hello, may!

(Finally.)

HELLO, FABULOUS DRAGON-FRIEND! I am back from hiatus with a BRAND NEW SHINY POST FOR YOU!!!!

january, february, & march highlights, ft. a tiny vlog || getting my driver's license, turning 18, + ALSO starting college???

2019 book releases i 110% want to read! (i say as my tbr sneaks up behind me with a chainsaw)

WHAT'S UP, DRAGONS?! May your Thursday (yes, I'm a day late 🙈) be superb and your TBR be restless because I HAVE A POST THAT IS GOING TO MAKE YOUR TBR WEEP.

Hello, 2019 & HELLO, DARLING DRAGONS! 😘

I'M FINALLY WRITING THIS POST.

Something that started as a belated May highlights, then morphed into May/June, and eventually made it all the way to some "May/June/July/August/September/October/November/December Highlights BASICALLY I FAILED AT BLOGGING LAST YEAR" hybrid. So, yeah.

I've been gone for a while, and, to be honest, there are a lot of reasons why (you can read my full post on that here). 2018 was rough. Jam-packed of wonderful new people + amazing experiences + SO MUCH FUN, but rough nonetheless.

My goal and prayer is for 2019 to be better.

Today, I'm going to take a look back at just a few of the blessings 2018 had to offer,* and some dreams + plans I have for this year. 😉

*Fair warning: all the photos might make this post look a little wackadoodle on some phones/tablets/feeds. 😅 I did my best!

Without further ado, let's dive in!

J A N U A R Y

• Returned from my first ever New Year's Meeting
• Stayed up late with my mom on Sunday nights to watch Victoria (PBS) 😊
• Finished my fifth semester of high school + started my sixth

F E B R U A R Y

• Returned to Universal Studios / the Wizarding World of Harry Potter 😍😍😍
• Had my wisdom teeth removed (WHILE AWAKE???)
• Probably did something else significant but it's been almost a year since then so I honestly can't remember rn?? 😅

M A R C H

• Took the SAT for the first time
• Finished my editing job
• Grandparents came to visit 🙂
• Spent spring break hiking + visiting coffee shops / museums / beaches with da bestie and our families 💚

>> January/February/March Highlights <<

A P R I L

• Attended Placerville's Youth Meeting
• Took the SAT for the second (& LAST!) time
• Went to tea with Tasha @ curlycovering
• Realized my smol love for edible floral arrangements 😂😂😂
• Co-hosted a giveaway with Victoria Lynn @ Ruffles & Grace

>> April Highlights <<

M A Y

• Joined Instagram (my handle is @livkfisher, btw 😉)
• Went on a jeep caravan to Borrego Springs
• Traveled to Sacramento for a friend's graduation 😭💞
• Took my first ever AP exam 😏
• Launched The Language of Worlds linkup
• Da bestie came to visit! 😁

J U N E

• Volunteered as a poll clerk on Election Day
• Finished my junior year
• Discovered I was quoted on Introvert Dear, thanks to the lovely Lisa Pickle!
• Attended SoCalCWC (& met THE Nadine Brandes and Hailey Rose! 😱😻😻) (click here to see Hailey's vlog on it!)
• Got my driver's permit 😃

J U L Y

• Passed out flags for a realtor
• Watched fireworks from the driver's seat 😍
• Launched my readers' group (!!!!)
• Spent a day at SeaWorld + watched fireworks from the sky trolley 😍😍
• Camped for a weekend in Julian
• Found a TARDIS-styled little free library

A U G U S T

• Da bestie came to visit again 😊
• Attended my church's twelfth annual Youth Meeting (ft. sermons by Jonathan @ Pure & Simple Bible)
• Went on a two-week road trip with my family & went on SO MANY ADVENTURES 😍😍😍 camping, exploring, etc... the whole trip felt very lovely + bohemian! 😍😍😍
• Decided to go full-blown vegan 😬 (food-wise, at least 😉)
• Started my senior year
• Attended Livermore's Labor Day Meeting

