Monday, July 30, 2012

Blog Tour: Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard


Welcome to my stop in the Something Strange and Deadly blog tour!
So today I'm so very excited to be a part of this book's blog tour because it was a FANTASTIC read! and I'm also glad to be able to offer you a chance of winning a signed copy of Something Strange & Deadly which you'll find at the end of this post. But first, I'll also be featuring the book synopsis as well as the book playlist and if you know me then you know that I listen to music A LOT and this playlist was just AMAZING :) So hope you enjoy and good luck winning <3 

***



The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother. Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.


Book Playlist:

  • The Dragon Book - How to Train Your Dragon
  • Rimsky-Korsakov - Scheherazade
  • New Tail - How to Train Your Dragon
  • Septimus - Stardust
  • Cursum Perficio - Enya, Watermark
  • Earthbenders - The Last Airbender
  • Bowerstone Market - Fable 2
  • Forbidden Friend - How to Train Your Dragon

  • What an awesome playlist that Susan Dennard put together, right? I really liked all of them! My favourite though would be Septimus and if I would choose one song for this book of my own to add to this playlist to complete the ten ;) it would be Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird A' Chuain - Brave movie trailer. Yup! I don't get the name as well because it's Scottish but the song is amazing. ( This playlist was set up by Susan Dennard and you can view it on YouTube by clicking here. )


    Giveaway:
    Enter for the chance of winning a signed copy of Something Strange And Deadly! --- I'm sorry but this giveaway is open to US residents only as this giveaway is set up by the author herself not me :)


    ***
    Book Trailer & My Review

    Also check out the book trailer! And you can find my book review of Something Strange & Deadly by clicking HERE.



    About the Author:

    I’m a 28-year-old reader, writer, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. I used to be a marine biologist, but now I write novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (I really like swoon-worthy rogues).
    I live in Germany with my French husband and Irish setter, and you can learn more about my crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on twitter, facebook, or Goodreads.


    Susan Dennard's Official Links:


    Happy Reading!
    xoxo, Mariam

    Friday, July 27, 2012

    Blog Tour: The Doorknob Society by M. J. Fletcher

    Hey guys! And welcome to my tour stop in the Doorknob Society blog tour which I'm so excited about for I LOVED this book and being able to offer you a chance of winning an e-copy of this book makes it even more exciting. So don't forget to enter that giveaway but now onto my review!

    Book Review: The Doorknob Society

    Synopsis:
    C
    hloe Masters’s world changed in a heartbeat - and all she did was touch a doorknob.

    When she was young Chloe’s mother vanished. Wracked by feelings of abandonment and anger she lost herself traveling with her father's magic act, where illusions were part of her everyday life. Yet everything changes when they are pursued by a mysterious man in black out to kill her father. Touching a doorknob activates abilities she never knew she had and she finds herself thrust into a world of ancient societies and secrets.

    When her father disappears it is a race against time to find answers before she loses what is left of her family. Now Chloe must choose who to trust, the man who will do anything for her or the one she can’t stop thinking about.

          The first book in the Doorknob Society Saga that would introduce you to a world full of portals, dimensions, gadgets and secret socities. A well-written book with enjoyable storyline and a fantastically very well-built world with a whole another fantasy story away from vampires and witches, but rather a new unique idea that revolves around doorknobs and magic.  

          So the novel follows Chloe Masters, a sixteen years old girl with a life full of surprises and intense incidents ahead of her. Now struck with some life changing reveals and changes. Chloe Masters is finally faced with the truth about her father, the magician and the reality behind one of his greatest tricks. Not only her father but also about herself and her whole family and that's a lot to take in but she belongs to the Doorknob Society along with a whole another world, full of secrets, problems and societies. I think that when reading the book, things would be more clear and fun and I don't really want to give anything away ;) Shaken by her mothers disappearance ten years ago, Chloe wasn't able to embrace the idea of settling down after being out and about during her father's tours as a magician as well as going to a school but it was all after being chased by a man who tries to kill them both, herself and her father that it all started. That's when her new exciting life started. Later on though, she finds out that the Paladin Academy is nothing like a normal school but a school to improve her abilities, something like Hogwarts but much more simpler which was even more exciting.

