Shannon Messenger's Blog, page 56
December 6, 2011
20 ways to NOT write your first book
Ever since I announced my book deal, I've had a LOT of people ask me if KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is my first book. And...
technically
it is.
I'd written a few not-so-good screenplays and the first 1/3 to a very bad grown-up novel (me? writing for grown-ups? seriously--what was I thinking?????) before this, but KEEPER is the first book I've ever finished.
However, you should NOT take that answer to mean that I cranked out this story and--bam! A few months later: awesome book deal with dream editor!!! That was most definitely NOT the case. And since I'm all about keeping it real, I thought it was time to share the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth with you guys as far as just how NOT insta-success my writing journey truly was.
So strap yourselves in because in order to properly do that we have to rewind allllllllllllllllllllll the way back to February of 2007. (Yes, really) That's when the idea for KEEPER first came to me.
Two of the main characters were actually part of a short story I was working on. But the more I thought about them, the more I realized they had BIG EXCITING STORIES TO TELL. And even though I knew this series would be incredibly challenging to write, I also knew that it was "The One."
So I started with research. Lots and lots and lots of research.
Every single one of these journals is FILLED with notes, brainstorms, and other odds and ends written in super tiny print. I also put google and wikipedia to very thorough use, printing up all kinds of (often boring) articles and writing lots of notes for myself in the margins.
It took me until December of 2008 to reach a point where I felt like I'd figured out all I needed to figure out in order to tell the story. Then it was time to start writing. Too bad I had NO idea how to do that.
At first I was just sort of... playing around. I'd pick a scene that interested me and I'd write it. I didn't work in any sort of order. I didn't try to connect the scenes together. I'd created a file called Master Draft 1--but I psyched myself out of pasting anything into it because it felt like if I put something in there it had to be PERFECT. So I just kept creating separate scenes in separate files. Which is how I ended up with 103 deleted scenes before I ever wrote one word of a real draft.
103!!!!
Mind you, many are the same scene written 7, 8, 9 different times. But yeah. NOT a smart way write a book.
I stuck with this ineffective writing method until April of 2009, when I went to Project Book Babe. Then I got to hear real authors talk about their approach to drafting and realized, I'm doing this ALL wrong. More importantly, I realized that I really, really, REALLY wanted to be a published author. So it was time to get my butt in gear and actually write this dang thing for realz.
I came home from the event and started Master Draft 2. And this time I started at the beginning and just wrote. But about halfway into the book I realized yeah... something's wrong. So I copied and pasted the few salvageable parts and started Master Draft 3. Got about halfway into it and realized I was on the wrong track again. Rinse and repeat with Master Drafts 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, each draft falling apart by the time I reached the middle. And by draft 8 I was getting afraid that I'd never figure it out.
So I went back to brainstorming. Reread all my idea journals. Read a truckload of other middle grade novels trying to learn what they were doing right. And after a few weeks I finally had an epiphany. It wasn't that something was WRONG with my idea. It was that something was MISSING.
I'd held back too many of my ideas, thinking I should save them for books 2 and 3. But I hadn't done enough with book 1 to make anyone want to continue with the story. So I needed to go back and add MORE.
Which... basically meant throwing out everything I had and starting all over AGAIN. But at least I had a plan this time!
Well... sorta.
It took me Master Drafts 9, 10, 11, and 12 to figure out the best way to properly weave the new plotlines in. I'd also started working with crit partners, and they caught several fundamental plot and craft mistakes, all of which made me go back and re-write a lot of things to fix those errors. So I didn't actually type "The End" and have a complete draft of the entire story until Master Draft 13.
13!!!
That was in January of 2010. And sadly, that was STILL only the beginning.
I did one more revision and queried Master Draft 14 at the end of February. Two weeks later I had an offer of representation from Laura Rennert, my #1 wish list agent. It was very, very exciting. BUT, Laura's offer also said this:
Which brought me to Master Draft 15.
I'll confess, I really really thought it was "The One." And in some ways, it was close. But it still wasn't RIGHT, and in the end Laura told me:
What made it harder was that I really didn't know where to go from there. All I knew was that I needed to change things--but I had no idea what to change. So I just sort of dove in blind and started tweaking stuff--NOT the best approach to a revision.
Especially since I wrote that revision from a place of fear and insecurity--which was NOT a healthy mindset to be creative. I knew it was probably affecting my writing, but I couldn't squelch the self-doubt. So I just did the best I could, sent off Master Draft 16 and hoped Laura would be happier with it than I was.
She wasn't.
Instead I got what I now lovingly refer to as The Email of Doom. The first sentence was:
I ... cried for an entire day.
It felt like I would NEVER get the draft right--and that I wasn't even sure if I wanted to work on it anymore. I was SO tired of tearing my book apart and trying to piece it back together. I didn't know if I could do it again.
So I typed up an email saying, "I give up"--and then emailed my crit partners begging them to stop me from sending it to Laura. They told me to ask for a phone call, and then they helped me brainstorm a plan of attack to discuss with her. Laura and I talked a few days later and I felt a little better and decided to try one. more. time. But when I finally got to work it was still the hardest revision I've ever done.
Every time I opened the draft I got nauseous. I lost a lot of weight. I barely slept. Eventually I caved and asked Laura to check the first few chapters to see what she thought, and definitely cried when I heard back:
But when I did finally hear back, I got this:
It'd taken me 2 years of research and another 2 years of writing/revising--and 18 drafts!!!!--but I was finally, FINALLY done.
Not long after that we went on submission, and I'll admit, after all I'd been through with the project I had a hard time believing it could really land me book deal. Which was why I was totally confused when my phone rang with Laura's name in the caller ID. I NEVER expected her to tell me I had a three book pre-empt offer from an editor whose books I'd admired for years.
But Laura forwarded me the offer so I could see it myself. And it was REAL. And probably the most amazing thing I'd ever read.
Well... until Liesa sent me this, after the deal was finalized and she was officially working as MY editor:
I've never officially created any further drafts for the project, but I did make some changes during copyedits--and will probably make a few more tweaks in the next read-through. So I think it's more than fair to say that when it finally goes to print you guys will be reading Master Draft 20.
Yes, that's right. 20!!!
It took me 20 drafts to write my first book.
And I'm telling all of you that (well... those of you who've stuck with me through this rather lengthy post) because I don't want any of you to ever get discouraged if you have to scrap a draft and start over--or shelve a project and move onto something new. Writing is a process.
