Jessi Kirby

First Ever Friday Five!

2012-02-03T06:33:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of random things I've been meaning to blog about recently, but they all seem random and unrelated, so I haven't. And then it hit me--I'm pretty sure that's what Friday Five posts are for, right? I'm going to try it anyway. Today, and next Friday, and hopefully every Friday after that. So here goes. First Friday Five:

1. NATIONAL DRAFT FINISHING MONTH: A few days ago, Sara Zarr tweeted that she was declaring it National Draft Finishing Day. Oh, how I wished I could declare the same thing, but I am not quite there yet. It feels like I've been working on this draft of mine FOR.EV.ER. And I need a good kick in the pants to make it through the last stretch of writing it. So on Feb 1, I took a cue from Sara Zarr and declared it National Draft Finishing Month. And lo and behold, there are lots of people out there on Twitter who have the same goal! We all decided to use the hashtag #DFM to check in, cheer each other on, and get our drafts done by Feb 28th. It'll take discipline, hard work, and LOTS of caffeine and chocolate, but I'm confident we can do it!

2. SUMMER LOVIN' TOUR WITH JENNY HAN AND MORGAN MATSON!!!
Last week I got the okay to officially announce that I'll be hitting the road with these two awesome authors in May. Not all the details are worked out yet, but this will be a California tour during the week of May 7th-May 12th, and we will have multiple events in the LA and San Francisco areas. I will have more specifics soon, but I am giddy excited over this! Hope to see you there!

3. PASSION AND PROSE CONFERENCE FEB 25th in Long Beach, CA

I've been invited to participate in this unique and fun conference that brings together fans and authors of Romance and YA books for a day of interactive activities, guest speakers, and much,much more.

Presented by Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore, together with Adventures by the Book, the conference takes place Saturday, February 25, 2012, from 9:00am to 3:30pm at the Westin Long Beach, 333 East Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802. Attendance is limited to the first 450 readers who register.

Passion & Prose is a ticketed event ($125) that includes a breakfast buffet meet and greet with the authors, speed dating (an interactive author activity), and lunch with one author at each table. The day also features a Young Adult author panel, three keynote speakers, multiple book buying and signing opportunities, free goodie bags to all participants, and an opportunity drawing to benefit WriteGirl, a non-profit organization that promotes creativity and self-expression through writing to empower girls.

AND...the girls over at Authors are Rockstars are giving away one free pass to the event. Click here to enter!

4. GROWN UP BOOKS

A few weeks back, when I was stuck in the sticky middle of my draft and feeling totally lost in it, someone sent me a link to a blog post that totally turned everything around for me. It's called ON BEGINNING AGAIN, and was written by Dani Shapiro. You can read it here. I loved it so much, first I cried, then I printed it out and hung it up in my office, and then I Googled her name every which way to find out everything I could about this person who gave me such perspective.

And here is what I found: Among a lot of other things, Dani Shapiro is the author of several adult books most recently her memoir, DEVOTION. I went to the book store that day and picked up a copy because after reading ALL of her blog entries, I wanted more of her writing.

DEVOTION is the first "grown up book" I've read in quite a while, and I absolutely loved it. Shapiro offers thoughtful insight in gorgeous, fluid, graceful writing, I am now a forever fan.  Her next book will be one on writing (she is also a teacher), and I will be the first one in line for it.

Speaking of ON WRITING, that book by Stephen King has been sitting on my bookshelf for a few years now, and yesterday I picked it up and didn't put it down until I'd read 100 pages. I am digging the grown up books lately, for sure.

5. P90X AND MAKEOVERS:

A few things have happened in the months I've been writing this third book: I've eaten A LOT of Cadbury Christmas balls, sat in my office chair waaay more than I ever have before, which resulted in my butt getting substantially bigger, and I've let things like haircuts and eyebrow waxes fall by the wayside, which has left me feeling (and looking) like a writer who's been living in a drafting cave for far too long.

So, in true New Years' tradition, I decided to make some changes. I didn't make any resolutions, per se, but just decided to start doing things differently. Five weeks ago now I borrowed the P90X program from a friend and have been faithfully doing those blasted videos every morning instead of running, and it's actally making a difference. I started eating much healthier, which is made easier by the fact that there are no Cadbury chocolates out this time of year, and that's made a difference too. And I gave up wine. For a week, anyway. I'm pretty sure that made a difference too.

And next week? That's the big makeover week.  Things I have scheduled (in addition to writing like crazy so as to finish my draft this month): haircut, eyebrow wax, pedicure, and a box of the 7 Day Crest Whitestrips. It's no extreme makeover, but it's enough to put a little strut in the step, and that's exactly what I'm hoping for.

So that's it. I think I like this Friday Five thing. I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend, whatever you're planning on doing.

Bookanista Thursday: WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard

2012-02-02T06:25:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to be back to blogging this week just in time to feature a fabulous new contemp! I fell in love with Kirsten Hubbard's debut, LIKE MANDARIN, so you can only imagine how excited I was to get my hands on an ARC of her second novel, which hits the shelves next month. WANDERLOVE is absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait for more people to have a chance to read it.

From Goodreads:

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

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

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

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

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

My Thoughts:

WANDERLOVE is a story of journeys--from one country to another, between being lost and found, from self-doubt to self-belief. It's a story of uncovering your passion and letting go of the things that hold you back, and by the end it may just have you packing your bags to discover your own adventures and special places in the world.

Kirsten Hubbard has such a brilliant ability to place the reader in her setting, and this is a setting I didn't want to leave. From the crowded South American markets, to the busses and boats Bria travels on, to the lush tropical island and its crystal water, Hubbard paints a sumptuous picture with an artist's eye. Which brings me to another of my favorite things about this book. Tucked within the pages are Hubbards own sketches, and they're absolutely beautiful. They move and breathe and help tell Bria's story in a way that words cannot.

If you're looking for a way to escape the remaining winter months, or hoping to find a story full of discovery, romance, and heart, you'll want to pick this one up next month. If you want to find out more about Kirsten Hubbard, check out her website or follow her on Twitter!

Or...if you're in the SoCal area, the WANDERLOVE Launch Party is on March 17th, at The Yellow Book Road in San Diego. Complete details are here: http://kirstenhubbard.blogspot.com/2012/01/wanderlove-launch-party-hooray.html

Curious what the other Bookanistas are talking about this week? Go see!

Stasia Ward Kehoe interviews DIES IRAE author Christine Fonseca
Christine Fonseca interviews author Denise Grover Swank
Jessi Kirby and Jen Hayley are wowed by WANDERLOVE
Corrine Jackson is mesmerized by MAY B.
Debra Driza is entranced by HEMLOCK
Katy Upperman delves into THE DISENCHANTMENTS
Nikki Katz celebrates CINDER
Tracy Banghart marvels at JULIET IMMORTAL
Jessica Love spotlights SHINE

Bookanista Thursday: A Very Special Cover Reveal...

2012-01-25T23:17:00.000-08:00

This week, it is my extreme privilege to show you something awesome and shiny and new. And totally striking. I'm sure you remember Elana Johnson's kick-ass dystopian, POSSESSION, with its stark white cover..

Now have a look at the gorgeous new version you'll be seeing on the paperback:

It's beauteous, no? The fabulous font, the color-drenched background. I adore this new look. It still has the same stark feel as the original, but with more depth and pop to it.

And...are you ready for this? Here is a first look at SURRENDER, the sequel to POSSESSION, which hits the shelves in June!

Again, I am totally down with the color-drenched background, and I thing the turquoise echoed in the hummingbird is just gorgeous. I also love, love, love the look of the jar. It's almost like ice or something. Just beautiful.

What do you think???

I cannot wait to have all this pretty on my bookshelf!

When you're finished admiring POSSESSION's new look, head on over to the other Bookanista Blogs and see what books they're talking about this week!

Christine Fonseca brings you a special Guestanista review of SPRINKLES & SECRETS Shannon Messenger delights in DEAD TO YOU – with giveaway
Beth Revis interviews TEMPEST author Julie Cross – with giveaway
Jessi Kirby takes a shine to the SURRENDER and new POSSESSSION covers
Jen Hayley gushes over THE GIRL WHO LOVED A CITY
Veronica Rossi is crazy for INCARNATE
Nikki Katz marvels at A MILLION SUNS
Gennifer Albin is on fire over CINDER
Tracy Banghart is all about THE OTHER LIFE
Jessica Love wonders at THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Hilary Wagner mourns over THE DEATH OF YORIK MORTWELL -- with giveaway

Stasia Kehoe adores IN HONOR

Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit: Featuring Lucienne Diver and FANGTASTIC!

2012-01-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled a few weeks back when an invitation to join a group called the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit landed in my inbox. For those of you not familiar with this awesome group, it's web ring of YA authors dedicated to bringing you the latest news about YA releases and interviews with the fabulous people responsible for them.

Being new to this whole business of being a writer, I'm thoroughly fascinated by how other people do it. And I mean on a daily basis--what their writing day is like, where they work, what they snack on, listen to, procrastinate with. I love when I get a peek into these highly individualized worlds, so when I get to feature authors from the Circuit, that's what I will try to give you!

Today I'm happy to have with me Lucienne Diver, author of the popular Vamped series, and her latest book, FANGTASTIC!

What do you wear to face down a cadre of killer kids?

Gina Covello would rather be working on her manicure than missions for the Feds’ paranormal unit to which she’s been recruited. That changes when a group of killer kids takes out a family in the sunshine state and disappearances begin to plague the lifestylers who only play at the kind of existence our fanged fashionista leads. She and her crew are sent undercover into the vampire clubs…which turn out to be run by real vampires. While Gina’s BFF Marcy hangs with the steampunk-styled Burgess Brigade that spawned the killer kids, Gina herself is supposed to get in good with the fanged fiends behind the scenes, even to the point of playing double-agent, offering to hand over her powerful boyfriend Bobby. Her playacting threatens to become a bit too real when she discovers things about her spy handlers that make her wonder whether she’s truly on the right side of the battle between Feds and fangs.

What Readers and Reviewers are Saying about FANGTASTIC:

“As ever, Gina's feisty, funny narration carries the day. Gina never fails to please, as she strides down the runway of afterlife with just the right mix of humor, make-up advice, youthful lust that never crosses the line and a kung-fu style all her own. This one doesn’t miss a beat.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Perfect for teens and adults, this is a book to share, savor and revisit. ReVamped is full of smart, spot-on dialogue, engaging, authentic characters and a plot that’s so much fun it’s impossible not get swept up.” —Examiner.com

"VAMPED is a total delight! Diver delivers a delightful cast of undead characters and a fresh, fast take on the vampire mythos. Next installment, please!" — Rachel Caine, New York Times bestselling author of the Morganville Vampires series

“Diver uses wit and adventure to hook readers with this teen vampire story.” —VOYA

“Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Cordelia Chase got turned into a vampire? If you have, look no further than Vamped for the answer. It's like Mean Girls with fangs, with witty dialogue and more pop culture references than you can keep up with.” – Wondrous Reads

“Diver takes vampires to a whole new level.” —I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read

About Lucienne:

Lucienne Diver is the author of the popular Vamped series of young adult novels (think Clueless meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer). School Library Journal calls the first book, “a lighthearted, action-packed, vampire romance story following in the vein of Julie Kenner’s “Good Ghouls” (Berkley), Marlene Perez’s “Dead” (Harcourt), and Rachel Caine’s “The Morganville Vampires” (Signet) series.” VOYA has suggested that the books “will attract even reluctant readers.”

Her short stories have been included in the Strip-Mauled and Fangs for the Mammaries anthologies edited by Esther Friesner (Baen Books), and one of her essays appears in the anthology Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperTeen).

And now, to find out a little bit more...

1. Do you have a pre-game writing warm-up? Something you do before you write to help get you in the right frame of mind?

Coffee. It’s impossible for me to write without coffee. Aside from that, I don’t really have a routine. I try to write first thing in the morning, before my inner editor wakes up and starts getting in my way. I’m better when I write unselfconsciously and can just channel the characters. My inner editor is for the revisions stage of things, and boy, is she harsh!

2. Is there a time of day you like to write best?

Oops, I jumped ahead on this one.

3. Where do you write most often? Do you have a picture you wouldn’t mind sharing of your writing space?

I love the dock at our lodge. Peace, quiet and beauty!

4. What things do you always have on hand when writing? Special pens, notepads, snacks…

For some reason, I can’t write creatively on the computer, though I can write articles, letters and, of course, interview answers that way. I need a spiral bound, college ruled notebook (I doubled my output when I went from regular to college-lined, because I still felt the need to fill the same number of pages, but had twice as much to show for it). I also need several pens. I run them out of ink like nobody’s business. A drink is also crucial, because the worst thing in the world is to have to get up when you’re on a roll because you’re choking on air. Oh, I’ve done it! Then again, I can trip over stray air molecules as well…I’m talented that way.

