Happy New Year - 2013

May this new year all your dreams turn into reality and all your efforts into great achievements.

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

Happy 2013 from my family to yours.

2012 YA STORY SCAVENGER HUNT - DAY 31 #2012YASSH

Welcome to day 31 of the YA Story Scavenger Hunt - Question #61

2012 YA STORY SCAVENGER HUNT

Looking for this, hunters? I have today's trivia questions from Fiction Fervor's 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt here for you. #2012YASSH challenges you with your knowledge of young adult books published this year, and if you enter, you might win a prize! Check out it here for more info. And be sure to read 
the rules!

Without further ado, today's questions come from The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting.

Easy: What is the name of the psychiatrist Violet sees?

Medium: What is the serial killer Violet helps find known as?

Hard: What does the killer do before he kills his victims?

If the form isn't visible enter your answers -->  HERE!

Think you know everything there is to know about YA books published in 2012? Then test your knowledge in the rest of the 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt. You can find the calendar with the rest of the stops for the hunt here. Good luck and happy hunting.

FIRST KISS (Heavy Influence, #1) by @rockinwriterchk ARC Sign-Ups

Hello everyone. For months now I've been chatting up the prequel novella, SKID OUT by the amazing Ann Marie Frohoff. It is now that time to start taking requests from bloggers for the Advanced Copy of FIRST KISS. Oh. Yes. Can I just tell you how amazing it is. Well, it so is. I can not wait for all of you and the rest of the world to read it and fall in love with these crazy kids just as I have.

17 year old high school senior, Jake Masters, front man of a rising rock band, finds new interest in his younger freshman next door neighbor Alyssa Montgomery. Their relationship breaks hearts; stirs jealousy and band infighting. When they’re brought to new found awareness of body and soul, will rightful boundaries be crossed? Will the right decisions and choices, which are detrimental to the band and its future, be made through the haze of infatuation? Will Jake’s absences on the road lead to another filling his shoes? Jake and Alyssa’s lifelong friendships are strained and tested; secrets are kept, admitted and shared. Family bonds are broken, as others grow stronger. Who knew a first love could cause so many problems? Then again, in their eyes, there are no problems as long as they’re together. In the end, will his new found muse bring down everything he’s worked so hard to achieve or will she inspire positive creative change; that will carry him and his band to stardom.

"He looked through his fingers and caught me staring at him. I didn't move. Reaching over he touched my arm, tracing it with the tips of his fingers all the way to my hand and held it."

FIRST KISS (HEAVY INFLUENCE TRILOGY, #1) :30 TEASER TRAILER

TRANSPOSE BY THE BAD SUNS

You've watched the teaser trailer (which is totally bad ass, right?!) So, don't tell me that you're not interested in what Jake and Alyssa are gettin' in to next. 

Please complete the form and let me know if you've read and reviewed SKID OUT already. If so, I'll need you to provide the link to your review. If you have not read it, please leave your email address so I can get a copy to you immediately. 

As I said before we are looking at a tentative release date of 2/15 for bloggers to receive the ARCs.

FIRST KISS ARC REQUEST FORM

Blog Tour: WHERE YOU ARE by J.H. Trumble - Review + Giveaway

Today I have a special treat for you. I'm going to not only give you my review of WHERE YOU ARE, I am going to give you a peek into the music of the story and give you a chance to win the book as well as the soundtrack that goes with it. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Robert Westfall's life is falling apart-everywhere but in math class. That's the one place where problems always have a solution. But in the world beyond high school, his father is terminally ill, his mother is squabbling with his interfering aunts, his boyfriend is unsupportive, and the career path that's been planned for him feels less appealing by the day.

Robert's math teacher, Andrew McNelis, watches his best student floundering, concerned but wary of crossing the line between professional and personal. Gradually, Andrew becomes Robert's friend, then his confidante. As the year progresses, their relationship-in school and out of it-deepens and changes. And as hard as he tries to resist, Andrew knows that he and Robert are edging into territory that holds incalculable risks for both of them. 

J.H. Trumble, author of the acclaimed Don't Let Me Go, explores a controversial subject with extraordinary sensitivity and grace, creating a deeply human and honest story of love, longing, and unexpected connection.

I'm not even sure where exactly to begin with telling you about my love for this story. I began reading WHERE YOU ARE and instantly felt several emotions. 

