Winner announced..

Winner of Between the sea and sky is.....Micia
i have emailed the winner you 24 hours to reply if not a new winner well be picked.

beth revis giveaway!!!!

review: in the land of winter by margaret sarah bechtel, review by alice

WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Kate wants to forget her past.
Lex wants to begin his future.
The strangers meet on an ill-fated flight to Scotland, their lives and secrets collide when the plane crashes into the North Sea.
Only known survivors Kate and Lex are stranded on an island with an old lighthouse they are forced to use for shelter.
Lex is desperate to get them both rescued.
Kate is desperate to stop him.

MY REVIEW
WOW can anyone say Rollercoaster of emotions!!!
this book makes you laugh, cry, want to throw the book away in anger. every emotion you can think of margaret made you feel with this book. it was so different to my normal reads, and im glad i picked it up and read it, read it in less than a day. i loved the characters and the things they had to overcome was just amazing. some times i wanted to hit kate with the way she acted but when it came clear why she acts the way she did you just want...moreWOW can anyone say Rollercoaster of emotions!!!
this book makes you laugh, cry, want to throw the book away in anger. every emotion you can think of margaret made you feel with this book. it was so different to my normal reads, and im glad i picked it up and read it, read it in less than a day. i loved the characters and the things they had to overcome was just amazing. some times i wanted to hit kate with the way she acted but when it came clear why she acts the way she did you just wanted to reach into the book and hug her.
this is my first book by margaret and i will definitly be reading more. thanks margaret for the emotional ride :)
if you havent picked up this book then i highly suggest you do

Best books halloween book list

Watch Best book trailer for this Halloween.

The Annmarie's young adult horrors list

The Annmarie's young adult horrors list

Halloween is one of my favourite holidays so here are a few scary teen reads that are a most read.

The Enemy by Charlie Higson

They'll chase you. They'll rip you open. They'll feed on you ...When the sickness came, every parent, police officer, politician - every adult - fell ill. The lucky ones died. The others are crazed, confused and hungry. Only children under fourteen remain, and they're fighting to survive. Now there are rumours of a safe place to hide.

Annmarie’s comment: This series by Charlie Higson is brilliant it’s scary and the story is Amazing. A must read series.

Ashes by Ilsa j. Bick

Alex has run away and is hiking through the wilderness with her dead parents' ashes, about to say goodbye to the life she no longer wants to live. But then the world suddenly changes. An electromagnetic pulse sweeps through the sky zapping every electronic device and killing the vast majority of adults. For those spared, it's a question of who can be trusted and who has changed... Everyone still alive has turned - some for the better (those who acquired a superhuman sense) while others for the worse (those who acquired a taste for human flesh). Desperate to find out what happened and to avoid the zombies that are on the hunt, Alex meets up with Tom - an Army veteran who escaped one war only to find something worse at home - and Ellie, a young girl whose grandfather was killed by the electromagnetic pulse. This improvised family will have to use every ounce of courage they have just to find food, shelter, while fighting off the 'Changed' and those desperate to stay alive. A tense and involving adventure with shocks and sudden plot twists that will keep teen and adult readers gripped.

Annmarie’s comment: Another great book that needs to be read.

Slice of cherry by Dia Reeves

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities….

Annmarie’s Comment: My close friend Alice who runs the page with me sent me this book. When she said this book was bloody i had no idea how bad it would be. Kit and Fancy are killers to the core.

The hunting ground by Cliff Mcnish

When Elliott and his brother move into the old and crumbling Glebe House they don't expect to find themselves sharing it with ghosts. But soon sinister events are unfolding. An old diary reveals glimpses of the mansion's past - and of a terrible tragedy. An old woman talks to ghosts - but is she in fact being controlled by them? And what of the sinister East Wing - a hideous labyrinth devised by a truly twisted mind? Can Elliott and his family escape the clutches of Glebe House? Or will they end up trapped in the endless maze of corridors, forever hunted by the dead?

Annmarie’s Comment: if you love ghost stories you are going to love this book. This is one house i would not want to leave in.

