Author Interview: Jacqueline Gardner ~ HUGE Giveaway!

Welcome to The Wormhole!

It is with great pleasure that I feature an interview with Jacqueline Gardner, author of Thoughtless, Mutiny, and Jade.

 When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been telling stories since I was little. I kept an idea journal by my bed and still do. I often wake up in the middle of the night, turn on a light, and write things down. When I read those entries in the morning sometimes they make sense. Sometimes they don’t! I think for me writing a book was always in the cards. It was just a matter of finding the time to sit down and do it.

 How long does it take you to write a book?
The first book I wrote took me about 9 months to write. That manuscript taught me a whole lot about myself and my preferred writing style. Sadly though, it will never see the light of day!

 What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?
I can’t write in absolute silence.

 Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?
I draw a lot from personal experience. Though I never use names of people I know! At least I try not to. But all my main characters are a little like me, and I don’t intentionally do that. I just write what I know.

 How do you decide what you want to write about?
My book ideas usually start with a question. And not all my ideas work out. I have a few manuscripts that I started but never finished because I wasn’t in LOVE with the characters. If you’re going to devote months of uninterrupted time to something, you should probably be in LOVE with it. Love-hate relationships work too.

 What are you reading right now?
Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series

 What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I like to hike, camp, and decorate cupcakes.

 What is your favorite comfort food?
A lot of people are probably expecting me to say cupcakes, but I actually prefer salty over sweet. I have a weakness for tortilla chips.

 What do you think makes a good story?
A lot of things, but something that I think makes a story stand out is honesty. Books with a lot of raw emotion are ones I connect with. Putting your feelings out there for the world to see isn’t easy, so I admire authors who do that.

 Who would you consider your favorite author and why?
I admire a lot of authors, but there is one in particular that made me fall in love with books. Roald Dahl.

 What book, if any, do you read over and over again?
The Harry Potter series.

Fun random questions:
• dogs or cats?
Dogs.

• Coffee or tea?
Tea.

• Dark or milk chocolate?
Dark chocolate.

• Rocks or flowers?
What kind of ‘rocks’ are we talking about here? If a diamond counts, I would definitely take that over flowers.

• Night or day?
Night.

• Favorite color?
Green.

• Crayons or markers?
Colored pencils.

• Pens or pencils?
Whatever I can find! I’m always losing both.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

...and now...the books!!!

Her website is HERE.
You can buy her books HERE or HERE

...and now for the Giveaway...

***you can choose either Thoughtless or Mutiny  FREE by COMMENTING on this post!

When Bridget finds a dead cheerleader in the janitor’s closet, she becomes the killer’s next target. High school just got worse. It’s bad enough that she can hear the shocking truths that pass through her classmate’s heads. Now she has to worry about staying alive, and all clues point to the one person whose thoughts she can’t read - her boyfriend Terrence. Someone is taunting her, threatening to expose her secret. And when Bridget tries to single out her blackmailer, she’s nearly beaten to death by a mind controlled minion with fiery eyes.


But when Bridget finally comes face-to-face with the killer, suddenly a horde of brainwashed students programmed to destroy her life doesn't seem so bad.

Eric's life aboard a top secret stealth submarine as a member of the government’s M.E.R. program has been about discipline, cunning and survival. As both a soldier and a natural born regenerator, he can heal from any wound, but to stay alive he must accept a vein-burning serum that prevents his DNA from over-mutating. In exchange Eric must follow his Chief Commander’s every order. And never ask questions, no matter the assignment.


When he goes ashore on his first solo mission he runs into a complication he didn't expect; Mariella, the target’s daughter. She’s about to change everything.

Informant, M.E.R. book 2 (coming fall 2012)

It was only a game – a contest of wits. But the night Crystal snuck out to meet her competitor was the night she didn’t return.


Now her younger sister Jade has returned to Silver Hills, the place Crystal disappeared, only to find hostile townspeople and a creepy admirer. Silver Hills isn’t what it seems, and Crystal’s ghostly image has made a reappearance. Jade’s suspicions only lead to trouble as she slowly starts to realize that history is about to repeat itself.

No wonder grandma slept with a gun under her pillow.  

(Release: April 2012)

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole.

Happy Reading.

Blog Tour: The Guardian by S.B. Rodgers

This virtual book tour is presented by Bewitching Book Tours.

Welcome to The Wormhole and my day on the tour.

I am pleased to feature this guest post from S.B. Rodgers.

