Beth Revis's Blog, page 40
December 12, 2011
Pick Your Present! (Or: That's a lot of cows!)
So this happened:
We currently have over 1000 entries in the contest! Which means, of course, that there will be at least a $1000 donation to World Vision!
Check out World Vision and let me know what you think would be the best use of the donation! We can buy cows and goats and other livestock, or give micro loans to women, or put it towards share in a deep well, or...
December 6, 2011
Epic Giveaway of Epic is Back--and Twice as Big!
So last year I did a contest where I gave away 100 prizes. And this year, I got to thinking...how could I make that bigger?
By giving away 200 prizes instead.
And not only that, I'm going to give $1 to World Vision, an international charity that aids those in need, for every entry (up to 1,000 entries).
But wait. I'm getting ahead of myself.
First, let me show you the kinds of prizes up for grabs.
Or, actually, let's let YouTube show you...
The video gives you a sample of what's going on this month, but here it is in a little more detail:
200 Prize Giveaway!
You guys. There's a kitchen table under there.
Some prizes are even handmade!
Remember Jennie, who made the charm bracelets earlier this year?
She also made some custom bookmarks and star earrings!
So. Pretty.
Also, some of you might recall that the character of Harley was based on a real student of mine, an artist herself who painted a koi for my classroom.
Her name is Charly White, and she agreed to help me out with my contest this year by contributing a very special painting: a koi fish by the original "Harley."
I've turned her painting into a limited edition print, and will be giving away 100 numbered copies of the print to this giveaway.
So, that said, let's go into a little more detail about these prizes!
One Grand Prize Winner:
ONE WINNER WILL GET:
-Signed hardcover of A MILLION SUNS
-Signed paperback of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
-Handmade star "Across the Universe" earrings
-Handmade A MILLION SUNS bookmark
-Limited edition print of koi fish
-Astronaut ice cream
-Limited edition metal AtU water bottle
-AtU rubber bracelet
-AtU pin button
-AtU poster
-Bookmarks and other swag
Two Runner Up Prizes:
TWO WINNERS WILL GET:
Everything the grand prize winner gets, minus the astronaut ice cream
Seven Custom Book Mark Prizes:
SEVEN WINNERS WILL GET:
-Signed paperback of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
-Handmade custom A MILLION SUNS bookmark
-Limited edition print of koi fish
-AtU pin buttons and rubber band bracelets
-Posters and swag
Seven Water Bottle Prizes:
SEVEN WINNERS WILL GET:
-Signed ARC of A MILLION SUNS
-Metal water bottles
-Limited edition print of koi fish
-Posters and swag
Three ARC Prizes:
THREE WINNERS WILL GET:
-Signed ARC of A MILLION SUNS
-Signed ARC of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
-Metal water bottle
-Limited edition print of koi fish
-Posters and swag
30 Signed Book Prizes:
THIRTY WINNERS WILL GET:
30 people will win either a signed ARCs of A MILLION SUNS or a signed paperbacks of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, plus a limited edition koi print, and swag.
Fifty Swag Packs:
FIFTY WINNERS WILL GET:
-Bookmarks
-Limited edition koi print
-Rubber band bracelets
-Posters and/or other swag
One Hundred Postcards:
Look, I know it's a bit lame to say that 100 prizes will be postcards, but dude.
They're shiny.
Seriously.
That Godspeed logo? Silver.
These are some awesome postcards.
So, how do you win all this awesome?At the bottom of this post, there's a Google form. All you have to do is fill it out with your address. Then, at the end of the giveaway, I'm going to plug in all the addresses into my label maker over there, and the label maker is going to spit out addresses and I'm slapping them on the packages. And that's it.
This is a giveaway, not a contest. I just want to give you guys stuff. So you don't have to do anything extra or join on Facebook or follow me or spread the word or anything (although I'd appreciate it if you did). Your fate is in the hands of my label maker.
However, please do spread the word. It's not a requirement, but I would really appreciate it if you did because I will be giving $1 to World Vision for every entry (up to 1,000). World Vision is a really worthy charity, helping families and children in both the US and across the world. I encourage you to check the link out and think about donating yourself--but either way, I would also appreciate you telling other people about this giveaway, because the more entries I get, the more I'm adding to my annual donation to World Vision.
You can spread the word in several ways:
You could blog about it. Maybe include the video above? It's easy to share. Might I suggest including the graphic? I've included the HTML code for it, too:
<center><a href="http://bethrevis.blogspot.com"&g... border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WXYN0Naw2Ys..." width="150"" height="150" /></a></center>
Or you could tweet:
Tweet
Also: thank you to my publisher, Penguin/Razorbill! They donated a ton of the prizes above, including 20 paperbacks, all the ARCs, and the water bottles. If you want, I know they'd appreciate it if you followed on Facebook or Twitter. Again: not a requirement, just a way to thank the contributors of the prizes.
<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>
December 2, 2011
Stuck in the YA Scavenger Hunt?
There's apparently been a few hiccups in the YA Scavenger Hunt. If you're stuck and can't figure out who you're missing for this awesome contest, go to this blog post by YASH founder Colleen Houck. At the bottom is a list of every participating author (each of whom is providing a prize for the winner of the hunt--which = nearly 40 signed books!) Still stuck? Tweet @ColleenHouck for help! (I'd help if I could, but I'm travelling!)
December 1, 2011
Scavenger Hunt!
Did you get here from Leah Bobet's page? There's a linking error--if you got here from Leah, go instead to this website to continue the hunt.
If you are just starting the hunt or if you got here from Lisa Bergen's page, then read on for your next clue!
