113) Carniepunk by Various Authors

The Blurb :

The traveling carnival is a leftover of a bygone era, a curiosity lurking on the outskirts of town. It is a place of contradictions—the bright lights mask the peeling paint; a carnie in greasy overalls slinks away from the direction of the Barker’s seductive call. It is a place of illusion—is that woman’s beard real? How can she live locked in that watery box?

And while many are tricked by sleight of hand, there are hints of something truly magical going on. One must remain alert and learn quickly the unwritten rules of this dark show. To beat the carnival, one had better have either a whole lot of luck or a whole lot of guns—or maybe some magic of one’s own.

My Thoughts :

I have been looking forward to reading this anthology ever since I saw it advertised.  The author roll call on this one is enough to make any Paranormal Urban Fantasy lover pee their pants in excitement.  However as with every anthology you have to be prepared to hate a few and love a couple and ignore the rest.

PAINTED LOVE by Rob Thurman

This wasn't a great start for me.  After waiting so long to read this anthology this was not the beginning I was hoping for.  My constant love/hate relationship with these books was pushed to its limits and if it wasn't for the other brilliant authors that were to come I doubt I would have carried on reading the book.

I can see how some people would enjoy this story but I felt like I was missing something.  It all becomes clear in the end but I don't like this style and I wasn't too impressed with the content/plot.  Or I just went in with a bad attitude.  Whichever it was, this wasn't my favourite.

THE THREE LIVES OF LYDIA by Delilah S. Dawson

I have never heard of this author before and therefore do not know her work.  This story is set in the Blud Series and I have to admit that I was a little lost.  I have no idea what this series is about and found it a struggle to keep up with what was going on.  While I love short stories based in the worlds I know and love it is a real pain to find one in an anthology set in a world you have no experience with.

A little dark and dismal for my liking and once again a story that didn't make me feel like continuing with the rest of the collection.

THE DEMON BARKER OF WHEAT STREET by Kevin Hearne

I am new to the Iron Druid series and when I saw that this short story was set in the world 3 books further along than I am, well I wanted to cry a little.  You see I loved the first book and I am desperate to start the second, third, fourth etc and I was extremely worried that this snippet in the series would spoil things for me.  However I didn't need to worry because the author was kind enough not to ruin things for people like me.

There was Oberon and there was Granuaile.  It is nice to see that these two characters have managed to stay constant in the series and I look forward to seeing what they get up to.  In this story they are as I expected them to be.  Oberon was funny and thinking of poodles and sausages and Granuaile was being a naive apprentice.  Perfect!

All in all a great little story and I appreciated the lack of depth and location set away from Atticus' normal jaunts.  If you haven't read the series yet and want to see what the fuss is about then you will love this story and want more.  One of the best reads in this anthology.

THE SWEETER THE JUICE by Mark Henry

I have praised this author on many occasions in the past but I think Mark Henry was working his way through something (a keg? something more potent) when he wrote this story.  Transexuals, zombies and some other very weird and gross stuff was mixed up in one of the most confusing plots that I have ever come across.  I missed the carnival theme altogether as I prayed for this one to come to a quick end.  I hate to say it, but maybe this was even the worst of the bunch.

THE WEREWIFE by Jaye Wells

Jaye Wells is another author I have praised over the years and this story while not her best is still a nice addition to the anthology.  The idea of a wife changing into a werewolf once a month has more than a few jokes attached to it and sometimes it felt a little too much.  However the reason for her monthly problem and the way the story twists around is really quite cunning.  I liked this one and it was just what I needed after the previous story.

THE COLD GIRL by Rachel Caine

If you haven't read anything by this author then it is high time you do.  Rachel Caine is very well known in the Paranormal Urban Fantasy genre and her YA series about the Morganville Vampires is a cult hit.  So I wasn't surprised at the pace and feeling of this story.  It was deep, dark and somehow very real.  It had an amazing 'It could happen' feel then slipped into the paranormal element leaving me with goosebumps.

