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Friday, September 30, 2016
Pros & Cons of Signing with a Small Press
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
"Eden's Escape" by M. Tara Crowl Blog Tour: Review, Interview, + Giveaway!
Eden's new life on earth begins in New York City under the
guidance of her new guardian: Pepper, a petite, bubbly genie alum who's also a
Broadway actress. Before she has a chance to settle in, though, Eden is whisked
away for a granting--only to find herself trapped in a laboratory. David
Brightly, owner of the world's leading tech company, cares more about tapping
into the lamp's power than making a wish and starts performing tests on Eden.
With Brightly's plasma shield around the lamp, Eden has no way home. Left
without a choice, she escapes the lab and goes on the run. After her daring
exit, Eden finds herself on the streets of Paris--home to Electra's
headquarters. Left in a strange city with a price on her head (courtesy of
scheming Brightly), Eden has to keep her wits about her. She dons a chic
disguise and flits around Paris incognito, investigating Brightly Tech.
Assisted by Pepper and her old adversary Bola, as well as some new friends,
Eden embarks on a quest to retrieve the lamp and protect the secrets of the
genie legacy.
{View on Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound}
** Be sure to scroll down for a giveaway! **
{ MY REVIEW }
It's been so exciting to follow my author friend, Tara Crowl, and her writing journey! I immensely enjoyed EDEN'S WISH {you can find my review here} and was eager to get my hands on its sequel, EDEN'S ESCAPE.
This series, Eden of the Lamp, follows the journey of a tween genie, Eden, who is desperate to experience life outside of the restrictions of her lamp. In Eden's Wish, she breaks free from the lamp and is taken on a journey to achieve her own greatest wish: to taste for herself the pleasures that Earth offers. Eden's Escape picks up where Eden's Wish left off and includes a new adventure for Eden that involves protecting the power and secrets of the lamp.
Similar to Eden's Wish, as soon as I began reading this book, I found it difficult to put down. Crowl has a gift for sparking the imagination of readers through painting vivid scenes and characters, yet she accomplishes this without slowing down the pace of the story. There was never a dull moment, and the plot remained unpredictable until the last very page. (Btw, I seriously hope there will be a third book in the series!) Through careful attention to detail, Crowl brought to life the setting of NYC and Paris in a way that made Eden's adventures even more of a thrill to follow. While Eden is a likable protagonist, her curiosity and independent streak often lead her into some sticky situations. But I love how, even though she's flawed, she has also grown through the consequences of her actions in both Eden's Wish and Eden's Escape.
One of my favorite aspects of this series is how Crowl combines fantastical and magical elements with modern-day life. This, I believe, will make it easier for MG readers to relate with the protagonist as she wrestles with feelings, questions, and curiosity that almost every tween deals with in today's society.
Although this is a MG novel, I have a feeling Eden's Escape will be just as enjoyable for adults as it is for tweens/teens and will remind them of the imaginative, thrill-seeking, and adventurous spirit that came with their own tween years. This series would make a perfect gift for tweens, teens, and adults alike! I look forward to the next (hopefully!) installment in Eden's journey...
** I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest, non-biased review. **
{ AUTHOR INTERVIEW }
Which book was your favorite to
write--Eden's Wish or Eden's Escape?
Writing Eden’s Wish was very special, because it was a story that was in my heart for a long time. I started it when I moved to Sydney, Australia for grad school. At the time that didn’t really seem like a sensible decision, but I took a chance because I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was what I was meant to do. When I got there, my life opened up in such a beautiful way, and I discovered hope and joy that I’d never known before. Eden’s Wish was born out of that.
Eden’s Escape was the second book in the series, so the characters and the world had been established. In that sense, it was easier to write. But also, it was a new experience writing a book that I knew was going to be published. To some extent, that gave me confidence; but also, it raised the stakes. I wanted to make sure my characters were consistent, but also growing. And I wanted the story to be more thrilling, more engaging, and more meaningful all at the same time. That was a challenge.
Why did you choose Paris for the
setting of Eden's Escape?
Right before Eden’s Wish sold to Disney-Hyperion, I went to Europe by myself for some adventure and soul-searching. I fell in love with Paris—I was so enchanted! I decided that if the book sold, I wanted to write a sequel and set it there. At the time, that seemed so unrealistic. But when I got back from my trip, I found out that it was going to be a reality! So the following year, I went back for a few weeks to research and write. I’m still pinching myself—and so incredibly grateful—that I got to live out that dream!
Will there be another book in the
series, or does Eden's Escape conclude Eden's adventures?
Time will tell! I hope there will be more!
In what ways can middle grade
readers relate with your protagonist, Eden?
Eden is a genie, but she’s also a 12-year-old girl. She’s adventurous, exuberant, and brave. She wants to be free to explore the world, but she comes to realize that people are what make the world beautiful. She really learns to value others. I think middle-grade readers will relate to Eden as she navigates friendships and relationships—and all the love, disappointment, and forgiveness that come with that.
What's the perfect snack (or
drink!) that readers should enjoy while reading Eden's Escape?
Macarons! Eden eats them for the first time in Paris, and every flavor she tries becomes her new favorite. They’re the perfect sweet treat while you read.
Do you hope to continue writing
for the middle grade genre?
I love writing middle-grade books because the readers are so open to imagining with you. They’re not cynical or closed-minded; they’re ready to go on the adventure. As the author, you can erase the boundaries between reality and fantasy and run with the story.
