Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Empath by Becca J. Campbell – Character Interview

Published on October 19, 2013October 18, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle4 Comments

CHARACTER INTERVIEW W/CAM

Hi Cameron and thanks for joining us. Can I call you Cam? Oh, heck yes. No one calls me Cameron but my dad. It’s just weird to hear you say it.

First, tell me a little about yourself: Age, major, likes and dislikes, stuff like that. I’m twenty-four, and undecided on major. Yes, I’m still in college–thanks for bringing that up. Nope, not a sore spot at all, especially with my parents. *rolls eyes* Before you ask–because I can tell you’re going to–no, I don’t still live at home. I’m not a loser, I just took several years off before I decided to start college. *clears throat* What was the rest of the question? Oh, right, likes and dislikes.

I dislike not being able to drive. It sucks that I have to rely on other people to take me around. I’ve thought about breaking the no-drive rule–several times. I did it once–snuck out with Josh’s car when he was zonked out at my place–just to the convenience store. It wasn’t a big deal, I had to have a Dr. Pepper. But my family would kill me if they found out. And I guess I dislike taking their anger more than I hate not driving.

Likes… Well, I like hot girls. I mean, what guy doesn’t? By the way–Sydney, was it?–You aren’t single, are you?

*awkward pause*

Actually–don’t answer that. Sorry, old habits die hard. I think I’ve finally found the girl of my dreams. But if it doesn’t work out… I mean, you could always give me your number–just in case.

Or, I can casually change the subject and forget you just hit on me. *clears throat and tries to suppress the grin spreading across her face * You are quite the adventure seeker, what do you enjoy doing when you’re not climbing rocks or exploring caves? Probably working out or chilling at the beach. We go to California several times a year. I used to live there, and I still have beach withdrawals every now and then. If I couldn’t go snowboarding, I don’t think I’d make it living in Colorado.

What was your first impression of Jade? Hot, in a she-doesn’t-know-it kind of way. Hey, I’m being honest. I like that in a woman. But anyway, it’s more than that now. She’s got this weird, mysterious quality. I don’t really know what it is. I’m not great at describing stuff like that, but she’s cool and it makes me want to be around her.

Although I understand you needed to explain your near catatonic state, you didn’t hesitate in telling her about your special skill. Why did you trust her with your secret? I guess I don’t consider my déjà vu thing a secret. I’ve mentioned it to several people. I think making something secret makes it this huge thing, whereas I’d rather play it chill and not make a big deal of it. Yeah, I have weird episodes, but they are over pretty quick and don’t impact my life a ton. It’s like this big taboo thing with my parents ever since they found out, and since I can’t talk to them about it, I might as well talk to someone.

Why are you wasting time in college, you could probably find a way to use your talents to make some money? Is it a “talent” if you can’t control it? If I could control my déjà vu, I could probably make some serious cash gambling, or maybe solving crimes like that dude on Psych. Too bad I got the raw end of the deal. Seriously, you can’t imagine how many times I’ve wished it was different.

I really like your brother Josh and your sister Chloe. You all seem so close. Tell me about them. Sure, I guess you could say we’re close. Probably because we’re close in age and have similar interests. Josh is cool, except when he gets all emo and quiet and won’t tell me what’s bugging him. Usually when that happens he’ll just disappear with his guitar for a few hours or maybe a day, but then he comes out acting normal again. I don’t usually ask him about it, ‘cuz if I try, he won’t tell me what his deal is. *shrugs* Josh is just Josh and you have to go with it.

Chloe’s cool for the most part. I mean, you got the girl drama, like what’s going on with the dude she likes–not a specific guy, just the guy of the week or whatever. And there’s the emotional roller coaster once a month, but other than that, she’s all right. I used to give her a hard time when we were kids–it was totally warranted, though. She was the biggest, whiny, pain in the butt. I’m glad she grew out of that. She’s probably glad I don’t sit on her anymore. I used to pin her to the ground until she screamed for Josh to come save her. *chuckles* Good times.

You seem like such a good guy and a good brother and a good friend, what kind of boyfriend are you? Umm… I’m not sure how to answer that. I mean, I think I can show a lady a good time, but I don’t have a ton of experience with long-term relationships. For one thing, women are confusing. I’ve had some girlfriends who really enjoyed messing with my head. One minute a woman says she likes something, the next she hates it. How is a dude supposed to know what to do?

