2014-05-30

The next episode of Game of Thrones, with the fight between The Mountain and The Red Viper, is quickly approaching.



In the following video, you can watch the steps that brought to this pivotal scene:


Here are two promo videos for the next episode, while we wait for Sunday night.

Unofficial, with The Rains of Castamere:



Official:



Enjoy!

- Raum

2014-05-27


Cover reveal!


The Raven 
by Sylvain Reynard


From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gabriel Series comes a dark, sensual tale of romance in a city shrouded in mystery

Raven Wood spends her days at Florence’s Uffizi Gallery restoring fine works of Renaissance art. But an innocent walk home after an evening with friends changes her life forever. When she intervenes in the senseless beating of a homeless man, his attackers turn on her, dragging her into an alley. Raven is only semi-conscious when their assault is interrupted by a cacophony of growls followed by her attacker’s screams. Mercifully, she blacks out, but not before catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure who whispers to her…

Cassita vulneratus.

When Raven awakes, she is inexplicably changed. She returns to the Uffizi, but no one recognizes her and more disturbingly, she discovers that she’s been absent an entire week. With no recollection of the events leading up to her disappearance, Raven also learns that her absence coincides with one of the largest robberies in Uffizi history – the theft of a set of priceless Botticelli illustrations. When the baffled police force identifies her as its prime suspect, Raven is desperate to clear her name. She seeks out one of Florence’s wealthiest and elusive men in an attempt to uncover the truth about her disappearance. Their encounter leads Raven to a dark underworld whose inhabitants kill to keep their secrets…




Release Date:
Early 2015


About the Author

I'm interested in the way literature can help us explore aspects of the human condition - particularly suffering, sex, love, faith, and redemption. My favourite stories are those in which a character takes a journey, either a physical journey to a new and exciting place, or a personal journey in which he or she learns something about himself/herself. 


I'm also interested in how aesthetic elements such as art, architecture, and music can be used to tell a story or to illuminate the traits of a particular character. In my writing, I combine all of these elements with the themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the transformative power of goodness.


I try to use my platform as an author to raise awareness about the following charities: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation, WorldVision, Alex's Lemonade Stand, and Covenant House. For more information, see my Twitter account.

You can find Sylvain at 

         

2014-05-20

Have you ever gotten into the mindset of a special character? What about getting into the mindset of a First Lady?



Venita Ellick did it in her novel The Reluctant First Lady

Here's her writing experience:

How do you get into the mindset of a First Lady?

"I didn’t find it hard. As I wrote the story, I closed my eyes and imagined how I would feel in each situation. I could see the scene in my mind, like a play, and I would write the feeling tone of what I felt in the dialogue. That’s really all a writer can do.  Create, imagine, decide how much of your own perspective, your bias, to include in the story.

Having been a working mom with many demands, tugs and pulls on my time from all of the factions of my life, it made it easy to imagine Ashley’s scenario".

Thanks, Venita!

Dear Readers and Writers, your comments are always welcome.  
New Women's Fiction That's Stirring Up a National Debate 
by Venita Ellick



About the Author:

Venita Ellick was fated to be a writer. She was named for a character in a book her mother was reading at the time of the birth. As a young girl, she spent so much time in libraries that librarians would save books for her almost daily visits. She began writing stories in the first grade, which her mother


patiently read. The intervention of a career as an educator and raising three sons delayed her focus on writing, but she has now completed three novels. The Reluctant First Lady is her fourth.

Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen captivated her as a teenager. The power and imagery of the printed word made her wonder what each heroine was thinking and feeling. She wanted to be the woman with the cape and hood standing on the edge of the cliff with the wind whipping around her. The mysteries that could be found in stories fascinated her and are echoed in The Reluctant First Lady.

Ellick draws on her experiences as a wife, mother, teacher, and principal to create her characters. Her sense of humor and recognition of the absurd and often whimsical nature of life have allowed her to capture her characters’ lives with authenticity and emotional resonance.

Venita and her husband David have experience as a two-career couple. They live on an island in the state of Washington.

The Reluctant First Lady asks -"Just how much should a woman sacrifice for the person she loves?" 





Summary:

Ashley Taylor has been straightforward with her husband, the president-elect of the United States. She supported his candidacy, but she has no intention of assuming the traditional role of First Lady—a position she describes as “First Hostess.” Instead, she will resume her own career as head of one of the largest art museums in New York. The aftermath of her decision triggers reactions from the public, news commentators, late night comedians, and other political factions. While Ashley and Michael wrestle with saving their marriage and preserving their professional lives, the country debates whether the role of First Lady is a necessity, how the media influences the lives of public figures, and how much a woman should sacrifice for the person she loves.

Excerpt: 

From Chapter 3 of The Reluctant First Lady

Applause and pandemonium broke out on the other side of the curtain, indicating Michael had reached the end of his speech.
A stage manager nodded and, with Ashley and the twins leading the way, followed by the vice president- elect, his wife, and family, she stepped onto the stage and into the bright lights. The noise from the crowd grew in intensity as each of them came into view. They all walked forward to stand beside Michael, Ashley and the twins to his left; Robert Hughes, Catherine, and their children to his right.

