interview with Jennifer Echols--and win a copy of her new book, Love Story!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Today, I'm doing a Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with Jennifer Echols about her new book, Love Story

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

Jennifer: Erin writes about her crush and he reads the story!

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

Jennifer: I was told by someone very close to me that my writing was awful, I would never be published, and I should quit. I did not take this advice. In fact, sometimes anger is a terrific motivator. (Me: Wow! Go Jennifer!)

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

Jennifer: Bestsellers are made, not born. Usually the publisher has to get behind a book and pay for it to become a bestseller, so if that’s going to happen, you’ll know way ahead of time. No surprises. (Me: I have to agree with Jennifer on this one (I was nodding so hard when I read it, I'm surprised my head didn't fall off!) although I think that very rarely, a book will become a huge hit based on word of mouth. But it is--well, rare.)

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

Jennifer: There are so many of these! When I love a book, I tell EVERYBODY. So I’ll go with my critique partner Victoria Dahl’s adult historical romance, A Little Bit Wild, which was a finalist in the RITA. (Me: that's a big deal, as it's a huge romance award!)

Me: I hear people can win a copy of Love Story...

Jennifer: There are lots of giveaways of Love Story--and other prizes--going on all over the web right now. I am linking to them, so check my blog at jenniferechols.livejournal.com.

Me: Well, you know..

Suzanne: Newman’s Own used to have a Southwest ranch dressing that I absolutely loved, but I can’t find it anymore. My tomatoes and I are unhappy. (Me: Awwww!)

Thanks Jennifer for stopping by, and to help celebrate the release of Love Story, I'm giving one copy away!

How can you win it? All you need is a US mailing addy, and to leave a comment telling me what you'd do if your crush (present or past) read something you'd wrote about him/her by midnight EST tomorrow, July 29th.

link-o-rama!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Lots of links to share:

From Genreality, a great post about what it's like the day after your novel comes out

Over at Pimp My Novel, a fab guest post on rejections

Pimp My Novel on Borders closing, and what it means to publishing

Over at YA Outside The Lines, they've been dishing out one gem after another, starting with Do What Works For You (to which I say, Amen!), That Middle Place (I swear, this could be, okay it SO is me: "And maybe...not stress so much? I've never tried this approach. It does not come naturally."), Writing As An Extreme Sport (I can't get over Lynsay Sands's schedule either!), and finally, a truly wonderful post about Borders closing and, in my mind, more importantly how utterly hard it can be for teenagers to find books to read--"However for the numerous subdivisions across the freeway, no public library exists. I actually offered extra credit last year for my seniors (the high school at which I’ve taught for the past number of years is also across the freeway) if they got and showed me a public library card. The vast majority did not have one until this motivated them to get one. At first this shocked me. Actually it still does. But freeways, as my husband the retail guy often reminds me, are like mountains. If you have to go that far to get to something, often you just don’t."

Writer Unboxed is also cranking out some interesting pieces: Reasons Why Your Online Marketing Doesn't Work, a feel-good post where best-selling authors talk about what keeps them writing, a knock-out post on characterization and one on the power of unplugging from the Internet

Food!

You got love recipes to beat the heat during a heat wave (featuring car-baked cookies!)

There's also Brown Butter and Brown Sugar Muffins and Butterfinger Oatmeal Cookies

interview with Melissa Walker

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Today, I'm doing a Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with the utterly fabulous Melissa Walker about her new book, Small Town Sinners

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

Melissa: Good church girl meets boy who asks questions. Falls hard. (Me: OOOH!)

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

Melissa: A magazine editor gave me a note on a going-nowhere story once that simply said, "Someone has to change." Great edit! (Me: I totally agree--that is a great edit!)

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

Melissa: I wish I'd known that there are things you can control (like the content of your book) and things you can't (most everything else). So don't stress about the uncontrollables! (Me: This is great advice but can be, at least for worriers like me, SO hard!)

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

Melissa: Tara Altebrando's Dreamland Social Club--it is summery and magical.

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

Melissa: Balsamic vinaigrette. I love the tang!

Me: I hear your book had something very special happen to it...

Melissa: You mean the review, right?

Me: Yep. You're being way too modest, so I'm going to shout it to the world: Small Town Sinners got an awesome review in the NEW YORK TIMES!!!

update on As I Wake ARCs, links, and some news

Thursday, July 14, 2011

I have some news about As I Wake and ARCs. It appears a limited number of ARCs are going to be sent to bloggers in August but I don't know how many are being sent out and who is going to get them. I wish I had more news to share, but that's all I know. If I do learn anything please know I will tell you! (I feel bad that what I do know is so limited)

Also, for last week's contest winners, and the winners of the copies of Between Here and Forever--I was hoping to get all the books mailed out before I go on vacation next week, but I'm afraid it's not going to happen. There are lots of times I wish I had an assistant, but never more than times like this, when I have a million things to do and not enough time. Please know that I will mail all the winners their books as soon as I can, and I appreciate your understanding and patience. (It's just part of what makes you all so awesome!)