S E P T E M B E R

• Registered at community college 😱😱😱

O C T O B E R

• Outlined Ignis (formerly titled The Scent of the Stars)
• Had a fun, pizza-filled Halloween with a school friend 🙂

N O V E M B E R

• Started writing Ignis
• Saw The Crimes of Grindelwald (totally noteworthy & honestly probably my new most favorite movie EVER 😍😍😍)
• Had my senior pictures done by the lovely Gina Lee Photography
• Attended Oakdale's Youth Meeting
• Grandparents came to visit for Thanksgiving 🌝

D E C E M B E R

• CHRISTMAS!
• Attended Oklahoma City's New Year's Meeting

chasing shadows by ashley townsend // where trains collide by amber stokes // the moon master's ball by clara diane thompson // an enchantment of ravens by margaret rogerson // scarlet by marissa meyer // fawkes by nadine brandes // waltz into the waves by sarah holman // common by laurie lucking

books: 53/53

writing: started ignis

travel: hollywood, ca // placerville, ca // borrego springs, ca // sacramento, ca // la miranda, ca // seaworld, ca // julian, ca // lost coast, ca // livermore, ca // oakdale, ca // oklahoma city, ok

work: finished editing job // volunteered at polls // delivered realtor flags

education: finished junior year // started senior year // registered for college

books: read 30 // join netgalley // re-read the harry potter series

writing: finish + revise ignis (draft 1) // write fey novella // write two books in medieval fantasy quadrilogy

travel: fullerton, ca // julian, ca

work: complete socalcwc registration job // find + start part-time job

education: finish senior year // graduate high school // start college

soul: spend one hour+ with God every day

health: stay vegan // eat more greens // do 15 min. yoga every morning // walk dogs three times each day // do stretches every evening

art: start + keep + add to bullet journal

HAPPY 2019, DRAGONS!!!! 😘💕 I hope you had an amazing 2018 + your 2019 is completely FANTASTIC & everything and more than you hoped for!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all the love and support you've given me -- this past year especially. I'm so thankful for each and every one of you, and I pray your new year is absolutely wonderful. 💖

Now...

LET'S CHAT!

How was your 2018? What are your goals for this year?

❤,

WHERE TRAINS COLLIDE by Amber Stokes // Blog Tour, Book Review, & Giveaway

HELLO, MY DRAGONS! Today, I am beyond thrilled to share Amber Stokes's latest release, Where Trains Collide (WHICH IS TOTALLY AMAZING AND YOU SO NEED TO READ IT!!!!), as a part of her tour team! Without further ado, here's my review of Where Trains Collide --

BOOK REVIEW

★★★★★

Trisha had a dream, a painted masterpiece of what her future might be --
until all her hopes finally burnt out.

Ever since I read my first Amber Stokes book back in 2016, I knew I needed more! So when Amber announced the release of her latest novella, Where Trains Collide, a couple months ago, I signed up as a reviewer without a moment's hesitation! And oh, my friends, I'm so glad I did. 💖

Where Trains Collide tells the story of Trisha Knolane, a college student who has little hope of a happy ending. Haunted by the stress of homework and classes, she gives in to her impulsive side -- and ends up on a train to Oregon, longing to find renewed strength. If only her ex-boyfriend weren't on the train, too.

THIS BOOK!!!! Oh my word.

The characters were amazing. So human, so relatable. Trisha's pressure in college, the life she wants compared to the life she has. Paul's goodness and chivalry was charming, and the two's romance was absolutely darling!

The setting was sweet and adventurous. From the very start of the story, when Tricia anxiously awaits her train, I could just feel the anticipation, from the darkness of the night, grayed by the streetlamps, to the mounting thrill of a new experience. All the little nods to Humboldt County, and the immersive descriptions of Oregon, completely captured my heart.

But my favorite thing about this book was the message.

