must participate in a twisted game of chess played alongside the murderous statues in the garden. – FROM B&N

The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids by Phil & Amy Parham (Kids Fitness) - Childhood obesity and diabetes are on the rise. Many kids would rather play video games than run around a playground or in their backyard. Yet they can’t engage fully in life when their physical well-being is less than what God intended.

Using principles and practices they—ve used successfully in their own family, Phil and Amy Parham equip parents with the tools they need to help their children become healthier and happier. This book is an inspirational and easy-to-follow guide that teaches parents

basic principles to raise fit kids
the importance of setting a good example
simple ways to prepare nutritious meals and snacks
creative ways to be physically active as a family
how to make a healthy lifestyle fun and rewarding

The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Your Kids informs parents not only how to raise fit kids, but it also provides a roadmap to the rewards that come from sharing a healthy lifestyle together—stronger and healthier kids and more closely knit families. – FROM B&N

Alexander Drake’s Extraordinary Pursuit {#Book Spotlight}

The Book Faery — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 06:16:38 +0000

Alexander Drake is not a typical “story book” hero. He’s awkwardinsecure and introverted. His struggle to make friends has made him a bit of a loner. He is terribly fearful of not living up to his conservative father’s expectations of him and always puts forth every effort to make him proud. At the same time Alexander is a curious and wildly imaginative boy who constantly craves adventure.

Up to this point Alexander led a very sheltered life. He was raised solely by his father a reserved distinguished gentleman with a rarely exposed soft side. His mother died when he was baby and he has no memory of her. Many secrets of his family’s extraordinary past were intentionally kept from him which has sparked his curious nature even more.

Alexander wants nothing more than to know where he came from more specifically his mother. The opportunity finally presents itself during a stay at his grandmother’s cottage deep in the forest. His father’s childhood bedroom contained some interesting clues and a special key that set Alexander on a journey that would change his life forever.

Azra’s Pith is a child’s imagination brought to life. Enchanted spells roam the forest where Juliena peaceful Empyrean wizard lives. A deep river flows through the realm containing run off from the snowy mountains looming in the distance.

That is where an element of unspeakable evil dwells unsettled – a sorcerer named Imperius. It is feared by all who inhabit the realm. Alexander is oblivious of his own significance in Azra’s Pith. He is a threat to Imperius’s powers and its plans to control the realmand therefore must be destroyed.

Alexander was being hunted by dark spells and vicious creatures every step of the way but he was determined to complete his journey. His destination held the answers he longed for and a surprise that was beyond his wildest dreams.

Genre: Children (8-up)/Middle Grade Fantasy
Book Length: Novella
Word Count: 32,361
Pages: 112

BUY THE BOOK FROM… Wild Child Publishing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat.

Over the years she learned that the insecurities she carried around were a waste of time. Elizabeth still prefers a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into her writing providing a sense of joy and true purpose.

You can visit Elizabeth’s website at www.azraspithbooks.com. Follow her on Twitter and her blog and/or chill out with her on Facebook.