Author/Character Interview & Contest: Dew Pellucid of The Sound and the Echoes‏

Hi everyone! Today I have some happier things to pass along to you, an interview with Dew Pellucid, author of The Sound and the Echoes!

Read on for the interview and as a lovely side bonus I'd also like to announce that Pellucid has also agreed to give away five copies of his book for the kindle! All you have to do is post something below, be it a comment, a song lyric, or just the name of your favorite book! Make sure to leave an email address to contact you through if you've won, but type it emailname at domain dot com so the spammers don't get you!

In one week on August 30th, I'll announce the five lucky winners!!

Dew Pellucid first started writing books so he might have something new to read. Indeed, of the million books at the Orphanage of Castaway Children, there isn't one his watery eyes had not perused; this taking place in less than a decade.
But now, as this old Echo draws near his one-hundredth birthday, his hunt for a good story is only rivaled by his everlasting quest after Cold Fire Mushrooms. For it was as he scrapped the bottom of his crystal ball mushroom container that Dew Pellucid first heard of Fredrick Fingeldy.
Then strange events began to happen in his beloved library. And watching faithfully down every corridor, every garden path, Dew Pellucid witnessed a wonderful story, happening there, right before his eyes (his many Eyes). And, best of all, even he had a part to play in the unfolding tale, which he set down at last in the pages of a book.
"I will make you famous!" he promised the Prince's Sound. And so he has.

If you were to be trapped in a room with someone for a day, who would you most like to be trapped with? Who least to be trapped with? They can be anyone living or dead. (Although of course the dead person would be alive for the duration of the day unless you want to hang out with a dead body, which would be a little morbid.)

Dead or alive…? Quite amusing! Though you’ll have to read The Sound and the Echoes to find out the double meaning here. So who would I gladly join in a solitary prison? Fluid Conway, without a doubt. A Sound with an Echo’s name. Think of him as an inventor-warrior, a cross between Thomas Edison and George Washington. He could tell you stories about Crystilleries that would turn your hair into icicles.
As to least desirable, I’d say Lewis Carroll (author of Alice in Wonderland). I couldn’t abide being outwitted by another for twenty four hours at a stretch.

If I were to make a pizza, what would your favorite topping be?

Blancmange. A fish delicacy, which only Frenchmen and Echoes have the wisdom to savor. Sounds, on the other hand, have been known to dub it fish-puke.

Do you have any news from the author that you’d like to share? (Hopefully something they’d like you to share, anyway.) 

Ms. Boldo invented me as her pen name for an excellent reason. Being shy and dull (like many writers), she needed a witty, charming old man to speak for her. When no one’s listening, she carries on conversations with her dogs (mimicking funny voices as the dogs reply). But if this should be considered news from the author (or a mark of insanity), is not for me to say.

A million book library? You uh, wouldn’t happen to have a spare key to the library lying around anywhere. No reason, just um… asking. For safety purposes. Totally not planning on trying to break into your library and read everything I can get my hands on… (I promise I won’t break any spines! That’s sacrilege!) 

Wise Sound, you do strike me as a sensible person despite your warm-blooded origins. I only wish others at the Orphanage of Castaway Children were half as promising as you. Last week I stumbled on a “corrected” book cover. Harry Snotter! How amusing… But what can I do? My library is open to all. Almost all, that is… almost all my library. But very few Sounds have discovered that for themselves, and I’m certainly not going to say anymore on the subject. Not a word! No!

What do you do when you get writer’s block, the bane of any writer’s existence? 

It’s a sad day when one has to take advice from Pooh Bear. But A. A. Milne was quite a sensible philosopher. “Think, think, think,” Pooh Bear mumbles to himself in a quandary. And so do I. With the same results. Nothing happens. Then I take the afternoon off and drive to the sea. The sight of flowing water washes over my empty thoughts like a soothing caress. 

Other than yourself, who would you say is your favorite author? Are there any specific authors that inspired you along the way?

In the realm of Children’s Stories, I’ve listed my favorite books on GoodReads. As to inspiration, I’ll allow Ms. Boldo to answer, as she invented me along with the Echoes, and I could hardly have inspired my own birth.

