Welcome readers & please give a warm welcome to the wonderful heroine from Gray Island, Cadi Sinclair!
She's joined us today to answer a few questions.
Don't forget she's also giving away a gift certificate to her favorite publisher, Evernight Teen. You can enter below !!
*****
What word
best describes true love? Scary!
© Finish
this sentence: Then I think of love, I think of _______ Something I need to find on my own, rather have someone arrange it for
me.
© What’s
your ideal romantic evening?
I’d love to have a nice dinner in a
restaurant (with my boyfriend Sage of course) and then maybe see a movie in a
theater—two things I’ve never done since we don’t have restaurants or theaters
on Gray Island! I’m hoping that one day Sage and I can catch the ferry to the
mainland and he can show me what the outside world is like. That would be
amazing as far as I am concerned.
© What’s the
perfect Valentine’s Day gift?
We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day on
Gray Island, so I have to admit I’m not really sure. I think it should be about
showing your commitment to the other person, though. Maybe jewelry or some kind
of handmade craft—something that comes from the heart.
© Did you
ever think you’d found that perfect love? What happened?
Ever since I was a little girl, my
parents have been telling me that Ivar Ragnor, our community leader’s son, was
destined to be my friend, then my boyfriend, and finally my husband as soon as
we were both old enough. For years, I tried to convince myself that I wanted that,
too, and that Ivar was someone I could love easily because I knew him so well.
For a while I got myself to believe it. Then I met Sage Murdock and everything
changed in a heartbeat. I knew what love really felt like—and I knew I’d never
experienced anything close to it with Ivar.
© What song
title best describes your relationship track record: “Nothing but a Good Time,”
“Turn Me Loose,” “Shot Through the Heart (You Give Love a Bad Name)”, “Money
Talks/Material Girl”, “Looking for Love in All The Wrong Places”?
I’d have to say “Mad World”—if you
had to spend even a day either on Gray Island or in the compound where I grew
up, you’d know why!
© Why are
you still single?
Believe me, if it were up to my
parents I would be engaged to Ivar right now—even though I’m only 17! Just
being Sage’s girlfriend—no pressure to even think about marriage—is a huge
relief. Even better, it feels right. Hopefully Ivar will find someone else and
forget about me, though I’ll be his friend if it’s possible. Right now I’m not sure.
© What was
your first opinion of each other?
The first evening Sage arrived on
Gray Island, I saw him getting off the ferry and into the car with his father.
His father doesn’t have the best reputation in my community, for various
reasons I won’t go into here. I was still too naïve about a lot of things to
question that, though now I know we were all being unfair to Jeremy, Sage’s
father. Anyway, I figured Sage would be a lot like him—wild, unpredictable, and
a little on the barbaric side. What I didn’t expect was that I would find all
that kind of appealing. Sage was so different from everyone else I had ever
been friends with, and that made me want to know more about him right away.
As for what he thought of me, I don’t
really know—but I figure his father had the same bad impression of me that I
had of him. So probably he didn’t know what to make of me, either, and I
doubted he trusted me much in the beginning.
© What kept
you from acting on that attraction?
One word—Ivar. He sensed that Sage
and I were drawn to each other and it made him angry. As our leader’s son, he’s
used to getting his own way. But this time, as it turned out, he didn’t.
© Who made
the first move and what was it?
I would have to say I did. I had a
feeling Sage would be a little out of place when he first arrived on Gray
Island, so I decided to help him adjust. I made it a point to seek him out in
places where I knew he’d be—the town library, the wharf, even the woods around
his cabin. Every time, I found him waiting for me. It was like we were already thinking with one
mind—though now I know why that was the case. It was intense. He was new to the
island, so I knew he’d need someone to talk to—and of course, I did too. In the end, it worked out perfectly. We fit.
© What are
you most looking forward to as a couple?
Because of some stuff I recently
found out—stuff my family kept from me but shouldn’t have—I’m in a position now
where I have to rebuild my whole life and look at my future in a whole new way.
In some ways, that’s amazing and awesome, and in some ways it’s really
terrifying. I’m so glad Sage is there to help me find my way again. I want him
to be part of the new identity I’m about to take on.
© What could
stand in your way?
Frankly, I’m a little afraid Ivar and
my parents can’t let past expectations go. Even though a lot has changed
recently, and some old secrets have finally come out into the open and made
everything different, I can’t help think they’re going to try and prevent me
from being happy with Sage. It’s just a feeling I have. I hope I’m wrong.
*****
Gray Island
J.C. Aster
Evernight Teen/69k
Teen Romance/Paranormal/Shifters
Sage Murdock has always felt different from the other
students at his high school in Boston, and being bullied and ostracized has
become a way of life he accepts…but at the same time, he worries that the
whispers are true and that he is, in fact, mentally abnormal.
After a bullying incident at school
provokes Sage to violence, his mother and stepfather tell him he is being sent
to live with his biological father on Gray Island, a small weather-beaten
island off the coast of Maine. There, Sage encounters many strange people who
all seem to be hiding something.
A single bright spot is Cadi, a
free-spirited girl about his own age. Unfortunately, Cadi is a member of a
strange cult-like group that lives on the opposite side of Gray Island. Before
long, Sage learns that his relationship with Cadi must end or the consequences
will be catastrophic.
Buy Links: Evernight Teen Amazon All
Romance eBooks
Excerpt:
“I was out
walking,” she answered, to his relief. She shook her head, sending a cascade of
glistening raindrops from her honey-brown hair. The droplets seemed to descend
in slow motion, twinkling like stardust.
