The Mod Podge Bookshelf

Blog Tour: Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle Character Spotlight + Giveaway!

2013-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Lucky number seven here on MPB! Let's meet Lila, as part of the official Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle blog tour!

Lila

Occupation: Princess, Science Fair Champion

Known Allies: Ella & Liam, AKA Prince Charming

Kingdom of Origin: Erinthia

Current Residence: The Erinthian Royal Palace

Parents: King Gareth & Queen Gertrude

Sibling: Prince Liam

Longtime Foe: Professor Stiffidious Primbletone, etiquette tutor

Likes: Reading, exploring, dissecting odd creatures

Dislikes: Ball gowns, etiquette lessons, being grounded

Signature Move: The Window Pop-In Ambush

Quote: “If you have to ask why I’m dangling from this window ledge, you obviously have no idea how dull it is back at home.”

Little Known Fact: While it was her homemade imp trap that won her the Cross-Duchy Science Fair, her favorite invention was her “Brother Trap”—a practical joke that lured Liam into a locked trunk with the promise of a shiny new cape.

Storming the Castle Giveaway: The first THREE entrants today will receive signed copies of THE HERO’S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE. Follow the link to enter!

EVERYONE who enters is eligible to win a $200 gift card to the bookstore of his or her choice.

You will need a SECRET CODE to enter the giveaway which you will discover in the post above.

Join New York Times Bestselling author Marissa Meyer and Christopher Healy for a Twitter Chat on fractured fairy tales on Monday, June 3^rd at 9pm ET. Hashtag #talesretold. There will be giveaways!

3,000 Mod Podge Books

2013-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

As it is Children's Book Week, I felt it was the perfect time to celebrate!

Celebrate what, you may ask?

Well, we've reached-

So here's to all of you! Yes, you! Over there! With your nose in a book!

My readers, first and foremost, are to be celebrated. You now number just over 3,000 in less than three years. That's so crazy/amazing/unbelievable/beautiful/heart-flutteringly brill.

THANK YOU!

And now for some people and organizations who I'm thanking with the prizes available for YOU to win!

A big thank you to Walden Pond Press & Kit Grinstaff, both featured in the MG prize pack.

Walden Pond for the wonderful relationship they've cultivated with bloggers all around the 'sphere, and specifically to Kellie, for being my MG supplier. I often need a fix.

Kit Grindstaff for taking a chance on Mod Podge Marketing. Kit was technically my first author to fly under the company's official banner, and I will never thank her enough for that.

And now to celebrate two of my favorite authors, and favorite friends, from the debut class of 2010, Lauren Destefano & Michelle Hodkin.

Lauren & I are in a band with Dia Reeves. It was formed on Twitter, sadly has never made a public appearance, and is, most likely, an urban legend, but still.

Michelle, oh, my dear Michie. Told you that you rocked harder than Taylor Lautner's abs! Wait, what?

This Shadow Hills poster was sent to me the year Mod Podge first hit the scene, 2010, and I've saved it for a very special moment, like this one.

Now here's an interesting stash. Two 2013 debuts, and one novel by a familiar author.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Carolyn Meyer is one of the top five reasons you're reading this blog today. With my mother's unwavering vocal chords as she read to me-- doing all the voices-- since I came home from the hospital being number one, Carolyn is a very likely runner-up for my love of the written word. I've been reading her books since I was in primary school and now I'm all "growed up!" Being able to partner with her here on MPB remains a pinch-me sorta deal.

A.G. Howard, author of Splintered, is one of my very bestest and I am pleased to call her Anita and friend and 'Hey, you!,' whatever'll get her attention fastest.

The Winter in Wonderland: 12 Days of Splintered blog tour proposal won over the folks at Abrams/Amulet and the official blog tour note you can see on the back of this ARC refers to a Mod Podge Blog Tour. That was a huge milestone for me and for all things Mod Podge!

And representing HarperCollins/HarperTeen, a stoic supporter of MPB through all its various imprints, is The Madman's Daughter, the debut EVERYONE wants to read, and rightly so!

Thank you to everyone involved in any way with 3,000 Mod Podge Books!

Enter to win one of these three prize-packs below:

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I'll see you at 4,000!

Blog Tour: SIRENS by Janet Fox When Women Got the Vote and Left Their Corsets Behind

2013-05-10T17:49:00.000-04:00

Both Jo and Lou in SIRENS are conflicted about their roles as women. The men in their lives don’t value them as individuals. In fact, until the 1920s women were really second-class citizens. Here’s some of the context:

Wait...you didn’t know that once upon a time not so long ago, women in America couldn’t vote?

Until the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1920, women in this country had no voice. No say in politics. No choice in leadership. Yes, that’s right – not even 100 years ago women were completely dependent on the men around them to make their choices for them.

(Just think about this, though – there are still many places in the world where women still have no vote, no choice, no freedom. We Americans are the lucky ones.)

Some states – like those in the West, where there was a shortage of women – encouraged women to settle by granting them the right to vote at the state level. But the right of all citizens to vote in any election in America without regard to gender was not granted until the passage of the 19th amendment.

Until the First World War (The Great War, 1914-1918) most young women in the lower classes worked “in service” – as maids or cleaning staff for the wealthier classes, while upper class young women were expected to marry successfully and raise children. A middle or upper middle class young woman working in an office, or teaching, or clerking? Unthinkable. But during the war, while men were away at the front, women went to work to make up for the employment shortage. When the war was over, women stayed in the work force rather than return to domesticity. Women in the work force spoke up about working conditions and health care and that paved the way for suffrage.

When President Woodrow Wilson announced that The Great War was a war for democracy, women took this as encouragement and began an even more active campaign for the vote, by picketing the White House and protesting in Washington for equal rights. Women had been involved in the suffrage movement for most of the early twentieth century, but the war catapulted the suffrage movement forward to success.

And corsets? Those horrifying undergarments were a form of social control. A study of tight lacing of corsets in the late 1800s showed that a corset could contract a woman’s waist by between two and six inches. And the pressure the corset applied to a woman’s body could be as high as 88 pounds, crushing the internal organs. Yikes! Women were so confined that they were unable to move, breathe, or digest properly. Early feminists made it their mission to convince women to abandon the corset, and the war sent women to work, and work required more freedom of movement in unrestrictive clothing, and so the corset faded (thank goodness) into history.

Interestingly, women who worked for the suffrage movement and considered themselves feminists took umbrage at the young women who would be called flappers in the 1920s. Early feminists thought the Chanel-inspired loose clothing styles and looser moral standards of flappers were a sell-out to the cause of equality. Early feminists might have shed their corsets, but they didn’t necessarily buy into the flapper behavior or the shorter skirts and hairstyles. The early feminists wanted to be taken seriously, and, really, how could someone who dressed in a frivolous costume that barely covered her bare skin be serious?

More on that fashion revolution in the next blog post on this tour!

8th @ Alice Marvel

9th @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf

10th @ Rebecca's Book Blog

11th @ Chapter By Chapter

12th @ ReadingTeen

13th @ Little Library Muse

14th @ Mundie Moms

15th @ Fire & Ice

16th @ The Book Rat

17th @ Pieces of Whimsy

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Blog Tour: Maid of Secrets Interview with Jennifer McGowan

2013-05-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today, Mistress of the Maid of Secrets, Jennifer McGowan, is answering all my questions about one of my favorite historical periods- the time of the Tudors- as part of the official blog tour!

JM: Thank you, Gabrielle, for hosting me today! I love your site and your apparent ability to not need to sleep—ever! You always seem to be doing SOMETHING cool. 

So allow me to jump right in to your questions…

GC: What first intrigued you about the Tudor court?

JM: I fell in love with Elizabethan England while I was in college. It wasn’t quite a minor for me, but I based a senior project on the time period, exploring how Elizabeth changed the face of international affairs with how she managed both her own countrymen as well as monarchs from every major world power at the time. She practically oozed power and determination, and I simply never forgot her. One of my favorite tongue-in-cheek business books of the time was “Elizabeth I: CEO” which showed how Elizabeth would have handled typical corporate issues today.

GC: Why tell your story from the perspective of a spy?

JM: With the Maids of Honor series, I wanted to explore the glittering world of Tudor royalty with the sensibilities of individuals who are both caught up in the excitement… and enmeshed in the danger of it. My spies all have reasons why they must serve the Queen, and each of the five girls contributes her service with some reluctance. Their unique position as a secret sect within the Queen’s court gives them a birds-eye view into the greatest intrigues of the court, however. They see it all—and then must decide what to do about it.

GC: Do you have any other favorite time periods?

JM: YES! Regency England and the years immediately following that time period. I am in LOVE with the manners and aristocracy, the balls and fetes, the politics and architecture and all of it. I even have dreamed up my own Regency-set series, but I currently don’t have the time to research that era fully. And given how many avid fans there are of the time period, I’d have to get those details right to even have a chance with readers!

GC: If you lived in the Tudor Court which would you most likely be - a spy, an eligible courtesan or a princess?

JM: Ha! What a great question. I think I would most likely be a spy. I do not have the social graces to truly excel as a courtesan, and I would tire quickly of the monotony of being a member of royalty. It looks wonderful—and there are many wonderful things about it to be sure!—but there is great responsibility to keep up the “face” of the monarchy. I just would have to cut loose every once in awhile, I fear. 

GC: What are you working on now and can you tell us something about it?

JM: Yes—I’m currently at work editing MAID OF DECEPTION, which is Beatrice’s story. Unlike Meg, Beatrice does not have a fondness for Queen Elizabeth. In fact, maid and monarch square off against each other at every possible opportunity.

In Beatrice’s tale, which is due out in late Summer, 2014, the oldest and most sophisticated of the spies must save her family from deadly political blackmail, help the Queen outmaneuver her closest advisors, and decide whether or not she’s capable of giving away the one thing that she has determined never to share: her heart. It’s a darker, more twisty and more romantic tale in some ways than Meg’s adventure, but it’s also uniquely Beatrice. 

