Top 10 Favorite Kick-Ass Heroines

A Meme By The Broke and the Bookish

1) Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games) - Self-explanatory, really. I mean, she turns into a total bad-ass during the games, and goes through so much but still remains true to herself.

2) Hermione Granger (Harry Potter) - Come on, you knew Hermione would be on this list. She kicks ass with a wand, and every time I think of her I imagine her punching Malfoy in the face.

3) Vicki Nelson (Blood Ties) - A private investigator who works with a vampire on cases that turn out to be supernatural? Vicki Nelson is so kick ass. Granted, I first heard of her on the Canadian TV series, Blood Ties, but the books really were even more amazing (when are they not?) and I am so glad I read them. Check 'em out, yeah? They're by Tanya Huff.

4) Mercy Thompson (Mercedes Thompson Series) - I love Mercy. She's a mechanic who lives in a trailer and shapeshifts into a coyote, and takes shit from no one. Plus, her and her werewolf boyfriend are just so cute together.

5) Elizabeth Bennet (Pride & Prejudice) - Lizzy kicks-ass with what really counts - her brain. She's smart and witty in a society where people care too much about finding the perfect husband or wife to stand away from the crowd, and isn't afraid to speak her mind. I just love how she takes care of her sisters and sticks to her beliefs.

6) Suze Simon (The Mediator) - Suze helps send ghosts off to the other side, and when those ghosts don't want to go quietly, she certainly has no problem beating the crap outta them. 

7) Katie & Jenni (As The World Dies Trilogy) - I had to put them both on here - Katie and Jenni are both survivors at the start of a Zombie Apocalypse. Both of them have lost people they cared about, but both find strength in each other and find ways to pull through. Plus, they quickly learn how to kill zombies, and are really bad-ass at it. I also kinda love how crazy Jenni gets, even though it's really her way of coping with all the crazy around her.

8) Charley Davidson (Charley Davidson Series) - I just love Charley! She's so fun, witty, and full of spunk! The fact that she's the grim reaper and can talk to ghosts is just an added bonus. Plus, she named her boobs "Danger" and "Will Robinson." 

9) Julia Poe (Julia Poe Vampire Chronicles) - So she's a bit on the crazy side from spending so much time alone locked up to hide herself away from a vampire infested world, but she's not afraid to kick some major bloodsucker ass. Plus, she taught herself how to fight from watching her heroes on TV, which include people like Bruce Lee and Xena: Warrior Princess.

10) Verity Price (InCryptid) - She's a cryptozoologist/ballroom dancer/free-runner. 'Nough said.

{Guest Post} T.M. Souders on Freedom Road

Hi guys! So, I'm very excited to be featuring my first guest post - author T.M. Souders discussing her dream cast for her new novel, Freedom Road. I just love it when authors talk about their dream casts, as it gives you a better glimpse as to how they perceive their characters. So, without further ado, here's some info on Ms. Souders followed by her casting picks:

T.M. Souders was born in Johnstown, PA and grew up in the suburbs outside of Pittsburgh. She graduated in 2004, from Youngstown State University, with a degree in Psychology and minor in Women’s Studies. She is the author of bestselling women’s fiction novel, Waiting on Hope, as well as the novelette Dashing Through The Snow. Her young adult crossover novel, Freedom Road, is due to be released later this year. She currently lives in rural Ohio with her husband and children.

MY DREAM CAST

Ahhh…to have your book made into a movie, and not just any movie, but a major blockbuster!! That is the dream. So, if my latest novel Freedom Road were made into a movie, who would my dream cast be? I’m about to tell you. Movie execs are you listening!?

The main character, Samantha Becker: I would pick Kristen Stewart, and not because of the Twilight craze. If you read the book, you'd see why. She fits that attractive, moody, rocker vibe. Miley Cyrus also might work. The nose piercing might be a nice touch, but she would have to grow out that short blond hair and dye it black.

Laird, the college student/love interest: Liam Hemsworth from The Hunger Games (aka Gale). He’s totally hot and would be perfect! He has that tough and sexy, yet cute look going.

Tad, the neighbor’s nerdy grandson: This is certainly a vital character. This one, I'm not positive about. I wish I could think of someone, but I really am unsure because he would have to either be around 12 years old or look it, and I don’t know of anyone who matches the look and feel of the character in the book. I’m thinking his character would be a new discovery. But if you read it in the meantime and think of someone, let me know!

Kent, Sam's father: Billy Zane. He played the rotten fiancé from Titanic.

Sandra, Sam's mother: Elizabeth Shue or Ashley Judd. Both of these women would be about the right age, and I could envision them as playing her mother’s alcoholic character really well. And if I do a sequel to Freedom Road, which I hope to, who knows what I have in store for her mother, but I think they’d portray her well, no matter what I have happen.

June, Sam’s elderly neighbor: Helen Mirren. For those of you who may not know her, she played in The Queen and a few other things. She’s the perfect age, eloquent and a great actress. She’d be great for this, somewhat, mysterious character.

Derek, Sam’s boyfriend: Zayn Malik, one of the members from the boy group, “One Direction,” would be ideal. He’s attractive with dark hair and has somewhat of a bad boy quality.

As far as Sam’s friends and band mates go, I think there are a lot of different people who could play them. Ariana Grande from Nickelodeon’s Victorious could play Faith nicely. Dakota Fanning could play Lauren, while Harry Styles (the youngest member from the band “One Direction”) could play Ron.

So, Hollywood, bring it on!! Freedom Road is waiting…

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Since the tender age of eight, music served as Samantha Becker’s source of solace against her father’s tyranny and her mother’s alcoholism. Now at eighteen, her only dream is to study classical guitar at Juilliard. But when her father’s careless actions lead to an “accident,” which threatens her ability to play the guitar, Sam becomes despondent. Losing all confidence in her future, Sam hides behind the emotional barriers that have protected her for years.

Just when Sam has given up, two unexpected people enter her life, giving her the confidence she needs, and forcing her to evaluate all she’s ever known. Battling her father’s plans for her future, band mates using her for personal gain, and a permanent injury, the odds are stacked against her. With auditions approaching and time running out, Sam must relearn to play the guitar, or be destined to give up her dreams forever.

Check out Freedom Road on Goodreads


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{Cover Reveal} The Paparazzi Project by Kristina Springer

The Paparazzi Project by Kristina Springer 

Expected publication date: December 15, 2012 

Livvie Peterson thought taking Interpersonal Communications her junior year would be an easy A. But when the first assignment is given, her world flips upside down. Here’s the deal: the class is assigned a six-week project and is split into three groups— Paparazzi, Tabloid, and Celebrities. The Paparazzi follow around the Celebrities taking pictures and grabbing any kind of quotes they can. The Celebrities try to navigate being tailed on a daily basis. And the Tabloid receives all the information collected by the Paparazzi and decides what makes the weekly summary report. Sounds harmless…and it’s all just pretend anyway, right? 

Livvie is assigned as Paparazzi and when she is matched up with the über -cute Chas Montgomery as her Tabloid boss she’s pretty sure things couldn’t get much better. Livvie’s uncanny ability to capture the Celebrities in compromising photos matched with Chas’s skill of exaggerating captions and editing the photos make them an unstoppable team. And the long hours working side by side with Chas aren’t a bad bonus.

Livvie simultaneously launches an anonymous blog, leaking the class’ photos and stories on the Internet. Her rising follower number quickly becomes addicting and she possibly spills too much information online. Once she finds her own celebrity will she be able to give it back? And will Chas be gone before she ever has the chance to find out?

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Author Bio:

Kristina Springer is the author of THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, JUST YOUR AVERAGE PRINCESS, and the forthcoming THE PAPARAZZI PROJECT (12/15/12). She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and she resides in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and children. 

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{Author Interview} Miranda Kavi, Author of RUA

Miranda Kavi is a YA and Urban Fantasy author. She has worked as an attorney, an executive recruiter, and an assistant in a biological anthropology lab. She loves scary movies, museums, and is hopelessly addicted to chocolate. She lives in the Houston area with her husband and daughter.

1) What was your favorite part about writing RUA? 

Writing any dialogue where Tink was involved. He is such a fun, quirky character to write. Oh, and kissing scenes. Those are always fun!

2) What sparked the idea for this novel? 

It was pretty deliberate. I knew I wanted to write a YA, and I wanted to base it on mythology. During my research I ran across the Irish legend of the “People of the Mists.” I was hooked!

3) Are there any similarities between yourself and the heroine, Celeste? 

I wish! I've always wanted to be a saucy redhead. We don’t look or act alike, but we are both very loyal to the people who care for us and we've both moved around a lot.

4) What books have influenced you the most in your life? 

The Dune series blew my mind when I was a kid. BLEW MY MIND!

5) What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing? 

Pacing. It’s tough to move the story along at just the right speed. It takes a lot of practice.

6) If you could pick a theme song for RUA, what would it be and why? 

“Lights” by Ellie Goulding. Every time I hear that song, I think of the characters in the book, probably because my main character has light exploding from her hands!

7) As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

An archaeologist, like Indiana Jones. I pursued it through grad school, eventually learning that it’s actually a lot of outdoor manual labor. And there are ticks. And mosquitoes. And snakes.

8) What's your favorite scary movie? 

Do I have to pick just one! I LOVE to be scared. Let’s see. . . “The Exorcist” always stays with me for days after I see it.

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A girl with an unknown destiny. A boy from a hidden world. When Celeste starts at a new school in a small, Kansas town, she hears whispering voices, has vivid nightmares, and swarms of blackbirds follow her every move. She is oddly drawn to aloof Rylan, the other new student who has his own secrets. The exact moment she turns seventeen, she wakes to a bedroom full of strange creatures, purple light emanating from her hands, and Rylan breaking in through her bedroom window. He knows what she is . . . Intriguing and deeply romantic, RUA is page-turning YA novel with a supernatural twist.

Check out RUA on Goodreads