Waiting on Wednesday: Week 11

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking The Spine. This week's choice is:




MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press (August 24, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0439023513

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year.

TEAM GALE! By the way.

New Novella by Stephanie Meyer

In case you haven't heard, and I'm sure most of you have, Little Brown Books for Young Readers will release The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner on June 5th.

This novella follows newborn vampire, Bree Tanner(featured in Eclipse), as she gathers her vampire army and closes in on the Cullens and Bella Swan.

Meyer said that the short was originally created to be shown on her website, then later she had planned to include it in the Twilight guide, but the story was too long.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

The Sky is Everywhere


  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Dial; 1 edition (March 9, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0803734956
  • ISBN-13: 978-0803734951


Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey's boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie's own. Joe is the new boy in town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they're the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can't collide without the whole wide world exploding.



I LOVED this book! It easily ranks on my top 5 list of 2010. The characters in this book are so vivid and unique, and the prose is beautiful. Like Heidi R Kling said to me on twitter, "It's like diving into a poem."
The Sky is Everywhere is like diving into a painful, beautiful, epic poem.

Book Giveaway! Merlin's Harp!

Park Ave Princess is hosting yet another fabulous giveaway on her blog! Enter for a chance to win MERLIN'S HARP by Anne Eliot Crompton.


Merlin's Harp
By: Anne Eliot Crompton
Published: First published in 1995, re-published March, 2010 by FIRE (Sourcebooks)



Book Synopsis:

When I was yet a very young woman I threw my heart away. Ever since then I have lived heartless, or almost heartless, the way Humans think all Fey live.

Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Nivienne, daughter of the Lady of the Lake. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and greed of man. But the strife of King Arthur’s realm threatens even the peace of Avalon. And while Merlin the mage has been training Niviene as his apprentice, he now needs her help to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. Nivienne’s special talents must help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love…

Help Beth Revis Celebrate!

Beth Revis is celebrating the sale of her book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, Penguin/Razor Bill, Spring 2011! Visit her blog and congratulate her and enter her contest for a chance to win one of two fabulous prize packs! CONGRATS, BETH!


Tiger Beat

This video is way better than the one my phone took so I'm going to share it. I was standing next to the person who recorded it. :D This is the band Tiger Beat. Libba Bray singing the YA Song.
(Tiny bit of language, just so you know)

Book Giveaway! Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

Enter to win a signed (and doodled!) BALLAD by Maggie Stiefvater, courtesy of Susan, aka Wastepaper Prose at http://bit.ly/bQc8eH

NYC Teen Author Festival, Books of Wonder Signing!


Had a great time at the Books of Wonder signing today. Husband and I took the bike so we were able to park right out front. I ran into Gayle Forman right inside and she introduced me to Elizabeth Scott, both lovely ladies. There were close to 70 authors signing today, and unfortunately I wasn't able to speak with all of them, but I did get to see Maggie Stiefvater, Elizabeth Eulberg, David Levithan, Aimee Friedman, and Libba Bray! And I also ran into Mitali from http://alleyofbooks.blogspot.com/!

Talked a bit with Maggie and her husband, also knows as "Lover", after her signing. Her suitcase almost rolled into our motorcycle. Great conversation starter. They were on their way to Bologna, Italy to the SCBWI book fair. Safe traveling, Maggie!

Gayle is just awesome. I can't say enough about how much I love her and her books--SISTERS IN SANITY, IF I STAY.

Some of you saw my tweets about the reading I went to Thursday morning, the one where the authors left ten minutes before I got there. I finally got to meet Elizabeth Eulberg and David Levithan, two of those authors, at the signing today! Elizabeth (THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB), owes me a cupcake for leaving on Thursday. She wanted to make good on that today, but I'm still full from my trip to Harold's Deli in Edison, NJ last night. She is one awesome chick. AND she is also Stephenie Meyer's publicist! Cool, right?

We ended up leaving a bit early and I didn't get to meet everyone, but there will be other signings. HUGE thanks to David Levithan who worked so hard setting up the Teen Author Festival! And Thanks to all the authors who participated!

