BLB: Guest Post by Darkhouse Author Karina Halle

Darkhouse

by Karina Halle

Paperback, 323 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Metal Blonde Books

ISBN: 9781461079859

There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty-something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems.

Buy Darkhouse by Karina Halle: Amazon (Print) / Goodreads (epub) / Kindle

 

 

Guest post by Karina Halle:

A Series of Challenges

Writing a novel can be a daunting task. The only reason I was able to finish Darkhouse is because I gave myself a month to do it. It was all part of this “habit forming” theory I had in September 2009. 30 days to build a habit. I applied it to writing everyday and exercising everyday. Well, the exercise went out the window in Day Two but I kept on writing, before and after work. And six weeks later, Darkhouse was born.


But that wasn’t the end of Experiment in Terror. Because I had decided this was going to be a series. Originally I had plotted out five books but by the time I finished writing the second, Red Fox, I was too in love with my characters to let go after five and they had far too many secrets that needed to be spaced out. So then it expanded to seven, and, after I wrote the third book, it went to eight.


Eight books is a tall order. But that is the end of the line for Perry Palomino and Dex Foray. With a ninth book there would be nothing left to say (at least not in their current time period). You don’t want a series to drag on, you want to go out with a bang like Lost or Seinfeld (OK, so neither of those final episodes were very good, but you get what I mean).


Of course there are challenges that come with writing eight books (let alone one book). It’s my job to lay my cards close to my chest and carefully deliver the crucial information piece by piece. Some people lament that Darkhouse was too “mysterious.” Well, I’ve got eight books here, I’m not going to give you all the answers at once. What is the incentive to read on? Both of my main characters have shady pasts, both are connected in a unique way and both have their own relationship with each other to explore. There’s no rush, and they will get there, and unlike Lost, I’m not going to ignore all the major questions either. You know, like what was Perry’s accident? Who is Creepy Clown Lady? What is wrong with Dex? Can Perry really see ghosts or is she crazy? Or is she crazy because she can see ghosts? And who the hell is Jacob? (actually that last question is kind of mean since Jacob doesn’t show up until Book Four).


Anyway, these all get answered.


Like Lost though, I also do an annoying thing of answering questions and then raising new ones. Sorry about that. These are complex people here and everyone always has more baggage than they think they do.


The challenge for me, personally, is to keep myself interested in each novel. Now, each book is roughly plotted out. Some have entire scenes written, others just have a hand full of notes. Some have pre-chosen titles (pretty sure Book Eight is called Ashes to Ashes), some don’t. The thing that I do is space out the scenes I like to write most and the milestones of the entire eight-part story and put a little one in each book. Now I’ve got four books ahead of me to write and each one possesses some aspect that I can’t wait to get into. It’s like little treats for myself. Some books have more treats than others (though I am currently writing Book Four, I know Book Five is going to be amazing to write). And some books have a really fun supernatural plotline (like Book Six). In the end though, as exciting as it will be for me to write these books, the best part is getting readers just as excited to read them. Now that’s the real treat.


Buy Darkhouse by Karina Halle: Amazon (Print) / Goodreads (epub) / Kindle


Karina’s sadly neglected personal blog can be found here: www.ontheblogbandwagon.blogspot.com

Karina’s not so neglected writing blog can be found here: www.experimentinterror.com

You can check out the rest of Karina Halle 's Darkhouse Book Tour HERE

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is hosted weekly by The Story Siren.  We highlight books we have received  for review, purchased, borrowed, or Won. You can find out more here.

I got a few really great review books and I had to go shopping for another book although I can't seem to find the time to read them all.

FOR REVIEW:

When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

Twenty-eight-year-old Andrea returns home from a business trip to find Alex, her boyfriend of fourteen years, nervously waiting for her. Assuming he's finally going to propose, Andrea's instead horrified to learn he's been cheating on her and is leaving to be with the other woman, who he calls Andrea's opposite.

