Saturday, November 30, 2013

Celebrating Debutantes 2013: Jennifer Ann Mann (13 Random Facts)



Our featured MG debut author for today, Jennifer Ann Mann, and her husband once thought of naming their first child "Super" or "Aqua", considering their last name. Haha :)



Jennifer Ann Mann

13 Random Facts

1. I live communally. I didn’t set out to live this way, it just happened. It’s a great way to live—mostly because someone is always making chocolate chip cookies (even in the morning)!

2. I adore television. I will watch pretty much anything, even those ghost hunter shows where they never see or hear a ghost.

3. I was born with idiopathic structural scoliosis and went through two major surgeries so I could stand up straight and walk without a limp. Now I run almost every single day.

4. I love Starbucks coffee. I know this is a cliché, but it is also a random fact.

(Sidenote: Would it be weird if I say I don't drink coffee?)

5. I bite my fingernails. I’ve done it since I was a kid. First I chewed on my hair, but everyone was really grossed out by this. They seemed to mind the fingernail biting less.

7. My last name is Mann. When my husband and I were considering names for our first child, we thought it might be fun to name him “Super” or “Aqua.” In the end, we decided against this.

(Sidenote: OMG, hahaha! That sounds cool and awkward but I'm glad you didn't. XD)

8. I am the second of four sisters, and I grew up in a house with only one bathroom.

9. I like to read about gardening, but I do not like to garden.

10. When I was a freshman in high school, I ate a pound of peanut M&Ms every day for a month and ended up with a blood disorder.

11. I am horribly afraid of heights!

12. When I was eleven years-old, I was attacked by a German Shepard with three legs. I ended up with over fifty stiches down my two legs.

13. I fell in love with a boy on a train to Copenhagen. I’m still in love with that boy.

(Sidenote: Awww. <3 i="">

***

More about Jennifer!

Jennifer grew up in New Jersey, the second of four sisters. Her short stories have been published by Highlights for Children, where she won the 2007 Fiction Contest. She lives in Boston in a giant house filled with kids and cats. This coming fall, Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books will publish Jennifer’s debut novel, Sunny Sweet is So Not Sorry, the first book in the Sunny Sweet Series.

Find her: Website * Twitter



Check out Jennifer's MG debut novel!


Sunny Sweet Is So Not Sorry
(Sunny Sweet #1)
by Jennifer Ann Mann

Published October 1st 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Blurb (Goodreads):
We’ve all woken up on the wrong side of the bed. But have you ever woken up stuck to the bed? Masha Sweet has. And there’s only one possible reason: her little sister Sunny. Masha is used to Sunny’s evil genius ways, but the glue Sunny used to secure a bouquet of plastic daisies to Masha’s head is not coming out! The girls have to stay home from school and through a bizarre turn of events, they wind up at the hospital. It’s the perfect place to fix Masha’s head…but first they will (almost) contract a (not so) killer virus, steal a cast, and lead the nurses on a wild goose chase. When this is all over, Sunny Sweet is going to be so sorry!








The Escapist

Check out author Helen Douglas on Oops! I Read A Book Again now!

Yesterday: Leila Howland (Nantucket Blue) and Danielle DeVor (Tail of the Devil)
Tomorrow: Nancy J. Cavanaugh (This Journal Belongs to Ratchet) and Christian Schoon (Zenn Scarlett)

Calling YA/NA/MG debut authors of 2014! Want to join us on this fun event? Fill out this form! Don't forget to spread the word with your debuting friends!










Friday, November 29, 2013

Celebrating Debutantes 2013: Leila Howland (13 Random Facts + Giveaway)


Our featured debut author for today once won at a lip-synching contest! That sure could be fun, doesn't it?

