Courtney S. Barr

Welcome to My Kingdom!
Join me, the Princess, on my Royal Adventures in the Land of Writing!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Monday Memos: ROYAL PROCLAMATION: BONUS EDITION - TAMARA HART HEINER!!!

OMG! Have you seen this yet?
Have you bought this yet? Is it on your shelf? Have you downloaded the ebook? Are you reading it right now? NO? WELL WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR...Oh, wait, some of you have not heard about it yet...well step into the Courtyard and lend me an ear...er...eye... ;o)

The Kingdom would like to welcome Tamara Hart Heiner to its lovely garden. (Isn't she just darl'n?) PERILOUS (released November 16, 2010 by WiDo Publishing)

Amazon's snippet: Jaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago.What she doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed, or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags her and her friends 2,000 miles across the Canadian border. They escape from his lair, only to find that he has spies and agents watching their path home, waiting to intercept them and take them back.Then Jaci finds something out about her family. Something which irrevocably connects her to their kidnapper, and makes her question their chances of escape.
Are you still with us or did you already grab your keys and head for the nearest bookstore? Still here? Good.

I was not sure what I was going to encounter when I was privileged to read this book before it hit the shelves. My reading selections are in no way predictable and Perilous fell right between finishing up a sci-fi fantasy and beginning a young adult paranormal romance. From the first few pages I was hooked. Jaci and her friends are much like the teens that I encounter with my own nieces. Their verbage and banter is believable in a way that sucks you back into days of your own youth. As you are introduced to the family you find a deeper tone. There are layers here that do not disappoint.

Tamara was able to weave a tale that at once excites and terrifies the reader. It could happen any time, anywhere, to anyone. The fact that it is teenage girls in situations that parents NEVER want to even imagine breathes life into the story - because it COULD happen and sadly as the news proclaims; it does.

I happily handed my own 16 year old niece this book and she gobbled it up in a day. After discussing the action, the twists, the turns, the surprises we discussed the dynamics of the girls. A chord that rang loudly is strength & perseverance. The friends discover a strength that pulls them through the trauma and propels them toward safer ground.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and happily flew through it in an evening. It is a quick read that takes the reader on an emotional journey, desperately wanting all clues, all secrets, all puzzle pieces tied up neatly by the final page...does it deliver that perfectly wrapped ending?...you'll have to find out.... ;o)

In case you are still too curious to slip out into the chill and head to the store, perhaps this link will provide something that will get you moving...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-Tq3Rrj7uI

Well have I whet your appetite? Are you at the door, one eye on the screen reading this - the other on the doorknob ready to break free to the bookstore? Don't close those fingers around the knob just yet...there might be a few ways to snuggle up with Perilous...

The wonderful & sweet Tamara is hosting the following, awesome, amazing contests:

Any person who comments on any post during the blog tour will be entered into
a random drawing for a book. Which she can autograph, if you want. The
contest ends on Dec. 15.

Kindle giveaway: This contest is point-based and ends
Dec. 15. Whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be
one Kindle given away. Here are the points:
1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, on
the tour)
1 point: follow my blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com/)
1 point: retweet
2 points: blog about the blog tour
5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email me the
confirmation email) if they actually buy the book in the store they can
mail me a copy of the receipt.
Add up all your points as well as your proof (links, etc) and
email it to Tamara at the end of the blog tour (tamara at tamarahartheiner dot
com)
People can earn an infinite number of points!


In addition to her contest, I also have purchased a copy of Perilous to place in someone's stocking! Yep so um that is like so many things to win, to enter..to tabulate (thank goodness Tamara must be good at math..;o) ) For my contest all you have to do is share this review (blog/Tweet/scream it out the window/skywrite it/whatever) this review and place a comment HERE on this post of how you did it! I will be using the honor system and on December 8 (hubby's birthday) will announce the randomly drawn winner! So go, get, spread the word and enjoy this edge of your seat debut!

HAVE A MARVELOUS MONDAY!!!

p.s there is a sequel... I know...I want it now too! ;o)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Feeling like a gopher...

Good Tuesday before Turkey Day everyone!

I feel like a gopher peeking out to see what's going on in the land above. These last few weeks have been C-R-A-Z-Y! Seriously.

NaNo, holiday preparations...family...friends...teenagers...is it possible to find a nice ruby red candy apple, a coconut & peach sno cone and a chocolate iced yellow cake anywhere all at once? If so, PUHLEASE draw me a map! Those are the foods I am craving while writing, working & wondering about my To Do list!

BUT! I decided to poke my head out of the ground for 3 reasons:

1. My hair is beginning to take on a life of its own and sunshine might be necessary for its survival.

2. It's almost Turkey Day & well I am getting antsy for the family time & wonderful foods.

3. For a Royal Decree. Yep you read it right a Royal Decree!...

On MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2010 be sure to wander by the Kingdom...as you recuperate from Black Friday madness and read about a wonderful writer, blogger & person:

TAMARA HART HEINER!

Oh yeah she's gonna be here - yep right here, on the steps of the Southern Tower, speaking to the masses and telling all about a tale that you DO NOT WANT TO MISS!!! If you don't know who she is then you are in for a real treat!

So please stop by, learn about a wonderful new book, a great author, watch a video and enter to win!

Now I must crawl back down the hole, my poor hair...all this dirt and such...ah well the characters need me... (at least I tell them they do ;o) )

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK EVERYONE!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

10 days in...Can you feel your fingertips?

"Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish..."
-John Jakes
***
My fingertips are beginning to rub the letters from the keys, to know the words before my mind even processes the scene, they are moving quickly then finding a slow ease to the lines that appear on the screen above them. They stretch languidly as my eyes dance along the pages...my heart speeds up as excitement turns to thrilling anticipation of the next paragraph.

My eyes dart to the clock and realize that I have to pause, to calm my heart and attend to the dayjob. I check the wordcount and smile. I have met my daily goal. I realize that I have not updated the site and chastise myself...but wait...the site is there to help me remain disciplined, to remind me of why this magical month is so wonderful, I know that updating is good but what is important is the words on the screen...the flow of the story...the discovery of the character and the passion that pours through the worn keys from heart, head & fingers....yes...I wink at the screen, sharing secrets and suppressing a smile. It is me on the screen, a part of me that knows danger, thrills at adventure, fears the unknown, loves with all its soul and defies the laws of nature...

My mind flickers to thoughts of you, dear Royal Court, and I frown. You are not forgotten, not put aside due to dayjobs, family time, or even lack of internet - you are actually my support group, my silent section of the stadium that waits patiently for the scoring drive, your faces are beautiful, your words are my comfort. I look forward to your posts even if I must visit while being invisible, must read quickly and take in your sage advice and humorous anecdotes.

Good Wednesday everyone...
it is 10 days into NaNoWriMo...
my fingertips are still tingling from the sheer joy of this month...
How are yours doing?