Even though these pictures are horribad, I'm going to show them to you anyway.









Maggie Stiefvater and I



Libba Bray and I

Gayle Forman and I





Elizabeth Eulberg and I




David Levithan and I


Libba's signature. Spanx and armadillo hats! Woohoo!

Elizabeth Eulberg's signature. I can't wait till you go to my signing too! *crosses fingers*

In My Mailbox Week 7



In My Mailbox is brought to you by Kristi at The Story Siren.



GOING BOVINE (signed) by Libba Bray--Bought at Books of Wonder in NYC
SHIVER (signed) by Maggie Stiefvater--Bought at Books of Wonder in NYC
THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB (signed) by Elizabeth Eulberg--Bought at Books of Wonder in NYC
CATCHING FIRE (signed) by Susan Collins--Bought at Books of Wonder NYC
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES (signed) by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl--won on mundiemoms.blogspot.com from Saundrea Mitchell
SHADOWED SUMMER (signed) by Saundra Mitchell--won on mundiemoms.blogspot.com from Saundrea Mitchell
FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH (signed) by Carrie Ryan --won on mundiemoms.blogspot.com from Saundrea Mitchell
DEAD TOSSED WAVES by Carrie Ryan --won on mundiemoms.blogspot.com from Saundrea Mitchell

I've read SHIVER (got a signed ARC at Book Expo last year) and I've read Beautiful Creatures. Can not wait to read the rest of these!

Today!

If you're in NYC today, don't forget to stop by Books of Wonder, 18 W 18th Street, for the massive YA book signing! As part of the NYC Teen Author Festival, approximately 70 YA authors will gather together starting at 2pm and sign their books, take pictures with fans, etc. I'll be there with my husband on our motorcycle so if you see me, say hello. I'll probably be wearing my leather jacket. I'd like to be there all day, but I'll probably only be able to stay until about 3:30. Hope to see you there!

Sunday afternoon:
Books of Wonder Signing (2-6)

NOTE: Because of the number of authors, signings will be in shifts. Below is the approximate schedule, which is subject to change

2:00-2:45
Alma Alexander
Nora Baskin
Cathleen Davitt Bell
Judy Blundell
Libba Bray
Coe Booth
Elise Broach
Alexandra Bullen
Nick Burd
Sarah Burningham
Susane Colasanti
Matt De La Pena
Violet Haberdasher
Maggie Stiefvater

2:45-3:30
Tom Dolby
Heather Duffy-Stone
Sarah Beth Durst
Elizabeth Eulberg
Gayle Forman
Aimee Friedman
Jenny Han
Alice Hoffman
Carla Jablonksi
Melissa Kantor
Kristen Kemp
Michelle Knudsen
Peter Lerangis
David Levithan


3:30-4:15
Sarah Darer Littman
Barry Lyga
Robin MacCready
Carolyn Mackler
Sarah Maclean
Marianne Mancusi
Amanda Marrone
Wendy Mass
Lauren McLaughlin
Neesha Meminger
Sarah Mlynowski
Michael Northrup
Robin Palmer

4:15-5:00
Diana Peterfreund
Shani Petroff
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Matthue Roth
Marie Rutkoski
Lisa Ann Sandell
Samantha Schutz
Elizabeth Scott
Kieran Scott
Courtney Sheinmel
Sara Shepard
Abby Sher
Jon Skovron

5:00-5:45
Jennifer Smith
Natalie Standiford
Rachel Vail
David Van Etten
Siobhan Vivian
Adrienne Maria Vrettos
Melissa Walker
Robin Wasserman
Suzanne Weyn
Lynn Weingarten
Martin Wilson
Jake Wizner
Maryrose Wood
Michelle Zink

Friday Book Recommendation!

