Stand Up for Katalina @SU4Katalina

Thanks to Lissa Bryan, I've found a very noble initiative: Stand Up for Katalina - an outpouring of fandom love for a beautiful soul. Here's the story behind this fundraising:

Each of us has been touched and devastated by the ravages of cancer, and in order to recognize this, we’re offering the opportunity to dedicate the monetary donations in memory of, or in honor of, a loved one’s battle. “Stand Up 2 Cancer’s mission is to fund collaborative, translational cancer research to bring treatments from the bench to the bedside faster, and save lives now.” So while SU4K is intensely personal, it also offers the vehicle for universal, broad-based support.

There are more than fifty contributing authors so far, as well as many talented betas and banner artists who are giving a hand.

I've subscribed as banner maker, so if you want me to make a banner or a blinkie for your story for the compilation, you're very welcome!

Please go visit the initiative's website, give your support, donate. 

Thanks! 

- Raum

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An Alaskan bit for a new vampire story

The first chapter of Carnelian and Ice, my new vampire fic, will be posted soon on fanfiction.net. You know the drill: short chapters, updated every Monday. Meanwhile, here's another teaser!

"The ice is shaped in broken columns, like huge splinters of glass surrounded by the flames. It represents the way she emerged from her transformation."

Ice Sculpture in Fairbanks, Alaska

Thompson Pass, Alaska

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Do you like Mondays?

How do you feel at the beginning of a new work/study week, especially when you're still settling into a new school year? I can't say I like Mondays, and I guess I'm not the only one.

What could I do to make Mondays sweeter?

I'd like to offer a cup of coffee and a good pie to all my amazing readers. But it isn't possible; so I've though I could post a new fic.

One chapter per week, on Monday. How does it sound?

And since I'm afraid that getting a lot of spare time to read on a workday isn't easy, this fic will have short chapters. Consider them snippets (coffee and pie flavoured, of course) to wish you a great week!

Here's a new teaser for the upcoming fic, Carnelian and Ice.

"Sleet has fallen and is turning to snow as the night wears on. 

The icy surface of the Peger Road bridge glistens in the light of the streetlamps. Bella walks slowly, lost in her thoughts."

Peger Road Bridge in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Ice Sculptures at night. Fairbanks, Alaska.

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"A Good Liar" comes to an end

Another story gets its Epilogue, and another one is beginning in a few weeks. The last installment of A Good Liar is now available.

• A Good Liar, by Raum

Summary: "The first time the Grim Reaper visited Edward, it was in the form of the Spanish influenza. The second time, Death had the lovely face of Bella Swan."

 Reviewers get a little gift. 

Once again, dear Readers, your support has been amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you!


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Announcements!

• I've a new multichapter story ready for you. The first chapter will be posted in a few weeks, and the story title will be Carnelian and Ice. It will be short, AU, and with vampires. Here's a new teaser:

Can you believe it's an ice sculpture?

A view of Fairbanks, Alaska

• Please go vote for the Emerging Swan Awards! My friend Camilla is up as "Oldie but Goodie."

 

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Nihil Interit

After the cliffie on the cliff, here's the last regular chapter of A Good Liar. The epilogue will be posted next week.

• A Good Liar, by Raum

Summary: "The first time the Grim Reaper visited Edward, it was in the form of the Spanish influenza. The second time, Death had the lovely face of Bella Swan."

 Reviewers get a little gift. 


x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Announcements!

• I've a new multichapter story ready for you. It will be short, and with vampires. If you put me on author alert, you'll get a message when the first chapter is posted. Here's a teaser:

• Please go vote for the Emerging Swan Awards! My friend Camilla is up as "Oldie but Goodie."

 

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Our wonderful friend Fany is back with a new review for another story that will touch your heart. The fic is complete.

• Elemental by TallulahBelle

Summary: When the Swans return to their birthplace, Bella learns she is no ordinary teenager, and Forks is no ordinary town. Can she fulfill her destiny with the powerful Edward Cullen, or will the dark forces that threaten their families destroy them all? 

Don't miss it because...

I read this fic a long time ago. Up until that point, I’ve never read a fic that fell under the category of ‘Supernatural’ so I decided to give it a try. The opening lines of the first chapter were enough to suck me in completely.
The story begins with Bella moving to Forks with her parents. It’s pretty clear from the very beginning that she doesn’t know what has caused them to move and that she has been kept purposefully on the dark. She didn’t know that her parents grew up there or that she had an aunt and a cousin (Emmett) living there.
Bella feels some kind of connection as soon as she enters the family house and her family starts to unravel the secrets. Bella learns very soon that she comes from a family of witches and that she and her parents needed to come back to Forks in order to help the Coven (all the families who are also witches like them).
Bella’s family starts to explain things to her although it’s obvious some issues, like the fact that her mother is very upset about her learning the truth, are still unclear. With Emmett’s help she soon befriends Alice, Jasper and Rosalie. Emmett and Rosalie are married, the same as the other two. Bella is taken aback by the information since all of them are still very young. They also help her to know about the history of all the families that are a part of the Coven as well as the concept of imprinting:

"What exactly do you mean by imprint?"
Where the hell is Google when you need it?
"What he means to say is that the Power gave us the 'gift' to recognize our soul mates, so there would be no mistaking who we should be with in order for our powers to function to their utmost ability and to carry on the line," Rosalie explained using air quotations.
"Got it. How does that happen?"
"When we turn eighteen, we are considered to be full-fledge adult Witches, because that's when the ability to imprint manifests itself. Both Witches need to be of age, or it doesn't work. It's like a physical knowing when it happens."
A thought came to me. "Emmett? Is that why you married Rosalie so young?"
He busted out laughing, like it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. Rosalie smacked him on the arm and answered for him. "Yes, we imprinted when we were eighteen. We were married this past June, after graduation."