One of the best, if not very imaginative, stories in the book.  This was horror movie style YA and it was a nice change of pace in this mixed bag of stories.

A DUET WITH DARKNESS by Allison Pang

An Allison Pang book is either on my wishlist or hiding on my Kindle and I think I need to look for it soon.  While I had no idea about who and what Abby Sinclair is, I felt like I need to get to know her after reading this short story.  I would most likely have enjoyed it more if I was familiar with the series but alas, I had to trudge through.

This had a nice story and concept and it was definitely one of those reads that makes you want to get to know the author and series more.  Allison Pang will be getting some new readers because of this short story.

RECESSION OF THE DIVINE by Hillary Jaques

Yawn!  This story didn't do anything for me.  I didn't really understand what was going on most of the time and I have to admit I wasn't interested.  Nothing spoke to me and nothing grabbed my attention.  Even though I was curious about another new author I won't be checking on her other work.  Maybe this one will appeal to others but this fell flat for me.

PARLOR TRICKS Jennifer Estep

I had already read Parlor Tricks a while back when it was released as a preview for this anthology.  It is the story that really makes the Collection worth reading.  Jennifer's Elemental Assassin, Gin, and her sister Bria, take the reins in this short story finds them having a wonderful adventure worth reading about.  You don't need to know the series to read this one but if you haven't already read the series I have to wonder why not...

One of the best of the bunch and everything I expected from this well established author and her amazing series.

FREAK HOUSE by Kelly Meding

I am behind on my Kelly Meding reading and I have no idea why.  I was hoping this short story wouldn't ruin my place in her books and I was happy to find it didn't.  Actually I hope like mad that this is the start of a new series because it is really one I would love to read.

Great idea and super characters, I was hooked from the beginning right to the end.  This story was in my top three reads in the anthology.  Please give us more of this!

THE INSIDE MAN by Nicole Peeler

Although I have read all the Jane True books (except the latest release) I felt very confused while reading this book.  I couldn't place the characters and Jane doesn't make an appearance.  I recognised some of the elements of the series but didn't feel like I was in the same world.  The story was ok but it wasn't one I enjoyed that much and I could have easily skipped it.

A CHANCE IN HELL by Jackie Kessler

A surprise for me!  A story from the Hell on Earth series!  I thought this was over but maybe I have missed something?  Or Jackie is just teasing her loyal readers?  I love Jezebel and couldn't believe my luck when this story came along in the anthology.  I sucked it up and enjoyed it so much that I can only hope that there will be more Jez soon!   Of course if you haven't read this series it will not be exciting and amazing.  Actually you will feel, I am sure, quite lost.

HELL’S MENAGERIE by Kelly Gay

Another series I am behind on. Charlie Madigan is a character I liked a lot and I have no reason why I haven't visited her lately.  This short story was about her daughter Emma and was pretty mediocre compared to what I remember of the series.  An ok read but it didn't leave me rushing to go pick up the books I am missing.

DAUGHTER OF THE MIDWAY, THE MERMAID, AND THE OPEN LONELY SEA by Seanan McGuire

Another new author for me but one I have heard a lot about.  This story was a nice interesting one but I didn't really care too much for the characters.  It was however a nice change of pace.  Most of the stories in this collection were about people going to a carnival of some kind whereas this one was a carnival person having problems with townies.

In Conclusion

As per usual this anthology was a mixed bunch of tricks.  Where some stories shone out above the rest a lot of them dwindled in the dark and shouldn't have seen the light of day.  My love/hate relationship with anthologies continues and I promise myself not to pick another one up before Christmas.

If you like at least a third of the authors who contributed to this book then you can't help but get a copy.  There are some real treasures in here and you may even find some new authors to help fill your wishlist/shopping basket/bookshelves.  It is also a nice book to pass around to friends who aren't sure about those weird paranormal books you keep reading.

     

    

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Rage By Jackie Morse Kessler (Full Review)

The Blurb -

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a different kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power, and refuses to be defeated by the world.

My Review -

I read this back in October and the book is due for release soon. So here is my review.

