Friday, August 30, 2013
Mindy McGinnis Tells the Truth About Parenting Your Book Baby
Sure, they're pretty. But if you're not careful, that book baby can turn into a spoiled mess.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Happy Birthday RELIC!
We Thirteeners are so excited today because it's the release of Renee Collins' book, RELIC! This book is so fantastic we can't wait for everyone else to be able to read it, too. Read this summary and you'll see why.
After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive the best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.
Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.
Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.
Guys...THIS BOOK! Maggie is amazing and strong in the face of so much adversity. And the setting is fresh, visual and alive. Old west, cowboys, mesas and magic? YES PLEASE!
Here are some visuals that remind me of the feel of RELIC to get everyone in the mood.
Cowboys...yum, k?
Old West Saloons!
Cowboys IN Saloons!
Wealthy relic barons...
And HORSES!
And, we really can't emphasize this enough...
hot cowboys!
Who ride horses!
And are oh so clean...yeah...yum.
All of this, AND MAGIC. So yeah...you need to get this book now! You can buy it at any of these links.
And just one more cowboy image to leave you with...
You are welcome.
Huge congratulations to Renee and Relic! We're so happy for you!
Friday, August 23, 2013
Megan Shepherd Takes the Dare
I wanted to do something extra special for this dare, since it's been so long since I've done one, and I've so missed the public humiliation. So I decided to revisit one of my most popular previous dares, that went as follows:
Design an original cover for your book.
For the record, here are the real covers of The Madman's Daughter, and the sequel, Her Dark Curiosity, which comes out in January 2014 and is available for preorder. I just adore these covers. They're so atmospheric and classy and elegant and just beautifully photographed and designed.
I tackled this dare for the first time back in February 2012, for The Madman's Daughter, before that book even had a real cover. I came up with this gem. Lovely, no? Can't you just feel the tropical heat and tension in the air? It might not have quite the professionalism of the original, but you have to admit, it's just as classy.
For this dare, I wanted to continue with a similar graphic design, and show you my interpretation of the core story found in Her Dark Curiosity, which is inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and picks up a few months after The Madman's Daughter ends.
Ta da!
Like my first cover design, I think this one really showcases the book's strengths. There's obviously a much darker tone. There's mystery (that cloaked shadowy character in the bottom left), an atmospheric setting (Victorian London at Christmas...note the mistletoe), a hint of danger (lightning crash!), a deep and meaningful theme (the comedy and tragedy masks in the banner symbolize the duality of human nature, and also there's a really cool masquerade scene in the book), and a healthy dose of romance! My husband asked why the image was so grainy and I said that was clearly meant to be snow, but in case it was confusing, I decided to enhance the cover with lots of more obvious snow.
What do you think, does my cover design make you want to read it even more??
Design an original cover for your book.
For the record, here are the real covers of The Madman's Daughter, and the sequel, Her Dark Curiosity, which comes out in January 2014 and is available for preorder. I just adore these covers. They're so atmospheric and classy and elegant and just beautifully photographed and designed.
I tackled this dare for the first time back in February 2012, for The Madman's Daughter, before that book even had a real cover. I came up with this gem. Lovely, no? Can't you just feel the tropical heat and tension in the air? It might not have quite the professionalism of the original, but you have to admit, it's just as classy.
For this dare, I wanted to continue with a similar graphic design, and show you my interpretation of the core story found in Her Dark Curiosity, which is inspired by The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and picks up a few months after The Madman's Daughter ends.
Ta da!
Like my first cover design, I think this one really showcases the book's strengths. There's obviously a much darker tone. There's mystery (that cloaked shadowy character in the bottom left), an atmospheric setting (Victorian London at Christmas...note the mistletoe), a hint of danger (lightning crash!), a deep and meaningful theme (the comedy and tragedy masks in the banner symbolize the duality of human nature, and also there's a really cool masquerade scene in the book), and a healthy dose of romance! My husband asked why the image was so grainy and I said that was clearly meant to be snow, but in case it was confusing, I decided to enhance the cover with lots of more obvious snow.
What do you think, does my cover design make you want to read it even more??