         The premise of this book wasn't the most captivating, you would have to wait until you are 1 or 2 chapters in. Yet, everything in this book felt genuine and realistic, the characters, their feeling and most importantly the world that Mr. Fletcher was able to set up. The whole thing was incredible, once I started, I wasn't able to put it down. I loved the world and how it was introduced, we got to know about it along with Chloe herself and I enjoyed Chloe's reaction when faced with the truth about 'their kind' thingy and how they were no normal people but had those super abilities, she acted like a human being actually which I can rarely see nowadays. 


         Mr. Fletcher really shined out in writing his characters, all of them. I felt so very connected to Chloe and it was always as if I was right in there with her. And James Nightshade OMG! What can I say.... he was this cool-headed guy with some hidden secrets and what seemed like an interesting past and he had the essence of a bad boy which added sexiness to his character. I fell for this character from his very first appearance when he first met Chloe and he did this thing and.... you have to read this book to understand how I felt guys. And Slade, I pity him so much. Nightshade stole the show from him, at least for me but still he was so cute, although there was some sort of an illogical relationship that was built up by the end of the story between Slade and Chloe.

       However, Nightshade and Chloe and the banter between them was really what got me interested. I literally had to shut myself up sometimes from laughing out loudly when reading this book in public places. I was always excited when they were together. You know, I can stay here and talk about them for days but I still have a review to complete. My only problem with this book though was that I wished that there would have been a physical copy of this book and it probably needed some good editing too. 

        Overall, this story was brilliant and despite the fact that this is an e-book, it made it's way to…. I guess to my favorites e-shelf :) Do I recommend it? Like, is that even a question ;) I whole-heartedly enjoyed this book and I would of course recommend it. I haven't actually enjoyed a book like this in a while now. So I would say that if you are a fantasy lover, then just go ahead and read this book. Such a cliffhanger but who doesn't like happy endings with a sprinkle of action. Cannot wait to start reading the next book in the series!

    Title: The Doorknob Society
    Author: M. J. Fletcher
    Series: DoorKnob Society Saga
    Published: February 9th 2012
    Source: M. J. Fletcher
    Links: Goodreads | Amazon
    Rating: 5/5

    *Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

    ***
    Giveaway:
    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    About the Author:
    MJ Fletcher is the creator of the comic book series Adam Zero: The Last Man of Earth published by Ronin Studios. He's also been published in Hope: The Hero Initiative and Digital Webbing Presents. The Doorknob Society series is his first book series and he's thrilled about it. He lives near the beach with his wife, daughter, dog, and a crotchety cat.  
    Connect with M. J. Fletcher:
    Facebook: DoorknobSociety | Twitter | Website

    Where Else to find The Doorknob Society:
    Amazon.co.uk, Barnes And Nobles, Smashwords


    
    Reading Addiction Blog Tours
    This tour is presented by the Reading Addiction Blog Tours.
    
    Happy Reading!
    xoxo, Mariam

    Thursday, July 26, 2012

    Feature & Follow Friday #2

    Gain New Blog Followers

    Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee where they choose a featured blogger every week along with a question for everybody to answer! It's an awesome way to meet new book bloggers and share the follower love :)


    Q: Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?
    Actually we didn't have summer reading in my school and still don't since I'm still in school. But one book that I can think of and would say that I really enjoyed reading during school was Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. Yup! Pride & Prejudice. That was in 9th grade, I believe. I loved it and I still watch it's movie until now whenever I find it, you know the one with Keira Knightley in it. 


    ***

    So that was my hop. What about you? Leave me a comment down below or a link to your own post which I'll be sure to check out ;)

    xoxo, Mariam

    Wednesday, July 25, 2012

    Waiting on Wednesday #6


    Waiting on Wednesday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.



