Guest Post: Truthsong Dream Movie Cast by Elisabeth Hamill

Hi! I’m Elisabeth Hamill, the author of TRUTHSONG, book two in the Songmaker series. When I read, I definitely have an idea of what a character looks and sounds like in my head. They don’t necessarily match a living person. That’s the great part about reading, for me: the pictures in my head are so clear, it’s like watching a film. Sometimes, a character I’m writing is that clear. Most recently, John Malkovich’s voice and sarcastic manner took over a character I wrote in an adult urban fantasy, and I still hear his voice when I read that character’s lines.

Would I like to see a movie of one of my books—especially if I got to cast it? Uh, let me think about it for a… YES. 

So, yes, some of these folks would have to be aged up or down a little bit, but I’d pay to see this dream cast of TRUTHSONG!

I love Camren Bicondova on Gotham, and I think she might make an excellent Telyn:


She has the right eyes, hair…I don’t know if she can play the harp or sing, but hey, movie magic, right?





Mithrais could be Sam Claflin. And if he brings his own sugar cubes, even better.









His parents would have to be gorgeous to make such a beautiful son. So…

The first person that comes to mind for Princess Marithiel is Charlize Theron.  The golden beauty, the hauteur, the stink-eye…yeah. She’s perfect.






Gerard Butler, but aged up a little, as Gwidion. Hell, yes.

Telyn’s nemesis, Lord Vuldur, is a no-brainer for me. Liam Neeson can play around in the realm of crazy just fine.









Telyn’s charming cousin Emrys would definitely be Aidan Turner:














King Amorion…Oh, it would have to be Lee Pace.  He could play a dual role as Gilmarion, too, since their resemblance is striking.







So, those are my dream casting choices for some of the major characters in TRUTHSONG. Anybody want to see this movie with me?

Find out more about Truthsong here

Guest Post: Who is Kezia King? by Kate Sermon

Hello, I’m Kate Sermon, author of the Dark Flows the River Trilogy the first of which, Dark Sleepers, is  released on 14th August 2016.

I thought you might like to know a little bit about my main character the feisty and determined Kezia King. It was very important for me to create a strong and willful female protagonist, it’s a particular bugbear of mine that there are not enough of them in young adult fiction. I wanted her to be mistress of her own life, to make her own decisions and be the kind of young woman who can exact change in her world and the world of others. I think I got there. Here are a few facts relating to her: 

Age: 14
Style: Emo, hippy, wears all her clothes like she just doesn’t care what she looks like. She has long blonde messy hair, and prefers wearing wellies or being barefoot most of the time.
Home: Barrowcombe, Dartmoor, UK. She lives with her mum, and until recently her dad in a small idyllic cottage isolated and a mile from the village. The house has been in her family for at least 100 years. She is an only child and is homeschooled. 
Friends: Just the one: Ben. A loner as well, he lives in the village but is away most of the time at boarding school. He’s very good looking but incredibly insecure. His facade of bravado wears thin around Kezia. 
Mum: an reclusive artist.
Dad: a writer.
Personality: Kind beyond anything else. A classic empath, she soaks up everyone’s feelings and makes them her own. She’s naturally introverted and shy but her love of people brings her out of herself. Her desire to help others is her most enduring personality trait, and is the vehicle that takes her on her adventure. 
Music: She’ll listen to anything really through spotify. But her most played playlists are those that feature her dad’s favourites. Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Simon and Garfunkel. 
Ambition: She harbours a secret ambition, secret because she has told no one, that she might end up a writer like her dad one day.
What she doesn’t know about herself: She has no idea that she has healing capabilities. There are more things but if I told you if would spoil your reading of Dark Sleepers and the sequels. 

I’d love to hear your views on the importance of strong female role models in literature, for young women. Who are your favourites?? One of mine if definitely Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games Trilogy. A tremendous force to be reckoned with. 

Find out more about the book here

Guest Post: Princess Adele's Dragon by Shirley McLain

Today is my stop during the blog tour for Princess Adele’s Dragon by Shirley McLain. This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 31 May till 13 June, you can view the tour schedule here.

