Colleen Houck

“I took hold of that scourge -filled ship and crushed it between my limbs, hurtling it into the second sun, the red one that gave me strength. But I was too late." Terraformer

Colleen's blog

  • AUGUST WRITING CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED!

    September 3, 2014

    First, a BIG thanks to everyone who participated in the AUGUST WRITING CONTEST! It was a great success and was so much fun to read the stories. There is some real talent and creativity!!! 

    Before I announce the winner, I wanted to mention that there were over 50 contest entries and I was looking for three things in selecting this month’s winner. One: technical writing skills. Proper grammar and a consistent flow of the story were a top priority. Two: creativity. The ability to take the story to an exciting place. (I noticed a theme of pirates with this contest). Three: Contestant followed the directions for the writing challenge. 

    For those of you just tuning in, August’s Writing Contest was a writing prompt (below) where everyone was asked to begin their story using those words.

    So, here’s the beginning . . .

    Every night, Alice hears music coming from the picture hanging above the fireplace mantel. She examines the picture night after night but is unable to identify the source of the sound. Until tonight. As she climbs out of bed and looks at the picture she sees the wind moving the sails and the waves moving. Alice rubs her eyes in disbelief and carefully reaches out to touch the picture. Just then she felt a cold wet wave rush over her feet. She looked down. The entire floor was covered in water and more was pouring into the room. . . 

    ship painting

     

    Here are the awesome GIVEAWAYS for this month’s contest!

    giveaway2

    For one lucky winner there will be an

    EXCLUSIVE KELSEY BACK TO SCHOOL

    PACKAGE GIVEAWAY!

    2014-07-27 20.12.56

     

    ~a Western Oregon University Tote Bag ~ WOU Sweatshirt ~WOU T-shirt ~WOU hat ~ Hair accessories ~ WOU notebook ~ WOU Gel Pens ~ And more!

    PLUS, For two lucky runner ups there will be a

    BACK TO SCHOOL PACK GIVEAWAY

    back to school

     

    ~ Notebook, Binder, Journal, Pens, And More!!

      So without further delay, I give you this month’s contest winners!

    The EXCLUSIVE KELSEY BACK TO SCHOOL PACKAGE GIVEAWAY goes to. . .

    Hailey Pearson, 14 years old

    The BACK TO SCHOOL PACK GIVEAWAY goes to. . .

    Lola Nurmanova, 12 years old

    and

    Trisha Saran, 16 years old

    Here are their stories,

    The Picture on the Mantelpiece

    Hailey Pearson, 14 years old

     

    Every night, Alice heard music coming from the picture hanging on the mantelpiece. She examined the picture constantly, but the source of the sound was unidentifiable. Until tonight. As she climbed out of bed and looked at the picture, she saw the sails and the waves moving. Alice rubbed her eyes in disbelief and carefully reached out to touch the picture. Just then she felt a cold wet wave rush over her feet.

    She looked down. The entire floor was covered in water and more was pouring into the room. The gelid water rose quickly, as Alice frantically tried to find where the water originated. The water rose higher and higher, slowing her panicked movements. Her body numb from the icy waves, she relented, and screamed, praying for help. She swam toward the front door, now underwater, and ducked under to open it. Nothing.

    Alice surfaced, the water inches from filling the room entirely. She gasped for a final breath, as she was swallowed by the mysterious water. She pounded the ceiling, but when she reached up, a hand plucked her from the waves. Her body was slammed onto hardwood, and she wheezed for air, coughing up water that filled her lungs.

     “We’ve been waiting for you, Alice.” A burly voice said.

     “I’m Franklin.”

     Franklin helped her up, and shouted, “Tell him she’s arrived.”*

     “Where am I?” Alice mouthed, her throat raw from the salty seawater.

     She felt like a drowned rat, her hair soaked, and her nightgown clinging to her body like a second skin. She stood on the boat, slightly dazed. She tried to place a familiar tune playing. Her jumbled thoughts raced, then she remembered. The music from the picture!

     “You’re home.” Alice turned to the familiar voice, a handsome man walking toward her.

     “I don’t understand.”

    “Darling, try to remember.” He brushed her wet hair from her face.

