Nancye!!
Congrats! I will contact you today for your mailing info. =)
Showing posts with label Shelley Adina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shelley Adina. Show all posts
Friday, February 26, 2010
Tidings of Great Boys winner!
Nancye!!
Congrats! I will contact you today for your mailing info. =)
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth by Shelley Adina ~ 5 stars
Make sure to check out my interview and giveaway with Shelley Adina, posted today!
The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth
The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth
Shelley Adina
All About Us series #6
Faith Words - publisher
About the book:
The girls of Spencer Academy are ready to take on life after high school . . . if they can make it through their last term!
Lissa Mansfield has come a long way since transferring to Spencer Academy two years ago. She’s made a great group of friends in Gillian, Carly, Mac, and Shani. She’s strengthened and grown her relationship with God. She’s even gotten over the Callum McCloud “incident” from her first term. Now she’s set to graduate and experience college life!
But with the girls about to separate and head in different directions, Lissa is faced with some of her biggest challenges yet. Her archenemy, Vanessa Talbot, has a shocking secret—one that could destroy her reputation forever. Can Lissa act on God’s prompting and reach out to her foe when Vanessa needs a friend the most? And with college on the horizon, will Lissa and Kaz finally come to terms with their feelings for each other? High school may be ending, but the excitement has just begun!
My review:
As the girls prepare for graduation they face new and unexpected challenges. They have to make difficult decisions; both in relationships and the scary what-college-to-go-to-and-what-to-major-in choice. These girls know the importance of following God’s direction in your life, and are such a good example of teens that learn (usually through trail and error) to seek His will and use the talents He gave them.
Lissa is such a great example of Christ’s love in this book! When a certain arch-nemesis of hers is in trouble, Lissa really reaches out to her… despite discouragement from her friends. We all need to be more like Lissa in that we are willing to reach out to people in need no matter the cost to ourselves.
Shelley Adina ~ Interview + Giveaway!
Today author Shelley Adina is telling us about her book, Tidings of Great Boys. She has offered an autographed copy of her book to one lucky commenter. She will also be stopping by throughout the week to answer your questions! So if you have anything you want to ask her, you can include it in your comment for entering the contest. If you are only leaving a question in the comment and not entering the giveaway please say so.
Welcome, Shelley! Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born on an island in Canada, emigrated to the U.S. when I was in my twenties, and married a man from California. We’ve been living there ever since, and have eight rescue chickens that my mom calls her “grandchickens.”
How long have you been writing? How many books do you have published?
I’ve been writing since I was 13, when I started my first novel. It got rejected, of course, but in the letter, the editor said I knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep me going until I learned how to write a book properly. I sold my master’s thesis from the M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction program at Seton Hill University to a major commercial publisher—that was my first full-length sale. Since then, I’ve had 16 books published in romance, women’s fiction, and now young adult.
If you compared your writing style to any other Christian Fiction author, who would it be? Also, how would you rate the romance in you books?
My YA books have a frothy, friendly style, as though the characters were talking to the reader as one of themselves. I’m not sure who else does it this way—maybe Jenny B. Jones? As for romance, it’s definitely there (we’re talking about 16 and 17 year old girls, after all!) but it doesn’t go beyond kissing except in It’s All About Us, where the plot of the book revolves around the idea of the technical virgin, and how far is going too far. But there’s no physical stuff, it’s mostly what’s going on in the characters’ heads.
In your own words tell us a little about Tidings of Great Boys.
The fun part about Tidings of Great Boys is that it’s about Christmas in Scotland. I had to do all kinds of research about customs and food and had to contact folks I know who live there to give me real-life examples of what they do at Christmas in their families. I learned that New Year’s is called “the bells,” i.e. you wait until the bells to sing Auld Lang Syne. And I learned about first-footing, when the first person over your threshold on New Year’s Day brings food—even if it’s one minute after midnight
Blurb-
Finals week is approaching, and Mac is still undecided on where to spend the holidays. Normally she’d go home to Scotland, but spending two weeks alone in the castle with her dad isn’t as appealing as it used to be. So she invites Carly, Lissa, Gillian, and Shani to join her for the holidays! Mac is determined to make this the best Christmas ever. She even decides to organize the traditional Hogmanay dance for New Year’s Eve. If she can get her mother involved, maybe her parents will finally get back together. But when Mac and the girls arrive in Scotland, they are faced with bad news: The castle is falling apart and Mac’s parents are struggling financially. Not only that, but Shani is in big trouble with Prince Rashid’s royal family. Can the girls find a way to celebrate the holidays, get Mac’s parents back together, save the castle, and rescue Shani ... and will Mac believe it's all part of God's plan? There’s only one way to find out!
