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Friday, September 26, 2014

Blog Tour- SALT & STORM by Kendall Kulper and a Giveaway!


Hey y'all! I'm super excited to have Kendra Kulper here here today as a part of the SALT & STORM blog tour! I asked Kendall for a playlist for the book I'll add videos for my favorites and links for the others! I was so happy that she'd share this with us! Make sure to stick around to win a copy of the book!

Haven't heard of SALT & STORM? Check it out!



Title: SALT & STORM
Author: Kendall Kulper
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Pub. Date: September 23, 2014

A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.

Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for.






Now on to the post!
SALT & STORM Playlist


Music was a huge inspiration to me while writing SALT & STORM. Whenever I had trouble capturing the feel of the book, I just turned on my “Island Songs” playlist and let it bring me back to SALT & STORM’s world. Here are a few of my favorite inspiring songs:

So pretty, so haunting, gorgeous instrumentals backing up beautifully stripped-down vocals.

Whirlpool – Sea Wolf
 Sea Wolf was another huge inspiration writing the book. I found them while I was editing SALT & STORM, so they’re forever linked in my head with huge packets of notes and colored pencils. This song tells about a darkness that pulls at the singer as powerfully as a whirlpool and his hopes that one day he’ll emerge a cleaner, better person, but what I really love is how the circular, repeating lyrics evoke the never-ending spinning of a whirlpool.


Dear Avery – The Decemberists
This is the song that helped give Avery, my main character, her name. It’s the song of a parent singing to their child about wanting to always keep them safe, even when they have to head off into danger. Parent-child relationships are a huge part of SALT & STORM, and this song beautifully captures that complexity.
       

This is one of those pretty songs designed to stick in your head from the first time you hear it. It’s a melody as catchy as it is gorgeous, and it has a lovely gloominess to it without being a total downer.

A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard – Jeremy Messersmith

This is one of those songs with lyrics that seem tailor-made for Tumblrs (and it has an awesome animated music video to match). It’s also the kind of song I would have adored as a teen.




The Mariner’s Revenge Song – The Decemberists

I could probably make up a whole playlist of songs that inspired SALT & STORM just out of songs by The Decemberists. They’re the closest musical cousins to the feel I got writing the book—historical with a dark twist and a little humor. This song, about a boy confronting the no-good sailor who betrayed his mother while both are inside the belly of a whale, is absurd without being silly (and is really, really fun to sing along to).



When the Ship Comes In – The Decemberists with The Chieftains (OMG Kendall I loveeee The Chieftans!!)

SALT & STORM combines traditional whaling histories with a modern flair, and this fun, jumping song combines traditional Celtic music with The Decemberists’ modern take on pop and rock.




The Violet Hour – The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars are another modern band with roots in history, this time American folk. The Violet Hour doesn’t have any lyrics, but it does have beautiful instrumentals. It was my go-to song to listen to when I needed a sort of mental palate cleanser.




So sweet and so lovely, this is one of my favorite romantic songs for its effortless simplicity. Like the romance in SALT & STORM, it’s a love song that’s more about touch, closeness, and comfort being with the person you love than big, romantic gestures.

Another lovely Sea Wolf track, this time from their new, stripped-down album, Song Spells, No. 1. What I really love about Sea Wolf is how they’re able to take these forms of water—whether whirlpool, rain, or river—and weave them beautifully into moments in a person’s life.


Thanks for stopping by Kendall I loved this!!!!




About Kendall:
Kendall Kulper writes historical fiction with a fantasy twist for teen readers and knows more about nineteenth century whaling than she ever imagined. Her debut YA novel, SALT & STORM will be published by Little, Brown September 23, 2014. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history and literature in 2008 and spent several years as a journalist before deciding to write full-time. She grew up in the wilds of New Jersey and now lives in Boston with her husband and chronically-anxious Australian Shepherd mix, Abby.





Giveaway Details:
2 Hardcovers of SALT & STORM US Only








a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:
9/15/2014- Novel NoviceInterview
9/15/2014- The Infinite To-Read ShelfReview
9/16/2014- All Things Urban FantasyGuest Post
9/16/2014- No BS Book ReviewsReview
9/17/2014- Such a Novel IdeaInterview
9/17/2014- Katie's Book BlogReview
9/18/2014- IceyBooksInterview
9/18/2014- Reading YA RocksExcerpt
9/19/2014- Wishful EndingsGuest Post
9/19/2014- Casual ReadersReview

Week Two:
9/22/2014- Supernatural Snark- Interview
9/22/2014- About to ReadReview
9/23/2014- The Cover ContessaGuest Post
9/23/2014- Imaginary Reads- Review
9/24/2014- Fire and IceGuest Post
9/24/2014- Once Upon a TwilightReview
9/25/2014- Tales of the Ravenous ReaderInterview
9/25/2014- The Best Books EverReview
9/26/2014- Two Chicks on BooksGuest Post
9/26/2014- Tynga's ReviewsReview







5 comments:

  1. I love stories about witches, and seaport settings, so this book is definitely something for me. Thank-you for this fab contest. :)

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  2. I love Sea Wolf! Their Violet Hour rocks my world! The premise of Salt and Storm is intriguing!
    For some reason, my tweet was for Sandra Waugh's Lark Rising? Not sure why, it was the designated tweet on Rafflecopter.

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  3. Thank you for the great giveaway! I'm excited about your book and can't wait to read it!

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  4. The synopsis for this book intrigues me. Added to my TBR pile. Can't wait to read it!

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  5. I really want to read this. It seems so interesting. I loved all the music and it'd be great to win the book.

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