 
### TRANSCENDENCE

The Transcend Time Saga Bonus Packet

Michelle Madow

### Transcendence

Published by Dreamscape Publishing

Copyright © 2012 Michelle Madow

This book is a work of fiction. Though some actual towns, cities, and locations may be mentioned, they are used in a fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in the mind and imagination of the author. Any similarities of characters or names used within to any person past, present, or future is coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles or reviews.

### ALSO BY MICHELLE MADOW

The Transcend Time Saga

Remembrance

Vengeance

Timeless

The Secret Diamond Sisters Trilogy

The Secret Diamond Sisters

Diamonds in the Rough

Diamonds are Forever

The Elementals Series

The Prophecy of Shadows

The Blood of the Hydra

The Head of Medusa (coming June 29, 2016)

### WANT FULL BOOKS OF MICHELLE'S FOR FREE?

Thank you so much for downloading _Transcendence_! I hope you enjoy the bonus packet. But before you start, I thought you should know that you can get the first book in The Transcend Time Saga, _Remembrance,_ for FREE!

To claim your free book, visit <http://michellemadow.com/free-remembrance>.

Now, turn the page to start reading _Transcendence!_

### INTRODUCTION

Hi, everyone! Now that the Transcend Time Saga is complete, I thought it would be fun to gather the materials I created while writing the series and share them with you in this bonus packet. Included you will find: A sneak peak of the beginning of _Remembrance_ (for those of you who haven't read the series yet), bonus scenes for _Remembrance_ and _Timeless_ , character biographies, character and author interviews, and other fun information I wrote for this series—all in one place.

It's been an honor to share this series with you, and the support I've received from fans has been incredible. Every time you've tweeted about the series, liked the Facebook page, or recommended my books to your friends means the world to me. I hope you enjoy this bonus packet for the Transcend Time Saga!

xoxo,

Michelle

### REMEMBRANCE SNEAK PEAK

Turn the page for a sample of the few first chapters of _Remembrance_!

### PREFACE

It was at the Halloween dance that I got the first glimpse of my past life.

The gym was packed, and due to the masks and the dim lights, it was impossible to tell who anyone was. I looked through the crowd, trying to see who Chelsea was dancing with, but even her red dress blended into the darkness.

Then I felt a movement from behind.

"Your boyfriend won't mind if you dance with someone else?" a familiar voice whispered in my ear, barely audible over the loud, trancelike music. I turned around, disappointed to find that the black bandanna wrapped around his hair and the matching cloth mask covering the top half of his face made it impossible to see his features in the low lighting. But I knew it was Drew.

He pulled me closer before I could respond to the question. His arms wrapped around my waist, and I rested my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes and inhaling the sweet scent of pine coming off his skin. Jeremy _would_ mind, but pulling away from Drew would be like trying to yank two magnets apart. It was dark, and we were in the back of the room, far enough from the main crowd in the center for anyone to notice. One dance couldn't hurt.

He must have figured that I wasn't going to try pulling away again, because he raised his hand to my shoulder and trailed his thumb down to my elbow, reaching my wrist and intertwining his fingers with mine. The palms of our hands connected, and I decided to enjoy the time we could be together, knowing that everything would return to the way it had been come Monday morning. The world spun to the beat of the music, and I let myself sink into it, clearing my mind of everything around me.

That was when the first flash came.

### CHAPTER 1

Today was going to be different. I could feel it.

It wasn't because it was the first day of school, or that it was ten minutes after the time Jeremy agreed to pick me up. There was something strange in the air.

Or maybe I was just being ridiculous.

Tires screeched around the corner, and I looked down the street, recognizing Jeremy's red Jeep Wrangler speeding down the pavement. He pulled up in front of my house and I hurried to the side of his car, swinging the door open and hopping onto the hot leather seat.

"Way to be late for the first day of school," I said, pushing a few strands of hair off my face that had gotten out of place during my dash to the car.

He looked at me and smiled, his blue eyes hidden behind his sunglasses, and reached to tuck a loose curl behind my ear. "Liz," he calmly spoke his nickname for me. "It'll be fine. The teachers won't even care on the first day." He leaned back, the sunlight shining through the window glistening off his sandy hair. He looked like a model featured in a summer clothing catalogue; the pale colors of the blue and white striped shirt and khaki shorts he wore intensified his golden tan from his recent outdoor soccer practices.

"Not all of us have gym first," I pointed out. "Your teacher might not care if you're late, but mine will."

He shrugged and turned to look at me again. "Why didn't you straighten your hair today?" he asked, unhappy with my decision to let it dry naturally.

"I like it like this," I said, unsurprised that it didn't take long for him to mention it. I'd started to embrace my curls over the summer, which was easier than straightening my hair every day. It wasn't like they were springy and uncontrollable. They were loose and flowing, the kind of curls people cherished before the invention of flatirons.

"I like it better straight," he told me. "You look so young right now, you could pass as a freshman."

The words stung. I took a deep breath to calm myself, keeping my eyes focused on the road. "If I'd straightened it, we would have really been late to school."

He reached his arm across the gearshift and squeezed my hand. "I'm sorry, Liz. I meant it as a compliment. You look great when you straighten it."

I shrugged and pulled my hand out of his, looking out the window as my house disappeared behind us and blended in with all the others in the quaint New England neighborhood. The early September leaves were still green, and I soaked in the last days of summer, not looking forward to the weather getting cold. Even though I'd lived in Pembrooke—a town right outside of Manchester, New Hampshire—for my entire life, I still hated the winter. Whenever snow, sleet, or ice fell to the ground, I stayed in as much as possible. There was no point in going outside and freezing to death.

Jeremy stopped at a red light and reached over to turn on the stereo. The heavy pounding of an awful rap song filled the car; it was so loud that the floors vibrated with the bass. The old man in the rundown truck next to us glared and shook his head in disapproval.

"When did you start listening to this kind of music?" I asked, lowering the volume.

"Some guys on the team got me into it." He grabbed his iPod off the dashboard and handed it to me. "Check it out, it's pretty good."

I glanced at it before putting it back where it was, uninterested in the other songs in the album. "You know," I said, looking back over at him, "I just realized we don't have a song."

The words sounded stupid after I said them.

He thought about it for a second. "I guess we don't," he said, switching the stereo over to the radio. "Why don't you put on any station, and whatever comes on will be our song."

It sounded ridiculous, but I reached towards the tuner to change stations, closing my eyes before turning it.

AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" blared through the speakers, and I turned if off so quickly that I feared the knob might break off in my hand.

"Great pick, Liz," he said with a laugh, driving into the parking lot of The Beech Tree School—a private school for kindergarten through 12th graders that sprawled across a small campus. We drove past a variety of cars—everything from used Volkswagens, brand new SUVs, and even the occasional Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes—but Jeremy didn't turn to find a parking space. Instead, he pulled up next to the flight of steps leading to the entrance.

"How about I drop you off here so you're not late?" he asked, resting an elbow on the armrest and turning to look at me. I couldn't see his eyes behind the lenses of his sunglasses, making it difficult to tell if he meant it or if he was irritated at me for giving him a hard time earlier. But the offer was nice.

"Thanks," I said, forcing a smile I hoped looked genuine. Maybe he did care that I was upset about his being late. I grabbed my bag before hopping out of the car, swinging it over my shoulder and turning around to look at him again. "I'll see you in French."

The Jeep squealed against the pavement as Jeremy turned into the parking lot, and I ran up the steps, flinging the door open and scurrying through the commons where my friends and I usually ate lunch. Finally I made it to the main hallway. The light wood door leading to the European History classroom remained open, and I slid inside, not wanting to draw any more attention to myself than necessary.

"Just in time, Elizabeth," said Mrs. Wilder, turning her head in my direction. Her light grey hair was in a bun in the back of her head, and she wore a flowing brown skirt with a white button down blouse. She looked like she'd walked right off the prairie. She nodded for me to sit down, and I looked around the room to find an empty seat.

I spotted Chelsea sitting at the far end of the giant U-shaped table, her back facing the large paned windows on the opposite side of the room. Her straight, dark red hair cascaded over the edge of the chair, and her jean mini-skirt was paired with a dark purple top set off by a long golden necklace. She looked like she'd thrown her clothes on in the morning without a second thought. No one would have guessed that she didn't let me get off the phone with her the night before until she'd decided on the perfect outfit. When I sat down next to her, I knew that my dark jeans and light blue tank top I'd thrown on that morning looked plain next to her ensemble.

"Who would have thought that _you_ would almost be late on the first day of school?" she snickered, keeping her voice to a low whisper.

"It wasn't my fault," I replied, leaning back in the plastic chair. "Jeremy was late picking me up."

I knew that his being late wasn't worth getting angry about, but my relationship with Jeremy was changing—and not for the best. He was constantly with his new varsity teammates, and while I knew it was normal for him to want to spend time with them, it hurt whenever he pushed me to the side. I couldn't help but hope that he didn't get elected co-captain, even though it was an awful thought to have. He'd tried introducing me to a few of his new friends' girlfriends, but I couldn't relate to them sitting on the bleachers analyzing every play on the field. While I did go to all of his games, kicking a ball around and barely scoring wasn't entertaining in the slightest—at least not to me.

I didn't realize that I was lost in my thoughts and hadn't heard a word Mrs. Wilder said about the beginning of the school year until the opening of the door brought my mind back into focus. I looked up in curiosity, wondering who else would risk being late on the first day.

The moment my eyes met with his, the other students in the room blurred into the background. My heart felt like it was pumping at a faster than normal rate, and my lips parted slightly as I took in the sight of the boy who looked so familiar, even though I couldn't remember where we'd met before. His spiky black hair was gelled to make it appear like he'd just rolled out of bed, although I had an image of what he would look like if it were a bit longer, with no gel. The midnight blue jeans, black shirt, and matching leather jacket that he wore seemed impractical in the summer heat, but I couldn't picture him wearing anything but dark, heavy clothes.

He yanked his gaze away from mine and scanned over the other students in the room, breaking the spell between us. Realizing that I'd been staring at him for longer that socially acceptable, I turned my attention down to my fingernails and pretended to be interested in the chipped pink polish. I tried to think of where we could have met before, but nothing clicked. It was like trying to recall a forgotten dream—each time I felt close to remembering where we'd met, the memories slipped away.

"You must be Andrew Carmichael," Mrs. Wilder stated the familiar name. I looked back up at him, but was still unable to figure out why I felt like I'd met him before.

He leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest, glancing around the room again. "I go by Drew," he said, sounding just as bored as he looked.

Mrs. Wilder ignored his attitude. "Please take a seat next to Elizabeth," she suggested, pointing to the chair next to mine—the last empty seat in the classroom.

Not wanting to be caught staring at him for a second time, I leaned down to grab a pen from my bag, trying to ignore the feeling of my blood pulsing faster through my body as he got closer. I was aware of his every movement, and it was impossible to act unaffected as he took the seat beside me. Goosebumps sprung up along my arms, and I inhaled the scent of new leather accompanied by a crisp trace of pine, reminding me of a campfire on a winter night. I tried taking shorter breaths in an attempt to ignore his presence beside me, but it didn't work.

Making sure not to look at Drew again, I readjusted in the chair, turning to Chelsea to see her reaction to him. She was looking at him, her eyes glinting with determination as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger, forming her mouth into what she probably believed was a seductive pout to try getting his attention. He must have not noticed, because an annoyed look crossed her face and she redirected her attention to Mrs. Wilder, who was walking around the room handing out the syllabus describing what to expect from the course that year.

I focused on the paper in front of me, shaking my pen back and forth between my index and middle fingers in the hope that I looked like I was deep in concentration. However, it was impossible to forget that Drew was sitting so close to me. My eyes kept drifting to the side, forcing me to see him in my peripheral vision. The pen wasn't enough of a distraction, so I dropped it on the table and gathered my hair over my shoulder, using it as a shield to block him from my line of sight.

Before I knew what was happening, the pen rolled off the side of the table, landing on the floor between us. I tried not to look at Drew when I leaned down to pick it up, but I was trying so hard to not acknowledge his presence that I didn't realize he had also reached to get it until the warmth of his fingers brushed against mine. A spark of electricity shot up my arm, and my breath caught in my chest at the sight of his dark brown eyes with a ring of golden flecks bordering his pupils. My mind grew hazy; everyone else disappeared around us, making it feel more like a dream than real life. I wondered if he felt it too.

The late bell shrieked through the halls before either of us could say anything, jolting my mind back into reality. He lifted the pen up and I smiled in thanks, making sure not to brush against his hand as I took it back. It was tempting to look at him to see if he felt the same draw towards me that I did towards him, but instead I gathered my hair over my shoulder again, re-creating the makeshift barrier between us. If I couldn't see him, maybe I would forget the strange attraction I felt towards him.

I also reminded myself that despite his recent change of attitude, Jeremy was still my boyfriend. Chelsea always gushed about how perfect Jeremy and I were for each other. My mom loved him, and she was best friends with his mom. Sometimes I wondered if they were already planning the wedding. Still, it took a concentrated effort to not look at Drew again—so much so that it felt like my struggle to keep my eyes focused on the front of the room must have been obvious to everyone else in the class.

The bell signaled the end of first period, and the only thing I could think about was getting out of the room so I could gather my thoughts. The best thing to do would be to get Drew out of my head, but it was impossible when I felt the energy pulsing off his skin, making me unable to ignore his presence as he gathered his books beside me. My heart thudded in my chest at a million times per second as I rushed towards the door, glad when I found myself amidst the bustling students in the hallway going to their next class.

"Lizzie!" Chelsea called from behind, making me stop in place. "Wait up!" We were both heading towards the language wing since I had French next period and she had Spanish, but apparently I was so caught up in thinking about Drew that I'd forgotten to wait for her in my dash out of the room. She bounced to my side, clutching her books to her chest. "So, how hot is Drew?" she asked, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

I nodded and managed a small smile, hoping she would continue talking so I wouldn't have to reply. I was still trying to figure out why he seemed so familiar, and the last thing I wanted was for Chelsea to think I was interested in him.

She leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "He moved here last week from Manhattan," she said, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "He lives on Lakeside Circle. I heard some people talking about him before you got here this morning."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. The biggest, most elaborate houses in Manchester were on Lakeside Circle—the people who lived there were so rich that they didn't even need to work.

"Why would they move here?" I asked, wondering why someone would go from Manhattan to Pembrooke. Judging from Drew's lack of enthusiasm about being here, I figured there must be a story behind the move.

"I don't know," she said, her eyes wide with excitement. "But I'm going to find out."

"You do that." I laughed, doing my best to pretend not to care, despite the fact that I hadn't stopped thinking about Drew since leaving the classroom. "But we have to get to class. Meet you in the cafeteria for lunch?"

She smirked and stopped in front of the Spanish room. "Sounds good," she said, glancing at something in the distance before looking back over at me. "I'll let you know what I discover."

### CHAPTER 2

Drew was the first person I noticed when I entered the French classroom. He didn't strike me as the first row type—that was typically reserved for teacher's pets who raised their hand after every question to show off their mastery of the material—yet he was front and center. He leaned back in his seat, not making an effort to talk to anyone.

His eyes locked with mine when I entered, and I paused in the doorway, wondering what would happen if I sat near him. However, his expression twisted into one of annoyance a second later, and he looked down at his desk, making me wonder why the idea had passed through my mind in the first place.

"Liz!" Jeremy called from the back of the room, breaking my train of thought. I saw him waving at me and walked over to join him, glad that he'd chosen a seat in back. "Mrs. Evans has assigned seating," he said as I navigated my way through the multiple rows of desks. "Which means you're all the way up there." He pointed to the first row.

I reached the empty desk next to him and widened my eyes, hoping he was joking. "Really?" I asked, looking at the front row with dread. Drew's expression when he saw me walk into the room made it clear that he didn't want me to sit anywhere near him, and the last thing I needed was for him to make it difficult for me to concentrate during another class as well.

"Really." Jeremy laughed, pointing at the piece of paper on his desk that said Jeremy Williams in black permanent marker.

"Great." I looked at the front row in agitation. "Now I'll be forced to participate."

I trudged forward to find my seat, my eyes traveling to Drew sitting with his back towards me, and then to the desk on his left. Andrew Carmichael ... Elizabeth Davenport. The seating was alphabetical, so I shouldn't have been surprised when I saw that mine was next to his.

Unsure if I should say hi or not, I took out my notebook and turned to the front page, writing 'AP French' on the top to stop myself from looking over at him. My hand started to shake and I concentrated on steadying it, not wanting him to think that I noticed him more than any other student in the classroom.

"This class should be easy," he broke the silence, his voice flowing with a warmth I didn't expect.

I looked at him to make sure he was talking to me, surprised to discover not only that he was, but that he was also leaning forward, like he was interested in my response. "Maybe," I said, trying to think of a way to continue the conversation. "I guess your old school had a good program?"

