Reasons to Read Invisible Touch

I'll be the first to admit, I had some trip ups with Invisible TouchMy first release date was supposed to be September 2008. I didn't know if this was the perfect date, but I planned all of my promotion for September. Then, the strangest thing happened...my Advanced Reader's Copy was printed instead of my edited manuscript. The publisher graciously fixed this and reprinted my books with the correct edits, but my release date was pushed to October 2008. I moved my launch to a month later, but somehow it still felt a little off and promotion for the book hasn't been the greatest. So I've come up with a list of reasons you might like to read Invisible Touch!

1. I commissioned this cool book video about the story...it really captures the suspense and premise of the novel.

2. Touch had the weirdest printing snafu that I mentioned above. Come on, my book has a supernatural storyline and this weird glitch happens. *shiver* Is that like a sign??

3. It's listed in a Goodreads "THE ULTIMATE SUMMER '09 READING LIST" currently @ #14. (Coolio!)

4. It's been said to have a surprising ending in various reviews! (My lips are sealed!)

5. It's been given the "Gold Award of Excellence" from TeensReadToo.

6. It has a romance between a tough guy and a girl both struggling with secrets.

7. Enchanting Reviews gave Touch 5 Enchantments!

8. Invisible Touch is on the Fresno Library Summer Reading List (this was found by chance) and this is a quick blurb from the site: "There’s romance, Latino culture, mystery, and a touch of the paranormal, witten by the author of Graffiti Girl. It’s better than an asada burrito at El Pollo Loco!" Love that one!

9. Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz said, "Invisible Touch is a blending of mystery, romance, and deep and dangerous secrets." *sigh*

10. Ultimately, I wrote Touch for two reasons. 1) for the reader to have an entertaining read. I know as an author you can't please every reader, but I hoped to entertain as many readers as I can. 2) I lost two important men in my life and I dedicated this book to them. It was a way to say goodbye and I put a lot of my grief into the book. There was a time I was writing the book and I was so deep into Kara's POV, I spaced. When I finally snapped out of it, I had a whole page written. I blinked and it was one of those weird moments that you're not sure what happened, but something weird did indeed happen. Still trips me out...

:)

Secret Confession...

In the acknowledgments in my latest novel INVISIBLE TOUCH, you might read a small note at the end that goes something like...

"I'm sorry for the dent in the Chevelle. It was accident, I swear."

Some readers might wander what the heck I'm talking about and many won't care, but it all started with a lie...a with holding of the truth so to speak.

It’s high school and I’m 16. I’m one of those girls who has more guy friends than girl friends. I grew up with a brother and a bunch of boy cousins and this is the way it worked for me. One of my friends drives this really cool 1976 Chevelle. Black paint, black interior, and a big block engine. Being the cool guy that he is, he picks us up from school, takes us to lunch, and just hangs out.

One thing you should know is that this Chevelle is his prize possession. He's even been known to street race a time or two and win. (shhhh.) One day at a friend's house, I have to get something out of my backpack that’s in the backseat. I lean in over the open passenger window and my little knee pushes into the passenger door and dents it. Seriously dents it right smack in the middle!

I gasp.

My gut clenches.

I'm totally speechless.

He's going to kill me! Okay, not literally, but yikes, I'm scared big time. He LOVES this car! Oh man. What do I do?

I walk back into the house, nervous, wondering how I'm going to break the news. I really don't know what to do. I always have to think things through before I make a decision. So I don't say anything, but time passes and a group of us heads back outside.

One of the guys says, "Look at your car, man!" And EVERYONE rushes over to see this huge dent in the passenger door! Holy crap! I'm too scared to speak. He is so ticked off! Right away they start asking questions and making comments:

Was it there earlier? Who could of done it? We're gonna kick his *ss.

*gulp*

The next day, he gets it fixed. He has to take the inside panel off and pop it back out, but no damage. *whew*

Still, this guy isn’t exactly sweet and I'm still too scared to tell him. Time passes and it’s never brought up. Forgotten even. Not by me, of course, and he lays low for a while.

