Wastepaper Prose

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Release Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-Galley
Source: Publisher
Pages: 352
Buy: Amazon / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

I’m in love with Wanderlove.

There are oodles of reasons to immerse yourself in Kirsten Hubbard’s sophomore novel. First and foremost, it is brilliant in its simplicity: the tale of a middle class 18-year-old girl who takes a journey after graduating from high school to separate herself from her past and her debilitating break-up. Nothing about that feels original, but somehow Wanderlove still is. A substantial piece of that allure is Bria Sandoval.

Bria is so wise and self-aware while still managing to realistically be 18. She knows that she’s bitten off more than she can chew with her trip to Guatemala, and she really knows that she doesn’t want to go back to LA and back to friends who don’t understand what she’s going through or parents who can’t understand why she needed to leave. Yet, she is also very innocent and green, naïve and new. Essentially, she’s human and extremely relatable on many levels. Because of this, I became attached to Bria. Her occasional outbursts, her willingness to go along with a complete stranger like Starling, her musings about art school, her flashbacks to “happier” times with ex-boyfriend Toby—everything about her rings true. When she finally lets herself feel the pain she’s been fighting, my heart breaks right along with hers. You don’t have to be any artist to understand her quest to rediscover her joy.

The artwork throughout the book is another nice detail. Bria’s drawings (done by the author herself!) flit through the pages, giving the reader further insight into Bria’s world. The technique could have easily distracted from the plot, but it is used just enough to enhance rather than take away from the moment, allowing the reader to join into the adventure. And the scenery! I’ve never been an “off the beaten track” kind of girl, but that’s yet another reason to join Bria & Rowan. Hubbard gives excellent, rich descriptions of gorgeous locations through Guatemala and Belize, taking you along for the ride. The conversations and situations are spot-on, especially Rowan and Bria’s late night outpourings of their souls. And really, are there any other kinds of outpourings of souls besides the late night kind?

Speaking of Rowan… he’s quite the fella. He’s well-read, well-traveled, well-spoken; he is the best mix of sensitive intellectual and reformed bad boy. The slow build of their burgeoning relationship is particularly fantastic because, again, it’s believable. Too many books have that immediate “I just met you and I love you oh-so-much” kind of mentality that, frankly, doesn’t impress me. This relationship does. However, one of my only small complaints is that I wish Rowan’s entire secretive back story is completely revealed rather than mentioned. I get why it isn’t revealed in the big picture sense, but I feel it would have added another important layer to him.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my journey. Refreshingly realistic characters, inspiring locales, and gorgeous writing. Consider me afflicted with Wanderlove.

More Author Insight: Revising the Journey

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

If you could change one thing about your journey to publication what would it be?

"I would've gotten serious about writing years ago. I feel like I have too many ideas and too little time." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"I would have gotten published before my mother died. She’s the reason I grew up surrounded by books. And to use one of her phrases, it would have tickled her to walk into Lemuria Books in Jackson, Miss., and buy her son’s book. It’s painful for me that she doesn’t get to enjoy this." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I wouldn't change anything, though if you'd asked me a few years ago I would have said 'Everything!' My journey to publication was difficult. It involved a lot of very complimentary rejections. 'You write well, but . . .' It was hard to take, and more than once I thought about quitting. Not quitting writing, just the quest for the elusive agent and book deal. I kept going, though, and eventually all the right people said yes. Having gone through years of writing, being rejected, and writing some more, I'm a lot stronger -- and a better writer." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"I would be more prepared. For the scrutiny, the pressure of self-promotion, for the work I'd need to do to maintain balance between my various professional endeavors and my personal life. My second book (Envy) comes out this fall - this time, I'm prepped and ready to go! (fingers crossed)" - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Nothing. Though it was a long journey…it got me here! And made my book what it is." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"I would have worried less before publication. There are new stresses now and so I’ve realized that the writing is the one constant in the journey—the only thing you can really control. I’m beginning to understand that the more I stay connected and dedicated to the work itself, the happier I am." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"Only that I would have tried to have my web site up sooner. Mine was still being built a week before the release date, and I didn’t know where to send people—my blog? My Facebook fan page? Twitter? A finished web site would have been really helpful. Besides that, though, every moment of my publication journey was an absolute dream!" - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"You know what? Not a thing. I have the greatest editor in the world and the most talented sales and marketing team around. I literally feel lucky every single day to have Penguin Young Readers behind me." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"It would be faster. I set aside my aspirations for write fiction for family and career, and while I don't regret that, I do regret hat I didn’t find a way to chase my dream at the same time." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"I would’ve worried less in the final stages. I was stressed the whole time between the sale of my first manuscript and the book’s production. It was wasted angst." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I would have not signed with my first agent—the very first agent that offered. I would have interviewed her more carefully. It ended up a disaster. My current agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, is amazing, so it had a happy-ever-after ending." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"I’d remind myself to chill out a little. Writers are sensitive to begin with and every part of the process brings some new fear: First, will anyone want to publish my book? Then, will anyone want to read it? Will readers like it? Will they want to read the sequel? It’s easy to drive yourself crazy. Worth noting: Illuminate is about a girl learning to have confidence. Clearly, I’m still not a total expert!" - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"I would make it shorter." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"I would have started sooner! It took be awhile to realize that in order to get published you have to sit down and write a whole book." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Come back Tuesday when authors will be sharing secrets about their books!

