Amie Borst

Just wanted to remind you that there is still time to enter Lenore Look's Alvin Ho giveaway on From the Mixed-Up Files http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2013/04/screen-free-week-alvin-ho-author-lenore-look/ so take a look at the interview and enter the contest!

Also, there's The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff.  You won't want to miss your chance to win this book!  http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2013/04/kit-grindstaff-author-flame-mist/

Of course there's still time to enter The Great Cinderskella Giveaway #4.  If you do  you'll be entered into the grand prize drawing of a Kindle Fire!!  http://www.amieborst.com/2013/04/the-great-cinderskella-giveaway-4.html

And my publishing sister, Ann Marie Meyers is hosting author Jenniffer Wardell of Fairy Godmothers, Inc.  If you follow the blog tour you could win a $25 gift card to Amazon! http://www.annmarie-meyers.com/2013/04/the-world-of-fairy-godmothers-inc.html?spref=fb

I hope you'll take advantage of these …

It's the 26th of April and that means only 6 more months until Cinderskella is released!!

WAHOOO!!
If you go back tothis post, you might remember my promise to bring you a contest each and every month until my release date of October 26th, 2013!! So here I am again with another great giveaway!

This month is not one, but TWO prizes! You heard me right - two prizes! Both of these prizes will go to ONE lucky winner! These prizes go together in a very nice way, because you really can't have one without the other!

The first is a DVD of Coraline!
Coraline was a big influence and inspiration when writing Cinderskella.  It was used as a book comp in many of my query letters!  In fact, it was included as a comp which eventually landed my three book deal with Jolly Fish Press!  I owe a lot of love to Coraline :)

The second prize that will accompany this creeptastic movie is a bag of Route 11 Dill Pickle potato chips! 


We visited the Route 11 factory here in Virginia a few years a…

Jenniffer is the author of Fairy Godmother's Inc, a fun retelling of the classic tale, Cinderella.  I recently started reading this delightful story and Jenniffer has a way with humor and wit!  Her story is fun and will appeal to a broad audience.  Jenniffer's here today to tell us about her inspiration and why she chose to write fairy tales.





              I’ve spent most of my life reading different versions of fairy tales, from the classic Grimm collections to the more modern adaptations. Robin McKinley’s “Beauty” was formative during my teenage years, and later her more mature “Rose Daughter” and “Spindle’s End.” I also read Mercedes Lackey’s take on both “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Firebird,” then later fell in love with her “Tales of the 500 Kingdoms” books. Patricia C. Wrede’s “The Enchanted Forest Chronicles” surely has to count here as well, and in a way so does Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld” novels. I read kids’ books that adapted fairy tales, full of beautiful il…

Stop by The Mixed-Up Files today where I'm interviewing Kit Grindstaff about her new release, The Flame in the Mist. There's a giveaway, too, so don't miss out!

My husband bought me tickets for Christmas. But these weren't just any tickets. These were ballroom dancing tickets. For eight weeks.

Most women would be enthralled with the idea of a romantic evening with their sweetheart, being swept off their feet, dancing the night away.

Not me.

Ballroom dancing is the bane of my existence.  I hate couples dancing, especially of the ballroom kind.  Independent dancing, like tap or hip hop, is something I can handle.  Granted, I have two left feet, so I end up looking more like Elaine than anything else.  But hey, at least I enjoy it.  They don't say, "Dance like nobody's watching" for nothing, you know!

http://youtu.be/5xi4O1yi6b0

On Christmas morning I stared down at those tickets in my hand and a lump formed in my throat.  But not the good kind where you're overclemped with joy.  Oh no, this was the bad kind.  The kind that said, "If you open your mouth you WILL puke."

I fought back tears as I stared at thos…

A few months back I mentioned that Bethanie and I had some pretty big news. Well, today, I can share that excitement with you!

VOA news - one of the largest internet news resources for the DC, MD and VA area - did a small piece on archery and its comeback due to the influence of movies and books on youth.  As an author, let me just say how awesome it is that books are influencing kids in great ways!  As a mom, it is even cooler that my daughter was featured in that news documentary!

You can watch the video and read the news article here:  http://www.voanews.com/content/archery-comeback-hollywood/1622130.html

We were told a film crew would be there, filming the facility and interviewing my daughter's instructor, but we had no idea they would follow Bethanie around for 2 hours! 
From the moment the camera man and news anchor arrived, they were right there with Bethanie, filming every shot she took.  It was a bit nerve wracking for her, but she did well despite the pressure.

Unfo…

When I was in school I remember being picked on.  Whether you call it bullying or typical school-aged interaction its had a life-long impact on who I am. For as long as I can remember my mom, teachers and other authority firgures would recite a phrase to me when I confided in them about the bullying I had experienced.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me."
For years I believed them.  They were older than me, they had life experience, they held college degrees and they were people I looked up to.  They'd never lie to me....or would they?

It didn't take me long to realize that I'd been dooped.  This was one of the biggest lies that I had ever been told.  And it continues to be told to children the world over.

Sure, its true that sticks and stones can and may, in fact, break bones, give you bruises and scratch you up pretty bad. That part is the truth.

But they lied about the second half of that little rhyme - Names will never hurt me.

…

I had the awesome opportunity to interview Claire Caterer, author of The Key and the Flame, over at The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors! 




We're just thrilled to be part of her book launch and take part of her blog tour.  I hope you'll check it out and enter to win a copy of this fantastic book!