Special Spring Bargain

Want a scary read for only 99 cents? Pick up Lisa Cronkhite's Deep in the Meadows Thursday April 3rd through Saturday April 5th for this rock bottom price. If you're an Amazon prime member, it's free.

If you miss this sale, you can still get it for less than 1/2 price -- only $1.99 -- on April 6th & 7th.

If you like horror or murder mysteries, you'll love this book.

BLURB:

Bianca “Bee” Thompson’s brother, Jimmy has been dead for ten months, yet she still feels his presence lingering. And one question haunts her: Was Jimmy’s death an accident?

Probing into the events on the night of Jimmy’s death, Bee hears strange voices. The voices lead her to a blood-splattered room, a terrifying threat, and a deadly trap. Is Bee on the trail of her brother’s murderer, or is she entangled in a totally different and much more diabolical plot?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mid-West author Lisa M. Cronkhite fell in love with writing when she was a teen, while journaling about her first boyfriend in high school.

Today Lisa writes about different things she’s in love with—paranormal mystery and suspense thrillers for teens. You can find Lisa’s work online and in print magazines such as The Skyline Review, The Storyteller, Ruminate Magazine, Poetry Salzburg Review, Ascent Aspirations, and more. She is also the author of three other novels, Dreaming a Reality (2011), Demon Girl (2011), and Disconnected (2014).

Lisa now lives near Chicago with her loving husband (that same boyfriend) and her two children. She spends most of her days writing outside on her patio table and thinking of her next YA novel.
Friend Lisa on Facebook, Twitter, or read her blog.

Characters You Love to Hate

In my "Giving Voice to the Voiceless" class we were told: "To be heard is to have power over one's life. To be silenced is to have that power denied. Throughout history many have been silenced and children most of all." In this course, the goal is to read "young adult and middle grade novels where authors have given voice to the truly voiceless, where speaking is not possible or perhaps permitted, and study how the creators of these texts created an authentic narrative experience so that we can apply the same approaches in our own writing." So far this has been a great experience, and I have loved every book we have read. This past week I was assigned to read the book Silent to the Bone by E.L. Konigsburg.

 What is Between the Covers?

  

Silent to the Bone was a challenge for me because the author chose to allow the narrator to have a very mature mindset, despite being only thirteen. While it was a challenge to picture this young boy speaking the way he did and having such a large vocabulary, Konigsburg painted a perfect picture of a child with highly educated parents (his father was the registrar at the local university). This allowed the character to be believable. I loved the word choice. It's a breath of fresh air to read characters that have a large vocabulary. It seemed that most of the characters were well educated and through my reading I was able to learn a great deal. 

Connor captivated me from the beginning. Branwell Zamborska, one of the main characters, is the best friend of Connor, the narrator. After an incident involving Branwell's baby half-sister Nikki being sent to the hospital and put on life support, Branwell stops speaking. A mystery surrounds what happened that day and the young au pair, Vivian, paints an ugly picture of Branwell's unnatural obsession with his little sister and claims that Branwell shook and then purposefully dropped Nikki. Branwell is sent to Clarion County Juvenile Behavior Center where his only visitor is Connor. Connor has to figure out a way to communicate with his best friend, and through their communication he begins to untangle the web the Vivian has cleverly created.  

What Did I Think?

 I tend to latch onto a story when there is a character I can hate, and that character was Vivian. Once I figured out that Vivian was a young woman and not a Mary Poppins or Mrs. Doubtfire type of nanny, I disliked her even more. As the story played out and I discovered that she had Morris over while Nikki was sleeping or that she paid no mind to Branwell being there, the fire only grew. I truly enjoy when an author can create a villain like this and not overdo it. Some in other books seem somewhat overdone, but Vivian reminds me so much of these women I'm seeing on CNN lately---using sexuality to get ahead or out of trouble. 

Konigsburg uses physical signals to reveal more about Vivian as a character.Her physical signals were more angering than anything she \said. Examples: “Vivian had another cigarette with her coffee. I volunteered to light it for her. She held my wrist again. Same wrist. Same place. And then before I pulled my wrist away, she smiled shyly and lip-synced, “Thank you, Connor.” (108) Here she is playing with the emotions of a prepubescent kid. It makes one wonder if she acts this way with Connor, how did she act with Branwell—this question is revealed later in the book. 

She knows she can get her way with men, yet we don't actually see her attempt this with any grown men other than Morris, who obviously is infatuated with her because he lets her stay with him. Maybe Vivian's powers only go so far, and she can only control the younger men; however, it's evident that if a male is around, she will get what she wants. She seems obsessed with being the center of it all. Why hold his wrist in such a way? The focus must be on her. 