Yes, sometimes that process goes smoother for some authors than others. (Or for some books. So far Book 2 is coming MUCH easier than Book 1). But the majority of the time authors will tell you their journey was a long, hard, revision-filled road to get that first book deal--and that even then it was only the beginning. That's definitely been the case for me.
I'm not embarrassed that it took me that many drafts to write my first book. Sure, it would've been nice if it hadn't been *quite* such a painful process. But that was the path I had to take in order to learn how to tell this particular story. And in the end, all that mattered was that I stuck with it and kept going, despite how brutal it was at times. Which is--in my humble opinion--the secret to publishing success. Keep going. Keep writing. Keep pushing yourself to grow and improve.
Your journey *may* take longer than you think and it *may* be more work than you expected. But if you stick with it you WILL get there. I promise!
I'd written a few not-so-good screenplays and the first 1/3 to a very bad grown-up novel (me? writing for grown-ups? seriously--what was I thinking?????) before this, but KEEPER is the first book I've ever finished.
However, you should NOT take that answer to mean that I cranked out this story and--bam! A few months later: awesome book deal with dream editor!!! That was most definitely NOT the case. And since I'm all about keeping it real, I thought it was time to share the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth with you guys as far as just how NOT insta-success my writing journey truly was.
So strap yourselves in because in order to properly do that we have to rewind allllllllllllllllllllll the way back to February of 2007. (Yes, really) That's when the idea for KEEPER first came to me.
Two of the main characters were actually part of a short story I was working on. But the more I thought about them, the more I realized they had BIG EXCITING STORIES TO TELL. And even though I knew this series would be incredibly challenging to write, I also knew that it was "The One."
So I started with research. Lots and lots and lots of research.
Every single one of these journals is FILLED with notes, brainstorms, and other odds and ends written in super tiny print. I also put google and wikipedia to very thorough use, printing up all kinds of (often boring) articles and writing lots of notes for myself in the margins.
It took me until December of 2008 to reach a point where I felt like I'd figured out all I needed to figure out in order to tell the story. Then it was time to start writing. Too bad I had NO idea how to do that.
At first I was just sort of... playing around. I'd pick a scene that interested me and I'd write it. I didn't work in any sort of order. I didn't try to connect the scenes together. I'd created a file called Master Draft 1--but I psyched myself out of pasting anything into it because it felt like if I put something in there it had to be PERFECT. So I just kept creating separate scenes in separate files. Which is how I ended up with 103 deleted scenes before I ever wrote one word of a real draft.
103!!!!
Mind you, many are the same scene written 7, 8, 9 different times. But yeah. NOT a smart way write a book.
I stuck with this ineffective writing method until April of 2009, when I went to Project Book Babe. Then I got to hear real authors talk about their approach to drafting and realized, I'm doing this ALL wrong. More importantly, I realized that I really, really, REALLY wanted to be a published author. So it was time to get my butt in gear and actually write this dang thing for realz.
I came home from the event and started Master Draft 2. And this time I started at the beginning and just wrote. But about halfway into the book I realized yeah... something's wrong. So I copied and pasted the few salvageable parts and started Master Draft 3. Got about halfway into it and realized I was on the wrong track again. Rinse and repeat with Master Drafts 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, each draft falling apart by the time I reached the middle. And by draft 8 I was getting afraid that I'd never figure it out.
So I went back to brainstorming. Reread all my idea journals. Read a truckload of other middle grade novels trying to learn what they were doing right. And after a few weeks I finally had an epiphany. It wasn't that something was WRONG with my idea. It was that something was MISSING.
I'd held back too many of my ideas, thinking I should save them for books 2 and 3. But I hadn't done enough with book 1 to make anyone want to continue with the story. So I needed to go back and add MORE.
Which... basically meant throwing out everything I had and starting all over AGAIN. But at least I had a plan this time!
Well... sorta.
It took me Master Drafts 9, 10, 11, and 12 to figure out the best way to properly weave the new plotlines in. I'd also started working with crit partners, and they caught several fundamental plot and craft mistakes, all of which made me go back and re-write a lot of things to fix those errors. So I didn't actually type "The End" and have a complete draft of the entire story until Master Draft 13.
13!!!
That was in January of 2010. And sadly, that was STILL only the beginning.
I did one more revision and queried Master Draft 14 at the end of February. Two weeks later I had an offer of representation from Laura Rennert, my #1 wish list agent. It was very, very exciting. BUT, Laura's offer also said this:
"I want to be completely upfront with you about the fact that there is still work to be done on the ms, so you can make the decision about whether I'm the right agent for you or not. I hope I am!"She went on to elaborate her revision ideas, most of which involved building on things she felt were currently underdeveloped in the draft--and she was spot on with all her suggestions. So I accepted her offer of representation and she sent me my VERY detailed revision notes (5 single spaced pages!!!).
Which brought me to Master Draft 15.
I'll confess, I really really thought it was "The One." And in some ways, it was close. But it still wasn't RIGHT, and in the end Laura told me:
"I think you're extremely talented ... and I believe we're going to get there, but maybe not with this iteration."Yeah ... that was hard.
What made it harder was that I really didn't know where to go from there. All I knew was that I needed to change things--but I had no idea what to change. So I just sort of dove in blind and started tweaking stuff--NOT the best approach to a revision.
Especially since I wrote that revision from a place of fear and insecurity--which was NOT a healthy mindset to be creative. I knew it was probably affecting my writing, but I couldn't squelch the self-doubt. So I just did the best I could, sent off Master Draft 16 and hoped Laura would be happier with it than I was.
She wasn't.
Instead I got what I now lovingly refer to as The Email of Doom. The first sentence was:
"You've done good work on this... I'm wondering, though, if you need to step back and consider going deeper still..."Followed by 11 (yes--11!!!) single spaced pages of comments/suggestions. And this time she was suggesting BIG changes.
I ... cried for an entire day.
It felt like I would NEVER get the draft right--and that I wasn't even sure if I wanted to work on it anymore. I was SO tired of tearing my book apart and trying to piece it back together. I didn't know if I could do it again.
So I typed up an email saying, "I give up"--and then emailed my crit partners begging them to stop me from sending it to Laura. They told me to ask for a phone call, and then they helped me brainstorm a plan of attack to discuss with her. Laura and I talked a few days later and I felt a little better and decided to try one. more. time. But when I finally got to work it was still the hardest revision I've ever done.
