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Sunday, October 30, 2016

YA Fest 2017 Author Reveal (including me!)

The following authors will be attending #YAFest2017.


Mark Alpert!, author of THE SIX series.  
Lisa Amowitz, author of UNTIL BETH
Holli Anderson!, author of THE FIVE series
Maria Andreu!, author of THE SECRET SIDE OF EMPTY
Cyn Balog, author of UNNATURAL DEEDS
Hannah Barnaby!, author of SOME OF THE PARTS
Michele Barrow-Belisle!, author of FAERIE SONG TRILOGY
Selene Castrovilla!, author of SIGNS OF LIFE
Brynn Chapman!, author of THE REQUIEM RED
Julie Chibbaro!, author of INTO THE DANGEROUS WORLD
Chrissa Jean Chappell, author of MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH
Zoraida Cordova!, author of LABYRINTH LOST
Beth Fehlbaum!, author of BIG FAT DISASTER
Kimberly Giarratano!, author of THE GRUNGE GODS AND GRAVEYARD MYSTERIES
Kelly Hashway, author of INTO THE FIRE
Christine Heppermann!, author of ASK ME HOW I GOT HERE
Jeff Hirsch, author of BLACK RIVER FALLS
Jeffry W. Johnston!, author of THE TRUTH
Demitria Lunetta, author of the upcoming BAD BLOOD
Kristin Paige Madonia!, author of INVISIBLE FAULT LINES
Jennifer Murgia, author of CASTLE OF SIGHS
Christine Norris!, author of A CURSE OF ASH AND IRON
Nancy Ohlin!, author of CONSENT
Jenny Perinovic!, author of THE ASYLUM SAGA series
Gryffyn Phoenix!, author of HAVEN AWAKENING series
Stacie Ramey!, author of the upcoming HOMECOMING
Danielle Rollins!, author of the upcoming BURNING
** As Danielle Vega, author of THE MERCILESS
Dianne Salerni!, author of THE EIGHTH DAY series
Tiffany Schmidt, author of ONCE UPON A CRIME FAMILY series
Kieran Scott, author of WHAT WAITS IN THE WOODS
Kara Thomas!, author of THE DARKEST CORNERS
Yvonne Ventresca, author of BLACK FLOWERS, WHITE LIES
K.M. Walton, author of the upcoming ULTIMATUM
Meg Wiviott!, author of PAPER HEARTS

Authors marked with ! are new attending authors.  We’re so glad to have so many new names, faces, and books at YA Fest 2017!

Who are you excited to meet?  

Keep an eye on our blog for updates on attending authors, and how YOU can get involved in #YAFest2017!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

One Summer with Autumn, book blast for Julie Reece!

One Summer with Autumn
Julie Reece
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Autumn Teslow arrives at her father’s job fair knowing she’ll never measure up to the perfect image of daddy’s little girl—her twin sister.

Wearing anger management issues like a second skin won’t help Autumn win her dad’s approval for the big trip she’s been planning—or meet his condition that she successfully complete a summer internship for college.

Autumn’s cool unravels when her sister lectures against disappointing the family again. And when a young, bearded guy steps through the crowd to settle the growing argument between siblings, Autumn lashes out, dubbing him a “Duck Dynasty wannabe.”

At Nineteen, Caden Behr is clueless as to why his man parts are threatened by the fearsome girl before him. He’d only come to find an intern for his recreational equipment company, not break up a girl-fight between two sisters.

Unfortunately, the only candidate left is the girl who just told him off. Without her, he’ll never prove to his CEO mother that he’s ready for more responsibility.

Autumn and Caden agree that if they can keep from killing one another, they can use one another to get what they want and then never have to see each other again. Which is what they want.

Until it isn’t.

Because despite her best efforts to scare him off, and his fading desire to push her into the lake, they’re beginning to enjoy the time they spend together. But pride is a hard habit to break. And if neither will admit their changing feelings, they could lose a whole lot more than one summer.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

There’s a tap, tapping on my shoulder.

“Excuse me, Ms. Teslow?”

I whirl away from my sister and bump a broad, plaid covered chest. Annoyed, I step back and crane my neck up several inches. Whoever he is, he’s a good six feet against my five foot two—with heels. “Yeah?” I snap.

