Updates

So, lately I've been performing and now I'm finally on break so I can write up more posts in more time. (:

I finally got photoshop so I'll be working on my Spring Background for the blog :D

There was a total eclipse this morning at 2 AM it was so fricken awesome. I haven't seen an eclipse, period, in a long, long time.

That's all I have, good-bye (:

~M.A.Chase♥

Performance (and Random stuff)

So yesterday, if you didn't know, I performed for the school. People were all happy and saying we were great and we were all like *cough* *cough* Thanks. We all think we did bad, but my family and the rest of the audience was blown away. Maybe tonight when we *hopefully* have more people we'll get more into the spirit of the show.

Anyway, on to other performing news, I was casted into another play at school as the main character and I'm super excited to work with this new play and work with other people.

You know, I haven't e-mailed another author for an interview in the longest time EVER. I really miss being able to post up interviews for you guys to learn more about the book and the author. Maybe when I finish the Zan-Gah book and review Being Jamie Baker I'll post up interviews with Laura Kreitzer (Shadow of the Sun), Kelly Oram (Being Jamie Baker) and Allan Richard Shickman (Zan-Gah).

I'll talk to you guys soon!

~M.A.Chase♥

Books I'm reading

I started ZAN-GAH AND THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY today. I should finish it by Saturday or Sunday. Being Jamie Baker review will be up when I can write it and when I can send the book. Tonight I am performing so I will not have any time to do anything I wanna do except homework, homework and more homework.

I hope you like the new template. I'm working on the spring 2010 template as soon as this week is over.

In other news, I will finish LINGER and MOCKINGJAY as soon as I can finish the ZAN-GAH books. By then it should be 2011 and I will start the Debut Author Challenge for the Story Siren. That's going to be fun.

Bye everyone!

~M.A.Chase♥

Template Changing

Since I just got Adobe Photoshop back I will be messing with a few ideas on what to do for my blog. If you like any of them just comment on this post and tell me so I can tweek it and what not. Please be patient. Thank you!

~M.A.Chase♥

Good News!

I finally got photoshop! I'm going to download it soon so that means I'm going to be able to update my blog layout now! It won't be plain anymore! Get read for that :D

Also, stay tuned for my Being Jamie Baker review. I finished it. 

It should all be done by the end of this week/ beginning of next week.

I'm in the drama club and we performed in competition on Saturday and guess what? We're going to state competition! My first time acting and already that far!

Wish us luck! It all happens sometime in March :D I'm super excited. Aren't you?

 Stay tuned! 
~M.A.Chase♥

The Lost Hero ( #1 of the Heros of Olympus)

Title: The Lost Hero

Author: Rick Riordan

Release date: October 3rd, 2010

Rating: 5/5

Publisher: Disney/Hyperbion

Book Summary:

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?  

Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.
Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

Review:
 
Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,  
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

*fan girl squeal* I finally was able to read it! Oh my gosh it was so good! Rick Riordan's books are by far my favorites in Middle Grade!
 
So, if you haven't read The Lightning Theif and the rest of the books of the Percy Jackson series then do not DARE pick up this book. The Percy Jackson books are like a Pre-Series to this series. You need to read those if you are to get anything Annabeth says. I'm telling you READ THEM.
 
*cough* Anyway, Riordan has brought another new twist on the old Greek mythology, but there has been an addition. Roman mythology is now intertwined into the Heros of Olympus!
 
Jason, suddenly appears in the boarding school with a girlfriend he never knew he had, Piper,  and a best friend, Leo. Their adventure starts when the venti attack and Coach Hedge must defend them (which failed epically even though Hedge is kick a--!) so two memebers of CHB came and saved all of them.
 
In Camp Half-Blood Percy has been missing and Annabeth has been searching for days to find him. Jason has this strange thing that he talks about the Greek Gods in their Roman form. Interesting.

I'm super excited for his the sequel to his series (whose book title I'm not revealing for those who haven't read it) coming out August 2011 and the sequel to the Kane Chronicles which comes out May 3, 2011.

Overall: Amazing. Good plot. Nice workings. Character build up. Cliffhanger.

~M.A.Chase♥

Two Days Left!

So there are two more days left for NaNoWriMo how's everyone doing?

So, I've already failed epically. I didn't get to finish my NaNoWriMo novel cause of school and stuff. So, I will continue the "NaNoWriMo" style through December and maybe even through January to edit and write. I hope you all had better luck then me!

~M.A.Chase♥

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure

Title: Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure

Author: Allan Richard Shickman

Release date: 2007 (Second Printing: 2010)

Rating: 4/5

Publisher: EarthShaker Books

Book Summary: Zah-Gah: A prehistoric adventure has only begun. Pressed by love for his brother and a bad conscience, the hero undertakes a quest which leads to captivity, conflict, love, and triumph. In three years, Zan-Gah passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and role of leadership among his people. This dramatic and impassioned story will thrill and deeply move young adults and older readers. They will dream of Zan-Gah at night, and remember it all their lives.

Review:
This book is a signed copy sent to me by EarthShaker Books to read and review. It's about a boy anxious to be a man. He's ready to grow up and be part of the men in his tribe, so he goes on a Lion hunt. His world changes the minute him and the lioness meet eyes. The Lioness pounces Zan and in a second he killed the lion. He got scars on his arms. The head of the north tribes Aniah gave him the name Zan-Gah as honor. From then on he thinks himself as a man and so do the rest of his people. He then decides to go find his twin brother. Then the story begins.

Zan-Gah: A prehistoric adventure was pretty good. It took me a minute to realize the whole story was in a third-person point of view, because the first paragraphs don't really show you, they're like introductory paragraphs. Like...I don't know how'd you'd explain it, but it's kind of like that.