But I wouldn’t say I’ll only write middle-grade. In the future, I may give YA a shot, or even books for adults. Who knows!
{ BOOK EXCERPT }
This time Eden landed on her feet.
When she opened her eyes, she saw
that they were planted on black pavement. Black pavement meant a street. She
was standing on a street.
Okay, she thought. But where? She lifted her eyes.
Directly before her were four yellow
taxis, side by side, like the front line of a battalion. To her left and right
were buildings so tall, she was as small as a bug in comparison. And in the
distance, a narrow slip of bright blue sky framed by more sky-high buildings,
as far as she could see.
She’d never been here before; of
that, she was certain. And yet, she’d received a genie’s education. She’d seen
enough photos to know without a doubt where she was.
“New York City,” she said softly.
RERRR!!! Car horns rang in her ears.
“Get outta the road!” yelled a man
leaning out of a taxi’s window. “You tryna get killed?”
The light had changed, and the
battalion was ready to charge.
As Eden sprinted to the sidewalk,
taxis ripped through the space she left behind. Something heavy bounced on her
back, and she felt straps around her shoulders. She was wearing a backpack.
Suddenly, it started to vibrate against her back---but there was no time to
figure out why right now.
There was no less traffic on the
sidewalk, but at least it was made up of mortals on foot rather than cars. The
prospect of a collision wasn’t nearly as dire.
Mortals. She took a deep breath. She had to
stop calling them that.
After all, she was living among them
now.
{ GIVEAWAY }
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Giveaway is open to US/CAN only
{ AUTHOR BIO }
M. Tara Crowl grew up in Murfreesboro,
Tennessee. She studied Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California,
then received an MA in Creative Writing at Macquarie University in Sydney,
Australia. She lives in New York City.
{ CONNECT WITH TARA }
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Teen Author Interview with Sophia Whittemore
The gamblers at the Red Fields call Avery Faro a Monster. I call him my cousin. I know about his secret weapon though, the thing that wins him all those fights. Avery can’t feel anything, not pain, and not love. We aren’t even that close, third cousins, really. But, somewhere along the way, we became closer than that… far too close. Now I think that he’s lost it completely. He’s jealous. He’s possessive. He’s hiding something from me. He calls me his Laurel, only his. But I know there are secrets at the Red Fields. By day, Avery is just a regular schoolboy. By night, he morphs into an underground fighter. How can I save Avery from himself?
How do you defeat somebody who doesn’t even feel?
- It took me a year to find my publisher Clean Reads. My writing journey had its ups and downs. There was some frustration, some sadness, and a whole lot of motivation from myself and from those around me. To find publishers, I basically sat down and did my research into the publishing industry. I scoured blogs, vlogs, top ten lists, and writing sites. The Internet was a huge resource in publication because so much of publishing these days is related to the online market and the social media generation. It was a great experience though with an ultimate goal.
You’ve had two more books published since your first release. What does your writing routine look like, and how are you able to write so quickly?
- I force myself to write every day. I drink coffee early in the morning and sometimes I write late into the night. I try to keep a healthy sleep schedule, but sometimes I just have to write something down and I wake up all over again. I write quickly though because I believe in every project I'm working on. And if I don't believe in it, I set it aside and look at it later with fresh eyes.
Is being an author everything you’ve dreamt it would be? Why or why not?
- Yes and no. Yes because I'm writing and doing what I love. I'm meeting people who inspire me and people who are able to take something from my work. It isn't like a dream though because it is still real life. It's still me and I'm still the same person, but I'm also an author now too, which is a giant part of my identity.
What advice would you give to aspiring teen authors?
- For the publishing industry, sit down and treat it like a school research project. Use writing books from local libraries. Give yourself homework and write every day. Go online and research as many resources for writing as possible such as writing forums, publishing houses, and agents if you so desire.
From the writing perspective, find your voice. Don't get a giant thesaurus just because you feel the need to use big words. Sometimes the best writing comes naturally. The only voice in the world like yours IS YOU. Use that as an asset because you will always have something to say.
What’s next in your writing career? Should readers expect more books from you in the future?
- I write every day so I do have a couple projects burning up my laptop. I finished / am close to finishing the final book in my Imepetus Rising series, so that's always good! I love writing about magic because there's something about imagination that calls to me. It helps you escape reality, but it also helps anchor you to who you are in the inside. We could all use a little bit of magic sometimes, and writing is mine.
Sophia Whittemore is a Dartmouth student and multiracial author with an Indonesian mother and a Minnesotan father. She has had book signings at Barnes & Noble for her Impetus Rising Series, available on Amazon and other outlets, the first book published when she was only seventeen. She has been featured as a Standout in the Daily Herald and a Rad Reads author in Girls’ Life Magazine. Her love for the English language manifested itself in eighth grade when she went to the Scripps National Spelling Bee and has continued with other languages such as Spanish and Indonesian. Her prior publications include “A Clock’s Work” in a Handersen Publishing magazine, “Blind Man’s Bluff” in Parallel Ink, and winning multiple awards in the Best Midwestern Writing competition for high school writers. She currently resides in Chicago, Illinois with her family and food-loving mini schnauzer called Tiger. Drawing on inspiration from her two cultural backgrounds, Sophia lives a life playing tennis, traveling, and writing about her dual life experiences through other characters in her works or on her blog.
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