Blog Tour: Cynthia Hand dishes her thoughts on Angels!
UnearthlyPages: 403
Release Date: January 2nd 2012
Publisher: Egmont Books
Buy the Book: Amazon
For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
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As part of the Hallowed blog tour, the lovely Cynthia Hand has written an exciting post on Angels. What's fun and what's hard about writing about them. Hmmm, Lets find out shall we?
The Angel Angle:
What’s fun and what’s hard about writing about angels
I started writing about angels by accident. When the idea of Unearthly first came to me, I knew that Clara was special in some way, that she had powers and abilities beyond that of a regular human being. But I didn’t know what she was, exactly. None of the run-of-the-mill paranormal creatures seemed to fit.
She definitely wasn’t a vampire, or a werewolf, or a fairy, I knew that. I wanted her to feel like a normal teenager, with a tiny element of the extraordinary. It was a real dilemma, trying to figure Clara out, until from some distant corner of my brain, I remembered a passage in the Bible I once read about the “sons of God” and the “daughters of man”: the Nephilim, the offspring of angels and men. This was perfect, I realised immediately. It meant that Clara wasn’t a supernatural creature so much as she was a human with a touch of the divine thrown in. I also loved the way that the angel angle learnt a whole new layer of moral and spiritual questions that Clara would be forced to deal with. The idea of destiny is hard enough, but the idea of destiny when you find out that you’re part angel? Brutal.
That’s what we call a goldmine, fiction-wise.
Here’s what else is fun about writing about angels:
• There’s a wellspring of rich, textured mythology that a writer can draw from, not only in the Christian religion, but in many other religions, far and wide. I do loads of research for every book I write, which is huge fun; I dig research. For Unearthly I did a lot of investigation into the idea of the Nephilim, taking the elements of that mythology that I liked and making up the rest. In Hallowed I went more in depth into specific characters, and researched the characters of Semyaza (Samjeeza) and Michael in angel mythology, in particular. There’s so much good stuff out there to work with, and I ended up using only the smallest tip of the massive iceberg of angel mythology, but as a writer it’s awesome to have so much to draw on.
• Angels are beautiful. When you write about angels you get to write about wings and flying off into the wild blue yonder, seeing the world from above. I’ve always loved the idea of flight, so this was great for me. Angel mythology also deals with the contrast of light and dark, the halo around the angel’s head-- comae celestis, as Angela calls it (a Latin phrase I mangled to make suit my purposes), the idea of glory, flaming swords and arrows, all good stuff as far as imagery goes.
• There’s a sense of redemption and hope that’s implied in angel mythology, of falling from grace and being redeemed. I love this dynamic. The stakes are naturally higher in fiction about angels, since it is not only the body at stake, but the soul. The problems that Clara faces always operate on two separate but intertwined levels for me: the surface problem, i.e., someone I love is going to die and that is going to suck, a lot, and the spiritual problem-- is it my fault that this person is going to die? Am I being punished? Can I fix it? Stop it? Am I supposed to accept my fate or fight it? All good questions that lead to good storytelling.
But writing about angels also has its pitfalls. Sometimes I feel like I am a tightrope walker when I write, struggling to balance as I slowly and carefully follow the line of my story across a high wire. Here’s what’s hard about it:
•People will think it’s too religious. It’s very difficult to extract angels from the idea of God. I didn’t try to do that; I wanted Clara to live in a world where there is a definitive God, but I also wanted my story to be friendly to people who didn’t believe in God or people who believed in vastly different things than I do. I am not a preacher, and I don’t have any kind of religious agenda underneath my writing, but because of the subject matter there are always going to be people who think I am trying to influence them, religiously speaking, and who are going to resist my story because of that.
•People will think it’s not religious enough. I’ve found that there are actually more people who are offended that Clara doesn’t go to a specific church than there are people who are offended that Clara believes in God. To which I can only say, I didn’t want Clara to ascribe to a particular religion because I wanted the book to be friendly to people of all religions (see what I said above about not being a preacher), and because I wanted the spiritual questions of the book to operate under the surface, not on the surface. If you’re religious I think my books can work on a different, metaphorical level, but I don’t want to shove the reader’s face in it.