She (Ms. Boldo) informs me that it were Plato (the ancient Greek philosopher) and J. K. Rowling (the wonderful late 20^th Century Children’s author) who inspired her to write The Sound and the Echoes. All snowflakes and nonsense, of course. Writers think they invent us. But of course, we actually exist in another realm. The realm where fiction is real.

Since you write so many books for yourself, have you ever put anything from your real life into your writings?

Once upon a time there was an old Echo who sat by a desk all day and read books. The end! No, I’m afraid my life’s story is about as exciting as a still-life painting. But (with an author’s license) I have woven myself into The Sound and the Echoes. But which character I am, you’ll have to find out for yourself, by turning page after page in my story.

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

The Sound and the Echoes 

A see-through world. A reflection of ours. An echo to our sounds.

The Sound and the Echoes is a high-concept, fantasy adventure for middle grade and young adult readers, with 27 illustrations.

Imagine that everyone around you has a mirror image living somewhere else. Your world is like a sound, which produced that other world of echoes. And in this land men are governed by a terrible law—no Echo is allowed to live after his Sound dies.

One Sound especially must die. The Prince’s Sound. The Fate Sealers and Fortune Tellers will make sure of that! Because after this Sound dies, the Echo Prince will have to die too.

Now, twelve-year-old Will Cleary is about to discover that he is the Sound the Echoes are hunting. And so begins his perilous adventure into a see-through, sparkling world, filled with spying crystal balls, an eerie fortress of castaway children, a hunt for clues in an ancient book of riddles, and a last-chance escape through a frozen gem-studded lake into a secret land that holds the key to placing the Prince on the throne and returning freedom to the Echoes.

Dew Pellucid  is the pen-name of Tal Boldo. Ms. Boldo is a freelance writer on Yahoo! Finance among other sites. Her short story, Vera Icon, won first place in Spider Thief Publication’s anthology competition (out of print). The Sound and the Echoes is her debut young adult novel, self-published as an e-book and paperback.

Book Links

Amazon Page: http://amzn.to/MnvFnu
Book Website: http://TheSoundAndTheEchoes.com     
Book Blog: http://thesoundandtheechoes.blogspot.com
Book Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/TheSoundTheEcho  
Book Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheSoundAndTheEchoes
GoodReads Page: http://bit.ly/Ox6hM0
Shelfari Book Page: http://bit.ly/Pt4oyn

Yay for contests: Hush, Hush and Sea Lion Books!

Hi everyone! My posts have been a little erratic due to school and a little someone called Irene playing havoc with my electronics, but I'm happy to give you some info on a comic that I think is going to be a "must own" for me.

Like Hush, Hush? Well, I know that I do and I'm pretty excited to see that it's getting the graphic novel treatment. I'm also pretty excited to hear that Sea Lion Books is doing a contest so awesome that I'm just going to post what they wrote word for word since I don't think I could do it without giving a huge fangirl squee.

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.

I'm so excited over this that I could scream. I loved the heck out of Hush, Hush and the possibility of getting a picture drawn of Patch (let alone one of me with him) is pretty freaking cool. (OK, so I'm no longer a teenager, but Patch is far older than I am. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Click on the beautiful graphic novel cover above for a direct link to the sale page!

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Blog Hop

Hi everyone! It's that time again- time for a big giveaway!!

This go round I'm giving away two great prizes, both of which are open to people from all over the world! I've got an ebooks to give away from several great writers as well as a $10 giftcard for Amazon.com!

Ebook Prize #1:

Your choice of an ebook from Jim Bernheimer! Jim has generously offered to give away another one of his books in the ebook format of your choice. He's got quite a few books under his belt, so you get to choose one from the following:

Horror, Humor, and Heroes

Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman

Spirals of Destiny Book One: Rider

Ebook Prize #2

The next choice you have is an ebook by LJ DeLeon, an author who specializes in fantasy, paranormal, & futuristic romance!

Ebook Prize #3

Next up is author Craig Davis, author of The Job. It's a little bit of everything rolled up into one!