     “Where am I?” She couldn’t be home. Home was a cozy fireplace, her own bed, her cat–not a ship of sailors and an attractive man claiming to know her.

     “Alice, you know the picture above the mantelpiece in your home?”

     Alice nodded, “You’re there. You’re here. You’re home.” He hugged her, but Alice remained stiff as a board, uncomfortable and confused.

     “Who are you? How do you know me?”

     “I, am Kameron Tobie, captain of this beautiful vessel, nephew to Franklin, whom you met earlier, and your fiancé.”

     Alice slapped a hand to her mouth. No boy had ever touched her, let alone proposed.

     “My WHAT?”

     “And now that you’re safe and free, we can be reunited!” Kameron cheered.

     “But–”

     “We’re under attack!” Someone from above shouted. Instantly the ship broke into madness. Shots rang, canons fired, and Alice was alone amidst the sudden invasion.

     “Blow them all down! Dead men tell no tales!” A disgusting pirate

    boarded, approaching Alice.

     “And you, Lassie, are coming with me.” He yanked her by the arm toward the board connecting the two ships.

     “No!” Kameron rushed over, firing at the buccaneer until he lay motionless.

     “I’m sorry, darling. It’s not safe. I love you, always.” He slipped a locket over her head, and took her to the edge.

     “What–”

     “Goodbye, my love.” He picked her up, and tossed her overboard. The waves swallowed her, and she struggled to swim to the top. When she surfaced, the water was rapidly draining into the floor. Before she knew it, she awoke under the mantelpiece. She rose her hand up to her neck, and opened the locket. Inside was a picture of Alice and Kameron, and she smiled, sadly, because she remembered.

     

     Mystery of the Painting

    Lola Nurmanova, 12 years old  

    Every night, Alice hears music coming from the picture hanging above the fireplace mantel. She examines the picture night after night but is unable to identify the source of the sound. Until tonight. As she climbs out of bed and looks at the picture she sees the wind moving the sails and the waves moving.

    Alice rubs her eyes in disbelief and carefully reaches out to touch the picture. Just then she feels a cold wet wave rush over her feet.She looks down. The entire floor is covered in water and more is pouring into the room! Alice’s vision clouds slightly in panic, and she clutches onto the arm of a couch to keep herself upright. She can’t tear her eyes away from the painting – how the water is pouring out of it, as if someone turned on a faucet.

    Her pajamas are assaulted with little splashes as the water surges out. One little droplet lands on her tongue, and Alice is surprised to find the water salty. The water has risen to her knees now, and a word runs through her mind: THEDOOR! However, as she lifts her foot, her soaked slipper gives her too much momentum and Alice crashes back into the water. When she resurfaces, she could swear that the water is flowing out of the painting even faster than before. She tries to head towards the door again, but the water has risen over it, and when she dives under, she can’t see, or feel the doorknob. A sob escapes her. Alice cries out for her nannie, but the either the water is too loud, or she must be too far away to hear. 

    Alice can’t reach the floor anymore, and begins treading water to stay above it. Trying not to get a mouthful of water, she yells out again, but no one pounds on the door or calls out to her. By this time she is nearing the living rooms ceiling, which she can now see has pretty little swirls on it. Alice remembers the source of the water, and looks back to the painting. The water has nearly overtaken it, but more is still pouring out. Then Alice’s pajama pants catch onto something, and she wriggles her legs- but it won’t let go!

    Her heart pounds against her chest, and her mind whirs with weird scenarios of her parents coming home to find her drowned, with her pant leg attached to a chair. All of a sudden, the water stops -then begins draining. A glance behind tells Alice that all the water is returning to the painting, and she feels relief cloak her tired body. Until she realizes in horror that the current is pulling her in as well! She lets out a shrill scream, but that is muffled by the water as it pours into her mouth.

    With a last burst of energy, she starts kicking out and waving her arms in a futile attempt to fight the inevitable.   

    The next morning, when Alice’s nannie walks into the room, her face pales at the new addition to the painting… A young girl, her mouth forming a scream, is being pulled under by the waves.”