************************

When I read Hunger I was blown away by the book and its real life theme mixed with fantasy. Eating disorders leading to being one of the Four Horsemen sounds like a stupid story but it is actually a brilliant eye opener and an incredible tale. It was great to finally read something realistic, something that dealt with more than some silly girl meets boy love story. Something different to Twilight and all its perfect endings.

Now in Rage the story centers around cutting and War. The second of the four Horsemen is self harming herself and while nobody would actually understand why, she has her reasons, however small and trivial they may seem. Yet again the author takes a teenage problem and brings it out into the open. She mixes it with fantasy but doesn't mock it or make it look cool. Rage is honest, emotional and raw. It is a book every teenager could learn from and a story that could help many.

Another bravo to the author for writing such a great piece of work. I only hope that the next books in the series are just as amazing and fantastic as Hunger and Rage. I wait patiently and look forward to what comes. If you haven't had a chance to try these books then make sure you don't miss these memorable stories. Young or old, everyone will find something special inside these books.

24) Those Who Fight Monsters by Justin Gustainis et al

The Blurb -

A collection of Occult (a.k.a supernatural) Detective stories assembled by Justin Gustainis and featuring new stories by:

Tanya Huff
C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp
Simon R. Green
T. A. Pratt
Chris Marie Green
Lilith Saintcrow
Rachel Caine
Jacqueline Kessler
Carrie L. Vaughn
Julie Kenner
C.J. Henderson
Laura Anne Gilman
Justin Gustainis
Caitlin Kittredge

My Review -

I did promise to post my full review when author Justin Gustainis visits Amberkatze's Book Blog in March. However I liked this one so much that I am going to post my thoughts on this book now because it is due for release before his visit.

So anyone who visits Amberkatze's Book Blog on a regular basis will know that I rarely give anthologies a good review and usually moan about how I should stop torturing myself by reading them. Once again I took the bait. So many cool authors in one book. How could I resist? Would I get hurt again?

Well this time around I am happy to announce that this anthology could actually be the best I have read, ever! Did you see the line up? A Demon Soccer Mom Hunting story was inside as well as one of my favourite Succubi, Jezebel! An amazing Carrie Vaughn story which I hope is the start of a new series because I would totally love to read more. The best Laura Anne Gilman story I think I have ever read and of course T.A. Pratt! How I have missed you!!! And not forgetting the wonderful editor of this collection, Justin Gustianis. It has been way too long since we saw Quincy and I can't wait for more.

Worth buying! Awesome author selection with stories bursting with paranormal goodness. There are some real treasures in this one and next to no duds. Oh and to top it off the cover is pretty cool as well ;)

Jackie Morse Kessler Contest Winner

My guest this last week was author Jackie Morse Kessler. Jackie was here talking about her new Young Adult series and if she would like to see any of her characters come to life on screen. Also there was the chance to win a copy of the first book in the Riders series. Hunger is a great read and if you entered the contest you just have to read a little bit further to find out if you won. If you didn't enter, bad luck, the contest is closed!

And the winner is -


Pink Panther!!!


Congratulations! Keep reading to find out how to claim your prize!

If you didn't win this time then come back again because there are always author contests popping up! Also the Monthly Giveaway (it is really late this time around) will be coming up soon. Make sure you check in regularly or better yet sign up for the newsletter!

-----------------------------------------

How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.

If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!

If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

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Jackie Kessler Contest Reminder!

This week my author guest is Jackie Kessler!

Go read the interview about her new YA series and then enter the contest for your chance to win a copy of 'Hunger' the first in the series.

You have till Sunday to enter! Don't miss out!

Oh and an apology! The Monthly Giveaway should have been up by now but I just haven't had the chance to get it set up! Hope you don't mind waiting till the weekend! I promise to pick amazing books for you choose from!

Hope you are all having a great week!

Interview with Author Jackie Morse Kessler (Includes Contest!)

This week my author guest is Jackie Morse Kessler a.k.a Jackie Kessler.

