Letter O on The A to Z April Challenge 2014

Our letter on the April A to Z Challenge is O today. My book is The Orphan and the Thief by Melissa LeGette. Genre: Fantasy

Book Title: The Orphan and the Thief

Author: M.L. LeGette

Description: Toad thought it’d be easy to steal from Mr. Edward P. Owl. Unfortunately for Toad, he isn’t the best of thieves. Caught in the act, he’s in more trouble than ever before. Now to save his hide, Toad must track down five rare potion ingredients for Mr. Owl. Or else.

All Melena Snead wants is her family back, but after the Miggens Street Fire, that isn’t very likely. Orphaned and miserable, forced to work in an apothecary, she’s determined to find Milo, her missing brother. No matter what.

When Melena finds Toad ransacking her apothecary, Toad gets a nasty shock: apothecaries don’t carry Mr. Owl’s ingredients. Luckily, Melena’s willing to help, for a price.

With Melena’s pet Spit-Fire dragon and Toad’s enchanted talking beer mug, they embark on a fantastical journey, traveling the country in search of the potion ingredients. But can they gather all of them in time, what with monsters, pirates, and axe-wielding thieves? And if they do, is there an even greater danger waiting for them at the end?

You can read my review of this book here; http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4KH

Where to purchase:

Amazon US:

Amazon UK:

Smashwords:

Barnes and Noble US:

Barnes and Noble UK:

Author Links:

blog: http://mllegette.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-L-LeGette/119655051430835

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaLeGette

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1499928.M_L_LeGette

Here are some randomly selected links to sites of other bloggers who are taking up the challenge, please find the time to visit them too.

http://lindaghill.wordpress.com/

http://scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com/

http://rosebfischer.wordpress.com/

http://lisavooght.blogspot.co.uk/

During the challenge we are asking people to visit and leave comments on as many blogs as possible, all supportive comments are very much appreciated, thank you.

Guest Author Melissa LeGette

Today our guest is Melissa LeGette author of yesterday’s book The Orphan and The Thief, here is a link to the post if you missed it. http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-4KH

let’s find out more about the writing of the book.

1) Where is your home town?

I live in Washington, Georgia. It’s a little, southern town sandwiched between three big cities.

2) How long have you been writing?

Gosh, for a long time. Ever since I was little, but I didn’t think of writing as anything special – it was just something that I did without thought, much like a hobby. It wasn’t until I was older – 16 maybe – that I considered the profession.

3) Upon starting your book “The Orphan and the Thief” my thoughts went to “The Wind in the Willows”, by Kenneth Grahame, did it influence your book at all?

Bit embarrassing, I’ve never read it, which is ridiculous because I love animals dressing up as people. The book should be totally up my alley. So I know very, very little about the plot, except that there is a toad named Mr. Toad, so I can see a connection there.

4) Tell us about the card game “Bloodroot and toadstools” was it fun to write?

It was fantastic to write! The book is so much about potions that throwing in a potion card game was the cherry on top, for me. I hadn’t ever done something like that before and it was great fun to try to come up with the rules and such. And I just love the name of it!

5) I see you sneaked in a unicorn in to the story, are they your favourite animal?

I had a feeling you would notice that, Rosie! It’s true, I couldn’t help myself. Unicorns and dragons are my top two picks when it comes to magical/mythical creatures, so you should probably expect them to reappear in my writing.

When I was coming up with the ingredients to the Seeking Solution, I wanted some of them to come from animals and unicorn hair was just an obvious choice. Plus, it allowed me to play with the more animalistic version of a unicorn. In The Unicorn Girl, I wrote them more in the way that we think of: they can talk, they can do magic, they’re ethereal and all knowing. But I didn’t want to do that this go round. I wanted to do something different. If there were actual unicorns out and about today, how would they behave? Would they be reclusive? Protective? Aggressive? Curious? Though they’ve been painted to be such gentle creatures, I think we shouldn’t forget about those horns—they clearly aren’t pushovers as Toad discovers.

6) Can you tell the readers where the talking mug “Joe” came from?

Rather interesting story. My grandfather bought a ‘face jug’, as I think they’re called, by a potter named Ron Dahline. He bought this ages ago. And then my grandparents moved and were passing out possessions to lighten the load, and my dad took the mug. From there, the mug stayed tucked away behind some wine glasses and my dad would periodically take it out and fill it with beer, which repulsed my mom and always made me laugh.