     

     

    The Wave in the Water

    Trisha Saran. 16 years old

                          

                       Every night, Alice hears music coming from the picture hanging above the fireplace mantel. She examines the picture night after night but is unable to identify the source of the sound. Until tonight. As she climbs out of bed and looks at the picture she sees the wind moving the sails and the waves moving. Alice rubs her eyes in disbelief and carefully reaches out to touch the picture. Just then she felt a cold wet wave rush over her feet. She looked down. The entire floor was covered in water and more was pouring into the room.

    Panic began to take over Alice’s mind, compelling her body to shake out of her dangerous fear. Water. Something she never bonded with.      

         The part of her brain, where tranquility was at its best keeping a tight grip in the mind, told her to run for the door and call for her grandparents. But she knew they were out of the house. She ran to the door to figure it wouldn’t budge a move. So she stood backed up against the wall, breathing hard as she stared at the clear water pouring endlessly in the tiny room. Until the water finally filled up to Alice’s mouth. Alice gasped for breath and sunk herself under the surface. After a breathless effort of kicking her legs to help her swim, she reached to the picture and grabbed the golden frame for support. And before she even knew it, she was sucked within the frame.

        Alice found herself spinning as if she was in a whirlpool. She kicked her legs again to help her break the surface. Alice was gasping for breath when she saw that water was all she could see ahead. She realized she was inside the picture. And before she could even panic, she had heard that music. That same music flowed in her ears. Alice turned sideways to see the same ship with the moving sails in her way.

       Alice began to swim extremely carefully. She moved an inch every second, terrified of what the water could do to her. And in every move, the music was streaming in her ears calmly, as if trying to soothe her. When she finally reached the ship, she grabbed ahold of a rope and climbed upon the ship. Breathing hard, she noticed that a woman was playing a violin very melodiously. Alice’s heart froze completely. Because the woman was none other than Alice’s mother. Who had died when Alice was five. The woman stopped playing and started towards Alice slowly. The woman simply stared at the shocked one. She cupped Alice’s face and quietly whispered “Alice. My daughter. Alice…

        With a gasp, Alice rose from her bed to see she was in her room. She touched her body hastily and sighed in relief that it was all a dream. Until she saw the picture and a puddle of water underneath it.

    What did you all think? That second story by Lola would make a great ghost story. Again, congrats to everyone who participated! For those of you who aspire to be a writer, remember, “Everything you want is almost always on the other side of fear” and that “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try”!

    Stay tuned for next month’s contest!

     ~ Till next time,

    Linda Louise Lotti

     

    This entry was posted in Contest, Contest Winners.

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    Linda

    I’m Linda Louise, one of the bloggers on this website and Colleen’s little sister. I’m just a girl in her mid-thirties who feels thirteen when I play outside with my boys, fifteen when I sing my heart out listening to tunes while driving by myself, and sixty five when I go out past ten at night. I have a thing for junior mints, Mt. Dew, shrimp and kale (though not all at once) and I have a crush on Superman. I still get girlish butterflies when I read Twilight, cry when I read These is My Words, and smile from ear to ear when I read Anne of Green Gables. I have nightmares about aliens on a regular basis and I have a bad habit of midnight snacking. I love everything sports, except golf (although can that honestly be considered a sport??), and I hate anything that slithers, hisses, or stings. I have a problem with giggling at inappropriate moments and I sometimes wish life was a musical. I love science, hate math, love Dr. Seuss, and hate olives. My family is my world and my joys come from their happiness. I’ve learned I don’t know much about anything and I live for a good adventure, naps, cuddles, stories, exceptional food and The Shire.

  • The Radish Club

    September 2, 2014

    What is?

     true-beauty

    Introducing The Radish Club, by Colleen Houck.

    (Article originally published in 2010)

    radish sign

    Today I wanted to talk about radishes. Some of the critics of my books think Kelsey is suffering from a low self-esteem problem. First of all, I believe 98% of girls suffer from self-esteem issues at one time or another in their lives. I think its a normal problem. But that’s not what I want to talk about.

    I worked on a salad bar for several years during my young adult years. I made seafood salad, chopped cases of fruit, made spinach, bacon, and red onion salad, waldorf, as well as fancy cheesecakes and puddings. One thing I noticed when I took down the containers at the end of the night was not only that people seem to have a problem with spilling chopped eggs into the dressings, but that, inevitably, there was always a full container of radishes. Nobody ate them. Does this mean the radish suffers from a self-esteem problem as it sits on the back shelf of the salad bar?

