13.... Is a magic number!

As the new year approaches, I gaze back with fondness on the "lucky" serendipities of the previous 365 days. Some of them won't happen again for a long while... some will NEVER happen again during our lifetimes, if ever. Below are some of the greatest hits of 2012:

- August Blue Moon- (2nd full moon of the month)
- October, 11th, 2012 (10-11-12)
- December, 12th, 2012 (12-12-12)
- Survival of 12-21-12 (End of Mayan calendar)
- 13th full moon of the year on New Year's Eve

And as we consider that the 13th full moon of the year ushers us into 2013... it's time to throw out all that triskaidekaphobia crap and embrace 13 as the ultimate power that it effing is! Thirteen is far from unlucky... in fact, many cultures have revered the number 13! 

According to the occult science of numerology, “He who understands the number 13 will be given power and dominion. It is a number of upheaval and destruction; a symbol of power which, if wrongly used, will wreak havoc and destruction upon itself.” 

Here are some little known "lucky" 13 references:

- There were thirteen guests at the Last supper of the Christ.
- The celebration of the Epiphany takes place the thirteenth day after the nativity of the Lord.
- The Jewish Faith has thirteen fundamental dogmas of Judaism.
- Ulysses, the thirteenth of his group, escaped the devouring of the Cyclops.
- The Sumerians used a zodiac including 13 constellations.
- Some purport that the Universe is governed by thirteen fundamental constants of the physics. 
- A card deck includes 13 hearts, 13 spades, 13 diamonds, 13 clubs
- There were 13 original colonies/ states
- the first national flag had 13 stars, and even today it still has 13 stripes. On the green side of the dollar bill there are 13 steps in the pyramid of the Great Seal. The motto above the pyramid, which reads “Annuit Coeptis,” has 13 letters; the eagle on the right side has a ribbon in its beak that bears the motto “E pluribus unum,” which contains 13 letters. The eagle has 13 tail feathers, and on its breast there is a shield of 13 stripes. In one talon the eagle holds 13 arrows, and in the other an olive branch with 13 leaves and 13 berries. Over the eagle’s head are 13 stars that form the six-pointed “Star of David.”


So, 13 is in fact a powerful number... and I urge you to harness and unleash that power to make 2013 your best year ever. 

I am proud to host my very first cover reveal for my friend, Marilyn Almodovar, who is soon to release her debut novel INTERRED! And now without further ado... *pulls the drape off* TADA!

COVER REVEAL!

Interred (Chronicles of the Interred #1)

by

Marilyn Almodóvar

The cover was created by the amazing Devan Edwards of Nimbi Designs.

I'm excited for Marilyn on a couple of fronts. I think the cover is beautifully designed and I had the honor of BETA reading this book for and it's complex and intense! Here is the book's blurb:

Blurb

 *****

Time has never been an issue for Baxter Jacobs, but then she never knew she had the ability to Bend it.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Baxter inherits a pendant that will change her life. Connected to the pendant is a dark and mysterious young man named Declan Ashdown. Trapped in a Time loop for the past 122 years, Declan needs Baxter’s help to escape. The only problem is, she has no idea how to do it.

To acquire the power she needs to free him, she’ll become one of the Interred, those whose Magical abilities emerge as they come of age. When she does, she’ll discover that Declan isn’t the only one interested in the fact that she’s a Time Bender.

As the Interment arrives, Baxter knows this will be no Sweet Sixteen. A vengeful relative and the ruthless Council are determined to control her. Declan’s powerful and charming descendant, Jack Ashdown, claims he can save her. She’ll soon have to decide who she can trust, and how to master her new abilities before Time runs out.

*****

INTENSE right?

The release date is JANUARY 22, 2013. Add it to your GOODREADS list now.
Here's a contest Marilyn is running! Enter now! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1aa0793/

Brief author bio:

Marilyn Almodóvar is an American YA Author born in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. A lover of words with a penchant for Victorian novels as well as the books of Stephen King, Lyn's favorite past-times have always been reading and writing.

It was this love that propelled her to choose Theater and French as majors in University, with a minor in English Victorian Literature. Lyn lived for almost a decade in England followed by three years in France before returning home to the U.S.

A self-confessed citizen of the world, Lyn is fluent in English, French and Spanish, with basic knowledge of the Italian language. Lyn currently lives in Central Florida with her French husband, English-born eldest son, and French-born youngest son. Her debut YA Novel, Interred, will be published by Iambe books on 01/22/2013.

Ways readers can connect with Lyn:

Twitter (http://twitter.com/LynAlmodovar)
Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Marilyn-Almodóvar/142589622496531)
Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/MarilynAlmodovar)
Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/lynalmodovar/)
Blog (http://marilynalmodovar.blogspot.com/)

The Oracle and The Muse: The Next Big Thing: The Sky Throne

I am participating in a blog hop/ blog tour in which we have to post and answer a few questions about our manuscript. First, I'd like to thank Dimitri Sarantis, author of ‘Deep blue eyes on the Greek Isles’ a suspenseful romance, for beginning this endeavor. Be sure to go visit his page. 
Also thanks to Melpomene Selemidis for inviting me along for the blog ride. Visit her page wherein she answers questions about her work-in-progress, Sirens of Santorini. Also thanks to Meg McNulty for tagging me in her post. Visit her page where she discusses her work-in-progress, Banshee.

Today is my day to give the world a little more information about the manuscript I just finished.

1) What is the working title of your book?

The Sky Throne

2) Where did the idea come from for your book? 

I was sitting in my room at the SCBWI-NY Internatonal conference back in January 2011 and had just returned from a group bashing circle critique of my MS called Banished (a greek-based historical fantasy) and I had a thought... what would Zeus and his siblings have been like as teenagers? And The Sky Throne was born. It's an "Origin" story.

I've always loved mythology (bet you couldn't guess that from this blog :) ) and thought it would be fun to imagine all of those gods as teenagers. I was right. It was fun. IS fun. Lots!

3) What genre does your book fall under?

Young Adult Fantasy

4) Which actors would you choose to play in your movie rendition?

HA! Well let's see... I could certainly see Maria Menounos, Demi Lovato, Mila Kunis (I realize she's not Greek... but she's hawt and she could pass :) ) I have some more if you visit my Pinterest board [The Sky Throne]

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

In order for Zeus to become powerful enough to avenge an attack on his surrogate family, he must access the power in The Sky Throne, but doing so could kill him.

6) How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

A little less than one year.

7) What other books would you compare this story to?

The Outsiders, in the sense that it's told in first person, yet has an ensemble cast of characters. I would also compare it many ways to the X-Men, character interaction-wise, minus the political underpinnings. The Sky Throne is X-Men meets Greek Mythology. 



Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment and SHARE if you LIKE it!

Next Week:
Be sure to visit those I mentioned above.

And go visit the next brave authors on the tour on December 19th.

Marylin Jeulin

JoLynne Valerie