Jessica Therrien's Blog, page 23

The Buzz: YA Books to Movies

And the countdown begins...  Breaking Dawn 11.16.2012
Beautiful Creatures2.13.2013 The Host3.29.2013

The Mortal Instruments: City of BonesAugust, 2013
Catching Fire11.22.2013
Divergent 2014

Blood Red RoadUnknown (Rights purchased by Ridley Scott)

Live.Laugh.Love...NESTING!!

It hit me...the urge to organize all my little sticks into a perfect baby-tastic nest. Suddenly everything in my house is in its exact right place, and I'm itching to buy ALL the baby gear I need for this adventure. I keep telling myself...chill out. You have 3 months. Yeah...doesn't work. Wherever that baby nesting urge comes from. It's strong. I'm kind of creeped out by it a bit to be honest. I feel a little baby crazy. Recently, my brain convinced me that I HAD to put the cradle together or my baby-tastic nest might just fall to pieces. Don't worry. I listened...the nest is intact (wheeew).






Anyone else turning into preg-zilla lately? No? Just me then...hmmm. Okay, so what are you obsessing over these days?
 

3 BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I realize I've been a bit of a social media slacker lately. SO, I thought I'd make up for it with a 3 book GIVEAWAY! Up for grabs are two ARCs and my book. Now, I did read Anything But Ordinary, which was great. However, I'm kind of mean to my books, so it's not in perfect condition. The others will be nice and pretty and clean. I promise :)
Good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Buzz: Catching Fire

Okay all you Catching Fire Hunger Games crazies...

This will be short and sweet.

Writing World: Festivus!

First thing's first...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! I'm turning 21 for the 6th time today :) Turning 21 never gets old. I'll be staying in my pj's ALL day and forcing my husband to do baby-related things when he gets home (muahaha). Oh, and by "baby-related things" I don't mean what you think I mean! It's a tad embarrassing that the thing I wanted to do most on my birthday was put the cradle together and start planning the nursery. What can I say? My brain has been re-programmed to ALL THINGS BABY.

Second thing's second...Writing World. What have I been up to? Aside from re-reading/line editing Uprising, I've been making my way from one festival to the next. It's been awesome...but HOT! Preggers+heat = sucky. BUT...I have been having lots of fun despite the temp. It's hard not to have fun when signing books for fans. I'll never get over it. It's by far the best part about being an author.
Last weekend I attended the Big Orange Book Festival, and this Sunday (Sept. 30) I'm off to be a part of the OC Children's Book Festival. It's like Festivus around here I tell you! I'm actually REALLY excited about Sunday. Not only will I be signing books at the YA Authors Corner, but I'll be on the YA panel at 11am with some great authors!! AND...to top it all off, I get to hang out with two of my favorite author buddies, Sheri Fink and Bethany Lopez. Bonus!


What are you excited about this weekend in Writing World?

The Buzz: Cover Reveals - CANARY & STRENGTH

Hello bloggers!! Long time no see...or blog...I guess. So, yes, I'm giving myself the "world's worst blogger" award for last week's total of ZERO posts, lol. I'm a busy bee, and I'll tell you all about my writing world escapades on Wednesday.

Today I want to reveal the covers of two great books, CANARY and STRENGTH. I'm a little late to the game, but better late than never, right? I'm so excited for the authors of these books! Rachele Alpine, author of CANARY, and the hilariously funny and awesome Carrie Butler, author of STRENGTH, are two of my favorite blogger buds. Congrats guys!!

Here are their fantabulous covers :)

Staying quiet will destroy her, but speaking up will destroy everyone.

Kate Franklin’s life changes for the better when her dad lands a job at Beacon Prep, an elite private school with one of the best basketball teams in the state. She begins to date a player on the team and quickly gets caught up in a world of idolatry and entitlement, learning that there are perks to being an athlete. 

But those perks also come with a price. Another player takes his power too far and Kate is assaulted at a party. She knows she should speak out, but her dad tries to silence her in order to protect the team. The world that Kate was once welcomed into is now her worst enemy, and she must decide whether to stay silent or expose the corruption, destroying her father’s career and bringing down a town’s heroes. 

Canary is told in a mix of prose and verse.

When college student Rena Collins finds herself nose-to-chest with the campus outcast, her rumor-laced notions are shattered. Handsome, considerate, and seemingly sane, Wallace Blake doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, screaming and banging on the walls of his dorm room. Hell, he doesn’t look like he spends his nights alone, period. 

Too curious for her own good, Rena vows to uncover the truth behind Wallace’s madman reputation--and how two seconds of contact had left her with bruises. Of course, there are a few minor setbacks along the way: guilt, admiration, feelings of the warm and fuzzy variety… 

Not to mention the unwanted attention of Wallace's powerful, supernaturally-gifted family. 