The characters are amazing. Strong and beautifully constructed. Robert is a senior in high school and is going through the motions of every day life while dealing with his father dying from cancer. The father that never really was a father to him at all. This is heartbreaking. I've never wanted so badly to be able to reach in and hold someone and offer my love and support. This amazing kid that is so strong and supportive and smart, he just needs to be loved and shown love. When he finds that love he tries to rationalize that it's right and okay -- not wrong. He's fallen in love with one of his teachers. That couldn't be right, but oh, it is and it's the real, beautiful and supportive kind of love that Robert needs. Andrew is everything he could ask for and wants to be there for him. It's really beautiful.

While Andrew and Robert try to maintain a relationship on the down low, both men have other things in their life to deal with. Robert has school, his mother and wretched aunts. The guilt and sorrow of losing his father, the for-show-only-boyfriend that Nick is and the wonderful children that he helps in group therapy. Andrew has school, and his beautiful daughter that he is so devoted to. His ex-wife but still best friend and would do absolutely everything to be more. Andrew just wants to do what's best, to do what's right and keep peace. Both Andrew and Robert will fight the world just so they can love. In the end, is it enough? I can't wait for you to find out.

I'm really fortunate to have found this author. I have a deep love for her books. I definitely recommend WHERE YOU ARE to anyone and everyone. I hope it touches you deep down in your soul like it has done me.

How about a peek at the music soundtrack for WHERE YOU ARE.

This playlist is available on iTunes Ping . Or visit iTunes Ping and search J. H. Trumble.

Music has a way of transporting you back to a time, a place, a moment. These are the songs that I imagine will always remind Andrew and Robert of the year they found each other. You’ll recognize many of them from the story.

“Boys Don’t Cry,” Plumb

Robert struggles with his relationship with his father.

“Music Again,” Adam Lambert

Texting with Robert makes Andrew feel alive.

“Alone,” Heart

Falling in love.

“Cupid Shuffle,” Cupid

Dancing in the band hall.

“Stereo Hearts,” Gym Class Heroes (feat. Adam Levine) 

Andrew shows his stuff in the parking lot.

“What About Love,” Heart

Andrew puts on the brakes and devastates Robert.

“Dirty Little Secret,” The All-American Rejects

Giving in to love.

“Down on Me,” Jeremiah & 50 Cent

Dancing in a club downtown.

“Low,” Flo Rida (feat. T-Pain)

Robert dances dirty hip-hop on the bed.

“Redbone Hound,” Idgy Vaughn

A real date.

“Edge of Glory,” Lady Gaga

Sheer happiness before the fall.

“Not Afraid,” Eminem

Facing the future together.

Don't forget to check out Brent at Naughty Book Kitties tomorrow (12/26) for some more Trumble goodness and giveaways! 

RULES:

Open to US Residents 13+ * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour - Where You Are by J.H. Trumble - Guest Post & Giveaway

Happy Release Day!

I'm so excited to announce that WHERE YOU ARE is available to the world today. I would like to thank J.H. Trumble for taking the time to stop by and share a few secrets.

Some friends of mine and I were chatting the other day about Fifty Shades of Grey. (Yes, we all read it. I won’t go into motives or reactions.)  I found it fascinating when all three of us admitted to eventually skimming the sex scenes,  and, later in the book, skipping over them altogether. We agreed that there’s just so much uh-huh that one can take before it all becomes a little clinical. But more importantly, we all wanted to get on with the story. Because we, to a man (or woman), got caught up in Christian Grey’s story.  Who was this man? And how did he become the freak that he was?

So I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately, especially as I read reviews of my own books. You see, occasionally, a reader mentions (or laments) the fact that I tend to fade to black when it comes to sex scenes.

All I have to say is . . . guilty as charged.

I’ve been trying to understand what my objection is to writing fully realized sex scenes. It’s not that I’m a prude. Readers should know that by now.

I think I’ve narrowed it down to three reasons:

1.            Less is more.

                Stephen King wrote a little book awhile back called The Stand. There’s a line at the end of one chapter that reads, “And they never saw Stu Redmon again.” Stu had just broken his leg and the others had to leave him behind. I balled when I read that line because I knew what it meant. Stu was going to die in that ditch. Of course, the second time I read the book, I balled when I read that line because I knew then that Stu was the only one who would survive the coming days.

                Stay with me, now. I am going to make a point.

                There’s another passage I think about occasionally as well. It’s near the end of David Levithan’s Boy Meets Boy. Paul and Noah are in the gym before a dance and presumably making out and then one of the boys tucks his shirt in. No explanation of what they were doing. He just tucks his shirt in.