5. How do you stay focused when writing?

When I’m on a roll, it feels like I’m really just sitting back, listening to the characters. I can keep writing until my time is up (sadly, I can only carve out an hour each weekday) or until my characters hit a point when they’re unsure what comes next. When they don’t know, I don’t know. We all have to stop and figure it out.

6. What is your worst writing distraction/procrastination tool?

My puppy! I have an adorable apricot colored cockapoo (a cocker spaniel/poodle mix) who thinks that if anything is going to be in my lap, it should be him. He’s been known to push my notebook aside to settle in or to fall asleep on my Kindle to keep my attention focused where he thinks it should be. If it isn’t that, it’s that he must go for a walk or play fetch or…. Yeah, there’s a good reason I write on that dock. It’s the only way I can get anything done!

7. Describe your perfect writing day:

I’m in one of the Adirondack chairs at the dock early in the day, when it’s still cool. (I live in Florida.) An iced latte is by my elbow, the breeze is blowing, though not too hard, and the pen in hand is smooth and full of ink. Heaven. It doesn’t take much.

Thank you so much for stopping by Lucienne! You've got one of the prettiest writing spaces I've ever seen!

If you would like to find out more about Lucienne and her books, you can find her here:

Vamped Series Music Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUNkfCQ35Ok

Websites:

Publisher: www.fluxnow.com Author: www.luciennediver.com

Author blog: http://luciennediver.wordpress.com Gina’s blog: ttp://ginasgems.livejournal.com

Bookanista Thursday!

2012-01-12T06:27:00.000-08:00

It's Thursday, which means the Bookanistas are raving about their latest favorite reads. No post for me this week, as I am busy writing away, but be sure to check out what books the other Bookanistas are talking about on their blogs!

Christine Fonseca introduces some fabulous reads for 2012

Stasia Ward Kehoe takes a shine to A MILLION SUNS and UNDER THE NEVER SKY

Veronica Rossi adores EVERNEATH

Debra Driza is in a frenzy over LARKSTORM with giveaway!

Katy Upperman sings the praises of BEFORE I DIE

Shannon Messenger delves into DOUBLE with an arc giveaway

Bookanista Thursday: HOW TO SAVE A LIFE by Sara Zarr

2012-01-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

One of the things I'm most looking forward to in 2012 is reading. Reading books that make me feel and think and imagine. HOW TO SAVE A LIFE has been at the top of my TBR pile for a while, and I'm so happy I kicked off the year with it. What a beautifully told story this one is. Exactly what I was hoping for!

About the Book:

Jill MacSweeny just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?

As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy--or as difficult--as it seems.

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about the many roads that can lead us home.

My Thoughts:

Where to even begin? The universals, I think, because these are the things at the heart of this story. In subtle, spare prose, Zarr gives us a story of rediscovering love and trust, overcoming fear, and finding strength in opening up. How to Save a Life is told in the alternating voices of Jill and Mandy, two vastly different people whose lives converge when the story begins.

Mandy is running in a lot of ways. Away from her mother and her mother's boyfriend, from a life that hasn't been kind to her, and a future without any hope for something different.  She first comes off as dreamy and naive, but as her chapters unfold, through memories of her old life and observations about her new one, its obvious that Mandy possesses the great hope and strength of someone who is not only a survivor, but the kind of person who is able to see those qualities in others, even when they can't see them themselves.

And Jill desperately needs someone to see those things in her. If Mandy is running, Jill is standing still, her life stalled out since her father's death. She hides from it, behind a facade of strength that has distanced her from her life before, and all of the people in it. Her pain is still raw, but buried in layers of dark clothes, heavy makeup, and biting sarcasm. But there's still a part of her that wants to hope, and love, and heal. And what I loved most about this story was watching that happen, bit by bit.

The beauty of Zarr's storytelling is that it's so sincere. The characters thoughts and emotions, the poignant scenes and observations that had me tearing up and reaching for the kleenex--all of this is written with such honesty and heart. It's the thing I admire most about Zarr's writing.  There's a quiet grace about it that seeps in as you read, and echoes softly long after the story has ended.

When I sit down to read a new book, my hopes are always the same. I want characters who tug at me heart and make me feel, and a story that casts a new light on life and all of its universals. This is a story like that.

You can read more about Sara and her books on her website, her blog, or by following her on Twitter!

And don't forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are talking about this week!

Elana Johnson offers musings on her Bookanista moments

Stasia Ward Kehoe delights in FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB

Nikki Katz is crazy for ASHFALL

Debra Driza adores ANGEL FALL

Lisa and Laura Roeker fall for SHATTER ME

Joining the Ranks: The Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit!

2012-01-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled a few weeks back when an invitation to join a group called the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit landed in my inbox. For those of you not familiar with this awesome group, it's web ring of YA authors dedicated to bringing you the latest news about YA releases and interviews with the fabulous people responsible for them.
Being new to this whole business of being a writer, I'm thoroughly fascinated by how other people do it. And I mean on a daily basis--what their writing day is like, where they work, what they snack on, listen to, procrastinate with. I love when I get a peek into this highly individual world, so when I get to feature authors from the Circuit, that's what I will try to give you!
Today I'm happy to have Eileen Cook with me. Her book, UNRAVELING ISOBEL just came out yesterday and is already getting rave reviews. Check it out:

"Thrilling and creepy, super sexy, and so very hilarious." --Lisa McMann, bestselling author of the Wake trilogy

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.
But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

About Eileen:

Eileen Cook is a multi-published author with her novels appearing in six different languages. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer.

She was also kind enough to answer my questions about her writing life:

1. Do you have a pre-game writing warm-up? Something you do before you write to help get you in the right frame of mind?

Does aimless internet surfing looking at cute puppy pictures and sordid celebrity stories count? I don’t have any formal rituals to get me into the game, but I do like to have access to a cup of tea.

2. Totally. Is there a time of day you like to write best?

I seem to be the most creative in the afternoon, so that’s the time I try and do most of my “new writing.” I use the morning for responding to email, do edits and generally catch up on random things that need to get done.

3. Where do you write most often? Do you have a picture you wouldn’t mind sharing of your writing space?

I tend to write most often in my office. It was the old sun porch on our house that was closed in and insulated. I’ve got a great view of the backyard so I can look out and yell at the dogs when they start digging holes. My office is also open to the living room so I can see the fireplace, which is nice this time of year.

4. What things do you always have on hand when writing? Special pens, notepads, snacks…

Across from my desk is my grandfather’s old typewriter. He got it in the late 1920’s when he went off to Notre Dame. When I was growing up he would type regular letters to me on it and when I would visit I would “play” writer in his office on it. When he passed away I dragged it home with me. It’s made from cast iron and weighs a zillion pounds, but I like to look at it while writing.

5. How do you stay focused when writing?

Most days I don’t have too much trouble staying focused. I’m usually invested in the characters and what’s happening so I want to see how things unfold. Then there are the days when everything seems to distract me. Dust motes in the air are distracting at that point. I try and remind myself that I can’t fix a blank page and stay focused. When that doesn’t work, I assume my brain is trying to tell me something and let myself take a break.

6. What is your worst writing distraction/procrastination tool?

I can take procrastination to an art form. My two primary distractions are reading and knitting. Reading I consider to be research, so I tell myself that I am sort of working and it should count. I can’t lie to myself about my yarn addiction. I like the very tangible sense of progress. Some days you can write all day and have nothing to show for it. With knitting I start with a ball of yarn and after a few hours I have something- a scarf, socks, part of a sweater. It makes me feel as if I’ve accomplished something.

7. Describe your perfect writing day:

The perfect writing day is when suddenly the pieces of an idea all click into place and I know exactly where the story is going. Days where I get to write “the end” are also pretty enjoyable

Thanks so much for stopping by and giving us a peek into your writing life Eileen. And congratulations on Unraveling Isobel!!!

You can read more about Eileen, her books, and the things that strike her as funny at www.eileencook.com.

You can also find her on Twitter and Facebook

2012: So Much to Look Forward To!

2012-01-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

I fully intended to do a 2011 wrap up post, but the last days of it flew by me in a blur. A lot like the year as a whole! And it was such a good one for so many reasons. But now I welcome 2012, and it's with open, hopeful arms. This year is already shaping up to be a fun and busy one!

The first order of business will be to finish up my draft of my third novel. I am in the thick of writing it right now, so if I go a little quiet for the next month or so, you'll know why.

After that, my calendar has started to fill up with events I can't wait for:

February 25th: Passion and Prose Conference in San Diego, featuring keynote speakers Meg Cabot,
                         Christina Dodd, and Gail Carringer. If you're interested in attending, check out the
                         link for full details!

March 10-11th: The Tuscon Festival of Books I will be joining a fabulous lineup of authors for this
                         event. I will be the one walking around in complete awe of that many writers
                         I admire gathered in one place.

April 18th-20th: Texas Library Association Annual Conference. This will mark my first visit to
                           Texas,   which I am beyond excited about. And this conference? Heaven. I will
                           be there with my red boots on!

Speaking of red boots, that brings us to May, which is the pub month for IN HONOR! This is the thing I'm most excited about this year. I cannot wait for you to meet Honor and Rusty and take their road trip with them. There is much good stuff planned to go along with the release of this book, good stuff I can't share just yet, but will soon!

I hope you all had a fabulous year in 2011 and are looking forward to an even better one in 2012!

Moonglass Has a New Look!

2011-12-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

And I can't wait to show you!!!

I've been waiting ever-so- patiently *cough* to get the final cover for the paperback version of MOONGLASS, which comes out on May 8th, along with IN HONOR. And finally, the day has come!I have it! The final, final version. Ready to see???

Okay.

When I was told MOONGLASS would be getting a new cover for the paperback, I was curious and excited to see what the design team would come up with. I loved the shimmery purple of the hardcover and was really hoping to be able to keep the beachy, romantic feel it had, so when I saw this, I couldn't have been happier! Many, many thanks to the awesomely talented design team at S&S for giving MOONGLASS another gorgeous cover!

And now, here it is...

What do you think???

Bookanista Thursday: BITTERSWEET by Sarah Ockler

2011-12-15T08:21:00.000-08:00

The last time I posted I said something about having to take a break from reading to buckle down and focus on writing for a little while. And I did...until BITTERSWEET showed up in my mailbox. I adored TWENTY BOY SUMMER and FIXING DELILAH, so I was beyond excited for Sarah Ockler's next contemp, which features cupcakes, hockey boys, lake effect winds, and dreams that shift and change amidst it all. It comes out on January 3rd, and it's THE PERFECT curl-up-with-a-cup-of-hot-cocoa-and-a-cupcake kind of book. Check it out!

From Goodreads: Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances... a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life...and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last....

My Thoughts:

Hudson Avery had me with this: "In three years of baking for Hurley’s Homestyle Diner in Watonka, New York, I’ve never met a problem a proper cupcake couldn’t fix." On the surface, it's a fun line that most of us would heartily agree with. I've put this philosophy into practice more than once in my own life, that's for sure.

But for Hudson, it goes much deeper than that. Baking cupcakes in her mom's diner is not only her way of trying to fix problems and keep everyone happy, it's also her way of avoiding her own feelings about her parents' divorce and the turn her life has taken in the years since. Hudson is the kind of character I love because she's strong and vulnerable at the same time. She takes on responsibility after responsibility, and is too stubborn to ask for any help, even when it becomes too much to handle. At the same time though, she has this side of her that dreams and yearns for something more, and it's a side she keeps to herself until a cute hockey player by the name of Josh comes along.

There is no way I could write about this book without singing the praises of Ockler's knack for romance within a story. As with her first two books, she knows exactly when to stretch the romantic tension between her characters, and when to let them fall headlong into it. And those moments are so well rendered I get butterflies in my stomach reading them. Seriously. Nobody writes a kiss like Sarah Ockler does.

My most favorite thing about this book though is how real the story felt--from Hudson's tenuous relationship with her mom, to her heartwarming one with her brother, Bug, to the ones with her friends and the boys in her life, I felt these people. And I felt all of those moments between them--the good ones that make your heart sing, and the not-so-good ones you'd rather send off on the icy wind that is a constant in Watonka.

BITTERSWEET is the perfect title for Hudson's story, and Sarah Ockler tells it with humor, honesty, and cupcake descriptions that will have you heading out the door in search of your nearest bakery. Like I said, it's out on January 3rd, so now is the perfect time to add it to your Christmas list!

