Jen Minkman's Blog, page 2

YA Scavenger Hunt kicks off in June!

I'm taking part in a massive scavenger hunt in June, sponsored by An Alliance of Young Adult Authors. This is an opportunity  to discover new authors, grab a bunch of free books for your summer reading, and sign up to win a whole bunch of epic prizes!
Are you ready to join the hunt?
RULES
The Scavenger Hunt will begin on June 1st!
Each author will be given a special keyword, which will be bolded and all caps like this: BUTTERFLIES.
All you have to do is visit all the author’s sites in order, write down the special keywords to discover the short story, then enter the giveaway with the completed short story HERE.
There will be one main giveaway for the main prize, but most of the participating authors will also have smaller giveaways so make sure you read all their post carefully to see what else they’re offering while you’re on their site for the keyword.

THE MAP (PARTICIPATING AUTHORS)1.Cindy Ray Hale2. Katherine Bogle3. Melle Amade4. David Kudler5. A.M. Yates6. Alethea Kontis7. Stevie Rae Causey8. Katlyn Duncan9. Debbie Manber Kupfer10. Meredith Efken11. Meredith Rose12. Lara Ann13. K.M. Robinson14. J.A. Culican15. Heather Karn16. Rob L. Slater17. Dylan Keefer18. Sarah K. Wilson19. L.J. Higgins20. Gina Marie Long21. Em Kazmierski22. Travis Hall23. Heather Young-Nichols24. Anna Santos25. J.L. Weil26. Jo Schneider27. Rebecca Fernfield28. Kristin D. Van Risseghem29. Martine Lewis30. Tara Benham31. Stacy Claflin32. Beth Hammond33. Erica Monroe Cope34. Nicole Zoltack35. Char Webster36. Sabrina Ramoth37. T.J. Muir38. Raquel Lyon39. Beth Rodgers40. S.L. Beaumont41. Eva Pohler42. Melanie McFarlane43. Cheryllynn Dyess44. Audrey Rich45. Amanda Zieba46. Sandie Will47. Elle Scott48. Angie Grigaliunas49. Ashley Maker50. Mandy Peterson51. Audrey Grey52. Elisa Dane53. Amy McNulty54. Melinda Cordell55. Monica Leonelle56. Claire Luana57. Frost Kay58. Preeti C. Sharma59. Bentz Deyo60. April Wood61. Lena Mae Hill62. Angel Leya63. Wendi Wilson64. Wendy Knight65. Chogan Swan66. Tamara Hart Heiner67. Norma Hinkens68. Patti Larsen69. Megan Crewe70. Jamie Thornton71. Jessie Renée72. T.A. Maclagan73. Lydia Sherrer74. Phyllis Moore75. P.D. Workman76. J.A. Armitage77. K.N. Lee78. Angela Fristoe79. Rhonda Sermon80. G.K. DeRosa81. Erin Richards82. Ali Winters83. Larissa C. Hardesty84. Kristine Tate85. Debra Kristi86. Bella Rose87. Cortney Pearson88. Jeff Kohanek89. Kristal Shaff90. Rachel Morgan91. Emma Right92. C.L. Cannon93. Joanne Macgregor94. Lindsey Loucks95. Farah Kuck96. Erin Hayes97. Jesikah Sundin98. Dorothy Dreyer99. Danielle Annett100. C.J. Ethington101. L.C. Hibbett102. Madeline Dyer103. Katie John104. Nicole Schubert105. Rachel Medhurst106. Tee G Ayer107. May Freighter108. Heather Dyer109. Jen Minkman110. J.L. Gillham111. Karen Tomlinson112. Kate Haye114. Martina Billings115. Jo Ho116. Brian King117. Inna Hardison118. Rachel Bateman119. Sally Henson120. J.L. Hendricks121. A.L. Knorr122. T.M. Franklin123. Konstanz Silverbow124. Felisha Antonette125. Jake Devlin126. S.F. Benson127. Laurie Treacy128. Emily Martha Sorensen129. Leia Stone130. T. Rae Mitchell131. J. Keller Ford132. Kat Stiles133. Jessica Hawke134. Elyse Reyes135. Sophie Davis136. Bianca Scardoni137. Jenetta Penner138. David R. Bernstein139. Olivia Wildenstein140. Derek MurphyNewsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

Huge Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction Super Sale starting today!

