RBTL Presents - Allusive Aftershock by Susan Griscom Giveaway & Guest Post

Title: Allusive Aftershock
Author: Susan Griscom
Publisher: Amberglow Books
Release Date:  December 18, 2012
Genre: YA
What happens when a major earthquake changes life as you know it and the boy you thought you hated ends up saving you? Three times!
Courtland Reese is the guy everyone hates and makes fun of because...well, he is weird. he communicates with animals. Strange or interesting, seventeen-year-old Adela Castielle can't quite figure out, but when he saves her from being trampled by her own horse, she begins to understand him a little better and wants to learn more about him.
But, Max--her best friend/dream guy/someday-to-be-her-husband-only-he-doens't-know-it-yet--hates Courtland with a passion. Adela wants to know why, except neither boy is talking.
When Max leaves her stranded in his parents' wine cave with his worst enemy, Courtland, after what the experts are calling a "megathrust" earthquake, Adela starts to question her loyalty to Max as steamy kisses in a dark damp cellar only fuel her emotions with more conflict.
But does she really have time to worry about that when fire, destruction and mayhem surround her?

I daydream often. If I didn't write, I think my mind would explode from an overload of fantasy and weirdness. To the annoyance of my friends and family, my characters sometimes become a part of my world. During my childhood, I would frequently get in trouble in school for daydreaming. Eventually, my vivid imagination paid off and I had the privilege of writing and co-directing my sixth-grade class play--a dreadful disaster; though not from my writing, of course, I must blame it on the acting.

The craft of writing, although dormant for years, never really left me. Many years later, and with the help of technology, I let my imagination run wild again.

Born in a small town in Pennsylvania, I enjoy writing about characters living in small quaint towns. I tend to lean toward the unusual and spooky. I read all genres but I love reading paranormal romance and like writing in that genre.

My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like the bizarre mixed with romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running.

I live in Northern California with my very romantic husband, my small yippy dog, Riley, and my humungous black cat, Saké. My family consists of his and her children; four wonderful sons, one beautiful daughter, and seven grandchildren. My greatest love in life is my family and those large and ever growing holiday dinners.

I enjoy traveling. I hate running, but do it once in a while. Reading and writing are my favorite pastimes.

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There are a few songs that stick with me during every book’s creation and Allusive Aftershock had its fair share. Although many inspire the actual story, sometimes it’s the ones that come out during the editing process that mean the most. For me the first draft is getting the story down and the plot to flow, it’s usually during the edits that I add in a lot more emotion to the characters and their surroundings. 

Pink's wonderful song Try came out after I wrote Allusive Aftershock, but it was around during the editing stages and every time I heard it play, I thought of Courtland and Adela. The words played over and over in my head as they struggled to survive in the cellar and especially as they trekked through the rain and the forest fire. I love this song so much it is carrying over in my head while I write the third book in the Whisper Cape series, A Secret Fate, due out Fall of 2013. Although for that one there is another video that I think would be more appropriate.  But this particular video reminds me so much of Adela’s and Court’s struggle. I hope you enjoy it.

Try by Pink

I love Fun and I could listen to them all day long. Both these songs by Fun ran through my head during the editing of Courtland’s school scene and journey home after the earthquake. The song spoke to the silent war raging in his mind over the anguish over his mother’s death and also all the bullying from his classmates he had to endure while growing up. These two major events in his life are what molded him into the character and young man he became in my mind.

Carry On by Fun:

Some Nights by Fun:

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