As you can tell by the woeful lack of blog archives to your left, I’m new to the blogging thing. So what better way is there to kick it off than by participating in a GIANT YA Scavenger Hunt, with tons of other amazing YA authors? The answer you are looking for [...]]]> Hey guys!

As you can tell by the woeful lack of blog archives to your left, I’m new to the blogging thing. So what better way is there to kick it off than by participating in a GIANT YA Scavenger Hunt, with tons of other amazing YA authors? The answer you are looking for is: No better way.

On this hunt you will be able to gain access to exclusive bonus material, sign up for giveaways, and get an all access pass to top secret insider information. This fabulous sneak peek into what’s coming up in YA literature is for one day only! There is even a BONUS DELETED SCENE between Skye and Asher from A BEAUTIFUL DARK floating around, so be sure to keep an eye out for it! And if you scroll down to the very bottom of this post, you can enter for a chance to win a signed copy of ABD.

As an extra bonus we’ve put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you will be eligible for a fantastic GRAND PRIZE which will include signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!

Scavenger Hunt Puzzle

Directions: Copy and paste the puzzle at the end of this post onto a document or print it out and unscramble the words as you proceed through the Scavenger Hunt. Search for keywords, one on each website that will be highlighted in RED. When you are finished, fill out the Google form here.

Rules: To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit this filled in puzzle before noon on Dec 4th Pacific Time. All the keywords must be in the correct place and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered!

Now on to my favorite part. I’m thrilled to be hosting C.K. BRYANT…

…who is the author of…

BOUND (#1 in THE CRYSTOR Series)

by C.K. Bryant

YA Paranormal Romance

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia, has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive.

BOUND is a heroic tale of true friendship, infinite sacrifice and untamed love.

Sounds gripping, right? Don’t you want to read it? Buy BOUND here:

AMAZON.COM (kindle)

AMAZON.COM (print)

BARNES & NOBLE (nook)

SMASHWORDS (ebook)

About Christine . . .

Christine has always been a writer. Even before she could compose a single word with pen, she scribbled her version of cursive along the open page just to see what it looked like. As a teen, she swiped her dad’s old Royal typewriter so her muse could breathe life into what her vivid imagination had created.

She’s spent the last twenty-five years married to the man of her dreams and raising their two sons. After helping run the family restaurant for most of their marriage, Christine finally broken away to pursue her dream of being an author.

When she’s not with her family or tickling the computer keys, she loves camping, reading, scrapbooking, listening to all kinds of music, and making new friends.

Christine currently living in the middle of sage brush and lava rock with a spectacular view of the Snake River Canyon in South Central Idaho.

Visit her online!

BLOG

TWITTER (or @AuthorCKBryant)

FACEBOOK

Are you ready for some awesome BONUS MATERIAL? (Are You?) Here’s a peek at the first chapter of BOUND:

Chapter One

Kira glanced up at the silver eyehook screwed into the gym ceiling. Threaded through the two-inch hole was the other end of the rope she held in her trembling hands. She gave it a solid yank to test its strength. She could do this. It wasn’t like she was afraid of heights—she’d dance along the edge of a four-story building if it meant not having to climb this stupid rope. It had to be a mental thing, some unreasonable fear of—something—that kept her feet glued to the floor.

Coach Andrews stood a few feet away with her arms folded over her flat chest. “Today, Edwards!” She shifted her weight and tapped the toe of one worn out Sketcher on the wooden floor. “Before I lose my patience.”

“You can totally do this,” Lydia whispered from behind Kira.

Kira tucked a lock of auburn hair behind one ear and glanced over her shoulder to glare at her friend. “Easy for you to say. You can shimmy up this thing like a freakin’ monkey.”

“So can you, if you just try. Now go, before we both have to do laps.” Lydia flipped her long blonde braid behind her back and gave Kira a gentle shove. “Up.”

Kira wiped her sweaty hands on her shorts and gripped the rope with purpose. The entire class watched. Some girls sat on bleachers a few feet away, snickering, while others stood nearby, offering what seemed like genuine support, but was more than likely a morbid desire to see her colossal failure up close. Either way, she didn’t like the attention. She closed her eyes and pulled her body upward before clamping the rope’s slack between her feet, and pushed off with her leg muscles.