Another example: "Vivian laid her wineglass down on the coffee table and took a small handful of peanuts in her right hand. She opened her hand and studied the peanuts for what seemed like a minute before choosing one" (93); “Vivian plucked a single peanut from the bowl and held it between her thumb and forefinger and studied it for a while. […] Vivian put that peanut—no, placed that peanut—on her tongue and slowly closed her lips” (98). NO ONE EATS PEANUTS LIKE THAT. It was at this point I began to feel sick. I was ready for Margaret, whom I believe was my favorite, to slap her in the face and knock those peanuts to the floor. Once again, through physical movements and signals, Vivian is taking the heat of the crime off of her and attempting to get the focus on her sexuality.  

How Did This Help My Writing?

I have a little trouble creating a villain that doesn't come straight from a cookie cutter. It was so great to watch how Vivian began as an au pair, a character who wasn't mentioned much in the beginning, to a character who became front and center in Branwell and Connor's mission to show the truth of what happened to Nikki. It was Vivian's motions, rather than her words, that made her seem like a predator. These slow motions of having Connor light her cigarette, or how she treated Branwell in regards to the Jack-and-Jill bathroom in Branwell's home, showed that actions read more loudly than dialogue. 

Konigsburg tackled scenes that allowed me to challenge my own writing. There is a particular scene where it is revealed that Vivian truly does use her sexuality to control Branwell. This scene was a difficult one to digest. I can only imagine attempting to write it as tastefully, yet honestly, as Konigsburg did. How Vivian acts when being watched versus how she acts when she thinks she is not, plays into the recurring messages that all is not as it seems. When Branwell finally speaks and reveals who Vivian truly is, I was ready with my pitchfork and torch to attack. Vivian was definitely a character I loved to hate.

 Do I Recommend This?

Whether it's for pleasure or an assignment, Konigsburg has painted a captivating picture of two friends from worlds that children don’t read about often. It has become the norm for kids to talk in text lingo or pepper sentences with expletives, however these two boys enjoyed using larger words that needed to be defined. This would be a great read for a middle school or early high school student and is loaded with juicy words that sometimes Connor unveils for readers, but other times it is up to the reader to thirst for more and pull out Webster's.

Using the Techniques in Your Writing 

Think of someone you love to hate and use them as the basis for a character. Change the character's age, gender, and identifying details. Come up with a situation where the character's true colors are revealed through subtle actions.

Ties to Leap Books

A recent release, Deep in the Meadows by Lisa M. Cronkhite, has a character you may love to hate. Read it online and tell us which character or characters you thought were creepiest and you'll win a chance to get a free Leap Book.

ABOUT THE BLOGGER

Courtney Warren is a writer for her local newspaper, as well as a graduate student at Hollins University where she is pursuing a degree in Children’s Literature. She has a bachelor’s degree from Delta State University, the home of the Fighting Okra (which she is incredibly proud of). She loves to read just about anything placed on the shelves but has a special place in her heart for the Harry Potter series.

When she is not writing about herself in third person, she loves to write stories about middle schoolers with spunky attitudes who intend to save the world, as well as drinking Earl Grey tea from a very prissy teacup.

Check out her blog, Tea, the Spirit, & a Pen.

Murder Mystery Author: Lisa M. Cronkhite

With danger, intrigue, and bloody messages on mirrors, Deep in the Meadows by Lisa  M. Cronkhite is a mystery sure to chill you. Here's a blurb for this murder mystery releasing on January 31, 2014:

All Bee wanted was to fit in somewhere, to pick up the pieces after the abrupt loss of her big brother, Jimmy. Now, almost a year later, Bee is feeling Jimmy’s presence more than ever. As Bee starts to unravel her brother’s secret about the night he never came home, she realizes Jimmy’s death may not have been an accident after all.

We asked Lisa to stop by and answer some questions about herself, her writing, and her latest book.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A movie star, of course! (Aiming a little high, I know.) But after being in the “poor readers” group for years and doing horribly every time I read out loud, I realized I wouldn’t make it as an actor.

When did you start writing?

I journaled in high school, but stopped abruptly. Then after I was diagnosed bipolar in 2004, my therapist suggested it as a coping skill. I always wound up writing poetry—deep, dark twisted poetry. I showed a poem to someone, and they suggested I submit it to a magazine. I did and got accepted right away. So I became addicted to getting “accepted.” But after so many, I yearned for more of a challenge. I took a writing course at the Institute of Children’s Literature and fell in love with it. But I still wrote all over the place, writing from children’s to adult horror stories. Somewhere in the middle of all that, I found my young adult voice—the strongest voice within me.