I post a book recommendation every Friday at Sistersinscribe.blogspot.com

  • Reading level: Young Adult
  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Viking Juvenile (March 19, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 067001110X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0670011100
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1.4 inches
  • Get it on Amazon here

  • Buy Indie

“We held hands when we walked down the gingerbread path into the forest, blood dripping from our fingers. We danced with witches and kissed monsters. We turned us in to wintergirls, and when she tried to leave, I pulled her back into the snow because I was afraid to be alone.” WINTERGIRLS, page 99


WINTERGIRLS beautiful, inside and out. The hardcover is gorgeous (and I do recommend you get it in hardcover, it's one of those). The metaphors that Anderson uses are so vivid and strong, you can't help but read passages like the above over and over. I highly recommend this book to any and everyone; young, old, male, female. Doesn't matter. It's one of those that shouldn't be missed.

Beautiful Darkness Cover!

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS, the sequel to BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl was revealed today!
http://gatlincounty.ning.com/page/beautiful-darkness-cover

Beautiful Darkness cover

Find out more about BEAUTIFUL CREATURES and Kami and Margaret at

Hush, Hush Giveaway!

The lovely Shannon Messenger is giving away another autographed book! This time, she has HUSH, HUSH by Becca Fitzpatrick up for grabs! Head over to her blog for your chance to enter. You can tell her I sent you if you want to give me an extra entry. :D



Sourcebooks Fire Launce Party!


Tonight, as part of the NYC Teen Author Festival, Sourcebooks Fire, the YA imprint of Sourcebooks, held their launch party at Books of Wonder in Manhattan. There were tables set up for autographs, a raffle to win Scourcebooks Fire books, food and entertainment provided by Tiger Beat!
Left to right: Natalie Standiford, Barney Miller, Daniel Ehrenhaft, and Libba Bray!!

I didn't take a regular camera, because I am a goof, but I had my phone and I managed to make a few short videos before my SD card filled up. I apologize for the poor quality.

The lovely Libba Bray



A blurry photo of Libba and Me







The last one is called YA and it was written by the band about the world of YA literature. If I can find the lyrics I will post them.

Need Query Help?

Gretchen McNeil, also known as Zerbinetta--opera singer extraordinaire, is doing a query critique contest. Go to her blog for a helpful tidbit about writing a query, and for a chance to win her critique.

Waiting on Wednesday: Week 10


WOW is hosted by Breaking The Spine.

I have a very special WOW for today. I have had the recent pleasure of speaking with Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson, authors of the upcoming children’s fantasy, The Familiars. The Familiars debuts from Harper Collins Children’s in September 2010. Adam and Andrew join us today to tell us a little bit about the book!


This is the unofficial summary and the work-in-progress cover.

THE FAMILIARS

Running to save his life, Aldwyn, the street-wise orphan alley cat, ducks into a strange store. Moments later Jack, a young wizard-in-training, comes in to pick out his familiar – a magical animal companion. Aldwyn’s always been clever. But magical? Apparently Jack thinks so—and Aldwyn is happy to play along. Anything to get out of town!

Once home with Jack in Stone Runlet, Aldwyn thinks that he’s got it made—a life of ease with a boy who loves him. He just has to convince the other familiars—the know-it-all blue jay Skylar and the friendly tree frog Gilbert--that he’s the telekinetic cat he claims to be.

Then, after the sky lights up with an omen, the unthinkable happens. Jack and the other young wizards are captured by the evil queen of Vastia. Together Aldwyn, Skylar and Gilbert must save them—but how?

On a thrilling quest across the land, the familiars face dangerous foes, unearth a shocking centuries old secret, and discover a mysterious destiny that will change them all forever. Their magical adventure--an irresistible blend of real heart, edge-or-you-seat action, and laugh-out-loud humor--is an unforgettable celebration of fantasy and friendship.






Welcome, guys!
First things first, what is a familiar?

Familiars are the animal companions or assistants to a witch or wizard.



On you’re blog, I noticed you are doing something you call The First Official Familiar Madness Tournament! You’ve listed some excellent contestants so far. Competition for the greatest familiar from literature, film and television has never been tougher! Can you tell us a little about some of the more popular familiars in literature and film?

If you're a fan of Harry Potter, no doubt you're familiar with his owl companion, Hedwig. In Middle-earth, Gandalf was accompanied by Shadowfax, the lord of all horses. Merlin had his pet owl, Archimedes. There's the Wicked Witch of the West's winged monkeys, Lyra Belacqua's shapeshifting familiar, Pantalaimon, and Ursula's evil minions, Flotsam and Jetsam. (Just to name a few!)