-----
Megan Shepherd is a young adult writer living in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Her debut novel The Madman's Daughter (Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins) is the first in a Gothic thriller trilogy. The second book in the trilogy, Her Dark Curiosity, will be released January 2014. She’d love to hear from you at her blog, Twitter, Facebook, or on Goodreads.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Happy Birthday DEVIL!
Us Thirteeners are very excited today, because April Tucholke's BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA is finally on shelves! *blasts off confetti cannon*
You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…
Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.
Guys, THIS BOOK! I read it in one of its earliest form (April and I (Erin) have been critique partners since we were both unagented and chasing a dream), and even then DEVIL blew me away. The morally ambiguous characters! The gorgeous, visceral prose. The copious amounts of Creepy. And let's not forget the haunting gothic setting.
A crumbling estate...
set against an angry sea...
bordered by train tracks and tunnels...
and a sprawling graveyard.
All of which only become creepier after River rents Violet's guest house. Yes, River. With his crooked smile, and mischievous ways, and sexy swagger.
River, who Violet can't help loving even when she knows she shouldn't.
Go grab your copy today! Just make sure you keep the light on while reading.
Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.
Guys, THIS BOOK! I read it in one of its earliest form (April and I (Erin) have been critique partners since we were both unagented and chasing a dream), and even then DEVIL blew me away. The morally ambiguous characters! The gorgeous, visceral prose. The copious amounts of Creepy. And let's not forget the haunting gothic setting.
A crumbling estate...
set against an angry sea...
bordered by train tracks and tunnels...
and a sprawling graveyard.
All of which only become creepier after River rents Violet's guest house. Yes, River. With his crooked smile, and mischievous ways, and sexy swagger.
River, who Violet can't help loving even when she knows she shouldn't.
Go grab your copy today! Just make sure you keep the light on while reading.
Congratulations, April! We couldn't be happier for you!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Blurbs for POINTE + a Giveaway! [Contest Now CLOSED]
UPDATE, Aug. 15:
The winner of the giveaway is Alyssa Hatmaker! Congratulations, Alyssa—your books are on their way to you. And thank you so much to everyone who entered the giveaway!
So, yesterday was a pretty great day.
Got my ARCs. Yeah. These guys.
(Still finding it hard to stop staring at and/or petting them. I know you get it.)
Now that my ARCs exist, I want to share the very kind words two of my favorite authors had to say about POINTE! Their novels—their debut novels, in particular—have been such an inspiration to me, and in addition to being insanely talented writers, they happen to be two of the coolest, nicest ladies on the Internet. Here's what they had to say about my book:
"A brave and resonant debut that is as captivating as it is heartbreaking. Brandy Colbert has given us a portrait of life after trauma that is skillfully rendered, raw, and unflinching. This novel haunts me."
Flattered doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about these blurbs. Surreal seems like a good starting point.
And because I am so excited about receiving my galleys, I'm giving away a signed copy of POINTE to a reader, along with one copy each of Courtney and Nina's debuts. These are two of my favorite books of all time, and I think everyone needs to read them. Want to know a little more about them? Click on the Goodreads links above the covers!
To win all three books, comment on this blog post (any comment will do, even just a hello) and leave your name and email in the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway is open from Wednesday, July 31 through August 14, 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time. A winner will be chosen that day and announced here on Thursday, August 15. Sorry, but this giveaway is only open to those 13 years of age or older with a U.S. or Canadian mailing address. (I hope to do an international giveaway in the future!)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The winner of the giveaway is Alyssa Hatmaker! Congratulations, Alyssa—your books are on their way to you. And thank you so much to everyone who entered the giveaway!
So, yesterday was a pretty great day.
Got my ARCs. Yeah. These guys.
(Still finding it hard to stop staring at and/or petting them. I know you get it.)
Now that my ARCs exist, I want to share the very kind words two of my favorite authors had to say about POINTE! Their novels—their debut novels, in particular—have been such an inspiration to me, and in addition to being insanely talented writers, they happen to be two of the coolest, nicest ladies on the Internet. Here's what they had to say about my book:
"A brave and resonant debut that is as captivating as it is heartbreaking. Brandy Colbert has given us a portrait of life after trauma that is skillfully rendered, raw, and unflinching. This novel haunts me."
