yay! (and free books)

I've finished my latest round of revisions and to celebrate, I'm going to sit down and finally watch the 16 episodes of Modern Family I missed this season.

I'm also going to celebrate by giving away sixteen copies of Between Here and Forever. For your chance to get one, all you have to do is leave a comment and a way for me to contact you (and okay, if you wanna rec a summer TV show to me, I'm not going to say no) by midnight EST on Monday, July 4th and then sixteen people will get a copy of Between Here and Forever.

And yes, this giveaway is open internationally too :-)

rush, rush, and Free Books!

I'm up to my neck in revisions at the moment, so I don't have time for a proper blog entry.

However, I don't want to neglect you, lovely readers, so I offer the following

--an ARC of Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray
--an ARC of Shelter by Harlan Coben
--a copy of Stay by Deb Caletti

For your chance to win one of these three books, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me your fave way to de-stress (and a way to contact you!) by midnight EST this Friday, July 1st.

And yep, this contest is open to everyone :-)

interview with Elana Johnson

Today, I'm doing a Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with Elana Johnson about her new book, Possession




Me: Tell us about your book in ten words or less!

Elana: Posession = brainwashing transmissions + angsty teenage girl + cute boys x chaos


Me: What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Elana: Keep writing. I believe there’s no such thing as a failed novel. It’s a practice novel, and everyone needs to practice to get good at something.


Me: What do you wish you'd known about being published/publishing before your book came out?

Elana: I wish someone had told me how emotionally exhausting this is. I may not have gotten involved!


Me: What's the last book you read that you loved so much you had to tell everyone about it?

Elana: One of my favorite books of 2011 is Clairty by Kim Harrington. Everyone should read it!


Me: Oh, you know what I'm going to ask now...

Elana: Ranch. Oh my gravy, I could drink it from a tall glass. No vegetables needed. (Me: LOL!)


Thanks for stopping by, Elana, and I have to send a quick shout-out to the 45 amazing girls I'm going to be meeting this weekend (they're all part of a book club, and they've all read Between Here and Forever--how cool is that?)

one link, two links, three links, more!

For those of you heading to RWA, which is in NYC this year, or if you're going to be in NYC and find yourself in the Times Square area, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books put together a nice restaurant guide with links to even more guides!

This isn't exactly breaking news, but looks like Greg Mortenson could be in even more trouble, by which I mean, more lawsuits

And speaking of non-fiction that turns out to be less non- that it should be, the Intern has some thoughts --and there's some lively responses in the comments

The Intern also has a great post up about how sometimes things can be so bleak that you have to wait and find your way back to being able to see beauty/find joy again-- "At first, it feels like it isn’t working. You’re just as wound up and single-minded as you were a few days ago. If you’re going to be like this, you might as well just work. But when you try to work, you just get frustrated...You’re still too much of a machine to appreciate anything...But slowly, imperceptibly, beauty starts to push its head out of the ground like a tomato seedling. Your heart still feels like packed clay, but there it is—something living."

Agent Rachelle Gardner on insecurity -- something I think most writers (or at least this one) have in abundance

Writer Unboxed on Seven Deadly Sins For Published Writers -- this one is a must read for anyone who is published or about to be published, IMO

From YA Outside the Lines, How Do You Know Which Story To Work On?

Stacked is advocating for contemporary YA -- I fully admit to being biased on this, but I *adored* this blog post (plus there are loads of links!)

One of the links mentioned in the above piece is one I feel deserves a shout-out because it's so utterly raw in its honesty about what it's like to be a contemporary mid-list author these days. Kudos to Kristen Hubbard for being brave enough to talk about how hard it can be to be not just a debut author, but a debut author writing contemporary YA. -- "It's a numbers game, and miles outside my limited reach, in that faraway place where the power lies, it was decided my beloved book would not be given much of a push, and would not be stocked at Barnes & Noble bookstores. Among other things.

I never posted it. I was too afraid.

And to be honest, I still don't feel brave enough to rehash all the details. It's been a three-month battle, deciding whether to be open about all this in internet-land, or whether to put on a brave face and pretend everything's peachy."

Two posts on publishing time--and yes, it is different from just about anything else (except for working-for-a-university-time, which is, I think, one of the reasons I was okay with waiting four (yep, four!) years for the second novel I sold to come out.

One day I'll have to post a list of my published books vs. the order in which they were written

Finally, sweets for all you lovely people...

Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Chocolate Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (try saying that three times fast!) *and* something I heard about when I was at the Book Blogger Convention and begged for a link when the recipe went up (and now it is!)--Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

interview with Amanda Ashby--and win a copy of her new book!

Today, I'm doing a Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with Amanda Ashby about her new book, Fairy Bad Day





Me: Tell us about your book in ten words or less!