Gone by Micheal grant

In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE.

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.

It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

Annmarie’s comment: this is one of the best series. It full of everything action and why it’s filled with zombies or ghost there is other horrors in this book cruelty being one thing.

Well that's some of my favorite young adult horror's there is some others but ill save them for another time. So this Halloween put down your love story's and pick up something scary :D 

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber review

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1)

by Leanna Renee Hieber

Natalie Stewart's has always been over looked she has not spoken a word since her mother’s death. People normal look at her as if she is brain dead but when a strange but sexy painting walks into her life she finally finds that there is more to her then what meets the eye. As this strange painting brings Natalie happiness it also brings danger and heart ache.

The story is told by Natalie Stewart's the book is basically her dairy. She writes down what happens each day. You see Natalie is unable to speck since her mother death no words have come out of her month so now she write everything down. People seem to think she is stupid and dumb but she is far from it. I found Natalie bright and most of all interesting she writes in way that makes all her thoughts and feelings clear and she tells her story in a way that lets you see the whole thing unfold in front of your eyes.   

Natalie was easy to like while the time the book was based in was far from what I would normal read, I found that time really did not change much Natalie was still a normal teen she hated the way she was treated and the way people could look at her like she was nothing. What really made Natalie likeable were the thoughts she sometimes had.  

Now the storyline in the book was brilliant I loved the way the book progressed in a way that you were glued to your seat wanting more. The book was not to fast but not slow ether, There was lots going on that made you need to learn more. The book at times was really dark and alluring with evil magic and death but there were times that it was light funny and you hoped for that happy ending. I loved the characters and most of all a brilliantly written book that left you with a feeling like the pictures in your house was watching you. 

4 Stars 

In my mailbox

As i only got a one real book this week i thought i would just post my in my mail box. 

Free from publishers

ARC paper back

I got a ARC of Cinder by Marissa Meyer 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 

I was really shocked to get this book as it came from New york. I'm not shore why maybe the uk ran out of copies but i was really pleased to get this. 

ARC Ebook

ARC of Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

A lot of people really want to read this book so i'm please i got a chance to read and review. 

Darker still is out November 8th this year 

ACR Ebook

ARC of The Wednesdays by Julie Bourbeau

Something wicked is lurking on Mt. Tibidabo, something that only comes out on Wednesdays . . .

Every Wednesday, strange things happen in Max's village. The townsfolk shutter their windows, lock their doors and hunker down to outwait this plague of peculiarities referred to simply as "the Wednesdays." But Max is too curious for that, and when he accidentally lets the Wednesdays inside, his furious parents cast him out for the rest of the day.

Soon he meets the Wednesdays themselves; strange silver-eyed boy-creatures bent on spreading mischief and mayhem. Initially he thinks they're quite fun, but they can also be cruel and dangerous. With the assistance of an unlikely cast of characters including a popular girl with questionable motives, a slightly crazed parapsychologist, and the world's ugliest dog, Max must put an end to the curse of the Wednesdays . . . or become one himself

book out 08/14/2012

ARC Ebook

ARC of Tempest by Julie Cross 

The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

book out 01/17/2012

ARC Ebook

ARC of Fractured light by Rachel McClellan

I'm dying, I thought. This was unexpected and not at all how I envisioned my death. I was supposed to die gardening in a flowerbed as a hundred-year-old woman, not as a seventeen-year-old trapped in a lake beneath inches of ice.

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. She can't take any chances. But when she starts to make friends for the first time in her life, she gets careless and lets her guard down. Big mistake.

As an Aura, Llona has the ability to manipulate light and harness its energy. This is the power the Vykens are after. This is what the Guardians are trained to protect. Christian has been waiting his whole life for the opportunity to fulfill his destiny as a Guardian, but Llona has other plans for him. Going against everything that she's been taught and defying the Auran Council, Llona convinces Christian to teach her how to use her power as a weapon. It may be her only hope of survival. 

book out 02/07/2012

All the books above i have to read and review. 