Now Jackie is well known for her Hell on Earth succubus books and also her superhero YA novels written with Caitlin Kittredge. But did you know she has a new YA series out? A cool new series about the four riders of the apocalypse?

I have had the pleasure of reading both Hunger and Rage and can only highly recommend them both. I am really looking forward to the next two books and hopefully you will all get yourselves a copy and agree with me!

Maybe you will win a copy? Check out the contest after reading the interview. You could get a copy of Hunger!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest again! Could you start things off by telling us a little about your YA
series, The Riders?

Jackie - Thanks, Amber. I'm really happy to be here. :) The Riders' Quartet is a series of four books about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and, more important, about a specific issue faced by the different teen protagonists. HUNGER is Famine's book, and it focuses on eating disorders.

Amber - How did the idea for the series come about? Is it something you have been working on for a while?

Jackie - I had the idea for HUNGER for 10 years. I'd told myself that no one would want to read it. Luckily, my agent convinced me otherwise. (For the record, I don't recommend waiting 10 years to write a book!)

Amber - I already had the pleasure of reading HUNGER and was extremely impressed about the way you spotlighted such a delicate subject. You seem to know a lot about eating disorders. Is is something you researched or something you have dealt with yourself?

Jackie - I used to be bulimic. Writing HUNGER was extremely cathartic, even though I haven't been bulimic for a long time. I did do some research into specific anorexic behavior.

Amber - Will the other books also focus on other teenage 'problems'?

Jackie - Yes. RAGE, which will come out early spring 2011, is about a teen girl who self-injures, who becomes the new avatar of War. LOSS, which I'm writing now, is about a bullied teenage boy who is tricked into becoming Pestilence. The fourth book, BREATH, will be Death's book. I haven't started writing that one yet, but it's safe to say the issue will have something to do with death. :)

Amber - Is it hard switch genres? A sexy succubus one day and a Young Adult series the next? Did you always want to write a Young Adult series?

Jackie - It's actually not as hard as I would have thought. Then again, I didn't intentionally set out to write YA, so there you go!

Amber - The books have really cool covers! Did you get a say in that?

Jackie - I had absolutely no say in the cover, but I am extremely grateful to have been blessed by the cover gods.

Amber - How long on average does it take you to write a book? Do you have a
process you follow? or do you just start at page one and see what happens?

Jackie - Well...HUNGER had been brewing for 10 years. So it all came pouring out in four weeks. (To be fair, it is a very short book.) RAGE took longer -- a couple months to write the first four chapters and the synopsis, and then two more months to write the rest of the book, with a lot of research in the middle. LOSS at the moment is giving me gray hair from how long it's taking. But that's OK. The words will come.

For me, I absolutely must have the right opening sentence. It's just one of those things; if I don't have the right opening sentence, I can't move forward. Frustrating, really.

Amber - A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music that influenced the Riders series?

Jackie - For HUNGER, no, because the words came so quickly -- that being said, Nirvana songs play a role. For RAGE, I listened to a lot of Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Shine Down, Linkin Park, Nickelback, and definitely Nirvana. LOSS is mostly Linkin Park and Nirvana. As for BREATH, I currently have Nirvana, Breaking Benjamin, Shaman's Harvest and Slipknot on the soundtrack.

Amber - Are you working on any other projects you would like to tell us about?

Jackie - Other projects, yes. Other contracted projects, no. ;)

Amber - There has been quite a lot of Paranormal TV series and Films to hit the screens lately. Why do you think that is? Would you like to see any of your characters come to life in the same way?

Jackie - Just like people enjoy reading about the supernatural, they like to watch it too. Stories about monsters, after all, are really stories about our own humanity. And heck yes, I'd love to see my characters on screen. I think a lot of HUNGER would have to be reimagined because so much of the book is internal -- just like what Alan Ball did with Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series for True Blood, a visionary director would have to do something similar with HUNGER. But it could be done! As for the superhero books and Jezebel's books...man, those are tailor-made for the big screen. Or possibly, in Jezzy's case, HBO. :)

Amber - Which Rider would you like to be? Or would you choose to be Death?

