Character Interview with Anita from Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler

Today I have the pleasure of having one of Ann Redisch Stampler's characters on the blog to answer some of my questions! Anita makes an appearance in Where It Began and is one of Gabby's best friends. You must check out this book! I've read it and it's wonderful.

Anita, welcome to the blog! Let's get started!


1) What do you think about Gabby and her accident?

It was a nightmare. One minute Billy Nash looks at her, the next minute she’s lost the ability to think. We all knew what he was like right from the start, there were so many rumors. You don’t want to believe all that gossip, but really, you know that cliché about where there’s smoke, there’s fire? Probably it wouldn’t be such a popular cliché if there wasn’t an element of truth to it.

My mother keeps telling me, you didn’t go to that party, you didn’t get drunk, you didn’t lie down with some terrible American boy. Stop beating yourself on the head with a mallet. This isn’t your fault.

But really, that first day Gabby couldn’t utter a single sentence without the word “Billy,” I wish I’d said something. There are so many times I could have said, “I don’t care if you don’t want to talk about it. Listen to me.”

Because maybe the accident was an avoidable nightmare. Just maybe.

2) Can you tell me a theme song to your life right now and why you chose that one?

“The Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine. I take is as meaning that you can leave the feeling of not being quite alive behind you, that the possibility of things being different and intense and happy is right there, even if the feeling of it is shocking to you. But you have to run with it.

3) What's your life motto?
Dig your well before you’re thirsty.

It’s something my grandmother says. I’m a planner, there’s no getting around it. It’s supposed to be a good thing, but it isn’t always.

4) What was your last text message?

I’ll be back by 10. I’m with Lisa in the library.

(And I guess something has snapped, because that’s not where I was.)

5) If you could go back and change one day in your life up until now, what would be?

I would tell Alain, this French man I met in India in the summer, how I felt about him. I know that nothing could have come of it, but why didn’t I tell him? Why did I walk out of that restaurant and leave him sitting there watching me leave, and not turn around? Why did I have to be so careful and so practical and so ridiculously in control of myself?

Thanks so much for hanging out on the blog for a while and telling us a little bit about you. A big thanks to Ann Redisch Stampler as well! As I said before, Where It Began is definitely something you need to check out if you love a moving contemporary novel! It was hard to put down.

Teaser Tuesday (73)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that pageBe careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others!Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles!

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

Here's the thing: I don't choose to take things. I have to. I've always had to do certain things, since the day I turned seven and begin to insist that I wanted to stay six.

--Pg. 15 of an ARC of "The Butterfly Clues" by Kate Ellison

I haven't actually stared this book but I'm excited to begin it today! The teaser looks fun and I can't wait to meet Lo!

What's your teaser this week?

A Million Gorgeous Cover Alerts

Since I've been away for a little while, the world has been abuzz with cover reveals. And man have there been some stellar reveals. Check out all the covers I've come across that I can't wait for and get ready for your wishlist to grow that much thicker!

Gravity by Melissa West

In the future, only one rule will matter: Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed--arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know--especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.

Gravity is out from Entangled Publishing in October 2012.

Hanging by a Thread by Sophie Littlefield

Summer is the best part of the year in Winston, California, and the Fourth of July is the highlight of the season. But the perfect town Clare remembers has changed, and everyone is praying that this summer will be different from the last two—that this year's Fourth of July festival won't see one of their own vanish without a trace, leaving no leads and no suspects. The media are in a frenzy predicting a third disappearance, but the town depends on tourist dollars, so the residents of Winston are trying desperately to pretend nothing's wrong.

And they're not the only ones hiding something.

Clare, a seamstress who redesigns vintage clothing, has been blessed—or perhaps cursed—with a gift: she can see people's pasts when she touches their clothes. When she stumbles across a denim jacket that once belonged to Amanda Stavros, last year's Fourth of July victim, Clare sees her perfect town begin to come apart at the seams.

In a town where appearance means everything, how deep beneath the surface will Clare dig to uncover a murderer?

Hanging by a Thread is out September 11, 2012 from Delacorte.

34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.

Now Ellie's dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they begin to confront the darkest truths about themselves, they will also find out what Ellie herself had been hiding all along...

