Wastepaper Prose

Author Insight: Writing Behind the Scenes

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 29 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

If someone had a behind-the-scenes pass to observe your writing process what would they see?

"I tend to binge write, where I sit down and crank out 5k at a time, usually at night. It’s mostly just me, planted on the couch with my MacBook Air, fingers flying and ignoring the world. My husband once stopped me and said, 'I don’t understand how you’re coming up with anything that actually makes sense over there.' Well, sometimes it doesn’t, but at least it’s words on a page that I can start revising!" - Lauren Morrill, author of Meant to Be.

"Many hours of near-motionless longhand page-filling. Occasional forays to the kitchen for carrots, crackers and peppermint tea, or to throw out one empty biro and pick up another. The left side of my hair becoming more and more disheveled as I pause and scratch my head for inspiration. I think the watcher would fall asleep fairly smartly." - Margo Lanagan, author of The Brides of Rollrock Island.

"General sadness. No. My process is something I’m working on. The other day I wrote from 11 in the morning to 9 at night. But some days I look at stuff on the internet all day. Right now I’m trying to cut the internet out of the process. It’s so easy to tab over to some interesting article when a scene gets difficult." - Dan Krokos, author of False Memory.

"It would make the world's most excruciating reality show. The player wakes up early. Often by 4:30 a.m., but certainly before sunrise. And, strangely, she does not use an alarm. She just … gets up. Puts on a hideous bathrobe that reminds her ever so much of the one her grandmother wore. She makes coffee. She sits down at her computer and writes as the sun rises behind her. She tells her children to go back to bed several times. Seriously, though, there is a lot of time spent at the keyboard. I do like to outline, write, outline some more, and sweat my way through a draft. The first draft is by far the hardest part. I outline to remove as much doubt and fear as possible, but I'm not the kind of person who can figure the whole thing out without spending some time figuring out the voices of the characters, and I do this by putting them in interesting situations that I suspect will be in the book. I have a great group of friends who are willing to read drafts (including my agent). And I just keep working until I can't." - Martha Brockenbrough, author of Devine Intervention.

"A lot of sitting around. Stops and starts. Digression to research. Cups and cups of green tea, coffee, and occasionally red wine. More than one day where I doubt myself. And then the glorious day when I think it's working. Followed by a revision letter from agent, weeping, chocolate, and a repeat of the above." - Joy Peble, author of Anastasia Forever.

"They’d probably be bored out of their minds. I sit. I ponder. I type. I sip a beverage…Occasionally, I pet a cat." - Greg Leitich Smith, author of Chronal Engine.

"A lot of funny faces -- I have a tendency to mimic my characters' expressions as I write them. It's a little awkward when I'm writing in a coffee shop." - Kirsten Hubbard, author of Wanderlove.

"Just a bunch of chaos. It's not like I have any schedule whatsoever. My desk is cluttered with paper and junk and My Little Ponies and Barbie stuff. Every once in awhile I find a few minutes to write stuff down. Rarely." - Cyn Balog, author of Touched.

"There’s me and a laptop and lots of typing, then staring out the window, then more typing. Once the first draft is born, things start getting interesting. Revision for me involves lots of different kinds of paper, and pens and markers in a rainbow of colors. I use post-it notes on sheets of foam board to lay out my books chapter by chapter, I make mind maps on huge sheets of artist’s drawing paper to get a handle on particular plot problems or confusing relationships, I outline, sometimes by hand, sometimes on the computer. Then I start my second draft, often from a blank page." - Dayna Lorentz, author of No Safety in Numbers.

"It would be dull, like watching a coffee maker percolate. You might be better off watching my brother – he sells insurance and sometimes interesting people walk through the door." - James Preller, author of Before You Go.

"They’d see me with my hair up in a messy bun as I sit on the front porch in a tank-top and holey jeans while staring blankly at my computer for hours. Occasionally I do type. Unfortunately, when I’m writing, I’m pretty boring." - Katie McGarry, author of Pushing the Limits.

"For Love and Leftovers, they would have seen me jotting down words from song lyrics, audio books, and poems on whatever piece of paper I could find at the moment. I used these to inspire my writing. Then I handwrote my poems in notebooks, and later typed into Word (totally out of order.) From there, I made a stack of 3 x 5 cards with one poem title on each card and shuffled them into chronological order to create the story. After that, they’d see me rewriting and filling in blanks." - Sarah Tregay, author of Love and Leftovers.

Stop by Thursday to find out what you'd see if you could go behind the scenes while the rest of the authors are writing!

Author Insight Introductions

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 28 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Author Insight Round 7 begins tomorrow, and we have yet another great group of authors. Here's who'll be sharing their insights on reading, writing and publishing this time around...

Elizabeth Eulberg, author of Take a Bow, Prom & Prejudice, and The Lonely Hearts Club.

Huntley Fitzpatrick, author of My Life Next Door.

Barry Lyga, author of I Hunt Killers and The Astonishing Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl.

Sarah Maas, author of Throne of Glass.

C.J. Redwine, author of Defiance.

Margo Lanagan, author of The Brides of Rollrock Island and Tender Morsels.

Dan Krokos, author of False Memory.

Jennifer Hubbard, author of Try Not to Breathe and The Secret Year.

Joy Preble, author of Dreaming Anastasia, Haunted, and Anastasia Forever.

Cyn Balog, author of Touched, Starstruck, Sleepless, and Fairy Tale.

Kirsten Hubbard, author of Wanderlove and Like Mandarin.

Cara Lynn Schultz, author of Spellbound and Spellcaster.

Lauren Morrill, author of Meant to Be.

James Preller, author of Before You Go.

Katie McGarry, author of Pushing the Limits.

Sarah Tregay, author of Love & Leftovers.

Leigh Bardugo, author of Shadow and Bone.

Martha Brockenbrough, author of Devine Intervention.

Janette Rallison (AKA C.J. Hill), author of My Fair Godmother, My Unfair Godmother, and Erasing Time.

Lissa Price, author of Starters.

Jessi Kirby, author of In Honor and Moonglass.

Greg Leitich Smith, author of Chronal Engine.

Dayna Lorentz, author of No Safety in Numbers.