•People will think your characters should be perfect. This is similar to what I wrote about above, but it works in a different way. There’s an argument that’s made that if Clara is part-angel and therefore a representative of the divine, she shouldn’t make mistakes. She shouldn’t act selfishly or complain too much or consider doing things that a fine upstanding angelic being shouldn’t do. But this would make for very dull fiction, in my opinion. Characters need flaws, and those flaws, those conscientious mistakes, are what produce the kind of conflict that drives a good story. I don’t want Clara to be a representative of the divine. I want her to be a realistic, flawed-but-growing person. I want her to be wrestling with the idea of the divine inside of her. I want her to make mistakes, sometimes huge mistakes, that have both real and metaphorical consequences.
Sigh. Sometimes I think it would have been easier to write about vampires.
But that brings me back to one of the best things about writing about angels, which is that it’s a thought-
provoking subject. It’s something people can interpret a bunch of different ways, and argue about, and feel passionate about, and have complicated reactions to, based on their individual notions of
spirituality and history.
Which. I happen to think, is the best kind of subject matter there is.
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An amazing post right? A great insight into the mind of Cynthia! A great big thank you to Cynthia for this post...
Let us know your thoughts!
Fated by Sarah Alderson
Fated Pages: 320
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Read FATED!
When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.
But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.
If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?
1. It's by Sarah Alderson Guys! Come on!
I was instantly WOWed by her debut novel Hunting Lila not only that but Fated definitely went on my hit list too. You have just gotta love her writing. It's so believable and amazing.
2. LUUUUCCCCAAAASSSS :D
The main hottie! Ahhhhh he's so hot. Seriously, I love reading about him. He's one of the main reasons I carried on reading. Evie is a lucky girl! Though, I'm more head over heels on Alex from Hunting Lila. So that shows you should so so read Hunting Lila too. OK!
3. A hot hot hot romance.
Lucas and Evie! You can see the chemistry. It is going and going. Evie is one lucky girl and a hell of a protagonist too. Ohh, Can't miss a good romance can you now?
4. Shapeshifters. Demons. Vampires. Do I need to say any more?
Talk about a whole lot of paranormalcy! And when there's paranormals there's always some kick ass. You got it! Action that reaches you to the very core. So exhilarating and especially when there's some Lucas involved. *sigh*
5. The whole 'I love you but I have to kill you' idea!
This never gets old does it! Like come on, just sitting there and reading and seeing how everything would progress. Do they kill each other? What happens! The uncertainty kills you. I was most definitely on my toes with Fated you never knew what was going to happen.
Character Interview: Fated by Sarah Alderson
Fated
by Sarah Alderson
What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it? When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends. If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?
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Evie, how does it feel being a kick ass demon hunter?
Let's see - high odds of being eviscerated, drained, burnt, clawed or sliced to death, no boyfriends, no future, no choice whatsoever, limited travel opportunities unless I want to travel to other realms and no job benefits other than an endless supply of bullets. How do you think it feels?
But to answer your question, I'd rather be a kick ass one than a lame one.
Lucas, let's just say that you weren't a half human, half shadow warrior that worked for the Brotherhood. What do you believe you would have been working as instead?
I'd be working with horses, probably on a ranch somewhere.
What do you both like the best in each other?
L: Like you said, she's kick ass. Like no other.
E: He has so much belief - in the choices he makes, in me, in us. He never chooses the easy way, always the right way.
Spill the beans, Lucas! How many girlfriends have you had?
A few. Nothing long-term so strictly speaking I'm not sure they count as girlfriends. I moved around a lot when I was growing up and was training too hard to think about girls. Before Evie and just before I joined the Brotherhood I dated a friend of my sister's, back in LA. It was short lived, seeing how she was a Sybll and could see everything coming. Including me breaking up with her.
How does it feeling knowing your lives won't be the same as before?
L: Sometimes you have to choose the path that isn't the easiest but you know is the right one to take. And right here, by Evie's side is where I'm meant to be. I was always going to die - being in the Brotherhood you get used to that fact pretty fast, but at least now I know exactly what I'm dying for. Is it worth it? Yes. It will end this war.
E: It took a while to get over that - to come to terms with being a Hunter and then with what Lucas did. Now we're committed to this ..thing - but finally I feel like I get to choose and that I can actually make a difference. And he's here - Lucas is with me. It makes it easier.
Let's go behind the scenes! What do you think Sarah has in store for both of you?
Knowing Sarah I'd say it's a safe bet that we'll be encountering a lot more unhumans in the near future and we'll be kicking their asses. I hear tell that there's a whole new host of characters headed our way - both good and bad - as well as some favourite old ones (the few that are still alive) showing up to make trouble. There's even rumours of rogue Hunters who may be able to help us, if only we can find them. Also, Lucas should be prepared to reconnect with family. But we're also guessing that this path we're on isn't going to run too straight - we might need to prepare our goodbyes.
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Hmmm. It sure ends in an ominous note. I don't want to see any characters leave! Okay so you guys have to read Fated, now right? My review will be posted very soon so make sure you look out for it! Also, a big big thank you to Sarah for stopping by!
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Pages: 240
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Publisher: Headline
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?My Thoughts
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.
You know that gut wrenching feeling you get when there's such an amazing meal right in front of you, that looks so delicious, so appealing and smells so uplifting that you can't possibly wait to get into it? All you want to do is pick each bite as slowly as possible savouring the taste and simply willing it to last forever though at the very same time you can not wait to finish it entirely so that you can sit there in complete satisfaction and let your thoughts revolve around just how GOOD really it was.
You got it! This is exactly like what I got before I read TSPLFS, as I was reading TSPLFS and after I read TSPLFS. Doesn't this just show my complete adoration and affection for this completely awesome, awesome book? I didn't believe I would love this book so much.
It's a completely normal story. Nothing special but the way it was written was oh so very special. We meet Hadley and Oliver, two people that meet at a airport and spill their worries of their life and talk about everything. In this 24 hour journey we get to see how everything is not about love at sight, how fast relationships can progress and how much we crave for everything to go to our liking.
Hadley has a great personality. She’s a fun character but let’s forget about her and move on to... how I love Oliver! He's just so real you know. No perfect smoochness. With problems of his own, insecurity, he has genuine and real feelings. Don’t see that much often in YA now do we? OMG. He’s British too. SWOON. I wanted so much more of Oliver. More of Hadley. More of Hadley and Oliver together! Though TSPLFS was just so freckin short. I’m talking about 240 pages dude :O
What else is there to say than just go buy the book. Really, experience it all for your self. Oh and one more thing... I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK. In case you didn't know already :D
Angel by L.A Weatherly
Angel Pages: 506
Release Date: October 1st 2010
Publisher: Usborne Publishing
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Angels are all around us: beautiful, awe-inspiring, irresistible.
Ordinary mortals yearn to catch a glimpse of one of these stunning beings and thousands flock to The Church of Angels to feel their healing touch.
But what if their potent magnetism isn't what it seems?
Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars.
Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. But she has no idea where she gets this power from.
Until she meets Alex…
Alex is one of the few who know the truth about angels. He knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her.
The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous – and irresistible.
In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.
My Thoughts
Angel is an awesome book! Seriously. I didn't think that I'll like it much so you can tell I sure was surprised. It was everything I could of asked for in a YA book! Kick ass action not forgetting a hot romance that can't be missed with a forbidden edge.
In Angel, angels are not what we really think they are. Here, they're the bad guys! Seriously. However, Williow is part angel and so she's got some powers within her. Something that can prove to be dangerous and so attracting others. In other words, ALEX! And so the fun begins...
The main reason I was uncertain with Angel was the whole idea with angel's not actually being good. It was quite confusing at the start. I didn't really get everything but eventually it picked up so I enjoyed reading it. It was really different and gave a whole new edge to the book.
With Williow, you can tell she's totally different from everyone else. I enjoyed reading about her but not as much as I enjoyed reading about Alex. Brooding Alex. Hmmmm. He made the story so much lively. And I always love a good romance and we definitely get some of that here. Their conflicting relationship proves to be even better. Very exciting!
The action is also exciting and enthralling. I hate the bad guys. Well, that's bound to happen. Duh. Hats off to Weatherly she surely has me greatly anticipating the sequel. Angel Fire!
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