Princess Adele’s Dragon
By Shirley McLain
Genre: Fantasy
Age category: Young Adult
Release Date: 22 March, 2016

Blurb:
Princess Adele lives with her brother, Robert, the King of Valdoria in the castle. There has been a monster terrorizing the Kingdom for months. The King has finally come to a decision on how to deal with the monster but the Princess can't agree with him. For the sake of the Kingdom Princess Adele decides she must be the one to kill the dragon. She couldn't live with herself if her brother went ahead with his plans.

What Adele found on her quest changed her life and the lives of those around her. She was a strong young woman who knew what she wanted and would do whatever it took to get it. Follow Princess Adele as she battles to save her home and her life.

Excerpt:
Chapter 1

Princess Adele's face paled when she heard the words of her brother. Her large green eyes stared at his face as she spoke. "Robert, it's inhuman. You can't do that. If the child were yours, what would you be thinking?" 
"Look, Adele, I didn't come to this decision without doing a lot of soul-searching. Do you not think I haven't run this through my mind a million times? I don't know any other way to keep our kingdom safe from that monster. The counselor told me it's worked in the past." 
"I don't care what your mighty counselor said. You can't do this. There must be another way." Princess Adele turned from her brother, the King, leaving him standing in the room alone. Her plan must be executed before the full moon.
How such a monster threatens her beautiful home is almost too much to comprehend. If only Anthony was here. He'd know what would be needed to stop this unthinkable act. Tears rolled down Adele's cheeks as she thought of her beloved Anthony. She enjoyed the world one day, deep in despair the next. What happened? Why did he leave? 
The Princess recovered her emotions and resolved to come up with another plan besides sacrificing a beautiful child to the creature. There ought to be another way. Arriving at her bedchamber, her lady’s maid waited for her. 
As Adele entered her room, Miranda bowed "Your Highness", she said. 
"How many times do I need to tell you, Miranda, you do not bow to me and call me "Your Highness" every time I enter the room when we're alone. We've been like sisters since the age of four." 
"I know, Adele, but if I don't do it all the time, I may forget. If I call you, Adele in public His Majesty's ogre of a counselor will behead me or something worse." 
"What's worse than having your head chopped off?" Adele asked. 
"Made to marry a man I do not love." Miranda helped the Princess change into her sleeping gown to make her ready for bed. 
"Robert has tried to marry me off too many times to count. Six years ago, before we married, Anthony ran away for some reason. " 
"You don't believe that any more than I do, Adele," With a soft voice Miranda said, he loved you more than life, and it showed in everything word and action he made. Changing the subject, what did the King say?" 
"He plans to go through with the sacrifice on the night of the full moon, which is in two weeks." Princess Adele's covered her face with her hands as tears began to flow. Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I can't sit here and do nothing. A child sacrifice is unconscionable to me." 
"What can a girl of your small stature do against a dragon? Many Knights died fighting that dragon. I can see you dead before you even get to the lair." 
Princess Adele climbed into bed. "You know I can do anything a man can. She stifled a yawn then said "Goodnight, my dear friend. I hope you sleep well," 
***
Miranda blew out the wick of the oil lamp and said, "Goodnight, Adele." She turned with a big smile on her face and walked to the door to her room. I know what she's going to do, and as soon as her death is confirmed, I'll console the King. I'm in a fantastic position now to put our plan into action. I will be Queen of Valdoria! She smiled as she blew out the light and settled into her bed. 
The door to Miranda's room opened and closed without making a sound. She heard footsteps padding across the room. "Hello, my love," Miranda whispered as she joyfully fell into a pair of strong arms. 
***
She walked down the aisle to her beloved, Anthony. When she got close enough to take his hand, she slid backward, having to begin the journey down the aisle all over again. Adele experienced the same nightmare about her Anthony when she fell into a deep sleep. Tossing and turning, Princess Adele unable to sleep any longer, sat up in the bed. In the blackness of her room, she reached a decision. I know what I must do. 
Without stars, the night sky displayed no brightness, only blackness as pitch. Adele hurried as she dressed in the boy’s clothes hidden in the straw of her mattress. Her secrets remained her own. Her adventures out of the castle before the sun came up, on many occasions, was known only to her. This adventure would be no different.
Her father made sure both of his children received the same education which she gave thanks for many times. She could fight with a sword and ride a horse as well as her brother. She bested her brother in their formal schooling. He wanted to play instead of educating himself. Robert began to apply himself to his education not long before their parent’s death. Adele's impressive capabilities were known only to Robert. Her father wanted her skills kept a secret for the purpose of a surprise if she needed it. If something happened to her brother, Adele could run the kingdom. 
If her quest failed, she would no longer be alive, and her brother would be alone. He would be the only one of the family left. Her parents, the King, and Queen died the previous year from the plague. She and her brother left the area until the crisis passed. 
They returned home having no parents and the country, no King and Queen. Her nineteen-year-old brother became King and Lord Ashmore guided the new King in all decisions. They relied on Lord Ashmore as their father did, over the years. 
***
In an inconspicuous manner, Adele walked down the long castle hallway to the secret exit that took her underground, straightway to the stables. She thought once again of her father and how he made sure she knew the secret entrance location. He told her no one knew about it except her, but if the need arose she could share it with her brother. So far, it remained her secret way out of the castle. 
She lit a torch before entering the tunnel. She didn't like the darkness of the tunnel. The dampness didn't bother her at all, and it felt refreshing when the outside temperature got high. 
The trap door opening in the stable storage room remained well hidden. She checked it every evening, so it remained unobstructed. At the bottom of the ladder, she pulled her sword from its storage area. She carried it as she climbed the ladder to the storage room. 
After covering the floor with the rug to hide the entry, she made her way to Champion's stall. "Hello, my darling. Are you ready for a ride?" The stable hand saddled the horse. She put the mufflers on Champion's hooves so he wouldn't make any noise walking across the stones. Adele waited for the guards to walk to the other side of the parapet so she could escape the castle grounds unseen. She didn't wait long. When she felt it safe, she carefully walked Champion out the gate to the open field. Once on his back, she gave the horse his head and let him run across the field to the timber edge. 
 

