“THE CONDUIT” (The
Gryphon Series)
by Stacey Rourke
REVIEWED BY: Books4Tomorrow
OVERVIEW
All 18-year-old Celeste Garrett wants is to
head off to college and make those fun, yet ill-advised, choices college kids
are known for. And maybe to spend some time with the hot cameraman she just
met. Instead, because of a pact her ancestors made in the 17th century with a
mythical creature, she has to save the world.
While normal kids
are slamming energy drinks and cramming for exams, Celeste will get her
adrenaline rush fighting a fire breathing dragon. She wants to meet friends in
the quad to exchange lecture notes, but first she must exchange blows with a
shape-shifting demon on the rooftop. Life isn’t always fair for a superhero,
but at least she doesn’t have to do it alone. With her brother and sister as
sidekicks, they alternate between saving lives and getting on each others’
nerves. Together the trio encounters unspeakable odds, mystical forces and
comes face-to-face with an image that will haunt them forever—their grandmother
in a leopard print bikini.
Okay, little side
note here. If a psychopathic killer asks if you want to see a trick, say no.
That’s the smart thing to do. I, on the other hand, responded, “Bring it.”
-excerpt from The Conduit
REVIEW
Tired
of family secrets, vampires, werewolves, sappy romance, angst-filled teens and
drama queens? Did I hear you say “hell, yeah!”? Well then, boys and girls,
scoot on over to Amazon and get your hands on this gem of a book. Oh and uhm,
clear your schedules for the day….cause you’ll be stuck with your nose in this
book for hours on end; easily forgetting about the “real” world!
This
book is unlike any other YA book I’ve ever read before. Not only are the plot
and mystical characters very original; it is so much fun to read! The author’s
signature humor is prevalent throughout the book and the characters are hip,
sassy, feisty and utterly lovable – flaws and all!! The dialogue is witty and
laugh-out-loud hilarious at times, with some unforgettable one-liners that
sticks with the reader long after finishing the book. All the characters - good
and evil - were some of the best and most realistic I’ve ever come across in
any YA novel.
Stacey
Rourke definitely knows her stuff and she writes to entertain. But take away
the Joss Whedon-like humor and the reader is left with a fast-moving,
action-packed plot full of mystery, revelations and nail-biting suspense, some
pretty scary bad-guys, and a sibling trio of ordinary “superheroes” that makes
Clark Kent look second-rate.
I can
guarantee you’ll enjoy “The Conduit” from start to finish. Once you’re done
reading this treat, you’ll also agree that gryphon’s, dragons, glowing birds
and evil soldiers turning into panthers, are much more interesting than say….sparkling,
love-sick vamps? But whatever your taste in genre, Stacey Rourke’s writing will
charm you off your feet!
READ more REVIEWS
The Conduit by Stacey Rourke has 23
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PURCHASE LINKS
INTERVIEW with author STACEY ROURKE
1. What would your choice of music be as a
theme-song for The Conduit?
A:
Wow. So many answers to that question.
Demons that fear Celeste would probably say her theme song should be “So What”
by Pink, a true butt kickin’ anthem. The way Celeste views herself—as a
complete and total dork—she’d probably say her theme music should be “Yakety
Saks.” But if I were to pick a song that to me speaks for the entire series it
would be “Tura’ Lu” by the Bollox, a fine Irish song about someone that’s not
quite like the rest of us…
2. How did you come up with the idea for The Conduit?
A:
It all started with a dream I had. The
scene at the end of The Conduit where the hand comes up out of the orchestra
pit as Celeste creeps closer was my dream exactly. It was so real and powerful
that I was motivated to conjure story ideas around it. I wanted a strong female
main character that girls could relate to that would show them that in the face
of adversity all of us can rise to the challenge and become a hero. The
mythology of the Gryphon and their abilities I came up with because I wanted to
venture outside the norm of the usual mystical beings and do something that
hadn’t been done before.