The chaos and elation vibrating through the crowd was intoxicating. Cheers from a wildly exuberant audience and music blocked out what individuals were saying, but the camaraderie of those on the stage was evidenced by their smiles, hugs, and claps on the back. Before the world, she and Michael looked like the perfect couple. Michael pulled his family, plus Richard and his family, toward him while photographers snapped pictures of this historic event.

Amid the excitement, it almost went unnoticed that a reporter shouted a question at Ashley. She ignored him, hoping he would go away.

The reporter repeated his question. “Mrs. Taylor, what causes do you intend to champion during the next four years in the White House?”

Ashley winced inwardly, but no outward expression marred her serene expression. She had a choice. She could tell the truth or continue to go along with the lie. Damn it. She’d been dodging questions like this for months about what special causes she intended to champion if her husband were elected. In fact, she’d become a master of evasion, not something she was proud of. Unquestionably the smartest thing to do would be to give the same canned response she’d been giving throughout the campaign. It would be a lie, all of it. But then she wouldn’t be accused of rocking the boat, a boat, she might add, that she knew was taking on a lot of water.

She was tired of being evasive. She was sick to death of lying by omission. Michael’s managers had convinced her that he wouldn’t be elected if she declared her intentions. But, Michael had been elected. Was it possible that she was making more of this than necessary?

She leaned toward the reporter and his microphone and began speaking in a quiet, clear voice.

“First, I’d like to thank everyone here and at home for their incredible support throughout the campaign. I’m extremely proud of Michael and have always believed he’d be a great leader and a great president. The American people have chosen wisely and well this day. As for me, with the election over, I’ll be returning to my job as director of the Cameron Museum of Art in New York. It’s never been my intention to serve as the First Lady. Over half of the families in our country are two-career families. Our family isn’t any different. In fact . . .”

Ashley felt Michael’s hand on her elbow. “Ashley, just smile and wave. We’re getting off of the stage now.”

Links to Venita Ellick Author:



Great Book at a New Price - $2.99

Buying Links for The Reluctant First Lady:



GREAT GIVEAWAY 
Be sure to sign up for The Reluctant First Lady's Giveaway. 
Grand Prize  
Signed copy of book  and  $20.00 Amazon Gift Card
4 - Second Prizes - Signed copy of book

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2014-05-14

Exciting news! 

Whisper to me, the third novel in the Between Breaths trilogy by Christina Lee, is coming soon! 

New York Times Best selling author Christina Lauren said this about Whisper to me: "Whisper to me lifts us up by the heartstrings and tosses us wildly about." 
USA Today Best selling author, Alice Clayton, said "Christina Lee is a new adult wonder!"



BUY LINKS


Summary 

A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded… 

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. 
No one knows the real Rachel Mattson—except one person… Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. 
But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness. 

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. 

But maybe it had been more all along. 

Excerpt 


I padded to the kitchen and reached for a glass, unsure if Kai was even awake. As I turned the faucet on low, I heard it—the soft hum of his bass. My heart leapt in my chest. I didn’t know what the hell I was so anxious about. But the anticipation of seeing him, just talking to him alone, had revved my pulse to a feverish tempo. But maybe he didn’t want any company tonight. I wandered over to his door, unsure of what I’d say or even if I’d knock. Instead, I stood motionless, listening to him play. It was a low and drowsy strum, and I swayed against the wall, my senses dulled. During a longer pause, my knuckles tapped once and then twice against the wood. I heard the sounds of what could have been his returning his heavy bass to its stand and papers rustling, and then the door slowly creaked open. Kai stood in front of me with his hair hanging loose at his shoulders. He had on those obscenely tight gray skinny jeans from earlier and nothing else. My gaze followed the line of his neck, across his shoulder, to the muscular biceps propping the door open. I spotted the set of free weights resting beneath the stand of his bass. He’d definitely been working out in the three years since I’d last seen him. He wasn’t overly muscular like some athletes I’d been with, just lean and fit. My gaze tripped over to his sculpted pecs and landed on his nipples. His pierced nipples— that seemed to harden at my perusal.

2014-05-13

The similarities between the following two scenes [click on the link below] are evident. I'm curious about the outcome of the second one. It's (at least) the second time someone tries to frame my favorite character.




Will the next episode give us more answers? For sure, the preview is intriguing.




Your comments are welcome!

- Raum

2014-05-07

Have you watched the last episode of Game of Thrones
Season 04. Episode 05: First of His Name 



If you need a recap through animated gifs, you can follow this link:


And if you're eager to get a taste of the upcoming episode, here's the promo:




Your comments are always welcome!

 - Raum

2014-05-01

With the upcoming episode, we'll reach the half-way point for Season 4 of Game of Thrones. So far it's been even more thrilling than the previous seasons. 



While we wait for Sunday night, we can enjoy this preview:


So we're getting a new king, the same (wasn't she "former"?) Queen Regent, and more fights and scheming.

Have you enjoyed the last episode? If you've already read the books, what do you think of the differences between the last episode and the 3rd novel of the Saga?

Your comments are always welcome!

- Raum 
On Twifictionrecs.com you can find the Top Ten Completed Fics (March 2014) voted by fellow readers.



Snare is in the list (#6)!


There are many great fics. Have you read them?

Thank you for your votes!!!

- Raum 
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