A few fun things:

Learn the official “story behind the story” of Maid of Secrets, here!

Find out which of the Queen’s spies is your perfect sister spy; take this quiz!

Thank you very much for inviting me, Gabrielle!! It’s an honor to be here today.

Win Maid of Secrets:

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Seventeen-year-old Meg Fellowes is a wry, resourceful thief forced to join an elite group of female spies in Queen Elizabeth’s Court. There she must solve a murder, save the Crown, and resist the one thing that will become her greatest freedom–and her deadliest peril.

For Meg and her fellow spies are not alone in their pursuit of the murderer who stalks Windsor Castle.A young, mysterious Spanish courtier, Count Rafe de Martine, appears at every turn in the dark and scandal-filled corridors of the Queen’s summer palace. And though secrets and danger are Meg’s stock-in-trade, she’s never bargained on falling in love…

Hardcover, 416 pages

Expected publication: May 7th 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Buy Links: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | IndieBound | The Book Depository

Jennifer McGowan writes Young Adult romance full of swash and buckle. Her first novel, MAID OF SECRETS, debuts in Spring, 2013 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Age: Royal Secret

Came From: A small town in northern Ohio

Became a Maid of Honor: After bringing her tale of spygirls to the noble city, and winning the favor of the great house of Simon (& Schuster).

Special Skill: Matrix-like reflexes, superior strength, fabulous wit… okay, ah – we’ll get back to you on that.

http://www.jennifermcgowan.com/ | @Jenn_McGowan

Blog Tour: Thorn Abbey Excerpt

2013-05-06T15:12:00.000-04:00

Today, kicking off Thorn Abbey's official blog tour, hosted by MundieMoms, we have a special first-chapter excerpt hot off the presses!

PROLOGUE

The dream is always the same. I am walking down the

path, the one that winds through the woods by Thorn Abbey and leads down to the beach. The air is cool and wet with rain, and my footsteps are light on the carpet of brown, fallen leaves as I hurry down to the place where I know he is waiting for me. My cheeks are cold, and my heavy wool sweater scratches against my skin, but I don’t care because I can already feel his strong arms around my body and his warm lips against mine.

And then I am at the bottom of the hill. The beach rises above the horizon, endless and gray. Suddenly, I feel exposed. Frightened. The air is different here: bigger, less forgiving. It smells like the sea and salt and dead things.

I move closer to the water. A wave rushes up to my boots

and then snakes away, leaving two identical dark stains. I shud- der against the chill and look around. Where is he, and why is he late?

Another wave comes up, more imposing than the last, and I step back. But the wave doesn’t retreat. It keeps rising toward me, not cresting or breaking. I cry out and stumble backward. The wave grows larger, more menacing, finally overtaking me and sucking me into its icy deep.

Hands, fingers, hair. Her hands, her fingers, her hair. They wrap around me, colder than death, and pull me under as I scream. Her face—her beautiful, perfect face that he loved with a passion he will never feel for me—is the last thing I see as my lungs fill with the brackish water and I black out into the nothingness, still calling out his name in vain.

PART ONE

“Tess, this is Devon McCain. She’ll be your roommate.

me up. “Hi, Tess! Welcome to Thorn Abbey!” Devon steps forward.

Devon, this is Tess Szekeres. She’s a sophomore.” The house counselor, Mrs. Frith, moves aside as she makes the introductions and waves me into my new room. I enter, hesitating in the doorway as two enormous emerald eyes size

and gives me a quick, fierce hug. She is tall, maybe five ten, and reminds me of an Amazon warrior. Her long, silky black hair looks striking against her crisp white blouse and plaid school jumper.

“I’ll leave you to unpack and get settled,” Mrs. Frith says to me. “Devon is a junior. From Boston. She’s been here since

ninth grade, so she can fill you in on anything you need to know.”

“Yeah, like all the best places on campus to get high and make out,” Devon says merrily.

My cheeks grow hot as I wait for Mrs. Frith to start yell- ing or give Devon a detention or something. But instead, she laughs. “Good one, Devon. Don’t forget the Welcome Tea at four, in the downstairs parlors. See you girls then.”

“Lipton’s and stale scones. Can’t wait.” Devon closes the door after Mrs. Frith and turns to me with a dazzling smile. She has perfect teeth—braces, obviously—and I instinctively clamp my mouth shut. “I thought she’d never leave. Come on, show me the clothes you brought. I saved you the good closet.”

“Um, thanks. I didn’t bring . . . that is, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to . . .”

My voice drifts as I picture my wardrobe, Old Navy circa 2010, folded neatly in my one suitcase. I glance around the room, which is so much bigger than my own at home. Devon, who must have arrived on the early side of check-in, has already taken possession of her half. She’s hung framed posters on the yellow-rose wallpaper: a Vogue cover from the sixties, an ad for a German production of the opera Aida, and photos of Billie Holiday and Amy Winehouse. Her desk is cluttered with makeup, tampons, an iPod, a white laptop, and what look

like birth control pills. There is a purple silk quilt on her bed that looks impossibly glamorous.

Devon plops down on the quilt and kicks off her ballerina flats. She grabs a bottle of nail polish from her nightstand and starts painting her toenails. The way she is sitting, I can just make out a tattoo on her left thigh—a flower?—and a sliver of her black lace panties. I look away.

“Soooo. What is that, Greek?” she asks me. “What?” “Your name. Sounds Greek.” “Actually, it’s Hungarian. My family’s a mix of Hungarian,

Swedish, Chinese, Dutch, and a few other things.” “Wow. Mine are, like, straight Irish American. My dad’s ancestors were potato farmers from Galway. My nana on my mom’s side was an opera singer from Dublin. I’m boring, com-

pared to you.” “I don’t think so.” I can’t imagine Devon ever being boring. “Where did you transfer from?” “You mean, what school? Avery Park.” “Never heard of it. Oh my God, is that one of those hippie

prep schools where you grow organic vegetables and worship Gaia the earth goddess?”

“No, it’s just a regular high school. Like a normal public school. It’s in Avery Park, New York, near Albany.”

“Oh?” Devon raises one eyebrow. “Well, you’re going to love it here. Private school is soooo much better than public school.”

“I know. That’s why my mom made me apply, because my classes weren’t challenging enough and because—”

Devon shakes her head. “No, you idiot, not the classes! I meant the other stuff. You can get away with anything in pri- vate school.”

I stare at her. I’m not sure what to say.

“You have a lot to learn, Young Apprentice,” Devon says, smiling her dazzling smile again “Unpack your crap, then I’ll take you on the unofficial tour.”

About The Book:

By: Nancy Ohlin

Published by: Simon & Schuster

To Be Released on: May 7th, 2013

Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Add it to Goodreads

Nothing is as it seems in this darkly romantic tale of infatuation and possession, inspired by Daphne du Maurier’sRebecca.

Becca was the perfect girlfriend: smart, gorgeous, and loved by everyone at New England’s premier boarding school, Thorn Abbey. But Becca’s dead. And her boyfriend, Max, can’t get over his loss.

Then Tess transfers to Thorn Abbey. She’s shy, insecure, and ordinary—everything that Becca wasn’t. And despite her roommate’s warnings, she falls for brooding Max.

Now Max finally has a reason to move on. Except it won’t be easy. Because Becca may be gone, but she’s not quite ready to let him go…

About the Author:

I am the author of Thorn Abbey, a YA retelling of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, and Beauty. a YA retelling of the Snow White tale.

I've also contributed to several celebrity novels, including a New York Times-bestselling YA trilogy.

I'm currently hard at work on my next YA novel, which will be as romantic and mind-bending as Thorn Abbey (I hope!).

My favorite cures for writers' block are long walks, long showers, popcorn, chocolate, and really expensive coffee. I talk to myself a lot while I write (you know, to make sure the dialogue zings).

Visit Nancy via her: Website | Twitter | Facebook

The Giveaway:

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, blog tour followers can enter to win a copy of Nancy's THORN ABBEY! Be sure to follow the tour and enter to win below.

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The Shadow Girl Blog Tour: Seasons On the Lake

2013-05-01T15:06:00.000-04:00

Seasons On the Lake

Jennifer Archer for The Shadow Girl Blog Tour

I love spending time at the small lake near our cabin in the Spanish Peaks area of Colorado. Each season of the year brings a new sort of beauty to the lake. In the summer, the surrounding trees and the meadow beyond the lake are a lush green. The trees sweeping up toward the gray rock cap of the West Peak behind the lake are an even deeper green than the meadow.

In autumn, some of the aspen trees lining the lake seem to catch fire, their leaves turning flame orange, while others turn a startling yellow. The lake is still and clear, reflecting the colorful trees as clearly as a mirror. The West Peak dons a gypsy skirt of green. In both Summer and Fall, people young and old toss fishing lines in graceful arcs toward the water’s surface.

But fishing poles are exchanged for skates as winter covers the Peak with a white blanket of snow, and the water transforms into a dark sheet of frost-dusted glass. An expectant hush descends on the lake, as if the water below the ice is sleeping. Only a few brave souls venture outside into that shimmering, white silence.

Then comes spring … undecided, torn between the peaceful, pristine cold and the golden warmth of the sun. Patches of snow still dot the Peak, but the lake is slow to thaw, even as wildflowers peek shyly out from the meadow grass.

In The Shadow Girl, Lily lives nearby a lake that plays a big part in her life, past and present. I based that lake on the lake near our cabin. Lily holds her father’s memorial service there, and in the following excerpt from the book, she recalls how the lake helped to bond her friendship with Wyatt:

Cookie rides in a crate on the back of Dad’s four-wheeler. I follow behind, my headlights illuminating them. Every so often, Cookie turns to glance back at me. His ears flap in the wind, and his teeth are bared like he’s grinning.