<< Previous

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Author Website: myramcentire.blogspot.com

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

Description from Goodreads.

Why I can't wait?
I am all about all things time travel- Back to the Future, Quantum Leap, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Hourglass. I can't wait to hear more about the Hourglass Institute, about the powers of the characters from Hourglass, and about Emerson & Michael. I know I'm in Team Michael all by my lonesome over here, but I'd pick him over Kaleb any day. Plus, what an eye-catching cover! It's even more amazing than the Hourglass cover, which is really saying something. In my hands now plz.

Author Insight: Revising the Journey

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

If you could change one thing about your journey to publication what would it be?

"I might've gotten out of my own way and started on the road a little earlier. I spent a long time being afraid to dive into writing, afraid I wasn't good enough. My own doubts held me back. But generally, I don't like to mess with the past--even theoretically. Look what almost happened to Marty McFly! That's bad mojo, man!" - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"The giving up. About three months after we sent Above on submission, and after piles and piles and drifts of the most loving and complimentary rejection letters you ever saw, I realized that I had done my very best, and that this was probably not going to happen. And then I gave up, quietly mourned the idea of selling a novel, and started looking around in the rest of my life for something to chase; something to devote myself to instead." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"My book has been done for a while, but we waited for a pub date that would give us the most buzz and exposure. Ultimately it’s the right thing to do, and I’m thrilled the publisher is dedicated enough to think about these things, but I’m very impatient and want it out already!" - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"I would start sooner. Way sooner." - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"I wish I had started earlier, taken a bigger risk, and been more sure that I had a story to tell and would find someone who wanted to hear it." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"Well, it would have been nice to sell the movie rights to my book first for a whole ton of money and then landed some super huge book deal, but other than that I wouldn't really make any changes." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"There was a long period when I was writing short stories and submitting like mad without selling a single one. I guess I could've done without that." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"I wouldn’t have put so much pressure on myself to sell a book. Then again, if I hadn’t put so much pressure on myself, I might not be published today. So I take it back. Revision: I wouldn’t have convinced myself that happiness, fulfillment, and validation hinged on publication. Because they don’t." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"I wish I had found the courage to start earlier. I kept waiting to give myself permission to write a novel, as though there would be a specific time that I would have something to say. What a waste of time!" - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"Nothing. It happened quickly, with the right agent and the right publisher at the right time in my life. I feel so lucky…even though it means that I frequently look over my shoulder to make sure a bus isn’t going to run me down in exchange for my publishing deal." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"My stress level! I'm still working on that. Neurosis is not conducive to good writing. Well, okay, obviously it worked for some of the literary greats, but in addition to publishing books, I'd like to also be a happy person." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"I don’t dwell on the past. It wastes the present!" - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Find out Thursday if the rest of the authors would change anything about their journey to publication.<< Previous

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Release Date: Jan. 17, 2012
Publisher: Graphia
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Pages: 204
Buy: Amazon / Fountain Bookstore
Description: Goodreads
Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. But in the short time he has left there’s one thing he can do: He can try to help the people he loves live—even though he never will.

It’s probably hopeless.

But he has to try.

Turning the last page of Never Eighteen and closing the book on Austin Parker’s life was incredibly hard. I felt like I had lost a friend.

In a brief 204 pages, I lived a lifetime with Austin, Kaylee, and all of Megan Bostic’s characters. Never Eighteen gripped me from the start and refused to let go, almost as if it, like Austin, needed to see things through to the end.

Leukemia has turned Austin into a shadow of his former self. He’s adjusted to the weakness and accepted what will come next, but there are things he needs to do before then. Some of them are for him. Most of them are for his friends and family.

Even though his will be over soon, Austin wants to give life back to the people around him. People who have suffered hardships, severed ties, withdrawn from the world or given up on everything, including themselves. He wants to make sure that when his life ends, theirs will go on.

Austin sets out on a weekend mission to conquer his fears, participate in high school rights of passage, and find out what happened to make some of the people he cares about most stop living. In the midst of pursuing the things he hasn’t experienced in his seventeen years, he tracks down each person he needs to talk to and offers the only things he really can – his thoughts and a sympathetic ear.

This easily could have been a novel about a dying boy. A pity party crafted around his one last goodbye. But Never Eighteen isn’t about death. It’s about life and living every moment of the one you have, however long or short it may be.

I think that’s what drew me into this story so deeply. I had the majority of the book to get to know Austin. To get attached to him. He’s open and honest and easy to relate to. His illness does not define him. All that just made it harder to let go.

You see, the trouble with Never Eighteen is that you know from the moment you read the jacket copy that the end of this novel is inevitable. Engrossed, I tore through most of the book. When I hit the last 20 pages, I cried.

Never Eighteen was a very emotional read for me. It struck a long-forgotten cord me and resonates with me still. Austin's journey made me realize that I've become somewhat complacement in my life and remember that the search for truth, beauty, and meaning in life is always worthwhile.

Yes, Never Eighteen is a sad story about the life of a dying boy. And yes, you might cry. But you should know up front that the message is worth all the tears.

