Mundie Moms

Monday, May 24, 2010

Kiersten White's Paranormalcy Giveaway!

Kiersten is hosting a give away on her site for an ARC of her soon to be released book, Paranormalcy. We are dying to read this and are looking forward to it's release. To enter to win, please visit her site here - http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/2010/05/hey-look-contest.html

Mundane Monday #34

Happy Mundane Monday!

"Well, I'm not kissing the mundane," said Jace. "I'd rather stay down here and rot."
"Forever?" said Simon. "Forever's an awfully long time."
Jace raised his eyebrows. "I knew it," he said. "You want to kiss me, don't you?"
- Jace & Simon, City of Ashes, pg. 171


The Turning by Helen Ellis Blog Tour

We're excited to have an interview with author Helen Ellis, author of The Turning: What Curiosity Kills, published by Source Books, on our blog today.

Plucked from foster care, May Richards hit the jackpot with a loving family, an apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and as pot in the elite Purser-Lilley Academy. But she might lose it all if people find out about The Turning.

Something not human is inside Mary. Her mind is reeling and her body is rebelling. She succumbs to urges and desires she never imagined. And then there's the bizarre physical transformation....

Struggling with her metamorphosis, May is sought out by two boys who share her secret. Will she reject the destiny they swear is hers? Or will she find out what curiosity kills?

You only get one chance to decide if you'll never turn again....

What inspired you to write, The Turning?


I dreamed that I woke up with an inhuman face. Looking in my medicine cabinet mirror at 3:00AM, I could see in the dark. And what I saw was that I was in need of some serious electrolysis.


Which character did you enjoy writing the most and why?


I loved Yoon, the older bad boy who in turning terms is “on the fence.”

He loves to turn because it offers him freedom from his litany of chores at his parents’ Upper East Side deli. The downside is side effects. There’s a reason why Yoon always wears yellow dishwashing gloves.


If we were to ask Nick to describe The Turning in three words, how would he describe it?

Great question!

Answer: Invasive. Crippling. Hot.


I liked that you were diverse with the characters and that you gave Mary and her sister a lovely home after years of being in the foster care system. Are their characters inspired by people in your life?


Honestly, their characters and home life are inspired by my husband and my interest in adoption. We have talked about it for years and always thought we would adopt older children. When I created a family for Mary and Octavia, I created an extension of the family my husband and I already have. Mr. and Mrs. Richards are close versions of us. The apartment they live in is ours. I took our very true scenario, added Mary and Octavia, and then made believe.


Do you have any writing advice you could share with our followers who are aspiring writers?


Don’t waste your writing time researching. Write. Rewrite.


What inspired you to be a writer?


I’m at the point in my life, where I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I think the desire was born in me—a trait like blue eyes and an inexplicable fear of whales.


Who are some of your favorite authors?


Today, I’ll give you two: Ann Napolitano, author of Within Arms Reach and A Thousand Eyes (2011), and Hannah Tinti, author of Animal Crackers and The Good Thief. I met these novelists in graduate school and they have been my writing workshop for nearly fifteen years. Their writing makes me write better. Their friendship makes me a better writer.


Thank you Helen for taking the time to answer our questions!

You can find out more about Helen by visiting her site here-helenelliswrites.com and following her on Twitter here twitter.com/theturningbooks.

Book Review - The Mermaid's Mirror


By L.K. Madigan
Published by Houghton Mifflin Books
Will Be Released On October 4, 2010
Source: netgalley
4 Stars- I really liked this book. Go pick it up.

Synopsis (from Houghton Mifflin Books):
Lena has lived her whole life near the beach - walking for miles up and down the shore and breathing the salty air, swimming in the cold water, and watching the surfers rule the waves - the problem is, she's spent her whole life just watching.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena vows she will no longer watch from the sand: she will learn to surf.

But her father - a former surfer himself - refuses to allow her to take lessons. After a near drowning in his past, he can't bear to let Lena take up the risky sport.

Yet something lures Lena to the water ... an ancient, powerful magic. One morning Lena catches sight of this magic: a beautiful woman - with a silvery tail.

Nothing will keep Lena from seeking the mermaid, not even the dangerous waves at Magic Crescent Cove.

And soon ... what she sees in the mermaid's mirror will change her life ...


I expected certain things from this book. A solid story. One with tension as well as a yearning that wouldn't be easily satiated. I mean, when you see the world "mermaid" it brings to mind certain images and possible plot lines.

Sure, you'll find some of that in The Mermaid's Mirror but you'll also find an unexpected characterization in its protagonist, Lena. First, Lena is surrounded by people who genuinely love her. Her father and stepmother are understanding, if a little distracted. Her best friend and her doting boyfriend have been friends with her since childhood and even her younger brother begs Lena to sing him to sleep each night. Second, you'll find that her yearning for the sea has some unexpected results. And third, the plot unfolds slowly but stay with it because it's rhythm will remind you of the sea. It will rise and swell when you least expected it.

I would've loved to read this by the shores of the ocean, lake or even our community pool but I read it in an freakish late Spring cold front. The magic still worked. L.K. does a gorgeous job describing both the above water and the underwater world. And in the underwater world is where L.K.'s magic takes hold. I wanted to be there, diving between those coves in my protective cloak and I definitely wanted to be in that cave with the very hot Nix.

The Mermaid's Mirror is a story of discovery and love. A journey to discover the secret that was kept from Lena for her entire life. And the resulting destination where she finds out who she really is and discovers that love can exist in both of her worlds. The decision is hers, alone, but which will she choose?

I encourage you to pick up this book and experience Lena's journey for yourself and just
when you think you have it all figured out, you may be in for a few twists and turns.

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