Jackie - Oh heavens. I wouldn't want to be any of them. I have far too much fun playing God when I write them. But I wouldn't mind hanging out with Death. He's cool. And he plays a mean guitar.

Amber - Thanks for visiting Amberkatze's Book Blog again!

Jackie - Thanks again, Amber!



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Contest Time

Would you like to win a copy of Hunger? Well just enter the contest to win!

How to Enter

Everywhere I look I see Christmas! Are you ready? Have you got all the presents? Do you wait till the last minute? Or is it just too early?

No Christmas = No Entry

Earn more entries for each link you place about this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your entries in one post.

Advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog on your site and get an extra entry for this and every other contest!

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You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 5th of December 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

142) Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

The Blurb -

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a different kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power, and refuses to be defeated by the world.

My Review -

Unfortunately this book doesn't release until April 2011 and therefore the publishers do not want any reviews going public yet. However I can tell you that, Rage, like the first in the series, Hunger, is an amazing read.

123) Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

The Blurb -

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she's been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

A wildly original approach to the issue of eating disorders, Hunger is about the struggle to find balance in a world of extremes, and uses fantastic tropes to explore a difficult topic that touches the lives of many teens.

My Review -

Ever since I heard about this book I wanted to read it. So when I got the chance to review this I couldn't stop myself. Jackie Kessler's Hell on Earth series introduced me to the paranormal element of the succubus and now she has introduced me to another new angle in the genre. We have all heard of The Four Horsemen and they have even come up in the TV show Supernatural. However Jackie's take on The Riders is very different but at the same time extremely brilliant.

At first I wasn't sure what to expect but knew that the title Hunger was going to explore the character of Famine. I was surprised and impressed by the way this book evolved and hope that a lot of people take the time to read this Young Adult debut where the harsh reality of life and a real problem of teenage girls all over the world is laid out for everyone to see. No holds barred this book is a realistic tale mixed with some fantasy which doesn't make it any easier to swallow.

This is no sugar coated love triangle or fairy tale where the main character is strong, wonderful and perfect. Hunger is a bucket of cold water being thrown over you. I only hope that the book makes an impact on the age range it is aimed at because it is the Young Adults who are the ones who need to see that things are not always like Twilight and The Vampire Diaries in this world.

Bravo to Jackie for bringing a somewhat delicate and sometimes misunderstood illness to light and keeping it real. A portion of the proceeds for this book will be donated to the National Eating Disorders Association so make sure you buy a copy. Hunger is emotional, addictive and special it a brilliant and well thought out story that you won't forget.

Hunger is due for release on the 18th of October and Rage, the second book in the series, will be out next Spring. I can't wait to see what Jackie has in store for us in that one.

Jackie Kessler Contest Winner!

My guest last week was author Jackie Kessler and she was here telling us a bit about her newest release and her upcoming projects. She was also giving away a copy of Black and White, the first book she wrote together with author Caitlin Kittrege.

It was fun reading about your favourite superheroes! But who is the lucky winner? Congrats to -


Legatu!!


If you didn't win this time then make sure you enter the Monthly Giveaway! If that doesn't take your fancy then stay tuned because a new author interview and contest is coming up!

How to claim your prize!

Please contact me via email - Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot eu within the next 7 days to claim your prize. Your claim will go quicker if you send me your address.

If you won a contest where you can choose your prize, then please make sure you state in your email which book you would like. This will help things go alot quicker!

If you email me and don't get a reply within 48 hours please post on the blog letting me know. Some email gets eaten by my spam filter. If a prize isn't claimed after 7 days I will, if the author agrees, pick another winner.

Please also note that I can not be held responsible for prizes that come direct from authors. I will check with them for you if you haven't received your prize but I can not hunt down your mail! Any prizes that come from myself could come from a 3rd party eg. Amazon or Bookdepository. If I am sending a prize myself please be aware that it could take a few weeks to reach you as it is coming from Europe.

