Colorimetry: Krista Holle

Showing posts with label Krista Holle. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Krista Holle and The Wind Whisperer - Win a copy and Native American beaded bracelet!

This post was originally posted on November 12th, but I forgot to update the giveaway!! This is a great chance to WIN her new book!!

Plus - if you are interested in reviewing The Wind Whisperer, fill out this request:

Please welcome... a NEW RELEASE!

I am insanely excited to share the release of The Wind Whisperer, and as a beta reader of Anaii's story last year, I'm a raving fan.

Krista Holle has a gift for tension and world-building. I squirmed, immersed in the Scottish culture for The Lure of Shapinsay and The Wind Whisperer is even better.

I love the world-building. The story takes place in an Indian community of maybe a century or two ago. I love the sand and grass beneath bare feet, the leadership meetings in smoke-filled hut, the familiarity Anaii has with Elan. Trouble simmers just out of reach. The world feels real... long after the book is finished. (More please, Krista!)

Love triangle? By mid-book, I was completely torn. Jayttin is beyond perfect... like Romeo & Juliet perfect. He's from the other tribe, an incredible leader with huge heart. I agreed with Anaii and her attraction to him. The tension builds when Anaii begins to see her long-time friend, Elan, with new perspective. Suddenly, the guy who has always been there... is the best thing that's ever happened to her. I don't know when I have wanted both guys to win so badly!!

Anaii is incredible: part spoiled brat, part super-hero and part prisoner. She can speak the language of the wind. I love the way she holds conversations with the wind, sometimes at the same time she's talking with people. The village leaders keep a tight reign on her, having become dependent on her ability. They honor her, but they also want to control her and when they choose a husband for her, all Anaii's pent up frustrations break loose.

Anyone who enjoys historical fantasy MUST read this book. Anyone who likes love triangles will find a new standard - and don't spoil it by reading someone's spoiler-y review!!! Argh! The tension Holle creates is exquisite - it must experienced without knowing what Anaii will do!! Anyone who enjoys an action-filled love story should also read this book. Anyone fascinated by the wind? Yep. Read it!!

The Wind Whisperer
by Krista Holle
YA Paranormal Romance
302 Pages
Sweet River Romance

At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent.

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief.

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light.

While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die.

Excerpt:

I looked around cautiously before freezing at the sketchy outline of a muscular man partially hidden in the grass. A man! He was sprawled on his back and golden pink from too many hours in the sun. My heart pounded to see the unfamiliar pattern of a deer on his breechcloth. I had marched myself directly into the reach of a Zennite warrior!

I gingerly took a step backwards, but to my horror, the man’s black eyes fluttered open. I turned and hurled myself back across the meadow, just as the man shot up and flew after me like a predatory bird. My muscles burned and strained to lengthen the space between us, but getting away was hopeless. I was not a challenge to even the young boys in the foot races.

After a few powerful strides, the warrior tackled me to the ground, painfully grazing the skin on my cheek. I wheezed a few times before my lungs filled with air.

“A Chippoke?” he asked between breaths.

I feverishly punched and kicked to free myself. “Get—off—me!”

“Stop! I’m not going to hurt you,” the warrior chuckled as he struggled to pin my arms and legs. His voice was calm and pleasant, but lying was no different than breathing to a Zennite.

“I cannot promise the same,” I wheezed as I fought.

“You’re a bobcat,” he said with a laugh. “A bobcat with no teeth or claws.”

“Let me go!”

“I will when you’re calm.”

Strong hands held my wrists while his full weight pinned my torso against the earth. Fighting him was as useless as running. “You are not a boy,” I spat angrily, fully taking in my attacker. It was little comfort that he didn’t look like a bloodthirsty killer. He was admittedly handsome with an angular face and sleek black hair that hung well past his shoulders. He was not as tall as Elan, but his muscles were narrow and built for speed. There was something different about his eyes too. They were as black as soot—very unlike the brown woodsy colors from our tribe.

The warrior smirked down at me. “My mother will be very surprised to hear that. All this time she’s assumed…”

My face heated, but I fiercely met his gaze. The Zenni were like wild dogs and pumas—they could smell emotions. “What I meant was, you are a man, not a boy.”

“Oh, I see, but you must understand, I’m not a man yet.”

“You must understand I’m a squirrel! Get off! You’re hurting me!” I ordered with a useless heave.

“No,” he said with a smirk.