Anyway, I’ve never been in a really, super-serious relationship. I’ve dated around, but at a certain point the… I don’t know… interest… wears off. I guess what I’m trying to say is, there hasn’t been that spark in the past–that magic feeling that draws you to a person.

I guess that kinda goes back to your question about… you know… her. That spark was instant. It was like some type of kinetic energy or whatever when we first met. And then hanging out with her… it just kept growing, like this flame or something.

*cringes* Aww, geez, that sounds so lame, like I should be writing lyrics to one of Josh’s sappy tunes. Seriously, scratch that part. Jade’s cool. That’s what I meant. She’s a cool girl.

Thanks for being so honest, Cam. I appreciate the time and if you don’t mind me saying, any girl would be lucky to be with you.

Empath (Flawed Book One)

Supernatural empathy isn’t a gift, it’s a curse. Anywhere she goes, Jade’s emotions are replaced by those of the people around her.

Jade grew up in a suburb of Colorado Springs, protected from other people by her parents. Now she faces college—and the world—with nothing to shield her from unwanted feelings.

When Cam, a classmate with a major crush on her, unintentionally hijacks her emotions, Jade struggles to keep from being carried away in feelings of attraction. When Ethan, a psychopath with a thirst for fear, fixates on her, the emotional impact could be lethal.

Caught in a deadly trap, Jade must untangle the emotions and find a way to use her empathic curse to overcome this killer or be overcome by him.

During the Empath Blog Tour (September 16th – October 20th), the first book in the Flawed series will be on sale for a discounted price of $0.99. Grab it for cheap while you can!

Author Bio

Becca J. Campbell is the author of the New Adult Romantic Science Fiction novels Foreign Identity and Gateway to Reality, New Adult Romantic Paranormal Thriller Empath (The Flawed Series #1), and Sub-Normal, a series of Science Fiction short stories.

An avid lover of stories that tiptoe the line between fantasy and reality (even when they plunge off one side or the other), Becca looks for new angles on bridging the gap between the two. She holds a special place in her heart for any story that involves superpowers or time travel. Her passion is defying the limits of her own creativity. You can find her on her Author Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Amazon.

Courage by Carrie Butler – Character Interview

Published on October 17, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle13 Comments

Aiden Ross – Character Interview

**After Strength, but before Courage**

Hi Aiden, I am really excited to learn more about you.

Hi, Sydney! I’m excited to be here. Just a little nervous, though. I’ve never been interviewed before…

Don’t be nervous. I’ll start with an easy one. Tell me a little about yourself.There’s not much to tell, really. I’m a third year information technology student with glow-in-the-dark ginger skin. Or at least, that’s what Gabby calls it…

What do you look for in a girl?Oh man. That’s a loaded question. I definitely want someone who understands me, but I don’t want someone as… introverted as I am. Otherwise, we might spend the rest of our lives awkwardly staring at each other, you know? *grins*

She should be loyal, too, and compassionate. Maybe a little feisty…

Fiesty, uh? You sound like your describing someone specific. Are you involved with anyone at the moment?Uh, that’s a negative. The closest I’ve come is some girl who used me to copy homework.

What’s the craziest thing you have ever done for a girl? I honestly wish I had an answer to this one. When it comes to girls I like, I just… choke. I can’t tell them, let alone make some grand, movie-scale gesture. It’s pathetic, I know.

No, it’s kind of sweet. You can at least talk to girls. You’re really close with Rena, how did you two meet? Oh man. It was almost three years ago. We had freshmen comp. together, and some of our classmates liked to give me a hard time—which wasn’t really a new thing for me, so I tried to ignore it. But Rena didn’t. It was actually pretty cool. We’d barely even spoken before that, but she went off on everyone for being jerks. I think she even threatened to stab some guy in the neck with her pencil. Anyway, the professor suggested she study that chapter independently—meaning she got kicked out for a week—so, I tracked her down to give her my notes. As it turned out, we got along really well. Crazy, huh?

Sounds like she has no problem doing crazy things for her friend. She seems cool, but she’s dating Wallace. What do you think of him, do you two get along? Wallace… isn’t my favorite person. Unfortunately, he’s Rena’s favorite person, so I have to deal with him. All. The. Time.

