T4T: The Looking Glass and Pretty Dark Nothing

Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold
and
Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass! 

Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth's old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn's next victim.

Available for Purchase:

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

“If you're looking for a good ghost story that's meant for suspense and not horror, or if you're just a lover of some really good paranormal magic, this is just the book for you.” – Jasmyn - Bitten By Romance

” I think one of the creepiest things about The Looking Glass was the way it made me feel so claustrophobic. It was similar to the way I felt when I read Stephen King's Under the Dome--trapped and a bit panicked.” – Kelly – Goodreads Reviewer

“It was so different and so beautifully written and detailed that I really could not put this story down and I felt as though I was there with Alice throughout the story. I have read LOTS of paranormal, YA genre books, but this is truly unique!” – Melissa – Simplistic Reviews

Jessica Arnold writes YA, codes ebooks, and is currently a graduate student in publishing at Emerson College in Boston. She spends most of her time in class or work or slogging through the homework swamp. If she has a spare moment, she’s always up for a round of Boggle. Given the opportunity, Jessica will pontificate at length on the virtues of the serial comma, when and where to use an en dash, and why the semicolon is the best punctuation mark pretty much ever.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

It’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

Available for Purchase:

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

“This is a surprisingly very psychologically draining book and reminded me of the first season American Horror Story and Stephen King's Carrie.” – Syahira – Requiem for More Books

“With a fast paced plot and more twists and turns that you can count this is one book you won't want to miss.” – Katie – Curse of the Bibliophile

“If you are into paranormal books that are a little darker, if you are into love stories and knights in shining armour, if you are into books that leave you breathless craving more than go and read this book. Like seriously, read it now!” – Marie – Goodreads Reviewer

Heather L. Reid has always had a sense of wanderlust and a belief in the paranormal. She eats mayonnaise on her fries, loves video games, and getting lost in a good story. This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in South Ayrshire, Scotland, where she spends her weekends wandering the moors in search of the ghost of William Wallace and exploring haunted castles.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

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Interview with Jessica Arnold, author of The Looking Glass

Today we interview our fabulous pub sister, Jessica Arnold, whose debut novel, The Looking Glass, is out now! I'm so excited to read this book! It sounds spooky, creepy, and full of awesome!

Welcome to We Do Write, Jessica. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Thank you! And thanks for letting me digitally drop by! I’m Jessica and I love writing, puppies, and fuzzy striped socks. I write YA and also work in the publishing industry, where I code and develop digital books. I am good at Boggle. I stink at Chess. My dearest ambition at the moment is to learn to do a handstand. That about sums me up.

Good luck with the handstand! How long have you been writing?

I decided to become an author the way I make most of my important life decisions—on the spur of the moment. When I was little, I swore I'd grow up to be ANYTHING BUT an author. Then one day (about six years ago) I woke up and thought, "Hey, I should write a book." Rational? Hardly. But no one has ever claimed that people who put themselves through the madness of trying to publish are particularly same.

            

Tell us about THE LOOKING GLASS. What’s the story about?

The Looking Glass is about Alice, a fourteen-year-old girl who is visiting a “haunted” hotel with her family. After hitting her head on the bottom of the pool, Alice wakes up in the hotel lobby with no clue how she got there. And, when she happens to glance into a mirror, she sees her body being rushed to the hospital. Trapped, alone, and only able to see the real hotel through the mirrors, Alice realizes that the place she’s in is nothing more than a copy, and she herself is no better. The real Alice is in a coma.

As Alice explores her prison, she realizes that the hotel she’s stuck in isn’t an exact copy of the modern one. Everything here is older, and everywhere there are portraits of the same woman—an actress named Elizabeth Blackwell. When Alice discovers Elizabeth’s bloodstained diary, she finds herself delving into the hotel’s horrifying history, a never explained murder, and a curse from the 1800s that might still be intact. And if Alice can’t find a way to break the curse before it’s too late, her real body, still comatose in the hospital, will die.

          

Kobo | The Book Depository | IndieBound

Ooh! That sounds SO good! I can't wait to read it! How did the idea of the story come to you?

Sadly it was inspired by the tragic death of my roommate’s niece, who drowned in a swimming pool. She was kept alive on life support for a few days, much as Alice’s body is kept alive in The Looking Glass while she searches for a way to break a deadly curse. I also happened to be reading “The Yellow Wallpaper” in one of my classes at the time, which heavily influenced the character Elizabeth’s mental decline.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I plan like a plotter, but write like a pantser, which I’m pretty sure is not a good approach. I plot out whole story arcs and then, in the middle of writing them, change my mind, start making different decisions, and have to map the story out all over again.

I think a lot of writer's do that. What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

Starting! Once I can sit myself down, close my Internet browser, remember where I left off, and actually start writing, I do pretty well. The first five minutes are the most crucial.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Unfortunately … Google. And Google always is nearby. Which doesn’t do wonders for productivity, let me tell you … even when you’re searching in the name of story research.

If only Google could search for the things we need and not let us get distracted. Right?

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

I want to write something wise and philosophical here, but honestly all I want is the ability to fly. Because that would be AWESOME.

Speaking of Google, what's the weirdest thing you've googled?

I don’t remember the exact search terms, but at one point I had to figure out how one of my characters was going to murder another one. Several searches for deadly poisons later … I think it’s safe to say I’m on the NSA’s watch list.

Oh, me too. Don't worry! Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ... 

Dead. Not to be melodramatic, but … you know, actually I’m just going to be melodramatic. I do have periods where I take a break from writing, but if I’ve stopped writing permanently, I’m probably dead or dying.

And finally, where can people find you and your books online?

My website is www.iamjessicaarnold.com and I tweet @jess_s_arnold. I love digital friends, so don’t be shy!

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Happy Book Birthday: The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold @jess_s_arnold @month9books

Today we celebrate the book launch of THE LOOKING GLASS by Jessica Arnold, published by Month9Books. Check out this creepy-sounding young adult paranormal, and make sure to come back on April 24th to read an interview with the author.

The Looking Glass
by Jessica Arnold

Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!

Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth's old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn's next victim.

Book Spotlight: The Looking Glass, by Jessica Arnold!

Today we highlight Jessica Arnold's debut novel, The Looking Glass, which will be released April 15th. This is a book I cannot wait to get my hands on. Check it out!

Find the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!

Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family, to a startling discovery. No one can see or hear her! The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum tiled floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind The Looking Glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell.

Trapped in the 19th century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth’s old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B — before she becomes the inn’s next victim.

AMAZON    BARNES & NOBLE    GOODREADS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Arnold is currently a graduate student in publishing at Emerson College in Boston. She spends most of her time in class or work or slogging through the homework swamp, but if she has a spare moment, she’s always up for a round of Boggle. Her debut novel, THE LOOKING GLASS (Month9Books, January 2014), is a loose retelling of Alice in Wonderland.