Painting Stories #12

Finally, the muse sneaks her flighty little way back into my mind. So...what brilliant stories does the following image conjure? I'd love to hear your blurbs.

What I got:

She swam the black lake. The fight to traverse the endless waters was violent; the sharp licks of waves slapped onto her face, covered her head and filled her nose. But it was the chase that left her gasping, the flight harried by a phantom pursuer she was certain trailed her. The wind picked up, and on its breeze, there came the whisper of his name, her captor, breathing against her wet skin. Ludas, it cried,a weak moan of dying struggle, the wheezing echo of his lost power.





Photo courtesy of this place.

*I hate code and it hates me. No clue why the formatting is all wonky in this post. Apologies*

Phantom Island Pep Rally

I'm honored that my good friend Krissi Dallas has chosen my little blog for a stop along her Phantom Island Pep Rally. For those of you who don't know, Phantom Island is Krissi's debut novel from Tate Publishing and follows high school senior Whitnee who has spent six years rebuilding her identity after her father’s mysterious disappearance left her with more questions than answers. With her two best friends, Morgan and Caleb, she returns as a mentor to the summer camp of her childhood. Nestled in the Texas hill country, Camp Fusion is everything Whitnee remembers—except for the haunting visions that only she can see. One fateful night, Whitnee and her friends embark on a magical voyage where unexpected adventure and heart-stopping romance collide—a journey that might unlock the dark, complicated mysteries of Whitnee’s family history. But will she find the answers she is looking for?

The official national release date is set for December 13, 2011 and pre-release copies are still selling at The White Island Shoppe. Register for free books and Phantom Island Swag here and join the Phantom Island Pep Rally by following the tour. Next stop, will be the lovely Tina Moss' blog on Monday, October 10.

And now, one of Krissi's good friends, (and a cutie pie), Patrick, has graced this little blog with his take on the author, (and her sense of humor), and the wonderful world she's created:

Hi, Tee! Thanks for letting me visit today and introduce one of my favorite authors (and people), Krissi Dallas. I'm a sophomore in high school and I’ve known Krissi for about five years at church. Countless times she's told me that I'm most definitely her favorite student EVER. (Shhhh.) I've assisted her in VBU (Vacation Bible University) with our new 6th graders several years in a row. She just has a really neat way of connecting with new students – it’s like she gets on their level. She has a sense of humor about most things and I think that is one reason why we all feel comfortable around her. One year in VBU, Krissi was in the middle of an important lesson when one of the other teenage guys accidentally interrupted with a loud fart. You should have seen Krissi’s face! She was so outraged in such a funny way that she made him leave the classroom immediately and march down to the bathroom. I actually remember her yelling after him, "Do NOT desecrate the temple of my classroom with your farts – EVER AGAIN.” She wouldn’t let him come back in until he promised he had “emptied” himself of all gas. It was hilarious and we still laugh about it. Krissi has definitely seen just about everything when it comes to teens. And she just rolls with it.

The Phantom Island books are excellent with imagery – usually from some of Krissi’s own experiences. I’m a high school guy, but my favorite part in the books really is the “exploding kiss.” (You’ll know the part I mean when you get there.) It was intense – and really good at showing the conflicting emotions Whitnee had! But even in the middle of that drama, Whitnee makes me laugh. Like Krissi. I once took the tribal quiz online to see which Phantom Island tribe I'm in and I’m a Geodorian, in the Earth tribe. Not only am I a Geo because I ROCK, but being a Geo means I’m grounded and down-to-earth. Windchaser and Windfall are nothing short of awesome. They make you feel every sort of emotion there is. I was hooked from the very first chapter and I think y'all will be too! But don’t just take my word for it – read what all the other teens said who participated in the Phantom Island Pep Rally. And don’t miss hearing another guy’s perspective on Monday at Tina Moss’s blog!

-Patrick