Curling Up With A Good Book: Rockstar Book Tours Blog Tour, Excerpt (by Kate Karyus Quinn), & Giveaway: Among The Shadows (Various Authors)

Friday, September 18, 2015

Rockstar Book Tours Blog Tour, Excerpt (by Kate Karyus Quinn), & Giveaway: Among The Shadows (Various Authors)

Title: AMONG THE SHADOWS
Author: Various Authors
Pub. Date: September 14, 2015
Pages: 276
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

Even the lightest hearts have shaded corners to hide the black thoughts that come at night. Experience the darker side of YA as 13 authors explore the places that others prefer to leave among the shadows.

Kate Karyus Quinn is an avid reader and menthol chapstick addict. She has lived in California and Tennessee, but recently made the move back to her hometown of Buffalo, New York, with her husband and two children in tow. She promised them wonderful people, amazing food, and weather that would...build character. She is the author of Another Little Piece, (Don’t You) Forget About Me, and the upcoming Down With The Shine all from HarperTeen.

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The One True Miranda Lieu

By Kate Karyus Quinn

Everyone has their breaking point. Turns out mine is having my father return from the dead.

I come home from school and there he is standing with Mother in the middle of the living room. His arm draped along her shoulders. Hers around his waist. They can’t possibly be comfortable. It looks as if they’re posing for a picture, and I can’t help but wonder how long they’ve been waiting here. But then again they never do seem quite at ease when they’re together.

“Miranda, isn’t this a surprise?” my mother squeals, proving once again that she has mastered the art of the understatement. It’s a shame they don’t hand out trophies for that type of thing.

“I hate surprises,” I answer. Which is true and which she would know if she paid the least bit of attention to me beyond what I’m wearing and how many times I’ve frowned (“Always aim for a zero frowny face day!”).

My distrust of surprises goes all the way back to my fifth birthday party. It was on that bright and sunny day when I received a beautiful pink pony, her flowing mane braided and bowed. She was the most wonderful thing I’d ever seen and she was all mine to keep forever and always. In that first glimpse of her I imagined us having a million different adventures together. My love was instant and complete.

Still it was difficult to be gracious when my parents insisted my party guests be allowed to ride her before me. “After today she’s all yours and only yours, Miranda,” Father said with the same warm chuckle that always accompanied reprimands or admonishments to behave better. “Let the other children have a chance.”

So I waited and waited until at last it was my turn. Of course, my parents had to make it a big production. As I approached the pony, a carrot clutched in my fist, all the other kids circled around, clapping and cheering. Just as I stretched out a hand to stroke her velvety soft nose, there was a terrible rumbling sound.

And then the beautiful pink pony spontaneously combusted.