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Release Date: Oct. 26, 2010
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-book
Source: Purchased
Pages: 272
Buy: Fountain Bookstore / Amazon
Description: Goodreads
“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Occasionally, a book will fall into your lap at just the right moment. It doesn’t matter that it’s not the newest release, or that you’ve had it on your TBR list for months, or even that you’ve heard all the good things other trusted people have said about it. The bookappears in a flash of amazingness precisely when you need to read it. That’s exactly how I feel about Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, the third co-writing partnership of Rachel Cohn & David Levithan.

I had previously read both Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Naomi & Eli’s No-Kiss List a couple of years ago, back at the beginnings of my Reading Renaissance (aka when I started reading again voraciously). I adored Nick & Norah, but Naomi & Eli didn’t click for me. I think that’s why I sat on Dash & Lily for so long. It was a fifty-fifty chance of me liking it, and I didn’t like those odds. Amazingly, I completely loved Dash & Lily even more than I thought possible, and I blame/thank Lily for that.

It has been a ridiculously long time since I have identified with a character as much as I do with Lily. She acknowledges that she is aware of his weirdness and that she isn’t the most normal of teenagers. However, she also keeps being exactly who she is, and that’s why she is the freakin’ coolest. In fact, every time she isn’t being true to herself, things never work out for the best. Quirky, awkward, smart, and increasingly proud of it? This is a girl after my own heart. I could read a whole series of Lily.

Dash took a bit longer to win me over. While Levithan (of course!) does an amazing job of establishing Dash’s voice from the very beginning, I have to agree with Lily’s Great Aunt Ida/Mrs. Basil E.’s assessment: “His persnicketiness is not nearly as delightful as he’d have one believe, but he has his own charm nonetheless.”The more he allowed the reader behind his veil of snarliness, the more endearing he became. And Dash and Lily together?These two were meant to find each other. Every scene they share was magical, even the scenes where it was only one person and one red Moleskine notebook with the other person’s words.

Speaking of the infamous red Moleskine, I thought the scavenger hunt just this side of far-fetched. Really, if this story took place anywhere but New York, I wouldn’t have believed it so quickly. Instead, the zaniness of it- scouring The Strand, feeling up Santa, late night dancing to the sounds of a rockin’ klezmer band- kept a grin plastered across my face. Andlet’s not forget the incredible secondary cast of characters, from the aforementioned Mrs. Basil E. and the rest of Lily’s exceedingly large and bizarre family to Dash’s BFF Boomer (whether he wants him or not) and his group of loyal misfits. These people are more outrageous than the residents of Stars Hollow on Town Meeting Night.

I didn’t know I needed this book, but apparently… I really needed this book. Cohn & Levithan will not receive a doubt from me again. I know Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares will be one of my yearly holiday books, though it’s not just a holiday-themed story. It’s a tale of taking risks, letting your guard down, and accepting people for who they are. Obviously, if you couldn’t already tell, I’m mad about Dash & Lily.

Fever Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

I lucked into an advance copy of Fever by Lauren Destefano, and am passing it along to a lucky reader. The giveaway will end at 11:59 p.m. EST on Feb. 9.

Just fill out this FORM to enter.

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.

Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

More Author Insight: People Watching

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Where is your favorite place to people watch?

"I don't know that I people watch. I interact with teens all day, as a teacher, and I wouldn't really call that people-watching, but it's the most social part of most of my days." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"Well, I live in Memphis, and the candlelight vigil on the anniversary of Elvis’ death brings out all sorts of interesting types. But on a day-to-day basis I’d have to say my Bikram yoga class. Nothing like watching people contort themselves in unbearable heat." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I don't have a favorite spot, mostly because I tend not to hang out in any one place for a long time. I write at home (on a desktop computer) and when I go places that require me to wait (like the dentist office or something), I usually bring a book or knitting -- and watch people from the corner of my eye." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"The airport! It's the closest human equivalent we have to a zoo, I think, in that people are basically trapped and on display (at least until their seating zone is called). You've got families grappling with antsy children, robotic traveling businesspeople who haven't slept at home in weeks, military personnel, lovers in love and lovers fighting. It's the perfect place to build imaginary backstories for the people around you." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Restaurants. You get so many snapshots of different people, different situations. First dates, fights, gossiping friends. My husband and I often fall silent during dinner, because we’re listening to the strange conversations around us!" - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"I love people watching at the airport because there’s inherent drama. Time is winding down. People are anxious, eager, coming, going. It’s a point of transition and change, even tension, which is all interesting. And you see people of every age and nationality." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"The airport—I like to try and figure out where people are going or where they’ve just come from, and the reason for the trip." - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"I love sitting in cozy cafes, sipping tea, writing or reading the paper for hours and hours. (Colson in Brooklyn has become my newest regular spot.) I just love the warmth of the space and the friendliness of the people who come and go." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"The subway. We don't have one where I live, but when I'm in a large city like New York, Chicago, or Tokyo, I love watching the intersection of class, race, and sex that only public transportation can provide." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"The school bus stop, where I pick up my kids. We’re like a little evolving eco-system, with shifting friendships and alliances among the waiting parents. For the most part, it’s always the same players, but it’s always different, too." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I like to watch people at the grocery store. It’s a familiar setting for most people, so they are fairly natural. It also throws people together who would not ordinarily interact. It gives me access to families as well as couples and folks of all ages and backgrounds. It’s my own forced 'elevator improv skit.'" - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"I happen to be a champion people-watcher. I live in DC and love hitting any of the Smithsonian museums. One of my favorite writing spots is the courtyard at the Portrait Gallery, and I’ll sit there with my laptop attempting to work but I’ll inevitably get distracted by every tourist, school field trip and lunching office worker that passes by. I love it!" - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"My husband is even more of a people watcher than I am. I love to sit with him on a bench at the mall and listen to his hypotheses about how this particular person ended up wearing that outfit, and why nobody at home stopped this person." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"I work at a college. The cafeteria is always an interesting place." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Stop by Tuesday to find out if the authors would change anything about their journey to publication.