—Nina LaCour, author of Hold Still
"POINTE is an impressively written and affecting portrait of loss and
self-forgiveness. Brandy Colbert's debut is beautiful, sharp and
memorable."
—Courtney Summers, author of Cracked Up to Be
Flattered doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about these blurbs. Surreal seems like a good starting point.
And because I am so excited about receiving my galleys, I'm giving away a signed copy of POINTE to a reader, along with one copy each of Courtney and Nina's debuts. These are two of my favorite books of all time, and I think everyone needs to read them. Want to know a little more about them? Click on the Goodreads links above the covers!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
And if you want to learn more about POINTE, see below:
Theo is better now.
She's
eating again, dating guys who are almost appropriate, and well on her
way to becoming an elite ballet dancer. But when her oldest friend,
Donovan, returns home after spending four long years with his kidnapper,
Theo starts reliving memories about his abduction—and his abductor.
Donovan
isn't talking about what happened, and even though Theo knows she
didn't do anything wrong, telling the truth would put everything she's
been living for at risk. But keeping quiet might be worse.
You can add POINTE to your Goodreads shelves here!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Erin Bowman Tells the Truth: inspirational writing music
I'm answering a truth today, one that touches on one of my favorite topics ever: MUSIC! The question:
I tend to listen to a lot of instrumental music when I write. (Something about hearing lyrics messes with my writing mojo--I start listening to the singer and ignoring my story.) What sort of instrumental stuff, you ask? Typically movie and video games scores, and, for lack of a better label, "epic" music.
Alexandre Desplat, Ramin Djawadi, Danny Elfman, Clint Mansell, Javier Navarrete, John Powell, Hans Zimmer--among others--are some of my favorite film composers.
For FROZEN, John Powell was my savior. While drafting (and revising), I listened to the Bourne soundtracks on endless repeat. Here's a favorite:
I have a sci-fi WIP that, at least so far, I've written almost entirely to Mansell's Moon score. The theme has this creepy, building quality to it that I just love. (Wait for it to kick in around 2:15. So worth it.)
The soundtrack for Assassin's Creed 3 (Lorne Balfe) is also incredible, especially for drafting other-worldly tales. (I listen to this a ton while tinkering on my fantasy WIP.)
But more often than not, I default to my absolute favorite writing music while working: the epic music. These are the artists whose albums I can play back-to-back for hours on end and always remain inspired, the songs that are moving, haunting, and dramatic. Pieces that stand apart and yet also blend so seamlessly they never jarring me out of my writing groove.
Atop my epic trailer music list are Audiomachine, Two Steps From Hell, and Thomas Bergersen (who's actual one half of TSFH). Any album by these guys is pretty much guaranteed to get you inspired. I would not have finished my first draft of TAKEN3 without this music. True story.
Some personal faves:
And lastly, this song from Audiomachine IS the final chapter of TAKEN3. I sobbed while listening to this track. Bittersweet, agonizing, gut-wrenching tears.
So I've blabbed a lot. Hopefully it was anything but boring and you've found a few new artists to add to your writing playlist(s). And since I'm always looking to discover new music, is there anyone in particular you love to write to? Leave me suggestions in the comments, please!
Jenn will be up next week to answer a truth or dare, but until then, you can always get your book-nerd fix on our Thirteeners tumblr.
What songs are most inspiring for you to write to?
I tend to listen to a lot of instrumental music when I write. (Something about hearing lyrics messes with my writing mojo--I start listening to the singer and ignoring my story.) What sort of instrumental stuff, you ask? Typically movie and video games scores, and, for lack of a better label, "epic" music.
Alexandre Desplat, Ramin Djawadi, Danny Elfman, Clint Mansell, Javier Navarrete, John Powell, Hans Zimmer--among others--are some of my favorite film composers.
For FROZEN, John Powell was my savior. While drafting (and revising), I listened to the Bourne soundtracks on endless repeat. Here's a favorite:
I have a sci-fi WIP that, at least so far, I've written almost entirely to Mansell's Moon score. The theme has this creepy, building quality to it that I just love. (Wait for it to kick in around 2:15. So worth it.)
The soundtrack for Assassin's Creed 3 (Lorne Balfe) is also incredible, especially for drafting other-worldly tales. (I listen to this a ton while tinkering on my fantasy WIP.)
