Monday, January 20, 2014

Releases: DEFY and TIMEBOUND, Self-Oxygenating Scuba-Diving Masks Coming Soon?, and Updates!


Before we get started on this week's action, I'd like to point out that this is the Laire's 600th post! *and there was much rejoicing* Now, then. A couple new books have caught my eye that's screaming to be shared. First is Sara B. Larson's debut YA fantasy adventure, Defy!

http://www.amazon.com/Defy-Sara-B-Larson/dp/0545597587/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390190297&sr=8-1&keywords=Defy
*Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?


Up Next is Rysa Walker's time-traveling (I love me some time travel) thriller and grand prize and young adult winner of the amazingly awesome Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, Timebound!

http://www.amazon.com/Timebound-Chronos-Files-Rysa-Walker/dp/1477848150/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390192011&sr=8-1&keywords=timebound*When Kate Pierce-Keller’s grandmother gives her a strange blue medallion and speaks of time travel, sixteen-year-old Kate assumes the old woman is delusional. But it all becomes horrifyingly real when a murder in the past destroys the foundation of Kate’s present-day life. Suddenly, that medallion is the only thing protecting Kate from blinking out of existence.

Kate learns that the 1893 killing is part of something much more sinister, and Kate’s genetic ability to time-travel makes her the only one who can stop him. Risking everything, she travels to the Chicago World’s Fair to try to prevent the killing and the chain of events that follows.

Changing the timeline comes with a personal cost, however—if Kate succeeds, the boy she loves will have no memory of her existence. And regardless of her motives, does she have the right to manipulate the fate of the entire world?

(*Blurbs from Goodreads) 

Congradulations, Sara and Rysa! I look forward to reading these.

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At a young age, I always thought it would be cool to breathe under water. This might become a reality soon! According to this article, a device has been developed that works like a mechanical gill - a mask that allows divers to breathe under water for long periods of time by drawing oxygen from the very water around them! If this is true, I'd stay under the water forever. Wouldn't you? What do you think?

*     *     *

Updates: edits are coming along, but I had to slow down because of some life business (long story, you don't want to know - trust me). However, I did find out that I'll be on a few panels - for the first time ever - at the Life, the Universe, and Everything Symposium this year. That's less than a month away! This is cool and unexpected. I look forward to being part of this incredible symposium. See you there!

"Back to work" time. Have a stellar week, my friends!

Who's planning on LTUE this year? Who's excited to pick up Defy and Timebound? How would you like to breathe under the water?

I'm David, and be careful when you're "transcending" people ...

23 comments:

  1. Congratulations on being on those panels.
    Underwater gills? Don't think I'd want to be a test subject.
    Congratulations to Sara and Rysa!

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  2. Thanks for the shout out DPK!! And congrats on the panels!

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  3. When I swim, I spend most of my time underwater, so I would love that.

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  4. Congratulations on the 600th post and good luck on that Symposium. You'll tell us all about it, yes?
    Congratulations also to Sara and Rysa.

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  5. Woohoo! :) Congrats on 600 posts and becoming a panelist, DPK!

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  6. I have the e-galley for Defy, definitely a top book to read. Also the novel Between Us by Sarah Brooks is on netgalley too. Such a touching story and it isn't very long either. Breathing underwater is something I'd love to be able to do too.

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  7. 600 posts! Yeah-hooooo!
    I'm definitely going to read Sara and Rysa's books. They look awesome.

    And congrats for getting on a panel.

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  8. I would so stay under water. I hope they price them for the average person and not just a toy for the rich.
    Good luck with the edits and I love being on panels.

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  9. Congrats to Sara and Rysa! And to you, David, for those panels. Awesome news all around!

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  10. These books look great, thanks for sharing. And congratulations for the panels, enjoy!

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  11. Breathing under water sounds like a lot of fun :) I'd like to just walk out from the beach and go deeper and deeper and just keep going... until I saw sharks, then I'd freak out and slow-motion run back to the beach.

    The new books sound awesome! And I hope life lets you get back to editing soon.

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  12. When I was a kid I'd love it, but in my old age I think I've decided I kind of like land.

    And I noticed that Timebound won... so that's pretty amazing.

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  13. I don't think I would stay under the water forever. There's sharks down there and they'd eat me.

    The cover for "Timebound" is really awesome. I approve of your love of "Arrow" by the way. My favorite series right now.

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  14. First I've read of these two books, but both sound like something that need to be added to my TBR list.

    Underwater forever? Nope. Besides all of the skin puckering that I would hate, I think it would become claustrophobic.

    Does Johnny Depp make a bad movie? Redundant question...

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  15. Congratulations, Sara and Rysa, and you on your 600th post!

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  16. I have a copy of Timebound waiting for me on my kindle. And Defy looks amazing. I'm not so sure about breathing underwater. Maybe someplace warm with lots of cool fish would be cool though. Until I turned pruney :)

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  17. Lots of good stuff abounds! Frick, DPK now I'm worried about your life stuff! Hope all is well. That's awesome about LTUE, you are a rock star!

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  18. Timebound looks really good! I love time travel books. It is hard to find well written ones though, so I am going to keep and eye out for this one.

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  19. Your 600th post already? Wow! Also, very cool how you'll be a part of a few LTUE panels. Good luck with them!

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  20. A waterbreathing device would be amazing!. It would be fun to use and swim for as long as you wanted, but once I got pruney I would want to hope out and lay down in the sun. Now, find a device that can help me to fly and I would be one happy cat!

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  21. wonderful books coming out and gosh dang...please buy me the mask, David!! yes? no?

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  22. Nice. The cover is so powerful it really sets up the rest of the book.

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  23. The self-breathing mask is wigging me out. I'm so glad they finally got something like that going!

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