SILVER PHOENIX by Cindy PonOrder from Amazon.
Visit Cindy's website.
No one wanted Ai Ling. And deep down she is relieved-despite the dishonor she has brought upon her family-to be unbetrothed, free, and not some stranger's subservient bride banished to the inner quarters. But now, something is after her. Something terrifying-a force she cannot comprehend. And as the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together, Ai Ling begins to understand that her journey to the Palace of Fragrant Dreams in search of her beloved father-missing these many months-is so much more than that. Bravery, intelligence, the will to fight and fight hard . . . she will need all of these things. Just as she will need the new and mysterious power growing within her. She will also need help. It is Chen Yong who finds her partly submerged and barely breathing at the edge of a deep lake. There is something of unspeakable evil trying to drag her under. On a quest of his own Chen Yong offers that help…and perhaps more.
Excerpt of Silver Phoenix:
Her spirit surged. She concentrated on the immense cadaverous heart, focused her grief and ire. What she could heal, she could also destroy. Her spirit whirled around it in a frenzy. The heart erupted and splattered. The beast howled once before it fell to its knees. It toppled, nearly pinning Chen Yong beneath its rotten bulk. She snapped back into her own body, woozy, her head bent over the cold floor, her trembling hands barely able to hold herself up. Strong arms pulled Ai Ling to her feet. "Are you all right?" Chen Yong asked. He took her dagger, still clutched in one hand, and sheathed it for her.
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Ready to throw it down for a free copy of SILVER PHOENIX?? Answer the following question, and Cindy will pick a winner at the end of the day. Also feel free to just hang out and chat!
An unspeakable creature is dragging you to the bottom of a lake. You have the following weapons: one mitten, a travel size tube of tooth paste, and a Jonas Brothers CD. (Oh, and a new power growing inside you.) How did you get away?
89 comments:
Welcome Cindy! Welcome Silver Phoenix! (I guess one cool thing about roasting a phoenix is that after you're finished it just gets reborn.)
Let's get this party started! (Cue Pink.)
*stumbles in bleary eyed*
i'm here i'm here!
i'm in my pajamas but i'm here. =D
My answer: Make the unspeakable lake monster listen to the Jonas Brothers CD. That should scare off anything with pulse.
Wahhay!!! Pajama party!!!
I squirt the toothpaste into my mouth, use the new power to sing a bad rendition of a Jonas Brothers song. The bubbles and the suds ooze from my mouth, causing the monster to break into hives, while my song pierces its eardrums. While the creature is screaming and scratching, I finish it off with the mitten and break for the surface.
Now, If I'd only had brussle sprouts in my pocket, this never would have happened.
Just wanted to drop in and give Cindy her props. I'm a fortysomething guy, and therefore probably not representative of the audience the publisher had in mind for Silver Phoenix, but I started reading it this weekend and I'm totally hooked.
Whatever else it may be, it's just a great fantasy adventure with a really compelling and exotic world and tremendously engaging characters.
Hmm...new power growing inside me or not, I'd be so shocked to find the Jonas Brothers CD in my bag the monster would likely eat me.
haha! love it, you guys are loopy!
*falls asleep*
greg! /bootay shake!
i have NOT ever heard the JONAS BROS and if i had, i didn't think much of it.
What? You're cooking up a phoenix? Bet that's illegal! And what does a phoenix taste like? If you cook it, doesn't it just go up in flames anyway?
Jason - is it too early for a beer?
Cindy - wake up!
You know I don't have a new power growing in me. It is an old ancient power. One I have had for a very long time. But it is getting better with age. I call it the burpinator. Monsters fear me, especially after eating anything with onions, garlic or pickles.
Oh hey Cindy, why don't you give Ai Ling my burping power? I'm happy to share it with you.
ello, okay. the burpinator sounds pretty fierce, but not as lethal as the special skill of one of your "sweet" peas, if i recall? ha!!
Silver Phoenix...isn't that one of the traditional 25th Anniversary gifts??? (Also roasted phoenix is great with BBQ sauce, but not so great when it returns to life in your intestines. Have I said too much?)
Oh and I was going to say: that Cindy is soooo pushy. She practically forced me to buy her book and then she somehow got me to coerce other people to buy it, too. It's like she wants to...oh, I dunno, make a living off writing books or something.