You see, this book came at such a perfect time for me. Trisha's internal battle over her student life and her future were SO. CRAZY. RELATABLE. Watching her journey (both emotionally and travel-wise) changed me. And I totally cried while reading it! (Which, for the record, I consider a plus. This book had a serious impact on me!)

Where Trains Collide changed my heart for the better. It taught me that God has a plan -- for your life, and for mine. He doesn't forget. He never changes. He knows our stories... and our stories aren't finished, yet.

On that note, GO READ THIS! I'm 110% certain you'll fall in love with it. 😊

NOTE: I received a free ebook copy of Where Trains Collide from the author, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Click here to read my Goodreads review.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two hearts racing in different directions will meet where trains collide.

Burned out and disillusioned with her chosen career path, Trisha Knolane gives in to impulse and hops on a train bound for Oregon, eager to escape the stress of college for a few days. But what begins as a fun little adventure takes an unexpected turn when she discovers that her ex-boyfriend is also on board.

All her hopes and dreams had once centered on Paul Benson. Now, when Trisha doesn't know where her current track will lead, Paul’s reappearance in her life only complicates matters and sparks difficult questions.

Questions that could change the course of her life.

A heartfelt and thought-provoking contemporary romance novella, Where Trains Collide faces the uncertain season of new adulthood head on and shows that sometimes a path of broken dreams can lead to life's best destination.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amber Holcomb (Stokes) is an indie author and freelance editor living below the majestic mountains of Montana with her adventurous husband. Previously, she worked in marketing for a Christian publisher for nearly three years. Her passion for books compelled her to earn a bachelor's degree in English and now fuels her work with words in this new season of life.

You can learn more about Amber's books, sign up for her author newsletter, join her street team, and learn more at www.SeasonsofaStory.blogspot.com.

Blog // Instagram // Twitter // Pinterest // Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

In celebration of this new novella, enter for a chance to win a $15 Amazon.com gift card! Giveaway is open internationally (to anyone age eighteen or older who can receive an Amazon gift card via email). Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

June 3

Book Spotlight | My Favorite Pastime

Book Spotlight | A Real Writer's Life

June 4

Author Interview | My Favorite Pastime

Review | Serenely Stacy

June 5

Review + Travel Story | My Favorite Pastime

Review + Author Interview + Travel Story | Meagan Davenport

June 6

Review | Carissa's Bookshelf

Review | The Green Mockingbird

June 7

Author Interview | Unicorn Quester

Review | Chosen Vessels

Review | Heidi Reads…

Review | Christian Bookshelf Reviews

June 8

Review + Deleted Scene | Flowers of Quiet Happiness

Review | Liv K. Fisher

Aaaaaack I JUST LOVED WHERE TRAINS COLLIDE SO, SO MUCH!!!! It's seriously got an amazing message, you guys. And characters, and romance, and plot, and setting, and-- you get the idea. 😉 Don't forget to grab your kindle copy today, for only $0.99!

Have you read any Amber Stokes books? (And have you ordered Where Trains Collide, yet?)

❤,

P.S. So I totally missed Wednesday's post (#oops), but I promise that (unless I die or get hit by a truck or mauled by a bear) it's coming! Just a little late. 😉 And, now that summer's finally here, I can happily say that BLOGGING WILL BE SO MUCH MORE EXCITING! Which means that my posts will be more exciting, too!

And, at the suggestion of a friend, I have a new home for my blog tour stops, cover reveal posts, book reviews, etc. Starting tomorrow (with a special look at Mollie E. Reeder's debut novel, The Electrical Menagerie), you can find those new posts at my bookish blog, The Book Sprite! Of course, there'll still be plenty of bookish fun here, from time-to-time, as well. 😊

Have a fantastic day, Dragons! And happy adventuring! 😘

DANCING & DOUGHNUTS by Rachel Kovaciny // Cover Reveal

HELLO, MY DRAGONS!!!!