On this hunt you will be able to gain access to exclusive bonus material, sign up for giveaways, and get an all access pass to top secret insider information. This fabulous sneak peek into what's coming up in YA literature is for one day only!
As an extra bonus we've put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you will be eligible for a fantastic GRAND PRIZE which will include signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!
Scavenger Hunt Puzzle
Directions: Copy and paste the puzzle at the end of this post onto a document or print it out and unscramble the words as you proceed through the Scavenger Hunt. Search for keywords, one on each website that will be highlighted in RED. When you are finished, fill out the Google form here.
Rules: To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit this filled in puzzle before noon on Dec 4th Pacific Time. All the keywords must be in the correct place and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered! International entries are accepted.
SCAVENGER HUNT POST!
Today I am hosting author CYNTHIA HAND, whose debut novel UNEARTHLY has such a drool-worthy cover I can't stand it.
Cynthia's bio: Cynthia Hand grew up in southeast Idaho near the Wyoming border. Currently she lives in southern California with her husband and two small children. She teaches courses in creative writing at Pepperdine University. UNEARTHLY, her debut YA novel, was published by HarperTeen in January 2011, out in paperback on 11-1-11. The sequel, HALLOWED, will be released on January 17, 2012.
The Hallowed info: For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
Author website: www.cynthiahandbooks.com
To Purchase book:
B&N
Amazon
Powell's
BONUS MATERIAL!
This scene used to be in Chapter 9 of Hallowed, along with a whole side story about Clara and Christian's government project.
"Okay, people, here's the scenario," says Mr. Anderson, our government teacher. "There's been a murder in Happytown, USA. Poor Polly Sue Walton, a nineteen year old local college student, has been found stabbed and strangled to death in the woods behind Happytown University."
"Happytown? Is that even a place?" someone asks, and laughter drifts around the classroom.
"Not so happy anymore," comments Tucker with a smirk.
Mr. Anderson doesn't find this funny. "Police suspect Polly Sue's boyfriend, twenty-two year old Rick Collins, as the perpetrator of this gruesome act of violence. Mr. Collins claims that he was out deer hunting with his father and brother at the time of the crime, but the authorities found it suspicious that he thoroughly washed his pickup truck the day after the murder. There is also other evidence that the police were able to glean which led them to arrest Rick and the DA's office to charge him with murder." He begins passing out a handout that lists the basic details of the case.
"What does this have to do with government?" someone else asks sarcastically.
"We are going to try this case," answers Mr. Anderson. "It will be a peek into how our legal and justice systems work in this country." He returns to the front of the classroom and grabs another sheet of paper. "I've taken the liberty of assigning your roles. Shawn," he says to the boy who asked the question, a wicked gleam in his eye, "you will play the part of the murder suspect, Rick Collins."
"Way to go, Rick," teases Tucker.
"Melissa, you will play Polly Sue's best friend and roommate, Suzy Ann."
We all laugh at the absurdity of these names. Rick. Polly Sue. Happytown. This is either going to be fun or tragically lame.
"Alex and Brianna, you will play Polly Sue's grieving parents. Tucker, Katy, you will play Rick's parents."
"What does it mean to 'play' somebody?" Tucker asks. For all his funny comments, he's not really a performer. "Am I going to have to stand up?"
"We'll be acting out the trial. You, as Rick's father, will be called upon as a witness. You will have to come up with a testimony and be questioned by the lawyers."
Mr. Anderson continues down his list assigning roles, more witnesses, policemen, experts. "And now the legal teams," he says when I think I've lucked out and got something easy, like the court bailiff or something. "For the prosecution, Clara Gardner and Christian Prescott."
I sneak a glance at Christian. He couldn't look more pleased, even more so because the perpetrator, Shawn Davidson, happens to be a friend of his, a buddy from the ski team. Shawn was also the guy who invented the nickname Hot Bozo for me last year. Putting him behind bars, even metaphorically speaking, actually sounds like fun. Who knew that boring old Mr. A had it in him to come up with something so creative?
Mr. Anderson assigns the defense: Ava Peters and Jason Lovett, neither of whom look particularly stoked to be defending Shawn/Rick.
"And I will be the judge," announces Mr. Anderson when he's listed all of us.
"No jury?" protests Ava. "I think our client deserves to be judged by a jury of his peers."
"So true. Which is why I've asked Mr. Erikson's AP U.S. History class, who is currently studying the founding of the Constitution, to serve as our jury for a few days. The trial will be held exactly one month from today, and it will make up a large part of your grade this semester, so I suggest you spend extra time on your research, outside of class."
Ironic. Last year, I sent up a silent prayer that I'd be partnered with Christian for our special project in history. It seemed like the perfect way to find out more about him, for us to get to know each other past our simple hello, nice weather we're having, see ya later conversations. But this year I have nothing to prove. If anything, time with Christian only means more distraction.
Clearly this thought has occurred to Tucker too, because he's staring at Christian with a cloudy expression on his face.
Creative project or not, I'm pretty sure I now hate this class.
Afterwards I try to lighten the mood as Tucker and I walk to our lockers.
"So, you're Shawn's dad, huh?"
I turn to watch Shawn, currently in the process of describing some killer snowboarding move to Christian. In ten seconds we hear him say the word dude no less than five times. Christian nods politely as Shawn gestures wildly with his hands. At one point he almost falls down.
"I bet you're so proud," I add wryly, but Tucker is still staring at Christian. He's not even looking at Shawn.
Okay. This calls for direct action.
I step close to Tucker, close the space between us, and say into his ear, "I think this means that I'm going to have to interrogate you."
He closes his eyes for a second, then a slow grin spreads across his face.
And we're back.
"I think I could enjoy that," he says, his hands coming up to my waist. "No objections here. But I think it might be unethical for you to be –what do they call it?—fraternizing with a material witness?"
"You think so? Watch this." I lean up to kiss him. "How's that, Mr. Collins?"
"Persuasive," he says, wiggling his eyebrows at me suggestively. "Although I'm not sure I got the message. Try again?"
I kiss him again. I'm making huge strides in being okay with being that girl who kisses her boyfriend in the hallway in front of everybody.
But I don't miss the way that Tucker glances one last time at Christian, over my shoulder.
INFORMATION
Thank you all so much for visiting my website and I hope you are all enjoying the tour. Just as an FYI to my regular readers: if you find the author who's hosting me on this hunt, you will be taken to a secret page on my website. You can look at it now, actually, by clicking here, but you won't get the password to the secret page until you find the author who's hosting my scavenger hunt info! :)
Ready to go to the next website on the Scavenger Hunt?
Click HERE!
SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE:
Please unscramble the words below
1. NVSEIURE
2. MLTSIPIE
3. PEMETKIREE
4. IIHEDOMC
5. FMERLOAHTWER
6. DLENGO
7. IRDEEDEWLB
8. RSUERNEDR
9. AOCATTINA
10. AHNCEDNTE
11. GURENDOHY
12. GAUINDAR
13. RETECSS
14. EMCREAB
15. LORNDDWURE
16. AIRSFCCEI
17. RIASSMHCT
18. RWTHACES
19. RTAAENTNRSP
20. DETLGAN
21. YFNASAT
22. NTOAPHWYP
23. SLLESUOS
24. ECNNEOIP
25. LOENIOASTD
26. EORFWLWE
27. AREEHTFS
28. AAAOLRPMNR
29. HSIGDNA
30. DOBANADNE
31. LIECSHORCN
32. SPSESNEU
33. OTMYHLGYO
34. ELWLHAENO
35. TTOAINRTAC
37. BTTRSUEFEIL
36 - UAUTFLBIE
If you are just starting the hunt or if you got here from Lisa Bergen's page, then read on for your next clue!
On this hunt you will be able to gain access to exclusive bonus material, sign up for giveaways, and get an all access pass to top secret insider information. This fabulous sneak peek into what's coming up in YA literature is for one day only!
As an extra bonus we've put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you will be eligible for a fantastic GRAND PRIZE which will include signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!
Scavenger Hunt Puzzle
Directions: Copy and paste the puzzle at the end of this post onto a document or print it out and unscramble the words as you proceed through the Scavenger Hunt. Search for keywords, one on each website that will be highlighted in RED. When you are finished, fill out the Google form here.
Rules: To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit this filled in puzzle before noon on Dec 4th Pacific Time. All the keywords must be in the correct place and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered! International entries are accepted.
SCAVENGER HUNT POST!
Today I am hosting author CYNTHIA HAND, whose debut novel UNEARTHLY has such a drool-worthy cover I can't stand it.
Cynthia's bio: Cynthia Hand grew up in southeast Idaho near the Wyoming border. Currently she lives in southern California with her husband and two small children. She teaches courses in creative writing at Pepperdine University. UNEARTHLY, her debut YA novel, was published by HarperTeen in January 2011, out in paperback on 11-1-11. The sequel, HALLOWED, will be released on January 17, 2012.
The Hallowed info: For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.
Author website: www.cynthiahandbooks.com
To Purchase book:
B&N
Amazon
Powell's
BONUS MATERIAL!
This scene used to be in Chapter 9 of Hallowed, along with a whole side story about Clara and Christian's government project.
"Okay, people, here's the scenario," says Mr. Anderson, our government teacher. "There's been a murder in Happytown, USA. Poor Polly Sue Walton, a nineteen year old local college student, has been found stabbed and strangled to death in the woods behind Happytown University."
"Happytown? Is that even a place?" someone asks, and laughter drifts around the classroom.
"Not so happy anymore," comments Tucker with a smirk.
Mr. Anderson doesn't find this funny. "Police suspect Polly Sue's boyfriend, twenty-two year old Rick Collins, as the perpetrator of this gruesome act of violence. Mr. Collins claims that he was out deer hunting with his father and brother at the time of the crime, but the authorities found it suspicious that he thoroughly washed his pickup truck the day after the murder. There is also other evidence that the police were able to glean which led them to arrest Rick and the DA's office to charge him with murder." He begins passing out a handout that lists the basic details of the case.
"What does this have to do with government?" someone else asks sarcastically.
"We are going to try this case," answers Mr. Anderson. "It will be a peek into how our legal and justice systems work in this country." He returns to the front of the classroom and grabs another sheet of paper. "I've taken the liberty of assigning your roles. Shawn," he says to the boy who asked the question, a wicked gleam in his eye, "you will play the part of the murder suspect, Rick Collins."
"Way to go, Rick," teases Tucker.
"Melissa, you will play Polly Sue's best friend and roommate, Suzy Ann."
We all laugh at the absurdity of these names. Rick. Polly Sue. Happytown. This is either going to be fun or tragically lame.
"Alex and Brianna, you will play Polly Sue's grieving parents. Tucker, Katy, you will play Rick's parents."
"What does it mean to 'play' somebody?" Tucker asks. For all his funny comments, he's not really a performer. "Am I going to have to stand up?"
"We'll be acting out the trial. You, as Rick's father, will be called upon as a witness. You will have to come up with a testimony and be questioned by the lawyers."
Mr. Anderson continues down his list assigning roles, more witnesses, policemen, experts. "And now the legal teams," he says when I think I've lucked out and got something easy, like the court bailiff or something. "For the prosecution, Clara Gardner and Christian Prescott."
I sneak a glance at Christian. He couldn't look more pleased, even more so because the perpetrator, Shawn Davidson, happens to be a friend of his, a buddy from the ski team. Shawn was also the guy who invented the nickname Hot Bozo for me last year. Putting him behind bars, even metaphorically speaking, actually sounds like fun. Who knew that boring old Mr. A had it in him to come up with something so creative?
Mr. Anderson assigns the defense: Ava Peters and Jason Lovett, neither of whom look particularly stoked to be defending Shawn/Rick.
"And I will be the judge," announces Mr. Anderson when he's listed all of us.
"No jury?" protests Ava. "I think our client deserves to be judged by a jury of his peers."
"So true. Which is why I've asked Mr. Erikson's AP U.S. History class, who is currently studying the founding of the Constitution, to serve as our jury for a few days. The trial will be held exactly one month from today, and it will make up a large part of your grade this semester, so I suggest you spend extra time on your research, outside of class."
Ironic. Last year, I sent up a silent prayer that I'd be partnered with Christian for our special project in history. It seemed like the perfect way to find out more about him, for us to get to know each other past our simple hello, nice weather we're having, see ya later conversations. But this year I have nothing to prove. If anything, time with Christian only means more distraction.
Clearly this thought has occurred to Tucker too, because he's staring at Christian with a cloudy expression on his face.
Creative project or not, I'm pretty sure I now hate this class.
Afterwards I try to lighten the mood as Tucker and I walk to our lockers.
"So, you're Shawn's dad, huh?"
I turn to watch Shawn, currently in the process of describing some killer snowboarding move to Christian. In ten seconds we hear him say the word dude no less than five times. Christian nods politely as Shawn gestures wildly with his hands. At one point he almost falls down.
"I bet you're so proud," I add wryly, but Tucker is still staring at Christian. He's not even looking at Shawn.
Okay. This calls for direct action.
I step close to Tucker, close the space between us, and say into his ear, "I think this means that I'm going to have to interrogate you."
He closes his eyes for a second, then a slow grin spreads across his face.
And we're back.
"I think I could enjoy that," he says, his hands coming up to my waist. "No objections here. But I think it might be unethical for you to be –what do they call it?—fraternizing with a material witness?"
"You think so? Watch this." I lean up to kiss him. "How's that, Mr. Collins?"
"Persuasive," he says, wiggling his eyebrows at me suggestively. "Although I'm not sure I got the message. Try again?"
I kiss him again. I'm making huge strides in being okay with being that girl who kisses her boyfriend in the hallway in front of everybody.
But I don't miss the way that Tucker glances one last time at Christian, over my shoulder.
INFORMATION
Thank you all so much for visiting my website and I hope you are all enjoying the tour. Just as an FYI to my regular readers: if you find the author who's hosting me on this hunt, you will be taken to a secret page on my website. You can look at it now, actually, by clicking here, but you won't get the password to the secret page until you find the author who's hosting my scavenger hunt info! :)
Ready to go to the next website on the Scavenger Hunt?
Click HERE!
SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE:
Please unscramble the words below
1. NVSEIURE
2. MLTSIPIE
3. PEMETKIREE
4. IIHEDOMC
5. FMERLOAHTWER
6. DLENGO
7. IRDEEDEWLB
8. RSUERNEDR
9. AOCATTINA
10. AHNCEDNTE
11. GURENDOHY
12. GAUINDAR
13. RETECSS
14. EMCREAB
15. LORNDDWURE
16. AIRSFCCEI
17. RIASSMHCT
18. RWTHACES
19. RTAAENTNRSP
20. DETLGAN
21. YFNASAT
22. NTOAPHWYP
23. SLLESUOS
24. ECNNEOIP
25. LOENIOASTD
26. EORFWLWE
27. AREEHTFS
28. AAAOLRPMNR
29. HSIGDNA
30. DOBANADNE
31. LIECSHORCN
32. SPSESNEU
33. OTMYHLGYO
34. ELWLHAENO
35. TTOAINRTAC
37. BTTRSUEFEIL
36 - UAUTFLBIE
November 29, 2011
4-for-3 Sale
PS: the paperback is on sale at Amazon in a 4-for-3 promotion--buy any three qualifying books and get the fourth one free!
Linkspam
This is a very self-serving linkspam, and for that, I apologize. I just have things I want to tell you about, but since I'm not at home, no time to really do this well!
So...
For links to my blog posts about writing and reading on the Penguin blog, click here
December 1st! The YA Scavenger Hunt! It is coming! With a crap-ton of prizes + a never-before-revealed secret about A MILLION SUNS!
ATUFacts is updating daily...and I'm trying to reblog the details with extra insider information. So if you're the type who's curious about the hows and whys of a story (such as where a name come froms, or why a character does something) check it out!
Two contests are going on right now!
Christy's giving away 2 paperbacks of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and a pre-order of A MILLION SUNS
The Intergalactic Galaxy did a great interview with me and are giving away a signed copy of AtU
And because I don't want to turn this into me, me, me, I have two things for you that are awesome.
ONE: this fantastic poem about being a writer.
TWO: David Tennant reading you a bedtime story.
So...
For links to my blog posts about writing and reading on the Penguin blog, click here
December 1st! The YA Scavenger Hunt! It is coming! With a crap-ton of prizes + a never-before-revealed secret about A MILLION SUNS!
ATUFacts is updating daily...and I'm trying to reblog the details with extra insider information. So if you're the type who's curious about the hows and whys of a story (such as where a name come froms, or why a character does something) check it out!
Two contests are going on right now!
Christy's giving away 2 paperbacks of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and a pre-order of A MILLION SUNS
The Intergalactic Galaxy did a great interview with me and are giving away a signed copy of AtU
And because I don't want to turn this into me, me, me, I have two things for you that are awesome.
ONE: this fantastic poem about being a writer.
TWO: David Tennant reading you a bedtime story.
Happy Book Birthday to AtU!
Happy Paperback Release, AtU!
*pets the pretty new cover*
The paperback of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is out now in America!
It features a:
Brand new cover!
Map of Godspeed
Sneak peek at A MILLION SUNS
A special-thank you and acknowledgements for early fans
and more!
Remember: if you would like a signed copy (oh, look, holidays are coming!) then you can order one through my local indie bookstore, Fireside Books and Gifts.
And as always:
Thank YOU.
An Interview with UNTRACEABLE author Shelli Johannes-Wells
I was going to save this for a Bookanista day, but then I realized that (a) the Scavenger Hunt is happening on a Bookanista day and (b) today's Shelli's book birthday, so (c) let's share it today!
Today I've got with us Shelli Johannes-Wells, author of UNTRACEABLE. This book has had a somewhat unique path to publication, which you can read all about at Shelli's blog. I picked her brain a bit about the book, the publication, and more--hope you enjoy!
YOU
We can read all about your life from your bio in the jacket flap of your
book. So, what's a completely
random fact about you that most people don't know?
Excuse me, my whole life is not in my bio. I'm much more interesting than
that :)
I used to sing in a Blues/Jazz band and love to sing. Always wanted to
be a professional singer. So I sing A LOT. Drives my kids nuts because I make
up my own songs about mundane things. Yeah, I'm crazy that way.
As a kid, what was your
favorite book? Have your tastes changed since growing up?
Pippi Longstocking has always stuck out to me. I loved how daring and
independent she was. I loved how secure she was with herself at that age. She
was so real.
I've always read thrillers and mysteries. When I was a teen, I used to
sneak my mom's books – Iris Johansen, Steven King, James Patterson – whatever
thriller I could get my hands on. I loved the feeling of hiding under the
covers, reading until the wee hours of the night by flashlight b/c I could not
put the book down.
[image error]
Your book, UNTRACEABLE,
takes place in the Smoky Mountains, an area you're familiar with. Is anything
else from the book drawn from your life?
I always loved being outside when I was younger. I used to camp and
canoe with my parents. I got away from it in school and as I got older.
But my hubby is very into nature and the wilderness – goes camping on his own
in the deep dark forest. I slowly got back to nature and realize how much I was
missing. Today, if I have a hard day – I sit outside on the swing and let
Nature recenter me.
You've decided to
self-publish UNTRACEABLE—and make every step of the process, from the costs to
the emotions, public on your blog. What led you to make this decision?
After having four books go to acquisitions over an 8-year period,
including 2 years with a top literary agent, I never made it. After a long and hard decision making
process, I decided I was tired of putting my dreams in someone else's hands and
I needed something positive to focus on. I was tired of focusing my writing around
a sale and just wanted to touch people. I felt confident I was good enough and
this book was good enough to do it on my own. I have a marketing background and
felt I could do all the packaging, distribution, and marketing on my own – and I
knew I would actually enjoy it. I wanted to see if I could do it and wanted to
test out some marketing ideas I had in the publishing biz. It started out as an
experiment. Now, it has become such a rewarding experience.
I've done this book my way and I'm proud of it.
YOUR BOOK
It's the
inevitable question: what inspired UNTRACEABLE?
Well, my husband came home from camping one weekend and said,
"Man I was so deep in the wilderness, a terrorist camp could be there and no
one would know." I started the book just as that – about a terrorist cell in
the woods.
I know – embarrassing right? (ugh!)
Then I visited Cherokee, NC, and saw some atrocities
to nature that I wanted to change. While I rewrote my book from scratch, it was
important to me to make people think while creating a thrilling book – just
like the ones I used to read – while touching on a message that I felt was
important. I wanted to create a strong girl character, but keep her in today's
world with no powers and no magic. That was important to me – I was always a
tomboy and loved to be outside so I felt there was a market for a wilderness
thriller.
One of the great things
about UNTRACEABLE is the focus on the environment—what led you to turn a
thriller into an environmental thriller?
Well, I don't really like to say it's an "environmental thriller"
because it is not preachy at all and sometimes people get turned off by an eco
or conservation book. This book is about a girl that loves nature, wants to
find her father, and stumbles on some crimes that she didn't know existed. They
just happen to be crimes to nature that she wants to change. But I would not
call it an environmental thriller - though it does touch on some issues.
Can you tell us a little
bit about the process--particularly the timeline--of writing UNTRACEABLE?
I started Untraceable in 2007 (then
it was called Grace Under Fire) when I was prego with my son. In spring 2009,
my book got named in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel
award and was 1 of only 7 thrillers.
Shortly after that, my former agent picked me up on Untraceable. At the time, she felt my tween paranormal was more
marketable. So Untraceable was shelved 2009 and 2010 while we tried to sell the
other book. The tween went to acquisitions several times but never made it.
In early 2011, I worked with 2 top NY editors on Untraceable to be sure it was what it needed to be before my agent
submitted it. Last spring, it went out on a small round and even made it to an acquisition
board. Unfortunately, my agent and I parted before it could see 3 full rounds.
I queried other agents but since it had been seen by editors – I guess the book
was too tainted to be picked up – because I had a couple that wanted my WIP but
that was months from being finished and I was not going to give up on
Untraceable. I decided I could not lose by putting this book out myself.
If your reader could only
take away one emotion, theme, or idea from UNTRACEABLE, what would you want it
to be?
Sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in. No matter the
risks. Oh and get back to nature. We have forgotten how beautiful it is by
hiding behind our computers.
YOUR WRITING
What's the most surprising
thing you've learned since becoming a writer?
How hard it is to take steps forward. Not only to get published but the
emotional drain of writing is exhausting. I love it but it is tough to pull out
what I need sometimes. It's not an easy career and it's definitely not the easy
way out.
Beyond the typical--never
give up; believe in yourself--what would be the single best advice you'd like
to give another writer?
Don't write to the market. It is good to know and understand the
industry, but don't get too sucked in – it can mess with your head and hurt
what you are writing by making you second-guess yourself.
What do you think are your
strongest and weakest points in writing?
I think I plot well and always go a way people don't expect. I like that
in books I read so I don't choose the easiest or expected way out.
I have a hard time nailing voice. It is the biggest challenge for me in
my work. And it always comes last for me.
Today I've got with us Shelli Johannes-Wells, author of UNTRACEABLE. This book has had a somewhat unique path to publication, which you can read all about at Shelli's blog. I picked her brain a bit about the book, the publication, and more--hope you enjoy!
YOU
We can read all about your life from your bio in the jacket flap of your
book. So, what's a completely
random fact about you that most people don't know?
Excuse me, my whole life is not in my bio. I'm much more interesting than
that :)
I used to sing in a Blues/Jazz band and love to sing. Always wanted to
be a professional singer. So I sing A LOT. Drives my kids nuts because I make
up my own songs about mundane things. Yeah, I'm crazy that way.
As a kid, what was your
favorite book? Have your tastes changed since growing up?
Pippi Longstocking has always stuck out to me. I loved how daring and
independent she was. I loved how secure she was with herself at that age. She
was so real.
I've always read thrillers and mysteries. When I was a teen, I used to
sneak my mom's books – Iris Johansen, Steven King, James Patterson – whatever
thriller I could get my hands on. I loved the feeling of hiding under the
covers, reading until the wee hours of the night by flashlight b/c I could not
put the book down.
[image error]
Your book, UNTRACEABLE,
takes place in the Smoky Mountains, an area you're familiar with. Is anything
else from the book drawn from your life?
I always loved being outside when I was younger. I used to camp and
canoe with my parents. I got away from it in school and as I got older.
But my hubby is very into nature and the wilderness – goes camping on his own
in the deep dark forest. I slowly got back to nature and realize how much I was
missing. Today, if I have a hard day – I sit outside on the swing and let
Nature recenter me.
You've decided to
self-publish UNTRACEABLE—and make every step of the process, from the costs to
the emotions, public on your blog. What led you to make this decision?
After having four books go to acquisitions over an 8-year period,
including 2 years with a top literary agent, I never made it. After a long and hard decision making
process, I decided I was tired of putting my dreams in someone else's hands and
I needed something positive to focus on. I was tired of focusing my writing around
a sale and just wanted to touch people. I felt confident I was good enough and
this book was good enough to do it on my own. I have a marketing background and
felt I could do all the packaging, distribution, and marketing on my own – and I
knew I would actually enjoy it. I wanted to see if I could do it and wanted to
test out some marketing ideas I had in the publishing biz. It started out as an
experiment. Now, it has become such a rewarding experience.
I've done this book my way and I'm proud of it.
YOUR BOOK
It's theinevitable question: what inspired UNTRACEABLE?
Well, my husband came home from camping one weekend and said,
"Man I was so deep in the wilderness, a terrorist camp could be there and no
one would know." I started the book just as that – about a terrorist cell in
the woods.
I know – embarrassing right? (ugh!)
Then I visited Cherokee, NC, and saw some atrocities
to nature that I wanted to change. While I rewrote my book from scratch, it was
important to me to make people think while creating a thrilling book – just
like the ones I used to read – while touching on a message that I felt was
important. I wanted to create a strong girl character, but keep her in today's
world with no powers and no magic. That was important to me – I was always a
tomboy and loved to be outside so I felt there was a market for a wilderness
thriller.
One of the great things
about UNTRACEABLE is the focus on the environment—what led you to turn a
thriller into an environmental thriller?
Well, I don't really like to say it's an "environmental thriller"
because it is not preachy at all and sometimes people get turned off by an eco
or conservation book. This book is about a girl that loves nature, wants to
find her father, and stumbles on some crimes that she didn't know existed. They
just happen to be crimes to nature that she wants to change. But I would not
call it an environmental thriller - though it does touch on some issues.
Can you tell us a little
bit about the process--particularly the timeline--of writing UNTRACEABLE?
I started Untraceable in 2007 (then
it was called Grace Under Fire) when I was prego with my son. In spring 2009,
my book got named in the quarterfinals of the 2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel
award and was 1 of only 7 thrillers.
Shortly after that, my former agent picked me up on Untraceable. At the time, she felt my tween paranormal was more
marketable. So Untraceable was shelved 2009 and 2010 while we tried to sell the
other book. The tween went to acquisitions several times but never made it.
In early 2011, I worked with 2 top NY editors on Untraceable to be sure it was what it needed to be before my agent
submitted it. Last spring, it went out on a small round and even made it to an acquisition
board. Unfortunately, my agent and I parted before it could see 3 full rounds.
I queried other agents but since it had been seen by editors – I guess the book
was too tainted to be picked up – because I had a couple that wanted my WIP but
that was months from being finished and I was not going to give up on
Untraceable. I decided I could not lose by putting this book out myself.
If your reader could only
take away one emotion, theme, or idea from UNTRACEABLE, what would you want it
to be?
Sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in. No matter the
risks. Oh and get back to nature. We have forgotten how beautiful it is by
hiding behind our computers.
YOUR WRITING
What's the most surprising
thing you've learned since becoming a writer?
How hard it is to take steps forward. Not only to get published but the
emotional drain of writing is exhausting. I love it but it is tough to pull out
what I need sometimes. It's not an easy career and it's definitely not the easy
way out.
Beyond the typical--never
give up; believe in yourself--what would be the single best advice you'd like
to give another writer?
Don't write to the market. It is good to know and understand the
industry, but don't get too sucked in – it can mess with your head and hurt
what you are writing by making you second-guess yourself.
What do you think are your
strongest and weakest points in writing?
I think I plot well and always go a way people don't expect. I like that
in books I read so I don't choose the easiest or expected way out.
I have a hard time nailing voice. It is the biggest challenge for me in
my work. And it always comes last for me.
November 25, 2011
Turkey Soup & Dumplings
Right, so if you're in America right now, you're probably already a little sick of Turkey. This is a variation of my Granny's chicken and dumplings recipe, is EXTRAORDINARILY tasty, and only requires a few ingredients. If it looks long and complicated, don't worry--it isn't. You'll leave most of this to cook on its own, without your fussing over it.
Here's what to do:
Turkey Soup & Dumplings
Step One: Broth
Take the turkey carcass--all the scraps, bones, innards, skin, and anything else you don't want to eat, and pop it in a large CrockPot. Cover it in water, and then just let it go all night long.
Step Two: Soup
Pour the liquid (it's all yellow and flavorful now) into a large stock pot. Throw out everything else.
Add to the stock pot:
Leftover turkey meat, ripped or cut into chunks
Leftover vegetables, whatever you have
Salt and pepper
Bay leaves, if you like that kind of thing
Bring all that to a boil. (If you don't have enough leftovers, I'll sometimes add in a bag of frozen mixed veg. If you don't have much liquid, just add some water or canned chicken stock.)
Step Three: Dumplings
Get about a cup of the broth from the soup and put it into a separate bowl. Let it cool down a little if it's very hot. Then add:
1 egg
1 cup of self-rising flour
Mix! You will probably need to add more flour as you go--you want to make a floury doughball.
Once the dough is all formed, then sprinkle some flour on the countertop. Mash the dough as thin as you can (some people use a rolling pin, but I'm not that fancy). Use lots and lots of flour--you don't want this to be sticky!
Cut the dough in 1 inch strips or so.
By now, your soup is boiling. Take a strip of dough, and pull it apart so it forms thinner pieces, and drop the pieces into the boiling soup. Use a wooden spoon to push the dough under the liquid--the dumpling should cook fairly quickly and will rise to the top. Do this for the entire batch of dough.
Step Four: EAT!
Here's what to do:
Turkey Soup & Dumplings
Step One: Broth
Take the turkey carcass--all the scraps, bones, innards, skin, and anything else you don't want to eat, and pop it in a large CrockPot. Cover it in water, and then just let it go all night long.
Step Two: Soup
Pour the liquid (it's all yellow and flavorful now) into a large stock pot. Throw out everything else.
Add to the stock pot:
Leftover turkey meat, ripped or cut into chunks
Leftover vegetables, whatever you have
Salt and pepper
Bay leaves, if you like that kind of thing
Bring all that to a boil. (If you don't have enough leftovers, I'll sometimes add in a bag of frozen mixed veg. If you don't have much liquid, just add some water or canned chicken stock.)
Step Three: Dumplings
Get about a cup of the broth from the soup and put it into a separate bowl. Let it cool down a little if it's very hot. Then add:
1 egg
1 cup of self-rising flour
Mix! You will probably need to add more flour as you go--you want to make a floury doughball.
Once the dough is all formed, then sprinkle some flour on the countertop. Mash the dough as thin as you can (some people use a rolling pin, but I'm not that fancy). Use lots and lots of flour--you don't want this to be sticky!
Cut the dough in 1 inch strips or so.
By now, your soup is boiling. Take a strip of dough, and pull it apart so it forms thinner pieces, and drop the pieces into the boiling soup. Use a wooden spoon to push the dough under the liquid--the dumpling should cook fairly quickly and will rise to the top. Do this for the entire batch of dough.
Step Four: EAT!
November 23, 2011
Thankful for Dreams
I have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season (for my international readers, it's American Thanksgiving tomorrow, the day we set aside to count our blessings).
I was just thinking about that this morning. It has been less than one year since my debut novel has been out...that's...that's just mind-boggling! It's so strange for me to be working on Book 3, when the first book's only been out a little more than 10 months. My life is completely different now from a year ago--my world's been turned upside down.
And that's something I'm grateful for--this mad, chaotic career, and the fact that I can make it a career.
And of course, I'm also grateful for my agent, who found for me the very best people I could work with--the entire team at Penguin/Razorbill. I want to send them heart-shaped cookies every day.
And none of it would mean anything without the people who picked up the book, who read it, who told their friend about it, who requested it at their library...there aren't enough heart-shaped cookies in the world to express that kind of gratitude.
But as I was thinking about this post, I realized something that came before all this, something I have always taken for granted.
I am thankful for the dream.
I have wanted to be a writer since elementary school. I remember when Mrs. Oliver taught me about dialog tags, and Mrs. Pearson read my unicorn story aloud to the class, and Mrs. Thompson gave me a purple pen to write my stories with. I read my first book aloud to Tina on the schoolbus. The dream grew in high school--I think I snagged my boyfriend-who-became-my-husband in part by writing a story where he was the knight in shining armor.
The dream of being a writer drove me like no other. I studied literature and scribbled stories and stayed up late at night and tried and tried and tried.
Stories became novels. Novels became submissions to agents. And submissions became rejections.
And that was a point where I started to hate the dream.
It sucks when what you want most in the world requires someone else to say yes. Because when the someone you need--an agent, a publisher, readers--say no a part of your soul, the part where you keep your dream, bleeds.
It took a long frexing time for my dream to come true. And somewhere between year five and ten, I seriously started to hate my dream. I had given up so much: time, money, thought, opportunities, peace of mind. And I had nothing to show for it but a broken dream. I almost gave up on it then.
But the dream was stronger than me. And I wrote what I thought might be my last book. And that was the book that made the dream come true.
There's a chance that, right now, you hate the dream, too. A few years ago, I would have erased that part of me from myself if I could have--I wanted to not care so much that it hurt. But I'm telling you now: be thankful for the dream.
Because some people don't have one.
When I was teaching, I saw many sad things. This is not a post about that. But I will say this: one of the very saddest things I saw when teaching was how many kids had no dream. My dream was such a huge part of my life from such an early age that it was nearly incomprehensible for me to understand what it was like for someone to not have one.
You could see the difference between a kid with a dream and one without one. The kid with a dream was focused. Maybe not focused on my class or the book I put in front of her face, but focused on something. It might be distant, it might be unreachable, but there was desire and drive behind those eyes.
And then there were some kids who had no dream. Ask them what they wanted, and they would say "to graduate." Or--and this happened, too--"to turn 16 so I can drop out." And sometimes: "nothing."
I--and all the other teachers--would try to entice them with new studies or interests. Try to suss out a dream. But a dream is not something one can just give to someone else. It has to fill you up and come from within. If your body is a ship, then the dream is the wind in the sails. No one can hold the wind, let alone make it. It's something that just is. Or...isn't.
Looking back, now, it's easy for me to say I'm thankful for my dream. But a few years ago, after ten years of trying and ten years of failing, after hundreds of rejections, I would have given anything to erase the dream. To just be normal and not care.
And how empty my life would be without it.
So let me tell you: if you have a dream--even one that might hurt now--be thankful for it. Steer your ship into that gale.
[image error]
I was just thinking about that this morning. It has been less than one year since my debut novel has been out...that's...that's just mind-boggling! It's so strange for me to be working on Book 3, when the first book's only been out a little more than 10 months. My life is completely different now from a year ago--my world's been turned upside down.
And that's something I'm grateful for--this mad, chaotic career, and the fact that I can make it a career.
And of course, I'm also grateful for my agent, who found for me the very best people I could work with--the entire team at Penguin/Razorbill. I want to send them heart-shaped cookies every day.
And none of it would mean anything without the people who picked up the book, who read it, who told their friend about it, who requested it at their library...there aren't enough heart-shaped cookies in the world to express that kind of gratitude.
But as I was thinking about this post, I realized something that came before all this, something I have always taken for granted.
I am thankful for the dream.
I have wanted to be a writer since elementary school. I remember when Mrs. Oliver taught me about dialog tags, and Mrs. Pearson read my unicorn story aloud to the class, and Mrs. Thompson gave me a purple pen to write my stories with. I read my first book aloud to Tina on the schoolbus. The dream grew in high school--I think I snagged my boyfriend-who-became-my-husband in part by writing a story where he was the knight in shining armor.
The dream of being a writer drove me like no other. I studied literature and scribbled stories and stayed up late at night and tried and tried and tried.
Stories became novels. Novels became submissions to agents. And submissions became rejections.
And that was a point where I started to hate the dream.
It sucks when what you want most in the world requires someone else to say yes. Because when the someone you need--an agent, a publisher, readers--say no a part of your soul, the part where you keep your dream, bleeds.
It took a long frexing time for my dream to come true. And somewhere between year five and ten, I seriously started to hate my dream. I had given up so much: time, money, thought, opportunities, peace of mind. And I had nothing to show for it but a broken dream. I almost gave up on it then.
But the dream was stronger than me. And I wrote what I thought might be my last book. And that was the book that made the dream come true.
There's a chance that, right now, you hate the dream, too. A few years ago, I would have erased that part of me from myself if I could have--I wanted to not care so much that it hurt. But I'm telling you now: be thankful for the dream.
Because some people don't have one.
When I was teaching, I saw many sad things. This is not a post about that. But I will say this: one of the very saddest things I saw when teaching was how many kids had no dream. My dream was such a huge part of my life from such an early age that it was nearly incomprehensible for me to understand what it was like for someone to not have one.
You could see the difference between a kid with a dream and one without one. The kid with a dream was focused. Maybe not focused on my class or the book I put in front of her face, but focused on something. It might be distant, it might be unreachable, but there was desire and drive behind those eyes.
And then there were some kids who had no dream. Ask them what they wanted, and they would say "to graduate." Or--and this happened, too--"to turn 16 so I can drop out." And sometimes: "nothing."
I--and all the other teachers--would try to entice them with new studies or interests. Try to suss out a dream. But a dream is not something one can just give to someone else. It has to fill you up and come from within. If your body is a ship, then the dream is the wind in the sails. No one can hold the wind, let alone make it. It's something that just is. Or...isn't.
Looking back, now, it's easy for me to say I'm thankful for my dream. But a few years ago, after ten years of trying and ten years of failing, after hundreds of rejections, I would have given anything to erase the dream. To just be normal and not care.
And how empty my life would be without it.
So let me tell you: if you have a dream--even one that might hurt now--be thankful for it. Steer your ship into that gale.
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