Cover Reveal: Ashes by Estevan Vega

Estevan Vega, author of the fantastic Arson, asked me to host his cover reveal for the sequel: Ashes. And I have to say, I seriously, completely, absolutely, LOVE this one.

(Click the picture to make it larger so you can see all the details!)

Do you guys not love it? And how well it fits with the Arson cover yet different and then there's the 219 carved into it now....

Basically. I'm in love. And want this book like nao.

And this is from Estevan himself:

I know it's been a lot of waiting. Trust me, I want this bad boy out just as much as you do, at least, I hope you do. But I am stoked to say that ASHES, book two in the Arson series, is coming very, very soon. Look for it end of summer, early fall. 

-e

So gear up, everyone, and pick up Arson if you haven't yet because trust me, you don't want to miss it or Ashes!

Character Interview: Noah from Back When You Were Easier to Love

I'm sure this comes as a big surprise to everyone, but I've once again stolen a character to interview, and once again it is a hot boy. What can I say? I'm a sucker for them. And with that, I bring you guys Noah from Emily Wing Smith's debut Back When You Were Easier to Love!


Describe Joy in 3 words. 

Intelligent. Hopeless. Beautiful.


If Zan hadn't asked you to look out for Joy, would you have still tried so hard to be friends with her? 

Joy’s a girl worth knowing—and Zan has nothing to do with it.


Boxers or Briefs? 

Both. Just not at the same time.

What kind of dinosaur would you describe yourself as? 

A Brontosaurus, because it’s been misclassified and misunderstood. I can relate.

What part of the road trip was your favorite? 

Getting my picture taken with Joy and the green M&M. I got to put my arm around her (Joy--not the green M&M).


Thank you, Noah and Emily, for stopping in and sharing today!

Back When You Were Easier to Love is out now, so be sure you guys check it out!

Author Interview: Shawn Odyssey

Dropping in today is Shawn Odyssey, the man behind  yesterday's release The Wizard of Dark Street!

Why would you want to be the Wizard's apprentice?

That’s a good question. I think delving into the deeper mysteries of life is something I’ve been attracted to for a long time. Conjuring elaborate spells and concocting smelly potions just seems like a lovely way to pass the time. And let’s face it, learning how to make things float in mid air would never grow old…well, okay, maybe it would, but imagine how impressed your friends would be. You’d surely be the life of the party.

I would also love to live in Pendulum House, which sits at the very center of Dark Street. To be surrounded by such an old and immensely magical structure would keep me on my toes, to be sure. It’s quite an unpredictable place to live. I would especially enjoy the enchanted secret garden in the center of the house, with its glass tree and exotic Faerie native plants. I think I’d be very happy there, so long as I didn’t have to stay in the Captain’s Cabin. I get seasick quite easily (and that’s as much as I’ll say about that. You’ll have to read the book for a better explanation of Pendulum House and its countless quirks and idiosyncrasies).

What was your favorite part about writing in your chosen time period?

The Victorian era has always fascinated me. Always? you might ask. Yes. If what my mother tells me is correct, I was born with a top hat on my head and a fashionable walking stick clutched in my infant hand. So it might be said that the fashion of the period is something that drew me into the time period. Also the air of decorum and propriety in the upper class is something I find captivating; how one face is shown publicly while inside each person there can be something very different. Like caged animals.

One research item I found to be particularly interesting was the physical pace of life. It took an awfully long time to get from one place to another in the days of horse and carriage (though at the time it must have seemed like a great way to travel). For those without horses or cab fair, they walked…or simply stayed at home. This might seem obvious, and maybe even romantic, but when you’re pacing a mystery novel in such a historical context it becomes apparent that travel in 1877 was a different experience entirely than we are use to today. Especially when someone needs to quickly get from one part of the street to another. Somebody call a carriage!

If you could spend one day with any one of your characters, who would it be?

To be honest, I feel as if I have spent days with them. Months. Years. As many authors out there will attest, writing a novel, not to mention the publishing process itself, takes a long time. And I still love all of these characters. It’s surprising that I could spend so much time with the same group of players and they still continue to fascinate me.

That having been said, let me answer the question properly. I think Oona, the books central protagonist, is the one I’d love to take a day with and stroll up Dark Street, so long as Deacon (her enchanted raven/encyclopedia) was riding on her shoulder, and I could hear them banter back and forth over what a nutcase I must be to suggest that I was their creator.


Besides Voldemort, what Death Eater would you want to fight?

Off the top of my head I’d have to go with Bellatrix Lestrange. Anyone with a propensity for torture really must be “taken care of”…and I don’t mean tucked into bed at night either. I was thinking more old-time gangster, sleeping with the fishes kind of “taking care of” somebody—Mrs. Weasley style. Bellatrix was quite nasty. And besides, I think her lively banter as she fought would make the whole experience much more exciting than dueling most of the other Death Eaters, don’t you?

What kind of dinosaur would you describe yourself as?

The first thing that comes to mind is a pterodactyl. For one thing, it has a silent “p” at the beginning of its name. How wonderful and strange is that? Also, they could fly around and observe the world from a higher vantage point. I like that. And lastly, they had that terrifying, high-pitched cry, kind of like a descending firework. Yes, yes, I know: it’s only a Hollywood sound effect. No one knows what they really sounded like. Sure. But I’ll bet that’s exactly what they sounded like. It could be heard for miles and miles. A spine tingling shriek that said one thing: “Lookout world, here I come!”

The Wizard of Dark Street is available in bookstores nationwide and online in both hardback and eBook formats! And you can check out it's dedicated (and seriously awesome) website at http://www.thewizardofdarkstreet.com

Also, I don't normally post trailers, but I really love this one of the prologue of the book, so I had to share it!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This week's pick is Perception by Kim Harrington, the follow up to her 2010 debut Clarity, coming March 2012 from Scholastic.