It was when I was in the early stages of working on Orphan that I looked at the mug with a new perspective. And I thought, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. That has to go into a book. I’m an idiot if I don’t put that into a book. So I put it into Orphan.

The mug is so outrageous. I mean it is wild with a giant, toothy grin so a lot of Joe’s characteristics came very natural to write, simply from the pottery itself. It was obvious that he should talk; it was obvious that he should be one of a kind and that that would make him a prize in the eyes of certain individuals.

7) What makes Agatha the spider  special for the children?

Because Agatha can travel magically through her web, she is able to lend a helping hand … or should I say leg? The biggest thing that I like about Agatha is that she represents an individual helping another individual simply because she can and simply because she wants to. The same is true with Izzie, who Melena and Toad later meet. When you look at both Melena’s and Toad’s upbringing, they’ve had to fend for themselves. Toad is raised by thieves and was bullied and teased and though he was part of a gang, he was very much on his own. Melena grew up in a very large orphanage and as much as I think kindly about the women who run St. Brenda’s Orphanage, I doubt they were able to give each child the love and attention that they deserved. And then, Melena gets ‘adopted’ by a terrible couple who just use her as labour. So, they both haven’t seen many acts of kindness. So when Agatha the spider offers to help them out of a very deadly situation, Melena is very overwhelmed by it and both children’s attitudes toward the spider is deep fondness.

8) There were so many wonderful magical moments in the book which was your favourite?

Wow. This is hard. Um, I really love the part when Melena finally meets the notorious Ramblers. I loved writing that scene. This scrawny 13 year old standing up to serious criminals and holding her ground – I thought it was great fun. Plus, it was a scene that I wrote very early on that ended up getting removed because the plot changed and it didn’t fit anymore, so I was really happy when I realized that I’d be able to put it back in with a few adjustments. And then there’s the ogre scene when they sing a ballad to scare the ogre away. That was also an idea I had really early on that was such fun to write.

9) Who was Mr Owl going to use the Seeking Solution to find?

No clue. What do you think?

For a really long time (this is one of my weaknesses, by the way), I did not know why Mr. Owl did what Mr. Owl did, which was a problem. I liked the idea of him being utterly repulsed by thieves even though—and you get sense of this—that he has some sort of relationship or treaty with Jack Pinch of the Ramblers. Jack even tells Melena that ‘we don’t get in each others way.’

Mr. Owl is a very wealthy man and something of his gets stolen. I have no idea what this is. I don’t even know if it’s a physical item or if he’s being symbolic. But he wants the person who took whatever it was to pay for his crime, and Owl is a man who dishes out his punishments. He’s not a person who will turn to authorities. It could be that the item that was stolen has a dark past? Maybe one that Mr. Owl does not want publicized? There are so many possibilities … In fact, I might have just come up with an idea …

10) This book screams for a sequel, to you plan to write one?

I’m so flattered and excited that you think so! I love reading series, but I’m terrified of writing one. I’ve been keeping this pretty quiet, but I do have a very rough idea for a sequel, but not one that focuses on Toad or Melena. It will still be set in Calendula, the same country that Orphan and the Thief is set in, but with new characters, though you never know. Some old characters might join the cast. So much happens in writing a book!

I do leave the door open for a return of Toad and Melena, if an idea ever came to me. So fingers crossed!

Find a copy of this book here on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Thank you for being our guest today, Melissa and good luck with the next book.

Rosie’s Good Read Collections; Young Adult (YA)

Welcome to “Rosie’s Good read Collections”, I’ve put together the books I’ve read into subject headings that I think the books belong to, for you to browse.

Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos, the god of sleep, and Thanatos, the god of death. She thinks she’s manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world. Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese’s heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her. The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2S0

The Jack prophesied: If the king loses his head, then the Queen with a Bleeding Heart would rule the Red Court until Time ceased to move forward. When a second carried on for infinity, every creature in Wonderland would tip their Hat to the misfit girl with a Boy’s name (or was it a boy with a Girl’s name?) who’d end the Reign of Terror. However, it all hinged on the One-Eyed Hare being able to convince an uninspirable Heir that the impossible was indeed possible—like stopping time—and that Love was worth a Beheading. Heads would Roll,Hearts would Break…In the end, would it matter who Reigned? Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2O3

For Kaeden Parish, life in Solace has always followed certain rules—everything makes sense, everything can be planned for, and everything is as it seems. Unfortunately, the secret harbored by his gorgeous, albeit guarded girlfriend is about to shatter all of that. After a successful attack on his life opens his eyes to a world of war, shadows, and supernatural creatures—a world he didn’t plan for—Kaeden finds himself resembling the sort of monster he has always feared. As he desperately struggles to resist a new temptation, danger draws ever nearer, threatening the ones he loves most. A prophecy tells of a final battle and great destruction, and Kaeden must decide which side he is on, a choice that could mean the end of the world. In Book 1 of the Solace Series, P.K. Gallagher pulls readers into a realm where good and evil are at war, and the outcome of it all rests on one young man’s decision to either go and live…or stay and die. This is where Parish begins. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2K1

Sixteen-year-old Michelle is a product of the Institute’s eugenics program, where people are bred like livestock. One doctor decides which kids get to grow up, and which disappear. Only Culls walk into the slum outside Institute walls, and they never come back. Michelle has survived every purge, and she’s about to win a luxurious life as a breeder. Then the doctor banishes her brother Seth and her boyfriend Brian, and she risks everything to find them in the cutthroat slum. She’s in trouble until handsome Dillon stakes a claim to her. Michelle is mortified, because Norms are practically animals. But the doctor is using the missing boys in a twisted plan and she needs Dillon’s help to stop him. Michelle and her friends must find Seth and Brian, but a plague is spreading, the doctor is after her and Dillon isn’t thrilled to help her find her lost boyfriend. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-2IM

Leah Vindral is suffocating–trapped in her own skin. In a land where magic is feared, magic saved her from death … but it came with a terrible price. Marked forever, she is shunned and isolated by those she loves most. Brimming with bitter rage at those who abandoned her, Leah flees from her childhood home only to be swept into an impending war: Mora, a wicked witch, has been imprisoned for years, waiting like a spider in the folds of her web for the chance to regain the powers once stripped from her. It is there, while she waits, that she learns of a strange young girl … a girl who can speak to unicorns. Now Leah must save the country that shuns her, for if Mora returns to power, all will be lost. But can Leah, who is so frightened and confused herself, find the strength to save them all? Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-21y

One September evening, around twilight, Francesca Shaunessy calls out for her dog to come to heel – however instead of a black Labrador, a dragon like beast emerges from the mists surrounding the twelfth century church and graveyard, followed closely by his rider. Frankie is astounded to discover she has an unexpected gift: She is a “Griffin Cryer”. Balkind is the sweetest most loveable griffin ever. Unfortunately his rider is the rudest man in this world or any other. Despite problems at school, and a complicated home life, Frankie feels compelled to help the Rider and his griffin return home to Ella-Earth. In doing so, Frankie escapes her own emotional prison, and becomes aware that there’s a chance that she can help her comatose twin brother back into this world. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-FT

When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother’s car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can’t find his mother’s body. A beautiful and mysterious neighbour offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. But in exchange she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a protector of human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother’s disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions her motives for helping him. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, (This was free at the time of going to post)My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-kg

Ever since her sixteenth birthday, strange things keep happening to Seraphina Parrish. The Lady in Black… burns Sera’s memories. Unexplainable premonitions… catapult her to other cities. The Grungy Gang… wants to kill her. And a beautiful, mysterious boy… stalks her. But when Sera moves to Chicago, and her aunt reveals their family connection to a centuries old, secret society, she is immediately thrust into an unbelievable fantasy world, leading her on a quest to unravel the mysteries that plague her. In the end, their meanings crash into an epic struggle of loyalty and betrayal, and she’ll be forced to choose between the boy who has stolen her heart and the thing she desires most. Wander Dust is the breath-taking fantasy that will catapult you through a story of time, adventure, and love. Goodreads, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com. My Review: http://wp.me/p2Eu3u-6W

August Issue Of Fleet Life

Fleet Life have kindly once again featured “Rosie’s Good Reads”, where I review several books every month.

This magazine can be accessed via it’s on-line version at www.fleetlife.org.uk click on the on-line directory and this month you can find my reviews on page 18.

