Vala Agenda's Interview and Review Blog Stop!

Synopsis:

Cheyenne Loveless was just a boring sixteen-year-old girl. Then Denver Collins bit her and everything changed. Her plants start talking to her, she finds out shes a Nymph, and a witch and the angel of death show up at her doorstep to take her away to the prestigious Vala School and Seminary. Oh, and she has no choice in the matter.

All she wants to do is blend in and return to being invisible, but the more time that passes, the harder that becomes. Plus shes a daughter of the Divine, an exclusive secret society which rules the world of myth, and discovers she is a key ingredient to an ancient covenant created before she was born. A covenant that will reshape the order of the world.

Adjusting to a new school is difficult enough, but adding on everyone eles hidden agendas is the icing on the cake. Cheyenne must learn to see through the lies in order to find her place; and possibly even love; in this new world.

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Author Bio:

J.F. Jenkins lives in Minneapolis where she spends most of her time creating and plotting world domination – something that has been in the works for roughly 13 years.
In her free time she works as the local coffee wench and dominates the minions of the pixilated world on her PS3.
She’s also got a little man (J Walk) and a little man trapped in a big man’s body (J Dawg) to take care of along with her two fur babies Ushi and Tibu.
She is currently unrepresented by an agency. Email jfjenkinswrites@gmail.com with questions and comments.

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Interview:

1.Why Persephone? 

I picked her because I've always loved the story of how she was kidnapped by Hades, and I thought it would be a great backdrop to the overall drama of the Vala world.

2. Do you have a favorite god/goddess among the myths?

There are a lot to choose from. Most likely Aphrodite. I can't imagine being a goddess of love as an easy thing.

3. How where you inspired for the  story?

It started with a dream. In it a girl was at a new school she was forced to attend and live in. Everyone there had obscure magical abilities. While wandering the hallways she was attacked by a giant spider and rescued by a boy who was a “vampire”. From there it all kind of fell into place. Elements of the dream made it into the story, but not exactly in the same original way.

4. Was it difficult giving flowers a voice?

The hardest part about writing the flowers was keeping them as being peaceful and without deception. Mostly because I don't imagine why flowers would have a need to be deceptive. In a way, they're eternal, so they can't have the same motivations as humans do. Finding what they cared about was hard.

5. If it was turned into a movie who would you cast?

Cheyenne would be played by someone like Alexis Bledell.

Denver I've always imagined being a Shia LaBeouf kind of guy.

The twins I'm having a hard time picking, but I think I've settled on Logan Henderson.

Jewl would be Brit Robertson, I think she's a fantastic actress and she'd embody the role perfectly.

John Cho would be Mr. Thantos.

Rachael Leigh Cook would be Mrs. Orinda

and I'm still searching for someone to play Lucien.

6. Which of the characters was the easiest to write for and which was the hardest? 

The easiest to write for was probably either Denver or Jewl. They say and think a lot of things, that I as an author, think about the characters. If I was thrown into this world as a character, they'd be the people I'd get along with most.

The hardest to write was Cheyenne and that's because she is so very opposite of who I am as a person. Her reactions to things were not how I would have handled things, so getting into her head was tricky at times. On occasion the twins could be hard to write, but that's mostly when they are together because siblings treat each other so differently than they do other people.

7.  Which genre do you think would be the hardest to write for?

Anything historical, and that's because I'm not a fan of doing super in-depth research. I'd want to make sure everything was perfect before writing. When I can create my own world, it goes a lot better because then I can have control over all of the elements of the world.

8. What would you do if you suddenly found out you were one of the Divine?

Probably freak out and not want to do it. That's not the kind of position I'd like. Politics are not something I enjoy getting involved in. But the magic would be cool to have!

9.What do you do if you get writers block? 

Read a book or play a game. Something to relax my mind so I can get back to work again. A nap does the trick too on occasion. If I can't write because I'm in a bad mood, I tickle my kiddo.

10.Are there any last words you would like to leave with our readers? 

I'm more than happy with answering any questions you might have, and I love to connect so feel free to add me on twitter or facebook, or even Google+.

Twitter: @jfjenkinstweets

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jfjenkinsauthor

Google +: jfjenkinswrites@gmail.com.

Thanks!