If you want to find Sarah, you can look her up here:

Her website: http://sarahockler.com
On Twitter
On Facebook

If you want to see what the other Bookanistas are talking about this week, check them out on their blogs:

Bookanista Thursday

2011-11-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

Currently, I'm buried deep in writing, which means I have little time for reading or recommending, or you know, breathing. So. I won't be posting Bookanista recommendations for a bit. But I will still be bringing you the links to the fab books they will all be talking about every Thursday, so please stop by, then check out the other Bookanista blogs!

Bookanista Thursday: Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

2011-11-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

So the month of November is being featured as Just Contemporary month over at Basically Amazing Books and Chick Loves Lit, which I'm so excited about, since Contemporary is my first YA love. It makes me so very proud and happy when I find amazing Contemporary books, and VIRTUOSITY certainly qualifies!

From Goodreads:

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is better?

Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what she’s told, doing what's expected.

Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

My Thoughts:

This is a book that had me from the first intense page. It's a book I fell into immediately and didn't want to put down. At all. Carmen's voice sings from the start, and the tone is passionate, true, fragile, and strong, all at the same time.

I am not a musician in any sense of the word, so this glimpse into Carmen's world was both enlightening and startling. The intensity of the practice, the competition, and the pressures of this life are palpable in every word Martinez writes. And her words are brilliant--crisp, vivid, and gorgeous in the best possible way.

Virtuosity is so many things--way more than the summary suggests. It's a story of a girl facing her opponent, her inner conflicts, and her own talent, and it's so gracefully done I can honestly say it goes on the list of "Books I Wish I'd Written."

So check it out, if you haven't already!

You can also find Jessica on her website: www.jessicamartinez.com , Facebook, and Twitter!

And while you're here, check out what the other Bookanistas are talking about this week:

Elana Johnson gushes about THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS

Shelli Johannes-Wells praises Addison Moore's books

Rosemary Clement-Moore gets all wrapped up in WRAPPED

Nikki Katz screams for LEGEND

Katy Upperman sets us all up for BEFORE I FALL

Bookanista Thursday

2011-11-03T06:37:00.000-07:00

I'll be back with a review of VIRTUOSITY by Jessica Martinez next week, but in the meantime, check out what the other Bookanistas are talking about this week!

Elana Johnson is crazy about Crossed and Shatter Me

LiLa Roecker swoons for Sirenz

Christine Fonseca interviews Kids Inventing! author Susan Casey

Shelli Johannes-Wells dishes on Become (Desolation Book #1)

Beth Revis celebrates books for which she’s grateful – with gigantic signed book giveaway

Megan Miranda marvels at How to Save a Life

Rosemary Clement Moore is wild for The Iron Witch

Veronica Rossi is amazed by Shatter Me

Bookanista Thursday: AUDITION by Stasia Kehoe Makes the Cut!

2011-10-26T23:44:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make: AUDITION by Stasia Kehoe, is the first verse novel I have read. I haven't purposely stayed away from them or anything, it just never really occured to me to branch out into the genre. I usually stick to reading traditional novels because they're familiar and I feel like I'm "studying the craft" by reading them.

Then I read Kehoe's novel in verse, and let me tell you, THAT is a study in craft.

Honestly, the way she works with this art form left me completely wonderstruck at the fact that a beautiful, cohesive story could be told so eloquently through a series of poems. I am in awe. So without further adieu, I present to you AUDITION:

From Goodreads:

When high school junior Sara wins a coveted scholarship to study ballet, she must sacrifice everything for her new life as a professional dancer-in-training. Living in a strange city with a host family, she's deeply lonely-until she falls into the arms of Remington, a choreographer in his early twenties. At first, she loves being Rem's muse, but as she discovers a surprising passion for writing, she begins to question whether she's chosen the right path. Is Rem using her, or is it the other way around? And is dancing still her dream, or does she need something more? This debut novel in verse is as intense and romantic as it is eloquent.

My Thoughts:

As I said before, this was my first introduction to a novel in verse. I read it months ago, and I am STILL in awe at how Kehoe so seamlessly wove together the moments that tell Sara's story, line by line, in beautiful, spare verse. Finding the right words to write a scene in a is hard enough. But this novel makes regular old prose seem like a luxury. Somehow, Kehoe was able to get down to the most striking, pure words to tell Sara's story. She makes a dance with them, and this dance is the story of a girl lost and then found.

Maybe it’s because I am now a mother myself, far removed from 16 and its wants and wishes and insecurities, but I watched Sara set out apprehensively, then give herself over, give herself up to Remington for what, she wasn’t even sure. And the entire time I hoped/prayed/wished she wouldn’t. That she’d find another way. But at the same time, I could also feel the draw of Remington--his dance, his adoration, and the idea of being his inspiration. Kehoe manages infuse the complexity of Sara's relationships to Rem, dance, writing, and herself into seemingly simple poems and the result is graceful and eloquent. It feels true.

Secondly, I am not a dancer, so reading this book was like stepping into a different world. I was absolutely fascinated. Watching the struggle that Sara felt each time she stepped onto the floor--the structure vs. letting go, discipline vs. rebellion left me with a whole new perspective of that world. It seems to me that it's one that is beautiful and brutal at the same time, and I can't imagine a more well-drawn picture.

Whether or not you're into dance, or novels in verse, this is a gorgeous book and an impressive debut, and lucky for you, it's in stores now!

Want to know more about Stasia? You can find her on:

Facebook

Twitter

Her Blog

Stages and Pages Tour

And don't forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are up to, especially ELANA JOHNSON, who has something VERY EXCITING HAPPENING TODAY!!!

Elana Johnson REVEALS something awesome!!!

LiLa Roecker announces a winner - plus a Past Midnight series giveaway
Christine Fonseca reveals books she cannot wait to read
Beth Revis interviews My Very UnFairytale Life author Anna Staniszewski
Shannon Whitney Messenger interviews Skyship Academy-Pearl Wars author Nick James & agent Jennifer Rofe – with giveaway
Shana Silver burns for Circle of Fire
Carrie Harris devours Deadly
Stasia Ward Kehoe travels to The Day Before

Mara Dyer Fabulousness!

2011-09-29T06:15:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of YA Lit, you've probably heard of a little book that just came out this week called THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER. You know, the dark, twisty, sexy debut by Michelle Hodkin? The one with this gorgeous cover:

And this BRILLIANT trailer:

But you may not have heard of the Gigantic, Enormous, Very Big, Very Huge MARA DYER Contest.

Believe me--like the book, this is NOT something you want to miss out on. So go! Now!

Then check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week!

Elana Johnson interviews Elle Strauss, author of Clockwise
LiLa Roecker discusses S R Johannes' e-book experiment
Christine Fonseca is wowed by The White Assassin - with giveaway
Shannon Whitney Messenger loves Lola & the Boy Next Door – with giveaway
Beth Revis delights in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer – with giveaway
Shelli Johannes-Wells falls for Fracture
Carolina Valdez Miller adores Ashfall – with giveaway
Shana Silver steps up to Audition
Corrine Jackson is crazy about Cracked
Stasia Ward Kehoe swoons for Swan and To Dance

New Fall Events!

2011-09-28T14:04:00.000-07:00

So today I opened up my calendar to the month of October, and holy wow, it's shaping up to be a busy one! I've got lots of fun author events and appearances lined up. Things like:

The Orange County Children's Book Festival
This is a FREE event and takes place on Sunday, October 2nd. I'll be on the "Keepin' it Real Panel," which is hosted by superstar writer Heidi Kling, and includes authors Lindsey Leavitt (Sean Griswold's Head), Kirsten Hubbard (Like Mandarin), and Andrew Smith (Stick, Marbury Lens). More details here!

Debut Author Signing at Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego

This event will take place on Wednesday October 19th at 7pm, with Kirsten Hubbard, Elana Johnson, and Corey Whaley. If you're in the San Diego area, come see us!

Oceanside Barnes and Noble: Four Fabulous Authors on One Night!

On Thursday, October 20th, I'll be teaming up with fellow debut authors Corey Whaley (Where Things Come Back), Elana Johnson (Possession), and Kirsten Hubbard (Like Mandarin), for a fabulous, fun-filled evening. Come see us!

SoCal Independent Bookseller's Association Author's Feast and Tradeshow

This event takes place on Saturday, October 22nd, and is one I am definitely looking forward to! I'll be the totally starstruck one with this list of attending authors.

1st IN HONOR Giveaway!!! Jacket Proofs and a Special Sneak Peek!!!

2011-09-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

I love emails from my editor that end in multiple exclamation marks. When I got the one titled "Jacket Proofs!!!" I dropped EVERYTHING to open it up and ogle the cover image of IN HONOR on my laptop screen. It made me wish I had one of those mammoth-sized monitors that I could just stare at forever and ever. But then last week, I got something even better from the UPS man:

The actual jacket proofs!!!

Why yes, I took them around my house and photographed them in various locations with my own red boots, but I had a reason, and the reason is this:

I'm going to give them away this week!

(The proofs, not the boots. They were a gift from my hubby.)

And you want these. Know why?

On the back cover, which you can't see anywhere online, is Honor's travel companion, Rusty. And whoa boy, is he perfect. Rugged-looking like I imagined, with just enough revealed to hint at his hotness.

AND THIS:

I'm going to do something special with these proofs. Every road trip needs a playlist, and IN HONOR has one that's near and dear to my heart. It's a playlist I listened to almost every day while I was writing the story of Finn, Honor, and Rusty. I listened to it on my runs, while gardening, doing dishes, waiting in the school pick up line...everywhere. It's how I stay connected to a story. Each song corresponds to a scene, theme, or feeling in the book, and three lucky winners will get an exclusive sneak peek at the list all of the tunes that inspired IN HONOR.

BECAUSE...

On the inside of each jacket proof I give away will be the IN HONOR playlist, hand-written, and signed by me.

How do you enter to win one of these??? Easy:

1. Leave a comment on this post. (+1 entry)

Want to earn some extra entries?

Tweet about the giveaway (+1)

Share the giveaway on Facebook (+1)

Link to this giveaway on your blog (+1)

Leave the links to these in your comment and I will count an extra entry for each one. (Max number of entries is 4.)

This contest is open internationally and will run from today through Sunday, September 18th. I'll post the winners that day.

Happy Monday!

Bookanista Thursday: Sean Griswold's Head

2011-09-08T06:15:00.000-07:00

Don't you love it when you finish a great book and immediately follow it up with ANOTHER great book? It doesn't happen all that often for me, but let me tell you, I am on a Contemporary YA roll right now! This week's book is Lindsey Leavitt's SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD, which I'd been wanting to read since I first heard about it. I'm so glad I did, because it's a funny-sweet story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

From Goodreads:

According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

My Thoughts:

The first thing that caught me about this book was the voice. Payton's quirky, self-conscious personality and her good-natured sarcasm make her completely believable and totally endearing. When she learns of her father's diagnosis, she's thrown for a loop, but doesn't descend into deep depression or melodrama. Instead, she takes things day by day, dealing the best she can. I admired that about her, and respected the way Lindsey Leavitt handled it.

Many books that deal with parents' illnesses have a tendency to be on the heavier side, but this one is refreshingly balanced. Leavitt manages to tell the story of a girl dealing with potentially devastating news while at the same time keeping the details of her day to day life honest, funny, and relevant. The most relevant of those details is Sean Griswold, and he is a cute, well-drawn one at that. The relationship that forms between him and Payton is a sweet, understanding one, which is exactly what she needs.

It's no secret that even when we're in the midst of what can feel like a personal tragedy, life continues to happen all around us. In SEAN GRISWOLD'S HEAD, Leavitt blends humor, romance, and thoughtful observations to show just how.

If you'd like to find out more about Lindsey Leavitt, you can visit her website here.

If you'd like to see Lindsey Leavitt talk about Contemporary YA, you can come to the Orange County Children's Book Festival on October 2nd. Info is here!

But wait! Before you go, check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

Elana Johnson shares some book love for Random Acts of Publicity Week

LiLa Roecker is wild about a double giveaway of Witch Eyes and Wildefire

Christine Fonseca thinks you should Write Your Book Now!

Shannon Whitney Messenger loves Legend – with signed arc giveaway

Scott Tracey: Today is Witch Eyes release day – wowza!

Sarah Frances Hardy applauds Lottie Paris Lives Here

Stasia Ward Kehoe marvels at The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Bookanista Thursday: What Happened to Goodye

2011-09-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

Wow. I feel a tad out of practice with this whole blogging thing, but with summer winding down, and the little people of the house going back to school in a few days, I'm thinking it'll all come back to me quickly. And hopefully eloquently.

