Twisted Fairytale

I’m blogging over at the Hollow Tree today for Movie Magic Monday, talking about one of my very favorite films: Labyrinth!

It’s everything I love – a musical, a fantasy world, a sexy Goblin King who wears his makeup better than I ever could and a beautiful scene at a ball that takes place inside a glass bubble with some amazing masks.

When picking that movie for the blog topic today I started to get anxious to get back to work on my books and really give them the same kind of magic. So yay for that! I’m inspired! Ha ha.

Leaving you with the best scene of the movie:

Enjoy your Monday!

Talking about what I’m currently reading and books I’m dying to get my hands on over at Tales From the Hollow Tree!

Come join me and suggest some of your YA fantasy faves!

I’m talking about my favorite Cinderella adaptation on the big screen over at Tales From the Hollow Tree.

Other than that, I’ve been working on my fantasy sequel (check out the cover and blurb for book one in the post beneath this one!).

I think I may have finally figured out how to begin chapter 9. Something about it kept feeling so OFF to me. I thought it was the POV. It wasn’t. I thought it was the lack of action. It wasn’t. It was the intro. The transition from the last chapter to this one didn’t flow and it seemed to start abruptly without really setting the stage and letting the reader know what was happening. After filling about three notebook pages with new first paragraphs, I may have finally stumbled on something that works. I’m going to take about an hour and work it out.

In the  meantime, I’m busy folding clothes and taking care of Peanut who is suffering from some serious teething aches and pains. His top gums were a little bloody yesterday as his tooth was cutting right through and this morning he woke up in hysterical tears, poor baby. So I had to pull out the infant tylenol.

And that’s my Monday plan. What are you all doing today?

So I open my email this morning to find a delicious goody sitting in my inbox!

The cover to my romantic fantasy, Zerah’s Chosen, releasing with Drollerie Press!!!! (No official release date as of now, but soon)

I *squee’d* for a good half hour. Then I had to leave the house so I *squee’d* internally.

It’s absolutely beautiful though. Kudos to Deena Fisher who never ceases to amaze me with her cover art talent. I mean, check out all the other Drollerie Press covers. They’re stunning!

Isn’t it just awesome?! If you want to see a larger version, just click on this link: here

And if you’re interested in a blurb, I’ve got just the thing. It’s unofficial, as of yet, but it’ll work for now:

Kieran of Aipa is Death’s Guardian, marked from birth into servitude to a people who have shunned his very existence. He resents his position and all that it entails. A life without freedom, without choice, without love. Misunderstood and feared for his power, Kieran is an outsider among his own kind until he meets the one person who seems to look past Death’s mask into the man below.

Amaya of Delmar has lived at the Temple for as long as she can remember. It is her stronghold until Kieran arrives and changes everything. A victim of her empathic power, Amaya is drawn to Kieran, who violently possesses what they’ve all been denied: Emotion. What begins as an innocent friendship soon blossoms into something forbidden.

The future of their entire world rests on one choice and two lives led by the hands of fate down a path of imminent destruction.

My partner in crime, Lisa Asanuma, has posted a fairytale flash fiction free read (wow, try saying that three times fast) over at Tales From the Hollow Tree!

It’s an insightful take on Rapunzel and it’s absolutely fantastic. So if you’re looking for a goodie to read in one quick sitting, we’ve got it!

Now let me get back to my scheduled madness. Cleaning, writing, feeding and playing with baby. Stop. Nap. Start again.

Happy Friday all!

I’m busy working on a scene that’s giving me trouble today. It’s given me trouble for the past two weeks. I’ve changed it like 3 times and then tried changing the POV but that only skirted the issues that had to be addressed by the hero so now I’m back to square one, just trying my best to shape up this mamajama.

But I wanted to drop in and let you all know that I’ve got a book review up on Tales From the Hollow Tree! It’s a YA anthology entitled StereoOpticon, full of retold fairytale goodness. Check it out!

*beats characters into submission* Back to the scene.

I’ve been interviewed by my publisher, Freya’s Bower. They have set up all new blogs for author chats, interviews, and even a few editor interviews! Very nice.

The questions were insightful, fun and original! Thank you so much, Marci! I had a great time.

So check it out, will ya?

http://freyasbower.com/blogs/authorinterviews/2009/08/17/interview-with-isabelle-santiago/

I could not come up with an interesting title for today’s post. #brainfail

Can you tell I’ve been on Twitter too much lately? I really have. I find myself texting friends and family that way, as though I only have 140 characters. Makes me more efficient, but sometimes they text back majorly confused by my cut up sentences. Ha ha.

Speaking of Twitter, I’m sorry about that Twitter Digest. I must not have noticed I clicked on it, or I forgot to unclick it in my Twitter Tools update. You guys don’t need a digest! You have my Tweets displayed in the sidebar! So let me fix that so we don’t have that problem again, ok? It looks pretty unsightly.

Oh, and before I forget, we have the first official post up at Tales From the Hollow Tree! Check it out. I have a movie review about Penelope starring Christina Ricci and James McAvoy. Anyone here seen it? Come comment!

Let me go get started on my endless list of things to do today. *sigh* Someone will have to dig me out of the huge pile of clean laundry sometime this evening. I may only fold half before I pass out.

• RT @tiemeinbows: YA fantasy fans! Be sure to check out Tales from the Hollow Tree, a new blog ALL about YA fantasy! http://bit.ly/D2dcO #
• RT @tiemeinbows: Here's a #Followfriday for you fantasy lovers. @hollowtreetales #
• RT @tiemeinbows: @hollowtreetales now has a Facebook Fan Page! Come fan us. >.> http://bit.ly/fGFxw #
• @tiemeinbows Get on YIM! The board was acting glitchy yesterday, that might be why the sig isn't working. in reply to tiemeinbows #
• RT @tiemeinbows: More blogging about @hollowtreetales. Fans of YA fantasy should def. check it out. http://tiemeinwords.wordpress.com/ #
• Woah. Romance Divas has a whole new look. Nice. #RomanceDivas #

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Remember back in January, I teased you all with about a secret project I was working on with good friend Lisa Asanuma? Well today is the day it is all revealed!

After months of planning and months of waiting (being busy with a newborn baby and all), Lisa and I are officially opening a joint blog, entitled Tales From The Hollow Tree.

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be a part of this project. For years, Lisa and I have chatted and bonded over our love of Young Adult literature, specifically in the genre of fantasy. That love stretched to classic fairytales and myths.

Now, we can share that love with others. The YA market has become inundated with paranormal fiction since the Twilight phenomenon, and as a Twilight fan myself, I have to say I’m ready to find what’s next.

I’ve noticed some really amazing authors and stories hidden like gems among the shelves of the bookstore and I’m eager to hear what suggestions you readers have for us. But we’re not just tackling books (though that will be our main topic of conversation- we’re bookworms!) We’re also doing movie adaptations and even television shows that use fantasy, fairytales or myths as their basis- as well as using one day a week for a history/research lesson.

Pay attention! You never know where the inspiration for your next book will come from!

Our welcome post is now up on the blog so please stop by and visit us, will you?