This Writer’s Space: Lauren K. McKellar
Posted: March 26, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, inspiration, this writer's space, writing 3 Comments
All the regular readers of my blog know how much I adore Lauren K. McKellar. Her books make me cry, in an “oh god, my heart is breaking, Lauren!” kind of way.
Where I Write
When I drafted my latest novel, The Problem With Crazy, I wrote EVERYWHERE. I was working full-time, juggling freelance editing jobs and madly scrambling to learn all the extra things I could about this fabulous world of writing craft and technique, so I took every opportunity that became available to me. I wrote on the train to work, in my lunchbreak, on the couch in front of the TV (also known as ‘couple bonding time’), at bars—I even tried to dictate notes while I walked from the train station to work and cleaned the house.*
However, now all this has changed. I have gone freelance with my editing work and so when I write I do so at my desk, in my office—and it feels GREAT. Having a designated writing area, with my planning blackboard and comfy high-backed chair is fabulous. Plus, there’s no strange guy falling asleep and drooling on my shoulder, like there was on the odd public transport trip. Drool = uninspiring.
*NB: This was a dismal failure. I can write the things, but I cannot speak them. I apologise if you ever meet me and expect a coherent sentence.
Where I’m Inspired
Many things and places inspire me, but one of the main locations is the beach. I can catch a glimpse of it from my balcony, but every morning I get up, and go for a long run across the sand with my two dogs. The sound of the waves crashing never fails to soothe my oft-busy head, and helps my mind run wild with new story ideas.
The other main place I am inspired is *cringe* when I’m with my fiancé. I know he’s not technically a place, but sitting down with him over a table—beer and chips on the side—really helps me nut out my story ideas and takes my little half-conceived baby concepts and turns them into fully-fledged potential story adults.
What I’m Reading
I just came back from Indie Authors Down Under, Australia’s first self-published writer signing exhibition. I was there exhibiting as an author, but somehow managed to come home with almost as many books as I sold! I’m not sure where I’ll be starting, but I have Take A Chance by Abbi Glines, Broken by Kelly Elliot and First Glance by L.L. Hunter all vying for my attention right now. I can’t wait to devour them all!
About Lauren K. McKellar
Lauren K. McKellar is a writer and editor of fact and fiction. She has worked in publishing for more than eight years, and recently returned to her first love: writing books that make you feel.
Lauren loves to write for the Young and New Adult markets, and her debut novel, Finding Home, is a YA Contemporary, published through Escape, a Harlequin Australia imprint. Her second novel, The Problem With Crazy, is a NA Contemporary Romance.
Lauren is a member of the YA Rebels (vlog) and the Aussie Owned and Read blogging team. In her free time, she enjoys long walks on the beach with her two super-cute dogs and her partner-in-crime/fiancé.
First Tweets: the Aussie Owned and Read crew
Posted: March 22, 2014 Filed under: On Twitter | Tags: aussie-owned, Twitter 1 CommentSo, to celebrate its eighth birthday Twitter has launched something called First Tweet, where you can discover any Twitter user’s, well, first tweet.
For fun, I decided to do a search on each of the Aussie Owned and Read bloggers and see what their immortal first words were. They don’t know I’m doing this, so I hope there’s nothing too embarrassing there…
Aussie Owned and Read
Lauren, co-founder
Stacey, co-founder
Emily
Katie
Kim
Sharon
Suse
Cait
Heather
Hahaha, I love these girls! 😀
In the interests of fairness, here’s mine:
I’d be interested to know, what was your first tweet? Have you seen any absolute corkers? It’s a funny thing, because almost everyone (with the exception of Joss Whedon, who got over 100k followers in 24 hours) tweets their first tweet to an audience of one. They’ll have no followers, and no one will notice. This tool lets everyone go back and see what those potentially embarrassing mumblings were. (For example, @abcnews, our national broadcaster’s news network, tweeted “pwn3d”. That’s what happens when you let the work experience kid set up the account, I suppose.)