I hope you're all as excited as I am about reading what the author's have to say. Make sure you stop by tomorrow to catch the first installment!

June ARC Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Sat, 26 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Henry Holt and Co., 6/5/12

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers
St. Martin's Griffin, 6/19/12

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

For Darkness Shows the Stars
by Diana Peterfreund
Balzer + Bray, 6/12/12

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Struck Winner

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Lily S.

Congratulations! I have forwarded your information along to the publisher who will send your copy of Struck out ASAP. Thanks to Macmillan for donating this prize and to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways.

Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Release Date: April 2, 2011
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Series: Covenant #2
Pages: 320
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
There is need. And then there is Fate...

Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her.

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

As a huge fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout, naturally I pre-ordered the paperback copy of Pure to go with my collection but when I found out that that it was going to be released early, I will admit to downloading a kindle copy on release day as I couldn’t contain my excitement!!! Just to remind you about what’s happened so far, remember Alex’s mother who got turned into a daimon? Well, she might be gone but Alex is haunted by recent events, made worse by the fact that the attacks on Pure’s and Half Blood’s continue and this time, they’ve perpetrated the Covenants. Everyone is a suspect and no one is safe. In the midst of all of this, Alex is hauled up before the council to explain what happened and she’d better behave herself or she’ll have worse things than daimons to worry about!

I’m going to start by saying that if Half Blood was Alex and Aiden’s book, I think that Pure is definitely Seth’s book. If you weren’t in love with him before, you sure will be now! He may be arrogant and cheeky but he does have a particular charm and don’t try to tell me that he just has an agenda, he DOES care about Alex otherwise he wouldn’t have held her hair for her whilst she barfed down the toilet or stayed with her for days when she was upset. So there. I have to say at this point that the swimming pool scene and the Orchid Brew scenes were two of my favourites from the book and it was AMAZING to read them from the guy’s point of view in other short stories released by Jennifer so go search them out!

That’s not to say that Aiden isn’t around of course but he’s backed off out of a sense of duty and responsibility towards Alex as he doesn’t want to see her hauled into servitude or worse. Oh Aiden, what am I going to do with you?! As Alex is training with both Aiden and Seth, spending time with them both ratchets up the tension levels a few notches and my oh my, I love a bit of angst. Let’s not forget about the cryptic clues from the oracle about being with the one you love or the one you’re fated to be with. Are they even the same? What’s a girl to do?

Pure is an action packed sequel that does not disappoint and will leave you gasping for more, especially the ending with surprises you didn’t see coming and there WILL be consequences. Overall, Pure was a very worthy sequel and I loved every minute of it. We’ll just have to wait for the next book to find out what happens! ARGH!

Torn by Amanda Hocking

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

US Cover

Release Date: Feb. 28, 2012
(UK: March 1, 2012)
Publisher: St. Matin's Griffin (UK: Tor)
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Source: UK Publisher
Series: Trylle #2
Pages: 336
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…

She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to master her magical powers—and marry an equally powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.

Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.

As a special gift to readers, this book contains a new, never-before-published bonus story, “One Day, Three Ways,” set in the magical world of the Trylle.

UK Cover

Obviously, it goes without saying that if you have not yet read Switched (the first book in the Trylle series) which I reviewed here then do not go any further as you may encounter potential spoilers.

Torn is of course the eagerly awaited sequel to Switched and I devoured it just as quickly as I did the first book. It’s just pure entertainment value and easy reading - and I mean that as a compliment. Never in my life did I think I would enjoy a book about trolls!

You may recall at the end of Switched that Wendy ran back home with her tail between her legs but guess what?! SHE CAN’T STAY THERE and I’m sure that will come as a big shock to you all *rolls eyes*. What I liked most about Torn I think is Wendy’s character development. She starts accepting who and what she is more and more, even relishing in the role on occasion. She develops a sense of duty as she comes to understand that the Trylle need a leader, a queen. Speaking of duty, let’s talk about frustrating yet dutiful Finn who starts pushing Wendy away because he has nothing to offer her but banishment. I get this, I do but ANGSTY ANGST, ARGH! You know?

In the midst of it all, we have Loki, a young Markis from VIttra who tries to kidnap Wendy and bring her to the king whose interest in her is beyond political. Amanda? THANK YOU for Loki. I love a bad boy with a cheeky chappy sense of humour and he certainly fits the bill. Loki and Wendy enjoy some flirtatious banter and this of course sets up a potential love triangle between Wendy, Finn and Loki but we’ll see about that ;)

Torn delves deeper into the world of the Trylle and I enjoyed learning that whilst we tend to think of the VIttra as the bad guys, let’s just say that it’s a little bit more complicated than that.

Torn is a very enjoyable sequel and I’m looking forward to Ascend (Trylle #3) which is out now!

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Release Date: September 25, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

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

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.

I'd tell my sister no.

I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.

I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.

Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.

I'd tell them I love them.

I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Why can't I wait?
As a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, when I heard Alice in Zombieland mentioned and Gena Showalter's name attached to it, I knew it was a must read. Plus, the White Rabbit Chronicles? Awesome series title!

Paperback Review: Where She Went by Gayle Foreman

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Release Date: April 17, 2012
Publisher: Speak
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Pages: 288
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

WARNING: Contains spoilers for If I Stay.

I will start this review with the first note I wrote to myself immediately upon finishing Where She Went: This is some serious shizz.

(FYI, I didn’t say shizz in my note.)

Adam and Mia’s relationship was never a “normal” teenage romance, but to find out just what happened after Mia decided to stay is heart-wrenching. Three years later, we find ourselves in New York with rock star Adam and his enormously famous band Shooting Star. He’s living his life On The Verge- he might topple over, he might resurrect himself, but he’s definitely walking a thin line between sanity and the pit of despair. On a free day in Manhattan, he serendipitously discovers that Mia is performing at Carnegie Hall. This leads to the one night reunion of Mia and Adam, where all the good, the bad, and the horrifyingly ugly over the last three years will be exposed into the night. And it will break your heart.