Leila Howland

13 Random Facts


1. My favorite ice cream flavor is rum raisin. 

2. I love to take public transportation when I visit a new city. 

3. Just like Cricket in NANTUCKET BLUE, I was once a chambermaid on Nantucket. 

4. I think Big Sur, California is pure magic. 

5. When my dog rests his head on my shoulder, I melt into a gooey puddle of love. 

(Sidenote: My 3-year old sister is not a dog, but I feel the same way when she does that. :D)

6. I just started an organic garden.

7. I was once in an instructional video for learning French.

8. I was also once in an MTV public service announcement for safe sex.

9. I'm addicted to Yogurtland! (Do they have that outside LA? I don't know, but it's soooo good!)

10. I like to go treasure hunting at flea markets.

11. I'm a Taylor Swift fan. 

(Sidenote: Do you know I tackle hug all the people who loves Taylor Swift? *tackle hugs!*)

12. I wish I could play the guitar and sing like my best friend from summer camp, Lisa. 

(Sidenote: I wish I could play the guitar as good as Taylor and write songs THAT easy, like her.)

13. When I first moved to LA, I won a hundred dollars and a t-shirt in a lip-synching contest. My song was The Humpty Dance!

(Sidenote: Well, I did a lip-synching twice--not in a contest--but it end up in Facebook anyway. People believed I have that super wonderful voice. That was awkward.)


***

More about Leila!


LEILA HOWLAND loves to read, explore L.A., and engage in funny and meaningful conversations with her friends and family, especially her brother who calls from Washington D.C. whenever he’s waiting for the bus. A lot gets discussed in those phone calls, but they tend to end abruptly when the bus shows up. She can really cut the rug, but wishes she could sing without people covering their ears. A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. It was a lot of fun and she often talks about “getting back into it.” The closest she has come was a stint as an extra on The Young and the Restless in 2010. Leila now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two dogs. She teaches high school English and blogs for HelloGiggles. NANTUCKET BLUE is her first novel.

Find her: Tumblr * Twitter * Goodreads





Here's Leila's debut novel!

Nantucket Blue
by Leila Howland

Published May 7th 2013 by Disney Hyperion

Blurb (Goodreads):
For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.

Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t. 

When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.

But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.

A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.










The Escapist

Head over to Oops! I Read A Book Again for debut author Danielle DeVor!

Yesterday: CJ Flood (Infinite Sky) and Chelsea Pitcher (The S Word)
Tomorrow: Jennifer Ann Mann (Sunny Sweet Is So Not Sorry) and Helen Douglas (After Eden)


Calling YA/NA/MG debut authors of 2014! Want to join us on this fun event? Fill out this form! Don't forget to spread the word with your debuting friends!


GIVEAWAY!
- copy of Nantucket Blue
- US only
a Rafflecopter giveaway










Thursday, November 28, 2013

Celebrating Debutantes 2013: CJ Flood (13 Random Facts + Giveaway)



CJ Flood, the author of Infinite Sky drops by today for 13 random facts about her! Learn what Infinite Sky used to be called and get a chance to win bookmarks from her!


CJ Flood

13 Random Facts

1. That Infinite Sky used to be called Silverweed (after the Dancy's farmhouse in the book), but Simon and Schuster weren't keen on it.

2. That her middle name is Jeri-lee.

3. That she used to wish she was a boy.

4. That she used to be scared of lorries, because she thought in a previous life she was crushed by one.

5. That she is a tv extra who has never been cast.

6. That she finds writing novels really hard, but can't stop doing it.

(Sidenote: That is so true. Not that I write them too..)

7. That she loves animals, but is allergic to cats.

8. That she is learning to play the ukulele.

(Sidenote: Eeep! I want to learn to play ukulele too!)

9. That she really likes smashing things up.

10. That she lived in Berlin for a while.

11. That Cornwall is her spiritual home.

12. That she got sacked from a job selling windows because she used to hang up on people who were interested in buying windows due to not knowing the next bit of the script.

13. That she dreams of living in a treehouse.

***

More about CJ!