Years pass—yes, years!—and after graduation, I start hanging out with the Chevelle guy again. The Chevelle is history. He's got a sporty Camaro now, and things start to spark between us. I start dating him. Soon we're together, and I guess I decide I trust him and I confess the lie.

I tell him, I was the one who dented the Chevelle a few years ago.

He is shocked and I'm laughing with embarrassment, but my conscience is finally clear. The secret is revealed.

Years later, we’re married and he still holds it over my head. Who could blame him really?

So I did the ultimate. I wrote his prized Chevelle into Invisible Touch as my character Anthony Garcia's ride. And I apologized one final time in the acknowledgments so the world would know just how sorry I am for keeping that secret for so long. *sigh*

Do you think he finally forgave me? :)

Ocean Fate: An Invisible Touch Short Story

I was twisting my old, scratched Rubik's Cube on the far edges of Montecito Beach when I spotted Anthony. He sat alone on the rocks, distant, the wind teasing his dark hair. He was all tan, and toned. His tank top tucked in the back pocket of his jeans.

He watched the waves as if he couldn't pull away, and it was the same for me with him. There was a time I would have been afraid to go near him, a time I would never have felt the sand between my toes again.

I tamped down the guilt that tried to rise within me. It was apparent, we both thought of someone else at this beach. He finally turned, and met my eyes. I gave a wave, his mouth curving as he stood.

A surfer walked in front of me, his wet suit pulled to his waist, with his board propped at his side. He shoved his board into the sand, and twisted toward me to pull up his suit.

I blinked--and was swamped by the sounds of the beach echoing against my eardrums. The sizzling rush of the waves on shore. The squawk of seagulls above. The flapping of the wind against a beach umbrella. A lone child's high-pitched laughter.

My pulse slowed, my breaths thinned. The shoreline behind the surfer dulled to gray, and the surfer brightened. Glowed.

His eyes are blue.

The color of a tropical ocean. His skin a sun-kissed golden, hair the color of sunflowers. My eyes moved down his throat to the center of his bare chest. There an image formed, a sign for my eyes only.

The surfer in the water, struggling to stay afloat.

He turned away and the image vanished. I gasped for air. My fingers clenched the cube as I watched him jog toward the waves with his board. Too close to my own nightmares.

"Kara, what's wrong?" Anthony was in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. He knew I'd seen something. It wasn't the first one I'd experienced, and it wouldn't be the last.

"The surfer." I swallowed hard. "He can't go in." But I couldn't move forward.

"Don't worry, I'll stop him." He jogged to the surfer, grabbed his arm. The surfer jerked away from Anthony. They exchanged words, the surfer shrugging Anthony off and started in. Then Anthony tackled him in the waves.

I winced, and did my best to shove away my fears as I forced myself to run toward the ocean. My heart pounded in my chest, my palm sweaty around my cube. The damp sand under my feet had me tensing. The chilled water swallowing my ankles made me shudder.

Still, I grabbed at Anthony's shoulders as they wrestled. "Stop it! Please!"

Anthony finally pulled away, breathing hard. The surfer sat, holding his right side, his chest heaving, too.

"What the hell, man?" the surfer said, his face pale.

"I'm trying to save your life," Anthony muttered, and spit out salty water.

The surfer winced, hunching forward.

"I think you need to see a doctor," I told him.

"Yeah." He glanced at us. "Thanks. It's not from you. My stomach's been bothering me, but the waves called to me. If I would have been too far out..." He shook his head. "How'd you know?"

I flicked my eyes down at Anthony. "Well, I saw you favoring your side." Another white lie added to so many.

Anthony scowled. "And if your punkass would've just listened--"

I bit back a smile, rubbing Anthony's wet shoulder. "He means you're welcome."

© Kelly Parra

Interview, Giveaway & Reviews!

Lots to share and always so little time, so it seems!

I'd like to share with you an interview I participated in for Micol Ostow's Blog Bash for the release of her awesome Bradford series. I'm talking group blogs and secrets (sorta). haha! Comment here for a chance to win a free copy of Invisible Touch. You probably have a couple of days, so hurry!