Where She Went is the sequel that If I Stay deserved, more than any book has ever deserved a sequel. Funny thing is, it never occurred to me that If I Stay needed a sequel. Though it ends on a somewhat unresolved note, it is still one of the best and most satisfying books I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

And it’s this, the fact that If I Stay didn’t necessarily need a resolved ending, that makes Where She Went even more spectacular. The other spectacular thing? Adam. Unlike last time, we get Adam’s point of view and… oh my goodness. The boy is struggling to make it through, not simply one day, but one hour, one minute, almost one second at a time. Sure, it’s partially a crazy train of his own design, but that Crazy Town Train is chugging along, and he’s fallen so deep that he doesn’t think he can pull himself out of it (and honestly, if you’re taking the train to Crazy Town, you might as well take the Express).

And then Mia returns. They have their “farewell” tour of the city, seeing Mia’s favorite sights and slowly remembering what it’s like to know each other and baring their souls bit by bit until nothing is left but the bones of what might have been. It’s epic and hard and amazingly written. Gayle Foreman is a word rock star. She creates her own music with her incredible prose.

Just like in If I Stay, I adore the way Foreman weaves music into the story so effortlessly. It is obvious that music has always been an integral part of not only Mia and Adam as individuals but also as a couple, so I love that the importance is still so clear. The flashback scenes are also used in just the right way, recalling happier times when Mia’s family was together, alive and well. It’s bittersweet to the point of bursting.

Obviously, I adored every word of this. There is no story quite like Adam and Mia’s. I encourage you to take the journey with them, from beginning to end.

Pretty Bad Things by C.J. Skuse

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 21 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

US Cover

Release Date: July 1, 2011 (UK: March 1, 2010)
Publisher: Scholastic (UK: Chicken House)
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: ARC
Source: UK Publisher
Pages: 256
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
"Wonder Twins" on the run--and running amok--in Vegas. Road Trip!

Paisley and Beau are boldface names again. Last time, paparazzi called them the "Wonder Twins," two kids found alone but alive in the woods of exotic New Jersey. Three days after their mom's death -- and before their dad's criminal misdeeds.

Flash-forward to now: Their so-called lives? Suck out loud: Hating on their cougarized, Botoxic grandma, they're totally clueless about the location of ex-con Daddy. Till they discover a stash of old letters. That's when they decide to jack the Pontiac and hit the road. Holding up donut shops in Sin City might seem extreme, but if they can just get their pretty bad faces back on TV -- or TMZ -- they might wrap up their whole gaga saga with an Oprah-worthy reunion already!

UK Cover

If there’s one thing I can tell you about C.J. Skuse, it’s that she knows how to bring the funny. She did it with Rockoholic (which I freaking LOVED by the way) and she’s done it again with Pretty Bad Things. I should say at this point that although Pretty Bad Things was published in the UK a couple of years ago, it wasn’t until last year that I actually got round to reading a copy of the book (when it launched in the US). The story is definitely original and the writing is exceptional, mostly due to the strong voice of the characters. There’s a TON of LOL humour, complex characters and with Las Vegas a setting? This sounds like a winner to me. ;)

Let’s talk about “The Wonder Twins” Paisely and Beau who couldn’t be more different to one another if they tried. Whilst Beau tries to be good and follow the rules, Paisley is the wild child of the two. She’s just purposefully got herself expelled from her fifth boarding school so that she and Beau can go on a road trip to find their jailbird dad. They thought that the years of radio silence meant he didn’t give a damn but in fact, their grandma has been hiding letters from him the entire time. As a modern day Bonnie and Clyde, they set off on a road trip with a plan to hold up donut shops and get themselves on TV to let dear old dad know that they’re in town. You can guarantee that hilarity ensues.

I have to say that my favourite character and probably one of the strongest voices in the book is Paisley. She is fearless, reckless and beyond blunt. She says what she thinks and makes no apologies for it. It may sound strange but I can’t help but admire her for that. There’s something liberating in her behaviour and although it gets her into trouble most of the time, she’s just so damn cool.

There’s no real romance in the book as it’s mostly about family relationships and I never thought I would say it, but the book is so entertaining that I really didn’t mind the lack of romance. I’m not going to give away the plot for you but it’s definitely worth reading and I am putting C.J. Skuse on my automatic pre order list right now.

Fated Winner

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

And the winner is...

Lisa J.

Congratulations! I will get this book in the mail to you ASAP. Thanks to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for more giveaways.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Release Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased
Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Pages: 536
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

If you are reading this review of the fifth volume in the Mortal Instruments series in order to decide whether to read the series, here is my heartfelt recommendation:

Step away from the computer, go pick up a copy of City of Bones, open to page 1, and begin.

Once you’ve flown through all five books in a matter of days and are left bleary-eyed from a mind-bending combination of uncontrollable sobbing and lack of sleep, return here to participate in the commiseration known as Shadowhunter Feels.

City of Lost Souls is full of all the aspects we’ve grown to expect from this wild and unpredictable series: there's sweeping romance, pulse-pounding action, and an exceedingly complex and creep-tastic villain.

WARNING: FROM HERE ON OUT, MILD SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES MAY ABOUND.

CoLS picks up right where we left off in City of Fallen Angels for a short but heart-wrenching scene, then skips ahead two weeks to deal with the aftermath of Jace’s disappearance and Jonathan/Sebastian’s reappearance. As usual, the Siblings Lightwood and Clary want to do whatever they can to locate and rescue Jace. Clary’s fierce stubbornness propels her on a journey she cannot possibly imagine or prepare for. It’s Team Good vs. Team Evil in a battle for Jace’s soul, and no one knows if he can ever be restored.

Since this is the penultimate book of the series, much of this reads like a long set-up to what will be a fantastically written and satisfying ending. As much as I ended up enjoying this installment, it did read a bit slower for me than TMIs past. There was a ton of justifiable explanation to do in order to discover how to find Jace—not to mention the goings-on of Clary, Simon, Izzy, Alec, Magnus, Jordan, Maia, Jocelyn, and Luke—that by the time Clary finally embarks, I could not turn the pages fast enough.