To be perfectly honest, I am nervous about this Bookanista review. Not because I haven't written one in a while, or because I really haven't written anything all summer. No. I'm nervous because I can't figure out how in the world to write a review of Sarah Dessen's WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE.

See, Sarah Dessen is my real life hero. Seriously. Her books, and the characters that live in their pages feel like home to me. They stay with me like the truest kind of old friends, and inspire me in the way only the best stories can. How do I begin to "review" that?

Here's the thing--Sarah Dessen has set the standard for Contemporary YA. Writing a review of her book is like writing about how great chocolate is. We all know it. But the whole aim of The Bookanistas is to spread the word about books we love, and WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE is most definitely one of those books, so here we go:

From Goodreads:

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.

My Thoughts:

In WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE, Sarah Dessen delivers all of the goodness I've come to expect from her novels: a relatable main character with realistic issues, well-drawn relationships, and subtle, gracefully woven themes that will resonate with everyone.

From the beginning, McLean is loveable character. She's accustomed to being new, and comfortable adopting different personas and the lives that go along with them as a way to keep any connections she makes from getting too deep.  It's her defense mechanism. What she's not used to being is herself.  And that self is someone who has been hurt by her parents' divorce, who has a lot of unresolved anger toward her mom, and who is fiercely loyal to and protective of her dad. She's also someone who is incredibly sympathetic, doesn't judge, and has a soft spot for underdogs. Once she's in Lakeview, being anything other than herself becomes next to impossible, and that's due to the relationships she builds there.

Relationships are everything in this story.  McLean's relationship with her father is tender, heartfelt, and the sweetest one in the novel. With her mother, things are tangly and complicated, but driven by love and a bond that she can't seem to break no matter how hard she tries. And then there are the friends she makes: Deb, Riley, and Dave. Each of these characters are endearing and come with flaws of their own that allow McLean to open up and be herself around them. It's through these relationships that McLean learns to trust, to forgive, and ultimately rediscovers who she is.

I think all of have at some point wished we could step into a different life, drop all of our problems and past issues, and become someone brand new. But McLean says it best herself: "Your past is always your past. Even if you forget, it remembers you."  Ultimately, it's what makes us who we are, for better or worse, warts and all. And that's a good thing.

WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE ranks right up there with my other Dessen favorites, and if you're looking for a book to curl up with on this last weekend of summer, I can't recommend it enough.

Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

And Now I Present to You...IN HONOR!!!

2011-08-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

So I have a little something to show you...

Actually, it's not little. It's a big thing. A thing I've been waiting not-so-patiently to share. It's also a thing I've been wondering about and trying to picture since I started my second novel, IN HONOR. And now it's real. It has a blurb, and a release date, and...

A COVER!!!

And it's a cover that couldn't be any more perfect for this story. Krista Vossen, designer extraordinaire at Simon and Schuster, is my new hero. Not only did she manage to visually capture the feel of the story. She included the one thing I was REALLY hoping for. Honor's red boots. They're even on the spine! Did I mention I have a new hero?

I've mentioned in a few places that this is a road trip book. It's also a book about love and loss and sacrifice. And a letter. And a pair of concert tickets. And two unlikely travel companions. And...well here's the official Goodreads blurb:

Description

Honor receives her brother's last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn's celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn's last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn's best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn't seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn. . . and ruggedly good looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn't. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

IN HONOR will be released in May 2012

And just for fun, here's a Road Trip Wednesday post I did a few weeks back, all about the visual inspirations for the book. It's a sneak peek into soe of Honor and Rusty's experiences along the way!

Bookanista Review: A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie

2011-07-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

This week, it's my pleasure to introduce a book by a fellow English teacher, Matt Blackstone! I was excited to read A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE, first, because the premise is totally intriguing and different, and secondly because I love reading books written by teachers. Writers are observers by nature. Put a writer in a classroom, and that person will have characters and story ideas that ring uniquely true. This is definitely the case with Blackstone's OCD main character, Rene.

From Goodreads:

Rene, an obsessive-compulsive fourteen year old, smells his hands and wears a Batman cape when he’s nervous. If he picks up a face-down coin, moves a muscle when the time adds up to thirteen (7:42 is bad luck because 7 + 4 + 2 = 13), or washes his body parts in the wrong order, Rene or someone close to him will break a bone, contract a deadly virus, and/or die a slow and painful death like someone in a scary scene in scary movie. Rene’s new and only friend tutors him in the art of playing it cool, but that’s not as easy as Gio makes it sound.

My Thoughts:

Rene is one of those characters who grabs at your heart (and sense of humor) from the very beginning and doesn't let go. Navigating high school is hard enough as it is, but add to it Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, an absent father, and a very tired mother, and you've got a situation that would be more than a challenge for anyone. And Rene handles it the best way he knows how. By wearing his cape to school, washing his hands obsessively, eating the same bowl of Lucky Charms every day, and keeping to all of his other routines that make him feel safe. He's not shy about it. He knows the ins and outs of his disorder and has a wry sense of humor about it.

And then things change, in a good way. Gio is everything Rene wishes he could be: cool, calm, well-liked, friends with Mr. Head, the English teacher Rene admires. Gio is also the thing Rene needs most: a friend. When Gio befriends Rene, he also gives him strength and confidence enough to face the scariest scenes Rene comes up against, and that is my most favorite part of this story. As unlikely as it seems, the friendship between Rene and Gio is real and touching.

If you've read any of my reviews, you know that character is the most important thing to me in a story. Blackstone's characters are well-drawn, quirky, and sympathetic. Definitely a pleasure to read. If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure to pick up A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE.

You can find it here:

Indiebound

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

You can also check out Matt's website here: http://www.mattblackstonebooks.com/

And finally, go see what the other Bookanistas are up to this week!

Or on their blogs:

Bookanista Review: Where Things Come Back

2011-07-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

This week it is truly my pleasure to bring you a review of WHERE THINGS COME BACK, by John Corey Whaley. This...is a book that humbled me as a reader and a writer. And one I have a feeling we'll all be hearing more about come award time. Yep. That's what I said. This book will win awards, and they will be well-deserved.

From Goodreads:

Just when seventeen-year-old Cullen Witter thinks he understands everything about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town, it all disappears. . . .

In the summer before Cullen's senior year, a nominally-depressed birdwatcher named John Barling thinks he spots a species of woodpecker thought to be extinct since the 1940s in Lily, Arkansas. His rediscovery of the so-called Lazarus Woodpecker sparks a flurry of press and woodpecker-mania. Soon all the kids are getting woodpecker haircuts and everyone's eating "Lazarus burgers." But as absurd as the town's carnival atmosphere has become, nothing is more startling than the realization that Cullen’s sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother Gabriel has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.

While Cullen navigates his way through a summer of finding and losing love, holding his fragile family together, and muddling his way into adulthood, a young missionary in Africa, who has lost his faith, is searching for any semblance of meaning wherever he can find it. As distant as the two stories seem at the start, they are thoughtfully woven ever closer together and through masterful plotting, brought face to face in a surprising and harrowing climax.

Complex but truly extraordinary, tinged with melancholy and regret, comedy and absurdity, this novel finds wonder in the ordinary and emerges as ultimately hopeful. It's about a lot more than what Cullen calls, “that damn bird.” It’s about the dream of second chances.

My Thoughts:

Several months ago, when the Simon & Schuster Summer catalog came out, I circled the title of this book and dog-eared its page because it intrigued me. When I found out I would be on a YA Debut Author Panel at ALA with John Corey Whaley, I made sure to get a copy so I could read it before I met him in person. I started it on my way to New Orleans, and during my three hour flight I didn’t speak to another person on the plane, didn’t get up to use the restroom, didn’t even eat the free snack they offered me, because from the first page, I was a goner for this story.

I have to emphasize the word story here because there are writers, and then there are storytellers. It’s hard for me to pin just what the difference is, but I can tell you this: John Corey Whaley is a true and talented storyteller--the kind that pulls you in with quietly spoken questions and truths that echo long after his story is finished.

Cullen Witter is the voice of this story, and his is an earnest one, so real I felt like I must’ve known him in high school. He’s sarcastic, but not overly so. Filled with hope, and doubt, and searching. Most of all, Cullen is searching. Not only for his brother, but for meaning and second chances—in his small town, in his relationship with his family, in the affections of a girl who breaks his heart. He’s a character full of questions, with a humble sense of reverence for the answers.

The thing I admire most about this book, though, is the way in which the different narrative threads weave their way together by the end of the story to create an ending so full of grace and wisdom I couldn't think of picking up another book for a very long time because I wanted to hang onto the feeling that Whaley left me with. His story resonates. I can't do it justice here.

Where Things Come Back is a book I know I’ll come back to. It’s one I will give my friends and family as a gift, and today, it’s one I cannot speak highly enough about. When you read it, you’ll see what I mean.

You can visit John Corey Whaley at his website.

And you can find his book at:

IndieBound

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Don't forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

Elana Johnson revels in Ruby Red

LiLa Roecker is nuts for I’m Not Her

Christine Fonseca interviews picture book author Michelle McLean – with giveaway

Beth Revis reveals her reading recommendations

Veronica Rossi raves about Wildfire

Shannon Whitney Messenger swoons for Supernaturally – with giveaway

Shelli Johannes-Wells features “guestanisto” author Matt Blackstone

Carolina Valdez Miller is bedazzled by Between – with giveaway

Shana Silver wonders at The Near Witch

Stasia Ward Kehoe celebrates Selling Hope

Bookanista Thursday: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

2011-07-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

It's summertime, which means long days spent on the beach. And after hours of soaking up the sun, there's nothing better than retiring to the shade of the backyard and the pages of a delicious book. This past week, that book was Myra McEntire's HOURGLASS.

From Goodreads:

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant.

Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

My Thoughts:
A science fiction fan I am not. Paranormal? Not usually. But something about HOURGLASS intrigued me and I'm so glad it did, because in it, Myra McEntire delivers a a fast-paced, sexy read with a firecracker of a main character. And characters are what matter to me the most.

Emerson Cole is an awesome one. She's smart, feisty, brave, and real. I loved her from the start and totally enjoyed following her through the twisty-turny plot. I was rooting for her wholeheartedly, and she did not disappoint.

Neither did the boys in this book

Clearly, McEntire knows a thing or two about chemistry and swoon-worthy boys. Between Michael and Kaleb, she pretty much covers everything I could ever be attracted to. And she does it with style and humor. Watching Emerson's reactions to and interactions with each of them was priceless and perfect.

And then the plot. I found myself sucked in immediately by Emerson's ability and the mysteries surrounding it, and the search for answers kept me turning the pages--at quite a pace, I must add.

All in all, HOURGLASS is a fantastic summer read, guaranteed to grab you and leave you wanting more--which there will be, in the sequel!

Wanna check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week? Go see!

Elana Johnson celebrates A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie

LiLa Roecker adores Torn

Christine Fonseca is crazy about Cryer’s Cross – with giveaway

Beth Revis interviews Goddess Test author Aimee Carter – with giveaway

Carolina Valdez Miller delights in Texas Gothic AND Bad Taste in Boys – with giveaways

Shana Silver fawns over Forever

Jen Hayley is hot for Wildfire

Matt Blackstone savors Something Like Hope

Stasia Ward Kehoe jumps for Bumped

Veronica Rossi devours Bad Taste in Boys

Road Trip Wednesday: Inspiring Pictures

2011-07-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Every Wednesday morning I sit down with my cup of coffee and check out one of my most favorite blogs YA Highway for one of my favorite features, Road Trip Wednesday:

"Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic."

Every week, I think "Wow, what a great question. I should totally answer that on my blog." And then every week I spend a whole lot of time checking out everyone else's answers and end up forgetting to write my own.

But this week's topic is perfect. I'm deep in revisions on my second novel, which means I've been going back to all of the things that inspired me, many of which are pictures. So this will be YA Highway's 86th Road Trip Wednesday and my 1st!

This Week's Topic:

Share some images that inspire your WIP(s). We've done this topic before, but it's been quite a while, and pictures are always fun.

This is a '67 Chevy Impala, which is what Honor, the main character drives. She does not, however, take the trip with Sam and Dean from Supernatural. They're just nice to look at.

Honor's favorite boots.

The Blue Hole, Santa Rosa New Mexico, known to scuba divers for its crystal clear water.

Desert monsoon

The gorgeous red rocks of Sedona, Arizona.

This is me trying to capture in words on hotel a notepad just how beautiful it is there. Gotta love research!

Dance floor at the Museum Club in Flagstaff. Best country bar ever. Also a fun place to conduct research.

Perseids meteor shower.

Sunset Toro Nagashi ceremony.

