Fifteen-year-old Doris is used to taking care of herself. Her musician parents have always spent more time singing in nightclubs than watching after her. But when her ailing mother goes home to Puerto Rico to get well and pursue a singing career there, and her father finds a new girlfriend, Doris is more alone than she's ever been. Disconnected from her family and her best friends, who are intertwined in terrifying relationships with a violent classmate, Doris finds refuge in taking care of homing pigeons on her apartment building's roof. As Doris tries to make sense of it all, she learns that, just like the pigeons, she might have to fly far distances before she finds out where she belongs.
This page-turning debut novel will entice fans who like their paranormal romances dark and disturbing. It's a natural next-read for fans of Stephanie Meyer, Carrie Jones, and Becca Fitzpatrick. But instead of mythical creatures, blood magic has everything to do with primal human desires like power, wealth, and immortality. Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla. Amazon Exclusive: Maggie Stiefvater Interviews Tessa Gratton
Maggie Stiefvater is the author of the bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls series for young adults, which includes Shiver, Linger, and Forever. Her newest book, The Scorpio Races, will be out in October 2011. She is also an avid reader, an award-winning colored pencil artist, and plays several musical instruments, including the Celtic harp, the piano, and the bagpipes.
Maggie Stiefvater: So, Tessa. Your nickname in our writing group is “Blood Bunny.” I cannot remember whether this delightful moniker pre-dates Blood Magic, but it’s irrelevant; it’s apt regardless. There is much blood in your debut. If I recall correctly, we begin with a double murder, proceed to a blood-stained journal, observe as our narrator spills blood in a cemetery, and go from there. The question that this begs is: Are you a fan of bloody novels? And is Band-Aid your sponsor?
Tessa Gratton: Considering The Scorpio Races is my favorite of all your books, and it’s also your most bloody by far, I’m going to have to plead guilty here. I’m a huge fan of fictional violence, especially the medieval kind. Though in my defense, my Band-Aids are all Hello Kitty– decorated. Speaking of cute things gone bloody, how long have you been wanting to write a novel about flesh-eating horses? Is this some kind of childhood trauma thing? Because all the horses I want to write about are shiny and magical and take me—I mean my characters—to castles in the sky.
Stiefvater: I grew out of my My Little Pony stage (and yes, I had one) very young. I never grew out of horses, though, and I actually attempted to write several novels about water horses before I landed on The Scorpio Races. The thing is, telling a pleasant story about horses that live under the ocean for part of the year and want to eat you for the rest of it is a sort of difficult task, and it took me quite a few years to figure out how to manage it. Somewhere along the way, I realized their fearsome nature would be more tolerated in a society that kind of needed them, too. Which is how I ended up with the vaguely historical Thisby, a tiny island that relies on the water horses for much of their income.
While we’re on the topic of historical stuff, I should talk about Josephine, one of your characters from Blood Magic. Some of my favorite chapters in Blood Magic are the ones from her point of view. They’re historical, vain, and certain of immortality. So, in other words, eerily similar to my college experience. Where did Josephine come from? Are you Josephine?Gratton: Josephine is one of the few characters whose core remained essentially intact from the first draft to the last—I wanted a character who loved the blood magic as much as I do, and who was merrily free of the moral constraints I grew up with. She’s fun to write because of her gleeful disregard for silly things like consequences, which makes her the perfect vehicle for bringing up the darker side of magic.
One of my favorite characters in The Scorpio Races is the American, a.k.a. George Holly. He’s a charming, virile Californian dandy, and not quite like anybody in your other books. Where did you dig him up?Stiefvater: I remember I was having problems getting Sean Kendrick, the taciturn hero, to open up to anyone, and I decided someone from off the island, someone new to the culture, might do the trick. I remember that he didn’t have a name at first; I just had Sean refer to him as “the American.” I was trying to think of something to call him, and this absolutely ridiculous and larger-than-life name—George Holly—came rolling out of the keyboard, and this huge personality with it. I remember wailing to you, “This man is taking over my novel!” So, no, I do not know where he came from, but he is hands down one of the favorite characters I’ve ever written. Some of my favorite parts of The Scorpio Races are his scenes with Sean. They provide a lot of levity.