Without giving away too much, I will say that Simon Lewis continues to be my favorite character of the series. His growth over the past five books from quippy nerd sidekick to quippy bad-ass vampire has been so fun to watch. I especially like his interaction with Izzy. Neither of them knows quite what to do or say to each other, but it’s so fun to watch them figure it out. In fact, the romantic relationships in this series, specifically this book, are one of the strongest elements of the story. They are rich and varied, from Jordan and Maia’s bitter past to Magnus and Alec’s shaky present to Clary and Jace’s possibly impossible future. There truly is something for everyone.

Long story short, I am ready for City of Heavenly Fire now, like now now. I know Cassandra Clare’s got to be one of the busiest bees in the biz by now, with numerous books set for publication all the way through 2015, but you can make an exception for me, right? Like I said, if you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and read this series (as well as the Infernal Devices series, which I actually like even more than this one!). You will feel a million different things, but I guarantee you won’t feel disappointed.

Waiting on Wednesday (11)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

For Darkness Shows the Stars
by Diana Peterfreund

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

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

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot’s estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she’s lost him forever.

Inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

Description from Goodreads.*

Why can't I wait?
A futuristic retelling of the Jane Austen classic Persuasion? Consider me curious. From the beautiful cover to the engaging description of Elliot North and the new world in which she lives, this sounds like a very interesting twist on a most beloved story. I like the past-as-future, history repeating itself motif that's been more common in novels lately, and I'm excited to see where Elliot's path will lead.

Life attacks, blog interrupted

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:35:00 +0000

We interrupt this blog to bring you a public service announcement...

Guys and gals, I want to apologize for the last few days. Life and work and general crazy have consumed me and getting out from under it has been tough. In an effort not to stress myself out further I opted to let the blog slide for a couple days so I could attempt to straighten some things out.

At this point, I'd say we are about 70% straight and still climbing. So yay!

Things should be back on track tomorrow, so just bear with me and I swear I will beat my life into submission. (That or have someone take video of me going down proudly like the captain of the Titanic to post for your enjoyment.) Thanks for your patience, and Wastepaper Prose will be back and better than ever before you can say some really long word of your choosing.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

US Cover

Release Date: Nov. 21, 2011 (UK: Jan. 5, 2012)
Publisher: Razorbill
(UK: Simon & Schuster)
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Pages: 356
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
It's 1996, and Josh and Emma have been neighbors their whole lives. They've been best friends almost as long - at least, up until last November, when Josh did something that changed everything. Things have been weird between them ever since, but when Josh's family gets a free AOL CD in the mail,his mom makes him bring it over so that Emma can install it on her new computer. When they sign on, they're automatically logged onto their Facebook pages. But Facebook hasn't been invented yet. And they're looking at themselves fifteen years in the future.

By refreshing their pages, they learn that making different decisions now will affect the outcome of their lives later. And as they grapple with the ups and downs of what their futures hold, they're forced to confront what they're doing right - and wrong - in the present.

UK Cover

Imagine a scenario where you’re 16 years old and you have the opportunity to look at your Facebook status 15 years into the future. Is that something you would be interested in seeing? I KNOW I WOULD! The Future of Us was a nostalgic trip back in time for me as I recognized all the songs and older technology, a world without Facebook, Twitter, broadband *shudder*. A world where cars still had cassette players and Discmans were all the rage (HA, I had one). It’s like this book was written specifically with the YA crossover market in mind although it is certainly educational for those who weren’t around in that period too ;).

I’d just finished reading a historical book and then a paranormal one so I decided to go with a contemporary story when I picked up The Future of Us. I have to say that I LOVE the concept of this book and even now, if I had the opportunity to look into the future, I would take it. I also liked the exploration of present actions causing ripples in time that affected the future right down to being in a bad mood one day or spilling something on a new carpet.

One of the main problems for me in this book is that up until halfway through, I really didn’t care about the characters and was suffering from “so what?” syndrome. I could have put the book down at any point but I don’t quit easily so I carried on and then things just fell into place and I found myself in a position of giving a shit which snuck up on me without warning.

In terms of characters, Emma comes across as a little selfish and self absorbed. Because she didn’t like what she saw in the future, she made it her own personal mission to try to change things which sometimes had an effect on Josh’s future. It seemed like he was happy in the future and she messed with his life on every level. She was the one who rejected him six months previously, she’s the one who messed with his future both intentionally and unintentionally and then she is still messing with him in the present again both intentionally and unintentionally. I almost wanted to scream “leave him alone girl!” at times.

Josh is just a nice guy that lives next door who made a move on his best friend and it backfired which made for an awkward relationship between them. He is trying to move on and his character explores the question of what would you do if you knew who your future partner was and I mean KNEW as in go to the same school as them?

The Future of Us was a fun, contemporary read and makes you question whether you would want to know what your future holds and if you knew, would you try to change it? It also explores the ripple effect quite nicely where one little action can cause a chain reaction of events. It’s all quite fascinating from that point of view.

This is a standalone novel which is quite refreshing and it’s an easy, entertaining read. Just so you know, the film rights have been sold to Warner Brothers which is no guarantee of course but it wouldn’t surprise me if we saw this up on the big screen someday.

Waiting on Wednesday (10)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Rebel Heart (Dustlands #2)
by Moira Young

Release Date: October 30, 2012

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound / Barnes & Noble

The Tonton have been defeated. Lugh has been rescued.
The heartstone has brought Saba and Jack together.
Now, Saba and her family head west to meet him and start a new life. All should be well.
But shadows of the dead are stalking Saba.
And another kind of shadow is creeping over the dustlands.
Then a messenger shows up.
With news of Jack.

Why can't I wait?

I love Jack! Okay, Saba too, but especially Jack. Blood Read Road (Dustlands #1) absolutely captured me and I need to know what happens to these characters next. October seems so far away.

Fated Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Fated by Alyson Noel
(St. Martin's Press, 5/22)

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

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Struck Blog Tour: Interview with Jennifer Bosworth

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Mon, 07 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Today Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck, is stopping by the blog for an interview. She's talking about what compelled her to write her debut novel, which scene came to her first, what she has in the works and more. You can also enter to win a hardcover of Struck.

