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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, March 10, 2014

Fun Facts and Giveaway: Fragile Creatures by Kristina Circelli

Published: February 25th, 2014 

Description:

Seventeen-year-old Evangeline Frost had a great life, until the car accident that killed her father and turned her mother into a bitter alcoholic. Unable to bear the guilt, Evangeline attempts to take her own life, saved only by the memory of her beloved father.

Left with no other options, Evangeline is enrolled in a program for troubled teens at Kindred Hides Wildlife Preserve. There she meets Caster, a keeper as annoying as he is caring; Jett and Lettie, who treat her more like a daughter than troubled teen; and Ruke, a prized giraffe in mourning for his lost mate. 

Immersed in the preserve with her new friends, Evangeline finally begins to heal. But the haunting memories of the accident and her mother’s unforgiving words threaten to destroy her progress. Only her new friends and their unconditional support, along with her own special connection with Ruke, can save her.

Evangeline must learn that there is redemption for her father’s death, and that the bonds between human, animal, and life are not as fragile as she once thought.

FUN FACTS

1) Many of the animals in “Fragile Creatures” are inspired by real ones that I have personally worked with. 
2) “Fragile Creatures” features my favorite animal - the giraffe (contrary to popular belief that it’s the cat. 
3) The Neverending Story is my favorite movie. It taught me to dream and to believe in the impossible. 
4) The fastest and most surefire way to get and keep my attention is to open the discussion with mention of an adventure. 
5) I have a slight addiction to Doritos. I could easily go through a bag in one sitting. But, I do still hold a grudge against whoever made the decision to end Blazin Buffalo & Ranch Doritos. 
6) Sometimes I think I’m borderline agoraphobic. I hate leaving the house, but all my book events are forcing me out of my comfort zone, in a good way. I admit though, no matter where I am, I can’t wait to get home and snuggle up on the couch with my comfy couch blankets. 
7) I have worked as a shorebird rehabilitator, vet tech assistant, zoo education exhibit guide/goat keeper, and golf course beer cart girl. 
8) As much as I love to write, I don’t write every day. I think if you try to force creativity, you’re missing the point. 
9) I spent two weeks in Ecuador helping a small village in the Amazon, helping to build a new bathroom for schoolkids and a greenhouse for the entire village. I’d give anything to go back. I was also tear gassed in Quito during the same trip. Purely a misunderstanding! 
10) I am a terrible self-promoter, which is why I hired a PR agent. I am uncomfortable at trying to talk highly of myself. 
11) Of all my novels, “Fragile Creatures” is the book I am most proud of. 
12) In the Keys, I got to hang out with a sea lion named Mimi. She gave me a kiss and it was the best thing ever. 
13) One day, I want to live in a cabin in the woods, or in a beach house on a remote island. 
14) My first novel, The Helping Hands, was published when I was 17. 
15) My Cherokee name, given to me by an Elder, is Usti Kamama, or Little Butterfly. The butterfly is the only creature able to transcend realms. It is said that if you capture a butterfly, whisper to it your greatest desires and let it go. By releasing the butterfly, you are restoring the balance of nature, and so the butterfly will bring your wishes to the spirit realm and to the Creator, who alone can understand the thoughts of butterflies. 
16) Along those lines, the goose is my spirit guide. The goose is the keeper of childhood imagination, the origins of writing and storytelling. 
17) “Fragile Creatures” is my first YA novel, one that I purposely wrote without the usual love triangle, even if people do keep trying to read one in … 
18) My childhood dream was to marry Raphael, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Or, be a vampire. OR, a Jack Sparrow-type pirate. 
19) I once painted a tabletop mural for a local restaurant. They have since remodeled and removed all the painted tables, sadly, but for a while my work was on display. 
20) My very first short story, “The Mystery House,” was inspired by my great-great Uncle Louis’ house in Columbus, Maine. 

About the author:
Night owl, Dorito lover, and quiet eccentric - Kristina Circelli is the author of several fiction novels, including The Helping Hands series, The Whisper Legacy, The Never, and The Sour Orange Derby.

Her latest series, The Whisper Legacy, features Beyond the Western Sun. This book is what all fantasy adventures must strive to be: a complex, intricate examination of human emotion set within the context of worlds known only in our imagination. Melding fantasy and legend in an epic quest, this series signals the arrival of Kristina Circelli as a master storyteller and an important voice in Native American literature.

A descendent of the Cherokee nation and niece of a Cherokee elder, Circelli holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, where she teaches creative writing. She also heads Red Road Editing, a full-service editing company for independent authors and commercial clients.

She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband, Seth, and cats, Lord Finnegin the Fierce and Mr. Malachi the Mighty.


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