<< Previous

Author Insight: People Watching

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Where is your favorite place to people watch?

"Coffee shops located near high schools. I'm always stalking--I mean observing teens for YA research purposes in a highly professional manner, and you can glean tons of insight and ideas over a nice caramel macchiato at your local house of overpriced caffeine." - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"The streetcar. Transit is this weird sort of null space, where you're not putting on your work face or school face or party face: you're in between personas, not just stops. There's a lot of acting that people just don't do when they're surrounded by strangers on the streetcar, and that's when they're fascinating to watch. Or eavesdrop on. I eavesdrop like Samwise Gamgee, yo.

" - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"In my head. I prefer not to engage with people as much as possible because they end up annoying me. So instead I stay home and imagine what it would be like if everyone acted exactly like I wanted them to." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"Urban restaurants, particularly restaurants with outside terraces where you get the combined pleasures of watching people walk by and making up their lives and listening to conversations at nearby tables. Although never so avidly that it could be considered, say, creepy…" - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"I’m the kind of oblivious person who is terrible at people watching—even when I set out to do it, I usually get distracted a few minutes in and am soon lost in my own thoughts. (Does that make me a narcissist?) But the one place I’m able to really focus on strangers and their strangeness is the subway, maybe because (if I’ve forgotten my book) there’s really nothing else to do but pretend not to stare. It’s also an excellent source of interesting people to watch. More than once I’ve seen a man with a pet chicken on a leash." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"At the moment, I think it's outside my window. There are some strange people in this neighborhood, and I don't know about you, but when my neighbors are strange, I feel like I need to keep an eye on their doings. Like, what is that man who never smiles making with all those power tools in his garage, and why is he out there at 10 o'clock at night sawing away? There's a story there, I'm sure." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"It's more fun to people eavesdrop." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"The Ocean Front Walk in Venice Beach! There’s no other place like it in the world." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"Train stations, I suppose, because there are a million reasons to be there and a million ways for unrelated people to intersect." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"'Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.' That’s from Love, Actually, one of my favorite movies, and it’s true for me. There’s so much happening at airports: I like to wonder what’s in people’s heads as they sit at the gate, waiting for their planes to arrive." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"There is a fountain at the Seattle Center (where the Space Needle can be found) that I really enjoy. It's a huge bowl with the fountain in the middle that shoots water in sync with music. In the summer, kids play in the bowl. When it's colder, you see more teens daring each other to touch the base without getting wet. I love to sit on the outside edge of the bowl and watch all the different kinds of people that gather. There are families, couples on romantic strolls, homeless people, hippies, dog walkers, teens, tourists...it's just a smorgasbord of humanity." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"The subway, especially going from south Brooklyn to the north Bronx, because you see everybody." - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

On Thursday, find out where the rest of the authors like to people watch!<< Previous

February ARC Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This one is going to go quickly folks because I want to get them in the mail before week's end in hopes that the lucky reader who wins this bundle can read one or two of these before they release. Giveaway ends 2/2 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Just fill out this FORM to enter. GOOD LUCK!

Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

Miseducation of Cameron Post
by Emily M. Danforth

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

*Descriptions from Goodreads.

January ARC and Cinder winners

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I have two winners to announce, so, without further ado, the winner of ARCs of Everneath by Brodi Ashton, Incarnate by Jodi Meadows, and Forbidden by Syrie James & Ryan James is...

Ariel W.

And the winner of Cinder by Marissa Meyer is...

Taryn B.

Congratulations to both of you! I'll put the January ARC pack in the mail ASAP, and I will forward information to Feiwel & Friends and Zeighost Media so they can send Cinder out. Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more giveaways.

More Author Insight: From Thought to Page

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

How do you translate your ideas from raw thoughts and images into a story?