34 Pieces of You is out September 1, 2012 from Simon Pulse.

 Ten by Gretchen McNeil

And their doom comes swiftly.

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives – an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school's most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off the from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

Ten comes out September 18, 2012 by Balzer + Bray.

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

15 year old Tiger Lily, proud and fierce, wild and misunderstood, doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland, and immediately falls under his spell. Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, big-hearted but hard to reach, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything - her family, her future - to be with the haunted, hunted, courageous boy who loves her. When - as a punishment for her rebellious ways - she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

Tiger Lily is  out July 3, 2012 from Harper Collins.

My Heart Be Damned by Chanelle Gray

If you're a Hunter, there are only three things you must know about the Damned. The Damned can't lie, can't live without a body, and can't leave you alone.

Amerie Carter has the blood of a Hunter, unfortunately. She is one of a rare line of women who, upon her sixteenth birthday, will come into extraordinary powers used to hunt the Damned; escaped souls from Hell who take up residence in human bodies. It's supposed to be her sweet sixteen, but Amerie has never dreaded a day more, and her worst fears are confirmed as the celebration turns tragic when her mother is killed.

Grief-stricken, Amerie vows to never hunt a day in her life. She's determined to hide behind normalcy, attending school, hanging out with her friends and working an after-school job at The Hut. All Amerie wants is to be left alone. But try telling the Damned that. The harder Amerie tries to ignore her powers, the more the Damned come looking for her.

When an attack leaves one of Amerie's friends in the hospital, and endangers the lives of her fellow students, she knows she has no choice: Hunt or Be Hunted. Thankfully, the gorgeous, secretive, and so-off-limits Marshall offers to train Amerie to take out her supernatural enemies. But training with Marshall means leading lying to her friends, her family, and confronting the mysterious circumstances surrounding her mother’s death.

Amerie soon discovers she’s not the only one with something to hide, Marshall's secrets might kill her before the Damned get the chance.

My Heart Be Damned is out July 15, 2012 from Knight romance Publishing.

Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson

When Ellie and her brother Graham are shipped off for a summer in Norway, she has no idea she's in for the adventure of her life. Her biggest worries are getting out from her perfect older brother’s shadow and concealing her crush
 on Graham's best friend, Tucker—who’s suddenly tagging along for the trip.

The moment Ellie sets foot in the small town of Skavapol, she stumbles into a mystery that will change her forever. Boys are disappearing under impossible circumstances, and kids in town blame her. When Graham is the next to be kidnapped by ferocious yet beautiful girls, something powerful and ancient awakens within her. Strange and terrifying forces are at work in their tiny corner of Norway and Ellie and Tucker are the only ones who stop them and rescue Graham.

Valkyrie Rising is out October 9, 2012 from Harper Teen.

Hidden by Sophie Jordan

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.

The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....

Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

Hidden is out September 11, 2012 from Harper Teen.

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.

Defiance is out August 28, 2012 by Balzer + Bray.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near-impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one unlikely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life– a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha… and the secrets of her heart.

Shadow and Bone is out June 5, 2012 by Henry Holt and Co.

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

NEVER LET ME GO meets HIS DARK MATERIALS in a beautiful, haunting YA debut, the first book in The Hybrid Trilogy.

Eva and Addie live in a world where everyone is born with two souls, but where only the dominant one is allowed to survive childhood. Fifteen years old, and closer even than twins, the girls are keeping Eva, the ‘second soul’, a secret. They know that it’s forbidden to be hybrid, but how could they ever be apart?

When a dramatic event reveals what really happens to hybrids if they are discovered, Eva and Addie face a dangerous fight for survival, neither wanting to be the one left behind…

What's Left of Me is out September 18, 2012 from Harper Teen.

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.

Starling is out August 15, 2012 from Harper Teen.

Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

The enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I'm falling in love with him. He says they're coming. He says they're angry. And I think I've already helped them win.

Luminosity is out November 15, 2012 from Entangled Publishing.

Through To You by Emily Hainsworth

A romantic sci-fi thriller about love and second chances.

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the pain meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become, and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

Through To You is out October 2, 2012 from Balzer + Bray.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.

