Tell Us We're Home Blog Tour - Marina Budhos Guest Post

Even though I said there was supposed to be a hiatus, this post was scheduled way before that thought crossed my mind. So here is a guest post from the lovely Marina, author of Tell Us We're Home. :D

Enjoy!

Which character was your favorite to write and why (and how you developed them) and which do you relate to more?


That’s a hard one to answer, since I grew to like all three, very much, and think that there’s a bit of me in all three. However, let’s put it this way: Lola was a blast, insofar as she just pounced on to the page, and never left. Her energy, her voice, was right there, from the get go. I wrote her material the fastest, which seemed apt for her. I always knew she would be obsessed with history, and had a fast mouth. I knew she'd land in trouble somehow, but I wasn't exactly sure how. My favorite scenes to write were later, when she really crashes and is in the therapist’s office and her moxie boldness isn’t serving her anymore.

But I will say it was Maria who began as the most distant and truly grew on me. Her pining for Tash, her accompanying her mother on job interviews, her slow political awakening, felt wonderful to write. I loved writing the scene where she sees Tash's house and encounters his parents--that felt very natural to me, and perhaps drew on my own sense of outsideness. I also just enjoyed figuring out where she would take herself, what kinds of new and sometimes painful insights she learned along the way.

Jaya always began as the main character, and so in a sense, you could say she was whom I was closest, or most intimate with. I felt as if I knew her, knew the way she saw the world, and how she felt, especially about her mother. Writing her was about tunneling inwards, understanding her inner landscape, the imagery of her past, which was so vivid to her.




Thanks for stopping by, Marina. :D Hope you enjoyed this last (not for long) post.

Back to hiatus-ness(?).

Nyxen Has Melina From Reading Vacation On The Blog

Today is our last day of Fairy Tale Week. :D To kick off the ending of this amazing week I have Melina from Reading Vacation who has so kindly interviewed an author. Let's go Melina!

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THE GOOSE GIRL
By: Shannon Hale
Summary from Goodreads
She can whisper to horses and communicate with birds, but the crown princess Ani has a difficult time finding her place in the royal family and measuring up to her imperial mother. When she is shipped off to a neighboring kingdom as a bride, her scheming entourage mounts a bloody mutiny to replace her with a jealous lady-in-waiting, Selia, and to allow an inner circle of guards more power in the new land. Barely escaping with her life, Ani disguises herself as a goose girl and wanders on the royal estate. Does she have the pluck to reclaim her rightful place? Get ready for a fine adventure tale full of danger, suspense, surprising twists, and a satisfying conclusion.

INTERVIEW WITH ANI

Q Some fortunate people in your land have been blessed with one of three magical gifts. These gifts are people speaking, animal speaking, and nature speaking. Which gift do you think is most valuable?

A I think nature speaking is most valuable because it allows you to learn the secrets that nature holds dear. The person who is blessed with this most powerful gift must be trusted to use it wisely.

Q What animal is your favorite to communicate with?

A May I choose two? My favorite would be a tie between the swan and the goose. The swan was the first animal that spoke to me. I learned about the swan’s struggle as it matures into a graceful adult. The geese taught me that they are noble fighters and they are fiercely loyal.

Q Who is your BFF?

A Oh that’s easy. Enna is my very best girlfriend. I trusted her with my secret and she did not let me down. She also has an awesome personality and can make me laugh.

Q How is your relationship with your mother these days?

A We remain distant, but I have forgiven her for the past. She thought she was doing the right thing for the kingdom when she sent me away. In the end, being forced to leave was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.

Q Is there a lesson to be learned from your story?

A Your true friends will stick by you no matter what.

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Thank you, Melina, for taking the time to do this! You can catch her at Reading Vacation and you can find more information about Shannon Hale at her official website.

That wraps it up! How did you guys like this? I hope you had a fun this week. I'll mostly be back by either tonight or tomorrow morning. :D

Nyxen Has Emily From Emily's Reading Room On The Blog

Happy Friday everyone. Today is a special day. Want to know why? For starters, it's Friday! And it's almost the end of the week which means my trip to Colorado is nearly finished. But most importantly we have Emily from Emily's Reading Room.

Take it away Emily!

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Top Five Twisted Fairy Tales

It’s no secret, some of my favorite books of all time are based off classic fairy tales. There is something truly magical about taking a story that you know by heart and turning it on its head, breathing new life into a story you love. I want to share with you my top five twisted fairy tales.

1. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

This book was a Newberry award winner for a reason. Gail Carson Levine said the inspiration for this story came while she was thinking about Cinderella and how she was just too obedient. In Ella Enchanted, Ella is cursed to be perfectly obedient. When her father remarries after her mother’s death, she is tormented by her stepmother and stepsisters who learn of her curse. I love Ella and all the creative ways she gets around having to be totally obedient. If you haven’t read this one, it’s a must read.

2. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is possibly my favorite author of all time, and I’m lucky enough to have her as a local author. I had the opportunity to meet her at an event at my local library a few months back, and she is incredibly nice. I find myself recommending The Goose Girl over and over again. Ani is delightful, and is a decided improvement from the original story. And Geric? Utterly charming

3. The Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Jessica Day George is also a local author. I have every one of her published works signed. The Princess of the Midnight Ball is a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses. I’ve read quite a few retellings of this one, but Jessica Day George’s is my favorite. She manages to make every one of those sisters have a personality. And the villain is deliciously scary.

4. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

Wildwood Dancing is another retelling of The 12 Dancing Princesses, sort of. It’s also got a bit of The Frog Prince mixed in, and a dash of vampires. Many know Juliet Marillier for her adult novels, but I was utterly charmed by this retelling. Jena is self-sacrificing and such a good older sister. And I know everyone will love the Frog and hate Cezar.

5. Beastly by Alex Flinn

I think that Alex Flinn will become the Robin McKinley of modern fairy tale retellings. Beastly was such a fun book, and I was pleased to see that it is going to be made into a movie coming out next year. Kyle’s insights into his situation are hilarious and tragic at the same time. One of my favorite parts of the book is when he talks about how he can relate to the phantom from Phantom of the Opera. Read this book for hilarious dialogue and great supporting characters.

Thanks to Bianca for inviting me over! I hope you’ll all come see me at Emily’s Reading Room.

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Thanks so much, Emily! You were awesome. Beastly is one of my favorite fairy tale re-tellings.

Be sure to check out Emily's site at Emily's Reading Room.

Tomorrow will be an author interview. Be sure to check it out.

Happy Reading!

Nyxen Has Harmony From Harmony's Radiant Reads On The Blog

And we are on another day of Fairytale Week on Nyxen's Sidewalk Journey Through Life.

Today we have Harmony from Harmony's Radiant Reads. Let's go Harmony!

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Ever since you were little, you've heard all the fairy tales. Cinderella, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, and so much more. I love reading re-tellings of my favorite fairy tales and when you find a good one, it just rekindles your love all over again!

1. Little Red Riding Hood:
Sister's Red by Jackson Pearce: Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead. Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.
It's by Jackson Pearce, so it's gotta be awesome right? It's a wonderful and dangerous take where instead of Red Riding Hood being a helpless girl, she's deadly and has an axe. AWESOME!

2. Beauty and the Beast:
Beastly by Alex Flinn: I am a beast. A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog, but a horrible new creature who walks upright - a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster. You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever - ruined - unless I can break the spell. Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and a perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly beastly.
This is also coming out as a movie so excitement! The book is really good and a nice, truthful take on Beauty and the Beast.

And finally, MY FAVORITE FAIRY TALE EVERRRR! The Twelve-Dancing Princesses:
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George: Galen is a young soldier returning from war; Rose is one of twelve princesses condemned to dance each night for the King Under Stone. Together Galen and Rose will search for a way to break the curse that forces the princesses to dance at the midnight balls. All they need is one invisibility cloak, a black wool chain knit with enchanted silver needles, and that most critical ingredient of all-true love-to conquer their foes in the dark halls below. But malevolent forces are working against them above ground as well, and as cruel as the King Under Stone has seemed, his wrath is mere irritation compared to the evil that awaits Galen and Rose in the brighter world above.

I really did like this one because instead of the princesses going because they wanted too, in this book, they had too because of a curse. It was a new take on my favorite fairy tale!

What are some of your favorite fairy tales and retellings?

Thanks for having me Bianca!
-Harmony B.
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We have made it through another successful day! Did you like it? Drop by tomorrow to see even more exciting things!

Nyxen Has Julie from Bloggers-Heart-Books On The Blog

To kick off this awesome week of fairytales, I have Julie from Bloggers-Heart-Books guest posting today.

Take it away Julie!

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For hundreds of years, fairy tales have enchanted people everywhere. First, they taught essential moral lessons. Today, they provide entertainment and the much sought after “Happily Ever After”.

As a kid, I had several favorites. Sleeping Beauty and The Swan Princess were most definitely my top two. The stories enchanted me. Seeing a prince go to such lengths for the girl he loves caused mini-me to swoon. Especially in The Swan Princess, when they started by hating each other. Once I grew older, The Beauty and the Beast became another favorite. Such a strong, intelligent heroine who loves books. That library, oh that library.

I loved every fairytale I could get my hands on, with a few exceptions. Snow White always bugged me, at first for her voice. In the past few months, I’ve come to realize that she’s also quite stupid and helpless. Cinderella is slightly better, though it’s far from a favorite.

But what is it that makes us all love fairytales so much now-a-days, when in the past they were a horror?

When we’re little girls and boys, we get to pretend we’re the princess and the prince. The beautiful princess, who’s most likely a good singer, falling utterly in love. Often times, they were strong heroines we could admire as well. The princes daring dragons and thorn forests and every other thing in the sun.

Then we get older. We learn that being a prince/princess really isn’t as glamorous as Disney makes it seem. So, why are we still enthralled?

Now we know that Happily Ever After doesn’t work. Sure, people get married and have kids and grow old together or whatever else they consider their happy ending. But life is so much more difficult and painful than that. Once we start growing up, we start learning how horrible life can be and the idea of a perfect happy ending, with minimal bumps in the road, is appealing.

From childhood to teenage…hood to adult hood, we’ll always need fairytales. Because tn a world where nothing is perfect, they will always hold a place in our hearts.

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Thank you, Julie, for stopping by today. It's really a pleasure.

Stop by tomorrow to catch my interview with Jackson Pearce and her love of fairy tales. My first Author Interview! I'm so excited!!