They’re a bloodline divided by opposing ideals, two soon-to-be warring factions that live in secret among us. When Rena ends up caught in their crossfire, Wallace has no choice but to save her by using his powers. Now they’re really in trouble. With war on the horizon and Rena’s life in the balance, he needs to put some distance between them. But Rena won’t let go. If fighting is what it takes to prove her own strength and keep Wallace in her life, then that’s what she’ll do--even if it means risking a whole lot more than her heart. 

Vacation Time...again.

Yes...I'm vacationing like a retired person, but can you blame me? Baby is coming soon (and for those of you who don't know: IT'S A BOY!). I'm trying to get as much traveling done as possible before I'm thrust into a world of crying cuddly poopy diaper bliss. Thankfully Uprising (Children of the Gods #2) is done-ish. I'll be working on polishing the edges a bit while in Boston before one last line edit...February is on its way! I've also been working on Children of the Gods #3 lately. I haven't written more than 20 pages, but I'm outlining and brainstorming a lot. This third book is going to take a bit more planning than I'm used to...a lot has happened/will happen to Elyse and William. As I get farther along in the story, there is a ton to keep track of and tie together. It's intimidating, but I love the challenge. So...that's what I'll be doing in between day trips around Boston. Most of Uprising was written during my last trip to Boston, so I'm hoping I feel just as inspired. See you all back here on September 17th.

Over and out...

The Buzz: Anything But Ordinary by Lara Avery

Happy Labor Day everyone! I hope you all are in your pj's like me :) First of all, I have to admit that I haven't been around much lately...no Twitter, Facebook, blogging...I've been in baby world, and in all honesty I'll probably be there for a while. I'm trying to get in some last minute traveling before I'm tied to the house. Next...off to Boston, MA on Friday :) Wooohooo! Watch out world, this pregnant lady is taking you on.

For today's buzz I wanted to post about a book that really sucked me in. It's called Anything But Ordinary by Lara Avery. Thanks to my awesome publisher I got a stack full of ARCs for my traveling this summer. This was one that I really loved. It will be out through Hyperion in 7 days (Sept. 11, 2012).

An inspiring, bittersweet love story about making every day count.

Bryce remembers it like it was yesterday. The scent of chlorine. The blinding crack and flash of pain. Blood in the water.

When she wakes up in the hospital, all Bryce can think of is her disastrous Olympic diving trial. But everything is different now. Bryce still feels seventeen, so how can her little sister be seventeen, too? Life went on without her while Bryce lay in a coma for five years. Her best friend and boyfriend have just graduated from college. Her parents barely speak. And everything she once dreamed of doing—winning a gold medal, traveling the world, falling in love—seems beyond her reach.

But Bryce has changed too, in seemingly impossible ways. She knows things she shouldn’t. Things that happened while she was asleep. Things that haven’t even happened yet. During one luminous summer, as she comes to understand that her dreams have changed forever, Bryce learns to see life for what it truly is: extraordinary.

What I really loved about the book is the writing style. It's written beautifully with lots of symbolism and the most amazing figurative language. I love when a book makes me think: "I want to write like this." I definitely thought that throughout this story. I was very impressed.

Now, I'm not going to lie. This is a sad book. You have to go in knowing that or you're going to be disappointed. I read the reviews before hand so I had an idea of what to expect toward the end. Personally, I think the author's choice to end the book the way she did was justified, and I understood it. Still...sad. I hope you pick it up and give it a chance. It has a slight paranormal angle to it, but nothing crazy. I wouldn't categorize the book as paranormal...maybe science fiction? Anyway, worth the read in my opinion (and I'm a tough critic).

Writing World: UPRISING COVER REVEAL!

What an exciting day! I've been waiting so long to reveal the cover of Uprising (Children of the Gods #2). For those of you who are just stopping by, Uprising is the sequel to my debut novel, Oppression, which became a Barnes & Noble best-selling teen book after its release in February of 2012. Here is a little about Oppression (Children of the Gods #1):

Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than the average person, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Among so many of her kind, she should not be very remarkable--except for the prophecy. Some believe she will put an end to traditions, safeguarded by violence, which have oppressed her people for centuries. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning--and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Thanks so much to everyone who is helping me get the word out about the next book in my Children of the Gods series!
 
Now...without further ado...


TA DA!



Release Date: February 19, 2013 (E-book & Paperback)Publisher: ZOVA BOOKS
Once the book blurb is finalized and the back cover is done, the book should be up on B&N and Amazon for pre-order. In the meantime, feel free to add it to your TBR list on GoodReads or "like" the Children of the Gods page on Facebook :) Here's a little teaser to lure you in!
 