As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, TIME BETWEEN US is a stunning and spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new talent in YA fiction.

Time Between Us is out October 9, 2012 from Hyperion.

As you can see, 2012 is a rocking year for amazing covers and awesome concepts. All of these books really do look amazing. I'm particularly in love with the covers for Through To You, Starling, Defiance and Valkyrie Rising. What are you loving?

In My Mailbox (73)

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

I haven't done an IMM in a few weeks so this is for several weeks!

From Egmont:

• The Savage Grace by Bree Despain

From Scholastic:

• Abandon by Meg Cabot

From Barnes & Noble:

• Saving June by Hannah Harrington
• The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder
• A Million Suns by Beth Revis
• The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams

I want to thank the amazing publishing houses for sending me two very awesome books! I've got a copy of The Alchemy of Forever and Abandon so I'll be giving those two beauties away! Thanks for checking what I got IMM. 

What's in your mailbox?

Saturday Discussions: Blogger Breaks

As some of you may have noticed, my blog has been a bit scarce these last few weeks because I've taken some time away from the blog and reading to re-organize my life. I was shocked at what I found had happened while my eyes had been glued to the computer screen. I'm happy to say that I've been able to re-prioritize things to make my life happier and healthier. But the cost has been cutting back on blogging. And I have to say, it's a great thing (though I've been terrible with follow through lately so if I owe you something, I'm really sorry).

What I was to talk about is how you feel about blogger breaks. To do this, I need to be honest. Back in my blogging hayday, I really didn't get them. I'd hear blogger complain that this all feels like work and I'd wonder why they even started a blog if they want to complain. I was blogging everyday, sometimes more than once and had loads of posts set up. This stuff really isn't hard.

But then I turned around from the screen. I looked at the number of books I'd acquired, all the tough due dates I'd put myself under and something sort of just broke inside me. I love writing and reading. It helps me escape. But I'd escaped out of my own life so much that I wasn't really living it anymore and the people I love had noticed.

Suddenly, the four or five hours a day I'd put into blogging seemed like way too much (because it was). Unfortunately for me, I still haven't found a great balance for all this. Right now, I find I really don't want to blog or read because I'm blaming it for something that I did. But blogging and reading are things that I love and things that I plan on sticking with. Just in moderation.

I've come to realize that taking a week off can be the only way to really let yourself wind down. This is not a job, it's supposed to be fun and the second you lose sight of that, you are in trouble.

I'm not perfect at figuring this thing out. I'm sure I'll stumble more along the way. But I'm excited to be trying.

Have you stepped away from the screen lately to see what's going on right behind you? I hope you all will just take a moment to breath. It'll make you a much happier blogger.

What are your thoughts on blogging breaks? Have you found your balance?

Happily Ever Endings... Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Happily Ever Endings... was born out of sheer frustration. You know how when you read a series and you love it but the last book takes a little while to come out and then you sort of forget parts of the novel? That's what these posts are going to serve to remedy. Happily Ever Ending... is a short post about what happened at the ending of each book that is going to be in a series for people who need a quick reminder of what happened in the previous installment. I hope this saves someone else the frustration that I went through!

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster. 

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though. 

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters. 

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Click "Read more" to read the ending of Sweet Venom so you'll be ready for the next installment of the series!

The Time Will Come (33): There You'll Find Me by Jenny B Jones

The Time Will Come is a weekly meme started by Books for Company which spotlights books that have been sitting unread on our shelves for too long.

Want to join in?:
- Pick a book you have been meaning to read
- Do a post telling us about the book
- Link the post up in the linky at Books for Company
- Visit the other blogs!

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B Jones

Grief brought Finley to Ireland. LOVE WILL LEAD HER HOME. 

Finley Sinclair is not your typical eighteen-year-old. She's witty, tough, and driven. With an upcoming interview at the Manhattan music conservatory, Finley needs to compose her audition piece. But her creativity disappeared with the death of her older brother, Will. 

She decides to study abroad in Ireland so she can follow Will's travel journal. It's the place he felt closest to God, and she's hopeful being there will help her make peace over losing him. So she agrees to an exchange program and boards the plane. 

Beckett Rush, teen heartthrob and Hollywood bad boy, is flying to Ireland to finish filming his latest vampire movie. On the flight, he meets Finley. She's the one girl who seems immune to his charm. Undeterred, Beckett convinces her to be his assistant in exchange for his help as a tour guide. 

Once in Ireland, Finley starts to break down. The loss of her brother and the pressure of school, her audition, and whatever it is that is happening between her and Beckett, leads her to a new and dangerous vice. When is God going to show up for her in this emerald paradise? 

Then she experiences something that radically changes her perspective on life. Could it be God convincing her that everything she's been looking for has been with her all along?

Of course, this is another case of so little time and so many wonderful books. I read some very glowing reviews on this one though and need to get to it since my biggest love is Ireland. I've always wanted to go there so a book set in Ireland would be perfect for me. Can't wait to find the time!

What has been on your shelf too long?

Waiting On Wednesday 66: Silver, 34 Pieces of You and Tiger Lily

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where you can post about upcoming books you're looking forward to. This is a wonderful chance for blogger to show off what's coming out soon that they are excited about! Every week my wishlist balloons thanks to this awesome meme.

Silver by Talia Vance

Beauty is pointless when no one's looking.

Brianna Paxton has been invisible to guys since the eighth grade. She’s pretty enough, it’s just that no one bothers to look. There’s almost nothing that can’t be explained with science, and Brianna has a theory: she’s missing the pheromone that attracts people to one another. Brianna’s theory is shot to hell in one frozen, silver moment, when time stops and Blake Williams not only sees her, he recognizes something inside her that she’s been hiding from even herself.

Before Brianna fully understands who and what she is, she accidentally binds her soul to Blake. Forced to find a way to reconcile forbidden love and her bloody heritage, Brianna discovers that there's nothing pointless about her, and Blake may be in the most danger of all.

Silver is out September 8th 2012 by Flux.

This looks like an interesting take on the whole paranormal forbidden romance thing. I like that it's the girl and it's interesting that she seems really detached. The whole "bloody heritage" thing sealed the deal for me.

34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues

There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.

Now Ellie's dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind. 34 strips of paper hidden in a box beneath her bed. 34 secrets of a brief and painful life.

Jake, Sarah, and Jess all feel responsible for what happened to Ellie, and all three have secrets of their own. As they begin to confront the darkest truths about themselves, they will also find out what Ellie herself had been hiding all along...

34 Pieces of You is out September 4th 2012 by Simon Pulse.

I like clues stories and the way this one is set up reminds me vaguely of 13 Reasons Why. I'll be interested to see where this is going!

Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson

15 year old Tiger Lily, proud and fierce, wild and misunderstood, doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland, and immediately falls under his spell. Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, big-hearted but hard to reach, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything - her family, her future - to be with the haunted, hunted, courageous boy who loves her. When - as a punishment for her rebellious ways - she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter. With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

Tiger Lily is out July 3rd 2012 by Harper Collins Children's Books.

My blog's name was going to either be Down The Rabbit Hole or something to do with Neverland. I love the story of Peter Pan so much so I'm definitely looking forward to this one. I'm especially excited to see it in the Indian Princess's point of view. She always fascinated me.

There are my WoW picks! What are you waiting on?

Back from Break & Winners

I had such a wonderful time on my break and was able to re-focus my life. Now I'm back and refreshed and ready to jump back into blogging though I'm going to be better about not letting it and reading completely take over my life. Thanks for hanging around during the pause!

So winner announcements. I've had quite a few contests come and go. Here are the results!

The winner for a copy of Incarnate is... Sarabara081!

The winner of a signed copy of The Butterfly Clues is... Cayce!

The winner of Shifting is... April Barger Hays!

All winners have been notified by email. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the near future!

Happily Ever Endings... Switched by Amanda Hocking

Happily Ever Endings... was born out of sheer frustration. You know how when you read a series and you love it but the last book takes a little while to come out and then you sort of forget parts of the novel? That's what these posts are going to serve to remedy. Happily Ever Ending... is a short summary of a series novel so that you are ready for the next in the series!

Switched by Amanda Hocking

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

Click "Read more" to read the ending of Switched so you'll be ready for the next installment of the series! 

The "Write" Facts Interview: Lauren DeStefano

The “Write” Facts is a new weekly post where I’m chatting with a different author every week about everything to do with writing. Here we’ll be discussing the writing process, editing, working with an agent, publishing houses and talking about some of the logistics of book you either already love or will soon be a new favorite!

This week brings Lauren DeStefano to the blog. Lauren DeStefano wrote Wither which is a dystopian that came out last year and Fever which comes out tomorrow!

Lauren DeStefano

Novel: WITHER (3/11) FEVER (2/12)
Agent: Barbara Poelle at Irene Goodman Literary Agency

Other authors repped by this agent: Sophie Littlefield
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Word Count: Roughly 88,000
Describe your novel in five words: A broken fairytale sans
vampires.
Favorite Word: Somnambulate
Writing is like (fill in blank): Getting punched in the everywhere.

1) Are you a plotter or a pantser (write without a plot to see where the story takes you)?

Something in between, I think? For Wither, I just started writing
with no idea what the story would be, and the more I wrote, the more the world appeared around me, and I started to draw lines and roughly plan things. They never go exactly as planned, though, so I don't get too married to an idea.

2) What do you think is the hardest part about writing? The easiest? 

The hardest part is actually writing. The easiest part is thinking and getting excited about new ideas.

3) Can you tell us about The Call and why you chose your agent? 

Ah, the call. It began in 2008 with a rejection letter. Fresh out of college, I'd just begun shopping my first manuscript, and I stopped counting the rejections after 140. One agent's rejection in particular was specific,
attentive, and invited me to try back with another project. That agent even checked in with me to see how my next manuscript was coming along. I really felt like we were simpatico and she was the ONLY agent I queried with my next project. About a week later, I got that "212 area code" call that every writer dreams of. First of all, she pronounced "DeStefano" correctly, and her exact phrasing was, "I just finished (name of MS that will never see daylight) and I want to rock it." So it goes from there.

4) Any tips or tricks of the trade that you use during the editing process that you’d like to share? 

I don't think there are any tricks and I wouldn't advise looking for one. If you have a drive and willingness to improve (no matter where you are in the game) and you have talent, you will get there. That's all it takes--drive and talent. Don't believe what the garden gnomes tell you; they're just trying to sell you a potion they've
fashioned from squirrel spit.

5) Can you tell us how you felt when you got the file for your novel cover and opened it? 

First, I got a text from my agent that was along the lines of, "I just saw your cover, I love it, they nailed it, my husband saw it, he loves it, I showed it to strangers on the subway and everyone loves it." My agent really isn't the sort to say things like that; she's got an incredible poker face, so for this level of excitement I knew it was going to be great. Sure enough, the cover was more than I could have wished for. It was so amazing that I sort of went into shock and I had to look at it several times over the course of a few days before my brain started seeing all the different props and elements. Basically, I feel like it's a perfect manifestation of Rhine's thoughts and her father-in-law's basement.

6) What has been your best experience as a published writer? 

Interacting with my readers. All my life, I've been a storyteller, and I've only told those stories in my own head. The day I got published, I set my thoughts out for thousands of readers to find, and they are reacting, and that means a lot to me.

7) What’s it like working with your agent? Are they hands on? 

Oh goodness. I don't know if I can articulate the bond I have with my agent. We've been through three pre-Wither manuscripts and a lot of heartbreaks together. When we first signed in 2008, she gave me a prompt to write 20 synopses. One in particular was a favorite of hers; I thought it was too ambitious and I wasn't ready to write it, so I set it aside. In late 2009, that synopsis grew into Wither. I say something to this effect in my acknowledgements, but without that prompt, and without my agent, this story probably wouldn't exist. Hands on is an understatement.

8) Can you show us your favorite place to write (could be your desk, a favorite café, the most comfy couch in the world)? 

My favorite place is my home office. It used to be a dingy attic with a pink carpet and a hole in the wall for circulation. I completely redid it, and it's the most "me" room in the house. I spend almost all of my time in it. 