Why Paranormal and Fantasy make the YA world go ‘round


I don’t know about you, but I have always read books to get away from reality. Let’s face

it--reality sometimes sucks!! What better way to get away than to immerse oneself in someone else’s head? Their life, their adventures, their romances are all a welcome change from the everyday drudgery, and sometimes you learn a little something about yourself along the way, which is always a cool bonus.

There’s a reason why fantasy and paranormal YA novels are hot right now--they’re a total change from the norm! The world can be the same, or completely different; a post-apocalyptic nightmare, a flawed utopian society, a magical fantasy land or an alien dreamscape. With paranormal, the different and uncanny becomes, if not commonplace, then at least feasible! Life suddenly brims with magic and romance and wonder, everything felt in extremes through the characters’ eyes--you can be anything at any moment, and you can meet anyone while you’re at it.

I mean, why settle for the boring, average guys in your school when you could have the

sexy new transfer student who just happens to have fangs, feathers or claws? You say he has a brother?! Excellent.

The romantic heroes are a huge draw of YA for a lot of people, and no wonder! Romance

is always a welcome distraction, and the love triangle, tale old as time as it may be, refuses to be played off. Two boys vying for your affections? Yeah, I think you can handle that, especially since they aren’t quite like the dudes you grew up with. There’s something a little different about them--not bad different! Good different, you think…well, you hope.

The sense of mystery that surrounds these boys only adds to the intrigue; they’re definitely not the kind of people you meet every day on the street! They’re suave, protective, instinctive, more than a little bit dangerous, and they’re waiting to take you on out-of-this-world adventures.

It doesn’t really get much better than that.



What and who is S.B. Rodgers?
S.B. Rodgers is a pen name that stands for Sara & Becky Rodgers. Becky argued extensively


that in the name of humour, the letters should be listed alphabetically, but lost out to her arch

nemesis common sense. Sara and Becky met at the young ages of twenty-two months and zero

days, thrust into each other’s lives by fate and situations beyond either of their control. They

are sisters, frenemies and most importantly co-authors. It’s theorised that they were identical

twin in a past life…not really but it’d be pretty cool. Their parents taught them that a person’s

imagination is a precious gift and stories should be cherished. As a team the siblings bring very

different skills to the table, each one’s strength perfectly complimenting the others weakness.

They try not to take themselves very seriously and strive to look for the humour in life. Their

partnership is one of extreme love and respect for each other, both as family and literary artists.

Sara is the younger of the two. She lives with one cat, five dolls and her potato head man

collection in an orange room. Regrettably she is not Spiderman or Batman, but she is a card

holding Pokémon master and that’s good enough for now. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts

from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She collects graphic novels and manga

as well as all things written by the fantastic Neil Gaiman. When she is not reading or writing she

is needle felting and posting her work on her popu-lish tumblr account: The Land of Fluff and

Needles.

Becky is the classic girly-girl. Her blond hair and pink nails served as the perfect camouflage

during school years were teachers undoubtedly took her day dreaming for air-headedness. To

the contrary, she spent that time drifting in and out of imaginary worlds filled with fantastical

creatures and memorable characters. Today she divides her time between working with animals

as a certified pet stylist and typing away at new manuscripts. Among other things she describes

herself as a Gleek, sci-fi nerd, smustle expert extraordinaire and above all she just “wants to

believe.” She lives with her two German Shepherds-Abby and Odin-and is driven by delusionsLinks:

Blog: sbrodgers.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/SB-Rodgers/260803420636830
You tube: http://youtu.be/DBMOkpw1vtI
Twitter: SBRodgers1
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5517745.S_B_Rodgers

Guardian: The first book in the trilogy (Guardian, Thief, Human)
By S.B. Rogers


Paranormal YA


Blurb:

It’s been almost a year since Abby Shepard’s once-perfect life crumbled into little more than a nightmare. Dumped, bullied and abused, the seventeen-year-old has all but given up hope. Little does she know that her father died protecting a family secret; a secret that has the forces of good and evil battling to claim the power lurking just beneath her skin.

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole.

Happy Reading.

Blog Tour: The Angel Chronicles by Amy Lignor

This blog tour is presented by Tribute Books.

You can see the entire tour schedule by clicking HERE.

Welcome to the Wormhole and my day on the tour.

It is my pleasure to feature Until Next Time by Amy Lignor.

Author, publisher, and book Links:

The Angel Chronicles web site, The Angel Chronicles Facebook page, Until Next Time GoodReads page, Amy Lignor's Twitter:, Amy Lignor's Website:, Amy Lignor's Blog:, Amy Lignor's GoodReads:, Tribute Books website:, Tribute Books Facebook:, Tribute Books Twitter:, Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:

Until Next Time: The Angel Chronicles, Book 1 Summary

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

Amy Lignor's Bio:

Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.

Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.

She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.

Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.

Buy links: Kindle buy link, Nook buy link , Smashwords buy link, PDF buy link

Thanks for stopping by The Wormhole.

Happy Reading.

Author Interview: Jacqueline Gardner

Welcome to The Wormhole!

It is my pleasure today to feature Jacqueline Gardner and her book Thoughtless.

Thoughtless by Jacqueline Gardner

Amazon Product Description:  When Bridget finds a dead cheerleader in the janitor’s closet, she becomes the killer’s next target. High school just got worse. It’s bad enough that she can hear the shocking truths that pass through her classmate’s heads. Now she has to worry about staying alive, and all clues point to the one person whose thoughts she can’t read - her boyfriend Terrence. Someone is taunting her, threatening to expose her secret. And when Bridget tries to single out her blackmailer, she’s nearly beaten to death by a mind controlled minion with fiery eyes. 

But when Bridget finally comes face-to-face with the killer, suddenly a horde of brainwashed students programmed to destroy her life doesn’t seem so bad. 

Jacqueline has graciously stopped by for an interview!

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been telling stories since I was little.  I kept an idea journal by my bed and still do.  I often wake up in the middle of the night, turn on a light, and write things down.  When I read those entries in the morning sometimes they make sense.  Sometimes they don’t!  I think for me writing a book was always in the cards.  It was just a matter of finding the time to sit down and do it.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

The first book I wrote took me about 9 months to write.  That manuscript taught me a whole lot about myself and my preferred writing style.  Sadly though, it will never see the light of day! 

? What would you say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I can’t write in absolute silence. 

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

I draw a lot from personal experience.  Though I never use names of people I know!  At least I try not to.  But all my main characters are a little like me, and I don’t intentionally do that.  I just write what I know.

? How do you decide what you want to write about?

My book ideas usually start with a question.  And not all my ideas work out.  I have a few manuscripts that I started but never finished because I wasn’t in LOVE with the characters.  If you’re going to devote months of uninterrupted time to something, you should probably be in LOVE with it.  Love-hate relationships work too.

? What are you reading right now?

Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I like to hike, camp, and decorate cupcakes.

? What is your favorite comfort food?

A lot of people are probably expecting me to say cupcakes, but I actually prefer salty over sweet.  I have a weakness for tortilla chips.

? What do you think makes a good story?

A lot of things, but something that I think makes a story stand out is honesty.  Books with a lot of raw emotion are ones I connect with.  Putting your feelings out there for the world to see isn’t easy, so I admire authors who do that. 

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

I admire a lot of authors, but there is one in particular that made me fall in love with books.  Roald Dahl.

? What book, if any, do you read over and over again?

The Harry Potter series.

Fun random questions: 

·        dogs or cats?

Dogs.

·        Coffee or tea?

Tea.

·        Dark or milk chocolate?

Dark chocolate.

·        Rocks or flowers?

What kind of ‘rocks’ are we talking about here?  If a diamond counts, I would definitely take that over flowers. 

·        Night or day?

Night.

·        Favorite color?

Green.

·        Crayons or markers?

Colored pencils.

·        Pens or pencils?

Whatever I can find!  I’m always losing both.

Thank you so much Jacqueline for being here today and thank you followers for stopping by to visit!

Stay tuned for an INCREDIBLE giveaway and review: 

May 28, 2012

S.B. Lerner and In the Middle of Almost

Welcome to The Wormhole!

It is my pleasure today to feature S.B. Lerner and her collection of short stories, In the Middle of Almost.

? When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

 When I was single and working at a high pressure job in Manhattan, I took a writing workshop and wrote my first story in a fit of inspiration. The teacher called it a “little gem” and I was hooked. Not only because I can’t resist a compliment, but because the process of zeroing in on an emotional state and revealing through a story was liberating. Often I didn’t even know what I was writing about until I finished. Even then, other people would see things in my stories that I hadn’t realized were there. It was all very heady.

? How many jobs did you have before you became a writer?

 I worked as an attorney/businessperson for many years, while writing.

? How long does it take you to write a book?

A couple of years, including researching and editing.

? Where do you get your ideas or inspiration for your characters?

Sometimes from research, although the personalities are often derived from friends and family.

? How do you decide what you want to write about?

The stories in IN THE MIDDLE OF ALMOST came about from conversations with friends and from observing people. There are potential stories in every overheard conversation.