Jennifer Bosworth was born in Price, Utah, a small, coal-mining town in the desert. As a kid, her favorite thing to do was roam alone through the barren hills and tell herself stories. As an adult, she continues to do the same thing, only now she's roaming the streets of Los Angeles, her favorite city in the world.

Jennifer attended college at the University of Utah, where she later taught continuing education classes on writing horror, fantasy, and science fiction. Struck (FSG/Macmillan) is Jennifer's first published novel.

*Bio taken from author website.

Release Date: May 8, 2012

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Purchase: Amazon / IndieBound /Barnes & Noble

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She's survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn't who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.
*Description from Goodreads.

Tell us the "elevator pitch" for Struck.

The Stand meets "2012", set in Los Angeles. With warring doomsday cults. And a teenage lightning addict. And a sexy boy she can't trust.

What compelled you to write this particular book?

The idea grabbed me and refused to let go. Ever since I read The Stand as a kid, I always wanted to write an epic, end of the world novel, but i didn't want it to be depressing. So I added creepy cults, and super powers, and lots and lots of heat between my lightning addict and the boy who is either stalking her or trying to protect her.

What themes emerge in Struck? Were any of them unexpected?
I didn't start out writing with any themes in mind, but they definitely emerged strongly. There's room for interpretation in the novel, but the themes I see are about making choices. More specifically about making impossible choices. Between family and obligation. Between rights that seem wrong and wrongs that seem right. Another strong theme, one that readers seem to be responding to, some positively, some negatively, is the theme of religious fanaticism, and how dangerous it can be to follow anyone blindly, whether it be a religious leader, a politician, or even a teacher or parent. I want to remind people that they should never allow anyone else to do their thinking for them.

Which scene came to you first? What significance does it hold?
The scene when Katrina takes Mia to the Rove, which is a traveling party that moves to a different empty building in destroyed downtown every night after the quake. That scene is actually now closer to the middle of the book, but it used to be the first chapter. I think I started there, because it was exciting, the idea of two teenage girls, one eager, one reluctant, making their way through a dangerous wasteland of fallen buildings. As far as imagery goes, that really worked for me. But later on I decided I needed a LOT more setup before we went to the Waste.

What is your favorite memory about your publishing journey and Struck?
That's a hard one! So many great memories to choose from. But, for me, the most exciting part was filming my book trailer. I was actually getting really sick of Struck because I'd worked on it for so long, but then we filmed the book trailer, and I got to see it come to life. That revived my love for the book. I'll try not to forget it again.

What's up next for you?
I'm working on several projects, but the one that's closest to finished is a ghost story set in a claustrophobic, small town, ultra-religious community. I describe it as "Big Love" meets "The Ring" meets "The Stepford Wives". It's a crazy one, for sure.

Be sure to check out the Fierce Reads Fan Page, find out more about the Fierce Reads Tour, and follow the Struck Blog Tour with the schedule below.

Monday 5/7 - Wastepaper Prose

Tuesday 5/8 - Book Hounds YA

Wednesday 5/9 - Into the Hall of Books
Thursday 5/10 - From A to Z
Friday 5/11 - Moonlight Book Reviews
Saturday 5/12 - Short and Sweet Reviews
Sunday 5/13 - Christina Reads YA

Monday 5/14 - Good Books and Good Wine
Tuesday 5/15 - Books with Bite
Wednesday 5/16 - Bewitched Bookworms
Thursday 5/17 - Anna Reads
Friday 5/18 - Diary of a Book Addict
Saturday 5/19 - From the TBR Pile

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Trio of Winners

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Sun, 06 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

The winner of a signed copy of The Immortal Rules is...

Kayla

The winner of the Screen-Free Week Giveaway is...
(The Last Echo, Glimmer, The Temptation, Masque of the Red Death, and The Selection)

Andrea O.

The winner of the Early May ARC Giveaway is...
(Struck, Hemlock, and Gilt)

Danielle N.

Congratulations to you all! I will get prizes in the mail ASAP. Thanks for entering, and stay tuned for more giveaways.

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Fri, 04 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Poppy
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Pages: 304
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.

When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year-old Princess Eliza manages to escape.

Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope—and to love—once more. Now she must risk everything to ensure that she not become... The Last Princess.

The tale of struggle and survival for a princess of the House of Windsor in a post-apocalyptic Great Britain should be exciting, thrilling, a pulse-pounding story of epic proportions. Unfortunately, The Last Princess did not strike me as any of those things. For the majority of the story, I was bored, reading it with an odd feeling of disconnect. I wanted to like it more than I actually did.

The plot sounds great on paper. In the year 2090, after The Seventeen Days where a series of natural disasters destroyed the ecosystem, England struggles to feed its people. Eliza Windsor, her older sister Mary, and her younger sickly brother James exist in a royal bubble where they know things aren’t right, but they aren’t as affected as others. The night of the Roses Ball, Buckingham Palace is stormed and overtaken by Cornelius Holister, who murdered Eliza’s parents and believes he should be King instead. When Mary and Jamie are captured, Eliza manages to escape and vows to rescue her siblings and bring England back to its former glory.

Sounds exciting, right? That’s what I thought too. Regretfully, this didn’t work for me for a number of reasons.

For starters, I never really connected with Eliza. The reason behind her mission is clear- to save her brother and sister- but her struggle has very little urgency to it. Everything just sort of happens, and there’s no suspense, no increasing conflict to urge her along. Whenever Eliza is stuck in an uncomfortable or life-threatening situation, there is always a way out or a rescuer or the thing she needs to be saved, and it rarely comes from her own mind. It is all a bit too easy for me. She joins the Tudor army to find her siblings, and no one recognizes her for reasons that aren’t fully explained even though she’s a princess and her face is literally on billboards. She is mistreated on her first day of training; she immediately makes friends with a hot soldier boy named Wesley who shows up in the nick of time with the deus ex machina of the moment. I wanted to believe that Eliza could inspire her countrymen and women to stand up against the terrorists and form a resistance, but honestly, I couldn’t. Not on her own.

