Beth Revis's Blog, page 47
August 1, 2011
Creative Coffee
Just one possibility for an entry in the Creative Contest I announced yesterday! :)
(PS: This isn't an entry--I commissioned it from Fiverr.com for fun)
Widget Code
I've had a few people say the "Get Widget" function isn't working properly to snag the A MILLION SUNS widget I have on my sidebar. If you're having problems with it, you can just copy and paste the html text below straight into your website/blog:
<center><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndicati... type="text/javascript">if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('9f493d3e-d181-4108-b0b8-0443e06c5779');</script><noscript>Get the <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/a-mil... Million Suns</a> widget and many other <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/">great free widgets</a> at <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com">Wid...! Not seeing a widget? (<a href="http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widge... info</a>)</noscript></center>
Remember: if you're posting it into a Blogger post, use the "Edit HTML" tab.
Let me know if you have any other troubles!
<center><script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.widgetserver.com/syndicati... type="text/javascript">if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('9f493d3e-d181-4108-b0b8-0443e06c5779');</script><noscript>Get the <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/a-mil... Million Suns</a> widget and many other <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/">great free widgets</a> at <a href="http://www.widgetbox.com">Wid...! Not seeing a widget? (<a href="http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widge... info</a>)</noscript></center>
Remember: if you're posting it into a Blogger post, use the "Edit HTML" tab.
Let me know if you have any other troubles!
Swag Pack Winner
I hope you all had a good time with the YA Scavenger Hunt! I know there were a few hiccups, but I really hope it was fun for all in the end!
The winner of the swag pack from me was... ROA! Congrats, Roa!
The grand prize winner of ALL 23 SIGNED books will be announced by Colleen Houck. And in the meantime...all those bonus materials are going back into hiding!
The winner of the swag pack from me was... ROA! Congrats, Roa!
The grand prize winner of ALL 23 SIGNED books will be announced by Colleen Houck. And in the meantime...all those bonus materials are going back into hiding!
July 31, 2011
August Giveaway!
FIRST: Are you looking for the YA Scavenger Hunt? If so, it's the post right below this one. That's right guys--I'm doing TWO giveaways today!It's August! And, well, that deserves a celebration, no? No? Well how about this: it's only a half a year more before A MILLION SUNS comes out! Squee!! And guys, I cannot wait for you to read this book. ACROSS THE UNIVERSE was amazing for me because it was my first published book, but A MILLION SUNS is something special because it was the first book I wrote knowing that people wanted it.
And, well, you guys know me. I celebrate with giveaways :)
I've been preparing for this giveaway for awhile. Months. And I'm so excited to finally share it with you all.
First, the prizes:
GRAND PRIZE:
A signed ARC of A MILLION SUNS!
A custom made charm bracelet that fits with AtU!
DETAILS ABOUT THE PRIZES:The grand prize will consist of the VERY FIRST ARC of A MILLION SUNS! I...er...actually don't have any yet. But when I do get ARCs, the prize-winner will get the Very. First. One. The prize-winner will also get this very cool and very special and very rare charm bracelet. I've talked about how these bracelets came to be in more detail before, but basically, this is a custom-made, commissioned work of art that incorporates nearly 20 charms, each one specific to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, plus some beautiful beads. The details of this are simple AMAZING. You can read more about each charm here. The bracelet retails for $70--and is so worth it. It's so pretty!
FIVE RUNNER UP PRIZES:
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A total SECRET! A mystery gift!
DETAILS ABOUT THE PRIZES: There will be FIVE runner-up prizes for this contest. What are the prizes?That's a secret. But if you participate in the 24-hour scavenger hunt,
you'll find out what the mystery prize is.Here's a clue: the mystery prize will involve a key image relevant to A MILLION SUNS.
SO HOW DO YOU ENTER?
By Simon Semus
Well, this is a very creative prize. A book that took all my creative powers to make. A bracelet that drips with creativity. And so, to enter, you need to do something creative.
And I don't want to limit creativity. So here's the thing: you can do anything as long as you stretch your creative muscle a bit. But if you need some ideas, you could re-design the cover like the ones here. Or you could draw a picture or do some graphic design like the fan art here. (And PS: all those old pictures? They still totally count as entries in this.)
But I know that not everyone's good at visual arts, or maybe they want to do something beyond the norm to stand out. And I totally encourage that.
Maybe what you really want to do is play outside with some chalk...(This is a fan video Heather Zundel did for Gayle Forman's IF I STAY, a brilliant book)
Or maybe you'd like to blend artistic ideas? I have to admit, I've always been intrigued by the idea of making a custom My Little Pony. Can you imagine a bright-red-haired pony?
Or perhaps you're a fashionista who likes to design t-shirts? What would you put on the front of an AtU t-shirt? Team Elder? The Godspeed logo?
Shirt found here.
Or maybe you like to quilt or sew?
This is a quilt a fan named Kim Walus made for Kiersten White. Isn't it amazing?
Maybe you're the next Rachel Berry and like to sing? (This version, btw, is made by the fab Kayla Olson)
WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO! It's all 100% up to you! All you have to do is come up with some sort of neat, unique, creative, fun thing that ties back to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE in some way. A clay model of Godspeed? A facepaint of the ship logo (found embossed on the hardcover)? A haiku about stars? Get some friends together and re-enact a scene from the book? A little design that can be used for pin-buttons? Use stage make-up and give yourself a wi-com? It's all up to you.
And since I'm asking YOU guys to be all kinds of creative, I decided to be a little creative myself, learn a little html (seriously! the entire widget is linked to different websites!), and make a button for YOU:
Get the &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/a-mil... Million Suns&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; widget and many other &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.widgetbox.com/"&a... free widgets&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; at &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.widgetbox.com"&am...! Not seeing a widget? (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://docs.widgetbox.com/using-widge... info&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;)
Now, I know it's going to be really hard to pick a winner. And judging from the last creative contest I held, it might just be impossible. I mean, come on. You guys are good. So, I'm going to give the grand prize away based on a drawing.
BUT. I reserve the right to give an additional special prize of my choosing to someone (or more than one person!) if I see a creative work that is just by-and-far brilliant and above and beyond and leaves me gobsmacked. Which is really just a fancy way of saying that if you really impress me, I will give out MORE prizes.
ALSO. I am giving you a whole month to do this. So make it good! :D
TO ENTER FOR THE GRAND PRIZE OF THE VERY FIRST SIGNED ARC OF A MILLION SUNS AND THE CUSTOM MADE CHARM BRACELET:Create something that is creative and linked to ACROSS THE UNIVERSE in some way.
Upload the image (or video, or text, or whatever) of the creative work online
This can be on your own blog or website
You can tweet the pic on Twitter, or add to Tumblr, or whatev
If you don't have a blog/website, you are more than welcome to add the picture on the Facebook page (and actually, if you do that, it would probably make my publisher very happy, and last time we made the publisher happy, they sent me an extra box of ARCs to give away to you guys)
And, failing all that, you are also more than welcome to email me the entry at bethrevis @ gmail.com
If you have the above widget on your website when I go to check it out, you get an extra entry into the drawing
You must submit your entry by midnight on August 31, 2011
This contest is open internationally
Leave the information of where to find your entry (the link and your contact information) in the following form. NOT the comments of this post. USE THE FORM BELOW:
<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;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&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>
TO ENTER FOR THE SUPER SECRET FIVE RUNNER-UP PRIZES:Go here. The lovely ladies at The Secret of the Stars are handling the five mystery prize giveaways. :)
And to get a sneak-peek, open for only 24-hours, of what that secret prize will be, then go on the Scavenger Hunt detailed in the post below this one. And if you do that, you'll also get a chance to win a crap-ton of signed books and more prizes!
(Oh. And PS? If, um, you'd like to mail me your entry so I can decorate my bookshelves with it, I am *so* cool with that idea. My mailing address is PO Box 27, Union Mills, NC 28167. I will send you a pretty thank you card if you do this!)
Scavenger Hunt--One Day Only!
Welcome to the YA Scavenger Hunt!
The fabulous Colleen Houck, author of TIGER'S CURSE, organized a fun scavenger hunt with a ton of YA authors. Join the hunt, and you'll discover exclusive bonus material, sign up for giveaways, and an all-access pass to top secret insider information.
As an extra bonus, we've put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you'll be eligible for a fabulous grand prize which will include signed books, bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one from every author in the hunt!
Scavenger Hunt Puzzle
Directions: Copy and paste the puzzle below onto a document or blank email page and fill it out as you proceed through the Scavenger Hunt. Search for keywords, one on each website that will be highlighted in RED , and insert them into the puzzle, then fill out the Google form here (where you'll also find more details about the rules).
Here's the puzzle for you to solve. You'll find one word in red in THIS post--that's one of the words to fill in the blank here. Go to the other authors' websites to find the remaining words and solve the puzzle!
Puzzle: Welcome fans of young adult literature! Don't forget to _______ up in time to join our special event! In ____________ you roll the dice and, like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. Our scavenger hunt is very similar. Surprises wait around every corner. Turn one page and you're chasing a _________ through a _________ _____________. Turn another and you are being ________ by a _______ which leaves your heart ________. YA ________s are full of ___________ heroes who must ___________ themselves for the greater good. Some of the characters travel through ______ or have a _________ __________. If there is one thing YA books have taught us, it's that if you leave your ___________ keep an eye out for a patrolling ________. They're very dangerous. Maybe not so frightening as a ____________, but still you should be careful. Also beware lest you become __________ by vampires. ______________ one is a different story. Just remember that bite has ___________ ramifications and that afterwards the sun can ______ you unless you get bitten by a glittering type. Whether you like dark, paranormal, romance, fantasy, ___________, Sci-Fi, or a combination of those, we've got something for you. We think that each fan is a __________ and we love you all!
Now let's get on with the HUNT!
I'm so excited today to be hosting the fabulous Lisa & Laura Roecker! I've raved about LiLa on here before, so I'm pretty sure you know who this fantastic duo are, but just in case, Lisa and Laura are sisters who wrote the YA mystery THE LIAR SOCIETY and are working on the sequel, THE LIES THAT BIND, whenever they aren't making fun of crazy celebs and cracking us up with stories of extreme parenting on their blog. They are fabulous writers--they know how to make a character interesting, how to make a reader keep turning the pages, and how to reveal one whopper of secret by the end of the novel.
Lisa & Laura Roecker's Bio
Lisa and Laura Roecker are sisters-turned-writing-partners with a love of all things Young Adult. Some call it arrested development, but the sisters claim it keeps them young. Plus, it's cheaper than Botox. Lisa and Laura live in Cleveland, Ohio in separate residences. Their husbands wouldn't agree to a duplex. THE LIAR SOCIETY is their first novel. To learn more, check out www.lisaandlauraroecker.com.
Synopsis of THE LIAR SOCIETY
Since when do the dead send emails? Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused.
To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here... sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.
Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...
EXCLUSIVE Material For YOU!
You guys. YOU GUYS. Below is the exclusive content that LiLa put together for the hunt--a DELETED SCENE FROM THEIR NEW NOVEL, THE LIES THAT BIND!!!!!!
These were never good meetings. They were called last minute, riskier than the ones we held in the dark, under the ground. We weren't even all together, but mixed and separated by non-members and members alike. The code wasn't perfect, but it worked, delivered important messages about how we should proceed. And they almost always followed some sort of emergency. Praesedi, our president, would begin eating, our cue. The message originated at the table where SAT prep books were scattered and kids quizzed each other for upcoming exams. Secretum, our secretary, sat at this table, pouring over homework like the rest of them. But today the goal wasn't to commit five new vocabulary words to memory, today was Commemoro. The Relay. I ate too fast, laughed at all the right times, said all the right things and waited for my turn. The first member, The Primoris, was always the same, they played lacrosse with the Secretum and seemed to rehash the previous night's game, but those who knew where to look understood the Commemoro had begun. The Primoris proceeded to the trash can to meet up with the Secundus who appeared to be tossing their tray at the same time. A tiny slip of paper was transferred from hand to hand. On the way back from the trash, the Secundus would spill something and need a napkin. Today, the "spill" was on the back of the shirt. Tetrius would be struggling at the napkin dispenser, pulling out chunks of paper instead of full sheets and Secundus would assist and deliver. Commemoro continued like an intricately-choreographed dance number until it was my turn, and the well-worn message was handed off to me. My post was at the drinking fountain, the person behind me always the same, waiting too quietly with the message. I had approximately 10 seconds, the time it took for me to walk to my next post, a back lunch table, to discreetly read the message. After doing so, I'd accidentally drop the slip on the floor and a member who was sharing homework answers would step on the slip and retrieve it while tying their shoe.This message didn't take 10 seconds to read because I already knew the content. I'd practically written it.The Sacrifice is complete. The Dead will rise again.
Now Start the Hunt!
Did you notice that word in RED? Make a note of that word--it's one of the words in the puzzle. Your mission is to take that word and visit the rest of the websites in the hunt--collecting the red words as you go--and solving the puzzle. Once you do, you can sign up to win a fabulous prize pack that includes a SIGNED book by EVERY author in the hunt! And if you find MY secret post, you can also enter to win a swag pack.
Ready to go to the next website on the hunt? Click HERE!
The fabulous Colleen Houck, author of TIGER'S CURSE, organized a fun scavenger hunt with a ton of YA authors. Join the hunt, and you'll discover exclusive bonus material, sign up for giveaways, and an all-access pass to top secret insider information.As an extra bonus, we've put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you'll be eligible for a fabulous grand prize which will include signed books, bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one from every author in the hunt!
Scavenger Hunt Puzzle
Directions: Copy and paste the puzzle below onto a document or blank email page and fill it out as you proceed through the Scavenger Hunt. Search for keywords, one on each website that will be highlighted in RED , and insert them into the puzzle, then fill out the Google form here (where you'll also find more details about the rules).
Here's the puzzle for you to solve. You'll find one word in red in THIS post--that's one of the words to fill in the blank here. Go to the other authors' websites to find the remaining words and solve the puzzle!
Puzzle: Welcome fans of young adult literature! Don't forget to _______ up in time to join our special event! In ____________ you roll the dice and, like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. Our scavenger hunt is very similar. Surprises wait around every corner. Turn one page and you're chasing a _________ through a _________ _____________. Turn another and you are being ________ by a _______ which leaves your heart ________. YA ________s are full of ___________ heroes who must ___________ themselves for the greater good. Some of the characters travel through ______ or have a _________ __________. If there is one thing YA books have taught us, it's that if you leave your ___________ keep an eye out for a patrolling ________. They're very dangerous. Maybe not so frightening as a ____________, but still you should be careful. Also beware lest you become __________ by vampires. ______________ one is a different story. Just remember that bite has ___________ ramifications and that afterwards the sun can ______ you unless you get bitten by a glittering type. Whether you like dark, paranormal, romance, fantasy, ___________, Sci-Fi, or a combination of those, we've got something for you. We think that each fan is a __________ and we love you all!
Now let's get on with the HUNT!
I'm so excited today to be hosting the fabulous Lisa & Laura Roecker! I've raved about LiLa on here before, so I'm pretty sure you know who this fantastic duo are, but just in case, Lisa and Laura are sisters who wrote the YA mystery THE LIAR SOCIETY and are working on the sequel, THE LIES THAT BIND, whenever they aren't making fun of crazy celebs and cracking us up with stories of extreme parenting on their blog. They are fabulous writers--they know how to make a character interesting, how to make a reader keep turning the pages, and how to reveal one whopper of secret by the end of the novel.Lisa & Laura Roecker's Bio
Lisa and Laura Roecker are sisters-turned-writing-partners with a love of all things Young Adult. Some call it arrested development, but the sisters claim it keeps them young. Plus, it's cheaper than Botox. Lisa and Laura live in Cleveland, Ohio in separate residences. Their husbands wouldn't agree to a duplex. THE LIAR SOCIETY is their first novel. To learn more, check out www.lisaandlauraroecker.com.
Synopsis of THE LIAR SOCIETY
Since when do the dead send emails? Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's more than a little confused.To: KateLowry@pemberlybrown.edu
From: GraceLee@pemberlybrown.edu
Subject: (no subject)
Kate,
I'm here... sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.
Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accident. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(not-so)-shining armor-the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her lovestruck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them-even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...
EXCLUSIVE Material For YOU!
You guys. YOU GUYS. Below is the exclusive content that LiLa put together for the hunt--a DELETED SCENE FROM THEIR NEW NOVEL, THE LIES THAT BIND!!!!!!
These were never good meetings. They were called last minute, riskier than the ones we held in the dark, under the ground. We weren't even all together, but mixed and separated by non-members and members alike. The code wasn't perfect, but it worked, delivered important messages about how we should proceed. And they almost always followed some sort of emergency. Praesedi, our president, would begin eating, our cue. The message originated at the table where SAT prep books were scattered and kids quizzed each other for upcoming exams. Secretum, our secretary, sat at this table, pouring over homework like the rest of them. But today the goal wasn't to commit five new vocabulary words to memory, today was Commemoro. The Relay. I ate too fast, laughed at all the right times, said all the right things and waited for my turn. The first member, The Primoris, was always the same, they played lacrosse with the Secretum and seemed to rehash the previous night's game, but those who knew where to look understood the Commemoro had begun. The Primoris proceeded to the trash can to meet up with the Secundus who appeared to be tossing their tray at the same time. A tiny slip of paper was transferred from hand to hand. On the way back from the trash, the Secundus would spill something and need a napkin. Today, the "spill" was on the back of the shirt. Tetrius would be struggling at the napkin dispenser, pulling out chunks of paper instead of full sheets and Secundus would assist and deliver. Commemoro continued like an intricately-choreographed dance number until it was my turn, and the well-worn message was handed off to me. My post was at the drinking fountain, the person behind me always the same, waiting too quietly with the message. I had approximately 10 seconds, the time it took for me to walk to my next post, a back lunch table, to discreetly read the message. After doing so, I'd accidentally drop the slip on the floor and a member who was sharing homework answers would step on the slip and retrieve it while tying their shoe.This message didn't take 10 seconds to read because I already knew the content. I'd practically written it.The Sacrifice is complete. The Dead will rise again.
Now Start the Hunt!
Did you notice that word in RED? Make a note of that word--it's one of the words in the puzzle. Your mission is to take that word and visit the rest of the websites in the hunt--collecting the red words as you go--and solving the puzzle. Once you do, you can sign up to win a fabulous prize pack that includes a SIGNED book by EVERY author in the hunt! And if you find MY secret post, you can also enter to win a swag pack.
Ready to go to the next website on the hunt? Click HERE!
July 30, 2011
A Million Suns Description Blurb!
Over on GoodReads, the description for A MILLION SUNS is up!
Just in case you're curious, here's what the book is about....
When Elder learns harrowing news about the space ship Godspeed, he and Amy must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, all the while dealing with the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart. It all boils down to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.
July 29, 2011
July 28, 2011
A Sneak Peek at the Prizes!
It's almost here! The very first A MILLION SUNS contest! It launches on August 1st. And since it's going to be a BIG contest--I mean, heck, I'm giving away the first A MILLION SUNS ARC in it!--I thought I'd give you guys a bit of a bigger sneak peak at the prizes.
Prizes. More than one prize. Multiple in the prize department.
Well, first there's going to be a grand prize, which will consist of two things. The first is an ARC of A MILLION SUNS (which will be delivered to the winner as soon as, er, they're delivered to me). The second part of the grand prize is this:
I've blogged before about how I contacted this awesome Etsy artist, Jennie, and we started working on a bracelet that's just for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. We worked together over every. Single. Charm. And dude. There's nearly 20 charms on this sucker! And each and every one has a special meaning. 2 planets--one Earth, one Centauri-Earth
A koi and paint palette for Harley
A running shoe and sun for Amy
A flower (from that scene) for Elder
An infinity symbol for the last line of the book
A block of ice for Amy's parents
...and more
For a full list of the charms, plus details of how the bracelet was made, check out Jennie's blog!
There's just so much detail in this!
Do you see the clasp? IT IS SHAPED LIKE A STAR. GUYS. GUYS. IT IS SHAPED LIKE A STAR. Jennie put so much love into these bracelets. Under the ice charm? A teeny-tiny almost unnoticeable star. It's just...*sigh*...perfect.
And each link that doesn't have a charm? Has a beautiful set of beads. The pictures just do NOT do this justice. The beads are all in colors that match both the covers of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and A MILLION SUNS. They shimmer. They sparkle. They are shiny.
Now, as I mentioned, Jennie made these bracelets just for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. She actually made a whole shop in her Etsy store just for AtU--and while the bracelets sold out (on the first day they were on sale!) she does have earrings for AtU and is working on more jewelry as we speak! So be sure to check out her store! (For the record, I'm partial to the Little Fish earrings, but then again, I've got a soft spot for Harley.)
Now, I did mention that there were prizeS. But...the other prizes are....secret.
Yeah.
I know.
But on August 1st, in addition to opening up the very first contest that will feature the very first ARC of A MILLION SUNS, I'm also going to post a link to a scavenger hunt! And--for 24 hours only--if you follow the link, you'll discover what the secret prizes are.
So! Good times ahead!
Prizes. More than one prize. Multiple in the prize department.
Well, first there's going to be a grand prize, which will consist of two things. The first is an ARC of A MILLION SUNS (which will be delivered to the winner as soon as, er, they're delivered to me). The second part of the grand prize is this:
I've blogged before about how I contacted this awesome Etsy artist, Jennie, and we started working on a bracelet that's just for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. We worked together over every. Single. Charm. And dude. There's nearly 20 charms on this sucker! And each and every one has a special meaning. 2 planets--one Earth, one Centauri-Earth
A koi and paint palette for Harley
A running shoe and sun for Amy
A flower (from that scene) for Elder
An infinity symbol for the last line of the book
A block of ice for Amy's parents
...and more
For a full list of the charms, plus details of how the bracelet was made, check out Jennie's blog!
There's just so much detail in this!
Do you see the clasp? IT IS SHAPED LIKE A STAR. GUYS. GUYS. IT IS SHAPED LIKE A STAR. Jennie put so much love into these bracelets. Under the ice charm? A teeny-tiny almost unnoticeable star. It's just...*sigh*...perfect.And each link that doesn't have a charm? Has a beautiful set of beads. The pictures just do NOT do this justice. The beads are all in colors that match both the covers of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and A MILLION SUNS. They shimmer. They sparkle. They are shiny.
Now, as I mentioned, Jennie made these bracelets just for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. She actually made a whole shop in her Etsy store just for AtU--and while the bracelets sold out (on the first day they were on sale!) she does have earrings for AtU and is working on more jewelry as we speak! So be sure to check out her store! (For the record, I'm partial to the Little Fish earrings, but then again, I've got a soft spot for Harley.)
Now, I did mention that there were prizeS. But...the other prizes are....secret.
Yeah.
I know.
But on August 1st, in addition to opening up the very first contest that will feature the very first ARC of A MILLION SUNS, I'm also going to post a link to a scavenger hunt! And--for 24 hours only--if you follow the link, you'll discover what the secret prizes are.
So! Good times ahead!
July 27, 2011
The Most Effective Book Trailer Ever.
So there's this book:
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. I'd seen it around. And even though it looked creeptastic, it didn't really grab me for whatever reason.
Then I read this review, which led me to this book trailer:
Then, after I saw it, I saw this "making of" book trailer:
In the past, there have been book trailers that convinced me to buy a book I was on the fence about--this is the first time that I found immediately went out to buy a book that I'd consciously decided not to buy previously.
And I did. I downloaded it onto my Kindle that second--but I can already tell that I want this one in print. Because scattered throughout the text? Creepy old vintage pictures that go along with the story. And the author? He found the photographs, before he wrote the book!
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. I'd seen it around. And even though it looked creeptastic, it didn't really grab me for whatever reason.
Then I read this review, which led me to this book trailer:
Then, after I saw it, I saw this "making of" book trailer:
In the past, there have been book trailers that convinced me to buy a book I was on the fence about--this is the first time that I found immediately went out to buy a book that I'd consciously decided not to buy previously.
And I did. I downloaded it onto my Kindle that second--but I can already tell that I want this one in print. Because scattered throughout the text? Creepy old vintage pictures that go along with the story. And the author? He found the photographs, before he wrote the book!
July 24, 2011
The Learning Curve
I was talking recently with an author friend of mine, and we were discussing how we figured, by this point in our careers, we'd be, you know...better. She'd thought a draft of hers, while not done, was closer to being done. I'd thought that A MILLION SUNS would be easier to write than ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Not--as it turned out to be--harder.
All this got me to thinking. While I've only got one book on the shelves now, I've been at this gig for a bit now--ten years, and ten unpublished manuscripts before ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. I'm not going to go into all that now because, frankly, you guys are probably getting sick of hearing about it.
But I'm going to tell you what I told my author friend the other night.
It's actually a good thing that it never gets easier.
See, here's the thing. If it got easier, that means we're not challenging ourselves any more. We've dug ourselves a nice little groove, and we're not trying to improve.
In my time while struggling to be a writer, I've noticed that people respond differently to critiques.
See, we wish we were the blue line--always, steadily getting better. That's the way it would be in a perfect world: we'd just continue to improve as we work.
But of course, it's not like that. It's just...not.
The red and green lines represent real authors, not this crazy ideal author that doesn't exist. At Point 1, you can see that most authors DO improve over time. I think that's certainly true--with practice, we get better. You can see that both Red and Green are advancing at the same rate over time.
But at Point 2, I introduce criticism. Now, authors get criticism in different ways, but what I mean by "criticism" is constructive advice. This could be--and will be for most authors--critique partners or beta readers. But it could also be an agent or editor. Either way, my point is--at Point 2, authors get advice.
You'll notice that the green line takes a sharp turn up. I personally think at the point when an author starts steadily working with other to improve his craft, he also takes a sudden bump up. These are big things that it's easy and quick for an author to learn once he starts working with others--basic things like formatting, pacing, structure. I sincerely do believe that when an author starts getting some sort of outside help--from critiques, agents, editors, whatever--he will see a sudden and marked improvement.
But then you'll notice that the road gets bumpy. There are a ton of little ups and downs--sharp peaks, sudden plunges--that the improving writer will feel. That's because the writer is improving. The writer, by this point, has developed a sense of what works and what doesn't, and is trying to make something grand and wonderful--and is still struggling.
Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.
This is the point my writer friend is at. She's constantly improving, but it's not one smooth ride up like the blue line.
And the thing I wanted to tell her was that that is a really good thing.
Because, essentially, that means you're starting to recognize that what you're doing now isn't good enough.
And that, my friends, is a very good thing.
I think it's for the best that an artist never really gets to the point that she thinks something is good enough. If the artist--no matter what the art is--sits back and accepts her work as "good enough," that means she's satisfied. And, well...I don't want to be satisfied. I want to constantly struggle to be even better than I was before.
Because the author writer? The one with the red line? She gets to point 4 on my chart. She's placated. She's fine with the way things are. She gets a piece of advice--say, to make a character's motivations clearer. And she adds a scene and calls it done. Calls it good enough.
And there's no improvement there.
Maybe the Red Writer has a happier life than the Green Writer. Maybe Red is blissful in her ignorance, coasting through her art, creating a story and letting it ride.
I think many writers are like that writer--especially at the beginning, but sometimes I still feel that way. I'll admit that while I was working on A MILLION SUNS, I got to a point where I looked at the story and thought "done," well before it was, actually, done.
And I know I was like that at the beginning of my writing life--one reason why I went so long before achieving publication. I still remember the first time I "edited" my first book. You guys, I crossed out, like, a page, and then I fixed some grammar, and I think I added a paragraph. That was it. That wasn't editing. That wasn't ripping through the words to find the beating heart of the story.
That was good enough.
I never want to be good enough.
I want to be the best I can be.
And that--that--requires ups and downs. That requires recognizing when something isn't good enough. Now, if you haven't already, go watch that video I posted above. And also, read this. I think you'll see some parallels between writing and fighting there.
All this got me to thinking. While I've only got one book on the shelves now, I've been at this gig for a bit now--ten years, and ten unpublished manuscripts before ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. I'm not going to go into all that now because, frankly, you guys are probably getting sick of hearing about it.
But I'm going to tell you what I told my author friend the other night.
It's actually a good thing that it never gets easier.
See, here's the thing. If it got easier, that means we're not challenging ourselves any more. We've dug ourselves a nice little groove, and we're not trying to improve.
In my time while struggling to be a writer, I've noticed that people respond differently to critiques.
See, we wish we were the blue line--always, steadily getting better. That's the way it would be in a perfect world: we'd just continue to improve as we work.But of course, it's not like that. It's just...not.
The red and green lines represent real authors, not this crazy ideal author that doesn't exist. At Point 1, you can see that most authors DO improve over time. I think that's certainly true--with practice, we get better. You can see that both Red and Green are advancing at the same rate over time.
But at Point 2, I introduce criticism. Now, authors get criticism in different ways, but what I mean by "criticism" is constructive advice. This could be--and will be for most authors--critique partners or beta readers. But it could also be an agent or editor. Either way, my point is--at Point 2, authors get advice.
You'll notice that the green line takes a sharp turn up. I personally think at the point when an author starts steadily working with other to improve his craft, he also takes a sudden bump up. These are big things that it's easy and quick for an author to learn once he starts working with others--basic things like formatting, pacing, structure. I sincerely do believe that when an author starts getting some sort of outside help--from critiques, agents, editors, whatever--he will see a sudden and marked improvement.
But then you'll notice that the road gets bumpy. There are a ton of little ups and downs--sharp peaks, sudden plunges--that the improving writer will feel. That's because the writer is improving. The writer, by this point, has developed a sense of what works and what doesn't, and is trying to make something grand and wonderful--and is still struggling.
Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.
This is the point my writer friend is at. She's constantly improving, but it's not one smooth ride up like the blue line.
And the thing I wanted to tell her was that that is a really good thing.
Because, essentially, that means you're starting to recognize that what you're doing now isn't good enough.
And that, my friends, is a very good thing.
I think it's for the best that an artist never really gets to the point that she thinks something is good enough. If the artist--no matter what the art is--sits back and accepts her work as "good enough," that means she's satisfied. And, well...I don't want to be satisfied. I want to constantly struggle to be even better than I was before.
Because the author writer? The one with the red line? She gets to point 4 on my chart. She's placated. She's fine with the way things are. She gets a piece of advice--say, to make a character's motivations clearer. And she adds a scene and calls it done. Calls it good enough.
And there's no improvement there.
Maybe the Red Writer has a happier life than the Green Writer. Maybe Red is blissful in her ignorance, coasting through her art, creating a story and letting it ride.
I think many writers are like that writer--especially at the beginning, but sometimes I still feel that way. I'll admit that while I was working on A MILLION SUNS, I got to a point where I looked at the story and thought "done," well before it was, actually, done.
And I know I was like that at the beginning of my writing life--one reason why I went so long before achieving publication. I still remember the first time I "edited" my first book. You guys, I crossed out, like, a page, and then I fixed some grammar, and I think I added a paragraph. That was it. That wasn't editing. That wasn't ripping through the words to find the beating heart of the story.
That was good enough.
I never want to be good enough.
I want to be the best I can be.
And that--that--requires ups and downs. That requires recognizing when something isn't good enough. Now, if you haven't already, go watch that video I posted above. And also, read this. I think you'll see some parallels between writing and fighting there.
![[image error]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zEhYbc1SqIw/TikAbr02UJI/AAAAAAAACBo/bO05S13O59w/s1600/mystery_gift.jpg){kind=link}