Welcome to the first stop on the blog tour for Unmarked by Kami Garcia. Unmarked is the follow up to the delightfully creepy Unbreakable! At this stop we’re kicking things off with a guest post and a giveaway! But first, more about the book and author!
About the Book:
He is here… and he could be anyone.
Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free.
Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked?
About the Author:
Kami Garcia is the #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures & Dangerous Creatures Novels & the author of the instant New York Times bestseller and Bram Stoker Award nominated novel UNBREAKABLE, and the sequel UNMARKED, in the Legion Series.
Kami is fascinated by the paranormal, and she’s very superstitious. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found watching disaster movies or Supernatural, listening to Soundgarden, or drinking Diet Coke. She lives in Maryland with her family, and their dogs Spike and Oz (named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Learn more about Kami and her books at www.KamiGarcia.com & www.TheLegionSeries.com and follow her on Twitter: @kamigarcia.
Guest Post:
How to Create Your Own Secret Society – Kami Garcia
The Legion Series incorporates lots of my interests: superstitions, voodoo, the paranormal, art, symbols, and—of course—secret societies. Creating my own secret society was one of my favorite aspects of writing UNBREAKABLE. Taking the time to develop the history of the Legion of the Black Dove and its symbols, rules, and purpose made the world of UNBREAKABLE feel real. Writing UNMARKED, the sequel, allowed me the delve even deeper into the inner workings of the Legion— not to mention other secret societies, both real and fictional. But I don’t want to have all the fun, so here are a few guidelines if you want to create your own secret society:
Step 1: Name Your Secret Society
Choosing a creative name for your newly minted secret society sets the tone for the group. Will it be mysterious? Menacing? Enigmatic? Including words like league, coalition, consortium, or even legion in the moniker will establish a level of intrigue before prospective members learn anything else about the society.
Step 2: Decide on a Sigil or Symbol
Symbols and sigils not only lend a feeling of exclusivity and mystery, they also provide members with a discreet way to identify one other. You can choose an animal like the Legion’s black dove, a symbol like the Illuminati’s Eye of Providence, or an abstract design. But remember: the best sigils are symbolic representations of the society, and they’re easy to replicate, without being easily identifiable to outsiders.
Step 3: Recruit Members
No society, secret or otherwise, would be complete without members. Coded messages, secret challenges, and other clandestine recruitment strategies are great ways to identify the worthy. Inherited positions are also an option for those who value pedigree and secrecy—but you run the risk that those slated to join the next generation may not be prepared to do so. A word to the wise: holding a recruitment session in a public space a la Dumbledore’s Army is probably not the best idea if you hope to remain secret for long.
Step 4: Rituals and Activities
Whether your secret society is dedicated to fighting paranormal entities or binge- watching TV shows on Netflix, rituals and activities are essential for establishing a sense of camaraderie and purpose. The members of the Legion earn brand-like marks for taking down their first paranormal entity, but even something like preparing a special food for each meeting (popcorn and Milk Duds, anyone?) will do the trick.
Step 5: Keep it Secret; Keep it Safe
A secret society must be just that—secret. Once you have established or joined your society, come up with a plan to keep it from becoming public. Selecting a hidden meeting place, communicating in code, and infiltrating the ranks of historians and the press are all great strategies for maintaining the secrecy of your new group.
I hope you enjoy creating your own secret society—but if you do, definitely don’t tweet me about it, because that would be breaking Step 5.
Thanks so much to Kami for the guest post! I adore books with a secret society in them! It’s one of the things I most loved about UNBREAKABLE and UNMARKED.
Giveaway:
Use the rafflecopter to enter to win a copy of Unmarked. This is the perfect read for Halloween time!! US only. Must be 13 or older to win.
Check out the rest of the tour:
Sep. 30: A Little Bit of R&R
Oct. 1: Fictitious Delicious
Oct. 2: Once Upon a Twilight
Oct. 3: Alice Marvels
Oct. 3: Chapter by Chapter
Oct. 6: Reading Teen
Oct. 7: The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club
Oct. 8: Mystical Lit Lounge
Oct. 9: Mundie Moms
Oct. 10: Fangirlish
Kierra
Hmm…what I like about scary stories is the feeling of creepiness when I read it. I love getting chills from the story!
Lauren
I like the imagination it takes to turn something most people know of and recreate it.
Gladys Gonzales Atwell
I love the thrill and the tumbling feelings in my belly when I read a scary book!!
Susan
Cannot wait to see what happens to Kennedy in this book!
Diane Johnson
You don’t ever forget the things that scare you,that includes super scary books . They stick in your head and you keep thinking about it.
Teresa Barrera
I can’t wait to read Unmarked!
Courtney Whisenant
I loved the first book and can’t wait to read this one!! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!
Lasha Rudder
I like the mystery, the suspense and the yummy Oreos I eat to get me to survive reading the scary parts! It’s always fun to read too! Kami Garcia is extraordinary! I’m excited for her new book! Thank you for this giveaway!
bn100
not knowing what happens next
Sherna Tesara
Great review. I’ve read this one too!
Danna
Creepy stories sticks in your head for weeks… or even months.. or forever. Whenever I read something creepy, I keep imagining it and sometimes, I dream about it. But despite the nightmares, I love reading / hearing about creepy stories! They give me chills!