Amanda: Cute, funny and filled with Skittles and swords!


Me: What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Amanda: It wasn’t really advice but when I was living in England and trying to sell a book, I was lucky enough to meet Penny Jordan who is like the Madonna of Harlequin Mills and Boon. She has literally sold millions and millions of books and is successful in a way that most of us can’t even dream of. Yet she is so down to earth and humble and often talks about taking a writing course so she can learn how to write properly! Anyway, that’s when I realized that if she doesn’t know it all, then I most certainly never well. I guess for me it’s just a reminder that we’re always learning!


Me: What do you wish you'd known about being published/publishing before your book/first book came out?

Amanda: This is going to sound ridiculous but I was so focused on selling a book and getting published that I really hadn’t given much thought to the idea that people might actually read it! So when my first book came out I kept wanting to explain what it was about and why I had written certain scenes etc! It still actually seems surreal that people would give up their time to read something that I’ve written, though I’ve totally managed to suppress the urge to explain my reasoning. Especially for what happens on page 89!!


Me: What's the last book you read that you loved so much you had to tell everyone about it?

Amanda: Eon by Alison Goodman and Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Those are two very special books about kick ass heroines!


Me: What blogs do you *have* to read?

Amanda: pinkisthenewblog.com. I absolutely have to read Trent’s blog everyday and I’ve done so for years. In fact I even gave it a shout out in Fairy Bad Day because I love it so much. (Me: I've never heard of this before, but it's got gossip, and I'm SO there!!)


Me: Okay, I'm not even calling this the whole random thing anymore. Instead, it's shout-out to your fave salad dressing!

Amanda: Heinz Salad Cream (Me: had to look that one up! It's a UK thing, as it turns out :-) )


Me: I heard you have a copy of Fairy Bad Day to give away...

Amanda: I do--and I'm opening up the give away to anyone, so if you don't live in the US, you can enter too!


Wow! Thanks for stopping by Amanda--and for your generosity! For your chance to win a copy of Fairy Bad Day, just leave a comment (if you know about Heinz Salad Cream, feel free to let us know what it tastes like and/or is it just for salads? Because the page for it had recipes!!) AND a way to contact you by midnight EST this Friday, June 17th, and then one lucky person will get a copy of Fairy Bad Day!

hello yumminess! Also, some links :-)

By now, everyone knows about the whole WSJ YA thing, but if you get a chance, please read Sherman Alexie's eloquent blog post about why some YA readers need dark books

Agent Jennifer Laughran on how she deals with incoming queries and on main characters who are bored

A great piece by Salon's Laura Miller on when bad people write great books

Pimp My Novel has a interesting post on what's hot in books right now

From the Dystel & Goderich blog, a post on the importance of diving in

From YA Outside The Lines, a fab post on the importance--and joy--of connecting with readers and a very open post about trying to bring focus and balance to your writing life

Agent Kristin Nelson on what editors are looking for now

Author Jay Lake knows a thing or two about persevering, and writes about it here--"This practice of constantly writing and sending has a happy side effect of inuring oneself to the impact of rejection. The more rejections you receive, the less each individual one can sting. Our one-story-a-year writer will invest an enormous amount of time and effort in each send out, and feel the impact of the response acutely. Our fifty-story-a-year writer collects rejection after rejection, reducing the sting and increasing the opportunity for those rejections to transition into acceptances."

Finally, the yummy:

Gluten Free Homemade Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies

As a vanilla fan, you know I loved the Very Vanilla Bundt Cake

But then, there was also the Sugar Cookie Cake AND the Dulche de Leche Banana Cake

Or I could also go for the Marshmallow Snappers or Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

But, then, there are last week's recipe link winners--a classic take on one of the best Southern dishes of all time, Pimento Cheese, and a Peanut Butter Pound Cake S'mores Panini (yes, seriously!)

Hmm, I wonder why I feel hungry now...

so these two ARCs walk into some links and...

I think by now just about everyone has heard of the Wall Street Journal that blasted today's YA as being too dark and violent

You can find tons of heart-felt response to this on Twitter by searching for #YAsaves and there's a wonderful Salon piece in response

And two more bloggers weighed in with interesting posts: The Intern and Allison Brennan at Murderati

On finding validation as an author -- "So when do authors feel like they've made it? I guess, like most things in life, it's different for everyone. I guess I haven't figured it out for me yet. But I think I'm getting closer."

Agent Rachelle Gardner on writing the Break In novel

How can you not love a blog post that's called Warning Signs of an Idiot Plot

While I don't have any recipe links to share today, I do have two ARCs to give away: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce and Spoiled by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

For your chance to win, share your fave recipe link with me (also, you need to have a US addy and leave a way for me to contact you if you win, PLEASE!!)