    Without the radish we wouldn’t have wasabi. The greeks loved them so much that several of their statues feature gold carved radishes. They’re pretty. They can be carved in a variety of beautiful garnishes. But still they’re not fluffly or sweet like cheesecakes, you might point out.

    I had to speak at a church conference recently and my topic was happiness. I shared this radish analogy and said that not all of us were born beautiful or rich. Many of us didn’t try out for cheerleader or have large groups of friends. I grew up a radish. I sat in the back of all my classes and said and contributed nothing. Instead of speaking my mind, I sat there thinking of brilliant sarcastic comments that only I would appreciate.

    Today I look back on my awkward teen years and know that it helped mold me into who I am today. I’m more sensitive when I see others who are left out and extend a hand in friendship. I spent my time reading books and I believe I’m the better for it. Like the radish, I’ve developed a firm exterior. I’m no pudding or fluffy cheesecake that breaks apart at the slightest jostle. When I get dropped over the side of my container, it’s easy to scoop me up and put me back in my proper place, no harm done.

    I guess my point is I am proud that I’m a radish. I’m overweight, my hair is mouse brown with gray roots when I don’t color. Without makeup, my face has red splotches and I can’t have my own children. I wish my house was cleaner. I wish I was more organized. But, I’m a good person. I try my best to be a good wife. I’m a fantastic aunt and I have many talents. I’m proud of who I was and who I’ve become. Knowing yourself–your strengths and weaknesses doesn’t mean you have a low self-esteem. It means you’re comfortable in your own skin and you are at the jumping off point for becoming someone exceptional.

    After my radish speech, several women approached me and said, “I’m a radish too. We should start a club.” I’m glad to know Kelsey and I are in good company.

    radish-getting-ready

    Colleen

     

    In my life there is one lesson that I’ve learned that speaks louder than most. It is this, that the more I begin to see, the less I truly understand. The world, the universe, the soul has so much depth that it is impossible for a person like me to ever unlock every mystery to that thing. I learn more each and every day that you can’t measure the quality of a person by their appearance or as some say, “judge a book by its cover.” My definition of beauty has changed over the years. More and more I see beauty in things the world dismisses without a second glance.

    Without a doubt, Colleen is one of the rare beauties I’m lucky to know. Although she doesn’t see it, she is quite beautiful. She loves her family fiercely, she serves her neighbors and shows compassion continuously. She is generous and kind, thoughtful and caring. She has a light about her that is undeniable. I love watching her interact with people because I see them react to her in such a positive way.

    I’ve been fortunate to witness on occasion a person’s perception of her change as they get to know her. People are drawn to her and its no wonder that it is because of her true beauty and strength of character. Colleen’s bright light reaches her beautiful brown eyes and warm smile. She’s smart and funny and a great story teller (as you already know). She’s my Belle of a sister. I love her because she is such an example of who I want to be and is my truest friend.

    This quote makes me think of her,

    “Butterflies can’t see their wings. They can’t see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well”. ~ Anonymous

    And I believe these words are words of wisdom to live by,

    “The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty of a woman resides in her soul. It’s the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows and the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years. ” ~ Audrey Hepburn

    Take a moment today to tell yourself that you are beautiful, and do it each and every day. Because you are, yes you, an amazingly unique, odd and imperfect, perfectly beautiful you!

    ~Till next time,

    Linda Louise Lotti

    – See more at: http://www.tigerscursebook.com/blog/post-19/#sthash.62bOTu8V.dpuf

    This entry was posted in Articles, Beauty, The Modern Ink Society.