And yes, I am taking an actual, honest-to-goodness vacation next week. I don't know when the last time I went somewhere that didn't involve work in one way or another was, but I am so very much looking forward to spending time with my husband and dog. And reading, of course. (How sad is it that lately I haven't even had time to read?? That's just wrong, you know? AND I haven't even been able to watch the Tour de France. Long time readers of this blog will know how much that is killing me!!)

I won't be blogging next week, but I will return the following week and let's just say my box of books to give away is bursting at the seams!

And now, it's link time:

Agent Rachelle Gardner on editorial letters

Donald Maass on the importance of fireworks in your writing

Dear Author has a very in-depth interview with Maya Banks about her experiences with e-publishing

The Intern on the power of the great truths in writing

Another piece on the power of Bookscan, which is now available to authors via Amazon

A very candid post by Ellery Adams about everything publishing related--from advances to canceled series to the fact that a lot of self-pubbed e-books (previously in print or not) don't make much money. Everyone should read this post, IMO. Published authors will find themselves nodding once, twice, or more, and those who want to be published really need to read this. Make sure you check the comments too.

Borders had an offer, but after objections from both landlords and publishers, now looks to be headed for total liquidation. Maybe. -- At this point, while I hope Borders survives, I don't think it will.

Now for the sweets:

Creamsicle cupcakes, anyone?

I admit this one made me go "oooh!" Cream Cheese Poundcake

But so did the S'mores Whoopie Pies (I know!)

When I was growing up, my mom used to make monkey bread--anyone else do the same?--and so I had to check this Lemon Pull Apart Bread

And although I can't eat bananas, I think this Double Chocolate Banana Cake sounds pretty darn good

so, what's the deal with As I Wake?? (and....(wait for it!) free books! :-)

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Okay, so I've been getting a lot of emails about As I Wake, so let me answer the most common questions:

1. What is As I Wake about?

This is the publisher summary, which I adore:

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only one problem: Ava can't remember any of them - and can't shake the eerie feeling that she's not who they say she is.

Ava struggles to break through her amnesiac haze as she goes through the motions of high-school life, but the memories that surface take place in a very different world, where Ava and familiar-faced friends are under constant scrutiny and no one can be trusted. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions, or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

2. But what is it REALLY about? Why did you write it?

Okay. I wrote As I Wake because of my obsession with the idea that there is not just one world/reality but many (as suggested by modal realism), as well as life in 1980s East Germany (yes, there once was an East Germany!), especially the role played by the Stasi. I also wrote it because I'm also a sucker for true love.

3. What the heck is modal realism? What's this Stasi thing?

There's a great introduction to modal realism here and you can read more about the Stasi here and here. As for life in East Germany during the 1980s, I highly suggest Anna Funder's Stasiland, which I found fascinating. (I should note that it's out of print, and I barely managed to snag a copy in early 2008)*

4. Is everything in the book factual?

Nope. Modal realism is just a theory, and I played with it. I also did not strictly adhere to what life in 1980s East Germany was like, although I tried to stay as true as I could to what I'd read about the role of the Stasi, simply because their presence in everyday life was really amazingly in-depth. (At one point, it's estimated that one out of every seven East Germans was somehow involved with the Stasi!)

5. And finally, the question I'm actually asked second most often: Can I get an ARC?

I don't know. I didn't actually know I had a publicist for As I Wake until the Publishers Weekly review came out, and just wrote to her about the book for the first time yesterday. (And if she happens to reads this, thank you again for sending an ARC to PW!)

--

So that's the deal with As I Wake.

I'll let you know more as I learn more about question 5, and in the meantime, if you have a US mailing addy, leave a comment (and a way to contact you!) by midnight EST tomorrow, July 8th, and you could win one of the following:

--a copy of Clarity by Kim Harrington

--a copy of Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

--a copy of Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

* BUT! I just checked Amazon and it's being re-released

fast links (but loads of 'em!)

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

interview with Suzanne Young

Friday, July 01, 2011

Today, I'm doing a Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit interview with Suzanne Young about her new book, A Need So Beautiful

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

Suzanne: A story about love, sacrifice, and the importance of memories.

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

Suzanne: That sometimes your self-esteem can take a hit, whether from bad reviews or cancelled contracts. There are so many emotional highs and lows that I never could have imagined. (Me: SO true!)

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

Suzanne: It’s an adult novel, but I loved Bitten by Kelley Armstrong and forced my friends to read it too.

Me: Well, you know..

Suzanne: The ranch pesto they serve at the Spaghetti Factory! (Me: very specific, love it!)