Support the contests by using the Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!

Winners? Where are you? & Contest Reminder!

So where are those winners? Jocelynn Drake was giving away three copies of her latest book and so far only one winner has come forward and claimed her prize. Check out the details here and see if you are one of the lucky people! You only have till Sunday to stake your claim!

Also don't forget to enter this weeks contest! Author Jackie Kessler is giving away a copy of Black & White. She wrote the book with author Caitlin Kittredge and it is a brilliant read. Make sure you enter the contest before 4pm (Central European Time) on Sunday.

Keep a look out for the Monthly Giveaway! It will be coming up sometime over the next few days!

Author Interview & Contest with Jackie Kessler

This week one of my author guests is Jackie Kessler. Well known for her 'Hell on Earth' series starring succubus Jezebel, Jackie has also teamed up with author Caitlin Kittredge to produce a very unique series. Black And White was the first book about the Icarus Project and now Shades of Gray is about to be released. Superheroes are back in fashion and any comic book fans will love these books.

Enjoy the interview and make sure you enter the contest! Oh and keep a look out for Jackie's new YA novel. It looks very nice!

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Amber - Welcome to Amberkatze's Book Blog! It is great to have you here as a guest! Could you start things off by telling us a little about the Icarus Project?

Jackie – Thanks, Amber! I’m happy to be here. :)

The Icarus Project is the dystopian superhero series that I write with Caitlin Kittredge. I write in the point of view of Jet, the superheroine who works with Shadow; Caitlin writes in the point of view of Iridium, the supervillainess who works with Light. I’m the tortured hero; she’s the evil genius. Of course, she gets all the great lines. ;)

Amber - It has been a year since Black and White came out. Now Shades of Gray, book two, is finally here! What can readers expect from the new instalment?

Jackie – More battles, more points of view, more history and much more danger.

Amber - How did the Icarus Project come about? Was it your idea or Caitlin's? ;)

Jackie – Actually, we both came up with it. We’d agreed way back before either of us had been published that one day, when we both had book contracts, we would collaborate on a superhero story, since we both grew up reading comic books. So in April 2007, after Hell’s Belles was published and she’d sold Night Life, we started thinking about what we jokingly called Project Spandex. And after brainstorming and such, we wrote Black and White in 10 weeks.

Amber - What is it like working with Caitlin? Or even writing with another author? It must be weird after writing alone?

Jackie – Very different, yes. But it’s awesome. We’re on the same page when it comes to the story, and the gist of the characters. Because we wrote in rotating POVs, there was very little worry about who had creative control: we both did. We both offered suggestions/changes on each other’s chapters, but ultimately, it was up to each of us to decide what changes in our own chapters to make.

Amber - So how does the writing process work? Do you each write a different character? Or write back and forth?

Jackie – Yes to both. :) We rotated chapters/points of view. In Black and White, we literally went back and forth with the chapters; she’d write a chapter and send me the manuscript; I’d write the next chapter and send her the manuscript, etc. About halfway through, we created NOW and THEN sections for better flow. And about 2/3 of the way through, we created one-line summaries of all upcoming chapters to ensure we were tying everything up.

It was a little different for Shades of Gray because of timing and other deadlines. When I had more free time, I wrote a number of chapters, and then when Caitlin got the manuscript she’d write the chapters in between. But it was the same basic idea: I wrote my sections, and she wrote her sections, with both of us keeping the overall story in mind as we wrote.

In Shades, I wrote in the POV of Jet, Angelica, Night, and Garth; Caitlin wrote in the POV of Iridium, Vixen, and Luster/Arclight.

Amber - Black and White was very different to anything you or Caitlin have written before. Did you always want to write something for younger readers? Do you prefer superheroes to the paranormal?

Jackie – We didn’t write the books aiming specifically for teens, but we both agree that teens and adults who love superhero comics would probably love Black and White and Shades of Gray. (That being said, my debut YA novel, HUNGER by Jackie Morse Kessler, hits the shelves in October 2010 — that’s about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new Famine, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Caitlin’s debut YA, THE IRON THORN, comes out in February 2011. Preorder your copies now!)