Hi, I'm Chelsey. I grew up in Derby, and now live in Bristol. I like fire and the sea and trees.

Find her: Blog * Twitter * Goodreads





Check out CJ's debut novel!

Infinite Sky
(Infinite Sky #1)
by CJ Flood

Published February 14th 2013 by Simon & Schuster UK

Blurb (Goodreads):
Iris Dancy’s free-spirited mum has left for Tunisia, her dad’s rarely sober and her brother’s determined to fight anyone with a pair of fists. 

When a family of travellers move into the overgrown paddock overnight, her dad looks set to finally lose it. Gypsies are parasites he says, but Iris is intrigued. As her dad plans to evict the travelling family, Iris makes friends with their teenage son. Trick Deran is a bare knuckle boxer who says he’s done with fighting, but is he telling the truth? 

When tools go missing from the shed, the travellers are the first suspects. Iris’s brother, Sam, warns her to stay away from Trick; he’s dangerous, but Iris can no longer blindly follow her brother’s advice. He’s got secrets of his own, and she’s not sure he can be trusted himself. 


Infinite Sky is a family story about betrayal and loyalty, and love.









The Escapist




Check out debut author Chelsea Pitcher on Oops! I Read A Book Again now!

Yesterday: Lauren Roedy Vaughn (OCD, the Dude, and Me) and Victoria Scott (The Collector)
Tomorrow: Leila Howland (Nantucket Blue) and Danielle DeVor (Tail of the Devil)


Calling YA/NA/MG debut authors of 2014! Want to join us on this fun event? Fill out this form! Don't forget to spread the word with your debuting friends!


GIVEAWAY!
- bookmarks
- open internationally
a Rafflecopter giveaway










Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Book Review: Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum



Revolution 19
by Gregg Rosenblum

Series: Revolution 19 #1
Genre: MG-YA, dystopian, sci-fi
Published January 8th 2013 by Harper Teen
Source: Publisher
Local purchase: Fullybooked * National Bookstore

Blurb (Goodreads):
Twenty years ago, the robots designed to fight our wars abandoned the battlefields. Then they turned their weapons on us.

Only a few escaped the robot revolution of 2071. Kevin, Nick, and Cass are lucky —they live with their parents in a secret human community in the woods. Then their village is detected and wiped out. Hopeful that other survivors have been captured by bots, the teens risk everything to save the only people they have left in the world—by infiltrating a city controlled by their greatest enemies.

Revolution 19 is a cinematic thriller unlike anything else. With a dynamic cast of characters, this surefire blockbuster has everything teen readers want—action, drama, mystery, and romance. Written by debut novelist Gregg Rosenblum, this gripping story shouldn’t be missed.





My Thoughts:

What would you do if your world is ruled by robots? If you'd think about it, robots were made by humans like us, then they're ruling us? That's insane. Surely we would never let that happen. But just in case you're wondering how it will be, Revolution 19 is the book to be.

A world with bots as rulers is scary. But that doesn't stop the siblings Kevin, Nick and Cass from--literally--stepping into the city to find their missing parents. There, they meet Lexi and her friend Amanda who helped them hide, fit in and find their parents.

The next turn of events were a mixture of surprise and predictability, but the thing that kept me reading this book was the fun way it is written. Mysterious with little thrill and action and the love that the characters have not only to their parents, but also to their siblings and the people who helped them. This book will not only entertain you, but will also make you appreciate all the people around you, especially your family.

Revolution 19 is a fun and quick read, and I like it. I can imagine it being published as an animated movie. The story is about love for the family and standing up to those who do wrong and underestimates us and brave, courage and no age can limit the change that people can do. It is a futuristic novel that will surely capture the hearts of young readers.


*Thank you so much Megan and Haper Collins International for providing a physical copy in exchange of an honest review!

Rating:






P.S  WIN a copy of Revolution 19 or its sequel, Fugitive X here!