Summary: When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

My Thoughts: I loved Clarity, from the characters to the story to the writing, and was absolutely thrilled to hear there would be more. Not because Kim left it in a place that you have to have more, but because she will make you love her characters and world so much you just want more. I really like the premise of this one too, that it focuses more on Clare whereas Clarity had a big element with her brother. I want to know who's sending the messages, what they say, how they morph into something more sinister... and I want to know the circumstances of the girl's disappearance and of course the truth. Also, I might be hoping for some more hot boys because I admit it, Justin and Gabriel are pretty swoonworthy. Then there's the cover, which has the same surreal yet realistic element as the Clarity cover, is gorgeous and breathtaking and enticing, and will look so pretty on my shelf next to Clarity. So now I just need to find a way to get this book sooner rather than later....

Author Interview: Gabriella Goliger

Here today is Gabriella Goliger, author of Girl Unwrapped, which is set in 1960s Montreal. How many books do you read with that setting?


Describe Girl Unwrapped in three words. 

Moving. Inspiring. Readable.

What would be the hardest thing for you if you found yourself in Toni's position?

Revealing my feelings about girls and taking the consequences. (Yikes, I was in that position.)

If Toni were dropped into the present, yet still holding onto the bulk of the premise and issues of the book as set in the 60s, what do you think would be the biggest change?

Two things would surprise her: 1) people are ho-hum instead of scandalized when she lets on she likes girls; but 2) the lesbian bars have disappeared. It's because there are other places for lesbians to hang out nowadays and because all-girl bars never did make much money.

What was the most interesting part of writing this book? 

Interweaving the Jewish and the lesbian themes. My character faces a double whammy as an only child of Holocaust survivors and a budding lesbian but ultimately these challenges become sources of strength.

What kind of cookie would you describe yourself as? 

Chocolate-coated marshmallow. It's got a bit of a shell, but that's easily broken through and inside all is sweet mush. 


Thank you, Gabriella, for sharing those answers!

Make sure you guys check out Girl Unwrapped, already out and available!

Top Five Reasons to Buy Wildefire and Supernaturally

Soooo. It's an epic release day here in YA, and two of those releases are ones I seriously love. What does that mean? Another round of Top Five Reasons to Buy Them! Let's get started!

Wildefire by Karsten Knight: 

5. The author is hilarious. No, seriously. If you've never watched a vlog of his, you're missing out. But if no one buys his book, then he can't keep writing books, then he stops vlogging and then we all miss out and our lives will be nothing short of sad without the ridiculous, make you grin like a teenager with the swimsuit edition vlogs and general comments that come from this guy's head. So please. Help the world be a happier place.

4. Gods and goddesses. Not half gods. Not quarter gods. Not my uncle turned out to be a god and wow that explains the fire that always shot out of his hand when my mom made fun of him. Nope. These teens are actual gods and goddesses, but not your usual Greek and Roman ones, and not even from one group of gods/goddesses. And they are some pretty awesome ones. Do you really want to miss out?

3. The writing. It's flowy and descriptive and gorgeous and pulled me right in, and has so much voice while still being not just the characters since it's third person and I can keep rambling but Karsten's sentences are much more put together than this one and therefore you need it.

2. There's hot boys. Yes. Boys. As in more than one. More than two even. There is some major eye candy of the male kind in this book (and let's admit it, the author isn't too bad himself). You wouldn't want to miss out on it.

1. This time? My favorite character is NOT one of the hot boys. But Raja. Who is seriously badass. But you won't get to know how badass she is unless you read the book.

Supernaturally by Kiersten White:

5. Sometimes sequels to books aren't as good as the first. Sometimes they're just as good as. Then there's books like Supernaturally that are better than the first but not in a way that makes the first a bad book but because it's just that awesome and it's built on the awesome that was the first book and it still takes your breath away and blows your mind and you cannot put it down and gosh darnit it is three a.m. but you are still reading like a mad woman because you have to know what happens and then here comes another big event and then you're like holy crap what is happening next then you stop and stare at a particularly amazingly well written passage with such fantastic description that you think wow, I probably stink as a writer in comparison but then you remember the story and don't care anymore because being not as good is worth it if you can just. Keep. Reading. Yeah. 

4. There's a new boy. And his name is Jack. And I'm going to just come out and say it. I really like him. Sure, he could be evil incarnate. Or he could be Lend's air-boy brother. Or he's going to become the third leg of what is going to turn out to be an epic tripod. Or maybe he just thinks Evie is nice to look at. But I like him. And you should be sure you meet him.

3. Lend! Okay, I know he was in Paranormalcy and all, but he's also in Supernaturally. And he's still awesome. And hot. And charming. And kissable. And maybe he's more kissable. Or maybe he really sweeps Evie off her feet and they don't even have to save the world because they are just so perfect together? Or maybe something eats him?? Yeah. I got you worried now. You better get the book to make sure he's safe.

2. There's a character named Kari. No, this is not a coincidence. Yes, it is named after me. And how else will you know what my paranormal twin is if you don't go get this book and read it? Besides, you know you want my namesake sitting on your shelf.

1. Kissing! And some more kissing. And for good measure, a little bit more. And what if the books ends with a kiss? Or opens with a kiss? Or has one of those everything is falling apart around us but we will be super sweet and kiss in a way that everyone will melt at moments? You'll never know, if you don't read, and do you really want to miss out on all that kissing?


So there you have it. The top five reasons you guys should go out today and buy these books! Also, I hear the cover of Wildefire is pretty soft and gropable. And Evie's feelings will be hurt if you get Ash and not her so really, just save the drama, and get the packaged deal of awesome.