At first Andrea's paralyzed by shock and sadness, but the business analyst soon forms a plan: change every last detail of her life and become her opposite so Alex will come back to her.

It's a challenge at first, but soon Andrea's loving the changes she's making, the new activities she's doing, and the new people in her life. But will she change enough to get Alex back? And if she does, will he fit into the wonderful new life she's creating for herself?

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

BOUGHT:

Cute, available, and one cabin over....

Lori lives for summertime on the lake. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming, and hanging with her friends—including the two hotties in the house next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys.

But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy. This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way.

But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard....

So what do you get this week? Anything that you were super excited to get?

Taking A Break...

So the last few weeks I have been in a blogging/reading funk. I don’t feel like doing anything, maybe it’s the extra work I’ve been given lately or the fact that my mom has been staying with me for a month. But, whatever it is I wish I could get out of this very unhappy place that I’ve been.

As you read this I will be taking a much needed vacation in a cabin on the Ocoee River in Tennessee. My husband has convinced me to live it up a little and while I don’t ride roller coasters and I’m afraid of heights I somehow ended up booking us a trip to go white water rafting. I have no clue how I got suckered into it but, hopefully it’s not as bad as the stories I’ve been told.

I’ll be back Sunday night in time to watch the final season of Entourage. Are you a fan of the series? Isn’t it sad that it’s ending?

Hopefully this is what I needed to get out of the hole that I’ve fallen into. What do you do when you have hit a slump with blogging/reading? Do you do anything special? Any advice would be appreciated.

Review: Torn By Erica O'Rourke

Everyone has secrets.

Even best friends.                                                 Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the 'L', a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it's directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn't pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through the din, "Run, Mo!"

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo—quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo—will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys—protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?

Torn by Erica O'Rourke
Published: June 28, 2011 by Kensington Teen
Source: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and thoughful review.
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Nobles



My Thoughts:


“I woke up to the smell of Lysol and the end of the world. In my defense, I didn’t know it was the end of the world at the time. I didn’t know anything, and it was better that way.” Pg. 1

Maura “Mo” Fitzgerald has just gone through what could be considered the worse day of her life, she just witnessed her best friend, Verity’s murder and finds herself laying in a hospital bed. Her life will never be the same again. Mo has been surrounding by secrets her entire life; she just didn’t realize it until now. Her world begins to fall apart as the one constant she knows has been violently ripped away from her. Mo struggles with dealing with her best friend’s death, wanting to seek revenge and trying to find out who she is.

I loved that Mo was an ordinary girl that was dropped into a magical world and there was nothing extraordinary about her, she was just “Mo” a shy, 17 yr old girl who has lost her best friend. This book has magic, deceit, and romance. It’s about a girl who has to get over her insecurity issues in order to seek the revenge that she so desperately wants. Everything Mo does reverts back to the question what would Verity do. She has lived so much of her life in the shadows, and is trying to set her own path.

The title of the book is excellent and very fitting for the story as Maura is torn between two worlds and two guys. The love interest tension is very high and believable but I’m not sure how I feel about Colin. Luc I could completely see the relationship; the struggle to choose whether or not they should fight what they feel. But, with Colin I’m not so sure I knew when it shifted from friends to something more, it almost seemed forced. But, don’t let this derail you, this book is definitely worth picking up.

This story was unique with its mob references and the magical world built around the four elements, fire, water, earth, and air. I love the author’s use of flashbacks; they transport you from the here and now to the past in an instant without any difficulty or choppiness in the reading. This story was fascinating and full of suspense; with each page that I turned I was eagerly waiting to find out what piece of the puzzle Mo would discover next. But, what I loved most about this book is that the book showed Mo's character grow within the first book, I didn't have to annoyingly wait two or three books before she became the person you knew she would become.  I really enjoyed this story and would give it 4 stars.

