Shannon Messenger's Blog, page 53
January 19, 2012
Welcome new Bookanistas!!!!
Sorry guys--didn't have time for a Bookanista Review (will be back next week with an AWESOME one, I promise)--but that doesn't mean I don't have some exciting Bookanista news to share!!!!!!
Everyone--put your hands together (hee, I love when I get to sound like an MC) for our SUPER-FAB new Bookanistas:
Gennifer Albin Jessica Love
Tracy Banghart Hilary Wagner
Yay!!!
*tosses confetti*
Welcome to the madness, ladies!
(Also, I SO did not give a proper shout out to the other three lovely ladies who joined us a few months back--SORRY Nikki, Debra, and Katy! You guys are just as awesome--if not more so. I'm just lame!)
As you can tell, we've had a few shifts around here in Bookanista land. Some of us are taking short hiatuses (I may need to do the same in a couple months--we'll see.) A few have even had to leave--and while it's SO sad to see them go, it's also exciting to have some new members. Yay for getting to know more writers!
Also, have to take a second and give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to the lovely and talented Megan Miranda (fellow Bookanista extraordinaire) whose novel FRACTURE just hit stores this week:
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine
-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?
Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?
For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.
Trust me guys--you do NOT want to miss out on this one! Get thee to the book store!
And that's all for today. But for more fabulous book recommendations, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are talking about:
Gennifer Albin joins the Bookanistas with a great giveawayChristine Fonseca is wild about WOLFSBANELiLa Roecker adores AUSTENTATIOUSStasia Ward Kehoe gives cover love to GETTING SOMEWHERENikki Katz takes a shine to UNDER THE NEVER SKYKaty Upperman is dazzled by A MILLION SUNSTracy Banghart is wowed by ON FORTUNE'S WHEEL
Everyone--put your hands together (hee, I love when I get to sound like an MC) for our SUPER-FAB new Bookanistas:
Gennifer Albin Jessica Love
Tracy Banghart Hilary WagnerYay!!!
*tosses confetti*
Welcome to the madness, ladies!
(Also, I SO did not give a proper shout out to the other three lovely ladies who joined us a few months back--SORRY Nikki, Debra, and Katy! You guys are just as awesome--if not more so. I'm just lame!)
As you can tell, we've had a few shifts around here in Bookanista land. Some of us are taking short hiatuses (I may need to do the same in a couple months--we'll see.) A few have even had to leave--and while it's SO sad to see them go, it's also exciting to have some new members. Yay for getting to know more writers!
Also, have to take a second and give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to the lovely and talented Megan Miranda (fellow Bookanista extraordinaire) whose novel FRACTURE just hit stores this week:
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?
Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?
For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.
Trust me guys--you do NOT want to miss out on this one! Get thee to the book store!
And that's all for today. But for more fabulous book recommendations, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are talking about:
Gennifer Albin joins the Bookanistas with a great giveawayChristine Fonseca is wild about WOLFSBANELiLa Roecker adores AUSTENTATIOUSStasia Ward Kehoe gives cover love to GETTING SOMEWHERENikki Katz takes a shine to UNDER THE NEVER SKYKaty Upperman is dazzled by A MILLION SUNSTracy Banghart is wowed by ON FORTUNE'S WHEEL
January 18, 2012
Online Marketing advice from Author and Marketing Expert Shelli Johannes-Wells
Now that I'm in my debut year as an author, marketing is DEFINITELY on my mind. And while I'm lucky enough to have the support of a publisher behind me, I am also aware that much of it will also be my responsibility as the author. Luckily, I happen to have some friends who are marketing experts, and they let me pester them with emails filled with (probably lame) Shannon marketing questions.
But I realized that many of you don't that advantage. And since I'm all about paying it forward, I decided to ask one of my marketing friends to put together a guest post for me, so I could share some of what I'm learning with you guys.
So I give you, Shelli Johanness-Wells, who's here to explain how the various age groups in children's literature are different--and how that should shape various marketing strategies:
Shelli's Official Bio (i.e.: Why you should pay attention to this woman):
S.R. Johannes is the author of Untraceable, a teen wilderness thriller. She lives in Atlanta Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. She runs the Market My Words blog a go-to site for author marketing and is the founder of The Indelibles, a group for independent authors. You can follow her Author page, her blog, or Twitter.
Her new tween book, On The Bright Side releases Jan 31st On the Bright Side is about a humorous take on guardian angeldom and death. Gabby is a tween angel (Bright) assigned to protect her middle school nemesis, who is now dating her school crush. Instead of protecting her frenemy, Gabby pranks her, accidentally unleashing a dark side. Soon, she learns what can happen if you hate someone to death.
Take it away, Shelli!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marketing books to different markets
I have a tween book coming out and the marketing is a challenge.
Marketing is hard for any author. No one likes to do it and it's hard and awkward. But to figure out the different markets and different ways to reach them is tough. Especially for authors who don't have big houses behind them.
Teens (Self Influence/Peer Influence/Direct Buying Power) Let's first look at the buying characteristics of young adults. These are usually in high school. 15 (10th grade) and up to 17/18 (graduating). Anything after 18 (college) is considered New Adult
The best way to reach this age group is online and through word of mouth. Especially with Facebook.
Therefore, you target building word of mouth. Which is also called PR. They don't tend to respond to advertising like adults do. And target popular sites with teens.
Middle Graders (Adult Influence/Adult Buying Power) Let's check out middle graders. This market is misleading because these are not middle schoolers really. They tend to span elementary school and are usually ages 8 (2nd grade) to 11 or 12 (7th grade).
So target awareness of the gatekeepers.
Tweens (Self/Peer Influence/Adult Buying Power) Ugh. This is a whole other ball game. Tweens are tough to reach in any way.
They are not a lot of tween books – especially in the age range of 13 and 14. Most books are aged up to 15 or aged down to 12.
I think this area is up and coming. I think this age group will start to look for books that are in their age group yet appeal to their mature reading. Without all the violence and sex and issue driven books. Appealing to the interactive area will reach them more. Virtual books, choose your own adventure. Also – multi-media tends to reach this audience. Interactive sites like like AllyKatzz and Beacon Street.
This group is a challenge in itself and is an area still being tested.
A few tween resources Ypulse.comThe Tween Marketing Machine book by SigelTween magazines – American Girl, Girl's Life.Tween sites – Beacon Street, AllyKatzz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*phew* I don't know about you guys--but my head is all explodey now--in a good way. Hope you found this information helpful! Thanks so much Shelli!
But I realized that many of you don't that advantage. And since I'm all about paying it forward, I decided to ask one of my marketing friends to put together a guest post for me, so I could share some of what I'm learning with you guys.
So I give you, Shelli Johanness-Wells, who's here to explain how the various age groups in children's literature are different--and how that should shape various marketing strategies:
Shelli's Official Bio (i.e.: Why you should pay attention to this woman):
S.R. Johannes is the author of Untraceable, a teen wilderness thriller. She lives in Atlanta Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world. She runs the Market My Words blog a go-to site for author marketing and is the founder of The Indelibles, a group for independent authors. You can follow her Author page, her blog, or Twitter.
Her new tween book, On The Bright Side releases Jan 31st On the Bright Side is about a humorous take on guardian angeldom and death. Gabby is a tween angel (Bright) assigned to protect her middle school nemesis, who is now dating her school crush. Instead of protecting her frenemy, Gabby pranks her, accidentally unleashing a dark side. Soon, she learns what can happen if you hate someone to death.
Take it away, Shelli!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marketing books to different markets
I have a tween book coming out and the marketing is a challenge.
Marketing is hard for any author. No one likes to do it and it's hard and awkward. But to figure out the different markets and different ways to reach them is tough. Especially for authors who don't have big houses behind them.
Teens (Self Influence/Peer Influence/Direct Buying Power) Let's first look at the buying characteristics of young adults. These are usually in high school. 15 (10th grade) and up to 17/18 (graduating). Anything after 18 (college) is considered New Adult
Teens are driving and therefore usually have a job
They tend to make some of their own money
They are more in charge of their own purchases up to a certain $ amount (especially things like books and music)
They are online, social networking and have ereaders
They don't look to adults for advice (this includes cool aunts, librarians they've known at story time since they were four, and especially not parents.)
They listen to the opinions of friends.
Very into trends and fads
When it comes to books, they like good books but also like what is popular
The best way to reach this age group is online and through word of mouth. Especially with Facebook.
Therefore, you target building word of mouth. Which is also called PR. They don't tend to respond to advertising like adults do. And target popular sites with teens.
Middle Graders (Adult Influence/Adult Buying Power) Let's check out middle graders. This market is misleading because these are not middle schoolers really. They tend to span elementary school and are usually ages 8 (2nd grade) to 11 or 12 (7th grade).
They are a little more impressionable. Especially the younger ones 8-11
They have no purchasing power
They tend to listen to teachers, coaches, and parents more than friends. But they are just starting to be impressionable with trends and fads
They don't read as much
They don't tend to have ereaders
They are not online
Even picture book authors should use this route to market picture booksThe best way to reach these readers are through gatekeepers. Librarians, booksellers, schools, teachers, coaches and even parents.
So target awareness of the gatekeepers.
Tweens (Self/Peer Influence/Adult Buying Power) Ugh. This is a whole other ball game. Tweens are tough to reach in any way.
They are not fully online yet and not allowed in many social networking sites.
They like more interactive stuff.
Their social sites are usually closed to adults.
Yet they are not very impressionable with adults.
They tend to want to impress friends and go with popular opinion more than teens because this is an awkward stage.
They don't have their own money or transportation but are responsible for hundreds of billions of dollars in consumer spending.
They are not a lot of tween books – especially in the age range of 13 and 14. Most books are aged up to 15 or aged down to 12.
They don't want to read middle grade, but their parents don't really want them to read a lot of YA (especially unscreened)Why? Because bookstores don't have separate shelves for these. Take B&N. They shelve MG in the kid's area but YA is now in the adult area.
I think this area is up and coming. I think this age group will start to look for books that are in their age group yet appeal to their mature reading. Without all the violence and sex and issue driven books. Appealing to the interactive area will reach them more. Virtual books, choose your own adventure. Also – multi-media tends to reach this audience. Interactive sites like like AllyKatzz and Beacon Street.
This group is a challenge in itself and is an area still being tested.
A few tween resources Ypulse.comThe Tween Marketing Machine book by SigelTween magazines – American Girl, Girl's Life.Tween sites – Beacon Street, AllyKatzz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*phew* I don't know about you guys--but my head is all explodey now--in a good way. Hope you found this information helpful! Thanks so much Shelli!
January 17, 2012
Why my cover made me cry--the GOOD kind of tears!
Seeing your cover for the first time--especially when it's for your first book--is a very emotional experience for an author.
There's a whole lot of hands shaking, butterflies flapping around in your stomach excitement--but also a whole lot of OMG-What-if-I-hate-it?????? panic. (In case you don't know, authors don't get to design their own covers. We get a *little* input--but on the whole, the publisher is the one with all the say).
And sometimes, there's even the happy tears that come when you open the file from your editor and see something as gorgeous as THIS:
There were many reasons why I cried. Like how the characters look so uncannily like how I imagine them that I wondered if the artist somehow crawled inside my head. Or how there's my name--MY NAME--on the cover of MY BOOK. Or the fact that S&S somehow managed to give me something that is so much better (SO much better) than anything I'd ever envisioned on my own (hm... that's probably why authors aren't the ones to design their covers...)
But there was actually a much bigger reason it had such a strong affect.
Not sure how many of you follow my facebook updates, but a few months ago you might have seen when I posted this:
But what you don't know is that a few hours after I posted that my phone beeped with a text message. I'd assumed it was my husband texting me from work. But instead it was Liesa (my editor), and the message said this:
Just saw your FB post about Jason Chan.
Um... guess who I booked for your cover months ago?? :)
Yeah--after I read it a few dozen times and texted her back asking if she was serious (she assured me she was) and called my husband to tell him the news--I totally sank to the floor of my bedroom and cried like a baby.
Not only am I a huge, HUGE Jason Chan fangirl and never, EVER thought I'd be lucky enough to have him as my cover artist. But... Liesa and I hadn't ever talked covers. We weren't really to that point yet (shoot--we still hadn't even announced my book deal). So to have her pick my favorite artist--and not because I'd requested him (or begged and pleaded and offered my firstborn child in exchange)--but because he was the person she'd thought of too was just... it was so...
See ... selling you book is actually a pretty terrifying thing when you think about it, because you are taking something that's deeply personal to you to--that you've poured years of your life into--and handing it over to someone else, HOPING they treat it with the same love and care that you do.
And of course I knew I wanted to work with Liesa from the very first phone call, but still ... I didn't really realize what I'd found until the moment I got that text.
I'd found the perfect home for my series.
To have my editor's vision and S&S's vision and my vision so precisely on the same page is truly an amazing thing.
And months later, to see those visions overlap in a cover that is not only perfect for the book but perfect for ME--and 10,000 times better than I ever could have imagined--is just the most incredible gift.
So when I look at my cover I see more than just amazing composition and gorgeous colors and OMG-OMG-OMG-Jason-Chan-drew-a-scene-from-my-book-OMG!!!! I see proof that my book is in very good hands. And that is a truly remarkable--happy tears inducing--thing. :)
There's a whole lot of hands shaking, butterflies flapping around in your stomach excitement--but also a whole lot of OMG-What-if-I-hate-it?????? panic. (In case you don't know, authors don't get to design their own covers. We get a *little* input--but on the whole, the publisher is the one with all the say).
And sometimes, there's even the happy tears that come when you open the file from your editor and see something as gorgeous as THIS:
There were many reasons why I cried. Like how the characters look so uncannily like how I imagine them that I wondered if the artist somehow crawled inside my head. Or how there's my name--MY NAME--on the cover of MY BOOK. Or the fact that S&S somehow managed to give me something that is so much better (SO much better) than anything I'd ever envisioned on my own (hm... that's probably why authors aren't the ones to design their covers...)
But there was actually a much bigger reason it had such a strong affect.
Not sure how many of you follow my facebook updates, but a few months ago you might have seen when I posted this:
But what you don't know is that a few hours after I posted that my phone beeped with a text message. I'd assumed it was my husband texting me from work. But instead it was Liesa (my editor), and the message said this:
Just saw your FB post about Jason Chan.
Um... guess who I booked for your cover months ago?? :)
Yeah--after I read it a few dozen times and texted her back asking if she was serious (she assured me she was) and called my husband to tell him the news--I totally sank to the floor of my bedroom and cried like a baby.
Not only am I a huge, HUGE Jason Chan fangirl and never, EVER thought I'd be lucky enough to have him as my cover artist. But... Liesa and I hadn't ever talked covers. We weren't really to that point yet (shoot--we still hadn't even announced my book deal). So to have her pick my favorite artist--and not because I'd requested him (or begged and pleaded and offered my firstborn child in exchange)--but because he was the person she'd thought of too was just... it was so...
See ... selling you book is actually a pretty terrifying thing when you think about it, because you are taking something that's deeply personal to you to--that you've poured years of your life into--and handing it over to someone else, HOPING they treat it with the same love and care that you do.
And of course I knew I wanted to work with Liesa from the very first phone call, but still ... I didn't really realize what I'd found until the moment I got that text.
I'd found the perfect home for my series.
To have my editor's vision and S&S's vision and my vision so precisely on the same page is truly an amazing thing.
And months later, to see those visions overlap in a cover that is not only perfect for the book but perfect for ME--and 10,000 times better than I ever could have imagined--is just the most incredible gift.
So when I look at my cover I see more than just amazing composition and gorgeous colors and OMG-OMG-OMG-Jason-Chan-drew-a-scene-from-my-book-OMG!!!! I see proof that my book is in very good hands. And that is a truly remarkable--happy tears inducing--thing. :)
January 16, 2012
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday--The Apothecary, by Malie Meloy (and a SIGNED book Giveaway!!!)
For this week's MMGM I'm featuring another book that made a big splash in 2011 (and after reading it, I know why): THE APOTHECARY, by Malie Meloy.
Here's how the publisher describes it:
It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.
Together with Ian Schoenherr's breathtaking illustrations, this is a truly stunning package from cover to cover.
This is another one of those books where the ARC got buried in my TBR pile thanks to all my deadlines. But I heard so many incredible things about it that I finally had to dig it out and see if it lived up to the hype. And boy did it.
Not only is the writing strong and the story refreshingly different, but the book is FILLED with beautiful artwork that makes it even more special--though the story would still be amazing, even without the illustrations.
I'll confess, I'm not always a fan of Historicals--especially in middle grade where they can sometimes feel more like a thinly disguised history lesson than an entertaining plot. But THE APOTHECARY does it perfectly. We're thrown into a pivotal time in history--the McCarthy era--and we follow Janie as she struggles to adjust to life in London after her parents have had to flee the US because they've been suspected of being spies. She meets the charming and energetic Benjamin who's father seems to be just a humble apothecary--but who turns out to be so much more. Suddenly they find themselves being chased by Soviet spies and the Scotland Yard and discovering that there is a type of magic that exists in this world, where serums can force you to tell the truth and baths can make you invisible and special elixirs can turn you into birds.
I loved every single word of the story and had to force myself to put it down--and only because of deadlines. And someday I hope to have time to read it again because there are so many layers and details, I want to go back and make sure I didn't miss any. Boy, girl, kid, grown-up, there is something for everyone in this book--and I highly recommend you give it a chance.
Which is, of course, why I'm giving away a copy--and this time I have a SIGNED hardcover, because I've been lucky enough to meet the author. To enter, make sure you leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PST on Saturday, January 21st. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, January 22nd. International entries welcome.
For more awesome middle-grade recommendations, check out the other MMGM's floating around the blogosphere today:
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Joanne Fritz is raving about THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE. Click HERE to see her review.
- Jennifer Rumberger is championing TURTLE IN PARADISE. Click HERE to see why.
- Akossiwa Ketoglo is swept away by THE BOOK OF WONDERS. Click HERE to see what she loved.
- Deb Marshall sings the praises of ELIOT AND THE GOBLIN WAR. Click HERE to read why she thinks you'll love it too.
- Barbara Watson is highlighting YOUNG FREDLE. Click HERE to learn more about it.
- Pam Torres is in love with UNDER THE WORLD. Click HERE to read her review.
- Natalie Aguirre is interviewing the lovely Caroline Star Rose and giving away a copy of MAY B. Click HERE for all the details.
- Gina Carey is gushing about GREGOR THE OVERLANDER. Click HERE to see why she loves it.
- Susan Olson joins the MMGM crew with her first feature--on 11,000 YEARS LOST and YOUR MOTHER WAS A NEANDERTHAL. Click HERE to welcome her to the group.
And if you want to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog. It's easier if you email me before Monday, that way your link will be included in the post from the moment it goes live. But if you decide to spontaneously join the fun, I do update the post at several points throughout the Monday. Just email me a link and I'll add you when I do!
**Note: Thanks to a boatload of spam--and my missing a bunch of important emails because of it--I'm now using a new email address. So make sure you update your records because I'm slowly phasing the other address out. New email is: SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. Hopefully now I won't miss some of your MMGMs, like I have been.**
Happy Monday!
Here's how the publisher describes it:
It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen-year-old Janie meets a mysterious apothecary and his son, Benjamin Burrows - a fascinating boy who's not afraid to stand up to authority and dreams of becoming a spy. When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie and Benjamin must uncover the secrets of the apothecary's sacred book, the Pharmacopoeia, in order to find him, all while keeping it out of the hands of their enemies - Russian spies in possession of nuclear weapons. Discovering and testing potions they never believed could exist, Janie and Benjamin embark on a dangerous race to save the apothecary and prevent impending disaster.
Together with Ian Schoenherr's breathtaking illustrations, this is a truly stunning package from cover to cover.
This is another one of those books where the ARC got buried in my TBR pile thanks to all my deadlines. But I heard so many incredible things about it that I finally had to dig it out and see if it lived up to the hype. And boy did it.
Not only is the writing strong and the story refreshingly different, but the book is FILLED with beautiful artwork that makes it even more special--though the story would still be amazing, even without the illustrations.
I'll confess, I'm not always a fan of Historicals--especially in middle grade where they can sometimes feel more like a thinly disguised history lesson than an entertaining plot. But THE APOTHECARY does it perfectly. We're thrown into a pivotal time in history--the McCarthy era--and we follow Janie as she struggles to adjust to life in London after her parents have had to flee the US because they've been suspected of being spies. She meets the charming and energetic Benjamin who's father seems to be just a humble apothecary--but who turns out to be so much more. Suddenly they find themselves being chased by Soviet spies and the Scotland Yard and discovering that there is a type of magic that exists in this world, where serums can force you to tell the truth and baths can make you invisible and special elixirs can turn you into birds.
I loved every single word of the story and had to force myself to put it down--and only because of deadlines. And someday I hope to have time to read it again because there are so many layers and details, I want to go back and make sure I didn't miss any. Boy, girl, kid, grown-up, there is something for everyone in this book--and I highly recommend you give it a chance.
Which is, of course, why I'm giving away a copy--and this time I have a SIGNED hardcover, because I've been lucky enough to meet the author. To enter, make sure you leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PST on Saturday, January 21st. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, January 22nd. International entries welcome.
For more awesome middle-grade recommendations, check out the other MMGM's floating around the blogosphere today:
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Joanne Fritz is raving about THE MIGHTY MISS MALONE. Click HERE to see her review.
- Jennifer Rumberger is championing TURTLE IN PARADISE. Click HERE to see why.
- Akossiwa Ketoglo is swept away by THE BOOK OF WONDERS. Click HERE to see what she loved.
- Deb Marshall sings the praises of ELIOT AND THE GOBLIN WAR. Click HERE to read why she thinks you'll love it too.
- Barbara Watson is highlighting YOUNG FREDLE. Click HERE to learn more about it.
- Pam Torres is in love with UNDER THE WORLD. Click HERE to read her review.
- Natalie Aguirre is interviewing the lovely Caroline Star Rose and giving away a copy of MAY B. Click HERE for all the details.
- Gina Carey is gushing about GREGOR THE OVERLANDER. Click HERE to see why she loves it.
- Susan Olson joins the MMGM crew with her first feature--on 11,000 YEARS LOST and YOUR MOTHER WAS A NEANDERTHAL. Click HERE to welcome her to the group.
And if you want to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog. It's easier if you email me before Monday, that way your link will be included in the post from the moment it goes live. But if you decide to spontaneously join the fun, I do update the post at several points throughout the Monday. Just email me a link and I'll add you when I do!
**Note: Thanks to a boatload of spam--and my missing a bunch of important emails because of it--I'm now using a new email address. So make sure you update your records because I'm slowly phasing the other address out. New email is: SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. Hopefully now I won't miss some of your MMGMs, like I have been.**
Happy Monday!
January 15, 2012
Breadcrumbs Winner
Before I get to the winner, I just want to take a second and thank all of you for your sweet comments on Friday about the cover for KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. I've replied to as many as I could--but I am SLAMMED with Book 2 deadlines, so please know that I read each and every one, and that all your enthusiasm meant so incredibly much to me. I am SO glad you love the cover as much as I do. S&S did a truly amazing job and I will never be able to thank them enough for all their hard work.
*stares at The Shiny some more*
But right--the winner!
The lucky winner of BREADCRUMBS, by Anne Ursu is...
Tiffany Drew!
Yay!
*tosses confetti*
If that's you, please email me at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address, so I can ship off your prize. For everyone else, check back tomorrow for another awesome middle grade giveaway--and this time it's a SIGNED copy! :)
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
*stares at The Shiny some more*
But right--the winner!
The lucky winner of BREADCRUMBS, by Anne Ursu is...
Tiffany Drew!
Yay!
*tosses confetti*
If that's you, please email me at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address, so I can ship off your prize. For everyone else, check back tomorrow for another awesome middle grade giveaway--and this time it's a SIGNED copy! :)
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
January 13, 2012
Behold--THE SHINY COVER!!!!!
There are a million things I could say about how exciting it is to reveal the cover of my first book. And there are a million things I could tell you about how much I love it and how perfect it is and why it made me cry when I saw it (happy tears, of course).
But... you guys are just going to skip all that and scroll straight down to the shiny (which is totally what I'd do too!)
So I will gush and tell stories another time. For now I'm just going to say... LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOW INSANELY COOL IS THAT???????????
But... you guys are just going to skip all that and scroll straight down to the shiny (which is totally what I'd do too!)
So I will gush and tell stories another time. For now I'm just going to say... LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOW INSANELY COOL IS THAT???????????
January 12, 2012
Bookanista Review: Double, by Jenny Valentine--AND AN ARC GIVEAWAY!!!!
For this week's Bookanista Review, I'm featuring DOUBLE, by Jenny Valentine--a book I'm betting a lot of you haven't heard of yet.
Here's how the publisher describes the story:
When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel's identity, gaining the family and friends he's always dreamed of having. But becoming someone else isn't as easy as he hoped—and Chap isn't the only one hiding a secret. As he teeters on the brink of discovery and begins to unravel the mystery behind Cassiel's disappearance, Chap realizes that he's in much deeper danger than he could have imagined.
After all, you can't just steal a life and expect to get away with it.
Award-winning author Jenny Valentine delivers an explosive mystery where dark secrets, betrayal, and loss pave the way for one teen's chance at redemption.
I'll confess, when I found this ARC in my TBR pile I'd never heard of it. In fact, I couldn't even remember where I got it--if a publicist sent it to me or if I picked it up at one of the conventions I went to last year. But that was why I decided to bump it up the pile--I was looking for something different --something I hadn't already heard all there was to hear about it from reviews and buzz and whatnot. And I'm SO glad I did.
This book was addicting. I read it in one day, even though I was sick and even though I really needed to be writing. I just couldn't put it down. I had to know how Chap was going to get out of the crazy situation he'd gotten himself into--and I had to know what the heck was really going on. The voice was fresh, the writing was clean and riveting, and while I can't say that the ending was a *complete* surprise--it definitely had a few twists I didn't see coming.
But I think what I love best is that DOUBLE reminded me that there are tons of amazing books out there that aren't necessarily plastered over every single blog/tumblr/twitter/facebook feed. Its so easy to get caught up in all the BIG books--and many of those books *are* amazing. But there are plenty of incredible books floating slightly lower on the radar too. And I'm going to make a bit more of an effort to find them.
Which is why I've also decided to share my ARC with one of you. To enter, make sure you follow my blog (so you'll know when I post the winner) and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm PST on Saturday, January 21st. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, January 22nd. International entries are--as always--welcome.
I do also *hope* that whoever wins will end up posting a review for the book somewhere--or blogging/tweeting/FB-ing about it--to help spread the love and get some more mileage out of the prize. I can't require that for entry. But I'm hoping the winner will feel inspired to. :)
Ready?
GO!
For more fabulous book recommendations, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are talking about:
Christine Fonseca introduces some fabulous reads for 2012Stasia Ward Kehoe takes a shine to A MILLION SUNS and UNDER THE NEVER SKYVeronica Rossi adores EVERNEATHDebra Driza is in a frenzy over LARKSTORM with giveaway!
Katy Upperman sings the praises of BEFORE I DIE
Here's how the publisher describes the story:
When the sixteen-year-old runaway Chap is mistaken for a missing boy named Cassiel, his life changes dramatically. Chap takes on Cassiel's identity, gaining the family and friends he's always dreamed of having. But becoming someone else isn't as easy as he hoped—and Chap isn't the only one hiding a secret. As he teeters on the brink of discovery and begins to unravel the mystery behind Cassiel's disappearance, Chap realizes that he's in much deeper danger than he could have imagined.
After all, you can't just steal a life and expect to get away with it.
Award-winning author Jenny Valentine delivers an explosive mystery where dark secrets, betrayal, and loss pave the way for one teen's chance at redemption.
I'll confess, when I found this ARC in my TBR pile I'd never heard of it. In fact, I couldn't even remember where I got it--if a publicist sent it to me or if I picked it up at one of the conventions I went to last year. But that was why I decided to bump it up the pile--I was looking for something different --something I hadn't already heard all there was to hear about it from reviews and buzz and whatnot. And I'm SO glad I did.
This book was addicting. I read it in one day, even though I was sick and even though I really needed to be writing. I just couldn't put it down. I had to know how Chap was going to get out of the crazy situation he'd gotten himself into--and I had to know what the heck was really going on. The voice was fresh, the writing was clean and riveting, and while I can't say that the ending was a *complete* surprise--it definitely had a few twists I didn't see coming.
But I think what I love best is that DOUBLE reminded me that there are tons of amazing books out there that aren't necessarily plastered over every single blog/tumblr/twitter/facebook feed. Its so easy to get caught up in all the BIG books--and many of those books *are* amazing. But there are plenty of incredible books floating slightly lower on the radar too. And I'm going to make a bit more of an effort to find them.
Which is why I've also decided to share my ARC with one of you. To enter, make sure you follow my blog (so you'll know when I post the winner) and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm PST on Saturday, January 21st. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, January 22nd. International entries are--as always--welcome.
I do also *hope* that whoever wins will end up posting a review for the book somewhere--or blogging/tweeting/FB-ing about it--to help spread the love and get some more mileage out of the prize. I can't require that for entry. But I'm hoping the winner will feel inspired to. :)
Ready?
GO!
For more fabulous book recommendations, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are talking about:
Christine Fonseca introduces some fabulous reads for 2012Stasia Ward Kehoe takes a shine to A MILLION SUNS and UNDER THE NEVER SKYVeronica Rossi adores EVERNEATHDebra Driza is in a frenzy over LARKSTORM with giveaway!
Katy Upperman sings the praises of BEFORE I DIE
January 11, 2012
The kind of author I want to be
As I've eased into the beginning of my debut year as an author, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of author I want to be--and I don't mean what kinds of books I want to write, or how many books I hope to sell. Of course those things are on my mind, but really... what feels more important is ME. How do I want to act? How do I want to be?
Being published is a strange, super-limited kind of fame where only a very specific group of people have any idea who you are (which is what I love about it). But within that small community you are still a "public figure." And while I can only be myself, I also have to take into account that everything I say and do will be weighed, measured, and used to shape people's opinion of me, whether they be 'peers' or 'fans'.
So I've thought a lot about the authors I look up to--not just for their talent but also the things they say and do. They're all different people, and they all do things their own way, but at the heart of it, what makes me admire them is their kindness. They care. About their readers. About other writers. And they do what they can to show that they care whenever possible.
That doesn't mean they give free swag or books to everyone who asks, or follow everyone back on Twitter or Facebook, or respond to every single email or blog comment, or critique everyone's pages, or become best friends with every person they meet. I'm sure they wish they could--but that just isn't possible. So they do the best they can.
Which is the goal I've set for myself this year. To do the best I can.
It's a humble goal, I realize--but in no way does it mean I'm going to give myself permission to neglect my responsibilities. It means I'm going to do whatever I can, whenever I can, as much as I can.
I KNOW I won't be perfect. And there's a chance I might even let some of you down. But I promise I'm going to try my best to not let that happen. Here's hoping I succeed.
Which makes me wonder: what traits do you admire in an author, besides just writing great books?
Being published is a strange, super-limited kind of fame where only a very specific group of people have any idea who you are (which is what I love about it). But within that small community you are still a "public figure." And while I can only be myself, I also have to take into account that everything I say and do will be weighed, measured, and used to shape people's opinion of me, whether they be 'peers' or 'fans'.
So I've thought a lot about the authors I look up to--not just for their talent but also the things they say and do. They're all different people, and they all do things their own way, but at the heart of it, what makes me admire them is their kindness. They care. About their readers. About other writers. And they do what they can to show that they care whenever possible.
That doesn't mean they give free swag or books to everyone who asks, or follow everyone back on Twitter or Facebook, or respond to every single email or blog comment, or critique everyone's pages, or become best friends with every person they meet. I'm sure they wish they could--but that just isn't possible. So they do the best they can.
Which is the goal I've set for myself this year. To do the best I can.
It's a humble goal, I realize--but in no way does it mean I'm going to give myself permission to neglect my responsibilities. It means I'm going to do whatever I can, whenever I can, as much as I can.
I KNOW I won't be perfect. And there's a chance I might even let some of you down. But I promise I'm going to try my best to not let that happen. Here's hoping I succeed.
Which makes me wonder: what traits do you admire in an author, besides just writing great books?
January 10, 2012
The Book Babe Spotlight: Author Robin Brande
If you've been following my blog for a bit you're probably aware of how much I adore my awesome friend Faith, a.k.a. the Book Babe.
But what you might not know is that in addition to her being a mentor and cheerleader--and offering incredible editing services--she is also the most amazing source for book recommendations. In fact, I discovered several of my favorite authors because of Faith--and nothing makes me happier than one of her gushy emails telling me about a book I HAVE to read.
And I realized it isn't right to keep all those amazing book recommendations to myself. So Faith has been awesome enough to agree to occasionally put together spotlights on some of her favorite authors, so she can tell you herself why you need to discover these fabulous reads.
So without further ado, I give you The Book Babe:
A huge giant thanks to Shannon for letting me guest blog. I am so excited to be able to do this!
I want to tell you all about the amazingness that is Robin Brande. She is an incredible person, a wonderful friend and she is also one of the best writers I have ever met. I am talking Top 10.
I first discovered her when she was a debut novelist with her book Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature and I have been a stalwart fan ever since. Evolution was followed by Fat Cat, then DogGirl and then a series of short stories. Each novel better than the last.
One of my favorite things about Robin is her ability to take complex subjects and make them accessible to all of her readers, regardless of age. Her latest series, Parallelogram, has done that in more ways than I ever thought possible. She has somehow managed to break down Quantum Physics and make it easily understandable by anyone who reads it. The first title, Into the Parallel, follows Audie Masters, a girl who manages to catapult herself into an alternate reality. There she meets herself, albeit a different version named Halli, and the two become as inseparable as two girls from alternate universes can be. As Audie explores her new found ability, she learns much about herself and her alternate self and soon discovers that the smallest changes can literally make a world of difference.
Also, there is a super hot guy named Daniel. Which basically means that Robin has written a Quantum Physics love story!
Seriously, how amazing is that?!
Book 2, Caught in the Parallel, is just as good as the first one. I won't summarize for fear of ruining the ending of Book 1. But, I will say that Caught in the Parallel it is just as enjoyable as Into the Parallel.
This series is by far Robin's best work, thereby earning it's way into my heart and onto my list of All Time Favorite Series Ever.
I do realize that this series might not be for everyone. It is really only for people who like to read good books!
For all you teachers and librarians out there, all of Robin's books are appropriate for readers ages 13 and up. I highly recommend all of them!
All of Robin's books are available in print form as well as digital format. You can find more information on her website.
Happy Reading!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith Hochhalter, aka The Book Babe (so dubbed by James Owen and Stephenie Meyer), has been a Children's Book Buyer for 9 years. She currently works as a Jr High Librarian and serves as the Chair of the Literature Advisory Committee for Kids Need to Read, a national Literary Non-Profit. In her spare time, she does freelance content editing in an effort to help bring new amazing authors to the book industry. You can find her online at iamthebookbabe.com or kidsneedtoread.org.
But what you might not know is that in addition to her being a mentor and cheerleader--and offering incredible editing services--she is also the most amazing source for book recommendations. In fact, I discovered several of my favorite authors because of Faith--and nothing makes me happier than one of her gushy emails telling me about a book I HAVE to read.
And I realized it isn't right to keep all those amazing book recommendations to myself. So Faith has been awesome enough to agree to occasionally put together spotlights on some of her favorite authors, so she can tell you herself why you need to discover these fabulous reads.
So without further ado, I give you The Book Babe:
A huge giant thanks to Shannon for letting me guest blog. I am so excited to be able to do this!
I want to tell you all about the amazingness that is Robin Brande. She is an incredible person, a wonderful friend and she is also one of the best writers I have ever met. I am talking Top 10.
I first discovered her when she was a debut novelist with her book Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature and I have been a stalwart fan ever since. Evolution was followed by Fat Cat, then DogGirl and then a series of short stories. Each novel better than the last.
One of my favorite things about Robin is her ability to take complex subjects and make them accessible to all of her readers, regardless of age. Her latest series, Parallelogram, has done that in more ways than I ever thought possible. She has somehow managed to break down Quantum Physics and make it easily understandable by anyone who reads it. The first title, Into the Parallel, follows Audie Masters, a girl who manages to catapult herself into an alternate reality. There she meets herself, albeit a different version named Halli, and the two become as inseparable as two girls from alternate universes can be. As Audie explores her new found ability, she learns much about herself and her alternate self and soon discovers that the smallest changes can literally make a world of difference.
Also, there is a super hot guy named Daniel. Which basically means that Robin has written a Quantum Physics love story!
Seriously, how amazing is that?!
Book 2, Caught in the Parallel, is just as good as the first one. I won't summarize for fear of ruining the ending of Book 1. But, I will say that Caught in the Parallel it is just as enjoyable as Into the Parallel.
This series is by far Robin's best work, thereby earning it's way into my heart and onto my list of All Time Favorite Series Ever.
I do realize that this series might not be for everyone. It is really only for people who like to read good books!
For all you teachers and librarians out there, all of Robin's books are appropriate for readers ages 13 and up. I highly recommend all of them!
All of Robin's books are available in print form as well as digital format. You can find more information on her website.
Happy Reading!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith Hochhalter, aka The Book Babe (so dubbed by James Owen and Stephenie Meyer), has been a Children's Book Buyer for 9 years. She currently works as a Jr High Librarian and serves as the Chair of the Literature Advisory Committee for Kids Need to Read, a national Literary Non-Profit. In her spare time, she does freelance content editing in an effort to help bring new amazing authors to the book industry. You can find her online at iamthebookbabe.com or kidsneedtoread.org.
January 9, 2012
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday--Breadcrumbs (and a Giveaway!!!)
Yay--my first official MMGM of 2012!
*confetti toss*
I wanted to start the year off right, so I thought I'd feature a book I know several of the regular MMGMers have already gushed about, the amazing BREADCRUMBS, by Anne Ursu.
Here's how the publisher describes it:
A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu
Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.
I first discovered this book months ago, when the publicist contacted me, offering an ARC. I happily accepted (we all know how much I love a good fairy tale re-telling) and couldn't wait to start reading. But then deadlines happened and my ARC got buried under other things I had to take care of first and the next thing I knew the year was almost over and I still hadn't had a chance to read. Meanwhile, BREADCRUMBS was popping up on list after list of "Best of 2011" and I finally decided that I didn't care about deadlines or TBR piles, I WAS READING THIS BOOK. So I stayed up late and got started--and I am SO glad I did.
It's hard to describe what makes this story so special. Maybe it's the beautiful simplicity of the prose, or the honest sincerity of the main character. Maybe it's that it touches on a theme I'm pretty sure all of us can relate to, that of belonging, and trying to fit into a world where we're just a little bit different. Maybe it's because it's about friendship and hurt feelings and struggling to keep going when the world starts to feel like a very cold, lonely place. Most likely it's all of those things, wrapped up in a story that feels familiar because it's one we've heard--and yet we've never heard it told quite this way before.
I've heard people talk about "books with heart"--and BREADCRUMBS is bursting with it. It's one of those rare books where I was both happy and sad when it was over--happy because it ended just the way it should, but sad because I wanted to stay in the world longer, and now the story was done. It's the kind of book I would have LOVED growing up, would've read over and over and snuck out of bed at night if my parents tried to stop me in the middle of an important scene. But even now, it's the kind of book I want to read again, if for no other reason than to try and figure out just how she did what she did. And it's definitely a book I HIGHLY recommend to all of you.
Which is, of course, why I'm giving away a copy to one lucky commenter. To enter, make sure you leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PST on Saturday, January 14th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, January 15th. International entries welcome.
For more awesome middle-grade recommendations, check out the other MMGM's floating around the blogosphere today:
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Joanne Fritz is in love with THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. Click HERE to see why.
- Barbara Watson has a special spotlight on the amazing Kate DiCamillo--with a SIGNED book giveaway! Click HERE for details.
- Pam Torres is swept up in A TINFOIL SKY. Click HERE to read her review.
- Ruth Donnelly continues to read and review potential Newbery candidates. Click HERE to see the ones she's featured.
- Akossiwa Ketoglo reminds us of the beauty of A WRINKLE IN TIME. Click HERE to see more.
- Karen Yingling has more fabulous non-fiction middle grade recommendations for you. Click HERE to see what they are.
- Jennifer Rumberger is gushing about THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY. Click HERE to see what they were.
- Gabrielle Prendergast discusses some awesome "lower middle grade". Click HERE to learn more about it.
- Brooke Favero is caught up in THE BOOK OF ELSEWHERE. Click HERE to see why she thinks you should be too.
- Deb Marshall is gushing about A SINGLE SHARD. Click HERE to read her review.
- Andrea Mack joins the MMGM gang with a glowing review of TOMORROW GIRL. Click HERE to read all about it.
- Gina Carey joins the MMGM fun with her first feature--a spotlight on WAITING FOR NORMAL. Click HERE to welcome her to the group.
And if you want to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog. It's easier if you email me before Monday, that way your link will be included in the post from the moment it goes live. But if you decide to spontaneously join the fun, I do update the post at several points throughout the Monday. Just email me a link and I'll add you when I do!
**Note: Thanks to a boatload of spam--and my missing a bunch of important emails because of it--I'm now using a new email address. So make sure you update your records because I'm slowly phasing the other address out. New email is: SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. Hopefully now I won't miss some of your MMGMs, like I have been.**
Happy Monday!
*confetti toss*
I wanted to start the year off right, so I thought I'd feature a book I know several of the regular MMGMers have already gushed about, the amazing BREADCRUMBS, by Anne Ursu.
Here's how the publisher describes it:
A stunning modern-day fairy tale from acclaimed author Anne Ursu
Once upon a time, Hazel and Jack were best friends. But that was before he stopped talking to her and disappeared into a forest with a mysterious woman made of ice. Now it's up to Hazel to go in after him. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," Breadcrumbs is a story of the struggle to hold on, and the things we leave behind.
I first discovered this book months ago, when the publicist contacted me, offering an ARC. I happily accepted (we all know how much I love a good fairy tale re-telling) and couldn't wait to start reading. But then deadlines happened and my ARC got buried under other things I had to take care of first and the next thing I knew the year was almost over and I still hadn't had a chance to read. Meanwhile, BREADCRUMBS was popping up on list after list of "Best of 2011" and I finally decided that I didn't care about deadlines or TBR piles, I WAS READING THIS BOOK. So I stayed up late and got started--and I am SO glad I did.
It's hard to describe what makes this story so special. Maybe it's the beautiful simplicity of the prose, or the honest sincerity of the main character. Maybe it's that it touches on a theme I'm pretty sure all of us can relate to, that of belonging, and trying to fit into a world where we're just a little bit different. Maybe it's because it's about friendship and hurt feelings and struggling to keep going when the world starts to feel like a very cold, lonely place. Most likely it's all of those things, wrapped up in a story that feels familiar because it's one we've heard--and yet we've never heard it told quite this way before.
I've heard people talk about "books with heart"--and BREADCRUMBS is bursting with it. It's one of those rare books where I was both happy and sad when it was over--happy because it ended just the way it should, but sad because I wanted to stay in the world longer, and now the story was done. It's the kind of book I would have LOVED growing up, would've read over and over and snuck out of bed at night if my parents tried to stop me in the middle of an important scene. But even now, it's the kind of book I want to read again, if for no other reason than to try and figure out just how she did what she did. And it's definitely a book I HIGHLY recommend to all of you.
Which is, of course, why I'm giving away a copy to one lucky commenter. To enter, make sure you leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PST on Saturday, January 14th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, January 15th. International entries welcome.
For more awesome middle-grade recommendations, check out the other MMGM's floating around the blogosphere today:
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Joanne Fritz is in love with THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN. Click HERE to see why.
- Barbara Watson has a special spotlight on the amazing Kate DiCamillo--with a SIGNED book giveaway! Click HERE for details.
- Pam Torres is swept up in A TINFOIL SKY. Click HERE to read her review.
- Ruth Donnelly continues to read and review potential Newbery candidates. Click HERE to see the ones she's featured.
- Akossiwa Ketoglo reminds us of the beauty of A WRINKLE IN TIME. Click HERE to see more.
- Karen Yingling has more fabulous non-fiction middle grade recommendations for you. Click HERE to see what they are.
- Jennifer Rumberger is gushing about THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY. Click HERE to see what they were.
- Gabrielle Prendergast discusses some awesome "lower middle grade". Click HERE to learn more about it.
- Brooke Favero is caught up in THE BOOK OF ELSEWHERE. Click HERE to see why she thinks you should be too.
- Deb Marshall is gushing about A SINGLE SHARD. Click HERE to read her review.
- Andrea Mack joins the MMGM gang with a glowing review of TOMORROW GIRL. Click HERE to read all about it.
- Gina Carey joins the MMGM fun with her first feature--a spotlight on WAITING FOR NORMAL. Click HERE to welcome her to the group.
And if you want to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog. It's easier if you email me before Monday, that way your link will be included in the post from the moment it goes live. But if you decide to spontaneously join the fun, I do update the post at several points throughout the Monday. Just email me a link and I'll add you when I do!
**Note: Thanks to a boatload of spam--and my missing a bunch of important emails because of it--I'm now using a new email address. So make sure you update your records because I'm slowly phasing the other address out. New email is: SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. Hopefully now I won't miss some of your MMGMs, like I have been.**
Happy Monday!