Review: ‘The Problem With Crazy’ by Lauren K. McKellar
Posted: March 17, 2014 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: aussie-owned, AWW, reviews, self-publishing 5 Comments
The problem with crazy is that crazy, by itself, has no context. It can be good crazy, bad crazy . . . or crazy crazy—like it was when my ex-boyfriend sung about me on the radio.
Eighteen-year-old Kate couldn’t be more excited about finishing high school and spending the summer on tour with her boyfriend’s band. Her dad showing up drunk at graduation, however, is not exactly kicking things off on the right foot—and that’s before she finds out about his mystery illness, certain to end in death.
A mystery illness she is likely to inherit.
When your whole life goes from adventure and ecstasy to sad and suicidal, what’s the point? Not knowing who to love, and who to trust . . . where does it end?
The Problem With Crazy is a story about love and life; about overcoming obstacles, choosing to trust, and learning how to make the choices that will change your life forever.
Regular readers of my blog will know I don’t usually read contemporary fiction. For me to pick up a contemp, it has to be special. In this case, I’d read and loved Lauren K. McKellar’s previous book, Finding Home. (I reviewed it here if you want to catch up.) Lauren is one of the co-founders at Aussie Owned and Read, and as well as being brilliant she’s simply adorable.
All of that being said, The Problem With Crazy blew me away. I stayed up till after midnight — on a work night, no less — thinking “just one more chapter”. It’s such an emotional rollercoaster of a book. Right from the first chapter, Kate, our main character, is left reeling with the sudden changes to her life. Graduation. Her drunk, absentee father turning up and embarrassing her. Discovering that he has Huntington’s Disease, and that she might have it too.
Her boyfriend’s, ah, less-than-stellar reaction to the news.
Dave. Ah, Dave. I don’t think I’ve ever hated a character as much as I hate Kate’s boyfriend, a wannabe rockstar and lead singer of Dave & the Glories. Even before Dave finds out about Kate’s potential illness it’s clear he’s a jerk, dismissing Kate’s organising of the band’s tour as “making a couple of phone calls”, when clearly she’d worked her butt off. I thought after the way he broke up with her he couldn’t sink any lower.
But he did.
I won’t say how due to spoilers, but I was reading this on my Kindle and had to physically restrain myself from throwing it across the room. (That scene was one of the THREE TIMES times I cried reading this book.)
On the other hand, there are some truly wonderful characters, including Lachlan — probably the sweetest book boyfriend ever — Stacey, and even Kate’s dad, as ill as he is. His neurodegenerative disease actually gives him a much more cheerful outlook on life, something that Kate and her mother slowly come to appreciate. Between Lachlan and her dad, Kate learns to live in the moment and appreciate what’s happening now rather than being terrified of the future.
The Problem With Crazy is in turns heartwrenching and beautiful, and Lauren is the sort of crazy-ass talented that will keep writers awake at night. Or maybe that’s just me?
Read it. Love it.
This Writer’s Space: K. A. Last
Posted: March 5, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: aussie-owned, inspiration, this writer's space, writing 1 Comment
Today’s This Writer’s Space is brought to you by fabulous indie author K. A. Last! Take it away, Kim!
Where I Write
When I first started writing I would write anywhere I could. My laptop wandered around the house with me, and usually ended up wherever the kids happened to be. I also used to write a lot in my rocker-recliner, but I find my legs get sore having the computer on my lap for so long.
Now my kids are in school, I can sit down in the peace and quiet, in one place, and get my brain working better. I wish I had an office—which I actually do—that I could devote solely to writing, but I prefer to write at the dining room table. The office is great, and I have a fab desktop PC in there which I love, but I use it mainly for my graphic design work, admin tasks, promotional time etc. The dining room table works better for me because I have more room to spread out. As you can see from the pic, it’s a mess (and usually is). I’ve been getting ready for a signing event on the Gold Coast which is happening in less than three weeks (eeek!), so there are stacks of books and swag everywhere. I’m also more inspired at the dining room table because I don’t feel like I’m locked away in a cave. There’s air flow, light and space around me.