Mo’s journey isn’t over, it’s just the beginning and I am eager to see where the author takes us next. The next book in the series will be released in February 2012.

On a Side Note:

I went to the author’s blog the other day and found out that she post these awesome postcards from Verity addressed to Mo while she was visiting her aunt in New Orleans. I thought the concept was original and very cool.

You should check it out: Erica O'Rourke

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that showcase upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

You know the books that you read just because they are entertaining, hold your attention, and make you laugh out loud. These are the light reads that you don't have to think about, that you can just enjoy. Well one of my favorite is Gemma Halliday's High Heel Mystery series. Recently I found out that she has written her first YA book that will be released in October by Harper Teen. I'm super excited about this, and isn't the cover beautiful?

Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he's pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he's depending on Hartley to clear his name. Seriously? Not cool. But as much as Hartley wouldn't mind seeing him squirm, she knows he's innocent, and she's the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school's resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer's next victim.

What are you waiting for?  I can never have enough books. Leave a link and I'll check out your WOW.

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox is hosted weekly by The Story Siren.  We highlight books we have received  for review, purchased, borrowed, or Won. You can find out more here.

This week I received a few books for review, bought a few, and received a book for a book tour.

Bought:

Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiancé. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother’s upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn’t like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma’s offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home.

Emma’s not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his “pretend” kisses are… Goodreads Synopsis

It’s all she’s ever wanted to be, but it couldn’t be further from her grasp…

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, again, Dana decides she’s had enough and runs away to find her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the captivating, magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and the only person who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie.

Soon, Dana finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone seems to want something from her, from her newfound friends and family to Ethan, the hot Fae guy Dana figures she’ll never have a chance with… until she does. Caught between two worlds, Dana isn’t sure where she’ll ever fit in and who can be trusted, not to mention if her world will ever be normal again…Goodreads Synopsis

Review:

Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their family is fine. And he certainly didn't ask to be the recipient of Nadar McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

Lucky has a secret—one that helps him wade through the daily dysfunction of his life. Grandad Harry, trapped in the jungles of Laos, has been visiting Lucky in his dreams—and the dreams just might be real: an alternate reality where he can be whoever he wants to be and his life might still be worth living. But how long can Lucky remain in hiding there before reality forces its way inside?

Printz Honor recipient A. S. King's distinctive, smart, and accessible writing shines in this powerful novel about learning to cope with the shrapnel life throws at you, and then taking a stand against it.  Goodreads Synopsis

Rock On: A story of guitars, gigs, girls, and a brother(Not Necessarily in that order) by Denise Vega

Ori Taylor is the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the Band To Be Named Later, a garage band he started with his friends. After years of being known as the mini version of his sports-star brother, Del, Ori is looking forward to stepping out of his older brother's shadow, learning to perform in public, and rocking the Battle of the Bands contest. Oh, and maybe finally working up the nerve to talk to a girl in person instead of just over e-mail. But when Del suddenly returns from college, he expects Ori to step back into his role of little brother, just when Ori is starting to come into his own.

With his confidence wavering, will Ori be able to overcome his stage fright and lead the band to rock glory? Will the Band To Be Named Later ever get a real name? Will their best performances remain in the garage?

Denise Vega's deft exploration of brothers, bands, friends, and crushes promises to have readers tuning in page after page, because among all the ups and downs of being a teen, one thing's for sure: It's hard to rock out in high school.  Goodreads Synopsis

Borrowed (Book Tour):

Thank you Yani from The Secret Life of an Avid Reader, you are awesome!

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

Author Spotlight: Interview with Lor Mandela Series Author L. Carroll

Today, I have been lucky enough to interview the L.Carroll the Author of the Lor Madela: Destruction From Twins, and Four Hundred Days. You can check out my review here.

Now on to the interview:

Since I love twitter, I think it would be fun to see how you would describe your book Four Hundred Days Twitter-style. How would you describe it in 140 characters or less?