THIS SALE BEGINS ON FEBRUARY 17, 2016

Hello, reader! This post is dedicted to a Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction Super Sale that I'm taking part in!

Disclaimer: I haven't read all of the books on this list. Authors assigned their own movie ratings.

From $7.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Fantasy

Nicole has been chosen to lead an anti-magic organization in a revolution which will destroy all Aretes, including herself. But if she doesn't do it, a curse placed long ago will lead to everyone's destruction.From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy

In a land of magic users, one boy is born without magic. In a realm of angry dragons, one dragon befriends a human boy. Together, they follow their hearts in order to save their land.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: YA Fantasy

Shanice has never felt like she belongs. Then she learns why—she is the last known princess from another world, their last chance to stop the one who is bent on destroying it.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Christina is a demon, but she doesn't want to be. Only one person stands in the way of her transformation, and he will stop at nothing to keep her the way she is.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Megan's been known for her luck her whole life. But when a leprechaun shows up at her door, Everything changes. Her friends must help her get it back before it ruins her high school career forever.
From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes 
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Gothic Paranormal Romance

Amelia meant to help a ghost, not unleash a curse. As her classmate's bodies pile up, she must exonerate the boy next door...or end up the next victim.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Magical Realism

When the royal family is brutally murdered, Princess Kazia is left to rule. But how can she rule when her home has burned to the ground and at any moment the assassin may return?From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: R
Genre: Paranormal

If Lord of the Flies and The Thing had a baby, and then that baby was raised by Evil Dead, it would grow up to be this toe-curling camp scare speckled with black humor and nasty stuff.
From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Time Travel Romance

Cassie is going to heaven—if she can get amnesty from hell in the next twenty days. Her assignment is to change the eternal destination of a girl in Albuquerque to earn admittance into heaven.From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Dystopian

Arcene, Awoken and trapped in her own body as a perpetual fifteen-year-old, gets a lot more than she bargained for when she finally finds herself behind the walls of the blue castle.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Science Fiction

When the Hubble Telescope disappears, the FBI calls Jake Corby. Corby has promised his wife to cut down on the hero stuff, but when the ISS is targeted, his promise gets hard to keep.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Urban Fantasy

What if the greatest weapon in the age-old war between good and evil was inside of you? Crystal Scott must use her newfound gifts against the tide of evil threatening all of them—or die trying.From $4.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy

Born a Naga, Kanvar is hunted, hated, and driven into hiding. Soon the dragon sickness will come upon him, and he will die if he cannot find a dragon to bond with.From $4.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

Winner of the state libraries' Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Project! Three unlikely heroes board a doomed bus. Destination: the afterlife. Their mission: to save forever. But first they have to save themselves.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Supernatural Suspense

St. Margaret's was an almshouse until its previous occupants burned to death years before. When a bag of bones falls on twelve-year old Julia, she gets thrown into the spirit realm with house's past residents.From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Fantasy

Merge with a demon. Fight a traitor trying to destroy both their worlds. And above all don’t kill the people trying to help.From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Time Travel

When Petra Baron goes into the fortuneteller’s tent at a Renaissance fair, she expects to leave with a date to prom. Instead, she walks out into Elizabethan England.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal

When a jagged cut shows up on Kylee's arm, she enlists her neighbor to help her uncover the truth. But Price shows her much more—he shows her what it is to be alive.From $3.99 to FREE
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Dystopian

Get this bestselling dystopian fantasy series from YA author Elana Johnson in one convenient digital boxed set! Includes 3 volumes: Elemental Rush, Elemental Hunger, and Elemental Release.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal

Mackenzie Carver accidentally stumbles into a supernatural's plot to frame the school loner for murder, drawing the attention of the plotter and painting a target on her head.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal

Can YOU survive the fish-zombie apocalypse? The fate of your friends and family is in your hands, and when the stakes are high, YOU need to decide what you’ll be—a survivor, or fish food.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Ghosts

What would you do if you had a camera that could photograph ghosts? When Jenine discovers an abandoned Polaroid, she realises the dead aren’t as peaceful as she’d imagined...From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Spooky Fantasy

Sam dreams he has a friend, but when he wakes, he always forgets him. One day he does not forget, one day he remembers, and on that day, the boy comes to stay...
From $3.99 to $0.99
Kindle * Nook * Kobo
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Kyle, an extraordinary level magic holder, has a problem. It isn't the pretty girl that has taken an interest in him. It's the organization that is trying to kill him. High school is tough.