“Good job,” Lydia said. “Now reach.”

Kira still had her eyes closed, so felt above her head for her next hold. The rope pressed into her palm as she gripped it in her hand. Maybe she could do this. She pulled herself up and adjusted her feet again.

“You’re gonna fall!” Kira didn’t recognize the voice, but knew it came from one of the girls on the bleachers by the way it echoed off the gym walls.

“Shut up, Carla!” Lydia yelled.

“Girls!” Coach Andrews’s voice bellowed. “One more word and it’ll be laps for the lot of you! Now get up that rope, Edwards. You’ve got three weeks until graduation and I’m not passing you until you do.”

Silence filled the gym as Kira reached again, pulling herself up one more section. This time the rope tangled around her feet causing her hands to take her full weight. Her fingers burned as they slid a few inches and fumbled to find a sturdy grip. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes to see how to fix the problem.

Big mistake.

It wasn’t the distance between her and the floor that sent a bone chilling surge of fear through her, but what she saw after she untangled her clumsy feet and looked up. She was somewhere else—the rope, now tattered and thin, hung over the rotting beam in an old barn. The wood groaned and sagged with her weight, and a trickle of blood seeped from between her bound hands and dripped down the length of her arm.

Kira screamed, yanking her hands free from their restraint—and the rope hanging from the ceiling. Lydia broke her fall and both of them collapsed into a heap on the gym floor.

The bleacher girls erupted in laughter, while the others froze in place, their faces a mixture of shock and humor.

“Pipe down! Everyone to the showers! Now!” Coach Andrews crouched by Kira and Lydia. “What were you thinking? You can’t let go like that. You could have been seriously injured.”

Kira examined her hands for any sign of blood. Nothing. “I . . . um . . .” She glanced at Lydia who was rubbing a spot on the back of her head. “I slipped. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Might have a headache later, but nothing’s broken.”

Coach Andrews stood and motioned toward the door that led to the hall. “Come on. Let’s get you two to the nurse’s office.”

“No!” Lydia said a little too loud. She jumped to her feet, pulling Kira with her. “We’re fine. We don’t need a nurse.”

“Lydia, what about your head?” Kira tried to take her hand back, but Lydia tightened her grip and dragged her to the locker room door.

“Girls, it’s policy. I need to fill out an incident report.”

Lydia stopped and turned back to Coach Andrews. “What incident? We were just messing around. No harm done. Right, Kira?” Lydia jabbed an elbow in Kira’s ribs. “Right, Kira?”

“Um . . . right. Messing around. No incident.” Kira flashed a half-hearted grin before Lydia pulled her the rest of the way through the door and into the locker room—a maze of chattering, half-naked girls waiting to mock and tease. At least that’s what she expected. To her surprise, only one spoke—Carla—wearing nothing but a flimsy white towel.

“Nice fall, Edwards. Maybe next time you can make it more than three feet off the ground.” She laughed, starting a chain reaction through the locker room.

Lydia stepped between them. “You’re one to talk. I seem to remember it took you half the semester to make it up that rope and a whole herd of your friends to coax you down. At least Kira won’t whine for a week about how her sensitive hands were damaged by ‘hanging on for dear life’ as you put it.” A few distant giggles escaped from the other side of the room.

Carla’s sarcastic smirk faded into a scowl. She let out a huff of air and spun on her heels, disappearing into one of the shower stalls.

“You didn’t have to do that, ya know. She’s all talk and she doesn’t bother me.” Kira walked past Lydia, found her locker and dialed the combination.

Lydia let out a deep sigh, so Kira turned back to face her. “What?”

“Why do you let her say things like that to you? She’s such a—”

“Don’t say it.” Kira wasn’t sure how to explain how she felt about Carla. She didn’t hate her and she certainly didn’t want to fight with her. It was something Kira saw in Carla’s eyes. Something vulnerable and broken—despite the attitude. “Maybe she just needs a friend.” She sat with her foot propped up on the bench and untied her shoe.

Lydia joined her, prying her shoes off with her toes. “Are you nuts? Carla has more friends than anyone else in the whole school.”

