Cyn Balog's Blog, page 3
May 14, 2014
Blog Hop!
Omigosh! I got tagged by my writing friend Charlotte Bennardo who is the author of BLONDE OPS and also happens to have the best chocolate swag in the whole world at her signings.
And then for some reason I got shut out of my blog for a few days. This was supposed to go up on Monday. So ANYWAY, pardon my lateness.
1. What are you working on?
I am working on the sequel to DROWNED, which is called BURIED. It's coming out in 2015.
2. Tell me one element of your current work that you really love.
I'm excited to finally be writing a series. I've written 5 stand-alone novels and everyone always asked me, "Are you ever going to revisit those characters?" and I kept saying, Geez, no, I'm so sick of those people! I couldn't understand why my readers weren't, too. But then I went back and read one of my books and toward the end I really felt like I could've spent more time with them.
So now that I'm writing a book with the same characters, I kind of feel like I know them more intimately than I've known any of my other characters. It makes my writing life a lot easier, knowing exactly how a character would respond to a certain obstacle! And I finally have come to really love my characters and will probably be sad when I have to say goodbye to them.
3. What part of the book did you most love to write?
There is a rivalry that sprouts up between two of the characters, and I find that to be extremely fun! Other than that, I LOVE writing the end of a book. And not just because it's the end. I love reworking that last line to make it something that will stick with the reader.
4. In your writing process, what was the most difficult?
There are a lot of authors who write sequels for every book they come up with, whether or not it needs one. That's not me AT ALL. So trust me, this book needed a sequel.
But for this book, as excited as I was to write a sequel, I wasn't really sure I could. I was hung up thinking that this book would need to take place immediately after the events of the first book. I wrote it and wrote it a thousand different ways and it was SO DULL. I kept thinking, this book needs a sequel, and I owe it to the characters and to the readers who stayed with me this long to write something that doesn't put them in a coma.
Then I made the decision to start the book several months after the events of the first book. And then it all clicked. Or at least, I'm hoping it's all clicking!!
And now I am tagging Margie Gelbwasser, who is the coolest, funnest chick in the world and also writes awesome books, like INCONVENIENT and PIECES OF US. I hope she'll answer the same questions on her blog! :)
And then for some reason I got shut out of my blog for a few days. This was supposed to go up on Monday. So ANYWAY, pardon my lateness.
1. What are you working on?
I am working on the sequel to DROWNED, which is called BURIED. It's coming out in 2015.
2. Tell me one element of your current work that you really love.
I'm excited to finally be writing a series. I've written 5 stand-alone novels and everyone always asked me, "Are you ever going to revisit those characters?" and I kept saying, Geez, no, I'm so sick of those people! I couldn't understand why my readers weren't, too. But then I went back and read one of my books and toward the end I really felt like I could've spent more time with them.
So now that I'm writing a book with the same characters, I kind of feel like I know them more intimately than I've known any of my other characters. It makes my writing life a lot easier, knowing exactly how a character would respond to a certain obstacle! And I finally have come to really love my characters and will probably be sad when I have to say goodbye to them.
3. What part of the book did you most love to write?
There is a rivalry that sprouts up between two of the characters, and I find that to be extremely fun! Other than that, I LOVE writing the end of a book. And not just because it's the end. I love reworking that last line to make it something that will stick with the reader.
4. In your writing process, what was the most difficult?
There are a lot of authors who write sequels for every book they come up with, whether or not it needs one. That's not me AT ALL. So trust me, this book needed a sequel.
But for this book, as excited as I was to write a sequel, I wasn't really sure I could. I was hung up thinking that this book would need to take place immediately after the events of the first book. I wrote it and wrote it a thousand different ways and it was SO DULL. I kept thinking, this book needs a sequel, and I owe it to the characters and to the readers who stayed with me this long to write something that doesn't put them in a coma.
Then I made the decision to start the book several months after the events of the first book. And then it all clicked. Or at least, I'm hoping it's all clicking!!
And now I am tagging Margie Gelbwasser, who is the coolest, funnest chick in the world and also writes awesome books, like INCONVENIENT and PIECES OF US. I hope she'll answer the same questions on her blog! :)
May 1, 2014
Two Months Til DROWNED!
It's crazy that in fewer than 2 months, DROWNED will be out in the world! Where did the time go?