I'm sure the monster would devour me within seconds. My survival skills are lacking.
Beers? Absolutely! Anyone for gin!
Oh, and I've never been to a pajama party.... How cool!
bryn, out my dirty secrets already!
and yes, has everyone bought my book? yes? has your mom? haha! =p
jason--what kind of pajamas are you wearing? my have fruit on them. i wish i were kidding.
i know. that's hot.
I would be careful how you roast Cindy. I hear she can flip tractor tires!
I would survive by using the new power in me to telepathically connect with all the Jonas Brothers' fans, lettin them know they can have the CD if they jump in the pond. As millions jump in, the water is all splashed out and the monster flops around unable to do anything. I fling the CD in the air and escape before the crowd realizes there is only one CD.
Love the book!
dee, haha!
i want pot stickers.
i'd like everyone to tell me what kind of pajamas they are or would be wearing! thanks! it's my i'm up too early PJ party! =D
Well, first of all I'd put the mitten in my pocket, because you can never have enough good mittens.
Next, I'd squirt some of the toothpaste on the Jonas Brother's CD and brush my teeth with it, because my Mother always told me I should brush my teeth in case I was in an accident. Don't want all those ambulance workers to think I have poor hygiene.
Finally, I'd pitch the toothpaste encrusted CD into the beast's mouth and hold my breath. Because even though I was doomed, it doesn't mean I can't rid the world of one Jonas Brother's CD in the process. Every little bit counts, after all.
Who knows, it might work. My only hope would be my new found power was the ability to breathe under water ala Aquaman
"An unspeakable creature is dragging you to the bottom of a lake. You have the following weapons: one mitten, a travel size tube of tooth paste, and a Jonas Brothers CD. "
Hmmmmm.... make a pact with the creature: brush it's teeth using the mitten, give it the cd for a late-night snack and promise to stay away from his lake and he'll let me go! :D Either that or theaten him with death by CD-lacerations. unless the unsaid creature happens to be a hunk and I can somehow breathe in his underwater santum. then all bets are off!
~Jy'lenn
*simmers in the cauldron*
*tries to see what everyone's pajamas look like*
My pajamas are Battlestar Galactica. Circa 1982 (or whatever). Man, these things have gotten tight.
I tried the footsie pajamas, but I can't do the impossible.
pjs? most likely boxers and a t-shirt. nothing fancy for me, although I do wear some Sponge Bob pj bottoms in the winter.
You know, those weapons are nice, but I think I'd stick to just punching the monster. Simple, yet effective!
hehe! i love it!
jason--my hub would LOVE teh footsie pjs. i've seen them sold at the back of enquirer or some such.
yes, i just admitted i read the enquirer.
and dang, jen is badd ass!
i have zebra-striped fleece pj's, but I usually wear extra-large t-shirts or gowns.... long, wispy gowns. :D
You can't roast a phoenix, unless you want to spend eternity roasting it over and over and over. It keeps coming up from the ashes and you gotta start all over. Besides, I hear it tastes like humans.
Now Cindy on the other hand, she's too sweet to roast. She'd carmelize
and get all sticky. Besides, she promised me I could work on the film version of her book. I get to coach Ken Watanabe, right, Cindy?*wink-wink*. Don't roast me, I'm too bitter.
Consider yourself lucky to have never heard of the Jonas Bros.
PJ's--A Blackmore's Night sweatshirt and a southwestern print flanal bottom.
XOXOX
The creature--is powerful, but tiny. I empty the tube of toothpaste into the mitten and pull it over its head. Then I slice its throat with the CD, cause who needs it.
ella, haha! i'd love to carmelize! and yes, we shall work on the film together! probably locked outside of the actual studio, but it will happen! =D
I'm wearing red plaid boxers and my "I heart Ridgeback Rescue" shirt as jammies.
And I agree with Sue--my thought was to sing Jonas Brothers songs to the monster. Then, while he was retching in horror, I'd squirt the toothpaste in his eyes, stuff the mitten up his nose (providing he has one, of course), and get the heck outta there. Well, after I did the requisite bootay shake, of course. :)
Oh Cindy - The Angus Annihilator 7000 series is the most deadly powered weapon in the known world. Unfortunately, it will kill all life within a 10 mile radius - therefore I suggest the Ello Burpinator 400 series instead - it only kills what you aim it at.
pjs? whats pjs? I sleep in a tshirt and boxers. No fancy shmancy pjs for me!
