Shantelle Mary Hannu – Tricia Mingerink

7/7/7 Writing Challenge

July 14, 2015July 14, 2015triciamingerink9 Comments

I was nominated by Lauren Gunter to participate in the 7/7/7 Writing Challenge. It looks like fun, and I think you all will enjoy it!

The rules of the 7/7/7 Challenge are:

Go to page 7 of your WIP
Scroll down to line 7
Share the next 7 sentences in a blog post.
After the excerpt, tag 7 other writers to continue the challenge.

I’m actually working on three works-in-progress right now. Um, yeah. Not doing too great on my whole stick to one project until I finish it resolution. In my defense, all the projects are at least in one series. That’s an improvement from where I was at a few years ago.

Currently, I’m editing Deny (Book 2), writing the first draft of Book 4 (title yet to be released), and *drum roll* I started on a prequel short story that I hope to release as an ebook sometime in August (to tide you guys over until Deny releases).

I’ve decided to give you guys TWO sneak peeks: a seven-line snippet of Deny and a peek at Deal, the prequel short story.

First up, seven lines from Deny:

Jamie stretched out, keeping his feet planted as far from Leith as possible, while he helped Leith remove the bandage. Jamie bit his lip only once, as if puzzled. Had he realized the bandage was neater than Leith would have been able to manage by himself with only one arm? Was he questioning how Leith had gotten the bandage on if he couldn’t get it off without help? Thankfully, the boy was only a trainee. He wouldn’t dare say those questions aloud, especially not to the First Blade.

As they reached the final layer, Leith gritted his teeth.

Anyone excited yet?

Next up, a sneak peak at Deal:

Orn turned to the dealer, but the man just shook his head. “Sorry, Torren. You’ve already used the limit on your tab tonight.”

The stranger’s fingers drummed a rhythm on the table and the inside of Orn’s skull. “Do you call or do you fold?”

“No, I…” He scanned the crowd for someone—anyone—who would loan him some money.

The fingers stopped tapping. “You have a son, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Worthless brat that he was.

Can you guess what is happening in this sneak peak? 😉

My nominations for the challenge:

E. Rawls

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Tag

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015triciamingerink4 Comments

I’ve been tagged again! This time, Shantelle tagged me in the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award tag.

Here’s how this works:

Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site.
Put the award logo on your blog.
Answer the ten questions sent to you.
Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
Nominate ten blogs.

On to the questions! Shantelle came up with some really fun questions!

What genre have you read most of this year?

I’ve read mostly Christian YA fiction this year, especially speculative and indie titles. I just discovered a whole community of Christian YA authors, and I’m slowly working my way through all their books.

A few books you hope to read soon?

I’m currently reading Of the Coldblooded by Angie Brashear. How can you not want to read this book after looking at the cover? Once I’m done with this book, I have a stack of books to read, and I haven’t decided which one to pick up next!

OtC - eBook Cover

Favorite book of the year?

Seriously? I have to pick one? And I have to remember all the books I’ve read this year? So far, I’ve read nearly one book a week, so it starts to add up after a while!

Since I have to pick, it would probably be Resistance by Jaye L. Knight. I read it in one day in January when I was home sick from work with a bad cold. I absolutely loved it and immediately began shoving the book at all my friends and family and ordering them to read it because it was amazing. Luckily for me, The King Scrolls (book 2) came out a month later, but now I’m stuck waiting with all the rest of you Ilyon fans!

What was your favorite blog post this year?

Probably the character chats I did for Dare‘s blog tour, especially the second one I did. I had a few of the early readers ask some great questions that really got the characters squirming!

Favorite Dessert?

Um, I have a confession. I have a sweet tooth. I love a lot of things, especially donuts, ice cream, and my dad’s homemade chocolate shakes.

Summer or Winter?

Winter. While I like warmth, I don’t like it when it gets too hot or humid, and I’m not a beach person. Give me three feet of snow and a pair of cross country skis any day!

One Goal You have?

Publish book 2 in my series The Blades of Acktar before the end of the year, hopefully sooner rather than later!

Do you enjoy fairy tales? Which ones do you like the most?

