With Rue’s permission we have posted a picture of her cosplaying Retra/Naif. We think it’s a pretty neat picture!

Don’t forget to drop us a line if you think you’d like to blog for our site (see previos post), and if you have any cosplay pics or other Burn Bright related creative things, we’d love to hear from you! Don’t forget, only 3 months ’til Angel Arias is out.

Hey you!

Are you a teen blogger? Are you an avid reader, who’s keen to write reviews? Do you have a burning desire to share your thoughts with the world??

Our team of fab writers at Burn Bright would love you to join them and have your say about all things Teen and YA fiction!

If you’re 20 or under, love YA books, and have time to commit to regular contributions, drop us a line. We’d love to hear from you!

This is not a paid position, but your writing will be out there in the online universe for all to behold and admire. You’ll be able to build a writing CV and an audience at the same time. So, wotcha waiting for? Drop us a line and send us an example of your work. We’re looking for opinion pieces, book reviews, or ‘how to’ snippets. Keep your sample to approx. 500 words. Any multimedia over 2meg must be submitted via youSENDit.

If you’re selected to join our busy bunch of bloggers, you’ll also score tasty Burn Bright goodies, including bookmarks, stickers, and other groovy stuff.

We look forward to hearing from you!

[Submissions close: 1 August] via the contact form: https://www.burnbright.com.au/contact/

Sixteen-year-old witch Sophie Mercer’s life isn’t going like she planned. Firstly, being a witch isn’t as glamorous as she thought it would be; there’s no broomstick riding and her magic never seems to work out like she plans. After yet another disastrous spell, Sophie is sentenced to two years at Hecate “Hex” Hall,  the reform school for witches, faeries and shapeshifters.

In true Sophie style her first day goes freakishly wrong. First, there’s the near attack by a shapeshifter, falling for the gorgeous warlock who pushes all the wrong buttons, and ending up on the wrong side of the three most popular girls in school. Throw in a vamp roommate and Sophie is still a freak among freaks. Life couldn’t get an worse- right? Add some long-hidden family secrets, a ghost that seems to follow only her around, and finding herself way out of her depth and Sophie is in for one “hex” of a ride.

Hex Hall is a brilliant, fun ride through the dramas and thrills that come with being a teen Supe. From teen crushes that end in disaster to witchy with a B cat fights, Hex Hall with have you laughing, commiserating and, at times, running for your life right along with Sophie.  Sophie is funny, funky,a tad insecure and a downright delightful heroine to get to know. Toss in an interesting array of supporting characters that you will either love to hate or just downright love and the pages will fly in a whirl of action and teen angst.

Hawkins’s style is light and fast-paced, yet still packed with plenty of intrigue and mysterious goings-on behind the scenes to keep you guessing. The ending will leave you gobsmacked and dying to ride along with Sophie and co yet again in the second book in the series: “Hex Hall 2 Raising Demons”

Fans of Lisi Harrison’s “Monster High” and Kiersten White’s “Paranormalcy will get a kick out of this fun-filled stellar series.

Hex Hall– Rachel Hawkins

Published by Simon & Schuster, June, 2010.

ISBN: 978-1-84738-722-6

Paperback, 323 Pages.

Author info can be found at www.rachel-hawkins.com

I would like to introduce you to a series that was shot from 1995 and the second installment in 1997.

Spellbinder

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-7aDtfy6-o

had us jumping into parallel universes and doing double takes when we went bush walking. It was directed by Noel Price and writing credits go to Ron Saunders, Mark Shirrefs and John Thomson, and the same winning team joined, minus the genius of Ron Saunders for the 1997 sequel Spellbinder: Land of the dragon Lord. Series one was shot in New South Wales and Poland and season two was shot in New South Wales, Poland and China.

IMDB is a great place to find out stuff and here is their synopsis for Spellbinder… When a prank at a school camp goes drastically wrong, 15-year-old Paul Reynolds is blasted into an alternative reality and has to try to find a way home.

Here is their synopsis of the sequel, Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord… When 14-year-old Australian teenager, Kathy Morgan, discovers a mysterious boat during a family vacation, she decides to investigate – little realising that the boat is actually a transdimensional craft which is able to transcend parallel worlds.

Casting for the first series included Zbych Trofimiuk from Sky Trackers and I have always had a love for the work of Heather Mitchell. In the second series she is the only character kept over from the first season and we see a young Ryan Kwanten before he was on Home and Away and True Blood.

I think this may have been Australia’s first taste of a very steampunk-esque style of show. Themes of learning to act responsibly have our lead actors pulling their hair out. Home being where your heart is, brought forth adventure and drama. It was science fiction with just enough fantasy to take the sharp edge off. I want me one of those power suits.

I’ll continue on with my nostalgia in future installments. Hope you don’t mind.

I spent time living on both Bribie Island and in Caboolture while I was growing up. The hottest thing on the calendar besides the Caboolture Show was the Abbey Tournament held at the Abbey Museum off Old Toorbul Point Road towards Bribie Island. (Basically, take the Bribie Island exit off the Bruce highway and follow the signs.)

Now you don’t have to be a history buff to enjoy yourself at this grand event; you can be a bogan or moron and still have a damn good day out.  It was, and still is, the place to be seen on the July school holidays.  I still run into my school friends every time I attend.

They have workshops, jousting, displays, stalls, food and so many costumes you’d be mistaken for thinking you’d stepped back in time. For the second year in a row there will be a birds of prey element to the festival.  There is ALWAYS something happening around you; and, considering the event is in its 22nd year, you can believe me when I say it runs smoothly, like a well-oiled wheel.

Hubby and I are major photographic buffs and this event is a brilliant place to get some awesome live action photos of some of the most incredibly talented and fearless re-enactors I have ever had the pleasure to see. Not to mention the fact that some of the attendees put a huge amount of effort into their costuming; it would be a shame to not acknowledge their work in photos.

Here is a clip by rikki71 from the last year I was in attendance, ‘The Knights Order of Lion Rampant Greatest Hits of Abbey 2009’

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HasX55__Ywg&feature=fvsr

The clip is amazing. I can tell you, though it’s cool on YouTube, you don’t actually get a true idea of the strength, skill, and pure force of those blows unless you’re there on the spot, cheering them on.

The wandering Minstrels and the Jesters are also a highlight for me–so colourful, and again, talented. You can learn to make chain mail, shoot a few arrows with the archers, and *Boo* at the black knight as he spurs his trusty steed forward on the path towards his opponent in the jousting. Allow the atmosphere to wash over you and take in the sights and sounds of the Abbey Tournament, July 9th and 10th 2011. Tickets are available at the gate, and gates open at 9am.

I just might see you there.

xBelx