I was inspired to set my upcoming novel, A SUITABLE HUSBAND, in prewar Poland after learning about the Zionist youth group my father belonged to as a kid in Poland. His enthusiasm for it showed, even all these years later. I began to research and learned they were educated and serious young men and women who were passionate about social justice and rejected both the anti-Semitism they’d experienced in Poland, as well as the stratified Jewish cultural hierarchy.  As I researched the period and learned more about the plethora of politically active youth groups, I knew it would make a great background for a novel.

? What books have most influenced your life?

I read mostly historical novels because I like to learn about other periods of history through great characters and a touch of suspense.

? What are you reading right now? 

I’m in the third book of Game of Thrones. It’s outside my normal fare, and I’ll admit I skim through some of it, but it’s got some great characters that show moral ambiguity and complexity.

? What do you like to do when you are not writing?

I play with the puppy, exercise, and enjoy the family.

? What do you think makes a good story?

Complex, interesting characters and a sense of suspense.

? Who would you consider your favorite author and why?

I love Ken Follett. I’ve read everything he’s written.

And now for the book:

Amazon Product Description:
An engrossing collection of funny, poignant and bittersweet stories about busy young women who find men in all the wrong places (the garage attendant across the street, the stay-at-home dad in the playground, the younger man at the diner counter) and discover something about themselves in the process. 

The short stories and memoir were previously published in literary magazines and newspapers.

You can buy your own kindle copy and see reviews by clicking HERE.


Review:  My thoughts:
This is a nice collection of short stories about women and their encounters with men.  Some are fleeting encounters and some are potentially much more.  Each story gives the reader an inside glance at the woman and where she is at in her life.  They are touching, personal, and thought provoking.  Each story is different, but all encourage the reader to look at the piece of their life that the story reminds them of.  I both liked and disliked the unfinished aspect of the ending for each short story.  I am usually looking for either closure or a "...to be continued" feel at the end of a story, but these stories don't actually have either of those.  Each story leaves the reader with the opportunity to find the ending in their own story or imagine what happened next.  
I am normally a strict "not about real life" story reader, in other words - I am all about fiction.  I tell people I have enough reality in my day to day life that I read solely for pleasure and solely about things that are no where near my life.  Having said that, this was not my normal, average read.  I am pleased that I had the chance to read this well-written collection and will look for more stories written by S.B. Lerner.  

Review: The Slayer: Book 2 of the Legend Chronicles by Theresa Meyers

The Slayer: Book Two of the Legend Chronicles by Theresa Meyers

Amazon Product Description:
Publication Date: April 1, 2012 
Series: The Legend Chronicles (Book 2)

Brothers Winchester, Remington and Colt know the legends--they were trained from childhood to destroy demon predators, wielding the latest steam-powered gadgetry. It's a devil of a job. But sometimes your fate chooses you. . .CHASING TROUBLE

Winn Jackson isn't interested in hunting nightmares across the Wild West--even if it's the family business. Unlike his rakehell brothers, Winn believes in rules. As sheriff of Bodie, California, he only shoots actual law breakers. That's what he's doing when he rescues the Contessa Drossenburg, Alexandra Porter, a lady with all the elegance of the Old World--grace, beauty and class. And then he sees her fangs.

Alexandra isn't just some bloodsucking damsel in distress, though. She's on a mission to save her people--and she's dead certain that Winn's family legacy is the only way. Luckily, aside from grace and class, she also has a stubborn streak a mile wide. So like it or not, Winn is going to come back with her to the mountains of Transylvania, and while he's at it, change his opinions about vampires, demon-hunting, and who exactly deserves shooting. And if she has her way, he's going to do his darnedest to save the world. . .

My thoughts:
(The short, fast version) ~ Wonderful story!  I couldn't put it down.  The Legend Chronicles are a must read for fans of steampunk!  The characters are fantastic, the plot is intriguing, the story itself is entertaining, it is paced perfectly and the ending leaves you screaming for more!


(The longer version) ~ I fell in love with this book from the start.  I was intrigued by the characters right away.  Theresa Meyers has created a wealth of fantastic characters in this series.  She started with creative names and flushed them out with well developed personalities, enough back-story to make sure you get to know them, and principles/beliefs that they are willing to sacrifice for.  She takes these fabulous characters and sets them into a world that has been carefully built to be the perfect setting for their lives.  It is a clever blend of Old West meets technology with a few extra twists.  I truly enjoyed the interactions of the characters and was thrilled by the way the relationship developed and played out between Winn and Alexandra.  


I can't wait for the next book and would encourage all steampunk fans to check this series out!