Cindy, you mentioned pot stickers! No! Now I want some too.
Just like in Silver Phoenix, when Al Ling got her plate of dumplings, I wanted some right then.
Must go out and find pot stickers...
Jason - I like gin with cranberry juice. I'll go get it.
And where's Aine? We need her here!
What a great excerpt. And such fun answers to the question.
I've been seeing this book, oh, everywhere I go in blogland. Next, I need to get to a bookstore and buy it!
Black watch PJ's.
You could carmelize onto me and then we'd taste "just right". A little sour and a little sweet, right?
We'll figure out a way inside that studio, you're a shoe in, and I'll play your assistant, or your trainer! Nah. That won't work, I'll have to start working out...
Seriously, I'm so thrilled for you!
If I were wearing pajamas, I'd have on a pair of flannel pants with mitten graphics, plus my Tennessee Vols sweatshirt, with a hairless cat riding around inside it like a hammock. That's just how I roll.
jason, i'd like a thai iced tea boba, thanks!
sarah, what are black watch pjs?
ella, /bootay shake!! we can do it!
bryn--totally random but awesome. ha!
Cin, I'm an hour ahead of you and I'm still bleary-eyed. And in my PJs, which are HUE1) Yes, you would definitely caramelize, sweetness; 2) I think Greg has an online crush on you and now he must die; 3) Kidding, Greg - any friend of Cindy's is okay in my book; 4) is anyone else surprised that Ello sleeps in actual clothes and not just in the nude?; 5) kidding, Ell - we know it's ChrisE. who sleeps in the nude; 6) LOL @ Michelle M's "brussels sprouts are to lake monsters as garlic is to vampires"; 7) the idea of Jason in footies makes me feel nauseated or like swooning, I can't tell which; 8)Bryn is def. cute and....
I'm out of numbers. Okay, other people comment so I can continue my list.
Blackwatch Plaid PJs
wow! those look comfy, sarah! aerin, you crack me up!
i have A LOT to do today before my sf trip and signing on friday--including mailing aerin a copy of her hard won book. so don't overcook me while i'm done.
i'm best served tender!
Silver Phoenix being roasted? Oh, the tragedy!
Okay, I would put the mitten on my hand, squirt the toothpaste into the palm and proceed to rub it violently into the creatures eyes. When he is stunned, I put the Jonas Brothers CD in his mouth, locking his jaw. He lets go and I use my super power, which is speed, to get away, swim to the top, jump out and run like heck!
shelcows AT gmail DOT com
awesome shels! and kinda pajamas are you wearing?
i'm tempted to YOUTUBE jonas brothers for songs.
anyone have a favorite? hee!
Okay, the mitten happens to be mesh steel, like those chain mail outfits the knights wore, so pretty impervious to biting, even by unspeakable creatures. That goes on one hand, as I writhe in its grasp, dragged deeper, deeper. My lungs burn with the need to hold my breath, when suddenly pure, sweet oxygen flood my lungs and I discover I have all I need to breathe underwater, a special power I was never aware of before. I could feel it growing inside me.
With renewed vigor, I slash the monster's eyes with the sharp edge of the CD, effectively blinding it, jam my gloved fist into its month, past its deadly, spiked teeth and rip out its tongue. The monster screams in pain and sinks to the bottom of the lake, blood rising in smoky spirals and spreading throughout the water, filling my mouth with a noxious metallic taste.
I kick for the surface, gulping in fresh, untainted air as I bob on the chilly waters. Reaching into my pocket for the tiny tub of toothpaste I smear it on my teeth and tongue to rid myself of the sickening residue of the monster's blood.
deborah, wow. cowrite my sequel with m, kthx?
=D
Hi Cindy!
The pics of 'Silver Phoenix' on the stores are beautiful. Congratulations once again. :D
@ Ello: Am sure the phoenix at least tastes better than your larva dish. :D
Now we come to the Monster:
The power lurking inside me is that a powerful evil Basilisk is sealed inside me that makes me venomous. So I squirt the toothpaste onto my mitten and then spit my venomous saliva over the toothpaste. The venom reacts with calcium and has an acidic reaction in about five minutes.