Can you tell us how the familiars in your story differ from those in Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, Lord of the Rings, etc?

The biggest difference is that the familiars in those stories are often relegated to the background. You rarely see Hedwig at the forefront of the action. In THE FAMILIARS, our three animal companions become the heroes of the adventure. They come off the shoulders and out of the pockets of their wizards and go on an epic quest on their own. Another difference is that in previous lore, while familiars do possess unique and special talents, they don't have the ability to cast magic. Our heroes are magical.



Aldwyn, the alley cat, looks remarkably similar to the one who lives next door to me and often sleeps on my motorcycle. We’d love to get the skinny on your characters! Who are The Familiars?

Aldwyn is an alley cat who believes himself to be ordinary and magicless. As far back as he can remember he’s lived on the streets of Bridgetower, with no parents, no family and no humans looking out for him. He’s had to rely on his wits and wiles to survive. Then one morning, while being chased through the back alleys by a vicious stray hunter, Aldwyn ducks into an unusual pet store to hide. Moments later, Jack, a young wizard in training, comes in to choose a magical animal to be his familiar... and he picks Aldwyn, mistaking him for a telekinetic bicolor.

Skylar is a head strong, know-it-all blue jay fascinated by all aspects of magic – even the darker ones. She was raised at the Nearhurst Aviary, a crystal-domed building hidden on the northern border of Vastia behind the illusion of a mountain. Birds of all kinds were schooled there by the human keepers to master their innate talent of casting illusions. Their education was strict and formal; an eliteness bred in them, of both intellectual and magical superiority. She can come off harsh and abrasive, but always has her companions’ backs, loyal to the end.

Gilbert is a lovable but hapless tree frog with a spotty track record of divination - the ability to see visions of the past, present, and future in pools of water. He grew up in the Swamps of Daku, the eldest of 65. He felt the pressure of being the first born and never lived up to his father’s expectations for him. In fact, he was a fairly big disappointment and it’s always hung over him like a cloud. He just wishes he could make his dad proud of him.



A lot of us love movie adaptations. The rest of us love to hate them. Can you tell us if there will be a movie adaptation of The Familiars?

The movie rights to The Familiars were optioned by Sony Animation and producer Sam Raimi (director of Spider-Man). We will be adapting the book into a screenplay for a CG, 3-D animated movie to be released in 2013.



Cool! I love that you are writing the screenplay!

What made you want to write a Children’s Fantasy?

We've both lived inside our imaginations since we were little kids. Andrew played with his Star Wars and GI Joe action figures for hours on end as a kid (probably until he was way too old to be playing with them), and Adam grew up on Dungeons and Dragons and video games and comic books. Writing fantasy is like bringing all of those childhood daydreams to life, and the best part is, it's our job!



How did the two of you meet, and what made you decide to write the book together?

Adam is from Great Neck, New York. Andrew is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We met in Los Angeles in a parking garage. The two of us have been writing for film and television for the last 10 years. Several times a year, between projects, we brainstorm new ideas. During one of these particular sessions, Adam asked Andrew, "Do you know what a familiar is?" Andrew said he didn't. Adam explained, "A familiar is the animal companion to a witch or wizard, like Hedwig in 'Harry Potter.' They're always in the background, doing very little. What if we told a story where the familiars were front and center? And they were the ones going on the adventure." Andrew immediately took to the idea. "But it sounds like a book," he said. We shared a collective "A-ha!" moment. Why not write the book then? We had always wanted to expand our writing beyond screenplays. Now seemed like as good a time as any! It was from that simple question that Adam asked: "Do you know what a familiar is?" that quickly led to the creation of Vastia and all the magical animals inhabiting it. We didn't have to look very far for our inspiration for Aldwyn. In fact, he was right in Adam's backyard. There was a stray black-and-white alley cat named Ben, missing a chunk of his left ear, who visited there every day. The rest seemed to just flow effortlessly.



Is this your first novel? If no, is it your first together?

We have written several produced screenplays for film and television, but this is our first novel.



