A Note:

6/2/13

I once told myself: IF I am accepted into grad school, this blog would no longer be updated. As it turns out, in April, I received news of my acceptance for the Fall 2013 semester, where I will attain a Master's degree of Science in Nutrition.

Running a blog, as many of you may already know, is a demanding side job once the excitement wears off. And once I fell out of the blogging community's loop (have you SEEN how many blogs there are now? Wow!), it was like the kiss of death. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't get into a blogging routine once this happened due to the disconnect I felt from the community.

So I took a break. I struggled with the loss and with missing my blog. And then I realized I didn't have to run Book Faery to still be a book reviewer; I could read my books and post reviews online. I'm still a book review blogger, just not in the traditional sense.

I'll still be online. You can chat with me on Twitter, where I'll be posting links to my reviews and talking books. I'll also be posting links to nutrition articles. And if you'd like to connect with me where I guarantee I will post reviews, just add me as a friend on Goodreads.

So that's all, folks! It's been a fun and amazing journey, and I thank you all for listening to my thoughts about books. I hope we all can keep in touch elsewhere :)

Tori

Saturday, August 28, 2010

(Day 28) Guest Post: Merrie Destefano

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Click on the image to check out all other available/upcoming giveaways/events.



What would you do if you had nine lives?  Would you be reckless for the first few lives as an adrenaline junkie, or would you be too afraid to waste any of them?  Would you become a super hero or a super villain?  Since you've already had nine lives, would you search for a way to attain immortality? 


Merrie Destefano left a 9-to-5 desk job as a magazine editor to become a full-time novelist and freelance editor. With twenty years’ experience in publishing, her background includes editor of Victorian Homes magazine and founding editor of Cottages & Bungalows magazine. She lives in Southern California with her husband, their two German shepherds and a Siamese cat. For more information, visit www.merriedestefano.com.

Connect with Merrie:


Why I Love Urban Fantasy
By Merrie Destefano


Books are my life. Truly. If I’m not reading, or writing, I feel lonely—almost as if someone I loved went missing. Personally, I love urban fantasy and science fiction more than almost any other genre, although I’ve been known to read mysteries and thrillers as well. Why do I love urban fantasy so much? Well, answering that question could take hours, so I decided to tell you the top seven things I love most about the genre.

1. NO SOCCER MOMS: Don’t get me wrong, I think soccer moms are great. I just don’t want to read about them. Regular day-to-day life is boring enough. When I read fiction, I want to hear about women who lead a different life than I do, female characters who can save the world if necessary. Writers like Kelly Gay—with her police officer, Kim Harrison—with her bounty-hunting witch, and Patricia Briggs—with her shapeshifting mechanic, have all shaped and helped to re-define women by giving them roles where they are leaders in their community.

2. GRITTY WRITING: I love noir writing, dark twisted stories and rough characters. I like knowing that the lead character has dirt under his fingernails and that he’s got the skills to fight and win. I crave blood and guts and steamy settings. Writers like William Gibson (Neuromancer) and Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim) and Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files) deliver that and more. And I know that William Gibson is technically classified as a writer of cyberpunk, but I love him so much that I just had to add him in the mix.

3. HOT MONSTERS: I fell in love with monsters when I was teenager. Vincent Price was my hero and I watched his films on a regular basis. Monsters ruled back in the ’50s and the ’60s. Classics like The War of the Worlds (Martian monsters), Dracula (vampires), The Mummy (monsters from the grave), Night of the Living Dead (zombies), and Rosemary’s Baby (demons) have all paved the way for the monster trend we’re experiencing in fiction today. I loved monsters back then and I still love them today.

4. YA LIT: I love literary writing, especially when a story crosses that bridge between poetry and fantasy. YA authors like Carrie Ryan (The Forest of Hands and Teeth), Malinda Lo (Ash), Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder), Holly Black (Tithe), and Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely)  have all hit the literary nail on the head in my opinion. I could read their books over and over, because their stories are so rich and their writing is so lush.

5. MYTHS AND LEGENDS: Myths and legends—which evolve and change with each retelling—touch us on a deep, subconscious level. These primal tales come from our distant past; they’ve been written and rewritten until they’ve become part our collective subconscious—if a collective subconscious even exists. When these stories are at their most fantastical, their raw, visceral elements can make even the most intellectual, left-brained person pause and wonder.

6. PARANORMAL: Life doesn’t fit in a neat little box. There will always be things that we either can’t understand or can’t explain. I believe that the supernatural is forever entwined with the mundane—we just can’t see it for what it truly is. That’s why I love stories with paranormal characters or elements. They allow us to pull back the veil and see what might be on the other side. Paranormal stories force us to consider that there might more to this world than what we can see on the surface.