But more often than not, I default to my absolute favorite writing music while working: the epic music. These are the artists whose albums I can play back-to-back for hours on end and always remain inspired, the songs that are moving, haunting, and dramatic. Pieces that stand apart and yet also blend so seamlessly they never jarring me out of my writing groove.
Atop my epic trailer music list are Audiomachine, Two Steps From Hell, and Thomas Bergersen (who's actual one half of TSFH). Any album by these guys is pretty much guaranteed to get you inspired. I would not have finished my first draft of TAKEN3 without this music. True story.
Some personal faves:
And lastly, this song from Audiomachine IS the final chapter of TAKEN3. I sobbed while listening to this track. Bittersweet, agonizing, gut-wrenching tears.
So I've blabbed a lot. Hopefully it was anything but boring and you've found a few new artists to add to your writing playlist(s). And since I'm always looking to discover new music, is there anyone in particular you love to write to? Leave me suggestions in the comments, please!
Jenn will be up next week to answer a truth or dare, but until then, you can always get your book-nerd fix on our Thirteeners tumblr.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Alexandra Duncan Takes the Dare
After my last dare, fellow Thirteener Natalie Whipple dubbed me the Nerd Queen and dared me to make a crown out of action figures . . .
Now, I don't know if I'm the Nerd Queen herself, exactly. There are probably people with more Star Wars t-shirts and hours logged playing D&D than me, but I could definitely be some kind of Nerd Duchess or lady-in-waiting. And no way am I going to pass up an opportunity to use my glue gun. So of course I took Natalie up on her dare.
How does one make a nerd crown, exactly?
Step 1: Assemble your nerd crown components.
Pictured here: two mini-lightsaber key chains (they light up, you guys!), yarn, a hair band, disembodied dragon head, little red ninja dude, the tiger from Kung-Fu Panda, my glue gun, two mini skateboards, a Hot Wheels car, a wind-up robot, and a My Little Pony. Most of these things came from the toy bin at my local Goodwill outlet, since I don't have any small nieces and nephew or children of my own. (Yes, Goodwill will sell you a disembodied dragon head.)
I didn't end up using everything, because some of it was too heavy and I ran out of room, but I'm sure I can find something to do with that My Little Pony. Maybe glue it to one of the skateboards?
Step 2:Wrap the headband with yarn to increase the surface area and stick-ability of the hot glue.
Step 3: Attach disembodied dragon head. Obviously, this is the most important part.
Step 4: Attach fake lightsabers.
Step 5: Ice your finger after you accidentally get hot glue on it and develop a really painful blister.
Step 6: Add little red ninja dude. (Or maybe he's a football guy? I don't know.)
Step 7: Add awesome little blue robot.
Step 8: Go eat an ice cream sandwich while the hot glue cools and dries. Ice cream sandwiches are good for burned fingers.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the final product. Drumroll, please. . .
TA-DA! Nerd crown acheived!
The Nerd Duchess bids you adieu. Check back next week to see what the marvelous Erin Bowman has in store for us!
______________________________________
Alexandra Duncan is a writer and librarian (plus amateur photographer, crochet
enthusiast, cinemaphile, and, or course, book fiend). She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from the
University of North Carolina at Asheville, and has been a frequent
contributor to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. She loves
anything that gets her hands dirty – pie-baking, leatherworking,
gardening, drawing, and rolling sushi, to name a few.Her first novel, Salvage, is due to be released by Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins in April 2014. You can find her online at Twitter, Goodreads, and her personal blog.
Now, I don't know if I'm the Nerd Queen herself, exactly. There are probably people with more Star Wars t-shirts and hours logged playing D&D than me, but I could definitely be some kind of Nerd Duchess or lady-in-waiting. And no way am I going to pass up an opportunity to use my glue gun. So of course I took Natalie up on her dare.
How does one make a nerd crown, exactly?
Step 1: Assemble your nerd crown components.
Pictured here: two mini-lightsaber key chains (they light up, you guys!), yarn, a hair band, disembodied dragon head, little red ninja dude, the tiger from Kung-Fu Panda, my glue gun, two mini skateboards, a Hot Wheels car, a wind-up robot, and a My Little Pony. Most of these things came from the toy bin at my local Goodwill outlet, since I don't have any small nieces and nephew or children of my own. (Yes, Goodwill will sell you a disembodied dragon head.)