The lake appears ahead, the water a glossy black ink stain. The sight of it takes me back to the winter I was seven when I first met Wyatt. His mom had just decided she had better things to do than raise a kid and sent him here from Dallas to live with his grandparents. A couple of days after we met, I taught Wyatt to skate on this lake. He’d never ice-skated before, but when I tried to give him a few tips, he cut me off. He knew what to do, he said. He was a Rollerblader and ice-skating couldn’t be much different. He’d show me every trick he knew.

But when Wyatt and I stepped onto the ice, the only trick he did was the splits, and not on purpose. The seat of his pants tore right up the seam, and as he struggled to stand, I caught a glimpse of his Star Wars long underwear. Falling served him right for being such a show-off, so I laughed. But I also offered him a hand. At first he wouldn’t take it, but then he laughed, too, and let me help him up. From that day on, Wyatt and I were best friends.

Here is a video of my most recent visit to the lake near my cabin on a cold, snowy day – the same lake that I imagined while writing the above scene from The Shadow Girl. The wind was noisy while I filmed, so you’ll have to listen closely. And watch for Marge, my dog, as she darts across the ice!

Find Jennifer on her Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Add THE SHADOW GIRL to Goodreads

BUY THE BOOK

Blog Tour: The S-Word and the origin of Slang Terms + Giveaway

2013-04-30T14:25:00.002-04:00

For the purposes of this post I am not starring out any of the "language" in this post. I believe the message here is extremely important and should be examined and not dismissed due to the dialogue engaged below.

I think Chelsea Pitcher has done an amazing job addressing this slang topic, which, in case you're curious, I did pitch to her first and am proud to host here on MPB.

In her own words, "Don’t censor yourself, but rather, take time to think about the meanings of slang."

I’ve always been fascinated by slang. I think if someone visited America from another country, they could learn a lot about our values based on our slang. For example, positive slang like bomb, money, and having balls indicate what people see as valuable, while negative slang like gay, pussy, and lame illustrate what people think of as inferior or bad. Even if we don’t fully believe these things (that male is better than female, or straight is better than gay), these words have a way of getting under our skin, affecting how we view the world. We might find ourselves saying, “You screamed like a girl!” or “Man up!” without really thinking about how these sayings affect our perception, or how they affect young boys and girls growing up in the world.

One of the most interesting things about my job is I get to uncover the origins of different words, what they used to mean, and how they’re used today. Sure, most of us know that gay started out meaning happy, and bitch technically means “a female dog.” But what about words like faggot, retard, and slut?

According to Etymonline.com (the online etymology dictionary), faggot once meant “a bundle of sticks:”

1. faggot

late 13^th century., "bundle of twigs bound up," from Old French fagot "bundle of sticks" (13^th century.) Especially used for burning heretics (emblematic of this from 1550s), so that phrase fire and faggot was used to indicate "punishment of a heretic." Heretics who recanted were required to wear an embroidered figure of a faggot on their sleeve, as an emblem and reminder of what they deserved.

In other words, “faggot” started out meaning a “bundle of sticks”—specifically those used to burn heretics. When I was in high school, I heard that the word “faggot” was eventually attributed to gay men because they were also burned beneath these bundles of wood. But scholars have since argued that the time periods (between heretics being burned, and gay men being executed) don’t necessarily line up.

2. Retard

late 15^th century., from French retarder (13c.), from Latin retardare (see retardation). The noun is recorded from 1788 in the sense "retardation, delay;" from 1970 in offensive meaning "retarded person," originally American English, with accent on first syllable.

I love that the etymology dictionary links the meaning of “retard” to French, because the first time I really thought about the origins of the word was in French class. In French, the word means “to delay” or “be late.” Once I started thinking about this, I realized the word had been attributed to people with certain mental disabilities because their development was interpreted as “delayed.” Obviously, the word morphed into something else after that, and is now used in a way that is derogatory to the target of the word and people with mental disabilities.

3. Slut

14^th century, "a dirty, slovenly, or untidy woman," probably cognate with dialectal German Schlutt "slovenly woman," dialectal Swedish slata "idle woman, slut," and Dutch slodder "slut," but the ultimate origin is doubtful. Chaucer uses sluttish (late 14c.) in reference to the appearance of an untidy man. Also "a kitchen maid, a drudge" (mid-15c.; hard pieces in a bread loaf from imperfect kneading were called slut's pennies, 18c.). Meaning "woman of loose character, bold hussy" is attested from mid-15c.; playful use of the word, without implication of loose morals, is attested from 1660s.

Our little girl Susan is a most admirable slut, and pleases us mightily. [Pepys, diary, Feb. 21, 1664]

So slut started out meaning an untidy woman or a maid (i.e. someone who cleans untidy things). The really interesting thing is that, even when slut meant “someone who was slovenly,” it appears to have been used in a playful, joking way. In fact, all three words—faggot, retard, and slut—started out with more positive, or neutral, meanings. Why then are their meanings so much crueler now, in a time when we allegedly think better of women, gay people, and those with disabilities? Why is it that people in the fourteenth century were using “slut” in a friendlier way?

In The S-Word, the students of Verity High brand Lizzie a “slut” without batting an eye. Even when it becomes clear that the word is doing great damage to her mental and emotional health, they refuse to let up. Why? Why is it so important for us to use labels and call people names? Does it allow us to treat them as less than human somehow?

If this is the case, I ask everyone to proceed with caution. Don’t censor yourself, but rather, take time to think about the meanings of slang. Where did these terms originate, and how are they being used today? Are certain words used to control one group of people over another? Are you contributing to this in some way?

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker.

But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.

Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out.

Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

Win:

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Announcements: 3,000 Mod Podge Books, In My Mailbox, Books to Good Homes, Mod Podge Marketing

2013-04-28T18:09:00.000-04:00

Prepare to be updated!

1) 3,000 Mod Podge Books has fallen upon us here at MPB, slightly ahead of schedule, might I add! For the ~~nearly~~ one-thousand new readers here on The Mod Podge Bookshelf, X,000 MOD PODGE BOOKS is a MASSIVE giveaway hosted for each new follower milestone to celebrate YOU!

Look for the OFFICIAL giveaway to be posted after we officially hit 3K readers, but look below for a special giveaway you can enter NOW by spreading the word!

2) In My Mailbox has a new home on The Mod Podge Bookshelf! Remember when we used to all link up to one list and spend our lazy Sundays sifting through great clouds of envy over our favorite blogger's haul? Let's do that again!

Beginning on May 19th IN MY MAILBOX will be live starting at MIDNIGHT with a LINKY LIST ready for you to race to add your link to! Sound off on Twitter about the new home of IMM!

3) Books to Good Homes is current once again! Adopt these titles from MPB!

4) Mod Podge Marketing is LIVE! Follow the link to learn what my latest venture is all about!

YOP all about this and win these two GLOWING ARCs!

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Renegade by Amy Carol Reeves: Writing a Sequel

2013-04-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Highs and Lows of Writing Sequels

I had Renegade in mind even as I began Ripper. I have been fascinated by the lamia figure as a Pre-Raphaelite focus, and part of the reason that I wanted Ripper to be more than a whodunit was so that I could have the freedom to have a higher stakes game in the second two books of the trilogy—the lamia was all part of this. Writing in the lamia and having her parallel Abbie was very exciting for me. As I embarked on writing Renegade I wanted to make certain that I had her character nuanced and intriguing. Nonetheless, Renegade was my first sequel, and I had several highs and lows in the process.

The Highs

I knew my characters! After writing Ripper, I knew exactly how my characters would act. I knew how Simon’s cool reserve would meet William’s sanguinity. I knew how creepy Max was going to act in every scene. I knew how Abbie would feel (and respond!) every time Grandmother “laid down the rules.”
Seraphina-I enjoyed introducing a new “villain” along with the Ripper. Seraphina was so much fun to write. She was a complicated villain, both victim and villain at the same time. She had loved, she had taken risks, and, like Abbie, she didn’t like having “rules” placed upon her. She didn’t like the limits of her home in the Orkney Islands. But being part-beast, when she pressed upon the walls of her prison…well…the outcome wasn’t pretty.
The Love Triangle-I really liked complicating the love triangle a bit. When William jumps off the deep end, I like Abbie’s deepening relationship with Simon. I was happy to finally write Simon’s backstory, about his traumatic past and why he is the way he is, devoted and enigmatic.

The Lows

Being Consistent-I’m not a detail-oriented person (see my housekeeping skills if you’re not convinced) I would much rather just spin my story, build my world. But alas, if a plot is going to be convincing, it must be consistent. I couldn’t change any rules of the Ripper world, of how Abbie’s psychic visions worked, of Max’s motivations. I had to constantly keep referring to Ripper to make certain that I wasn’t changing any small details in the plot.
William-It was really hard for me to write William’s scenes in Renegade. Like Heathcliff to Catherine in Wuthering Heights, William isn’t the best fit for Abbie (Simon would make such a more sensible boyfriend) and yet William is who she loves. He’s a need for her, like water. It was really difficult for me, after I had the happy romantic William and Abbie scene in Ripper, to let him spiral out of control here. I hated watching him unravel, and then, as a writer, it was even worse for me to see their relationship unravel.

Concluding thoughts:

Obviously (since I had more highs than lows ) I truly enjoyed writing this sequel. Currently, I’m working on the conclusion to the trilogy, Resurrection, which will be out in April 2014!

Amy Carol Reeves has a PhD in nineteenth-century British literature. She published academic articles before deciding that it would be much more fun to write about Jack the Ripper. When she is not writing or teaching college classes, she enjoys running around her neighborhood with her giant Labrador retriever and serial reading Jane Austen novels. She lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband and two children.

TV Option Announcement: IMPOSTOR by Susanne Winnacker

2013-04-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

I’m really excited that Gabrielle agreed to host my big news announcement!

‘What big news?’ you might ask.

This:

My YA supernatural thriller IMPOSTOR has been optioned for television by Warner Brothers!

That means you might get to see it on CW or other similar networks in the future!

Can Tessa pose as Madison . . . and stop a killer before it’s too late?