7. SETTING: Whether the story is set in a dystopian future (like Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins) or in a recognizable city (like New Orleans in my novel, Afterlife), I love it when the setting actually becomes a character. Also known as milieu, this story element adds both realism and believability to the book. This is why setting is so important in fantasy—if the writer misses here, he or she could easily lose the reader.

So, now you know what I love about urban fantasy. I’d really like to hear your thoughts. To get this comment party started, I’m giving away an advance reader copy of my upcoming novel, Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles.





Want to win an ARC of Afterlife?



WELCOME TO YOUR NEXT CHANCE.

Chaz Domingue works as a professional Babysitter in New Orleans. His job is to integrate and protect the recently deceased into their new and improved lives—a position he reluctantly accepted after his father was murdered. Though Fresh Start has always been the only game in town, resurrection isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Nine lives are all a person can get—and a powerful group of desperate, high-level Nine-Timers will stop at nothing to possess the keys to true immortality. Unfortunately, this places Chaz at the lethal center of a maelstrom.

Now the only hope for Chaz and his family—and the ultimate fate of the human race—is secretly locked away in the mind of Angelique, the beautiful, mysterious Newbie who’s been entrusted to Chaz’s care…

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter to win, please make a comment about why you love urban fantasy. You can earn points by:
+1 Posting in the comments section
+1 Linking to this post on Twitter
+1 Linking to this post on Facebook
+1 Linking to the Supernatural Underground blog on your own blog/website (http://supernaturalunderground.blogspot.com/)

Just post the total number of points that you’ve earned in your comment. Winner to be announced September 4th.  Open to US & Canada only.

37 comments:

  1. I love urban fantasy, because in a way do not all ladies like to believe in the unreal or "real" that could be present. Don't we all wish we had a unicorn when we were little. Damn that first sex! It was lame and that was why I must not have gotten that unicorn. Anyways, back to fantasy. Girls =princesses or in my own case dragons. Pern and pre-teen= my own history. SO these tales, these legends, these myths are what we grown up on and as we get older some of us would still believe there is a little fantasy in the everyday life, and well, not just a lot of life. I want a little fantasy sprinkled in please.
    I would love an ARC.
    terilhackATyahoo.com
    http://snarkymamma.blogspot.com/2010/08/giveaway-of-afterlife.html

    =+2

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love Urban Fantasy because I love how all the men are amazing and all the women are tough and strong! I love myths and mythical beings,
    Thanks for hosting - please enter me - I am a follower. bsharp88@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like urban fantasy, because it is the one time I can believe in anything. Any type of creature can show up, and you never know what will happen.
    I would love to read this book.+1
    twoofakind12@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I really enjoy urban fantasy for a lot of the same reasons you said. They have a an edge to them. They are dark and filled with so much great stuff you never know what to expect. You always get some kick @ss characters.
    +1 Posting in the comments section
    Sue B
    katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Urban fantasy is a fun genre because the characters are so strong and the stories are so imaginative.

    juliecookies(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love urban fantasy because the authors use their imagination and create these amazing characters who can be any type of creature. The characters are very strong, loyal and tough and truly amazing. I love using my imagination and imagine these creatures are real and these worlds are real. It draws me into the story and book.
    Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Merrie nailed it! The day to day is sooo boring. We need another outlet. I love urban fantasy because of where it takes me. The unreal fantasy that we crave. The extreme romance and badasses. I'm reading The Maker's song series right now and it's consumed me. I don't know what I would do without the genre. Thanks for the contest.
    +2 twittered at www.twitter.com/Tanya1224
    Tanyah1224@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love Urban Fantasy because of all the endless possibilities. I also agree with the above posts that the UF genre are filled with strong Heroes and Heroines.

    Van

    Littopandaxpress(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love Urban Fantasy because authors can be so creative in the story, and some of the things they come up with really blow my mind outta the water. I love that!!

    +1 comment
    +1 http://twitter.com/MinnChica/statuses/22370982724
    +1 Link to SU blog on your own blog

    3 total

    ReplyDelete
  10. i love urban fantasy because it takes the darkness and edginess i used to search for in other genres and mixes them into the stories perfectly.

    k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love urban fantasy so much, I really can't force myself to read a story that doesn't have some sort of paranormal element. I find that I escape into a book if it's something that couldn't happen in real life, so as much as I'd love for werewolves and stuff to be real, they make slipping into a story so great.

    Sara M
    sara_UFblog [at] yahoo [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love UF because it's different from the other genres. They have strong characters who know who they are and what they want. I love the dark nature and the edginess.