"For me, imagery usually evolves through revision. I generally translate my ideas into a comprehensible story by layering in details. I start with an idea, and write a very rough draft, sometimes jotted in a notebook, sometimes typed...but then I go back over it, and over it and over it, sometimes I print scenes out and write on them. Sometimes I word process the entire thing. But it's always a layering process, and often a cutting process as I work to find the right balance between my vision and getting readers to understand/see that vision." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"With great difficulty. I learned the hard way on my first book that structure is not my natural strength. Between my agent and my editor, I can’t count how often I heard some variation of 'this scene, while hilarious/fascinating/compelling, doesn’t move the story forward.' On my revisions and with my current work-in-progress, I made myself spend more time outlining the story arc." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I sit down, put my hands on the keyboard, and type. I don't know if this is true for other writers, but occasionally I just start thinking in narrative, describing things I see and hear and feel as they happen, as if I were a character in a story. That sounds pretty weird, but I figure it's like muscle memory: if you do something often enough, your body just knows how. Like dance, music, or riding a bike, with enough practice, it's something your body is accustomed to doing." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"I sit down and write. If I don't get things down quickly, I risk losing them to the nasty elves of distraction and/or overthinking. I try to honor my inspiration and write off the top of my head, knowing that the time for editing and honing comes later." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"For me, it happens in jarring stages. Writing and rewriting over and over. I say rewriting instead of revision, because often I have to tear out the whole structure to get to the next evolution of the story." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"I like to create files of images and sketches that inspire the setting and characters, but the real work happens through lots and lots of revision. There’s really no secret other than to stare at walls, and rewrite voraciously." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"When I’m writing, each scene tends to play out in my head like a movie, and my job is to try and write it all down before the words and images fade. On rare occasions I succeed, and the words do miraculously convey what I’d hoped they would. But more often I need to “watch” the movie over and over until what’s in my imagination and what’s on my computer screen are in harmony." - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"I suppose I just start writing. Early on, it’s so easy to get bogged down by all the possibility of where a story might be going, and a blank page can be an intimidating thing. So I always try to begin by pulling back and asking myself a simple question: What if this happened? What if that happened? (What if you really COULD die from a broken heart?)

For me, the raw thoughts worth developing and exploring are usually the ones that give me that spark of excitement whenever I think about them. I might imagine a voice, or a place. I might even have an idea of a beginning or an end, but absolutely no clue how all the pieces fit together. Personally, I try not to worry too much about how to connect the dots early on, since it can be too overwhelming. Instead, I take a lot of notes. I take a lot of walks. Sometimes I even talk to myself to work through all the questions. (You know that crazy person you just saw on the sidewalk muttering away under their breath? Yup, probably a writer.) Overall, I try to give my characters room to play and explore and just talk to me. Once I feel connected to a voice, the story usually starts to write itself." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"I start fleshing out story ideas by writing them on sticky notes and putting them on the way of my office. I rearrange them until I see a sense of order and go from there." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"I just sit down and start writing, hoping for that moment when the story takes over and starts spilling out of my head." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I 'see' a story. The premise usually comes from a simple prompt: a photograph, a poem, a song, but the story plays out visually in my mind." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"TONS of outlining! I pretty much just outline the heck out of a book, making my outline more and more detailed until I get to the point that I just can’t stand it anymore and I’ve absolutely got to start writing." - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"I just start writing. It’s a jumbled mess at first. Gradually a story emerges." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"Insert cable in head, press 'download' -- hehe, I wish it was that easy. I just start writing and writing. When I stop, then I edit it into something fit for human consumption." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

On Tuesday, find out where the authors like to people watch!

<< Previous

Cinder Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:30:00 +0000

The amazing folks at Zeitghost Media and Feiwel & Friends have offered me a copy of Marissa Meyer's Cinder to giveaway to one lucky reader. Check out the book trailer and description below then fill out this FORM to enter. The giveaway ends at noon on Sunday, Jan. 29.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl....
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
*Description from Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Publisher: Walker Childrens

Author Website: http://www.jennifershawwolf.com/

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.

When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free?

Description from Amazon.

Why I can't wait?
I'm a sucker for stories about reconciling with the past. I learned about this book after seeing a passing glimpse of the cover at a conference last year and knew I had to read it. It sounds like it has a little mystery, intrigue, and a lot of emotion.

Author Insight: From Thought to Page

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

How do you translate your ideas from raw thoughts and images into a story?

"Ha! If I knew the actual answer to that, I would totally bottle it up and sell it. Let's just say the formula involves a lot of tears, pajamas, chocolate, revising, hair-pulling, teeth-gnashing, coffee, and magic fairy dust. And tears. Did I mention tears?" - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"Sheer, bloody-minded logic! No, really!

I walk into a story knowing certain really random things about it: Right now, that's the ghosts of superheroes, and abandoned ferris wheels; the inside of a terrible, hurt, vindictive relationship, Vancouver, stormy skies, crows, and the tightrope walk between vigilanteism and civic responsibility. And since a list of things I just gut-deep know about a story is really not all that helpful when it comes to writing actual words, I start shuffling what I have around constantly: trying to find the lines of logic between them, finding how they might connect. And when they connect? I figure out what the implications of those connections are: "If that's true, then that would mean this also has to be true." And apply that back to the other things…" - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"To me, storytelling is like throwing a football – it’s an ability you’re born with that can only be honed by practice. You can’t really learn it if you don’t have it in you. That’s why I’m not in the NFL." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"I see scenes as I write them, I try to be inside them, and I attempt to write what I’m seeing and feeling. Sometimes it works better than others." - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"Before I ever sit down to write the first page, I spend a lot of time mapping out how the story’s going to go, trying to pull random, brainstormed ideas into some kind of linear story, trying to figure out who my characters are and what they want, trying to figure out what kind of ending my beginning deserves. But it never quite comes together until I find the right first line. Only once I have that, and the book has its voice, can I actually start the story." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"It's always more difficult than I think it will be. Sometimes it takes several attempts at a first draft before the story is going the way I want it to. As with anything, it's a matter of getting back up on that horse each time you fall off." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"The raw thoughts and images are a daydream. The story is daydreaming through your fingers. It just sort of happens." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"Once I have the beginnings of an idea, I let it percolate. I don’t write a single word until the first raw idea collides with a second idea, and possibly a third, and so on. Stories are built on idea amalgams." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"I give myself permission to follow an idea on paper without much planning. Sometimes I dream the place first and the characters begin to populate it. Other times, the first line or the character comes to me first and I create the world around her. The rest unfolds as I write." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"I mentally vomit onto the page. Truly, I’m not an outliner or a person who maps to word count goals. I get an idea, and just write until I have to go pick up my kids from preschool." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"That's the question I ask myself every day. Usually, I type it really fast so as not to lose the idea, and then go back and add language that evokes the mood that I "saw" in my head. I find that I often need to slow down my original offering, adding more white space for better reflection." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"Writing fiction (like any creative endeavor, I imagine) is a partnership between unconscious and conscious. Your unconscious feeds on your senses and experiences, and digests ideas and images; then it’s up to your conscious—with its cognitive and deductive properties, and its vocabulary—to interpret that coherently." - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Learn how the rest of the authors translate raw ideas into stories this Thursday!<< Previous