                The point is, King and Levithan each said just enough and let me fill in the gaps, and I loved that. I strive now for the same kind of understatement. I want the reader to read a line and smile, not because of what’s happening on the page, but because of what the reader knows or imagines just happened.

2.            Let’s face it—sex and intimacy are not the same thing.

                And when I’m writing about two characters in love, I’m looking for intimacy. Sometimes I find it in a finger hooked through a belt loop or in a sexy joke whispered in someone’s ear. Sometimes I find it in a quiet, soul baring conversation. But once I start writing about throbbing body parts, I just feel like I lose the intimacy. If I could mention a movie here—there is a scene in Kate Hudson’s A Little Bit of Heaven. She’s just had sex with the handsome doctor when he gets out of bed and juggles naked for her. Now that’s sexy and intimate.

3.            Stereotypes are so yesterday.

                Can I just say it? Ignorant people think gay men are all about sex, and that’s it. So it’s important to me to make sure that the sex doesn't overshadow the emotional connection that my characters have for each other.  Yes, they have sex. That’s part of an intimate relationship, and I don’t shy away from it. But I think we all know the mechanics, so I see no need to go there. What I want to write about is everything that leads up to that moment, and what comes after. If you really feel the need to know what happens in the trenches, I’d be happy to direct you to some websites.

So yes, I fade to black. I manipulate the human mind’s ability to imagine beyond what is said or done, and hope that this makes my fiction more fucking awesome. (Brent Taylor told me to write that J)

Thanks, Amy, for letting me stop by!

J.H. Trumble is a Texas native and graduate of Sam Houston State University. You can visit the author online at http://www.jhtrumble.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

Please join me again here tomorrow for my review of WHERE YOU ARE and another chance to win a copy as well as something super special.

Thank you very much for your time Janet and

thank you for visiting with us!

Open to US Residents 13+ * Winner must respond within 48 hours*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#FREE Kindle Edition - Skid Out (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #0.5) by @rockinwriterchk 12/18-12/19 Only

 Check it. All day, today, and tomorrow (December 18th & 19th) the Kindle Edition of SKID OUT (Heavy Influence Trilogy, #0.5) by Anne Marie Frohoff will be offered on Amazon.com for FREE. BONUS! The song Transpose by Bad Suns is included FREE as well. So, go ahead check it out. Like now before it's too late. 

A novella prequel to the edgy Heavy Influence Trilogy about young, intense and reckless love between a rising rock star and his younger muse. Follow their journey through temptation, deception & forbidden love.

17 year old high school senior, Jake Masters, front man of a rising rock band, finds new interest in his younger freshman next door neighbor Alyssa Montgomery. Their relationship breaks hearts; stirs jealousy and band infighting. When they’re brought to new found awareness of body and soul, will rightful boundaries be crossed? Will the right decisions and choices, which are detrimental to the band and its future, be made through the haze of infatuation? Will Jake’s absences on the road lead to another filling his shoes? Jake and Alyssa’s lifelong friendships are strained and tested; secrets are kept, admitted and shared. Family bonds are broken, as others grow stronger. Who knew a first love could cause so many problems? Then again, in their eyes, there are no problems as long as they’re together. In the end, will his new found muse bring down everything he’s worked so hard to achieve or will she inspire positive creative change; that will carry him and his band to stardom.

"He looked through his hands and caught me staring at him. I didn't move. Reaching over he touched my arm, tracing it with the tips of his fingers all the way to my hand and held it."

FIRST KISS (HEAVY INFLUENCE TRILOGY, #1) :30 TEASER TRAILER

Transpose by Bad Suns

You've watched the teaser trailer (which by the way is bad ass, right?!) So, don't tell me that you're not interested in what Jake and Alyssa are gettin' in to next. The FREE Kindle version is available at Amazon HERE! Don't miss out y'all. It's two days only.

“I can't wait to see what will happen next and I'm sure to be one of those fans who will eagerly anticipate for the next book. ” -Books4Juliet 

“So, we have the perfect mix here. ” -Lady Reader's Bookstuff

“The characters, their dialogue, actions, and emotions were so real and gritty. ” -Andrea Thompson 

Blog Tour: AMBRIL'S TALE by Wendy D. Walter - Q&A + Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Wendy Walter to the blog for an interview. Wendy is not only going to spill some secrets about her book and how it came to be but you will also get a glimpse of a couple illustrations that are in the book. Wendy is also offering several different giveaways.  