    Doomed by Tracy Deebs

    Goodreads:
    Beat the game. Save the world.

    Pandora’s just your average teen, glued to her cell phone and laptop, surfing Facebook and e-mailing with her friends, until the day her long-lost father sends her a link to a mysterious site featuring twelve photos of her as a child. Unable to contain her curiosity, Pandora enters the site, where she is prompted to play her favorite virtual-reality game, Zero Day. This unleashes a global computer virus that plunges the whole world into panic: suddenly, there is no Internet. No cell phones. No utilities, traffic lights, hospitals, law enforcement. Pandora teams up with handsome stepbrothers Eli and Theo to enter the virtual world of Zero Day. Simultaneously, she continues to follow the photographs from her childhood in an attempt to beat the game and track down her father, her one key to saving the world as we know it. Part The Matrix, part retelling of the Pandora myth, Doomed has something for gaming fans, dystopian fans, and romance fans alike.

    Release Date:
    January 8th 2013

    I'm really excited for this one! I'm not a fan of the cover but it really sounds different.


    So that was my WOW. What about you? What books are you most anticipating? Leave me a comment down below or a link to your post which I'll be sure to check out ;)

    xoxo, Mariam

    Saturday, July 21, 2012

    Book Review: Crossed by Ally Condie


    Rules Are Different Outside The Society

    Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
    Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.
       
         The sequel to Matched, written from the point of views of both, Cassia and Ky, which I feel was essential because the two characters were in two different places and even when united, conflicted things happened in between and I enjoyed being able to see how they saw each other. And Ally Condie has this simple yet flowy style of writing which I really liked. The premise was slow-paced but the story itself as you go on, has enough to keep you interested and excited to read more.

          So the book follows Cassia who sets on a journey to find Ky, who is mostly likely counted as dead. Still unstable about her choice. Cassia yet goes through a lot until she finally found a way to where Ky is, the Outer Province. Things outside the Society are quiet different though. Luckily, Ky found a way to escape his fate and Cassia once shared his fate as well, but followed him with no more than hope. They both meet new people and go to odd places, it wasn't all pleasant though. But where they end up going to is what matters. Ky and Cassia takes us on a gripping yet perilous journey  but how are things going to end for both of them? And is it Cassia's destiny is to be with Ky? And what is it that Cassia dearly wants and Ky doesn't approve? And what is the secret of Mr Perfect, Xander? 


          The romance between Ky and Cassia has developed a little bit now that they are embarking on a new adventure, they don't have a lot of time for kissing and this type of romance, which I didn't mind as it was still really sweet and it seemed realistic as well. I liked their characters more now. Cassia, I feel has grown up and became more mature in this book. And of course, I'm Team Ky all the way! And I love how in the chapters which were written from his POV, we got to see some flashbacks from his past-life, we sort of got to know him better, now that we were seeing the story from his POV :) Xander...... well, I still can't see him with Cassia but now there are some exciting stuff that revolves around him that took me by surprise. And maybe there is going to be a love square, yeah, you saw that right, a love square not triangle which we will get to know more about in the next book but I don't really like it. Looking at it from Cassia's eye, I don't like it. It was wrongly achieved and started, like if there is even one, we better not judge yet.


          Overall, Crossed wasn't perfect and the series itself wasn't my favourite Dystopia but still I really did enjoy it. It should have been better since it is the second installment in the series, I needed more stuff to happen. So if you already read the first book, go ahead and read this one, I really do recommend it for those of you who have already started the series. Although, I also felt that it was a bit shorter for some reason. I'm really looking forward to getting the third book soon because I DO need to finish this story.

    Title: Crossed

    Author: Ally Condie
    Series: Matched | Crossed | Reached
    Published: November 1st 2011 by Dutton Juvenile
    Source: Owned
    Links: Goodreads | Amazon
    Rating: 4/5

    xoxo, Mariam

    Thursday, July 19, 2012

    Feature & Follow Friday #1

    Gain New Blog Followers

    Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee where they choose a featured blogger every week along with a question for everybody to answer! It's an awesome way to meet new book bloggers and share the follower love :)


    This is my first participation! And I'm really excited for all the fun stuff. Feature & Follow Friday is a very well-known hop around here and many of my favourite bloggers participate in it, some would be Alison and Parajunkee themselves ;) 

    The Golden Lily (Bloodlines, #2)Q: Christmas in July. Someone gives you a gift card for two books (whatever that costs). What two books will you buy?