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:43:00 +0000

Release Date: Jan. 10, 2012
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Age Group: Young Adult

Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Pages: 336
Buy: Fountain Bookstore / Amazon
Description: Goodreads
Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

WARNING: Inside jokes ahead.

Good morning John and fellow readers, it’s Friday, January 20. This review of your latest novel The Fault in Our Stars comes to you in four parts...

Part 1: A Statement of Amazement
John, I should point out that, no matter what I write in this review, the words will never be able to do justice to the way I feel about The Fault in Our Stars. I finished days ago, and I still haven’t been able to fully understand just how I feel about it. Believe me, you were not kidding when you said we would feel ALL OF THE THINGS after reading this, because I did, and I still do. I feel incredibly grateful that I am in the YA & Nerdfighter communities so I know that this book exists. I feel beyond inspired to put good things into the world. I feel the sweet sting of tears, the bubble of uncontrollable laughter, and the overwhelming sense of fulfillment with every passing thought about Hazel and Augustus. John, your talent at putting words together in a way that creates these all of these emotions simultaneously amazes me, and I state that now. I didn’t know words could do that.

Part 2: A Love Letter to Hazel and Augustus
Dear Hazel Grace and Gus, I love you. I love you for being yourselves, even when it’s tough. I love you for not allowing your disease to define you, despite the fact that it easily could. I love you for being completely normal and totally real. I love you for your capital r Romance and your capital h Heroism, even if you feel that my sentimentality is essentially my hamartia. I love your senses of humor and your senses of adventure. Your love is so sweet and true and honest and made of awesome. It’s the kind of love that everyone should experience in their lives, if they’re lucky.

Part 3: An Exclamation
French the llama, it’s hard to write spoiler-free reviews!!

Part 4: A Proclamation to Go Forth and Read.
If you haven’t already, go out and get your hands on a copy of The Fault in Our Stars. You will not be disappointed. You will snort with laughter and unapologetically lie in a pool of your own tears. I cannot tell you how much I loved it, because I don’t think the words have yet been created to describe my true feelings.

Best wishes, DFTBA, and John? I’ll see you on Vlogbrothers.

More Author Insight: Required Reading

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

What book do you consider required reading for everyone?

"The Giver." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"I want to say any of the collected poems of Wallace Stevens, mainly because I think more people should love Wallace Stevens. But really, any favorite collection of poetry will do. Becoming a better reader of poetry can help all writers, I think, whether you aspire to write verse or not (and I don’t). We’re all trying to use language more evocatively, and poetry is sort of the physics of writing." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"Everyone has different taste in books. While some of us might have extremely similar taste and some books may have very wide appeal -- I don't know that there's one book I'd say everyone should read. But for aspiring authors (and even experienced authors!), I'd definitely suggest reading some of the major sellers and award winners in their genre, regardless whether they enjoy the book; it's important to know what's reaching the audience." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"For everyone? That's a tough one. For writers, I recommend Stephen King's On Writing; for everyone else my universal recommendations are Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and - of course - Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"Where the Wild Things Are. In the midst of gnashing teeth and terrible claws there is an important truth: even if you really screw up, supper will still be waiting for you. That one reassurance can make us brave enough to try to do the impossible." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"I’ve thought about this question for a few days. Here’s what I believe: There isn’t a single book that is for everyone, but everyone should read until they find their one single book." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"The Giver by Lois Lowry. I read it in the fifth grade and it’s the first book I can remember feeling changed by. Before then, I don’t think I’d realized how much impact a book could have on my perception of the world." - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"The Diary of Anne Frank." - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"For everyone? I really don't think there is such a book because there’s no such thing as a universally accessible story, but if you made me pick, then it would be Where the Wild Things Are." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"Tolkien’s The Return of the King. It has everything, from life-or-death stakes to tested friendships and a beautiful romantic subplot – not to mention its overall epic sweep. The whole trilogy is (obviously) a masterpiece, but if I had to pick one book, I’d choose the grand finale." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"To Kill a Mockingbird." - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"The Catcher in the Rye, without a doubt. I read it when I was 14 and, naturally, fell madly in love with Holden Caulfield. But literary crushes aside, the feelings of angst and alienation in there are just timeless. There’s something comforting about reading it during those tumultuous teen years. And I love it so much I reread it every year or so, like checking in on an old friend." - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"Read some classics, any classics. They might not be the latest thing, but you'll be grateful for it later." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

Stop by Tuesday to learn how the authors translate their raw ideas into stories!