In fact, I am a fan of witty repartee in general, which is why one of the other things I really enjoy about Blood Magic is Nick’s relationship with his stepmother. He calls her Lilith, the mother of all demons, but really, she mostly reminds me of Delia Deetz from Beetle Juice. You know, the sort of evil that can only come from an upper-middle-class upbringing and too many pottery classes. Do you have a method to writing witty dialogue? Or does it just come out of the faucet that snappy?Gratton: Now that you mention it, I’m thinking of several disturbing parallels to Beetle Juice. So I’m going to avoid that and say that witty banter requires daily practice, I’ve found. Fortunately, you’re always there waiting on the Internet, so we can exercise our banter muscles. Not that I’m suggesting I call you Lilith behind your back. (It’s actually just flat out Satan for you. Only the best.)
Stiefvater: I expect no less.
Gratton: Let’s talk about the opposite of witty banter: I remember when you were writing The Scorpio Races, and the dialogue was a focus. It’s very toned down and reserved and beautifully realistic, because of the characters, so what was it like being unable to let your funny bone have its way with your dialogue?
Stiefvater: Horrid. Absolutely horrid. I never realized how much I use humor as a crutch until I had scene after scene where I needed to measure it out like a precious metal. Actually, that’s really true of nearly every component of The Scorpio Races. Everything was very, very calculated. Everything in moderation.
Okay... but seriously. You’re Josephine, right?
Gratton: No, I’m George Holly.
Stiefvater: Ha. Double ha. So. In Blood Magic, I cannot help but notice that there are no creatures. By which I mean werewolves, vampires, fairies, kraken, mermaids, or elves. I believe there are some raccoons, but that’s it. There is just this: Blood. And Magic. And body switching. And a few possums. Why body-switching? If you could swap bodies, would you? (You may not have mine.)
Gratton: There are possums because possums are nastier and scarier than vampires and kraken— or even vampiric kraken. The body-switching was actually the genesis of the entire plot of Blood Magic, back when it was just about a brother and sister who could jump bodies, and the proto-Josephine went around stealing other people’s lives. If I could swap bodies, I’d definitely go the bird route—because all of my schemes to acquire magical power have just one goal in mind: flight. It’s a simple dream, but it’s mine.
The Scorpio Races is going to be one of those books where people talk about the setting being its own character—it takes place on Thisby, a pastoral, old-fashioned little island where everybody knows everybody, and it just happens to be the only place the water horses come for breeding and snacks. What drew you to that setting? Was it only an excuse to visit cliffs across half the world? I know you like to do hands-on research, so tell us about The Tea Experiment.
Stiefvater: Oh, you want to know about Benjamin Malvern’s tea. Malvern, a rich landowner, plays bogeyman and mentor in the novel. He’s well traveled—Thisby’s not his first home—and I wanted to hint at that with some exotic habits. I thought an interesting one would be to have him drink his tea in a Tibetan style, with butter and salt. Proper Tibetan Butter Tea requires a bit of work to prepare, and I can assure you, it tastes precisely like drinking a biscuit after you’ve dropped it on the carpet.
And why Thisby? I love miserable bits of rock jutting from the ocean. Call me sentimental. I also love it when it rains.
So, right back at you, Gratton. Your book is set in Yaleylah, which I can only assume is in the same part of the world you live in. I know you love the prairie. Was there ever a time when you thought the book would take place anywhere else?
Gratton: I know that on the East Coast it’s hard to remember that there are differences between Missouri and Kansas, but I promise it’s true. I do live in and love the prairie, and the companion novel to Blood Magic takes place right here in Kansas. But Yaleylah is in the more forested area of Southeastern Missouri on the edges of the Ozarks. I set it there mainly because I couldn’t think of a book I’d read that took place in Missouri other than in St. Louis, and I also drive through Cape Girardeau (the real city very near where I pretend Yaleylah exists) frequently and have camped out in that area. It’s got a flavor that’s part Southern Gothic, part Midwest, so it seemed perfect.
