Guest Post: Author Kassy Tayler

Ideas

 

I’ve been asked how I came up with the idea for a world inside a dome with a coal miner as a heroine.  It was a lot of thought combined with a horrible accident and the memory of an old Star Trek episode. 

I write historical westerns under the name Cindy Holby and Scifi under the name Colby Hodge and was thinking about branching out into another genre.  Steampunk was a logical fit because of the historical setting and the addition of gadgets.  I was giving serious consideration to a story when the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster occurred in WV on April 10 2010.  28 of 31 miners were killed by an explosion. 

This disaster struck close to my heart because both of my grandfathers were miners and my mother’s brother was killed in a mining accident which indirectly led to the death of his daughter who was only 2 days younger than me. 

I wanted to pay tribute to the miners and the life they lead, especially after hearing my grandfather talk about how my uncle knew he was going to die in the mines even before he went into them.  And he went into them because it was the only job available to him. 

That’s when Wren was born.  I saw her, lying on her back on top of a building, looking up at the dome.  The dome came from a Star Trek episode called The World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky.  For some reason that line stayed with me my entire life. 

Wren MacAvoy came to me as a full character.  Her wants and her failings were all wrapped up in a neat package and our journey began.  I had no intention of writing her story in first person present but that’s the way it came out and her words were so strong that I chose to keep it that way. 

You never know what’s going to inspire you and where the ideas come from.  Our stories are a result of our experience.  Who knew that a show I watched when I was in middle school would stay with me this long and inspire me to write about it. 

I am also very grateful that I got to honor my uncle and cousin in such an
extraordinary way.

In My Mailbox (105)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board. I'm always picking up new books, because I never tire of reading, but the other thing I like about this meme is that it gives everyone an opportunity to check out what other book fanatics, bloggers, etc... got for themselves. I've gotten great recommendations from this meme and hope that keeps up in the future.

Here's what I got, what did you guys get this week?

For Review:

 

Shadows of Glass (Ashes Trilogy, #2) by Kassy Tayler (Thanks to St. Martin's Griffing)

 

Wren's world has changed. The thing that she fought for, escaping the dome has come to fruition, but it's not the paradise she thought it would be. Most of the shiners have died, and according to James, she is to blame for many of the deaths, a burden which sits heavy on her shoulders. Still some have survived and Wren is determined to keep them safe as they fight to establish a home outside while hiding from the rovers who have weapons that can kill from far away. But as long as she has Pace she knows everything will be fine. Still Wren wonders, as she sees the smoke that continually pours forth from the dome, how did her friends inside fare? Will they ever find out if Lucy, David, Jill and Harry, along with Pace's mother survive the explosions?

Meanwhile, someone else has also seen the smoke. A band of explorers from across the sea arrive in an airship, curious about the dome, and offering help to those who survive. When Wren meets the handsome Levi Addison, she suddenly questions her love for Pace as Levi offers to show her the world from his airship. Does she really love Pace? Or was it just the circumstances that made her think she did? Meanwhile, word arrives from inside via Pip, and Wren is forced to go back inside the dome, a thing that terrifies her more than anything else, to save her friends. Once she's back inside will she be able to escape again?

A whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a dystopian world where nothing is as it seems.

 

All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry (Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin)

 

The first book in an exciting YA trilogy, this is the story of two best friends on the verge of a terrifying divide when they begin to encounter a cast of strange and mythical characters.

Set against the lush, magical backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, two inseparable best friends who have grown up like sisters—the charismatic, mercurial, and beautiful Aurora and the devoted, soulful, watchful narrator—find their bond challenged for the first time ever when a mysterious and gifted musician named Jack comes between them. Suddenly, each girl must decide what matters most: friendship, or love. What both girls don’t know is that the stakes are even higher than either of them could have imagined. They’re not the only ones who have noticed Jack’s gift; his music has awakened an ancient evil—and a world both above and below which may not be mythical at all. The real and the mystical; the romantic and the heartbreaking all begin to swirl together, carrying the two on journey that is both enthralling and terrifying.

And it’s up to the narrator to protect the people she loves—if she can.

 

The Uprising (The Forsaken, #2) by Lisa M. Stasse (Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)

 

In this dystopian sequel to The Forsaken, Alenna has survived the brutality of life on the wheel—and now she’s going back for more.

Alenna escaped. It was expected that she would die on the wheel, the island where would-be criminals are sent as directed by the UNA—the totalitarian supercountry that was once the United States, Mexico, and Canada. But Alenna and her boyfriend, Liam, made it to safety. Except safety, they will soon learn, is relative.

In order to bring down the UNA, they must first gain control of the wheel. If the mission succeeds, the wheel will become a base of revolution. But between betrayals, a new Monk leading a more organized army of Drones, and the discovery of a previously unknown contingent, Alenna, Liam, and their allies might be in over their heads. One thing Alenna knows for sure: There will be a reckoning. And not everyone she loves will make it out alive.

Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles, #1) by Kresley Cole

Evangeline “Evie” Greene, 16, leads a charmed life until her horrifying hallucinations predict a disaster that decimates her Louisiana hometown. She joins classmate Jack - with his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, bad attitude - and 22 other teens, as an ancient prophesy re-enacts the ultimate battle between good and evil. But who is on which side?








I Love Recommendations (2)

So I'm sure I'm not alone when I say how much I enjoy and appreciate getting recommendations and suggestions from anyone and everyone when it comes to books that may not have crossed my path.  It's always so helpful to hear what others think about a book, while it might not always sway me in one direction or another, it's still great to have a little bit of a heads up going into something as to what I might be able to expect or not expect, depending on the case.

 

Like I said yesterday, I went on one of my favorite sites, Goodreads, and I decided to see what they had lined up for me by way of book recommendations.  I'm so glad I had the time and that I got the chance to check it all out, because yet again I think Goodreads and the people they've got working on that site know me all too well and I love them for it!  I got a huge list (insert excitement) of titles that I decided to add to my TBR list thanks to all of their help.  Here a few of the titles they recommended....do you guys have anything to add to the list?  Have you read or heard something about the titles below that you want to share?

Anew (The Archers of Avalon, #1) by Chelsea Fine

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer.

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

**Apparently fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Shelly Crane will be instant fans of this series, and I'm ready to test out that theory.

Ashes of Twilight (Ashes Trilogy, #1) by Kassy Tayler

Wren MacAvoy works as a coal miner for a domed city that was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century to protect the royal blood line of England when astronomers spotted a comet on a collision course with Earth. Humanity would be saved by the most groundbreaking technology of the time. But after nearly 200 years of life beneath the dome, society has become complacent and the coal is running out.  Plus there are those who wonder, is there life outside the dome or is the world still consumed by fire? When one of Wren's friends escapes the confines of the dome, he is burned alive and put on display as a warning to those seeking to disrupt the dome’s way of life. But Alex’s final words are haunting. “The sky is blue.” 

What happens next is a whirlwind of adventure, romance, conspiracy and the struggle to stay alive in a world where nothing is as it seems. Wren unwittingly becomes a catalyst for a revolution that destroys the dome and the only way to survive might be to embrace what the entire society has feared their entire existence.

**Because I had read and enjoyed, Lisa M. Stasse's The Forsaken, Theo Lawrence's Mystic City, Kevin Emerson's The Lost Code, and Heather Anastasiu's Glitch, I'm predicted to like this series as well.  Those four books are ones that I truly enjoyed from start to finish, so if this title falls into that same category, I'll be one happy reader for sure!

Revamped (Angel Creek, #1) by Ada Adams

A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

**Based on how I liked J.A. London's Blood Kissed Sky, this one was added to my list and while it's the first I've ever come across it, the description I read pulled me in and has me optimistic that I'll be wanting to continue on in the series.

Epic (Epic, #1) by Conor Kostick

Generations ago, violence was banned on New Earth. Society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. Everyone plays. If you win, you have the chance to go to university, get more supplies for your community, and fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing.

When Erik, seeking revenge for the unjust treatment of his parents, dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends find themselves up against with the ultimate masters of the game: the Committee. If Erik and his friends win, they may have the key to destroying Epic's tyranny over New Earth.

But if they lose . . .
**After marking Catherine Fischer's Incarceron as a book I enjoyed this title popped up for my perusal.  I'm not quite sure if I'm sold yet or not, but it did pique my interest enough to put it on the list and only time will tell if it can live up to the recommendation.

Thin Air (Thin Air Saga, #1) by Lynn Seresin

Alice Ayre is no ordinary teenager. She took her first name from a statue in Central Park, pulled her last name out of the air (literally), and she’s actually almost a thousand years old. In fact, the only “ordinary” thing about Alice is that she’s in love.

Alice was a sylphid—a winged air spirit—when she spotted Daniel Field camping in the Adirondacks and lost her heart to the handsome NYU student. Intangible to the human senses, her only hope of winning his heart resides in becoming mortal, even though transmutation is forbidden by Paralda, ruler of the air. Risking punishment, however, seems a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness.

Tracking down Daniel in New York City ends up being surprisingly easy. Getting noticed by him for all the right reasons is another story, especially when the human world keeps tossing challenges in Alice’s path. Just when she’s mastered zippers and buttons, she catches herself dropping a sugar packet into her coffee and mistaking a photo of John Lennon for one of Daniel’s relatives.

Her eccentricities raise the occasional eyebrow with Daniel and his friends, but her quirky charm, sweetness, and sincerity win out. Before long, she lands a job, begins a relationship with Daniel, and starts settling into her new life—until her past comes after her.

**Catherine Banks' Artemis Lupine series is one of my favorites.  Based on that knowledge, Goodreads pulled this title for me to check out and so far the description has me intrigued and wanting to find out what will happen with Alice and Daniel.