    The UnquietLike right now, right now. If I was in the bookstore with this gift card. I would go get The Unquiet by Jeanine Garsee and The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead, I still didn't get it *Shocker* I know. Those aren't the most summery reads but I really do need them. But if I were to wait until August, there are so many new releases in August that I'm dying to get but guess I will stick with what's present right now.


    So that was my answer :) What about you? Leave me a comment down below or a link to our own post which I'll be sure to check out ;)

    Happy Reading!
    xoxo, Mariam

    Wednesday, July 18, 2012

    Waiting on Wednesday #5


    Waiting on Wednesday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.


    What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
    Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
    Release Date: 18th September 2012

    Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else—two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbors shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t…

    For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable–hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet…for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

    ***

    So what books are you waiting for? Leave me a comment down below or a link to your own post which I'll be sure check out :)

    xoxo, Mariam 

    Tuesday, July 17, 2012

    Versatile Blogger Award ( 2 Awards ! )



    Yay! Two Awards :) Thank you so much Kit Katz from Kitty Korner Library and Daniel from Book-O-Matic for nominating me, I really appreciate it guys  <3

    Rules:

    1. Nominate 7 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
    2. Let the nominated bloggers know that they have been nominated for this award.
    3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
    4. Thank the blogger who has nominated you.
    5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award to your post.
    7 Facts about me:
    • My favourite color is black.
    • I have a tea addiction.
    • I write with my left hand.
    • I LOVE eating fruits, all types of fruits, watermelons, apples, grapes, peaches....
    • I'm an Egyptian and I love Egypt :)
    • I used to be a very talented swimmer :(
    • I love listening to music ( Adele, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, etc ).
    Blogs I Nominate:

    Thank you again Kit Katz and Daniel :D
    xoxo, Mariam

    Monday, July 16, 2012

    Blog Tour: Dead Radiance by T. G. Ayer

         Welcome to my stop in the Dead Radiance blog tour! So down below you'll find my review of the book along with an excerpt that I hope might get you intrigued to read this book. Dead Radiance was an enjoyable extra-paranormal read and I'm happy to offer you a chance of winning an e-copy of the book which you'll find at the end of this post :) but without further ado....
     

    Thursday, July 12, 2012

    Book Review: Something Strange And Deadly




    Goodreads:   
    The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

    Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

    The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

    And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother. Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.
        \
         The first book in the Something Strange And Deadly series. And WOW that was intense. This was actually my first zombie book in years. And I really enjoyed it, it wasn't overwhelmingly zombie-ish which I liked, it made me ease up with the story but still got me wanting more. I love the fact that this story took place in the 18th  century with the dresses and the parasols, it gave the story this touch and also the language and vocabulary that Dennard used went really well with the period of time but honestly, I had to use the dictionary a couple of times. Moreover, the cover is so cute!


        So the story opens up with Eleanor Fitts in her first encounter with the Dead and I love how Dennard started this book, not with an introduction to the world or a past-life story from our heroine's background but it was rather an intense start, averagely of course. Some disasters happened to the Fitts before and after Eleanor's father death. But now they may end up in the streets with no money left. And not only was Eleanor's brother missing, actually kidnapped by the dead and only Eleanor knows and this secret is a heavy weight for her to hold. Add on this her almost lunatic, careless mother cares nothing about anything except marrying her daughter to a rich gentleman for they are about to run out of their money and oh! there was the gentleman but things happens and as long as the Dead are involved it is nothing good of course. Yet, Eleanor resorts to the only possible solution she could see, the Spirit Hunters. They were to help her find her kidnapped brother and slowly she grew to enjoy their company and she actually helped them with their duties which weren't at all lady-like. Plus, their reputation wasn't so high which forces her to lie to people from her standard. And yet, together they unreveal stuff until the truth is wide visible in front of them and they work on solving it eventually but with so much difficulty and some twists and turns too. 