Here's a bit of praise for it:
"Coe’s voice is tough but eloquent, saturated with the bleakness of Tides and her hopeless romance . . . An atmospheric, uneasy tale of survival." -- Kirkus Reviews
"This is a world like you've never seen before but with themes and issues that strike surprisingly close to home. A thrilling, brilliant read!" -- Aprilynne Pike, NYT Bestselling Author of Wings
"A resourceful and smart heroine and a society literally on the edge of survival. Take a deep breath. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop!" -- Maria V. Snyder, NYT Bestselling Author of Poison Study
"Suspense mounts as Coe and Tiam explore the labyrinth beneath the royal palace and the mysteries of their island’s past. A fantasy twist toward the end . . . fits perfectly with the fairy tales Coe retells throughout the novel." -- Publisher's Weekly
"A gripping and romantic tale featuring a truly original heroine facing seemingly insurmountable odds. I loved it!" -- Morgan Rhodes, NYT Bestselling Author of Fallen Kingdoms
As of now, I'm busy revising the sequel and planning maybe a third book? I don't know.
I hope you'll read DROWNED and let Coe and Tiam into your lives! Join #TeamTiam. He is looking for a few good people to face the tides with. Just make sure you stay in your circle.
March 26, 2014
Goodreads Giveaway for DROWNED
Just FYI that my publisher, Harlequin TEEN, is giving away 25 copies of DROWNED on Goodreads!
If you'd like to nab your own before you can buy it, just click on the ENTER TO WIN button on the left-hand side of this page, or visit the page here. Good luck!
If you'd like to nab your own before you can buy it, just click on the ENTER TO WIN button on the left-hand side of this page, or visit the page here. Good luck!
March 12, 2014
WIN an ARC of DROWNED by Nicola Reilly! Enter by 3/17/14
Hey! I'm giving away a couple ARCs of DROWNED, so you can read it way before it comes out on 6/24. All you have to do is comment here (comments will be hidden).
If you REALLY want to win, you can get a double-entry by also liking the Nichola Reilly page on facebook (see the button on the left-hand side), and then share the status. :)
I'll pick the winners after 3/17/14. Good luck!
Coe is one of the few remaining teenagers on the island of Tides. Deformed and weak, she is constantly reminded that in a world where dry land dwindles at every high tide, she is not welcome. The only bright spot in her harsh and difficult life is the strong, capable Tiam—but love has long ago been forgotten by her society. The only priority is survival.
Until the day their King falls ill, leaving no male heir to take his place. Unrest grows, and for reasons Coe cannot comprehend, she is invited into the privileged circle of royal aides. She soon learns that the dying royal is keeping a secret that will change their world forever.
Is there an escape from the horrific nightmare that their island home has become? Coe must race to find the answers and save the people she cares about, before their world and everything they know is lost to the waters.
If you REALLY want to win, you can get a double-entry by also liking the Nichola Reilly page on facebook (see the button on the left-hand side), and then share the status. :)
I'll pick the winners after 3/17/14. Good luck!
Coe is one of the few remaining teenagers on the island of Tides. Deformed and weak, she is constantly reminded that in a world where dry land dwindles at every high tide, she is not welcome. The only bright spot in her harsh and difficult life is the strong, capable Tiam—but love has long ago been forgotten by her society. The only priority is survival.
Until the day their King falls ill, leaving no male heir to take his place. Unrest grows, and for reasons Coe cannot comprehend, she is invited into the privileged circle of royal aides. She soon learns that the dying royal is keeping a secret that will change their world forever.
Is there an escape from the horrific nightmare that their island home has become? Coe must race to find the answers and save the people she cares about, before their world and everything they know is lost to the waters.
February 28, 2014
COVER REVEAL for THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN
One of the things I secretly LOVE is New Adult books. Those are books for ages 18 to 24. I've been reading a lot of them, and so I'm pleased to be one of the first to showcase this little beauty, THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN by Sarina Bowen, coming out March 17!
A little bit of info on THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN:
She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.
Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.
Also, he’s taken.
Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else can quite understand.
They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.
But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.
Warm, funny, and often heartbreaking, The Year We Fell Down is New Adult contemporary romance. Contains: hot hockey players, too many pairs of crutches, gallows humor, Princess Bride references, and a slightly outrageous vibrator scene. (Sexual situations make the book suitable for ages 18+.)
The expected publication date is Monday, March 17th, 2014, on all of your favorite e-book websites.
And on Sarina:
Sarina Bowen writes contemporary romance and new adult fiction from the Green Mountains of Vermont. She lives with her husband, two children, eight chickens and an unwieldy pile of ski and hockey equipment.
A little bit of info on THE YEAR WE FELL DOWN:
She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.
Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.
Also, he’s taken.
Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else can quite understand.
They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.
But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.
Warm, funny, and often heartbreaking, The Year We Fell Down is New Adult contemporary romance. Contains: hot hockey players, too many pairs of crutches, gallows humor, Princess Bride references, and a slightly outrageous vibrator scene. (Sexual situations make the book suitable for ages 18+.)
The expected publication date is Monday, March 17th, 2014, on all of your favorite e-book websites.
And on Sarina:
Sarina Bowen writes contemporary romance and new adult fiction from the Green Mountains of Vermont. She lives with her husband, two children, eight chickens and an unwieldy pile of ski and hockey equipment.
New Cover for DROWNED
What do you think? 
DROWNED, coming from Harlequin TEEN on June 24, 2014!
Coe is one of the few remaining teenagers on the island of Tides. Deformed and weak, she is constantly reminded that in a world where dry land dwindles at every high tide, she is not welcome. The only bright spot in her harsh and difficult life is the strong, capable Tiam—but love has long ago been forgotten by her society. The only priority is survival. Until the day their King falls ill, leaving no male heir to take his place. Unrest grows, and for reasons Coe cannot comprehend, she is invited into the privileged circle of royal aides. She soon learns that the dying royal is keeping a secret that will change their world forever. Is there an escape from the horrific nightmare that their island home has become? Coe must race to find the answers and save the people she cares about, before their world and everything they know is lost to the waters.
Praise for DROWNED:
"This is a world like you've never seen before but with themes and issues that strike surprisingly close to home. A thrilling, brilliant read!" -- Aprilynne Pike, NYT Bestselling Author of Wings
"A resourceful and smart heroine and a society literally on the edge of survival. Take a deep breath. Once you start reading, you won't be able to stop!" -- Maria V. Snyder, NYT Bestselling Author of Poison Study
"A gripping and romantic tale featuring a truly original heroine facing seemingly insurmountable odds. I loved it!" -- Morgan Rhodes, NYT Bestselling Author of Fallen Kingdoms
January 8, 2014
Happy New Year!
I think the theme of this blog should what a horrendously bad blogger I am.
Seriously. The last time I updated was . . . last summer? Yikes.
Time is totally flying! And I've been busy with a bunch of stuff. Like:
I've been working on revisions to DROWNED (under the Nichola Reilly pseudonym). It's coming out June 24, so that means, only six months away! The book is final, now, and now we're just waiting on a cover, which I will post here when it's ready. Any day now! I know, this blog will probably explode, getting two posts from me in a given month.I ALSO finished the draft of BURIED, my very first sequel!I ALSO published my VERY FIRST New Adult book. It's under a pseudonym that will not be named here. It was just for fun. Even so, the second one is coming out this April.I'm drafting another book, which is going to be under the Cyn Balog name. I think.
Anyway, that's where I've been. I would normally tell you my goals for 2014 right now, but I find that if I don't create those lists, I usually accomplish way more than I expected of myself. What can I say? I have low expectations.
I hope you have a very happy new year!
Seriously. The last time I updated was . . . last summer? Yikes.
Time is totally flying! And I've been busy with a bunch of stuff. Like:
I've been working on revisions to DROWNED (under the Nichola Reilly pseudonym). It's coming out June 24, so that means, only six months away! The book is final, now, and now we're just waiting on a cover, which I will post here when it's ready. Any day now! I know, this blog will probably explode, getting two posts from me in a given month.I ALSO finished the draft of BURIED, my very first sequel!I ALSO published my VERY FIRST New Adult book. It's under a pseudonym that will not be named here. It was just for fun. Even so, the second one is coming out this April.I'm drafting another book, which is going to be under the Cyn Balog name. I think.
Anyway, that's where I've been. I would normally tell you my goals for 2014 right now, but I find that if I don't create those lists, I usually accomplish way more than I expected of myself. What can I say? I have low expectations.
I hope you have a very happy new year!
July 30, 2013
Hello, Sunshine!
Once again, I am guilty of being a bad blogger and not updating.
Is it because my life is so full of excitement, jet-setting all over the world, that I can barely find the time?
No, it's pretty much because I have NOTHING to tell you that would be of interest. In fact, since my last post, I have spent 87% of the time crouching under a mossy rock.
Soooo, how's your summer been, slick? Mine's been keen. I didn't do summer school, either, contrary to the rumor. Yeah, Cyn Balog has pretty much been putzing around for months, and watching too much Dead Poet's Society.
DEAD RIVER is still doing great. Thank you everyone for reading, and for your nice comments!
TOUCHED comes out in paperback August 9!
Nichola, however, has been busy working on revisions to DROWNED and is now drafting BURIED.
DROWNED is going to be published in Germany! This is the most exciting German thing to happen to me since FAIRY TALE was published there. Yay!
Other than that, working on another secret project, and having fun. Gosh, the secret projects are the funnest, aren't they??
Have a great August!
Is it because my life is so full of excitement, jet-setting all over the world, that I can barely find the time?
No, it's pretty much because I have NOTHING to tell you that would be of interest. In fact, since my last post, I have spent 87% of the time crouching under a mossy rock.
Soooo, how's your summer been, slick? Mine's been keen. I didn't do summer school, either, contrary to the rumor. Yeah, Cyn Balog has pretty much been putzing around for months, and watching too much Dead Poet's Society.
DEAD RIVER is still doing great. Thank you everyone for reading, and for your nice comments!
TOUCHED comes out in paperback August 9!
Nichola, however, has been busy working on revisions to DROWNED and is now drafting BURIED.
DROWNED is going to be published in Germany! This is the most exciting German thing to happen to me since FAIRY TALE was published there. Yay!
Other than that, working on another secret project, and having fun. Gosh, the secret projects are the funnest, aren't they??
Have a great August!
May 18, 2013
School Library Journal Reviews DEAD RIVER
Normally I look forward to reviews as much as I look forward to dental work, but this one wasn't all that bad. :) DEAD RIVER BALOG, Cyn. Dead River. 256p. Delacorte. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74158-3; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99012-0; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98578-2. Gr 7 Up–Kiandra Levesque’s father has kept her away from bodies of water ever since her mother killed herself in the river near their New Jersey home. Now living in Maine, Ki, 17, skips prom to go on a white-water-rafting adventure with her boyfriend, her cousin, and an annoying travel companion. As her group tells ghost stories, the teen has visions of the deaths of the individuals in the legends. She also begins seeing the spirits of those who died in bodies of water, and as she gets closer to the river, she hears voices. During her first journey on the Dead River, she is pulled out of the raft by something supernatural and is saved by Trey, a ghost from one of the stories. Ki, it turns out, is a “Mistress of the Waters” and has great magical powers . . . Balog tells a unique story providing supernatural romance fans with plenty of adventure, paranormal mystique, and angst.–Adrienne L. Strock, Chicago Public Library
May 8, 2013
News In Nichola's World
Hi!
Just a little news to let you know about. When I sold my post-apocalyptic fantasy series to Harlequin TEEN, I did it with the knowledge that the original title I'd chosen (DREAM KINGDOM) would not be the title for long.
I am not sure why . . . maybe because that title sucks. It doesn't really fit the book at all. Yes, that is probably why.
Anyway, after much deliberation, that book, which I'd started referring to as THAT BOOK, as well as its sequel (once called THAT BOOK PART TWO), now have titles!
They are:
DROWNED (2014)
and
BURIED (2015)
Rejoice!
For those of you who liked the titles DREAM KINGDOM or THAT BOOK, I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Just a little news to let you know about. When I sold my post-apocalyptic fantasy series to Harlequin TEEN, I did it with the knowledge that the original title I'd chosen (DREAM KINGDOM) would not be the title for long.
I am not sure why . . . maybe because that title sucks. It doesn't really fit the book at all. Yes, that is probably why.
Anyway, after much deliberation, that book, which I'd started referring to as THAT BOOK, as well as its sequel (once called THAT BOOK PART TWO), now have titles!
They are:
DROWNED (2014)
and
BURIED (2015)
Rejoice!
For those of you who liked the titles DREAM KINGDOM or THAT BOOK, I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Cyn Balog's Blog
- Cyn Balog's profile
- 876 followers
Cyn Balog isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