My final question: How did you manage to write a book with no musicians in it?Stiefvater: An iron will. I never thought it would happen, but it turns out that I can have either musicians or horses in my novels, and The Scorpio Races has plenty of the latter.
When the going gets tough, the tough get ... pink!
Someone wants the Pink Locker Society gone, but Jemma and her BFFs are sticking together.
"Shut down the PLS - or else!" A mysterious someone keeps sending Jemma, Kate, and Piper threatening messages, but they won't stop the Pink Locker Society. They know the girls at their middle school need them. Who else will answer their questions about everything from bras to boys? And, the truth is, Jemma has just (secretly) submitted a question of her own. It's about Forrest, her forever crush. He asked her to be his pretend girlfriend and she said yes! Jemma promised to tell no one the truth about their relationship, but can she keep it from everyone, including her best friend, Kate? Not that Kate seems to have noticed - she's suddenly obsessed with whether people think she's fat. Beautiful Piper doesn't need to worry about that. She just wants to know if Forrest and Jemma have kissed. But does a real kiss with your pretend boyfriend still count?
With Scatty, Joan of Arc, Saint Germain, Palamedes, and Shakespeare all in Danu Talis, Sophie is on her own with the ever-weakening Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. She must depend on Niten to help her find an immortal to teach her Earth Magic. The surprise is that she will find her teacher in the most ordinary of places.
The A Circuit is the top of the top when it comes to horse shows. It's a world with its own rules and superprivileged lifestyles. Teens travel the circuit all year, showing horses that cost as much as some homes.
Tommi, Kate, and Zara are all elite competitors on the circuit, but they come from totally different backgrounds. Tommi is a billionaire heiress trying to prove she has real talent (not just deep bank accounts). Kate puts the working in working student-every win has been paid for with hours of cleaning stalls. She's used to the grueling schedule, but Fitz, the barn's resident hot guy, is about to become a major distraction. And then there's Zara. She's the wild child of a famous rockstar, but she's ready to take riding seriously. Can a party girl really change her ways?
Readers who enjoy peeking into the elite world of Gossip Girl or The A-List will feel right at home in this new series with its friendships, drama, and privilege set against the backdrop of competitive horseback riding.
In a voice that's sharp, funny, and sincere, Newbery Honor-winning author Audrey Couloumbis tells the story of a girl discovering that if you pay attention, sometimes you can find treasure in the most unlikely places.
From popular A to Z Mysteries author Ron Roy comes a red, white, and blue mystery perfect for President's Day!
In the thirteenth book of the Capital Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring fun facts and famous sites from Washington, D.C.— KC and Marshall have tickets for the express train out of Union Station. It even has a VIP car at the back for the vice president, the kids, and the secret service agents to travel in. But when KC and Marshall sneak away from the secret service agents to go exploring, someone tampers with the train! And that someone is searching - car by car - for KC and Marshall. There's nowhere to run!
Each book highlights one of the famous museums, buildings, or monuments from the Washington area and includes a map and a two-page fun fact spread with photographs. Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!
With cryptic secrets and cravings, this eighth installment in the popular Vampire Kisses series is a romantic and mysterious thrill ride.
Jagger plans to open a new club in Dullsville.
But is it Raven's dream come true or a nightmare?
The morbidly monotonous Dullsville has finally become the most exciting place on earth, now that Raven is madly in love with Alexander and a crew of vampires has taken up residence in Dullsville's old mill. But Raven can't decide whether Jagger's plan to open a new club, the Crypt, is a good one. Can Raven convince Jagger to listen to her plans to make the Crypt the morbidly magnificent party space it could be? Will it be safe for mortals and vampires alike?
And as Sebastian and Luna's relationship heats up, Raven wonders about her own amorous fate: Will Alexander ever turn her? Does he crave her and does he want to spend eternity together? And what does she really want?
This touching, funny, fast-paced novel was short listed for the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize. Vicky and Rhianna's engaging dual-perspective narration offers a refreshing view of people with disabilities, and their wild adventure and fierce family bond will resonate with readers.