S.K. Falls's Blog, page 4
April 27, 2014
We Need Diverse Books Campaign
{click graphic to go to the We Need Diverse Books Tumblr page}
Hi guys! Today I’m SO excited to tell you about a fabulous new campaign to bring about awareness for the need for diversity in literature. Would you like to be involved in making sure you and your community read wonderful stories that are representative of the society we live in today? Read on!
~*~
Recently, there’s been a groundswell of discontent over the lack of diversity in children’s literature. The issue is being picked up by news outlets like these two pieces in the NYT, CNN, EW, and many more. But while we individually care about diversity, there is still a disconnect. BEA’s Bookcon recently announced an all-white-male panel of “luminaries of children’s literature,” and when we pointed out the lack of diversity, nothing changed.
Now is the time to raise our voices into a roar that can’t be ignored. Here’s how:
On May 1st at 1pm (EST), there will be a public call for action that will spread over 3 days.
We’re starting with a visual social media campaign using the hashtag #WeNeedDiverseBooks. We want people to tweet, Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook, blog, and post anywhere they can to help make the hashtag go viral.
For the visual part of the campaign:
Take a photo holding a sign that says “We need diverse books because ___________________________.” Fill in the blank with an important, poignant, funny, and/or personal reason why this campaign is important to you.
The photo can be of you or a friend or anyone who wants to support diversity in kids’ lit. It can be a photo of the sign without you if you would prefer not to be in a picture. Be as creative as you want! Pose the sign with your favorite stuffed animal or at your favorite library. Get a bunch of friends to hold a bunch of signs.
However you want to do it, we want to share it! There will be a Tumblr at http://weneeddiversebooks.tumblr.com/ that will host all of the photos and messages for the campaign. Please submit your visual component by May 1st to weneeddiversebooks@yahoo.com with the subject line “photo” or submit it right on our Tumblr page and it will be posted throughout the first day.
Starting at 1:00PM (EST) the Tumblr will start posting and it will be your job to reblog, tweet, Facebook, or share wherever you think will help get the word out.
The intent is that from 1pm EST to 3pm EST, there will be a nonstop hashtag party to spread the word. We hope that we’ll get enough people to participate to make the hashtag trend and grab the notice of more media outlets.
The Tumblr will continue to be active throughout the length of the campaign, and for however long we need to keep this discussion going, so we welcome everyone to keep emailing or sending in submissions even after May 1st.
On May 2nd, the second part of our campaign will roll out with a Twitter chat scheduled for 2pm (EST) using the same hashtag. Please use #WeNeedDiverseBooks at 2pm on May 2nd and share your thoughts on the issues with diversity in literature and why diversity matters to you.
On May 3rd, 2pm (EST), the third portion of our campaign will begin. There will be a Diversify Your Shelves initiative to encourage people to put their money where their mouth is and buy diverse books and take photos of them. Diversify Your Shelves is all about actively seeking out diverse literature in bookstores and libraries, and there will be some fantastic giveaways for people who participate in the campaign! More details to come!
We hope that you will take part in this in any way you can. We need to spread the word far and wide so that it will trend on Twitter. So that media outlets will pick it up as a news item. So that the organizers of BEA and every big conference and festival out there gets the message that diversity is important to everyone. We hope you will help us by being a part of this movement.
April 22, 2014
Cover Reveal: No Return by Zoe Cannon!
My friend and fellow author, Zoe Cannon, is the mastermind behind the world of The Torturer’s Daughter. You may have seen her zipping up the Amazon charts lately. I love the covers for the series, and this one is no different! Without further ado…
{Add on Goodreads}
Isn’t it gorgeous?? I’ve had the pleasure of beta-reading this one, and I can tell you–you will LOVE what happens. Here’s more about the book:
Every dissident knows about Becca Dalcourt.
They know about the lives she’s saved. About the prison break she carried out against impossible odds. They know she turned a dying resistance into the first real threat Internal Defense has faced in a long time.
And even now, with the resistance under attack from the inside, they know Becca can save them.
They’re wrong.
The conclusion to the story that began with The Torturer’s Daughter and Necessary Sacrifices, No Return explores what happens when an ordinary person becomes a legend – and how to choose between who you are and who the world needs you to be.
No Return will be released on May 21st, 2014.
About Zoe Cannon
Zoe Cannon writes about the things that fascinate her: outsiders, societies no sane person would want to live in, questions with no easy answers, and the inner workings of the mind. If she couldn’t be a writer, she would probably be a psychologist, a penniless philosopher, or a hermit in a cave somewhere. While she’ll read anything that isn’t nailed down, she considers herself a YA reader and writer at heart. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and a giant teddy bear of a dog, and spends entirely too much time on the internet.
Website | Mailing List | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
April 20, 2014
Work(s) in Progress
From zazzle.com
I thought it’d be fun to participate in the WIP (Work in Progress) blog hop that’s been going around. The talented Shauna Granger tagged me, so feel free to go check out her post, too.
Here’s what I’ve got simmering on my writerly stove right now!
1) What am I working on?
Besides my ongoing Fevered Souls serial novel, I’m also working on a contemporary novel I’m so very excited about!
2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?
Fevered Souls is different from other works in its genre because it’s a serial novel. I like that it’s episodic, sort of like reading a TV show. You get just enough to sate you AND make you want the next episode right away. 
The contemporary novel is different from others of its kind because of its subject matter. It’s dark and perverse, while still being engrossing (I hope!).
3) Why do I write what I do?
I tell stories to make sense of my life, and to hopefully help people make sense of theirs. With something like Fevered Souls, it’s my hope to provide an easy escape from all the stressors and drama that accompany life. With my darker contemporary novel, I hope to shed light on a subject in a way that makes people stop, think, and go, “Hmm.”