From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Science Fiction

High school dropout Darius Arthur Heisenberg is recruited to be an agent for the Keepers, whose mission is to maintain and protect the myriad threads of time. What could possibly go wrong?From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Science Fiction Space Opera

Bob Astor lands himself in the middle of a desperate crisis that could lead to the destruction of all human life. It's up to Bob to stop the dangerous alien force headed to Earth!
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Dystopian

In futuristic America, ratings are everything. When Treena gets the wrong number, she takes a dangerous mission to prove her true worth. But why is someone trying to kill her?From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Aspen—a skydiving, rock-climbing, bear-cuddling, adrenaline junkie, finds herself in real danger when she unwittingly ensnares the heart of Obsidian, the dragon king.From $3.99 to FREE
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal Romance

The bracelet around my wrist is a permanent reminder of my mission. The silver charm attached to the leather cord is stamped with my birth sign. Mission: Unite with my twin flame soulmate.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Fantasy

Duty versus love is the one battle warrior Kae does not know how to fight.From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes 
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal

Mary has always been different. She'd like to be normal, but being able to hear ghosts means she'll never be like everyone else.From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes 
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Coming of Age Fantasy

As the second son, Micah Brachon is happy to focus on his inventions and experiments. When one of those experiments is sabotaged, he learns about the deadly faction that seeks to rip apart their government.
From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes 
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Paranormal Romance

When do dreams erupt into reality? After Hannah, vacationing in Arizona, meets handsome Josh from the Navajo reservation, she experiences vivid nightmares about the Navajo nation’s past — a riveting tale blending romance and paranormal mystery.From $4.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Science Fiction/Super Here

Power of a villain, heart of a hero.From $3.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Mia Winterborne is destined to be special. Details are sketchy, though, as her dad disappeared with the answers. As her birthday draws near, long-buried lies are exposed, putting her on a path she never expected.
From $0.99 to FREE
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Paranormal Romance

On her sixteenth birthday Emily discovers she is a witch and accidentally causes complete mayhem as her first spells don't exactly go to plan. A young adult paranormal romantic comedy.From $2.99 to FREE
Kindle * Nook * Kobo * iTunes
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy

When a psychotic werewolf comes to town, Xoe’s life is a disaster waiting to happen. Throw a tall, handsome vampire into the mix, and the question of Xoe’s preternatural heritage, and it’s total chaos.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy

When nerdy Rich Witz unwittingly becomes a paladin in training, he is thrust into a world where flunking a test can change history, and a mysterious bully is playing for keeps with his life.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror

Tamara thought she was a normal girl in a normal world. Wrong. Her new reality is full of ghosts and demons and she's a member of the Choir Invisible, a demon hunter. Join her.From $4.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Apocalyptic/Dystopian

No one knows why they have to evacuate at first. What they soon find out is it will take a lot of inventiveness with limited resources for the evacuees to survive the Weather Wars.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Science Fiction

If your heart rate goes over 140 beats per minute, you die. In a quest for the truth about the Bug and its origin, Nik and his friends work to keep their heart rates low.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Science Fiction/Cyberpunk

The world is broken. The powerful machines that once ruled over land and sky fought and died, leaving humanity in a primitive age of swords and monsters and only the Etherwalker can save them.From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy

Above ground an epidemic sweeps the planet. In order to survive, most of the population must slave away in the dark, unforgiving caverns of the Yyinum mines. These self-appointed guardians strive for survival on Minea.
From $2.99 to $0.99
Kindle
Movie Rating: PG13
Genre: Science Fiction

After the world was torn apart by the nightmares of myth and legend, a revenge-filled Caleb and a bewitched Eric find themselves on journeys to hunt down the Dragonlords.

Enjoy the books! And come check out Andrea's giveaway here.Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

Huge Fantasy Book Giveaway!