The writing, while enjoyable, is also very direct, describing the action in a perfunctory manner without many details. This style of writing works in certain instances, like during the battle sequences or when the Palace is invaded, but other times, I would have liked to have more of Eliza’s thoughts on her crumbling nation. She notices how things have changed, but not how it’s affected her or how she hopes her sister Mary will correct the injustices when she is Queen. In my opinion, there were many missed opportunities for social commentary that would have improved the story and possibly solved the problems I had with Eliza as well.

Contrary to how this review sounds, I didn’t hate The Last Princess. I simply thought it could have been better. According to the About The Author, there will be a sequel in 2013, so I hope that some of these issues will be addressed. I am curious as to where a sequel would take this story.

More Author Insight: Make-believe it (and the giveaway winner!)

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Thu, 03 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

How do you balance creativity and believability?

"I think by making people act in ways that are true? If your characters read true, then I think you can be fairly creative with other aspects of the story." - Bethany Griffin, author of Masque of the Read Death.

"I’m not sure I truly balance them; I think creativity wins out big time. That’s one of the great things about writing middle-grade fiction — younger kids are totally open to all sorts of meta-fictional silliness. But in writing an animal fantasy, I did want the fantasy elements to be layered over a foundation of natural science — animals living, eating, behaving like real animals, not just being stand-ins for human characters." - Barry Wolverton, author of Neversink.

"I tend to have wild, huge ideas to start with, but one of the things I learned about my writing process early on is that my ideas do not always come with logic attached. Sometimes this is okay, but 99% of the time it means I put a lot of work in exploring my idea and how to make it believable to people who don't live in my brain." - Jodi Meadows, author of Incarnate.

"Anything can be believed (or at least encourage the suspension of disbelief) as long as its written with emotional honesty." - Elizabeth Miles, author of Fury.

"I like to ground most things in reality. I like real-world science and physical laws to influence even the fantastical parts of my stories." - Sarah Wilson Etienne, author of Harbinger.

"For me this is a push/pull process that happens throughout the writing and revising of the story. I try to swing for the fences when I write out the first drafts, then I go back with a more scrutinizing eye and question the decisions I’ve made, and make adjustments. I also rely on trusted readers to point out gaps in the world, or breaks in plausibility." - Veronica Rossi, author of Under the Never Sky.

"I always go with creativity first. If it’s in my head and feels like it’s a part of the story, I’ll write it in, no matter how off-the-wall it seems. I always know I can go back during revisions and edit it out, or scale it back, or brainstorm ways to make it more believable and plausible." - Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder.

"Easy. You find yourself a really brilliant editor. : )" - Jess Rothenberg, author of The Catastrophic History of You and Me.

"In my stories, I’m always stretching the envelope of credibility. I want to see how elastic the narrative structure can be. I know when I’ve gone too far when my editor writes 'No!' on my manuscript." - David Macinnis Gill, author of Invisible Sun.

"I write paranormal stories, so believability is really important to me. I try to focus on the emotions the characters are experiencing, so readers can relate on that crucial level, and create a logical, consistent framework for even illogical characters. For example, if a vampire can’t fly on page one, he can’t suddenly fly on page forty-five." - Beth Fantaskey, author of Jessica Rules the Dark Side.

"I grew up in the acting world, so believability supersedes creativity every time. The trick is to take it as far as possible and still maintain the readers’ suspension of disbelief. Having access to lots of teen beta readers helps me keep it real. They are quick to tell me when I am 'lame.'" - Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls.

"I grew up on Alice in Wonderland and Roald Dahl, so as a reader I’m always looking for a good excuse to suspend my disbelief, and as a writer I push myself to be as original as I can. What can I say? I’m a pretty whimsical girl." - Aimee Agresti, author of Illuminate.

"The key is character motivation. As long as the character has a good reason for taking unlikely steps, the rest will fall into place." - Jennifer Echols, author of The One That I Want.

"And that is why I write Steampunk." - Suzanne Lazear, author of Innocent Darkness.

And the winner of the huge Author Insight giveaway is...

Kelly F.

Congratulations Kelly! I will put the books in the mail to you ASAP. Thanks to all the authors and publishers for their generous donations.

This post brings yet another round of Author Insight to a close. Round 7 will begin soon, so stay tuned!
<< Previous

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Release Date: Feb. 20, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Teen (UK: Entangled Select)
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: Kindle
Source: Purchased
Series: Lux #0.5
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository
Description: Goodreads
The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Let’s get something straight, right off the bat. I am a HUGE Jennifer Armentrout fan and have read and loved all of her YA offerings to date. When I heard about the release of Shadows? I jumped on it and then cleared the rest of the afternoon LOL. If you’ve read Obsidian, you will know that Daemon once had a brother called Dawson and Shadows is essentially his story. I should stop you here and say that if you have not read Obsidian, you should probably read that first as this review may contain unavoidable spoilers.

Shadows is a novella and a prequel of sorts as it takes place before Obsidian. What I liked about this book is that it gives us a deeper insight into Daemon’s character and the relationship between the triplets when Dawson was still around. Dawson is of course Daemon’s identical brother (how is there so much hotness in one town?! Can I move there please?!) and any similarity between them ends in the looks department. Dawson is much more laid back than Daemon and more at ease with giving his heart away to the right girl, even if she IS human. I have to say that I really enjoyed seeing such a different dynamic between Dawson and Bethany to Daemon and Katy. It was definitely a lot sweeter although Daemon and Katy win in the hotness charts.

Shadows has a lot of foreshadowing for both Obsidian and Onyx and I think this book helps the reader to understand parts of Obsidian better. If you’ve read Obsidian, obviously you know that it does not bode well for Dawson and reading this book was a little bit like reading about the Titanic – the ending is inevitable and tragic but you can’t look away.

If you’re a fan of the series then Shadows is an essential read. I can’t wait to get my hands on Onyx and the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. For me, Jennifer can’t churn her books out fast enough ;)

Author Insight: Make-believe it

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000

How do you balance creativity and believability?

"See Answer #2, re: tears and magic fairy dust formula. :-)" - Sarah Ockler, author of Bittersweet.

"I make up some pretty crazy, outsized stuff, like girls who turn into bumblebees and highway interchanges that erupt and spew stars. And the way that balances is that any element of the story that could actually happen in this world has to be as rigorous as possible. That means my people have to be real people; their emotional reactions and intellectual logic have to be the way people really would act, not how someone thinks they might; the way you get electricity down to your underground hideout and the details of someone's tardive dyskinesia symptoms can't be handwaved or glossed over, they have to be researched and planned.