Here are a few books i brought for my kindle. 

Grey Eyes (The Forever Trilogy #1)

by Brandon Alston

15 year old Anastasia Adams has spent her entire life on run. She and her mother have never spent more than 18 months in any one location, often times leaving with just the clothes on their backs. Despite the havoc that this is wreaking on Ana's social and academic life, her mother offers no explanation as to why it is they're constantly moving, or even what it is they're running from. But that all changes one night in the woods of Pelion, SC--the night the terror catches up with them.

Fearing her mother dead, and having barely escaped with her own life, Ana is whisked away to world of privilege and tradition. It’s a fairytale come to life. The poor girl used to living out of a suitcase is now a resident of one of the most exclusive addresses in the world. The people there adore her and she catches the eye of a young guardian who sees her as a refreshing change to the girls he’s grown up with.

If only they could find her mother. If only she knew the consequences of being born a “conjurer.” If only she knew who that green eyed stranger was, who’ll recite to her a past so incredible, and too tragic to be real. In the end, she’ll have to choose between the boy who has captured her heart and the stranger she can feel down in her soul, assuring at least one of them an almost certain death.

Everblue (Mer Tales #1)

by Brenda Pandos

She wanted her life to change... he wanted his to stay the same.

Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them.

Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.

Swirls (Outsiders #1)

by F.A. Hershey

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 imagined she is about to discover much more than her own past but also just how crowded our little planet is...

And that's all the books i got this week happy reading

Touch of power by Maria V. Snyder review -Annmarie

 Avry of Kazan is a healer at one stage there was many people like her but now she is the last of her kind. She has been running since the healers were blamed for starting the plague that killed so many people. Avry did the only thing she could run and hide.  

The only problem is as a healer it’s not always easy to watch people die when you know you can save them. When Avry slips up and heals a dying child you would think people would be grateful but no the town turns her in for the promise of gold and Avry is left waiting for her death.

The most shocking thing happens next she is rescued from the town but what do her rescuers what and what will it cost her. 

Avry is a strong minded lead character from the start you really did feel for the character. She is one of those women you want to be. She is smart and she has hidden all this time without being court. She is strong minded even when faced with the worse.  The author really does know how to make her characters stand out. There were a lot of unforgettable people in this book and at times you wished you could meet them face to face. You become attached to the people you’re reading about and you don’t want the adventure to stop.

The story line of the book was just brilliant it was a fantasy to remember there was the world it was based in. There was a raging war going on the common people are struggling to survive while the royals are all about winning no one seems to care about the people they are ruling. The book was packed with interesting things like the healers and magic and what people will do with their abilities.

The story worked really well and it had my interested from the very start. I loved learning about the people and the world the book was set in. There was none stop action and some of the funniest comments from characters. There was lies and back stabbing. I really did fall in love with the book.

By the end you are going to be holding your heart in your hand you might even cry but most of all your going to have the need to know what will happen next.

Maria V. Snyder is the queen of fantasy and Touch of power proves it.

5 stars.   

Dark Eden By Patrick Carman review

7 kids with life changing fears, fears that haunt your dreams and fills your throat with a scream. Will has been seeking treatment for his fear.  His doctor has tried to help but there has been no change. His doctor finally refers Will to a place that can really cure him of his fears and make him normal again.

When the 7 kids make their way to dark Eden Will starts to feel jumpy and uneasy. Will ends up hiding away from everyone else right under everyone's noises. Will end's up watching everyone else from the safety of a bomb bumper.

The book is told from will's point of view so you see and hear everything he does. You don't get to hear what Will true fear is till half way through the book so it leaves you guessing about what's wrong with him. I'll be honest for a big part of book I did think that Will was crazy little bit mental but as you go along in the book you start to see what Will is getting at and maybe he has a right to be scared.

While you watch the other get cured and Will time get closer you wonder what's really going on and what does this strange so called doctor really after from these kids.