3. How long did it take you to write it?
A:
The first draft took me about a year.
Polishing it up through feedback of other members of the literary community
took two more years after that. Seriously. It was definitely a work in progress
for a loooooong time. But all the changes and tweakings that happened were
needed to get the book to a “finished” state. (Translation; it sucked before)
4. How much impact does your childhood have on
your writing?
A:
Tremendous. Much like Celeste my
childhood and teen years were a series of mortifyingly embarrassing moments
that taught me how to laugh at life. Now if I can take my experiences and weave
them into stories that make people laugh I consider that a job well done. The
highest compliment I can receive is for someone to tell me that my books made
them laugh out loud. I love that. (Or if they compare my writing to the work of
Joss Whedon. That particular compliment is like crack to me. Can’t get enough
of it.)
5. Have you ever read or seen yourself as a
character in a book or a movie?
A:
Oh definitely, in almost every book, TV
show, or movie if I truly love it I can see myself as a character. I watch
Titanic I see myself as Rose (although I would’ ve found a way to get Jack on
that big wooden thing with me. Just sayin.) I read the House of Night books and
I see myself as Zoey Redbird. I watch The Avengers I convince myself I’m The
Black Widow. But in all those cases I leave the theatre, shut the book, or turn
off the TV and remember that I most likely would be the sarcastic sidekick in
any situation. It’s my destiny as a smart aleck.
6. Except as yourself, which character would
you want to play in a movie about your life, and why?
A:
One of my kids. They mock me enough I
think it’s only fair I get the chance to show them how they sound.
7. What are the most important attributes to
remaining sane as a writer?
A:
Wait…whatever gave you the idea I’m sane?
8. Are there any occupational hazards to being
an author?
A:
I occasionally get so wrapped up in story
ideas I get lost in my head. My body is here, but my mind is lost in a world of
my own creation. It’s a very “Please leave a message after the tone” type
situation.
9. Has the dog ever eaten your manuscript?
A:
As my manuscripts are on my laptop
computer, no. But my laptop has in fact eaten my manuscript. I dropped it on
the floor and lost everything on it. I cried, snotted on myself, pouted
profusely, then learned to back everything up to a separate hard drive.
Friggin’ technology.
10. What are you like first thing in the
mornings before you’ve had your first cup of coffee?
A:
I’m a mean and nasty troll that shall not
be spoken to until the caffeine has entered my bloodstream. Failure to abide by
this rule angers the beast and causes it to unleash it’s fury in a way that can
make grown men cry.
11. What's the most blatant lie you've ever
told?
A:
“No, those pants don’t make you look
fat.” (Truth; but your butt does.)
12. What is the worst “crime” you committed as
a teenager, which your parents had to punish you for?
A:
Underage drinking. I was punished for
this crime on more than one occasion as I am clearly not a fast learner.
13. What is your worst/best memory of high
school, and why?
A:
Jumping over a fence at cheerleading
practice the back of my shirt got hooked on the top of the metal fencing. I was
stuck dangling there with my shirt up and bra showing for the entire football
team to see. I did that Barney Rumble “run without actually going anywhere”
move until my shirt ripped up the back and I fell flat on my face on the track.
Football players and my fellow cheerleaders alike applauded the show. I died a
little inside.
14. Are you fun to go on holiday with?
A:
Well I think I’m a hoot. Others may
disagree. But said others can also bugger off.
15. What makes you laugh?
A:
Life in general makes me laugh. But sure
fire ways to get a giggle out of me are through T-Rex short-arm jokes,
Incredible Hulk humor, and people doing impromptu “snap prancing” a’ la West
Side Story.
16. Any advice for aspiring writers?
A:
Work at your craft. Don’t let your ego
get in the way, but instead strive to learn and become the best you can be at
what you do. Find your “voice”, what makes your writing unique and develop that
to its fullest. Plus always remember that the literary world is subjective. What
one person loathes someone else may deem a bestseller.
AUTHOR LINKS