“She has followers, girls who use her for popularity. Parasites. Leaches. Not friends.” Kira stood and peeled her shirt over her head.

“Maybe. But she still doesn’t need to pick on you so much.”

“Well, I figure if she’s picking on me, she’ll leave everyone else alone. I can take it.”

“Tough chick, eh?” Lydia flicked her on the leg with a twisted gym towel.

Kira jumped out of range. “Got that right. Now stop distracting me. Mr. Hall’s gonna kick my butt if I’m late for English again.”

“You can always fake injury from your fall and get a note from the nurse.”

“Ha! Not funny.”

* * *

As grateful as Kira was for school to be over, she couldn’t help lingering in the school parking lot until Lydia finished in the photo lab. After school was the only time Lydia had access to the developing equipment without someone looking over her shoulder—and she liked the privacy.

Kira didn’t mind waiting. The longer it took her to get home, the less time she’d have to spend avoiding her mother’s boy-toy, Paul. With any luck, they’d already be gone on their weekend jaunt to Vegas. Saving money was against Paul’s religion. At least that’s what her mom said.

Kira climbed up to sit on the hood of Lydia’s multi-colored, rust-bucket of a car and pressed the ear-buds connected to her iPod into her ears. A little Colbie Caillat would help relax her nerves, especially after the day she’d had. She leaned back on her elbows, closed her eyes and let the afternoon sun splash across her face.

But as much as she tried, she just couldn’t get the image of her hands, bound and bleeding, out of her head. It wasn’t like it was the first time she’d had brain wave interference—blips, as she called them. For her it was normal. Except this blip was different. She could feel the rope cutting into her wrists and smell the pungent odor of damp decaying wood.

The hair on Kira’s arms pricked against her skin and she suddenly felt as though someone was watching her. She sat up and looked around the lot, then at the park across the street. Most of the kids from school had already left, but the few that remained certainly weren’t paying attention to her. She rubbed her jacket sleeves with her hands to settle the goose bumps, but a minute or so later, the feeling returned.

This time she pulled the buds from her ears before looking. She scanned the park again, searching further off in the distance. If she squinted, she could barely make out a dark silhouette leaning against a tree. She blinked once and he was gone. Just like that. Vanished.

“Okay, then. I think that makes it official. I’m nuts.”

“You’re just now figuring that out?” Lydia asked from behind her.

Kira would have jumped, but she’d heard Lydia’s keys jangle a few seconds before she spoke. “I’m serious. I swear I just saw a guy . . . aw, never mind. Why are you out so early?”

“Because Mr. Photography himself gave me a special assignment. He said I have a unique eye for detail and wants to see what I can do with color.”

“Color? I thought all your pictures were in color?”

“We’ve been studying black and white, so I’ve been using one of his older cameras on stills in the room and developing them the old fashioned way. Next week we start color, and if I can get some good shots with my digital this weekend, he’ll use them to teach the class and I’ll get extra credit.”

“Nice!” Kira ran her fingers through her long red hair and struck a seductive pose. “You can start with this gorgeous face.” She puckered her lips like a fish and winked.

“Ha! You wish. He wants nature, like flowers or trees or clouds or . . .” Lydia snapped her fingers. “I’ve got it. Black Creek. The wild flowers are in full bloom up there and—”

“Black Creek? Now you’re the one who’s nuts. You can’t go up there alone.”

Lydia leaned closer and flashed a mischievous grin. “I wouldn’t have to if you went with me.”

Kira slid off the hood and stuffed her iPod in the front pocket of her jacket. “No way! You wouldn’t catch me within ten miles of that place. You’ve heard the rumors.” Traipsing around Black Creek Mountain wasn’t exactly on Kira’s list of fun things to do, not with its newly acquired reputation. The newest theory—and by far Kira’s favorite—was that hikers had seen Sasquatch or some other mythical creature.

Lydia laughed. “Don’t tell me you believe all that crap. What was the last story? Aliens? Or was it Big Foot?” Lydia raised her arms above her head, leaned toward Kira and growled. “Maybe it’s the Boogie Man.”

Kira slapped Lydia’s arm away. “Tease all you want. I still won’t go.”

“Yes, you will.” Lydia opened the driver’s side door and threw her backpack onto the seat.