Feet apart, the guy has a confident, almost cocky stance. His face is mostly hidden between a full, copper beard and the cap pulled low over his eyes. The tanned skin of his arms shows where his sleeves are rolled back. The guy could pass for the centerfold in a lumberjack calendar, if you’re into that sort of thing. Which I’m not.

“What do you want?”

“Uh … ” He glances at Sydney and back to me. “I was told you like working outdoors and might be interested in a job?”

Wait, zoo guy?

My cheeks blaze as I realize what’s happening. Sydney said if I didn’t try, I’d regret it, though this set-up is elaborate, even for her. I don’t know where she found the lumber-clown standing in front of me, but with a few empty promises, my sister can make any boy her puppet. Well, she’s gone too far this time.

“Really?” I say. “And what job is that, exactly? Cage scrubber, chief dung shoveler? No, thank you.”

“What?” he asks, eyes widening. “I don’t think—”

“That’s obvious.” My finger pokes his very firm chest. “I’m sure you two think you’re clever, but if this is some sick way of sucking up to my sister, it’s pointless. Gorillas aren’t her type.”

“Hey! Now wait just a—”

“My sister swaps guys like other girls change their days-of-the-week panties. Now, if you want to keep your balls intact, I suggest you get out of my way. I don’t need your fake job, or to work for some hairy Duck Dynasty wannabe, too dumb to know when he’s being played.”

The idiot blinks once as I push past him. Through the silent crowd I walk, head held high, toward the gym’s double doors. And freedom.

***

Did she just call me a Duck Dynasty wannabe?

Okay. Now, I’m pissed. Unwilling to give this girl the last word, I pivot to face her and see nothing but a rigid back. “Hey! Wait a minute. You can’t just … Don’t hate on the beard!” No reaction from the angry creature storming away from me. Brilliant comeback, by the way, I tell myself.

Maybe she does have my balls.

Caught between insulted and twisted fascination, my mind tries to unravel the chain of events where I definitely missed something. Clearly, the girl thinks I’m her enemy, but I have no clue what I did.

Also, she’s insane.

The room’s gone quiet. As I glance around, I notice a fairly large crowd has gathered. Not surprising after that show, I guess, except they’re full-on staring at me. Some expressions are obviously amused, while others seem sympathetic. Most turn away, shaking their heads or looking embarrassed as I meet their gazes. My face is too warm and my heartbeats won’t slow. All of it makes me feel like a first class chump. Like I need pity for being bested by some shrieking, pygmy-girl. Pride tenses my shoulders, stiffens my neck. I glare at the closed double doors, tilting my head until my neck bones release a satisfying crack.

Oh, it’s on.

The girl is going down.


Author Bio:

As a child, Julie’s summers were about horseback riding and fishing, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all. She struggled with multiple learning disabilities, and spent much of her time gazing out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) she fought dyslexia for her right to read and won.

Afterward, she invented stories where powerful heroines kicked bad-guy butt to win the hearts charismatic heroes. And then she wrote one down…

Writing ever since, Julie weaves southern gothic, contemporary, fantasy, and young adult romances. She enjoys sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a really hot guy. Her writing is proof a dream and some hard work can overcome any obstacle.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Tuesday, October 4, 2016

It's the YA Scavenger Hunt!



It’s Fall and it’s time again for the YA Scavenger hunt!  I'm Lisa Amowitz, author of BREAKING GLASS, VISION and UNTIL BETH.

This time I am on TEAM GREEN  I'm also running a giveaway of my own (see below for details).

This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GREEN TEAM--but there is also a red team, a gold team, an orange team, a red team, and an indie team for a chance to win a whole
different set of books!

Here's all our pretty books!



If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.


SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE

Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the GREEN TEAM, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.

SCAVENGER HUNT POST


Today, I am hosting the exciting Dawn Ius on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! 


Dawn Ius is the author of three contemporary young adult novels published by Simon & Schuster—Anne & Henry, Overdrive, and the forthcoming Lizzie. When she's not slaying fictional monsters or swooning over book boyfriends, she can be found geeking out over things like fairy tales, true love, Jack Bauer, Halloween, muscle cars, and all things that go bump in the night. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband, Jeff, two large breed dogs, and three bearded dragons—yes, she will respond to Khaleesi. 