I'll take your fave recipe links to this Friday, June 10th at midnight and then I'll pick the two links I like best and the people who shared them will each get an ARC.

interview with Jessica Brody--and win her new book!

Today, I'm doing a Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with Jessica Brody about her new book, My Life Undecided




Me: Tell us about your book in ten words or less!

Jessica: Decisionally-challenged teen seeks wise blog readers to run her life. (Haha! That sounds like a classified posting!) (Me: it totally does!!)


Me: What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Jessica: “You can’t fix a blank page.” It’s a quote from Nora Roberts that I have hanging on my wall above my computer so I can always see it. It’s absolutely the best writing advice ever! Sometimes you’ll get stuck, sometimes you’ll write crap, but no matter what, you just have to keep going. Keep writing. Even if you end up throwing it all away at the end. Because more often than not, you have to write through the bad stuff to get to the good stuff. And you can always go back and revise later. But you can’t revise something that’s not there!


Me: What do you wish you'd known about being published/publishing before your book/first book came out?

Jessica: I was really surprised to learn how long it takes a book to get to the shelf. I wish someone had warned me! I sold THE KARMA CLUB (my first young adult release) to my publisher TWO years before it was released in stores. The publishing industry can be very slow and that’s taken some getting used to. I’m usually about two books ahead of whatever book is in the stores. For example, MY LIFE UNDECIDED, is out on June 7th and I’ve already written the book that will come out after that and am 1/4 through the one that will come out after that! (Me: I can so relate to that! My first book took two years, but my second took three and my third? Four years!!)


Me: What's the last book you read that you loved so much you had to tell everyone about it?

Jessica: I just recently read Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier which just released. It’s the first in a series and I’m now TOTALLY hooked. I’m dying for the second one. The series was originally published in Germany and I’m about this close to buying the German edition and running it through Google Translate, just so I can find out what happens! Too bad I studied French!


Me: I hear you're giving away a copy of My Life Undecided...

Jessica: I am! (Me: YAY!!) To win a copy all you have to do is leave a comment, and a way for Jessica to get in touch with you by this Friday, June 10th at midnight EST and then one person will get a copy of My Life Undecided. (Me: YAY!! again!)


Me: So, what blogs do you *have* to read?

Jessica: I’m kind of obsessed with ClevverTV. They’re a great blog and internet TV show that focuses on entertainment and celebrity gossip. It’s a really fun show.

Me: Okay, here's my SO not a random bonus question anymore: What's your favorite salad dressing?

Jessica: Blue cheese all the way!


Thanks, Jessica, for a great interview, and be sure to check out the trailer for My Life Undecided here AND leave your comment (and a way to contact you) for your chance to win a copy of My Life Undecided!

linkty! (okay, that so isn't a word, but I kind of like it)

This is a good intro to Bookscan (although I believe that they don't track library sales either)

Dear Author has, as always, lots of interesting links here and here

From YA Outside The Lines, a look at balancing writing and the rest of your life and a cute post about travel

Saundra Mitchell has a fantastic marketing timeline AND on why "free" books aren't actually free--I know some people feel that there's nothing wrong with downloading books, but for mid-list authors like me, believe me, it is so not helpful in terms of me being able to write more books--if I don't sell books, then the publisher doesn't make any money, and then--well, then I'm out of a job because, at the end of the day, publishing is a business. And if your school/local library doesn't have a copy of whatever book of mine you want to read, let me know. Seriously. I want you to be able to read my books! (And I also would like to keep my job)

From Writer Unboxed: the power of shared experience when reading

The always fascinating Tess Gerritsen on I Have No Idea How I Do It

Interesting piece on writing about writing

Agent Jennifer Laughran on twitter, and social media in general, IMO

I own a dog, so how could I not love Why Every Writer Needs A Dog

How about some Browned Butter Brown Sugar Cookies with Lemon Buttercream?

And I SO know I'll be making this chocolate cream pie for my husband

Back from NYC and boy, do I have books

BEA week is always so much fun, and I am so glad that I got to meet so many of YOU while I was in NYC.

So in celebration of BEA, and of your general awesomeness I am giving away the following:

A signed copy of Lauren Kate's Passion
A copy of Sarah Dessen's What Happened to Goodbye
A copy of Veronica Roth's Divergent

For a chance to win one of these three books, all you have to do is have a US mailing addy and leave a comment telling me what dream book you got during BEA---or what book you wished you could have gotten if you'd gone.

I'll take comments until midnight EST this Friday, June 3rd, and then I'll pick three winners and each of them will get one of the three books.

And that's it!