Every time I opened the draft I got nauseous. I lost a lot of weight. I barely slept. Eventually I caved and asked Laura to check the first few chapters to see what she thought, and definitely cried when I heard back:
"I think you're totally on track!"And I should pause here and also emphasize that while yes, Laura was pushing me HARD throughout this process, she also did do her best to encourage me. She always slipped little notes like this in her emails:
"I completely believe in you. We are going to get there one way or another."And that helped, because I really needed to hear that--and I *tried* to believe her. But it was still a super painful process, and when I finally turned in Master Draft 17 I was a nervous wreck waiting for feedback. Every time I saw an email pop up in my inbox I got a stomach ache, worrying it was going to be another Email of Doom--and wondering if I'd survive it if it was.
But when I did finally hear back, I got this:
"I'm wowed by what you've accomplished with this revision! You've done an amazing job and have been willing to go deep in a way that I know is daunting, and I believe the results are superb"She still had some small tweaks and adjustments for me (would you expect anything less at this point?), so I created Master Draft 18, made the changes and sent it to her. And that's when she finally, FINALLY said the words I'd been waiting to hear:
"Absolutely fantastic work! We're ready to go, and you've done a phenomenal job with the revision."I had to read it three times to believe it. And yes--I TOTALLY cried. But they were happy tears this time. :)
It'd taken me 2 years of research and another 2 years of writing/revising--and 18 drafts!!!!--but I was finally, FINALLY done.
Not long after that we went on submission, and I'll admit, after all I'd been through with the project I had a hard time believing it could really land me book deal. Which was why I was totally confused when my phone rang with Laura's name in the caller ID. I NEVER expected her to tell me I had a three book pre-empt offer from an editor whose books I'd admired for years.
But Laura forwarded me the offer so I could see it myself. And it was REAL. And probably the most amazing thing I'd ever read.
Well... until Liesa sent me this, after the deal was finalized and she was officially working as MY editor:
"I did my closer read/edit of the manuscript, and had SO MUCH FUN doing it. Seriously, I loved the book even more this time, which I didn't think possible, but it helps getting to read it knowing it's something that's officially mine now. :)"And amazingly enough, when I got my edits she didn't have too terribly many notes for me (at least not compared to the Email of Doom). But she did of course have SOME (that is kind of her job, after all). So that brought me to Master Draft 19.
I've never officially created any further drafts for the project, but I did make some changes during copyedits--and will probably make a few more tweaks in the next read-through. So I think it's more than fair to say that when it finally goes to print you guys will be reading Master Draft 20.
Yes, that's right. 20!!!
It took me 20 drafts to write my first book.
And I'm telling all of you that (well... those of you who've stuck with me through this rather lengthy post) because I don't want any of you to ever get discouraged if you have to scrap a draft and start over--or shelve a project and move onto something new. Writing is a process.
Yes, sometimes that process goes smoother for some authors than others. (Or for some books. So far Book 2 is coming MUCH easier than Book 1). But the majority of the time authors will tell you their journey was a long, hard, revision-filled road to get that first book deal--and that even then it was only the beginning. That's definitely been the case for me.
I'm not embarrassed that it took me that many drafts to write my first book. Sure, it would've been nice if it hadn't been *quite* such a painful process. But that was the path I had to take in order to learn how to tell this particular story. And in the end, all that mattered was that I stuck with it and kept going, despite how brutal it was at times. Which is--in my humble opinion--the secret to publishing success. Keep going. Keep writing. Keep pushing yourself to grow and improve.
Your journey *may* take longer than you think and it *may* be more work than you expected. But if you stick with it you WILL get there. I promise!
December 5, 2011
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: The Dragon's Tooth--and a giveaway!
Whew--been a crazy weekend, so I was worried I wouldn't have time for an MMGM this week--but I made it! Sleep is overrated, right? (But um... if there's typos remember, overworked writer here!)
This week I'm featuring THE DRAGON'S TOOTH, by N.D. Wilson.
Here's how the publisher describes it:
For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a sagging roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room.
Less than 24 hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the world for millennia.
N. D. Wilson, author of Leepike Ridge and 100 Cupboards, returns with an imagination-capturing adventure that inventively combines the contemporary and the legendary.
In the interests of keeping it real, I'll confess, I had this book in my TBR pile for a looooooooong time and kept putting off reading it. The cover just never grabbed me the way other books in my TBR pile did. So I'd always pick it up and then put it back down to read something else (yes, I'm THAT influenced by covers) And it's not even that this is a BAD cover. It just, for whatever reason, never screamed READ ME.
That being said, I DID finally commit to reading it and quickly realized that I'd totally been missing out. The book is filled with so much cool stuff I don't even know where to begin. Basically it has pretty much everything kids want from this kind of book: action, adventure, mystery, huge stakes, on and on and on. It's also nice and thick--and I loves me my thicker middle grade books (*coughs* self serving critique *coughs*)
But seriously, the characters were interesting, the plot was full of twists, and you're definitely left wanting more when you get to the end. Even better, it feels like a book all kids would love, despite the more boy-ish cover. And I highly recommend it to all of you. Which is--of course--why I'm giving away a copy to one lucky winner.
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PDT on Saturday, December 10th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 11th, International entries are--as always--welcome!
Ready? Go!
And don't forget to soak up all the other middle grade love going on in the blogosphere today. Check out these fabulous MMGM links:
- 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 back with an MMGM feature on BECOMING NAOMI LEON. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Barbara Watson is spotlighting THE ROMEO AND JULIET CODE. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Pam Torres declares her love for THE GODDESS TEST. Click HERE to read her review.
- Michael Gettel-Gilmartin gives a shout out to ADDIE ON THE INSIDE Click HERE to see what he thinks
- Danika Dinsmore spreads the love for HERE LIES THE LIBRARIAN. Click HERE to see why.
- Myrna Foster champions BREADCRUMBS. Click HERE see why she loved it.
- Gabrielle Prendergast is championing THE LAST OF THE REALLY GREAT WHANGDOODLES. Click HERE to see what it's all about.
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) 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!
Happy Monday!
This week I'm featuring THE DRAGON'S TOOTH, by N.D. Wilson.
Here's how the publisher describes it:
For two years, Cyrus and Antigone Smith have run a sagging roadside motel with their older brother, Daniel. Nothing ever seems to happen. Then a strange old man with bone tattoos arrives, demanding a specific room.