The before: http://twitpic.com/7lqko1 and the after: http://twitpic.com/7lqkxs/full

9) How do you feel about using online media? Has the effect been over all good or have there been some drawbacks? 

I love online social media. I love that readers share their thoughts with me, and I love that they ask me about my cats.

10) What is your best piece of advice for aspiring authors? 

Don't take advice too seriously.

Finally, I've got to get a question in about Fever!

Bonus question: I love Rhine but she seemed a bit lonely in WITHER. If you could pick another literary character to be her best friend, who would it be and why? 

Several years ago, I read a book called 26A by Diana Evans, and it's one of those rare reads that forever impacted the way I think, both as a writer and as a regular human person. The impact was sharp at
first--I saw the world in brighter, sadder colors--and eventually it ebbed and settled into the crevices of my brain and now I can no longer tell which thoughts are my own and which are inspired by that book. It's also
about twins--sisters. I would say that Rhine would relate well with Bessi, who saw the wonder in things and was caught between having a life of her own and worrying for her twin. Rhine is always looking forward, always trying to live and to find a purpose to things, but quite often she looks back at the space where her twin brother should be. She doesn't feel like a complete person without that twinness, and neither does Bessi.

I want to thank Lauren DeStefano for stopping by and giving us some insight into her journey in writing! Next week, Kelly Keaton is going to be in the interview seat so we can get all the "write" facts!

Taking the rest of the week

I don't know how much you guys have noticed but I've been a little MIA this past week. I've had some recent things come up that have just left me drained. I want to assure you all that I'll be back to regular posting and commenting by Monday and I hope you all have an awesome rest of the week!

My Fair Book Date Perfect Picks!

Everyone knows that it's fun to be a part of the event but who doesn't love a little gossip? That's why we are spilling all the juicy details of the My Fair Book Date event going on right now. Find out who is seeing who and what each matchmaker had to say when hunting for the perfect date for the matchee! Settle in for all the latest news.


Looks like love is truly in the air for Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. This stud of a book has captured the attention of three matchmakers and has been set up with three very wonderful ladies.

• Alexia561's matchmaker said "It's a cross between The Hunger Games and "X-Men. It's got a rockin' cover. It's got beautiful prose. Who wouldn't want to read this book? 
• KM from One Page At A Time Reviews's matchmaker said "I recommend Shatter Me as KM's book date for the month because I do know that it's a good story". 
• Bella from Cheezyfoot Books's matchmaker said "Anyone who knows me has already BEEN recommended this book, and many of them inevitably fell in love with it after reading it." 

Here are the other recommendations from our awesome matchmakers!

-Grandma's Daffodil's matchmaker set her up with A Witch In Winter saying "A Witch In Winter was consistently praised for having a strong heroine and a very likable / lovable love interest."

-Jaskirat from See It or Read It's matchmaker set her up with Bittersweet by Ockler saying "you really can't ask for a better date. Cupcakes and hockey boys!"

-Jazmin from Books!!!'s matchmaker chose Corsets and Clockwork saying "Dating should be casual, and this book is like speed dating! Fourteen different authors present short stories perfect for a quick get-to-know-you cup of coffee."

-Kathy from I Read I Write I review got set up with Delirium by Lauren Oliver and her matchmaker said "Delirium is one of those stories that leaves you wondering about a future controlled by a government whose people trusted & believed in too much."

-Lori from Pure Imagination is being set up with Stay be Deb Caletti and her matchmaker said "after reading a lot of reviews, it sounds like a really well written, genuine, and moving book".

-Katie from Books Are Dreams will be seeing Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale because the matchmaker said "I wanted to find a book that would make you laugh, cry, and fall in love "

-April X is reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson because her matchmaker said "I think it will be a quick fun read for her."

-Jessica from The Midnight Bookworm will be reading The Caldarian Conflict by Mike Kalmbach. Her matchmaker recommended she "reads The Caldarian Conflict before she goes to sleep (let's say from 6 - 9 p.m) so her dreams involve epic fantasy and pirates and monks."

-Theresa from Fade Into Fantasy was set up with Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout because it's "something with extra spices in it ."

-Debz from Debz Book Shelf will be reading Cinder by Marissa Meyer because her matchmaker wants her "to have a good time with her blind date."

-Hannah from In The Best Worlds will be reading Above from Leah Bobbett because her matchmaker said "ABOVE sounds like it will incorporate elements from many of my friend's favorite books."

-Erika from One A Day YA was set up with Inside Out by Maria V Snyder because "It's set in a very unique world, and it's full of action and excitement".

-Jam from Boo Bird Books is reading Across the Universe by Beth Revis because "it's a romance, adventure, and murder mystery in SPACE".

-Ephrielle from Hope Love Happy Endings is reading Switched by Amanda Hocking becuase her matchmaker said "after reading some reviews and watching the book trailer for Switched - I realized it was the perfect book to suggest."

-Ketaura is reading The Pledge by Kimberly Derting because a friend of the matchmaker read and loved it!

-Juhina was set up with Legend by Marie Lu because the matchmaker "personally fell in love with this book".

-Farah from Tumbling Into Books is reading Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr because the matchmaker has read it and it "has a very original setting and the characters are wicked and lovely".

-Chrystal from Snowdrop Dreams of Books will be reading Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor because it is "exceptional in every way - it's wonderfully written and Laini Taylor has incredible storytelling abilities".

-Stephanie has been set up with Every Which Way But Dead (The Hollows, #3) by Kim Harrison because "this book will provide her with an entertaining date with small possibility of regret."

-Teri from Dreaming Dreams No Mortal Ever Dared is reading Ditched by Mellom because " It's just a fun humorous story that is a great pick me up book."

As you can see, things are about to get pretty steamy here. Check back later this month for a survey to find out how all the dates went!

The "Write" Facts Interview: Courtney King Walker

The “Write” Facts is a new weekly post where I’m chatting with a different author every week about everything to do with writing. Here we’ll be discussing the writing process, editing, working with an agent, publishing houses and talking about some of the logistics of book you either already love or will soon be a new favorite!

This week, Courtney King Walker is here to talk about her novel ON THE FRINGE and to share her writing journey. Set back, relax and prepare to chat about all things writing!

Courtney King Walker

Novel: On the Fringe
Agent: I currently don’t have an agent.
Publisher: Lands Atlantic Publishing
Word Count: just over 70,000
Describe your novel in five words: First love lost. Then found. *(It also works as an anagram. Sort of. Check it out)
Favorite Word: Inconceivable!
Writing is like (fill in blank): Being a kid again.

1) Are you a plotter or a pantser (write without a plot to see where the story takes you)?

A little of both. I always seem to start with an opening scene, and then build the story around that. Sometimes that opening scene will end up in the middle of the story instead of the beginning, but that is where the initial idea comes from. Then I build on that. Unfortunately, I also lose all my stamina if I don’t have a basic outline to follow (and some munchies nearby). So I always eventually deviate from the “master plan” as I go along…sort of like how real life works— it seems I never actually end up exactly where I’d planned. But I’m still happy when I get there, and grateful for the journey.

2) What are some of the things you do to motivate yourself to write? Do you have any goals set up, rewards or do you not need motivation? 

Music inspires me more than anything else. My little sister makes these playlists for me with all sorts of killer music that no one has discovered yet. Literally dozens of times I’ve been in the movies and at the mall, only to hear a ‘new’ song she’d turned me on to well over a year ago.

One character in On the Fringe, Aden, was inspired by a song by Mirah, called “The Garden,” also a crazy creepy delicious dance performed on “So You Think You Can Dance” three years ago. I modeled Aden after the character in that dance.

Another song that really inspired the whole idea of Claire and Daniel’s brief connection to each other is a song by Sea Wolf called “Middle Distance Runner.” It is a haunting, beautiful song that gets me every time. The words mean something like, he is a middle distance runner so he can’t reach her because she is too far away, so she’ll need to come meet him halfway, instead. That is the essence of Claire and Daniel’s story.

Here are the links to them on YouTube (if you’re okay with posting them):

Middle Distance Runner-

The Garden Dance -


I also have a playlist on my website – courtneykingwalker.com

3) Can you tell us about The Call from your publisher?

 I can tell you about The Call from my publisher. I’d just come home from a business trip with my husband, and had decided that after a year of trying to get published, it was time to put my manuscript in a drawer and start on something new. And then my phone rang. It was my (now current) publisher, telling me how much she loved my book and that she wanted to publish it. When I got off the phone, the first thing I did was cry. Which is a big deal for me because I’m sort of waterproof, even at funerals and at Nicholas Sparks movies. Anyway, I literally cried out loud, and said a little prayer of thanks before doing anything else (like calling my husband or breathing).

4) What is the most important part of editing?

That is such a tough question! I actually really love editing, which makes me crazy, according to my 15-year-old son. When I was helping him with an English paper, he said to me, disgusted, of course, “You actually like writing? I’d rather do ten pages of algebra than this.” I guess I shouldn’t expect him to follow in my footsteps.

I would have to say that, other than making sure there are no glaring errors, getting the “voice” right is probably most important and most difficult part of editing for me, because that is what gives the book its personality. In “On the Fringe” the POV is written for both Claire and Daniel, which made the task doubly hard; it was definitely the most challenging part for me, trying to make each voice unique and consistent from beginning to end.

5) How do you deal with rejection?

I am a graphic designer, and in college one of the first things my design professors taught me was to accept criticism as part of the game, as a way to make you be a better artist. So I do see rejection and criticism in that light. Anyone who is creative and puts their work out there won’t ever grow if they buckle under the pressure. But, no matter how constructive it is, rejection still hurts (though, as mentioned above, it doesn’t make me cry! YET).

6) What is something you didn’t expect to happen after you published your novel?

Seeing my parents’ genuine pride in me, and their enthusiasm for my accomplishment. It seemed a given for them to cheer me on and encourage my every achievement when I was a kid. Like, that was their job, right? So after being away from home for so long, it was surreal and overwhelming and touching to come home for a book signing and have my mom and dad there for me, cheering me on, being my number one fans. I felt like I’d just won first place in the spelling bee, or scored a winning goal in soccer. Seeing such love and pride in their eyes, if nothing else, was worth more than anything else I could gain from this.

7) What is your best piece of advice for aspiring authors?

Write something meaningful that holds a place in your heart. That way, no matter what anyone else thinks or says or does, you know you wrote something you can stand by and be proud of. I think one of the most important things we can learn in life is that our own view of ourselves is much more important than anyone else’s. Sometimes we try so hard to get other people to like us that we forget how to love ourselves.

Finally, while I have Courtney here, I had to ask her a question about ON THE FRINGE!


Bonus question: Claire seems lost and searching. What do you think she'd bring along on her journey as a compass to remind her of herself?

Such a great question (at which my son would cringe)! I think Claire would bring with her a little flickering candle, barely lit, but definitely burning. By the end of the novel, Claire becomes a beacon of light, not just to those around her, but also to herself and even to those on the other side. Her courage to believe in herself and overcome her fears, especially when everything around her is foggy and unclear, is really the catalyst to each character finding their very own ‘happy ending.’

I want to give a big thanks to Courtney King Walker for stopping by the blog today and answering my questions! Next week, Lauren DeStefano is dropping by to discuss all things writing!

In My Mailbox (72)

In my mailbox is a weekly meme created by The Story Siren that encourages other book bloggers to share what they bought, won, begged for or borrowed. It is usually held on Sundays!

From HarperTeen:

• Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
• Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
• Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
• The Selection by Kiera Cass

Thanks so much to HarperTeen for sending these my way! To all the Southern Book Bloggers, know that these titles will be going on tour in a while.

From St. Martin's Griffin:

• Torn by Amanda Hocking
• The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

I want to thank St. Martin's Griffin for sending these books my way. Both The Hunt and This Is Not A Test will also go on tour soon for Southern Book Bloggers.

From St. Martin's Press:

• The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont

Purchased from Books-A-Million:

• Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
• The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
• The Juliet Spell by Douglas Rees

I've read both Incarnate and The Way We Fall and loved them so I wanted finished copies. Can't wait to read The Juliet Spell!

As you can see, I had an awesome week! What did you get in your mailbox?