What’s Love Got to Do with It?: The Anne/Ethan Romance

Hi again everyone! Today, not only did I give you guys a deleted scene from the AMAZING series known as DREAMING ANASTASIA, but now I also have a guest post from the one and only JOY PREBLE! Enjoy this inside scoop of whats really going on with Anne+Ethan!!!

What’s Love Got to Do with It?: The Anne/Ethan Romance

Joy Preble

Joy Preble

The guiding force of the DREAMING ANASTASIA series is the relationship between
Anne and Ethan. Anne knows from the second she catches blue-eyed Ethan stalking
her at the ballet that there is just something about him. And in fact, he proceeds to
turn her life upside and sideways because it is Ethan who peels back Anne’s normal
world and reveals a world of Russian fairy tales brought to life, of a hidden princess
and an illegitimate royal son driven by vengeance. When they touch – and I always
knew that their story would begin with a physical touch setting things in motion—
everything changes.

Anne is no longer just the girl who dances ballet and goes to school and mourns the
death of her brother to cancer. She is a girl with power to save a princess, power to
right ancient wrongs and ultimately, the power to break a curse that is holding her
birth grandmother captive. But power comes with a steep price. And when Anne
accepts Baba Yaga’s bargain so she can save Ethan in book 2, she steps into the
witch’s forest in a way she has up until then refused to do. Of course, I wanted her to
do this for love, even if she has trouble admitting that’s what it is.

This is problem for Anne and Ethan: they do not come easily to loving each other. Or
rather, Ethan comes easily to loving Anne, even if he feels that he does not deserve
her or a second chance at life. Which is exactly what she gives him when she rides
out of the witch’s forest with Anastasia, allowing Ethan to regain his mortality.
While Viktor yearns to live forever, Ethan wants only to have what he lost for a
cause that was never what he believed it to be: to live and die in the proper time.
That he has found the love of his life makes him both deliriously happy as well as
guilty as hell.

And Anne, well, she’s a smart girl. Even when she’s not, she has Tess watching
her back, making sure she sees things as they are. Anne sees loving Ethan as an
impossibility. He is too old even if he looks young. He has secrets and a long, long
past. She is only sixteen. And yet I think she loves him from the moment he tells her
his story. But she holds back; she is indecisive. In fact, these traits hurt her in all
aspects of her life. She has trouble committing. Ethan, on the other hand, is an all-in
kind of guy.

So what did I do to these two? I made them inhabit a reverse fairy tale. It is Anne
who ends up saving Ethan over and over. It is Anne who is the hero. And ultimately,
it is Ethan (no spoilers for book 3 quite yet) who needs redemption and forgiveness
before he and Anne can be together. A happily ever after, but hard won. And not
without suffering and sacrifice. This is after all, a Russian fairy tale. No one knows
endurance like the Russians.

And so it goes: Ethan and Anne, circling and circling love, each running from the
other, each doing the hero’s job. The question becomes, will they figure out that they
belong together before it’s too late?

Of course they will!

But with these two, love isn’t simple. I think that makes them equal parts of
smart and stupid. Not forbidden love. Not crazy love where the passion burns out
everything else—and I think we all need some of that in our lives.

When Anne and Ethan finally figure out that they belong together, it will be a love
that entwines them like two puzzle pieces, marveling at how perfectly and easily
they fit. And how foolish they were not to know it.

DELETED SCENE!

Hey guys! Below this paragraph is a deleted scene from the Dreaming Anastasia series. I've already read it and it's AMAZING, so read it then give me your opinion in the comments section!

Here is a bit of background on the scene from Joy:

“It occurs after Anne and Ethan have found Professor Olensky murdered in his office. They are desperately trying to figure out what to do and being chased by Viktor's henchman Dimitri. And my initial impulse was that I very much wanted them to share their first kiss on that El train platform. It felt like the perfect moment -- the classic 'everything is going crazy and this is the person I've been running from but really he's exactly the right person for me' passionate kiss... followed by danger looming and breaking them apart.”

And then, we’re alone.

The wind’s whipping our hair and Ethan’s still holding my hand, our fingers lacing together. Neither of us says a word. The wind swirls a piece of newspaper around on the track and a couple of pigeons peck at the platform across the tracks, looking for bits of food.