*****

Guest post: Where and How I Write by Shirley McLain

Hello everyone, thank you for dropping by today and checking out my book, Princess Adele’s Dragon. I wish to thank Kat for giving me this opportunity to share with you about how and where I write.

I began writing in earnest when I retired from work. I woke up one morning with the thought in my mind I want to write a book. I got out of bed, ate my breakfast and sat down in front of my computer and began writing.  Nine months later I published my first book called The Tower. Looking back at that time I thought writing was sitting down and putting words to paper. I wasn’t even smart enough to realize I knew nothing about writing.

As I RN for over 32 years, I learned early in my career that nursing is constantly changing, and the nurse has to change with it or get left behind.  I think writing is the same way. It is a constant learning process, and you never can know everything. That’s what’s wonderful about the computer and all the resources that are available to a writer. Don’t be afraid to continue to learn the writing process. I am still learning and will strive to make the most out of what I learn. I have to satisfy myself because since writing is so subjective, there may not be anyone else that will read your book and like it. 

The other side to that is, writing is very personal when you are doing it. It’s your words bringing the storyline and characters together. There are really no set rules to writing, but that depends on who you are talking to. I have found I got different opinions about the same question I was asking. For myself, I have to make the final decision about what to do.  I been told many times, “nothing is in concrete.” At times, I would like a set of rules that tell me exactly what to do, and it would save me a lot of angst.

The majority of the time my writing is done on the computer through my word processor. There have been times that I’ve picked up a tablet and pen and wrote what was on my mind so I wouldn’t lose it, or a poem came to mind.  I’ve had a computer since the early 1990’s.  Before I got one, I thought I didn’t have a need for it.  What could I possibly do with a computer? It didn’t take long, once it was in my house for me to find out.  I’m totally lost without my keyboard and internet connection.

Now you know a little more how I think about writing and how the computer became a big, big part of my life. Thanks again for stopping by and thank you, Kat, once again for giving me the opportunity to share a little part of myself.  Have a blessed day.  Shirley McLain.

*****

I reviewed Princess Adele's Dragon last month, so check out the review here!