Bella is about to turn eighteen so you can say this revelation freaks her out a bit. She’s always thought she would go to college and start a career. She’s never paid much attention to the concept of marriage. But now she has to face this new world and this reality of which she’d never known anything about. However, she begins her training as a witch.
In a barbeque, she meets the rest of the families of the Coven. Enter Edward Cullen. To say that he doesn’t like Bella would be an understatement. He acts pretty coldly toward her not only that day but also pretty much every time they cross paths. Bella learnt from her friends that he’s destined to be the new leader of the Coven so she thinks he’s just a conceited twit. There’s a tension between them whenever they are in the same room though.
Bella continues her training and turns eighteen. But the Monday after her birthday when she goes back to high school, everything changes forever: she imprints with Edward. He and Bella have to deal both with how to handle their new relationship and with the danger that threatens the Coven.

First of all, I want to say that I completely love this Bella. I think that if I had been in her position, I would have gone running for the hills the first day. She’s unfairly kept in the dark most of the time yet she handles everything graciously and with a clear head.

Secondly, I love the way in which Edward and Bella relationship progresses. It’s difficult at the beginning but they eventually find their place. At the end of the day they’re just two teenagers who have a lot on their plates. There’s a reason for Edward’s antagonistic attitude (or at least he thinks so…) although it’s true that he comes across as not very likable more than once. But don’t worry, he redeems himself.

Finally, the story is beautifully written and I love how the author has used the concept of magic and the elements. There’s a lot I haven’t covered in this review (on purpose to not give too much away) but every concept used is perfectly explained and entwined within the story.
So if you want to read an amazing story with a good plot, romance and great characters, check out ‘Elemental’. I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed!...

Thank you, Fany!

If you read this fic, please don't forget to tell the author that "My Reading Lounge sent you" and say "Ciao!" from me! Thanks!  
Fany has a blog! Go visit it and follow her updates: http://ramblingonabrightspot.blogspot.com.es/

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Let's talk about "MORE" by @TM_Franklin

 Expected publication: October 4th 2012 by The Writer's Coffee Shop

MORE is the first installment of a new Young Adult paranormal trilogy by T.M. Franklin. If you like suspense and romance series, this is the right novel for you. It's also a great gift idea for friends who love a good adventure story. They won’t be disappointed.

T.M. Franklin has a captivating writing style, and her words will immediately make you feel as you're following Ava and Caleb in their journey. The story begins with Ava Michaels, a brilliant college student who's experiencing some problems with physics, and Caleb, a kind older student who's helping her to pass the class. But you'll discover soon that we aren't delving into a college romance. No, T.M. Franklin has a different story to tell. We've been impressed by the way she disseminates hints in the first chapters, building tension and expectations about what's going to happen once you turn the page.

Since the beginning of the story we know that, as a child, Ava had an active imagination – and even now that she's in college she has vivid (and terrifying) dreams. In particular there is a scary, inhuman guy who seems to be out to get her. But within a few chapters fantasy and reality mix, and the scary guy is right there, with minions to help him. Caleb seems to know a lot more than he lets on, and finally things come to a head. He and Ava must leave town and abscond from mysterious enemies who threaten not only them, but all of human kind.

We discover that there's a hidden world beyond what we know or what we see.

“You’ve heard the myths.” […] “The Titans, the Nephilim . . . larger-than-life heroes and villains who fill up your history books. Mythology that’s not so much mythology, if the truth were to be known.”

Ava is in mortal danger because she can sense that parallel overlapping reality and her ability, united with other superhuman gifts she seems to possess and cannot yet control, makes her a potential threat.

Caleb will soon understand that he's protecting Ava not only out of duty, but also because of the growing affection between them. But as the plot develops, will Ava always be the damsel in distress, or will she become the hero's savior?

Whom will Ava trust? She learns how powerful Caleb can be, and she'll discover how even the people you think you know and considered friends could betray your trust. At the same time those who don’t know the truth but just help you out of kindness can pay for that with their life. The temptation to give herself up, thus saving the innocents, becomes stronger and stronger.

All the characters are well crafted, but among them the more fascinating is without doubt Caleb. With him, T.M. Franklin designed a strong and brave man, who at the same time doesn't take himself too seriously. He's aware of the great responsibility that comes from the secrets he has to keep, but he's open-minded and recognizes that obedience to the rules should never be blind. At heart, he is a rebel. How will the rebellion go? We'll discover it in the sequel, that hopefully is coming soon after the first volume.

Camilla & Raum

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