Ambril's Tale, The Return of the Dullaith

Fourteen-year-old, Ambril struggles with the mystery surrounding her father’s death when she moves back to the mysterious town where she was born. When she accidentally uncovers a secret which threatens to destroy her entire family, she continues her quest, against all odds, to clear her father’s name. But will she be able to claim her magic and and heal the rifts in her family?

Ambril’s Tale, The Return of the Dullaith has received great 4-5-star reviews.
Readers are impatiently demanding Book Two, which will be out early Spring 2013.               

            Amazon * Facebook * Website * Goodreads *Smashwords

1. Can you tell us what inspired you to become a writer?

I have always loved writing, but I thought that I could make more money as an interior architect, so I started there first (that roar that you hear are all the interior architects in the world laughing). I loved the creative aspects of the job. But it wasn’t long before all the meetings, schedules and fussy clients made it hard to remember what I liked about interior architecture in the first place.
I began my search for the perfect career.

After decades spent trying on jobs like sunglasses at the drugstore, I came back around to writing and illustrating. It’s wondrously fun. It allows me to do what I do best, to use my highly developed day dreaming skills to create twisty tangled stories. I call it frolicking because that’s how it feels when I sit down to write a story.

2. How long did it take you to write Ambril’s Tale, The Return of Dullaith?

It took five years to write Ambril’s Tale. Poor Ambril spent most of that time stuffed in a drawer, because, when I got stuck, or felt discouraged, I simply put her away. Fortunately, I am blessed with a terrible memory. After a few months, I would forget what my issues had been, drag her back into the light, and coach her through more harrowing scenes. Thankfully, she’s forgiven me. The silver lining in all this is that each time that I started up again, I found that my writing had improved.

Then one day, I made it to the end!

3. What inspired you to write this particular book?

Ambril’s Tale grew out of a snowy move to Utah when I was ten years old. It was quite a shock to a California girl like me. My sunny California friends were relaxed, and smiled a lot. In Utah, I found myself wedged into snow boots and lady like behavior.

I wanted to magic my way back to my California roots in the worst way, but settled for the magic I found in books instead. I started to write stories about escaping into other worlds and doing battle with dark demons. It helped me battle the demons of adolescence. Though I have to admit I haven’t tamed them yet, I continue to try. I wrote and sketched for most of my life. But it took finishing Ambril’s Tale to finally muster the courage to publish.

4. Do you have any special or unique rituals? Do you write in the day or night?

I generally write my new stuff in coffee shops, then edit in my closet. There is something about the burble of conversation and the smell of coffee which helps me focus on my inner worlds. But when it comes to wordsmithing, I need complete silence. So I barricade myself in my closet when I need to finesse my prose. Plus, the clothes in my closet act as a great sound buffer and spares my family overhearing me swear like a sailor whenever a perfect phrase eludes me!

5.  Who is your favorite character in this book, and why?

I have to say that Hendoeth and Betula take the top spots. They simply write themselves. They show up for their scenes, knowing exactly what to say and how to say it. Most of the time I have a hard time keeping up with them, as it comes so quickly. We argue a lot...I usually let them win as the scenes turn out much better their way. I told my daughter this once. She cocked her head at me and smirked. “Of course, Mom, because you are Hendoeth.” I took that as a huge compliment! Except for the fact that Hendoeth is a million years old…

Sigh, I guess I need a better moisturizer.

6. What was your favorite scene to write and what was the most difficult?

My favorite scene is when Ambril wakes up inside Fowlclun and meets the household goods, as well as Hendoeth. It wasn’t easy, I went through many different characters (a grandfather clock, a tricycle, a feather duster, among others.), but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, as there is nothing more fun to visualize than the inner world of a chicken legged house.

The scene which I struggled most with would have to be the first Dullaith battle. As Ambril is so new to magic, at that point, there isn’t a lot that I could use to save her. It’s also a very, very important scene.

Doing action sequences can also be tricky. You can’t just let two characters slug it out, there’s an art to throwing punches, or in Ambril’s case, avoiding jaggle toothed jaws. When I finally realized that action is more ballet than fight, it changed the way I thought of near-death experiences, and made me a much better writer.

7.  Do you have a favorite story to tell about being interviewed about your book?

I love my book group, but it felt as if I was standing in the middle of a crowded mall in my underwear...and not the pretty kind either, when I fielded their questions. We have been arguing about books together for years. They know me a little too well, poor things. It was interesting to hear them talk about the bits and pieces of me that they found hidden away in my story. Interesting...but it made me wriggle inside too.