You can find Princess Adele’s Dragon on Goodreads

You can buy Princess Adele’s Dragon here:
- Amazon

About the Author:
Shirley McLain makes her home in Sapulpa Oklahoma with her husband and their fur family of four dogs and three cats. She also has two grown children, six grandchildren and twin great-grand sons. She has/is living a very full life. She retired after working thirty-two years as a RN and then began a full time writing carrier. She and her husband enjoy their five-acre country home. It is a perfect setting to let Shirley’s Muse work it’s magic. Shirley is an eclectic writer and has always enjoyed the writing process. Shortly after her retirement she woke up one morning with the thought that she was going to write a book. She didn’t stop writing until she’d finished her first book. So far she has published four books which are now on Amazon. Her goal is to bring as much enjoyment to her readers as they deserve and want.

You can find and contact Shirley here:
- Blog
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Princess Adele’s Dragon. These are the prizes you can win:
- 15 e-copies of Dobyns Chronicles by Shirley McLain

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post: The Dark Cycle by Rachel A.Marks

Guest post written by Rachel A. Marks:

The Rabbit Hole of Legend

I am obsessed with research, I have been since before I started writing. Sometimes I get so caught up in the collection of information that I stop writing and just revel in learning and exploring for far too long. The Dark Cycle was no exception, especially since I'm fascinated by Los Angeles history, having grown up here. And I'm fascinated by urban legends of any kind, as well. Needless to say, it became a bit of a vortex digging deeper this series. So much fun! And so distracting. 

The good thing is I can share some of my finds with you. Just be careful not to fall down the rabbit hole with me! 

The Hollywood Sign:

Built in 1923, and probably the most iconic spot in Los Angeles, it was only created to last a few weeks. It once lit up the night and read "Hollywood Land", but in 1949 the "Land" was removed. In the between years, 1932, a very tragic story took place at the letter "H". An unknown actress at the time, Peg Entwistle, climbed to the top of the letter and leapt to her death. Since that day there have been literally hundreds of stories about hikers and trespassers spotting a woman wandering the grounds, dressed in the fashion of the 30s. 

Houdini Mansion:

At the hight of his fame, Harry Houdini purchased an extravagant home in Laurel Canyon. It was like a fortress, with towers and hidden passageways, and underground tunnels. This is where he supposedly hid his chest of magical secrets. To this day the chest of secrets remains undiscovered, even after a fire burned the strange mansion down in 1959. By 1960 a rumor began circulating that Houdini had, in fact, not died, but had been seen in and around the property. Some people say he can still be seen in the area today. 

Magu Rock (PCH): 

Legend has it that a young native woman was brutally murdered by a rich land owner on a property near the location of Magu Rock. Her spirit is said to still roam the shore, like a woman in white with dark holes for eyes.

Griffith Park:

The area of land that incorporates Griffith Park is very large, and many ghost stories were born in one or more of the famous locations on the property once owned by the Feliz family and is said to be cursed because of a family dispute about how the land was passed down. Today it consists of the Observatory, the Greek Amphitheater, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Museum of the American West, the Travel Town train museum, two golf courses, a merry-go-around, countless hiking and horse trails, and the Hollywood sign. The most interesting and strange story to come from the cursed land originates in the picnic area. A haunted picnic table to be exact. In 1976 a young couple was making love on a picnic table when a large sycamore tree fell on them, killing them both. The couples ashes were tossed onto the spot by the family in memory, allowing them to be forever together. And to this day the table and tree are still entwined, because when the city workers went to clean up the fallen branches the tree moaned and shook. It's said the couple became a part of the land and the tree still hasn't been removed.


Darkness Brutal 
The Dark Cycle
Book One
Rachel A. Marks

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Skyscape

Date of Publication: July 1st, 2015

ISBN: 978-1477830796
ASIN: B00S6Z3S82

Number of pages: 422
Word Count: 120,000

Cover Artist: Cliff Neilson

Book Description: 

Aidan O’Linn’s childhood ended the night he saw a demon kill his mother and mark his sister, Ava, with Darkness. Since then, every three years the demons have returned to try to claim her. Living in the gritty, forgotten corners of Los Angeles, Aidan has managed to protect his sister, but he knows that even his powers to fight demons and speak dead languages won’t keep her safe for much longer.