Joe B. enjoys the sweet life as a vice president at a huge conglomerate, Universal Whirligig. But along with the Big Boss' favor, he has also gained the notice of a bitter human resources manager, Luci Fernandez. Hateful of any success but her own, Luci manages to get him demoted to the mail room! A rollicking comedy of errors follows as Joe B. tries to figure out what's happened to him, and attempts to get a meeting with the Big Boss. Joe B.'s great expectations have taken a dickens of a twist. His family is forced to make a series of hard adjustments, and he gets only lame comforts from a string of the worst friends anyone could have. Will he finally track down the cause of his frustrations? Or will he only learn a lesson about what it is to be the boss, and that what is apparent is often only a shadow of a greater ongoing good? "The Job: Based on a True Story (I Mean, This is Bound to Have Happened Somewhere) is a modern parable of ancient troubles and truths.

Ebook Prize #4

Lucky winner number four will get a copy of Leonard Hilley's Predators of Darkness: Aftermath.

Fear What Lurks In The Shadows

The desolate streets of downtown Pittsburgh in 2073 are a reminder of the missile attack that forever changed the lives of the surviving scientists and students hidden in the fallout shelter of Helmsby's Genetic Research Center. Believing themselves to be the only survivors, they station themselves inside the center until food supplies near depletion. Thinking the fallout has lessened, they emerge three years later to discover strange creatures patrolling the streets in search of human flesh and blood. The creatures possess the ability to shift their genomes and alter their appearances by realigning their genetic sequences. Daniel Hutchinson, their leader, teams with Lucas Ridale and together they set out to scavenge the area for food and supplies with the hope to find other survivors. But Daniel's most recent journey uncovers mysteries more frightening than the shifters. He discovers the tip of Pittsburgh has been fenced off from the rest of the area. Low-flying helicopters observe the streets, making him ponder the question: Were the shifters released as simply part of a military experiment with humans being their prey?

Ebook Prize #5

The lucky winner #5 will get a copy of Tim Marquitz's Skulls.

Life held little interest for Jacob...until he found death.

Abused and neglected, Jacob's only solace comes when he is alone in the woods or in the arms of his new girlfriend. But when he stumbles across a hidden bunker filled with human skulls, he learns what true suffering is. Drawn to examine the skulls, he finds there is more than just empty blackness behind their lifeless stares. Through their eyes he watches them die.

With every glance, he witnesses another murder, the memories of the dead playing out inside his mind until reality becomes a blur. A primal cruelty awakening, Jacob returns to the morbid comfort of the skulls, over and over again. But when he happens upon a fresh skull, a victim tortured and slain for his amusement alone, he knows his time has come. Face to face with death, Jacob must choose whether to resist the darkness that dwells inside or condemn himself forever, murdering his innocence on the edge of an axe.


Entering the contest is easy & you have two ways to enter: following my blog or posting in the comments below. At the end of the contest I'll pick six people from both sources via random.org & let them know what they've won! (Three from the comments, three from my blog followers.)

If you do post in the comments, make sure that you leave an email address or another way (blogspot account) for me to contact you by. If you leave an email, make sure to do it like this: emailaddress (at) home (dot) com so any spammers doesn't grab it!

November Gratitude Giveaway!!

Hi everyone! It's time for my monthly giveaway & because I'm so grateful for all of the followers my little blog gets, I'm giving away two books this month so there will be two chances to win!

The first book is an ARC of David Baldacci's Deliver Us From Evil & the other is a hardback of Stephenie Meyer's The Host!

Here's how to enter:

Following my blog will give you one entry. Entering via the link below will give you another entry. (So if you follow my blog AND enter via the link, you get two entries into the contest! ) Don't worry about the linky tool asking you for a web link- just enter your e-mail into that if you don't have a blog or other website to put in there. I tested it out already & entering an e-mail address won't be a problem!

Posting a comment won't do anything extra, but it would be appreciated! Why not tell me what you'd like me to give away next month? I'm always open to suggestions!

I'm ending the contest on November 28 at 11:59 pm EST, so check back on the 29th to see if you won! Want to win more stuff? Check back each month. Want to win tons of swag in November? Check out the I am A Reader, Not A Writer giveaway that inspired this month's contest!

November's giveaway & more Lying Game news!

Hi all!