So there it is. A little peek into the next book. Can't wait to give you the rest!

ALA in Pictures

2011-06-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

This week I had the incredible opportunity to attend my very first ALA and I'm still trying to process the amazingess of it all. New Orleans was friendly, lively, hot, sticky, and filled with the best bunch of people I can think of: librarians, book bloggers, publishing folks, authors--all with one thing in common. A love for books. That was the best thing about being there. You could feel the excitement and camaraderie everywhere you went.

I could go on and tell you all about it, but today I'd rather show you. So here you go:

ALA, in Pictures

Oh-so-official badge!

Swanky hotel room.

Bookanista Meet Up after the Newbery & Caldecott banquet, which was beautiful and so inspiring.

Pictured here from left to right: Jessica Martinez, Michelle Hodkin, Elana Johnson, Shannon Messenger, Carolina Valdez Miller, Kirsten Hubbard, and yours truly.

Next day was a visit to the Simon & Schuster booth on the convention floor...

where I got to hang and pose with the awesome Elana Johnson and her book POSSESSION. From there, we headed out to Octavia Books for our signing, where we were greeted by the friendliest staff ever.

Our display at Octavia!

After Octavia, we headed back to the hotel for a debut YA panel, hosted by the one and only Jenny Han. She was a brilliant host and asked us hard-hitting questions like: "Who is your literary crush?" and "If you were stranded on an island and could take only one movie to watch, what would it be?" (My answers: Dexter and Wes from This Lullaby and The Truth About Forever, and Say Anything.)

After the panel, we got to speak to small groups of amazing librarians speed-dating style. So. Much. Fun.

Pictured Above: Jenny Han, John Corey Whaley, Frances O'Roark Dowell, Michelle Hodkin. Bottom Row: Jessica Martinez, me, Elana Johnson, and David E. Hilton.

Best Debut Crew Ever!

After that, it was off to the Printz Reception, which was amazing, to say the least. You'd think after all that we'd all be tuckered out, but it was the last night in New Orleans, so it was time for a little adventuring which included...

Midnight beignets...

and 2am Fuddruckers with Michelle Hodkin and Corey Whaley, the best two late-night adventurers around.

Then all of a sudden it was the next day and time to go home. Almost. The next morning, we had to make one more beignet run, and it was totally worth it, powdered sugar mess and all!

I can't thank Simon & Schuster enough for sending me or say just how much it meant, but ALA New Orleans was a truly unforgettable experience, and one that will always make me smile when I remember. Always.

What Happened to June???

2011-06-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

So I woke up today and somehow found myself in the middle of June. I don't even remember getting here! I do remember looking at the calendar a few weeks ago and thinking "Wow, the end of the month is really busy," and holy cow I was right!
First, there's a little event happening next week in New Orleans and I get to go!!! Three exclamation marks aren't enough to convey how excited I am to be headed to ALA for my first conference ever!!! And New Orleans!!! I've wanted to go there ever since I read Interview With a Vampire in high school.

Never having been to ANY type of book/author/writing conference before, I have no idea what to expect. I'm told it'll be a whirlwind of awesomeness including speed-dating with librarians, meeting up with fellow writers, and signing with an amazing lineup of debuts and JENNY HAN(!) at Octavia Books on Monday June 27th! I will take and post lots and lots of pictures. And try not to eat my weight in beignets. Or muffaleta.

But before all that I've got crazy June busyness happening around here: Father's Day, my husband's birthday, son's end of the year party for his 1st grade class that I thought would be a good idea to throw. At my house. Also, I am sorely in need of a haircut/mani/pedi/eyebrow wax/massage. I can fit all that in next week, right?

And then there's this other little thing called REVISIONS.

Just got round two notes for book two this week! Normally, this would mean I'd disappear into my cave for hours at a time each day, then emerge in the evening, just in time to enjoy dinner with the fam. But now it's summer, which means kids at home and long hours for the lifeguard husband.

THIS means that instead of pouring an evening glass of wine and settling into one of the many ARCs I plan to acquire at ALA, I will be firing up the coffee pot as soon as I tuck the little people in and trying to make magic with words until the wee hours. This will take some getting used to. But. I'm excited, because I SO love this story and its people and if there's one thing I've learned about writing so far, it's that the very best of it actually does happen during revision.

So there it is. June--or what's left of it, anyway! I don't even know what the next page on the calendar has in store, but I'm hoping it's full of sunshine, Hawaiian Tropic, and a wardrobe made almost entirely of bikinis.

Until then!

Bookanista Thursday: Imaginary Girls

2011-06-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

The first time I saw this cover, I knew I had to read IMAGINARY GIRLS. I had no idea what the story was about. But this...

I can't think of a more hauntingly beautiful cover. At all. And it's so perfect for the story of Ruby and Chloe, two sisters bound by blood, water, and the secrets that lie beneath the surface.

Goodreads Summary:

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

My Thoughts:

Nova Ren Suma is brilliant. This is one of those books that's difficult for me to review because it has a palpable magic to it, but I can't figure what exactly it is, or how she's done it, because every aspect of this novel is so beautifully executed.

The Plot

The story of Ruby and Chloe unravels slowly, layer by eerie layer, through sharp prose and haunting images.   We're pulled along with Chloe as she returns to her small town, promised by Ruby that everything can go back to how it was before London Hayes was found floating in the reservoir. Only it can't, and we realize it little by little, as Chloe does. This isn't an action-packed, fast paced story, but Suma creates such an eerie tension you'll be turning the pages as quickly as you possibly can because you HAVE to know what in the world is going on. Which brings me to...

The Writing

Suma's writing is subtle and nuanced, the images she paints sharp and elegant.  All of these things come together in perfect balance to create a world where the impossible is possible, and we accept it in the same way Chloe does. It's reminded me of the magic realism of Isabel Allende, but it's unlike anything I've read. Just masterful.

The Characters

Chloe has lived her life mostly in the shadow of the definitely mythic Ruby, but she shines in her own right. She's a character I fell into easily--admired and feared Ruby with her, felt her need to step out of the intense and sort of twisty relationship with her sister, and needed, more than anything, to untangle the mysteries swirling around at their feet.

Ruby is a force to be reckoned with. She lures and scares at the same time and is so boldly drawn it's easy to understand the loyalty and devotion everyone who comes into contact with her seems to have. But as otherworldly as she seems, she's not invincible.  Her faults and her devotion to her sister make her very real, and though she holds everyone but Chloe at a distance, these things give the reader something relatable about her.

The Reservoir and Olive.  There's no question in my mind that these are characters. The water in the reservoir and the town beneath it live and breathe. They watch. They haunt.

I've written this review ten different ways, trying to capture the things that are so perfect about it, and I don't think I can do it justice. This is a book I will buy, read again, tell anyone who will listen that they have to read it, but oh so politely remind them that they'll have to get their own copy because I won't want to part with mine. And they can do that June 14th!

Also, this Bookanista Thursday would not be complete with out a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Elana Johnson and her debut POSSESSION!!!

If you want to see what the other Bookanistas are up to this week, check out their blogs:

*Special Note--you SO want to see what they're up to, because they've got a very special surprise for a very kick-ass Bookanista. But I won't ruin the surprise. Go see!

Elana Johnson and Stasia Ward Kehoe savor Bad Taste in Boys
LiLa Roecker celebrates The Summer of the Bear
Christine Fonseca has got a surprise for a Bookanista buddy (ooh—curious?)
Beth Revis interviews Blood Magic author Tessa Gratton
Carolina Valdez Miller enjoys a special celebration
Bethany Wiggins is crazy about Delirium
Shana Silver sings praises for Starcrossed
Jen Hayley applauds Possession
Veronica Rossi hails Hereafter
Carrie Harris glories in Texas Gothic

Megan Miranda gushes over Imaginary Girls

Necessary Quiet

2011-05-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's the time of year, or the blogs I follow, or what, but lately I've been seeing a lot of posts out there about taking a step back from all the "noise," unplugging from social media, and getting back the perspective and focus that can so easily be lost in the whirwind of it all.

This sentiment is everywhere. It's definitely in me.

I went in for a massage a few days ago, and my masseuse didn't even need to touch me to see it. She took one look at the apparently obvious knots in my neck and asked how much quiet time I'm getting each day.

I laughed. Quiet time?

Like when my kids are asleep or at school and I finally have a chance to do something like work on Book 3, or write a blog post, or answer interview questions, or check my email or my Twitter or my Amazon rankings or Goodreads reviews or...that kind of time?

She just looked at me with the kind of calm those spiritually aware people seem to have, and said: I know you live on the beach. The beach that inspired you to write your book. Starting today, you need to go down to that beach every day, no matter how busy you think you are and put your feet in the ocean. Bury them for a few minutes in the warmth of the sand. And ground yourself there. Breathe it in, soak it up, give yourself a few minutes of quiet because it is absolutely necessary.

I wanted to hug her. Somehow she knew exactly what I needed to hear. And she said it was necessary!

Quiet.

I think the desire to have it is a natural one, but one that gets lost when we have something big on the horizon, like say, the release of a book. It's easy to get swept up in the anticipation and excitement and amazingness of it all. But somewhere along the line it can get to be a little overwhelming. A little much. A bit loud.

So we have to unplug. Leave the email unchecked and the Twitter feed without an update. Let the world of social media and networking go on happily without us while we take a breather and get back to the other world that's been going on all around us this whole time. The one we've kind of been missing, where we put our feet in the ocean, or watch the sunset, or cozy up with an actual book instead of the computer.

It's about being present, and it's absolutely necessary. So starting this month (June), I have a few goals: get off the computer (unless its actual writing), put my feet in the ocean every day (as soon as it warms up a few degrees I'll put the rest of me in too), and enjoy being in the moment. That's what summer's for, right?

What are you all looking forward to this summer?

Bookanista Thursday: POSSESSION

2011-05-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I've done a Bookanista review, and this week I'm so happy to be getting back to it with POSSESSION by Elana Johnson! This kick-ass dystopian tale of controlling or being controlled hits bookstores June 7, and believe me--you want to be there when it does.

Before I get to the review though, let's first take a moment to ogle this gorgeous cover. Beautiful, no?

Now, here's how Goodreads sums it up:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

My Thoughts:

Holy wow. Seriously. From beginning to end, those two words were on an endless loop in my mind. But the thoughts were my own. Not like in Vi's world, where one can never be sure where a thought comes from. In POSSESSION, Elana Johnson gives readers a peek into a well-drawn, believable futuristic world that poses question after question regarding freedom, control, will, and rebellion. And she does it at a crazy fast pace with engaging characters you'll want to follow.

Vi is a strong personality from the get go with her just-right mix of intelligence, sarcasm, and will. Through her perceptive eyes, we see the lines between good and bad blur. We see assumptions smashed and unanswered questions scatter like shrapnel afterward. We also see Zenn and Jag, two clearly different characters, both charming in their own way, each tugging Vi in a different direction. The question is, which one will she choose?

POSSESSION is wild, intelligent ride that will hold on to you until the very end. And um, let me just say, when you get to that end... your mind...it will be blown. Just sayin.

Look for it soon!

Curious what the other Bookanistas are up to this week? Check it out:

Elana Johnson sings praises for SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD

Shannon Messenger is wild about WILDFIRE + an ARC giveaway

Carolina Valdez Miller adores A NORTHERN LIGHT

Lisa and Laura Roecker dotes over DIVERGENT

Megan Miranda thinks MOONGLASS is marvelous

Carrie Harris reveals the BAD TASTE IN BOYS Book Trailer

Sarah Frances Hardy delves into DIVERGENT

Stasia Ward Kehoe delights in BITTER MELLON

Christine Fonseca relishes in the RED GLOVE

El Rancho School Visit!

2011-05-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Before I got to call myself a writer, I called myself an English teacher, and in my last two years of school employment, a librarian. I worked at a gem of a middle school in Anaheim Hills, CA--El Rancho Charter School. The students were amazing, my coworkers the best, and it's a place I feel lucky to say I've been a part of.

So yesterday, when I got to go back for my first author visit was a fantastically special day, which started the moment I walked up the front steps, with this:

How special is that? I teared up right then and there, but I had to suck it up, because my schedule for the day was to speak to six class periods, just like it was when I was a teacher. Only this time, there were 4-5 classes packed into the "Little Theatre," which is exactly what it sounds like. I have pictures I took from the stage, and would love to show you the crowd, but there are tricky rules about that, so you just get me and a lot of backs of heads. All told, 600 kids sat down to listen! (Or at least pretend to.)