In desperation, Aidan seeks out the help of Sid, the enigmatic leader of a group of teens who run LA Paranormal, an Internet reality show that fights demons and ghosts. In their company, Aidan believes he’s finally found a haven for Ava. But when he meets Kara, a broken girl who can spin a hypnotic web of passionate energy, he awakens powers he didn’t know he had―and unleashes a new era of war between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness.

With the fate of humanity in his hands, can Aidan keep the Darkness at bay and accept his brilliant, terrifying destiny?

                                                 Amazon      Listen to an Audio Sample

Excerpt:
I let the pulse of the music coat me and mute my surroundings. A mass of people crowd the dance floor of the club, and I sit on an abandoned couch in the corner. The lights beat at the air in blues and greens, and bodies twist and merge to the thunder. I lean back, close my eyes, and try to get lost in it, the smells and sounds of people and their collective high.
Something moves next to me. I look over to find a girl sprawled on the seat beside me, trying to catch her breath. She’s not dressed in the usual club gear, more like a girl who got lost on her way to a beach party: Hurley T-shirt, jean skirt, and red Converse. Her cheeks are flushed pink; her throat and forehead glitter with sweat. She glances at me like she didn’t know I was there. She licks her upper lip, her eyes not leaving mine. Then she says something I can’t hear.
I point to my ear and shake my head.
She smiles and laughs, lighting up the space around her. She rests her hand on my arm, like we’re friends and I just told her the most hilarious joke, and then she gets up and disappears into the mass of bodies again.
My arm tingles, my body reacting to the moment of contact in a sudden and disconcerting way. I think I’ve had my fill of watching people indulge their baser instincts. I need to get out of here.
The beat of the music speeds up, vibrating faster as I move through the crowd. I try not to touch anyone, which is nearly impossible. All the emotions and appetites are overwhelming, as if the rising rhythm of the music makes their yearnings rise, too. Lust buzzes in the air. A hunger stirs in me, a gaping hole, needing to be filled. With touch.
The touch of female fingers. A hand on my arm, taking my wrist, pulling me into the fray, into the pressing bodies. And I don’t try to escape. I let her take me.
Because I’m tired.
Because I’m a dumbass.
A girl moves in front of me—not the Hurley girl, not the one I was hoping for. She presses closer, so close I can almost taste the salty perspiration on her skin. She has thin, birdlike shoulders, a swan neck, a heart-shaped face, and black hair, long and tangled, turning blue and green with the light. Her hands slide up my chest. She wraps her arms around my neck and tilts her head to look up at me.
Her lips are full and painted dark purple. There’s a dimple in her left cheek that gets deeper with her growing smile. And her eyes . . .
Fog fills my head for a second, interrupting my thoughts.
“Hi,” she mouths, calling attention to her lips again.
And then she’s rising up on her toes, pulling me down to her, twisting her fingers in my hair, her lips smashing against mine.
My body buzzes from her touch, and my hands react, drawing her into me. I drink her in. She tastes like the air around me, hunger and urgency, and—
Green apple Jolly Ranchers?
I grip her sides, her ribs so delicate beneath my fingers. The sweet tang of her teases me, the hunger becoming a monster deep inside. I have to press her closer, tighter, try to feed it, as I feel the fire of her need link with mine.
She pulls back a little and looks at me with wide eyes, like she’s shocked. That’s when I see the mark, a glowing, blue-inked line of what looks like Chinese symbols, trailing down the nape of her neck to her shoulder blade. Symbols that I’m suddenly sure mean: touch this girl at your own risk.
It’s the only thing I see for a second: Beware. Beware.
Until her energy reaches for me, wispy tendrils of blue light wrapping their way around my wrists and snaking up my chest.
I jerk away, into the guy behind me, stepping on his girlfriend’s toes. I get shoved— thankfully farther from the hypnotic girl—through a space in the crowd, saying a hundred excuse-me’s even though I know no one can hear them. I find my way out of the press of bodies to the edge of the room again where it’s safe.
It’s time to leave. I should’ve left an hour ago.