The real bits just make the creative bits look more creative; the creative bits make the real ones feel solid and secure. And…somehow it works." - Leah Bobet, author of Above.

"I have my mom read it. If she believes it, I’m good to go." - Aaron Karo, author of Lexapros & Cons.

"I don’t see creativity and believability as being at odds with each other. The whole process of writing fiction entails creating, and if you really sit with your characters and stew in their lives until everything about them is real to you, and you convey that well enough, believability should follow. At least in theory.'" - Ann Stampler, author of Where It Began.

"For me these are the same thing, as there’s nothing more creative than making something up out of nothing and convincing people that it’s true. Especially since on the page, the “realistic” places and people that lack a creative twist can often seem generic and obviously untrue. Storytelling is, at its heart, lying—and you’ve got to be pretty creative if you’re going to tell a convincing lie." - Robin Wasserman, author of The Book of Blood and Shadow.

"You know that saying that truth is stranger than fiction? That's kind of my guideline when writing books. In other words, I don't worry too much about believability. It's a work of fiction, the reader knows the author is making things up, as long as it isn't completely preposterous, it should fly." - Alissa Grosso, author of Ferocity Summer.

"I don't think the two have to be in conflict. Suspend the reader's disbelief. Expand your own imagination. Write with authority. Magical realism. There's a way to do just about anything." - Kendare Blake, author of Girl of Nightmares.

"Even though I write supernatural stories, I try to ground them in some kind of science, like with Mia’s lightning scars/Lichtenberg figures. Fact: People who’ve been struck by lightning sometimes get red marks on their skin that look like lightning, but they quickly fade. Fiction: Mia’s Lichtenberg figures never go away, just keep growing every time she’s struck." - Jennifer Bosworth, author of Struck.

"I don’t worry about such a balance. Things have to be refreshing and believable in the context of the story. If I am immersed in the world I’m writing, it takes care of itself. The magic is plausible." - Meg Medina, author of The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind.

"Carefully. I haven’t written straight contemporary, but my books aren’t paranormal either. I like to call my blurred genre 'Strange in Normalville,' and writing there requires me to walk that fine line on a regular basis. I guess my litmus test for a creative idea is whether or not I can see it as one of those bits of weird news on CNN…the 'most shared' type of stories that make you furrow your eyebrows at the computer screen but that actually did happen somewhere." - Cat Patrick, author of Revived.

"Ha! I have no idea. I guess I don't really pay much attention to whether or not it's believable. If I can imagine it, it can happen." - Gwen Hayes, author of Dreaming Awake.

"When writing about 'magical' things, strive for an internal logic. You can be crazy creative and spin the wildest stuff as long as it holds true to that bottom line. Be insane—but make sense." - Nina Malkin, author of Swear.

Find out Thursday how the rest of the authors balance creativity and believability. (And I'll announce the giveaway winner!)<< Previous

BEA: What the heck do I do now?

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

Book Expo America 2012 is fast-approaching and I, like a lot of you, am making plans to head to NYC and attend North America's leading publishing event. It's a great place to learn what books are forthcoming, check out the trends, network with publishers, meet authors and other bloggers and of course pick up some books you're excited about. But how exactly do you go about tackling such a gigantic trade show?

Well, I've done posts in the past on BEA Tips to prepare you for the event and how to attend BEA on a Budget. Today, I'll share my two cents about how to avoid being overwhelmed on the show floor.

The exhibit hall is a maze of booths neatly tucked in along numbered aisles, but once the exhibits open they will disappear in the insane crush of people. Your program and a map might help, but that's if you can find a spot to safely pull off the main drag and re-orient yourself. With so many things going on and the level of activity ramping up, you have to have a plan to handle the chaos.

The key to success is preparing for the question you'll spend 90% of BEA asking yourself.

"What the heck do I do now?"

Know what you want to do. -- What are your goals while at BEA? Meet authors. Meet your publishing contacts and make new ones. Hit the stages and listen to authors and editors talk about what's new. Wander the booths and get an insiders opinion by asking representatives what they're excited for. Focus on books and try to snag the ones you're excited about. It's all up to you, but at least somewhat sort it out before you get there.

Get organized. -- Use the BEA website and organize before you get to NYC. You can find floor maps and a list of exhibitors. The Find tool is also particularly helpful for finding author events and signings. You can even use the My BEA tool to organize your schedule.

Have a schedule, even if you don't stick to it. -- Use the tools I mentioned above to make yourself a schedule. It will be helpful even if you don't stick to it. Include signings in-booth and in the autographing area, stage events, meetings, and any other events you're planning to attend during BEA hours. Put the big picture down on paper so you can see exactly what's on your agenda and where the conflicts are. You'll also be able to mark which events are most important to you. And don't forget to double-check your schedule the week before BEA since schedules are constantly evolving.

Be efficient. -- More often than not you'll have a signing at on the hour and another on the half-hour. With the long lines at BEA, seems like you'd have to make a choice right? Not always. Be at your first signing early and you could be out of line in time to make your second one. It won't always work, but giving yourself extra time won't ever hurt.

Prioritize. -- As I said, you can list every event you want to go to but mark the ones most important to you. Knowing what your priorities are will help your streamline your schedule. Combining that with efficiency and time management will give you time to do things like squeeze in something on the fly, get a drink or food, or head to bag check to drop off books and anything else you've picked up in your travels.

Never be afraid to ask. -- Asking only takes a second and at BEA it can be very helpful in tweaking your schedule or pointing you in the right direction. Ask publishers if they have signing schedules available. There could be one you missed in pre-planning. Lines form around every corner of the exhibit hall, so tap someone on the shoulder and politely ask what the line is for. You might be interested. If you see a friend passing in the aisle, ask them where they're headed. You may want to go too.

Taking these things into consideration before you get to BEA will hopefully keep you from getting overwhelmed and asking yourself "What the heck do I do next?" while standing in a corner looking lost. That's no way to spend your precious time when there are so many awesome things you could be doing.
Most of all, just remember to relax and enjoy yourself. You love books and that's what BEA is all about!