The story over all had a good plot. It was strong and it showed how the character changed and grew up while looking for his twin brother, Dael. I liked the fact that Zan-Gah needed to pass many trials before he was able to keep moving.

Chapter 9 I thought was a little unneccessary. It talks about his uncle and his uncle's backstory. That chapter doesn't really fit in the section that it's in. Maybe if Chapter 9 was Chapter 2 it wouldn't have been awkward. But it goes from Zan-Gah finding "a big lake" that's full of salt water and passing out to the chapter that talks about his uncle. Maybe for some other people it fits, but to me it felt like an akward transition.

I like what happened with Dael and Lissa-Na in the end. It was so sweet I just couldn't help, but smile in the end.

Overall: Good story. Good plot. I probably would read it again.
~M.A.Chase♥

The Story Siren's Debut Author Challenge 2011

After forgetting-and failing- the last Debut Author Challenge I decide to try again with the 2011 Debut Author Challenge over at The Story Siren!

This year I will not forget and I will write it down in any space imaginable. :D

What is the Debut Author Challenge, you ask?
You must read at least 12 YA/MG books of authors that are debuting in the year 2011 and no it doesn't count if you have an ARC for a book that will come out in 2011 and you're reading it now. The challenge is from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2011. All books must be read in that time limit or they're not valid.

She also has a nifty spreadsheet with a list of books that will be debuting. So, all the research has been DONE. All you have to do is look through the books and read them. :D Sounds easy enough? Go check it out!                                                                     

You know you want to click it \/

~M.A.Chase♥

Shadow of the Sun

Title: Shadow of the Sun

Author: Laura Kreitzer
Release date: January 2010
Rating: 5/5
Publisher: iUniverse/Obsidian Mountain Publishing
Book Summary: Review:

Gabriella's past is a mystery, but that never stopped her from achieving her goals. As a supernatural specialist, and far more intelligent than anyone her age, she has always been ignored by her peers. Because of the isolation she has always felt, she put her life and sould into her job. Being a supernatural specialist hasn't given her the divine intervention she always longed for, until one day a shipment arrives from Italy containing three dead bodies with an uncanny ability to regenerate. Gabriella is frightened and intrigued, but not as scared as she becomes when a dark creature attacks her.

As the bodies come back to life, the plot takes an unexpected twist that you won't see coming. The supernatural world only begins to unfold before her as angels appear, her dreams start to haunt her, and the very past she has forgotten comes back with startling clarity. Romance blooms, escape plans are made, an assassin is out to kill her, and death is only around the corner. But what is more terrifying than all of it is the fact that she is the chosen one, the Illuminator, the one who will save them all.

Wow.

Right from the cover I was swept away with the mystery and wonder that is Shadow of the Sun. From it's first paragraph I was in wonder. I was taken away. I was hooked.

"It's too late, a voice echoed in my head. I gasped and knelt beside the angel. There was no puddle of golden blood, no marks-just a lifeless body. It was in that moment that I realized I'd never be able to speak to my beloved angel again."

After that it all just escalates and becomes amazing. When I reach Chapter 3 I know that this is the book for me and after that I couldn't put it down. I was with it where ever I went and snuck a few words when ever I could. I was counting the pages to the end, not because it was boring, but because I wanted to know how it ended and what plot twist Laura Kreitzer was planning.

Her characters are strong and know what they want and how to get to it. That determination is great. It makes the characters come alive, it made them feel. This isn't like the other supernatural books out there. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from page one.

I know I'll be recommending it for months to come just as I did-and still do!- Tyger, Tyger, and Iron King. I'm excited to read her next book in her Timeless Series; Soul Stalker which is out now. Thank you, Obsidian Mountain Publishing, for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. I hope to hear from you soon!

~M.A.Chase♥

Day of Sacrifice

Title: Day of Sacrifice (A Short Story)
Author: S. W. Benefiel
Release date: 2010
Rating: 5/5
Publisher: Orange House Press/ S. W. Benefiel at Smashwords
Book Summary(From Smashwords): Review:

With only three days left until her twenty-first birthday, her Day of Sacrifice, Flora Hamilton should be living it up. But when another Supernatural family puts a hit on her she’s forced to go into hiding with Julian, her gorgeous new Guardian Angel. Sometimes running for your life isn’t so bad.

The beginning of this short story is well written though it kind of takes a minute to get into the jist of what's going on. The points of view change between Julian and Flora so quickly you're just kind of left thinking "Oh, this is ______'s P.O.V. Okay, I get what's going on now." There aren't many P.O.V changes, but it still gets you confused for a second. (Well, at least I got confused for a second).

The story kicks off soon, though. Flora gets about seventy million calls from Fauna (her twin). As she listens to the messages she knows it's something important. I won't tell you. (:

I love Flora's personality in this story. She's strong, confident and not afraid to be scared every once in a while.

Julian: He's adorable. I love Julian. He's so sweet, smart, cute, compassionate. I felt so bad for him when ________ happened. (Gotcha there hehe) Poor Julian and when _________ happened. That was just too heartbreaking and adorable at the same time. Read it and fill in the blanks :D

S.W.Benfiel did a great job with this. She really knew how to weave everything together to come up with a perfect ending. I'm looking forward to REBELLION which is coming out in 2011.

You can find this Short story here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/26342
~M.A.Chase♥

Day 13 of NaNoWriMo!

We're now about to enter the second week of NaNoWriMo! How's everyone feeling about this? Are you finally getting the rhythm of the story? Do you know how you want your characters to act?