Still not sure if you'd like to read it?

Here's what Ana @ YA Romance Reviews had to say about Kara's story:

"I loved this book and the romance aspects were great. I really felt for Kara. She was living her life the best way she knew how while carrying around a lot of burdens. Her voice felt mature -- like she was an old soul. 5 Stars."

Enchanting YA gives Touch 5 Enchantments!

"INVISIBLE TOUCH is a fast-paced novel that combines mystery, romance, and Latino culture with a paranormal twist. Action, suspense, and originality make INVISIBLE TOUCH a definitely thrilling read that will appeal to a wide range of readers."

Thank you, Ladies!

I also chatted more about Invisible Touch in an interview here.

And with writer Chanelle Gray, I chat about writing and Touch.

That's all for now. Next week there will be another chance to win Touch. Have a great weekend!

~kelly

New Year and Cyber Whispers

Happy New Year, Secret Friends!!

I'd like to start off by thanking YABookNerd and Shalonda for their reviews for Invisible Touch:

Jennifer (YABookNerd) said: "This book has mystery, paranormal qualities, and romance. Be sure not to miss this one."

Shalonda said: "Invisible Touch was action-packed, due to its many twists and turns. In addition, Parra mixed suspense, mystery, and romance (one of my favorite elements) into one fantastic story!

In a couple of my previous posts, I heralded several books among the best books of 2008. Kelly Parra's Invisible Touch is in my top ten favorites of this year, in the company of powerhouses like Paper Towns and Living Dead Girl. It really is phenomenal."

Thank you, Jennifer and Shalonda!!

And now with every new year, I look at where I'm at in my writing career and my life in general. I have small resolutions every year, and I try to fulfill them.

But what I truly feel strongly about is belief in loving what I have, hoping for the best, and being determined enough to work hard toward my goals for the future.

This relates to every part of my life--family, health, happiness, and writing. I always feel upbeat in the beginning of the year. The New Year is a symbol of starting fresh and starting on new goals.

I would love to sell another book soon. I would love to write and complete two books. I would love to have more patience. I would love to be more organized. But in the long run I have to be happy, for myself and for my family.

That is what I will strive for this year and what I hope for everyone too. :)

New Chances to Win...

Hi Everyone! I'm inviting readers to a couple of on-line events this week for a chance to chat with me and win a copy of Invisible Touch!

On Wednesday, December 17 the cool authors at Wolfy Chicks have invited me for an interview and have graciously donated a copy of Invisible Touch to giveaway to a lucky commenter. So if you're interested in reading Invisible Touch, I'd love for you to stop by this great YA paranormal blog and leave a comment tomorrow!

Then on Thursday, December 18th, 8 PM Eastern (7 Central, 6 Mountain, 5 Pacific) the awesome Pageflipper is hosting monthly chats with authors--how cool is that? And during the chat on Thursday, I'll be giving away three copies of Invisible Touch to random chatters! It's very easy to register and to enter the chat. And if you've already read Touch, you can still check in and ask me any questions on Graffiti Girl or Touch! So please stop by here and be ready to ask any questions on books, reading, or writing!

Thanks and hope to chat with you soon!

~kelly

Reading Keeps you Sane

Yay, new review for Invisible Touch by Kelsey @ Reading Keeps You Sane...

Have you been over there? Very fun grading system for books and impressive reviews!

Here are some cool highlights from the review:

Rating: A

"Wow--Just wow. This book was fantastic. I started it last night and almost got yelled at by the teacher because I couldn't stop reading during school. From the start with Kara's first blog entry to her last at Secret Fates, I was hooked at the edge of my seat. It was intense!"

"Having the book take place in the Latina world was so surreal, with gang's on the streets and homeless people, the lifestyle Kara and Anthony both differently lived in made this novel so much more real then it already was. It was different, and it was gracefully done."

"Parra is definitely one to watch with more novels. This novel was a 2 thumbs up and there will be no dissappointment. I highly, highly recommend it as I gave it a ten out of ten."

A big thank you to Kelsey!!

Also I've scheduled an on-line chat in December with The Page Flipper--so stay tuned!