8. What question are you never asked in interviews but wish you were?

I would like to discuss the bigger archetypal themes in Ambril’s Tale. Themes of what closed, dysfunctional societies can do to an individual. And the strong, environmental themes which run through the series. Unfortunately, Ambril’s world is several books big, and I’d like to flesh them out a bit more before discussing them.

There are also questions that I would love to discuss but can’t without embarrassing my crazy relatives. Like most families, mine is a bit dysfunctional. Thanksgiving dinner is tough enough as it is. So, I camouflaged my family issues in Ambril’s Tale. I’m hoping no one recognizes themselves. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

9. Which (if any) authors have been most influential to your own writing?

Diana Wynne Jones, JK Rowling, Frank Baum, Eva Ibbotson, and all writers who set out to write vivid, intricate worlds for us to all frolic in. It is what I strive to do as well. Diana Wynne Jones is my all time favorite fantasy writer. Her stories come across as fresh, funny and irreverent each and every time.

10. If you weren't writing, what would you want to be doing for a living? What are some of your other passions in life?

I love to make stuff up. My industrial strength day dreams define me. When I finally figured out how to craft Ambril’s world with them, I cheered. But, if I had to shift away from the writing world, I’d probably go back to teaching art. I love watching a student’s face light up when he/she finally gets how powerful a paint brush can be and learns how to wield one.

11. If you could have written one book in history, what book would that be?

Jane Austen’s Emma. What a fine book! I still find it mesmerizing, and it’s several hundred years old...amazing.

12. Tell us about the biggest challenges you face in your writing process.

Sticking with it and not letting the editing process get me down. It’s tough to endlessly redo, restate, and reorganize. It’s loads more fun to build out the backend of a fantasy kingdom. But as Mark Twain said, “Writing is wrongly named, it really should be called Re-Writing.” Beating your head against the page while finessing sentences is brutal and tedious the thirty fifth time around. But in the end, you get a better story. Headaches are easy to overlook when the final read through makes you proud.

13. Please list seven random likes; then do the same for dislikes, go way random.

Likes:

My favorite sneakers, the ones with the holes

Rescued dogs

A rush of fog coming through the Golden Gate

Early Christmas morning

The slant of the sun in autumn

Friday evening through to Sunday morning

Laughing with friends

Dislikes:

Cleaning

Too many rules

When the bag of dog poop that I’m carrying leaks

A middle seat between two large people

Cold toes

A false sense of entitlement

Discovering there’s no chocolate in the house

14. Is there anything that you’re working on that we need to be looking out for?

Ambril’s Tale, Riding the Cursed Shoots, Book Two in the series will be coming out in March. Hurray! It completes the arc of Book One and will make my readers less grumpy about the ending of “Return of the Dullaith”. Book Three, still unnamed, has been written but I feel I have to write the ending to the series before I let that one out without a chaperone. Keep Reading!

Thanks everyone, It’s been such a pleasure!

Wendy D. Walter

Writing was an early passion for Wendy. As a kid, she wrote lots of stories, but being shy, they usually ended up under the mattress. When she finally set out to tell Ambril’s Tale, she decided not to write a story but a world, full with her own marvelous illustrations.

She considers The Return of the Dullaith as just the curly tip of the fairy boot. 

Wendy lives near San Francisco with her husband, daughters, cat and border collie. More information about Wendy's book and art, check her site: http://wendydwalter.com.

Thank you very much for your time Wendy and

thank you for visiting with us!

At each blog stop on her tour, Wendy is giving away a prize, a copy of one of her books (paperback or e-book). You can also enter her Grand Prize Giveaway of a gnome, hand-painted by Wendy herself! There will also be some surprise giveaways along the way! Stay tuned!

Sterling Silver Pendant Tree of Life

1)      To win a book: leave a comment on this blog post about what you think should be done to prevent bullying to be entered to win a copy of Ambril's Tale: The Return of the Dullaith in paperback or e-book format. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner. This giveaway ends five days after the post goes live.

2)     To win one of the Grand Prizes: Enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the page. 