Awesome! One of my critique partners, Valerie, is an Indie film maker turned YA writer.

Did you find it difficult to collaborate when writing?

One of the unique things about this book is that we co-authored it. The two of us literally sat in the same room for months and months writing every word, sentence, and paragraph together. Andrew is the typist (because he's frankly a much faster typer), while Adam sits beside him, or across from him in a nice, comfy chair, or sometimes paces around. After our initial conversation about the idea, we loosely outlined the first few chapters and just dove in. Then after writing about 45 pages, we meticulously plotted out the rest of the story. Of course we discovered many details along the way, but we had a basic sense of the major plot points and where the first book would end.


As for your question, writing together has never been difficult for us. In fact, it makes the whole process easier, more fun, and a lot less lonely, that's for sure. Oliver Stone (writer and director of "Platoon" and "Wall Street") says his best advice to writers is "butt plus chair." Honestly, that's the hardest part when you're writing alone. Having a partner/co-author eliminates that challenge. We also like to think that having another person to bounce ideas off of is kind of like an instant sanity check. If two people agree that it's good, you can't both be crazy, right? And the old saying is true, sometimes two heads are simply better than one. Besides, if Adam didn't have Andrew, he'd still be struggling to type through the first book.



Thank you both for allowing us this opportunity! Where can we find the book, and where can we find out a little more about the two of you?

The book will be coming out September 7, 2010. You can pre-order it now on Amazon! In the meantime, please come follow us on Twitter @the_familiars and come by our blog, too. The official Familiars website, thefamiliars.com, will be up and running very soon.

Writing Evil.

I was thinking a lot about the characters in my book and how I portray them. All of them, even the background characters. In other projects the bad guys are not such a concern for me, but when I'm writing FATED, my WWII historical, I need to be a little more cautious. In the first draft, I made the Germans out to be these horrible, horrible monsters. My MC, a Jewish teen girl, saw them with black eyes and jagged teeth. Shadowy gray monsters that hide in plain sight, ready to jump out and snatch everything away from her. And in many ways, this is true to the story. But it also raises a problem for me. I don't want to demonize an entire group of people. Not even Nazi Germany.

So how do you create characters that do these horrible, sadistic, psychotic things without demonizing them? They're demons in your character's eyes, so do you write them as such?

I realize I may be over-thinking this, but it is something that has bothered me for quite some time. I never considered how difficult it would be to write a Historical novel. Writing anything is hard work, but when it comes to something as sensitive and serious as WWII, it becomes a whole different game.

I found this great podcast/interview from the united States Holocaust Memorial Museum website and it really hit home for me. First of all, I LOVE Ralph Fiennes. He is amazing in every film I've seen him in. And one of my favorite films is Schindler's List. I am writing a WWII novel, so I have watched a good number of movies, read books and memoirs and did ample amounts of online research on the time. Makes a very depressing "hobby" by the way.

In this interview, Ralph talks about playing the role of SS officer Amon Goeth in Schindler's List. I will post a link to the full interview as well as the audio, but the one part that really stuck out to me, was Ralph's reply when he was asked what he learned about evil while playing that role.

RALPH FIENNES:
Well, that it’s every day. Evil is cumulative. It happens. People believe that they’ve got to do a job, they’ve got to take on an ideology, that they’ve got a life to lead; they’ve got to survive, a job to do, it’s every day inch by inch, little compromises, little ways of telling yourself this is how you should lead your life and suddenly then these things can happen. I mean, I could make a judgment myself privately, this is a terrible, evil, horrific man. But the job was to portray the man, the human being. There’s a sort of banality, that everydayness, that I think was important. And it was in the screenplay. In fact, one of the first scenes with Oskar Schindler, with Liam Neeson, was a scene where I’m saying “You don’t understand how hard it is, I have to order so many-so many meters of barbed wire and so many fencing posts and I have to get so many people from A to B.” And, you know, he’s sort of letting off steam about the difficulties of the job. And so I suppose you can step back and that is where the evil is, when you can step back and look at it.