       The book didn't have much of a love story, just the beginning of one, a sweet, unexpected one with a very slow attraction which made it seem realistic and intense and I can't wait for more in the next book. This was because the story's main focus was rather on the events of the story itself which I didn't mind at all. However, the characters were all good and well-developed. Eleanor at first didn't really matter to me, her character wasn't all gripping or nice enough for a main character. But then, as we go on with her story, I started to warm towards her and eventually like her. Maybe it was because I really wished that Eleanor would have been more of a modern girl with a pair of jeans, not a dress but now I can see now how it works with the story and stuff. Also, Daniel was a character that I liked from his first appearance, I liked how tough he was but then how mocking he can be and then how sexy, how sweet and tender and caring. So much stuff about his personality that gripped me. He was my favorite character by far, a very well maintained character. And he had much of a past, some really important incidents that related a lot to Eleanor and more secrets from his past that was unrevealed through the story. 

       And although I can see this book as a stand-alone novel, at least hoped for. I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series and very excited as well. Seems like Eleanor, the mis-fit will find a way out as she already started to fit somewhere. Exquisitely written by Susan Dennard. A page-turner with an unpredictable plot that would definitely keep us, the readers captivated.

       Overall, Something Strange and Deadly was the perfect zombie book for me. So if you don't mind zombies but then don't really mind an average presence of them, then I really do recommend this book for you. My advice to you though would be to linger until you're few chapters in, where things start to spice up a little bit and give yourself a chance to adapt with the story itself. A mix of some action, bizarreness, humor, anguish, longing, revenge and most importantly the dead. Highly recommend it.


    Title: Something Strange and Deadly
    Author: Susan Dennard
    Series: Something Strange and Deadly
    Release Date: July 24th 2012 by HarperTeen
    Source: A copy was provided as a participant in this book's blog tour.
    Rating: 4.5/5


    xoxo, Mariam

    Wednesday, July 11, 2012

    Waiting On Wednesday #4



    Waiting on Wednesday is an awesome weekly meme hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine.

    Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry
    Genre: YA, Contemporary
    Release Date: 3rd August 2012

    SO WRONG FOR EACH OTHER...AND YET SO RIGHT.

    No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with “freaky” scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

    But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

    Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

    ***

    So... what books are you most anticipating? Leave me a comment down below or a link to your own post which I'll be sure to check out :)

    xoxo, Mariam

    Saturday, July 7, 2012

    The Fire Of Dawn: Synposis, Book Cover and more

    Synopsis: 
    It’s the last day of the summer holiday in The Hague when Leah Koopmans’s carefree life as a teen is brutally flipped upside down. Her pale skin turns a dazzling gold, her senses heighten, and her muscles possess an uncanny strength. But with these exhilarating new powers comes a thirst that can only be quenched by one thing: human blood.

    While her body craves for fresh victims and her heart drowns in guilt, she meets inhumanly handsome Max Machiavelli, who claims that Leah is immortal like him. Infatuation ignites into blistering passion when she joins his coven in Amsterdam. But as the mysteries shrouding her sudden change to immortality unravel, Leah quickly learns that her aversion to taking life isn’t the only thing that sets her apart from this group of herculean strangers.

    From the picturesque canals of Amsterdam to Corsica’s limestone cliffs and the untamed Siberian wilderness; from first loves to fierce battles, The Fire of Dawn is an extraordinary tale packed with romance, betrayal, and bloodsucking suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very last page

    Title: The Fire of Dawn
    Author: V. V. AKU
    Genre: Paranormal Romance
    Published: 1st April 2012

    Wednesday, July 4, 2012

    Propheticus Blog Tour: Review, Interview & a Giveaway!