After saying all that, sometimes I do write in the office, like I am now, if the table needs to be used for something like, I don’t know—eating!
Where I’m Inspired
I’m inspired at all different times, in a lot of different places, and in many different ways. Mostly though, I’m inspired inside my head. That sounds a little weird, but it doesn’t matter where I am, or what I’m doing, for me to get inspired. My hubby often gets annoyed with me because I have the ability to switch off just like that, even mid-conversation. I end up inside my head, thinking through a scene or creating a new character, and then I have clicking fingers in front of my face.
If I was to pick a place where most of the inspiration happens, I’d have to say inside my car. I work two days a week—in Sydney. The traffic is horrendous, which means I have anywhere up to three (sometimes more) hours of thinking time on the drive to and from work. Music really aids my inspiration. All of my books have a theme song, and a playlist, and every time I hear particular songs, they remind me of my characters, their actions, and even particular scenes.
To Be Read
Okay, this is a bit of a sore spot in my house. Hubby can’t believe—or understand—why I have so many books. I love books, especially pretty ones. I love all the pretty covers. About a third of my books I’ve bought because I loved the cover. I’m a graphic designer; I have to have the pretty covers.
There are so many books I want to read that I don’t have a ‘next on the list’ list. I’m an eclectic reader. I basically pick up whatever I feel like at the time, and I have a lot to choose from.
The shelves on the left side of the photo are all books I haven’t read. Yep, and they are double stacked. The ones on the right side are the books I have read, also some of them double stacked. As you can see though, the unread books far outweigh the read ones. Don’t even get me started on the number of books on my iPad. I have a panic attack just thinking about it.
If by any chance you don’t have too much on your TBR, I’d love you to check out my YA Paranormal Romance series. I also have a standalone lower YA fantasy adventure. Come by my Facebook page or tweet me if you want to know more.
K x
K. A. Last was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, and moved to Sydney with her parents and older brother when she was eight. Artistic and creative by nature, she studied Graphic Design and graduated with an Advanced Diploma. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she concentrated on her career before settling into family life. Blessed with a vivid imagination, she began writing to let off creative steam, and fell in love with it. She now resides in a peaceful, leafy suburb north of Sydney with her husband, their two children, and a rabbit named Twitch.
You can find her at her website, or on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or on Amazon.
Book launch, giveaway and excerpt: ‘Forget Me Not’ by Stacey Nash
Posted: February 21, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: aussie-owned, book launch, contests, small presses, young adult Leave a comment
So, continuing with the Forget Me Not love — yay, book launch! The book was supposed to launch on 17 February, but it has just gone live RIGHT NOW. I’m assuming this has to do with a chain of events involving a stolen USB, a car chase and a gun fight involving Amazon blackops and a chimpanzee disguised as a mailman. Is that just me?
Also, I feel kinda weird launching a book today that I reviewed already. But weird in a smug sort of way, you understand. 😉 Anyway, here it is. With an excerpt to get you hooked like I was hooked.
Title: Forget Me Not (Book I in the Collective series)
Author: Stacey Nash
Release Date: February 17, 2014 February 21, 2014
Publisher: Entranced Publishing, Rush
Genre: YA speculative fiction
Since her mother vanished nine years ago, Anamae and her father have shared a quiet life. But when Anamae discovers a brooch identical to her mother’s favorite pendant, she unknowingly invites a slew of trouble into their world. When the brooch and the pendant are worn together they’re no longer pretty pieces of jewelry — they’re part of a highly developed technology capable of cloaking the human form. Triggering the jewelry’s power attracts the attention of a secret society determined to confiscate the device — and silence everyone who is aware of its existence. Anamae knows too much, and now she’s Enemy Number One.
She’s forced to leave her father behind when she’s taken in by a group determined to keep her safe. Here Anamae searches for answers about this hidden world. With her father kidnapped and her own life on the line, Anamae must decide if saving her dad is worth risking her new friends’ lives. No matter what she does, somebody is going to get hurt.