Today, I am absolutely E C S T A T I C  to bring you the cover reveal for Rachel Kovaciny's upcoming novella, Dancing & Doughnuts! When I read her first indie release, Cloaked, last year, I instantly fell in love with Rachel's words. Curious heroines, brave heroes, dangerous criminals, and swoon-worthy love interests, all set in the old west... I CAN'T WAIT to read Rachel's next story! 💕

Without further ado, here's Dancing & Doughnuts...









(Psst! Scroll down! 😉)








Doooooown,









dooooooooooown,









dooooooooooooooooooooooooooown...









Just a little bit further!










YOU'VE MADE IT!!!!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Someone's been spiking the apple cider at a Kansas dance hall owned by a family with twelve daughters. No one in the small town has been able to find the culprit.

A hungry Civil War veteran drifts into town and decides he's going to solve this mystery for them and earn the reward the family is offering.

RELEASING AUGUST 2018

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved the Old West all her life. She now lives in Virginia with her husband and their three homeschooled children. In her free time, Rachel writes for the online magazine Femnista, reads, bakes, blogs, watches movies, and daydreams.

Blog // Facebook
Goodreads // Instagram // Amazon

Aaaaack I'M SO EXCITED 😍😍😍 I can't wait to read the next Once Upon a Western story! 💖

Dragons, have you read any Rachel Kovaciny books? Are you looking forward to Dancing & Doughnuts?

❤,

DAGGER'S SLEEP by Tricia Mingerink & DISSOCIATE by Sarah Addison-Fox // Blog Tour, Multi-Author Interview, & Giveaway

HULLO, MY DRAGONS!

Today, I'm delighted to present Tricia Mingerink and Sarah Addison-Fox, in the duo-tour for their latest releases, Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate! I've got an exciting interview with both of them for you, and Tricia and Sarah are kindly giving away paperback copies of their books! Without further ado, let's jump in! 😄

ABOUT THE BOOKS

DAGGER'S SLEEP BY TRICIA MINGERINK

BOOK ONE OF BEYOND THE TALES

A prince cursed to sleep. 

A princess destined to wake him. 

A kingdom determined to stop them. 

High Prince Alexander has been cursed to a sleep like unto death, a curse that will end the line of the high kings and send the Seven Kingdoms of Tallahatchia into chaos. With his manservant to carry his luggage and his own superior intelligence to aid him, Alex sets off to find one of the Fae and end his curse one way or another.

A hundred years later, Princess Rosanna learns she is the princess destined by the Highest King to wake the legendary sleeping prince. With the help of the mysterious Daemyn Rand, can she find the courage to finish the quest as Tallahatchia wavers on the edge of war?

One curse connects them. A hundred years separate them. From the rushing rivers of Tallahatchia's mountains to the hall of the Highest King himself, their quests will demand sacrifices neither of them could imagine.

DISSOCIATE BY SARAH ADDISON-FOX

BOOK THREE OF THE ALLEGIANCE SERIES

Freedom begins with finding the truth.

Amidst the turmoil caused by Smyth's arrest, Celeste is stuck in limbo, stripped of her citizenship, with no choice but to flee to a peaceful Kyraenean hideaway with the tumultuous Amaya Mason.

When bounty hunters threaten the local orphanage, Celeste and Amaya must work together and fight. Even if it means risking what they cherish the most.

His plans in tatters, his career in jeopardy, Mick Haynes is forced to leave Kyraenea with the enigmatic Torrance Kyle, the agent he still can’t trust.

Torrance is good at lying, and even better at hiding his pain, but is he strong enough to deal with the consequences of betraying his own father?

Can Celeste accept the truth, accept her place in the Haynes family or will lies chain her to the past and destroy her chance at a new life?

DAGGER'S SLEEP: AMAZON // GOODREADS

DISSOCIATE: AMAZON // GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Tricia Mingerink is a twenty-something, book-loving, horse-riding country girl. She lives in Michigan with her family and their pack of pets. When she isn't writing, she can be found pursuing backwoods adventures across the country.