I love fairy tales! Beauty and the Beast was always my favorite. When I was little, my grandparents gave me a large, beautifully illustrated book of fairy tales (I still have it on a specially place on my shelf). I especially loved the book because the illustrations for Beauty and the Beast were on the cover, and Beauty and the Beast was the first story in the book.

Which Disney princess are you most like, and why?

After all my ramblings about Beauty and the Beast, it’s probably no surprise that it was also my favorite Disney movie growing up (Tangled wasn’t out yet!). I think I loved it so much because Belle is a lot like me. She loves to read, she adores her father, she isn’t impressed by the hunky guy with no brain, and she dreams of doing something important. She also had a horse, and I desperately wanted one at that time.

Though, I look nothing like her. She has brown hair and darker eyes, while I have curly blond hair.

Which Disney prince do you consider the most dashing?

Ha! I should have guessed this question was coming from the line of questioning. I’m going to have to go with two:

Flynn Rider, because, well, he’s Flynn Rider. He’s the perfect mix of adorably sweet and good looks beneath his bad boy exterior:

Li Shang from Mulan, because he is kind of the opposite of Flynn Rider. Shang is the straight-laced, by the books guy who finds out he needs to bend a little bit. And he is absolutely sweet when he stutters.

So what about you? How would you answer these questions?

Fiction Friday – A Dream Not Imagined

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015triciamingerink1 Comment

I was supposed to post this book recommendation a couple of weeks ago but hadn’t been able to until now. Enjoy!

I wasn’t sure what to think when I picked up Shantelle Hannu’s debut novella A Dream Not Imagined. I’d had some interaction with Shantelle online, and she’d even agreed to be a part of my blog tour for Dare when neither of us had read each other’s books at that point.

I shouldn’t have worried. I blew through the book in a matter of hours. 🙂

About the Book

A MAID, a PRINCE, and a DUKE. A STEPMOTHER, a GARDENER, and a secret…

Ellie Abbington, a beautiful yet unassuming young woman, quietly longs for her life to change. Too privileged to associate with the servants—too underprivileged to associate with her own family; she dreams a dream of a prince and a happily ever after.

But it could be that her own stepsisters, conniving Dezmarie and easily-influenced Adelaide, are dreaming the same dream…of the same prince.

In the end, are dreams even all they’re made out to be? Especially with deep and long-hidden secrets about to be unearthed?

My recommendation

I’ve read a number of Cinderella adaptions so it’s rare for me to run across one that actually surprises me. This one did. At the start, Ellie seems like your normal Cinderella, complete with nasty stepmother and stepsisters. There’s the glimpses of the prince, the upcoming ball, the servitude, and then…

Then things get interesting. Cinderella arrives at the ball in a different manner than you’d expect. The ball doesn’t exactly go as expected either. I gasped out loud in one part, the twist leaving me floored because I thought I’d known exactly where this novella was going.

Turns out I was wrong. That’s the beauty of this novella. It draws you in with the seemingly normal Cinderella tale, then turns it on its head.

Once the main twists were completed, I did guess the twist at the end, and how the book would be resolved. But that was okay. The second major twist isn’t so much a twist but a secret that the reader and author share with giggles and whispers while waiting for the reveal at the end. It’s the kind of twist that leaves the reader gratified that they’d figured it out.

I also really loved the take on the evil stepmother. She’s still evil. Still a baddie. Yet, she does have a reason for it (not a reason most sane people would actually implement). She isn’t just mindlessly torturing Cinderella for no apparent reason. She has a purpose to Cinderella’s servitude.

Overall, it’s a sweet Cinderella story about waiting for God’s timing in your life.

Dare Blog Tour Announcement

May 26, 2015May 22, 2015triciamingerink8 Comments

ONE WEEK until Dare‘s release! I have some fun stuff planned for the next couple of weeks!

First, a number of wonderful authors and bloggers have volunteered to be part of a blog tour to celebrate the release. Below is the tour schedule that will kick off June 2, the day Dare releases.