Tessa is a Variant, able to absorb the DNA of anyone she touches and mimic their appearance. Shunned by her family, she’s spent the last two years training with the Forces with Extraordinary Abilities, a secret branch of the FBI. When a serial killer rocks a small town in Oregon, Tessa is given a mission: she must impersonate Madison, a local teen, to find the killer before he strikes again.

Tessa hates everything about being an impostor—the stress, the danger, the deceit—but loves playing the role of a normal girl. As Madison, she finds friends, romance, and the kind of loving family she’d do anything to keep. Amid action, suspense, and a ticking clock, this super-human comes to a very human conclusion: even a girl who can look like anyone struggles the most with being herself.

I think most authors dream about having their book turned into a series or a movie. It gives authors the chance to share their work with even more people – reach new audiences.

And of course it’s exciting to see what other people (producers etc) make from your book and the actors they choose for your characters.

Naturally, I have images in my head when I think of the characters in IMPOSTOR.

Tessa:

This is a pretty accurate picture of the Tessa in my head. Maybe her hair could be a bit more curly.

Alec:

Alec is a fellow FEA agent and Tessa has a crush on him. He’s quite serious most of the time.

Madison Chambers:

That’s the latest murder victim and the girl Tessa has to impersonate to catch the killer.

Devon Chambers:

He’s Madison’s twin. The picture would be more accurate if the guy was smiling though.

Holly:

Holly is Tessa’s best friend and a fellow FEA agent. Holly loves crazy hair colors and has short hair. The outfit is something she would approve of too.

Of course there are many more characters in my head, but it’s difficult to find the images that fit my idea of them.

Happy Birthday, William Shakespeare!

2013-04-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

In honor of William Shakespeare’s birthday (celebrated on April 23rd), authors Kim Askew and Amy Helmes, have dropped by with a guest blog post to announce a special contest!

Get A “Twisted Lit” Character Named After You!

We reimagined William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” and “Macbeth,” with our “compulsively readable” YA books, Tempestuous and Exposure. Ever since the novels were published a few months ago through Merit Press we’ve encountered a frequent question: Which of Shakespeare’s plays will inspire your next books in the Twisted Lit series?

While we’re currently hard at work putting our own spin on the Bard’s “Romeo and Juliet” we thought we’d look to you, the readers, to help us pick the fourth Shakespeare play that will inspire our next book in the series. Got a hankering for a new spin on “Hamlet?” Love to see “King Lear” get a YA update? Would you make much ado over our take on “Much Ado About Nothing?”

Go to our Facebook page and write on our wall to weigh in on which Shakespeare play you’d like us to revamp next. In doing so, you’ll be entered to have your very own name mentioned in one of our upcoming books (either as a character or some other fun reference). If you’ve always wanted to see your name in print — in a YA novel, no less — now’s your chance! The winner will also receive autographed copies of our first two novels, Tempestuous and Exposure.

We’re looking forward to hearing your suggestions! (And don’t forget to follow us on twitter at @kaskew and @amyhelmes.)

* Winner will not be compensated for use of his or her name, and publication is not guaranteed. Details of plot and character used in connection with the name as it appears in the book are up to the sole discretion of the authors. Contest ends June 1st.

Kim & Amy

Blog Tour: The Flame in the Mist Character Interview with Jemma

2013-04-19T11:24:00.002-04:00

Today I'm interviewing Kit Grindstaff's girl, Jemma, from The Flame in the Mist as part of Mod Podge Blog Tours!

GC: Hello, Jemma, and welcome! It’s great to meet you. I must say your hair is way more red than I imagined—I’ve never seen any quite that color and I consider myself a conessiour of redheads. ; )

Jemma: *Laughs shyly* Um, thank you. A little boy out on the street just now pointed at me and said it looked as though my head was on fire. The girl with him apologized, but I told her I’m used to it.

GC: And your eyes… *leans in closer* It’s really true that they’re the color of the ocean! They're even bluer than mine!

Jemma: That’s what I’ve heard. I wouldn’t know, I’ve never seen it- the ocean, except in my dreams. And Marsh described it to me too, in the stories she’s told me for as long as I can remember. I’d like to go there someday.

GC: Marsh was the nursemaid at Agromond Castle who looked after you when you were little, right? You and—Eek! A rat!

*a furry, golden rat scuttles around Gabrielle Carolina's feet*

Jemma: Noodle! I told you and Pie to stay in my pockets…

Sorry, Gabrielle, I know some people don’t like—Ouch, rattus! Why are you nibbling my fingers like that? You like her? Well, yes, she seems very nice, I know, but…What? Oh. Alright, I’ll tell her. He says he and Pie can hear you singing in their heads, and that your voice sounds lovely. Not like anything we’ve ever heard.

GC: They can hear my singing... in their heads? YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN HEAR MY SINGING IN THEIR HEADS?!

Jemma: Oh, hello, Pie. You too, hmm? You should really go back into my pockets, both of you, and not bother Gabrielle.

GC: That’s all right. They are kind of cute…if...uh... startling?

Jemma: (Smiling). Everyone gets used to them in the end. Would you like to hold them?

GC: NO! I mean, no thanks, that’s fine. So, let’s talk a little more about you. You’re very small, if you don’t mind me saying so- do you consider than an adventuring advantage, or an adversity?

Jemma: I’ve always been small for my age and it is useful sometimes. Like when I’d be down in the kitchens or dungeons and They would come looking for me. There was this crevice behind one of the shelves in the Corridor of Pickles where I used to hide. They could never find me there.

*Grinning, Jemma's hand closes around the pendant dangling from her neck. Aqua light dances between her fingers.*

GC: I see you’re wearing your Stone. It matches your eyes perfectly! How does its magic work?

Jemma: How? I don’t really know. I just feel it. It’s like…when I hold it, some kind of energy starts flowing through the top of my head, and if I focus properly I can use that energy for healing, or to make myself feel stronger, or whatever I choose. My Vision shows me what’s needed—your foot, for example….*Her eyes glaze*

You hurt it recently…You…you went outside…Something to do with cats…and trod on something sharp—Ouch! It’s almost better now…*She seems to shimmer, then suddenly appears alert again* If I’d been there I could have healed it right away!

GC: Really? Just like that? *snaps* Amazing! I did step on a nail recently- while trying to make sure my stupid cats, Cleopatra and Hobbes hadn't mauled each other. You looked almost…like there was light around you, or something. Could you hurt someone as well, if you wanted to?

Jemma: Oh, no! I mean, yes, I could, but I wouldn’t want to. That would be sorcery.

GC: There’s a difference between magic and sorcery?

Jemma: Well…yes and no. Magic is the power, if you like. But it’s how you use it that matters.

Sorcery is using it for your own ends, you see, without regard for anyone else. That makes it black magic—part of the Dark Arts, when it’s usually turned against others. Like what the Agromonds do.

Take Shade, for example…(Her eyes haze again.) She was talking to someone a few days ago…Mary, was it? Something to do with dogs…a kind of hound? And…Sprites! Shade shot a Dromfell through her wall! It made quite a hole.

GC: I heard about that! Yes, that was Mary over at YA BookHounds. By the by, I couldn’t help noticing how Noodle and Pie’s fur went all spikey a moment ago, when you mentioned the Agromonds. And now they’re doing it again! Ooh, they really don’t like them, do they? How about if I mention Digby? Oh, look! Their eyes lit up, just like rubies! And…are they smiling? It looks like they’re smiling! That really is adorbs.

Jemma: Adorbs…?

GC: Sorry, adorable. Our modern way of talking. I couldn’t help noticing your eyes got a little brighter too, Jemma, when I said Digby’s name....

Jemma: What? *leans her ear to her pocket* Sorry, Gabrielle, Noodle and Pie are trying to tell me something…Really? Oh. Apparently we have a healing to do. I’d love to stay longer, but we’ve got to go.

GC: Aw, shame. I’ve really enjoyed talking to you. Thanks so much for coming along.

Jemma: I really enjoyed it too! It made me feel like I was celebrating something. Like...I don’t know, is there a gathering later? I feel like there’s going to be a gathering. Oh well.

GC: Just one last thing before you go. Can I…I mean, do you think Noodle and Pie would mind if…?

Jemma: They would love it if you tickled their ears! There…you see, they’re not so bad, are they? Come on, Rattusses, let’s be off. ’Bye, then, Gabrielle. I hope I’ll see you again some day.

GC: The rattusses aren't so bad. And yes, I hope I’ll see you again too. Goodbye, Jemma. And good luck with—

*I look up, but she's gone. But my tingling hands make me wonder... where might I find some magical golden rats of my own?*

Join Kit and I for a #ModPodgeBlogTours Twitter chat on the 20th at 6PM EST!

Win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Flame in the Mist

by Kit Grindstaff

April 1st-12th

1st- Promo @ Me Myshelf & I

2nd- Promo @ Katie’s Book Blog

3rd- Character Interview @ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

4th- Interview @ Rebecca’s Book Blog

5th- Guest Blog @ Evie Bookish

8th- Character Interview @ A Backward’s Story

9th- Guest Blog @ Supernatural Snark

10th- Promo Post @ Hobbitsies

11th- Promo Post @ Kelsey Sutton

12th- Interview @ Steph Su

15th- Character Interview @ YA BookHounds

16th- Guest Blog @ Water Color Moods

17th- Interview @ Icey Books

18th- Promo @ Amie Corner

19th- Character Interview @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf

If He Had Been With Me Dream Cast & Guest Blog

2013-04-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Fantasy Cast List for If He Had Been With Me:

So this is a fantasy right? I get to pick whomever I want without the restraints of reality getting in the way of my fun?

Excellent.

Let’s roll the credits of my fantasy If He had Been with Me movie.

Teenage Kiera Knightly as Autumn Rose Davis

I’m not going to let that whole time/space continuum get in the way of my fantasy movie! Knightly has the sort of classically beautiful that face that stuns even the most jaded, and she has more than enough talent to play six Angsty Autumns! I can just hear her voice intoning “I know, I know, I know, I know. If he had been with me everything would have been different.” She was acting as a teenage, so a simple time machine will do the trick.