<< Previous

Stop SOPA, Save the Web

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0000

We'd apologize for the click-through but it's important! Wastepaper Prose is supporting the Stop SOPA Blackout along with hundreds of other U.S. sites across the interwebs, including Wikipedia and...

(yeah, you can see a little bit of the Google "g" there.)

Learn more by watching the video below, clicking the Google banner or HERE (the only working Wikipedia page today) or by tuning in to your local news. NPR has already jumped on it!

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

To participate and use the blackout click through, go to http://sopablackout.org/ If you're on WordPress,
check out the plug-ins they made so you can join in too!

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The Savage Grace by Bree Despain

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Author Website: http://www.breedespain.com/

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

A troubled soul. An impossible choice. A final battle.

Wrestling with the werewolf curse pulsing deep inside of her, Grace Divine was finally able to find her brother, but it nearly cost her everything.

With her boyfriend, Daniel, stuck in wolf form and Sirhan's death approaching, time is running out for Grace to stop Caleb Kalbi and his gang of demons. If she fails, her family and hometown will perish. Everything rests on Grace's shoulders.

Description from Goodreads.

Why I can't wait?
The ending of The Lost Saint made me gasp. So I read it again. Then I yelled, "WHAT?!?" which scared my dog enough to make her jump off the couch and run into the next room. Grace and Daniel are one of my favorite couples because they are so genuine, and they act like regular old teenagers too. I want to know if Grace is able to get a handle on her powers, if (and when!) Daniel transforms, if Jude makes up his mind to be a Good Wolf or a Bad Wolf, if Baby James will ever grow out of his unfortunate nickname.

Author Insight: Required Reading

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:30:00 +0000

What book do you consider required reading for everyone?

"It's cheating to say *my* books, right? ;-) Okay. I do pimp Melina Marchetta's Jellicoe Road a lot, but now I'm reading John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and I think that's going to be my next omg-you-HAVE-to-read-this mission." - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"Oh, this I can't answer! I spent four years working at an independent bookstore, and the big lesson of bookselling is that there's not one book on Earth that's for everyone. And if there is, it's probably boring as dirt, because the only way you're acceptable to everyone is by inspiring real love in no one." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"Fooled By Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. It will change the way you look at the world, but I would only recommend it if you like pompously written business books." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"Romeo and Juliet: love, hate, prejudice, insane societal strictures, passion, loyalty, death, bad timing, and breathtaking poetry. How do you beat that?" - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"It’s not technically a book, but I think everyone should have to read at least one of the major Shakespeare plays. I’m not sure I agree that Shakespeare “invented the human”, at least not single-handedly, but I think if you’re going to understand people and language and modern life and western civilization, he’s as good a place as any to start. Runner up: Consider the Lobster, by David Foster Wallace, the reading of which makes me feel more human." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"That's such a tough call. There's so many good ones to pick from. The word everyone makes me think I should pick something that can benjoyed by all ages. So, I'll have to go with a picture book. I loved the Church Mice picture books by Graham Oakley as a kid, and I remember my mom enjoyed them as much as I did. Probably our favorite was The Church Mice and the Moon. It's got everything a good book should have, adventure, humor, great dialog and a cantankerous cat." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"Black Beauty, because animals have plights." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"I try to convince everyone to at least give The Gunslinger by Stephen King, a chance. It’s the most bizarre book I’ve ever read, and has inspired me more than any other book." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"Dozens of books come to mind, but I would definitely include One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It’s a look at teen suicide that leaves the reader feeling surprisingly hopeful. But more than that, it’s a reminder that you never know what someone else is going through, and to be kind to one another." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"Gosh...I think reading is far too subjective for my favorite reads to be everyone else's, but I don't think I'd be amiss in telling people that if they haven't read Sneetches by Dr. Seuss they are missing out." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss." - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Come back Thursday to find our what book the rest of the authors think should be required reading!<< Previous

January ARC Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Just fill out this FORM for your chance to win!

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
Balzer+Bray, January

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Forbidden by Syrie James
& Ryan M. James
HarperTeen, January 24

She should not exist.

He should not love her.

Claire Brennan has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now (the longest she and her mom have remained anywhere) and she’s desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there’s no way she’s going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she’s been having or the creepy warnings that she’s in danger.

Alec MacKenzie is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn’t factored Claire into his plans. . . .

Their love is forbidden, going against everything Alec has been taught to believe. But when the reason behind Claire’s unusual powers is revealed and the threat to her life becomes clear, how far will Alec go to protect her?

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
Katherine Tegen Books, January 31

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Tempest Book Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Just in time for the release of Tempest by Julie Cross, St. Martin's Griffin has put out a book trailer for it! Before you press play though, here's a little about the book...