Buy Forget Me Not on Amazon or Barnes & Noble!
Add Forget Me Not on Goodreads!
Enter the book launch giveaway!
“I certainly won’t be forgetting Nash’s debut, FORGET ME NOT! A vividly fast-paced tale with adventure, secrets, and kissing!” — Kimberly P. Chase, Author of THE APOLLO ACADEMY.
“I highly recommend “Forget Me Not” for people who love story-driven YA. Five stars!” — Me 🙂
Excerpt:
Easing the door closed, I climb out of the attic and head to the bathroom to clean my dust-covered hands. Water rushes from the spout and splashes against the sides as the basin fills. A reflection of me stares back from the mirror, my dirty hand clutching my aching chest. Today everything feels so raw, open, and fresh, like it only just happened. Why isn’t she still here?
Rubbing my hands clean, I delve into my pocket for the jewelry. Bringing it to my collar, I pin it into my blouse and the hard edges of the brooch prick my skin. My thumb brushes over the smooth, round sides of the pendant and when I pull it over my head, the chain catches on my hair. After I twist it through the tangle so it finally falls cool against my skin, it nestles in the hollow of my throat. I pick it up between my fingers and with reverent slow strokes, rub my thumb over the shiny yellow center—the pendant Mom never took off.
A shiver shoots up my spine and out through my limbs like an electric current, zapping every cell, every fiber, every part of my being. Walking on graves, that’s what Mom would have said. Maybe it’s an omen about her.
I plant my palms on either side of the full basin and peer into the still water taking a moment to collect my thoughts. The water reflects only the cream ceiling. That can’t be right. I do a double take and look again.
My chest tightens. I hold my hand up, but I can’t see it—not my arm, not my chewed fingernails, not my leather watch on my wrist. Where am I? Mouth gaping, I look into the mirror again, but I see nothing.
Not even my face.
I dip my finger into the warm, reflection-free water. Circles ripple in ever growing rings, but there’s no image. My gaze flits to the mirror, but I see only the open door. I have no reflection.
Stacey grew up in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. It is an area nestled between mountains and vineyards. Full of history and culture, it provides wonderful writing inspiration. After dabbling with poetry during her teen years, Stacey stopped writing until after university when she was married with young children. Now she loves nothing more than spending her days with her children and writing when inspiration strikes.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
Cover reveal: ‘Kiya: Rise of a New Dynasty’ by Katie Hamstead
Posted: February 20, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: aussie-owned, book covers, small presses 1 CommentTitle: Kiya: Rise of a New Dynasty (Kiya Trilogy Book #3)
Author: Katie Hamstead
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Genre: New Adult Historical Romance
Release Date: February 25th 2014
Tut has grown into his position as Pharaoh, but he is a wild young man. Naomi fears for him, not only because of his recklessness, but because he has put his trust in Ay–the man determined to destroy Naomi—despite her and Horemheb advising against it.
Meanwhile, death and slavery hang over Naomi and her family. With fear of the booming Hebrew numbers causing talk of enslaving them, conscription is reinstated and Naomi fears for the lives of her other children. Especially since Ay’s children are now adults, and just as dangerous as their father. They threaten to take Itani, conspire against Tut, and push for power.
But Tut is in trouble. While Ay’s daughter draws Horemheb’s attention, and Naomi deals with the struggles of her family, everyone’s distraction could spell death for the young Pharaoh.
Add Kiya: Rise of a New Dynasty to your Goodreads shelf today!
Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing. After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.
You can find Katie on her blog, Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter or Goodreads.