It was then I realized I might die—right after I was lulled into a false sense of security. My chest pounded as I searched for the killer’s weapon. “Are you going to kill me?”

“I do not feel like killing you just yet,” he said as his long hair swirled in my face. Were we to play a game before he killed me?

“I am glad the mood doesn’t strike you,” I snarled. The warrior studied me with a drawn brow. Was he guessing that I was the forest witch? I didn’t think I looked like a witch, but I wasn’t certain what one should look like—evil at least.

“I don’t understand something,” the warrior said. “Your eyes are blue—the blue of an angry sky. Are you the daughter of a god?”

“Yes,” I said, heaving against his weight again. “Now get off me, or my father Achak will strike you dead with lightening.”

Krista Holle is an award winning author who stepped up her writing after reading Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. It occurred to Krista that there is an insatiable audience of women and girls who want to read books filled with stories about true love—not just vampires. When Krista is not writing, she loves to collect seashells, watch movies, and eat obscene amounts of pizza. Krista currently resides in Montpelier, Virginia with her husband, four daughters and an eccentric cat with a weird attachment to the family’s socks.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon

Giveaway:

Paperback Giveaway with Native American beaded bracelet (US only) Runs thru December 16th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

New Release! The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle #Giveaway #Excerpt #Review

Please welcome... a NEW RELEASE!

Excerpt:

After a few powerful strides, the warrior tackled me to the ground, painfully grazing the skin on my cheek. I wheezed a few times before my lungs filled with air.

“A Chippoke?” he asked between breaths.

I feverishly punched and kicked to free myself. “Get—off—me!”

“Stop! I’m not going to hurt you,” the warrior chuckled as he struggled to pin my arms and legs. His voice was calm and pleasant, but lying was no different than breathing to a Zennite.

“I cannot promise the same,” I wheezed as I fought.

“You’re a bobcat,” he said with a laugh. “A bobcat with no teeth or claws.”

“Let me go!”

“I will when you’re calm.”

The warrior smirked down at me. “My mother will be very surprised to hear that. All this time she’s assumed…”

My face heated, but I fiercely met his gaze. The Zenni were like wild dogs and pumas—they could smell emotions. “What I meant was, you are a man, not a boy.”

“Oh, I see, but you must understand, I’m not a man yet.”

“You must understand I’m a squirrel! Get off! You’re hurting me!” I ordered with a useless heave.

“No,” he said with a smirk.

It was then I realized I might die—right after I was lulled into a false sense of security. My chest pounded as I searched for the killer’s weapon. “Are you going to kill me?”

“I do not feel like killing you just yet,” he said as his long hair swirled in my face. Were we to play a game before he killed me?

“I don’t understand something,” the warrior said. “Your eyes are blue—the blue of an angry sky. Are you the daughter of a god?”

“Yes,” I said, heaving against his weight again. “Now get off me, or my father Achak will strike you dead with lightening.”

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Amazon

Giveaway:

paperback giveaway with maybe some Native American beaded bracelet

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Wow - The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle

I can't wait!!!

~t-o-n-e

Waiting on Wednesday...

is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

The Wind Whisperer
by Krista Holle
Expected publication: October 2013

At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious. Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks. But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent.

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him. It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior. Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief.

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated. Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light.

While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes. Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die.

Krista Holle

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Review, Interview, Giveaway - The Lure of Shapinsay by Krista Holle

The Lure of Shapinsay
by Krista Holle
ebook, 260 pages
Published December 16th 2011 by Sweet River Romance

Premise:

Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies.

They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant.

Unexpectedly, Kait is awoken by a beautiful, selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure.

Kait obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?

My Review:

First word? Heartwrenching!!

I was pleasantly surprised reading this fun story. I had so many preconceived reasons why I was not going to like it, and I’ve fallen flat on my face over all of ‘em:

For one, there’s the Scottish accent, like mither, bairn, wan, dinnae. There are the anticipated cultural eccentricities… the trading market, the prison island, the big city feel of the mainland. And then there’s this cover… with the naked guy on it. I don’t read books with naked men on ‘em!!

So, for starters this book is PG-13. “The Lure” is sexual, so it comes up a lot, but it’s so obviously obsessively psychotic, unhealthy and wild - “untame”! There’s a lot of sex, but it’s not graphic. I didn’t feel like I was interrupting the lovers, if that makes sense. As for the rest… the Scottish setting is absolutely delightful. The accents and the quaint town are refreshingly fun and different. After getting used to them, they fade into the exotic setting.