I just wanted to let you know that I'll be participating in the Blog Followers Gratitude Giveaway, plus I'll be giving away books to TWO lucky winners! I'll be giving away a copy of a Stephenie Meyer book as well as a Baldacci ARC, so check back here on the 17th as well as on the blogs in the link above- it'll be a great chance to pick up some great stuff!

Got any other ideas for things that would make for a great giveaway prize? Let me know in the comments below!

Also, I just wanted to take the chance to geek out a little more about The Lying Game & the upcoming television pilot they're filming. While landing a role in a pilot doesn't guarantee that you'll be in the tv show if it's picked up (check out the Buffy pilot to see the changes in casting), it still gives you a pretty good chance if the producers like what they see.

In any case, the producers have cast Alexandra Chando as the lead character(s) of both Emma & Sutton. That's going to be a pretty impressive role for her to brag about- not only will she be in the tv adaptation of a Shepard book, but she'll also be playing two characters that appear to be pretty different in personality.

Patterson contest is over!

Hi all!!

Thanks to everyone for entering my James Patterson contest! I'm so glad that everyone found & (so far) likes my blog!

I had one of my co-workers pick the winner this go round & the winner is:

Cathie!

Look in your inbox for an email from me asking for an address to send the book to!

Everyone, check back later for another giveaway! (I aim to do this at least once a month, if not more.)

Book Contest: Win a copy of James Patterson's Don't Blink!

Hi all!

Since the last contest went over so well, I've decided to try another contest! This time you have the chance of winning an advance reader's copy of James Patterson's new book Don't Blink!

Here's the book description:

The good

New York's Lombardo's Steak House is famous for three reasons--the menu, the clientele, and now, the gruesome murder of an infamous mob lawyer. Effortlessly, the assassin slips through the police's fingers, and his absence sparks a blaze of accusations about who ordered the hit.

The bad

Seated at a nearby table, reporter Nick Daniels is conducting a once-in-a-lifetime interview with a legendary baseball bad-boy. In the chaos, he accidentally captures a key piece of evidence that lands him in the middle of an all-out war between Italian and Russian mafia forces. NYPD captains, district attorneys, mayoral candidates, media kingpins, and one shockingly beautiful magazine editor are all pushing their own agendas--on both sides of the law.

And the dead

Back off--or die--is the clear message Nick receives as he investigates for a story of his own.Heedless, and perhaps in love with his beautiful editor, Nick endures humiliation, threats, violence, and worse in a thriller that overturns every expectation and finishes with the kind of flourish only James Patterson knows.


All you have to do to enter is post here on the book thread! It can be about anything you like!

On Friday 10/15/2010 I'll post the winner, so check back with me to see if you won!

If you have any questions, email me at geniebrownhair (at) hotmail (dot) com!

Speak contest is over!

Hey all!

Thanks for responding to my blog & giving such wonderful views on censorship, banning, & what you think about all of it! You guys all made my first Banned Book Week posts so much fun!

Now for the winner:

The winner is Inspired Kathy! I really liked your post- it made me think about stuff that I hadn't really considered before!

Contact me at geniebrownhair (at) hotmail.com with your information & I'll mail the books out as soon as possible!

Everyone, check back soon for another giveaway! I've got a ton of ARCs here that I'd love to send out to everyone!

Win a copy of Laurie Halse Anderson's SPEAK!

Greetings, fellow book fans!

In honor of Banned Book Week & especially because there are idiots out there that would ban this book from schools, I'm giving away a free copy of the platinum edition of SPEAK. That's right, you can own a copy of the book that's causing all of this fuss.

Not only that, but I'm also giving out an advance reader's copy of Sarah Mlynowski's Gimme a Call. While this is already available on shelves, the copy I have is a reader copy that was only circulated to bookstores, reviewers, & such.

Already have one or both of these books? That's OK- enter anyway & pass this awesome book along to one of your friends!

To enter the contest, just post to this blog by October 4th (next monday) & give some love to both of these great authors or talk about your feelings about book banning! In about a week I'll choose one of the posters & mail them their free books! If you see your name in next week's blog, just drop me an e-mail at geniebrownhair (at) hotmail.com!