Blog // Facebook // Pinterest // Goodreads // Twitter // Instagram

Sarah Addison-Fox is a New-Zealand-born homeschooling mother of two, and loves action-packed fantasy with strong heroines. She has an astonishing amount of nail polish, has all her creative writing credentials shoved in a drawer somewhere, and has a husband who, after twenty-seven years, can still make her blush. When she's not working on her Christian YA fantasy series, she can be found fangirling on Goodreads or sending GIFs on Twitter.

Blog // Facebook // Goodreads // Twitter // Instagram

INTERVIEW

Welcome, ladies! I'm so thrilled to have you here! First off, would you mind introducing yourselves and your books?

I'm Tricia Mingerink. I live in Michigan in the US and I'm the author of The Blades of Acktar series. My newest release, Dagger's Sleep, is the first in a new series of fairy tale retellings / Christian fantasy.

Hey there, I'm Sarah Addison-Fox, a homeschooling mum who lives at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand. I write action-packed fantasy with a strong dose of romance and family values. I'm the author of the Allegiance series, which includes Disowned, Dissemble, and the book this blog tour is promoting, Dissociate. May I just say, I'm a huuuuge fan of Tricia's so this is insanely exciting for me to be working alongside her. *grins*

Awwww... Honestly, it's been so much fun planning this blog tour with you too, Sarah. So much more fun doing a blog tour together instead of trying to do all the work yourself!

How did the ideas for Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate first come about?

I first wrote a version of Dagger's Sleep (then called The Quest for the Sleeping Prince) back in fifth or sixth grade. It was a straight fantasy back then, not allegorical at all. I had the idea to rewrite it in its present version about two years ago, and it took that long for the book to come together.

Dissociate is the third in a series, so it was a natural progression to continue writing Mick and Celeste's (and a few new characters) journey towards finding... well you'll just have to read... 😉

Did you have a favorite moment while writing Dagger's Sleep and Dissociate?

My favorite moment was when I hit about Chapter 17 and the book finally started flowing. I nearly gave up writing the book many, many times before Chapter 17, but after that, I wrote the rest of the book in about a week. It was the end of November's NaNoWriMo and I was way behind.

That's funny because I remember saying that to you. Something like, "Halfway through you hit your stride and everything flowed." As far as my favourite part of Dissociate, I could tell you... buuut spoilers. I will say that anytime Torrance and Mick share the page I had an enormous amount of fun.

Um, yes. Torrance and Mick together are my favorite parts of Dissociate, except possibly the ending. There's just so much "I really want to beat-up" tension between Torrance and Mick. They'd be brothers, if they stopped wanting to punch each other long enough to get along. 😛

What does your publishing process typically (or ideally 😉) look like?

Lots of flailing and panicking? More seriously, once I have the book written and I've cleaned it up a bit, it goes to my editor, my critique partner, and a few early readers. Once I have their edits, I make a large edit with lots of changes. I then go through it two or three more times before it finally goes to a proofreader and I begin formatting both the Kindle and paperback versions. I also make the cover right around that time. Then it all gets uploaded on Kindle and Createspace and into the hands of readers.

I concur with Tricia. Flailing and panicking are an instrumental part of the publishing process. Jk. The first draft is the easy bit. After that's done (Dissociate was written around nine months ago), I choose my photo and I send to my lovely cover genius. Once I've tinkered with it, I send out the polished draft to beta readers, get their feedback and make the first round of changes. Then I start agonizing over every single word, re-writing, editing out superfluous words, repeats of words, and read approximately 12,876 times before sending away to be formatted. Even when I think it's all ready to go, a pesky typo slips by, or I'll find something dumb like "The grin slid off Mick's face. His face fell." And it's already been formatted! That's when I get close to throwing things. Thank goodness for Tricia. I whined a lot to Tricia during this process. She kept me sane...ish. Then when you think it's as good as possible, you bite the bullet, upload to Createspace, Kindle Direct, and start to hyperventilate until everything is approved. Then, you read through another 12,876 ½ times... and hope and pray for the best.