It’s not a question of preferring superheroes to paranormal. It’s a matter of flavor. Some days, I want chocolate covered pretzels; other days, I want mint chip ice-cream. Both are yummy. But they’re not the same. :)

Amber - How long will the Icarus Project last? Have you both decided on an ending or will it keep going till something makes you stop?

Jackie – We sold Black and White in a two-book deal to Ballantine Spectra. What happens after Shades of Gray remains to be seen.

Amber - I really loved your Hell on Earth series. Are we likely to see anymore from Jezebel? Are you working on any other projects?

Jackie – Thanks! There’s lots of Hell going on. Right now, I’m serializing the fourth book, Hell to Pay, on my website every Tuesday, I’m posting a new chapter. This will go through the last Tuesday in December 2010. Completely free. Enjoy!

There will also be four new Hell short stories coming out in 2011, including “Hell’s Fury” in The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance and “Hell Bound” in Those Who Fight Monsters. I’ll be posting this on my website after everything has been finalized. And the third book, Hotter Than Hell, will be reissued as a mass market paperback in September 2010. (Daun!)

As I mentioned before, my debut young adult novel, Hunger, comes out in October 2010. The second book of The Riders’ Quartet, Rage, will come out in spring 2011. I’m currently working on the third book, Loss.

Amber - How do you pick the names for your characters? Do they have any special meanings?

Jackie – Usually. Jezebel...well, how could I not name a succubus Jezebel? Jet was named for her power over shadows. The main character for Loss, Billy, was definitely picked for a reason that I can’t get into. :)

Amber – A lot of authors have 'soundtracks' for their books. Is there any music influenced your books?

Jackie – Oh, I love music, especially with the Hell books. If you’ve read The Road to Hell, there’s a scene where Jesse summons the demon Daunuan. As I wrote that scene, I played Depeche Mode’s “Pimpf” again and again to help me with the mood. There’s actually a Music section in the Hell portion of my website, which gets into some of the music I use in the series.

No music for me for the Icarus books, and very little for Hunger. But for Rage? Yes indeed. Lots of Nirvana, among other songs.

Amber - What have you been reading and watching lately?

Jackie – I’m reading a whole bunch of things. I recently finished Shannon Delany’s 13 to Life, which I adored. Ditto Jeri Smith-Ready’s Shade and Stacey Kade’s The Ghost and the Goth. The multi-talented Michelle Rowen’s The Demon In Me was fabulous. I’m eagerly anticipating A.S. King’s Please Ignore Vera Dietz, as well as Heather Brewer’s Twelfth Grade Kills. And next year, look for Ty Drago’s The Undertakers.

Lately, I’ve been watching episodes of Angel back to back.

Amber - There are alot of online sites taking up peoples time lately. Are you on Facebook or any other sites? Do you think the sites are useful or do they just take up too much of your time?

Jackie – I’m on Twitter pretty frequently, and that updates my Facebook status. I blog consistently at the Deadline Dames every other Tuesday. I try to blog on my own sites, but lately it’s been tough finding the time.

Amber - If you could be any paranormal creature, what would you be and why?

Jackie – That’s easy: I’d be a god. (Clearly, as an author, I have a god complex as it is...)

Amber - And what superhero powers would you want? Or would you be a villain?

Jackie – This changes daily. Today, I’d have the ability to fly, because I think that would be awesome. And as much as I’d love to be a villain because they get the cooler clothing and the better lines and seem to have a lot more fun...I’d probably be a hero. (Sigh.)

Amber - Thank you so much for being a guest on Amberkatze's Book Blog! I hope you will come back again ;)

Jackie – Thanks so much, Amber!



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Contest Time!

Jackie is very kindly giving away a copy of BLACK AND WHITE.

How to Enter

Tell us who your favourite Superhero is!

No Superhero = No Entry

Earn more entries for each place you link this contest on the net. You can post on Facebook, Twitter & MySpace but make sure you add links here for me to confirm your entries! However please do not make individual postings for each entry. Please post all your info in one post.

