When the one thing you live for is taken from you, do you let it go or do you fall? Jade, like any other student at Brushwood High, awaits the start of the school year with a certain measure of dread. Worse, she is being threatened by a voice that only she can hear—a voice that lurks at the edges of her awareness, haunting her and warning her of something unknown. She has always been able to count on her two best friends, Claire and Nate, but can she confide in them now? About this? Would they even believe her? Life takes a turn for the better when she meets Avan, a darkly handsome new student who, somehow, seems to drown out the voice and make her feel at ease. But Jade soon comes to realize that good things don’t last forever. When everything spirals out of control, she is shattered by something she never saw coming. Dazed and despairing, she must now overcome tragedy and embrace her true existence and a new but dangerous love. Will she be able to save herself and those she loves, before it’s too late? Or will she let the surrounding darkness consume her?
About The Author
Lucy Swing lives in sunny Floridawith her husband and two children. She is a YA Paranormal/ Romancewriter, whose works include: Feathermore #1 (Feathermore Trilogy), BloodyValentine, the novella, and Bloody Valentine is also offered in "Death byChocolate," an anthology consisting of 6 fantastic YA short stories with achocolaty twist. She is an absolute book hoarder and must always have a book at arms distance.Music is her muse, and there is always a soundtrack that plays along her life.
The Interview 1. In Between Writing and Reading what do you like to do? I don’t get to do much, really. I am a stay at home mom, so I spend most of my time making sure the house is tidy and the kids have their school lunches, do their homework and go to bed by 8PM. Spending time with my family is on the top of the list, obviously. My husband and I enjoy taking the kids on the boat. We live in Florida, so we get to do it all year round.
2. Describe your novel Twitter Style. 140 Characters or Less. GO! Teenagers in love. Tragedy that will rattle their lives forever and a world Jade, the MC, must now accept, or will she?
3. Where did the idea to write Feathermore came from? It actually came from a completely different story I wanted to write, but it was a little more for an adult audience. Little by little I molded it into what it is today.
4. Feathermore seems like a complex story, just as Jade seems like a complex character. What was the writing process like? any tough parts? This is my first manuscript; everything about writing process was tough. I started writing it over the summer, so any down time was hard to come by. I think staying up well into the wee hours of the night and waking up at the crack of morning was one of the toughest. I had a definite idea on the characters and, to my relief, they loved talking to me. They had numerous conversations in my head and it just all came quite easily.
5. Tell us something at random. I cannot write until my house is clean.
6.- What's a typical working day lhke for you? When and where do you write? Do you set a daily writing goal? My life is a routine, and can kind of become mundane. I take the kids to school, go home and have breakfast then clean. Once all is done, I sit down and write. By write I mean, check my Twitter, Facebook, views on my blog and all of that good stuff. Then I really write until my alarm goes off and I have to pick up the kids. Yup, BORING! But it has become normal to me, when I can’t do that I feel a little off. I go into a bit of a Monica Geller (from Friends) frenzy.As far as a daily writing goal, I didn’t do it in the past. My friend Kira and I have decided to write 1,500 words daily. She is currently writing book 3 in her Arelia LaRue Series and I, book #2 in the Feathermore Trilogy.
7. Now between You and Me, what's in store for the future? I am currently writing book 2 in the Feathermore Trilogy which I am hoping (crosses fingers) to release in June/July. I am also working on another WIP, called “The Destroyer.”
12 Months ago I started Blogging, and I would have never ever imagined I would have 900+ followers, amazing blogger friends and many more things that, looking back, I realize I wouldn't have without the help of many many people, so here are a few of the bloggers that have had a bigger influence on me. Without them I Literally wouldn't have the blog I have now and I just want you guys to meet them:
The Role Models
Kristi from The Story Siren. Her's was the first Book Blog I saw, and when I saw what she did I knew I wanted to make my own. For me, Kristi is The YA Book Blogger. I just love her, she's amazing <3 Yani from The Secret Life of An Avid Reader. Without her I wouldn't have a Blog. At All. I started the blog and was a total Fail. It wasn't until I meet Yani that I started blogging again, she taught me everything I know. She's an amazing blogger, I owe everything to her. Tawni from The Book Worms. Tawni!! Even though I've only talked to her once she's the reason why I got into Blog Designs! I am nowhere close to how amazing she is in designing, but seeing everything she does to her blog [Her new design is so Cute!] she inspired me to work harder on mine to the point where I am actually studying Digital Graphic Design Today :D!
The Ones that Inspire Me.
Wendy from A Cupcake and a Latte. She is one of the most amazing bloggers out there. I don't know how she does it! she makes 2 to 3 blog posts a Day! When I'm feeling lazy on my blogging I always remind myself, if Wendy can do it, so can you! and she's an amazing person, Love you cupcake! Laura from A Work of Fiction. I wish my reviews where half as good as hers, they are the best reviews I've seen and she is hilarious! I seriously love her reviewing style, she'll be one of the most amazing authors out there one day, I guarantee that!