Celebrating Debutantes 2013: Lauren Roedy Vaughn (13 Random Facts + Giveaway)


Our debut author for the day had an intense fear of dogs..until she stood up to a bully. Know the story and others on her random facts below!

Lauren Roedy Vaughn

13 Random Facts

1. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, when I was in elementary school. I moved to Los Angeles, California, for college and have lived there ever since.

2. In kindergarten, I met my friend Cynthia. When we were six years old, we planned our first fundraising carnival to benefit cancer research and held it in her backyard. (We actually made money for our cause. Go kindergarten activists!) Over the next few years, we planned several more of these carnivals. We had no idea when we were that young that about two decades later both our fathers would die from cancer. Alas. Cynthia and I are still friends.

3. I have no kids and no pets, but I love kids, and I would never harm an animal. I’m a vegetarian. 

4. My abili-buddy colleague, Karen (hyper-organized and brilliant in a crisis) and I (not so organized and prone to hysteria) planned trips all over the globe for our students. We traveled to Washington D.C., New York, Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, England, Italy, France, Spain, and Peru. Oh, the stories Karen and I could tell you. 

5. I have several former students who’ve gone on to become teachers. I am so proud of them: as people and as educators. I serve on the Board of the International Dyslexia Association, Los Angeles, with one of them. 

6. I found out I was allergic to shellfish on a first date in college. I can’t believe the guy kept dating me, but he did…for a little while. 

7. After I graduated from college, my boyfriend (now my husband) and I drove from Los Angeles to Cincinnati. We stayed in tents on KOA campgrounds. One night while we were sleeping, I rolled over and accidently turned on his electric shaver, which loudly buzzed. In my semi-sleep state, I thought it was some kind of flying, terrible critter trapped in our tent. My screams woke up the entire campground. My bad. Sorry, people. 

8. I broke my arm doing gymnastics when I was thirteen and have a large scar along my right elbow, which was redesigned, like the bionic woman. Far out. 

9. My favorite movie is THE BIG LEBOWSKI. Duh.

10. I’m a terrible bowler. Comically horrible. 

11. I love yoga. All kinds. 

12. I love books. And magazines. And scholarly journals and papers. I love reading. And writing. And writers. And teachers. And librarians. And bloggers. 

(Sidenote: Aw, and we love authors--you--too! Without you, there would be no books.)

13. I used to have an intense fear of dogs. Shaking, hyperventilating, unrelenting fear…around any dog. Like your teacup terrier might as well be Cujo. Then, one day, as if by magic… I stood up to a bully. Good for me. Long story short: That same day, my fear of dogs morphed into a mild discomfort around dogs I don’t know. However, I’ve actually fallen in love with a few dogs since my fear left me. All because I stood up to a bully. Life is mysterious and amazing.

***

More about Lauren!

I have a bachelor's degree in drama, a master's degree in special education and a learning specialist credential. It is my pleasure to serve as a Board Member for The International Dyslexia Association’s Los Angeles Branch under the leadership of Lainie Donnell, another former student of mine. Each of us learns differently; each has unique gifts and struggles, and the planet is better off because of this diversity. I celebrate learners of all kinds, and I love to write about them. When I am not teaching or reading or writing, I can often be found on a yoga mat or watching The Big Lebowski and laughing out loud. ​OCD, THE DUDE, AND ME​ is my first novel.




Check out Lauren's debut novel!

OCD, the Dude and Me
by Lauren Roedy Vaughn

Published March 21st 2013 by Dial

Blurb (Goodreads):
With frizzy orange hair, a plus-sized body, sarcastic demeanor, and "unique learning profile," Danielle Levine doesn't fit in even at her alternative high school. While navigating her doomed social life, she writes scathing, self-aware, and sometimes downright raunchy essays for English class. As a result of her unfiltered writing style, she is forced to see the school psychologist and enroll in a "social skills" class. But when she meets Daniel, another social misfit who is obsessed with the cult classic film The Big Lebowski, Danielle's resolve to keep everyone at arm's length starts to crumble.