You can also earn extra entries by emailing your friends about the contest. Just make sure you send a copy of your email or receipt to me at Amberkatzes_book_blog at gmx dot net.

Make sure you post your links here so I can confirm your entries.

Keep the contests going by using the Bookdepository.com links/Banners below and around the site!



The contest will stay open until Sunday 27th of June 2010 4pm CET and the winner will be picked by a randomizer. Entrants should check back to see if they have won. I do not hunt down winners and will pick new winners for any prizes not claimed within 7 days.

August Monthly Giveaway!

This month, like last month, I am letting you all vote for which book you want to win! That means the winner will get the book with the most votes and not necessarily the book they voted for.

There are five books to choose from so vote away!



How to enter the Monthly Giveaway

All you have to do to have your name put in the draw is to sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. Sign up and confirm your subscription and maybe your name will be picked as a winner!

If you already subscribed then you are also eligible to win this prize! Just make sure you confirmed your subscription and that the subscription is for this site and not for the old version!

This book is registered on Bookcrossing.com but you do not have to be a member to win this prize. I do not expect the winner to journal the book on bookcrossing or become a member of Bookcrossing. The book does have a sticker inside advertising Bookcrossing.

The winner will be picked on the 30th of August.

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149) Black & White by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge

'Then' Callie Bradford, code name Iridium, and Joannie Greene, code name Jet, were best friends at an elite academy for superheroes in training. 'Now' the girls are mortal enemies. Jet is the superhero of New Chicago and spends her time protecting the people against the supervillian Iridium.

What both of the girls don't know is that there is an evil looming over them that goes back to their days at the academy. Jet is busy trying to track down Iridium while Iridium is trying to get back at the people and cause chaos. Both are at the center of something much bigger and they haven't realised it yet. It's the ultimate battle of good versus good. They’re both right. And they’re both wrong. Because nothing is as simple as Black and White.

Hogwarts meets the X-Men in this amazing new series from two great Paranormal Urban Fantasy writers. Taking a break from the paranormal both Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge prove that superheroes are cool and worth reading about.

With the chapters flipping back and forth from Iridium and Jet the reader gets a good look at how it is to be the good and the bad guy. The change from 'Then' and 'Now' means that we get to see what happened to the heroes and made them what they are today. Plot wise this is a fantastic effort with twists, turns and a few surprises that keep the reader gripped and ready for more.

Although this isn't aimed at Young Adults this is definitely one teenagers will enjoy. With half of the book told from the perspective of the heroes school years and the other half in their early twenties, there is nothing too 'adult' to censor. Making this a all round great read.

The second book in the series 'Shades of Gray' is due out in a years time. Why the wait? Who knows...but I hope I won't forget too much about Iridium and Jet during the twelve months break.

July Monthly Giveaway!

So it is time to let you know what book I am giving away this month. No wait...I have a better idea! You guys can choose!

There are five books to choose from and only one will win! So if your name is picked by the radomiser you will win the book with the most votes! Use the poll below or on the sidebar to vote. You can find infomation about all the books up for grabs here on Amberkatze's Book Blog (except Black & White which I am in the middle of right now but the review will be coming soon!).

The poll will stay open until 5.15pm (GMT) July 31st. Why such a strange time? Cause its my birthday and that is the time I was born ;)



How to Enter

All you have to do to have your name put in the draw is to sign up for Amberkatze's Book Blog newsletter. Sign up and confirm your subscription and maybe your name will be picked as a winner!

If you already subscribed then you are also eligible to win this prize! Just make sure you confirmed your subscription and that the subscription is for this site and not for the old version!

This book is registered on Bookcrossing.com but you do not have to be a member to win this prize. I do not expect the winner to journal the book on bookcrossing or become a member of Bookcrossing. The book does have a sticker inside advertising Bookcrossing.

The winner will be picked on the 2nd of August.

Use the form below to sign up for the newsletter!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner