Welcome Ms. Cruz!

*The photo was borrowed for her own website and is copyright of Denise Bovee*

Ms. Cruz has been kind enough to answer some of my questions as well as write a little guest post!! Thank you so much Ms. Cruz!

Her own website is here.

My questions for her are in GREEN.

1) Why focus on these three people?

I wanted to tell the stories that mattered a lot, but also could stand alone. I was curious about how Oliver would get over Schuyler, and I had the idea from a long time ago that a new girl cures him, and allows him to experience love again, but it's more of a... I don't want to use the term "rebound" but I guess I just did! You know when you have a long dramatic love affair that ends badly, how a short fun one kind of "cures" you of the old one? And you don't end up with that "rebound" person but you're kind of grateful to have had that experience - it gets you back on your feet. And Oliver really needed Freya's magic.

I'd planned to include Allegra's story in Misguided Angel but the book already had too many plots and I feared it would get lost. This is just the first part of the story, there is more of her and Ben (who is Stephen Chase, by the way, readers of Keys to the Repository know that Stephen is his first name and Bendix is his second) in Lost in Time (book six). It was fun to see Allegra as a young teenager, I like her spirit a lot. She's very different from Schuyler. I was the shy daughter of two very popular, very outgoing, social people, and it always fascinated me how my parents, when they were my age, probably would not have been my friend ;). You know, how does that happen? So I'd always wanted to write about Schuyler's parents, these two kind of ideal high school types, who created a daughter who was a wallflower.

Schuyler and Jack's story is the main focus of the Blue Bloods series, and if they're going to get bonded, everyone's going to be invited to witness it! It was terrifically fun to write, and I love weddings. Especially ones with a lot of action and heartache in them.

2) Why did she decide to start the book with Oliver?

It was a fun way to begin - with a heartbreak and healing. Also we don't see that much of Oliver's POV in Misguided Angel, so it was fun to see it here.

3) Why did she have Allegra fall in love with a Red Blood (over numerous times) if she knew it was wrong?

I don't think authors "make" their characters do anything. There is a lot in Charles and Allegra's past that led to the end of their bond. I'm just starting to reveal what happened. I've known from the beginning why she did it and readers will find out in the next couple of books as the story becomes clearer.

Below is her guest post!

I like a love story as much as anyone, but Blue Bloods while it has several great love stories, doesn't really focus on it, more like the terrible things that happen when love goes wrong (ie Charles and Allegra--what did they do in the past?). So I thought it would be fun to concentrate on the romantic part of the stories for once and focus on three characters and their tumultuous love lives. It was a nice treat for me to write, since Oliver's story really has no bearing on the overall series plotline, but it's nice to see him happy, Allegra, it was great to finally see her in her youth, and of course, Sky and Jack, because, who doesn't love a wedding? I get a lot of fans saying waiting a year between books is torture, so I thought it would be a nice treat to have something right after finishing Misguided Angel.

I would like to thank Mr. Wiley from Authors on the Web and Ms. Melissa De La Cruz for this wonderful oportunity. I hope everyone gets a chance to check out Bloody Valentine, it is a wonderful book.

Blood Valentine

The Ancient Greeks feared love because they knew how powerful it was. It was and is a force that cannot be stopped. As one famous saying goes, the heart wants what the heart wants.

Bloody Valentine opens with our friend Oliver, fresh in the grasps of the ugly side of love; the love that is painful and deadly. Every waking second stings with the love that is lost, gone forever. Every scent, sight, sound reminds him of the one that is no longer there. He enters the local pub Holiday to ease his aching heart. He has become a regular there, a place where underage drinking is allowed. He tries to lessen the painful memories of Schuyler by knocking back shot after shot. He then forms an idea in his head - one that might help erase her completely from his memory. As he is leaving for the night the bartender gives him on quick warning, "Whatever you are about to do, please don't. Because it's not going to help." (Cruz p 10)

Next we meet up with Allegra Van Allen years before she is in a coma. She is a young teenager in 1985 and fully of life and happiness. She goes to Endicott and is on the field hockey team. While at the hospital recovering from a nasty hit to the head (one that would've injured any Red Blood) she becomes friendly with Bendix Chase the hottie of the school. Once Allegra and Bendix (who shared the same room in the hospital) are back in school they become closer than ever, much to the ire of Charles Van Allen (who remember is really Michelle). She has a dream that spooks her to the core - if she stays on the path that she in on only destruction will occur.

Finally we see Schuyler. She is looking for the prefect bonding dress, in Florence. It hasn't been easy because the Venerators are always hot on their heels. After trying on dress after dress she almost gives up hope, but a small little fabric store saves her from loosing completely. She finds her dream fabric, a silk blue hue, and goes home and begins to fix her dress. Suddenly she is under attack from a Venerator. He tells her that she must place a cursed ring on Jack or lose her best friend Oliver. She must chose between Jack's love or the love she has for Oliver.

Bloody Valentine is a companion novella to her Blue Blood series and I LOVE IT! Of course, I love all of her Blue Blood book. I do not know how I will be able to wait till October to read her sixth Blue Bloods book, Lost In Time.

My favorite section in this book dealt with Allegra. I really enjoyed getting some of Allegra's history: who she was before she became the living dead. It was really fun to see how more human she was, and less angelic/Queen and saviour. She really struggled with teenage wants/needs vs what she knew she had to do. I know I've been there. I also enjoyed how Melissa introduced a new character (which will be in a completely different series!) in such a way that leaves the reader begging for more.

Bloody Valentine by Melissa De La Cruz. New York (c) 2010

*This book was given to me by Hyperion.

Special Offer

David Vann author of the new book Caribou Island (coming out VERY soon) is giving away a FREE e-novella thanks to HarperCollins Publishers!

There are some links right below!! I highly recommend you check them out!!

Some quick information about his e-novella Sukkwan Island,

• David Vann is on The Daily Beat's "Most Anticipated Books of 2011"!
• It won France's most prestigious Prix Medicis award for best foregin novel
• Was once published in the US as part of the Legend of a Suicide Collection

This is the link for the Amazon Kindle.

This is the link for Sony e-reader.

This is the link for Kobo e books.

Both the Kinddle and the iBook (Apple's iTunes) will have this book soon.

Take A Chance Challenge #3

Last year, I signed up for the Take A Chance Challenge among other challenges that I thought I'd complete. I was so excited with the thought of competiting with my fellow book bloggers while reading many books. It was a win win in my book. But life, who does not care for my wishes, decided to make it busy; new baby, school, moving, etc. So, I have decided that this will be MY ONLY competition this year. I have always wanted to play and it looks so fun!

If you too would like to enter, this is the place to see! Jenners is an amazing person and her blog is a wonderful place to lose track of time! (So being the extreme lazy person that I am, I am coping her rules and pasting them here.) I highly recommend you join! It's a perfect challenge for the New Year!

Several of you asked if I’d be hosting the Take A Chance Challenge again. At first, I wasn’t sure, but once I started thinking about it, I got all excited. So here are the details for the 2011 version of the challenge.

Basic Information

• The concept of the challenge is to take chances with your reading by finding books to read in unusual or random ways. I’ve listed 10 different ways to find books below. Feel free to complete at many as you want. However, anyone completing all 10 challenges by December 31, 2011 will be entered in a prize drawing to win a book of their choice from Amazon.

• The challenge will run from January 1, 2011 until December 31, 2011.

• Crossover books from other challenges is fine. You can read books in any format.

• On January 1, 2011, I will post pages for each of the 10 challenges so you can link up your completed posts.

The 2011 Challenges

1: Staff Member’s Choice: Go to a bookstore or library that has a “Staff Picks” section. Read one of the picks from that section.

2: Loved One’s Choice: Ask a loved one to pick a book for you to read. (If you can convince them to buy it for you, that is even better!)

3: Blogger’s Choice: Find a “Best Books Read” post from a favorite blogger. Read a book from their list.

4: Critic’s Choice: Find a “Best of the Year” list from a magazine, newspaper or professional critic. Read a book from their Top 10 list.

5: Blurb Book: Find a book that has a blurb on it from another author. Read a book by the author that wrote the blurb.

6: Book Seer Pick: Go to The Book Seer and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.

7: What Should I Read Next Pick : Go to What Should I Read Next and follow the instructions there. Read a book from the list it generates for you.

8: Which Book Pick: Go to Which Book and use the software to generate a list of books. Read a book from that list.

9: LibraryThing Pick: Go to LibraryThing’s Zeitgeist page. Look at the lists for 25 Most Reviewed Books or Top Books and pick a book you’ve never read. Read the book. (Yes … you can click on MORE if you have to.)

10: Pick A Method: Pick a method for finding a book from the choices listed below (used in previous versions of the challenge).

• Random Book Selection. Go to the library. Position yourself in a section such as Fiction, Non-Fiction, Mystery, Children (whatever section you want). Then write down random directions for yourself (for example, third row, second shelf, fifth book from right). Follow your directions and see what book you find. Check that book out of the library, read it and then write about it. (If you prefer, you can do the same at a bookstore and buy the book!)
• Public Spying. Find someone who is reading a book in public. Find out what book they are reading and then read the same book. Write about it.
• Random Bestseller. Go to Random.org and, using the True Random Number Generator, enter the number 1950 for the min. and 2010 for the max. and then hit generate. Then go to this site and find the year that Random.org generated for you and click on it. Then find the bestseller list for the week that would contain your birthday for that year. Choose one of the bestsellers from the list that comes up, read it and write about it.

Good Luck!!

The Time Traveler's Wife

Imagine that you could go back in time. See events replay themselves out, and you could get different viewing perspectives each time you went back. The catch is - you cannot chose when and where you go back, and you cannot stop it.

Henry DeTamble has that problem. He is a time traveler. Although his past and future are intertwined, crossed, and tangled it is not always clear where he is going, and where he has been.

He meets his future wife, Clare Abishire, when she is six in 1977. When they first meet, he is 36, and has already known Clare in the future - is already married to her. The friendship they forge will last years and Henry weaves in and out of it.

Clare though, must struggle to live a life where Henry pops in and out of it. She has to deal with peer pressure in high school - the controversy that surrounds her - is she gay? Straight? Where are her boyfriends, or girlfriends?

These two must endure both the test of time and love. Is their love strong enough to withstand those tests?

This book is amazing! We often wish we could be time travelers, but we never stop and think of the consequences. We never stop and think how horrific it could be! Henry must relive some horrible events in his past, and he cannot escape them! Imagine reliving an embarrassing moment, that you can never let fade away in the past. I enjoyed being a part of their love story! It made me think of my own relationship to my husband, and how much I cherish every second with him - how I hate when he's away and cannot wait to see him again. It is hard for me to imagine my husband popping in and out of my past and future, never knowing when he will be gone, and for how long.

I have one small issue with the book. When Ms. Niffenegger would have two dates, like November 23 1988, and July 12, 2000 she would not separate them. Hm. I'm trying to think of a better example because obviously when Henry time travels backwards the music and cloths would change. There were some dates that would run together and I wouldn't necessarily be able to tell present from past.

The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. New York: A Harvest Book (c) 2003.

Never Slow Dance with A Zombie

Last year, October 2009, E. Van Lowe and Ms. Princess of A Park-Avenue Princess were holding a Twitter competition to see who could coin a nice catch phrase with the title of Mr. Lowe's book. Mr. Lowe's name has been hyperlinked to the page on his blog where he mentions the first winner, ME! :)

I was so happy when I won! I now can say, I'm happy I got a chance to read his book! IT WAS FANTASTIC!

Margot Jean Johnson made a pledge that she would change her life. She would become popular and have a hot, popular boyfriend. Her best friend Sybil is going to help Margot attain that goal.

Friends though, don't always see eye to eye. On the night of the big carnival Margot and Sybil get into a big fight. They don't go to the carnival, instead assume the other is having fun at said carnival.

When the girls arrive the next day something seems strange. The students have a green tinge to their skin, and the most popular girl at school - well she looks like she has seen better days. All the students have turned into flesh eating zombies! Trying not to become among the living dead, they head over to the principal's office (since he clearly is among the living). The principal asks for a huge favor. Could they possibly NOT tell anyone about the student zombie population, and act as if nothing has happened. Class would continue like normal.

At first the girls enjoy their new status: popular AND alive! Soon though they begin to tire, and think about trying to help the student body. Will they give up their newfound popularity though?

I absolutely LOVED this book! I was laughing all the time, and I think I got strange stares from my fellow peers as I rode the campus connector to my classes. I enjoyed the descriptions of the type of zombie you could become (according to which clique you were in when you were alive.) At one point Margot thinks "Uh-uh! No way! I do not want to become a Goth-although black is slimming." (Lowe 63)

This story was peppered with snarky remarks like that all through out the story. It did have a serious side. Margot has the tough question (we all face) Is it really worth it - to be Queen Bee of high school?

If you want a funny, sweet, mysterious coming-of-age book then I suggest this one!!

Never Slow Dance with A Zombie by E. Van Lowe. New York: A Tom Doherty Associates Book, 2009.

Red Ted and the Lost Things

I first saw this book on the Graphic Classroom's site. I knew instantly that I would have to get my hands on this book.

It was such a cute little story, with beautifully done pictures!

One day Ted (the little bear) has been left behind by his owner. A police man puts Ted away with all the other lost items. Ted asks Mr. Crocodile where he is, and is told that is in the place for Lost Things. Ted though, is determined to find his owner agin and devises a plan. Of course Mr. Crocodile does not want to be left behind, so he joins Ted. On their journey, they befriend a cat who helps them located Ted's home.

I hope everyone gets a chance to read this to their young ones! It is such a cute story, and I wish I had a crocodile toy that looked exactly like the one in the story.

My son, who is almost 6 months would look at this book and listen as I read it to him. From what I gather he enjoyed it very much! Of course this book is for older children, the Graphic Classroom says between the ages of

"Rating: Emergent reader and older

Publisher’s Rating: Preschool and older" (Chris Wilson)

Red Ted and the Lost Things by Michael Rosen. Illustrated by Joel Stewart. Candlewick Press, 2009.