Your word count should be at around 21K judging from what my suggested word count says on NaNo.

I'm not there yet. I'm SUPER behind(three thousand words behind to be exact) so now I have to pick up the pace all day and write like there is no fricken tomorrow (there isn't...in a way. I probably won't be able to write much tomorrow so you know that three thousand? Change that to four thousand).

I do have a few ideas to use so I pray that I won't have writer's block at a time like this, but who can judge?

This is going to be a busy day. Just wait for my post on wednesday. It might be kinda crazy.

~M.A.Chase♥

NaNoWriMo Day 7!

Welcome to Day 7 of NaNoWriMo! You should be up to about 11K words so far. You're problem and plot are all about to take shape. You're MC is just figuring out the conflict and the love interests should start appearing in a few thousand words or so.

How do you think your story is taking shape right now? Do you think that after NaNoWriMo you will continue your story and edit it to take it to it's true potential? I think I will. I'm really excited to see where this story will take me and try to publish it after I edit and edit and edit it.

In the comments how about you leave a basic description of your MC? I can't wait to hear from you!

~M.A.Chase♥

NaNoWriMo Day 3

Total for today: approx. 5-8K

If you're a little behind just chill out. You don't need to worry. Here are some of my own tips to try and reach that word goal (I'm not a professional so they may not be any good).

• Are you comfrotable with your writing? If you're really not feeling the writing then why did you start it in the first place? Writing something that you're comforable with and you're sure you like is a big step in the writing process. That means that you're going to have a lot to write about, talk about. It will make it easier to rack up those words.
• Think about what you're going to write. Think of that scene and maybe two or three other scenes after that. When you know what exactly you want start writing. This will help you try to get to that next scene by making somethin happen that you may actually like and keep in the end.
• Time. This is probably about the hardest things to accomplish during NaNoWriMo; having enough time to actually write. So, here's a suggestion. What I do is I take a clipboard with paper and copy the last sentence in my whole WIP. I take the clipboard and when something comes to me I start writing and writing. By the time you get home you may have four or five pages ready to type up and during that time you can edit and add even more words to it.
• Music or silence. Either will probably make you concentrate better. I choose music. I just put on Pandora Radio and listen to a whole bunch of different songs. Silence can work to. All you need to do is just put on your Thinking Cap and just listen to your fingers hittting those keys. If you have people walking in and interrupting it just won't work (trust my experience).

There are some tips. You can follow them or if you have others; comment!

Have a nice 3rd day of NaNo!
~M.A.Chase♥

NaNoWriMo!

It's finally here! What you ask? You're joking? Ok, ok, please come closer and I'll explain... NANOWRIMO IS HERE!

I'm pumped. This year I will get passed fifty thousand. It will take my two months to write my book but I don't care. Yes, yes, I said two months. I'm planning on getting to 100K by January.  Do you think I can do it? I think I can do it and that's all that matters. *nods*

Anyway, back to NaNoWriMo. How many of you are veterans and how many of you are newbies? 

To Newbies:
Don't be nervous, have fun with it. Even if you don't finish you can still continue where you left off after the month of November is over. It's a great way to meet other writers, authors make new friends from your regions.

If you haven't signed up for NaNoWriMo: What are you waiting for? Today is the first day! Doooo itttt. (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) Check it out.

To Verterans:
Welcome back to NaNoWriMo!

The November 2010 fun starts today! Be excited! I hope you have your story ideas ready! Have any of you won a NaNoWriMo in the years you've done it? And if so, how many times have you won? Comment below :D


Well, I have to get to writing so I'll post up some more stuff later!

~M.A.Chase♥

Debut Author Challenge

Over at the Story Siren, Kristi is having a Debut Author Challenge. I'll list the titles below whenever I read a Debut Author's book.

So Far there are none on the list.
~M.A.Chase♥

Halloween Short Story

Okay, it's a story about halloween. It's not scary. I couldn't DO scary SO, here it is.
Title: No Title
Author: Me! (M.A.Chase)
Release date: Right now
Rating: Put it in the comments!
____________________________________________________
I lived in an unknown town, in a remote area of some unknown forest in Washington State. Yeah, sure, it sounds great. There's country side, you connect with nature, it's so picturesque and wonderful...sure.  That's what they all thought. Why would I be telling this story if everything in this little remote unnamed town is normal?

"Alexa!" Jayme yelled, running toward me holding up a sign.

"So what if it's five days until Halloween?" I asked shoving books into my locker and closing it shut.

School had just ended and already the halls were deserted. I picked up my backpack from the floor and start leaving.

"It's Halloween! All the costumes, and the parties! Come on! I heard Tyler was going to Eliza's Halloween Party this weekend. Why don't you come?"

"I said it before and I'll say it again, I hate parties and Halloween. Putting them together doesn't make me like them anymore. Besides, it's being held at the Hutfield Mansion."

I pushed the heavy, beige, prison doors out and stepped into the cool autumn air. If you're wondering, the Hutfield Mansion has been abandoned for over thirty years. So, yeah, imagine a huge haunted house on the corner of your block. Everyone who's ever gone in never comes out and having a party in there is not always the BEST idea, but everyone is excited. They say that they people that have disappeared went in alone and if there was a party no one would come after them. Sure.

"Come on you have to go! Everyone is going to be there," she complained sliding black mittens on her hands.

"You know that isn't really true, right? Not everyone-"

"Alexa!" someone yelled.

I turned around to see a tall boy, pale skin, green eyes and bleach blonde hair that is tied back in a low ponytail. I'd never seen him before in my life. How did he know my name? He walked up to us. He towered over Jayme, but he was just the right height for me.