The Best Friends
Header from Nightly Reading
Jennifer from Some Like it Paranormal
Anna from Literary Exploration
These girls are A-mazing. Period. Header has been an amazing friend since we both started as mods of The Young Adult Book Club, and we've been trough a bunch of stuff and drama together it's insane x) Jennifer! She has a great book taste! If she likes it, I'll like it. and even though our taste in books is totally opposite I just know I'll like something she likes. And she's an awesome girl :) [and we both have cats!] Anna is the sweetest blogger I have ever encountered! No kidding! if you don't know her you should! She has an amazing blog and she is also in college and I bow to her in respect for the fact that she does such an amazing job with both of them. And I haven't met anyone yet that uses twitter as much as her :P
The Followers.
A Sincere and Loving thank you to my followers <3 Your comments mean the world to me, it's amazing to know I can help you guys decide if you should by a book and discover new ones :)
Thank You!
As a Thank You I have a Giveaway! I will be buying One Lucky will send me 4 Books in their Wishlist an I will grant him/her 2 Books!. This one will be US only! really sorry about that but there will be an International Giveaway coming soon so be sure to stay tuned ;)
1 Winner. 2 Books from Her/His Wishlist. Some suggestions:
Date Released: July 8th 2011 Pages: 254 pages Date Read: 2/10/12 Format: PDF Source: Author
Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Julia finds herself leaving her London life behind to move with her parents to the Amazon jungle.
A native descendant, she becomes familiarized with her own roots for the first time in her life. However, she never imagines she is about to discover much more than her own past but also just how crowded our little planet is...
This is a present time sci-fi/ fantasy story about trust, friendship, love and self-discovery.
This book falls into the category of YA fiction, though not unsuitable for younger readers.
Swirls is one of the most intriguing books I've ever read. For starters, the summary doesn't give too much away, so the moment I started reading, the big question came to my mind: WHAT? lucky for me this wasn't annoying, it was more like a "What is going on? I want to know! I need to know!" sorta thing.
We start with Julia ready to leave London and go live in the Amazon - she's not too happy about this. Also, she's not too happy with the strange dreams she's been having, especially the part were they torture her... But along with her arrival to the Amazon, a new friend comes - Lola, I Looooved her as a character! - Family secrets, a mysterious tribe leader, a hot boy and a not-so-nice mother [that would be an understatement].
Julia has a very special gift, and soon she finds herself being a very important part of this secret world. I really enjoyed this book and I loved the original world that F.A. Hershey created.
A fitting title, an original story, and a great book with an ending that will leave you wanting for more!
Excerpt from Swirls by F. A. Hershey:
My feet were killing me by now. The twigs and protruded roots felt more like whips lashing on my legs and arms as we walked through the forest’s non-existent paths. Halola and the guide were just a few paces in front of me, and it was clear that walking through the jungle felt like home to them.
I struggled my way through with more determination I thought myself capable of. They often paused and waited for me to catch up, but I just waved them on. I wanted to make myself endure the challenge and overcome it.
When I woke up this morning, I knew that this was going to be a challenge, but that was a challenge I was glad to accept. I was also glad to have something else to think about rather than Gabriel. I’d put on Halola’s hiking boots, my old jeans and a long sleeved shirt to protect my arms from mosquito bites, put on my best courageous face and left my room to meet Halola by the Reception.
What I wasn’t too well prepared for was the weight I would have to carry. I had a load of what felt like a ton of lead strapped to my back, which sometimes made me lose my balance. I’d have fallen backwards to the floor if it wasn’t for trunks of trees, bless them, to hold me up.
‘I’m doing great, don’t worry about me. The view is fantastic!’ I lied, not very convincingly though because the lie didn’t match the straining look I’m sure I had on my face. But I wasn’t lying about the view. It was fantastic.
I felt infinitesimally small compared to the tall, ancient trees around me. I could barely see the sky above my head and the sun’s rays struggled to find their way through the branches.
‘How are you doing?’ Halola asked me every now and then. She pitied me, but her hands were tied. There was no way she could help me much, because she too was carrying a massive load of food on her back.
The more we walked, the trickier it became to walk a straight line. I wondered every now and then if the guide really knew where he was going or if he was just as clueless and lost as I was.
I knew we had walked quite a long way when my hair was matted with sweat and my clothes were so sticky with sweat and dirt and green mould I could have just gone for a swim in the river with my clothes on.
‘We’re almost there,’ Halola spoke over her shoulder, as if reading my worried thoughts.
‘How do you know?’
‘Do you see that giant Kapok tree over there?’ she pointed to a magnificently tall tree that seemed to have been purposefully arranged to be the centre of things, somehow outshining and towering the other trees around it. If Halola, the guide and I joined hands we wouldn’t be able to encircle it all the way, so thick it was.
‘Yes, but there are others like that all over the place.’
‘Yes and no,’ Halola said smiling, ‘This tree here is very special because it’s been here for a long time – much longer than the others of its kind.’
‘And it’s been protected by the Kanuayeds since they settled here,’ added the guide.
‘My grandmother said the tribe has lived here for more than a thousand years,’ I said, remembering what Gran had told me so many times since I was a little girl.
I remembered her stories about the tribe life she always cherished so much. Now walking the paths I’m sure she would be able to walk with her eyes closed, I could imagine more vividly what she always tried to make me visualise and feel about her life here as a young girl – about my age actually. She left for England as a young woman of twenty.