Darkness Fair
The Dark Cycle
Book Two
Rachel A. Marks

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Skyscape

Date of Publication: 2/1/16

ISBN: 978-1503950290 
ASIN: B00YDJKE00 
Number of pages: 335

Cover Artist: Cliff Neilson

Book Description:

Against the backdrop of an ancient battle between the forces of Light and the forces of Darkness, Aidan struggles to control the newly awakened powers that seem to be his only hope for rescuing Ava, his little sister, trapped somewhere beyond the Veil. As he gravitates to Kara, the beguiling and dangerously unstable girl who helped him realize his abilities, a terrible mistake of fate is revealed that points him back toward Rebecca, whose role is becoming more critical to the battle. And no matter what his heart wants, it might be too late to stop the pieces already in motion.

Without knowing the sacrifices that will be required of them, Aidan and his motley crew of friends—each with their own role to play—must face the demon threat head-on. They’re the only ones keeping the growing army of Darkness at bay, and if they fail, the future of humanity could be lost.

                                                     Amazon    Listen to an Audio Sample

About the Author:

Rachel A. Marks is an award-winning author and professional artist, a SoCal girl, cancer survivor, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of faerie secrets. She was voted: Most Likely to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she'll never have to test the theory. Her debut series The Dark Cycle, described as Dickens' Oliver Twist meets TV's Supernatural, is now out through Skyscape, beginning with DARKNESS BRUTAL.

Website: http://www.rachelannemarks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelAnneMarks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4094113.Rachel_A_Marks 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachelannemarks


Tour giveaway

$20 Amazon giftcard and chosen paperback or audio in the series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Grimm and White by Emily Ann Hansen

Grimm and White

Heartless
Book 1
Emily Ann Hansen

Genre: Fairytale/ Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: January 26th, 2016

ISBN:  978-1522860259

Number of pages: 287 kindle
Number of pages: 245 Print

Word Count: 89,000

Cover Artist: Murphy Rae

Book Description:

How far would you go to save your own life? Would you kill the one you love? 

I want you to put your hand over your heart. Press down against the skin, meld your fingers into the flesh, and listen to the beats. Can you hear how that one organ is keeping you alive? One pump. Two pumps. Three. 

Alice White Cabot would consider you lucky. She can press down in that same exact spot and she would feel … nothing. She is under the curse of the Heartless, and on her nineteenth birthday she will have to rip out the heart of the one she loves or she herself will die. 

Kallin Grimm is a regular nineteen-year-old guy from the Chicago suburbs. He’s completely normal, except for the strength he can’t explain. Not to mention, Kallin is in love with a girl that he has never met. The only means of communication between the two of them is through an enchanted journal. Whatever is written in one can be seen in the other. For the past year Allie and Kallin have shared their secrets and their souls, which is why Allie knows they can never be together. It is the only way to keep his heart safe. 

Enter the dark world of curses, secrets, and a history as old as time. The novel opens on Allie’s eighteenth birthday. With one year left, she, along with her best friend Miles set off from California to find out more about the curse, her past, and to stay as far away from Kallin Grimm as she can. Their first lead is in Chicago. Maybe this curse is stronger than she thinks. Tick-Tick-Tick. 

Who would you choose?

Amazon

Prologue: “Happily Never After” 