What made you want to write this story?
Well, Mac demanded her own book and I wanted to change up the setting, which had mostly been Spencer Academy, San Francisco, and California for the other books. Since she lived in this beautiful castle and winter break was coming up, I thought, of course she’s going to want to go home for Christmas—and of course the girls all have to go with her! Then I wondered how her old childhood friends would take it when she arrived with all these Americans in tow, and, well, the story just took off from there.
What research did you have to do for this book?
Fortunately I’ve been to Scotland, so writing about the countryside and castles was sheer fun. I used Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire (http://www.rampantscotland.com/castles/blcastles_fyvie.htm) as my model for the ancestral home of Mac’s family, the MacPhails. And, as I said, I did a lot of research on holiday customs.
Who would you pick to play the lead roles if this book was made into a movie?
British actress Holliday Grainger would make a superb Lady Lindsay MacPhail, though she’d have to become a redhead with curly hair. And Jake Abel would make a lovely Alasdair Gibson.
How can readers get in contact with you?
I love to hear from readers! There’s a contact button on my website at http://www.shelleyadina.com/.
What are you currently reading?
I just started an MFA program, so I’m dividing my reading between Mastering the Techniques of Teaching and Jane Eyre.
Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I’m a historical costumer. Right now I’m making a Victorian bustle petticoat to wear under a Victorian gown. I’m speaking on a panel about writing steampunk this summer in Nashville, so I’m going to go in costume. How fun is that?
If you could be any animal, which would you choose? Why?
I’d be a sea bird of some kind because I love the ocean.
FAVORITES:
Color?
Salmon pink.
Childhood memory?
Beachcombing.
Era to write about?
The Belle Epoch.
What is/was this book’s release date?
Tidings of Great Boys came out a couple of months ago, in September 2009.
Do you have a link to a place to read the first chapter of this book?
You bet: http://software.newsstand.com/bookrdr/hbg-live/BookBrowse.html?a=a5YhH8Ej2M1ueEtevXa7iOS3avEtEqDPo4WlhmpTZR0l7%2FvNfirPLxlsYZGPFV6InjIa%2FM6yHR0tIvCgPkrdSc7wwOe4LsmB2asdMzJtAYs7TVOtxvsdUMQX0YrFB0VZ&z=hbg
To enter:
*Leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win).
*Please specify that you want to be included in the contest!
*If you want an extra entry, become one of my followers.
*The comment is mandatory. (Please, say in the comment if you are a follower!! It makes my job easier when you do.) You will not be entered unless you leave a comment. If you are already a follower, and then you leave a comment, you will still get two entries in the contest.
*The contest will run from today (Feb. 19) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (Feb. 25). I will announce the winner that night. The winner is always randomly drawn. I will contact the winner on Friday the 26th, and then that person will have one week to reply. If the winner doesn't reply within that time period, I will pick a new winner.
Good luck! Thanks for visiting.
Welcome, Shelley! Tell us a little about yourself.
I was born on an island in Canada, emigrated to the U.S. when I was in my twenties, and married a man from California. We’ve been living there ever since, and have eight rescue chickens that my mom calls her “grandchickens.”How long have you been writing? How many books do you have published?
I’ve been writing since I was 13, when I started my first novel. It got rejected, of course, but in the letter, the editor said I knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep me going until I learned how to write a book properly. I sold my master’s thesis from the M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction program at Seton Hill University to a major commercial publisher—that was my first full-length sale. Since then, I’ve had 16 books published in romance, women’s fiction, and now young adult.
If you compared your writing style to any other Christian Fiction author, who would it be? Also, how would you rate the romance in you books?
My YA books have a frothy, friendly style, as though the characters were talking to the reader as one of themselves. I’m not sure who else does it this way—maybe Jenny B. Jones? As for romance, it’s definitely there (we’re talking about 16 and 17 year old girls, after all!) but it doesn’t go beyond kissing except in It’s All About Us, where the plot of the book revolves around the idea of the technical virgin, and how far is going too far. But there’s no physical stuff, it’s mostly what’s going on in the characters’ heads.
In your own words tell us a little about Tidings of Great Boys.
The fun part about Tidings of Great Boys is that it’s about Christmas in Scotland. I had to do all kinds of research about customs and food and had to contact folks I know who live there to give me real-life examples of what they do at Christmas in their families. I learned that New Year’s is called “the bells,” i.e. you wait until the bells to sing Auld Lang Syne. And I learned about first-footing, when the first person over your threshold on New Year’s Day brings food—even if it’s one minute after midnight
Blurb-
What made you want to write this story?