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Review:

 I quickly found myself emerged in this book, always the sucker for mythology, this book did not leave me wanting as the author chose an interesting take on the romance and that is Persephone and Hades.  For those of you who do not know the greek myth you can go here to learn more. Here

I think one of the best aspects of the story was that the personalities matched to people I could come across in my day to day life.

There is the popular guy that has been spoiled and has that somewaht jerky attitude, the shy guy, the "witchy" girl and the happy dope.

I also liked that the Persephone goddess changes, from mother to daughter as one steps down and allows the other reign.

Favorite Charrie: Lucian

Quotes:

1. " You never know. Maybe they're weird vampire rabies, or it could be an STD or somthing."

2. " I think I just swallowed a pea."

    "It helps if you chew. Just a suggestion," Anj said with a smirk.

     "They're small. It slipped."

Rating:

4.5 Stars!

     





The Mers Blog Stop

Since I will be away and at OhayoCon in Columbus, I figured it would be better to go ahead and post this blog stop ahead of time so I won't miss it.
I was given the chance to interview Ami Blackwater, Author of The Mers.
Before I get started let me give you a little bit of background on our Author and the Book.
Synopsis:

What lies beneath the surface?

One hundred years from now, the world has changed and brought with it, new forms of life.

Who are the Mers? Who is Mira?

Mira always knew she was different. Growing up with Mers, she never quite fit in. When Mira breaks the rules and takes Niren across the border that divides Ellis Island and New Jersey, a  border that divides two vastly different worlds, she thought the journey to find out who she really is would be an easy one.

But as the world in Jersey proves to be a convoluted mix of Aristocrats who hate the Mers, Pirates who want to sell them, and Magi who want to use them...finding her true identity will be a challenge, especially when her best friend Niren is a Mer willing to fight to the death.   

About the Author:

About The Author:

Ami Blackwelder is a forbidden romance writer in the paranormal, scifi, and historical genres. Growing up in Florida, she went to UCf and in 1997 received her BA in English and teaching credentials. She travelled overseas to teach in Thailand, Nepal, Tibet, China and Korea. Thailand is considered her second home now. She has always loved writing and wrote poems and short stores since childhood; however, her novels began when she was in Thailand. She also wrote three nonfiction spiritual books at this time. 

Acheivements:

  In university, having won the Best Fiction Award from the University of Central Florida (Yes, The Blair Witch Project University;), her fiction From Joy We Come, Unto Joy We Return was published in the on campus literary magazine: Cypress Dome and remains to this day in University libraries around the country. Later, she achieved the Semi-Finals in a Laurel Hemingway contest and published a few poems in the Thailand’s Expat magazine, and an article in the Thailand’s People newspaper. Additionally, she has published poetry in the Korea’s AIM magazine, the American Poetic Monthly magazine and Twisted Dreams Magazine.


Interview:
1.What was it like winning the Best Fiction Award while get your Bachelor of Arts in English?
 Winning was awesome, heck just to be included in the literary magazine was an honor, but winning really made me feel like I could do this...you know. Be a writer.

2.How does it feel knowing one of your books could be turning into a movie?
The Shifters of 2040 is a great book and from an action-packed, character driven shifter dystopian, romantic suspense series. A series many readers and viewers would enjoy. So, I'm very excited. It will take time though. Everything is slow in the movie business. Many authors get scripts picked up, but most don't make it to the movies. But this one so deserves it. Anyone who has read it will attest to that.

3. Out of all the places you have traveled, which has been your favorite?
Thailand.

4. What made you decide to write Mer's?
 After watching Water World I was inspired to write about a world that was flooded by waters...

5. In a time where Vampires, Werewolves and Angels seem to dominate the writing scene, why write about mermaids?
Because I love them and I write what I love.
6. How did you come up with the names for your characters?
The just come to me.
7.If you had to be any character from The Mer's, who would you be and why?
 Mira of course. Her adventure is pretty cool.
8.How do you get through writers block?
Do something else. Go outside. See something else, smell something else.
9. Do you have a particular song list that you found yourself listening to or thinking about while writing The Mers?
Nope. I usually write in the quiet with tea.
10. Any last words you would like to leave with our readers?
 I hope you enjoy the book THE MERS, a Mermaid Dystopian. It is part of a three-part saga. This book out now is the ARC and the final book will be available in FEB.


Review:
The myths surrounding the mermaid legends has always fascinated me, mermaids to be precise have always been one of my favorite legends. I can remember as a child playing pretend and becoming one of them as my imagination roamed free.