Guest Post: Katherine Grace Bond on Identity

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Today Katherine Grace Bond, author of The Summer of No Regrets, is stopping by as part of Sourcebooks' Summer Lovin' Blog Tour to talk about identity, her latest novel, and how she ultimately found herself.

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pre-order: Amazon / IndieBound
/ Barnes & Noble

Finding the Real Me

Sometimes I feel, as far as social groups are concerned, that I’m sort of a minor hello and goodbye part.

~ Diary, 3-29-77

As teens read The Summer of No Regrets, I’ve been reading my teenage diary. REALLY embarrassing, but it has to be done. How else will I know whether I’ve actually grown up?

I shopped a lot, but thought I looked terrible in the “in” clothes (which included something called “gauchos”.) I went to a folk dance convention, was dumped by my best friend, fought with my mother. My dad yelled a lot. I almost got to be an exchange student in France. I asked a boy named Lyle for his picture every single week.

What strikes me, as I read these awkward entries, is that I expected other people to tell me who I was.

That was the year I followed puppy-like after friends who treated me shoddily, hoping I’d become worthy.

I glowed under the praise of teachers and knew I was smart.

I longed to shake off my parents’ overprotectiveness so I’d be mature.

I was certain my life would be “so great” if only fill in boy’s name here liked me. Then I’d be pretty.

Once, when a brand new song came on the radio, my best friend asked, mid-song, whether I liked it.

“Do you like it?” I asked.

“I’m not going to tell you,” she replied, and I faced the ultimate dilemma: Should I love it? Should I hate it? I couldn’t know until I got her opinion; I didn’t have one of my own. The still, small voice inside me had gone missing.

Though Brigitta in The Summer of No Regrets, hides the “real she,” she’s still more self-possessed than I was. But I did eventually find the “real Katherine,” and I’ve learned a few things about going from fake to real.

The Summer of No Regrets
by Katherine Grace Bond

Create, create, create: write, sing, sculpt, build. What you create is uniquely yours. The more you create, the more comfortable you become in your own skin.

Pay attention to your body. That feeling in the pit of your stomach may be telling you to get out of a bad situation. That exhilaration in your lungs may be telling you, “I should come here more often.” Your body knows your likes and dislikes—usually better than your friends do.

Love boldly. Notice what you care about and act on it. Homeless kids? Volunteer at the shelter. Poetry slams? Start an open mic. Your grandmother? Pick up the phone.

Be an encourager. I’m more myself when I encourage—“calling out” someone’s gift can be life-changing. One of my sweeter diary entries read, “Mary wrote my poem on the front of her notebook. She said, ‘Don’t erase it! I think it’s so beautiful.’” Mary, now a librarian, always encouraged my writing. Now, through TEENWrite, I get to do the same.

And as it turns out, I’m more than a hello and goodbye part. And so are you.

Summer Lovin' Blog Tour Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (S.F. Robertson) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000

The Summer of No Regrets
by Katherine Grace Bond

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Age Group: Young Adult
Format: E-galley
Source: Publisher
Pages: 304
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.

As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?

While He Was Away
by Karen Schreck

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks FireAge Group: Young AdultFormat: E-galley
Source: Publisher
Pages: 256
Buy: Amazon / Book Depository / IndieBound
Description: Goodreads
"This is just something I have to do, okay?" I hear David say. "The right thing."

He cradles my face in his hands. He kisses me hard. Then he lets go of me. His eyes dart from me to whatever's next.
All she wants is for him to stay. She's been doing pretty well, pretending he doesn't have to go. But one day, after one last night to remember, she wakes up and there's no denying it anymore. He's gone.

When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing.

She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?

It’s hard to tell with the weather being moodier than Mad-Eye, but summer’s quickly approaching, and with it comes the new crop of books to read while relaxing in the sunshine. Two new ones that will hit the shelves in May are The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond and While He Was Away by Karen Schreck. While both stories share the backdrop of summer in a small town and deeper themes than your average beach read, I enjoyed them both for different reasons.

The connection started for me at about page 2 in The Summer of No Regrets, despite the slightly bizarre plot. It’s about Brigitta’s struggle to maintain her identity, hide her secret gossip magazine collection and blog, cope with the death of her much beloved grandparents, and deal with her father’s New Age shaman ways all while covertly raising two cougar cubs in a treehouse with a new boy in town who may or may not be bad boy movie star Trent Yves? I believe the word you’re looking for is, “Wha?” However, there was something about Brigitta’s fierce heart that kept things just this side of sincere. It’s because of this sincerity that I was able to buy whatever Bond threw my way. I believed Brigitta’s naïve confusion with Luke/Trent/Neighbor Boy; I believed she was still battling her year-long grief over losing her grandparents; and I especially believed her frustration and sadness over losing her father spiritually to a “religion” she didn’t understand or even truly believe. The topic of religion came up quite a bit, from the various attendees at The Center run by Brigitta’s family to the more traditional fare from her grandparents. It was honest without being preachy. There may be budding romance and crazy capers, but this is no light summer read.

While He Was Away took much longer to attract me. I really didn’t enjoy Penna that much at first. She was far too wrapped up in her relationship with soon-to-deploy David that I didn’t hear her true voice until he was gone (not that I blame David, as he was just as wrapped up in her). It wasn’t until David left that Penna started to sound less whiny and more like a protagonist worth following. The romance all but disappeared once David left, and the mystery of Penna’s long-lost grandmother took center stage. The storylines jumped around a little too much, concentrating solely on the search for Justine before unceremoniously moving to David’s personality changes rather than weaving the pieces together a bit more fluidly, though Schreck’s style was particularly fluid and lovely. That said, Penna’s fight to bring her family together while being apart from the person she loves grew on me eventually, though I never felt completely connected to the characters.

These are the kinds of warm weather books I love to see: wonderfully written coming-of-age stories with themes that delve into the deeper side of relationships. If you’re looking for something contemporary that’s about more than boy meets girl, I would recommend picking up both The Summer of No Regrets and While He Was Away.