"Would you like to go with me to the Halloween Party that's being held at Hutchfield Mansion?" he asked.

"I don't know. I don't even know your name-"

"Oh, right, my name is Duncan. Would you like to go with me to the Halloween Party?" he interrupted.

Something about him made me drawn to him. Was it the beautiful smile on his face? Or the way he said my name? Was there something more? How can I be so drawn to someone I've literally just met?

"But I just met you right now and-"

"She would love to go," Jayme answered for me.

"Perfect," Duncan smiles and he takes off.

I felt a hollow ache in my chest. It felt ancient, like I've known him for so long and I already miss him the first steps he takes away from me. I shook my head again. No. I don't feel love for this boy. I've just met him. I can't already feel something for him.

"I'll see you later, Jayme," I said and walked around to the student parking lot.

I looked out at the mansion. It's windows so dark, paint peeling off the sides of the building. A shudder ran down my spine. How could anyone want to go to a party there? A face in one of the windows staring back at me. I quickly slipped into my beat-up '97 Mercedes and drove to my house.
I'm just imagining things, yeah, it was just my imagination. I was over thinking the stories about the house. There's no ghost. No one has disappeared...Oy vey.

The rest of the week passed by too quickly. Duncan appeared everywhere I went now. He's nice, just kind of creepy. The face in the window of the mansion was there more often, staring at me after school. I really, REALLY, didn't want to go in there with what ever IT is staring at me.

Jayme came over my house with two costumes. I groaned. "I'm not wearing that," I complained.

"Yes you are! No one is going as Little Red and I'm making SURE you stand out."

"Do you want me to die? I think it's worse if I stand out."

"Stop being so melodramatic. Put it on."

There is something in that house after me... I think. When she stood there, unfazed by my prostests, I sighed and took the costume from her. I slip it on and look at myself in the mirror. I tried to pull down the skirt, but it stayed put in it's spot at the middle of my thighs.

"Little Red DID NOT have a skirt this short."

"Oh, chill, you look fine," Jayme said.

I looked back at her and saw her dressed as a Crystal Ball Gypsy with a skirt just as short as mine.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with," I sighed.

I followed her out of my house and out the street. A lot of people were walking toward the house in their different halloween costumes. The mansion looked even scarier at night with the full moon peaking from behind it. Again, I saw the face in the window. No one seemed fazed. Was I the only one who saw it? I shook my head. I'm going mad.

We followed the line into the house. I looked around for Duncan who was supposed to be my date for this thing. Arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me up. I scream in shock. The person behind me laughs and puts me down. I quickly turn around and see Duncan. His pale skin looked even paler, green eyes sharp against his light skin and his bleach blonde hair was tied back in a low ponytail.

Seeing him slowed my speeding heart and made me feel safer in this house. I don't know why it just..did. I hugged him.

"Where were you?"

"I was...doing something. It's nothing. We're here now, let's go have fun."

Music blared in the speakers installed around the hall. Strob lights and fog machines created a pretty good atmosphere. I stayed with Duncan the whole time. Something in my every cell told me not to leave his side. Finally we sat down at one of the benches. We were alone if you include being a good fifteen feet away from the dance floor then, yeah.

"I think you look beautiful," Duncan said, smiling.

"Oh, uh, you do?" I blushed.

"Yes, I do," he said.

He leaned over. I felt his lips on mine before I could think about reacting. So soft, so gentle, so familiar. I kissed him back. When did I ever feel love for him? I met him five days ago and I can't even think about leaving him.

He pulled back. "I've missed you so much, Alexandria."

I froze. No one knew me by my full name. Only by Alexa. Who was he?

"How do you know me by that name?" I asked.

He sighed. "You don't remember do you?"

"Remember...?" I prompted. I was so lost.

"Thirty years ago, you and I, we became immortals. This house, it's ours, we bought it. I haven't fixed it up, because I wanted the project to be for us. When you left, Alexandria, my heart was torn."

Tears pricked my eyes. Then I was slammed hard with memories. Him and I, laughing, talking, that faithful night in the lab when the experiment went wrong...when we became immortal.

"I'm sorry, Duncan, I-"

"It's alright," he smiled. His smile quickly faded. "We must get out of here before-"

Then there was a loud roar. I looked at him in fear. Then it came out. When was this town ever normal.
__________________________________

If you have a title idea for me, put them in the comments. (:


~M.A.Chase♥

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

It's finally here! The final day of the month and the scarefest day! In the Celtic religion tonight is the day where the boundry between the spirit world is the thinist!

How about for this post I write some of the things that have happened over the years during this date?

2009 United States: In my neighborhood a fuse box exploded burning a man who died a few weeks later.

2008 United States: Fears of a recession and higher unemployment pushes consumer spending in the US to fall in September by the biggest amount in four years.


1983 England: Women protesting the soon to arrive U.S. Nuclear Missiles at Greenham Common air base cut through the perimeter fence and daubed emulsion paint on the runway prior to being arrested. They were part of the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp.

1956 Egypt: Following Egypt's decision to nationalize the Suez Canal Britain and France begin bombing Egypt to force the reopening of the Suez Canal 1941 United States: The Mt. Rushmore sculpture is completed after Gutzon Borglum and 400 stone masons sculpt the colossal 60-foot carvings of U.S. presidents, The project had started on October 4, 1927 to represent the first 150 years of American history. George Washington 1732–1799, Thomas Jefferson 1743–1826, Abraham Lincoln 1809–1865, Theodore Roosevelt 1858–1919.