These are the featured books for August;

Saving Jackie K by LDC Fitzgerald,  see the book here

After The Fall by Charity Norman, see the book here

The Unicorn Girl by Melissa LeGette, see the book here

The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching, see the book here, free on kindle

Sihpromatum – I Grew My Boobs in China by Savannah Grace, see the book here

Good Deeds week 21st July – 27th July

Welcome to my weekly updates on my challenge to do at least one Good Deed a day for a year. This has been inspired by Judith O’Reilly and her book “A Year of Doing Good”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Doing-Good-Woman-Resolution/dp/0670921130/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374337494&sr=1-1&keywords=a+year+of+doing+good

If this interests you it was half price when I checked on the 20th July. Catch up on my journey so far from the Home page.

21st July – Today I took my son to the park and we played some tennis, then I picked up litter before we went home.

22nd July – I’ve been so busy that my only Good Deeds have been posting a book review and retweeting interesting tweeps.

23rd July – Yay! School is finally out for my son for the next 6 weeks. Lie-ins what Bliss! (this means I can stay up later at night reading my books!) Bought a book from a Charity shop today. Busy planning a competition that I’m hoping to run on the blog with a book related prize. Got my paper copy of the August Issue of Fleet Life with my latest book reviews. The following authors have their books reviewed this month; LDC Fitzgerald – Saving Jackie K, Charity Norman – After the Fall, Melissa LeGette – The Unicorn Girl, GP Ching – The Soulkeepers and Savannah Grace – Sihpromatum – I Grew my Boobs in China.

24th July – Just been checking out a prize for a competition that I’m going to run for my UK readers soon. Baked cookies to take with me to my friend who invited me to dinner.

25th July – We had a wonderful lazy day and didn’t go anywhere. I took on board another book to review for an author who contacted me and I set up my draft for my competition which is going to start on Monday, here on the blog.

26th July – Sent off a birthday card for a friend whom I’ve not seen for many years but she is not forgotten. Posted a book review from my second teenage book reviewer who is another keen reader.

27th July – Off to the lovely Cotswolds today to visit my husbands Aunt. So I’m taking her flowers and goodies etc. Got a busy start planned for next week with my competition launch on Monday, a guest author Tuesday, 2 book launches for authors on Wednesday and the August online Issue of Fleet Life out on Thursday. Phew!

Have my Good Deeds touched your hearts and you heads yet? Are you aware of the Good deeds that you do for others in your daily life? What good deeds have others done for you? Let me know in the comments below.

The Unicorn Girl by Melissa LeGette

The Unicorn Girl by M.L. LeGette

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A young girl has secrets kept from her, but this only causes her to search harder for answers. A world of magic opens its doors and Leah goes on her own quest, learning more about herself on the way. Witches, monsters, dragons and unicorns all become part of her destiny. I had a few doubts about the book at the beginning, but it soon grew on me and I wanted to race through it to follow the adventure.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Unicorn-Girl-ebook/dp/B001FSJ48U/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370461933&sr=1-1&keywords=the+unicorn+girl

View all my reviews

May 19th- 25th Week of Good Deeds

Continuing my attempts to follow in greater footsteps, by completing one Good Deed a day for a year;

May 19th – Have spent most of my day at a sporting event with my oldest child. Managed to find and keep a parking space for a friend in a very full car park, and it was under a tree for some extra shade. Added money to my jam jar. Found myself a nice little space to sit and do some reading while the athletes all warmed up. Had to do a double check on my location when people descended on my position like sunbathers on a Spanish beach. Someone actually sat on the corner of my coat with me! Talk about invading my personal space.

May 20th – My morning volunteering at school, a shorter one today as a couple of the children were off school today. Bit of a scary moment when the teacher told me she’d had a dream about me having a third baby. I’m going to take that as symbolic because in the words of Mr Olivander the wand maker in Harry Potter a third baby would be “No, no definitely Not!” I love the two I’ve been blessed with and that’s plenty for me. Helped promote a new book launch with a post, tweet etc.

May 21st – Picked up litter on my way to the post box. Considering taking a bag with me when I go out next time because there was so much litter left lying around. Found some competitions and book giveaways for writers, readers and authors and spread the word.