This was a unique twist on the well worn fin. When the earth became swallowed by the oceans. leaving dry land sparse, we do what humans do best, we evolve. Humans turned into Mers. Men and Women who can breath under water  and have webbed hands and feet so they can swim, along with a few other charachteristics that become enough to start a civil war and ending in exile.

As one young girl searches for the truth about her parentage and why she came to be, we get to tag along with what felt like a play by play diary. Through daring rescue, heart breaking goodbyes' , the battle of the pirates and having to save her people before they are wiped out for good, this book is a highly charged one that will keep you on the edge of your seat in preparation for what comes next.


Rating :
3.5 Stars.

Young Adult Giveaway Hop!

This will be the very first hop that I am participating in on my own site and I am very excited about it. For a long time I did not like the Young Adult genre, I don't know if I just picked up the wrong type of books or what but I could not seem to get interested. Thankfully that has long passed.
Up for grabs is one copy of BloodRose, the third and final part of the Nightshade trilogy.
I absolutely fell in love with these books and I wish I had the money to give the entire series away but alas I don't.


Rules:
You MUST leave your GFC Handler name if you fill out that option. I will check and if you are not a follower your entry will be deleated.

We are not responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail.

The book will be shipped from the book depository so make sure it ships to you before filling out the give away. This will be an International giveaway.

Please be 18+ before entering.
Please do not fill out the rafflecopter more then once. Cheating isn't cool guys :p

Teaser Tuesday's!!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

"Your eyes drooled, I saw them."

He was totally perplexed by this argument, was he not allowed to speak to anyone? "I'm wearing dark sunglasses. How can you see my eyes?"

 

Existence by Abbi Glines

What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course.

Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead.

Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all.

He is Death and he's about to break all the rules


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Review:
What would you do if you were stalked by death?

That is what originally drew me to this e-book. That and an interesting charachter interview with Dank that I stumbled upone, I am such a sucker for those dark arrogant types.

Anyway, in this book Paygen can see souls,apparently she has been able to see them for her entire life., the only difference is when one of them can suddenly speak to her.

That one is the trigger to life altering events. I wouldn'tt really say that Death stalked her, it was more of an obssession, a need to protect her.




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Quotes:

"You see humans give up life when they can't deal with the pain. IT's an easy escape for them. The sacrifice I'm speaking of isn't one of dying, but living."

Favorite Charachter:  Gee, I just love the crazy ones

Rating: 3 Stars

Janet Evanovich Giveaway!!!!! (INT)

 Janet Evanovich is one of my favorite author's, I remember reading her books when I was in school and discussing it with my mother as she is also my mom's favorite author. It is one of the good memories I have of my childhood.
So! To celebrate the release of her book "One for the Money"  being turned into a movie, which I am super excited for, I litterally squeeled when I stumbled upon the prieview ^.^'

Rules:
You must be 18+ to enter.
You must leave your GFC name, I will check and entries without it will be deleated
Item will be shipped via book depository so make sure it ships to you.
The winner will be notified by e-mail and then has 48 hours to respond before they are void and another is chosen.
I am not responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail.

Check out what is up for grabs

Books 1-3 in a boxed set.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis:
Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still. 

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all


Review:
This book was beautifully written, a master piece with just enough intrigue, mystery and action blended into one. 
Tessa gets thrown from one event to the next with little to no information to help guide her. The poor girl just can't catch a break as she learns one shocking secret after the next and one betrayal after the other. Her heart and mind are played with and molded as if she were silly putty. 
I was also a big fan of the poetry and quotes that were tucked in.

Quotes:
1. "Beyond this place  of wrath and tears, looms but the horror of the shade."

2. "You will know what kind of man he is, not by the things he says but by the things he does."

3. "Let me give you a piece of advice, The handsom young fellow who's trying to rescue you from a hideous fate is never wrong. Not even if he says the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs."

4. "What kind of monster hates chocolate?"


Favorite Charachter: Will, because he is one saucy charachter who admits that he is no less a scoundrel.

Rating: 4.5 Stars!

Interview with T.R. Graves

Hello, I would like to welcome T.R. Graves to Wonderland. She is actually my first interview for Wonderland and I am very appreciative of the chance to help get the word out about her series.

Author Bio:T. R. Graves was born in North Louisiana. She currently lives near the coast in Texas with her husband of twenty-four years. Together, they raise their seventeen year-old daughter and seven year-old son.