Whining to author friends is definitely a big part of the process. Sarah and I bonded over listening to each other venting about the trials of publishing.

Thank you so much for your time, ladies! It's been a pleasure chatting with you! Last question, before you go: if you could each choose one message for your readers to gain from your books, what would it be?

The message I think all my books have is that all things work together for good to those that love God. This is a phrase we hear often, but it is true even in the depths of great darkness.

I love that, Tricia. I would like readers to come away knowing that every single person has a purpose and a reason for being here. And that every life is important to God.

GIVEAWAYS

Tricia Mingerink is giving away a paperback of Dagger's Sleep! The giveaway is open internationally where such giveaways are permitted and where Createspace or the Book Depository ships. The book may or may not be signed, depending on where the winner lives.

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Sarah Addison-Fox is giving away a paperback set of the first three books in the Allegiance series! The giveaway is open internationally where such giveaways are permitted and where Createspace ships. The books may or may not be signed, depending on where the winner lives.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

• Tuesday, May 22nd
• Laura A. Grace – Author Interview 
• Reading Anyone – Book Review 
• Jaye L. Knight – Book Spotlight 
• Quirky Faith – Book Reviews and Author Interview 
• Wednesday, May 23rd
• Allyson Kennedy – Author Interview
• Sam H. – Book Review
• Addyson Huneke – Book Review and Author Interview 
• Ivie Brooks – Book Reviews 
• Thursday, May 24th
• Shantelle Mary – Book Review and Book Spotlight
• Brie Donning – Book Review and Multi-Character Interview 
• Blooming with Books – Book Review and Author Interview 
• Julian Daventry – Book Review and Author Interview 
• Friday, May 25th
• Faith Thompson – Book Reviews and Author Interview 
• Hannah Gaudette – Author Interview 
• CM Williams – Book Review 
• Chloe Parker – Book Reviews 
• Saturday, May 26th
• JM Christian – Book Review and Multi-Character Interview 
• Abigail McKenna – Book Reviews 
• Liv K. Fisher – Author Interview 
• Book Wolf – Book Reviews and Author Interview 
• Liz Koetsier – Book Spotlight 
• Monday, May 28th
• Jessica Dowell – Book Review and Author Interview 
• Lila Kims – Book Reviews 
• Marie Elrich – Book Reviews 
• Faith Potts – Book Review and Book Spotlight 
• Facebook Festival – begins 5PM EST May 24th through 9PM EST May 25th with special guest Serena Chase

Thanks again for chatting with me, ladies! And congratulations on your new releases!

What-ho, Dragons! Have you read any books in The Blades of Acktar or the Allegiance series? Have you added Dagger's Sleep and Disowned to your TBR, yet?

❤,

ALL THAT WE SEE OR SEEM by Kristina Mahr // Blog Tour & Character Interview

HULLO AGAIN, MY DRAGONS! I'm positively thrilled to be sharing Uncommon Universes Press's latest release, All That We See or Seem by Kristina Mahr! I was a part of the cover reveal team back in March, and I am SO. STOKED. FOR THIS BOOK, Y'ALL. Dream realms, arranged marriages, nightmarish cities, lords and ladies... I. CAN'T. WAIT. 😍😍😍

Without further ado, here's All That We See or Seem...

ABOUT THE BOOK

BOOK ONE OF THE DREAMWORLD DUOLOGY

Every night, seventeen-year-old Reeve Lennox finds herself under a noose.

By day she is a lady of Acarsaid's royal house, daydreaming of adventure and love. But every night in sleep she wanders through a nightmarish city, an invisible witness to the screeches of monsters and the screams of their victims. Her only consolation is Bran, a battle-torn young man with a selfless heart and eyes that reflect the stars.

Yet while Reeve falls deeper into her dreams, in truth she is engaged to Arden, a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air.