Schedule

June 2

Tricia Mingerink – Announce Release and Kick Off Blog Tour
Jaye L. Knight – Author Interview
Kim Moss – Author Interview

June 3

Jansina on River Shore Books – Author Interview
Nadine Brandes – Author Interview
Tricia Mingerink – Inspiration for Dare – Setting

June 4

Shantelle Hannu on A Writer’s Heart – Author Interview
Jaye L. Knight – Character Spotlight (Leith Torren)
Kim Moss – Character Spotlight (Renna Faythe)

June 5

Alicia Ruggieri on A Brighter Destiny – Author Interview
Faith Blum on Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Character Spotlight (Shadrach Alistair)
Nadine Brandes – Character Spotlight (Brandi Faythe)
Tricia Mingerink – Q&A with characters

June 8

Kathrese McKee – Author Interview
Gillian Bronte Adams – Character Spotlight (Blizzard)
Tricia Mingerink – Q&A with characters

June 9

Jansina on Thilly Little Nothings – Character Spotlight (Harrison Vane)
Claire Banschbach on The Over Active Imagination – Author Interview

June 10

Angie Brashear – Author Interview
Tricia Mingerink – Blog Tour Wrap Up
Facebook Party

During the blog tour, I will be holding a Grand Prize giveaway to celebrate. The giveaway will open June 2, and you’ll be able to enter at any of the blog tour spots.

The Grand Finale to all this excitement will be a Facebook party the night of June 10 from 8 to 11 PM EST. The winner of the Grand Prize will be announced there. There will also be additional giveaways, inside peeks at the book and characters, and lots of fun. You are all officially invited.

I can’t wait to share Dare with you, and I hope you all enjoy the celebration. I know I will! 😉

What is your favorite part of a book release? The blog tour, the Facebook party, or actually getting a new book in your hands?

Cover Reveal – A Dream Not Imagined

April 25, 2015April 25, 2015triciamingerink1 Comment

Today I’m taking a break from my own book launch to host a cover reveal for fellow indie writer Shantelle Mary Hannu. Her debut novella releases in June.

About the Book

A MAID, a PRINCE, and a DUKE. A GARDENER, a STEPMOTHER, and a secret…

But it could be that her own stepsisters, conniving Dezmarie and easily-influenced Adelaide, are dreaming the same dream…of the same prince.

In the end, are dreams even all they’re made out to be? Especially with deep and long-hidden secrets about to be unearthed?

A Dream Not Imagined is a non-magical fairytale novella based loosely on the classic tale of Cinderella.

About the Author

Shantelle Mary Hannu was born in the mountainous west, spending her golden childhood years there. Since then, she has relocated time and again with her parents and seven siblings, making cherished memories in both the South and Central United States.

A Christian homeschool graduate, Shantelle has a passion for writing and all things books. From a young age she’s been penning tales with a hope of sharing with the world adventurous and soul-stirring stories that bring glory to God.

A Dream Not Imagined, a fairytale novella, will be her first published book. She’s currently preparing a full-length fantasy novel for publication as well, and working on its sequel.

Shantelle blogs at A Writer’s Heart: http://shantellemaryh.blogspot.com/ about her stories, favorite books and movies (with reviews), healthy wheat-free recipes, and hosts fellow authors, among other things. One of her joys is connecting with fellow writers and readers! You can also find her on:

Facebook: Shantelle Mary Hannu, Author (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shantelle-Mary-Hannu/1622068488014168?ref=aymt_homepage_panel),

Twitter: @shantellemary (https://twitter.com/shantellemary),

Goodreads: Shantelle Mary Hannu (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13804303.Shantelle_Mary_Hannu),

Google+: Shantelle H. (https://plus.google.com/101772131563789927466/posts), and

Pinterest: Shantelle H. (https://www.pinterest.com/h0160/).

About the Illustrator

Natasha H. is an aspiring photographer and also loves drawing and painting. A Dream Not Imagined is the first book she has drawn the cover picture for.

Learn more about her work at her blog: http://tashahphotography.blogspot.com/

Bloggers Participating in the Cover Reveal

Hayden Wand at The Story Girl

http://everystory-storygirl.blogspot.com/

Claire Banschbach at Claire M. Banschbach – Thoughts and Rants

https://clairembanschbach.wordpress.com/

Amber Stokes at Seasons of Humility

http://seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com/

Ghost Ryter at Anything, Everything

http://ghostryter.blogspot.com/

Deborah O’Carroll at The Road of a Writer

https://deborahocarroll.wordpress.com/