Fun Friday...and the winner!

In Shade, Aura's boyfriend Logan is the frontman in the band The Keeley Brothers so I thought it would only be fitting to end off the week with some music!

Additional music links to share:

iTunes iMix (WARNING: clicking on link opens iTunes on your computer)

SHADE music page on Jeri's website, which includes a bonus playlist (Logan's St. Patrick's day mix!)

If you are curious, here's the playlist:

Our Interview with Jeri Smith-Ready & Your Chance To Ask Questions Too!

For those that don't know yet (gasp!), can you tell us what Shade is about?

Okay, here’s my amateur short version (not the extended magical marketing remix):
16-year-old Aura can see ghosts. Then again, so can everyone around the world who was born after her. In fact, they have a word for the moment of her birth: the Shift. Aura suspects that the Shift might be connected to her missing mystery dad and an event that happened at Newgrange tomb in Ireland a year before her birth.

Ghosts can be annoying at their best. At their worst, as dark, powerful "shades," they can be deadly. So Aura's major goal in life is to undo the Shift and make the ghosts go away.

And then, her boyfriend dies and becomes a ghost.

You have written many amazing adult fiction books with Shade being your first foray into YA. Was Shade started as YA or did it evolve that way?

Learning More About Logan

When I had the chance to interview Aura, wouldn't you know it Logan was there too...I just couldn't see or hear him! Aura acted as a mediator for me, I had so many questions for him (but as you can see we had to cut it short). In case you haven't read Shade yet, there are two guys in Aura's life: Logan & Zachary. I must admit I was leaning more towards team Zachary when reading the book, but Logan just may have have won me over, I'm not so sure anymore!


If you could go back in time and change one thing (besides your death) what would it be?

I wish I’d played that song for Aura, the one I wrote for her. I thought there’d be another chance. I thought there’d be lots more chances for lots more things.

God, sorry, that sounds pathetic. I’m not really like that. Mostly I don’t bother with regrets. Life’s too short, y’know? Especially mine. Jeez, I’m getting worse, aren’t I? Next question?

Now that you are a spirit, what do you miss most?

A Chat with Aura from SHADE

Aura is the main character in Shade. Her life right now has gotten a bit weird, even for her! Not only does she lose her boyfriend to an accidental overdose & continue seeing him, she meets Zachary who has his own secrets & possibly answers about the Shift that she is eager to uncover. I had the opportunity to ask Aura a few questions, so sit back, grab your coffe & enjoy!

How long have you know you were 'special'?

It’s funny, when I was really young I didn’t know I was special. My whole life, the world has had two kinds of people: the living—who are solid and come in all colors—and ghosts, who glow in violet and are completely untouchable. In nursery school, most of my friends could see ghosts, too. I thought it was something kids could do and grownups couldn’t, like ride a tricycle or do a somersault without hurting themselves.

It wasn’t until I started playing with some of the older kids in the neighborhood (like Logan, who’s two months older) that I realized it wasn’t just grownups who couldn’t see ghosts. I think I was in kindergarten when I found out that my birthday was the same day as the Shift. Eventually I found out that it happened the minute I was born. Which was pretty freaky.

Do you believe in fate?

No. That’s depressing.

Do you appreciate being born post-Shift since it means you are able to spend more time with Logan?

It's SHADE Week!

I am very honored to run a week of Shade by Jeri Smith-ready! This is an amazing paranormal story that really stuck with me long after reading it.

About the book (from Jeri's blog):

Love ties them together.
Death can't tear them apart.

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Look for the sequel, SHIFT, coming May 2011!

Book Trailer:


About the author:
Award-winning author Jeri Smith-Ready lives in Maryland with her husband, two cats, and the world’s goofiest greyhound.

Jeri's plans to save the earth were ruined when she realized she was more of a “problem maker” than a problem solver. To stay out of trouble, she keeps her Drama Drive strictly fictional. Her friends and family appreciate that.

When not writing, Jeri she can usually be found—well, thinking about writing, or on Twitter. Like her characters, she loves music, movies, and staying up very, very late.


...and thanks to Jeri, you have a chance to win a copy of Shade, please fill out the form below!




Cross-posted at: He Followed Me Home...Can I keep him? on 10 May 2010.