1926 United States: Harry Houdini magician and escapologist dies of gangrene and peritonitis after his appendix ruptured.

So yeah, some stuff.

Have a great Halloween and make sure everything is ready for tomorrow (people that are awesomesauce know what I mean).

~M.A.Chase♥

Tomorrow is Halloween!

Are you ready for the candy? The scaring? The dressing up? I am! Yes, I sound like I'm five with the dressing up thing, but come on it's fun.

Anyway, so trick-or-treating is probably my favorite part of Halloween. You get candy, you get to be someone who you want to be, and you get to walk around a neighborhood and talk to random people whom you don't know! (Yes, I've done that before, it's fun).

Then the scaring. I'm not usually the scarer, I'm the scaree and I hate it. I'm not good with "horror" so to speak. I'm more of a "let's turn down the volume and put captions" type of person. I write fantasy, no horror in there (unless you right a fantastical horror book that's scifi, then yes). When there is a house I know that someone will jump out at you and scare you I send my brother or my mother to get my candy for me. :DD

Enough about me hating horror, let's go to you guys. What's your favorite part of Halloween? Do you have a fond Halloween memory that's funny enough to share?

Put them in the comments. I would like to know. :D
~M.A.Chase♥

Top Ten Halloween Costumes 2010

I'm going to tell you the top ten TEEN halloween costumes from http://www.halloweenexpress.com/ !

1. Twilight Bite

2. Adorable Alice

3. Dr. Killer Driller

4. Cryptic Rocker

5. Lil Miss Red Riding Hood

6. Skeleton Sweetie

7. Crystal Ball Gypsy

8. Gonzo

9. Micheal Meyers

10. Zombie Ghost Face

What are you going to be for Halloween?

Post in the comments below!

~M.A.Chase♥

Monster Profile: Witches

Ok, so here's what I'm going to do. My Halloween story is far from finished so I'm going to move everything up (except for the Happy Halloween Post that is supposed to be done the day of Halloween) and I'm going to save it for Halloween.

So, onto the post for today: Monster Profile: Witches.

Aren't all witches the kind that ride on broomsticks? Do they really eat little kids? Do they live in a candy house somewhere far into the forest? How did witches come about? Where do they originate from? All of those questions and more will be answered in today's post!
 ~M.A.Chase♥
AGAIN THIS IS RELIGIOUS, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THIS SKIP THIS POST

Hundreds of years ago Christians, as well as many other religions, thought that the Devil could give powers to witches to harm others for loyalty. This wave of witchcraft and witchery started in the 1300s and ended in the late 1600s. Hundreds of thousands of witches (mostly women) were executed. Although the Salem Witch Trials had come when the situation was winding down, there was still much damage done.

In January 1692, Reverend Paris' daughters Elizabeth, age 9, and Abigal Williams, age 11, started having strange "fits". A local doctor had blamed the supernatural. Another girl, Ann Putnam, age 11, had experienced similar fits.

On Febuary 29, under the pressure of magistrate, two women blamed three other woment for causing the episode, Tributa (the Paris' Carribean slave), Sarah Good (a homeless beggar), and Sarah Osborne (an elderly improvished woman).

All three women were brought before the court. They were interrogated for several days. Good and Osborne were both found innocent. Tributa, on the other hand, confessed that "the Devil came to me to bid me to serve him." She described different images of red cats, yellow birds and a "black man" who wanted her to sign his book. She admitted that she did and that other witches were planning to destroy the Puritans. All three women were sent to jail.

Accusations followed the next few months. Finally, on May 27, 1962 Bidget Bishop, an elderly woman who was known for her gossiping, was found guilty and the first to be hung on what is now called Gallows Hill.

Nearly 200 people in total were accused, 19 hung on Gallows Hill.


So there you have it.

Witches were thought to be people with powers given by the Devil.

Although, scientific studies say that it may have been a fungus grown on rye, wheat that only grows in hot climates which is Salem Village. Rye was used during the summer and winter months. What this fungi did was it could create hallucinations, vomiting, sickness, muscule spasms etc.

Maybe that's what's behind witches.

How the Jack-o-Lantern came to be

This is the history of one of the most known Halloween symbols...the Jack-o-lantern! Now, how did this come to be? Here is the post where you can learn all about it!

This Jack-o-lantern bit probably came from Irish foklore (you know from my History of Halloween post that the Irish came around the 1800s).

(This story has to do with like the Devil and very religious so if you really don't want to read it then skip this post. I wish you could though!)

So the story starts with a guy named Jack (get it Jack, Jack-o-lantern), who is a drunkard and a trickster. He tricked Satan up a tree and carved a cross on the trunk, forcing the Devil to stay up there. Jack then made a deal, if the he promised to never tempt him again he would let him down.

According to the story, after Jack died he was denied entrance into Heaven (because of his evil ways) and Hell(because he tricked the devil). Instead, the devil gave him a glowing ember with which he would light his way through the dark fridgid darkness, and to keep the flame burning longer, he would put it in a hollowed turnip.

The Irish used hollowed turnips as "Jack's Lanterns", but when they came to America, they found that pumpkins were plentiful and used them instead, and so the American "Jack-o-lantern) was born!

How is that for a little history?

~M.A.Chase♥

Monster Profile: Vampires (not the sparkly kind)

Welcome to yet ANOTHER monster profile! This time it's going to be on Vampires.