Don't miss the rest of the stops on the tour. You can find the schedule here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2012 YA STORY SCAVENGER HUNT - DAY 17 #2012YASSH

Welcome to day 17 of the YA Story Scavenger Hunt - Question #33

2012 YA STORY SCAVENGER HUNT

Looking for this, hunters? I have today's trivia questions from Fiction Fervor's 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt here for you. 2012YASSH challenges you with your knowledge of young adult books published this year, and if you enter, you might win a prize! Check out it here for more info. And be sure to read the rules!

Without further ado, today's questions come from Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi.

Easy: What is Perry's full name?

Medium: Who is the Blood Lord of the Tides?

Hard: Where do Aria, Perry, Roar, and Cinder go when they are pursued by the Croven?

If the form isn't visible enter your answers -->  HERE!

Think you know everything there is to know about YA books published in 2012? Then test your knowledge in the rest of the 2012 YA Story Scavenger Hunt. You can find the calendar with the rest of the stops for the hunt here. Good luck and happy hunting.

Blog Tour: AMBRIL'S TALE by Wendy Walter - Guest Post + Giveaway

About Ambril's Tale, The Return of the Dullaith

Fourteen-year-old, Ambril struggles with the mystery surrounding her father’s death when she moves back to the mysterious town where she was born. 

When she accidentally uncovers a secret which threatens to destroy her entire family, she continues her quest, against all odds, to clear her father’s name. But will she be able to claim her magic and and heal the rifts in her family?

Ambril’s Tale, The Return of the Dullaith has received great 4-5-star reviews. 
Readers are impatiently demanding Book Two, which will be out early Spring 2013.

     *Smashwords  * Amazon * Facebook * Website * Goodreads *

 Swaggering Bullies in Ambril’s Tale

Of Bullies and Singed Eyebrows

We, fantasy writers have it easy, when it comes to showcasing the flaws in human nature. If it suits us, we can dress up our bullies and despots as demons, give them breath so bad that it singes eyebrows, then trounce them in battle.

Bet on Gossamer Wings

Often just changing the venue for human behavior will bring to light the subtlest of abuse. For instance, if you make a bully big, hairy and purple and the victim, frail, with gossamer wings, the bully only has to breathe too hard on the victim for us to instantly side with the one with the fluttering, gossamer wings.

They say that bullying is often overused in YA fantasy books. Why? Because it works so well, it’s an obvious abuse of power which works reliably well in worlds with trolls and fairies. So when I chose to sprinkle bullies throughout Ambril’s Tale, I did so with caution...but I did it, because I wanted to use them to expose nastier forms of abuse.

Classic Bullies and Festering Power

Lance is the classic bully in Ambril’s world. He shoves younger kids around and gleefully abuses his brother. But Lance has a reason for doing this, which gets to the heart of the story. His fate hinges on his relationship with his father and brother, and how his family relates to the village of Trelawnyd.  Because the abuse of power is to be found everywhere in human society, it’s especially bad if it’s allowed to fester.

The only method of ridding ourselves of bullies and despots of all shapes and sizes is through education, intervention, or by forcing the bully to live with the consequences of his/her behavior. Lance’s behavior sets in motion a power greater than his, and it changes him. Whether it’s for better or for worse, you’ll have to keep reading! 

Writing was an early passion for Wendy. As a kid, she wrote lots of stories, but being shy, they usually ended up under the mattress. When she finally set out to tell Ambril’s Tale, she decided not to write a story but a world, full with her own marvelous illustrations.

She considers The Return of the Dullaith as just the curly tip of the fairy boot. 

Wendy lives near San Francisco with her husband, daughters, cat and border collie. More information about Wendy's book and art, check her site: http://wendydwalter.com.

Thank you very much for your time Wendy and

thank you for visiting with us!

At each blog stop on her tour, Wendy is giving away a prize, a copy of one of her books (paperback or e-book). You can also enter her 12-12-12 Grand Prize Giveaway of a sterling silver pendant of the Tree of Life, and an End-of-Tour Grand Prize Giveaway of a hand-painted gnome, hand-painted by Wendy herself! There will also be some surprise giveaways along the way! Stay tuned!

1)      To win a book: leave a comment on this blog post about what you think should be done to prevent bullying to be entered to win a copy of Ambril's Tale: The Return of the Dullaith in paperback or e-book format. Be sure to leave your email address in the comments so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner. This giveaway ends five days after the post goes live.

2)     To win one of the Grand Prizes: Enter the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the page. A winner will be selected on Dec. 12th for the 12-12-12 for the sterling silver pendant of the Tree of Life. 

Don't miss the rest of the stops on the tour. You can find the schedule here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway