My Next Big Thing: Bump in the Night

My Next Big Thing

I’ve been invited by the lovely Lauren Spieller to participate in My Next Best Thing! That said, I'm pumped to talk about my novel Bump in the Night.

1. What is the working title of your book?

Bump in the Night

2. Where did the idea for your book come from?

I've always been a huge fan of the macabre and of monsters. There's always been shows like Supernatural, etc where there are lots of men hunting down the things that go bump in the night... but where are the girls?! That's where the idea came from. That and years of reading Goosebumps.

3. What genre does your book fall under?

Bump in the Night is a YA urban fantasy novel with strong elements of horror.

4. What actors would you chose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I would love to see this on a big screen! This was actually pretty tough, but here's what I have:

Samantha- Ass-kicking, fearless protagonist
Troian Bellisario

Deacon- Love interest / Sheriff's son
Logan Lerman

Tyler- Deacon's best friend
David Henrie

Marcheline- Sam's best friend

Aimee Teegarden

Victoria- Sam's Mom

Reese Witherspoon

Eliza- Sam's Grandmother and Mentor

Maggie Smith

5. What is a one sentence synopsis of your manuscript?

16-year-old Samantha fights monsters as a Guardian of the Day, while trying to live her life as normal as possible and investigate her Grandmother's disappearance.

6. Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?

Agency. 

7. How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Bump in the Night was started in 2011 and finished during May 2012. I've been editing it ever since.

8. What other books would you compare this story to within the genre?

Bump in the Night is probably a cross between Spookygirl by Jill Baguchinsky and Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. I love both of these novels so so much! Also, Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs holds some similarities.

9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My love for writing strong female protagonists and my obsession with horror stories/monsters.

10.  What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think there is something for everyone in Bump in the Night. There's a love story. A mystery. Monsters and fighting. There are normal growing pains. Loss. I love my story. But then again, don't all writers? I just hope someday, other people might love it too.

Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my novel! I'm passing the torch onto one of my favorite writerly people, and one of the best writers I know: Haylee Qualls.

If you have any questions about Bump in the Night, don't hesitate to ask!

Book Review- Going Underground by Susan Vaught

Going Underground by Susan Vaught
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read this book in one day, in a matter of a few hours. I attribute most of this to the exquisite story telling of this author Susan Vaught.

I must say that originally, I was beyond drawn to this story, because the macabre side of me loves anything involving graves, cemeteries, and boys who live or dwell in them. But I wasn't prepared for how good this novel actually turned out to be!

Vaught does an amazing job portraying the voice of a teenage boy. I fell in love with Del, the protagonist, easily. I also found it enjoyable the way she revealed much of the storyline. Del insists that he doesn’t want to tell the audience right away what he did that got him arrested, for fear of being judged by the audience, just like everyone else in his town judges him. But, as Del gains confidence in himself and his newfound love interest, we find out exactly what happened in a series of flashbacks and conversations.

Del is a teenage boy, obsessed with music, his bird Fred, and haunted by his past. In a digital age, one can’t help but relate to this story of living with the consequences of your actions, no matter how unprepared you may feel or how safe cyberspace may feel. This dark secret that Del keeps from the reader, webs the entire plot together, and threatens to come lose at the story’s climax.

I don’t want to spoil it for you, but trust me. You want to read this novel. It’s intriguing, it’s funny, it’s serious, and it’s well done.

I love you Del.


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BLOODY AMAZING BOOK GIVEAWAY!!!

In honor of how much I loved the novel The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton, I'm giving away 2 copies!!

If you don't know the premise, you can find it on goodreads.
It's a standalone sequel to her other novel Blood Magic.

The contest is simple.

Each task you do earns you 1 entry, with a total of 3 entries possible.
On September 12th the contests ends.
Two winners will be chosen and announced on my website and twitter.
I will ship your books and you will be happy reading maniacs.

How to get an entry?

1. Post a comment below, telling me who your favorite witch is from any novel in the world. (+1 entry)

2. Follow me on twitter. Note your twitter name below or tweet to me that you entered. (+1 entry)

3. Announce my giveaway on twitter please! Just copy and paste the following for +1 entry:
*Giveaway* Enter to #win The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton at http://tinyurl.com/9hpv65s #bookgiveaway #BloodKeeper

That's it. Easy peasy.

Thank you for entering!

Don't forget to include a way to get ahold of you if you win!

New Release Tuesday- 8/28/2012

In the spirit of book birthdays, here are the novels out today that I am most excited about! 

Release date: 8/28/2012

Click on the book name to be taken to Goodreads for more info (where the bio is from).

The Blood Keeper
by Tessa Gratton

Paranormal romance fans who are looking to up the ante will be drawn to this tale of horror, fantasy, and romance. 

For Mab Prowd, the practice of blood magic is as natural as breathing. It's all she's ever known. Growing up on an isolated farm in Kansas with other practitioners may have kept her from making friends her own age, but it has also given her a sense of purpose—she's connected to the land and protective of the magic. And she is able to practice it proudly and happily out in the open with only the crows as her companions. 

