Follow Friday

Book Blogger Hop“In honor of Banned Books Week, what is your favorite “banned or frequently challenged book”?”

Click here for 2010-11 list in PDF format.

You can also clickHERE to view past years and choose from any of those titles!

I decided that I was going to pick two books.  One because I just really enjoyed the book and one because I think that the message and lesson in it are very important and I applaud the author for taking them on in a fashion that teens can relate to and understand.

Without further comment here they are:

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler: Book CoverThe Hunger Games (Hunger Games Series #1) by Suzanne Collins: Book Cover Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

And

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Q. What book that hasn’t been turned into a movie (yet) would you most like to see make it to the big screen, and who would you like cast as your favorite character?

My honest answer to this is none.  I am really not crazy fond of books turned movies.  I feel like we talked about this a lot lately so those of you who have followed me for a while know my feelings.  For those of you who are new, I hope that you will follow and I will not share my feelings on books made movies.  I have a really hard time with them because I visualize exactly what I think people look like, sound like and act like and movies never or very rarely meet those expectations.  So while I know lots of people like them, it is just not for me.

What are you answers I would love to know!  Let me a comment and follow if you like!

Guest Post with Laurie Bowler

Death Bite and Hacked Up

Let me introduce myself, I’m Laurie Bowler a fantasy and horror author from the United Kingdom. I just wanted to drop by and tell you a little about my new horror stories that are available.

My paranormal fantasy stories are Moon Rising series, Depths of Darkness and Serena Embracing Darkness to name a few, there is definitely no stopping me from creating as many books as I can. So far, I have written, edited and published 31. In addition, I have another 6 that are waiting to be edited, additionally I am currently creating Blood Fusions, Death Bite 2, Vampire Hunter, Skelthra and Sliced or Diced: A Real Slasher.

Writing for me is so much fun, it certainly wasn’t in my plans to become a writer, I literally woke up one day and decided to write a book that I called Vanquished and then I had it published. Since then I have not stopped and I am enjoying the creation of different worlds, creatures (some of my books have creatures written that have never been created until before) and of course the characters.

Death Bite is my new horror story, and is incredibly graphic in the details of the storyline, and I have had immense fun writing these.

With Death Bite, I had an idea that writing something with Zombies as the featuring storyline would be a bit like an icebreaker to start my writing getting into the right direction in the horror scene, and so it began. I will admit at first I thought I was going to puke, I put that much detail I gave myself nightmares and my stomach turned over with every chapter that I wrote.

Normally I only write paranormal stories but I felt like having a change, I will be publishing plenty of new paranormal stories in the next few weeks but I need to get over my newly acquired horror bug first.

Here is the synopsis:

Jessica Hargreaves knows a thing or two about being a strong woman. But as a deadly epidemic sweeps across the world, she is put to the test as the flesh eaters rise from the dead and begin to consume the living flesh of the people they encounter. Can Jessica and her small band of survivors escape the evil that is rising across the land or will she be consumed by the unholy hunger of the damned?

And the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Bite-ebook/dp/B005LW4GR0/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1315557700&sr=8-35

Please also follow my blog:

http://www.officialblogofauthorlauriebowler.blogspot.com/

And coincidently I am looking for reviewers and hosts for guest posts, interviews and give aways. If you are interested and you have a blog or a website please email me laurie.bowler@hotmail.com

This blog rocks!! Thank you so much for posting this.

Hacked Up, this was a sudden idea and I sat down one night and decided to start writing this little number. It has turned out, in my opinion anyway, to be much better than I had originally anticipated. However, you people can let me know your thoughts!

The storyline itself sprang up from almost nowhere, and the flow just came to me, it was a consistent flow and I certainly enjoyed it. I also gave myself nightmares writing this one too, but I cannot seem to stop writing in the horror genre now that I have started!

The main character Allie leaves her small town due to being harassed by an unknown source and she is seeking peace. She moves to a countryside small house, and this is where the fun begins.

For years rumours have circulated about the house opposite hers, some say it is haunted, others say an old man inhabits inside, while others warn against going near the property due to the screams of terror and the pungent smell from outside! You will have to read the story to find out what happens to Allie!

I would say this story is definitely the most fun, and the most gory to read and for me to write.

I really hope you will like them. Here are the links:

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Bite-ebook/dp/B005LW4GR0/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1315573630&sr=8-35

Booking Through Thursday

btt button

1. What do you think of reading aloud/being read to? Does it bring back memories of your childhood? Your children’s childhood?

2. Does this affect the way you feel about audio books?

3. Do you now have times when you read aloud or are read to?

Answers:

1. I think that it for sure brings back memories of reading to my kids.  I never remember being read to as a kid.  I remember reading a lot myself but not being read too.  I love the tradition in my house of getting the blankets out and curling up with my boys to read.  I was very sad when they out grew it.  There are times I wish they would still do it.  Now we all just sit down and read together.  Everyone with their own book.

I get very much into a book when I read it so there are times that I think I would rather just read myself so my brain can process what I am reading in my own way with no distractions.

2.  It does not really change my views on audio books.  I really enjoy them but for totally different reasons.  I have a long commute to work.  I love that I can still get in “reading” time while driving into work.  My only real requirement is that the reader must be good.  If I am annoyed by the reader I can’t get into the story.  I am out of audio books right now.  I am really bumming.

3.  I am really at a point where I just do my reading to myself.  Just another phase in life. 🙂

What about you guys?  I would love for you to share your thoughts on one or all of these questions.