I really did get into the book and I fell in love with the story it was fresh and different. The start of the book was really just getting to know the kids and to get to grips with the story but from the half way mark thing started to get creepy. Things start to become clearer and you start to see secrets unfold and you understand that not everyone is telling the truth. It's a well put together book and by the end your shocked at the outcome of the book. 

A great book that will make you look at your own fears.

4 stars   

SPOOK-A-LICIOUS: WHERE BOO-KS DEVOUR YOU: BLOG HOP TOUR (Oct 17-24)

http://shadowmundane.blogspot.com/2011/10/spook-licious-where-boo-ks-devour-you.html

HEY EVERYONE!!!!




There is a Halloween themed blog hop going on serveral blogs. My friend, Ella is participate in it and hosts a HUGE Giveaway.

She puts an extra entry into it and this is the part where I come in to the scene.


GIVEAWAY (SCAVENGER HUNT) RULES:

A list of blogs will be participate in this, and basically you travel to each blog and the blogs will be given a puzzle piece of the cover that is related to that letter in HALLOWEEN.

Each blog will have a hint to help you narrow down your choices of the books you're possibly thinking of that fits with that letter.

Here's the catch, you MUST save that puzzle piece to your laptop or computer or wherever because you'll need those pieces to email to Ella along with your answer, so She can see that you want those extra entries for doing the hunt! At the end of the blog post, there will be a link to the next blog and so forth. The blogs will be in order, so you don't have to hunt around.

Each right answer that you figure out, you will get one extra entry. If you get one of them wrong, then you still have 8 other answers to get right! You will get a free extra entry, so that makes a total of 10 extra entries for doing the hunt!

stop one on the hunt is 
H-Yousra from I'm a book nerd, so what?  http://imabooknerdsowhat.blogspot.com/2011/10/world-of-words-scavenger-hunt-letter-h.html

BEST BOOKS is number 2 on the stop, the 3rd stop is
sassy book lovers

now for the puzzle piece


hint for the puzzle piece is:

the girl has a gift, or is it a curse? She sees the future and others most hidden feelings, but how? she doesn't know, but an assassin does. mortal enemies. forbidden love. Good Vs Evil. nothing is as it seems

remember you must save the image to your computer/laptop

as well as doing all the blog posts you need to fill out the form on ella's orignal post
http://shadowmundane.blogspot.com/2011/10/spook-licious-where-boo-ks-devour-you.html

ends 24th october

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber GIVE AWAY!

Darker Still (Magic Most Foul #1)

by Leanna Renee Hieber

The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

In my mailbox

Hi everyone

This is my new In my mailbox instead of me talking about the books i did something new and different. 

I really hope you all like it and please let me know what you think. 

Thanks to Natalie and misty from facebook :D  

Ashfall by Mike Mullin Winner

Hush, Hush contest

Did you miss out on the signed graphic novel and 2011 books that bite purse?  Well don’t be sad for we are doing it AGAIN and this time it’s BIGGGGGGEEERRRRRR and BEEETTTTTTTEEERRRR.  In celebration of the upcoming release!  We thought a graphic novel this epic deserved something extra special!!!

On our store tab ( http://store.sealionbookstore.com ) you can purchase the limited edition Hush Hush graphic novel prologue for $10.00.  WE WILL ONLY BE RELEASING 1,000 COPIES AND IT WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB STORE.  So not only is this an important piece to the contest puzzle but you will be one of a thousand people to own this piece of Becca Fitzpatrick’s history!!!  Keep in mind since there are only 1,000 copies of the prologue being made we need to limit the number of copies you can purchase.  It is limited to 2 copies per person.

Now here is the fun part!  Once you receive the book, take a picture of yourself with it and email the picture to us along with a paragraph as to why you should be the next to make a cameo in the next volume of Hush Hush!  In this cameo you will even interact with Patch and Nora.  NOW REMEMBER I SAID THAT I WAS GOING TO BE ENVIOUS OF THE NEXT WINNER!!!  WELL HERE IS WHY!  The winner will not only get to interact with Patch and Nora in the next Hush Hush Graphic Novel, BUT the illustrator for the graphic novel will also IMMORTALIZE you from head to toe in Patch’s arms!  Your image will be held lovingly safe in his arms!  How awesome is that!!!