    6 Responses to The Radish Club

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    Spread the word  Pinterest
    Categories
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    Author Bio
    Linda

    I’m Linda Louise, one of the bloggers on this website and Colleen’s little sister. I’m just a girl in her mid-thirties who feels thirteen when I play outside with my boys, fifteen when I sing my heart out listening to tunes while driving by myself, and sixty five when I go out past ten at night. I have a thing for junior mints, Mt. Dew, shrimp and kale (though not all at once) and I have a crush on Superman. I still get girlish butterflies when I read Twilight, cry when I read These is My Words, and smile from ear to ear when I read Anne of Green Gables. I have nightmares about aliens on a regular basis and I have a bad habit of midnight snacking. I love everything sports, except golf (although can that honestly be considered a sport??), and I hate anything that slithers, hisses, or stings. I have a problem with giggling at inappropriate moments and I sometimes wish life was a musical. I love science, hate math, love Dr. Seuss, and hate olives. My family is my world and my joys come from their happiness. I’ve learned I don’t know much about anything and I live for a good adventure, naps, cuddles, stories, exceptional food and The Shire.

  • Upcoming YA Books: September 2014

    August 26, 2014

    I am a long-time reader.

    The librarians were on first name basis with my siblings and me because we were there lots. They’d see us come in and get our reserved books right off the shelf for us (that was back when their reserve shelves were behind the counter). I remember countless hours roaming the aisles of books (and books and books) and, I admit it, spending some time on their computers. I remember participating in the summer reading programs (which I remember being more challenging than they are now) each year.

    My parents came up with some creative rules and disciplines. No singing at the table. No quoting at the table. No music with words until after lunch. 5 minutes of original conversation. Oh, and “you’re restricted from books”. I can’t even recall if we continued to read anyway but… what kind of parent has to say “STOP READING, WOULD YA???”

    My daughter has also developed a love for books. While she can’t read yet, she checks out massive stacks of books from the library. She reads comics like Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes with her uncle. Her dad recently introduced her to the world of The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner and they are reading the second book together. She and I read nearly everything together but her bedtime stories have been the Ramona books by Beverly Cleary. We’re on the fifth book.

    My own list of books to read as listed on Goodreads is at 175 books. And that’s only because I’m refusing to let it grow longer and longer even though it is, in truth, much longer. (Much MUCH longer.) As much as I love to read, I don’t get the opportunity to read as much as I’d like to right now so my list grows much quicker than I can cross things off!

    Well, I wanted to share with you some books that are coming out in the month of September. And no, I didn’t add them to my Goodreads list.

    Yet.

    Okay, okay! Fine!

    Not ALL of them got added to my list….

     

    Lark Rising, Sandra Waugh’s debut novel, is the first book in the Guardians of Tarnec series.

    Lark has foreseen two things—she will fall for a young man with sage green eyes,and he will kill her.
     
    Sixteen-year-old Lark Carew is happiest close to home, tending her garden and gathering herbs for medicines. But when her Sight warns her that monsters called Troths will soon invade her village, Lark is summoned on a journey to seek help from the legendary Riders of Tarnec. Little does she suspect that one of the Riders, Gharain, is the very man who has haunted her visions. Or that the people of Tarnec have called her there for another reason: Lark is the Guardian of Life, the first of four Guardians who must awaken their powers to recover four stolen amulets. Together, the amulets—Life, Death, Dark, and Light—keep the world in Balance. To take back the Life amulet, Lark will have to discover her true inner strength and give in to a love that she swears will be her downfall.

    Ack, this one seems like it might mess with my head! I like to feel secure in my sleep.

    From the author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.
     
    The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students’ lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students’ schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What’s worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

     

    If Divergent was your thing, you might like Tabula Rasa as well.

    Sixteen-year-old Sarah has a rare chance at a new life. Or so the doctors tell her. She’s been undergoing a cutting-edge procedure that will render her a tabula rasa—a blank slate. Memory by memory her troubled past is being taken away.

    But when her final surgery is interrupted and a team of elite soldiers invades the isolated hospital under cover of a massive blizzard, her fresh start could be her end. 

    Navigating familiar halls that have become a dangerous maze with the help of a teen computer hacker who’s trying to bring the hospital down for his own reasons, Sarah starts to piece together who she is and why someone would want her erased. And she won’t be silenced again.

    A high-stakes thriller featuring a non-stop race for survival and a smart heroine who will risk everything, Tabula Rasa is, in short, unforgettable.

     

    From the author of the Uglies and Leviathan series comes this new book. A novel within a novel.

    Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she’s made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… 

    Told in alternating chapters is Darcy’s novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the ‘Afterworld’ to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved – and terrifying – stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.