Besides being the author of The Warrior Series, she counts her eighteen year career as a registered nurse in not-for-profit hospitals among her most fulfilling accomplishments.

She enjoys embedding realistic medical emergencies within a world filled with paranormal fantasy

1. Being married for 24 years these days is quite a feat, do you have any advice for newlyweds or couples?

I firmly believe that life lessons and difficult challenges make or break marriages.  My relationship with my husband was made stronger during some very hard times.  The most important example happened eight years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer.  Since the day that the doctor gave me the news, my husband has taken care of me and supported me.  I'm completely cured now, but he still does everything he can for me.  Of course, the fact that I love him more now than I did when I married him makes our long marriage possible.  Imagine Brody and Clark (The Warrior Series) mixed together, and you will have my husband.  A man who is as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside.

2. What is the most challenging part of raising a teenager, writing and being and RN?

Time (or lack of) is my biggest struggle.  I love my daughter.  She'll be going away to college next year, so I have to make sure and spend time with her before she leaves our very tight-knit family.   Writing is a passion for me.  It offers an outlet I can't get anywhere else...which means it is something I have to do daily regardless of what is going on.  Finally, my career is very important to me.  I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to help those who can't help themselves when they need it the most.  Because each of these parts of my life is essential to who I am, I make sure that I carve time out for each of them every single day. 

1. Which of the series did you have the hardest time writing?

Without a doubt, it was Guardians of the Cross.  The intimate scenes are so risqué that I broke out into hives every time I thought about people reading them.  Despite my hesitation, I knew they were important to the story.  Now that the book has been released, and I've had the chance to get feedback from readers, I'm glad I ignored my symptoms and hit the send button. 

2. I know that some things you see as a nurse can be quite graphic. Did being a nurse make it easier or harder to write for Allison and her gift?

My patients and their families inspired me to create the storyline.  There are few things more difficult than watching parents grieving over their dying children, children mourning the loss of their parents, and husbands or wives losing their life-long spouses. 

3. What made you want to meld the paranormal and medical world into one?

We all live in a world filled with things we can't control.  Because I was left to stand by and watch sweet babies suffer and wonderful people die, I decided to create a world completely within my control.  A world where those same people could be saved.

4. Some people have trouble finding the title for their book how did you come up with yours?

My family and I had a fun day where everyone created names, and the most popular was the one 'winning' the top spot as the title.  In the end, my husband's submissions were the ones picked as the titles. 

5. What advice do you have for writer's who find themselves struggling with writers block?

Keep writing.  You can always delete the unnecessary excerpts later.  You might even 'accidently' write one of the best scenes of the book.
1. If you could have any super power in the world, what would it be and why?

This is going to sound redundant, but I would give anything to be able to save people by just touching them.

2. What are you afraid of the most?

The Face Wall in Galveston is real and completely terrifying for me.  I had a friend who died there and another who almost died that same night.  Because of them, that site will forever be the most frightening place ever.

3. Do you have an unfulfilled dream and if so what is it?

To have all the books from The Warrior Series on a bestseller list is my dream.  It's the reason I spend 90-100 hours per week working, commuting, and writing.

Finally, I would like to thank you for stopping by Wonderland Reviews, before you leave is there anything else you would like to leave with our readers?

First, I would like to say 'THANKS!' so much for having me, and 'THANKS!' to anyone taking hours from their busy lives to get lost in The Warrior Series' world.  It really means a lot to me. 

Second, I'd like to share one of my favorite reviews of Guardians of the Cross.  I think it does a great job of summarizing the series and will help others know if they would like to read it:  'There is romance – sweet, gushy, butterflies-in-the-tummy romance. There is drama, even a little touch of a love triangle (or square?). There is mystery and suspense – evil stalking in the shadows, interesting new characters, new questions to be answered around every turn. And there is heart-stopping action! Every time I thought I’d relaxed in a valley, I was hit with another twist; another piece of the puzzle slid into place.' - gathering leaves.

SOCIAL MEDIA

BLOG - http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com/

FACEBOOK FANPAGE - https://www.facebook.com/TRGraves.Author?sk=app_129982580378550

TWITTER - http://twitter.com/#!/WARRIORSSERIES

GOODREADS - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4699869.T_R_Graves

Check out my reviews for the first two in her awesome series below!