    So today I'm delighted to take part in the Propheticus blog tour featuring an interview with the amazing Emma Daley, author of the sci-fi fantasy series Propheticus, a book review of the second book ( The Migliao ) and a GIVEAWAY! all here on Book-A-Holic,  and so welcome to my stop!

    But without further ado....
    ~~~

    1) Hi Emma! And welcome to Book-A-Holic. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
    Hi Mariam, Thanks for having me. Let’s see, a little bit about myself…. I’m coming up on my 30th birthday, Yikes! I really cannot believe I’m that old, I still like make-believe and find it hard to take things seriously. I come from a large family and we are all very tight, 11 people—eight brothers and sisters. I have two dogs that are so funny that my Mom keeps telling me I should write a blog about them. I am a little camera shy, but catch me without a camera close and I can be the most social person you’ll meet—if I think you wont judge me all kinds of stuff comes out J. Was that a little bit or too much?
     
    2) What inspired you to write the first book and how did the whole idea originated?
    Well, I had actually just read “The Vampire Diaries” and my friend was reading Twilight—we had just discovered that I had read the wrong books—she recommended Twilight and I was reading Vampire Diaries. We were trying to compare notes and it just wasn’t working. I was pretty inspired by “The Vampire Diaries”, the way I get inspired by any new concept or story—since I thought that the series had invented the Vampire romance concept. At that point in my life I was literally from another world. I was living in Alaska and when I went to bed, after being pumped full with paranormal romance, I had this strange dream. I can’t tell you how I dreamt what I dreamt cause it was so different, but I am no stranger to odd dreams, it was kind of my signature. I started writing Propheticus months later when I had a lot of time on my hands; we were no longer in Alaska and honestly I never thought I could write a whole book. 
    
    3) If Propheticus was turned into a movie, who could you see playing the lead roles?
    Natalie Portman
    I struggle with this all the time but I really love Natalie Portman for Aniah, although my husband thinks Kirsten Stewart would be great for the part and another candidate I have looked at is Jennifer Carpenter; I’ve never seen her in a sci fi but I think she’d kick butt. I cannot think of who I would have play Novell, although I want a mature character such as Sam Worthington (I am totally open to suggestions on that one) and I honestly picture someone like Kellan Lutz for the role of Jonahs. I keep looking at someone like Diane Kruger for the part of Dyna, but I came across a photo of Brookly Decker the other day and a light bulb went off. 

    4) Who was your favourite character to write?
    Ever? I would have to say Jonahs; he’s so complex and it’s fun to be inside his head because he is not really human, but he can feel more than he’s supposed to. This is his fatal flaw.


    5) What made you come up with Propheticus as a name for the series? Everything that happened in my book as far as names, and place just popped into me head and felt right. I was trying to figure out the name for Propehticus and I couldn’t even think of anything. Then, literally like a whisper in my ear one night the word Propheticus came to me. I looked it up online the next morning and was pleasantly surprised to find that it had an ancient Latin meaning, Prophecy. Somehow it just worked.


    6) Do you have a specific writing style? And who are some authors that you see as influences?
    Most of my childhood I studied a lot of poetry in classes and what not. I was exposed to poetry first and I loved Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe was my favorite and that was what I first started writing. I had a problem, especially with book one of breaking out of the poetic habit. But I still like to keep symbolism and that thickness of words that comes with poetry in my writing. As I got older I read a lot of Tolkien and Stephen King and the author that changed my life was Paulo Coelho.  


    7) What are some pre-writing activities that you have done (researches, outlines, etc)?
    Research online, I listen to music for inspiration. I have simply been grocery shopping, got in my car and something was on the radio that just struck me. I would run home as fast as I could, download the song, plug my earpiece in and write for however long the inspiration stayed. It would usually go on for a couple days listening to that one song. That’s how I like to write, when I’m feeling something. Also, If I feel like what I want to write needs a certain undertone of another story I have read before, I will go through and read that book or story again to decide how I want to write it; the tone I want to set and get inspirations for descriptions etc. 