SO LET'S RECAP!!!

1.    1,000 limited edition prologues will be available for sale on www.SeaLionBooks.com.  Limit 2 please!

2.    Once you receive the Hush Hush prologues you must take a picture of yourself with it and post the picture on our FB page with a paragraph in the comments under the picture as to why they should be the next to make a cameo in the next volume of Hush Hush!

3.    The winner gets an interacting cameo with Patch and Nora in Hush Hush volume 2, and they get a unique one-of-a-kind poster with Patch holding the winner in his arms. 

4.    The limited edition prologues will ship the first week of October.

Carnal press release

Carnal

GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES FROM

SEA LION BOOKS

ATLANTA, GA - October 5, 2011 – Sea Lion Books announces the release of John Connell's graphic novel CARNAL.

Created by award winning artist, John Connell, CARNAL is a world where humans are a simple, nomadic species, at the bottom of the food chain. The animal kingdom has evolved and they can speak, walk upright and they fight for dominance. "Breathing life into the Carnal story has been a passion for most of my life. The idea originated from a nightmare that I had years ago – with Carnal, we really aim to create a graphical story that is as unique as it is intense," said Connell. "CARNAL is a completely unique concept. The book, the artwork and the story pulls the reader into this world of intense mood filled art that will draw them back to the series over and over again."

Lion prides have forged massive cities, hyena clans burrow deep into the earth, and the water buffalo race has walled themselves off from the rest of the kingdoms. Remnants of humanity fight for survival amid the warring animal societies.

The first of five graphic novels in the series, PRIDE OF THE LIONS, follows a female tracker named Omi as her inexperienced hunting party is sent to rescue a missing warrior. What they find is something that will unravel the very foundation of life for all species.

"In this war-torn world of carnage and survival, the balance of nature has been ripped apart.

Humans are left at the bottom of the food chain and it is the beasts that freely roam the land."

Writer Jason Bergenstock's says "working on the Carnal project is an honor. John's ideas and designs are incredible. I have been involved in story creation for about five years and when I look at how far we've come since the beginning sketches I'm truly amazed." "Being given the opportunity to work with John and Jason to bring Carnal to life has been very exciting.  You can feel the love these guys have for the project in every single page. It adds an extraordinary series to an already amazing lineup of books we are producing here at Sea Lion Books."

About The Creators: John Connell is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston. He is a freelance artist working in many mediums, from oil paintings to digital art. His clients include numerous Fortune 500 companies. He lives with his family in Massachusetts. You can visit John Connell on the Internet at www.uglydogart.com or www.nightmarerhino.com Jason Bergenstock  has a BS degree in Business Administration & Management and currently attends graduate school at the University of Rhode Island for Digital Forensics. You can visit Jason Bergenstock at www.nightmarerhino.com About Sea Lion Books: Located in Atlanta, Georgia, Sea Lion Books LLC is a newly established publishing house which specializes in all formats—hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market and in urban fantasy and young adult genres. Sea Lion Books LLC recent roster of authors include: International Bestselling author, Anne Rice, Paulo Coelho, New York TimesBestselling authors, Richelle Mead, Richard A. Knaak, F. Paul Wilson and Becca Fitzpatrick.  You can visit Sea Lion Books at www.sealionbooks.com

FITZPATRICK SPEAKS UP ON "HUSH, HUSH

This October, Sea Lion Books brings one of the most popular Young Adult novels to comics with "Hush, Hush," the first of three graphic novels adapting the New York Times bestselling YA novel by Becca Fitzpatrick.

"Hush, Hush" follows the story of average teenager Nora Grey, a good student and writer for the school paper whose routine life suddenly goes off track when a new student named Patch becomes her lab partner and turns her entire world upside-down. While Nora finds herself inexplicably attracted to Patch's bad-boy image, danger begins following her at every turn. As the story progresses, Nora learns more than she bargained for about her past and her dark connection to fallen angels, becoming embroiled in an ages-old conflict. Along with her best friend Vee, Nora has to sort out who she can really trust between Patch and new arrivals Jules and Eliot.