    +1 comment
    Lisa G
    lisaglidewell{at}gmail{dot}com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks, everyone, for stopping by and posting a comment! I love what you all had to say. Great answers. I think the bottom line is, we're all addicted to urban fantasy, and that's a good thing!

    And a special thank you to Tori, for hosting this!

    =)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like just about everything about urban fantasy - the kickbutt heros and heroines, the weird and wild creatures, the familiar yet slightly different settings, the idea that another world might be hiding in plain sight just out of our view, the grittiness of the plots, the conflict and angst that is usually present - it really is the perfect genre for me.

    jen at delux dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great post! You really nailed it; I often can't really describe what it is I love about it, even though it's almost all I read. I guess urban fantasy draws the reader into a new, creative world and makes the impossible somehow plausible- and exciting! Well, GOOD uf does, anyway. +1
    posted on fb- http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1625972197&v=wall&story_fbid=154782921201628&ref=mf +1
    and tweeted- http://twitter.com/bcardoo79/status/22386639113 +1

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love urban fantasy because it is an ongoing story that continues for several books. It has great heros and heroines, different creatures, and a great believeable world.

    +1 commented

    ReplyDelete
  17. Shared on facebook
    http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000594583971

    ReplyDelete
  18. Shared on Twitter - http://twitter.com/jellybelly82158/status/22394717834

    ReplyDelete
  19. What's not to like about Urban Fantasy? The world building and characters are incredible because their really are no limits to what there can be. Imagination and having an open mind is all that's necessary.

    yadkny@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. It's edgy, it's rough, it's not all hearts and rainbows.

    1pt

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love urban fantasy because the urban part grounds me into reality while the fantasy part takes me away from the ordinary world. I'm in reality yet at the same time I'm taken away from it. I get lost in worlds that possibly exist, depending on the author and where the setting takes place.

    +1 Link to Supernatural Underground is on my blog, http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com

    2 points

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hello Merrie!! I agree with all your points. I love that UF takes place in our world. It makes it easier to put myself there. I also love the kick ass heroines and the jackass alpha-males .

    2 points for me! (asked Rachel to put a spell on my entries so I can win )

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love reading Urban Fantasy because it seems nothing is impossible and anything can happen.

    Tweeted http://twitter.com/BookOwner/status/22435958522

    2 points

    seriousreader at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love urban fantasy because of the unique situations and characters. Every author has a different take and new ideas. It really is a wide open genre.

    Tweeted: https://twitter.com/IntenseWhisper/status/22477385471

    robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love urban fantasy because it takes me out of my average life and let's me experience a world of adventure.

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/beckerjo/status/22480868593

    ReplyDelete
  26. Forgot me email: beckerjo(at)verizon(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
  27. I love urban fantasy because anything can happen.

    lovemybabysquid@yahoo.com

    http://twitter.com/greatmasteryoda/status/22489519420

    http://www.facebook.com/#!/cathie.veres?v=wall&story_fbid=124029227645741&ref=mf

    3 points

    ReplyDelete
  28. I like urban fantasy because there are kick butt heroines and heroes, incredible world building, and edge of your seat action and adventure that keeps you wanting to read more.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I like urban fantasy because they feature a lot of strong females.

    1 point

    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  30. I enjoy urban fantasy, because it is action filled and has strong female characters.
    +1 comment
    +1 tweeted http://twitter.com/mbreakfield/statuses/22550339329
    marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I like urban fantasy because of a mix of strong characters along with magic and other supernatural elements.

    +1

    geckyboz@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love urban fantasy because I like reading about supernatural creatures like vamps and fae in modern day settings. I think urban fantasy is my favorite genre.

    Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I love urban fantasy, because I love tossing in the extra elements of the supernatural into today's society...vamps, weres, witches, magic...it's all great. :)

    +1 comment
    +1 tweeted - http://twitter.com/Heatwave316/status/22575451036
    +1 facebook - http://www.facebook.com/#!/hcreely

    heatwave96(at)hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. I like urban fantasy because its so much like modern times but you add in the thrill of the supernatural.

    +1 comment
    +1 tweet = http://twitter.com/DonnaS1/statuses/22580303824

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete
  35. I love urban fantasy because it takes the ordinary and extraordinary and makes it unbelievable! Really incredible.

    ReplyDelete
  36. I love UF...I love the excitement,the magic, the danger, the grit...the pure adventure of it. I also love with thier is a romantic element to it as well. And it is always more interesting then my dull humdrum life here in the middle of BFE. It takes me away. If I could get away with it it, I wouldn't return...but damnit , I love my family.

    ladyrogue@ymail.com

    ReplyDelete