     

    This one did make it on my list because, uh, dragons? Yes! Sign me up! This is the second book in the SCORCHED series. You can read about the first one on Goodreads. I discovered that Scorched is already on my To Reads list. Phew! (Because yes, I love dragons!)

    A girl at the end of the world. 
    Two brothers fighting for opposite sides. 
    And a dragon who can save them all…
    Or set the world on fire. 

    Trinity’s world changed forever the day she stole Emmy’s egg. Now she’s on the run with the last living dragon and twin brothers from a war-torn future. Connor may have betrayed his mission to kill Emmy, but he’ll do whatever it takes to prevent the coming dragon apocalypse. Coddling a temperamental dragon on its way to being the size of a house is no way to keep them safe. But Caleb can’t stand to see Emmy trapped and miserable. 

    When a video of Emmy flying over the skies of the Texas Hill Country goes viral, the government closes in–and the future they’ve risked everything for is about to go up in flames.

     

    A Salem witch story and the first in a series, it also found its way to my Goodreads list!

    This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

    Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily’s other self in this alternate universe.

    What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can’t hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

     

    While the first book in the Throne of Glass series has been on my To Read list since it came out in 2012, I’m finding myself shocked that this is the THIRD book in the series!

    Lost and broken, Celaena Sardothien’s only thought is to avenge the savage death of her dearest friend: as the King of Adarlan’s Assassin, she is bound to serve this tyrant, but he will pay for what he did. Any hope Celaena has of destroying the king lies in answers to be found in Wendlyn. Sacrificing his future, Chaol, the Captain of the King’s Guard, has sent Celaena there to protect her, but her darkest demons lay in that same place. If she can overcome them, she will be Adarlan’s biggest threat – and his own toughest enemy. 

    While Celaena learns of her true destiny, and the eyes of Erilea are on Wendlyn, a brutal and beastly force is preparing to take to the skies. Will Celaena find the strength not only to win her own battles, but to fight a war that could pit her loyalties to her own people against those she has grown to love?

     

     

    This is the last book in the Shadowfell triology. Juliet Marillier has some fantastic books out there so this series is sure to not disappoint.

    In the final book in this gripping, romantic fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Robin McKinley, Kristin Cashore, and Shannon Hale, Neryn’s band of rebels reach their climactic confrontation with the king. The stunning conclusion to the story that began with Shadowfell and Raven Flight is full of romance, intrigue, magic, and adventure.

    Just one year ago, Neryn had nothing but a canny skill she barely understood and a faint dream that the legendary rebel base of Shadowfell might be real. Now she is the rebels’ secret weapon, and their greatest hope for survival, in the fast-approaching ambush of King Keldec at Summerfort.

    The fate of Alban itself is in her hands. But to be ready for the bloody battle that lies ahead, Neryn must first seek out two more fey Guardians to receive their tutelage. Meanwhile, her beloved, Flint, has been pushed to his breaking point as a spy in the king’s court—and is arousing suspicion in all the wrong quarters.

    At stake lies freedom for the people of Alban, a life free from hiding for the Good Folk—and a chance for Flint and Neryn to finally be together.

     

     

    Did you read The Lost Apprentice series? I haven’t yet. Should I admit that they have been on my list to read for a while too?

    A chilling new trilogy from the author of the internationally bestselling The Last Apprentice series! Tom Ward is an apprentice no longer—now he is a fully fledged spook battling boggarts, witches, and other creatures of the dark. This three-book arc will introduce brand-new readers to Joseph Delaney’s haunting world, and delight longtime fans.

    Tom Ward is the spook, the one person who can defend the county from ghosts, ghasts, boggarts, witches, and other bloodthirsty creatures of the dark. But he’s only seventeen, and his apprenticeship was cut short when his master died in battle. No one trusts Tom’s skill, not till he’s proven himself. And a fifteen-year-old girl named Jenny knows more about the three mysterious deaths in the county than Tom does. She is a seventh daughter of a seventh daughter and she wants to be Tom’s first apprentice—even though a female spook is unheard of. Together, Tom and Jenny will uncover the grave danger heading straight toward the county, and they’ll team up with a witch assassin to confront it.