I didn't end up using everything, because some of it was too heavy and I ran out of room, but I'm sure I can find something to do with that My Little Pony. Maybe glue it to one of the skateboards?
Step 2:Wrap the headband with yarn to increase the surface area and stick-ability of the hot glue.
Step 3: Attach disembodied dragon head. Obviously, this is the most important part.
Step 4: Attach fake lightsabers.
Step 5: Ice your finger after you accidentally get hot glue on it and develop a really painful blister.
Step 6: Add little red ninja dude. (Or maybe he's a football guy? I don't know.)
Step 7: Add awesome little blue robot.
Step 8: Go eat an ice cream sandwich while the hot glue cools and dries. Ice cream sandwiches are good for burned fingers.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the final product. Drumroll, please. . .
The Nerd Duchess bids you adieu. Check back next week to see what the marvelous Erin Bowman has in store for us!
______________________________________
Friday, July 12, 2013
The Way We Were
Okay, so it's my turn to cover a truth or dare this week. And I was all set to tackle the very embarrassing dare of:
Post a picture of yourself when you were a teenager
And I will, I promise!
(even though it means showing you the bangs of doom. siiiiigh.)
(even though it means showing you the bangs of doom. siiiiigh.)
BUT, I thought it might be extra fun if I dared some of my fellow Thirteeners to join me. So here are the hilarious--and somewhat humiliating--results!
First up: me! (oy)
And since this is technically my week, I figured I should have to share double the humiliation. So here you go--teen Shannon, ugly shorts, bad bangs and all:
And since this is technically my week, I figured I should have to share double the humiliation. So here you go--teen Shannon, ugly shorts, bad bangs and all:
I don't remember buying those shorts--but there's the photographic evidence....
And the one on the right is um... I guess my "sexy" look? It's especially effective with the giant stuffed bear in the background... (Also don't ask me why I'm holding my friend's leg. I have no idea...)
And the one on the right is um... I guess my "sexy" look? It's especially effective with the giant stuffed bear in the background... (Also don't ask me why I'm holding my friend's leg. I have no idea...)
MOVING ON.
Next up, Erin Bowman (author of TAKEN and FROZEN) shows us her adorable monkey face:
And Natalie Whipple (author of TRANSPARENT and HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW) shows us her natural hair color (which is way prettier than mine, btw):
Renee Collins (author of RELIC) shows us what a science geek she was: (and um, I DON'T want to know what's in that net)
And Megan Hansen Shepherd (author of THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER and HER DARK CURIOSITY) shows us her wild side (she's the one on the right--RAWRR):
Jenn Johansson (author of INSOMNIA) shows us her love for musical theater--and blonde wigs! (she's the one at the top of the pyramid):
And Brandy Colbert (author of POINTE) challenges Jenn to a battle of sequined dance costumes:
Alexandra Duncan (author of SALVAGE) shows us that sometimes you do marry your high school prom date (no really, that's her husband next to her. Say it with me: awwwwwwwww)
And Ellen Oh (author of PROPHECY and WARRIOR) rocks the ducktail cut. (well, I *believe* the haircut has a slightly less kid-friendly name. But I also write middle grade, so we're going with ducktail!) Apparently there's a whole party in the back we can't see:
And last--but certainly not least--Mindy McGinnis (author of NOT A DROP TO DRINK) proves that she's the bravest of us all:
I actually have equally awkward photos to rival this one of Mindy. But the dare said "teenager" and I was twelve, SO I AM TAKING THE LOOPHOLE AND RUNNING WITH IT!!!
Oh teenagedom--how DID we survive you?
___________________________________________________________________
Shannon Messenger graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where she learned--among other things--that she liked watching movies much better than making them. So she left LA and moved to suburbia where she would have time to eat too many cupcakes, own too many cats, and write lots and lots of books. LET THE SKY FALL is her first young adult novel, published in Spring 2013 by Simon Pulse. She is also the author of KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, book one in a middle grade series published by S&S Aladdin. Find her online at shannonmessenger.com.
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