Becca Fitzpatrick took time out of her busy schedule to break the silence to CBR News about the "Hush, Hush" graphic novel adaptation, the process of designing her characters from prose to illustration, the style of the book, the challenges of adapting her work for comics and the special 18-page story that bridges the gap between "Hush, Hush" and its sequel, "Crescendo."

CBR News: Becca, tell us about "Hush, Hush" as a graphic novel. What's in, what's out and what's new?

Becca Fitzpatrick: The first "Hush, Hush" graphic novel will cover one third of the "Hush, Hush" novel. [Publisher] Sea Lion Books are determined to make it as close to the novel as possible. The big surprise with the graphic novel will be the original bonus story. It reveals what happens to Patch and Nora between "Hush, Hush" and the sequel, "Crescendo."

The first "Hush, Hush" graphic novel adaptation covers one third of the original novel

So much of a novel involves readers imagining setting and how characters look and move. How closely are you working with the creative team of the graphic novel in order to help smooth the transition from text to image?

In the early stages, there was quite a bit of back and forth as I provided character and setting descriptions to artist Jennyson Rosero and he, in turn, translated my input into sketches. It was such a fun process, and rewarding too -- with each round, I felt that we were getting closer to nailing the artwork. I also posted several of the sketches on my blog, and we got an incredible amount of feedback from readers. They've definitely had a hand in shaping the graphic novel.

By the same token, how involved have you been in character design work? How do you feel the character designs reflect your descriptions of Nora, Patch, Vee, Eliot and Jules?

While I understood going into the project that the images in my head couldn't be perfectly replicated on the page, I've been very pleased with the designs. I also think it's important to note that I didn't want to dictate every last detail. Part of what I think will make the graphic novel successful is the blending of my suggestions with Jennyson's creative energy.

How long is the graphic novel and how does it compare to the level of detail provided in "Hush, Hush?"

The first graphic novel will be 120 pages. Sea Lion Books are working hard to capture the essence of the "Hush, Hush" novel. All important events, characters, settings, etc., are included in the graphic novel. The first novel, "Hush, Hush," will be adapted into 3 graphic novels.

While many other young adult novels have been adapted into graphic novels, most of them (notably "Twilight") have taken the route of the manga-inspired art. What is the art style like for "Hush, Hush" and how do you feel it reflects the story you're trying to tell?

"Hush, Hush" will be done in an Amerimanga style. Manga definitely appeals to young adult female readers, but I believe by going with the Amerimanga style, the graphic novel will capture both male and female readers.

Why do you think the graphic novel format is a good medium to adapt your story?

Fitzpatrick hopes the graphic novel's Amerimanga style will capture the attention of male and female readers

"Hush, Hush" is a very pacey and plot-driven story, and I think because of this, it translates well into a more visual medium. Readers often tell me they can see scenes playing out in their minds -- almost like watching a movie. Many of them are anticipating "viewing" the story through the graphic novel.

Sequential narrative is very different than prose. Did you find the art in line with the vision in your head when you're working on the novels?

I've been really impressed by the transition. I feel the pages are following the novel closely. At one point during the process, Sea Lion Books sent me a picture of the farmhouse where Nora lives and it was drawn to be a single story. Since quite a bit of action down the road in "Crescendo" takes place on the second story of the farmhouse, I did ask the artist to redraw the house.

What are you most excited about for the release of the graphic novel?

Fans' reactions! Since announcing the graphic novel, there has been an amazing amount of enthusiasm for the project. I hope my readers feel as though they're experiencing Patch and Nora's story again for the first time.

Sea Lion Books Bring Anne Rice’s ‘Christ The Lord’ to Comics

When I first heard that novelist Anne Rice had agreed for her work to be adapted into a graphic novel, I must confess I groaned. More vampires? Really? Isn’t this trend done yet?