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT:


OVERDRIVE (Gone in Sixty Seconds meets Heist Society) is an edgy novel about a crack team of teenage criminals on a mission to learn to trust, build a life, and steal a wish list of exotic cars.

Jules Parish has screwed up.

After three years of boosting cars, she got caught. She’s too good to get caught, but she let her (ex)-boyfriend talk her into a questionable job. And now she and her little sister, Emma, will be kicked out of their foster home, left to survive on the unforgiving streets of Las Vegas alone.

Unless.

Eccentric, wealthy Roger Montgomery wants to open up his mansion to Jules and Emma. The only catch? Jules must steal seven of the rarest, most valuable muscle cars in the world…in seven weeks. Even worse, she’s forced to put her trust in three complete strangers to help her do it.

First there’s Chelsea, the gorgeous redhead with a sharp tongue and love for picking locks. Then there’s Mat, who hasn’t met a system he couldn’t hack. And finally there’s the impossibly sexy car thief Nick, whose bad attitude and mysterious past drive Jules crazy.

With nothing in common and everything to lose, can Jules and her amateur crew pull off what could be the biggest car heist in history? Or will things spin out of control faster than a Nevada dust devil?

You can visit and find out more about Dawn right here!

Website: www.dawnius.com
Twitter: @dawnmius


You can buy her books here!


And here is the BONUS CONTENT from Dawn Ius...

While writing OVERDRIVE, I cranked up a long list of fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping tunes, many of which are likely familiar as they’ve been featured on the kinds of movies that inspired the book—Gone in 60 Seconds, Fast & The Furious, Oceans 11, etc., plus there are some throwbacks to a few of my favorite movies, like Lost Boys and The Terminator. (Kyle Reece is still one of my favorite movie boyfriends…)

Here are my Top 10 songs from that list!

Testarossa Autodrive

The energy of this beat really got my adrenaline pumping for writing the chase scenes. And I guess there are a few of those scenes…;-)

Pedal to the Metal - Kazzer 

Another heist scene favorite, and the first song that made my own driving playlist when I bought my 2009 RX-8 after selling my debut, Anne & Henry.

Drive It Like You Stole It - Glitch Mob

This song was on repeat for the opening scene, which was probably one of the most fun scenes I have ever written.

Nightcall - Kavinsky 

The perfect tune to play during one of the night heists—there’s something so hypnotizing about the beat and Kavinsky’s voice. Plus, I love the movie in which it’s featured—Drive. (Ryan Gosling!)

Alive - SIA

I can’t even narrow down when this track was played—perhaps in almost every scene. Sia has such a powerful voice, and this song is so emotional it forced me to go deeper into my characters’ emotions.

Boost Me - Gone in 60 Seconds Soundtrack

Self-explanatory? So many songs from the Gone in 60 Seconds soundtrack could have made the cut. I love this one a lot.

Terminator (Theme Song)

Such a great mood setting song—and from the soundtrack of a classic movie. I love the way it builds suspense, and I listened to it on repeat while writing some of the more tense scenes.

Pistols at Dawn - Senabo Sey 

Slowing it down for a particular scene, of which cannot be named because…spoiler ;-) 

Cry Little Sister - G Tom Mac 

This song has always been so haunting to me, and I played it often while writing some of the more ominous scenes.

On the Other Side - Jessica Bell

Written and performed by my dear friend, Jessica Bell, this song wound its way into several scenes—her voice is so beautiful and moving. And this video! Wow! 



And don't forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a ton of books by me, Dawn Ius, and more! To enter, you need to know that I am 27 years old--(give or take a decade or three). Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the green team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

CONTINUE THE HUNT

To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author, JENNIFER BARDSLEY.

Please remember to !

And, here's my giveaway, just for YASH! I happen to have a lovely extra hardcover copy of Leigh Bardugo's CROOKED KINGDOM and happy to give away. It's not signed--because--I'm not that special. BUT I can promise you a signed copy of my book UNTIL BETH. That is for US only--for you international folks I will give you an ebook of both my books UNTIL BETH and BREAKING GLASS and even send you some swag if you want. :)



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