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair again. "You could say that."

I tilted my head in confusion, wondering if I was supposed to understand what he meant, but Mrs. Evans walked to the front of the room and greeted us in French before I could ask. Everyone quieted down as she handed out the book we would be reading for the semester and began going over the syllabus. We were only allowed to speak in French in the class, and I only caught half of what she said—partly because I didn't understand it, and the other part because I was too busy trying to act unaffected by Drew's presence next to me. I copied whatever she wrote on the board in the pretense that I knew what was going on, figuring she wouldn't call on me if I looked busy.

" _Élisabeth_?" she spoke my name, causing my pen to jolt to a stop on the paper.

I looked up in terror. " _What?_ " I asked in French.

" _Would you care to tell the class what you did over the summer?_ "

" _Okay_ ," I began, trying to ignore the fact that everyone had turned to look at me, including Drew. " _I went to Pennsylvania. My dad lives there, and I stay with him every summer_."

The vocabulary was simple enough, but my pronunciation was awful.

" _What did you do when you visited him?_ " she prodded.

" _I was a counselor at an art camp_." I tried as hard as possible to speak with a proper accent, but the words refused to come out right.

Someone laughed in the back of the room, and I knew it was Jeremy before turning around. I narrowed my eyes at him before refocusing on my notes. I was already embarrassed enough—he didn't need to draw more attention to the fact that I had a difficult time speaking French, especially since he knew it was something I was self-conscious about.

Mrs. Evans moved on to ask Drew about his summer, and he replied flawlessly. I somehow managed to stop myself from looking at him. The class was easy for him, yet I stumbled over simple sentences, looking like a bumbling idiot. I started to regret not dropping down to the regular level French class. Then I reminded myself that AP classes looked good on college applications, and I didn't want to let my mom down by switching to the lower level class. She would tell me that it was fine either way, since she believed I was capable of making my own decisions, but she was proud that I was taking AP classes. I would just have to study really hard.

Mrs. Evans didn't call on me again for the remainder of class, and I managed to fill the sides of the page where I was supposed to be taking notes with senseless geometrical designs by the time the bell rang. Not wanting to deal with another awkward moment like the one in history class, I made sure to take my time gathering my books so Drew could leave before me.

"Nice job pretending you're awful at French," he said as he leaned down to get his bag, speaking quietly enough so no one else could hear but me.

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. "Pretending?"

"Yeah," he said with a smirk. "And you did a good job of it. I think they all believed you."

I pressed my lips together, hoping he wasn't making fun of me, too. "What are you talking about?" I asked, trying not to sound as interested as I was.

He leaned in closer, holding his gaze with mine. "You _know_ what I'm talking about."

"I honestly don't." I kept focused on him and tried to figure out what he meant, but there was no way to make sense of it.

Now he looked confused. "You mean you don't speak French?"

"Well, I'm decent at it," I answered in defense. "But it's not exactly my best subject."

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at me, like he was trying to figure something out, or waiting for me to admit some non-existent fluency in the language. "Right," he said, pushing his chair back as he stood, the metal screeching against the floor. "I guess you just struck me as the straight A type."

"I like my other classes," I said, trying to lighten the conversation. "It's just French that gives me a hard time. I'm thinking about dropping AP and moving down to the regular level class."

"You'll do fine in this one." He shook his head and laughed, like he found my idea of switching into the other class ridiculous. "Trust me."

Before I could come up with a coherent reply, he turned around and walked out of the room. I looked at the door in shock. He had no reason to think I would do well in the class, especially after how much I'd messed up when called on to speak.

Jeremy approached my desk a second later, resting his hand on the back of my chair. "What was that all about?" he asked, staring at the place where Drew had just stood.

"I have no idea," I mused, leaning away from him to pick up my bag. Then I remembered what had happened earlier and looked back up at him, becoming irritated all over again. "But why did you laugh at me in front of everyone?"

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from laughing. "You have to admit it's kind of funny that you sound like a clueless American tourist when you speak French," he said with a chuckle.

I glared at him. "Thanks, Jere."

"I didn't mean it like that," he tried to cover up the comment. "But maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to switch out of AP."

His words made me freeze in place. "I'm not _that_ bad at French," I defended myself, even though I'd said the same thing to Drew a minute earlier.

He picked the textbook off my desk and handed it to me. "Don't take it so seriously," he said, smiling as I took the book and shoved it into my bag. "It's just not your best class. And regular level French is at the same time, so you wouldn't have to change around your entire schedule if you switched. Plus, you would get an A."

"I'm staying in AP," I insisted, not in the mood to argue in the middle of the near-empty classroom. Mrs. Evans was speaking with another student at her desk in the corner, but she was still close enough to hear our entire conversation. "But third period's starting soon. I'll see you at lunch."

The entire way to my next class, I thought about the short conversation with Drew. It was no secret that French wasn't my strong point, and he had no reason to think otherwise. Still ... he sounded so confident. Maybe he was just being nice, but even though he had no reason to think I could do well in the class, it seemed like he believed every word he said.

### CHAPTER 3

My next two classes, genetics and English, went smoothly, except I couldn't get Drew's dark eyes with the golden specks out of my head. It felt like he was everywhere I went. I spent most of third and fourth periods trying to figure out why he seemed so familiar, but every time I felt close to remembering, the thought disappeared. I wondered if I should ask him the next time I saw him, but I resolved not to say anything. It would sound so strange. I had no choice but to let it go.

A return to the normal routine of meeting Chelsea in the cafeteria before going to eat lunch in the commons seemed like the perfect way to focus on my life at school instead of my non-existent relationship with Drew. She waited for me like we agreed, but after we bought our food, Jeremy called my name from the center table in the cafeteria filled with his fellow varsity teammates. There was a huge smile on his face as he motioned us to join him.

"Looks like we have a new table this year," Chelsea said with a smirk, waving at Jeremy to let him know we were on our way. She started walking towards the long rectangular table, holding her head high as she strode through the crowd.

I wanted to sit with some of our other friends in the commons, but Jeremy and Chelsea both seemed happy switching locations, so I would have to deal with it for the day. When we got to the crowded table, I somehow managed to squeeze into a small space between Jeremy and the edge of the bench. Chelsea sat across from us. I crossed my legs in discomfort and looked around the table, which consisted of varsity athletes and their girlfriends. The guys were muscular from their workouts, and each one had a large amount of food in front of them, opposed to the salads on the girls' plates. They were all seniors except for Jeremy, Chelsea, and me.

"You know the guys on the team, right?" Jeremy asked me, a huge grin on his face. He seemed happy to move up in the world, if "the world" meant high school and "moving up" meant sitting in the center of the cafeteria.

"Yeah," I answered with a timid smile. I'd seen them around school and knew most of their names, but hadn't had a conversation with any of them before. Jeremy was aware of that, but he turned away to continue a conversation with one of the other soccer players, not attempting to make any further introductions. The other girls didn't make an effort to be friendly either, so I took a bite of my sandwich and listened to them talk about their summer vacations, doubting they would be interested in my experience as an art counselor at a summer camp in Pennsylvania.

"Drew just walked out of the cafeteria line with Danielle Parker," Chelsea said to me, stabbing a piece of cantaloupe with her fork. "I guess she's fighting with Brandon again and is using Drew to make him jealous. How typical."

I turned my head to look, and just as Chelsea said, Drew stood near the far wall of the cafeteria with the tall senior girl. He looked bored with whatever they were talking about, and he glanced around the room like he was looking for someone to save him from the conversation.

His eyes stopped when they reached mine. My head started spinning like it did the first time I saw him in history class, and the strange feeling of déjà vu refused to go away. But the far-out look in his eyes was different from earlier. He looked almost like he was in pain, opposed to his relaxed attitude from that morning.

"Oh my God, he's totally looking at me," Chelsea said, breaking the spell between us. When I turned back around, he was situating himself at a table by the wall with Danielle and her friends, not acknowledging the fact that he'd been staring at me a moment before. He didn't appear to be looking at Chelsea, either.

"Isn't that the new guy you were talking to at the end of French?" Jeremy broke into the conversation. "The transfer from New York?"

I looked down at my plate and moved a tomato around with my fork. "Yeah," I said, shrugging like it didn't matter.

Chelsea widened her eyes and leaned over the table. "You talked to him?"

"He just had a question about the homework," I lied, wishing she would let it go. "No big deal."

Jeremy laughed, looking at me in shock. "And he asked _you_?"

I paused, not knowing how to reply. It did seem unlikely that anyone would ask me for help in French, but Jeremy didn't have to announce that to the entire table.

He took a bite of his sandwich and resumed talking about the upcoming vote for co-captain with the guy next to him before I could say anything. Aware of the fact that the entire table had listened to our conversation, I sat back in my seat and tried not to look at Drew again. I doubted that he would ever embarrass me in front of everyone like Jeremy had just done.

Chelsea popped a grape in her mouth and rested an elbow on the table. "Since you know Drew, maybe you could introduce us," she said, looking over at him without bothering to be inconspicuous. "He's totally my type."

"Sure," I said sarcastically. "He asked me about the homework, and now we're best friends." I managed a small laugh, but her comment bugged me. She couldn't know if he was her type—she'd never even had a conversation with him. Then again, it wasn't like I knew him, either.

I spent the remainder of lunch trying to act engulfed in listening to Shannon Henderson, one of the senior girls, tell everyone about her month-long trip to Europe this past summer. She took full command of the table, speaking loudly and making huge gestures to get attention. Her stories were only vaguely entertaining, but her two best friends Keelie and Amber hung onto every word like she was giving a presidential speech.

At least listening to her talk provided an adequate distraction from Drew and prevented Chelsea from discussing him any further.

I checked my schedule at the end of lunch to see what class I had next, glad to find that it was drawing. Chelsea and Jeremy weren't in the class, and it probably wouldn't be one that Drew would sign up for either, since it tended to be mostly girls.

When I arrived at the art room it was only a quarter full, and I smiled when spotting Hannah Goldberg sitting by herself at one of the four tall tables. Her peasant shirt looked like it came out of the sixties, and she barely wore any make-up. She was a quiet girl—short, with mousy brown hair and a few freckles. She used to be best friends with Chelsea and me, but in the beginning of freshman year she started dating Sheldon, the star of most of the school plays, and the two of them started to isolate themselves from everyone else. I missed talking with her, but at least she seemed happy in her relationship.

I sat on the stool next to her, saying hi as I placed my bag on the ground.

"Hey," she said, smiling and placing her pencil on her desk. "Where were you at lunch today?

"Jeremy decided to sit in the cafeteria with the guys from the team, so Chelsea and I ate there today," I explained, hoping she didn't take it the wrong way. Last year we always ate together in the commons.

"Oh." She looked disappointed. I felt bad, since the only times we saw each other any more were during lunch or classes we shared, but at least we had drawing together.

We discussed what we did over the summer until our teacher entered the room and handed us all empty sketchbooks. He told us that by the end of the semester we had to fill them up however we wanted. It didn't matter what was in them as long as they were full, which wouldn't be a problem for me. I knew it would be easy for Hannah as well; she was an excellent artist.

Talking with her during class was a nice break from thinking about Drew, Chelsea, and Jeremy, but it was soon time for my final class of the day—trigonometry. I never found math interesting, but at least I shared it with Chelsea, which would reduce my boredom.

The classroom contained five small clusters of desks seating four students each. Chelsea sat in the back with her books on the desk next to her, and she moved them over when I walked into the room. I sat down and pulled my notebook out of my bag, glad that the day was almost over.

"You'll never guess what happened in chemistry," Chelsea said, tapping her pencil on her desk in excitement. Her eyes were wide and she leaned forward, looking like she was about to burst if she didn't tell me soon.

"What happened?" I tried to look enthusiastic, despite how tired as I felt. "I hope you didn't make something explode on the first day."

She rested her hands on her desk and took a deep breath in preparation to share the news. "I arranged it so I'm lab partners with Drew!" she squealed, a huge smile forming on her face. "Now we'll be working together every day for the rest of the semester."

Disappointment flooded my body, and I sat back in my chair, somehow managing to force a smile so she wouldn't get suspicious. "How'd you manage to do that?" I asked.

"Easy," she said with a smirk. "I sat next to him. When Mrs. Sullivan had us pick lab partners, I asked him to be mine. It's not like he knew anyone else, but all the other girls were totally jealous."

"That's great," I said, trying to muster up some excitement. "Mr. Roberts assigned us partners in my genetics class."

Mr. Barton, one of the math teachers at the school, walked into the room to begin class before Chelsea could continue. I tried to focus on trigonometry for the entire fifty-five minutes, but it was impossible to shake the image of Chelsea and Drew working together in chemistry.

At least she would be stuck wearing those huge goggles that left strange marks on people's skin afterwards.

The bell signaled the end of the longest first day of school ever, and I wanted nothing more than to go home and collapse on my bed from exhaustion. But since Jeremy drove me to school and he had soccer practice, I had some time to kill. The two-hour practice was at the same time for the varsity and JV teams, and I never minded going to the library to do my homework for the evening or read a book while I waited for him.

I walked past the lines of computers and aisles of books until reaching the back room. It was my favorite place to do homework. There were a few beanbags scattered around the space, and a large glass window overlooked the lake behind the school. Most students gravitated towards the desks in the center of the library, and the peace and quiet in the back was nice compared to all the commotion of the day.

I rummaged through my bag and searched for my planner, glancing at the short list of assignments and debating which to do first. I ultimately decided to read the first four chapters of _Pride and Prejudice_. I'd always wanted to read it, and it was one of the books my English class was reading for the semester.

I opened the small paperback and turned to chapter one. The first line caught my attention: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

My thoughts wandered to Drew. From what Chelsea had said earlier, he certainly was "in possession of good fortune," and it probably wouldn't be long until he had a girlfriend. Unfortunately, with the way things were going it seemed likely to be Chelsea.

I finished the first four chapters in under an hour, and despite wanting to read more, I had other homework assignments to complete. I placed the book on the floor next to me and took my sketchbook out of my bag. There was no better time to start filling it up than the present. I opened it to the first page and placed the tip of my pencil on the blank paper, beginning to draw.

The scenes from the book remained in my mind, and by the time 5:15 rolled by, I was staring at a half-completed sketch of a girl with long blonde hair in a high-waisted flowing ballgown from what I assumed was the early 1800's. Long satin gloves traveled up to her elbows, and a headpiece adorned her curls. Her hair flowed all the way down her back, just how I imagined mine might look if I grew it longer. She looked into a mirror, and it appeared like she was preparing to attend a ball much like the one described in the chapters that I'd just read in the book. It looked and felt so familiar—almost like I'd drawn it from memory.

I traced my fingers upon the image as I examined it, wondering what inspired me to draw someone who looked more like me than the main character, Lizzy. Her name was the same as mine—except for the slight variation of spelling—which could possibly explain why I merged us together, but I still couldn't quite make sense of it. She was the only figure on the paper besides the mirror, and I lifted the pencil again, beginning to sketch the background so it didn't look like she was floating randomly on the page.

More time must have passed than I realized, and the sound of the door opening interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see Jeremy stride into the room. He still wore his brown gym shorts and white jersey with the number 12 on the back below his last name that was spelled in all capital letters. His hair was a little darker than its normal dark blonde because of sweat, and his cheeks were still red from practice.

I dropped my pencil in the crease of my sketchbook, disappointed to have to stop mid-way through the drawing. "Did you get co-captain?" I asked, trying not to get irritated about being interrupted while sketching. I could always finish when I got home from school.

"You bet I did!" he answered pumping his fist in the air in excitement. He walked over and joined me on the beanbag, slinging his arm around my shoulders. He was still sweaty, but I tried to ignore it as I rested my head on his chest, noticing that his arms were firmer than they were in the beginning of summer because of his intense workouts. "It was pretty much a given that I would get it," he continued, "but it's good knowing it's official."

"That's awesome, Jere," I said, looking up at him and smiling to show him I meant it. In that moment, he was back to the same Jeremy I knew growing up. Excitable, fun, and relaxed, he looked down at me with those blue eyes that were as familiar as the back of my hand. "I had a feeling you would get it."

"Thanks, Liz." He leaned closer and rested his forehead against mine, the sweat from his hair matting on my skin. The slight movement caused the pencil to roll out of the crease of my sketchbook, and it fell to the floor. "What're you drawing?" he asked, moving his hand down to the book in my lap. Despite knowing that I didn't like anyone seeing my drawings before they were completed, he grabbed it before I could respond and lifted it out of my reach.

"You don't want to look at that..." I pleaded, reaching forward to try getting it back. I was unsuccessful. "It's not even close to finished yet."

He ignored me and pulled it closer, examining the sketch. "This is different from your other stuff," he said, squinting as he looked at it.

"Different how?" I asked, even though I knew he was right.

"You normally draw scenery." He rotated the book in his hand, continuing to study the image. "Did you have some strange assignment to draw yourself in medieval clothes?"

