Monday, October 15, 2012

VBT Guest Blog & Giveaway - A Stiff Kiss by Avery Olive


Welcome to my stop on Avery Olive's Virtual Book Tour for A Stiff Kiss.  Avery has prepared a guest post for us below.  Please be sure to leave a comment or question to let her know you were here.  You can also fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter her giveaway.  


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What’s Your Best Writing Location by Avery Olive






A fun quiz! Don’t forget to leave a comment and tell us where you should be writing!




1 When sitting down to write your perfect chair is a...

  A. Sturdy wooden chair—I like quality over comfort

  B. Comfy leather sofa—and a coffee table to put my feet up

  C. High-back rolling chair—healthy posture makes for a healthy back

  D. Who needs a chair?

2 How far are you willing to travel to find a good writing spot?

  A. Across town—sometimes I even go crazy and take the bus!

  B. Down the street—my neighborhood has everything I need

  C. I’m not willing to travel—why would I?

  D. To the ends of the earth if necessary—You better believe I’m armed with a passport!

3 What is your favourite season?

  A. Fall—It brings me back to my glory days of being in high school

  B. Winter—I’m a fan of hot chocolate and Christmas carols

  C. Summer—I’ve got quite a green thumb and like to show it off

  D. Spring—New growth, blossoming trees and baby animals make me smile

4 When writing, do you mind having the company of others?

  A. Only if they’re quiet—Shhh you’re being too loud

  B. I can tune just about anything or anyone out—In fact, I’m ignoring you right now

  C. I prefer solitude—I’m the best company I ever need

  D. Sure, it’s not a big deal—Do I have to talk to them or can I pretend they aren’t there?

5 Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear?

  A. A pin drop—and even that’s too loud

  B. Idle chitchat –hey, did you know so and so just broke up with that guy from that place?

  C. Whatever’s on my iPod—I’m wired in, didn’t you know?

  D. Birds chirping—Nature is my kind of music

6 Your favourite travel destination is...

  A. Washington, DC, USA—only the true geeks will know why

  B. Paris, France—it just seems like the place to be

  C. I’ve never been outside my home State/Province L--clearly I need to travel more

  D. Who could pick just one place?—I’ve got a list a mile long

7 If your writing, you’re using a...

  A. Notebook and pen—I like to kick it old school

  B. Laptop—it comes with me EVERYWHERE!

  C. Desktop –because it sits on my desk, isn’t it obvious?

  D. Whatever is at my disposal –I wrote my vows on a napkin, a sonnet on a barf bag and love   letter on a take-out menu or rather, it’d be totally cool if that were true

8 What are you wearing when you’re writing?

  A. Whatever I wore to work—I have to make every second count

  B. Worn jeans and T-shirts—I’m pretty easy going

  C. My favourite Pj’s—and my fuzzy slippers, of course

  D. I don’t spend time worrying about what I’m wearing—there are better things to think about

9 You’re going to buy a book, where does it come from?

  A. What?! Pay money, for a book, every time, that’s preposterous. I just paid my yearly fee!

  B. The internet, baby, like superfast and with the click of a button!

  C. One of many chain stores where I live, I’ve got a shopping addiction, didn’t you know?

  D. A second hand store, a total stranger, it makes no difference to me. 

10 Most of your research is done by using...

   A. A book, duh, where else?

   B. I don’t do research unless I’ve got free Wi-Fi

   C. I’m stuck in the stone-ages and only have dial-up L

   D. Who needs to waste time researching? Experiencing life is all the research I need!

11 You’re perfect writing beverage is a...

   A. Bottle of water—which I plan recycle, by the way.

   B. I’m not picky, if it’s in my reach, I’ll drink it.

   C. I like to stand in line to buy a coffee from a barista

   D. I’m happy with anything that comes out of a vending machine

12 If you were to look out your window on a typical writing day, what would you see?

  A. I’d have to get up and walk to one, just to look out—that’s a waste of time.

  B. A manicured lawn—and a hot husband weeding the gardens

  C. Seems they’ve paved paradise and putting up a parking lot

  D. What window? There’s supposed to be a window?



If you picked mostly A’s my sources tell me a Library is your best fit. You like to surround yourself with quiet. You’re willing to travel but not far. There’s something about the smell, taking out books for a small fee and the infinite amount of knowledge that surrounds you. This is where you feel most creative!

If you picked mostly B’s being hopped up on caffeine, where it’s easily accessible—as long as someone else is making it, of course, is how you roll. So, I’d say Central Perk or your local Coffee Shop is where you’re headed. You choose to have access to free Wi-fi not just for research but in case you need to download a book to your e-reader.

If you picked mostly C’s it sounds like you roll out of bed, walk ten feet to your Home Office, still wearing your pajamas. You’ll drink or eat whatever is in your reach, but are willing to make the trek to a chain store because you’d rather hold a real book in your hands that you can display proudly on your shelf.

If you picked mostly D’s you’re lucky. It seems you’re ready to write wherever the wind takes you. You don’t need fancy amenities or even food in your stomach. As long as you’ve got a writing utensil and a muse that’s ready to talk, you’re good to go. You can write Anywhere!

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A Stiff Kiss
Avery Olive

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

ISBN: 978-1-937254-33-9
ASIN: B0075M4KA2

Number of pages: 248
Word Count: Approx. 68,000 
Cover Artist: Taria Reed

   





Book Description:

Who knew kissing a corpse would change everything?

Death always hits Xylia Morana too close to home, but she likes it that way. She hangs out with the terminally ill, attends random funerals, and every so often, when the weather is right, she sleeps in open graves.

But after Landon Phoenix, the high school hottie, dies in Xylia's arms, she sneaks into the morgue to say goodbye. How could she know stealing a kiss from his corpse would wake him up?

With Landon returned to the living and suddenly interested in Xylia, life has new meaning. But what Xylia doesn't realize is that by kissing Landon back to life, she's thrown Life and Death off balance. The underworld demands a body, and it might just have to be Xylia's this time.




Short Excerpt:

No way should I be in the morgue. If I'm caught, I'll lose my job. My dad will probably get fired, too. He's been warned to keep me out of here.

The walls are lined with thick, square doors, clearly marked with numbers. I stop in front of the one I want. In the middle of that wall, at waist height, is number twelve. Beyond the door, lying on a sliding metal table, is the body of Landon Phoenix.

I've always had a crush on Landon, ever since freshman year when his family moved to Silver Springs. I've watched him grow into his looks, no longer a gangly boy with braces. And I've longed to hear my name roll off his tongue in that deep voice of his. To press my lips against his as he holds me in a tight embrace. To share the same air as him.

Though now, all those things are impossible. Except one. I can pull open the door, slide the table out, and at least for a moment I can share the same air, even though his lungs can no longer pull in that air.

I hesitate, my hand on the handle. Besides my mother, this will be the only other person who's died that I've really known. The others have just been people, random ones at that. The guy from the grocery store who jumped off Whibley Bridge into the icy waters below, the occasional patient of mine who'd succumbed to old age, and many, many others. But this is personal. This is someone I'd known. Or at least, someone I'd held secretly in my heart.

But I need to say goodbye.






About the Author:

Avery Olive is proudly Canadian. She is married, and when she’s not helping raise her very energetic and inquisitive son, she can be found working on her latest novel-where she devilishly adds U's into every word she can.
When she is looking for a break Avery enjoys cake decorating, losing herself in a good book, or heading out to the lake to go camping.

The release of Avery's first novel proves to her it won't be the last. As long as her family continues to be supportive, she can find the time, and people want to read, Avery will keep on writing.

Avery Olive’s Blog : www.averyolive.blogspot.com   
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002656782468  
A Stiff Kiss Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Stiff-Kiss/255522414458899
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/averyolive  
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13411964-a-stiff-kiss
Crescent Moon Press: http://crescentmoonpress.com/index.html   

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Please don't forget to leave a comment or question below for Avery to let her know you were here and fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter her giveaway - Open Internationally.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



3 comments:

  1. I got Mostly C's
    I'm a Home Office kind of gal! I write in whatever I'm wearing, but roll out of bed and walk the 4 feet to my comfy leather highback rolling chair! And most of the time, there is a Hot Husband (Mr. Olive) working in the yard, which is the best view ever!

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  2. Though I'm not a writer, my answers varied greatly, but I got more D's than the others. LOL

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  3. Home office! Not surprising since I hate changing out of my pj's.

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