Mab will do anything to keep the ancient practice alive and guard its secrets. But one morning while she is working out a particularly tricky spell she encounters Will, a local boy who is trying to exorcise some mundane personal demons. He experiences Mab's magic in a way his mind cannot comprehend and is all too happy to end their chance meeting. But secrets that were kept from Mab by the earlier generations of blood magicians have come home to roost. And she and Will are drawn back together, time again by this dangerous force looking to break free from the earth and reclaim its own dark power.

Starling 

by Lesley Livingston

"Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling.

Under My Hat

Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Diana Peterfreund, Margo Lanagan, Peter S. Beagle, and Garth Nix are just a few of the authors who have toiled over their cauldrons and conjured up bewitching new creations inspired by and celebrating the might and mystery of the witch. Assembled by one of the most well-regarded anthologists in the science fiction/fantasy world, this rich, intelligent collection will enchant readers of all ages.

Defiance

by C.J. Redwine

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Enshadowed

by Kelly Creagh

Varen Nethers is trapped in a perilous dream world -- a treacherous and desolate realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life. Isobel Lanley, plagued by strange visions and haunted by the nightmares of Varen's creation, is the only one who can save him.

Isobel knows that her only hope lies within a Baltimore cemetery. There, in the early morning hours of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, a mysterious stranger known as the "Poe Toaster" will make his annual homage at the legendary poet's grave.

Only the Poe Toaster holds the key to the way between worlds. But even greater dangers lie ahead for Isobel. An ancient evil, draped in veils of white, is watching, challenging her for Varen's affections. When Isobel finally finds Varen, he is no longer the quiet and brooding boy who once captivated her, but a dark force, powerful and malevolent.

What books are you most excited for?

Happy Reading Everyone!

NPR Best Ever Teen Novels

Today I came across NPR books, Best Ever Teen Novels list. I'm quite pleased and agree with SO many of them. Like Stargirl, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, the Harry Potter series being number one, the Hush Hush saga, Something Wicked This Way Comes)... And on and on.

What do you think about the list?

http://www.npr.org/2012/08/07/157795366/your-favorites-100-best-ever-teen-novels

Bump in the Night. Also a contest!

I have always said that there are not enough stories about the following:

Girls kicking major ass

YA Horror

Monsters

Some type of combination of YA Horror with monsters and girls that kick ass 

Since there wasn't anything out there like this, I started writing it. I wrote and wrote and just finished it this month. It's called Bump in the Night and the synopsis can be found here.

However, to my excitement, I have come across two other excellent works with a somewhat similar concept. A darker story. Girls kicking ass. Monsters/ Supernatural. I haven't read Spookygirl yet, but I can't wait to! I have read Sweet Venom and cannot wait for the sequel!

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

http://teralynnchilds.com/books/sweet-venom/

Spookygirl by Jill Baguchinsky

Read the pitch here

Also, Jill Baguchinksy is currently running a contest where you can get a copy of her ARC for Spookygirl, as it isn't out yet. You wont want to miss out! Also Jill is a debut author, which is even more exciting, as I love love love success stories and hope that one day I too can have my own. Great work Jill!

Contest!

Jill also has an awesome blog showing her journey to publication! Check it out here!

That said, what other darker YA stories are you into? Are there any ass kicking, monster, supernautral, or horror-esque novels that I am missing? Please, share your knowledge! I'm always looking for a good read.

The Nightmare Affair

I was beyond excited yesterday to hear about the novel The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder. The setting is Arkwell.

And then it comes true.

Now the Dusty has to follow the clues--both within Eli’s dreams and out of them--to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target.

Could this novel sound any more amazing! The answer is no! I literally can't wait. 

And for those of us that cannot wait, there's an amazing contest right now that allows you to win an arc of the novel The Nightmare Affair. There are a few different sites hosting that you can find at the link:http://www.mindeearnett.com/the-nightmare-affair-cover-reveal/

Also, if you would like to check out the cover reveal, follow this link:

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/06/cover-reveal-for-new-ya-novel-the-nightmare-affair

Good luck to everyone!!

Stargirl

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I thoroughly believe that anyone in the world will love this novel. I finished feeling good about myself and empowered to make good changes in the world and in myself. I strongly recommend reading this book.

Meet Stargirl Caraway. She’s a mysterious, happy go lucky, and unique girl living in an all too familiar cookie-cutter world.

She’s compassionate, considerate, and goes the extra mile for everyone… Which is why the people in her school don’t understand her. She is written off as weird. Bizarre.

Stargirl doesn’t notice..at first. She goes on to serenade people with her ukulele on their birthdays, wear strange clothing to school, and cheer for her school and their rivals during games.
But Stargirl isn’t obvious. Soon she starts to see the differences between herself and the others around her. In fact, she sees more than most humans do in a lifetime. Stargirl just believes in following her heart, which is harder to do that we’d all like to admit.

Follow Stargirl as she learns, grows, and falls in love in this amazing novel that teaches that though it’s not easy, it’s always important to be true to oneself.


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