Do you love reading fantasy books? Then this giveaway is just for you! 50 authors have teamed up to bring you the ULTIMATE giveaway -- a Kindle Fire loaded with 50 fantasy ebooks! Even better, this contest doesn't just have one winner, but SIX! One person wins the kindle, and an additional five people will be given one of the 50 ebooks listed in this giveaway -- their choice. PLUS you can earn unlimited extra entries! Scroll down to learn more about the prizes, or click here to enter:

Enter the Fantasy Lovers Giveaway HereThe Prizes: One Kindle Fire...Plus these FIFTY Fantasy eBooks!
Well? What are you waiting for? Click here to enter the giveaway.Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

Welcome to Jen Minkman's young adult Fiction website!

Thank you so much for visiting my page! I'm an author from the Netherlands, but my books are all available in English as well as many other languages. I mostly write YA Paranormal or YA Dystopian novels and novellas, but I also have some short stories out there. Please click on the links in the top bar to find out more about my young adult books, the locations where my stories take place, and myself as a person. If you'd like to receive updates when I publish something new (or want to receive content that I only send out to my fans!), you can subscribe to my newsletter in the upper right corner.

Once again, thanks for visiting and don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions :) My email is jenminkman (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Best wishes,
Jen Minkman.


Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

My addiction to designing book covers (or having them designed)

I have a confession to make... I stopped window-shopping a long time ago, but I can't stop myself from trawling premade book cover sites and/or downloading stock photos that I could one day turn into book covers. I have at least 10 ideas for stories to write in the next year or two and I have just as many ebook covers waiting to accompany those stories, if not more. In some cases I haven't written a  SINGLE LETTER yet and still I do have an ebook cover :) And truth is, I'm so eager to show them off to the world!

So... I've dediced to share a few today. Please don't email me and beg me to write these stories ASAP, because the voices in my head are doing a pretty good job putting me under pressure already. I know: I should lock myself in my house for the next two years and only allow myself out again if I've got something to show for it. But for now, without further ado, I give you some of 'the covers that will inspire me to write their stories this year or the next!'






Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

New Year resolution: BLOG MORE OFTEN

Because let's face it, why am I so quiet on here? In real life I'm anything but, I can assure you :) So from now on, I'm dedicating myself to posting on my website more often. I'll probably post stuff about bookish things, traveling (because that is my greatest passion next to writing), and music/movies. Today I'm kicking off by posting some pics from a party I attended last night: The YA Book Bash.

Organized by Storm Publishers in the Netherlands, this party was part award ceremony and part YA fun get-together. The winner of Storm's writing contest was announced, and the story that won was one of my personal favorites, so I was thrilled Mascha Schoonakker was chosen. She's won a book deal and her work will be published in Dutch and English in 2016 and 2017. Did you know that Storm Publishers publishes original YA fiction from the Netherlands in both Dutch  and English? They acquired the rights to my book 'The Boy from the Woods' last year, and they also published the first-ever Dutch new adult novel in 2015 ('Heat' by Lis Lucassen). Much more is in the pipeline, so keep an eye on them: they'll be a 'Dutch treat' for YA fans around the globe!

Some photos of last night:





Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

A visit to the setting of my Dartmoor Chronicles!

It's been a while since I took the time to post here about my 'book location travels', but I actually visited some places from my latest book this very summer! Some of these towns and locations were already mentioned in The Deep (Book 3 of the Island series), but in Beyond the Fence, the first installment of the Dartmoor Chronicles, we get to see much more of Dartmoor, the region under President Jacob's rule.


This is the entrance to Dartmoor Prison. In my book, this is the city gate - the survivors of the Great Wars started a new community here, within the walls of an old prison surrounded by wild moorland.

This is what it looks like from above. A true walled city n modern times (and future times, in the Dartmoor Chronicles!)


Just to give you an idea of how desolate the land around 'Dartmoor City' looks - here are some pictures of me and my family doing a hike across Dartmoor! Also: sheep. Sheep are everywhere!


Me in Dunsford, the 'border town' where Sarah crosses the fence with Jinn. In my book it's a lot less quiet here!

The 'fence' running through the town. (just a school fence IRL!)  ... and the main street of Dunsford.