    8) Do you recall how your interest in writing originated? And did your family see it in you from a younger age?
    Before I was even able to write, I was telling stories. I got branded as the storyteller in my family; no one ever believed the stuff I told them because it was always way far fetched. As soon as I could write, I was doing it; in my journal on my desk at school, again just reciting it if I didn’t have a piece of paper handy. My family knew I was going to tell stories all my life, whether they ever thought I was going to write a book or not J


    9) Do you have any future books that you're working on? If yes, can you give us a sneak peek?
    I am working on a sci fi thriller set in high society New York. It is the story of Elaina Detrix, a socialite and trendsetter who goes under for an experiment that her love interest Dr. Brian Cole is working on. Brian has been experimenting on substituting DNA from animals to give humans similar capabilities; wings like a bird, fast speeds like a cat, climbing walls like a spider and the list goes on.  Elaina begs Brian to experiment on her, thinking this will be an exciting new trend. But when the experiment works and they realize how dangerous it is, the try to keep it a secret. When they can’t and Elaina secret is revealed, everyone wants what’s she’s got. It is sort of an apocalyptic novel. 


    10) What was the hardest part of writing your books? And what was your favourite?
    The hardest part was that I want all my ideas written now; I have so many of them and it is hard how constricting typing can be. I want a machine that just reads my mind and types them for me. The best part about writing is that you get to create whatever you want, a new world and new creatures, and escape into it whenever. 


    11) So aside from writing, what do you usually do? How do you unwind?
    I am a babysitter to my Nephew, which I love, I work out whenever I can; I think it helps with the creative process, I love doing things outdoors; camping, hiking, swimming. I am really into film and one day I hope to become a producer or director, so what I do to unwind is watch movies. I love to watch any kind of movie but mostly Crime and Courtroom, thriller or Sci-Fi. I love finding films that never made it to the theater and watching them. A really great one I will forever recommend to everyone is “Chronical”, one of the best movies ever made.

    12) What are some of your favorite books?
    Hunger Games, The Alchemist, These Things Hidden, Everneath and a little indie Ebook titled Lady Languish.


    13) How would you describe the Propheticus trilogy to someone who hasn't heard about it until then?
    It is a sci fi fantasy thriller with romantic elements, set in an ancient universe. Four individuals run into each other by chance and discover they are part of an ancient prophecy to bring victory against the universes most gruesome creatures. Aniah, the main character, a naïve young woman, finds out that she is meant to be the savior of the universe, a burden she is unsure she can bare. Will she be able to stay alive long enough to become the savior that the universe needs her to be?


    14) And finally, do you have any piece of advice for budding writers, especially when it comes to self-publishing?
    Oh boy, do not expect to have it made within the first six months of publishing. There are so many tips and advice it is hard to include them all. I have a blog where I write tips about self-publishing and what I have learned http://www.propheticusthebook.blogspot.com/. But the biggest piece of advice I would give is to not pay a lot of money for advertising. The most profitable forms of advertising are the ones you spend nothing on, and you will need your cash. I love mentoring so if any authors want to contact me via e-mail please do propheticusthebook@gmail.com.


    Fun Quick-fire Questions:
    Tea or Coffee:
Coffee *shivers *
    Peter Pan or Jack And The Bean Stalk:
That’s a tough one, but since I love to fly I’d have to say Peter Pan.
    Books or e-books: Books for sure, there’s nothing like the feeling of a book in hand.
    Twitter or Facebook: Facebook
    Superpower to read minds or to be invisible: Invisible, I would hate to have to know peoples thoughts.
    Early bird or Night owl: Night Owl for sure.

    Thank you Emma!
    xoxo, Mariam
    ~~~

    Well, that was it for the interview and I can't believe how sweet and simple Emma Daley is! Thank you Emma for answering all my questions :) And I'm happy to say that I REALLY enjoyed reading the books, I highly recommend checking them out! ( To see my review of Book 1 click HERE )
    ~~~
                                                                            
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