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)
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.
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.
Short 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.
Thanks so much for hosting me!
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