Torn between two lives, Reeve struggles to remember what's real. Until night and day collide, with a revelation that threatens all of Acarsaid.

BARNES & NOBLE // KOBO // APPLE BOOKS

CHARACTER INTERVIEW: LADY REEVE LENNOX

{From top to bottom & left to right: Source 1. Source 2. Source 3. Source 4. Source 5. Source 6.}

Welcome, Reeve! I'm so glad you can join us! First off, would you mind introducing yourself?

Thank you! It's truly my pleasure. I suppose I should say that my name is Lady Reeve Lennox, niece to King Carrick and Queen Everly, but... just Reeve is fine, really.

How do you spend your days in Acarsaid?

I spend a great deal of time wandering with my guards. We picnic on the hilltop, we walk along the pier. I have tea with Everly some days, when she has the time. And every chance I get, I read. One book in particular, really. I know that I should branch out, read something new, but oh, that story just pulls me in. It's about an adventure, the greatest of adventures, and when I read it, I can imagine myself within it. I know I am so lucky in my life, but I just hope to someday have a real and true adventure.

I understand that you're engaged to Arden, who's been described as "a mercurial nobleman who has long been cured of his belief in love, and breathes fire and flattery like other people breathe air." Is there anything you do admire or respect about him?

Oh, Arden. It's difficult not to admire him, but don't tell him I said so. He's just so... at home in his own skin. He is who he is, and he makes no apologies for it, and it's hard not to admire that trait. It's also hard not to admire the way he looks. Really don't tell him that, the man's ego is appalling. But the dancing green eyes, the artful disarray of his hair, the smile that is really more smirk, except when he softens it for me... it's all quite a lot to take.

I know that your dreams are rather terrifying, but do you ever find goodness in the nightmare world? What form does it come in?

There is one beacon of light in that horrible place, and it comes in quite an appealing form, truth be told. There's a boy there. I started seeing him a couple of months ago, out near the lake, and I've worked up the nerve to sit beside him a time or two. He's beautiful in the moonlight. I'm guessing he's beautiful in any light, but as I only ever see him in the dark, the moon is all I have to tell by. I don't know why he risks his life by going out at night on those terrible streets, all to come sit beside a lake for a few hours and run his fingers through the water. I so desperately wish I could ask him. It's the only time I've ever wished to be visible there -- when I'm sitting next to him.

If you could have one day to spend however you please, what would you do?

If I'm bound by my real life, I would want a day to be free. To wander the village without a full contingent of guards. To have an adventure somehow, somewhere. But if I'm not bound by my real life... I would want to spend it with the boy from my nightmares. I would want him to see me, to truly see me. I would ask him all of the questions I've been dying to ask. And I would like to finally know what color his eyes are.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristina Mahr devotes her days to numbers and her nights to words. She works full-time as an accountant in the suburbs of Chicago, where she lives with her two dogs and two cats, but her true passion is writing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and waking up at the crack of dawn every weekend to watch the Premier League.

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

TOUR SCHEDULE

• May 9: Savannah Jezowski -- Author Interview
• May 11: Lea Doué -- Author Interview/Book Spotlight
• May 14: Loie Dunn
• May 15: RELEASE DAY!
• May 16: Heather Hayden -- Author Interview
• May 17: Michelle Levigne
• May 18: J.M. Hackman -- Author Interview
• May 19: J.M. Hackman (Lands Uncharted) -- Top Three
• May 20: Liv K. Fisher -- Character Interview
• May 21: Claire Banschbach -- Guest Post
• May 22: Deborah Dunson -- Book Spotlight
• May 23: H.L. Burke -- Book Spotlight

Squee! MUCH EXCITE. MUCH THRILL. MUCH FEELS. 😍😍😍 I can't wait to finally dive into All That We See or Seem! And that gorgeous cover... *drools* I AM SERIOUSLY STOKED, YOU GUYS. 😍😍😍

Are you excited for All That We See or Seem?

(More importantly: have you ordered it, yet?!)

❤,