4) How does my writing process work?
I’ve talked about this before, so I won’t flap my jaws about it again. Go here to check that post out.
March 28, 2014
Season 4 has begun! :)
Yayyyy! I’m so excited to let you guys know that Immortal, episode 1 of season 4, is now live on Amazon. I can’t wait for you to read all about Cara’s activation and stumble upon the few surprises I’ve thrown in there (as I am wont to do…muahahaha).
You can buy Immortal for only $0.99–click here! (And if you’ve already read and enjoyed the season 3 omnibus, would you mind leaving a review? I’d soooo appreciate it!)
Happy Friday! 
Sandhya
March 24, 2014
My Writing Process
This post is part of the writing process blog hop! I’m thankful to my friend Megan Thomason who tagged me. Check out her post for more writing process goodness!
My process is fairly simple, now that I’ve had two years to hone it (that’s how long I’ve been writing novels).
It all begins with an idea that makes me feel like this.
Once the idea comes to me, I begin to seriously think about how I could flesh it out. Not all ideas are meant to be made into novel-length work. Sometimes an idea will fizzle out, and I sort of feel like this when I think about writing an entire book about it:
Once I’m sure I want to develop an idea into a 70,000-word novel, the fun begins! I sit down and plot out the “energy markers” of the story. Not sure what that means? I highly recommend starting out with these videos by the Plot Whisperer, Martha Alderson. She totally changed the way I view plotting, and now it’s cause for much excitement!
Once that’s done, it’s time to begin! By now I should have a pretty strong view of the main character–what drives her, what her major flaw is, and what obstacles she’s going to face. I also know about the secondary characters she’ll interact with most.
At this point, the only thing to do is write. I write every day, for about three to four hours in the morning. I’m a fairly fast typist, so I average about 3,000-4,000 words a day.
Writing can be fairly solitary, which is why I LOVE doing it with other writerly friends. I think right here is a good time to give a shoutout to my #teamawesome tweeps! We’re friends on Twitter, and we keep each other going with writing sprints.
That brings me to the two people I’m going to tag! They’re fabulous, and they’re members of #teamawesome to boot. I give you…
Jennah Scott and
Shauna Granger!
They’ll have their writing process posts ready to go on March 31st. Hope you’ll visit them and learn more!
Thanks for sticking with me. Happy Monday (ha! What an oxymoron!)!
Sandhya
March 15, 2014
Introducing…The Infinite Ink Authors!
I am so excited to tell you guys about a new author group I’ve joined. It’s called Infinite Ink, and we’re a group of nine YA and NA (new adult) authors who write sci-fi or fantasy. To build awareness, we’re giving away a $25 Amazon gift card as well as prize packs full of our books! Interested in finding out more about it, and about us?
Check out: www.infiniteinkauthors.com or click on the banner above!
You can follow us here:
Thanks for reading!
March 12, 2014
Quick update on season 4
Hello, beautiful readers!
I know you’re waiting patiently for season 4, and I promise, I won’t disappoint! I’m working away on episode one, and plan to release it next week. This season’s going to be epic! I can’t wait to unveil all that happens. If you want to join in on the fun and vote on reader polls, make sure to sign up for the Fabulous Fevered Fanatics club.
Back to my writing cave,
Sandhya
February 28, 2014
A Fevered Souls New Release Celebration!
Hi everyone!
I’m super-duper-excited to tell you that the season 3 omnibus of Fevered Souls is heeeere! In case you can’t tell, I’m SO EXCITED. Did I already say I was excited??
To celebrate, I’m doing a major sale of the season 1 and 2 omnibuses as well. Here’s how it’s going to go down:
Season 1: FREE until 11:59 PM March 1st
Season 2: $0.99 from 6 AM March 1st-6 AM March 2nd
Season 3: $1.99 until 11:59 PM March 1st
Season 3 also comes with some fabulous bonus content I think you’ll love! I hope you enjoy it! Let’s celebrate! *slaps on party hat* *grabs kazoo*
P.S.–Are you all caught up and just interested in the season finale episode, Juncture? You can grab that here for $0.99!
February 11, 2014
Named (Season 3, Episode 4) out now!
Hooray! Named is available now! And…it’s the second-to-last episode, which means the next one is the SEASON FINALE. Zomg. I can’t even believe we’re finally here, you guys. I feel like I was JUST seized with the idea to write sexy, hot demons. But that was last April. o.O Time flies when you’re having fun!
The season omnibus will be available sooner than I’d planned–most likely in the spring instead of the summer. I’m working with a super-cool designer on pretty interiors with custom chapter headings, etc. and really pretty print books! So stay tuned for those as well. I’ll be sure to do a giveaway for my Fabulous Fevered Fanatics and maybe on Facebook!
Big hugs and stay warm!
Sandhya
January 31, 2014
Return (Fevered Souls Season 3, Episode 3) is out!
Hey guys!
I’m happy to tell you that Return is now live! We’re halfway through season 3, can you believe it?? I definitely can’t! There’s so much goodness happening this season. In Return, Cara has to deal with Dax coming back and she learns more about her past and what the future might hold. I hope you enjoy it! I had a blast writing it.
I’d also like to give a special shout-out to an amazing reader, Jacinda, who volunteered to help me proofread episodes before they go live. She has an amazingly sharp eye for typos, so I’m SO happy she loves Cara and Dax enough to want to join the team in a professional capacity! *waves wildly* Hi, Jacinda!
That’s it from me for now. I’m in bed, battling a death cold my kids brought home from school–ugh. You guys stay warm!
Sandhya