But I had not reckoned on publisher Sea Lion Books going against my expectations, for as it happens the book in question is Christ The Lord: The Road to Cana. I can remember the initial controversy following the book’s publication. What was this horror writer doing writing about Jesus Christ?

Writer Anne Elizabeth, who is adapting the novel for Sea Lion books.

However, like Nikos Kazantzakis before her and Philip Pullmanafter, Rice confounded critics by producing a deeply personal work articulating her feelings about Christianity and its legacy. It is also worth pointing out that her most famous book, Interview With The Vampire, contains numerous musings on damnation and the existence of God bound up in amongst all the melodrama. Perhaps it simply took the writer some years to come to the point where she was comfortable directly addressing these ideas?

Sea Lion Books are notable for their focus on adapting literarature to comic form, introducing new audiences to both classic and upcoming genre fiction. It is certainly an interesting choice to take on Christ The Lord, especially since religion is a subject rarely tackled in sequential form. Off-hand I can only think of Marvel’sbiography of John Paul II and Mike Allred’s The Golden Plates.

Writer Anne Elizabeth has been given the task of converting Christ The Lord into sequential form and she recently gave an interview on her experience so far to The Examiner. The original press release from Sea Lion can be seen below -

International Bestselling Author Anne Rice’s novel,

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, to become Graphic Novel.

International bestselling author Anne Rice’s critically acclaimed novel,
Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana, receives a graphic spin as newly
established publishing house, Sea Lion Books, acquires the worldwide rights
to this graphic novel publication. The novel will be adapted by the author
Anne Rice and comic creator Anne Elizabeth and will feature artwork by Siya
Oum. This graphic novel is scheduled for release in time for Easter 2012.

“Christ the Lord: the Road to Cana, I consider one of my personal
favorites,” said Rice.  ”The writing of it took less time than the research
because I feel driven to recreate authenticity in the narrative.  The
characters must see what people saw in first century Palestine because I
want my readers to see the same.  Any artistic effort short of that fails
not only for me but also for the actual figures I endeavored to recreate in
my novel.  Today this work is being reinterpreted through the marvelous
medium of graphic novels.  The visual imagery will give my characters a new
dimension that cannot be captured in words alone.  Sea Lion Books will
translate The Road to Cana into a format that will do as I have done:
Recreate first century Palestine with the women and men who changed the
course of human history.  The characters you know will be there — Jesus,
Mary, Joseph — in the rich colors and beautiful forms that only artists can
draw.   This is going to be a thrilling adventure for my characters, for me,
and I think for you readers and viewers as well.”

The book is the second within a series dramatizing the life of Jesus Christ.
Based on the four Gospels, current New Testament research, and studies of
Jewish culture, Rice created and described the early stage in Jesus’ life
before his baptism in the Jordan and the miracle at Cana. Faced with a
winter of no rain, endless dust, and talk of trouble in Judea, Jesus must
confront his destiny.  The book’s power derives from the profound feeling
Rice brings to the writing and the way in which she summons up the presence
of Jesus Christ.

“Working on such a spiritually beautiful book is a remarkable experience!
Not only is it an opportunity to work with brilliant storyteller Anne Rice
and talented artist Siya Oum, but it is a chance to explore my own faith,”
said adapter Anne Elizabeth, whose graphic novel The Pendulum is also being
released by Sea Lion Books.

Derek Ruiz, Vice President and Publisher of Sea Lion Books, said, “It’s
an honor to be working with Anne Rice, one of my all time favorite authors.  We
at Sea Lion Books are excited to introduce the Christ the Lord series to the
Graphic Novel Market.  Anne Rice and the Christ the Lord series are great
additions  to the lineup we have been building at Sea Lion Books.  With each
new announcement  we continue to show that we want to bring quality stories
to the visual medium we love.”

The full-color Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana graphic novel edition,
ISBN: 978-0-9836131-4-5, will be available April 2012 and will sell for
$24.99. For more information, please visit http://sealionbooks.com/