I know what you're thinking; "Ew, vampires? They sparkle, how bad can they get?" "I don't want to hear anymore about Twilight." These aren't the sparkly kind. These are your hardcore, burn in the sun, wooden steak through the heart, blood drinking, Draculas, that everyone knows and loves. ☺

So, drinking someone elses blood was thought to bring you immortality as long as you kept drinking. The idea of a "vampire" actually branches off from cannibalism, pretty creepy, huh? Anyway, Vampires are night creatures. The sight of the sun either turns them to stone or turns them to dust. So, if one day you decide to go out for a stroll and see random dust in the middle of the sidewalk or an odd human statue in someone's yard, then you know what you just came across.

Vampires are often characterized by their long black cloaks, their long corpse-like bodies, and some even have the ability to fly, but whether any of that was in the myths it is unknown. They sleep in coffins, hate churches and cringing and scream at the sight of garlic.

Now those are the vampires we love :D

~M.A.Chase♥

Halloween Horror Books

Sorry, I have to make this up from yesterday. I was preparing for a party at my friend's house, but here it is. I'll write today's as soon as I finish.

Title: The Shining
Author: Stephan King
Release date: July 1st 1982 first published 1977
Rating: 3.84
Publisher: New English Library Ltd
Book Summary: Title: It
Author: Stephan King 
Release date: August 7th 1987 first published 1986
Rating: 3.85
Publisher: Signet
Book Summary:

They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they were grown-up men and women who had gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them could withstand the force that drew them back to Derry, Maine to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name. What was it? Read It and find out...if you dare!

Title: The Stand
Author: Stephan King
Release date: May 1st 1990 first published 1978
Rating: 4.25
Publisher: Doublebay
Book Summary:

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.
And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides -- or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abigail -- and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.

Title: Carrie
Author: Stephan King
Release date: September 1st 2005 first published 1974

Rating: 3.60
Publisher: Pocket
Book summary: 

Carrie White is unaware of her extraordinary powers, until she is pushed over the edge by her classmates and transforms the quiet New England town into a holocaust of destruction.

Title: 'Salem's Lot
Author: Stephen King
Release date:  July 1st 1977 first published 1975
Rating: 3.74
Publisher: New English Library
Book summary:

'Salem's Lot is a small New England town with white clapboard houses, tree-lined streets, and solid church steeples.That summer in 'Salem's Lot was a summer of home-coming and return; spring burned out and the land lying dry, crackling underfoot. Late that summer, Ben Mears returned to 'Salem's Lot hoping to cast out his own devils...and found instead a new unspeakable horror.
A stranger had also come to the Lot, a stranger with a secret as old as evil, a secret that would wreak irreparable harm on those he touched and in turn on those they loved.
All would be changed forever-Susan, whose love for Ben could not protect her; Father Callahan, the bad priest who put his eroded faith to one last test and Mark, a young boy who sees his fantasy world become reality and ironically proves the best equipped to handle the relentless nightmare of 'Salem's Lot.

Yes, they are all Stephan King, it just kind of happened like that. I took the first five horror books from Goodreads and that's what happened. Stephan King is amazing so, why shouldn't his books be featured every once and a while?

Anyway, these books are the scariest--in my opinion--on the lot. Check them out!
~M.A.Chase♥

Danny is only five years old, but he is a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of an old hotel, his visions grow out of control. Cut off by blizzards, the hotel seems to develop an evil force, and who are the mysterious guests in the supposedly empty hotel?

The History of Halloween

How long have we really been celebrating Halloween? Was this just something that came up one day or was it something celebrated before the Europeans came to America?

Halloween means "All Hallows", or "All Saints", or "All Souls" Day. Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians used to observe All Hallows Day to honor the Saints in heaven.

The Romans observed the holiday of Feralia(to give rest and peace to the dead), they made sacrifices and offered up prayers. This holiday was celebrated February 12, the end of the Roman year. Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the festival of the dead and changed the date to May 13, later, Gregory III changed the date to November 1.

The American version of Halloween Day is originally an ancient Duidric fire festival called "Samahain". The Celts in Scotland, Wales, and Ireland all celebrate Samahain (sow-in).

Ireland the festival was known as Samhein(or La Samon, the Feast of the Sun), in Scotland, the celebration was known as Hallowe'en and in Welsh it's Nos Galen-gaeof (the Night of the Winter Calends).

A Celtic story says that on Samhain the disembodied spirits of all those who had died throughout the year before would come back in search of living bodies to possess for the next year. The Celts believed all laws of space and time were suspended during this time, which allowed Spirits to talk with the living.

Obviously, no one wants to be possessed,  so, on the night of October 31, villagers would extinguish the fires in their homes, to make them cold and undesirable. They would then dress up in all manner of ghoulish costumes and noisily parade around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible in order to frighten away spirits looking for bodies to possess.

Rome had adopted Celtic practices and put Samahain in there list of October celebrations. There is one day in Roman October in which they celebrate, Pomona, her symbol is the apple which may explain the "bobbing-for-apples" we have on Halloween.

Soon the thought of possession died down and the practice of dressing up like witches, hob goblins, and ghosts took a more ritualistic role.

The celebration of Halloween was brought to America in the 1840s by fleeing Irish Immigrants.


Cite
History of Halloween
Halloween- The History, Traditions, and Customs
Ah, the interesting randomness of Halloween. :D I never knew a lot of the stuff on here from Halloween! I like these posts.
~M.A.Chase♥

Monster Profile: Werewolves

Deviantart.com
(Drawn by the-lone-voice)

We all know about the werewolves, but lately we've seen all types of different werewolves. With Maggie Steifvater's "change with temperature" and Stephenie Meyer's "change at will" we may have lost some of the old, ancient touched to werewolves.