May 22nd – In between providing a free taxi for my kids today I managed to fit in a trip to the opticians, spied some charity boxes in reception and made a donation to the Royal Air Force Benevolent fund. Sneaked in one more good deed, was able to give a friend a lift home. Looking forward to writing a post to promote a new community WordPress blog that a set of friends have launched today.

May 23rd – With the 2nd May Bank Holiday approaching I agreed to change the day I do next weeks work to fit in with the computer access and the wages run. Popped over to see the parents and made sure they were behaving themselves. Did I tell you that I won a whole years worth of rice and pasta the other day? It’s that Karma thingy working for all the cakes I’ve been baking and taking to friends. 64 packs of rice and pasta! I feel a pasta party coming on.

May 24th – Desperately searching for a Good Deed opportunity, did finish reading a book today and sent off the book review to the author. Found the review to be one of my biggest challenges yet, not sure if the author will think it worthy of a Good Deed! Popped in a teeny tiny piece of honest advice which I may get slated for, not everyone is happy to receive improvement suggestions. It’s the end of a gruelling week, it’s freezing cold and chucking it down with rain, I’m just not going to step outside and go in search of another deed today. I’ll strike a deal, I’ll double the amount of money that I add to my jam jar today, deal? Ok that’s 4 whole pence then! I’m so sad, perhaps it’s time for a glass of wine.

May 25th – All sorts today, finished reading a book ready to write a review, downloaded The Unicorn Girl by Melissa LeGette (who featured as my guest author yesterday) which is free this weekend. Provided afternoon tea for relatives and helped them take another step forward in the family quest for the 999 year lease documents (Taken out in 1783 by relatives), by composing and sending an e-mail on their behalf.

 

Guest author Melissa LeGette

Please welcome Melissa to the blog today and join me in showing your appreciation by reading her replies to my guest author questions.

Hi Rosie! This is a brilliant idea.
Here are my answers.

1) Tell me your name

M.L. LeGette, but feel free to call me Melissa.

2) Where do you live?

Washington, GA, USA. It’s a little town.

3)When did you start writing?

I can’t say for sure what my exact age was, but I’m pretty sure I was 6-9 when I started writing for fun.

4)What type of books do you like writing the most?

Fantasy. Fantasy is my comfort zone. Fantasy has always been my favourite to read. I love creating kingdoms and countries with old-world England vibe. I write what I love to read, which would generally fit under the children to YA categories.

5)Pass on 3 tips about writing or publishing.

• Revise. Multiple times. Rewriting your work is the best way to improve. It’s hard and at times super annoying, but spending time revising helps you and your story tremendously. Think of it as rehearsal for the concert. If you don’t practice for the big opening night, do you expect to do well? Of course not! So why not treat your book with the same respect.

• Though it is tempting, I don’t recommend choosing to write a topic only because it is the hip genre and getting lots of buzz. Most likely you will always be behind and on the downward slope of the craze. Instead, write the story that is in your brain and in your heart, even if it’s off-key with mainstream fiction. And if that story happens to be dystopian (for example) then you get an added bonus!

• It’s important to listen to what critiques and readers say about your work — it’s another way to improve. Sometimes you won’t like what you hear, but try to listen. However, ‘listen’ does not mean ‘do’. Writers always have the final say. We rule the universe we’ve created. Follow your gut feeling and your voice, but keep your ears open to reactions and thoughts. You’ll find some of them to be glistening lumps of gold.

6)What was the last book that you read? How would you rate it?

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. It’s a brilliantly fun book. Without a doubt 5 stars.

7)Now choose just one of your books and add a link to it.

The Unicorn Girl. http://www.amazon.com/The-Unicorn-Girl-ebook/dp/B001FSJ48U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363879221&sr=8-2&keywords=unicorn+girl

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Unicorn-Girl-M-L-LeGette/dp/1419686968/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368871495&sr=1-1&keywords=The+unicorn+girl

Thank you so much for making this feature available! It was great fun!

Melissa

Unicorn Girl will be available as a FREE kindle download Saturday 25th May – 27th May.

Guest Author Rosie Amber

Today I’m a guest author over at Melissa LeGette’s blog. Please go and check it out, if you are an author and want some more publicity for your hard work, then Melissa is looking for you to appear on her blog. The link below will take you straight to Melissa’s blog.

Thanks Melissa.

Guest Author Rosie Amber.