I didn't really plan, didn't outline, which is rare for me, and as soon as the first bell rang I got nervous enough to regret it. But once all the kids filed in, it came pretty easy. I talked about how as a kid I dreamed of being a writer, how as a twenty-something I was busy raising a family and teaching, and then how when I was about to turn 30 I decided to give writing a serious shot. I told them how if you really want something, you have to put yourself out there, go after it with everything you've got. Yep. I decided to try and inspire. Who knows if it worked...

At one point I said something about the main character's dad moving her to a "new beach," but judging by the laughs from the back of the room, I don't think that's what they heard. Say it out loud and picture me saying it to a hundred 8th graders. Bet you'll laugh too.

At break, there was a cake, and my colleagues, hugs all around, and even sand, sea glass, and a mermaid. (El Rancho has its very own Martha Stewart, who arranges things like this.)

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better first school visit. El Rancho holds a special place in my heart and I can't say thank you enough to them for their support and enthusiasm. Go Coyotes!!!

Launch Party Awesomeness!

2011-05-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

Last week was one of the busiest, craziest, best I've ever had. There's no way to put into words how amazing it was to finally get to the day I've been waiting for so long.

Tuesday was a crazy mix of normal--packing lunches, dropping kids off at school, realizing I was supposed to make cupcakes for open house, buying them instead...

And surreal--walking into Barnes and Noble to see Moonglass on the shelf for the first time. I had my sweet five-year old daughter with me, and at the moment I was about to burst into happy tears in the middle of the Teen Section, she brought me right back to reality with this:

"Mama, can we GO now? We have these at home. And I don't even like your book anyway. It has no pictures."

Yep. Nothing like motherhood to keep you grounded.

But then there was Saturday, and a launch party I will never forget. So many of my friends and family came down to the Cove to celebrate, and that was like a dream. And to prove to myself that it wasn't, I have pictures!

The Crystal Cove Store

Happily signing one of the almost hundred books the store sold that day!

Fellow writer friends and Bookanistas: Shannon Messenger, Christine Fonseca, Gretchen McNeil, Kirsten Hubbard, and LK Gardner-Griffie.

The backyard at my house, Pre-Party. You don't want to see the After.

The best-tasting cake I've ever had.

Everything about this day was perfect, and I couldn't have possibly asked for more. I have to give a special thanks to my husband Schuyler, who hosted and BBQ'd for the ENTIRE party. We're talking a hundred people! He is nothing short of amazing, and I feel like the luckiest wife on the planet!

Moonglass Inspiration Giveway Winner!!!

2011-04-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Moonglass Inspiration Giveway Winner!!!

Wow you guys! Thank you. Thank you to each one of you who entered. I loved reading your comments this week! Thank you so very much for such kind words. Of course they got me all teary-eyed, but I've just come to accept that's how I'm going to be for a little while. At least for three more days until Moonglass comes out!

In th meantime, I'm so happy to announce that this week's giveaway winner....

of a signed copy of Moonglass and a red sea glass necklace....

is...

Alice!!!

Alice, I will be emailing you shortly for your address!

Final Moonglass Inspiration Giveaway!

2011-04-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

Four weeks ago, I started a giveaway series to count down to the release of Moonglass and take a look at all of the elements that inspired it. And now there's one week left.  One more thing to give away.

More importantly though, there are so many people to thank. People who have reduced me to a ridiculous, sappy crier.

I'm not normally like this. Sure, I cry at a lot of movies and tv shows, but not daily, right out of the blue.  Not out of such gratitude.

But right now, I get teary at the drop of a hat, or the thought of the lovely and gracious reviews people have written, or the fact that so many of my friends and family will be coming from all over to Crystal Cove to celebrate with me at the launch party. I get all weepy when I think of every person that helped me work on Moonglass, from my first crit partners to the whole team at Simon & Schuster who turned it into a 'real book.'  It sends me for tissues every time I look at the finished copies.  Seeing them is right up there with marrying my husband or having my children. It's big, and overwhelming, and so incredibly dear to me.

Which is why I'm a weepy mess. I don't have the words to truly say how much all of this means to me. Not even close.

I tried to sit down and write a post that would go with what I have to give away this week, and this is what came out. Just a big, teary thank you.

This week I'm giving away a signed, finished copy of MOONGLASS, along with Anna's red sea glass necklace, which is the true heart of the story. There's a lot wrapped up in her necklace, a lot that she can't begin to say, so I think it's a perfect fit.

All you have to do to be entered is comment!

If you want a few extra entries, take your pick!

Tweet It! (+1)

Share on FB! (+1)

Link it up on your blog! (+1)

Be sure to leave your entry total and your email in your comment. This contest will be open through Friday at noon (PST), US only.

Happy Monday, and thank you!

Moonglass Inspiration Giveway Winner!!!

2011-04-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

So sorry I'm a day late with this, but we have a winner for the Mermaid Prize Pack! First let me say, I LOVED your comments this week! I had no idea so many other people adored these lovely ladies of the ocean. :)

Without further adieu, the winner of the Mermaid Prize Pack

is...

Britney Wyatt!!!

Congrats Britney! I'll be contacting you shortly for your mailing address.

If you didn't win this week, be sure to stop back in tomorrow for the last giveaway of this series. It's shimmery and purple, and comes with a very special accessory...

Bookanista Thursday: Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

2011-04-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

The first Bookanista review I did was for Holly Shindler's gorgeous debut, A BLUE SO DARK, which stunned me with its voice and the sheer beauty of the writing. So you can imagine how excited I was when I heard she had a second book coming out! You can also imagine how high my expectations were after being so impressed the first time around. Today, I'm so, so happy to say that Holly totally exceeded my expectations. PLAYING HURT is an entirely different kind of book than A BLUE SO DARK, but once again, she gives us a beautifully crafted contemporary full of grace and depth.

From Goodreads:

Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration back home. Then she took a horrible fall during senior year. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family.
That summer, Chelsea's dad hires Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player and "boot camp" trainer, to work with her at a northern Minnesota lake resort. As they grow close, Chelsea finds that Clint's haunted by his own tragedy. Will their romance end up hurting them all over again—or finally heal their heartbreak?

My Thoughts:

Everything I read about this book before it came out called it a "summer romance,"--which there is plenty of, believe me. Delicious, steamy romance. But I think categorizing this book as only that is selling it short. Holly writes at a depth way below the surface, and that's what I loved most about this story of loss and healing between two ex-athletes.

PLAYING HURT is told in the alternating viewpoints of Clint and Chelsea, which is irresistably fun on the romance front. I don't think there's a single one of us around who hasn't wished we knew what our love interest was thinking. Schindler gives us that luxury, allowing us to fall for Clint in all his gorgeousness even quicker than Chelsea does. And in Chelsea, we get to experience that fluttery feeling of falling that's impossible to fight.

The other thing using alternating viewpoints accomplishes is to show us the similarities between Chelsea and Clint before they recognize them themselves. Both have experienced painful losses and are in search of their identities in light of those losses. When they finally let their guard down around each other and move beyond their crazy physical attraction, they're able to help each other toward healing.

In PLAYING HURT, Holly Schindler accomplishes what I admire most about my favorite contemporary stories. She writes a careful balance of gorgeous prose, fluid plot, and engaging characters who have true emotional depth. If you're in the mood for a perfect summer romance that's more than a summer romance, you need to read this book. I thought about doing a giveaway with my copy, but the truth is, I love this one too much to part with it. You'll just have to pick it up, find a comfy spot in the sun, and soak up this beautifully told story.

But first, you should check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

And don't forget--tomorrow is the last day to enter and win the Moonglass-inspired mermaid prize pack here on the blog. Check it out!

This Week's Moonglass Inspiration and Giveaway: Mermaids

2011-04-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

In honor of the release of MOONGLASS (in 15 days!!), I've been posting weekly about the elements that inspired me as I was writing it. I've also been giving away prize packs, and this week is no different! This week is actually one of my favorites, since I'm writing about mermaids.

Yep. There are mermaids all over my house...

In the living room...

The kitchen...

My office...

Even hiding in the garden.

I wouldn't say I'm a fanatic. I don't believe in them or worship them or anything. But I am fascinated by the mythology behind them, and that's a thing that actually began while I was writing MOONGLASS. Since then, I seem to have acquired quite a few...

When I was researching sea glass, I found a few sources that called it "Mermaid Tears," which I included in the story. That led me down the path of researching mermaids, which ultimately gave me a myth for Anna to view her mother through. In MOONGLASS, she's given a book about mermaids that sums up their nature:

"They are at once beautiful and cruel, tender and selfish, vulnerable, yet unattainable. Above all, they offer shimmering glimpses into the deep ocean of secrets that is a woman's heart."

There are no real mermaids in MOONGLASS, but there are moments where Anna draws parallels between the myth and her mother as she struggles to come to terms with her death.

"My mother had always been a mystery to me, even when she was alive. She'd been all those things, all at once, and we'd tiptoed around her even then. And now, here, she'd stirred up the placid surface of my life and thrown me into rough, dark water--a deep ocean of secrets.

I couldn't tell anyone I was flailing."

So. In honor of these enigmatic, mythical creatures, I'm giving away a special, mermaid-inspired prize pack this week:

This week's winner will win a copy of Brenda Rosen's MERMAID WISDOM, which helps you find your inner goddess, a pewter and sea glass mermaid bookmark so you never lose your place, and a pretty little mermaid necklace.

Wanna enter? It's easy:

Leave a comment on this blog post and you'll automatically be entered to win!

Wanna snag a few extra entries:

Tweet It! (+1)

Share It on FB (+1)

Become a follower on the blog or Twitter (+1)

Link it up on your own blog (+1)

Leave your entry total in your comment. I'm willing to work on the honor system if you are. Contest will be open until Friday at noon, and I'll announce the winner on Saturday.

Happy Monday!

Moonglass Inspiration Giveway Winner!!!

2011-04-16T07:06:00.000-07:00

Once again, thank you for all who entered the Lifeguard giveaway! And our winner of the Lifeguard Prize Pack...

Is...

ereader89!!!

I will be contacting you shortly for you address. :)

Thank you again to those of you who've come back each week to read and leave your comments. You still have two more weeks of giveaways and two more chances to win! Eep! That also means two more weeks until the release of Moonglass!!

Bookanista Thursday: The Pull Of Gravity

2011-04-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

Holy cow, how is it Thursday again already??? It snuck up on me, but I'm happy because this week I'm so excited to present Gae Polisner's debut, THE PULL OF GRAVITY. It comes out soon--May 10th, to be exact, and I can't wait for word to spread about this awesome story.

From Goodreads:

While Nick Gardner’s family is falling apart, his best friend, Scooter, is dying from a freak disease. The Scoot’s final wish is that Nick and their quirky classmate, Jaycee Amato, deliver a prized first-edition copy of Of Mice and Men to the Scoot’s father. There’s just one problem: the Scoot’s father walked out years ago and hasn’t been heard from since. So, guided by Steinbeck’s life lessons, and with only the vaguest of plans, Nick and Jaycee set off to find him.
Characters you’ll want to become friends with and a narrative voice that sparkles with wit make this a truly original coming-of-age story.

My Thoughts:

I love a great quest story. If it can be told with wit and quirkiness and heart, that's even better.  In THE PULL OF GRAVITY, Gae Polisner accomplishes all those things, leaving the reader with a touching story of friendship that could easily be taught in the English classroom, alongside OF MICE AND MEN.

At the story's center is Scooter' last wish, and he's a character so tenderly written I'd have taken the trip myself if he asked me to.  And then we have Jaycee, who is the kind of girl I'd love to have as a friend--she's bold and honest, with a touch of rebelliousness.  But it's Nick who makes the story. His anger at his dad, self-consciousness around Jaycee, and love for Scooter make him a very real, endearing character. And for me, it's always about the characters.

I followed these characters through the ups and downs of their journey buoyed by the same hopes they embarked on it with. There were surprises along the way, and setbacks, of course.  But all these things add up to those moments that bring travel companions closer and ensure they'll have a lasting bond over what they've made it through.

As a story, THE PULL OF GRAVITY is the same way. It's one I won't soon forget because it touched me and made me hope and feel for its characters. I can't wait for everyone to have the chance to read it!

In the meantime, check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

Christine Fonseca caws about Scrawl

Shannon Messenger gets passionate about Possession

Shelli Johannes-Wells takes a shine to Shimmer

Scott Tracey raves about Red Glove

Carolina Valdez Miller interviews Invincible Summer author Hannah Moskowitz

Shana Silver delights in The Day Before

Carrie Harris takes The Goddess Test - with giveaway

Corrine Jackson swoons for Starcrossed

Stasia Ward Kehoe is outspoken about Addie on the Inside

Sarah Frances Hardy celebrates The Best Birthday Party Ever

Going On Tour--Moonglass, that is.