  On Lighthouse Avenue, inside the house at the end of the street, lives a girl with no heart. This is not to say she is cold or unloving, but it is literal and true. If you peeked inside her pale skin, peeled back her veins and muscles, you would find a cavernous hole of sorts. 
  Her name is Alice White Cabot, and she is eighteen-years-old today.
  A light turns on in the shed behind the Cabot house. Beyond the roses that line the aged rocks on the side wall of the large house, past the stepping stones, a few feet farther than the toad rot, gundly flax, and verbena flowers (I’m sure we will get to that later), and finally we reach a small wooden box. What served as a gardening shed, now is filled to the brim with papers, maps, pens, various supplies, two pictures, one knife, and the girl in question.
  Allie sits at the window on a small black stool with the knife in her hand. Her dark hair and blue eyes are the only vivid colors in the otherwise grey shed. She is absentmindedly cutting her finger again and again. Three droplets of blood bead off of her fingertips and fall on to the white carpet. Not flinching, she stares out the window at the snow falling like feathers from the sky. Allie thinks she must have heard that somewhere, some time ago. When and where are lost to her. 
  It’s Christmas and almost time for dinner. She looks around the ancient space, with its empty flowerpots and cobwebs, and knows this is the last time she will be in this room that has given her solace for so many years. When her mother first died she hid under the desk in the corner and read every book she could find; mostly adventure stories, like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Robinson Crusoe. The ceiling leaked and mice occasionally set up house, but it was her special place. 
  The gash on her finger has closed and all that remains is dried blood crusted on the knife blade.
  On top of the cluttered desk is a purple music box. She gets up from her seat and places the knife on a dilapidated shelf. She gingerly opens the golden latch. A ballerina springs to life, and a haunting song echoes throughout the four walls of her sanctuary. 
  She pulls out a note. On the front of the folded paper, the words Happy Birthday are scrawled in pretty script.
  My darling Allie,
  I wish more than anything I could have given this to you myself, but I know Gram will be there to do it for me. You must feel the time slipping away like I did. There is so much I want to say and so much that I, myself, don’t know how to explain. I cannot tell you what to do my love. Whatever you decide, no matter what, you are my sweet bean. I know you will choose to be better, to be good. You are so loved and that will never change. 
  -Mom
  Her face is scrunched up, her nostrils flared and forehead taut, but she will not cry.
  Allie grabs the knife again. She cradles it in both of her hands for several seconds before she takes the hilt and turns the blade towards her stomach, so close that the tip digs into her belly button.
  Her breath mingles with dust in the unheated shed. Allie holds the knife like one would hold a brush or maybe a spoon—casually, yet calculated.
  With no other thought she plunges the weapon into her stomach, causing blood to immediately pool onto her white sweater. She makes no sound, not even a whimper. Both eyes are popped open, wide and surprised, while her other expressions remain suppressed. As quickly as she put the blade in, she pulls it back out.
  Allie drops the knife, and it clatters across the floor. She raises her hands and clutches them to her stomach, probing the area gently. 1 … 2 … 3 seconds pass.
  “Damn it.”
  She lifts her T-shirt revealing a smooth layer of skin, like the day she was born. The wound is gone; not so much as a scar to remind her of the pain.
Today, Allie White Cabot does not feel like celebrating because in one year’s time, she has to rip out the heart of the one she loves, or she will die.
  “Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!”
  But, until then she is cursed to breathe and live and what she doesn’t want more than anything else, she is cursed to love and be loved.
  The curse of the Heartless.
  What do I know? I’m just the mirror who watched the curse come to life. I’m just a mirror who is trapped like the rest … destined to bend to the will of the curse or break under its power like so many before. 
This is not just her story, but it is his as well. Kallin Grimm, the boy who loves the girl.
The boy who can save us all.
  Allie walks over and snatches a map of Illinois from the clutter on the desk. There is a bold red circle around the city of Chicago. 
  “See you soon,” Allie says. She opens the door. A gush of cold air blows inside, causing the music box to slam closed. The melody stops abruptly. She wonders if that’s what it will sound like when she dies. 
  A snowflake lands on her lip and she licks it off. It will all be worth it. If she can keep him safe.


About the Author: 

Emily Hansen is a writer currently living in Baltimore City. She grew up in Illinois and will always call Chicago home. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a BA in Fiction. She is a 9th grade English teacher. She became a writer because she thinks that people should not have to look far to find magic in their lives. Her obsessions range from depressing poetry to one or ten cups of coffee a day. Grimm and White is her first novel.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/City.Writer.Emily

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Emilyhansen5  

Blog: http://emilyannhansen.weebly.com/

Blog: http://itsnotyou-itsme.weebly.com/



Tour giveaway:

3 print copies Grimm and White

I can't get the giveaway to work, so go check out BookwormBridgette's World who is also hosting this tour today to enter!