Today we have a really great guest post from Alma Katsu, author of this weeks Book of the Week!

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Is Life Like a Fairytale?

Once upon a time there was a young girl who loved to read.  She loved to read because books were more interesting than her life, which was sometimes not so very pleasant.  The heroines in the stories she read were often princesses who wore beautiful dresses and were wooed by handsome, charming princes.  They were sent on epic quests to save their kingdoms, were helped along the way by magical beings, and once they prevailed in their undertakings, usually lived happily ever after.

Needless to say, the girl had none of these things in her real life.

Eventually, however, the girl put aside her favorite stories and got on with growing up.  She went to college, failed to meet any charming princes (disguised as toads or otherwise) and eventually was spirited away to join a band of wizards who did amazing things with mathematics and physics, all in the defense of a large and powerful kingdom.  It was then that she had her adventures, including some pretty incredible ones so shrouded in mystery that she is barred from talking about them to this very day.

But eventually, the girl—now a woman—remembered how much she loved stories and decided that she wanted to return to the realm of books.  So she started to write a story, one that was full of the things she liked to read about.  It was set in another time (long ago and far away) and was a little bit scary and a little bit magical, and had a handsome prince who was not as charming as he seemed, and a villain who was wicked and could take your breath away with a glance.  The heroine was clever and industrious but not perfect, and would take the whole of the story to come into her fullness.  And because there is great darkness in the world and the potential for darkness in each of us, the woman decided there would be darkness in the book as well, for even though it was a work of fiction, it was to be a true representation of human character.

It took the woman ten long years to write her story.  There were many times when she thought she would give up because it was too hard to combine all these dissimilar elements in one story.  But she knew it was a magical tale and if she could only make it work, that people would enjoy it very much.  So she persevered. And much to her surprise, when she finished, a publisher came forward who wanted to share the story with as many people as would read it.  The publisher bought the story and printed it up with a pretty cover, and the woman saw that readers enjoyed her story, and she lived happily ever after.  The End.

Well, not quite.  As much fun as it was to turn my life into a fairy tale, I cannot say that I’ve come to the happily ever after part.  I’ve learned that having your first book published is the start of the adventure, not the end of it (except for those very rare fortunates who had heaps of money thrown at them for their first book and don’t have to worry about whether it ever sells).  I’m learning that it’s much harder to sell a book than it is to write it, especially if the book is unusual, one that doesn’t fit neatly in a category.  All things to remember if you’re thinking of breaking into publishing one day.

This fairy tale is my convoluted way of introducing you to my debut novel, The Taker, which was published last autumn by Simon and Schuster.  I chose to use a fairy tale because beneath its layers of narrative, The Taker is based on those dark, old fairy tales.  There’s a folk or fairy tale, or myth or legend as you prefer, at the heart of each of the books in The Taker Trilogy.  The one that The Taker’s based on is Pinocchio and if you read the book and think hard on it, you’ll see why.  The second book in the series, The Reckoning (which comes out June 19^th) is the wildest retelling of Beauty and the Beast that you’re ever likely to read.  The last book, The Descent, which I’m writing now, is. . .  well, a girl has got to have some secrets, doesn’t she?  You’ll just have to wait and find out.

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Alma Katsu lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband, musician Bruce Katsu. Her debut, The Taker, a Gothic novel of suspense, has been compared to the early work of Anne Rice and Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian. The novel was named a Top Ten Debut Novel of 2011 by the American Library Association and has developed an international following. The Reckoning, the second book in the trilogy, is coming out in June 2012. The Taker Trilogy is published by Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster.  Bio information is from www.almakatsu.com

To learn more about Alma and her books, please visit the following links:

• Website
• Blog
• Twitter

Mac or PC?

Mac for sure. I love my Macbook Pro

Book or ebook?

Book. I just got a NOOK Touch, though, and am learning the ropes

Pizza and beer or filet mignon and fine wine?

How about pizza and wine?

Stick shift or automatic?

Stick! My MINI Cooper John Cooper Works in a six-speed

Beach or pool?

Beach, but not going in the water.

End world hunger or create world peace?

World peace. Hopefully if people can live in peace with each other, they’ll share.

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke. Not diet, either.

Bacon or Cupcakes?

Bacon cupcake?

Rock and Roll or Classical Music?

Rock and roll. My husband is a musician. I was once a music critic.

Morning person or night owl?

Morning.

Summer or winter?

Autumn?

Christmas or Halloween?

Halloween, but not for the candy.

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Alma Katsu lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband, musician Bruce Katsu. Her debut, The Taker, a Gothic novel of suspense, has been compared to the early work of Anne Rice and Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian. The novel was named a Top Ten Debut Novel of 2011 by the American Library Association and has developed an international following. The Reckoning, the second book in the trilogy, is coming out in June 2012. The Taker Trilogy is published by Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster.  Bio information is from www.almakatsu.com

To learn more about Alma and her books, please visit the following links:

• Website
• Blog
• Twitter

The winner for the Until I Die Giveaway is 

Jessica Russell

Congratulations Jessica!  Please check your email for details!  

Once again, thank you to Mundie Moms for hosting this Blog Tour and having us be part of it.  

]]> http://evesfangarden.com/blog/2012/05/14/winner-of/feed/ 0 http://evesfangarden.com/blog/2012/05/14/cover-crazy-65/ http://evesfangarden.com/blog/2012/05/14/cover-crazy-65/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 02:11:13 +0000 Sara http://evesfangarden.com/blog/?p=16564 Check this out! Each week, we will post a cover. Just a cover that we stumbled across while browsing books, clicking around the internet, or exploring a library.