COUNTRIES WITH LEGENDS OF WEREWOLVES

• France (loup-garou)
• Greece (lycanthropos)
• Spain (hombre lobo)
• Bulgaria (valkolak)
• Turkey (kurtadam)
• Czech Republic/Slovakia (vlkodlak)
• Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia (vukodlak / вукодлак)
• Russia (vourdalak , оборотень)
• Ukraine (vovkulak(a), vurdalak(a), vovkun, перевертень)
• Croatia (vukodlak)
• Poland (wilkołak)
• Romania (vârcolac)
• Macedonia (vrkolak)
• Scotland (werewolf, wulver)
•  England (werewolf)
• Ireland (faoladh or conriocht)
• Germany (Werwolf)
• the Netherlands (weerwolf)
• Denmark/Sweden/Norway (Varulv)
• Norway/Iceland (kveld-ulf,varúlfur)
• Galicia(lobisón)
• Portugal/Brazil (lobisomem)
• Lithuania (vilkolakis and vilkatlakis)
• Latvia (vilkatis and vilkacis)
• Andorra (home llop)
• Hungary (Vérfarkas and Farkasember)
• Estonia (libahunt)
• Finland (ihmissusi and vironsusi)
• Italy (lupo mannaro)

_________________________________________________________________________________

SOME GREEK HISTORY

Greek mythology provides the earliest of the werewolf legends. According to a story in history Lycaon had served human flesh during a meal with the Gods and was turned into a wolf-a long with another member-because of it.

In another Greek story, says a man of Anthus' family was chosen and taken to a lake. He hang his clothes on a tree and swam across. With this, he was transformed into a werewolf. He roamed around in this form for nine years, if he promised he wouldn't eat a human he would be allowed to transform back into a human and swim back across the river.

The Greek scholar Herodotus says that the Neuri tribe would be transformed for a few days.
_________________________________________________________________

SHE-WOLF

Even though it's also a song by Shakira it's in mythology too.

She is an aspect of a triple Goddess. In legend, she had given three souls to the Legendary King Herulus. She is also the mythical mother of the two founders of Roma, Romus and Remulus.

South Slavs had a ritual where they used to pass a newborn child through a wolf skin saying it was thus born from the She-Wolf.
_________________________________________________________________________________

One of the most common beliefs of werewolves is that they change only during a full moon and they can only be killed by a silver bullet. 

~M.A.Chase♥

Cited:
History of the Werewolf
She-Wolf

Halloween Horror Movies

Everyone knows there are a plethora of movies I can name on this post, but I'm going to keep it to just a few. In this post I'll write the name of the movie, and a short summary from some sort of website which I will cite.

 The Rocky Horror Picture Show: RATED R

Fasten your garter belt and come up to the lab and see what's on the slab! It's The Rocky Horror Picture Show Special Edition, a screamingly funny, sinfully twisted salute to sci-fi, horror, B-movies and rock music, all rolled into one deliciously decade.

(Summary from Amazon)


Friday the 13th: RATED R

Despite repeated warnings to stay away, a group of fun-loving but none-too-bright teenagers set out to reopen the eerie Camp Crystal Lake, which closed 20 years earlier after a series of bizarre and unexplained deaths. Now someone is lurking in the woods, spying on the happy campers, and plotting a gory, grisly revenge on those who would disturb the camp's slumber.

(synopsis from ruinedendings.com)


The Fog: RATED R

The inhabitants of Antonio Island, off the coast of Oregon, are about to unveil a statue honoring the four men (Castle, Wayne, Williams and Malone) who founded their town in 1871. Nick Castle is one of the descendants of the men, and owns a fishing charter company, using his vessel, the Seagrass, for tourism. When his girlfriend Elizabeth Williams returns to the island after spending six months in New York, a bizarre series of events begin to occur, including several gruesome deaths and the presence of a mysterious fog. When Elizabeth slips in Nick's boathouse and falls into the sea, she finds an old journal from 1871, written by Patrick Malone, one of the town's founders. It tells how a man named Blake bought half the island for use as a leper colony. While bringing his people to Antonio Island in their clipper ship, the Elizabeth Dane, Blake is betrayed by Castle, Wayne, Williams and Malone. The four men locked Blake and his people in the vessel, stole their money and possessions, and then set fire to the ship, killing everyone aboard. In the present day, the ghosts of Blake and his crew have risen from their watery grave to seeking revenge on the descendants of the four men.

(synopsis from imdb.com)


The Nightmare on Elm Street: RATED R

Nancy is having nightmares about a frightening, badly-scarred figure who wears a glove with razor-sharp "finger knives". She soon discovers that her friends are having similar dreams. When the kids begin to die, Nancy realizes that she must stay awake to survive. Uncovering the secret identity of the dream killer and his connection with the children of Elm Street, the girl plots to draw him out into the real world.

(synopsis from imdb.com)
The Excorsist: RATED R

Something beyond evil is happening in a little girl's room. Regan has brutally changed both in the way she looks and the way she acts, with violent outbursts on everyone who comes in contact with her. Her worried mother gets in contact with a priest who comes to the conclusion that Regan is possessed. The top priest who can deal with an exorcism, Father Merrin, is called in to help save Regan from the demon inside her

(synopsis from imdb.com)

~M.A.Chase♥

October

Happy October!

This month is Hallows Eve, the time to be anything you want to be, to go around and eat candy, and scare people to death without getting in trouble!

This month of October I'm going to write Halloween related posts. Here is my list! As I post them this list will be updated with links and I will also have a sidebar widget.