Review: ‘Forget Me Not’ by Stacey Nash
Posted: February 17, 2014 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: aussie-owned, AWW, reviews, small presses 5 Comments
Since her mother vanished nine years ago, Anamae and her father have shared a quiet life. But when Anamae discovers a brooch identical to her mother’s favorite pendant, she unknowingly invites a slew of trouble into their world. When the brooch and the pendant are worn together they’re no longer pretty pieces of jewelry — they’re part of a highly developed technology capable of cloaking the human form. Triggering the jewelry’s power attracts the attention of a secret society determined to confiscate the device — and silence everyone who is aware of its existence. Anamae knows too much, and now she’s Enemy Number One.
She’s forced to leave her father behind when she’s taken in by a group determined to keep her safe. Here Anamae searches for answers about this hidden world. With her father kidnapped and her own life on the line, Anamae must decide if saving her dad is worth risking her new friends’ lives. No matter what she does, somebody is going to get hurt.
I was given an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. In the interests of full disclosure, though, I confess I requested the ARC because I’ve read one of Stacey’s other, unpublished manuscripts and really love her writing. Also, as I’m sure you’ve figured out from my participation in the blog tour, I’m a bit of a fan. 😉
But trust me when I say “Forget Me Not” didn’t disappoint. I intend to buy a paperback copy once it becomes available, which is a sign of how much I loved it.
Most of the young adult fiction I read is urban fantasy, so the science-fiction angle was somewhat new to me – but, like all good sci-fi (and fiction in general), this book was character-driven. I didn’t feel like I needed a physics degree to know what was going on, which is the main thing that puts me off sci-fi reads.
“Forget Me Not” is set somewhere in Big City America — it’s never stated conclusively (or if it is I missed it), but it’s somewhere with a president. At first I assumed because Stacey is an Aussie author that it might be set here but, given the scale of events in the story, it makes sense that it be set in the global powerhouse that is the US. (Sorry, Australia, but it’s true. I still love you, though.)
The romance between Mae and Jax is well-developed and, even though I’m firmly Team Will (Mae’s best friend), by the end I thought Mae and Jax were a cute and above all realistic couple. Unfortunately for Team Will, the poor guy never had a hope — he’s so firmly in the friendzone that Mae can’t see his attraction to her, not even when it’s spelled out in so many words by a third party.
Despite the romance subplot, the story is action- and character-driven, whisking you along. I did see the plot twist coming, but only by about a chapter, so I didn’t get frustrated that Mae and the others didn’t see it coming. (It always annoys me when I as a reader figure something out ages before the characters do. I’m all, COME ON! IT’S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU!)
The only tiny niggle I had with “Forget Me Not” was that, after Mae and Will flee the baddies and take refuge with the resistance, she spends a lot of time worrying about her dad, but almost no attention is given to Will’s family — seemingly including by him. It may just be that, because the story is from her perspective and Will is determined to be stoic, he never talks to her much about his worries — but I felt like his parents and sister were kinda forgotten. But this is only a minor observation and didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book.
I highly recommend “Forget Me Not” for people who love story-driven YA. Five stars!
Where in the world is Cassandra Page?
Posted: February 13, 2014 Filed under: On parenting, On social media | Tags: aussie-owned, guest post, scheduling 4 Comments(Ok, the title is a reference to Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, which you’re all no doubt too young to get. With your clothes. And your music. *shakes walking stick*)
Carmen Sandiego – straight from the 1980s. Woo!
The last week has been big with the crazy around my place. My son started preschool, and the same day we drove to Sydney so he could have his eyes tested at the eye hospital there. The results were a bit of a shock: it turns out he’s night blind.
Sort of explains why he’s afraid of the dark. 😦
He’s fine and it’s not degenerative, so it could be much, much worse. But it took me a day or two to adjust my thinking to the whole idea.
Also, my phone line and ADSL have been down. Hopefully by the time you’re reading this they are back, but I’m drafting this post using a 3G dongle I just bought. It feels as slow as dial up did back in the day, although without that charming screech when it connects. (Speaking of the stone age…)
Anyway, I have been kicking around the rest of the internet during my absence here. Spefically there are three places I’ve been lurking this past week — in case you missed me trying and mostly failing to share the links on my phone.
