David James
David James writes books about stars and kisses and curses. He is the author of the YA novel, LIGHT OF THE MOON, the first book in the Legend of the Dreamer duet, as well as the companion novellas, THE WITCH'S CURSE and THE WARRIOR’S CODE. A Legend of the Dreamer anthology, SHADES OF THE STARS, was released July 2013, and includes the exclusive novella, THE ENCHANTER'S FIRE. BETWEEN THE STARS AND SKY is his first contemporary novel for young adults. Living in Michigan, he is addicted to coffee, gummy things, and sarcastic comments. David enjoys bad movies, goofy moments, and shivery nights. Be sure to visit David’s blog at djamesauthor.blogspot.com and facebook at facebook.com/djamesauthor to learn more about his various addictions and novels.
“I said, “But I am, Samuel. I am cursed. You’ve seen my mother. You know that is my destiny.” “I know,” he said. “But Magda? Look up at the stars one last time before this night becomes day.” I turned and felt the world below me drift away until the only thing I saw was a vast ocean of night and stars and moon. Samuel’s lips touched my neck, softly. He whispered, “The stars shine so brightly before they die, Magda. And even after they blink away, we can still see them. Stars don’t fade like people do. In ways, they are forever pieces of an infinite sky. We are the same, Magda. You are my star, and I am yours. There might be a piece of our forever that we cannot see, but we must believe it’s there, waiting at the end.”
“Those words.Samuel’s thirteen words became heartbeats-became my reasons to breathe in- and out of that moment.More than blood, I wanted him.I whispered, “Why did you want to know my name?”“Because my heart needed a name to beat to.”I grinned. “Is your heart always so delirious?”“Would it be a heart if it was anything else?”
“Standing at the edge of the dark forest, he kissed me. The forest shook, trembled. Where snow touched the trees, white flecks rose into the air and danced on the hands of the wind. Branches waved. Trees swayed, bending to almost break. Or maybe it was me, us. Maybe it was us moving while the rest of the world stood still.”
“And being brave doesn’t always mean you need to fight to win your battles; there are different kinds of strengths. Sometimes bravery comes from letting your heart make choices your mind cannot.”
“Truth doesn’t set you free, it shifts your world into something else entirely until you’re back to this: Who am I now that I know who I should be?”
“Sometimes being brave just means falling in love.”