2011-04-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's post was all about this week's giveaway, but today I want to highlight a thing that makes me totally giddy. And nervous, in a good kind of way.

For the next four weeks, MOONGLASS will be on a blog tour with Teen Book Scene. This fabulous clan of bloggers has put together an awesome mix of interviews, reviews, guest posts about my teen years (yikes!), and Q&A sessions with some of MOONGLASS's most colorful characters. Check in daily for the latest!

Monday, April 11: YA Highway (Author Interview)
Tuesday, April 12: Kelsey at The Book Scout (Character Interview: Ashley)
Wednesday, April 13: Cindy at Books Complete Me (Review)
Thursday, April 14: Jamie B. at Page Turners Blog (Tens List)
Friday, April 15: Britta at I Like These Books (Teenage Garage Sale
Saturday, April 16: Lauren M. at 365 Days of Reading (Review)

Monday, April 18: Patricia at Patricia's Particularity (This or That List)
Tuesday, April 19: Jessi E. at The Elliott Review (Character Interview: Anna)
Wednesday, April 20: Kari at A Good Addiction (Review)
Thursday, April 21: Corrine at Lost For Words (Tens List)
Friday, April 22: Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (Into the Past)
Saturday, April 23: Kelsey at The Book Scout (Review)

Monday, April 25: Melanie G. at Reclusive Bibliophile (Author Interview)
Tuesday, April 26: Kari at A Good Addiction (Character Interview: Joe)
Wednesday, April 27: Jessi E. at The Elliott Review (Review)
Thursday, April 28: Cindy at Books Complete Me (Character Interview: Jillian)
Friday, April 29: Jessica T. at A Fanatic's Book Blog (When I’m Not Writing)
Saturday, April 30: Melina at Reading Vacation (Review)

Monday, May 2: Patricia at Patricia's Particularity (Review)
Tuesday, May 3: Lauren M. at 365 Days of Reading (Character Interview: James)
Wednesday, May 4: Jamie B. at Page Turners Blog (Review)
Thursday, May 5: Melina at Reading Vacation (Tens List)
Friday, May 6: Kim P. at Butterfly Book Reviews (Author Interview)

This Week's Moonglass Inspiration and Giveaway: Lifeguards

2011-04-11T06:02:00.000-07:00

Got your attention with that one, right? You're thinking it's about time you had your own lifeguard. You know the image--red trunks, perfect tan, capable arms....

Something like this:

I totally wish I could give you these guys, but I can't. They're too busy watching the water.

What I can do, though, is let you in on how lifeguards and the whole lifestyle surrounding the profession was an inspiration for Moonglass. Then give you a prize. Good, right?

Okay, here we go--

Once upon a college summer, I worked in a sandwich shop, made minimum wage, and came home every day smelling like mustard and onions. My boyfriend at the time (now husband of 10 yrs!!), worked on the beach, made twice as much as I did, and came home smelling like sunscreen and summer.

Clearly, his job was cooler than mine.

So the next spring I donned a wetsuit and three swimcaps and plunged into the 48 degree water of Pismo Beach for the lifeguard tryout swim. Miraculously, I didn't die of hypothermia. I made the swim, passed the academy, and spent my remaining college summers in a lifeguard tower, smelling like sunscreen and watching the water. Always watching the water.

Those summers I was part of a crew of some of the most fantastic,fun-loving people I've ever known. We spent our work hours in our towers watching the water and keeping the beach safe, but it didn't end there. We were a tight-knit group who also met for early morning surf sessions, sat around bonfires, pulled pranks, jumped off rocks, and generally lived it up.

The personalities of these friends and memories from those years found their way into Moonglass as the fun, lighter side of Anna's story. I loved writing those scenes and characters because they brought me right back to the free-wheeling summers of my own past.

I want you all to have a little piece of that, so here's what I'm giving away this week:

A Lifeguard Prize Pack, including Crystal Cove Lifeguard T-Shirt and car magnet so you can instantly transform yourself and car, a pair of sweet aviators, the best smelling sunscreen in the world, and a tube of Burt's Bee's Sun Protecting Lip Balm, in passionfruit.

If you're new to this giveaway series, here's how to enter:

Leave a comment on this post and you'll be automatically entered.

Wanna snag a few extra entries? Here's how:

Become a follower of the blog or @jessikirby on Twitter (+1)

Tweet It! (+1)

Share It on Facebook! (+1)

Then put your total number of entries in your comment. I'm willing to work on the honor system if you are!

Happy Monday, and remember: Swim near a lifeguard! :)

Moonglass Inspiration Giveway Winner!!!

2011-04-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

Once again, thank you to all of you who entered and commented and tweeted and shared! The winner of the sea glass notecards and suncatcher...

is...

Pamela Jo of There's Just Life!!!

Congrats Pamela! Thank you so much for entering! Can't wait to send off your prize!

The Bookanistas Give Back

2011-04-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Charitable donations are a very personal thing. There are so many ways our hard earned money can help others, and lately our world seems to be breaking into pieces around us. Needs are many and great. The Bookanistas want to give back, so in the coming months, we're going to be looking for ways to pour into communities, both bookish and worldwide.

For the month of April, we've chose to spotlight Run For Your Life an event that's raising money for a cancer hospital, largely because the framework is already set up (we'd like to keep it simple our first time out), and also because of personal connections to the cause. Most everyone has lost a loved one to cancer or knows someone who has.

*To encourage you to donate, we're going to give away some sweet prizes!

Here's how it will work:*

1. Go to the Run For Your Life page

2. Make a donation. $5 is suggested, but lower or higher is fine. (Also know

that for every dollar you donate, you'll be entered to win a private, advance screening for twenty people for Breaking Dawn. The Bookanistas have NOTHING to do with that part - that's all Charlie Bewley and Summit Entertainment.)

3. Come back and fill out the entry form on this page. We're *trusting you* to be honest about giving, and about the amount you give. Don't be a mamby pamby. Keep up our faith in mankind.

4. The Bookanistas will be giving away a selection of prizes (see list below). You will be entered *one time *for* each dollar* you donate ($5 = 5 entries). If you wish to be entered to win a specific prize, let us know in the designated section of the entry form.

5. We're following the guidelines set forth by Run for Your Life, which means this particular event will only be open to those in North America. Entries will be closed on April 30th, and we will contact randomly selected winners shortly thereafter.

6. Spread the word. Tweet, post the Run For Your Life logo (above) with a link to Charlie's site on your blog, or Facebook about the event, and receive an entry (one entry TOTAL for doing all or one of these things). Place a link/links in the place provided on the entry form.

HERE'S THE LIST OF BOOKANISTA PRIZES (this list WILL be added to, so check back):

JUST ADDED by an anonymous donor!:

A signed copy of CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassie Clare

From Veronica Rossi:

A fifty page manuscript critique

From Carolina Valdez Miller:

Signed copies of BLOOD MAGIC by Tessa Gratton, XVI by Julia Karr and RIVAL by Sarah Bennet Wealer

From Shannon Messenger:

A signed copy of WHITE CAT and a signed copy of RED GLOVE by Holly Black

From Carrie Harris:

A 50 page manuscript critique

From Jessi Kirby:

A signed copy of MOONGLASS

From Gretchen McNeil:

A swag pack of POSSESS goodies, a signed copy of A TOUCH MORTAL by Leah Clifford and a query critique

From Corrine Jackson:

A 50 page manuscript critique

From Stasia Kehoe:

A signed copy of AUDITION

From Shana Silver:

A query and first chapter critique

From Lisa and Laura Roecker:

A signed copy of LIAR SOCIETY and bookmarks

From Shelli Johannes Wells:

A box of ten mystery advance reader copies

From Elana Johnson:

A Dystopian Trifecta of Awesome - a signed copy of DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan, a signed copy of MATCHED by Ally Condie, and a signed ARC of Elena's own POSSESSION

From Christine Fonseca:

Signed copies of EMOTIONAL INTENSITY IN GIFTED STUDENTS and 101 SUCCESS SECRETS FOR GIFTED KIDS

From Myra McEntire:

A signed copy of DEMONGLASS by Rachel Hawkins (AND Rachel is throwing in a signed Demonglass totebag), a signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, a signed copy of TORMENT by Lauren Kate, a unicorn, and a signed, annotated HOURGLASS.

So, what are you waiting for???? Click here to enter!

Bookanista Thursday: Nothing but LOVE for The Liar Society!

2011-04-07T05:57:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure all of the internet has heard of the amazingly awesome Roeker sisters and their debut novel, THE LIAR SOCIETY. It hit shelves the shelves March 1st and if you haven't read it yet, it's time!

From Goodreads:

Kate Lowry didn't think dead best friends could send e-mails. But when she gets an e-mail from Grace, she’s not so sure.

To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
Sent: Sun 9/14 11:59 PM
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)

Kate,
I'm here…
sort of.
Find Cameron.
He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell.
They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace’s death was more than just a tragic accident. But secrets haunt the halls of her elite private school. Secrets people will do anything to protect. Even if it means getting rid of the girl trying to solve a murder...

My Take:

A funny thing happened when I picked up this book. Laundry formed a mountain on my couch. Then dishes piled up in the sink. My children had to remind me repeatedly that while I was perfectly content devouring the mysteries of secret societies and hidden symbols, they needed a real dinner. I cooked it one-handed.

THE LIAR SOCIETY is that kind of book.

It reminded me of everything I loved about reading Nancy Drew mysteries as a kid, only Kate is this spunky mix of bold and willfull and sarcastic that is waaaay cooler. She's hilarious and relatable--the kind of character you love and root for from the very first sentence. I want my own Kate as a best friend. I'd sneak into old buildings and sit down with a full fat frap to Google with her any day.

The mystery surrounding Grace's death is intriguing, and well-spun, with the kinds of twists and turns that take you on a wild ride and make you neglect your responsibilities. Lisa and Laura have a truly great knack for leaving each chapter with a pull that tempts you to read 'just one more' every time.

One of my most favorite things about this book though, is Pemberly Brown itself. The school, with it's latin stations, ivy-covered brick buildings, and dark history, is the perfect backdrop for this story. Only it doesn't stay in the background. Pemberly Brown comes to life as its own mythic kind of character that draws you in and creeps you out at the same time.

I have nothing but love for this book. It's a twisty mystery with a well-paced plot and pink-haired kick ass heroine. If you haven't read it yet, go get it! But make sure your kids are fed first. :)

And make sure you check out what the rest of The Bookanistas are up to this week!

Elana Johnson counts down to Possession with a "Tag, You're It" contest!
Christine Fonseca Fangirls Cassie Clare

Myra McEntire Hides Carrie Ryan in the Fort

Shannon Messenger Accessorizes with White Cat/Red Glove

Jamie Harrington Praises Posession

Shelli Johannes-Wells Admires Shimmer

Carolina Valdez Miller Wants You To Find Clarity

Megan Miranda Discovers Where She Went

Shana Silver Seeks Clarity

Rosemary Clement-Moore is Overwhelmed by Wither

Corrine Jackson J'Adores Anna and the French Kiss

Stasia Ward Kehoe Cries Over One of those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies

Sarah Frances Hardy Marvels Over Matched

LiLa Roecker Brags About Bookanistas Giving Back

Moonglass Inspiration Giveaway 2: Sea Glass

2011-04-04T05:52:00.000-07:00

In case you weren't around last week, I'm hosting a giveaway series to count down to the release of Moonglass on May 3rd! Each week, I'll post on a different inspiration behind Moonglass, and each week you'll have a chance to win a corresponding prize.

This week's inspiration: Sea Glass

A few years back, I had a vague notion of what sea glass was. I knew they sold bags of it in Pottery Barn and Pier 1, and that it looked pretty in jars. I like the shades of blues and greens and the frosty whites. I might have even bought some to put in a vase.

I had no idea I could find real sea glass on the beach steps from my door. Or that once I started looking and actually finding it, I'd be so drawn to these little treasures I'd walk that beach for hours, sometimes alone, sometimes with my kids, eyes scanning the sand in search of the next glimmer. In those hours we've found some beautiful pieces:

In those hours I also fell in love with the idea that every bit of smoothed glass is a little piece of history long forgotten. The marbles and stoppers, ordinary bottles and bits of art glass that wash up in every brilliant shade of the rainbow, all of them have tumbled over the sand beneath the waves for years, being smoothed over into something new and different and beautiful. The glass and this idea of what lies beneath it's smoothed surface wove themselves perfectly into the story of Moonglass.

In Moonglass, Anna's fondest memories are of walking the beach with her mother in search of sea glass. The word 'moonglass' comes from one of those memories in particular, but I won't ruin the surprise.