And this is the blue building in Moretonhampstead where I imagined the main library to be.I think the blue looks quite dashing!

The monument for the fallen of the 'Wars of Yore' in Moretonhampstead.

And that's it for now! The next book in this series will take place on Tresco, Lundy and Exmoor. I don't have any plans to visit those places anytime soon, but if I do, I'll be sure to post it here :)






Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

Welcome to Jen Minkman's YA Fiction website!

Thank you so much for visiting my page! I'm an author from the Netherlands, but my books are all available in English as well as many other languages. I mostly write YA Paranormal or YA Dystopian novels and novellas, but I also have some short stories out there. Please click on the links in the top bar to find out more about my books, the locations where my stories take place, and myself as a person. If you'd like to receive updates when I publish something new (or want to receive content that I only send out to my fans), you can subscribe to my newsletter in the upper right corner.

Once again, thanks for visiting and don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions :) My email is jenminkman (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Best wishes,
Jen Minkman.


Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

Le garçon du bois

Julia a été amoureuse de Michael pendant des années. Il est le garçon le plus beau du lycée, et elle n'arrive pas à le croire quand ils se rapprochent enfin, lors de leur bal de fin d'année. Mais son rêve ne dure pas bien longtemps, après quelques rendez-vous, il la largue brutallement sans qu'elle s'y attende. Les grandes vacances pour Julia commencent avec un coeur brisé et un grand désespoir.Puis, un jour, elle sauve Michael dans les bois après qu'il ait eu un accident de moto dans un violent orage. A partir de là, sa vie se trouve totalement bouleversée. Michael a complètement changé à cause du coup à la tête qui avait faillit le tuer...et il veut la récupérer. Mais pourquoi est-il si différent? Et va-t-elle pouvoir lui faire confiance cette fois-ci?Est-ce que le garçon qui vous a brisé le coeur peut un jour réussir à le regagner?
Amazon France / Amazon.com / iTunes / Kobo / B&N

Back to foreign books pageNewsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P

Sometimes, I don't understand the way Goodreads people rate...

I think I may have written a blog post about the 4-star requirement that a lot of promo sites out there use sometime last year. As some of you may know, if an author wants to make his or her book more visible these days, it's a jungle out there and nobody is going to find your book unless you advertize, so that's what authors with a bit of money to invest do. And many sites such as EReaderNewsToday, BookBub, The Midlist, and other sites ask that you only submit books with an average rating of four stars or more for their consideration. Just so they don't taint their name and promote rubbish.

Now, don't worry, this is not another rant about the unfairness of judging a book's merit based solely on star ratings. It is, however, a little piece of my mind about how truly unique voices in literature aren't rewarded the way they should be. Not if Goodreads opinions are anything to go by.

Take, for example, Marcus Sedgwick. I'm reading one of his books right now (Midwinterblood, which I highly recommend) and the man is an effing genius. I'm going to buy the rest of his books ASAP, take my word for it. Imagine my shock and unpleasant surprise when I went over to Goodreads to check out his work and saw that NONE of his books have a rating above 4 stars. None of them. In fact, his author profile has an average rating of 3.67 stars. And the same goes for Nova Ren Suma, who is another literary mastermind. Her books (I've read all of them now except her latest creation) are so evocative and magical and a pure pleasure to read that I'm jealous I didn't write her books myself. Guess what HER average rating is. 3.53 stars. If these authors were self-published, no one would want to promote them. Maybe it's because the crowd on Goodreads isn't what it used to be, or maybe their books aren't palatable enough. I don't know, but I'm shocked.

You know, a lot of self-pubbed authors think that the traditional publishing world is in its death throes and nobody needs a publisher anymore, because nowadays, readers have the power and they decide what sells and what doesn't, but I'm kind of happy that the Big 5 (or 6?) are still there. I shudder to think what would have happened to Mr. Sedgwick's and Ms. Ren Suma's books otherwise. They'd never have found their way to my ereader or bookshelf, because they'd never have been picked up by promo sites and in all probability I'd have never come across them. I'd have missed out on a beautiful reading experience.

So, yeah, sometimes I think it's pretty awesome that publishers still get to decide which books should see the light of day. :)

End of rant!Newsletter for New Releases here: http://eepurl.com/x1X9P