{"id":363,"date":"2012-06-27T10:31:58","date_gmt":"2012-06-27T14:31:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/callmebliss.com\/?p=363"},"modified":"2026-04-15T18:33:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T22:33:58","slug":"what-im-reading-moa-by-tricia-stuart-shiu-novel-publicity-tour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/callmebliss.com\/?p=363","title":{"rendered":"What I’m reading: “Moa” by Tricia Stuart Shiu (Novel Publicity Tour)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" Please enjoy this excerpt from Moa<\/em>, a paranormal YA novel with a literary bent by Tricia Stewart Shiu. Then read on to learn how you can win huge prizes as part of this blog tour, including $600 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, 5 autographed copies of Moa<\/em>, and 5 autographed copies of its sequel, Statue of Ku<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Eighteen-year-old, Hillary Hause\u2019s left thumb searches frantically to turn on the \u201cI\u2019m Okay to Fly\u201d hypnotherapy recording. Her nerves on edge, fuchsia fingernails press into the blue pleather armrests of her airplane seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo spells can help you now,\u201d she whispers to herself under her breath\u2014then checks to see if anyone notices. Nope, they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

The plane lifts through the early morning, gray fog of California, \u201cJune Gloom\u201d giving way to the azure sky, and Hillary covers her curly brown head and retreats beneath the questionably clean plane blanket cranking the volume to drown out the drone of the engines.<\/p>\n

\u201cOuter shell close to breaking.\u201d This time she doesn\u2019t care if anyone hears.<\/p>\n

I hover just beyond her \u201couter shell\u201d\u2014a movement in the periphery, a faintly familiar scent, a fond memory just beyond recognition, a non-human observer. Before the week is up, Hillary will save my life, as I will hers. But, for now, more about Hillary.<\/p>\n

The drink cart rolls past the blanket, which has, by now become a moist steamy cave.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHey, freak. I hope your plane crashes.\u201d The memory reverberates through her brain despite her attempts to distract herself with the hypnotherapy recording. She increases the volume, but the ugly conversation, which occurred just before school ended, still haunts her mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess the only people they check on those flights are the suspicious ones,\u201d Krystal Sykes, a bully from her home room, leans in as Hillary hastens to grab books for her next class. Krystal, also a senior, has hounded Hillary since the first day of freshman year and this is the final day during the final hour at this tiny high school of 376 students \u2014where everyone knows everyone else\u2019s business.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook, Krystal.\u201d Hillary turns her eyes toward the sneering blonde. \u201cIt\u2019s the last day of school, we\u2019ll never see each other again. Can you give it a rest?\u201d These are the most words the two young women have exchanged in the entire four years of high school.<\/p>\n

A look of shock replaces Krystal\u2019s smug snick, \u201cOh, so now you talk.\u201d She leans in, so close that her spray tan becomes a patchy Impressionist painting. Her pores are blotched with cakey, two shades too dark powder, her unblended cream eyeshadow creases across the center of her lid and her tropical breeze flavored breath threatens to strangle the words right out of Hillary.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know all about your witchcraft practices and have made a few spells of my own. Trust me. You\u2019ll never make it to your sister\u2019s house in Hawaii.\u201d Krystal\u2019s backpack jingles and Hillary watches her spin around and skip down the hall.<\/p>\n

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Hillary is not a witch. She has, however, carefully crafted a \u201cshell\u201d to protect herself from bullies like Krystal\u2014who, as far as Hillary can tell\u2014is not a witch either. She has watched Krystal throughout elementary, middle and high school and has not been able to discern whether or not she practices witchcraft. No matter what Krystal\u2019s background, her intent is to harm. And there is nothing worse than a spell with an aim to hurt. Hillary has had no choice but to remain in a constant state of defensiveness.<\/p>\n

The twenty-minute recording ends and Hillary falls into a troubled sleep\u2014feeling every bump and hearing every creak of the plane.<\/p>\n

With about an hour left in the flight, Hillary awakens with a \u201cturtle headache.\u201d Hillary\u2019s older sister Molly taught her this term which means a headache caused by sleeping too long underneath the covers of one\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n

Sadly, Molly lost her husband, Steve, last year in an unfortunate surfing accident. The throbbing pain in Hillary\u2019s left temple could be the result of remaining submerged beneath an airplane blanket and wedged between the window and armrest, or it could be from worry about how Molly and her niece, Heidi are dealing with their devastating loss.<\/p>\n

Disoriented, Hillary pokes her head out just in time to glimpse puffy clouds and sparkling sea below. A flood of excitement and sheer wonder flows through Hillary in the form of a tingle from her head to her toes. And then, a lovely thought: \u201c…And for an Everlasting Roof, The Gambrels of the Sky…\u201d She will enjoy this plane ride, thanks in part to Emily Dickinson.<\/p>\n

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\"\" As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Moa <\/em>and Statue of Ku <\/em>eBook editions have both been dropped to just 99 cents this week. What\u2019s more, by purchasing either of these fantastic books at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes. The prizes include $600 in Amazon gift cards, a Kindle Fire, and 5 autographed copies of each book.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

All the info you need to win one of these amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment–easy to enter; easy to win!<\/p>\n

To win the prizes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Purchase your copies of Moa<\/a> <\/em>and Statue of Ku<\/a> <\/em>for just 99 cents<\/li>\n
  2. Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Visit today\u2019s featured social media event<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    About Moa: <\/strong>Eighteen-year-old, Hillary, anticipates adventure
    \nas she embarks for trip to Honolulu, but gets more than she bargained for when Moa,
    \nan ancient Hawaiian spirit, pays her an unexpected visit. Get it on     Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    About Statue of Ku<\/strong>: The second book in the Moa Book Series, “The
    \nStatue of Ku” follows Hillary and Moa as they jet to Egypt on the Prince\u2019s private plane
    \nto reclaim Moa\u2019s family heirloom, the inimitable statue of Ku. Get it on     Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    About the author: <\/strong>Tricia Stewart Shiu combines her addiction
    \nto the written word with her avid interest in the healing arts and all things metaphysical
    \nin her novels Moa<\/em> and Statue of Ku<\/em> and looks forward
    \nto finding new ways to unite her two loves. Visit Tricia on her     website<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a>, or GoodReads<\/a>.