Fun Friday: A Supernatural This or That with Liz Long!

This week is another Fun Friday post brought to you by the amazingness that is the Society of YA Storytellers!

This week is "host a storyteller" which is most awesome because it means I got to hang with the talented and gorgeous Liz Long! Liz is cool because, among other things, she writes about a supernatural circus. 

And since we both adore the paranormal, for our topic, we decided to do a "Supernatural This or That!"

Check out Liz's answers below AND if you want to know MY answers, you'll have to read her blog here.

1. The one you choose lives. The one you don't is stuck with Elana forever: Stefan or Damon? Oh I definitely choose Damon!! 

2. You have to pick one meal for the rest of your life: Blood-sucking or face-eating? Blood-sucking. Eyeballs are probably full of empty calories. 

3. Flying or mind-reading? Flying - no one needs to hear the awful things people can think! 

4. Do you want to attack Mordor (Lord of the Rings) or take on an entire army of Death Eaters? Death Eaters, mostly because that means I'm not being chased by Orcs. 

5. You're in Wonderland and you have to choose: would you eat the cake or drink the juice? Cake, of course! 

6. Let's say you're thrown into the Hunger Games - what weapon do you go for, bow and arrow or big sword? Big sword, cause I'd probably run out of arrows before I hit a real target.

7. The Winchester brothers take you on a hunt and decide to split up - go with Dean or Sam? Dean. Always, for anything at all, Dean. (The question doesn't really matter. Dean.) 

8. Out of all the Deathly Hallows, which one would you keep: Cloak, Wand, or Stone? Cloak of Invisibility

9. The power to wield and control fire or ability to transport anywhere at your will? Transporter - Firestarters are cool and all, but I like my house in once piece. Also, think of the money you'd say not needing to buy plane tickets!

10. Witchy powers or ability to help ghosts move on to their next life?  Witchy powers for sure!

And if you want to check out Liz's circus book. Gifted, you can get it here on Amazon for just .99!

Still want more about Liz? Okay, okay. Here it is. 

My name is Liz Long and I’m a writer, photographer, dreamer, and Twitter stalker (you can also put “nerdy” in front of all those things). Whether you’re looking for a new fantasy read, need marketing and social media tips, or want some writing advice from an indie author, I promise to provide in the best way possible.

I am lucky enough to have my dream job as the Social Media & PR Strategist at LeisureMedia360, where I run the social sites (blogs, website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) for our publications: The Roanoker, Blue Ridge Country, and bridebook. I also write articles for print issues, though my focus is online content. You can a more in-depth profile at my portfolio on the Career Writing page.

I also lead social media workshops such as the 2014 Roanoke Writers Conference and Roanoke Wedding Network sessions. I was an editor and writer at Bella Magazine, as well as a marketing associate at a small book publishing firm in Nashville, TN. I’ve also worked in radio as a DJ and promotions assistant.

Questions or comments? I’d love to hear from you! Email me at lizclong[at]gmail[dot]com!

A teaser for Valentine's Day!

Me and some of the other awesome authors over at The YA Storytellers do a really cool thing called Fun Fridays where we post about the same theme every couple of weeks. This week, the theme is Romantic Teasers, for Valentine's Day.

And what better way to TEASE than with my upcoming sequel to Imitation?????
I, for one, would really enjoy Linc Crawford--for Valentine's Day or any other day!! And the cover for this one will be revealed on MONDAY!!! wooohoooo!

Here's a romantic peek at book 2:

The darkness is so complete it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I raise my hand in front of my face but the blackness remains undisturbed. I blink. Still nothing.
“Ven?” Linc’s voice is low and gravelly. It echoes around us.
“I’m here,” I say, whispering so the sound of my own voice doesn’t startle me.
Sometimes, all I have is a flashlight and a stick. Morton gave me the stick after that first time I came through alone. Linc had been on assignment and I’d come alone.  I was a shaking mess by the time I’d reached the entrance. It’d taken me two hours to muster the courage to leave. Titus had sent security to look for me. I’d almost blown it despite Linc’s assurances that he’d remotely masked my GPS reading.
Now I have the scrambler. Linc made me promise not to use it unless absolutely necessary. He’s programmed it to redirect instead. “Remember how Williams ran in all crazy-eyed when he thought he lost you? Yeah, scrambling does that. We don’t want to alert the cavalry. Only divert them.”
I agreed and let him do the fancy finger swiping—but only if he promised to show me the workings of the device later.
I use my stick like a cane, lightly tapping the floor and wall as I shuffle forward. I don’t like the darkness here. I don’t like darkness anywhere. It feels too unpredictable. Darkness, like memory, is the sort of thing people disappear into and never surface from again.
After my previous trips navigating this tunnel, I should be accustomed to the pressing blackness. The dampness. The slimy walls and squeaky rodents I imagine scampering around at my feet. But it’s still just as terrifying as the first time Obadiah brought me here. I wish there was a better hiding place for them, but so far, I haven’t found one.
I fumble for Linc’s hand and slip my fingers through his, pulling them tight until we’re hooked securely together. Linc squeezes once, and I am reassured enough to press on. “Ready?” he asks.
“Ready,” I say.
“Let’s go.”
We move slowly, dragging our feet to detect any change in the floor.  My shoes, black ankle boots that lace up the side, scuff louder than Linc’s. I scowl at the sound—and that my wardrobe is not exactly ideal for a covert outing.
Two right turns and a low overhang of metal piping later, Linc stops. There is the slightest bit of shadowed light filtering from the path that veers left before abruptly disappearing. It’s enough to create a silhouette of Linc’s features. He hovers in front of me, his body language protective even in the absence of danger.
“Why are we stopping?” I ask, breathless from anxiety and Linc’s proximity. Now that I can see him, my senses are on alert and I am aware of how close—and how alone—we are down here in the depths of the warehouse district.
In answer, Linc leans forward and cups my cheeks with his hands. His mouth hovers less than a breath away and he whispers, “I just wanted a minute alone with you.” His lips brush the edges of my mouth. “Is that all right?”
I nod and wait, mouth open and eyes closed, for our lips to connect. When they do, it sends a ripple of pleasure through me. A small noise escapes me and Linc deepens the kiss. I am lost in a sea of passion and disbelief that these feelings are mine to experience. Linc’s tongue slips out to trace the inside of my lip and my knees weaken. I wrap my arms around his shoulders for support and lean into him. I could kiss him forever and the miracle of it would still never grow old.
His mouth leaves mine to trail kisses across my cheek. “Linc …” I whisper. His hands drift lower, cupping my hips. His mouth dips to my neck and finds its way to the space just below my ear. I shiver.
“God, I love the way you feel in my arms,” he murmurs.
I offer silent agreement in the form of more kisses.
Linc’s hands wander, slipping underneath the gauzy fabric of my blouse and working their way up my ribs. His fingertips graze the underwire of my bra. I tense.
He backs off, lowering his hands to my waistline while slowly tempering our kisses. Even so, by the time he pulls away, my chest rises and falls heavily.
I reach up and trace his lips with my fingertip. Their shape is curving and I recognize a smile. I can feel his eyes on me, a delicious tingle of awareness that trails over my skin and down my back.
I hope he’ll kiss me again.

*********************

If you want to read more YA romantic teasers, check out these other YA Storytellers:

Liz Long

LM Preston

Christy Sloat

Kasi Blake

Interview with Liz Long, YA Author

Friday Fun: An author to author interview series by the Society of YA Storytellers. Author Liz Long stopped by the blog today for a fun Friday the 13th author interview. You can find me returning the favor here. 
Thanks for stopping by, Liz. I can't wait to check out your books!

What would we find in your refrigerator right now?

Brita pitcher, sweet tea, spaghetti leftovers, maybe butter and cream cheese, and sandwich meat. Hunh. Sounds like I need a grocery store trip.

If you got arrested, what would be your crime?

Honestly? Probably verbally assaulting an idiot.

Werewolf or Vampire? 

Werewolf - they can walk around in the daylight, too. Plus, that whole drinking blood thing sort of gives me the heebs AND the jeebs.

If you took the aptitude test from Divergent, which faction would you be assigned to?

I'd say Amity (the Peaceful). I'm laidback and pretty upbeat, plus I'm definitely more a creative type than anything else. I like to keep the peace and avoid confrontation.

What is your favorite scary movie? 

Scary movies aren't high on my preferred watching list, but I've always remembered Scream really setting that sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat bar.

You write YA and we have to know: Describe yourself as a teenager:

I was pretty quiet and preferred keeping to myself and reading a lot. I had plenty of friends and participated in things like Colorguard/marching band and Yearbook, but I spent far more time sitting alone on my balcony under the stars, writing in journals and obsessing over Harry Potter.

About you, as the writer:

What do you write?

Fantasy! 

What are you working on now?

I'm about to release my third book: Burned, A Donovan Circus Novel, which is the second in the series. Next up is an NA title with a unique twist on Reapers.

Which of your characters is most like you?

I would probably have to say Lucy - while I'm not as fiery as her, I tend to let my snark get ahead of me. I also try to think logically about all my options, and above all value my relationships with family and friends. 

About LIz:

I am lucky enough to have my dream job as the Social Media Editor atLeisureMedia360, where I run the social sites (blogs, website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) for our publications: The Roanoker, Blue Ridge Country, and bridebook. I also write articles for print issues, though my focus is online content. I will be leading social media workshops at the 2014Roanoke Writers Conference and over the next year for work-related interests. I was an editor and writer at Bella Magazine, as well as a marketing associate at a small book publishing firm in Nashville, TN. I’ve also worked for publicity in radio and newspaper. (Now you know I have some experience with the articles I write for you.)

And if that doesn’t do it for you, I was a hipster and did the fan fiction writing and online socializing thing back when the Internet was still a baby. Now I wish someone had taught me code so I could’ve built Facebook (and subsequently a small fortune) first.

Let’s rock this. Got questions or comments? I’d love to hear from you! Email me at lizclong@gmail.com!

Twitter: @LizCLong

website: http://lizclong.com/

Thanks, Liz! Happy Friday the 13th!!!