That must be tough and Rena seems like she has a lot going on, must be hard being her best friend sometimes? Yeah, she’s always knee deep in one project or another. It’s cool, though. She means well.

Does she know how lucky she is to have a friend like you? Hah! Oh, I wouldn’t say that, Sydney. I’m lucky she and Gabby let me hang around. Seriously. I’m pretty sure I embarrass those two on a daily basis. But what are friends for, right? 😉

Title: Courage

Author: Carrie Butler

Series: Mark of Nexus #2

Expected Publication: October 15th, 2013

Category: New Adult (NA)

Genre: Paranormal Romance (PNR)

Short description: Rena Collins never thought she’d long for the past—back when affection from Wallace, her freakishly strong boyfriend, was the most dangerous aspect of her life. But now that the human-altering organization known as ERA has gone on the offensive, nothing is safe. Her bloodline is exposed, her relationships torn apart, and just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, ERA ups the ante. To save mankind from forced evolution, Rena will have to mend her broken ties and form a resistance… hand-in-hand with the one she hurt most.

Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. Blogfest and Cover Reveal

Published on October 16, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle32 Comments

I am super excited to co-host the Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. Blogfest and Cover Reveal with the author of this New Adult, Time Travel, Romance Adventure, PK Hrezo.

Join PK Hrezo, Tammy Theriault, Michael Di Gesu, & me and book your Time (Travel) Adventure today.

I was torn between traveling into the past or experiencing something new in the future. The unknown future would be more anxiety inducing, so I would like to go back in time and witness a historically significant event.

I have been adding to my TBR list books written during the Harlem Renaissance. I would like to spend a weekend in Harlem between 1920 to 1930. I would book a room on Striver’s Row and offer a shy curtsy to Mr. Langston Hughes as I strolled the streets of Harlem in search of other famous residents such as Marcus Garver and novelist Countee Cullen.

I’d spend a lazy Saturday afternoon at The Lenox Lounge and flirt with Mr. John Coltrane by telling him how much I loved his music. I’d enjoy my coffee and attempted to read my Claude McKay novel, but it’s quite difficult when he’s sitting on a small stool hunched over a table in the corner. I can’t stop watching his shoulders as they tense and relax to a rhythm he must hear only in his head. He scribbles into a small notebook and chain smokes while downing one expresso after another.

I could watch forever, but I head back to my room for a short nap. Tonight’s going to be a long one. We start with dinner and dancing at The Cotton Club and if I don’t brake an ankle or pass out from dancing we’d end at the Savoy Ballroom drunk crying in our sherry while while feeling every last melancholy melodic note out of Billie Holiday mouth.

When I make it back to my room, I collapse and experience the night all over again, in restless dreams. I’d wake and dress in haste as I grabbed the last of the fresh baked loafs from a street vendor while strutting down the street on my way to the Harlem Suitcase Theatre to catch Mr Hughes’s latest production.

If you could walk into Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc. and book a time trip, where (and when) would you go? And why?

Welcome to Butterman Travel, Incorporated; a full service agency designed to meet all your exclusive time travel needs. We’re a family owned and operated business with one hundred years of experience. A place where you can rest assured, safety and reliability always come first.

Anxious to attend some special event from the past? Or for a glimpse of what the future holds?

You’ve come to the right place. We’re a fully accredited operation, offering an array of services; including, but not limited to: customized travel plans, professionally piloted operations, and personal trip guides. *Terms and conditions do apply.

Contact us via phone or Web conferencing directly from our site. Our frontline reservation specialist, Bianca Butterman, will handle all your inquiries in a professional and efficient manner, offering a tentative itinerary and free fare quote, so you can make the most of your time trip.

We look forward to serving you at Butterman Travel, Inc., where time is always in your hands.

Butterman (Time) Travel, Inc Book Release Date

11-12-13

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For more information about Pk Hrezo, connect with her:

PK HREZO: Fearless Fiction http://pk-hrezo.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PKHrezo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpkhrezo

Website http://down-the-rabbithole.com/

Insecure Writer’s Support Group – Ups and Downs

Published on October 2, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle24 Comments

I can’t believe it’s already October. Where has this year gone? Before I get into my insecurities for this month, I wanted to give a shout out and congrats to our fearless IWSG leader, Alex Cavanaugh. If you haven’t read his Cassa series cumulating with CassaStorm, which was released last month, you are missing out.