I say to the monster... lets shake hands before the mortal combat begins. Being a perfect gentle-monster he'll shake hands.
Then I'll play the Jonas Brothers CD which the monster would obviously find too damn irritating, and try to cover his ears with his hands. By this time the acidic reaction would have taken place and the monsters face is now totally scorched.
Victory is Mine!!! Mwuhahahahaha!!!
I'm wearing my Care Bears PJs with matching bear head slippers. To work. I rock.
Now Cindy, Silver Phoenix is great and all, but I think it would have been MUCH better if you'd put in more bootay shaking. And chocolate. And ninjas.
Just saying. :D
Don't do it! Don't YouTube the Jonas Bros. Save yourself!
And pjs? Um, what pjs?
What? Expecting hello kitty? Geranimals?
Okay, nothing to see here, carry on...
curiosity killed the 36 year old....
I would break the Jonas Brothers CD to shove in its eye, shove the toothpaste up his nose to choke him, use my new powers to make the creature explode, use the mitten to hold around my nose and swim to the top.
Oh crap, someone mentioned pot stickers and now I want some too.
Okay, putting aside all these allegedly fancy shmancy weapons I'm supposed to have on me and what sounds like a superpower I can't rely on, we need to get one thing straight first. What kinda unspeakable creature are we talking about? 'Cause if it's unspeakably hawt, I'm not sure I want to get away... ;)
Have you all ever considered that the poor monster trying to drag you down to your death has feelings?
I'd play the Jonas Brothers and while the monster was crying, either from being overwhelmed by the touching lyrics of "When You Look Me in the Eyes" or in sheer pain, I'd hand it the mitten to dry its tears and ask it why it's so angry at the world that it's trying to drag people to their doom.
I'd then let it talk out its problems, give it some relationship advice and hand over the tube of toothpaste because nothing helps you win friends like a sparkling white smile.
I squirt toothpaste into the creature's eye sockets, causing him to cry like a baby. Ha!
I float to the top, toss the mitten (it's got a snag in it), and play my Jonas Brothers CD loud with the windows open as I drive away.
ha! these are awesome! and tasha--i'm officially askeered of you now. haha!
*eating subway spicy italian* YUM!
Sarah - *swoon* over your PJ pants - what does it say across your butt?
Hmmm. *trying to twist into an unnatural position* Hmmm.
Guess I'll have to take them off to see. Oh yes, um, nothing on my butt.
ONE mitten?? Are you KIDDING me??
I have a laundry basket with 43 unmatched socks - their mates mysteriously disappearing during the drying cycle. I have a jar full of mismatched hair clips, the matching barrettes languishing in some school hallway or pool locker room. I have a Yahtzee game missing one of its dice.
ONE mitten??
I would be so disgusted and distracted figuring out how one mitten manages to up and walk away that I'm sure I'd be eaten.
But I'd make sure I took the toothpaste with me so he could burp minty fresh.
I'm nice that way. :)
did sarah just admit to being in her pj's at past noon? ha! love it!!
heidi, seriously ONE mitten?
give us something to work with here, jason!
Working from home today. What else would I be wearing? ;-)
Awesome answer Heidi!
We do get a power growing inside us... can it be the power to make matching mittens (and socks and barrettes) appear?
I'm not sure how that would help with the monster, but it would be handy should some handsome guy come and save me and deliver me back to my mundane daily chores!
thanks strugglingwriter. I liked yours too. I'm sure your mother would be proud of your excellent hygiene in such dire circumstances.
:)
heidi : one mitten. wtf. what's with this one mitten! how can i work with ONE MITTEN!
STRONG SENSATION OF SUPERPOWER FILLS HEIDI!
heidi : LET ME MAKE ANOTHER MATCHING MITTEN WITH MY NEW POWER!
*matching mitten magically appears in heidi's hand*
heidi : YES!
*heidi is then eaten by the demon*
haha!
Poor Heidi!
hmmmmm... it doesn't seem that great a power now that you say it...
It's not a question of who eats who, but rather a questions of are your hands warm. In that regard, Heidi, you win. Don't let them discourage you.
