DANA LANGER GUEST POST AND SIREN SISTERS GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I'm excited to have debut author Dana Langer here to share about her MG fantasy SIREN SISTERS. This one really appeals to be because of the fantasy, of course, but also because it sounds like it also deals with family relationships, friendships, and the challenges of growing up in the middle grade years.

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

A soon-to-be siren finds herself responsible for the lives of her sisters—and the fisherman they curse—in this haunting debut novel that Kirkus calls "an exciting fantasy with a heart-stopping ending by an author to watch."

Lolly Salt has three beautiful sisters. When they’re not in school or running their small town’s diner, they’re secretly luring ships to their doom from the cliffs of Starbridge Cove, Maine. With alluring voices that twelve-year-old Lolly has yet to grow into (not that she wants to anyway) the Salt sisters do the work mandated by the Sea Witch, a glamorously frightening figure determined to keep the girls under her control. With their mother dead after a terrible car crash, and their father drowning in grief, the sisters carry on with their lives and duties…until a local sea captain gets suspicious about the shipwrecks.

On the day before her birthday, Lolly watches in helpless horror as her sisters are lured themselves by curse-reversing fishermen—and suddenly it’s up to her and her best friend Jason to rescue the sirens of Starbridge Cove.

Now here's Dana!

Mentor Texts for Siren Sisters

The idea for Siren Sisters came from a combination of my own memories of growing up with my sister and cousins, along with teaching The Odyssey, and also listening to the voices of my students. I knew I wanted to write a contemporary story based in classical mythology, but, rather than focusing on the traditional gods and heroes, I wanted to center the girls and monsters.

Once I knew the kind of story I wanted to write, I got out my highlighters and sticky notes and started

reading and re-reading a list of middle grade books that I thought would make useful “mentor texts.” Teaching Writing through Children’s Literature defines these books as models that serve to “ignite the writer’s imagination and determination to create high quality work” (Dorfmann and Capelli 3).

Today, I am delighted to share some of the books that served as mentor texts for Siren Sisters:

1) The Riverman, by Aaron Starmer: I love the moral ambiguity in this story and that it delves into darker territory without being exploitative. The plot is incredibly engaging, twisty, and exciting, and it doesn’t feel derivative of anything else. I actually have a pretty short attention span, and I was wholly absorbed in this book from start to finish. I never had that Oh, I see where this is going. . .feeling. Every page mattered, and I was constantly afraid for what might happen next!

2) Akata Witch, by Nnedi Okorafor: I love this story for its heroine who often feels like an outsider but is still strong and funny and connected to her family. I also love her sweet, respectful relationship with her best friend and the seamless way the magic of the story is woven into a realistic setting and serves as a subtle metaphor for adolescence and other kinds of power.

3) Doll Bones, by Holly Black: I love the very real concerns of the characters in this book and the fact that the book never condescends to them. Holly Black takes the fears and anxieties of the middle school years seriously and honors her characters despite their youth and their flaws. You feel like you’re right along for the adventure with them, not watching from a distance. And you want to be there. I also like the ambiguity in this story and the way that Black trusts the intelligence of her readers.

These are just a few of the texts that served as mentors for Siren Sisters. Which texts are you using to inspire your own works in progress?

Thanks for sharing your advice, Dana! You can find Dana at:

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/Siren-Sisters-Dana-Langer/dp/1481466860

Barnes and Noble: 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/siren-sisters-dana-langer/1123807303?ean=9781481466868

Indiebound: 

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781481466868

My website: 

http://www.dana-langer.com

Dana is generously offering an ARC of SIREN SISTERS for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower anyway you want and leave a comment through February 18th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. You must be 13 or older to enter. The giveaway is for U.S. and Canada.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was started by Shannon Messenger. You can find the participating blogs on her blog.

Here's what's coming up:

Monday February 13th debut author Elly Blake will be here doing a guest post with her agent Suzie Townsend with a giveaway of Elly's YA fantasy FROSTBLOOD and a a query critique giveaway by Suzie

Monday February 20th debut author Ali Standish will be doing a guest post with a giveaway of her MG contemporary THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE

Wednesday, February 22nd, I have an agent spotlight with Linda Camacho with a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!