Beth Revis's Blog, page 5

Special Pre-order Offer for PAPER HEARTS!

Recently, I announced that the first of my three writing, publishing, and marketing books was coming on November 1. You can pre-order from most major retailers in e-book form already:

-Amazon
-BN -- Available Nov 1
-Kobo
-iBooks -- coming soon
-Smashwords
-IndieBound -- Available Nov 1

Currently, though, there's only one place you can pre-order the paper copy of the book (which will be available in the middle of November). And that place is my local indie bookstore, Malaprops. And as you guys know, Malaprops is awesome, and they love giving their customers what they want.
So I teamed up with them to give everyone who orders a copy of Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice from Malaprops a very, very special gift. I reached out to some of my favorite YA authors and asked them what their best advice for writers is, and then I collected it all in an exclusive, limited edition chapbook that will go out with every copy of Paper Hearts sold at Malaprops from now until November 15.
ORDER YOUR COPY OF PAPER HEARTS + GET A FREE BONUS CHAPBOOK HERE

With every copy of Paper Hearts sold from Malaprops from now until November 15, you will get an exclusive, limited edition chapbook featuring the best advice from 12 beloved and bestselling YA authors! 


Once these chapbooks are gone, they're gone, and the only way to guarantee getting one is to pre-order the book from Malaprops before November 15. Don't wait!!! Supplies are definitely limited--and this is an awesome chapbook! It includes advice from:
MeRyan GraudinStephanie PerkinsAlexandra DuncanJodi MeadowsSusan DennardAmie KaufmanMegan ShepherdColleen HouckMarie LuChristina FarleyJessica Brody
And to entice you further--and to thank the lovely authors who contributed to the chapbook--one lucky person is going to get a copy of each and every one of these authors' books! This is open internationally (as long as Book Depository ships to your location) and I'll be adding some extra swag and goodies with the prize box! 
Entering is simple--just fill in the Rafflecopter below. You'll also see links to the contest on my social media...if you reshare it with the #paperhearts, you might just win a little extra something as well! 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Announcing the Publication of PAPER HEARTS + Lots of Extras & Giveaway!

A few years ago, I started gathering up my writing advice posts from across the internet into one place--a Wattpad book called Paper Hearts. This was a little side project for me, and one borne of love--a love of teaching, a love of writing, and mostly a love of my readers who wanted to be writers. This was the book that I wish I'd had when I was starting out, and it was something I wanted to do to give back to the YA writing community.

But as the months passed, I realized that my little project wasn't so little any more. Wattpad was clunky to use to organize chapters, so I shifted to Scrivener, and started grouping the chapters together.

A few months ago, I compiled everything and realized I had about 175,000 words on writing, publishing, and marketing. And that I hadn't written one book of advice.

I'd written three.

And with NaNoWriMo coming up, I decided to publish them as fast as I can. Paper Hearts, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice will be available in ebook form on November 1, 2015 and in print form November 15th. 


Paper Hears, Volume 1: Some Writing Advice is part philosophy and part practical advice. It covers topics ranging from grammar and the basics of writing to advanced story structure (with reproducable charts and blank templates) and an appendix of more than 25 "What to do if..." solutions to common writing problems. My favorite section is the last--a series of chapters about failure, how it's inevitable, and how to rise above it. This book really is my (paper) heart; this is exactly the book I needed when I was writing for a decade, compiling a thousand rejections, and silently trunking novel after novel.

PHV1 is available for pre-order now in its online edition here:

AmazonBN -- Available Nov 1KoboiBooks -- coming soonSmashwordsIndieBound -- Available Nov 1Currently, the price of the ebook is $2.99. On November 7, the price will go up to $5.99, so if you want an ebook, preorder it now before the price goes up! 
Print books will be available November 15...and I'm cooking up a special deal for everyone who orders from my local indie store, which will be announced later this week. Trust me, you're going to get a very special gift with your order!!!

On December 1, 2015, Paper Hearts, Volume 2: Some Publishing Advice will be released in ebook form, with the paper form following shortly thereafter. I realize that being publishing for five years doesn't make me a leading expert, but I think I have a viewpoint that's needed right now: a totally impartial view between traditional and self publishing. Too many books are all one way and none of the other, but the modern author needs to at least be aware of the options each side offers. 
Written without bias, this book explores both paths of publication, with key similarities and differences. It assumes you have a complete, ready-to-be-published manuscript, and takes you down the pros and cons of self and traditional publishing, helping you choose your path, and then it details the first steps you need to go through for each path. If you choose traditional publishing, it discusses how to write a query letter (with specific, real life examples), how to researching and choose an agent, and what to expect from a traditional publication deal. If you choose self publishing, it discusses pitfalls and common mistakes, what to spend money on and what to save your money on, and how to make your book stand out in the crowded market. 

January 1, 2016 marks the release of Paper Hearts, Volume 3: Some Marketing Advice in ebook form, with the paper form following soon thereafter. This book was born directly from my involvement in the writing community, mentoring other writers, giving advice on the YAWriters reddit, participating in various chat boards, etc. I kept seeing the same questions from debuts, and discovered that, while there is a lot of information out there on how to get the book to an agent, there's very little information on how to get the book to an audience. PHV3 will cover the basics of setting up social media, a detailed map of a standard author website, how to establish a newsletter, the shifting face of the market, how marketing is different if you self or traditionally publish, and other tips to get you started. Geared particularly toward debuts or people trying to break into the next level, this book is designed to encourage you to take charge of your own career without forgetting that the most important thing of all is writing your next book.
Once all the books are out, I will be doing a very special live event at Malaprops in Asheville, NC. On January 24, 2016, I will be leading a hands-on workshop for writers. Come out for delicious snacks and meet fellow writers. With a no-holds-barred Q&A session, I'll be presenting some of the core ideas of the book and concluding with constructive feedback on your work. 
You may also have noticed the beautiful book covers. These were all designed by the amazingly talented Hafsah at IceyDesigns. She is also the artist behind some of the most perfect journal designs for writers ever (you can check them out here). We worked together to come up with a journal designed to go with the Paper Hearts series--read on to the end of this post to find out how you can win a copy of one. 

A photo posted by Beth Revis (@bethrevis) on Oct 9, 2015 at 1:06pm PDT

And that's it! I'm so excited to share these books with you all--this really has been a labor of love, and I hope it helps others as they develop their writing and start on their writing careers. 
AND DON'T FORGET TO STAY TUNED LATER THIS WEEK FOR DETAILS ON THE SPECIAL PRE-ORDER GIVEAWAY COMING FROM ME AND MALAPROPS!

Want to make sure you don't miss it?
Sign up here.
To celebrate this very special announcement, I'm giving away a specially design journal made by Hafsah at Icey Designs! To enter, all you have to do is spread the word about this book's new release:


RT this tweet or compose your own tweet with a link to this website + the hashtag #PaperHearts Sample tweet: Aspiring authors! Have you heard abt @bethrevis's writing advice book, #PAPERHEARTS? Launching Nov. 1! More details: http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/2015/10/announcing-publication-of-paper-hearts.html Tag a friend in this FB post, or share it with your friends using #paperhearts! Reblog this tumblr postInstagram users: there's a special IG post just for this that allows for easy sharing and entries! Share on any other social media platform--just make sure to include a link in the comments or tweet me a link so that I am sure to see it and count your entry!

YA Scavenger Hunt Fall 201

Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!



Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are SIX contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the GREEN TEAM--but there are more teams with more chances to win a whole different set of signed books!

If you'd like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.
SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE
Directions: Below, you'll notice that I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the blue team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 
Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form here to officially qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by OCTOBER 4, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.
SCAVENGER HUNT POST
Today, I am hosting Lynne Matson on my website for the YA Scavenger Hunt! A former attorney, Lynne now spends her days writing books about mysterious islands where teens have a year to escape or die. Inevitably her books involve a delicious near-miss kiss. When she's not writing or reading, you'll find her hanging out with her husband and their four amazing boys, probably on the beach. Cookies are her kryptonite, especially thin mints. You can find her on the web at http://lynnematson.blogspot.com.
Find out more information by checking out the author website or find more about the author's book here!


EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

On the island of Nil, the rules are set. You have exactly 365 days to escape--or you die. Rives is now the undisputed Leader of Nil City, but keeping the City united is tougher than ever.

I’m SOOOO honored to be on Beth’s blog today! I’m a huge Revis fangirl…her ACROSS THE UNVERSE series is one of my absolute favorites. So to be here, on Beth’s blog, chatting with Rives during #YASH is a treat for me!
As y’all may know, Rives is a supporting character in NIL. Thad, on of the two main characters in NIL, is the Leader of Nil City, and Rives is one of Thad’s Seconds. But in NIL UNLOCKED, Rives is one of the main characters. He finally gets to tell his story!
Because I’m the author, I pulled him out of the midst of NIL UNLOCKED to ask him a few questions. (We authors gets to do crazy things like that.:D) I wanted to know more about this boy who was driven to unlock Nil’s secrets, and whose heart had already been broken once on Nil.

Hi Rives! How’s it going today?
Rives glances around, his green eyes clear, his expression calm but incredibly alert, like he’s taking in the abrupt change of scenery and trying to make it fit with Nil.
Rives: Where am I? Still looking around. And where’s Skye?
Me: *waving my hand* She’s fine. I mean, for now, because she’s on Nil, obviously. *winces* *thinks this interview could go more smoothly* *clears throat* I’ll send you back in a minute. But first I wanted to ask you a few questions. Okay?
Rives crosses his arms, his expression all business.
Rives: Sure. But let’s make it quick. I don’t like leaving Skye alone.
Me: She’s fine. She’s tough.
Rives looks at me like I’m crazy.
Rives: Of course she’s tough. But she’s still basically a rookie, and this is Nil we’re talking about. Calculating, unpredictable. Possibly evil, and definitely creepy.
Me: What make Nil so creepy?
Rives laughs without smiling.
Rives: Besides the big cats and other fun beasts that will make you a midnight snack? Yeah, the animals are whacked. But Nil itself plays people. It’s all about the head games. Sometimes I think Nil messes with our heads--in our heads. I can’t explain it. But I’m going to figure it out. I’m going to figure Nil out.
Me: I know you’re the Leader of Nil City now and that you’re obsessed with unlocking Nil’s secrets. And I know you might be falling for Skye. Can you tell three things about you that readers don’t know?
His expression turned guarded as I spoke.
Rives:  Falling for Skye? You’re crazy. I’m focused right now on cracking Nil’s code. That’s it. We’ve got a lot of people in Nil City, good people, and they all deserve to get home. I’m gonna make that happen. I don’t have time for anything else.
He blows out a hard breath, pulling himself together.
Okay, three things.
His expression softens slightly, his green eyes drifting to a place far away.
First, I love photography. I’m obsessed with it. I think I want to be a photojournalist, because I also love to travel. I think that’s two things.
He smiles at me, a real smile.
Last thing? My favorite football team is Barcelona, and sometimes I think I might try to make a go of it in football instead of photography. Maybe I’ll do both. But, Rives pauses, his smile fading, first I have to get off the island.
He looks straight at me, worry darkening his eyes. Can I go back now? Because we’ve got a big cat prowling around the city these days, and I need to get back on Watch. Things can change in an instant on Nil, and I’ve been gone too long.
Me: *feeling terribly guilty because I sense he’s thinking of Talla* Your wish is my command. Be safe and--
Rives:  I know. Look around, pay attention. I got it. He smiles.
And then he’s gone. Back on Nil . . .
I’m so glad I could chat with Rives!!!
I know his fate…it’s revealed in NIL UNLOCKED, as is Nil’s past. J  But what about Nil’s future . . . and the ultimate fate of all your favorite characters? Find out in the stunning Nils series conclusion, NIL ON FIRE, out May 2016.
Thanks for stopping by & happy #YASH hunting! I’ve got a giveaway of signed copies of NIL on my blog too! Don’t forget to enter! Good luck with #YASH today! 
Thank, Lynne, for sharing all this good stuff about Nil! And don't forget to enter the YASH contest for a chance to win a ton of signed books by me, Lynne, and more! To enter, you need to know that my favorite number is 13. Add up all the favorite numbers of the authors on the green team and you'll have all the secret code to enter for the grand prize!

CONTINUE THE HUNT
To keep going on your quest for the hunt, you need to check out the next author!


BONUS CONTEST!
Recently, my latest book, The Body Electric , got it's first 100 reviews! The Body Electric is a futuristic story about a girl who can tamper with people's memories, making her the perfect spy--but when she discovers that someone has messed with her mind, she doesn't know who to trust.

To celebrate hitting more than 100 reviews, I'm giving away a beautiful art book. This folded star is made from a copy of Across the Universe, my first novel, by A Novel Idea, and will look lovely displayed on any shelf! To enter, just sign into the Rafflecopter below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Two Books You Should Go Buy Right Now

It's been awhile since I've done a book recommendation, but today marks the release of two awesome books that I really want everyone to read.

The first is A Curious Tale of the In-between by Lauren DeStefano (full disclaimer: in some states, we're married). I've loved this book since before it was a book, and I'm so glad that it's finally, finally out and available for everyone to read!

It's the story of Pram, an unusual little girl, and her friend Felix, an even more unusual little boy because he's a ghost. When she goes off to find out more about her past and her powers, though, she gets tangled up in a mystery and must face some of her darkest fears.

Obviously, since Lauren wrote it, you can be guaranteed of beautiful, lyrical writing, prose that would knock the socks off the fanciest poet, and a story that will haunt you. Basically, it's A++ all around and you should totally go read it.

GoodReads  | Amazon | IndieBound

The second book I want to tell you about is Violent Ends. This book is important. It's horrific. It's tragic. But it's the kind of book that needs to be written.

And it's also written by not one, but seventeen authors.

Rather than create a traditional anthology, author Shaun Hutchinson got seventeen authors to each write a chapter of the same book. Each chapter tells a different perspective of the same violent, tragic event: a deathly school shooting. Each chapter weaves in and out of the other stories, so that it reads as a complete, whole book from many authors and many points of view.

It's an ambitious project, to say the least, and I'm truly honored to have been a part of it. These sort of books are sadly so important these days, and this is one of the best on the subject.

GoodReads  | Amazon  | IndieBound

A Thank You to Readers: Win 9 Signed Books + More!

It's been awhile since we've had a contest. Part of that was because I've been saving things up until I get to make some big announcements (I've got a new book coming next year! And other cool things!), but I recently just decided, you know what? You guys are awesome 24/7, not just when I have a big announcement to share, so let's do a giveaway right now for no good reason at all, other than I like you people a whole bunch. ♥

So, I gathered together a bunch of my fave recent science fiction-y type books that I had just waiting in a pile for a giveaway. They're such stellar books I put them in a book star. Get it? :) 


ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER WILL RECEIVE:



PRIZE LIST Shades of Earth signed by Beth RevisThe Body Electric signed by Beth RevisThese Broken Stars signed by Amie Kaufman and Meg SpoonerSalvage signed by Alexa DuncanTracked ARC by Jenny Martin (gently read once by me!)Fever signed by Lauren DeStefanoThe Cage signed by Megan ShepherdTime Between Us by Tamara Ireland StoneOrigin signed by Jessica KhouryKalahari signed by Jessica KhouryLois Lane: Fallout signed by Gwenda Bond+ a secret surprise audio book!+ awesome swag from several authors!
I'm going to keep it simple to enter--this contest really is about me thanking you, my readers, with no strings attached. So it's open internationally to everyone, and you don't have to do anything but give me your email address to enter (so I can contact you if you win). 

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The giveaway is open until August 31, and I would appreciate it if you'd tell your friends and help spread the word. You could post about it on Twitter or Facebook or Tumblr--but it's not a requirement at all.


Share on:
TwitterTumblrFacebookPinterestAnd if you feel like thanking me or any other author, remember: reviews on sites like Amazon and BN.com are among the best ways to help our books reach wider audiences! ♥

You Send Me Mail, I Send You Mail

So. I meant to take a picture of the stack of letters I recently sent out--about thirty. Some were ones that I was just catching up on over the last few months, but some were....quite a bit older than that. My assistant (read: the husband, who I can't fire) accidentally misfiled a stack of fan mail letters that I needed to reply to, and when we discovered them two weeks ago, we dropped everything to answer each one. I hope they get to their destination safely!

Note: If you've sent me fan mail and I've not replied back, please drop me an email at authorbethrevis@gmail.com! I think we're 100% caught up now, so if you've not gotten anything back, that means your letter was lost!

But it got me thinking about fan mail. In the past, I've asked that people send me a self-addressed stamped envelope in return for getting a reply and swag back. But that definitely posed a problem and inconvenience for readers outside of America, and sometimes I was getting envelopes that didn't fit swag all that easily. So... instead, I'm just going to ask that you send me mail, and I'll send you mail back.

It can be as simple as a postcard (I love postcards!). Or a drawing or anything else you want. Put a stamp on something, include an address for me to reply to, and send me something at:

Beth RevisPO Box 27Union MillsNC 28167USA
...and I'll send you something back. I'm stuck at home with a baby right now, so I've been signing a lot of extra swag. If you want to include some stamps for me, that'd be nice and helpful, but it's no big deal. 
I hope this mail policy works a little better for everyone!

Announcing: A Kickstarter for a New YA Anthology!

Demitria Lunetta, Mindy McGinnis, and Kate Karyus Quinn, YA authors extraordinaire came up with an amazing idea: a crowdfunded YA anthology all about darkness and light--in characters, in the world, in the shadows. I've seen a little behind the scenes work, and I know these ladies are working to make this project be the best it can possibly be.

They've compiled thirteen amazing YA authors, each contributing a story to Among the Shadows, and the anthology will be released in September this year. But to get it off the ground, we're turning to you.

Among the Shadows is now a part of a brand new Kickstarter campaign. You can enter on several levels, with lots of perks from various different authors (I'm giving away copies of The Body Electric and "The Girl and the Machine"). There are books, critiques, being in the acknowledgements, and more up for grabs--and of course the anthology itself!

 You should definitely check out the book here. Perks start at just $5, so you can get some amazing books and stories easily!

YA Spring Fling!

This great giveaway just opened, so be sure to go in and enter!There are tons of prizes up for grabs!
***ENTER HERE***

Winner + New Contest

Thank you all for sharing the news about The Body Electric sale! You made THIS happen:



I'm so lucky to have readers like you!

To celebrate, I ran a contest last week for people who shared the news on social media. It took me a little longer than expected to compile all the entries from all the social media platforms (thank GOODNESS for Excel!) and the winner is:

http://darlenebrown67.tumblr.com/
Congrats! Winner, please email me your shipping address so I can get the prize in the mail to you ASAP. 
Also! In case you missed it, I have a Twitter-only contest going on right now to help celebrate Lauren DeStefano's latest book! All you have to do is retweet to enter. The prize is a signed copy of her latest book, Burning Kingdoms, and a handcrafted doll made by Lauren herself! (Did you know Lauren has her own etsy store where she sells dolls like these? I grabbed this one as I figured it'd be Pen's favorite :) 

ONE DAY ONLY SALE THIS SATURDAY: Nab Books for just 99¢

The Body Electric was lucky enough to be picked for a special book deal by BookBub and will be on sale for just 99¢! The sale technically only lasts for one day--March 7th, this Saturday--but it may go on sale a little bit before and/or stay on sale a little bit after that. The book is on sale at Amazon (Kindle) and Barnes & Noble (Nook) in the US, Canada, and the UK. But you're only guaranteed to snatch a copy at this special price on Saturday, March 7!

BookBub is a great email program that sends the best deals straight to your inbox--if you like the cheap ebooks, definitely subscribe to their newsletter program. (And you can subscribe to my newsletter too, so you'll always be the first to know when my books go on sale.)

Meanwhile, here's this weekend's special deals! This sale qualifies in the USA, the UK, and Canada, and is only guaranteed on March 7th. It may be on sale early (some retailers take different times to put a book on sale), but it will only definitely be on sale March 7th.


The Body Electric for 99¢ at AmazonThe Body Electric for 99¢ at Barnes & NobleThe Body Electric for 99¢ at Kobo
To celebrate, I'm also going to put my short story collection, The Future Collection, on sale for just 99¢. That's six short stories for the price of one--you can't beat that deal! (Note: The Future Collection is only available on Amazon/Kindle.)

The Future Collection for 99¢ at Amazon
This sale is truly only available for a limited time, and it will be a very rare occurrence. Don't miss out--grab a copy at the special sale price on March 7! The sale WILL END on Sunday!

Because this sale is so rare and won't come along again for a long time, I want to make sure that as many people as possible can grab a copy at such a special price. Therefore, throughout social media, I'm spreading the word...and I'm rewarding the people who help me!


ONE GRAND PRIZE-Signed copies of: Across the UniverseA Million SunsShades of EarthThe Body Electric
-Swag pack including:Limited Edition Across the Universe metal water bottleHuge packet of swag from books all overA specially designed necklace
-Mystery Book!A signed copy of a mystery book!I'll keep which book it is a surprise, but it's a great one!It's YA, and it's signed by the author.



On Instagram: Reblog the sale image at the top of this page, link to my Instagram account @bethrevis, and tag it #BookBargain

You can reblog my photo from here or by following @bethrevis
On Facebook: Post the sale image above, link to either this website or one of the books, and tag it #BookBargain
Alternatively, you can share my post from here
On Twitter:Tweet the following message: DEAL ALERT! You can grab @bethrevis's latest book, The Body Electric, for just 99¢ MARCH 7 ONLY! #BookBargain https://t.co/DwDQEYXoAW
Alternatively, you can RT my twitter post from here
On Tumblr:Reblog my image post from here
I'll be selecting one winner to win the prize on Monday, March 9th, and the prize is international (although please note that the sale is only in the USA, UK, and Canada--sorry!).