I don't want my Nazi soldiers to be static. I don't want them to be purely evil. I want them to be people. But I also want to remain true to the time. I want the reader to see them as my protagonist sees them. I want the reader, to hate them. To fear them. But I don't want the reader to feel as though I have demonized all of Germany because that is not my intention. I think the only way to do that, is what Ralph Fiennes said above: step back and look at it.

In the scene he mentioned where his character is speaking with Liam Neeson's character, he is giving us a glimpse into the mind of Amon Goeth, the man. Not the demon. Another one that comes to mind is a scene from INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (I know, not the best choice for WWII reference). There is a scene when the "basterds" have captured some young German soldiers. They ask one soldier what he plans to do with his uniform when he returns home. The boy says he's going to burn it. This is another look at the "evil" characters as humans. This kid din't want to murder people. He didn't want to be a part of the genocide that came along with that war, but he did it because it was his duty. He became evil inch by inch.

Even for minor characters, I think it is important to know them. To know why they do the things they do. My book is a first person narrative, so my MC may not understand the soldiers. She may still see them with black eyes and jagged teeth, but it is my responsibility as the author to be sure that they are more than that.

Now, if I can just figure out how to do that.

Read This Book's Blogoversary Giveaway!

Read This Book blog is hosting a giveaway. You can enter for a chance to win several books and a handmade bag! Hop over there to enter. You can say I referred you, if you want. :)

Good luck!

Book Reviews by Jess, followers giveaway!

My book-blogging/beta-reading buddy, Jess, at bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com has reached 400 followers! And to celebrate, Jess is giving away books to FOUR lucky winners! AND you get to pick the book you want to win!!!
http://bookreviewsbyjess.blogspot.com/2010/03/400-followers-giveaway-love.html

Her blog is undergoing some construction, and will soon have a new address. You won't want to miss the move, so make sure you check back when her new blog is launched.

You can tell her I sent you if you enter. *wink*

Cover Art!


In 2009, FALLEN by Lauren Kate was released from Delacorte. The cover for the sequel, TORMENT, was just released and it is so awesome, I have to share.

"Boys in books are just better."

***My weekly post at http://sistersinscribe.blogspot.com/ Follow the link for more discussion.***

I saw this on one of those blinky avatar things this morning and it made me chuckle, but then I realized, it's actually true. In most cases. Not mine because my husband totally rocks. Seriously. But I remember my dating/high school years very clearly. Boy were better in books. No offense, guys.

As some of you know, I am a big vampire fan. Always have been long before the Cullen's took the stage. Blame Brad Pitt, because he was one sexy ass vampire, even to an eleven year old girl.
interview-vampire.jpg interview-with-a-vampire image by charlotteofraiz
Yum. I totally envied Kirsten Dunst in this movie.

What makes boys in books so awesome? Depends on what you like. I like danger but not a bad boy. I like them intelligent, chivalrous, and sentimental. Which is why I love vampires. You can have a totally desirable boy, with old world charm who also wants to eat you.

So lets list some of our (my) favorite fictional boys:

Louie - Interview With the Vampire. Obvious reasons.
Eric Northman - Southern Vampire Mysteries. Eric is a bad boy on the outside, but there is so much more to him the farther you read into the series. And, hello? He's a Viking!
Bill Compton- Southern Vampire Mysteries. Bill is a true Southern Gentleman. With fangs.
Sam Winchester-Supernatural. Sam is sweet, smart and strong. And, especially in the latest episodes, he's frigging gorgeous. (Yes, a fictional character can make an actor more attractive. Look at Hugh Laurie as House.) But Sam is also dangerous. If you've seen the show, you know what I mean. If you haven't, you should.
Balthazar- Evernight series. All the reasons I listed above.
Dimitri Belikov-Vampire Academy. His devotion to his duty, and to Rose make him a favorite. And being a big sexy Russian, who is also half vampire helps.

Hmm... 5 vampires and a boy who is addicted to drinking demon blood. Eeek! Thinking of a human...

Dean! - Gilmore Girls. Love Dean, and Dean is a normal boy. We like to see the boy chasing after the girl.
Will - The Luxe.
No real danger will Dean or Will, but they both have the sweet, love-struck boy thing going for them.