“In the
rain?”
“It isn’t
raining anymore. Besides, I don’t mind. Rain is part of nature. We’re part of
nature. It all fits, right?”
“I guess. I
prefer to stay dry.”
“Oh? I can’t
help but notice you’re out here, same as I am.”
“I…uh, yeah.
I couldn’t sleep. And then I spotted you from my window.” He paused, fumbling
for his next few words. “I…um…I saw Ivar tonight.”
Her rosy
lips thinned. “I heard. I’m sorry he tormented you.”
Sage
shrugged self-consciously. “It’s a public place. I guess he had a right to be
there, same as I did.”
“Stuff like
that happens because we have only one restaurant on the island. I know he goes
there with his friends once in a while.”
“Do you ever
go with him?” Sage asked hopefully.
“No. My
parents won’t let me go anywhere that serves alcohol… besides, that place is a
little noisy for my tastes.”
“I know what
you mean.”
They fell
into step together as they trudged through the sodden forest. The water
dripping on her skin didn’t seem to bother her at all, nor did the chilly air.
She was used to it, Sage supposed. Maybe he’d get used to it one day, too. But,
no—he had no idea of staying that long.
Cadi did
make it tempting to stick around a while, though.
“What’s the
deal with you and Ivar, anyway?” he finally asked, unable to keep a note of
strain from his voice. “You said once he wasn’t your boyfriend. But is he…I
mean, are you and he…?”
She didn’t
wait for him to finish. “I don’t like labels, personally. Do you?”
“I don’t
know. It’s kind of hard to tell what’s inside the can without one.”
She laughed,
a genuine and easy sort of laugh that banished the cold from his body. He
smiled too. They walked on, side by side, not touching but enjoying the moment.
At least, he was. And she seemed happy enough to stay beside him.
“I’m glad
you have a sense of humor,” Cadi said. “Not many people around here do.”
“The weather
makes them that way, maybe. No sun. I’ve been feeling kind of strange myself.”
“Not because
of the weather. Haven’t you figured that out yet?” She stopped and looked at
him intently.
“No. What do
you mean? Figured what out?”
“Sage…you
don’t know your father very well, do you? Or much about his life here?”
“Nah. Why
would I? My parents split up and he took off when I was less than a year old. I
haven’t had much contact with him since. Then, all of a sudden, my mother got
this bright idea to send me out here to live with him.”
“She didn’t
tell you why?” Cadi seemed genuinely concerned.
“Not in so
many words. I figure she couldn’t handle me anymore. You know, hormones, bad
temper, the usual teenage stuff.”
“No, Sage.
It wasn’t the normal teenaged stuff. Trust me.”
“What do you
mean?” He scowled and started walking again. “Are you trying to tell me my
father is a serial killer or something?”
“No! No,
Jeremy’s all right. I admit, my parents aren’t crazy about him, but they live
on the other side of the island, so that’s to be expected.”
Sage
scowled. “Don’t you come over to this side for school?”
“No. We have
private lessons in the compound. Ivar’s father, Laurent—he’s sort of like our
governor—appoints teachers for us. Sometimes he lectures to us, too. We can
study at our own pace. I kind of like it that way. I don’t think I’d do well in
your kind of school.”
“You’re
kidding. That sounds like something from another century!”
“No, it’s
modern enough. We have electricity and everything.” Her sardonic laugh ended in
a sigh. “There’s a lot about this place you don’t understand, Sage.”
“I’ll be the
first to admit that.”
She took his
hand. He squeezed back. “You’ll find out a lot, soon enough. Too soon, and I
hate thinking about it. I want to remember you like this: just a normal guy
from Boston, taking an innocent walk with me through the forest. I wish it
could stay like that.”
“What are
you talking about? What do you mean? I’m lost.” He looked around at the dark
trees that hemmed them in on all sides. Nothing looked familiar. “In more ways
than one.”
“Don’t
worry. You won’t be for long. Don’t try to answer these questions too soon. Let
some things be a mystery. Once you look for answers, everything gets
complicated.”
“I guess so.
But I’d still like to know the truth.”
“And I like
mystery. Maybe we’re not so compatible after all.”
“Don’t say
that.”
“Then let
some things stay unsaid. Don’t ask me things. Let’s just spend time together
and enjoy it.”
“Okay. If
that’s what you want.”
“I do, and I
want things between us to be special. Like magic.” She grasped his hand,
pulling him to a stop. Then she leaned up and kissed him on the mouth.
Startled, Sage responded awkwardly at first. Despite what he’d seen in movies
and TV shows, he wasn’t quite sure which way to tilt his lips, and at one point
his front teeth knocked against hers. When she didn’t move away, though, he
decided to let instinct guide him. That worked out better, as their mouths
began to slide together in a balanced and highly enjoyable rhythm.
Magic was an understatement.
About the Author:
J.C. Aster
is a teacher and freelance writer who is a huge fan of young adult fiction,
especially stories with a paranormal twist (they sure didn’t have cool books
like that when she was a kid or she might have had a more exciting
childhood!). GRAY ISLAND started as a National Novel Writing Month
(Nanowrimo) project and quickly took on a life of its own. She is
currently at work on new projects and hopes to visit the magical shores of Gray
Island again soon.
Giveaway: $10 Evernight Teen Gift Card
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