• October 19th: Introduction (this post)
• October 20th: Halloween Horror Movies
• October 21st: Monster Profile: Werewolves
• October 22nd: History of Halloween
• October 23rd: Halloween related books
• October 24th: Monster Profile: Vampires (not the sparkling kind)
• October 25th: How the Jack-o-lantern came to be
• October 26th: Halloween short story
• October 27th: Monster Profile: Witches
• October 28th: Scary Stories
• October 29th: Costume top 10
• October 30th: Halloween is tomorrow!
• October 31st: Happy Halloween!

It's a lot to look forward to! I actually can't wait to write them!

~M.A.Chase♥

NaNoWriMo

*psst* Hey, hey!

Guess what everyone!

Next month is NaNoWriMo!

I'm super excited. I LOVE NaNoWriMo! It's so much fun to try to write a 50 000 word book in only 30 days. =D I already outlined my whole book! I'm super excited to start. I have my synopsis up already.

If anyone has a NaNoWriMo and wants to add me as a Writing Buddy, search for Roxaslover14. You'll find me fairly easily.

Is everyone as excited for NaNoWriMo as I am? Comment on this post with your NaNoWriMo name if you want to meet some new writers!

Anyone who hasn't heard of NaNoWriMo and is interested here are a few things you need to know about it.

• It's a once a year thing every November in which you write a 50 000 word book in 30 days
• You can put in your word count each day so people can see your progress!
• To join click here and click "Sign Up!" on the top right corner under the language settings.
• Edit your author info and if you have a synopsis already write that one in too!
• It's a fun way to see how much you can write!

Have fun and I can't wait to meet a whole bunch of new people!

~M.A.Chase♥

My 100th post/ Immortal Beloved Review

Yup, this is my 100th post. I know, pretty small amount considering how long I've been blogging. I'm doing a play for competition at school so I'm rehersing a lot. Rehersal=no reading.


Anyway, below is my review of Immortal Beloved. Enjoy.

Title: Immortal Beloved

Author: Cate Tiernan

Release date: September 2010

Rating: 4.5/5
Publisher: Little, Brown
Book Summary(Goodreads):

New name, new town, new life. Nastasya has done it too often to count. And there’s no end in sight. Nothing ever really ends... when you’re immortal. But this time is different: Nastasya knows that this new town must hold her salvation—or her death.
Nastasya was born into darkness, and has embraced it her whole life. Four hundred years ago, a tragedy robbed her of her birthright, and she’s been living a lie ever since. Now, four centuries of exploring the depths and limits of dark power has left Nastasya feeling sickened unto death. If she continues down this road, she will end up as a very dark, twisted, evil thing—with unthinkable power. Or she can begin the long, painful road toward light, and reclaim the destiny that others tried to destroy.
They’re rare. You may have never met one, never sat next to one on a plane, never eaten in the same restaurant at the same time. But the Immortals are there. Have always been there. Will always be there. Moving among humans, playing out their own cursed fate. Sometimes subtly, sometimes with huge, sweeping implications for mankind. But no one will ever know. Except you.

Review:
It's a good book.

The first sentence really grabs you:

Last night my whole world came tumbling down. Now I'm running scared.

I love Rayne. He annoys the crap out of Nastasya, but I can't help but to love him. He's adorable. A girl is throwing herself at him and he doesn't even notice. I laughed at that part. What guy wouldn't notice a girl throwing herself at him? An Immortal guy, perhaps?

I like that Nastasya when she first gets to River's she doesn't really understand what she's doing, how she's going to live with what happened 'that night' and how she is planning to stay away from Innocencio after what he'd done. She has to find herself and try to care about people, care about her life, care about someone special, care about what she does and what pleases her.

I gave this book a 4.5 because sometimes I had to push through a scene or maybe even just a paragraph in order to continue. It would just be one of those parts that are just too slow to manage.

I would recommend this book to everyone of my friends and make sure they read it.
~M.A.Chase♥The main character, Nastasya, is a strong character along with the rest of the Immortals. It's an empowering story in my view because it gives you a way to look at things. For example, Nastasya has always been partying, not carrying about herself, about her life. Then when she goes to River's house she has a whole new look on things. She doesn't need to run anymore, she can feel again.

The Duff

Title: The Duff
Author: Kody Keplinger
Release date: September 7th, 2010
Rating: 5/5
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Book Summary(from GoodReads):

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.


But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.


Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review:
I. Loved. It.
 
Can I just leave it like that? No. I can't. I need to TELL you why I loved it.
 
When I first opened the book and started reading I honestly thought I was not going to like it. I thought that the people who told me it ws good were wrong and that I had just started a book that I was going to write a bad review on (An example of that happening will have to be Hacking Timbuktu. Read my review and find out what I mean. -_-).
 
Once I pushed past the "boring first chapters" I fell in love.
 
It's an amazing book that involves a really powerful message (or did I just infer that?).
 
It takes you away. You want to find out what happens with her and her friends, her family and it even leaves you happy about what happened with Weasly. (I loved the ending :D)
 
I totally recommend this book for everyone who has free time and wants to read a really, really good book!
 
~M.A.CHASE♥

New YA book!

Title: Lethal Inheritence
Author: Thalia Newland
Release date: Not yet applicable

Ok, so I checked my e-mail yesterday and saw an e-mail titled "preview."

I thought it was an interesting title for an e-mail so I clicked it :D

It was from Thalia Newland wanting to send me a short sentence preview of Chapter One of her new book Lethal Inheritence.

Here is the little excerpt:

If last night was real then Ariel should be dead, but her mother has disappeared, there are bruise marks on her neck and that hideous beast in the photo looks frighteningly familiar.

It sounds really good just from that first sentence. I'm super excited and can't wait to hear again from Thalia.

If anything new comes up about this book I'll be sure to post!
~M.A.CHASE♥