The Lure drove me crazy… it’s maddening!! It’s a sexual Lure that Selkies use as a weapon against humans for well-explained historical reasons. I think I enjoyed (and loved hating) the Lure more than any main character, even. It is such a unique, strong presence through-out the story.

The main character, Kait, realizes she’s under the power of the Lure, but instead of fighting it or denying it, she goes with the force of it, trying to accept her life despite it. And the pressure never stops building, that the Lure is too strong, too wrong and there’s just no way to overcome it. Sometimes I liked Kait for being so impulsive and strong-willed. Sometimes I wanted to throttle her and her well-meaning brother, Blair. Argh!!

Eamon also realizes that much of their relationship is due to the Lure and it makes him sad and secretive. He’s such an interesting character, so wildly different than human with his own confusing set of rules and standards. There are so many times Kait and Eamon say things to each other, but each of them understand something different, increasing that tension, that maddening tension of impossibility.

This book will haunt me a long time!! I’m sort of a wimp about tension… I really hope that things will work out in the end, I like Happily Ever After. And this book does not throw any promises of HEA around. I reconciled myself to feeling like there was just no way… even in the middle of amazing, exhilarating love. Sometimes I had to set the book aside just to breathe ‘cause that impossibility was so thick. I totally commend Krista for capturing such great tension in such a unique setting.

The cover does not portray the Eamon I imagined. The skin coat is great, but the man is barely a hint of what's inside the book. Not quite pale enough, hot enough, or with long enough hair. Just to be picky. The ocean's great, though.

My Rating: 4 - Pretty Darn Good book. The rating may sweeten over time as it sits since this book leaves that haunting lingering taste long afterwards.

Meet the Author:

Krista Holle has been writing since she was nine-years-old when she scribbled out her first adolescent work entitled Merish, the completely illogical but heartfelt story of a girl who was part mermaid, part fish. As a young mother, Krista added to her repertoire some middle grade readers and picture books she’s wary of mentioning.

In 2004, Krista began an intensive four year period working part-time as a critical care nurse while homeschooling her four children. During this hectic time, courses of writing were taught and learned, and rules of syntax were scolded to memory. Ironically this period of study equipped Krista with the tools she needed to enter the next phase of her writing experience. Now equipped with the mysteries of the comma, Krista was ready to tackle a much bigger project—a full fledged novel.

After the kids were enrolled in public school in 2009, it occurred to Krista that there is an insatiable audience of women and girls who want to read books filled with stories about true love. Convinced that there was an unfulfilled audience waiting for what Krista loves to write—romance, she sat down in the family’s dungeon, a.k.a. the basement, and began to furiously type. In no time, her first novel was drying on crisp white paper.

Krista currently resides in Midlothian, Virginia with her husband, four daughters, and an eccentric cat with an attachment to the family’s socks. She continues to write obsessively every chance she can get.

Krista, Thank you for answering some questions!! And THANK YOU for offering such fun goodies for the Giveaway!!!

How did you research to write The Lure of Shapinsay?

The Scottish legends of the selkies are real, but there's very little detail given about these wonderful mythical creatures. Because of this, I did quite a bit of ad-libing. I wanted the story to have an almost "fairy tale" feel to it, there was quite a bit of research for the time period, as well as studying old maps of the island. The most difficult thing for me though, was researching Shapinsay island's unique Scottish/Norse dialect. I wanted the story to to feel authentic, so I located old stories written on the island during the nineteenth century.

Do you have a favorite scene? :-D

My favorite scene was when Kait got Eamon to eat Cullen Skink for the first time. For those you haven’t read the “Lure” yet, Eamon has an aversion to soil or anything that comes from under the ground. He tolerates the first bite of smoked haddock pretty well, but when he chomps into a potato, the violent physical reaction that follows had me giggling.

Oh fun!! I really enjoyed that scene, too. I really liked how strongly Eamon was opposed to anything related to dirt!!

Are you writing now? What comes next?

Always writing! The Wind Whisperer is the first in a series and will be released later this summer. It’s about a young Native American girl with the ability to “hear” the spirits of the wind. While her tribe’s at war with a brother tribe, Anaii inconveniently falls in love with the enemy. It’s basically a yummy love triangle that takes place before the arrival of the first white man. It’s filled with intrigue, kidnappings, murder, and battles. The guys will like this one too.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?