*Deep Breath* Here goes... A tyrant is destroying Earth, bit by bit. Can the 17 year old heiress to the Lor Mandelan throne stop him without losing everyone she loves?

When did you know you wanted to become a writer or have you always known?

I never reall imagined myself as a writer, but about eight years ago, following a really cool dream, I began to wonder if I could actually write a book. The dream was about something magical happening in the midst of an epic battle, and I thought it would be a great scene for a movie or a chapter for a book. I decided to give it a go, (the book, not the movie), and the rest is--as they say-- history. (By the way, my dream is now Chapter 16, "Journal of Kahlie", in "Destruction from Twins".)

What was the hardest part of writing the book?

The hardest part of both "Destruction from Twins" and "Four Hundred Days" was making sure that the time-line was accurate. In these books, time on Earth passes thirteen times faster than time on Lor Mandela. It was a challenge just making sure that everyone was the right age, and that the events happened in the correct order! I can't tell you how many times I've cursed at myself for doing that!

I love the world building of Lor Mandela, what inspired the concept behind the book and the world that you built?

Well Thank You!

As I mentioned, it was that dream that started it all. As far as the actual world of Lor Mandela, (since all I really saw in the dream was the inside of one part of a castle), it was sort of a collaborative effort between me and my daughter. We both tend to have pretty vivid imaginations, and when you put us together, it gets dangerous! I'd bounce an idea off of her, she'd elaborate, and throw it back to me, I'd elaborate a little more, etc.,etc., etc....More than one of the places on Lor Mandela evolved this way.

I loved all of the characters in your book, which one did you find yourself relating to the most?

Wow! Thanks again! I'm glad you liked them!

I think I relate most to Ultara-- not that I'm a powerful, intimidating sorceress--it's just, when I was writng the scenes in which she was involved, I imagined myself in her place How would I act? What would I say? if this were me, what would I do? I dunno, maybe part of me wants to be that powerful, intimidating sorceress! :)

Can you tell us a little bit about your writing environment and/or and rituals you go through before sitting down to write?

I have this wonderful office in my garage. Our house is a former model home so realtors' offices were in the garage; when they sold the house, they left one of them intact. It's a great place for me to go and perform rituals, which are a little odd, I warn you.

I usually start out by reading the last chapter that I wrote, and then I get up and act out the next one. I know it sounds weird, but it helps me to make sure that my story has at least some grounding in reality. Plus, it helps the words flow more freely, as I've already "seen" how the chapter will play out. then I write. Occassionally, I'll jump up mid-chapter and re-perform scenes. It's nothing to see me dancing by myself, dueling with an invisible foe, or carrying on a conversation with the wall. (I guess that's why my kids call me "The Crazy Lady" when I'm writing!)

Do you listen to music while you write, if so what’s on your playlist?

I prefer total silence when I'm doing actual writing, but when I'm acting out or thinking about a scene, music definitely helps! Normally, I like a lot of different music genres, but I've found that songs with lyrics are distracting when I'm in the writing zone. Visit my blog and you'll see what I tend to listen to while creating my stories. There's a lot of Hans Zimmer, some Henry Gregson-Williams, some James Newton Howard…epic movie scores are THE BEST! They set the perfect mood!

If there was one thought or feeling you would want readers to take away from reading Lor Mandela Destruction of Twins, what would it be?

While there's no real moral or hidden message in the Lor Mandela books, I know that whenever I read this type of book, or watch this type of movie, I always go away feeling empowered somehow. It seems to be a recurring theme in fantasy novels that seemingly ordinary people can do extraordinary things. I hope that readers feel that whey they finish reading.

Also, I hope that both "Destruction from Twins" and "Four Hundred Days" leave them wanting more...after all, there is a third book on the way!


Thank you Ms. Carroll for taking time out of your busy schedule to stop by.


You can find the books at these locations:

Amazon, Barnes and Nobles