In school what were your best and worst moments?

Unfortunately, I had a lot more “worst” moments than best. I was bullied 7th grade till sophomore year, and then things slowly started tapering down. All the best moments I had were with my boyfriend, now my loving husband. Believe me, we had our hard times too, but he always remained by my side—the ultimate friend.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

Every moment I had to read out loud. Seriously the most embarrassing moments of my life.

What advice do you wish you could give to your younger self?

Try not be so dependent on others.

What hobbies and interests do you have?

My hobby was and still is writing, which I kinda took to the extreme. My interests? I’m an ID Network addict. Need I say more?

What made you write Bee’s story?

This is the worst fear for any family -- to suffer through a loss of a loved one. It amazes me how people can get through it. I think writing it was more of a purge than anything. But ultimately I will never completely wipe those fears away. No one will ever really understand it unless they’ve been through it. This was just my way of trying to understand the complexity of it all.

Do the characters in the book have any connection with your real life?

Absolutely. Jimmy is very much like my son. He’s been playing hockey since he was 5 (on skates at 3), and he’s going on 20 now and he still plays to this day. And Bee and her father’s relationship is a lot like my daughter and my husband. She’s definitely daddy’s little girl, and I think the relationship between Bee and her father is the strongest presence in the book. As for the mother, I’ve had firsthand bipolar episodes, and some of the material in the book isn’t fiction.

What is one thing you hope readers will take away from your book?

Cherish the ones you love, because they’re not always going be there.

Can you give us an idea of your writing process?

I start writing off the top of my head until I can’t anymore. Then I reread what I have, and it sparks up again. If I get really stuck, I sometimes do a brief outline (but I never stick to it, but sometimes it does help.) I have this fetish of writing something, then printing it out, rereading it, and editing that way. Big mess, I know, but it helps me look at it differently—literally.

Which authors have influenced your work?

Anne Rice, most definitely. I still argue with my husband that the Queen of the Damned book was much better than the movie. It just irks me every time because he didn’t even read the book, ha. But I think of all authors, I must pay homage to my girl, Carol Goodman. The first book I’ve read of hers was The Lake of Dead Languages. I read it in 3 days. It was the first book I had ever read that fast. As I mentioned I was always a poor reader, but when I opened that book, she opened my eyes to a whole new world. She’s has the most breathtaking prose out there.

 Any tips for new writers?

Join a critique group, number one thing. Places like AbsoluteWrite.com or WritingForums.org are always good. Test the waters in other genres if you think the one you’re in now isn’t working. Find your true writing voice. Again, test the waters, try adult, young adult, middle grade, etc. But I think critiquing other’s work and getting feedback on your own is vital to the writing process. This is a win-win situation. You get to help others and will get better with your own work and make friends too. 

 Any tips for more experienced writers?

Keep writing and doing your thing. Keep producing work. And always, always keep your submissions active. Please don’t ever stop submitting. Do a very thorough research on the ones you’re submitting to. Check Preditors & Editors, Bewares and Background Checks on AbsoluteWrite.

If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?

1. I wish (and hope) my kids will live very long, happy, healthy and prosperous lives.
2. I wish (and hope) we could move to the West Coast one day.
3. I wish I could be a cat hoarder and have at least 30 cats (but no chance of that).

What is something most people don't know about you?
I hate watermelon.

Where did you go on your last vacation?

Florida

Have you ever climbed into or out of a window?

Every time I forgot my keys, I had to—which was often.

Where can readers find out more about you?

At my blog

Cover Reveal: Deep in the Meadows

Lisa M. Cronkhite's mystery is guaranteed to haunt you the way the death of Bianca “Bee” Thompson’s brother, Jimmy, haunts her.

It's been ten months since the car accident that took Jimmy's life, but Bee still feels his presence lingering. And she still wonders: Was Jimmy’s death an accident?

Probing into the events on the night of Jimmy’s death, Bee hears strange voices. The voices lead her to a blood-splattered room, a terrifying threat, and a deadly trap. Is Bee on the trail of her brother’s murderer, or is she entangled in a totally different and much more diabolical plot?

Watch for DEEP IN THE MEADOWS. Coming in January 2014.

To be sure to get your copy, you can pre-order now from the Leap Bookstore.