“I’m sorry,” Ethan says as a twenty-something guy wearing an unzipped grey hoodie over his green scrubs plops himself down on the bench across the tracks and the pigeons, startled, fly off to search for other crumbs. He lets go of my hand and thrusts both his hands in his jacket pockets.

“You’re right. It is your battle. Probably as much as it is mine.” He blows out a breath.

“We were all so certain after the assassination that at any moment we could find a way to fulfill the prophecy. Get Anastasia back. Restore the Romanovs to power through her. But we didn’t. Ten years passed, then another ten. Then – well, it’s easier than you think for the years to slip by. Each time I though I’d found the girl who could do this, it turned out I was wrong. And each time, I think I just slipped a little farther from the person I used to be. The person who was so clear of his purpose. I never gave up, but I think I stopped trying as hard.”

Ethan stops. Looks down the track for a bit. There’s no train in sight. Across the way, a tall girl in a denim mini and black leggings joins scrub suit guy on his bench. She’s bobbing along to whatever is playing in her headphones. Everywhere I look, it seems, the world is going on like normal. Except I know it’s not.

Ethan’s gaze holds mine, his blue eyes so tired and sad that I feel like crying except I think I’ve used up my quota of tears today. “If Viktor’s betrayed us,” Ethan says, “it’s because I let him. Because I just stopped paying attention. And that part, I do have to bear alone.”

I’m not sure what to say to him. In fact, I’m pretty sure this is one of those times where I probably don’t need to say anything. But he’s standing there in such pain that I start talking.

“We’ll find her, Ethan,” I say, even though I’m not at all sure that’s ever really going to happen. “I mean, you found me, didn’t you?”

And then we just stand there. The wind dies down for a bit, although I can tell from the clouds that it’s going to pick up again soon. Underneath my feet I can feel a slight vibration. Far down the track, our train is coming. Ethan steps closer to me. My heart beats harder: thump, thump, hop in my chest.

I study his face. Those blue eyes. That shaggy chestnut hair all tousled from the wind. 

He’s going to kiss me. And I guess it should be weird or whatever. But it’s not. It’s just me and him – and okay, the two strangers across the way – and all the other stuff just sort of drops away. Because when you’re going to kiss someone – really kiss someone – it’s got to be just about that and not anything else.

And then he does. Kiss me, I mean.

He bends down a little, cause he’s taller, and presses his lips to mine. And it’s way better than the kiss on the forehead. And way, way better than the dream kiss since this time he’s just kissing me, not trying to suck the life out of me. His lips are warm and full and sweet, and they feel good against mine.

So I kiss him back.

 “I almost lost you, too,” Ethan whispers against my lips. His breath tickles and little sparks tingle their way down my spine. “Here, I’ve just found you, and I almost lost you.” We kiss some more. I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck. I rest one hand on his shoulder – right where he’s got that lion tattoo etched into his skin.

In novels, you always read phrases like ‘they kissed and time stood still.’ And until now, I’ve always thought what a load of crap that was. Cause even when I was making out with Adam Greene, time was marching right along.

And maybe it’s because Adam was a sort of slurpy kisser. And that’s why my mind kept wandering to images of Buster lapping water from his dish. 

Or maybe he just wasn’t the right one.

But right now, time is still. And Ethan’s lips, and his hands that are resting against the small of my back, are filling my head so completely there’s no room for anything else.

But then our train pulls up to the platform. The doors open, and I let Ethan take my hand and lead me inside. We settle into our seats as the train gives a lurch and starts up again, headed downtown. I’m sitting next to the window. Ethan’s looking at me like I’d always hope someone who’d just kissed me would look at me.

And then he’s not. Looking at me, that is.

Because he’s looking out the window beyond me. Back over, I realize as I turn my head, to the staircase that leads up the platform we just left. Watching as the familiar figure of Dimitri rushes into view, just as the train picks up speed and carries us away.

Summer update!