I'm going to stop now, because clearly I have a bigger thing for vampires than I thought. In short, I like danger and I like power. But I want it wrapped up in a good-looking package, and tied with a gentlemanly bow. When you finally meet the love interest in my work-in-progress, FATED, you will totally see that. I realize real boys can't compete with a thousand year-old vampire, or a boy who can exercise demons with his mind, but have no fear guys. Just be confident in your self, but humble enough to kiss her butt from time to time.

So who are some of your favorite fictional boys and why?







Book Giveaway!

The fabulous Elana Johnson is giving away 7 signed YA books, to celebrate her 700 followers! Go here to enter.

Teaser Tuesday!

This is a paragraph from my work-in-progress, FATED. It is a YA historical fantasy with lots of other little elements thrown in. That's all I'm saying for now.

This scene takes place on the platform of a train station. My MC and her family have been captured by a group of ruthless soldiers, and are awaiting the train that will take them to a prison camp. Comments welcome!
Please excuse the formatting. I'm still having issues with blogger.


Then their crowd parted and I saw him—the maggoty bastard who’d murdered my father. A burning rage swelled from the pit of my stomach. I gritted my teeth, biting back the angry words that threatened to spill from my mouth. I wanted to kill him, to rip him to pieces with my bare hands. His beady, black eyes, too small for his plump red face, scanned our party with disgust. I scowled at him as he sauntered toward the edge of the platform. The train was coming closer, growing louder.



“Hey!” I wanted him to look at me. To see my father in my eyes.



“What are you doing,” Simon said, pulling me back. “Be quiet! Are you mad?”


International Women's Day!

Happy International Women's Day to all the women in the blogosphere! I hope you all enjoy your day! Be proud to be the sister, daughter, wife, mother, friend that you are!




HOURGLASS giveaway!

The Park Avenue Princess is giving away a copy of Claudia Gray's third book in the Evernight Series, HOURGLASS! Visit her blog for a chance to enter.

In My Mailbox Week 6


In My Mailbox is brought to you by Kristi at The Story Siren.




This week, I have WAKE, FADE and GONE by Lisa McMann, all signed! Won at

And an ARC of THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE won from @penguinusa on twitter

Great contests going on!

Over at I Heart Monster, enter to win some great YA book!
Including:

And many more so get going!

Myra McEntire: Friday in the Fort with Lisa Schroeder

Myra McEntire: Friday in the Fort with Lisa Schroeder

Lisa Schroeder's guest interview on Myra's blog!

Sisters in Scribe: Friday Book Recommendation!

Sisters in Scribe: Friday Book Recommendation!

Check out my weekly book recommendation at Sisters in Scribe! I usually steal them from this blog, but in case you've missed it, this week's recommended read is THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer R Hubbard

Contest: Win a book and/or Critique!

Weronika Janczuk, talented writer and publishing intern with Flux, is hosting yet another amazing contest opportunity!

Thanks to my 500+ wonderful followers on Twitter, I can hold my first promised book giveaway. As aforementioned on Twitter as well, as soon as blog followers hit 200 I shall host another party.

I'm going to start small and go bigger with later giveaways.

(In the meantime, there is also an ongoing query and first ten pages critique opportunity- for everyone who enters!)


Deadline: Friday, 12:00pm EST

Prize #1
- Preorder for YA author Kiersten White's PARANOLMACY (HarperTeen/September 2010)
- Order of any book of winner's choice (reasonably priced) from Amazon
- Critique of First 50 Pages (Negotiable for Winners Without Pages)
- Blog Interview (You Visit Me!)

Prize #2
- Preorder for YA author Kiersten White's PARANOLMACY (HarperTeen/September 2010)
- Critique of First 50 Pages (Negotiable for Winners Without Pages)
- Blog Interview (You Visit Me!)

Prize #3
- Critique of First 50 Pages (Negotiable for Winners Without Pages)

Prize #4
- Critique of First 50 Pages (Negotiable for Winners Without Pages)

There will be more celebration and variety come 200 blog followers, so join up if you haven't already.
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