glittery undersea cupcakes and a winner

To celebrate the release of the second book in her Théâtre Illuminata series, author Lisa Mantchev is instigating (I mean, hosting) a cupcakeathon. I will be posting my review of Perchance to Dream and results of any baking on Tuesday, which is publication day. BUT. In the meantime I have the results for my giveaway of a paperback copy of Eyes Like Stars, an ARC of Perchance to Dream, and some fairy-glittery-cupcakey goodness.

The extra-lovely paper goods (read: set of 6 beautiful cards) were crafted by my sister, Ginny. She has more photos on her blog. I just gave her some parameters about what I wanted (blue/green/lovely/fairy/glittery/undersea), and she came up with these gorgeous specimens. I think they fit Perchance to Dream to a T.

And now what you’ve all been waiting for: the winner! Help me congratulate...

Bianca of Wicked Good Books

Who answered the question “What is your favorite play or dramatic work?” with:

“Since I'm always always going to plays and musicals it’s really hard for me to choose an all-time favorite, so I'll pick my favorite that I've seen THIS year.

John Lennon & Me was an amazing show I saw at a high school back in February. Dealt with a girl living with cystic fibrosis. Made me cry.”

Many thanks to all who entered! Your comments about plays and operas and films were inspiring and wonderful. In other words? You rock. Keep it up.

perchance to dream (giveaway!)

If you’ve been around for a while, you may remember how much I loved Lisa Mantchev’s Eyes Like Stars. Now the second book in her Théâtre Illuminata series, Perchance to Dream, is set to release on May 25, 2010.

Act Two, Scene One

Growing up in the enchanted Thèâtre Illuminata, Beatrice Shakespeare Smith learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts, but she didn’t know that she, too, had magic. Now, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales, and determined to follow her stars. She is ready for the outside world.

Enter BERTIE AND COMPANY

But the outside world soon proves more topsy-turvy than any stage production. Bertie can make things happen by writing them, but outside the protective walls of the Thèâtre, nothing goes as planned. And her magic cannot help her make a decision between—

Nate: Her suave and swashbuckling pirate, now in mortal peril.

Ariel: A brooding, yet seductive, air spirit whose true motives remain unclear.

When Nate is kidnapped and taken prisoner by the Sea Goddess, only Bertie can free him. She and her fairy sidekicks embark on a journey aboard the Thèâtre’s caravan, using Bertie’s word magic to guide them. Bertie’s dreams are haunted by Nate, whose love for Bertie is keeping him alive, but in the daytime, it’s Ariel who is tantalizingly close, and the one she is falling for. Who does Bertie love the most? And will her magic be powerful enough to save her once she enters the Sea Goddess’s lair?

It sounds like quite an adventure, yes? I have an Advance Reader’s Copy of Perchance to Dream (I’ll be posting my review soon!). I also have a paperback copy of Eyes Like Stars that I *could* part with. I think this sounds like a…CONTEST! Winner will get the ARC of Perchance to Dream AND the paperback of Eyes Like Stars if they don’t have it already. And I may include some random fairy-sparkly goodness. Just because.

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To enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling me the name of your favorite play or other dramatic work.

Please include your email address or another method of contact. Giveaway is open internationally. Comments will close on May 20 at 11:59pm EST, and I will notify the randomly selected winner via email.

Good luck!

can you see the stars in my eyes?

One of the most engaging and fun novels I’ve read this year was Lisa Matchev’s Eyes Like Stars. It’s made quite a splash in the blogging community, and I can honestly say I wish this novel all the best. Because it’s hilarious without verging on camp, it’s outright fun without a lack of depth, and it has a rollicking plot that keeps (or will keep) all of its readers glued to the page.

The star of the show is Bertie, heroine and mischief-maker extraordinaire. But if she were going to be upstaged, it would be by her motley entourage of sprites or the elusive, dangerous Ariel. Even Shakespeare’s character Ophelia shows surprising emotional depth in this tale.

And that’s what this frolic is at its heart: a tale, a play on words, a play on plays, a grand playground of the imagination. Of course there are a few miniscule flaws – after all, the author is human (or is she?) – but the overall performance is strong, and Mantchev delivers creative, wondrous prose. At the risk of sounding like Mantchev’s publicist, this woman completely ROCKS, and her story does too. Only moreso. Thus, if you haven’t already, you should get yourself in on the dramatic adventure (pun intended) that is Eyes Like Stars.

Enter Stage Right

All her world's a stage.

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.

She is not an orphan, but she has no parents.

She knows every part, but has no lines of her own.

Until now.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the characters of every place ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.

Open Curtain

Recommended for: EVERYONE, but especially anyone with an inexplicable attraction to bright colors. Also, fairy and theater fans, and those who can appreciate well-written coming-of-age fiction.

teaser tuesday (16)

It's Teaser Tuesday, a bookish blog meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here's how it works:

Grab your current read and let it fall open to a random page. Post two (or more) sentences from that page, along with the title and author. Don’t give anything vital away!

“And then they ran for it, down a hallway that seemed far less gloomy and foreboding than it had only a short time ago. The fairies laughed and swooped, shoved at each other and dive-bombed Nate’s head.”

-p. 90 of Lisa Mantchev’s Eyes Like Stars