Good-day bloggers and bookworms! Just checking in to say heyyyy. I have a book to review and I will...eventually. The books I have to read for summer homework is To Kill a Mocking Bird, A Separate Peace, and Of Mice and Men, The only one I'm looking forward to reading is To Kill a Mocking Bird. Now I have a detailed plan of how many pages I need to read in order to get all my work done with time to spare! This being said I will most likely slack off 99% of the summer and read the books a week before :-). Haha just kidding....sorta, ANYWAYS the next book I'll probably review will be The Vicious Deep. Ahhhh! I still have to review The Serpents Shadow don't I??? So much to do and so little time. They will be up soon BUT for now I am making a new page. It'll be called Anastasia Forever and I will re post the last A.F post, and any more to come! I took one of my graduation roses and put it in an empty Coca Cola bottle.

That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet as Coca Cola 

Anastasia Forever!!!! Special Preview!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited to be a part of the exclusive ANASTASIA FOREVER BLOG TOUR!  Only a lucky few have the chance to debut this trailer, and I’m beyond thrilled to see where Anne’s dreams lead her in the third and final installment of the DREAMING ANASTASIA Series.  Will she unlock the secrets of the past before they destroy her future?

Here’s the scoop on the DREAMING ANASTASIA Series!

There is so much to love about this series as Joy brilliantly blends Russian history, romance, magic and mythology into an enticing adventure.

In DREAMING ANASTASIA, Anne Michaelson begins to have unusual dreams and discovers that she is the only one who can save the daughter of the last tsar of Russia, Anastasia Romanov.  Believed to be dead by the world, Anastasia has been kept captive all these years by the Russian witch Baba Yaga, and only Ethan, a handsome and mysterious 18-year-old, can help Anne free Anastasia.  

Anne once again leaves behind her ordinary life in HAUNTED to join forces with the mysterious and gorgeous Ethan as the journey with the Romanov continues.  This time she is haunted by classic figures from Russian mythology, a rusalka, , a Russian folklore mermaid with a malevolent streak –  and a particular interest in Anne,  who tells her that Anastasia is still alive.  As she and Ethan team up, Anne’s search for the rusalka’s identity reveals deep and startling secrets - including the true source of Anne’s powers.

Now in ANASTASIA FOREVER, having survived Baba Yaga and the Rusalka, Anne finds herself bound by the witch to undertake a journey into past, present, and future that will determine her destiny - and that of everyone she loves.

Catch a preview of the danger, romance, and magic await Anne in this exciting glimpse ahead of ANASTASIA FOREVER by taking a look at a special sneak peak with the first three chapters here! Also check out the amazing trailer here!

ANASTASIA FOREVER comes out this August, be sure to look out for all things Anastasia at Joy’s website joysnovelidea.blogspot.com.

Plans 4 Summer

Summer, so close yet so far! I have only 8 days left until break, so that means I still have 5 days of work. This is the first year EVER when I have Summer homework :-(. Bad news for me...but good news for all of you viewers out there. It means all the books I'm required to read will be reviewed! Plus, since I don't have to go to school I will have way more time to read, review, and post! I have a couple books I still want to review but I wont have time until Summer because of finals.
Until then, comment & subscribe!!

The Serpents Sadow

In an incredible finally to the

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (book)

George Melies

Hi everyone! Today I'll be talking about another book that I read for class. We read  The Invention of Hugo Cabret  (by Brian Selznick) for the Enrichment Challenge Program while we were studying silent films (yes the same class where I had to describe the horror movie). It was INCREDIBLE! First of all the characters were lovable and some were even based off of real people!One character was even George Melies! Now since most of you probably are thinking "Who is that?!" I'll tell you! George Melies is one of the original directors of some of the very first movies! Some of his movies even inspires some works created today! For example pay close attention to the background of this Katy Perry set and you'll notice it is modeled after one of his movies called "A Trip to the Moon". Back to the story, Hugo works to re-build an automaton using the detailed pictures made by his father who died in a fire while working on the automaton. An orphan living in secret tunnels at a train station working to recreate the automaton and hopefully find a secret message sent to him by his father, Hugo looses his note book to a man who runs a toy booth. Will Hugo ever get his book back to unlock the secret of the automaton, and what is the secret behind the toy makers magic tricks? All this and more can be discovered in The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I truly enjoyed this book and although it may be scary looking with 500 somthin pages, the majority of this novel is PICTURES! I havn't seen the entire movie but when I do you can expect a review!

Book

Movie

QUESTION:
If you were to make an automaton, what would it do?
Post answer in comments!!

George Melies