Colors Like Memories
Meradeth Houston
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Publisher: MuseItUp Publihing
ASIN: B0083ODXSG
Number of pages: approx. 181
Word Count: 60k
Cover Artist: CK Volnek
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/HFRNJ-Yn7So (teaser trailer)
http://youtu.be/7lUpK68bYFI (book trailer)
Amazon Barnes and Noble Smashwords Muse It Up
Book Description:
Julia has a secret: she killed the guy she loved. It was an accident—sort of.
Julia is a Sary, the soul of a child who died before taking her first breath. Without this 'breath of life' she and others like her must help those on the verge of suicide. It's a job Julia used to enjoy, until the accident that claimed her boyfriend’s life—an accident she knows was her fault. If living with the guilt weren't enough, she's now assigned to help a girl dealing with the loss of her mother, something Julia's not exactly the best role model for. If she can't figure out a way to help her, Julia's going to lose her position in the Sary, something she swore to her boyfriend would never happen.
Excerpt
| I greeted his tombstone the way I always did—with a swift kick. The release of frustration was more than worth the sharp pain in my toes. The polished marble tilted to the left because of all my visits; a crooked tooth in the rows of pearly white graves. I folded my legs under me, shuddering as the chill of the damp grass seeped through my clothes. “I keep hoping one of these days you’ll be here waiting for me.” The words were tradition. Some small part of me still clung to the hope I’d come over the hill to find him leaning over his grave, wearing a sly smile. He died so very long ago, but I couldn’t stop wishing. Leaning forward, I rested my forehead against my knees and closed my eyes, longing for a few minutes of rest. A few minutes to pretend it was someone else buried beneath me. I tried to explain this to him, but tonight I didn’t have the will to pretend it was more than starlight that listened. It took a long time to notice, building imperceptibly until I finally looked over my shoulder. Someone was there, watching me. It hadn’t been a sound that alerted me so much as the feel of their gaze, heavy in the darkness. After so many nights spent here, I could tell the difference. For just a second, I thought I saw Frederick’s tall form step from the shadows. My heart stopped, and I started to scramble to my feet before the breeze scattered my wishful thinking. Scanning the rest of the cemetery, it was clear no one else was around. The sprinklers were hissing their rhythmic beat in the next section over, and it was better to leave before they started watering the grass over his grave. It had to be just my imagination—no one was watching me. It was for the better. If anyone saw me here, there would be problems I couldn’t face. I kissed my fingertips and touched the top of the smooth white stone, anxious now to leave, alert to any movement in the cemetery. “I’ll be seeing you,” I whispered, wishing it were true. I wound through the sea of identical marble markers, making for the swell of ground at the far end of the cemetery where it was easiest to catch an updraft. The small knoll overlooked the freeway, which was a little too close for comfort, but at this hour there were no headlights streaking past. I stretched out my wings, their emerald color turned inky black in the moonlight. Each feather ached to catch a hint of breeze. Leaping from the ground, I thrust down hard and was airborne. I circled up, straining, until I reached an altitude where no one would see me from below. Tilting my wings to swing north, my thoughts wandered to my destination. A silent prayer to whoever might be listening filled my heart, hoping the lonely girl I was supposed to be guarding was safe in her bed. Visiting Frederick—Derek as I’d always called him—was the only thing that kept me sane some nights, but it did nothing to dispel the churning worry over Marcy. In the year since I was assigned to her, it had become obvious she deserved a Sary better suited to helping her. Instead, she was stuck with me, and somehow I was supposed to find a way to ensure she didn’t commit suicide. Saving Marcy was my reward, and my price, for dying before I was born, before taking one miserable breath of life. I still wondered if my choice to join the Sary was worth it. |
Interview
Thanks so much for hosting me!
1. How did you come up with the idea for Color Like Memories?
I came up with it while driving home one evening and listening to the radio. One of the songs just kind of sparked the idea and the rest of the story fleshed itself out as I wrote. (The song? I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but it's Shadow of the Day by Linkin Park :)
2. Did you title your own books?
I have so far. We'll see if my editor has anything in mind for my current WIP (which, considering the story is currently titled "Gabby's Story", I think she might!) However, for Colors, and my next book, The Chemistry of Fate, I have come up with my own titles.
3. How did you come up with character names?
My main characters usually have a name when I start writing about them--it's part of their character and I don't get much of a say. The other's, well, they kind of get random names from here or there. Random tidbit: Edison's name was originally a placeholder. The book on the shelf next to me was a biography of Thomas Edison, and when I needed a guy's name in the middle of the scene, I used it. Oddly enough, it kind of fit, and that's how he ended up with that name.
4. What do you do when you have a writer's block?
I usually tell myself that I just have to write for ten minutes, or just a hundred words--something very small and manageable, just so I get my butt in the chair and write something. Usually, that gets the juices flowing and I write more than what I'd set out to do, though sometimes I just end up leaving it alone and going to do something else if I can't get in the right frame of mind. Everyone needs a break now and again.
5. Any unforgettable or strange fan experience?
Hmm, I certainly haven't had anything strange happen. Unforgettable, though, has been having complete strangers say how much they enjoyed reading Colors. I really don't think there's a better high than that when you're a writer!
6. Anything you'd like to ask our readers?
That is a very good question! Let's see, how about: if you could have one super-power, what would it be? I'd add "why?" on to that, but technically that's two questions.
Hope you get a chance to check out Colors Like Memories!
About the Author:
Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:
She’s a Northern California girl. This generally means she talks too fast and use "like" a lot.
When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!
She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!
If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.