"It's not medieval," I said, a little harsher than necessary. "It's what people wore in the early nineteenth century when _Pride and Prejudice_ was written. It's the first book we had to read in my English class."

"Weird." He looked at me like I'd lost my mind and shut the book, handing it back to me before standing. "But anyway, what do you say we go to dinner to celebrate my victory?"

Even though I was tired, I smiled in agreement, allowing him to pull me out of the chair. I wasn't about to ruin his good day by whining about how terrible mine was, and my mom wouldn't mind if I went to dinner with Jeremy instead of eating with her. Unlike some of the other kids my age, I'd never been the type to get into trouble or make irrational decisions, so I was pretty much allowed to do what I wanted.

I packed my books in my bag and decided that for Jeremy's sake, I would pretend everything was the same as it had always been. It pretty much was, minus his recent attitude change and the new table at lunch. But it was impossible to deny the biggest change of them all—that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to get Drew Carmichael out of my head.

However, judging from his actions today, I doubted he felt the same.

### CHAPTER 4

Drew ignored me for the next two weeks. Although maybe "ignored" wasn't the right term. Is it possible to ignore someone if you don't know them in the first place? It's not like one conversation meant we were friends. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that he was going out of his way to avoid speaking to me. He always came to first period right before the late bell and sat as far as possible from Chelsea and me. It was the same in French class—he was always the last one there, rushing in before Mrs. Evans began the lesson. I lingered around Jeremy's desk and talked with him before class, walking to my seat just before the bell to avoid any unnecessary interaction with Drew. Well, it was more like a lack of interaction, since he didn't seem to notice my existence.

When I did sit in my assigned seat next to him, my skin prickled like it was absorbing a radioactive force emitted from his body. There were times when I felt like he watched me out of the corner of his eye, especially when I stumbled over my words when Mrs. Evans called on me to answer a question. When I walked around school or ate with friends in the cafeteria, I could always tell when he was near, like I was tuned into a frequency that picked up waves in his presence. I tried telling myself it was nothing but a high school crush and I would get over it, but I knew my feelings for him weren't something I could turn off like a light switch, no matter how hard I tried.

* * *

" _In general, the quizzes were good_ ," Mrs. Evans spoke in French as she walked around the room, handing back the pop-quiz she'd sprung on us earlier that week. " _The average was an A-, and most of you received grades in that range_."

She looked at me for a second longer than the other students before placing my quiz facedown on my desk. Slowly lifting the corner of the paper, I peeked at the grade written on the top. A bright red D stared back at me, laughing at my near-failure.

A slight movement on my right caught my attention, and I glanced over to catch Drew sneaking a quick look at my grade. I shoved the quiz into my bag so he couldn't see it, but the sunlight from the window shined through the paper, making the red ink visible from the other side. No one else cared enough to try to peek at my grade, but the concerned look in Drew's eyes let me know he'd seen it, and he turned his attention to the front of the room without saying anything. My cheeks flushed at the fact that he knew how poorly I'd done, and not wanting to be more embarrassed than I already was, I blinked away tears of frustration and prepared to focus on the lesson for the day.

" _As you know, the reading from last night discussed vacations_ ," Mrs. Evans began in French. " _So let's hear about some vacations you've been on and anything interesting you saw or learned_."

Lindsay Newman, a girl I'd only spoken to a few times who sat in the middle of the room, started the conversation by talking about a recent trip she went on to Italy. Just like the other private schools in the area, admission to Beech Tree wasn't cheap, and it wasn't unusual for students to vacation out of the country. However, instead of listening to people discuss their vacations, I thought about the quiz, trying to calculate how much it would affect my final grade in the class.

" _Élisabeth_." Mrs. Evans disrupted my thoughts, causing me to jump a bit in my seat. " _Have you ever taken a vacation to a foreign country and had an interesting experience while there_?"

I paused to translate the question in my head, catching the words "interesting," "experience," and "vacation." There were a few words in the middle that I didn't understand, but not wanting to embarrass myself by letting everyone know I wasn't paying attention, I decided I got the gist of it enough to answer.

" _Two years ago I went to Hawaii_." I spoke quickly, wanting to get the focus away from myself as soon as possible. " _We went on a helicopter ride and saw the volcanoes_."

Mrs. Evans looked baffled, and a few students began laughing—Jeremy included.

I looked around, confused. "What?" I asked in English, wondering what was so funny about helicopters and volcanoes.

"Hawaii's a state," Jeremy said, not making an effort to contain his laughter.

"Yeah," I said, still unsure what the problem was. "I know."

"But you just said your vacation to a foreign country was to Hawaii."

A foreign country—those must have been the French words I didn't understand enough to translate into English. The entire class looked at me like I was an idiot, and I glanced at Mrs. Evans for help only to find her laughing right along with them, although she tried to control herself when her eyes met mine.

"I just didn't know the French words for foreign country," I explained, hoping everyone believed me.

Jeremy laughed again. "Sure. Whatever you say."

I nearly threw my pencil at him in frustration. "I know Hawaii's a state," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "I just misunderstood the question."

He smirked in disbelief, and I knew I wouldn't hear the end of this later. I was beginning to re-consider switching out of AP.

When class ended, I left without waiting for Jeremy. It wasn't long until he caught up with me.

"You never told us how your trip to the foreign country of Hawaii was," he said with a laugh, entertained by my embarrassment.

"You know I didn't actually think that." I looked at him in annoyance, pleading for him to let it go. Arguing about this was stupid.

"Sure you didn't," he drawled, leaning closer towards me. "Anyway, how'd you do on that quiz?"

I took a step back. "I did fine," I lied, not meeting his eyes.

"I got an A-," he jumped at the chance to brag about his grade. "But don't worry too much about what you got. It was one quiz. It doesn't matter that much." He stopped in front of one of the English rooms for his next class, which was on the way to the science wing where I had genetics. "I'll catch you at lunch," he said, seeming to have already put the Hawaii incident behind him.

I started to walk towards my next class, but didn't get far before hearing someone calmly say my name.

I recognized Drew's voice before I turned around. He leaned against the cement wall, both hands inside the front pockets of his jacket. "I know you don't think Hawaii's a foreign country," he said with a smirk, like he was proud of himself for being the only other person in the class who believed me.

I stopped walking, confused about why he decided to talk to me after pretending that I didn't exist for the past few weeks. "Really?" I asked, walking towards him and resting my hand against the wall. "Because everyone else seems to think I do."

"I believe you," he repeated, standing close enough to me that I could see the small flecks of gold in his eyes, made darker by the lackluster lighting in the hall. I waited for him to say more, but he stared down at me, waiting for a response.

"That makes you the only person who does." I shrugged, glancing at the ground before looking back up at him.

"I can help you with French," he offered, catching me by surprise. "If you want."

I paused, wondering if I heard him correctly. "Thanks," I said, playing with the strap of my bag. The offer was tempting, but Jeremy wouldn't be happy if he found out I was spending time with Drew. "But I think I might just switch out of AP."

"Come on." He leaned in closer, causing that whole electricity over my skin thing to happen again. "I know you're smart. If you practice a little, you'll blow everyone away."

I tried to focus on the conversation and not on how there were only inches between us, positive that my heart was beating loud enough for him to hear. "I'm pretty hopeless in French," I said, my voice steadier than I expected. "But if you want to try helping me, I'll think about staying in the class."

"You're not hopeless," he said, his eyes softening as he spoke. He hadn't looked at me that way since the first day of school. "And even though I probably shouldn't help you, I will."

I looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean that you _shouldn't_?"

"Just that Jeremy might not be happy," he said with a small smirk. "He seemed threatened when we talked on the first day of school. Not that I care about that, but I wouldn't want to cause problems between the two of you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "I don't see Jeremy offering to help," I pointed out, feeling bad about the words the moment I said them.

"So," he said, a mischievous smile forming on his face as he leaned closer towards me. "When are you up for the first study session?"

We were standing so close that I could feel his breath on my cheek when he spoke, and I ran through my schedule in my mind. "Jeremy drives me to school on Fridays, so I'll be in the back of the library tomorrow until he gets out of soccer practice," I said, telling myself that there was nothing wrong with getting help outside of class. It wasn't like we were going on a date. It was just a tutoring session.

He looked at me quizzically. "You just wait around for him to drive you home?"

"Just on the days when he doesn't have workouts in the morning," I said in defense. "It's a good time to get homework done. Or to read."

"Whatever you say." The halls started emptying and he glanced at his watch, which looked more expensive than anything the other students had at Beech Tree. "I know you probably want a break from school after what happened in French, but as much as I'm up for ditching my next class, I'm guessing that's not your thing."

I jerked my head up in surprise. "How do you know I wouldn't be up for ditching?"

"Just a guess." He smirked. "If you're up for it, my car's outside."

I paused, considering what to do. I'd never skipped before, but my lab partner in genetics was also in my French class, and I wasn't in the mood to further defend my knowledge of world geography.

"Actually," he spoke without waiting for my response. "Forget I asked. You should go to class." Without waiting for me to answer, he started walking down the hall. "But I'll see you tomorrow," he called over his shoulder before turning around the corner.

* * *

"You'll never guess what happened in chemistry," Chelsea said, dropping her trigonometry book on the desk next to mine and sitting down. She always came straight to class to make sure she had enough time before the first bell to rehash the recent conversations she'd had with Drew. It was hard to smile and nod as Chelsea talked about him, but at least I was feeling better about the French quiz after Hannah helped me figure out how much the D would impact my final grade while we were in drawing. It wasn't as terrible as I'd thought, and as long as I started to do better on quizzes and tests, my grade shouldn't suffer too badly. I was also glad that Hannah believed me when I told her I didn't think Hawaii was a foreign country.

"Let me guess," I said, returning to Chelsea's question. "It has to do with Drew?"

"We're going to the movies on Saturday night!" she squealed, leaning forward in excitement.

I dropped my pencil in shock. "He asked you?"

"Well...I asked him. And I sort of said I was going to the movies with you and Jeremy and didn't want to be a third wheel," she sneaked in, fidgeting in her seat. "You'll come, right?"

"Sure," I said, keeping my voice level. "I'll have to ask Jeremy, but it shouldn't be a problem."

She barely let me finish my sentence before speaking again. "This will be so much fun!" She beamed. "Thank you so much. Next time you need me to do anything, I'm there. Not that I wouldn't be otherwise, but you know what I mean."

"Anytime," I said, the word sounding strained as I spoke it. Out of all the guys in school, of course Chelsea had to go for Drew. She was clueless about my feelings for him, but it was impossible to not be irritated.

I picked up my pencil and started doodling on an empty page of my notebook, trying to clear my thoughts of everything involving Drew and Chelsea.

"Are you okay?" she asked. I must not have been doing a good job at hiding my feelings.

"I'm fine." I smiled in a way that I hoped was convincing. "I just got a bad grade on my French quiz, and it's bothering me a bit."

"One bad quiz grade won't destroy your average," she assured me, shaking her head like it wasn't a big deal. "It was only a quiz, and you're really smart. I know you can do well."

The guilt hit immediately. "Thanks," I said, knowing she meant it.

For the rest of the class, I couldn't forget the conversation I'd had with Drew earlier in the day. Technically I wasn't doing anything wrong by having him tutor me, but it felt like I was going behind Chelsea and Jeremy's back. And I still couldn't figure out why he offered to help me in the first place. Perhaps he wanted to ask about Chelsea, since our being friends must have come up in one of their conversations. However, I doubted that was the case—Drew didn't seem like the type to fish for information when he was interested in a girl—he would probably just go for it.

So what if he was doing that, but with me instead of Chelsea?

### CHAPTER 5

Drew would be arriving in the library soon, and I debated bringing up the double date planned for tomorrow night. I leaned back in the beanbag and took a deep breath, telling myself not to worry. There was no need to make this complicated. When Jeremy got out of soccer practice, I would just let him know about the plans. We'd gone on double dates with Chelsea and whatever guy she was seeing at the time many times before. The big difference this time was that she would be there with Drew, who I couldn't seem to get out of my mind.

Glancing out the large window, I attempted to refocus by taking in the colors of fall. The late September leaves looked like a pointillist painting with the various colors of reds, oranges, and yellows, and I took out my sketchbook and colored pencils and began drawing the scene outside, concentrating on the trees as I tried to represent them to the best of my ability.

"I didn't know you were an artist." Drew's now familiar voice caught me by surprise. I must have been so involved in drawing that I didn't hear him enter.

Placing my pencil down in the crease of the book, I turned to look at him as he clicked the door shut. The temperature had dropped enough in the past few weeks that his leather jacket no longer looked out of place, and his dark eyes focused on me, the same way they had when we spoke in the hallway the day before.

"I like to sketch things sometimes," I said, shrugging and looking down at the drawing. "I'm not that good."

"Would you mind if I look?" he asked, remaining in place as he waited for me to respond.

"Sure," I said without a second thought. "It's just for class though. Nothing too elaborate."

Instead of waiting for me to get up and hand him the book, he moved to sit next to me on the beanbag, leaving only a few inches between us. It was impossible to think straight with him sitting so close, and I tried to stay calm, not wanting him to know the effect his presence had on me. Reminding myself that he'd asked to see my sketches, I pushed the book in his direction.

"It looks good," he said, comparing it to the scene outside. I didn't know if I was imagining it or not, but there seemed to be a trace of disappointment in his tone.

Maybe he didn't like scenery drawings.

"I have some other stuff, too," I said, flipping through the pages to show him the sketch from the first day of school—the one of the girl in the flowing dress.

He was quiet as he pulled the book towards him. My heart thumped in my chest as I watched him study it, wondering if he was silent because he loved it, or if he didn't like it and was trying to figure out what to say so it sounded like he did.

He grazed the paper with his thumb, taking in every line with his touch. "This is beautiful," he finally said, lifting his eyes to meet mine.

My cheeks flushed, and I looked back down at the drawing. "Thanks," I said softly, taking the sketchbook back and placing it on my lap. "Jeremy hated it. I'm glad to know it isn't completely awful."

"Jeremy's wrong," he said, his eyes becoming darker than their normal shade of chocolate. "He must be completely blind."

I shrugged. "He just likes my sketches of scenery better. And when I draw him playing soccer."

He glanced at the sketch again. "This is more interesting than Jeremy playing soccer."

"I have a few more like it," I said, surprised at my willingness to share the drawings.

"Can I see?" he asked, waiting for my response instead of grabbing it like Jeremy had on the first day of school.

He made an effort to not brush against my hand again when I handed it back over, and I lowered my eyes, trying not to show my disappointment.

My palms became clammy as he examined each drawing, surprised by how he appeared to appreciate each one of them. I viewed each one along with him—the first being the girl who resembled myself in what I'd discovered was a white morning dress from the early nineteenth century. She ate breakfast on a wooden porch overlooking a grassy yard that disappeared into a forest. In the next she laid on a felt-cushioned sofa, reading a novel by a lit fireplace while the setting sun cast shadows on her face through the rectangular window in the back of the room. Many sketches came after this, consisting of letter writing, playing cards, and riding horses. Drew leafed through them wordlessly, studying each page with the same intensity as the last. I was afraid to breathe, scared that the slightest sound would break the spell of silence.

He reached the end and lifted his gaze from the book for the first time in several minutes. "Where did you get the ideas for these?" he asked.

"We're reading _Pride and Prejudice_ in my English class," I explained. "I guess it inspired me."

He nodded in agreement. "It's a good book."

"Something about it seems so familiar," I said, trying to figure out how to explain. "I have such clear images of what everything must have looked like back then, and I can draw them so easily. It's like the scenes are right in front of me instead of only in my mind."

His gaze never wavered from mine as I spoke. The room was silent except for the soft cry of the wind outside, and I could feel electricity crackling in the air.

He looked at me in question, like he was seeing something he hadn't before and was trying to figure out what it meant. "That's the sign of a great artist," he said after a few long seconds.

"Thanks," I said, looking down at the book between us. "You can have one if you want." I moved my hand across the paper, grazing his in the process. The small bit of contact sent a rush of heat up my arm. I paused, pulling my hand back towards myself a moment later.

"I probably shouldn't take your homework," he said pulling his hand to his side as well. "Anyway, we should start going over French since the test is coming up in three weeks. From what I saw in class today, we've got a lot to cover."

"Right," I said, trying to ignore the heat lingering on my hand from where it had touched his seconds before. "Although like I warned you earlier, I'm pretty hopeless."

He got up from the beanbag that we shared and moved to the one next to me, pulling his French textbook out of his bag. "And like I said earlier, I doubt that's true."

I didn't refute his comment, but the chance of my doing decently on the upcoming test was as likely as winning the lottery. However, since he seemed determined to help, I decided to at least put forth the effort.

* * *

Focusing proved impossible, and my French didn't seem to improve in the slightest, despite Drew's words of encouragement. While I tried concentrating, all I could think about was the upcoming double date, and whether or not I should mention it.

"So," I said, looking up from my book. "Chelsea told me you were coming to the movies with us tomorrow night?" The statement came out as a question, and I cringed at what an airhead I must have sounded like.

"That's the plan," he said. "Unless you don't want me to come?"

"No," I stammered. "I do. I mean, Chelsea does."

"I would hope so." He laughed. "Since she asked me."

I couldn't think of a response, and not wanting Jeremy to walk in during the study session, I looked at my watch to see how much longer there was until soccer practice got out. We had fifteen minutes, but I wanted to play it safe. Jeremy wouldn't react well if he walked in the library and discovered Drew and I sitting close together on beanbags in the back room speaking in French to each other.

"Jeremy will be here soon," I said, disappointed that the study session had to end.

"I would stay until he got here, but we wouldn't want to give him the wrong idea." Drew winked, leaning back in the beanbag.

I stared at him, shocked at the implication. "He wouldn't care," I lied.

"Sure." He smirked, not sounding convinced.

"Are you jealous?" I asked, amused by his reaction.

"Of Jeremy?" Drew laughed. "Never."

His response surprised me, and I had no idea how to reply. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," I said, closing my French book and packing it into my bag.

"Goodbye, Elizabeth," he said, grabbing his bag and swinging it over his shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I said bye and watched him walk out of the room, finally able to think clearly once he was gone. _Drew isn't interested in me_ , I reminded myself. _He's interested in Chelsea_.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder if I was wrong. It would have made sense for him to say something to get me to talk about Chelsea if he was interested in her, but he didn't mention her at all.

Looked like I would just have to wait and see how he acted with her on the double date tomorrow night.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed your sneak peak of _Remembrance_! If you haven't read the book yet, go to <http://michellemadow.com/free-remembrance> to get the entire book for FREE!

Anything you read in Transcendence after this point will be spoilers for the rest of the series, so I recommend reading The Transcend Time Saga first before continuing

If you've already read The Transcend Time Saga, turn the page and enjoy the bonus material!

### BONUS SCENE FOR REMEMBRANCE

Drew telling Chelsea he won't be attending the Halloween dance

I wrote this scene as a homework assignment for a creative writing class. After finishing the scene, I realized I enjoyed writing from Chelsea's point of view, and came up with the idea for Vengeance!

Standing in my walk-in closet, I pulled on my costume for the Halloween Dance, my heart fluttering as I thought about Drew sitting on my bed waiting for me to model it for him. Even though we'd been dating for almost a month, it was still hard to believe that Drew Carmichael was my boyfriend. From the first time I saw him when he walked into AP European History in the beginning of the school year, I wanted us to be together, and everything worked out as I planned. Drew Carmichael and Chelsea Givens ... it sounded perfect, and we were perfect together.

A lot of that had been thanks to Lizzie. I was lucky to have her as a friend. If she hadn't let Drew and me come to the movies with her and Jeremy a few weeks ago, then maybe none of this would have happened. That night set everything into motion. It was the night Drew kissed me for the first time. The memory made my cheeks heat up, and I took a few breaths to relax so I didn't look flushed when I went back into my room.

I zipped up the back of the short red dress and twirled around, feeling the light fabric dance around my legs. The dress dipped low in the front, and the fishnet stockings perfected the look of a dancer at the Moulin Rouge. It looked hot on me, and I knew it. Drew wasn't going to know what to do with himself when he saw me in it. When every piece of the outfit was in place, I smoothed down the skirt, brushed my fingers through my hair, and opened the closet door to walk back into my room.

Drew sat in the same place on my bed that he was in when I left to change. My eyes met his dark ones, and a thrill of joy traveled all the way up my spine. He was so different from the other boys in Pembrooke, New Hampshire—much more worldly and sophisticated. He was better looking than most of the guys around here, too, and he didn't even have to try. Right now he looked like he should be modeling for a high-end clothing catalogue instead of sitting on my bed, waiting to see my outfit for the Halloween Dance. I also noticed that he looked a little sad—probably because he missed home. He thought about his past a lot. Transitioning from living in New York to living in New Hampshire had to be tough, but I was glad he moved here. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

I wanted to jump on the bed and wrap my arms around him, just to prove he was really here, but there would be time for that later. For now I spun around to model the outfit, fluffing up the skirt with my hands and watching him to see his reaction. His lips curved into an appreciative smirk, but at the same time, there was something off in his eyes. Something ... distant.

He'd been that way a lot for the past few days. I tried a few times to find out why he seemed upset, but he refused to admit anything was wrong, so I eventually stopped asking. Hopefully as time passed and he got used to living in New Hampshire he would relax and not be as moody. For now, as long as I acted happy and carefree, I hoped my attitude would wear off on him.

I fluffed the skirt one last time and smiled at him in a way I hoped was seductive. "You like?" I asked, pulling the bodice down a little lower so I showed even more cleavage than before. If that didn't take the distant look out of his eyes, I had no idea what would.

"No one's gonna be able to take their eyes off you all night," he said.

"I only care that one person's looking at me though." I took a few dramatic steps forward to stand right in front of him and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. "I'm the luckiest girl in the school to be going to the dance with you."

"About that ..." He lowered his eyes, looking suddenly uncomfortable. "I'm not going to be able to go."

"What?" I leaned back in surprise, confused about where this was coming from. "What are you talking about?"

He lifted his eyes back up to meet mine, but there was a coldness in them that wasn't there before, making goosebumps rise over my skin. "My grandparents from London are flying into New York that weekend, and my dad wants me to go down to see them," he said, his voice devoid of emotion, like he didn't care at all.

"But you can't miss the dance." I pouted, even though I could feel that any attempts to change his mind would be futile. Drew wasn't the type of person I could force to do something he didn't want to. That was something I liked about him, because I hated when guys let me walk all over them, but it could get downright irritating at times. "It's the second biggest dance of the year. You have to go with me."

He shrugged, and my arms dropped from his neck, flopping down to my sides. "I don't _have_ to do anything," he said, his jaw tense. "I'm telling you that I'm going to visit my grandparents that weekend. You'll just have to have a fun time at the dance without me."

I sniffed, unable to believe this was happening. I'd been imagining the night of the Halloween Dance for weeks—it was supposed to be the first time I told Drew I loved him. Now he wasn't even going to be there. "I'm supposed to have a fun time without you." I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

"I think I should go," he said, grabbing his backpack from where he'd put it at the foot of my bed when he first came into my room.

"Yeah." I reached up to wipe away the single tear that had started to fall down my cheek. Not that Drew noticed—or cared. "I think you should."

I sat on my bed as I watched him leave, feeling rejected and confused. It sucked that he wouldn't be able to come to the Halloween Dance, but even worse was how after he saw how upset I was about it, he left without trying to make me feel better. I wiped away another tear, leaving behind a smudge of mascara on my hand. What was so wrong with me that Drew didn't even want to try making this better? It wouldn't have taken much, just a promise of something special to make up for the lost night of the dance, but all he did was leave. I didn't get it.

I lifted my cell phone off my nightstand and went to our latest text messages. The last one was sent from him about twenty minutes ago, saying he was at my house and about to come in. Not like that lasted long. I stared at the phone, wishing there was something I could do to fix this.

_Way to leave without caring how I feel about this_ , I wrote. I read it over and deleted it. But while the writing was gone, the curser continued to blink, like it was waiting for me to type up something brilliant that would make Drew apologize for treating me so terribly.

_I love you_ , I typed in its place. I looked at that for a few more seconds, but deleted it as well. I didn't want the first time I told Drew I loved him to be via text message. Still, I couldn't leave things like this. Maybe he would apologize later, but I doubted it. It was up to me to make things okay between us.

_I'm sorry_ , I wrote, my thumbs flying furiously over the keyboard. _You're right that you should visit your grandparents instead of going to the dance. I was being stupid making such a big deal about it. Of course I'll still have fun. Cya in school tomorrow <3_

I pressed send.

### DELETED CHAPTER FROM TIMELESS

Lizzie telling Keelie about being reincarnated

This chapter was in the advanced copy of Timeless I gave to reviewers, but I removed it before publishing the final version. It slowed the pacing of the book, and I decided not to have Lizzie tell Keelie about being reincarnated. So this scene never happened in the story, but if Lizzie were to tell Keelie everything, here is how it would go down! This chapter would have occurred after Lizzie's mom agreed to go to England.

With all of this unbelievable stuff going on in my life, it was hard to remember that I was supposed to be a typical sixteen year old high school junior. Ever since the beginning of the school year when I saw Drew for the first time, my entire life had changed. But for everyone else who hadn't recently discovered that they were reincarnated from Regency Era, England, and that their best friend accidentally cast a curse to kill them so they now had to travel back to the past to fix things, life was still normal.

I reminded myself of that when Keelie texted me later that night saying she thought Jeremy was interested in her, and how she wanted to make sure that was okay with me since we broke up recently.

Seeing that text made me realize something: Keelie was a kind, considerate person, and I truly wanted to be her friend. Throughout the years I grew comfortable with the friendship I had with Chelsea, but it had faults, especially after everything that had happened within the past few months. I had been afraid to tell Chelsea about my feelings for Drew, since she had announced her interest in him first. Luckily, Drew and I had the reincarnation-bond between us, which eventually brought us together again, but if circumstances had been normal, what would have happened? Would Chelsea have gotten the guy, and I would have been shafted because I was afraid to say something to my best friend since I didn't want her to be angry with me? And if I did tell her, I knew Chelsea well enough to suspect that she would have claimed that she noticed him first, so I should let her be happy and focus on mending my broken relationship with Jeremy.

But maybe I wasn't being fair to Chelsea. She might have done that before discovering the past lives that bound us together, but perhaps things had changed with her now. I wanted to believe that people could change, and that my friendship with Chelsea could return to normal.

At the same time, I had to branch out and get closer to other people—people like Keelie, who wanted to be friends with me. She cared enough about being friends to make sure it was okay with me that Jeremy was interested in her, even though I had no claim on him anymore. She also left Shannon's party early to help me, even though we didn't know each other well. On the car ride back to my house, I'd skimmed over what had happened between myself, Drew, Chelsea, and Jeremy, because I wanted to keep the reincarnation stuff secret from Keelie.

Now that I saw the possibility of a real friendship with her, was it fair to keep so much secret? Could a true friendship be formed when one person wasn't being honest with the other?

It wasn't difficult to figure out the answer to that question.

_It's fine with me_ , I replied to Keelie's text. _What are you up to tomorrow?_

_I should be working on a paper for class, but I'm up for distractions!_ she said.

Which is why five minutes later, we had plans to get ice cream the next day.

I couldn't believe I was planning on telling Keelie everything. But if I wanted to be friends with her—true friends—I had to start the friendship off right.

* * *

The next morning, I wasn't as confident about my decision as I had been last night. There was a high probability that Keelie would think I'd gone nuts, which was the same reason I hadn't told my mom the full story. But unlike my mom, Keelie wasn't a psychiatrist, so hopefully she wouldn't psychoanalyze everything I said.

Even though she wouldn't try diagnosing me with a mental disorder, there was the possibility she would think the story was crazy.

Hopefully Keelie had an open mind.

We ordered our ice cream and sat down at a booth in the corner—as far away from other people that I could find. I didn't want others eavesdropping in on this conversation.

"Are you sure you're okay with Jeremy asking me out?" Keelie asked. "If you're not, I understand. You can tell me."

"I'm sure," I said, meaning it. "Even though we broke up recently, it had been coming for a while. And remember, I'm the one who broke up with him, so if he said he's ready to move on, he means it."

She spooned some ice cream into her mouth. "What _did_ happen between you two?" she asked. "If there's a reason why I should stay away, you would tell me, right?"

"He's basically a good person, but we grew apart," I said. "We had different interests. I was focusing on school since junior year is important for college applications, and doing more with my art. He didn't understand why I wasn't as interested in sports as he was."

"You did look bored at the soccer game," Keelie said with a laugh.

"Because I was!" I said.

"It's that bad for you to watch?"

"Yep." I nodded. "I don't see the point of watching people kick a ball back and forth on a field. I find it boring. No offense to people who like it," I added, since Keelie liked watching soccer. "It's just not my thing."

"I can sort of get that," Keelie said. "I've never thought about _why_ I like watching sports; it's just something I enjoy. I guess it's because I like the unknown ... having no idea who's going to win, and hoping that sitting there cheering will encourage our team and help bring them to victory. It's also the competition that I like—how passion can trump logic. You never know how a game is going to end. It's fun."

"I never thought of it that way," I said. I wasn't going to turn into a sports fanatic now, but it was interesting to hear someone's point of view that was different from mine. Chelsea only liked going to the games to socialize, and Jeremy wasn't well-spoken enough to voice his opinion like Keelie just did. "It sounds like something Jeremy would think."

"So you think the two of us will be good together?"

"I could definitely see it working," I said. "You're a much better fit for him than I ever was."

"I'm glad you said that," she said with relief. "I didn't want to make things awkward for you if I started hanging out with him more."

"It's totally not awkward," I assured her. "I would be happy for both of you—really."

"Anyway, how are things with Drew?" Keelie asked. "When I drove you home from Shannon's party, it sounded like everything was a disaster and you wanted nothing more to do with him. I'm taking from seeing the two of you around school that you're together now?"

"We are," I said, although I didn't know how to continue from there. How was I supposed to tell her that Drew and I loved each other in a past life, but we never had the opportunity to be together, and now we were reincarnated so we could have a real chance in this life?

I felt ready last night, but now I had no idea where to begin.

"Is everything okay?" Keelie asked. "You just got really quiet."

"Everything's fine," I said. "It's just that the night of Shannon's party, when I told you everything that happened with me, Drew, Chelsea, and Jeremy, I didn't tell you the whole truth."

"Oh?" Keelie raised an eyebrow.

"This is going to sound strange," I warned her. "But do you believe in reincarnation?"

"That's random," she said. I had a feeling she was stalling because the question was so unexpected that she had no idea how to reply. "It's one of those things that would be cool if it were real, but I never thought of it as an actual possibility."

"So you don't believe in it?" I asked.

"I'm not sure," she said. "Why? Do you?"

"Well, I didn't believe in it ... until I met Drew."

She looked at me in disbelief. "And since you met Drew, you believe in reincarnation?"

I nodded, my cheeks turning red. This was more humiliating than I had anticipated.

She leaned forward, and I hoped she was at least intrigued. "Do you think you and Drew ... knew each other in a past life?"

"I don't think so," I said. "I know so."

And the story spilled from there.

* * *

"You believe me?" I asked after I finished telling the story. The only part I kept to myself was how Genevieve was Shannon's aunt. Chelsea had promised Shannon no one would find out, and I didn't want to break that confidence.

"I think so," she said. "There's no reason for you to make this up, and I don't think you would have told me if you didn't believe it. Also, it would have been too coincidental for you, Drew, and Chelsea to remember the same things without talking with each other about it first. So it's the only explanation that makes sense. It's a lot to take in, though."

"It was like that for me at first, too," I said. "Sometimes there are still days when I wake up and wonder if this has actually happened, or if it's been one long dream."

"I suppose I can believe the past life stuff," she said. "That you and Drew are soul mates and were reincarnated to be together. It's romantic. But the rest of it, with the spells and the time travel—that's where it gets hard for me to believe."

"Understandable," I said. It seemed like she thought I was loony for believing that time travel might be possible, but she was being nice in not making me feel bad about it. "I look at it like this. If it's possible, then I'll go to England, visit a time that I never thought I could, and make it so Chelsea's spell has no effect on this life. If the spell didn't do anything and we can't go back in time, then at least I'll have gone to England with Drew, and have had an incredible Christmas."

"You'll have to tell me all about it when you get back," Keelie said.

"I will," I promised.

Hopefully when I returned, I would have only good things to share.

### CHARACTER EXTRAS: LIZZIE DAVENPORT

Lizzie's Character Biography

I wrote every character biography that appears in this guide before I drafted Remembrance, to give myself a basic idea of the history and personality of the characters. These character biographies were starting points, since the characters evolved as I wrote.

**Full Name:** Elizabeth Claire Davenport

**Nickname:** Lizzie, Liz

**Birthday:** May 16, 1994

**Place of Birth:** Pembrooke, NH

**Residence:** Pembrooke, NH

**Occupation:** Student

**Family:** Emily Davenport (mother) -- psychiatrist. George Davenport (father) - divorced since she was in preschool. He cheated on her mother after she was born, not wanting to have to deal with the difficulty of a new baby. They divorced when Lizzie was 4, and he moved to Pennsylvania to work as a money manager at a large firm. He married a woman at the firm, and Lizzie stays with him over the summer, although they don't talk much during the year.

**Loves:** Drawing. Reading. Piano. Drew. Swings. European History.

**Hates:** Watching sports. When people think she's stupid in French class. Rap music. Being dragged places. Being told what to do. People who are over-bubbly (fake).

**Fears:** Jeremy not returning to the way he was before he became obnoxious. Heights. Car accidents. Always being thought of as Jeremy's girlfriends and people not liking her for her.

**Education:** Junior in high school.

**Views on Love/Death:** Has always believed in soul mates, and has always known deep down that Jeremy wasn't hers. Believes people are reincarnated after they die.

**Favorite Place in the World:** The lake with Drew. The swing set at school.

**Least Favorite Place in the World:** LA. She went there once with her family and hated it. People were too obsessed with themselves.

**Hobbies:** Drawing. Piano. She used to ice skate until 9th grade when she hurt her ankle and was told to stop skating intensely or risk permanent injury.

**Reputation:** Sort of quiet. Being Jeremy's girlfriend. (She doesn't like that one).

**General Viewpoints of Importance:** Doing well in school. Learning through reading and learning about herself through drawing.

**What makes the character tick:** People judging her without reason.

**What makes the character likable:** Cares about not hurting people's feelings. Is nice, but for the most part doesn't let people walk over her.

**What makes the character detestable:** The way in which she goes about getting together with Drew. Hurting Chelsea and Jeremy (even though she didn't do it in a mean way).

**Favorite ice cream flavor:** Vanilla—"There is nothing plain about you. You are a colorful risk taker who relies more on intuition than logic. Emotionally expressive and idealistic, you tend to set high goals and push yourself to meet and exceed them. You are most romantically compatible with those who prefer rocky road."

**Eye Color:** Blue

**Hair Color:** Blonde, curly.

**Body Type:** Skinny.

**Age:** 16

**Apparent Age:** 16

**Skin Tone:** Pale to slightly tanned.

**Physical activities:** (sports, etc.): Not a big fan.

### This or That with Lizzie

Here is a collection of "This or That" questions I've answered from Lizzie's point of view for interviews.

Winter or Summer?

Summer. I don't like the cold weather in the winter.

In or Out?

I'm guessing this means inside or outside? I'm definitely an indoors girl.

Dresses or Pants?

I usually wear jeans, but I like wearing a dress when I'm going somewhere nice, as long as it's not too cold outside.

Brother or Sister?

I'm an only child, but I've always wanted a younger sister. It would be nice to have someone to teach how to draw and recommend my favorite books to.

Black or White?

White. It's also one of my favorite colors to wear.

Red or Blue?

Blue, because it matches my eyes.

Facebook or Google +?

I have Facebook, but I don't check it obsessively (like some people I know do.) I don't even have Google +!

Macaroni and Cheese or Peanut Butter-Jelly sandwich?

Mac and Cheese. I used to eat it all the time when I was younger.

Past or Present?

The past—I love learning about the different ways people lived in other times.

Work or Play?

If reading for fun counts as play, then definitely play. I always get my work done first though.

Boyfriend time or time with girlfriends?

Boyfriend time. Balancing my boyfriend time with time with my girlfriends is something I need to work on. I think my friends get frustrated with me sometimes.

TV or movies?

TV, because I feel like you can get to know the characters better when watching them every week on a television show.

Apricots or Peaches?

Peaches, because they're sweeter.

White horse or mustang convertible?

A white horse sounds romantic.

Hot or Cold?

Hot! I really don't like cold weather. (Which makes living in New Hampshire in the winter pretty rough.)

Morning or Night?

I'm a morning person. I have no problem getting out of bed when my alarm goes off (sometimes I even wake up five minutes before the alarm goes off.) I have trouble staying up late—I get so sleepy!

Jacob or Edward?

Edward. Jacob is a little too reckless for my taste, with all the motorcycling and cliff jumping.

Poptarts or Cereal?

Cereal, specifically Cheerios.

Hot Chocolate or Coffee?

Neither—my hot drink of choice is tea. I suppose if I had to choose it would be hot chocolate (if the chocolate wasn't too strong), because the taste of coffee grosses me out.

Mountains or Beach?

Beach! I love quality beach time with my Kindle.

Dark Hair or Light Hair?

I'm partial to dark hair on guys.

Fall or Spring?

Spring, because it means summer is approaching.

Christmas or Halloween?

Christmas—I absolutely love Christmastime! The evergreen trees, twinkling lights, and fun decorations make winter more enjoyable.

### Character Interview with Lizzie

This character interview was held by Molli from Once Upon a Prologue. Lizzie's answers are by Michelle Madow.

http://www.onceuponaprologue.blogspot.com

Molli: What is the one thing that has surprised you the most about Drew?

Lizzie: How he can be on the same wave-length as me, without me having to say anything. When I was dating Jeremy, it was sometimes a chore to explain my point of view and get him to understand it. He tried, but we viewed situations differently, so it could be difficult to be on the same page as him. With Drew, sometimes it's like his thoughts are an extension on mine—he takes in situations the same way, and naturally understands how I feel about things.

Molli: If you could spend one day doing exactly what you wanted, what would it be, and why?

Lizzie: First of all, my perfect day would consist of not having to worry about anything—whether that is homework, or trying to stop my death in the past from happening again in the present. I would want to spend that day with Drew, in England, doing as many tourist activities as possible!

Molli: Who is your hero and why?

Lizzie: Jane Austen, for writing such incredible and inspiring novels.

Molli: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Lizzie: In college, majoring in English and minoring in Art.

Molli: What one song would you say describes you and Drew?

Lizzie: The first song that comes to mind when I think of Drew is "Minuet," because the songs means so much to both of us. The lyrics to "Love Story" by Taylor Swift remind me a lot of our relationship, too ;)

Molli: How have your impressions of Drew changed from when you first met?

Lizzie: My impression of Drew has changed greatly from the first time we met. At first, I felt connected to him, but wasn't sure why. Then he treated me coldly, and I honestly thought he was a jerk. (Although I still couldn't get rid of that connection I felt to him, which was quite irritating!) Now that I know him and understand why he acted the way he did, I learn more every day how sweet and loving he is.

Molli: How does it make you feel, knowing you lived a life before this one?

Lizzie: There are so many days when I wake up and am amazed that I lived a previous life. It's incredible to think about, and it's also assuring to have concrete proof that life doesn't end at death.

Molli: What three things are most important to you?

Lizzie: My family, Drew, and my friends. People are more important than anything else, because they are irreplaceable.

Molli: What is your favorite memory of Drew?

Lizzie:

Past life—When he proposed to me in the field outside my house.

Present life—When he showed me the music box after the first time we went out on the lake.

Molli: What is the best advice you were ever given?

Lizzie: My mom always tells me not to react to situations immediately, and to give myself time to "mull things over" before coming to a conclusion. I try to do that as often as I can, although sometimes it can be difficult!

### Lizzie's Top Ten Favorite Love Stories

**1)** _Pride and Prejudice_ **by Jane Austen – Lizzie and Mr. Darcy (Book, the BBC miniseries, and the 2005 movie)**

This is Lizzie's favorite love story of all time, because it's the one she relates to the most. She saw the movie in middle school and fell in love with it, but didn't read the book until it was assigned for her AP English class at the start of her junior year. She fell in love with the book. Realizing that a lot from the book was left out of the movie, she watched the BBC miniseries, since it is much more detailed. She loved that, too!

**2)** _Twilight_ **by Stephenie Meyer – Edward and Bella (book series)**

Lizzie read the first Twilight book in 2005 when it came out, and she was hooked! She loves the romance between Bella and Edward, and is 100% Team Edward. But while she loves the books, she wasn't a big fan of the movies.

**3)** _The Iron Fey_ **by Julie Kagawa – Meghan and Ash (book series)**

This is also one of Lizzie's favorite book series. She enjoyed the first one, but for her the love story between Meghan and Ash really bloomed in the second book of the series, The Iron Daughter. This series has an amazing love story with some heartbreaking moments!

4) Titanic – Jack and Rose (movie)

Because the love story in Titanic is heartbreaking and intense. It's too bad Jack has to die at the end!

**5)** _Mortal Instruments_ **by Cassandra Clare – Clary and Jace (book series)**

The love between Clary and Jace is so intense in this book, because it's forbidden and yet the reader is rooting for them anyway! Hopefully the movie will be a good representation of the book. Luckily, Lizzie discovered this series over the summer, so she was able to read them straight through.

6) Moulin Rouge – Christian and Satine (movie)

Lizzie and Chelsea watch this movie together all the time when they have sleepovers. The music is wonderful, as is the love story. If only Satine didn't die at the end!

7) Downton Abbey – Mary and Matthew (TV series)

Lizzie loves this television series, and watched it in a marathon over the summer. The love story between Mary and Matthew takes a long time to grow, but they eventually get past all their troubles to be together. Lizzie's favorite episode is the Christmas special, when Matthew finally proposes to Mary, and she says yes.

8) The Vampire Diaries – Elena and Damon (TV series)

Lizzie has read the original four books, but she prefers the television series. She wishes Elena would let things happen with Damon, though, instead of continuously pining for Stefan. (And vampire Elena ROCKS.)

9) William and Kate (Real Life Love Story!)

Lizzie adores William and Kate's love story, and loved watching the royal wedding on TV. It's a fairy tale come to life.

10) The OC – Ryan and Marissa AND Seth and Summer (TV series)

Lizzie and Drew have been watching the DVD's of The OC together, and Lizzie is loving it! She especially loves the first episode, when Ryan and Marissa first meet.

### Lizzie's Top Five Favorite Books

1) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Lizzie was assigned to read Pride and Prejudice in the beginning of her junior year for her AP English class. It was also her favorite book in her past life, and reading it helped her start to remember the life she lived in Regency Era, England. The love story between Lizzie and Mr. Darcy is one of her favorites.

2) The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Lizzie loves historical romance, and she adored all the books in this series. She loves how the lives of the main characters are intertwined. Her favorite character is Diana, and she wishes Diana had a happier ending with Henry. Also, the covers of these books are gorgeous!

3) The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

Again, Lizzie loves historical fiction. This story of Anne and Mary Boleyn was wonderfully told! She loves all the books in the Tudors series by Philippa Gregory. The series does a fantastic job of bringing the wives of Henry VIII to life.

4) Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

Because this is one of the best book series of all time.

5) Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Lizzie loves the love story between Bella and Edward. She read the first book in 2005, and has been a huge fan since. She kept trying to convince Chelsea to read it, but Chelsea waited until before the movie came out when the series became more mainstream.

### Lizzie's Junior Year Class Schedule

A: AP European History (8:30-9:25)

Class shared with: Drew, Chelsea

Teacher: Mrs. Wilder

B: AP French (9:30-10:25)

Class shared with: Drew, Jeremy

Teacher: Mrs. Evans

C: Advanced Genetics (10:30-11:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

Teacher: Mr. Roberts

D: English: Late British Literature (11:30-12:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

LUNCH (12:30-1:15)

E: Drawing (1:20-2:15)

Class shared with: Hannah

F: Trigonometry (2:20-3:15)

Class shared with: Chelsea

Teacher: Mr. Barton

### CHARACTER EXTRAS: DREW CARMICHAEL

Drew's Character Biography

**Full Name:** Andrew James Carmichael

**Nickname:** Drew

**Birthday:** December 28, 1993

**Place of Birth:** New York City (Lived on the Upper East Side)

**Residence:** Lakeside Circle in Pembrooke, NH

**Occupation:** Student

**Family:** Mother: Mary Carmichael. Father: Peter Carmichael -- lawyer (Parent divorced.)

**Loves:** Lizzie Davenport. Luxury Cars. Breaking the rules. The City. Driving fast. Girls (before Lizzie). Being spontaneous. Sunglasses.

**Hates:** Being told what to do. Anyone who does anything mean to Lizzie (Jeremy). Staying in one place for a long time. People who think they're better than him, especially the jocks from NH who think they're cool but would never make it in The City. At first he hated the flashes of the past and did anything to forget them.

**Fears:** Doing anything that could result in Lizzie's death.

**Education:** Junior in high school.

**Views on Love/Death:** Pre-Lizzie: didn't believe in love. Post-Lizzie: soulmates. Will do anything to stop Lizzie's death. Distances himself from death. (Unless it's Lizzie's).

**Favorite Place in the World:** At first he hated the idea of moving to NH and wanted to stay in NYC. Once he met Lizzie, he started liking NH more. Had no more interest in New York because he realized he was using the bustling city as an escape since it helped him forget the flashes of his past life.

**Least Favorite Place in the World:** The middle of nowhere. Places that are too hot.

**Hobbies:** Driving. Mechanics/building things. Electric guitar.

**Reputation:** The new city guy who thinks he's better than everyone else, but really the people from NH think he's cool. Kind of quiet, but people still want to talk to him. Breaks rules and gets away with it easily.

**General Viewpoints of Importance:** Lizzie. Intelligence. European History. Confidence.

**What makes the character tick:** People who suck up to him too much. Girls who follow him around. Anyone being mean to Lizzie.

**What makes the character likable:** He watches out for Lizzie and truly loves her. Can be charming. Sees importance in education. Understands how people think.

**What makes the character detestable:** Isn't very nice to a lot of people; thinks he's better than most people. Sometimes says mean things about people.

**Favorite ice cream flavor:** Rocky road: "You tend to be a balanced mixture of charm and practicality. While you are outgoing in social situations, in the business world you tend to be more aggressive and goal-oriented. You are most compatible with other rocky-road fans."

**Eye Color:** Brown with gold flecks.

**Hair Color:** Dark brown/black. A little longer than short and spiky.

**Height:** 6'0"

**Age:** 16

**Apparent Age:** 18

**Skin Tone:** Lightly tanned.

**Physical activities:** Goes running to burn off steam because he tends to get angry easily.

### This or That with Drew

Here is a collection of "This or That" questions I've answered from Drew's point of view for interviews.

Day or night?

Night.

Dog or cats?

I've never had a pet, but I guess I would pick a cat.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Mixed. My favorite ice cream is Rocky Road.

Hardback or paperback?

Hardback. They look nicer on my bookshelf.

Leather or lace?

Don't you wish you knew ;)

New car smell or strawberry?

Nothing beats that new car smell.

Black ink or blue?

Black.

Earphones or stereo?

When hanging out in my room, I use my stereo that hooks up to my iPod.

Pepsi or Coke?

Neither—I don't like soda.

Steak or Salad?

Steak, no question. Cooked medium.

Beach or Mountain?

Mountain, because there's skiing. The harder the slope, the better.

SUV or Motorcycle?

Depends on the SUV. If it's a cool one, then SUV. If it's a soccer mom one, then motorcycle.

Fruit or Veggies?

Veggies.

Dance or Concert?

Assuming the concert is for a band I like, then concert, no contest. Just don't drag me to a Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, or whatever concert that middle school girls like going to.

Play or Watch Sports?

Watch.

NYC or LA?

NYC is easily the best city in America.

Cake or Pie?

I rarely eat either, but I guess pie.

Past or Present?

Present. Because then there's more control over the future.

Lizzie or Chelsea?

Do you really need to ask?

### Character Interview with Drew

This character interview was held by Becky from Becky's Barmy Book Blog. Drew's answers are by Michelle Madow.

http://beckysbarmybookblog.blogspot.com

Becky: How old were you when you first learned that you had been reincarnated and what was your first thought?

Drew: I was 14 when I went on the trip to England and met my Memory Guide, Misty, for the first time. That ignited my memories from the past, but I didn't realize the memories were real until I saw Lizzie when I walked into the European History classroom at Beech Tree. I don't remember what my exact first thought was, but the whole time I was sitting in class, I was shocked that she existed.

Becky: When you realized Lizzie might be reincarnated too, did you immediately want to find her or did you try to put it out of your mind?

Drew: I didn't realize Lizzie was real until seeing her for the first time. I thought she was some made up fantasy, and before I met her I was constantly searching for a girl as good as the one in my dreams.

Becky: When did you first realize that Lizzie was the one for you?

Drew: I knew the moment I first saw her. But when I realized she was real, I also realized that the flashes I had of us together in the past were real, too. I knew how that ended, and I couldn't allow the same thing to happen again.

Becky: If you loved Lizzie so much, why did you start to date Chelsea?

Drew: It was a stupid decision—I should have thought it through further. In the moment, I knew I wanted to be near Lizzie, but that I could never allow us to truly be together, because I didn't want her to suffer the same end she did in the past. She was persistent, though. I know how girls think—that it goes against their "code" or whatever to go after your best friend's boyfriend, so I figured the best way to be around Lizzie without her thinking there was a chance anything could happen between us was to date her best friend.

Becky: If you felt being together or being close to Lizzie was dangerous why did you choose Chelsea to date, surely you knew that would cause trouble? Or did you genuinely like Chelsea for a bit?

Drew: I knew that being in a relationship with Lizzie was dangerous, and I thought being in a relationship with Chelsea would prevent anything from happening with me and Lizzie. In the end, it was too hard to fight the connection I felt with her. Looking back, I probably should have stayed away from her altogether, but that's harder than it sounds. I'm just glad things worked out like they did.

Becky: How many houses do you actually own (or your family own)?

Drew: Four. There's the house in Pembrooke, New Hampshire, the one in Aspen, the one in Palm Beach, and the condo in Manhattan. My dad's currently living in the condo in Manhattan, and my mom and I are in the house in Pembrooke. The Palm Beach house was so we could have somewhere to go while visiting my grandparents (we go there during winter break sometimes, too). The house in Aspen is for ski vacations, which we go on every March during spring break.

Becky: If you could give Lizzie one gift, what would it be?

Drew: To know that she is 100% safe in her current life.

Becky: If you could change one thing about your past (current life) what would it be and why?

Drew: I'm happy with where I am now, so I wouldn't change anything. I wouldn't want to risk not being where I am today.

Becky: Do you believe in Fairytale endings and Happily Ever Afters? Will you and Lizzie get yours?

Drew: I wouldn't put it quite as "fairytale endings and happily ever afters," but after my experiences I believe that we're responsible for shaping our own destiny. If I want my life to end well, it's up to me to make it happen. I will make sure that everything works out well between me and Lizzie.

Becky: If you could choose to live either in 1815 Regency England or in the Present Day, which you prefer and why?

Drew: Present day. There are too many formalities and rules in 1815 England. It was also a hassle to do anything—especially getting from place to place—without modern day technology.

### Drew's Top Ten Favorite Books

As you might recall from Remembrance, Drew has a large bookshelf in his loft full of lots of different books. Here are some of his favorites from his collection.

**1) The** _Harry Potter_ **series by J.K. Rowling**

Because this is clearly one of the best book series of all time.

**2) The** _Song of Ice and Fire_ **series by George R. R. Martin**

Drew stated reading these books after watching Game of Thrones on HBO, and it quickly became one of his favorite series'.

**3)** _Along Came a Spider_ **by James Patterson**

Drew has read all the books in the Alex Cross series. This is the first one, and it is still his favorite in the series.

**4)** _Hunger Games_ **by Suzanne Collins**

A friend recommended he read this before the movie came out. He did, and ended up loving the entire trilogy.

**5)** _Goosebumps_ **series by R.L. Stine**

This was Drew's favorite series when he was in elementary school, and he still has his collection. He specifically loved _Say Cheese and Die_.

**6)** _Deception Point_ **by Dan Brown**

This book isn't as well known as _DaVinci Code_ or _Angels and Demons_ , but it's Drew's favorite book by Dan Brown. (He has read all of Dan Brown's books).

**7)** _The Stand_ **by Stephen King**

Drew has read many of King's books, but this is his favorite. He liked the end of the world aspect of it.

**8)** _Timeline_ **by Michael Crichton**

This is a time travel book, and Drew really enjoyed it. He liked seeing how what happened in the past affected the future.

**9)** _Bringing Down the House_ **by Ben Mezrich**

This is a great book based off the real life MIT students who figured out a mathematical way of playing blackjack that allowed them to "beat" Vegas. Drew also loved the sequel, _Busting Vegas_.

**10)** _The Five People You Meet in Heaven_ **by Mitch Albom**

Drew read this book in middle school, and it has always stuck with him.

Drew reads mainly adult fiction, although he will read the occasional YA book if it is highly recommended to him. When choosing a book to read, he veers toward thrillers. His favorite authors are Dan Brown, James Patterson, and Stephen King.

### Drew's Top Five Favorite Songs

Drew loves music, especially alternative and classic rock. One of his favorite things to do to relax is play guitar, or listen to music. Here is a list of his top five favorite songs!

1) "Minuet" by Mozart

Drew danced with Lizzie to this song in their past life, and it reminds him of her. This song is very special to both of them!

2) "Wonderwall" by Oasis

This is the first song Drew learned to play on guitar. A counselor at his camp taught him how to play it, and when he got home that summer he asked his parents for a guitar so he could continue to play.

3) "Fire and Rain" by James Taylor

Whenever Drew needs to chill out and relax, this is one of his go-to songs. James Taylor is one of his favorite musicians because of his incredible guitar playing and soothing voice.

4) "When the Stars Go Blue" by Ryan Adams

This song reminds Drew of being with Lizzie on the lake outside his house.

5) "Revolution" by the Beatles

Drew's favorite song when he just wants to jam out!

### Drew's Junior Year Class Schedule

A: AP European History (8:30-9:25)

Class shared with: Lizzie, Chelsea

Teacher: Mrs. Wilder

B: AP French (9:30-10:25)

Class shared with: Lizzie, Jeremy

Teacher: Mrs. Evans

C: AP English (10:30-11:25)

Class shared with: Chelsea

D: Set Design (11:30-12:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

LUNCH (12:30-1:15)

E: Chemistry (1:20-2:15)

Class shared with: Chelsea

Teacher: Mrs. Baker

F: Calculus (2:20-3:15)

Class shared with: Jeremy, Hannah

### CHARACTER EXTRAS: CHELSEA GIVENS

Chelsea's Character Biography

**Full Name:** Chelsea Elise Givens

**Nickname:** Chels

**Birthday:** June 8, 1994

**Place of Birth:** Pembrooke, NH

**Residence:** Glendale Drive in Pembrooke, NH

**Occupation:** Student

**Family:** Mother: Sarah Givens. (Died of breast cancer when Chelsea was in second grade). Father: Tyler Givens -- attorney. Sister: Tiffany Givens (19, in college).

**Loves:** Boys. Gossip. Shopping. Getting what she wants. Diet soda. Standing up for people she cares about.

**Hates:** People who betray her. Outdoor activities/anything involving getting messy.

**Fears:** People turning their backs on her. Insects.

**Education:** Junior in high school.

**Favorite ice cream flavor:** Chocolate Chunk: "You are lively, creative and the life of the party. You charm everyone with your enthusiasm and sense of style. You love excitement in your romantic relationships and require a lot of attention from your mate. You are most romantically compatible with those who prefer butter pecan or chocolate chip."

**Views on Love/Death:** Believes there are many people out there to love. Believes those who died (such as her mom) are watching out for her. Believes in an afterlife; not necessarily heaven, but that people don't disappear.

**Favorite Place in the World:** Cities. Specifically New York. (Which is what she likes talking with Drew about.)

**Least Favorite Place in the World:** Pembrooke. She wants to move to a warm place when she graduates high school.

**Hobbies:** Snow skiing. Shopping. Tennis. Mock Trial. Debate Team.

**Reputation:** Snobby. Semi-slutty. Bouncing from one boyfriend to the next.

**General Viewpoints of Importance:** Social status. Trust.

**What makes the character tick:** When people tell her she's wrong. People who talk about her.

**What makes the character likable:** Stands up for her friends. Keeps to her word. Does favors for people.

**What makes the character detestable:** Can be shallow. Gossips a lot. Goes behind Lizzie's back.

**Eye Color:** Green

**Hair Color:** Dark brown with a red tint

**Body Type:** Skinny and also curvy.

**Age:** 16

**Apparent Age:** 17

**Skin Tone:** Olive

**Physical activities:** Skiing, tennis

**Addictions:** Diet Coke

### This or That with Chelsea

Here is a collection of "This or That" questions I've answered from Chelsea's point of view for interviews.

Hardcopy or E-Book?

E-book. I read everything on my iPad—it's much easier!

Bookmark or Dog-Ear?

Bookmark. I like to keep things neat, and dog ears look messy.

Book or Movie?

Movie. Not that I don't like to read—I do enjoy reading on occasion—but movies are more fun because I can watch them with friends.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Like any girl (well, excluding Lizzie), CHOCOLATE!

Summer or Winter?

Summer, no question. I can't wait to get out of New Hampshire after graduation and not have to deal with frigid winters anymore!

Ice-Cream or Cake?

Ice cream.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee—I've never gotten into tea. Tea tastes so bland compared to a good, strong coffee.

Nice guy or bad boy?

Bad boy. I like a guy with spunk—he needs it to handle me!

Popularity or Friendships?

At the start of junior year, I would have said popularity (because doesn't being popular mean you have lots of friends?!) But after everything I went through with Lizzie in the past few months, I learned that true friendship is more important than sitting with the "cool kids" at lunch.

### Character Interview with Chelsea

This character interview was held by Tiffany from For Those About to Read. Chelsea's answers are by Michelle Madow.

http://www.abouttoread.com

Tiffany: What is the biggest thing you have learned after everything you have been through with Lizzie?

Chelsea: The biggest thing I learned was the importance of finding out all the facts about a situation before taking action. When people hurt me, I act out without thinking about the consequences. I got caught up in my emotions, and acted in ways I shouldn't have. I never would have done what I did if I understood what it really meant. If Lizzie, Drew, and I hadn't been able to fix my mistake, I never would have forgiven myself. I'm glad everything worked out, and I will always try to be more aware of the consequences of my actions in the future.

Tiffany: Describe yourself Twitter style.

Chelsea: @_ChelseaGivens: High school junior in the middle of nowhere, NH. Loves to go out and have fun with friends. Can't wait to graduate and get out of this town!

Tiffany: Describe your ideal man.

Chelsea: A few weeks ago I would have said Drew. But after what happened over the holiday season, I saw that he loves Lizzie, so I'm over him now. Besides the obvious necessity of my ideal man being attractive, I want him to love me more than anyone else. He should also be smart, driven to succeed, and sophisticated. Does that sound like you? Tweet me ;)

Tiffany: We have found out about Lizzie's talents through Remembrance, but we don't know about your talents. What do you excel at?

Chelsea: Most people who don't know me are shocked when they hear this answer—I excel in academics. I take many advanced classes, and I'm organized, which is useful when it comes to note-taking and study habits. I excel in history, English, and the sciences, and plan on being pre-law in college. I am on the mock trial and debate teams, which meet after school on alternating days. I'm hoping to be captain of the debate team in my senior year.

Tiffany: Our male readers would love to hear your idea of the perfect date, can you share?

Chelsea: To start, he would pick me up. (Guys should always pick up the girl—even if she's not on his way—because it's the right thing to do.) We would go out to dinner at an upscale restaurant on the lake with a table overlooking the water, and he should pay, of course. Then we would go on a walk, and the conversation should flow so easily that neither of us should realize how much time has passed.

Tiffany: What makes Lizzie such an awesome friend (pre-Drew drama)?

Chelsea: Lizzie is a great person—she listens to what people say, she offers advice (but not in a forceful way), she doesn't judge, and she's fun to hang out with. She's also smart, and values doing well in school as much as I do. I never feel like I have to try to be someone I'm not around Lizzie, which makes it easy to spend time with her.

Tiffany: What is your number one rule of friendship?

Chelsea: Don't make moves on your friends boyfriend. It never ends well.

**Tiffany: There is a scene in** _Remembrance_ **where Lizzie describes why you mean so much to her and recounts a memory from when the two of you were younger. I know you and Lizzie have been through a lot, but what is your favorite memory of her?**

Chelsea: All seventh grade students at Beech Tree go on a weekend field trip to Salem, MA. (We have a big unit on the witch trials in seventh grade.) The hotel we stayed in was supposedly haunted by witches who were killed in the trials, and Lizzie was so scared that she couldn't fall asleep. Every time we heard a noise in the hall, or a creaking in the room, one of us would scream, and then we would start laughing. Once we realized it was going to be impossible to sleep, we went to the lobby and got snacks, did some hotel exploring, and talked all night. We even invented a "mini tour" of the hotel, talking about the ghosts and their stories. We were exhausted the next day, but at least we survived the night in the haunted hotel!

Tiffany: What are your future plans? Where do you see yourself after graduating college?

Chelsea: I want to go to college someplace warm and near a real city—my top schools are UCLA and University of Miami. Since I'll be pre-law, I plan on going to law school after graduating college. My dad went to George Washington University for law school, so that's on my list. But I'm trying not to worry too much about where I want to go to law school until I figure out where I'm going to college. I'm not sure what type of law I want to practice yet, but I am interested in law that has to do with politics.

Tiffany: Do you have a mantra or are they any key principles you live by?

Chelsea: _Laboris gloria Ludi_ , which is Latin for "Work hard, play hard." I have the phrase inscribed on my keychain.

Tiffany: What is the most valuable piece of advice you've ever received?

Chelsea: "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything." This is my dad's favorite quote—from a movie he likes, I think. Whenever I feel like I can't do something, he says it to me.

Tiffany: Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Chelsea: I hope this gives you more insight into who I am! In times when my emotions are heightened (like after I found out about Lizzie and Drew going behind my back), I lash out without thinking. But I swear I'm not like that most of the time. When we got back from England, I realized I was over Drew, and now I'm focusing on doing the best I can in school to make sure I get into the college I want. I also decided that high school boys are immature, so I'm going to wait until college to find the right guy for me.

### Chelsea's Top Ten Makeup Products

If you've read the books in the Transcend Time Series, then you know that Chelsea loves getting dressed up and doing her makeup whenever she can. She doesn't even go to school without putting on makeup in the morning! Here is a list of her top ten products that she can't live without.

1) Dior Night Butterfly Eyeshadow Palette

This is Chelsea's favorite palette, because she loves wearing smoky purple shadows—the colors go great with her green eyes.

2) RMS Beauty Cream Eyeshadow in Magnetic

This purple cream eyeshadow is the perfect base for purple smoky eyes.

3) MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack

This is Chelsea's favorite eyeliner. It's gel, which is easy to apply. It's also a deep black, so it gives a dramatic look. For night time, you can wing it out for extra flair!

4) MAC Bronzer in Refined Golden

Chelsea loves looking tan all year round. Put this bronzer on the cheeks, chin, nose, and forehead for an all over glow. Remember to put some on your neck, too, so there's not a line where the bronzer ends!

5) YSL Faux Cils Mascara

This mascara is thick without being clumpy, and makes the lashes look incredible. It gives a false lash effect. Chelsea uses this mascara every day.

6) The Balm Stainiac in Beauty Queen

Chelsea uses this lip stain to make sure her lips stay red all day. This stays in place for hours, so even if lip gloss comes off, the lips will still be red.

7) MAC Eyeliner Pencil in Engraved

Chelsea uses this pencil to line her lower waterline, since it can get messy to use gel in the waterline.

8) YSL Anti-Cernes Multi-Action Concealer

Chelsea uses this concealer under her eyes to cover circles and on any red spots on her face. She takes school seriously, and stays up late on weeknights doing her homework, so this concealer is necessary to make her look awake in the morning!

9) Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Charisma

This beautiful color blush stays on all day!

10) MAC Lipglass in Russian Red

In _Timeless_ , Lizzie mentions Chelsea's "red lip gloss that makes her look like a vixen." This is what Chelsea was wearing!

### Chelsea's Junior Year Class Schedule

A: AP European History (8:30-9:25)

Class shared with: Lizzie, Drew

Teacher: Mrs. Wilder

B: Spanish (9:30-10:25)

Class shared with: Hannah

C: AP English (10:30-11:25)

Class shared with: Drew

D: Photography (11:30-12:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

LUNCH (12:30-1:15)

E: Chemistry (1:20-2:15)

Class shared with: Drew

Teacher: Mrs. Baker

F: Trigonometry (2:20-3:15)

Class shared with: Lizzie

Teacher: Mr. Barton

### CHARACTER EXTRAS: JEREMY WILLIAMS

Jeremy's Character Biography

**Full Name:** Jeremy Michael Williams

**Nickname:** Jere

**Birthday:** March 14, 1994

**Place of Birth:** Pembrooke, NH

**Residence:** Harvest Road in Pemrbooke, NH

**Occupation:** Student

**Family:** Alexander Williams (father) -- general surgeon. Madeline Williams (mother) -- nurse. Bryan Williams (younger brother; 14).

**Loves:** Soccer. Parties. Watching sports. His Jeep. Teaching Bryan how to be a good soccer player. Being a good role model for Bryan.

**Hates:** People who he feels threatened by.

**Fears:** Not being noticed.

**Education:** Junior in high school.

**Views on Love/Death:** He didn't see himself with anyone but Lizzie until Drew came along and she broke up with him. Now he's devastated, although he tries not to be obvious about it. Hasn't really thought much about death, except when Chelsea's mom died. He felt bad and didn't really know what to say. He believes in a heaven-like place because that's what he's been taught, but hasn't thought much about it.

**Favorite Place in the World:** On the soccer field.

**Least Favorite Place in the World:** Cities. Feels too cooped up.

**Hobbies:** Soccer. Anything athletic.

**Reputation:** Jock.

**General Viewpoints of Importance:** Soccer. Doing decently in school. Lizzie.

**What makes the character tick:** When someone stands up to him or says he's wrong.

**What makes the character likable:** Is charismatic.

**What makes the character detestable:** Tries to be too controlling of Lizzie.

**Favorite ice cream flavor:** Coffee: "You are lively, dramatic and flirtatious. You thrive on the passion of the moment. You are easily bored and start new projects without finishing old ones. You are most compatible with those who prefer strawberry."

**Eye Color:** Blue.

**Hair Color:** Medium blonde.

**Body Type:** Athletic.

**Age:** 16

**Apparent** Age: 17

**Skin Tone:** Lightly tanned.

**Physical activities:** Soccer. Gym workouts.

### This or That with Jeremy

Here is a collection of "This or That" questions I've answered from Jeremy's point of view for interviews.

Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate

Coke or Pepsi?

Doesn't make too much of a difference, but I guess Coke.

iPhone or Droid?

iPhone all the way! They're cooler looking than Droid, and easier to use.

Read the book or watch the movie?

Watch the movie! I barely do my reading for school—why bother reading a book when you can just watch it?

Captain Crunch or Fruity Pebbles?

If I had to choose it would be Captain Crunch, but my favorite cereal is Frosted Flakes.

Redbox or Netflix?

Netflix, but I usually just use my DVR On Demand.

Night owl or morning person?

Night owl. I hate waking up early.

Horror movie or action flick?

Tough choice, but I'm gonna go with action. The plots are usually cool, and they have good fight and chase scenes.

Vampires or werewolves?

Werewolf, because I would rather turn into a wolf than a bat. But I don't get this whole vampire/werewolf thing going on recently. Amber made me watch an episode of The Vampire Diaries the other day, and I could barely sit through it.

Blondes or brunettes?

Blondes. Although there is a certain brunette I have my eye on right now.

History or Math?

Neither? But I guess if I had to pick one, it would be history.

Xbox or PS3?

I've got a Wii. If I was going to get another system too, it would be Xbox.

### Jeremy's Junior Year Class Schedule

A: Gym (8:30-9:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

B: AP French (9:30-10:25)

Class shared with: Lizzie, Drew

Teacher: Mrs. Evans

C: English (10:30-11:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

D: Physics (11:30-12:25)

Class shared with: Hannah

LUNCH (12:30-1:15)

E: European History (1:20-2:15)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

Teacher: Mrs. Wilder

F: Calculus (2:20-3:15)

Class shared with: Drew, Hannah

### CHARACTER EXTRAS: HANNAH GOLDBERG

Hannah's Character Biography

**Full Name:** Hannah Rachel Goldberg

**Nickname:** None.

**Birthday:** October 23, 1994

**Place of Birth:** Pembrooke, NH

**Residence:** Pembrooke, NH

**Occupation:** Student

**Family:** Lives with her parents and has a younger sister who's in middle school.

**Loves:** Drawing (she's better than Lizzie.) Spending time with her family. Helping others through problems. Playing Tennis.

**Hates:** When people take advantage of her.

**Fears:** Not having a group of friends like she did in middle school, since everyone is going their separate ways. She kind of got left behind.

**Education:** Junior in high school.

**Views on Love/Death:** Believed Sheldon was her true love, but is starting to doubt the existence of it. She's reform Jewish, and believes people's souls go to one common place after they die (this is slightly similar to the beginning idea of reincarnation!)

**Favorite Place in the World:** Her room.

**Least Favorite Place in the World:** Anywhere that's over-crowded. She likes her space.

**Hobbies:** Drawing. Listening to music. Tennis. (She's on the JV team, but she's not very good. The team is mostly sophomores and freshmen.)

**Reputation:** Being quiet. Not many people know her very well.

**General Viewpoints of Importance:** Her relationship with Sheldon until he dumped her. Being nice and kind to everyone. (Although the one thing that bothers her is when people take advantage, and then she backs away.)

**What makes the character tick:** People who use her just when they're upset.

**What makes the character likable:** She honestly wants to help other people, and tries to give the best advice possible.

**What makes the character detestable:** She can be extremely meek at times and doesn't stand up for herself.

**Eye Color:** Hazel

**Hair Color:** Brown

**Body Type:** 5'3". Not totally skinny, but has a little extra flab. No one would call her fat though.

**Age:** 16

**Apparent Age:** 14

**Skin Tone:** Pale with a few freckles.

**Physical activities:** Tennis, but she's not very good.

### Hannah's Junior Year Class Schedule

A: English (8:30-9:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

B: Spanish (9:30-10:25)

Class shared with: Chelsea

C: European History (10:30-11:25)

Class shared with: None of the main characters

D: Physics (11:30-12:25)

Class shared with: Jeremy

LUNCH (12:30-1:15)

E: Drawing (1:20-2:15)

Class shared with: Lizzie

F: Calculus (2:20-3:15)

Class shared with: Jeremy, Drew

### THE FATES OF THE CHARACTERS' PAST LIVES

Before Lizzie, Drew, and Chelsea went back in time to change the past, here is what happened to their past selves:

**Lizzie:** She was reincarnated because she died too early in the past, and never had time to be with her soul mate, Drew.

**Drew:** He made a massive mistake in his past life that led to Lizzie getting into the carriage with James, which caused her death. He never forgave himself, and could never be with his soul mate because she was dead. He married Catherine, and was miserable and depressed for the rest of his life. The two of them never had children because he wanted nothing to do with her.

**Chelsea:** Her past self, Catherine, ended up lonely and depressed when Drew married her after Lizzie died. Drew never loved her, and she was never able to find her soul mate because she was married to him and miserable. Since Drew gave her no attention, she had many affairs, which destroyed her reputation.

**Jeremy:** His past self, James, blamed himself for Lizzie's death since he was driving the carriage. He never forgave himself. He became an alcoholic, obese, and wasted away his fortune to gambling. His destructive ways never allowed him to be with his soul mate, Kate.

**Keelie:** Keelie's soul mate is Jeremy, although they are not meant to be together until the end of college, once he has time to mature and become a better person. Her past self, Kate, never ended up with her soul mate James because of his self-destructive behavior.

See how their stories connect in the past and the present? Luckily, once Lizzie, Drew, and Chelsea succeeded in their mission of changing the past, those destinies never occurred.

### HOW TAYLOR SWIFT'S "LOVE STORY" MUSIC VIDEO INSPIRED REMEMBRANCE

The "Love Story" music video premiered in the fall of 2008. The first time I watched it, I was entranced. Taylor sees a guy while walking through campus, and the moment their eyes connect, the scene flashes to the two of them dancing at a beautiful ball dressed in clothes that appear to be from around the year 1815. It's magical to watch, and the video is so amazing that it gave me chills. I watched it over and over again, and a story started to piece together in my mind. A story about a girl reincarnated from Regency Era, England, who doesn't realize it until her soul mate transfers into her school and triggers her memories to gradually return to her.

In that semester at school, I was taking a class called Intro to Creative Writing. One of our first big assignments in class was to write anything we wanted and bring it in to share with everyone. Since the characters and scenes that came to me while watching "Love Story" refused to leave my mind, I decided that for the project, I would write the first chapter of what I then called "The Story Inspired by 'Love Story.'"

After completing the chapter, I stared at it for about an hour, worrying about what my classmates would think after reading it. I assumed everyone else would write about "normal" topics—not reincarnation and seeing your soulmate from the past for the first time! What if they thought what I wrote was weird? I nearly erased it in favor of turning something else in, but then I remembered something Taylor had said:

"If you're lucky enough to be different from everyone else, don't change."

I listened to her advice. Yes, what I wrote was going to be way different from what everyone else in class wrote, but I was okay with that. And after I read the chapter aloud to the class, I was amazed to find out that everyone in my class, including my teacher, loved it. Actually, they more than loved it—they wanted to read more!

But I had never written a novel before, and the idea of making the plunge and going for it intimidated me. What if I failed and couldn't finish it? That worried me, but again, I remembered something Taylor had said:

"To me, fearless isn't not having fears; it's not that you're not afraid of anything. I think that being fearless is having a lot of fears, but you jump anyway."

So I jumped.

And now, three years after I saw the "Love Story" music video for the first time, my debut novel _Remembrance_ is finally available for everyone to read. I'm so happy to be able to share it with you. I can only hope that if you choose to read it, you end up enjoying it as much as I loved writing it!

Thank you for taking the time to read my story about how "Love Story" and Taylor Swift helped me get to where I am today!

### REINCARNATION IN THE TRANSCEND TIME SAGA

An explanation of how reincarnation works in the series

To write the Transcend Time Saga, I had to create my own version of reincarnation. The first thing I did was research reincarnation on the Internet. Even though I don't personally believe in reincarnation, I had fun learning about it. There are tons of websites on the topic—from ancient Buddhist beliefs to people who claim there are scientific ways to prove reincarnation. It was interesting doing the research, but I came across a problem: Nothing was fitting into the story I had started to create about Lizzie and Drew.

Then I realized something: _Remembrance_ was going to be a work of FICTION, so I was free to create my own version of reincarnation!

The main thing I knew about Lizzie's story was that she had a dramatic early death in her first life that made it so she couldn't be with her soul mate, Drew. She and the people close to her who were negatively impacted by her death had been reincarnated to set things right. I decided to create my own version of reincarnation that revolved around that idea.

I created a Word document with bullet points describing the important aspects of reincarnation in the Transcend Time Saga. This document is called "Reincarnation Rules," and this is the first time I am sharing it with readers.

Here are some of the basic Reincarnation Rules in the Transcend Time Saga:

1) The only reason a person will be reincarnated is if they have to change something dramatic that left them unfulfilled in their past life. They continue being reincarnated until they do this.

2) Most people are not reincarnated. Once they live one life, they go to Nirvana. Most people living on Earth are "New Souls."

3) Major events in present day lives parallel past lives, so people will be thrown into situations with other reincarnated souls from their past.

4) Their physical features are similar to those they had in their past lives, although not so similar that they look the exact same.

5) A big part of initially remembering a past life is a recognition of the soul of a person they had a positive deep connection to, usually a soul mate. (In Lizzie's case, this person was Drew.) If you were friends with someone in a past life (like Lizzie/Chelsea and Elizabeth/Catherine), you will feel very close to that person, but they will not trigger memories of the past to return.

6) Objects from the past will also serve as triggers. (Lizzie loved _Pride and Prejudice_ in her past life, so reading the book for her English class triggered her memories. Drew built the music box for Lizzie in his past life, so seeing the music box again triggered his memories.) However, people usually believe their memories to be figments of their imaginations until they meet the person who is their "big trigger."

7) A soul can only reincarnate into the same species it started in. (You cannot be a human in one life and a dog in the next.)

8) People remember images and scenes—they very rarely remember full conversations. They can, however, remember their feelings from those conversations.

9) People don't reincarnate immediately. They reincarnate during a good time for them to complete whatever it is they need to do to sort out the issues they had in their past life. Plus, if a spirit went through something traumatic in their life (usually resulting in death), they need time to recover.

10) Reincarnees have Memory Guides that help them remember their past life so they can make changes in their current life. These Memory Guides have been reincarnated, and successfully fixed what they needed to. They go through training, and then come into the Reincarnee's life when they are ready to remember their past life.

After I had those basic ideas, Lizzie and Drew's story pieced together as I wrote. I outlined the book before writing the draft, but it was still fun to see their story unfold.

### TIME TRAVEL IN TIMELESS

An explanation of how time travel works in Timeless

I always knew the final book in the Transcend Time Saga would involve the main characters time traveling back to Regency Era, England, and I couldn't wait to write about their adventures in the past.

Of course, this involved creating my own version of time travel. I read and watch a lot of time travel stories, so I know that characters can usually travel through time by use of a machine, an object, a hole in the space/time continuum, a genetic superpower, etc. There are so many possible methods for characters to travel back in time! However, the Transcend Time Saga is a modern fairy tale, so I knew the best form of time travel for the story would be magic.

Time travel in the world of the Transcend Time Saga is not easy. Three main conditions must be met for people to travel back in time:

1) All of the individuals must have been reincarnated

When a person travels back in time in the Transcend Time Saga, their physical body does not make the journey. Instead, their soul leaves their body and enters the body of their past self. Naturally, a person must have a past self for this journey to be possible. If you're traveling in a group, everyone in the group must travel back to the same time period, therefore their past selves need to have all been alive in the time they are traveling to.

2) One of the time travelers in the group must have magic in their blood

Magic sparks the connection from the present to the past, so one of the people making the journey must have magical abilities. They can either be a natural witch, meaning they are born with magic, or borrow magical abilities from a natural witch, which involves drinking a drop of the witch's blood. This is a gift rarely given, because each drop of blood gifted from a witch decreases the witch's power by a small percentage. Also, borrowed magic will only stay in the human's bloodstream for one month.

3) One of the time travelers must be in possession of an object owned by his or her past self

The more important this object was to the time traveler's past self, the stronger the connection will be to the past. The best kind of object for time travel is a piece of jewelry worn by the time traveler's past self. The constant contact with the past self combined with metal being a strong conductive element makes jewelry extremely powerful as a connection to the past.

**Read** _Timeless_ **to find out how Lizzie, Drew, and Chelsea meet these three conditions to travel back in time to Regency Era, England!**

### COVER DESIGN INTERVIEW

Bonnie from A Backwards Story interviews Michelle Madow on how she designed the covers of the Transcend Time Saga

http://abackwardsstory.blogspot.com

Bonnie: I love the covers for the Transcend Time Saga. They're what made me first sit up and take notice of this title. Since you designed the covers yourself, did you always know what you wanted to do? Did you go through multiple designs before deciding on your final covers?

Michelle: Thank you! The big thing I knew when I started looking through images on stock photography websites was that I wanted Lizzie's face to be on the cover. I spent hours searching through images on iStockPhoto of "girls with curly blonde hair." I discovered a model who was PERFECT for Lizzie, but none of her photos jumped out at me as "the one." Then I went to Dreamstine, saw "Girl in a Mask," and knew I'd found my cover.

Bonnie: What are the easiest and hardest things about designing your own covers?

Michelle: The easiest (and the most fun) is searching for the perfect image for the first book in the series. The hardest is making sure the covers of the other books of the series match the theme of the first, while still being unique to their own story.

Bonnie: Which of the three covers is your favorite?

Michelle: The cover of _Remembrance_ will always be my favorite. I can't believe I found an image that perfectly embodied the story. The girl looks exactly like Lizzie, and she's wearing a gold mask similar to the one described in the book. I love how she's looking straight at the viewer, and the contrast of the light on her face against the jet black background. The mask symbolizes the mystery of the past life that Lizzie discovers throughout the story.

Bonnie: Have you always been interested in graphic design? Would you design covers for other authors in the future?

Michelle: My interest in graphic design started when I taught myself how to use Photoshop during my senior year of high school to create icons for LiveJournal. I made hundreds of 100x100 pixel icons for my favorite television shows and books. Then when Twilight came out I joined the Twilight Lexicon discussion forum, and started making Twilight icons for members of the forum.

As for designing covers for other authors, that's probably not something I would do. It takes time to design covers, and my number one priority is writing and getting my books out to readers. There are many graphics designers who have graphic design as their number one priority, and who are more experienced than me, anyway. (My capabilities are limited. When I realized the ribbon under Lizzie's nose in the original image for Timeless had to be removed, I had to outsource that task to a more experienced graphic designer to make sure it was done well.)

Bonnie: What, to you, are the components that make up the best, most eye-catching cover?

Michelle: I am partial to the "pretty girl in a dress" covers, even though I know it's a bit over done! I think the best covers are simple. If too much is going on in the cover, the viewer doesn't know what to focus on. Also, the text must stand out and be easy to read, so the person looking for a new book doesn't have to struggle to see the title and author for the book.

Bonnie: What book covers do you love so much that you wish you'd designed them?

Michelle: Some of my favorite covers are:

_Matched_ by Allie Condie

_Firelight_ by Sophie Jordan

_Halo_ by Alexandra Adornetto

_The Selection_ by Kiera Cass

_Tempest_ by Julie Cross

_Tris & Izzie_ by Mette Ivie Harrison

_City of Lost Souls_ by Cassandra Clare

### MICHELLE'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING

Hi, everyone! I've talked a lot about my books, the writing process, and the characters in the Transcend Time Saga. But this is the first time I've shared my personal experience with independent publishing, and why I ultimately chose this route for the Transcend Time Saga. I hope you enjoy the story of how this all happened and maybe even learn from it too!

In the summer of 2009, between my junior and senior years of college, I finished the first version of _Remembrance_. My original intention was to pursue traditional publishing. That summer I queried over fifty agents, receiving mostly rejections. A few prospects requested the full or part of the manuscript, and most of those manuscript requests were turned down. By the start of my senior year I felt like every agent was going to reject my book. It was hard for me to keep getting rejected, especially because I was a student who earned mostly A's, received awards for my writing, and had most of my work praised by my teachers and fellow students. I wasn't used to failing, and it was getting me down.

Then, two weeks into the first semester of my senior year I got a phone call from Christine Witthohn of Book Cents Literary Agency, who I had met earlier that summer at the Writer's Digest Pitch Slam. She loved _Remembrance_ and wanted to take it on, but first there were some edits she wanted me to make.

I was SO EXCITED. An agent wanted my book! She didn't specialize in YA (young adult) fiction—her focus was mysteries and women's fiction—but I didn't care. Because this had to be it—my big break into the world of publishing!

Figuring the edits were a "test" to see how efficiently I could work and how well I took instruction, I did everything she asked. In October 2009—not even a year after I wrote the first chapter of _Remembrance_ —I signed the contract with Christine. Now I would definitely break into traditional publishing! I had an agent, which meant at least one publishing house would be interested in my book. Right?

Yeah ... not so much.

The first rejections informed me that the editors thought _Remembrance_ was too similar to _Fallen_ by Lauren Kate and _Evermore_ by Alyson Noel. I hadn't read either of those books, but after receiving that feedback, I purchased them and read them to understand my competition.

The big similarity was impossible to miss—all three books dealt with reincarnation. But beyond that, they were extremely different. Unfortunately, it wasn't my place to point that out to the publishers, so I had to accept their rejections and move on.

Months passed, and the rejections kept coming. It soon became apparent that it was going to be difficult to get traditional publishing houses interested in _Remembrance_ because of one glaring problem:

There weren't enough paranormal elements in the story to classify _Remembrance_ as paranormal or fantasy, but the pinch of magic didn't allow _Remembrance_ to fall into the contemporary genre either.

Basically, since _Remembrance_ didn't fit into an established sub-category of YA and I was an unknown author, I was out of luck.

A year and a half passed, and I wrote two more YA books, both starts of new series. One was an urban fantasy adventure involving witches and Greek mythology, and the other a fun, edgy contemporary that takes place in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, my agent didn't love either of them like she loved _Remembrance_ , so those books got pushed to the backburner. A tough fact about publishing is that just because you sign with an agent on one book, it doesn't guarantee that they're going to love the next books you write, especially if you decide to explore a new sub-genre.

Flash forward a few months: Now it was Summer 2011. My agent couldn't sell _Remembrance_ and she didn't love my other two books enough to push editors at publishing houses to read them. Then one day in June she called me and said, "I want you to publish _Remembrance_ yourself."

At first I was appalled by that suggestion. But I didn't want to react irrationally, so I told her I would look into it before coming to a decision.

My instinct to reject her idea was because I still believed the stigma that an independently published book wasn't as good as a book published by a New York house. But I promised my agent that I would look into the option of publishing _Remembrance_ myself, so I started to research.

I discovered that there are many reasons why authors choose to publish books independently. They might want more control over every creative step in the publishing process, they might want freedom to write without worrying about fitting into an established genre, they might not want to sign away their rights to the story, and many other reasons. I also read about success stories like Amanda Hocking's, and saw that many successful titles on Amazon are independently published. I realized that from when I started writing in 2008 to that moment in 2011, I had been so focused on becoming traditionally published that I had been oblivious to the dynamic growth of independent publishing happening around me.

While browsing books on Amazon as an author and a blogger (I reviewed books at the time), I paid attention to who published a book. Then I contemplated my browsing process BEFORE I started writing and blogging. I never paid attention to who published a book. If a cover grabbed me enough to make me read the description, and if the description sounded interesting, I bought the book. To the mainstream reader who isn't involved with the industry, the publisher of a book doesn't matter. They just want to find a story they'll enjoy.

After researching independent publishing, I came to a few conclusions:

1) _Remembrance_ would probably never get picked up by a traditional publishing house because the story didn't fit into an established sub-genre of the YA market and I was an unknown author.

2) It would benefit my career to publish _Remembrance_ independently and develop a fan base.

3) With the rising popularity of e-readers and self-publishing platforms like Kindle Direct Publishing and Barnes & Noble PubIt, it was easier than ever for independent authors to get their books into the hands of readers.

4) At the rate things were going, _Remembrance_ was going to sit on my computer as a manuscript forever and never be seen by anyone.

5) _Remembrance_ was a great story and deserved to be shared with the world.

So on July 25, 2011, I published _Remembrance_ via CreateSpace, Kindle Direct Publishing, Barnes & Noble PubIt, and Smashwords.

I was SO EXCITED! I created a Facebook Fan Page and emailed book bloggers to see if they would review the book. Hopefully word would spread and _Remembrance_ would fly off the (digital) shelves!

Unbeknownst to me at the time, it doesn't work like that.

Luckily, one of my best friends from college is a YA book blogger, has a Masters in Business Administration with a focus in marketing, and has interned at a publishing house. When she saw that I put _Remembrance_ online and then announced it was available for purchase with no pre-publication, publication week, and post-publication plans other than to get reviews and write blog posts about the book, she took action. Within a week she wrote and emailed me a ten-page marketing plan full of different ways to get my book seen by readers.

Marketing _Remembrance_ was a full time job. There was always something else I could be doing to get the book seen by more readers. I learned SO MUCH about marketing in the months following the publication of _Remembrance_ that I could write a book explaining everything I know now. The friend who helped me with marketing _Remembrance_ and I have discussed writing that book so we can help independent authors who are as clueless as I was when I first published _Remembrance_.

Now that _Timeless_ , the final part of the Transcend Time Saga, came out on November 20, 2012, I look back on what I've accomplished in the past year and a half with great pride. I completed the Transcend Time series, edited it, designed the covers, formatted the paperback and e-versions, went on a nation-wide book tour where I spoke to over 20,000 students, gained fans through social media, learned marketing techniques, and sold over 7,000 books. I had no idea that by publishing independently I would be starting my own business, and I have come a long way from the girl who put _Remembrance_ online one summer day and hoped it would sell on its own.

So what's next?

As rewarding as the experience of independently publishing _Remembrance_ has been, it's still my goal to be published by a traditional publishing house. You're probably wondering why, and here are my reasons:

1) I want the opportunity to work with a top-notch YA editor who will push me to make my books the absolute best they can be.

2) I want my main focus to be writing. Marketing and publicizing _Remembrance_ was an enriching experience, but in the future I would be happy to have the help of professionals so I can spend more time working on my books.

3) Publishing houses have resources that are nearly impossible for me to access as an independent author. They can get books into public libraries, schools, magazines, physical bookstores, etc., and those are all places where I would love to see my books someday.

Here's what's going on with me now:

In March 2012, while I was touring high schools across the country to promote _Remembrance_ , my old agent and I parted ways on friendly terms. Since I had independently published _Remembrance_ there was nothing else she could do for the book, and she wasn't the right agent for the other two YA books I had written.

Less than a month later, I signed with literary agent Molly Ker Hawn from the Bent Agency for the third novel I had written—the edgy, fun contemporary YA that takes place in Las Vegas. Molly is an incredible agent—she's enthusiastic about my writing, professional, has years of experience in publishing, and is excellent at navigating the business. She is also passionate about YA (young adult) and MG (middle grade) books. Those are the only genres she represents, which is perfect for me. We spent months editing my contemporary YA book to get it in the best shape to show to editors, and she taught me SO much during the editing process. She recently sent it to editors at traditional publishing houses, and I'm hoping for good news every day.

The most amazing part of publishing the Transcend Time Saga has been connecting with the fans. It was hard for me when _Remembrance_ kept getting rejected by editors, and I went through a long period of time when I believed the book would never be seen by anyone except me, my family, and friends. Now I have fans all over the world. Writing and publishing is a hard career, and it's easy to feel defeated and wonder why you're working for hours on end without a guaranteed payoff. But every time a fan emails me, tweets at me, writes on my Facebook wall, or leaves a positive review for one of my books, I'm reminded WHY I'm doing this—because it's my purpose and passion in life to share the stories I create with the world. Writing has become so important to my identity that I wouldn't know who I was without it. From the bottom of my heart—thank you for your support. It means everything to me.

### AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Dorine from The Write Path interviews Michelle Madow about writing

http://www.dorinewhite.blogspot.com

**Dorine: How did writing** _Timeless_ **compare to** _Remembrance_ **?**

Michelle: _Timeless_ was much more challenging to write than _Remembrance_ , because there are more paranormal elements in the story, along with time travel. I had to make sure the paranormal elements were explained to the reader in a way that made sense, and I had to do a lot of research to make the scenes in Regency Era, England accurate. There were so many facts I had to learn about the time period—the clothes they wore, the hygiene products they had available, etiquette rules, how people addressed each other, and even the times they ate their meals (and how the meals were served) are so different from modern times! The research was the most challenging, but I'm happy with how the scenes in the past ended up.

Dorine: You have an amazing online presence- Can you tell me what it is like to promote your own work and do so well? What were the biggest things that helped you?

Michelle: Thank you! The biggest trick to "social media" is just to have FUN with it! I love talking with people through Twitter and Facebook, and I think it comes across in my tweets and status updates. If an author is only using social media to promote their work, it can be obvious to fans. I like sharing random things about what's going on in my life, and I always reply back to people when they tweet at me or write on my Facebook. As for promoting my books, book bloggers have been so helpful by reviewing Remembrance and helping to spread the word. It's been great meeting so many bloggers, because we all have one major thing in common—a love for books!

Dorine: Did you always want to be a writer?

Michelle: I've always created stories in my mind and have enjoyed writing, but I didn't consider writing as a possible profession until mid-way through college because I wasn't sure if I could complete a novel, or if anyone would be interested in my ideas. Then I took an Intro to Creative Writing class when I was a junior in college. I turned in the first chapter of _Remembrance_ for a homework assignment, and my teacher and classmates loved it and encouraged me to write more. The positive feedback meant so much to me, and I decided that I would never know if I could complete a novel if I didn't try. By the end of my junior year of college, I had finished the first draft of _Remembrance_!

Dorine: What books influenced you the most as a child?

Michelle: My favorite book series' when I was younger were the _Narnia_ series and _Harry Potter_. As for a book influencing me, _Twilight_ by Stephenie Meyer had a huge impact on my life. I read _Twilight_ when I was 18 years old, and Bella's character inspired me to make positive changes in my life. Many books I was reading at that age involved teens who were partying, drinking, etc. Reading about a girl like Bella, who was happy being who she was without craving popularity, encouraged me to be more comfortable embracing that side of my personality. _Twilight_ changed my life, and led me on a path to become a better person.

Dorine: What are your future writing plans?

Michelle: I've written two other books aside from the books in the Transcend Time Saga. Both of them are starts of different series'—one is a fun, contemporary YA, and the other is a YA urban fantasy involving witchcraft and Greek mythology. I'm pursuing the traditional publishing route for the contemporary YA, and my agent has that book out on submission to publishing houses. I'm crossing my fingers every day for good news!

Dorine: Any advice for aspiring writers?

Michelle: The biggest piece of advice I have if you're writing a novel is to make sure you have a solid writing schedule before you start drafting. While writing _Remembrance_ , I wrote 1,000 words every weekday, in between my afternoon classes. If you don't have a routine and daily word count goal, completing a draft will be difficult. Writing is not a sprint—it's a marathon. Slow and steady will get you to the end. It's amazing how much progress you will make if you discipline yourself to write a little bit every day!

### TEN THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT MICHELLE MADOW

**1) I love singing—especially Broadway showtunes!** I have a mediocre voice though, so I was always in the chorus in school plays. (The high point of my theatre career was when I got the part of Pinocchio at a local theatre group when I was ten. It was downhill from there.) If you want to hear me sing, I have an old video on YouTube (www.youtube.com/michellemadow) of me singing "On My Own" from Les Miserables. But as I warned you, my voice was never "the best," or good enough to get me a lead part in high school.

**2) I was in a pre-professional dance program for ten years.** Dance was a HUGE part of my life until my senior year of high school. I did ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, and some tap. When I was in seventh grade I performed with the Russian Ballet in "The Nutcracker"—I had the part of one of the little mice! (When the Russian Ballet tours the country, they cast the children's roles separately in each city.) I eventually stopped dance in my senior year, because my program wanted me to rehearse until 10:30 PM on Friday nights. I realized I wasn't going to be a professional dancer, and that I preferred to have a social life.

**3) I was in a sorority for my first three years of college.** I didn't plan on doing recruitment, but one of my close friends talked me into attending a "sorority open house," where I ended up receiving a bid to join the sorority. I didn't have many friends in the beginning of college, so I decided to join because it would help me branch out. I'm glad I did, because I met my three closest friends in that sorority, and they are still my best friends today. I'm not good at following arbitrary rules though (I question every rule and need to understand WHY it's in place if I'm going to follow it) so I got in "trouble" with the sorority a lot. I wrote Remembrance when I was a junior, and after signing with an agent in the summer between my junior and senior year of college, I decided to drop out of the sorority in my senior year so I could focus more on my writing.

**4) I've broken both my ankles—luckily at separate times!** The first time was in fourth grade. I was playing a make-believe game with a friend that involved fake-flying. I decided to jump out of a tree. Bad decision. The second time was in sixth grade. I was excited for the end of the school day, and ran to my mom's car when she arrived to pick me up. I randomly decided to do a ballet leap on the way there, but the ground was icy, and I didn't land right. Another bad decision.

**5) I cannot draw.** Seriously ... my drawing/painting skills are pathetic. I can barely make a stick figure. Something doesn't compute right when I try to draw an image. I'm so bad that I can't even play the game "Draw Something" because I get so frustrated! Part of the reason I made Lizzie an artist in Remembrance is because it's a skill I highly admire, since I have no concept of how to do it myself.

**6) I wish I'd taken writing seriously at a younger age.** I never considered writing novels as a serious possibility until I was a junior in college. I wish I could go back in time and tell my fifteen year old self to stop caring about dance so much (since dance was always a short term goal of mine), and to think more long-term and start writing novels in high school. To those of you who are in high school and are already taking writing seriously, I give you major props. I wish I had been more like you when I was your age.

**7) I tried to play guitar for years, but was never any good.** It's sad, but true. You see, my dad and brother both play guitar. They're not experts, but they're good enough so they can play songs and entertain people. I wanted to be able to do that so badly, so I got a guitar and started playing when I was in tenth grade. I had trouble with strumming at first, but I figured I would improve with practice. After two years of practice, my strumming was still terrible, so I set aside guitar. Then I picked it back up when I was a junior in college. I practiced almost every day when I was a junior and senior, but remained awful at strumming. I could only manage to strum a song right if I focused very hard on it, but then I couldn't sing along. Even then, the strumming wasn't that great. Eventually, I realized I just wasn't naturally talented at guitar, and set it aside again.

**8) I was obsessed with Star Wars in fourth grade.** I watched the movies multiple times, and started a Star Wars action figure collection (that I still have today). I have a Millennium Falcon for them and everything! In fourth grade I brought my action figures to school, and insisted my friends do the same, so we could create make believe stories set in the Star Wars universe and have our action figures act them out. (Luckily, I went to a very small school then—I had 12 kids in my grade—and I somehow managed to make Star Wars cool, so no one thought I was a total loser.) I can't imagine what people would have thought of me if I were in public school!

**9) I don't like most cold or room temperature foods.** I have this (kind of weird) thing about hot food. I pretty much ONLY eat food that's hot. I don't like cereal for breakfast, and I definitely don't understand the appeal of sushi for dinner. (Cold AND uncooked?! Gross. _Edit: I love sushi for dinner now. Tastes change_. ;) I'll occasionally have a room temperature food as snack (it happens rarely, though). But I never feel satisfied from a meal unless it's hot.

**10) Discovering that I wanted to take writing seriously made me grow as a person more than I had ever thought possible.** In high school and the first two years of college, I worried about what people thought of me. I've never been naturally "cool," but I wanted to be part of that crowd so badly that I tried too hard, which resulted in them not liking me. Then I discovered writing in the beginning of my junior year of college, and suddenly what people thought of me wasn't important anymore. I realized there was no point in trying to be "cool" when there were tons of other awesome people out there who I had more in common with, anyway, and I had more fun hanging out with. I stopped caring about what others thought of me, and learned to be happy and proud of who I actually am. That realization led to me being happier in those last two years of college than I was in the first two years of college and high school combined—and because I was more confident, I ended up with an awesome group of friends!

### ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thank you to everyone who participated in the blog tour: Jennie, Molli, Margie, Kathryn, Dorine, Emma, Stephanie, Susan, Michelle, Becky, Jenna, Bonnie, JoAnne, Tiffany, Amanda, Vitoria, Alexa, Kayleigh, Hannah, Erika, Annabelle, Emily, Tess, and Carla.

### ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Madow writes fast-paced YA (young adult) fiction that will leave you turning the pages wanting more!

She grew up in Baltimore, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida, where she writes books for young adults. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle went on a cross-country road trip from Florida to California and back to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.

To get free books, exclusive content, and instant updates from Michelle, visit www.michellemadow.com/subscribe and subscribe to her newsletter!