Ah, I see that nobody has gone looking for the OTHER mitten. ;)
*serving the fourth round of drinks*
strugglingwriter, tis a good point. not only warm hands BUT MATCHING MITTENS! which is FTW. not like mismatched mittens. also, if heidi is in awesome pjs as well, it ain't all that bad.
there've been some really great answers so far. choosing a winner will be tough!!
oooh... can I have matching p.j.s?? I love coordinating! (I mean, matching the mittens, not yours, although your fruit ones sound pretty cool...)
BTW - I think I missed the first and second rounds of drinks. I can still get in on that too, right?
Heidi, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but socks don't disappear. They're cannibals.
well now I really need a drink...
haha! what does a roastee need to do to get some appetizers here?
i'm simmering nicely ...
I just popped some multi-grain english muffins in the toaster. Apple butter for the top. Want one?
I'm sorry. I'm stuck in the lint trap trying to find those other socks.
Feel free to rifle through my fridge, though. I think I've got some juice boxes and string cheese.
Cindy, can I interest you in a stuffed mushroom cap? How about a mushroom tart? (Apparently, I have a thing for mushrooms.)
This is interesting. If the unspeakable being is Cthulhum then all is lost.
A travel sized tube of toothpaste? Is that fresh minty flavor poisonous to undersea behemoths? To tell the truth, I'd rather have one of the Jonas Brothers there (not just their CD) to feed to the creature.
I will not touch "growing inside" with a ten foot pole. I can make so many irreverent and slightly dirty jokes on that line... Think of baked beans...
Cindy,
BIG congrats, (longtime watercooler lurker). I would use the Jonas Bro's CD. The song I've been to the year 3000 actually contains a time machine (flux capacitor) it would transport me forward in time just enough to elude the horrible beast.
I'm so thrilled for you, I cannot wait to read your novel! Stop by my blog I would love to have you!
jason, i LOVE mushroom caps. thank you! what a fantastic roaster you are!
sarah--that sounds so healthy! apple butter oth, mmm!
dave, NOT chthulhum!!!
t.anne--thank you!! =D
off to watch my girl dance for
cinco de mayo (a day late) soon!
LOL @ all the partying going on!!! Sorry I'm so late...still using the neighbor's internet. Which is quite quite slow and spotty. I might complain.
Anyway, you guys are nuts over here!! Too funny!
:-)
Any beer left?
My mysterious power is turning beer into tequila, Chris.
What, isn't it Cinco de Mayo still??
Congrats, Cindy, on your wonderful book, and for being so much fun on here!! I've had a blast just reading the comments. :D
Whoa. Now THAT was a party. :)
Any last second entries before we close the contest portion of the roast?
Okay, let's go ahead and close the contest! Cindy, please come forth and pick a winner from this outstanding group!
Thanks, Cindy, for being a stellar roastee. Much success with Silver Phoenix!
OMG, I just realized I said "tub" of toothpaste, instead of tube! A big ol' tub. LOL
and i'm juicy and spicy and DONE! stick a fork in me!
now i must ponder all the most excellent entries. stay tuned!
*rubs mittens together* heh
hiya cindy... awesome excerpt!
a mitten, tiny toothpaste tube and a plastic cd, combined with my power, made one fancy female monster which i sent off in the other direction...
dumb male, as always, goes for the distaff and i make a clean getaway ;) lol
OMG. You stole Heidi's mittens as she was being eaten?
Sarah - too funny!!! I thought the same thing!!
OKAY IT WAS TOUGH! really really tough!
but the winner is *drum roll and jonas bros background singing*
MELISSA! =D
please email me your addy at pon.cindy@gmail.com and who to sign the book to. YAY!
honorable mentions to :
ello
deoborah
aniket
ella
thanks for holding a wonderful roast, jason. and i'm glad you got to poke your head in chris. missed you!!!
Congratulations Melissa!
Congratulations Melissa!
Thank you Cindy for an honorable mention. :D :D :D
grats melissa and runners up, and thx cindy :)
Congrats Melissa!
And thanks Cindy for hanging out with us on such a busy day! Have a great time in SF!
Whoo!!! Thanks, Cindy! I'll be e-mailing you soon. And thanks to everybody else! (does a happy dance)
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