Less than 24 hours later, the old man is dead. The motel has burned, and Daniel is missing. And Cyrus and Antigone are kneeling in a crowded hall, swearing an oath to an order of explorers who have long served as caretakers of the world's secrets, keepers of powerful relics from lost civilizations, and jailers to unkillable criminals who have terrorized the world for millennia.
N. D. Wilson, author of Leepike Ridge and 100 Cupboards, returns with an imagination-capturing adventure that inventively combines the contemporary and the legendary.
In the interests of keeping it real, I'll confess, I had this book in my TBR pile for a looooooooong time and kept putting off reading it. The cover just never grabbed me the way other books in my TBR pile did. So I'd always pick it up and then put it back down to read something else (yes, I'm THAT influenced by covers) And it's not even that this is a BAD cover. It just, for whatever reason, never screamed READ ME.
That being said, I DID finally commit to reading it and quickly realized that I'd totally been missing out. The book is filled with so much cool stuff I don't even know where to begin. Basically it has pretty much everything kids want from this kind of book: action, adventure, mystery, huge stakes, on and on and on. It's also nice and thick--and I loves me my thicker middle grade books (*coughs* self serving critique *coughs*)
But seriously, the characters were interesting, the plot was full of twists, and you're definitely left wanting more when you get to the end. Even better, it feels like a book all kids would love, despite the more boy-ish cover. And I highly recommend it to all of you. Which is--of course--why I'm giving away a copy to one lucky winner.
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PDT on Saturday, December 10th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 11th, International entries are--as always--welcome!
Ready? Go!
And don't forget to soak up all the other middle grade love going on in the blogosphere today. Check out these fabulous MMGM links:
- 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 back with an MMGM feature on BECOMING NAOMI LEON. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Barbara Watson is spotlighting THE ROMEO AND JULIET CODE. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Pam Torres declares her love for THE GODDESS TEST. Click HERE to read her review.
- Michael Gettel-Gilmartin gives a shout out to ADDIE ON THE INSIDE Click HERE to see what he thinks
- Danika Dinsmore spreads the love for HERE LIES THE LIBRARIAN. Click HERE to see why.
- Myrna Foster champions BREADCRUMBS. Click HERE see why she loved it.
- Gabrielle Prendergast is championing THE LAST OF THE REALLY GREAT WHANGDOODLES. Click HERE to see what it's all about.
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) 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!
Happy Monday!
December 4, 2011
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek--the winner!
Sorry guys--been a super crazy working weekend and I TOTALLY forgot I had a winner to post. Major #Shannonfail
Anyway, better late than never, right?
So without further ado, the winner of the signed JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW is....
Pam Harris
Yay!
*flings sparkles everywhere*
If that's you, please email me at packratx (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address and I will ship off your prize! (and please put JACOB WONDERBAR WINNER in the subject line so I don't miss it)
For everyone else, check back next week. I have more awesome contests to come!
Anyway, better late than never, right?
So without further ado, the winner of the signed JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW is....
Pam Harris
Yay!
*flings sparkles everywhere*
If that's you, please email me at packratx (at) hotmail (dot) com with your mailing address and I will ship off your prize! (and please put JACOB WONDERBAR WINNER in the subject line so I don't miss it)
For everyone else, check back next week. I have more awesome contests to come!
December 2, 2011
Platypus butts, nerdy girls and ridiculous haircuts
Yes--it's that time again! Time to see the crazy things people google and somehow end up at my blog. And I gotta say, clearly you guys have been having a lot of fun with this because there were QUITE a few of these kind of searches going on:
shannon is the messengershannon i am the messengershannon messenger fuzzy feet (hi shannon!)why are shannon's feet so hairy?I wonder if Shannon Messenger will read this ...?
Have I mentioned that you guys are awesome? Cause clearly you are.
I wonder what random things you'll come up with this time...
*checks statcounter*
*is afraid*
In the meantime, here are some of the other crazy things people actually search for (seriously, WHY DO PEOPLE GOOGLE THESE CRAZY THINGS????) and by some weird twist of the internets end up at my blog
ridiculous haircuts white people(okay, I have no idea what this lead them to--but it better not have been a pic of me!)(though... I did post those "bangs of doom" pics...)(CRAP!)
cut baby(this one comes up a LOT)(like, daily)(and it really scares me)(and I REALLY hope they mean CUTE baby and just don't know how to spell)(which ALSO scares me--but less)
platypus butt(What?)(Doesn't everyone have something in their blog archive about platypus bottoms?)(Just me?)
panicking messenger(this is such an insanely accurate description of me it's almost eerie)(*flails*)
Cutest picture in the universe(aw, I'm so glad you guys like my new author photo so much)(*is delusional*)
hopefully that will keep those creepers away now(Um... if you're actually worried about this GOOGLE IS NOT THE WAY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM)(try THE POLICE)
short people with hairy feet(Hee)(I'm guessing this led them to either a hobbit picture I posted...or a pic of Kiersten White)(And you can decide if I'm teasing her about being short or having hairy toes)(Oh mans, she's going to pummel me with cupcakes next time we go to lunch...)
Humiliating game show story(Oh good, I'm SO glad people are finding this story)(that's not embarrassing at all)
gigantic heads(I LOVE that this leads people to my blog)(and I love it even more that it leads to posts where I ponder the disproportionate enormity of Robert Pattinson's head)(but I mean seriously guys, it's HUGE)(Go LOOK AT IT)
nerd girl(I'm guessing I should feel insulted by this...)(but... it's pretty spot on)
And my two personal favorites of the batch:
Shannon Messenger's Query Letter(aw, it's SO CUTE you guys think I know what I'm doing!)(and btw, I actually don't have my query letter posted anywhere)
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES(Okay, I'll confess... this was kind of "a moment")(I mean... someone found my blog by searching for MY BOOK)(That... might be the coolest thing ever)(And I know that's what's SUPPOSED to happen)(But yeah, it's SO SURREAL to see!)
And... I think that's enough for today. But I can't wait to see what insanity this spurs. Never a dull moment on the internets!
Have a great weekend everyone!
shannon is the messengershannon i am the messengershannon messenger fuzzy feet (hi shannon!)why are shannon's feet so hairy?I wonder if Shannon Messenger will read this ...?
Have I mentioned that you guys are awesome? Cause clearly you are.
I wonder what random things you'll come up with this time...
*checks statcounter*
*is afraid*
In the meantime, here are some of the other crazy things people actually search for (seriously, WHY DO PEOPLE GOOGLE THESE CRAZY THINGS????) and by some weird twist of the internets end up at my blog
ridiculous haircuts white people(okay, I have no idea what this lead them to--but it better not have been a pic of me!)(though... I did post those "bangs of doom" pics...)(CRAP!)
cut baby(this one comes up a LOT)(like, daily)(and it really scares me)(and I REALLY hope they mean CUTE baby and just don't know how to spell)(which ALSO scares me--but less)
platypus butt(What?)(Doesn't everyone have something in their blog archive about platypus bottoms?)(Just me?)
panicking messenger(this is such an insanely accurate description of me it's almost eerie)(*flails*)
Cutest picture in the universe(aw, I'm so glad you guys like my new author photo so much)(*is delusional*)
hopefully that will keep those creepers away now(Um... if you're actually worried about this GOOGLE IS NOT THE WAY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM)(try THE POLICE)
short people with hairy feet(Hee)(I'm guessing this led them to either a hobbit picture I posted...or a pic of Kiersten White)(And you can decide if I'm teasing her about being short or having hairy toes)(Oh mans, she's going to pummel me with cupcakes next time we go to lunch...)
Humiliating game show story(Oh good, I'm SO glad people are finding this story)(that's not embarrassing at all)
gigantic heads(I LOVE that this leads people to my blog)(and I love it even more that it leads to posts where I ponder the disproportionate enormity of Robert Pattinson's head)(but I mean seriously guys, it's HUGE)(Go LOOK AT IT)
nerd girl(I'm guessing I should feel insulted by this...)(but... it's pretty spot on)
And my two personal favorites of the batch:
Shannon Messenger's Query Letter(aw, it's SO CUTE you guys think I know what I'm doing!)(and btw, I actually don't have my query letter posted anywhere)
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES(Okay, I'll confess... this was kind of "a moment")(I mean... someone found my blog by searching for MY BOOK)(That... might be the coolest thing ever)(And I know that's what's SUPPOSED to happen)(But yeah, it's SO SURREAL to see!)
And... I think that's enough for today. But I can't wait to see what insanity this spurs. Never a dull moment on the internets!
Have a great weekend everyone!
December 1, 2011
Bookanista Review: Cinder, by Marissa Meyer--AND AN ARC (and AUDIOBOOK) GIVEAWAY!
This week's Bookanista Review is for CINDER, by Marissa Meyer. A book I was SO SUPER EXCITED and SO INCREDIBLY SCARED to read, because I knew I would either LOVE it or HATE it. Fortunately, I loved it. :)
LOOK at this amazing cover:
And here's how the publisher describes the story:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.
If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I LOVE a good fairy tale re-imagining--especially when the author does something with the story I never would've expected anyone to do. So Cinderella as Cyborg? Oh yeah, I was allllllllllllll over that.
BUT, I'm also super picky about fairy tale reinvention, because I get really annoyed when it feels like they're reinventing it just for the sake of reinventing it, or not making it their own enough, or trying to force in the various story elements in ways that don't really fit, or leaving out my favorite parts. So I am a very tough sell when it comes to liking one--ESPECIALLY when it comes to Cinderella. That was my favorite fairy tale growing up. (Shoot, I had Cinderella on my wedding invitations.) So I am WAY picky about people messing with my Cinderella. They better do it right or I will not be happy.
Hence why I had mixed feelings when I requested the ARC for CINDER. I wanted to like it--and I was insanely curious about it. But... I kinda expected to hate it. Cause yeah... I didn't know if I really wanted Cinderella to be a cyborg. There was major potential for disaster.
But I LOVED it!
Surprisingly, Cinder's Cyborg-ness (is that a word? Well... it is now!) actually makes her vulnerable--and not the cheesy butt-kicking Terminator I was afraid she might be. She's trapped in a broken/scarred body that's been pieced back together with metal and wires and stuck in a world that hates and condemns her for it. So she's not just scorned and abused by her step family. She's a lesser citizen. Controlled. Powerless. Hiding her metal body parts under grease covered rags out of fear and shame.
But she's also smart and caring and brave and oh so lovable--all the things I loved about the original Cinderella. Just modernized and more developed.
I could go on about the plot (which was incredibly page turning) or the world (which was a fascinating futuristic world with hints of pseudo-science/magic) and the steamy, impossibly likable Prince (who I totally have a tiny crush on now)--but it would be way too easy to give away some spoilers. So I'll end just by saying that I highly recommend it. And because I loved it so much, I'm going to part with my lovely ARC and share it with one lucky winner.
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm PST on Saturday, December 10th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 11. International entries--as always--are 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 ARC. I can't require that for entry. But I'm hoping the winner will feel inspired to. :)
Ready?
GO!
**UPDATE**The fabulous people at MacMillan have added another amazing prize to this giveaway--a CINDER AUDIOBOOK!!!!! So I'll also draw one more winner (US only for this) who will win the very cool, very fabulous audiobook--how awesome is that? Thank you MacMillan Audiobooks!!!
(and if you would like to hear a sample of the audiobook--so you can hear how amazing it is--you can find one HERE.)
For more fabulous book recommendations, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are talking about:
Lisa and Laura Roecker gush about HOW TO SAVE A LIFEMegan Miranda spreads the love for UNTRACEABLECorrine Jackson falls for UNDER THE NEVER SKYStasia Ward Kehoe celebrates MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFEDebra Driza sings the praises of EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTSKaty Upperman gets swept away by THE SCORPIO RACES
LOOK at this amazing cover:
And here's how the publisher describes the story:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.
If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I LOVE a good fairy tale re-imagining--especially when the author does something with the story I never would've expected anyone to do. So Cinderella as Cyborg? Oh yeah, I was allllllllllllll over that.
BUT, I'm also super picky about fairy tale reinvention, because I get really annoyed when it feels like they're reinventing it just for the sake of reinventing it, or not making it their own enough, or trying to force in the various story elements in ways that don't really fit, or leaving out my favorite parts. So I am a very tough sell when it comes to liking one--ESPECIALLY when it comes to Cinderella. That was my favorite fairy tale growing up. (Shoot, I had Cinderella on my wedding invitations.) So I am WAY picky about people messing with my Cinderella. They better do it right or I will not be happy.
Hence why I had mixed feelings when I requested the ARC for CINDER. I wanted to like it--and I was insanely curious about it. But... I kinda expected to hate it. Cause yeah... I didn't know if I really wanted Cinderella to be a cyborg. There was major potential for disaster.
But I LOVED it!
Surprisingly, Cinder's Cyborg-ness (is that a word? Well... it is now!) actually makes her vulnerable--and not the cheesy butt-kicking Terminator I was afraid she might be. She's trapped in a broken/scarred body that's been pieced back together with metal and wires and stuck in a world that hates and condemns her for it. So she's not just scorned and abused by her step family. She's a lesser citizen. Controlled. Powerless. Hiding her metal body parts under grease covered rags out of fear and shame.
But she's also smart and caring and brave and oh so lovable--all the things I loved about the original Cinderella. Just modernized and more developed.
I could go on about the plot (which was incredibly page turning) or the world (which was a fascinating futuristic world with hints of pseudo-science/magic) and the steamy, impossibly likable Prince (who I totally have a tiny crush on now)--but it would be way too easy to give away some spoilers. So I'll end just by saying that I highly recommend it. And because I loved it so much, I'm going to part with my lovely ARC and share it with one lucky winner.
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm PST on Saturday, December 10th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 11. International entries--as always--are 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 ARC. I can't require that for entry. But I'm hoping the winner will feel inspired to. :)
Ready?
GO!
**UPDATE**The fabulous people at MacMillan have added another amazing prize to this giveaway--a CINDER AUDIOBOOK!!!!! So I'll also draw one more winner (US only for this) who will win the very cool, very fabulous audiobook--how awesome is that? Thank you MacMillan Audiobooks!!!
(and if you would like to hear a sample of the audiobook--so you can hear how amazing it is--you can find one HERE.)
For more fabulous book recommendations, check out what my fellow Bookanistas are talking about:
Lisa and Laura Roecker gush about HOW TO SAVE A LIFEMegan Miranda spreads the love for UNTRACEABLECorrine Jackson falls for UNDER THE NEVER SKYStasia Ward Kehoe celebrates MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFEDebra Driza sings the praises of EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTSKaty Upperman gets swept away by THE SCORPIO RACES
Bookanista Review: Cinder, by Marissa Meyer--AND AN ARC GIVEAWAY!
This week's Bookanista Review is a for CINDER, by Marissa Meyer. A book I was SO SUPER EXCITED and SO INCREDIBLY SCARED to read, because I knew I would either LOVE it or HATE it. Fortunately, I loved it. :)
LOOK at this amazing cover:
And here's how the publisher describes the story:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.
If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I LOVE a good fairy tale re-imagining--especially when the author does something with the story I never would've expected anyone to do. So Cinderella as Cyborg? Oh yeah, I was allllllllllllll over that.
BUT, I'm also super picky about fairy tale reinvention, because I get really annoyed when it feels like they're reinventing it just for the sake of reinventing it, or not making it their own enough, or trying to force in the various story elements in ways that don't really fit, or leaving out my favorite parts. So I am a very tough sell when it comes to liking one--ESPECIALLY when it comes to Cinderella. That was my favorite fairy tale growing up. Shoot, I had Cinderella on my wedding invitations. So I am WAY picky about people messing with my Cinderella. They better do it right or I will not be happy.
Hence why I had mixed feelings when I requested the ARC for CINDER. I wanted to like it--and I was insanely curious about it. But... I kinda expected to hate it. Cause yeah... I didn't know if I really wanted Cinderella to be a cyborg. There was major potential for disaster.
Instead, I LOVED it!
Surprisingly, Cinder's Cyborg-ness (is that a word? Well... it is now!) actually makes her vulnerable and not the cheesy butt-kicking Terminator I was afraid she might be. She's trapped in a broken/scarred body that's been pieced back together with metal and wires and stuck in a world that hates and condemns her for it. She's not just scorned and abused by her step family. She's a lesser citizen. Controlled. Powerless. Hiding her metal body parts under grease covered rags out of fear and shame. But she's also smart and caring and brave and oh so lovable--all the things I loved about the original Cinderella. Just modernized and more developed.
I could go on about the plot (which was incredibly page turning) or the world (which was a fascinating futuristic world with hints of pseudo-science/magic) and the steamy, impossibly likable Prince (who I totally have a tiny crush on now)--but it would be way too easy to give away some spoilers. So I'll end just by saying that I highly recommend it. And because I loved it so much, I'm going to part with my lovely ARC and share it with one lucky winner.
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm PST on Saturday, December 10th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 11. International entries--as always--are 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 ARC. 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:
Lisa and Laura Roecker gush about HOW TO SAVE A LIFEMegan Miranda spreads the love for UNTRACEABLECorrine Jackson falls for UNDER THE NEVER SKYStasia Ward Kehoe celebrates MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFEDebra Driza sings the praises of EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTSKaty Upperman gets swept away by THE SCORPIO RACES
LOOK at this amazing cover:
And here's how the publisher describes the story:
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.
If you've been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I LOVE a good fairy tale re-imagining--especially when the author does something with the story I never would've expected anyone to do. So Cinderella as Cyborg? Oh yeah, I was allllllllllllll over that.
BUT, I'm also super picky about fairy tale reinvention, because I get really annoyed when it feels like they're reinventing it just for the sake of reinventing it, or not making it their own enough, or trying to force in the various story elements in ways that don't really fit, or leaving out my favorite parts. So I am a very tough sell when it comes to liking one--ESPECIALLY when it comes to Cinderella. That was my favorite fairy tale growing up. Shoot, I had Cinderella on my wedding invitations. So I am WAY picky about people messing with my Cinderella. They better do it right or I will not be happy.
Hence why I had mixed feelings when I requested the ARC for CINDER. I wanted to like it--and I was insanely curious about it. But... I kinda expected to hate it. Cause yeah... I didn't know if I really wanted Cinderella to be a cyborg. There was major potential for disaster.
Instead, I LOVED it!
Surprisingly, Cinder's Cyborg-ness (is that a word? Well... it is now!) actually makes her vulnerable and not the cheesy butt-kicking Terminator I was afraid she might be. She's trapped in a broken/scarred body that's been pieced back together with metal and wires and stuck in a world that hates and condemns her for it. She's not just scorned and abused by her step family. She's a lesser citizen. Controlled. Powerless. Hiding her metal body parts under grease covered rags out of fear and shame. But she's also smart and caring and brave and oh so lovable--all the things I loved about the original Cinderella. Just modernized and more developed.
I could go on about the plot (which was incredibly page turning) or the world (which was a fascinating futuristic world with hints of pseudo-science/magic) and the steamy, impossibly likable Prince (who I totally have a tiny crush on now)--but it would be way too easy to give away some spoilers. So I'll end just by saying that I highly recommend it. And because I loved it so much, I'm going to part with my lovely ARC and share it with one lucky winner.
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59pm PST on Saturday, December 10th. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 11. International entries--as always--are 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 ARC. 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:
Lisa and Laura Roecker gush about HOW TO SAVE A LIFEMegan Miranda spreads the love for UNTRACEABLECorrine Jackson falls for UNDER THE NEVER SKYStasia Ward Kehoe celebrates MY VERY UNFAIRY TALE LIFEDebra Driza sings the praises of EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTSKaty Upperman gets swept away by THE SCORPIO RACES
November 30, 2011
The roller coaster of change
It seems to me that the old cliche about change being the only constant in our lives is very, very true. Careers change, friends come and go, people move, they start families, we lose people we love. Nothing ever stays the same. At least not forever.
And that's not necessarily a bad thing because with change comes the New, the Unexpected, the Exciting.
This year especially has been a turning point year for me. Lots of new, unexpected, exciting things.
And lots of change.
Most of it amazing. Some of it overwhelming. But mostly it's all been such a whirlwind I've had a hard time keeping up with all the shifts and adjustments. And I know it's only the beginning. Next year is sure to bring even more incredible, unbelievable, chaotic things. And lots more change.
Honestly, I feel like I'm on that point in a roller coaster where the chain is slowly pulling my car up the steepest hill. Any second it's going to release and I'm going to be in for one heck of a wild ride. Which is awesome and scary all at the same time. But I'm committed either way. I just have to hold on tight and get ready to scream my head off.
So I wanted to take this moment and say that I'm incredibly, incredibly grateful I'm not doing this alone. I'm SO THANKFUL I have you guys.
Sure, my following has changed. It's grown. It's shifted. Different people stop by for different reasons. But you are all amazing, inspiring people and I'm thankful to have each and every one of you. As a group, you guys are my constant. You've proven to me time and again that you will be there in surprising and incredible ways and I couldn't ask for a better support system.
So thank you. Now I don't have to be on that crazy roller coaster alone. I have you all right there with me. And we can all scream our heads off together!
And that's not necessarily a bad thing because with change comes the New, the Unexpected, the Exciting.
This year especially has been a turning point year for me. Lots of new, unexpected, exciting things.
And lots of change.
Most of it amazing. Some of it overwhelming. But mostly it's all been such a whirlwind I've had a hard time keeping up with all the shifts and adjustments. And I know it's only the beginning. Next year is sure to bring even more incredible, unbelievable, chaotic things. And lots more change.
Honestly, I feel like I'm on that point in a roller coaster where the chain is slowly pulling my car up the steepest hill. Any second it's going to release and I'm going to be in for one heck of a wild ride. Which is awesome and scary all at the same time. But I'm committed either way. I just have to hold on tight and get ready to scream my head off.
So I wanted to take this moment and say that I'm incredibly, incredibly grateful I'm not doing this alone. I'm SO THANKFUL I have you guys.
Sure, my following has changed. It's grown. It's shifted. Different people stop by for different reasons. But you are all amazing, inspiring people and I'm thankful to have each and every one of you. As a group, you guys are my constant. You've proven to me time and again that you will be there in surprising and incredible ways and I couldn't ask for a better support system.
So thank you. Now I don't have to be on that crazy roller coaster alone. I have you all right there with me. And we can all scream our heads off together!
November 28, 2011
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow--and a SIGNED book giveaway!
I'm back again with another MMGM! (two weeks in a row--I'm so proud of me!)
This week I'm featuring JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, by Nathan Bransford. A book I personally feel has a perfect title and cover to tell you what's in store:
Here's how the publisher describes it:
Sixth-grader Jacob Wonderbar is a master when it comes to disarming and annihilating substitute teachers. But when he and his best friends, Sarah and Dexter, swap a spaceship for a corn dog, they embark on an outer space adventure. And between breaking the universe with an epic explosion, being kidnapped by a space pirate, and surviving a planet that reeks of burp breath, Jacob and his friends are in way over their heads. Action packed with an added dose of heart, Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow is sure to captivate middlegrade readers all over the universe.
I'm always looking for good books to recommend to those challenging boy-readers. So when I saw this one I had to pick up a copy. And it was everything I hoped it would be. Clever, funny, and filled with all kinds of awesome random moments that kids will LOVE. It's a fun quick-read anyone will enjoy (trust me, grown-ups will be cracking up just as much as kids)--but it's ESPECIALLY great for reluctant readers. Short chapters, fast paced, and full of action to keep them turning those pages. I highly, highly recommend it.
Which is why I picked up an extra copy for you guys--and I even had it SIGNED by Nathan Bransford!!! (Who is extra super nice by the way)
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PDT on Saturday, December 3rd. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 4rh, International entries are--as always--welcome!
Ready? Go!
And don't forget to soak up all the other middle grade love going on in the blogosphere today. Check out these fabulous MMGM links:
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Gabrielle Prendergast champions another classic: THE SECRET GARDEN. Click HERE to read her feature.
- Barbara Watson is highlighting BRIGITTA OF THE WHITE FOREST. Click HERE to learn why she loves it.
- Jennifer Rumberger is spotlighting some of her favorite reads of the past few months. Click HERE to see what they were.
- Pam Torres is spreading the love for WOLVES OF THE BEYOND. Click HERE to read her review.
- Akossiwa Ketoglo is celebrating ZORA AND ME. Click HERE to see why you need to read it.
- Sue Uhlig joins the MMGM fun with a spotlight on 2 fabulous Historicals: SELLING HOPE and ONE CRAZY SUMMER. Click HERE to learn more about them.
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) 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!
Happy Monday!
This week I'm featuring JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, by Nathan Bransford. A book I personally feel has a perfect title and cover to tell you what's in store:
Here's how the publisher describes it:
Sixth-grader Jacob Wonderbar is a master when it comes to disarming and annihilating substitute teachers. But when he and his best friends, Sarah and Dexter, swap a spaceship for a corn dog, they embark on an outer space adventure. And between breaking the universe with an epic explosion, being kidnapped by a space pirate, and surviving a planet that reeks of burp breath, Jacob and his friends are in way over their heads. Action packed with an added dose of heart, Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow is sure to captivate middlegrade readers all over the universe.