Two Chances to Win!

I have some super cool friends! And I'll tell you why...

Two of my author friends are giving away Invisible Touch on myspace!

Yes, count 'em TWO. ;)

On autho​r Tina Ferra​ro'​s myspace,​ leave​ a comme​nt on her blog to be enter​ed to win! Winne​r to be chose​n Sunda​y,​ Novem​ber 16th.​

Tina Ferra​ro'​s blog

And check​ out autho​r,​​ Carme​n Rodri​gues'​​s myspace blog for this week'​​s Take It Home Tuesd​ays.​​ Comme​nt for a chanc​e to win! Winne​r to be chose​n,​ next Tuesd​ay, November 18th!​

Carme​n Rodri​gues'​​s blog

Happy commenting!

Invisible Touch is Visionary

The latest cyber whispers for Invisible Touch have popped up in cyberspace...

The Salinas Californian gives Invisible Touch "Five Gold Pens"! (Since this is a newspaper article I'm not sure how long the link will stay live.)

Invisible Touch is Visionary

"As this story develops in a community where gang violence is a common occurrence, Kara's visions begin to focus on the teens around her and their safety.

Trying to figure out what a particular vision means so she can protect those she holds dear is an exhausting and emotionally draining task. At the core of the novel are a new relationship and a series of troubling visions, which make Kara's life even more complicated.

Representing her quandary when she must solve a 'puzzle' related to her visions, Kara's Rubik's Cube becomes the story's central symbol. Given to her by her father, the cube becomes a coping mechanism that allows the girl to 'zone out' when she is stressed. As her hands quickly manipulate the cube her mind struggles with the more difficult puzzles which make her life such a challenge."

And Melissa at Poised at the Edge says this about Invisible Touch:

"INVISIBLE TOUCH is a gripping paranormal tale, with fast paced suspense, and a satisfying conclusion. Readers will delight in the suspense, romance, and insights of this dynamic story!"

Thanks, Melissa!

The Secret Fates Extravaganza Ends!

AND THE SECRET FATES EXTRAVAGANZA OFFICIALLY ENDS ON HALLOWEEN!

Dear secret readers and friends,

I cannot express how wonderful it was to share this month of secrets with all of you who contributed, and all of you who stopped by through the month of October.

This Extravaganza was a very memorable and fun experience. I was honored to have 25 authors join me in this celebration to help launch my novel, INVISIBLE TOUCH. These authors took the time to share some personal and fictional secrets as well as donated their books out of sheer kindness. I will never forget that!

Thank you to the readers who came every day to read secrets and those of you who weren't shy to comment on each post. Thank you to those of you who helped spread the word about the Extravaganza. That was very cool of you! I hope to chat with many of you in cyberspace. Don't forget I regularly blog @ YAfresh.blogspot.com and hang out monthly at Teenfictioncafe.blogspot.com and MTVBook.blogspot.com. Please stop by anytime to say hello!

Here are the winners for Week Five of Secrets Fates (October 27th - 31st).

Winner of one of Simone Elkeles's novels... Carol

Winner of THE CELEBUTANTES: THE PENTHOUSE by Antonio Pagluiro... TheBookworm

Winner of I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE by Stephanie Kuehnert... flip

Winner of an advanced copy of GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING by Marley Gibson...
HylianVampire

Now for the other winners...

Here is the winner of the reader who helped spread the word of the Extravaganza the most: Shooting Stars Mag

The winner of the October contest of one copy of INVISIBLE TOUCH, one Rubik's Cube, and one Rubik's Cube keychain is: The Not So Closet Geeks

And I'm sorry I never heard from Alexa, the previous winner of Liza Conrad's THE POKER DIARIES. So the new winner is: pepsivanilla

Congratulations, Winners!!

Dear Winners, please email me with your address through my website with "Secret Fates Winner (Book title or author)" in the subject line, and I will forward your email to the author to get your prize to you.

This blog will remain open with all of these awesome secrets archived, and with the occasional post from me. :)

Thank you again for making this such a memorable event.

I had a great time talking secrets!

~kelly parra