“What are you gonna do, tie me up and throw me in the trunk of your car?”

“Nope. Just remind you how much you love me.” Lydia winked.

There it was again—a hint of something different in Lydia’s green eyes. A subtle flicker of ice behind their warmth. Something hidden deep inside that Kira couldn’t quite grasp.

Then it was gone.

It wasn’t the first time Kira had seen the change and it drove her crazy not being able to figure out what it meant. Whenever she asked Lydia about it, she just shrugged it off and acted like it was nothing, but it bothered Kira. Not because she didn’t trust Lydia, but because she was the only person Kira couldn’t read.

For Kira, eyes were everything. Not just the variation of color, but what she saw in them—or didn’t see.

Long, dark lashes widening with excitement. The subtle spark of happiness. A flirtatious wink that meant far more than a hint of attraction. Even the steady gaze of curiosity held no mystery for her. It was a game she played to take her mind off the constant barrage of feelings that twisted in her gut or sent tingling threads of uneasiness scurrying through her veins whenever something seemed out of place. The kind of feelings she’d had off and on all day.

“Hel-lo?” Lydia said, waving her hand in front of Kira’s face.

“Oh, sorry. Just weighing my options. The whole ‘love you’ thing isn’t working for me. I think I’d rather stay home and drive bamboo shoots under my fingernails.”

Lydia placed a hand over her heart. “Ouch!”

Kira laughed. “That doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I’d do almost anything for you, you know that.”

“Just not Black Creek.”

Kira shook her head. “Sorry. Big chicken here, remember?”

“Fine. I guess I’ll have to go alone, then.” Lydia slid into the car, closed the door and cranked the window down. “Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. Big Foot and I will get along just fine.”

“Ahh, I hate when you do that. You know I can’t take guilt.”

Lydia propped her arm on the window frame and leaned her head out. “Just think how guilty you’ll feel if something horrible happens and you’re not there to save me.” She jutted out her bottom lip like a two year old set on getting her way. “Pretty please?”

But before Kira could answer, Lydia’s focus shifted to something behind Kira and her smile faded. “I gotta go. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Noon-ish. Okay?” The engine started and before Kira could say anything else, Lydia had backed out of her parking place, her bald tires squealing on the blacktop.

Kira looked around to see what could have set her off, but nothing had changed. The uneasy feeling was back, though. And so was the tingling sensation. She pulled the sides of her jacket together and wrapped her arms around her torso.

Maybe it was time she went home.

Thank you all so much for visiting my website and participating in the hunt!

Ready to go to the next website on the Scavenger Hunt? Click HERE!

A BEAUTIFUL DARK Mini Contest!

Enter to win a signed copy!

To enter:

1) Find my BONUS DELETED SCENE in the scavenger hunt!

2) Find the answer to this question: What magazine is Asher reading?

3) Shoot me an email through the contact form on my website, telling me the answer. Put “YA Scavenger Hunt” in the subject line.

4) Leave me a comment below telling me you sent me an email! But be careful not to give away the answer…

Got it? GOOD! Happy hunting!

Puzzletime!

Please unscramble the words below…

1. NVSEIURE                                      2. MLTSIPIE

3. PEMETKIREE                                4. IIHEDOMC

5. FMERLOAHTWER                       6. DLENGO

7. IRDEEDEWLB                               8. RSUERNEDR

9. AOCATTINA                                  10. AHNCEDNTE

11. GURENDOHY                              12. GAUINDAR

13. RETECSS                                        14. EMCREAB

15. LORNDDWURE                          16. AIRSFCCEI

17. RIASSMHCT                                 18. RWTHACES

19. RTAAENTNRSP                           20. DETLGAN

21. YFNASAT                                       22. NTOAPHWYP

23. SLLESUOS                                     24. ECNNEOIP

25. LOENIOASTD                              26. EORFWLWE

27. AREEHTFS                                    28. AAAOLRPMNR

29. HSIGDNA                                      30. DOBANADNE

31. LIECSHORCN                               32. SPSESNEU

33. OTMYHLGYO                               34. ELWLHAENO

35. TTOAINRTAC                               36. UAUTFLBIE

37. BTRSUTEFEIL