I'm always looking for good books to recommend to those challenging boy-readers. So when I saw this one I had to pick up a copy. And it was everything I hoped it would be. Clever, funny, and filled with all kinds of awesome random moments that kids will LOVE. It's a fun quick-read anyone will enjoy (trust me, grown-ups will be cracking up just as much as kids)--but it's ESPECIALLY great for reluctant readers. Short chapters, fast paced, and full of action to keep them turning those pages. I highly, highly recommend it.
Which is why I picked up an extra copy for you guys--and I even had it SIGNED by Nathan Bransford!!! (Who is extra super nice by the way)
To enter, make sure you follow my blog and leave a comment on this post by 11:59 pm PDT on Saturday, December 3rd. I'll draw one random winner and post their name on Sunday, December 4rh, International entries are--as always--welcome!
Ready? Go!
And don't forget to soak up all the other middle grade love going on in the blogosphere today. Check out these fabulous MMGM links:
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Gabrielle Prendergast champions another classic: THE SECRET GARDEN. Click HERE to read her feature.
- Barbara Watson is highlighting BRIGITTA OF THE WHITE FOREST. Click HERE to learn why she loves it.
- Jennifer Rumberger is spotlighting some of her favorite reads of the past few months. Click HERE to see what they were.
- Pam Torres is spreading the love for WOLVES OF THE BEYOND. Click HERE to read her review.
- Akossiwa Ketoglo is celebrating ZORA AND ME. Click HERE to see why you need to read it.
- Sue Uhlig joins the MMGM fun with a spotlight on 2 fabulous Historicals: SELLING HOPE and ONE CRAZY SUMMER. Click HERE to learn more about them.
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) 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!
Happy Monday!
November 27, 2011
That's a lot of winners!
Wow! I went to draw winners for all the contests I had running last week and Holy Whoa were there a lot of names to pick. Clearly I made good on my promise of contests! ;)
Okay, first up, the winners of the 25 page critiques from Faith (aka The Book Babe) (aka Me Secret Weapon). The lucky five are:
Marsha SigmanVictoria D. MorrisBarbara WatsonAmeliaJennifer Rumberger
Yay!
*massive sparkle toss*
Next, the winner of THE PLEDGE, by Kimberly Derting is...
Marquita Hockaday!
Yay!
*confetti toss*
After that, I have three winners in my Clockwork Prince giveaway. Two runners up, who each win a special Clockwork Prince T-Shirt:
Jill of the O.W.L.andChristina (Christinareadsya)
*tosses more sparkles*
And one grand prize winner who gets a Clockwork Prince T-Shirt AND the highly coveted ARC of CLOCKWORK PRINCE. And that winner is...
Tere Kirkland!
YAY!
*streamers and noisemakers*
AND--last but not least--the winner of CLOSE TO FAMOUS, by Joan Bauer is...
Rebekkah Ford!
YAY!
*showers buckets of glitter everywhere*
Phew--that was A LOT of winners to pick!!!
If you're one of the lucky ones please email me at packratx (at) hotmail (dot) com to arrange your prize. Make sure you put "WINNER OF (insert prize here)" in the subject line so it doesn't get lost in my inbox. And if you won a book or shirt, please include your mailing address (critique winners just need to let me know where you want Faith to contact you at and we'll go from there).
For everyone else--sorry I didn't have prizes for all of you. But, as always, keep checking back here for more contests. I always have something up my sleeves. :)
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Okay, first up, the winners of the 25 page critiques from Faith (aka The Book Babe) (aka Me Secret Weapon). The lucky five are:
Marsha SigmanVictoria D. MorrisBarbara WatsonAmeliaJennifer Rumberger
Yay!
*massive sparkle toss*
Next, the winner of THE PLEDGE, by Kimberly Derting is...
Marquita Hockaday!
Yay!
*confetti toss*
After that, I have three winners in my Clockwork Prince giveaway. Two runners up, who each win a special Clockwork Prince T-Shirt:
Jill of the O.W.L.andChristina (Christinareadsya)
*tosses more sparkles*
And one grand prize winner who gets a Clockwork Prince T-Shirt AND the highly coveted ARC of CLOCKWORK PRINCE. And that winner is...
Tere Kirkland!
YAY!
*streamers and noisemakers*
AND--last but not least--the winner of CLOSE TO FAMOUS, by Joan Bauer is...
Rebekkah Ford!
YAY!
*showers buckets of glitter everywhere*
Phew--that was A LOT of winners to pick!!!
If you're one of the lucky ones please email me at packratx (at) hotmail (dot) com to arrange your prize. Make sure you put "WINNER OF (insert prize here)" in the subject line so it doesn't get lost in my inbox. And if you won a book or shirt, please include your mailing address (critique winners just need to let me know where you want Faith to contact you at and we'll go from there).
For everyone else--sorry I didn't have prizes for all of you. But, as always, keep checking back here for more contests. I always have something up my sleeves. :)
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
November 25, 2011
Congratulations Karen!!!
It's not every day one of my friends has their first book release--so when I found out Karen Amanda Hooper's novel TANGLED TIDES was coming out today of COURSE I wanted to take part in the huge celebration she has going on.
Karen's organized a massive underwater web war between the sea creatures--and I've chosen to side with...
MERMAIDS!
(I mean, really, like there's any other option. As a kid Ariel TOTALLY convinced me I wanted to live Under the Sea.) :)
Wanna join in on the fun? Go check out the details at Karen's BLOG. She's giving away a signed copy of her book and some other sea creature themed prizes.
There's also an underwater web war on Twitter. Tweet which sea creatures you're rooting for and if you include the hashtag #TangledTides--you could win!!!!
But before you go, here's a little info about TANGLED TIDES:
Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.
When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.
Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans.
HAPPY BOOK RELEASE KAREN!!!!!!!!
*massive Sparklefetti toss*
Karen's organized a massive underwater web war between the sea creatures--and I've chosen to side with...
MERMAIDS!
(I mean, really, like there's any other option. As a kid Ariel TOTALLY convinced me I wanted to live Under the Sea.) :)
Wanna join in on the fun? Go check out the details at Karen's BLOG. She's giving away a signed copy of her book and some other sea creature themed prizes.
There's also an underwater web war on Twitter. Tweet which sea creatures you're rooting for and if you include the hashtag #TangledTides--you could win!!!!
But before you go, here's a little info about TANGLED TIDES:
Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.
Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans.
HAPPY BOOK RELEASE KAREN!!!!!!!!
*massive Sparklefetti toss*