The Escapist

Check out debut author Victoria Scott on Oops! I Read A Book Again now!

Yesterday: Shana Mlawski (Hammer of Witches) and J.J. Howard (That Time I Joined the Circus)
Tomorrow: CJ Flood (Infinite Sky) and Chelsea Pitcher (The S Word)


Calling YA/NA/MG debut authors of 2014! Want to join us on this fun event? Fill out this form! Don't forget to spread the word with your debuting friends!


GIVEAWAY!
- a copy of OCD, the Dude, and Me
- open internationally
a Rafflecopter giveaway








Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Book Feature + Pre-order Gift: Racing Savannah by Miranda Kenneally

Hey everyone! Today I'm featuring the next contemporary novel from blockbuster YA novelist Miranda Kenneally, Racing Savannah. Check out the book and the gift from Sourcebooks for everyone who will pre-order!



Racing Savannah
(Hundred Oaks #4)
by Miranda Kenneally

Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire

Blurb:
They’re from two different worlds, but Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules. . . 
Right before her senior year, Savannah’s father whisks the family off to Tennessee to work as head groom at fancy Cedar Hill Farms. Savannah finally sees it as the perfect opportunity to earn extra money as an exercise rider—no matter how many others don’t want a girl around the barn.  But she’s also caught the eye of Jack Goodwin, the owner’s son. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries. With her dream of becoming a jockey, Savannah is not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack.





Here's a message from Sourcebooks!

We’ve put together a fun campaign to thank readers for pre-ordering: send us your proof of pre-order and we’ll send you this fabulous horseshoe key chain!

A Gift for You, for Pre-Ordering RACING SAVANNAH by Miranda Kenneally

We have a special offer for U.S. and Canada YA fans for the release of RACING SAVANNAH by Miranda Kenneally in stores in a little over three weeks! If you pre-order the book, we will send you an exclusive horseshoe key chain—perfect for any busy teen on the go! You have until December 2 or until quantities run out. 

Here’s how to get your charm:
1. Pre-order the book (print or eBook) through any retailer (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, your local independent bookseller/Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Hastings, etc.)
2. Email your proof of purchase (receipt or picture of the receipt) to teenfire@sourcebooks.com. Put “Racing Savannah Pre-Order” in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your home address (US & Canada only please) so we can send you the horseshoe key chain! If you’ve already pre-ordered this book—not a problem! Send us your receipt!
3. You will get an email back confirming when the items have been sent out. 
4. Enjoy Racing Savannah when it comes out in December!

Optional: take a pic of you and your horseshoe key chain and share it with Miranda Kenneally or Sourcebooks Fire on Twitter! You can find Miranda @mirandakennealy and Sourcebooks Fire @sourcebooksfire.



Exciting, huh? Pre-order now!











Celebrating Debutantes 2013: Shana Mlawski (Interview)


Shana Mlawski, author of Hammer of Witches, has a cute story to tell about a fan who loved her book! Check it out along with other interview questions.

Shana Mlawski

1. What do you feel about the number '13'?

Traditionally, thirteen is a lucky number for us Jews, so I'm cool with it. I'm also a TV addict, and most TV seasons have thirteen episodes nowadays, so in my head the number is associated with mind-blowing season finales. (Breaking Bad, anyone?)

2. What's the best thing that happened after your book was published?

The best thing about getting a book published is that you get to meet tons of wonderful people: fans, other authors, publishing world buddies. The most fun I had was at ConnectiCon in August, when I got to spend a weekend hanging out with my publishers, a gajillion cosplayers, and fellow Tu Books authors Joseph Bruchac and Bryce Moore. Speaking of which: everyone read KILLER OF ENEMIES and VODNIK. Apache steampunk! Slovakian death gods! Fun for the whole family!

