Introducing Our Newest Mystery Author!

I'm so excited to introduce you to the newest Thirteener! Please join me in welcoming the lovely Brandy Colbert to the group!

Brandy was born and raised in the Ozarks – more specifically, Springfield, Missouri – and earned a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from Missouri State University. Brandy works as a freelance magazine copy editor and while she's a picky eater and a vegetarian in real life, she's an adventurous foodie at heart. She tap dances and is an avid fan of Degrassi, the Flintstones, Louis C.K., and Hello Kitty. Brandy is represented by Tina Wexler at International Creative Management. Her debut novel, A Point So Delicate, comes out Fall of 2013 from Putnam/Penguin.

We know 2013 is still pretty far off, and fall of 2013 even further still, but we can't help but squee over Brandy's book. Check out this premise:

A ballet prodigy's life begins to unravel when she’s forced to admit to the role she played in her childhood friend’s abduction.

Talk about an amazing one-line pitch, huh? Maybe you want to go add A Point So Delicate on goodreads. (*nudge, nudge*)

And now comes the best part of introducing new members: truth or dare! Leave your especially torturous dares for Brandy here. She'll be answering one a week from today. In the meantime, let's give Brandy a warm welcome in the comments.

PIVOT POINT Cover Reveal (plus more fun news)!

We love to share good news, and Kasie's had quite a bit of it these last few weeks.

To start, her absolutely stunning cover for PIVOT POINT was revealed exclusively on YABC this past Friday. Here it is in case you missed it before the weekend:

Gorgeous, don't you think? The mirrored instance of the girl? The title splitting them in two? The fractured light?! Plus, check out that blurb! And here's the official jacket copy:

Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if?" As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It's the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie's parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with–her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the "Norms," or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it's not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school–but she never wanted to be a quarterback's girlfriend. When Addie's father is asked to consult on a murder in the compound, she's unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she's willing to live through...and who she can't live without.

And to add to all the excitement, Kasie recently sold another two-book series to HarperTeen! That's right, she'll have two YA books hitting shelves next year: PIVOT POINT and THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US!

Here's the official sales announcement on Publishers Marketplace:

Kasie West's THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, a humorous love story about a girl who has her lifelong disdain of the wealthy challenged by the son of a hotel mogul, whose attention and loyalty almost convince her that being rich isn't a character flaw, until she finds out that money is a bigger part of their relationship than she realized, to Sarah Landis at Harper Teen, in a very nice deal, in a two-book deal, for publication in Fall 2013, by Michelle Wolfson at Wolfson Literary Agency (World English).

And for those of you craving to know more about THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, here's the full summary:

Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.

So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.

She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about.

Doesn't that sound fantastic? And both of these coming out in one year! I'm in awe.

Please join us in congratulating Kasie, squeeing over PIVOT POINT's cover, and maybe adding THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US and PIVOT POINT to your goodreads shelves! :)

It's Almost Friday the 13th!

That's right, folks! The second Friday the 13th of 2012 is fast approaching -- less than a month, to be exact -- and we've got a special post planned to celebrate the occasion

In addition to hosting a giveaway, we plan on writing a little something for you, our readers. (Think short story done exquisite corpse-style.) We're really pumped to write this guy, and excited to see how all our different styles will come together, but first, we need to decide on a genre! So help us out, won't you?

Be sure to check back on Friday, April 13th for the finished story! In the meantime, you can always leave us some more Truth or Dare options. Shannon will be answering one tomorrow!

Come Join The Bonfire!

Friday The Thirteeners is a small group of YA authors debuting in 2013. Thirteen is a number that marks the beginning of adolescence. It whispers of secret, exciting, and possibly scary things. For us, it says so much about becoming official authors, with all its twists and turns. So we figured the best way to conduct this blog was to host our very own virtual bonfire, complete with prizes and a chance to embarrass us with an ongoing Truth Or Dare.

So welcome! Pull up a camp chair and roast some marshmallows while we get settled in to tell ghost stories and play games. Don’t mind those strange sounds coming from the woods, that’s just Kasie trying to scare us. Hear that giggle between moans? Yup.

The first order of official bonfire business is the Truth Or Dare. Oh yes, my friends, we’re giving you the floor here. We thought this blog would be far more entertaining if we put it in your hands. Your job is simple: Offer up a Truth Or Dare here. Our job is not so simple: Pick a Truth Or Dare, carry it out, and report back. If your Truth Or Dare is chosen, you’ll be getting a little prize from us. Or a big prize, it’s really the luck of the draw (or UNluck of the draw, if we’re being all 13-like).

And who’s the first up on the chopping block? Yours truly, Natalie Whipple. My other daring author friends will continue from there. We are at your mercy. I’d tell you to be kind, but I’m not sure that’s the point.

So send in your Truth Or Dares, and next Friday you could see me fulfilling your challenge (aka: humiliating myself)!

Since this is Friday The Thirteeners very first post, we also couldn’t leave you without some choice rewards. A contest is definitely in order! And, trust me, the prizes are awesome:

Thirteen Winners will be able to choose one prize of their liking:

Prizes:
1. A 13-page crit from one of our authors.
2. An Indie Bound gift card for $13.
3. A black cat pendant made by Natalie Whipple.

To Enter:
Just leave a comment on this post. Following the blog or our twitter feed is much encouraged (so you won’t miss the announcement of winning the contest and/or Truth Or Dare), but not mandatory.

Deadline:
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012, Midnight eastern time. Winners will be announced on Friday (The 20th), along with the results of my Truth Or Dare adventure.
Now, while we await the Truth Or Dares, let’s tell some wicked ghost stories.