Well, Mac demanded her own book and I wanted to change up the setting, which had mostly been Spencer Academy, San Francisco, and California for the other books. Since she lived in this beautiful castle and winter break was coming up, I thought, of course she’s going to want to go home for Christmas—and of course the girls all have to go with her! Then I wondered how her old childhood friends would take it when she arrived with all these Americans in tow, and, well, the story just took off from there.
What research did you have to do for this book?
Fortunately I’ve been to Scotland, so writing about the countryside and castles was sheer fun. I used Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire (http://www.rampantscotland.com/castles/blcastles_fyvie.htm) as my model for the ancestral home of Mac’s family, the MacPhails. And, as I said, I did a lot of research on holiday customs.
Who would you pick to play the lead roles if this book was made into a movie?
British actress Holliday Grainger would make a superb Lady Lindsay MacPhail, though she’d have to become a redhead with curly hair. And Jake Abel would make a lovely Alasdair Gibson.What are you working on now or going to write next?
I’m working on two books at once right now, both completely different from the All About Us books. At the same time, they both have characters struggling against impossible circumstances and trying to do the right thing. As soon as one of them finds a home, I’ll be able to talk about them!
I love to hear from readers! There’s a contact button on my website at http://www.shelleyadina.com/.
What are you currently reading?
I just started an MFA program, so I’m dividing my reading between Mastering the Techniques of Teaching and Jane Eyre.
Tell us something surprising about yourself that readers may not know.
I’m a historical costumer. Right now I’m making a Victorian bustle petticoat to wear under a Victorian gown. I’m speaking on a panel about writing steampunk this summer in Nashville, so I’m going to go in costume. How fun is that?
If you could be any animal, which would you choose? Why?
I’d be a sea bird of some kind because I love the ocean.
FAVORITES:
Color?
Salmon pink.
Childhood memory?
Beachcombing.
Era to write about?
The Belle Epoch.
What is/was this book’s release date?
Tidings of Great Boys came out a couple of months ago, in September 2009.
Do you have a link to a place to read the first chapter of this book?
You bet: http://software.newsstand.com/bookrdr/hbg-live/BookBrowse.html?a=a5YhH8Ej2M1ueEtevXa7iOS3avEtEqDPo4WlhmpTZR0l7%2FvNfirPLxlsYZGPFV6InjIa%2FM6yHR0tIvCgPkrdSc7wwOe4LsmB2asdMzJtAYs7TVOtxvsdUMQX0YrFB0VZ&z=hbg
~~~~~
**USA residents only, please**
Okay readers, here is your chance to win an autographed copy of Tidings of Great Boys!
To enter:
*Leave a comment with your name and email address (so I can contact you if you win).
*Please specify that you want to be included in the contest!
*If you want an extra entry, become one of my followers.
*The comment is mandatory. (Please, say in the comment if you are a follower!! It makes my job easier when you do.) You will not be entered unless you leave a comment. If you are already a follower, and then you leave a comment, you will still get two entries in the contest.
*The contest will run from today (Feb. 19) until 6:00 CST on Thursday (Feb. 25). I will announce the winner that night. The winner is always randomly drawn. I will contact the winner on Friday the 26th, and then that person will have one week to reply. If the winner doesn't reply within that time period, I will pick a new winner.
Good luck! Thanks for visiting.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Tidings of Great Boys by Shelley Adina ~ 5/5 stars
Tidings of Great Boys
Shelley Adina
All About Us series, #5
FaithWords Publisher
About the book:
Finals week is approaching and Mac is still undecided on where to spend the holidays. Normally she'd go home to Scotland, but spending two weeks alone in the castle with her dad isn't as appealing as it used to be. So she invites Carly, Lissa, Gillian, and Shani to join her for the holidays!
Mac is determined to make this the best Christmas ever. She even decides to organize the traditional Hogmany dance for New Year's Eve. If she can get her mother involved in the dance, maybe her parents will finally get back together.
But when Mac and the girls arrive in Scotland, they are faced with bad news: the castle is falling apart and Mac's parents are struggling financially. Not only that, but Shani is in big trouble with Prince Rashid's royal family. Can the girls find a way to celebrate the holidays, get Mac's parents back together, save the castle, and rescue Shani from her relentless pursuers? There's only one way to find out. . .
My review:
I loved Mac's story. This is a great book and I really felt connected to the characters. I've read all the books in this series and have not been disappointed with any of them. I seriously recommend that you read this entire series if you haven't already.
(Sorry the review is so short. It took me forever to finish the book, and then I didn't have time to write the review while it was fresh on my mind. I've been too busy, and thats going to have to change. *Insert determined face*)
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