The original founder of Cover Crazy is The Book Worms. If you would like to start out your own Cover Crazy, please credit The Book Worms. If you go to their site you will find a Mr. Linky with many other sites also doing Cover Crazy!

Here is how Cover Crazy works:

1. We will be posting our Cover Crazy on Mondays.
2. We will be taking turns doing it so you should see quite a variety of book covers from week to week!
3. The point of this is to admire the artwork, the design, and the beauty of the book. We will provide very little information about the book.
4. In the comments section below, please feel free to share your thoughts, feelings, inspirations, etc. about the cover (but be respectful about it).
5. If you decide to start your own Cover Crazy, please give credit to The Book Worms.

And now…

This book has been out for a little while but the cover is just so haunting! Can’t wait to read it.

We have a really cool giveaway for you today, courtesy of  Simon and Schuster.

One lucky person will a waterproof e-reader cover and a copy of Wrecked by Anna Davies!  I am reading this book right now and I have to tell you it is great so far.  This will be a fantastic summer read.

About the book:

In the wake of a tragic boating accident that killed her friends, 16-year-old Miranda is consumed by guilt. She has no memory of how she managed to survive the crash, only the murky dreams of a strange boy in the dark water. Her only refuge is in the late-night swims she takes alone— until one night on the beach when she meets Christian, a boy who seems eerily familiar, but keeps many secrets.

The more she fights it the faster love pulls her under. Soon she finds herself in over her head when the dangerous true nature of Christian’s secrets rise to the surface.

 Wrecked is a seductive contemporary reimagination of The Little Mermaid, with a paranormal twist, from debut author Anna Davies.

You can read an excerpt below, and then be sure to sign up for the giveaway!  Contest is only open to US residents and ends 5/20/2012 at 12:01 AM EST.

 Wrecked by Anna Davies – Extended Excerpt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Today we have a great giveaway for you!  Alma has provided us with a paperback copy of The Taker as well as some assorted swag, including The Taker post-it-notes, a “Reckoning” pen, and some stickers and bookmarks.  Just fill out the form below to be entered!  For this giveaway we must ask that you only enter if you are a US resident.  Thank you!

One of the best ways to take time for yourself is to pick up a good book! Scholastic wants to make sure to recognize all the moms out there with these books:

The Mom’s Book: For the Mom Who’s Best at Everything

(from Goodreads)
A swell tribute to the art of motherhood!

Inside you’ll find:

–Practical advice on how to get the children to bed, up in the morning, or out of your hair for a few hours!
–Words of wisdom and tricks of the trade from actual mothers!
–How-to instructions for becoming the most popular mom on the block, including: Throwing the coolest birthday party! Baking the best treats! Hosting the grossest Halloween ever!
–Crack up the next PTA meeting with hilarious anecdotes and rib-rattling jokes!
And much, much more… 

This book is chock full of suggestions, recipes, hints, tips, and even famous (and infamous) mothers!

I particularly liked the  “Oh, Mom! (Or things should never do when you’re a mom)”
“Wear your child’s clothes” or  ”Make your children kiss terrifying old relatives”

Cute book!

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Good Night, I Love You, by Caroline Jayne Church

(from Goodreads)

New from the bestselling illustrator of I Love You Through and Through!

Caroline Jayne Church and her loveable, huggable toddlers are back! A bestselling author and illustrator, Church’s books have been enormously successful across all channels, but none of them have done better than her padded board books: I Love You Through and Through and How Do I Love You? Now Church brings us Good Night, I Love You–the quintessential get your children ready for bedtime book. With the charming illustrations that we have come to know and love and wonderful rhyming text, this book will no doubt be a success through and through.

This adorable board book is a must have for all moms with little kids! A perfect night-night book!

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I Am Small, by Emma Dodd

(from Goodreads)

Cuddle up with your little penguin this winter!

“The world is big and I am small.”

From the eyes of a baby penguin the world is a great big place. The sky so high, the ocean so deep, and the mountains so steep–all these things are magnificent from it’s point of view. But in the eyes of it’s mother–this little penguin is the biggest, most important thing in the world! This beautiful story is highlighted with foil on the cover and throughout.

The synopsis says it all! The pictures are really pretty and the story is cute!

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The Kiss Box, by Bonnie Verburg and Henry Cole

(from Goodreads)

A reassuring story about separation and love

In this soothing love story between mother and child, Mama Bear offers various vessels to contain their love while they are apart–but none seem right. It’s not until Little Bear suggests that they make each other a Kiss Box–filled with a hundred kisses–that they are able to stay connected–no matter where they are.

Whether it be an errand to the grocery store, a business trip, or the first day of school, this is a tender reminder that we are always together where it matters most: in our hearts.

If your child has separation anxiety this is the perfect book! And the idea of a kisses box is so sweet!

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Thank you to Scholastic books for recognizing all of us moms!

Happy Mother’s Day!

We are very proud to announce that our Book of the Week is

The Taker by Alma Katsu

True love can last an eternity… but immortality comes at a price…

On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her, despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.

Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town’s founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.

Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption. (From Goodreads)

Be sure to check back every day for all the fun things we have planned!  

Thank you to 13 year old Alaina Knowles for joining us this week for the Book of the Week! Be sure to check out the web site of this talented young lady! She not only has her book for sale, but lots of cute and clever notecards.

The winner of our giveaway is:

Amy S.

Congrats! Check your email to claim your prize!

*****

Visit Alaina’s website to order her book or any of her other products.

 Facebook

Buy her book on Amazon