Thursday, December 29, 2011

2011 ~ Best In Books

Since it's almost over, I feel like I can come out and say that this past year has been one of the best of my life so far. So many amazing things have happened to me, and I've experienced so much growth both personally and professionally. It's been such a wonderful journey, and I'm so thankful to have shared pieces of it with you guys!

But enough rambling about me. Since this is a blog about books and writing and the love of reading, I thought I'd take a look back at some of the books that kept me company over the course of 2011, and recommend them.

(NOTE: Since I have a number of younger blog readers, I have a new policy for noting which YA books are more mature in content along with my recommendations. I don't want anybody who is sensitive to reading about frank depictions of sex, violence, or swearing to be blindsided when it comes to something I rec'ed. Obviously the adult books all contain "adult" content, but I feel that is expected.)

Best Overall Read:



While there are a LOT of books that could be considered for this category (I read MANY excellent books this year!), the best book I read this year was The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Of course, this one is a modern classic, so... no surprise there. Really, though. Genius book.


Most Life-Changing Read (fiction):



Hate List. This book about the (ex)girlfriend of a high school shooter takes an incredibly nuanced look at tragedy, hatred, and guilt. I read it at a particularly difficult time in which I was dealing with something personal that oddly coincided with the message of the novel, and it hit me hard about how I handle blame when it comes to villainizing others and looking at their mistakes, even when those mistakes are admittedly heinous and worthy of condemnation. This was also one of those rare books where I was deeply invested emotionally without any real love story to speak of in the book, just friendship.


This was definitely a mature YA, with lots of cussing and raw depictions of life.


Most Life-Changing Read (non-fiction):


 


Half the Sky. Named from the proverb "women hold up half the sky," this book tells shocking, horrifying stories about the violence MILLIONS of women around the world suffer every day, woven through with an inspiring and empowering message about practical things we can do to change this reality. It was so wonderful for me to finally read something that talked about the problem of violence towards women in a problem-solving way instead of a "oh well, isn't that horrible, that's just the world we live in" kind of way, or a "everyone else is doing it wrong and we know all the answers" kind of way. The book approached possible solutions with a balanced, everybody-can-help attitude that isn't specific to a particular ideology or political position (for instance, the book was respectful to both sides of the abortion debate, not something I often see). The research is incredibly thorough, and the writers are forthright and honest about the complexity of the situations (for instance, rescuing a woman from sex slavery isn't always as easy as buying her out of it). If you haven't read this book, you MUST do so. It rocked my world, and gave me tons of great ideas for charities and giving programs that I could get involved with as soon as I finished reading it (my personal favorite is Kiva.org, where you can make small loans to people wanting to start businesses in places like Africa and South America... they talk about how much that sort of thing can help in the book).

Most Surprisingly Enjoyable Read:



The Bridge of San Luis Rey. I wasn't expecting to love this one... I was just reading it because it was a classic, and I am trying to brush up on the ones I've missed. I'd recently finished Love in the Time of Cholera, which, while of course brilliant, was a bit of a chore to read at times, and I was expecting the same with TBoSLR. But I was blown away by the beautiful questions this book asked.

Runner-Up for Most Surprisingly Enjoyable Read:



Cross My Heart. I started reading this on my Kindle out of utter boredom while waiting for my husband in a store. I expected it to be boring (or terribly cliche) for some inane reason I can't remember. Instead, I was up until 3 AM reading frantically to reach the end, and I went back and re-read it the day after I finished it. While the story definitely delivered the mac-and-cheese type of "expected payoff" that I read it for in the first place (you know, bad boy meets good girl, bad boy and good girl fall for each other, encounter problems with her parents, etc), it also went some places I wasn't expecting, and the characters unexpectedly grabbed my heart and didn't let go. I really, really loved the twist ending, too.

This was probably a mature YA book. It got a little steamy! I can't remember the language at all but I'm sure there was some.



Anna and the French Kiss. People were gushing all over the place about this book, talking about how amazing it was. The cover looked cutesy in a way that I normally don't really go for, and I was like, "It will probably be just okay," and then I read it and really enjoyed it. The characters were well-rounded, the writing was sharp and funny, and the story was poignant, romantic, and very satisfying.

I would say this was a mature YA book when it comes to content.

Most Confusing Read:



The Crying of Lot 49. Seriously, WHAT even happened in this book? I'm sure it was clever and funny and oh-so-sharp in its day, and I know it's on the Times' list of 100 most important novels of the 20th century, but... most of the jokes and satirical comments were lost on me, since (duh) I don't get most pop culture references from fifty years ago. Yeahhhhh. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking, "This is what 30 Rock is going to be like for my grandchildren, isn't it?"

Most Original Read:



The Scorpio Races. I'm not sure what I was expecting this book to be--a dystopian, maybe, or a paranormal romance based on the blurb I read. Instead, I found an odd and beautiful hybrid of historical fiction, Scottish (Irish?) mythology, and magical realism, with hints of fantasy hidden amid the mouth-watering literary prose. I especially enjoyed reading a YA book for horse-lovers again (I was a Stephen Farley fanatic as a child); it made me so wildly nostalgic and sappy inside.

Although this one was very grown-up in structure and style, I'd say this is a "for everyone" YA.

Most Anticipated Read:



Mockingjay. Who WASN'T waiting for this book? The end of the Hunger Games trilogy was pretty controversial, but I personally think the book brilliantly achieved its objective and poignantly illustrated the main theme of the series--which was an incredibly complex look at the effects of violence (and subsequently, war) on a society as well as the people in that society. I think a lot of people were wanting a happy-happy yay-yay ending, but that wouldn't have gone with the message of the series. This was a truly dystopian book, wildly depressing ending and all, I for one was pleased (if yes, a little depressed too) with the ending.

Mature YA for violence only, otherwise "for everyone."


Funniest Read:



Bossypants. Great memoir. Tina Fey is hilarious as always. If you're a fan of 30 Rock or SNL, you should definitely check this book out.

Runner-Up for Funniest Read:



The Name of the Star. Really, anything written by Maureen Johnson is going to go in this category. This book was also SURPRISINGLY creepy. I read it around Halloween in broad daylight in my own home and got so scared I had to put it down and wait for my hubby to come home to finish reading. So... yeah. Hilariously funny and really honest-to-goodness scary. Only Maureen Johnson could pull that kind of stuff off, kids.

I can never tell if MJ's stuff should be considered mature YA or not, because while she isn't afraid to "go there" she does it in such a funny, innocent kind of way. I'm tempted to call this "for everyone" YA except that it was reeeeally scary, ya'll.

Favorite Book I Wrote/Published:




The Curse Girl (although there aren't much to choose from this year, hopefully that will change in the near future!)

This is an "suitable for everyone" kind of YA. :)

~~~~~~~

There you have it--my year in books, and I have so many books to look forward to in 2012!

What's your favorite thing YOU read this year?

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

And the winners are....!!

Folks, it is that time.

The time in which we find out who has won the BIG AWESOME YA GIVEAWAY 2011 (hopefully the first of many)!

*drum roll*


*more drum roll*

And the winner of the print package is...

Nastassia D!!!

Congrats, Nastassia :)

And the winners of ten randomly chosen books each from the ebook prize packages are...

Kristen Heyl!!!


Trupti!!!


Michael Byers!!!

Congratulations to all the winners, and a big fat THANK YOU to everyone who entered. If you didn't win, don't worry. I'm hoping to have another giveaway soon, with more awesome prizes.

**BY THE WAY, Trupti's winning entry was her bonus entry because she was already a newsletter subscriber. So sign up for that newsletter, folks. It could win you an awesome prize**

Monday, December 19, 2011

Author Spotlight: Emily Anne Ward's FINDING FIONA

It's time for the next installment in my author spotlight series, where I'm interviewing select authors whose books are included in my Big Awesome YA Giveaway 2011.

If you haven't entered to win yet, you can find out more information about that here, and a list of all the prizes here..


And now, the interview...


*musical intro*



~~~~~~

Kate: Today I'm interviewing Emily Anne Ward, author of the sci fi novel FINDING FIONA. Welcome, Emily! Tell me a little about Finding Fiona. (And I just love the cover!)

Emily: The victim of a brutal attack, Fiona remembers little about her life until she meets someone who claims to be from her past. He tells her that her parents were killed for a human replication machine. He's shocked to discover she's still alive since her body was found in the wreckage of the fire. She soon travels to her old home in New York to figure out what happened to her and her family. She needs to find out who she is, but more importantly, confront the men who killed her parents.

Kate: I love amnesia stories! I'm actually writing one right now, as a matter of fact. 

What kind of reader would this story most appeal to, and why?

Emily: Readers who enjoy light, fast-paced science fiction should enjoy this book. If you're looking for a quick read over the weekend, Finding Fiona is perfect. Also, if you liked Keary Taylor's Eden, you might enjoy Finding Fiona, too. Fiona has a lot in common with Eve: amnesia, a strange past, a journal which gives her some answers, but not enough.

Kate: It sounds like a great read. Besides the main character or hero/ine, who’s your favorite character in this book, and why?

Emily: Probably James. He's Fiona's past boyfriend, and he's very supportive and devoted to her. I think if they hadn't run into each other at the library, he wouldn't have stopped searching for her until he found her. He's willing to do anything to keep her safe. I was lucky enough to find a great guy like James.

Kate: Me too, by the sound of him. :) Is there a particular theme of Finding Fiona that spoke to you personally as you were writing it?

Emily: Fiona and her parents were working on a human replicator, so parts of the book deal with the moral issues of creating people through science instead of natural, biological means. Even though the technology to do this is hundreds, perhaps more, years in the future, I still got to explore the idea of a soul and a person. Can someone have a soul if they are created through scientific means? What makes someone unique? Seeing how my characters dealt with these questions was a joy, and it made me think about what makes someone human. 

Kate: I love books that explore those kinds of questions.

Is there anything you’re working on now that you’d like to tell us about?

Emily: Yes! I have an upcoming fantasy series titled The Protectors. The first in the series is called Promising Light. Grace is a noble with no knowledge of shape changers until they kidnap her and tell her she can break the curse on their family. She is forced to choose between sacrificing to help them or staying in her comfortable life as a noble. Promising Light will be published early January.

Kate: That sounds really intriguing! 

Now tell me, where can readers interested in your work go to find out more?

Emily: My website: http://emilyannward.com
My blog: http://wordsofeward.blogspot.com

Kate: Thanks, Emily!

Emily: Thank you so much!

~~~~~~

You can enter to win Finding Fiona and much more here, or see the whole list of prizes here.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Author Spotlight: Holly Hook's TEMPEST

It's time for the next installment in my author spotlight series, where I'm interviewing select authors whose books are included in my Big Awesome YA Giveaway 2011.

If you haven't entered to win yet, you can find out more information about that here, and a list of all the prizes here..


And now, the interview...


*music*

~~~~~~~~


Kate: Today I want to welcome author Holly Hook. Holly is giving away 1 ebook version and 1 print copy of her YA novel Tempest. 

Welcome, Holly! Tell us a little about Tempest.  What’s it about?
 

Holly: Sixteen-year-old Janelle never thought the gray spiral birthmark on her arm meant anything special.  That is, until she meets Gary, a boy her age with a birthmark exactly like hers.  Gary’s attractive, brooding, and perfectly normal…except for the fact that he materialized out of a dangerous hurricane right in front of her.  Janelle’s certain of only one thing.  Gary’s mark—and hers, too—mean something, but he’s reluctant to tell her what. 

At last she squeezes the truth from Gary about their markings.  And the truth is utterly terrifying: Janelle and Gary are more connected to the destructive power of nature than she ever dreamed possible.  And learning the truth about herself is only the start of her nightmare.

Kate: Sounds intriguing! What kind of reader would this story most appeal to, and why?
 

Holly: Both young adults and adults have enjoyed this story.

Kate: Tell us about the very first idea you had regarding this story, the one that made you say “I HAVE to write this!” Was it a certain scene, character, or situation?
 

Holly: It came from a weird dream I had one night, which I don't remember.

Kate: I get a lot of book ideas from dreams, too. Is there a particular theme of Tempest that spoke to you personally as you were writing it?
 

Holly: Maybe the environment and how important everything is in regulating it.  Or that evil isn't too easily defined.

Kate: What person (besides yourself, obviously) is most influential on your writing process?
 

Holly: Maybe my critique group, who helped me through this and other novels.

Kate: Crit groups are amazing. :) Is there anything you’re working on now that you’d like to tell us about?
 

Holly: The third book in this series. I can't give too much away about it now, or what disaster it's about.  I am posting news on my blog, though, and hope to unveil the cover at the end of the month.

Kate: Awesome! Where can readers interested in your work go to find out more? 


Holly: My website is www.hollyannehook.wordpress.com



Kate: Thanks so much for joining us, Holly!


~~~~~~~



You can enter to win Tempest and tons of other awesome books now by clicking here and following the directions! The giveaway concludes Tuesday, December 20th!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Author Spotlight: Shel Delisle's DOLPHIN GIRL

For the past couple of days, I've been interviewing some of the authors of the lovely books I'm giving away in my Big Awesome YA Giveaway (if you haven't already entered, you could win TONS of books, so go check it out!!). Tuesday I interviewed Megg Jensen, Wednesday, I interviewed Joel Arnold, and Thursday I interviewed Melanie Nilles.

Today, I'm interviewing author Shel Delisle!

*cue intro music*

~~~~~~~

Kate: Tell me about Dolphin Girl. What’s it about?

Shel: Dolphin Girl is a coming of age story about sixteen-year-old Jane, an artistic, quirky character, who wants to bend (and sometimes break) the rules. She has an overly controlled family life and attends a high-school where the cliques are severe and kids just don't "cross-over" into other groups.  So there's a lot that is forbidden to her.  As she tests what is off-limits, Jane ends up in some pretty interesting situations and the fact that she falls for popular Sam Rojas, a star swimmer, only complicates her life. The story chronicle's Jane's search for identity with her family, friends and her first love as she tries to live like a dolphin--wild, graceful, and, most importantly, free.

Kate: I love the summary--the dolphin aspect really adds a freshness to the typical coming-of-age story, too! What kind of reader would this story most appeal to, and why? 

Shel: One of my hopes since releasing Dolphin Girl is that it would find its readers.  Or, vice versa, that its readers would find it. I'd always thought it would appeal to younger teens, but I've had a few older ones tell me they really enjoyed it.  It blows me away when there are adults who like it, because I never thought of it as a crossover book.  Ever.  But, based on some of the early readers, it seems like there are some adults who like it too.

So, maybe it's the theme, or Jane's situation, that's resonating with readers.  If that's the case, then I think it would appeal to people who get frustrated with labels, or by being defined by a group.  It's for people who don't feel like they fit in, or who feel like they don't want to fit in if it means being something other than themselves.       

Kate: That's a wonderful theme to explore, one that I bet resonates with a lot of people. Tell us about the very first idea you had regarding Dolphin Girl, the one that made you say “I HAVE to write this!” Was it a certain scene, character, or situation?

Shel: It was always Jane that made me write this book. She showed up and wouldn't leave me alone. Ha! -- that sounds psycho!

Seriously, though.  I still remember one of the first things she told me was, "I have a thing about teeth."  Then, she proceeded to tell me about the teeth of her English teacher and Sam's chipped tooth and her crooked teeth, et cetera.  I dutifully wrote all of this down, because, well, it seemed really important to her.  Then, one of my first readers said, "Oh it's a vampire story, right?" 

I was shocked.  "No, she's not a vampire or even into vampires!  She's all about dolphins.  In fact, she's a little obsessed with them."

One of the great things about being an author is that we get to have the final say about what makes it into our books, so I cut all of the teeth obsession, except for her fixation on Sam's chipped tooth.

All of this is a round about way of explaining why I had to write the book.  Jane as a character was so 3-D and so alive on and off the page (in my imagination) that she compelled me to tell her story.    

Kate: I absolutely love it when a character comes alive and demands to be written like that. Besides the main character or hero/ine, who’s your favorite character in Dolphin Girl, and why?

Shel: You ask hard (but good) questions!  This one is difficult because I love all the secondary characters. I mean, Jane is in love with Sam and he's really adorable, Lexie's pretty much the perfect BFF, John is a great big brother, Mom is mom, Desiree is a great role model.  So it might sound weird for me to pick a more minor character, but, other than Jane, my favorite character is Irwin.

For anyone who hasn't read the book, Irwin is the other photographer on the yearbook staff that Jane has to work with.  He's a loner who is at times arrogant, at times cranky, and often hard to like.  But, he's my favorite because he's the character who is always genuinely himself and able to withstand the pressure of high school cliques.  Despite his insecurities, he's tough, much stronger than he looks and not willing to compromise who he is.  I really admire that about him and think that he helped shape who Jane became at the end of the story.


Kate: Where can readers interested in your work go to find out more?

Shel: Oh, I hang out at all the usual webby places -- and a few unusual ones, too.  For people who are interested in finding out more, the best spot is my blog/site at http://sheldelisle.wordpress.com/ because (sometimes) I actually talk about interesting stuff there. At the site, anyone can find out how to reach me on Facebook, twitter, et cetera.

Kate: Thanks so much, Shel!!

~~~~~~

You can enter to win Dolphin Girl and tons of other awesome books now by clicking here and following the directions! The giveaway concludes Tuesday, December 20th!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Author Spotlight: Melanie Nilles

As part of the Big Awesome YA Giveaway (if you haven't already entered, you could win TONS of books, so go check it out!!), I've been interviewing some of the authors of the lovely books I'm giving away. Tuesday I interviewed Megg Jensen and yesterday I interviewed Joel Arnold.

Today, we welcome author Melanie Nilles!

*cue intro music*

~~~~~~~~~

Kate: Melanie Nilles is the author of a number of books, including the Starfire Angels series and the Legend of the White Dragon series. In the Big Awesome YA Giveaway, she's offering print copies of four books from her Starfire Angels series--Starfire Angel, Broken Wings, Crystal Tomb, and Origins of Dark Angel.


Welcome, Melanie! Tell me about Starfire Angels. What’s it about?
Melanie: My YA series, Starfire Angels, is about a teen "angel" who grew up on Earth believing she was human, discovering what she really is, and learning to become what she was meant to be. In the process, she falls in love with one of her own kind sent to train her while they fight those who would kill to claim the Starfire Crystal shard that she protects.

In the most recent book of the series, Origins of Dark Angel, I give the reader a taste of Elis's life before he was sent to Earth to find Raea and became the savior of her small town known as Dark Angel.


Kate: Tell us about the very first idea you had regarding this story, the one that made you say “I HAVE to write this!” Was it a certain scene, character, or situation?

Melanie: That moment came while watching an anime series the second time through. Something clicked into place for rewriting a novella from ten years before. It was a character trait--the black wings of the hero--that did it for me. I was in the middle of writing an epic fantasy series (Legend of the White Dragon) when the world and characters blossomed. In a week, the idea was ready and demanding to be written. I had to set aside what I was doing to write the first draft. I ended up completely changing it and writing a new draft a year later, but that second draft is what is now Starfire Angels (Book 1 of the Starfire Angels series).


Kate: You returned to it after all those years... I love that. 

Besides the main character or hero/ine, who’s your favorite character in this book, and why?

Melanie: Everyone adores Elis, the Dark Angel, because he's an honest to goodness hero with a heart of gold. Besides him, I have to say that I've loved hating Nina from the first book, couldn't live without Leksel and Cris in Broken Wings, and find a certain charm in the wisdom of Tenkil, Elis's great-grandfather who has some screen time in Origins of Dark Angel.


Kate: I love a good "love to hate" character! Is there a particular theme of the Starfire Angel series that spoke to you personally as you were writing it?

Melanie: There are many themes. Mostly, I like the idea of a hero who is honestly good at heart without any hesitation of doing what is right. Throughout the series, I bring up the idea of appreciating what you have while you have it and appreciating the little things in life, because you never know when they could be taken away. That's something that I try to live by every day. Other themes crop up, but that and the idea of doing good no matter how badly people try to tear you down are the strongest.

Kate: That last theme in particular really resonates with me. Is there anything you’re working on now that you’d like to tell us about?

Melanie: I'm working on the fifth book, Forever Dark. It will be the last with Raea and Elis, whose stories make up the subseries, Dark Angel Chronicles (Starfire Angels, Broken Wings, Crystal Tomb, Origins of Dark Angel, and Forever Dark). However, I have dropped clues throughout DAC about what else is coming, but future stories will feature other characters.

Kate: That sounds fascinating!

As we conclude the interview, where can readers interested in your work go to find out more?

Melanie: I have two dedicated pages at Facebook, one for this series specifically--http://facebook.com/StarfireAngels--and my author page--http://facebook.com/melanienilles.

I also have a website--http://www.melanienilles.com--and a blog.

All the links are listed on my website for Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, etc.

Kate: Thanks so much for dropping by, Melanie!


Melanie: Thank you, Kate.


~~~~~~


You can enter to win four signed copies of Melanie Nille's books here, and you can check out the total list of prizes here.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Author Spotlight: Joel Arnold's SNOW BURN

It's time for the next installment in my author spotlight series, where I'm interviewing select authors whose books are included in my Big Awesome YA Giveaway 2011.

If you haven't entered to win yet, you can find out more information about that here, and a list of all the prizes here..


And now, the interview...


*musical intro*


~~~~~~~

Kate: Today, I want to welcome author Joel Arnold. Joel is giving away three e-copies of his YA suspense novel Snow Burn in the Big Awesome YA Giveaway. Welcome!!

So, Joel. Tell me about Snow Burn. (BTW I love the title... it's got that slight dissonance of ideas--cold and hot--that somehow goes together perfectly at the same time. It's very intriguing!) What’s it about?

Joel: Seventeen-year old Tommy Connell knows he’s in trouble when he goes winter camping with his friend Vince Nguyen without telling his folks. But when they’re caught in a sudden blizzard, and the man they rescue from freezing to death turns out to be an escaped convict, Tommy’s troubles are only beginning. Now Tommy and Vince must not only survive the blizzard, but also find a way to keep Quinn – who’ll stop at nothing to stay out of prison – from killing them.

Kate: That sounds incredibly chilling!


What kind of reader would this story most appeal to, and why?

Joel: I think Snow Burn will appeal to YA readers and adults who like suspense. It also raises some ethical questions - sort of a 'what would you do in this situation?' kind-of-thing.

Kate: Tell us about the very first idea you had regarding this story, the one
that made you say “I HAVE to write this!” Was it a certain scene,
character, or situation?


Joel: It was the situation. I wanted to explore the ethics of - if you were in the position to save someone's life, but learned as you were doing so that this person is a criminal, would you continue to save them? Would you let them die? Where does self-sacrifice and self-preservation intersect? This was a conundrum that I found fascinating and wanted to write about that.

Kate: That's a fascinating question to explore. Besides the main character or hero/ine, who’s your favorite character in this book, and why?


Joel: There are really only three characters in the book, but my favorite is Tommy's friend, Vince, who is Cambodian-American with a prosthetic leg who also plays football. I based Vince's personality on a childhood friend of mine, who seemed to effortlessly bridge the gap between the 'jocks' and the 'band geeks' of our school.

Kate: You just grabbed my interest with that description--"Cambodian-American with a prosthetic leg who also plays football." I love it! 

Where can readers interested in your work go to find out more?

Joel: My blog: authorjoelarnold.blogspot.com
Twitter: @authorarnold
Buy Snow Burn on Amazon


Kate: Thanks so much for participating in my author spotlight, Joel!!

~~~~~~~~

You can enter to win Snow Burn and tons of other awesome books now by clicking here and following the directions! The giveaway concludes Tuesday, December 20th!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Author Spotlight: Megg Jensen

As part of my BIG, AWESOME YA GIVEAWAY 2011, I am doing a few author spotlights highlighting some of the authors whose books are available to win.

Psssst!! If you haven't entered in the giveaway, you can do that here! I've giving away a whopping 39 books which will be split up among 4 lucky winners!!

So without further ado...
*ahem*

*cue interview music*

~~~~~~

Kate: Today's author is Megg Jensen, author of Anathema, Oubilette, and Severed (the Cloud Prophet Trilogy), among other books. That's right, she's giving away THREE books in the Big Awesome YA Giveaway!! She is also the author of Sleepers, which I understand is getting a new cover this week and thus couldn't be included.  

 

Welcome, Megg, and thank you for participating in the YA Giveaway: Author Spotlight!! Tell us about the Cloud Prophet Trilogy. What’s it about?

Megg: The Cloud Prophet Trilogy is comprised of my first three novels: Anathema, Oubliette, and Severed. It follows the journey of Reychel, a simple slave who’s destined to be more than she believes she can be. Reychel must the decisions she believes are right – whether or not they lead her to her destiny.

Kate: What kind of reader would this story most appeal to, and why?

Megg: It’s considered young adult fantasy, however I know plenty of adults who’ve enjoyed it – both male and female. There’s some romance, but there’s also a lot of mystery and action! My novels are what I like to call medieval dystopian.


Kate: Medieval dystopian? I love that!! I'm a huge fan of mixing up genres in interesting ways.


Tell us about the very first idea you had regarding TCP Trilogy, the one that made you say “I HAVE to write this!” Was it a certain scene, character, or situation?


 
Megg: My daughter said to me, “Mom, I can see things in the clouds.” I answered, “What shapes can you see?” Her answer: “No, mom, I can see the future!” It was in that moment that Anathema was born. (You can tell my daughter has quite an imagination too.)

Kate: What a great story! I love that your daughter had a hand in the idea.


Is there a particular theme of Anathema, etc that spoke to you personally as you were writing it?

Megg: Everyone always writes stories about characters with a grand destiny. While this is a typical fantasy convention, I wanted to turn it on its ear by letting Reychel make her own choices. Many things are not what they seem in my books, especially the ending of Severed. My readers seem to appreciate the element of surprise.

Kate: I love that--you give tradition a nod while reinventing it. What person (besides yourself, obviously) is most influential on your writing process?

Megg: Wow, that’s a tough question. My family is very supportive of my writing career and without their support, I couldn’t get everything done. In fact, my daughter is curled up next to me while I answer this questions and my son is playing on the floor.

Kate: *cackles* I love asking the tough questions! Is there anything you’re working on now that you’d like to tell us about?

Megg: I am revealing a new cover for my novel, Sleepers, this week! Plus, I have two sequels to Sleepers coming out in 2012. I will also be releasing a short story that has a connection to the Cloud Prophet Trilogy, hopefully in January. I never stop writing. :D

Kate: Wow, that is a lot of writing. You are a woman after my own heart, then! Now, where can readers interested in your work go to find out more?

Megg: I mainly hang out on Facebook. I kind of live there. Is that weird? ;)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/meggjensenauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/meggjensen

Website: www.meggjensen.com

Kate: There you have it, folks. Thanks so much for joining us, Megg!

Megg: Thank you so much for having me!!!!!!


~~~~~~~~~~

Intrigued? Be sure to enter for a chance to win Megg's Cloud Prophet Trilogy (one winner will get the whole set!) and be sure to check out her new cover for Sleepers!

You can check out the list of total prizes for the giveaway here. I will be featuring five more authors from the Big Awesome Giveaway, so stay tuned

Monday, December 12, 2011

BIG AWESOME GIVEAWAY: LIST OF PRIZES

As you may already know, I'm going to be giving away over 30 books in a super-awesome December holiday giveaway!!!!!

Yep, over 30 total. 39, to be exact. Some are ebooks, some are print copies signed by the authors, so even if you don't have a Kindle or a Nook it's okay--you can still enter!

And there will be at least 4 winners, maybe five!

You can find out all the details (and enter to win) here, or check out the list of available prizes below:

THE PRIZES


Anathema, Oubliette, and Severed (Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen ~ The Cloud Prophet Trilogy follows the journey of Reychel, a simple slave who’s destined to be more than she believes she can be. Reychel must the decisions she believes are right – whether or not they lead her to her destiny.

Psssst! Check out Megg's author spotlight interview with me here!

Reveal by Brina Courtney (NEW RELEASE) ~ Shay Tafford is not normal. Being a cryptid is not normal. Seeing ghosts is not normal. Her father’s disappearance is not normal. Lucky for Shay, Hugh isn't normal either. So when he enters her life through her dead best friend Shay knows he may be her only chance at a normal life. A life she is desperately searching for.




Snow Burn by Joel Arnold ~Tommy knows he’s in trouble when he goes winter camping with friend Vince Nguyen without telling his folks. But when they’re caught in a sudden blizzard, and the man they rescue from freezing to death turns out to be an escaped convict, Tommy’s troubles are only beginning. Now Tommy and Vince must not only survive the blizzard, but also find a way to keep Quinn from killing them.

Check out Joel's interview with me here!



Finding Fiona by Emily Ward ~ The victim of a brutal attack, Fiona remembers little about her life until she meets someone who claims to be from her past. She finds out her parents were killed over a strange human replication machine and the world thinks she's dead. She returns to her old home in New York to find out who she is, but more importantly, confront the men who killed her parents.




Dolphin Girl by Shel Delisle ~ Sixteen-year-old Jane wants the life of a dolphin--wild, graceful, free.  But these days her life is nothing like that and it's not until she gets a tattoo and befriends popular Sam Rojas, a star swimmer, that her life begins to change.  DOLPHIN GIRL is a story of family, friendship, first love and freedom. 








Tempest by Holly Hook ~ Sixteen-year-old Janelle never thought the gray spiral birthmark on her arm meant anything special.  But when she meets Gary, a boy with a birthmark just like hers, she learns the truth: she is more connected to the destructive power of nature than she ever thought possible.  Learning the truth about herself is only the start of her nightmare.





Keeping Secrets by Maggie Dana ~ A beautiful horse is dead, and it’s all her fault . . . which is why 14-year-old Kate McGregor has put horses and riding out of her life. Forever! But her new job as a companion to Holly Chapman, a former riding star who’s now confined to a wheelchair, takes her back to the barn where she’s forced to confront her guilt. Can Kate keep her terrible secret from Holly, who is fast becoming her best friend? And, more important, can she keep her secret from Angela Dean who lives for only two things—winning ribbons and causing trouble?





George and the Galactic Games by HS Stone ~ George is the new kid in school. He also recently lost his father to a heart attack. In an effort to cheer him up, George’s mother takes him on a camping trip. That’s when their troubles really begin. Extraterrestrials abduct both mother and son. Now George finds himself an unwilling participant in the Yumal Contests, a galactic game against an alien species. He must overcome his fears and limitations to win because these games are not just a casual sporting event… his life hangs in the balance.



My Royal Pain Quest by Laura Lond ~ How far would a villain go to help a friend? Lord Arkus of Blackriver Castle thinks doing three heroic deeds is a bit too far.



Miya Black, Pirate Princess by Ben White ~ Sword fights. Ships. Duels in the rain. Unstoppable determination. The story of a girl who would do anything to protect her home; Miya Black, Pirate Princess.



Charlotte Powers, Power Down by Ben White ~ The diary of would-be greatest superhero Charlotte Powers. With the powers of super-strength, super-agility and phase-shifting, how can she fail? How indeed.



Shada by Craig Hansen ~ If you could speak to the dead, anyone at all, who would it be? When Jeni asked this question, Shada Emery figured it was a joke. So both she and Willow joined in the fun, naming their favorite dead celebrities. And then there was Ember Cole. Ember wants one more talk with her Grandpa Normie, whose death a year ago began a year of tragedy. So when Jeni suggests a camping trip into the dense woods of northwestern Wisconsin to hold a seance, Shada and Willow put off their misgivings and agree for the sake of their friend. Ember hopes to find the answers she seeks among the dead. But sometimes the dead have their own agenda.




Starfire Angels, Broken Wings, Crystal Tomb, and Origins of Dark Angel by Melanie Nilles ~ Starfire Angels, is about a teen "angel" who grew up on Earth believing she was human discovering what she really is and learning to become what she was meant to be. In the process, she falls in love with one of her own kind sent to train her while they fight those who would kill to claim the Starfire Crystal shard that she protects.




Descendant: The Protector by Daniel Koch ~ A mass genocide of the human race. A world in quarantine. And only one person can save it all.






A Little Magic by Valerie Gillen ~ She didn't believe in magic--until the magic chose her.






The Fisherman's Son, The City of the Golden Sun, and Return of the Golden Age by Marilyn Peake ~ From James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief of the Midwest Book Review: "...The Fisherman's Son is an original novel by Marilyn Peake about Wiley O'Mara, a twelve-year-old boy, living on an island up north during the beginning of the nineteenth century. Wiley befriends a dolphin and undertakes an incredible rescue mission, as well as a memorable journey through the wonders of the North Atlantic Ocean. The Fisherman's Son is a delightful and colorfully narrated tale which documents Marilyn Peake as a story teller of considerable narrative skill."



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