3. How did you celebrate the publishing of your book?

There may have been alcohol. Please drink responsibly. This has been a message from the Shana <3s font="" nbsp="">Champagne Council.

4. Do you read reviews of your book?

I try not to, but people send me good ones every once in a while. And I can't deny that it felt pretty good getting early raves from authors like Diana Peterfreund and Lesley Livingston. Incidentally, readers, if you love a book or an author and want to support them, write a review! You can stick it on Goodreads, Amazon, wherever. We all really appreciate it.

5. What is your best or most unforgettable moment with a fan?

There was this thirteen-year-old girl loved HAMMER OF WITCHES so much that she stayed up all night reading it. It was very sweet. Then she read it again, and a third time, and a fourth time – and this was over a period of two weeks. I was like, “Slow down, girl! Even I haven't read it that many times!”

6. Was there any book/s from other debut author of 2013 that you loved?

ANCILLARY JUSTICE by Ann Leckie is very neat. It's about a young woman who used to be a spaceship, which is one of those super-cool ideas that becomes horrifying the second you start thinking about it. (Where did the spaceship AI would get a human body to live in?) If you're interested in worldbuilding, read this book.

7. Are you interested in writing in a different genre or for a different audience?

When it comes to writing, I'm polyamorous. In the past I wrote short stories, plays, screenplays, and recently I've been futzing around with poetry. But speculative fiction will always be my first and deepest love.

8. Share us one embarrassing moment you've had.

Nothing's immediately jumping to mind, but wait a minute. I'm sure I can manage to embarrass myself somehow.

9. Favorite color? Purple.

Favorite movie? Princess Mononoke.

Favorite ice cream flavor? Mint chocolate chip.

Favorite song? Impossible question. My favorite songs of this month are “Reflektor” by Arcade Fire and “Falling” by Haim.

Ultimate celebrity crush (dead or alive)? I'm a nerd, so by default it must be David Tennant. Although, at the moment this nerd is obsessed with Fringe and wouldn't say no to some Joshua Jackson action.

10. What's next for you?

Finding exciting new ways to avoid answering this question :)

***

More about Shana!

Shana Mlawski lives in New York and has previously lived in Connecticut and Puerto Rico. You may have read one of her many articles or seen one of her popular infographics on the pop culture website OverthinkingIt.com. In her other life she writes educational materials and teaches teenagers to read and write. HAMMER OF WITCHES is her first novel.

Find her: Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads



Here's Shana's debut novel!

Hammer of Witches
by Shana Mlawski

Published 2013 by Tu Books

Blurb (Goodreads):
Baltasar Infante, a bookmaker’s apprentice living in 1492 Spain, can weasel out of any problem with a good story. But when he awakes one night to find a monster straight out of the stories peering at him through his window, he’s in trouble that even he can’t talk his way out of.

Soon Baltasar is captured by a mysterious arm of the Spanish Inquisition, the Malleus Maleficarum, that demands he reveal the whereabouts of Amir al-Katib, a legendary Moorish sorcerer who can bring myths and the creatures within them to life. Baltasar doesn’t know where the man is—or that he himself has the power to summon genies and golems.

Baltasar must escape, find al-Katib, and defeat a dreadful power that may destroy the world. As Baltasar’s journey takes him into uncharted lands on Columbus’s voyage westward, he learns that stories are more powerful than he once believed them to be—and much more dangerous.








The Escapist


Head over to Oops! I Read A Book Again now for author J.J Howard!

Yesterday: Claire M. Caterer (The Key and the Flame) and Louise D. Gornall (In Stone)
Tomorrow: Lauren Roedy Vaughn (OCD, the Dude, and Me) and Victoria Scott (The Collector)
Check out the full schedule here.


Calling YA/NA/MG debut authors of 2014! Want to join us on this fun event? Fill out this form! Don't forget to spread the word with your debuting friends!