What I will do, though, is let you in on the giveaway for this week:

This week I'm giving away a set of 20 gorgeous sea glass notecards (in four different designs), and a sea glass suncatcher handmade by yours truly. In an effort to do something with all of the glass I pick up, I started making these and even selling them in the Cove store. Now though, I can't seem to find the time, so we'll be extra fancy and call it a limited edition sea glass sun catcher. The cool thing is, I found all of the glass in this piece at Crystal Cove, so you'll be getting a little bit of the Cove too!

So. You know you wanna enter...

It's easy! Comment on this blog post and you'll automatically be entered to win!

Wanna snag some extra entries? Do this:

*Become a follower of the blog! (+1)

*Tweet it! (+1)

*Link to the contest on your blog! (+1)

*Share it on FB! (+1)

Leave your entry total in your comment. I'm willing to work on the honor system if you are. :) Contest will be open until noon on Friday, and I will announce the winner on Saturday.

Happy Monday!!

Moonglass Inspiration Giveway Winner!!!

2011-04-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

First off, I just want to say thank you to all who entered, commented, tweeted, and shared! I loved reading all your comments and hearing your thoughts about the beach! I wish I could choose you all as winners, but there can only be one this week.

And the lucky winner of the Crystal Cove Prize pack is....

Alexis Salcido!!!

Congrats Alexis! I'll need your address to mail your prize, so please email me at jessi@jessikirby.com and I'll put it in the mail right away!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, and come back Monday for the next inspiration and giveaway in the series!

Bookanista Thursday: LIKE MANDARIN

2011-03-31T06:07:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I've done a Bookanista post, but that's what happens when you're all of a sudden doing promo for one book, revising another, and drafting a third. Holy cow, I've been busy! But luckily I had a chance a few weeks back to go to Kirsten Hubbard's LIKE MANDARIN launch, where I got my very own signed copy, and until I finished it, most everything else fell by the wayside because it is that gorgeous.

From Goodreads:

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin. When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their Badlands town. Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal.

My Review:

There are some books I read and enjoy. Others I read and adore. And then, there are some I wish I'd written because they are so achingly beautiful. LIKE MANDARIN is one of those ones.

From the very first sentence: "The winds in Washokey make people go crazy," to the moment I reluctantly closed the book, I was captivated by Hubbard's writing. The wildwinds whistle through the pages, and poignant emotions tumble through the space between the words. Her prose sings.

And characters dance.

Grace, with all of her quirkiness and insecurity, is so tenderly written that you can't help but be there with her, yearning to break of her small town and be something different.

Someone like Mandarin.

And Mandarin. She's one of those almost mythic characters, so big and bold you can't help but be taken with her. But she's troubled too. Vulnerable. Scared.

The beauty of this book lies in the fact that every bit of it is gorgeously rendered: the stark beauty of the badlands, the sensuous draw of Mandarin, and Grace's intense, tenuous relationship with her. Hubbard captures the hugeness of the land and wind as expertly as she does the complicated nature of friendship and admiration between girls. And what you get when you finish is a story that stays with you long after you've read its last lines.

If you've yet to read this gem, go get it. You'll wish you'd written it.

And while you're at it, check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:

And last but not least, if you haven't yet entered the Week 1 Moonglass Inspiration Giveaway yet, scroll on down and enter! Deadline is Friday at noon, winners will be announced Monday!

Moonglass Inspiration 1: Crystal Cove

2011-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, the brilliant Kirsten Hubbard featured a series that highlighted the inspirations for her AMAZING debut novel, LIKE MANDARIN. I was so intrigued and inspired by her inspirations, I asked if she'd mind if I borrowed her brilliant idea. Since she's one of the nicest people I've ever met, she said yes!

Soo...

We're gonna kick it off big here, with Setting. Moonglass is set in Crystal Cove, CA, which is a REAL PLACE! It's actually a State Park, and if you haven't come for a visit yet, you must. It's a place

made of magic. Really. There is something so poignantly beautiful about Crystal Cove that I can’t define it in any other way. I grew up in the mountains, but I love this place like I’ve been here my whole life. Being here is like falling through a crack in history and going back in time to a place that captures the beauty of simplicity. From the crash of waves over the rocks to the tumbling-down cottages and serene sunsets, this place inspired MOONGLASS in every sense of the word.

See for yourself!

An old artist's studio that now houses educational exhibits.

The cottage that inspired Anna's mother's house. It's actually the one they used in the movie Beaches.

View from a cottage.

The best time of day.

This week, in celebration of Crystal Cove, I'll be giving away the following prize pack to one lucky winner on Saturday:

Crystal Cove T-Shirt, Coffee Mug, Magnet, and assorted maps and other info about my favorite place in the whole wide world:

You know you want to enter...Here's how:

It's easy! Comment on this blog post and you'll automatically be entered to win.

Wanna snag a few extra entries? Do this:

*Become a follower of the blog (+1) Give yourself a point if you already are too. All twelve of you.

*Post a link on your blog (+1)

*Tweet it (+1)

*Share it on FB (+1)

Leave your total numer of entries in your comment. I'm willing to use the honor system if you are. Contest closes Friday at noon, PST. Winner will be announced on Saturday.

Happy Monday!

The Countdown Begins...Moonglass Inspirations and Giveaways Starting Monday!!!

2011-03-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

I promised in the last post that there would be giveaways coming, but what I didn't say is that there would be five weeks' worth! Starting Monday, March 28th and running through May 3rd, I'll be posting each week about one of the inspirations behind Moonglass and then giving away prize packs to go along with them!

The Basics:

* I will post and announce the giveaway each Monday.

* Contest will be open through Friday at noon PST

* Winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Saturday

How to enter:

It's so easy! Earn one entry each week for commenting on the Monday Moonglass Inspiration post.

Want to increase your odds? Snag some extra entries this way:

*Follow me!
*Tweet it!
*Post it!
*FB it!

How many ways is that? FIVE! Maximum number of entries? FIVE!

Easy, right? Good. Then all you have to do to enter is comment, and leave your total # of entries in your comment. I'm willing to work on the honor system if you are.

Hope to see you back here Monday for Inspiration #1:

Crystal Cove

Six Weeks!!

2011-03-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday began the six week countdown to the release of Moonglass and the beginning of me freaking out. What was once SO FAR AWAY is now thisclose. And what am I doing? Revising Book #2, writing Book #3, planning a release party, coming up with giveaways.

Yep. Giveaways.

Got your attention now? Good, because starting next week I will be giving away all sorts of awesomeness, from signed books to sea glass necklaces(red!) and mermaid bookmarks. Seriously, you don't want to miss this stuff, especially since it comes from the real Crystal Cove!

So check back in. You won't be sorry.

And maybe by then I'll be able to post the full details of the Moonglass Launch and Signing. Can't give everything away just yet, but it's May 7th, and if you're there, I promise you'll feel like you just stepped into the story...

I Would Have Given Anything To Be Like...

2011-03-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

In Like Mandarin, 14-year-old Grace Carpenter would give anything to be like Mandarin Ramey. Mandarin is 17, wild, and a force almost as strong as the Washokey wildwinds.

From Grace: Sure, maybe most of the attention Mandarin got was negative. But it wasn't the kind of disdainful brainfreak attention I got, when I got any at all. Hers was lust. And jealousy. Because even as they condemned her, every single girl wanted to be her.
But nobody more than me.
I want to be beautiful like you, I thought, as if Mandarin were listening.
I want apricot skin and Pocahontas hair and eyes the color of tea. I want to be confident and detached and effortlessly sensual, and if promiscuity is part of the package, I will gladly follow your lead. All I know is I'm so tired of being inside my body.
I would give anything to be like Mandarin.

In honor of LIKE MANDARIN'S release, Kirsten Hubbard has been inviting people to blog about who their Mandarin was, or is, for that matter.

any one of my friends, all for small, different reasons. I've always heard it said that we're drawn to the people who exhibit the traits we admire and wish we had. For me, those people are my friends. My best friends in high school were a mix of the things I wanted to be. Where I was on the shy side, soft-spoken and a little unsure, they were witty and self-assured, brash and a touch wild.

And now, some of my friends have changed along the way, but the things I'm drawn to are the same. The people I'm closest to and admire most now are still witty and self-assured, still a little wild, and still say things I wish I had the guts to say and wear things I'd give anything to be able to pull off. They inspire me to cultivate those qualities in myself. They also make me feel good about who I am, just as I am. I don't think any of us ever grow out of the desire to be a little more or a little different, but the beautiful thing is, if we surround ourselves with the right people, we don't have to.

Today: Cover Lovin'!

2011-03-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

So excited to get to help reveal a fellow Bookanista cover today! I present to you, AUDITION, by Stasia Ward Kehoe.

Once you've been chosen,
what step can you take...?

Seventeen-year-old Sara's dream of becoming a star ballerina is challenged when she falls for Remington, an older choreographer. Instead of success onstage, she becomes Rem's muse, which is a future she never considered--and one that threatens to break her heart.

Cannot wait to read this one! With it's romance and dreamers, it's right up my alley. And, well...the cover model isn't too hard to look at either.

Congrats Stasia on a beautiful cover!

Bookanista Thursday!

2011-03-02T21:45:00.000-08:00

So much excitement this week! The fabulous Roeker sisters released Liar Society and turned the world pink, The Bookanistas have a very special cover reveal tomorrow, and I finally get to review ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis!!!

Across the Universe, by Beth Revis

Okay, I know I'm late to the party on this, but this week I'm honored to be reviewing ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, by Beth Revis, who I'm pretty sure is some kind of genius. I got to read this powerhouse, NYT Bestseller this last weekend while I was at the airport, waiting five hours for my flight out of San Francisco. I didn't eat. Or get up to go to the bathroom. Let me tell you, by the time they called my boarding group, the thought of getting into an enclosed metal "airship" was almost more than frightening than the prospect of another few hours in the black vinyl seats of the waiting area, thanks to the talented Beth Revis. Before we get to the review, though let's take a moment to admire her gorgeous cover, because really, it's so, so perfect.

If you haven’t read the story yet, here’s what Goodreads has to say about it:

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.
Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.
Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

My Review:
I must preface this by saying that I don’t usually read science fiction, unless you count the endless Star Wars books my son has me read to him. It’s just a genre that hasn’t caught me.

But this.

This is science fiction/suspense/dystopian/thriller/romance, all packed into the claustrophobic metal hull of The Godspeed. And Beth has proven to me that it’s not about the genre, but the characters, whom I absolutely loved. Amy and Elder are the kind of well-drawn characters you root for and get angry for when obstacles are thrown in their way. Which believe me, they are. They’re the kind of characters you feel empathy for and can relate to, even when they’re on a spaceship, hundreds of years in the future.

And then there’s the writing.

Beth paints a crystal clear picture of the sanitized, cold world they inhabit, and she does it with clean, efficient prose that’s subtle and sure. Reading Beth’s book is like sitting down to listen to the best storyteller you know and diving headlong into the world she's created. She knows when to give a little and when to hold back, and that’s a ridiculously difficult balance to maintain. But she does it beautifully, because I cannot wait to see where the story takes us next!

Check out where the other Bookanistas are taking us this week:

Elana Johnson shines a light on Clarity

LiLa Roecker raves over The Rendering

Shannon Messenger loves 13 Reasons Why - with a signed book giveaway!

Shelli Johannes Wells joins The Liar Society

Scott Tracey is amazed by The Iron Thorn

Kirsten Hubbard raves over these March releases

Michelle Hodkin introduces some marvelous March books

Myra McEntire invites THE LIAR SOCIETY authors Lisa & Laura Roecker into the fort

Beth Revis is mad for Matched

Carolina Valdez Miller delights in Delirium

Jessi Kirby adores Across the Universe

Megan Miranda peers into Sean Griswold's Head

Bethany Wiggins marvels at Matched

Shana Silver is a super stop on THE LIAR SOCIETY blog tour

Gretchen McNeil celebrates The Liar Society

Carrie Harris buzzes about Blessed

Rosemare Clement-Moore falls for Falling Under

Katie Anderson shows cover love for Possess

Matt Blackstone is ecstatic over Edges

Stasia Ward Kehoe is wild for What Happened to Goodbye

Click here to join The Bookanista Book Club at The Reading Room where you can check out all the books we're buzzing about!

Testing the Waters

2011-02-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

So I'm trying out a new blog host. Checking to see if it suits me any better than my current one. Had to try out the picture uploader.

This is my good luck charm, the red piece of sea glass I found during an early morning run on my birthday this year. It's safe in a jar, just waiting to be used as a prop in the Moonglass movie. :)