Thanks to the #IWSG co-hosts this months, Julie Luek, Rachna Chabria, Beverly Fox, and Ilima Todd! Please be sure to thank them for their time and effort to make all IWSG members feel welcome.

#IWSG – The ups and downs are inevitable in this journey. It is like life I guess, some days the words are flowing, the goals are being met, your on top of things. Other times, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the weight of it all.

September was a particularly unstable month for me. Here are some of the highlights:

I started the month on a four day solo writing retreat to The Hill Country near Lake Travis (North of Austin, Tx). – UP

The hotel I stayed at was a hole. – DOWN

I found an amazing spot to gets some work done and finished edits on my WIP. – UP

I sent my WIP out to some amazing people who agreed to beta read it for me. – UP

I started my own read through and found so many grammar issues, I recalled it from all the beta’s. – DOWN

I thought I had found a new critique group with two ladies who write in my genre. – UP and super excited to have some feedback from fans and writers of NA.

After emailing them my WIP, they decided I wasn’t right for their group after all. – WAY DOWN and a little defeated.

I submitted my query letter to Unicorn Bell Query Workshop and received the most amazing feedback and suggestions and from that I created a query letter that I am so proud of. – WAY UP and renewed my faith in this amazing writing community.

I pitched my story during #PitMad and got two partials and a full request, one from my dream agent. – UP

I sent a query letter to another dream agent and got a partial request based on just the query letter. – WAY UP

I am still editing my WIP because every time I read through it I find something that needs to be improved. – UP & DOWN

How do you deal with the ups and downs of being a writer?

What’s the Nerdiest Thing About You? BLOG HOP!

Published on September 25, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle21 Comments

This is the first time in my life where I think, I might not be nerdy enough. Did you see how many Happy Potter action figures Cassie Mae has purchases. I will give it a try and you should to.

Congratulations to Cassie Mae on the release of her YA Romance novel, How to Date a Nerd. I don’t usually read YA, but I am looking forward to reading this book. I love Cassie’s NA stuff and the premise of this book sounds really cool nerdy fun.

Now the rules, very nerdy, I know:

Post an answer to this question: What is the nerdiest thing about you?
Post the blog hop picture on your post and on your sidebar.
Post the Goodreads link to How to Date a Nerd (oh look, here it is! I’ll make it easy :)) http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17976672-how-to-date-a-nerd

What is the nerdiest thing about me?

I am a Dallas Cowboys Fan. I have been all my life. I was particularly nerdy about them during the 1997-1998 season. It was two year after the last of their three Super Bowl wins. I went to a total of 12 games that season. All home games and 4 away games (New York, DC, Green Bay & Philadelphia).

Every star on team had a radio or television show in the Dallas market and you could find me in the audience of one or more every week.

I collected every newspaper from the day after each game of that season and kept them in plastic bags.

I have a series of three photos of Troy Aikman during that time:

The first one is of him waving at me as I took the photo at a radio show.
The second one is of him at a game ~~looking in my general direction~~ looking for me in the stands.
The third I actually made it in the photo at the opening of a grocery store.

I collected cups, key chains, posters, magazine articles and I have an unusual amount of beer coasters with random Cowboy player autographs on them. I have them all in a trunk in my parents attic marked Cowboy Stuff, Do NOT Throw Away!!!!

And, if that wasn’t nerdy enough, I wrote an entire 30,000 word (approx. I hand wrote it in my journal) manuscript–dialogue only–of an embarrassingly passionate romance between Troy Aikman and some girl named Sydney (It’s not me, I swear. ;-)).

Here’s a short excerpt:

“Do you love football more than me?”

“No. Do you love being a lawyer more then you love me.”

“No, but being a lawyer isn’t my passion, football is yours.”

“I have room for more than one passion in my life.”

“Oh, Troy.”

“I love you, Syd.”

“I love you, too.”

*OMG, someone please tell me I’ve gotten better at this.

So, there you have it. Am I a nerd or what? It’s your turn, what is the nerdiest thing about you?