Today I posted the Aussie Owned and Read Valentine’s Day poll. (Yes, I know it’s a day early — shush.) You may recall that I had a blog post up last month calling for nominations. Well, this is where the final battle will be fought. With heart-shaped pillows and arrows made of chocolate. Or something.
On Sunday I made a cameo at Laura Catherine’s blog, talking about the many wonders of scheduling everything from tweets to emails to blog posts (ahem).
And on Monday I was K. A. Last’s guest over at her blog. I talked about using the everyman, familiar cultures and familiar myths as a way of grounding your speculative fiction reader.
I’ll try to be more organised in future. I promise. xo
Review: ‘Sleeper’ by S. M. Johnston
Posted: February 4, 2014 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: aussie-owned, AWW, reviews, small presses, young adult 5 Comments
“Sleeper” by S. M. Johnston
A new heart should mean new life, not a living nightmare.
Mishca Richardson’s life is at an all-time high after her heart transplant. With new boyfriend, Ryder, the two of them have the perfect summer romance. Even the nightmares that have been plaguing her sleep since her operation can’t dull the high she’s on.
Things start to unravel as Mishca develops superhuman abilities. She does her best to hide them so as not to end up a science experiment in a lab. But she can’t ignore the instant attraction she experiences when she meets her university professor, Colin Reed.
Torn between the blossoming love and the obsession, Mishca must decide if she wants Ryder or Colin. But the organization responsible for her changes and her connection to Colin, is moving to secure Mishca so that she can be the weapon she was always intended to be. If Mishca can’t resist her programming she’ll have a lot more to worry about than romance
I don’t know why I never used to read independent fiction by small presses. Actually, I do—because I was mostly hearing about books by seeing them on the shelves at my local chain bookstore. But I was missing out on a lot of good Australian fiction.
Sleeper is one of those books. By Queensland author S. M. Johnston, it sits somewhere between YA and NA; the main character, Mischa, is eighteen and about to start university, but the themes sit closer to the more-typical YA fare of self-discovery. And while there’s a lot of kissing there’s no graphic detail in here that might make some teens (or parents of teens) uncomfortable.
After her heart transplant, Mischa finds that she’s traded being a “freak” with an illness that means she can’t do the things her peers can to being a freak in the truer sense. Although the doctors warned her she’d feel different, she’s pretty sure superhuman speed and strength weren’t want they meant. (Watch out for the scene on the beach where Mischa explores the full extent of her powers—it made me giggle. Poor girl!) She’s determined to fit in, though, and just wants to enjoy her new lease of life and being able to do things without worrying her heart may give out.
Mischa is easy to relate to and the romance between her and Ryder develops in a natural and realistic way that I enjoyed. He’s a likeable character, and when Mischa starts having eyes for another man, Colin, I got a bit grumpy with her—because Ryder. But it was obvious from the start that there was something weird going on in Mischa’s attraction to Colin, so her love at first sight didn’t irritate me the way it usually does in fiction. In fact, the attraction kept me guessing and made the plot more interesting. (For the record, I didn’t guess correctly either. The plot twist is a good one.)
Another thing I liked about Sleeper that you often don’t see in YA fiction is that her parents are not only present in her life but are responsible adults who actually take an active interest in their daughter’s behaviour and activities. I think it’s easier for Johnston in this case because, at eighteen, Mischa is an adult with her own drivers license—if she was fifteen it would be harder for her to get away with the things she does, which is often why YA writers have their characters’ parents either dead or chronically negligent.
My absolute favourite part of the book was the epilogue. Beautiful stuff.
The only thing I found a bit jarring about the story was that the book is set over the course of a full year. I found a couple of the time jumps a little surprising. But this was only a tiny niggle, especially as it would’ve been unrealistic if the story had played out over a shorter timeframe.
I’m giving Sleeper four and a half stars.
Book launch and giveaway: ‘Immagica’ by K. A. Last
Posted: February 1, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: aussie-owned, book launch, contests, self-publishing, young adult 3 Comments
Title: Immagica
Author: K. A. Last
Genre: YA Fantasy/Adventure
Word Count: Approximately 68,000
Cover Illustration: Lawrence Mann
Cover Designer: KILA Designs
Map Illustration: Lawrence Mann
Available from Amazon (eBook) | Amazon (paperback) | Smashwords | iBooks | Barnes & Noble
Immagica…
Where anything is possible.
Enter at your own risk.The night before her fifteenth birthday, Rosaline Clayton uncovers a deep family secret. She receives an amulet from her deranged father, and he tells her she must find the book in order to save him. Rosaline is used to her dad not making any sense, so she dismisses their conversation as another of his crazy rants.
When Rosaline’s brother, Elliot, drags her to their nana’s attic to explore, they find the old leather-bound book tucked away in a chest. It sucks them into its pages, transporting them to a magical world. Along the way, Rosaline and Elliot are separated, and the only thing she wants is to find her brother and go home.
The creatures of Immagica have other ideas. After years of war, their land lies in ruin. Using the amulet’s power, they want Rosaline to defeat the dragon and restore Immagica to its former glory. But Rosaline is bound to Immagica in ways she doesn’t understand, and when she discovers the truth about her family, she must follow her heart to save them all.
You can win some signed Immagica swag here!
And to win an eBook of Immagica, leave a comment telling me which fantasy creature you’d most like to meet.
Excerpt:
The machine was close enough for me to reach out and touch. It wasn’t actually hanging like I’d first thought; it was supported by a pole that went down the centre of the Eye. In the distance, at the very bottom, there was something red—a light, pulsing softly in the darkness.
All the parts of the machine were shiny, and it was well looked after. I reached out a hesitant hand to touch one of the cogs.
“Please, don’t do that,” a nervous voice said from the other side. “You shouldn’t touch the pupil, it’s very fragile.”
Through the gaps in the mass of parts, I caught a glimpse of a boy. “Pupil?” I asked.
“Yes.” He moved to where I could see him, and scratched his head. “Fragile. It’s fragile.”
The boy looked around seventeen. His white-blond hair fell across his forehead. Behind his thick-rimmed glasses were the most unusual eyes. They looked hazel, but a second later they were green, or hazel with green flecks. As quickly as I decided what colour they were, they changed again. He was tall and lanky, and wore a faded red T-shirt, jeans and rubber thongs. I thought he was cute, in a geeky kind of way.
“Who are you?” I asked, tentatively.
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” the boy said, eyeing me sceptically. “How did you get in?”
I held up the amulet. “Key?” I said.
His eyes widened. “Oh. Oh!”
“Hi, Lex.” Brynn gave a small wave.
“Brynn. Um … hi,” Lex said. He turned back to me. “You’re—”
“Here to save you. Yes, I know.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “So, your name is Lex?”
“Um … yes. I’m keeper and protector of the Eye. I get to oil the cogs and stuff.” He waved his hand towards the machine.
“What does it do?”
“What does it do …?” He scratched his head again, clearly flustered. He reminded me of my dad when he got excited. Lex darted back behind the big contraption and stared at me through the gaps. “What does it do?” he repeated. “It’s the pupil, the life of the Eye, the heart of Immagica. It counts time, and records memories.” His arms flapped, and he stepped back to where I could see him. “If the rose dies, the pendulum stops and … what did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t. I’m Rosaline.” I tried to smile, but this guy was seriously weird. Cute, I reminded myself, but weird.
About the author:
K. A. Last was born in Subiaco, Western Australia, and moved to Sydney with her parents and older brother when she was eight. Artistic and creative by nature, she studied Graphic Design and graduated with an Advanced Diploma. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she concentrated on her career before settling into family life. Blessed with a vivid imagination, she began writing to let off creative steam, and fell in love with it. She now resides in a peaceful, leafy suburb north of Sydney with her husband, their two children, and a rabbit named Twitch.
You can find her at her website, or on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or on Amazon.
Cassandra Page 