AN EMBER IN THE ASHES BOOK TRAILER REVEALED

Happy Thursday Everyone!

I have a surprise. EW revealed the book trailer for AN EMBER IN THE ASHES yesterday. It's so exciting! And I can't wait for the release of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES on April 28, 2015.

Here's a blurb from Goodreads:

Set in a terrifyingly brutal Rome-like world, An Ember in the Ashes is an epic fantasy debut about an orphan fighting for her family and a soldier fighting for his freedom. It’s a story that’s literally burning to be told.

LAIA is a Scholar living under the iron-fisted rule of the Martial Empire. When her brother is arrested for treason, Laia goes undercover as a slave at the empire’s greatest military academy in exchange for assistance from rebel Scholars who claim that they will help to save her brother from execution.

ELIAS is the academy’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias is considering deserting the military, but before he can, he’s ordered to participate in a ruthless contest to choose the next Martial emperor.

When Laia and Elias’s paths cross at the academy, they find that their destinies are more intertwined than either could have imagined and that their choices will change the future of the empire itself.

Hope to see you tomorrow for my Lucky is Reading Giveaway Hop!

MIDWINTER'S EVE GIVEAWAY HOP

Happy Holidays Everyone! I hope you're all having a great start to the holidays. I'm super excited because I am off work until January 2nd. We're having a quiet holiday at home this year. I'm planning to do some fun things with my daughter, write, and start on online Office 10 certification course for a job change I'll be doing in 2014 when my company sadly closes. And of course, I'm planning to read a pile of fantastic books.

Today I'm excited to participate in the Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop hosted by Bookhounds and I Am A Reader Not A Writer. I've got a great selection of hot YA titles for you to choose from. These are all ones I've alread read and really loved, except for one. THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN is the only one I haven't read yet. My library has the audio book and I'm waiting for it to warm up enough to read while I walk. Click on the title for a blurb from Goodreads:

 

 

 

 

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
ALLEGIANT
THE BITTER KINGDOM
CHAMPION
THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN
CONTROL
CROWN OF MIDNIGHT
INTO THE STILL BLUE Pre-order
SIEGE AND STORM
TAKEN
THESE BROKEN STARS
THE ENCHANTER HEIR

So one lucky winner will get the book of their choice. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment telling me which book you'd like through December 31st. I’ll announce the winner on January 6th. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

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. International entries are welcome.

Here’s what’s coming up:

First, I wish you all a happy holiday season, whatever holidays you celebrate, and a Happy New Year! I hope we all have a happy year filled with good news and lots of great book reading.

This is my last post until January 6th.

On January 6th, I’m interviewing debut author Sara Larson and giving away an ARC of DEFY, her YA fantasy about a girl who impersonates a boy in the Prince’s guard to escape being sent to an awful breeding house. I love stories with strong female characters like in DEFY and this is a real page turner.

I've got other great interviews scheduled for January:

Rosamund Hodge and giveaway of CRUEL BEAUTY, a YA fairytale retelling

Stina Lindenblatt and giveaway of TELL ME WHEN, a NA contemporary romance dealing with issues of stalking and rape

Rachel Searles and giveaway of THE LOST PLANET, an upper MG sci-fi

And I'll be giving away other great books, including THE ENCHANTER'S HEIR and INTO THE STILL BLUE

My next giveaway hop will be February 1st.

So I hope to see you back here after the New Year! And thanks for being such fantastic followers. I really appreciate you all!

Here's all the other blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop:

Please visit Bookhounds for a complete list of blogs participating in this Giveaway Hop. Unfortunately Blogger will not cooperate and pull up the list for me.

JEAN ALICIA ELSTER INTERVIEW AND THE COLORED CAR GIVEAWAY

Today I’m thrilled to have Jean Alicia Elster here to share about her new middle grade story THE COLORED CAR that released on September 8, 2013. It’s the story of 12-year-old Patsy’s journey from Detroit to Tennessee to visit her grandmother in the summer of 1937 and what she learns that summer about how African Americans were treated. Just reading the blurb makes me want to read it. And Jean is also the author of the award-winning WHO’S JIM HINES?

Here’s a blurb about THE COLORED CAR from Goodreads:

In The Colored Car, Jean Alicia Elster, author of the award-winning Who's Jim Hines?, follows another

member of the Ford family coming of age in Depression-era Detroit. In the hot summer of 1937, twelve-year-old Patsy takes care of her three younger sisters and helps her mother put up fresh fruits and vegetables in the family's summer kitchen, adjacent to the wood yard that her father, Douglas Ford, owns. Times are tough, and Patsy's mother, May Ford, helps neighborhood families by sharing the food that she preserves. But May's decision to take a break from canning to take her daughters for a visit to their grandmother's home in Clarksville, Tennessee, sets in motion a series of events that prove to be life-changing for Patsy.

After boarding the first-class train car at Michigan Central Station in Detroit and riding comfortably to Cincinnati, Patsy is shocked when her family is led from their seats to change cars. In the dirty, cramped "colored car," Patsy finds that the life she has known in Detroit is very different from life down south, and she can hardly get the experience out of her mind when she returns home-like the soot stain on her finely made dress or the smear on the quilt squares her grandmother taught her to sew. As summer wears on, Patsy must find a way to understand her experience in the colored car and also deal with the more subtle injustices that her family faces in Detroit. By the end of the story, Patsy will never see the world in the same way that she did before.

Elster's engaging narrative illustrates the personal impact of segregation and discrimination and reveals powerful glimpses of everyday life in 1930s Detroit. For young readers interested in American history, The Colored Car is engrossing and informative reading.(

Hi Jean. Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

I have a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctor (I’m licensed to practice law in the state of Michigan) from the University of Detroit. I no longer practice law but, rather, am a full-time professional writer. In my “day job,” I am a grant writer for a nonprofit organization that serves homeless teens and young adults. In addition to The Colored Car and Who’s Jim Hines? (a 2009 Michigan Notable Book), both published by Wayne State University Press, I am also the author of the children’s book series Joe Joe in the City, which includes the books Just Call Me Joe Joe (2001), I Have A Dream, Too! (2002), I’ll Fly My Own Plane (2002), and I’ll Do the Right Thing (2003). I was awarded the 2002 Governors’ Emerging Artist Award by ArtServe Michigan in recognition of the series. I was awarded residencies at the internationally acclaimed Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, Illinois, in 2001, 2003, and 2005. In 2012, I was selected as the inaugural visiting author for The Lori Lutz Visiting Artist Series at The Roeper School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

My interest in writing started when I was a youngster, watching my Grandmother Ford— who was a prodigious letter writer—writing long letters using an ink pen which she dipped in an inkwell. The process fascinated me. I’ve been writing stories since I was 6 years old, old enough to know how to write and construct a sentence.

2. I’m an attorney too. And I’m hoping for a job change like you’ve done. Share how you came up with the idea for your story.

In the acknowledgement page of The Colored Car, I thank my mother and her oldest sister “for their willingness to share more tales from their youth” because listening to them and gathering their oral histories about their family life in 1930s Detroit gave me the crux of the story that became this book. In particular, I was singularly struck by the intensity of emotion my aunt still felt as she shared with me that fateful train ride to Clarksville, Tennessee and her first experience on the colored car.

3. That’s awesome how your aunt’s experiences inspired this story. THE COLORED CAR is set in 1937 during the Depression. And the setting moves from Detroit to a journey to Tennessee, which were very different places during that time period. What historical research did you do for this book? Do you have any tips for authors considering writing historical fiction?

In addition to the oral histories from my mother and my aunt, I also visited the Burton Historical

Collection that is housed in the Detroit Public Library. The Burton Collection contains a wealth of information on Detroit’s history, and I was able to zero in on the era of the 1930s. I looked at the archives of the Michigan Central Station which included train schedules and cancelled train tickets. I consulted books on historical costumes to make sure the clothing worn by May Ford and her daughters was authentic. Would there have been zipper or button closures on the dresses? What kind of fabric was available? What kid of collars would have been worn on the dresses? These kinds of details are important to make the story authentic and the plot believable.

My advice for any author wanting to write historical fiction is to research both the big picture as well as the mundane details of the story. One incorrect fact can taint the entire book and cause the reader to question the basic premise of the story.

4. That’s great advice to focus on researching the big picture and the small details. Voice is so important in any story and especially in middle grade stories. You had the extra challenge of getting the voice right of a girl in 1937. What are your tips on getting the voice of your characters right?

The primary way for a writer to maintain a consistent, authentic voice for each character is to know each of those characters inside and out. I particularly made a note of verbal tics or favorite expressions. Consistency in expression is so important! In addition, I was fortunate to have found, in my parents’ personal library, a dictionary that was published in the 1930s. I consulted that dictionary regularly to see if certain words had the same meaning or even existed in that decade.

5. That’s a great idea to make lists of character physical traits. Tell us three things you love about Patsy.

Though her innate sense of fairness has been shaken, Patsy still wants desperately to believe that there is justice in this world.

Patsy embodies the core of adolescence: a child testing the waters of an adult world.

Patsy loves her sisters and enjoys being around them, even though she has the heavy responsibility of being the “big sister.”

6. Patsy sounds awesome. And she has no many challenges to overcome. What has your road to publication been like?

I have been very fortunate in the fact that for much of my writing career, publishers have been the ones to approach me about creating various books or embarking upon different writing projects. When I have made “cold calls,” publishers have been very open to my ideas. This was especially true in the beginning of my career as a freelance writer when I was submitting memoir/essays to various national publications.
I have also been blessed to have, for each of my book projects, very excellent editors. I think most writers will agree that an editor can make the tasks of writing and creating either a positive experience or a hellish pursuit!

7. That must have felt so good to have the publishers contacting you. Your books have been published by smaller publishers. What has your experience been working with them? What should authors look for in considering signing with a smaller publishing company?

I am always quick to encourage writers to consider a small to mid-size publisher or a university press for this reason: My publishers have been willing to give my books time to develop a following and find a niche readership. They have also been very generous, to a fault, in marketing and promoting my books. I would advise anyone considering a smaller publishing house to look at their current list of authors and titles, as well as the backlist, as a good indication of the stature of that publisher within the broader publishing community.

8. Share your advice on marketing a middle grade book both online and reaching readers in other ways.

One of the first questions my webmaster asked me in our initial discussions was, “Who are you trying to reach with this website?” I decided early on that my marketing efforts would be focused on the gatekeepers—those who purchase books for or, at least, make recommendations on behalf of the middle grade audience. I also maintain a full calendar of visits to libraries and schools and those gatekeepers are the very ones who reach out to me to schedule presentations and appearances.

9. That’s great advice to consider who you’re trying to reach. What are you working on now?

I’m working on the first book of a three-volume teen series. However, all of the action in this series takes place in the 21st century!

Thanks for sharing your advice, Jean. You can find Jean at http://www.jeanaliciaelster.com and http://thecoloredcar.com

Jean’s publisher, Wayne State University Press, has generously offered a copy of THE COLORED CAR for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment through November 30th. I’ll announce the winner on December 2nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

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. This is for US/Canada residents only.

Here’s what’s coming up:

On Monday I’ll have a guest post by Martina Boone, a blogger friends who blogs at Adventures in YA Publishing, a fantastic blog. She’ll be talking about a new Tumblr blog being started by her and other YA authors. Her debut gothic YA story BEHOLDEN will be released Fall, 2014. And I can't wait to interview her about it!

Next Monday, I’m interviewing Lydia Kang and giving away a copy of CONTROL, her fantastic YA dystopian story about kids with powers because of gene mutations. Lydia is also a doctor and it adds a whole fantastic element to her story.

The following Monday I’ll be off. I’m going to Florida to see my mom for a few days.

The Monday after that I’m interviewing our follower and debut author Lexa Cain and giving away a copy of SOUL CUTTER, her YA romantic horror story set in Egypt.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you on Monday!

CRYSTAL COLLIER INTERVIEW AND MOONLESS GIVEAWAY

Happy Monday! I'm excited because I finally got my raking done. And the high school state swim meet is next weekend. Anna Li is doing the backstroke in the medley relay. I'm excited for her. And after this weekend with no raking and swim meets, I'll have more time on the weekends for awhile. Yay!

FOLLOWER NEWS

First before I get to our fantastic interview, I want to share an exciting new feature I announced on Wednesday to help our author followers. On Mondays, I'll be shouting out about your good news! If you have signed with an agent, signed a publishing contract, decided to self-publish a book, have a cover reveal or book release to announce, I'm happy to give a shout out about it for you. And I'm not limiting this to MG and YA books. Please note this is for regular followers. This doesn't mean you have to stop by for every post, but it is for regular followers. If you have news, e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com.

And be sure to check out all the 10 awesome books I'm giving away by followers that I also shared in Wednesday's post and enter the contest. The link is at the top of the blog.  

My first follower news is for Christina Lee. I interviewed her when her debut NA story ALL OF YOU released this Fall. She just sold a new NA book to NAL (Penguin Imprint). A huge congrats to Christina! You can go HERE to congratulate her.

Next I have a few winners to announce.

The winner of THESE BROKEN STARS is Crystal Collier!

The winner of DREAM GIRL is Danielle H!

Congrats! E-mail me your address so I can send you your book. Please e-mail me by the end of Wednesday or I'll have to pick another winner.

Today I’m thrilled to have debut author, follower, and friend Crystal Collier here to share about MOONLESS, her fantasy she describes as “Jane Eyre meets supernatural.” It was released on November 13, 2013. I loved Jane Eyre as a kid and can’t wait to read this.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:
 

MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.

In the English society of 1768 where women are bred to marry, unattractive Alexia, just sixteen, believes she will end up alone. But on the county doorstep of a neighbor’s estate, she meets a man straight out of her nightmares, one whose blue eyes threaten to consume her whole world—especially later when she discovers him standing over her murdered host in the middle of the night.

Among the many things to change for her that evening are: her physical appearance—from ghastly to breathtaking, an epidemic of night terrors predicting the future, and the blue-eyed man’s unexpected infusion into her life. Not only do his appearances precede tragedies, but they are echoed by the arrival of ravenous, black-robed wraiths on moonless nights.

Unable to decide whether he is one of these monsters or protecting her from them, she uncovers what her father has been concealing: truths about her own identity, about the blue-eyed man, and about love. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with the man of her dreams and risk becoming one of the Soulless.

Hi Crystal! I’m so excited to have you here. And congrats on your book!

Thank you, and I brought cheese platter to keep us company while we chat. *grin*

1. Yum! BTW, for those of you who aren't friends with Crystal, she loves cheese. Tell us a bit about yourself and how you became a writer.

When I was little, I told stories through pictures, and eventually with words, gradually with music too. I’m a cheese lover with an overactive imagination. *shrugs*

2. Fun that you have three different ways of telling stories. Where did you get the idea for your story?

*rubbing hands* After a Dickens reading binge, I had a dream. A week later I was staring at a girl’s coming of age story based on two words: blue eyes. But that was only the beginning… *dun, dun, dun*

3. Wow! That’s an awesome way to come up with a story idea. MOONLESS is set in 1768

England. What research did you do to get your setting right and do you have any sources you recommend for people wanting to write in this era?

Do I ever! If you want to write for a time period, read era-written books. Period. The details of how people live are almost as important as they way they would think. I studied numerous essays, pamphlets, and novels from my time period, supplementing with JSTOR, Pinterest/google images for visuals, etymology dictionaries, and a thousand other online resources.

4. That’s a great idea to read books written in your time period. Sounds like you did a lot of research. 
What was the hardest part of writing your story—plot, voice, or character development? What did you learn craft-wise from the experience?

Stopping. But in all seriousness, there is so much story layered into Moonless that I had a difficult time deciding which parts to reveal, and which to keep for sequels.

5. That's great you could think it out while writing the first book in the series. Share three things you love about Alexia.

1. Her big heart. As an only child, she values life and how others feel. (Except the nasty old men trying to win her over.) Granted, she’s still young and learning how to see through other’s eyes.
2. She’s got moxie. She’s not the type to hide when the boogeyman is just around the corner—especially if a loved one is in danger.
3. She assumes the best of others.

6. I love that she’ brave. How did Rayborne Publishing become your publisher? What’s it been like working with them?

Raybourne is a newer publishing house with a unique model. They approached me after my success with Pitch Wars 2012, and I love their flexible structuring.

7. That must have felt incredible when they contacted you. It is becoming much more common for authors to decide that small publishers are a good fit for themselves and their books. What advice do you have for others considering a small press?

Look at what they’ve published. If it’s the caliber of work you hope to produce, they’re probably a good fit. Have open discussions about what will be expected, and where they’re willing to compromise. Remember you’ll be giving away significant amounts of your profits and control, so choose wisely.

8. Those seem like really important considerations. I want to talk about marketing for a bit. Wow! You’re in the midst of a 52 stop blog tour in 19 days. How did you set it up and decide on the blogs for your tour? Do you recommend other debut authors doing a big tour like yours?

Organization is the key. I started 2.5 months early and never anticipated so many blogging friends would want to participate. People just have to be asked. (And most are honored by the request.)

For debut authors, only take on what you can handle. As the president of a children’s organization, a home schooling mom, a freelance composer and an author, I have some pretty broad shoulders. As long as I can calendar a project out, it’s doable.

9. I agree that it’s best to keep it to what you personally can handle. Are you planning to share about your book on any book review blogs? If so, how are you deciding on which ones are a good fit for your book?

Moonless will appear on review blogs over the next many months. As a voracious reader, I look for places with books I adore and reviews that reflect my own feelings on the material.

10. I hope you’ll keep us posted on the book review blogs you find helpful. What are you working on now?

The blog tour. Oh, you mean book wise? ;) I’m in the middle of revisions for SOULLESS, book 2 in the Maiden of Time trilogy with an anticipated release of spring, 2014.

Good luck with it. Thanks for sharing all your advice, Crystal.

Thank you for having me!

You can find Crystal at:

Blog * Twitter * Goodreads * Facebook * Amazon

Crystal has generously donated an e-book for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment telling me what book you’d like through November 30th. I’ll announce the winner on December 2nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments.

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. International entries are welcome.

And Crystal has a big blog tour giveaway. Enter the Rafflecopter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Here’s what’s coming up:

On Wednesday I’m interviewing Jean Alicia Elster and giving away a copy of THE COLORED CAR, a historical novel about an African American girl’s journey from the North to the South one summer in the Depression era. It sounds like a fantastic story.
Next Monday I’ll have a guest post by Martina Boone, a blogger friends who blogs at Adventures in YA Publishing, a fantastic blog. She’ll be talking about a new Tumblr blog being started by her and other YA authors. Her debut gothic YA story BEHOLDEN will be released Fall, 2014.
And then the following Monday, I’m interviewing Lydia Kang and giving away a copy of CONTROL, her fantastic YA dystopian story about kids with powers because of gene mutations. Lydia is also a doctor and it adds a whole fantastic element to her story.
And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.
Hope to see you on Wednesday!

GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY HOP REMINDER

Hi Everyone! In case you're not expecting a post from me before midnight, I wanted to remind you of my Gratitude Giveaway Hop. I've got lots of great choices of books I've read or am dying to read. You can find my post HERE.

GRATITUDE GIVEAWAY HOP

Today I’m thrilled to be part of the Gratitude Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer. This is my first time joining it. I love the opportunity to thank all of you awesome followers who follow our blog. I appreciate you all whether you stop by regularly or just for my monthly giveaway hops. And I think this is a good reminder that what’s going on in our lives and what challenges we face that we always have much to be grateful for.

There are SO many fantastic books that have been released or are going to be released soon. I’ve picked some favorites I’ve already read and loved and some new releases I’m dying to read. I hope you’ll find at least one book from my list you want to read too.

Here are my choices. Click on the title to read a blurb from Goodreads.

 

 

 

 

 

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
ALLIGIANT
ALTERED
THE BITTER KINGDOM
CHAMPION 
CROWN OF MIDNIGHT
CONTROL (Pre-order)
THE IRON TRAITOR
THE BURNING SKY
THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN
THE ENCHANTMENT HEIR
THESE BROKEN STARS (Pre-order)

So there will be one winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower any way you like and leave a comment through November 30th telling me what book you want. I’ll announce the winner on December 2nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, please leave it in the comments. I’d love if you’d let me know what hot YA books you’re looking forward to so I can consider them for future blog hops.

You must be 13 or older to enter. International entries are welcome as long as you live where The Book Depository ships for free.

And don't forget to enter my other giveaways at the top of the blog.

Here’s what’s coming up:

On Monday I’m interviewing debut author and follower Crystal Collier and giving away a copy of MOONLESS, her fantasy she describes as “Jane Eyre meets supernatural.”

Next Wednesday I’m interviewing Jean Alicia Elster and giving away a copy of THE COLORED CAR, a historical novel about an African American girl’s journey from the North to the South one summer in the Depression era. It sounds like a fantastic story.

The following Monday I’ll have a guest post by Martina Boone, a blogger friends who blogs at Adventures in YA Publishing, a fantastic blog. She’ll be talking about a new Tumblr blog being started by her and other YA authors. Her debut gothic YA story BEHOLDEN will be released Fall, 2014.

And then the following Monday, I’m interviewing Lydia Kang and giving away a copy of CONTROL, her fantastic YA dystopian story about kids with powers because of gene mutations. Lydia is also a doctor and it adds a whole fantastic element to her story.

And don't forget our Tuesday Tips and Casey's Thursday agent spotlights.

Hope to see you on Monday!

And here's all the other blogs participating in this blog hop.

ELANA JOHNSON ABANDON COVER REVEAL

Today I'm thrilled to help Elana Johnson celebrate the cover reveal of ABANDON (Possession #3).

Here it is!

 

Isn't it absolutely gorgeous? And it fits so well with Elana's series.

Here's a description of ABANDON from Goodreads:

seduced by power,

broken by control,

and consumed by love...

Vi has made her choice between Jag and Zenn, and the Resistance may have suffered for it. But with the Thinkers as strong as ever, the rebels still have a job to do. Vi knows better than anyone that there's more at stake than a few broken hearts. 

But there is a traitor among them...and the choices he makes could lead to the total destruction of everything Vi has fought for.

Vi, Jag, and Zenn must set their problems aside for the Resistance to have any hope of ending the Thinkers' reign. Their success means everything...and their failure means death.

I can't wait to read this! It'll be published in June 2013.  I've already added it to my TBR list on Goodreads. You should head over there and do it too.

Elana is running a Pinterest contest for the cover. She wants to get 500 pins (or repins) over the next  two days. If we can get that many, she'll pick someone who pinned the cover to win a $50 Amazon gift card. It's so easy to do this. All you have to do is click over to Elana’s blog for details. 

Hope you'll head over to Elana's blog and congratulate her on her awesome cover.

See you on Monday! 

Give It Forward Book Giveaway!

We need to talk about this book...

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson blows. my. mind. Boom. Gone. Again and again. I just read it a third time, despite an elephant ton of other books I need to read, because it's just that good. It works for me in every way, on every level. So much so that if you try to tell me you don’t like it, I’m very likely to stick my fingers in my ears and go, LALALALALALALA WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU LALALALALALA.

It is absolutely, positively (absoposilutely!) my new favorite YA book and I cannot imagine it will be trumped anytime soon. If ever. Here’s the blurb:

Lennie plays second clarinet in the school orchestra and has always happily been second fiddle to her charismatic older sister, Bailey. Then Bailey dies suddenly, and Lennie is left at sea without her anchor. Overcome by emotion, Lennie soon finds herself torn between two boys: Bailey's boyfriend, Toby, and Joe, the charming and musically gifted new boy in town. While Toby can't see her without seeing Bailey and Joe sees her only for herself, each offers Lennie something she desperately needs. But ultimately, it's up to Lennie to find her own way toward what she really needs without Bailey. A remarkable debut novel perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block.

I have to admit, I have a fondness for stories that deal with death and grief. Weird as that sounds, I love the raw emotions, how they make me feel, and boy does this book make me FEEL. I don’t think a book has ever made me feel SO MUCH. So yes, I was already set to love this book, but I wasn’t expecting the romance, which is lovely and complicated and consuming, or the quirky characters I miss when I’m not spending time in their pages, or the poetry, or the writing… Oh my God, the writing…

Observe:

“It’s as if someone vacuumed up the horizon while we were looking the other way.” (13)

AND…

“Sadness pulses out of us as we walk. I almost expect the trees to lower their branches when we pass, the stars to hand down some light. I breathe in the horsy scent of eucalyptus, the thick sugary pine, aware of each breath I take, how each one keeps me in the world a few seconds longer. I taste the sweetness of the summer air on my tongue and want to just gulp and gulp and gulp it into my body—this living, breathing, heart-beating body of mine.” (85)

AND…

“I look into his sorrowless eyes and a door in my heart blows open. And when we kiss, I see that on the other side of that door is the sky.” (120)

*Dies*

I want to be Jandy Nelson when I grow up.

T.H. MAfi feels me. Read her post. Carrie Harris is DEAD because of this book. Read her post here.

BUT MOVING ON. I was trying to think of a way to support a book I love this much and other books I love terribly and I got an IDEA for a special giveaway.

Here’s the deal. I’m going to give away THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE, order a brand new copy for someone. A hardcover, since the paperback isn’t out quite yet (unless you REALLY want a preorder of the paperback – your choice). You can enter below.

BUT (and this is a big BUT) here’s the catch, to enter my giveaway you have to be willing to do the SAME giveaway on your blog or Facebook. Meaning, you have to buy the book for someone else within TWO WEEKS of receiving the book from me. Your ONLY out is this: if you don’t love THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE enough to keep it and buy it for someone, you can give away the one you’ve received from me. But the giveaway has to continue. Meaning, whoever wins your giveaway has to buy it for their winner or give away the one they’ve received from you, depending on their feelings on it. However, it is my hope that this will create a chain of PURCHASES in order to support the title. Not a big pass-the-book-around fest. In fact, you might even consider starting your giveaway right after you win, just to support the author, particularly if you already planned to buy the book at some point. Because you won’t be out any more money than you would have been. Right? And because this book is SO, SO, SO good I think it’s the perfect candidate. I think you WILL want to keep this book and buy it for someone else. It’ll be beautiful. We’ll all be buying it for each other and spreading the word about a fantastic book and author.

I realize it will fizzle out somewhere. Someone will FAIL the chain. They’ll FAIL me or you or the next person. But imagine the possibilities for a minute.

*Taps foot*

AWESOME, RIGHT?

So let’s do this! RULES:

1. You MUST have a blog or Facebook or somewhere you can give the book away and be clear about the rules (Twitter can’t support it, for example).

2. You MUST be willing to hold this exact giveaway on your blog or Facebook in which you purchase this book for someone else (or give away the one you receive from me, IF you don’t love it) and require that YOUR winner do the same. Preferably within TWO WEEKS of receiving the book from me.

2. If you win, I ask that you PLEASE enter your giveaway into the linky widget below and have YOUR winner do the same on this post (not on your blog). So we can track how long the chain lasts and how many purchases we achieve.

3. U.S. entrants only.

4. Spreading the word will gain you extra entries. Stalking Jandy Nelson on the net (only on the net!) will also get you extra entries. See the form.

5. The contest will run February 9th to February 15th ‘til MIDNIGHT. I will announce the winner on February 16th and the chain will commence.

Additionally, if you love THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE as much as I do and you’d like to start your own giveaway chain, PLESE DO and add yourself to the linky widget below. If enough people jump in, I’ll do a giveaway just for YOU. Like, I’ll order one winner whatever book they want (with a normal paperback or hardcover price). Sound good? YES, I love this book THAT MUCH.

~CONTEST CLOSED / FORM REMOVED~ But please see the linky widget below for new giveaways in the chain.

If you are the WINNER of this giveaway or someone else’s giveaway for THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE chain, please enter thyself into the linky widget below when you post your giveaway. Or, If you are starting a new giveaway chain for THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE enter thyself into this linky as soon as your post is up.

I hope you guys love this idea as much as I do! It’ll be a bit of an experiment. Let’s see what happens!

Nightshade City by Hilary Wagner

Title: Nightshade City

Author: Hilary Wagner

Reading Level:  Middle Grade

Publisher:  Holiday House

First Sentence:  The two black rats kept running. 

Summary: "Deep beneath a modern metropolis lies the Catacombs, the kingdom of mutant rats of superior intellect. Following a bloody coup, the once peaceful democracy has become a dictatorship, ruled by decadent High Minister Kildeer and vicious Billycan, a demented former lab rat and now head of the Kill Army. Three young orphan rats–brothers Vincent and Victor and a clever female named Clover–rebel against the Ministry, joining forces with Juniper, Billycan’s archenemy. Juniper and his maverick bank of followers, helped by a tribe of earthworms, plot to overthrow their oppressors and liberate the citizens to create a new city: Nightshade City. This impossible-to-put-down animal fantasy, set in a brilliantly imagined subterranean world, explores timeless themes of freedom, forgiveness, the bonds of family, and the power of love." (via Amazon)

Review:

Wow! I haven't read an adventure quite like this since junior high and trust me, that's not a bad thing!  Slightly reminiscent of Newbery winner Mrs. Frisby and the Secret of Nihm and the well-loved Red Wall series, NIGHTSHADE CITY delivers a rat-tastic tale of oppression, freedom, and love.  Following a well-crafted cast of subterranean characters, the reader becomes part of something larger than life, a revolution!  But with the malicious Commander Billycan and High Minister Killdeer in control, the path is not easy for the rats who would defy them.

If you find yourself hesitant to meet Nightshade's crawling characters, worry no more.  Rats and worms have never been so relatable and all their trials and triumphs, joys and sorrows will resonate with you and linger for days.  The writing is superb, imaginative, and affecting.  Wagner is brilliant at description and setting, giving just the right amount of detail when the reader needs it, and the world is well-built and believable.  So much so, I find myself wondering what's scampering beneath my feet as I type this.

In fact, Rick Riordan had THIS to say, and I couldn't agree more:

"Fans of Redwall and the Warriors series will love this heroic tale of good versus evil in a subterranean society of rats. The world of the Catacombs is so compelling readers will wonder if it really might exist under our city streets. Expect great adventures in Nightshade-City."

Congrats on a fabulous debut, Hilary!

Official web site: http://www.nightshadecity.com

Blog: http://hilarywagner.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hilarywagner1

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hilarywagner1

Trailer!

WINTERGIRLS Winner!

Monday rocked, did it not?!  Thank you to everyone who entered the contest and Spread the Awesome.  I hope you won, bought, and discovered some awesome new books. 

To pick the winner of the signed copy of WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson, I listed everyone out and assigned numbers.  If you spread the word you got an extra entry.  If you were an international commenter I put you down as a chance for my local high school to win.  I checked the list twice!  There were 89 entries with the extras. 

Then... I used the Random.org to generate a number between 1 and 89

                              

 

Commenter number 40!!!!!!!  I checked the list.  And the winner of this fabulousness is.....

 

Taffy  

 

Congratulations Taffy!!!  I'll be e-mailing you shortly. 

If you didn't win PLEASE support Laurie and buy a copy.  If you're interested in purchasing a signed copy Indiebound, feel free to e-mail at caseymccormickya(at)gmail(dot)com for deets. 

A quick WELCOME to my new followers.  Feel free to speak up in the comments and tell me about yourself and your blog.

Have a great weekend everyone!