We left everything but the weapons. Clothes, food, toothpaste. There wasn’t time for things that weren’t essential to escape. The five of us went on foot in a direction that was meaningless to me. I had never seen what was outside of the edges of the safe haven, not since I’d been here.
When Mac stopped abruptly after our fifteen-minute trek into the woods, we all froze at once, bodies poised and ready to attack, eyes searching for threats. “We’re here,” Mac announced. “What should we expect Marcus?” I had never heard Dr. Nickel called by his first name, and it made me realize he wasn’t as untouchable as I had imagined. Just because he was here, didn’t mean we were safe.“I don’t know,” he answered. “Maybe an army, maybe nothing. Depends on where they are.”“Everyone best get down on the ground just in case,” Mac decided with a nod. “Weapons ready.”As I lay belly down in the dirt, I noticed Dr. Nickel pull a gun from his belt, and my stomach gave a heave.“When I remove the haven walls, there will be a van. Everyone get in back. If anything goes wrong…” Mac paused, uncomfortable at the thought. “It’s been nice knowin’ ya.”

If you feel like taking part in the fun, you can find me on Facebook or Twitter, post the news on your blog, or stop by and visit some of the blogs/websites participating in the cover reveal today:

jessbookblog.blogspot.com
http://networkedblogs.com/Bfve2 
Xpresso Reads: Awesome reads, book reviews & more
www.rachelealpine.com
themidnightnovelist.wordpress.com
zoeysuncreativelytitledblog.blogspot.com
www.mirandahardy.com
http://lili-lost-in-a-book.blogspot.com/
http://blackanddarknight.wordpress.com
www.bethanylopez.blogspot.com
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
Baxwriting.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/kelley.flanders
http://soyoureawriter.blogspot.com
http://www.fictitiousmusings.com/
http://darkestaddictions.blogspot.com
www.taterstalltails.com
http://publishness.blogspot.com/
http://cassreviews.blogspot.com
papercutsya.blogspot.com
www.christayelichkoth.wordpress.com
anovelperspective.wordpress.com
http://artsymusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com
http://thesilversleeps.blogspot.com/
http://catchthelune.blogspot.com/
http://andisyoungadult.blogspot.com
www.dyadicechoes.com
http://www.paranormalfantasyaddict.blogspot.com
underthesea-andintheclouds.tumblr.com
meradethhouston.blogspot.com
vivelenerd.blogspot.com
www.jessicasalyer.blogspot.com
http://perrytheplatypus1102-3daydreamer3.blogspot.com/
children-of-the-night.webs.com

The Buzz: Ciao Release Blog Tour

Happy Monday bloggers! A friend of mine, Bethany Lopez, has released the third book in her Stories About Melissa series. The book is called Ciao, and as part of her blog tour I'm having her over for an interview :) Here is a little more about the book and Bethany:

Melissa has had a fantastic summer hanging out with her friends and making new ones. Life as she knows it will change when they all come together to begin their sophomore year at Dearborn High. Connections will be made and friendships will be tested. Will Melissa’s family and friends be able to help her through the challenges she will face in the upcoming months?

1.     Hi Bethany, can you tell us about your series? The Stories about Melissa series is a Contemporary YA series that follows Melissa as she begins high school. Throughout the series, we will get to know Melissa's innermost thoughts, as the books are written through her journal entries. We will also get to share in her experiences with her friends and families over the four years of high school, which will be detailed throughout eight books. 2.     Why do you write YA books? I started writing YA so that my daughters could read as I was writing. I enjoy the voice. I am also starting to write New Adult, which is very exciting. These are not for my daughters, as much as they are for me. It takes me back to a great time in life. A time of finding yourself and become responsible for your actions. 3.     What book are you reading now? Madly & the Jackal, by M. Leighton 4.     Do you use real life to inspire parts of your stories? I do. I mix real life and fantasy. I think the stories feel more authentic and relate able when they are based on truth. 5.     What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? Patience. I am a pretty impatient person. I like instant gratification. There is not a lot of that in writing. 6.     Who would you cast for leading roles, if your books were being made into movies? I have included the pics:  Melissa - Gage Golightly, Jess - Elizabeth Gillies, Brian - Robbie Arnell, Jimmy - I found a pic, but not sure of the name, Giovanni - Primo Reggiani, Cassie - Lily Collins  Casey Jimmy Giovanni Melissa Jess Brian 7.     In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing? How has your experience been thus far down the self-publishing road? 
The freedom to put out your book the way you want it is a huge advantage. You have complete control of what goes in to your book, which also means, you have no one else to blame if something is wrong with it. Self-publishing has been amazing. I love being able to plan everything according to my schedule. It has been a very positive experience for me. 8.     Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers? I am really grateful that people read my books and are interested in my stories and characters.   Bethany Lopez was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. She went to High School at Dearborn High, in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where she has set her Young Adult novel. She is married and has a blended family with five children. She is currently serving in the United States Air Force as a Recruiter in Los Angeles, California. She has always loved to read and write and has seen her dream realized by independently publishing her contemporary Young Adult series, Stories About Melissa. Ta Ta for Now! and xoxoxo are available now, book three, Ciao, will be released in Aug 2012. She is currently working on books unrelated to the Melissa series.  Book Links:Barnes & NobleAmazon GoodReads  Author Links:WebsiteTwitterFacebook