HRH Prince William of Wales (Circa 2001) as Phineas “Finny” Smith.

Yes, you read that right. As a teenager I had a massively ridiculous crush on His Royal Highness, and it’s his adolescent self that I was imagining as I wrote this novel. So we must again use time my machine to go back and Prince-nap Wills when he had a full head of hair, give him some acting lessons, shoot the movie, and then return him before Scotland Yard notices.

Dakota Fanning as Sylvie Whitehouse

Fanning isn't just an incredible actress for her age, she's an incredible actress period. Sylvie is a complex character; on the outside she seems to have it all together, but on the inside there is a lot of pain and turmoil. Fanning has the subtly and talent to convey the storm below the surface. In real life I could even dream of having an actress of her caliber agree to a role with so little screen time, but this is my fantasy, and the distinction of being the first and only actress to play the love interest of a time traveling Prince has enticed her.

Laura Linney and Nicole Kidman as Angelina Smith and Claire Davis

“The Mothers” as they are often referred to in the book, have a yin and yang quality about them that I think these two actresses would achieve together. Kidman has a delicate beauty that makes her seem about to shatter at any moment, while Linney seems to have an inner strength she keeps in reserve. Once again, the historical nature of my fantasy movie is what made these accomplished actresses agree to portray a couple of suburban Moms.

There it is, my perfect and perfectly unachievable cast list. If anyone would like to do some Photoshop magic and create this movie poster for me, that would be awesome. Or you could maybe invent that time machine for me. Either way, I'd really appreciate it.

***

Top Ten Things I Wish I Could Change about my High School Years

I wish smart phones had existed, and that I'd had one.

This seems frivolous, I know, but when I was in high school only the rich kids had cell phones at all, and wi-fi was a rare and wondrous thing. I can only imagine how cool it must be to get into hilarious hijinks with your friends, and be able to post pics of your shananigins in real time. If we did something cool, we had to tell people about it later, and we probably didn't have photographic proof, because pictures were these paper things you had to pay to have made.

I wish I had broken up with my boyfriend.

Now, my high school sweetheart was not a bad guy by any means, but looking back I see how I only dated him for my entire high school career because I liked the idea of only having one boyfriend ever. If I had really been following my heart, I would have admitted to myself that he wasn't the one and only guy for me, and I could have possibly had a wider range of romantic experience.

I wish I had broken more rules.

I was a good kid. A really, really good kid. Sometimes as an adult I wish I had some of the when-I-was-a-crazy-teen stories that other people have.

I wish I had learned to drive.

In If He had Been with Me, Autumn manages to graduate high school without learning to drive. I managed to graduate from college and get married without a driver's license. I let a small anxiety grow into a massive mental block, and I wonder what the ego-boost of conquering my fear would have done for teenage me.

I wish I had admitted to others that I needed help.

As an adult I have been diagnosed with clinical depression, but as a teenager I hid my depressive episodes from my loved ones. I can only imagine how different those years would have been if I would have admitted my to struggle and gotten the help I needed.

I wish I had worked harder in Spanish class, and gone to Spain on the class trip.

I ended up minoring in Spanish, but I never did get the experience of full immersion, and now my skills are so rusty that I'll probably never be fluent.

I wish our exchange student had lived with us all four years

Swantje lived with my family for ten months. She challenged and inspired me, and ultimately changed me forever. To this day I keep a picture of her by my writing desk.

I wish I had cared less about what other people thought.

I think everyone feels this way about their high school years. At the time, I claimed that I didn’t care what others thought, but when I compare that to how much I really don’t care now...

I wish I’d been less critical of my body

When I look at pictures of my teenage self, I just want to grab that girl by the shoulders and scream, “Your stomach IS flat! It is! It really is! And you are not appcreiating how high your breast are! Your stomach is flat and your breats are perky! Go put on a string bikini and feel fabulous! Right Now!”

I wish I had written more.

To be fair, I think this is something I will always say about any time in my life. I guess it's nice to know that some things will never change.

Guest Blog with Author Toni de Palma

2013-04-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

When 17 year old Cooper dies in an attempt to burn down his school, he finds himself in the afterlife. Lucy, the Devil's sister who has crossed party lines, decides to give Cooper another shot at heaven. The deal? Cooper returns to Earth and has to find a girl named Grace. The rest is up to him.

While Cooper figures out his mission, he's thrown into the life he's always wanted. Great parents, a spot on the Varsity football team and a real future are all within reach. But what he really wants is Grace, a feisty girl with an abusive boyfriend who can pound Cooper into pulp if he doesn't watch out.

While Lucy plays demonic-puppeteer, clues to an unknown past between Cooper and Grace start to unravel. Cooper discovers that what's keeping him and Grace apart is far more sinister than anything this bad boy could have ever imagined.

What are your favorite books decade to decade? Hear what Toni de Palma has to say!

I whole-heartedly believe that a book finds you when you are ready for it to speak to you. Here are the pivotal books that spoke to me at age 7, 17, 27, 37 and 47

Beverly Cleary’s Ramona Quimby, Age 8. This book was important to me because my family had just moved to a new neighborhood where I didn’t know a soul. Ramona became my best friend because she was just like me; always getting into trouble.

17.

Cynthia Voigt’s, Dicey’s Song, caught me by the heart and never let go. The story about a young girl whose own dreams have to be put on hold because she has to take care of her younger siblings was what made me fall in love with YA literature when I was just a young adult myself.

27.

Patricia McCormick’s, Sold and Nancy Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion are both favorites from this period of my life. As a stay-at-home mom both stories reminded me that a great big world existed outside my usual routine. Sold, about a young girl who is sold into sexual slavery by a male family member is told with beauty and hope. It made me weep. The House of the Scorpion, about cloning and its ramifications on life, is such an interesting premise that I recommend it to everyone. Both stories woke me up to the world in a different way and got me thinking.

37.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s, Eat, Pray, Love about a woman who finds herself stuck in an unsatisfying relationship and then sets out on an adventure of self-discovery shook me out of my own stuckness. While my own marital relationship was fine, after raising my son and putting my own dreams on the back burner for a while, this book gave me courage to start exploring again.

47.

This year, I turn 47 and I have to admit, I haven’t yet found the book that speaks to my heart. I’ve read some good ones, but nothing that knocks me off of my feet. Can you recommend the perfect birthday read?

BIO:

Toni De Palma is the author of The Devil’s Triangle, a paranormal YA and the first book in the Devil series. Her first middle grade novel, Under the Banyan Tree, was published in 2007 and selected as a Kirkus New Voices Pick and a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. Her second middle grade novel, Jeremy Owl, was published in 2010. Toni holds her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College and she is a recipient of a New Jersey Arts Fellowship. She currently resides in New Jersey.
Find out about multi published author Toni De Palma at her site.

Find the book here:

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Exclusive Artwork Reveal: The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle & GIVEAWAY

2013-04-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

Join me below for a Hero's excerpt and some exclusive artwork reveals!

And did someone say "giveaway?"

Everybody yelped as Ruffian the Blue suddenly popped up from behind Briar’s chair. “As I am receiving a consultant’s fee for this mission, I feel it is my duty to correct some misconceptions,” the bounty hunter droned.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” Briar scolded, banging her gavel to underscore her displeasure.

“You asked me to be here,” Ruffian grumbled indignantly.

“Yeah, I also figured you’d walk through the door like a normal person,” Briar groused. “Now sit down.”

“I don’t like to sit,” Ruffian replied.

“Excuse me, Ruffian,” Ella interjected. “You always wear that cape, right? Because Frederic was insisting that villains never wear capes.”

“I’m not a villain,” Ruffian whined. “Bounty hunting is a legitimate profession. And anyway, I’m wearing a cowl.”

“Aha!” said Frederic, sitting back and folding his arms in a very satisfied manner. “Thank you, Mr. Ruffian.”

“I thought it was a cloak,” Briar said.

“No. Cloaks are just long capes,” Frederic said.

Briar rubbed the fabric of Ruffian’s cowl between her thumb and forefinger. “Why aren’t you wearing a cloak? I wanted a henchman draped in a mysterious cloak.”

“How could the name of the garment possibly make a difference?” Ruffian asked.

“It sounds scarier,” Briar said. “‘Cowl’ is the least terrifying word I’ve ever heard.”

“Oh, I disagree,” Duncan added. “It makes me think of cow-owls. And those are horrifying. MOO-WHO! MOO-WHO!”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not changing my outfit,” Ruffian insisted. “I need my hood.”

“Fine,” Briar said. She banged her gavel against the table. “I hereby declare that capes with hoods are called cloaks.”

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Get the Guy: Gabrielle Carolina Has A Crush

2013-04-11T23:56:00.000-04:00

Hello, Readers!

So an update on The Cute Boy From the Bookstore. I never saw him again. He must have gotten another job ~~which in a way makes me glad I couldn't get a sensible word out. Who LEAVES a bookstore job?~~ But Matthew Hussey has changed my woes.

First of all he's obviously crush-worthy, right? Right. So naturally one of those came about. He's also a male-me. I love the way he talks, his hand gestures as he explains a story, how he manages to make everyone laugh calling guys P****es in this video:

What's not to love, right?

Secondly, his advice is aces, as seen in that video ~~which I sent to my best friend who cringes over those little acts of femininity I revel in~~. I've been watching him on Youtube since late last year, right when he began announcing all the big, brilliant things about to happen within his brand.

You may have seen the premiere of NCB'S READY FOR LOVE this week & maybe you live tweeted with me. ~~Who else hemorrhaged hearts and chocolates and bunnies and tummyflies?~~ Matt is one of the matchmakers on that show and now his debut novel, Get the Guy, is flying off shelves!

Among the many things you'll learn in this book, you'll discover:

- How to find the best men wherever you live so that you no longer have to date guys that are weird or boring. ~~Because who wants them?~~

- Eight words that instantly build attraction and chemistry with any guy. ~~And I already know them by heart.~~

- Elegant and 'under the radar' techniques to get the guy you like to notice you. ~~Because society has yet to provide a modern take on the dropped hankie.~~

- The ultimate attraction formula: 4 things you need to do to get someone attracted for life. ~~None of these four things are four letter words. Stay classy, Readers.~~

- The simple text you can send to get the attention of a guy who's gone cold and isn't calling you. ~~Boo on him, you're grand.~~

- The 5 secrets to being the most amazing date he's ever had so that you never go home and wait for a call that never comes. (He'll practically be begging you for the next date!) ~~Begging, Ladies. Begging.~~

- The ultimate easy-to-apply formula to turn a commitment phobic man into marriage material in just two weeks. ~~Enough time to plan your elopement.~~

- And much, much more. ~~MUCH MUCH.~~

Here's the BEST part. To celebrate the release of his book he's going around the country teaching these techniques to women on his live tour over the next two months.

Since I have an ‘in’ with Matt’s people, I've secured 30 special guest tickets to his live tour!!!

~~Best Friend Kelsey & I may be at one of the later stops, so as a bonus you could meet her and I! We'll sign books for you, as well!~~

Speaking of Girlfriends trying to "Get" their Guys (why do they do the things they do anyway?) watch this:

He's going to be holding his talks in San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, NYC, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Chicago, and Dallas.

And because you're one of my people, you have the opportunity to get one of them. Being part of this amazing offer is really easy:

Just grab a PRINT copy of Matt's book from Amazon/Books Depository/Barnes&Noble etc. That's it : )

(Kindle/ebook orders won't count towards getting your free tour ticket, so make sure it's the print edition you order.)

Once you've made your purchase, email your receipt to me at ModPodgeBooks@Gmail.com and we'll get your place confirmed.

The first FIVE who do this get a bonus from me! ~~Did someone say free books and swag and other SEKRIT delights?!~~

And as extra, extra, extra incentive you should look into Matthew's White Handkerchief sweepstakes (love the name) if for no other reason than he filmed three separate videos to tell us about the different sweepstakes. Watch them all!

I can't wait to hear what you think- sound off in the comments below! ~~Mostly about how you now have a crush on him too.~~

A little birdie has informed me he's pretty close to being on the Bestseller's lists, so let's be a part of that and all Pre-order, yeah?

The Key and the Flame Blog Tour: Guest Blog with Claire M. Caterer

2013-04-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

Today Claire M. Caterer, debut MG author of The Key and the Flame, is digging around in the hidden vault ~~which was also locked for good measure.~~

Sharing Some Embarrassing Childhood Writing

First, let me say thank you so much to Gabrielle for letting me visit The Mod Podge Bookshelf on today’s blog tour stop. We thought it would be fun—and humiliating—to share some of my earliest writing genius with you!

I scribbled lots of stories from a very young age, and illustrated them too, much to the horror of anyone who’s ever drawn, well, anything.

Here’s one of my better efforts, written around age 7. To make life easier, I’ve transcribed, corrected spelling, and mercifully, summarized it for you.

In this riveting tale, a family of six goes out to dinner, leaving their pets Ruffy and Purr to guard the house. The pets apparently do a lousy job of it. Nancy and Ed are towers of strength as their kids fall apart:

But when they returned, the door was unlocked, and everything was stolen except the furniture.

“Oh, my doll!” cried Mary (who was one of the girls).

The children began to cry. Nancy and Ed felt like crying too. “And I just got those new silver candlesticks too!” said Nancy.

“Well, what are we waiting for? If everybody cries, we’ll never get them back. Call the police!” yelled Ed.

The police arrive. As the tension mounts, Ed gets crabbier.

“Now, now, let’s get down to business. How did this happen, ma’am?” asked the police.

Ed interrupted. “Her name is Nancy!”

“He’s very sensitive,” whispered Nancy. “Well, we went out to dinner, and when we came back, everything was stolen, except the furniture,” explained Nancy.

They all went next door. Nancy, Ed, Judy, Mary, John, Robert, Julie, the police, Purr, and Ruffy. “He’s the one!” cried Nancy. “That’s my bracelet. I had my name carved in it.”

“No, Nancy,” said the man. “See? This has my name on it.”

“Well, OK. Why not come with us?”

“All right,” he said. And they went on.

A house-by-house search ensues to find the missing booty. The next day, a new wrinkle develops, and Nancy gets snarky:

Well, they started again the next morning. They wandered in the woods and were lost. Somehow or other, a ship was sailing from a jungle to where they were. A lion got caught on the ship. He wondered, [should] he go in the forest? What will they do? “Let’s sit on this log and do something,” said Ed.

“OK,” they all said, and sat down.

“Have any ideas?” asked Nancy.

Suddenly, a roar came above their voices. “ROAR!” The lion jumped out. He looked very hungry. As he looked at them, he licked his chops. “This looks good,” he thought. But the police pulled out a piece of steak and threw [it]. The lion was after it.

Tired and forlorn, but at least not eaten by the lion, the little family has just about given up hope until this surprise twist reveals all:

Well, they went home, and the neighbor went too.

“Thank you for helping us,” said Nancy.

“It’s all right,” said the neighbor.

“Wait, police!” cried Nancy. “I think I see my name on that bracelet!”

Yes. The neighbor was the thief all along. I guess Nancy didn’t check out that bracelet very well the first time. ZING!

Tomorrow the book tour rolls on with an interview at The Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors! Get the full blog tour schedule right here.

Images and text of The Missing Jewelry copyright by Claire M. Caterer. Good luck stealing this and getting it published. I dare ya.

An ancient key grants three children passage to an amazing world where a ruthless king seeks to obliterate magic forever. If 11-year-old Holly can unlock the magic within herself, she just might find a way to get them all home—unless the king finds her first.

Author Bio:

Claire M. Caterer was born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in the suburbs of Kansas City. A writer from the age of five, Claire has published fiction in Woman’s World magazine as well as in Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock mystery magazines. She holds a degree in French from the University of Kansas and spent several years working in New York publishing. Today she is back in the Kansas City metro area, where she writes full time and shares her home with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and a host of imaginary friends. The Key & the Flame is her first novel.

Website

Twitter link

Facebook link

Goodreads link

Amazon buy link

The Mapmaker's War Giveaway

2013-04-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

The Mapmaker's War:

A Legend

By Ronlyn Domingue

Published by Atria Books

Hardcover: 240 pages

March 5, 2013; $23.00 US/$23.00 CAN; 9781451688887

Description:

This will be the map of your heart, old woman. In an ancient time, in a faraway land, a young woman named Aoife is allowed a rare apprenticeship to become her kingdom's mapmaker, tasked with charting the entire domain. Traveling beyond its borders, she finds a secretive people who live in peace, among great wealth. They claim to protect a mythic treasure, one connected to the creation of the world. When Aoife reports their existence to her kingdom, the community is targeted as a threat. Attempting to warn them of imminent danger, Aoife is exiled for treason and finds refuge among the very people who had been declared her enemy. With them, she begins a new life surrounded by kindness, equality, and cooperation. But within herself, Aoife has no peace. She cannot share the grief she feels for the home and children she left behind. She cannot bear the warrior scars of the man she comes to love. And when she gives birth to their gifted daughter, Aoife cannot avoid what the child forces her to confront about her past and its truth. On this most important of journeys, there is no map to guide her. In this tale -- her autobiography -- Aoife reveals her pain and joy, and ultimately her transformation.

The Mapmaker's War is a mesmerizing, utterly original adventure about love and loss and the redemptive power of the human spirit. Watch for its epic sequel, The Chronicle of Secret Riven, in 2014.

Author Bio

Ronlyn Domingue is the author of The Mapmaker's War (Atria Books; March 5, 2013). Its epic sequel is scheduled for 2014. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Mercy of Thin Air, was published in ten languages. Her writing has appeared in The Beautiful Anthology (TNB Books), New England Review, Clackamas Literary Review, New Delta Review, The Independent (UK), and Shambhala Sun, as well as on mindful.org and The Nervous Breakdown. Born and raised in the Deep South, she lives there still with her partner, Todd Bourque, and their cats.

For more information please visit http://www.ronlyndomingue.com, and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

Enter to win below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reader Confidential: Spring 2013

2013-04-02T13:29:00.000-04:00

WHAT'S FOOLISH THIS MONTH:

Book 1: This isn't a library! Stop checking me out!

Book 2: I'm only looking at you to make sure we're on the same page.

1. GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT

The Epic Conclusion to the GONE Series

Watch an epic LIGHT trailer HERE and another one HERE (and keep an eye out for #3!)

Join THE END IS HERE forums (along with our good friends and series experts Andye and Kit from www.readingteen.net) to discuss the Gone series with fellow FAYZians.

2. GO TO THE DARK SIDE

THE DARK DAYS OF SUMMER 2013 ARE COMING!!!!

Ready to find out which of your favorite authors will be on this summer's Dark Days tour?! On 4/3, check these blogs to find out:

The Divergent Examiner

All Things Urban Fantasy

Cuddlebuggery

For Those About to Read

Rae Gun Ramblings

Then! Watch Epic Reads #TeaTime at 3:45PM EST with Epic Girl & Yours Truly to see where the heck these authors are going!

3. GO TO HOLLYWOOD

I REPRESENT SEAN ROSEN by Jeff Baron

Sean Rosen knows what he wants: a ten-million dollar deal with a big Hollywood studio. The only problem is, he doesn't know a single person in show business. Figuring it out as he goes, Sean makes amazing progress in his quest— a quest which no one else has a clue about. Except you, if you read the book.

This month get 20% of I REPRESENT SEAN ROSEN!

Have you caught the Deliria?!

Go behind the scenes & follow the publishing process from start to finish in this seven-video series!

The Ultimate DELIRIUM Fan! Share your love for the series by entering our contest, and you could win a collection Lauren Oliver’s favorite things!

(And don't forget to check out DELIRIUM STORIES)

*Win: Poetry Month*

Follow HarperCollins Children's Books on Facebook and Twitter for daily poems and a chance win a set of poetry for your collection!

--------------------------------

WHAT'S NEW AND IMPROVED AND BETTER THAN EVER

SEVERED HEADS, BROKEN HEARTS is now THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING!

Click the screenshot to see author Robyn Schneider explain the new title!

--------------------------------

WHAT'S UP WITH RAMONA QUIMBY?!

New RAMONA QUIMBY journal: Record your memorable moments and find fun stickers, quizzes, and puzzles in this RAMONA-inspired writing journal.

Updated RAMONA QUIMBY books: You’ll love our fresh, modern repackages of all eight RAMONA books—with new cover art and black-and-white interior illustrations—just in time for Beverly Cleary’s 97^th birthday!

The complete RAMONA collection: All eight of RAMONA’s adventures—from her days in nursery school to her “zeroteenth” birthday!

Go HERE for tools to help you spread the love of reading! Between information on all of the books and all-new activities/ideas, you’ll find everything you need to prepare for the celebration all month long in April!

--------------------------------

WHAT NEEDS YOUR FACE

WILD AWAKE author Hilary T. Smith's Tumblr

--------------------------------

WHAT GOOD ARE YOU

If you have yet to see this trailer for THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, you must!

Then find out where you belong.

Gabrielle Carolina was admitted to the School of GOOD, even with a test score that read 50% Good and 50% EVIL!

Here is my first-year schedule:

Session 1: Beautification & Grooming Prof. Emma Anemone
Session 2: Etiquette & Chivalry Pollux
Session 3: Animal Communication Princess Uma
Session 4: History of Heroism Prof. August Sader
Session 5: Lunch
Session 6: Good Deeds Dean Clarissa Dovey
Session 7: Surviving Fairy Tales Yuba the Gnome

--------------------------------

WHAT'S A BIG SECRET

Watch co-authors Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini discuss the writing of the first book in their explosive new fantasy series, HOUSE OF SECRETS, in the book’s official trailer, which was exclusively revealed on USAToday.com last week!

--------------------------------

IN IT TO WIN IT? Around the Internet

*Win: IF I SHOULD DIE/Your Face in a Trailer*

Want to be in the book trailer for IF I SHOULD DIE by Amy Plum? It's easy!

We're extending the deadline from 4/1 to 4/7, so get snapping!

*Win: THE BOYFRIEND APP Jewelry*

Enter THE BOYFRIEND APP sweepstakes for your chance to win custom jewelry (designed by author Katie Sise herself!) as well as a signed copy of her brand new book! The contest begins April 15, so stay tuned to Epic Reads for details on how to enter.

*Win: For DEAD SILENCE & IMPOSTOR Lovers*

Love mysteries? Join one!

*Win: Exclusivity*

SEPTIMUS HEAP, BOOK SEVEN: FYRE by Angie Sage

The seventh book about the seventh son of the seventh son is here!

ArFacebook page

*Win: A Trip to NYC*

Kids ages 6-12 can enter for a chance to win a trip to NYC and produce a book with Dan Gutman!

Contest ends April 8th; submit your entries ASAP!

--------------------------------

WHAT TO CHECK OUT

THE RISING Book Trailer | Sneak Peek | Book Page

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL Browse Inside (4/30)

SEPTIMUS HEAP, BOOK SEVEN: FYRE Countdown Widget

The SILVER DREAM Goodreads Giveaway | Countdown Widget Code:

http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/silver-dreamhttp://www.widgetbox.com/http://www.widgetbox.comhttp://support.widgetbox.com/

SUMMERKIN Browse Inside (4/9)

UNNATURAL CREATURES Goodreads Giveaway | Countdown Widget Code:

http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/unnatural-creatureshttp://www.widgetbox.com/http://www.widgetbox.comhttp://support.widgetbox.com/

THE WARD Browse Inside (4/16)

--------------------------------

WHAT WILL MAKE YOU GILL-GLE

THE LOST CODE by Kevin Emerson (click on it – he sings) doesn’t come out in paperback until April 23, but in the meantime, you can post some Atlantean humor on your blog:

Get all the graphics here

10 Upcoming Characters: Guest Blog by Miranda Keanelley

2013-04-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Secret List - Learn about ten upcoming characters from Miranda Keannelley's upcoming novels!

THINGS I CAN'T FORGET and RACING SAVANNAH (Dec. 2013)

1. Kate Kelly: Kate is the heroine of THINGS I CAN’T FORGET. Kate is 18, a recent high school graduate, and she’s working as the arts and crafts director at a summer camp, where she meets up with Matt Brown, the boy who gave her her first kiss.

2. Matt Brown: Matt is the love interest in THINGS I CAN’T FORGET. Matt is 20, in a fraternity, and plays the guitar. He’s also training to run a marathon barefoot! He’s getting over a bad breakup with his ex-girlfriend when he meets Kate. Is Kate really the girl for him, or will dating again just lead to more heartbreak?

3. Emily Mansfield: Emily is Kate’s former best friend. They got into a fight after high school, and without her, Kate doesn’t know who she is anymore.

4. Ian Hot Boy With No Last Name: In THINGS I CAN’T FORGET, Ian is the wild crazy guy who cracks me up. He likes to fool around with his girlfriend in inappropriate places and refers to many people as “douches,” but he has a big heart and a soft side. I never gave him a last name, but I love him. Ha!

5. Parker Shelton: In STEALING PARKER, Parker doesn’t have many girlfriends. In THINGS I CAN’T FORGET, she doesn’t get along with Kate at first, but as they get to know each other, is there a chance for a real friendship?

6. Savannah Barrow: Savannah is the heroine of RACING SAVANNAH. She’s 17, a senior in high school, and she works at a high-stakes horse farm, doing everything from hauling hay to shoveling manure to mopping floors. She’s been living in the servants’ quarters all her life, but she wants nothing more than to become an exercise rider and work with the horses that compete in big races like the Kentucky Derby.

7. Jack Goodwin: Jack is the farm owner’s sexy son. Jack is being groomed to take over the farm one day, so his father makes him manage the estate and staff. Even though he’s attracted to Savannah, Jack knows he won’t be considered a responsible, gentlemanly farm owner if he goes after a member of his staff.

8. Marcus Winchester: Marcus is the villain of RACING SAVANNAH. Marcus is a rival farm owner’s son, and he has a past history with Savannah, which doesn’t make Jack too happy.

9. Rory Whitfield: Rory works on the horse farm in RACING SAVANNAH. He’s the younger brother of Will Whitfield (Corndog!) from STEALING PARKER. Rory lives next door to Jack and Savannah and he’s Savannah’s closest friend. Rory is in the drama club and wants to sell a screenplay to Hollywood.

10. Vanessa Green: Vanessa is the younger sister of Ty Green, the love interest from CATCHING JORDAN. Vanessa has a thing for Rory Whitfield… and is rather shocked that Rory has Star Wars sheets and sleeps with a Chewbacca stuffed animal.

Cover Reveal: Almost Night by Emily White

2013-03-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

Fourteen-year-old Lilly Grey exists in two worlds at the same time.

She just doesn't know it...

As the only albino in a million mile radius, Lilly is used to being different. Pink eyes and white hair aren't exactly the best camouflage in the harrowing jungles formally known as high school. And yeah, she's used to being an outcast and seeing the world in a slightly different way, but she never guessed how literally "different" applied to her. Not until a clan of shape-shifting dragons tell her she's not just albino. She's a unicorn and the only mortal alive who can live on both Earth and its antithesis, Morcah. Now all those times she thought she saw a floating brown blotch in the sky or eyes peering out at her from the bark of trees make sense. She's been seeing Morcah, a land that exists in the exact same spot as Earth, just in a different phase.

But it's not all sunshine and rainbows for this unicorn. As the only one who can live in both phases, she's also the only one who can bring Morcah--and all its inhabitants--to Earth. And creatures who've been trapped on Earth since the Dark Ages are willing to do worse things than kill to make that happen.

Again.

My bio:

Emily White lives in NY, wedged between two of the Great Lakes and a few feet of snow and ice. She's spent most of her life running away from the cold, and even spent a year in Iraq, but now contents herself with writing her characters into warm, exotic places in faraway galaxies. When not tapping away at her computer keys, she can be found reading, reading, and reading some more. And when she's not doing that, she's usually playing video games with her husband, peek-a-boo with her kids, or walking through her garden, wondering why the bugs insist on eating all her vegetables.

Check out Emily's debut YA Sci-fi, Elemental (Spencer Hill Press, 2012). Now available through B&N, Amazon, and The Book Depository. And her steampunk short story collection, To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World (December, 2012). Now available through Amazon and B&N.

Links:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17204041-almost-night

http://emilytwhite.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEmilyWhite?ref=hl

Did Someone Say Cupcakes?

2013-03-28T13:54:00.001-04:00

"Kids and cupcakes are the perfect recipe!"—Sophie and Katerine, stars of TLC's DC Cupcakes

Meet Sadie.

When she's not mixing it up on the basketball court, she's mixing the perfect batter with her friends in the cupcake club. Sadie's definitely no stranger to competition, but the oven mitts are off when the club is chosen to appear on Battle of the Bakers, the ultimate cupcake competition on TV.

But the real battle happens off camera when the club's baking business starts losing money.

With the clock ticking and the cameras rolling, will the club and their cupcakes rise to the occasion?

Sheryl Berk, New York Times bestselling author of Soul Surfer, and her nine-year-old daughter, Carrie, a cupcake connoisseur who has reviewed confections from the world in her Carrie's Cupcakes Critiques newsletter, have cooked up a delightful new series sure to be a treat.

Enter to Win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the Shadow of Blackbirds Blog Tour: ReCreate the Cover Contest

2013-03-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

"Before I saw Maria T. Middleton’s evocative, haunting design for the IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS cover, I honestly envisioned a cover image similar to the one you’re seeing today."

Hello, and welcome to the official In the Shadow of Blackbirds blog tour, hosted by #ModPodgeBlogTours!

To learn more about the debut novel, and its author, please check out the official website!

Let's start things off with a BANG- a word from the author, Cat Winters, and a re-create the cover contest where you can win GORGEOUS prizes!

My protagonist, Mary Shelley Black, poses twice for a character named Julius Embers, a young man who takes people’s pictures in his late father’s studio and claims the spirits of their departed loved ones will appear in the developed photos. Deep down, I hoped one of those two resulting photographs would be featured on the front of the novel, but I wasn’t sure if Amulet Books would go to the trouble of hiring a model and setting up a photo shoot for my little book.

Amazingly, that’s exactly what Maria and photographer Symon Chow did.

In July 2012, my editor, Maggie Lehrman, sent me a photograph of the cover shoot. Before that moment, neither she not Maria had given me any hints as to how the cover would look. I was ecstatic to see a shot of a young model dressed like Mary Shelley Black, posing in a studio chair like her, with Mary Shelley’s good-luck goggles hanging around her neck. I envisioned various title fonts and wondered if a spirit would be inserted into the final image. In August, I saw the completed design, and I loved it! I’m incredibly humbled and flattered that Maria and Symon took a scene that had originated in my own head and recreated it for the cover.

Of course, there are various other ways to visually represent this novel, from menacing blackbirds and crows to faces in flu masks or a frightened young WWI soldier…

Thanks, Cat, for that sneak-peek behind the scenes!

Now, it's your turn!

You heard Cat, there are various ways to represent this novel in design and it's up to you to decide which way is best.

How to enter:

Create a brand new cover using photography, drawing, stock images etc. just make sure you have rights to any image you use, and submit the cover either by emailing me or tweeting your original cover image using the hashtag #ModPodgeBlogTours.

Only those images tweeted with the hashtag, or emailed directly to modpodgebooks(AT)gmail(DOT)com

will be eligible to win.

Cat & I will choose our favorite and announce the winner here on MPB after the tour concludes on April 6th.

To give you an example, here's my take on Cat Winter's In the Shadow of Blackbirds:

Prizes:

An In the Shadow of Blackbirds poster!

Deliciously deco jewelry!

Enter to win a finished copy of In the Shadow of Blackbirds:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

March 25th-April 6th

25th- Recreate the cover contest @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf

26th- Interview @ Icey Books

27th- This or That @ Novels News & Notes

28th- Guest Blog @ Jaime Arnold

29th- Interview @Hobbitsies

30th- This or That @ Carina's Books

31st- Interview @ Book Whales

1st- Character Interview with Julius @ Read Write and Read Some More

2nd- Guest Blog @ Mundie Moms

3rd- This or That @ The Book Galaxy

4th- Guest Blog @ Teen Librarian

5th- Interview @ A.L. Davroe

6th- Character Interview with Mary Shelley @ IBTeens

Trailer Reveal Book Blast: Flame in the Mist

2013-03-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

Mod Podge Blog Tours is very proud to present this creep-tastic, hauntingly vivid, and all together awesome book trailer for Kit Grindstaff's debut middle grade novel, The Flame in the Mist.

Watch it if you dare!

There's evil-a coming from up on the hill

If the Mist doesn't get you, the Agromonds will.

—From an old Anglavian rhyme

EXCERPT:

Thunder roared, and lightning speared down. In its brief flashes, Jemma could see more shadows gathering. They looked like pale Mordsprites, small, bedraggled, skeletal. She lengthened her stride, but the ground was slick and she slipped, slamming face down in black mud. Hauling herself to her feet yet again, she came face to face with one of the shadows.

It was not a Mordsprite at all, but the gray silhouette of a child, a sunken-cheeked, hollow-eyed boy of no more than five, his ragged arms reaching out to her through the Mist.

Jemma stood petrified, her heart pounding as he swayed closer, oblivious to the chaos raining down around him. Others closed in behind him, a straggling band of waifs, all moving in the same direction.

Toward her.

PRAISE:

"Fast, creepy fun. A bit of The Addams Family, a bit of dark fantasy, and a boatload of monsters and magic make this read a ghoulish delight." - Stefan Bachmann, author of The Peculiar

About The Flame in the Mist:

The sun never shines in the land of Anglavia. Its people live within a sinister mist created by their rulers, the cruel Agromond family. The Agromonds' control is absolute; no one dares defy them. But things are about to change, for the youngest of them is not like the others...

Fiery-headed Jemma has always felt like the family misfit, and is increasingly disturbed by the dark goings-on at Agromond Castle. The night before her thirteenth birthday, Jemma discovers the terrifying reason why: She is not who she thinks she is, and the Agromonds have a dreadful ritual planned for her birthday—a ritual that could kill her.

But saving her skin is just the first of Jemma's ordeals. Ghosts and outcasts, a pair of crystals, a mysterious book, an ancient Prophecy—all these gradually reveal the truth about her past, and a destiny far greater and more dangerous than any she could imagine.

With her trusted friend, Digby, and her two telepathic golden rats, Noodle and Pie, Jemma faces enemies both human and supernatural. But in the end, she and her untapped powers might be the only hope for a kingdom in peril.

About Kit

Kit Grindstaff was born near London, and grew up in the rolling countryside of England. After a brush with pop stardom (under her maiden name, Hain), she moved to New York and embarked on her successful career as a pop song writer. Kit now lives with her husband in the rolling countryside of Pennsylvania, where she still writes songs as well as children's books. The Flame In The Mist is her first novel.

Find Kit:

Website

Facebook

Twitter:@kitgrindstaff

Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Books-A-Million

Indiebound

Barnes & Noble

Win a 30$ Amazon or Book Depository giftcard!

International Giveaway

Ends 6/4/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Game of Secrets Day Five

2013-03-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

This is the fourth part of a series of guest posts by the ladies over at The Secret Life of Writers blog. Over these next two weeks, the five of them will be telling a collaborative story that we hope YOU will interact with and then help finish (which will win you AWESOME PRIZES MADE OF AWESOME. You know, if you’re into that sort of thing.)

For full event details, prize info and more, GO HERE!

Today's post is by Heather Marie.

***

Once we were inside the music was well on its way to neighbors-calling-the-cops mode.

“I’ll be right back,” I told Mouse, though I was sure she couldn’t hear me over the obnoxious bass.

I didn’t want to leave her alone for too long, but I was on a mission. Something was up, I knew it. There’s no way we got that invite out of the kindness of their hearts. Mouse was convinced they were trying to make it up to us somehow, after the scene they caused in the cafeteria last week, but I knew better. It was just another setup, and I was on my way to find Isabelle and the rest of the bitch-fits to put this shit to rest. Messing with me was one thing, but messing with Mouse, that shit does not bode well with me.

I pushed myself between a couple who were sticky with sweat and grinding way to close to one another.

“Watch it, freak,” the blonde snapped with a look of disgust, like the very idea of being touched by me was inconceivable. Guess my mask did the opposite of what I intended. Blending in wasn’t exactly my strong suit.

“Ouch. You hurt my feelers,” I said with an exaggerated pout, before giving her my favorite one finger gesture.

The whole house reeked of booze, and as much as I could have gone for a beer at that moment, I couldn’t let myself get distracted. But the need for a drink was hard to ignore when Caelyn and Seth Lancaster were in the kitchen getting rowdy with the rest of them. I needed something to block out those jackasses. From the looks of things, they were definitely on their way to puking their guts out. Someone’s gonna get their stomach pumped tonight.

Near the foot of the steps, Simon watched with his sad puppy dog eyes as Isabelle ran up the steps to her room. Beauty and the Nerd having a lover’s quarrel. Tsk Tsk. The poor fool didn’t know she was only using him. Isn’t that how it always goes with those types? Not far from him was Hayley looking all holier-than-thou. I guess winning the presidency does that to you. I ripped the mask from my face and threw it to the ground. I wanted her to see me, all of me, and know just how serious I was this time.

“Hey,” I said with a snap of a finger in her face.

“What?” she spit back.

I leaned in, forcing her back against the side of the stairs, making her as uncomfortable as possible.

“If I ever hear about you or your other bitch-fits fucking with Mouse again, you’re gonna have to deal with me. And you have no idea what I’m capable of.”

“Oh, please,” she said, clearly not grasping the extent of my wrath. She looked away.

Wrapping my fingers around her jaw, I jerked her head back in my direction. Our eyes dead-locked.

“Don’t think for a second that I won’t break that pretty face of yours. I almost want you to give me a reason.”

The music and jumbled voices around us gave no indication that anyone was aware of our little chat. She was alone, with me. Her lips began to tremble after it all settled in.

Mouse appeared in my peripheral, causing me to release Hayley before she could say anything. But with one last glance, the terrified look on her face told me I’d gotten through.

I followed Mouse up the stairs, weaving my arms through hers. When she went into the bathroom, I decided to search for Isabelle while I waited. She was the leader of this operation and if I had to go through all of them one by one, so be it. I was fed up with them and they way they treated people like Mouse. Whatever they had up their sleeve that night, I was gonna put an end to it.

The funny thing is, I don’t remember what happened after I found Isabelle. They say when you go through some sort of traumatic event that your mind becomes selective. You can remember some things up until that very moment and then, just like that, nothing. Whether Isabelle was alive or dead when I found her, I can’t remember. But when I saw Mouse with the blood on her hands, I didn’t know what to think. Something was wrong. Very wrong. And all I could think was: I have to get Mouse out of here.

People are capable of the strangest things if you push them enough. Awful things. I only wish I knew what really happened. Or maybe I don’t. It could have been anyone. I think.

***

Heather Marie is a YA writer who loves all things creepy. She enjoys writing horror/supernatural stories that make you question that feeling of someone watching over your shoulder. Heather spends most of her days reading and writing and plotting her next idea. When she's not in her writing cave, she enjoys watching creepy TV shows with her

husband and picking apart plot holes in movie

Wis.