Release Date: January 17, 2012

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps– it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future. Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Starters by Lissa Price

Release Date: March 13, 2012

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Author Website: http://www.lissaprice.com/

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

In a world ravaged by war and genocide, becoming someone else is now possible. Sixteen-year-old Callie discovers the Body Bank where teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. When her neurochip malfunctions, she wakes up in the mansion of her rich renter and finds she is going out with a senator’s grandson. It’s a fairy-tale new life, until she discovers her renter’s deadly plan.

Description from LissaPrice.com

Why I can't wait?
This concept reminds me a little of the show Dollhouse, which I absolutely love. People purchase or rent someone for a purpose or experience, and Starters sounds like a more permanent version. I think this plus the dystopian element will be amazing. I can't wait to see what Lissa Price has in store!

Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Release Date: Jan. 18, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-book
Source: Purchased
Pages: 224
Buy: Fountain Bookstore / Amazon
Description: Goodreads
Bridget Duke is the uncontested ruler of her school. The meanest girl with the biggest secret insecurities. And when new girl Anna Judge arrives, things start to fall apart for Bridget: friends don't worship as attentively, teachers don't fall for her wide-eyed "who me?" look, expulsion looms ahead and the one boy she's always loved—Liam Ward—can barely even look at her anymore.

When a desperate Bridget drives too fast and crashes her car, she ends up in limbo, facing everyone she's wronged and walking a few uncomfortable miles in their shoes. Now she has only one chance to make a last impression. Though she might end up dead, she has one last shot at redemption and the chance to right the wrongs she's inflicted on the people who mean the most to her.

And Bridget's about to learn that, sometimes, saying you're sorry just isn't enough…

Here Lies Bridget is the tale of self-proclaimed princess of Winchester Prep, Bridget Duke. She’s one of the most popular girls in her class, but beneath that, she is a spoiled, insensitive, and manipulative bully. However, you wouldn’t know it if you asked her. According to Bridget, everyone treats her most unfairly, from her teacher who expects her to be (gasp!) on time to class every day, to her stepmother who wants to humiliate her by taking her out to the movies (horror of horrors!!), to her friends who don’t even listen to her advice about what clothes would make them look less fat. Plus, her ex-boyfriend Liam hasn’t paid attention to her in like forever, and now he’s all over some new girl named Anna who’s nicer, prettier, and inexplicably more popular than Bridget! She just can’t take this injustice! After a car accident, Bridget awakes to find herself in a strange boardroom between here and elsewhere, where she will see herself in a new light. And that new light must be fluorescent because it is harsh.

This was a fun little read that I blew though extremely fast. Bridget is pretty awful for a good chunk of the novel, but it’s obvious that there’s more to her than just Mean Girl. Throughout the story, little snippets of back story reveal that she hasn’t always been the bullying popular ice queen as she would have you believe. She acts more out of fear of people finding out how vulnerable she is. It’s not the most original flaw in the world, but it’s definitely makes Bridget seem more like a real person and less like a one-note character. It also helps that this is from her point of view, because being able to hear why she says the things she says makes up for the fact that she also makes me want to slap her.

So, you know when a character is that bad kind of character, with the bad attitude and the all-around Scrooge-iness, there’s always that Scrooge-y tale of redemption. In this case, existing in that here-but-not-here boardroom suspended in time, Bridget is able to see herself through the eyes of the people she’s hurt in the past. Once she hears her words without the context of her own thoughts, Bridget rightfully discovers that she’s pretty much the worst. Of course, she is given a chance to make right what once went wrong, hopefully before the clocks hits midnight and elsewhere becomes reality.

Here Lies Bridget isn’t going to change the world, but it will keep you entertained from start to finish. It’s funny and quick, full of relatable and real people. This is a great weekend read. In fact, I think it would make a great weekend movie too, so I’m glad to know it’s been optioned for a film.

An Apocalyptic Argument for Physical Books

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

The zombie apocalypse has arrived, most of the population is dead, and you're fighting off the undead on an almost daily basis. The question is, do you have anything to read? Well, I will because I haven't put all my eggs in one E-basket quite yet.

I have no idea how how we got on to the topic of how books factor into an undead uprising, but Stacey from Page Turners Blog and I got to discussing it after I went to the bookstore last night. My thought was that everyone should buy one physical book for every so many (you can set the number) e-books they buy. That way there will be plenty of books still hanging about even if you aren't. (Sorry to be realistic, but it is the zombie apocalypse and if you've been bitten we aren't going to be all mushy about it.)

You see it in zombie movies and shows all the time. The encroaching hoards take a brief hiatus, and one of the characters finds an old paperback somewhere then kicks up to read. It's never the best book, but it's something.

The trouble is the advent and rapid adoption of e-reader and e-book technologies makes this nearly impossible. Barring the use of a generator, the power will eventually go off. And even if you have a generator, gas is a precious commodity and it will soon be available in increasingly limited supply.

No electricity = No E-Reader.

It's possibly the only thing you'll be sad doesn't come back from the dead.

That means you'll be searching for reading material when undead downtime occurs, and with people having turned to e-books you'll be left settling for a Haynes automotive manual, a dictionary or worse, a Physician's Desk Reference. No one wants that.

I am by no means saying that you should boycott e-readers, but think about the future! Keep buying hard copies every so often if you want books to survive the zombie apocalypse because unless you own a huge solar array or a hamster farm them your e-reader just isn't going to make it. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.