    A New Darkness begins a three-book series that will introduce new readers to Joseph Delaney’s deliciously scary imagination and delight his longtime fans. A New Darkness is perfect for every reader who loves thrills, chills, action, and adventure-no prior knowledge of the Last Apprentice series necessary! 

     

    I must admit, this one pulls at me because of the beautiful WHITE TIGER cover. It’s the second book in the series.

    Jae Hwa Lee is ready to forget about immortals and move on with her life. Until the god of darkness, Kud, sends an assassin to kill her. She escapes with the knowledge that Kud is seeking the lost White Tiger Orb, and joins the Guardians of Shinshi to seek out the orb before Kud can find it. But Kud is a stronger and more devious god than Jae ever imagined. Jae is soon painfully reminded that by making an enemy of Kud, she has placed her closest friends in danger, and must decide how much she can bear to sacrifice to defeat one of the most powerful immortals in all of Korea.

     

     

    A companion book to Victoria Strauss’ Passion Blue, this is is a historical fiction book about a painter. And I love the cover!

    Artistically brilliant, Giulia is blessed – or cursed – with a spirit’s gift: she can hear the mysterious singing of the colors as she creates them in the convent workshop of Maestra Humilita. It’s here that Giulia, forced into the convent against her will, has found unexpected happiness and rekindled her passion to become a painter?an impossible dream for any woman in 15th century Italy.

    But when a dying Humilita bequeaths Giulia her most prized possession – the secret formula for the luminously beautiful paint called Passion blue – Giulia realizes she’s in danger from those who have long coveted the famous color. Faced with the prospect of a life in the convent barred from painting as punishment for keeping Humilita’s secret, Giulia is struck by a desperate idea: What if she disguises herself as a boy? Could she make her way to Venice and find work as an artist’s apprentice?

    Along with the truth of who she is, Giulia carries more dangerous secrets: the exquisite voices of her paint colors and the formula for Humilita’s Passion blue. And Venice, she discovers, with its gilded palazzos and masked balls, has secrets of its own. Trapped in her false identity in this dream-like place where reality and reflection are easily confused, and where art and ambition, love and deception hover like dense fog, can Giulia find her way?

    This compelling novel explores timeless themes of love and illusion, gender and identity as it asks the question: what does it mean to risk everything to pursue your passion?

     

    If now I’ve given you an itch to read a book and ALL OF THESE BOOKS release in September, here are a few suggestions that you could read right away!

     

    In just a few days, Colleen is hosting a chat with Tera Lynn Childs. Have you read August’s Book of the Month yet?

    A modern girl’s comedic odyssey in a school filled with the descendants of Greek gods.

    When Phoebe’s mom returns from Greece with a new husband and moves them to an island in the Aegean, Phoebe’s plans for her senior year and track season are ancient history. Now she must attend the uber exclusive academy, where admission depends on pedigree, namely, ancestry from Zeus, Hera, and other Greek gods. That’s right, they’re real, not myth, and their teen descendants are like the classical heroes: supersmart and super beautiful with a few superpowers. And now they’re on her track team! Armed only with her Nikes and the will to win, Phoebe races to find her place among the gods.

     

    Looking ahead! September’s Book of the Month is Earthquake by Aprilynne Pike. If you haven’t read the first book in the series, read that and join in on the chat! Keep an eye out for a more in depth introduction in about a week.

     

    As for what I’m currently reading, you’ll find this book on my nightstand. So many of my friends have rated it 4 or 5 stars and when I got the chance to snag it at Romantic Times Convention earlier this year, I took it!

    How do you defy destiny?

    Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it’s getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she’s haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they’re destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

    As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

     

    What are you currently reading? Do you have any books that you want to read but can’t yet and you are just dying while waiting for it?

    Besides Colleen Houck’s Egyptian book, of course.

    Which, by the way…

    You will love!

    This entry was posted in Upcoming YA Books.

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    Colleen Houck

    New York Times Bestselling author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, paranormal, science fiction, and romance. When she's not busy writing, she likes to spend time chatting on the phone with one of her six siblings, watching plays, and shopping online. Colleen has lived in Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, and North Carolina and is now permanently settled in Salem, Oregon with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.